Capitol Hill - Summer of '22 Book VI - 2. Animal Party

“G’day, mate.” Owen held the door open so the smiling man could step inside.

“James Fairfax, Mr. Liston. Good to meet you, and thanks for inviting me to your home.” The man extended his hand for shaking, but his gaze shifted to the girl behind Owen when she spoke.

“Who’s he?” In CJ’s arms, Liebe was being an inquisitive toddler as usual.

“He’s the reporter we told you about at breakfast. Remember I showed you his picture on the tablet?” When Owen agreed to the interview, he requested a current photograph of the reporter. Mexico had made him and CJ wary about allowing strangers into their home.

While his daughter nodded, CJ turned to the visitor with an apologetic expression. “Welcome to Everhope, James. I’m CJ. The husband.” Shifting Liebe to his other arm, he shook the proffered hand. “We’ve been stressing nobody’s allowed in the house unless we know them.”

“Understandable, considering recent events. It’s a pleasure, Mr. Abelló.”

“Please, call me CJ. Come on in and meet the others.” CJ rapidly appraised the thirty-something man before turning toward the den. Burly, without being fat, the journalist appeared solid beneath the coat and loose tie. He and Owen had creeped through Fairfax’s social media and discovered he was gay, currently living in New York, and freelanced for several Australian media outlets.

Once introduced to Geoff and Pam, he retrieved a recorder from his backpack and placed it on the coffee table. Before turning it on, Fairfax explained the magazine had requested informal family pictures instead of posed portraits. He retrieved a camera from the same bag. “Since we’re fortunate to have the two of you involved”—he spoke to the grandparents—“I’d like to start with you. I may snap a shot or two while we talk.” He turned the recorder on at that point. “While he was growing up, did you have an inkling as to how well-known and influential your son would become?”

CJ looked at Owen, who rolled his eyes. Both barely kept their amusement under control.

Geoff’s bellow startled Liebe, who quickly echoed her grandfather’s laughter. “Not a bloody chance. And you can see by their expressions what they think of the matter. It’s not real.”

Pam was more restrained in her response. “Owen was a typical boy growing up. As a kid, he ran around the vineyards, and once he was older, he insisted on working side by side with our employees. He surfed and played rugby with his mates whenever he could, but paid attention to school too. He was a good student.” Pam’s gentle, longing tone hinted at how much she missed those days. “When he went to uni in Sydney, I started noticing changes in his attitude toward many things.”

“That’s because the farm boy figured out he liked the fast life, Pam. You have to admit Pokolbin’s not the most exciting town, and Sydney’s a great city.” CJ thought about adding something about the lack of a gay community in the Hunter Valley but decided telling Pam her son discovered sex was readily available in Sydney might not go over well.

“But it’s our town! I’ve never understood the fascination you and Owen have with crowds and the jet set life. When he announced he wanted to study law in America, my sister-in-law warned me he might not return. It’s what happened with her son.”

Before Fairfax could follow up, Owen explained who his mother was talking about. “She means my cousin, John Paul. He went to school in California and works at the Australian Embassy here in Washington. He’s the reason CJ and I met. JP and his husband are best friends with CJ’s fathers and invited them to holiday down under. Soon after that trip, they bought the house next to Brett and César’s.”

“When was that?”

“Twenty-thirteen. I met Owen on my sixteenth birthday.” CJ noticed Fairfax smile. “Yep, my husband likes them younger.”

“Wanker!” Owen accompanied his retort with a slap to CJ’s thigh.

“That’s nearly nine years ago. How often do you see the family, Owen?

“Daily.”

CJ realized Owen was taking the interview as lightly as he was. James looked like a good sport, and it might be fun to play with him a bit. “Since Liebe learned how to escape her crib and climb in bed with us, family’s the first thing he sees every morning.”

Fairfax grinned. “You’re having a go at me, aren’t you? Go right ahead; remember I’m the one writing the story.”

CJ smiled, happy his assessment had been accurate.

“We visit Australia when feasible. Last time we were there was over Christmas 2020. Liebe was eight months, and we took her to meet the rest of the family. We were also there for my brother’s wedding.”

“How about the two of you?” The question was for Geoff and Pam. “How often do you travel to the United States?”

“Every couple years or so.” Geoff looked at Pam, and she nodded. “We were here in 2018 for their wedding, 2020 when Liebe was born, and this summer we were going to visit them in Mexico but had to change our plans.”

“Owen and I want Liebe to embrace her Aussie heritage as she grows up, James. We would like her to spend time in the Hunter Valley getting to know all her cousins. We plan to visit again next summer—our summer—after her brothers are born.”

“Brothers?” Fairfax sounded surprised.

CJ and Owen simultaneously nodded. “You get to break the news, buddy. Owen and I expect twin boys at the beginning of next year. So far, we’ve only told family and close friends.”

“I noticed the Australian flag under the American one out on your patio. Is it always up?”

Owen shook his head. “Nope. We plan to fly it on Australia Day and maybe other appropriate occasions, but it’s up this week because my parents are in town.”

“We have a few banners for things like holidays and sports teams too; the rainbow one’s there often. The Stars and Stripes’ always up.” One of CJ’s chores was to raise the flag or flags every morning and lower them at night.

“Liebe, look at Grandma.” On Owen’s lap, the girl squirmed, trying to get off.

CJ reached over and slid her to their touching thighs. “Sit still for a moment, look at Grandma, and we’ll head out.”

James had asked to take a picture of the three, sitting on Everhope’s front steps. Pam stood beside him, struggling to get her granddaughter’s attention, while the reporter tried to get the perfect shot.

“Got it! They’re very photogenic.” He showed Pam and Geoff the camera’s screen, and both nodded their approval.

The picture showed CJ and Owen leaning their heads toward each other while Liebe sat on her fathers’ knees, pointing at the camera. It would be the article’s cover when it was published.

On the Metro ride, Liebe reasserted her independence by refusing to sit with her grandmother. “I stand.” She grasped a metal pole and swayed with the train. Strangers smiled at the blonde tyke when she told everyone who would listen she was going to the zoo to see tigers and mingos.

“Mingos?” James sounded and looked confused.

Owen chuckled. “Flamingos. She recently figured out the artwork in our guest bathroom represents one. It’s her newest animal fixation.”

James spent most of the ride talking to Owen’s parents, while CJ chased Liebe when she strayed too far. He had to rein his daughter in when she made a beeline for the guide dog accompanying a visually impaired rider.

Founded in 1889, the National Zoo was part of the Smithsonian Institution. Designed by famed architect Frederick Law Olmsted of New York City’s Central Park fame, the zoological facility occupied a little over 160 acres within Rock Creek Park in the heart of Washington, D.C.

Always free to the public, ticketed admission was used to control flow within the facility and for the Panda House. Among the benefits offered members, was walk-up entry for up to six people. CJ and Owen had joined the Ambassador Council at the time of Liebe’s birth.

The Connecticut Avenue entrance was a short stroll from the Metro Station, and Liebe insisted on walking. When Pam chased after her, Owen stopped his mother. “Let her run around, Mum. Don’t helicopter her. She’ll eventually tire and ask to crawl into the stroller. Munchkin! We’re gonna start with the cheetahs, okay?” The girl slowed down, nodded, and waited for the grownups to catch up.

When the adults reached her, she took Owen’s hand. “Are the babies here?”

“No, Munchkin. Those are at the other part of the zoo in Virginia. We can look at them again when we get home.” He explained the comment for the benefit of James, Geoff, and Pam. “The zoo’s research facility in Front Royal had one of their cheetahs give birth to five cubs at the end of last year. They had a cam in their den, and we’ve watched a few times.”

At the Cheetah Conservation exhibit, while the grandparents supervised the girl at the railing, James spoke with CJ and Owen. “CJ, you gave a short interview to the Times and the Post when you left Mexico, and the two of you held an impromptu press conference when you returned to Washington. But you haven’t spoken to the media otherwise. Why DNA?” DNA was the preeminent gay magazine in Australia.

“’Cause I screwed up earlier in the year.” CJ shrugged when James appeared confused again. “When we were nominated for an Oscar, it felt as if every gay publication and media outlet wanted to interview us. They all wanted to talk to the gay men who produced a documentary about homeless veterans. Wanting the focus to be on the vets and the organization instead of us, I turned them all down. I was a federal employee at the time and didn’t feel it was appropriate to attract even more attention.”

“Then CJ’s dads agreed to an interview with The Advocate, and my in-laws asked us to be a part of it. At some point, I complained we broke the rules for an American magazine, and CJ suggested I get in touch with your employer. I decided not to at the time, but we agreed to give you guys the first post-Mexico interview.”

“Thank you. CJ mentioned he was a federal employee at the time. Is that not the case any longer?”

CJ sighed while Owen grinned. “He’s resigned twice, and the paperwork’s still not finished. The White House asked us to be part of a delegation traveling to Japan in November for a conference on technology in education, and we suspect they’re trying to keep CJ in the fold.”

“The State Department suggested I remain on an extended, unpaid leave and that we keep our diplomatic passports because of that trip. But I really don’t care what they say; as far as I’m concerned, I’m no longer an employee. I’ll participate in the conference as a private citizen.”

When Liebe got tired of looking at the fast cats grooming themselves and not doing much else, they moved on to the Panda House. “Xin Xin!” The girl ran to the front, weaving between people, and plastered her face against the viewing glass.

When CJ caught up, he squatted next to her. “That’s not Xin Xin, Munchkin. She’s back in Mexico. This is Mei Xiang. She’s a different bear.” He turned to look at the reporter. “In Mexico City, our building was across the street from Chapultepec Park. The zoo there has a panda Liebe fell in love with.”

“Speaking of Mexico”—James glanced at his phone—“you guys were there less than a year and were involved in multiple significant events. Let’s start with your school project.”

The conversation flowed easily as they left the exhibit, with CJ and Owen recounting how the effort to create technology centers at several Mexico City schools evolved.

Although the Bird House was closed for extensive renovations, the park’s flamingos were on exhibit in their outdoor pool. Liebe struggled to get out of her grandfather’s arms the moment she saw them. “Mingos, Grandpa Geoff, mingos!”

“I see ‘em, mate. They’re very pretty.”

The moment she hit the ground, she ran to the front barrier and squeezed between her fathers. A moment later, she tugged on Owen’s shorts. “I want one.”

“Sure thing, Munchkin. We’ll get you one. But CJ has to say yes first.” The malevolent grin he aimed at his husband was rewarded with a shove.

CJ mouthed “asshole” as he squatted in front of Liebe. “We can’t, Munchkin. These birds belong to the zoo, and they’re not for sale. We can’t buy them.”

“But I want one. You’re mean.”

CJ stood and tried not to grin. “Yep. That’s me. I’m the mean one. But that’s ’cause your other father always sets me up. Tell you what, how ‘bout we buy you a stuffed flamingo at the gift shop before we leave.”

The girl nodded and raised her arms to be picked up.

“Let’s put you in the stroller.” Owen lifted her, raised her over his head to squeals of delight, and sat her in the carriage. “Go for it, Grandma. You get to push her.”

James remained a few steps behind when CJ and Owen allowed the grandparents to walk ahead of them. “After the success of your educational initiative, the two of you were instrumental in orchestrating the defection to the United States of a Russian intelligence officer. Tell me about it.”

“Not much we can add to what’s been made public, James.” Not wanting others to hear, CJ had lowered his voice. “I’m writing a book about our time in Mexico, and I hope to reveal a few more details in it. But the government has to approve. For me, as a diplomat, it made the security briefings and warnings we were given become real. Meeting someone who turned out to be a Russian spy was the last thing I expected when our neighbors threw us a welcome to Mexico cocktail party.”

James nodded and grinned. “I think learning from that type of experience’s called seasoning, CJ.”

“Thank you, Chef. We hadn’t even been in country for a month! But you’re right. Each challenge presents us with an opportunity to gain knowledge and grow. It’s something Owen and I embrace.”

The exhibit for American bison and the one for Asian elephants were their next stops. CJ and Owen kept their distance and allowed the grandparents to spend the time with Liebe. Rebuked when he tried to pry additional details about the Russian, James switched to asking about the Oscars.

Holding his phone so CJ and Owen could see the screen, he scrolled through pictures shared online by various individuals, showing the two of them with multiple celebrities. He stopped when he came to one of a smiling Bradley Cooper standing between the couple; he slowly revealed the next two. In one, the famous actor was seen kissing CJ’s cheek, and in the other one Owen’s. “Wanna tell me about these? Anything you want to share about your relationship with Mr. Cooper?”

The couple chuckled, but it was CJ who responded. “Careful, James. Don’t start rumors. As far as we know, Brad’s terminally straight. And if he wasn’t, we wouldn’t share.”

Owen hip-bumped CJ. “Wanker! Don’t you start rumors. He and CJ both went to the same uni, they met at a function on campus, and as usual, my hubby kept in touch. We even spent part of New Year’s Eve 2019 with him. We were all guests of CNN at Times Square.”

“Well, that’s going to disappoint a lot of gay men who think he’s hot. When you returned to Mexico after the Oscars, you guys sat for a New York Times interview, but the focus was on CJ. Although you’ve been part of everything I’ve mentioned so far, you seem to remain in the background often, Owen. Why?”

“Because my husband’s a ham and an attention hog?” Owen and James laughed when CJ raised both middle fingers. “That’s part of it. But it’s also because what I do for a living doesn’t lend itself to splashy headlines. CJ’s the front man on most of our projects, and I’m fine with that.” Owen smirked. “After all, I’m just a farm boy from the Hunter Valley, not a DMV”—D.C., Maryland, and Virginia—“socialite like him.”

CJ raised the same fingers once more. “Tell him about Belize.”

“What, that we were supposed to go diving for my birthday and had to cancel?”

“Not that, you dork. Tell him about the work you were doing.”

“Oh, that. Well, there are quite a few countries with crushing foreign debt unable to fund environmental protection programs. About five, six years ago, the Nature Conservancy closed its first debt-for-ocean transaction with the Seychelles.

“We worked with creditors to lower the interest rate on part of their debt and with international organizations to help support the restructuring. In turn, the country agreed to protect a chunk of its maritime territory and committed part of the loan service savings to conservation management.

“The project was a resounding success. They enacted restrictions on the type of activities allowed in some 150,000 square miles of ocean, including marine preserves, dive-only sites, no fishing at all in some zones, and only community-level fishing in others.

“While in Mexico, I worked on a similar project for Belize. Our organization’s second Blue Bonds for Ocean Conservation program, and I’m certain not the last. I still want to dive Belize’s Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, so CJ owes me a trip.”

The National Zoo was built draped on a hill; they had entered at the crest, on the northern side, and strolled down Olmstead Walk. Bypassing the Small Mammals House and the Reptile Discovery Center, James asked more questions about Owen’s work until Liebe’s shouting interrupted him.

“Big monkey! Look, Grandma. Look up.” As they skirted the Great Meadow, the O-Line was visible, and it was where Liebe pointed. The suspended cable, fifty feet above the ground, was used by the zoo’s orangutans to travel between their two yards—one end at the Think Tank, the other at the Great Ape House.

“That’s an orangutan, Munchkin.” Owen lifted Liebe out of the stroller and sat her on his shoulders. She grabbed his hair with one hand and pointed at the ape moving in the same direction they were. “Let’s go see him and the other ones.”

By a stroke of luck, they arrived as the celebration began. “Oh, yeah!” CJ grasped one of Liebe’s feet and shook it. “Let’s check out the animal party, Munchkin.”

The sign beside the entrance to the exhibit announced one of the orangutan’s birthday. They found a spot in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass wall and watched as apes frolicked through the display. A zookeeper standing nearby explained the handlers had stashed treats throughout, and the cake set upon a rocky outcrop was made of fruits and vegetables.

“I want cake and ice cream.” Liebe managed to dislodge Owen’s sunglasses when she pulled his head back to look him in the eyes.

“Come on, Munchkin.” CJ took her off Owen’s shoulders and put her on the ground. “You can walk for a bit. I saw an ice cream cart outside. Let’s get us some.”

“Ice cream? Before lunch? You’re going to ruin her appetite.”

CJ momentarily glanced at Owen, who rolled his eyes, before staring at Pam. “And your point is?” He left it up to Owen to handle his mother. “Let’s go, James. I’ll buy you an ice cream bar too.”

“I don’t know about that. It might spoil my appetite.” The reporter chuckled when CJ hip-butted him.

James glanced at his watch before lifting his eyes and grinning at CJ. “I’m trying not to exceed today’s time limit. Can we briefly talk about your last days in Mexico?”

“Sure, what do you want to know?”

“I’m interested in the aftermath. What you, Owen, and particularly Liebe have experienced.”

“Not sure what to tell you. The three of us are okay. It’s not something you deal with every day, so there’s no experience to rely on.” CJ paid for the ice cream, handed Liebe her sandwich, and slipped her into the carriage. Before they took a step toward the zoo’s exit, chocolate cookie crumbles and vanilla ice cream drips adorned her shirt. He moved away when Pam said something about helping the girl eat, and Liebe batted her grandmother’s hand away. Let Owen deal with the women.

“Look, I never thought I’d kill a man, but I’ve been somewhat ready for it for a long time. One of the first things my father taught me when I said I wanted to learn how to shoot was that if I owned a firearm, I’d better be ready to use it. They’re not toys. I got mine after I received death threats as a teenager. My dad always said if I pointed it at someone, I should be willing to kill that person.”

“That’s a hell of a lesson for a kid.”

CJ chuckled. “You don’t know my fathers. They rarely sugarcoat anything. But it made me think and consider the repercussions of owning one and knowing how to use it. I’m sorry the Mexican guy had to die, but I’m not sorry I killed him. He fired at my daughter, hit my friend, and was about to shoot me.”

“What about Owen?”

“He’s probably dealt with it the best. Went a little nutso at first, but once we had a plan in place, he was a rock. Much the same he’s done during anything we’ve been involved in. All he was interested in was getting Liebe back safely.”

“And Liebe? Any behavioral issues?”

“When I put her and Owen on a plane to Miami, she wailed because I was staying behind. Daily video calls, Owen, my fathers, and my grandparents managed to keep her sane until I joined them a few days later.

“She knows a bad man tried to hurt Uncle Lincoln—that’s our friend who was shot—and me. Papi beat the man up, so he won’t do it again. As she grows older, we’ll expand the explanation by adding details. She did have a flashback recently, but I think we dealt with it.”

“What happened?”

“At a Fourth of July street party, she screamed when a kid set off firecrackers near us. She thought it was gunshots and kept saying the bad man from Mexico was there.”

Before James could ask a follow-up question, Pam reacted. “Oh, my god.” She turned and glared at Owen. “Why didn’t you tell us about it? And why did you take her to a place like that?”

CJ smirked and tilted his head when Owen looked at him. The message was clear. She’s your mother.

“Mum, relax. The party was in front of her grandfathers’ house. Brett and César talked their neighbors into closing the block off and joining the separate parties everyone threw year after year.

“I didn’t tell you about it because I didn’t think it was significant. CJ found the teenager with the crackers, bought a string off him, and we took Liebe and a friend with his little boy to the back of the house. We explained the difference between gunshots and what they had heard and set a few off in front of them. Liebe jumped the first couple of times, but at the end, she was giggling with every explosion.”

Once they had said goodbye to James, and confirmed the time for their lunch the next day, CJ called an Uber. After stopping for lunch at a Mexican restaurant, they returned to Everhope. With Liebe clean and wearing one of her father’s t-shirts, Owen placed her on the couch for a nap. CJ took the other end, intent on getting some work done on his book. Owen quietly chatted with his parents until he encouraged them to go for a walk around the neighborhood, so he could work his way through the CIA’s World Book section on Cuba.

That evening, they fired up the wood-burning pizza oven built into the outdoor kitchen against the carriage house. The individual pies were a hit, even if Liebe ended up with Alfredo sauce all over her hair and face. Pam helped bathe her in the fathers’ stand-alone tub.

“This is an old rocking chair. Isn’t it the same one you guys had at CJ’s parents? It’s really scuffed.” In the front room of the floor she and Geoff were sleeping on, Pam sat with Liebe on her lap, preparing to read her a story. She glanced at Owen putting away toys in the built-in cabinets. “You said something about going shopping Friday. Let’s stop somewhere, and we’ll buy you guys a new one so you can get rid of this one.”

“Ha!” CJ’s loud exclamation, from where he sat on a recliner by the front window with his journal and laptop, left Pam visibly confused when he looked at her.

Liebe increased her grandmother’s muddled expression. “No! La silla es de Aba. ”

“Yeah, good luck with that, Mum.”

“What did she say? All I understood was Aba. What does CJ’s grandmother have to do with the chair?”

“You really should learn a little Spanish.” Owen turned to his father and grinned. “You too, old man. Anyway, Liebe said no to getting rid of the rocking chair. She said it’s Aba’s.”

“She bought you a used one?”

“Somebody throw me a lifeline?” CJ was in agony; he wanted to scream.

Owen kept his composure and squatted next to his mother. “Mum, Olga and Juan bought this rocking chair twenty-five years ago, right before CJ was born. He was rocked in it every night before he moved to Germany. Same with Ritch whenever the family returned to Miami.”

Pam opened and closed her mouth but did not say a word.

“And once Juan’s health began to fail, he spent most of his waking hours on it until he died.”

Pam raised a hand to cover her wide-open mouth.

“Considering the amount of time and money we spent on this house, do you actually think we would have anything in it without it being intentional?”

Owen stood while shaking his head. “There’s not a chance in hell we’re replacing it. Maybe one day we’ll have it refinished, but that’s a family heirloom as far as I’m concerned.”

“Today was fun. I really liked James.” CJ, in front of his sink, rinsed the toothbrush and put it away.

Next to him, Owen mirrored his action. “Yeah, he’s cool. But Mum’s nagging drove me nuts. And you didn’t help with your little comments during the rocking chair conversation.”

“Hey! Geoff said she’s scared of me, so I figured I’d let you handle her.”

“Thanks for nothing. At least she hasn’t tried anything underhanded. I’m baffled by how quick she is to complain or criticize. Something’s triggering her.”

“Yeah, well, her triggers are her responsibility. It’s not our obligation to tiptoe around her. If she can’t handle how we deal with Liebe, then she shouldn’t be around us.”