Chapter 2 It was three weeks later before Brian was forced to deal with Justin leaving. The first week had been a haze of drugs, alcohol and an endless parade of random men through the loft. The second week started with a massive hang-over and Cynthia screaming at him that he had better get his ass out of bed and back to work because she was tired of covering for him with Vance. He knew he would one day regret giving her a key to the loft, though in the five plus years they had been working together it was only the second time she had used it. By the end of the third week, Brian had sufficiently buried himself in work that he rarely thought about what was missing from his life. It wasn’t unusual for him to still be in his office at 11pm, regardless of how early he had come in, which seemed to be earlier as the days progressed. It was no surprise then to find him in his office at 8pm on Friday of the third week. What was surprising was that he wasn’t alone. A knock on his door startled Brian from looking at his laptop without really seeing anything. Glancing toward the door he smirked at George, the night guard for Vanguard. “Mr. Kinney, I’m sorry to bother you, but a woman here who says it’s a matter of life and death that she talk to you right away.” George stepped aside and in strode Justin’s mother looking worried and pissed off at the same time. “It’s okay, George. I’m used to Taylors disrupting my life.” Rising so as to be in a more dominate position and to hide his unease, Brian walked around his desk and stood at the door. “I’ll see Mrs. Taylor gets to her car safely after we’ve had our…chat.” Brian shut the door after George left and indicated the chair in front of his desk for Jennifer. “So, Mrs. Taylor,” Brian sneered as he perched on the edge of his desk, crossing his arms, “What do I owe for the pleasure of this visit?” Jennifer looked just a bit uncomfortable as she settled into her chair. Screwing up her courage, she said, “Have you seen Justin?” Brian could detect the worry in her voice, but couldn’t understand the reason for it. “I would imagine he’s with his little fiddler. Why don’t you go ask him and leave me alone.” His words were a bit harsher than he meant for them to be and he saw Jennifer flinch slightly at his tone. Her WASP manners, however, prevented her from commenting. Instead she said, “He called me after the Rage party and said once he was settled he would call me.” “Them I’m sure once he’s done setting up house with the fiddler he’ll call his mommy and fill her in on the juicy details.” Brian snapped as he walked around his desk and sat back in his chair. If he hadn’t already been sitting, Jennifer’s next words would have sent him to his knees. “If you mean the young man Justin left the party with I asked around and found where Ethan lived. I went to him first and he told me he hasn’t seen Justin since the night of the party.” “Why don’t you try his cell?” Jennifer’s country club manners slipped then and she blasted Brian. “Damn-it. Don’t you think I’ve tried everything, and everyone, before I came to you? I’ve spent the last week and a half going to everyone he or I know trying to get in contact with him. His cell is turned off and even his father hasn’t heard from him.” Brian’s heart lurched at the idea Justin would go to his father before he would come to him for help. Thinking perhaps Justin was just hiding out somewhere licking his wounds or something he refused to let Justin’s disappearance get to him. “He can’t have gone far, Jennifer. He doesn’t have the resources, monetarily speaking, to go far or do too much damage.” Brian watched as Jennifer paled and looked away before turning her gaze back to him. “Actually he probably has about $10,000 dollars.” “Fucking hell.” Brian whispered. Schooling his features into a blank mask he quietly asks, “And how, prey tell, does he have this money?” “When he was a kid his dad and I set up a bank account for him. Money he received for holidays and birthdays went into this money market account. Craig and I also put money in it from time to time. A few months ago when Craig said he wouldn’t pay for Justin’s tuition Justin and I went to the bank and had my name taken off the account so he would have complete control of his money. He’s always been so responsible and he’s an adult…” Her voice trailed off as visions of Justin flashed through her head. “I still have a friend at the bank and she checked for me and he’s closed the account.” “Well, then, I’m sure he will be fine and when he blows through the money he’ll call you for more or come home.” Brian tried to reassure the woman, though he wasn’t so sure himself. “In the meantime it’s really not my concern.” “You really are a bastard aren’t you?” Jennifer spewed venom as she rose to leave the heartless prick standing in front of her. “So my mother, and everyone else, is fond of telling me,” he said as he shut down his computer and picked up his briefcase. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a previous engagement with an asshole of magnificent quality.” He held his office door open and allowed Jennifer to precede him through it. “Could you find it in that cold heart of yours to at least call me if you hear from him.” “I guess I could do that.” Brian said, trying to sound sincere. “Though I’m probably the last person he would contact. He’s done with me. That was clear as a crystal dick when he walked out with fiddle boy three weeks ago.” “Yes, I guess so.” Jennifer whispered as the rode down in the elevator to the lobby. Brian watched Jennifer until she got into her car parked in front of the building, then turned to make his way to the parking structure reserved for Vanguard employees and valued clients. **** “Stupid, fucking twat!” Brian yelled as he repacked the last of Justin’s things into the boxes he had put them in during week two. Going back to his desk he threw himself into his chair and downed the glass of Beam sitting on his desk in one swallow. He relished the burn as he tried to imagine what Justin would have done. He had gone through what little the young man had left in hopes of following Justin’s through process that night three weeks ago. Some clothes, a couple of sketch books, some textbooks, and CDs were all that was left of the young man who held Brian’s heart. With no one around to witness his weakness, Brian let the grief and fear of losing Justin was over him. He wiped at the few tears that fell and let his anger and frustration get the better of him and hurled his now empty glass across the room. He watched with grim satisfaction as the glass shattered against one of the support beams. Needing to feel close to his lost lover he opened his desk drawer and pulled out a sketchbook Justin had forgotten to take with him. Flipping through the pages he smiled at the pictures drawn with such care and love.” I’m sorry I couldn’t be the man you needed me to be baby. Please be safe and come back. I promise to try to be the kind of man you deserve. I…” Brian stumbled over his words, barely able to voice his feelings even when there was no one around to hear them. With a shuttering breath he finally voice what he’d felt for a long time. “I love you, Sunshine.” After a while Brian noticed the envelope stuck to the back of the sketchpad. Recognizing the envelope he started to toss it back into the drawer when he realized it was lighter than what it should have been considering the contents. Opening the envelope and finding only a letter where $10,000 dollars should have been he groaned and laughed, almost hysterically, as he stared at the empty envelope. “Well, Sunshine, I guess you’ll be alright for quite some time. Don’t spend it all in one place.” Laughing again, he put the letter aside for the time being. Instead he reached for his phone. “Stupid boy. What have I made you do that $20,000 some odd dollars will do? I hope it cures what ails you, twat,” Brian said, with a hint of pride in his voice, as he waited for the person on the other end of the line to pick up. When the phone was finally answered on the other end he said, “Well, our boy should be able to handle things for quite some time.”