A Bigger Boat

LaVieEnRose

So my job is still boring as fuck, but at least I'm assistant manager now. I'll still take the occasional appointment, but since I don't work on commission anymore it's not a top priority. But every once in a while people will request me, because I'm just that good at taking their money and exchanging it for fancy furniture.

Kinney-Taylor, Tuesday, two o'clock. I didn't recognize the name, but as soon as I saw the two hot guys signing it all came rushing back. Oh yes! The guys I borderline-scammed so I could eavesdrop on their conversation about wedding rings! Good times, good times.

They had a third guy with them this time, a cute wheelchair-user with brown curly hair, and a service dog with a leash wound around the blond's wrist. The taller one—I didn't remember his name—nodded at me as I click click clicked across the floor in my heels. Charlie, right? he said.

I showed him my name sign—it's just cat, because that was my first word as a baby.

Brian, I shook hands with him, and then the other two, as they introduced themselves—Justin, that's right, with the hair color of my dreams, and Evan, with the texture. Beautiful people just find each other and leave no one for the rest of us. It's really not fair.

And we're all signers? I said, and they all nodded. Great, I hate interpreting.

Me too, Brian said. He gestured towards Evan. I make him do it. He lipreads like a hearing person.

Your standards are just low because Justin is shockingly bad at it, Evan said.

What can I help you guys with today? I said.

We need a new bed, Brian says. We have a queen right now, and it's time to upgrade.

Are we thinking king, or California king?

King's wider, right? Justin said, and I nodded. Well, wider's good, since there are three of us.

I blinked. Three of you.

Brian cocked an eyebrow and signed in front of each of them: One, two, three.

I know, I just didn't realize—

Three people, one bed, Brian said.

Okay. Hell, it's New York, and I'm an open-minded woman. We can get everything in the store in a king, but let me show you some of the king models we have. They're the ones that look best at that size, in my opinion.

They followed me, Justin pushing the wheelchair with the dog trotting behind him, Brian resting his hand on the back of Justin's head. Evan was marveling at everything like a kid in a museum, but Justin and Brian seemed kind of rich and bored like most of the people who come through here. Justin drummed on Evan's shoulders.

So this is all mahogany, I said. Very stately.

Brian looked at Justin.

It's too serious, Justin said. Our house is airier.

Does it look big enough to you? Brian said. It doesn't look big enough.

This is the biggest bed there is, Justin said.

They do make bigger beds, called Wyoming kings or Alaska kings, I said. But for those you'd need to do a custom order, have something made. I can show you which of our brands have that option.

This is too much trouble, Evan said. I can just stay in the basement.

Brian and Justin both hushed him.

Let's try a lighter frame, I said. It might make it seem more spacious.

We kept walking, and Evan pointed to this huge dresser we have and never sell because it's goddamn enormous.

Ugly, Justin said.

I think that would almost fit all your pills.

Oh my God, fuck you.

I do think three people can fit comfortably in a king, I said to Brian. If you're not inclined to go the custom route.

Brian looked over at the other two. Yeah...maybe.

We got to another bedroom set up, and this time Justin nodded approvingly when Brian checked for his opinion. I like the lines of it.

He's an artist, Brian and Evan told me at the same time.

Is it big enough? Justin asked Brian.

I don't know...

You can get on it and see, I said. Just don't judge the mattress.

Justin got on the bed first, and Brian watched him while he locked the wheelchair and helped Evan out. Justin winced a little when he climbed up, and Brian said, We might need something closer to the ground.

We have options, I said.

Brian helped Evan out of the wheelchair and up onto the bed. He pushed Justin playfully once they were both down, and Justin pushed him back, and Brian said, Now now, children, and lay down on one side, glancing towards them with a bit of a smile on his face that he quickly wiped away with his palm.

What do you think? I said.

Evan kissed Justin's shoulder. It's good.

It's tight, Brian said. Justin can't move.

Justin sat up, with a bit of effort. I can move.

You can move now, but when you're sick or freaking out and don't want hands on you, then what? You have no space.

Charlie really doesn't need to hear all this.

We're not getting a bed that's too small because you don't want to talk about your fucking nightmares.

He has a point, Evan said to Justin.

Shut it.

Brian got up from the bed. So, he said to me. Let's talk custom. He looked at the other two. You two stay where you are.

Justin snorted and got up. You're not picking out furniture without me. God knows what you'll get.

I'll run it by you. Lean on the wheelchair, at least, please.

Justin rolled his eyes, helping Evan back into the chair. Fine.

I walked with Brian towards the check-out desk to show him some catalogs, and he spoke to me quietly. “This is important to get right,” he said.

“I understand.”

“They're both...I mean, you can tell, they're really sick. This needs to be a comfortable place for them. I want them to be happy. This shouldn't be something they have to worry about.”

Justin and Evan were still by the bed they'd tried out. Justin was pushing Evan slowly back and forth on just the back wheels, and Evan reached up and kissed Justin underneath his chin.

“Well, a custom bed is a good way to spoil someone,” I said.

“That's the idea. So walk me through what we've got here.”

We decided on a Wyoming king—nice and wide, without any extra length they didn't need. I showed him our brands that would custom-make a frame to fit the mattress, once they special ordered one of those, and he picked out a few he liked and then turned around to get a look at Evan and Justin. They were having the dog do tricks and feeding her treats, and Evan signed, Tell her to do my English homework, and Justin laughed with his head back. Brian rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, and he waved until Justin looked over.

Justin came up and Brian knocked his head gently to the side. Okay, what do we have? Justin said, and Brian showed him the options. Oh, definitely this one.

See, I would have picked the right one. You don't have to babysit me.

Justin stood on his toes and kissed Brian's cheek. Prove it.

I walked Brian through the order form while Justin drifted back over to Evan and sat down on his lap. Every time I looked over, they were fucking around and laughing, challenging each other to pick the ugliest thing in the store, realizing with delight that now that there would be plenty of room Brian couldn't object to the dog being on the bed, putting their foreheads together and wrinkling their noses.

I rang up Brian and nodded behind him and said, “For the record?”

He looked, laughed a little.

“They seem pretty happy to me,” I said.