Author Note: I want to thank Esther (qaffanfictionprojects group) for the plot bunny, and also my betas Jess and Lynn. Hey guys ... I have math twice weekly for two hours. Monday nights, and Wednesday nights. I'm really good in math, and I hate math. Therefore, math is BORING. Guess what I did with tonight's math class? =)
Chapter Two Brian sat, staring at his computer screen in his office at Kinnetic with unseeing eyes. The sound of someone clearing their throat in his doorway brought him out of his trance. He glanced at the door. “Cynthia, what’s up?” he asked. Cynthia shrugged. “You tell me,” she said, coming into the office and sitting on the edge of his desk. “You’ve been out of it for days,” she noted, crossing her arms. “Is everything okay?” she asked. Brian sighed, running his hand over his face. “I don’t know,” he said. Cynthia had a worried look on her face. “Did something happen with you and Justin?” she asked. Brian shook his head. “No … nothing like that,” he said. “Then what’s going on? Is Alex sick?” she asked. Brian shook his head. “Brian, have I ever given you a reason not to trust me? Come on, I’ve worked with you for like 25 years.” “Gus’ birthday is next week,” he said. “Ohhh,” she said, drawing out the word. Brian nodded. “How old is he going to be again?” she asked. “18.” “Holy shit. That’s yours and Justin’s anniversary, too, isn’t it?” she asked. Brian nodded. “Yeah, we’ve been together for 18 years,” he said. Cynthia smiled, shaking her head. “If someone would have told me 18 years ago that those words would be coming out of your mouth, I would have laughed my ass off,” she said. Brian laughed. “Yeah, you and me both,” he said. Cynthia smiled. “So … what are you doing for your anniversary?” “Going to Toronto.” “You are? Brian … do you think that’s a good idea?” “I don’t know. But I know that if I don’t at least try to see him, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life,” he said. Cynthia smiled. “Well, I’ll clear your schedule next week through the month,” she said. Brian smiled. “Thanks, Cyn. I appreciate it,” he told her with a genuine smile. She nodded and got up. “No problem, Boss. It’s what I’m here for,” she smiled, leaving the office. ----- Gus glanced down at the address on the paper. He got it from his mom’s address book. He looked at the building in front of him. “This is where your dad lives?” Jeff asked. Gus nodded. “Uh … I guess so. This is the building on Tremont Street,” Gus got out of the car and took a deep breath. He pushed the buzzer for the sixth floor and waited. Nothing. He glanced over at Jeff who was still in the car and shrugged. Jeff got out of the car and came over to Gus. “Maybe he’s not home,” Jeff suggested. Gus shrugged again. They both moved aside when someone came outside. Gus stopped the door before it closed and they went upstairs. Once Gus got to the door, he knocked. Nothing. He turned to Jeff and tried the door. To his surprise, it slid open. Going inside, he looked around. The loft was completely empty. Gus frowned. “He’s not here,” he said. Jeff looked around. “It doesn’t look like anyone’s lived here for awhile, Gus,” he said, running his finger over the counter, showing Gus the dust it collected. “Shit!” Gus cursed, his hands on his hips. “Why don’t you call your mom and ask her if she knows anything about him moving,” Jeff suggested as they walked down the stairs. Gus shook his head. “No. I can do this myself. I don’t want her to think that I need her help,” Gus said, getting back into the car. “We passed a Diner on the way here that looked right up your alley. Over on Liberty Avenue,” Gus drove back to the diner that he saw earlier and parked the car. Jeff whistled. “Holy shit. I have never seen this many hot guys … who are all obviously gay … in my entire life,” he said, laughing. Gus smiled, rolling his eyes. They entered the diner and saw an old woman with flaming red hair at the counter. She glanced up and did a double-take. “Uh, can I help you boys?” she asked. Gus nodded. “Yeah, um … do you have a recent phonebook?” he asked. The woman raised a brow. “Yeah,” she said, pulling it out from under the counter. She handed it to him. “Here you go, honey,” she said. He smiled. “Thanks,” he said, going to a booth with Jeff in tow. She followed them. “Can I get you boys something to eat?” she asked, eyeing Gus again. He shrugged, opening the phonebook and flipping through it. “Uh … we’ll both have a bacon cheeseburger and fries and a coke, please,” Jeff said. The woman nodded, going to the kitchen to place the orders. ----- Debbie Novotny moved away from the kitchen, going to the booth in the corner. The two men there looked up. “Ma? You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something,” her son, Michael said. “Here, Deb, sit down,” Michael’s husband Ben said, moving over. “Booth number 2. The kid … I swear to god, he looks just like Brian!” she said. Both Ben and Michael looked. “Wow … he does look like Brian,” Ben said. “Do you think that … no …. It’s not possible,” Michael said, shaking his head. “He’s the right age, Michael … he looks to be about 17 or 18,” Deb said. “It’s not possible, Ma. There’s no way that’s Gus,” Michael insisted. Ben shrugged and Debbie stood up. “I guess you’re right. But he just looks so much like him,” she said. “If Gus was going to come down here, he’d have done it by now,” Michael said, as he and Ben got out of the booth. “I’m sorry, Ma, but it’s not him.” Michael and Ben both kissed Debbie goodbye and left the Diner. Debbie went back over by the counter. ----- “That waitress is still staring at you,” Jeff said. Gus shrugged, eating his cheeseburger. He flipped the page in the phonebook. “Here it is!” he said, pointing. He read what he found. “Brian A. Kinney … 3476 Rushmore … he moved,” he said. He copied the address and phone number down onto a napkin. “She’s coming back,” Jeff warned. Gus closed the phonebook and handed it to Debbie when she came over. “Here, ma’am. Thanks again,” he said. She smiled, nodding. “Anything else I can do for you boys?” she asked. Jeff shook his head, but Gus didn’t. “Actually … can you tell me how to get to Rushmore?” he asked. Debbie’s eyebrows rose. “What’s your name, honey?” she asked. “Oh, I’m Gus. And this is my friend Jeff,” Gus introduced them. “Gus? Gus Peterson-Marcus?” she asked. Gus glanced over at Jeff, then back at the woman. “Yes … um … do I know you?” he asked. Debbie pushed Jeff further into the booth and sat down next to him. “No … your mom moved you when you were just a baby … there’s no way you’d remember me. I’m Debbie … I know your dad,” she said. Gus’ eyes widened. “Please ma’am … Debbie … don’t tell him that I’m here. I kind of wanted the element of surprise,” Gus begged. Debbie shook her head. “I won’t say a thing, I promise. He’s going to be so glad to see you!” she said. Gus glanced at Jeff. “Thanks. Uh … so … can you tell me how to get to his house?” ----- Twenty minutes later, Gus and Jeff were on the road again, almost to Brian’s house. They were following the directions that Debbie had given them. “So … what was that all about?” Jeff asked, shaking his head and eating the lemon bars that Debbie had given them. Gus shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said, turning onto Rushmore. It was getting dark, so the numbers on the houses were getting harder to read. Then, he saw it. 3476. He pulled over on the road in front of the house. He sat there for a few moments, staring at the house. “Well? Aren’t you going to go up there?” Jeff asked. Gus nodded, slowly getting out of the car. “Come with me?” he asked. Jeff nodded, getting out of the car as well. Together, they walked up the driveway and to the front door. Gus took a deep breath. “Well … I guess this is it. No turning back now,” he said, reaching up and ringing the doorbell. End Chapter Two 9-21-05