Something Borrowed, Something Boo

by Shane Morton

  “I get that,” I replied. “Aren’t I gonna see you in like twenty minutes? What’s really up Evan?”

  “Mom and Dad are here. They are staying at The Winery right outside town, it’s a five-star establishment all the way, and they have already found fault with it.” His annoyance dripped through the phone lines. I got it. They kind of sucked.

  “Ignore them. They are here. You should just be happy about that, Evan. Trust me, you know how big a deal that is that they took the time to come. Just breathe and don’t let them get to you. I know that’s hard, but remember that this is your weekend. You’re getting married, bro, to a great guy and you love your life here, focus on that and let their judgment roll of you. I’ll try to keep them in line, or at least take some of the attention off of you, okay?” I dreaded that. But, for Evan, I would do it. They always got along better with him than me. Evan went into business, something they approved of. But, me… Even with my success, they treated me as if I were the black sheep of the family, something to condemn and look down upon.

  “Do you know how much I love you, Blake. You are the best brother I could have ever asked for,” he said, emotion heavy in his voice.

  “If you start crying on me right now I’m gonna whip your ass,” I laughed. “I love you too, Bro. You know that. It’s always been just us, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Now let me finish getting ready, and I’ll see you in a few minutes, okay? Tell Everett not to worry about them. Danny said he would probably be a basket case.”

  “I will. Thanks, Blake. See you soon.”

  I hung up the phone and finished tying my tie. I looked over at the little Buddha statue that sat on the dresser and said a silent prayer. Tonight was going to be a long night.

  Evan and Everett were at the door greeting all of their guests. Owen Master’s was a fantastic place. Everything was black and silver in the place, totally a modernist vibe that seemed so different than anything else I had seen in Point Pleasant. Danny was already there hanging out at the bar with Crystal and Wally and a couple other people that I didn’t know.

  “Hey guys,” I hugged each of them. “Did you rent out the whole place? That’s crazy.”

  “Yeah. Owen and I have become friends, and he volunteered it tonight. It’s really the offseason here, so he gave us a great price. You are going to love the food.” Evan gushed. He held tightly onto Everett’s hand.

  “Blake, thank you. Danny said you guys have everything in control. I know it was a lot to ask of you guys, but we really appreciate it,” Everett smiled. “Everyone says you guys have been really tight. I’m glad to hear that. Danny is… pretty wonderful. Someday he’s gonna make someone very happy.” He gave me a knowing look.

  “Have you been talking to Crystal?” I asked conspiratorially, smirking at him.

  “Who me? Of course not,” Everett grinned. “We thought you two would eventually work out your… Ummm… differences.”

  “Yeah? You did make a bet that we would get into it as soon as we met though, right?” My smirk grew wider. “You two are horrible.”

  “Probably. Now, scoot on in there and have a great time. We are waiting for your parents. Your father called and said they were taking the car service down and should be here any minute.”

  “Don’t be scared, Everett. Their bark is much worse than their bite. I promise they have no real teeth,” I patted him on the back and walked inside.

  “Told you,” Evan said quietly, but I still heard it. That was interesting. Was that about Danny and me or my parents? Either way, Evan was right, I suppose.

  Danny’s back was to me, and I sneaked up, ever so slowly on him. Crystal noticed me, and I held up my finger to my lips to keep her quiet. I stood directly behind him and leaned in and gave Danny a gentle kiss on the back of his neck. I saw the goose-pimples cover his neck where my lips had been.

  He turned around, surprised at the kiss or maybe at my arrival, who knows. His face was beet red, though. So, maybe it was the kiss. He looked…

  “Stunning. You look, damn…” I said lowly. He was wearing a light blue shirt that hugged every muscle of his torso, with a thin white tie. His hair was gelled into place, and he looked like some kind of Michelangelo painting come to life; full lips, piercing eyes, and a square jaw that was the definition of masculinity.

  Crystal looked like she was about to lose it. Her face was also turning red from trying to hold back her laughter. She was enjoying this way too much.

  “You… uh… you look pretty ‘damn’ yourself,” he let his eyes wander over me, and I knew what he was thinking. He wanted to see me out of them as badly as I wanted to rip off the shirt he was wearing and to feel his hot flesh up against me. That would happen later.

  “Hi Crystal. Wally…” I waved at them.

  “Oh, hell, no!” Crystal roared. “This bitch deserves a hug.” She stood up off her stool and wrapped her arms around me. “Welcome to the family, Mr. Movie Star. The Pleasant needs someone like you around.”

  “You told her?” I looked over at Danny, surprised. That was a big step for him.

  “He tells me everything…” she let the words linger before she winked at me, her tongue placed up onto her top lip lasciviously. “Crystal is like the crystal ball, Blake. She knows all.”

  “Alright, that’s enough,” Danny snickered, shooting her a quick warning. “Yeah, I told her. That’s not a problem, is it?”

  “No way,” I snuck my arm around his waist and pulled him gently into me.

  “Enough of this whispering over there,” Wally said. “Blake, this is Tom and Amber. They just moved here. Well, Amber’s from here but just moved back.”

  “Oh, the singer?” she nodded as she gave me her hand to shake. “Thank you for that.”

  “My pleasure, honestly. I always loved Everett. Tom here is my husband.” She gushed.

  “Nice to meet you. I’m a big fan of LA Patrol. Is it really the last season coming up?” he asked as he shook my hand enthused.

  “Sorry to say it is. It’s been a great run though, huh?” I lied. I was a fan of the money the show provided, but I was happy to move on to anything else.

  “And this is Kristin, Everett’s sister,” Wally said, taking a step out of the way so she could reach over and shake my hand.

  “I have heard a lot about you from the boys. It’s nice to meet you. Have you been keeping this one in line,” she smiled, placing a hand on Danny’s arm. “He’s as much my brother as Everett by this point.”

  “Oh, I think it’s been the other way around. Danny’s a hard taskmaster,” I smiled. Crystal, turned around suppressing a giggle. I was glad she was here. We would need her levity when Mom and Dad arrived. They always knew how to suck the air out of the room.

  And as if on cue, they arrived.

  ‘Let the Hunger Games begin,’ I quoted to Danny. I saw his Adam's apple bulge as he swallowed nervously.

  “Do they know?” he asked, apprehensive at having to deal with them.

  “They know nothing. But, with big mouth Evan over there, it’s a possibility they will soon. He likes to grovel for their attention in the hopes they will bestow it upon him. I don’t care if they know. Do you?” I leaned into him and bumped him with my shoulder, offering what comfort I could. “It’s gonna be okay.”

  Everett and Evan walked over to us with Mom and Dad striding in beside them. Mom had her arm linked with Everett’s, which was surprising, but not unimaginable. Everett was successful and on his way up the business chain just as they would like for their own children. Well, at least Evan wasn’t a total disappointment to them.

  “Son,” Dad said, approaching me. He looked like his usual self, maybe a little greyer and thinner than the last time I saw him. He was wearing a three-piece black suit which was perfect for this casual affair Evan had planned.

  “Hi, Dad. Mom. I take it your trip in was nice?” I asked politely. They were my parents, even if I wasn’t always happy about it.

  “It was,” Mom gushed,
staring at all of the locals. “This place is so quaint and charming. I can’t believe we’ve never been here before. I can’t wait to see a little more of it tomorrow before the wedding. You look wonderful, Blake. It’s really been too long.” She dropped Everett’s arm and took a few steps to hug me. It wasn’t the best hug in the world, but it was an attempt, and I appreciated the effort. She smelled of jasmine, her favorite perfume. It reminded me of all the times I begged for her attention when I was younger. I guess she did her best.

  “How long has it been Blake?” Dad asked. “At least a year since we’ve seen you. Of course, your mother always watches your show, and I see an episode every now and then myself.”

  “Yeah, it was the summer before last in Geneva. I was there for a press event, and you guys were visiting the ambassador, I think.” I nodded.

  “Well that’s just shameful,” Mom hung her head. “But it’s always nice seeing you on TV, Blake. Now, I have just met our new son-in-law, and I must say that I am impressed. He is delightful.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Hudson,” Everett said sweetly. “It really is my pleasure to finally meet you.”

  “Well… this whole thing has happened fairly fast, hasn’t it? My Evan has always had good judgment, and when he knows what he wants, there is no standing in his way. I was just surprised by it being on Halloween. We had to rearrange our entire fall… But, of course, we did,” she patted Evan on the arm.

  “This place is nice,” Dad said. “Very continental. It looks like something you would find in New York and not a little mountain village. Very charming, indeed.”

  “Well, now that we are all here, let’s sit and let the festivities begin,” Evan said quickly. He knew to head them off at the pass, or they might never stop.

  “Mom? Dad?” I said before they could escape. “I wanted to introduce you to Danny.”

  Danny shot out his hand, and Dad shook it. I could see that Danny was a firm hand-shaker. Dad would like that. He always said I shook hands like a waiter…

  “And who is this…” Mom said slowly, her eyes growing wide at the possibility of Danny being my boyfriend. Of course, they knew about me. I’ve been bi since high school, and Danny came out gay a year later so… They were proud.

  “Danny is Everett’s best friend and best man. We’ve both put together this wedding since those two were so busy,” I put my hand on Danny’s shoulder. “He’s also just agreed to be my boyfriend. We’ve gotten very close.” I wasn’t planning on doing that. It probably wasn’t fair to Danny. But, sometimes it's just better to rip the Band-aid off and let the chips fall where they may. I

  “Well…” Dad crossed his arms.

  “I will say that… well, that is a surprise. Hello, Danny, it’s our pleasure,” Mom greeted him calmly, forcing a smile to appear upon her face, even if it was a little strained. I did just spring this on them, what did I expect. The last thing they knew I was dating an A-list actress, probably.

  “Nice to meet both of you,” Danny said, surprised, to say the least. He stared them in the eyes and stood up tall and regal, even my mother couldn’t stop herself from staring at him.

  “Of course,” she took his arm. “You are an incredibly handsome man, Danny. No wonder you caught Blake’s eye. Well… this is turning out to be quite a surprising evening.”

  Before I could stop her, she pulled Danny right down beside her at the table. Shit… He was trapped. At least Dad sat on Mom’s other side and left me a space beside Danny.

  “Good evening,” the chef came out and clapped his hands together excitedly. “I am so glad to have you all here to celebrate this day. Evan and Everett have become close friends to me, and it’s my pleasure to be the one cooking your rehearsal dinner. Sit back and enjoy,” This must be Owen. He was a tall blonde Nordic-looking man with a thin nose and large eyes. He was striking looking. A waiter appeared with a tray of champagne and passed one to everyone. He glanced over at Danny and winked. Of course, they knew each other. It’s Point Pleasant.

  “Bon appetit,” he said before raising his glass in the air. “To Evan and Everett.”

  Everyone repeated and raised their glasses up, a few like Crystal clinked theirs against someone else's. He then disappeared back into the kitchen.

  Dinner was a fabulous three coarse affair, and the champagne and wine flowed throughout. It looked like Amber and Kristin were having a blast. Crystal sat with them, and they laughed and drank all through dinner. Mom and Dad kept asking Danny questions. ‘What do you do?’ ‘Where are your parents from?’ ‘Did you go to college?’ and the worst question of all… ‘What do your parents do?’ I kept expecting Dad to ask Danny for a vita and a credit history.

  Danny handled it all with a smile. Every now and then he would reach down and squeeze my hand. He had to be a little annoyed at me, but I’m sure he also understood. At least I hoped so.

  After dinner, everyone gathered in the lounge that was situated off the bar at the front entrance. Couches and leather-bound chairs were located around the large window that looked out at the cities park. I had of course just spent hours there today but I never really glanced over at the other side. It was picturesque.

  Dad pulled me over to two chairs by the small baby grand piano that sat in front of the hallway that took you to the overly posh bathrooms. He had something he wanted to talk about.

  “I heard a rumor from a friend of mine at your agency. You know Jim McGarrigan from the legal department there?”

  “Not really. There’s a ton of people there. I really don’t know everyone that’s on my team, just those I associate with or have to talk to. Why?” I glanced over and saw Danny talking to Crystal.

  “You should always know the people on your team, Blake. It will make them work harder for you and keep them loyal. I’ve told you that before,” he frowned. That was his usual expression when speaking to me.

  “Yes, sir. I know… Hollywood is a little bit different than running a business, Dad. It’s not really a boardroom type of thing- but I try to treat everyone with respect and care. You know that.” I hated getting lectured by him. I wasn’t twelve. “You didn’t tell Mom.” I looked back over for Danny and noticed I didn’t see him anywhere. He must have gone outside.

  “No… I haven’t. I thought I would speak to you first. Maybe you should talk to her yourself. I just want to caution you on this action, Blake. It’s your life…” he began.

  “That’s right, Dad. It is my life, and I want to stop hiding. It’s… harder than I thought.” I leaned in. I wanted to get loud, but this was not the right place for that, so instead, I lowered my voice but filled it with my passion for my choice. “If I keep that up, I won’t survive.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I didn’t realize you were having a hard time,” Dad said patiently, almost clinically. “However, you know this will change everything, right?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “And you are ready for that? Are you ready for the consequences of your actions if it comes to that? I know all of you California liberal elites,” he held up his hands in supplication. “You know I’m kidding… But things on the West Coast or in liberal towns are different. People don’t really care about what you do or who you love, and that’s a great thing…” He leaned in and placed his hand on my knee.

  “But, the people who finance those movies and those TV shows are not the same. They are money men like me, and they don’t think with… what is right, son. They think with spreadsheets and numbers. I just want to make sure you are… Damnit, Blake… You are my son, and I know we don’t see eye to eye often, but still… I do care for you and want you to be happy. I just want to make sure you are doing this for the right reasons.”

  “I am Dad. This is something I have to do, now, even if I didn’t want to. Too many years of hiding got me caught, and there are photos,” I said simply. “It is going to happen.”

  “This… Ski guy… Danny? Are you doing this for him?” he stared at me.

  “Partly. Bu
t, Danny’s not the only reason. He’s just the best reason to. Does that make sense?”

  “Sure. For now. I mean you just met him this week, right? He’s a local ski instructor, and you are famous. These kinds of things don’t always work out, you know.” He raised his shoulders. This was as uncomfortable for him as it was for me. “You come from two different worlds, Blake. It’s easy for you to come here and fit into his, but is it going to be as easy for him to fit into yours?”

  “I don’t know the answer to that,” I said as Danny came out of the hallway behind us and moved into the main lounge. He must have been in the bathroom. Maybe I should have joined him in there.

  “Dad, I appreciate this conversation. I do. But I love him. There’s no doubt about that. It happened fast, but I will happily give it all up for him. I have enough money to live here comfortably for the rest of my life. If it ruins me… if my career is really over after this… If the fact that I chose a man, a common non-famous person is the undoing of everything I worked for, then so be it. At least I will be happy. That’s more than could be said for quite some time.”

  “Okay. Your mind is made up then… If you need anything, Blake… Please let me know and try not to be a stranger. It would be nice to see you more often.”

  I looked over to see Danny talking to my Mom. “I think you know where I’ll be.”

  18

  Danny

  As I came out of the bathroom, I heard Blake’s dad talking to him. I shouldn’t have listened… I really shouldn’t have. Fuck… I am going to ruin him. Mr. Hudson was right. I would never fit in with Blake’s crowd or his life… I would be the hanger-on… the… I don’t even know what I would be.

  But the thing that bothered me the most was that he said he was coming out for me.