Mack and Helen
Mack and Helen -A story of love and jealousy
By A. Blaine
Joel the wolf lay in the tall grass of the meadow idly, watching butterflies float overhead. He was feeling lazy, stupid, really inept to doing anything productive. He was OK with life and it was OK with him.
He felt good.
But most of all, he felt pleased and a little anxious, looking forward to spending the afternoon hanging out with Mack, his best friend. It had been a while since the fox had contacted him, but when he called the day before Joel couldn?t refuse his offer to get together. Mack said he wanted to see him again, wanted to talk. Joel could never turn down time with Mack.
He was just great. He was fun, exiting. Mack would make you laugh at the stupidest things, because he could make them funny. They had been best friends for countless years, and Joel would do anything for Mack, as likewise Mack would do anything for Joel.
Joel had been waiting for about half an hour, lying in the meadow, when he heard a car motor off in the distance and sat up. A little red Chevy was rolling down the dirt road, turning off to stop next to a large oak tree on the end of the meadow. Joel stood up, grinning, and brushed off his pants. The engine died, the door opened, and Joel waved as the driver got out.
Mack was a cheery sight; he was laughing and waving back instantaneously, his grin clear across the distance. The fox and the wolf ran to meet each other, and jumped into each other?s embrace. Joel laughed as Mack lifted himself up, putting all his weight on Joel?s neck and laughing uproariously.
?Macky!? Joel laughed as he let Mack down on the ground. ?You?re exactly the same as before... only maybe a little shorter.?
Mack smiled wryly and gave Joel a light punch on the shoulder. ?You?re no smarter than before, I notice,? he snorted with a grin, ?but I see you?ve sprouted like most wolves do. Very tall and muscular today, aren?t we??
Joel laughed and grabbed Mack, giving him a good head-knuckling. Mack yelped and thrashed wildly, laughing. ?Woah!! Stop it, Jo! Joel! Hey, quit it!!?
Mack broke free and kicked lamely at Joel?s footpaw. He rubbed his head carefully with his paws, smiling in spite of himself. ?That was mean! You?re bigger!? he giggled. Joel flopped down on the ground with a laugh. Same old Mack.
Mack let his head go and sat down next to Joel. ?The field?s just the same as when we were kids. Remember, Joel?? he asked. Joel nodded, smiling. ?Aye... that oak you?ve gone and parked under is the same one we used to climb when we raced each other to the top of a tree.? Mack laughed.
?Oi, my climbing days are over,? he snorted, and let himself fall backwards onto the tall grass to look up at the sky. Joel put on a wry grin and looked at Mack.
?Over? Macky, you?re still as thin as a beech!? he laughed. Mack chuckled and shook his head. ?I?m not much of the rugged type, though... probably wreck my pants, climbing trees. I?m still young, of that you can have no doubt.?
?We were born the same year, Mack! Of course you?re still young! Or else I wouldn?t be,? Joel said, smiling. Mack laughed and nodded. ?Golden years, these are, Joel. Golden years,? Mack said sagely.
Joel looked curiously at Mack. ?Mack,? he began slowly, ?you said you wanted to talk about something.?
Mack nodded. ?So I did,? he said with a sigh. He smiled at Joel. ?Wanna hear it, Jo??
Joel nodded with a grin. Mack sat up, looking exited, kind of like he was about to let out a secret. He actually looked around to make sure nobody was hearing. He suddenly giggled childishly. Same old Mack.
He leaned close to Joel and whispered, ?I met a girl.? He sat back, looking thrilled and delighted. Joel?s eyes widened and he smiled. ?You did?? he asked happily. Mack nodded excitedly.
?What?s her name?? Joel asked, leaning close again. Mack grinned.
?Helen,? he answered. ?Isn?t it just a fine name?? Joel whistled and nodded in agreement. ?She pretty??
?You have no idea,? Mack gasped, leaning back onto the grass. He put his arms behind his head, and his eyes closed as he imagined her. ?She?s the perfect vixen. She?s beautiful... her eyes are this sweet blue... the color of the sky today,? he said, opening his eyes and waving a paw at it. Joel looked up. The sky was like crystal today.
?What else?? Joel asked. Mack sighed. ?Mmmm...? he said, closing his eyes again. ?Hey hair?s like water... a warm brown, like chocolate... she moves with this like magic grace. She?s got this great personality, too... she?s so sweet... she laughs at my jokes..?
?Mack, to be honest, everyone laughs at your jokes,? Joel chuckled, and patted Mack on the chest. ?But I believe you. She must be great.?
?Oh, absolutely,? Mack sighed.
Joel smiled and looked up at the sky. So Mack had met a woman. Good for him! But a kind of knot had developed in his stomach. Why did he feel so awkward? Was it because he hadn?t met anyone yet?
?So what?s the stat between you two?? Joel asked.
?I asked her out twice already. She seems to like me... but I?m nervous about asking her to be my girlfriend,? Mack said. His eyes flew open and he sat up. ?Now, that?s where you come in.?
?Me?? Joel asked, suddenly taken by surprise. He must have looked comically shocked, because Mack got a good look of his face and suddenly burst out laughing. He fell back on the tall grass again, giggling, holding his face. Joel felt his ears flatten a little as he became annoyed, but he smiled, letting it go, and sighed.
?OK, what do you want me to do?? he asked, as Mack took a few deep breaths. He came back up, smiling and looking a little flushed. ?Well... I need a bit of advice,? Mack admitted with a shy grin. Joel raised his eyebrows.
?Advice? From me?? he asked. Mack nodded earnestly. Joel looked a little indecisive. ?Come on, Jo... pleeeease?? Mack pleaded, shifting onto his knees and clasping his hands together.
Joel laughed. ?OK, OK, Macky,? he sighed. ?But I?m not too good with girls... I think my advice won?t help much.?
?Oh but it will,? Mack said earnestly, and crawled over close to Joel. Joel sighed and looked pensive for a moment. Then he shrugged and looked at Mack.
?Have you tried telling her how you feel?? he asked. Mack shook his head slowly. Joel nodded. ?Well, the best way?s always the direct approach. You can just get her alone, talk about some stuff, and then just offhand say... ?Helen, how do you feel about me???
?That sounds good.. and then what??
?Weeeell... you let her respond. If she says like... ?I like you a lot,? ask ?Enough to be my girlfriend?? Yeah. Oh, and before she answers, flatter her. Interrupt her. Go like... ?It?s because we?ve been going out a bit, and I?ve found myself thinking about you a lot..? you know how to talk about her... you did it just now.?
Mack nodded with a face of enlightenment. ?Oh.. yeah, yeah!? he said enthusiastically.
?Tell her about how you think she moves with magic grace,? Joel suggested, but Mack couldn?t fail to miss the sarcasm. ?Oh, and now he?s teasing me!? Mack laughed, and jumped on Joel. Joel cried out and tried to wrestle him away, laughing, but Mack was very slippery, and very good at wrestling. Before long, Mack had him facedown in the grass, holding his arms behind his back and sitting on it.
?Lemmee gho, Mahckw,? Joel said, muffled through the grass. Mack laughed and let Joel?s hands go, but then lay out on top of him and put his arms around Joel?s neck. Joel groaned and got to all fours, and then grinned up at Mack?s face peeking over his shoulder. ?Will you stop fooling around?? he asked with a laugh. ?I thought you were worried about messing your clothes up.?
Mack flicked his nose teasingly and got off, straightening up and chuckling. ?Jo, it?s been so long,? he said warmly as Joel got up. Joel nodded with a smile and stretched. ?You wanna go off somewhere??
Mack opened his mouth, but then he stopped and looked worried.
?Oh man... Joel, you?re not going to believe this, but... I have a date with Helen in a couple of hours,? he said with a kind of sad grin. Joel?s smile faded a little. ?Oh. Well... that?s all good.. it?s all good.. we?ll make plans for some other time, right?? he asked. His voice sounded weak.
?Yeah,? Mack said, enthusiastic again. ?Yeah, and you know what?s great, I?m moving into your city for a while. Maybe years! I?ve begun studying in a collage there and everything..?
?Really?? Joel said, and his face brightened considerably. ?That?s excellent!?
?Yeah!? said Mack, and he grinned happily. ?You know, I could give you a ride back, if you want... how?d you get here??
?Oh no, I have a car parked back on the other side of the meadow... took the scenic route,? Joel said with a grin.
?Well great,? Mack said with a smile and he sighed. ?Well... I guess I?ll see you soon, then, right?? he asked. Joel nodded, smiling.
Mack smiled and walked backwards a little. ?Well, see you,? he said, and spun around to waltz back to his Chevy. Joel approached the car as it pulled out and straightened on the road, and waved as it drove away. He stood on the road, watching, for a long time after it left.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Joel sat in the chair, looking boredly down the cobbled street. It was nine-oh-two. Mack said he?d be there at seven-thirty. Joel sighed and put his head in his arms on the table outside their once-favorite café. Jon?s Cafe and Diner. Of course, that had been back in the town the grew up in. This was in the city.
Joel sighed and suddenly his cellphone rang. He reached into his jacket pocket, already knowing.
?Mack?? Joel asked as he pressed ?receive.?
?Jo!? Mack said a little off-handedly over the phone. Joel let his voice be soft. ?Yeah, don?t tell me... Helen and you are doing something again.?
?Yeah, I?m sorry about that.. lost track of the time,? Mack said apologetically over the phone. ?I?m so sorry. And we?re a little away from the city, so I-?
?-can?t make it,? Joel finished for him, and forced a smile, though Mack couldn?t see it. ?Yeah, it?s no big... just that you?re spending an awful lot of time with Helen lately... you haven?t been able to meet any of our arrangements.? There was silence and a little static over the line. Joel waited. ?Mack??
?I?m here, Jo... I?m sorry,? Mack said, and he sounded agitated. ?I?m being a jerk... I haven?t spent time with you at all..?
?No really, it?s OK,? Joel said, forcing a laugh. ?You win that girl... win her quick and then we can all get together.?
?Yeah,? Mack said. ?Will do, Jo.?
?So I?ll count on not seeing you tonight?? Joel asked.
?Yeah, count on it,? Mack said. His voice sounded a little dull.
?Yeah, OK. See you, Macky.?
?G?night, Jo.?
Joel hung up and stared at the cellphone. He sighed and slowly tapped it on the table. As if he wanted to bang it, but knew it would cause a scene and cost him a cellphone. He put it back in his jacket pocket and sunk deep in the chair, looking up at the sky. His vision was suddenly blurry, and he wiped his eyes hard with the back of his paws.
Guys don?t cry, damnit, he thought angrily, but he still felt sore inside just the same. Mack was drifting away slowly, and he was so upset. Why did he feel so hurt? He should be happy Mack had found someone. But at the same time, he felt this Helen was tearing Mack away.
Helen this and Helen that, Helen Helen Helen... he snarled in his head, and then he stopped. Ill thoughts to Helen wouldn?t help at all. What he had to do was...
Joel?s heart sank. He didn?t know what to do.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Four days later, Joel was lying on his bed, paws covering his face. He couldn?t think, he couldn?t sleep, he couldn?t eat? well, he could eat, but everything he tasted really just reminded him of ashes. Even pizza tasted awful, which was really unusual.
His thoughts kept turning to Mack and Helen. Actually, more to Mack. Helen was, as far as he was concerned, a thief and a witch. He hadn?t seen Mack in the longest time, and the fact that he was only a fifteen-minute drive away had thrilled him so? And now, he was completely miserable.
Of course, he couldn?t exactly be jealous, but he was sour. He was upset. Mack was his best friend. Helen probably had no idea what it was like to be denied your best friend. Mack certainly wasn?t really aware, either.
As Joel lay there, a queer thought came to him and he let out a grunt as he sat up.
No. No. I won?t start thinking like that, he thought angrily. Perhaps a little too angrily. But the thoughts came, however he tried to concentrate on something else. It seems that way with anything; you try not to think about it and it comes in even stronger.
Joel?s thoughts turned to Mack in a way he had never considered. ?Do I? love Mack?? he wondered aloud. He automatically berated himself for it.
NO! he spat. No. It?s wrong. Two guys just don?t go that way. It?s in the Bible, and everyone says it, and? and? His conjuring of reasons why he couldn?t be in love with Mack failed him.
The way he makes me feel? special, like someone really thinks what I say makes a difference. The way he asked me for advice? me! And I?ve always been so bad with girls? he knew that, didn?t he?
He bit his lip and stared hard at the wall. It was scary, thinking that.
I can?t think like that. Mack is my best friend. I won?t lose him for something stupid like this. We?ve always been incredibly close?he thought. But he couldn?t stop the last trickle of thought? I wish he felt the same?
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Joel took a sip of his coffee. It tasted awful. Why did people drink coffee? Why did he think it would help him feel better? Mack had been a letdown again last night. This time it had been ?go-karts.? Just what WERE go-karts? And who WANTED to ride a go-kart anyway?
Joel was absolutely furious now, tense and beady. He was absolutely sick of being ignored. Helen was now a frequent nightmare... a brown-haired, blue-eyed vixen the size of a Yeti with sharp razor claws and a cackling mad laugh. Joel wanted to flinch.
Suddenly his cellphone rang. He stood up, looking for it, and spotted it on the couch. Hadn?t he turned it off last night? He must have been too anguished to remember. He walked over to it and picked it up.
?Hello?? he said when he had pressed ?Receive.? He tried not to let his helpless state show.
?Hello?? Mack?s voice.
?Mack,? Joel said weakly. He wanted to throw the cellphone out the window. No, better yet... he wanted to toss HELEN out the window. And he had never even seen the bitch.
?Joel, I screwed up again, I?m sorry,? Mack said, and Joel was surprised by the complete sincerity in his voice. ?I?ve been a complete asshole these past weeks... I?m so sorry, Joel, I felt like an idiot all night and I kept having nightmares that you never wanted to talk to me again.?
?That?s not too far-fetched,? Joel said coldly, and he immediately regretted it. ?Mack, I?m sorry.. I shouldn?t have-?
?No, I understand,? Mack interrupted, his voice meager. ?I get it completely. I have to make it up to you. I have to come through, right? That?s what best friends do.?
?Yeah, I guess,? Joel mumbled.
?Look Jo... here?s what I propose, how about you come down to my house this afternoon? We?ll talk and fool around and stuff. You can even spend the night. How about it??
?I... it...? Joel began, and he stopped. It sounded too good to be true. But Mack was his BEST. He had to trust him. Because that was also what best friends did.
?Yeah, Mack,? he said with a slow, real smile. ?that sounds good. I?m trusting you on this.?
?Trust won?t be wasted this time. I cross my heart,? Mack said earnestly. Joel nodded to himself. ?OK. I?ll see you round what time?? he asked.
?If you want, come around at five. Later. Whenever you can.?
?Oh that?s right, I have a job interview,? Joel gasped. ?Listen Mack... is it OK if I arrive a little late, say around eight-thirty??
?That?ll be just super. We can hang around all tomorrow. Sound good??
?Yeah, it sounds great. I?m trusting you totally this time, remember.?
?Yeah, I?ll be there, Jo. Count on it.?
?So what was the address??
Joel pushed the gate open and walked up to the door. It was a kind of old house, but pretty to look out and OK well-off. Mack must have been doing well. He looked at the door curiously, and searched for the doorbell. He found the button on the wall and pushed it. He waited.
Joel?s heart was in his throat as seconds passed, and he was almost sure Mack had messed up again when suddenly the door opened and there was Mack, smiling.
?Mack!? Joel sighed in relief. They hugged each other cheerfully, and Mack held the door open for Joel.
?So, Joel,? he said as the wolf walked in and looked around. ?Let?s go up to my room, eh?? Joel nodded. ?Sure,? he answered. Mack closed the door, locked it, and went up the stairs, beckoning. The stairs were nice, antique, made of fine wood... the walls were wallpapered with bright colors, and there were a few pictures on the walls. Joel glanced at them as he went by, but none of them pictured the mysterious Helen who had stolen his best friend Mack?s heart. In fact, he saw more pictures of himself with Mack from their childhood than anything else.
Oddly enough, Joel couldn?t seem to get over the fact that Mack looked good tonight. Kind of arranged, as if he was going to a wedding or something of the sort. Not as elegant as a wedding... but he looked good.
Don?t you start that, he thought to himself, noting he suddenly thought Mack looked handsome.
Mack and Joel went into Mack?s room, and Mack closed the door behind them. He looked at Joel with a grin, but slowly it faded and he looked as if he wanted to say something.
?Cat got your tongue, Macky?? Joel asked wryly, walking around and looking the room over. Mack sighed.
?Jo, we need to talk,? he answered finally. Joel raised his eyebrows. ?Well, sure, Mack. What about??
?Well, maybe it?s better if you sat down,? Mack offered, motioning to the bed. Joel went to the foot of the bed and sat down on the edge, watching his best friend.
?We need to talk... about Helen,? Mack said with difficulty.
Joel rolled his eyes and looked off to the side. Helen. Helen. Always that stupid bitch. I hate her guts! I hate her slimy, rotten, good-for nothing looks and oh-so-perfect manner to hell! Damn her! It?s ALWAYS got to be her! It?s ALWAYS got to be Hele-
?There is no Helen, Joel.?
Joel?s head whipped back and stared. There were a couple of seconds of silence.
?What??
?There is no Helen.? Mack was smiling now. He looked kind of proud of himself. Joel?s mouth worked, but no sound would come out. He was completely struck dumb.
?There is no Helen,? Mack repeated, and walked to Joel, putting his arms on his shoulders. ?It was a lie. A fake, made-up person.?
?Why?? Joel finally managed to croak. Mack smiled half sadly, and half purely joyful.
?To make you infuriatingly jealous,? Mack said softly, and just like that, he leaned down and kissed him.
Joel saw stars. His head was in a whirl. And all he could think about for the moment was that he wondered what Mack was planning, but he KNEW what he was planning, for God?s sake... and he so wanted to go along.
This went on for several minutes until Mack broke the kiss and pushed Joel back onto the bed, then climbed up to kneel on his chest. Joel was quite speechless, and he was grinning wide at Mack, at the same time as his mind was racing. This isn?t right, this isn?t right? we?re two guys? but really, do I care? Mack giggled a little. Same old Mack.
?You wanted to make me jealous?? Joel asked disbelievingly. Mack nodded sheepishly and slid his fingers through Joel?s headfur. ?I... I really like you, Joel,? he said slowly, blushing. ?I mean really. You?ve always been the greatest guy I?ve ever known. My best friend.? Joel nodded. ?But I?ve found myself wishing you were around more, and suddenly I?ve been curious... curious of... well, you,? he continued, and smiled with extra blush on the you, which made it clear what he meant. ?I think I?m in love with you, Jo... but I knew you wouldn?t want to try to change our relationship. What if you got angry with me? What if you didn?t like me anymore??
?You?re so naive,? Joel laughed, a little nervously, and Mack made a shushing motion teasingly. ?How to make you want me, Jo? How do you make someone fall in love with you??
?Maybe I?ve always loved you,? Joel offered. Mack nodded.
?Exactly. But on mate level? Have you WANTED me, Joel?? he asked. He smiled wryly.
?Not until recently,? Joel admitted, and his ears swung back as they turned red with a blush. Mack laughed, pleased, and fell forward to lie length out on Joel.
?Ah, so you weren?t roughhousing in the meadow!? Joel laughed, understanding dawning on his face. Mack blushed.
?Well? your evil plan worked,? Joel said with a gentle smile, and, shyly, he licked the tip of Mack?s nose. ?I guess you?ve been doing a lot of agonizing over how far to push it, then??
?Oh, you have no idea,? Mack laughed, and leaned in. He kissed Joel again, and Joel kissed back. Their tongues intertwined, dancing with each other through their mouths, and kept sliding along each other?s teeth pleasurably. It was passionate, full, and loving.
When they parted, time had passed considerably. Joel took a deep, panting breath. Mack looked rather flushed and was gasping a little.
?How long did we do that?? Joel asked, looking bewildered. Mack shook his head with a grin. ?No idea.? Suddenly, Mack?s grin was truly devious. ?Jo...? he said slowly, ?Are you ready to move on to the next step??
Joel?s breath left him and he lay there, looking at Mack lying over him.
?Mack... you...?
?Your choice,? Mack said slowly. ?I did my part to make you fall in love with me... and here?s where I see the results.?
Joel stared at Mack. Thoughts crossed his mind. He looked indecisive. He looked worried.
?Mack, this is serious? this is HUGE? I mean? are you sure where you want to go??
Mack nodded. Joel?s eyes remained worried. ?What do YOU want, Jo?? Mack asked. Joe remained staring, his face screwed up in agonizing. But suddenly his face cleared, and he looked up at Mack with bright eyes.
?I love you enough to go anywhere, Mack... I always have..? he said, grinning. His vision blurred. Damn that Helen. She could never take his guy away from him. ?I love you so? damn much...?
Mack?s face broke into the most relieved and happy smile ever worn by Mack in his entire life, and he fell forward and wrapped his arms tight around Joel. The fox and wolf lay, hugging, trying not to cry from the sudden realization of how they felt.
After a minute or so, Mack looked up, smiling. He wiped a few tears out of his fur and sighed, his face bright. ?I don?t see how I lied to you, Jo,? he said with a chuckle. ?I would kill myself if I did... from now on, it?s all truth to you.?
?Well, here?s a truth I?d like to know... you stiff, Macky?? Joel asked, and blushed.
Mack laughed and licked Joel?s forehead. ?How about you find out, champ?? he asked coyly. He slid off the bed and slowly began to strip, while Joel watched, grinning.
Fifty-two minutes later, Mack snuggled up into Joel?s arms after having turned off the lights. The sheets were warm, the air in the room was peaceful and damp-like, and the streetlights through the window barely showed. Mack sighed happily and hugged Joel?s arms tighter around him.
?You know... you were right,? the wolf said, poking his head up over Mack?s shoulder. He nuzzled the fox?s ear a little and Mack laughed.
?Stop,? he said teasingly. ?What was I right about??
?I wouldn?t have wanted to change our relationship if you hadn?t helped me realize what I felt, and that I was ready to do this. It would have been like... well, it is. It?s like losing my best friend. I?ve lost my best friend.?
?Oh? So we?re not best friends anymore?? Mack asked.
?Well, no, we?re not,? Joel answered. ?We?re more than that. A lot more.?
Mack nodded. ?It?s like losing your best friend, I see... but Jo... someone once told me that mates are the greatest companions of one?s life. If you have a mate who never leaves you, you?ll have the greatest friend of a lifetime.?
?So... so a mate is just like your best friend?? Joel asked coyly. Mack nodded and laughed. ?Yes, that sounds right. They?re there for you. And that?s what best friends do.?
?So Macky... you want to be my mate then?? Joel asked. Mack laughed and reached up to kiss Joel lightly. ?I already am, love.?
Joel smiled and nuzzled Mack?s ear. Mack giggled. Same old Mack