See if I Care!

Blind Luck

A/N: So here we are! End of the line. Everybody dies! … no, wait, I'm not Shakespeare…

Chapter 20: Blind Luck

Jake did get laid that night. Quite thoroughly. Mark found himself rather tired the morning after, and a bit sore. Not that he regretted a single moment of it. In fact, when he put on his new watch he wanted to do it all over again.

It wasn't doable, though, of course. He had to go to work and Jake was going to drop him off. The older man had taken a personal day to go through all his belongings before the move. They talked about their plans in the car.

"Have you asked around for a tenant yet?" Jake wanted to know.

"No… I don't even know how. I don't want to put an ad on Craigslist," Mark said. "I mean, I don't want anyone to trash the place."

"No, you really don't. It's gonna sell nicely once you decide to give it up."

"I thought you said it needed new wallpaper?"

"Oh, it does! It really does! Some of them almost give me a brain aneurysm, but you can possibly rent it to a student or two in the mean while. They might think it's 'retro' or 'ironic' or whatever the hell they are on about these days."

"Oh, sweetie, you're not that old," Mark chuckled. "Where do I find that student, though? Wanna go cruising outside a university?"

"That just gave me very wrong and naughty thoughts," Jake snorted.

"It was meant to," Mark grinned smugly.

"Do you want me to ask around? It might be better to have a friend-of-a-friend rent it," Jake said.

"Oh, please, would you? I'm going to ask my parents as well, hell, they work at a university, they should be able to help."

"Good, then let's make some calls today when we have a moment. Better get it rolling so you don't have to pay for two apartments for too long."

"Have you talked any more to Lance about moving?"

"No, and I don't want to rush him… I'll wait until we know what happens on Friday, it might be a bit too sensitive until then."

"Yeah, you're right… I wonder if they have gotten the results yet? Will they be allowed to know before the trial?"

"I don't see why not… I mean, it's not a talk show, but if the court ordered the results, won't the court get them? And I doubt that the lawyers get to see them before the hearing in that case…"

"I don't know," Mark sighed. "I just hope for the best. He really wants that kid."

"I think Tony will be good for him," Jake hummed. "And I think he'll do well as a parent figure…. a month ago I would have balked at the thought of him as a father, but he has matured. Maybe O'Connor is good for him too."

"He's never dated anyone for as long as he has dated Andrew, that's for sure."

"What? But they haven't been together for more than… what? Two-three weeks?"

"Something like that. Lance's crushes usually last two-three days."

"Hmm… with that kind of personality change, maybe we should look for a brain tumor?" the CFO joked.

"Jake!" Mark objected, but couldn't stop himself from chuckling. "That's horrible!"

"Yeah…" the man admitted. "I've been watching 'House' reruns again."