“Is this safe?” Zack stood frozen on the decking. He had cooperated while he was strapped into the safety harnesses. He didn’t say a word while Brian checked his helmet and the straps after the crew was finished with him. He went pale when it was his turn to step off the decking into thin air.

“Remember the safety video. Watch the guide. I’m right behind you. And don’t look down. You’ll be fine. I promise.” Brian wasn’t going to be a dick and lie to him. They were way the hell up in the air. Anything could happen. “I’ll see you at the first stop. You’ve got this.”

Zack nodded and wriggled his gloved hands before grabbing onto the line. Brian checked his harness again and smiled. Zack smiled back. Well, half-smiled. He looked terrified. “I’ve got this. I’ve got this. I’ve got this. When we get on solid ground I’m kicking your ass.” He dragged in a long breath. His color evened out a bit.

“And I will bend over and hold still while you do it,” Brian said in all seriousness. “You got this, babe. Let go and fly.”

“Okay.” Zack closed his eyes as if he was offering up a prayer and when he opened his eyes again he nodded to the attendant. One last check and he stepped off the end of the wooden platform.

“Open your eyes, Zack,” Brian called out to him as he helped hook his rigging to the line. “Look at the rainforest. Smell the trees and the flowers. Don’t look down.”

“Fuck you, Brian,” he heard on the air.

Brian laughed and when it was his turn, he followed Zack.

He did this for a living, but he’d never gone ziplining through a rainforest. He wasn’t going to miss this for the world. Even if he couldn’t drag Zack out on another adventure, he’d gotten him to experience this. The line wasn’t fast, it wasn’t slow either. The first leg was the highest. The trees were dense around them. He looked down, but only saw tree tops. The air was humid and the sun felt so sweet through the greenery above.

They’d watched the sun come up on the drive out from the ship. At the end of this breakfast would be at a place at one of the beaches the ship recommended. Breakfast was always better after these types of excursions.

Zack waited his turn on the first landing platform, he wasn’t quite as pale, but still shaky when Brian landed. “It was good, yeah?” He asked, hoping to help Zack work past his fear. Zack nodded. He looked a little queasy. “You should come see me in Cali next chance you get, we have one that goes over a ravine. I love it.”

“Oh, god.” Zack’s pale face turned green. He reached for Brian’s hand and squeezed while he leaned over the side of the platform and lost his supper.

Brian patted him on the back while he purged. Members of their group went ahead of them. “It’s okay, Zack. It’s okay. Get it out.” Brian was starting to regret forcing this on his friend.

“How many more of these stops did they say there were?” Zack whispered when he came up for air. Brian fished in his backpack for a bottle of water. Zack took a slug and rinsed his mouth spitting the foul into the greenery below.

“Four more.” Brian rubbed him between his shoulder blades while he calmed down. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have sprung this on you.”

Zack took a long drink of water and swallowed this time. He looked better. He handed the bottle back and adjusted his helmet. “No, it’s okay. I can do this. I can do this. Besides, there’s no other way down.”

“Dude, you made it through four years of med school you can do anything. I couldn’t make it through an undergraduate program. You got this.”

The green turned back to pale before normal color started to return to his face. “There are kids doing this. I’m the only one puking my guts up.”

He wasn’t. There were a couple of people who hadn’t made it to the platform before tossing their cookies, but Brian didn’t point out that detail. They fell in line at the end of their group and slowly made their way to the edge of the platform. This time Zack went willingly. Brian shouted out to him to open his eyes again and heard a whoop in return. He didn’t know if it was a terrified ‘I’m going to die’ whoop or if mister uptight was starting to let loose. He smiled and followed Zack to the next stop.

They made it to the ground long after the last of their group. Zack waited for him at the last platform with a smile on his face. Brian landed and grinned at him.

“See, it was fun. I told you it would be fun. Next trip I’ll get you on a hang glider.” He pulled off his harness while Zack struggled out of his. He seemed wobbly. Brian ran to him, falling into his arms to hug his friend. Zack wrapped his arms around him and held on. He dragged in several deep breaths while he got his land legs back. “You doing okay, Doc? You need me to call an ambulance?”

“Fuck you, so very much,” Zack whispered in his ear but he laughed afterward. “I thought I was going to die. But it was gorgeous. So gorgeous. And fun. After I puked. God, it was awesome.”

Brian laughed with him and hugged him for as long as he needed, hoping the tour bus wouldn’t leave without them. “It was awesome. You were awesome. We can go back up if you want to. We can call a cab or something to take us back to the ship later.”

“Fuck no.” Zack stepped away quickly. He moved faster than Brian had seen him move since that time they were kids and they’d picked up a snake that looked suspiciously like a stick. “Just no. You promised me breakfast on a beach somewhere. I believe swimming with sharks would be more fun than a second trip up that… thing.”

Zack was moving down the ramp to the ladder that led to the ground before Brian could catch his breath. He followed after handing off his gear. They made it back to the bus just as it was preparing to leave. Zack eased into the seat they’d occupied on the trip out. Brian fell in beside him, Zack’s hand came to rest on his thigh as if they did this every day.

Brian looked up to find the old biddy from the bar the day before watching them from a couple of rows ahead. He stared her down and slid his hand into Zack’s for good measure. This was his damned honeymoon and no damned hag was going to make him feel bad for holding hands with the man he loved.

Even if this wasn’t a real honeymoon, she still needed to mind her own business.

She glared at him and motioned for the tour guide whispering something to him. Both of them turned to Zack and Brian.

“Oh, for all that’s holy, people, they’re on their honeymoon, mind your own damned business and let's go we’re starving.” Someone shouted from a couple of seats back.

The bus driver seemed to agree. They took off. Zack stared out the window silently. Brian stared straight ahead, just as silent. Zack’s fingers tightened around his and Brian’s heart thumped hard in his chest.

When they stopped again the old woman who wanted to make their lives miserable was quick to disappear into the crowds along the street heading down to the beach and the shops and restaurants where they’d spend the next few hours before heading back to the ship. Before Brian and Zack could stand up, one of the ladies from their Mexican excursion walked past and squeezed Brian’s shoulder. She winked and he knew who’d come to their defense.

“People are strange,” Zack said when they were the last on the bus. “Did you bring the sunscreen? It’s going to be hot now that the sun is fully up and I’m already burning.”

“I got you covered, babe.” Brian slung the backpack he’d packed hastily this morning before they left. It had their trunks, money, passports, and IDs with a few other necessities like sunscreen, bug spray, and water.

Zack snorted, his eyes sparkling with laughter. “Good one.” He pulled his Maui Jims out of his pocket and shoved Brian out of the seat. “Come on, let’s eat something before my stomach remembers it doesn’t like you right now.”

“As long as your heart loves me, then I don’t care what your stomach thinks of me.” Brian was well aware that he was using his flirting tone of voice but damned if he cared. Zack stopped as they exited the bus and for a moment Brian thought he’d gone too far. Zack simply reached for his hand and with a long put-upon sigh, he dragged Brian into the crowd toward the restaurant they’d been recommended. An older couple who’d seen the sights with them in Mexico waved from a table in the open-air place inviting them to join their table. Zack dragged him through the restaurant to their table, only releasing his hand to slide his chair out for him.

“Thanks, babe,” Brian said when Zack sat beside him. His chest grew tight and he felt as if it was his turn to have someone yell out not to look down. He didn’t want to open his eyes though. If he was dreaming he never wanted to open his eyes again.

* * * * *

“You two are just the cutest,” the lady said as other people took the chairs around them. Zack pulled up his chair beside Brian, wondering what it was they were seeing between them. Brian was unusually quiet while the table filled with people and waiters bustled around them. There were no menus on the table and no one took orders. Drinks came. Water followed by orange juice in champagne flutes and still, no one took their order or handed out menus. “How long have you been together?” She asked a minute or two later when the hustling for seats had stopped.

“Uh,” Zack said for lack of anything better. As in how long had they been a couple? Or how long had they known each other? He didn’t know how to answer that question.

“Since high school,” Brian answered when Zack didn’t and took a long drink of his orange juice only to come up sputtering. “Oh, that’s not orange juice.”

“Mimosas, love. We ordered for everyone, hope y’all don’t mind. I know it’s early for champagne, but it’s brunch, so I thought why the hell not. And I’m treating so don’t worry about the cost. I know most young couples just starting out don’t have a pot to piss in.” The husband of the nice lady just nodded along as if everything was fine and dandy and drained his Mimosa while she said she was paying for the ten or so people at their table. “So, high school sweethearts, how about that. I’m so happy to see young people in love.”

“We’re…” he didn’t want to burst her bubble. But he couldn’t let them think this was anything but what it was.

“Happy as two clams in one shell,” Brian finished for him. “We didn’t get to spend much time together while Zack was in medical school, it’s been a tough four years. We decided we should do this before he starts his residency. We might not have another chance just to get away from family and work and school. Not like this.  It’s been fun. So happy we did this.”

Zack reached for Brian’s hand under the table and squeezed it hard. Brian squeezed back and turned a beatific face up to him. Zack had to force himself to breathe, the love shining in his friend’s eyes nearly killed him. The lie though, he was laying it on thick. Because why?

“Oh, you’re a doctor?” the lady next to them asked as she drained her Mimosa. Everyone looked pleasantly buzzed and Zack wondered how many glasses had they already had before Zack and Brian had joined them.

“I’m working on it,” Zack answered and took a long drink of the Mimosa. It was bitter. Like champagne mixed with orange juice. Not bad. He took another drink. “I have the sheepskin that calls me one. I have to start the hard part now.”

“Sounds incredible. And what does your husband do?” She asked Zack because Brian was busy draining his Mimosa.

“Husband? Oh? What do you call what you do, Brian?” Zack didn’t want to answer for his friend. And he didn’t know exactly what Brian really did, besides guiding tours at an adventure park.

“I own half of an adventure style amusement park in California. We do things like that zip line and I lead excursions into the canyons and the redwood forest in the off-season. It’s not a six-figure job, but I love it. I get to be outside all day and sleep under the stars at night. The only life I want,” Brian answered almost absently.

“You own half?” That was news to Zack. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s not that big of a deal. It’s not like it pays any more, or there’s less work. Anyway, I’m starving are there any menus?” Brian changed the subject hastily. No one noticed, except Zack. Their table mates were losing interest in them now that food was coming from the back.

The wait staff brought out plate after plate of the same meal. Scrambled eggs topped with salsa on a bed of beans and rice with a side of fried plantains and avocados.

“Oh, that looks delicious, Marta, that’s why we always come here when we’re in the country,” their host said to the waitress. “Oh, meet Zack and Brian, they’re on their honeymoon. Such lovely young gentlemen.”

Brian snorted, Zack kicked him under the table. Grace was said. Food was eaten. It was weirdly surreal. The disapproving family took the bus back to the ship rather than stay in the same restaurant as a couple of unnatural… Zack couldn’t hear the rest of her complaint over the compliments to the cook and questions about their plans once they returned to real life.

“I don’t know,” Zack said, because he didn’t know. And being or not being married to Brian, wasn’t the reason. He had no idea what the next four years held for him. He had no idea what the next four years would do to a marriage. “I don’t know where I’ll be placed.”

“We managed the last seven years, we’ll figure out the next four,” Brian said as if it was something that mattered. They weren’t actually married; the next four years wouldn’t mean anything to their relationship. “This is wonderful plantain. Love this recipe.”

“Well, if anyone can do it, I think the two of you can. You’re an inspiration,” the lady’s husband said with a wink to them both. “But if I’m not mistaken, we have some serious shopping to get to. Y’all stay and enjoy.”

“Thank you for having us,” Brian said, scraping his plate clean. “Just delicious. Thank you.”

The group departed slowly as they finished their meals, leaving Zack and Brian lingering over their Mimosas. “I didn’t have the heart to tell her we aren’t married,” Brian confessed looking upset.

“Me neither,” Zack had to agree. The pit in his stomach didn’t lessen any. “It’s not like we actually said we were married. Just on our honeymoon. Everything we said was the truth. Wasn’t it?”

Brian shrugged. “Mostly, yes. Want to go swimming first or go shopping? We have plenty of time for both.”

“Swim. I guess. It’s been years since I’ve been to a beach. Last time was spring break the year you dropped out. We went to San Diego on break. Your parents about flipped.” He stopped reminiscing. That’s when he lost Brian. He met the love of his life on that trip and dropped everything to take the job at the park. He left Zack behind that year.

“They flipped more when I dropped out of school. We still don’t talk about that year.” Brian wiped his mouth and flagged down a passing waiter to ask for the bill. He was brushed off in Spanish and replied in Spanish. “I’ll be, they really did cover the check. And there’s no tipping here. I could get used to this… not the check.” He waved at the scenery around them, the quaint restaurant, the beachside village, the sandy beaches, the green mountains off in the distance. “This is the life, right here.”

“You’re just a beach bum at heart, aren’t you?” The realization kicked Zack in the balls. If they were married, not that he thought for a minute that was even possible, Brian would never give up his life in California. Not even for Zack.

“Guilty as charged.” Brian scooted his chair out and stepped behind Zack to help him out of his seat. “Let’s go walk this off. And find a nice quiet spot to get wet.”

Zack followed him out onto the sidewalk and flipped his sunglasses down. They didn’t hold hands this time. But Zack wanted to. God, how he wanted to.