Past Tense

Chapter 4

The next day, Brian went back to work at Kinnetik and Justin went looking for a job. Each of them was determined to clear the debt that had been incurred, and clear Brian’s name of the stigma that went with not paying your debts.

“Brian, Mr. Hammond is here,” Cynthia said at the door to Brian’s office.

Brian nodded and Cynthia indicated to Chase that he should enter. She gave him her best smile, as she quietly left the room.

“She’s a beautiful woman,” Chase said watching till Cynthia disappeared from sight.

“Shouldn’t you be telling her that instead of me?”

“That would be a little presumptuous.”

“I don’t think Cynthia would feel that way.”

Chase arched an eyebrow. Brian did a double take and looked more closely at his new client. That simple gesture reminded him of … himself. Brian frowned. Maybe Cynthia was right and this guy did look like him.

“I’m glad you called so quickly,” Chase said. “If we agree on the campaign, I want to start it immediately.”

“Isn’t that a bit hasty … not that I mind getting right on it.”

“I have to prove myself at Hammond Foods. I will not be a token Hammond. I intend to run the company, and run it well. With your help I can do that.”

Brian nodded. He liked a man who knew what he wanted. “Let me show you what I have in mind.”

“Great,” Chase said as he followed Brian to the easel standing by the conference table at the back of Brian’s office.

They spent the next hour going through the print ads that Brian had come up with. Brian also presented his ideas for television commercials, and even suggested that they have some radio spots for Hammond Foods.

“Does anyone even listen to radio anymore?” Chase asked.

“People in cars do.”

“Yeah, I suppose…”

“Believe me, mothers transporting their kids from home to school and back again, or to lessons or soccer games after school, they all listen to the radio. We target those time slots. The mothers are the ones we want to buy our quick, easy and delicious frozen foods.”

“Our?” Chase asked, once again raising an eyebrow in the same way as Brian did.

“I believe I’m part of the product when I start advertising it.”

“Oh. How do you know so much about mothers and radios and minivans?”

Brian chuckled. “I didn’t say anything about minivans, but I do have a four year old son, and I hear his mothers complain about having to take him to school and to play dates.”

“You have a son? I thought … you were gay?”

“I am, but I do have functional sperm,” Brian replied.

Chase chuckled at Brian’s choice of words. He quite enjoyed spending time with Brian Kinney. He was a very entertaining man in a weird sort of way. Chase wondered what else there was to learn about him. “You said mothers – plural.”

“Yes, my friend from university, who happens to be of the lesbian persuasion, asked me to be the sperm donor for her and her partner.” As soon as Brian said this, he wondered what had possessed him to reveal so much. He usually kept his private life out of business.

“Sounds like you lead a very interesting life.”

Brian chuckled. “You don’t know the half of it.”

“Maybe I’d like to,” Chase replied. “How about that lunch you offered the last time I was here?”

“That could be arranged,” Brian said. “Are you okay with what I’ve proposed for the new campaign?” Chase nodded. “Then I’ll get Cynthia to draw up all the papers and make us a reservation at my favorite restaurant.”

A half hour later the two men were seated in Brian’s choice of restaurants not far from Kinnetik. When they had walked into the restaurant, they had garnered many very appreciative glances from the patrons. Brian couldn’t help but smirk. He usually got his fair share of attention when he entered a restaurant, but he and Chase together had caused quite a little sensation. They had then ordered drinks and enjoyed a salad.

During lunch Brian would occasionally look up, always finding Chase’s eyes on him. He began to find it rather disconcerting.

Finally Brian began to wonder if Chase was thinking the same thing he was, and it had nothing to do with being gay. “Do you think we look alike?” Brian finally felt compelled to ask the man, causing that eyebrow to rise once again.

Chase hesitated for just a fraction too long. Then he returned the question. “Why, do you think we do?”

“Cynthia thinks we could be long lost cousins,” Brian said trying to make his inquiry sound frivolous.

“Or maybe something more,” Chase replied staring into the eyes so much like his own.

“What are you talking about?” A deep crease furrowed Brian’s brow.

“Your eyes are so much like mine,” Chase said in little more than a whisper.

“I’m sure there are many eyes like ours out in the big, bad world,” Brian said trying to fend off the strange feeling that had suddenly formed in the pit of his stomach.

“What was your father’s name?” Chase asked after a long pause.

“What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”

“Please, just answer the question.”

“His name was Jack.”

“That’s short for John, isn’t it?” Chase asked.

“Yes, but…” Brian felt that flutter in his stomach grow exponentially. What the fuck was Chase Hammond implying?

Chase studied the man across the table from him. After a couple of minutes, while both of them tried to figure out what to say next, Chase reached into his jacket pocket.

“I want to show you something,” Chase said as he pulled out a piece of paper. “I never knew anything about this until my father’s death. But apparently I was adopted.” He handed Brian the paper that he had taken from his pocket.

Brian took the paper and debated just getting up and walking out of the restaurant. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what the paper contained. It was all he could do to force himself to open the single fold in the sheet of old paper. His eyes scanned the page and then he swallowed hard.

“This is your birth certificate?”

Chase nodded. “I found it in a folder in my father’s safe after the funeral. The adoption papers were there too.”

“And you never knew?” Brian asked raising that eyebrow that they had in common.

“I always wondered why I didn’t look like anyone else in the family,” Chase admitted, “but I never really thought about adoption, and no one ever mentioned such a thing.”

“So, your father was John Kinney and your mother was … Marjorie Adams.” Brian read from the birth certificate.

Again Chase nodded. “That seems to be the case.”

“And you think my father is the John Kinney on this document?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Chase asked in bewilderment. “Because I want to know who I am.”

“You’re Chase Hammond, heir to the Hammond Foods fortune. I would think you’d be happy with that, not looking to join the blue collar family of an electrical worker and his bitch of a wife,” Brian said bitterly.

“I … I’m sorry if I’ve dredged up something that…”

“It’s not your fault,” Brian said quickly. “Believe me, you just don’t want anything to do with the Kinney family if you know what’s good for you.”

“You seem to have done all right.”

Brian chuckled ruefully. “Yeah, I’ve been told that I’m pretty high functioning for someone with as many demons as I have.”

“That sounds…”

“Look, Chase,” Brian interrupted, “I don’t know if we are, by some horrible quirk of fate, related. I’m sure there are probably many John Kinney’s throughout the United States, hell, throughout the world.”

“But this one is here in Pennsylvania, where your family is.”

“And you think this could be your family too?” Brian asked, shaking his head at the thought.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

“Have you hired a private investigator?” Brian asked recalling his own coming encounter with private dicks.

“No, I didn’t think I needed to.”

“Then how did you find me?”

“My Aunt Virginia used to be married to George Schickel. They lived here in Pittsburgh. I talked to her about being adopted, and she mentioned that Kinney was the name of a well known advertising executive here.”

Brian let that information sink in. George Schickel was Emmett Honeycutt’s ex. He remembered the man from their few encounters. Maybe Emmett could tell him more about the Hammonds of Philadelphia. “Did she have any information about your adoption?” Brian asked after a moment or two.

“She knew about it, but she didn’t know anything about how my parents got the baby.”

“Then I think you should contact an investigator and get to the bottom of this mystery.”

“You think it’s a mystery?” Chase asked. “I thought it was pretty obvious that we were related.”

“Maybe so, maybe not, but you should make sure before you jump to conclusions,” Brian advised.

“It sounds suspiciously like you don’t want us to be related,” Chase replied.

Brian could see that he had upset the man. “As I said, you won’t want anything to do with the Kinney family should you get to know them, let alone be part of them. You need to make sure … one way or the other.”

“I’ll do just that,” Chase said pushing back his chair and standing up. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Kinney.” He drew some money from his wallet and threw it on the table. “And when I find out about my birth parents, I’ll be sure to keep it to myself.” Turning on his heel he strode out of the restaurant not giving Brian a chance to say anything else.

“And there goes the Hammond Foods account,” Brian said to himself, as he added his own money to the pile on the table. He made his way back to Kinnetik, knowing that he had probably blown a big account at the very time when he needed it most.

 

*****
 

When Brian walked back into Kinnetik, he wanted to hide in his office. He had let his sharp tongue and hatred of his parents cause him to lose a big account. He had also driven away a man who might be his half brother. When people called him an asshole, they had no idea how right they were.

“Brian, I have the papers all drawn…up,” Cynthia said. “Um…where’s Mr. Hammond?”

“Shred the fucking papers. We won’t need them,” Brian commanded as he brushed past her and entered his office.

“What happened?” she asked following behind him.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Get me the latest Brown Athletics shit. I need to work on that account.”

Cynthia wanted to say something more, had a million questions she wanted to ask, but she knew better. “Coming right up,” she said and quickly left the office.

Brian dropped into his chair behind his desk. His head was throbbing. He was so fucking stupid sometimes. The Hammond Foods account would have gone a long way to solving some of his financial problems, and he had been too arrogant, too stupid to see it through.

Leaning back in his chair, Brian let his mind wander over the revelations that Chase had made. Could Jack Kinney really be the father of Chase Hammond? Good old Jack had always liked the ladies, unlike his son. Unlike his only son … until today.

Brian frowned. Who the fuck was Marjorie Adams? He wondered if Jack had had a lengthy affair with her, or merely a one night stand. Whatever it was, Brian had noted that the birth had taken place in Philadelphia. Had Jack taken trips to Philly? How had he met this woman? Had they been together in Pittsburgh? Did Joan know?

“Here’s the latest file on Brown Athletics,” Cynthia said as she entered the office once again. “Ted says he needs to speak to you right away.”

Brian heaved a sigh as he took the folder from her.

“Anything else, Boss?” When Brian shook his head, Cynthia left the room.

Brian was tempted to call Joan and ask a few of the questions that were plaguing him. He was about to do so when Ted stuck his head in the door.

“Got a few minutes?” Ted asked.

“Sure,” Brian replied, “if I must.”

Ted came over to Brian’s desk. “I … I’m afraid I have some more bad news.”

“Fuck! What now?”

“I thought I better check out the rest of your finances … just to make sure everything is all right,” Ted began.

“And everything isn’t all right,” Brian stated knowing he was not going to like whatever Ted said next.

“The other credit cards are maxed as well, and whoever stole your identity has taken out a mortgage on the loft.”

“What? How is that possible?” Brian asked in disbelief.

Ted shook his head. “Once he established that he was Brian Kinney, he could tap into all your assets.”

“All?” Brian asked, his stomach clenching like he had just burst one of the walls of his intestines. “Stocks, bonds, bank accounts?”

“I think those were probably on the agenda, but as far as I can tell he hasn’t touched any of those things … yet. They would be much harder than taking out a mortgage on the loft.”

“That’s what I get for paying the fucking place off,” Brian said shaking his head. “How much?”

“Another hundred thou.”

“Jesus Christ!”

“I’ve contacted the bank that made the loan. They will provide some more information for the detective. I’ve made sure that all your other assets are better protected.”

“Has this detective found out anything yet?” Brian asked rubbing his temples to ease the pain.

Ted shook his head. “We only hired him yesterday.”

“Who is this guy? When the fuck is he going to find something useful?” Brian griped.

“Give him a chance. I’m told he’s one of the best.”

“He fucking better be or I refuse to pay him.” Brian hesitated. “If he doesn’t find something soon, I may not be able to pay him anyway.”

“I’m on top of your finances,” Ted assured his boss. “I’m liquidating what I can and starting to pay off the credit card companies. I’ll talk to the bank loan officer and work out some kind of payment plan.”

“And the asshole who did all this is probably sitting on a beach in the Caribbean laughing his ass off.”

“Or, he may still be in Philadelphia, and we’ll catch him,” Ted replied hoping to cheer up his friend and boss. “I’m contacting the police. I have a call in to the detective responsible for this type of crime.”

“Fat lot of good they’ll do! They haven’t protected me yet.”

“They need to be involved,” Ted replied.

“From what I understand they rarely catch these thieves. They get away scot free and us poor shmucks who have been robbed are left holding the proverbial bag.”

“We’re not going to let that happen.”

“I hope you’re right, Theodore.”

“I’m going to do everything in my power to…”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Brian warned.

“I’m not. I will figure this out.” Ted turned to leave the office.

“Theodore,” Brian said bringing Ted to a halt. His voice was soft as he said, “Thanks for dealing with all this. I … I don’t think I could get through this without you.”

Ted gave Brian a gentle smile. He was about to say something else, but instead he merely nodded to acknowledge the compliment, and then he left the room.

“Fuck!” Brian groaned as he leaned his head back against the top of his chair and closed his eyes. He refused to give in to the wave of self pity that threatened to engulf him.

 

*****
 

When Brian arrived at the loft some time later, Justin had dinner ready for them. While Brian changed, he dished it up. They sat down to chicken in a white wine sauce and some perfectly cooked green beans.

“This is … not bad. What made you cook tonight?” Brian asked.

Justin smiled. “I worked at the diner today and made a hundred bucks in tips.”

“Oh? How many blowjobs does that equate to?”

“None, asshole,” Justin chuckled. “And I have an interview at Maxim Graphics tomorrow.”

“Good for you.”

“What did you do today?”

“Nothing much,” Brian said as he chewed on a green bean.

“Something must have happened,” Justin insisted. When Brian said nothing much, it usually meant something.

“I lost the Hammond Foods account, the identity thief has taken out a hundred thousand dollar mortgage on this place and I may have a long lost half brother.”

“Oh!” Justin said. How else did one respond to a litany of events like that?

 

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