13. Felix

13

Felix

I walked up the street in the direction of Garret's club. It was taking all my strength and willpower to bring myself back there since we had left things on uncertain, shaky ground.

I didn't know if Garret would be excited to see me, but I had to try my luck. It was a funny paradox, really, being in this new relationship with Garret. Ironically, I had never felt this in control and more relaxed in an experience with another man than I did with Garret.

I was doing my best to guide and steer Garret in the right direction. I wanted nothing more than to help him find viable solutions to his problems for the best outcome.

I prepared myself to see him before I entered the club. I didn't want to fight with him anymore. I wanted to let him know that I was fully involved and willing to support him in any way he needed. It was this reason, plus my growing emotions for Garret, that had compelled me to come back to the club tonight.

When I arrived, I saw an unexpected scene unfolding in front of me. People were pouring out of the club in droves. Some of them had perplexed looks on their faces. Other's looked slightly disgusted.

I saw Bubba standing by the door, leading people out and apologizing for the short notice closure and any inconvenience it caused them that night.

"We will be sure to send out an email notification to all the club members alerting them as to when the club will reopen," Bubba said in a regretful tone as he motioned for people to filter out of the doors.

I stopped right outside, watching as befuddled people continued to empty out of the building.

"Bubba, what's going on?" I asked and pushed my hands into the pockets of my jacket to brace against the chilly air.

Bubba looked at me, but he seemed a little distracted by trying to escort dozens of people out of the doors in a somewhat orderly fashion.

"It's a repeat of the fire marshal from the other night," Bubba explained. "Only this time it's with the health inspector."

My stomach dropped. Poor Garret. "You've got to be kidding me."

Bubba looked at me and arched his eyebrows. "Unfortunately, it's no joke."

A queasy sensation slammed into my stomach. I had to find Garret and help him through this ordeal.

"Is Garret in there?" I asked Bubba.

"Yes, and he's ready to breathe fire," Bubba mentioned. "He's all but spitting nails. Sorry for all the expressions, but I just had to warn you before you went into the snake pit."

I nodded. "Okay, thanks for the warning." The truth was, I knew I could handle Garret at his worst because I had all but witnessed it in person regarding the fire that very morning. He was as mad as a hornet then, so I felt prepared for anything.

I maneuvered through the people departing the club, shuffling through them and bumping shoulders, rubbing arms with various club members as they begrudgingly flocked toward the exit.

When I reached the bar and dancefloor area, I spotted a bewildered Carol, looking alarmed and wide-eyed.

"Carol?" I asked.

She spun around in a circle. Her eyes landed on me. "Hey, Felix."

"What's going on?"

"Complete mayhem," she responded with a tone of despair.

"Where is Garret?"

"He's… in the kitchen." Carol appeared even more agitated than Bubba had been. She reached up and scratched her head, slowly turning around in a circle again as if she wasn't sure what she should be doing.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

Carol rotated to face me again. Her expression was blank. "I'm not sure."

I took a deep breath. "Okay, well hold tight and I'll go find Garret and figure out what is causing the havoc."

I gave her my gentlest smile and began walking toward the kitchen area. My heart was in my throat and I became more anxious with every step I took. I didn't know what to expect when I finally found Garret.

He was in the kitchen, just where Carol had said he would be. He was arguing with a thin wisp of a woman with blonde hair.

She looked like she was probably in her mid to late thirties. She had stiff posture and was clutching a clipboard to her chest. Her lips were pursed into a pencil-thin line as Garret verbally unloaded on her.

"How much of a bribe did you take to come here tonight and shut down my club?" Garret demanded, spittle flying from his mouth.

When Garret was fuming about something, little red blotchy patches formed on his neck and cheeks. He had those now, along with a bulging vein protruding from his temple.

"I didn't take any bribes," the blonde woman said defiantly, holding her own against the visible wrath of Garret.

"Do you really think I'm going to believe that bullshit?" Garret asked, his voice raising another decibel or two.

The woman flinched in response but held her ground. "I'm sorry, sir. There is nothing I can do about your grievances at this time."

"You can take my grievances and shove them up your—"

I cleared my throat, interrupting Garret's sentence before he could get the rest out and sabotage himself even further. If I had to dig him out of this hole, then so be it.

Garret turned around and saw me standing there. He looked beside himself with anger, and a little stunned to see me too.

"Felix?" he asked, temporarily going into a daze and forgetting about the health inspector.

"Hi Garret, let me help you—"

Garret abruptly twisted around again and pointed an accusatory finger at the health inspector. "You can't tell me that you weren't paid off to come here tonight when the club is in full operation, with patrons and members in attendance and just happened to find things wrong in the kitchen?" He used air quotes to explain how asinine the circumstances were.

"It's my responsibility to inspect all buildings in the area and make sure they are up to code when there are food and drink involved," the health inspector countered, visibly swallowing hard. She was faltering but kept herself composed.

"Oh, give me a fucking break," Garret exclaimed. "You know damn well you never work past nine to five any other time.

"Sir, I'm sorry but as I explained earlier—"

Garret held up his hand to cut her off mid-sentence. "Save the explanation for someone who cares."

"Well, if you want your club to be opened back up in a timely manner, I advise you to hear my explanation," the woman enforced.

Garret glared at her. If looks could kill, the woman would have surely already dropped dead.

"It's late at night," he began again, listing reasons on his fingers for why she shouldn't be on the premises. "You are finding things wrong that don't really exist."

The woman squared her shoulders. She appeared fully equipped to launch herself into argument mode. I knew it was going to be my responsibility to make sure the gloves didn't come off on either side.

"The grease in the vats need to be changed every so often—"

"And I can assure you that happens," Garret said in a strict tone.

The health inspector looked outraged that Garret had the audacity to call her out on the trivial things that were wrong.

"You are just making things up because someone gave you a fat wad of cash to do so, to come here and cause problems," Garret declared.

The woman's eyes flickered with hostility, but I saw a trace of guilt etched into her features. Garret was close to backing her into a corner that she wouldn't be able to squirm out of, and it was clear as day that she knew it, too.

I stepped closer. I needed to be the mediator in this squabble.

I lightly placed my hand on Garret's back. "Garret, why don't you go and help make sure Bubba is getting everyone out of the club safely?"

I held my breath and prayed that he would be willing to comply with my suggestion. I sensed he needed to clear his head and break away from the argument before it escalated any further.

Garret planted his hands on his hips, continuing to leer at the health inspector but much to my relief, he nodded.

"All right. I can do that." He narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the woman. "Just keep an eye on her for me."

"Of course." I gave him the most empathetic smile I could.

I watched him exit the kitchen.

I looked at the health inspector apologetically. If it was true that you could catch more flies with honey, I was soon to find out.

"He just needs a minute to collect himself," I said and pointed my thumb over my shoulder.

The health inspector shot me a curious glance as if she didn't really want to trust me and fall into a trap.

Unbeknownst to her, I was planning something else. I wanted to charm her as much as I could, really butter her up so she would work with me here and not be placed immediately on the defensive by Garret's sharp tongue.

Now that he was out of the picture, diverted to another task, I had my opportunity to swoop in and undo the damage here, or at least try my best.

I planted on my most charismatic smile while the health inspector continued to give me a blank stare.

"I'm sorry about him," I said. "He's just… stressed out lately."

"He needs to learn how to deal with people," the health inspector said in a begrudging tone.

"I don't think I've asked you for your name," I chuckled, putting on my charming act. "I'm Felix. And… you are?" I arched an eyebrow and reached my hand out to shake hers.

She did it, albeit reluctantly. "Sally."

"Sally? What a pretty name. It suits you." I grinned from ear to ear.

Sally's eyebrows knitted in unconvinced suspicion at my over the top kindness. Maybe it was time to reel in the act slightly to make myself appear more believable to her.

"Garret is under a lot of pressure," I said. "He just wants to run his club without all these things getting in the way."

"Yes, well I—"

I raised my hand and gave her a gentle smile, trying to stay friendly. "Let me finish, if you don't mind."

Sally gave me a sullen look, but nevertheless, she allowed me to continue.

"You see, Garret is a real go-getter. He is motivated and inspired. He aspires to make this an enjoyable club for all his hardworking, paying members."

"That may be the case, but I have a job to do," Sally countered.

I frowned, shooting her a skeptical look. "Do you?"

"Do I… what?" Sally cast me a confused glance.

"Was it really necessary for you to traipse down here so late at night to look in his kitchen and gripe about the oil in the fryers? Is that really the kind of a health code violation that warrants sending everyone in the club home for the night?"

I had her right where I wanted her. She was cracking. I saw the fraying expression on her frazzled face.

"Well, I suppose—"

"Garret is an advocate against the bullies of the world, and he feels like he is being personally attacked by a specific bully in particular. He feels as if the spotlight is on him, and he's being personally victimized, exclusively attacked."

I took a step closer to Sally. She drew her hand up to her neckline. I noticed her hands were visibly quivering. The motion was subtle, but it was there.

"I'm sorry to hear that but—"

"Garret works hard. He plays hard. He does everything by the book. He has never had to deal with these types of issues before, especially all at once. I feel like he's on the brink of losing control, if he hasn't already."

I paused and gave Sally a steely gaze. I didn't blink, nor did she. We were at a checkmate.

"Sally, I'm an enthusiast for honesty. What about you?"

Sally nodded diligently. "Yes."

"I know we don't know each other, but I think that we should start over, don't you? How about from now on, we be open and honest with each other because that's what respect is all about. Does that sound like a plan?"

Sally nodded again and looked at the floor. There were tracings of guilt embedded in her features.

"I have a feeling that someone put you up to this," I whispered quietly and gently.

I had to navigate Sally's emotions carefully so I wouldn't lose the progress I had already gained with her.

Sally looked up at me with remorseful, enormous eyes. "Put me up to what?"

I clicked my tongue. "Sally." I shook my head regretfully and gave her a half-smile. "I thought that we just agreed to be honest with each other. Did we not?"

"We did." She nodded, her voice squeaking.

"Then why are you lying to me?" I asked.

"I'm… not." She frowned.

"Are you really trying to tell me that you got out of your warm and cozy bed to skirt all the way across town, at night, in the cold dark, to come here and bicker with Garret about his club kitchen?"

I had reached the monumental moment.

Sally's guilt came pouring out. She shook her head and sniffed, still looking down. "No. I didn't do it all on my own."

"Who put you up to it, then?" I pressed.

She looked up at me with a somber expression and pitiful eyes. "The mayor."

"The… mayor ?" I asked. "Mayor Beech?"

"Yes." Sally's cheeks flushed. "But you didn't hear it from me." Her eyes danced with pleading.

"Okay." I nodded, appeasing her. "That's fair. You told me what I needed to know. I suppose I owe you a return favor. My lips are sealed on that front."

Sally exhaled a deep breath of relief. Her eyes shimmered with gratitude. "Thank you, so much."

"So, to clarify, Mayor Beech personally asked you to come out here and look for code violations at this time of night, correct?" I stared at her expectantly.

Sally nodded. "Yes, that's correct." She squirmed with anxiety.

I released a long sigh and shook my head. "And you took the bait."

Sally refused to make eye contact with me. "He might have pressed me to invent reasons to close the club. He wanted me to find reasons to shut it down, so I did."

"You invented reasons to shut down the club," I countered.

"Not exactly." She peered up at me with a coy expression.

"You just said that the mayor told you to invent reasons to shut down operations," I argued.

"He told me to look for reasons to close the club," she contested.

I rolled my eyes. She was back to being stubborn again, and my frustration returned.

"Sally, you are craftier than you are making yourself out to be. I know a conniving vixen when I see one."

Sally's mouth dropped and she gasped. Her cheeks flushed red. "How dare you—"

"I'm just calling it as I see it," I stated with a casual shrug. "If you won't blatantly admit that you invented a reason to close us down just because the mayor told you to, then unfortunately, Garret isn't going to take that news very well."

My manipulation tactic worked. I knew that Sally didn't want to be blackmailed, but if she wanted to keep her job, then she probably should work to be a little more accommodating. Needless to say, if she was willing to bend the truth, so was I. I had absolutely all intentions of informing Garret of exactly what she had told me. If anything, we could just tell the mayor that we figured things out on our own.

"Are you willing to compromise?" I asked. "Even a little?"

Sally shifted her weight and sighed. "I suppose that I would be willing to allow Mr. Olsen to reopen his club tomorrow as long as he is willing to fix the fryer issue while I'm still here and witnessing the job to completion."

She was being petty, but I had to take what I could get. "That sounds like a suitable plan to me," I affirmed.

I walked just outside the kitchen where the chef was waiting and called him back inside. He switched out the oil in the fryers and cleaned them out with warm soap and water with Sally present and watching. He placed them back into their containers and gave Sally a glare.

"All finished," he stated dryly.

Sally nodded curtly, but she seemed satisfied. She turned to address me. "I'll note in our system that Mr. Olsen is clear to reopen the club effective tomorrow."

"Thank you." I gave her a slight professional bow.

"I'll see myself out," she said and spun on a heel, quickly vacating the room.

As soon as she was gone, I exhaled with relief and tried to relax. It was time to find Garret and tell him the good news.

I found him at the door with Bubba. All of the club patrons had left by now, and Garret looked drained and somber.

"Well, I have good news and bad news," I declared. "Which one do you want to hear first?"

"Good news," he mumbled in a grim tone.

"I got the health inspector to agree to reopen the club tomorrow night," I said and grinned proudly.

Garret's eyes widened in shock. "No way."

"Yes way," I said with a nod.

"How?" His features brightened.

"Well, that's where the bad news comes in," I said. "I got her to admit that the mayor asked her to come down here and find a violation to shut the club down."

Garret's jaw visibly tightened. "The nerve…"

"After some persistent coaxing, I got her to agree to have the cook fix the fryer issues while she watched. She told me before she left that she would note in her system that you are cleared to reopen tomorrow night. But the problem is, the mayor is still trying to pay people off to keep this place shut down."

Garret's upper lip twitched and his eyes were bloodshot with intense anger. "I'm going to confront the bastard, first thing in the morning."

"I can go with you," I offered and held my breath, hoping that Garret wouldn't be opposed to the idea.

He looked at me and nodded with an inspired expression. "Yes, I want you there."

My heart leapt with joy. Finally, I was making progress with him, and he was making an informed decision on his own to allow me to be a part of his life.

"Good. I am happy to support you and help you in any way you need," I said.

Garret's features softened. "I really appreciate that."

"We should get some rest though," I mentioned. "We have a long day and a long road ahead."

Garret's smile was so genuine that it surprised me. He patted my back and ran his hands through my hair.

"That's okay," he whispered softly. "With you by my side, nothing seems impossible."