Catering With Benefits (3) - An Appetite for More - 29. You Have to be Invited

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“As the three sat down to lunch in the plush surrounds of the Regency Club, Jared reminded Jonathan that the lunch was a bit overdue.

“Yes, remiss of me, but there is another reason I have asked you today. Since the three of us have been working together, I’ve noticed how close you two are and you seem to really love each other. I’ve not experienced that before between men. To me it has only been about sex with other men. But you have shown me there can be more than that in a male to male relationship.”

“Thank you, that makes me feel very good. But may I ask, did you not feel something more for Andy?”

“Ah Andy, that has been a very complex relationship over many years. At first it was just sex for me and I believe a form of security for Andy. I’m not saying he saw me as a sugar daddy, but I did totally support him in the early days and I was never sure if that was all he wanted.”

“That seems a bit cold Jonathan.” commented Thomas.

“Oh please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not critical of Andy and to be honest, I never really sought to find out how he saw our relationship. I don’t think I wanted to know, as the truth might have hurt. I have always seen myself as a married man, who had homosexual encounters on the side. A loving relationship, such as you have, was not a natural concept to me.”

“But sex was?”

“Yes, I have always seen male to male sex as perfectly natural, since I was about twenty, when I got over society’s view of it. Problem was, my father didn’t see it that way and believed the only natural relationships were between opposite sexes, and a natural extension of that was marriage and children. But he was not a naive man, he knew about life and its perversions, as he called them. That’s why he was prepared to pay for my sex, so that I didn’t form any kind of ongoing relationship. Professionals, he used to say, no matter what their trade know how to keep their secrets.”

“Wow! That’s very honest of you.” replied Thomas.

“I have always tried to be an honest man in business, although perhaps not always so in my personal life. You know I even thought I could be an honest politician. An oxymoron perhaps, but it was my intention and I would have tried to be, but then my less than honest personal life was my undoing in the end.”

“Jonathan, why the end?” asked Jared.

“Of course Thomas and I haven’t got you up to speed yet regarding my political ambitions.” Jared looked blankly at Thomas and waited for further explanation.

“Jared, my political career is over before it even started. As an independent candidate it is difficult to get the public’s attention to listen to your policies. So, when the only publicity you have is a scandal, of sorts, it’s not going to translate into votes.”

“I’m disappointed to hear that Jonathan, and sad for you, it must be very distressing for you?”

“Oh, I’ll survive. It’s not like I need it to survive. I still have my home and business and this set back is not going to affect that. It might be my name on the front of the building, but who gives a damn about the person behind the name.”

“But it must have some effect?”

“Have you ever questioned if Harvey Norman, Joyce Mayne or Ronald McDonald are even real, let alone are they good people? Ok Colonel Sanders might have been a real person, but the title is only honorary. My point is, the public and the press are far less questioning about business names than they are about their politicians’ private lives.”

<>

Later during the meal, Price said “Thomas has reminded me recently that same sex couples can now get married, so what I want to know is are you two going to make each other honest men?”

“I know what you’re asking, but what is this stuff about honest men?” asked Jared

“It’s an old expression sometimes said to one of a couple when they have been living together or having sex before marriage. Such as a friend asking a woman in such a relationship, ’when is he going to make an honest woman of you’?”

“Oh!” said a confused Jared, marriage is somewhat irrelevant these days, isn’t it, even for straights?”

“There’s your answer Jonathan. He isn’t going to propose any time soon.” said Thomas.

“You mean you want to get married?” asked Jared.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Sounded like that.”

“Please gentlemen, you sound like you’ve already been married for years.” said Price.

“Sorry Jonathan.” replied Jared “Now back to your political situation. If you have definitely decided to abandon your campaign, where does that leave Thomas and I in regard to employment?”

“Good question, I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. This has only happened today, but don’t worry, whatever I decided it won’t happen immediately and I’m sure we will find something for you within the company or at home.”

“Thank you, that’s a relief.”

Jonathan then asked “Gentlemen would like another bottle of wine or shall we adjourn to the lounge for Cognac?”

“As it’s your treat and your club, we’re happy with whatever you choose.”

“Fine, the lounge it is.” He then stopped a waiter and asked “Would you please get us a corner booth in the lounge and a bottle of Martell XO.”

“Yes Sir, right away.”

As they settled into the plush leather lounges, Jared said “This is pretty posh here. I’d like to join this club, could you recommend me?”

“Ah that’s a slight problem Jared.”

“You mean you wouldn’t recommend me?”

“It’s not that, firstly you don’t apply to join the Regency Club, you have to be invited and they wouldn’t invite those who can’t afford the membership fees.”

“Oh, it’s like that. No room for people with champagne tastes, but beer budgets.”

“Yes, sorry about that.”

“No problem, just so long as you invite us now and then.”

“I’ll see to that. Now while I have you both together I want to talk more about your relationship. It interests me how you do that.”

“I don’t follow.” replied Thomas.

“I want to know how you met, how the relationship works and what keeps you together?”

“Well last one first. Our love keeps us together and we...”

“Let me stop you there. That’s the bit I don’t get, Love. Is it possible for two men to love each other, not just have sex?”

“Of course Jonathan, just the same as men and women love each other and want to spend their lives together. Just like you and your wife.”

“Maybe that’s where I’m having trouble with this concept of love.”

“If you don’t mind me saying so, I know your marriage is now not ideal but you must have loved each other when you met and got married?”

“Maybe, but I don’t remember it that way. We got married because that’s what young adults do and what is expected of us by our parents and society in general.”

“Fuck!” exclaimed Jared, just a little too loudly and attracted looks from turned heads. From the corner of his eye, Jared noticed but refused to turn and look, he just asked Jonathan “Have I just made a giant dick of myself?”

“Somewhat, but don’t beat yourself up too much. Their looks might kill, but they’re all far from being innocents here. Just the same, keep the volume down.”

“Sorry Jonathan, I guess that’s any chance of being invited to join gone now.”

The other two laughed and Jared relaxed again.

Thomas then spoke “Jonathan, before my mate’s slight indiscretion, you were saying...”

“Yes, of course, we were talking about love, or more to the point, the lack of it.”

“So you have not experienced love for another person, male or female.”

“I know this makes me seem like a cold bastard, but I don’t believe I have.”

“Could that be because your natural inclination is towards men, but you were forced to marry a woman and therefore your feelings have been suppressed all these years?”

“Damn good thoughts Thomas. I believe you are right.”

“Jonathan, may I speak frankly and honestly?”

“I thought we were.”

“Well yes, but my talk has been tempered by regard to the difference in our age and position.”

“By all means, speak freely and without fear. I might not always agree with you but I would be offended if you were less than honest with me. So what is it you want to say, my man?”

“Do you think you are doing the right thing by both Mrs P and yourself under the current circumstances?”

“I’m not sure I follow. I give her everything she wants and rarely ask for anything in return. Now you can see how that’s turned out when I did ask her for one small thing.”

“I know you are very generous and tolerant towards her, but I think what she really wants, you have never been able to give her. She wants to be loved and all that goes with that.”

“There it is again, love. What should I do? There is little I know about love, but what I do know is you can’t force it and you certainly can’t buy it. Oh, I just want to be young and start over again and live my life for me and not other people. I have buried myself in the business that my father left me and expanded it dramatically. I have been successful, I have supported, employed and encouraged a lot of people. That has been personally rewarding, however, I have not really been happy and I don’t have any blood to mentor and leave my life’s work to, when I go.”

“May I ask why you never had children? Even gay men can get it up enough to impregnate a woman. Did you not want that responsibility?”

“We almost did have a child. You’re right, I did manage to get my wife pregnant but the boy was stillborn. Naturally, Virginia was devastated and it took her a long time to get over it. No, I don’t think she ever really got over it, she just learned to live with it.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that, it does explain a lot about her. I should not have asked you Jonathan, it must be painful for you also.”

“I was mostly disappointed for Virginia, she so much wanted a child and in the early years I just ignored her wishes. Then she finally convinced me that I needed an heir. So we tried and we were successful almost immediately.”

“Did you ever try again?”

“No, I expected her to ask me to and I was willing to for her sake but she didn’t. I didn’t force the issue as I thought she would need time to deal with the pain of loss, and then ask me again. But she never did and we rarely spoke of it. Was I wrong to be so distant, do that to her?”

“That’s not for others to judge. That is entirely between you two. I am sorry I have made you talk about this.”

“That’s fine Thomas. You know... I feel all the better for having shared it with a friend. Yes, Thomas, I do consider you a friend. I’ve never spoken about this to anyone before, you know how men are. Keep it all inside, stiff upper lip and all that. But maybe that’s the difference, that’s why I can talk to you, and Jared of course. I believe now it’s because you are gay and understand other men in a way that straight men don’t. That’s why I feel I can confide in you without the fear of being thought of as being weak. I have always believed in the stereotypical image of gay men being weak and female like. But I’ve confused that with caring and understanding...and maybe even love.”

“In some ways gay men have to be stronger than straights, because they have to deal with the discrimination and society’s view of them.” replied Jared.

“You’re right, but I never had that strength. I’m a wimp who just complied with society’s demands. And you Jared are a fine example of a strong gay man. I mean SAS and all that, takes real courage and conviction in oneself.”

“Jonathan, you surprise me but at the same time honour me with your frankness today.”

“Thank you, but I would like to take a few moments to be alone now. Perhaps you two would like to take a look around the rest of the club. There’s a first class billiard room upstairs and a pool and fitness centre in the basement. Why don’t you go for a wander?”

<>

As they walked way, Jared said “Is that the real man in there?”

“It may be. Quite surprising that he has chosen today to reveal himself.”

“It’s probably that he now finally trusts someone enough, namely you.”

“I think it’s more likely he has realised there’s no future for him in pretending anymore. His life is out there for everyone to read about, so there’s no point in trying to hide in the closet any longer.”

“Fuc....oops I mean oh my goodness, look at this staircase.” Jared said as they ascended the wide curved sweep of the plushly carpeted stairs. “Do you really think he will come out?”

“He’ll want to protect Virginia and his business as much as he can, but apart from that, he just might be ready for it.”

“How do you think she feels about all this?”

“He told me she was relieved that she doesn’t have to be involved in the political thing anymore and I’m sure her relationship with Desmond is serious, so there might be new future directions for both of them.”

“Have you spoken to Virginia recently?”

“Only to arrange lunch for tomorrow, so I guess I’ll find out then what her plans are.”

“You know I’ve come to like both of them lately. For different reasons, but I want them both to be happy. So, if that’s apart then that’s how it should be.”

“Jared, I didn’t know you cared for them other than as employers.”

“I hope I don’t appear to be that shallow.”

“I didn’t mean it like that, but the nicest thing I’ve ever heard you say about Virginia is ‘she’s not bad old stick’ and Jonathan, I’ve never heard you say anything complimentary.”

“I don’t have to gush about people to like them.”

“Fair enough, now do you think we’ve given Jonathan enough alone time?”

“I’d like to see the billiard room and the pool first and then maybe we should get back to him before us uninviteables are thrown out for trespass.”

<>

When they got back to the lounge, Jonathan was not there, but the bottle of cognac and two fresh glasses were on the table, so Thomas stopped the waiter that had served them earlier.

“Mr Steadman is it?”

“Yes, has Mr Price gone to the men’s room?”

“No, he’s gone back to his office, but he left a message for you and his driver, is that you Sir?” he said looking at Jared.

“Yes I am; what is the message?”

“He said to enjoy the club’s hospitality for as long as you like, but not to drive back to the office. When you are ready to leave call a cab.”

“But the car?”

“It will be safe here until you are ready to collect it.”

“Well thank you for your service.....Lachlan.” Jared read from the name tag.

“You’re welcome Sir, as Mr Price’s special guests you are entitled to the same service as I would provide to him.” Lachlan replied and winked.

“Oh...thank you Lachlan. For now we might just finish off the cognac.”

“As you wish sir, and if you require a room, or an attendant, I can arrange that also.”

“Thank you Lachlan.”

As the waiter walked away, Jared asked “Did he mean what I think he means?”