Young and Hungry - For Life - 31. Hang in There

Justin walked into Juanito’s office at Poppy’s, to ask him if he could do a waiting shift that night.

“Sure, I was just about to leave, but I can stay on, I’ve got some black and whites in my locker”

“There’s no rush, I don’t need you till six”

“No problem, I’ll call Raj to let him know and then I’ll spend some time reading Edward’s book”

“His book is published already? Where can I get a copy?”

“On your computer or your phone”

“You mean I have to order it online?”

“No, you can read it online”

“Really, where do I do that?”

“I’ve got it up at the moment, but I’ll send you the link”

“Thanks, can I have a look at what you’re reading?”

“Sure” replied Juanito as he vacated his seat for Justin and added “I’ll call Raj, to let him know I’m working tonight, while you read”

Justin read, Murder in the Suburbs - Chapter 19 - Hang in There.

The police went to the Hales house to deliver the bad news.

“Good morning Mrs Hales, I’m Sergeant Richard White and this is Constable Janet Bond, may we come in?”

“Is there some problem Sergeant?”

“I’d prefer to speak inside, if that’s alright with you”

“It’s not my son, is it, he hasn’t had an accident or something?”

“No it’s not your son”

“Very well, please come in”

As they sat down, White said “Mrs Hales, I have some bad news about your husband”

“But he’s in prison”

“Yes, of course, but last night he was found dead. It seems he hanged himself”

Justin was feeling uncomfortable reading the story so he stopped and left the office as Juanito finished his phone call.

“Finished reading for now” Juanito asked as Justin left “I’ll copy the link for you”

Justin didn’t reply and headed straight for the dining room to start setting up for a six o’clock opening.

<>

Edward had a small function at Divas that night, so the first thing he did on arrival was to check on the catering from Poppy’s. As he went through the dining room on his way to the kitchen he met Justin, who was setting tables.

“Hi Justin, all ready for a busy night?”

“Judging by the bookings I think it will just be a normal mid-week night”

“Is that why you are you on your own tonight?”

“No, Juanito’s also working tonight, he’ll be joining me soon”

“OK, I’m just going to check with Charlie if he has my catering order being prepared”

As Edward headed for the kitchen, he bumped into Juanito coming from the staff change room.

“So you don’t have a night off, I hear?”

“No problem, I like a bit of variety. It’s nice to have the opportunity to talk to people for a change instead of conversing with spreadsheets. Although I was going to read more of your book tonight”

“So how do you like it?”

“It’s good so far. Very believable story and real characters”

“Thanks, would you recommend it?”

“Yes, and I already have recommended it to Justin. In fact he read some of it a bit earlier”

“Oh, he didn’t mention it just now”

“I don’t think he’s read much yet”

“OK, don’t forget to leave me a comment”

“Will do, got to get on duty now”

When Edward was sure all was well in the kitchen he went back through the dining room and again stopped to talk to Justin.

“Juanito said you’ve started reading my book. How do you like it so far?”

“I haven’t really started, I just read what Juanito had on his screen, somewhere on the middle, probably”

“Oh, well let me know what you think when you start reading”

“Yeah...I’ll...no matter”

“What’s wrong Justin, don’t you like it?”

“It’s not that...well it’s just that. I felt uncomfortable reading it”

“Maybe because it’s the first time you’ve read a story written by someone you know”

“That could be it. Anyway I’ve got to get on with setting up”

“Sure, I’ll leave you to it”

Edward walked away, a little disappointed and puzzled, that one of his closest friends did not seem to like his story.

***

Dean and Andy were also preparing for the night and had opened the bar at five for guests who wanted a pre-dinner drink. But Dean was not his usual confident professional self. When he dropped and broke a third glass, Andy asked “What’s wrong with you tonight, you’re so clumsy. That’s not like you”

“I’m worried about, you know what”

“No I don’t know”

“About Brenda being pregnant”

“Oh, I see. That’s normal for expectant fathers, I hear”

“I’m not an expectant father, I don’t want to be a father”

“Well it’s too late now”

“Maybe; you don’t think she might have, what do you call it when a woman loses a baby?”

“A miscarriage”

“Yeah that’s it”

“That’s not a nice thing to wish on Brenda”

“I know, but I don’t want this, I didn’t agree to father her child”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t make her pregnant”

“But when I told you, you didn’t deny it, so what are you talking about now?”

“Well I suppose it was me but I didn’t stick it in her”

“Then tell me how you managed to do it”

“As you said...with a lot of help”

“And?”

“And a condom”

“But how could she get pregnant if you used a condom?”

“I was drunk and went to sleep. Then sometime during the night I was woken by someone giving me a hand job. I just lay there, with my eyes closed, enjoying it, probably thinking it was you. But when I came, I heard a woman’s voice say ‘Good boy, well done’. Then I felt a condom being removed from my dick. I opened my eyes, Brenda kissed me on the forehead and left. That’s all I remember”

“Oh, now I get it. Brenda took the filled condom and.....”

“Is that legal?” asked Dean.

“Good point, I never thought of it”

“At the very least, it’s theft”

“Fuck!”

Then Dean heard “Hey mate, any chance of getting some service down here?”

“Yeah, be right with you”

“We’ll talk more later” concluded Andy.

***

After closing Justin and Craig went to the bar, ordered drinks and took them to a booth to talk in private. They both checked their phones for messages. “What’s this site called Amateur Authors that Juanito is referring me to?” asked Craig.

“That must be the one where Edward has published his book.... Oh, I’ve got it too”

“I heard it’s a murder mystery. What’s it about?”

“That’s what I’m uncomfortable about. I read a bit today and it sounds familiar”

“Maybe he copied the idea from a TV show or something”

“No it’s not that. I’ve been thinking about it all night and I figured it out. The bit I read is about two cops going to a wife’s house to tell her about her husband’s death”

“That’s usually the way police dramas start”

“Yeah, but her husband is in prison and....”

“No, don’t tell me, he was hanged?”

“Yes, sound familiar?” asked Justin

“The bugger, he said it was fiction. Maybe we should read it and see what he’s written”

“You can, I don’t want to be reminded about that part of my life”

“Fair enough...Oh here come Dean and Andy. Hi guys, had a busy night” asked Craig.

“Not bad, Edward’s birthday function helped” replied Dean.

“Speaking of Edward, have you read this book of his?”

“He’s written a book, have you got a copy?”

“It’s online, apparently it’s free to read it”

“I must do that sometime. Never known a published author before” commented Dean.

“So what have you two been up to outside of work?” asked Justin, by way of changing the conversation.

“Should we tell them?” Dean asked Andy.

“I don’t know if they’d be interested”

“I am already” commented Justin “You can’t say that and then not tell us”

Dean paused and then said “I think I’m going to be a...that is, I might have...done something...well actually someone else did something, that means I will... No I can’t say it. You tell ‘em Andy”

“What he’s trying to say is that he may have sired a child”

“Sired?” asked Craig “That’s a strange word to use”

“Isn’t that something to do with racehorses?” asked Justin.

“Yes, that’s a good way to put it Justin. But unlike a stallion, I know where my cum finished up”

Justin and Craig looked at each other then at Dean and shrugged their shoulders in unison. Then Craig asked “Are you saying you impregnated a woman?”

“Yes...no...I didn’t do it. She did it herself... I presume”

Craig sought to clarify by asking “So some woman used your ejaculate to self-impregnate. Did she ask your permission?”

“Yes and no”

“Meaning?”

“Yes she did sort of, but I didn’t know about it till she said she was pregnant”

“That doesn’t seem right”

“No, can I sue her?”

“I don’t know the legal position, but why do you want to sue her?”

“She stole my cum, used it and now she’ll probably expect me to support her child”

“And you don’t want that?”

“Fucking hell I don’t. Lesbians, who needs ‘em”

Andy and Dean then explained fully what they think happened. After that, Craig asked “Have you discussed this with the woman, Brenda, is it?”

“No, not yet”

“That might be the first thing to do. But didn’t you say they told you when they originally asked that you could be involved or not involved”

“That is what we understand” replied Andy “I don’t know Brenda all that much, but her partner, Alma has been a long term friend of mine”

“Then maybe you should get a solicitor to draw up a legal document to say you are not responsible for child support”

“Do we have a solicitor?” Dean asked Andy.

“No, but Smidmore might be able to help, but he’s very expensive, being a corporate lawyer”

“My Aunt Julia is a solicitor” added Justin “She and her partner, Hannah have a private practice, I’m sure they’re not that expensive. I’ll text you her contact details”

“More lesbians!” stated Dean.

***

Dean and Andy met with Julia, a few days later. She drew up a simple agreement indemnifying Dean against any claim by Brenda. She said Brenda should seek her own legal counsel before signing the document and she would be happy to forward a copy to her solicitor. She further advised Dean not to approach Brenda in an adversarial way, but to say it was just to make sure all parties understood what they were agreeing to.

She gave Dean two copies of the document and before they left added “I have included an optional clause for Brenda to waive her right to seek legal advice. If she is willing to sign it in front of a witness, without seeking advice, then she must also sign the waiver.

***

Andy set a date with Alma, so they could all talk about the matter over a few drinks.

The boys fronted up to the girls home with flowers, wine and a platter of canapés from Poppy’s.

After hugs, congratulations and a few drinks, Andy approached the subject of the agreement.

“Brenda and Alma, when you first asked us about assisting you to get pregnant you said that we could be involved or not involved. I think you also said we could be just anonymous sperm donors if that’s what we chose”

“Yes of course, so what have you guys decided about your involvement?” asked Alma.

“We don’t wish to have any involvement, other than perhaps honorary uncles” replied Andy

“Oh, that’s disappointing” said Brenda “But a promise is a promise, so I’m prepared to go along with that”

“Yes, whatever you want, that’s what we want” added Alma.

“Then to make it official, would you sign this document so that we all know what we are agreeing to” asked Andy

“A document, is that really necessary?”

“We would feel more comfortable if you did”

“Then you had better show us this document of yours”

The women read through the document, then Alma said “Would you excuse us for a few minutes, we need to discuss this”

“Oh, is there a problem?” asked Dean.

“Not necessarily, we just want to be sure”

While the women were away, Dean asked Andy “Do you think she’ll sign it?”

“Hard to say. But it seems reasonable for them to discuss it. Maybe they’ll decide to get legal advice”

The women returned twenty minutes, just enough time for Dean to down another two glasses of wine.

“Well boys, I suppose you’re wondering why we were so long. Why don’t we top up our glasses and we’ll explain”

A nervous Dean attempted to pour but Andy took the bottle from his shaking hand and did the honours. He then asked “Well girls?”

“I’ve just spoken to Smidmore, your remember him Andy?”

“Yes, the solicitor with a face like a horse”

“That’s him. I read the whole agreement to him and he said that we should be clear about what signing this document means. I told him we are clear what it means, so if you would join me as a co-witness Andy, Brenda is prepared to sign now. That is if you are ready Dean.”

“Oh yes, of course I am and thank you for doing this. I don’t want you to think I am not happy for you, but from my point of view, this is entirely unplanned and who know where life will lead any of us in the next twenty years. I can’t make a commitment that far ahead. I hope you understand that. Fatherhood was never in my plans, something I never ever thought about really. I don’t think I’d be very good at it and wouldn’t want to be a disappointment to anyone. It’s a big commitment and ....”

“Dean!” snapped Brenda “Will you stop babbling and just sign”

***

When Justin came from the shower, Craig was sitting up in bed reading from his tablet.

“What are you doing?” Justin asked.

“Reading Edward’s book”

“So what do you think?”

“If you mean is he a good writer, yes it’s well written. But if you’re asking about the story, then I don’t think it’s fiction. More along the lines of what they say in TV series, ‘Based on true events, but some names and places have been changed to protect the innocent’. ”

“Shit you mean he’s written about my family?”

“Sounds very close; starting from a killing in a toilet to a hanging in prison. But I’m less than halfway through, so I don’t know what else it’s about”

“That fucking bastard, how dare he expose my family history like that. He didn’t even ask permission or warn me. Can I have it removed or taken down?”

“I don’t know about that. Maybe you should ask Julia about the legal situation”

“I’ll do that and sue him down to his very last dollar”

“That might be expecting too much, but at least she might be able to force him to take it down and apologise”

“I hope Mum doesn’t see this”

“Unless prompted, I don’t think your mother would find a gay writer’s website”

“What if Caleb does?”

“Even if he did, he wouldn’t recognise the story. He doesn’t know about your father”

“Then let’s keep it that way”

“Now, try to relax and get some sleep. I’m not going to read anymore tonight” Craig concluded.

Justin turned off the light and they snuggled up to sleep. A few minutes later, Justin said “I should confront him about this. Why should I waist Aunt Julia’s time, I’ll just demand he remove it immediately and apologise”

“Sounds like a good approach. Now go to sleep, one of has to be up early tomorrow to take Caleb for his first day at his new school”

*****