Sydney

"There is a park ahead. Would you like to walk with me? " Mike asked.

I gave him a slight nod and took his arm as we strolled silently towards the park. We took a seat on a concrete bench. There was a tiny pond in the midst of the park, which was typical. As the ducks quacked around, a few children and toddlers fed them. A group of teens were roller skating, as joggers ran around the well-worn trail.
Mike was the one who finally broke the stillness.

"Would you like to talk?" He inquired.

My gaze was drawn away from a young woman pushing a stroller.

"Mike, please accept my apologies. I had no idea... I'm sorry... I didn't intend to..." For the Nth time, I apologised.

Mike laughed, though his smile was tight, "I guess we'll have to fire Annie for not shutting the door when she was advised to."

"It's not her fault. I met her downstairs and I asked her to unlock the door. She didn't know...she didn't see anything...." I fumbled, getting Annie fired would be the last straw.

"You look terrible, are you sure you are OK?" He asked.

"I am fine, just haven't been sleeping well," I replied.

"How long has this been going on?" I asked.

He said, "Since I was 18," without looking at me.

"So you've always been......?" I prodded.

He replied, "Yeah, I guess I've always been gay."

"However, Rob is married and the father of two daughters..." I stated.

"I know... he's been gay since he was a kid. He did, however, grow up in a conservative family. His parents would never have supported him, so he married for his family's sake. Except for Leah and now you, no one knows anything about us,"he continued, a tight smile on his face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"I......I am not sure. I just thought you might judge me."

I held his cheeks, forcing him to look at me.

"Listen, you are my best friend. I would never judge you by your life choices. It's not your fault that you are gay. There is nothing wrong with it. You are still my friend and will remain so. I just wish you didn't have to hide it and live in fear. I don't understand why you hide it. It's the 21st century come on."

Mike smiled a little and appeared to be at ease. He softly took my hand in his and ran his thumb over my knuckles, catching my wrist.

"Thank you, but it isn't as simple as that. Rob's family, his life, and his work would all be devastated if our secret was revealed."

I was angry with Rob, he had trapped Mike as a teenager, poor Mike was totally under his spell while Rob enjoyed his double life.

"What about you, Mike? What about your life? Rob has his career, his family. Are you OK living like this? As......as a second fiddle?" I said angrily.

"It's not like that, Sydney. Rob loves me, I love him. It's just that.....we can't change our circumstances. There are kids involved." Mike started, helplessly.

I didn't know what to say. Mike was trapped in this relationship. There was nothing wrong with being different, but Mike was not happy. This would only end up in a disaster.

"Well, he can divorce his wife and be with you. Right now, Rob is cheating on her while tagging you along. It's just messed up."

He sighed, "I know you mean well, Sydney, but you don't know the full story, just let things be the way they are."

We sat in silence for a while before Mike inquired.
"How are things between you and Aiden?"

"It's all right; he's been extremely busy lately."

"I heard about Aiden's company problems." He said softly. "It's all over the news. Is it due to that?"

I gave a nod.

"Have any suspects been apprehended yet?" He inquired once more.

I shook my head.

"Didn't Aiden tell you anything?" He asked.

"He doesn't discuss his business with me," I replied, looking at the ducks.

"Other than sleeping with you, what does he do?" Mike abruptly inquired.

His question caught me off guard. Leah was usually the one who questioned me about my sex life. Mike had never asked me a question like that before.

"What kind of question is that, Mike?" I frowned.

"Isn't that why he married you on a contract?" Mike inquired, his tone tense.

"Mike, that's none of your business," I said flatly.

"Are you in love with him?" Mike inquired, his tone sour.

I fixed my gaze on him. Was there a trace of resentment in his tone? He didn't appear to be looking at me. He was staring at the palms of our hands.

"Perhaps," I replied, cryptically.

"I guess the rumours are true," he grumbled.

"What rumours?" I inquired, intrigued.

Mike stated matter-of-factly, "That he is good in bed."

"Mike!" His statements astounded me.

"I guess it's not such a horrible bargain; you'll be very wealthy when it's all said and done," Mike observed.

I'd had enough!

Why was he being so difficult? Yeah, he was a good friend, but he had no right to talk to me like that!

"What is your problem? You know why I married him, I was going to be jailed for something I didn't do. Aiden helped me that time. I didn't have a choice," I said angrily.

"So you don't love him? It's just sex?" He persisted.

"Mike, if you're trying to guilt trip me about my choices, I'm not interested in talking about it. I'm not sure why you're acting so strangely." There was no use in staying, I remarked angrily as I stood up.

"I'm sorry Sydney...I don't know what's gotten into me." He said softly, please forgive me.

I didn't respond right away since I was still angered by his charges. What Mike said next startled me to the core.

Mike smiled shyly, a tint of melancholy in his eyes, and continued, "I suppose I did fall in love with you."

I couldn't help but gaze at him, my mouth open in disbelief at his disclosure.

"But you are...gay..." I was still stunned.

"I don't know, I thought I was until I met you. Sometimes I was so confused. To tell you the truth, I felt jealous when you said you were marrying Aiden Reiner. That's why I was so opposed to your wedding," he sighed.

"But that night when I......when I had kissed you and asked if you liked me, you refused, and I can understand the reason now......" I replied.

"I was confused. Also, I don't have anything to offer you. I can't help you with your problems, and if you knew I was gay, would you accept me for who I am? I've never been in a relationship with a woman. I have no idea how to treat you! But I know I like you a lot; I'm not sure how this would have worked out, but I believe I felt love for you."

I contemplated what he had said. Perhaps if I hadn't met Aiden, I would have embraced Mike for who he was. Would it be possible to share pure love without the need for physical love? Then there's the fact that your 'beloved' will be sharing his body with another man. I'm not sure how that would work out. There was the other aspect. Is it possible to have fantastic sex without falling in love, and vice versa? Now I was asking myself. Did I Love Aiden? Or was it because he could take me to the pinnacle of passion. Did I really love him ? Or was it because he was wealthy enough to get me out of my troubles?

"What are you thinking?" Mike asked.

"Nothing in particular, but I want to thank you for your honesty," I replied.

The park was gradually becoming more deserted, and the air was becoming cooler. The first evening star could be seen clearly in the sky. Mike gently touched my cheek before gently taking my hand in his. Mike's touch was pleasant, but Aiden's strokes made me shake in anticipation.

"Would you like to join me for dinner? Assume we're on a date, that I'm not gay and you're not married ?" Mike added, a bit sarcastically.

I burst out laughing.

"Sure, why not," I replied with a smile.

As we stood up and carefully went across the park back to the street, I hooked my arm to Mike's.