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"They're out of town", was Gabe's explanation when Eddie questioned him still being in the motel room that morning. Gabe was usually gone as soon as the sun was up and he knew his playmates down the road would be ready to hang out. Since it was the middle of the Summer, Gabe was allowed to come and go as he pleased to his new friends' home. Their mother was lenient like that, and Eddie appreciated her kindness.
"Well you can spend time here with me", Eddie said with a smile. Gabe smiled back, before it fell from his face completely.
"What about Daveed?", he questioned. "He said before you woke up, that he was going down to the laundry room".
"Daveed's gonna head into town after putting the laundry in the washer", Eddie answered, and apparently it was good enough for Gabe, who shrugged but still didn't look happy.
It was only around 7:30 or 8 o'clock when Eddie woke up, and he figured Gabe had woken up a couple hours beforehand. Gabe had been an early riser since he was a baby. Eddie didn't know if that was a good thing, but it didn't appear to have affected him too bad, seeing as he was quickly approaching eight-years-old without much issue so far.
Eddie made Gabe some oatmeal, and the pair talked about everything. Well, at least everything Eddie was able to tell his son that didn't involve drug dealers or wild animals on hard drugs. It was nice to spend time with his son. Eddie would never be able to forgive himself for being emotionally and physically absent from Gabe when the boy needed him the most, but dammit would he try and make things as right as he could.
They were still sitting across from one another at the small table in the motel room when Gabe said, "I love Daveed". Eddie couldn't help but smile. Gabe had always spoken about Daveed with such a glint behind his eyes, even before Joanie died. Gabe had just always had a soft spot for the man.
"You love him, too?", Gabe asked, and Eddie bit his lip.
"Of course I do", he answered, though he could feel the hesitancy in his own words. Obviously he cared a lot about Daveed, never mind what had happened between them in the last five months. Whatever "what happened" even was. Eddie still wasn't sure what they were. Gabe always woke up before them. There was no doubt in Eddie's mind that his son had seen his dad and his dad's best friend wrapped each other's arms.
"Do you love him like a friend?", Gabe asked.
Eddie hesitated for a moment, but decided to give Gabe a hopefully good enough answer.
"It's... complicated", he settled on. "Why do ask, anyway?"
"I went to school with a girl whose dad left before she was born, but whenever she would get picked up from school, two nice ladies were always outside the school waiting for her. I asked her one day and she said that those were her moms", Gabe explained.
"She had two moms?"
Gabe nodded.
"And what did you say when she told you?"
"I told her it was cool, because I had never seen or heard about something like that. I didn't even know that was possible", Gabe said.
After a moment, Gabe spoke again.
"So, do you like Daveed as a friend. Or are guys like that girl from schools moms?", he asked.
"I don't know Gabe. It's complicated", Eddie repeated, because really and truly, it was. He knew he loved Daveed, but to Eddie, asking the man to give him a real answer about the status of their "relationship" wasn't that easy.
"Well I think he loves you, too", Gabe said, deciding not to push his father further.
"Why do you think that?", Eddie wondered aloud.
"I see him with his arm around you sometimes, like whenever we were watching that move the other night. You guys were sitting on the bed, against the wall. I saw him put his arm around you. And then sometimes whenever you guys are still sleeping, before I go down the street, you're cuddling. You know, like how you used to do with mom."
Eddie wasn't surprised when Gabe had picked on certain things. He always had been pretty smart for a child his age, but something as complex as an adult friendship that bordered on something else? Eddie didn't think that would be within Gabe's level of expertise.
"I love him, too. But like I said, it isn't that simple Gabe. Come on, help me clean up alright?", Eddie asked kindly, and Gabe (thankfully) didn't press further, and instead got up from his spot and began helping his father clean.
—
The next week, Gabe's playmates had returned, and he was always gone by the time Eddie and Daveed roused in the late morning. When Gabe returned that afternoon, Eddie wasn't there, but Daveed was watching Looney Tunes on the old television.
"Hi Daveed", he said happily, like he always did whenever he saw the man.
"Hi Gabe", Daveed said with his own smile.
Gabe sat down at the foot of the bed, and watched the cartoon for all of fifteen minutes before he was turning around and staring at Daveed with intent.
"Something on your mind buddy?", Daveed asked.
"Do you love my dad?"
It was said with such innocence, but Daveed had choked violently on the sip of beer he had taken.
"Love him like how?", Daveed asked after catching his breath, and deciding that if Gabe was going to make a habit out of asking personal questions, it was best not to take a sip of whatever you're drinking.
"Like, are you guys like him and my mom were?", Gabe asked, hoping that would be enough of an explanation.
Daveed was a little dumbfounded. It wasn't everyday that a seven year old came to him and asked if he was in love with his best friend. His best friend who happened to also be a man at that, and said seven year old's father.
"I... do love him, but it's not as easy as that", Daveed said.
Gabe didn't respond for a moment, pondering on the fact that Daveed sounded just like his father when he gave his reasoning for not doing anything about their feelings for one another. Gabe really didn't understand adults. If they loved each other, why not do something about it?
"But he loves you, too", Gabe finally said.
Daveed's eyes widened. Obviously, this wasn't news to him. Eddie had already made it abundantly clear that he had feelings for Daveed after that moment they shared when Gabe was playing with the neighbors. But besides waking up in each other's arms and quick peck-kisses here and there, they hadn't really taken the time to sit and talk about what they were, or could be.
"Did he tell you that?", Daveed asked.
"Yeah, last week. He also said the same thing you said. About it not being "that easy", or whatever", Gabe explained. He turned back toward the television, seemingly done with the conversation. Honestly, Daveed was glad for it end.
"Being an adult sounds really terrible", Gabe said after a few more minutes, without turning around.
Daveed sighed and said, "you have no idea buddy".
—
Another two weeks passed between Gabe's conversations with Eddie and Daveed, but he never forgot about them either. He had been paying attention like he had been previously, and nothing seemed to change. Eddie and Daveed still cuddled up next to each other in their bed, they still cuddled whenever they would watch TV, alone or with Gabe.
When Eddie finally decided to talk to Daveed, Gabe was with the neighbors' kids. Their mother had took them and Gabe into town that afternoon after all of the kids and Gabe had begged her the entire morning.
"So Gabe told me that you love me", Daveed said. He really wasn't sure how to start that conversation, so he just went straight for it.
Eddie had been folding laundry, but he slowed his movements when Daveed spoke from where he was leaning against the counter, next to the the microwave.
"Why were you and Gabe talking about... that?", Eddie asked. He didn't sound angry in the slightest, more so genuinely curious. He continued folding the laundry while listening for Daveed's explanation.
"He actually brought it up. He asked if I loved you."
"What'd you tell him?", Eddie asked.
"That I did, but that it was complicated", Daveed said.
Eddie continued folding the laundry.
"I told him the same thing. Do you think it would be less complicated if the circumstances had been different? Like—"
Eddie had trailed off, but Daveed understood what he was getting at.
"Like, if one of us was a woman? If one of us wasn't the son of an international drug dealer, and the right hand man of said international drug dealer?", Daveed asked as Eddie continued folding the laundry, not even looking away from it once during their conversation.
"Yeah, all of those things. And maybe throw in one of us being a recent widower, and the fact that we're currently on the run from some pissed off Colombians", Eddie added, though the words were said with some humor behind them.
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"I really do love you Eddie", Daveed said. He was still perched against the counter, and Eddie was still sitting in the floor in front of their bed. He was pretty much done with his chore, but he seemed to have slowed down on purpose. It was likely an attempt to distract himself for a little while longer.
"You know I love you, too. But we will have to talk about this eventually, maybe finalize whatever we really are", Eddie responded.
"Yeah, I know", Daveed agreed.
Eddie put the last clothing item in the pile he had next to him, and stood.
"Come on, we have to make dinner before Gabe gets in for the night", he said as he made his way to the refrigerator. He turned to ask Daveed what he wanted, but was caught off guard when he instead got a kiss. Like always, Eddie gave in pretty quickly, and smiled at Daveed when he pulled away.
"You really are something else", Eddie thought to himself as he heard someone knock on the door, and watched Daveed open it to reveal a very tired-looking Gabe. The two greeted each other before Daveed picked Gabe up and the young boy passed out against his shoulder, seemingly done for the night.
For now, he thought, whatever they had would have to do.