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Sky and I turn to each other. “Zak’s retiring??” the both of us ask at the same time.
ZAK
I walk through the dressing room one last time, scoping all the different outfits and costumes. The whole building is quiet, which is to be expected on an afternoon like this before the place is even open. But I figured it to be the best time to show Richie my place of employment.
You know. Before I leave it for good.
“There … are so many identities in this place,” notes Richie from the other end of the room. He’s observing all the different hats that hang on the wall. His attention is currently on a yellow fireman helmet. “So many fantasies. So many dreams.”
“So many lies,” I dryly add, then chuckle as I sling my backpack over a shoulder, all my personal belongings packed. “You ready to go?”
“So quickly?” Richie hangs the helmet back up, then crosses the room. “I figured you’d want to … oh, I don’t know … give this place some kind of moment of silence, perhaps? You’ve worked here for so long. And it’s meant so much to you.”
I come right up to him, place a kiss on his firm, perfect lips, then peer deeply into his eyes. “I’ll tell you what means more: a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and the precious lives I’ll save with it.”
“Of course, of course.” He kisses me back. “I have no doubt you’re going to be living the life you dreamed in no time.”
I shrug. “Well, I wouldn’t call all the years I have left of school ‘no time’, but your sentiment is appreciated, Captain.”
“That reminds me. I, ah … I have something to … to contribute. Or rather, to sacrifice. Hmm. Maybe that’s too strong of a word.” Richie appears troubled as he looks down at his hands.
I study him. “What do you mean?”
He goes to a bag he brought with him and set down on the counter. From it, he withdraws a hat.
A captain’s hat.
“Yes,” he confirms without my asking. “This is the same captain’s hat you left in my hotel suite … that one fateful night, however long ago. It seems like it’s been ages already. Time truly flies. Do you want this back?” he asks me suddenly, a soft smile on his face. “Your captain’s hat?”
I give it a moment’s respect, smile, then shake my head. “I’ve already donated my captain’s outfit to Larry, along with all my other costumes, since they won’t get any use at my place anymore. You can do with it what you want, Captain.”
He lets out a soft chuckle at my use of that name—which I haven’t called him in weeks—then peers contemplatively at the hat in his grip. After a moment’s decision, he walks to the wall of hats and gives it a new home there, right next to the fireman helmet. “Yes,” he says aloud, nodding slowly. “Yes, that seems right.” Then he turns to me. “It’s time I hang up my own Captain persona, too, don’t you think? I’ve got the real man right in front of me … and you’ve got the real man right in front of you.”
“That I do,” I agree. I pull out my phone, tap a song, then set it on the counter before reaching out for his hand.
He takes it at once. I pull him right into an impromptu slow dance in the center of the dressing room, the music of Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat major, opus 9 number 2 being our guide. I doubt music like this has ever touched the walls of this room. After a moment, he rests his head on my shoulder, and I lay my cheek against his, closing my eyes. I feel more at peace within myself than I’ve ever felt.
“Do you know what scares me?” Richie quietly asks, his voice blending in with the subtle piano.
“What scares you?”
“Where we’ll be in twenty years.” He inhales. It’s a heavy, forlorn inhale. “Doesn’t that frighten you somehow? The fact that even in twenty years, you’ll still be younger than I am now?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“You answered too quickly.”
“Because it doesn’t. What if we were the same age?” I counter lightly. “One of us could be hit by a bus tomorrow. Or tonight. You don’t know how much time you’ve got any more than I do, Richie. Don’t let the prospect of time scare you. Let it inspire you. What will tomorrow bring us? Or next year? Hell, in twenty years, we might’ve changed our minds a thousand times and decided to live out in a cabin in the woods among the squirrels.”
“Oh, wouldn’t you love that,” he teases.
“I would. I’d name all of them. The squirrels.”
He chuckles against my shoulder, then lifts his face to meet mine with a surprise kiss that stops our dancing. When he pulls away, we’re standing with our arms around each other.
