Chapter 61
They exchanged small talk as they ate, enjoying jokes and laughter. The comfortable camaraderie was not lost on Ted. The ease of being with Erik made him feel good. However, they still had to get through the conversation which Ted believed was the reason why Erik had come to State. And Ted had yet to come clean about his life as well.
The diner wasn’t crowded that afternoon, so Ted didn’t feel Ollie would object to their hanging out here for a while. Coffee was replenished; the dirty dishes on the table ignored.
“I guess you’re waiting to hear all about it,” Erik said, glancing up from his coffee cup into which he had been staring.
“Whenever you’re ready.”
“So, as you’ve figured out…I’m gay.”
Ted nodded.
Erik went on. “I’ve known it pretty much all my life but I didn’t want to accept it. I’d always wanted to be a husband and father. You remember when we were in school and Miss…what was our third grade teacher’s name again?”
“Warkinthene,” Ted supplied.