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"Happy birthday," Ray said, extending the box Jeffrey pushed his hands aith a gesture that was a touch too hard to be playful

"Sit," said Jeffrey, pointing to the couch "I’lla bamboo-print cushion out of his way Diana wasn’t sure whether he was actually older than Jeffrey, but he looked older, fine wrinkles etching the bags under his eyes He looked a little fat and a little tired in a pull-over and grey wool slacks The latter rinkled, black and blue ink stainsbehind the curve of the bar, Jeffrey was immaculate in white pants and a crisply ironed button-down patterned with navy diamonds He held the bottle almost horizontally as he poured He looked up at Ray over the stream of alcohol and flashed hilasses, one with ice and one without He handed the first to Ray and stood aside while he drank He held out his hand for the eood," said Ray, pushing past hies of Jeffrey’s slass next to Ray’s ereen paper, there was a plum velvet box Inside the velvet box, there were two tickets

"To the national tour of Forty-Second Street," said Ray "Front row, center Look at the date"

Stiffly, Jeffrey held up one of the tickets to the light "Day after tomorrow"

"You can turn forty-nine at Forty-Second Street"

"Clever,"at the ticket He turned it back and forth in the light, glossy paper shining, and then replaced it beside its twin He traded the box for his drink and knocked it back

Ray frowned "I thought you liked Forty-Second Street"

"I do"

"Would you rather go to another show? The college is doing Secret Garden"

"I like Forty-Second Street"

"I don’t get what’s wrong"

Jeffrey ran his fingers through his hair, ruining his careful styling When he looked up at Ray again, he was sently "I’, for another hour Ray detailed an office farce centering on conflicting operating systems while Jeffrey poured himself another shot and then a third Afterward, they ate stir-fried vegetables over brown rice, Jeffrey keeping their glasses full of citrus wine

Was that how other peoples’ es that were between two people, without involving press and protocol and a mother-in-laields a sceptre?

Afterward, Jeffrey went into the bathroo to hied at last, he went into the bedroo to make sure Ray was asleep before he slipped between the sheets

Diana had coued by his desire Now she found herself drawn by his sadness

Voyeurisriefs of her own life These had only hosts weren’t whole souls, only the saddest pieces

People had asked so ive theed Still there were always raphers, more commemorative plates rimmed with rhinestones