Lennon was sat in a room in the Bordello, in front of a large mirror.
He took deep drags of his cigarette as he looked into the mirror, lost in thought.
Jörg entered the room to bring Lennon a sandwich. He climbed up onto the seat next to Lennon, "Hey boss! Want more smokes?" He asked as he pulled a new pack from his pocket and handed the whole pack to Lennon.
"Yeah... thanks." Lennon said as he took the pack.
"Look man, I've been hearin' stuff around the Bordello. I'm sorry that you're separated from your pretty boy."
Lennon turned to Jörg, "We're not separated!"
Jörg flicked his eyebrows up a moment, "Well, do you both live together?"
"Not just now...no." Lennon said as he took a drag.
"Do you both hang out together?" Jörg asked
"Just now...hmm...nah." Lennon said.
"Do you both sleep together?" Jörg asked.
Lennon looked down, "No, we haven't for a while."
Jörg slapped Lennon on the back, "You're separated, dude."
Lennon's phone rang, it was Dr.V, so Lennon put it on speakerphone, "Lennon, your new medication is ready for collection, and the results of your full sexual health check have come back clear. There's no balance to settle as Dolores has paid."
"Thank you, Doc. I'll be round later." Lennon said.
"Full health screening huh? I do love the great healthcare around here. Hey! Do you wanna go grab a cold one and a slice with me, and Michael? It'll cheer you up!" Jörg asked.
"Yeah, yeah.. I think I will. Maybe tomorrow." Lennon answered.
"Yeah, you're on!" Jörg said.
"You hang out with Michael a lot, are you good friends?" Lennon asked.
"Yeah, we met here in Spain and just...hit it off. I never feel like an outcast around him. We both have our trials in life, but we're always in each others corners." Jörg said.
"That's cool, I look forward to that drink!" Lennon said.
"Me too! In fact, I'm sure I may be able to count up my euros and buy you a drink. It has to be in a pint glass though, not your usual horse trough. If you want, you can join our exclusive friends club. Hang out with me and we can be little and large." Jörg said.
Lennon laughed, "You're a real buddy, Jörg. You're always around me, even when the chips are down... as Chéri would say."
"That boy doesn't look like he's seen a deep fried chip in about five years. In fact, I'm surprised they don't use him for one of those appeals on tv," Jörg said, noticing that Lennon was smiling as he smoked, "I can see the appeal now... Only you can help! Just give two euros a month, for him to continue bathing in clean Evian, and if everyone pledges five euros a month, he can have the gift of a new Hermes bag. Help him, so that he can live another day... to make the treacherous journey to Los Angeles...for more makeup."
Lennon laughed out loud as he stubbed out the end of his cigarette, even though it was a joke at Chéri's expense, but this was how people saw him, "My God, Jörg! Have you ever thought of doin' stand up?"
"Hey! I am standing up! I'm a dwarf!" Jörg said, causing Lennon another fit of giggles.
"Right! That does it. I want you to write some material for a comedy routine. I'll run you during an event! The patrons will love you! I'll get Javier to plan you in. Honestly, you can make any joke you like about me, just...go easy on Chéri." Lennon said.
"Okay. Hey, how are things with you and that Spanish guy. He seems pretty friendly, but I know you both fell out a little." Jörg asked.
"We're... kinda cool. We talked a lot, earlier with Spangna." Lennon said, remembering how Spangna practically forced him and Javier into the same room to talk.
They had a long conversation with Spangna as impartial referee, and although they were suspicious of each other, they tried to re-find their common ground. Spangna emplored them both to see that their feud was over nothing but vicious rumours.
The biggest disagreement they had was over Suzanne. Javier accused Lennon of leading her on, and feeding her affections just to wind up Chéri. Lennon assured Javier again and again that his total focus was Chéri.
Ofcourse, Spangna kept her own feelings quiet. She knew that Suzanne was up to something, but she couldn't quite figure out what.
Spangna also thought that perhaps Lennon's heart had run away with itself again, working independently from his own will, and he had fallen in love with Suzanne, but he knew that those emotions were doomed. She knew that Lennon was quite capable of falling in love with a woman, but could only find sexual fulfillment with a man. It was these times that she knew how sensitive and pure Lennon actually was, but she suspected that his feelings often tried to lead him places that he did not want to go. She knew that ultimately, Lennon loved, and was obsessed with, Chéri.
Spangna also suspected that they were complicit with something together, maybe in elicitly giving each other what they wanted but needed to hide, a shared goal, or just their shared and unspoken emotional infidelity.
"So! What's the plan for tonight, on the yacht?" Jörg asked.
"Well, during the LGBT segment, I'll have Akara and Sanyi showcased, then Michael and you. The main event is Spangna. But.. I want you to do a stand up routine after Spangna." Lennon said.
"Yeah, ain't she singing with Javier?" Jörg asked.
"Yes, after a double pole dancing routine, with Valentina's starlet, Bruna." Lennon said.
"You know what. I dont wanna wear that tuxedo. I want to go in full role play as a battle axe wielding dwarf." Jörg said.
"Oh my God! Call design and have them change your outfit! Go get measured for that!" Lennon said.
"Is that pink, candy-floss haired maniac going to be there?" Jörg asked.
Lennon turned to Jörg, "Oh, you mean Daiquiri? I 'dunno. Depends if she hasn't pissed off ugly 'ol ratatouille, again. I know Spangna hates her, and she keeps sleeping around with staff and a couple of members of security. It was supposed to be her debut, but she's so unpredictable, and keeps doing this pre-teen hustle which is...gross."
"Yeah. I know 'ratatouille', as you call him, has warned her to up the age of her gimmick. He doesn't want to be associated with that kind of thing." Jörg said.
"Oh? Since when did that creepy, squinty-eyed old bastard have any standards? I would have thought he'd sell his first born to turn a quick euro." Lennon said.
"Really? I work for you, so I don't see much of him. I know he's asset keeper for all the straight assets, and the head of security. When I see him, he's either screaming at security members or screaming at assets, all while holding coffee. That man must live on coffee, as I hardly ever see him eat, whenever i do it's just a Croissant."
"Well, I don't give a fuck about him. Spangna has fucking hideous taste in men." Lennon said.
Just then, there was a knock on the door to the makeup room, and a slim camp man with a strong lisp greeted Lennon. He put a large makeup box on the table and took out brushes, "Hello, I'm Paan, I'm here to do your make up, Lennon."
"Chéri normally does any makeup I wear." Lennon said quietly.
"Oh, I do have a messege from Chéri." Paan said.
Lennon turned to the man with sudden interest, "You do?! What?!"
"Chéri said he would do your makeup, but he is being made up just now himself, also that he gets his phone back tonight."
"Ohh..." Lennon said as he smiled slightly, happy with the thought that Chéri had thought of him.
"So, what would you like?" Paan asked.
Lennon looked at himself in the reflection, "I want... alternative, edgy, theatrical..."
Paan placed his hands on Lennon's shoulders, "Ookay, if you could pick a muse, what would it be?"
Lennon stared forward, "A raven..."
"A raven?! Is that all?" Paan asked.
Lennon continued, "-..in space."
Paan blinked several times as he took that in, "A raven...in space? Got it. Will this go with the outfit you've designed?"
"Yes..." Lennon said as he took a drag of a new cigarette that Jörg had lit for him.
"Okay! We'll have a deep black smokey eye, reflective dust of midnight blue, deep green and silver shimmer. You have very strong cheekbones so we're going to have a striking, long black blusher..."
~ X ~
Selina walked up to Marcel, "Valentine, you're not dressed up... Where is all of your stylish Victorian clothing?" she said with a smile.
"Selina, this is my biking gear!" Marcel said as he smiled back at Selina.
"Are you changing there, then?" Selina asked.
"Yes. Mercy has my change of clothes." Marcel said.
"You know, I think it was very brave. Your coming out about you and Mercy being a couple. But then, you are a cunning tactician. I am certain you know that the cat is out of the bag, and I also know that you do not pay blackmail." Selina said.
"This is true..." he said as he bowed slightly and kissed the top of her hand.
"Forever the gentleman." Selina said back.
Meanwhile, at the reception area, Javier was about to leave for the yacht, and to command the team there.
Kenzo looked on as Javier strapped on his guns, "Hey, Hav!"
"Yes, Kenzo?" Javier said.
"You're in charge of the yacht security aren't you?" Kenzo asked.
"Yes?" Javier responded.
"You do know that..." Kenzo stopped to look around, "It's weird to think that this is the bosses final outting as AK and global leader. Do you think he knows?"
Javier looked down as he thought, "I don't even want to think of it. Marcel is a Brilliant man, but... he's about to take the fall for Chéri's vendetta, and the Madam's frustration. It is a bad mistake removing him."
~ X ~
Chéri stood in just a little strapless bra which laid flat against his chest, and frilly panties with stockings and suspender belts. He had his arms outstretched as three seamstresses rallied around him. A hair stylist was setting up her equipment on the side.
Dolores put her iPhone down after speaking to Valentina. "The only clue she would give as to what Ecco is wearing is 'celebrity chic'." She said.
Chéri grinned, "It doesn't get any more celebrity chic than this.." he said as they held up jewellery to him and he pointed at the pieces he wanted to wear.
A young man in a wheelchair looked in Chéri's direction,"That large arc of writing above your stomach saying 'Lennon' is very out of place with all your flowers, which cover one side of your whole body. It's a completely different aesthetic."
"Mind your own business! If I wanted tattoo recommendations from you, I'd ask for them!" Chéri said abruptly.
Dolores looked up at Chéri, "Don't talk to your brother like that! He is a professional tattoo artist!"
Chéri rolled his eyes, "So? Hugo asked for it. Opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one."
Hugo moved his chair closer to where Chéri was standing, "Speaking of which, I dread to think of the state of yours! The shit would just fall out of your arse, but it's too busy flying out of your mouth!"
"Fuck you, Hugo. If you want shit, I'll grab my next turd right out of the toilet and throw it in your face!" Chéri replied.
Dolores covered her forehead as she listened to her sons bickering.
Hugo turned to Chéri, "You'll get it right back, but I'll shove it back in your mouth where it originated! The only person around here who's happy to take your shit is Lennon, and that's only because he enjoys sticking his dick up your arse, pushing the shit further up towards your mouth!"
Dolores hit the armrest of her seat, "That is quite enough!"
Chéri grinned back at Hugo, "And I thought Lenny had an arsehole fetish, you're coming in a close second."
"Well he must have an arsehole fetish because he's with a complete arsehole." Hugo said.
"Hugo..." Dolores said with exasperation.
Chéri looked to his mother, "Do you hear this bullshit?!" He said as he kicked over the board which made a ramp up the three small stairs to the main part of the room.
Mateo rushed over and replaced the ramp, much to Chéri's dismay.
"Have you spoken to Lennon?" Dolores asked.
"Nah, when I wanna fuck him. I'll fuck him. Right now I don't wanna fuck him, so he can wait."
Hugo shook his head, "That is unbelievably cruel."
"No! What's cruel is lying to your fiancé and sneaking off with a girl to europe!" Chéri snapped back.
"Well, you would know all about sneaking around." Hugo said to Chéri as he wheeled himself towards the large window that looked out over the private garden area, "Mamma, look at them.. out in the rain as if it were a hot summer afternoon."
Dolores walked to the window to see Nathan sat cross-legged on the decking playing his acoustic guitar with Serena sat next to him.
Serena was dressed in an off the shoulder top, retro tie-dyed jeans, and a thick knitted cardigan. Her hair had little braids in it that Nathan had done when she had taken him to a retro clothes thrift shop, and they bought lots of clothes from decades before, and they found that they had similar tastes In classical looks.
Nathan was dressed in similar retro jeans, a bright flowing seventies style shirt. He had a necklace of wooden beads around his neck, similar to the longer one Serena wore.
Dolores smiled as she looked out, "Young love, it is a beutiful thing..." she said with a touch of melancholy to her voice, "It must be wondrous to have the one you love by your side, and feel so carefree that you both sit out in the rain."
"Mamma, I can relate to that. They both have a very carefree hippie vibe to them." Hugo said.
Mateo looked out at Nathan and Serena, "What if things really flourish between them? is that even legal? Can two siblings from one family marry two siblings from another?"
Hugo nodded, "Yes, it's called being doubley related, and cousin's on both sides."
"That hurts my fucking head." Chéri said, "anyway, they'll be together for all of five minutes, knowing Serena. She's only fucking him because she can't fuck Lennon."
"I don't think so. She really loves him, madly." Hugo said.
"Yeah, and they're turning each other into fucking hippies. There's no fucking way that shit would wash with Lenny." Chéri said.
"Nah, you've turned him into a volitile, zombie with a drug and alcohol problem." Hugo said.
"Fuck you, Hugo. You can take a damn seat... oh! I forgot! You already have." Chéri said before he was slapped upside the back of his head by Dolores.
"Well Chéri, you are pretty...on the outside. My beauty, is on the inside, and I would never torture someone who fell in love with me." Hugo said.
"Great! Now you just have to get someone to fall in love with you!" Chéri said as his seamstresses helped him into a replica of a famous pink gown.
Hugo shook his head, "You know Chéri... I have no idea where it all went wrong with you..."
Alexandre walked into the room and nodded to Dolores, "Madame, the cars are ready as are the assets. Marcel is also dressed and awaits you downstairs."