Love is Always Write Anthology Bonus Volume

bananas and headed for the checkout. Before he got there, he passed a newspaper display. On the top of the page banner was a picture of Gerald Delaware looking primped, rich, and bored. Under the picture was his birthdate, a line, and a couple of question marks followed by the words: Where? When? How?
    Sebastian double-checked the date; then grabbed the newspaper. He also made a note to swing by a 7-11 on the way home. He needed to get something that a fancy grocery story wouldn't have.
    ****
    Daren was fast asleep when Sebastian got in. He was pretty sure Daren hadn't injured himself that much when he took that fall. More likely it was mental exhaustion catching up, plus some emotional shock, and maybe a little grief of sorts.
    He made a couple of tuna sandwiches on wheat bread and slathered them in mayo, butter and some sliced tomato. He even sprinkled a bit of pepper on them, and then went to wake Daren.
    Daren grumbled and tried to bury his face in the pillow as Sebastian gave him a light shake. "Come on. I made tuna sandwiches. They're not even on Wonder Bread." Daren grumbled a bit more but sat up. "Here we go." He handed Daren a sandwich before tucking into his own.
    "How are you doing?" Sebastian asked. Daren twitched a little. "How's your arm?"
    "Hurts."
    "What to hear something funny?"
    Daren shrugged again. It seemed like that was going to be his primary form of communication for the day. "I went down to the fancy supermarket to actually get us some vegetables, and they had a display of exotic fruit. And I was standing there looking at it when this employee tries to chat me up." Daren's head came around and he looked at Sebastian for possibly the first time all day. "He tried ' you know your exotic fruits ' as a pickup line. It was all I could do not to laugh in his face. I mean I have heard some bad pickup lines, but that one was special."
    "Was he good-looking?"
    "Yeah, I guess. He was okay."
    "Are you going to see him?"
    That question surprised Sebastian no end. "No. Why?" Daren provided yet another shrug to the conversation. "Setting aside the fact that I am technically sleeping with someone else, he didn't seem particularly bright. Pretty, but I prefer pretty and smart. Or at least non-fruit-themed pickup lines."
    Daren didn't respond, just focused on his sandwich, nibbling at it more than eating. He could understand Daren not having much appetite, but he needed to keep up his strength and energy.
    "Do you want the crusts cut off?"
    Daren looked up at him. "No. This is fine." He took a larger bite, but it seemed to be more for show. Sebastian was almost done with his own lunch before Daren spoke again.
    "What happened to your parents?" he asked out of the blue. "I mean you mentioned your mother, but…"
    "Well, my dad was AWOL from day one. My mother died in an accident when I was about three. My grandmother was already in a nursing home, so I got dropped into the system. My case worker made sure I saw my grandmother a couple of times a year, but she died when I was about seven. Why do you ask?"
    "Just thinking about family. Do you remember your mother at all?"
    "A little. More sense-memory really; certain perfumes. The smell of tomato leaves for some reason. There are a handful of songs, really particular recordings, where if I hear them I can close my eyes and it feels like there's someone next to me."
    "Good feelings?"
    "Yeah."
    Daren nodded and picked at the crusts he had pulled off half his sandwich. "I was trying to picture my mother, the way she looked when I was little, but I just can't seem to. I just keep remembering the last time I saw her. I don't know how much valium she was on but she could barely focus her eyes. And her skin looked kinda stretched, and she had makeup caked on her face. She never used to wear makeup. Not lots of it. I just remember thinking it was repulsive at the time. Which was pretty hypocritical, considering all those years she was doped up on valium, I was getting baked, or high, or wired, or whatever I could get. All day I've been wanting to pick up the phone, dial her number, tell her I'm alive."
    The crusts had been broken down into the smallest possible crumbs by Daren's fingers. Sebastian took the plate from him and set it aside before he tried to crumble that up too. Sebastian climbed onto the bed and looped his arm around Daren to hold him close. He seemed on the edge of another crying jag.
    Daren didn't cry, however. He just leaned into Sebastian and stared