"Jessie, there is still no cure for the illness going around. I want to be sure you are being safe."
Jessie sat down on the sofa next to us, setting his things on the floor. "I thought we had this talk already. Well, I'm going to be honest with you. First, I'm still a virgin. Second, when the time comes, I will play it safe. When the subject of sex first came up, I told you my parents already had that talk with me. I know you've never asked about what I liked, and I respect that. But just so you know, I think I might be bisexual. I thought I was gay, but once in a while I have an interest in a girl. Most of the time I'm leaning more towards guys."
"Uh…, thanks."
Thankfully, Isaac stepped in, "Jessie, we appreciate your patience with Sebastian."
Jessie gathered his things and stood up and gave us a wry smile. "I still have studying to do, so I'm going to head to my room now."
After he left, Isaac tapped me on the head. "Ready to remove said foot from your mouth, dear?" Isaac was grinning at me as he pulled me back down to his lap.
"I'm doing it again, aren't I?"
*****
As usual for us, we didn't wait. We called Arthur the following day when we were back in the office. The man understood our approach to these matters and listened. I told him about our wanting to open a hospice, and to find out what was required from the city, and anyone else, and if he would place an advertisement for an administrator. Arthur waited a day before calling me back after my first phone call to say I was jumping the gun about advertising for an administrator. He explained patiently that until we first knew the city requirements, any state requirements, and we had a building, we had nothing to discuss with an administrator. Arthur, after all this time, knew how to handle me and when to talk to me about red tape. Isaac, my smart honey, simply kept his mouth shut until we had heard from him.
After Arthur finished explaining the tedious process, I told him we wanted the building in an area close to medical facilities and public transportation. It should be a larger, older home. One that we could modify for our purposes, and the bigger the better.
I knew he would bill us for all the hours, but he was also more of a friend in these matters. Arthur had so many connections and such good advice it was like he was more of an uncle, and it made it so much easier to just reach out to him.
I couldn't believe how far we had come with just my impulsive whim a few years ago. That simple whim woke something inside of me and gave me purpose. A purpose I now shared with Isaac. We'd grown even closer working together on a dream we shared. At one time he thought he wouldn't be able to contribute to the foundation. It turned out he had a practical side that helped us keep our focus. I would come up with an idea, and then he helped it become a reality, or tell me that there was already a plan in place somewhere else.
Our foundation has grown over the last few years. We have expanded to occupy the complete floor where we were originally located, and half the floor above us. Based on what we have accomplished so far, we have established an important relationship with the City and County of San Francisco, and the State of California. Over time, we have received grants, qualified for additional assistance for our clinic in the Tenderloin, and our other programs. With luck we may qualify for additional help with the hospice center we will open.
Our nest was emptying. The showing Andrew had in Los Angeles a few years back ended up being a launching point for him. His art was getting noticed, and he had received requests for showings in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. He deferred to Margaret on all requests, as she now represented him. He only wanted to focus on his work.
Patrick was not only selling in his mother's store, but several other retail establishments were carrying his work. The store was doing well, and he already pulled himself away from the business to focus on his craft. She hired additional help and used his old bedroom for storage. A woman who commissioned him to make a redwood coffee table and side tables loved his work and praised it so much that it became popular in several social circles for their unique design. But he kept his focus on his art.
It may have been a cliché, but it was true, I could see the writing on the wall. Jessie was growing up and it would be different for him than Andrew. He would go on to college. Somehow, he would take his interest and skills in math and science and do something great with them. I could see him being a teacher someday. He has that way with people. The way he works with Mike and his friends in helping them solve problems or answer questions.
When his friends would gather in the living room and talk about a problem, it always seemed that Jessie would steer the conversation towards the solution. He wouldn't always give an answer, but would let his friends discover it for themselves. He was a natural teacher.
"What are you doing?" Isaac was standing in the doorway of my office.
I could feel my face heating. "Just thinking."
"About what? I could see you were off somewhere else."
"Just thinking about the past, and the future."
Isaac stepped in, closing the door behind him. He sat across from me, propping his arms on my desk. "Talk to me, Sebby."
I let out a long and exasperated sigh. "Andrew and Patrick are gone, and soon Jessie will go to college, maybe away somewhere. Abby won't be living in her flat forever, now she's spending more time with Gregor. Where is that going to leave us?"
Isaac leaned back, smiling as he put his feet up on my desk. "I would say it leaves us with quite a few options. We could do whatever we want. The foundation is doing well. We could take a long vacation, maybe travel? We could get involved in some cause we find interesting and volunteer. Baby, we can do whatever we want. We also don't need to think about it today. Jessie is having dinner at Mike's tonight, so why don't we go out?"
Just then my intercom buzzed. "Sebastian, there is a Steve Lancaster from Los Angeles on the line for you. He says he was referred to you by Leland Carter."
"Put him through." I looked at Isaac. "This is Sebastian Montgomery."
"Mr. Montgomery, this is Steve Lancaster from Out Today magazine. Leland Carter referred me to you. We would like to do a profile of you for an upcoming issue."
This was way out of my league. I covered the mouthpiece. "Isaac, it's a magazine that wants to do a profile of me. What should I say?
He looked at me and asked a very reasonable question. "What magazine?"
"That new gay one on all the newsstands, Out Today."
"Why not? It could help the foundation and give a lot of publicity for all the groups we help."
I thought for a moment. "It won't be just me. This is about us. I want you in on this too."
"Fine. Set it up. We can talk to the guys and see if they want in on it." With that he went back to his office.
I still didn't understand the request. "Why do you want to interview me?"
"It was Mr. Carter's idea. We approached him for an interview and he suggested you. I wasn't familiar with your background until he filled me in. I knew of your family's influence but not much of your life in San Francisco other than a few bits I read about. From what he's told me, I believe it would make a great story about how you have made an important name in your own right, and what you have done for not only the gay community, but the community of San Francisco as a whole. You don't just donate money; you are involved in establishing programs that are necessary."
"Mr. Lancaster, I want you to understand that this is also about my partner, Isaac Browne, not just me. This interview would be about both of us."
"Of course! That would be great. So, you will do it?"
We set the interview up for two weeks and would appear in their August issue. I called Andrew at home. He said he would do it if needed, but would prefer that we left him out of the actual interview. We could talk about him if we wanted, but he didn't want to talk about his past anymore. Jessie was more into it if it could help others. His answer was, "Sure, why not?"
*****
That evening we were curled up on the sofa watching
television while Jessie was out with his friends when the phone rang. I got up to answer, and it was Leland. "Ryan asked me to call. Diego is in the hospital. The doctors say he has pneumonia, and it's bad. Paul is an absolute wreck, and Ryan is with him now. We're at General. Ryan wanted to know if you could come by in the morning and sit with Paul for a while."
"Do they think it's…?"
Leland was quiet for a moment as if he didn't want to say anything. "As bad as his pneumonia is, they think so. They're just waiting for the test results."
I grabbed the arm of the chair to steady myself as I sat down, and Isaac rushed to my side. "Sebastian?"
"It's Diego. He's in the hospital." I turned back to the phone. "Tell Ryan I'll be there first thing in the morning. Call me if you guys need me to bring anything. I need to talk to Isaac."
I hung up the phone and just sat there. "Diego has pneumonia. It might be related to the virus." I fell into his arms and sobbed.
I was so distraught that Isaac put me to bed early. Feeling guilty, but unable to deal with it, I left Isaac to break the news to the rest of our family. We'd known people that had succumbed to this horrible epidemic that hit our community, but this time it felt closer to home for me. Sleep evaded me and I dozed, tossing and turning most of the night. In the wee hours of the morning I showered and dressed, had coffee and toast before calling a taxi, and left a worried and tired Isaac to get more sleep as I went to the hospital.
When I arrived at Diego's room Ryan was standing outside the door. His eyes were red, and I knew he had been crying. I pulled him into a hug and he held me tight.
"Other than Ashtin he's the closest person I know." Ryan began to cry.
"Ryan, you should go home and get some rest. Let me call you a taxi."
Ryan let go and stood straight, wiping his eyes.
"My car is here. I'll drive. I just need some air. I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
He patted me on the shoulder. "Thanks."
Walking down the hall he didn't turn back. I steeled myself before opening the door.
Diego was in a tent and on oxygen, with a variety of tubes and two monitors hooked up to him. When I looked closer, I covered my mouth. He had lost so much weight, and he looked… older. Had it been that long since we'd seen him? Paul was curled up in a chair, asleep, with his coat draped over him. There was another bed in the room, and the person was asleep. I grabbed the vacant chair on the other side of the room and moved it next to Paul and sat down. I was sure he needed his rest so I read the morning paper I picked up off our porch when I left home.
A nurse came in to check on Diego and the other patient. When she noticed me, she gave me a smile and went on with her work. Before she left, she leaned down and quietly asked if I would like coffee. I appreciated the offer but passed, thanking her. As she left, I heard Paul stir, and he opened his eyes, surprised to see me.
The poor man looked haggard and emotionally spent. I wrapped my arms around him, and kissed him on the cheek. "You know we are all here for you and Diego. Anything you need, just ask. How is he doing?"
"Thanks, Sebastian. From what they can tell, it doesn't look good. We're still waiting for the results of the tests. He waited too long to see the doctor. It's been hard not telling anyone what's been going on. I'm so tired from having to lie to everyone."
"Why lie? Especially to Ryan. We would have been there to help in any way we could."
"Diego didn't want to admit he was sick at first, then he wanted no one to know because he was ashamed."
For the life of me I couldn't understand. Paul took my hands in his and looked into my eyes. There was so much pain.
"Sebastian, Diego wasn't ashamed of getting sick. He was ashamed of how he got sick."
From the expression on his face it dawned on me. "Oh." Now I felt embarrassed from the knowledge.
"It's okay. We had this fight once. It was a long time ago. Like I said, it was only one time. We had a fight, and he stormed out. He got drunk at some bar and went into the back room. The idiot let someone fuck him without a rubber. It was just the one time." He began to cry, and I squeezed his hands as he continued.
"He felt so terrible about it, and we thought we were lucky because it happened a long time ago. A while ago he started to get tired and run down. Then he would get sick with a cold for a few days and get better, but not all better. I begged him to go to the doctor, but he refused. About a week ago he ran a low fever, and his breathing was funny. He called in sick and stayed in bed. His fever spiked, and he began sweating. I wanted to take him to the hospital, but he refused. Then last night he had difficulty breathing, so I called an ambulance. The nurse told me if I hadn't brought him in, he would have been dead in hours." He slumped in the chair and wiped his face with his hands.
"Just remember you are not alone in this." I looked at Diego and wondered how Paul would cope when this was over. Losing the man you loved. Then having to wait until you knew if you were safe from the virus. My God, what a horrible cloud to live with.
Paul went rigid in the chair and looked at me, panicked. "Holy Mary Mother of God! I have to call Carmen! What am I going to tell her!"
Carmen was Diego's mother. She was a kind and loving woman, and a force to be reckoned with. To say the woman was emotional was a major understatement. There was no easy way to put this. "Paul, you have to tell her the truth. You need to tell her he has pneumonia, and that it doesn't look good. That's all. She needs to come to the hospital as soon as she can. Do you think a friend can bring her here? If not, then we can arrange for a taxi to bring her."
As he left to call her, I looked at Diego with the tubes and oxygen mask, and for the first time in ages I felt helpless. When Paul returned he told me that Diego's mother was hysterical and he thought she might have a heart attack, but she calmed down. She would have a friend drive her here. He then asked me to make several calls to friends and let them know what was happening. I also called Isaac and told him I wouldn't be in, and gave him an update. When I returned, Paul was sitting by the bed weeping quietly and I left him alone while I went to get us coffee and something to eat. I was sure that Paul hadn't eaten a thing since he arrived at the hospital.
Waiting in line at the cafeteria my only thought at that moment was selfish. I hoped I wouldn't be here when she arrived.
*****
For almost two weeks Diego hung on, but it wasn't the Diego we knew and loved. He was ashen, and his features took on a sunken cast. He had brief periods of consciousness, most times he was barely coherent. When he was, he was apologizing for what happened. Paul was an emotional shell of the man he once was, doing his best to be there for the man he loved, all the while watching as he slowly slipped away. Diego's mother had moved into their apartment to be close and tried to look after Paul. His mother stood vigil along with several of her friends when Paul couldn't. The mourning process had already started for all of us. Andrew was taking it rather hard. Jessie and Patrick, even though their relationship wasn't as strong with Diego, were affected.
When the end arrived, Paul called Leland and asked him to tell everyone. Then all was silent from Paul for a while.
It was the morning of the interview, and in all honesty, I wished it would just go away. Isaac and I moved it to our conference room instead of our home. Jessie was out of school now, and with everything going on we didn't want to intrude on him and his free time. Unbeknownst to us, he showed up at the office saying he was a part of the family and wanted to sit in on it, just in case we needed him.
The cameraman was all set for some 'candid' shots, and Steve Lancaster turned out to be a very personable reporter. Isaac and I both felt relaxed with him. He set up his recorder while Isaac and I sat in chairs next to each other. Steve opened with asking for us to introduce ourselves. He followed with asking about what my life was like now in San Francisco. He went into my family background and how I arrived in the city. When he asked about my relationship with my family, I was candid, includin
g, for the first time, talking about my relationship with my grandfather and my last visit with him, and his relationship with my grandmother and how he did not want me following in his footsteps.
He moved on to where Isaac and I lived, and why not somewhere more fashionable like Presidio Heights or Russian Hill? I reached out and grabbed Isaac's hand and said, "I don't need all that to be happy. I have Isaac, and my family, and that makes me happy."
We moved on to the foundation and how it started with my volunteering at Angel House. I talked about Andrew without mentioning his name, and how he came into our life. How getting to know him and his background led to establishing the clinic, and understanding the need for the food programs, shelters, and the other programs the foundation is involved in. Then I moved on to our upcoming venture, the hospice.
When Steve asked how we were doing all this, I stated that I was using my inheritance. We lived simply, and because of that, I could use my resources to benefit others. It was something that Isaac and I shared.
Steve turned to Isaac, "Isaac, how about you tell us about yourself?"
Isaac had on his bartender smile, which I hadn't seen in ages, before recounting the journey from his foster home to the city, only touching lightly on his background before arriving here. He spoke little of his life before our meeting and then focused on our work at the foundation. I was proud of him.
I thought the interview was winding down to where he would want to take a few additional photos, as we had agreed, when he turned to the far end of the conference room. "And who is the young man sitting off to the side here?"
Jessie waved, "I'm their newest foster son, Jessie."
Isaac laughed. "All right young man. Come over here." Isaac moved down a seat and Jessie sat between us.
"So, tell me, Jessie, how old are you?"
He sat up straight, smiling. "Sixteen. Sebastian and Isaac took me in when I was almost thirteen. I went into foster care when the school reported that my parents were abusing me."
Steve looked shocked at the admission. "Um…, and how has your life been now that you are with Sebastian and Isaac?"
An Unexpected Gift Page 31