Now That You’re Here: Life Moves On

Chapter 16

Zander was sitting at his desk updating some files when the phone rang. Jackson, the center’s receptionist, had popped his head in a few minutes earlier to let him know that he was taking his break so Zan grabbed the phone.

“Good afternoon, Christian Young Center. How may I help you?”

“Hi, this is Dr. Townsend, from Canyon Vista. I’m looking for Zander? I was told he works there?”

“This is Zander. Can I help you?” Zan asked, trying not to panic. He wasn’t sure why a doctor from the hospital was calling.

“Hi Zander. As I said, I’m Dr. Townsend. I’m calling with permission from my patient Elliot Shaffer. He is here under a 72-hour suicide watch. I’ve been trying to get him to talk to me, but he refuses. He said he’ll only talk to you.”

“Elliot Shaffer? I don’t know an Elliot,” Zan replied. “He asked for me by name?”

“Yes, he said that he sat in on a couple of your Tuesday night groups and he liked you. He refuses to talk to anyone else. I know this is a little unorthodox, but I don’t know what else to do. He’s currently a danger to himself, but aside from trying to legally have him committed, I’m running out of options. I don’t think he’s crazy. I think he’s just a troubled young man who needs help.”

Zander thought back to his Tuesday nights and then it hit him. “Is he average height and weight, shaggy brown hair, brown eyes? Has a few scars on his arms that scream abuse?”

“That’s him. You remember him now?”

“I do. On Tuesday nights I run a support group for people who have suffered from abuse. He’s come to a few, but he doesn’t sit in the group with us. He sits in a chair by the door, looking like he’s ready to run,” Zander replied. “I’m not sure why he’s asking for me. He’s never even told me his name.”

“I guess something about you struck a chord with him. Do you think it’s possible for you to come by the hospital and see if you can get him to open up to you? I don’t know what else to do.”

Zander glanced at the clock. If he put away his paperwork for another day, he could swing by the hospital and still make it home by 6:00 p.m. “Of course. I’ll be there in about 20 minutes.”

After calling Chris and letting him know he’d be a little late, he left the center and drove across town. He walked through the front doors of the hospital 20 minutes later and went right to the psych ward. He needed to be buzzed in, so by the time he was through the doors, Dr. Townsend was waiting for him.

“Thanks for coming. I don’t know what else to do. He refuses to talk to me about anything. I’m surprised he gave me your name. He’s barely spoken to anyone. I think he’s said a total of ten words since he’s been here and five of them were ‘call Zander at the center’. Yours wasn’t the first center I called.”

“Well, that’s more words than he’s spoken to me since he first showed up at the center, but I’ll do my best to get him talking. How much longer does he have on his watch?”

“We’re down to 29 hours before I have to make a recommendation and as of right now, I’m not comfortable allowing him to walk out the front door.”

Zander sighed. “No pressure. Where is he?”

Zander followed Dr. Townsend down the hall and into a room where there were several people sitting around. Some were reading, a few were watching TV, and off to the left was Elliot, staring out the window. Zan recognized him immediately. They made their way over and Dr. Townsend got his attention. “Elliot, Zander is here to see you. Why don’t the three of us go to my office and chat?”

“No, just me and Zander,” the boy said softly.

The doctor sighed and looked at Zan for help, but he didn’t get any.

“That’s okay, I’m sure Dr. Townsend has other patients to see. You and I can go alone. Just lead the way,” Zan said.

Zan gave Dr. Townsend a reassuring nod when Elliot wasn’t looking and then followed the boy down the hall. Once they were alone in the office, Zan took a seat in one of the chairs, gesturing to Elliot to take a seat in the other one.

“Okay, I’m a little confused here. You never showed any interest in talking to me at the center. Why did you insist on seeing me?” Zander asked once Elliot was seated.

“Because you seem kind of cool. And I didn’t want to talk to you before because I don’t like people very much. Especially not in groups. Also, Dr. Townsend is a tool.”

Zan chuckled at that. “He doesn’t seem that bad. So, it’s just the two of us now. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” Zan gestured to his bandaged wrist. “I’m guessing you didn’t get that from playing video games.”

“No. I was just tired of it all, you know?” Elliot replied softly.

“All what?” When it looked like Elliot wasn’t going to reply, Zan tried a different tactic. “You know you’re in a pretty tough situation here, right? You are currently on a 72-hour watch. You have 29 hours left to prove to Dr. Townsend that you’re not a danger to yourself or anybody else, or he has the option of having you committed. I’m guessing you don’t want that.”

“Probably not. I don’t know why it’s so important to him to keep me alive. What does it matter to him if some guy he doesn’t know offs himself?”

“Well, I think it has to do with being a good person. I don’t want to see you off yourself either. I don’t have to know you to want you to be safe. Now, can you tell me a little bit about yourself? Where are your parents?”

“My dad doesn’t care if I’m alive or dead. He threw me out on my 18th birthday. Told me I wasn’t his responsibility anymore,” Elliot admitted. “My mom took off when I was young.”

It always amazed Zan when parents tossed their kids aside. “Any brothers or sisters?”

“I had a half-brother. He…uh…he died when I was 13. He lived with his mom most of the time, but he stayed with us sometimes. His mom was a royal bitch.”

“Were you close to him?”

“Yeah, I guess. Nicky was the only person who seemed to want me around, you know?”

“Nicky?” Zan asked, recognizing the name. “Your brother was Nicky Shaffer?”

“Yeah, you know him? I mean knew him?”

“Not really, but I know people who knew him. It was a shame what happened to him. He was so young,” Zan offered. 

“I know. I used to tell him that he shouldn’t be doing drugs, but he didn’t listen to me. His mom used. You’d think that after watching her throw her life away, he would’ve stayed away from that shit. The night he died…he was supposed to come over to my house. It was my 13th birthday. I made myself a cake and everything. But he told me that he was busy with this guy Zac and promised to stop by the next day. I tried to get him to bring Zac with him. I remembered meeting him several times and he seemed nice enough. He was always nice to me. Didn’t make me feel like a pesky little brother. Nicky had a thing for him. I don’t know. I just had a bad feeling and tried to get him to come over. If he had…whatever. It was a long time ago.”

Zan didn’t know what to say. It was strange sitting there listening to Elliot talk about Nicky and Zac. The incident happened almost seven years earlier and had really shaken their group. His heart had gone out to the young man who had lost his life that day. Now his heart went out to the little brother he left behind. “So, I’m almost afraid to ask, but where are you living?”

“Here and there. I mostly stay with a friend of mine from school, but he’s almost always drunk or high and I don’t like being around that shit, you know? Besides, his girlfriend has been hinting about moving in and she doesn’t really like me so I don’t know how much longer I can stay there.”

Elliot’s reply surprised Zander. “So, you don’t drink or do drugs?”

“No. You spend enough time around people who use and you either become a user yourself or you stay away from it because you know how bad it is. I choose to stay away from it. My mom was a drug addict. My father drank all the time. Nicky and his mom were toasted a lot. I don’t want to be like that.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Zan replied. “Now why don’t you tell me what prompted you to hurt yourself?”

“I’m just tired, you know? Like all the time. Work sucks, life sucks. I have these nightmares which prevent me from sleeping more than a few hours a night. I just wanted to make it all stop. To be honest? I don’t think I really want to die as much as I don’t want to live like this and I don’t know what else to do. When you’re a kid, you have options, you know? After Nicky died, I was so angry…so mad at the world for taking away the one person who cared about me. Up to that point, things with my dad weren’t really too bad. He would never win father of the year. He liked to knock us around after having a few, but at least he was there, you know? But losing Nicky changed him. He became angrier. More violent. For a while, it was really tough. But I always had an out. He had to be careful because if I showed up at school covered in bruises, someone would call social services. He knew that. But now? I’m 19 years old and nobody cares. The minute I turned 18, he threw me out because he knew that he could. We live in a world where children have so many people looking out for them, but the moment you become an adult, those people look the other way. How fair is that?”

Zan often wondered that himself. “So, where do you work?”

“I stock shelves at the Shop Rite over on Main Street. It’s not the best gig, but they were the only ones who would hire me when I was 15 and my dad made me get a job. I wanted to go to school. During my junior year my guidance counselor talked me into applying to a few different colleges, but I couldn’t afford to go. My dad makes too much money for financial aid. How is that for ironic? He makes too much money for me to get assistance, but he won’t assist me. Another situation where being an adult sucks and no one is willing to help.”

“What did you want to go to school for?”

“Computer programming,” Elliot replied. “I’ve always been really good with computers. I used to beg my father to buy me one, but of course he didn’t. He told me he didn’t make enough money for us to afford the luxuries in life, which is kind of funny since he spent a fortune on alcohol and cigarettes every week. He never ran out of money for that.”

Zan’s wheels were turning. He knew he shouldn’t be thinking what he was thinking. Aiden was constantly telling him he needed to stop getting too emotionally involved with the people he counseled, but he couldn’t help it. Some people, like Trevor, were good kids and didn’t deserve to lose everything because their parents were assholes. Especially when, despite their parents being assholes, they are genuinely good kids. Elliot didn’t deserve to lose everything. “What if I told you that there are people out there who are willing to help? If I told you that I can help you find a place to live and go to college? Would that make a difference?”

“Do you know of people like that?”

Zan could see a spark of hope in Elliot’s eyes. “I do. But first, you need to talk to Dr. Townsend.”

“Why? I just talked to you.”

“I know, but I’m not a doctor. Just a licensed therapist. He needs to be the one who treats you and signs your release papers. You talk to him, let him realize that you’re not a danger to yourself or anyone else, and then I will help you achieve your dreams. Deal?”

Elliot sighed. “I guess so. I still think he’s a tool, though.”

Zan just laughed as he got up to search for Dr. Townsend.

~~~@~~~

Trent could feel himself getting more and more anxious as the plane began its descent. He had admitted to himself and Dylan the night before that his first initial reaction to the thought of Dylan kissing him was to deepen the kiss, but now…in the light of day, he wasn’t so sure. He’d been back and forth in his mind so many times that he barely paid attention to the final day of the seminar. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. It wasn’t like Dylan would force him to do anything he didn’t want to do. It wasn’t like he had to decide today on what the future would hold. Yet his nerves were shot and the closer he got to seeing the other man, the worse they were getting, so by the time he was grabbing his suitcase and heading towards passenger pickup, he was actually feeling ill.

“Hey Trent!”

Trent heard his name being called and quickly located its owner. He walked over to where Dylan was standing and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug. Suddenly, his nerves seemed to ease.

“Hey, thanks for picking me up. I wasn’t in the mood for an Uber,” Trent told him as he grabbed his suitcase. “Let’s get out of here.”

Not much was said between the two as they made their way to Dylan’s car and headed away from the airport. Once they were out of all the traffic, Dylan looked over at Trent.

“Do you want to go back to your apartment first so you can drop off your luggage? Then we can decide where to go?”

“Uh…yeah, sure. That sounds good.”

The ride to Trent’s building was filled with their easy banter, neither man wanting to have any important discussions while in the car. By the time they reached the apartment door, Trent’s nerves were back. He knew it was stupid. There was nothing to be worried about. He knew without a doubt that Dylan would follow his lead. But then again, it wasn’t Dylan he was worried about. During the ride from the airport to the apartment building, Trent kept sneaking glances over at the man behind the wheel, trying to understand what he was feeling. All day he had been nervous about seeing Dylan again, but now that they were together, his nerves were replaced with an excitement Trent didn’t understand.

He unlocked the door and went inside, feeling odd as he watched Dylan walk inside and take a look around. Maddie had been in his apartment a few times, but this was Dylan’s first time and Trent could tell he was trying to take it all in. Picture frames were scattered around the living room and Dylan took the time to look closely at each one.

“I’m guessing this is your son?” he finally asked as he came to a stop next to Kaleb’s most recent school picture. “He’s a good-looking boy.”

“Yes, he is.”

“It must have been hard for you, taking him in when you’re not that much older than he is.”

“It had its moments, but I never once second guessed my decision. When I met him, he was only ten and had seen so much ugliness and despair in his life, and his mother was dying, which would have left him in an orphanage that shouldn’t be allowed to house children. I couldn’t walk away from him. His mother…” Trent had to take a breath before continuing. Zenaida’s death still broke his heart. “She was so worried about leaving her son behind with no one to love him. I promised her I would take care of him and raise him to be a happy, healthy adult. The joy in her face when I told her…the relief she felt knowing he would be okay. It allowed her to enjoy her final days with her son rather than stress over them.”

“You’re an amazing man, you know that?”

Trent hated being praised for doing something that gave him so much joy. “Anyone would have done the same thing if they were in my position.”

“No, they wouldn’t. Most people are selfish bastards who only think of what’s best for them.”

“Whatever…um…let me go put my suitcase away. Do you mind if I jump in the shower really quick? After sitting in a conference room all day, then an airplane for five hours, I feel kind of gross.”

“Of course, go ahead. Take your time. I’m not in a rush.”

Trent went to his bedroom, dropped his suitcase on the bed and then jumped in the shower. It felt so good to stand under the hot water, he took a few minutes to just stand there and enjoy it before he washed up and got out, He dressed quickly and went back into the living room. He saw Dylan staring at the picture of the gang.

“They’re the friends I was talking about. A few of us have been friends since grade school, a couple since middle school, one since high school. We’re really close. Now when we all get together, there’s about 20 of us. A few newcomers, some significant others. It’s a great group of people.”

“That’s awesome! I miss the days when I was part of a big friend group. Back home in Oklahoma, we spent every weekend hanging out working on cars and trying to stay out of trouble. I still talk to some of the guys, but I lost a few when I came out as bisexual. That’s one of the reasons I moved here. After graduation, I was offered a job with a relocation option so I took it. My cousin lives a couple hours away so I have some family close by. It’s a 14-hour car ride when I go home to see my parents. I love Maddie, but sometimes it gets lonely, you know? Not having many people around,” Dylan admitted.

Trent nodded. “I can’t even imagine. My family is all within 50 miles of my apartment and all of our friends settled in Sierra Vista.”

“Yeah, it sucks, but it is what it is. Anyway, are you ready to get out of here? I’m starving. I was thinking we could go over to Daughters. It’s that new place across town. It’s only been open a few months, but I heard nothing but good things about them. Have you been there?”

“Yeah, once or twice,” Trent laughed. “One of my friends owns it.”

“Oh, did you want to go somewhere else?”

“No way, they have the best food in town,” Trent assured him as he grabbed his keys. “Let’s call an Uber. This way we can have a glass or two of wine and not have to worry about driving home.”

Once again, their easy banter filled the car during the short ride to the restaurant. As the driver pulled into the parking lot, Trent saw Eric’s car and felt a moment of panic wash over him. He knew it was stupid. He and Dylan were just two friends going out for a bite to eat. He and Brian did it all the time, but this felt different. Everything about Dylan was different in so many ways. He pushed his panic aside as the car pulled up to the entrance, then hesitated.

“Are you okay?”

Trent shook his head and smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s go. I’m starving.”

As soon as they walked through the door, Mandy, the hostess addressed Trent by name and led him and Dylan to Trent’s favorite table. “I’ll let Eric know you’re here. He’s in his office working on a few new ideas.”

“Thanks Mandy,” Trent replied. Once she was gone, he turned his attention to Dylan. “You’re going to love anything you pick on the menu, but my favorite is the Chicken Francese.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Before anything more was said, Eric appeared at the table, prompting Trent to stand for a hug. “Hey buddy, what are you doing here? And where’s Kaleb?”

“He and Sophia are with my parents seeing a show. I just got back into town after spending the week at a conference for work and didn’t feel like cooking so Dylan and I decided to grab a bite to eat. Dylan, this is Eric.”

Dylan stood up and offered his hand to the man, trying not to let his nerves show. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Eric replied. “Have you been here before?”

“No, this is my first time, but I’ve heard nothing but good things from everyone I know, so I figured it was time.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” He turned his attention back to Trent. “I ordered several cases of that merlot you told me about and it’s quickly becoming a favorite around here. I owe you for the recommendation. I’ll send a complementary bottle over as a thank you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Trent replied.

“I know I don’t have to. I want to. I don’t know a lot about wine, so I appreciate your knowledge. You’re wasting your time with computers. You should become a Sommelier. You could get a job in some of the best vineyards in the country.”

“Somehow I doubt Kaleb would be happy if I tried moving him away from Sophia,” Trent chuckled. “Besides, I enjoy finding and learning about wine. If it became a job, I could get bored. I’ll stick to being a wine enthusiast.”

“Alright, I won’t argue. Especially because I don’t have to pay an enthusiast for their recommendations. Now, I’d better let you get back to your menus. Make sure you say goodbye before you leave. It was nice meeting you, Dylan.”

Once Eric was gone, Dylan turned his attention to Trent. “Wow, is he hot.”

“Is he?” Trent asked as he thought about it. “I never really noticed before.”

“You never noticed?”

“No, not really. I mean, I know he’s a good-looking man, but I’m straight, remember? I never really looked at guys like that before.”

“Oh…right. I guess I keep forgetting that. I don’t like thinking about the fact that this thing between us might never happen.”

“Dylan…”

“No, let’s not talk about it now. Especially in your friend’s restaurant where we can be overheard. I know the stakes and I’m okay with it,” Dylan assured him. “Now, let’s flag down our waitress and order. I’m starving.”

Trent didn’t like ending the conversation there, but he knew it would be better if he did. Not only did he not want to have that kind of conversation in the middle of Daughters, but he really wasn’t ready to have that kind of conversation. Not after the long week he had and the feelings he had the night before while he and Dylan were on the phone. He was so confused and needed more time to think about what his next move should be. “Me too, and here she comes now.”

And just like that, any conversation about them was put aside for another day.

~~~@~~~

Matt was just settling down after spending the last hour getting more tests and x-rays done when his cell phone rang. He smiled when he saw it was Justin.

“Hey buddy, what are you up to?”

“I just stuffed my face with the family. Zan and Brian had to work late so Chris and I made Chicken Parm for dinner.”

“Oh, that sounds yummy. I haven’t had your Chicken Parm in ages,” Matt replied.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly mine. We had to doctor up a jarred sauce because there wasn’t enough time to make my homemade sauce, but it was really good,” Justin assured him. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore. I just had more x-rays done and they did an ultrasound on my pelvic area.”

“Haven’t they already done that?”

“The x-rays, yes. Apparently they want to keep a close eye on my lung to make sure it begins to heal itself. If it doesn’t, they might have to do surgery. Personally, I’m hoping it starts to heal itself. As for the ultrasound, this is my first one. They wanted to get a closer look at the break. I’m also scheduled to have a CT scan on Monday so they can take a better look at my leg. I think the ortho doctor is concerned, but they wanted to focus on the punctured lung first.”

“Damn Matt, Willie did a number on you,” Justin sighed.

“Yes he did. Have you seen the size of him?” Matt chuckled. “But not as bad as it would have been for Principal Johnson if Willie had gotten a shot off. It’s fine. I’ll be okay eventually.”

“I know, I just hate knowing you’re in pain. Is David there with you?”

“No, I sent him home a little while ago. He was here all night and then again all afternoon. I insisted he get some rest. The fundraiser is tomorrow and I refuse to let him skip it just because I’m in the hospital. Besides, my parents are going to be here soon and I don’t want them to bump into each other. I’m not up for that.”

“Your parents?” Justin asked.

“Yeah, my dad stopped by this morning, right after David left thankfully, and then my mother stopped by a little while later. She told me they would be by tonight with dinner so I didn’t have to eat the hospital food.”

“How did that go?”

“Well, my father was asked to leave by my nurse because she overheard our conversation when I told my father that David and I were engaged and he could either accept that I’m gay or fuck off. If I could have gotten out of bed, I would have kissed her. My mother came by a short time later, after obviously speaking to my father and told me that they would both accept me for who I am and that David would be welcomed into the family. I don’t know what happened between them, but she assured me that all my father’s nonsense was over. I guess time will tell.”

“Wow. So, you think your mother finally stood up to your dad?”

“I guess she did, although I should know for sure in about 20 minutes.”

Justin was shocked. “Well, I’ll let you go so you can rest before they get there, but you better call me after they leave and let me know how it goes.”

“Absolutely. I’ll give you a call in a little bit.”

As soon as Justin hung up, Matt drifted off to sleep. He was exhausted. The next time he woke up, his parents were there, talking quietly in the corner. He stayed silent for a moment, hoping to hear the conversation, but they were too far away. “Hey guys.”

“Oh Matty, did we wake you up? We were trying to be so quiet,” his mother replied.

“It’s okay. I don’t think you woke me up. I’ve been drifting in and out since I got here. When you can’t get out of bed, there’s not much else to do. Were you here long?”

“About twenty minutes,” his father chimed in. “Any new updates since this morning?”

“No. I had some x-rays and an ultrasound a little while ago, but I don’t know the results. I won’t find out until tomorrow when I see the doctor again,” Matt explained. Then he looked directly at his mother. “Did you bring it?”

She smiled and walked over to the counter where she had placed the bag when she arrived. “Mom’s homemade chicken soup, just like I promised.”

“Thank you. I’ve been waiting for this all day,” Matt said as he watched his mother bring over a thermos. “I haven’t had it in years and I’ve missed it.”

“All you had to do was ask.”

“Yeah, maybe…but things have been a little strained the last few years. I figured it was best to not ask for favors,” Matt admitted. He saw a pained look cross his mother’s face and felt a little guilty for saying anything. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you’re right and I hate that things were strained for so long, but that’s over now. As long as you and David can forgive us, things are going to go back to the way they used to be. Your father and I have been talking to someone for the last few months and it has really helped.”

“Talking to someone? Like…a therapist?” Matt tried to hold back a smile.

“Yes, a therapist you little jerk, and you’re not to tell anyone on the force. Do you understand? That goes for my brother, too,” his father jumped in. “No one.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, would you stop worrying about who might find out? Talking to someone to help you through things is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Matt chuckled as his parents bickered back and forth on the pros and cons of therapy. He didn’t know what would happen once he was out of the hospital and life went back to normal, but for the first time since he came out to his parents, he felt a glimmer of hope. His parents hung around for another hour before saying good night and leaving him to get some rest. He called Justin first and told him how things went, and then he placed a quick call to David where he once again had to make his fiancé promise to sleep at home and not by his bedside. Once he had his promise, he said good night and then quickly drifted off to sleep. Being in the hospital was exhausting.

~~~@~~~

David just finished making his rounds when he spotted Gina walking in looking stunning in a beautiful blue dress that matched the color of her eyes. Despite being gay, he could easily see what caught his brother’s interest. He made his way over and greeted her with a smile.

“You look beautiful,” he told her.

“Thanks,” Gina replied shyly. She wasn’t used to being told she looked good. Angelo hadn’t complemented her since before Tony was born. “You’re looking pretty good yourself. How’s Matt?”

“He’s doing okay. His lung is showing signs of improvement, thank God. He had an ultrasound of his pelvis yesterday and the doctor is thinking that he might need surgery to remove some bone fragments that broke loose, but he doesn’t want to make any decisions until Monday when they do a CT scan of his leg. They were more concerned about the punctured lung, but now that his lung is improving, they can figure out how to treat the broken bones. Unfortunately, they can’t schedule any surgeries until the lung is better healed, so he’s going to be in there for a while. I’m just glad the fundraiser is finally here. After tonight, we’re both taking a week off to rest while I focus more on him.”

“David, I don’t need to take a week off. Wouldn’t it be better if I was in the office to answer the phone and handle things that pop up?”

“No,” David insisted. “We have been working non-stop for weeks. We both need time off. Don’t worry, you’ll be paid for it. We also still need to talk about your future. I want to make sure to lock you in before you find something better.”

“I doubt there is anything better than being your assistant, so no rush. I know you’re worried about Matt right now. Focus on him and we’ll talk when things settle down.” Before Gina could say anything else, she saw Mr. Brownfield approaching and turned her attention back to the job at hand. Making sure the fundraiser went off without a hitch.

Brian waited until the dinner plates were cleaned up and the band started playing a slow song before grabbing Justin’s hand. “What do you say, fiancé, wanna take a trip around the dance floor?”

Justin didn’t have to be asked twice. He smiled at Brian as he took his hand and allowed himself to be led to the dance floor. He had spent years dancing with Brian, but the clubs that they frequented didn’t play slow songs, so this was a treat for him. As they moved in sync, Justin was so happy and lost in thought that he didn’t hear Brian say anything to him.

“Earth to Justin,” Brian tried again.

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I guess I wasn’t paying attention. What did you say?”

“I said you look hot tonight,” Brian chuckled. “I can’t wait to get you home and fuck you into the mattress.”

“Brian!”

“You know, it amazes me how easily you still blush after all this time,” Brian teased. “That’s not actually what I said…although it is what I’ve been thinking ever since I first saw you in your tux. What I said was how do you think David is holding up? I know you said you were worried about him. That he implied that he wasn’t happy with Matt being a cop anymore. He seems very distracted and stressed. Since the event is half over, I would think he’d be happy with the turn out and having the time of his life.”

“I noticed that too, but I just assumed it had to do with Matt being in the hospital. I’ve spoken to him a few times and saw him this morning at the hospital and he hasn’t said anything about wanting to end things. I don’t know, but I’m still a little worried. I thought about saying something to Matt, but I don’t want to cause trouble for nothing. David might have just said what he did because he was scared. At that moment, all we knew was that Matt was on his way to the hospital. We didn’t know anything else. I’m planning on talking to him again, but I wanted to wait until after tonight, you know?”

“Yeah, that’s probably best,” Brian replied. “So, do you think it’s safe for me to go the hospital to see Matt? We really haven’t spoken since Christmas except for a nod or two when everyone was together, but I miss him and I want to see him.”

“I think you showing up at the hospital is a great idea. In fact, why don’t you go tomorrow morning? I’ll talk to David and let him know you’re going so he doesn’t have to rush over first thing. He’s been going non-stop between the event and Matt. He could use a little rest,” Justin promised him.

“You don’t think Matt will throw me out, do you?”

“Of course not,” Justin laughed. “Look, I know he was really mad at you when he found out about us, but he’s calmed down. In fact, he was definitely happy when I told him we were engaged. It’ll be okay. In fact, I think he’ll be happy to see you.”

“I guess time will tell,” Brian sighed, not nearly as confident as Justin was.

All talking stopped then, as Brian and Justin continued their dance, Matt and David temporarily forgotten.

Dane watched Brian and Justin on the dance floor with a smile on his face. He was so happy they were able to work through their issues and get back together and the look of pure love on their faces as Brian proposed assured him and everyone else that they would be together forever.

“Hey babe,” Eric whispered. “When can we get out of here?”

Dane laughed as Eric’s hot breath tickled his ear. “Sorry, but it’s going to be a little while longer. They haven’t done the silent auction yet and I don’t think David would want us to go before that.”

“Ugg,” Eric sighed. “I can’t wait to get you out of here. It’s not often that we get a night out without the girls.”

“No, it’s not. But knowing our luck, they’ll hear us come home and wake up.”

“Not tonight they won’t,” Eric assured him. “I have a surprise for you. I asked my mother to spend the night. You and I are booked into a quaint little Airbnb over in Rockdale. We have one night of uninterrupted alone time ahead of us.”

“That’s so sweet! By the time we get out if here, there won’t be much time left, but I’ll take what I can get.”

“Trust me, we’ll have plenty of time. Check out isn’t until noon. I told my mother we’d be back sometime in the afternoon,” Eric told him.

“I love you so much,” Dane replied and he pulled Eric into a big hug.

“I love you more.”

Derek and Aiden were finishing up their dinner when Derek’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Knowing that Deanna had just gotten to town and was still settling in, Derek reached for his phone just in case something was wrong. He smiled when he saw the text.

“Deanna wants to know if there is anything good to eat in the house or did you replace it all with healthy stuff.”

Aiden laughed. “Just because it’s healthy, doesn’t mean that it’s not good. Tell her I hid some Oreos in the cabinet over the stove.”

Once Deanna was satisfied, Derek put away his phone and focused on Aiden. “Thank you for letting her stay with us. I know she said she could stay at her friend’s house, but I like having her in our home.”

“You don’t need to thank me. She’s your sister…and she’s giving us a baby. Why wouldn’t I let her stay with us? Besides, both our names are on the mortgage. You have as much right to have people over as I do. I know you always felt like our apartment was mine because you moved in with me, but from the moment we decided to live together and you moved in, everything I had became ours. You don’t ever have to ask me for ‘permission’ to do anything in our home.”

“Have I told you lately that I love you to pieces?” Derek replied as he reached out and gently touched Aiden’s cheek.

“Actually, I think you’ve told me at least ten times today so far,” Aiden told him. “But I never get tired of hearing it.”

“Good, because I’ll never get tired of saying it. Come dance with me.”

Aiden took Derek’s offered hand and allowed himself to be led to the dance floor. Then they spent the next three songs in each other’s arms as thoughts about Deanna and the baby were pushed aside and they relished in their love for each other.

Daniel waited until their plates were cleared before turning to Gina, speaking softly into her ear. “Hey, would you care to dance? I haven’t done it in a while, but I promise not to step on your feet.”

Gina felt butterflies in her stomach as Daniel’s breath tickled her ear. He was such a stunning man. She had noticed it the first time he walked into the office and she hadn’t been able to get him out of her mind since. David had told her that he was going to sit the two of them together since they were the only single people at the table, but since Matt was still in the hospital, making David single as well, she just assumed they would sit together. Then again, David spent most of the evening mingling, trying to drum up more money in donations, so it made sense to put Daniel with her. Being asked to dance; that threw her for a loop. “Um…sure. That would be nice.”

Daniel took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor, keeping his hand on the small of her back. They fit nicely together as they swayed back and forth. Almost as if they had been dancing together their whole lives. Daniel couldn’t remember the last time he had felt such a strong reaction to a woman and he wanted to make sure he didn’t scare her away by being too forward, but he knew he just had to get to know the woman in his arms.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.

“I’m having a great time,” Gina replied. “I don’t think I’ve danced since my wedding and that was a very long time ago.”

“You make it sound like it you’re 100 years old,” he teased. “It couldn’t have been that long ago.”

“It was almost fifteen years ago. I’m 36,” Gina offered.

“So, you married young.”

“Yeah, that happens when you turn up pregnant and the baby’s daddy comes from a very Italian Catholic family. His mother pushed for us to be married so the baby wasn’t born out of wedlock. We already committed enough sin by having premarital sex,” Gina chuckled.

“Seriously? I thought those days were long gone.”

“Not to Mother Rossi! I spoke with her last week and she still thinks I’m going to hell for leaving my husband. I should have stayed by his side despite the fact that he used to slap me around whenever he was drunk, which was most days.”

Daniel felt his blood start to boil at the thought of anyone mistreating the woman in his arms. “I’m sorry.”

“For what? It’s not your fault I was once very young and very stupid. Besides, I’ll never regret my life and the choices I made, because thanks to them, I have Tony. I can’t imagine not having him. He’s my world.”

“I’m still sorry. No man should ever lay a hand on a woman. Ever.”

“No, they shouldn’t. But sadly, they do,” Gina said softly. “Anyway, enough of that sad stuff. We should be laughing and having fun. So, I told you how old I am. How old are you?”

“I’m 30,” Daniel told her.

“30? What are you doing dancing with an old lady like me? You should be here with a nice young lady on your arm. Not some middle-aged woman with a teenage son and way too much baggage.”

“Truthfully?”

“Of course.”

“I’m here dancing with you because ever since I laid eyes on you in the office, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind,” Daniel replied honestly. “And you’re not some middle-aged woman with too much baggage. You are still a young, beautiful woman and I feel very lucky to have you in my arms.”

Gina felt Daniel’s words all the way to her toes and didn’t know how to respond. So instead, she just rested her head on Daniel’s shoulder and allowed herself to be led around the dance floor. She knew there was no way that she could ever be lucky enough to land someone like Daniel Jackson, but for one evening she would allow herself to think that maybe she deserved a happy ending.

David stayed at the venue until the last person on the guest list left. He wanted to make sure all the loose ends were tied up and that all the checks received were logged and ready to go to the bank. The fundraiser brought in more than he ever imagined and he was so excited to tell Aiden the totals the following morning. When he went back to the table to grab his things, he was surprised to see Gina speaking with Mr. Brownfield. He had told her to leave earlier, when he said goodbye to everyone else. He walked up to the two of them mid-conversation.

“Thanks again for all your help. I’m sure you were tired of hearing from me, yet you never made me feel like I was being a pest,” Gina said as she reached out to shake the man’s hand.

“Believe me, Ms. Rossi, you were not a pest. If anything, you have been a breath of fresh air in my otherwise boring workdays,” Mr. Brownfield replied before turning to David. “Hang on to this gem, Mr. Jackson. She’s a keeper.”

David smiled. “Believe me, I know it. You have a wonderful venue here. I will definitely be reaching out again for another fundraiser.”

“I look forward to it.”

Once Mr. Brownfield walked away, David turned to Gina. “What are you still doing here? I thought I sent you home with Brian and Justin an hour ago.”

“Hey, this was my fundraiser too. I wasn’t leaving until everything was handled. You did good tonight.”

“No, we did good tonight. I don’t know how to thank you for all your help with this.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I’m your employee. I was just doing my job.”

“No, you definitely went above and beyond what any employer has a right to ask. That’s why you are taking next week off, with pay. You more than earned it. And then, when we’re back in the office we are going to finally talk about making you a permanent employee at the Jackson Foundation.”

“That works for me,” Gina assured him. She loved her job. Working for David was fun and exciting. She never wanted it to end. “Now I’d better see if I can get an uber.”

“You’re not taking an uber,” David insisted. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

“But you live on the other side of town. I don’t want to put you out.”

“You’re not putting me out. I don’t mind at all.” David grabbed his things and then walked out to the parking lot with Gina at his side. Once they were in the car, they started talking about the evening. “So, work aside, did you have fun tonight?”

“I did. Obviously I know Brian and Justin, but your other friends were very nice, as well.”

“I saw you and Daniel on the dance floor a few times,” David said.

“I know, I’m sorry. I should have told him no, but he kept insisting,” Gina replied, hanging her head.

David glanced over at her. “Why are you apologizing?”

“Because you’re my boss and he’s your brother. It wasn’t very professional for me to be dancing with him,” she explained.

“Hey, you’re a grown woman. You don’t need my permission to dance or do anything else with my brother.”

“Well don’t worry. I doubt it will happen again. He was just being polite because I didn’t have a date.”

“Why would you think that?” David asked.

“Because your brother is a very rich, very handsome bachelor. He could have any woman he wanted. Why would he want to waste his time with someone like me?”

“Someone like you?”

Gina sighed. “David I’m six years older than him, I have a teenage son, nowhere to live…I don’t even have a car yet? Plus, I’m technically still married to a horrible man and I don’t have any money to pay for a divorce. I’m not exactly what anyone would call a catch.”

“I guess there are some people who might be put off by that, but trust me, my brother is not one of them,” David assured her. “Look, I’m not going to get in the middle of whatever might or might not be happening between you and Danny, but I will tell you he was asking about you the day you met in the office. He wanted to know if you were single. All I told him was that you were separated from your husband and that you had a teenage son. Your story is not mine to tell. I will say that he’s always been one of those people who could be in a room full of half naked women and unless it was pointed out to him, he wouldn’t notice. The fact that he not only noticed you but asked me for details tells me that he saw something in you that made him notice. I promised him I wouldn’t interfere but I did warn him that if you two get involved and then have a falling out, I’m taking your side. If you’re not interested in him, then let him know and he can put it behind him. But if you are interested in him, don’t let the fact that he’s my brother stand in the way. Your job would never be in jeopardy, and you could do a lot worse than Daniel Jackson. He tried finding the one when he was in New York but working 80 hours a week doesn’t really allow for a relationship. Now that he’s here, his life gives him the freedom he needs to find his better half and I can promise you, our father raised us Jackson boys right. He would never hurt you.”

Gina wasn’t sure how to respond. Daniel had mentioned wanting to take her out on a date, but she had told him she didn’t think it was a good idea. She might have already missed her chance.

“No need to reply. Just think about what I said. I know my brother almost as well as I know myself. If he hasn’t already asked you out, he will. And he’s not going to take no for an answer easily.” He looked over at his assistant and gave her a smile before focusing on the road ahead.

End of part 16

6/8/2024

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