15 Minutes Earlier
featuring Jonas Ahlstrom from Dirty Little Secret in the Cabin for Two: An Anthology
By Freddy MacKay
(c) 2013
Outside the wind blew, battering the cabin with an insurmountable force. Jonas had a fire crackling in front of him to keep him warm, but he wasn't watching it. His birthday would be in a couple days, and once again, he'd be spending it alone. Not that he minded.
Well, he did, but that wasn't the point. He'd spent plenty of birthdays alone. Medical school and his residency pretty much consumed his life during his twenties. Even once he finished medical school, Jonas kept busy as an ER doc. Emergencies were emergencies after all. Be it a rock up the nose of some kid or a multiple car pile up.
He had no regrets. All the decisions he made in his life were his own. Jonas just wanted to be able to share them now, but he had never found the time to find someone.
No, that wasn't true either.
Jonas had found someone. Erik. Erik Broden. So smart. So astute. So kind. His friend was the best ER doctor in Zanesville. The two of them had become friends almost instantly when Erik arrived at the hospital. Jonas also felt the tension between them.
How many times did he think he'd snap and reach for Erik: kissing him, loving on him and then chickened out instead? At first, Jonas didn't like the idea of a romantic entanglement at work, then somewhere along the way that ceased to matter. But Jonas was still afraid to lose their friendship, there were so many ways a jump from friends to lovers could go wrong. So he'd failed to act before it was too late. Erik ended up involved with that bastard, Terry. Jonas's hands curled into fists.
A pop made him jump, drawing him out of his musings. He sat up, pushing off the couch. The fire had died down, the burnt logs settling in the fireplace. Jonas poked at the wood. It would last a little longer. He had time for a cup of coffee to warm him up before braving the cold to get some more firewood off the porch.
Jonas stretched before moving to the kitchen. He dragged out a mug and coffee filter from the cabinets. He searched for his favorite coffee beans and ground them using his favorite hand grinder, his movements slow and lazy. It allowed his mind to go blank and space out for a little while. Jonas was glad he took a few days off for his birthday, giving himself a long weekend to get away.
Dumping the beans into the filter, Jonas added water and closed the top. He hit start and waited, leaning against the counter.
Jonas briefly thought about going back to Zanesville, trying to get Erik to come back with him, but ever since the mess with Terry started, Erik had gone into hiding, ignoring phone calls that weren't worked related—pissing Jonas off. Not at Erik. Not really, but the situation made him furious. Erik didn't deserve heartache. Erik made sure to let Jonas know he knew that Jonas wasn't judging him the last time they talked, but getting brushed off stung.
Jonas gritted his teeth, angry at Terry for lying and leading Erik on for so long. Jonas knew something was up with the man. Terry canceled too often, never allowed others from Erik's life into his personal space. Jonas should have listened to his instincts during the few occasions they met, and talked Erik out of pursuing a relationship with Terry. He was nursing his own broken heart though. Too bad Jonas hadn't known Terry better because when the shit hit the fan—Erik's world became drenched in the… well, shit.
Erik had gone from robust and filled with laughter to withdrawn and hollow cheeked in weeks. Jonas hated seeing Erik that way. Maybe he should just call him, and ask Erik up for the weekend? Hiking down the mountain and driving back would take too long. Erik needed a break, and all Jonas wanted to do was help his friend through this tough time. Erik didn't deserve the crap or harassment he was getting from everyone.
Though, to be honest, it would be best for Erik to resign. He didn't need Terry ruining his career along with everything else. Erik deserved better. Much better. Jonas's chest constricted. He didn't like the idea of Erik leaving, but he'd do what he could to help his friend relocate and start over.
Mind made up, Jonas picked up his phone and dialed Erik, resolved to make his friend come out to the cabin and see him. Erik needed to rest, even if it was just a tiny one. It was time for Erik to stop running. He needed a plan, and to move on, even if it was in a different direction than Jonas.
The call went to voicemail.
Jonas left a message urging Erik to call him and hung up. The coffeemaker beeped and stopped its spurting. Jonas poured himself a cup and lifted it to his nose, inhaling the fragrant goodness. Perfect. He began to make his way back to the couch when a loud thump surprised him, making him jerk, sloshing his coffee all over.
"Fuck."
Jonas turned around heading straight for the kitchen. He assumed a log had rolled off the pile and onto the front deck. He put the mug down and grabbed a paper towel, wiping off his hand and arm. Another thump sounded on the porch.
Jonas sighed. He didn't need the piece of wood bumping around in the snowstorm and screwing up his porch. Quickly bending over, Jonas cleaned up the coffee on the floor and then headed to the front door.
He opened it and poked his head out, wanting to locate the wood, but found something bigger—and breathing—instead.
Well, he did, but that wasn't the point. He'd spent plenty of birthdays alone. Medical school and his residency pretty much consumed his life during his twenties. Even once he finished medical school, Jonas kept busy as an ER doc. Emergencies were emergencies after all. Be it a rock up the nose of some kid or a multiple car pile up.
He had no regrets. All the decisions he made in his life were his own. Jonas just wanted to be able to share them now, but he had never found the time to find someone.
No, that wasn't true either.
Jonas had found someone. Erik. Erik Broden. So smart. So astute. So kind. His friend was the best ER doctor in Zanesville. The two of them had become friends almost instantly when Erik arrived at the hospital. Jonas also felt the tension between them.
How many times did he think he'd snap and reach for Erik: kissing him, loving on him and then chickened out instead? At first, Jonas didn't like the idea of a romantic entanglement at work, then somewhere along the way that ceased to matter. But Jonas was still afraid to lose their friendship, there were so many ways a jump from friends to lovers could go wrong. So he'd failed to act before it was too late. Erik ended up involved with that bastard, Terry. Jonas's hands curled into fists.
A pop made him jump, drawing him out of his musings. He sat up, pushing off the couch. The fire had died down, the burnt logs settling in the fireplace. Jonas poked at the wood. It would last a little longer. He had time for a cup of coffee to warm him up before braving the cold to get some more firewood off the porch.
Jonas stretched before moving to the kitchen. He dragged out a mug and coffee filter from the cabinets. He searched for his favorite coffee beans and ground them using his favorite hand grinder, his movements slow and lazy. It allowed his mind to go blank and space out for a little while. Jonas was glad he took a few days off for his birthday, giving himself a long weekend to get away.
Dumping the beans into the filter, Jonas added water and closed the top. He hit start and waited, leaning against the counter.
Jonas briefly thought about going back to Zanesville, trying to get Erik to come back with him, but ever since the mess with Terry started, Erik had gone into hiding, ignoring phone calls that weren't worked related—pissing Jonas off. Not at Erik. Not really, but the situation made him furious. Erik didn't deserve heartache. Erik made sure to let Jonas know he knew that Jonas wasn't judging him the last time they talked, but getting brushed off stung.
Jonas gritted his teeth, angry at Terry for lying and leading Erik on for so long. Jonas knew something was up with the man. Terry canceled too often, never allowed others from Erik's life into his personal space. Jonas should have listened to his instincts during the few occasions they met, and talked Erik out of pursuing a relationship with Terry. He was nursing his own broken heart though. Too bad Jonas hadn't known Terry better because when the shit hit the fan—Erik's world became drenched in the… well, shit.
Erik had gone from robust and filled with laughter to withdrawn and hollow cheeked in weeks. Jonas hated seeing Erik that way. Maybe he should just call him, and ask Erik up for the weekend? Hiking down the mountain and driving back would take too long. Erik needed a break, and all Jonas wanted to do was help his friend through this tough time. Erik didn't deserve the crap or harassment he was getting from everyone.
Though, to be honest, it would be best for Erik to resign. He didn't need Terry ruining his career along with everything else. Erik deserved better. Much better. Jonas's chest constricted. He didn't like the idea of Erik leaving, but he'd do what he could to help his friend relocate and start over.
Mind made up, Jonas picked up his phone and dialed Erik, resolved to make his friend come out to the cabin and see him. Erik needed to rest, even if it was just a tiny one. It was time for Erik to stop running. He needed a plan, and to move on, even if it was in a different direction than Jonas.
The call went to voicemail.
Jonas left a message urging Erik to call him and hung up. The coffeemaker beeped and stopped its spurting. Jonas poured himself a cup and lifted it to his nose, inhaling the fragrant goodness. Perfect. He began to make his way back to the couch when a loud thump surprised him, making him jerk, sloshing his coffee all over.
"Fuck."
Jonas turned around heading straight for the kitchen. He assumed a log had rolled off the pile and onto the front deck. He put the mug down and grabbed a paper towel, wiping off his hand and arm. Another thump sounded on the porch.
Jonas sighed. He didn't need the piece of wood bumping around in the snowstorm and screwing up his porch. Quickly bending over, Jonas cleaned up the coffee on the floor and then headed to the front door.
He opened it and poked his head out, wanting to locate the wood, but found something bigger—and breathing—instead.