Gardner Vance sat frozen in his seat as Leo Brown read him his rites over the telephone. One of his senior executives, the one he hand selected to work with Vanguard’s finest had called the office on Friday morning from his hospital bed with a horrendous account of an assault, fueled by adultery. How dare Brian Kinney would abuse Brown Athletics hospitality by first seducing Kevin’s wife, then putting Kevin in the hospital?

“Mr. Brown are you certain it was Brian? I...I can’t see.......” Gardner stuttered.

“What kind of operation are you running Vance? Don’t you dare stand up for him!” Leo Brown was livid.

“Leo, there must be some mistake, a horrible misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding? Kevin spent the weekend in the hospital. He has three cracked ribs, a broken nose, wires in his jaw, lacerations over both eyes, and a missing front tooth. Does that sound like a goddamn misunderstanding to you? You’ll be hearing from my lawyers!” Leo Brown slammed the phone down.

Gardner Vance leaned back in his chair, and massaged the area above his eyes. What the hell had just happened? This must be a nightmare. There’s no way that Brian could have done what Leo Brown had accused him of doing. “Cynthia, send Brian in here please.” he called over the speaker phone.

“Brian’s not here sir. He called in sick.” Cynthia informed him.

“THEN CALL HIM AT HIS GODDAMN HOUSE!” Gardner bellowed. “TELL HIM TO GET HIS ASS HERE RIGHT NOW!”

Brian thumbed through a vintage edition of The Green Lantern as Michael tallied his profits from the morning rush newspaper sales. “I don’t see how you can be so calm, you just threw your whole career away.” Michael said.

“What would you like me to do, slice my wrists?” Brian  asked.

“If it was me I’d throw myself on Vance’s mercy, and beg for my job back.”

“Thank god I’m not you.” Brian continued to look through the comic.

“Maybe if you told your side of the story....”

“Yeah right, I’ll tell Gardner that I beat the shit out of the executive partner of his number one client because he fucked my boyfriend. I’m sure he’ll understand.” Brian said sarcastically.

“I told you not to do it. I told you to leave it alone, but you had to get revenge didn’t you?”

Brian closed the comic book, and looked at his friend. “Yes Michael, I had to get revenge.” he said. “I tried it your way. I tried to leave it alone just like you told me to, but it got to the point where I couldn’t look at Justin without thinking about what Kevin had done to him. You weren’t there all those nights when I watched Justin fighting in his sleep. You didn’t have to listen to him pleading for Kevin to stop. It was killing me Michael, I had to do something.”

“So you fucked his wife.”

“I took from him what he took from me, the one thing that he cherished most, the only thing in his miserable life that he loved.”

“If you ask me it wasn’t worth it.”

“That’s why I’m not asking you.” Brian tossed the comic book onto the counter, and exited Michael’s store, slamming the door behind him.

There was really no hurry to go back to the office. What difference would it make if he cleaned out his desk today, or tomorrow? If he waited long enough perhaps Cynthia would do it for him, and Gardner would send his things, along with his pink slip via Federal Express. The last thing Brian wanted to face was the goddamn secretarial pool. By now the news of his getting canned was surely the Monday morning main topic around the water cooler. Brian shook his head, this was going to look great on his resume. Reason for leaving your last place of employment: For kicking my client’s ass.

Brian’s thoughts were interrupted by the ringer on his cell phone. Yep, it was Vanguard Advertising calling. Brian turned off the noise, and stuffed the phone back into his front jeans pocket. He thought about going home, but decided against it. Gardner would surely be flooding his line with messages, and right now Brian didn’t even want to see the flickering light on his answering machine. With Justin at school, and everyone else at work, the only place left to go was to the diner.

Debbie was taking a much deserved break following the morning breakfast rush. She noticed the casual sweater, and jeans when Brian removed his jacket. “Playing hooky today?” she asked.

“Playing hooky forever. Coffee, black.” he ordered.

Debbie poured the hot java, and brought it over to the counter where Brian was sitting. “So they canned you huh? I’m sorry sweetie.” she said.

“Not as sorry as I am.” Brian took a sip from his cup.

“There’s other jobs Brian.”

“I’m thirty years old...”

“Thirty-one.” she corrected him.

“Thank-you, thirty one.” Brian corrected himself.

“Thirty-one isn’t old Brian. You have plenty of time to start over, rebuild your career.”

“It took me five years to make partner Deb. I worked like a dog. I’ll be a worn out old man, gulping Maalox by the gallons, with an ulcer the size of a grapefruit before I reach that level again. Not to mention, who’s going to hire a PR man who kicked the shit out of his client’s ass? Christ what the hell was I thinking? Do you know I almost killed that that son-of-a-bitch?”

“I’m glad you didn’t kill him, but that asshole Kevin deserved it, and you know it.” Debbie said.

“No, I didn’t kill him. I killed my career.” Brian shook his head, and stared into his cup.

Debbie walked around the counter, and took a seat on the stool next to her dejected patron. “Brian, do you remember the bible story of Abraham, and Isaac?” she asked.

“What?” Brian looked up from his coffee.

“God needed to test Abraham, so he told him to take his only son Isaac into the mountains and sacrifice him. Of course Abraham didn’t want to do it, but he was going to anyway, because that’s what god wanted.”

“Deb, what has this got to do with anything?” Brian asked wearily.

“Let me finish.” Debbie said. “Abraham had laid his son on the alter, and was about to kill him when god stopped him. Abraham had passed god’s test, but now he still needed a blood offering. That’s when god told Abraham to look over into a nearby bush. There was a ram stuck there that he could use as a sacrifice instead of Isaac.”

Brian continued to look at Debbie. “Sooooo?”

“Don’t you get it?” Debbie smiled. “The moral of the story is that there will always be a ram in the bush waiting for you, if you pass the test. You sacrificed everything for Justin. You passed the test Brian, there’s a ram in the bush waiting for you.”

Once again Brian’s cell phone began to ring, it was Gardner again. There was no sense in prolonging the inevitable. It was time to go, and take his beating like a man. “Thanks for the fairytale Deb.” Brian said. He exited the diner, and headed for Vanguard Advertising.

Brian forced his head to remain high amidst the whispers that followed him as he walked the length of the secretarial pool. He walked past Gardner’s closed door, and Cynthia’s empty desk to his office. Everything was still in place. Where the hell was everybody? Perhaps Gardner had suffered a heart attack when Leo Brown called him, and Cynthia had accompanied him to the hospital. Brian took a seat in his executive chair for the last time. He swiveled from side to side, before turning to his computer to read the last of his e-mails. Suddenly Brian’s office door flew open.

“Brian, where the fuck have you been? I’ve been calling you all morning.” Gardner was practically out of breath. “Dear god, what the fuck are you wearing. Never mind, come along. Quickly.” he beckoned.

Brian looked up from his computer. “Did Leo Brown call you?” he asked.

“Yes, yes we’ll talk about that later, now let’s go!” Gardner beckoned again.

“Where are we going?” Brian asked as he was being shuffled down the hall.

“This is it, we’ve hit the big time. Dear god why are you dressed that way?” Gardner stopped at the door of conference room one. “Do you know who’s behind this door?” he hyperventilated.

“No.” Brian said.

“Anthony Massey himself. Look sharp. Dear god why are you dressed like that?” Gardner said again as he opened the conference room door.

Cynthia was the first person that Brian saw when he walked into the room. His assistant appeared to be as giddy as a school girl as she sat chatting with the millionaire entrepreneur. Tony was leaning back in his chair, and casually taking sips of orange juice between flashes of his million dollar smile.

“Mr. Massey, I’m so sorry for keeping you waiting. I’d like you to meet Vanguard’s finest, Brian Kinney.” Gardner made the introduction. Tony rose from his seat, and extended his hand. “I’m very pleased to meet you Mr. Kinney. I’ve heard a lot about you, and I’m very anxious to work with you.” he said.

Gardner continued to ramble on as Brian cautiously returned the handshake. “Mr. Massey has decided to launch a new line of men’s toiletries, and he has selected Vanguard to launch its flagship product.” Gardner beamed.

“Really, and what product is that?” Brian asked.

“It’s a new men’s fragrance, “Justin”. Gardner said.

“Catchy name, don’t you think so?” Tony smiled.

“Very catchy.” Brian forced a smile back.

“I was so impressed with the work that you did for Brown Athletics last summer. I told my business manager that I only wanted you to handle my account. You’re not busy with another project now are you Mr. Kinney?” Tony turned to Gardner Vance. “Mr. Kinney is available to handle my account isn’t he? Otherwise, I’ll just have to wait until he’s free.”

“Of course he’s free. You’re free aren’t you Brian?” Gardner signaled Brian with his eyes.

“Yes Mr. Massey, I happen to be available.” Brian said.

“Excellent, and please, call me Tony.” Justin’s former lover insisted.

Gardner, and Cynthia left the conference room to allow Brian a chance to meet with his new client in private. Tony returned to his seat, and resumed sipping his orange juice. He watched quietly as Brian slowly paced back, and forth. “What are you up to Tony?” Brian finally asked.

Tony sat his glass down on the coaster. “What makes you think I’m up to something?” he said.

“Justin called you.” Brian concluded out loud.

“No.” Tony lied.

“No thanks, I don’t need your charity Mr. Massey.”

“Who said anything about charity Mr. Kinney? I’m a businessman Brian.” Tony reminded him. “I’ve been considering marketing my fragrance for a long time now. Why wouldn’t I come to someone who boosted the sales of Brown Athletics by 40%?”

Brian’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “You’re not going to hold what happened in Chicago over my head.” he said.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, nothing happened in Chicago.” Tony said.

“And don’t think you’re going to get next to Justin by sucking up to me!” Brian added.

“Believe me, sucking you is the last thing on my mind.” Tony stood, and extended his hand.“So do we have a deal, or what?”

Brian hesitated. “Deal.” He finally said, and accepted the handshake.

“Excellent. I’ll have some samples sent to your office. My business lawyer Bishop Davenport will be contacting you to draw up the necessary contracts, and work out the arrangements concerning your fee.” Tony said as he headed toward the conference room door.

“Tony.” Brian called to him.

“Yes?” The older man turned around.

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t stopped me.” Brian said.

“Believe me, I didn’t want to.” Tony admitted. “The motherfucker deserved to die, but you didn’t deserve to go to jail for killing him.”

“I owe you one.” Brian said.

“Actually you owe me two, if you count my not shooting your ass last summer.” Tony reminded him.

“Ok, I owe you two.” Brian conceded.

Tony was about to turn towards the door again when he noticed that something was quite different about the man standing before him. The arrogant wall, and cocky demeanor that always surrounded Brian Kinney was suddenly down. Tony recalled Thursday’s trail of tears that drew a path down Brian’s face. Their silent language had spoken volumes about the hurting fourteen year old boy who lived in the heart of the reigning whore of Babylon. Tony took note of how Brian was now avoiding eye contact with him. “Brian, are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine.” Brian said bravely, and continued to look away.

Justin’s man walked over to Justin’s boyfriend. Tony gently stroked his fingers through Brian’s hair, then down along the side of his face. “Are you sure?” he whispered.

Once again Brian raised his head to look into the deepest brown eyes he’d ever seen. “I’m sure.” He said then smiled briefly before the beautiful hazel wall quickly went back up again.

To be continued in FS4.

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