Eddie Dear

Eddie had a problem.

There was a girl who occupied his every waking moment, who dominated his fantasies, who he wanted more than anything else in the world. He wanted nothing more than to claim her as his own, taking her for himself and marking every inch of her body.

The problem? He was married.

He loved his husband, Frank, with all his heart, but their relationship had been suffering lately. Eddie would come home from a long day of work at the post office, wanting nothing more than to embrace him, love him. Yet Frank was distant and cold, scolding him for coming home so late.

Eddie had been trying for years to fix their relationship, but he was at his wits end. He hated that he had been lusting after someone else that wasn't his husband, but he knew he'd never act on those desires.

It just seemed lately that the spark had been gone from their marriage. What had once been days filled with warmth and love turned to cold silences.

Just tonight Eddie was tired from a hard day at work. With the coming of the seasons and the holidays getting closer and closer upon them, he was swarmed with letters and packages to deliver from dawn to dusk. Not that he minded, he loved bringing each and every single one of his neighbors that heart-pulling joy of mail!

Just as he had hooked up his mailbag and coat, the smell of a freshly baked pie wafted through the house. Frank hadn’t cooked for him in years! He was ecstatic at the thought of a warm pie, no matter the flavor. The heavy dark circles under his eyes seemed to lighten at the thought. Maybe he could fix his marriage. If Frank put in the effort, they could at least get back to better terms.

When the postman entered the kitchen, instead of being treated with a warm hug, a kiss, or even a nice look from his husband, his was given a wordless glance from Frank as he pulled a blueberry pie from the oven and set it out on a cooling rack.

“Take off your toboggan. You look ridiculous.”

Frank spat and began removing the oversized apron he wore. It was Eddie’s cooking apron.

Eddie shuffled over to sit at the table and removed his knitted hat.

“Sorry… it was chilly out. I forgot I was still wearing it.”

He said and messed with the tablecloth. There was still spots of glue from past paper craft projects.

Frank huffed and put the apron and baking gloves away.

“You’re not going to make dinner?” He questioned.

“No..? I thought you made that pie for dinner.”

Eddie pointed to the blueberry pie on the counter.

Frank scoffed. “Me and Julie picked these blueberries, so she gets blueberry pie. I’ll be delivering it to her shortly.” He said and began to pull out a wooden pie box, sliding the pie in careful and securing the wooden lid. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be spending the night at Julie’s, since you seem in no good mood to make a good dinner.” He huffed and made his way with the pie to the front entrance, putting on his own coat and exiting without another word.

Eddie had sat at the table with his head in his hands. He wanted to cry! He wanted to kick and scream like a child. Why had their marriage gone so sour? Maybe they weren’t compatible from the start.

Lost in his thoughts, he grabbed his coat once more, heading out the door. He needed fresh air, something to clear his mind, something to-

Suddenly, cutting into his thoughts was the sound of thunder then lightning cracking across the sky before a downpour came from nowhere.

He ran to the nearest house for shelter, and it seemed to be the house of the woman who held his heart.

Completely soaked, he knocks on the door.

Eddie had a problem.

There was a boy who occupied his every waking moment, who dominated his fantasies, who he wanted more than anything else in the world. He wanted nothing more than to claim him as his own, taking him for himself and marking every inch of his body.

The problem? He was married.

He loved his husband, Frank, with all his heart, but their relationship had been suffering lately. Eddie would come home from a long day of work at the post office, wanting nothing more than to embrace him, love him. Yet Frank was distant and cold, scolding him for coming home so late.

Eddie had been trying for years to fix their relationship, but he was at his wits end. He hated that he had been lusting after someone else that wasn't his husband, but he knew he'd never act on those desires.

It just seemed lately that the spark had been gone from their marriage. What had once been days filled with warmth and love turned to cold silences.

Just the other night, Eddie was tired from a hard day at work. With the coming of the seasons and the holidays getting closer and closer upon them, he was swarmed with letters and packages to deliver from dawn to dusk. Not that he minded, he loved bringing each and every single one of his neighbors that heart-pulling joy of mail!

Just as he had hooked up his mailbag and coat, the smell of a freshly baked pie wafted through the house. Frank hadn’t cooked for him in years! He was ecstatic at the thought of a warm pie, no matter the flavor. The heavy dark circles under his eyes seemed to lighten at the thought. Maybe he could fix his marriage. If Frank put in the effort, they could at least get back to better terms.

When the postman entered the kitchen, instead of being treated with a warm hug, a kiss, or even a nice look from his husband, his was given a wordless glance from Frank as he pulled a blueberry pie from the oven and set it out on a cooling rack.

“Take off your toboggan. You look ridiculous.”

Frank spat and began removing the oversized apron he wore. It was Eddie’s cooking apron.

Eddie shuffled over to sit at the table and removed his knitted hat.

“Sorry… it was chilly out. I forgot I was still wearing it.”

He said and messed with the tablecloth. There was still spots of glue from past paper craft projects.

Frank huffed and put the apron and baking gloves away.

“You’re not going to make dinner?” He questioned.

“No..? I thought you made that pie for dinner.”

Eddie pointed to the blueberry pie on the counter.

Frank scoffed. “Me and Julie picked these blueberries, so she gets blueberry pie. I’ll be delivering it to her shortly.” He said and began to pull out a wooden pie box, sliding the pie in careful and securing the wooden lid. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be spending the night at Julie’s, since you seem in no good mood to make a good dinner.” He huffed and made his way with the pie to the front entrance, putting on his own coat and exiting without another word.

Eddie had sat at the table with his head in his hands. He wanted to cry! He wanted to kick and scream like a child. Why had their marriage gone so sour? Maybe they weren’t compatible from the start.

---

Suddenly, cutting into his thoughts was the sound of thunder then lightning cracking across the sky before a downpour came from nowhere.

He ran to the nearest house for shelter, and it seemed to be the house of the man who held his heart.

Completely soaked, he knocks on the door.