The following afternoon, Isat in a golf cart on the fourteenth hole of theLinks of Kuilima. Iwatched my son beat the pants off Benny’s father. The old man gotmeaner and meaner and suddenly, he started to win.
“He’s such a sorehead,”Ferric said, when he came up to exchange his clubs.
“Is that why you’re lettinghim win?”
“I’m not letting himwin.”
“Good for you.”
Ferric frowned. “He just got lucky,that’s all.” He stomped back to the course and I grinned. Ferrichad his father’s competitive spirit.
I leaned back, enjoying the sunshineand the special scent that comes with my island home. It smellslike crushed flowers and I couldn’t believe how much I’d missed thesmell. I knew that Francois was working on a security system forone of the big, fancy hotels down on Lewers Street and that he’d behome in time for a barbecue with Mom, Leilani and Mele who’d justreturned from their short honeymoon.
I thought about our family and how muchI loved them all, even cranky Mr. Leonard who’d stupidly just bet ahundred bucks he’d beat Ferric on the next hole.
My cell phone rang. I was surprised.Way out here, it was hard to get reception sometimes.
“Hey,” Sage said. “I waswondering…you thought about you know, hooking up again? I reallywant you to fuck me, Mingo.”
I laughed. “I thought it was onlyFrancois you wanted,” I said.
“Are you kidding? I cherishyou both. Listen, I’m on island for two more days. I’m in the sameroom. You think about it and I’ll be naked. I’ll have champagne andcondoms.”
“All right,” Isaid.
My phone rang again and I ended thecall to switch over to my beautiful man.
“Hey, hot stuff,” he said.“I love you.”
“I love you, Francois. Imiss you.”
“Babe, I can’t stand beingaway from you. Listen, I’m gonna be later than I thought. I waswondering…maybe you and Ferric can round up the troops and we canhave dinner at Legend’s Seafood. That way, I have at least anothertwo hours and by the time you’re down here, I’ll befinished.”
“You sure, baby? You don’twant a rain check?”
“Hell, no. I just have anurge for Peking duck. I have no idea why.”
I laughed. “Done, lover. We’ll see yousoon.”
Dinner was fantastic. Everybody was insuch good spirits and the food, as always, was fantastic. We wouldhave invited Benny, except that it was the Sabbath and by now, hewould have been ensconced in his parents’ home, observing religiouscurfew and putting up with his dad’s grumpiness.
Mom and the girls hadplanned to see a midnight showing of TheRocky Horror Picture Show at Ward Centerand Ferric was agog when he heard that I used to go with my motherwhen I was a teenager.
“You took the rubber gloves,the newspaper for your head, the whole shebang?” he askedme.
“Yes,” I said, “But thatinformation is not to leave this table. You’re all sworn tosecrecy.”
“But you do theTime Warp Dance betterthan anyone I know,” Mom said.
“Mom!”
“What’s theTime Warp Dance?” Ferricasked.
I knew what was coming next.
“Please, can I go with them,Dad? Please?”
Our women all chimed in.
Francois looked at me andgrinned.
“What do youthink?”
“Only because it’s a Fridaynight and because this is your last weekend of summer and becauseyou’re starting school on Monday…yes, you can go.”
“I’ll take good care ofhim,” Mom promised.
“Yeah, you will.”
“He can stay with me for thenight. We’ll watch the final Twilight movie together.”
“Cool!” Ferricsaid.
I swooped on the last egg tart from theplatter on our table.
“And, Ferric, tomorrowyou’re getting a haircut. We love your dreads, butPunahou won’t. So yourfather will pick you up from Mom’s house and take you for atrim.”
He stared at me a moment. He’d foughtagainst having his dreadlocks shorn, but he was so excited he’dbeen accepted into the most prestigious school in all the islandsthat after a moment’s hesitation, he nodded.
“Okay, Dad. Can I grow themout again next summer?”
“Yes, you can.”
The check arrived and I snatched it upbefore Francois could.
He put his hand on my lap.
“Want to go with them?” hewhispered.
“Hell, no. I have otherplans in store for you, big guy.”
He lifted a brow. “Does it involve thepossible removal of clothing?”
“Of course itdoes.”
“Winnahs,” he said, filchingthe check from my hand.
Francois and I wandered downto our vehicles parked on MaunakeaStreet. We lived on the other side of the island,so we had to drive back home or leave one of our cars there so wecould go to Sage’s hotel together.
“What’s the plan?” he asked,kissing me by my driver’s side door.
“Meet me at home. We canshower and change and then, I have a little dessert foryou.”
“Can’t wait. Drive safe,babe.”
I called Sage who answered on the firstring.
“I’m having dinner,” hesaid. “I’ll meet you in my room at ten. Mingo, I can’twait!”
He was the second man to saythat to me in the last sixty seconds. I drove home, feeling myexcitement mounting. We had a clear run all the way toWaimea, pulling into ourdriveway thirty-two minutes later.
“Let’s take a shower,” Isaid.
Francois stared at me as we unlockedthe door to our house.
“A shower?”
“Yes.” I fondled his ass ashe bent to pat our meowing kitties. Mango, who’d been my travelingcompanion the day I came to lay claim to Francois, rubbed himselfagainst my hand.
A quick shower and a change of clothingand we were on our way again.
“Let’s take your car,”Francois said.
“Okay.” I didn’t care whosecar we drove. He took the wheel and I kept my hand on his muscularthigh.
“You sure you want to dothis?” he asked.
“Yeah, but it’s gonna be ourSage swansong, babe.”
“Fine by me.”
“I’m thinking we need tofind him a boyfriend.”
“Yeah, like who?”
“Benny Leonard.”
“Are you mad? Benny willdrive him nuts. Why would you do that to Sage?”
“He’s lonely.”
“But, babe, that’ll make himsuicidal…or homicidal. You want that on yourconscience?”
I shrugged. “They’re both single andhorny as hell. It might work.”
Francois laughed. “Don’t give up yourday job, babe. If that’s your only criteria for hooking themup…”
We both stopped talking. We werehere.
Sage opened the door,wearing a nice erection before we’d even finished walking down thepath of his Turtle Bay bungalow.
This time it was Francois who pouncedon the guy as I uncorked the Veuve Clicquot. They threw eachother’s clothes off, aggressively kissing. It was such a turn onthat I kept fumbling the wire atop the champagne cork. Francoistook
