Jonathan's Hope (17 page)

PARKER WAS UNUSUALLY
somber that afternoon when Dan and Jonathan walked into his office. “Hey, guys,” he said, walking up to greet them. They exchanged the friendly hugs that had become so familiar between them in the months since their first meeting.

They all sat down on the couch in the corner of Parker’s large office. His assistant came in with coffee and tea. “So, I just got off the phone with the DA. The trial has been cancelled. With your father dead, there is no point in going on with it. Given his written confession, it would have been a formality anyway. From what I gathered from his lawyer, he hadn’t been interested in any plea bargain and he would’ve been looking at fifteen to twenty years. I also briefly spoke to your grandparents this morning. They are still planning to come to town to help you with the funeral preparations. Have you given any thought to that? I don’t want to scare you, but I got the distinct impression that your grandmother has some very specific ideas.”

Jonathan looked up at Parker. “Such as?”

“Well,” their older friend continued, “apparently she wants to take the body back to their home town and bury him there.”

“Can they do that?” Jonathan asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I haven’t seen any last will, and this is a highly unusual situation. With both parents deceased, an adult child and the grandparents still alive, there really is no legal precedent here. I’ll need to speak to your father’s lawyer, his old firm, see if there is a will. There is a certain likelihood for that, particularly given the fact that he was a lawyer himself. But if there is nothing, I would strongly suggest that you try and find common ground with your grandparents. If nothing else, at least consider a future relationship with your grandparents.”

Dan cut in. “Well, Parker, we had been hoping for a small ceremony here, just the immediate family, to avoid the press, and to bury him next to his wife.”

“Let me see what I can find out first, okay, guys?” Parker sighed. “We’ll need to be patient. Jonathan, your grandparents arrive tomorrow morning on the first flight in. Do you want me to arrange a pick-up? Accommodations? I take it you haven’t seen them in a while?”

Jonathan gave Dan a pleading look, realizing that the situation was about to spiral out of control. That his life was once again going to take a turn for the unexpected. Dan was his only focal point in the room. “You know what, Parker, that’s very kind of you, but they’re family. We’ll take care of it, right, Jon?” Dan said, smiling, trying to reassure Jonathan that he would keep things under control.

The phone was ringing and Parker picked it up. Jonathan and Dan could hear that he was talking to another lawyer, the lingo and the infliction in Parker’s voice so very different than when he was speaking to his friends. When he hung up, he looked over at his friends, troubled. “That was odd. Does Trinity College ring a bell with you guys?” Jonathan paled hearing the name of the college where his father had graduated. Noting the distress in Jon’s face, Dan replied. “Kind of. I first heard about it this morning. Apparently Jon’s dad graduated from their law school. He even knows someone who is buried in the town there. In his note, he asked Jonathan to visit that guy’s grave.”

“Rick Johnsson?” Parker asked evenly. Jonathan was barely able to sit still. “How do you know that name?” he asked.

“That was your dad’s former employer on the phone. Seems there is a will. Unbeknownst that his parents were still alive, they called me, knowing I represent you. Apparently, your father left very detailed instructions about his burial. The good thing is you won’t have to worry about dealing with your grandparents. However, he did specifically request not to be buried here in town, but rather next to this Rick Johnsson. I don’t know what to make of this.”

Dan interjected, “Well, I tried to find that guy this morning, but found no trace. I guess we’ll just have to go out there, or maybe I’ll make a call to the local newspaper, see what I can dig up.”

Parker nodded slightly. “Jonathan, I know this is not easy for you, but uh, have you ever noticed anything indicating that your father may have been gay? I just don’t know how else this makes any sense.”

Jonathan sat quietly on the couch, contemplating the news that had been dispensed. The air had become stiff and he found it hard to breathe. “Guys, I need to get some fresh air. I need to think. I, uh, Dan, please don’t worry. I won’t do anything stupid. I just really need to get some air, walk, okay? I’ve got my phone with me, so you can text me. I’ll see you tonight...” Jonathan got up and left the office without waiting for Dan to reply.

Dan was worried, but Parker told him to leave him be. “Dan, you can’t protect him all the time. He will be fine, trust him. Why don’t we try to help Jonathan by finding out what we can about this Rick Johnsson, shall we?” Parker put his hand on Dan’s shoulder, kneading it gently. “He just needs to get his thoughts straightened out, okay?”

Dan nodded. Jonathan had come so far in those past months, their relationship had grown so much, and Jon said that he’d be fine, he’d be back. He just needed some time alone to think.
I can give him that space. I’ll be fine.

Jonathan left the building almost running, desperate for fresh air. He started walking through the streets of the city, that place to which he’d re-familiarized himself over the past months. Once his home, it was now just a place he knew well, but didn’t really feel he belonged in.

My mom is dead. My dad is dead. My grandparents are coming to town. Dad was gay? What is grandma going to say? And granddad?

Jonathan’s mind was racing. He just couldn’t make all the pieces fit together. And who was this Rick Johnsson? If his father had really been gay, why would he beat him? Why would he not have accepted Jonathan for who he was? It just didn’t make any sense.

After walking with no sense of direction for a couple of hours, Jonathan’s phone buzzed with a text from Dan.
I love you! Call me if you need me. Dan

A small smile spread across Jonathan’s face, happy that he had his partner’s support.

Love you, too. Walking. Thinking. TTYL Jon

For the first time since he’d known Dan, he used the name Jon. The affectionate term that Dan used for him ever since they’d first met. It made Jonathan feel as if he belonged to Dan, a symbol of what they shared.

After having pressed the send button, Jonathan put the phone back in his pocket and looked up, trying to get his bearings, see where he was.

This is Mary’s street!
Jonathan was surprised that he’d walked all the way out into the suburbs. He’d walked all the way out to his best friend’s street.
Well, maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something...

Knowing his way, he quickly approached the house where Mary lived. He found the courage to knock on the door.

Mary’s mother answered his call. “Jonathan? Oh my god, is that really you? Come in, boy!” She ushered him into the house, hugging him. “We’ve been so worried about you. When you disappeared from school, we feared the worst. And then your mother, the news...” she trailed.

“It’s okay, Mrs. Taylor. I’m fine. Is Mary in?” Jonathan didn’t really want to talk to Mrs. Taylor. After all, she and her stupid husband had been the ones who brought all this upon him in the first place. Maybe, if they’d just shut their mouths, he would still have his mother and father alive. He’d still be regularly beaten, but at least his parents would still be alive.

But no Dan.

All of a sudden, his entire view of things changed. His hard stance towards Mrs. Taylor softened.

“Yes, dear, she’s upstairs. Go right up. I’ll make you some lemonade and bring you cookies.” She pointed upstairs and walked off, leaving Jonathan alone for the first time in their house. He quickly climbed the stairs, feeling oddly out of place all by himself in Mary’s house. When he got to her room, he saw her sitting at her desk, apparently deeply engaged talking to someone over the web. Trying not to startle her, he knocked on the open door.

Mary turned around, and upon seeing him, realizing who he was, flew to the door, crushing him in a hug as if they hadn’t seen each other in a thousand years. “Jonathan, Jonathan, is that really you? What are you doing here?”

“Let go, girl, you’re crushing me. You’re worse than Dan!” Jonathan laughed, relieved that his friend bore him no ill will, even though he hadn’t been in touch with her in all the time he’d been back in the city. Jonathan assumed that she knew he was back, given that his story had been all over the tabloids for weeks.

“Mr. Kendall told me you were back, and I, uh, saw the articles. Who’s Dan? Is he your boyfriend?” she asked, no malice in her voice, just a curious question from a loved one.

“Yeah, he is. It’s a long story. Do you have time to talk?” Jonathan asked, extracting himself from Mary’s arms. Moving into her bedroom, he dropped onto her bed, just as he’d done a million times when they were in school.

Mary joined him and Jonathan told his story.

They were interrupted a couple of times, first when Mary’s mother knocked on the closed door,
when did that happen
, bringing them cookies and lemonade, and a second time when she asked if they needed anything and if Jonathan would stay for dinner. Jonathan didn’t respond right away. He said he needed to think about it.

“Call Dan, please? Invite him over. He’s probably worried sick anyway,” Mary begged, curious about the man who had won her best friend’s heart. She was happy she had him back on her bed, talking and sharing memories, like they always had. “I’m just so glad that you’re back. You have no idea how worried I was. I blamed myself for my father’s stupid phone call. Can you ever forgive me?” she pleaded, tears in her brown eyes.

Jonathan put an arm around her. “Don’t worry. This was definitely not your fault. If anything, maybe this was a good thing after all. I was thinking on my way over here today, trying to make sense of these past months, and maybe it was all about me getting a shot at life, at happiness, meeting Dan and all. I don’t know. I do know that I can’t change what has happened. All we can do is make the best of the cards we’re dealt, you know?”

“I still can’t believe that you’re really back. Will I see more of you now?” Mary’s voice was laced with trepidation, afraid she might lose her friend again as quickly as he had come back into her room.

“Definitely.” Jonathan smiled, planting a peck on her cheek. “Are you sure it’s okay if Dan joins us?” he said with a sheepish smile on his face. He had never introduced Dan to anyone from his circles. He hadn’t had the chance. If anyone would understand and accept his choice, it would be Mary. He had to start somewhere.

So he called his lover, lying on the bed right next to Mary, and explained what he had done, where he had ended up, and the invitation for dinner. Dan accepted, saying he would be there by six thirty.

Back in town, Dan hung up the phone, and looked over to Parker. “Well, it seems I’m going to meet Jon’s best friend and her family tonight! I guess that’s as close as I’ll ever come to meeting my in-laws.” Dan wasn’t sure if he’d just made a lame joke or if he was just nervous. Nervous of the scrutiny he would face, the look on Mary’s parents’ face when they met Jonathan’s boyfriend, or how he would react to being face to face with the girl that had inadvertently caused Jonathan’s long journey out to his forest cabin. One thing was certain, he was grateful that it had ended on his doorstep.

Dan and Parker made little progress in their research that afternoon. The editor of a local newspaper had never heard of any Rick Johnsson and none of their paper was available online.

Parker put out a request with the local Police Department to see if anything could be learned, but he didn’t expect any information in the next forty-eight hours. Sensing they were done for the day, Dan drove back to the condo after buying some chocolates to bring to dinner, unsure if wine would have been appropriate. After all, he had no idea what to expect, and Jonathan was of little help.

The clock on Dan’s phone struck six thirty when he got out of his car and walked up to the house. He knocked on the door and waited. From the inside, he heard laughter and talking. The door opened and a young woman with big brown eyes, and long dark hair, more or less threw herself at him, launching her arms at him. “You must be Dan! Jonathan has told me everything,” Mary said, leaving Dan wondering if he needed to have a word with Jonathan about what exactly he had shared with his best friend. “Come in, we’ve been expecting you!” She shoved Dan into the house, almost pushing him into the living room where Jonathan had gotten up from the couch to greet him. Mary’s father was also there, extending a hand in greeting.

“Daniel? It’s a pleasure to meet you. Jonathan just told us about you. Seems we all owe you a debt of gratitude,” the man said and looked slightly awkward with the situation. Mary’s mother walked in from the kitchen with a large casserole in her hands. She smiled, put it on the dining room table, and then walked over to greet Dan. Like her daughter, she had big brown eyes, and long dark hair. Also like her daughter, she was a very physical being, foregoing the handshake and opting for a hug instead. “Daniel, welcome to our home. It’s such a pleasure to finally meet the man who saved Jonathan’s life. You have no idea how much we have been worried about the boy. Come in, come in. Mary, please take Dan’s jacket, and let’s sit down. Dinner is ready.”

Jonathan finally got a chance to greet Dan with a small, gentle peck on his cheek, a squeeze of his hand and a look of “I owe you one!” Instead, he said, “I’m glad you’re here. Don’t worry, I’m fine!”