Groceries with Gene- part 2 (short story)

     After work, Ace had spent his afternoon wrapped in a blanket napping in his room. He had done a single lap around the home for each boy and found Gene asleep on the couch and Rory in the backyard. With Jobie. He had stood at the window holding a cup of tea as Rory attempted to recruit Jobie to fashion each end of a hammock. Jobie placed his foot against the tree they were using to pull the rope tight, jerking back over and over much like a dog with a tug toy. Ace sighed through his nose and took a sip of his tea.

     When Rory plopped down into the hammock, Jobie flipped it up so Rory thudded onto the grass. He then sat in it himself, legs flailing. Ace had nearly gone out to say something, but had instead headed to his room.

     Despite having meant to just rest his eyes, Ace had slept until the slits of light from his blinds went dark.

     When he awoke, he wandered out of his room in a white t-shirt and blue striped pajama pants. He was unable to wear boxers at home anymore. The living room was warm with soft lights and the white blare from the television. Rory had turned on the lamps in the living room and was laid back on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. When he noticed Ace, he put them down and looked back at the TV.

     “Hey, handsome,” he said.

     “Hey,” Ace replied.

     “You knocked out hard, man.”

     Ace’s socks pressed against soft carpet as he neared Gene’s armchair, looking down to see empty leather. He leaned forward to look into the kitchen.

     He sighed through his nose. Rory coughed, then shifted on the couch. Ace could smell the thick skunk smoke fuming the living room- even with the window opened.

     Ace glanced at the entrance to Rory’s room. The light wasn’t on.

     “Where's Jobie?” he asked, walking over to settle on the couch. Rory wrapped an arm around him, and Ace curled up against his lover’s warm skin. Rory gave him a squeeze and laid his head back on the couch.

     “Gene took the creature to the store.”

     “Oh, When?”

     “Uuuh I think like an hour ago, yea.”

     “Oh…”

     Ace said nothing for a while, watching the television with unfocused eyes. Elvis got after a blonde woman on the screen, placing her on a countertop to scold her.

     “Heh heh you wish that was you huh.”

     “They really should be back then,” Ace said. “Grocery shopping? Or…”

     “Yea, man,” Rory replied, still watching the telly.

     “They should be back. An hour is insanely long,” Ace glanced at Rory. “Right?”

     “Yea, man.”

     Ace stared at him. He then shifted and looked down at the carpet.

     “Sorry for interrupting your movie,” he said.

     “I'm listening to ya, man. I get it.”

     Ace said nothing for a long time.

     Elvis and the blonde woman kissed, she refuted him, and they kissed once more. Ace laid his head on Rory’s shoulder, then lifted his head again.

     “Have you been okay?” he asked.

     “Yea, man I’m groovin’.”

     “Has being in the same room with Jobie been okay?”

     “Heh yea, little maniac.” Rory said.

     “I’m sorry he doesn't share.” Ace replied, watching Rory’s face.

     “Haha yea- he hides shit too.”

     “God, I'm sorry. Gene should know that, what has he even been stealing? ”

     “Oh nah man no, he’s chill. Just little shit, I don’t care.”

     Ace stared at Rory’s face. Rory looked at him, grinned, and kissed his cheek. Rory then looked forward to the TV again.

     “I saw him kick you from the hammock today,” Ace said.

     Rory chuckled.

     “Yea, he's a little demon, man, heh-heh. Stinker…”

     Ace said nothing. He got up, walking to the kitchen with his arms crossed over his ribs and his hands tucked in. Cushioned carpet under his socks cut to cold tile as he scanned the kitchen. Gene had not cooked anything yet, it was only 5:46.

     It was then that a slide of light moved across the kitchen as Gene’s car headlights rolled into the driveway. The engine of his car hummed, then died with the lights.

     Ace tucked a piece of hair behind his ear and leaned over the sink, watching as the driver’s door bust open and Jobie emerged rather than Gene. Ace’s lips parted and his brows furrowed.

     Gene and Jobie went around to the trunk and came back around his groceries. As they approached the door, Jobie shoved Gene unprompted.

     “Uh-” Ace muttered.

     He immediately went to the front door, opening the handle to feel a slight chill from the front porch waft in. He made eye contact with Gene, but Jobie ran past him bumping his arm. Annoyance churned in Ace’s chest, and he looked at Gene.

     “Aye,” Gene greeted. He leaned in for a kiss. Ace looked away.

     “Hey,” Ace replied. “You guys were gone for a while. Was everything okay?”

     “Mhm.”

     “Okay…” Ace muttered.

     Ace stood there, and Gene watched his face with soft eyes.

     “You got a kink in your think?” Gene asked.

     “No.”

     Gene nodded once. Ace had a stern expression, and he did not look at Gene. Gene stepped close and pressed warm lips against Ace’s cheek, his stubbled chin prickling on Ace’s smooth skin.

    Gene walked past his lover and the front door closed.

     All four boys filed into the kitchen after the lights had been flicked on. Plastic bags rustled, Rory exclaimed at each item, and Gene already began to place pots on the stove. Ace stood by the counter, his arms still crossed as he watched Jobie navigate in their kitchen. He would take an item from one of the bags that Rory was trying to empty and take it to the pantry before Rory could. Jobie would side-eye Ace when passing, and Ace would look at Rory. Then Gene. Neither noticed.

     When almost all of the groceries were accounted for, Jobie scooped up a small box of pistachios and headed for the pantry with them. He opened the top cardboard flaps to peer inside. The box tipped, hit the tile flooring, and beige pebbles scattered. Ace stepped out from the counter, approaching the scene.

     “Why would you do that?” Ace asked.

    Jobie shot a glare up at him with the pistachios speckling the flooring around him.

     “What…” he replied.

     “That's- I just don't understand why you would do that. That's the only item I asked for.”

     Gene stopped drying his hands to watch.

     “That's literally the only thing I asked Gene to get,” Ace said.

     “YEA, well. It was an accident,” Jobie replied.

     “But you said you’re always right, so…”

     “Shut up.”

     “Oh- you don't like when you're caught? Being a hypocrite?”

     “Ace,” Gene said.

     Ace looked at Gene, and Gene looked at Ace. Ace’s eyes were slightly wide and his brows furrowed. He then looked at Rory, who had stopped while collecting the grocery bags to watch.

     “Why are you on his side?” Ace said. “I’m not wrong. Dont look at my like I’m fucking insane, I didn't do anything wrong.”

     No one replied. Jobie and Gene made eye contact, and Ace felt a twinge in his chest. His waterline grew blurry with tears.

     “Why is he the victim! You both fucking hate me. You’re never on my side, you’re choosing a psychopath over me, do you realize that?”

     “Fuck you,” Jobie said.

      Ace’s eyes went wide.

     “I hope you get thrown back into an asylum! You belong in a fucking concrete room, you’re a creep!-”

     “Alright,” Gene said. He approached Ace, placing a hand on his back and one on his forearm to guide him.

     “No- stop it. I’m not wrong! You’re choosing him, I know that you’re choosing him-”

    Ace wept and Gene guided him from tile to carpet. Ace continued to accuse as he sobbed, and Gene didn’t talk. When Ace’s door closed, the kitchen was silent.

     Jobie scratched his jaw, glanced back at Rory, then knelt down to gather the pistachios. Rory stared at Ace’s door.