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Tail in Two Cities

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Book: Tail in Two Cities


EXCERPT FROM BOOK

Steven Jay Miller loved running in the meadows at the base of the Sierra Mountains. He’d been a runner since his stint in the army, oh, so long ago.

On this delicious Northern California Friday morning, ‘Black Friday’ without the chaos of shopping, Steve jogged to the tree line, which was at least three miles from the mansion. As he caught his breath, he turned around.

LAPD Lt Billy Sharpe, and his husband, superstar Alexander Richfield, and Steve’s Swedish model husband Tadzio Andresen-Miller, had kept up with his pace. The four of them caught their breaths as they waited for the rest of the group, which was formidable.

Mark’s new husband Stan Charles Richfield and his New York Attorney General dad, Michael Bergman, the talent agent Adam Lewis, the two LAPD detectives Jeff Chandler and Mickey Stanton…

Lifeguards Josh Elliot and Tanner Cameron, firemen Blake Hughes and Hunter Rasmussen…

The two celebrities, Carl Bronson and Keith O’Leary, Steve’s brother-in-law a UCLA professor Barry Kowalski, all slowed down to gasp after the run.

Steve dabbed at his dripping sweat and tried to see into the grassy field. “Yo, Sharpe! Did Stan’s friends drop out?”

The big police lieutenant gazed out in the distance. “I think we lost them.”

Tadzio, his long blond hair tied up in a ponytail said, “Yes. They drop to laze in the grass.”

Barry used his shirt to wipe his face. “Are we heading back?”

Steve gestured to the woods. “Unless you want to see the incredible waterfalls.”

“Fuck yeah.” Alex, his hair wild from the running, climbed the trail between overgrown shrubs and ferns.

“Waterfalls?” Michael asked. “Sounds refreshing.” He dabbed at beads of sweat running down his temple.

“Alex?” Steve called from behind the men, “Do you know where it is?”

“I’ll find it!” Alex scrambled into the undergrowth.

Josh cracked up and held onto Tanner’s hips as the climb grew steep.

Steve allowed everyone to go ahead of him, looking once more in the direction they had come to search for Stan’s four friends; Antwon Jackson, Lou McFadden, Oswald Black, and Fred Chew. Nope. They must have stopped or returned to the mansion.

Steve felt a touch to his hand. Billy gestured for him to keep going.

They climbed over the boulders towards the sound of crashing water.

By the time Steve and Billy made it to the base of the towering falls, the men were gazing up at it, standing on flat stones which created a platform.

“Wow.” Tanner craned his neck to the rushing water.

“Anyone jumping in?” Blake asked, his T-shirt drenched from the run.

“And jog back with wet socks and a damp ass crack?” Alex expressed his comic distress.

“Lookie there!” Jeff pointed to the stone under his running shoe.

“What is it?” Mickey wiped his face as, he too, dripped in sweat.

On the smooth, flat granite were etched carvings; one, older, was a heart with Mark and Jack’s names in it, dated from the nineties. A second heart was newly scratched with next to it; Tadzio and ‘Steffen’.

“Steffen?” Jeff laughed at Steve.

“Iz joke.” Tadzio smiled and hugged Steve.

“Christ, that’s funny,” Josh said, laughing.

“Poor Jackie.” Adam gazed at the heart. “He never did get Mark.”

Stan cleared his throat uncomfortably and peered over at his dad.

Steve noticed Stan’s father appear a little concerned. Trying to defuse any controversy, Steve said, “Mark’s where he should be.”

Alex laughed. “Yeah, with Jackie at the cemetery.”

“Is that where they went?” Jeff choked. “Milt and Leslie’s graves?”

Stan said, “Dad? Are you ready to run back? I’m hungry for breakfast.”

“Sure.” Michael and Stan returned to the trail.

Barry followed, giving Steve a concerned look. He whispered, “Is Mark okay?”

“Yes.” Steve touched his brother-in-law’s shoulder.

Blake and Tanner crouched by the crystal clear pond at the base of the falls to splash their faces.

Billy stood next to Steve as the men returned to the bridle trail and their run across the meadow. He asked, “Why didn’t you or Stan go with Mark?”

“Because he asked Jack to go.” Steve gazed at the names scratched into the stone. “Sharpe? Jack knew Milt. Neither Stan nor I got to meet him.”

“Lucky Jack,” Billy said sarcastically.

As they waited for the last man to head to the trail, Steve and Billy joined them once more, for the return run, back to the mansion.

~

Alex paced behind Stan and his dad- Michael, with Tadzio. On the run to the mansion and a fabulous breakfast buffet, Alex glanced behind him at the men jogging. It was so damn cool.

Nearly twenty men jogging together. It really did feel like a military exercise at boot camp. It may be the end of November but the air warmed nicely. The crisp evenings morphed into mild sunny days.

As they jogged the same bridle path they had come, Alex spotted Stan’s four young friends pop up from where they were relaxing in the flowering meadow.

They hadn’t managed the pace or distance, but had hung out for the return trip. Tadzio laughed heartily as Lou and Oswald pretended they’d been with them the whole time, while Antwon and Fred chuckled and raced out front, ahead of the gang.

Whooping and shouting came from the four millennials as they drew closer to the barn and back of the estate.

Alex and Tadzio slowed down, catching their breaths. Alex held his chest, trying to recover, since he had lousy lungs after a bout of pneumonia a while back.

Michael, also breathing hard from what ended up being a sprint to the finish, asked Alex, “You okay?”

“Yes.” Alex gasped as he breathed, “Just trying to gain air.”

Michael waited beside Alex, looking concerned.

“I’m okay.” Alex nodded to Michael as he breathed easier.

He got a sweet pat on the back from the refined man.

Alex looked up from the paving stones to see his dad. He was so excited Mark was back, he rushed to his arms and grabbed him, holding tight.

~

“Hullo, baby.” Mark kissed Alex’s hair and caressed his dewy face. “Did you have a nice run?”

“Awesome.” Alex glowed from the exertion as the men behind him slowed to catch their breath.

Mark was delighted to see the group bonding. Jack exited the back of the house and caressed Mark’s hair lovingly.

The wind was calm, and the distant mountains and meadows were turning green from the rains.

The women, who had waited patiently before hitting the buffet, left the kitchen nook to step outside and admire the spectacle of men.

While Alex held Mark tight and rocked him, resting on Mark’s shoulder, Mark caressed his son’s hair and laughed at the silliness of the women.

They were whistling and catcalling at the handsome men.

Steve’s sister Laura, and her daughter Chloe, were enjoying teasing Barry as he huffed for air and wiped at his brow.

Stan’s mom, Ali was an attorney like her husband. Stan’s sister Leslie and her friends Maxine King and Manuela Espinoza were going to law school together in Manhattan. They whistled and hooted at the men playfully.

Becca McKenna, Mark and Stan’s surrogate, was also outside, with Natalie Cushman, Adam’s assistant, enjoying the fun.

Mark laughed heartily at the controlled chaos. As he was about to mention the men cleaning up to eat, he noticed Steve’s dad, Dick Miller, a disgraced LAPD sergeant, sitting behind the wall of glass in the breakfast nook, gazing out. He looked chronically exhausted and vaguely interested in the action going on outside.

Mark drew the men’s attention. “All right, lads! Sierra has breakfast ready in the large dining room, buffet style.”

“Wooo!” Stan’s friends barreled into the house, pumping their arms and hooting.

Alex kissed him and raced inside.

Mark stepped back while scantily clad men, sweating and delicious, formed a line to get inside to clean up.

As each man approached him, he got a kiss on the lips.

“Oh, my.” Mark loved every second of it.

Barry and Michael cracked up as they made their way to the open back door behind the two handsome firemen.

Michael asked, “Is a kiss the magic password to get inside?”

Blushing at Stan’s father’s comment and Steve’s brother-in-law’s mischievous smile, Mark shook his head. “No.”

Michael and Barry exchanged wicked looks and each kissed Mark’s cheeks, like bookends, simultaneously.

Stan, Billy, and Steve roared with hilarity at Mark’s expression of surprise.

Mark touched his cheeks and felt his skin heat up.

Tadzio stood in front of Mark to smile devilishly. “Straight boys…mmm.”

“Go, you naughty thing.” Mark nudged Tadzio into the house.

Steve, Stan, and Billy mauled Mark together, getting Mark coated in their sweat.

“Oy!” Mark laughed and nudged them away. “Bad boys! All of you!”

After everyone had entered the house, Mark wiped his face and arms, shaking his head at the silliness.