Ladies of Liberty

Chapter 7





“Fuck!” Molly said.

“What is it, sweetheart?” Owen asked.

Taylor was sleeping and Molly was relaxing on the chaise in the sun porch. Now that the baby was sleeping and everything seemed to be returning to normal, Molly had decided to check her messages. She held her cell phone in her hand.

“My father left five messages,” Molly said. “He sounds pissed in the last few.”

“Shit! We should have told him we were coming out here.”

“We didn’t tell anybody. Neither of us was thinking straight.”

“We were so tired and frustrated. I never thought about what the grandparents might think. You better call him.”

“I guess I should,” Molly agreed, but she knew she wasn’t looking forward to what her father might say when he found out where she was.

“Do it now,” Owen advised. “It won’t get any easier if you put it off.”

“I know you’re right,” Molly sighed, “but I really don’t want to get chewed out.”

“Hang up if he’s rude.”

Molly laughed. “Then he’ll come storming out here and cause more trouble.”

“Brian will kick his ass.”

“What about you?” Molly giggled. “You want Brian to do your dirty work for you?”

“That would be nice.”

Molly shook her head. “Here goes nothing,” she said as she punched in the numbers.

“Hello?”

“Dad, it’s Molly.”

“Molly, where the fuck are you? I’ve been calling and calling. Is something wrong with you or the baby?”

“I’m okay, Dad, and Taylor’s fine.”

“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Craig demanded.

“The baby wouldn’t sleep and I was trying to breastfeed and Taylor was hungry all the time, and Owen and I were exhausted, and I didn’t know what to do,” Molly said, her voice hitching as the memory of those first few days with her newborn all came to the surface once again.

“Why didn’t you call me?” Craig asked. “Susan and I could have helped.”

“I didn’t know what to do, Daddy,” Molly admitted in her little girl voice.

“So, where are you? I tried the apartment again this morning and there was no answer.”

“I’m at Justin’s.”

“Justin’s!” Craig roared. “What the hell are you doing out there?”

“Justin and Brian and Claire, and everyone, have helped me a lot,” Molly said. “I think Owen and I and our child are just about ready to go back home.”

“Molly, I don’t like you taking my grandson out there, especially without telling me.”

Molly drew in a breath as she felt her blood pressure rise. “Dad,” she said firmly. “I don’t have to ask you about what I can or cannot do. I made the decision to come here, and it was the right decision for me and my family.”

Craig was about to yell at his daughter when her words registered in his brain. Molly was an adult. She didn’t have to answer to him. And he certainly didn’t totally want to alienate her. “I … I’m sorry, Molly. I shouldn’t have got so excited, but I was worried. You’re sure you’re all right?”

“We’re all fine,” Molly replied. “And when we get back home, I’ll call, and you and Susan can come over and see Taylor.”

“Is he getting bigger?” Craig remembered the little bundle he had held the day after Taylor was born.

“Very much,” Molly said with a smile. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

“You take care of yourself and that baby. I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay, Daddy,” Molly said. “Bye.” She flipped her phone closed and leaned back on the chaise.

“How did it go?” Owen asked as he brought her a glass of iced tea from the kitchen.

“It could have been worse,” Molly sighed.

Owen shook his head. “It’s hard enough dealing with the baby without all this other family shit,” he observed.

“And my mother isn’t even here,” Molly replied as she sipped her tea.

“Do you think we could just stay here and have Brian tell them all to go away?” Owen asked.

“I’ve been considering asking him that.”

Owen leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Mol. Never forget that.”

“I won’t,” she said with a small sigh as she leaned back and closed her eyes.



*****



“Brian, it’s Drew,” Drew whispered into his phone.

“I kinda figured that when my caller ID read, Drew,” Brian snarked also in a whisper. “And why are we whispering?”

“I don’t want Emm to hear us,” Drew continued to whisper into his phone. “I just fucked him into oblivion. I don’t want to wake him.”

“Drew, far be it for me to criticize; however, if you’re on your cell phone, why don’t you just walk outside?”

“DOH!” Drew whispered a la Homer Simpson. Brian heard some shuffling, a door opening and closing, then another and then the sound of traffic. “I’m outside,” Drew said in a normal voice.

“Well good for you! I thought all those tackles had finally gotten to your brain. Now to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I think he’s getting suspicious.”

“Suspicious of what?”

“Of us.”

“Us? What us? There is no us! There’s you and the fairy godmother from hell and there’s me with my perpetual stalker. See, no room for us!”

“Brian, calm down. I think he overheard us talking and someone told him that they saw you with me at the stadium. You know he’s a little insecure.”

“Why? You love him, any fool can see that.”

“He’s no fool. Brian, I wanted to surprise him but I think I’m going to have to tell him. I don’t want him to learn about it the hard way.”

“Drewsie, honey, why are you out here?” Emmett asked as he opened the main door to the apartment house. He was visibly upset and very perplexed.

“Oh shit,” Drew jumped at Emmett’s voice.

“It’s been nice, gotta go,” Brian said quickly then hung up. “Well fuck me!” he exclaimed as he stared at the cell phone in his hand.

“Love to, Bri,” Justin said with a grin as he came into the attic office. “What’s going on?”

“I think our favorite fairy godmother is going to hear about his surprise a little earlier than intended. Drew thinks that Emm thinks we’re fucking.”

“Of course we’re fucking. We fuck every night, twice on Sundays,” Justin teased.

“No, my sweet little blond. Emmett thinks that Drew and I are fucking.”

“Ooohhh. I’d hate to be you if that were really the case. No more popovers, no more pear and blue cheese canapés and no more of his barging in at the crack of dawn. Wait, that might not be so bad,” Justin chuckled.

“Let’s change the subject, Sunshine. When are the breeders leaving? Their essence is invading my space.”

“Have a craving for snatch?”

“Bite your tongue! It’s time to cut the cord, Justin. They need to go home.”

“Bri, I think Molly wants to live here.”

“Here!” Brian’s eyes grew wide.

“Not right here but here like next door.”

“Does Rachel know?” Brian snarked.

“Can it, Kinney. I think Molly is seriously considering asking you about buying a plot of land to build her own cottage. She seems to be preoccupied about the possibility.”

“Yes, I know. John mentioned it the day of the storm. I guess we should call a family meeting to discuss it.”

“Brian, if Molly really wanted a cottage...”

“Then she’ll have one, Sunshine. But on the other side of the lane. Being so close to hets...” Brian gave a mock shiver. “…gives me the creeps.”

Brian was favored by his husband’s sunshine smile. “I’m so onto you!” Justin laughed as he hugged his man and planted a searing kiss on Brian’s lips. “I love you, Brian.”

“I know.”



*****


“Drewsie, honey?” Emmett asked as they shut the door to their apartment.

“Now, Emm, it’s not what you think.”

“And what do I think?”

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

“I think that my soon to be ex-lover is fucking my soon to be ex-best friend.”

“NO! No, no, no! NO! There’s no ex’s anywhere and no fucking. Well there is fucking...” Emmett gasped. “NO! I mean we’re fucking, you and me and Brian is fucking Justin. No other fucking going on, I mean there’s fucking going on but not the way you think....and Baby, please. I love you! There’s been no one else but you since we got back together, I swear.”

“So what’s with the ‘secret agent man’ act?”

“Baby, I wanted to surprise you,” Drew said contritely.

“Well, consider me surprised. Now tell me what you’re up to,” Emmett demanded.

An hour later. “Touchdown!” Emmett cried out as he came deep within his lover.

“I love you, Emmett Honeycutt,” Drew purred.

“Love you too, honey,” Emmett cooed as the sated lovers cuddled then went to sleep.



*****



“We meet again,” Jamie said with a smile. She had gone to the gallery to view Justin’s exhibit.

“Is this your first time here since his show opened?” Lindsay asked.

“No, but I don’t normally come in when you’re here. I love his work. He makes me feel, you know what I mean?”

“Yes, I do. What do you think about the Fractal movie?”

“Ingenious and very original. The colors are amazing. He’s so young and so talented.”

“Do you know him?”

“A little. He visits the institute regularly and I know he donates. Several kids have been able to get an education through his scholarships.”

“He always finds a way to give back to his community.”

“I’ve never understood why. PIFA kicked his ass out.”

“Yes, they did and then he came back to finish. PIFA had a change of heart when Stockwell crashed and burned. But that was a long time ago. Did you bring your portfolio?” Lindsay batted her lashes. Jamie more than obliged.

*****

The family at the cottage had assembled in Brian and Justin’s living room. Taylor was quietly amused in the baby carrier as Molly and Owen put forth their proposal.

“Owen and I would like to know if you guys would consider selling us a small plot of your land. And if you say yes, John, would you consider designing us a cottage?” Molly asked with hope in her voice.

“What do you think about all of this?” Brian narrowed his gaze on Owen.

“Whatever Molly wants...”

“That’s not what I asked. We have room for a dozen more cottages, what makes you think you want to live here?”

“We don’t,” Owen answered honestly. “One day I will be taking over Brenner Industries; I need to be in Pittsburgh. And Molly wants to go back to work when her leave is up. However,” Owen began and with a little more authority in his voice, “we both like the peacefulness here. You have time to think and re-evaluate what’s important. Sometimes in the city, with so many people pulling on us, we don’t have the time for the quiet, or to think clearly. If we did then maybe our crisis wouldn’t have gotten so out of control. Or maybe we would have called for help sooner. I don’t have all the answers. What I do know is that we both love it up here and would like a small getaway place where we can breathe and regroup.”

“Nicely said,” Brian said proudly. “I knew Molly had picked herself a good man. You just proved it. Well, brother dearest, think you can muster up a little getaway for the children?” Brian said with a smirk.

“I believe I have just the getaway they need,” John crowed.

“Well then, I call this meeting adjourned. We’ll reconvene when the plans are drawn and the lawyer here can submit the details. Who’s up for ice cream?”

Everyone laughed as all hands went up. Edna’s Treasures Lane was getting some new neighbors.



*****



“Carl,” Debbie began.

“Yes, dear.”

“What do you think about heading to Chicago and then going back home?”

Carl frowned and took a sip of his coffee. They were sitting in lawn chairs outside the Winnebago, enjoying the morning sun. The campground where they had parked for the night was very quiet and very pleasant.

”Aren’t you enjoying the trip anymore?” Carl asked.

“I am, but I also feel a little … homesick,” Debbie admitted.

“We were going to be gone for a month,” Carl reminded her.

“I know, but it’s already two weeks and if we go to the west coast, it’s going to take more than a month to go there and back.”

“True,” Carl said thoughtfully. “So, what do you want to do?”

“As I said, if we went to Chicago, which I’d really like to see, then we could turn around and head back to Pittsburgh. That would get us back in just under a month.”

“Not if you keep finding weird and wonderful places to stop,” Carl laughed.

“We have seen some interesting sites,” Debbie chuckled.

“That we have. They’re actually the best part of the trip. That, and being with you.”

Debbie beamed at her husband. “You’re such a smooth talker, Carl Horvath.”

“Of course I am. All those years interviewing criminals trained me well.” They both laughed.

Then Debbie grew serious. “I miss Michael and JR and Ben…”

“And Brian and Justin and Hunter and Nick…”

“Okay, okay,” Debbie chuckled, “I miss them all.”

“I know you do, and truth be told, I miss them too.”

“So, should we head to Chicago and then … home?”

“I like the sound of that plan,” Carl agreed.

“Me too.”

“So, let’s get this show on the road.”

Carl stood and closed his lawn chair. It was time to hit the road.