An Unusual Return to Home

Springtime, other than being a time for flowering trees and birds returning home from emigration, it is always the cue for Philip to breath. Inhale freedom, and peace of mind, in a place in which he isn’t judged. The annual occasion to meet his lover, back in his newfound home.

Coming out to his family wasn’t the matter, but his workplace. Working in Dubai is a promising way to be paid a hefty amount of money. While also indicating that long periods of time shall be spent far from home. In some cases, the current country becomes the place of residence, only if you are hetero-married. Due to the urgent need of easy money, he went for the journey of having double identities. The real one, back in the U.K and the fake facet he wears while in Arab countries. After years of having this lifestyle, it became more like a hibernation process, living with your family for half of the year, thus awake, and the other part of it alone, dully, in a small flying box in the air, thus sleeping.

Shooting a glance at the opened window, he saw no different scene like at London, rather, the usual look of skyscrapers. He felt a buzzing sensation tingling his skin, it was call from Sam. Grinning maniacally like every time, he saluted his fiancé, hushing his voice down. Minutes passed and his alarm went off; the Uber has arrived. Ending the call, he rushed to the building’s threshold, his suitcase trolling behind. They were apart for six months, and he couldn’t wait till they end, to hug the man of his dreams and smell the vanilla aura that embellishes his prince.

From the rolled-down window, he felt the gentle breeze grazing his skin, and examined the gargantuan edifices that were planted in groups forming geometrical shapes. On both sides of the road, trees were to be found, still nothing like the nature that engulfed their home.

In London’s suburbs, their one-story cottage was built to bring both of theirs dream accommodation to life: Compact, with a minuscule bedroom with dark gray exterior sidings giving it a cozy aurora, surrounded by all kinds of plants.

Not caring about the newly quieted Arabic street music playing in the background, he continued admiring the mixture of traditional and urban life, his pastime. Soon enough for his liking the taxi stopped and he went into the airport. Hours later, he stepped his foot on the ground of his country, to be surprisingly not greeted by an obnoxious fiancé, jolting at his sight. At first, he thought that he may be spending extra time at the studio which was unusual from him. Making a mental note to ask him of why he didn’t mention it before, he proceeded to order an Uber, waiting for it minutes, before hitching him a ride home.

Home, a place where his heart longed for. The green bushes protected the charming, antique gray cabin, embracing it along with several plants- now blossoming colorful flowers.

Entering the doorstep, the well known scent replenished his senses. Opening his embrace for loving arms to fold themselves around his waist, to be encountered with void. The void he clutched resembled no Brian’s cuddles nor sounded like him.

Continuing his way to the bedroom, a neatly unfolded dark navy duvet he met, spread on the bed they would sit on for hours, speaking nothing.

For the next several hours, he unboxed his suitcase, preparing and treating himself to the meal they would usually share, and doing everything they would accomplish, their breath’s synchronized.

Dialing him, he was sent to the voicemail, in which he talked to a non-existent recipient. Extremely afraid and terrified, he idled in the house, with hundreds of different scenarios flowing in his head, freely. Little they knew how much it made the bad worse.

Exhausted from overthinking, he laid his drained, weak body on the bed, not being able to close his eyes for a nanosecond. His heart was being hurt by dagger that were scratching it, with no mercy to behold. He waited, with time hardly passing. As if the sand was stuck in the hourglass of his life, and it wouldn’t fall down, to bring a little inner peace for the man.

Suddenly, a fierce knock on the door shook him up. Without thinking, he flashed, opening the door wide. It was a woman he did not know, remember, depleted from holding a man up; Brian. He was drunk like there wasn’t tomorrow. His face was drained of the colors, if it had any left after the fearful hours perdured. Opening the way into the house, whilst no words were coming out of his mouth, speechless, his fiance was being trolled by two adults into the bedroom: Philip and the unknown woman.

After changing the asleep man, and covering him with a quilt they created together, his went back to face the woman, to know what exactly happened and why his responsible, mature cutie pie was in a state he never experienced before.

“Sorry for dragging you into this mess. What happened?” he said worriedly, and in a hushed voice, a result of exhaustion from travelling and sweating out.

“He wanted to keep this a surprise but your face looks pale, so I will tell you. He won the lottery yesterday, and he was over excited to tell you, for a reason no one knew of. The guys at our workplace decided to go for a drink to celebrate his massive luck, so he ended up drinking more than he ever did, judging from the fact that he couldn’t hold his body to walk. I got your address from a guy, his friends that hangs up with him almost all the time.” she narrated.

“Oh. Sorry again for this, and thank you for literally saving him. He never got drunk before. Well everyone messes up once in his life, I guess. Still, deeply thank you. Have a good night.” he said and she went back to her car, waving him goodbye,

Reentering the bedchamber, he curled up next to Brian, who was drenched in the smell of alcohol. It wasn’t the perfect night anyone would wish for, but he was next to him, thus it was okay.