scene in a cheesy college apartment.
Victor smiled and gave him a hug. He whispered, “I love you,” into his ear. “Be
strong. I’ll be in touch soon. I promise.”
When he was gone, young Carl took a deep breath. He clenched his fists and
stood very still in the middle of the room. Donna placed the cream on the counter and
tiled her head to the side. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “You don’t look good.” Tears streamed down his face; his legs started to quiver. She crossed to where he
was standing and reached for his arm. “Come over and sit down,” she said. “What
happened between you two? You’re a mess.”
When he sat down on the sofa, he fell into her arms and sobbed with such violent
jerks the entire sofa trembled. And when he stopped sobbing, he told her everything. He
told her he was in love with Victor; he told her he was gay. He didn’t go into details, but
he told her about Victor’s father catching them together and how he’d threatened to cut
Victor off without a dime if Victor didn’t go to Europe. Then he told her his life was over.
Older Carl stood over them and watched Donna’s expression very carefully.
When all this had happened, he’d been too emotional to notice her reaction. She held
young Carl in her arms and caressed the back of his head. She told him it was all right,
and that everything would work out for the best. Though she was in love with him, she
didn’t judge him for being gay, and she didn’t question his love for Victor. And while
younger Carl sobbed on her shoulder, gentle tears rolled down her face.
Carl turned to the Ghost and clenched his fists. “This is outright cruel,” he said. “I
want to leave. I’m over it. I want to go home, get into my bed, and shout Merry fucking
Christmas to me.” Before this night, he had no idea Donna had been in love with him.
He’d been too in love with Victor to notice.
The Ghost of Christmas Past lifted the black glove and said, “We have more to do
to and not much time.”
Chapter Six
When Carl opened his eyes, he and the Ghost were standing near the corner of
95 th Street and Riverside Drive. It was broad daylight, the sidewalk was slushy with wet
snow, and Carl was still naked.
An older woman wearing a dark coat stepped out of an apartment building and
said to her doorman, “I’ll be gone for a few days. Have a good holiday, Ralph.” Then she
handed him an envelope and smiled. There was a small gold Christmas tree pin on her
lapel.
Carl and the Ghost were only a few feet from the woman. “They still can’t see
me?” Carl asked the Ghost.
The Ghost nodded no.
Carl looked around to see if anything looked familiar. He rarely ever went to the
Upper West Side, and when he did it was usually for an auction or estate sale. If the
woman hadn’t wished the doorman a happy holiday, Carl wouldn’t have known it was
Christmastime. There were no wreaths on the doors; there were no lit Christmas trees in
the windows. He looked at the Ghost and shrugged his shoulders. “Why are we here? I
don’t know anyone on the Upper West Side. At least I don’t think I do.”
The Ghost turned and pointed toward Riverside Drive.
Carl looked beyond the heavy traffic flowing across Riverside Drive and saw a
young woman walking a baby carriage in Riverside Park at the 95 th Street entrance. At
first, he didn’t recognize the woman. But when he looked closer and saw her face, he realized it was Donna Fratelli. Carl rubbed his jaw and said, “Why would Donna be here?
Did she move to New York?”
He had no idea as to what had become of Donna. The day after Victor Briarwood
left for Europe, Carl packed his bags and left his hometown for good. He went back to
college and slowly severed ties with everyone he’d ever known, including Donna. He
Victor smiled and gave him a hug. He whispered, “I love you,” into his ear. “Be
strong. I’ll be in touch soon. I promise.”
When he was gone, young Carl took a deep breath. He clenched his fists and
stood very still in the middle of the room. Donna placed the cream on the counter and
tiled her head to the side. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “You don’t look good.” Tears streamed down his face; his legs started to quiver. She crossed to where he
was standing and reached for his arm. “Come over and sit down,” she said. “What
happened between you two? You’re a mess.”
When he sat down on the sofa, he fell into her arms and sobbed with such violent
jerks the entire sofa trembled. And when he stopped sobbing, he told her everything. He
told her he was in love with Victor; he told her he was gay. He didn’t go into details, but
he told her about Victor’s father catching them together and how he’d threatened to cut
Victor off without a dime if Victor didn’t go to Europe. Then he told her his life was over.
Older Carl stood over them and watched Donna’s expression very carefully.
When all this had happened, he’d been too emotional to notice her reaction. She held
young Carl in her arms and caressed the back of his head. She told him it was all right,
and that everything would work out for the best. Though she was in love with him, she
didn’t judge him for being gay, and she didn’t question his love for Victor. And while
younger Carl sobbed on her shoulder, gentle tears rolled down her face.
Carl turned to the Ghost and clenched his fists. “This is outright cruel,” he said. “I
want to leave. I’m over it. I want to go home, get into my bed, and shout Merry fucking
Christmas to me.” Before this night, he had no idea Donna had been in love with him.
He’d been too in love with Victor to notice.
The Ghost of Christmas Past lifted the black glove and said, “We have more to do
to and not much time.”
Chapter Six
When Carl opened his eyes, he and the Ghost were standing near the corner of
95 th Street and Riverside Drive. It was broad daylight, the sidewalk was slushy with wet
snow, and Carl was still naked.
An older woman wearing a dark coat stepped out of an apartment building and
said to her doorman, “I’ll be gone for a few days. Have a good holiday, Ralph.” Then she
handed him an envelope and smiled. There was a small gold Christmas tree pin on her
lapel.
Carl and the Ghost were only a few feet from the woman. “They still can’t see
me?” Carl asked the Ghost.
The Ghost nodded no.
Carl looked around to see if anything looked familiar. He rarely ever went to the
Upper West Side, and when he did it was usually for an auction or estate sale. If the
woman hadn’t wished the doorman a happy holiday, Carl wouldn’t have known it was
Christmastime. There were no wreaths on the doors; there were no lit Christmas trees in
the windows. He looked at the Ghost and shrugged his shoulders. “Why are we here? I
don’t know anyone on the Upper West Side. At least I don’t think I do.”
The Ghost turned and pointed toward Riverside Drive.
Carl looked beyond the heavy traffic flowing across Riverside Drive and saw a
young woman walking a baby carriage in Riverside Park at the 95 th Street entrance. At
first, he didn’t recognize the woman. But when he looked closer and saw her face, he realized it was Donna Fratelli. Carl rubbed his jaw and said, “Why would Donna be here?
Did she move to New York?”
He had no idea as to what had become of Donna. The day after Victor Briarwood
left for Europe, Carl packed his bags and left his hometown for good. He went back to
college and slowly severed ties with everyone he’d ever known, including Donna. He
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