Tales of the City 06 - Sure of You

way?”
    “Well…”
    “You did, didn’t you? That’s exactly what you thought.”
    “I know how much you love it,” she replied somewhat feebly.
    “I love you , sweetheart. Your victories are my victories. That’s always been enough for me. What do I have to do to convince you of that?”
    She left the window and sat down on the chair across from him, tucking her legs neatly under her butt. “I don’t think bad things of you, Brian. I really don’t. I know how much you have to put up with.”
    She said this with such tenderness that he felt the last vestiges of his anger melt away. He gave her a chipper smile to let her know. “So what’s he offering?”
    “Just a show.”
    “Just? Syndicated, right?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Out of New York?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “You don’t seem very excited,” he said.
    “I am. There’s just…a lot to think about.”
    “What have you told him?”
    She shrugged. “That I’d have to talk to you.”
    This was suddenly making sense to him. “Is that why you brought him here for dinner? So I could see how unthreatening he was before you told me about it?”
    She made a sheepish face.
    “I don’t have a problem with it. Really.” He saw that doubts still lingered. “Your ship has come in, sweetheart. We should be celebrating.” He gazed at her for a while, then patted the sofa cushion next to him. She left her chair and joined him, leaning her head against his shoulder.
    “Call Burke,” he said. “Tell him we’ll do it.”
    “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “He’s in L.A. I don’t know how to reach him. He’s gonna call me.”
    “Oh.” He thought for a moment. “Did you tell Michael about this?”
    “No. Of course not.”
    “Should I tell him?”
    “No,” she replied, almost fiercely. “Just leave it alone for a while.”
    “He’s gonna ask. He must’ve seen the item.”
    “Oh, yeah.” She frowned, deep in thought, obviously concerned about hurting her old friend.
    “He’ll understand,” he told her, squeezing her shoulder. “It’s not like he didn’t run the place on his own before I came along.”

    When he got back to the nursery, Michael sauntered toward him in the slanting afternoon light.
    “How did it go?” asked Brian, remembering the call from the cop.
    “O.K. They didn’t book him or anything.”
    “What did he do?”
    “Nothing. Waved a dildo at some Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
    Brian laughed. “You sure he’s sick?”
    Michael’s smile was forced. He seemed unusually subdued.
    “I’m sorry,” said Brian. “It’s not funny, I know.”
    “No. It is. You’re right.”
    “Are you O.K., man?”
    “Yeah. Fine.”
    “We were worried when we didn’t hear from you.”
    “Oh, well…”
    “I guess it took a while with the cops.”
    “Not really,” said Michael. “I drove out to the beach. I needed some air.”
    “Don’t blame you a bit.”
    “I should’ve called, I guess.”
    “No. Not at all.” Poor guy, thought Brian. It must’ve really gotten to him.
    “Polly said you had to leave. I hope it didn’t make things tight.”
    “Nah.” He wondered if Michael was hinting around about the blind item. At any rate, there was no point in avoiding the subject. “Did you see Herb Caen’s column this morning.”
    Michael nodded. “Polly showed me.”
    “It’s Mary Ann.”
    “Oh, yeah?”
    “She’s gonna do it, I think.”
    Michael seemed to avoid his gaze. “Well, it’s…definitely an opportunity.”
    “Yeah, it is.” He hesitated a moment “We may have to work something out, Michael.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “About the partnership.”
    Michael blinked at him, uncomprehending.
    “If I leave,” he explained.
    “Oh.”
    He hoped a smile would soften the blow a little. “If it helps any, this is pretty much of a surprise to me too.”
    “Well…that’s O.K.”
    “I’ll work it out so you aren’t strapped for help. I promise you that. If you want me to remain an absentee owner, fine…or whatever you want.”
    Michael nodded, looking faintly distracted.
    “I know this is sudden. I’m really sorry.”
    “Hey.”
    “It’s not like I love New York, you know.”
    “No.”
    “But I’d be a real shit to oppose her on this. It’s really a great…”
    “Maybe we should talk about this later, huh?”
    It was obvious that Michael was hurt. “Well…O.K.”
    “It seems a little premature at the moment.”
    “O.K…Sure. I just didn’t wanna hide anything. I wanted you to be in on