Chapter 2

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After the holidays, Hunter approached Brian and Kinnetik regarding a fundraising event for the Jason Kemp Clinic and Drop-In Center. The center had celebrated its third anniversary and the theater and bowling alley were about to celebrate their second. Hunter thought a big fundraiser would help to make the clinic more self sufficient and perhaps garner steady backers, other than Brian Kinney, of course.

"Hunter, I'm really not sure about this," Lacy whined. Kinnetik had sent a photographer to the clinic to photograph it, the theater and the bowling alley. And to photograph some of Hunter's success stories. Frank, Hunter's very first lost boy was now in college working toward a degree in computer science. He and his father both agreed to take part in the fundraiser. At first Lacy was excited to be involved in the festivities until she learned about the photographer.

"What's the big deal, Lacy? It's only a few pictures and maybe it'll help other kids," Hunter pleaded. "Lacy, you've come so far since we first met. You have a steady job, you've just about finished high school and PIFA is very interested in you. You've really turned your life around. You, Frank and all of our kids are the Center. Please, Lacy, I'd really like you be a part of this. You don't have to say anything or be interviewed, just stand with me, Frank and Karen."

Hunter turned the old puppy dog eyes on Lacy and she caved. The photographer came away with several great photos.

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"Hello?"

"Debbie, is that you?"

"Who wants to know?"

"It's me Deb, Danny."

"Danny?! Well, how the fuck are you? Where are you?"

"I'm well, and I'm here."

"Here? Where here? The Pitts here?"

"Yes, I'm staying at the Plaza."

"Business or pleasure?"

"A little of both, I imagine. I'm here for the fundraiser."

"Fundraiser, what fundraiser?"

"For the Jason Kemp clinic. My agent was contacted by a Brian Kinney."

"That little asshole, wait till I get my hands on him. I'll rip his other ball off."

"Whoaaaa! Hold on now, Deb. Brian had an idea you'd respond that way."

"He did, did he...."

"Debbie, honey, Brian called my agent to request that I don't come."

"What? I don't understand."

"Look, a general call went out to most of the agents in the business who handle the top drag queens on both coasts. Everyone in the business knows about this fundraiser and its connection with Rage. But Brian was also aware of the tension it might cause if I attended so he called asking if I would skip it."

"So why are you here?"

"I know how we left it, Deb, but I'm not getting any younger. I know about Hunter and about JR. They're my grandchildren too. I promise not to interfere but I'd really like to meet them."

"I don't know."

"Hunter's a big boy, I'm sure he'd get a kick out of knowing me."

"That's for sure. But JR's so young..."

"I just want to see her; I don't have to talk to her. And I'll go through her mother, if it'll make you happy. I won't do anything without JR's parents' permission."

"Okay. Danny, are you really all right?"

"I am, I swear, and you?"

"So much has happened since you were here."

"I heard about Vic. He was always such a sweet boy."

"Yeah...and I'm married now."

"Married!"

"Yup, to a cop, well, retired cop, so you better not fuck with my family!"

"I promise, Debbie, I promise. I read all about Hunter's clinic, and what he's doing for the community, I just want to help if I can. Divina Devore does have very generous fans."

"Okay, okay."

"Deb, would it be all right if we met for lunch? Just you and me. Maybe you can show me pictures of the children."

"I'm not sure..."

"Please, Debbie, I've missed so much. Let me share just a little of it."

"All right, maybe tomorrow. But not at the diner!"

"Deborah Jane! Tell me you do not still work at that greasy spoon?"

"Not as much as I used to but I pull a shift or two. It keeps me young and sometimes the kids need me."

"Earth mother, that's what you are. Why don't I arrange for lunch here? The Plaza has a very nice restaurant. Say about one?"

"Fine but you better not try anything, I'm a happily married woman."

"Sweetheart, the only thing I'd try, is your wig, or maybe you can try one of mine!"

"Danny, this is me hanging up now."

"Until tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow."

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"Justin." Susan entered the Sidney Bloom gallery and spotted her step-son immediately. A national art magazine had sent a reporter and photographer to interview Justin. The 'Old Masters' show was very popular and would go to New York in the Spring. Sidney had plans to take it across the country after New York.

"Hi, Susan," Justin greeted his stepmother with a sunny smile.

"Am I interrupting?"

"No, not at all. We're done and I need a break. My cheeks hurt from all the smiling I've been doing," Justin snickered. "Let's go into Sidney's office."

"Are you sure we won't be in the way?"

"No, Sidney's out on a buying junket. Lindsay's doing her selling thing; we'll be fine." Justin escorted Susan into the office and offered coffee.

"Justin, do you have the journals on Kinney and Patrick? I never had the chance to see them."

"I leave a copy here with Sidney," Justin said as he went straight for the journals on the shelf.

"Why do you keep a copy here?"

"I have a copy at home; the original journal pages are kept in a bank vault. We've amassed so much stuff on Kinney and Patrick, the books are too heavy and cumbersome to lug around. We're putting copies of everything on the computer but it's a slow process. And we keep finding more information. We consult the journals regularly, especially when we find a new Kinney or Patrick art piece."

"This is all fascinating, Justin," Susan exclaimed as she skimmed through the first binder. "You know, when John Patrick Taylor arrived in town, your father began his own research into your family tree. You're not directly related to Patrick Taylor in spite of the resemblance. Patrick's father had another family after Patrick left the country. Patrick's mother died so his father remarried a young woman and they had several children. One of them is your father's ancestor."

"Wow, I never knew. We were so caught up in Kinney and his Patrick and their travels that we never knew about the rest of the family. Were any of them artists?"

"Not that we could find out. It seems that Patrick was the only Taylor other than you who had any talent."

Justin pondered what Susan told him. "Susan, if you get a chance to make a copy of the report, I'd love to read it."

"I thought you might," Susan said as she pulled an envelope out of her bag. "This is what the investigator found out. You can have this copy."

"Thank you." Justin looked over the papers then stuck the whole thing in his pocket. "You're not here just to talk about Kinney and Patrick."

"No, I'm not. Molly and I have been meeting at least once a week to discuss her wedding plans. Your mother too has been so sweet and kind. She's far more generous than I would be in a similar situation. I don't think I'd be that nice if Craig did to me what he did to your mother."

"My mother is, she's..."

"I know, Justin. Molly has told me how close you all are and how supportive of you and Brian, Jennifer is. Justin, I'm not here to make things difficult for you or Jennifer. I'm just hoping we can find a way for everyone to be at Molly's wedding."

"We're all so stubborn. I hope that stubbornness doesn't get in the way of Molly's wedding. I'll help in any way I can. Brian and I both have decided to stay away if we can't work this out with Craig."

"It won't come to that. We have almost ten months to get through to your dad."

"That better be enough time," Justin said with a shrug.

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"Hey, Brian, what are you doing here?" Hunter asked as he looked up from his desk in the Jason Kemp Center.

Brian threw down that morning's newspaper onto the desk and sat in the chair across from Hunter. "Very photogenic," Brian said with a trace of sarcasm in his voice.

"Is something wrong?" Hunter asked with a frown.

"Why did you pick Frank and Lacy to be in that photo with you?"

"Why? Well, I wanted to show some of our success stories. Frank was the first boy we helped here."

"I know that. I remember the reason this place was started," Brian said with a touch of annoyance in his voice.

"I'm sure you do. Frank started this whole thing."

"Frank's one thing, but why Lacy?"

"She's doing so well. She's working and going to school. It looks good for her getting accepted into PIFA."

"And you think broadcasting her face all over the newspaper is good for her?" Brian asked testily.

"I think people will be touched that she's doing so well," Hunter said not really understanding where Brian was going with this.

"If, and it's still an 'if', Lacy gets into PIFA, do you think she wants all her classmates to know she was a former hustler?"

"It doesn't say that in the article," Hunter said defensively. He had chosen his words carefully. "I made sure that she wasn't lumped in with the other boys."

"Did you now? Right after you say Lacy was abused by her boyfriend, you talk about the boy hustlers that you have helped. People are going to wonder."

"Shit!" Hunter reacted. "I never thought."

"I know, and I'm wondering what consequences there might be for that young lady."

Hunter rubbed his hand across his face. "I'm sorry … and she didn't even want to do the fucking picture in the first place. I talked her into it."

"Has she ever said anything to you about her family?"

"Her family? No, why?"

"I just wonder who's going to see this photo of her. Frank's father knows his story and he's okay with it. What if Lacy's parents see this picture?"

"Holy fuck! I never thought about that either. What should I do?" Hunter asked, truly dismayed that he might have set a chain of events into action that could cause all kinds of problems for Lacy and potentially for the clinic.

"I don't think there's anything we can do," Brian admitted. "We keep our fingers crossed that nothing comes of this, and that we don't make the same mistake again."

"You mean that I don't make the same mistake again," Hunter said mentally beating himself up for making such a stupid mistake.

Brian smiled just a bit. "You're young. You'll learn."

"Ya think?"

"I know," Brian said smiling wider.

"I really am sorry."

"I'm sure you are. I just wanted you to be aware of what might happen."

"I'll talk to Lacy," Hunter said. "The least I can do is prepare her."

"Good idea." Brian stood up. "I'm on my way to Kinnetik. Go rescue another kid from the mean streets."

Hunter smiled. "Thanks, Brian."

Brian merely nodded as he walked out the door.

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Hunter walked into the diner. Lacy was just delivering meals to the only occupied booth in the place. It was 10:30, usually one of the slow times of the day. He walked to the back booth and waited for Lacy to join him.

"Hey, Hunter, what can I get you?" she asked as she came up to the booth.

"If you have a minute, we need to talk," Hunter said not relishing having to discuss his major faux pas.

"Sure, we're not exactly swamped, as you can see." She sat down across from Hunter. "So, what's going on?"

"Have you seen this?" Hunter asked as he lifted the newspaper from where he had laid it on the seat beside him.

Lacy took the paper and looked at the picture of her, Frank, Karen and Hunter. "I've seen worse," she laughed.

"I … I had a visit from Brian this morning. He wasn't too happy."

"He wasn't?" Lacy frowned. "Didn't he like me appearing in the paper? Am I not a good enough representative of the center and what it does?"

"Jesus, that's not it at all," Hunter said hastily. He realized that Lacy's self-esteem although better than it used to be was still pretty poor.

"Then what is it?" Lacy asked. "You're here, not over talking to Frank, so it must be something I've done."

Hunter shook his head. "No, it's something I've done."

"Huh?" Lacy's eyes had gotten very big and her eyebrows had disappeared into her short bangs.

"Lacy, I pressured you to take part in that photo. I … I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

"You didn't make me do it, Hunter. I could have refused, but I decided to do it. I thought it might help some other kids."

"It might, but Brian pointed out that it might hurt you at the same time."

Lacy frowned. "I don't understand."

"Well first there's the kids at PIFA who might read this and then you will have to face them when you go there."

"I haven't even been accepted yet," she said uneasily. She hadn't thought about that.

"You will be," Hunter said positively.

Lacy smiled. "I can deal with the fallout. I … I'm not proud of what I did … but I know why I did it. I can defend myself."

"That's easy to say, but I think we may have made your life a lot tougher," Hunter said gently. He so wanted Lacy to succeed and be happy. He wanted all his lost kids to succeed and be happy.

"I'll be all right," Lacy said defiantly. She just wished she was as confident about that as she tried to sound. She was scared shitless that she might actually get accepted to PIFA. How the fuck could some street hustler compete with real artists?

"And then Brian reminded me that your family might see that picture in the paper," Hunter said in almost a whisper.

"M…my family?" Lacy looked stunned.

"Yes, you know, those people called parents, and maybe brothers and sisters. You never said if you had any."

"I don't have any," Lacy said hastily.

"Any brothers or sisters?"

"Any family," Lacy said with her jaw set defiantly.

"Everybody has parents, even if they're less than … desirable," Hunter said thinking of his own mother.

"I have no parents. They ceased to exist the day I left."

"That's not how it happens," Hunter replied trying to get Lacy to talk. In all the time he had known her he had never learned much about her family. Most of the kids eventually spilled their stories, but not this one.

"I have no family, no parents, no brothers or sisters. That's all there is to it." Lacy pushed herself up from the seat. "I have to get back to work."

"But what if they see the picture?"

"They won't … because they don't exist."

Lacy walked determinedly over to the booth of customers and started clearing their empty plates. She refused to look at Hunter even though he followed her every move. Finally Hunter got up and left the diner knowing that whatever was to come from that picture in the paper, Lacy was going to deal with it by herself.

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