When The Right Door Opens

by Catherine Micqu

  “Okay. Let's get this out of your system. Why don't you like me?”

  “I never said that.” Agnes retorted childishly.

  “Well, if this is the way you show people you like them, I don't want to be your enemy.” Sebastian said with a warm smile in his voice. Silence fell around them and all that could be heard was Agnes's sniffle.

  “I don't get it. Why are you so nice to me? I'm insulting you in your own home.” Agnes inquired after a while. She couldn't sit in silence with this man when she had too many thoughts in her mind and too many questions on her tongue to ask.

  “Because I know that this is hard for you. I understand more than you think. If I were in your place, I would be afraid and suspicious too.”

  “I'm not afraid.”

  “Of course you aren't. But I would be. I would be scared to death that once I would dare to feel safe and comfortable, something bad would happen, something that is out of my control and everything would start anew. Well, maybe you are stronger than I am. I am only a gay crippled dancer after all...”

  “You're a dancer?”

  “I used to be.” This answer got Agnes's attention and she smiled sadly, as if she was remembering something, before she said wistfully: “We had no money for dance classes.”

  “It's never too late...” Sebastian got up from his uncomfortable seating position.

  “I wanted to be a ballerina when I was young, but now I know that I need to do something that helps me earn money. I need to stop dreaming. Grow up...” Agnes sounded way too hardened for a young girl and Sebastian held his hand out to her. He had decided to show her his safe haven.

  “Come with me. Please?”

  ****

  “What is this?” Agnes asked in awe. She had followed Sebastian up a flight of stairs and when the stairs ended, she found herself in a huge open area. Light flooded the room and the floor was softer, like it was made out of training mattresses. Mirrors were on one side of the room, a stereo and an overstuffed chair, but no furniture.

  “This is my safe haven. My own dancing studio.” Sebastian stated proudly, waving his hand around the room.

  “But these bars and the mirrors.” Agnes pointed at them, when she finally understood what this was.

  “Ballet. Yes.” Sebastian nodded and waited for a reaction.

  “Really?” her eyes lit up.

  “I could teach you, but I won't be able to show you much right now. Bad knee and stuff.”

  “Nah, I'm good.” she said a little too quickly and Sebastian had to tease her about it.

  “Are you scared?”

  “Of course I'm not. I am simply too old.” she sounded like an affronted old lady and Sebastian snickered, he put on some music and waited.

  “That's no music for ballet.” Agnes said right away.

  “You can dance to any music you wish to dance to. This is contemporary classic. You can move and dance to it. Like this.” Sebastian started to move and dance. He used the entire space, careful not to put full pressure on his leg. Agnes watched in amazement as the man started to drown in his passion. With closed eyes, he moved around and bent and turned. Agnes was in awe and moved out of the way while she watched what Sebastian was sharing with her.

  Agnes was joined by Kai and Jamie. Jamie couldn't tear his eyes from Sebastian. Kai wanted to interrupt his twin brother, knowing full well that he should not dance, but Agnes shook her head vigorously and Kai stayed silent. If only reluctantly. He moved closer to Agnes and then he saw what she was seeing all along. Jamie, who was staring at Sebastian. The look in his eyes didn't leave anything to the imagination.

  Sebastian opened his eyes and saw Jamie standing there. He smiled shyly and then stopped dancing. Panting and sweating, he moved to his sound system and turned off the music. He was completely oblivious to Kai and Agnes being in the room. He had only eyes for Jamie. They stood a few feet apart from each other and looked into each other’s' eyes and right into each other’s souls. Jamie took a step towards Sebastian. Sebastian took a step towards Jamie. Agnes started grinning and held her hand up to her mouth to keep from squealing. Kai rolled his eyes. Sebastian took another step. Jamie took another step. Agnes started bouncing on her feet and Kai – Kai cleared his throat loudly and gave a heartfelt laugh when he saw how shocked Sebastian and Jamie were when their surroundings came back into focus.

  “I bet, that at the end of the week, these two have kissed at least once.” Agnes told Kai excitedly.

  “I interrupted them this morning. You did the same just now.” she sounded proud and Jamie glared at her disapprovingly.

  “I – I need to go lie down. I have a headache.” Jamie wanted to vanish, he felt his cheeks red from the embarrassed heat and also from the undeniable lust he had felt for Sebastian just them. He would have kissed him, devoured him, and maybe even taken him, if Kai hadn't interrupted them.

  “Do you need something? Painkiller?” Sebastian asked concerned.

  “Kiss?” Kai teased and Agnes broke into laughter.

  “I'm fine. Thanks.” Jamie answered curtly and left.

  “You two are impossible.” Sebastian scolded his brother and Agnes.

  “You go and rest that leg, I'll take this young lady on a shopping spree. Uncle Beb is going to pay.” Kai said smugly.

  “Beb?”

  “I couldn't say Seb or Sebastian when I was little.” Kai shrugged and Agnes nodded knowingly.

  “I'll just go and tell my dad and take my stuff.”

  “Behave yourselves. I don't want to come home with Aggy and surprise you and him while you're... you know.” Kai teased his brother and laughed.

  “Aggy? Since when are you two best friends?”

  “We bonded while moving boxes. You were too invested watching Jamie bend and haul your stuff around to notice. He sure is muscly and well endowed.” Kai teased further.

  “Get out already.” Sebastian laughed without denying anything his brother had said. He had a point after all.

  ~~Chapter 6~~

  Kai and Agnes were almost done with their shopping, only one more major thing was missing on their list – a bed.

  Outside, the sun started to set, making Kai and Agnes laugh with the realization that they had spent the entire afternoon and part of the early evening goofing around at the furniture store. Kai and Agnes were exhausted and with the pretense to test mattresses, laid on a comfortable looking bed. They had sat on every chair, every couch and every other surface where they could sit on, they had opened every drawer and every cupboard there was and they had had much fun doing so. Agnes had had the time of her life, she couldn't remember a day that had been more carefree and fun than the day with Kai. He was great company and he felt like family. Kai was a great uncle.

  Kai couldn't keep his curiosity at bay any longer. He had fun with Agnes, they laughed and teased each other and he already felt like being her favorite uncle. Kai had never known that hanging around with a teenage girl was so much fun. Agnes had a great sense of humor, but Kai also sensed the underlying sadness that was a constant companion. She was not like most children or teenagers her age and it showed again and again.

  Always the protector of his brother, Kai wanted to know more about Jamie and Agnes and he finally, when he felt it was safe, decided to start a little quiz.

  “How old are you?” he suddenly asked Agnes, when it occurred to him, that he had no idea about ages. He had no idea at all and seeing Jamie's young face opposed to his graying temples made guessing even harder.

  “Eighteen.” she said uncertainly.

  “How old are you really?”

  “Seventeen?” she asked and Kai shook his head disapprovingly.

  “Sixteen.”

  “I don't believe you. Continue your little count-down!” he smirked, thinking that it reminded him of the first episode of the TV series Queer as Folk, which he had always watched with Sebastian.

  “Fifteen. Okay, fourteen. Honestly. Fourteen.” Kai nodded, satisfied that she told th
e truth.

  “Your dad must have been really young when you were born.”

  “He was sixteen. Lauren was almost twenty.”

  “I know what your dad does for a living.” Kai suddenly said, after a moment of pause.

  “I know it too.” Agnes sensed a trap. If she said something wrong, things would get ugly and in a way, if she spoke to someone who wasn't her father about it, it would become reality too. She didn't want to be the daughter of the hustler. She could live with being the daughter of a sales person, it was not as negatively regarded by people, but her father was a male whore. She knew it and she didn't like it and that was a fact that her father knew all too well too.

  “Must be a hard life.”

  “What do you want from me?” she asked defensively, she didn't like the direction their talk was taking.

  “Nothing. I just want to make conversation, that's all.”

  “And?”

  “And maybe protect my brother.” Kai admitted, before adding “Is your father even gay?” The term gay for pay came to his mind.

  “Yes. Yes, of course he is.” Agnes sighed and was ready to get up.

  “How do you even know, you're only fourteen.”

  “He told me. We talk about everything.”

  “I just don't want Bebbi to get hurt.” Kai almost whispered. “He had a hard time. With his knee and the divorce and all.”

  “And I don't want my dad to get hurt, but they are grown-ups. It's not... we shouldn't meddle.” Agnes replied decisively. She secretly admired Kai for doing this. Taking care of his brother, being protective, but she wished that she weren't the target of his quiz.

  “You're really wise for your age.”

  “I know, I've been told so, but thank you anyway.”

  “Kai? Kai Martin. Take your dirty shoes from that mattress and get up. You are not at home.” an older lady glared down at Kai, with her hands on her hips and Kai immediately obliged, taking a sitting position, looking down at his feet. Agnes almost felt sorry for the grown man, but she immediately liked the fiery woman. It was fun to see Kai squirm like that.

  “Yes Ma'am.”

  “And who is this? She is surely too young to be with you. Who are you, child?” The attention went to Agnes, which she didn't find to be as funny anymore, and now the woman was scrutinizing her, head to toe and back up again.

  “I'm Agnes McCarrick.” she answer shyly, getting up from the bed and waiting for Kai to react. She didn't know what to do and he was the adult in charge.

  “She is the daughter of Beb's new roommate. She lives with Sebastian now.” Kai informed the woman.

  “What? When did that happen? I don't know any of this.” the woman looked incredulously at Kai, her hands were still on her hips, and it was clear that she didn't want to hear any lies and excuses.

  “It was spontaneous. You should ask Sebastian about the details. ”

  “Kai Archibald Martin. Get out of that bed immediately and tell me what this is all about.” The woman pointed to an imaginary spot in front of her and Kai all but jumped up, he glared at Agnes who was laughing loudly.

  “Agnes McCarrick, this is my mom. Karen Martin. Mom, this is Agnes.” Kai remembered his proper manners and introduced the women.

  “I'm going over there as soon as possible. It can't be that I don't see him for a week and he already has a new man in the house. Let alone one with a teenage daughter.”

  “Mom, he's thirty-three, he knows what he is doing. We are shopping to get her room furnished.”

  “Don't you mom me, he is still my little baby and so are you.” Then Karen turned to Agnes and her hard face softened considerably.

  “Agnes, do you want to see some more furniture for that room?”

  “No, um no. This will be just fine. Thank you, Ma'am.”

  “Come here, child. If you are going to live with my son, you will have a really nice room. Did he give you the complete room, the one with the big closet and the bathroom? I don't know why he always preferred the other room...” Karen put an arm around Agnes's shoulders and walked into another direction with her, without waiting for her son. Kai trudged after the women reluctantly. Karen took Agnes's arm and dragged her from department to department and with every added item to the list, Agnes and Karen became friendlier and more comfortable around each other.

  Agnes was a bit overwhelmed by the lovely woman taking charge of her. She was not much taller than she was herself, but a lot older and although her hair was styled immaculately, she couldn't or wouldn't conceal the gray hair. Fine lines around her eyes revealed a person who laughed a lot and had life experience. On second glance, the resemblance with her sons was striking.

  Karen Martin spoiled Agnes like she was her own grand-child and Agnes liked the feeling of being taken care of as if she was a part of the family. Almost, as if she suddenly had found a home and a family, all in one day, more or less.

  Kai still walked sluggishly behind his mother and Agnes, but he also liked how his mother didn't ask questions that intimidated the young girl. This was just like her. If her sons liked a person, she did too, without questions, though there were subtle differences sometimes. Kai was sure that his mother had seen something in Agnes, maybe a need, maybe the sadness, that she couldn't hide, even if she did her best to do so. Karen took charge of the girl, as if she was part of the family and both women had fun shopping. The little fact that Sebastian was paying in the end let Karen be a little vindictive. If her son had secrets, she would get the best out of it and if it was only to spoil a lost child.

  ****

  “We always seem to meet in the kitchen.” Jamie smiled. Sebastian was cooking and it smelled delicious.

  “Do you need help?” Sebastian turned to greet Jamie with a smile and Jamie had to gulp at the sight. Sebastian wore a tight shirt and tight jeans. His hair was stylishly disheveled and he wore glasses that made him look even sexier. If that was possible at all. His feet were bare. Again. Jamie wondered if he had seen Sebastian wear shoes or even socks since he met him, but he couldn't tell.

  “No, it's okay. I need to add this and then I put it in the oven for about forty-five minutes. By then, Agnes and Kai should be back and we can eat dinner together.”

  “So, I meant to ask, the phone rang earlier today. Did you see the missed call? I was not sure if I should take the call or not.”

  “Yes, I saw it. It was my ex-husband. It's okay though, you can take the phone, open the door, feel at home. I have no secrets and no skeletons hidden in the closet.”

  “Nice to know. Thanks again. For everything. It means a lot to me and to Agnes too.”

  “Please, Jamie. It's okay now. Stop thanking me. I don't want a grateful submissive roommate, I want a cool easy going man.”

  “I'm am a lot of things, but I am not a submissive and with you in the room, I am never easy-going.” Jamie's voice became flirty and his words were filled with innuendo.

  Sebastian took a step towards Jamie.

  “Why's that?”

  “I always wonder how those lips will taste.” Sebastian licked the lips in question seductively.

  “Want a sample?” Jamie didn't need much more invitation. He slowly approached Sebastian. He knew that this time no one was around to interrupt them and so he gave in to his feelings. Whatever this was what he was feeling, he wanted this man. Taste him in the most intimate way there was.

  Sebastian closed the distance and set his hands on Jamie's shoulders. Jamie's hand landed on Sebastian's hips. Their faces came closer and closer together and for the first time, their lips brushed against each other’s. Lightly. Slowly. Tantalizing. Their breaths mingled and Sebastian's hand moved to Jamie's neck, to pull him closer. Soft lips kissed, no tongue was involved and yet it was so very intimate. Jamie's hands wandered up Sebastian's back and he held him tightly, still kissing and reveling in the moment. Their lips parted and they held their eyes. Both men were smiling. “Hi.” Jamie said huskily. “Hi.” answered Sebastian and he k
issed Jamie again. This time, Jamie got bolder, the tip of his tongue licked Sebastian's and he was allowed entrance. They kisses slowly, memorizing every move, every taste, every sound the other man made.

  The backdoor swung open and a loud woman's voice squealed: “What the... Sebastian?” The men, who were kissing passionately, looked into the direction of the voice.

  “M- Mom?” Sebastian stuttered, shocked. Jamie shook his head Busted again! And he had to suppress his laughter. The humor of the situation was not lost on him. Jamie immediately knew who this woman was. She was Sebastian's mother, there was no mistaking. Close behind the woman was Agnes, who loudly yelled “Yesss! I told you so, Kai. They kissed.” Kai and Agnes high-fived and Sebastian blushed furiously.

  Jamie took a step forward and held out his hand: “I think we haven't met. I'm James McCarrick. Friends call me Jamie though.” Jamie smiled friendlily and then added “I'm also this young woman's father.” Karen looked incredulously from Agnes to Jamie and back again.

  “Karen Martin, the boys' mother. Aren't you a bit too young to have a daughter this age?”

  “I may have been only a teenager when she became a part of me, but one grows with his duties.” Jamie shrugged, still shaking Karen Martin's hand.

  “Very well. But that does not explain your black and bruised face, nor does it explain why you are kissing my son, now is it?” Jamie let go of Karen's hand.

  “No Ma'am. The face is easiest explained by telling you, that I had an accident and the kiss, I'm afraid that was mutual. Come on Agnes, we are going to put those things in your room. It was nice meeting you, Mrs Martin. Kai.” Jamie nodded and guided Agnes upstairs.

  “And here I was being concerned about you, seeing that yesterday was your wedding anniversary and all. You're never telling your poor mom anything anymore and what is that damned cane doing here? What did you do again?”

  “Mom... Mom stop. Please. I like Jamie and he lives here. He is nice and funny and cute and very handsome. I want him to be here.”