Melpomene
Part Four: Discovery







"I don't feel right lying to President Camford like that." Karl lied in bed, resting his head on the right side of Leon's chest. His fingertips tenderly stroked the manly contours of Leon's pectoral muscles.

"You may or may not have helped Hermann and O'Connell's case any. It's only made her more curious." Leon spoke softly with his arms around Karl's beautiful, slender frame.

"I know." Karl frowned, his lips gently pressed against Leon's body in a sweet kiss. Quietly, he whispered. "I feel so wrong."

"I know, love." Leon kissed Karl's forehead softly, then stroked Karl's wheat-gold hair. "I know."



O'Connell finished putting his clothes on, then turned to watch Hermann sleeping in the bed. Hermann shifted once, his arm draped on one edge of the bed. The empty bottle of champagne rested on the side of the bed, along with a half empty bowl of strawberries. O'Connell silently walked to the bed and stroked Hermann's California-blonde hair softly. Tenderly kissing his forehead, the tears were starting to form in his dark grey eyes. Hermann stopped snoring and snorted once, only to say: "Jake.... more.... yeah, baby."

With a sad smile, O'Connell kissed Hermann again, then left the room quickly and quietly. He marched down the hall toward his room, but as his hand touched the door, O'Connell heard a familiar voice behind him.

"What are you doing up this late at night, Major?"

Freezing in his tracks, O'Connell slowly turned around in a terrified state. Standing there in her nightgown and a bedrobe, was President Camford. She looked concerned now that O'Connell was looking at her like a deer in a headlight.

"Something the matter? You look like you just seen a ghost."

"N-no, ma'am... it's been a long night. You kinda spooked me."

"I didn't mean to do that. I needed to talk to you anyway, I didn't know you were out and about."

"Sure." O'Connell typed up his security code, the door opened, allowing them in. "What do you need to talk about?"

"It's about my son. You're close to him constantly, maybe you'll know something." Camford walked in with O'Connell, but she swore she smelled champagne and strawberries on O'Connell. "Is he seeing anyone?"

"Not to my knowledge." O'Connell pulled a seat for Camford to sit in, she smiled and sat down. He started brewing some coffee, possibly to mask the minor hangover he's having. "If he was seeing anyone, he would have came to me to tell me."

"I see." Camford examined the half-withered flowers in the vase, her fingers caressed a flower petal. "What about you? Do you have a girl in your life?"

He coughed but answered anyway. "No, ma'am. I'm a military man, don't have time for love."

Camford rested her chin on her hands, she was watching O'Connell's actions from her viewpoint. "Pity, a nice looking man such as yourself I figured all the girls would love you."

"I had been asked out." O'Connell let out a light-hearted chuckle, then poured himself a cup of coffee. "But like I said, I'm military..."

"Well, maybe it's time for you to find a nice, pretty, charming young lady."

"I'd love that, ma'am." O'Connell sat down at the table, then sipped his coffee. "But I got a duty to the State and that comes first."

"But isn't it time for you to put that aside just for that one change at love and happiness?" Camford asked, kinda giving him the glance-over.

O'Connell just gave her a quick frown, but sipped his coffee. He closed his eyes, but he felt Camford's charismatic presence in the room.

"Whatever's going on, Jake. You can tell me."

He looked at Camford, seeing the worry in her eyes, O'Connell looked at the coffee and frowned. Camford slid her hands on top of his, causing him to do a double-take. "Rob is my son, and I am worried for him. Please, if there is anything at all... anything... don't you think his mother has a right to know?"

"..." O'Connell looked away, avoiding her gaze altogether. "...don't you think what's going on now... he doesn't need his mother's approval...."

"W-what...? What do you mean?"

"You said you wanted me to tell you if something was wrong... and I am telling you, there is nothing wrong with him." O'Connell sipped his coffee and walked to the sink, an angry scowl on his face. "Now, if you'll excuse me, madam president... I'm tired from the recon..."

Camford stood up and walked to the door, she turned to look at O'Connell with a disapproving glance in her lavender eyes. "You don't have to lie to me, O'Connell. I'm a big girl, I can handle my son being gay." She left, leaving O'Connell with his jaw agape.




-Continued-