Tommy - A Life - 18. Chapter 18 - Billy's Release

An official letter arrived from the hospital where Billy was being treated. It requested Tommy’s presence at a meeting to discuss releasing Billy – the treatment requiring hospitalization was ending. The letter stressed the importance of a specific plan covering Billy’s return to the world and the support he would need. While he would continue treatment, it would be with a therapist.

Tommy replied that he would gladly participate as a support for Billy and that he would attend the meeting. Upon arriving at the set time, he found a tall, older woman already waiting in the doctor’s reception area. She cast her eyes over him, then turned away. After a time, without turning toward him, she began to speak, “You’re the one aren’t you? You’re the one he was with that day.”

“Excuse me?” Tommy replied in confusion.

“You were his, well ‘catamite’ seems dated but ‘lover’ seems approving. You’re the one he left.”

Again the awful day, now so long ago, the day Billy left him came back into Tommy’s heart and mind. This was Billy’s mother, of course. He had not really seen her face, she had stood with her back to a bright window and left quickly, but the tall, even elegant form and aura of money certainly fit his recollection.

She continued, still facing away, “I suppose I should thank you. The doctor tells me you and your friends have helped in Billy’s recovery. It’s not the kind of thing I thought your kind would do.” Tommy began to refute the woman, but she talked over him. “I certainly hope you’re prepared for what comes next. I won’t be able to support him as he’s been accustomed. I bring the sad news that Billy’s father died some months ago. It seems Billy’s father wasn’t any better a businessman than he was a father. His family fortune tossed away. I’ll be lucky to salvage the apartment in town from the mess he left behind. I’m afraid Billy will be on his own from this point on.”

She rose to leave. Tommy got up and stood in front of the exit. “Mrs. Kensington, I don’t know what you think of me or my friends, I don’t really care. But I do care about Billy, and I, we will do what needs doing to help him get back into life. As his mother, I’d think you’d be more concerned about his well being, not just his finances.”

She stepped past him with a frosty air and was gone.

***

A few minutes later the doctor came into the room, looking for Mrs. Kensington. “Oh she was here, but apparently only to bring the news that Billy’s father had died and that Billy’s finances were troubled. Then she left.”

“Perhaps just as well,” the doctor ventured. “I’m more comfortable with you as Billy’s guardian through this process, you’ve been involved since the beginning. Client confidentiality forbids me to share other reasons.” The doctor asked Tommy to join him in his office, where Billy was waiting.

Billy jumped up and hugged Tommy. “Thank you, thank you, Tommy. I’m so glad you’re here. I know you’re making it possible for me to get out of here, no offence, Doc. I was expecting Mom, though. She wrote and said she was coming.”

Tommy glanced at the doctor with questioning eyes. Receiving a nod, he spoke, “She was here earlier. I guess she came to say that your father had died.” Tommy paused to watch Billy’s reaction.

Billy seemed to try on the news, looking for some emotion. “I can’t be upset by that. He never did much but bully me and ruin my life. I admit that I let him, but I can’t be sorry to hear he won’t be around anymore.”

“Your mother also said that the family’s finances were in distress. She said you couldn’t expect help from her anymore.”

“My mother being dramatic – as usual. I’ve still got a significant inheritance from my grandmother. We visited her house in Palm Beach. Oh what a fabulous time that was. Sure I won’t be able to live the high life, but somehow through all this I crave a simpler existence. It might do me good to have a real job.”

The doctor joined in, “That would be my recommendation. Responsibility and constructive use of time are components of your recovery. Now, Thomas, you’ll need to sign the agreement of custody then we can let you get going with your new charge.”

Tommy wrapped his arm around Billy’s shoulders as they left the doctor’s office and walked toward the exit. Billy could contain the question no longer, “So, where’s Bobby? I thought he’d be here, too.”

Tommy chuckled. “We’re not even out the door yet and you’re looking to get laid? Bobby and I agreed that it would be better for him to wait in the car until you were officially released.” At that moment the doors ahead of them burst open and Bobby came rushing in sweeping up Billy into his arms. Tommy was pushed aside by the gesture. After a minute, Tommy began guiding the entwined pair toward the door. “Uh, maybe I should drive?” Bobby tossed him the keys and got into the back with Bobby, leaving Tommy to collect Billy’s luggage and load it into the trunk. Tommy looked over the seat at the pair to find them kissing, laughing, and crying. He put the car in gear and began the drive back to the city.

***

Halfway back, Bobby gained enough self-control to thank Tommy for driving. Tommy’s few attempts to have conversation were met with single syllable replies. They seemed content to be with each other.

Thor was waiting on the street when they arrived. As he helped remove Billy’s luggage from the car, he said, “Tommy, while you were out you got a call from Bunny. He’s got a place to show Billy.”

“When?” Tommy asked.

“Now. He’s right down the block.” Thor replied.

“What’s this all about?” Billy asked.

“You know how you said you wanted to do something meaningful, to give back to the community? And you thought that some kind of safe place for gay guys in trouble is needed. Well, I made a few calls to see how feasible that could be. You remember Bunny, one of Piggy’s friends.”

“Yes, small man – in real estate” said Billy recalling.

“Yes, he admired your idea and apparently moved quickly.”

“I’ll take these things in, if you want to go meet with Bunny now. Bobby, you can return your dad’s car and meet us back here.” Thor offered.

Tommy and Billy walked down the block, spotting the pink Cadillac and Bunny waiting enthusiastically beside it. They exchanged hugs and Euro-kisses.

Bunny began talking at once. “What a wonderful idea. There are so many people in our community that sometimes need a helping hand, displaced boyfriends, kids in trouble with their families, recovering, and just lost for a bit. I’ve been talking the idea up among ‘the crowd’ and they’re all behind it. I think you’ll need to establish a foundation or something to manage support and donations. Charles has offered to serve as treasurer, and of course Cupcake and my services – as invaluable as they are – are gratis. So I’ve looked high and low for possible properties that might suit. It would need to be a large place, with a flexible floor plan and room for expansion. I thought if we focused on a more distressed area of town, the city council would look more favorably on the project. It all came together very quickly.”

“Where are we off to?” Tommy inquired.

“Across the street.” Bunny responded. “What looks like a block of row houses is actually an early apartment building. The original builder was trying to maintain the look of the neighborhood of townhouses. In recent years, it’s been used for many purposes, most recently a kind of flop house until damaged by a fire and worse when they extinguished it. It will take a fair amount of work, but I’ve already had an engineer examine the structure. It’s sound. We would have needed to put in new plumbing and electrical anyway, so the interior walls would have to be replaced in any case.” Bunny led them over and opened a door and led them into what was once an elegant lobby. “We’ll try to keep the plaster work and wood work. It might even be architecturally significant. Off the lobby here are hallways that lead to a variety of apartments, studios and one-bedrooms. There is a larger apartment at the far end, perhaps for the administrator.”

“Whoa, what will all this cost? Where’s the money going to come from?” Tommy was concerned.

Billy looked around, eyes full of expectation. “There’s more money in this town than you know. But I do know. How do I make it work? Bunny, you’re fantastic, you’ve got a real vision here.”

“You had the vision, I’ve just given it a little focus. You can do this Billy. We’ll all help. Cupcake already has a list of contractors. You know the right people at City Hall, or at least their boyfriends. Getting the right licenses and permits shouldn’t be a problem.”

“So when do we start?”

“Monday, bright and early. You’ve got a meeting with the building inspector and an architect. It’s up to you to organize the fund raising.”

“Tommy, do you think I can do this?”

“Billy, I know you can.”

***

Billy set to work immediately contacting friends and members of local society. Many were generous with their support, others required Billy’s coaxing. He needed to overcome his reputation as a troublesome member of a prominent family. For some, his participation in a worthy cause was admirable, for others offering support was a way to distance themselves from a newly persistent Billy.

Charles and the attorney Mr. Haskins advised on how to set up a foundation to manage donations. At an early board meeting Billy laughed out loud when Charles reported on “the rapidly growing endowment.” Charles blushed when he caught up with the innuendo.

Billy poured over the architect’s plans, making decisions quickly when necessary. He was adamant that the place not be institutional, but rather that it should feature comfort and safety. He drew upon his own hospital experience and how that contrasted with the haven provided by Tommy and Thor. He was motivated to get the project going, looking forward to having his own place and to no longer impose on his friends. And he still didn’t like Thor’s watchful eye.

The project came together quickly and soon Billy was able to hire a contractor to begin work on the building. Billy posted flyers around the community offering jobs, skilled and unskilled, on the project. There would be lots of hard work to be done and his thought was to engage the community from the start. Billy opened a temporary office in the building in the midst of the demolition and construction. He enjoyed the interaction among the hard-nosed construction professionals and the growing group of young gay men who needed a job. Many stereotypes were demolished for both sides as they tore down the old walls. Hard work was recognized as hard work, no matter the orientation of the worker. And the skills of the professionals outshown their gruff exteriors. Billy particularly enjoyed watching the change in the interaction at lunch hours. Early in the project, the two sides separated into clear camps. As time went on, men working on the same part of the project began to sit together: gay, straight, men, women. Mutual respect was built as a part of the new building.