The two tall men embraced in the terminal of Dallas/Fort Worth airport. The taller of the two was dressed in a baby blue tank top, extra-small green running shorts, a pink feather boa, and a top hat. The shorter was dressed in the same purple suit that he had been wearing when they had said their goodbyes over a year before. “It’s been too long…” murmured JaVale McGee, pressing his forehead against Kenneth Faried’s. “I never wanted to leave Denver…” The rush of emotions he was feeling after seeing his friend step off the jet bridge had, after the initial surprised shriek, caused him to shed a few tears.
Kenneth looked up and tenderly wiped away a tear with his thumb. “I know, Java Bean. I know. But now I’m here, and we have the whole summer to ourselves.”
JaVale took a step back and smiled waterily. “Don’t say that. I’m going to get you traded here, and then we can be together for more than just one short summer.”
“And if that doesn’t work, I’ll get you traded to Denver!” Kenneth joked, bringing JaVale in for another hug, more intense this time, with both hands on his former teammate’s butt cheeks.
“If only,” JaVale sighed. “We had some good times there, and I’m not just talking about us. The rest of the guys, too.” He grabbed the end of his boa and tickled Kenneth’s nose with it, causing the dreadlocked man to scrunch up his face and giggle. “Enough of this. Let’s go get your luggage.”
—
JaVale steered the white moped into the driveway. Kenneth, who for the ride had snuggled up tightly against JaVale with both arms clasped tightly around his chest, carefully got off. “I hope you like my new place,” JaVale said, removing his helmet. “The scenery is rather drab compared to the dramatic mountain view we had at our old house, but I did my best to make it a fitting abode for a man of high culture.”
“Two men of high culture,” Kenneth corrected with a wink. “I can’t wait to see the inside…especially the bedroom!”
JaVale tutted. “Patience, Kenneth. First, you have to see the pool I had put in the rear.”
“I have something I’d like to put in your rear,” Kenneth said under his breath, earning a light smack on the shoulder from his friend. They walked through the gate in the fence until they reached an elaborately-landscaped backyard, teeming with trees and flowers. Obscured by the branches and shrubs was a heart-shaped swimming pool tiled with ruby-red tiles. To the side was a smaller heart-shaped hot tub.
“JaVale, it’s beautiful,” Kenneth said, awestruck.
JaVale smiled at his friend’s reaction. “It will be nice to finally share it with somebody. I love my teammates here in Dallas, but none of them share my affinity for fine arts, for refined luxury, and they always express displeasure at my posted rules.” JaVale pointed at a small wooden sign with just one rule written on it.
“1. Clothes are not permitted in the pool area,” Kenneth read aloud, laughing. “Can’t argue with that.” He quickly removed his suit jacket and pants. The rest of his clothes soon followed.
JaVale couldn’t help but stare at Kenneth’s flexing, corded muscles as he gracefully dived into the pool. When he was playfully splashed with water, he broke out of his trance and removed his own, much simpler, outfit.
“Just like the ESPN body issue,” Kenneth said approvingly. “I refuse to believe that Zaza and Dirk wouldn’t comply with your rules if it gave them a chance to see what I’m seeing right now.”
Doing a cannonball into the water, JaVale splashed some water in return. “It’s not like we don’t see each other in the showers, but…”
“This is more private,” Kenneth said, finishing his teammate’s sentence. Looking through the dense foliage, he could barely make out JaVale’s house, and he could not catch even a glimpse of any neighboring houses. “Some men are uncomfortable sharing such intimate spaces with other men.”
“Not you, though,” JaVale said softly, staring into Kenneth’s eyes. Then, his face broke into a sudden grin, and he dunked his friend’s head under the water.
Kenneth came up spluttering. “Oh, it’s on!” he yelled, returning the favor amid peals of laughter from both men.
—
The two men lounged in their bathrobes, one zebra print, one leopard, as Albinoni’s Sinfonia in F Major played softly from speakers around the living room. Kenneth admired the immaculate Victorian styling of the room, and was touched by the numerous oval-framed portraits of him painted in lush oils, but the sun was setting, and his thoughts turned to other things as the red damask wallpaper grew less elegant and more sultry with the dimming of the light. “Now…about that bedroom. I’d like to give it a test run,” he said hopefully.
“You don’t need to ask twice,” JaVale growled, jumping up from his recamier, grabbing Kenneth’s hand and jogging up the stairs. “We’ll give it a test run all night.”