A Time to Heal - 9. Chapter 9

I could tell that Izahk was happy to be back on stage. He was at his happiest when performing. After a Saturday night performance, we were in his dressing room as he removed the stage makeup. The stage manager came in announcing, "Izahk, there is a young man here requesting to see you. He never refused an autograph or anyone who wanted to talk to him. I saw a young man walk in..well-dressed and quite handsome. I had no clue who he was. Izahk took one look, jumped up running to him with a big hug saying, "Billy..it's Billy, sir". It was then that I finally put it together in my mind, "This is Billy Beene the famous young fashion designer that everyone was wearing. I dont know why, but I had been dressing Izahk in Billy Beene never once connecting the two names. He introduced us.

"Are you The Billy Beene that is the designer"

'Yes sir...that's me" I was floored. Then he said, 'May I introduce you to my partner, Simon Westfield?'. He went to the dressing room door bringing Simon inside. Now, I knew that name since he had been the Golden Boy at a famous British fashion design house. He was a strkingly handsome man and so well spoken. I suggested that I needed some coffee. "Would you care to join me, Simon". I think we both knew 'the boys' needed some time to catchup on the times. Simon was a fascinating conversationalist. He told me how he had met Billy in Atlanta. Recognizing the boy's talent, he took him under his wing to form Billy Beene, a design house for men's clothing. Their outlet in Manhattan had been the place I found most of Izahk's clothing. Now it was all coming together. When Simon and I returned, Izahk had changed into one of his Billy Beene outfits..jeans and a shirt. Simon said with his Scottish brogue, "You are quite the model, Izahk". Izahk blushed. "Would you consider modelling our Fall Line. Izahk looked quickly at me. I touched my heart telling him as always to follow his heart. Billy said softly, "Please say yes".

After they left, Izahk told me how that his friend Billy would draw all the time. He would draw action heroes and super heroes with strange long legs and arms. While we were gone, Billy had told Izahk how he was given an assignment at the art school to do a fashion layout. "I just drew my action figures with unusual clothes" The instructor was so impressed with the drawings that he showed them to Simon Westfield when he was in Atlanta. Simon recognized talent. "Do you think that Mr Stegman will let me model for Billy?

"I dont know, you have to ask him to find out" he asked Frank that night to hear him say, "Let me think about it" We were always off on Sundays and Mondays. I awoke to find Izahk missing from our bed. I walked from the bedroom to the living room where I saw Izahk on his knees praying. He looked up. "I'm sorry, Baby, I didnt mean to interrupt".

"Its okay, I was finished..I was asking God to do the right thing about the modelling,,he always knows what is right" Later that morning Frank came over for coffee with us as was his pattern. After a while, he turned to Izahk saying, "I dont think it would be good for the show to have you model for Billy Beene". I saw Izahk's lower lip begin to tremble and tears well up in his eyes. I was devastated for Izahk and for Billy, but I trusted Frank in every way. "Come here, son". Then with Izahk trying his hardest not to cry, he said in a whisper, "I think it would be GREAT for the show" I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw Izahk leaping around the living room in joy. "However, I want the photography done by my choice of photographers and to be done on the stage of Timmy. Frank was always wise knowing exactly how to promote his work.

Izahk was cooking during the photography session. He looked great in all the Billy Beene Fall Clothing. He made the clothes look great. The photographer seemed to know how to coax the flirtatious, sensual side out of Izahk. He walked over to me when it was done saying, "That boy sizzles when he is performing..these are going to be great". We were in his dressing room when he said, "Did I do okay for the pictures?". I pretended to fan myself saying, "I need an ice pack and a stiff drink". He walked over straddling my lap putting his arms around my neck and his lips close to mine, "We are out of ice packs and whisky, will I do?" He then walked to the dressing room locking it. I saw his robe drop and he straddled my lap again. His plan worked very well. It seems the session awakened something inside him. He took charge giving me instructions. I obey very well. My wonderful Izahk was becoming a mature man. I loved it. I loved his sweet, gentle, innocent heart, but I knew that to survive this world, he needed to be strong when needed.

When the men's fashion magazine hit the stands, He was featured on the cover. Inside, they plugged the musical Timmy. Frank was brilliant as always. Frank came to the dressing room before the evening show saying to Izahk. Universal Magazine called today to request you do the centerfold nudes. I told them I would ask you, but there would be no full-frontal nudes..they agreed. I further told them that both Ray and I would be present and that we would review all the images and we would select the ones they would publish. Then he said, "What do you think, boy?" Izahk quickly looked at me. I did the usual thing of placing my hand over my heart. I knew he was an exhibitionist since he would spend most of his time at our isolated mountain home wearing little if anything..even outside doing lawn care. He then looked at Frank saying, "Do you want me to be all sexy and stuff?'

"Yeh, be all sexy and stuff" The final choices we made were not totally revealing, but we certainly let the viewers know that 'the carpet matched the curtains' so to speak. The red hair also covered his chest ending up trailing into his red 'carpeting'. Again he was on the cover and again in the center feature article where Timmy got more great press. The editor called us to tell us that it was the highest sale to date for an edition of the magazine. Frank told us that as soon as it came out the ticket sales soared.

Izahk looked at me after he saw the magazine. "Was I sexy enough?". I again fanned myself. He then walked over to me informing me, "You can look, but dont touch" I pretended to cry. "Okay, you can touch a little". I liked his definition of 'a little'. I could tell that he was beginning to realize he was an attractive man. The fan mail tripled. He even made 'Sexiest Man Under the Sun' for that year. The tabloids had been blasting all sorts of nonsense that he was dating starlets or that he and some famous actor or prince were secret lovers. He loved it all. He had been and continued to make guest appearances on major talk shows. Frank knew how to generate interest in his work, I saw his confidence and his maturity grow.