Two men trapped in an elevator are about to discover they have more in common than the inconvenience of lost time. Dr. Mason Grant recognizes Parker Collins, whom he had loved during their senior year in high school, but Parker does not immediately recognize Mason. Maybe it’s the passage of time that has dulled his memory ... or maybe it’s the wheelchair in which Mason is confined. As the two wait to be rescued, Mason recalls their six month love affair -- its uncertain beginning, its athletic highs both on and off the field, its romantic peacefulness spent at the Grant’s remote lake cabin, as well as its painful lows and horrific conclusion. The teenage Mason realized there were two sides to his lover -- the confident Parker, an athletic hero popular with both teammates and female students, and the private Parker, who is unsure, sexually submissive, and needs to be cuddled and petted. All Mason wanted then was for Parker to love him, and not diminish what they shared by giving in to the social pressures that demanded he play out the role of football jock and studly lady killer. Now that they’re grown men, what happens when Parker sees past Mason’s wheelchair and realizes who’s trapped in the elevator with him?

Trapped Nerves

The next week saw Parker extricate himself


from Jennifer’s clutches, and he remained faithful to Mason until


gathered his books. News of Parker’s outing of him at the lockers


that morning had spread. Mason heard more than one person call out


“Fag” to him as he walked down the halls. Standing in line at the


snack bar, Mason was jostled and pushed. He spun round to face


whoever was doing it, but no one met his eye. He bought his


sandwiches, snacks and a couple of sodas and left. Walking around


the perimeter of the sports fields en-route to his tree, he tried


to recapture some of the happiness that he and Parker had enjoyed


during Christmas break. He forced to the front of his mind images


of him and Parker kissing in front of the tree, as they exchanged


gifts, Mason’s parents watching them contentedly. However, the


events at the snack bar weighed too heavily on his mind to allow


Chapter 29