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It was sunny on their last day together. The clouds sparsely occupied the vast blue sky. They had been together for so many years now. Walt had lost track. Times had changed. He, Carrie, Maggie, Mouse, Donna, and all the Castlebury gang had grown apart. One thing was always a constant in Walt’s life though. Bennet. They had broken up several times, got with other people, there was a time when they didn’t see each other for two years. They always came back to each other though. The writer and his most loyal fan, a trope that worked so well for them. Bennet would do the writing, while Walt used his advertising technique to get his boyfriend’s work out there.
They got married, as soon as it was legalized in fact. Larissa was disappointed in them; she said she thought better of Bennet to get tied down. Bennet didn’t care. He said if he had ever listened to Larissa he would never soared to the heights he did. Walt never liked Larissa. She came to live with them in her old age. He felt bad. After Harlan died, she had no one else. She used to drink heavily late at night. It reminded Walt of Christmas at home.
Walt picked up a photo on the mantelpiece. It was the last time that the old gang had been together at the same time. Memories of his teenage years came flooding back to Walt.
“Well, that’s all the stuff in the car.” Stewart said walking back through the door, “You okay? Dad?”
Walt looked back at his son and remembered how happy he and Bennet were when they finally found a surrogate, and how happy his parents were. Walt’s relationship his parents had been tough. Now that he’d thought about it, it was really when he became a father that things got better. The glint of regret and shame in his parent’s eyes had faded, it never did leave though, but that was to be expected. Stewart came up behind Walt and hugged him.
“It’s going to be fine, dad, Bennet has a good few years left in him. He just needs a bit of extra help that’s all.”
“I know.” said Walt “I just wish it didn’t have to hurt, the nostalgia I mean.”
Stewart always called Bennet by his first name because he grew up reading Bennet’s columns in various publications. It was easier that way, to distinguish between the two fathers, and Bennet didn’t seem to mind.
Walt’s dad died first. It was tough on his mother, but at the end of the day she was always the stronger one. Walt was always surprised by how emotional he got when his father died. He had spent his whole childhood nodding his head and trying to please this man and now, in an instant, he was gone. When it came time for his mother to go however, Walt was better emotionally prepared, and handled the whole thing with poise and grace. Bennet always respected him for it.
“Come on, the nursing home van is waiting for us.” Stewart said.
“You go ahead.” Walt said gesturing his hand to the door.
Stewart left the room and Walt was alone with his thoughts again. He thought back to when Bennet was first diagnosed with dementia. Walt was so upset for him, but he had such a good sense of humor about it.
He would laugh and say, “If AIDS didn’t get us, this doesn’t have a chance.”
Walt would put on what Bennet liked to call his ‘puppy-dog face’ and say, “You sure?”
“Positive.”
A couple of weeks back a stranger at party claimed be friends with Carrie. Walt got her new number off him. He had been too scared to call. Would she remember him that well? He thought back to that night in the office of Interview.
“Whatever happens, I love you and I’m here for you…” Her words rang in his head.
He didn’t tell Bennet about the stranger, he didn’t want to excite him. Walt was told not to excite Bennet too much. Could it really do much harm though? Walt picked up the crumpled note with the phone number scribbled on it and headed for the door.
Stewart helped Walt into the nursing home van. The van would take Bennet to the nursing home while Stewart followed with his car. Walt looked over at Bennet.
“I love you.” He whispered.
“I love you too Walt, ever since that fateful Halloween, I love you and I will always love you.” Bennet whispered back.
“God, we sound so cheesy.”
“That’s the best part.”
Walt looked at his hands and saw the crumpled note. “I-I got given Carrie’s number.”
“Carrie?” Bennet furrowed his brow, he forgot a lot these days, and it upset Walt.
“Carrie Bradshaw.” Walt said solemnly.
“Oh” Bennet nodded.
Walt looked back up at Bennet, so he was staring him right in the eyes. “I thought we could call her, when we get you settled in of course.”
“No regrets.” Was all Bennet said in response.