CHAPTER 79 - CELEBRATIONS IN NEW YORK AND FURY IN THE PITTS

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE - TUESDAY MORNING

BRIAN

I am looking amused as Nancy and Jennifer guide a gawking-all-around-her Debs down the street. The children are with Jules and Reba. It would be too much for them as we wanted to just get this done. We’ve split into couples and are doing our own thing, but will meet up again in a few hours.

“You okay?” He asks as he slides his arm round my waist and in answer, I kiss the top of his head. “Thanks for last night.”

“Shush twat.” I look around conspiratorially. “I don’t want people to know!!” I pause and look at him properly. He had a bad dream last night and it’s taken its toll. “Come on, we’re going back.”

“What? Why?” He objects, but leans against me as I signal the car.

“Because you are tired. You had a shit night’s sleep and we can come back tomorrow, okay? Now get in.” I order gently and he does so with a small smile of relief. Within minutes, he’s sleeping in my arms, his hand under my shirt on my heart. “Twat.” I whisper. “My darling twat.”

MICHAEL AND LINDSAY’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

LOUNGE

MICHAEL

I have to admit that Kevin is rather handsome. I wish I didn’t have the weight on me that I do now. Hopefully, I can start to lose a bit without her noticing since she doesn’t seem to have gained any still! He’s just walked passed the kitchen window and waved. I wished he would come in because Lindsay is not in. She’s, yet again, at Delicious Foods. I still don’t understand the appeal of the place, especially since it’s her place! My phone rings and its Hobbs.

“Hello! You sure took your time getting back to me. Where are...what do you mean where are they?! The whole point of you stalking him is that you are supposed to know where he is and not be asking me this question!” I roll my eyes as I hear the front door opening. I wave Lindsay towards me. “Hang on and let me put you speaker. Lindsay’s here.” She looks somewhat taken aback.

“What’s happened?” She asks. This is possibly the most inane question she could at this moment.

“He can’t find him.” I grouse.

“I’m not psychic Michael! Who are you talking to?”

“Hobbs! Or have we engaged another stalker that I don’t know about?!” I snap.

“Don’t start with me! Hobbs, have you called their HQ?” She demands.

“No. Why would I call there?” Hobbs asks.

“Because they can tell you if he’s at least in the state, of course?” She sighs crossly, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Obviously! So do it now and then ring Michael back.” She orders and cuts off the call.

FBI BUILDING, CARSON STREET

AGENT WARD

“Well she can’t claim to be under duress after that sharp tongued display.” I tell James Tan, as I lean back in the seat. I’ve worked with James for about a year now although he did grumble about having a whippersnapper who looks about 12 as a partner!

“Absolutely not! The guy is definitely the minion of malice in that relationship. He might be mean and nasty in his own right, but the bitch is pure evil! Anyway, give it about ten minutes and then call them back.” He’s looking through the file. “And we need to find Craig Taylor now. He’s been estranged from his son for years. An out and proud, if you pardon the irony of those words, homophobe. He actually celebrated the sentencing that Hobbs got for clobbering his own son. Years later, he had Justin arrested outside his own store. He would make an ideal candidate for her next indoctrinated minion. After all, she’ll no doubt play the ‘son-concern’ card while keeping the fact that she sucked snatch steadily for at least ten years before her former wife got wise. ”

I shake my head in disgust. “If he’s not bothered him before, why would he bother him now?”

He picks up the book and hands it to me. “That’s what their film is based on.” I start to read and after an hour, I jump as the phone rings. “Wait...three, two, one...go!”

“Hobbs.” I snap.

“It’s me. We were waiting for you to call us back; it’s been over an hour!” Novotny’s whine grates on my nerves.

“I was busy. I do have a life you know! And it does not involve me going to New York!”

“Calm...calm.” Tan mouths at me and I take a deep breath.

“Why would you go to New York?” Lindsay asks.

“That’s where they are right now. Back at the end of the week, apparently.”

“Oh. Well then you can…”

“Handle this my way, perhaps? You want him scared, right?”

“Yes, I want him to be the cowering pussy boy that I know him to be!” Novotny snarks and Lindsay laughs.

“Then let me handle it. But you can always come and watch me in action, if you want?” I add and Tan’s eyebrows shoot up.

“What do you mean?” Novotny asks. I can tell he’s interested.

“Wait...remember the restraining orders?” Lindsay interrupts.

“We’re here and nobody has come around. They don’t even know where we are for certain.” Novotny says smugly.

“True. Okay, so call us when you’re ready.” Lindsay responds. “In the meantime, you can have his number and start messing with his head. Michael will send it to you.” She cuts the call off and less than a minute later, I have his number.

“So why are you inviting them to wat...oh very good whippersnapper. Very good indeed! Them both being there to watch you frighten him, makes a stronger case.”

“I learned from the best.” I smile and go back to reading.

MICHAEL AND LINDSAY’S HOUSE - AN HOUR LATER

LOUNGE

LINDSAY

I am drumming my fingers, waiting for Michael to go to the comic book store. I just want some peace and quiet from his constant whining! Finally, he has put his jacket on and is heading to the door. “Do you want anything outside?” I shake my head while thinking just you! “See you later then.” I smile and then heave a sigh of relief as the door shuts. I watch him head down the street and then look for the car keys. He’s not taken the car so that means I can do some exercise. Why he insists on travelling everywhere by bus is beyond me!

I carefully peel off my wig and put it to one side. As if I would ever cut my hair! It’s my crowning glory. For the next hour, I stretch and tone to keep myself in shape...putting on weight indeed! It took forever to lose the weight from having Gus; I am not going through that again!

KOSLOV RESIDENCE - EVENING

BRIAN AND JUSTIN’S ROOM

JUSTIN

I am looking into the tender, loving eyes of Brian, as he gently rocks into me and I gasp in pleasure. “Exquisite.” I purr and he latches onto my pulse point and sucks hard. I gulp as the force of my orgasm blooms through my body. “Oh! Oh!” I groan and he continues to thrust and rock...and then stiffens before he explodes.

“Oh my god!” He moans and then kisses me passionately until we have to breathe!

“I so needed that...you have no idea!” I chuckle, stroking his sweaty back.

“Oh, I have an idea alright.” He laughs into my neck. “So are you glad we came back?”

“Yes. You’re as on to me as I am to you.” I whisper and gently clench.

“And...yes...don’t you ever forget that!” He groans and then starts to move again.

DINER - THURSDAY LATE AFTERNOON

MICHAEL

“OH MY GOD!” Kiki screams as she looks up and I shrink back against the booth, regretting coming in here.

“What is it, Kiki?!” A plastic queen demands.

“I just got an email from Debs.” She cries. “It’s Carl…” My ears prick up, hoping that he’s at last dumped her so that she can come crawling back to me looking for sympathy. I shall give her absolutely none! “She’s married him! And also Ted and Blake got married and wait there’s more...no shit! Brian and Justin had their daughters christened! Oh my...oh if he ever hears about this, he is going to be pissed!”

“Who?” The queen asks, snatching her phone. “Oh, no pictures!” She grumbles, handing it back to her. “Anyway, who and what are you talking about?”

“Her former no good ratfink of a son…” Ratfink?! “The way he abandoned that sweet girl was shameful! Thank goodness for Mel and Ben. They’ve been the true parents to her. And now it’s official! Ben is her father and Mel is Hunter’s mother. They had an adoption ceremony as well as the weddings and christenings. But because they did it all over there, they are throwing a kick ass party in Babylon this weekend and I have an invite!” She crows.

“Wait, how can Ben be her father?”

That’s what I’d like to fucking know! Hunter I don’t give a shit about, but she’s my daughter and we were...oh fuck! I have just remembered the one thing that I was supposed to do!

Gathering my things, I rush to hail a cab.

MICHAEL AND LINDSAY’S HOUSE - AN HOUR LATER

MICHAEL

I am trying to work out how to say what I have to say to her without her going mental. I spent the entire ride back on the phone to their attorneys and they have confirmed my worst fears. As I head inside, I hear voices and it sounds like Kevin.

“Hi Kevin, what are you doing here?” I smile at him.

“Just catching up on this and that. You okay? You don’t look very well.”

“Am feeling a little nauseous, that’s all. I’ll be going up. It was…”

“Look, sit down before you fall down. I’ll be going instead. Take care of him.” He pats Lindsay on the shoulder and leaves.

“Michael, what on earth is wrong?! You look terrible!” Lindsay heads to the cart and waves the brandy bottle at me and I nod.

“I was in the diner...wait hear me out... Nobody recognised me and I overheard some disturbing things. She married that cop; Ted married that fucking drugged out twink; the daughters have been christened and the worst news is that Ben is officially JR’s fucking father and Mel is Hunter’s mother!”

“What?! How is that possible?!” She demands, pouring herself a glass and then sitting down hard.

“Now I don’t want you to get mad. But when we paid the last of the bills and closed off the apartment in Ohio, I forgot to set up the forwarding of the post. There was just too much going on with the planning and moving forward and...”

“So what?” She frowns.

“Their attorney sent the court papers to the old apartment so, of course, they were returned to them. When we didn’t turn up, the court ruled against both of us in our absence. Neither of us have our parental rights to our children any longer.” I wait for that news to sink in.

“You mean to tell me that you had one, just one fucking thing to do and you didn’t fucking do it?!”

“Yes. I’m sorry Lindsay, I really am! But with this plan of ours, you will get Gus and…”

“SHUT UP MICHAEL!” She roars, standing up and heading to the cart again. “Get out of my sight! NOW!” She screams and throws the glass against the wall, narrowly missing Captain Astro. I don’t stick around to tell her that and for good measure, I put a chair against the door...I’ve never seen her look so mad!

LINDSAY - 10 MINUTES LATER

I am starting to calm down. The more I think about it, the more it plays into my plans. I can use this as another thing to pile against him. I pick up the pieces of broken glass and put them in the bin. And once I have rescued the children, the first thing I will be demanding are my rights back...and then the rights to the Caramels. She can’t stop me because she’s given hers up! What a stupid bitch! Not only will Justin pay, but so will she! And in the most humiliating way possible. So long Ruth!

KOSLOV RESIDENCE - FRIDAY MORNING

LOUNGE

RUTH

I stare at them and the papers and then them again. “No, I said no take backsies.”

“You’re not taking them back; we’re giving them back.” Justin smiles at me. “Please, Ruth please?”

“Wait, you still have the papers? Shouldn’t they have been filed?” Mom sniffs and when I look at Mel, she nods.

“They should’ve been and they would’ve been, but…” Justin looks to Brian to finish.

“We couldn’t.” Brian smiles. “We know you would never do anything to hurt us and giving them up proved that. So can we burn this please?”

“Give them to me!” Mel demands and Justin does so. “All copies here?” He nods and with a flourish, she throws them into the fire. “Done! And speaking of rights... it seems that while they were doing a low rent version of Bonnie and Clyde, Michael forgot to sort out the forwarding of the post. So that’s why they weren’t in court as they didn’t know they were supposed to be there. He called Marlon’s office yesterday, trying to say it was their fault as they didn’t make an effort to find them!”

“It’s always everyone else’s fault, isn’t it?!” Debs snarks.

“Did you send the email to Kiki, Debs?” Carl asks and she nods. “So it should be round town very quickly!”

“Almost instantly!” Emmy chuckles. “The only person to circulate news faster is me!”

“I’m not saying a word.” Ted smiles.

“No need to Teddy. I always take my compliments when I can get them!” Emmy smiles toothily while the rest of us laugh. Those two idiots do indeed make Dumb and Dumber look like rocket scientists. Things are about to get interesting indeed!