Almost Perfect
Chapter 8
“‘llo?” a miserable and sleepy voice said into an offending instrument.
“Shit!” came an annoyed response.
“Gus? What’s wrong? Where are you?” The barrage of questions was followed by sputters and sounds of confusion as Ray looked around the bed, at the same time vying for the light switch while trying to scrub the sleep from his sleep derived eyes.
“Wrong Kinney,” Brian spit back.
“Mr. Kinney?” Ray said then automatically corrected himself to “Brian” as Brian said his name.
“Yeah, it’s me. I was calling Gus but I haven’t gotten this fucking time zone thing down yet.”
“It’s okay, I had to wake up to answer the phone anyway,” Ray snarked.
“I get it. I deserved that one. Where’s Gus?”
“Not sure,” Ray replied then he realized he was holding Gus’ phone and Gus wasn’t where Ray last saw him, meaning next to him in their bed. “Good question.”
Ray patted the cold sheets next to him as if to verify that the space was truly empty.
“How’s London?” Ray finally asked when he recovered his wits.
“A bit cold and dreary but no worse than the Pitts. Look, I just called to tell Gus that we’re fine and all checked into The Ritz. I’ll send a text. Sorry that I woke you,” Brian begrudgingly added. Ray snickered; he knew of Brian’s no apology, no regret motto.
“No problem, Brian, and when I find Gus, I’ll make sure he returns the favor.”
“Yeah, yeah. Later,” Brian said as he abruptly cut the connection before Ray could say anything else.
Ray turned off the display on Gus’ cell then returned it back to the night table. He scrubbed at his eyes one more time as he debated getting up to look for his missing bedmate or rolling over to go back to sleep. He closed his eyes for a few minutes but then his curiosity got the better of him so he rolled out of bed. Ray threw on some sweat pants, grabbed Gus’ cell then shuffled himself into the living room.
“Gus?” Ray called out when he found Gus hunched over his computer then repeated himself a little more forcefully.
“Hi. Did I wake you?” Gus asked slightly confused as to why Ray was staring at him.
“In a way. Your dad called, he woke me.”
“What’s wrong? Why did he call you?” Gus asked slightly worried.
“Easy there, Bubba. He was calling you.” Ray held out Gus’ phone for him to take. “Your cell woke me and then I thought he was you.”
The boys stared at each other for a few more confusing minutes before Ray explained the gist of the conversation he had with Brian. Gus relaxed when he understood.
“Now, answer me this, what are you doing? I could have sworn we went to bed together a couple of hours ago.” Ray stood there with his hands on his hips.
“We did but my bladder woke me and then I had this idea for this website I’ve been working on so I came out here to write it down but then I decided why not just add it into the code and...”
Ray held up his hand to forestall any continuation of the forthcoming techno-babble. “I get it, you had an attack of the geeks which can only be cured by taking two codes with an html chaser. Spare me. I have an early class in the morning so I’m going back to bed.” Ray leaned down to give Gus a kiss that reassured Gus that all was forgiven and Ray loved him in spite of geeks, nerds and Brian Kinney.
“Night,” Gus said as he watched Ray shuffle back to bed. Gus smiled at Ray's over the shoulder sleepy hand wave.
Playing with the phone in his hand, Gus sent a quick text to his dad. A few minutes later the phone vibrated.
“Pop!”
“Hey, Sonny Boy. Did I fuck up your life?”
“Naa, we kissed and made up but you better bring back some really hot souvenirs from jolly ole,” Gus suggested.
“Yeah, yeah. So, do you wanna speak to your mother or what?” Brian groused.
“She’s there, with you?” Gus sounded surprised.
“Of course she’s here with me, we just ordered dinner. What’d you think, I threw her ass in the Thames already?” Gus cracked up when he heard Mel swearing in the background.
“Yes, Dad, I would like to speak with my mother,” Gus stated succinctly, ignoring his father’s wise ass remarks.
“Gus, sweetheart?” Melanie said into the phone when she snatched it from Brian’s hand.
“Hi, Momma. How’s your trip so far?” He smiled when he heard Mel’s voice. In spite of Brian’s antics his mother sounded happy and content.
“Not bad,” Mel replied almost sounding like Brian’s version of not bad.
“How was your flight?” Gus asked trying to bring the conversation into the realm of normal.
“Unbelievable,” Mel uttered before she realized it.
Just then Brian stood and indicated he was going to the bar. “They have to have a bottle of Beam back there somewhere,” he growled as he left the table.
“Momma?”
“I’m here, honey, Brian went to the bar.”
“Sooo, your flight?”
“First class all the way with those reclining bed chairs and really soft blankets. How does he do it?” Mel asked referring to the expense.
“Momma, you know the answer to that, he works his ass off and has a lot of great people working for him doing the same thing. Including you.”
“But I’ve only been with the company for a few months.”
“And he’s already admitted that your contributions have more than paid for your salary. Now what’s your agenda with Isles?”
“I, uh,” Melanie cleared her throat then took a small sip of water before going on. “We meet Shane in the morning for breakfast then we tour the office and go over his client list and latest campaigns. I have to admit I’m very excited. I’ve seen pictures of the building. I’m looking forward to seeing the real thing.”
“I remember the building; it’s beautiful.” Gus paused for a minute then ventured a question. “Momma, are you happy?”
“Yes, I think I am. You know it’s been so long that I’ve forgotten what being happy is all about. But yes, sweetheart, I think I am.”
“Good. I’m looking forward to spending some time with you when you get to New York.”
“So am I. Now if we could get your sister’s life straightened out then I’d be ecstatic.”
“JR’s still having trouble with Uncle Michael?”
“Unfortunately, yes. He’s being an ass.”
“Who’s being an ass?” Gus heard his father say. Brian decided to return to the table; their dinner was about to be served.
“Michael,” Mel said with a sneer.
“Ah, yes; he’s not about to win the father of the year award anytime soon. On that fine note, say good night, Sonny Boy,” Brian said loudly as he leaned toward Mel’s hand that held his phone.
“Good night, Sonny Boy,” Gus parroted back as he chuckled.
Melanie frowned at the antics of both Kinney men, as she bid her son a good night then returned the phone back to its rightful owner. Brian smirked as he dug into his meal ignoring the evil look Mel shot his way.
Gus shook his head; his father could truly be evil but never malicious. He was so proud of him and so glad that a man like Brian Kinney was his dad and not someone like Michael. Gus decided to give his sister a call in the morning.
Speaking of morning, it was close to one. Gus saved his work then shut down his computer. He stretched out the kinks in his back then went to bed. Quietly he stripped down to his boxers then carefully slipped into bed spooning up to Ray. Ray mumbled something nonsensical but quickly settled as Gus hugged him close.
With a smile on his face Gus fell asleep.
*****
“Hey, Babe, how was your day?” Jacqueline asked as she came into the loft.
“It was okay,” JR replied from the sofa. She was sitting there with an open bottle of wine on the coffee table.
“Must have been a good day if you’ve taken to drinking alone.” Jacqueline sat down beside her lover and gave JR a peck on the cheek.
“I haven’t been drinking alone,” JR stated. “I was waiting for you.”
“That’s good.”
JR poured them each a glass of wine and they settled back on the sofa together. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“Me too.” They sat in silence sipping their wine for a while. “Did you go back to the comic book store today?” Jacqueline asked. She had heard all about the emotional reunion between JR and her father, but that was a few days ago. JR had been humming and hawing ever since about whether to go back to work at the comic book store. Her father had begged her to come back, but there was still too much distrust between them. A hug and a promise didn’t always make things right.
“I didn’t go there to work if that’s what you were asking,” JR said.
“But you did go to the store, right?” Jacqueline asked. JR nodded. “I thought you were going to give it a try, working with him again, I mean.”
“I was sort of ready to, but not quite. I went there to talk to him.”
“And did you?”
“Yes.”
Jacqueline took a sip of her wine. “This is like pulling teeth,” she commented about JR’s terse answers. “Work with me, Babe.”
JR sighed loudly. “I wish I could believe what he says, but…”
“You have doubts,” Jacqueline said when JR hesitated to finish her sentence.
“He’s my father. I should be able to trust him, but he was so … so mean before.”
Jacqueline bit her lip, so wanting to agree with JR. She thought Michael Novotny was a colossal asshole, but what good would it do to say that to her girlfriend? “They say that everyone deserves a second chance,” was what she decided to say.
“And who the hell is they? And have they ever met Michael Novotny?” JR asked then giggled.
“They are some all knowing, but unknown, idiots from the past,” Jacqueline chuckled.
“Are you advising me to give daddy a second chance?” JR asked soberly, looking into Jacqueline’s eyes.
“Me, give advice? I don’t think so,” Jacqueline replied in mock horror.
JR giggled again. “That’s sure what it sounded like.” She sipped her wine and looked at Jacqueline quizzically.
“It’s one possibility. That’s all I’m saying. You have to decide what to do about your father.”
“I do want to go back to work at the store. I’d like to have things good between us, but…”
“You’ll never know if you can have that again, if you don’t give it a try,” Jacqueline counselled.
“You’re right. I know you are.” She leaned against Jacqueline and took warmth and security from her lover’s embrace.
*****
“I’m home,” Ben called.
“In the kitchen,” Michael replied.
“What’s for dinner?”
“Tofu meatloaf.”
“Oh!”
“You love my tofu meatloaf.”
“Yeah, I do.”
Michael turned from where he was peeling vegetables and looked at his husband. “Is everything okay?”
“I might ask you the same thing.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Have you settled things with JR yet?”
“She came to the shop today,” Michael said with a little smile.
“To work?”
“Um. No, she, um, wanted her final paycheck,” Michael said hesitantly.
“Michael! For God’s sake did you let her go once and for all?”
“Of course not,” Michael said indignantly. “I … I promised that I’d give Jacqueline a chance.”
Ben frowned. “And did you mean it? Can you follow through on that promise?”
“I’m going to try.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that, but I think you better do more than try,” Ben advised.
“What … what do you mean?” Michael asked with a deep frown.
“I don’t like being the bearer of bad news, but I think this may be your last chance. So, if you know what’s good for you, you better mean what you say. Be nice to Jacqueline. You never know, you might get to like her.”
“I doubt that,” Michael mumbled.
“Michael, Michael, Michael,” Ben muttered shaking his head. His husband never seemed to learn.
“I know,” Michael said putting his arms around Ben. “JR and I hugged and agreed to be more … conciliatory. I’m going to do that.”
“I hope so,” Ben said kissing the top of Michael’s head. In spite of all Michael’s faults, Ben loved his husband. Michael was a good man at heart, if only he weren’t so stubborn.
“I was thinking that maybe we could invite JR and … Jacqueline to dinner … here,” Michael proposed. “What do you think?”
Ben looked thoughtful for a moment. “If we do, I don’t think you should serve tofu meatloaf.”
“I thought you liked my meatloaf.”
“I do, but some real meat doesn’t go amiss every once in a while,” Ben noted.
“So, should we have steak or pork chops or…?”
“I was thinking maybe a nice prime rib.”
“Wow! You must really want to impress her.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Ben asked. “This will be an important dinner, so we
should have … important food. Don’t you want to make a good impression?”
“Sure, but…”
“Besides,” Ben interrupted, “I’ve had a hankering for some prime rib for a couple of days.”
“Then prime rib it is,” Michael declared. “I’ll call JR and arrange it.”
“Good,” Ben said then asked as an afterthought. “What will you say if Jacqueline answers the phone?”
“I’ll call JR’s cell,” Michael responded.
“And if Jacqueline should answer it?
“Then I’ll be very polite and ask to speak to my daughter,” Michael said.
“Why not ask Jacqueline about dinner?” Ben asked.
“Um, I doubt she would even want to talk to me.”
“Just like you don’t want to talk to her,” Ben stated.
“No!” Michael protested. “Well, maybe a little.”
“How are you going to talk to her during dinner if you can’t even ask her to dinner?”
“I’ll think of something,” Michael said.
“That’s why I mentioned it. You need to be prepared, Michael. As I said before, this may be your last chance. “I’m going to change my clothes,” Ben said over his shoulder as he left the kitchen. He hoped he had planted the necessary seeds to get Michael thinking about this dinner in the proper way. Otherwise it might turn out to be a huge disaster. He really wanted Michael and JR to be on good terms. He hated when they were at odds. Nobody was happy when they were.
Michael watched Ben head upstairs. He rinsed the vegetables and put them on to steam. How was he going to talk to Jacqueline Archer? He was sure they had nothing in common except JR. He really needed to think about this dinner if it was going to be a success, whatever that word might imply.