What The Future May Hold

[desire-billy.livejournal.com]

Title: What The Future May Hold
Author: desire_billy
Pairing: Billy/Dom, Dom/OP, Billy/Ali
Rating: R for now
Feedback: Please
Author's Notes:
Summary: The year is 2007. Billy and Dom have not spoken since that day at Dom’s when Billy lied about loving her. See fic ‘Words Are Trivial’.


“I talked to him last night, ya know.” Elijah did not look at Dom as he lit his cigarette.

“Who?”

“Billy.”

“Oh, how is he?”

Elijah sat back and studied Dom. It had been 3 years since their final goodbye. Billy had kept in touch with Elijah, Orli, and Viggo, everyone; except Dom.

It took Dom a long time to accept the fact that Billy loved someone else. In fact Elijah did not believe Dom or Billy were completely over each other. Yet, both men had moved on. Billy had married his longtime girlfriend, and Dom proclaimed to have found true love with the man he had been dating for the past year.

Elijah exhaled surrounding his face in smoke. “He’s good. He’ll be in town next week promoting his new film.”

Dom waited for the waitress to clear their plates, and refill Dom’s coffee cup before responding. “I saw the trailer last night at Stewart’s; it looks hilarious! Is the premier next week? Wonder if he would get us passes?”

Elijah raised his eyebrows and looked at Dom. “Us? You think I’m not already on the VIP list?”

Dom threw his napkin across the table hitting Elijah square in the chest. “Not you and me, you twit. Stewart and me. I’d really like Billy to meet him.”

Noticing Elijah look of utter surprise, Dom elaborated, “Well, Billy was my best mate for years, and I’m really happy with Stew. You have to admit Stew is just like us. He and Billy would get along great.”

Elijah sat there nodding his head in agreement. Stewart had indeed become part of the gang. He clicked with Dom’s friends as fast as he had with Dom.

Dom sighed as he shook a cigarette out of Elijah’s pack; “I should have contacted Billy a long time ago. I really should have gone to his wedding. Still can’t believe Orli was his best man! And in a kilt!”

Elijah smiled at the memory of Billy’s wedding. All the men in kilts. Even he had to admit Orli had the legs for it. Just too bad about Orli taking that not-wearing-anything-under-your-kilt-thing seriously and it being an exceptionally windy day.

Elijah lit Dom’s cigarette while saying, “No, Dom, you did the right thing by not attending. Too many people would have felt awkward, including Billy. He wanted you for his best man. Would have been odd you there and not standing next to him.”

Dom smiled as he exhaled smoke; “I would have gone commando under my kilt too!”

Elijah threw Dom’s napkin back at him, but missed horribly and hit the elderly lady in the booth behind them. “Oh crap. Sorry, ma’am.” Elijah glared at Dom as if it was his fault he had no aim.

Dom laughed then said, “Maybe I’ll call Bill. I’d really like to reconnect with him. I wonder if he even knows about the Emmy’s I’ve won. Or Stewart.”

Elijah gave him a sideways grin, “Really Dom, what do you think Billy and I talk about, me?” He giggled at his own confession as to what a gossip hound he had become. It amazed Dom that Elijah still giggled.

The man was 26 years old, but still giggled like he did when he was 18. It was one of the most endearing things about him.

 ~

“So, you are not going?” Billy looked at his wife from across the dinner table as they ate supper.

“No. The show has been held over for four more weeks. Do you want me to just quit?”

“Of course not. Well, will you at least drive me to the airport in the morning?”

“You leave at what, 5:30am? Please Billy, I’ll only have been home from the show a few hours. Do I really have to wake up that early? You can take a cab right?”

Billy sighed, “Yes, of course.”

Ali stood and told Billy good-bye. She was off to the theater for the first of the extended shows. No hug goodbye, certainly no kiss. Billy would be gone for two weeks, and his wife told him goodbye as nonchalant as if he was the gardener.

Billy went upstairs to finish packing. As he packed he thought of all the events and interviews that had been planned for him.  He thought of all the friends that he would get to visit. His mind soon wandered to Dom as it often did when he thought of dear friends. Billy sat on the edge of his bed as he thought about Dom.

It had been a long three years since their painful goodbye. Dom had done his best to keep Billy, but Billy had not been willing to be true to Dom or himself. He had told Dom he loved Ali more than anything. More than Dom. He had broken both their hearts.

Billy missed Dom. He regretted letting him go, but knew it had been for the best. At least for Dom. Once Dom let go of the past, his life took a turn for the better. In the past three years he had had two blockbuster movies, and had a hit television show with which he had won two Emmy’s.

And, he had found love.

Billy could clearly remember the night Elijah told Billy about Dom’s new love. Billy could still feel the tightness in his chest whenever he thought about it. “He seems real happy. I mean he’s very open about their relationship. He’s definitely ‘out’!”

Billy often wondered if he would have experienced the same level of success that he had so far if he had listened to his heart not his head. Dom’s career had not been affected by his pursuit of happiness.

Billy had seen the pictures in the papers and on the internet of Dom and his boyfriend. The media loved to take pictures of them. They were always hand in hand or an arm around one another. Very natural and casual without any worry as to what people might say or the industry might think. Dom and Stewart had a way of putting people at ease with their love for one another. It was obvious even through pictures.

Billy knew some things about Dom’s boyfriend from Elijah and from what he had read. Stewart Shipman was a photographer. Not a modeling photographer, no, Dom would never have fallen for someone so shallow. No, Stewart was a photographer for National Geographic.

He took photos of third world children crying over the death of their mothers, photos of barren landscapes that once held lush forests, and of orphaned gorillas cared for by orphaned children. Billy was feeling very insignificant.

Stewart was slightly taller than Dom, 5’-8” 5’-9” maybe, reddish blonde hair, somewhat muscular and evenly tanned. Billy was sure he was the type to wear his sunscreen everyday like a good little activist. The most outstanding physical characteristic of Stewart’s that Billy had noticed in all the pictures of him, were his eyes. Stewart had bright green eyes.

Billy was jarred from his thoughts by the ring of the phone. He reached over and picked up the receiver and said, “William Boyd.”

Billy’s world took its first turn of many to come when he heard the voice on the other end.

“Billy! It’s Dominic. How the hell are you?”

 ~

Dom wondered if perhaps they had been disconnected when he did not get a response.

“Bills, you there?”

Billy remembered how to breathe and said, “Yeah, sure, I just wasn’t expecting it to be you!” Billy’s had been holding his breath for so long, he found it a miracle he didn’t pass out.

Dom laughed sending shivers down Billy’s spine. He had not realized how much he had missed that sound till just then. At one time in his life, Billy lived to hear Dom’s laugh.

“Yea, I know, but I think we have both moved past that, huh? Elijah tells me you will be in town for your premier next week. When do you get in?”

Billy’s mind was swimming. He had so many things he wanted to tell Dom, so many things he wanted to ask him. But all his voice could form was an answer to Dom’s question, “Tomorrow afternoon.”

“Great! Listen I was hoping we could get together. Catch up, you know maybe bury the old hatchet now that we don’t want to bury it in each other’s chest!” Dom laughed warmly.

Billy managed a laugh even though he was not ready to get rid of his hatchet. He felt he might still need it. “Sure I’d like that Dom. It’s been too long.”

Dom’s voice softened and Billy was glad he was sitting as his knees went weak as Dom spoke. “I’ve missed you Bill. I was wrong to have given up on our friendship. I hope we can find that again.”

Billy closed his eyes and lay back on the bed as his heart threatened to jump out of his chest and do it’s version of Riverdance on Billy’s stomach. “So do I Dom, so do I.”

“So hey, when you two get in and settled give me a call on the cell. We’ll all go to dinner. There’s someone I want you to meet. I know Elijah has filled you in, so you know who I’m talking about.”

Billy bit his bottom lip and said, “Yea, Elijah is our own personal Hallmark card.”

Dom laughed sending more shivers down Billy’s spine like soldiers advancing on the enemy driving all of Billy’s old feeling for Dom to the front lines. Billy’s hand shook as he wrote down Dom’s cell number.

“Great, oh, and, um, it will just be me. Ali isn’t coming along. Work and…all.”

Dom was silent for perhaps a moment too long, but then said, “Well that’s OK, well drag Lij or Orli along. Make it a foursome like it used to be in New Zealand, huh? You’re really going to like Stew; he’s just like us, Bill. You won’t believe it!”

After Billy and Dom said their good byes, Billy held the phone for a few minutes. He knew this must have been how Dom felt when he was preparing to meet Ali for the first time. It was horrible. Billy had thought he was over Dom for the most part, but he now knew he was far from it.

Billy placed the phone on the base and lay back on the bed. He was trying to understand why he had done this to his life. Why had he given up his true love three years earlier? Why hadn’t he had the courage to love Dom the way he wanted? Why had he married a woman he never loved?

“He really is happy, he really is over me,” Billy said to himself. “I still love you Dom.”

~

Elijah paced as Billy collected his luggage from the conveyor. The fact that Ali had not accompanied him on this trip only confirmed his suspicion that their marriage was in trouble. In fact, Billy had confided in him a few months ago that things were becoming strained. Elijah wondered if Billy was going to be all right seeing Dom in a relationship when his own was falling apart.

They talked about the premier and all the interviews Billy was scheduled to do as they walked into the parking garage. Elijah noticed Billy looked tired. Not so much jet lag, it was something else.

As he opened the trunk of his car to load Billy’s luggage he looked at Billy from the corner of his eye and asked, “Did Dom call you?”

Billy froze slightly at the mention of Dom’s name. “Yes, I spoke with him yesterday. You were right. He does seem happy.”

Elijah turned and put his hand on his friend’s shoulder, “You OK man?”

Billy smiled and opened his mouth to give Elijah an enthusiastic response, but could only sigh when he looked into those large pools of blue Elijah used for eyes. “I don’t know. It’s strange. He’s been single ever since I’ve known him really. A few girls or guys here and there, but this is, this is serious, huh?”

Elijah looked at Billy almost apologetically, “Yea, it is. But, still….”

Billy smiled at his young friend. Elijah pulled him into an embrace and Billy was thankful he had such good friends. Elijah, Orli and Viggo knew about Dom and Billy’s entire past. They knew everything. The casual sex, the feelings Dom openly had for Billy and even the feelings Billy would not admit to having for Dom. None of them judged either.

As they drove to Billy’s hotel Billy told Elijah, “Dom wants me to have dinner with them tonight. I wrote down his cell number, but for the life of me I couldn’t find it before I left this morning. Not that I looked to hard, Ali was still sleeping and I didn’t want to wake her.”

Elijah’s head turned quickly to Billy; “She didn’t take you to the airport?”

Billy shook his head and looked out the window as he answered. “No, she was up late. Work…..and all.”

Elijah shook his head causing ashes to fall from his cigarette into his lap. He cast a look down, but just shrugged. Things just did not make sense anymore. He took the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled heavily.

As Billy’s luggage was being unloaded from his car, Elijah wrote Dom’s cell number down for Billy. He handed it to him and said, “Here, don’t lose this one! Listen, Dom asked me to go with you guys tonight, but I already had plans, so I think Orli is going. You really will enjoy Stewart. He is fun and he does make Dom happy. He in no way can compare to you, however.”

Billy hugged Elijah tightly. He needed to hear that. He already felt inferior to Stewart. He needed that boost. “Thanks, Lig. I’m going to get some sleep then call Dom. Sure will miss you tonight. You’d better be date free for the next few nights!”

Elijah laughed and said he would be. Billy watched as Elijah drove off and left Billy standing there with the bellhop and his luggage.

Alone.

~

Dom told Stewart he’d be right back with Billy. As Dom rode up the elevator his hands began to sweat. Billy’s door was only the fourth one from the elevator, but it seemed to take Dom a long time to walk to it. He felt like a prisoner on death row; if it was him or something else about to die, he did not know.

Dom stood outside Billy’s room for a moment before knocking. He had been so excited about seeing Billy and talking to him. He couldn’t wait for him to meet Stewart, but suddenly he felt nervous. He had not been around Billy in years. He had not looked into that handsome face with those eyes of emerald since they said goodbye.

On the ride to Billy’s hotel, Dom had played their earlier phone conversation over and over in his head. There was something in Billy’s voice that caused his heart to skip a beat. Just once, but it was an all too familiar feeling.

    “Hello?”

    “Dom, it’s Bill.”

    “Hey! You made it! Great! Good flight? You ready for a night out like old times?” Laughing.

    “I have not drank like that in years, you may have a past out Billy before we get through dinner!”

    “Well, we will just have to cut out the before dinner shots!”     Billy had laughed but it was, well,                 something was off.

    “You feel OK Bills?”

    “Oh yea, just a long flight. You know how it is. Pick me up around 8:00?”

    “Sure thing. Orli will meet us there. He’s filming, so he’ll be a little late.”

    “Oh, well, sure great! See you in a few hours Dom.”

       “Yes, see you then Billy.”

Dom noticed his hand was shaking as he raised it to knock on Billy’s door.

~

Billy was pacing inside his room. He had spoken to Orli. Orli would more than likely be late. Billy, of course, told him not to worry about it. Billy was nervous about being with Dom and his boyfriend alone for God knows how long till Orli got there. Surely Orli knew this was going to be difficult for Billy. Could he not get out early just this one time?

Billy had been nervous when he called Dom earlier. It was all too real now. He was going to see Dom. His Dommie. But, no, now he was Stewart’s Dommie. He wondered if he called him that. That had been Billy’s nickname for Dom. No one called him that but Billy.

Billy stopped breathing for a moment when he heard the knock on his door. He looked at the door as if he expected it to morph into some hideous creature. After taking a deep breath he slowly walked to the door. He put his hand on the knob and whispered to himself, “This is it Bill. No more excuses. Say hello to some one else’s Dommie.”

He opened the door and looked out. His eyes immediately locked with Dom’s. Neither man smiled or said anything. They just looked into each other’s eyes as if all the memories and feelings of the past were playing there.

Dom bit his lower lip and Billy knew what that meant. Dom did still care for him. Billy knew every move Dom made had a meaning. And he knew that move.

Billy smiled and held out his hand. Dom looked down and laughed. He grabbed Billy’s hand and pulled him into his chest. They wrapped their arms around one another and held tightly. Billy joined Dom in his laughter. With their arms still around each other, they pull apart and looked into the other’s eyes. Billy knew that this felt right, this was home. He wondered if Dom felt it too.

Dom pulled away and smiled saying, “Come on then, let’s get this party started!”

Dom turned away from Billy leading the way to the elevators. He stayed ahead of Billy as he fought the tears trying to build in his eyes.

Billy walked behind Dom and asked, “Where’s Stewart?”

Billy was hoping that perhaps it was going to be just him and Dom.

Dom cleared his throat choking back all emotions. “He’s in the car waiting for us. He surprised me with a limo for tonight.” Blinking the tears back, he turned around at the elevator so he could look at Billy. “He wants tonight to be perfect. No to mention that he did not want to be the designated driver. Again.”

Billy and Dom laughed, but as Billy looked into Dom’s eyes he thought he saw the ghost of tears. He took a deep breath. Just then the crowded elevator opened, and they entered not looking at each other.

~

Billy followed Dom towards to the front of the hotel. Through the glass doors Billy could see the white limo waiting for them. Two men stood facing the car; backs to Billy and Dom. Billy knew which one was Stewart by the color of his hair. The other man had black hair and, well, was quite a bit taller.

As the automatic doors opened as we walked out of the hotel, Stewart turned. Billy stopped in his tracks. The look on his face when he looked at Dom broke Billy’s heart. It was the same look Dom used to give Billy.

Dom walked up to Stewart and took his hand as he turned to Billy. “Stew this is Billy Boyd. Billy meet Stewart Shipman.”

Billy stuck out his hand. Stewart looked at it, then he looked at Dom and then back to Billy. Stewart laughed and pulled Billy into a bear hug. Billy smiled as it reminded him of how he had first met Dom.

Stewart had the kind of laugh that felt like an old friend. Billy knew right then that it was going to be difficult to hate him. Billy so desperately wanted to hate him. Billy hugged Stewart back and looked at Dom.

For the first time since Billy had meet Dom, he could not read his face. Was it concern or regret?

~

As they rode to the restaurant, Stewart spoke with enthusiasm about his trip to Scotland last year. “What a beautiful country you have there, Billy! Dom had told me so much about the country side, but you don’t really understand till you’ve stood on those rolling hills.”

Billy looked at Dom. Dom had been watching Billy, so their eyes met. Billy thought, “So, he knows you’ve been to Scotland. Does he know everything?”

Dom looked away, and Billy turned back to Stewart’s conversation. As Stewart talked Billy took stock of this man that Dom loved. He was attractive. Much better looking than in his pictures. He wore faded jeans, a deep chocolate brown button up shirt and a leather jacket. His hands looked strong and well manicured. He wore only one silver ring. Celtic design on his left middle finger. His hair was short, thinning perhaps. Billy thought it looked more blonde than red, now that he was closer. His eyes were a brilliant green. Billy’s own green eyes looked into Stewart’s.

“My God,” Billy thought, “He looks so much like me.”

Stewart was still talking as Billy tried to listen to him and not his own thoughts. “I am trying to get an assignment down in South America. The forests down there are being depleted at an alarming rate. Actually Dominic turned me on to that.” He turned and smiled at Dom. Dom’s eyes moved swiftly from Billy to Stewart.

Stewart smiled at Dom for a moment then turned back to Billy. “Listen Bill, I know this may be somewhat awkward for us all, but let’s not let it, OK? We’re all adults, well Dominic maybe, but you and I are right?”

Dom poked Stewart in the ribs and they all laughed. Billy did not hate this man. Damn, this was not in his plan.

Stewart continued, “No, seriously, there’s no reason for any of us to feel weird. You two are close friends, and I hope you and I can get close also. A friend of Dominic’s is a friend of mine.”

Dom smiled at Stewart and added, “Yes, in fact I’m pretty sure Orli would prefer you over me anyway!”

Stewart laughed and shook his head as if he had long hair and said, “What can I say, I’m beautiful!”

The three men laughed and much to Billy chagrin, he found himself enjoying himself. Billy noticed Stewart called Dom Dominic, not Dommie.

~

At the restaurant they were seated at a table near the window overlooking the ocean. They ordered some drinks and looked over the menu. The friendly banter kept going, and even Billy got into the mix.

Dom considered his drink he had ordered. “Maybe I should have ordered a vodka. Wine tends to go to my head to quickly.”

Billy smiled as he remarked, “Whining has always been in your head Dom.”

The men laughed and Dom felt at ease. Same old Billy. Same old funny, handsome, sexy Billy. Dom sat up a little straighter trying not to let the others know that he was remembering how Billy looked naked.

Stewart was telling Billy about his last trip to Asia. Upon Dom’s insistence, he was telling Billy the story about the old woman that spoke little English, and confused the word fork with fuck.

As the laughter at the table once again erupted, Billy felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw two chocolate brown eyes looking down at him twinkling.

“Billy, mate, it’s so good to see you laughing with Dom again! Man I thought you two were never going to get through this!”

Billy’s eyes widened as he stood to embrace Orli. Billy hoped Orli’s comment would not dampen the evening.

As he let go of Orli he turned and saw Stewart and Dom looking at each other. Billy’s heart ached as he saw Stewart wink at Dom. Dom smiled and leaned over giving Stewart’s shoulder a small kiss.

Dom stood and gave Orli a hug. “Nice of you to join us wanker.” Orli laughed and turned to Stewart.

Stewart stood and welcomed Orli with open arms. Billy couldn’t help but feel slightly betrayed by Orli’s acceptance of Stewart. He knew it was selfish and silly, but he still felt hurt.

As Orli and Stewart released each other from their embrace, Orli stopped suddenly and grabbed Stewart’s shoulders. Orli looked at his face then turned to look at Billy. “Fuck, I never realized how much you two look alike!”

Unaware that Billy and Dom might possibly be suffering from strokes, he clapped Stewart on the back and walked around the table and took his seat next to Billy.

Stewart leaned over the table to get a closer look at Billy. “Hmmm, you know Orli you may have something.”

He sat down as Dom and Billy looked at each other holding their breath. Stewart smirked as he looked at Orli; “Dominic does have excellent taste in men. Explains why he never went for you!”

Dom and Billy exhaled with laughter thankful that Stewart had not taken offense but instead laughed at Orli’s observation.

Orli smiled sideways and replied, “That’s only because he knew I was too good for him.”

In unison the other men said, “Yea right!”

Orli looked around at his friends, “What? What!”

As they shared a laugh the waitress came over and took more drink orders. Billy looked at Orli and thought, “Well that answers two questions. One – Orli IS the original Captain Obvious and Two – Dom has told Stewart everything.”

The night progressed and they all enjoyed themselves. Billy had not laughed that much in months. Elijah had been right. He did like Stewart. He could see why Dom loved him. Billy could also see that Stewart loved Dom. Billy saw the strong bond between Dom and Stewart conveyed through the little looks and the gentle touches of the hand or arm.

Billy found himself being happy for Dom. All he had ever wanted was for Dom to happy. Billy loved Dom’s smile. He had wanted to be the one to bring that smile to Dom’s face, but he had given up that chance years ago. Billy was glad that Dom had at least fallen for a decent chap and not some one who would use him.

Since Orli had taken a cab from the studio to the restaurant, all four men piled into the limo after dinner. Billy would be the first to be dropped off. As they neared the hotel Orli and Stewart were lost in a conversation about the latest camera being offered by Sony.

Dom and Billy did not speak, but just looked at each other.

Billy was thinking about how good Dom looked. Healthy and happy. Dom no longer wore the leather cuffs. Instead he wore a leather watch. He still wore his silver rings, and his nails were still painted. Billy could see no sign of any burn marks or bruises. Stewart was good for Dom. Dom never looked that good when he was with Billy. Billy was trying to convince himself that Dom really was over him.

Dom was thinking about how tired Billy looked. Dom recognized it. Dom had seen that look in his own mirror when he was coming to terms with Billy loving another. He felt a pang of guilt. He knew Billy’s marriage was in trouble. Elijah had told him earlier in the week. He wondered what Billy was thinking. Could Billy be thinking about their past? No, he guessed not. If Billy were looking for love he would not look to Dom. But Billy might just need a friend to talk to.

The limo stopped in front of the hotel and the driver got out and opened the door for Billy. Stewart and Orli said their good-byes as Billy stepped out of the limo.

Dom stepped out after him. He reached out and took Billy’s hand, “Bills?”

Billy’s heart raced at the heat from Dom’s hand.

He turned, “Yea, Dom?”

“I had fun tonight. I, wait..”

He leaned down and looked into the limo. “I’m going to walk him to his room, be right back.”

Stewart smiled and said, “Of course love. Take your time.”

Billy shook his head. There was so much trust in Stewart voice; so much caring. He felt himself starting to hate him. This made Billy smile.

Billy and Dom walked to the elevator in silence. The elevator opened and was blissfully empty. They entered and Billy hit the button for the tenth floor. Billy leaned against the wall as the elevator doors closed and closed his eyes.

Dom watched him then asked, “You all right Bills?”

Billy did not open his eyes as he responded, “Yea, just tired.”

Dom walked closer to him and said, “Billy, I’m sorry about you and Ali.”

Billy’s eyes flew open and he realized Dom was so close. He opened his mouth to speak but found no words.

Dom continued, “You know Lij can’t keep his damn mouth shut! But he’s just worried about you. I am too. I hate to see you like this. It may have been three years since we last saw each other, but I can tell you not happy.”

Billy wanted nothing more than to fall into Dom’s arms and tell him everything. He wanted his old friend Dom back. He wanted the Dom that he could tell anything to, and know that Dom would always side with him because he was his friend.

But, instead Billy just smiled. “Thanks Dom, but we’ll work it out.”

The elevator door opened and they walked to Billy’s room. Billy turned and looked at Dom, “Thanks for dinner. I had a good time.”

Dom smiled and said, “Me too. I’ve missed that. I’ve missed you. Do you think we’ll be able to be friends again Bill?”

“Yes, Dom, how could we not?”

Dom laughed and said, “Great! Hey listen we are going for a surf in the morning. Want to join us? My house 9 am?”

Billy’s first interview was not till the day after next so he said, “That sounds wonderful. You got an extra board for me?”

Dom looked into Billy’s eyes for a moment before answering, “Billy I still have your board. You left it and I never had the heart to get rid of it. Remember how to get to my place?”

Billy heart pounded. “Of course I do.” Billy could find his house blindfolded.

“Ok, then I’ll see you in the morning.”

Dom turned to leave, but Billy’s hand grabbed his wrist. Dom turned and asked, “What is it, Bills?”

Billy’s hands were shaking and he was having trouble forming words. His brain was screaming at him that Dom loved Stewart, but his heart was telling him the opposite.

Dom walked closer to Billy and they stood like that looking into each other’s eyes not talking. Finally Dom said in a whisper, “I have to get back to Stewart. Good night Billy.” Dom pulled away and walked to the elevator.

Billy turned away and opened his door. He closed the door behind him and walked to the bed, and lay down face first. He pulled the pillow over his head and tried not to think.

~

As Dom rode the elevator down to the lobby a looked at his reflection in the doors. He thought he knew himself. He thought he knew his feelings, but after seeing Billy again he wasn’t so sure anymore. What was that just now with Billy? Was Billy just horny? No, no there was something else. Couldn’t be love, could it?

Dom walked to the limo and opened the door. He entered and sat down next to Stewart. Stewart looked at him and said, “Everything OK Dominic?”

Dom looked at him and said, “I don’t think so. He’s hurting. I think he and Ali are headed for a divorce.”

Stewart had a concerned look on his face as he put his arm around Dom. “You’ll need to be there for him, love. Man needs his friends when he’s in pain.”

Dom marveled at Stewart’s kindness. His main concern was for Billy’s well being. Never a thought of jealousy.

Orli snorted and said, “What’s that make it? Two years? Told you it wouldn’t last longer than that.”

Dom nodded his head and leaned into Stewart.

TBC [Unknown site tag]