The People in Rossford

[CharmedFan28]

Lots of things. One big thing is finding out if Brian and Chad make things work. I am guessing there is a book 3 after these last parts?

 

[ChrisGibson]

There may be something to that guess...

 

[ChrisGibson]

CHAPTER
ELEVEN

THE MARVEL OF MY LIFE CONTINUED


“All right now. Take the dip out to the living room,” Layla said, handing it to Brendan, “And don’t get carried away. Cookies are coming out in a minute.”
“Cookies!” Brendan said.
“Yeah, Bren. Now,” Layla patted him on the cheek, “go take that out.”
Brian came into the kitchen. Layla looked at him.
“You seen your uncle?”
“Fenn’s downstairs,” Layla said. “Fenn!”
“I gotta go,” Layla told him. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Layla,” Brian said, weakly, as she departed.
Fenn came up the stairs. “What’s going… Brian? Brian.”
“I wanted to talk to you,” he said.
Fenn raised an eyebrow and gave a strained smile.
“All right?”
“I… Come here,” Brian gestured to him. “Sit down. And I’ll sit down too.”
Fenn followed directions and sat down across from Brian, saying, “You’re really strange today.”
“I’m really… And I’ve been thinking about this… I’m really in love today.”
“Okay,” Fenn said. At the look in Brian’s eyes he added: “If you’re about to declare your love for me—”
“It’s weird, but not that weird,” Brian said.
“Cool,” Fenn said.
“Not that you’re not completely lovable.”
“Thank you.”
“And sexy too. I find you very sexy, Fenn.”
“Brian.”
“Stop?”
“Please.”
“All right,” Brian said, taking a breath. “I… And I feel that we’re friends, right?”
Fenn nodded.
“And that means a lot to me. I mean, it really means a lot to me. Our friendship, so—”
“Brian, are you going to tell me?”
There was a bump on the kitchen door. “Before someone comes in.”
“He’s younger,” Brian said. “And you know younger. I mean Todd is younger.”
“How much younger?”
Brian ducked his head.
“He’s on vacation right now. I can’t wait till he gets back.”
“He’s a student?” Fenn started.
Brian looked shocked, as if he hadn’t known it until Fenn said it.
“He’s a very… grown up student. He’s twenty-one.”
“You’re thirty-five. You’re a professor.”
At once the kitchen door flew open, and Brian jumped up as Claire Anderson stood before him.
“You son a bitch!” she said.
“Claire?” Fenn said, unfazed.
“Chad! How could you?” Claire said. “He’s a… ” Claire turned to Fenn and said, “He’s screwing Chad North!
“You don’t have limits do you? You just… You’ll do anything.”
“Claire,” Brian said, the old coldness returning. “I don’t have to explain anything to you. You are the last person in the world I have to explain anything you think you may or may not have heard.
She folded her arms over her chest.
“Would you be that high and mighty, Professor Babcock, if the whole school found out about you and Chad? Or even all of his friends? And,” she added, “would you be so high and mighty if the Dean found out about that little tape you made? That you sent to my house? With my mother’s name?”
Brian opened his mouth. Tom came in through the back door, opened his mouth, and Fenn put up a hand to say to halt him.
“No,” Claire said, quietly to Brian. “No one will find out. I’m not like that, but I just want you to know, no matter how… vain you get, and stuck up you are, and no matter how many times you think that tone of voice and that little look on your face intimidates anyone else… it doesn’t do anything for me. Because I don’t forget,” she whispered, putting her fingertips to the door, “I never forget.
“And you better not either.”
Momentarily choosing to ignore that drama, Fenn turned to his own.
“Tom, could I speak with you?”
“Yeah, sure.” Tom rocked the baby and said, “There you go. There you go. Oh, it’s a little man. It’s a little bitty man!”
“Claire, don’t kill Brian. Brian, don’t kill Claire. Tom, put the baby down. We need to talk.”
Tom’s expression changed, and then he called for Lee and went to him with the baby.
As the baby began wailing disconsolately, Lee despaired: “I don’t know what to do with this… baby…”
Tom followed Fenn into the parlor where Fenn slid the doors shut.
“Okay,” Tom said. “What’s up?”
“The baby—”
“Yeah, he’s a cute little guy, isn’t he? Still, I guess we need to call social services and…”
“Not necessarily,” Fenn said.
“Huh?”
“Sit down,” Fenn said. “Or… Stand up. I don’t know. Sitting won’t make it any better.”
“Fenn, what are you talking about?”
“Remember that summer…? When we were together again?”
“Oh…” Tom said. “That was… Nice.”
“Yeah,” Fenn said slowly.
“Wasn’t it?” Tom said. “That’s how we became friends again. That’s how we became each other again. Unafraid to touch each other.”
“Yes,” Fenn said. “I agree. I remember. But…I didn’t tell you everything.”
“What the hell do you mean?” Tom said suddenly.
“I might have… accidentally-not-so-accidentally while having sex with you jacked you off and sold your-sperm–on-the black market.”
Tom looked at Fenn for a long time, and then he said: “Repeat that.”
“No,” Fenn said.
“Are you…?” Tom sat down in an old chair. “Shitting me?”
“I should be, but no.”
Tom looked at him in disbelief and said, “Explain.”
“I was having difficulty with the mortgage. I saw a woman at the store one day. I was taking out my wallet. She saw your photo—”
“You had a picture of me of me in your wallet.”
“I have a picture of you in my wallet. But… that’s not the point. The point is she saw you, thought you were nice, and I might have worked out an arrangement for her.”
“You might have?”
“I did.”
“Fenn!”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“I… I was still angry at you, I think. And angry at myself for sleeping with you, and trying to pretend it didn’t matter. And… I felt bad after I did it, but… I figured nothing would happen. What the hell were the chances of…?”
“How did you do it?” Tom said, almost amazed.
“I… you know how I did it, Tommy! And then I put it in an old medicine bottle and froze it. I mean, in the freezer downstairs.”
“God you’ve hidden a dead body and frozen semen in that basement!”
“Yeah… Not so loud, Tommy.”
“Well… how does she know me?”
“I had to give her something on you, proof you were real. And… it was a long time ago. So… you’ve been on ice for a long time. I mean, I didn’t think it was even possible. Maybe it’s not, Tom. Maybe the bitch was crazy. But…”
Tom stood up, shaking out his hands. And then he shook out his legs. He walked around the room in a slow circle, speaking.
“I should be so mad at you,” he said, amazed.
“Well, now I did give you the gift of life, Tom.”
Tom said, dismissively, with no rancor, “Shut the fuck up, Fenn.”
Fenn nodded.
“This… baby… could be… probably is…. Mine?”
“You should DNA test.”
Tom nodded.
“This baby is mine,” Tom repeated.
“Am I out of the doghouse?”
Tom looked at Fenn sharply.
“I… You drove me crazy when we were together!” Tom said. “You always did shit like this.”
“Not quite like this.”
“And then when we broke up, you took the house. You… managed to take this house.”
Fenn held his breath.
“You…” Tom walked up to him, caught Fenn’s face in his hands and said, “You are the biggest son of a bitch I know. I can cheat on you, obviously. But I… can never be angry at you. You have never given me a dull moment.”
Tom kissed him hard on his mouth and then stood looking at him in something between awe and exasperation.
“You are, and always will be the marvel of my life.”

 

[CharmedFan28]

I can't believe Fenn did that! Sounds like Brian's friends won't be very accepting of Chad and his relationship which is sad. Great writing and I look forward to more soon!

 

[ChrisGibson]

Fenn is, in a word, unbelievable. Constantly. But, on the bright side, Tom has the baby he always wanted. Claire still remembers the things Brian has done, and he is significantly older than Chad, so she can hardly be blamed for her reaction. Any predictions for the final night of the People in Rossford?

 

[CharmedFan28]

I am not sure! It could go anywhere! Just so you know I have Jury Duty tomorrow so my response will be late.

 

[ChrisGibson]

Thanks. Hopefully, Rossford will be a respite from jury duty.

 

[ChrisGibson]

THE PEOPLE IN ROSSFORD:
CONCLUSION


“All right,” James said, once they’d gotten to the apartment. “Where do I stay?”
Noah put his hands to his mouth and laughed giddily before becoming instantly embarrassed,
He came up to James, looked him over, and then hugged him quickly.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“Noah told me what a hell hole his life was,” Danasia said.
“It was,” said James.
“But I think Danny’s thing is I never told her about you. Well… That was different.”
James shrugged, and Danny said, “Are we going to this party? Lee said he had a surprise for me.”
“Really?” Noah said, delighted.
“Yeah…” She looked at him strangely, but decided to ask no questions.
“I was tired—” James said.
“You can go to bed,” Noah was solicitous. “You can have my bed. I’ll take the couch.”
“That’s silly,” James told. “I’m just going to sleep in your bed. It’ll be like an old slumber party.”
At the pleased look on Noah’s face, Danasia wondered if James knew everything about him. Noah was a gay pornstar. There was no indication that James planned to do anything but sleep.
“But for now,” James said, “I’m going to splash some water on my face and go with you guys to meet your friends.”
When James headed in the direction of the bathroom, Noah watched after him before turning to Danasia.
“I’ll tell you all about him,” Noah said. “For now let’s get the hell out of here and on to the party.”
“I bet it’s dull without us,” Danasia said making for the door.
“I bet,” Noah said, “it’s anything but dull.”

“Are you just going to stand there and stare, or are you going to say something?
“That’s the thing about people,” James said, closing his locker. “And for people, read ‘white people’.”
“I hate this place.”
Dazed, Noah said, “I hate it too. My name’s Noah.”
“Well, I’m James Lewis. Can you show me what’s worth seeing in this place?”
“There is nothing worth seeing in Rummelsville,” Noah told him.
“You’re in my geometry class,” James said. “We’ll hang out. You can be my friend.”
“Just like that?” Noah said, trying to jest.
“Just like that,” said James. “There is no one else I’ve seen here I’d want to talk to. Or who would talk to me if we’re going to be real.”
They headed down the hall. “You seem like you’re not like everyone else.”
“I’m not like anyone else,” Noah said. And then he said, “And I’m not bragging when I say that. It’s just… I don’t really fit in here.”
“My father got a job a the university outside of Carmel, and now we’re here and… Is it just me or are we the only Black people in this town?”
Noah grinned and said, at last, “It’s not just you, James.
“I’ve never met a Black person,” he admitted as they headed toward the classroom they were both late in reaching.
“I never met someone who admitted that. Hey,” James grabbed Noah by the shoulder. “I don’t want to go to geometry.”
“You wanna cut class?”
“I definitely want to cut class,” James said, a light in his eye.
It was then that Noah thought James was the most beautiful boy he’d ever seen, and so he said, “All right.”
He slung his bag high over his shoulder.
“Let’s go!”

“Noah!”
Hum!” Noah turned to Danasia.
“What?”
“I thought you didn’t like that boy. The way you reacted in Guy’s studio when we first say him. But… ”
Down the hall, in the bathroom where James was, Noah heard the sound of running water from the faucet.”
“No,” Noah said softly. “No. That’s James.”
“I guess that means something.”
Noah said, “He was one of my only friends. My only friend who was a boy.”
“You knew him when you were growing up?”
“Um hum.”
“They have Black people in Rummelsville?”
“They had James’ family. They didn’t stay. He went to school in town. His father was a professor at the university in Carmel. James left for college the year before I left for California. But he kept in touch with my mother…” Noah lost track of what he was saying and just chewed his lip while driving.
“And you loved him,” Danasia said.
Noah said: “And I loved him.”

“BITCH, YOU’LL DO WHAT I tell you!”
He moved toward her with the baseball bat. Noah jumped in front of her, but Butch knocked him to the ground. Noah scrambled up, but the bat came in his direction and Noah dodged it, lifting his hand, the top of the bat slamming his fingertips.
“Get off her!”
And Naomi screamed out his name: “Noah!”
From the corner of his eye, as Noah rose up, he saw the door open. But he turned around heading for Butch again, and then Butch came at him, and Noah hoped he could catch the bat and not be hit in the groin, but just then Butch went down.
Noah turned around.
In his jeans and tee shirt James stood there with the crowbar and a crazy grin on his face.
“Apparently I didn’t come back a minute too late he said.”
“You miss me?”
“James, shut up,” Noah said, standing up to hug him.
Naomi was crying on the floor and James said, “Mrs. Riley, you have to stop that.”
“James, help me get Butch the fuck out of here.”

“I gotta get the hell out of here,” Noah said. “I mean as soon as I turn eighteen.”
“You can go to my school,” said James.
Noah shook his head.
“That’s not for me. I… I’m just going to go to California.”
“That is the stupidest plan I’ve ever heard.”
“James!”
“Well,” James shrugged. “Do whatever, Noah. But just get the hell out of Indiana.”

As they approached Fenn’s house, Danasia said, “James, I’m going to whisper something secret to Noah. About you. Do you mind?”
He grinned at her and said, “Well, as long as you’re honest about it. I’ll walk over by that tree. Okay?”
The door of the house opened, and Fenn shouted out, “What the hell are you all doing just hanging around the car. Get in.”
“In a minute,” Danasia said.
“And you,” Fenn waved at James. “Get in the house. Share yourself.”
“Well, privacy problem taken care of,” James said, heading into the house and leaving the two of them while Fenn, shutting the door said, “Damn, you’re pretty, boy!”
When they were alone, Noah looked at Danasia.
“What?” Noah said?
When Danasia said nothing, Noah repeated: “What!”
“I always thought,” Danasia said, “that you weren’t a romantic or anything. But that James… He’s the one? Isn’t he?”
When Noah said nothing Danasia repeated his name.
“Yes!” Noah said, at last. “He’s the one, alright! He was always the one.”
Danasia smiled to herself.
“Noah, has a one,” she sang as the snow began to fall, and the sounds of the party came from inside the house on Versailles Street. “Noah has a one.”

THIS STORY WILL BE CONTINUED IN: THE PRAYERS IN ROSSFORD, THE CONCLUSION OF OUR TRILOGY, COMING NEXT WEEK.

 

[CharmedFan28]

A great conclusion to The People In Rossford! I look forward to seeing what happens with Noah and James and of course everything else that is going on in this story.

 

[ChrisGibson]

It's like, will Brian and Chad stay together? Will Noah and James find happiness? What are Fenn and Tom going to do with this baby. Who will clean up this messy house after the Christmas party? Stay tuned and see.