Brief Encounters

Title: Every Time a Bell Rings
Author: Missy Welsh
Length: 14,000 words (48 pages)
Publisher: MLR Press
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: A-

Blurb:

Brian dropped everything last year when his mother became ill so he could take care of her until the day she died. People he thought were friends didn’t stick with him and he’s somehow become kind of a recluse without meaning to be. Only Mike, his best friend since they were kids, has stuck by him and is now saving him from homelessness after a fire destroys Brian’s apartment building days before Christmas. Though Mike has to go down South for the holiday, Brian stays in Mike’s apartment with his slightly singed kitten Oreo. Brian’s only goal is to set his affairs back in order before everything shuts down for the holidays and then make it through those holidays in one piece. He’s lost so much—his only real possession is a photo album of his mom that he risked death to save from the fire— and he’s feeling lost and very alone…until Mike, his hot neighbor Trent, and even little Oreo conspire to give Brian the best Christmas possible and a future that looks a lot brighter.

Review:

This short story starts on a bit of a depressing note. Brian’s apartment has burned, and he’s managed to escape with only his kitten Oreo and a singed photo album, all he has left of his mother who recently passed. However, his best friend Mike jumps in to help and offers his apartment, although he’ll be gone to visit family. Trent, Mike’s oh-so-perfect neighbour, in Brian’s opinion, offers to help any way he can.

While this could have been a rather depressing story, it wasn’t despite moments of sadness as Brian remembers the loss of his mother, and to top it off, the loss of everything he owns, and he doesn’t even have a job as he quit to care for his ailing mother. But despite it all, he’s got a sense of humour about life. He can tease Mike about kissing cousins in his home in Oklahoma, he can even laugh at himself a bit for his fumbling attempts at small-talk with Mr. Hotness, Trent and those moments of lightness manage to keep the story from being maudlin. Trent may come across as a bit too perfect, but the story is only Brian’s vision of a guy who not only meets every physical requirement he has in a man, but is kind to him as well, so it’s understandable he sees him as a bit perfect. As well, the story only takes place over about 48 hours, so he doesn’t have much time to find any imperfections.

I will be honest, I started to get concerned as the story was growing to a close on Christmas eve and they’d only known each other two days. Would there be the awkward declaration of undying love in order to fit the HEA for Christmas theme that seems to crop up all too often? Whew. No there wasn’t. There were thoughts of “maybe I could love this man” but basically it ended as I thought it should. Two guys, insanely attracted to each other, who think they even like each other, so let’s see what happens.  It was a perfect ending for the story.

I would love to see more about Mike, Brian’s flaming best friend who claims he “butches it up” when he goes to visit his family who choose, I think, to remain clueless as to his sexuality. The innuendo and bad pun laden conversation between Brian and Mike was very funny and I think Mike finding his Mr. Right would also be a good story. So I highly recommend this one when you want light, but with a bit of an underlying seriousness that doesn’t overwhelm the spirit of the season.