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They arrived at the park and spent the better part of a half-hour looking for somewhere to park the car along Fulton Street. That was always a challenge in this part of town. They finally found a space near 30th Avenue when a double-parked truck moved, opening up a previously hidden spot just as they were about to drive by. Luck was always a huge factor when trying to find parking in the Bay Area. Though Delos wasn’t an expert at parallel parking, the Prius was small and she made it on the first try.

Delos opened the hatchback and pulled out a picnic basket with the meal she had prepared. She watched Alex smile when he caught sight of it and knew he was thinking of the fun and exotic surprises it might contain. Delos knew Alex wasn’t a fan of exotic foods, but she was well enough acquainted with his tastes to have made sure he’d like everything she’d put in the basket

Alex proffered his hand to assist Delos and she promptly shoved a blanket into it, tending to the basket herself. Had Alex thought about it, he would have brought his CD player because he was a music lover and having some of his music would have been a nice accompaniment, but he hadn’t been ready for Delos’ visit this morning.

Delos walked purposefully away from Alex and towards the park, expecting him to follow, which he did as soon as he realized he was standing alone. He hurried to catch up. They walked across Fulton and into the park, and turned, walking along JFK drive, heading past the BBQ pits and towards Crossover Drive where the official picnic area was. The iconic picnic area had been immortalized in many documentaries of the 1960s, but that meant little to Alex or Delos; they cherished the tranquillity of it as a quiet spot to be together where they wouldn’t run into anyone they knew. They hadn’t come here often since there were parks closer to home, but sometimes they felt a need to go to one of the most famous parks in the world where they could be entirely unnoticed.

Alex loved the park because it was so expansive and he felt isolated from the outside world. Though he was generally had a much faster pace than Delos, soon he was, once again, lagging far behind as he looked around while he walked. This caused Delos to look back and glare at him, encouraging him to speed up. He did and caught up with her in a few seconds. The park was serene, and though you wouldn’t guess it by the dearth of parking spaces, relatively deserted for a Saturday.

They came to a spot they had been to before and Alex unfurled the blanket, then stood back while Delos did her thing, arranging the food with precision. When the basket was empty, she stood up, a proud smile on her face, and motioned for him to sit down. The silent ballet continued until Delos finally took his hand and pulled him down onto the blanket, then seated herself right next to him and spoke. “So, why are you being so quiet?”

Alex didn’t answer right away. He looked off into the distance first. Then, reluctantly, he replied, “Our conversation in the car freaked me out a little.”

“You don’t say? I figured as much, but the day isn’t over yet and I’ve got more for you.”

“More? I already feel wrung out.”

“Alex, it’s time. You’ve told me some things about your adventure – though I suspect you’ve left a lot out. But, I haven’t heard anything about what transpired from the time you left London until about a month after you came back home. It’s the black hole you always refuse to talk about. I’ve decided that today you’re going to talk.”

“I could refuse.” Alex looked at her and saw her determination. He was a private person, and she was the only one he ever opened up to. He always did it on his own terms, however, not simply because she encouraged him to. Getting him to talk when he wasn’t willing was always difficult, and usually impossible. 

She had to decide the best way to do this. Her personality was such that going on the offensive always seemed the best option to her, even if it did occasionally backfire. “You know, I could make your sorry ass walk home. I have the keys.”

“Well, I guess I better get started,” Alex said flatly, getting up slowly to make his point.

“Fuck you. Sit down. Damn. You win,” said Delos, the frustration clear in her voice.

“Good. I’m glad that’s settled.”

 “Asshole.”

“Yeah, I am. But you’ve known that for a long time. Still, perhaps you’re right,” said Alex coming to a sudden and unexpected decision. “Okay, Miss Theopolus, I believe I shall tell you some of what transpired.”

Delos ran her hands through her hair, something she often did when she was pensive. Alex noticed that her short hair had grown longer than it used to be, and that highlighted her eyes nicely. “Well, go on. Don’t keep a girl waiting.”

“But, your Ladyship, I am very hungry and there is this fine repast you have laid down before us,” Alex said as pompously as he could. “Begging the lady’s pardon, but could not we continue this conversation after we break our fast?”

“Alex, you are so full of shit, I can’t stand it,” said Delos trying hard not to burst out laughing but only partially succeeding. “I appreciate you coming here. I know how much you hate picnics, so I wasn’t even sure if you would come. And then, I surprise you by interrogating you.”

“Yet, her ladyship persists in torturing me nonetheless,” pouted Alex.

Delos saw the pout and couldn’t help but laugh at it. Still chuckling, she pretended to be mad and said gruffly, “FINE! Let’s eat!”

They ate in silence, Alex devouring the extra-lean corned beef sandwich while Delos ate a turkey sandwich, both on rye, and accompanied by kettle chips. A bottle of cold, still water was shared followed by Scharffen Berger chocolates.

Finally, even though more chocolate awaited him, Alex stopped eating, made himself more comfortable, and began his tale. “Rather than omitting something by assuming you already know it, I’ll just go over the whole thing. I know you’ve probably heard bits and pieces and inferred some stuff on your own. But it’s hard for me to keep track of who knows what,” began Alex.

“When I left Nicky, I took the tube back to the hotel and was arrested the moment I got there. I was taken to the local police station and interrogated by several officials and constables. Ultimately, though, there was nothing I’d done that was overtly illegal and they had no real reason to charge me.”

Alex took a sip of water, scarfed down more chocolate, and continued. “Although I had lied about my intent to track down Nicky and his father, they really couldn’t prove it. I claimed that it wasn’t my fault the tail got lost. I told them I went looking for them and gave up, finally returning to the hotel. They knew I was lying, they knew I knew they knew, but in absence of any proof that was a done deal – they couldn’t do anything.”

After stuffing more chocolate in his face, Alex resumed.  “They could have sent me home, but instead they detained me for ten full days before officially deporting me. That means I need special permission to re-enter the country. So, even if I want to go back, I can’t likely do it. They were quite clear that permission to enter the United Kingdom would not be forthcoming.”

“Oh, Alex, I didn’t realize,” said Delos sympathetically, and pushed the box of chocolates even closer to him, hoping they might distract him and help soothe his emotional pain.

“So, I came back to the United States on a non-stop flight, but in coach. They confiscated my return Concorde ticket. But, I’m not complaining because that flight to London might have been the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. I cleared customs in San Francisco, and as soon as I came through, I was arrested again. This time it was the FBI and not Scotland Yard..”

“You poor thing. How traumatic.”

“Not really. It was the same questions by different people. But if you’re going to lie, you have to do it right. Pick a simple story, stick to it, and give as few details as possible – just enough to keep the story believable. That’s how you catch a liar. They keep adding things. Eventually there’s a fact that doesn’t check out, or sometimes he’ll just contradict himself. There’s no story simpler than: I looked and didn’t find.”

“Wow. I wonder if there’s a reward if I rat you out?” Delos thought this was getting too intense, and was hoping to soften the mood. As was frequently the case, her hope for humour failed miserably.

“Delos! You wouldn’t!” exclaimed Alex loudly, and then quietly added, “Would you?”

“Of course I wouldn’t. Not even for all the chocolate in the world.”

Alex looked at her rather quizzically for a moment, then settled back on the blanket, and looked away from her, looked across the park. His eyes weren’t really focusing on the beauty there, but on something only he could see. “They held me in a detention centre with no outside contact for 30 days, which was apparently as long as they could without bringing charges. Something called habeas corpus or thereabouts. Anyway, I was pretty depressed, but I was finally sprung. Remember, this whole time I had contact with nobody, so I didn’t know what had happened since I got on the plane in London to come home.”

Alex and Delos finished off the chocolates and water before Alex resumed his story. “Apparently while I was being held, my parents had a big row over me. Normally, when parents get a divorce, they say it’s not the kid’s fault. This time, it was. Their divorce was about me. Dad wanted to send me to military school to straighten me out. Mom thought a shrink would help. They were together when I was released, and picked me up, but I knew something was up when, after dinner that night, Dad got in his car and left. That left mom to explain they were having a six-month trial separation – which, as you know, ultimately ended in their divorce.”

“Yeah, I know that part. I’m so sorry, Alex.”

“It’s okay. So, the divorce was relatively amicable, and they made all the necessary arrangements and agreements. Things went well for a few months until we got a bill from the UK government for around £25,000 to cover my plane tickets, manpower, and everything else they thought they could pin on me. We appealed to the US Department of State, but they said it was a legally enforceable bill. They claimed that since I had acted in bad faith we had to repay it all. That’s how Mom and I ended up in such dire financial straits. Dad refused to change the initial support agreement and stated this was our problem and not his. Which is why he and I aren’t on the best of terms – not that we were before this. I think I hate him now.”

“Why didn’t you ask our family to help? You know we’re loaded.”

“There’s no way we’d ever ask for money. That’s just rude. Anyway, the worst part was, I never heard from Nicky again. No letters, no e-mails, no calls, nothing. He knows how to contact me, but he hasn’t, and it’s really tearing me up inside.”

“You broke his heart. Crushed it. What did you expect after you walked out on him? You realize he may well have found someone else by now. It’s been nearly two years. And the world is a much different place now.”

“Yeah, I know. But I still can’t stop thinking about him. I did what I thought was the right thing to do, but now I think I might have been wrong because I can’t let go. I told you that already. Besides, you know I hate being wrong.”

“That, sir, is why you need to see the shrink. It’s not the worst idea. I’m sure they can help you deal with losing Nicky.”

“No, it’s a crap idea. Psychology is bad science. I can fix myself. I think I just need Nicky to tell me what I did was okay. I don’t want to move on until this draws to its natural conclusion.”

“He’ll never do that, even if you can manage to contact him.”

“I know.”

There was a pause while they both mulled over what had been said; Alex was trying to decide if he was glad he told Delos the whole story, and Delos was trying to digest the information.

“Come on, let’s go,” said Delos suddenly, an unusual tone to her voice. Had Alex recognized it, he’d have realized Delos was hurt. It wasn’t until this moment that she realized how much Alex loved Nicky, how little chance she had of ever having Alex for herself. The real problem, she knew, was that even Alex didn’t understand what he was feeling. She wondered how Nicky felt. It might solve a lot of problems if she could talk to Nicky but that wasn’t very likely to happen.

It didn’t take long to finish packing up the picnic remains, and afterwards they walked slowly back to the car. Alex was totally silent during the short walk, to all outward appearances sightseeing his way along, but actually lost in thought. Though he wasn’t a fan of the outdoors, much less picnics, if he was forced into one, this was certainly the place to be. Now he was in some far-off place, a place even Delos wasn’t brave enough to pull him away from.

They reached the car in short order, loaded it up, and drove off. As they drove through the city, Delos asked, “Do you want to go back the fast way or the scenic way?”

“Driver’s choice,”

“Fast way it is, then.”

Alex knew right then that all was not well with Delos. She always wanted to go the scenic route to prolong her time with him. “Everything okay, Delos?”

“Sure. Everything’s fine. Just have a lot to absorb right now.”

“Okay, if you say so,” said Alex. He was never the one to press where he was unwelcome and that’s certainly how he felt now.

It wasn’t long before they reached his house, and Delos pulled in front. He realized whatever was wrong was serious. She hadn’t even pulled in the driveway to let him out. He got out of the car, and reached back in to give her a hug good-bye but she backed away. “Delos? You want to talk about it?” asked Alex, the hurt evident in his voice.

“Later,” was the only answer he got, as she looked at him through the open door. She reached over and pulled his door closed as Alex stood there, almost in shock, and then she drove off.

Alex felt suddenly and utterly alone. He had no one. He felt as if his only friend had just abandoned him.