Kasey with a K

Adam

Chapter 86

Maxieplus

I knew something was amiss when I walked in, but I thought it was the visitors, not dreaming it was one of Adele's beautiful statues.

Kasey held me for a long time and then I asked him.

"Where is it?"

"In a carry bag on the dining room table. Nat will give it to Sylvia to hand it to a restorer, we are lucky it's mainly bronze. It's not that bad Adam, just chipped at the base. She said it will be brand new when done."

"But it won't be Kasey, I'm going to bed, can you see to Sam?"

"Yes, but I will come with you." I tried to smile but it wouldn't work.

"Just give me some time alone please?"

"Okay, I will see to Sam, I think it's his sleepover night anyway."

I didn't want to eat and I didn't want to drink. I was grieving for something so beautiful and special, and I blamed myself for having them out on display. I should have left them in their boxes like Jimmy had.

I crawled into bed and bawled my eyes out, for our loss and my stupidity.

Tomorrow I will pack the rest up and I don't care if the guys want to film them they are out of bounds. I felt Kasey's warm embrace, and his scent and drifted off to escape the self-loathing I was feeling.

Early in the morning, I walked on my own up to work, then to Jimmy's apartment. I stood in front of Adele's painting and tried to reconnect with her, to apologise for breaking her things, and to bring her back into my life. I had left her in my old apartment thinking I would find a space to bring her home, and that is when I got one of my morbid, but better ideas, the attic.

Time out on my own is what I needed, the house was too busy to find any quiet corners, tears flowed down my cheeks because I knew she had placed that idea in my head, and minutes later big arms folded me into their warm embrace. I knew he would guess I would have come here, he always knows where to find me when I'm down.

"Sorry Kasey with a k."

"It's all fine my Adam with an a."

When I looked at the painting again I could see her smiling down on us and I somehow felt whole again.

"Will we shower here?"

"Yes."

We used Jimmy's shower, and we made love for ages. Kasey has always been able to bring me back from the brink, his gentle touches and kisses will always win over some crazy thoughts I will ever have.

We cleaned up and he walked me into work, Trish was there but her eyes said she had done the same as me and cried her heart out. I hugged her, then I gently patted her shoulder.

"It's not your fault my friend, these things happen and I shouldn't have put them out."

"Put what out?" She wasn't told.

"Let's go and have a coffee, we can talk."

She was upset but relieved when I said the damage was minimal and Nat's mum is having it restored, she was embarrassed and apologetic. She cried a little and then she shook with rage.

"I had spent a lot of time away from the farm when I was young. I know it's not the done thing but they all embarrassed me at school and home. I felt like I was living with a wicked stepmother and ugly sisters. Adam my treatment wasn't very loving, even my father wasn't very close to me. I spent a lot of time at my friends' places and my aunties, mum's sister she was the kindest person I have ever known. Completely different from mum and I loved her more than my family."

"I know that, and most of it I had guessed when I stayed there. I can have them charged with wilful damage but I feel we should let sleeping dogs lay. When we get back home can you help me box the rest of them up and we can store them in the attic?"

"I will do that Adam, it's put a nasty taste in everyone's mouths, even the kids didn't want their morning swim."

"It's the dunking and noise they don't like at that age. We will get them back in the water, it won't take much." I smiled.

The kids started to come in and Tim looked at me.

"I will tell you later," I whispered to him. He would know something was up because Kasey had rung Keith about security.

I had calmed down by the time Lynnie turned the barber shop lights on and I sat at my station just watching it twist around, she will receive her certificate sometime today I had it rushed through but she still has to do the four weeks.

Kasey rang and I asked him why he hadn't told the others about the statue, he said I had enough to deal with and he didn't want anyone to feel responsible.

"Only me, you and Nat know it happened Adam."

"Well, now Trish knows I let it slip."

"Then that is okay baby, they will eventually know. I have Sylvia and Nat at the house now and they are packing them away. I told them to put them in the attic, Joel can help them with that. The next time you see them they will be displayed at 'The Salon' behind toughened glass."

"Thank you Kasey. I wasn't looking forward to packing them away."

"I need to talk to you sometime today, but I have meetings this morning. Can I come there for lunch or will you come here?"

"I will come there it's more private, and I will talk to Tim he suspects something happened because of your call to Keith."

"Then tell him and the others will find out in due time anyway."

"Adam, I am taking a half hour off I want to go and talk to Joey,"

"Take your time Trish, anything I need to know?"

"Not at the moment Adam, he sent me a message that he wanted to see me." I saw her out the door and she walked down the street, and yes she got a few cat calls.

"Tim, can we talk?'

"Out the back Adam."

I followed him to his wig room, it was full again, and I will help him at some stage today. I told him what had happened and he was appalled, he wanted to take them to task and tried to convince me to have them charged. I talked to him softly and convinced him that I would report it but I won't have them charged. Luca can file the report away just in case they come back, If they do I will charge them.

He's a little militant that man, I remembered the day he burst into Keith's office and was going to get the gay community involved with picketing the fed building. Fortunately for us all back then, Keith fell head over heels in love with him and the rest is history as they say.

Trish came back, she was edgy but managed to smile.

"How was Joey?"

"He didn't know either Adam, so I set him straight. I told him about my treatment at home, and the statue. He wanted to know how much they were worth he is going to compensate you for it."

"They are probably worth a bomb, one off series. But the house insurance will pay for the repairs so he doesn't need to worry."

"I told him that, then he rang someone and got them to cancel dad's contract with the milk board. He also put the word out to other wholesalers that they weren't to do any business with that particular farm." She grinned.

"Then I have been compensated fully. Will he get into trouble?"

"No Adam, he knows what he's doing, he said dad's milking sheds aren't up to the health standards, he had let it go because of me, but now it will be his greatest pleasure to cancel the contracts."

"Wow, your poor father."

"Just like you Adam, don't feel sorry for dad, it's his doing that brought the mess to town. It was probably his suggestion they visit, he knows what kind of work Joey does. Don't feel sorry for him, he's just another smart ass that needs to be brought down a peg or two."

"Okay. I am meeting Kasey for lunch and there's a registered envelope in the drawer for Lynnie, you can do the honours."

"Take your time I will be helping Tim out and I think Joe is coming in for lunch."

"See you soon." I took myself across the road and bought our lunches, then I entered the fed building. At some stage I need to go to the fed museum and look at what they had done with it, but not today maybe on the weekend.

"A penny for your thoughts Adam?"

"Just a penny Kasey. Have you heard from Joe?"

"Yes, he has set it all in motion, there won't be any more milk pickups from the farm, I hope they don't start dumping it into the rivers." He smiled.

"They will have to sell the herd off, if we buy it Sam can use them for his gully." I laughed.

"That's better my Adam, a smile at long last. Adam, I want to ask you something?"

"Anything Kase?"

"Are you thinking you might like to revisit that quiet space? I know when you're down you like to talk to Adele but I haven't seen you doing any of that at the house."

"I was going to find a spot where I could go and sit, but things got in my way and I forgot. It's like I forgot Adele, and I used to like talking about old times with her. No, I am not insane Kasey, it's just when I had something hard to deal with, I would find the solution in her spirit company. If there is such a thing."

"I understand, we all talk to past loved ones and ask questions or for guidance. How about we renovate the attic, but I don't want you sitting up there all day."

"I thought it would be ideal, that big skylight would be my balcony and you could come and sit with me."

"I would gladly do that Adam, I am going to ask Jimmy if we can have her painting."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, my balcony was somewhere I could go and have a wine in peace. Yes I would talk to my friend but she never answered me, I don't think an shrine is the answer."

"Maybe we should open up that balcony on the second story you can sit there. It was locked up only because I didn't want Sam going out there unsupervised."

"Good idea, fresh air and I can get to it from our bedroom."

"Better than hiding away in some stuffy attic or travelling to Jimmy's to look at a painting."

"What were your meetings about?"

"Just the build, the architects and site managers wanted to get together to make sure they were on the same page. I didn't interfere Adam. I listened and they worked it all out." He smiled.

"That's their job Kasey, and don't worry about me, I only felt the urge to go to Jimmy's to apologise to Adele. I am okay with it all now, and yes when I need time on my own I will unlock the balcony."

It was about that time Kasey started to make more changes. I arrived home from work one day and not long after I had showered and changed he gave me a key. He had set the balcony up with sun lounges, small tables and a bar fridge. Glasses glinted in the sunlight on a shelf and this would be my quiet space. Sam had a sleepover and we retired early to drink some wine and watch the sundown. Of course in Kasey's world, we had to be naked to do this. The balcony went across the back of the house and it's floor had doubled for a roof over our downstairs outdoor dining area. It was peaceful and the only furniture up there were the two sun lounges and fridge, no photos, and no paintings. As he progressed to healing himself he healed me, and when the statue was returned to me I couldn't fault it, so we packed it into its carry box and took it up to the attic, Joe and dad helped to carry the plinths up and the entrance hall was looking much the way as it has always looked in the past.

I never saw a bill for the restorer and never asked, Trish had her bad days and her good ones, she had been bombarded with messages from her family to intervene in Joe's decision. I suspected she took them to task and the messages became infrequent. The last one her mother had asked for money.

"They could have had it all Adam, if only they were less self-centered and more loving. I would have helped them."

"I know you would have baby, will you miss them?"

She looked at me and laughed. We had disappeared to my balcony and shared a bottle of wine on the weekend, it was like old times and I had missed the solitude.

Billy and Sam bounced back big time, they now want a diving board installed and hounded dad and Kasey for a nice big one with a spring. Georgio had taught them well and their swimming which now includes the deep end has improved immensely.

I was sitting next to Joey one day and he started laughing.

"What's up?"

"They are thinking of selling the farm."

"How do you know that?"

"I have my spies Adam, rest assured they are being watched."

"Will you buy it?"

"I am thinking about it and if I do I will pull the place apart and let Mother Nature take the land back."

"Have you spoken to Trish about this?"

"Not yet, I only found out yesterday and have been mulling it over. Maybe a housing estate."

"You do you Joey, but I think I already know Trisha's answer, and that will be don't buy it, she wouldn't want anything to do with it anyway."

"Point taken, which brings me to my next problem."

"What is that?"

"Look at this."

He handed his phone over, a message was on the screen.

'You asshole, what a stupid man you are. I will be suing you and the milk board, and as for that ungrateful bitch you married tell her never to darken our doors again, she's only a bastard relative anyway.'

It was from Trisha's father.

"What did he mean by bastard relative?"

"It is my understanding that it means, family, but not immediate family, born to unwed parents if you know what I mean. Please don't say anything to Trish let me handle it?"

"I won't, but it makes sense Joey, she's nothing like her family, and I will go one step further, she's more like her aunty. She passed away a few years back and Trish was so upset, maybe I'm wrong but the aunty never married."

"Maybe she's her real mother, has Trish ever said something?"

"No, I doubt she knows anything and this message could be lies made up to upset her yet again."

"Okay, I will have it investigated so no talking Adam. There is something else I want to talk to you about."

"Yes, I am all ears."

"I have it on good authority the house across the road is coming on the market. I would love to buy it and move there." I didn't say anything, it's his life and that house was beautiful and had been opened up and super modernised, right up her alley.

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes Joey, we will miss you both, but we can come for a swim now and then." I smiled.

"It's just that I want to start a family and I reckon that house would be ideal for a few kids to run around in."

"I agree it's an awesome property, and so Trish. Speak to her and see how she feels about it first."

"She said to ask you." He laughed.

"Then you have my permission to move out, as I said I will miss you both but life goes on and we will see you both every day anyway."

"That's what I told her, she's only agreeing because she thinks it's time to go it on our own, do you think Nat will cook for us too?"

"I doubt it. She will stop when the restaurant starts opening. But I can think of a good housewarming present for Trish."

"What?"

"Cooking lessons." I burst out laughing.

"It's a huge kitchen."

"Then the mess will be huge also."

It wasn't a shock it was the right thing for them to do, they need to start being a real family and there will always be a pizza night.

I talked to Kasey that night and he already knew about it because he had gone and looked through the house with Joe last weekend. The owners wanted to give Kase the first option to buy it, he had gotten pretty friendly with them since we moved here and they knew he had money. He said Joey had the money and there was nothing to do to the home. It was old-looking on the outside, but inside the place had been fully gutted and completely rebuilt in an open-plan style. I told him I was excited for them and we would lock up their apartment and leave it vacant.

With the talking out of the way, he took my hand and we went back inside. I locked the balcony door and he made love to me.

Trish was beaming in the morning, and she and mum were talking nonstop when I arrived for breakfast. She stopped mid-sentence when I picked up a mug and made my first coffee.

"Oh don't stop on my behalf ladies, I think it's a wonderful idea. I can't wait to call in for breakfast and a meal. The kids are going to love the pool I believe it has a diving board." I sat next to Trish and then took her hand.

"Congratulations."

"He's paying top dollar for it Adam, I am having second thoughts."

"He has the funds baby, and it will probably go in your name to avoid any nasties if his business goes bad."

"No, I won't allow that."

"It's already been decided on, and he won't pay what they are asking for it either. Kasey is going into negotiation mode and he will broker the sale."

She blew her breath out and said.

"I don't deserve him Adam, he has done so much for me."

"Just love him baby, that's all he ever wanted."

"I do, very much so."

"So when can I send Kasey over, you do know he's going to live with you both. Joey will be so excited." I laughed and mum laughed with me.

"And there's that." Trish looked at me.

"Man crush on both sides Trish, harmless fun. Which reminds me. Does Joe have many friends outside work. Like school mates and such?"

"No Adam he never involved himself with all that, and never caught up with them after college. His guests at the wedding were business associates mostly, he told me he never needed close friends."

"That's the answer then, he sees Kasey as his first adult best friend."

"He does."

The boys ran out from mums place, they had been annoying dad again, Sam hugged me and I lifted him up onto my lap then I started kissing his face. he got sick of that and jumped down, then I suggested they have breakfast.

I went to make their eggs and toast and called out to Trish.

"Hey Trish you had better watch how I do this, because you will be doing the same for Joey."

"Joey can cook Adam, want a hand?" Joe and Kasey were behind me so I passed the egg flipper over to him.

"Knock yourself out."

"Kase, when does Nat finish up here?"

"She doesn't Adam, if she can't come here she will have food sent over."

"Won't it be too much for her?"

"Just the main ones, bangers and mash things like that."

"I can do them, she has given me her recipes." Mum volunteered.

"We will wait and see mum, maybe we can share the cooking. I don't want Nat to be worried about us eating as well as her guests."

"You have three months Adam, then she is working for us full time."

"That quick?"

"She is already helping to fit it out, things are moving fast."

"Okay, I will start lessoning her load here then."

"You don't have to Adam."

"But I want to, she has been so kind to us and I want to repay her."

"She will miss the entertainment more than cooking a few meals," Mum said.

I agreed with her, Nat has been entertained fully while she has been around.

It wasn't long after that Kasey took me for a drive, we ended up at the build

, he wanted to show me our new apartment.

The lift had been installed and he took me into the middle building, our apartment was in the centre of five that had been created across the top, there were more across the other four warehouses but Kasey grabbed this one because it had the best view.

The lift opened directly into our entrance hall. The first thing that hit me was the light, it was like the sun was shining straight through it.

"Four bedrooms all with ensuites, I had the kitchen installed to the left and the family room has nothing in front of it, just the magic view."

It was beautiful, even without furniture I could see it was going to be hard to fill it up. He took a remote and pushed a button, the big glass windows started moving to the side and one big room became one huge room that included the balcony.

"It's full of tech stuff Adam, lights radio security, it even lowers the chandelier over the table."

"Do you have an office here?"

"Yes, and a small gym." He grinned.

"There is a storage room and a butlers pantry, and more storage in the basement."

"I love it Kasey, you have done great things with it." I didn't like to tell him I probably won't live in it.

"It's designed to attract overseas visitors, we can get huge rent for this, short time." Of course he has plans for this place and knows me too well.

He walked me through it and yes it was beautiful, very classy.

"Are they all pretty much the same?"

"Yes Adam, same layouts same size, Joes is next door and dads is on the other side. The rest can fight over them, but I heard Steff has his hands up for one."

"Dad?"

"We bought it for him, I used our money to finance it."

"Does he know?"

"Not yet, we are going to use it as his signing bonus."

"He may not like it."

"He has no choice it will be in Billy's name. At some stage he has to be brought into the business, like Sam was."

"So Sam owns this one then?"

"Got it in one, a super tax dodge if I ever saw one." He grinned and I felt much better.

"He's not leaving home is he?" I grabbed his arm and I placed a shocked look on my face.

"Who?"

"Sam." I laughed at his confused face and then he had to make love to me on the wooden flooring.

"Next time we come we will do it again in Joey's place, you can tell Trish." He grinned. We dressed and went to see how the restaurant was coming along. Nat was there giving out orders and the commander was with her talking about security. I gave him a hug and he beamed at me.

"You're liking your new business aren't you?"

"Of course I am, it will even be better when Tim joins me."

"What?"

"Kidding Adam, just kidding."

"That's better." I was shown the kitchen area and everything was being installed, all new and shiny and Nat looked so proud of her efforts.

"Adam, I will still cook at the house, but it might be a little bit random until we open."

"Don't worry about us Nat, we can more than cope with some cooking."

"Adam, I have three chefs doing that work for me, I am management I have minions." She smiled.

"Then you won't be cooking in this beautiful kitchen?"

"Of course not I have people to do that for me, supervise, yes, do the menu, yes, but running a business like this is my passion plus, and I like to cook for my friends."

"You work it out with mum then, I don't care but I must admit I will miss you."

"Settled then, I talk to mum."

"Tables were stacked in the corner and I could see our mirrors up against the walls, the parquetry flooring was covered in some protective material so I could only imagine what it would be like when finished. Pilfering my Tim, what was the commander thinking?

The docks were being worked on and we talked to Steff for a while. Susan will be in soon and they were going to my Italian takeaway shop to have lunch, then to the build to look at their new apartment.

"Did you organise the gas?"

"Yes Kasey, it will have to be bottled unfortunately they won't run a line onto the docks from the restaurant."

"Bottles are fine, they are much safer nowadays."

"They are." Steff smiled.

He dropped me back at work and the kids wanted to know how everything was going, they were excited because they were all invited to the opening night, if it ever happens.

"How did your dinner go with Pete, Anne?"

"Great, he's such a country boy. and even pulled my chair out for me to sit."

She's smitten with her boy I think. The one thing about Anne is she likes the younger ones, Mitchell was far too young but Pete, not so much, maybe four years younger, maybe five. I chuckled to myself and walked back to my station where a very good-looking lady had been seated. It was my lawyer friend, and I hadn't seen her for some time.

"Hi Judy, it's been too long." I smiled.

"It's that husband of yours he's keeping our practice busy nowadays."

"He's using your firm?"

"Yes, I think it is because I helped him with his law studies, but it was my pleasure to do that anyway."

"He likes to reward friends."

"Well, as you can see by the length of my hair the last time I had it styled was when he had just started. So today shorter more manageable and a hint of red streaks."

"Coming up dear lady," I started on the colour first. She walked out looking smashing and her hair shone in the afternoon sun.

It was all over for me and I went to see if Kasey was ready to go home. He wasn't because he was in a conversation with Bill. He had migrated up to Kasey's office. Evans rolled his eyes and I smiled,

"How long this time?"

"Two hours and rising."

"What the hell do they talk about?"

"I think Kasey's going to do a psych course, he wants to learn about handling people better."

I rolled my eyes and he laughed.

"Are you still on for pizza Friday?"

"Yes Adam, can I bring Jameel, he wants to meet you all?"

"Of course you can, that goes without saying."

"Good you will like him and he you." What have I got myself into now, people are liking me before even meeting me.

I opened Kasey's door and they stopped talking.

"Haven't you somewhere to be Bill?'

"Oh sorry Adam, I was just leaving."

"Make sure you do, Kasey it's time to go home." He started laughing, then he saluted me. I got one from Bill but that was after he winked at me.

When we picked Joey up Kasey passed him a piece of paper.

"And not one penny more."

"You reckon they will accept this, it's way below the asking price?"

"They are wanting a quick sale Joey, they have over-capitalised the property it's not worth what they are asking. and they are heavily in debt. This should get them out of it."

"How did you know all that?"

"I have my ways." If I didn't know any better Joey was about to bow to Kasey.

"Did you find out, or are you bluffing?" I said to him out of earshot.

"They spent a fortune on the renovations and inflated the house's real worth. They have the cash to get them out of trouble but thought they would sell the house for a big profit. No big deal Adam." He grinned.

I straightened up because I was in the company of greatness today, and Joey was the first to make him a coffee when we got back home.

Sam and Billy were very happy that their uncle Joe will have a diving board, so the begging had stopped and they turned their sights to Joe. Does spider man stay at his house? Maybe they should have a couple of sleepovers just in case he wants to talk to them, stuff like that, small boys stuff.

To his credit Joe didn't lie to them or get their hopes up, but I did overhear him saying that Peter Parker was in America helping people out.

I laughed to myself and winked at Joe.

"Okay you can have sleepovers if you want, but no staying up all night." I think that was their main aim, and they ran off to play in the new tree house.

Mum and Kasey were once again swapping paperwork and dad got in on it also. I watched Kase sign some things then he was mine again. I had started to read Fred's book but it was way over my head, I think you had to have an engineering degree to understand it all. I had stopped when it started on family life, that I will read on my own on the balcony. I wasn't expecting any shocks but I did want to read what was said about his wife, Adele.

As I read, it was made abundantly clear that Fred's father taught him the business and Adele was his drawcard, he wrote that he enticed his investors with her company because she was world-famous and looked good in a dress. He finally had to admit to himself that it was her doing business for him, and he wasn't contributing much to wow the moneymen. He had to rethink his plans and pay more attention to her than his advisors. He also admitted that his work and stress had dropped as she took over the investment side of the operations. His son was happier his father was happier and his wife was in her element. She told me once she never had an agent to discuss a modelling contract with her, she did that all on her own she liked to be in charge.

I put the book down and reflected on the things she told me, time is passing and I had forgotten a lot of it I should have written a diary back then.

Which reminds me, the attic. I have to finish it and start getting the museum in.

On Saturday mum Trish and myself went up there and started to go through everything, Kasey and Joey looked for hidden panels and drawers and found nothing. Mum found a brooch pinned to one of the dresses and I told her to keep it.

"Adam it looks expensive."

"It's yours no argument."

It was expensive you only had to take one look at it and it screamed quality. But I will show it to Jimmy, maybe he knows its history and I won't give it to the museum, they have enough in her apartment.

Kasey and Joe moved wardrobes and cupboards to one side of the attic, then they took the travelling trunks downstairs. The museum will match the clothes up with the names on the family tree if they can, they can also date the costumes by the style. I vacuumed it all up and it looked less cluttered, then we closed the door and went to have lunch.

"Thank you everyone job well done."

"It was all our pleasure Adam. I had fun." Mum said as her brooch sparkled in the sunlight. Billy was playing with it during lunch and I knew he was gay because they love sparkly things, well I do.

I never said one word to Trish about the message Joe got, and he didn't either, but I knew he was looking into it.

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