DISCLAIMER: This story in no way determines the sexuality or actions of any celebrities involved in it. The events of this story are pure fiction, and involve gay sex which should only be read by people interested in gay sex, if you don't like it, please don't read it!

If you're underage or this is illegal where you live, please leave now. This is my first attempt, so please forgive any errors.

Liberty has been taken with the following work of fiction. The actual location used in the filming of Elizabethtown was Versailles, Kentucky.

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I want to thank my dear friend Randy for his help as he put together the HTML, and for his support and friendship. Then to Kariina for her support in editing as well as her friendship. And, of course, my thanks to other friends and you, my loyal readers.

This is dedicated to my beloved for many reasons and we both are fans of Orlando.



My Elizabethtown



Chapter Eighteen - Jonathon


    I'm not sure how much longer I slept. It was my nose that woke me. There was that special scent that was Charlie, my Charlie. The musk was a bit stronger, but nothing I found unpleasant.

    Opening my eyes, I could tell it was dusk, the room was bathed in the soft light of it.

    I studied Charlie as he still slept. It all was like a dream, the kind that you hope never ends. He was so handsome and such a warm person.

    How quickly my life had changed. Even though it seemed we had insurmountable problems ahead if we were to stay together, I didn't feel any doubt that we'd manage them all, together.

    Taking my finger, I traced his brow as it furrowed from whatever it was in his dreams. Lightly, so as not to disturb him.

    When the phone rang, he took no notice until it stopped. Then he slowly opened his eyes and looked into mine. They were like a royal blue in colour. He smiled and I smiled back. We only allowed our lips to touch this time, both of us aware we needed a toothbrush and mouthwash.

    He glanced over his shoulder then back to me again. "Good evening, baby."

    "Hi my handsome man," I replied, keeping the eye contact and smile.

    Just then the phone rang again and Charlie went to answer it. He came back in a few minutes. "That was Gem, she wants us to meet her at the club later."

    Bloody hell! I can't go clubbing and not get recognized. "She's rehearsing for a show this Friday and wants us to watch," he further explained.

    "I'm not too fond of crowds," I countered. There was just no way to do this.

    "No crowd to it. Just Gem and a few others will be there. She'd really love to have you watch," he said.

    "I just don't know, Charlie..." Fuck! How was I going to get out of this?

    "Baby, I insist! I have tomorrow off and we should do something besides stay in bed for it!" He was giving me such a look, how could I say no?

    "Okay, as long as it's someone else up on stage, I guess I can deal with it," I said, giving him one of my best smiles.

    He prepared what he called a `simple meal' for us. Fried chicken, using his grandmother's recipe, sautéed vegetables and escalloped potatoes.

    It was his fault that I ended up eating way more than was my usual. Damn, this man was an excellent cook too! What else lay ahead to win my heart even more?

    I gave him accolades after we finished, he just blushed. There's something about humility that I really appreciate. So few of the people I knew from my work were capable of it.

    Charlie insisted we shower separately, or we'd never leave the house. Aw, bloody hell! I was sorely disappointed, but I did have to agree with him. We did kiss for a minutes before leaving, so that helped. Except for making it more difficult to walk.

    I was wearing clean clothes supplied by Charlie. That shopping would have to happen soon as his clothes were just a tad big on me. Though I did get a special feeling inside knowing there were his.

    The club was closed, something that Charlie either hadn't known or just forgot to mention. I had on my hat and glasses again. The last thing I needed was for someone to discover me.

    Imagine my surprise when he told me that Gem owned it. Granted, it wasn't huge, but it was a decent size. The whole inside was definitely a bar done for shows, but wasn't garish.

    Gem looked nearly magnificent given her stature. She sat Charlie and I both in a secluded corner, while her stage manager put several performers through an extravaganza.

    We had barely sat, when the bartender, a handsome man of about forty or so, brought over a bottle of champagne and glasses.

    "Thank you, Thomas," she said to him.

    "Gladly, Gem," he replied and gave us both a smile and a nod then returned to the bar.

    She filled the glasses then raised hers. "This is to the two of you, may what you have be enduring and filled with love, understanding, respect and honesty."

    Fuck! That almost cut like a knife in my gullet! I wanted to excuse myself and just run. The guilt that I was feeling was bad enough without her bringing it up that way.

    We clinked glasses and the smile on Charlie's face almost washed away any fear I felt. The guilt was another matter.

    Charlie raised his glass next. "I can't add to what Gem just said. To my big sister, and to the man I've needed and waited for all my life."

    Bloody hell, the tears slowly started down my face as we touched glasses. It was my turn, and I was speechless.

    Glancing at Gem, she was just smiling. I lowered my eyes from hers, then turned to look at Charlie. My heart and soul felt so sodding torn!

    I'd have to speak from the heart, and pray it would suffice. "To our wonderful hostess... and to the true love of my life."

    Fuck! Why was my life so complicated right now? I'd rather be whoever Charlie wanted than who I was at that moment. I fought to hold back the sobs that wanted to escape from me.

    Charlie thought I was being emotional from the toasts we'd done and pulled me to him for a kiss. I was trembling but for the wrong reason. All the acting I'd ever done couldn't let me fake this now.

    Oh, Christ! How could I allow even one more of those kisses to happen? Part of me was already mourning their loss. When his lips touched mine, I couldn't hold back.

    I was a fraud. A liar! There was no way that Charlie would accept my feelings for him, my love for him. How could he forgive my deception?

    When I pulled quickly away from his kiss, his face was full of confusion. Gem's eyes met mine and she gave me a knowing nod.

    I was trembling from the stress of it all. If ever I'd felt like I was losing the plot, this was sodding close!

    "Charlie, I need you to do me a favour. I left a couple of things at home. Would you be a dear and get them for me?" Gem asked.

    He was already looking heartbroken. I'd never felt so lost and bloody worthless in my life!

    With a nod, he took a list that she wrote out. "We'll be here when you get back," she said, patting my hand.

    He looked right at me. "Will you be here?" It came out in almost a whisper.

    The lump in my throat was fucking huge! "I will," I replied.

    I grabbed his hand just before he walked away, and kissed it firmly. "Charlie, I do love you!"

    He took a deep breath and squeezed my hand. "I love you too, Jonathon." Then he let it go and left.

    "It's an hour there and back. While he's gone we're going to have a talk," Gem said, firmly but gently.

    I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and just nodded.

    She had Thomas put the champagne on ice and bring us some strong hot coffee and a box of tissues.

    "I'm going to keep calling you Jonathon, as that feels more right than Orlando."

    All I could do was nod again.

    "What I'm going to tell you is going to hurt you deeply. It's something that I vowed never to tell another living soul. A vow I made to Charlie, and never intended to break. When I made that vow, I could never have foretold a reason to break it, or I would never have agreed."

    Gem had my undivided attention, and I felt a slight easing of the turmoil I'd been feeling.

    "I'm sure you've already noticed that Charlie has something against Hollywood," she said.

    "Yes, it's rather obvious." I replied.

    "I don't want you to despair after hearing the reason. Everything happens to us for a reason. That's a belief I've held onto for a long time." Again I nodded.

    "Some is good, some is bad, and some causes almost total devastation," she said.

    That's when she proceeded to tell me the story of Charlie and Martin. As I listened, my heart began to ache for a different reason.

    I'd heard many a tale of a person being abused and the hurt inflicted by another. But this was something that happened to my Charlie!

    Oh, fuck! How I wanted to kill Martin for what he did. How could someone be that cold, that heartless? And to Charlie of all people?

    It went beyond any reasoning I could think of. Dear God, please don't let Charlie think I'm anything like that! I implore You!

    Now I know why Gem had used the word `devastation'. That was how I felt by the time she finished.

    I'd lost track of how many tissues as I sobbed for the cruelty inflicted on my Charlie. More than once, she put her arms around me and held me tight.

    "Gem, you know that I'd never hurt him. Not if I could avoid it."

    She hugged me then looked at me sternly. "Honey, if I thought for a minute you would, your ass would have been kicked out in the street when I first met you!"

    We laughed. "I would have let you too!" I replied.

    "You wouldn't have a choice, I'm a bad assed bitch when I need to be!" she said with a huge grin.

    "I won't forget that!" I retorted.

    "You best not!" We were both laughing again.

    Once we calmed some she took my hand. "Tell him tonight, sweetie, while I'm here to help if you need it. It's only right that he know," she said.

    Just as I nodded, I heard Charlie. "Know what?"

    (To be continued?)


Thank you for reading!
Sincerely,
Jon Ryder

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