12 – Offending Barry (2)

Axel laid on his side in Jake’s bed, while Jake sat up against the headboard. He had invited Axel to stay the night, and Axel accepted.

Jake stared straight ahead with folded arms. “I can’t believe Barry.”

“You’re still thinking about that?”

“Of course I am. That was so messed up.”

Axel yawned.

“And he denied you a hotel room for being gay?”

“Welcome to Jefferson,” Axel said flatly.

“How are you so calm about all of this?”

“I’m used to it. And this is exactly why I keep telling you to be careful when we’re in public. Being blacklisted means you can be refused all kinds of service. Any business that feels like running a background check on you can. And if they don’t like what they see, they’ll show you the door.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Thankfully it’s only places like hotels that do it. They’re mostly concerned I’ll bring other men into the room to… you know.”

“That’s their first thought? Their top concern?”

“It didn’t help that my registered address was my workplace. They saw I lived in Gilran. Why else would I want a room?”

Jake stroked his chin, eyeing Axel. “That’s actually a good question.”

“Exactly.” Axel avoided his gaze. Jake was worked up enough. He didn’t need to know the whole story.

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Well?”

Clearly, Jake wasn't going to let this go easily. Axel sighed. “Don’t get mad.”

“I’m already mad.”

Axel groaned, and rolled over to his back. “Okay. Fine. It was a cold, snowy night. The heater in my van stopped working and it was too dark to see to fix it. I was tired from working all day. All I wanted was a warm place to sleep.

“It was snowing? And two hotels denied you?”

“I wasn’t surprised. Just thought I’d try, you know?”

Jake stared at him for a moment, brow furrowed. “Did you try a homeless shelter?”

Axel burst out into a fit of laughter. Whatever response he was expecting, it wasn’t that. “A homeless shelter? Really?”

“I heard those were a thing here!”

“You think a homeless shelter would accept someone like me?”

Jake's mouth fell. “They background check you there too?”

Axel ignored the question as his laughter died down. “The nearest one is out in Redding anyway. I didn’t think it was safe driving all the way there in a snowstorm. I just stayed in my van and covered myself in every blanket and piece of clothing I had. I was grateful to have that much.”

“That’s horrible.”

“I’m used to it.” It was better than when he actually had to sleep on the streets. And sleeping on the streets was better than being in a conversion camp or school. Axel couldn’t begin to imagine what horrors Sebastian had faced. And he had a gut feeling it hadn’t worked.

Yet Sebastian chose that girl over him anyway. Was forcing himself to conform to society. To live the ordinary life of a “straight” man. Axel had vowed against doing any of that.

He placed his hand on Jake’s thigh and smiled. “Having you helps. It’s my way of rebelling. Being myself when society wants me to settle down with a woman.” Axel lowered his voice. “Better to do that than force myself to fit in. Like some people.”

Jake laid down next to Axel, and pulled him to his chest. “He’s an asshole.”

It was an asshole move, but an understandable one. “His dad puts him under a lot of pressure.”

“That’s not an excuse for how he treated you. He can have a girlfriend and be friends with you too.”

Like someone clearly against gay rights would date a man friends with someone who went to gay rights protests. Axel saw the judgment in that girl’s eyes. The silent ultimatum she gave Sebastian. “You seriously believe that, after all Barry said?” Axel set his head on Jake’s arm, heart aching at the memory. Of course, Sebastian didn’t need a girlfriend at all. But how many times had Sebastian complained about his father pushing him to get one? “I understand why he did it. I just wish he hadn’t.”

~~~~~

Stellaluna bumped into Yannick the next day, on her way to the gardens.

Yannick smiled. “You look happy.”

“Jake scolding Barry last night put me in a good mood.” Stellaluna still couldn’t get over it. She’d been longing for someone to stand up to him. Everyone else worried too much about what it would do to their reputation.

“That was funny. Jake say to me what about it was.”

“Yes. I didn’t know you were friends with him.”

“I know not him. I am with his friend friends. Axel is a good friend of mine. Where go you?”

“To the gardens. I’m meeting my friend there.”

“I walk with you?”

“Yes.” Stellaluna resumed her walk, with Yannick tagging alongside her.

“I am sorry for not to you say. I wanted not Master Callahan to…” Yannick frowned, tilting his head to the side.

“Recognize you?”

“Yes. I had fear that he would.”

“I assumed that was the case. I didn’t know you played music there.”

“Sometimes. For me it is more money. I help my parents with it. They are too old to work.”

Stellaluna didn’t know how much Barry paid the servants, but knowing him, it probably wasn’t much. “I’m sorry.”

“It is okay.”

Would it be possible to convince Barry to give everyone a raise? Stellaluna laughed inwardly at the thought of trying.

They approached the door to the gardens. Yannick looked up at Stellaluna. She noticed then that his eyes were a lovely shade of blue. A bit like the ocean. Not that Stellaluna had actually seen the ocean in recent years. Barry complained the two hours were too far of a drive.

“I leave you here.” Yannick opened the door for her. “Take care.”

“You too.” Stellaluna gave him a friendly nod as she walked outside, towards her usual outside table, to wait for Zailey.

~~~~~

After Axel had left, Jake headed for his room but was intercepted by his father. “I just got off the phone with Barry. We need to talk.”

Great. Barry went and snitched on Jake. Why couldn’t he have minded his own business? “He started it.”

“And he was right to.”

Jake gaped at his father. “Seriously? You’re taking his side?”

“He gave you good advice, and you were rude in return.”

“He was rude to Axel! Did he mention he refused him a room because he’s gay?”

“I’m not saying I agree with him on that. But you need to be more careful. We’re not in the ESA anymore.”

“Clearly.”

“People here frown down upon the ‘gay lifestyle.’”

“Lifestyle?”

“I know. I don’t agree. But that’s what it is to them. And they’re seeing you starting gay rights protests and hanging around a gay person.”

“Not everyone knows Axel.”

“But some people do, and anyone can look him up and see he’s blacklisted. You don’t look good right now.”

“Who cares what anyone here thinks.”

“Pieway’s stocks are down.”

Again with his stock obsession. “So?”

“So, that means our business isn’t doing good. You acting this way will make it worse. Do you want it to go bankrupt?”

“It’s not going to go bankrupt because I’m hanging out with Axel.”

“It’s not improving things either.”

Jake stared at him with his arms folded. “I’m not going to dump Axel.”

“I’m not asking you to. I’m only asking you to be more mindful of your behavior. The butler himself told me his suspicions that you two are having sex.”

Jake tore his gaze away from his father. How’d the butler figure that out? Not that they did much. Some would argue what they did didn’t count. “We weren’t having sex.”

“A few weeks ago, he knocked on your bedroom door. You answered in only a robe, and Axel was cowering in the bathroom. Both of your clothes were thrown all over the room. Care to explain what you were doing, if not having sex?”

Jake rubbed the back of his neck. “We didn’t go that far.”

“It doesn’t matter if you were only cuddling. To him, it looked like you two were a couple. That’s all that matters. All he needs to do is tell someone about it. And then they’d tell someone else, and they’d tell someone else…”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll get fully dressed before answering my bedroom door.”

“You also need to apologize to Barry.”

“What!” Apologize to that asshole? Barry should be the one apologizing.

“You heard me. He’s a very influential man. We need to be on his good side.” Will tapped at his watch. “I’ll call him now, and you can apologize.”

~~~~~

Stellaluna had finished filling Zailey in on what had happened between Barry and Jake. As predicted, Zailey loved every word of it.

“That Jake sure causes trouble,” Zailey said with a laugh.

“He keeps things interesting.” Stellaluna lowered her voice. “I kind of like him.”

Zailey’s eyes widened. “But he’s so young!”

“Not like that! I mean, as a person. How he stands up for his beliefs, even when no one agrees with him.” Stellaluna wished she could be so bold. “He’s not afraid of being an outcast.”

Zailey agreed. “It’s like he embraces it. He never worries about reputation. You don’t see that often.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it,” Stellaluna said.

Barry strode up to the pair. “Stella, darling, you’re not going to believe this.”

“What?” Stellaluna asked. Zailey leaned towards him with rounded eyes.

“Jake called to apologize.”

Stellaluna’s heart sunk. She expected the boy to stick to his beliefs firmly.

“And I know it’s only because his father made him. I could hear it in his voice!”

“How’d his father know?”

“I called to tell him.”

“You tattled?” What a childish but unsurprising move.

“I had to. Will needs to lasso that boy if he cares about his business.” Barry held his head high. “Less than ten minutes later, Jake calls me. All he said was, ‘Sorry for being rude’ in a most rude voice. He didn’t even elaborate on the way he talked back to me. All that swearing he did! If I didn’t respect Will, I would destroy him.”

“Would he care if you did?” Zailey asked.

Barry blinked at her, as though he hadn’t realized she was there the whole time. “He would if he knew what was good for him.”

Somehow, Stellaluna didn’t think Jake did. And she envied him for it. She wished she was brave enough to do something at the risk of offending Barry.

Her mind wandered towards her secret workbook she had been too afraid to risk trying out. At that moment, she vowed to start in on it next time Barry left the house without her. She’d work on it in her room, with the door shut. No servants would wander in without knocking first.

“I’m going to see Waylon tonight,” Barry said to Stellaluna. “He’ll understand.”

Stellaluna’s heart raced at the opportunity. Since he only mentioned Waylon, that must mean…

“There won’t be any need for you to come. It’ll just be us two doing things only appropriate for men.”

“Of course. Have fun.” Stellaluna kept a calm expression, but her stomach twisted in excitement. Finally, she could see if it was possible to teach herself how to read.