Beautiful Days (Jason Of The Valley Book 5)

by Jason K. Melby

  The man continued strolling around the store and talking about his time on the show and some of his other acting jobs. It was clear by how he was acting and carrying on, he was on something or coming down from something. He just kept talking and talking. Ken was growing a bit anxious. Ken checked the phone and it still had a ways to go until it was fully charged. He then grabbed his phone and texted to Adam. The moments after the message was sent and when Adam’s reply was received felt like an eternity. Ken explained to Adam what was going on and all Adam could advise was to dial nine and one and be prepared to dial the other one.

  The man was still going on about how his career could have been better and about how the stars of the show were just afraid of his talent. He seemed to be growing more agitated. Ken kept texting Adam to keep him informed on what was going on and Adam kept replying, if only to let Ken know he wasn’t alone.

  A soft tone rang out that signified that the man’s phone had finally charged. Ken unplugged the charger and practically shoved the phone into the man’s arms and escorted him to the door. The man thanked Ken for all his help and then went off to where ever it was that he came from. Ken ran back behind the counter and let Adam know the crisis had passed.

  A little while later, a tow truck showed up and hauled off a car and Ken just assumed it was the stranger’s car and he felt relieved that he was gone. Ken was further relieved when he discovered the time had finally come to close up shop. He ran to the door and locked it tight. He then shut off the signs in front and turned off the lights. He then tallied up the day’s receipts, which amounted to nothing, and took care of all the other little chores required of him.

  Once it was all done Ken walked back to the front door and he could see his car just outside. He opened the front door, set the alarm and walked out, locking the door behind him. He then felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around with sharp scream, but it was Adam.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I was worried about you. After you texted me about that nut earlier I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”

  “Thanks, babe; I’m fine. He left a long time ago. I think he was just a little drunk. No big deal.”

  “No. It is a big deal. He could have been dangerous and you were all alone here. I’m not sure I like you working here anymore.”

  “Well, I don’t have a lot of choice in the matter.”

  “You can quit.”

  “It took me this long just to find this job! I can’t go back to being unemployed.”

  “And I can’t take the idea that you could be attacked any night in this dump.”

  “Tonight was an isolated incident. Trust me, I’m fine here. Where’s the dog?”

  “He’s fine. He’s in the car.” Adam pointed behind him and Ken could see Smidgen in Adam’s car in a custom built car seat.

  “I don’t like this.”

  “Me neither, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”

  “I hate that saying.”

  “It’s true. It’s really sweet you came down here to check on me, but it wasn’t needed. Why don’t you just get on back home? I’ll be right behind you.”

  Adam grabbed Ken and kissed him before going back to his car and driving off back to home. Ken let out a deep sigh and went over to his car and got in. He looked at the store before him and he felt his life flashing before his eyes.

  “I can’t keep doing this. I can’t.”

  Chapter 25

  Making Friends

  As Mike pulled up to his parents’ home he felt his stomach lurch. He had been avoiding confronting the issue for weeks, but the situation had become too much of a problem. Jeff was showing up at the bistro at least once a week with his clumsy come on and disgusting propositions. Of course, Mike had to concede that if Jeff weren't banging his father, he probably wouldn't be as offended.

  Mike walked up to the door and knocked. It was the middle of the day, but he was fairly sure his father would be home. He just hoped he'd be alone. As the door opened, he saw it was his father and he was fully clothed. A wave of relief came over him.

  "Mike. What are you doing here?"

  "Can't a son pay a visit to his father?"

  "Yes, but it's been a long time since you just dropped by."

  "You'll have to forgive me. The last time I did, I found myself in the middle of a twisted nightmare that I blame for the new gray hair I found yesterday."

  "Well, I'm all alone right now. Why don't you come in for a cup of coffee?"

  "Love to," Mike said as he stepped inside. He looked around as though he expecting to find some kind of incriminating evidence. "Where's Mom?"

  "She had a meeting with her gardening club."

  "Oh, yeah."

  "Or she made a date with some playmate." Mike cringed at his father's words. He had nearly forgotten about their open marriage arrangement. Mike followed his father into the kitchen and sat down at the counter. Ross went over to the coffee machine and poured out two cups and set one before Mike.

  "So you two are still doing the open relationship thing."

  "You still have a problem with this, don't you?"

  "Well, to be honest, yes. How do you think you'd feel if Gramma and Grampa had told you they were holding orgies every week in their retirement village?"

  "I get that it's hard to picture your parents still being sexually active."

  "It's not hard. It's horrifying and even worse than that is catching your parents in the midst of one of their play dates." Ross laughed lightly as he brought his cup up to his lips.

  "Sorry about that. Jeff is a lot of things, but discreet is not one of them."

  "Which is why I am here. I wanted to talk to you about Jeff."

  "Sure. What do you want to know?"

  "What is he for you? I mean, I thought you'd hook up with someone and walk away. That's how I thought this open relationship thing worked."

  "Jeff is unique. To say the least. I mean, I just had a passing curiosity and we just kind of hit it off. I never realized how cool this gay thing is. It's like having a buddy you get to fuck."

  "Dad, please."

  "Sorry. The first time I swore would be the only time, but he kept calling and it was hard to say now. And then you caught us,"

  "Whoa. Hold on. You mean that time I dropped by wasn't the first time?"

  "More like the fifth."

  "Are you dating this guy?"

  "No! I'm still married to your mother. Trust me. All that is between me and Jeff is raw, animal sex."

  "Please, Dad. Really. Stop saying that shit!"

  "Why the curiosity about Jeff?"

  "Because he's been barking up my tree for the past few weeks. He comes by the bistro. He 'bumps' into me at Coconutz. He touches me and has all but offered me money to sleep with him."

  "Go for it! He's a great lay. And I think you could use it."

  "So not the point!"

  "If you're here seeking my approval in bedding down Jeff, you've got it. He's free. You're free."

  "Thanks, but I'm not here for permission to sleep with him. I guess I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything more going on."

  "What made you think there would be?"

  "I don't know. It just felt like when he talked about it, he made it sound like there was something more going on."

  "I guess there is a little more. He's a nice guy. We don't just fool around. We watch sports. Talks about sports. He and I have a lot in common."

  "Oh. So you two are friends?"

  "I guess. I suppose we're, oh, what are they calling it? Friends with benefits!"

  "And Mom is okay with this?"

  "To be honest, I think she's relieved. I kind of think she agreed to this swinging thing because she's really lost interest in what goes on in the bedroom." Mike felt his stomach continue to churn as he sipped from his cup.

  "Fine. The next time you see Jeff, could you please tell him to leave me alone?"

  "Why?"

&n
bsp; "Because it's weird having my father's lover coming on to me. He thinks there's something between us. I think he wants to date me or something."

  "Maybe there is something there. You won't know until you talk to him."

  "I don't want to talk to him."

  "Why not? He's handsome. Great body. Big cock."

  "Dad!"

  "I mean, it's not gross big, but it's more than a mouthful."

  "Please!"

  "Mike. You think I haven't been paying attention? I remember how happy you were with Ivan. I also remember how lonely you were before him and how wounded you've been after. You dove into that ridiculous fling with that college kid and since then the only companionship you've had in your life is that damn restaurant of yours. You need someone."

  "Yes. I dream of finding a great guy and getting married so that one day he and I can have an open relationship just like you and Mom."

  "When you've been together as long as we have, you'll understand."

  "No, I don't think I will. You stood up before your family and God and swore to forsake all others. You promised her that she was the only one for you."

  "Son, I know what I promised, but monogamy isn't in our wiring."

  "Maybe, but we aren't slaves to our instincts. We have minds and we can make choices. You can choose to honor your vows, or choose to flush them."

  "You really have a problem with this."

  "You're surprised?"

  "I am. I mean, you're gay. You understand about this kind of thing."

  "So, just because I'm gay I am automatically the embodiment of sexual liberty? My gayness means I have to understand and accept any kind of exotic sexual proclivities? I do have a moral compass. I got it from you and Mom. I watched you two love each other for years and years. I saw you support each other. I wanted that. I've always wanted to find someone I could build a life with. A home with. Just like you two did. By opening up your relationship, you've gone from being married back to just dating."

  "You don't understand."

  "I guess not, and I'm grateful for that." Mike slid his cup away and stood to his full height.

  "I guess coffee is over."

  "Yes. I'm sorry for getting preachy. It's your marriage. You do what you want."

  "It's always so black and white with you."

  "Not always. Only when it comes to promises. Tell your boy toy to stay off my tail. It's getting old." Mike then got up and headed for the door. He could hear his father right behind him, but as he opened the front door, he saw Jeff approaching.

  "Mike!" Jeff said as his face brightened.

  "Jeff."

  "What are you doing here?"

  "I swung by to see my father, not that it's any of your business," Mike then turned to Ross who was staring back at him with an embarrassed look. "You did say you were alone. You failed to mention you were expecting company."

  "Of course he was expecting me," Jeff said. "Every Wednesday afternoon."

  "Ah, a standing date. How cute. Excuse me." Mike said as he pushed past Jeff.

  "What's the hurry?"

  "No rush, but I assume you and my father probably want to get down to business and the thought of has me running for a place to puke my lungs out."

  "Why do you have to be such an ass?" Jeff asked. Mike halted in his tracks and spun around. Ross just stood in the doorway unsure of what to do.

  "Excuse me?"

  "I have tried over and over to be nice to you, but you are always pushing me away."

  "Are you seriously not getting why I would have in issue with you? I actually came here to tell my father to get you off my back. I'm sick of you sniffing around trying to get something out of me."

  "I just thought we could be friends. Like your father and I are."

  "That will not be physically possible."

  "Why not?" Mike walked up to Jeff and got as close as he was able to. He was startled by the depth of his green eyes and his scent was rather pleasant. In that second, Mike could better understand how Jeff managed to slide his way into his father's bed.

  "I don't know what the color of the sky is in that world of yours, but here on Earth it's not really okay to sleep with people who are sleeping with our parents."

  "What's the matter? Don't you like it dirty?" Jeff asked with a smug grin. He then reached over and cupped Mike's crotch.

  "God!" Mike barked as he leapt back. "Were you dropped into a vat of stupid? I want nothing to do with this mess! Leave me alone!" Mike then spun around and marched to his car.

  As he got in, he stabbed the key into the ignition and started it up. He then turned and saw Jeff and his father hugging and then they disappeared into the house.

  Chapter 26

  Dependence

  Cynthia woke up with a start. She had been off the pills for just a few days but she was already feeling a change. She could feel her energy fading. She then noticed that Douglas was missing from the bed. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, but then she turned and saw that it was almost ten in the morning. She sat back in astonishment that she had slept through him waking up and leaving for work. She leapt up in panic as she realized she also hadn't been heard Ronny crying. She then noticed a small note on Douglas' pillow. She grabbed it and it stated that he had tried to wake her up, but he failed. He took it upon himself to feed Ronny and get him to day care.

  Cynthia let out a sigh of relief, but then a cloud of guilt overtook her. She hadn't realized how tired she had become. Although, considering how many mornings she had taken full responsibility for everything, she felt she was entitled to skip it once. She swung herself out of bed and she found it a little more of a challenge to just get up. She thought of just going back to bed, but she had slept in long enough. She had a routine to catch up with. She was due at the park for her daily run.

  As she got up, she let out a loud growl and trudged over to the bathroom. She leaned against the counter and turned on the water. Her eyes opened and that was when she saw herself and something had changed. She stepped back and took inventory of herself. Her hair was a little less vibrant. Her eyes were listless. She was about to reach over for her toothbrush when she realized the top to her pajamas looked a bit tighter around her stomach. She pressed her hand against her belly and it felt a little thicker than it had been just a few days earlier. The panic returned. She bolted to her closet and grabbed one of the new shirts she had bought after she had lost her weight. She took off her pajama top and slipped the shirt on and much to her horror, it was tight. Tighter than it should have been. She turned in every which way and carefully examined her body. She then saw that the familiar bump she was cursed with appeared to be returning.

  "No. No. No." She said as she ran over to the scale she kept by the bath tub. She got on and watched the small digital numbers tally up. She crossed her fingers as she went over a hundred pounds. Her heart sank as she past one twenty. When the numbers finally stopped, the number she was looking at was higher than she thought it would be. She felt the tears push at her and at last, she let out a mournful sob. Her sadness then turned to blind rage and she picked up the hated scale and threw it as hard as she could into the bathroom mirror, smashing it into thousands of pieces. As she watched the shards fall to the floor, she couldn't believe what she had done.

  After doing her best to clean up most of the mess in the bathroom, Cynthia hurried to the park where she saw Victoria at the park bench they normally met at.

  "Cynthia! How nice to see you. You look healthy or did you get stung by a bee?"

  "Very funny. What is going on? I know this has got something to do with the pills."

  "I told you. Once you go off, all the weight would come back. And then some. Believe me now?"

  "This is impossible! I could not have possibly gained fifteen pounds so fast!"

  "Believe it. Unfortunately the process that helps you lose the weight switches into reverse if you stop taking it."

  "But I've been working out every day! I'm living off less than a
thousand calories a day!"

  "Doesn't matter. You saw what was going to happen once you got off. I warned you."

  "So, I'm just going to keep gaining weight now?"

  "No. You just have to detox."

  "Okay. Great. How long does that take?"

  "No more than six or seven months."

  "Months!?" Cynthia flopped down onto the bench next to Victoria. She felt as though all the wind had been knocked out of her.

  "Yes, and then when you're clean, you can go back to your old methods of weight loss; which were so effective." Cynthia then recalled the months of struggle she spent just to keep from gaining any extra weight. She pictured the pre-dawn mornings and the flavorless, putrid meals she had to force feed herself.

  "What if I got back on the pills?"

  "You can be back into a single digit size by the weekend."

  "Fine. Give them to me." Victoria then reached into her bag and pulled out a small plastic bottle and shook it gently.

  "These, you mean?"

  "Yes. The same price?" Cynthia reached for the pills but Victoria drew her hand back with force.

  "Sorry. Price just doubled."

  "What?"

  "Demand is soaring. Do you know how many soccer moms have me on speed dial because of these things?"

  "So this is the shake down?"

  "Call it what you must. My money?"

  "I don't have that much on me. I have to get the rest."

  "Fine. I'll wait. Just be warned, Soccer practice begins at noon and that's when my clients come to buy. I usually sell out before twelve thirty." Cynthia tried to keep calm. She merely nodded to Victoria and dashed back to her car. All along the way she tried to figure out how to get the money. She thought of just taking the money out of the checking account, but then she realized Douglas may want to know what she used the money for.

  When she got home, her mind was still buzzing with ideas. As she walked through the door, her heart leapt as she remembered that she kept a stash of cash in case of emergencies. Her heart skipped and she ran to the kitchen and right to the cookie jar. It was shaped like a little cat with a flower stuck in its mouth. She pulled the lid off and flipped it over and there was a wad of cash taped to the inside of the cat's head. She wasn't sure how much she had saved up. It had been a long time since she added to the secret fund. She counted out the bills and her heart fell as she discovered that her stash fell far short of her needs. She began to pace around the room trying to come up with a new solution. There wasn't enough time to sell anything, besides which, Cynthia doubted there was anything she could sell to make up the difference. She thought about using a cash advance on her credit card, but then she remembered she only had twelve dollars left on the card. Time was slipping away and her heart was pounding. She then grabbed her keys and ran back out.