After the Fall

Chapter 9

“Come on, Curtis,” Hector called. “We’re going to be late.”

“Coming,” Curtis replied from the back of the vet clinic. He had been feeding some of the cats that were staying at the clinic while their owners were on summer vacation. He really enjoyed the cats and that had become his summer job, looking after the cats who were being boarded.

“We better get a move on,” Hector said as he grabbed his wallet out of the desk and took off his lab jacket. He hung it on the door and Curtis picked up his bag from the office. They walked out of the clinic, calling goodbye to Raph.

“You ready for this?” Hector asked as they got in the car and headed out of the lot.

“I … I hope so,” Curtis said uncertainly.

“You’ll do fine,” Hector said as he squeezed Curtis’ leg.

“I don’t know about that.”

“I do. You’re brave and determined and you’ll be fine.”

“What … what if I can’t do it?” Curtis asked, his voice quivering just a bit.

“The people there will help you. That’s their job.”

“But maybe I’m just too pathetic.”

“You’re not pathetic at all,” Hector stated firmly. “You will be able to do this.”

Curtis shook his head. “I’m kind of scared,” he whispered. His eyes were glued to the little patch of floor mat between his feet.

“You don’t have to do this at all, if you don’t want to.”

“Really?” Curtis asked looking up.

“We agreed on you taking swimming lessons at the Y, but if you don’t want to do it, we’re not going to make you.” Hector glanced over and met Curtis’ eyes.

“I can do it,” Curtis said. Suddenly he felt like maybe he could. He found his confidence in the warm eyes of Hector.

“That’s my boy,” Hector said with a big smile and a breath of relief.

Curtis smiled wanly and hoped that he really could learn to swim.

They pulled up at the Y where Curtis and Hector headed inside. Curtis carried his bag which contained his swimsuit and a towel. They headed to the sign-in desk. The woman at the desk checked Curtis’ name off on a list and directed him to the change rooms. Hector pulled out his wallet to pay for the first lesson. He opened the wallet only to discover that there were no bills left in it. He frowned and looked again and again, but the thirty-five dollars he knew should be there was nowhere in evidence.

“Um … do you take credit cards?” he asked the woman.

The woman nodded and processed the twenty dollar fee on Hector’s credit card. Hector felt around in his pocket wondering what had happened to his money. When it was nowhere to be found he entered the pool area and headed to the bleachers to watch Curtis take his first lesson.

Everything Curtis and the four other students did was very basic stuff. The instructor was merely trying to get the young men to feel comfortable in the water. Soon the lesson was over and Hector waited in the lobby for Curtis to get changed and reappear.

“I’m ready,” Curtis said as he came out of the change rooms.

“How was it?” Hector asked wondering how Curtis would feel about the simple things the instructor had had them do. They had spent most of their time dunking their heads in the water.

“It was okay,” Curtis said cautiously. “We didn’t learn much. It was kind of the same stuff you and Dr. Raph taught me at the lake.”

Hector smiled. “Yeah, I thought so while I was watching.”

“The instructor said we would do more next week. I think I might be able to do it.”

“Just as I knew you would,” Hector replied with a grin.

“How did you know?”

“I’m psychic,” Hector teased. Then his face grew serious. “Oh, by the way, did you take some cash from my wallet?”

“No, and if you’re psychic, you should know that,” Curtis teased back.

Hector frowned. “All my bills are missing from my wallet.”

“I didn’t steal them,” Curtis said hastily, realizing the implication of Hector’s words. “I promise I didn’t.”

“I didn’t think you had, Curtis.” Hector immediately regretted having brought up his missing money. “I just don’t know what happened to the cash. It was there this morning.”

“I swear I didn’t take it,” Curtis said looking worried.

“I didn’t think you took the money,” Hector reassured him. “I just wondered if you’d seen it.”

Curtis shook his head and grew silent. Maybe this was the thing that would get him thrown out of the home he was growing to love. He’d end up back on the streets or worse … back with the Hardigans. He shuddered involuntarily.

Hector drew the car up to the veterinary clinic and shut it off. They went inside. Curtis headed directly for the cat area at the back. Hector watched him disappear, knowing that he had hurt the boy with his casual comment. He went to find Raph and try to figure out what to do about it.

A few minutes later Hector and Raph joined Curtis who was holding one of the boarded cats in his lap and slowly stroking the animal. Curtis looked up when the two men came into the room.

“I didn’t take any money,” he said holding onto the cat more tightly.

“We know you didn’t,” Raph said. “I took it.”

“Huh?” Curtis asked looking at Dr. Raph.

“I needed some change for a customer who was paying in cash, and I didn’t have enough cash of my own. I took the money out of Hector’s wallet and then I got busy doing something else. I forgot to tell him.”

“I told you I didn’t do it,” Curtis said to Hector with a hurt look in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Curtis,” Hector replied squatting down beside the boy. “I really wasn’t accusing you.”

Curtis blinked but didn’t say he forgave Hector. Hector looked up at Raph.

Raph drew in a long breath. “Curtis, there’s something you have to understand.”

Curtis looked at Raph. He waited for the words he knew would come eventually. They hated him and they were going to send him away.

“Curtis, every time someone asks you something or points out a mistake, it does not mean that we’re accusing you. It does not mean that we’re going to send you away. It means that we have a question for you to answer honestly or that there’s something that you need to correct. And that’s all it means. You can trust us. I promise you can. You’re not going to be sent away.”

“Promise?” Curtis whispered.

“I just did,” Raph replied.

“And I promise too,” Hector said.

“Okay,” Curtis said slowly. He believed them this time.

“And that’s never going to change,” Raph added.

Curtis looked into Raph’s eyes and for the first time he realized that maybe that was the truth. He wasn’t sure what the future would bring, but he was beginning to love these men, and what was more amazing, they seemed to love him right back.

 

*****
 

“Shh, be quiet,” Cole admonished his cousin.

“Why should I have to be quiet? You said no one was in the building,” Lex responded curtly.

“I think no one’s here but I can’t be sure. Gus said there was a hunter who lives here and some dykes, but I’m not sure which apartments are theirs.”

Cole and Lex had gotten through the main door without too much difficulty since Cole had memorized the pass code. There were two apartments on each floor. One obviously belonged to Emmett and Drew, although obvious to only the family. The front door was adorned by a bright pink and lavender floral wreath surrounding a brightly painted sign that said, ‘Welcome’.

Not taking the chance of running into someone on the elevator, the boys decided to walk up the stairs. They were just about to step on the first riser when they heard footfalls coming down. The boys ducked around to crouch in the elevator.

“You working three to eleven tonight?” Lacy asked her lover and roommate.

“Yes. You?” Katerina asked in return.

“Till midnight.”

“I’ll come by the diner and we can go home together,” Katerina said, placing a tender kiss on Lacy’s lips.

They parted company at the front door.

“Those must be the dykes,” Cole stated with a snort. “But one of them looked too pretty to be a lesbian.”

“Pretty?” Lex asked his very gay cousin.

“For a girl, I mean.” Lex snorted. “Let’s get up there before anyone else decides to leave or come home.” The boys crept quickly up the stairs. The building appeared to be truly empty as Cole and Lex entered the loft.

 

*****
 

“Grandma, I think I’ve done something stupid and I’m not sure what to do about it.”

Gus was helping Joan rearrange a table on the second floor of the Bookstore. Danny was at the Comic Book Store with Michael. The latest issue of Rage was out and Sateeena had a long line of fans.

“What do you think you’ve done?” Joan suspected this had to do with the boy Gus met in New York but she didn’t want to presume.

“I’ve been meeting Cole sometimes,” Gus mumbled.

“Meeting him where?”

“Around.”

“Around?”

“Yeah, like at the park or the diner or...”

“Or what.”

“The loft,” Gus murmured.

“The loft. Your father’s loft?” Gus nodded.

“Gus, you know your father...”

“I know, he’s going to kill me.”

“Possibly but that’s not what I was going to say. Your father is a very private man. Only people he trusts have access to his home. And even though your father doesn’t physically live there, that loft is very special to him.”

Gus nodded.

“Gus, I won’t pretend to know all about what happens between gay men. For the majority of my life I believed homosexuality was a sin. And that the diseases they caught, they deserved.”

“What does this have to do with me and Cole?” Gus asked not understanding where Joan was going with all of this.

“I’m sure your parents have had the talk with you. My point is, you must be careful. Young men in their haste can become reckless. You must use protection.”

“Grandma, we don’t, I don’t...I haven’t.” Gus didn’t want to admit to his grandmother that he was still a virgin and yet something told him not to give up his virginity to Cole. Not yet. Joan held up her hand, sparing herself from any details.

“Gus, my advice to you is to talk with your father. You know Brian has a very suspicious mind. It’s best to go to him before he comes to you. If you don’t think you can do that then perhaps Justin can help. You’re lucky to have four very loving parents. Go to them.”

“Yes, ma’am. Grandma, I really like Cole but he makes me feel...” Gus sighed loudly with frustration. He didn’t know how to explain his feelings. Cole excited Gus sexually, and yet made him feel guilty. Cole always seemed to know when Gus had a few dollars in his pocket, because they usually wound up in Cole’s pocket. And Gus certainly did not like bringing Cole up to the loft, but Cole never invited Gus to his place. Joan guided the distraught boy to an overstuffed settee and sat the boy down. Sitting next to her grandson and taking his hand, Joan told Gus a story.

“A long time ago, I remember a campaign geared toward young children who were thought to be at risk for kidnapping or molestation. Your father was probably too old to be affected, but I remember the slogan. It went something like, if you got the ‘uh oh’ feeling about a person then you were probably right. Go and tell an adult about it. Gus, if being with Cole is giving you the ‘uh oh’ feeling then listen to yourself. You’re a good boy, an honest boy with a strong and loving family. We’re not perfect but I’ve learned that this family sticks together, no matter what. Rely on that, rely on what you’ve been taught and what you know to be true. There’s a reason why Cole makes you feel awkward. Trust your gut.”

“Okay, grandma.”

The bell over the door gave a jingle, signaling someone entering the shop.

“Hello! Anybody home?”

“Mom!” Gus jumped up and sprinted down the stairs to his mother. “What are you doing here?”

“Can’t a mother take her hard working son out for a late lunch or a snack break?”

“Sure, that’s if Grandma says it’s okay.” Gus shamelessly batted his eyes at the older woman giving her the puppy dog look. Knowing that fighting that particular look, given by a pair of hazel Kinney eyes would be a waste of time, Joan waved Gus and Lindsay out of the shop. Before Gus walked out, Joan gave him a reminder.

“Gus, remember, your mother loves you unconditionally.” Gus nodded as he left to join his mother.

 

*****
 

“Wow, look at this place,” Lex said in awe as he gave himself a tour about the loft. He picked up a couple of heavy glass ashtrays to examine then put them back down. “Where’s the money?” Lex asked Cole who pointed toward the bedroom. A loud whistle accompanied the gasp of surprise. “Look at this fucking bathroom. The shower’s bigger than my whole fucking apartment. A fucking basketball team can shower in here with room for a football team. Shit! Wish I had money like this. Bet he never worked for the Big Q.”

Cole joined his cousin in the bedroom to swipe a few more bills then he rummaged around in the bottom of the closet.

“What the fuck is that?” Lex asked Cole.

“Not sure, I saw them the last time I was here. Some butt ugly weird statues but they gotta be worth something. There’s a whole set.”

“Let’s take two and see what we can get for them. What about the painting?”

“Which one?” Cole looked up at the painting of Bree at Coney Island and then over to the Naked Man.

“The Naked Man. Fuck! He’s butt ugly too. Kinney’s got some weird ass taste.”

“Yeah, and I wouldn’t mind having a taste,” Cole murmured as he picked up a trade magazine. Brian was on the cover in one of his trademark Armani suits. He was truly dressed to impress and was sexier than hell. “Wouldn’t mind having a taste at all.”

“Cole, get your head out of your ass and let’s grab the shit and get out. The painting of the kid is creeping me out.”

The cousins glanced up at Bree running through the surf, then they looked around for anything else small enough to stuff in their pockets. Lex found a silver lighter and Cole found a bronze paper weight. As they were about to leave, they spied the wine refrigerator. The cousins’ eyes lit up as they helped themselves to several bottles.

“I bet we can get a few bucks for some of the wine,” Lex commented.

“Nah!” they said in unison as they locked up the loft and snuck out.

 

*****
 

“Mom.”

“What is it, lambskin? Did something happen in New York? You’ve been so unhappy since you came back.” Brian had given Lindsay the heads up that Gus had gotten involved with a boy in New York, but no details.

Gus sighed loudly then spilled his guts.

 

*****
 

Later that night as Cole and Lex were toasting their good fortune with stolen merlot, the owner of the pawnshop that paid for Lex and Cole’s booty placed a call.

“Jason Kemp Center.”

“Hunter? It’s Gene.”

“Hey, Gene, what’s up?”

“I’m not sure but I got a few items here that I think you might be interested in.”

“Interested, as in you think some of my kids are slipping back into their former lives?”

“No, interested, as in I think your main man is being ripped off somehow.”

“Shit, how late are you open?”

“I’m closed but I’ll hang until you show.”

“Okay. I’ll be coming by the alley door.”

“You got it, see you soon.”

Hunter left the center as soon as another counselor came in to take over.

 

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