Fun in the Sun

Chapter 1

“Like what you see, Sunshine?” Brian purred as he felt Justin looking down at him. Justin smiled. Even with his eyes closed, Brian knew Justin was staring at him.

“Always,” Justin softly replied as he gently drew his finger down the bridge of Brian’s nose, over the coral colored lips then tapped the prominent chin. Brian’s relatively unlined face and taut, trim abdomen belied his age. The only hint of Brian’s true age came from the laugh lines near his eyes and the few grays at his temples.

They were resting between rounds. The B&B was quiet, with only Seamus and one permanent guest in residence whose room was on the other side of the B&B. The boys were situated in a quaint room with a large feather bed that took up most of the room. The only other furniture in the room was a wicker chair near the window, a dresser and a small bedside nightstand. Happily for Brian, they had their own, albeit small, bathroom.

The room was perfect!

“What’s your plan?” Justin quietly asked, not wishing to disturb their reverie.

“Plan?”

“Agenda, itinerary, for our vacation,” Justin clarified. Brian opened his eyes as he rolled onto his side to face his mate.

“My plan,” Brian began as he kissed Justin’s nose. “Agenda.” Brian kissed Justin’s temple. “Itinerary.” Brian kissed Justin’s lips, nibbling on the full lower lip. “Is to only leave this bed when absolutely necessary for our survival.” Brian rolled onto Justin, blanketing the younger man with his body, their foreheads touching. Justin wrapped his arms around Brian’s torso and threw one leg over the back of Brian’s thighs. They were sticky and in need of a shower but neither man seemed to care.

“Good plan,” Justin agreed as they kissed. As their kiss deepened, they made love once more.

 

*****

 

“What’s that noise?” A low rumbling broke through the quiet of their room.

“I do believe that’s your stomach, Sunshine. Perhaps it’s trying to tell you something,” Brian stated the obvious.

“When was the last time we ate?” Justin asked as he stretched, wiggling his toes, luxuriating on the large bed. Brian grabbed Justin’s wrist to look at his watch.

“About twelve hours ago. It’s a wonder you haven’t wasted away,” Brian teased. Justin made a lame attempt at swatting Brian’s chest. “My poor little boy, not even enough muscle power to connect,” Brian snickered.

Justin snorted.

“I suppose you want me to feed you?”

“Food sounds good but we really need to shower,” Justin said as he sniffed the air. “Phew, we really stink.”

“Not just us; it smells like the backroom of Babylon in here. Maybe we should ask Seamus for some air freshener.”

“Maybe, or maybe we should go out and buy some ourselves,” Justin strongly suggested.

“Yes, dear,” Brian squeaked. He stretched his long body then sat up to get out of bed. “Come on, Sunshine, up and at ‘em. Let’s shower and then find you food. Got to keep the furnace stoked,” Brian said as he offered his hand to Justin. Justin took it then found himself in Brian’s arms and his ass patted. Justin looked up into the bright hazel eyes that twinkled mischievously at him.

“Love you, Sunshine,” Brian whispered to the man in his arms. Justin graced Brian with a smile then led him into the shower.

 

*****

 

“I wonder what’s open now? Most of the town closes early,” Justin commented as they quietly headed down the stairs toward the front door.

“We can try that ale house on the main road,” Brian suggested.

“Sounds good to me,” Justin replied as he looked around the B&B. “Is it my imagination or has Seamus made some improvements to the house?”

“Yup. Seamus has made quite a few improvements, notably the central air conditioning,” Brian replied knowingly.

“I thought something was different. The house is nice and cool and very quiet,” Justin agreed. “And nothing to detract from the view.” Justin stopped short just before the front door; he turned to glare at his spouse who bumped into him. “And how do you know what improvements Seamus has made?” Brian gave him an innocent shrug.

Justin waited.

“A lot of Kinnetik employees have vacationed here over the years and I’ve recommended the B&B to many of our clients. I know that Emmett and Drew have stayed here a few times, as have Ted and Allen. Even the littlest hustler and his doctor have spent time here,” Brian smirked.

“Don’t call him that,” Justin admonished his recalcitrant spouse.

“The master of social work,” Brian corrected himself as he urged Justin out the door. “I know for a fact that Gordon brought Betsie here too,” Brian said with a waggle of his eyebrows. Justin laughed as he shook his head.

“So what you’re telling me is that the Piece of Plenty has become the Southeastern Mecca for our family.”

“Something like that. When Seamus wanted to update the house without changing the ambiance of the place, he called John.”

“He called the right man for the job,” Justin said with a nod. “The house is just the way I remembered it. It would have been a shame if it was modernized too much. I love this place. We had a good time here when we first visited with Bree.”

“She was toddler,” Brian murmured, smiling at the memory. “That was a good trip.”

“My father’s idiocy notwithstanding.”

“It just made the trip all the more interesting,” Brian snarked, as they walked the quiet streets of St. Augustine. When they got to the ale house they were shown to a nice table that overlooked the water. “I like this place,” Brian commented as he studied his menu.

“Mmm, so do I,” Justin agreed.

The waiter took their orders for drinks and brought them a basket of breadsticks.

“This is nice,” Justin said wistfully as he nibbled a breadstick.

“Yes, it is. Not too touristy either,” Brian remarked.

“It wouldn’t be, this late in the season. School starts soon. I guess we should go shopping for school supplies when we get home,” Justin said making a mental note to himself.

“Got it covered, Sunshine. The Squirt’s going with Ashley,” Brian announced smugly.

“So who’s driving? Wait, let me guess, one of them will steer while the other works the pedals,” Justin teased. Brian didn’t bother with a response, he just glared over his micro-brew. Justin snickered. “I get it, Susanna’s taking them. I expect there’ll be a lot of matching pink outfits,” Justin sighed. Brian nodded.

They were quiet for a few minutes until their dinner arrived. Justin began eating with gusto making Brian very happy. Brian swore that Justin must have dropped a few pounds over the last couple of weeks. Their conversation resumed when Justin came up for air.

“Why, Bri?” Justin asked cryptically.

“Why what?”

“This vacation.”

“What about it?”

“Why now? And if you answer me with another question, you’re sleeping on the porch,” Justin said with a glare. Brian chuckled as he reached over to pat Justin’s hand.

“You needed it.” Justin stared at Brian. “Justin, since Jo...ever since my mother died you’ve been a rock of support to me and Bree. You kept me sane and have been a stabilizing force in Bree’s life since the funeral. In the bad old days, I would have locked myself away and probably remained in a drugged or drunken stupor for at least a month.”

“No you wouldn’t have,” Justin tried to be encouraging.

Brian snorted. “We both know that’s a lie. The point is that you deserve a medal, but since I have no influence over the President of these United States, Bree agreed that I should take you away on a nice quiet vacation. Quiet being the operative word. No crowds to please, no waterfalls, no ignorant art critics, volcanoes or riptides, and if you want to sketch, you do it because it’ll make you happy.”

Justin’s smile lit up the room. “You and Bree agreed on this?”

“Of course,” Brian said smugly.

“Then who am I to argue.”

It was dark by the time the boys got back to the B&B. Seamus heard the door open and invited them into his rooms for a nightcap. They sat out on the balcony sipping a cool crisp white wine. It was hot but there was a cool breeze coming off the water.

“Thank you, Seamus,” Justin said after a while.

“For what, me lad?”

“For everything. For giving us such a great room. For keeping this place just as I remembered. For it being so relaxing.”

“You give me a lot more credit then I deserve, lad, but I’ll take the compliment as intended. Although it’s I who should be thankful to the both of you and to your lovely family. You’ve kept my rooms full for years now with their visits and recommendations. I may have to take on a partner to help me run the place.”

“You’d give up your control?” Brian asked with an arch of his brow.

“Nah, but the Good Book did say something about getting thee a companion. I may have found one,” Seamus stated with a gleam in his eyes.

“Oooo,” both Brian and Justin squeed at the same time, sounding so much like a certain fairy godmother of theirs.

“Tell Uncle Brian all about him.” Brian paused then asked soberly. “He is a him, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he’s a he,” Seamus chuckled. “He’s a mature man, a self-made man who retired early and was looking for a small place like this to retire to. He was even thinking of opening his own establishment. He booked a room here to get the feel of the place. We got to talking and nature took its course. He’s English but I’ve learned to overlook it,” Seamus teased.

They laughed then offered up a little toast as Seamus refilled their glasses.

“Not to throw a monkey wrench into it but did you have him checked out?” Brian asked in all seriousness.

“Brian,” Justin admonished.

Seamus waved his hand. “Yes, Da. I still have some connections across the pond, as it were. He’s legit,” Seamus assured them.

“Then I say, enjoy yourself, play safe and no tricks after midnight,” Brian said with a straight face as he leaned back in his chair and genteelly sipped his wine. Justin shook his head as Seamus laughed with delight.

 

*****

 

“You’re so bad,” Justin said as they crawled under the sheets.

“What do you mean?” Brian asked in all innocence.

“Asking Seamus if he checked out his new boyfriend.”

“What’s so bad about that? Justin, Seamus has a good thing going here. He’s smack in the middle of town. The building is solid and Seamus has more than a few bucks in the bank. I’d hate to see someone with a pretty face bat his eyes then take Seamus for all he’s worth,” Brian stated with his usual straightforwardness.

“Well, if you put it that way.”

“Jus, Seamus is a good man. I consider him a friend. I just want to make sure no one takes advantage of him.”

Justin smiled softly as Brian turned off the light on the dresser then got into bed next to him. “Seamus is not the only good man here,” Justin said in the dark.

“Shhh, no ruining my rep,” Brian said as he snuggled closer to the younger man.

“Too late, your rep’s been ruined for years.”

“Damn. How about this rep?” Brian asked as he ground his hard cock into Justin’s. “Is this rep ruined too?”

“Never,” Justin replied as he ground himself back. They frotted for a while then allowed nature to take its course.

 

*****

 

“Hey,” Justin murmured with a smile as he stretched and gave himself a satisfying scratch.

“Hey yourself,” Brian replied as he sat in the chair by the window, his reading glasses perched on his nose as he read the local paper, sipping coffee. It was early enough, before the humidity became a factor, that the window was open allowing a light breeze to air out the room.

“Did I miss breakfast?” Justin asked as he tried to focus on his watch.

“It’s still early; we have plenty of time for breakfast.”

“Where’d the coffee come from?” Justin asked as he sat up in the bed. Brian pointed to a carafe on the dresser. Justin got up to fix himself a cup of morning nectar then quickly got back into bed. “Do you have an ‘in’ with the owner?” Justin teased as he sipped his brew.

“You might say that. Seamus was up with the gulls. I heard puttering around and went down,” Brian explained. “He’s given us carte blanche in his kitchen.”

“Good to know. How long have you been awake?”

“A couple of hours,” Brian said. He had already showered and dressed.

“We’re supposed to be on vacation.”

“Years of habit, Sunshine,” Brian said as he took another sip of coffee. “And I could say the same for you. We have nowhere to be, you can go back to sleep,” Brian suggested.

“I’ve had enough sleep for now. I think I’d like to walk around the town before it gets too hot, but after I take a shower,” Justin said as he lifted the sheets and took a whiff. Brian chuckled as Justin wrinkled his nose in disgust. “I think we wore out the sheets already.”

“No kidding. Well, the sooner we get out of here the faster the maid will come in and fix the bed.”

Justin nodded, finishing his coffee then heading for their bathroom. By the time he came out, Brian had stripped the bed and was ready to go.

 

*****

 

“It’s nice out,” Justin commented as they strolled hand in hand, not giving a rat’s ass about other people’s opinions. Besides, they weren’t the only same sex couple in town.

“Yes, it is,” Brian agreed behind his dark glasses.

The boys had breakfasted on some of Seamus’ famous berry fruit cocktail and thick slices of buttered toast. Well, Justin did, Brian stuck with the fruit and one slice of dry toast. Then they were ready to take in the sights or just enjoy the day.

They were walking towards the fort when Justin turned to face Brian. “Thank you.”

“For what, Sunshine?”

“For bringing me here. We’ve been here for less than twenty-four hours and I already feel so much better. My stomach’s been tied up in knots for weeks now.”

“I know. Even Lindsay’s been bitching at me. She seems to think that I can wave a magic wand over you and instantly fix you,” Brian smirked behind his shades.

“Your ‘wand’ does appear to have magical qualities,” Justin said with a smile.

“So true,” Brian retorted nonchalantly. “A stud’s work is never done,” he added with a put upon sigh.

“You’re so full of it,” Justin commented as he purchased the admission tickets for the fort.

“Not yet,” Brian stated as he leaned down to whisper into Justin’s ear. “But maybe tonight I will be,” Brian purred sending shivers up Justin’s spine. “You’re so easy,” Brian laughed, throwing his arm over Justin’s shoulder as they walked under the arched entranceway and into the fort.

 

*****

 

“I wonder how Bree is getting along?” Justin asked as they cooled off in a local sweet shop with ice cream and sorbet.

“Why don’t you call her and find out,” Brian suggested. “You know you want to and we do have these marvelous things called cell phones,” Brian snarked. Justin pitched a balled up napkin at his spouse before taking out his phone. Brian smiled sweetly at Justin as he had another spoonful of his raspberry sorbet.

“Hi, John. We’re fine. How’s... Baby Girl!” Justin said enthusiastically into the phone. Brian just shook his head. Like father like daughter, separated for less than a day and yet they both carry on as if they hadn’t seen each other for years. Brian smiled, imagining Bree jumping up and down, tugging on John’s sleeve, demanding to speak with her Daddy.

“Someone wants to say hello,” Justin said after a while, handing his phone to Brian.

“Hey, Squirt, you behaving for Uncle John?”

“Oh yes, Dada! Is the vacation working?”

“Yes, it is,” Brian replied with confidence.

“That’s good. You take good care of my Daddy,” Bree commanded.

“I promise I will,” Brian assured his daughter.

“I know you will, Dada. I love you, Dada.”

“I love you too, Squirt. Have fun with Ashley.”

“I will. Here’s Uncle John,” Bree said as she handed the phone back to her uncle. Brian could hear her running back out calling for Ashley.

“I take it she’s having fun with Ashley?” Brian asked John.

John laughed. “They’ve been attached at the hip since Susanna dropped her off last night. She’s a great kid. How’s everything?”

“Hot.”

“Is that your commentary regarding the weather or the sex?” John laughed.

“Both,” Brian replied.

“Keep up the good work,” John said.

“I will,” Brian assured his brother before they hung up.

“She sounded happy to hear from us,” Justin commented.

“Of course she’s happy to hear from us, we’re her bestest parents.” Brian gave Justin a smug smile. Justin laughed at Brian’s antics making Brian’s heart soar.

“What did you promise her?”

“To take good care of you. And am I?”

“Yes, you are; the very bestest of care,” Justin stated making Brian smirk.

“Are you finished?” Brian asked indicating the ice cream.

“I’m done.”

“Then let’s walk it off,” Brian suggested. They left the sweet shop, slowly walking toward the older more residential part of the town.

“Everything is so peaceful,” Justin observed. Brian nodded. “It kinda reminds me of our lane.”

“A little. Not as hot of course.” Brian meant the weather.

“Mmm. We could have stayed at home.”

“No, we couldn’t have,” Brian stated sternly.

“Why?” Brian’s tone made Justin stop in his tracks and look at Brian.

“Because, as much as we would have promised ourselves not to answer the phone or tend to any business or handle a Bree crisis or a lane happening or any of the other thousands of things that could possibly happen with our cwazy wittle family, taking you away seemed to be the best choice. It’s a vacation, meaning to vacate, to get away and I don’t give a shit if we become bored to tears, we’re staying here for at least a week, maybe longer. I have open return tickets.”

“You did this all for me?” Justin asked, his blue eye shimmering with unshed tears. Brian gently palmed the side of Justin’s face, swiping his thumb across the cheekbone.

“I’d do anything for you, Sunshine,” Brian murmured solemnly. Justin leaned into Brian’s hand, his eyes darting around for a brief second. He leaned up to peck Brian’s lips, the unsaid promise of more shining in the deep blue eyes.

 

Brian nodded then they continued their walk.

Fun in the Sun

Chapter 2

 

 

“I just talked to my daddies,” Bree said proudly as she skipped into the backyard of Edna’s Treasures where Patrick and Ashley were throwing a stick which Beau was only too happy to retrieve.

“How’s your Daddy?” Patrick asked as they all sat down in some lawn chairs under the big tree.

“Dada says he’s taking care of him. I think Daddy’s doing good,” Bree responded. “He really needed a vacation.” She had told her cousin and her friend all about her trip to Toronto, and also about how uptight and worried her Daddy had been about his art show.

“That’s good,” Ashley told Bree. “My mommy would like to have a vacation,” she said with a little sadness in her voice.

“Isn’t she having a vacation while you’re here this week?” Patrick asked with the Kinney smirk.

Bree gave her cousin the glare of death. Patrick’s smirk disappeared immediately.

Beau walked over to Bree and dropped the stick they had been throwing for him. He knew instinctively that the fun was over for now. He laid his big head in Bree’s lap. She ruffled the fur around his neck and Beau looked up at her with sorrowful eyes. He was glad to have his young mistress home, but he wondered where his other masters were. He missed them.

“It’s okay, Beau,” Bree stated. Instinctively, just like Beau, she understood what was going on with the big dog. “My daddies will be home soon.” Beau gave a groan and laid down beside Bree’s chair to observe his young charges.

“Why didn’t you go with them?” Patrick asked. He would have gone with his dads if he had been invited.

“I think they needed alone time,” Bree said.

“What’s alone time?” Ashley asked in all innocence.

“It’s like when they go in their bedroom and lock the door,” Bree replied.

“What do they do in there?” Ashley inquired. Not having her father in her life, or her mother in a relationship, Ashley had no experience with this concept. Her mother’s bedroom door was always open to her.

“I don’t really know, and somebody won’t tell me,” Bree stated pointedly as she looked at Patrick with accusing eyes. Patrick blushed.

“I don’t get it,” Ashley said.

“They’re loving each other,” Bree added, parroting what Uncle John had told her.

“Oh,” Ashley said. She still didn’t get it, but apparently she wasn’t going to receive any better answer. “Grown ups are funny.”

“You can say that again,” Bree agreed.

“Especially Aunt Claire,” Patrick piped up.

“Why is she funny?” Bree asked.

“She sure isn’t funny to make you laugh.”

“Then why is she funny?”

“She’s weird,” Patrick said as he thought about how to answer the question more completely. “Every time me and Dad went to her son’s house, she acted real strange. She’d stare at me like she couldn’t believe I was real.”

“Did she think you were a ghost or something?” Ashley asked.

“She kind of did.”

“What do you mean?” Bree asked. “You’re not dead. You can’t be a ghost.”

Patrick frowned. “It was like she couldn’t believe I was real. She kept looking at me like she was waiting for me to do something … bad.”

“Why would she want you to do something bad?” Bree wanted to know.

“I don’t think she wanted me to, but she thought I would.”

“That is weird,” Bree agreed. “I tried to like her when she came here for those days a long time ago, but she never really let me. She always looked at me funny too, now that I remember how she was.”

“I’m just glad we don’t have to go back to see her anymore,” Patrick stated.

“So what are we going to do for this afternoon?” Bree asked. “I think we should ask Uncle John to take us horseback riding.”

“That would be fun,” Ashley agreed, getting excited about the prospect of being on a horse again. She wasn’t the best rider, but she liked to be up high and ride along looking at the scenery.

“Dad’s working from home today, so I don’t think he can take us,” Patrick informed them.

“Poop,” Bree responded. She really wanted to go horseback riding. “We could ask him,” she suggested coyly.

“Sure, go ahead and ask him,” Patrick said, “but he won’t be able to do it.”

Bree frowned, but she was also determined. Just then John came out of the sun porch.

“Uncle John, Uncle John!” Bree called leaping from her chair and rushing to her uncle so she could throw her arms around him.

“That’s the kind of greeting I like,” John said with a big smile as he hugged the petite girl back.

“I love you,” Bree added for good measure.

“I love you too, princess.”

“Uncle John, we decided we’d like to go horseback riding.” Bree smiled and batted her violet eyes at her uncle.

Patrick shook his head as he watched the shenanigans of his favorite cousin.

“I think that could be arranged. When would you like to go?”

“Now,” Bree declared with a coy smile.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” said John. “I’m waiting for an important phone call, so I can’t leave the house.”

“But can’t you use your cell phone?” Bree asked appearing suitably sad and subdued by her uncle’s news.

“Afraid not. I have to have some plans in front of me when I talk to this client, so that we can agree to some changes.”

“Oh,” Bree said dejectedly. “I really wanted to go horseback riding.” She stared at her uncle with her big eyes, pleading silently with him to change his mind. That sometimes worked on her Daddy, and rarely on her Dada, but it was worth a try.

John frowned and looked worried. He wanted his charges to be happy, but he could hardly read and revise plans for a building while sitting in a saddle. “What about another day?” he asked.

“I really wanted to go today,” Bree replied, trying to find a voice that wasn’t too whiny, but would make her uncle aware of how much she really wanted to go. She stared at the ground not letting herself look at her uncle.

John felt bad that his princess was not happy. He struggled to come up with some plan that would allow him to meet her wishes, but he couldn’t think of anything. He looked over at Patrick for some help.

His son sat with a strange look on his face, watching the interaction between his father and Bree intently. John willed his son to come to his rescue and say something that would make Bree feel better. Patrick gave his father a curious little smile and merely shrugged.

That was when it hit John. He was being played … by a nine year old. He studied the little girl in front of him. She refused to look up, but John had the distinct impression that she was waiting for him to buckle under her pressure.

He cleared his throat. “You really wanted to go today, did you?” John asked.

“Oh yes, Uncle John,” Bree said sincerely, finally looking up into his eyes. John could see the hope evident in the violet eyes before him. She thought she was going to get her way.

“And no other day would be as good?”

Bree shook her head. “We really, really wanted to go today,” she said with all sincerity.

“Hm,” John said rubbing his chin. “I’d be happy to take you tomorrow, but I can’t do it today. I guess that means you don’t want to go at all. Have you three got plans for tomorrow?”

Bree’s mouth dropped open. This was not at all the outcome that she had expected. “Oh no, Uncle John, we don’t have anything planned for today or tomorrow. That’s why we wanted to go riding.”

“I see. Then tomorrow would be all right? I could call the farm and arrange it for tomorrow morning when it’s cooler. Would that work for you three?”

Bree looked at the others who both nodded enthusiastically. “I guess that’s okay, Uncle John.” She still wanted to go today, but it didn’t look like her womanly wiles were working on her uncle.

“I’m glad we could come up with a plan that will work for all of us,” John said with a smile. “Is everybody happy?”

“Yes, Mr. John, thank you,” Ashley said politely.

“I’m good, Dad,” Patrick threw in. He grinned at his dad who gave him a conspiratorial wink.

“Thank you, Uncle John,” Bree said contritely.

“Do I get a hug?” John asked.

“Sure.” Bree put her arms around her uncle’s neck when he bent down.

“Don’t try to manipulate me, princess. It won’t work,” John whispered in her ear, before standing up and heading towards the sun porch. “I’ll make that call to the farm now,” he added in a loud voice before he disappeared into the house.

“Poop!” Bree said as she flopped into the lawn chair where she had been sitting before.

“My dad’s smart,” Patrick said proudly.

Bree gave him a sour look.

“I thought you were going to get him to take us horseback riding today,” Ashley stated with a smile for her best friend.

“I thought so too,” Bree agreed. She didn’t like not getting her way.

“You can’t always have your own way,” Patrick informed them.

“I usually do get my own way.”

Patrick tried not to chuckle. He knew Bree was right. Her fathers, and everyone else at Edna’s Treasures, usually gave in to the little dynamo. It was good to see her not get what she wanted for once. Patrick wasn’t quite sure why that pleased him as much as it did, but he had enjoyed seeing his dad best his cousin.

“So, what are we going to do now?” Bree asked with a major pout.

“You’re the one with all the good ideas,” Patrick joked.

“I think we should call Gus or JR,” Bree stated confidently.

“And why would we call them?” Patrick asked.

“They have lots of good ideas.”

“Such as?”

“How do I know until I ask them,” Bree said petulantly.

“Why don’t we go to the stream?” Ashley asked hopefully. “We could dangle our feet in the water. It would be really cool.”

“Okay,” Bree agreed brightening up.

“We should ask first,” Patrick interjected as the girls stood up.

“We’re not going swimming,” Bree protested. “We’re just going to put our feet in the water.”

“I still think we should tell Dad.”

“He won’t care,” Bree declared.

“Um, Bree, I think he will.”

Bree looked at Patrick and then ignored him. “Let’s go,” she said to Ashley. “The scaredy cat can stay here by himself.”

“Bree!” Patrick protested.

“That wasn’t nice, Bree,” Ashley advised.

“I don’t care. Let’s go.” Bree headed towards the path to the stream. She could do this all by herself if she had to. Uncle John wasn’t going to stop her.

“You should tell your father,” Ashley whispered to Patrick before she started after he friend.

Patrick looked back and forth between the house and the girls. He didn’t want to make Bree mad at him, but he knew that his father would be mad if they went to the stream without telling him. While he stood there, the girls disappeared behind the Wendy house. Patrick ran towards the sun porch to get his father.

A couple of minutes later Patrick and his father caught up with the wayward girls. They were stopped dead in their tracks by a growling Beau who blocked their path.

“Just what do you young ladies think you are doing?” John demanded.

“Going to the stream,” Bree said defiantly. “But Beau won’t get out of the way.”

“Good Beau,” John approved. “You both know better than to go to the stream without permission.”

“Ashley told me to get you,” Patrick piped up. “It’s not her fault.”

“So, Miss Briana, you’ve decided to take matters into your own hands since your trip to Toronto,” John said shaking his head.

“I’m not a baby. I helped my Dada sign a deal in Toronto and I helped Daddy with his paintings and the whole trip was my idea and I want to go to the stream and I want to go horseback riding, but nobody will let me do nothin’.”

“Breathe, Bree,” John advised.

“I don’t want to breathe. I want to do something fun. I want my daddies.”

“Bree, they’ve only been gone a couple of days,” Patrick informed her.

“I don’t care. I want them back.”

“I thought you were happy they had gone on this trip,” John said not understanding what had set off this series of unprecedented events.

“I … I am happy for them,” Bree said tears starting to well up in her eyes. “But…I…I…”

“You what? Tell me what’s wrong?” John asked.

“I want to make some decisions. I don’t want to always have to do what everybody else tells me to do,” Bree wailed as the tears fell in earnest.

“Bree, sweetheart,” John said squatting down in front of the distraught girl, “you aren’t old enough to make all the decisions I’m sure you’d like to make, but maybe we could sit down and plan the rest of the week. That way you can choose and decide what you want to do and what you don’t want to do. How would that be?”

“B…Better,” Bree said between gulps for air.

“Do you two agree to that?”

“Yes,” Patrick and Ashley both agreed. They hated seeing Bree cry, but they didn’t know what to do about it.

“I need to go back to the house and finish making some notes that I was jotting down when Patrick came to get me. But as soon as I’m finished we’ll all sit down together.”

“That sounds good, Dad,” Patrick agreed. He put his arm around Bree’s shoulders hoping she wouldn’t shrug him off. To his surprise she leaned against him. “It’ll be okay, Bree,” he said gently.

“Yeah, it will be okay,” Ashley repeated. She slipped her hand into Bree’s.

Beau gave a little woof and nuzzled Bree from behind.

“I’m still mad at you, Beau,” Bree stated petulantly.

“He was only doing his job,” John advised as they started walking towards the house. “I think you should forgive Beau.”

Bree took a deep breath and wiped at her tears. “Sowwy, Beau,” she said in her little girl voice.

“Woof,” Beau replied bounding around the little group and licking Bree’s hand. She bent down to pet the big dog. He licked all over her face making her giggle.

“It’s okay, Beau,” Bree said. “I know you were trying to help. I just didn’t like you interfering.”

John smiled to himself as he led the way to the house. It looked like the crisis had been averted. He wondered how many more there would be before his brother came home. “What do you say to some lemonade when we get back to the house?”

“Sounds good,” Patrick said.

“Sure,” Ashley agreed.

“Okay,” Bree said with a little sniffle.

“While we’re drinking our lemonade we could call JR and see what fun things she might suggest for us to do,” Patrick offered.

John rolled his eyes. He didn’t need any more suggestions of things to do, but he wasn’t going to say anything yet. This situation was over, and he would deal with the next one when it arose. He didn’t want to have to call Brian and Justin, and tell them that their daughter was hysterical and they better come home.

John looked at his watch. He wondered how much longer it would be before Bobby got home. He could use some back up.

 

*****

 

Bree, Patrick and Ashley sat in the sun porch sipping their lemonade.

“So what did JR tell you to do?” Patrick asked. Bree had called her sister before they sat down in the sun porch.

“She said we should come to the comic book store and get a comic.”

“I’ve never read a comic,” Ashley admitted.

“You haven’t?” Bree asked in surprise. Ashley shook her head looking a little sheepish about this admission. “Then we should definitely go to the comic store.”

“What else?” Patrick wanted to know.

“I think we should go to McDonald’s one day,” Bree suggested cheerfully.

“Do we have to?” Patrick asked with a sigh.

“Why don’t you want to go?”

“I’m too big for that playhouse.”

“Oh?” Bree was surprised, but she remembered that it had been hard for Patrick the last time they were at McDonald’s. “Then why don’t we see if we can go to a nice restaurant one night? I had this neat cocktail in Toronto called a Shirley Temple. It was soooo good!”

“You had a cocktail?” Ashley asked her eyes very big with surprise.

“It’s a cocktail for kids, Ashley. It’s okay to have it, and it was delicious.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I could go for that,” Patrick added.

“We can go horseback riding tomorrow, maybe to the stream for a swim if it’s hot tomorrow afternoon,” Bree suggested.

“Sounds good,” Patrick agreed.

“My mom was going to take us shopping for school,” Ashley reminded them.

“Right,” Bree stated. “We need to find out what day she wants to do that.”

“I could call her,” Ashley suggested.

“Okay, use the phone in the kitchen.”

Ashley skipped off to the kitchen to make her call. Bree looked thoughtful for a moment. “I’m choosing all the things we do,” she said with a frown.

“You wanted to make your own decisions,” Patrick reminded her.

“Yeah, but you guys should get to do something you want to do.”

“You think so?” Patrick asked using his Kinney smirk again.

Bree decided she didn’t much like it when he did that. “You should get a say and so should Ashley.”

“A say in what?” Ashley wanted to know when she returned from the kitchen.

“I think you and Patrick should each choose one thing you want to do while my daddies are away.”

“Oh? Do you know what you want to do, Patrick?”

“Not yet, but it should be a rule that the others have to agree even if they don’t really want to do it.”

“Okay,” Ashley said.

“Okaaay,” Bree agreed reluctantly. She didn’t like the idea of a day of baseball practice, but she supposed she could put up with it if that was what Patrick really wanted.

“My mom wants to go shopping day after tomorrow,” Ashley informed them.

“Okay, then you guys need to decide what you want to do on the rest of the days.”

 

They all sat back with their lemonades and tried to think of fun things they wanted to pursue.

Fun in the Sun

Chapter 3

 

 

The boys rented a car and took a drive down the highway that skirted the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The day was slightly overcast which helped to keep the temperature down to tolerable levels. Brian was driving as Justin sat back and watched the countryside go by.

“Hey, Bri, did you ever want to own a motorcycle?” Justin asked as about the tenth bike whizzed by.

“Yeah, for about fifteen seconds but then I decided it was much safer to do a biker rather than own the bike.”

“What do you mean?”

“Can’t break my neck falling off a biker, can I?” Brian snarked, making Justin crack up.

“You’re incorrigible, do you know that?”

“So I’ve been told. I do look good in leather, though,” Brian said immodestly.

“That you do. Hmm.”

“What?”

“I’m trying to picture you in leather chaps and nothing else.” Justin waggled his eyebrows.

“Keep dreaming, Sonny Boy. You, on the other hand have the perfect ass and dick for chaps!” Brian grinned, his jeans suddenly feeling at least three sizes too small. He stole a lascivious look at his mate.

“Eyes on the road, old man. You can dream about my wardrobe later,” Justin said as he patted Brian’s thigh.

“You could help me with that,” Brian said indicating his hard on.

“And get arrested for lewd behavior? I don’t think so. Just think cool thoughts,” Justin helpfully suggested. He laughed when Brian grumbled a curse. “Pull over,” Justin requested after a few minutes. Brian slowed down then pulled up behind a long line of cars that were also parked on the side of the road.

“What’s going on over there?”

“Sand castles,” Justin announced with awe as he got out of the car. They carefully crossed the two lane highway to get to the beach where dozens of people were watching artisans turn the beach sand into magnificent structures. “Beautiful,” he murmured.

“Do you mind if we watch for a while?” Justin asked Brian with a childlike abandon. Brian simply smiled as he donned his dark glasses then made a “go-ahead” gesture with his hand. Justin took off to explore; the artist could not resist.

Brian watched Justin wander down the beach and spend time at each exhibit. After a while Brian bought a couple of bottles of water from a street vendor and brought one to Justin.

“Thanks,” Justin said as he took a good long swig. “Wow, this is so good.”

“Coming from you, that’s a real compliment,” the artist said when he realized who the admirer was. “I love your stuff,” the young man said.

“Thanks. Justin Taylor,” Justin said, sticking out his hand.

“Warren Grimms,” Warren said returning the handshake. “Are you here for a show?”

“Vacation,” Justin stated.

“The judging is in two days. If you’re still around, maybe you’ll vote for me,” Warren said with an award winning smile. Justin laughed as he shook the hopeful sculptor’s hand and then walked to the next sand castle.

“You wouldn’t think there’s enough sand on this beach to make these,” Brian commented as they leisurely strolled to the next construction.

“There isn’t,” Justin said as he pointed. Brian followed Justin’s finger. “Apparently they truck it in then after the contest, they truck it back out. They try not to upset the surrounding eco system.”

“And how do you know all this?”

“I asked,” Justin said smugly.

When they came across an exhibit that featured a very well built muscular man, Brian expressed his appreciation.

“You do know it’s only sand?” Justin murmured as he nudged Brian with his shoulder. Brian snorted as he led the way toward the last exhibit. Justin giggled loudly when he noticed the distasteful expression on Brian’s face.

“The gods are against me, Sunshine,” Brian sighed as they sidled up to a huge sand bullfrog! Justin laughed even louder.

*****

 

“Well, look what the cat dragged in!” Seamus announced aloud as Brian and Justin let themselves into the communal kitchen at the end of their day. Searching the refrigerator for something cool to drink, they found a large pitcher of homemade lemonade. The guys poured out three glasses. “Had a good day, did ye, lads?”

“Very nice,” Justin replied with a satisfied smile as he took a sip.

“Not bad,” Brian stated blandly as he held the cold glass to his forehead. He drank down his lemonade in one long gulp then quickly washed out his glass. “I need a shower,” he grumbled as he placed the glass in the dish rack then left the kitchen.

“What bit his ass?” Seamus asked with an amused smile as he watched Brian stomp away.

“He had a run in with a very large sandy frog,” Justin said as he laughed. He then explained the joke to Seamus. Brian smiled to himself as the sound of Justin’s gleeful laughter followed him up the stairs and toward their room.

 

*****

 

“Where shall we go for dinner tonight?” Justin asked as he breezed into their room.

“Where would you like to go?” Brian asked with a low rumble. He was freshly showered and stretched out on top of their bed in all his naked glory. Justin came to a sudden halt, taking in the sight of his still picture perfect spouse.

“Nowhere,” Justin replied as he quickly stripped then pounced.

 

*****

 

It was minutes to ten at night when the boys realized that they really needed supper, their stomachs giving them loud reminders. They quickly showered, threw on clothes then raced down the stairs. They were stopped at the door by a note taped to the glass.

“This was a quiet, respectable establishment before you boys came to visit. Now if you be finished shoutin’ down the rafters, there be a pair of chicken salads with your names on ‘em in the refrigerator. Eat them quietly and with my blessin’s. I think they heard you two in Daytona! 

S.”

Justin blushed as he reread the note.

“He’s onto us, Sunshine,” Brian giggled softly as he pushed Justin toward the kitchen.

The boys found their salads then proceeded to chow down on their feast.

 

*****

 

“I’m surprised you’re up so early after the day you had yesterday,” Seamus stated as he walked into his kitchen to prepare breakfast. Brian was sitting at one of the tables sipping coffee. “Where’s your better half?” Seamus asked as he gathered up all the fixings.

“Sleeping,” Brian replied as he pointed toward the ceiling.

“Not surprising, you wore the poor lad out,” Seamus said as he cracked a few eggs into a large bowl. Brian twitched as he readjusted himself a little in his chair to get more comfortable. “What?” Seamus asked, noticing Brian’s movements.

“He wore me out,” Brian said with a straight face and a wink. Seamus stared at Brian for a moment then burst into laughter. Brian nodded and went back to his coffee.

After a while, Seamus presented Brian with a tray. On it was a coffee service and breakfast for two.

“What’s this?”

“Isn’t it obvious or has all the blood drained from your head to pool in other parts? It’s breakfast, you daft man!”

Brian rolled his eyes. “I can see it’s breakfast but I didn’t think breakfast in bed was included in the vacation package,” Brian said as he took the tray.

“Seeing as I own the place, I can include whatever I damn well please. And it pleases me to have you bring up a tray to your young man up there who’s probably wasting away from the workout last night,” Seamus said with a very stern face.

“What about me?” Brian asked indignantly. “I got a workout too!”

“Do ye not see there be two omelets?” Seamus asked with hands on hip and an exaggerated brogue. Brian got an overwhelming impression of Debbie; a Debbie who was Irish and male. He snorted then turned to go when Seamus made a shooing motion with his hands. “And make sure the lad eats all of it!” he called out to Brian.

“Yeah, yeah,” Brian grumbled as he shook his head then headed up the stairs. Leaning the tray against the wall, Brian gingerly opened their bedroom door.

“Hey,” a sleepy voice greeted Brian.

“Hey,” Brian replied. “Hungry?” Brian asked as he entered the room, shutting the door with his foot. He set the tray down on the dresser while Justin sat up in the bed.

“Starving.”

“We can’t have that,” Brian said as he helped Justin fluff up the pillows then set down the tray.

“Mmm. Looks good.”

“Seamus outdid himself.”

“I didn’t think breakfast in bed was part of the service.”

“I’ve been informed and I quote, ‘Seeing as I own the place, I can include whatever I damn well please.’ End quote.” Justin smiled brilliantly then took a bite out of his toast.

The boys ate their breakfast in bed at a leisurely pace then indulged in high protein desserts.

 

*****

 

“What should we do today?” Justin asked when he opened his eyes for the second time that morning.

After their large breakfast and some rigorous after breakfast activities, they fell back to sleep. Brian woke, took the tray down and returned with more coffee. He was sipping the brew while quietly sitting in the chair by the window. He was in no hurry to go anywhere or to wake Justin. Brian was pleased when Justin woke up all on his own.

“I have nothing in mind but whatever we do it won’t be outside.” Brian cocked his head toward the window. It was bleak and raining.

“Is there any more coffee?” Justin asked as he sat up. Brian got up to share his cup.

“There’s a fresh pot downstairs when we want a refill,” Brian commented. Brian sat back in the chair and stared out the window. “I guess we can ask Seamus if there’s someplace interesting to go to. We have the car for a few more days.”

“Can we just stay here?” Justin asked innocently as he polished off Brian’s coffee.

“Here?” Brian asked with a grin.

“I mean in this house not necessarily in this bed,” Justin patiently explained.

“Tired of me already, Sunshine?”

“Never, but I wouldn’t mind a quiet day reading or sketching,” Justin said with a sigh.

“Then a quiet day we shall have. Seamus showed me another one of his improvements today.”

“What kind of improvement?” Justin asked, suspicious of his somewhat naughty spouse.

“A very nice improvement. Why don’t you shower and get dressed then join me in the kitchen. We’ve slept through lunch but Seamus told me we’re welcome to raid his fridge.”

“Okay,” Justin said, handing back the cup then getting up to go shower. Brian took the cup and himself down to the kitchen.

“How’s he doing?” Seamus asked. He was squeezing lemons to make more lemonade.

“Better. He wants a quiet day. I’m going to show him your little paradise in paradise,” Brian stated looking slightly distracted.

“What is it, lad?” Seamus asked gently.

“He’s always been the most energetic person I’ve ever known. I don’t like him looking so tired. And not just from our ‘workouts.’”

“From what you’ve told me, he’s been going nonstop for almost a year now. Not surprising he’s stressed. Brian, I have no one booked until the Labor Day weekend. Other than myself and my permanent resident, you have the whole house to yourself. I consider you family, not just paying guests. You may cook for yourself if that’s your wish or call for takeout. My house is yours for as long as you want.”

“Thank you, Seamus. I appreciate that more than you know,” Brian stated, somewhat relieved.

“I do know, lad. All work and no play, or some such. He just needs a quiet cozy spot to rid himself of unnecessary noise and allow himself to reconnect with what’s really important,” Seamus said wisely.

Brian stared. “You’ve been kissin’ that Blarney Stone, haven’t you?”

“Well, I am Irish but you do understand what I’m gettin’ at?”

“Yes, I do,” Brian acknowledged with a nod. “Which is why I wanted to get away and not just stay on the lane.”

“Far from the temptation of doing something work-like,” Seamus confirmed.

“Exactly.”

“And if I’m not mistaken, you can benefit from some time away from it all as well.”

“Yes, but not as much as he needs it.”

“But it pleases him to have you with him, enjoying the quiet too. If you’re relaxed and at peace, he will be too.”

“You’re a wise man, Seamus Griffin,” Brian declared with a thick brogue.

“Aye, and you’re still daft!” Seamus pronounced. “Now be gone with you, shoo! Go take your young man out back and when this is ready I’ll bring you out a couple of glasses of fresh lemonade and some nibbles.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Brian saluted his host. Justin was coming down the stairs as Brian left the kitchen. “Come on, Sunshine, let me show you the Piece of Plenty secret garden.” Brian took Justin’s hand and led him toward the garden path.

 

*****

 

Justin gasped when he saw the small but visually ornate garden at the back of the house. Seamus had decided to sacrifice most of his parking lot to create a tropical paradise that could be enjoyed from a glass enclosed solarium. The solarium was cooled by the new central air system and by a large ceiling fan. One could sit in cool comfort and still enjoy the Florida sun.

“When did he do this?” Justin asked as he practically pressed his nose to the glass.

“A few years ago. It was one of those improvements he consulted John about. Seamus wanted something similar to our sun porch,” Brian explained.

“This is amazing! On cooler days you can sit outside and on really hot days stay in here,” Justin said with approval.

“Or on rainy days,” Brian added. It was still raining outside.

“But it doesn’t detract from the beauty. He created a sanctuary,” Justin exclaimed with a sigh as he made himself comfortable on an overstuffed chaise. He quietly gazed out of the large windows, watching the jewel-like raindrops bounce off brightly colored flower petals and deep green leaves.

“I wish I had my sketch pad with me,” Justin murmured.

“Your wish is my command, Sunshine,” Brian stated as he produced Justin’s messenger bag containing the ubiquitous sketch pad and pencils.

“Thank you,” Justin beamed as he took out his pad and pencils and began to draw.

 

*****

 

“Here ya go,” Seamus began as he entered the solarium carrying a tray.

“Shhh.” Brian held a finger to his mouth. “He just dropped off,” Brian whispered.

“Ah, did you wear the lad out again?” Seamus teased as he set the tray down on a table and sat close to Brian.

“He wore himself out.” Brian pointed to the pad that had slipped out of Justin’s hand and landed on the terra cotta tiled floor. Seamus picked up the pad and began to flip through the drawings.

“You’ve been out here only a few hours and he did all this?” Seamus asked with amazement. “Unbelievable.”

“Your garden inspired him. He does his best work when he’s left alone with his own imagination.”

“Even in black and white you can almost imagine a hummingbird wantin’ a sip of nectar. He has a true gift,” Seamus said with awe. Seamus reached over to give Brian a pat on the hand then he left the solarium.

 

Brian sat back on his own chaise to indulge in a little Sunshine watching until he too fell asleep.

Fun in the Sun

Chapter 4

 

The children rode along behind John as he headed his horse into the path through the trees at the farm. The occasions when they had gone riding had greatly diminished over time, but they all seemed to love it still. The riding skills of Bree and Ashley had improved with their age and size. Patrick had always been very good on a horse.

“Why do you think Patrick invited him?” Bree whispered to Ashley as she got her horse up beside the other girl.

“Maybe he gets sick of being around us girls,” Ashley sagely replied.

“Poop!” Bree commented. “I get sick of being around men.”

Ashley chuckled. “That’s why you invite me over,” she reminded her friend. She gave Bree a wide smile.

“I guess so,” Bree agreed reluctantly. Bree stared at the young boy on the horse next to her Patrick. His name was Chet, and Patrick had met him at baseball camp. He had come to Edna’s Treasures a couple of times while Bree and her fathers were away in Toronto. Bree wasn’t sure if she liked Chet. She had liked David … a lot, and then she had found out that he wasn’t really very nice. The jury was still out on this Chet, but she supposed she could wait and see how things went. Patrick laughed at something Chet said to him. Bree felt a twinge of jealousy. She didn’t like sharing her Patrick.

They rode along in silence until they reached the stream. John pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted.

“I thought maybe we could take a break and dip our feet in the stream,” he told the children. “This is a good spot for that.”

“Good idea, Uncle John,” Bree agreed as he helped her down from her horse.

Everyone got off their horse and tethered the animals in the little meadow near the stream. There was some shade for the animals, and a rocky projection out into the stream where the humans could sit and dangle their feet in the refreshing water.

“This is nice,” Ashley said as she dipped her toes in the water.

“I’m glad you like it,” John said. He pulled off his own boots and stuck his feet into the cool water. “How do you like it, Chet?” he asked.

“It’s okay.”

“Just okay?”

“I have a pool at home,” Chet replied. “I like to swim in that.”

“But we’re not swimming,” Bree stated. “This is just to cool off before we continue on.”

Chet gave Bree a condescending look. “We have air conditioning for that.”

“Not out here, you don’t,” Bree reminded him.

“Um, aren’t we near Grandma’s house?” Patrick asked looking around. He also hoped to deflect the increasing tension between Bree and Chet.

“Yes, good observation,” John said to his son. “We can ride over there after we cool off. I bet she’ll even have some cookies ready for us.”

“Yum,” Bree said happily. “I haven’t seen Grandma Claire in a long time.”

“When I told her we were going riding today, she told me I better bring you to see her or I’d be in big trouble,” John said with a chuckle.

“I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble, Uncle John,” Bree said sincerely.

“Where’s her house?” Chet asked.

“Over there through the trees, and a little further up the stream,” Patrick explained. “She makes the best cookies.”

“My mom always buys her cookies,” Chet informed them.

“I make cookies with my Daddy,” Bree contributed.

“And I make them with my mommy … sometimes,” Ashley added. She didn’t want to be left out.

“Making cookies is for girls,” Chet said disdainfully. “You don’t bake cookies, do you?” Chet asked Patrick.

Patrick gulped. He didn’t want to seem like a girl in front of his new friend, but he knew he wasn’t going to lie. “I bake cookies with Bree sometimes. She makes really good chocolate chip ones.”

Bree beamed at Patrick. “Thank you, my Patrick, and we have fun making them.”

“Doesn’t sound like fun to me,” Chet informed them.

“I enjoy making cookies sometimes too,” John decided to add. He hadn’t seen this side of Chet when the girls weren’t around. He didn’t like his superior attitude over people of the female persuasion.

Chet shook his head. “Are we going to ride some more or sit here all day?” he asked.

“You’re in a big rush, Chet,” John said gently. “In the summer we like to take it slow and easy.”

“I don’t like to waste time.”

“I’d hardly call sitting in the sun relaxing a waste of time.”

Chet shook his head. He’d like to tell them all what he thought about their idea of relaxing, but he knew he’d get in trouble for being rude. “I’m sorry if that sounded bad. I like riding better than sitting here.”

“Okay, son,” John said, “let’s ride over to my mother’s house.”

They all got up and dried their feet on the grass. They waited a few minutes until the sun did the rest of the drying for them, and then they put their boots back on. John led the way to his mother’s place.

“Mother!” John called out as they approached the old farmhouse.

“Well it’s about time you got here,” Claire said with a big smile as she came out of the screen porch.

“Grandma Claire!” Bree shouted bouncing in her saddle, hardly able to wait for her uncle to help her down. She immediately ran to her grandmother as soon as John helped her to the ground. They exchanged a long, tight hug before Patrick got a chance to hug his grandmother too.

“And Ashley,” Claire said, “I haven’t seen you in months. My, my, you’re growing up.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Ashley replied seriously. She liked it when grownups noted that she was indeed becoming a big girl.

“I told you ages ago to call me grandma.”

“Yes ma’am, I mean grandma.”

Claire pulled Ashley into a warm hug, just as she noted the new person on the scene. “And who do we have here?”

“This is Chet, grandma,” Patrick said making the introduction.

“Hello, Chet,” Claire responded.

“Hello, ma’am,” Chet said taking his lead from what Ashley had called the lady.

“I met Chet at baseball camp,” Patrick explained. “He wanted to ride horses with us today.”

“That’s nice,” Claire said sizing up the young man. “I have some cookies and lemonade all ready for you. Come on in.”

“Don’t I get a hug?” John asked as they all entered the screen porch. It was nice and cool under the screening.

“Of course you do,” Claire said with a laugh, giving John a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. Then she proceeded to pour tall glasses of lemonade.

The children ran inside to wash up following John’s instructions. When they returned, the lemonades were ready and a big plate of cookies awaited them. Grabbing a cookie and a glass of lemonade, each child found a seat in the porch.

Claire watched the children carefully as they took a bite of cookie and a sip of lemonade. “I hope the cookies and lemonade meet with your approval,” she said with a smile.

“I love your oatmeal raisin cookies … grandma,” Ashley replied.

“Me too,” Patrick added.

“You know I love whatever you cook,” Bree stated. “The lemonade is particularly good today.”

Claire chuckled. “Sounds like you and your dads must have eaten out quite a bit while you were in Toronto.”

“Oh yes, Grandma Claire. The hotel had a wonderful restaurant, and the maitre’d was so nice. His name was Rudolph.”

“You asked his name?” John questioned.

“Yes, Miss Cynthia says it’s always a good idea to introduce yourself and ask people’s names,” Bree explained.

Chet made a sour face but said nothing.

“And how about you, Chet? Did you enjoy baseball camp?” Claire asked the boy.

“It was okay.”

“Just okay?” Claire asked.

“That seems to be Chet’s favorite expression,” John told his mother with a little shake of his head.

Claire raised an eyebrow. “What really grabs your attention?” she asked the boy.

“I don’t know.”

“There must be something that gets you excited,” Claire persisted.

“I like my computer games.”

“Computer games?” Claire questioned.

“Yeah, Warcraft is great!”

“Warcraft! That sounds … depressing,” Claire stated. She didn’t want to be too critical, but playing at war didn’t seem like a good thing for a young lad to be doing.

“It’s great,” Chet averred.

“I don’t like war,” Bree stated emphatically.

“What do you know about war?” Chet challenged. “The game’s great.”

Bree made a face. She was learning not to like this kid, just like what had happened with David in Toronto. She was about to challenge Chet again when Patrick decided to jump in.

“Dad, can we go up the treehouse?” Patrick asked.

“Sure, just be careful on the ladders,” John said.

“Everyone want to come?” Patrick asked.

The girls both nodded and followed Patrick and Chet out the screen porch door.

“What kind of treehouse is this?” Chet asked Patrick as they made their way across the yard.

“Um, it’s a treehouse, up in a tree.”

“I figured that out,” Chet replied sarcastically. “I mean is it a bunch of boards stuck together?”

“See for yourself,” Patrick said stopping near the old maple tree and pointing up.

“Wow!” Chet replied as he scanned the complicated structure and the series of ladders leading up to the house at the top.

“It’s really neat inside too,” Bree stated. “My Daddy painted a mural in it for my brother.”

“Brother?”

“Yes, my brother Gus. He’s in university,” Bree informed the boy proudly.

“Let’s go up,” Chet said sorry he had bothered to ask.

“Sure,” Patrick agreed. Then he led the way up the ladders. At the first landing he stopped so they could look out over the yard of the farmhouse. “If you look really carefully over there, you can see the stream where we cooled off.”

“Oh yeah,” Chet said as he peered out at the spot Patrick indicated. “Let’s go to the top.”

They continued to climb and entered the doorway to the main building way up in the tree.

“A fireplace!” Chet exclaimed in amazement.

“It’s great in the fall or spring when the nights are cold,” Bree informed him as she and Ashley arrived in the main room.

“It really works?” Chet asked.

“Yep,” Patrick replied. “There’s canisters of gas or something that you put in it and it makes it nice and warm up here.”

“Can we start it up?” Chet asked.

Patrick shook his head. “My Dad has the canisters in the barn and we never start the fireplace without his help.”

“Oh,” Chet said with disappointment.

“I bet we could stay here some night … if you wanted,” Patrick told his friend.

“Really?”

“Sure.”

“I…um…I’m not sure my parents would let me,” Chet said uncertainly.

“It’s really fun,” Bree told him. “Patrick and I have stayed up here.”

“All by yourselves?”

“Well, my dads have stayed with us … mostly.”

“Yeah, we played chess and games and told stories,” Patrick said with a grin as he remembered the times they had spent there. It had been a long time since they had stayed in the treehouse. He thought it might be fun to stay there with Chet, if his parents let him do it.

“I could ask my parents,” Chet replied uncertainly. He liked the idea of staying overnight, just him and Patrick. He hoped the invitation wouldn’t include the girls.

“I’ll ask my dad when we go down,” Patrick volunteered.

“We should take the slide,” Ashley said. She loved the slide.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Patrick replied. They all started their way down the ladder to the landing where the slide would take them to the ground.

“That was fun,” Chet said enthusiastically as his feet hit the ground at the bottom of the slide.

“Let’s go talk to my dad about staying overnight,” Patrick said.

The boys ran towards the screen porch while Ashley and Bree were still coming down the slide.

“I think Chet found something that was better than okay,” Ashley said wisely.

“Yeah,” Bree agreed. “He’s a pain in the … butt, most of the time. He thinks everything he has is better than ours.”

“Except for the treehouse.”

“Yeah, I’m kinda surprised that he liked it. I thought he’d want it to have a pool or something.”

Ashley laughed. “Oh Bree, he’s not that bad.”

“He’s bad enough.”

“Let’s go get some more cookies,” Ashley suggested.

“Good idea.” The girls ran for the screen porch.

When they came through the door, Patrick and Chet were asking John about the possibility of staying overnight in the treehouse. John was saying that Chet would have to get permission and then they would try to arrange it. They went into the kitchen to call Chet’s parents.

Bree grabbed a cookie from the plate that was still heaped high. She bit off a piece and flopped down on a chaise. She looked glum.

“What’s up, sweetheart?” Claire asked.

“I bet we’re not invited to stay in the treehouse,” Bree replied sulkily.

“You know you’re always welcome to come stay here, either in the house or the treehouse. You too, Ashley.”

Ashley smiled at the older woman as she sipped her lemonade.

“That’s not what I mean,” Bree said petulantly. “Chet and Patrick don’t want us.”

“Sometimes boys want time with other boys,” Claire advised her.

“I wanted to spend time with Patrick while my daddies are away. Now he’s got Chet!”

Claire tried not to chuckle as she thought about Bree’s dilemma. “Maybe you and Ashley could stay here in the house while the boys are up in the treehouse. We could bake cookies, or maybe I could show you how to make my famous apple pie.”

“Maybe,” Bree responded slowly.

“I’d like that,” Ashley chirped up.

“Would you be okay with that, Bree?” Claire asked, sensing that Bree was still not satisfied.

“I guess so,” Bree reluctantly conceded.

“You wanted to be invited to stay in the treehouse with Patrick, didn’t you?” Claire surmised.

“Yeah. Why do boys have to be such jerks?”

“Sometimes it just goes with the territory,” Claire advised them.

“I met this boy in Canada, and I really liked him … for a while,” Bree informed them. “Then he turned into a real jerk.”

“What happened?” Claire asked curious about Bree’s experience with boys. There would be many more experiences with boys to come in the future, she was sure.

“I met David at the park and he played on the slide and seesaw and all kinds of things with me, and then we went to Niagara Falls with him and his father. He turned weird that day.”

“Why do you think that was?” Claire asked.

“Cause boys are stupid.”

Claire chuckled. “I bet there was more to it than that.”

“What do you mean, grandma?” Bree asked with a frown.

“Something must have changed to make David act differently.”

Bree frowned again and thought about the question. She couldn’t think of anything.

“When did he start acting differently?” Ashley asked. She wanted to figure out what happened too. She couldn’t imagine anyone being mean to her friend. Everybody liked Bree, even Chet seemed okay with her.

“I don’t know,” Bree said. “David taught me to play pool, and … and then I tried to hold his hand. He shook me off. I didn’t like that.”

“Maybe he thought you were getting too … attached,” Claire said choosing her words carefully.

“I did like him.”

“Boys of David’s age, your age, aren’t really ready for that kind of thing,” Claire counseled. “Even if girls are ready, the boys probably aren’t.”

“How come?” Bree asked.

“It’s just how it is,” Claire replied, unable to give a better reason. “That’s why most women end up with an older man because he’s more likely to be ready for the relationship.”

“Men are complicated,” Bree decreed.

“No more complicated than they think women are.”

“So how do we figure it all out?”

“It’s called living,” Claire said with a smile.

“Okay,” John said as he came back into the screen porch, interrupting the life lesson that was being given. “We got everything worked out. It’s time to mount up and head out.”

 

“Okay, Uncle John,” Bree said as she stood up. She gave Chet a wary look before they all headed out to the horses.

Fun in the Sun

Chapter 5

 

“Hey.”

Brian opened his eyes to the gentle caress of his face and a pair of sparkling blue eyes gazing down at him. He smiled up at the morning fresh face. A face that was now free of dark circles under the eyes and worry lines across the forehead. A few carefree days were all it took to restore the sunshine back into Justin’s face.

The boys had spent the previous day lounging in the solarium. In between raindrops, they ventured out into the garden to become up close and personal with nature. Justin took out his colored pencils and began to fill in his charcoal sketch to do the garden justice. When he completed his drawing, he presented it to Seamus who immediately commissioned a frame for it.

“Hey,” Brian replied, as he reached up to gently tug on a blond lock that had fallen across Justin’s face.

“What shall we do today?” Justin asked.

“Anything you want,” Brian immediately replied. Justin laid his head down on Brian’s chest listening to the strong heartbeat and feeling the rhythmic breathing. He felt Brian’s arms envelop him, making Justin feel loved and giving him a sense of security. Justin inhaled the heady scent of his lover’s skin.

“Can we stay here?”

“In bed?” Brian asked with mirth. Justin snorted. “Yes, Sunshine, we can stay right here, in this bed or we can take over the solarium again. Seamus won’t mind.” Sunny Florida still wasn’t.

“I don’t think Seamus minds whatever you do. You being a fellow countryman,” Justin snarked from Brian’s chest.

“Are ya meaning that my ancestors are from the ole sod?” Brian said in an exaggerated brogue. Justin gave Brian’s chest a little smack then quickly kissed the nearest nipple.

“How long can we stay here?” Justin asked after a while.

“At the B&B, for as long as you like. Remember, we have an open return ticket and nothing pressing at home. But your mini-me will eventually miss you if we stay too long.”

“She’ll miss both of us and we’ll miss her. I already miss her,” Justin said with a sigh.

“Then whenever you’re ready, I’ll book our flight home. Bree’s the one who ordered you on this vacation, Sunshine, so she expects that we’ll be away for as long as it takes for you to get back to your old sunny self,” Brian reminded his spouse.

“I would like to be home for the Labor Day weekend.”

“Ah yes, our annual Fall invasion,” Brian grumbled.

“You know you love it,” Justin said as he ran his hand over Brian’s chest, soothing the savage beast.

“You just love watching me sweat my ass off at the grill.”

“That too. But I love your ass no matter what you’re doing.”

“Isn’t that my line?” Brian said with a smirk. He angled his head down so he could see Justin’s face as he gave Justin’s ass a pat. Justin smiled up at him.

“Brian, you must know how fine your ass is,” Justin said with conviction and a waggle of his eyebrows.

“It’s old,” Brian mumbled as he hugged Justin closer hoping that Justin didn’t hear his admission.

“Excuse me?”

“I said, my ass is old,” Brian whined uncharacteristically. Justin raised his head up off Brian’s chest and stared at the man.

“I can’t believe you said that!”

“It’s true. My ass is fifty years old. In another few years it’ll be sagging.” Brian unconsciously flexed his glutes. Justin burst out laughing. “Oh nice, laughing at the aged and infirm.”

“Aged and infirm, my ass!” Justin exclaimed in between laughter. “Brian, you will always be young and beautiful no matter how old you are, including your ass.”

“You’re just saying that,” Brian huffed in a fit of pique.

Justin giggled. “Brian, I can’t decide if you sound more like Michael or Emmett.” Brian’s eyes opened wide in shock. “You really don’t realize just how beautiful you are, do you?” Brian narrowed his eyes. “I’m not talking about the stud; he will forever remain legendary. I’m talking about you, the most beautiful, most generous man that I have ever known. You’d do anything for those you love, and you have, a hundred times over. And look what you’ve done for me.”

“You’ve done it all on your own, Justin,” Brian whispered around the lump that suddenly grew in his throat. Justin smiled sweetly as he shook his head.

“We’ve done it together,” Justin wisely stated.

Brian gave him a small nod then gently pushed Justin’s head back down onto his chest. Brian had had enough of analysis for one morning.

The boys remained quiet. Brian was reluctant to release his hold and Justin had no intention of leaving Brian’s warm smooth skin anytime soon. At some point Brian must have dozed off, Justin could hear the slight wheeze. He smiled to himself; Justin wasn’t the only one who needed their vacation. The past year had been difficult for both of them. But together they had weathered the storm.

As the rain grew heavier, it startled Brian awake. Justin clung to Brian’s torso like a limpet to comfort him. He cooed, making nonsensical soothing sounds like he used to do when Bree was a baby until Brian fully wakened.

“How long was I out?” Brian asked with a sleep raspy voice when he realized that he must have fallen asleep.

“Only a few minutes.”

“Do you want to get breakfast? We still have time,” Brian said clearing his voice as he snuck a peek at Justin’s watch.

“Not yet. I’m not really hungry.”

“You, not hungry?” Brian teased as he placed his hand on Justin’s forehead.

“Ha ha. I am hungry, just not for food,” Justin said holding himself up on his hands to look down on Brian. He gave his eyebrows another little waggle.

“Uh huh. Me thinks I’m understandin’ your meanin’,” Brian responded in his awful brogue.

“Your accent needs work,” Justin commented as he reached over to the nightstand for the lube. Brian went to take the tube but Justin stopped him with a shake of his head. The boys stared at each other for a second.

“Oh yeah, I understand,” Brian murmured with a crooked smile.

Justin shouldered Brian’s long legs and patted the muscular thighs. He gently prepped his mate, even though on this vacation the boys were sharing the bottom duties. Brian being Brian was extremely tight and Justin had no wish to injure the love of his life.

“I’m not fragile, Sunshine,” Brian murmured, reading Justin’s mind.

“I know,” Justin whispered back as he breached the tight ring of muscle. He slightly leaned back, savoring the moment. No matter how long they were together, it always overwhelmed Justin when he got to top Brian. Justin saw the smirk and the twinkle in Brian’s eyes. Those all knowing hazel eyes that saw deep into Justin’s soul and knew just what Justin was thinking.

Brian bucked, bringing Justin back to the here and now. Justin took the hint and began to slowly push into Brian until he was balls deep.

“This never gets old,” Justin whispered, his eyes hooded in ecstasy. Justin leaned in closer, hooking his arms around Brian’s thighs pulling them closer. “Yes,” he exclaimed as he pumped his hips, picking up the rhythm driving them both toward the edge.

Using all the techniques he learned from Brian, Justin continued making love to his mate. Angling himself just right, Justin made sure he hit Brian’s sweet spot over and over, relishing in the grunts and groans he was getting in response.

“Close,” Brian moaned after what seemed like hours; sweat pouring off each man. Justin bucked his hips faster and harder as he felt Brian’s orgasm hit. The sight of the pearly cum spurting from Brian’s dick and the feeling of Brian’s ass clenching around Justin’s cock made Justin shout as he came hard. Justin shuddered, releasing Brian’s legs as he collapsed back onto Brian’s chest in exhaustion.

 

*****

 

“Uhhh,” Justin groaned. Two strong arms stopped him when he attempted to get up. “What time is it?”

“Half past my bladder bursting,” Brian growled as he held Justin tighter.

“Why can’t I get up?” Justin whispered.

“Because we’re glued,” Brian groaned. “Really, really glued,” Brian stated, in a tone reminiscent of Bree. Justin chuckled. “Ow.”

“Sorry. So how do we get unglued?”

“I haven’t a fucking clue. I only know that if we don’t do it soon we’ll have a worse problem than the loss of a few skin cells.” Brian squirmed a little as he grumbled.

“Lube.”

“What?”

“Can you reach the lube?”

“Yes,” Brian said as he gingerly stretched out an arm and with his fingertips managed to get the tube then hand it to Justin. Carefully, Justin took a small amount and worked it in between their bodies. “Fuck, that’s cold.”

“It’ll warm up,” Justin quipped as he slowly pried them apart.

“Thank the gods!” Brian exclaimed as he pushed Justin off then leapt out of their bed, sprinting toward the bathroom. Justin laughed as the sounds of relief emanated from the small room. “Oh yeah!” Justin got up to join Brian.

“Shower,” Justin heard Brian declare as he disappeared into the shower stall. After relieving himself, Justin stepped into the shower behind Brian. Both moaned as the warm water flowed over their bodies. Silently, Brian took up a soft soapy puff and began to scrub Justin’s skin clean.

 

*****

 

“Alive, I see,” Seamus declared as the boys finally appeared in his kitchen. As they sat at a table, Seamus placed two large mugs of coffee before them.

“Thank you,” Justin politely said. Brian grunted, briefly waving his mug then taking a large sip. He sighed as the magic elixir began to take effect.

“At least one of you has manners,” Seamus teased. “Will you be stayin’ out of bed more than five minutes today so that the poor charwoman can air out your room and change the sheets?” Seamus asked making Justin blush beet red.

Brian laughed. “Yes, sir,” he replied as he topped off his mug. “Would ya be preferring me to strip the bed meself?” Brian asked in his terrible brogue.

“Would ya now? Take pity on the poor woman.”

“I’ll do it,” Justin said as he stood up quickly, looking from Seamus to Brian. He wasn’t sure if they were serious but he and Brian did tear up the sheets.

“I’m only teasing, lad. No need for the guests to be doing the housework. You’re here for a rest,” Seamus said gently, waving Justin back down in his seat.

“I don’t mind, really. I feel I should be doing something to thank you for your generosity,” Justin said sincerely.

“No, my boy. You stay, eat up and enjoy the day. If I know Myra, your room has already been made spic and span and the laundry nearly done. She’s been with me for years and is wise to the likes of you!” Seamus said as he wiggled a finger in front of Justin’s face.

“If you’re sure. I really don’t mind helping,” Justin stated.

“I’m sure.”

“The likes of us?” Brian arched his brow as he spoke.

“Yes, naughty boys who spend their time rolling between the sheets instead of doin’ some worthwhile pursuits,” Seamus teased.

“Rolling between the sheets is a worthwhile pursuit,” Brian nonchalantly quipped as he continued to sip his brew.

“Aye, from yer lips to God’s ears,” Seamus replied with a broad smile. To that, Brian raised his mug in salute.

“The two of you are incorrigible,” Justin declared as he took his mug into the solarium then settled down to sketch. Brian smirked.

“I take it, that’s not the first time he’s declared you to be incorrigible,” Seamus commented as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

“Nope, and it won’t be the last. I think he delight’s in calling me that,” Brian smiled.

“I think it’s the other way around; you delight in hearing it,” Seamus said wisely.

“You’re probably right.” Brian fiddled with the mug in front of him for a while.

“You’ll be leaving me soon then,” Seamus observed.

“Yes, I think so. The Piece of Plenty has worked its magic. It’s time we went back to the real world.”

“Maybe next time you won’t wait so long to take some time for yourselves,” Seamus suggested.

“You’re right. Now that I know the signs, I won’t let it get that far. The same can be said about you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, Seamus Griffin, me lad,” Brian spouted. “When was the last time you had a vacation?”

“You know, I don’t really remember,” Seamus admitted.

“Then why don’t you and your ‘young man’ take a few days off and join us up on our lane?” Brian suggested.

“Now who’s kissed the Blarney Stone?”

“I’m serious, Seamus. We have plenty of room; it wouldn’t be any inconvenience. We’re having a family gathering over the Labor Day weekend. You can meet the whole family. Maybe drum up some more business for yourself,” Brian said with a quirk of his mouth.

“You’re really serious?”

“As the clap.”

“Don’t be sassing me, boy. But I’ll give it some serious thought and speak to my ‘young man’ about it. He’s heard a lot about you and your family over the years. I don’t think he believes half of what I’ve told him.”

“We’re an unbelievable bunch,” Brian said in all honesty as he raided the fridge.

“Out, with ye. I’ll bring you both a snack,” Seamus said as he began to plan out brunch. “Will your friend Emmett be there?” Seamus asked before Brian got out of earshot.

“Most likely.”

“Good. I can use some new ideas for nibbles and such,” Seamus muttered.

Brian shook his head as he took out his cell phone. It was time to book their tickets home and set the Labor Day weekend festivities in motion.

 

*****

 

“Hey,” Brian said softly as he entered the solarium. Justin was deep in artistic mode. The tip of his tongue was just peeping out between his lips as he concentrated, capturing a hummingbird that was flitting around an orchid.

The rain had stopped and the sun was lighting up the garden with vivid color.

“Hey,” Justin murmured not really paying too much attention. Brian didn’t mind. It was good to see Justin doing the one thing that gave him the most pleasure in the world to do.

Brian walked in and gently bussed Justin’s head as he passed through the solarium’s outer door and stepped into the garden. With his quiet grace, the hummingbird paid Brian no attention. Justin stared at him for a moment, smiled then frantically added more to his sketch. When the little bird finally flew off after drinking its fill, Brian made a slow turn to gaze at Justin through the window. Justin stood, leaving his pad and pencils on his seat and went out to the waiting arms of his lover.

“Thank you,” Justin whispered.

“For what?”

“For this, for everything,” Justin replied as he raised up on his toes to kiss Brian. Their kiss went on and on until the need for a breath became an issue.

“You’re welcome,” Brian replied without snark or insincerity.

“Do you mind if we sit out here for a while?”

“Not at all,” Brian replied. They brought out a few chairs and a small folding table.

“Planning a party?” Justin asked.

“No, planning on Seamus,” Brian retorted. In a few minutes, Seamus came out of the solarium wheeling out a cart. “Speak of the devil.”

“Shush now,” Seamus admonished while he set things up. The boys helped and within minutes they were enjoying an afternoon repast.

“Did Brian tell you that he invited me and my man to your lane?”

“No, he didn’t.” Justin threw Brian a poignant look.

“I was just getting to it, Sunshine,” Brian said, innocently batting his eyelashes at Justin. Justin and Seamus shook their heads.

“We’d love to have you. Can you come for the Labor Day weekend?”

“I believe we can,” Seamus confirmed.

“If you have any trouble getting a flight, I can...” Brian was about to take out his cell phone to wheel and deal.

“None of that. I’m quite capable of booking a flight. Bertie and I will...”

“Bertie?” Brian blurted out.

“Aye, Bertie. Short for Albert. Sounds like a bloody royal but don’t hold it against him,” Seamus said making them all laugh. “It’s all arranged. We’ll fly up on the Thursday then leave on Wednesday if you don’t mind puttin’ us up.”

“We’d love it!” Justin said with a big smile as Brian looked at Justin fondly. It warmed Brian’s heart to see Justin enjoying himself and looking forward to something. “Won’t we, Brian?”

“Yes, Sunshine, we will.”

 

*****

 

The boys went to dinner later that night then strolled around the quaint old town. They came upon the love tree; it had changed little from when they saw it for the first time. They held hands as they quietly stood in front of it.

 

No words were necessary. They kissed then walked back to the Piece of Plenty to retire for the night. A few days later, they would be back on a plane heading for home.

Fun in the Sun

Chapter 6

 

“Hi, Dada,” Bree said into the phone.

“Hey, Squirt, are you and Ashley doing okay?” Brian asked.

“Yeah.”

“That doesn’t sound like a resounding yes,” Brian observed. “Is everything all right?”

“Why are boys so stupid?”

“Uh oh,” Brian reacted. “What happened?”

“Patrick has a new friend, and he’s weird.”

“I see.”

“I don’t see, Dada. Boys are stupid,” she repeated.

“Um, would you like to talk to Daddy?”

Bree sighed. “Sure.” She didn’t think she was going to get any answers from this source either.

“Hi, sweetheart.”

“Hi, Daddy, are you having fun?”

“Yes, this holiday is just what I needed. How are you and Ashley doing?”

Bree chose her words carefully. This vacation was for her Daddy. What she said to her Dada wasn’t what she was going to say to her other father. She wanted him to have a good time, and not worry about her. “We’re good, Daddy. We’re going shopping with Ashley’s mom today.”

“Buy some cute stuff. I can’t wait to see it.”

Bree smiled to herself. She and Ashley would have fun shopping. And maybe Patrick would too, if he didn’t bring that stupid Chet with him. “I better go get ready. You and Dada have a good time.”

“We will, sweetheart. I love you.”

“Love you too, Daddy.”

Bree handed the phone to Bobby. It was his day to take care of the kids, and he thought he was a better one to go shopping with Susanna than John would be.

“My mommy’s here!” Ashley shouted as the buzzer indicated a visitor at the end of the lane.

“Better go, Justin. Susanna just arrived,” Bobby said into the phone before cutting the connection. He pushed the button to release the gate. Everyone picked up what they were going to take with them on the day’s shopping expedition. They walked outside waiting for Susanna’s car to pull up. Once she arrived and received her hugs, they all got into John’s big SUV which seemed the most convenient vehicle for the number of people and all the impending purchases.

“So what’s the plan for today?” Bobby asked as he headed the SUV down the lane.

“I thought we’d hit Pittsburgh,” Susanna said with a big smile. “We could start at the mall and then hit some of the specialty shops near Liberty Avenue. Maybe lunch at the diner. I always hear you guys talking about it.”

“You want to eat in Gayville?” Bobby asked with a chuckle.

“I think I can handle it, and I hear the burgers are the best.”

“Yum!” Bree agreed. “I like this plan.” She looked over at Ashley and Patrick who both nodded their approval. Bree was very glad that they all seemed to be on the same page. And she was more than glad that Patrick hadn’t invited Chet to come with them.

They hit the mall first, going to the children’s stores for Bree and Ashley. They were able to find several outfits that were not exactly the same but had similar colors, including lots of pink and purple. Bree was happy with what they found, but she also wanted to see what the boutiques along Liberty Avenue might produce.

They paid for their purchases and headed to one of the big department stores in the mall. Patrick was tall enough that he could buy clothes either in the boys’ department, using the clothes that were at the upper end of the size scale, or in the men’s department where he could often fit the smaller sizes.

Patrick tried on a few outfits with Bobby making the selections. They consisted mostly of shirts and jeans with some T-shirts thrown in. Ashley and Bree nodded their heads when they approved or gave a thumbs down when they didn’t. Soon Patrick had three things that he had decided on.

“How come all your stuff is blue?” Bree asked as they waited at the checkout for Bobby to pay and the clerk to fold and bag the clothes.

Patrick looked at the pile of his purchases. He hadn’t realized that they all were various shades of blue. “I guess mine are blue for the same reason all yours are pink and purple,” he said giving Bree a self satisfied smile. He was pleased with himself for thinking that up.

“But pink and purple are two colors,” Bree informed him. “You only have one color.”

“Hm,” Patrick said. “Maybe when we go to the boutiques we should each get something that’s a different color from everything we’ve bought so far.”

“Okay,” Bree said with a giggle. “I can get blue and you can get something pink.”

“I don’t think so!” Patrick protested in horror.

“What’s the matter with pink?”

“It’s … girlie.”

“Is not!”

“Is so!”

“Sometimes my Dada wears a pink shirt.”

“Good for him.”

“You could wear a pink shirt too.”

“No I couldn’t. I don’t want everybody making fun of me,” Patrick replied.

“Would Chet make fun of you?” Bree asked.

“I don’t know. And he doesn’t go to our school anyway.”

‘Thank the heavens,’ Bree thought to herself. “What if you choose another color?” Bree asked after some considered thought.

“Maybe,” Patrick said. He wasn’t sure what color he might like … other than blue.

“All set,” Bobby told them as he walked away from the counter with the bag of new clothes. “I vote for lunch.”

“Me too,” Bree agreed. Patrick and Ashley also chimed their agreement.

Susanna laughed. “Looks like lunch it is. Shall we head over to Liberty Avenue?”

“Sounds good,” Bobby replied before leading them out to the SUV.

 

*****

 

Once they were all ensconced in the big back booth at the Liberty Diner, Lacy came to the table.

“It’s great to see all of you here. What are you doing in Pittsburgh?” she asked.

“Clothes shopping for school,” Susanna supplied.

“Did you get anything good?” Lacy asked with a smile.

“Me and Ashley got some outfits that go together,” Bree said proudly. “They look really cute.”

“Yeah,” Ashley agreed.

“That’s great,” Lacy concurred. “What about you, Patrick?”

“I got some school clothes,” he replied.

“They’re all blue,” Bree informed Lacy.

“Boys do love blue,” Lacy said with a grin at Patrick.

“See!” Patrick said looking at Bree. “It isn’t just me.”

“So, what can I get you?” Lacy asked, deciding it might be best to leave the topic of the color of boys’ school clothes for another time.

Everyone placed their orders, all opting for burgers and fries. While they were waiting for their food, the door to the diner jingled, heralding the entrance of JR, Richie and Candy. There were excited greetings and hugs as the children saw each other for the first time in a while.

JR, Candy and Richie took the booth next to the Edna’s Treasures group so that they could talk across the back of the seat.

“So what are you guys doing here?” JR asked.

“We’re shopping for school clothes,” Bree told her sister. “I wish you could come with us.”

“I’m working this afternoon. Dad and Ben are having some alone time,” JR explained with a wink to her friends.

“My daddies always want alone time too,” Bree said with a little pout.

Richie, Candy and JR giggled.

“I hope they get enough of it while they’re on vacation,” JR said with a sly grin.

“Me too,” Bree agreed. “But I bet they’ll want more when they come home.”

The teenagers chuckled again.

“What’s so funny?” Bree asked with a frown. She didn’t think she had made a joke, but there seemed to be something that she wasn’t getting. Even Patrick was staring at the table with a smile on his face. He refused to look at Bree.

“Um, I can’t go shopping with you today, but you should take Richie. He knows how to find all the best stuff in the shops. And then he accessorizes. The results are to die for,” JR informed them.

“Would you like to come with us, Richie?” Bree asked batting her eyelashes at the young man. “Please.”

“Um, sure, yeah, I could go with you,” Richie conceded. “Who needs the clothes?”

“Well, it’s not me,” Bobby said with a laugh. “And remember these two are just children,” he added indicating Bree and Ashley. “We’d like them to look like children when they go to school in September.”

“I’m not a children!” Bree declared. “I’m a young lady.”

“I stand corrected,” Bobby said with a chuckle. “We’d like them to look like the young ladies they are.”

“Sure,” Richie replied. “I’m confident we can find some appropriate stuff.”

“I could use some new clothes too,” Susanna interjected, “but my budget is rather limited.”

“We should check out the consignment shops,” Richie suggested.

“Oh yes, Richie finds the most amazing clothes in those shops. That’s where my graduation dress came from,” JR gushed.

“I saw the pictures Brian and Justin brought back from the ceremony,” Bobby said. “You looked wonderful.”

“Thanks, I thought so too,” JR said with a winning smile for Richie.

“I’d love your help, Richie,” Susanna said.

“Then you shall have it,” Richie replied gallantly.

“What are you doing this afternoon, Candy?” Bobby asked. “If you’re not busy, maybe you could join us too.”

“Sure, I guess I could, if it’s all right with Richie.”

“That would be good,” Richie agreed.

Lacy delivered the burgers for the Edna’s Treasures group and everyone dug in. There were a few comments made, but mostly everyone simply enjoyed their food. JR, Candy and Richie managed to finish up their lunches about the same time the others were done. Once the bills had been paid, they said goodbye to JR who was going back to work. Then everyone headed for Richie’s favorite consignment shop.

The owner of the consignment store greeted Richie and his friends warmly. She knew Richie’s tastes and fashion sense. She was also pleased to have new customers who might spend some considerable money if they all made purchases.

“I’ll let Richie show you around,” the owner said. “I think he knows my shop better than I do.”

“Um, Richie,” Bree said after looking around for a few minutes. “Aren’t these clothes … used?”

“Yes they are. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t great clothes here,” Richie told her.

“I don’t know if I want to wear clothes that someone else had,” Bree said with concern.

“Lots of people pass on their clothes,” Bobby explained, “when they are finished with them, or they outgrow them. We sent many of yours and Patrick’s clothes that are too small for you to charities.”

“But I’m not a charity.”

“And these clothes aren’t free,” Richie reminded Bree. “But you can often find very high quality garments at very affordable prices in these shops. Some of them have their original sales tags still on them.”

“Oh,” Bree said.

“And you don’t have to buy anything unless you really like it,” Richie advised. “There are lots more shops with brand new clothes that we can look at later.”

“’Kay,” Bree replied. She wasn’t sure her Dada would like her shopping here, and she knew he never would shop there.

“Oh, Miss Susanna, look at this,” Richie called to the woman he was trying to help with her wardrobe.

“What is it, Richie?” Susanna asked as she moved over to where he was lifting something from the rack.

“It’s a beautiful Chanel style suit. And the color is to die for,” Richie said with enthusiasm.

“But it’s … pumpkin.”

“I know. Isn’t that great? With your coloring it will look wonderful.”

“I … I never wear oranges,” Susanna protested.

“Auntie Emm wears tangerine … sometimes,” Bree supplied.

“I know this will look wonderful on you. Go try it on while I find a blouse to go with it,” Richie ordered.

“Are you sure?” Susanna asked uncertainly.

“Absolutely!”

“Okay, I’ll give it a try.” Susanna went into the change room while Richie searched for a suitable blouse. Soon he found what he wanted and handed it in to Susanna.

While Susanna was completing her transformation, Richie found a wonderful chocolate brown dress and a blazer in a rich plum color that would go well with black slacks or skirts.

Susanna came out of the change room dressed in the suit that Richie had selected. Bobby let out a wolf whistle before he gave it a thought. Susanna blushed beet red, but then decided to go with the praise and did a twirl for everybody to see how she looked.

“Mommy, you look so good!” Ashley gushed.

“That’s really spectacular on you,” Candy observed in all honesty. “Richie has the best eye.”

Richie beamed at his friend. “I thought that would look great on you.”

Susanna went to the full length mirror and studied how she looked. She realized that she would never have chosen this suit because of the color. However, it did make a statement, and she had to admit that she looked better than all right.

“You definitely have to take that,” Richie advised her. “And try these on.” He handed her the other outfits he had found.

“It’s too much,” Susanna protested.

“Just try them on.”

“Okay,” Susanna said and headed for the change room. She did like the suit … a lot.

Bree tugged at Richie’s hand. “Can you find something for Patrick that’s not blue?” she asked very seriously.

“Um, I’ll look around, but they don’t have much in this store for children,” Richie said.

“Oh.”

“But there’s a store down the street that has some great kid’s clothes.”

Bree smiled. “Just don’t pick something pink. I don’t he’ll try anything on if you try to get him to wear pink.”

“No problem,” Richie said with a conspiratorial wink.

Susanna modeled her outfits which all got great reviews. She didn’t think she should get all of them, fearing that they would be way over her budget. However, Richie had the owner total everything up, and to Susanna’s surprise it came to a fraction of what she was expecting to pay. She got everything she had tried on.

Then the group hit the children’s store down the street, and Richie found some more wonderful things for the children. This wasn’t a consignment shop, so Bree was happy. And the prices were quite reasonable.

With a little prodding from Richie, Patrick tried on a plaid shirt that was predominantly yellow and some black acid washed jeans.

“You look really good,” Bree said with a big smile.

“I don’t know.” Patrick frowned at his reflection in the mirror.

“That looks good, son,” Bobby said.

“You really think so?”

“I do.”

“I do too, but … yellow?” Patrick asked.

“Sometimes we need to step outside the box,” Bobby said. “Wear it proudly.

Patrick nodded and went to change back into his regular clothes. He had one more outfit for school.

Ashley and Bree listened to Richie’s explanation of what he thought would suit each of them. He picked out a turquoise blue slack and top outfit that really complemented Bree’s strawberry blond hair. He found a lime green similar outfit that Ashley just loved. The girls were very happy and added this pair of outfits to their already substantial selections.

With many thanks to Richie the Edna’s Lane group headed for home.

“I like your yellow shirt,” Bree said as she sat beside Patrick in the back of the SUV.

“I like your turquoise outfit too,” Patrick replied.

“See, you can wear other colors.”

“You got my blue color,” Patrick said with a grin.

“It looks better on me,” Bree said with a laugh.

“I don’t think turquoise is your color, Patrick,” Ashley advised, “even if it is blue.”

“I agree,” Patrick conceded. “Turquoise would have been as bad as pink.”

“You’re in-corrigible,” Bree stated.

“Do you even know what that means?” Patrick asked.

“Yes I do,” Bree replied. “Daddy calls Dada that all the time so I looked it up in the dictionary.”

“What does it mean?” Ashley asked.

“It means that you do stuff that can never be corrected, and you do it even when you know you shouldn’t,” Bree explained in her inimitable fashion.

“So, why am I incorrigible?” Patrick asked.

“Because you would have rather had another blue outfit instead of the yellow shirt,” Bree said with a self satisfied smirk.

“Yeah, I would have,” Patrick admitted.

“But you got the yellow one anyway.”

“Yeah, I figure change is good sometimes.”

Bree smiled at her Patrick. “I had fun today,” she said.

“And I’m going to have fun tonight,” Patrick averred. “Dad’s taking me and Chet to stay overnight in the treehouse at grandma’s.”

Bree frowned and made a face. That wasn’t how she wanted the day to end.

 

Fun in the Sun

Chapter 7

 

“Sleeping bags.”

“Check.”

“Toiletries.”

“Check.”

“PJ’s.”

“Check.”

“Snacks.”

“Check,” Patrick said as he shoved the bag with chips and pretzels into the back of his Dad’s SUV. They were getting ready to go to Grandma Claire’s farm so he and Chet could sleep overnight in the treehouse.

“I think we have everything,” John said.

“What about pillows?” Patrick asked.

“My mother has pillows, but with all of us sleeping over there tonight maybe we should take a couple. There’s some old ones in the linen closet. Run and get them, Patrick, as well as the pillowcases from that set of sheets we don’t use on your bed anymore.”

“You mean the ones with the cowboys?” Patrick asked in horror.

“Yeah.”

“But those are for babies.”

“You used them until last year,” John reminded him with a chuckle.

“But not anymore,” Patrick protested.

“They’ll do just fine for sleeping on the floor.” Patrick shook his head. “If Chet makes a comment, tell him I made you use them.”

“Okaaay,” Patrick said with a groan. He ran into the house.

“Uncle John, are you going to check off what me and Ashley are taking?” Bree asked. She was standing beside the open back of the SUV and had been waiting patiently.

“Didn’t Bobby help you two pack?”

“Yes, but I thought we should do a check like you did with Patrick,” Bree explained.

“Okay,” John agreed. “Do you have your jammies?”

“Check.”

“Grey bunny?”

“Check.”

“Games to play with Grandma Claire?”

“Check.”

“Change of clothes?”

“Check.”

“Grandma Claire will be glad of that if your baking gets messy.”

“I’m not messy,” Bree protested. “My Daddy says I’m very neat.”

“You take after your Dada in that regard,” John observed. Bree nodded proudly. “Then I guess you have everything.”

“You didn’t ask me about toiletries,” Bree reminded him.

“Ah, yeah, do you have toiletries?”

“Check.”

“Does Ashley have the same as you?” John asked.

“Yes, I do,” Ashley said as she ran up to the car dragging one of Bree’s suitcases behind her.

John took the overnight cases from the girls and added them to the pile of equipment in the back of the SUV. Patrick returned with the pillows stuffed into the cowboy pillowcases. John added them to the pile.

“Where’s your dad?” John asked his son.

“He’s coming,” Patrick said. “He was packing a suitcase for you and him.”

“Hm,” John said. “You and Chet want to stay in the treehouse by yourselves, don’t you?” John asked.

“Yes, Dad,” Patrick replied with what sounded like an exasperated release of breath. “We’re not babies. We can stay by ourselves,” the boy declared.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t,” John said looking at his rather snippy son. Was this the beginning of the dreaded teenage years? His son was almost there.

 

*****

 

A short time later, John pulled the SUV into Claire’s driveway. As he stopped the vehicle near the house another car came up the drive.

“That must be Chet,” John said.

“Great!” Patrick said enthusiastically.

“Yippee,” Bree muttered sarcastically.

Ashley giggled as she undid her seatbelt. Bree gave her a look, and Patrick glared at both of them.

“Hello, Mr. Anderson,” Chet’s father called as he got out of his BMW.

“It’s John,” John reminded him. “And this is my husband, Bobby,” he introduced his spouse. “Bobby, this is Chet’s father, Mitchell Larkin.”

“Ah, nice to finally meet you,” Mitchell said to Bobby as they shook hands. “And it’s Mitch. I think you’ve been at work whenever I’ve dropped Chet off at your place. Chet is very excited about sleeping in the treehouse. Can I have a look?”

“Sure,” John said, “but I’d like to introduce you to my mother and her husband.” John could see them waiting patiently just inside the screen porch. “Mom, Steve, come on out here.”

After introductions were made, John took the boys and their gear along with Chet’s father over to the treehouse. They each took some of the supplies and climbed the ladders up to the treehouse. Mitchell was amazed at what he found inside the structure. He really enjoyed seeing it, and he felt much better about leaving his son to sleep there overnight.

While they were still looking around the treehouse, Steve arrived at the base of the tree. He called up to them, “Hey guys, lower the basket. Claire sent some dust rags and cleaning products.”

“That’s my mother,” John laughed as he went out on the balcony to lower the basket and bring up the cleaning supplies.

“Claire said nobody’s slept in there for quite a while, so you better give it a good cleaning,” Steve told him.

“I’m surprised she didn’t climb up and clean it herself.”

“She thought about it,” Steve admitted, “but I think her days of climbing up there are over. Mine too.”

“Yeah,” John agreed reluctantly. He didn’t like to think of his mother getting old, but she was. Just like Joan. “Tell Mom we’ll make a good job of it,” he said. That would be the thing that would make his mother happiest.

 

*****

 

While the boys were getting settled in, Bobby and the girls went into the big farmhouse kitchen. Claire sent Steve out to the treehouse with the cleaning supplies she had arranged. Bobby took the little suitcases upstairs to the bedrooms, while Claire and the girls sat down to discuss what they might bake.

“Pie,” Bree said decisively.

“I thought you might like to make cookies,” Claire said.

“Nope, pie,” Bree stated. “I know how to make cookies. I want to make pie.”

“Is that all right with you, Ashley?” Claire asked.

Ashley nodded. “I don’t know if I can make pie, but I can try.”

“That’s very good,” Claire said with a smile. “I’m sure we can make a delicious couple of pies. The boys will be blown away.”

“That’s good, Grandma Claire,” Bree said happily.

“Then let’s get to work. I have a roast in the oven for dinner, so if we start the pie now, we can put it in when the roast is done. It can cook while we eat dinner, and then we can have dessert on the screen porch when it cools. Does that sound like a plan?”

Both girls nodded enthusiastically, before they donned aprons and started the process of making a pie.

When Bobby came downstairs the girls were carefully peeling apples while Claire was rolling out her crust.

“It’s very important that you don’t handle the crust too much,” Claire was saying. “That makes it tough, and we want it to be light and flaky.”

“When can we make crust?” Bree asked.

“It’s called dough until it’s cooked,” Claire advised. “Dough can be rather tricky, so maybe next time or the time after. There’s a lot to learn about making pies.”

“You’re the best teacher, Grandma Claire,” Ashley said with a cheery smile as she finished peeling one apple.

“Would you like me to core them as the girls finish peeling?” Bobby asked.

“Unless you’d rather go help clean the treehouse,” Claire said with a wicked grin.

“Coring sounds good to me,” Bobby said, sitting down at the kitchen table.

Claire laughed. “I thought it might.”

“What’s coring, Uncle Bobby?” Bree asked.

“I’ll show you.” Bobby proceeded to quarter Ashley’s peeled apple. Then he cut off the ends that still had some skin and made a couple of cuts to pop out the seeds and the tough innards of the apple. “Should I slice as well?”

“Please, but cut them thin,” Claire advised. She handed him a big bowl and he began to thinly slice the quarters of apple into the bowl. The girls watched, making mental notes of all that was involved in making the apples ready for the pie.

“What kind of apples are these?” Bree asked as she finished peeling her apple and handed it to Bobby.

“These are Cortlands. They’re a bit tart to suit me, but we can adjust the sugar. My favorite ones for pies are Northern Spies, but they aren’t picked until after the first frost,” Claire explained.

“So we have to wait for those?” Bree asked.

“Yes, but they make the best pies.”

“Can I come and make a pie when you have Northern Spies?”

“You certainly may,” Claire affirmed with a smile.

“Me too?” Ashley piped up.

“You too.”

Ashley smiled happily. “I bet my mommy would like to learn to make pies too.”

“You ask her, Ashley, and if she wants to some, we can have a pie making day,” Claire said.

“That would be great!” Ashley replied.

“How are those apples coming?” Claire asked.

“It’s a lot of apples, Grandma Claire,” Bree advised her.

“I know, but we’re making three pies.”

“We are?”

“Yes, so we’ll need a lot of apples,” Claire told her. “My dough is ready so I’m going to roll it out and put the bottoms in the pie plates.”

“Just the bottoms?” Bree asked.

“It would be hard to fill the pie with apples if the top was already on,” Claire chuckled.

“Oh yeah,” Bree said blushing.

“That’s okay, Bree,” Bobby said. “I had to learn how to slice apples properly. I would have just chopped them up, but Claire likes them evenly sliced and sliced very thin.”

“And I hope that’s just what you’re doing,” Claire told him.

“Yes, ma’am.” Bobby winked at Bree who giggled.

The pie making went along smoothly until the boys and their fathers returned from the treehouse. They were carrying the cleaning equipment which John proceeded to put away in the cupboard where his mother always kept it.

“I hope that treehouse is shipshape for the boys,” Claire said.

“We all did a fine job,” John assured her.

“It’s quite a treehouse,” Mitchell stated.

“Yes it is,” Claire agreed. “I remember when Brian first wanted to build that thing. He had no experience building anything.”

“But we all worked together and it turned out just fine,” Bobby tossed in.

“Better than fine,” Mitchell said. “Well, I better get going.”

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Claire asked. “I’m about to take the roast out of the oven and put in the pies.”

“Are those apple pies?” Mitchell asked looking with longing at the pies that Claire was laying the top crust on. “They look wonderful.”

“They sure are apple – homemade apple pie. So, why don’t you join us?”

“Let me make a phone call and I’ll let you know,” Mitchell said heading to the screen porch as he pulled out his cell phone.

“He has to check with my mom,” Chet stated with a sour look on his face.

“It’s always good to let people know where you are,” John averred. Chet made no comment.

“John, would you lift the roast out of the oven and let it rest on the back of the stove,” Claire requested. “Once we crimp the edges of the pies, they’re ready for the oven.”

“What’s crimp?” Ashley asked.

“You squeeze the edges to seal them together,” Bree informed her friend. She had watched her Grandma Claire make lots of pies and had asked that same question.

“Why don’t you and Ashley each take a pie and I’ll show you how to crimp the edges,” Claire said.

The girls watched as Claire rippled the edges of the pie shell with her fingers. They tried to follow suit, but were a lot less successful at it than the older lady.

“Excellent!” Claire said as Bree and Ashley each worked their way around the pie.

“Theirs don’t look as good as yours,” Patrick observed, earning a death glare from Bree.

“The girls are doing just fine for their first time,” Claire corrected her grandson. “I dare say you and Chet couldn’t do as well.”

Bree beamed at her grandmother, and Patrick looked sheepish. He hadn’t expected his grandmother to take the girls’ side.

Mitchell returned from the screen porch. “I’d love to stay for dinner if the offer is still on the table.”

“Most assuredly,” Claire said. She placed the pies in the oven. “Now, we do twenty minutes at 425 degrees and then we turn it down for the next forty minutes.

“Why?” Bree asked.

“So it will cook,” Chet piped up, and he and Patrick snickered.

Claire gave them both a look. “The high heat at the beginning sets the crust so that we don’t get soggy bottoms on the pies,” she explained. “I’m always glad when you girls ask questions. It will help you learn more than just blindly following instructions.”

Bree gave Patrick a triumphant look as she listened to Claire’s explanation. “Do you want me and Ashley to set the table?” she asked.

“That would be lovely. Dinner should be ready in about half an hour.”

The girls went to collect the cutlery and dishes they would need.

“How be us menfolk have a game of horseshoes?” John asked.

“I’ve never played horseshoes,” Mitch admitted.

“Then it’s time you learned. Call us when you’re ready for dinner,” John told his mother as the men all headed out through the screen porch.

“Just like men to go off and play some game while us women do the work,” Claire said.

“Yeah, boys are dumb,” Bree agreed. She and Ashley continued to set the table.

“I didn’t say they were dumb, just … different,” Claire said choosing that word carefully. She had felt some of the tension between Bree and Patrick and she didn’t much like it.

“How come Patrick doesn’t like me anymore?” Bree said forlornly. “I didn’t do nuthin’.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Claire said reassuringly. “Patrick is getting to an age where his interests are changing. He’s growing up.”

“So am I,” Bree stated.

“Yes,” Claire said with a chuckle. After the table was set and the potatoes and vegetables almost cooked Claire said to the girls, “Go call the menfolk for dinner.”

 

*****

 

“That was a fabulous meal, Mrs. McNally,” Mitch said as he cleaned his plate. Everyone around the table nodded in agreement.

“Mother has always been a great cook,” John said with a warm smile to the woman who had raised him.

“Thank you both, but I cook plain and simple,” Claire replied.

“And delicious,” Mitch added. Mitch looked at his son and gave a little jerk of his head.

“Thanks for dinner,” Chet said in response. “It was good.”

“Thanks, Chet, I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you can stay for pie,” Claire said. “The girls and I had fun making them and they smelled delicious when I took them out of the oven. They should be cooled off in a little while.”

“I’d love to,” Mitch said. Chet didn’t look too pleased that his father was staying.

 

*****

 

As the sun began to set, and after everyone had enjoyed the delicious apple pies, John took the boys out to the treehouse to get them settled for the night. He made sure they had water and snacks and some cards and games. He left a battery powered lantern so they would have light.

Chet and Patrick played some cards and then a board game, but soon they snuggled down in their sleeping bags getting ready to sleep.

“This Bree is your cousin, right?” Chet asked.

“Yeah.”

“She seems more like your sister.”

“Well, she’s my cousin,” Patrick said with a frown.

“She’s bossy.”

“Yeah, I guess she can be.”

“I don’t like her very much.”

“She’s okay,” Patrick said.

“Where are her parents?”

“They’re in Florida on vacation.”

“When are they coming back?”

“I’m not sure. Soon, I think.”

“Then maybe she’ll leave us alone,” Chet griped.

“What do you mean?”

“Everything we do, she has to do it too.”

“She’s not up here with us,” Patrick said.

“Thank God! But she’s here at the farm. It would be nice to do things without her being around.”

“Bree and I have spent a lot of time together,” Patrick tried to explain.

“Too much time. She’s a baby.”

“No, she’s just … younger.”

“Let’s try to leave her at home if we do something together. Okay?” Chet asked.

“I guess so,” Patrick said uncertainly. He knew his dads wouldn’t like that, and neither would Bree. He turned off the lantern and snuggled down into his sleeping bag.

 

*****

 

“You think the boys will be all right out there by themselves?” Bobby asked as he and John climbed into bed.

“They’re not children,” John said in his best imitation of his son. “I have been duly informed of this fact by our son.”

“He is almost a teenager.”

“I know. It’s bloody scary.”

“Let’s not think about it tonight,” Bobby said. “Make love to me, John.”

John smiled and turned out the light. He was happy to oblige.

 

*****

 

“Do you think Patrick and Chet are having fun?” Ashley asked as they lay in the big bed in the guestroom.

“I hope not,” Bree replied sleepily.

“That’s mean.”

“They’ve been mean to me.”

“Maybe they’ll get scared if animals start howling.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Bree said hopefully. Anything that would upset the boys would be appreciated.

“Do you think there are animals out there?” Ashley asked fearfully.

“No,” Bree replied. “I don’t think we’ll be that lucky. Night, Ashley.”

 

“Night, Bree.”

Fun in the Sun

Chapter 8

 

Justin woke up with a start from an uncomfortable feeling. Brian felt Justin jump and immediately wrapped his arms around him.

“Nightmare?” Brian whispered.

“Not really. What time is it?” Justin asked. Brian cracked open an eye as he reached for his cell phone to see the time.

“Around eight. Why?”

“I want to call Bree,” Justin replied with a father’s concern and intuition in his tone. Brian didn’t question; he hit number two on his cell phone.

“Hey, did I wake you?” Brian said the minute his call was answered. Justin’s eyes widened, Brian mouthed John’s name. Brian was sure John would be awake, he was usually up with the birds whether he was working or not. “We’ll be home in a couple of days. Justin needs to speak with Bree,” Brian said.

John had uncurled himself from around Bobby to answer his phone. Upon hearing Brian’s request, John threw on his jeans and a t-shirt then quietly padded out of their bedroom and to the room that Bree and Ashley were sharing in Claire’s house. John peeked in and saw the room was empty.

“Hold on, Bri,” John said as he followed his nose down to the kitchen where he found the girls learning the fine art of making homemade biscuits. The boys were still up in the treehouse.

“Jackie!” Claire greeted her son fondly while reaching up to kiss his cheek. He gave his mother a peck and threw a warm look toward Steve who was sipping his coffee. Steve immediately returned the smile.

“Bree, there’s someone who wants to speak to you,” John said as he handed his cell phone to his niece. Bree quickly wiped her hands on a towel then took the phone.

“Hello?” Bree said politely.

“Hey, Baby Girl,” Justin said. Brian had passed him the phone once he heard John speak to their daughter.

“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” Bree squealed loudly with delight. “Daddy, Uncle John took us horseback riding and Mrs. Susanna took me and Ashley shopping and Richie came with us, but I wasn’t sure if Dada would like me to wear someone else’s clothes, but then we went to another store to get brand new clothes and Grandma Claire taught us how to make apple pies, but we had to use different apples not the kind she likes cause they’re not in season, I’m not sure what that means but the pies are so good and now...”

“Breathe!” Justin commanded. He heard Bree stop and take a large gulp of air.

“Daddy,” Bree began with a sudden seriousness in her voice. “Are you all better now?”

“Much better, Baby Girl. Your Dada took very good care of me,” Justin said as he gave Brian a smile. “We’re coming home soon. And Mr. Seamus and his partner are coming up for a visit too. Do you remember Mr. Seamus? You were very little when we were down here.”

“He made us blueberry fruit cups for breakfast,” Bree remembered.

“Yes, he did. Baby Girl, are you okay?” Justin asked. He still had a feeling that Bree wasn’t all that happy in spite of her cheerfulness.

“Um, I can’t say,” Bree said in an almost whisper.

Justin thought for a moment. “Something about Ashley?” Justin ventured but didn’t think that could be it.

“Oh no.”

Justin could almost hear the little blond pigtails swishing back and forth as Bree shook her head.

“Something you need to say in private?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Can it wait until we get home or do you want me to call back later?”

“I think it can wait. I just don’t know what to do,” she said in a tiny voice.

“How about Dada and I call after dinner? That way you can excuse yourself and go sit somewhere private so we can talk. Will that be all right?”

“Oh yes, Daddy! That’ll be perfect.”

“Sweetheart, you are okay, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Daddy, I am. I miss you and Dada. I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Baby Girl, and we miss you a lot. Do you want to speak to Dada? He’s here, tugging on my hair,” Justin said with a giggle. Brian had tugged on a golden lock as a hint.

“Oh yes, Daddy!” Bree giggled too.

“Hey, Squirt,” Brian said with a pleased smirk on his face when Justin handed him the phone.

“Dada! Dada! Dada!” Bree squealed again, so happy to hear her elder father’s voice. “Dada, Daddy said he’s all better. Is he really?” Bree said with concern.

“Yes, Squirt, all better and I don’t lie,” Brian said with all confidence. He knew that their daughter was just as worried about Justin as he was. “You’ll see for yourself when we get home.”

“Okay, Dada. Can Ashley and her mommy come to the barbecue?”

“Of course. I already invited them,” Brian reassured her.

“Oh thank you, Dada!”

“Are you being good for your uncles?”

“Umm...”

“We’ll discuss that later. You be good for Grandma Claire and help her clean up after breakfast. I love you, Squirt, we’ll be home soon.”

“I love you too, Dada.”

“Let me speak to your uncle.”

“Okay, Dada. Kiss Daddy for me!” Bree said before she gave her Uncle John the phone.

“I will,” Brian promised. “Is she being a pain in the ass?” Brian asked as soon as John got on the line.

“I wouldn’t quite put it that way but you do have a very unique, strong willed, young lady for a daughter,” he replied as he walked into the living room. “She’ll be a formidable woman when she grows up.”

“It boggles the mind, doesn’t it,” Brian teased.

“That’s for sure. Not that I’m complaining, but why the early morning call? I thought you guys were trying to sleep late on your vacation.”

“The Great Carnac over here had a feeling something was up with Bree and had to call. I’m serious, is she behaving?”

“Yes, she is, but I have a feeling she’s not too happy with Patrick’s friend.”

“Which friend?”

“Chet. You haven’t met him yet. He’s a bit opinionated and has no use for little girls. Especially little girls who are used to getting their own way and getting her best friend slash cousin to do what she wants. Not to mention having him wrapped around her dainty little pinky.”

“Ah. I’m beginning to get the picture. I vaguely recall what it was like to be a pre-teen boy.”

“Brian, you were never a pre-teen boy,” John snickered.

“Hey, I resemble that remark!” Brian teased back. “So Chet’s got Bree’s pixie nose all out of joint?”

“Basically. I invited Chet and his parents to the barbecue, by the way,” John said.

“The more the merrier,” Brian quipped. Then John burst out laughing. “What?”

“I’m envisioning Bree, an impromptu soccer game and one Chet getting an ass whuppin’ from a little blond peanut who will run circles around him,” John said then continued to laugh. Brian broke out into a fit of giggles himself. The brothers fought to get themselves under control.

“You know we should be on the boys’ side,” John said after a moment. “We are men after all, we should stick together.”

Just then Bree ran into the living room with a fresh baked biscuit with a dab of butter on it and handed it to John with a big sunny smile. John took a bite, savoring the exquisite taste.

“On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with promoting girl power,” John stated quickly not wanting to miss out on some great biscuits. “I gotta go, breakfast is ready.”

“Okay, big bro, we’ll call Bree later,” Brian chuckled. His brother was a pushover for a certain blond peanut.

The brothers hung up returning to their own pursuits.

Brian rolled over after he snapped his phone shut and gazed into a set of deep blue eyes that were gazing back at him with amusement. He then moved in closer so they were nose to nose, making Justin look at him with crossed eyes. They giggled like naughty boys. Brian kissed the tip of Justin’s nose then dove in to plunder Justin’s mouth finally moving apart when their need for air became almost desperate.

“What was that for?” Justin asked breathlessly.

“I was instructed by our daughter to give you a kiss. She neglected to specify what type of kiss so I took the liberty of improvising,” Brian said smugly.

“You excel at improvisation,” Justin said with a bright smile.

The boys kissed for a while longer then rolled onto their backs, lacing their hands together as they each stared up at the ceiling.

“Did John tell you what’s got Bree’s knickers in a knot?” Justin queried.

“Yeah, Patrick’s new friend is hogging Bree’s time with her Patrick,” Brian explained.

“Ah, that explains it. So what do we plan on doing about it?”

“Not much we can do about it. I’ll call her later and get her take on it.”

“Wow.”

“Wow?”

“I’m impressed.”

“In what way?” Brian asked as he turned his head to look at Justin.

“A few years ago you would have been on the next plane outta here. Ride in on your white charger or in this case your Corvette to rescue the princess in distress. And ream out her oppressor in the process.” Brian glared at Justin making Justin laugh.

“Yeah, well maybe.”

“No maybe about it, Bri. No one gets away with making Bree sad or upset while you’re around.”

“Maybe I like rescuing princesses in distress. I’ve had lots of experience in the princess rescue business,” Brian smirked at Justin and got a backhand to his chest in return. “Ow,” he whined.

“Big baby,” Justin grumbled.

“Only blond princesses,” Brian qualified and got a pinch to his side.

“Two very, very special blond princesses,” he further qualified. That got him a kiss to his shoulder.

They quietly laid side by side for a while, neither man feeling the need to speak. Their linked hands said all that they needed to know for the moment.

 

*****

 

“Ladies, you’ve outdone yourselves,” John declared as he patted his very full belly then loudly belched. “Pardon,” he said as Bree, Ashley and Patrick giggled. Chet, who was still half asleep when brought to the breakfast table by John, had a sour look on his face.

“I’m going to have to run a few laps around the farm if I want to fit into my suits after the great meals I’ve eaten these past few days!” Bobby declared as he too patted his belly.

The ladies in question were all pleased by the praise.

“Well, men, I think it’s only fair that we do the washing up,” John said loudly as he stood and began to clear the table. Patrick and Bobby stood as well and without question, following John’s lead. Steve ushered the ladies out into the screen porch carrying a tray of tea, milk and juice for the ladies to enjoy while the menfolk set the kitchen to right.

Chet continued to sit and scowl.

“What shall we do today?” Bobby asked as he dried the last glass then put it back into the cupboard where it belonged. John finished wiping down the counters and the table.

“Not sure. We could go fishing,” John suggested. “The stream widens up near the farm and it’s been known to have a few trout in it. I haven’t been fishing in years,” John said with a wistful expression.

“My dad took me and Rachel fishing once down at the Jersey shore when we were kids,” Bobby said with an amused smirk on his face.

“Dr. Dan with a fishing pole in his hand, I don’t see it,” John laughed.

“Neither did we. It was on a party boat. Before we cast out the first line, Rachel got seasick, my father got a hook in his finger and I got sun poisoning. We spent the rest of the trip below deck. It was our last excursion to the shore and my family didn’t eat fish for years!”

John, Bobby, Patrick and Steve all laughed. Chet wasn’t amused.

“Fishing around here isn’t that exciting,” Steve said. “But it’s a nice day and I wouldn’t mind grilled trout for supper.”

“Providing we can catch any,” John added. “But you’re right about the day. It would be a shame to waste a beautiful day like this,” John said as he looked out the kitchen window. “We should ask Bree and Ashley.”

“Do we have to?” Chet finally spoke.

“It’s the polite thing to do,” John said with a stern look. Chet nodded sheepishly.

“I’ll ask them!” Patrick volunteered then sprinted out to the porch. “We’re going fishing today, you wanna come?” Patrick asked Bree and Ashley. Bree almost said yes, but Ashley wrinkled her nose and she shook her head no.

“You can go, Bree, if you want. I can stay with Grandma Claire. I don’t want to touch worms,” Ashley added.

“Oh.” Bree thought about it for a while. Bree wasn’t afraid of worms, she and her Dada saw plenty of worms all the time when they were gardening. He told her how important worms were for a healthy garden. But Bree didn’t want to be with Chet and she didn’t want to spoil Patrick’s fun either.

“I’ll stay with Ashley and Grandma Claire,” Bree acquiesced.

“You’re sure?” Patrick asked. He knew Bree didn’t like Chet but Patrick really didn’t mind hanging out with Bree and Ashley. He usually had fun with them even if he did have to do some girly things.

“I’m sure,” Bree stated with a smile, making Patrick feel a lot better for leaving her behind.

“It’s all right, Patrick, us women folk will go into town and do some shopping to prepare for the fish you’re going to bring home for dinner,” Claire said to reassure her grandson. She held out her arms and Patrick immediately moved into them. “Go on now and keep your fathers out of trouble,” she said with a conspiratorial wink.

“Okay, grandma,” Patrick said as he kissed her cheek then ran back into the house.

“Girls, we can make a day of shopping and visiting in town and maybe bake a cake for dessert. What do you say?” Claire asked the girls.

“Yay!” Bree and Ashley cheered then ran inside to get ready.

 

*****

 

The Florida sun made a spectacular reappearance after several days of rain. Brian and Justin decided on one last trip before flying back home. It was an overnight trip down to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center for the tour. They said goodbye to Seamus, knowing that they would see him and his partner soon at Edna’s Treasures.

“Which tour should we take?” Justin asked Brian as they drove toward Cape Canaveral. They had borrowed Seamus’ computer to print out as much information as they could.

“I thought you were sleeping,” Brian grumbled as he concentrated on the road. They had left the Piece of Plenty very early so that they could get to the Space Center when it opened. Then they’d fly home from Orlando.

“I decided to keep you company. We can share the driving.”

“I like driving,” Brian mumbled. Justin patted Brian’s thigh. This had been a very impulsive decision, mostly on Justin’s part but Brian could not turn him down.

“I’ll drive us to the airport,” Justin promised as a consolation. He leaned his head against the window for a moment as the sun was coming up. As Justin read over the papers he had printed about the different tours they could take, he drifted off to sleep.

“Hey, Sunshine,” Brian gently shook Justin awake.

“Hey,” Justin replied with a sleepy smile. “Are we there?” Justin said with a stretch.

“Yes we are. Have you decided which tour you’re interested in?”

“Can we just do the main visitor center tour and maybe the bus tour?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Brian stated as he exited the car. “I thought you were seriously considering the astronaut training tour.”

“Well,” Justin murmured with a blush.

Brian laughed. “It’s okay, Sunshine. It’s not like we were really going to be able to experience weightlessness. Although I was looking forward to zero gravity sex,” Brian whispered into Justin’s ear just before stepping up to the ticket booth. He chuckled when he felt the pop to his butt.

The boys spent a pleasant day at the Center, taking lots of pictures and making more memories.

“Bri, can we come back here with John and Bobby and the kids? Maybe spend a week or two,” Justin asked as they checked into their motel for the night.

“Of course we can. Let’s discuss it with the guys when we get back and make the reservations. I’ll even come back during Gay Days, if you want. I look great in red,” Brian said with a smirk.

“Asshole,” Justin mumbled as he took their bags into the room. “But I have to admit, you do look great in red,” Justin stated as he glanced around the room. It was just a small motel room but it was clean and it would serve its purpose for the one night.

“What did Bree say when you called her the other night?” Justin asked as he snuggled into Brian’s arms when they finally got into bed. It had been a long day. They were tired and looking forward to going home.

“The bottom line is that Chet...and who names their kid Chet? Chet wants to do guy stuff with Patrick. Just Patrick.”

“Patrick is going to be twelve this year. If Chet’s the same age then, yeah, I can understand them wanting to do guy stuff,” Justin agreed. “And no girls allowed.”

“What kind of guy stuff did you want to do when you were twelve?” Brian asked sporting a smirk on his face. He could imagine the pretty little blond boy Justin must have been at twelve, and made a mental note to get pictures from Jennifer when they got back.

“I don’t know,” Justin snorted.

“Yes, you do. It wasn’t all that long ago,” Brian pushed.

“Brian, my best friend was Daphne. All I wanted to do was to be just like her. We did what she wanted to do!” Justin explained, making Brian laugh.

“So, no shoot ‘em up or death and destruction video games?”

“No, more like going to the mall every chance we got and dishing on the clothes we saw people wear,” Justin admitted.

“My little fashionista princess,” Brian teased as he hugged Justin closer. “Do you miss her? Daphne?” Brian asked after a while.

“A little. We email once in a while but there’s no room for me in her life anymore,” Justin said sadly.

“Not even for Justin Taylor, renowned artist?”

“Maybe for him, but not for Justin and hanging out at the mall. Besides, I can always do that with Bree and Ashley.”

“And Susanna, she’s become a good friend.”

“Yes, she has and a positive role model for Ashley and Bree. I hope they stay friends for a very long time,” Justin said with a yawn.

“Me too,” Brian agreed. “Enough talking, time for all good princesses to go to sleep,” Brian commanded as he patted Justin’s hip.

“Okay,” Brian heard Justin mumble as he buried himself into Brian’s side then fell asleep. Brian kissed the blond head, closed his eyes and slept.

 

*****

 

“We’re boarding now,” Brian said into his cell phone. He was handling their carry-on bags as Justin handled their tickets. “Harrisburg,” Brian confirmed with John who was going to pick them up. “We should be landing around three. Are you sure that’s not a problem?” Brian asked.

“No problem, little bro,” John replied. “We’re all looking forward to your return,” John stated.

Chet and Ashley had returned to their respective homes and the lane was once again a quiet haven until the family descended upon them for the Labor Day weekend. They had a little under a week before that happened. The whole family was looking forward to it.

“Us too. I’m looking forward to sleeping in my own bed,” Brian said as he stowed their bags.

“Bri,” Justin called out to get his attention; they were announcing the turning off of devices.

“I gotta go, big bro, see you soon,” Brian said before he hung up and turned off his phone. He settled into his seat next to Justin. Justin was looking out the window. “Sorry to leave?”

“Not at all. I’m ready to go home. You?”

“I had a great time, but I miss everyone and our home. I even miss that dog.”

“You love Beau and you know it,” Justin said with a smile. Brian just grinned. He did have a fondness for Beau, even though he might not admit it.

“The garden must look like shit,” Brian grumbled after a while.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Justin assured his drama queen. He knew that John had arranged for Todd and his crew to come over a few times to inspect the gardens and the greenhouse. They did whatever was necessary to maintain the plants and flowers for Brian.

The flight wound up being uneventful and they were greeted by John, Bobby and the kids when they landed.

“Dada! Daddy!” Bree squealed as she caught a glimpse of her fathers. There were hugs and kisses to go around, before John had them all settled in his Navigator and back on the road to the lane.

Bree sat close to her younger father. She wanted the reassurance of her own eyes that he was happy and feeling better, and Justin was comforted by her presence. During the drive home, they all took turns updating each other and reviewing the plans for the Labor Day weekend bash.

“Did we miss anything important?” Brian asked as John took the turn off to their lane.

“Not really. Emmett and his boys came back a few days ago. Molly and her family should be here on Friday,” John said.

“Rachel said the girls will be here for the long weekend too,” Bobby added. Bree cheered. She loved Michelle and Cindy.

“John, pull over,” Justin requested as they slowly drove through the wrought iron gate. John made the turn then pulled to the side just before Emmett’s cottage. Justin got out of the big car and stood in the middle of the road.

“Is he okay?” Bobby asked Brian with some concern.

“He’s fine,” Brian said confidently.

“What’s he doing, Uncle Bri?” Patrick asked.

“Just looking,” Brian cryptically explained then he too got out of the Navigator. After a minute, Bree followed.

John, Bobby and Patrick watched as Brian slowly approached Justin and took his hand. Bree sidled up to the opposite side to take her father’s other hand. John, realizing what Justin needed, drove toward the cottage.

“Okay, Daddy?”

“Very okay,” Justin said with a gentle squeeze to Bree’s hand. “It’s good to be home,” Justin said as he looked up to Brian who smiled and nodded at him.

“Want to take a stroll, Sunshine?” Brian asked, getting a brilliant smile as his answer.

As they slowly walked up the lane toward their cottage, taking in the serene picturesque countryside, Beau came bounding up toward them.

“Beau!” both Bree and Justin shouted at the same time then gave the big dog a hug.

“Hello, dog,” Brian greeted the huge canine in his own acerbic way. Brian patted his chest then readied himself for the weight of Beau as the dog stood on his hind legs with his front paws on Brian. Brian accepted the lick to his face and hugged the thick neck. “Yeah, I missed you too,” Brian said into a furry ear.

Beau got down, barking loudly as he excitedly pranced circles around them. With his family now complete, Beau slowly herded them toward their home.

-tbc-