Free Patrick's Plight by Stephani Hecht, Amber Kell

wearing that ugly tie again, are you? What did do, mug an appliance salesmen for it?”
    So, when he’d seen her number on his cell this morning, he knew he shouldn’t answer it, but

sucker that he was, he did. Only to find out that she’d been kicked out of college…again. This time it was for leading a protest for animal rights.
    Never mind the fact, she owed three furs, a leather coat, and ate steak nearly every day. She hadn’t even taken responsibility for her actions, instead lashing out at Vance. She had the gall to tell him had he just let her be and stopped forcing her to move away to another school, she would have never felt the need to act out . The accusation pissed Vance off, but it’d also made him feel guilty.
    So, he’d sent her an airline ticket and let her crash at his place. Which was exactly what he knew he shouldn’t be doing. He couldn’t help it though, even though she was a verbal terrorist, he loved the brat and always would. Strange as it may sound, she loved him just as much.
    Vance couldn’t help but wonder if he was responsible for the way she’d turned out. When his sister had first sent Becca away years ago, that time it was to a boarding school, Vance stepped in on his niece’s behalf. Ever since then, Becca knew there wasn’t anything Uncle Vance wouldn’t do for her. And she used that fact to manipulate him.
    His cell rang. Looking down at the display he let out a groan. Speaking of the little she-devil . He still answered, “Did you make it to my home okay?”

“Vance, this isn’t a home. The décor in this penthouse is so cold and unfriendly that it makes you look like some villain with daddy issues.”
    Vance let out a sigh and slowly counted to ten.
    “How was your flight?”
    “Okay, although some religious freak kept trying to tell me what a sinner I was.”
    Yeah, right. Vance already knew that she was only telling about 10% of the real story. “What did you say to them in the first place to get them so riled up?”
    “Why do you think it’s my fault? Did it ever occur to you that I might be innocent?”
    “No.”
    She let out a long dramatic sigh. “Damn it, I chase off some door-to-door jerks one time, and you want to slap a label on me.”
    “You were wearing a Freddy Kruger mask at the time,” he reminded her.
    “I was only trying to make them laugh.”
    “I think they thought differently.”
    He eyed his liquor stand, wondering if it was too early to start getting drunk. Becca tended to have that effect on him. Now that she was living with him, he was going to need cases of the stuff.
    “Sooooo….I was going through your closet,”
    she announced.
    “Don’t—in fact leave all of my stuff alone.”
    She went on like she hadn’t heard. “I have to

tell you, I’m actually impressed. I was almost beginning to think that you weren’t gay at all. I’ve never met a person with less fashion sense.”
    Once again, Vance eyed the bottle his stock of whiskey. He made another calculation. He better make that two more cases. He loved Becca more than anything, but she reminded him of the mother and daughter on that show Arrested Development.
    “I’m glad I’m finally living up to your standards,” he drawled.
    “I know! Isn’t it great?” she chirped. “In fact, I even decided to cook you dinner tonight to celebrate.”
    He wanted to point out that ordering in didn’t count as cooking, but he bit his tongue. Although she’d never admit it, that was her way of saying she needed her uncle. So, there was no way that Vance could spit on her veiled call for help.
    “That sounds great. Just let me wrap things up here and I’ll come right home.”
    “Cool!” she exclaimed before hanging up.
    The door slowly opened, and Vance felt a rush of happiness when Patrick peeked his head in. Just the sight of his lover made Vance feel better than ten shots of whiskey. Waving Patrick over, Vance rolled his chair back in invitation.
    Patrick immediately