“I’m exhausted but happy that the bullshit is over,” Santino stated.
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“Well, come home and bring my grandson with you.”
“I will, Dad.”
Grier disconnected and dialed Lil, who answered immediately. “You’re a fucking genius.”
Lil laughed. “I know that, but tell me what brilliant thing I just did?”
“I won!” Grier screamed into the phone. “Thanks to you.”
“Love, you did the work. I just pointed you in the right direction.”
“Ahhh,” Grier yelled again, giddy with joy, but shocking poor Luca awake. “Oh, shit.”
“What happened?” Lil asked.
“I just woke up Luca with my whooping.”
“Let me talk to him.”
Grier passed the phone to Luca. “Hey, buddy, it’s Tito Lil.”
“Hi,” Luca said, still half-asleep. “Thank you for the prethent.”
Luca handed Grier the phone. “He’th coming,” he said dreamily.
“Is he?”
Luca nodded and dozed off again.
“What’s this you just told Luca?”
“I may be out there in the next week or so.”
“How come?”
Lil told him about his conversation with Jody earlier in the day.
“Do you think it’s legit, or did they do this to get you back to Chicago?”
“I wouldn’t put it past them to drum up business for me just to help us out.”
“They’re good people.”
“Fuck!” Lil’s voice jumped up several levels.
“What’s wrong?”
“Earthquake!” Lil shouted. “A fucking, goddamn earthquake.”
“Lil? Lil, are you there?” The phone went dead, and when Grier tried calling back, it went straight to voice mail.
SEBASTIAN JUMPED off his scratching post and landed on Lil’s lap with an angry hiss, digging his razor-sharp claws into the thick denim, which, thankfully, saved Lil from multiple lacerations. They were both scared out of their wits, and it didn’t help when the LED motion lights flickered on and off while the building swayed, the fire alarms went off, and sirens screamed outside the windows as the city reacted to the all-too-common occurrence. Lil sat frozen on his bed, where he’d been resting and nursing his broken heart after leaving work earlier today. He hadn’t the desire or the energy to work after the emotional goodbye at the airport.
He was overjoyed that he’d been able to talk Grier out of his irrational need to run, especially after hearing that Jillian had come to her senses and admitted the truth regarding Luca’s conception. It was also immensely gratifying to hear the three words that meant the world to him. And now this earthquake and the horrible, sickening feeling of helplessness, as his stable world reacted to the shifting masses underneath him. What the fuck! No matter how many times he’d experienced this phenomenon, it was still chilling and left him hyperventilating with fear.
His heart pounded furiously, and he fought to get his breathing under control before he passed out. Swooning like a damsel in distress wouldn’t be a good idea while the building tumbled down around him, an unlikely scenario, but still a very real possibility. He decided to take his chances outside and hugged Sebastian to his chest, ignoring the small voice in his head that told him to find his leash or his carrying case. It would have taken too much time, but he did have the good sense to slip on a pair of shoes, snatch his keys off the dresser, and grab his cell phone before dashing out the door.
He paused briefly in front of the elevator and shook his head, reminding himself that getting into an elevator before, during, or after an earthquake was sheer madness, and one thing he mustn’t do. He took the stairs instead, gritting his teeth as he descended the twelve flights to the bottom, all the while listening to Sebastian howling in protest. “Stop fussing, you silly cat.”
Sebastian hissed in righteous indignation and twisted forcefully, causing Lil to loosen his hold for a second, long enough for the cat to leap out of his arms in a burst of energy just as they got to the bottom step. He raced out the door someone had left open, speeding across the street to Lafayette Park with Lil caterwauling behind him. Lil would have died laughing if their situation hadn’t been so pathetic. As such, he wanted to cry because losing Sebastian was too much to deal with. Living without Grier was bad enough, but to lose his constant companion was unbearable and would push him over the edge.
“Sebastian,” he called out, hoping the cat would recognize his voice and return. After a few more attempts, he realized that it was impossible to expect Sebastian to come trotting back like a dog, and he threw himself on the same park bench he’d shared with Grier the day before, contemplating his next move. He was afraid that his impetuous decision to leave Sebastian off the leash would have tragic results. He should have known better after attending so many earthquake preparedness courses. Animals panicked, just like humans, and he could have been more thorough about his exit. It was irresponsible, and he hoped Sebastian wasn’t running amok looking for shelter. The thought of his cat freaking out made him shudder, and he reached for his phone, hoping there’d be a signal.
He was happy to see the familiar bars light up on the left side and keyed in Grier’s numbers.
“Lil?”
“Love….”
“What the fuck happened?”
“It’s nothing, just another wonderful day in San Francisco. There was a bloody earthquake that scared the bejesus out of me. I think Sebastian is on his way out of town.”
“What do you mean?”
“I lost him.”
“How do you lose a cat?”
“He jumped out of my arms when I was racing down the stairs, and now I’m in the park hoping he’ll come back.”
“He’ll be back.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Cats always find their way home, but you’d better hang out there for a while, so he knows where to find you.”
“I’m not moving from this spot.”
“Come home, Lil.”
“Home?”
“Yes, to me.”
“Oh, Grier….”
“Don’t you want to be with us?”
“Very much, but I have a business to run and obligations to fulfill.”
“If I helped with airfare, would you be willing to commute for a while?”
“Grier, it’s not the money. I have so many airline miles saved on my American Express card I could go around the world twice. I have projects and commitments I can’t ignore.”
“That’s too bad,” Grier murmured in disappointment.
“Let me see what I can do, okay? No promises, but I’m going to give this my best shot.”
“Okay.” Grier perked up instantly. “I’m going apartment hunting on Monday.”
“Yeah?”
“A two bedroom in a pet-friendly building.”
“Pet?”
“Bianca and maybe a guest appearance by Sebastian?”
“You’re cute and very optimistic.”
“I love you.”
“Do you know what it means to hear you say that?”
“I mean every word.”
“I know, Grier. It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. I need some time to work on this.”
“Please try.”
“I’ll do the best I can. Goodbye, love.”
“Later,” Grier replied.
Lil held the phone in his hand and looked around, hoping against hope that Sebastian would appear, but so far, nothing. He dialed Jody this time.
“Dr. Williams, I presume?”
“What’s up, my friend?”
“I’m recovering from a shaker.”
“Was it bad?”
“They’re all bad. I fucking hate them.”
“So move already. We don’t have earthquakes in the Midwest.”
“You just have mounds of snow.”
“Would y
ou rather be buried in rubble or freeze to death?”
“Gosh, those are really good choices, Jody. Why don’t you throw in fire and brimstone while you’re at it?”
“This wake-up call should make your decision much simpler.”
“What decision?”
“Building our fucking house.”
“Language.”
“Christ, Lil, look at this like an extended leave of absence. I’m sure your competent employees can muddle through without you.”
“I’m sure you’re right. It’s the perfect solution, actually.”
“I know it is.”
“Are you just doing this for me?”
“What?”
“Building a new house—whose idea was this, anyway?”
“I told you. Clark went out and came home with a passel of puppies.”
“You guys are crazy.”
“Come on, Lil. You know you’d rather be here than in that shaky town.”
“No kidding. Tell Clark to start working on his wish list.”
“What does that mean?”
“I need to know what you want in a house so I know how to design it.”
“Alright, but try and remember we’re on a tight schedule.”
“Demanding already, and we haven’t even signed a contract.”
“I’m only reminding you that there’s a building season out here. You can’t dig a foundation when the ground is frozen.”
“Fuck, you’re right.”
“It’s only August, so you have at least four months until things get really nasty, on the other hand, it’s the Midwest. We could have a blizzard tomorrow.”
“Very reassuring, really, Jody. I am so looking forward to this.”
“Hey, you’ll get a taste of winter, fatherhood, and being in a committed relationship. What more could you ask for?”
“The perfect trifecta.”
“Exactly. Are you coming?”
“Have you bought the land we’re building on?”
“Done.”
“That’s good to know. Jodes?”
“What, babe?”
“Thank you.”
“Hey, I like having you around, and I know Grier will appreciate your company.”
“I miss you, too, and yes, Grier will be ecstatic.”
“Get your ass on the next plane out here. We’ve got plans and permits to deal with.”
“I’ll leave as soon as I clear my desk.”
Lil hung up and stood, looking around one last time, but still no sign of the cat. He moved slowly, crossing the street and noting that everything had quieted down. People were going about their business again as if nothing had happened. Locals putting their heads back in the sand and telling themselves they’d skirted disaster one more time. Lil knew it was a question of when, not if, but he hoped that the big one would be years in the future. He didn’t want to see this beautiful city destroyed, but all the signs pointed that way. Still, Californians, in general, were eternal optimists, probably due to the perpetual sun shining on their faces, unlike the people in the Midwest who lived in a world of frigid darkness half the year. Really, was he better off leaving or staying? What if he and Grier didn’t last, then again, what if this was the real thing, and he passed it up because of a weather issue. How stupid was that?
He was crazy in love, and yes, Grier was young and somewhat unpredictable, but he was the most exciting man he’d been with in years as well as the most creative lover. He’d always wanted a son, and now he was being given the opportunity to have a ready-made family―a gift and an honor. He’d be insane to pass up the chance for a future with these two wonderful people because he was tied to San Francisco. Maybe they could do a reverse commute: live here in the winter and stay in Chicago when the weather was decent. It was certainly food for thought and something he was willing to explore. However, there was one stipulation he was going to insist on or all bets were off.
He dialed Grier from the foyer of his building and was relieved when he picked up almost immediately. “Are you home yet?”
“No, we stopped at McDonald’s ’cause we were both starving. Did you find Sebastian?”
“Not yet, but I have a feeling he’ll turn up. It’s been one of those days when the stars seemed to be aligned in our favor.”
“We’ve had a few of those,” Grier responded.
“I need you to promise one thing before I can make a decision.”
“What’s that?”
“I want you to go back to school; become an interior designer.”
“I think I can do that.”
“I need a definite answer, Grier.”
“I’ll do it.”
“No matter what your old man says?”
“My dad has acted like a saint, considering all the crap I’ve thrown at him in the last week. I’m pretty certain he’ll back me, if it’s what I want. The big plus is the Illinois Institute of Art is right next door, in Schaumburg, so I wouldn’t have that far to commute. I could work my classes around Luca’s schedule on the days I have him.”
“I want to make sure you’re ready to get on with your life.”
“I’m more than ready. I can’t wait.”
“Then I’ll come.”
“For real?”
“Yes, but can I tell Luca myself?”
“I’ll put him on the phone.”
“Tito Lil?”
“Hey, sweetie, guess what?”
“What?”
“I’m coming to live with your Tito G, and I’m bringing Sebastian.”
“Not Tito G―he’th my daddy.”
“Is he?” Lil smiled through his tears.
“It wath a big, giant thecret, but now I know.”
“Your daddy is good at keeping secrets.”
“I love my daddy.”
“He loves you, too, sweetie.”
“Bye.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
“Hey,” Grier’s voice was husky with emotion.
“Your son is so fucking cute I could squeeze him to death.”
“He’s pretty amazing, but so are you.”
“I’m glad you told him.”
“I got all choked up.”
“You’re supposed to, love. I got all emotional hearing him call you daddy.”
“We’re so queer, aren’t we?”
Lil laughed. “Amen to that.”
“Hey.”
“What?”
“Don’t forget my stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“You know—the bag from Alla Prima.”
“Are you serious? It’s the first thing I’m packing.”
“Good, I have a special evening planned.”
“Oh God. I’m going to be hard until I see you.”
“Save it for me.”
“I will. I’ve got to go, love. I have so much to do before I can get on a plane, but I’ll call you with my travel plans as soon as possible.”
“Love you,” Grier said easily.
“Love you too.”
Lil disconnected and pressed the button to the elevator, then quickly changed his mind. The last thing he needed was to be stuck in between floors hoping someone would rescue him. He opened the door to the stairwell and began the long climb up to the twelfth floor. His ragged breathing was a reminder that he needed to do more cardio exercises if he planned to keep up with his younger lover. When he got to twelve, he saw Sebastian sitting by his door, flicking his tail and looking at him arrogantly, as if saying where the fuck have you been?
“Hey, cat.” Lil bent to scoop him in his arms. “How would you feel about freezing your nuts off for a few months?”
Sebastian butted his head against Lil’s chest, purred loudly, and then proceeded to lick him with his rough tongue.
“My thoughts exactly, a little discomfort is no excuse for living without love. We’ll deal with it. Right, cat?”
“Meow….”
MICKIE B. ASHLING is the alter ego of a
multifaceted woman raised by a single mother who preferred reading over other forms of entertainment. She found a kindred spirit in her oldest child and encond historical romances topped her favorites list.
By the time Mickie discovuraged her with a steady supply of dog-eared paperbacks. Romance was the preferred genre, aered her own talent for writing, real life had intruded, and the business of earning a living and raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing and the inevitable emptying nest, dreams were resurrected, and the storyteller was reborn.
She stumbled into the world of men who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and intolerant world. Her award-winning novels have been called “gut wrenching, daring, and thought provoking.” She admits to being an angst queen and making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.
Mickie loves to travel and has lived in the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East but currently resides in a suburb outside Chicago.
E-mail: [email protected]
Webiste: http://mickieashling.com
Blog: http://mickiebashling.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mickie.ashling
Twitter: @MickieAshling
By MICKIE B. ASHLING
Enforcing Emory
Mayon
Basque Trilogy
Loving Edits
Tono
Momentos: Mick’s Journey
Bay Area Professionals
Impacted!
Bonds of Love
Fractured
Cutting Cords
Cutting Cords
Vessel
Cleave
Cutting Out
Horizons Series
Horizons
Taste
Daddio
Chyna Doll
Dreamspinner Press Year Four Greatest Hits Page 154
