A gay story: Matt and Zack Ch. 04 Chapter 4
I Think We Should Take A Break
Matt woke hours later. He could hear his phone in the living room beeping to let him know he needed to be up. Zack was sprawled over him, still asleep. Matt looked at his watch. It was just after noon, so he didn’t oversleep his first alarm by much.
He tapped Zack on the back as he called his name, trying to wake him up. “Mmmm.”
“Come on, I need to get up,” Matt stated, finally pushing Zack off him as he sat up. Zack watched him walk out of the bedroom naked and could hear him in the bathroom. Then he saw him walk by and, a few minutes later, come into the bedroom carrying his phone.
“Can I help you with that hard cock of yours?” Zack was hoping Matt would forgive him.
“I’ll take care of it in the shower,” Matt stated in a monotone.
“I’m….”
“DON’T, you have a fucking hickey on your chest. How the hell do you think I can make love to you with a fucking hickey on your chest that I know I didn’t make.” Matt walked into the bathroom and started the shower.
Zack dressed, collected his keys from the table in the living room, and left. He didn’t know that when Matt was in the living room, he had switched back their keys. So when Zack got to his door to open it, he had two identical keys. “Oh God.” Zack opened his door. He didn’t know what to do. He called Matt, and it went to voicemail on the first ring. “What the fuck.” Zack said out loud.
Zack called again and again after the first ring went to voicemail. “Matt, please call me back.”
Then he texted him.
‘Matt, please call me.’
‘Babe, why did you put your key on my keyring?’
‘OH SHIT YOU TOOK YOURS!!!!! Matt, please, I love you.’
Zack didn’t notice that at first.
Nearly two hundred unread messages were going buzz, buzz, buzz, all throughout the first four hours of Matt’s shift. “What the fuck is going on?” Frank asked.
“Long or short story?” Matt responded.
“Short?”
“I took my key back from Zack’s keyring and put his back on his, and he didn’t notice until he went home this afternoon.”
“Okay, I lied, I need the long version,” Frank said.
“Zack slept with his ex, whom I told you about last night.”
“Holy Fuck.”
“I didn’t receive one call or text from him all day yesterday, and when I got home last night, he was sitting on my couch waiting for me. I took one look at him and knew.”
“Shit, I’m sorry, man,” Frank stated. “I know you really loved him.”
“I wanted to forgive him. I really did.” Matt shook his head.
“What changed it?”
“The hickey on his chest. I got undressed, and then he did, and it killed it. I don’t know if I could forgive him.”
“Wow, how many phone calls and texts have you received?”
“Calls up to fifty-something, but I have them going straight to voicemail. Texts, let’s see.” He pulled his phone out and scoffed. “He has breached three hundred.” Matt put his head down, covered his eyes with his hand, and rubbed his eyebrows. “What am I going to do?”
“He loves you, Matt. It was stupidity on his part. Sometimes, you just have to look past it. I know it’s hard, and understand it’s a fresh wound.”
By the end of his shift, Matt’s messages had grown. He changed at the station, drove to Zack’s, and knocked on the door. He heard the locks, and when the door opened, Trevor was standing there, and Matt saw Zack come from the kitchen. Matt didn’t even wait for an explanation; he turned around and left with Zack on his heels.
“Matt, please.” Zack pleaded. “Please don’t go. He came by to apologize; he wanted to talk to you, too.”
Matt turned around. “I don’t care what he has to say.”
“Matt, please, don’t leave me. I love you.” Matt closed his eyes. “I love you, Matt.” Zack stepped closer. “I know I made a stupid mistake.” Zack stepped even closer, put his hand on Matt’s chest, and he opened his eyes. “I love you.”
Matt looked at the sky and shook his head, “I know you do.” Zack stepped up to Matt and laid his head on his chest where his hand was, and Matt embraced him. “It will be a while, Zack, before I can trust you again. For fucks sake, you have Trevor in your house.”
“No, he doesn’t. I promise it won’t be a problem. Here’s your keys, Zack.” Trevor looks at Matt. “I’m to blame, not Zack.”
“It still takes two to tango,” Matt responded.
“Understood,” Trevor stated and walked away.
Matt continued to hold Zack to him. Zack didn’t want to let it end, but he desired to be in the privacy of the living room. “Do you want to come in, Hon?” He asked.
“I really shouldn’t.”
“Please.”
“Just for a few, I’ve got to work tomorrow,” Matt responded.
“Thank you,” Zack said as he stepped away, took Matt’s hand, and headed to the door. He could tell Matt was tired. When he opened the door, Matt followed him to the couch.
“Did your parents make it home safe?”
Zack came from the kitchen with beers for the both of them. “Yeah, they did.”
Matt took a drink of his beer and sat there for a minute. “Zack, I’m mad at you. You went and fucked someone, and you say you don’t know why. You had to have some feelings for him. You had to have questioned our relationship. You don’t just go and fuck someone just to fuck them.”
“Matt, I don’t know where my head was or still is, I swear to you.”
Matt looked at the blank TV for a few seconds, sat his beer on the coffee table, turned to Zack, and kissed him lightly. “I love you, Zack. But, I think maybe it’s time we take a step back in our relationship.”
“No, Matt.”
“Hear me out, Zack. As you know, I have been up most of the night and today.” Matt stated. “Zack, since you seem to be confused about what you want. Maybe we need to take a break.”
“BREAK UP!” Zack exclaimed.
Matt closed his eyes. He hated saying it. It was killing him. “For a while, yes.”
Zack became nasty, “What did you have your eye on someone, and now that I went and screwed up. You want to break up for a little while so you can go fuck him?”
“What are you talking about, Zack? I love you. This is killing me.” Matt got up. “Zack, just.” Matt shook his head. “Fuck it. Do whatever you want. Go fuck Trevor or whatever. I’m here, but we are not doing anything. I…” Matt trailed off and turned towards the door.
“Matt…” Zack called out to him.
Matt turned around and shook his head again. “When you figure this out, Zack, call me.” He opened the door and walked out. Zack’s mouth fell open.
Matt knew the guys would still be at the bar; it was only a little before one, and he hoped to get a few drinks in before Jeff cut them off. He walked in, not expecting to see Frank, and neither was Frank. “Hey, I thought you were going over to Zack’s.”
“Jeff, can I get some shots and a beer?” Matt asked before he would even address Frank.
“Oh shit, that bad?”
“Let’s just put it this way. I asked for a break.”
Mike piped in, “How did that go over?” Frank had filled them in on the latest gossip, and Matt figured.
“He tried to turn the tables on me, asking if I had someone in mind to fuck.” Matt shook his head and looked away. Jeff set his drinks in front of him, and he grabbed up one of the shots and downed it.
“Wow, sorry, man. Well, if it would make you feel better, you can fuck George over there.” Everyone laughed. George was passed out on one of the pool tables. No one bothered moving him. One of them will drag him out later and drop him off at his old lady’s place, hoping not to run into her. Jackie is a piece of work, so no one ever blames George for wanting to get wasted after a night of work. Most guys will leave him on the porch if it’s a decent night.
“Thanks, I needed that laugh.” Matt was still laughing. “Actually, it’s okay. If this was how my relationship was supposed to go with Zack, then so be it.” Matt wasn’t okay with it, but he couldn’t cry in front of the guys. Matt drank his other shot, grabbed his beer, walked over, and sat at a table. He listened to the guys while drinking it slowly, thinking about what the hell went wrong.
Most of the guys left at two, but Frank stayed; someone dragged George out. Frank sat down next to Matt when only a few of them left. “Are you going to be okay?” Matt looked over at Frank, and Frank knew he was barely holding it together. “Come on, I’ll follow you home.”
Matt stood and walked out to his car, and Frank stopped him. Frank turned him around and hugged him. “It’s going to be okay; Zack will be back to you, I bet, in a few days.”
“Yeah, I hope. Anyway, you don’t need to follow me home.”
“Yeah, I do, I’m even going to take your ass to bed.” Frank laughed.
They drove to Matt’s, and Matt asked if he would like something to drink. “Got any beer?” Matt laughed, went into the kitchen, and returned with a beer for the both of them. Frank reached for the remote and flipped on the TV.
“There’s nothing on this fucking late at night,” Matt commented and put his feet up on the coffee table.
*
Zack was beside himself. When Matt left, he sat on the couch, picked up the phone, and called his mother.
“Zachary, what’s wrong?” Patty answered. It was late even for Las Vegas. “Honey, it’s after ten.”
“Matt… Matt… Mom, Matt.” Zack started crying.
“Calm down, Zachary. Breathe.”
“Matt left me.”
“Oh, Zack, I’m sorry.”
“I think he wouldn’t have if I didn’t have Trevor over here.”
“Zack.”
“Mom, I screwed up and I know. I don’t know how to take it back.”
“Well, for one, I’ve never seen you so broken up over anyone like this,” Patty responded.
“Because I love Matt, Mom. I don’t know where this stupid infatuation with Trevor came from.”
“Well, Zack, you really need to find out.”
“That’s what Matt said.”
“What did Matt say?”
“That we need to take a break, that he loves me, and I need to figure this out.” Zack felt bad. “Mom, I accused him of wanting this break to sleep with someone else.”
“Zachary.” Patty shook her head.
“Mom, I think I understand now. I hate it. But I understand now. I love you. I’m sorry if I woke you.”
“Good night, Zack.”
*
“Hey, come on, no sense driving home this morning; come share my bed.” Matt got off the couch, and Frank looked at the couch and then at Matt. “Shit, we shared a fucking bed when four of us slept in a hotel room in Hawaii for Mark’s wedding.”
“Yeah, you’re right; you didn’t rape me then.” Frank laughed and got up.
“Ha ha, you’re funny. You can stay your ass out here on my uncomfortable couch.”
They walked into the bedroom, and Matt opened a drawer, threw him a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and headed off to the bathroom. When he returned, Frank had already changed and went to the bathroom. Matt changed, got into bed, and was half asleep when Frank returned. He flipped off the light, and it didn’t take long before they were both out.
A few hours later, Frank was woken by knocking at the door. He knew Matt was still out cold because he was still lightly snoring. Frank could also hear Matt’s phone buzzing on the floor. Frank shook his head and went to answer the door.
“Frank, what are you doing here?” Zack wondered as the door opened.
“You can stop calling him. His phone is on the floor, and it’s on vibrate. I barely heard you knock from the bedroom.”
“You… slept.”
“Oh God, No,” Frank responded to a shocked Zack. “Yes, we slept in the same bed, but no, we didn’t sleep together. We’re friends, that’s all. Remember Zack, I like women.”
“Okay.” Zack isn’t convinced but knows that Frank has only dated women.
“Zack, Matt loves you. What you did was stupid.”
“I know on both counts.” Zack followed Frank into the living room. “Can I go into the bedroom?”
“Suit yourself. I’m going to lay here on the couch.” Frank grabbed a blanket off the back of a chair and got on the couch.
Zack walked down the hall to Matt’s bedroom and stood in the doorway looking at him. Matt was lying awake. The loss of Frank’s body heat caused him to wake. He heard them talking and was expecting Zack to sit next to him. So after a few minutes, when he didn’t, Matt opened his eyes and looked at Zack.
“Hey.”
“Babe.” Matt motioned for him to come over to the bed. Zack sat down. “I love you. It hurts that you could betray your love so easily.”
“I know, Hon. Will you give me another chance?”
“Is it over?”
“Honestly?” Zack looked at Matt. “I still don’t know what this infatuation is, but I will promise you. I won’t contact him.”
Matt shook his head. “No, call him. Have him come over here.”
“WHAT?”
“Call him, have him come over here. Where’s Frank, so you know I won’t do anything?”
“He’s on the couch.”
“Call him Zack.” Zack looked at Matt and didn’t know what he was in for but called Trevor. Matt could tell that Trevor wasn’t sure on the phone. “Let me talk to him.” Zack handed him the phone. “Trevor, I just want to talk to the both of you at once in person. I have a friend here. I promise no harm will come to you.”
“Okay, I will be there in a bit. Can I talk to Zack?” Matt handed Zack the phone and left the room.
Frank was lying on the couch when Matt came out. “Before you ask, yeah, I will stay around. But, for payment.” Frank smiled. “I want you to teach me something.
“What.”
“I’ve seen your second bedroom,” Frank stated as Matt laughed. “I’ve always wanted to get into some of that but didn’t know how.”
“Do you want to be a dom or a sub?” Matt smiled an evil smile. “It’s not always about sex. It can lead to sex, but it doesn’t have to. I could dom someone and leave them to clean themselves up and leave my house.”
“Shit, no, I would want to do it to play with my girlfriends. And what have you done and let them just walk out later?”
Zack was standing at the living room entrance when Matt answered. “I have a friend that likes to be whipped or flogged every once in a while. He comes here to be broke, and after he is done. His friend picks him up because he has no strength left. I generally don’t either because it takes a lot to break him down. These are the days I pray Zack is tired, but generally, he isn’t.” Matt laughed; Zack didn’t know about this. “So you want to know about how to play safely and then move it to sex.” Matt saw that Frank was trying to get his attention about Zack, but he didn’t care what Zack heard.
“Yeah, but we can discuss that later. Hey, Zack.” Frank looked up.
“Hi, Trevor said he’ll be over within the hour. Is that okay?”
Matt looked over at Frank because it really depended on him. Matt wanted Trevor to feel safe. “Yeah, I don’t mind; I just have to be home to get a change of uniform. Hell, I’ll take a shower here and grab clean underclothes when I’m home.”
“No problem, thanks, man,” Matt said.
Within thirty minutes, Trevor knocked on the door, and Zack answered because Matt was in the shower and Frank had gone into the kitchen. “So what is this all about?”
“I don’t know. I came here to talk to Matt. He broke up with me yesterday.”
Trevor tried to hide a smile, “Oh?”
“Trevor, I love him. I told you this yesterday.”
“And I told you I wanted you and would do anything to get you,” Trevor responded.
“Why are you making this hard for me?” Zack pleaded with him.
“Because I want you, Zack.” Neither of them heard the shower end or Matt opening the door. Zack had forgotten about Frank being in the kitchen for a minute.
Then his wits came back to him. “Will you shut up? Matt is here, and so is Frank.”
Matt rounded the corner to the living room, calling Frank. Trevor didn’t know what to do, so he stayed near the door. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything, neither is Frank. I heard what you said to Zack, and I’m glad I did. So this will be easier to say.” He turned to Zack, “I will make it easy for you. You’re free, I love you, Zack, but I won’t compete for your affection. If you have this, as you call it, ‘infatuation’ going on for Trevor, go ahead and find out what it is.” Matt held up his hands to do the quote signs when he said infatuation. “I’ll wait for you, but just to let you know, if someone comes along, I will go out. I’m not going to be a monk.”
During this time, Zack sat down on the couch. He couldn’t believe his ears. Then he stood up, “Trevor, leave.”
Trevor was smiling, “Wait. What?”
“Leave now,” Zack said forcefully, then looked over at Frank. “Frank, would you please.”
“Yeah.” Frank picked up his truck keys and phone and proceeded to leave. Pushing Trevor out the door with him.
Zack then turned on Matt. “You’re giving me the permission to go and fuck Trevor?” Zack couldn’t believe what he was saying to Matt.
“Yeah,” Matt answered frankly.
“But you don’t want to see me during this time?”
“No.” Matt, again, was direct and to the point.
“But I want you, Matt,” Zack responded almost in a plea.
“You can’t have us both, Zack. I don’t share and won’t fight for you; my love for you should be enough. I do everything for you. What else do you want?”
“Let’s move in together.” Zack couldn’t believe what he was saying either. It was Matt’s turn to sit down, and he looked up at him. “Apparently, I don’t know everything about you either. I didn’t know you were still doming in non-sexual ways.”
Zack sat down next to him. “Zack, are you sure about this? This is a huge step.”
“If you say you love me, why not? I love you. I know I screwed up, and I think I will be making up for it forever. Is there a part of me that wants Trevor? Yes. But there is more of me that wants you. That needs you, Matt.” Zack was turned towards Matt on the couch. “If you want to punish me, do it. I know, in the dom/sub world, a sub isn’t supposed to ask for punishment, but if that will make up for what I have done.” Matt smiled. “Honey, I know I fucked up.”
“Zack, I’m not asking you to be my sub. I like playing with you. You’re not ready for that yet. And I don’t know if you have it in you to give me complete control.”
“What do you mean?”
Matt laughed, “We’re going off-topic, but I will answer one thing. We have been going into my room for over a year now. Off and on, but over a year. There is one requirement I ask of you when we are in that room, and you still don’t follow through with it.”
Zack looked at him, confused, “Which is?”
“See, you still forget, and I whip you for it each time.” Matt smiled.
“Sir, I forget to call you, sir.”
Matt nodded his head. “A sub would never forget that. They would only do it to be punished, but a master knows that. You’re not doing it to be punished. You truly are forgetting. That is why I know you’re in it for play only.” Matt thought about it. “You know Rick and Sarah?”
“Yeah, we’ve been to their house quite a bit.”
“Do you see the necklace around her neck?”
Zack nodded, “Yeah, it’s beautiful.”
Matt smiled. “It’s a cuff collar. She can’t take it off.”
“What do you mean?”
“Rick holds the key. He’s the only one who can take it off. Well, other than for it getting cut off. She is Rick’s sub; if she was here, not saying he would tell her to do this because I’m not into women. But if she was here and he told her to suck me, she would have no choice.”
“She would do that?” Zack was shocked.
“I’ve seen it. I don’t believe in sharing, but some do. They get off by it.”
“But you dominate others for non-sexual reasons. Does that ever turn you on? And what do you do?”
“We’ve never really discussed this, have we, not since that first time briefly. For the record, I had never told you I had stopped. It doesn’t happen frequently, and I will have to ask my friend if he wants you out of the house when he comes next time.”
“How often? And who?”
“No names, not yet. And it depends sometimes. It may be once every two to three months, sometimes longer. But there was a time when he was going through something, and it became weekly.” Matt responded. “I know what you will ask, that cross in there. It’s called a Saint Andrew’s Cross. I’ve had you attached to it to play with, tease, and fuck you. But I use it to restrain and whip.”
“For how long?” Zack asked.
“As long as it takes.”
“What does that mean?”
“For him to break when I know he is done or he says the safe word,” Matt responded bluntly.
“How do you know?” Zack was confused.
Matt smirks, “I know.” Then he shook his head because Zack gave him a weird look. “I’ve been working with this person for a while. Even if I was working with a new person, I would know when to stop. Not that I would even dare go to a point where they would want to say the safe word.”
“Why?”
Matt was trying to cut the questions off before Zack would have a chance to ask them because he knew what he was going to ask.
“Because they would try to hold out, tell me it’s not hurting as bad as it is. If you are watching, you can tell how they react to each whip. The guy I have been working with has gone beyond that. He doesn’t want to just be played with. He wants to be punished for something. And we are both physically drained when he leaves here.”
“How so?”
“I’m tired as hell, and he is beaten. Plain and simple. I’m not going to lie to you. He has his partner come in to help him leave. Depending on what he wants, we can start soft and work up to chains…”
“CHAINS?” Zack exclaimed loudly.
“Yes, chains, I told you, he wants to be punished. Sometimes, we don’t make it that far, but we have.”
“How many times have you whipped him with them?”
“Not many, and chains, I won’t because he’s nearly broke if we make it up to them.” Matt shook his head again. “But let’s get back to the subject at hand.”
“Okay, can we stay together, and can I move in?”
“Do you think that is really what you want?” Matt is not sure that is the best plan.
“I think so.”
Matt stared straight ahead of himself for a few minutes. “I don’t want to become an enforcer, Zack. I don’t want you thinking you are moving in here to get out of being accountable for your actions.”
“I’m not. At least, I don’t think I am.”
“Yeah, that is what I thought. Zack, you have an infatuation for Trevor. Moving in with me is not going to change that. I love you, but if you don’t, explore this and find out if you want him. It may end us anyway.”
“No.”
“A month, let’s take a break for a month. If you can honestly say in a month that you want me and me only. Then I would love to have you move in.”
Matt stood up. He couldn’t stand the look in Zack’s eyes. Zack quickly got up. “Matt?” Matt turned around, and Zack walked over to him. “No, please.”
Matt put his arms around Zack and pulled him into a hug. “I love you, Zack. It’s just a month.”
Zack nodded his head. He couldn’t trust his voice. Matt felt Zack’s tears running down his neck before he loosened his hold and turned, leaving his house. Zack doesn’t know how he made it the few miles from Matt’s house to his. But when he walked in the door, he was a full-out mess.
Matt was no better, but he needed to go to work. When it was time, he got ready and walked out his door to find Frank waiting. “Thought you could use a ride.”
“It’s just a mile.”
“Okay, I don’t trust you driving that mile. Have you looked at yourself?”
“Yeah, you’re driving all night too.”
“No problem.”
Once they were driving around Adrian, Frank finally looked over at Matt. “Are you going to tell me anything?”
“He wants to move in. I told him we were taking a break for a month. That I’m not going to be his enforcer.”
“His what?”
“I won’t keep him accountable; he needs to do it himself. That’s one of his main reasons for moving in.” Matt responded.
“I’m amazed he’s not blowing up your phone.”
“He probably is, it’s at home.”
They turned on to two-twenty-three. “You want some coffee?” Frank asked.
“Yeah, that would be good.” Frank went to turn down Division. “If you are going to Starbucks, then no.”
“I was going to Panera, just the back way in,” Frank responded. “Large Black, or do you want cream?”
“Black. Cream might upset my stomach.”
“God, you’re getting old.” Frank laughed.
“Yeah, I know. Maybe I was stupid for dating someone ten years younger than me.”
“No, you weren’t. He made you happy, and you love him, Matt.” Frank looked over at him.
They got out to go into Panera. It was faster than waiting in the drive-thru for coffee. Frank always likes to look at the pastries when they go in. Matt was filling his coffee at the coffee stations as Frank ran to the bathroom.
Coming back through, Frank saw Trevor and Zack talking in a corner booth. He didn’t acknowledge them, and they didn’t notice him as far as he could tell. He hoped that Matt didn’t need to go to the bathroom. “You ready?”
“Yup.”
When their shift was over. Frank dropped Matt home and drove straight to Zack’s. He was glad to see only his car in the driveway and a light on. When he knocked on the door, he only had to wait a second before Zack opened it. “That was quick. Oh, hi, Frank.”
“Apparently wasn’t expecting me.”
“No,” Zack responded. “Would you like to come in?”
“Nope, what I have to say I can say right here.” Frank looked at Zack and shook his head. “I saw you two tonight at Panera. You are glad that Matt didn’t. Zack, you’re twenty-five, right?”
“Yeah.”
“If you don’t want Matt, tell him. Don’t fuck with him.”
“I love him, Frank,” Zack stated.
“Then what are you doing with the guy in the car that just pulled up?” Frank turned around. “Take care, Zack.” He got in his truck and drove back to Matt’s to see if he was still up. “Want to drink?” Frank asked when Matt answered the door.
“Way ahead of you.”
“So, what do you do to unwind?” Frank asked.
“I have a weight bench and a punching bag.”
“Have you ever been tied up to be whipped?” Frank asked.
“Of course, I need to know what it feels like to do it. But if you are asking if I have ever asked someone to whip me to unwind, I would be lying if I said no.”
“So, the dom can become a sub?”
“Not easily, but sometimes it just helps to be punished. I know a weird twist. I haven’t done it in years. I’ve only done the punishment for over, shit, like seven years now.” Matt breathed in and out. “If you want to play with Julie, I’ll teach you, with clothes on. Have Julie come over one day, and we can go through the basics. If you have toys, bring them. I’ll sanitize the room for you, show you some basics, and leave the house.”
“Really?” Frank asked.
“Yeah, but if I give you access to my room, don’t go beyond what I tell you to do. Because you can hurt her.”
“I already told Julie about your room. She’s intrigued.” Frank told Matt as he laughed.
Over the next few weeks, Zack talked with Tervor more and more. Matt saw them more than once, which didn’t help Matt’s mood much. He was often found in his second bedroom using his weight bench and punching bag. Patty called a couple of times when he was in there. He had been out of breath when he answered, and it threw her for a loop for a minute until he explained.
“Zack’s coming out to visit next week. I was hoping that you were coming with him.” Patty stated.
“Sorry, Patty. I didn’t know anything about it.” Matt tried to change the topic. “How’s everything out that way?”
“Oh, it’s good, nice and warm. Have you talked with him at all these past three weeks?” Patty asked.
Matt exhaled loudly, “No, I’ve seen him around with Trevor. Not that I’ve been watching for him, but because I’m on patrol. I don’t know why they can’t go to Tecumseh to hang out.”
“I’m sorry, Matt.”
“I’m the one that asked for the break. I could have taken him back without it and dealt with him sneaking away when I was at work. I didn’t want to deal with him cheating on me. So I forced him away. But Patty, I’m going to let you go. I need to get ready for work.”
“Okay, Matt, have a good night.” Patty hung up the phone.
The following week, Patty was surprised when Darren pulled up with Zack and Trevor. They all came through the door, and Patty was stunned. “Hi, Mom,” Zack stated when he came in.
“Zack, I see you brought Trevor with you. Do I need to make up the guest room?”
“No, he can stay in the room with me,” Zack responded. Patty shook her head and walked to the kitchen. Zack followed her. “What was that look for?”
“You know goddamn well what that look was for,” Patty stated angrily.
“I have one more week before deciding,” Zack responded. “So why do I have to have Trevor in another room?”
“Zack, you are so stupid. You have ripped Matt’s heart out and don’t care.”
“I have done no such thing. He hasn’t seen me and Trevor.” Zack responded.
“Yes, he has. You’re the fool.” Patty looked at her son, and the lights seemed to come on. “Do you think he doesn’t drive around Adrian all night long? Why are you two staying in Adrian and not going to Tecumseh, where Trevor lives?”
“I don’t know. He prefers coming to Adrian.”
“See if after Matt doesn’t take you back if he prefers Tecumseh,” Patty stated, thinking he probably was doing it on purpose. “I thought when you two first went out, you spent all your nights in Ann Arbor.”
“We did, but now we are hanging in Adrian.” Zack responded, “It’s closer for the both of us.”
“Okay, Zachary,” Patty responded, and Zack knew his mother was pissed at him.
*
The chief pulled Matt and Frank into his office. Frank spoke before Matt could, “Sir, you wanted to see us.”
“Yes, come in, Officers Surrey and Lane. Please have a seat.” The chief had stood for a moment when they knocked. When they all sat, he began again. “I have a special assignment for the two of you. You can turn me down, but I would really like it if you took it. There will be a bonus for the both of you.”
“But?” Frank didn’t like the sounds of it already.
“But Frank, you will be loaned to another department for six months.” The chief continued. “The department owns a house you will stay in together, free of charge. Plus an extra ten dollars an hour.”
Frank and Matt looked at the chief, “What’s the catch?” Matt asked.
“Well, they put a call out, and it’s kind of our turn.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, when officers get loaned out, each county takes turns, and we’re the county seat. So I need to volunteer some officers. I had hoped you two would do it, and I won’t have to order you.”
“Six months?” Matt asked. “Frank doesn’t have to if they don’t need two.”
“I can. Where are we going?” Frank asked. “Shit, I could use a break from here; I just will have to take care of my house.”
“UP, and we can care for both of your houses while you’re gone. Just leave me a key. I’m sure you can return for a weekend or two, but they need all the help they can get right now.”
“When do we leave?” Matt responded.
“ASAP, and your bonuses have already started as soon as you said yes.” The chief smiled.
*
The week in Las Vegas went quick. Zack and Trevor had a few disagreements, but they weren’t big. They never argued in front of Zack’s parents. Returning, Zack stopped over at Matt’s, but when he looked in the door, he saw sheets covering all his furniture. He thought that was odd but thought maybe Matt was painting. He didn’t see Matt’s car, so he stopped by the station to see if he was at work, but it wasn’t there either.
When he called, it rang four times but went to voicemail. “Hey, this is Matt; if you are getting this, please leave a voicemail. Can’t pick it up; the job won’t allow it.” Zack wondered if he heard that correctly. His job won’t allow it?
“Matt, hi. I just wanted to talk. I stopped by, but you weren’t home. Okay, it’s just me, Zack.”
Matt pulled up to Frank and rolled his window down. “Hey, how’s your night going?”
“Probably as good as yours,” Frank responded. “I hate college towns. Shit, I hate college towns that are fucking full of kids and snow.”
“We’re from a college town, just not in the North Pole.” Matt laughed, “But yeah, I know, at least most of them are walking.”
“I don’t know how I would be freezing my balls off.” Frank laughed. “Shit, I don’t know how they get used to this cold. Some of these fucking kids are wearing shorts.” Frank shook his head.
“I know. I’ve even seen them sunbathing in the snow. I don’t know, either.” Matt shook his head and laughed. “Guess I better move on. See you at the station.”
It wasn’t long before they were done with their shift and heading back to the house that the department owned. “I noticed I got a call from Zack while driving around.” Frank responded, “he didn’t leave a voicemail.”
“He did me. I was going to call him back in the morning.” Matt walked away and sat on the couch, but he didn’t get a chance to sit there long because his phone started ringing. “Hey, Zack.”
“Why can’t you answer your phone anymore while you’re on duty?” Zack asked.
Frank sat beside Matt to listen in, and Matt shook his head. “It’s the department rules; they don’t like their officers talking on their personal phones while on duty.”
“I drove by a cop tonight with their phone in his hand.”
“I’m not in Adrian right now.” Matt was waiting for the next question.
“What do you mean you’re not in Adrian? Matt, where are you?”
“Frank and I’ve been loaned out to another department in the UP for six months,” Matt responded.
“THE UP, FOR SIX MONTHS?” Zack screamed, and Matt pulled the phone from his ear. “What about me, Matt? Did you think about me?”
“Zack, I talked to Patty. I know you were in Vegas. I know who you took with you. You’re not thinking about me. So maybe it’s time that we made the decision to…”
“Matt, please, not yet.”
“Zack, have you talked to me this entire month?”
Zack fell silent. He knew he was wrong, by not texting or calling. It wasn’t until this week that he tried reaching out, the one-month mark. “I don’t want Trevor. I know that now.” Zack’s voice was weak, and it killed Matt.
“How do you know?” Matt asked.
“He’s not you, Matt. When we were together, we never got into fights. We had been together for over a year, not one fight or major disagreement. With Trevor, it’s nightly. I forgot about that when I dated him before. I hate arguing, Matt. I love just getting along, and we got along great.”
“Okay.”
“I’m truly sorry, Matt, for how I treated you and what I did to you. I know that will not make up for it. But Matt, I love you. I wish you could see how much I do.”
“Are you still dating Trevor?”
“No, we broke up when we returned. He said he had enough of me.” Zack responded.
“Zack, I’m really gone for six months. I may be able to visit for a weekend here and there, but I’m up here.” Matt responded. “We’ll be apart for a while.”
“Will you wait for me?”
“I’m sure as hell not going to be dating anyone up here, Zack,” Matt claimed.
“Do you still love me?” Zack asked.
“I don’t know. We have six months to talk.” Matt responded. “Zack, it’s late, and I’m sure you need to get some sleep.”
“What are good times to call you?” Zack asked.
“Between eleven and one pm,” Matt responded. “Goodnight, Zack.”
“Goodnight Matt, I love you.”
Matt didn’t say it back, even though he wanted to; he really didn’t know if he loved Zack or not at this point. He knew he still wanted him but didn’t know if he still loved him.
Frank looked over, “Would you like a beer?”
“Yup.”
*
Zack sat his phone down on his bed. He had to make a plan to get Matt back. He knew he fucked up and needs to make amends. Prove to Matt that he loves him and show he’ll never do it again.
So every day, like clockwork, as long as Zack wasn’t at work, he called at eleven on the dot. Sometimes, he caught Matt in bed, but they talked, cried, and laughed on the phone.