Involved in separate accidents. Russel and Finn end up sharing a cubicle in the ER on a busy night. As the hours pass, separately and together, they face issues of life and death, human nature, addiction, perceived shortcomings, love, romance, and sexual arousal.<br><br>Both men are feeling flirty and friendly at first, until they end up in a heated argument about what feature in a man is more important, his face or his body. After some time alone to think, Russel is eager to apologize for losing his temper and to explain where he was coming from. Unfortunately, Finn never returns from surgery, leaving Russel both sorry and worried.<br><br>Is Russel’s chance to make amends really gone? What will happen if the two ever do come face to face again? Can Russel win Finn over or will the need to prove his point screw everything up again?

An Arm and a Leg

“I went through them all and even wore some twice or more.” As I was thinking, Finn kept talking. “Not underwear. I washed that in the sink in the terminal bathroom. I have two huge duffel bags of clothes, one with heavy shirts and sweatpants for cold weather, the other with shorts and polo shirts for when it gets warm. Olive green…black. Gwen got the green bag. I told her that was the one I needed. The black, with summer stuff, that remains in lockdown.” It was a great deal of information. Finn was nervous, too. “My tuxedo and Desperado cowboy hat are in yet a third bag. I miss them most.”


I was still standing there, blindly grappling for the dangling keys, with the door wide open. “Oh.” My apartment was immaculate. Finn hadn’t slept, I would have bet. He created, he canvassed the neighborhood, and then he cleaned the place and himself. I could smell the soap I used. It smelled better on him. My shampoo, too, and my deodorant.


Chapter 39