Julian

I. January, Ch. 4

      The diner Cookie worked in was as busy as ever. It hummed to the sound of loaded plates sliding across chrome, and the smell of grilled onions made patron mouths water.

     Roger and Calvin sat across from each other in a booth, nursing Cokes while they waited for Cookie's shift to be over.

     "Who does he think he is?" said Roger. "Telling me I shouldn't start friendships with people?"

     "He's only the man who got you a job, and my brother."

     "Half-brother."

     Calvin pressed his lips together. "Your point?"

     Roger wiped the condensation from his cold glass. "I know you want to repay him for all he's done, but don't forget that you're your own man. And so am I."

     Calvin looked out the window as he listened to Roger. What could he possibly do for Marlo? Nothing could take back the past, or change the ugly truth that their mother died with Calvin as her favorite son.

     Roger picked up on his melancholy. "Ever wish California had more snow?"

     Calvin looked back at him. "Snow? I thought you missed L.A."

     "Of course he does," said Cookie, appearing at the side of their table without being noticed. She was short and frail, but her Brooklyn accent betrayed her innocence.

     She ran her fingers through Roger's wavy, orange hair. "But we'll be back, won't we, Pumpkin?"

     Roger took her hand and kissed her palm. "Someday. How's work going?"

     "It's going. I've been on my feet since you dropped me off this morning. You weren't late for your meeting, were you?"

     "Not at all, but you know this guy," said Roger, nudging his head at Calvin. "We were ten minutes early and he still gave me a lecture."

     Calvin crossed his arms, impressed by Roger's ability to lie. "Lecture? What lecture?"

     "Two, actually. One for making us late and another for talking to Vivi."

     Cookie placed a hand on her hip. "Vivi? Who's that?"

     "I wouldn't worry about her," said Roger. "She's an old lesbian."

     Calvin's eyes went big. "She's a lesbian?"

     "She's like, forty, and she's never been married."

     Calvin waited for Roger to finish. He frowned at the unsatisfying silence. "That doesn't make her a lesbian."

     Roger studied Calvin's expression. His eyes became mischievous, his grin wide. He dragged every word for emphasis. "You dog. You dig her."

     Calvin absorbed the outrageous words. He twisted up his face in confusion. "I don't even know her."

     Roger folded his hands on top of the table, eyeing Calvin like the world's oldest sensei. "And yet you gave her your coffee."

     "It's called having manners," said Calvin, fighting to keep his voice down.

     He knew Roger well, and he could smell sour grapes from miles away. "Sounds to me like you put the moves on her and she blew you off. Now you're making up lies to protect your ego."

     Roger winked at Cookie. "Psh, I'm happy with the one I've got. And I'm just telling you what I heard."

     He took a long sip of Coke, taking advantage of Calvin's patience. "Rumor has it she was a business wunderkind. Made crazy amounts of money selling office junk. When her boss found out she was gay, he fired her."

     Compassion spread across the inner walls of Calvin's heart. "That's awful."

     "Yeah."

    He stirred the ice and soda with his straw. The memory of her eyes developed like a photograph. "Rumor, huh? So she never confirmed this?"

     "She's an old maid. She'd never give you the time of day."

     Calvin rolled his eyes. "You really are a moron, aren't you?"

     "Only on the weekends."

     Calvin licked his lips and took a deep breath, ready to change the subject. "Stu, I meant what I said about staying under the radar. They were Marlo's orders."

     Roger ate the inside of his cheek.

     "I don't want any trouble. We can keep to ourselves until the heat dies down, can't we?"

     Roger shook his head. "You're spineless."

     Calvin twitched his upper lip in aggression. "You know, damn well, what he went through."

     "Yeah, yeah. I've heard it a million times, but you had nothing to do with that."

     Calvin's finger skated along the rim of his glass. "In a way, I did."

     Roger groaned. "I'm done talking about this. Are we going to read our fan letters or what?"

     Calvin understood the subject was closed. He nodded.

     Several one-act plays they wrote together were picked up at independent L.A. playhouses. Rachel, their amateur agent, would send them any fan mail their work accumulated.

     Roger grabbed a stack of letters sitting on the table beside him. He unbound them from their rubber band ties and opened the top one, reading it out loud.

     Calvin's mind was elsewhere. Roger wouldn't budge, meaning he had to make up for his rebellion by being extra obedient to his brother. Keep a low profile. I can do that. I'll become a man of mystery. Rumors will circulate that I'm a menace, a rebel.

     Rumors like the ones about Genevieve. Is she a lesbian? Maybe, but what does it matter to me? Calvin didn't know any lesbians, but he thought a woman like Genevieve could have any man she wanted. Perhaps... no. Low profile, Calvin reminded himself. No friendships with anyone at Julian.

     Calvin's reverie was broken by Roger's fingers snapping in front of his face.

     "Cal," said Roger, irritated.

     He blinked. "Yes?"

     "Did you get that?"

     Calvin gave Roger a blank stare.

     "I said I'll do it. I'll be on my best behavior. I should have known this job wasn't free. But you owe me a big one."

     Calvin smiled. "It'll only be until you catch your next break."

     "I'm in no rush. I actually enjoy teaching."

     The men saw Cookie coming, wearing a coat over her uniform and clutching her purse. "I'm ready to be home."

     "So are we," said Calvin.

     He placed three quarters on the counter as he and Roger stood.

     Roger gathered the letters. "I know it's tempting, but can we not go over the lesson plans tonight?"

     Calvin waited until Roger was standing by his side. "No lesson plans. We're going over the syllabi tonight."

     "Ugh, no."

     "Yes."

     The trio got in the car, Calvin in the passenger's seat. Roger started the engine and they headed home, to their two-bedroom apartment.