The Jack of Hearts

The Jack of Hearts: Sheldon Zath

“Sheldon, you can’t stay in here all day.”

“I don’t see why not,” Sheldon answer belligerently. Sheldon was sprawled on a broken-down sofa in the storage room of the lodge. He swiped his hand over his eyes and took another chug of Coke. He’d wanted something stronger, but he couldn’t find anything. Gordon must keep the alcohol locked up tight like he did everything else. It wasn’t fair. Milton was out of the country doing research, and he’d been dropped off at the relatives like some unwanted child. He was more than capable of staying at home. They’d tried to sugarcoat it with a job at a local television station. A real job with real responsibilities, not another endless intern position, he’d been told. Well, the job was history after today. After what he’d screamed and ranted, no one would take him back.

“Gordon’s not slow. He’ll find you up here as easily as I did.”

“Yeah, that’s because you’ll run and tell him. Some brat you are. You’re a fucking  traitor.”

“There’s not much to sit on over here. Can I come join you on the sofa?”

“Be my guest. It’s not like I can stop you. I’m a fucking brat, or don’t you remember what that feels like? I get ordered here and there. I don’t know why Milton didn’t get a fucking dog. He could have left it at the kennel. I’m sure it would have been less trouble.”

“Sheldon.” Landon sat on the sofa and pulled the red-headed boy against him. “It’s been a pretty awful day, but don’t you ever think that Milton doesn’t love you.”

“He left me here.” Sheldon sniffled against Landon. “I wanted to go with him.”

“We all know that.”

“He could have taken me. I’m too much trouble. I’m impossible.”

“Oh, stop. Milton loves you more than the air he breathes. That’s as plain as the nose on your face. What did he talk about before he left?”

“How I had to stay here and be a good boy. I’m not a fucking dog,” Sheldon snarled.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation with a dog? What else did he say? Gordon and I were there for at least some of it.”

“That he was going to be in a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language, and he’d be in the library all day, and I’d be stuck in the room.”

“That’s sounding more like Milton. You have friends here and an interesting job. It’s only eight weeks. I know you’re tough enough to survive it. You’re Milton’s boy. He doesn’t cope with wilting daisies.”

“I had a job on sufferances. I don’t have one now.” Sheldon plucked at the worn sofa threads. “I want Milton.”

“I know, and so do we.” Landon pushed Sheldon upright on the sofa. “We’re not Milton; we more than get that. Gordon’s going to try to do the best he can for you, but he’s not Milton, and he knows that. We need you to help us a little here.”

“What’s he going to do to me?” Sheldon sniffed and wiped his eyes with the front of his shirt.

“What do you think?”

“Will he cane me?”

“Does Milton cane you?”

Sheldon shook his head. Milton spanked him. It was over his knee, warm and comforting, not that it didn’t hurt like hell. Milton spanked hard.

“What happened at Christmas?”

“Gordon spanked me, but that was over a stupid sweater.” Sheldon could hear his voice rising. Milton would stop him before he got hysterical, but Landon seemed oblivious. “This is big. I got fired. I acted like a maniac in public.”

“Is maniac Milton’s word? It sounds like something he would say,” Landon said with a slight smile and ran his hand up and down Sheldon’s back.

“He calls me his red-headed maniac.”

“He loves you very much, doesn’t he?”

Sheldon nodded and bit his lip to keep fresh tears from falling. “I wish he was here.”

“I know he wants to be here. Do you really need him, or can Gordon pinch hit?”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“Sheldon, if your really can’t cope, we’ll have Milton back here in 24 hours. Do you need that?”

“He’s busy. He has his research.” Sheldon rubbed his hand on his shorts. He wanted Milton, but he wasn’t going to make him come home. He wasn’t that selfish.

“You’re the most important thing in the world to him. Don’t you ever forget it. Now, do you need him here?”

Sheldon shook his head slowly. “I can cope, but I want him here.” He felt his voice dissolve into a pleading whine that Milton so detested.

“Good, kid.” Landon brushed the hair off Sheldon’s forehead and kissed him firmly. “We’ve got you. Trust me, kid, Milton will string us all up by our toes if we don’t get this right. We need to talk to Gordon.”

“Not yet, please,” Sheldon pleaded.

“You’d like to sit comfortably for a few more minutes.”

“He’s going to kill me.”

“No, he won’t. He’ll punish you, but he won’t kill you. He’s good in crisis. I like to put him through his paces occasionally, to keep him sharp. I heard him on the phone with your boss. Playing golf with everybody in town does have its advantages. You’re going to keep your job. ‘The volatile young man will be back on work on Monday with an improved attitude.’”

“They know I get spanked,” Sheldon shouted, his voice rising to window breaking levels.

“No. Listen to me.” Landon shook Sheldon hard. “Your boss knows we frequently have young men here who need a little guidance. His nephew lived with us for six months. All he knows is that his nephew is gay and a lot happier than he used to be. It’s not all that hard to find out the rest, but he respected his nephew’s privacy, and he’ll respect yours. He also thinks your good at what ever it is you do if you would stop going off half cocked. Everyone likes you when you’re not having these strange explosions.”

“I can’t help it,” Sheldon said, his voice subdued. 

“Does Milton accept that?”

Sheldon shrugged.

“Be honest with me.”

“No.”

“No is right. You’re a submissive, not a mental patient or a hopeless imbecile. I choose to submit and even to occasionally play at a little bratting. You might not choose it as consciously as I do, but you’re not being pulled by some inexplicable and all powerful force to have tantrums at work. Are you?”

“No,” Sheldon admitted after a long silence where Landon stared intently at him. Brats didn’t act like Landon. There was something wrong with that man beyond being older. “But I’m not like you.”

“Thank God! The world only needs to be blessed with one of me.” Landon grinned at Sheldon, a smile that could easily match Sheldon’s for pure cheek on his best day. “Gordon couldn’t cope if you were my clone. I’m enough to drive him into an early grave.  I’ll teach you the fine art of Gordon baiting after we deal with this little crisis. Come on, kid. Let’s get it over with.”