Our Memories Blanket Us With Friends We Know

Frank and Jamia arrive at Matt's house. Party in progress. Cars packing the driveway and spilling out on the street

" This better be good. " Huffed Jamia.

Frank found Matt among his friends and neighbors, talking, laughing. He stops as soon a she sees Frank and Jamia as they come in.

" Hey! Glad you could make it. Bar's in the kitchen. . . " Matt shows them through the rooms. A pretty dull crowd. Jamia gives Frank a "why are we here?" look.

No sign of Gerard anywhere.
It isn't until Matt says " Okay, everybody! This is it! " And turns out all the lights in the room that Franks stomach decides to bubble.

Everyone quiet.
After a moment a figure comes into the darkened room. Gerard.

" Hello? " He says nervously.

Matt flips on the lights and everyone yells "Surprise!" and "Happy Birthday!"
Someone carries in a cake blazing with candles. Gerard looks stunned. Matt gives him a reassuring kiss.

Frank watches from afar.

Matt enthusiastically introduces Gerard around, everyone toasting him, hugging him.
He's trying not to show that he's a little annoyed.

They turn to the next guests. Frank and Jamia. Jamia eager to leave.

" Oh hey. This is Frank. This guy's gonna help us find our Lake house. "

" Hello "

" Hi. "

Matt sees that they're holding their coats.

" You're not leaving? " Matt questions.

Frank looks at them. Matt's arm around Gerard.

" No. We'll stay. " Frank says.

Jamia glares.

*~~~~*

Later on in the night Frank goes looking for a bathroom. He passes a bedroom door, ajar.

Inside the room Matt is kissing Gerard. Frank steps back quickly. But stays around the corner, listening in.

" Were you surprised? " Asks Matt.

" Yeah, I was. . . When are they going to leave? "

" What's the matter? "

" Nothing. Long train ride. I don't know. I guess I thought we were going to be alone tonight. "

" These are my friends, Gee. " Frank grinds his teeth. " They’re going to be our friends. I want you to get to know them. We’re going to be making a life here. "

" I know. I know. . . "

Frank turns and walks away, not wanting to over hear anything more.

*~~~~*

Gerard comes out of the party and sits on the porch. The look of someone badly in need of a break. He sits. Dead beat. Then he realizes that he's not alone.
Frank's is out here too, alone.
He nods to him. Frank nods back, not sure what to say, if he should say anything.

" Happy birthday. "

" If one more person says that to me tonight I'll kill them.

" Right. " Says Frank, backing off.

" Sorry. I know it's no big deal. Just another year. I guess I'm not really in a party mood.

" Me neither. "

" So what are you doing here?

" I was. . . hoping to meet somebody. "

" Who? "

" Someone Matt told me about.

" Ah. A fix up. "

" Kind of.

" He's always thinking ahead, our Matt. So what are you waiting for? "

" I'm trying to work up my nerve. "

He smiles at Frank and nods. " So. You're going to get us a place on the Lake, huh? "

" Yes. I am. "

He's a little taken aback by the confidence of his response.
" Are you a real estate agent? "

" No. But I have a Lake House.

Gerard's puzzled. " Oh. "

" And you're going to rent it after I move out. I mean, you could. If you want to. "

" When are you moving out? "

" I'm. . . not sure. I guess after you finish the Internship? "

He stares at Frank.

" Matt said you were in were one at Cartoon Network. . . " He trails off.

Their both stuck at an uncomfortable pause.
Gerard is confused, and Frank feels he has lost his grip on the conversation, if he ever had one.

" What makes you think we'd like it? "

" You'll like it. "

" Can you swim? "

" Sure, I took lessons as a kid. "

" No, I mean, can you swim from the house?

" Oh. " Frank laughs.

Gerard laughs too.

" Uh no. You can't. That's one drawback. There's no way down to the water. "

" That's too bad. "

Frank nods at him. " Yeah. " As he talks, he moves over and sits down next to him.

" I've actually thought-well, you'd have to see it, but I've always had this idea you could change it. Nothing major. But a few new elements would really transform it. A deck out back. And some stairs. "

" Stairs going down to the water? "

" Yeah. Just like a gentle slope, curving down. . . So you could step out the back door and slip into the Lake whenever you felt like it. Or if you just wanted to sit out there. . . "

" That sounds nice. " Gerard sighs and looks back at the house, the party still strong.

" It's pretty late. Hadn't you better get back in there? If you're going to find your dream girl tonight? "

" Yeah. . . "Frank hesitates, not sure what to do. He stares at Gerard.

" Gerard. . . "

" Yes? "

" Have you read any Doom Patrol from this year? "

Gerard is startled. " It's one of my favorite comics. Why?"

" I have a friend who likes it. "

" Your friend has good taste. "

" Yes. He does. I've been meaning to read it. "

" You should. "

" I will. " He moves closer to Gerard.

They're sitting quite close.
Gerard looks at Frank. He suddenly inclines his head toward his and their lips meet. A long, lingering kiss.
After a moment he breaks off. " I don't know why I did that. "

" I'll try to explain. . . "

He is leaning into him again when the door behind them opens and Matt and Jamia come out.

Frank and Gerard quickly separate but Matt and Jamia can see they've interrupted something.

Uncomfortably hangs in the air.

" Oh, Matt, hey." He breaks the silence. " Uh, Frank was just telling me about his house. It sounds really great. "

" Great. " Says Matt, flatly.

Gerard looks to Frank. " We're, uh, definitely interested. "

" Good. I'll be in touch. " He stares at him. Then, almost to himself " I promise. "

" Frank. It's late. " Jamia tightens her jacket around herself.

Frank reluctantly gets to his feet.

*~~~~~*

Frank steps out of the truck and reaches into the mailbox.
'My God. That was YOU. I remember you. Why didn't you tell me who you were?!?'

Gerard's taking a cab back to his apartment. Groceries and Franks letter in his palms.
'Come on. You would have thought I was insane.'

Frank can see that Gee's writing to him frustrated
'But I LIKED you. That was our chance. You should have told me.'

'What about your boyfriend?'

'What about your girlfriend?'

'She's not my girlfriend!'

'Well, he's not my boyfriend!'

'He was then! I mean, he is now.'

'Your now, not mine! And maybe 'now' would be different if you had said something then. Maybe now would have come sooner, or maybe now it would be our now, not just my now, you know?'

'No! I don’t!'
In his apartment, Gerard reads this, groans in frustration, and tosses the letter across the room.

In the Lake House, Frank, equally frustrated, tosses his pencil away and Pepper doges the object.