Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6

Mauricio's widower, but the way Esteban placed his arm over his shoulder made him hesitate. "Yes, we're having a mini Mauricio's friends' reunion."
    What? Before Javier could grasp the situation, he automatically extended his hand to shake Raul's, but saw that Raul was frowning at him.
    "Great. A friend of Mauricio is a friend of mine too. Aren't you kind of young to be his friend?"
    What kind of question was that? Javier felt like saying, no, I was old enough to be his husband. Why had Mauricio never mentioned Raul? Why was Esteban trying to hide his real relation with Mauricio?
    Esteban teased his brother. "Raul, what manners are those? Age is no limit for friendship. But if you need an explanation, Mauricio was Javier's instructor."
    Well, Mauricio taught him a lot, although not exactly music. Javier thought to himself.
    Raul looked surprised. "Oh, you're a musician too?"
    Javier nodded. "Yes, a violinist."
    "I see."
    Whatever that was it seemed to be between the lines and blurred to Javier, who didn't understand a thing. Suddenly, Raul appeared to make up his mind because he smiled wide and said, "Cool. I hope you stay around long enough to meet the most interesting parts of Hoboken, and of course, our big family. Let's go."
    CHAPTER 3
    As he sat in the back seat of Raul's car, Javier tried to relax, but it was impossible. He still wondered why Esteban didn't tell Raul about his real relationship with Mauricio; although Javier had a good idea, because in the last year of his life, Mauricio had reunited with every person who had ever been important to him, including his family of course. To Javier's annoyance, after apologizing in advance, Mauricio insisted on Javier being introduced only as his roommate to everybody in his family and his friends.
    The only exceptions were his brother Diego, and of course, Esteban, who Javier had never met until today.
    Javier agreed because at that point, he didn't argue with Mauricio anymore, although it still hurt. They were among the first same sex couples to be married in New York, but his husband wanted to hide him from everyone he cared about, by saying he was only his roommate, at most his friend.
    It didn't make any sense to Javier that only their Manhattan acquaintances who shared a similar lifestyle knew about their union. He'd married a stranger, because until that moment, Javier ignored the fact that Mauricio was so closeted; living a life for his Manhattan friends and another for his family in Jersey.
    Many years ago, Javier had come out to his family. Being formed by mostly artists, everybody understood, but he knew that his parents were disappointed. They had plans for him, big ones, and somehow his sexual preference seemed to stand in the way. Javier could not understand why who he preferred to sleep with could affect his possible future as a concertmaster. Until then, he thought all he needed were the right instructions and countless hours of practice. They obviously had foreseen the future in a way that only parents sometimes might fear.
    So, Raul should be someone that belonged to the close, but not trusted, Mauricio's friends and family club.
    His eyes met Raul's a couple of times via the rearview mirror, and it was obvious the other man felt curious about him. This didn't bother Javier, because he could perceive that curiosity as nonsexual. In the past, getting that sort of attention from men that looked like Raul worried him, because it had forecasted unwanted sexual attention that Javier had dodged eventually, at the cost of any possible friendship.
    From the passenger seat Esteban half turned in Javier's direction. "How is your music going? Are you practicing again?"
    His voice sounded even better in person. It was gentle, caring, and softly spoken, but also masculine. It flowed over the senses like a caress.
    "Yes. The only good thing about moving back with my family has been the chance to practice music again."
    He had told Esteban how he could not play like he had in the past. Something was missing from Javier's performances. His heart was the missing element, according to his father's assessment. Javier needed to practice more hours. Therefore, Javier had done so, but no amount of practice could return his will to live, and the passion that had slowly died along with Mauricio.
    "Do you have any plans for the near future?"
    Getting that question from anybody else would have bothered him, but somehow Javier answered honestly and easily.
    "No. I keep