Three is the Charm

Seven | f**k, that was a disaster!

Baile

Fuck, that was a disaster!

Baile breathed in the cool night air as he made his way to his car, feeling all kinds of stupid.

What had he been thinking meeting Abby at his work like that?

And then worst off being tongue tied at the mere sight of him. Baile shook his head, placing his hand to his chest. His heart was still beating like a drum. Then he had to touch him, feel that smooth skin against his fingers. He’d wanted to touch more than his face. Which was crazy because he was the one who broke up with him. Now he was imposing himself on Abby with his presence and stuttering non-conversation. That had been worse than his first blind died, which had been a horror of epic proportions.

Baile reached his car, pressed the fob to disengage the alarm and unlock the car. He got into the driver seat and shut the door. Instead of driving of, he leaned on the steering wheel as his stupidity of the night hit him. Joy should have said no to this half-brained idea.

Baile groaned. Maybe he should have deciphered her raised brow look and deafening silence as a definite no.

He’d only wanted to see that Abby was okay, Baile reasoned.

He couldn’t even tell him that, the way he was so tongue tied. It was as if he’d never seen him before, sitting there mumbling like an i***t…and

Baile’s phone started ring, interrupting his deprecating thoughts. He stared at the screen, seeing his mother’s number displayed there.

Shit! He forgot.

In his need to make sure was Abby was okay and forcing himself never to think about his step brother, Modise, he forgot.  

“Hey, mom, I’m on my way.” Baile said as he answered. He made sure to turn on the car so she could hear the hum of the engine, to prove that he was definitely on his way. “One of my late sessions ran late. I’m coming your way now. Should I pick up the wine you like?” He spoke quickly not giving her a chance to start complaining about his tardiness.

“Yes, that will be fine. You can do that. I’ll see you in a minute,” she said then hung up.

Baile breathed a sigh of relief. He hated disappointing his mother. She was his everything, except when she was shouting at him as though he was still a child, and the fact that he and his step brother were forced to have dinner with them at least once a month, even though Baile made it a mission to avoid him.

Hurray! Now he had two men he had to avoid. Wasn’t he lucky? Baile grumbled as he made his way to the supermarket that sold his mother’s favourite wine.  It was conveniently a few blocks from her mother and step father’s house.

Baile walked into the store counting the hours this night will end, so he could wave goodbye to his humiliation. At this hour, on a Friday night, the store had a good sized number of customers who’d opted to stay home and enjoy a few glasses of wine with family or a loved one. He should be the latter. Walking the aisles, searching for a good wine to go along with the dinner he would prepare for his boyfriend. A pebble of longing formed in the pit of his stomach, making him sad.

Of course, that was not his reality. He seemed to fall for men he couldn’t have – his step brother Modise, his patient Abby…maybe it was time to really re-evaluate his life.

Did he want love? Yes, he did.

Did he want his step brother or Abby? His stomach squeezed tight as he mulled that question. He released a sigh as he knew the answer. He couldn’t choose.

He wanted them both. Baile clenched his teeth…that will never happen.

Then he had to look elsewhere for love. There had to be someone out there for him. He just had to be open minded.      

Baile reached the aisle where they kept the wine and read through the labels. He should buy something for later tonight, for when he was alone and suffering the after effect of sitting through dinner with his Modise.

“I hear this cabernet is quite good,” a deep voice said to his left. Baile turned to find an attractive man standing next to him. Baile stared hoping for the stirring that will end his lonely suffering. But there was nothing, just warmth for being noticed by an attractive man.

He smiled and picked up the wine the man spoke about.

“I know, it’s my mother’s favourite,” Baile said taking two bottles. “Have a goodnight then.”

“I’m new in town, do you think I could get your number and you could show me around.” the man laughed as if he was suddenly feeling shy, “My name is Sam, by the way.”

“Uhmm…I don’t know. I’m usually busy…but…” Baile juggled the bottles as he reached for his phone. What the hell, why not? It was time he made new friends and stopped crushing on people he couldn’t have.

“Here.” Sam moved forward to take the bottles from him.

“Thanks. What’s your number?” Baile asked and then punched it into his cell phone as Sam rattled it out. Sam handed the bottles of wine to him. “I guess, I’ll see you around.”

“I hope so.” Sam said. Baile could hear the hope in his voice. He cringed inwardly suddenly feeling like he was doing something wrong. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken Sam’s number after all. Just the thought of giving into that hope…Baile cringed again. How was he going to find love if it felt like he was betraying someone?

He shook his head. He didn’t have to think about this tonight.

 Tonight he had to get through dinner with his step brother, Modise, without lusting after him like he normally did. His step brother usually avoided him like the plague. Baile hoped he did that tonight, because he was feeling vulnerable. And wished he had someone to comfort him. That’s why he’d let his relationship with Abby go on for so long. He was the one man who knew how to comfort him when Modise’s rejection got too much. Now it seemed he couldn’t have him either.