“You coming tonight, Michael?” Steve asked his partner as they broke for lunch.

“The public hearing? Wasn’t planning on it.”

“It’s your neighborhood too. Don’t you care?”

“Whether I care doesn’t matter; money trumps public opinion every time.”  Michael looked at his friend closely. “Give it up, Steve. Same thing goes with women, money trumps everything.”

“And yet, you’re still married.”

“Okay, sometimes sex appeal trumps money, which is another reason you should give up on this chick.”

“If she’d give a clear signal, I would, but she’s like a cat deciding to go in or out.” He laughed at the comparison.

“That’s why I’m a dog person. When they want in, they let you know for sure. What you need is to get out there and get laid; your blue balls are draining oxygen from your brain.”

“I don’t have blue balls, asshole.”

Michael stopped mid-bite to stare at his friend. “Don’t tell me you’re still boinking the ex? Jesus, Steve, you never fucking learn, do you?”

Steve shrugged. “What’s wrong with it? We’re consenting adults. It’s better this way, we can just go home and avoid the arguments.”

“It’s just so wrong. I think it keeps you both from getting back in circulation.”

“I hate the thought of starting over if it’s going to end the same way.”

“No, no, no! Dude! You’re divorced! You’re supposed to be out fucking all the hot young tail you can find, then think about a relationship.”

“Dude! I don’t want to fuck all the hot young tail I can find!” Steve crumbled up his lunch bag and tossed it in the trash can. “Fuck, did I just say that?”

“You did, and it’s really sad, man. You’re a disgrace to men everywhere.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s easy. Stay away from her.”

Steve heaved a sigh and cleaned up the rest of his lunch. “So you coming with me tonight?”

“Have you listened to a word I said?”

“Yes. And?”

“Okay, I’ll go. But just to protect you from yourself.”

~*~

City Hall was crowded when Steve and Michael showed up, standing room only. Everything was set up for the presentation, from the projection screen behind the Building Commission’s table, to a large box in front. Kiki was adjusting the projector. Pete was next to her, talking to two other men.

“That’s the boyfriend, next to the older guy in the blue suit.”

“Yeah? You gonna go challenge him to a duel or something?”

“Fuck you,” Steve said with a laugh. He saw Kiki scanning the crowd and he wiggled his fingers to get her attention. She broke out into a wide smile and waved them up.

“Hey Steve, Michael, thanks for coming!”

“Had to see you in action, babe. How are you doing?”

“I’m nervous as hell. Oh, hey, you should meet Ted. Ted?”  The head of hair on a stick turned when he heard her call. “Ted, you’ve met on the phone, but this is Steve, and his partner, Michael.” Ted looked them over as he extended his hand.

“You’re the guys taking up all her time.”

“Not all my time, Ted, stop teasing. We’re pretty much done.” She paused and looked at Steve. “More or less.”  

“Good. No offense, Steve, but I didn’t think it was a good idea. Guess she’s out of your documentary now.”

“Not necessarily. We’ll know when we start editing.”

Ted knit his brow and Steve was immediately annoyed. Did he think he could dictate what would go into the documentary?

“Yes, we’ll see. Kiki, you should get ready.”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she said with a nervous giggle. Steve and Michael wished her luck, and returned to their spots on the side of the hall. The Chair of the Commission clapped down his gavel and the meeting commenced. A few minor matters were presented first, then they announced the main topic of the evening.

“And now, representatives from Duncan Development and the architecture firm of Gates/Walsh Associates will make their first presentation of a proposed development. Gentlemen? And lady?”

Ted stood up and addressed the audience, asserting how he and his family wanted to give back to the city by restoring the neighborhood with an all-green, sustainable development.

“But before I get into some of the numbers, I’d like to welcome Katherine Parrish, lead designer for The Village at Duncan Gardens. Miss Parrish is the daughter of California’s own Walter Ames Parrish, one of the eminent architects of this century. We’re very lucky to have her working on our team.”

Steve noticed the Kiki’s eyes dart over to Ted following his introduction. “Jesus, don’t put her under pressure or anything, asshole,” he muttered under his breath. Kiki paused to get her composure and the room went very quiet until the only sound was her voice.

“Thank you all for coming tonight. We’re looking forward to give you, the community, a first look at this project, and are actively soliciting your comments and concerns. Before we get started, let me say right away that, despite the images you will be seeing tonight, this is a work in process, and will be up to the time we open the doors.”

There was a general murmur of approval in the hall then Kiki began to speak again. The weeks of talking in front of the camera had paid off, Steve noted with satisfaction. Poised and relaxed, she spoke without notes as slide after slide supported her talking points. The renderings were slick, the model comprehensive, and when they unveiled plans for a new community garden to be built a few blocks away, Steve thought they might have won the audience over. But then came the Q&A. It was polite at first, with typical questions about traffic, noise, and how the LEED process worked. Kiki answered most of the questions first, but Ted kept interrupting, seemingly before she could give any concessions. Steve was getting increasingly irritated by the young developer.  He was also surprised no one from the Community Garden Association had spoken; he knew they had met privately with the development group. Perhaps they had been bought off. But then Hal Pembroke stood up, one of the most vocal advocates for the Garden.

“Showing us these pretty pictures is all very well and good, Mr. Duncan, Miss Parrish, but you’re ripping the heart out of the community. That garden is what makes this a neighborhood.”

Ted looked a little smug, as if he had all the answers. Kiki whispered something in his ear but he shook her off. “And that’s what we’re trying to achieve, Mr. Pembroke. The garden will be better than ever, just on a different site.”

“Across a six-lane road?”

“If you see, Mr. Pembroke, there are traffic enhancements…” Kiki put up the slides showing the new traffic patterns and re-showed the beautiful renderings of the garden. Ted grabbed the remote from Kiki’s hands and shut off the projector.

“Now Mr. Pembroke, the siting is no surprise to you, we showed it to you well in advance of this meeting. I see no need to incite your fellow citizens.”

“I’m not inciting, I just think they shouldn’t be bamboozled by a bunch of fancy pictures. You can draw anything.”

“Mr. Pembroke, this is a process, that’s why we’re here tonight,” Kiki said calmly.

“No, Mr. Pembroke has his own agenda, and doesn’t care about the process, apparently.”  Steve could see Kiki try to whisper to him again, but Ted pushed her away. That was it, he’d seen enough.

“What about the other site?” He called out loudly. People turned in their chairs to see who had spoken.

“I beg your pardon?” Ted asked. Kiki visibly held her breath and shook her head. Fuck it, he was saying it anyway.

“The other site, four blocks away. The old Enright Building? Reuse is the point of sustainability, isn’t it? Renovate that building, then the garden could stay as is, no need to build another one.”

“Now, Mr. Morrison, I’m sure you don’t know what’s involved in such an endeavor in terms of design. Not to mention we wouldn’t be able to achieve the same level for LEED in such a case.”

“You mean you won’t be able to let rich people spend a lot of money to feel warm and fuzzy about the environment.” Steve hadn’t realized what his words would set off, but suddenly the tone of the murmurs escalated.

“The other option is not economically viable, no.”

A roar went up in the crowd. Michael pulled his friend back to the wall. “Steve, why are you stirring the shit?”

“He’s pissing me off, this is supposed to be a hearing, and he’s doing anything but hearing. Kiki’s listening, didn’t you see her jotting down notes?”

“Right now all I see is daggers from her eyes.” Steve looked up at her; she did not look pleased.

“Okay everybody, we’re not going to settle everything tonight.”  The Building Commission Chair slammed his gavel to quiet the crowd. “We are going to recommend that the Development Group present a little more information about possible alternative sites, as well as to keep going with recommendations on the current site. They should return at next month’s meeting to present their results. Goodnight.”  Another slam of the gavel and the audience stood and loudly began to exit. Ted slammed his note cards on the table in front of Kiki and walked off into the hallway. She shuffled her things into a bag and ran after him, but stopped at the door of the hallway. Steve and Michael approached her.

“You did great, Kiki-cat.”

 “Oh, yeah, real great, thanks a lot.”

“What?”

“How could you do that, Steve? I’ve got so much to do, and now I have two designs to work on, and prepare for more hearings? Thanks a lot, it’s just what I needed.”

“Kiki, it’s not about you, this affects lots of people.”  Kiki looked sharply at him again before slumping back against the door jamb.

“I know. God, I know. But you don’t know what it’s going to be like. Teddy’s going to rip into Ted, who’s going to do the same to the design team...”

“But you guys came prepared, why would he?”

“Because we were supposed to breeze through this,” Kiki sighed in resignation.

“Jesus, I didn’t realize...”

“No, of course you didn’t.” She said softly, closing her eyes and rubbing them.

“I should have asked you first, before saying anything.” She nodded, her eyes still closed. “Is there anything I can do, Kiki-cat?”  He took a step closer and rubbed her shoulder. Her eyes opened wearily, and she gently pushed his hand down.

“You can get the hell away from her, is what you can do.”  Ted’s voice pierced the air.

“Ted, don’t. It’s okay. If it wasn’t him, someone else would have brought it up. Pembroke even.”

“Yeah, but Pembroke’s a crackpot, we could work around him.”

“Work around? Have you been to the garden on weekends? Plenty of people feel the same way, pal.”

“Who? No one else spoke up.”

Steve scowled. It was odd that no one else had, and yet when he heard Kiki and Pete talking about it, it seemed like the better idea. “Well, I think you should listen to Kiki about it, she understands what it means for a place to have a heart.”  Kiki looked up at him and cocked her head.

“You’re into real estate, are you?”

“No, I’m a filmmaker.”

“I think I should listen to real estate professionals, not some hack who doesn’t even fucking drive a car.”

“Ted! Stop it!”

“Okay, I will for you, sweetheart.” Ted turned to Kiki and rubbed his hands up her arms. “We’ll figure a way to get through this, now that we have this house business under control.”  He turned back to Steve. “And of course I listen to my girl, she knows what’s important.”

“You’re right, she does.” Steve looked at Kiki, who had assumed a rather comical position with her hands on her hips and chin jutting out. “Oh-oh,” he chuckled.

“What?” Ted looked back at Kiki. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“I’m putting that room back. The house needs it, I don’t care who designed it.”

“You’re what?!!” Ted asked emphatically.

Steve laughed out loud. “That-a-girl That’s perfect!”

“Now wait a minute. You said it wasn’t possible!”

“I’ll cash out my 401(k). Hopefully Ajay will let that pass, I used it as collateral. I’ll try to round up more volunteers for the weekends...”

“No, no, no, you can’t do it!”

“I will. It’s important.”

“How much?”

“I think I can swing it for thirty.”

“How much for others to finish it? Clayton could add more workers.”

“I don’t know. Fifty?”

Ted reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a checkbook and pressed it against the wall to write a check. “There. Sixty. Just get it done.”  He turned on his heels and walked back into the hall, calling behind him. “Let’s go home, Kiki.”

Kiki stood staring at the check, her jaw lax. She looked up at Steve and then over to Ted. “I... I better go. Night.”  She patted Michael then Steve on the shoulder and trotted after her fiancé.

“Whoa,” Michael said, finally. “Guess we know who has the bigger dick. He whipped that baby out and it’s good-bye Steve.”

Steve watched Kiki leave and turned to his friend. “You think?”

“Dude, I know. Money trumps everything.”

“Michael, the guy just gave her a check. His fiancé. No way she’s accepting it.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “My money’s on Mr. Checkbook.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see. Let’s get out of here.”  The two friends walked out of the hall. Steve was certain if she was in her right mind, Kiki would tear up that check. But with everything that’s going on? Maybe she wasn’t in her right mind.

~*~

Kiki’s eyes fluttered open when the alarm buzzed. She found she could barely reach the snooze button with Ted’s arm around her so tightly. She fell back onto the pillow with a sigh. Guilt sex. Why did she feel guilty for giving in to guilt sex?  What didn’t she feel guilty about these days?

Her mind drifted over the events of the night before. Was losing control of the hearing her fault? Should she have told Steve not to come? How could she have known he’d bring up that other site? Why couldn’t she keep Ted from shooting his mouth off? And that check. God, that pissed her off. And Ted couldn’t understand why.

“I’m just trying to help, sweetheart, why don’t you let me help?”

“Ted, you’re welcome to come pick up a hammer, or do tiling, or refinish floors, anything. But this? It’s not even yours, really. Don’t you get it? The minute I let someone else start paying for things, the more it’s not mine.”

“But the bank is paying for it. And besides, what’s the point? They’re both going to be ours in a few months, your house and my money.“

Kiki couldn’t think of an argument for that. Of course that made her even madder, for some reason. “I think you’re jealous of the house. That you thought up this Duncan Garden project just to distract me from it.”

“Kiki, Duncan Gardens is a career-maker. For both of us.”

“You didn’t say you weren’t jealous.”

“I’m not jealous of a house,” Ted asserted. “That Steve guy, though. He seemed awfully familiar with you.”

“He’s Peter’s friend. He’s my friend, too.” She felt funny saying that aloud, but at the same time, she felt it in her bones.

“And with friends like that…”

“He thought he was helping.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do, Kiki,” Ted said with a sigh. “I just want things to be like they were. Can’t we forget about the damn house and the damn project?”

It was then her heart softened. She hadn’t been spending enough time with him, she was being stubborn and selfish. And maybe he was too, but couldn’t she meet him halfway?

“Maybe this is a test, Ted. If we can make it through this, we can make it through anything?”

“I’d like to make it with you now,” he said with a dirty chuckle. His arms snaked around her waist, he started kissing her neck, and she succumbed.

The snooze buzzer went off again. This time Ted stirred.

“Morning sweetheart, mmm, you feel good.”

“Thanks, baby. But we need to get up.”

Ted leaned over her to look at the clock. “Shit, yes!”  He jumped out of the bed and took a quick shower. She waited until he was shaving to take hers. “Oh, sweetheart?  Remember my friend Kyle with that luxury box at Candlestick?  He’s invited us up this weekend for the Dodgers-Giants game.” 

“Ted, you know I can’t do anything but house stuff on the weekend.”

He chuckled wryly. “I was hoping I convinced you to take some time off from that.” Kiki resisted the urge to poke her head out of the shower. How did he reach that conclusion? The sex?

“No,” she said carefully. “I’m putting back the room off the kitchen, remember?”

“Jesus,” he replied with irritation in his voice. “Well, I’m going. I think I’m going to need a bit of fun after Dad rips me a new one this morning.”

“He won’t be that bad,” she lied as she stepped out of the shower. “You gonna rip me and Peter new ones after?”

Ted chuckled and wrapped her up in a towel. “No, I’ve got other plans for you, Mrs. Duncan-to-be. Peter? Nah, he’s too valuable. That guy Steve though... Nah, don’t think he needs a new asshole, he’s a big enough one as it is!”  He laughed at his own joke and playfully pulled away her towel. “C’mon up to the game with me, Kik’. We’ll have fun, like last night, like before all this shit.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said, trying to placate him. He was so damn cheerful!

“Great! I’ll let you get ready, sweetheart, I’ll call to yell at my incompetent architect later,” he laughed again. “Just kidding!”

Kiki looked at herself in the mirror, wondering how Ted still could not understand. Steve understood. He’d laughed when she’d announced her intentions about the house, he seemed delighted, almost proud of her. She shook her head, trying to chase away any thoughts of him and tried to refocus her thoughts to her day. She’d known from the start that taking on this house project would put hers and Ted’s relationship to the test. But she’d never expected it to be so difficult.

And she sure didn’t expect it to be multiple choice.

Chapter Six

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