Chapter 5

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The last of the dinner rush had been served and the tables all cleared. Only a few stragglers remained in the diner. Carl had gone to Babylon to get ready for the evening's activities. Debbie ordered two of the dinner specials and told Lacy to sit down in the back booth.

"Debbie, I'm not very hungry," Lacy said as Debbie set two cokes down on the table.

"You're too skinny. You'll eat, and we're going to talk."

Debbie went back to the pass-through and waited for the cook to hand her the two plates. She deposited one in front of Lacy and set the other one down where she was going to sit. She slid into the booth.

"My feet are killing me," Debbie groaned. "I thought these shoes were comfortable when I bought them. I'm going back to my old ones."

"I'm never changing the ones I'm wearing," Lacy laughed. "They're the only comfortable ones I've found."

"Then hang onto them," Debbie said seriously. "They're worth their weight in gold.

"Um, why were all those people rushing out of here when I arrived for work? Justin and Brian and Michael…" Lacy let the list trail off. She hoped this might keep Debbie from asking her personal questions that she didn't want to answer. Her theory was, ask Debbie something first, and deflect the attention from herself.

"Oh, that was … nothing."

"It sure didn't look like nothing, and you and Carl had the weirdest looks on your faces."

"It was all … a misunderstanding," Debbie added, not wanting to talk about Danny's visit.

"There was an older man with them. Someone I've never seen before."

"Yeah," Debbie said staring at her food.

"Do you know him?"

"He's a drag queen," Debbie replied taking the safe route. She took a big bite out of the hot hamburger.

"He didn't look like a drag queen. He looked … normal."

"He wasn't wearing one of his outrageous get-ups."

"What was he doing with Hunter and Michael and the others?"

Debbie sighed. She really didn't want to discuss this with Lacy. "Um … he's appearing in the fundraiser for the clinic." That was the truth and maybe that would be enough of an explanation to suit Lacy.

"Oh," Lacy said thinking about Debbie's answer. That was probably the truth but it didn't explain what he was doing at the diner and why he was rushing out with the group of men.

"What happened when you left the other day without finishing your shift?" Debbie asked quickly, before Lacy could ask any more questions about Danny Devore.

"Oh, uh, I, um, I had to … go somewhere," Lacy stammered.

Debbie knew the advantage had just shifted to her court. Now Lacy was on the defensive. "I'll have to dock your pay for the fifteen minutes."

"Um, sure, no problem."

"Alice tells me that some man had just come into the diner before you ran out. She said he called you something like Lucinda."

"Alice should keep her fucking mouth shut!" Lacy reacted.

"Whoa!" Debbie replied holding up her hands in a defensive posture. "Who was he?"

"None of your fucking business," Lacy said through gritted teeth. She stood up and grabbed her plate of partially eaten food. "Are you done?" she asked Debbie who nodded. Lacy took both plates and placed them in the dirty dishes tub. She went behind the counter and grabbed the coffee pot. She walked to the nearest table and filled their coffee cups. She studiously kept her back to Debbie.

Debbie watched Lacy. There was definitely something going on with that girl, and Debbie intended to find out what it was. Lacy might not want to tell her but Deb knew she would find out one way or another.

As Lacy poured the coffee, she could feel Debbie's eyes on her back. She let out a soft sigh. Debbie would be after her all the time until she told her who the man was. Maybe it was better just to blurt out that he was her father, but as soon as she revealed who he was, she would have to tell the rest of it. She didn't think she could do that.

A shadow in the window at the front of the diner made her look up. It was her father. She grabbed her hand to steady the coffee pot that was suddenly shaking and spraying coffee onto the table.

"Hey!" the customer objected.

Lacy took the coffee pot back behind the counter and returned with a cloth to wipe up the spilled coffee. "Sorry," she said. "Coffee's on me."

She quickly wiped up the mess and then looked up at the window at the front. He was gone. Thank goodness!

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Brian and Justin sped off back to the cottage with Bree, barely picking up the lemon bars. The drive was swift and silent. Neither man knew what to say so they remained quiet. Only Bree made any noise. She was happily singing along with her favorite tunes that her dads let her listen to on the radio. The lovers finally began to relax as they neared the turn off to their lane.

"That was close, Bri," Justin commented as he unbuckled Bree from her car seat.

"Yeah, I know," Brian responded as he took his briefcase from the back seat as well as Bree's bag and the lemon bars. "I think we made a narrow escape. I do not want to be in Debbie's shoes later tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't see Carl's face, did you?"

"No, I was too busy looking at Michael's."

"Methinks Madam Horvath has some 'splainin' to do."

"Oh...OH!"

"Yeah. Oh."

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Instead of going back to his hotel after his close encounter with the Novotny-Horvath clan, Danny decided he needed a drink, perhaps many drinks. Danny went to Woody's.

"Scotch, neat! And keep them coming," Danny demanded as he sat at the bar. All Danny wanted to do was to drown in the amber liquid.

"This seat taken?"

"Look, I don't wish to be rude but...," Danny began until he turned to see who sat beside him. "Hunter, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same. Rehearsals will be starting soon. How would it look if Divina showed up with a hangover and bags under her eyes?"

"It would be an improvement." They sat in relative silence. The bar noises did little to drown out Danny's thoughts.

"Mr. Devore..."

"Danny, please. You make me sound like my father, who, by the way was a good man. He got a kick out of what I do for a living. My poor mother on the other hand was mortified. Go figure."

"Danny, what's the real reason you're here in Pittsburgh and don't give me the bullshit that it's all for a worthy cause. You're a good performer but not that good."

"Something tells me that there's a story behind you too." Danny took another gulp of scotch then waved the bartender over. Before more whiskey could be poured into Danny's glass, Hunter laid his hand over the top.

"Order us up some cola and I'll tell you," Hunter said using his counseling voice.

Danny nodded then ordered two sodas. They took their sodas to a secluded table where they could talk.

"So what's your story?"

"I guess one of the reasons the clinic means so much to me is that I was once where many of those kids are. I ran away from an abusive mother who tried to exploit my boyish charms on the street. I was fifteen when Michael and Ben dragged me kicking and screaming off the street. They taught me a lot about self worth and love. They also got me the right help when I found out I was positive."

"Oh God! I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I was foolish and careless. But I'm healthy now. I take my medication and try to eat right. My viral load is practically nonexistent. And it helps that my partner is a doctor, one who specializes in infectious diseases. You'll meet him; he volunteers at the clinic regularly. Now, you, and remember no trying to hustle an ex-hustler."

"In my last year of high school the hottest young woman of our graduating class caught my eye. She was a petite blond, so smart, with a quick wit and she wanted to be a nurse. We fell in love. Or at least what two eighteen year olds think is love. And we did what other eighteen year olds did. Then I left town to find fame and fortune. She stayed behind and unbeknownst to me, had a baby."

"A baby! You have a kid?"

"He's hardly a kid. He'd be about forty-five, forty-six by now."

"Do I know him? I mean, does he still live in the Pitts?"

"Oh yeah, you know him. You really know him."

"I don't understand."

"Hunter, if I tell you, you have to promise me that you won't talk to him about it. I don't have his mother's permission to reveal any of this."

"Hold on, wait just a fucking minute. When I met you at the bowling alley you said that Debbie was going to kill you. That girl you knocked up, that was Debbie?"

"Shhh, not so loud. No one knows, well, almost no one knows. Debbie obviously knows. I'm sure Michael knows except that we kind of agreed not to talk about it. Oh, and Brian knows."

"Christ! How did Brian find out?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe Michael told him. I'm sure Debbie didn't. It doesn't matter how he found out. What matters now is what Debbie is going to do and what you're going to do."

"Me? I don't care who your son is."

"Then it doesn't bother you to have a drag queen for a grandfather?"

"Grandfather? I, um...that didn't occur to me. I'm adopted."

"Michael and Ben are your parents so I guess that makes me your adoptive grandfather."

"Is there such a thing?"

"I haven't a fucking clue but so far you're the only one in Pittsburgh who isn't out for my hide." Danny looked so defeated that Hunter sprang up from his seat to give his new grandfather a hug.

"Don't worry, Gramps, I'll protect you." Hunter gave Danny his best supportive look. "Debbie and Brian will have to go through me first."

"Christ!" Danny exclaimed as he returned the hug.

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"Debbie, honey, it's almost four in the morning. Why are you still awake?"

"I couldn't sleep." Carl hung up his coat then sat next to Debbie on the couch. "I was worried."

"About what?"

"About what you must think of me."

"Sweetheart, I love you. That's what I think."

"But what about Danny?"

"What about him?"

"Carl, you're a detective."

"Retired."

"Whatever. You're an intelligent man, who can put two and two together. And we never really discussed Michael's father."

Debbie and Carl quietly cuddled on the couch, wrapping themselves up in a soft warm throw.

"Deb, how long have we known each other?"

"Over ten years."

"We've had our ups and downs and watched this family grow and prosper. We've had births and deaths."

"Yes, we have."

"But do you want to know what we have most of all?"

Debbie twisted in Carl's arms to see his face. "What?"

"We have love. I love you, Debbie and I love all of our boys and the girls."

"But Danny is..."

"Just one more in our family who needs our love."

"Carl Horvath, you are one beautiful man!" Debbie gushed as she kissed her husband all over his face.

"And you Debbie Grassi Novotny Horvath are one beautiful woman. Now let's go to bed."

"Oh honey, I'm too tired to move," Debbie said as she leaned into Carl. Carl held Debbie tighter.

"Then we'll stay here, together," Carl whispered, gently kissing the side of Debbie's face.

"Together," Debbie murmured as she drifted to sleep.

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"Hey, baby, what are you doing up so early?" Ben asked Michael as he came down into the kitchen. He stretched then gave Michael a kiss.

"I don't know. Thought I'd make breakfast then fix your lunch."

"Aw, thank you, baby."

"Ben, remember when I found Ma's old high school yearbook?"

"Vaguely. Back then, didn't you believe that that drag queen was your father?"

"Yes."

"And now?"

"My father was Charles Michael Novotny who died in Viet Nam." Ben drew Michael closer, wrapping his strong arms around his spouse.

"Okay, baby, okay."