The City - chapter twenty eight
“Ronald?” Tyler was stunned to hear his ex-boyfriend’s name. Even more stunned to hear it said by Todd. “How on earth do you know anything about me and Ronald?” Todd smirked and continued without explanation “Nasty little break up, wasn’t it?” The two stood facing each other in Leon and Franz’s kitchen, their dog Nairobi energetically watching them when she wasn’t jumping up and trying to lap their faces. Feeling like he’d been kicked in the gut first by discovering Todd was their dog walker and second by the fact that Todd had apparently been talking to his ex, Tyler tried to keep his feet firmly planted. “In fact, it was a nasty breakup. But that has nothing to do with you.” “Don’t get so flustered. He checked into the center last week. We got to talking and I put two and two together.” Tyler caught his breath. “So, he’s finally getting help. And you’re the idiot giving it to him? Incredible.” “Funny how things work out, isn’t it?” Todd grabbed Nairobi’s leash off its hook and grabbed her playfully by the ears. “Care to join us for a walk?”
“We can’t walk to Memphis!” Spaz said. She was sitting between Franz and Leon in the cab of a tow-truck somewhere in Pennsylvania. The flat tire was beyond repair and they had to call in AAA for help. The tow truck driver had sweat stains under both arms and was chewing on the stump of a cigar. It was a good look for him. Fritz, upset that he hadn’t been given the chance to fix the tire himself was studying a map on his Crackberry. He noticed Leon’s phone vibrating and nudged him. “You want to get that?” Leon glanced down at the phone and saw that it was Tyler calling. “It’s just Tyler, I’ll call him back once we know where we are and how long it will take.”
At 250 in Brooklyn, Frederico and Jacob tore apart the wiring in Jacob’s kitchen. Jacob gave an overview of what he was planning to do with the space. Expanded bathroom, remove the drop ceiling to reveal the original tin, possibly a sliding door on new pantry, window seat. He had big plans. “The landlord is letting you do all this?” Frederico asked. Jacob nodded. “Yep. We have it all worked out.” “It’s too bad Helmut isn’t here to help you,” Frederico teased. “He might be an excellent architect, but I don’t think I’d want his help,” Jacob responded. Then probing a little “when is he scheduled to get back from Germany?” Frederico held a flashlight so Jacob could see behind a piece of dry-wall. “Not sure. He thought it would only be a couple of months, but they found something wrong with his application and now he has to start over. Last time I talked to him he said that his job here was ok with the delay and have actually been using him to do work from Hamburg.”
Up in Queens where Ivan was subletting Adam’s apartment, he bumped into the landlady as he said good-bye to another trick. He smiled, she glared. “I don’t remember your friend entertaining so many gentlemen.” Taken aback Ivan said nothing. She continued “I don’t want trouble” and she wagged her finger in his face.
At the end of the day Tyler walked up the stairs to his apartment. He had been unable to reach Leon to suggest that they reconsider Todd as their house-sitter/dog walker. And he had been floored by the news that Todd had met Ronald, in fact wasn’t even sure he believed it. Within minutes of sitting down a knock on his door jarred him out of his thoughts. It was Martin. “Need to borrow a cup of sugar?” Tyler teased. “More like an ear,” Martin said. “Frederico is dating someone and it has me torn up inside. Do you have any idea who it is?”
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.
