Wild Child

Chapter 12

Mrs. Hadley pulled her car into a parking space near the Sidney Bloom Gallery. She and Gus sat staring at the front door of the building wondering how best to proceed.

"My mom used to work here," Gus said suddenly. "Her boss was Mr. Bloom. She often said she wished she could get a job like she had here, and have a boss like Mr. Bloom."

"Really?" Mrs. Hadley said with interest. "Maybe we should ask for Mr. Bloom and see what we can find out."

"Okay," Gus said ready to get the show on the road.

They made their way inside and were met by someone who asked if he could be of help.

"Is Mr. Bloom available?" Mrs. Hadley asked.

"Who might I say is asking?"

"I'm Muriel Hadley."

"And I'm Gus Marcus-Peterson," Gus said confidently. "Mr. Bloom used to know my mom."

"Oh," the man said. "Please wait here and I'll inform Mr. Bloom."

Mrs. Hadley looked at Gus and nodded. Maybe the connection with Gus' mother would get them what they wanted. After a couple of minutes while they looked at some paintings, Sidney Bloom appeared.

"Gus?" he said looking at the boy.

"Yes," Gus replied.

"Well, my goodness, it's been a long time since I saw you. You were just a toddler the last time."

"I've grown up a bit since then," Gus said proudly. He saw Mrs. Hadley smile.

"Are you here with your mother?" Sidney asked. "I'd love to see her." He looked around like Lindsay might be hiding behind a post or something.

"I'm living with my father now."

"Oh."

"Um … we saw the ad about Justin having a show here. We wanted to get in touch with him. Is he in Pittsburgh?"

"No, he's still in Europe," Sidney said.

Gus felt his determination melt away. Justin wasn't here and he wasn't going to help them.

"That's too bad," Mrs. Hadley said speaking for the first time. "I'm Mr. Kinney's housekeeper. We were hoping to have a word with Mr. Taylor, but if he's not here…"

"He arrives on Wednesday," Sidney said seeing how much they wanted to get in touch with Justin. "He's going to be awfully busy, but I promise to tell him you were here and you were looking for him. Do you have a number where you can be reached?"

Mrs. Hadley took out a pad and pen from her purse. She seemed to have everything in that purse, but oddly, she could find whatever was needed immediately. She wrote the number of her private line at the mansion on the pad. "This is my number, but I would see that Gus got the message," she said.

"I'll give this to Justin. If you're talking to your mother, please remember me to her."

"Yes, sir," Gus said as they turned to leave. "Um … do you have any of Justin's work up yet?" Gus asked.

"Actually we're working our way from the back with the pieces for Justin's show. Would you like a sneak preview? It's very good."

"Could we?" Gus asked.

Sidney nodded and walked them towards the back of the gallery.

"Wow!" Gus gasped as he saw the first piece. "That's really great!"

"I think so too," Sidney laughed.

Gus walked around looking at the other six or eight pieces that had been hung. They were large and powerful, except for one that hung by itself. It was much more subdued and held a human form. Gus could almost believe that it was his father surrounded by clouds of sadness, at least that's what it seemed like to him. He turned away not wanting to look at it anymore. If Justin felt like that about his father, he probably wouldn't want to talk to them.

"I think we better go," Gus said to Mrs. Hadley. "We wouldn't want to miss the movie."

She gave him a look, but they started towards the front door.

"Gus, it was good to see you," Sidney called. "And you too, Mrs. Hadley."

She nodded as they went out the door.

"It's hopeless," Gus said when they got in the car. "Justin must hate my father. That piece was so sad."

"I saw the sadness too, but I don't think it was tinged with hate," Mrs. Hadley said with a faint smile.

"You don't?"

"I think it was tinged with love."

Gus studied the side of Mrs. Hadley's face as she started the car and drove away.

+++++

When Gus and Mrs. Hadley returned late that afternoon, they discovered that Brian's car and the Miata were both parked next to the house.

Gus made a face that was not lost on Mrs. Hadley. "They may have taken the Corvette," she said.

"Most likely they never went at all. They're upstairs fucking." Gus scowled and shook his head.

"Gus!"

"Sorry, but I hate that guy."

"We have to be patient. Maybe Justin will call on Wednesday."

"Yeah, right! This'll go the same way everything else in my life has gone … down the toilet."

Once inside the house, Mrs. Hadley began making some dinner not having been instructed otherwise. Gus sat at the kitchen table working on his assignments. Some time later Brian appeared looking slightly tired but well satisfied at the same time.

"I didn't hear you two come in," he said as he grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge.

"I wonder why," Gus muttered.

"What?"

"I thought you and … Greg were going out."

"We changed our minds. There's always tomorrow."

"Sure," Gus said with a shrug.

"Is something wrong?" Brian asked with a frown.

"No, everything's just peachy," Gus snarked using one of his father's favorite expressions.

"Gus!" Brian reacted. Mrs. Hadley shook her head at him. "Did you two enjoy the movie?"

"It was awesome," Gus replying with genuine emotion for the first time.

"I never really got the whole fascination with wizards," Brian said.

"Mr. Kinney," Mrs. Hadley admonished with a smile. "Remember where I got those books in the first place."

"Oh right," Brian said. She had got them from him.

"I think it would be neat to be a wizard," Gus explained.

Brian opened his bottle of water, took a drink and sat down at the table with Gus. "What would be neat about it?" Brian smiled wanting to hear what Gus would say.

"It would be great to have an owl like Hedwig and send messages that way."

"That is pretty cool," Brian agreed.

"And then I'd know how to make potions and cast spells," Gus continued. Brian smiled at his son's enthusiasm.

"Brian!" a whiny voice said from the doorway. It was Greg, of course. "I thought you were coming right back."

"Um … I was talking to Gus."

"Come on," Greg whined.

Brian stood and picked up his water and the one he had got for Greg. "Maybe we can finish this at dinner."

"Sure," Gus scowled as his father walked away to join Greg. "And maybe I can cast a spell to make him disappear," Gus said staring at the unwanted guest's back as he and his father left the kitchen.

"Dinner in an hour," Mrs. Hadley called.

The next day went by with much the same results. Gus worked on his assignments and swam a little and worried a lot about whether Justin would call. Brian and Greg stayed in the bedroom most of the day and did not go furniture shopping that day either. Just after dinner was finished, the mansion phone rang.

Mrs. Hadley waited for Mr. Kinney to answer. When he didn't, she finally picked up the kitchen extension. "Kinney residence," she said formally.

"Oh, um, yes, is Brian available?" a female voice enquired.

"Mr. Kinney is not available at the moment," Mrs. Hadley replied assuming that her employer would not enjoy being interrupted. "May I take a message?"

"Um … could I speak to Gus?"

"Who … who is this?"

"I'm Gus' mother."

"Oh, one moment, please." Mrs. Hadley put her hand over the mouthpiece and turned to Gus who was once again working on the projects for Bramley Hall at her kitchen table. "Gus," she said softly. "It's a woman saying she is your mother."

"Mom?" he asked as he ran to get the phone. "Mom? Mom? Is that really you?"

"Gus, oh Gus! How are you, sweetheart?" Lindsay asked breathlessly.

"I … I'm okay. Why haven't you called before?"

"We … we thought it would be best to let you get settled in with your father. You are settled in, aren't you?"

"I guess so," Gus admitted although he could have given her a much longer answer.

"Are you okay, Gus?"

"I'm all right."

"It's good to hear your voice."

"Yours too, Mom."

"Would you like to speak to Melanie?"

"Okay."

"Gus?"

"Hi, Momma."

"Gus, how are things going?"

"Dad's trying to get me into a private school. I've had a ton of makeup work to do."

"Are you trying hard?" Melanie asked.

"I'm doing my best."

"When will you know?"

"We have to hand all the work in this Friday and then I should know by next week."

"Just in time for the beginning of the school year."

"Yeah."

"JR wants to say hello," Melanie said as her daughter tugged on her pant leg.

"She does?" Gus asked in surprise.

"Hi, Gus," Jenny's little voice said.

"Hi, JR."

"I miss you."

"You do?"

"Sometimes."

Gus laughed. At least she was telling the truth. "I miss you too … sometimes."

"Gus," Lindsay's voice interrupted. "We have to go. Will you tell your father that we called? I'd like to talk to him."

"Okay."

"Bye, honey."

"Bye, Mom."

Gus stood looking at the phone for a few seconds after Lindsay cut the connection. He wasn't sure how he felt about talking to his family. They had given him away to his father, but they still seemed interested in how he was doing. Except! No one had said they loved him. No one ever said that anymore. He knew he was unlovable. It hadn't taken long for his father to find that out, and choose Greg over him.

"Gus, hang up the phone, dear," Mrs. Hadley said.

Gus did as he was told, but his head was still reeling with what the call meant. At least they had called. That was the first time he had heard from them since he left Toronto.

"Are you all right, Gus?" Mrs. Hadley asked gently.

"I … I don't know."

"Do you want me to get your father?"

"He won't come."

"Yes, he will."

Gus shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

"It most certainly does." Mrs. Hadley picked up the phone and hit some numbers. Gus could hear it ringing again and again.

Finally it stopped and Brian's breathless voice came on the line. "This better be important."

"Have I ever used this line before?" Mrs. Hadley asked pointedly.

"No."

"Your son needs you."

"What … what happened?"

"He's here in the kitchen. Come down and see."

"Brian, don't go. We were just at a good part," Greg's whiny voice said in the background.

"Mr. Kinney," Mrs. Hadley interrupted. "If you don't come down here right now, I'm bringing Gus up there. What will it be?"

"I'll be right down," Brian said hastily.

"And don't bring that man with you," she added before Brian could hang up.

"Is he coming?" Gus asked. She nodded. "Thanks, for that last part too."

"You need your father. I'll be in my quarters." Mrs. Hadley quietly left the kitchen and went into her quarters. She didn't quite close the door, however.

"Gus? Gus, what's wrong?" Brian asked as he rushed into the kitchen, thankfully alone.

"I … I had a phone call from Mom," Gus said tears in his eyes.

"Fuck! They weren't supposed to call," Brian said his hand on his hip.

"I think they were trying to reach you but when you didn't answer, Mrs. Hadley picked up. Mom asked for me."

"What did you tell her?"

"That I'm … all right?"

"Did she sound worried?"

"No, why should she? She doesn't care anymore about me than you do."

"Gus…"

"Fuck off, Dad!" All Gus' worry and upset began to pour out. "Nobody cares about me! You don't pay any attention to me anymore. You just want to be with Greg. It took Mom weeks to call here and see how I am. They don't care. Nobody wants me!"

Gus put his head down on his arms on the table and sobbed. Brian felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest.

"Gus, please, don't," Brian begged as he took a couple of steps towards his son. Gus just kept sobbing. Brian reached the table wondering what the hell to do with his son. He could handle defiance and manipulation and bad attitude, but what was he supposed to do with tears? "Gus," he said gently placing his hand on Gus' shoulder and squeezing.

"Dad … I," Gus looked up and then Brian found Gus' arms wrapped around his waist. The boy held on with a viselike grip, like his life depended on never letting go.

Instinctively Brian held Gus, arms around the smaller shoulders as Gus continued to sob. "Tell me what's wrong, Gus. What can I do?"

"Don't send me away. Don't make me go to an orphanage. Please, Dad," Gus begged.

"What are you talking about? Where did you get those ideas? I'm not going to send you away," Brian promised with tears in his own eyes. Had he so neglected his son that Gus thought he was about to be put out of the house?

"You mean it? I can stay?" Gus looked up at his father, eyes full of tears and cheeks red and streaked from crying.

"Of course, you're staying. You're my son."

"What about Greg?"

"What about him?"

"He doesn't want me here."

"That's not true."

"You know it is. He doesn't like me."

"We'll work something out," Brian promised.

"And I don't have to leave."

"Absolutely not."

"I … I got scared. When I talked to Mom and she sounded kind of cold, I thought I'd have nowhere to go."

"You'll always have a place with me."

"I … I guess I feel better now," Gus said wiping at his eyes.

"Mrs. Hadley keeps Kleenex someplace around here," Brian said looking around the kitchen.

"By the phone," Gus said, "but don't leave me."

"You're not wiping your nose on my jeans, are you?" Brian tried to joke.

"Not yet," Gus laughed through his tears.

"Let me get that Kleenex. I'll come right back."

Gus nodded and Brian quickly brought him the box of tissues. Gus wiped his face and blew his nose.

"Are you okay now?" Brian asked. Gus nodded. "Do you want me to stay with you for a while?" Gus nodded again. "Let's go in the library and sit on the sofa."

Together they walked out of the kitchen, Brian's arm around Gus' shoulders.

With a smile Mrs. Hadley closed the door to her quarters and picked up the book she had been pretending to read. Now she might actually get through a chapter or two.