A love story told in answering machine messages. Saying “I love you” to someone who says it first, isn’t supposed to lead to a break-up, but that’s what happens to Sully and Lou. Sully is out and proud while Lou is in the closet, so when their relationship deepens, Lou runs. But then Lou starts leaving emotional messages of remorse on Sully’s answering machine. Sully is torn between his love for Lou and his attempts to get over him. With each message, Lou’s regrets deepen. With each message, it becomes more difficult for Sully to forget him. With each message, Sully finds it harder to want to move on. Can old love poems and heartbreaking honesty help Sully and Lou find their way back to each other?

Late Night Poetry

“Sully…you’re not…seeing that guy?”


“Would you…I know I have no right to ask you this, but would you…consider seeing me again?”


I sink onto the floor, head hanging. I bite my lip to stop myself from screaming “Yes!” and instead force myself to take a moment to think, to sort through the spinning thoughts in my head.


Will he actually go through with it? Does it even matter? Can I trust him not to bail on me again when times get rough? Can I trust him to repair my broken heart and not smash it into even smaller pieces?


“I want to say ‘yes,’” is what I settle on. Honesty, but not stupidly jumping into anything seems like a solid policy.


“But you don’t know if you can trust me,” he finishes for me.


Chapter 10