Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
Chan has had the injured Evan all to himself for four days, taking care of the wounded trooper. Four blissful days! So who is this waking him early on a Sunday morning? Is something wrong? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Super Trooper. Don't forget to visit the other Troopers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
Super Trooper #26 (5.2)
So upset was Chan that he almost forgot to invite
his stepfather inside—where were his manners? He ushered him through the door,
a finger to his lips in the universal sign to be quiet.
“What? Oh no, nothing is wrong,” Balji hastened to
assure him. He held up his hands as if to chase away such a bad thought. “I’m
sorry to alarm you. Actually, it was your mother who sent me. She was concerned
about you and wanted me to make sure you were all right. She would have come
herself but she was afraid she might be too upset to learn something bad had
happened.” Balji rolled his eyes. “You look fine to me, are you fine?”
Chan gave him a perplexed look. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, we haven’t seen you all weekend. Mind you,
this is your mother’s logic as she would not listen to mine. Your mother went
by your place of work on Friday and they said you hadn’t been in for a couple
of days.” Balji scratched his head as he spoke. “Your mother wanted me to come
sooner, sure that you were lying on the floor, unconscious or worse, but I said
please, let’s wait a day or two. Maybe he just took time off, you know.
Vacation days. But she was sure something dire happened, that you would never
take such time off without telling her or coming to see everyone—”
Balji’s words stopped abruptly, his gaze going past
Chan, his mouth falling open slightly. At first Chan was confused by his
reaction… until he felt Evan’s presence behind him, Evan’s hands on his
shoulders.
Please
let him be dressed.
“Ah, I see. Everything is very clear to me now.”
Balji gave them a knowing smile. “Why don’t I start over? Good morning to you
both.” He bowed slightly. “Chan, do you intend to introduce us, I hope?”
Chan mentally kicked himself for his inadvertently
rude behavior. In his defense, it was still early. Not to mention this was not
a situation he’d expected to find himself in before he was ready to handle it.
The one saving grace was that it was Balji, and not his mother, standing in his
apartment. His stepfather was more easy going and less prone to panic than his maa.
“Of course, forgive me. Balji, this is Evan
Rainsford. Evan, this my pita, Balji.”
Technically, Balji was not his father, but Chan invariably referred to him as
such.
Evan extended his hand and Balji took it. Introductions
accomplished, Chan relaxed slightly. Why should he feel stressed when he’d
known this day would arrive sooner or later? Perhaps this chance meeting was a
blessing in disguise. Now that Balji had met Evan, he could ease the way for
his mother’s acceptance of Evan as an important part of Chan’s life. He’d never
brought a man to meet her before, never having had one who stayed in his life
for any length of time. But he was determined to hold on to Evan as long as he
could, and he wanted his family to get to know and love him too.
“I’m very happy to meet you,” Evan was saying as
Chan waved Balji toward the sofa.
“Please, sit. I’ll make some tea. And some
pancakes.” He knew Balji was fond of his wife’s idlis, and although Chan’s weren’t quite as good, they were still
pretty tasty. “And some bacon.” That was a nod to Evan, although his lover was
pretty easy to please when it came to food, and loved the traditional dishes
Chan cooked for him.
Balji was already shaking his head. “Another time,
yes? I promised I would return immediately once I found out what was going on
with you. Your maa would skin me
alive if I stayed for breakfast and left her to cry and wail alone.”
“She’s crying?” Chan asked, instantly contrite.
Though why he should feel guilty for taking time off to care for Evan and not
inform her of his plans when he was a grown man capable of making his own
decisions he didn’t know.
Balji rolled his eyes and grinned mischievously.
“No, but that’s what she said to tell you. I can honestly say that I did as she
requested.” He glanced toward Evan. “Oh, you are injured?”
“Yes, he is injured, and I am taking care of him.”
Chan intercepted the question and replied before Evan had a chance to speak.
“He’s a state trooper, and he was injured in the line of duty.”
Balji’s eyes lit up, as if he’d just remembered
something. “Evan. I thought that name sounded familiar. So he is the one who
has been making you so happy, isn’t he? The one you told your mother about.”
Chan felt his cheeks warm at Balji’s words. He dared
a quick glance at Evan, who wore a smile as big as Texas.
“Yes, he is the one,” Chan replied, even as Evan
reached for his hand.
“Aarti will be thrilled. Especially when I tell her
you are going to bring him by to meet everyone this afternoon. Right?” He
arched his dark brows questioningly, instantly putting Chan on the spot.
If Chan didn’t introduce Evan to his mother that
very day, she would make his life miserable until he did, and he would never
hear the end of it. On the other hand, he didn’t want to pressure Evan into
something he wasn’t ready for, and maybe unintentionally chase him out the
door.
What to do, what to do?
“What time would you like us to be there?” Evan
asked.
Chan could hardly believe his ears. Evan was
actually volunteering to go? Surely the gods were smiling on him.
When they agreed on a time, Balji made his
departure, and Evan pulled Chan into his arms. “I love you,” he said simply,
and Chan thought he might shed tears of pure happiness.
to be continued
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