Iwoke up before hedid.There must have been a big storm overnight, because when I opened the curtains, I saw the ground, the trees, everything, covered in snow and blinding white.I let him sleep and went to the bathroom for a shower, and when I got out, he was waiting at the door.I hugged him.
“I’ll make breakfast for us,” I said.
“Sure.”
I did the works: pancakes, fried bread, eggs, and bacon, and I made it extra special because of, well, last night.I set the table and filled a plate for him.I was putting it on the table when he came out of the bathroom.But when he went to sit at the kitchen table, he winced and stood up.
“Honey kid?What is it?”
“Just a little sore.”He took his food to the living room and sat carefully on the couch.
“You want some ibuprofen?”
“Didn’t bring any.Did you?”
“No, but I can go out and get some.”
“Don’t worry.”
“I did this to you.I’ll get some.”
I noticed he was shivering.I got the sweatshirt I’d bought him out of my suitcase and brought it back to him.
“Here,” I said.“I bought this for you.”
“Why?”
“’Cause it’s warm, and I figured you’d look good in it.”
I pulled it on for him.His hair stuck up everywhere, so I smoothed it with both hands.He was growing it out for me, and he looked...He had no business looking that good.I was so fucking lucky.I cupped the back of his neck and kissed him.I wasn’t turning him on—probably couldn’t if he was hurting.
“Stay there,” I said.
I got him a blanket from the bedroom and arranged it over him.Tucking it around his body gave me a chance to touch him everywhere.
“Remember that first night you spent at my place when you asked me if I wanted to tuck you in?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, here you go.”I wanted to muss up his hair, but I’d just straightened it out, so I didn’t.“You want me to build you a fire?”
“Is that a real fireplace?”he said.
“Yeah.Haven’t you ever seen a fireplace before?”
“Sure, on TV.”
I couldn’t tell if he was bullshitting me.I guess if he’d never left the city, maybe he hadn’t seen one before.
The owners of the house had left firewood and instructions out, which I didn’t need.From my time in Cubs, I knew how to start a fire without matches, but since therewerematches, and I didn’t want to waste any time getting out to the pharmacy to get his pills, I used those.Once I had the fire going, I got him my laptop.“I have movies on there if you get bored.”
“You driving back to Toronto for those pills?”he said.
“No, but I’ve gotta dig the car out of the snow.I’m gonna be a while.”
I put my coat and boots on and found a snow shovel by the door.And yeah, we really got dumped on.I checked the shed for a snow blower, but there was only the shovel.I did spot a couple pairs of snowshoes while I was checking the shed.
I cleared the snow off the car and dug out the driveway, which was as much of a workout as tap practice.The rental had all-season tires on, which wasn’t ideal.At least the road was plowed.On my way to the pharmacy, I passed one of those family restaurants the farmers lined up to eat at, with a sign that read Home-Cooked Food on the roof.I’d eaten at a bunch of those when I was on the road doing tap competitions.The food was always amazing.
