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“Jake, tell me about the future. What’s it like?”
Bill and Jake were on the couch, Jake’s arms around Bill as he leaned back against his chest. Moments like these were the only thing that kept Jake sane during the long days of spying on Oswald. Bill was his constant and his comfort.
“We were promised flying cars and affordable hoverboards but that hasn’t happened yet.”
“What’s a hoverboard?”
“It’s a skateboard that floats using magnets and an engine, you know what, nevermind. It was in a movie.”
“It sounds fun. I’d like to see that.”
Jake wanted to tell him that he would love to show him the movie, the real life hoverboards, and the future, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words. He cared about Bill, sure, but enough to bring him with him? That he wasn’t sure of. He couldn’t even be sure that he could bring someone from the past back with him or that there would even be a future worth going back to.
He knew better than to make promises.
“What’s the biggest change from now? Something that'd surprise me more than a flying skateboard?”
“This, Bill,” Jake said as he leaned his head down and kissed Bill on the cheek. “Men are allowed to have relationships with other men without getting into trouble for it, no matter where they live in the United States.”
“For real? You can kiss a guy out in public?”
“Yes, Bill. In my time, men can kiss and hold hands in public and have sex with each other in private and they won’t get arrested.”
Bill shifted in Jake’s arms, turning around to look him in the eyes, “I like how that sounds. Can you take me with you?”
Jake wanted to say yes. He wanted to promise the future to this sweet man cradled in his arms. He wanted to take him away from the pain of this world and show him a new life. He leaned down to kiss Bill fully, giving all of himself in the movement of his mouth across his lover’s lips.
It left them both breathless and distracted Bill from the question that went unanswered and the promise that Jake couldn’t give.