THARNTYPE: AS WE GET OLDER

TO SEE YOU

Type woke up the next morning and shooed off Techno and his moody husband. Today he was going to the local clinic to consult for a few hours. Enough to keep him busy, but not too much that he would get tired. It was a chance to distract himself and not be surrounded by their pictures every day. 

Sometimes he wondered if he should have encouraged Tharn to exercise more. To eat less red meat. To go outside in the sun with him more. Every day he wondered how he could have kept him a little longer. A heart attack at 60 was too early. He had left too early. 

Type touched his cheek. He'd felt Tharn last night. Drunk out of his mind and submerged in the memories of them. He'd felt Tharn's touch. Today it was gone, but Type wondered...

Type shook his head to dispel his dark thoughts and headed towards the door. Right as his hand touched the knob the phone rang. Type walked back to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Uncle Type, It's me," came Kanya's voice. She sounded really happy. 

Type smiled. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Oh yes...hmmmm...do you have some free time tomorrow?" Kanya asked. 

"After 3pm, sure," Type said with a frown. 

"Can you have dinner with Ram and I?" Kanya asked. 

Type nodded with a grin even though he knew she couldn't see him. You're quick, little one. 

"Sure, we can go. How about at 7pm?"

Kanya laughed nervously. "Yeah, sure. We'll pick you up, Uncle Type."

"Okay. Talk to you later. I have to go to work," Type said. After Kanya hung up, he shook his head ruefully. He was old and wise enough to know she was probably going to marry that guy. Type didn't know him well enough. Ram had good manners and he loved his niece and most importantly he was tolerant. Ram knew about him and Tharn and hadn't showed an ounce of disgust or made any comments. 

After all the bad comments Type made over the years, he had learned to appreciate that quality in other people. He had "come out" so many times over his life and sometimes he was lucky that Tharn was there, but other times the pressure from his husband to shout it from the rooftops were the cause of many of their fights. Now that he wasn't here, Type just wished he had the opportunity to walk down the block holding hands and declare it to the whole world. Isn't that how things went? When you have it, you don't appreciate it. 

Ai Tharn, I'm sorry. I would give, do, and say anything to have you by my side again. Type shook his head at his mushy thoughts and walked out the door. He had to get to work. 

********************************

Type stared at Ram across the table over his third glass of wine. The night was slowly deteriorating for those on the other side of Type. Kanya gripped Ram's hand with worry. She had never seen her uncle consume more than one glass of wine. She was tempted to call her mother. 

Type blinked his red eyes rapidly as if straining to focus. "Well? Go ahead. Tell me your news."

Kanya smiled at Ram encouragingly and gestured for him to say what they came to say.

Ram looked at Type seriously with solemn brown eyes. "Sir, Kanya has agreed to marry me. I know your blessing is important to her and so it is important to me. I hope you bless our union." Ram gave a respectful wai and then waited for Type's response. Truthfully, he was nervous, but wouldn't be surprised if Kanya's uncle didn't approve. He was 10 years older than Kanya and a doctor, which means he didn't have a lot of the time most men had to take care of a family. 

Kanya squeezed his hand and her beautiful eyes sparkled back at him and he could breathe again. Ram felt like superman when she looked at him like that. He would get on his knees in front of her uncle if that's what it took. 

Type stared at Ram a little bit too long, but the handsome doctor didn't squirm. Type let out a chuckle. "I'm not a priest or a monk so I can't bless your union, but I can give you a tentative approval. I'll have to see how you treat my niece in 3 months, 3 years, 13 years..." Type's eyes watered as he remembered how his father had told Tharn something similar. 

Type looked at the chair next to him and Tharn smiled back at him. His own eyes were glistening with tears at seeing the grown up Kanya. Type reached out his hand to hold Tharn's on the table. "Ai Tharn, the years sure do fly by. Look at how grown she is!" Type whispered to his husband. 

Kanya and Ram looked at the chair next to Type and then back at him. 

"Call for the check, Ram" Kanya said with a worried expression. Her uncle was getting worse right in front of her. How can he be like this after 5 years?  

Type glanced at them in surprise even as his head lolled around like a rag doll. "Why are we leaving so soon?" 

"You're drunk. We're going to take you home," Kanya said gently. Her heart was breaking. What if something happens to Ram and I become like this? 

Type laughed bitterly. "I'm not drunk. I can see my Tharn. He would never let me get drunk." Type laid his cheek on the table looking at the seat next to him with a drunk smile. His husband was still looking at him with happy tears through his blurred vision. "My Tharn always protects me. Ai Tharn, tell her." Type gestured towards Kanya wildly.

Kanya helped Type up while Ram went to pay the bill. "Let's go, Uncle Type."

Type went to get up, but suddenly went limp against her and fell down. The sound of his head banging on the table drew the eyes of everyone in the restaurant. His eyes were slits and his head felt heavy. He felt pain, but a strange lightheadedness. His hand reached out to someone unseen.  

"Uncle Type!" Kanya screamed in fear. She collapsed on the ground next to Type and hurried to check his pulse. She felt Ram come around on the other side of Type.

"Let me check him," Ram said as he gently removed Kanya's trembling hands. His steady hands touched the back of Type's head and came away with blood. He took out his phone and dialed for an ambulance as the restaurant staff swarmed around them. 

Type stared up at the ceiling while losing consciousness. The teary eyed face of his husband standing watch over him.