CHAPTER 3 – RHUBARB, GUS AND BRIAN

DAY 5 – MORNING

BRIAN’S SUITE

It was the insistence that woke me.  I sit up and glare at the door.  Pulling on pants, I stomp to the door and yank it open.

“Good morning Mr Kinney.”  Ethan looks at me.  Now don’t get me wrong, I like being admired but this is just so shady-sleazy.  “I thought I would come and check what breakfasts you and your party would like?”

“Is that normal service? You didn’t come to our suites.”  Michael interrupts sharply.

Ethan turns around and glares at him.  “I need to start from the top and work my way down to the bottom.  Or I would have to come down twice.  Sir.”

“Daddy!  Good morning!  Did you sleeps good?”  Gus bounds in having obviously dressed himself in his hurry to get to Kids Club and I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out.

“Gus.  It’s ‘did you sleep well’ and yes I did.  You go and sit in the lounge and I’ll be right there.”

I turn back to find Ethan still looking but this time he seems to have been joined by Michael.

“I think we’ll eat in the restaurant let me check.  Gus!  Do you want to eat downstairs or in your room?”

“Downstairs daddy!”

“Right gentlemen, so neither of you need to be here.”  I turn back to my admirers and close the door on them.

It doesn’t take 10 seconds for the knocking to start.  I take in a breath and pull on my robe.

“Yes Michael?”  He grins at me and starts to come in.  “What are you doing Michael?”

“I’m coming in to wait, of course.  I can sit with Gus…”

“Hang on.  Gus?  Did you just get out of bed and into your clothes?”

Silence.

“Gus?”

He comes slowly up to me.  “Yes daddy.  But it’s so cool in Kids Club and…”

“You still need to have a shower.  Would you like to shower with daddy?”

“Really?  I can?!”  He yells and at my nod, he puts Leather Bear down carefully and then runs to the bathroom trying to get undressed at the same time.

“Mikey, can you knock next door and tell Mel that I’ve got Gus.  We’ll see you downstairs.”  I give him a quick smile and shut the door.

“Okay Sonny Boy, let’s get you clean!”  I yell.

MICHAEL

I stare at the closed door for a few seconds before starting to head to my suite. I’m almost down the corridor when Mel calls me back.

“Morning Michael.  Is Gus with his daddy?”

“Yes.  Having a shower.  You really need to get up when he does Mel so that everything is done before he visits Brian.”

“Every…?  What the hell are you talking about?”

“He didn’t shower before he got dressed.”  I point out scornfully.

Mel just looks at me for about a minute then clears her throat.  “Michael, he’s 4 and excited to get to the Kid’s Club.  And the next time you cast aspersions on my ability to bring up our son, I shall pop you in the mouth.”

I back up a bit.  I had forgotten how prickly Mel can be about Gus.  “I’ll see you downstairs.”

“Yeah.  I look forward to it.”  She sneers, before slamming the door.

MEL’S SUITE

MEL

Fucking asshole!  I sit down as I feel the headache start to pound but after some calming breaths, it recedes.

I look in Gus’s room and it looks like a bomb has gone off.  I head to the connecting door and knock.

“Come in Momma!”  Gus yells.

As I open the door, I’m greeted by one of the sweetest, though I would never tell him, sights ever.  Brian is applying lotion to Gus’s skin carefully and tickling him at the same time.

“Daddy!  Stop!  I have to not be sweaty!”  Gus giggles.

“Brian go get dressed and I’ll sort out Gus.”  I smile.

“Thanks, see you down there.”  He smiles back and I try not to resent that he has a better ass than me!   After seeing Brian naked this many times, you'd think I'd be immune, but even I have to admit he has impressive assets.

SEABIRD RESTAURANT

DEBS

Oh this place is wonderful!  Because we’re part of the winning party, we have a table reserved in every restaurant and bar on the ship.  I take my seat and stare out to sea.

“Good morning Debs.”  Ems trills and sits down with Ted, who has lost some of his haunted look.

“Morning boys!”  I grin back and wave to our own personal waiter, Tyler.

“Miss Debs, what can I get you for y’all?”

“Shouldn’t we…ah here comes Michael and I think Vic.  Give us 10 minutes sweetheart.”

“Sure.”  He grins around the table and heads off.

“Y’all my ass!”  Ems grumbles and I look at him confused.  “He’s as Southern as I am straight!”

Finally Brian saunters to the table attracting the attention of almost everyone in the restaurant and sits down.

“The Kinney party is all present, correct?”  Tyler comes up.  “Let me take your orders.”

Twenty minutes later, the food is served.

“So what are you going to do today people?”  I ask and adjust Vic’s hat as I don’t want him to burn.

“Going to the Club grandma!”  Gus bounces in his seat.

“Have to take a couple of conference calls.”  Mel grimaces.

“Honey don’t overdo it.”  As well as Brian, I worry about Mel too.  She went through that shit too and she’s pregnant.

She nods and inhales her juice.  “Okay little man, let’s go.”

“What no kiss?”  Brian calls out and Gus rushes back and kisses him on the cheek before running out the restaurant.  “Such a good kid.”

“Yes he is.”  Michael agrees.  “Considering the other side of…”

“Pottery!”  Vic interrupts.  “There’s a pottery class I might have a look at.  Might find someone to recreate that scene from Ghost with.”  He chuckles.

“Well I’m going to scope out the shops.”  Ems leans back in his seat.

“I think that Brian…”  Michael begins.

“Is going to scope out that guy’s attributes.”  Brian looks over his shoulder then lowers his sunglasses.  “Yep definitely.  See ya!”

Soon it is just me, Vic and Michael, who is staring at where Brian went.

“Well I’m going to take a stroll round the poop deck.”  I tell them and as I leave I slap Michael upside the head.

VIC

“Ouch Ma!  What the fuck was that for?!”  Michael calls out to her retreating back.

“You aren’t serious with that question?”  I ask him.

“What?”  He stares at me rubbing his head.  “I didn’t do anything.”

“You never do anything, do you Michael?”  I regard him carefully.  “Tell me how do you think Brian would’ve felt about hearing you bringing Lindsay up again?”

He doesn’t say anything.

“I know you Michael.  And like Debs said to you before, cut that shit out!”

I gather my things and leave him at the table.

KIDS CLUB

JUSTIN

I absolutely love this day!  Today is intro day.  As I head down to the room, I pull one cart while Leda has the other.

As we pass the line of kids, they go quiet.  I open the door grinning as we wheel them to the front of the room.

“Okay everyone come in, nice and quiet please.”  I order and they all file in.  “Now I want you to all sit down because I want to introduce you to a couple of very important people in my life.”

I nod at Leda and we turn the crates around so that the mesh is in front and the first ‘ooh’ goes round the room.  Then shuffling forward starts.

“Everyone, I want you to meet Rhubarb.”  I open his cage and he strides out and sits down in front of it.  “And Custard.”  I open his cage and he does the same.

Predictably, I hear the groans from the parents and I can’t help but giggle.

“So can anyone tell me what they are?”  I ask.

“Cats.”  Comes a voice.

“Yes but what kind of cats?”  Leda asks laughing.

“Big fluffy ones!”  Another kid says.

“Um Mr Justin…”  A little voice calls out.

“Yes Gus?”

“Are they Maine…um Maine something?”

“Yes Gus, well done. They are Maine Coons.”

The smile that I get melts my heart!

“Rhubarb and Custard are always with me so they will be in the Club and you might see them around the ship.  What I want to do today is to teach you how to behave around them…”

GUS

Club today was super dooper, I loved it.  I got to meet Rhubarb and Custard and Momma seems to really like Leda.  Momma said I can do soft play until my nap so we’re on the deck…wait where’s Leather Bear?!  Oh I remember, he’s in daddy’s room, so I head back to our suite.  I’m pretty smart and I know the way.  I think.

“Gus?”  I turn round and look at the man and I know I saw him this morning.

“Do you remember me?  I’m Ethan.”

“Yes!  Can you take me to my room I need to get Leather Bear, Momma is in there.”

“Sure.  Take my hand because it can be slippery.”

I take his hand but I don’t like the way it feels.  Daddy’s and Auntie Emmy’s feel better.

“So Gus, can you tell me about your daddy?”

I frown and think for a minute.  “He’s my daddy and he loves me very much but not as much as I love him.”

“That’s very sweet.”  He smiles down at me; I don’t like his smile either.  “Here we are.”

“Momma?”  I call out and she waves at me but she’s on the phone and I know the rules.

“See Momma’s here.  You can go now.”

He makes a horrible snorty noise.  “Okay Gus, I’ll see you around.”

I run to the bathroom to wash my hands and wait for Momma.

“Hold on.”  She puts her phone down and hugs me.  “I’m sorry baby, this is taking longer than I thought. Can you wait in daddy’s suite for me and I won’t be more than 60 all the way around ticks? I promise.”

I run to daddy’s suite and there’s Leather Bear and I’m about to sit down like a big boy when I see Rhubarb has followed me!  Momma is still on the phone so I close the door.

BRIAN’S SUITE – AN HOUR LATER

BRIAN

So the bitch of a start to the day continues!

I am fucked and not in a good way!  After breakfast instead of exploring some guy’s ass, Ted and I spent the last four hours on a video conference with Ioniser Water, but we’ve nailed them and the contract is signed.  Now that Compacticsm and Ioniser, who we were worrying about, are done, I am definitely on holiday.  Ted is wrapping it up with Cynthia and I’ve told Emmy to get his phone off him and put it in the safe…in Vic’s room.

I can’t believe how close Ted and I have become considering where we started. He and Cyn have been with me every step of the way.

I pause at Mel’s door and tap, she opens quickly and grimaces her phone glued to her ear.

“Gus in Club?”  I whisper.

She shakes her head and points to my suite.  ‘Napping I think’ she mouths.

I nod and think that’s an excellent idea.

I open the door and it’s quiet but I can see a lump on the sofa…actually make that two lumps!

LILAH’S BAR

FRANC

“Hey Franc.”

“Justin sweetheart hey!”  I look at him and he looks worried.  “Which one?”

“Rhubie.”

I shake my head and giggle then press the intercom.  “Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen.  Your attention please.  We have a lost animal.  His name is Rhubarb. He’s a red and ginger Maine Coon and about the size of a small poodle.  He’s very friendly but apt to wander where he shouldn’t.  If you find him, please return him to the Kids Club on the lower deck. That’s the Kids Club on the lower deck, please and thank you.”

“Thanks Franc.”  Justin grins and head back to his office.

BRIAN’S SUITE

MEL

“I think we may have found Rhubarb.”

“Yeah.  I’ll take it back.  You go have a nap, you look exhausted.”  He nudges me to his bed and scoops a still sleeping Gus to lie next to me.

I’m asleep in seconds.

BRIAN

Rhubarb is just blinking at me.  I really hope they mean it when they say he’s friendly.

“Okay I’m going to pick you up, please don’t scratch my face.”  I approach him carefully and he just sits there and lets me pick him up.  “Well that was easy, also don’t pee on me.”

I head towards the lower deck following the signs, feeling like I have a vibrator in my arms as Rhubarb is purring so much and doing the kneading thing.

I knock on the Kids Club door and wait.

“Oh you’re going to have to buy me dinner first before we get to licking!”  I tell Rhubarb as he takes a second swipe at my ear.

“You found him.  Justin!  Rhubie’s here!”  Leda grins at me.  “Go straight into that office, Justin will do the rest.  See you at dinner tomorrow.”

I head to the office and find myself looking at someone cursing in a crate, well not just someone, but someone with a terrific ass.

“For crying out loud, Custard just stop it. He’ll be back, you know that!”

“Rhubarb and Custard, are you kidding me?”  I laugh.

There is a crack as his head connects with the crate; I wince on his behalf.

“Ouch fuck!”  He wiggles out of the crate, rubbing said head before turning around to face me.

“No.  I love animation and wait sorry...  I’m Justin.”

He puts out his hand and then pulls it back as mine are full of cat. Besides I couldn’t shake it even if I wanted to because I would be wrestling my cock down!  He’s the most beautiful man I have ever seen!

JUSTIN

Rhubie you are getting caviar and salmon when I get you back to my quarters.  He is the most gorgeous man I have ever met!

“Brian.”

We just look at each other until he breaks the silence.  “Yeah. So here’s Rhubarb.”  He goes to hand him back but Rhubarb won’t let go.  Every time I loosen one paw, the other one takes hold and he yowls in protest.

“Custard!  A little help!”  I calls over my shoulder.

Custard lets out a growl and Rhubarb drops to the floor, then gets in his crate.

“Big brother.”  I explain.  “Oh do you want a roller…for the hair?”  I explain when he frowns.

“Uh no.  No that’s fine I was going to change anyway.  Well nice to meet you.”

“And you.”

As the door closes, I want to pour the entire contents of an ice bucket down my pants!

BRIAN

I get to my suite in record time. Thankfully, Mel and Gus are back in their room. After, taking a very cold shower, I decide to sit on the balcony.  I look up to the sky and think Justin’s eyes are bluer, just as I start to wonder why I think that, the knocking starts.

I open it to a pissed off Mikey.  “Come in.  What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been by myself most of the day, that’s what’s wrong.”  He gripes.  “But Ted tells me that you’ve now finished with ‘work.’ Is that true?”

I don’t like the air quote he just did, considering how much I have helped him with his store.  “What’s with the quotes?”

“Quotes?”  He looks back at me.

“Yeah like you didn’t believe I was working.  Trust me, if I was going to fuck in front of anyone, it would not be Ted.”

I watch the wheels turn as he realises he’s pissed me off.

“I didn’t mean it like that.  It’s just that we’ve hardly spent any time together.  And we’re supposed to be on this cruise of a lifetime together.”

“And we are from this point on.  This family is going to have an excellent time!”

He grins at me but this time I don’t want to kiss him in celebration as I usually would have. Instead, I just raise my glass.