Second Chances

It was a nice Saturday afternoon for a company picnic. Jean-Luc had rented an entire section of a nearby park for the 750 plus attendants. The sun shone and the sky was a perfect azure with only tiny wisps of clouds in the far off distance.

A small podium ontop of a long picnic table stood as a place to speak announcements before the festivities kicked off. It was a little after two in the afternoon when Jean-Luc tapped a fork against his crystal wine glass and cleared his throat into the microphone before he spoke. "Welcome to the LeBeau Industries company picnic. Before we get started today, I have a few announcements. First, I am pleased to say that we have scored the highest rating in the building market according to Business Monthly. Second, I would like to announce the upcoming opening of our newest building addition in Tacoma. Some of you will be lucky enough to train new employees and others will go one step further in spending some time there with start-ups or transfer permanently, if you so desire. My son, Remy, has been helping our new branch get up and running from here but will be spending some time in Tacoma in the coming months." Offering a small smile in recognition of Remy and his efforts, and gesturing to Remy with an open hand, Jean-Luc continued, "I would like to thank you all for the wonderful service year after year. May the next ten years be just as wonderful! Enjoy!"

The crowd that had gathered around the long table now applauded the speech and started to break up and mingle. The sounds of rock music and jazz from opposite sides of the park began to swarm in while the scent of hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob and other interesting smells filled the air.

Children of all ages ran around, played games and laughed and joked with other children at the park. A seldom few gathered to go fishing at the park's catch and release lake, down at the bottom of a steep hill, on the other side of the park.

It was an enjoyable day and Matthew and Stephanie made the best of it with an only child of a manager from the third floor. A young boy with a fascination for model airplanes and remote control cars. Logan watched as the three friends set up and powered the scale-model B-52 Bomber off of the ground and into the air.

Logan stood under a large mulberry tree and surveyed the parkful of people. Making a panoramic sweep of the people laughing and chatting and enjoying the warm day, Logan's eyes paused on Remy talking to his father in a tone that was not so light-hearted. They weren't yelling yet they weren't exactly happy either. Although, he couldn't hear what they were saying, being that they were a ways away from where he stood, Logan summed that the announcement Jean-Luc had given was not something that Remy was looking forward to. The conversation lasted a few minutes more before they each went their separate ways. Logan wondered what had upset Remy but was not wanting to overstep his bounds.

Remy headed for the hill, overlooking the fishing lake, to sit in the shady spot and relax before lunch was served. He lounged back on one elbow and watched two little boys walk up and down along the edge of the lake, below, holding a long fishing pole. He watched the two boys for awhile and thought back to when he and his older brother had done the same thing in the pond behind their summer home, in Paris. The shaded grass felt cool underneath him, the air smelled clean and inviting and the calm wooshing of the small waves on the water lulled his anger and frustration with his father.

Walking casually over to where Remy reclined, Logan cleared his throat in a subtle attempt to gain Remy's attention and smiled when his neighbour looked over with a welcoming smile, himself. "There you are. Wondered where you got to."

"Just been here, watchin' de kids at de lake." Remy turned his attention back to the two boys with the fishing pole. His dark sunglasses hid the fact that he hadn't slept in a few nights and his eyes were very overworked, giving him frequent headaches. He wore blue jeans and a T-shirt but somehow he felt underdressed.

Logan nodded. "You feelin' alright?" He had noticed a stifled yawn as Logan sat down beside Remy and also kept count of how many late nights Remy's living room light had been on, well past the hours Remy usually went to bed, during the week. It wasn't his business or authority to tell Remy how to take care of himself but he grew deeply concerned for his friend over the course of the past few weeks.

Remy shrugged but nodded an answer, even though he knew Logan could see through his deception. He sighed and stifled another yawn before glancing over at Logan. "You enjoyin' yerself?"

"Yea. Watchin' the kids and minglin' with the people." Pulling his knees up to rest his arms across them, Logan followed Remy's line of sight down to the two boys with the oversized pole. He smiled and held in a chuckle as they became excited about the first small fish they had caught all afternoon. "So, ya been busy with Tacoma, huh? Good."

Again, Remy nodded. "I leave for a few weeks, on Monday. Bobby left two weeks ago. He moved dere so, I will stay wit' him." Somehow, Remy didn't seem too excited to go but he didn't mind the change of scenery.

"How ya feelin' about that?"

Remy shrugged. "Bobby's okay. We get along just fine. And de job is goin' smooth. No problem."

"You two-- seein' each other again?"

"Non." Remy shook his head and averted his eyes, eventhough the sunglasses were in place, Logan had a way of seeing right through Remy's defensive lines. "Bobby is nice, an' was great in bed but, he reminds me of Alex too much. Time for a change, ca va?"

"As long as yer happy, kiddo." Logan could tell that the stress of Remy's new job was wearing on him but he was not going to move past where he wasn't needed or wanted. He was forced to wait to help the younger man that he knew wouldn't ask for help until he was forced to do so.

Ten minutes had passed and they sat in silence until a young lady from Accounts Payable walked over to them and mentioned that lunch was being served.

Logan stood up and helped Remy to his feet as he called down to the boys, now sitting at the edge of the water, and telling them that it was time to eat.

~~~~~~~~

Stephanie unlocked the door and opened it to a darkened entryway of Remy's house. She held a stack of mail in her hands from the past week and stepped inside to leave it on the table, with the other three weeks' had been placed. She paused at the edge of the table nearest the door and listened to the deafening silence of Remy's house.

She had done some cleaning and dusting, to keep the house presentable when Remy came home but mainly it was just to give her something to do. She missed her odd but handsome neighbour and wondered why he had been so distant, prior to his leaving for Washington. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the now diminishing scent of the house's owner.

A knock on the open front door snapped her back to the present as Logan stepped in. "Hey. Just dropping off the mail."

Logan nodded. "Ya miss him, too, huh?"

"Yeah." Stephanie glanced down at the creme coloured carpeting. "When's he coming back?"

Logan sighed and stared into his daughter's eyes as he answered, "his dad says he's staying two more weeks. They're needin' a lot more help than originally thought but it shouldn't be too much longer."

Stephanie glanced up at the top of the stairs, half-expecting to see Remy standing there, looking down at them. She sighed and shrugged. "Is he okay? Before he left, I got this feeling like he really didn't want to go."

"Like what?"

Looking around the room and then making her way over to sit on a stool, at the bar, Stephanie thought back to the last time she saw Remy, from across the street. "Well, he didn't say it but, it was on his mind. Not sure what. He just seemed unhappy with this whole thing about Washington and the company."

Logan's brow furrowed as he took the stool next to her and sat down. "When did this start?"

"Around the time of the picnic. Dad, what if he stays there, permanently? Finds a new place, meets someone that's in to him and that he's into? Then what?" Stephanie met Logan's eyes with concern. She had only admitted it to herself that she had grown accustomed to Remy and thought of him as more than just a neighbour and a friend. "Daddy, I know when mom died, you shut yourself off from everyone else. And, I guess, Matt and I did, too. When Remy moved here, something changed; in you, in him. Having Remy across the street--, daddy, he's had your back so many times. You've had his, as well. I know you don't want anything to happen to him--"

Logan stopped her from finishing. "Baby, Remy and I are from two different worlds. He can't change who he is, for me. I can't change who I am, for him. It just doesn't happen in a snap."

"I'm not asking you to change, dad. But, you're kidding yourself if you say you don't have feelings for him." Stephanie stated simply before sliding off of the stool and heading for the front door to go back across the street. She smiled to herself as she felt a twinge pull on her mind, telling her that Logan was thinking about what she had said.

It had been Jean-Luc's idea to send Remy to Tacoma to get the newest addition up and running and Stephanie would work on helping Logan sort out his feelings for Remy in Remy's absence. She had done her best not to force Logan to change his mind, only suggest what Logan already knew he felt for the Cajun.

Stephanie could sense Jean-Luc's hesitation on the idea to get Logan and Remy together, yet the thought of seeing Remy mope around the office or home was more than a father could stand for his child. In the end, it became more of wanting to see both Logan and Remy happy in their choices. However, both Stephanie and Jean-Luc decided they would only nudge and not demand to have Remy and Logan make up their minds.

By the time Stephanie reached the front door of their house, she had started to have her doubts. What if Logan didn't realise what he was truly feeling for Remy? What if Remy liked Tacoma and wanted to stay there permanently? What if Remy really didn't feel anything at all for Logan, and vise versa?

Stephanie stood there, with her hand on the door knob, waiting for some mystical sign that everything would be alright and that the makeshift plan would come together. Nothing. No lightning, no cloud burst, no voice from above stating reassurance. With a small sigh, Stephanie opened the door and stepped inside.

~~~~~~~~~

Matthew sat in his purple beam bag chair, at the end of his bed, with a game controller in his hands. His small, 12" screen set showed the latest space game for blasting monsters and space ships. He had been engrossed in his game for several hours and didn't hear the recent knock on the door until the door opened and Stephanie stepped in.

When the sound was muted, Matthew paused the game and turned around to see Stephanie standing next to his bed, with the television remote in her hand. "Hey!"

"I knocked, Matthew. You did not answer."

Matthew turned around and went back to his muted game. "What d'ya want?"

Stephanie came to sit on the floor, next to him and curled her legs under her. She took a minute before answering, watching his silent game with passive enthusiasm. "What do you think of Remy?"

"Um," Matthew paused the game again, brow furrowing, "he's okay. Did somethin' happen to him?"

Stephanie shook her head. "He has been gone awhile."

"Yea, so? He's been busy. What does that have to do with us?"

"Matthew, weren't you listening at the picnic? Remy is in Tacoma."

Shrugging, Matthew turned to stare at his paused game. "So, Toyota is a good brand." His sarcasm caused his sister to cringe and stand up. "Aw, sit down, Stevie! I know what's goin' on. I'm not stupid."

"I did not say that." Stephanie stood there a moment.

Sighing and dropping the game controller to the floor, on the other side of his chair, Matthew stood up and stretched. "You're afraid that Remy's gonna move there and find some other family to snuggle up to, right? And that dad'll never tell Remy what he really thinks of him, right? So, you're here, wanting me to help beg dad to convince Remy to stay, eventhough, Remy hasn't officially moved, yet. What makes you so sure dad OR Remy'll listen to us?"

Stephanie looked around at her normally messy brother's room and waved a hand to indicate that it was now spotless. "Well, if anything, you can tell him Remy taught you how to keep your room clean."

"Yea, I'm gonna ask dad if I can wash his car at 3.30 in the mornin', too."

Stephanie looked less than impressed with the remark. "Look, you and I both know something is going on between them. Dad never took to anybody like he took to Remy."

"Uh, hello? Remy is dad's boss's son. Duh!"

"You know what I mean."

Matthew shrugged again. "Look, I like Remy. Alot. Of course, I don't want him to move away but, it goes with the job. More importantly, Remy's gay and dad isn't. How're ya gonna change that? Duh?"

Stephanie folded her arm in front of her. "It couldn't hurt to at least let them know how we feel in the matter."

"I doubt it'll change anything."

~~~~~~~~

A yellow cab pulled up in front of Remy's driveway and stopped to let an exhausted Cajun out of the backseat. The trunk lid opened and the driver got out to retrieve the heavy black Samsonite out of the trunk. It was late in the night an he was extremely tired of being inside a moving vehicle with no room to move around. Remy sighed as the cab pulled away and left him staring at a dark house.

Remy checked his watch. One forty-five. He was glad to be home, again. He stood there, listening for the airline sounds and the sounds of bustling traffic and loud, obnoxious horns blowing amidst the downpour of rain. Silence. He took a deep breath and bent down to grab hold of the suitcase's handle and carry it over to the front door before, unlocking the door and hauling it inside.

The house was dark until he padded over to the table by the sofa and switched the lamp on, revealing a clean house with a small mountain of posts in the middle of the dining room table. Remy sighed as he stared over at the table and then looked in the direct of the darkened stairs that led to his bedroom, and a shower.

Leaving his suitcase in the middle of the living floor, Remy locked the front door and headed upstairs, undressing as he ascended the stairs. He was nude by the time he reached his bathroom. He couldn't wait to get under the spray of a hot shower and wash the past few weeks and travel hassles away.

Relaxing in a long, hot, mind-and-body numbing shower, Remy looked forward to having a day off to relax. Soaping, rinsing and drying his body off, Remy draped the damp towel over his head as he checked to make sure the water was completely off before heading back into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Slipping on his boxers and finishing drying his hair, Remy walked back to the bathroom to hang up his towel before going back downstairs to get a glass of water and shut off the living room light before going to bed for the night.

Remy settled into bed and gently laid his head down, onto the pillow and closed his eyes. Sleep came easy and willingly and Remy slept for several good hours before waking when the sun's rays hit him in the face through the open blinds. Rolling over and groaning, Remy tucked the pillow over his head and tried to get some more sleep but it was impossible. Another groan before Remy tossed the pillow and the covers off and sat up.

With a heavy breath, he turned and looked at the clock by the bed. The glowing blue numbers stood three inches high and read 7:55. Outside, he heard three doors shut, letting him know that Logan and the children were leaving for school. Remy blinked slowly and pushed himself up, off of the bed to stumble downstairs for a cup, or three, of coffee.

~~~~~~~~~

Remy sat in a folding chair, at the edge of his open garage, and sipped his coffee. He glared at the early morning hours through his dark sunglasses and took another sip as Logan's white Envoy pulled into the driveway across the street. It was just after 8 and Remy was still yawning.

As Logan got out and shut the car door, he nodded at the drowsy Cajun and wandered over. "When did you get back?" he called from the edge of the driveway.

"Sometime dis mornin'. Still kinda tired from all of de travellin'." Remy covered a yawn. He sipped his coffee and then offered Logan a cup. "Jus' made a pot. Help yaself." The sun had slowly started to rise up his from the cuffs of his faded denim jeans to his worn and tattered denim knees. His maroon shirt was also faded, looking more of a dark pink than red.

The corner of Logan's mouth lifted at the hospitality as he decided to take his neighbour up on the offer. Making his way into the house via the garage door, Logan noticed that the stack of post was still on the table and Remy's black suitcase was placed so casually in the middle of the living room floor. He shook his head and made his way over to the kitchen cabinet to remove a cup for himself and pour the still hot coffee before returning to the garage to chat with his friend.

By the time Logan rejoined Remy, there was an extra chair placed next to the dozing young man. In one hand, Logan carried his blue coffee cup and in the other, he held the stainless steel decanter full of coffee. "Need a warm up?"

"Huh?" Remy's head twisted upward to barely peer up at Logan holding the pot, ready to pour. "Oui," Remy held his cup up for a refill. A small amount of black liquid lined the bottom of the rounded white cup.

Logan poured the hot liquid into Remy's cup and stopped when he heard Remy mumble a "merci" through a yawn. Setting the decanter down, on a small table beside Remy's chair, Logan took his seat on the other side of Remy. He, himself, yawned from being up all night, working, and then to come home and take his two kids to school.

After a sip of freshly warmed coffee, Remy looked over at Logan and smiled. "Good to be home, finally." Another sip and a sigh as Logan nodded in agreement.

"How was your trip? Good? Bad?"

Remy was not sure how to phrase his answer. "It was alright. Got a lot done but dere's still a lot left to do." He covered another yawn.

"Looks like you could use a few winks." Logan smirked.

Remy propped his head on his right hand as his elbow planted itself on the metal arm of the chair. "Mebbe later. Got a lady comin' ta look at de house."

Logan tilt his head and looked at Remy with concern. "Somethin' wrong with it?"

Shaking his head, Remy took another sip and then a deep breath. He stared across the street, at Logan's house and driveway with the shiny white Envoy. "Bobby's already moved dere, and asked me to move dere wit' him. Been t'inkin' about it all night. A nice change from here but, not really lookin' forward to de packin' up here an' de office an' movin' across country just to keep Bobby company."

Logan was silent for a long few moments. He stared up at the spectacular yellow and blue sky as if it were going to give him a piece of encouragement, instead of an inkling of dispair. "So, you've made yer mind up?"

Remy shook his head. "Not yet. Brought back a few realty magazines to help me decide." Out of the corner of his eye, Remy observed Logan's sombre expression, even though Logan was trying not to show it.

"The kids'll miss you."

Remy turned his head. "Et toi?" His heart paused and his breath stopped, dangling by a thread of what Logan might or might not say. He hoped Logan would talk him into staying and finally confess his true admirations.

Logan shrugged and sipped his coffee. "I s'pose I could be just as tore up or as happy and accepting as possible but, if you have yer mind set on goin, then you should really go."

After a long, deep breath and a looking away for a moment, Remy swallowed Logan's irresolute words. "I won't beg you to ask me ta stay, Logan. We have very different lifestyles and ta change dem now, would be so confusin' an' chaotic to de children. Sides, it's not like we're datin', Logan." He paused as the lump in his throat rose almost to a stifling level. "Are we, Logan?"

Another gulp of hot coffee burned the back of Logan's throat as it slid down to his belly. "I didn't think anyone could replace the love I lost, after Jean. Then, you moved in and the world stopped. Matt's just ecstatic that he has someone to play video games with and teach him how to unlock doors in under two minutes. And Steph, well-- she really took to ya after Matt's flyin' lesson." Logan sighed and stood up, taking two steps forward and then another, final, sip of coffee. "Remy, I can't make you stay or go. That's yer decision, no one else's." Logan turned to look back at Remy.

Remy now sat with one hand holding his empty coffee cup and the other propped up by his elbow, fingers curled around his mouth and twitching in thought. "How do you feel about me, Logan?" He had been staring at the ground but glanced up to meet Logan's gaze.

The question lingered in the air, between them, for a moment that lasted well into the next and the next after that. Logan hadn't thought about it. Hadn't wanted to. He swallowed hard and then sat down next to Remy, thinking of the right wording. He thought back to those few weeks and months when he and Remy fell together into bed. So much passion and foreplay, hindered by baited breath of possible heartbreak, on both ends. The question graduated to his head, which swelled and began to pound incessantly.

Remy's hopeful gaze continued steadily with every blink he offered Logan. "De question still stands, Logan." Remy had never felt so vulnerable before this day.

Before Logan could answer, Remy timer for his medication went off and he was up and staggering into the house for his pills. Before he reached the door, Logan was behind him, helping him up the stair and over to the stool, at the bar. He was placed onto the stool with care and affection as a loving parent would help an ailing child. "Tell me. I need ta know."

Remy's timer went off again, acknowledging that Remy was late with his medication. Feeling angry with the contraption that had to delay the conversation, Remy removed his cell phone, where the beeping timer noise had come from, and launched it across the room to have it smash against the fireplace mantle. "Tell me, Logan! Do you care for me, or non?"

"If I said 'yes' right now, you'd think I was appeasin' you. If I say 'no', yer liable to toss me over the mantle. I can't make yer mind up for you and this topic shouldn't be the decidin' line. What's the rush?" Logan leaned against the end of the bar, his expression turned to concern for Remy.

Shaking his head and averting his eyes from Logan, once again, Remy sighed and gave a shrug. "Poppa is lookin' for an answer by next week. He wants me to take over de business, in Tacoma. He's gonna retire back ta Nawlins, by de end of de year." Remy turned back and closed the gap, his lips embraced Logan's in a simple kiss. "Logan, I ain't never been apart of someone's life, like de way I was wit' yours. Alex's brother saw to it dat Alex was a pawn to get to me. Now, he's dead. Jamie's just interested in de lifestyle, an' my money. Bobby's-- well, he jus' don't know what he wants. Matt's like a little brother, so wild an' excited about anythin'. Stephanie, well, she's a real great fille." Remy paused a moment and took a step back. "Those few times in my bed, Logan-- was dat just havin' fun? Or, did you really care for Remy?"

"You aren't a joke, Remy. These past few years have gotten me thinkin about things, more and more. I've come to the conclusion, we've been spendin' more time together than any other neighbour on the block. Everything about you is sexual and tender and mysterious and infuriating. I don't think I've ever met anyone as frustrating as you. Nor, do I think I want to." Logan started.

"Gee, thanks."

Logan sighed and composed himself. "The kids want you to stay. I want you to stay. I don't know about forever but, how about we start with just one day at a time?"

Nodding, Remy closed the gap and embraced Logan in a long, deep, heartfelt kiss. He wanted so much more but decided to start slow, for Logan's sake.


End.