Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2004 16:59:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: Corrinne S <quasito_cat@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Graschels of Guenther Street - Chapter 13

The Graschels of Guenther Street

M.C. Gordon

Pertinent information is posted at the beginning of
this series.  Comments welcome at
quasito_cat@hotmail.com or quasito_cat@yahoo.com

Chapter Thirteen

     "I'm not sure I want to go along with this idea,
Ramon," Rick said as the two prepared for their annual
New Year's Eve party on the Riverwalk.  "Deet will
find out it's a set-up and be pissed."

     "I don't care," Ramon replied.  "I'm sick of my
best friend going around with that `woe is me' male
angst attitude we're all supposed to have.  What he
needs is a night of unfettered passion with a gorgeous
hunk."

     "I talked to him the other night," Rick said.
"You need to give him time, Ramon, to work his way
through everything.  Right now he's trying to figure
out how to raise Eric and not make enough mistakes
that he loses Jane.  He did loosen up enough to dance
with Van."

     "Two dances do not the heat of passion make,
Rick," Ramon responded.  "Besides, those two are so
hung up on the ethics between doctor and patient that
they'll never make a play for each other."

     "Why are you so hell bent on playing Little Miss
Match Maker?"

     "For several reasons, only one of which is his
attitude," Ramon said.  "That beating he took as a
teenager scared the shit out of him.  Then we were in
love for five years.  The last big fight we had, the
one where I left him for good, was my fault.  I tried
to force him to come out when he wasn't ready and it
only drove him deeper into his shell.  Now he's got
Eric and, hopefully, little Jane."

     "I think having the kids around is good for him.
He hasn't given a party in years until the Christmas
party.  Granted, there were a few tense moments
between the two of us, but he was more relaxed and
happy than I've seen him in a long time."

     "That's just it, Babe," Ramon said, "now he's got
the kids.  He'll wrap himself up in them and
completely turn his back on ever finding a man to
spend the rest of his life with.  And that's why we're
doing what we're doing."

     "Oh no," Rick replied with a laugh.  "I've done
all I'm going to do.  Turning on my irresistible charm
to get Van to our party is as far as I go.  Getting
the man down to your brother-in-law's party is
entirely up to you.  I still think it's a mistake but
it's your call."

 . . .

     "Are you sure you don't want to join us?" Deet
asked Deidre as he zipped Jane's coat.  "You're more
than welcome, you know."

     "Thanks, but no thanks," Deidre replied.  "I'm
going to curl up in front of the fireplace with a good
book and some soothing music.  I'll probably be asleep
long before midnight.  Besides, someone has to be here
to take Benji out to do his doggy business and provide
a lap for Miracle to sleep in.  You young people go on
and have a good time."

     "You'll miss the fireworks!" Eric exclaimed.

     "If I'm still awake at midnight I can go out the
front door and watch the show," Deidre said.  "Now
make sure you have your pajamas and tooth-brushes."

     "I have them," Deet assured her as he picked up a
small overnight case.  "Don't worry, if you miss the
show tonight I'm sure Eric and Jane will tell you all
about it several times tomorrow."

     They waved goodbye to Deidre and went to wait for
the trolley, a cold wind blowing from the north.

. . .

     "You paid how much for the doll?" Manuel asked
for the third time.  "That's a lot of money for one
doll."

     "She was hand-crafted, Manuel," Deet explained...
also for the third time.  "And she looks just like
Jane.  Christmas was a busy time for master craftsmen
like Herr Hausman.  Economic times are hard everywhere
and he usually does all the doll work himself.  He
only takes on extra help over Christmas.  The first
time I called him he said it was too late for him to
have the doll done in time.  But then I faxed him a
picture of the one his great-great-grandfather made
for Kitty and he promised to have the doll to me by
Christmas.  Jane called Herbert to tell him about the
doll and he told Betty.  They were over the next day
and Betty's already negotiating with Herr Hausman to
have him create several dolls for her to sell on
consignment."

     "If you keep spending money like water on the
kids I'll have to reconsider your portfolio," Carlos
Fuentes said as he joined Deet and Manuel near the
third floor balcony of their hotel suite.  "At least
you can claim Eric as a dependent on your taxes."

     "Don't you ever think about anything but money?"
Manuel asked his brother.

     "I'm a CPA," Carlos replied.  "We piss dollar
signs.  My brain is still reeling from the amount my
client put in trust accounts for Eric and Jane.
Speaking of which, Deet, are you sure you want Jane's
to be an irrevocable trust?  What if the judge doesn't
let you adopt her?"

     "Carlos, I love you like a brother but you are a
total pain in the ass," Deet replied.  "I want Jane to
have that money when she grows up.  If Judge Solari
doesn't let me adopt her I'm sure she'll see that Jane
has a good home with a loving family."

     "The trust is confidential information that
neither Jane nor any other adoptive family will be
privy to," Manuel reminded his brother.

     "Daddy!" Jane suddenly shouted.  "Look!  I see
Rick!"

     "Great," Deet thought to himself as he walked to
where she stood.  "Where?" he asked.

     "Down there," she said and pointed to the balcony
below.

     The balconies of the hotel were stair-stepped as
they descended to the bank of the river below and Deet
could clearly see Rick, the center of attention among
a group of handsome men.  The loud music blaring from
the hotel room made it impossible for Rick to hear
Jane's attempts to gain his attention.

     "I forgot that Rick and Ramon have their New
Year's Eve parties at this hotel every year," he told
Jane.  "Would you like for me to call down to their
suite and ask if they can come up here for a few
minutes?"

     "Could you?  Pleeeease?" she begged.

     "You really like Rick, don't you?" Deet said.

     "I do," she replied.  "He's cute and he dances
sexy."

     "What!" Deet responded.  "You're not old enough
to think about sexy."

     "Chill, Dad," Eric said as he joined them.  "Rick
IS sexy.  And it's not like you have to worry about
Jane.  Jeez!"

     Deet went to the telephone and asked for Rick
Jordan's room.

     "Sure," Ramon said when Deet asked if he and his
lover could join the Fuentes party for a few minutes.
"Tell Jane we'll be up in about five."

     "Hi, Sis," Ramon said when Consuela answered the
knock on their hotel room door.

     "You're not bringing your debauchery up here are
you?" Consuela asked with a laugh as she kissed her
brother's cheek.

     Ramon laughed and hugged Consuela.  "I don't
debauch," he replied as he returned the kiss, "at
least, not more than once a week."

     "And then only with me," Rick said as he hugged
the woman he considered his sister-in-law.  "Happy
tomorrow," he added.

     "Dr. Tran!" Jane exclaimed as she shot across the
room and threw herself into his arms.  "I didn't know
you were coming tonight.  Wait until Eric and Daddy
see you!  Eric!" she shouted, "look who's here!"

     Deet had heard the girl's exclamation and blushed
slightly at the knowledge that Van was stopping by.

     "Rick invited him to our party," Ramon said when
Eric walked over to greet his psychiatrist.  "When
Deet invited Rick and me to drop by we talked him into
joining us.  I think," he whispered to Jane, "that our
party is a little too loud and he'd be more
comfortable with you guys."

     Ramon and Rick stayed for half an hour and
mingled with the assorted Fuentes-Martinez kith and
kin.  Rick talked Jane into joining him for a slow
dance, not easy to accomplish since he towered over
her, her nose somewhere in the proximity of his navel.

     Before they left Rick knelt down to be more
eye-level with the girl.  "Do me a favor, honey?" he
asked.

     "Ok," she replied.

     "I think Dr. Tran's going to stay at this party.
Ask him to dance with you."

     "I don't dance good," she hesitated.

     "Well ... Jane, you don't dance well.  But you do.
You have a wonderful sense of music.  You're learning
very quickly and can already do everything I've taught
you.  Now listen because this is very important.
Dance with Dr. Tran, then your dad, then Eric and
Jorge, in that order because it's part of a secret.
Then dance with Dr. Tran again and ask him to ask Deet
to dance.  But you can't let anyone know."

     "I ain't doing nothing unless I know why," she
stated.

     Rick leaned close and whispered.  "I think Deet
and Van kind of like each other but they're both shy.
If you do this just right, all by yourself without
even telling Eric, then when it's midnight maybe
they'll kiss."

     "Kiss?" Jane asked.  "Why would they wanna kiss
at midnight?"

     "Because it will be the new year and kissing
someone you like a lot is something people do.  I'm
going to kiss Ramon and I'll bet Manuel kisses
Consuela."

     "Can I kiss Eric and Jorge?" she asked.

     "You sure can," Rick answered.  "And you can kiss
all of Jorge's sisters.  That's kissing between
friends and one of the best kinds of kissing there is.
 But if Deet and your doctor kiss each other it's
going to mean they might find something special like I
have with Ramon."

     "Like they could be boyfriends?" Jane asked.

     "You're too smart for me," Rick said with a
chuckle.  "Ramon and I have to back to our party so
could I have one of those friend kisses before we
leave?"

     "I thought you didn't approve," Ramon said to
Rick as the elevator carried them down to the next
floor.

     "I thought it over," Rick said.  "Hell, Babe,
it's New Year's.  Screw rational thought.  I hope they
fall hopelessly in love."

     "But you stooped to the level of convincing a
twelve-year old girl to be your accomplice," Ramon
chided.

     "I know," Rick agreed.

     The assorted children rushed to the hotel room
balcony when Manuel announced it was almost midnight.
Jane had followed Rick's suggestion and found that she
really was dancing well.  When everyone made their way
into the cold to watch the fireworks, she made sure
that her foster parent was standing next to her
doctor.  Manuel began the ten second countdown.

     When the clock said midnight and the fireworks
began Manuel kissed his wife.  Jane quickly kissed
Jorge and Eric before she turned her attention to Deet
and Tran Van Nam.

     "You're s'posed to kiss the person you're
standing next to," she announced with her hands on her
hips.

 . . .

     Deet's senses came awake as the smell of coffee
invaded his olfactory nerves and sped toward his brain
cells.  He gradually realized that Jane was standing
beside the bed saying, "Daddy?  Daddy, room service
brought breakfast.  You need to wake up now."

     "Yeah, Dad, wake up!" Eric said from the door.
Then he stopped and did a double-take.  "Holy shi ...
cow!  You scored!  Hey, Tio Manuel!  Dad got lucky
last night!"

     Deet pulled the sheet over his head and moaned
his embarrassment.

     "I knew I should have left before anyone woke
up," Van whispered in his ear.  "Too late now.  I
guess we'll just have to face everyone."

     "I think you're enjoying this," Deet said.

     "Immensely," Van replied, "for the moment.  Angie
Solari's going to kick my ass all over her court for
this when she finds out."

     "Does she have to?" Deet asked.

     "Yes," he replied.  "I have no choice but to tell
her.  I violated one of the most fundamental rules of
medicine."

     "Is this going to hurt the adoption?" Deet asked,
suddenly very worried that he'd done something wrong ...
again.

     "Not the adoption," the psychiatrist assured him.
 "But you'll have to find another family therapist."

     "Dad!" Eric called before they could work
themselves into a monumental worry, "your coffee is
going to get cold!"

     "My son already knows me too well," Deet said
before he smiled and added, "race you to the
bathroom."