Beautiful Days (Jason Of The Valley Book 5)

by Jason K. Melby

  "A plate will be fine, thanks."

  "Really? Your father likes it."

  "Please. Cool it with the F-word."

  After breakfast, Jeff got dressed and tried to make a date with Mike for later that evening, but Mike's trepidation over Jeff's relationship with his father was keeping him from making any such commitments. Jeff left only after charming an uneasy promise of meeting again later from Mike. Mike checked the clock but as he did, he realized it was his day off. His mind was heavy with conflicting thoughts about what he had done. He knew there was nothing emotional going on between his father and Jeff, but he never liked sharing men with anyone, much less his own father.

  Mike took advantage of his day off and went out hoping to distract himself from his own thoughts, but flashes of his night with Jeff kept playing through his mind. He wasn't even sure what he was feeling about the situation. It felt like guilt and jealousy mingled with desire and lust. He tried not to think about it, but every thought in his head would lead him back to Jeff.

  Mike found himself driving toward the video store where Ken was working and he was hoping that he'd be there. He pulled into the small shopping center and parked just in front of the store. Mike peered out and he could see Ken standing behind the counter inside.

  "Thank God." Mike said as he got out of the car.

  Mike walked in and Ken looked up and as he registered who it was, he smiled.

  "Finally someone comes to visit!" Ken said as he came out from behind the counter and met Mike with a hug.

  "I was hoping you'd be here. Are you busy?" Mike asked. Ken held his arms out and Mike looked around and noticed that they appeared to be the only two people in the store.

  "You are the morning rush. What's going on?"

  "I slept with Jeff."

  "What?"

  "I slept with Jeff last night. I took him home and we had sex! I had sex with the man who's fucking my own father!" Mike exclaimed just as John Gonzalez stepped out from the adult section of the store and looked over at him.

  "Uh, Mike? This is John. He works in here with me sometimes."

  "And you couldn't tell me?"

  "Don't worry, bro. It's freaky, but I'm an open-minded guy. It's cool." Mike then took Ken by his arm and pulled him aside.

  "You could have mentioned you weren't alone."

  "How was I supposed to know you were going to blurt that out? So you really slept with him?"

  "Yes."

  "But you've been going on and on about how disgusted you are with what he's doing and how you wouldn't give him a second glance."

  "I know what I've said. I don't know what happened last night. I just couldn't resist any more."

  "How was it?"

  "It was good. I mean really good! He's so fucking hot. He offered to serve me scrambled eggs off his ass this morning."

  "I'd eat that."

  "Need I remind you that you are spoken for?"

  "That doesn't mean I can't have a fantasy or two. So tell what it was like."

  "I wish I could, but honestly, I don't remember much. I do recall us getting into bed and doing most of the preliminaries, but after that, it gets foggy."

  "How could you forget any detail about having sex with a man like that?"

  "I don't know, but I did. I think I might be blocking a bit because of my Dad."

  "You are really freaked out by this, aren't you?"

  "Wouldn't you be? My Dad and I are fucking the same dude! If we lived in the south, we'd be going on Jerry Springer!"

  "There is a little bit of a white trash quality to all of this."

  "Thanks.

  "It's not incest. Exactly."

  "But what do I do now? I mean, Jeff keeps talking about going further with this thing between us. He even said he'd drop my Dad if I wanted him to."

  "Do you want him to? I mean, do you want a relationship with Jeff?"

  "I don't know. I mean, what kind of relationship could I have with someone like that?"

  "Like what?"

  "Do you think he's really husband material?"

  "Is that what you're looking for?"

  "Maybe. And frankly, he's kind of a whore."

  "Yes, but I believe you've been a part of that club yourself."

  "I just don't see a guy like Jeff ever settling for one person."

  "Open relationships are very popular now."

  "I don't want that either. You think I'm fooling myself if I allow myself to believe that there could be something between me and Jeff?"

  "You can't judge a book by its cover."

  "No, but he's also my father's fuck toy. How do I get past that?"

  "I don't know. From what you've said about this guy, he disgusts you."

  "He does, but he's so hot! And after last night."

  "Or you've been into him from the beginning and you're just letting your slip of judgment last night open the door to the possibility because this is the first I've heard about you being interested in Jeff at all."

  "I guess there's always been a crush. I don't know what happened last night. I've resisted for so long, but I just couldn't say no last night."

  "Well, since you have such a problem with him diddling your Dad, I guess you don't have to make any choices until that ends."

  "No, I guess I don't."

  "When is that going to end?"

  "I don't know. My Dad told me that it's nothing to him, but I can tell he's really enjoying it. I've made peace with the fact that he and my Mom have an open relationship and I got over his latent gay lust, but to get involved with Jeff? It feels like that line that ought not to be crossed."

  "Forbidden?"

  "Stop it. I'm having trouble enough with this. I guess part of me was hoping if I went to bed with him it would diffuse this tension between us and I'd get over it."

  "Does that ever work?"

  "No, not really. It's more like trying to eat just one potato chip. One taste and I just want more."

  Mike returned home later that day and he was surprised to see his father's car parked on the street outside his building. Mike parked and ran up to his apartment where he found his father waiting on his sofa.

  "Dad."

  "Hi, son."

  "How'd you get in?"

  "I still have the spare key you left with us when you and Ivan went off to Europe."

  "Oh, right. So, what's up?"

  "I spoke with Jeff today. You and he had a moment last night?"

  "I guess you could say that. What exactly did he say?"

  "That you slept together. Is that true?"

  "Yes."

  "He also says that you have some problem with being with him as long as he and I are playing."

  "That is also true."

  "I told you that there's nothing serious between us. We're just having fun."

  "You seriously don't see anything weird about me dating the man who's fucking my father?"

  "No. I'm not stupid. I guess that's why Jeff informed me that he can no longer see me."

  "He did?"

  "Yes. I'm not going to say that I'm not going to miss him. I really enjoyed our time together, but if there's any chance that you could find happiness with him, I'd gladly step aside."

  "Really?"

  "Of course. He's just a trick, but you're my son."

  "You don't think it could get awkward at Thanksgiving?"

  "We're all adults here. It's only a problem so long as we make it one. The bottom line here is there's nothing between you and Jeff now. Find out what this might be. Try and be happy."

  "Thanks, Dad. I guess I better call Jeff."

  "Actually, he'll be here by eight. I told him I was coming to tell you all of this and I took the liberty of making the date."

  "Wow. When I first came out you could barely speak to me. Now you're fixing me up."

  "It's called growth, son."

  Chapter 31

  No Stopping Her Now

  Douglas was enjoying a peaceful rest when he was aroused to c
onsciousness by the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen. He looked over to the small clock on the nightstand and he saw it was a few minutes until six. He let out a thick growl and forced himself up. He grabbed his robe and threw it on as he padded toward the door.

  He wasn't so much surprised by his rude awakening as disappointed by it. After she regained some of the weight she had lost, Cynthia had gone back on her strict diet and exercise program once more, but this time around, she seemed to be even more determined and focused, usually at the inconvenience of everyone else in the house.

  He walked into the kitchen and he saw Cynthia running back and forth as she prepared one of her special breakfast meals. She was already outfitted in her exercise clothes and her hair was pinned back in a ponytail.

  "Morning!" She said as she scooped something out of a skillet on the stove top that looked like a squared glob of white slime.

  "What is that?"

  "Tofu. I read that a five ounce patty, along with some organic beans and wheat germ enriched protein paste, makes a perfect breakfast." Douglas looked over at her plate which was sitting on the table and he could see the rest of her breakfast on it and it just about destroyed his own appetite for food.

  "It looks like what's left after an autopsy."

  "Okay. It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but it's all natural and one hundred percent nutritious. Free of chemicals and preservatives."

  "And taste as well, I'll bet. And you're actually going to eat this?"

  "Of course! I lost another five pounds last week. I can't stop when I've gained this kind of momentum." Douglas watched carefully as Cynthia navigated around the kitchen as she finished preparing her meal. She sat down at the table and with her fork; she got some beans, some tofu and a glob of protein paste in one bite. Douglas sat down across from her and tried not to look at her food.

  "I'm a little surprised."

  "I do this every morning."

  "Not by that. I mean after last night. Usually when something like that goes down, you can't stop talking about it."

  "Oh, that. It was a little odd, but I can't let my world fall apart every time something like that happens."

  "And you're not even curious as to why Matt and Jason left so abruptly?"

  "Of course I am, but I'll get the story later. After my run."

  "You know, Cynthia, you've been acting weird lately. I've tried to figure out how to talk to you about it. Usually whenever I get up the nerve, you turn up in one of your moods."

  "One of my moods? What is that supposed to mean?"

  "It means lately you've had a short fuse."

  "So I get a little cranky. I'm human."

  "It's not just that. If you're not upset about something, you're happy." Cynthia then threw down her fork and jerked up from her seat.

  "You've got a problem with me being in a bad mood and a good mood?"

  "No. I'm just concerned because you seem to go from one extreme to the other in the blink of an eye. Not to mention your explosions of energy which you collapse from later. I just don't think it's healthy."

  "My body chemistry is just shifting. I'm losing a lot of weight."

  "This is more than just some weight loss. I haven't said anything about it because you've been so happy with your progress, but I need to know if you're doing something besides exercise to lose this weight."

  "Like what?"

  "I don't know. That's why I'm asking."

  "I think I'm done eating. I better get on with my run." Cynthia said and before Douglas could utter another word, she was trotting out of the kitchen and out the front door.

  Cynthia was jogging for over two hours, which was typical for her. She made her way, as she did on most days, to the park and as always, Victoria was waiting at the usual shaded bench by the pond.

  "You're looking good." Victoria said with a subtle smile.

  "Thanks. You have my order?"

  "I'm afraid I wasn't able to get as many as usual. My husband is catching on to my little system and has hidden the pills. On the good side, only half price." Victoria then held out a small bottle and Cynthia snagged it. She pulled it open and looked inside. Her eyes grew dark when she saw far fewer pills in the bottle than usual.

  "These are supposed to last me the week?"

  "Two weeks, actually."

  "What?"

  "Like said, Jerry has gotten wise to what I'm doing. I have to make sure I have enough pills for everyone until I find out where he's hiding the pills now."

  "Unbelievable." Cynthia growled.

  "Calm down, Cynth. You're looking great. It doesn't even look like you need them anymore."

  "You said if I quit, I'd gain all the weight back."

  "True, that is a possibility. How many have you been taking?"

  "Whatever the label said to take."

  "Are you sure? You seem a little on edge."

  "I'm on edge because Douglas seems to have a problem with me being a human being."

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "I don't know. He was gassing on about mood swings or something."

  "Hmmm, then it may be a good thing if you ease up on your dosage."

  "Why?"

  "Well, I never had a chance to warn you, but the pills can sometimes cause unusual behavior."

  "What kind of unusual behavior?"

  "It's hard to tell. It's different for everyone. I've noticed you can be a little more on edge and aggressive, but then I only see you a few times a month. When you need a fix."

  "Now you're telling me."

  "You wanted the results. You take the side effects along with them. You want the pills or not?" Cynthia reached into the waistband of her shorts and pulled out a tightly wadded pack of cash and handed it to Victoria.

  "Does this ever even out? The mood swings?"

  "I don't know. I suppose we'll find out, won't we? Just remember if you go off the pill you had better be ready to live the rest of your life in a two digit size."

  "I can't do that to Douglas."

  "Douglas? Bull! You're not doing this for him! This is for you and you know it!"

  "It is for Douglas. I see how he looks at me now. It's like it was when we first met. Before these pills,"

  "What? Before the pills what?" Cynthia let out a deep sigh and sat down on the bench. She looked over at Victoria and while she knew she didn't give two shakes about anything she had to say, it seemed she was at least willing to listen.

  "He never said it, but I knew he was embarrassed by me. I was turning into one of those frumpy, dumpy housewives. It was like I wasn't even human anymore. I wasn't the girl he married."

  "And he told you that?"

  "No. He would keep telling me how good I looked and how much he loved me no matter what, but it was something in his eyes that told me something different."

  "It was probably your reflection. If you're going to do this, for the love of God, at least be honest with yourself. This isn't about Douglas. It's about you. This is what you want." Cynthia looked back on the past few months and she began to see that Victoria was right.

  "Fine! All right? I'm busted. I'm sick of being this amorphous mess. My life has changed so much in such a short time. I've changed. I used to be care free and on my own. Enjoying life and living the adventure. Now I'm a wife. A mother. This is what my life has turned to and this is what it's going to be until the day I die." Victoria allowed a mask of smugness slip across her face.

  "That's better."

  "I just remember who I was! I just want to be that again. I want that Cynthia back."

  "And that's exactly what you're doing. I'll look into those side effects if I get the chance, but until I do, just try to keep a lid on it. Okay?"

  "I'll try."

  Chapter 32

  Hollywood Mornings

  Jason had only been waiting on the corner of the street for twenty minutes when he saw Matt's truck coming up the way. For all the time he had been waiting, he felt as though he was sticking out l
ike a clown in a church. People kept passing him by, glancing at him and passing their vicious, ignorant judgment upon him.

  Matt came to a soft stop and Jason jumped into the truck and Matt sped off. Jason fastened his seatbelt but was unable to look up at Matt.

  "Thanks." He muttered.

  "Sure. How are you feeling?"

  "Like a moron."

  "Where did you go?"

  "I don't know. I woke up with some guy. He said I met him at Trunks and we left together. How did I even end up in West Hollywood?"

  "Well, I got your phone and it looks like the last call you made was to a cab company. At least you had the presence of mind not to drive."

  "Was I drinking?" Jason asked. Matt stopped at a red light and then looked over at Jason in disbelief.

  "Were you drinking? What do you remember of last night?"

  "I remember the book signing and then I went to the men's room and then everything kind of blacks out there. How did the signing go? I left all that stuff at the bar."

  "Don't worry about that. Mike and the others took care of all that. So, you don't remember anything after going to the men's room at the bar?"

  "I don't remember drinking at the bar, but I must have been at some point. I guess I had a little too much." Matt grew more concerned as it appeared that everything that had transpired the night before had disappeared from Jason's memory. It also made sense too. He was familiar with the phenomena of people blocking out painful memories, but he hadn't ever heard of such a sudden case.

  "We're going to have to talk about all that, but right now I think you'd better get yourself together. Where do you want me to take you?"

  "Home, of course. Where else?"

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes. David must be worried sick. I'm just glad nothing happened between me and that guy. It's bad enough I went home with him. I just hope David can forgive me." Matt's hands tightened on the steering wheel and he felt a sharp jolt of anger run up his body.

  "You're hoping he'll forgive you!?"

  "Yes. I don't know why I wound up going out after having so much to drink. I'm sure he'll be able to fill me in on the details."

  "Jason. I think it would be better if I took you back to my place. You can get a shower and have nap. I think after that, you'll be thinking with a clear head."