wiped his hands on the towel on the sink. He dangled that last tantalizing bit of information as if it was a carrot. He was the most gorgeous man Kathleen had ever seen. Tall. Dark. Gay. When Paul had been fired from his job as an exotic dancer, Gerry had successfully argued that, being gay, Paul could not be a threat to any of the ladies he entertained and therefore he had been discriminated against. The settlement was substantial and Paul's gratitude knew no bounds. He could never repay Gerry for his brilliance but he kept trying. Kathleen's rent in his West Hollywood apartment complex was next to nothing.
'' No, thanks. It was a lousy day. I think I'll just sit here and lick my wounds.''
'' Oh, sure, I've had days like that, too. You're right. A party isn't what you need. Maybe you should go see Gerry?''
Kathleen shook her head.
'' Right again. If you're feeling that bad only someone who loves you will do and I don't mean love like relative love.'' He winked. ''I don't know what I'd do without William. When I was so low those days during the law suit, he was the only one who kept me sane.'' Paul pocketed his wrench and smiled gloriously.
'' How do you do that?''
'' What?''
'' How do you fix my sink and still look so clean?''
'' William may adore me, but he also does the laundry. He'd have my head if I made more work for him.'' Paul chuckled and patted her shoulder as he left. ''If you change your mind, call us before eight.''
He left Kathleen to wallow in her misery. At least she did that well. She watched two hours of news, managed microwave pizza bread and balanced her check book by the time Paul and William checked with her at eight to see if she changed her mind. She was in bed by nine thirty, staring at the ceiling while images of Louise and Sarah Booker, Lionel's brother and Judge Kelley floated through her head. They seemed to make a comfortable party of four but, no matter how hard Kathleen tried to join them at their table, there was never one more chair. Gerry popped in for a command performance, a maitre d' in the muddle cafe of her mind. Tony Maglio and Bob Morton floated by on their way to another table, smiling at her as she drifted into a less than restful sleep. When her nightmare dinner was served and the great silver dome was taken off the platter, the waiter announced the special of the evening was Lionel Booker. But Kathleen was too far away from the table to see him. Too far away. And in the small part of Kathleen's brain that still fought sleep, she realized this wasn't so odd. In reality, she had no idea what Lionel looked like. Strangely, though, Kathleen Cotter's last thoughts were of Paul and William, William and Paul and how very, very happy they were - together.
That did it!
She was awake and excited at one in the morning, inspiration coming to her in that never ending dream. She had the answer and no one to tell at that hour. So Kathleen Cotter showered, put her face on and sat in her robe at the small kitchen table to make notes. By six she'd been to the bakery, purchased the largest coffee cake she could find and left it at Paul's door with a note of thanks. At eight thirty she was at the office waiting for Gerry O'Doul. He came in six minutes later and Kathleen began to talk. Gerry listened, trying very hard not to let the tears in his eyes show. He had never been happier in his life and he had a funny feeling Kathleen hadn't either.
They filed a motion for reconsideration in the matter of Louise Booker vs. All Life Insurance by ten and, thanks to Gerry's intervention with Judge Kelley's clerk, had an appearance scheduled for eleven the next day.
That evening Kathleen brought Paul and William a bottle of champagne. Love, she said, was always an inspiration and they had given her a ton of it - inspiration that was.
CHAPTER FIVE
This time Gerry sat with Louise behind the bar. Kathleen wore burgundy and the look of a kid on Christmas morning. Louise wore a mini skirt that matched
'' No, thanks. It was a lousy day. I think I'll just sit here and lick my wounds.''
'' Oh, sure, I've had days like that, too. You're right. A party isn't what you need. Maybe you should go see Gerry?''
Kathleen shook her head.
'' Right again. If you're feeling that bad only someone who loves you will do and I don't mean love like relative love.'' He winked. ''I don't know what I'd do without William. When I was so low those days during the law suit, he was the only one who kept me sane.'' Paul pocketed his wrench and smiled gloriously.
'' How do you do that?''
'' What?''
'' How do you fix my sink and still look so clean?''
'' William may adore me, but he also does the laundry. He'd have my head if I made more work for him.'' Paul chuckled and patted her shoulder as he left. ''If you change your mind, call us before eight.''
He left Kathleen to wallow in her misery. At least she did that well. She watched two hours of news, managed microwave pizza bread and balanced her check book by the time Paul and William checked with her at eight to see if she changed her mind. She was in bed by nine thirty, staring at the ceiling while images of Louise and Sarah Booker, Lionel's brother and Judge Kelley floated through her head. They seemed to make a comfortable party of four but, no matter how hard Kathleen tried to join them at their table, there was never one more chair. Gerry popped in for a command performance, a maitre d' in the muddle cafe of her mind. Tony Maglio and Bob Morton floated by on their way to another table, smiling at her as she drifted into a less than restful sleep. When her nightmare dinner was served and the great silver dome was taken off the platter, the waiter announced the special of the evening was Lionel Booker. But Kathleen was too far away from the table to see him. Too far away. And in the small part of Kathleen's brain that still fought sleep, she realized this wasn't so odd. In reality, she had no idea what Lionel looked like. Strangely, though, Kathleen Cotter's last thoughts were of Paul and William, William and Paul and how very, very happy they were - together.
That did it!
She was awake and excited at one in the morning, inspiration coming to her in that never ending dream. She had the answer and no one to tell at that hour. So Kathleen Cotter showered, put her face on and sat in her robe at the small kitchen table to make notes. By six she'd been to the bakery, purchased the largest coffee cake she could find and left it at Paul's door with a note of thanks. At eight thirty she was at the office waiting for Gerry O'Doul. He came in six minutes later and Kathleen began to talk. Gerry listened, trying very hard not to let the tears in his eyes show. He had never been happier in his life and he had a funny feeling Kathleen hadn't either.
They filed a motion for reconsideration in the matter of Louise Booker vs. All Life Insurance by ten and, thanks to Gerry's intervention with Judge Kelley's clerk, had an appearance scheduled for eleven the next day.
That evening Kathleen brought Paul and William a bottle of champagne. Love, she said, was always an inspiration and they had given her a ton of it - inspiration that was.
CHAPTER FIVE
This time Gerry sat with Louise behind the bar. Kathleen wore burgundy and the look of a kid on Christmas morning. Louise wore a mini skirt that matched
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