Though no further mention of Garrett or Randall having sex was mention for the next fifteen or so minutes, while you both sat down in front of the TV and ate cereal, you were still admittedly bursting with questions. Most specifically pertaining to just who exactly this Garrett guy was, and why he above everyone else had been the one to take your best friend's virginity. A tiny voice from somewhere inside whispering that it should have been you...
Dismissing this ridiculous notion of course, you set about trying to find out. Doing your best to sound as casual as you could.
"So, uh... this Garrett guy..." you began (not really succeeding).
"Yeah? What about him?" Randall cautiously replied, looking up at you from his cereal.
"What's he like?"
"I already told you before, dude. He's pretty cool. Laid back, easy going. And funny too."
"Is he like older?"
"Older than what? Me... or you?" There obviously being quite a difference in age between you now, even if deep down you did still think of Randall as that same eighteen year old guy.
"You obviously," you told him. "I mean older than you are now. You said they were all ancient at these dinners."
"Nah, he's not ancient. He's maybe like late thirties. Forty at the most."
"And is he tall, dark and handsome and all that crap?" You weren't entirely sure why you asked this truth be told, other than to try and get a mental picture in your mind, but you were extremely curious to hear his reply.
Randall's response wasn't quite what you were after unfortunately, as he let out a loud sigh. "Jesus, Tim. What's with all the questions? You want me to get his dental records for you too?"
"I'm just interested is all," you shrugged. Trying to make a joke of it. "If my best friend is now a raging homo then I guess I wanna know what kind of guys he goes for."
This didn't go down quite how you would have like though. Randall, unlike the last time, seemingly taking offense.
"Screw you, dude," he replied. Looking rather uncomfortable. "That kind of shit isn't helping you know. I had sex with a guy. I'm attracted to guys. I can't fucking help it! ...It's this body, not me!"
Feeling rather guilty, you quickly apologized. "Shit. Sorry, Randall. I... I didn't mean it like that. I know it's not your fault." Really having no clue how you were supposed to deal with this kind of stuff. It being virgin territory for both of you.
Deciding to change tact then and perhaps try and lighten the mood a bit, you began to nervously chuckle, "Heh. You know what's kinda of funny?"
"What?" he asked.
"While you were acting kinda weird about all this stuff these last few weeks... Well, l... I thought maybe it was you having... you know, your period."
"You thought I was acting weird because of my period?"
"Yeah," you nodded, watching as a bemused smile slowly started creeping it's way across your friend's face.
"Okay," he laughed, "that is admittedly pretty damn funny." Much to your relief. "My period? ...Jesus! And to think, a few months ago I was just as clueless as you!" Informing you then that his period had in actual fact just ended on Tuesday and started the Saturday before. "Seems to be about the middle of every month, and as gross and annoying as it is having to deal with cramps and tampons and shit, I can assure you the way I was behaving these last few weeks had absolutely nothing to do with any of that."
"I know. I'm an idiot," you admitted, still chuckling away.
"Well, I'm glad there is something we can finally agree on."
You didn't push the topic any further after this. It being pretty obvious that neither of you were entirely comfortable with all this yet. So instead, you quickly moved the conversation onto other things. Things such as movies, TV shows and games. Thinking it best to at least try and act like everything was normal, even if it no longer really felt that way.
About an hour or so later then, once breakfast was done with and you'd both grown tired of the TV, Randall asked, "So what you got planned for the rest of the day? I think Aisha was gonna come round in the afternoon but I'm free until then." Clearly wanting you to stick around a while longer.
"I should probably head home to be honest," you told him. "Got tons of school shit to do."
Though this was true, you did have homework that needed doing, a part of you did feel like you needed to get some distance from Randall for a while. Despite what you'd assured him about his sexual revelation not affecting your friendship, things between you both had most definitely changed. Your best friend had, in one move, managed to distance himself exponentially from the guy you'd once known and become even more of a woman than before. And as of right now you really had no idea if this was something that you'd eventually learn to accept and move on, or if it would always be there, coloring things from here on out.
Back at school a few days later, you were still trying to figure this out. The thought of your best buddy having sex with dudes being so foreign a concept that you still couldn't quite believe it had actually happened. Having been unable to think of pretty much anything else.
Though you did speak briefly on the phone during the week, you didn't see Randall again until Thanksgiving on the Thursday. Turning up at your door with a bottle of wine for your parents and a warm yet nervous smile. This being only the second time he'd seen your family since the transplant had occurred.
Thankfully for all concerned, things seemed to go well. Both your mom and your siblings appearing a lot more at ease around him than even the last time. This in turn making Randall feel a lot more at ease himself, and before you knew it, you were all sitting down at the dinner table, laughing and joking away with one another, almost as if it were old times. The only slightly awkward moment of the afternoon came when your father inquired, around half way through the meal, "So I was wondering. Seeing as you seem to be adapting so well to things and have really integrated yourself into Joan's life, what do, uh... what do we call you now? Is it still Randall, or would you prefer Joan?"
"Dad," you groaned. Thinking this a pretty dumb question and hoping it didn't upset him. Knowing fine well that Randall still wanted to be just that, Randall. Not wanting to lose his identity completely.
Your father however simply shrugged. "What? It's a valid question."
"It's alright, Tim. You're dad's right," Randall said, accommodating your father's question and explaining to both him and your family that he would indeed much prefer to keep his own name, at least when he wasn't having to be "on" as your Aunt Joan. Though he'd of course grown slightly more used to his new handle now, he did still find comfort in the fact that he still had his own identity to return to. As jumbled and mixed up as they was now becoming (in your eyes at least).
Happy with this, your mom replied, "That's no problem at all. Whatever works best for you, sweetheart."
After dinner was over and you'd helped with the dishes, you and Randall then headed upstairs to your room for a while. Randall commenting as he entered that he hadn't actually been in here in about 4 months.
"Yeah, I guess you haven't. Makes a change though," you joked. "I could never get you the hell outta here before!" It basically having been his home away from home for years.
"Well, can you really blame me? With Alice at home?"
You couldn't. And not wanting to get stuck on this rather sore subject, you said no more about it. Slumping down on your bed as Randall wandered aimlessly around. Perusing the place as if it was his first time here. Pointing out any new additions, or things that had changed since his last visit.
Speaking of change, you had been kind of **** to find out if there had been any further developments in the whole him and guys thing. Inquiring then (as nonchalantly as you possible could) if he'd again hooked up with Garrett.
"No. Not yet," he told you. This in a strange way actually coming as a kind of relief. "But I was thinking about giving him a call. I'm not sure yet. It's only been a few days after all."
This wasn't such good news. Or at least you didn't think it was. In all honesty, you were still unsure how the hell you were supposed to feel about any of this.
"Don't want to give him the wrong idea, huh?" you prodded. Meaning to sound jokey but it not quite coming out that way. Recalling what he'd previously said about wanting a fuck-buddy, not a boyfriend.
"Well, yeah," he replied, being brutally honest. "I've never done anything like this before so I'm not really sure how its supposed to work. Do I call him straight away and play it casual or do I wait a while? And what do I even say when I do?" Adding then, "That is, I mean... If I even call him. I dunno. I am kinda dying to have sex again, and your Auntie's vibrator can only do so much..."
Well thanks for that, you thought. Now I'm not gonna be able to get that image out of my head.
"...I'm sure I'll figure it out."
He was teetering that's for sure. But even still, it was pretty obvious that whether he called Garrett now, later, or even not at all, eventually sex with a dude was inevitable. And with a body like your Auntie Joan's, the queue was about to get very long. Very long indeed.
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