by Alex Tempera
“Me either. I remember mother felt that way, too.” She sighed. “The damn press and what they did.”
“I’m sorry, Syd.” He put his arm around her. “It was an accident.”
“That was caused by mother trying to get away from that reporter. Ronald Hess. I’m sorry. She was mourning my father, and trying to still work with her charities, and he couldn’t leave her alone. Always wanting a comment about dad’s death or her work. I’m sorry, PJ.”
“Don’t be. I was there with you when we found out. I know how much you loved your parents and I know how much moving in here meant to you but it also haunts you sometimes.”
“I didn’t think it showed.”
“Sometimes,” he closed the folder. “You know what you need to do. When he asks, tell him you’ll think about it.”
“So, what now?”
“A movie. I have your favorite waiting to be played. I even made snacks,” he grinned.
“My favorite movie?” she smiled.
“Yup, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
“You remembered?”
“Of course,” he kissed her softly. “I remember everything.”
“What’s for our snack?” she followed him out of the office toward the living room.
“Peanut butter and cream cheese sandwich with pickles for you and banana and strawberry jelly sandwich for me.”
“I hope you’ll share,” she sat on the sofa next to him.
“Of course, my love,” he put his arm around her and pressed play on the remote control.
Sixteen
Sydney stood up from the table in the restaurant and smiled. “Your honor,” she smiled.
Justice Harold Bishop walked over to her, taking her hand and kissing her cheek. “Sydney, you look as radiant as ever. Please, sit.”
“You look wonderful. You sure you’re retiring in six months,” she smiled as she sat down, and then he did.
“Well, I have about four months of scheduled cases, so you may sit in my chair sooner.”
“I didn’t know you were interested in appointing me, Sir.”
“Of course. You’re my prized pupil.”
“I do appreciate your appointment, but I’m not sure if it’s what I want at this point in my life.”
“It’s already been made official.”
“Sir, I thought this was about asking me if I want the appointment? I didn’t know it was official. I still have to think about it.”
“Is this about your husband and his career plans?”
“No, it has nothing to do with Paxton.”
“Syd, everyone knows that your marriage has been rocky, no one just ever says anything.”
“We’ve had our ups and downs, but lately things have changed. We’re better and stronger than ever.”
“Well, I was gonna suggest that you divorce the cheater and take your place in my seat.”
“Divorce?”
“It’s better than the public finding out you’re married to cheater. Not just a cheater but a gay cheater.”
Her eyes widened. “Sir, where are you getting your information?”
“Scuttlebutt. You know, I hear it all the time. It comes from somewhere. It’s high time you dump your gay husband and let that damn sissy boy law clerk of yours go.”
“Sir, why am I just hearing about this now?”
“You’re a sitting judge. No one cares whom you or your husband fuck. No one cares that your clerk fucks men and women and dresses like a girl while he gets whipped at that sex club, but when you’re an appellate judge, everyone is scrutinized.”
“Sir, I’ll have to turn down your appointment.”
“Don’t screw up your career to protect those … those so-called men. Drop them. Man-up, Sydney. Take your career by the horns. You know if you turn this down now, you may not get another chance.”
“Question, Sir.”
“What’s that?” he crossed his arms.
“What do you think would happen if the world did find out that my husband used to cheat on me but I forgave him? Yes, you see, my gay husband fell in love with his wife.”
“Oh, no one would believe that.”
“So, if the world found out that my husband is gay and that allegedly my law clerk, who will graduate law school next year and move on to something more prestigious, likes to wear women’s clothes, the world wouldn’t allow me to sit on the appellate court?”
“Not sure, but it would and could destroy them. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
“No, of course not. So, the background investigation is more concerned about what does or doesn’t happen in my bedroom than my life on the bench? I was a fucking criminal attorney and I gave that up when I was nominated to sit on the bench. No one cared six years ago. Why do they care now?”
“You’re saying your husband was gay five years ago?”
“He was gay 20 years ago,” she sighed. “You know, I don’t want my husband hurt. He’s always been by my side. And don’t you dare think of exposing whatever secrets about John Remington. I’d rather go back to private practice or hell, even be a legal aid attorney than deal with this bullshit.” She grabbed her purse and stood up. “Enjoy your brunch, alone, your honor.” She was about to storm passed him when he grabbed her arm.
“Sydney, think about what you’re doing. I’ll give you until Monday to make the right decision.”
She pulled her arm away. “Enjoy the weekend, your honor. I will.” She stormed out of the restaurant and when she hit the sidewalk, she leaned back against the cement wall of the building. She took a deep breath and gulped the tears back. After she caught her breath, she hailed a cab.
Sydney sat on the worn marble bench in front of the two large gravestones that lay in the middle of the Lady of Angels cemetery. She gazed up upon the words etched in the granite, Loretta Cynthia Jennings, beloved mother and Daniel Edward Jennings, beloved father and husband. “Mom, I don’t know what to do. I feel so lost. My life with Paxton is so much better than I ever dreamed it could possibly be, but now he could be ruined. Hurt because of my career aspirations. I don’t even know what I want anymore. I just don’t know. Well, I do know that I want my husband. I don’t want him hurt. I finally have my husband, completely and I’m terrified some ass is gonna take him away from me.” She buried her face in her hands as she dropped to her knees in front of the stone. “I love him as much as you loved daddy. What do I do now?” Be true to yourself, she could almost hear her mother’s voice echo in her head. Be true to you and your husband, the rest will come with time.
Paxton knocked on the door to Sydney’s chambers. John answered. “Is she here?”
“No, she had brunch but didn’t return. She texted me said she would be in later.”
“Oh, I had to file a motion downstairs and I thought I’d stop by. She didn’t say how the brunch went, did she?”
“She would be better off without you two,” a voice said from behind Paxton.
He turned around and stood next to John. “Your honor. Sydney hasn’t come back yet.”
“That’s because she’s pissed at me but she’ll get over it. You two, you’re holding her back.”
“Us?” Paxton asked. “We do nothing but support her.”
“Bullshit. She puts up with a philandering faggot husband and sissy-boy clerk. She can do better and somehow she doesn’t see it, but she will. I won’t let you screw up her career. Tell her 48 hours and counting.” He stormed down the hall, and disappeared around the corner quickly, as he was quite agile for an elderly man.
Paxton and John headed into her chambers, closing the door behind them. Paxton looked at John. “I love my wife and I will not let my secret hurt her. I’ll tell the fucking world what I did. I can’t lose her. I can’t lose my wife. I just figured out how I feel about her and I can’t lose her. The problem is that she wouldn’t divulge our secrets to further her career.”
“How could what I do on my own private time, hurt her? I would never hurt her.
She saw something in me that no one else did.”
“I know. She’s good that way. The best. I don’t want her to give up her dreams.”
“I’m not,” Sydney walked into her chambers. “Am I interrupting something in my office?”
Paxton kissed her cheek. “I had to file some motions and thought I’d see how brunch went. But the Honorable Judge Bishop isn’t so honorable, is he?”
“No, he told me to dump the both of you. Now, I don’t know how he found out your secrets, but he did. I don’t know if he’s going to use them or what he has planned. I already turned down the appointment.”
“He said you had 48 hours.” John said. “Ma’am, if the world needs to know that I wear a dress so that you can be a higher judge, I’ll tell them myself.”
“No, nonsense. I already stopped by the committee and officially withdrew my name.”
“Why?” Paxton touched her face.
“Because I would never leave my family behind while I moved forward. You and I are in a better place than we have been in quite a while, if ever.” She turned to John. “You have a bright career ahead of you. I would be honored if when you graduate and pass the bar that you work for me.”
“Ma’am?”
“I’ve made a decision,” she walked over to her chair and sat down behind her desk. “I wasn’t gonna say anything until later. Mother helped me decide.”
Paxton sat on her desk in front of her. “Your mother is dead.”
“I know, but after I left the restaurant, I went to the cemetery. I haven’t been there in quite a while, but I sat there and talked to mother. I almost wished for her to tell me what to do, and then, I felt that I already knew what to do. Something that I’ve been thinking about for a while.”
“Sydney?”
“I want you to have the best career you can. I like my job, and I have always done my best, but I want to go back to practicing law, not judging it. I want to open my own practice. Not just help the wealthy criminals I used to represent, but also do pro-bono work. I want to help with the charities that my mother used to. I also want to do whatever I want to do in our own home without worrying that our decisions about our private life, sex life or otherwise, will decide what we can or can’t do for a living.”
Paxton looked at John, “Can we have a few minutes?”
“Of course,” John stood up. “Ma’am, I’d be glad to work for you, anytime as anything.” He bowed slightly and then left the office.
Paxton focused on his wife. “Is that what you really want to do?”
“Yes, after listening to his hate, I couldn’t believe a man I admired for so long was this bigoted asshole.”
“Yeah, I discovered that when he called me a faggot.”
“PJ, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what he’ll try to do, maybe try to expose our lives. Now, it won’t affect me, but it could affect you. I know you were planning on running for DA in four years.”
“I was, yes, but I don’t want to run against Reynolds. If he stays, DA, that’s fine. I’ve also thought about applying for Bureau Chief, but I have to wait for another year. I have time. There have been gay DA’s in the past, and I’m sure there will be in the future. But, Sydney, I’m not gay.”
“You were, and now you’re not?”
“OK, yeah, I was and have sexual desires, but I’m in love with my wife. Everything about my wife. Hell, I might want to go into private practice. Maybe private practice with you.”
“You aren’t serious,” she smiled.
“I’m very serious.”
“Well,” she stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I don’t want Bishop to hurt you.”
“He can’t. Not when I have you.” He licked her lips and kissed her softly. “I love you, wife. And know that when I say it, I mean it from deep down in my heart, deep in my soul.”
“I know we planned on playing with John and Tim tonight, but if you don’t want to.”
“Oh, I do. I really do. I think they both need it, and you and I do, too.”
“Remember your mine, and they’re ours.”
“I know,” he smiled. “I have to get back to the office. What time will you be home?”
“I just have a couple things to do here and then I’m going home.”
He kissed her softly again. “See you soon.” He headed out of the office, as John walked back in. “John, tonight, at eight?”
“I’ll be there,” John sat down in front of Sydney’s desk. “Ma’am, I have your schedule for next week.”
“Good, but first, we should talk.”
Paxton walked into his office when Evelyn looked up. “Sir, Mr. Reynolds needs to see you.”
“Oh, thanks,” he sighed, turning on his heels. He headed down the hall and when he saw that the receptionist wasn’t at her desk, he knocked on the door labeled Timothy Reynolds District Attorney. “Sir?”
“Come in. Marjorie left for the day. Have a seat,” he said when he opened the door. “You OK?”
“What? Oh, yeah, sure, what did you need to see me about?”
“I heard that she withdrew her name from the appointment.”
“News travels fast,” he muttered. “Yes, she did. She’s making some changes in her career.”
“Paxton, what’s wrong?”
“She withdrew to protect me and John.”
“Protect you two from what?”
“Bishop. Harold fucking Bishop. He said he knew that I was cheating on her, called me a faggot, and then called John a sissy-boy. He insinuated that she should leave us behind. Divorce me and fire John.”
“How dare he! After the secrets he keeps, he fucking says that shit?”
“His secrets?”
“Do you know how he knows this stuff about you and John?”
“No, figured someone gossiped or whatever.”
“That could be part of it, but let me show you how.”
“Show me?”
“Yeah, can we postpone our playtime and the four of us go out tonight, instead?”
“Sure. I just have to call Sydney and John. Tim, what’s this about?”
“Oh, you’ll see.”
Seventeen
Paxton, wearing a black leather vest covering his bare chest and leather pants, held Sydney’s hand as he led her into Club Valkyrie, followed by John and Tim, who were both dressed in black leather pants and a leather vest. Both men were wearing leather collars around their necks, attached with a leash. Sydney wore a short, black lace dress, with a plunging neckline, and four-inch heels. Paxton held Tim’s leash and Sydney held John’s leash. Tonight was not about them crossdressing but about exploration and observation.
Paxton followed his wife’s lead, as they were escorted by a woman wearing a leather bustier and leather mini-skirt. She also wore a leather collar, with the name of the club etched into the leather. She led them to a large high back, curved booth that faced the entire club. “My name is sassy and I’ll be your servant tonight. Have you ever been here before?” Her eyes diverted to Sydney, as she automatically knew who the dominant of the table was.
“Only once before, but my guests have been here before. Please, go on.”
“Yes, I’m sassy and I’m your servant. I will only serve you drinks and food, if you desire. I will also give you information on the activities tonight. There are three observation rooms, where there are five scheduled scenes. If you ever wanted to participate in a scene, you would talk with Master Devlin. He is the owner of the club. There are also four private rooms, each with its own theme. If you wish to play privately, you can rent a room for an hour at a time. Those requests can go through me.”
“Well, thank you. We just want to observe. I’m Lady Sydney and this is my husband, Master Paxton. These are our subs. They are not to be addressed by anyone but you.”
“Yes, I understand, Lady Sydney.”
“May I ask you a question?”
“Yes,” sassy nodded.
“Are you a sub or a servant of the cl
ub only?”
“I’m owned by Master Devlin, but I also work at the club. As a servant of the club, I’m here to assist any patron. I also have duties as his sub, but I cannot discuss those. I’m only allowed to speak with Dominants in my duties as a servant of the club.”
“Thank you. I just wanted to understand. Are the other servants of the club the same way?”
“Every servant of the club has his or own Master or Mistress. As servants, they can only serve those that we wait on. I will only be your servant while you’re here tonight. If you return, another servant may serve you. It depends.”
“I understand. We would all like to have a bottle of white wine,” Sydney ordered.
“Anything to eat, Lady Sydney?” she kept her eyes focused on Sydney.
“Not at this time.”
“Very good. There is a three-alcoholic drink limit per person. As a party, you will be allowed the three bottle-limit, Lady Sydney.”
“I understand,” Sydney nodded as sassy walked away. Before Sydney could address her party, sassy returned with three glasses and a bottle of wine.
“Do you desire anything else?”
“No, thank you,” Sydney nodded. Sassy walked away and Sydney looked at her husband. “You’re my equal here, you know.” She pressed her mouth against his cheek.
“Yes, Lady Sydney,” He returned the kiss. “Not totally equal, just the way I like it.”
Sydney looked at John and Tim. “All right, you two should know something. PJ is mine, and you two, are ours.”
“Yes, Lady, we understand,” John said. “So, why did we come here tonight?”
Sydney looked at Tim. “While we’re sitting here, please all of you, speak freely. I’m glad we came but I don’t quite understand what we’re supposed to see here, besides others playing with each other. You two didn’t even dress up.”
“We want to dress up for you, either later or maybe this week,” John said. “Tim asked for my help and we were wondering if we could use one of your guest rooms to do it.”
“Of course, we can always play after or you can just hang out with us after.” Sydney said.
