For The Love Of Chéri (CHAPTERS 1-112 REWRITTEN)

Chapter 107 : Boss, We Found Javier

"In the Silver Star." Spangna said, who was modestly dressed in black skinny jeans, and a gothic style top.

Ignacio shook his head. "He was slumped over the bar delirious and totally stoned, he was also sick on the way home. Thankfully our pal, the barkeep who knows us, kept an eye on him."

Marcel rolled his eyes in response. "I know I should fire him."

"Don't be mad at him, Marce! This is obviously a cry for help." Spangna said quietly.

They followed Ignacio into the reception room to where they put Javier on a sofa. Marcel walked in and folded his arms as he stood over his slumped and unconscious teammate.

Kenzo was leaning against the wall with a grin on his tattooed face. "Hey! Chico couldn't hold his drink, heh?"

"Oh? Interesting coming from an Asian. He tanked more than you ever could." Mateo said.

"Yeah. You'd get stoned just smelling that sake of yours!" Diego added.

"Sakes Japanese." Kenzo said, with irritation in his voice.

"Same difference." Juan said.

Kenzo opened his sleeveless leather gilet to show his large knife holster. "Keep talking...Italian."

Juan folded his arms. "I'm Spanish!"

Kenzo shrugged. "Same difference."

"Shut up you two!" Marcel said as he bent down and lifted up one of Javier's eyelids. "He is out cold."

Marcel took Javier's pulse at his wrist and neck, then placed his hand on his chest, monitoring his breathing and somehow gaining information about his medical condition.

"Let's throw him at the ducks in the lake!" Diego suggested.

"No way! Strip him down to his underwear and dump him in the middle of the massive hedge maze, round the back, in the cold!" Juan replied.

Kenzo walked up and laughed. "Hey boss, why don't we stick him in a freezing cold shower...full blast. That'll fuckin' wake him up, and we can show him the pictures after for a laugh."

Marcel half-smiled at his teams near frat house suggestions.

Spangna stepped forward. "No! He needs to just sleep it off. He's already going to wake up with the mother of all hangovers! That's punishment enough. That guy you know at the bar said he just kept tapping his phone to pay for one drink after another. They said if he hadn't had been sick a few times then he'd be in A&E." Spangna said.

Marcel looked thoughtful a moment, then sighed. "Carry him to his room so the bastard can sleep it off." He said in a disgusted but comical tone. "Of course he will awaken eventually to suspended pay for this duration and three thirteen-hour shifts in the LGBT compound, after he is seen by Doctor V."

"Ouch..." Juan said.

Diego laughed. "Me personally...I'd rather be thrown in the fucking lake."

"That can be arranged! Now MOVE! Before I throw you in myself!" Marcel ordered as they scrambled over to the sofa to lift Javier.

☆

Lennon walked back downstairs to get his phone lead, and he saw his father standing in the kitchen, hand washing some dishes, "Paa, I can do that, if you don't wanna run the dishwasher."

"Nah, my little boy. Does me some good to do a little work but, don't tell your momma I said that!"

Lennon smiled back at his father. "I love you Paa." Lennon muttered.

"Come here, son." Merrick said as he reached out to hug Lennon, being careful not to soak him with dishwater.

"Paa...? What's the secret to a happy marriage?" Lennon asked.

Merrick smiled as he put the dishcloth down by the sink. "Sit down, son."

"Ohh, wisdom coming! It always does when you've said that." Lennon said.

"Darn straight!" He started as he sat slowly. "Son, you know them big 'ol agreements what flash up when you're installin' somethin' on A computer?"

"Yeah. The end-user agreement." Lennon said.

"Yeah. And you know how you'll start to try 'n read it to understand it and all. But then ya just and up 'n say...I accept?"

"Haha! Yeah, Paa."

"That's it son. You jus gotta accept, or you don't get to play. This here is true of many things in life. Jus remember, the ladies are always right, even if you don't see it or understand it, just accept. A bit like faith really. You also, just gotta love. Love a lot, love up 'n down, left 'n right. Be the person you gotta be."

Lennon nodded slowly. "Paa, that makes a lot of sense. I think you're right."

"Do ya think that yer momma and me ain't never fought none? Oh, we've had our fights...-" he said as he stared off a moment, a lot like Lennon often did, "But then, the make-ups were the best part."

Lennon looked down and smiled, embarrassed.

"Son, when you give your heart ta someone... it pulls in the rest of ya. Just do things that you know you'll be proud of. If you ever find yourself questionin' if somethin' is right, then it ain't."

"Paa, I've thought so long and hard over this move to Europe. At first, I had to convince myself that it was the right thing to do. I'll miss you and Momma so much, I'll miss being able to just come round and chat, or get advice off you, Paa. I'll miss Lo and Nate, and the country." Lennon said.

"Son. Is Chéri beautiful, to you?"

"Ohh, you have no idea! Chéri's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Lennon said.

"Then it's the right thing to do. At least you'll acclimatize better than I could. Your Maa wanted to go back to France. I knew I ain't never gonna survive out there, so begged her to stay here in America, and she did."

"But Paa, you always know how to do the right thing, how? I try to be so certain like you, but I'm so conflicted all the time." Lennon said.

"That's because you have my impulses, but your momma's heart in you, son. She often stops me from doing lots of dumb stuff. There are things I regret, and things I certainly don't. At least she was always there to rope me in."

"What did you regret, Paa?"

"Not listenin' to your mother." Merrick said with a grin.

"What did you not regret, Paa?" Lennon asked with a smile.

"Not listening to your mother, and belting old Maurice up round his head."

"I'm glad you did that, Paa. He sounded like a jerk."

"Oh, he was. He was so full of it with his airs and graces, and tryin' to always seem superior. People like that keep pushing it until you stand up to them. After I punched that old man, he was so shocked he never started on me ever again, in fact, I never really saw him again. I didn't know he was actually a cripple of some kind. I was told after. But, sometimes you just gotta stand up and take out the trash before it starts to stink the place up."

"You've always known what to do Paa, and it's always the right thing. I know I lack that judgement." Lennon said as he looked down at the table.

Next Chapter: Javier's Morning After. I Need Bread...And Olive Oil