title: Blues In The Night
author: France, Christiane
description: To celebrate their reunion after a six-month work-related separation, Alain and his partner James have planned to meet up for the perfect dream vacation. When James calls with what Alain expects to be details of his arrival time at the first stop on their itinerary, James says he won't be joining him. He's met someone new, the temporary assignment has turned into a permanent job, and sorry, but their relationship is over.
  Alain leaves the hotel, hoping the sights and sounds of the city will help distract him from the shock of James' desertion, maybe stop him from trying to figure out ways of changing the unchangeable. As evening turns to night, he continues walking, up one street and down the next until music drifting up from a basement nightclub catches his attention. The singer's voice is distinctive, different, and it sounds like Kenny Dumaine, a man Alain met in his hometown a couple of years ago.
  Kenny doesn't remember him at first. But Alain is drinking heavily, and when he mentions what sounds like a romance gone wrong, Kenny recalls the circumstances of their first meeting. Alain had helped him out of a bad spot, and now it looks like he needs the favor returned. Kenny was attracted to Alain first time around, and although things never turned physical, that hasn't changed. As an entertainer, always on the move, he's learned to keep things casual. His last performance is the following night, and the next day he'll be gone. Where's the harm in offering an old acquaintance a little badly needed TLC?
  Genres: Gay / Contemporary / The Arts