"Thanks, Steve. Frankly, I'd find it difficult to believe that you DID care about anybody." He left and paid for his coffee.
I picked up the money. "Jack ass didn't even leave a tip," I flipped him off behind his back. Kurt was such a pathetic son-of-bitch, mooning over Hugo like Mickey Rooney used to moon over Judy Garland.
*****
I called Eric at his office. He wasn't in, so I left a message on his voice-mail. "Dr. Lewis. I hope you've come to a decision about my proposal regarding your video debut. I expect to hear from you very soon. I can be a patient man, but I don't like to be ignored. Have a great day."
I put down the phone with some satisfaction. I leaned back in my chair and put my feet on the desk.
"I'm glad to hear that your mother at least taught you to be polite, Steven."
I looked up and smiled, hiding my surprise. "Hugo. Dad. Well, well well. Should I call the cops?"
"I don't think that'll be necessary." I heard the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked; but I couldn't see where he had it.
Shit. He wore a black tunic coat. Both hands were in the pockets. He sat non-chalantly on the arm of the couch directly across from the desk.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"Well," he said, taking a slow, deliberate breath. "Son...I'm here to give you some fatherly advice."
"Ah, I see." I relaxed a little, but positioned myself to open the drawer that held my 9 millimeter pistol. "Isn't it a little late for fatherly advice?"
"One thing you'll learn, son. It's never too late for a father to give advice to his son. After all," he continued, with a menacing hiss in voice, "I made you."
I adjusted my seat straining to see which pocket held his gun; but he kept his jacket closed, both hands in front, on his lap.
"Do you feel like a big man, Steven? Feel like you're a real man being a worm? A cowardly worm who hides in the dirt and grime? And who'll never get out of that dirt no matter how many people he victimizes..."
"Don't threaten me Hugo. You're the coward. You ran out, you left. If I'm such a worm, why are you the one wanted for Insurance fraud? If you're such a man, how did a worm like me take your world -- your life from you??"
I laughed in his face, and I saw him pale. He was so fucking easy to breakdown. "Yeah, old man. You're nothing. You're just a pathetic queen who can't find his way to the john without tripping over some boy he gets infatuated with..."
"STOP RIGHT THERE." He lunged off the couch. He grabbed my feet and pushed them off the desk. He stepped around and grabbed my shirt and I felt him push the barrel of the gun into my pants. "You were just lucky, Stevey-boy," he whispered to me pressing the barrel into my pants. "I let you in, and that's my mistake. But there's nothing worse in this world than being a bad bad-guy. And you are a lousy bad-guy. You're streak is over, son. Daddy's advice is to take your toys and go on home, or learn how to play nice with the other boys and girls."
His eyes bore into mine. And then I felt the faint warm wetness in my pants. "Shit..." I whimpered.
Hugo looked down. "No. Pee."
He stepped away from me, with a fatherly smile on his face. "Remember what I told you, son. If you can't play nice with these people, go on home. Otherwise, I'll be back to teach you a lesson..."
