Gone.

Mark Fitzgerald was gone.

I still couldn't believe it. "But what about his job, his life? God, Eric, he had a life here. Other friends, maybe relatives-- how do we know for sure he's gone?"

Eric told me what he'd found. And everything pointed to the fact that Mark had figured out just in time we had figured him out.

I wondered where he went. I wondered why the last thing he sent me were my Speedos from college. Was he trying to tell me something? Maybe he was going somewhere warm, like Hawaii, and in his own bizarre way was inviting me? I found myself utterly intrigued by his disappearance.

Perhaps too intrigued.

"What does this mean for us, Drew?"

I took a very long breath, wondering the same thing myself. I looked at what Mark had done to my relationship with Eric-- and I couldn't help but think if Mark could do this to us, couldn't someone else? Someone better looking, someone more charming? I wasn't foolish enough to believe that Mark was just an isolated incident.

"It's about trust, Eric. I know that simplifies things-- but it all boils down to trust."

He knew I was right. Eric nodded and couldn't think of anything else to
say-- which was nice for a change. Usually, he spoke so well, cleared up messes easily, and always fixed things. This time however, he agreed that if we were to really try to fix all that had gone wrong with us, it would be a rough and long road.

"But don't you think we have to try, Andrew? Don't you think we owe it to ourselves to at least, try?"

"Eric, just because Mark is gone, it doesn't mean it'll go back to being Andrew and Eric. I have a million feelings to understand, I have so much anger at both of you and I have no idea how I want this-- if I want this-- to work. I'm not going to make any promises. You say 'we' have to try... well, before 'we' do anything, I have to figure out if I want to-- if I even want to try. And I mean it-- no promises, Eric. This is your fault. Not Mark's, not
Andrew's-- yours."

He didn't like that.

And I knew he wouldn't accept it.

"I mean it, Eric. No more blame until you take responsibility. Until you do, I'm not interested in making a go of this... and that's final."