chapter 9 (sam)

Sam hadn't told anyone at Play It Again that he'd had a date Sunday, and he certainly wasn't going to tell anyone the guy he'd had the date with had shown up at his apartment last night, brought him a record, and fucked him until he came. Oh no. No one at Play It Again even knew he liked guys, although he thought Peter Baron had an idea, and sometimes he caught Bruce looking at him sideways.... But it was always kind of a contemplative looking at him sideways, like maybe he'd said something Bruce was trying to figure out. It never made Sam uncomfortable, but very few things about Bruce did.

Bruce wasn't in but Marley was, bitching and moaning when Sam arrived about how busy it had been and where the hell had Sam been, and what kind of emergency made him two hours late, and Hey don't bitch to me, man. Marley wanted details. Sam told him it was personal. Marley wanted to know what kind of personal. Sam told him it was none of his business. Marley said it damn well was, he was in charge when Bruce was out and if Sam was going to be late like this he wanted to know why. Sam told him to fuck off. A couple of girls standing at the register waiting to pay for their Lyle Lovett CDs gasped and giggled. Sam shot them a look of pure annoyance mixed with "mind your own business" and stomped back to the office.

( cut for sam thought )

chapter 10 (the diner)

Sam poked at his pie and thought about Aurelian and what they were going to do now. He was so deep in thought and concentrating so hard on his plate and his pie that he jumped when Aurelian said "Hello."

"Fuck, you scared me," Sam said, but he was relieved. Finally they could resolve this thing. Well, as much as they could right now, anyway. He wasn't that fond of loose ends. "Sit. Sorry I started without you, I got here early and I was hungry." He gestured to the picked-apart slice of pie with his fork, and then pointed it at the seat across the table from him. Aurelian sat.

( cut for diner talk )