Mall with the boys (Short Story)

Very short, and very slice of life!

     Gene pulled the door open for each of his lovers, getting a glare from Jobie, a startling squeeze from Rory, and then a sympathetic look from Ace. The mall was popular on Saturdays, thus filling the vast open ceiling with echoed chattering. The food court was overwhelmed with people. A mother with a beehive hairdo trying to convince her son to finish his burger, a lonesome old man dressed in yellow grazing a sandwich, and a group of young girls gathered around a magazine. Gene pressed casually into the busy space, the three others following behind in a line.

     The four men managed to find a bench to flock around. Ace slipped his fingers in the waistband of his pants, smoothing out where his shirt was tucked in.

     “Are we wanting to split up or?...”

     “Where’s everyone wanna go?” Gene asked.
    “Uhm, I don't know, I don't have a priority.” Ace replied.
    “What.” Jobie said. “You did this.”
    Ace shifted his weight, crossing his arms over his upper stomach.

     “What?” He asked, looking down at Jobie.

     “You wanted this. We are here.”

     “Well- I thought everyone would want to do something today.” Ace said.
    Ace looked at Gene, who was looking at his watch.
    “I want a corn dog.” Rory said.

     “I think they have corn dogs here,” Ace replied.

     “Yea baby.”

     “I will also be having one.” Jobie said.
    “Heh- you yacked the last one everywhere, little man.” Rory chuckled.
Jobie only glared, then looked away.

     “Mm… Alright, hour n’ a half.” Gene said. “We’ll stick together.”

     After aimlessly wandering, Ace chose the first shop for them. Alie Jewler. Upon entering, Rory was ushered out by an employee much like a broom to a rat. For the time being, Rory leaned against the railing outside of the shop, staring down at the lower level of the mall. Very few shops would be letting him inside today. Ace was slightly bent over gazing at a doubled string of pearls displayed on a mannequin bust. They had a soft pink shimmer that he had earrings to pair with, which made him long to flip the tag and check the pricing. Yet, he dared not to, feeling the eyes of the employees studying him.

     Jobie found his entertainment staring at the old man behind the counter who was checking  rhinestones with a magnifying glass. His frail hands shook gently as he studied each miniscule gem with a pair of tweezers. Jobie was certain that he was a fraud in his profession.

     Gene stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing down at a case of rings, each wedged between red velvet to keep them upright. The rings came in pairs of two, one thin and lined with jewels and the other thick and plain. Different shapes and sizes, some gold some silver, but all came in pairs rather than singular.

     ‘When you know, you know,’ the sign above the table read.

     Gene glanced down at his left hand. Which finger would he wear it on? The one next to his pinkie, or the one next to his middle finger? Which did Ramsey wear his wedding ring on?
    Gene would wear it around his neck on a chain.

     They could have matching sets. However, Ace favored gold while Rory favored silver.

     “What did you find?” Ace asked, looking over Gene’s shoulder. When he saw the rings, then read the sign, he said nothing more. He studied them with blank eyes briefly. He glanced back to the entrance of the store. Rory’s back was turned to them as he leaned over the railing. Ace lowered his voice and leaned in slightly.

     “Hey, I found a bag of something on the coffee table yesterday. In the living room when you were at work.”

     Gene shifted his weight, eyes still on the rings.

     “Rory was napping, he doesn't know I saw it I think.” Ace said.

     “Mm.” Gene replied.

     “It looked like broken glass so I didn't want to touch it.”

     “Like powder?"

     “No like-” Ace raised his hands to visualize it for Gene. “Little chunks. It really might have just been broken glass, I don't know. Do you know what that is?”

     Gene shook his head no.

     “I should have asked him when he got up but I don't know…”

     Both Gene and Ace said nothing for a while, both looking down at the rings.

     “Alright. I’ll say somethin.” Gene muttered.

     “No you don't have to do that, I just don't know what it was. Are you thinking it's some kind of drug?”

     “Maybe.

     “Really?... He was deliberately keeping it from us then. Is it cocaine again? Like a new version?” Ace said, his voice getting cold.

     “Maybe,” Gene turned to look up at Ace. “Aye, maybe it's just glass.”

     “...Okay.”

     “Hey- get a dig at that walker,” Rory said as the four men glided down the escalator, one after the other.

     He alluded to a tall, broad shouldered, dark haired man with a thick mustache standing outside of the “Avon” perfume shop. He held two light green shopping bags, waiting for someone.

     “Oh, he looks like Ramsey,” Ace said.

     “I’d use his tits,” Jobie said.

     Ace gasped.

     “Jobie-” He started.

     “God damn-” Rory chuckled with a smile.

     “Okay, let's not-… That's a lovely thing to say in public, Jobie.” Ace said, looking back at Jobie with slightly furrowed brows. Jobie cackled.

      “I’d have him.” Jobie insisted.

     “You talking about big hunky over there, or Ramsey?” Rory asked, leaning against the escalator railing to look over Gene’s shoulder.

     “Aye, watch it.” Gene warned.

     “We are not having this conversation here.” Ace once again scolded.

     “I hate you.” Jobie muttered. Gene flicked Jobie in the back of the head.

     Gene and Rory stood side by side by the sink while a square sponge scrubbed around a caramel colored mug and a hand towel swirled around a off-yellow plate. Each pot used to make dinner and each dish used to eat was now drying on the dish rack by the sink.

     “It was a whole fucking cobra man, in my sleeping bag. That little nudging I had been feeling? A whole snake man, I took that fucking bag and swung it against the ground as hard as I could- like uh, an ape man.” Rory said.

     After handing Rory the last mug, Gene reached out to turn off the lazy flow of water that streamed from the faucet. He reached back behind him to undo the bow of the apron he had worn while cooking. The strings loosened and the snug fabric went limp against his body, then he folded up the apron and cleared his throat while tossing it back in the cabinet where it lived.

     “It flung out of the bag and it- haha- it looked like a spinning boomerang. Hope I didn't kill it, but the Ro-bro doesnt share a bed with snakes man.” Rory continued.

     In the living room, Ace was giggling with Jobie, who would only let out a short laugh on occasion while they shuffled together on the couch. Occasionally a foot would come up or a head.

     Gene leaned back against the counter while facing Rory. He then began to light up a cigarette.

     “Aye.” He said.

     “Aye.” Rory replied, leaning against the counter as well.

     “You uh,... Listen. You been on something heavy again?”

     Rory slipped his hands into his pockets.

     “Uh-oh, my eyes been red?” Rory teased.

     Gene said nothing.

     “Heh,… sometimes but not so much, man. I’m not on anything trippy.”

     “Mm.” Gene hummed, and nodded. He looked down at Rory’s shoes. “You been bringing it here?”

     “Uhh…” Rory replied, then chuckled with a smile. “Did you want some?”

     Gene shook his head no. Rory let out a breath through his teeth and scratched the back of his head.

     “Alright, I dont bring it when someone's home, y’know?”

     Gene nodded.

     “You ever leave it here?” Gene asked.

     “Maybe man, I don't know.” Rory replied.

     “You do it here?”

     “Yea, I guess. I know what I’m doin man, you can’t tell when I’m on it. I don't get fried.”

     For a while, neither man said anything. Then, Gene leaned away from the counter and stepped over to Rory, casually slipping a hand around Rory’s waist to pull him a bit closer. He took his cig from his mouth.

     “Cmere…” Gene sighed, then leaned in for one peck. “I can’t stop you, kid. But you don’t bring it here. Alright?”

     Rory placed his hands on Gene’s hips beginning to sway with him.

     “It’s harmless man.”

     Gene said nothing.

     “Yea, I dig it.” Rory muttered.

     They swayed together for a while.

     Jobie was sat up on Ace’s chest, and Ace was smiling up at him with his hand anxiously waiting for Jobie to attack again. Jobie jolted to make Ace flinch right before diving his hands down to grab at Ace’s ribs again. Ace yelped them began to laugh again, desperately trying to grab at Jobie’s hands. When he got one, the other would shoot up so Ace couldn't reach, Then Jobie would spin his hand around Ace to make him frantically try to grab at it and his other hand was suddenly free.

     “No!-” Ace giggled, then was attacked again.

     He grabbed both of Jobie’s hands now, looking up at him with a big grin despite trying to look serious.

     “Stop it.” He said.

     “I do what I want.” Jobie replied, then leaned down and kissed up Ace’s neck, then twice on the lips.

      Rory’s hands  suddenly began to jab at Jobie’s ribs making him suddenly yelp and turn to grab Rory’s wrists. Rory chuckled and plopped down on the couch beside them. But just as he did;

     “Up.” Gene said.

     “Aww man, I just-”

     “It’s a big bed night. Cmon.”

     The boys eventually shuffled up off of the couch to help remove the cushions and pull out the queen sized pull out that hid beneath. The springs creaked underneath before the folded bed finally straightened and thudded down to the floor. They gathered their pillows and blankets to toss onto the bed, then changed into pajamas. A wife beater and striped PJ pants for Gene, a dark blue matching silk set for Ace, an oversized (stolen) T shirt and boxers for Jobie, and a pair of boxer briefs for Rory.

     Gene laid with his head propped up and a book open. Ace joined him first after brushing his teeth and washing his face, then moisturizing. Typically, he was the last to be ready for bed but the thud in the room over revealed that Jobie and Rory had started a scuffle. Ace snuggled in close to Gene and hiked one thin smooth leg over Gene’s thick thighs, which were warm and soft against Ace’s colder skin. He wrapped an arm around Gene’s wide ribcage and pulled himself closer, laying his head down to gaze up at the page Gene was on. He only read a sentence or two before Gene turned the page.

     “Did you talk to Rory?” Ace whispered.

     “Mhm.” Gene responded with a nod. He then closed the book, set it aside, and reached his hand around to squeeze Ace close by his waist. He kissed his forehead.

     “Oh, was it something bad?”
     Gene shrugged.

     Both men suddenly got bounced up from the squeaky bed after Jobie had gotten thrown onto it. The springs strained and creaked in response, then were once again abused as Rory tackled Jobie. Legs flew and hands attempted to grab.

     “Ah!- Not on the bed, stop it!” Ace said, throwing a pillow at the dust cloud. “You’re gonna break something.”

     “Aye, aye quit it.” Gene said, grunting as he sat up. He took Jobie by the back of his shirt to peel him off of Rory, giving him a peck on the cheek before dropping him.

      Jobie’s body cupped Rory in a big spooning position, his face buried between Rory’s shoulder blades and his arms wrapped tight around his waist much like Rory was a stuffed
animal. He even had a leg hooked around Rory to keep him close while they slept. Gene had both Rory and Gene cuddled up on either side of him, both using his shoulders as pillows. He had his nose nuzzled into Ace’s hair and both of their legs entangled around his own. The lights were finally off, each boy was breathing deep and slow, and the day had come to an end.