The City - chapter twenty seven
“Hey Tyler. Good to see you again.” The words came from Todd, archnemesis of the residents of 250. Tyler stood in the doorway of Leon and Franz’s home in Jersey, stunned. ”What?” Tyler said. Todd pushed his way past, leaned down to pet an eager Nairobi, and smiled up at Tyler who continued to stammer. “I don’t understand. You. You’re in rehab.” “Rehab?” Todd asked. He pulled a treat from his pocket and fed it to Nairobi. Recovering from the shock, Tyler spoke more directly. “No, you told me yourself you were moving home to San Diego to take care of your sick father. And then Martin told me you checked into an alcohol rehab center in New Jersey. Now I find out you’re Franz and Leon’s dog-walker. This is unbelievable.” Todd shrugged, “Believe it.” “Does Leon know Franz hired you? You tried to have him kicked out your gym for buying marijuana from Martin.” ”Water under the bridge. They needed a dog-walker, I needed the extra money, and voila! here I am.” Tyler crossed his arms. “I don’t think it’s that easy.”
Meanwhile on the side of the highway in Pennsylvania Franz had the car jacked up so he could replace a flat tire. ”I don’t think it’s that easy,” Spaz said. She had the car manual in her hands and was giving directions. “Did the bolt you removed look like a T or an I?” On the side of the road Leon was on the phone with Kimmie. ”We were making good time until the tire popped. We’ll put the spare on and at the first garage we see put on a new tire. Shouldn’t hold us back. We were planning to stay the night in Ohio anyway.”
“OK,” Kimmie said. She was in her home office, putting in a few hours on a Saturday. “Does he still seem angry about losing so many of his employees to Yoohoo?” Leon looked over his shoulder towards Franz on his back under the car. He cursed as Spaz handed him a wrench. “No, he’s moved on,” Leon said.
In Brooklyn, Jacob knocked on Frederico’s door. Frederico answered in his painting smock and a smile on his face. ”You’re chipper,” Jacob said. Frederico smiled even broader, “What can I do for you?” He stepped aside and motioned that Jacob should enter. ”I’m about to rip out some wiring in my kitchen,” he said. “Do you mind if I turn off the power in the whole building for about 30 minutes?” Frederico agreed and even offered to help with the project. But first he put on a kettle of water and washed his brushes. Over a pot of tea the neighbors discussed matters of the heart. ”I think it’s possible to be friends after a break up,” Frederico said. “Martin and I are doing great as friends.” Knowing otherwise, Jacob probed. “Really? You don’t think there’s a chance of a relapse? That one or both of you won’t take the warm feelings too far and fall back in love?” Frederico pondered the theory. “No, I think we’re beyond that. I know he had some feelings still just a few months ago, but he’s been dating and has moved on. I really believe that. So, so have I.” Jacob looked over his tea cup. “You’ve moved on?” Frederico smiled again. “That’s what I said.”
“Do you you think he’s seeing just one person?” Frita asked Martin. They were walking next to each other on adjacent treadmills. Martin sighed. “I hope not! How can he be dating someone? I’d rather he be having cheap hookups than falling for one person.” ”Really?” Frita asked. ”Yes! Maybe. I don’t know!” “Martin, you are a piece of work. You push him away, you pull him back, you push, pull. Make up your mind. Do you want him back, or is he just attractive because he’s unavailable?” Martin sighed and stirred his coffee. “When will I get over him?”
And back in Jersey, Tyler and Todd continued their stand-off. ”Aren’t you supposed to be getting back to Brooklyn?” Todd asked. Tyler snorted, “and leave you here alone?” The two sat down and glared at each other. Finally Todd spoke. “Let’s clear up some stuff. First, I went to San Diego for a week to see my parents. Second, I didn’t check into rehab, I’m working the night shift there. Third, you don’t need to stay and keep an eye on me.” Tyler eyed him for a while before speaking. “There’s something wrong with you. Everytime I turn around there you are, usually only a few feet from Frederico. Did you take this job just so you could keep tabs on him? Man, let him go. Let that friendship die.” ”I have better things to waste my time on than Frederico.” Tyler noticed a tone change that belied the truth. “That’s it! You left because of Frederico. Your dad isn’t sick, you moved to Jersey to get away. You’re trying to get past a major crush on Frederico, but instead you’re getting some cheap thrill out of working for his friends.” He punctuated each statement with a finger jab at Todd’s chest. Todd quickly grabbed Tyler’s hand. “Don’t,” he said definitively, “don’t try to make this into something about him.” Tyler pulled his hand back, “I’m going to let Leon know that his boyfriend hired the guy who got him kicked out of the gym, and has a problem with alcohol, and a bigger one with the truth.” ”The truth?” Todd said. “Why would I take a lecture about the truth from you? Ronald tells me you’re not so good with it.” Tyler was stunned into silence again, by the mere mention of his ex-boyfriend’s name.
What does the City have in store next for our heroes? Stay tuned.
Based on events and people that may be familiar to some, names and associations have been altered to protect the guilty.
