Read Online Marie Sexton - Between Sinners And Saints by Marie Sexton - Free Book Online
Authors: Marie Sexton
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once in your life, cooperate, will you? Let’s start with three deep breaths.”
And Levi obeyed.
CHAPTER 7
Although his first trip back had started out awkwardly, it didn’t take them long to get past it. By his second trip back, the tension was gone. Levi was glad the unfortunate incident seemed to be forgotten. They continued to talk through Levi’s massages, and Levi was surprised at how he sometimes enjoyed Jaime’s company as much as he enjoyed the massage.
Three weeks later was Levi’s thirty-first birthday. It fell on a Thursday. He took the night off, not because he had any special plans, but because it seemed pathetic that he had nothing better to do than work. He lay in bed for a while after he woke, debating how to celebrate. Surfing was the obvious answer, but it would only fill his morning. He had a massage with Jaime in the afternoon. And after that? He wasn’t sure. He could always do the easy thing and go out and get laid. But he did that so often it didn’t feel like anything special. Maybe a movie? Maybe he’d rent something and sit at home. Not exactly an exciting birthday.
His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. It was his landline, which meant dragging himself out of bed to get it. And, of course, it was his mother. He debated not answering, but a twinge of guilt changed his mind.
“Hello?”
“Happy birthday, honey! How does it feel to be thirty-one?” “About the same as it felt being thirty.”
“What are you doing today? Any plans?”
“I’ll probably go surfing. After that, I don’t know.” “Do you work tonight?”
“I took it off.”
“From the club?”
Levi bit back a groan. Less than a minute on the phone and the
lecture was starting already. “Yes, from the club.”
“Honey, when are you going to find a different job? A real
job?”
“Don’t start.”
“Oh, honey! I hate to see you wasting your life there—” “Don’t start, Mom!”
“I just want you to be happy.”
Yes, as long as he was happy on their terms and not his own.
Levi bit his tongue and refrained from answering. His apparent
yielding of the field on the matter caused her to try a new
approach.
“Do you remember Jody Carlton? She was in our ward.” “Of course.” Not only had Levi gone to the same church as
Jody, they’d also attended the same high school. “She graduated a
year behind me.”
“I spoke to her mother the other day. It turns out Jody lives in
Tampa now.” She paused for effect, and Levi braced himself for
what he knew was coming. “She’s divorced, you know.” “I doubt she’d appreciate being set up with a gay man whose
main memory of her was the day she got her period during PE
while wearing white shorts.”
“Levi! That must’ve been mortifying for her!”
“I’m sure it was. All the more reason I’m sure she’d rather not
see me again.”
“Honey, just call her, won’t you? You could meet her for
dinner—”
“And then what, Mom? Date her, even though she’d be nothing
more than a friend? Marry her, whether I love her or not? Spend
the rest of my life telling her I can’t fuck her because I have a
headache, which will last until the day I die?” He regretted it as
soon as he’d said it, but there was no way to un-say the word now. “ Levi! I don’t appreciate the vulgarity.”
“I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath and attempted to calm
himself down. “I’m sorry I said that.”
“How about if I give you her number?”
He had to end this now, before it got any worse. “’Bye, Mom.
Thanks for calling,” he said, fighting to keep the edge in his voice
so he would sound angry instead of depressed. “Nice talking to
you.”
“Levi, wait!”
He debated pretending he hadn’t heard her and hanging up
anyway. But he debated a second too long.
“Levi, are you still there?”
“I’m here.”
“Will you come for your father’s birthday?”
“I don’t know, Mom. I don’t think it’s a good idea.” “It would mean so much to
And Levi obeyed.
CHAPTER 7
Although his first trip back had started out awkwardly, it didn’t take them long to get past it. By his second trip back, the tension was gone. Levi was glad the unfortunate incident seemed to be forgotten. They continued to talk through Levi’s massages, and Levi was surprised at how he sometimes enjoyed Jaime’s company as much as he enjoyed the massage.
Three weeks later was Levi’s thirty-first birthday. It fell on a Thursday. He took the night off, not because he had any special plans, but because it seemed pathetic that he had nothing better to do than work. He lay in bed for a while after he woke, debating how to celebrate. Surfing was the obvious answer, but it would only fill his morning. He had a massage with Jaime in the afternoon. And after that? He wasn’t sure. He could always do the easy thing and go out and get laid. But he did that so often it didn’t feel like anything special. Maybe a movie? Maybe he’d rent something and sit at home. Not exactly an exciting birthday.
His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. It was his landline, which meant dragging himself out of bed to get it. And, of course, it was his mother. He debated not answering, but a twinge of guilt changed his mind.
“Hello?”
“Happy birthday, honey! How does it feel to be thirty-one?” “About the same as it felt being thirty.”
“What are you doing today? Any plans?”
“I’ll probably go surfing. After that, I don’t know.” “Do you work tonight?”
“I took it off.”
“From the club?”
Levi bit back a groan. Less than a minute on the phone and the
lecture was starting already. “Yes, from the club.”
“Honey, when are you going to find a different job? A real
job?”
“Don’t start.”
“Oh, honey! I hate to see you wasting your life there—” “Don’t start, Mom!”
“I just want you to be happy.”
Yes, as long as he was happy on their terms and not his own.
Levi bit his tongue and refrained from answering. His apparent
yielding of the field on the matter caused her to try a new
approach.
“Do you remember Jody Carlton? She was in our ward.” “Of course.” Not only had Levi gone to the same church as
Jody, they’d also attended the same high school. “She graduated a
year behind me.”
“I spoke to her mother the other day. It turns out Jody lives in
Tampa now.” She paused for effect, and Levi braced himself for
what he knew was coming. “She’s divorced, you know.” “I doubt she’d appreciate being set up with a gay man whose
main memory of her was the day she got her period during PE
while wearing white shorts.”
“Levi! That must’ve been mortifying for her!”
“I’m sure it was. All the more reason I’m sure she’d rather not
see me again.”
“Honey, just call her, won’t you? You could meet her for
dinner—”
“And then what, Mom? Date her, even though she’d be nothing
more than a friend? Marry her, whether I love her or not? Spend
the rest of my life telling her I can’t fuck her because I have a
headache, which will last until the day I die?” He regretted it as
soon as he’d said it, but there was no way to un-say the word now. “ Levi! I don’t appreciate the vulgarity.”
“I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath and attempted to calm
himself down. “I’m sorry I said that.”
“How about if I give you her number?”
He had to end this now, before it got any worse. “’Bye, Mom.
Thanks for calling,” he said, fighting to keep the edge in his voice
so he would sound angry instead of depressed. “Nice talking to
you.”
“Levi, wait!”
He debated pretending he hadn’t heard her and hanging up
anyway. But he debated a second too long.
“Levi, are you still there?”
“I’m here.”
“Will you come for your father’s birthday?”
“I don’t know, Mom. I don’t think it’s a good idea.” “It would mean so much to
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