The Last Handful of Clover - Book 2: Gifts Both Light and Dark

2.15 The Last Handful of Clover

June 12, 10:00 am

Are you really strong enough to turn me away, when you know Keith can be back in your arms tonight?

It had taken Richard hours to quiet the trembling and push the picture of the naked and withered old man out of his mind. Even by the next morning, if he closed his eyes, he could feel the frail neck in his hands as he held the flailing figure under the roiling waters of the hot tub. He could still feel the pure and malign hatred that was the very substance of the thing.

But he had no illusion that he had really killed the creature. Or even seriously hurt him. The entire scene in the hot tub had played out in Richard's mind, and if anything, it had all played out exactly as the Wanderer had intended. He had assessed Richard's strengths and weakness and found his breaking point.

Richard had easily and quickly made his way back to Keith after leaving Nordstrom's. But being with him through the night had not quelled the anxiety that the Wanderer had left in him. It was like a slowly acting poison.

I know you've been thinking about it, the creature had said. I bet you've even found the right person to possess. It would be so easy!

Richard looked at Pil, knowing that the Wanderer was right. He had been thinking about it, and he knew just the person. And it might be the only way that he could save Keith from what seemed the inevitable fate of this doomed city.

You will spend an eternity trying to learn how to do it on your own. And Keith doesn't have an eternity. His days, like everyone in this valley, are numbered.

As much as he dreaded it, Richard was also grateful that today was the day of his funeral. If he had to spend the day sitting next to Keith in that dark and dreary house, dreading what was to come, he would likely lose his mind. At least this way, they could both get out into the sunshine.

Keith looked incredibly handsome in his new suit. The tie they had chosen was a simple beige that contrasted well with the dark suit coat and blue shirt. There were robin's egg flecks in the tie that offset the shirt beautifully.

In the end, Keith had decided against a traditional funeral service at the Mormon ward house. Neither of them were particularly religious, despite their Mormon upbringings, and Richard was relieved that he wouldn't have to listen to some Bishop he didn't even know give canned platitudes about his life. The Funeral Director, Mr. Ingalls, had been the one to suggest that they just hold a simple graveside service.

Although he had been cremated, Richard's will stated that he wanted to have half of his ashes buried between the graves of his parents, in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, close to their home in the Avenues. Richard didn't even remember when or why he had written that clause into the will, but he was grateful for the other clause: half of his ashes would remain with Keith, to do with as he chose.

In the cemetery, he closed his eyes and sighed, turning his face up to catch the wind. It couldn't have been a lovelier day. There was a gentle breeze blowing down from the foothills to the north, and Richard watched it stir Keith's hair as he stood apart from Michelle and Pil. The big Hawaiian man was to Richard's right, and his curly black hair was shiny in the sun. Both he and Michelle were giving Keith some space, so he could greet and receive condolences from the guests who were just arriving, usually in groups of two or three. As they arrived, they invariably made their way to Keith to offer their condolences.

Some of the earliest to arrive were the bears—their friends from a decade immersed in that community. Neither he nor Keith hung out in the gay bars, but there was a healthy circuit of bear house parties and dinners they frequented. They were all big, goofy guys that loved to party and drink and laugh, it and was strange to see them looking so somber.