Chapter 129:  New Adventures Await You

            “Phew!   Where is that doggone cell phone!”  Justin vexed when he returned to his apartment and still couldn’t find the thing.  He wanted to call the art gallery and inform them that he would be late or he just might not come in at all.

“Do you mean this one?”  A woman of foreign African descent asked as she walked out of the kitchen and into the living room where Justin stood.  She had a heavy Nigerian accent and was wearing a traditional maid uniform.  She walked up to Justin and delivered his cell to him.  “I found this one in the cushion of the chair while I was cleaning up,” she told him.  “It doesn’t look like the one I see Mr. Jensen’s with all the time though.”

“Yes, that’s my phone.  However, I don’t know how it got hidden in the couch.  I’m almost positive I had it in my jeans’ pocket when I was in the bedroom undressing for bed last night.  Umm, your name is…?”  Justin asked.

“It’s Pearl,” the maid answered.

“Well, thank you, Pearl; and Justin Taylor’s my name.  It’s really nice to meet you.”  Justin offered her an extended long handshake.

“Nice to meet you too, Mr. Taylor.”

“Call me - Justin, please?”

“Thank you, but, Mr. Jensen prefers I always call all his guests Mister and Ms. He insists on it.”

“I’m not one of his guests, Pearl.  I’m his…” and it was hard for Justin to say because, he was kind of concerned that now it was Jensen deceiving him by not telling him that he had discovered Brian inside the building and that that was the TRUE reason he wanted to move so badly.  He had to wonder then what other things Jensen might be deceiving him about.

He had some nerve to use my son J.C. as an excuse and a reason to move out of this building when Brian was the real reason!  How shitty is that! Justin thought quietly to himself; and  he wasn’t as okay with the attempted rape as he previously led on.   

“Fuck this!”  Justin unintentionally cried up loud and startled Pearl.  He was still holding her hand.  “Sorry,” he apologized.  “That was not directed at you.  I was just thinking out loud about something that my… I mean Mr. Jensen told me.”

Justin then smiled politely at her.  “By the way, it’s nice to meet you too, Pearl.”

“Thank you.”  She immediately thought that Justin was very nice and liked him that instant.   “Do you need anything, Mr. Taylor - orange juice, coffee, or a full course breakfast?  It would be my pleasure.”

“Thank you so much for offering, Pearl, but I don’t need anything… and again… it’s Justin.”

“Yes, Justin,” She smiled really hearty: and Justin released her hand and then she left and returned to the kitchen. 

Justin then peeped at his missed calls and saw he had received several calls already.  There was his grandmother’s call, as well as the manager at gallery and Lindsay had called as well. 

He called Lindsay first to make sure everything was okay with J.C.

“Hi, Justin,” Lindsay’s greeting sounded so lively, he was relieved that instantly that J.C. was okay.

“How’s my son… I mean two sons for that matter?”

“They both are just fine, Justin, but they miss you terribly already though.  Mel took Gus to school and J.C. is still asleep.”

“I miss them too, Lindsay.  So, what did you call about so early this morning?”

“I got some fantastic news for you, Justin.  You won’t believe this.”

“What is it?”

“My boss Sidney Bloom just called and he said if you’re ready… which I assured him that you definitely are…”

“Ready for what?”

“A tour of Europe!  Justin, can you believe it!  Do you have any idea what that can mean for your career!  New York is one thing, but Europe!  I mean exhibiting your stuff in the elaborate galleries of Paris, Rome, Italy, London - Justin, that's liable to put you in the ranks with the Masters!  Is that enough excitement for you, Justin?  How fantastic is that, huh?”

“Wow!”  Justin was suddenly reminded of the honeymoon trip Brian and he made to Paris during their first marriage.   Back then he dared to even fantasize about his work being hung inside one of those galleries.  “Europe, huh?” 

“Yes, Justin.  A one-year tour of the best galleries; and we are talking about all over Europe.”

“But what about J.C.?  I can’t leave him for a year and I don’t want to leave Gus that long either.  Since Brian’s left him, he really needs me there for him.”

“Justin, J.C. is only two.  He hasn’t reached the required age for school yet.  You can certainly take him with you; and as for Gus, you can keep in touch with him via teleconferencing as well as Mel and I will be taking an occasional trip out there to bring Gus to see you.   Who wouldn’t want to have an excuse to board a plane a few times in a year to go to Europe?  Justin, this an opportunity you can’t… I mean mustn’t turn down.”

“You’re right, Lindsay, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”  Justin thought it was a perfect excuse to postpone a marriage that he wasn't really certain about anyway; and it definitely would put the needed distance that might be required after discovering Brian living on the floor just below him; and just that instantly he made up his mind.  “Lindsay, call Sidney back and tell him I’m all in.”

“Wonderful, Justin!”  Lindsay cheered.

“And, Lindsay, I’m guessing that Sidney and will make all the necessary arrangements for this trip?”

“We most definitely will, Justin.  You are our prodigy.  You don’t have to lift a finger to do anything. Sidney and I will set up all the exhibits as well as find you a place to live.”

“Good.  So you would also have to make arrangements to have someone to help me take care of J.C.  But oh!  Wait a minute.”  An idea suddenly came to Justin.  “Lindsay, can I put you on hold for just a few seconds.”

“Sure.  I’ll hold, Justin.”

“Pearl,” Justin called her away from the kitchen.

“Yes, Justin?”  She returned to the living room.

“How do you like working for Mr. Jensen, Pearl?  How about a new boss?  Are you willing and able to pack up and move to Europe, with me, on the spur?  I’ll treat you really nice and pay you handsomely.  That if you don’t mind taking care of a two-year-old?  And, you wouldn’t have to wear that ridiculous and dreadful uniform anymore.”

Pearl smiled bigger than ever and her eyes sparkled; so Justin realized then he had a wonderful nanny for his son; and he could be sure about that because he knew she wouldn’t be working inside Jensen’s place had he not already put her through a lengthy and thorough extensive background investigation and security check. 

Justin quickly secured his new nanny and gave her the first assignment of packing his stuff so he could instantly move out of Jensen’s place and back into a hotel before the broker gets back home from work that evening.  

“Lindsay,” Justin got back on the phone with her after Pearl went inside the room to get his stuff together.   “Believe it or not, I’ve just right now hired a nanny for J.C.; but Sidney and you can take care of all the other arrangements.  And by the way…”

“Yeah?”

“What are the men in Europe like?”  Justin asked in a rather horny seductive manner.

“What?  But what about Jensen!”  Lindsay alarmed.  “I’m shocked!”

“What about him?”  Justin answered flippantly.  “And what’s so shocking?”

“I know about the engagement, Justin.  When I couldn’t get you on the cell, I called Jensen’s cell and he told me about it - as well as told me that he and you were actually going to get married at City Hall this morning, but postponed it until Monday on the account of his parents flying into New York this weekend and they want to be witness to their son getting married.”  

“Did you tell him about the European tour?”

“No.  I definitely wanted to run that across you before mentioning it to anyone else.  I just called Jensen to ask him what was the best way to contact you since I wasn’t able to get you on your cell right away.”

“Oh, so Jensen has no idea about the tour?”

“No.  He couldn’t possibly.  I didn’t mention it to him and Jensen and Sidney don’t know each other, so I’m sure he couldn’t have heard from Sidney.  Oh by the way, congratulations on Jensen and your engagement… but STILL what’s this talk about how HOT European men are?  That’s no way for an engaged man to talk.”

“Well, don’t you believe it, Lindsay.’

“Believe what?”

“Nothing,” Justin said as he figured the proper thing would be to tell Jensen first (before he tells anyone else) about his sudden change of plans where their engagement was concerned. 

Justin then felt a new sense of adventure, freedom and pride.  He’s on his way to Europe for fuck sake!  The men there are no doubt likely to be divinely HOT and plentiful.  So why should he deprive himself of such delectable pleasures by committing to Jensen or anyone else?  He felt for once in life he should live his life to the fullest and be totally free.  AND WHY NOT!  He’s young, sexy and handsome; intelligent; talented; interesting, and famous; and if the tour and everything else goes as planned (in a short while) he will be a very rich man in his own right (like everyone has been telling him for a very long time now). 

He felt free and believed he deserved to have some FUN!  Or at least he wanted to feel that way.  In the back of his head he still had Brian dancing around inside there, but he decided he was going to fight that urge and he figured with a half-world distance between them, that just might finally do the trick for him.  He had to at least try. 

Justin then talked to Lindsay about a few more particulars and then got off the phone with her, and by that time Pearl stepped back into the room.

“You’re all packed, Justin,” his new nanny informed him.

“Thanks, Pearl.  Now you finish up whatever you were doing inside the kitchen, while I make a few more calls and then you and I are out of here.”

Justin then called his grandmother and when he finished on the phone with her, he called the manager at the art gallery.  Pearl and he then headed out of there.