CHAPTER 38 - LIKE NORMAN SAID…AND GILDA’S RATHER GOOD IDEA...
VIC’S HOUSE - EVENING
GILDA
I am still two things: stuffed and angry! Stuffed from lunch and angry that Debs let that boy speak to her that way! She knows I am damn mad too!
“I know Gilda, but it’s the way we’ve always…”
“No! Just because you’ve always doesn’t make it right or respectful. And that’s what your boy should be, respectful! You think I would ever let Carl speak to me that way, big ass cop that he is? I would fill his mouth with broken teeth, rattling my cane round his mouth.”
“No, you wouldn’t and yes, I do believe you would!”
“You wouldn’t let any of the boys at Hope speak to you like that! With one look, you stop their sass. But…” I take a breath. Having got it off my chest, I feel somewhat calmer. “...he is your boy and spoiled. So what is happening that you are here?”
“Nothing! I wanted to speak to Vic earlier, but didn’t…” She trails off under my stare and I wait. “...Kiki says he’s got a date with Graham, the guy he plays chess with tonight and I haven’t seen him yet.”
“Oh that the one that Effy has been trying to set him up with?” I settle back against the cushions and Shiitake plops his head in my lap.
“Yes!” She whispers hoarsely. “He’s coming here to pick him up and then they are going…”
“Is nothing fucking sacred?!” Vic huffs as he comes down the stairs, looking very dapper indeed.
“No! If you had signalled me when you were supposed to then I wouldn’t be here, trying to look nonchalant.”
“Bullshit! You still would be here even if I had signalled you.” He says archly.
“True, I would!” She cackles. “Now you need to change that shirt. Much too stuffy for where you are going...which is where, by the way?”
“I am letting you stay and changing my shirt. Do not push your luck!” He yells back over his shoulder.
The front door opening brings in Carl, who is looking furious. “He is definitely not coming to Missouri!”
Debs and I both roll our eyes. “What’s he done this time?!” I demand.
“Got thrown out of Albert’s place.”
“Oh for fuck sake!” Vic barks as he comes down in a much better shirt. “How?”
“He lied to him. He asked him to observe the simple rules of the house and he lied about doing so. So out, he went. Seems that Albert takes lying very seriously.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes and I watch as the old feelings of responsibility start coming back within Debs...and myself.
“Not coming to Missouri!” Carl tells me. “I can smell the Mother Guilt from here. Not!”
I am interrupted in what I want to say by the doorbell ringing.
“And not opening my front door either!” Vic says, beating Debs to it. “Now go sit down and try not to look like the Spanish Inquisition!” He hisses and then pastes a smile on his face. “Oh hi Effy, is everything okay?”
“Oh everything is fine, Uncle Vic.” She replies, coming in before picking up Shiitake and putting him in Debs’ lap. “It’s just that I saw you know who earlier...he’s going to meet you at you know where instead. So I am here to get between you and the taxi he sent...run!”
“Oh, you clever little angel! Bye, everyone!” He yells and grabs his jacket and is out before she could move.
For a few seconds, there is silence before Debs starts to laugh. “You are supposed to be loyal to me!”
“I am very loyal to you, Grandma, but I have been trying to get them together for ages! Let them have the first date in peace!” She grins back, squirrelling between the pair of us.
“So little one, about your mother.” I come straight to the point of my other upset.
“She slapped my Daddio and I won’t…”
“She what?!” Carl and Debs say together.
“Uncle Vic didn’t tell you?” She looks worried. “And judging by those expressions, I can see why. Uh grandma, where are you going?”
“To see a woman about a slap! Gilda, let’s go!”
EFFY
The door bangs shut five minutes later and I watch Grandpa, idly drum his fingers on the armrest.
“Uh Grandpa, aren’t…”
“They’ll be back...” He tells me and I frown. “...pretty soon and I can tell you three reasons why. One, I have the car keys, two, Mom has forgotten her cane and three, they don’t know where Lindsay lives.”
“Oh.”
Sure enough the door opens and Grandma bustles in. “So Effy, before we drop you home, where does your Mom live exactly?”
“Apartment above Chique Boutique and you are not dropping me home first. I want to see Grandma G in action. Aunt Annalise dragged us off before I could hear anything she said!”
“Fine. Let’s just go already. I’ve missed out on one thing; I sure as hell ain’t missing out on this!” Grandma G barks from the door. “And someone bring my damn cane!”
THE OLD CHURCH HOUSE - SAME TIME
LOUNGE
JUSTIN
I smile as I hear the door opening and the tip-tap of Moon’s claws on the floor. As usual, he greets Hero first and then me. “Hey boy.”
“The name’s Brian or Titian, depending on where we are.” He laughs tiredly.
“You look bushed. Want a B&B?” He reaches for the cookbook to take it out of my lap before replacing it with his head. I stroke his hair out of his eyes...he kicks off his shoes and wiggles his toes.
“Which is?”
“Beam and a bath?” I answer and then give him a proper kiss hello.
“Oh yeah. But in a minute.” He closes his eyes for a second and takes my hand. Within ten minutes, I know he’s dozing and the gentle wheeze confirms it.
“See you at the weekend, most likely.” Molly whispers from the door and I smile at the bag by her feet.
“You should just move in with Eric now that he’s moved out of Heathan’s.” I tease her.
“And he should move in here. He’s here more often than not.” She teases back before blowing me a kiss goodbye and with a click of her tongue, she and Nigel leave.
I manage to get the book back on the sofa and read for a while before what Molly said starts to get to me. I pull the afghan over him, making sure to cover him as much as I can without waking him up.
“Should I ask you or will you ask me?” He mutters with his eyes still closed.
“Ask what?” I hedge and can feel my heart racing.
“What Molly suggested.” He replies, opening his eyes.
“Thought you were sleeping.”
“I was on the cusp...so who is asking whom?” He prompts.
“You already have a key, so Brian will you move into this house that you wanted and live with us?”
“Let me see move into a house I have always wanted to live in, which now comes with a sexy partner and his wonderful dog...yes, yes I will!” He sits up and once again, moves the book so he can sit in my lap. “I would very much like to do that...when can I do that?”
I let out the breath I hadn’t realised I was holding until now and smile. “Whenever you want. Like I said, you have a key.”
“Tomorrow. I will move in tomorrow.”
“Good.” I sigh against his lips.
LINDSAY’S APARTMENT - AN HOUR LATER
LOUNGE
GILDA
“You hit him.” I repeat.
“I was angry and what exactly does it…”
“Great-granddaughter.” I point my cane at Effy. “He is her fath...Daddio and, therefore, he comes under my care. He’s a good man and father and you hit him. I have a good mind to show you what a head cracking slap feels like! Have you...no, Effy has she apologised to…”
“She kicked me!” Lindsay unwisely tattles.
“Because you hit her Daddio.” I retort. “It’s called defending! What you did was attack.”
“So what happened in your audit?” Debs asks, looking around the apartment in distaste.
“Our audit and we have to pay back taxes. And since you are being so intrusive, the divorce will be contested and I will be seeking custody of Edna…”
“No, you fucking won’t!” Debs explodes. “Where the hell are you going to live with a 12 year old, who doesn’t want to live with you?!”
“I will move back to the house, of course. Norman will have to move out and…”
“What colour is the sky in your world? I don’t want to live with you! I am only speaking to you to repeat what I told Daddio to say to you. I don’t like you, Mom! You’re only coming after me for support money because now Gus has moved in with Uncle Brian, and since he has his name on the birth certificate, you can’t go to him for that anymore!”
“Birth certificate? What is she talking...never mind, I want the truth. So Effy, what’s this about a birth certificate?” Debs asks.
“She never put Uncle Brian’s name on it when Gus was born. He did it himself when he was 8, with the help of Daddio, which is why she hit him.” She explains.
“He supported you all through college and ever since. He worked his ass off to provide for you and that boy…”
“As he should have since he was responsible!” Lindsay snaps.
“You both were. It was not the immacufuckinglate conception!” I sneer and look her up and down. “Though I can understand the drunk part on his behalf.”
“Get out of my house, you wizened old prune! And you two as well! Effy, you will remain here! Your father can collect you in the morning! I believe tomorrow is a free day for you…”
“No and no. I do not want to live with you! Tomorrow is a day at YEP with the school, which if you had bothered to read the schedule, to which you still have access before you lie that you don’t, you would know that! Come on grandpeople, let’s leave her to stew in the rancid juice of her own making!”
“Rancid juice…” I echo and make a mental note of that one.
“You will do as I tell you!” Lindsay yells and grabs Effy by the arm as she passes.
“Take your hand off of her right now!” Norman bellows and stalks into the room with Carl right behind him, both of them look abject in their fury. “I told you never to lay a hand on her, never!”
“What are you...I didn’t harm her!”
“You touched her in an inappropriate way.” He seethes. “And you are still touching her!” She drops her hand, immediately. “Effy, Gilda, Debs go to the car. Carl? As a retired detective, with a slightly cooler head, I wish you to arrest for assaulting…”
“Norman, don’t be ridiculous! I didn’t…”
“Lindsay Peterson, I am arresting you for the assault of Effy Fukowski. You do not have to say anything when asked…”
“Norman! Carl! Stop this!” She shouts as she backs away from them.
“...you have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided to you free of charge…”
“Stop it! Stop it, I say!”
“You can say as much as you want ma’am, nobody is listening!” Carl snaps and takes her firmly by the arm and never have I been so proud of my boy!
ON THE WAY TO THE OLD CHURCH HOUSE - FRIDAY EVENING
JUSTIN
I stop and stare and then run with a sunshine smile on my face. For outside my...no our house is Brian with a huge bouquet of flowers. When I get up to him, I bury my nose in them and inhale. “They smell as wonderful as you look!” I declare and then pause. “Have you broken something?”
“No. I am being…” He looks around. “...ridiculously romantic and wanting to walk in officially with you.” I look at his feet. “With Ems and Drew...as is Hero...all night.”
“Would it be bad to order Thai for dinner?” I ask as I take the flowers off him and he takes my other hand.
“Nope. Oh, I have done something…”
“What?” I rest against his back as he opens the door and then leads me in.
“Go to the attic or should I say Nook II…”
I take the stairs two at a time and push open the door. And once again, he has rendered me speechless. He has moved the sofa bed up here and it is open, made up and the head is facing the window. On the sill is a vase of flowers, but it’s what’s under the window that I am gaping at….a bath...a filled bath!
“Brian!” I call out to him and he comes in smiling with a glass of wine.
“I am not that much of a magician; the pipework was always here. Molly was going to put one in and taunt you. When we did the shopping trip, she spotted that and I like the rustic charm of it.”
“It’s…” I stammer as I look at the beautiful copper bath.
“Going cold.” He whispers and then gently propels me forward. “Pick an end.”
“Same as you.” I whisper as I quickly pull off my clothes.
“You’re just filled with good answers lately.”
Forty minutes later, I am arching my back as he is deep within me, and it feels like heaven as he is slowly rocking. “Please, please…” I beseech as he starts to slowly thrust in. I can never watch honey being poured out of a jar again as that is what it feels like! The slow rippling pleasure as wave after wave slide up my spine before it spreads around my body in an ever widening pool.
“Okay.” He growls before swallowing my cries deep into his throat.
57TH PRECINCT - FOUR HOURS LATER
LINDSAY
I am cold, humiliated and fucked off! But, at least, I am not alone in this. Michael was at the station too. “What are you doing here?” I ask as we wait by the door, but by the smell of him I am going with intoxication.
“Unreasonable homophobes!” He bleats. “Fucking Albert! He did this!” I step away, flapping the air as well as to avoid being fallen on. “If had let me posters, then would fine.” He hiccups.
“Great, just great!” I say and again, try to stop his drunken tottering in my direction. “Well I have to be going now.”
“Nowhere to stay!” He yells, finally giving up the standing fight and sliding to the floor. “Need sleep.”
“Well you can’t sleep here! Michael, get up!” I order from a safe distance.
“Ma’am, do you know this man?” An officer asks, pointing at the puddle that is Michael.
“Barely!” I snipe haughtily. “He’s hardly the calibre of people I would associate with.”
“You have just been discharged from the cell downstairs...so yeah, he kinda is!” He bites back. “Now here are you papers. You are to report back here in two weeks’ time. Good morning ma’am, get home safely.” I start to walk out stepping over Michael, who has started to snore loudly. “Uh ma’am, what about him?”
“Like I said, I don’t know him!” I snap and head back to my apartment.
DINER - FRIDAY EARLY EVENING
CARL
I chuckle at my darling wife. She came in, sat Miley down and immediately started to revert to the Mother of Liberty Avenue. Not in behaviour, but in kindness. She was directing the kids to YEP and the Soup and Drop. She did try to redo the menu after Michael stormed out, but the Tiger Moll came out and she wisely backed off. Now once again, she’s back to just being my darling Debs.
“Can that man be any stupider? What gay man goes to that hotel and thinks a pass is going to work out for him?!”
“This is Michael Novotny we are talking about!” His companion retorts and my heart sinks.
“Excuse me, but what happened? With Michael Novotny, I mean.”
“He got drunk in the bar of Sky on the Hill Hotel and…” There is a gasp and my head drops.
“Sky on the Hill Hotel? What the hell was he doing there? It’s run by a homophobe?!” Debs demands. “Nobody but the stupid go...carry on.” She sighs.
“He’s as much a pariah as Uriah Heake is. So went there got drunk, made a pass and ended up at 57th. You have to do something, Debs. He needs to leave the Avenue. We will even begin a charity drive for him as it’s for his own safety!” The Leather Queen says in exasperation. “He’s beginning to become embarrassing and Liberty Avenue is not embarrassing!”
“A charity drive, you say?” Mom interjects.
“Gilda! Not helping!” Debs admonishes her.
“What? Think about it. Liberty wants him gone! He’s just gonna be here stewing in his, now how did she put it…”
“Rancid juice of his own making.” Debs chuckles.
“That’s it! So why not? He’s homeless and we always provide aid to them when we can. So we help this particular homeless idi- uh, man as well as helping out Liberty Avenue at the same time. Obviously, there would have to be stipulations but...”
As I look around, everyone starts to smile….