Moving in Rhythm by Dev Bentham

into him like a massaging hand, working out his tension and fear. He wanted him to keep talking forever.
    “The problem isn’t the kids. They’re cute no matter what. It’s a couple of the adults, particularly the high school dance teacher. I don’t think she’s practicing outside of rehearsal and it’s frustrating, particularly in the piece we do together. I mean, I get that she doesn’t have time but I can’t do it on my own.” Seth paused.
    “That sounds difficult,” Mark lobbed into the silence. He didn’t want him to stop. His voice felt too good.
    Seth sighed. “It is. Maybe it won’t look so bad to the audience. Speaking of which, will you come?”
    Mark’s heart rate jumped again. “Uh, uh…” he stuttered.
    Seth rushed on. “Think about it, okay? I’d love to have you there. I’ll leave comp tickets for you and Lisa for opening night. Claire too, and Kate if she’s home. I think she’s scheduled to come home next week but it’s never…” He trailed off.
    Mark cleared his throat. He had to get past this. He was being an idiot.
    “Look,” Seth continued, “we wouldn’t need to talk or anything while you’re there.”
    Mark clenched Belle’s ruff with a sweaty hand. “Thanks,” he blurted. “That would be nice. I’d like to see you dance.”
    “Great,” Seth gushed. “That’s great. I’m so glad.”
    Another pause in the conversation. Next time maybe Mark could make a list of questions he could ask to keep things going so Seth wouldn’t notice how his brain froze.
    Seth cleared his throat. “Um, can I ask you a question?”
    “Sure.” As long as it can be answered monosyllabically.
    “This, um, problem you have. It’s only with other gay guys?” Seth asked tentatively.
    Mark swallowed. He stared at the ceiling, willing himself to speak. “Um, yeah.”
    “All gay guys?”
    Mark thought of James at the clinic. No nervousness there. “No.”
    “Only me?” Seth laughed nervously.
    Belle shifted and Mark realized how tightly he’d been clutching the poor dog’s fur. He spread his fingers and drew a breath. This was something anyone would be anxious about, right? “Uh, well, at the moment you’re about it. I only get…um…this way around men I’m, um, men I find, uh,” he floundered, feeling utterly ridiculous.
    “In that case I’m flattered.” Seth’s voice was very gentle.
    “Flattered but…” He closed his eyes and waited.
    “No, just flattered,” he said warmly.
    Mark didn’t know what to say. He should follow up with something more, but nothing came to mind. He glanced at Belle as if she might help him out. She didn’t look up. “So does that mean you’ve never been with a guy?”
    The question took Mark by surprise. He grunted. “No, I have. I mean, not a lot but I have.”
    Seth laughed. “With men you weren’t attracted to? That sounds unpleasant.”
    Mark snorted. “Oh, I was attracted to them. But we didn’t talk much.”
    “Oh.” There was a long silence. Mark focused on a lavender daisy in Lisa’s floral-patterned wallpaper, hoping for courage.
    Finally he cleared his throat. “So what are you going to do about the high school dance teacher?”
    Seth laughed. “I suppose homicide isn’t an option?” And the conversation veered onto safer ground.
    * * *
    It rained hard early the next week. Mark and Belle paced the house, darting out for short walks but not venturing into the torrential downpours for long. Wednesday dawned clear and Belle watched impatiently as Mark hurried through his morning’s work. Lisa lounged on the couch reading. She smiled when Mark deposited a sandwich beside her.
    Mark pocketed his own sandwich and announced, “We’re off to the dog park. Call if you need anything.”
    She nodded and returned to her reading.
    Belle flew out the door like a prisoner on furlough. She sniffed her favorite shrub, squatted to pee and galumphed in circles while Mark laced his running shoes. “Dog park” was evidently on