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.

I was too damn angry to bother with my next class. A drink or two or ten sounded really good just then.

Gem would probably be at the club at this hour. I knew she'd try to give me her take on it all, but I wasn't sure if I'd listen. But I also knew, I could get as drunk as I wanted there with no one to bother me.

I could have called her with the cell phone he'd bought me, but right then I didn't want a reminder of him. My anger was pretty extreme at the time. Actually it was hurt mixed in with it, which wasn't a good combination for me.

It was a short drive from school, only about fifteen minutes. When I arrived the only person there was Thomas, but he let me in.

"What can I do for ya, Charlie?" he asked.

"A double CC," I replied.

He just raised an eyebrow and poured it. That was the good thing about Thomas, he didn't talk much.

I tried to down it in one gulp, but my stomach reminded me it had been a long time since I'd eaten. Things had changed so much since that morning. My true love was false, and my own mother was telling me lies.

Thomas had called Gem without me knowing it. I'd barely finished my double when she came in the door. I held out the glass for a refill and Thomas just stared at me.

"Charlie, you rarely drink, much less shots. You better tell me what the hell is going on!" Gem stated as she sat herself on the stool next to me.

I gave her my stoic expression. She wasn't buying that for a minute!

"Quit being such a shit head, and talk to me," she insisted.

"Fine!" I almost shouted.

The sneer she gave me brought me down quickly. Since I only had my side of the story, that's exactly what she got. She'd always been a great listener and waited until I was done.

She had Thomas pour me some coffee while she went in back to her office. I waited impatiently. Hell, I could go most anywhere and get better service than here. Well... I would have been pretty drunk by then if I had.

Finally she returned. The look she was giving me told me I wouldn't like what she had to say.

"Charlie, you have a few choices to make here. I can tell you what the other side of the story is, or you can take your silly ass home and hear it from two people that love you. The choice is yours," she stated.

"But, they both lied to me... you know how much I can't stand that!" I protested.

Gem became furious with me, more so than I could ever remember, "look, you can go back to that sorry excuse for a life you've been living. Block out anyone that comes along for one reason or another. I've seen you do that too fucking much, by the way. Or... you can grow up and realize that not every lie told is by someone trying to hurt you. And I promise you... from the conversation I just had with Jonathon, he's about as devastated as any person could be."

I was still trying to be cold and callous, "Gem, the point is they lied to me, the both of them did!"

"Is it, Charlie? Or are you afraid to accept that people aren't perfect, even the ones you, 'Mr Perfect', chose to love?"

"I'm not perfect, I don't pretend to be," I protested.

"Well, what a fucking surprise on that!" she shouted.

"Your momma and Jonathon aren't perfect either, did you know that?" she hissed.

"I never thought she was... or him either," I said.

"Yes, you did, your first few days together were like a fantasy story," she replied.

"Ha! With all the interruptions and problems we've had? And you'd call that a fantasy?" I retorted.

"No, meeting a man that loves you for just yourself... that's the fantasy of it. And don't you dare doubt that Jonathon loves you, or I swear, I'll beat the living shit out of you here and now!" she was close to shouting again.

Her voice softened as she took my hand, "Charlie, that fantasy is real, the love you both have for each other. But trying to hold yourself or him up to some perfect standard is totally stupid. You're both fully human. It's the mistakes we make with each other that makes our bonds even tighter. Charlie, don't you dare let go of that man, for your sake as well as his. You do still love him, don't you?"

Tears starting falling as I replied a simple yes. She hugged me tight, as she had so many times over the years.

"Ceci, I'll always be here for you. But now you have Jonathon in your life, I'll be here for him too. If I look after both of you as much as I can, then it helps the other. I want you to be happy, and I know what I've seen in such a short time. Sure, you'll have some major bullshit ahead of you, but that's life. As long as you keep the love and respect you'll be okay. And just as important is for you both to take the time to talk things out."

What she said was starting to sink into my thick skull, "I was being an asshole, wasn't I?"

"Oh, yeah... not the first time and I'm sure as shit it won't be the last," she replied.

"But why did he and momma both tell me lies, Gem?"

"I think it's better that you hear that from them, Charlie. You're going to hate yourself when you find out. But, please, don't go into one of those `self punish' moods over it."

All I could do was nod right then. Something told me that I'd made more than a mountain out of a molehill. But I'd have to wait until I got home to find that out.

"Charlie, where's that cell phone he bought you?"

I pulled it out of my pocket and set it on the bar.

"Good. Now, I want you to call him up right now and tell him just those three little words. He shouldn't have to wait until you get home for that," she said.

I knew she was right, but I just stared at it like it was going to bite me or something. What would I say?

"Charlie, he needs to hear that. You've said it often enough in front of me and Thomas already. Now, you need to say them again to Jonathon. I can't stress it enough... pick up the fucking phone and call him!"

I still hesitated. What if I'd screwed it up beyond fixing?

"Now!" she and Thomas both shouted, nearly scaring me off my bar stool.

They weren't giving me any choice by then. My hand was shaking as I opened it and dialled Jonathon's phone.

He answered after just one ring, "hello?"

I cleared my throat, "baby, it's me... Charlie."

"Hi," he replied.

"Baby, I'm sorry for earlier... and I love you," I said, my voice trembling.

"I love you too, and...I'm sorry for lying Charlie, but I'll explain it better when you get home... you are coming home aren't you?" I could hear a catch in his voice again.

"Yes, I'm coming home, baby. Do I need to stop on the way for anything?"

"No, you're all I need, my Charlie. And, please... be careful driving."

I was feeling that rush of being loved by him again, and loving him back. Under all my anger and drama, it had been there, I was sure.

"I promise I will... baby, I love you, very much!" I emphasized.

"My Charlie, I love you at least as much!" he replied.

"Bye, baby."

"Bye, love."

When I closed the phone, I know I was grinning. Gem was right way too often, but I loved her in spite of that.

"Charlie?" Gem said.

"Yes?" I responded, feeling tears begin to form in my eyes.

"Go home to that man that loves you," she said, and I saw tears in her eyes as well as in Thomas's.

I nodded and grinned, wiping at the few that fell down my face. Then I walked out the door. I was going home. And the man that I loved was waiting. And he loved me too!

Thank you for reading!

Sincerely,
Jon Ryder