Exiles in America(42)

“With Osh. I am worried by Osh. He lacks skill in English. He learns

everything much too slowly. We are taking him to a specialist to see why he

cannot learn quicker.”

It never ceased to amaze Daniel that Abbas could bring his family into this

room after sex. Another man might be embarrassed or want to use the time to

escape his other life—not Abbas. It was a good thing they were only fuck bud-

dies or Daniel might resent it.

Daniel remembered there was something he wanted to discuss himself.

E x i l e s i n A m e r i c a

9 5

He’d been afraid to bring it up sooner for fear it might stop them from having

their fun.

“Did you know,” he said, “that Elena talked to Zack this week?”

Abbas shrugged. “Yes. She told me she did a load of wash at your house

and talked to your partner.”

“About us.”

Abbas looked surprised. “He did not know?”

“Oh, he knew. He just never thought he’d have to discuss it with your

wife.” Daniel couldn’t help smiling. Zack had been annoyed, although he

claimed he wasn’t. It made a great comic situation. Daniel was almost sorry he

hadn’t been there.

“Good then,” said Abbas. “Good. So long as everyone tells everything, all

will be fine.”

Daniel took hold of Abbas’s left foot and began to rub it, just to give his

hands something to do. “Does she feel threatened by us?”

“By you and Zack?”

“No. You and me.”

He shrugged. “No. She knows you are a couple and we are a couple and

nobody is going to run away together.”

His bare sole was smooth leather, the toes hard and dry.

“She told Zack she was once a political prisoner.”

“Oh yes,” said Abbas. “For three months only.” As if that made it less im-

portant.

“Then it’s true?” said Daniel. “She didn’t make it up?”

“It’s true. Why would she make it up?”

“I don’t know. To win Zack’s sympathy?”

“Why would she need his sympathy?”

Daniel knew his idea was paranoid, but he went ahead and shared it. “If

she wanted to stop us from seeing each other, she’d want him on her side. But

if the political prisoner stuff is true, then she’s not being manipulative and I

shouldn’t worry, right?”

Abbas frowned. “Did she ask Zack to stop you from seeing me?”

“No. It’s just that Zack got the feeling she’s not as comfortable with this as

she says she is.”

9 6

C h r i s t o p h e r B r a m

“Oh. That.” He already knew about that. “She’ll get comfortable. She al-

ways does. It is none of her business what I do on Sunday.”

“But there’s no trouble at home?”

“No. Why should there be trouble?”

“Sorry. I’ve been living with Zack too long.”

“Does he want us to stop seeing each other?”

“No. He’s fine with this.” More or less—it was sometimes hard to tell with

Zack. “All I meant was, I’ve picked up his guilt habit. His tendency to worry.”

Worry was so easy after orgasm.

“There is nothing to worry about,” Abbas insisted. “You have an under-

standing with your partner and I have one with mine.”

“You’re right,” Daniel said and jimmied a friendly foot between Abbas’s

thigh and genitals. “And it’s not like we’re doing anything bad. Hey, honey, it’s

male bonding. Other men go fishing or play golf.” He grinned as he stroked

the soft black pubic hair with his toes.

Abbas laughed and stubbed his cigarette out in the coffee can. He took

hold of Daniel’s foot and kissed the sole. “You are a silly man,” he said. “A fun

but silly man.” He released the foot and withdrew his own foot from Daniel’s

lap. He jumped off the sofa and stepped over to the painting under the lamp.

The bright, wet canvas glowed like a stained glass window in the floor. The

silhouette of the painter stood above it, chin in one hand, elbow in the other

hand, hips tilted contrapposto, a naked figure contemplating an unfinished

task.

Daniel wondered: Did he work on his painting during sex? When Abbas

was down on his knees and making love with his mouth—the man gave ex-

cellent head—was he also rethinking a brushstroke or shape or juxtaposition

of colors? In that case, Daniel was part of the process, a piece of the picture.

He liked the idea.

“I cannot get the balance right,” said Abbas. “It is too busy. Too unstable.

So unstable it is flabby.”

It sounded like an invitation to look, so Daniel got up from the sofa and