Chapter 20

Ernie felt a surge of defiant courage and finished his sentence with, “…no, in the morning.” He hung up the phone and turned it off before his mother could protest or redial.

Ernie walked back to the bed, crawled up beside Butch, and nestled himself in the man’s arms

“Who was that?” Butch asked.

Ernie hesitated, made a decision, and said, “My mother.”

“Your mother?”

Ernie sighed. “Yes. That’s who I live with.”

He waited, hoping his choosing to be honest and out himself wasn’t going to end what seemed to be the beginning of something momentous in his life.

“That’s cool,” Butch said and made no further comment. He just pulled Ernie closer. “I guess that means you’d be willing to spend the night with me?”

“You bet,” Ernie said, feeling proud, happy, and cared-for all at the same time.

The two men snuggled close together, and after a short time they fell asleep.

* * * *