Works and Days
Surprise
Conclusion
For once, no one was glad to see Robert Heinz.
“You’re not my son,” Sharon Kandzierski said, coolly, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I’m Bobby Heinz,” Robert extended his hand. “I’m the new priest at Saint Adjeanet’s.”
Sharon said, “I go to Evervirgin.”
While Robert Heinz was wondering how to respond, Geoff Ford brought over an excited Tim Emery who said, “Father, I think my uncle killed himself, and Father Geoff says he’s sure if he had a good heart he’ll go to heaven, but the church says he won’t.”
“Well, the first thing,” Robert Heinz said, “is are you sure he did it. Because if he didn’t—”
“Here he comes!” Felice hissed beside Sharon, listening to the door unlock. “Here he comes!”
Tim’s eyes were open, his hands out for an answer, but as the light went out, Robert Heinz said:
“We’ll talk about this later.”
Outside, Robert Keyes kept walking around the porch, jiggling the door and finally Felice said, “What the hell’s goin’ on!”
At last, the door opened. Thom switched the light on. Jewell leapt up and was first to scream, “Surprise!”
And then Felice repeated, “What the hell...?”
And they all stepped back to see Russell and Robert on either side of Jackie Lewis, laughing and clutching her belly.
“Where’s Chayne?” Sharon demanded as Jackie laughed.
“Where’s Chayne!” Sharon repeated. “Seriously.”
“He might be out there.”
Jackie pointed out onto the porch, and Ann and Diggs went out followed by Hannah and Will. Everyone was gathering at the door as they heard a trumpet blast, and then a voice shout. “Is he there? Do you see him?”
All eyes turned to Chayne coming out of the kitchen with a rusty old bugle in hand, clutching his gut until he couldn’t walk and finally sat on the floor, laughing.
“Chayne!” Sharon reprimanded. “Oh, Chayne.”
He stopped laughing long enough to look up at Sharon and say: “Surprise, Mama!”
Rob was passed out on the sofa with a goofy smile on his face, and music was playing low in the background.
“Did you get a drink?” Chayne whispered to Russell.
Russell tipped his hand.
“A very little one?”
“Are you staying here tonight?”
Russell assessed how he felt after all the drinks he’d sneaked through the night and said, “I think it would be best.”
Anigel, stretching, came forward and said, “You want me to wake him up?” pointing to Rob.
Chayne shook his head. “Just leave him.”
She nodded.
“Ani, are you going to my aunt’s wedding tomorrow?” Russell said.
“Fuck no.”
“There’ll be lots of food and liquor.”
“What time’s the reception?”
“About two?”
“I’ll see you at three.”
Without thinking, Anigel bent down and kissed Russell and then Chayne on the cheek.
“Happy birthday,” she said, and headed to bed.
“What do you think of him?” Chayne asked Russell looking at Rob, who suddenly gave something between a snort and snore.
“He’s cool,” Russell said. “He’s a lot like you. I’m glad he’s around.”
Rob snored loudly again, and in his dress slacks and good shirt, curled his knees to his chest.
“Me too,” Chayne said.
Even Chayne was a little bit drunk by now, and Robert Heinz was explaining, “No one really knows, but the old teaching of the Church would support no hope of heaven for your uncle.”
“The fuck?” Chayne, who only scarcely knew the story began.
Geoff Ford shrugged and belched, looking bleary eyed.
“The Church can be cruel like that.”
“Geoff, is that all you have to say?” Chayne demanded.
“Yeah,” Tim was much more animated than Chayne. “Is that all you have to say?”
“God’s a mystery?” Geoff tried, shaking his head.
“God is definitely a mystery,” Robert Heinz said in a way that indicated he might have had too much to drink as well.
“I think I need to get home.”
“You need to get—” Tim Emery began, then said, “Well, what about after cake.”
“Cake,” Father Heinz said.
“I’ll get you another glass,” Tim Emery looked cheered up, and Chayne frowned. “Another glass for you too, Father Geoff? Yes. Another glass.”
The priests were well drunk by the time Thom and Russell darkened the room, and then Felice, LaVelle, Sharon and as many others as could crowd their way into the kitchen disappeared and returned a few minutes later, bearing a cake whose flickering candles filled the whole living room with light.
“Looks like they put one on for every year of your life, Ole man,” Thom chuckled warmly.
“My thirty-sixth birthday,” Chayne muttered. “The one where I got asthma.”
Chayne KANDZIERSKI was sitting on his porch, watching the morning begin. The house was filled with sleepers, and he held a cold glass of orange juice in his hands.
He was surprised and delighted when Rob came out quietly, and sat beside him.
“Well, happy birthday,” Rob said.
“Thanks,” Chayne smiled as Rob offered his cup of coffee so they could clink glasses.
“Chayne,” Rob said. “I… I just wanted to say sorry about Ted. Leaving and everything.”
“That’s….” Chayne began. “That’s really kind.”
They were quiet for a moment, and one car came slowly down Curtain Street.
“I’m going to hug you now,” Rob said.
He did so, and when he stood up, Chayne realized he liked being held by Rob.
Heading back into the house, Rob said, “We should probably start getting dressed.”
Chayne nodded. He got up with his orange juice and left the light of the porch for the dimness of the house, for Russell on the sofa and Anigel and Shannon in chairs.
At the steps, Rob whispered, “Chayne, do you want the shower first, or…?”
“No,” Chayne said. “I mean,, we’ve got a while, and I don’t even know what I’m going to wear.”
Rob smiled out of the corner of his mouth.
“You could wear what you always wear on Sunday.”
“True.”
“I need a tie, though,” Rob said.
“I’ve got lots of ties,” Chayne said. “Come on. We’ll find one.”
Rob nodded and followed Chayne to his room. Chayne put his coffee on the bureau beside the bed, and opened his wardrobe where, though there was a brevity of blazers, there was no end of ties.
“What are you wearing?” he asked Rob.
“Light grey. I got the whole thing together except for shoes and tie.”
“How about…” Chayne pulled out a tie that was grey and blue with a gold stripe pattern through it, and held it to Rob’s chest.
Rob smiled brightly at him, as if the tie was the most wonderful thing in the world, and then he said, “I love it.”
“Great,” Chayne said.
“Thank you, Chayne.”
“Of course…” Chayne grinned at Rob who was still standing there, and then before Chayne could ask him was else he needed, Rob kissed him, and before Chayne could think about it, he accepted the kiss, and the two of them were standing in his room, the morning after his thirty-sixth birthday, pressed together.
Every time one of them separated from the kiss, the other took his face and kissed him again and Rob’s tongue tasted like coffee and cream, and Rob said, “I should go… I should…” and then they’d start again.
Finally, Chayne, his hands on Rob’s waist said, “Rob, you should—”
“Go.”
Chayne shook his head.
“Go… across the room and lock the door.”
WHEN WE RETURN, THE FINAL CHAPTER OF OUR LOVELY LITTLE TALE, "CONSUMMATUS EST"