NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Not much to write about today. This one may be pretty short and sweet, but it'll resolve the Jay/Heath situation somewhat.
Chapter Seven
To: InstantClassic
From: onemanrockband2k12
I've been thinking about you.
Last night I went to meet you, and you weren't there. I wish I knew why. I felt so foolish. And as I waited, someone else showed up: a man who has made my professional life a misery. And an amazing thing happened. I was able, for the first time in my life to say the exact thing I wanted to say at the exact moment I wanted to say it. And, of course, afterwards, I felt terrible, just as you said I would. I was cruel, and I'm never cruel. And even though I can hardly believe what I said mattered to this man—to him, I'm just a bug to squash—but what if it did?
No matter what he's done to me, there's no excuse for my behavior.
Anyway, I really wanted to talk to you. I hope you have a good reason for not being there last night. You don't seem like the kind of person that would do something like that. The odd thing about this form of communication is you're more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many... somethings. So, thanks.
~~~TLATS~~~
After calling in sick at the tree lot, Heath decided to surf the net and check his email. Like so many times before, he went online, and his breath caught in his chest as he waited for those three little words; You've got mail. He heard nothing. Not even a sound on the streets, just the beating of his own heart.
Only this time, he didn't have mail. No email from InstantClassic.
Maybe it hasn't arrived yet, sometimes there's a delay, Heath thought, refreshing the screen. He was still hopeful that maybe an email would show up, providing a good explanation as to why his friend didn't show up the night before.
No luck. Heath's heart sank as he turned off his laptop and got his coat. No sense moping around anymore. Heath decided to grab his keys and drive over to the lot. If he threw himself into his work and avoided Jay, maybe things would be okay.
The lot was busy, and Heath had to park at the end of the lot. He rushed into the lot, mumbling a few apologies and uttering a few breathless greetings before he ran into the office. His heart nearly stopped as he saw who was behind the desk.
"Jay?"
"Heath!"
"Good morning."
"Good morning, Heath. I guess you're surprised to see me back."
Heath decided to be polite. "Naturally. I'm glad you have your job back again. Congratulations."
"Thanks. I hear you haven't been feeling well."
"That's all right, thank you. I wanted to see Mr. Helmsley."
"Well, uhmm...Here he is," Jay shrugged. "I'm Mr. Helmsley."
Heath sighed and folded his arms across his chest. "Jay, don't make any jokes," he said, his voice wobbly. "Not today. If you wanna pick on me, do it some other time, okay?"
"I don't know what to tell you, Heath. I'm trying to tell you that Mr. Helmsley isn't here, and that I'm the manager."
Heath turned and smacked the wall. "How much of a creepy little bastard are you, Jay?" he exclaimed. "I'm not well, I can hardly see straight. Everything is a big train wreck right now. I just ask you a simple question and you try to scare me!"
Hunter's cell phone rang, interrupting Heaths's tirade. Jay picked it up. "Excuse me, I'm sorry. I have to answer this. Hello. Mr. Michaels? Hi, Mr. Michaels. Yes. Well, thank you very much. Yes, it all happened this morning. That's right, Mr. Michaels. No, Mr. Helmsley won't be with us for a while, he's taken a leave of absence. I don't own the tree lot yet. I'm the interim manager. Okay. Thanks, I'll talk to you soon. Bye..."
Jay ended his call just in time to see Heath stagger out of the office. He went to try and chase him down. "Heath! Heath! Come back Heath!"
~~~TLATS~~~
Thankfully, the day flew by, so Jay didn't have a chance to really think about the devastated look on Heath's face. When closing time rolled around, however, Jay decided that it was cruel to string Heath along. The big reveal would come sooner than later, and before he revealed himself as Heath's anonymous friend, he had to mend things first and visit the young man.
Howard House was a large, well-kept Tudor home on Caddington Street that was used as a boarding house. Jay was greeted warmly by one of the owners, a pudgy looking woman in a floral housecoat, and directed to Heath's room on the second floor. The lights were on.
Screwing his courage to the sticking place, Jay knocked gently on the door. "Come in," said a quiet voice.
Jay opened the door and stepped inside. Heath's room was decent sized, with a bay window and a small but comfortable-looking bed. A laptop was sitting on a table at the far end of the room, and Heath sat on the bed, his hair rumpled, and his face pale. He was wearing a t-shirt with an MMA design on it and black sweatpants. "Hi, Heath."
"Good evening, Jay," Heath said tiredly
"Sorry to drop by uninvited, but I...being in charge of the tree lot kinda makes me feel like a dad. Anyway, how are you doing?"
"I'll be all right, Jay. Please have a seat. It's kinda crowded, so I tried to make as much space as I could when I moved in."
"It's comfy, thank you." Jay sat at the foot of Heath's bed. "Y'know, Christmas is coming in a few days, and we'll miss a good worker like you in the tree lot. So, I hope you get better soon."
"I'll be all right in a few days."
"That doesn't mean that you should neglect yourself. I mean it, Heath." Jay paused, and then gazed over at the young man, his voice soft with regret. "I have a confession for you. I feel like I caused a lot of this, you know, with the way I've treated you, and I think I owe you an apology."
Heath's eyes widened. "Really?" This was the last thing he was expecting to hear from the cocky tree salesman.
"Yeah."
"Oh, no, Jay. It's not your fault. There's a bigger reason."
"Bigger reason? Maybe you should see a doctor."
"No, I don't need to see a doctor. I guess you can call it...personal problems. It's my own personal problem, and I'll come out of it."
"I'm sorry. It's a shame you have to go through all this. You don't have to go through it by yourself."
Heath snorted and shook his head. "Jay, it's true we're in the same room, but not exactly on the same planet."
"Mars and Venus, right?" Jay asked. "Heath, I can't help but admire how eloquently you express yourself, even though I was the target of that remark." A chuckled escaped him. "You certainly know how to put a man in his planet."
A stout gray-haired man appeared in the doorway, holding a tray with a bowl of soup, some bread and a cup of tea. "Hi, Heath. You doing alright? Thelma asked me to bring you up a tray with some soup."
"Thank you. Come on in. Jack, this is my boss. Jay Reso, Triple H Trees."
"I'm glad to meet you." Jack set the tray down carefully on the dresser in the room before shaking Jay's hand. His grip was warm and confident. "Jack Howard."
"How's it going?"
"Can't complain. Can I get you something hot to drink? Coffee, tea?"
"I'm alright. Thanks for asking, though."
Heath pointed to the table. "Jack, would you be kind enough to bring me my laptop?"
"Of course. Here." Heath turned on the laptop. Suddenly, the familiar voice announced, You've Got Mail, and his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. While he checked the email, Jay and Jack engaged in some cordial chat.
Jack turned to head back downstairs. "Jay, it was nice to meet you. If you need anything, don't be afraid to give me or Thelma a shout."
"Thank you. I will. And feel free to swing by the tree lot. We'll give you a nice deal on a Douglas Fir." After Jack left, Jay watched in amusement as Heath read his email. "I hope it's good news in that email. You look like you're over the moon right now."
"I'll tell you later. Jay, it was nice of you to drop in. I don't want to spoil your whole evening."
"It's okay. I have nothing planned tonight. Go ahead and read that email. Don't worry about me. That is, if you don't mind."
"Not at all."
"Good news?"
Heath was grinning like an idiot. "Very good news. I'm gonna be back at the tree lot tomorrow, ready and raring to go. I'll sell wreaths and trees left and right."
"That's quite a change in you. It's amazing what one email can do."
"If I weren't feeling so happy, I'd be very annoyed with you."
"With me? Why?"
"Why?" Heath huffed. "Because you spoiled my date last night. I wasn't so wrong when I asked you not to sit at my table. InstantClassic did go to Monty's. He looked in the window, saw us together, and misunderstood."
"He thought you and I were friends?"
"He must have. Listen: Tell me and be frank. I think you owe it to me. Who is this very attractive young man? He's just the type a guy like me would fall for."
Jay got off the bed and glanced out the window so that Heath couldn't see the smirk that crossed his lips. "I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble, Heath."
"It's all right. I'll straighten it out. It won't hurt him to be a little jealous."
"He doesn't seem to be much of a man, this friend of yours. I mean, he walks away. He's afraid to come over to the table when another man is there."
"No, Jay, he's wasn't afraid. He's tactful. He's sensitive. He's not the type of man who would walk up to a table uninvited.
"It's difficult to explain a man like him to a man like you. Where you would say, black, he would say, white. Where you would say, ugly, he says, beautiful. And when you say, dumb ginger, he says, Eyes that sparkle with fire and mystery...vivacious. Fascinating." Heath paused, and then he smiled thoughtfully. "Jay...I wanna get my friend a Christmas present. Nothing that's not too extravagant. But something I know he can use and appreciate."
"A wreath kit?"
"Very funny," Heath snorted.
"Heath, you're taking an awful big chance. Why don't you give him a wallet? I'm sure he'd be crazy about it. Any man would be. A wallet is practical. Besides, they're affordable. You can get a nice one at Walmart."
"I'm not interested."
"It's better than a bag of branches we're trying to pass off as wreath kits. Even though they do sell."
"No, I'm sorry."
Jay was undaunted. "Besides being practical...a wallet...can be rather romantic. On one side he has your last letter, or email if you will, on the other side, a picture of you. When he opens it, there you are. And that's all he'll ever need or want."
"Why, Jay, you surprise me. That's very well-expressed. I must admit, that's very nice. But...naah. I think I'll get him a gift card."
"Don't get him one from Pam's Arts & Crafts."
Heath busted up laughing. "Heaven Forbid! That's probably the last thing he'd want," as he nearly fell over sideways on his bed. He managed to recover and got up to give Jay a hug. "Thanks for stopping by, Jay. I really appreciated it."
Jay returned the hug, giving Heath a gentle pat on the back. He smiled warmly at the young man in his arms. "I'm glad you did. I guess there's not much more I can say, except...Merry Christmas to the both of you."
"Thank you, Jay, good night."
"Good night, Heath. I'll see myself out. See you tomorrow morning.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Told you this would be short and sweet. ONE MORE CHAPTER! WOW! I don't think I've put a story up this quickly before. The email was from You've Got Mail. Read, review, and tell all your friends!:)
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