chapter 5

Papa had telephoned Rudy and told him not to return, for Alphonse would not be there. Thankfully, Rudolf Blauvelt was not the type of man to take orders. He spent the afternoon driving around their town in his motorcar in search of Alphonse. He found him shuffling along with his suitcase about a mile from the bathhouse. He parked his car quickly and got out.

“Alphonse!” Rudolf called.

“Rudy!” he exclaimed, his heart struggling to process his conflicting emotions of grief and joy. His family was gone, but the man he’d begun to love was standing before him. He dropped his suitcase and hugged Rudolf happily. Tiny snowflakes had begun to fall and as they spoke to one another their breath made small clouds of frost. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

Rudolf smiled; he was in disbelief that another person could be so grateful to be in his presence. He worried that all the time they’d spent together meant nothing to Alphonse. Rudy understood that their relationship had been transactional. He knew that Alphonse had to entertain him and treat him with kindness or Schroeder would abuse him.

“I don’t know if you can believe this,” Alphonse began. “But you single-handedly purchased my freedom. I have nothing but the utmost gratitude for you, Rudolf.”

“That’s wonderful. Where are you going now?” Rudolf asked. “I can take you.”

Alphonse was silent a moment. All of the money Rudolf had spent on him was wasted. Rudolf placed his hand underneath Alphonse’s chin and lifted his head so that they were looking at one another. He could sense that something was amiss with the beautiful younger man. He asked him what was wrong and for him to be honest.

“I was on my way back to the bathhouse,” Alphonse replied finally, looking away from Rudolf. “I—I have nowhere else to go.”

“What of your family?” he asked. “Your mother and sisters?”

“They’re dead,” Alphonse said aloud for the first time since hearing the news. “There was a fire. Nearly three years ago. I was stuck in the bathhouse dreaming of the day I’d be free, and I had no idea that what remained of my family was already gone.”

Rudolf felt deep pain for Alphonse. They’d spoken of his past during one of their many sessions the past two months. His mother was mentally unstable and walked into a pond until she was completely submerged and drowned. His father couldn’t take the loneliness and shot himself. He was heartbroken for Alphonse and hated that the young man had to endure such sadness.

“I know it’s a lot to ask of you,” Alphonse said, mustering a smile, “but I hope to see you again at the bathhouse sometime.”

“That notion is absolutely ludicrous,” Rudolf replied, bending down to grab Alphonse’s measly suitcase.

“I’ll take my bag and be on my way,” Alphonse said, feeling defeated. Was Rudolf saying he’d never pay to visit him again? Al didn’t want Rudy’s money, but what other option did he have? He needed a place to stay out of the cold.

“You will do no such thing. You shall stay with me.”

“I couldn’t impose on you in such a way,” Alphonse replied, reaching for his suitcase. Rudolf was just being a gentleman. There was no way he’d want a former whore in his home.

“My motorcar is this way,” Rudolf stated plainly, ignoring Alphonse’s polite refusal. Alphonse had never ridden in a car before and the idea excited him. He walked along next to the large, serious man until they came to his car. It was a large machine and truly a testament to the ingenuity of humanity. “Let’s go. Come on then.” Rudy opened the door for Alphonse and helped him into the car before handing him his suitcase.

“Thank you,” Alphonse managed to get out before he began to cry silent tears. He cried all the way to Rudolf’s townhouse.

When they arrived, Rudolf busied himself in the kitchen, knowing that in times of grief it was important to eat a warm meal. He allowed Alphonse to freshen up and take a moment to himself. He didn’t employ any help. He cooked his own meals and cleaned his own home. Alphonse observed that Rudolf must have pushed housework until it was absolutely necessary. His home could use a good scrubbing, but the townhouse was absolutely gorgeous underneath the clutter. The home was four floors, with the kitchen and dining room on the lowest level. The second floor had multiple bedrooms and the master bath, the third floor a study and home library. The fourth floor contained a solarium filled with many different plants that had unfortunately seen better days.

Rudolf chopped onions and potatoes. He seared a cut of beef on the stovetop before plating it and allowing it to rest. He’d gotten this recipe down to a science and it was actually quite flavorful. He only knew how to successfully prepare this one dish, a skillet meal of meat and potatoes. He cooked quite a grand amount, not much more than what he usually made, but still grand. He set the table and called Alphonse to dinner.

His dining room table was large, but Rudolf made sure to position the chairs so that they weren’t very far from one another. He served Alphonse, filling his plate with a substantial portion. Alphonse found the dish incredibly filling. His appetite had not yet fully returned, so he ate only a small amount of what had been giving to him.

He sat as Rudolf continued to eat. The large businessman was finishing up his third helping, having completely emptied the serving dish. This was when he noticed Alphonse had stopped eating.

“Is it not to your liking?” he asked, fearing Alphonse did not enjoy his specialty. “It’s the only thing I ever learned to make. I eat it nearly every day.”

“You made so much, Rudy. It was certainly an exquisite meal. I apologize for not being able to finish it.” Alphonse smiled and stood up from his chair. He took his plate over to where Rudolf sat and scrapped his remaining food onto his dish. “You’re such a large man, Rudy. Surely you must need more to eat, yes?”

“Well, I guess you’re right.” Alphonse smiled again, feeling less anguish at the loss of his family. Rudolf dug into his now fourth helping as Alphonse sat and watched him consume the large amount of food. As turbulent as the last three years of his life had been, being with Rudolf in this moment made Alphonse feel incredibly warm and secure. It was something that he’d greatly desired.

“From now on, I will do the cleaning and prepare your meals,” Al said. He had told himself the moment he walked into Rudolf’s home he was not going to be a bother. He was going to make Rudolf happy. He was going to repay Rudolf for all of his generosity.

“Really that’s unnecessary,” Rudolf said, smiling. “If you think we need to hire some staff, I have the means to pay for it.”

“I’d like to do this for you,” Alphonse argued. “It will give me something to focus on, please.”

“If it gets to be too much of a burden, please don’t hesitate to let me know. You’re no servant here.”

After their meal, Rudolf asked Alphonse where he wished to sleep in the house. He didn’t intend to force him to sleep in the same bedroom. There were five of them in his home. “I can’t stay with you?” Alphonse asked nervously.

He had expected Rudolf to collect what he’d paid for long ago and wondered what it was that was keeping them from having intercourse. Did he not care for a sexual relationship? Maybe Dorian had been correct in his assessment of the situation. Maybe Rudolf was hiding something.

“You wish to stay with me? In my bedroom?” Rudolf asked, his face reddening. He wanted nothing more than for Alphonse to stay with him. But he wanted him to do it freely, without having to be paid or coerced.

“Of course, unless—.” Al found himself at a loss for words, which shocked him for he usually had too many. “I think that I have possibly misunderstood our relationship. Do you like men? Or are you just, perhaps, an exceedingly kind businessman?”

“I do prefer the company of men, but I, as yourself, have never engaged in—.”

“You’re a virgin!?” The words echoed throughout the entire house. Alphonse couldn’t believe it. He didn’t feel the word virgin and Rudolf Blauvelt could ever coexist in the same sentence. He coughed slightly. “My apologies, I was quite loud.”

“You see, I have not had many opportunities to lose my virginity. No man has ever responded to me in that way and I have no interest in sleeping with any woman. I was going to get it out of the way by purchasing another virgin, so I wouldn’t feel so—so inexperienced.”

Alphonse could barely believe what it was that he was hearing. Surely there were men interested in Rudolf. Alphonse’s eyes traveled to Rudolf’s masculine belly, whilst he attempted to suppress a stirring in his groin. The businessman was larger, yes, but also incredibly handsome. His dark brown hair was full and long, usually combed back out of his face. He had a strong jawline and a prominent nose. His lips were full and well moisturized. Alphonse knew precisely what had happened; Rudolf Blauvelt was unable to pick up on flirtations.

“I hope when the time comes, we can be one another’s firsts,” Alphonse replied, actually quite glad that nobody had gotten to copulate with the sexy businessman. They smiled at one another and enjoyed a hearty laugh.