by J. O Mantel
Even though his mother’s words made sense, he still felt like he was being unfaithful. He wasn’t sure he was ready for this … commitment? Is that what this is?
“But I don’t know what I feel, Mom. Every time I’m with him, it’s like I’m a different person, and every trace of Bree seems to disappear. But when I’m alone, it’s like she’s still there in the room with me.”
“I understand, sweetheart.” His mother smiled pleasantly.
Even his mother’s reassuring voice couldn’t stop his stomach from feeling like a nest of greasy snakes were slithering around within it. Just the thought of even considering anything with Andy made his entire body shiver, but he wasn’t sure if it was welcomed, or more of a quiver of disgust at his feelings.
“I don’t know what to do, Mom. Is this … normal? Moving on with my life after Bree is one thing, but with a man?”
“Maybe this is where you’re meant to end up, Hunter. Maybe this is that curveball that life throws your way.”
Listening to his mother’s words made Hunter realize that perhaps he was meant to try new things, maybe this was his chance to ... What? Fall in love again? It almost didn’t seem like any of it was right, but it also sounded like the best option for him at the moment.
“What does your heart tell you?”
“My heart? It’s telling me that there’s nothing in my way to stop this, and that I should try. But my head is screaming that it’s all sorts of wrong.”
He felt like he was back in that hospital room waiting for Bree to wake from her injuries. He felt like it was her he was going after, not Andy. When he saw his mother send a smile at him, he knew what he had to do.
“What about Lili? What do I tell her?” Hunter asked.
“Exactly what you feel is right to tell her. Whatever you want to tell her. She’s your daughter, Hunter, she loves you unconditionally, just as you do her, and so do I.”
She leaned in toward him and pressed her lips to his ear before whispering, “It’s okay to be afraid, but you know in your heart what’s right.” She pressed her lips to his cheek, and she felt the warm dampness of a tear as it fell from his eye.
Hunter felt … scared and worried, while at the same time, he felt profoundly happy. To be cared for and loved in the way that Andy did, was confronting and a new experience all together. It had been many years since he’d allowed anyone to care for him. Andy was being very conscious of not wanting to push things with Hunter, and that was what had Hunter’s mouth curving into a smile.
“Does that smile mean what I think it does?” his mother asked.
Hunter didn’t answer, instead, he pulled his mother toward him, wrapped his arms around her, and the two of them embraced in a hug. When they pulled apart, a smile stretched across his face, bigger than his mother had ever seen before. Hunter knew this weekend was going to be complicated and perhaps messed up with emotions, and he wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but fuck it. Whatever. Andy was his best friend, a friend, who up until recently, Hunter thought couldn’t be anything more.
“Thank you, Mom,” Hunter said.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. I just want you to be happy again. The same way you were when Bree was alive. I know you can be that happy again … with Andy.”
“Thank you.” With that, Hunter said goodbye to his mother, and closing the door behind her, he headed to bed.
SOMETIME AFTER 11 A.M. the following morning, their United Airlines flight touched down at San Francisco International Airport. As they disembarked the plane, the pleasant April sun shone its rays, and it had all the makings of a perfect weekend. Thankfully, they traveled light, with only a backpack each, as per Andy’s instructions to not pack a suitcase. Walking across the tarmac and into the terminal, they headed past the baggage claim and out of the airport, where they stood at the taxi rank. After flagging one of the taxis to stop, Hunter and Andy sat down inside.
“So, where are we going?” Hunter asked.
“Um, you honestly think I’m going to answer that question?” Andy gave him a questioning look.
“Well, I just need to make sure I’m dressed appropriately.”
“You’re fine,” was all Andy said.
They’d been driving for around fifteen minutes when Andy said, “Close your eyes.”
“Excuse me?” Hunter asked.
“You heard me.”
Hunter did as instructed, and when the taxi came to a halt a couple of minutes later, Andy paid the driver. He stepped out of the car, and walked around to the passenger side, where Hunter was still seated with his eyes closed. Andy opened the door, and grabbing Hunter by the arm, he helped him out of the taxi.
“Are your eyes closed?” Andy asked.
“Yes. Where are we going?”
Andy remained silent, clutching Hunter’s arm as he escorted him across the busy intersection. They reached the end of the sidewalk, and Andy pulled Hunter toward him, and Hunter could feel softness under his heels. Is that grass?
They continued walking a little further up the grassy hill, and when they reached the top, they stopped. Wrapping a hand over Hunter’s shoulder, Andy asked, “Have you ever seen the Painted Ladies?”
“The what?” Hunter asked.
“Painted Ladies. Have you ever seen them?”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Are Painted Ladies a group of women who walk around with their faces covered in paint or something?”
Andy let out a huge laugh and tugged at Hunter’s shirt, pulling him toward him. They climbed a litter farther up the hill, then Andy spun Hunter around, and … they waited.
“What’s the most favorite thing you remember growing up?”
“Um … there are a lot of things I remember growing up.”
“Yeah, but what’s your favorite?”
Hunter squeezed his eyes shut tighter, trying to think about something from when he was a little kid, except, he wasn’t quite sure exactly what part of his childhood he was referring to.
“Andy, what’s going on? Why do you want me to think of something from that long ago? What does that have to do with where we’re going?”
“Stop being stubborn and just think about the one favorite thing you loved as a child.”
“I’m not being stubborn. I’m just trying to work out how far back you want me to remember exactly.”
Andy pulled him in closer. “Somewhere around 1987 … 88...”
“What?” Hunter gasped. He sighed in frustration, and was feeling slightly agitated and clueless, he had no idea what was going on. “Andy, I was … six or seven years old in 1987. How the hell do you expect me to remember anything back that far?”
Andy chuckled, feeling rather pleased with himself.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? Are you proud of yourself?” Hunter asked.
“Why would I be proud of myself?”
“Because I don’t have a clue where we are, what we’re doing, or why my eyes are shut, and you’re playing these weird games with me that make no sense.”
Andy wondered exactly how much longer he could keep Hunter hanging. He looked at him, and even though his eyes were closed, Andy could see he was getting frustrated.
Other than the sound of the wind rustling the branches on the trees, and the faint murmur of distant voices, Hunter could hear Andy breathing beside him, and he felt his heart skip a beat. Andy kept his eyes locked on Hunter’s closed ones, and for a moment he stood there and really took in the man beside him, before he reminded himself of the reason they were there. He smiled and said, “I’ll be your hand to hold on to.”
“What?”
“1-2-3-4 … La la la la la la la, open your eyes, Hunter.”
Hunter’s eyes flew open, and they looked at what was in front of him, a row of Victorian houses painted in various colors.
“Everywhere you look… you’ll see the Painted Ladies,” Andy whispered into Hunter’s ear.
Hunter continued to stare in front of him, before turning to face Andy, who gave him a smile.
“How did … I mean, how did you know?”
“When I asked you to remember your favorite thing about your childhood, I was kind of hoping you’d remember your favorite television show.”
Andy kept watchful eyes on the man standing beside him, who now had a beaming smile to match his wide eyes, and when his hand brushed against Hunter’s, he waited for his reaction.
“But how?” Hunter questioned.
“Let’s just say your mother told me a few secrets,” Andy said with a wink.
“You spoke to my mother?”
Andy nodded. “Last night while you were outside saying goodbye to Lili with Miranda and Pierce. She told me how you used to sit on the couch every day after school and watch your favorite TV show.”
It was one of the things Hunter looked forward to every single day. He’d come home from school, and his mother would make him nachos while he sat and watched the Tanner family on Full House. Bree was a huge fan of Seinfeld, but Hunter had never told her his favorite television show. The only person who knew that was his mother, and now Andy.
“So, this must be—”
“Alamo Square Park,” Andy finished.
They sat down on the grass on top of the hill, with the San Francisco skyline in front of them, exactly as it appeared in the opening credits of Full House. Andy took out his phone and held it in front of them to get the perfect selfie of the Painted Ladies and the San Francisco skyline behind them. After a few minutes, Andy asked, “Ready for your next surprise?”
“What? What else have you got planned?”
Andy raised his eyebrows but didn’t say a word to Hunter. The two of them got to their feet and proceeded to walk down the hill and to the edge of the sidewalk, where they waited a few minutes before an Uber pulled up beside them. Andy walked up to the window, and after making sure Hunter wasn’t within earshot, he leaned forward and whispered something to the driver, that Hunter could only assume was their destination.
“Where are we going?” Hunter asked.
“Just get in the car, close your eyes, and you’ll find out,” Andy told him.
“Seriously, you want me to close my eyes again?”
Andy looked at him as if to say, “Do you really want me to answer that?” So, Hunter did as requested and sat inside the car while Andy slid in beside him. Around five minutes later, the driver turned into a very busy street and pulled up just outside one of the houses. Andy stepped out of the car, followed by Hunter and as Andy grabbed his arm, they took a few steps forward.
“Where are we?” Hunter asked inquisitively.
“Whatever happened to predictability?” Andy sang in Hunter’s ear.
Suddenly, Hunter found himself reciting the opening theme song to Full House just as Andy told him to open his eyes. Hunter’s eyes widened, just as they had earlier, as he stared at the two-story house in front of him. There he was, standing in front of the Tanner house at 1882 Gerard Street, San Francisco, California, although, the number on the front of this house showed that they were in fact standing outside 1709 Broderick Street, San Francisco. The real-life location of the famous house used in the sitcom.
“Oh. My. God,” Hunter gasped.
“Happy birthday, Hunter,” Andy said.
Hunter couldn’t believe he was actually standing outside the Tanner house. It wasn’t something he ever planned on doing, but he always said that if he ever found himself in San Francisco, he’d go and check it out. Now, thanks to Andy, he’d finally made that happen.
“Thank you, Andy. This … this is truly amazing.” Hunter smiled.
Hunter stood there, staring up at the house as he watched several people stop to take a photo of it. It looked different than it had on the television, the entire exterior had been repainted a different color, and there were other minor differences, but the biggest difference of all … “the red door … it’s different,” Hunter said, looking at the pale green-colored door that now replaced the once red door that everyone knew.
“Supposedly a neighbor bought it,” Andy told him.
“Really?”
“That’s what I read, somewhere. And who knows, maybe the real door isn’t even red anymore. I guess we’ll never know.”
More people stopped in front of the house, pulling out their phones and cameras, posing for selfies. Hunter noticed a giant sign that had been placed on one of the pillars outside the garage, telling people to respect the privacy of those who occupied the residence.
“I guess you’d get pretty annoyed having random strangers come by your house and stop out front for a photo every day,” Hunter said.
“Yeah … so, maybe it’s not such a good idea if we’re two of those people?” Andy gave him a questioning look.
“Well … maybe just a quick one,” Hunter added with a laugh.
They walked up to the top of the brick stairs, and sat down in the middle, Andy made sure they were positioned just right before he reached for his phone and held it out in front of them as he took the photo.
“This has been a great surprise. Thank you,” Hunter said with a wide smile.
“You’re welcome. Now, is there anything else you’d like to see?”
Hunter stared in front of him for a moment, and as he was about to speak, a loud rumbling noise came from the pit of his stomach.
“Ah … maybe we can get a little food first?” he asked, as the two of them tried to hold back their laughter.
They got up and walked down the stairs, and after only a few minutes, they were able to get an Uber.
Thirty minutes later, they found a seat inside Cento Osteria, one of San Francisco’s finest Italian restaurants. Hunter was starving, so he opted for a large margarita pizza and garlic bread, while Andy settled for pasta. Hunter stared at Andy, who was reading over the drinks menu; everything about him got Hunter’s attention, like the way he was so laid back and sitting relaxed at the table. Then there was his hypnotic gaze that he used when he was deep in thought, like now, or when he had his eyes all over Hunter. There were so many fundamental characteristics about this man and Hunter just wanted to sit there all day and analyze every single one of them.
Hunter looked down at his own menu as he tried again to figure out the strong feelings currently coursing through his entire body. Was it happening? Was he actually falling in love with Andy? Andy had already admitted that he loved Hunter, hell, he’d even kissed him. As Hunter’s thoughts drifted back to that night in his house on Valentine’s Day, he remembered what it felt like to have Andy’s lips pressed against his. This was all awkward and confusing.
“What are you thinking about?” Andy questioned, looking up from his menu.
“What makes you come to the conclusion that I’m thinking about something?” Hunter asked.
“The way you look down and avoid everything that’s going on around you. That’s a nervous habit of yours, I’ve noticed.”
Realizing that Andy was right, and not wanting to avoid the conversation any longer, Hunter finally said, “This.”
“This?” Andy questioned.
“Yeah, this. Us sitting here.”
“You said you were hungry, so I got you food.”
“You know what I’m talking about. This isn’t easy for me, none of it. There are so many things I want … need to talk about.”
Andy leaned over the table and reached an arm out, placing it on the table next to Hunter’s. “Do me a favor?”
Hunter gave him a questioning look.
“Switch your brain off for the next few hours, and I promise we’ll talk later tonight at the hotel.”
“Hotel? I thought …” His voice trailed off however, as the waiter returned with their meals.
“Thank you,” Andy said as the waiter turned to walk away, but Hunter called out to him and gave his drink order. Andy looked at Hunter as he
handed the waiter the menu and cut into his pizza with a knife and fork.
“Since when is pizza eaten with a knife and fork?” Andy asked.
“Since it helps keep your body fuller, longer. How else do you think I look this good?”
Hunter hadn’t meant for that last part to come out, for a moment he forgot where he was and who he was with. Putting his head down, he quietly ate his pizza.
“Quit doing that,” Andy said.
“Doing what?”
“Acting like you’ve said or done something wrong and then going all quiet. This is me, Hunter, I’m not going to judge you for the things you say or do. I know this is all too much for you to take in right now, but that’s the whole point of this weekend, right? To understand what’s going on. Understand us,” Andy told him.
Us? Is there an ‘us?’
“There you go again.”
“What?” Hunter said.
“Your brain. I thought I told you to turn it off.”
“I can’t. It’s not as easy as that,” Hunter told him.
“Why not?”
“Like you said … it’s complicated. I know you promised to discuss this tonight, but I just can’t shut things out like you can.”
“I’m not asking you to shut anything out, I’m just asking you to shut them out for now so we can enjoy our lunch. Is that too much to ask?”
“No,” Hunter assured him.
“Good. Then let’s enjoy our lunch, and the rest of this gorgeous day before we head to the hotel, okay?”
Hunter nodded. “Speaking of hotels, I thought you said this was just a casual weekend getaway?”
