Changes

Chapter 16

“Hi, Pop!” Gus said into his phone.

“Hey, Sonny Boy, and no, I will not tell you what we got you for your birthday,” Brian said sternly. Gus laughed.

“Didn’t think you were going to but that’s not why I called.”

“Oh? And how much is this going to cost me? Where are you, by the way?”

“Nothing, just maybe your trust,” Gus said seriously. “And I’m home with the moms. A guy I knew from high school who’s also going to Penn drove us back together last night.”

“Guuss,” Brian said his name in that exaggerated parental tone that all kids from the beginning of time recognize as the ‘you’re walking a fine line’ tone.

“Dad, number one, Charlie is a year older and is a more experienced driver. He drives back and forth every weekend. Number two, I only have one class on Friday. I spoke to my professor and confirmed my assignments. I’m ahead of the game and a classmate will tape the lecture for me.”

“And PIFA?”

“I’m right on schedule.”

“Okay, so what do you want?”

“I, uh...”

“Spill!”

“IwanttoborrowtheloftformeandRay,” Gus blurted out.

“You want to borrow my loft?”

“Yes.”

“For you and Ray?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Please, Dad. I promise we’ll be safe and we won’t touch anything and, and we really just want a quiet place to talk and...did you say yes?”

“Yes, Sonny Boy, I said yes.”

“You said yes. Why?”

“Why?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Why not? I trust you and I trust Ray. Simon and Ken are sensible men; they’ve raised two great sons. I would much prefer that you and Ray talk at the loft than in a back room somewhere. Which reminds me, are you and Ray going to Babylon after your party?”

“Are you letting me go to Babylon?”

“Technically, no. I should have you turned away at the door but if you behave and don’t try to buy alcohol, you and Ray can dance your asses off. You do know how to dance, don’t you?”

“Better than you, Pop,” Gus said smugly.

“I did all right.”

“That’s because Justin can dance. He made you look good.” Gus cracked up.

“Gus, let’s put aside the fact that you just insulted your father,” Brian deadpanned. “Just keep in mind that, number one, it’s your birthday and I give phenomenal gifts; number two, I own Babylon; and number three, I also own said loft.”

“Did I say Justin made you look good? I meant to say...”

“Enough, Sonny Boy, I get it. Just play safe.”

“I promise, Dad, and thank you.”

“You better thank me because if the moms find out, I am dead meat.”

“No, you won’t be. I just had a talk with the moms.”

“And what pearls of wisdom did they bestow, and why aren’t my ears burning?”

“Because they said that as long as I cleared it with you, they’d be cool with it. So are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Cool with it too?”

“Yes, Gus, I’m cool. Just use the good condoms.” Brian could almost hear Gus roll his eyes.

“Sheesh, Pop, you’re almost as bad as Grandmaw Debbie.”

“Sonny Boy, no one is as bad as Debbie.” Father and son shared a laugh. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Okay, Pop. And Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“Love you, too, Sonny Boy.”

 

*****
 

“But, Mom,” Gus began.

“I’m sorry, Gus, but with this new artists show, I really have to be at the gallery,” Lindsay explained.

“But I have to meet Ray at the airport tonight. I have to,” Gus insisted.

“Maybe Mel can go with you.”

“Or I could just borrow the car and go by myself,” Gus said hopefully.

“The airport is a very busy place. It can be confusing … even for me or Mel. You need someone with you.”

Gus heaved a large sigh. “I’ll ask Mama,” he conceded.

“Good, you can call her at the office.”

“Okay,” Gus agreed. He picked up the phone and hit the familiar number. The receptionist at the law firm was able to put him right through to his mother. “Hi, Mama,” Gus started.

Melanie smiled. Gus sounded just like her little boy, so sweet and gentle. “What can I do for you, my boy?” she teased.

“I need a favor.”

“You do? What might that be?”

“You know that Ray is arriving tonight?”

“Yes.”

“I want to meet him at the airport. I don’t want him to have to take a cab.”

Melanie smiled. “I can see why. It’s much nicer to have a friendly face there when you get off the plane.”

“Exactly,” Gus replied enthusiastically.

“So, what’s the favor?”

“Mom can’t go with me. She has to be at the gallery for the show. And she doesn’t want me driving out there alone, so I was wondering if you could go with me,” Gus asked holding his breath.

“What time does Ray’s plane get in?”

“Seven-thirty.”

“Oh,” Melanie said slowly.

“Mama?”

“I’m sorry Gus but I’ll just be finishing up a late meeting with a client around that time. I don’t think I’ll be able to help you,” she said regretfully.

“Oh,” Gus said trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

“Sorry, Gus, but I just can’t switch this appointment.”

“It’s okay, Mama, I’ll figure something out.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, and if Ray has to take a taxi, we’ll survive.”

“I’d do it if I could. You know that, don’t you?” Melanie tried to assure him.

“I know.”

“I’ll see you later tonight, you and Ray,” she stressed.

“Yeah,” Gus agreed, and then he cut the connection. So much for that idea.

 

*****
 

JR came in the front door of her house from school. She was about to head for the kitchen for a snack when she saw her brother sitting on the couch looking very dejected.

“What’s wrong, Gus?” she asked with a frown.

“Nothing,” Gus sighed.

“It doesn’t look like nothing,” JR replied dropping her backpack and sitting down beside her brother. “Tell your little sister what’s the matter,” she wheedled trying to make it like a joke.

“I’m just being stupid I guess,” Gus admitted. But saying that didn’t make him feel any better.

“What’s going on?”

Gus looked into his sister’s worried eyes. He decided he might as well tell her. “You know Ray’s arriving tonight?”

“Yeah, so?” JR wasn’t sure what this was all about.

“I want to meet him at the airport.”

JR grinned. “I think a certain brother has a crush on a certain friend who’s arriving tonight,” she teased.

“I don’t have a crush,” Gus reacted adamantly.

“Okay, okay,” JR replied quickly, wiping the grin from her face. She really did want to help, not make her brother mad. “You like Ray a lot, don’t you?”

“Yes, I like Ray and he likes me,” Gus informed her. “It’s not a crush.” That word made his feelings for Ray sound so trivial.

“Okay,” JR agreed, “it’s not a crush. But I still don’t understand what the problem is.”

“Both moms have engagements that they have to be at around seven-thirty when Ray’s plane comes in. They can’t take me to the airport, and I really want to be there when Ray gets off the plane.”

“Oh,” JR said. She tried to understand what Gus was telling her. “Couldn’t you drive yourself? You have your license.”

“Yeah, for all the good that does me,” Gus griped. “I have a license, but I don’t have a car. Even if I could get one of the moms’ cars, they don’t want me to drive to the airport by myself.”

“Oh.”

“You’re a big help,” Gus told her.

“Did you try some of the other family members?” JR asked after a minute.

“I tried all afternoon. I called Emmett and Ted and Uncle Michael. They’re all working or have some other thing they have to do.” Gus shook his head dejectedly.

“Did you try Gramma Deb?” JR suggested.

“Yeah, right. She’s just who I want with me when I meet my boyfr…” Gus stopped himself before he said that word out loud.

JR giggled before she could stop herself. Gus cut her a look. She cleared her throat and said, “I was just picturing Gramma Deb cracking Ray’s ribs with one of her bear hugs. That would put him in some great shape for your party.”

Gus smiled in spite of his depression. “Yeah,” he muttered.

JR breathed a sigh of relief that she had covered up her giggle. “What about your Dad?” she asked after another pause.

“I … I kind of asked him for another favor already,” Gus said hesitantly. “I don’t want to make him mad or upset by pestering him.”

“Oh,” JR said admitting defeat. “Want a snack? I’m going to get one.”

“No thanks, I’m not hungry,” Gus said staring at the floor. He fingered the pad of his cell phone. He’d have to call Ray before too long and tell him to take a cab from the airport when he arrived.

JR looked at her brother before heading to the kitchen. She really wanted to help him. He looked so unhappy and it was his birthday. She walked into the kitchen and over to the wall phone. She knew what she had to do. She hit the familiar number and waited.

“Kinney,” a voice answered.

“Uncle Brian,” JR said. “Gus needs your help.”

“What? What’s wrong? Is Gus hurt or in trouble?”

“No, nothing like that,” JR explained quickly. “He’s just really sad.”

“Sad?” Brian asked wondering what the hell was going on. He had talked to Gus just hours ago and his son had sounded fine, better than fine, as he waited for Ray to arrive. “I think you better explain yourself, young lady.”

“Gus totally wants to go to the airport to meet Ray, but the moms are both busy and they don’t want him driving out there alone and he’s tried everybody else in the family and they’re all busy except for Gramma Deb and he didn’t think she would be the best one to bring with him to pick up his boyfriend.” JR ended with a giggle as she needed a breath and she realized she had called Ray Gus’ boyfriend.

“Got the picture,” Brian replied. “Thank God you have to breathe every now or then, so I have time to process what you’re telling me.

JR giggled. “Can you help Gus?”

“What time does Ray get here?”

“I think Gus said around seven-thirty.”

Brian looked at his watch. He might be able to make it if he left home immediately. “Leave it to me,” Brian said. “I’ll work something out.”

“Thanks, Uncle Brian. Gus will be so happy if he can go to the airport.”

 

*****
 

Gus looked at his watch as he wandered aimlessly around the house. Ray’s plane would be in the air. He should be getting to Pittsburgh in about an hour, and he’d be all alone with nobody there to meet him. Gus let out a sigh and flopped down on the couch.

His birthday celebration was sure starting out in a shitty way. He had wanted this weekend to be perfect and that started with Ray’s arrival. And now that was all screwed up. Ray would arrive with no Gus there to meet him. He’d have to take a cab all by himself to get to the house. Ray had not sounded very happy when Gus had called him a while ago to tell him he wouldn’t be able to meet him at the airport.

“Fuck!” Gus muttered, using the word his father employed so liberally, but Gus chose to use sparingly. Sometimes it was the only word that really got the right sentiment across.

Just then the front doorbell sounded. Gus sat up, wondering who that might be. Maybe Ray’s plane was early. He raced to the door and yanked it open.

“Un…Uncle John? What are you doing here?” Gus stammered.

John Anderson stood in the doorway with a grin from ear to ear. “I’ve come to provide limousine service to the airport for a young man who very much wants to meet his dear … friend when he arrives,” John said with a broad smile.

“But … why … how?”

“I got a call from your father who had received a call from a rather persistent young lady, whom you might happen to know, asking for help for her very sad brother.”

“JR?”

“I believe that would be the aforementioned young lady,” John replied.

“JR, what have you done?” Gus called towards the back of the house.

JR came sheepishly from the kitchen where she had been enjoying her snack while she waited for her Uncle Brian to solve the problem she had presented him with. “I just called Uncle Brian,” she said with a nervous little giggle.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Gus chastised her. “I told you…”

“I know what you said, but you were so sad, and I didn’t want you to be sad for your birthday,” JR explained with a little smile. She had wanted to fix things for Gus, but she certainly didn’t want him to be mad at her as a result of her efforts.

“If Pop is pissed off at me…”

“Your father’s not mad at anyone,” John said quickly. “And if you want to be at the airport when Ray lands, we need to get a move on,” John told Gus.

“But how did…?”

“Let’s go … now,” John said. “I’ll explain everything in the car.”

Gus took a look at JR who smiled at him, hoping he’d return the same. “Thanks, kiddo,” he said before he ran out the door after his uncle.

“I love you too,” JR said as she stood in the doorway and watched them climb into John’s SUV. She hoped they would make it to the airport before Ray’s plane landed. When the Navigator turned the corner, JR closed the door and went back to the kitchen. She picked up the phone and dialed the number she had used before.

“Thanks, Uncle Brian,” she said.

“No problem, kiddo. Are they on their way to the airport?”

“Yep, just left.”

“It was lucky John was working in Pittsburgh today.”

“Yeah, really lucky, but I knew you’d fix it for Gus … somehow,” JR said with a smile on her face.

“I do my best,” Brian replied.

“I know. I love you, Uncle Brian.”

“Backatcha.”

“See you at the party tomorrow night?”

“It’s a date.”

JR chuckled as she hung up the phone. Uncle Brian was the best.

 

*****
 

“Kinney.”

“Hi.”

“Hey, Lindz. What’s all that noise?”

“The emerging artists are celebrating. This is the official close of their show although many of the pieces will remain on display. I think they’re all a little excited.”

“That’s an understatement. Sounds like a football rally. What can I do for you? I’m seeing you tomorrow.”

“I just wanted to say thanks for arranging for John to drive Gus to the airport.”

“No problem. Lindz, are you and Mel really okay with them staying at the loft after the party?”

“I won’t lie to you and say that I’m totally thrilled, but if we said no then Gus would think we don’t trust him. And we really do.”

“Even after the Cole debacle?”

“Even after that. He wasn’t the only one duped. The D.A. said Cole swindled several people in New York. Gus was his youngest victim.”

“Probably thought he was older.”

“Probably. But Gus shouldn’t be punished for that crime.”

“He punished himself more than anyone else could.”

“That’s right. Brian, I trust that Gus and Raymond will be responsible.”

“I’ll give Emmett the heads up. He’ll make sure there’s a fresh supply of, um, supplies just in case the boys’ talk goes a little farther than talking.”

The parents of Gus were silent for a moment.

“Wendy, we’re all grown up now,” Brian said softly into his phone.

“I know, Peter, I know,” Lindsay replied with tears in her eyes.

 

*****
 

“Ray!” Gus cried out as he saw his friend walking down the ramp. Ray just had his carry-on so he didn’t have to stop at the baggage carousels.

“Gus!” Ray responded as he spied the tall handsome young man. Ray was a few inches shorter than Gus and a little bulkier but it was all muscle. The boys hugged and slapped each other on the back in greeting. Their eyes met in silent communication, their real greeting would have to wait for a more private location.

“Hi, Mr. Anderson,” Ray said politely to John.

“Hi there, Raymond,” John replied as he shook Raymond’s hand. “And it’s John or Uncle John, if you prefer. Now, let’s get out of here because I have a long drive back home.”

The boys followed John back to his SUV then piled into the back seat so they could sit close. John looked at them in the rearview mirror. He smiled as they were trying to discretely suck face.

“A-hem,” John cleared his throat to get their attention and make them come up for air. “Where am I dropping you boys off?”

“At my house, Uncle John. Ray’s going to spend the night with me at home. The moms want to say hi and stuff,” Gus explained.

“Sounds like a plan,” John said but his comment went unnoticed. The boys were a little busy, again.
 

Return to Changes