Page 4 of The Butler

“Should I bury the cost in some expense account?” Bob asked. I gave him a thumbs up as I swallowed a long swig of my go-juice.

He headed for the double doors that led to the foyer and the elevators beyond. He turned around, giving me his best business-mode gaze. “We leave in forty-eight hours. Your jet will get you to Cabo and then we can shuttle out to the ship on the copter. Get some rest,” he said. “Oh and stay the fuck off of Grindr.”

I saluted him. “Yes, boss.” It would be another lonely night. Night ninety-three of the awful pain of missing Troy.

CHAPTER THREE: Deklyn

The past year at Stanford had flown by despite the fact I was miserable. After three years of Tom basically supporting my ass by paying the rent on my off-campus studio, and me living with him, I’d forgotten how to support myself when he ended us. I wasn’t entirely a responsible person as it were but having the added pain of being replaced by an eighteen year old and being heartbroken, I was a disaster at managing my own life.

The week after Tom let me know that I was no longer his TA was also when I realized I needed a job. Tom had complained when I worked after classes and insisted I be available to him. The only way that was possible was for me to rely on him completely, and that was exactly what I’d done. We spent most of the days together in his lecture hall and then ended our day doing what he’d wanted to do in our personal life. I was so in love and in awe of him that I never once considered I could be in a pickle if things ended.

And a pickle was exactly where I found myself within a week. I hadn’t received my financial aid for my senior year yet and barely had a hundred bucks in my checking account. My folks were hardly making ends meet so I couldn’t turn their way even though I knew they’d give me their last nickel if I asked. I couldn’t do that and I began a search for employment to supplement my aid money instead.

* * *

Working in the dormitory cafeteria wouldn’t have been so bad if Tom’s newest TA/boyfriend didn’t stop by for lunch. I knew I’d never see him for breakfast or dinner because Tom liked his boys to be with him when he went to bed at night, and there in the morning when he woke up. Both of those times were allocated for sex and since Tom had a big need for plenty of sex, he liked his boys available in his bed. Midday connections weren’t entirely off the schedule either if he felt horny during the day. We’d cleared the desk off several times.

“Deklyn, right?” Kevin asked when I scooped a mound of fake mashed potatoes onto his tray.

“That’d be me?” I said. “In the flesh.” I’m sure my hair net was stunning but by that point I’d stopped giving a shit.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” he said softly, his eyes darting around nervously. I hadn’t expected to see him either but what I could do, this was my job. “I figured you left Professor Keil due to another TA job.”

“Is that what he told you?”

“Actually, he didn’t tell me anything. Just that you were leaving his classroom for your senior year.”

I glanced to see if there were people in the chow line. There weren’t. “Perhaps you found out when I found out,” I stated, not really wanting to bust the kids ass over Tom’s tacky behavior.

“Yeah, maybe,” he said. “I didn’t mean to replace you like that though. Tom hadn’t mentioned he already had a TA when I interviewed,” he acknowledged.

I’d already gone back in my mental files to my freshman year and realized I never knew the TA before me and certainly had never run into him at Tom’s office the way Kevin and I had been introduced. I imagined Tom hadn’t expected me to show up to his office a week early or we wouldn’t have been having sex up until the final exit.

“Well, that makes two of us, Kevin, because I didn’t know he had a new one.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “So, you work here now, huh?”

I nodded. “I sure do. Twelve bucks an hour and I get to eat all of this wonderful food just like you. Well, except mine is free,” I joked. He stared blankly at me. He probably wasn’t sure if I was being an asshole or just having a conversation. He’d have been right on both counts if he could read minds. “How’s Mr. Magoo?” I asked. Mine and Tom’s cat was named Mr. Magoo. I never asked Tom who got custody of our pet since I wouldn’t have been able to afford the vet bills on a cat that had diabetesandarthritis.

“You know Mr. Magoo?” he asked, glancing side to side to see if anyone was in earshot. “Tom’s cat,” he stated for clarification.

“Yep, that’s the one,” I said.

Poor little Kevin had just figured out where I’d lived up until the day I met him at dear old Professor Keil’s office. “I . . . I didn’t . . . know about that either,” he mumbled.

“Don’t sweat it, Kev. You’re a freshman. You’ve got three years ahead of you,” I pointed out. I’d tried to stay the fuck out of Tom’s affairs, but then I realized that was exactly what they were,affairs. Three-year affairs where Tom wins and everyone else loses.

“I’ll be here for four years. What do you mean by that?” he asked. His sweet demeanor had changed a tad after my revelation. I could tell he wasn’t entirely sure what I’d meant by suggesting he probably only had three years.

“Do yourself a favor, Kevin, and get a job while you work for Tom.”

“He already told me I couldn’t do that.”

“Of course, he did,” I answered, deciding to shut up. “Have a good day and I hope to see you tomorrow, kiddo.

I never saw Kevin again. Go figure.

CHAPTER FOUR: Lincoln

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