Taste. Part 21

"No."

"No wonder you're starving. Eat as much as you want, buddy. How about a milkshake?"

"Chocolate."

Grier got the small shake and watched as Luca sucked it up quickly, making horrible noises when he got to the empty bottom.

"Buddy, I'm going away for a few days."

"Where?" Luca's eyes opened like saucers.

"To San Francisco with t.i.to t.i.to Lil." Lil."

"Can I come?" he whined. "I want to go."

"Not this time, Luca."

"Pleath? I promith promith to be very good." to be very good."

"Someone has to stay and watch Bianca."

"Mommy can."

"No, we agreed that Bianca is your responsibility."

Luca nodded in agreement although his dark eyes filled with tears. "I'll mith mith you." you."

"I'll miss you, too, but I'll bring you back a present."

"What?"

"Something really special from San Francisco."

"Okay. How many thleepth thleepth before you come home?" before you come home?"

"Five or six."

Luca held his breath and then sobbed out, "Tho long?" long?"

"Come here," Grier said, pulling Luca on his lap. "It's okay to be sad, and it's okay to cry for a little bit. I know you're going to miss me, but you'll have lots to do while I'm gone." Grier held Luca against his chest and listened to the pitiful sobs. It was the first time they would be apart since Grier had returned from college, and he felt the separation pangs as well, but he tried not to dwell on it too much, or he'd change his mind about going.

"You have to clean out Bianca's litter box every day, Luca, and don't forget to tie off the garbage bag and put it outside so it won't stink up your room."

"Okay." Luca inhaled a ragged breath. "What about her food?"

"Put some dry stuff in her bowl every morning when you get up, and give her water every day. Kitties get very thirsty, and you need to make sure she has lots to drink and eat. You don't want her to go hungry like you just did, do you?"

"What elth elth?"

"That's all. Be a good boy, and I'll be back before you even know it."

Luca clung to his father's neck, staying in that position until they got to the truck and Grier pried him off gently. "I'm going to give you my phone number, Luca. You call me if you need to talk to me."

"I don't know how."

Grier wrote down his number on a note pad he kept in his truck for emergencies. He tore off the slip and handed it to Luca. "Read those numbers for me, please."

"One. Eight. Four. Theven Theven. Two. Three. Oh. Thickth. Thickth. Four. Two. Five." Four. Two. Five."

"Perfect." Lil handed Luca his cell phone. "Now, find the same numbers on here and pretend you're going to call me."

Luca studied the key pad and slowly started pressing the numbers with his tiny thumb. Grier watched him closely and was satisfied that he'd done it correctly. "I want you to keep this phone number in your room and use it if you have to call me."

"Where will I keep it?"

"In the box where you have your video games."

"Will you answer right away?"

"Immediately."

"You promith promith?"

"Yes, I promise."

Chapter 21.

GRIER'S job with Dilorio Trucking had taken him throughout most of the states north, east, and south of Illinois, but he'd never been to the West Coast, nor had he flown before this trip. It was a first for him, and Lil felt justified in spending every outrageous cent on the business-cla.s.s ticket so they could sit together. He wouldn't have given up the privilege of seeing the look of wonder on Grier's face just to save a few dollars. Grier had gripped Lil's hand in excitement as the plane revved up and taxied into position on the runway. The noise of the powerful engines screaming into full throttle was sweet music to a man who owned a crotch rocket and appreciated the unbridled strength of the enormous machine carrying them across the country. Grier threw himself into the entire experience, reveling in the velocity as the plane lifted. Lil couldn't keep his eyes off his young companion, and he was tempted to kiss him, but didn't for the sake of propriety. job with Dilorio Trucking had taken him throughout most of the states north, east, and south of Illinois, but he'd never been to the West Coast, nor had he flown before this trip. It was a first for him, and Lil felt justified in spending every outrageous cent on the business-cla.s.s ticket so they could sit together. He wouldn't have given up the privilege of seeing the look of wonder on Grier's face just to save a few dollars. Grier had gripped Lil's hand in excitement as the plane revved up and taxied into position on the runway. The noise of the powerful engines screaming into full throttle was sweet music to a man who owned a crotch rocket and appreciated the unbridled strength of the enormous machine carrying them across the country. Grier threw himself into the entire experience, reveling in the velocity as the plane lifted. Lil couldn't keep his eyes off his young companion, and he was tempted to kiss him, but didn't for the sake of propriety.

"That was f.u.c.king intense," Grier exclaimed, once they'd reached cruising alt.i.tude.

"Do you want a drink?" Lil smiled, loving the enthusiasm.

"What are you having?"

"A b.l.o.o.d.y Mary."

"That sounds good."

The drinks were served quickly, and Lil touched his plastic cup to Grier's in a toast. "To your excellent adventure."

"Thanks." Grier's smile was dazzling.

"Who's taking over for you at work?"

"Jake volunteered."

"You haven't talked about him much."

"We were tight when we were younger but started drifting apart in our senior year."

"How come?"

"I came out to him and things got really weird."

"In what way?"

"You know how it is. He thought I was going to jump his bones as soon as I told him I was gay."

"Half the population still thinks we're a bunch of prowling s.e.x maniacs."

"Some of us are," Grier teased, licking the rim of the plastic cup suggestively.

"Stop that, or I'll induct you into the mile-high club."

"I've heard about that."

"Don't tempt me." Lil quirked his lip. "Tell me more about Jake."

Grier shrugged. "He's Jillian's polar oppositeeasy-going, simple, and very low maintenance. His parents realized early on that he didn't have Jillian's ambition or drive, so they didn't push him."

"You said he's a mechanic?"

Grier nodded and sipped his drink. "He works for a Toyota dealership in Schaumburg."

"Does he know that you're Luca's father?"

"I already told you; n.o.body knows."

"He must have noticed Jillian's obsession with you."

"Sure he did, but like everyone else, he played along. Until I announced I was gay. Then he told her to stop stalking me."

"And she ignored him."

"Jillian honestly believed that the only reason I said I was gay was because I'd never had s.e.x with a woman. She was going to set me on the right path." Grier laughed ruefully.

"Was she a virgin?"

"She said that she was, but I don't know for sure."

"Do you think she went through with the pregnancy hoping you'd change your mind?"

"Maybe? It's hard to say, Lil. I know her dreams were shattered when I told her I was still gay, even after we had s.e.x, and all her plans for a perfect future went up in smoke."

"But you offered to marry her?"

"Under duress."

"I'm surprised she didn't jump at the chance."

"I guess her brain finally kicked in. She knew it would be a sham and came up with Plan B."

"What would drive someone to claim rape? I still can't understand her solution."

"Have you seen Slumdog Millionaire Slumdog Millionaire?"

Lil nodded. "Why?"

"According to the stories I've heard from Enteng and Nita, they were that poor. I mean scrounging-for-your-next-meal poor. They told Jake and Jillian that the slums in that movie were just as bad as the ones in the Philippines, where they'd come from."

"You've got to be kidding?"

"It's true. Nita only got through nursing school because her mother worked as a servant for a rich family who helped with the tuition. Enteng didn't have a formal education at all and learned how to cook by being a helper in some mansion in the Philippines. It's very third world, and hard to believe, but coming to America was as big a deal to them as winning the contest was to that character in Slumdog Slumdog."

"I'm trying to figure out where you're going with this story."

"Maybe understanding Jillian's parents will clue you in to her way of thinking."

"I doubt it, but do go on. This story is fascinating."

"Apparently, when Enteng and Nita arrived in Chicago, they had nothing but the clothes on their back. They worked two jobs apiece to make ends meet. You couldn't find a harder-working couple. My mother would help out with the twins as often as possible because the Garcias usually worked double shifts. Each success and new acquisition was one step further away from their humble past. Owning their own home and business, and having kids grow up in the kind of luxury they had only dreamed about, was the culmination of years of struggling. My family became their role models, and they tried to emulate my parents in almost everything. My mother was Nita's idea of the perfect American woman."

"So how do you factor into this?"

"I've mentioned to you once before that they love Ali and me almost as much as their own kids. They wanted Jillian to marry one of us, and since she seemed interested in me from an early age, they encouraged her. Nita would play along with Jillian's fantasy of becoming my wife. As much as she pushed education, because success in school was synonymous with a good life, finding the right partner was equally as important. Each guy Jillian dated was scrutinized and shot down for the simple reason that he wasn't me."

"What was the big deal about marrying you? Not that I don't think you're perfect in every way, but didn't they come to their senses when you announced you were gay?"

"No one took me seriously. I was into football and bodybuilding, so they were sure the whole gay thing was my idea of a joke."

"Who would joke about that? Seriously, are these people that naive? Didn't you ever set them straight?"

"I didn't want to upset my father any more than necessary. He about had a stroke when he was informed that I was engaging in lewd behavior with one of my fellow students."

"Translate?"

"b.l.o.w. .j.o.b on school property."

Lil howled. "You didn't?"

"Hey, I was in the shower, and Johnny got down on his knees in front of me. Was I supposed to push him away when my d.i.c.k was wagging in his face?"