Safe and Sane

Sunday morning. Lin had given Carl a few days, but seemed like maybe Carl hadn't managed to contact Gale, or Gale didn't want to call him. Only one way to find out for sure.

Coffee pot on, he shuffled around the kitchen barefoot to find his cellphone, and dialed Gale's number.

A massage earlier in the day had done wonders to relax muscles that ached from working on a new bike throughout the night, and a long steam after had taken care of any residual tension so that Gale entered the club with his mind clear of anything save the afternoon ahead.

The room reserved well in advance, he entered without knocking to change clothes, shedding one skin for another. Fingertips nudged silver, the blade of the straight razor aligned perfectly with the edge of the table, the blade freshly sharpened to a keen edge. A glance enough to tell the advance preparations were done, all that was lacking his partner, and he wandered into the common room in his bare feet to grab a drink and find a couch, relaxing as he waited for Jay.

Gale woke with Oscar's foot planted under his jaw and drool on his ankle, and laying there, blinking at the late morning sun that streamed through the windows, he swore vengeance on the bastards who invented pixie stix and all things crack-like and sugary. Not that he hadn't loved it at the time, in the thick of things, though the part where Max nearly violated him with a lightsaber had been a touch and go moment.

Max. Shit.

Dislodging Oscar's foot, Gale sat up enough to see the tangle of sleeping bags on the floor in front of the television that still crackled, picture static and grey where the dvd player had turned itself off. Empty save for a loudly snorting Daisy, he cursed and rolled to get out of bed only to find two legs sticking out from under the bed, and okay, check. Two boys, a dog and if God truly existed, there would be a nun bearing coffee in the kitchen.

Dragging a comatose Max from under the bed, he dumped him next to Oscar and tucked them both in and then dragged a robe off the chair next to the door and stumbled to the kitchen where Matilda-Atilla was ensconced with his Sunday paper, a cup of tea and a snort that spoke volumes as she gestured toward the coffee pot and went back to the Sport section.

Forgoing a mug, he drank straight from the pot, staring blindly out the back porch until the caffeine kicked in enough to spur him to action. That being surrounded by candy addled children climbing the walls had reminded him of Jay wasn't something he'd share, but it had and so scrolling through his phone, he found the number and punched the call button, lighting up a cigarette as he stepped outside into the cold morning.

The soft scratch of a matchstick against its case added a hint of sulfur soon faded, and Gale's smile widened into something all together wicked. How appropriate, the smell of burning, of hell itself seemed, and how quickly it disappeared, a whisper, no more, overcome by the clean scent of the dozens of beeswax candles he lit one by one, half charred bits of wood warm in his pocket as he blew a match out only to light another.

The stained glass windows shown despite the unseen stars that hung heavy in the sky, jeweled tones glowing in the light of the candles as the soft swell of light grew to fill the small space made smaller with the addition of heavy curtains set to frame the confessional.

Or Gale's version of the same, anyway.

The last match extinguished, he added it to the rest in his pocket, the lot stirred by long fingers as he turned to give the room one last look. Perfect. Careful not to transfer soot onto the pristine band of white at his throat, Gale straightened his jacket and stepped into his side of the confessional and closed the door behind him, the other door - Jason's door left open, waiting. That the confessional differed from any of its like found in more hallowed places was a given, but its purpose... not so much.

Everyone paid for their sins, in the end. Some simply paid sin for sin.

At the club early, Gale smiled to find the common room fairly crowded and crossed to the bar to fix himself a drink. Certain Jason wasn't to be found among the blend of familiar and unfamiliar faces, he carried a cup of coffee to a couch that was neither obvious nor apart from the rest and sank down to enjoy the wait, gaze wandering toward the door from time to time.

Okay, so it took some time to work out and find a copy, but I'm pretty sure this would be your kind of book.

Jake.

( Enclosed )

To: Jason Blevins
From: Gale Kelton
Re: There is no way that this email will come off as anything but a come on...

But as you're reading it, maybe that's not a bad thing.
I pulled your list at the club, and wondered if you would like to get together, perhaps at munch or at the club if your schedule permits.

I think we could enjoy each other.

And what do you know, it was a blatant come on.

My list is attached.

Gale

Bobby was playing with his water bottle, carefully shredding the paper wrapped around it in neat format. He seemed singularly focused, like he didn't even notice the person coming around to the bar for their own drink when he asked suddenly, head snapping up, blue eyes bright, "Do you think a puppy would be a good idea?"

Another Wednesday, another munch night. Evenings were beginning to draw in, with fall nipping at the air, temperatures beginning to drop as soon as the sun had sunk below the horizon. The cafe had responded with a range of spiced coffees, hot soup, and cookies and muffins still warm from the oven.

And, of course, the infamous chili spiced hot chocolate.

It'd been too long. It'd been way too damned long. Work and life were conspiring against him, keeping him away from, well. Everything. Coming back now was part of the process of reclaiming himself and everything he'd become. He'd started with friends, reconnecting, contacting, socializing again.

Being here fit neatly into that social slot and it felt...weird. Like a homecoming when all the furniture's been changed. He'd wandered through the lounge before, headed back the hallways to relearn the layout of rooms in the back and what had been added and taken away, then he drifted out to the common area again and paused there, hands on his hips. "Not what I was expecting. I think I approve."

At last. The final element of Beth's venture was ready to open, the gallery ready to her satisfaction and Jason's, and displaying (after a certain amount of discussion) a selection of pieces created by each of the artists who would later be holding their own show in the gallery.

The cafe was brightly lit against the dull weather outside, and the store was still open downstairs, but the focus for today was on the gallery, the seating area at one end, and the works on display (and sale) there.

The two of them jogged to the club, though after a pit stop at the groomer, Daisy was certainly much fresher than Gale, who needed a shower like oxygen and was looking forward to it with a great deal of anticipation.

It was good to be in the club again, as well, he thought as the door opened on the familiar lounge, comfortable, dark and cool, and Daisy was quickly settled by one of the couches with a look, The Look, with which Oscar and some of the members were more than familiar. Daisy woofed softly low in her throat, but subsided, exhausted from a much needed run, and laid her huge head down on huge crossed paws tipped in pink nail polish that never failed to cause Gale to grit his teeth.

"Stay, I mean it, and no jumping, licking or crotch nuzzling," he admonished sternly, eying the dog over his shoulder as he approached the bar to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, realizing only then that he had company. Breaking into a wide grin, he winked and slid the cold bottle down his bare chest to where shorts rode low in his hips, leaving a trail of condensation glistening on exercise heated, flushed skin. Leaning over the bar, he winked and added for the benefit of human ears, "That's my job."

Friday, and Beth had made more progress on the room downstairs that was to be the store section of her venture. Not enough to actually get anything on display, but enough that she was nearly ready to open the boxes, and she'd got a few ideas for the gallery space out the back, as well.

Still, one thing at a time, she was expecting Gale for lunch, and that meant that the tables in the front were absolutely pristine, a small vase of flowers set in the centre of one, and a St. Clements cheesecake waiting in the chiller cabinet. This time, at least, she would be close to the door when her guest arrived.

The cottage was precisely that, a cottage, with little space. Enough, though, for one person, but it meant that Eva would be entertaining Gale to dinner in the kitchen.

It certainly meant that with everything prepared, she had washed the dishes and cleared the detritus of preparation away before going to shower and prepare herself, with plenty of time remaining before Gale's arrival to dress and be calm. Even enough time to wait.

From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Gale"
Subject: A proposition or possibly a request

Hello Gale, it's been rather a while since I've seen you around. I hope everything's going well for you, and Oscar? It would be lovely to see you again soon and perhaps talk about a few things if you've got time and you're willing?

love,
Beth


From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Charlie"
Subject: Um

Well, I'm terrible at these subject line things, anyway, darling, you know that by now. Anyway, I know you're horribly busy at the moment with the end of term and everything and probably family and things as well but, well, there's something that I probably need to talk to you about and if you could possibly find time and ring me or something that would be perfectly lovely.

love,
Beth xx


From: beth @ differentstrokes.com
To: "Jason"
Subject: Yes, I really did

Hello darling,

You probably don't remember but we had a conversation a while back about possibly setting up a gallery in the same building as a coffee shop and toy shop that I might possibly be trying to start and, well, the coffee shop opens next week and the toy shop's well under way. Could you maybe be so kind as to spare time to come and look at the gallery space and advise me?

I do hope you're doing well, it's been far too long since I talked to you.

love,
Beth


From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Gus"
Subject: Wish you were here

I'm late.

B.

Gale had gotten to the club early to choose a room and reserve it, make a few subtle preparations. After changing into a thin pair of leather pants that left little, if anything, to the imagination, he'd tugged on a white shirt but left it unbuttoned, wandering back into the main lounge to wait for Rafe to arrive.

That's where he was when Rafe found him, turned sideways in a chair, a leg thrown over the arm as he ate a crisp green apple. Tart and juicy, each bite was better than the one before. The serpent mythology told offered Eve the forbidden fruit in the Garden would have envied the smile Gale gave Rafe as he offered him the apple.

"Want a bite?"

From: eva.kelton @ hotmail.com
To: "Gale"
Subject: my thanks

Gale,

I wished to thank you, once more, for all your help in locating the cottage and in moving. I believe that I may have finally unpacked the last of the boxes.

Perhaps you would be willing to join me for dinner one night?

I hope that Soeur Mathilde continues to improve and that Oscar is doing well with the end of term.

regards,
Eva

Juneteenth was still a couple days away, but the cafe had embraced the notion wholeheartedly. A barbecue was running among the tables out front, the closest thing they had to a garden, and pitchers of non-alcoholic fruit cocktails available at the counter as an alternative to coffee. Bowls of fruit salad sat alongside the sandwiches in the chiller cabinet.

After he and Oscar had left the hospital, Oscar had asked, asked out loud, if he could go over to spend the night at Max's house, and the smile that Gale had worn since hadn't faded. Oscar dropped off, he'd called Eva to let her know that their house would be kid free in case she wanted to take a much needed break (from both of them) and had headed for the club.

Grabbing a beer at the bar, he collapsed into an easy sprawl in the corner of one of the large couches and simply enjoyed doing absolutely nothing.

( Email to Eva )