CHAPTER 61 - THE RUSE BECOMES REALITY AND THE BABYLON BITE BACK
MICHAEL
I must be in shock over my comic being stolen - they’re not serious?! “You’re what?!”
“Dating. If you don’t like it, then leave.” Lindsay states. She gives me the same ‘I hold all the cards’ look she used to give Mel. “What’s it to be?”
“She’s a lesbian and too young for you!” I round on Matthew. “You’re married, Lindsay, and want to scissor sister Jewel!”
“Stop being so crude!” Lindsay glares. “I’m bisexual as you well know, since you tried to blackmail me over Andrew. As for my marriage, my mother tricked me into annulling it, remember?”
“I didn’t try to blackmail you! Don’t look at me like that, I didn’t!”
“Just like you didn’t do anything to Ben and Brian; then there’s Ethan.” Matthew looks up from the magazine. “Did you really write this?”
“What about Ethan? And yes, I fucking well did! Why are you asking?!”
“When you heard that Justin got a payout, you called his parents - they rightfully shot you down in flames.” He retorts. “And this is quite good.”
“That was so unfair of them, since I suffered at his hands too!” I declare, the silence that follows is heavy with their disbelief. “He verbally threatened me when I went to prison to see him…”
“Why did you go to see him?” Lindsay putting up her hair gets an appreciative glance from Matthew, which turns my stomach.
“He called me and told me to come. Said he was going to drag my name through the courts and…”
“Bullshit, it was to cross it off his bucket list.” He mocks. “He’s always wanted to go to one, but never had a reason.”
MATTHEW
“How macabre.” Lindz grimaces.
“As I said, I was afraid not to.” He insists, his face going a lying shade of purple.
“Michael…” Lindsay huffs. “...he was in jail, in another state. You, the consummate whiner and lover of crowing over woes, hadn’t mentioned anything of this nature happening to you. So we don’t believe you. As Brian said, you were and always will be a profiteering pettigrew who craves attention.”
“Ouch!” I snigger. “Google is your friend, at this rate it will be your only one.” He scowls as he snatches up the magazine. “Going somewhere?”
“To speak to George and Mel!”
“Why George? Can’t you leave him alone?” Lindsay sighs crossly.
“I need a friendly…”
“Hole or mouth?!” I snap. “He’s over you as a brother and a lover, he’s over you. Leave him out of whatever this is or I’ll report you to the authorities.”
“Then we both get in trouble!” He decrees.
“You are seeking him out.” Lindsay has a smug air. “How many times since he left has he gotten in touch with you?”
“We’ve spoken lots of times since I came back from Ohio. Lots.”
“Need I remind you why you were in Ohio?” Lindsay demands.
“Because of the lies of that psycho. Which reminds me, I’m going to sue my doctor for disclosing that information…” He glares at Lindsey's eye roll. “...he didn’t have to go into so much detail! And besides, it’s not as if Ben didn’t benefit from the money I got from being an escort!” Lindsay’s mock applauding silences his stream of crapulence. “He got stuff, don’t let that injured air of innocence fool you, he…”
“Let’s come back to whatever that was.” I cut him off. “As for George, twice, you’ve spoken, twice. And you only got his number because you sat on the stairs eavesdropping on our conversation. That’s the thing with being one-track minded and sided; you miss the angles and blindspots.” I wait for him to sit back down. “The door was closed but we could see you in the mirror. George and I spoke for about twenty minutes; I made the appropriate noises whilst listening to a podcast for the next two and a half hours.” He’s a mass of fury. “Grace and I are supporting him in his new life, which includes paying his bills until he finds his ‘calling’, so the itemised billing, which shows all numbers, counts in his favour too.”
LINDSAY
“How did Ben benefit from you being a shit eating hooker?” I ask, they look askance at my cold tone. “I know that rimming is a thing, but to actually eat it…urgh!”
“As a specialised service it paid well.” He shrugs. “So I got him a new suit.”
“Wow, a suit. He should be so grateful he didn’t get anything else. Like anal warts.”
“Anal warts?” Matthew repeats. “As well as Hepatitis A? Christ, Michael!”
“George gave me warts!” He sounds like he’s found a life preserver. “He cheated on me to get them.”
“Let me guess? You’re going to sue George for that? Just think about what the judge will be hearing; your honour I want to sue my brother for sexual endangerment!”
“Half brother; he’d most likely settle out of court anyway.”
“And then there’s Ben’s husband and brother-in-law.” Matthew sighs. “They will help him to get what he's rightfully owed, from you.”
“What husband?!” Michael froths.
“Brandon. Him and Ben are going to get married.” Matthew continues.
“No they’re fucking not! I won’t allow it!”
“Oy vey! Take the L on your life and start again in Ohio like you said!” I shout.
“Justin is The Cockblogger…” Matthew and I facepalm in despair. “…he’s ruined me! So I’m going to ruin him. Even if it’s not him, his show gets fucked up and he gets to hurt like I do!”
“It’s your ego not your feelings that are hurt. You’ve not suffered abuse like Brian and Justin, but I can tell you one thing, it was Debs.”
“What was? As if she could do anything to me!” He snips, still glaring at the page.
“The Mother of Liberty Avenue knew best. But it’s lifted.”
“Lifted?” He mutters, taking pictures.
“She and Carl asked people to cut you out and they, unlike you, listened!” I bang the table, him trying to save his phone means I can grab the magazine. “You’re back, you can come and go on Liberty Avenue as you please, except the Diner, Woody’s and Diamond Stores - anywhere they go and own. So with regards to your current living arrangements; you can have the back bedroom as your lounge, we’ll share the kitchen, you can have the bathroom as Matthew and I share my en suite.”
“I don’t want to know that! Wait, what do you mean she was behind it?! How could she, what did I do to her?! I was the perfect son, I did everything she wanted me to do.”
“Except be decent, kind and respectful.” Matthew growls. “I’m your father, you get that side from me!”
“And although she doesn’t want you in their lives anymore; they’ve all agreed to be polite should you bump into…sit down, I’ve not finished!”
“I need to piss!”
“Go, however, leave your phone.” Matthew orders, hand outstretched.
MICHAEL
I toss it on the table and rush to relieve myself. As I wash my hands, I just know that it was Horvath’s idea. The only benefit to this treachery is that I’ve saved so much money!
“Michael, come on, we’ve got things to do!” Matthew hollers.
I wipe my hands on my jeans as I sit down then grab my phone. “You were saying.”
“This bears repeating; do not go to the Diner, Woody’s or Diamond Stores, everywhere else you can.”
“Everywhere? Even Babylon?” She nods. “Why? That's the one place I’m bound to see my brothers and ex with their sycophants and psycho.”
“Oh, for goodness sake, she said everywhere they go and own. He doesn’t own Babylon, so you can go!”
“Brian doesn’t own Babylon?! What happened?! That’s his hunting ground, his feasting table! Jesus, what kind of mindfuck has that psycho got him in?!”
“Michael, Brian told us that he stopped going there long before Justin arrived. He’s not in a mindfuck, he’s in love and getting married - never thought I would see the day. I suppose he wants to leave his past behind and Babylon is his past.”
Whilst I’m flabbergasted by this, I’m looking forward to going out, so I don’t have to be in the vicinity of them being lovey dovey. Now that I know they’re together, them doing each other is more revolting than me eating shit!!
“And you’re okay with the new living arrangements?” Matthew demands.
“Yeah, take it I can furnish it to my own tastes?”
“No.” She snipes. “I’ve seen your taste. This new arrangement is so that I can have it ready for future guests.”
“Whatever, as long as you guys stay out of it. Well, I’m going into town. Now that I can; am gonna go shopping.” I frown as I gather my things. “So who owns Babylon now?”
“I don’t know; she said he sold it.” Slowly she hands me back the magazine. “What are you going to do about this?”
“Exposure. You two are wrong, it is him and…” I roll it up. “...now he’s also a thief, wait till the world hears about that.”
“Just remember what we said…” Lindsay scowls. “...and that there are consequences to your foolish actions.”
MICHAEL’S BEDROOM - TEN MINUTES LATER
MICHAEL
My ‘lounge’ is going to be my bedroom. This one is far too pokey in comparison, not sure why she had it empty all this time, when I could’ve stretched out in there. So selfish of her. I adjust the pillows and grab my laptop. I want to do a comparison.
An hour later, I’m angrier than ever. Okay, the cartoon itself is better than how I could’ve done it, but everything else is word for word mine! What I thought was just a single strip is a replacement for the teaser page. The only thing that’s left is the sudoku crap that I just can’t get my head around. Of course Ben used to do it in minutes.
“You’re joking, it’s on fucking line!” It doesn’t take long to find it and when I do and read the glowing reviews I am more determined than ever to reclaim what is mine.
LOUNGE - EVENING
MATTHEW
She's been very quiet since dinner; she had to go take a nap because Michael’s whining gave her a migraine, thankfully he’s out for the rest of the evening.
“Do you want some wine?”
“Are you sure you should, with your migraine?” I rub her shoulders.
“I didn’t have one, I just needed to get away from Michael’s cacophonous crap.” She sighs and leans back for a few minutes. “Red or white?”
“Red, the only white left is the sourness that Michael bought!” I grimace. “Which even he doesn’t drink, he always wants the white we are drinking…”
“...then mixes it with Pepsi!” She winces. “Which red?”
“You sit down.” I order; she drops into the sofa and we sip in comfortable silence, but she does glance across occasionally. “What is it?”
“I like you and once this ruse is over and he’s gone. I’d like us to remain good friends.” She’s blushing and fixed on her glass, my chuckle makes her look up; whatever she sees makes her redden further and drain her glass. “Might as well complete the humiliation, why is that funny?”
“I’m chuckling because the moment I saw you I wanted to be more than good friends.” She leans over and we kiss for the first time. “There is the matter of…”
“Jewel?” I nod, she links our arms and rests her head on my shoulder. “Not a hope, not only because Pearl and Emmett are a formidable barrier. Especially him as he’s never liked me. But because she and Mel love each other; from what I’ve seen of her and know of Mel; they will fight to the death and beyond and I’ve hurt her enough.”
“Good, I really couldn't take her in a fight!” I laugh and top up our glasses, when I hand hers back, for the first time she looks genuinely happy and I’m so pleased that I’m the reason.
BABYLON - EARLY MORNING
MICHAEL
I’m back! I’ve been cruising since ten, not scored yet but there’s still time. The place has been given a hell of an upgrade since I was last here. As I look around for a likely lovemate I see a queue under a neon sign.
“That will be $16.40.” The barman yells, when he waves away my card. I grin and take the drink, he grabs my wrist and points at a sign. “See that - cash only!” I glance around, nobody seems to have heard or seen. “Do you have it?” I give him $20. “Only got fives right now, you’ll have to come back for your change. Next guy please!”
Thirty minutes later, I’ve had two more drinks but still no change. “Isn’t there a card bar?” I grumble, I’ve only got one more twenty left and I need that for the cab.
“Private bar.” He points at the sign; scowling at him I head that way.
It takes ten minutes to get to the front; after I get a stamp on my hand, I head to the bar; the opulence of this place, it’s incredible! The bars have top of the line stuff, there’s a restaurant type thing in one corner and something behind a crystal curtain at the other.
“What’s over there?” I call over my shoulder.
“The bedrooms.” I turn to the barman from earlier. “Want the same as before?”
“Yeah, doubles.” I return, surveying the much better clientele.
“$32 plus tax.” He replies, I gape at him. “Non member prices.”
“What about my change you owe me?” I demand; he hands it to me, then smirking points to yet another sign, this time ‘card only’. I hand it over. “Can I run a tab?”
“If you were a member.”
“How do I become one then?”
“Packs are over there. Here's your receipt. Next gent please!”
I’m in a booth with one; the perks of the new Babylon sound awesome, after adding things up, I can definitely afford it so apply online. Ten minutes later I’m heading back to the bar with the approval email.
“Another and run a tab!” I demand, handing him my phone.
TWO HOURS LATER
I’ve failed to get a table or a bedmate - though got a few numbers, so I am going home. I head to a barman and present my tab card. I look enviously at the couples heading to the back and bed rooms.
“There you go.” He hands me the machine, I stare at it then him. “Problem?”
“I had four drinks. Why is this bill so high?”
“Doubles are $32 plus tax.”
“But I’m a member, I showed him the email!” I point at the previous barman; who comes over. They move away to talk before the other barman leaves. “What?”
“He’s going to get the manager; seems to be a problem with your membership.”
Sighing crossly, I take a seat after ten minutes, nobody has come. “What’s the hold up? I want to go home.” I bite out.
“He’s coming now.” He replies.
“About time!” I snap as I turn around, I find myself staring at Todd. “You’re the manager?!”
“Yes.” He returns, taking the next stool. “Viet Latte please. Man, what a night, cannot wait to get home and have a bath!”
“About my membership.” I prompt.
“What about it? It’s been approved.” He frowns.
“The cost of drinks plus I couldn't get a table.” I seethe.
“Oh thanks darling.” He takes his mug, have to admit that it smells really good; he takes a few sips. “We had a busy night with the restaurant and the drinks cost is listed there, what’s the problem?”
“Drinks are cheaper if I am a member right?” He nods. “You’ve confirmed it’s been approved, which makes me a member. Therefore, I should get them cheaper, do you see?”
“Yes. However, you’re a member of the club. To get them cheaper, you need to be a member of the Liberty Avenue family. And that's no longer the case.”