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“Right, that’s all of it.” Josef brushed his hands together and surveyed the last of the boxes laid out over the floor of Mick’s apartment. “What time do you leave?”
“Around seven, another,” Mick glanced at his watch, “two hours.”
“Well, have a safe trip then I guess.”
Josef shrugged, and leant back against the now bare wall behind him. Mick couldn’t help but note Josef’s uncharacteristic lack of poise, his rhythm of speech was a little too fast, the tone of his voice a little too clipped, hands picking nervously at imaginary pieces of lint on his suit coat.
“Right, spill.” Mick folded his arms over his chest. “What’s up with you?”
“Nothing.” Josef’s denial was quick off the mark.
“Don’t lie to me Josef.”
“I never could, could I Mick?” Josef offered a half hearted smile and then looked away, expression hesitant, teeth working distractedly over his bottom lip. He drew a reluctant breath to speak and then turned back to face Mick, eyes still averted. “I just…I don’t want…crap.”
“You don’t what, Josef?” Mick probed, arms folded a little looser now.
And then Josef was moving away from the wall, towards Mick, covering the distance between them in one fluid rush of movement.
“Stay.” Hands gripped the sides of Mick’s skull, drawing him in. “Please.”
Mouths were pressed together then, hands shifting downwards exploring angles of clothed flesh and muscle. Mick relaxed into the initial sensation and then tensed, pushing Josef away from him.
“What the hell’s gotten into you?” Mick’s tone was sharp, expression bewildered.
“You, you idiot.” Josef shot back. “What are you? Blind, deaf, stupid or all of the above?”
“What the…?”
Josef ignored Mick’s confused look. “We were together, once.” He said, offering Mick a nostalgic smile.
“That was thirty years ago, Josef.” Mick shook his head, exasperation evident. “I thought we were past all that now?”
Seeing the look that passed over Josef’s face then, realisation finally dawned on Mick. He let out a slow breath and then walked over to the far side wall of the apartment, falling back against it and sliding down to sit on the floor below.
“Crap.”
“Surprise.” Josef cocked his eyebrows and tossed his head in a flippant gesture, then walked over to join him.
“And you picked now to tell me this.” Mick reached for the Scotch, left unpacked, that lay next to him and uncapped the lid. “Great timing, Josef.” Mick took a swig of the dusky amber liquid, feeling the sharp burn as it slid down his throat, and then handed the bottle to Josef.
“Well you know me, Mick.” Josef pressed the lip of the bottle to his mouth and knocked back a few quick mouthfuls. “My timing is impeccable as always.”
Josef passed the Scotch back to Mick and watched as Mick gulped down another few quick mouthfuls of his own
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me this sooner?” Mick asked then.
“Would it have made any difference?”
“No.” Mick shook his head and then paused. “Yes…I don’t know?”
They both fell into a moments silence then, the air between them punctuated only by the imperceptible beat of undead hearts.
“I’m with Beth now.” The sound of Mick’s voice broke through the quiet, as if he needed to clarify that fact.
“I know.” Josef drew an unneeded breath and nodded a brief understanding. “You love her, don’t you?”
“You know I do.” Mick’s reply was simple and to the point, leaving no room for doubt.
“Then you should enjoy what time you have with her.” Josef placed a resolved hand on Mick’s shoulder.
“And what about you?” Josef heard Mick asking him then.
“What about me.” Josef shrugged and then snorted a quick laugh and added. “I’ll be around the place somewhere, Mick.”
“I’m sure you will be, Josef.” Mick arched an eyebrow and reached for the bottle of Scotch once more.
Swallowing another draw of the alcohol, Mick stood up and reached for Josef’s hand.
“Come on.” Mick said then, pulling Josef to his feet with him.
“Why, where are we going?” Josef’s face was a question mark as Mick began to lead him towards the staircase.
“Upstairs.” The meaning in Mick’s single word reply was clear.
“What about Beth?”
“Well I wasn’t planning on telling her, Josef.” Mick scoffed and rolled his eyes.
“Really?” Josef tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow, lips drawn in a sarcastic smile. “I thought I’d take out a full page ad.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
“Touché.”
“Just once.” Mick’s voice fell serious then. “For old time’s sake.”
“Once for the past hey Mick.”
Mick smiled at the remark. It was an expression they had once toasted each other with.
“Once for the future...” Mick responded; memories of times once had washing over him.
They both spoke together then, the words echoing between them.
“And once for the remains of the day.”