Aries knocked on the door to his friend’s old childhood home. Cars were parked in the driveway and on the street, so he knew he was in the right place.
The door opened and a woman peered out of the screen door. “John?”
“Hello, Mrs. Artiza.”
She said, “Oh, John. Lane will be so happy to see you.” She opened the door and pulled Aries into a hug.
He was crushed against her flesh, smelling flowers and deodorant. She let him go, looking down at him. “Since your parents moved…”
“I know,” he said. She guided him into the room, which was a living room area. A small group of people were there, including Katie, Lane’s little sister. She glared at him, her lips pursed in what could be read as anger. She left the room, while some of the grown-ups looked at him when he entered. “This is John,” said Mrs. Artiza. “Lane’s best friend.”
Some of the grown-ups nodded to him, then turned back to their quiet conversations. Mrs. Artiza motioned to the canapes on the coffee table. “Help yourself. I’ll go get Lane.”
“John did, famished as he was from the flight. He took a couple of little canapes and put them on a small plate. When he looked up, Lane was coming toward him, another young man right behind him. Lane, although a year older than Aries, looked young and fragile compared to the young man behind him.
Lane stopped in the doorway. “Hello, John,” he said, his voice tinged with…was it fury?
“I came as soon as I heard,” Aries said, putting the canapes down. “I’m sorry about your grandmother.”
Lane opened his mouth to say something. Aries just stood there, watching Lane’s face, while something conflicted went on behind his eyes, in his soul. The young man behind him put a hand on Lane’s shoulder.
Lane slumped. He looked at the floor. “Thanks,” he said.
“Can we talk?” Aries asked.
Lane tilted his head to the front door and he, Aries, and the young man went outside.
Lane said, as soon as they got to the end of the lawn, “John, meet Talbot, my boyfriend.”
Aries looked at the young man, dark complexioned with dark hair. Aries held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.” To Lane, he said, “You came out.”
“Yeah,” Lane said. “Right after you left.”
“About that, I–”
“You’re going to apologize now?”
“I should have at least – ”
Lane’s fury leapt out, “Yeah, you should have.”
Talbot said, his voice gentle and light, “Hear him out, Lane.”
Aries kept watching Lane. Finally, Lane said, “Should have what?”
“Should have told you what I was going to do.”
“I had to find out the hard way. Through the internet. The Huffington Post!”
“I’m sorry,” Aries said, looking down at the ground.
“If you wanted to be a hero, why didn’t you stay here? Why didn’t you…” He glanced back at Talbot.
“You’re better off,” said Aries. He smiled. “If I stayed here and do what I do, you’d be worried.”
“So you left. Without even a goodbye.”
“Look at you now,” said Aries. “Look at the handsome man who’s your boyfriend.” He nodded, more to himself than to Lane. “It’s great.”
Lane said quietly, “I missed you.”
Aries pulled out a business card. “This is my card and the group I’m with. Email me. Or call and leave a message.” He looked up at Talbot, who seemed to be accepting of all this. “Is it okay?”
Talbot nodded.
Aries stepped out into the street. “Call me, okay?”
“Okay,” said Lane.
Aries gathered flames at his feet, and the flames solidified, pushing him up. He flew, heading back to the airport.