INSIDE BRIAN’S CAR
DAPH
“Brian, now that you have finally conceded that you are in fact ill, why not just have a nap until you get home? I will wake you when we get there.
“Hmm. With this traffic, it will be about 30 minutes. So yeah please.” He mumbles, his eyes already drifting shut.
I turn up the heating; he refused to have it on before his concession, and pull out into traffic. As I am turning down towards home, I spot two horribly familiar figures in a cab, heading towards Kinnetic. Quickly I dial Cyn. “Cyn, it’s D. The creatures are coming, and I suspect they will try his loft if they can’t get him here. I don’t know where else to take him. Oh, okay, no problem. Yeah, I’ll go there. Thanks, Cyn.”
Twenty minutes later, I pull up behind Fabulicious and before I can even get out, Emmett opens the back door. “Hello darl...oh my goodness! He does look tired and poorly. Those reptiles! Here’s Teddy’s keys. Blake will be there in 20 minutes. He has to stop by here first.”
“Okay. Thanks, Emmett.”
“Don’t thank me, it’s the least I can do for the poor man. How they have harmed him so! Shameful, so shameful!”
OUTSIDE KINNETIC - 15 MINUTES LATER
DEBS
“Why the hell didn’t the driver wait like you told him to?!” I demand of Michael after we had been denied access to Kinnetic.
“I didn’t tell him to.” Michael mutters, grumpily. I do feel sorry for my boy. Once again, the actions of Brian have caused him grievous injury! He is sporting a very bruised chin and a swollen bottom lip, where he bit the inside of his mouth when Ben dropped him.
I look around the car park and notice that his car isn’t at its usual spot. So at least, they were telling the truth. Of course, it doesn't excuse their behaviour towards us, and they can be sure that I am not done with them! Nobody...and I mean nobody treats a Novotny this way and gets away with it! Time to make sure that Brian gets back in line, where he belongs. The asshole really thinks he can treat my poor Michael and me like this. But you wait! When I am finished with him, he will never dare to even think about behaving like this ever again! I didn't patch him up time and time again, feed him and allow him to be Michael's friend and a...somewhat...part of our family, for him to deny us the things we deserve for our magnanimousness.
“Michael, let’s head to the loft. The asshole truly deserves some serious ass-kicking, so kicking his ass it will be!”
SHELLEY
I watch them flounce to the street and chuckle. The only reason that they weren’t allowed in the building has nothing to do with Brian not being here. It’s because Daph wasn’t here! She wields that Taser like a Samurai master!
“Can you call Daph for me, Shelley?” Ted comes scurrying up. “Tell her Blake’s been held up at the clinic, so I’m coming home. I’ll work from there.”
“Okay, Ted. Whisper it quietly, but we send our love.” I smile as I head back to my desk.
“I will and very quietly.” He smiles and starts to hurry out before pausing. “Hmmm, maybe go out the back way instead.”
“Yeah much better idea.” I concur as I pick up the phone. “Hey, Daph. It’s Shell…”
DINER - AN HOUR LATER
DELORES
I watch Carl’s face fall and shoulders slump. Immediately, I head to him and sit opposite in the booth.
“Okay Cyn, thanks for letting me know. I’ll get someone round to both places, just in case they use that brain cell between them and come up with a cohesive thought...doubtful, but the Empress of Entitlement and her Equerry of Egregiousness might surprise us. Bye.”
I sit back and fold my arms. That woman and her offspring are working my last nerves these days! “Now what?”
“They turned up at Kinnetic but Brian wasn’t there. So chances are they are going to turn up at the loft and raise havoc and hellfire. I’m sending cars to the loft and where Brian is…”
“Which is where?” I pull out my phone and look at him expectantly. “Carl? Where is he?”
He smiles and shakes his head. “Why the hell didn’t he meet you and ReIlly instead of those two first? He’s at Ted’s. Thank God, he’s at least in a gated community so that gives us some level of protection.”
“Speaking of Reilly, he’s who I am calling. Now, I’m going to make something for his throat. He has that horrible strain of flu going around, I’ll bet.” I sigh, getting up. “You know, I bet you they think they’re in the will, when in reality we should be reading theirs!”
“You’re a good woman, Delores. A very good woman.” He smiles and then gets up before pausing, then changing his mind and walking out.
KIKI
Oh for the love of heaven, just ask her already!
THE LOFT - AN HOUR LATER
DEBS
“The car is here, so he’s in!” I smile as Michael strides up to the street door and manages to catch it before it shuts. “Always said you were good with your hands!” I cackle.
“Can I help you?” A man approaches.
“No, we’re going to see Brian Kinney. We’re family.” Michael tells him coolly.
“Of course, you are.” He replies tartly.
“And what is that supposed to mean?!” I put my hands on my hips and glower.
“I just recognise you for who you are, and am confirming your place in his familial circle.”
“Right. Just making sure.” I retort. “Come on, Michael. Let’s go talk some sense into the asshole.”
“And then we have to get Ben’s details from Mel. There is no way that muncher is sharing my store!”
“Exactly! Everything we have is ours; we don’t share. We get given credit and rewards where they are due...and they are due now! Let’s go.” We stride to the elevator and press the button and it slowly creaks into life. “They should really do something about this thing. It is so slow.”
“So what are you going to say to him?”
“Oh, you know me, sweetheart. I will always get my point across.” As we step out of the elevator, I notice the new flooring. “HEY ASSHOLE, MOMMY’S HERE!” I bellow as I stride up to the door. “Open the door, Brian!” I start hammering and Michael joins me. Five minutes later, our hands are sore and we are still on the wrong side!
“Call him.” I order Michael and he pulls out his phone. I press my ear to the door and can’t hear anything. “Are you dialing?” I demand.
“It’s...it’s…” His stammering makes me turn around.
“What?”
“Blocked. He’s blocked me!”
“No, he hasn’t. He wouldn’t dare do that!” I insist.
“Listen.” He whispers and redials.
An automated voice comes over the line. “The number you are calling is no longer accepting your calls. No further information is available. Goodbye.”
“You didn’t dial Ben’s by mistake?”
“No, I deleted that asshole immediately when I could no longer get to him. This is Brian’s number! Or it was! You try!”
I roll my eyes at his histrionics, but then my face falls when I get the same message. “YOU UNGRATEFUL FUCKING BASTARD OF AN ASSHOLE! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW OR I WILL MAKE WHAT YOUR DAD DID SEEM LIKE A WALK IN THE FUCKING PARK!”
“Well, isn’t that sweet?” A voice drawls behind us. “Threatening him like that. Such a motherly thing to do.”
I turn around slowly, cringing as the enormity of my words hit me. “Who the hell are you and what the fuck are you doing here?!” I demand as a large muscled man comes down the corridor. “It’s just banter. He knows I don’t mean it. You his trick du…” My words trail off as he takes out a set of keys and opens the door. I glare Michael into silence and we follow him in. We look around. It’s its usual fuck-paddy self! I turn to the intruder, in all but name, and hold my hand out. He frowns. “The keys. You no longer need them. We will wait for him and you can go.”
“And what grasping delusion are you under now?” He drawls as he leans against the counter. “You two need to leave. You do not have permission to be here and you’ve been causing a disturbance.”
“We have not been causing a fucking disturbance! Do you know who the fuck I...we are?!
“You are the Empress of Entitlement, also known as Debbie Novotny, and he is your Equerry of Egregiousness, also known as Michael Novotny. And the one thing you two are not, is his family. Now, once more for apparently deaf, you need to leave…”
“Listen, Brian’s not so little fuckbuddy, we aren’t going anywhere!” Michael snarls. “Now why don’t you swish your stick out of here and…”
“Is there a problem in here?” The doorman from downstairs is in the doorway.
“Yes, he needs to leave and…” I begin to remonstrate.
“It’s him, I’m talking to. So…”
“Asked twice, not moved.”
“Come in, officer.”
“Ma’am. Sir. Please vacate the premises.” A uniformed cop tells us.
“No. We’re allowed to be here; he’s not!” Michael growls.
“Again, Ma’am. Sir. I am ordering you to leave the premises. If you do not, I shall arrest you.”
“Arr…” I snort. “Don’t be stupid, son. Go back to your beat, and let the adults deal with this.”
“Come on in, boys.” He calls over his shoulder. “Well you were warned. This is how this adult does his job!”
I am mortified and humiliated as I am carried, kicking and screaming, down to a meat wagon and Michael is, yet again, on his way to the hospital after he slipped on the rug, trying to run away!
OUTSIDE MEL AND LINDSAY’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
LINDSAY
The problem with Mel is that she confuses bravery with stupidity. And she was very stupid to say the things she did. So what if I cheated? Why is it okay for Brian to get his needs met but not me? She was not paying me enough attention when I wanted it, so I went to people...that orgy was indeed wonderful...that could!
When I was discharged from the hospital, she had already left for Canada. So I followed and stayed in a hotel, but not till after another angry-sympathy fuck from Andrew.
I march up to the door and put down my case. But before I can use my key, the door is opened and I am faced with Ben.
“What are you doing in my house?!” I demand, trying to step in.
“Not your house. It’s Gus’s and he has agreed to rent it to his Uncle Ben.”
I freeze and then blink. “He’s…”
“I live here. They have moved to another location. She has put your stuff in storage, and this is the address. Now excuse me, I have to redecorate.”
My head is spinning. Oh no, she has not fucking done this to me. She hasn’t! She can’t have?!
“Where is Mel? Where are my children?!” I shout.
“She thought you might say this. First, none of your fucking business, and second, also none of your fucking business, as you no longer have them as a condition of the non-cheating clause in the pre-nup.”
“That tawdry piece of gumpf. I will…”
“Fuck anyone until it is revoked? Well you’re going to have to spread your legs wide enough to cover Canada and the USA, which is where it was drawn up. By a Supreme Court Judge...I believe they call her Iris the Ironclad. She never, ever rescinds a prenup, especially when there is substantial evidence to support the case. Mel had you tailed, photographed...there’s even a video or five and everything is filed. In other words, you worn out bitch, you are bus...ted!”
I stare at him gimlet eyed. “Now listen to me, you…” But he stops me when he shakes his head.
“Again, worn out bitch, shut the fuck up and listen. God, your IUD must have about as much use Michael by now, at least it’s bigger. Anyway, Mel is my friend and you treated her appallingly. Brian, I am working on. But if you don't leave in the next two minutes, I will call the police and have them remove you. And then you can share arrest stories with your other soul sucking vampires!”
“What are you…”
“Oh come now. You surely didn’t think after that meeting the Avenue wouldn’t protect their King, did you?” He throws his head back and roars with laughter in the face of my incredulity. “Well they have and then some!”
“Oh for the love of...” I turn on my heels and start walking away. I need to find Debbie. Time to join forces!
