What Ever Happened To The Boy?
Published by Kathleen Patel at Smashwords
Copyright Kathleen Patel 2011
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are
either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
I dedicate this book to Magic and Whipper. In addition, to all the life experiences that opened my imagination; good or bad, they made me what I am today.
Chapter 1
"Let's get out of here, he’s got a gun!"
I whispered urgently to Ryan. He gave me a nervous look that told me he agreed. He was trying to stay calm. He had to focus. He looked confident in his expensive Italian suit. He had classic good looks with his lustrous dark hair and twinkly blue eyes. The only hint to his anxiety was the constant tapping of his left foot. He took a large gulp of his Bloody Mary and waited for my lead.
"Is everything alright Vincenzo?"
I smiled sweetly and put my hand on the arm of the obviously intoxicated man, seated next to me. He was becoming agitated. I noticed he was packing when became very animated in his speaking. I guess it was an Italian thing. Now I wondered if he were mob. He had invited us to meet him for dinner at an upscale restaurant. Rumor had it that this was mob hangout.
"What did you do to me?"
"What do you mean Vincenzo? Maybe you had a little bit too much to drink. We'll order some coffee."
He attempted to stand up and as he stumbled forward, I took the opportunity to spill his martini in my lap. It was the perfect excuse for me to leave the table.
"Oh... so...sorry."
"Not a problem Vincenzo. I will just clean up in the washroom. I will be back in a moment. You just relax, okay?"
I walked towards the bathroom of the restaurant and gave a quick glance, back to the table. I made sure no one was watching me. Then I quickly turned and walked out the front door. I made it to my car, started the engine, and waited for Ryan. I heard a commotion and saw Ryan running towards the car, his stylish hair blowing in the wind. He had a frantic look on his face and then I saw our drunken host stumbling behind. Ryan jumped in the car, and we peeled out of the parking lot.
"Well I guess we won't be coming back here anytime soon."
I laughed as Ryan caught his breath. As I looked in the rearview mirror, I could see Vincenzo stumble to the ground, shaking his fist at us.
"That old man was crazy. As soon as you left, the waiter brought the bill. Good old Vincenzo seemed to sober up when he saw it was over a thousand dollars."
Ryan pulled down the mirror and fixed his hair. He smoothed his eyebrows and checked his teeth. Then he straightened his tie.
"When I told him I was going to the men's room, I guess he caught on. He was right on my tail. Lucky he was so messed up. I was afraid he was going to pull that gun on me."
We drove in silence, enjoying the adrenaline rush. It was the best drug in the world.
When we met, Ryan was twenty and I was twenty-one. He had led a sheltered life, where I had been much more adventurous. We worked together at a hospital. He worked in data entry and I was an intake counselor for the addiction/psychiatric wing. I took him under my wing and we became best friends. We were an extremely attractive couple, although we were always platonic. In fact, we were like siblings that really got along well. We had so much in common.
"I just figured out how to tape my favorite soap, 'One Life to Live', so I can watch it when I get home."
"Are you kidding, Ryan? That's my favorite soap!"
We always met in the cafeteria at lunchtime. At least one of us was usually on a diet, so we had coffee or a diet drink. "Let's go dancing!" I grabbed his hand and I twirled around him. He smiled at me with mischief in his eye. "Do you know where I can get a phony ID?" "You don't need one. I've got connections." He spun me around and dipped me. I squealed in delight. Then a shadow of worry crossed his face.
"But I don't have much money, not until payday. I just finished paying for that antique desk"
"Just watch and learn."
The first night that we went out changed Ryan's life forever. I knew the owner of the club. We got VIP treatment. There was no carding or cover fee.
"So nice to see you Miss Marquise. Please come in."
We sauntered up to the bar and I spotted a distinguished looking older gentleman. He was dressed impeccably in a designer suit with expensive Italian shoes and a pinky ring with a diamond that had to be four carats. He noticed me-of course-and I flashed him a demure smile. He immediately walked up to us and introduced himself. He was Bobby Fling, the owner of a group of upscale restaurants.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Shari Marquise."
"I'm Ryan, Shari's brother, nice to meet you."
Bobby led us to the VIP room and we had night of dancing and Dom Periognon champagne. At the end of the night, Bobby and I exchanged phone numbers. "I would love to see you again, Shari. It was wonderful meeting you and your brother." I gave him a peck on the cheek and I left with Ryan.
"Wow- what a night. Exclusive club, VIP room, champagne, and I didn't spend a penny, Shari."
"Like I said-watch and learn."
Therefore, it began. Ryan and I attracted a lot of attention wherever we went. He was a tall, dark, and handsome and I was a petite striking blonde with sapphire blue eyes. Ryan made friends wherever he went. He was extremely charismatic. He was a people person and so was I. We used to tell people that we were brother and sister.
Even though we were never romantically involved, our close friendship caused a lot of
jealousy in other relationships. This was especially true with Ryan's fiancé' Rita and
my (then) boyfriend, Dick.
Chapter 2
"Ryan, you know that we need to go over our guest list tonight, right? You are coming
home right after work, aren't you?"
Rita would plead with him to come home. Most nights he preferred to go out with me. Rita and Ryan were high school sweethearts and she wanted to marry and live the American dream. She was not beautiful, but she was blonde and tall and worked very hard to keep her weight down. She felt like she had to prove her worth. She grew up in a trailer park. Her parents still lived there. It was quite a jump to move into the mansion. She found her good catch and did not want to let go
Ryan did not want to get married. After months of pressure from his parents and Rita, they announced their engagement. Rita was in her glory planning her dream wedding. She would move into the family home with Ryan and his parents after they were married. It was a lovely mansion in a very upscale neighborhood in a posh suburb of Chicago. Rita would sit very close to Ryan and whisper in his ear.
"Ryan, we are going to be so happy. We'll have our own mansion- with pillars- like in 'Gone with the Wind'.
Ryan was not so sure. He felt pressure to marry. It did not feel right, but he did not
know why. I did. I knew Ryan better than he knew himself. He would pace back and forth in my kitchen when we discussed the wedding. "I feel like I can't back out now. My mother and Rita have planned everything." He was in a quandary. “You’re not a kid, Ryan. You have to make your own decisions. If this doesn’t feel right- then don’t do it. You’re gay for goodness sake!” I would try to talk sense into him while I applied my makeup, using a large makeup mirror on my kitchen table. "Shut up Shari- you're crazy."
The invitations went out. Ryan was very confused and torn. He did not want to be gay. He did not choose to be gay. However, he was. Ryan wanted to please his parents and Rita. He really did love her- but more like a sister.
“I’m not going to your sham of a wedding. It’s wrong Ryan. It’s not fair to your bride either!”
“It’s too late- I have no choice.”
Ryan’s father, Arthur, was a powerful senator. He was also a party boy. His mother,Mariah was very beautiful and very controlling. The first time I met her, she was wearing short shorts and a halter top and she looked at least thirty years younger than her age. She was blonde and she looked like a movie star. With cool green eyes and cheek bones to kill for- she was stunning.
"So nice to see you Shari." She would always glide over to me & greet me with a smile and air kisses. I wondered if she wished Ryan had met me before Rita. I would make a much prettier daughter in law. Moreover, my upper middle class upbringing was a better match to their family. Mariah was all about appearances. I wondered if she knew he was gay. “Mariah, you’re looking lovely- as always.”
In reality, his dear Grandma Mellissa raised Ryan. She lived with them in the family home. His parents were always busy at cocktail parties and political affairs. There was not much supervision. Ryan was very close to Grandma Mellissa. She had raised him. She was a delightful elderly lady. She was still spunky, even the though ravages of age were starting to show. She ended up in a wheel chair, but we still had cocktails and she loved when I gave her manicures.
"This is the hottest new shade, Grandma Mellissa." I would tell her about latest fashion as I polished her nails. I always sat with her and chatted whenever I went to the house. Even though she was well cared for, it was hard not to feel isolated from the rest of the world.
"I just love when you come to visit, Shari. I wish you were marrying Ryan. But you and I both know that he is a confirmed bachelor" She spoke in a hushed tone, with a wink. We both giggled, but made sure no one else heard our conversation.
As her health started to fail, Mariah took care of her and nursed her until the end. When she finally passed away, Ryan took it very hard. Arthur was devastated. In a matter of weeks, his appearance had changed drastically. Arthur had been a distinguished looking man with a rugged build and salt-and-pepper hair. He dressed impeccably and was a bit of a womanizer. His drinking had taken a turn for the worse and there was a corresponding increase in alcohol-fueled drama.
The loss wounded the family deeply, but it really hit Arthur. He was almost unrecognizable. Severe bloating now hid his once chiseled features. He had an empty look in his bloodshot eyes. His expensive designer suits were now often soiled and wrinkled. In addition, for some reason, he seemed to blame it all on Ryan.
The death of Grandma Melissa had definitely caused a shift. Things began quickly changing for the worst. With Ryan's father overcome with grief, he was rarely sober. He sought his comfort in the bottle. Many a night passed in a drunken haze of anger and misery. Arthur could be cruel when he was drunk. Ryan was always the target of the name-calling and verbal abuse. I wonder if Arthur knew that Ryan was gay at that time. It was not long after that Arthur lost his senate seat under questionable circumstances. That only fueled the fires.
"Get in here you fucking cock sucker. Do you know how much this wedding is costing me?" Arthur refilled his martini glass and slammed the bottle of gin on the kitchen counter. “Honey, why don’t you have a seat and I’ll fix you some dinner. Ryan is sleeping.” Mariah gently coaxed Arthur into sitting down at the kitchen table. “Does he think I’m made of money? I’m putting most of this on credit cards!” Arthur mumbled, slurring his words as he looked at Mariah with bleary eyes. “Everything will be fine, dear. Here, have some chicken.”
Chapter 3
"I'd like you to meet my sister, Shari. We are just coming from the funeral of our dear father."
Ryan had great conversation starters, all fantasies, and we could weave stories together effortlessly. It was a new adventure every time. It made things more interesting. Being the gorgeous couple that we were, people wanted to be with us. Men would pay for our drinks and dinners in the finest restaurants. They thought we were brother and sister and so figured they would have to wine and dine us both- if they wanted a chance with me- or Ryan. We had great fun and then laughed at them later.