Travis and Adam Ch. 05

Adam smiled. He knew Travis wasn't embarrassed about telling people they were together. He just didn't like office gossip and being the topic of conversation. But, Adam could handle it and deal with the questions from Mary. He knew once he told Mary, the rest of the office would know before noon.

"Adam?" she asked again,

"Yes, Mary?" he asked, playing dumb.

"Adam! Is there something going on between you and Travis? I'm not stupid you know. I have watched you drool over him for months."

Adam looked at her. First his dad, now Mary. Apparently he didn't have the ability to hide his feelings from anyone. He shook his head at that realization. Well, luckily he didn't have to worry about that anymore. He spent the next few minutes filling Mary in on what happened at the hotel- well, some of it. She listened and then eagerly left to "get back to work". Adam knew that was code for "tell the whole office", but didn't care.

He had a hard time keeping focused on his job, though. Knowing Travis was just a few feet away looking so sexy made him ache. He sighed. Noon couldn't come quick enough.

Suddenly, he noticed the receptionist carrying a large vase of red roses. Had to be at least two dozen. He wondered which woman they were being delivered to for a second before it dawned on him that she was headed his way. Sure enough, she stopped at his desk.

"These were just delivered for you, Adam. Aren't they gorgeous?"

Adam blushed. He was a little embarrassed and actually a little upset. What was Travis thinking? Roses were over the top and it just brought more drama their way. He needed to talk with him immediately, so he thanked the receptionist and set them on his desk. He looked for a card, but didn't see one. He smiled a little as he heard Mary say that he had such a sweet boyfriend. His face was bright red as he crossed the office and knocked on Travis's door.

"Come in," Travis called out. He was surprised when Adam stepped in and closed the door. He noticed his crimson cheeks. "What is it, Adam? What's wrong?" He stepped quickly out from behind his desk and pulled him into his arms.

Adam didn't want to hurt his feelings. After all the flowers were sweet, but he didn't want to start their relationship with lies. "Listen, the roses were sweet, but I am really surprised you sent them. First of all, I thought we were trying to come out quietly. I mean-"

"Roses? What roses?" Travis demanded. What the hell was Adam talking about? He wouldn't send him roses, and if he did it surely wouldn't be today of all days.

Adam looked into his eyes. "You mean, they're not from you? There wasn't a card, but I just assumed..." He actually felt better knowing that they weren't from Travis. "Hey, maybe it's just a mistake."

Travis had a nagging feeling that it wasn't and followed Adam to his desk. Damn, the bouquet was huge. Very pretty. Very expensive, too. He wouldn't send Adam roses. If he ever sent him flowers, he would send him something like wildflowers or carnations colored to match the soccer team's colors. But not roses. Too girly. He knew Adam felt the same way.

Mary popped up and started to say something, but the receptionist showed back up. "The delivery man just dropped this off. He said it fell from the rose bouquet and it's for you, Adam." She looked at Travis for a minute and pouted a little. She couldn't believe he was gay. She had tried to get his attention for months. Well, at least now she knew why he was never interested!

Adam's hands shook. The envelope was white. Plain, except for his name written in block lettering. He had a sinking feeling and looked over at Travis, silently begging him to take the envelope and open it. Travis got the message and took it from him, opening it carefully, and pulling out a card with a snake on the front. They looked at each other. They knew. Albert!

"Clara!" Travis called out for the receptionist, not realizing she was still standing there. He looked at her and lowered his voice. "Clara, can you go see if the delivery man is still here in the building?"

She nodded and quickly slipped out the office doors.

Travis opened the card. The pre-printed message inside had been crossed out in black marker. Travis read out loud what had been written. "It is so good to be back with you, Adam. I know you didn't mean to be with that awful man. I will protect you from him and we will once again be together. I am already looking for a house for us to share. Our dreams are going to come true. Don't worry, I will take care of Travis. Love, Albert."

Adam fell back into his seat. Albert was psychotic. He looked up at Travis, who was white as a sheet himself. Albert was out of control. "Look, Adam, we'll talk to the lawyer, make sure we get a restraining order for me, too. He's just trying to scare us."

Adam nodded, but didn't agree with Travis. He knew enough that Travis didn't believe what he was saying, either. Albert was out there again. He couldn't deny it to himself anymore. It was more than obvious that his time in the hospital had done nothing to help Albert. He was just as sick as before.

Just the Clara arrived back with the delivery man. He didn't look too happy. "Look, I have to get back to my route. I have a lot of deliveries today."

Travis held up his hand. "We need to know what number this man called from when he ordered this card. Or, oh crap, Adam." His eyes widened as he put it together. "He had to bring this card in to have it delivered with the roses. Is that right?" he asked the delivery man.

"Yeah, I think so. The cards that go out are little ones that they can choose from. If someone calls in an order, the florist would automatically use one of those small cards and write it out themselves. I can ask my boss if you want me to. What's going on? Is there something wrong with the flowers?"

Travis glared at him. "No, it's not the goddamned flowers. It's the psycho who wrote the card. If he came into the store, that means he's already here in town." And that made Travis's skin crawl. "Call your boss. Ask if the man left a name or number behind."

The delivery man nodded, finally seeming to understand the urgency.

Mr. Martins stepped out of his office at that moment and noticed the crowd around Adam's desk. He walked over to find out what was going on and was stunned to see both Adam and Travis shaking and pale. He knew before they said anything. Albert.

"Adam, Travis. In my office. Now." He ordered them. Adam nodded and Travis said he would join them in a moment. He wanted to get the information from the flower store. When Adam filled him in a little, he motioned to the delivery man to follow them into his office. "Everyone else get back to work," he said before he shut the door.

Adam and the delivery man sat down in the chairs in front or Mr. Martins' desk and Travis stood behind Adam, his hands on his shoulders. Once the delivery man, who said his name was Ray, got off the phone with his boss he was able to tell them that yes, the man came into the store and no, he didn't leave a name or number and that he paid with cash. He added that his boss thought the man was strange.

Mr. Martins wrote down the flower store information, the delivery man's name and called his secretary in to the office so she could go make a copy of the front and back of the card.

"I am calling the lawyer to see if we can get him here now, rather than waiting until noon. This has gone too far. We need to contact the police now, too. He has violated the restraining order." He sighed. "Adam, I'm sorry you are having to deal with this again. He should never have been let out."

"I agree, sir," Travis said as he slipped into the empty chair next to Adam. "How could someone like that be out? Did he bribe a doctor?"

"We may not ever know how he got out. Some doctors can be fooled, I'm sure. And some can be bought, so you could be right. But our main concern is keeping Adam safe. And you, Travis. He has made threats against you, too. I think we need to call the police and the lawyer right now."

Adam and Travis looked at each other. This was crazy. But they nodded in agreement. Suddenly there was a knock at the office door and Mr. Martins called out to come on in. All three men watched as two police officers walked through the door.

"I see someone already called you. I was just about to do that myself, Officers." Mr. Martins quickly tried to take control of the situation.

The blonde officer looked at him questioningly. "I am not sure what's going on, but we are here to question a Travis Mitchell about an assault charge in Oklahoma? At a hotel? Is one of you Travis Mitchell?"

Travis stood up. "I'm Travis, but there is more to the story than that." He looked over at Adam, who had turned white as a sheet. He looked into his eyes and nodded, as if to let him know it was going to be okay. Adam pasted a smile to his face and tried to feel confident, but knew he wasn't fooling anyone.

The officers looked Travis over. "Is there somewhere we can talk?"

"The conference room is free." Mr. Martins offered and showed them the way. The entire office watched as two police officers ushered Travis in to the conference room and closed the door.

TO BE CONTINUED...