Just Another Manic Monday
Tobias felt the hazy glow of morning sweep over his face from the skylight. He opened his eyes to see the gray sky murky with disappointments. He felt Chris' arms and legs wrapped around him. It was weird, but he felt safe. He couldn't help but notice how drained he felt, how weak he was. He looked up to find a smile to die for.
"Hey there."
"Hi."
"You ok?"
"Yeah, have we done this before, sounds familiar?"
"Funny."
"What time is it?"
"It's one o'clock."
"WHAT!!!!!, I'm supposed to be at work!"
"Oh yeah, you're a nine to fiver"
"Shit, I gotta call my secretary"
Tobias searched frantically for his cell phone. His father was the suspicious type and if he wasn't at work, he would want answers.
"Here, use the speaker phone."
He dialed hoping his secretary would pick up. Whenever his dad was feeling superior, he would come to his office to let it be known that he was.
"Hello, Tobias Beecher, Attorney at Law."
"SANDY, THANK GOD IT'S YOU."
"Mr. Beecher, where are you?"
"I'm uh...I'm detained. Has my father come by?"
"Yes he has..... three times."
"SHIT!"
"Don't worry, I covered for you. I told him that you were vomiting and I thought you had that new stomach virus so you went home. He fell for it and told me not to call you at all, to let you rest."
"Sandy I love you."
"You should."
"Lock up the office and go home early and thanks."
Tobias rested against Chris' chest. He was relieved that Sandy covered for him. If his father had known the truth, he would have gotten the Beecher family sermon. The sermon was full of "You're not responsible" and "you're embarrassing the family" and "you're not living up to your potential." He hated that with a passion. The thought was quickly wiped away with one kiss from Chris.
"Sandy's pretty cool, isn't she?"
"Yeah she is. Dad thinks she's in love with me. She brings me things, takes care of me, you know, stuff like that."
"You keep talking and I'm going to get jealous."
"Chris can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"I'm horrible with names. I'll admit that, but I never forget a face. When you sat down beside me at that club, I kept telling myself that I knew you, that I've seen you before. I just can't remember where."
"So what's your question?"
"Chris, I haven't prosecuted you or anything have I?"
"No, you haven't, baby, It'll come to you."
"Chris don't fuck with me, have we met before?"
"Yes."
"Where, how?"
"It'll come to you."
"Why won't you just tell me?"
"Because I want you to remember it the way you experienced it, not my version of it."
"What if I never remember it?"
"You will."
"I need to go, if I know my dad, he's gonna call my mom and she will be over in no time flat."
"Ok."
"Can I borrow a pair of shorts or something?"
"Why?"
"You tore mine off, remember?"
"Oh yeah."
"Where's my shirt?"
"I told you I was keeping it."
"Oh yeah."
Chris gave Tobias a wife-beater T-shirt and a pair of gym shorts he had sprayed with CK be cologne. He watched him get dressed with attentive eyes.
"Toby, do you know how sexy you are?"
"Me sexy? No, I'm normally described as being a disappointment or having a corn cob stuck up my ass. Sexy is a new one."
Chris walked toward him. Tobias couldn't help but notice the animalistic walk he used. It was like a black panther in heat searching for his mate and spotting her. He grabbed him by his waist and pulled him close till they were standing nose to nose.
"Toby, you are very sexy and Sandy is in love with you for the same reason I am."
"And that is?"
"We see through the legal bull shit and get down to the real you. Sandy sees this equal balance of ignorance and intelligence. I see a powder keg of caged sexual heat just waiting to explode."
"You're crazy."
"Yeah, for you."
"I have to go."
"Ok, but I want you to know one thing."
"Ok."
"I'm gonna to make love to you."
He threw Tobias one of his million dollar smiles and watched him walk away. As Tobias drove off, he couldn't help but think of Chris' words: "I'm gonna to make love to you." Those words were never uttered in his marriage. Neither was the word love for that matter. When he and Gen had sex, it was because Gen wanted to. He never had a say in it. They were the complete opposite of TV couples. Usually, the man had the sex drive and the wife had the headaches. They never made love. When Gen was horny, they fucked. When she wanted attention, they screwed. They never made love; but here was Chris, a man who looked him in the eyes and said: "I'm gonna make love to you." Tobias tried to hide the smile that was creeping over his face. Chris gave him this sense of security, made him feel needed. With Chris, he could be weak and vulnerable without being chastised for it. He could drop his pretense and for once and allow himself to be saved. When he got home, he realized how much the real world sucked. It meant he had to be a door mat again. As soon as he stepped in the door the phone rang.
"Hello.....hi Gen.....what charity thing? .....I didn't check my machine, what's up?....wait a minute, you want to auction me off for charity?.....are any of the other husbands doing this?.....so I'm the only one....yeah I'm ticked off, I'm your husband, not your whore you can pimp around for money....I don't have a corn cob up my ass and I'm not doing this.....bye Gen.....I don't give a damn, bye."
How the hell could she call and ask him to be sold for charity? This is what he was talking about. If she cared anything for him, she wouldn't have ever thought about this. He went to his bedroom and the wind from the ceiling fan stole the scent from Chris's clothes and filled the room. For some reason, everything was ok. The scent meant that Chris was real and in a way, he was there. Just as he was enjoying the scent, he heard a knock at the door.
"Who is it?"
"Your father."
"Hey dad."
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm ok, stomach isn't too good, but I'm getting better I guess."
"How's the case coming?"
"It's going well, I may have a lead."
"That's not what I want to here, Tobias"
"Dad I'm doing the best I can. I have a lead."
"TOBIAS, WIN THIS FUCKING CASE!!!!"
"Dad I'm not feeling well-"
"I DON'T CARE. WIN THIS CASE!"
"Ok."
"I didn't here you."
"Ok, sir."
"By the way, Gen called me on the cell phone. You're doing this charity thing. It'll look good on the firm from a charity point a view."
"Then let Carlisle do it."
"No you're going to do it."
"Dad-"
"GET THE CORN COB OUT YA ASS TOBIAS."
Tobias felt completely empty. First his wife treats him like a whore and then his dad cuts him off at the knees. As much as he wanted to rest, he couldn't. He went to his briefcase and took out his files and worked on the case for hours. Tobias could win this case. All he needed was for Chris to tell what he knew. Even though he knew the man for only a short while, he knew he would get the information. He gathered new ideas for the case and decided to call it a night. Tobias would never admit it, but he was a net nerd. He checked his email to find a ton of depressing messages. One from his father telling him to don't fuck up, another from Mr. Green telling him how well his case is going and one from Gen asking him to sell himself. There was one message that he didn't recognize the address. It was sent by a person named mustang. The message read: I'm gonna make love to you......tonight? Tobias smiled. Chris was such a joker, but the other messages still made him feel bad. The very minute he logged his computer off, there was a knock at the door. His heart sunk into his shoes. He just knew his dad was coming back to give him another tongue lashing. He opened the door to find his doorway full of white roses with one red rose in the middle.
"Hello?"
"Hi ya Toby."
"Chris, it's two in the morning."
"I know, you think I could come in?"
"Yeah, what are you doing here"
"I was in the neighborhood."
"At two in the morning?"
"Yeah, how are you."
Tobias looked at him. A sad glow appeared across his face.
"Toby, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Bull shit, what's wrong. You feel ok?"
"Yeah, I'm ok."
"Then what's wrong."
"Today hasn't been the best day."
"Did I do something wrong."
"No it's not you. It's my wife, my job, my father, my whole fucking life."
Tobias walked to his bedroom and propped himself against his dresser. He held back his emotions all day long; but for some reason it was coming back to the surface.
"You shouldn't have left me this morning."
"Well I had too."
"Yeah....I hate seeing you like this, all sad and hurt for things that more than likely your not responsible for."
"Shit happens in the real world, Chris."
"C `mere"
"Huh?"
"Get off the dresser and come here."
Tobias turned around and walked toward Chris. Chris grabbed his hand and pulled him close. He kissed him on the forehead as he talked.
"Now, what's wrong?"
"I've got this case that decides whether I make partner or not and then there's my wife and dad."
"What are they doing?"
"There's this charity thing for cancer. So my brilliant wife comes up with this idea of a male auction online and signs me up. Basically, anyone can just log on and buy me. I refused, she blew up. The next thing I know here comes my dad bitching me out about the case and then tells me that I am definitely doing this charity thing. He says it will make the firm look interested. God I don't want to do this."
"Well as far as the case is concerned, you will get the info to win it. This other thing, shit I don't know. Yes I do, don't do it."
"Chris, if you knew what I would have to go through if I didn't do this, you would vote for me to do it."
"Toby why should you have to sell yourself when you don't want to do it?"
"I shouldn't, but I want to make partner, Chris. I want to spend time with my kids and in this family you have to do shit you don't want too in order to stay in good graces."
"So you're going to do this?"
"Chris, I have too."
"Ok. Fine call me and let me know how it went."
Chris headed for the door. His demeanor let Tobias know that he was upset.
"CHRIS!....WAIT....WILL YOU PLEASE WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!
Before he could catch him, Chris was through the front door. He ran back into his bedroom and opened the window.
"CHRIS...WILL YOU WAIT?"
"I have something to do Tobias."
"I DON"T WANT TO DO THIS CHRIS."
"BUT YOU ARE."
"Chris, we're going to wake up the neighborhood, come back inside."
"No, I have something to do."
Chris got in his black mustang and ripped out of the parking lot. Tobias felt lower that he had ever felt before. What was he to do? If he didn't do this, there would have been some major shit thrown in his face. He couldn't take that. Chris was his escape, an escape he listened to as it disappeared down the freeway. He fell in the bed and stared at the ceiling.
"I FUCKING HATE MONDAYS!"
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