CHAPTER 74 - YOU GOTTA CRAWL BEFORE YOU CAN WALK
KOSLOV MOUNTAIN RETREAT - SATURDAY MORNING
BRIAN AND JUSTIN’S ROOM
BRIAN
We’re just standing there. With one more ginormous effort, Harper turns over and gets up on her knees and starts...starts to crawl towards Lee!
“They’re…” He sniffs. “They’re crawling. Oh shit! We need stair gates, plug covers, fire guards and...did I say stair gates?!” He babbles, scrambling for a pad and pencil, while I am filming our daughters getting used to their new thing. Suddenly, Justin bolts for the door but I manage to wrestle him back in the room. “Brian! I want to tell mom and let her know…”
“You are naked, you twat! Put on some pants!” I laugh as he sags against me, giggling. “Bouncing into see your mom with semi-morning wood to announce they’re crawling...not good!”
He turns in my arms and kisses me soundly. “Oh God, they are crawling!” He murmurs against my chest. “Soon they’re going to be…”
“Walking. Then running and doing everything in the order they should be. Stop queening!”
“Okay.” He takes a breath and stands on his tiptoes to place kisses under my chin. “So these little Caramels need to have a bath and…”
“No, they don’t. They need their first proper shower with their daddies.”
“Really?!” He has been desperate to give them a shower ever since we had one added to their bathroom. Last night I got Debs, Jen, Gilly and Reba to one side and asked them about showers and they, once they had finished smiling adoringly at me...ugh, said that as long as we were in there with them it would be fine.
“Yes really!” I scoop up Harper and we head to the bathroom. They are babbling away as we undress them and he sets the shower to the perfect temp then steps in with Lee. I hold my breath as the water hits her and at first, her face crumples with indignation and surprise; he starts to step back. “No, Justin.” I order him firmly back under the water. After a few minutes of blinking, she starts to suck first on her fist and then on his shoulder. I step in with Harper and she...giggles exactly like Justin!
“Did you hear that?” He gasps.
“Yes twat, I did.” I lean across and kiss him gently. “Now let’s get them cleaned.”
An hour later, they are starting to doze. Someone has insisted on baby massage classes and I am calling for a grandparent or two. I have a dirty boy to attend to now!
KITCHEN
JULES
Arno is pouting! Well tough, he gets to see this little štucanje every day!
“Papa, you are not helping us by letting him sleep in your arms!”
“Rubbish. He will…”
“Get used to it, because you won’t put him down. So when they get home…” Reba interjects.
“Oh, alright!” I grumble and put him in his bassinet where I can see him. “So what are the plans for today and…”
Oh god, yes! Is screamed at top volume.
“What the hell was that?!” I demand and head to stairs.
“Justin.” Jennifer answers, coming in with Harper.
“Does he need assistance? Where is Brian?”
“Judging by that yell, I would say behind Justin!” Ben laughs.
I don’t understand why people are laughing and smiling, but then realisation dawns. “Ah, Brian is the reason he is…”
“Exactly.” Reba chuckles.
“Hey!” Ruth comes in smiling, hands me the bottle and then kisses Arno. “I just love this kitchen!” She grins as she makes herself some herbal tea.
“It’s cold, isn’t it Reba?” I ask, keeping an eye on my grandson.
“Is it...I mean yes it is. It does get chilly at this time of the year, especially in the evening.”
“Oh, I’d have thought that with the mountains protecting this place, it would be warm.” Emmett frowns.
“Not always…” I begin.
“Jules, if you want me to make oxtail for dinner tonight just…”
“Can you make the oxtail?” I blurt out. “Please?”
“Oxtail? Like at daddies ceremony? Gus asks from Ben’s lap.
“Yes. Wait...oh my God!” Emmett gasps. It’s...no, it can’t be! It is! It’s today!” We all go quiet.
“What is today?” Reba asks.
“Anniversary of their blessing ceremony.” Debs replies, shaking her head.
“What with everything that is happening, I guess they forgot.” He sighs, sadly.
“Then let’s remind them!” Ruth declares before closing the kitchen door. “Okay Ems, what you need to do is this…”
MICHAEL AND LINDSAY’S HOUSE, SHADYSIDE, PITTSBURGH
LOUNGE
LINDSAY
We have finally moved in! We are now in a four bedroom house under Michael’s name of Michael DeVore. Although she has always told him he was a Novotny, his birth certificate says DeVore. During our temporarily enforced banishment, we were given everything to do with us. Seems, for now, our parents are serious about us being dead to them.
“So what’s happening now?” Michael asks, finally finished fiddling with his fucking toys! The only reason that they are here is because there wasn’t as much as I feared. But make no mistake... I will be selling them when he’s gone!
“We need to keep a low profile for a while.” I sigh in pleasure at the furniture. “At least until after the birth of their baby… and by their I mean Brian and Justin’s!” I laugh. “Arno’s… hmph! It’s just so ridiculous!”
“And then what?”
“Then we keep an eye on them.”
“Uh, they are going to recognise us.”
“That’s what you think!” I laugh. “And I do have one more distraction up my sleeve...” I smirk.
“What?”
“Ethan Gold. He distracted him before, and judging by recent pictures of him, he can do it again!”
MICHAEL
I smile at her enthusiasm for this and remember the pleasure I took in telling Brian about it! As I take a sip of my beer I can’t help the feeling I have forgotten to do something, but right now I can’t think what it is. Oh well whatever it is, it can’t be important!
KOSLOV RESIDENCE
GARDEN - AN HOUR LATER
BRIAN
“Hey.” I call out and Gus comes running towards us...and then around us!
“Daddy! Papa! I’ve been told run innerence to you. So I am running! Auntie Emmy Lou, is this right?!”
I laugh at the head slapping! “Okay, what’s going on?”
“We have a driver and you have a lot of babysitters. Go enjoy the city on your own.” Jules smiles.
“No, it’s okay we…” Justin picks up Lee and sways with her.
“You need this.” Jennifer points out and takes Lee off of him. “It is one day. Go on, stroll round the city. Just be by yourselves. Jules’s driver will bring you straight back if you want…”
“Okay.” I hesitantly agree. “But only for a couple of hours.”
“Fine. But go! That’s an order sons! Go!” Carl demands.
After kissing our children, we head to the garage. “They’re up to something.” I murmur.
“Ya think!” He giggles.
FIFTH AVENUE - AN HOUR LATER
JUSTIN
“They were right, we needed this!” I sigh as we stroll hand in hand down the street. “Oh look, isn’t that the new Pra...Brian!” I yelp as he hauls me into the shop. Ten minutes later, he’s smiling happily, holding his new shoes.
“You hungry?” He kisses my temple and I nod. “Oh shit! I hadn’t thought of that!”
“What?” I pull him to a halt. “Brian?”
“The Tower. We still haven’t re-booked that yet.” He starts walking again. “Where’d you want to eat?”
“Can we have sushi?” I spot a place. “Have a hankering for dragon rolls.”
“Lead on.”
KOSLOV RESIDENCE - SAME TIME
KITCHEN
REBA
Finally, I have managed to wrest Carlo out of Jules’s grip! He has Arno’s eyes and the curls of Ruth. I look over at the pair of them. God, he loves her so much; it’s so sweet!
“It is a good job that papa likes poker or you would never have a hold of him.” Arno laughs and I nod. “I wonder who put that idea in Carl’s head.” He says loudly looking at Ruth, who shrugs and continues to chop onions.
“Ah, he sleeps. Take him to Jules.” I order him. “And if you want to play a few hands…”
“Thank you, mama!” He would run if it wasn’t for Carlo!
I shut the door and head to the fridge. “Right, champagne! You have expressed, yes?”
“Oh God, yeah!” Ruth laughs.
“So Nancy, Debs... tell me about your children and why they want to cause Brian and Justin such distress?”
“Who wants to go first?” Jennifer sighs.
“Me, it’s a bit quicker.” Debs retorts. “Sorry Jen.” She waves it away. “So Reba, Michael and Brian....”
Two hours later, I am furious and determined! Come near my grandchildren, will you?! Oh, I think not!
CAR BACK TO THE KOSLOVS - THREE HOURS LATER
BRIAN
“I think I may have over shopped.” I mumble and stroke his hair.
“Mmmhmmm.” He yawns from my lap. The trunk, and most of the car, is full of bags. “Brian, I’ve been thinking…” I interrupt him with a kiss. “What was that for?”
“Not complaining when I dragged you back to the Prada shop and got the second pair of shoes!”
“Yeah, you made it worth my while though!” He giggles and I smirk at the memory of finding a bathroom very quickly! “But seriously, I’ve been thinking. Do you think that we should ask Jules to see if he can find Cody?” I look down at him and his face is creased with worry.
“What made you think of him?”
“With the premiere coming up soon and him being obviously represented…”
“Okay, let’s ask him when we get back.” I smooth out his frown. “Methinks a facial is called for when we get back to Britin.” I press the intercom. “How long till we get there, please?”
“An hour. I will wake you when we are ten minutes away.”
“Thank you.” I murmur before Justin slides up to tuck himself under my chin.
NINETY MINUTES LATER
JULES
“Is there anything else left on Fifth Avenue?!” I laugh after I count 23 bags, so far!
“And that is just the trunk!” Justin smiles as he comes in with a slightly sheepish looking Brian.
“You did remember to get my outfit didn’t you, daddy? Papa?” Gus comes running to us.
“Yes Sonny Boy, we did. And we got outfits for the Caramels and Gummy too.” Brian scoops their son up and then blushes more. “And um…”
“Oh, for goodness sake!” Ruth grins. “Where’s it from?”
“We raided LuLu’s Then & Now. The cashier almost fainted at the amount we spent!” He smiles.
“Oh, for heaven sake! There’s more?!” I gasp and in the end there are 41 bags of shopping!
We all look at Brian. “Justin bought art supplies!” He protests and then blushes further when Justin picks up one bag.
“Right, you two! You must adjourn to your bedroom where you will have daddy time with your scrumptiousnesses. Then you will shower, change into the outfits we have laid out and come down for dinner.” Emmy orders.
They both frown. “Why?” Justin asks, warily.
“Because we said so.” He replies firmly.
“We want to speak to Jules first though.” Brian tells him and this time I frown then indicate they should follow me to the study.
STUDY
“What is wrong?”
“Years ago, I did something really stupid…” Justin begins.
After he’s finished, I tell him, “I don’t think you have anything to worry about, but let me check and I will let you know. Now go do as you are bid.” I smile at them as they leave. I immediately call my head of security and order him to find, and if necessary, contain Cody Bell!
BACK GARDEN - TWO HOURS LATER
BRIAN
I look around and there are fairy lights and candles with a table set for two! I look at Justin and he looks as bewildered as me!
“What the…” I begin.
“Happy Blessing Anniversary Day, Daddy and Papa!” Gus yells, running towards us and grabbing our hands. “We workted really hard to make it perfect...come! Come look!”
We allow him to pull us to the table and the first thing that hits me is the smell. “Oxtail?” I drool. I love oxtail...correction! I love to watch Justin eat oxtail! “Hang a second... what did you say, Sonny Boy?”
“We workted...no worked really hard to make it perfect.”
“Before that.”
“Happy Blessing Anniversary Day, did I get it wrong? I was practising really hard with Uncle Ben.”
“Oh, how have we forgotten?” I hear Justin choke out, quietly.
“You had other things on your mind, son.” Carl tells him and gives him a firm hug. “But now that you have been reminded, you will always remember it. Now we are going to have one drink with you two and then leave you to it.”
“No Sonny Boy, you said it perfectly and it’s your job to remind us every year. Okay?”
“How will I do that?”
“We will get you a calendar and we will write our wedding and our blessing days on it so you can remind us. Okay?” Justin blows a raspberry on his neck as he giggles and nods.
Twenty minutes later, it is just us. “Okay, let’s have a looksee at the menu. Chinese braised oxtails for main and passionfruit semifreddo for dessert. So shall we? Justin? Kind of killing the mood here checking your phone like that?!” I grouse.
He looks up and smiles before putting his phone in the wine glass and standing up. “May I have this dance?”
“What dance?”
He reaches into the glass and the familiar beat of Save the Last Dance starts. “This one.” He whispers and I sweep him into my arms.
Štucanje = Hiccup
http://thewoksoflife.com/2015/03/chinese-braised-oxtails/