BOOK ONE: DECEPTIONS
Chapters One to Twenty Six
Vignettes 1 - 140

BOOK TWO: YESTERDAY ECHOES
Chapters 27 to
Vignettes 141 -

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Vignette #126: Elephants

The half empty beer bottle dangling at his side, Billy stared with awe into the back yard. He was staring at the pool. He shook his head. “Can I swim in it naked?” He slapped his hand over his mouth, obviously that slipped out.

“Why not, everyone else has.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind.” Ian tilted his head toward the balcony. “Com’mon let’s go enjoy the evening until you feel like you need to turn in.”

Billy followed Ian down the back steps and to the table by the pool. As Ian sat a bottle of scotch and two glasses in front of them, Billy kept looking around. He finally put his hands to his head and shook it.

“Man, I can get over this. You must drop a load in your pants every time you come in this place. I just can’t believe this is really yours.”

“That makes two of us. It is now officially mine, but I expect to get a call any day from somebody informing me it was just a dream.” Ian filled both glasses and slid one over to Billy.

“Even if they ask you to sign the contracts in blood. I’d do it.” He looked around again. “This place is worth your soul.”

“Beats the hell out of the shack I grew up in.”

“Bets the hell out of the shack almost anybody grew up in.” He raised his glass in salute and then tipped it back. Bill’s head whipped toward the bushes.

“What?”

“I thought I saw something moving over there.” Billy pointed. “Over there.” He looked a moment. “Probably just a bear or a bobcat.”

Ian laughed. “You are not going to get me with that, again, besides there aren’t bears and bobcats around, unless they’re on chains with diamond collars. We’ve got…uhm…coyotes, maybe.” Ian looked in the general direction. “It’s probably just Ralphie. He likes to root around in the hedges.”

“You have a coyote named Ralphie?” Billy smirked.

“No, neighbor’s dog.” Ian craned his head around. “Yeah, Kellen’s home, he’s probably let Ralphie out to do his doggie business.”

Billy refilled both their glasses.

“Bill, I’m throwing a little causal work day for my staff here at the house on Saturday.”

“That’s cool. I’ll just you know, get a cab or something and sight see.”

“No need, I think you’ll enjoy it. You’ll get to meet a lot of people. You can go home and tell ‘em you went to a swanky Hollywood party. Talk it up. You don’t have to let anyone know it was hot dogs and beer in the back yard.”

“Movie stars?”

“Maybe, no guarantee, but I’ve made a few friends.”

“Saxon Allen, maybe?”

“Maybe.” Ian put his glass on the table and pushed it around a bit. “If she hasn’t been whisked off to some exotic location by her boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Billy looked up. “I thought, that maybe…you know the way the TV made it look, that you two were finally…”

“Bill, Saxon and I are old friends, hell the two of you are old friends. That night was no different for the two of us than if you had taken her to the Academy Awards.”

Billy cocked his head and looked at Ian, still fiddling with his scotch glass. “You sure?”

“Yup.” Ian picked up the glass and drained the last of the liquid. Reaching for the bottle and pouring another round, Ian looked at his friend.

“Ronnie seems to be doing good.”

Ian nodded his head. “I worry constantly, but the doctor’s all assure me he’s doing fine. He seems happy most of the time, sometimes a little overwhelmed, but I’m the same way.” He sipped from his glass. “How’s Vonnie?”

Billy smiled. “Untamable. I put her in a new day care and she hates it, but I think she finally understands that there’s not much of a choice.”

“I thought Donna’s mother was watching her.”

“She married some obnoxious guy and moved to Florida. We rarely hear from her. Vonnie’s still at the age where if it’s not within sight constantly, it doesn’t seem to bother her.” Billy pushed his glass around on the table a little. “How about you? How you doin’?”

Ian smiled. “Just fine. Things are settling down. I’m still getting used to a lot of things, but things are good. Why even ask?”

“Because I know you.”

“Back at ‘cha, Billy. So you wanna talk about the elephant by the pool or you just hoping it falls in and drowns quietly?”

“Which one?”

“Which one you wanna talk about?”

Billy sighed and looked at the tabletop. “What’s there to talk about, Ian? I’m just trying to decide if I screwed up or I’m finally facing something I’ve been refusing to admit.”

“Renee?”

“Among other things.”

“What happened?”

Billy sighed. “It was just time. She wanted more. I wanted less. She cried. I cried. Ironically, I think we’re still friends.”

“She’s a nice girl.”

“Crazy about Vonnie. She still comes by once a week and they go out for girlie stuff.”

“That’s good. It’s nice that she still wants to be a part of her life.” Ian watched Billy smile and nod his head. “And hey, buddy, thank you for still being a part of mine. I’m glad you came. It was a nice surprise.”

“Me, too.”

“Oh, before I forget. Are there are bills yet?” Ian asked.

“Bills?”

“You know for hauling, and carrying stuff away. If they want payment up front, I can give you a credit card number. Just have them call my…”

“Ian…Ian…everything’s taken care of.” Billy chuckled to himself.

“I need to remember to get receipts for the motel bills from Reece, too.” Ian took another drink.

Billy looked up, and took a deep breath. “There won’t be any. He’s been staying with me.”

“That’s real nice of you, Billy.”

“It’s not that far of a drive, and believe me when you finish up for the day, you want to get as far away as possible.”

“I’m sure Vonnie must love having another person in her universe.” Ian smiled.

“They’re like frick and frack.”

“He’s not much of a morning person. He must love it when Vonnie pounces on the couch at the crack of dawn.”

“He’s not sleeping on the couch, Ian.” Billy drew circles on the tabletop. “He’s sleeping with me…in my bed.”

Ian sat back in his chair. “When did this happen?”

“I don’t know.” Billy said. “We spent so much time together that day. Got to know each other, and when he called and said he was flying back down, I offered the couch and well…he sort of never made it there.”

Ian looked up at his friend. “Billy, I don’t know what to say.”

Billy nodded his head. “I thought…” He took a deep breath. “I thought I had all that under control. I was honest, you know that, Renee knew everything but there was just this nagging inside me….”

Ian shook his head. “I don’t know whether to say I’m sorry or be politically correct and say congratulations, and it’s not like we haven’t had this conversation before.”

“I know. I can’t do it again, buddy. I just have to face the facts. I thought that was all behind me. I met Renee and there was never a doubt in my head.”

“Guess the wrong head had its doubts.”

Billy closed one eye and gave him the finger.

“I wish I could help more, Billy. The only thing I can say is that no matter what happens it doesn’t change the way I feel. You will always be my bro.”

“I’ll just be your ‘mo bro.”

“I think we’ve had enough scotch. You’re starting to rhyme.” Ian smiled and pulled the bottle away from Billy. “So, do you want to call Reese and tell him he’s welcome over here?”

Billy smiled. “Tonight, I think it’s just you and me.”

Ian thought a moment and sighed. “Billy, is this something that you’re going to, you know…” Ian put his hands to his face. “Oh God…”

“Are you asking me if I’m going to come out of the closet?”

“Is this something any of your family knows?”

“Sparky does. I mean, she doesn’t know about Reese or at least she hasn’t said anything, but as soon as I’m a little more comfortable with it, yes. Yes, I’ll tell them.”

“Vonnie?”

“She’s four, Ian. How do you tell her? I figured I’ll wait until she was old enough to start asking questions, but she’s kind of gonna have two Daddies.”

“And Renee, you told her. That’s what lead up to…”

Billy nodded his head. “I wasn’t involved with any one then, but yeah that’s what I told her. That I didn’t feel we had a future as long as I had these feelings.”

“Is it serious, with you and Reese?”

“I think it could be.”

“Bill, please be careful.”

“We use…”

Ian chuckled. “No, no, but good. I mean, be careful with Reese. He’s been through a lot, hurt a lot.”

“I know everything. That’s kind of what kicked this off. That day, waiting in hospital rooms, police stations…we both kind of spilled our guts.”

“This is a really dumb question, but do Colton and Tippy know about your relationship?”

Billy grinned. “Are you kidding? Tippy’s got radar or something. I think she knew the moment I walked in the house. Reese is probably having a similar conversation, but he’s dated men before and this is California.”

“Tippy will probably come stomping over here first thing in the morning demanding to know when she gets to meet her grand daughter.”

“She seems like a very great lady.”

“She is.” Ian assured him. “Not that she won’t make you want to kill her from time to time, but once she decides you’re a part of her life you just know that was they way it was always meant to be.”

“Colton?”

“The exact opposite and exactly the same. Colton is the warm fuzzy compared to Tippy’s lovable windstorm. He’s much quieter. You don’t hear as much from him, but you know he’s always right there at your back, and when he gets a chance to open his mouth it’s exactly what you needed to hear.”

Billy nodded his head. “It’s good to know you have people like that in your life.”

“I got lucky, mo bro. Tippy and Colton, and Jesse—he’s a hoot, think Sparky with abs, even Kellen next door. I got plopped in the center of a great universe, and now I’ve got my boy.”

“Why do I get this feeling then?” Billy asked him.

“What feeling?”

“The feeling that you’re not telling me everything.” Billy leaned over and looked at Ian. “That look is still in your eyes. And don’t give me that what look. You know what I’m talking about.”

“I think it’s the scotch red eye.”

“I think it’s the Justyn bullshit.”

“Things are good, Billy. Things are great, but I just keep waiting for God to smack me across the back of the head and say ‘Not Yours’. I can’t help it, but I’m talking with someone.” Ian put up his hands. “Before you make a big deal out of it, Saxon helped me find someone for Ronnie to talk with and he thought it was important that I set up some sessions for myself.”

“He’s right. Not that I think you’re crazy.” Billy defended himself. “I know you’re an idiot, but that’s beside the point. It’s good.”

“It’s soooo California.” Ian laughed. “I’ve only had two sessions, but you’re right. It’s kind of nice to have someone to dump stuff on. At the price he charges, I’m gonna make him earn every penny.”

“Ian, between the beer, the scotch and the trip…”

“You’re beat.”

“I’m beat.”

“You go turn in buddy. We’ve got the whole weekend. You have a good rest.”

“You, too.” Billy stood and walked toward the back door. He stopped and started to turn and say something. He suddenly realized that it was something they’d already said, and went ahead in the house.

Ian put the scotch in the cabana and looked the door. He picked up the two glasses and carried them inside, rinsed them and tucked them in the dishwasher. As he went past the big guest room, he saw the light under the door go out.

He paused outside of his son’s room, peeking in just a minute to watch him sleep. Satisfied the dreaming boy wasn’t a dream, he walked up the stairs to his room. He stood at the windows and gazed out into the stars.

A tinkling sound caught his attention. He opened the one door that would by hand and looked. In the far corner of the balcony, Tippy had hung the chimes he’d made for Aunt Hil.

Ian smiled. Maybe it was true. He felt like someone who loved him was watching over at last.

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