~*~ By the time Gale knocked back his third beer, he was feeling more than a little guilty for reacting the way he had. It was clear Randy was asking for his help and all he did was run out on him. After saying he wouldn’t be a dick about it, that’s exactly what he’d done. It was just the thought… Randy committed to Simon. To think there was even the remote possibility that Randy was considering the proposal… that he hadn’t immediately laughed it off and shoved the idea straight up Simon’s pompous ass was the part that made Gale’s stomach turn. That was the reason he hadn’t stayed. That… and the look on Randy’s face when Gale asked him why he was there with him. Randy’s answer, “That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out”… tore him in two. “Talk me out of it,” Randy had said. Well fuck that. He shouldn’t have to talk Randy out of anything. If knowing that Gale loved him wasn’t enough, what else was there to say? He pulled the last gulp from the bottle and glanced up at the clock on the wall. If he hurried, he could only hope Randy was being his usual stubborn self. It would be just like him to be there waiting at the apartment just to fight it out. If anything, Randy was not one for losing a pending argument. Gale telling him to leave might have been just enough of a challenge to make him stay. He hailed the first cab he saw and anxiously tapped his fingers on the seat beside him, calling Randy’s cell. He had to get there in time. He had to fix this before it all fell apart. Whatever the hell it was they were doing. ~*~ Message one: Hey. If you’re still there, don’t go anywhere. I’m about ten minutes away. (Pause) I never should have left. ~*~ Message two: Fuck, Randy. I was really hoping you’d still be here. I just got back to the apartment and I really think we need to talk. (Pause) I’m sorry. I acted like an ass. Please call me when you get this. ~*~ Message three: I suppose you need time to cool off. I get that. Well… call me when you’re ready. I’m leaving in the morning but I can be back here next weekend. Whatever you… well, whatever. Call me. ~*~ Message four: It’s been three days. You can’t keep ignoring me. Look, I was a prick, okay? Call me back. ~*~ Message five: If you need me to tell you not to do it, I will. I don’t want you to commit to Simon. There’s a lot we need to talk about. Please talk to me. ~*~ Message six: What the fuck? It’s been a week! How long are you going to stay pissed at me? I know I was wrong. It’s just… I wasn’t expecting something like that. If you want me to stop leaving messages, let me know. Call me back and tell me to fuck off. Please, Randy… call me. ~*~ 10:29 Sunday night – 12 days later Message one: Hey Gale. Fuck. I didn’t want to leave a message. I guess if I… I’m sorry. About the past couple of weeks, I mean. I listened to your messages and picked up the phone to call you back a hundred times. I just needed some time to… to figure things out. But I think I… I think I have. I talked to Simon last night… finally. I just had to be sure before I gave him an answer and it needed to be for my own reasons. I couldn't let this be about my feelings for you. I had to think about what's right for me. There are a lot of things wrong with my relationship with him, but there’s a lot of good in it, too. What we’ve been… what I’ve been doing with you doesn’t help the situation any. It just confuses things. I really didn’t want to talk to your voicemail about all of this. Simon will be away this weekend so I’m going to go to the apartment. I’d like to see you if you can get away for a couple of days. My phone will probably be off so just leave a message and let me know. I guess... I guess I’m gonna go now. I’m sorry and I just want (beep)… ~*~ Randy put the phone down and exhaled a deep breath. Fuck.