Heart of Dixie by Misty Cogburn (free books to read TXT) 📕

Roman rolled over onto his side as Amor silently left their shared bed. He knew, deaf or not, calling out to his still drowsy lover would do no good. As much as he still wanted to be cuddling with his lover, he knew Amor’s routine was iron-clad.

At the crack of dawn, Amor would rise like some freakish version of Dracula with even more terrible morning-hair. Then his zombie-lover would take his 15 minute morning piss. Then he would shower, brush his teeth, and get dressed. Next he would drink his first dose of his diabetic coffee-syrup, then cook, eat, do his make-up, and then decide whether or not he wanted to wear a wig.

He himself, however, had every intention of sleeping in till noon. After all, it wasn’t safe to approach Amor until he was finished with his third mug of coffee.

Still, Roman thought, his life would only be complete if he woke to this every morning. He fell back asleep still smiling, his heart full and content, unaware of how his lover’s heart was breaking in the next room.

Inside the bathroom, Amor’s trembling fingers traced the dry, sticky, stain that marked his lower stomach. Last night he had meant to tell Roman everything, but he couldn’t find the words to say. What’s the best way of telling your lover of four years you’re moving to a different continent?

Sure, he and his mother took lots of trips together. Sometime even for months, he thought as he remembered their 6 month trip across Eurasia, but since he met Roman the three had always vacationed together. They were always together… and now? Now his mom just expected them to separate, just like that?

He was numb to his shower, brushing his teeth in a haze, he put on a pair of Roman’s long baggy shorts. Then he stole a tee-shirt from Roman’s dresser that was definitely made for his lover’s large, bulky, form. Before he put on a large pot of coffee and sat down at the kitchen’s island bar.

Hours later, Roman found him still sitting there, staring into the full mug of his now-cold cup of coffee. Amor didn’t hear as Roman approached, but he flinched as the other’s large hand gently took the sugar shaker from his clenched fist.

Roman signed to Amor asking if he was okay, but one look into Roman’s worried blue eyes broke Amor’s restraint. Suddenly he was blinded by his flooding tears, his body overcome with shaking sobs, as he sat there deaf to his own cries.

Large arms enveloped him at once, squeezing him tightly in a warm caring hug. Yet, Amor’s heart only clenched painfully within his chest, knowing he would have to leave Roman’s embrace soon.

He didn’t dare say the words, he couldn’t even bring himself to sign them, instead Amor wrote them down and ran blurry-eyed from Roman’s apartment.

Only after he ran out did he realize he’d left his favorite skirt, phone, and purse behind. Plus, he had no shoes… life was really too cruel, Amor violently wiped away his falling tears as he sat down on the curb outside Roman’s building.

It didn’t take long for his boyfriend to come rushing out and spot his pitiful self sitting there like some creepy bum. He expected Roman to be mad, but all he saw in his boyfriend’s eyes was pain.

Suddenly finding himself picked up and crushed into a bone-crunching hug, Amor struggled to breathe under his boyfriend’s strength. Before all too soon he was let go, sat on his feet, and held away at arm’s length.

In a rapid motions of gestures and signs, Roman’s hands filled the space between them with loving words and promises. Then came his questions… and Amor’s heart clenched painfully once more.

“…two-weeks,” he croaked out hoarsely.

“For a year.”

“No, I have to go.”

“I can’t.”

“The United States…”

“… a southern state, Arkansas I think.”

“I don’t know…”

“I don’t know…”

“I’m telling you, I DON’T know~!!” Amor yelled, closing his eyes and turning away from Roman’s questions.

He could feel Roman move behind him, long before he was forcibly turned around to face his boyfriend. [LOVE-ALWAYS] Roman signed angrily, before he jokingly struck a Naruto believe it stance.

A jolt of laughter rushed out of Amor before he could stop it. The sadness in his heart dissipating from the show of his partner’s love. It would only be a year, a really long vacation if he thought about it just right.

Suddenly feeling much more like himself, Amor’s smile spread wide across his face as he jumped onto Roman. With his legs wrapped around the larger man’s waist, Amor kissed his boyfriend before signing for Roman to carry him back inside so he could cook them breakfast.

He had two weeks left before he would be forced to leave, and he’d be damned if he didn’t spend every second of it with the love of his life!

He fixed the two of them crêpes filled with cream cheese and strawberries. They had only just sat down to eat when suddenly the door of Roman’s apartment flew open and Amor’s mother walked in.

The dark-haired beauty made herself at home snatching a banana from Roman’s bar to eat, and pausing brief to kiss both of the on the cheek before she went to investigate Roman’s fridge.

“Good morning, Ms. Pacheco,” Roman greeted unfazed by her sudden entrance.

“Goooooood Morning, My lovelies,” she answered brightly closing the fridge with her hip as she pulled out a large yogurt and a gallon of milk from Roman’s fridge.

“Ah…,” her happy tone shifted.

“I see, mi Amor finally spilled the beans, huh?”

Surprised, Roman looked up, wondering how she could tell. He must have had a confused look on his face, because she paused to nod at the simmering coffee pot still filled with undrunk coffee from this morning.

“… and I’ve told you, just call me Leona, honey.”

“Sorry…,” he mumbled quickly, “So, you guys are really leaving in two weeks?” Roman asked with his eyes downcast.

“Yes.”

“Is there no way Amor can just stay here with me?” Roman wondered aloud with hope clear in his voice. Sliding his hand into Amor’s, Roman squeezed his lover’s hand affectionately as he waited for the small woman to reply.

Expertly, Amor’s mother turned away to search through Roman’s cabinet as she answered so Amor wouldn’t understand. “Mi Amor, doesn’t know it, but we are going back home… its someplace I haven’t been since I was sixteen…” she answered sadly, casting a hurt expression over her shoulder.

Roman’s jaw clenched at the sight, eerily noting how similar she looked to Amor, he fought the sudden urge to comfort her. He was worried more now than ever… Why was she hiding this from Amor? What made her not want to go home for so long? What made her want to go back now? Would they be safe?

“Can I come?” Roman asked, hiding his moving lips from Amor’s line of sight behind his tall glass of orange juice.

He saw how the question made her hands clench onto the countertop and he witnessed the sad drop of her shoulders. However, it was only as she turned around, her normally bright face suddenly white and terse, did Roman fully understand that this was a trip he couldn’t join on.

“No honey…” she said apologetically, “… it wouldn’t be a good idea. The people there will have a hard time accepting just nuestro Amor.”

“There’s good and bad in everything. I want him to see his roots, my roots, my grandmother isn’t well… and I’m finally ready to go back home.” Tears gathered in Leona’s eyes as she looked past Roman and to Amor.

“It’s only for a year, I know it’s selfish of me to ask,” she signed as she spoke, “…but will the two of ya’ll be okay for that long?”

Roman looked from Leona to Amor, and gave a small smile. Once again he signed his unending love before bringing his lover hand to his lips to kiss each of Amor’s knuckles. Amor grinned brightly at both of them before signing the same to both of them, “I’d do anything for you Mamá.”

Leona rushed over pulled the two of them into her arms as she broke down in tears, “I love you boys, so much. You two are the most wonderful gifts I ever made.”

“Technically-”, Roman interjected.

“Just shut up and let me take credit for your cheekbones!”

“…”

“… you can’t be serious…”

“You’ll call me Mamá soon, just you wait and see,” Leona laughed gleefully, as Amor’s face burned a bright red. “No matter how far or long we’re apart, we’re family understand? I love you both, so much…” she began to tear up again.

“Mamá-,” Amor began to cry, hugging both her and Roman together tightly.

“The two of you are such crybabies…” Roman sighed, embarrassed with the slightest blush burning on his cheeks. Coughing into his hand, Roman picked them both up into his arms in a great hug as he looked in a different direction, “It’s only a year you guys, and we’ll be alright.”

“Now,” he said as he sat them both down on their feet, “Let’s eat”

“Here-Here” Leona shouted as she snatched Roman’s plate.

“HEY!”

“WHAHAHA-”

“Amor! Control your mother…”

“…”

“She’s going to eat everything I own!” Roman said sadly, pouting towards Amor with his puppy-dog look. Fortunately it earned him both a kiss from his beautiful Amor and a half-eaten crêpe... without any strawberries.

Publication Date: 08-11-2015

All Rights Reserved