My Boyfriend is a Monster (28 page)

“They say fortune favors the bo
ld,” Nathan said with admiration.

“Exactly . . . but when the negatives and talk began I actually started getting discouraged and depressed,” Martin said remembering. “It was bad . . . but it was Todd that picked me up and carried us through the rough patches. He became a reason for people to come by, to sit and tell or listen. He’s pretty amazing.”

“I got that within sixty seconds,” Nathan said.

“You, he likes you, mi amigo. I’m just glad you’re straight,” he said taking a swig of his beer and smiling.

Nathan laughed then looked across the room and saw Lily looking back at him. She smiled as bravely as she could through the shyness and gave him a wave. He returned her smile and waved back.

Lily finished telling the story to Carl who just burst out laughing. Lenny and Paul were there as well laughing until Paul saw a man walking down the hall and pointed him out to Lenny. “I call dibs,” Lenny said getting a look at him.

Lily turned and saw the new guest coming down the hall and immediately backed up in a panic. Horror plastered itself all over her face. She slipped a bit and bumped into a bunch of glasses on the counter. They tumbled to the floor and smashed into a hundred pieces causing some of the guests to turn and notice.

“Lily, I just want to talk,” Rick said a bit timidly.

“You can’t be here,” Lily replied in terror.

Across the room Todd was having an argument with friends about who they would turn gay in Hollywood if they could only pick three stars. He noticed Lily’s face and couldn’t figure out what was so wrong until he followed her horrified gaze to the end of the hallway leading to the kitchen. “Oh hell no,” Todd said leaving the conversation. “Come in to my house,” he mumbled to himself as he passed Martin and Nathan.

“What’s the matter?” Martin asked but was ignored.

Todd had his hand up and palm forward as he continued toward Lily.

Rick moved closer and Lily could feel that familiar cold clamminess fall over her as she started to get dizzy.

“I just think we should talk,” he said taking another step closer.

“You can’t be here,” Lily repeated as if her body was shutting down and autopilot was on.

“I need you Lily,” Rick pleaded taking another step closer.

Lily wanted to pass out but was afraid if she did she would wake up and it would have all been just a dream. She would be back at her old apartment scared and bruised. She wouldn’t be safe and free in Todd and Martin’s apartment, the one that they had made her call home. The extremely good looking bookstore owner who was so fun and shy and actually asked her out would just be a dream. The confidence and safeness that filled her now would be punctured and pour right back out and be gone. She thought Rick was here to take her back, to wake her up and take it all away.

“If we can just go and t
alk for a bit,” Rick said with a bit of hesitance. Taking another step closer Lily shakes her head at him. Now getting impatient he takes a couple of abrupt steps towards her. “Let’s go Lily,” he said reaching out to her.

Todd expeditiously appeared in front of Lily slapping Rick’s hand away and pointing his own finger directly at him. “Get the fuck out of our house!” he yelled now pointing towards the door. He was loud enough that the conversations and laughing completely stopped and the music suddenly sounded quite.

“Oh shit,” Martin said handing Nathan his beer. “Excuse me.”

“This is none of your business,” Rick said defending himself.

“This is my friend,” Todd said squeezing her arm to let her know he was there. Lily looked unaware of anyone but Rick until Todd gave her a squeeze. He waited until she looked in his eyes then turned back to Rick. “This is our house,” he said waving his hand around to include Lily. Holding his hand up too Martin as he arrived told him he had this. Martin knew what he meant but also knew not to go anywhere in case Rick had to be removed by force.

“I th
ink that should be her decision,” Rick said trying to look intimidating.

“Look at her,” Todd said stepping out of the way and letting Rick see how frightened she was. “Just see
ing you is terrifying her,” he said getting back in his way. “I made my best friend a promise. I promised her she would never have to be afraid of you again. And I will be fucked, if I’m gonna let your white trash ass make me out to be a liar,” Todd said coming face to face with him.

“Pretty tough
with all your queers around,” he said getting visibly angrier.

‘That’s right bitch, I am.”

“Probably give me Aids,” Rick said drawing some disbelief from the party goers.

Nathan wasn’t sure what was going on at first but was able to put t
he pieces together fairly quickly. He was just wondering how he could get close enough to get Rick out of the apartment if he became violent. Just seeing how it was affecting Lily was making him fight the urge to rip Rick’s spine from his body. Slowly he began moving closer trying not to arouse any attention. He wanted to get close enough so no one got hurt. 

“You wanna see how tough I am Queer?”
Rick continued trying to ruffle feathers.

“Pretty tough slapping around a women,” Todd extended back to him.

“No, I can slap around fags too,” Rick said getting closer as the crowd around him started to get vocal about his presence.

Martin
could not take it anymore and stepped forward. “Okay Amigo, it’s time to go,” he said trying to push on his shoulder enough to antagonize him.

Rick slapped his hand away. “Fucking-touch me,” he said stepping closer to Martin. “And I’m not you
r Amigo, dirty Spic faggot.”

Martin could feel the rage taking
over as he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. Suddenly he felt Lily’s small hands grab his shoulder and calmly pull him back. He looked at her and saw she wasn’t afraid anymore, she was calm and smiling. She turned to Todd and put her hand on his shoulder as well. “Thank you” she said.

“See, come on baby, let’s just go somewhere and talk,” Rick said calming down himself.

“No” Lily said quietly but firmly. “Were finished Rick, done. I live here now.”

“But . . .”

“This is my family and this is where I belong,” she said not letting him find the words. Lily took her hands off of Todd and Martin and stood in front of him, scared but determined. “You will never lay another hand on me again and you will never threaten my family again.”

“This is your family now?” Rick asked starting to get upset again.

“Yes, this is my family now,” Lily confirmed.

“I’m your family, I love you,” Rick said trying to not let it become a yell.

“No,” Lily said shaking her head. “I know you think you do, but you don’t. And I don’t.” She turned to Martin and almost could not believe her own ears. “I would like you take me to the police station,” she said while turning back to Rick. “I’m taking the pictures Todd took the night I came here to live . . . “ Suddenly she felt more empowered with each word. “And I’m charging you. I’m also having a restraining order put against you.” Rick went to say something but Lily was not done. “I’m not going to be afraid of you anymore.” Looking back at Todd he nodded, she smiled and turned back to him. “Like my friend said, get the fuck out of our house.”

Todd stepped beside her.
“That’s right bitch, the fuck out,” he said pointing to the door as the entire apartment cheered and pointed.

Rick looked at her as his face was consumed with hate and fury while his lips tried to find the proper words to ex
press his malcontent. Not being able to find the words to express his anger he decided to just turn around and leave. He didn’t bother to shut the door but wished he did as he stood in front of the elevator and waited while a hundred eyes watched. Finally it arrived and he stepped in and pushed the button. Everyone waited until the door finally closed and let out their gasps of relief and cheered again for Lily.

Lily turned to Todd. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m so proud of you honey,” he choked as he wrapped his arms around her.

Martin hugged them both and tried not to cry but his sniffling gave him away. They stepped back a little to breathe and Lily wiped the tears from her eyes. She then wiped the tears from Todd’s eyes as they both laughed. Lily went to wipe Martin’s eyes but he pushed her away. “Fuck off,” he laughed wiping his own.

“I’ll get the pictures,” Todd said racing to their bedroom.

“You don’t mind, do you?” Lily asked.

Martin gave her another hug. “No estés de tonto, of course not Lily, I have been waiting for this,” he said trying to control his excitement.

Lily turned to a crowd of party goers and realized she just ruined the party. “I am so sorry everyone,” she said putting her hand over her mouth.

“Are you kidding girlfriend,” Lenny said waving it off.

John walked over. “Holy shit
honey, this is the party of the year,” he said to a room full of agreement. “It had everything, good food, great music, racial tension, homophobia, confrontation, oh what a hero you are,” he finished giving her a big kiss as the room broke out into laughter.

Todd came back with the pictures and went to hand them to Martin but paused. “I should come too,” he said looking at Lily.

Lily hugged him. “It’s okay, we’ll go. You stay here and keep the party going, because when I get back I want a drink,” she said bringing another round of agreement. Todd nodded his head and gave Martin the pictures.

“You’re not going alone though,” Todd said.

All of a sudden Paul, Lenny and John were putting their coats on. “Oh we’ll go,” John said smiling like a treasure cat with ulterior motives.

“Why do I get the feeling you
’re going trolling for cops?” he asked since they would not have been his first pick of escorts.

“Gay, straight, who cares,” Lenny said
cheerfully matching his smile.

“Their men in uniform,” Paul said laughing.

Lily walked over to Nathan who was enjoying the banter from his new three friends. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said more than a little embarrassed.

“Oh no, don’t be,” Nathan said putting Martin’s beer down. “You were great.”

“Not the way you want to let the guy you like to know about your past,” Lily said while trying to play it off as minor as she could.

“Definitely a first.”

“I totally understand if you don’t want to go out on a date with me now that my baggage is out in the open, and there’s a lot of it,” she laughed. Hearing herself made her become a little saddened as she continued. “And the bags are open and the clothes are scattered all over the room and. . .”

“Never c
rossed my mind,” he said.

“What?” Lily asked looking up at him not sure if she heard him correctly.

Nathan offered her a smile and took her hand gently. “I am still very, very looking forward to our date Lily.” Bringing her hand up to his lips he gently kissed it. “It never crossed my mind,” he said and then smiled.

She smiled back as her eyes glossed over and she had to go
before she started to cry. “Will you be here when I get back?” she asked walking backwards.

Nathan wanted to with all his heart but thought it
would be a victory better celebrated with her family, he would just be a distraction and they deserved this. “Enjoy your night with your family,” he said. “We’ll enjoy our night on our date,” Nathan said and waved at her.

“Okay,” Lily said waving back. She turned around and met Marti
n at the Hall and took him by the arm.

“Ready?” Martin asked.

“Ready,” she replied confidently.

“Scared?” he asked again.

“Nope,” she said just as confident.

“My girl,” he said as they walked out to the elevator where their entourage of escorts were already waiting.

Nathan would excuse himself from the party and thank Todd for a wonderful and eventful evening. He would explain why and Todd thought it to be very amiable. He would then follow Lily and Martin to the Police Station and back again just in case anyone else was waiting for them. There was not. Later he would watch them from a building top across the street. Without her even knowing he was there he said good night to the most beautiful and bravest women he had ever met.

CHAPTER 12

ONE: Ambush of the Gentle and Harmonious

T
here had not been a customer in Sips for almost an hour and a half, which was the usual for a Wednesday night. Last night ended very late and today started very early. Lily and Martin both went home a little early tonight, a good will gesture that would be pointed out throughout the rest of the evening once Todd arrived home. This always caused an argument between him and Todd, but not so bad that it wasn’t worth Martin arguing over, especially tonight. Todd always thought about going home all the time when he was stuck in this predicament. But he could never bring himself to do it. He wanted to leave a while ago, even told himself if no one came within twenty minutes, he was going to leave early. That was forty five minutes ago.