Page 152 of Something Like Hail
Felix most likely did, but he seemedhesitant.
“You can ask him anything,”Noah said. “I’ve tried making him blush before. It’simpossible.”
“He made me blush once,”Ruben said teasingly. “You don’t want to know how.”
“Ignore him,” Chester said.“I really am an open book. Go ahead. Please.”
Felix swallowed. “Okay. Um… Do you everfeel—I don’t know—bad? Do you worry that Raymond wouldn’t like whatyou’re doing? At least when it happened before, you weretogether.”
“When he brought other guyshome.” Chester nodded. “That’s a fair question. And yes, there aretimes I worry that I’m disgracing his memory, or that his ghost ishovering over my bed with hurt feelings. Then I remind myself thatI knew him better than anyone. When you’re together as long as wewere, you barely need to ask the other person a question, yet alonepermission, because you already know what the answer will be. I canspeak with confidence when I say that he wouldn’t want me to belonely. I bear the pain as long as I can sometimes, just to see ifI can go without, but I need human contact. I may be old, but Istill want intimacy. I know Raymond wouldn’t deny me that. He mightworry about my safety, but that’s not an issue with the Gentlemen’sAgreement Club. These aren’t street hustlers looking to rip me off.They’re good people!”
“Sounds like an opportunetime to introduce myself,” Ruben said, extending a hand to Felix.“I’m one of those purportedly good people. And you’re my new boss,right?”
Noah had never met Ruben before, but heprobably knew that Felix wasn’t his new boss, if only going by age.It was a charming gesture regardless and helped break the ice.
“No!” Felix said. “I’mjust…” He freed his hand to point a thumb at Noah, but he seemedunable to find the right words, probably because that’s what theywere here to resolve. What exactly were they to each othernow?
“His name is Felix Ramos,”Noah said, “and your new boss’s happiness hinges on him, so prayhe’s in a forgiving mood. Otherwise you won’t like working for mevery much.”
He didn’t bother gauging Ruben’s reaction tothis, choosing instead to fix Felix with a gaze that showed howserious he was.
“Then you must be Noah,”Ruben said, offering his hand until it was accepted. “I’ve heard alot of good things about you!”
From Harold, most likely. Noah had contactedhim with two requests. The first was for a client who embodied themost positive aspect of their work. They hadn’t needed long tosettle on Chester. Demonstrating the human side of their clientswas only half the challenge. Noah also wanted to prove howbeneficial the work could be to escorts, and that’s what he hadneeded help with. Harold knew the other guys and was able to selectthe best representative. Ruben just happened to be the one, whichhad taken Noah aback. He was beginning to understand his choicebecause Ruben was charismatic.
“I’ve heard good thingsabout you too,” Noah said, “and I’m open to hearing more. How’d youget started in this business?”
“Oh that,” Ruben said witha sly smile. “I guess it all began when I was eight years old and Ibroke my arm. How? I fell out of a tree. A born genius, wouldn’tyou agree? My aunt rushed me to the hospital, which I despisedevery second of, until they put the cast on me. Then I becamefascinated. My arm was broken, and all it needed to heal was someplaster? I needed to know more! First I tried sealing one of mybroken action figures in plaster. Admittedly, it was onlypapier-mâché, but that’s the best I could manage. My toy didn’theal—obviously—so I got serious and checked out a book on bonesfrom the school library. Fast forward past years of me diagnosingplayground injuries and uh—performing a few examinations on theneighborhood boys—and I entered high school knowing I wanted to bea doctor. The only hurdle was that my parents don’t have an excessof money, and I have terrible luck when it comes to scholarships. Iwas about to settle for a nursing program when I met a girl at aparty, and she explained how she put herself throughcollege.”
“She was an escort?” Felixasked.
“Yes,” Ruben answered, “anoccupation that I never seriously considered, but she made a goodcase for it, and I decided it was worth a try. The first few timeswere disastrous. I advertised online, and the requests I got wereveryverystrange.I made decent cash regardless, and I’ve always been stubborn, so Istuck with it. Then one of my clients tipped me off to the GAC and…I don’t intend this to sound like propaganda, but that’s when mylife really started to improve. The work was demanding, but Igraduated, and guess how much I still owe in studentloans?”
“Not much?” Felixwagered.
“Not anything!” Rubenreplied. “Part of that is thanks to a few generous souls who makesure I’m taken care of, but don’t misunderstand me. Escort work isdemanding, and I gave it all the energy I could spare. If I had putthose same hours into a traditional occupation, I wouldn’t haveearned as much. Had I worked longer hours at a normal job, mygrades would have suffered. Without escorting, I’m not sure I wouldhave gotten my doctorate. Ever. I won’t pretend it’s all beenpancakes and maple syrup. I’ve had some hideous nights because ofmy occupation, but as with any job, you’ll have good days andyou’ll have bad. For me it’s been mostly positive. This will soundlike I’m trying to be witty, but I’m also more familiar withpeople’s bodies than my colleagues. I’ve had experience with adultsof every age and build you can imagine, which should prove usefulin my future career.”
“I’ve had doctors who trynot to look!” Chester interjected. “It’s hard to trust someone withyour health when they’re uncomfortable with a littlenudity.”
“Prostate exams,” Rubensaid with a nod. “Everyone in my class was squeamish about learningthose, but I was the star pupil that week. You reach a point inthis work where you’re comfortable with other people’s bodies, andthat has many advantages, especially in the medical field. STDscreening will be a cinch for me.”
Ruben kept talking. Chester joined in. Theydid a commendable job of describing both the pros and cons fromtheir points of view. Felix really seemed to be listening too, andnodding as though he sympathized. By the time Ruben challengedChester to a race on one of the simulators, Noah was feelingoptimistic that his plan had worked. He waited until they werealone at the table. Then he angled his chair so he was facing Felixand began.
“Before I started workingas an escort, I had this picture in my mind about how it would be.Bad, mostly, because all I focused on was the physical. I thoughtit would be creepy guys making me do gross things. Sometimes itwas. Mostly it’s just very normal people who found an easy way toget what they need while giving something back inreturn.”
“I like them,” Felix said,looking to where Chester and Ruben were competing across theroom.
“And what about me?” Noahasked, lungs feeling weak. “Do you still like me?”
Felix’s lip began to tremble before henodded. “Yes.”
“I need us to be okay,”Noah said. “I know I hurt you and I’m sorry. I never wanted to, butI’m glad you know the truth. I don’t regret telling you. I need youto understand who I am, and now that you’ve come here today andseen that things might not be as bad as you imagined…” He shook hishead, at a loss for words. Another idea occurred to him, one thatjust might be dumb enough to work, so he leaned back, reached intohis front pocket, and plunked down the contents. A fistful of cheapgolden coins shifted and settled on the table’s surface.
Felix stared. Then he laughed. “You weren’tjoking!”
“I’m a desperate man,” Noahsaid, shoving the tokens forward. “I don’t suppose you acceptbribes?”
Felix ignored the tokens, his hand reachingpast them and settling on top of Noah’s, thumb stroking in quicksuccession. Almost as quick as the breath shooting through Felix’snostrils as he struggled to keep his emotions in check, the battlelost when a tear slipped free.