“What is it with this place?” Peter shouted. “I everyone who lives here a homo or what?”
I recoiled at the hateful words. I had never expected him to react this way. Hal on the other hand was not offend he was accustomed to this misconception. “I am not a homosexual.” Hal responded confidently.
“Listen Pal!” Peter spun around in a hostile manner. “First of all this is none of your business and second of all you might be a little more convincing if you weren’t wearing a dress.”
Hal just sighed. “Young man.” He explained dryly. “I am a transvestite not a drag queen.”
“Who gives a …” Peter snarled.
“Peter!” I cut in quickly. “Just calm down. Hal I can handle this.”
“I am calm.” Peter snapped.
“I’m not convinced.” A calm and familiar voice said from behind us. We turned quickly to find Althea standing there in her uniform. “I would be more convinced if you stepped back about two feet.” Althea spoke with a calm yet authoritative voice. Peter just stared at her blankly. “Hal why don’t you go back inside.” Althea instructed the physics professor who obeyed and returned to his apartment. “Now.” She returned her attention towards Peter. “Why don’t you step back sir.” Peter failed to comply with her request. He just stood there glaring at me. “Stephanie what is your friend’s name?” She asked me in a mild tone without taking her eyes off of him.
“Peter.” I responded nervously.
“Peter?” Althea said calmly. “Do me a favor and look at your hands.”
As he cast a glance down we were both shocked to see his hands clenched into fists. He dropped his hands suddenly and backed up against the wall. “Good.” Althea said in a soothing tone. Peter just stood there shaking.
“I wouldn’t hurt her.” His voice trembled.
“I know.” Althea continued to sooth him. “But you know someone who would?” It wasn’t a question somehow she just seemed to know. “You’re not him Peter.” She offered calmly.
“No I’m not.” Peter choked.
Althea stood with him as he calmed himself and caught his breath. I knew that the sight of his hands clenched in anger had frightened him and I knew why. It was his father. The man beat him and his mother on a daily basis. They finally ran off one night while he was at work. Peter and his mother lived in a shelter for over a month. He swore that he would never be like him. He would be like his stepfather who was a kind and decent man. The guilt I felt over this situation made me sick.
Althea talked with him for a while and when she was finally convinced that he would be all right she agreed to leave us. “Oh and just for the record Hal may enjoy wearing women’s clothing but the guy would have kicked your ass son.” She then touched me gently on the shoulder. “Will you be all right?” She questioned me with concern. I simply nodded my head in response. “God I hate the holidays.” She muttered as she made her departure.
We stood there in silence for a few moments. “Is it true?” Peter finally asked in a defeated tone.
“Yes.” I answered quietly.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked. “All of these months I had convinced myself that maybe there was still a chance for us. You should have told me. I would have been hurt but at least I would have known the truth. All of this time I just thought you had lied about there being another guy. I guess in a way you did lie.”
“No letting you believe it was the lie.” I choked. “I just didn’t want to hurt you anymore than I already had.”
“Now that is a lie.” Peter said calmly. “You did it because you didn’t want me mad at you.”
“What do you mean?” I asked in confusion.
“I mean that you are afraid of losing the people in your life.” Peter sighed dejectedly. “You will do anything to keep people from getting mad at you. You weren’t protecting me you were protecting yourself.” I felt a stab of truth in his words. “When did you?”
“I’ve had these feeling since I was a teenager.” I confessed. “I just fought them and pretended that they weren’t real. Until I met Allison.”
“Allison?” He said absently.
“Peter.” I began slowly. It was time to tell him everything. “Allison and I are lovers.”
“When?” He asked suspiciously.
“Thanksgiving.” I answered honestly.
His voice dropped. “Jesus Stephanie.” His voice was strained. “How can you be so cruel? Letting her watch as I was proposing? Well that explains why she drove off.”
“What!” I said quickly as I raced out onto the porch. It was true her car was gone. “What have I done?” Peter joined me out on the porch. I turned to him. He put his hand up and stopped me. “I don’t want to talk to you.” He said firmly and the walked off without looking back.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
After I raced upstairs I discovered that Allison was indeed gone. She left without a word or a note. I paced back and forth trying wringing my hands wondering what I should do? I had nowhere to go my apartment was empty since Allison’s replacement agreed to sublet it. I assumed that Allison went to her parents. I hoped that is what she did I was fearful of the thought of her just driving around with the idiots who were out there celebrating the holiday and possibly drinking and driving. I could call her parents but if she wasn’t there I did not want to worry them. I needed to talk to her to see her. I needed to make things right between us. The most important person in my life just walked away and I had been the cause.
Exhausted I went into the bedroom and collapsed on the bed in tears. I lost track of time as I wept somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that the sun had set and I should think about finding Allison. I could try her cell phone but chances since it was Christmas Eve she had never turned it on. I jumped when I heard the living room door close. I sprung off of the bed and raced into the living room. “Allison?” I called out. I was startled as the lights went on and I found Nicole standing in the living room. “Hate to disappoint you.” Nicole smiled. “But it’s the younger cuter version.” She added with a wink and looked for a place to extinguish the cigarette she had been smoking.
Without a word she went into the kitchen to retrieve an ashtray. Unceremoniously she plopped down onto the sofa and lit another cigarette. “Did you know I got my driver’s license back?” She said nonchalantly as she blew smoke rings. “In my sister’s infinite wisdom she let me take her precious car out for a spin. Actually she sent me out to score her some cigarettes. Which I gladly agreed to do since I’m out as well.”
I looked at her suspiciously as she extinguished her smoke. “You drove all the way here from Chestnut Hill in holiday traffic?” I asked in bewilderment. “Where does she think you went for cigarettes Bangladesh?”
“I haven’t a clue.” She shrugged. “But I shut her cell phone of so she couldn’t track me down.”
“I thought you were out of cigarettes?” I pointed to the pack that she had placed on the coffee table.
“I must have forgotten about them.” Nicole replied with a smirk. Then her face grew serious. “She’s pretty upset.”
“So you came here to break my legs.” I sniffed thinking that I had hurt Allison.
“No.” Nicole answered softly. “I told you before that I would send Tia Maria for that. But since she is out of town at the moment, I guess I will have to grant you a reprieve.”
She gave me a moment to collect my thoughts as I fought back the tears. “Stephanie.” She offered finally. “Did you know that I have been married five times?” I just stared at her in disbelief. “It’s true.” She confirmed. “Not once did I make it to my first anniversary. One of the things I learned from those experiences is that it only takes one time of not thinking before you speak to end a relationship. You and Allison have not done that. Yet.”