5

"Please pass me the salt hun " Melissa smiled kindly at her son's wife, Lizzy complied with her own smile.                 "Thanks for the meal sweetheart, I'd dare say your cooking excels my own" Melissa complimented.

"I wouldn't deny that!" her husband chuckled as she hit him .

"Don't be rude! " she glared playfully.

"Well mom I'd say your cooking skills are fantastic, but honestly the only thing you ever cooked for me was a toast  that one time Martha was sick and even that attempt went down the drain " Timothy added with a laugh of the fond memory. Well at least she tried. Lucky  enough for Timothy , Martha the housekeeper hurried to return from her sick leave- even she figured Melissa wasn't capable of making something edible.

"Oh hush!" she flushed as everyone laughed.

It was a lazy Sunday morning, Timothy's parents dropped by so they could all have breakfast together. It was nice, spending time like an ordinary  family. Timothy felt quite normal like that, almost forgetting the fact he didn't love his wife as a man should, that his parents were the main source to his agitation and that he preferred to spend Sunday mornings in bed. Timothy knew however that it was best to embrace the situation as it is- unnaturally natural.

At least everyone are happy

He thought as he watched his parents and Lizzy engage in a light conversation with smiles on their faces. He averted his eyes and stared at nothing in particular, his mind restless with all sorts of nonsense. He was tired, not just physically. Maybe after the whole ordeal with Carmichael would be over he could go on a vacation of some sort. Speaking of Carmichael...Timothy briefly heard the name from the conversation his parents and Lizzy held, he turned to them, listening.

"I can't believe you got Archibald Carmichael! " Lizzy squealed in delight. "Well we haven't got him yet, he needs to sign first hun! " Timothy's father chuckled before adding "But with Timothy here he doesn't stand  a chance so yeah you could say we got him!"

Timothy forced a smile. No pressure at all.

"I'm sure you're gonna get him Timmy, and when you do we're gonna celebrate! " Lizzy beamed at him.

Timmy... that's a new one.                        "Yeah" he murmured and gulped his orange juice, hoping it'd sooth the bitter taste in his mouth.

"That Archibald is so handsome and capable, " Lizzy voiced out dreamily,  Melissa hurried to agree. Timothy shrugged, he never met the man or even saw him, he wasn't one to follow magazines and such, it was Lizzy's thing.

"Too bad he's gay" Lizzy sighed and just like this silence took over the table.

gay?

Timothy was baffled and he wasn't the only one, his father sat stiff in his seat with a frown and his mother suddenly found her cup of coffee very interesting. So they all didn't know? what a luck they got Lizzy.

So what now? his father surely wouldn't be stupid enough to let that fact ruin his chances of obtaining their biggest  client so far... or was he? Would he let his homophobic mind take control over his logic? Was his hate that potent?

A pang of pain pierced through Timothy's chest.

Here they were again . Sitting around the table together as a family and a dark cloud over them. His parents unaccepting, cold and ignorant - it was painfully familiar.

"Oh dear ,what a lovely necklace! " Melissa chirped, trying to change the subject and the atmosphere before Lizzy would start questioning their behaviour.

"Tim bought it for me, beautiful right?"   The ladies engaged in a conversation of their own about  jewelery and the likes, Timothy silently finished his breakfast,  he felt his father's stare but pretended not to notice.

"Tim" his father called to grab his attention, well he couldn't ignore that. He lifted his head and stared back.         "You know son, I don't think I've thanked you enough for what you do,"

"Father? " Timothy shifted nervously.

"You're the main reason our firm is the leading in the market , you devote yourself to the job, you adapt quickly and you take on challenges like they were nothing !"

Timothy didn't know what to make of this sudden burst of praise towards him, he wasn't accustomed to this, especially not from his father.

'good job' was the best he got from him so far, something was off.

"I'm planning to quit,"  his father said finally. "After Carmichael that is. Melissa nagged me about this for a while but I was restless trying to get to Carmichael . And now we're about to get him , after this I'm done."

Melissa hugged her husband  "Just like you promised " she kissed him on the cheek.

Timothy was speechless , his mouth felt dry and he tried to swallow.

His father planned on quitting? And who exactly would take over? him? no way, he couldn't handle it.

He was hyperventilating with the Carmichael case, having the whole firm under his instructions would finish him. He just couldn't do it!

I'm fucked

He thought miserably,  and it wasn't the good kind of fucked.

______________________________________

"So...wanna talk about it?"

Harvey awkwardly asked , his head resting on the palm of his prompted elbow, staring at the naked man beside him. Timothy's sweat covered body and messed hair was the only indication of the activity he engaged in. He felt better now like he always did, sex was a helpful  reliever for him at times of need- and he was in need.

Timothy smiled a little, of course he couldn't hide a thing from Harvey- that or he was too obvious.

"Nah, I'm good " he assured.

"You're clearly not but I'm not gonna meddle in things that don't concern me. Although I gotta admit I love those moments you call me out of the blue to ravish you..." Harvey placed a kiss on Timothy's shoulder, making the man shiver slightly.

"It's because you're the only one who's always available" Timothy admitted.    "Ouch," Harvey rolled his eyes.  "Well actually that's going to change, I'm going abroad ".

Timothy blinked in surprise "what? "  "Yeah, about two weeks from now. I have a friend in Italy that invited me to help in his gallery and I think it's a wonderful opportunity to me as an artist..." Timothy  zoned  out as Harvey continued,  the only thing he could think of was  the fact he wouldn't see Harvey anymore and an unsettling feeling  sank in him. No, it wasn't  that he felt  something towards Harvey more than their current  relationship as fuck buddies,  surely  he liked his  personality or else  he wouldn't have kept meeting  him. It was the overall  feeling  of losing someone that  was like him, that understood him, that offered  comfort. Harvey  was probably his favorite from the list  of people on his phone,  not only because  he was always  available for him but because he was there for him even after the sex was over, asking  how he was doing  and offering  details about  his life even if Timothy didn't  ask for them. It was probably  the closest form of a friendship he's  ever had. No they didn't  hang  out or called  to each other or met over coffee, they didn't  even  know much  about  each  other... but Timothy still  found  comfort in that, Harvey  was gentle  with him and truly  cared  for his well  being. In a way their little  escapades now and then  kept  Timothy sane not just  thanks to the sex, and now he'd  be gone.

" I need to go " Timothy  mumbled and gathered his clothes,  dressing  up and leaving  abruptly,  ignoring Harvey  as he called  his name. They wouldn't see each  other again  anyway  so why bother?

As soon as he was in his car he grabbed his phone and went through his contact list , without hesitation he pressed 'Delete' and then took off, turning  the radio on in hope the music blasting could distract him.

Down to three he thought.

Goodbye Harvey.

____________________________________

"Alicia, call a meeting  with my father,  as soon as possible  please.  tell him it's  regarding the Carmichael case."

Alicia  frowned, " Is everything alright? " . Timothy stared at her as if searching for words to express himself.

"I think  I'm ready... " he paused,  shaking  his head " I'm ready ".

"You mean..." she started and he nodded.

"Yes!" she fist pumped " let's celebrate! "

Timothy chuckled . " First I need  my father to approve and on top of that I can't celebrate until I get Carmichael to sign ". Alicia tsked " I'm gonna  call your father  now, tomorrow we go celebrating! "

"But--" he started to protest.

"No buts! you deserve it for your efforts and honestly look at you now, you're  nothing like the mess you've  been boss! you're  calm, collected and calculating as usual- in short you're  a badass! "

Timothy blushed  at that " Er. .. thanks?" he scratched  his head awkwardly and walked  to his office. "You welcome!" she called  after him.

But she was right,  he was no longer  a mess. Timothy was still  nervous regarding the whole  Carmichael deal but he decided to give his everything without losing proportion . He was an excellent lawyer and he wasn't  going  to give up before trying.  There were only several days left till the meeting and although he pretty  much was done  with his presentation there was still much left to do.  He needed  his father  to go  over the presentation and proposal and apply  corrections if needed.  He needed to brief  Johnson  and Collins, they were top lawyers in the firm  and they'll come with him. He also  wanted to pass the presentation in front of his workers  so they  could give their  input  and so that he could  practice. But yeah, overall he was ready, not only  professionally but also mentally.

Maybe part of it was due to his conversation with Harvey  a few days ago  and the realization he was leaving. The conclusion he had nothing he could  do about it except for moving  on. Things are bound  to change in his life  all the time and dwelling on obstacles that come his  way wouldn't do him any good especially since he can't control  them. All he can do is take control  over himself and even  the strongest storm  couldn't rip him off the ground.

He spent  the last few days working like crazy  to finish and it paid off, he was ahead of his planned  schedule.  It didn't  mean that he could relax  now, the meeting  was right ahead.  But now he could overview everything with clarity, he pushed his panic and insecurities aside.  It was bigger than him, all of this, so he mustn't let the anxiety  dominate  him. It was for the firm,  for his father and in a way for himself.

Timothy picked as the telephone  on the table rang.

" Your father is available at four  o'clock. "

" Thanks  Alicia ".

"I'm gonna inform  everyone we're going out tomorrow night and you're coming " she said in a tone that meant no arguments.

"I'm-- Okay "

"I don't wanna hear a no from you, you deserve it and-- you said what?" she paused.

"I said okay " Timothy  grinned.

"Hooorayyyy!" was all he heard  before  the call ended.

It'd be good to spend some time with his workers and break some of the stress . When was the last time he went out anyway? he didn't really  have friends, most of the people he knew were from work or work related . But he didn't  feel lonely... well he did feel lonely  but not because of his lack  of friends,  he felt lonely  as a man who craved  love , affection and acceptance . He supposedly  had it all- a pretty wife, money, status, ideal job and a powerful  family. But he felt like he had nothing,  his heart  craved  something  else, something  forbidden and he had no way of obtaining that something,  he had a role to play and he wasn't  allowed to step out of the lines or else something bad might  happen.

In short, Timothy was caged.