Egon Tusk #4

Love in the Quiet Moments

The bedroom was quiet, save for the rhythmic hum of crickets outside the window and the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. A warm glow from the bedside lamp cast soft shadows on the cream-colored walls, creating a cocoon of intimacy and peace. Egon lay nestled in Vivek’s arms, their bodies entwined beneath the thick duvet. The steady rise and fall of Vivek’s chest beneath his cheek grounded Egon, anchoring him in a moment of solace he hadn’t felt in years.

He sighed softly, tilting his head to meet Vivek’s gaze. “I feel better,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Vivek’s hand moved gently through Egon’s hair, his touch soothing. “I’m glad,” he said, his voice steady and warm.

“I think I’m ready to go back to work,” Egon continued, a hint of his usual confidence returning. “I’m feeling clear, focused.”

Vivek’s fingers paused mid-stroke, and he tilted his head, looking at Egon with a mixture of tenderness and caution. “Not yet,” he said quietly. “You’re required to stay for at least two weeks. The ashram was never meant to be rushed.”

Egon sighed, his brows furrowing. “Two weeks? Vivek, I can’t afford to be away for that long. Mars isn’t going to colonize itself.”

“It’s Christmas, Egon,” Vivek replied, his tone firm but kind. “The world slows down during the holidays. Work can wait. Your health—your clarity—can’t.”

Egon didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stared at the ceiling, his mind spinning with half-formed protests. But deep down, he knew Vivek was right. He always was.

Vivek leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Egon’s forehead, the gesture filled with a quiet strength that made Egon’s chest ache. “There’s something else we need to talk about,” Vivek said, pulling back just enough to meet Egon’s eyes. “Something we’ve been avoiding for too long.”

Egon frowned, shifting slightly. “What is it?”

Vivek hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line as he searched Egon’s face. “Your faith,” he said finally, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and concern. “Where do you stand with it?”

Egon blinked, caught off guard. “Faith?” he repeated, his tone incredulous. “That was years ago, Vivek. I, like so many others, fell away. The church... it’s become something else. Corrupt, asking for money all the time. It’s not about God anymore; it’s about power.”

Vivek nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. “I understand. But faith isn’t just about the institution, is it? It’s about what you carry with you—the principles that guide you. Tell me, Egon, which of the Commandments still matter to you?”

Egon frowned, his mind reaching back to a time when Sunday mornings were spent in uncomfortable pews. “Thou shalt not kill,” he said after a moment, his voice steady. “That one’s obvious. And... honor thy father and mother, I suppose. It taught me discipline, even when I didn’t agree with them.”

Vivek smiled faintly, his eyes warm. “Good choices. But what about the Two Commandments?”

Egon’s brow furrowed. “The... Two Commandments? I don’t think I’ve heard of those.”

Without a word, Vivek reached over to the nightstand and picked up a small, leather-bound Bible. He opened it with practiced ease, flipping to a well-worn page in Matthew. Handing it to Egon, he pointed to the passage.

“Read,” Vivek said softly.

Egon hesitated but took the Bible, his eyes scanning the text. Slowly, he read aloud, his voice faltering as the words began to sink in.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

He paused, the weight of the words settling over him like a blanket. “This... this is true Christianity,” he murmured, his voice tinged with awe. “Why don’t the churches focus on this?”

Vivek leaned back against the headboard, his expression somber. “Because it doesn’t serve their purpose. The Ten Commandments are rules, easy to enforce, easy to use as a means of control. But these?” He gestured to the Bible. “These are about freedom, about responsibility to love and care for one another. They threaten the hierarchy the church has built.”

Egon set the Bible down, his hands trembling slightly. “And this... this woke stuff everyone talks about? How does this fit in? It’s... it’s ruining lives.”

At first, his words were sharp, tinged with frustration, but Vivek didn’t flinch. Instead, he reached out, taking Egon’s hands in his own.

“Egon,” Vivek said gently, his voice like a balm. “Think about it. How is diversity, equity, and inclusion—caring for those who are marginalized—not an act of love? How is it not living out the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself?”

Egon’s anger began to dissipate, replaced by a quiet introspection. He looked away, his jaw tightening as he processed Vivek’s words.

Tears began to fill Vivek’s eyes, his chest shaking as he struggled to speak. “Egon, when we go back, I want to do something. I want to start a foundation. The budget cuts that stripped away funding for pediatric cancer research? I want to fix that. I want to fully fund the research and more.”

Egon’s breath hitched as he listened, his heart aching at the raw emotion in Vivek’s voice.

“And that’s not all,” Vivek continued, his voice trembling. “I want to work with food pantries, to help families who go hungry every day. And in India... I want to clean the Ganges. I want to develop nanotechnology to restore it, to make it safe again. And the slums—I want to buy up the land and build decent housing for the people who live there. They deserve dignity.”

The tears spilled over now, and Vivek wiped at his cheeks, his composure slipping. “I know it’s a lot, Egon. I know it’ll be expensive. But if we don’t do it, who will?”

Egon reached out, pulling Vivek into his arms. He held him tightly, his own eyes stinging as he buried his face in Vivek’s hair. “It will be expensive,” he murmured. “But what’s a couple of billion dollars compared to giving you happiness?”

Vivek let out a shaky laugh, his tears dampening Egon’s shirt. “You’re impossible,” he whispered, his voice breaking.

They stayed like that for a long time, wrapped in each other’s arms, the silence between them heavy with love and unspoken promises.

As Vivek’s breathing slowed, the familiar rhythm of his slumber washed over Egon like a lullaby. He kissed Vivek’s cheek, his heart swelling with a newfound purpose.

“If Vivek wants three billion,” Egon whispered to himself, a smile tugging at his lips, “I’ll match it. No—double it. Make it ten billion.”

He closed his eyes, the weight of his decision settling over him like a comforting embrace. For the first time in years, he felt truly at peace.