Chapter 2

When the train stopped at the Fashion District, Jeffrey merged with the human traffic and began the ascent to street level. He cursed under his breath at his damp clothing, tossed his cup into the recycle bin next to the stairs, and tried to burrow into his sweatshirt. He was happy for Clark and Daniel. He was happy for anybody who managed to find love and keep it, really, and on any other day, Jeffrey could channel his inner romantic and swoon with the best of them.

But not today.

In addition to it being Single People Awareness Day, it was also two days after Jeffrey’s birthday. This year’s Hallmark moment had been brought to Jeffrey by Mom calling, drunk off her ass and threatening to commit suicide to commemorate Jeffrey getting too old to need his Mommy. Fast-forward through forty-eight restless hours, and Mom was back in the psych ward getting reacquainted with restraints and IV drips.