The Fire Went Wild (Home is a Fire Book 2) Page 9

  “Well, if it isn’t our men of honor! What do you think? So. Good. Right?!” exclaimed Kit.

  “Ladies, you’ve outdone yourselves,” I said. “First of all, you both look fantastic! And this is amazing. More than we could have ever imagined. Wait, are those Chesty Cheese pizzas?” A server was walking towards us with mini pizza slices on a silver platter.

  “Yes!” Meredith was eager to finally tell me every detail. “We asked Peaches to donate some pies, and she was thrilled to be included. In fact, everything here is donated. Pizzas from Chesty Cheese, sushi from Saul’s. The waiters and bartenders are from the Tater Tot. All the art featured tonight was donated to the cause and is being auctioned, and all the proceeds will benefit the Human Rights Campaign, as you requested. We even have a tattoo guy set up in the corner donating his time to make equality tattoos! But if you want anything non-gay, you have to pay for it.” She frowned, as if anyone would make that choice.

  “We’re just starting with a little mood music,” said Kit, “and then Shawn’s band is playing, followed by a big surprise we have planned at the end.”

  “I don’t know what to say. Honestly, I’m overwhelmed. Luke?”

  “Kit, Meredith, I don’t even know where to start,” said Luke. “We’re so grateful for your support. It just means the world to us.”

  “Oh, please,” said Kit, top hat perched on the back of her head. “We love y’all. Now let’s party!”

  The night was a whirlwind of people coming up to us to wish us well, offer us drinks, even have their picture taken with us. It was very strange being a minor celebrity in Parkville. Luke was a bit more used to it, considering he was a former star athlete, but the reasons now were definitely new to him. He was coping quite well for someone who actually hadn’t been out of the closet that long. We knew that Lana wasn’t coming, of course, but I think he secretly hoped Red and Rosa would make a surprise appearance, even though Red had politely declined for the both of them. It was probably too much, too soon, and his father didn’t want to appear to take sides, even though that’s exactly what I thought he should do. But then again, it wasn’t my family.

  Speaking of family, I saw Mom pop in the door out of the corner of my eye as Luke and I were chatting with Saul and Rachel. She was alone. Where was Barry?

  “Mom! Over here.” I waved, and she came to join us, picking up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter along the way. “You wore the lacy dress!”

  “It fit, after all,” she said, posing with one hand at her hip. “I guess all that worrying about you has paid off.”

  “Happy to do my part,” I teased. “You look great, Mom. Saul and Rachel, this is my mom, Audrey. They own Saul’s Sushi. I’ve taken you there before, remember?”

  “Oh, I love your restaurant!” Mom gushed. “The matzah ball egg drop soup is my favorite. I could eat that every day.”

  “Why, thank you,” said Saul. “It’s a pleasure to serve our customers here downtown. We love it. And we’re happy to be here tonight. Rachel and I are honored to support these two. You know, we’ve been through a few fights ourselves. The good guys always win. You can count on it. Diversity is what makes this nation great.” He pointed a finger up to the sky. “Now, we’ll let you catch up with your wonderful son here. My wife and I have been eyeing those pizzas. They look delicious. Enjoy your night!”

  “Where’s Barry?” I asked, as Saul and Rachel made a beeline for the Chesty Cheese buffet.

  “Oh, you know Barry. He still wasn’t ready when I was, so he said to leave without him. He’ll be along soon enough.”

  Shock the Monkey took the stage next, and Shawn and his band regaled us with a slew of awesome hits from the 1980s. Bammy and Michael were dancing next to me. Even though things were strained between us at work, I was so grateful that she had the courage to stand up for what she believed in, at least privately. As I scanned the room I felt like a teenager again, partying in my friend’s basement, except tonight I was dancing with the hot football jock instead of myself, and I wasn’t going home alone. Luke leaned in to give me a kiss and no one really noticed, but if they did, they didn’t seem to care. I was in heaven.

  The band played their last song, and Kit came on stage to gather the crowd and make an announcement.

  “Thank you, Shock the Monkey, for that awesome set! Let’s give the band a great big hand, y’all! Wasn’t. That. Fun? And isn’t my boyfriend Shawn the cutest?” Shawn was wearing a tuxedo print t-shirt, to match his girlfriend. We all hooted and hollered, the champagne and drinks and dancing and heat all catching up with us. “But now it’s time to move on to our main attraction of the evening. First of all, I’d like to thank Chesty Cheese, Saul’s Sushi and the Tater Tot for donating their products and services tonight for a great cause. Love! All!” The crowd roared, and Luke and I roared right along with them. “Derek and Luke wanted this to be an evening centered around awareness, so we asked the Human Rights Campaign to be here tonight to answer any questions you may have, accept any donations, or even arrange for you to donate your time. They’re set up right over there near the front door, so y’all be generous tonight, okay? But enough talk from me. Y’all want some more fun, right? Well how ‘bout this? Get. Ready! Because Love All is pleased to present… the ladies of Chesty Cheese!”

  The pop music started, and out came Tammy and the other ladies of Chesty Cheese, dressed appropriately for an all ages crowd, of course, but still covered in sequins and pasties and tassels. Peaches even came out of retirement to dance right along with them! They didn’t have a stripper pole, but the show was as spicy and crazy as you’d expect, with lots of fake reveals and gymnastics. The crowd loved it. Even my mom was clapping along to the music. Tommy was doing that wolf whistle thing with his fingers. I never could figure out how to do that, myself.

  The ladies ended their song with a can-can kick line. Very Moulin Rouge. The room went dark and a spotlight from the back of the room made its way from left to right along the line of dancers, then back left towards the center, where it focused on a new girl who had joined the line. She was a bit taller and had broader shoulders than the others.

  No! It was Uncle Barry! But he wasn’t Uncle Barry. He was dressed to the nines, as Beret! Long silver and white sparkling kaftan and a huge wig that crowded out the girls on either side of her.

  I turned to my mom and she just blew me a kiss and winked at me. She must have been in on this all along! The can-can girls split the ranks, and Beret came forward, as the music segued into “I’m Coming Out,” by Diana Ross. I was floored. Barry was coming out, big time.

  “Wow,” I said, almost to myself. “It’s about time.”

  “Tell me about it,” said Mom. I put my arm around her and we started dancing up a storm with the rest of my friends. Beret made her way down into the crowd and the lights got brighter, the music louder, and the people sweatier. It was an amazing moment of love, and I was overwhelmed. I was dancing with Beret, Mom was dancing with Luke, and we were surrounded by all of our friends. It was just too much.

  “You’re crazy, you know that!?” I screamed to Beret, over the pumping music that continued long after her set.

  “What can I say? You inspired me, Dolly. It turns out you can teach an old queen new tricks. And besides, I’m too old to give a shit, anymore. If they don’t like it, tough titties!”

  “May I cut in?” I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Mom. “I’d like to dance with my brother. He’s too beautiful to pass up.”

  They embraced, and I took that as my cue to take a break. Luke was in a dance circle with Peaches, Kit, Meredith, and Tammy, and he looked like he was having the time of his life. I made my way to the bar to try and join Tommy and Shawn for a drink, but I couldn’t find them, so I just asked for a sparkling water. From the time we had entered the building, Luke and I had been occupied with chatting, having our picture taken, grabbing a bite to eat, dancing and socializing. I hadn’t had the chance to look around the room and see all of the beau
tiful works of art that had been donated for tonight’s cause.

  The girls had set up the art gallery rooms as silent auctions, so there were sign up sheets below each piece. Some of the paintings had already received bids for hundreds of dollars, and the night wasn’t even over. There were oil paintings of lovers, nude and clothed, watercolors of beautiful sunsets and views from the lake. There were traditional paintings, modern art, everything.

  But one particular piece drew my attention, and I walked over to take a closer look.

  It was a modern art sculpture, constructed from rusted metal. This must be from the artist that Tommy had mentioned, the guy who uses pieces of rusted tractors and other farm equipment. I can see why Kit and Meredith wanted to represent him. It was beautiful. The sculpture was two hearts that were intertwined, extending triumphantly from a small pile of fused metal cogs and bars and assorted debris, as if they had climbed to the top of the mountain, together. I loved it. It really spoke to me.

  I looked down at the auction sheet, and the highest bid was still within my reach. I decided I wanted it, but before I could sign the paper, I heard a voice behind me.

  “You like it?” he asked.

  “I love it,” I said, looking up at the piece, and then turning my head to introduce myself.

  I extended my hand and then saw his face. My smile turned south.

  It was my dad.

  10

  HERE’S JOHNNY

  I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t speak. It was as if my brain and voice box had become disconnected from one another.

  My mind was racing. I felt every emotion all at once, and nothing at all. My dad was standing in front of me for the first time in… so long that I couldn’t even remember.

  “Hi,” he said, finally breaking the silence. “You look good.”

  “What?” I stammered. “What… are you doing here?”

  He smiled nervously. “I wanted to help. I heard about what you were going through, and I just wanted to help. That’s all.”

  “Help? Now?” I was stunned. “What the? Seriously? How the hell did you think you coming here would be a good idea?”

  “Mr. Ray!” It was Meredith, over my dad’s shoulder, walking towards us with a huge smile on her face. “Have you two met? Derek, this is Johnny Ray, the sculptor who we were so excited about. Isn’t his work beautiful?”

  Johnny Ray. His first two names. He must have dropped Walter when he dropped out of our lives.

  “Excuse me,” I said. “I need some air.” I walked away as quickly as I could, leaving “Johnny Ray” and a confused Meredith in my wake, making my way through the crowd, still partying and celebrating love. I needed my mom. I needed to find her.

  She was still dancing with Beret, where I had left her. I placed my arm on her elbow and said, “I need to speak to you. Now.” She could sense something was up. Beret gave me a concerned look, but I ignored her and just walked straight through the front door, to the street. When I said I needed some air, I meant it.

  Mom followed me through the doors and found me leaning up against the brick wall, underneath the soft glow of the downtown street lamps.

  “Honey, what’s wrong? What is it?”

  “Did you know?” I asked, angrily.

  “Know what?” Her face did not betray any deceit.

  “Dad,” I said. “Dad’s here. Did you know?” I practically spit the words out.

  She was silent, for a beat longer than I expected. Something was up. She exhaled, deeply.

  “No,” she said, finally. “I didn’t expect him to be here tonight. I had no idea. But I’m not as shocked as you are. I didn’t want to tell you, because I didn’t want you to get upset. But he’s been calling, lately. He reached out about a month ago, for the first time in years. We’ve been talking.”

  Of course. The phone calls. The hang-ups. That was him.

  “I didn’t have much to say, at first. But… he’s Johnny,” she said, by way of explanation. “He was always a charmer, you know? You get that from him.”

  “Great. Good to know,” I said, sarcastically. “I guess I also got the gene that makes me want to run away from my problems. That was a great one to inherit. Go, genetics.”

  She was silent. I was fuming. Scared, angry, hurt, emotional. Everything.

  “Does Barry know?” I asked.

  “No, not yet. Barry and Johnny weren’t on the best of terms when he left. You don’t remember that, probably.”

  No, I didn’t remember much at all about my dad, to be honest. When he was there, he wasn’t really there, anyway. Then one day he was just gone, and it really didn’t make that much of a difference in our lives.

  Johnny Ray Walter was raised on a farm on the outskirts of Parkville, farther out west than Luke’s parents’ place. It was officially the next town, now, due to some land annexations. He attended Parkville High, like Mom and Barry, but today where he lived would be considered another school district. I didn’t know much about their courtship, having pieced together small bits and details that I heard here and there as a kid. Mom and Dad had a mutual love of dancing, and apparently they would spent their nights twirling away at clubs, then head to the diner downtown near the university campus for late night breakfasts. That’s how their romance started.

  They were married quickly, right out of high school, both of them too young to realize that they weren’t ready for the responsibility, and I was born just over a year later. Dad always had dreams of moving to the West Coast to pursue a career as an artist, but the obligations of his parents’ farm, his wife and his only son kept him tied to Parkville. Later, when I asked Barry about my dad, he told me as politely as he could that Johnny just didn’t like the expectations that were placed on him. In a way, he resented all of us for keeping him from his dreams. Mom and Dad started bickering, the marriage soured, and the fighting just escalated. I didn’t notice anything, of course. I was too young. But one day, he just left. I wasn’t even sure if they were ever officially divorced.

  Years later when I was old enough to start caring, I asked where he was. Mom said he was somewhere in California, and we never really brought it up again. When his parents passed, I assumed he came home to pay his respects, but we never saw him. They had dropped out of our lives just as he had, for reasons I will probably never know. The property around the farm was sold to make way for a new subdivision, but the farmhouse remained, with a good parcel of land attached to it. It was a sad reminder of a time long forgotten, now surrounded by modern McMansions.

  “What do we do?” I asked. “What am I supposed to do?”

  “That’s up to you, sweetie,” she said. “If you want to talk to him, he’s probably still here. Maybe you should hear him out? But that’s up to you. That’s your decision.”

  “I want Luke,” I said, flatly.

  “I’ll send him out.” She turned to go, then paused and turned back. “I love you. You know that, right honey?”

  “I love you too, Mom.” And she walked back inside to fetch my better half.

  I couldn’t be angry with her. He was her husband, after all. They had once been in love. Maybe they still were? If there was anything I did understand tonight, it was love. Love isn’t always perfect and easy and proper, and it doesn’t always follow your expectations.

  I could almost feel my boyfriend’s presence as he walked towards me. He placed his arms around me and said, “What’s the matter, babe? Your mom said you needed me.”

  “It’s my dad. He’s here. I’m freaking out.”

  “Seriously? I thought he was pretty much out of the picture?”

  “He was. He came back. The surprise party guest. My family likes a good entrance, remember?”

  “Wow. What do you want to do? Should we leave?”

  “Not until we go back inside, first,” I answered. “This celebration is for us. It’s our decision what happens next. I just… I don’t know what to do. I need your help. I haven’t spoken to him in years. What do I do
, Luke?” I looked to his eyes for guidance.

  He paused, in reflection. “Well, babe, my father and I didn’t talk for years about the truths that were right in front of us. I regret that, but once I found the courage to fix it, I tried. Maybe this is your chance to fix your relationship with him? The theme for tonight is love, after all.”

  He smiled and his blue eyes bored into mine. I kissed him, softly, then punched him lightly in the center of his chest.

  “Damn it, Mr. Right,” I said. “How did you end up being such an even-keeled guy?”

  “Sports. Taught me how to control my emotions. Every playing field is a new battle. Gotta stay focused.” My warrior, always ready.

  “Come on,” I said, sighing. “Let’s go meet Johnny.”

  We walked inside, hand in hand, as the party was winding down. My mom and dad were standing by his sculpture, talking. Barry was standing several feet away with a cocktail glass in his hand, looking at them warily. Luke and I walked up, and I introduced them. They shook hands and smiled, amiably.

  “Listen,” I said, “I don’t really want to do this here. Can you meet tomorrow? How about the Tater Tot at noon? We can have lunch, just you and me.”

  “Sounds great,” he nodded. “I’ll see you there.”

  I gave Mom a kiss on the cheek and Luke and I turned to go, kissing and hugging our friends and new supporters along the way. It had been an amazing night, but I was emotionally exhausted. I wanted my bed, my man and a good night’s sleep, if I could get it.

  Dad and I met the next day at the Tater Tot at noon, as planned. He was already there when I arrived, and he had taken a table outside on the patio in the sun. I can’t really say that I was nervous. My expectations were low. It just felt strange, more than anything else. My dad. Even saying that word felt foreign to my mouth.

  “Good morning,” I said formally, as I pulled out a chair and sat across from him. The patio was full, as usual. The Tater Tot was well known for its amazing brunch and weekend cocktail specials.