John, Jeremy, Michael

by Luke Edward Harper

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Original Work contact.lukeharper@gmail.com

 1.

John, Jeremy, Michael

_____________________

KING: You know, I really do wish Jeremy could've been here

to see--

QUEEN: No you don't. Of course you don't.

KING: Well, our energies… didn’t really vibe, like we never

really got along--

QUEEN: Never got along?!

KING: Michael kept us together, I think, right? Anyway,

Jeremy should be here.

QUEEN: You think, but I know.

KING: Yeah, and like, I couldn't have known about the

nightmares and I never met John.

QUEEN: You wouldn't have needed to meet John, sweetie.

Everyone's met John. Everyone's met a gay hair stylist with
a flare for the dramatic who doesn't talk to his mommy and
daddy anymore.

KING: That used to be you--

QUEEN: That used to be all of us.

They were sitting upright, ablaze

against the archaic paleness of the
church hall. Distanced from the
others, the clashing royal pair
snapped around, contorted their
faces with every regal enunciation,
inhaled the silences.

QUEEN: John was living alone for a long time before Jeremy
came along. I forget if Jeremy was looking for work or what.
But I remember that summer because both Jeremy and I really
needed a place to stay, but you and I had each other.
Anyway, I guess that's how Jeremy found out about the
nightmares because--

KING: Because how could you not?

QUEEN: How could you not?! The screaming and all of that?!
Exactly.

KING: Mmhm. Why didn't Jeremy tell us?

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 2.

QUEEN: John told him not to. I get it. Honey, if I can't
handle being in bed by myself - by myself?! I don't need
anyone to know that. And that's really why Jeremy stayed.

KING: Because he loved John?

QUEEN: No, darlin’. Jeremy just cared. He cared a lot. And

then he cared so much that he fell in love with that raving
lunatic.

KING: Tea.

QUEEN: Oh no, this is bourbon.

Both let out bellowing cackles,

glittering conspicuously in sequins
and boisterous colors. The other
guests, in their paste-colored,
mass-produced formal attire, paid
them no mind. Couples jived and
pranced about, smelling of musky
cologne or floral deodorant. The
drag king and queen kept to a
corner of the reception space,
clicking their teeth.

QUEEN: You know, Jeremy slept in the bed with John that
first night. It wasn't even a flirty thing, like he actually
felt so bad and wanted to help. And John eventually got
better.

KING: What? He went to therapy.

QUEEN: I don't know, if you’re lucky, right? Anyway, you

remember how Jeremy was such a sweetie. Remember the time I
got a nail in his food? Oh my god. We were getting Thai and
I got a fake nail in his food by accident somehow and he was
so mad but he didn't say anything and he ate the whole thing
anyway! I was watching the whole time - he just kept eating
around it!

The drag king and queen buckle and

heave, banging on the table,
screeching like perched birds.
Their drinks, a green tea and a
bourbon, smack together.

QUEEN: That's why he stayed.

KING: So wait, the nightmares just went away?

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 3.

QUEEN: Over time, I guess. Jeremy was always there, so John

would wake up to Jeremy every time and the bad dreams just
stopped after a while. I’ll never forget--

The two lean in. The drag queen is

shaking their head.
QUEEN: I'll never forget when Jeremy told me John died. He
said he never wants to go out the way John did.

KING: I thought he died in his sleep.

The drag queen fell silent, for the

first time in maybe their whole
life, probably.
QUEEN: (beat) Well, he died having a nightmare. Jeremy was
there. It was the same one he used to have all the time, I
guess. John died having a nightmare about trying to save his
ex. The same thing that happened to Jeremy happened to John
first.

KING: John's ex?

QUEEN: Yeah, I don't know how he died. I don’t know if

Jeremy did. I don't want to bring it up with Michael
obviously. But it would be the same dream every time, isn’t
that funny? And I think John had it again for the last time
when he died. Shit is…

BOTH: Fucked up.

KING: Well, luckily Jeremy had a therapist.

QUEEN: Jeremy was a tortured soul long before John. I'm glad
Michael didn't get tangled up in that.

KING: He lived with him for a while, didn't he?

QUEEN: I thought it made sense, really. Michael needed a

place to stay since he just graduated and Jeremy was so
lonely. You have to remember, honey, Jeremy had nobody, and
John had even less. Worse off than us. Nothing like what
Michael has.

They glanced down at their

manicured hands, listening to the
squeals and chatter around them.

QUEEN: So Michael took care of him. Michael's a really

gentle, upstanding kid. Always has been. I mean, really.
Great upbringing and all that, good head on his shoulders.
And today he's getting married.

KING: They grow up so fast.

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 4.

QUEEN: So fast and it's such a better world now.

The drag king puts a hand on their

heart, slipping their fingers under
their lapel.

QUEEN: Look at us. We were invited to look like this and

it's not even a prank or something. I love the kid. And his
parents are marvelous. His mom is so funny.

KING: And his father--

QUEEN: Don't get me started on the daddy, honey.

They clink their drinks again,

grinning, giggling. They're onto
water now.

QUEEN: I actually met the father when Michael moved out. We

were both helping him move. That day broke Jeremy. That
day...was the nail in the coffin. God, I miss that sweet
man. So troubled.

KING: He's here, I think, you know? In a way?

QUEEN: Sure.

The drag queen unfurls a fan that

reads,

"Groomswoman."

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