Chapter 43 – When lovers cross

Duncan sat at his dining room table staring at his phone.  In what felt like the first in a long time. He was alone.  Emerson was apparently busy with his new job.  He wasn’t sure why, but he got the feeling Emerson wasn’t telling him the whole truth.  Anytime he tried to inquire about it, Emerson just seemed to evade the question or give vague answers. All he ever said really was “Same ol’, same ol’, like I used to do for Henry”, which in actuality told him very little.  What did he even do for Henry anyways?

Duncan drummed his fingers, he reached for the phone, and then put it back down.  Shaking his head he got up and walked away, pacing around his apartment. He didn’t want to pry into Emerson’s life, but so much about the man was a mystery.  The gaping holes in his history were starting to drive Duncan crazy.

He paced through his apartment and then out to the little balcony off of his room.  Sliding aside the door, he let the city breeze roll-over him.  While it wasn’t necessarily, fresh-air, there was a slight hint of diesel fuel and city grime to it, he could at least appreciate the coolness of it. He strode out and leaned against the railing.  Letting his mind wander.  

He remembered that night after Emerson and him had gone dancing.  The two had fallen asleep in bed, but Duncan had woken with a start to find the bed empty.  He’d remembered feeling a jolt of disappointment for a moment, fearing Emerson had slipped off into the night without a word. Turned out he’d only stepped out to this same balcony for a bit of fresh air.  Least that was what he’d told Duncan.  He hadn’t pressed it at the time, but Duncan could tell something had been haunting him.  He had seen it in his eyes when he’d gone to find Emerson.  Then again in the way the man had tossed and turned once he’d come back to bed.

Duncan shook his head.  History was repeating itself.  The frustration, the evasiveness, the secrets.  It was Elijah all over again. Elijah….Duncan hung his head lower, what had ever happened to that man.  He’d tried reaching out to his ex-lover, but Elijah never returned his texts, and his calls went straight to voicemail.  Duncan supposed he couldn’t blame him, but he was beginning to worry a little. 

A light bulb went off in Duncan’s head.  He’d been sitting there agonizing over a way to reach out to his boss and ask about Emerson without seeming desperate, and this would provide the perfect opportunity, besides he was honestly beginning to worry about Elijah.  He might not talk to Duncan, but as long as somebody knew he was ok, well, that would be enough. Duncan strode back into his apartment and picked up his phone.  As expected his boss picked up on the first ring.

“Avery Aquitaine speaking.”  She spoke crisply.

“Hey Avery, it’s Duncan, sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you had a minute to talk.”  He cringed even as he said it. While the two of them did on occasion share personal stories, their relationship was still largely business only. 

“I’m sorry Duncan, I do have quite a bit going on. Is this something that can wait?” She’d sounded tired.

“Oh, yeah, sure, it wasn’t anything big, I was just wondering if you’d heard anything from Elijah lately?  I hadn’t in a while and was just a little worried.” He paused before saying the last word, cringing once again for asking such a personal question of his boss. 

“Oh. Oh Dunca…” the voice on the other end of the call paused, “Duncan I’m so sorry.  With everything going on, I’d forgotten to tell you, I’m so sorry.”

“What? What’s wrong? Is he ok?!”  Duncan gripped tightened on his cellphone.  He paced around his living room, a knot growing in the pit of his stomach. 

“Duncan, I’m sorry but…my cousin, Elijah, he’s dead.” The anguish was tangible in the woman’s voice, it was clear this was still fresh news to hear. 

Duncan collapsed to the couch, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He scrambled for the right words “But, what, how, what happened?”  

Avery inhaled before continuing. “They found him in an alley on the outskirts of town, nearing the shipping yards.  Duncan I’m so sorry, I know you two were close, I should have told you sooner, but everythings has been so overwhelming lately”

“When did this happen? When did they find him?” Tears flowed freely from Duncan’s eye.  He held his head in his hand.

“A couple weeks ago,” Avery’s voice cracked. “They said it was luck he was even found at all. The police asked us what he would even be doing in that part of town.  We didn’t know.  Do you have any idea why he might have been?”

Duncan closed his eyes tight, trying to stop the flow of tears. A voice played over and over in his head. He could hear Elijah’s voice, even as he’d read the text back then.  “I’m going to be at the Good World tonight, will you please come?”  Elijah had pleaded with Duncan for him to join him at the bar, to give him a second chance.  Duncan had turned him down, the anger and hurt had still been too fresh for him. Now, because of his own stubbornness, he’d lost any chance he’d ever have to see the man again. Duncan’s body racked his silent sobs, his phone held in his outstretched hand before him. 

“Hello? Duncan? Are you still there?” Avery’s voice could still be heard emanating from the phone. “Duncan?”

Sitting up on the sofa, Duncan composed himself as best he could.  Wiping his tears and snot on the sleeve of his shirt, he pulled the phone back to his ear.  “Sorry Avery, I’m still here.”  His voice was coarse, but he soldiered on.  “I’m sorry, but I don’t know why he would have been on that side of town.  We had been separated for some time by then.”  He lied to his boss, but he could barely handle the guilt he currently felt without admitting it to Avery. Not right now.

“I see,” Avery sounded dejected “Well, I thought I would at least ask.  I’m sorry Duncan, I should have told you.”

“Is there going to be a service?” Duncan didn’t bother to acknowledge the apology, it was a moot point now. 

“As soon as the coroner’s office releases the body.  I’ll be sure to let you know” Avery said quietly “That way you can at least say your goodbyes.”

Duncan dabbed at his eyes, his composure returning measure by measure, though his broken heart would take much longer to mend. “Thank you. I would.”

A long pause punctuated their conversation before Avery spoke.  “Duncan, I know, I know,  this might be the wrong time to be asking anything of you.  And I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important, but…” Avery paused again, “Have you kept in touch with Emerson at all?”