An Unexpected Gift

by Brandon Carlisle

  Since the first time I met Arthur, I learned the man is a sharp lawyer, and very observant. He always seems to pick the right person for the job, and has never failed in anything he has done for Sebastian. If he felt this is the right location for the clinic, I will bet anything he is right.

  “When we looked at the premises and talked with the representing agent, there are two options, although they only listed one. We can lease the main floor where the restaurant was located, or we can make an offer to buy the building outright. If you go that route, we already looked at several of the apartments with the agent and did a general inspection of the building. Other than a few needed maintenance updates David says the building is in overall excellent condition. The tenants are all long term, most with small families. The owner has owned the building for over thirty years, and the building is free of any liens or mortgages.”

  “Gentlemen, why don’t we head outside. Sebastian called for a taxi while we changed so we wouldn’t have to worry about parking.” Reaching out, Arthur grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze, and we headed to the front door before Sebastian stopped and looked at me.

  “We have to leave a note for Andy!”

  I looked at Arthur and David and smiled. When Sebastian returned, he was placing the note on the coffee table just as we heard a horn honk outside.

  “Gentlemen, our taxi awaits.”

  Traffic was light, and the ride was swift. Once we stopped in front of the building, I remembered admiring how well maintained it was on one of my visits to Angel House to pick up Sebastian.

  I felt him tug at my arm and he leaned in close as David unlocked the chain on the door. “Ryan and I ate here a few times on our breaks. The food was excellent. A very nice family ran it. The mother and father spoke little English, but the kids were very helpful. They had a teenage son and daughter who helped out after school. I wonder where they are now? This will be a good opportunity for us and the community.”

  The building was two doors down from Angel House so the kids, and anyone else in the neighborhood, would have easy access when they needed.

  David removed the chain and unlocked the door. There was little dust as it had only recently closed. Shutting the door behind us, he began the tour. The main dining area was to the right, and it was large. We could partition the space off, and create two or three exam rooms, and a receptionist area. Immediately to the left were his and hers bathrooms and a wall that continued for about sixty or seventy feet before you reached a set of swinging doors. After we had stepped through them, we found the kitchen to the right, and an open area on the left, with an office, several desks, a storage area, and what I assumed were staging areas. As he led us back further, there were also a set of his and hers employee bathrooms.

  Sebastian was quiet taking everything in, not asking one question. But from what I could tell he was hanging on to every word David was saying about the changes that would need to be made.

  “It may not look like much but once we update the bathrooms, install new linoleum, replace the drop ceiling and lighting, and add the partitions, offices, etc., you could have your clinic. You would have all the plumbing you need with some minor modifications. You also have enough electrical power already supplied to the building. The only re-purposing would be the kitchen. We can tear it out and replace it with any sinks, sterilizing equipment, whatever your doctors need. Most of it is surface and minor. What do you think?”

  David had a grin on his face and Arthur and I looked at Sebastian expectantly. He turned in my direction and I motioned for him to follow me. He raised a finger to Arthur and David and we went off to a corner to confer.

  “Sebastian, this is your decision. I won’t make it for you. I want to know what you think first.”

  Taking a deep breath, he ran his hand along the back of his neck and looked at me. “You can be a real bitch, can’t you.” Then he smiled. “What David says makes sense. If I want to throw more money at it, I could make it fancier but I don’t see the point. It would make people uncomfortable. The location is perfect. The space is good. It doesn’t need a lot of work. I’m also thinking of buying the building. What do you think?”

  That I wasn’t expecting. Sure, Arthur mentioned it, but I didn’t pay much attention. I never knew how much money Sebastian had, and we never discussed it. I really didn’t care. The life we lived never really interfered with it. “Uh. Okay.”

  He turned back, grabbing my hand, and we returned to give Sebastian's answer. Giving my hand a squeeze, he squared his shoulders.

  “Arthur, let’s look at both options. Lease and buy. Whichever is more practical for the foundation. If we were to buy, I want to pay cash.”

  “It’s on the market as a lease. No one is interested yet. The possibility of the foundation buying the building outright and managing the property could be a viable option. There are twenty-four units and it is a family building, in great condition, with respectable tenants. There is a steady income from the rent plus the lease of the clinic will cover the maintenance and taxes of the building. It could also provide revenue to set a reserve for the foundation to cover part of the clinic’s operating costs, in the long run. This is besides the fact of the foundation having a valuable asset on its books. Holding the property long term is reasonable. The area has good potential for improvement in increased property value. I see that option as the best solution if the price is reasonable. The owner is elderly and might look to retire based on our discussions with the agent. The owner has discussed it with him but has not yet made a definite decision. If you add additional assets to the foundation, it may, in the long run, support itself.”

  “Fine. Arthur, draw everything up. I’m sure they won’t turn down an all-cash offer. I want the building to have an on-site manager who knows basic maintenance. He’ll have an apartment and a decent salary. Make sure he has excellent references.”

  During the ride back my head was swimming at what I heard. He was buying a twenty-four unit building for cash! He might even put more money in the foundation, as well! The way they were talking, he probably had even more money tucked away somewhere. My Sebastian sounded like he was a Rockefeller.

  Now I was listening to the three of them in the taxi's backseat discussing needing an address for the foundation office, people to run it, and many other requirements. I wasn’t even involved, and it was overwhelming. I couldn’t imagine how Sebastian would feel once we were home alone.

  “Sebastian?”

  “Yes, Isaac?”

  “I think what you are doing is great. Just remember that you need to take time for yourself. This is a lot you are taking on. Maybe you should take a leave of absence for a while from the museum.”

  “We’ll talk about it later. But, thank you. I love you.”

  I went back to listening to the conversation. When they posed the question about where the office was to be located, I turned around.

  Sebastian didn’t hesitate. “Close to my home. Somewhere in the Haight.”

  David made a note. “Shouldn’t be too hard. There are a lot of older buildings that have been converted to offices, and storefronts that have the upstairs converted to offices. Once Arthur knows staffing size, I can look for you. No commission charges. Once your foundation is up and running, I’d like to bring up the work it will be doing at several of our association meetings and put it out in our newsletter.”

  Pulling up to the house we got out and said our goodbyes as they went to Arthur’s car. Arthur stopped and turned around. “Sebastian, once I’ve put the offer through for the building we need to sit down and go over a few more things. I believe there are other important factors you should consider. Not crucial at the moment, but they are important.”

  “Sure, Arthur.”

  I took Sebastian’s hand, and we walked up the steps, my head filled with all I learned about my lover, and what lay ahead.

  *****

  When we got inside, the note was still on the coffee table so Andy must not have re
turned . Sebastian stopped once the door was closed. “Isaac, you’ve been awfully quiet. Is something bothering you?”

  I couldn’t look him in the eye so I shook my head.

  “Honey, talk to me. Please. Sit down and tell me what’s wrong.”

  Sitting on the sofa he straddled my legs and grabbed my chin gently, staring into my eyes. “After all this time do you think you could fool me? Spill it, my furry hunk. Tell me what’s bothering you.”

  I felt my face flush at the words. I was being foolish. “Look at what you’re doing. Starting a foundation, helping so many people. You will make a real difference for a lot of people. I’m doing bits and pieces here and there. Not making much of a difference. If I were a real lawyer, maybe I could change things, make an impact.” I let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed my face.

  He smiled at me so sweetly, and I ran my fingers through his ash blond hair. His gray eyes held such understanding. “Isaac, my love. Do you want to be a lawyer?”

  “That’s just it! I don’t. If I started now, I wouldn’t have any time for us. We’d never see each other. I don’t know what to do. I… I just feel like… I don’t know. Ugh!”

  Climbing off my lap, he kissed my forehead. “Well, instead of spinning your wheels, why don’t we open a bottle of wine and go in the garden to celebrate what we have accomplished today. Then we can talk about our options to relieve some of your worries.” Then he wagged his finger at me when he noticed my grin. “None of those options yet. I mean regarding your career. Come on, let’s enjoy some of this peace and quiet while we can. My stuff can wait.”

  Once out in the garden, we sat in the sun. It wasn’t very warm but at least we needed nothing more than what we still wore. Sebastian must have had the munchies because he brought a plate of cheese and crackers with us. I was hungry and it was near dinner time and we missed lunch. I hoped the sandwiches were still good.

  I could tell the way he was looking at me he had something on his mind. “Spill it.”

  “Isaac, you’ve lived in the city longer than I have. You know what I want to do to help people. How I could best use the foundation.”

  "Sebby, there are so many things you could do. Find out from the city what programs are short of funds. Visit the different church groups in the neighborhoods that deal with the needy in their areas, and the volunteer organizations. There are a lot of outreach centers. A good guy to check with is Reverend Cecil Williams at Glide Memorial United Methodist Church. That man seems to know everyone and everything."

  He was looking at me like I was giving some kind of brilliant speech or something.

  Sebastian sat up and leaned on the table waving a cracker at me. “That’s what I mean! We make a good team. See why I wanted you on the board of the foundation?” He blushed.

  “Sebastian?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You realize when this thing takes off it will take a lot of your time if you want to be hands on with it.”

  Leaning back, he slumped in his chair.

  “Are you planning on leaving the museum?”

  “As much as I hate it, I will have to. This is more important.”

  I reached out and squeezed his hand. “I know how much you enjoy working there.”

  “First, I will take a vacation when the clinic opens and see how busy it gets with the news and all the publicity. If it stays that way then I’ll give my notice. Maybe I can just do it part time.”

  “Sebastian. You know that won’t be the case. You have plans for the foundation, and you want to do things with your money. It will only get busier.”

  "I know." Thankfully I was able to change the subject. Andy must have stopped by Abby's because they were both coming down the back stairs.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Seeing His Talent

  Sebastian

  New Year's Eve was quiet. Abby was off with friends, and it was just Andy, Isaac, and myself. We lit a fire, stretched out on the floor, and played Parcheesi. Old folks that we were, we ended up turning in before midnight. Isaac and I still hadn't seen any of Andy's work since the early drawings and were wondering what was happening. We knew he was painting, but he would only show us an occasional sketch from one of our outings or when he was at the park. We didn't want to pressure Andy so when we asked Abby why he hadn't shown us any of his paintings she would only say he was progressing well. Felicia said he was a good student and should have no problems moving on to the next level in Lowell High School in the fall. I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. Isaac and I made plans for the weekends as a family, doing whatever he wanted.

  When February arrived, we needed to establish a board for the clinic as it was its own charity. I strong armed Leland, with little effort, to use his wider connections to find people with an interest who would work with the charity in oversight and maintain my vision. My only condition was to have a major role on the board so it kept with my original goal. With my trust handling the initial financing, Arthur did not see that as an issue. He drew up the paperwork for the charity and explained in great detail how I would still control the clinic.

  The clinic would be its own entity so it could accept funds from my foundation and conduct public fund drives. Once everything started I could sit back and let things move forward, letting myself poke my nose in only to be sure it was moving in the direction I wanted.

  All that useless money I had sitting in banks and investments will be put to good use. The Sebastian Montgomery Community Foundation would establish the clinic and be the first of several major influences in helping people that were forgotten by the city I loved. I was considering a mobile clinic that would go to those that could not come to the one opening. Isaac suggested establishing a food bank, and perhaps working with the city to see what other services we could offer. Those were the real pleasures derived by what I and, I hoped Isaac, were achieving.

  In the back of my mind was one special and personal joy I would receive out of my plans. I will admit that it was a vindictive pleasure. The publicity generated from all of this from my name associated with the foundation would be huge. It was known in my family's social circle I was gay, but still not widely discussed, and they did their best to keep it out of the press. Now, with the publicity generated by the foundation and clinic, it would be all over the news: my association with Angel House and how it caters to runaway youths, including gay youths. That the clinic we were opening would serve the local community as well as indigents.

  Plus, I planned to discuss my relationship with the man I love when interviewed, and the fact of my being Andy's guardian, which I knew he would have no problem with my mentioning. This will torque my family to no end. For now, there would only be a small mention in the paper of a clinic soon to open in the Tenderloin. Once the grand opening is announced, then there will be a big publicity barrage and all stops will be pulled out. I felt the smile build at the thought.

  In the spring was to be the first Haight Street Fair. It was an arts and crafts festival, and Andy was keen to go. As he was our focus in our home life, we backed away from the politics, much to the dismay of some of our friends. I donated money to fight the Briggs Initiative, but Isaac and I agreed our time was too precious with Andy right now. Once the fall arrived, he would make friends at school and have his own social life as well as working with Abby on his art.

  It was chilly the first morning of the fair, but the streets were crowded. There were paintings in oils and watercolors, photography, and jewelry. Tables were laid out with pottery and ceramics, elaborate wood carvings, and dream catchers hung from poles. There were more assorted dishes of food than you could imagine. Isaac and I hung back as Abby greeted many of the artisans and explained the various creative styles to Andy. She stopped at a booth with beautiful crystals reflecting rainbows of color against the white canvas of the tent, and delicate wood carvings of animals in great detail that were polished to a lustrous sheen. "Gretchen?"

  A woman with beautiful dark braids in a
brightly colored batik print caftan turned around. She was tanned with lines that showed a natural life lived in the outdoors. The woman broke into a huge grin when she noticed who called her. "Abby! Good heavens!"

  "What are you doing here? Are you still in Arcata?"

  "Yes. Patrick and I are still there. I came down to try the new fair. It's been ages, and I thought I might visit the city and see friends. I've thought of moving back down. Patrick is minding our store in town while I'm here."

  Abby turned around. "Sorry, my manners. Gretchen Decker, these are my wonderful friends. This is Andy." She patted him on the shoulder and then pointed to us. "His parents, Sebastian and Isaac."

  I blushed as it was the first time I ever heard us referred to as his parents and it felt wonderful.

  Abby's voice lowered, and her tone seemed cautious. "How is Alec?" Gretchen's expression changed and before she could answer Abby spoke again. "The diabetes?"

  She nodded. "You know how stubborn he was. He wouldn't take care of himself and he would forget his medication. He passed last year."

  "How's Patrick doing?"

  Gretchen smiled. "He's a strong boy. I'm very proud of him. He knew it would happen." She ran a hand along the display of wooden animals. "These wood carvings are his. He's grown into quite the artist. He's nineteen now. Oh! I have a picture of him." She grabbed her bag from under the counter and pulled out a snapshot, handing it to Abby.

  Abby held it and whistled. "He is a stunner, Gretchen. He'll break quite a few girls' hearts."

  Gretchen laughed. "No. But he has broken quite a few boys' hearts so far. He came out a few years back. He's lonely up there though. I keep telling him he should move to the city, but he won't leave me alone up there."

  Abby passed the pic to Andy, and I thought his eyes would pop out. He looked up at Gretchen. "This is your son?"

  "Yep!"

  "He's so handsome." The young man had flowing dark hair to his shoulders, bronzed skin, dark eyes, dark brows, a straight aquiline nose, broad shoulders, smooth chest, and was wearing a suede vest. He handed the picture back to Gretchen.