Glass Tidings

Glass Tidings (2018) Amy Jo Cousins

Something caught at my memory and made me think of this story.

Eddie witnesses a hit-and-run accident, and is asked to remain in town over night until the police can take his statement.

A soft jacket dropped onto his shoulders. Eddie shrugged it off reflexively. The man caught it before it hit the ground.

“I’ve got . . .” Eddie waved at his pants. Blood.

As he had nowhere else particular to be, he ends up taking Grayson’s offer of work for the holiday, and while they wait to see if they can find the driver of the hit and run.

Eddie grew up in a group home, and has been on his own since he was sixteen, working the Ren Faire circuit. So he trusts no one and relies on no one.

Too many years of seeing the knowing looks when anyone in a position of authority found out he was “one of those boys” from the group home had forever changed Eddie’s physical reactions, to the police in particular.

Grayson has been alone for ten years, after his boyfriend moved on to greener pastures. Most of the time he doesn’t mind, but having someone in his home has made him think he was perhaps lonely.

What works especially well for me in this story, is that both are set in not trusting anyone, and assuming the worst will happen if they do mess up and let someone in.

But neither is as hard and closed off as they believe.

Maybe he hadn’t wanted to stay at first, but there was no denying his setup was sweet. No rent, a place to work, and Gray thinking twenty percent was a fair seller’s percentage?

Eddie almost felt bad. Like, maybe Gray didn’t understand how this worked— although he had that shop and oughta know better— and probably Eddie was being a douche for not reminding Gray that vendors kept half, or more, but fuck it.

But the two slowly come to open to each other, and it’s lovely and sweet.

Reading was something Eddie had only ever done as a defense, as a way to remove himself from the world. He’d never imagined reading could be something he’d do with someone. Something to share.

The other thing I found particularly well done was the bit about the hit and run. There is follow through, so you realize there really wasn’t an easy solution for anyone involved.

Rating: 8.5/10

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