About Leap of Faith

by Kathryn Scannell
17 pages / 8000 words
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub, Sony-optimized pdf

Greg Taylor lost his first job after law school because he wouldn’t dump his lover Paolo to please a homophobic senior partner. Now he has another prospect, Danny O’Riordan, a local celebrity who needs an exclusive personal attorney. It could be his dream job, but O’Riordan might be even more homophobic than his first employer.

Greg has to make a choice -- be open about what he is and hope that it doesn’t cost him the job, or follow conventional wisdom and stay in the closet. It may change the whole direction of his career, and he has nothing to guide him but instinct and hope. If he opens up, it’s a leap in the dark, a blind leap of faith. Can he trust a man he hardly knows?
 

Sample

As if Greg’s thoughts had summoned him, the bathroom door opened and Paolo walked in. “Hey, Greg. How was your day?” He was still wearing his studio clothes, clay-spattered jeans and an old T-shirt. More spatters of clay clung in spots to his short black hair. He was shorter than Greg by a couple of inches, and heavier built. His white T-shirt contrasted sharply with his dark, Latino complexion.

“Not good. I found out why I’ve been getting nowhere trying to get a new job.” As Greg spoke, the anger and despair he’d been pushing down came back full force. “Tina at the Harvard Career Office told me off the record that some son of a bitch at Dewey & Howe has been effectively blacklisting me. She tried to put my resume in front of someone and they said that they’d heard on the professional grapevine that I’d been let go for ‘ethics which weren’t compatible with the firm’s’. That’s the kiss of death as far as getting another legal job goes -- it’s so vague it’s not actionable, even if I could prove they said it, but since they’re well respected, anything that doesn’t meet their ethical standards can’t be good. I’m screwed, and there’s not a damned thing I can do about it.”

“Oh, Greg. Man, I’m sorry.” Paolo perched awkwardly on the rim of the tub and leaned over to kiss Greg. “Surely that’s not the end of the world though. They can’t know everyone. Someone will want you. Did she have any new leads for you?”

“One. Some guy who wants an attorney on retainer. It looks like it would be enough to pay the student loans and live on, but you never know with that sort of thing how long it will last. It seems a little odd to be deliberately looking for someone fresh out of school too -- normally people want experience. I told her to go ahead and show him my resume. Nothing to lose.” Greg shrugged, sending water slopping over the back of the tub.

“Don’t give up hope, love. Something will come through for you. Until it does, remember you’re not alone. We can eat and keep a roof over our heads on my allowance. It will work out.” Paolo grasped his hand and squeezed reassuringly. “Now, suppose you get out of that tub, and I’ll fix us some dinner. Then we’ll put you to bed. If you don’t have anything scheduled for tomorrow, bring your laptop to the studio and keep me company. I don’t want you sitting here and brooding.”