What's Up

[Dear Readers, what has happened to our two heroes. Dan lost Mike at the Gay Pride Day celebration in Cleveland. Mike checked into a hotel, called someone and spent the night with that man. The next morning...]

       As the sun brightened their room, Mike awoke turned and saw the man who shared his bed. He looked at his watch and groaned. Then, he turned to the man and started caressing him, arousing him, making love to him. After making love, Mike called room service and ordered breakfast for two. While his bed-mate slept, Mike called Dan in Akron. No one answered, but the answering machine. "Dan, don't worry about me. I'm fine. In fact, I'm better than I've been for months. I'll see you soon."

       Dan wasn't at home. He had called the Cleveland Police Department and had gone to the city morgue to look at a body. He was relieved that the body in the cooler wasn't Mike's. Then, Dan called every hospital in the area.

       Again, a dead end.

       Dan began to feel panic sweep over him. "What do I do? Where could Mike be?" he asked himself.

       Dan realized how tired he was. He hadn't slept for almost 36 hours. He knew he was too tired to drive to Akron and not to fall asleep at the wheel. He drove back to the park. No Mike. He looked up the street and saw a hotel.

       He drove to the hotel's parking lot. Minutes later, he was in a room in that hotel. He took a long, hot shower and, naked, climbed into bed. He felt the comfort of sleep wash over him.

       Across the hall, a waiter knocked on the door and when the door opened, said, "Here's your breakfast." Mike signed for the breakfast and made room for the waiter to bring the tray into the room.

       "Glad the waiter is gay," Mike laughed. He didn't seem disturbed by my opening the door and having another man in the bed.

       His companion laughed, "Mike, you opened the door completely nude. The guy wasn't looking at me. He was looking at you. Did you notice, he was aroused at seeing you naked."

       The men laughed and drank coffee and ate breakfast.

       "Now," said Mike, "I'm going to take a long shower. Don't go away."

       Mike had been in the shower only a few minutes when the shower curtain was pushed open and his friend got in with him. They held each other, kissed and with gentle strokes, gave each other a tender, loving bath.

       "This is the way a shower should be," Mike said.

       "Mike, what gives with you?" the other man said. "You have a lover, Dan.

       Why are you here with me? What gives? You should be giving Dan this kind of erotic shower."

       "I know. I know. But, I can't."

       Across the hall, Dan twisted and turned in his bed. He slept. But, he didn't sleep easily. He knew something was wrong with Mike and he didn't understand.