WILD COLORADO

“I’m exhausted,” Jordan admitted as he sat back on Wes’s couch. “Like the traveling, the performing, the partying, man it’s..it’s getting to me. I don’t know I’m thinking it’s time I take a step back. Stay in the studio, help other people along, take some gigs here and there.” He played with some of the fabric on his shirt and shrugged. “Does that make me a coward? Should I just be sucking it up?”

@wesvdk

while jordan spoke, wes listened intently--his brows furrowed with concern and focus. "your business is well deserved. you’re a talented person with a great heart--great spirit. but it’s important not to spread yourself thin,” wes began, “it can be easy to do that in this industry.” he admitted. “it doesn’t make you a coward for feeling this way. i’m glad you’re stepping back and thinking about this critically.” wes placed a single hand on jordan’s shoulder, and squeezed reassuringly. he then pulled away, and leaned back--gathering his thoughts once more before proceeding. “the studio... staying behind the scenes... is this something you’ve considered doing permanently? or are you thinking a hiatus to clear your head, get back to your roots?”

“Good” Oscar knew he could be guilty of overdoing it at times but still he cared about his friend. “ Thank you and I know you do, I had to turn one down some months ago reminded me too much of what I went through when I was young, luckily one of my partners took it on” He replied honestly  “Really what kind or measures?” 

"it’s good to have partners like that. i’m glad they were there for you when you needed them.” wes nodded sincerely. “well, she’s very much into spiritual healing--it’s why i chose her. but she also specializes in deep tissue. it’s very relaxing. she’s gifted at what she does.”

Jensen kept a stoic look as the man explained his situation with Caroline. As Wes spoke, Jensen picked up that it was best to move on. “Thanks.” He said coolly at the compliment. “I actually come baring good news.” Jensen told him. “This weekend, I will be auditioning for a role in a TV series.” His voice was casual, as if he was somebody who had been doing this for years. “There are several musical aspects to it too. Part of the audition involves singing. So, we’ll see how it goes. I heard there is a veteran Broadway singer there, so it’ll be highly competitive.” 

“jensen, wow,” wes’s lips formed into a warm smile. “that is great news. big news,” the man was already beaming with excitement for his friend, almost as if he already got the part. “i’ll be sending positive energy your way,” wes ultimately said. “is there anything i can do for you on my end? i’d be happy to be a reference of yours if they ask for one.”

By now Cassie should have been used to the oddities that came with being around Wesley and on some level she was, but that still didn’t stop the look of something between confusion and concern for his mental state that she’d given him when his words registered. “Why would a ghost knock?” She asked him but then shook her head. “Ya know what doesn’t matter.” She stepped into the house. “I brought you pasta.” 

"i'd knock if i were a ghost,” wes replied, not with any hints of snark--but honesty. like he’d thought it over with the best parts of his brain. before he could delve further into the subject, pasta was offered as a distraction. it was a damn fine distraction, too. he took the bait immediately. “you’re too kind,” he smiled as he began to close the door behind her. “i hope you’ve brought stories as to what you’ve been up to, too. it feels like it’s been ages since i’ve seen you.”

     For a solid thirty seconds Alana froze in place, having always been a wee bit superstitious the brunette seemed to need to reconcile with herself that if there was a ghost in question they’d be less likely to appear whilst she herself was on the doorstep. Unless it liked an audience. Which, to her, seemed possible in it’s own right. “How does one tell if they are a ghost or not?” She’d done a small glance over herself with a laugh, used to deflecting any awkwardness with a joke. “Right, so– could the not ghost possibly borrow your phone for a minute? I’ll stand right here, you know in case I am like the second coming of Elizabeth Bathory. It’s just that my battery died, I am a bit drunk, and I am not normally in this neighborhood. So, yeah, knocking on a door at random seemed like a decent life choice.” Rambling, Alana had used her elbow to nonchalantly prop herself up in his doorway. 

"oh, you know... energy... vibrations.” wes explained without really explaining. it was his specialty. once she began to explain her predicament, he listened with the full intention of helping her anyway that he could. he was already pulling out his phone from his back pocket before she wrapped up her sentence. by the time she did, he was already holding out the phone for her to take. the screen was still black, indicating that it was locked. but wes was hardly worrying about that detail--for he didn’t have a passcode to begin with. he ‘didn’t like to keep secrets’ as he put it. “sounds like you’ve had quite the night.” wes started. “hope you’re taking care of your spirit while it’s alive.”

“That is true. Every year, it seems to pass so fast it seems like I’m gonna loose my kid to Uni faster than I want.” 

"i hear you...” wes started. “my oldest will be a senior in high school in the fall... and my youngest started middle school last september.” 

Amanda hopped excitedly as the man took the burnt lumpy cookies. Jensen prayed for the victims of Amanda’s cooking. “I wouldn’t want to give your partner the wrong conclusion.” He said in his usual formal monotone voice. He stepped on in with the plate. He hobbled off the kitchen as if he’d been there his whole life and set down his dish that he brought. “Amanda and I had made some Barbacoa and I brought you some as promised.” He said casually. 

wes paused for a brief moment. “oh, uh,” he started, piecing the words together in his head thoughtfully. “caroline and i are separated.” he ultimately said. “she was visiting with the kids the last time you saw her,” wes explained further, a bit embarrassed that his friend didn’t know this about him. but then again--it wasn’t like divorce was a conversation topic everyone was just dying to have. “but, regardless, you know that you and amanda are always welcome here.” clearly, it didn’t need to be said, but it felt like a mood lightening thing to say. “my lucky day,” wes said, eyeing the plate. “i was telling some old friends the other day that i don’t know anyone who cooks like you do. absolutely unparalleled.”  

Oscar had been here so much and had known the man so long that this place felt like a second home to him in a way, he felt more than comfortable with sorting himself out. Putting the boxes down he smiled and looked at the man. “Well just make sure you don’t go over to it now” He replied smiling as he looked at him. “ Really busy, we have had so many big cases come on lately and it’s been keeping up in the office till late”

"of course, of course. staying mindful is as important to me as ever.” wes replied openly, honestly. “busy is good. you’re great at what you do, you deserve all the big cases and then some. and i mean that.” we began. “but... if you ever feel yourself getting overwhelmed--i have the number for my masseuse on stand by.”

Does anyone in Portland drive faster than sixty-five? Apparently not. 

"well... if you move too fast your life will pass you by.” wes began. “and who wants that?”

Jensen was there regularly now. Per usual, he brought a large plate of food. Next to him stood the usual suspect - Amanda with perfectly straight hair and beautiful dress on. The small ten year old asian girl perked up and greeted him with the usual bucket of her awful hand made cookies. Although the ten year’s cooking skill didn’t match Jensen’s, they were getting better. “Good afternoon.” Jensen greeted coolly as usual. 

wes kneeled down so that he was eye-level with the ten year old, the corners of his eyelids creasing as he smiled and took the cookies that she offered him. “amanda, thank you,” he nodded once. “i can’t wait to eat these.” his smiled persisted. he talked to the girl the way he talked to his own kids--with a distinctive amount of respect, and optimism. he always loved the energy kids projected--especially amanda’s. for she reminded him of his own daughter, viola. wes slowly rose from his position to greet jensen. “afternoon,” he mimicked. “you know, at this point, i ought to just get you two a key.” the man smiled. “come in. it’s good to see you, as always.” 

Oscar knew the man well so when he picked up the pizza he knew there was a chance his friend wouldn’t have eaten and if he had well he just would have given one away. Walking inside he looked at the man and smiled.  “So my friend what have you been up to since we last saw one another?”

wordlessly, wes shut the door after oscar entered--and then proceeded to move towards the kitchen of his home. he trusted his friend would follow, that his friend would feel comfortable enough in his home to roam freely. he a-lined to the cupboards where he pulled out two plates, and placed them on the granite top of the island. "oh, you know. more traveling than i care to admit... arranging new deals... spreading myself thin. i’ve been mediating to keep myself grounded.” he took a seat on one of the stools. “how about you, oscar? how’s your affair with the law treating you?”

sonia had always been fascinated by the way wes looked at the world, or at least, by the way he spoke of it. sure, he could sound a little bit off for some people, but for the dark head, it was complete the opposite. she really appreciated people who stood out from the crowd, they were the ones who you could actually have some interesting conversations with, not just a very A4 conversation, where you would have those bits with silence. she smiled to wes, and gave him a little shrug. “well, i was just thinking about you and were just going to stop by and ask if you wanted to have a cup of coffee?” she asked him, still smiling.

wes returned the warm smile the moment she sent her kind words his way. she was a genuinely kind soul, the kind wes could immediately recognize from the moment he met her. it was why he ultimately ended up circling back to her--that mixed with coincidence (or fate, for the spiritual types). “sonia, your spirit is one of the kindest i know,” he said candidly. “i would love nothing more than to get a coffee with you.” 

“well, i wouldn’t want to be overconfident and then mess up, y’know? what’s the word… hubris! hubris is any hero’s greatest downfall, and that would end up being the tragic backstory to their villainy,” alejandra replied gracefully, her agitated face breaking into a smile. he may not have been the person she was looking for originally, but at least her entire night wasn’t bogged down by the setback. the man seemed interesting enough. she tucked her phone away with a shrug of her shoulders. “i appreciate the sentiment, and i definitely do love myself beyond kevin. kevin was just a temporary stop if you catch my drift. it’s a cute saying though. love yourself beyond– and that’s where you would insert the name of a dirtbag ex.”

"more power to you,” he sent an amiable smile her way. from there, he drew a breath in. a thinking kind of breath. when he’d exhale, it’d be the thoughts that came to fruition. “i’m sorry this kevin character wasted your time,” we began. “it’s a valuable asset to have these days...” he trailed off ever so slightly before finally getting to the point. “is there anything i can do to make up for it? order you an uber? pay for your gas?” 

when sonia was walking over to the house, she was unsure if she had the right house, though she meet the other man before, she had never really been at his house, they had only met a couple of times at a coffee shop. her feet went up the steps before she started to knock on the door. the wait after her last knock felt like hours, however, once he opened the door, sonia took on her smile even though he most likely called her a ghost. “oh no, silly, no ghost here,” she took out her arms to show that there were no one else here. “just me,”

"not just you. it’s you. and i’m glad to see you,” wes began to ramble. he had always thought of the word ‘just’ as belittling language, regardless of context. it was a whole separate conversation to be had, but at the end of the day he’d settle on something along the lines of ‘believe in yourself’. “what brings you to my neck of the woods?”

Oscar had known Wes for a while now and although he didn’t see much of the man it was nice to see him when time allowed.  He’d just picked up a pizza for the both of them and was now standing outside the man’s door, he had some time off so he thought he might as well make the most of it, so he leans forward with a pizza box in his hand and knocks firmly before stepping back.  When the man answered he smiled  “ It’s okay, thought I’d come to see if you wanted pizza?”

it has been considerably ‘later’ in the day, at least as far as normal business hours were concerned. but anyone who knew wes knew that he did his best work outside what one would consider typical productive hours. with all that being said, his fondness for a sporadic work schedule often times lead him to completely forget things like ‘lunch’ and ‘dinner’. in other words--oscar couldn’t have come at a better time. wes offered the other man a smile, and stepped back to make room for oscar to enter. “of course,” he replied. “come in, come in.”