Disenchanted

By Melina Catts

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Epilogue

Six months later…

“Sammie?” Tyler shouted as he entered the apartment. He still held the same job he’d gotten a year ago although Sammie had quit the company to start his own web design business. As soon as Sammie got it off the ground, Tyler planned to join him, working from home.

“Sammie?” he called again.

“In here,” Sammie called from his office. They had converted the spare bedroom, Steve’s old room, into an office.

“You said you had something to show me,” Tyler walked over to where Sammie was seated in front of his computer.

“Yeah. Which of these do you like better?” He pointed to the screen. “This one?”

Tyler looked at the screen at a two-story Victorian style house.

“Or this one?” Sammie tapped the mouse and the screen changed to a picture of a cozy brown and white Tudor.

“Sammie?” Tyler was confused.

“You’re right, we need a bigger place, and Steve would be furious if he knew I was still here, hanging on to him. Besides, he’ll always be with us, right?”

“So you’re saying we can move?” Tyler had been trying to convince Sammie for the last few weeks. It was time; they needed a place that was their own. It wasn’t healthy living in Steve’s shadow.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. So which one should I put the down payment on? They’re both in the suburbs.”

“Wait. You’re talking of buying? Are you sure? I mean with the business just getting started and all.”

“Steve had an insurance policy from work that I wasn’t aware of, and I’m the sole beneficiary. It was separate from the one he and I had. It finally settled today.”

“How big was it?”

“Well, let’s just say it will make a very healthy down payment.”

“Oh, my God,” Tyler exclaimed.

“So? Which one do you like?”

“I don’t know. I can’t possibly choose from a picture online.”

“Well, then grab your keys. We’ll go see them.”

“And get something to eat?” Tyler asked.

“Yeah, yeah. You and your stomach. But I get to pick where we eat.”

“As long as it’s not that place that serves duck. You know I hate duck.”

“You don’t have to order it.”

“But I have to smell it from your side of the table.”

“How about sushi?”

“Italian?”

Sammie rolled his eyes, why did he even try? All Tyler had to do was look at him with those big blue eyes, and Sammie would take him wherever he wanted to go.

“Oh, listen. I think we can move up the date you leave your job.”

“Yeah?”

Sammie shrugged. “If I get the account I bid on today, I think we can afford it, plus I’ll need your help with the design.”

Tyler smiled, “I love you, Sammie.” He leaned over to plant a kiss on his lover’s mouth.

“I love you, too.”

7/2005

© Melina Catts 2005

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