High Test

by Elizabeth Noble

  “I was sort of hoping you’d want it. I signed a lease until the end of the school year. The property management company will charge me a huge chunk of change if I break it unless I find another renter,” Hayden said. He was packing some clothes and other essentials for the coming week. “I can get more of my stuff later. The suite has a killer stereo system. Want me to leave my speaker dock here for you to use? It should work with your phone too. There are parking places in the back, but I can’t have my car towed to Neal’s house for another few weeks, until I get a few paychecks from the hotel.”

  “Small details, and we’ll get it worked out. Does anyone at the automotive design department have access to tow trucks?”

  “Yeah, we do, but we have to pay for the gas, and there’s a rental fee. It’s not much, but since I have almost no money right now it seems like fortune,” Hayden explained. Rick nodded.

  Over the course of the next few weeks, Hayden managed to get his belongings packed and moved to the hotel—with Rick and Steffie’s help. He was delighted and very surprised to find out the hotel offered employees one free meal during their work shift. There were a number of students employed at the hotel, though many of them were in a program that would lead them to careers in the hotel industry.

  Once his tuition payment was straightened out, Hayden relaxed, knowing his regular class schedule would continue until he graduated. That first two weeks, Hayden barely saw Neal, though they’d picked up again with their regular calls and texts. It was just as well since Hayden had to do a lot of juggling with his new work schedule and school. Hayden spent more than one late night in the school automotive lab. But by the end of the first month he’d lived at the hotel, life had calmed down for Hayden and he began to regain his equilibrium now that he had a regular schedule again. What he enjoyed more than all the rest were the days he could spend house-sitting for Neal. It was fun hiking with Royce and Marty, then spending hours at his studies with the two big dogs snoozing at his feet.

  Autumn drifted into the cooler months, winter was coming, and with it came a busier time at the hotel. Hayden was kept occupied between work and school. Once a week or so, Neal would come and spend an evening at the hotel with Hayden. They’d talk for hours. Neal would show Hayden some of his architecture projects, and Hayden could finally share his schoolwork in detail with Neal.

  “DID you have a good day?” Neal breezed through the hotel suite door, and Hayden lost all ability to concentrate on the paper he was writing.

  Hayden nodded, but said nothing, simply sat there with his mouth open. Neal always looked good—even when he was wearing old torn work clothes, which today he was not. Today was a three-piece, finely cut suit.

  Neal strode across the room and hooked one finger under Hayden’s chin, giving him a kiss and taking advantage of the fact Hayden’s lips were already parted. After a few seconds, Neal leaned back, pulled out a chair close to Hayden, and sat down. He put a slim bag from a local bookstore on the table. “I brought you something.” Neal slid the bag across the table closer to Hayden.

  Hayden put his hand on the bag but didn’t open it. Neal bought gifts for occasions; rarely did he buy frivolous items for Hayden just because he could.

  “What is this?” Hayden asked. Under the slick plastic he felt the distinct shape of a book.

  “Open it and find out.” Neal leaned back in the chair and grinned.

  Hayden halfway expected a book on cars, or maybe sexual positions. What he pulled out was completely unexpected. The cover was a deep, rich brown with a brightly colored design of flowers and a geometric design with the likeness of candles placed at regular intervals. He looked at Neal and raised his eyebrows.

  “I know we haven’t discussed religion much, and I also know how much you enjoy holidays. Next week is Diwali, a huge holiday for Hindus.”

  Hayden nodded. “I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know much about it.”

  “I thought as much. That’s why I bought you this book. I have to fly out day after tomorrow to Dubai, but I’ll be back in time for Diwali.” Neal glanced down and seemed uncommonly shy. “I was hoping you’d like to celebrate with me?”

  “I… yeah.” Hayden was a bit stunned. He knew Neal was Hindu, of course, but wasn’t sure about asking too many questions. Some people were sensitive about their religion, and Hayden felt it was better to have information offered when the time was right. “Of course. I’d love that.”

  Neal exhaled a long, slow breath. “I wasn’t sure. I’d enjoy sharing it with you, and I’m looking forward to it very much.”

  Hayden smiled and held up the book. “And now I have some more studying to do before you get back!”

  After dinner they spent the evening on the couch, Hayden resting against Neal’s chest, leafing through the book.

  “My Dadi, grandmother, my father’s mother, honored Lakshmi,” Neal was saying.

  “Is your father like her?”

  Neal snorted. “Lord, no. For me it was always one of those situations where I’d think, How is that man related to this woman? She raised him, but they were worlds apart.”

  “She was Hindu but your parents aren’t?”

  “My grandparents moved here when my father was very young, and his father insisted their children be raised in the Western world,” Neal explained. “That included being Christian. I don’t think he ever stopped her from practicing her religion, but Hindu beliefs and customs were more a novelty and not emphasized.” He shrugged. “That was my take on it anyway. If my brother had any interest in our Hindu roots I never knew about it. Anyway, Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. My Dadi honored her and always had the gift of plenty of wealth and prosperity. She was very thankful for every single blessing she was given.”

  “Did you ever go to India for Diwali?” Hayden turned the pages to reveal photographs of lights and fireworks.

  “No. We talked about it, but there never seemed to be the time.” Neal paused for a minute, then sighed deeply. “Marty and Royce are afraid of fireworks, so I forgo that part. There is a temple not too far from here. If you’d like we can go there for some of their events.”

  “There’s a lot in this book.”

  “We can do as little or as much as you’re comfortable with. In many ways Hindu is much less rigid than other religions. At least I think so.” Neal yawned and shifted. “I think I’d better get going. Tomorrow will be a very long day.”

  Hayden sat up and turned to face him. “What time is your flight?”

  “Seven in the morning.”

  Hayden pulled a face. “Ouch. Do you want me to drive you?”

  “Nah, you have class in the morning, and the boys will be fine until you get here.” He leaned forward and kissed Hayden gently. “I’ll call you when I get back to the house.”

  Hayden walked with Neal to the door. “Drive safe.”

  For the next two days when Hayden took breaks at work or from his studies, he read the book Neal had given him. He took some notes and made a list of things to do to prepare for when Neal was home again.

  Neal had someone come in to clean his house a few times a week, but Hayden learned that part of the festival was to make your home sparkling clean. He spent two evenings after finishing his schoolwork putting some extra polish on Neal’s home. Marty and Royce were brushed until their coats shone, an activity Hayden always enjoyed.

  On his way home from school the night before Neal was due back, Hayden made a stop at a local shopping center. Since gift giving and new purchases, especially gold and silver for luck, was a part of Diwali and the Hindu New Year, Hayden bought new dog collars with tiny silver and gold dog bones woven into the soft, pliable leather. He even managed to find some solar lights that simulated tiny fireworks to line the front walk with.

  Lights were paramount to the celebration, so Hayden reasoned there couldn’t be too many.

  Seeing the way Neal’s face lit up from Hayden’s efforts when he arrived home filled Hayden with a warm glow.
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  “I love these collars for the boys,” Neal said. He sat cross-legged on the floor with his dogs. After their old collars were replaced, he spent a few minutes wrestling and playing with them. “Okay, time to decorate. I’ll get the supplies down from the attic.”

  They spent several hours hanging strings of small lights around the house and then on the outside.

  “Where’d you find these?” Neal pointed to the solar lights lining his front walk.

  “That little ‘everything for a dollar’ store near the school. They have all sorts of unusual things. They reminded me of fireworks.”

  “The lights symbolize light—good and knowledge, over dark—evil and ignorance,” Neal explained as he unpacked candles and some colored chalk from a small box. “I create a Rangoli to welcome Lakshmi outside my front door. Some people do it just inside, but with the dogs, that’s difficult.”

  Closer inspection of the concrete walkway leading up to Neal’s house showed faint outlines of previous patterns. While both of them dealt with different styles of design—Hayden created cars and Neal buildings—the two fields both involved an appreciation for aesthetics. Taken down to the most basic skills, they were both artists at heart.

  It was great fun sitting outside with Neal and their grown-up version of the big box of crayons—in their case chalk—drawing intricate decorations on the walkway. The finishing touch was little earthenware battery-powered lamps that were set around their Rangoli.

  “The best part of something like this is having someone to share it with. Thank you,” Neal said softly.

  Hayden felt his cheeks warm. “I hope we get to celebrate many more. Thank you for including me.”

  The next day after Hayden finished with classes, they headed to the temple Neal belonged to for more festivities. They arrived, as all the guests did, laden with dried fruits and candies to share. The excitement and upbeat mood was contagious, and Hayden found himself smiling the entire evening, even though the only person he knew there was Neal. Neal’s friends were warm and welcoming, and no one seemed to care that Hayden wasn’t Hindu. The evening of mingling and visiting with so many people culminated with a huge fireworks show.

  The thought foremost in Hayden’s mind as the evening ended and they drove back to Neal’s house for the night was that he couldn’t wait to celebrate Diwali next year.

  GOING home for Thanksgiving, or any holiday, wasn’t something Hayden had been able to do. This year, Hayden was thrilled to share Thanksgiving dinner with Neal. Since Hayden worked the dinner shift that night, they decided on a late meal and watched old movies in the suite.

  The start of December signaled a return to their normal routine. “So, do you remember the one guy I told you about who sits and argues every detail with the professors, no matter what the class?”

  Neal nodded. They were sharing dinner in the suite, and Neal’s mouth was full of his favorite shrimp and pasta dish.

  “Well, he was in prime form and outdid himself today. He decided an entire new source of fuel, one that wouldn’t work no matter what, was worth taking up half the lecture time.” Hayden rolled his eyes, grinned, and leaned forward. He reached out and used a napkin to wipe Alfredo sauce from Neal’s chin.

  “Oh, thanks.” Neal scooped up another forkful and chuckled at the same time. “I should probably order a bib with this dish.”

  “Nah. I like sharing it this way.” Hayden used his finger to swipe another glop of sauce off Neal’s lips before he put his finger in his mouth, never breaking eye contact with Neal while he sucked off the sauce.

  “You keep that up and this dinner will be very short.”

  “Thank you again for all this. It’s such a relief, and I can finally share my whole life with you,” Hayden confessed.

  “Christmas is coming up,” Neal said, abruptly changing the subject. “My parents, mostly my father, celebrate the holiday, and they’re coming in for a few days. I was wondering if you’d be here or if you’re going back to Wisconsin?”

  Hayden’s good mood was suddenly dashed away. Neal wanted him out of the picture while his parents visited? “I… um… can… uh… stay with Rick while—”

  “Why?” Neal cut him off almost immediately. He put his fork down and straightened in his chair, frowning.

  “You’ll need this suite for your folks to stay in. I get it.” Hayden was trying not to sound like a sulky two-year-old, but this stung.

  Neal shook his head and sighed. “You need to understand, Hayden. I care very deeply for you, and I keep my bargains. I was asking because I was hoping I could introduce you to them.”

  “Oh.” Didn’t he feel a little dumb? “I guess I keep waiting for the bubble to burst and all this to come crashing down. I was thinking I’d stay here and get a jump on the final quarter of school before exams hit. Flights are really expensive, and I’ve only gone home twice since I started here. I have a big family, and flying them all here isn’t something my parents can easily afford.”

  “Hayden, I’ll gladly—”

  Hayden held up one hand. “No. It’s fine. Last week the hotel took a poll of all the employees who’d be able to work over the holidays, and I said I would. I could use the extra cash.” He stopped and smiled. “But I’d love to meet your ’rents.”

  “Oh, they’re really mine. I don’t rent them,” Neal said with a perfectly straight face.

  Hayden opened his mouth, then closed it again before he laughed and threw a napkin at Neal. “Is there a plan?”

  “Yes. I usually put them up in this hotel, but I get them their own suite. The thrill of sharing my place with Mom and Dad wore off about twenty years ago. Besides, now that my father is in a wheelchair one of the more accessible rooms would be more comfortable for them I’m sure.” He shrugged. “Anyway, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”

  “Will you stay here?” Hayden asked. He was suddenly filled with hope and anxiety. They’d agreed to wait on resuming the physical part of their relationship until they both felt it was right. With Neal’s simple statement, Hayden’s groin warmed and became pleasantly full. He shifted a bit in his chair. “We can spend those days here together?” The right time was getting closer and closer.

  Excitement at the prospect caused Hayden’s heart to thump hard. On the other hand, Neal might decline. Maybe things weren’t going as well as Hayden thought. Was it possible Neal would think Hayden too young and foolish for something more serious? If that were the case, why would Neal want him to meet his parents?

  “Stop it,” Neal commanded gently.

  “What?”

  “That thing you do where you start thinking you’re not good enough or….” Neal shook his head and spread his hands wide. “I don’t even know what. Yes, I am trying to ask if we could spend those days together here. The couch is a pullout and—”

  “I’ve missed you. I know we agreed not to jump into bed again too quickly, but I….”

  “I want to be a couple. In every sense,” Neal said softly. “Even if we can’t spend every night together.”

  “Me too. But I have to work tonight.” Hayden dropped his chin so it touched his chest. “Sorry.”

  Neal sighed. “I am a driven professional. I understand ‘have to work.’ I have a few meetings this week with clients that will probably entail long hours. How about I pack up the boys and we come and stay here for the rest of the week?”

  Hayden thought his face would split in two. “Really? I’d like that.”

  “Me too.”

  THE next morning Hayden woke to a cloudy sky and torrential rain. As far as he was concerned, it was liquid sunshine. After Neal left the night before, Hayden had reported for his shift and whistled through his duties. Working only twenty hours a week was much better than the nearly forty he’d put in at the coffee shop. His shifts were mainly at night, which was a perfect arrangement for his school schedule. Since he used Neal’s pickup truck now, he and Rick took turns driving to school.

  “Howdy!” Hayden wel
comed Rick as he climbed, blurry eyed, into the passenger seat of the pickup.

  Rick’s eyes narrowed, and he turned to face Hayden. “You get laid? It’s the asscrack of too early in the morning and pouring rain.”

  “Yeah, right, I forgot. You’re not a morning person.”

  “To be fair I’m not an afternoon person either.” Rick snickered.

  “Neal is going to spend the rest of this week at the hotel with me,” Hayden announced.

  “Yeah? Cool. So you’re getting back on track?”

  “I think so. He wants me to meet his parents when they come here for Christmas.”

  Rick nodded and chewed on his lower lip. “Is he meeting yours?”

  “Eventually. They’re coming for graduation, so maybe not until then.” Hayden guided the vehicle onto the highway and hummed for a bit while Rick snoozed. When they arrived at school, Hayden gave Rick’s shoulder a shake. “Oh, hey, I was finally able to arrange for a tow truck to get my car. So you’ll have a parking space now. Sorry to take so long, but I had to wait until I had the money and then had to wait longer for them to schedule it for me.”

  “See you at lunch?” Rick asked as they separated and went to their respective departments.

  “Yep.”

  Hayden checked his phone on the way out of the automotive design lab a few hours later, expecting to see a voicemail or text from Neal. His heart sank when none appeared, and he couldn’t help his feelings of disappointment and a little bit of apprehension. Was this insecurity of his ever going to go away? It was all in his head, and Hayden knew it. Neal had never done a thing to create doubt in Hayden.

  Steffie joined them a few minutes after they found a table in the cafeteria. She plunked her tray onto the table, dropped into a chair, and asked Hayden, “What’s wrong with you?”