2. Rio
Marie twinkled at me from behind the desk. I don’t know how else to describe the look of devilish glee on her face. “You look like you’re going to throw up. Who knew talking to your boss could reduce the tough Gregario Torrez to shaky knees.”
I scoffed, which made her giggle. “I’m sure it will be fine,” she soothed after a minute, taking pity on me. To be honest, I was sure too, but I wasn’t good at talking to people or asking for what I wanted. I was good at putting my head down, doing my job, and taking what other people thought I deserved. Scheduling a meeting to ask my boss for more responsibility was pretty far out of my comfort zone, and I was having loud second thoughts.
The door to John’s office opened and I stood up automatically. He beckoned me forward with a smile, and shortly I was sitting in front of his desk while he took a seat behind it and folded his hands on the desk. “It’s good to see you, Rio. What can I help you with? Marie said you were hoping to ask me something.”
I nodded, swallowing. It took a minute to get my voice to work, and I pulled in a long breath to collect my thoughts. I had practieced a speech because I knew I wouldn’t be able to come up with it on the spot. “I’ve worked here for a little over a year now, and I am grateful that you hired me. I like the job, and the apartment, and everything, it’s estupendo. I’ve met great people and I believe I’ve done good work.”
“You’re right, Rio, you have. I’ve had nothing but compliments about you,” John said. He was still looking at me expectantly.
“Gracias. I like to do my job well, because it is important. I like to keep people safe.” I took another breath. “Since I’ve been here for more than a year, and I have a good history with your company, I would like to ask–” I swallowed, “I’d like to ask for placement on a longer-term job.”
John blinked, and just as I was sure he was going to start laughing and throw me out of his office, he broke into a beaming smile. “Absolutely! I’ve been considering that, but I wasn’t sure you’d be interested. It was on my list to talk to you about. Are you looking to work locally, or would you be willing to travel?”
“Either,” I said, relief bubbling through me. I had my fingers crossed for travel, but I wasn’t about to ask for that too. My speech wasn’t that long.
“Fantastic. Look, I had a phone call this morning and I’ve been looking at some files. You know Jackson?”
I nodded. “Sure, we’ve worked out together occasionally. He’s in Tennessee, right?”
“Yes. He’s going to be there long-term, working security for Gordon Payne. He had been working for Shiloah Durand but then they hit it off and…” He grinned. “Well, a related job was what I got the call about this morning. Shiloah Durand’s brother, Michael, needs someone on the outskirts of LA. He runs a shelter called True Colors, for kids who have run away or been thrown out of their homes because of their identities or orientations. Douglas Greene’s son is staying at the shelter right now, and there have been some threats. Shiloah Durand is paying for an agent to keep him safe.”
I had heard of Douglas Greene. He had money, a lot of questionable connections, and the charm of a weasel with a toothache. “Yes, Sir. That sounds good.” I instantly winced internally. It was not good, the man was being threatened. Thankfully, John seemed to know what I meant.
“Yes? Excellent. Marie will set up your travel arrangements while you get packed up. I’m not sure how long you’ll be there, so take that into account.” John stood up and shook my hand, and I walked out of his office hardly knowing what had happened.
Marie smiled at me. I swear she knows everything before it happens. “I’ll get your flight booked and a rental car arranged for when you get to LA!” She said cheerfully without me haveing to say a word.
I just nodded and accepted her magic. “Gracias,” I said, and went to pack for California.
Packing was quick. I didn’t have a lot in the first place, and I packed up everything I wasn’t taking in my spare duffle and left it in the living room in case, for whatever reason, I wound up not coming back here, or they needed the apartment for someone else in the meantime.
Marie had sent me flight information for the next morning, and packing didn’t take long, so I was relaxing with a beer and speculating idly about my new assignment when my phone rang. It was Paloma, a cousin on my father’s side. I took a sip of beer and swiped across the screen to connect the call. “Hola.”
“Hola Rio, cómo estás?” Her soft voice was always warm and quiet.
“Soy bueno,”I said. “How are you?”
“We’re well. I was calling with some news.” She hesitated, cleared her throat, then pulled in a deep breath. “I’m engaged.”
I wondered why she seemed afraid to tell me. She should know I would be one of the least judgmental members of the family, but maybe she had already called some of the others. “Congratulations, Paloma,” I said genuinely. “I’m happy for you. How did you meet him, how long have you been together?”
“Well… that’s the thing. Her name is Alma. We’ve been together for a couple of years.”
My beer paused mid-way to my mouth and I stared at the wall in front of me. “Her name?” I asked.
“Si… Alma Frye. She’s Shiloah Durand’s assistant.”
I didn’t care that she was marrying a woman, but now her tone made sense. I wondered if I was the first person she was calling, or the only person she was calling, because once our family found out she was marrying someone of the same sex, she would be shunned just like I was.
“A woman?” I finally asked, after what was probably far too much time.
“Si.” I heard her throat clear again. “I thought I would… let you know.”
I sighed. “Congratulations, Paloma,” I said sincerely, “I hope you have a long and happy life together. I wish I would have known that you were together sooner, though.” Paloma spoke to me now and again, but she had never mentioned that she was gay, or perhaps bi, or whatever it was that she was. I supposed she didn’t want to risk the same treatment I was getting.
“Yes. I should have mentioned it,” she said. “I was… afraid. As you know. But I’m proud of Alma and I want everyone to know that I’m hers and she is mine.” It was quiet for a moment. “Calling Papi didn’t go well, not that I expected it to.”
“No, I suppose not,” I agreed. I knew what they would have said. Homosexuality was a sin and a stain on the family, et cetera. I had heard it more than once. Every once in a while I got a phone call asking if I was still gay, and then reiterating how I was going to hell. I didn’t usually answer them anymore, except sometimes I worried that it was news about my mami and papi’s health and I broke the promise to myself to just let it go to voicemail.
“Si. Well… I just wanted to tell you.”
“I’m happy for you,” I said again. “I’m glad you’ve found someone you love. Just because it doesn’t fit their ideas doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you.” I took another sip of beer. “When is the wedding?”
“We’re not sure yet, probably mid-January? We’re having it somewhere there is snow,” Paloma answered, her voice growing surer as she moved on to a happier subject. “We’re thinking about a snowflakes and red lipsticks kind of a theme. Alma says she’s asking Shiloah to be her best man.”
“That sounds beautiful. I hope I get an invitation.” I really did, but I didn’t expect one.
“Of course you will. Maybe you can walk me down the aisle.”
I opened my mouth but nothing came out, but it made sense in a way. I didn’t think any of her - our - other family would come. “I would be honored,” I said earnestly. “Speaking of Shiloah Durand…”
She made a small sound that I took to mean Go on…
“I just packed my bags tonight, I’m heading out to LA in the morning to be his brother’s security for a while.”
Paloma squealed a bit. “Really?? Oh Michael is SO nice! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I only met him once but he was lovely.”
I chuckled at her excitement. “I just have to keep him safe,” I said.
“You’re good at that,” Paloma said with utter confidence, and her simple declaration filled me with warmth and pride.
***
I landed at LAX around noon the next day and found my way to the rental car desk, where I picked up a yellow Subaru Legacy that made me snort out a laugh. I’m pretty sure it was Marie’s idea of a joke. Maybe they were out of big, tough SUVs in black. I was supposed to meet Mr. Durand at his shelter, so I drove straight there from the airport.
I had to be buzzed into the one-story building on a less-than-busy street. There was a metal detector in the doorway and then an older man asked to see my identification. Not a bad start, security-wise. I showed him my normal ID and my Alden Security badge, and he nodded once. “Saint’s office is down there,” he said, pointing down a short hallway towards an open door.
I nodded my thanks and headed down the hallway, my steps quiet on the worn linoleum. When I reached the doorway I glanced inside, taking in the tall, slender man behind the desk. I had googled him out of curiosity last night, and found some pictures of him looking very attractive in a suit at fundraisers for the shelter. The pictures did not do him justice, however. He had medium length silver blond hair, and a chiseled, serious face with a hint of scruff. He was frowning at a folder on the desk in front of him, gnawing on a yellow pencil as he tapped his left index finger on the paper.
I tapped on the door and he jumped, throwing the pencil across the desk, then shooting me a disgruntled look. “Hello,” he said, and I could hear caution and defensiveness in his voice.
“Hola. I’m Gregorio Torrez, from Alden Security. Please call me Rio.” I stepped in toward the desk with my hand extended..
Some of the defensiveness cleared up and he stood and shook my hand. “I’m Michael Durand, but everybody here calls me Saint. I’m glad you could make it so quickly.”
“Of course. I’ve been briefed, but I understand this is related to a client here at the shelter, along with… your sister?” I let go of his hand, realizing that I had shaken it longer than normal.
Saint nodded. “I don’t know if you talk to the other guards who work with your company, but one of them is in Tennessee with my brother, Shiloah. Our sister is, well, she’s something else.” The way he said something else, his southern accent deepening a little, told me it wasn’t a compliment. “And it looks like the very rich, very powerful father of one of our young people is now pulling her puppet strings.” He smiled sarcastically. “Fun, right?”
I nodded. “Si. And I’m here because…”
“Because Shiloah is worried that she’s going to try to kill me like she tried to kill him.” He shrugged. “I’m used to watching my own back, so I’m not sure how much you’ll have to do, but I guess another set of eyes never hurts.”
Great. He didn’t want me here, he was humoring his rich brother. Well, money was money. “That’s true,” I said. I wasn’t sure where he would want me to stay, though the typical arrangement for a longer-term, long-distance job was to stay with the client for twenty-four-seven protection. “Where do you want me for the time being? I see you have decent security for the building.”
“Yeah, it keeps the riff raff out,” Saint said. “I have to finish this,” he gestured to the folder, “And then I need to check in with my staff and then we can go. I guess you’re coming home with me?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Usually the way it works,” I said.
He sighed. “Fine.” He gestures to the door. “I’ll come find you.”
I was a bit surprised to be so summarily dismissed, but I fell back on my training and nodded smartly. “Yes, Sir,” I said, then about-faced, and marched out.