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CHAPTER 20 - IMPATIENCE, NERVES, ENVY AND RAGE

 

HUNTER

 

I slide down further in the seat and will everyone to keep quiet. Carmine and I have been getting to know each other very slowly. I thought he was interested in dad at first!

 

Nobody says anything for a minute, then she clears her throat. “Sorry honey, will you tell me when you’re ready? You taking your time?” I nod and everyone relaxes. “Well that's good. Has your dad met him?”

 

“Yeah, and you did briefly…” I tell her and she looks at me before realisation dawns.

 

“The driver on the smackdown night?”

 

“Yes, that’s him. But I’m concentrating on helping Justin with Britin, think they want to be in sooner rather than later. Working at Ruth’s the weekends.”

 

She smiles encouragingly. “That’s a well thought out plan, but don't overdo it.”

 

“I won't.” I squeeze her shoulder. I like this grandma a lot better than the old one. Now that she's taken off her Michael-tinted-glasses, she’s softer although she’s still the same grandma, when she’s supposed to be.

 

“So Carl you gonna drop Hunter off and then take care of my car?”

 

“Absolutely! Will drop it off at...oh what’s your address?”

 

“I lied to the bitch as she knows where he lives. Am crashing at Emmy’s tonight as we have to talk ceremony to Justin.”

 

“Wait what about the Barolo, you mentioned? I was looking forward to it.” Emmy pouts.

 

“Boot.” She grins at him. “I always carry a spare bottle of the good stuff.”

 

“Seriously, adore you more every day!” Emmy declares and I couldn't agree more.

 

KINNETIC - WEDNESDAY MORNING

 

TED’S OFFICE

 

TED

 

“Ted Schmidt. Oh yes, put them through.  Hello Mr Crown, how are you? Good to hear. I'm very well but will be better if you have good news about the auction?”

 

I pull up the spreadsheet and we go through it and I am very pleased indeed. One more step towards them being him-free. Although he never answered the goddaughter question, but I suspect that Mel will ask him anyway. I’m so glad she’s listening and seeing what he does for herself.  

 

I shift a bit on my seat. After we got home, Blake was still fuming and took it out on my ass. It is now down to a dull but manageable ache. I had to call Ems to find out what he does in these circumstances. A rubber ring and ointment was his response!

 

“That’s excellent news, Mr Crown! So when can we expect the money less your fees? Oh even better. You will deal with Mr Novotny directly with regards to his portion of the payment? Thank you, that’s great. Goodbye.”

 

I sit back in my chair, carefully, and smile. Ooh, he’s going to be pissed and there’s not a thing he can do about it! I’ve always said what the big print gives the small print taketh away!

 

MEL’S OFFICE - LATE AFTERNOON

 

SUE, MEL’S PA

 

She can glare as malevolently as she wants. She’s not getting Mel’s whereabouts now that she’s no longer part of her life. She’s been ringing since this morning but Mel has been in court. Not that she believed that of course, so here she is.

 

“Sue, I really need to speak to Mel about a private issue, so can you tell me where she is? She’s not answering her phone!” She barks, her voice rising.

 

“As I said to you Ms Peterson, Ms Marcus is in court and it is against company policy to give the location of the court or when the session ends to unauthorised people…”

 

Unauthorised?!” She all but screams. “I am the mother of our child and…”

 

“I haven’t heard there is a problem with Gus and …”

 

“Why would you be in the know in the first place?!” She folds her arms and is breathing hard through her nose. She sounds like a bull. All she needs to do is lower her head and paw the ground and she’s good to go. Thankfully, I’m not wearing red!

 

“Because I handle her diary and would have to let people know if she couldn’t attend a meeting. Now if you can excuse me, I really do have to prepare for her next session.”

 

“Then I will wait. She obviously needs to come back and collect the papers!” She sits down heavily on the chair and takes out her phone to, presumably, keep trying Mel. I focus on the papers and before I know it, another 40 minutes have passed and she’s still sitting there but now she is squirming.

 

Aha! Seems someone needs the bathroom!

 

I get up and go to the dispenser with my extra-large glass and slowly fill it making sure the stream is as long and as loud as possible.  It doesn’t take long for her to run!

 

When she comes back, she’s on the phone. “No just stay out there. And call me the moment you see her.”

 

ALLEGHANY COURTHOUSE - AN HOUR LATER

 

MEL

 

Yes, that’s that case won! I check my emergency phone and there’s no messages. So clearly the texts, emails and calls from Michael and Lindsay are more fishing, trying to find out what the Boys’ Weekend entails. We’ve got a parental summit, as she called it, tomorrow to discuss parenting as a whole. So we’re not going to discuss it then either! Oh, this should be fun!  

 

I hear a beeping and look up. “How come you always manage to be somewhere when I need a lift?!” I smile at Ruth as I get in.

 

“You’re just lucky like that.” She grins back. “It was just a fluke. Where you going? Back to the office?”

 

“Let me just check my messages...oh fuck no! Lindsay’s there! Sue said she’s been there for the last two hours. I really could do without this today! I’ve got a heavy caseload tomorrow and the files are there!”

 

“Kinnetic.” Ruth calls over her shoulder.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Can drop you off at Kinnetic and you get your PA to bike the papers to you over there. That way, you’ll have facilities to use undisturbed. I’m sure that Brian and Justin won’t mind.”

 

“Let me call Ted.” Ten minutes later, the papers are on their way and I heave a sigh of relief.

 

MEL’S OFFICE - AN HOUR LATER

 

LINDSAY

 

I’m hungry and tired! Michael hasn’t stopped bitching because he’s bored outside but we need to speak to Mel before tomorrow. But then I have an idea. “Well thank you for your help.” I snipe sarcastically.

 

“You are more than welcome. I suggest you book an appointment next time. Ms Marcus is an attorney, who is highly in demand. Good day Ms Peterson.”

 

I march downstairs to meet Michael, who is staring sullenly at the doors. “I thought you were going to ring me when you were coming down.”

 

“Shit! I left my phone upstairs, won’t be a minute!” I dash back to Mel’s office, my temper rising as he sighs dramatically. It’s not as if he’s doing anything right now!

 

When I get back to Mel’s office, Sue looks up and just hands me my cell without a word. I check that it is still locked, feel sure I locked it, I head down to Michael, whose mood has not improved.

 

“So we’re doing what now?” He sighs.

 

“Well now that you have your money from the Taylor-Kinney Enterprise, I think you should buy or rent a house or a large apartment.” He stops walking and gawps at me. “We only have a month until my parents come back and you have to live somewhere. My parents have another small apartment that I can stay in. That way we can have the children there. But let’s discuss that later. We’ve been asking the wrong people…”

 

“Asking the wrong people what?” He asks, hailing a cab and holding the door open for me. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

 

“We simply ask Gus where his daddies are taking him when we see him tomorrow night. Well I will ask him, while you’re with JR.”

 

“As Brian said, the simplest way is generally the best. And Gus will tell you because you’re his mommy…”

 

“And not his momma.” I spit derisively.

 

BEN & HUNTER’S HOUSE - EARLY EVENING

 

LOUNGE

 

BEN

 

We look at each other and burst out laughing. “We are pathetic!” I chortle.

 

“Like totally dude!” Hunter twirls his phone, grinning. “So you going to call first?” He hedges.

 

“Why me first?!” I exclaim.

 

“Well then I can copy what you say…” He looks hopeful. “Or how about we text?”

 

“You can’t text someone to ask them on a date! It’s not proper. Nor can you text them to say you don’t want to see them anymore.” I look at him sternly and he quickly nods.

 

“Maybe if we were in different rooms that way we wouldn’t be so self-conscious?” He suggests.

 

“Okay, I’ll go to the kitchen. Then I can pour us a small commiserating glass of wine for me and a coke for you after last night’s escapades.”

 

Ten minutes later, we’re both wearing matching grins and waiting for the pizza to arrive. “So where are you going? Or are we not telling each other?”

 

“Not telling each other! I’m going to be nervous enough. When are you going out?”

 

“Tomorrow night. I don’t want to be fuzzy headed on Saturday because JR screams like her dad in full whine!”

 

“Great minds think alike.” He chuckles and then looks mischievous. “So what are your thoughts on kissing on the first date?”

 

“Anything above the waist is fine for me and above the neck for you!”

 

“Oh man!” He bleats and goes to get the pizza.

 

MEL’S HOUSE - THURSDAY EVENING

 

LOUNGE

 

MEL

 

It’s official! She’s utterly in love with her godfathers...yes fathers! You can’t have Brian without Justin; it’s just not right. And I couldn’t not have Ted too. So now we have a blessing ceremony and the christening for both Gus and JR.  And it was all Ted’s fault for planting the idea in my head…

 

Start of flashback

KINNETIC - WEDNESDAY EVENING

 

TED’S OFFICE

 

MEL

 

“You managed to get everything done?” Ted asks, shifting once more in his seat and I can’t help but laugh as I nod.

 

“Looks like Blake did too.” I smile at him as he goes a bit red. “So how was it?”

 

“Very nice indeed.” He sighs and sits back. “Did you know about his tell? No, me neither so I asked Justin…”

 

“To stop him from hitting someone?” I suggest and he nods.

 

“In one respect, I’m sorry he wasn’t holding something when he punched Michael but on hearing what the asshole said, I was really glad that he wasn’t!” He tells me. My answering laugh is hollow before I completely sober again. “Did you hear about last night?”

 

“No, what happened?” He asks, causing me to laugh when he adjusts himself again. He looks like he’s shifting from cheek-to-cheek. Blake must have really tore my friend’s ass up!

 

“Well according to Hunter, who told Ben, who told me, Ruth…”

 

“So what’s tomorrow about?” He asks, having composed myself from the replay at Woody’s. “I’m only asking from a monetary point of view. I took a chance and set up support agreements for them both. You want to take them now or is that a discussion for another time?”

 

“Might as well take them now since we’re going to be rowing anyway.” I reach for them and read the figures and whistle. “They are going to spit a shit when they read this!”

 

“Lindsay maybe but Michael has the money to start paying. The first tranche of the collectibles went under auction yesterday and he’s due a tidy sum, less the money that is owed to Ben, of course. And even better, the auction house is telling him that part. I’m determined to get them untangled financially from that sponge as fast as possible. Oh and you’ll notice a rinky-dinky little clause I put in for non and delayed payment. See page 4.”

 

I read and my grin gets feral. “She is going to go ape when she reads that! But there is nothing stopping her from working.”

 

“Apart from her ELMA as Justin puts it.” He snickers.

 

“What’s that?”

 

“Entitled Lady Muck Assholiness.”

 

“It’s a step up from Cindernever and Crumpledforeskin I guess.” He gapes at me. “Justin strikes again!”

 

He laughs. “It’s not hard to see why he and Brian are together. Those names even surpassed the Master and I know Brian can come up with some off the wall shit. You can’t work with him and not hear it daily, so living with him would definitely have given Justin quite the education. But seriously, did you notice that Michael never actually answered the question about Brian being JR’s godfather?” I nod. “It would be just like him to take that away from him in pure spite. You should’ve seen his face…”

 

“I’ve been thinking about that. Idiot man can try to but even if he does, I’m officially going to ask the three of you to be her godfathers. I’m going to suggest Ems, Ben and Blake for Gus...another fun conversation to have with them.”

 

“Three? You said three?” I look at her in shock. “You’re asking me to be...oh I would be honoured, so honoured! As will Blake, I can’t wait to tell him!” He reaches for the phone.

 

“Let me have the conversation with them first and then you can tell him. Give your ass a break, especially if he reacts badly to their reaction!”

 

“Good point.” He grimaces slightly at the very idea of an Angry Blake going at him again in the immediate future. I laugh and am especially thankful at this moment that I will never fall into the hands of an Angry Twink!

End of flashback

 

“You are such a dribbler.” Justin laughs as JR sucks on her bottle and looks at Justin with such adoration it’s sickening!

 

Gus is reading with his daddy. I look at the clock again, thankful that they were already bathed and ready to go with Debs and Carl. Debs is in the kitchen making sure there’s enough food to feed a small army. Apparently, Hunter counts as a growing child. Carl is fitting the booster seats in the car.

 

I see a taxi draw up and they get out. “Gus go and get you shoes and ask grandma to help you put them on, okay?”

 

“Yes momma!” He runs off and the smile on Brian’s face makes my even my heart flutter.

 

I open the door and Lindsay looks surprised to see Debs there. “What’s going on? Why are Debs and Carl here?”

 

“What do you mean why are they here? We agreed that they should take them both tonight, because our discussion might not be conducive to their sleep. They’re going to drop them off at school and the crèche and…”

 

“Wait what? When did this dropping them off thing get agreed to?” Michael demands.

 

“And what is the problem with your mother dropping off her grandson and granddaughter, Michael?” Carl’s voice is dripping anger.

 

“It is one day. Justin is going to pick up Gus and Ben will pick up JR and…”

 

“Now just…”

 

“Quiet!” Carl hisses as he casts his eye at Gus, who is looking at us puzzled. “How you doing buddy? Grandma got you all set?”

 

“Yes grandpa. Shall I help with JR?”

 

“No thank you, Gus. You really don’t want to help with this.” Justin comes out and heads upstairs. “I shall brave the nappy alone.”

 

Ten minutes later, a gurgling and happy JR is strapped in and after Gus has triple checked that he’s been a good enough boy to go with his daddies, they leave.

 

“Right, let’s get this started, shall we?” I lead them back into the lounge.

 

BRIAN

 

It’s the hard clearing of someone’s throat that tells me they are back. But I’m doing one of my favourite things with Justin...making out with my hands down his pants! I can feel him starting to pull back but I give his ass a squeeze and stick my tongue deeper into his mouth, getting the same reaction I crave every time...he melts.

 

“If you two could cut that out for a minute so we can have this discussion?!” Lindsay gripes.

 

Slowly he lets my tongue slide out of his mouth with a quiet whimper and I can feel his cock twitching against my stomach. We remain lying down but turn to look at two pinched and one amused faces.

 

“Okay, we’ve stopped.” I drawl.

 

“Can you at least sit up and take your hand from there?” Michael grizzles like some two year old cub. Wish Mama Bear was still here to cuff him right in the back of his head. Or maybe Carl would be the better choice?

 

“No, my hands are cold and this is my hot and happy place.” I give his ass another squeeze and marvel at his inopportune primness as he goes pink.

 

“Can you brave the cold with one hand so you can read this?” Mel laughs and hands me some papers. “Ted drew up support agreements and you need to read them, get them checked by a lawyer, agree to the figures and sign.”

 

I adjust Justin so he can see the paper too and his eyes widen. “Did you see this first?”

 

“No. We need to give Ted a raise!” I laugh.

 

“Absolutely not! I am not paying this much!” Michael whines. “I have my apartment to think about.”

 

“You’ve found somewhere to live?” I keep my tone neutral because I know this is all Lindsay!

 

“Not yet. But when I do, I will need the money for that.”

 

“So what are you going to do in the meantime? Just live off of that money?” Justin asks, trying not to squirm as I move my hand lower.

 

“Why...I mean no, I’m going to invest it.” He, like Justin, is struggling to articulate what he truly means but for a wholly different reason!

 

I move as close to the edge of the sofa as I can without falling off, effectively trapping Justin between me and the sofa. I press home my advantage.

 

“So in the meantime, you can get a job so you won’t have to use that money to live off of. But you really should use that money to pay support for JR. Did the auction house call you?” I concentrate on Michael and not the quiet mewls of pleasure erupting from Justin’s throat as I stroke his balls. He flings a leg over mine to give me a bit more room.

 

“No. What’s been sold?” He looks eager.

 

“Not them.” Justin’s voice is steady. “We got them last they will be sold last.”

 

I look across at Mel and her hand is shaking as she pours the wine. “So before we talk about parental consistencies, Lindsay your thoughts on your support payments?”

 

“Unless you have forgotten, I haven’t got a job Mel.”

 

“Due to your actions. You don’t have to work in a gallery, you can teach. You made a great play about how you want to nurture and share your knowledge with the next generation, so share. I happen to know there is a renaissance arts class teacher’s assistant job at Carnegie Mellon…”

 

“No prizes for guessing who told you that.” Michael bitches.

 

“Yes Ben told me about it. I’m so sorry he couldn’t find a class that teaches you how to run a store into the ground, but I’ll be sure to ask him to keep an eye out for one!” Mel bitches back.

 

“Can you stop? Not while we talk about this.” He whispers and I nod moving my hand to the base of his spine.

 

“Can we focus, please?” I order. “Gus said something on Sunday that has troubled us both.”

 

“Which was?” Lindsay asks.

 

“About him being punished even after he says sorry for what he’s done? Is this something he’s mentioned to you before?” I look at Mel then at Lindsay, who goes red. “Lindsay has he told you about this before? Is it a school thing?”

 

“Yes. But I spoke to the school and they assured me that there would be…”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me? When was this?” Mel is understandably annoyed.

 

“A few months back. But as I was about to say, they assured me there would be no repeat of that kind of discipline.”

 

“Who did you speak to? Was a note put on his file?” Mel grabs her pad and pen. “You should’ve told me Lindsay.”

 

“I can’t remember. You were working very hard and I…”

 

“I’ll call the school tomorrow and make sure a note is put on his file. So what is a suitable punishment? A time out? Toy removal?”

 

“It depends on what he’s done.” Michael states. “If he hit JR for example then…”

 

Immediately Justin slides his hand under my top and rubs circles on my stomach. “Breathe.” He whispers.

 

“Why the hell would Gus hit JR?!” Mel explodes.

 

“I was just putting out scenarios!” Michael shouts back.

 

“You were button pushing! Gus would never hit JR. Say that shit again and I hit you!” She snaps.

 

I swallow hard. “Obviously, if it gets to the stage when Gus is hitting, which it never would, then we would seek some kind of counselling. So I think time out and treat removal is the way to go. Anything to add Justin?”

 

“A diary.”

 

“He’s a little boy. He’ll have…” Michael protests.

 

“I’m not talking War and Peace! Just to say what he did and how he felt. He can show it to Mel and if there’s any concerns, then she can share with us. Is there anything else about Gus or JR we need to discuss?”

 

“Why would JR be your concern?” Michael barely keeps the snark out of his voice.

 

“Because I want to add to the godfathers. As well as Brian, I would like to add Justin and Ted and Lindsay, as well as your picks I want to have Blake, Ben and Ems. What do you both think?”

 

“Are we needed for this part?” I ask, sliding my hand back onto my happy place.

 

“Yes, you are!” Lindsay’s tone is venomous and I look at Justin, who shrugs and adjusts his position slightly.

 

“Before we go onto that, though. We need to discuss time and place.” Mel’s wrathful gaze settles on Lindsay. “What was so important yesterday for you to sit outside my office door for almost two hours?”

 

“I needed to talk to you about some missing items from my personal effects.”

 

“No you didn’t. You wanted to see where Brian and Justin are taking Gus tomorrow. Well I have no idea. And he doesn’t either, just in case you were thinking about going to see him at school tomorrow.”

 

“I am fully aware that this is their weekend and…”

 

“That’s that!” Justin snaps. “We didn’t interfere in yours; don’t interfere in ours!”

 

“Speaking of weekends. I’m not happy about Ben and Hunter being around JR without me.” Michael interjects his opinion.

 

“Again, he has earned the right to be called daddy more than you.” Mel retorts. “Besides it is my weekend and you wouldn’t be here anyway.”

 

I turn my head to look at Michael, who’s in classic pout position. “Let’s face it... you don’t want Ben to share JR because he’s not bending to your will. Hunter owns the house and has kicked you out because of the way you treated Ben. I bet you think he should be grateful to you for adopting him, even though you paid him hardly any attention. Then you expect for him to be understanding when you virtually throw him out of the only home he’s known for years when JR came along.”

 

“That’s not true! And no I don’t!”

 

“Yes it is!” Mel snaps.

 

“You okay?” I whisper and he nods, biting his lip as I go back to stroking. “However, there is one more thing we need to discuss Mel, and that’s Rage and...”

 

“What about Rage?” Michael looks at us keenly.

 

“Oh crap! Haven’t had time to look at that and I have a full day tomorrow? Can we look at it next week?”

 

“When next week and what is there to look at?” Michael tries again.

 

“Why are you in this conversation?” Justin sighs, partly in frustration but mostly because I have managed to get my finger up his ass!

 

“Why am I…? Because it’s about Rage and…”

 

“You have no rights to it. And no rights means no say and no say means quiet.” Justin growls.

 

I manage to hold in my snort but Mel is less successful.

 

“It was my idea!” He protests.

 

“Which we paid you a shitload of money for. Remember that?” I point out, watching the pleasure play across Justin’s face. “Mel drew up the contract and you signed it knowingly, before you start bitching about being forced into it.

 

“I remember.” He grumbles. “I just wanted to know what was happening. I still say we should’ve tried to do the comic passed the wedding.”

 

“And as I said at the time you signed over your rights, the point of this document is that we never have to work together on this ever again. I have it framed in the loft.” His cock is throbbing against my hip. He’s close...so very close.

 

“Brian! Can you focus on what we are talking about?!” Michael complains.

 

“I listen with my ears Michael and I can hear perfectly. I hear and see the disingenuousness of the pair of you. I told you on Sunday that Ruth is my best friend and best friends talk. So let me reiterate what she said on Monday. You are off the account at AngelCars, both of you.”

 

“But Brian, I don’t understand why you are doing this?” He whines and Lindsay looks appalled.

 

“Because I don’t like you two right now! I’m not sure I ever will like you the way I did before. Don’t get me wrong, you provided a refuge of sorts when I needed it. But I don’t need it anymore.”  My phone beeps, heralding the arrival of Gary. “Want to finish in the car?”

 

“Oh yeah.” He purrs and shivers as I slide my hand out.

 

“Brian…” Lindsay stands up to block our exit. “We need to finish…”

 

“No Lindsay!” Justin growls. “He needs to finish getting me off and it’s either right here, right now or in the car!”

 

“Oh my God!” She gasps, stepping quickly aside and we run out laughing.

 

 

Chapter End Notes:

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