Can We Really Get Away

Chapter 6

“Iago, wait! Slow down.” Max watched as his lover’s anger escalated with his pace. He knew his story of the near-beating would provoke Iago, but it wasn’t something he could keep secret now that they were together.

“Look, Max, maybe it would be better if we did get away from here permanently.”

“So you think there’s anywhere in the world we could go where thugs won’t try to beat the queer out of guys like us? Iago, if you know of such a place, please, take me there now. It doesn’t exist. The only thing you and I can focus on is making sure we both don’t end up in prison.”

Iago stopped and covered his face with his hands. “They could have killed you!” Uncovering his face and moving toward Max, he took him in his arms and clung to him. Max could only hold him tight in return, completely understanding how deep an impact his earlier confession had made on his partner.

“You’re right. It could have turned out much worse than it did. But now we can go to the men who helped me before, and hopefully they can help me... us, again.”

Threading his fingers in Max’s hair, Iago kissed his neck and cheek -- wherever he could reach. “I love you so much, Max. I wish you could point out those assholes. It would be worth getting in trouble to make them suffer.”

Taking a step back, Max glared at Iago. “What? So I could watch another person I love, and count on, go to prison, fall apart, and die!” Max thought of Clara, sacrificing her freedom to protect him. It was the catalyst that led to the end of her life.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Iago tenderly pressed his lips to Max’s. His gentle warmth saying so much more than words could express.

Holding hands, the two men entered the hospital tent in silence.

It was quiet and Max had trouble locating Rob or Kevin. He scanned the entire facility and spotted them in the rear at a staff table, eating. Amongst the hospital beds a few nurses went about their responsibilities, tending to the few patients currently under their care.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this peaceful. It’s nice.” Max guided Iago through the maze of beds, desks, tables, and chairs until they reached their friends.

“Hey, you two. I didn’t think we’d see you until tomorrow.” Kevin winked, taking a bite of a piece of flatbread.

Max lowered his head. “Neither did I. That was our intention, but we had an unexpected visitor only a couple of hours after we reached the apartment.”

Iago and Max shared the story of Gonzalo’s surprises and their concern for his lack of caution leaving Barcelona.

Rob sat straighter on the bench. “You know, Max, having you in our lives has certainly added to the excitement level. For a Physician’s Assistant you lead quite an interesting life.”

Brow furrowed, Max closed his eyes and nodded. “Believe me, I wish it weren’t the case.”

Iago took a seat alongside Kevin and touched his shoulder. “I want to thank you for taking care of him while I wasn’t here.”

Kevin tilted his head and looked blankly at Iago. Almost comically, his eyes widened. “He told you.”

Turning away with a grimace, Iago balled his fist. “Yes, although I don’t think he wanted to, but he knew I’d find out. He let it slip that you’d saved his life once. I owe you--”

“You owe me nothing. I would have done it for anyone.”

“But it wasn’t just anyone. It was Max. My Max.”

Looking across the table toward Rob, Kevin nodded. “I know exactly how you feel.”

“I thought you might.” Iago took Kevin’s hand in his and held it tight. “Thank you.”

Kevin smiled.

Rob patted the empty space on his side of the picnic style table and attached bench. “Have a seat, Max. You look like a man on a mission, and something tells me it’s not about medicine.”

“Unfortunately it’s not. Is there any way you can help us? I want to stay here and work. Iago wants to do work as well. Do you think our freedom could be in danger?”

“Let me ask you this...” Rob looked directly at Max. “If it came down to leaving, and I was able to arrange clear and safe passage to another country for you both, would you go?”

Max looked to Iago for confirmation. Seeing the love and concern in his partner’s eyes told him everything. “We would go anywhere as long as we were together. We never want to be apart again.” Iago reached across the table and brushed his fingers over Max’s cheek. He leaned into the brief and loving touch of support.

Rob glanced at Kevin and smiled. “I’ve made friends with a couple of the local police officers. It pays to have saved one or two of them when they’ve been injured. I think their rate of recovery from attacks has increased since we’ve been here. Modern medicine can do a lot of talking and lead to a lot of good contacts.”

“You’d be surprised at some of the people Rob’s treated since we arrived. Although he won’t brag, I will.” Kevin looked directly at Max. “About two weeks ago, while you were away, there was a scuffle in the central part of the city. While the police were trying to break up what could have easily become a riot, the Chief of Police was shot.”

“A riot!” Max’s eyes saucered.

“Yes. It was pretty scary. We’re lucky. Being a hospital facility, and everyone knowing exactly what we do, we’re pretty well shielded from harm, unless someone wants to raid the medicine cabinets.” Rob took a sip from the bottle of water he had resting on the table in front of him. “The whole to-do started over a motorbike. One idiot tried to steal it practically in front of the owner. It wasn’t pretty, and literally had two large groups fighting each other. When the Chief went into the middle to break it up, one of the idiots drew a small pistol and shot him in the shoulder.”

“Oh shit,” Iago whispered. Max wondered if his lover would be even more interested in leaving Mozambique after hearing stories like this and the one he’d shared earlier.

“To make a long story short,” Rob continued, “most of the officers stopped the scuffle by drawing their weapons on the entire brawling group giving a couple more of them the chance to put the Chief into a car and get him to me quickly.”

Max patted Rob’s shoulder. “And you did your surgical magic?”

Rob chuckled. “Sometimes it does feel like magic, but the injury wasn’t so bad. He was able to return home the next day and I had another offer of unnecessary indebtedness.”

Still smiling at his spouse, Kevin took Rob’s hand. “Don’t ever sell yourself short. Without you, the Chief would have bled to death or gotten some sort of infection that would have gone unmedicated. He might have lost his arm.”

Rob looked toward the remaining bit of bread resting on the table, his face reddening.

“Kevin’s right.” Everyone looked up as Iago spoke. “What you do here is special. I know Max loves the contribution he’s made and wants to continue. I want to be a part of this too. It is infectious. Can you help us find a way we can stay? I don’t want Max to spend the rest of his life on the run.”

Max laced his fingers with Iago’s, resting their linked hands on the table. “What about you? You shouldn’t have to run anymore for a crime that you already paid for in so many different ways. We both deserve to have some peace and quiet together.”

Standing up, Rob looked at the worried lovers. “Give me a little time. I’m scheduled to see the Chief to check on the progress of his healing wound later today. I’ll know more then.” He looked around the hospital. “In the meantime, since it’s quiet now, Kevin, why don’t you train our newest recruit in the fine art of taking someone’s blood pressure reading, temperature, and pulse rate.” Rob started to walk toward the nurses and their few patients. “Oh, and Iago, pay close attention. I expect you’ll be an important part of our team in no time. Anyone Max would give up everything for must be pretty special. We want to keep you both around.”

Iago’s smile lit up the room. Max felt truly confident for the first time in ages. He was with the man he loved, in a place he’d grown to love. Now if they could only safely stay, they could create their life together as it should be.


[TBC]
 

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