The Lovers in Rossford
10 Jul 2023 72 readers Score 9.2 (5 votes) PDF Mobi ePub Txt
THE BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS
2
Fenn and Bryant were heading toward the library, but it was full.
“We’ll find someplace else.” Fenn said.
“Hold on,” Dylan came out of nowhere.
“Here he comes,” Fenn murmured.
Dylan, still in his school uniform, opened the doors and said, “Guys, clear out. Dad needs this. Come on.”
They all left the room and Dylan gestured for Bryant and Fenn to go in.
“He’s been doing stuff like that all day,” Fenn told him again.
“He’s looking after you,” Bryant explained. Fenn shrugged.
Dylan stuck his head in the room and promised, “I’ll make sure nobody interrupts. You need anything else, Dad?”
“Dylan, I need you to just sit down and relax.”
“I’m fine,” Dylan said. “And I got your back.”
As he began to close the door, Bryant said, “Dylan, what are you singing?”
Dylan looked to Fenn and Fenn shrugged.
“Tell him. I’d like to know. It sounds familiar.”
A little more audibly, Dylan Mesda sang:
Sansāra-dāvānala-līdha-loka-trānāya kārudya-ghanāghanatvam
prāptasya kalyāna-gunārnavasya vande guroh śrī-caranāravindam
Dylan had a beautiful, light tenor voice, but Bryant said, “What in the world—”
“It’s Sanskrit, I think,” Fenn said. “It’s Hindu.”
“It was written inside of your Bhagavad Gita,” Dylan told his father.
“I put it in the computer and learned it was a song, and I’ve been singing it. Bits and pieces. You like?”
“It was my favorite song,” Fenn said. “It is one of my favorites songs.”
“Then I’ll learn the whole thing,” Dylan said, and before Fenn could say this was unnecessary, Dylan was gone, closing the door behind him.
“I don’t know exactly what the problems were that you and Tom had with him,” Bryant said, “but you’re really, really lucky.”
“Yes, yes I know,” Fenn admitted, showing little emotion. “Anyway… you?”
“I’m sleeping with someone.”
“Well, good for you.”
“Not so much sleeping—”
“As fucking,” Fenn guessed.
“First time I’ve done something like this. I mean something without all the hurt and the drama. Nick Ferguson. In my department.”
“That doesn’t sound un-dramatic,” Fenn judged.
“It is because I don’t feel dramatic. I don’t care. I’m not hurt and crazy for once.”
Fenn nodded.
“He’s married. With three children.”
Fenn looked at him.
“And, you know what? I don’t care. It’s not like what I did to you. I knew you and I wanted Tom. I was trying to steal him. This man came after me. Again and again and he just wanted fun. I don’t want to steal him. He’s sorry and silly and I keep a box of condoms handy for every time I’m with him. He goes right back to his wife and that’s where he’ll stay. He’s just something for the meantime.”
Fenn smiled a little, then began to chuckle.
“I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d hate me for this,” Bryant said. “That, and you had other things on your plate.”
When Fenn just kept nodding and smiling, Bryant said, “I just feel like a relationship is as sacred as the people in it make it, and the Fergusons don’t make theirs sacred at all. She knows he plays, he wants to play, so I don’t care. But… I could never step in between two people in love, or hurt someone I really thought would be hurt. I…
“I feel conflicted. I’ve been on both ends of something like this, but somehow I feel like this isn’t the same.”
“Nothing’s really the same,” Fenn said, at last.
“Bryant, I’d be lying to say I hadn’t done questionable things. Dan Malloy for one. Before and after he was in the priesthood. I thought that if he didn’t care, why should I? I didn’t think wedding rings were sacred. I still don’t. I understand what you’re doing.”
“Well, I’m glad. Cause I wanted to tell you.”
“But what about Chad?”
“What about him?” Bryant frowned a little, and stretched his legs out.
“I see the way you look at him? Life is so… My father’s gone. My grandmother is gone. Who knows how much longer Anne will be here? And Dylan is grown already. Life is so short. If you want to do anything more than look at Chad, you need to make it happen.”
“Miller, can I see you in my office?”
“Yes, sir,” Brendan said. “Just let me finish this.”
“Good job, Miller.”
“And, sir, I need to ask you a favor.”
“Well, in a moment you may not have to,” his boss winked at him. “See me in a moment.”
Brendan wondered what this could mean, but nodded and finished up one paragraph, and then looked over the next. He was doing the work of a paralegal because the paralegals here were more of less worthless. Brendan stood up, straightened his tie, and then left his office to head to Mr. Reinhardt’s.
“Bren, how would you like to make partner?” Reinhardt said as Brendan entered his office.
Brendan furrowed his brow.
“I would… love that sir. One day, but, it’s a little premature.”
“It’s actually all but impossible around here,” Reinhardt said.
Brendan blinked.
“Which is why I am transferring you.”
“What?”
Reinhardt stood up and rounded his desk, picking up a file as he did, and then he sat, facing Brendan.
“How do you feel about a case regarding violence against gay teens in a high school?”
“Really?” Brendan said. “You want my honest opinion?”
“Yes, really.”
“Well, sir, a lot more relevant than anything I’ve worked on yet.”
“That’s what I thought you might say. And how about a case of racial discrimination on the job? One about the rights of a handicapped woman who was fired because they didn’t want to put up a ramp?”
“That’s evil.”
“Yes, yes it is. And totally something I can tell you’d love to be involved with.”
“Yes, sir, I would.” Brendan said.
“And in an office where you’d make partner in about a year, especially with a reference from me and the knowledge that you had been sent, not fired, from one of the best law firms in Chicago.”
Brendan opened his mouth, but could not decide what to say.
“Yes, Miller?”
“Sir, where is this office? I mean… Oak Park, or…?”
“No, not in Chicago. Not exactly in the Chicago area. It’s outside of Miller, Indiana. To the south.”
“Well, that’s where I come from. That’s near Rossford.”
“Yes, that’s what I hear. A friend of mine asked for you. Just now, in fact. Hoot Lawden?”
“Actually, Brendan, you can go, and you can stay if you want.”
Reinhardt placed a hand on Brendan’s shoulder.
“You’ve done really good work here, Brendan,” Reinhardt told him. “From what I’ve heard, so good you’ve neglected the rest of your life.”
Brendan was red faced over his new luck.
“So… go get yourself ready to go home. And the best thing? Over in Miller you’re going to have work hours that almost let you have a life.”
Early the next morning, James was getting dressed to leave, and Noah asked him where he was going?
“Would you believe Casey wants to meet with me, too? For breakfast?”
“Well,” Noah thought about this. “You all used to be friends. Maybe you will be again.”
“Life is too short,” James agreed. “I’m tired of holding onto things.”
James turned around as he put on his jacket and said, “You know, I feel like it’s time to wrap things up. I feel like we’re at a place where some things have to begin, and some things have to end.”
James stopped and shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Noah came forward and kissed him.
“You’ve always been so strange to me,” he said. “I’ve always loved you, but you’ve been like this strange gift that came from nowhere.”
“You know neither where the wind comes from nor where it is going. So are the children of the Spirit,” James grinned.
“Well, this child of the Spirit is off to meet Casey.”
The air was cooling, and the sky was a fragile blue as James drove toward the restaurant where he was to meet Casey. It was at the beginning of downtown, and up the street he could see the steeple of Saint Agatha’s. When he entered, Casey stood up, solemn faced, and James came to him.
“I’m glad you could meet me.”
“Well you told me it was urgent.”
“You need to sit down.”
James frowned at him.
“Sit down, James, please. I’m the last person who should be telling this, and I’m the only person who can.”
“Alright,” James said.
Casey leaned across the table and hissed: “Noah is fucking Paul Anderson.”
When James said nothing, Casey continued: “I don’t give a red fuck about Kurt or Kirk or… whatever his name is. It’s too bad for their kids. But you saved my life. You rescued me in my darkest time and… And I love your son. That’s out connection. So, I had to tell you this.”
Casey sat back and said, “Now, you do whatever you need to with that. But you deserve to know.”
James nodded his head and sat back, quiet.
“What?” Casey asked him. “Are you alright? I feel like a heel. Do you know Noah’s going to get a seventy thousand dollars this year for training porn stars to have a life? He’s on my payroll. On one hand I do that, but on the other… I do this. Cause I have to. And here you are, and I need to know how you feel?”
“Grateful that you told me,” James said. “But not surprised. Not really.”
“Fenn, are your glasses cracked?”
“Yes, Mama, but they’re the good ones. I see out of them better,” he commented more to himself.
“Now what are the sleeping arrangements for the night?” Fenn said.
“Whaddo you mean what are the sleeping arrangements for the night?”
“Are you staying here, Mom?”
Then Fenn said, “Stay here.”
“Where?”
“In my room,” Dylan volunteered.
“Or you could stay with us,” Adele said. “That house is so big for me and Simon.”
“It’s your choice,” Fenn told her.
“I know it’s my choice,” said Anne. “What if I choose to go back home?”
Neither of her children thought that was a good idea, but Adele said, flatly. “No, you’re coming home with me, Mom.”
As they were walking Anne and Adele to the door, and Simon had gone out to clear the backseat of the car, the phone rang and Dylan went to get it.
“It’s Todd,” he said, coming back to the doorway.
“Well, you go talk to him,” Anne told Fenn, kissing her son.
“I’ll see you in the morning, Mom,” Fenn hugged her and then, kissing his sister, turned to answer the phone call.
“Are you alright?” Todd said.
In the kitchen, Fenn said, “I’d be better if you were here, but I will live.”
He yawned. “I am suddenly very tired. Tired of everything, and my head hurts a little.”
“Get some rest. I’ll be home tomorrow night. Put Dylan on the phone.”
“What for?” And then, “Never mind. Alright.”
He called his son to the phone and went back to say goodnight to his family.
When Fenn was upstairs Dylan came to join him.
“What can I do?” the boy volunteered, leaning from the door beam.
“Everyone is so helpful and no one can do a thing.”
“Yeah, Noah came by the house at about nine asking what he could do. Layla sent him to McDonalds to get her pancakes. But… yeah.”
“Well,” Fenn said, sitting down and touching the back of his head. “I do have a raging headache, and it’s not getting any better.”
“I’ve still got some of that Perpedol, or whatever it is. Ends in dol. From when I busted my lip playing trumpet.”
“That might be a little strong.”
Dylan shook his head.
“It will take care of your pain. I’ll be right back.”
A few moments later, Dylan came back with two very small pills, some water and a wallet.
“What’s this?” Dylan said, offering his father the wallet.
“Oh, shit. That’s Bryant’s. He’s going to miss that.”
“Do you think he knows he left it here?”
“I doubt it.”
“I’ll take it over real quick.”
“It’s night.”
“It’s Rossford.”
“Alright,” Fenn decided, after a moment, laying down on the bed.
“I’ll set the clock for thirty minutes,” he said, lazily picking it up and putting it on his chest. “And if you’re not back, I’m sending out the cavalry.”