PART I: THE AFTERMATH

MICHAEL

It’s been five whole fucking weeks and I haven’t seen the hide nor hair of Brian. He hasn’t been at Kinnetik during the hours I’ve been able to go there from the store and he hasn’t been back to the loft either. I’ve asked around and he’s been in the city. One would think with as many ‘emergency’ calls that I’ve placed to him AND Boy Wonder, one or both of them would have deemed it important and called me back. Hell, they haven’t even been to the diner! I mean, they would have to come up for air sometime, right? Shouldn’t they be bored with each other’s company by now? There isn’t that much fucking in the world!

As I’m still silently fuming at being ignored, I flip viciously through my mail. Bills, bills, and more bills are starting to arrive. Plus the publisher is asking for another installment of Rage. Well this is fortuitous, as I’ve been thinking of another storyline in which JT returns but is accosted by an ex-boyfriend who puts a spell on him, causing him to leave Rage for good. I suppose that plot has a lot to do with the fact that the chin-rat, none other than Ethan Gold, has been lurking around the avenue lately, asking about and looking for Justin. It seems inevitable that they are bound to run into each other, right? Perhaps I should help that happen. Then, while Justin is busy fending off that rodent, Brian will finally be free again to spend some time with me, his best friend. And then between Lindsay and I, we can talk sense into Brian, once again, about letting Boy Wonder go live his life. Maybe then Brian would pay attention to important matters, like his business, and reclaiming his throne as the King of Liberty Avenue.

I still can’t believe Brian gave up having every man want him to settle for the flaky twink that never stays put. What does he see in him? Several times during their association- I refuse to call it a relationship- I thought Brian would have kicked Justin out of his life for good. I even fermented their breakups by pointing out Justin’s role of trick de jour several times, causing him to leave Brian or the other way around. But they still found their way back to each other. I’ve had to watch helplessly as one-by-one my dreams of being Brian’s have been systematically destroyed by a trick that didn’t seem to know when his time was fucking up! Don’t get me wrong...I love Ben, but my heart doesn’t skip a beat when he walks into the room like it always does for Brian. Besides his mortality is at risk and Brian’s isn’t, so why wouldn’t I try to hold on to the man I know will take care of me in the end?

My thoughts are that Brian should be sowing his wild oats until I’m ready to be with him. By then, Brian should be ready to settle down; to have a real relationship at long last with the right person. I AM that person, not Justin! But as long as Justin is around, none of it can happen. I also don’t want to necessarily destroy Justin, since I need him to work on Rage with me. No other artist will be able to capture Brian as well as Justin does. So it would be best to give him another option, right? That’s where Ethan will come in… a distraction and an opportunity. Artists, no matter the genre, should be around each other, right? They have to have a steady source of inspiration; a muse so to speak, in order to do their best work. So I’ll consider my efforts in having Brian to myself my reward for doing something for the greater good of Justin’s career. Hopefully with Lindsay moving back, she will reapply the artist-peer pressure on Justin and make sure that this time he moves on for good!

LINDSAY

“Justin, it’s time you called me back. I know you and Brian have spoken to Mel and Gus, but come on! There has to be more to life than being with Brian. Call me when you come up for air! I need to speak with you about your career... in New York!”

I hang up the phone, once again fuming. Neither Justin nor Brian have called me back, after I have left several messages. He can’t still be pissed off at me for my interference, can he? I mean, had I not pushed him to go to New York by using the one thing he wanted, Justin wouldn’t have reached half of the success that he did in the last year. I know that he told me he didn’t want to go, but he had to have been lying if the reports I’ve been receiving are anything to go by. Don’t get me wrong… I love Brian, I really do, but he needs to let Justin go for good so that he can feed the world, especially me, through his art. So it’s for the greater good that I’ve interfered once again.

Simon called and said that there was a major show he wanted Justin to be featured in. It’s at the gallery he’d just acquired, and every major financial backer will be there. Justin will have the chance to achieve global success, instead of just becoming known here in the States. He can’t miss this opportunity of a lifetime in favor of moving back to Pittsburgh for good! When Michael told me that, it took everything I had in me not to scream. He even told me about some fucking tournament, which guaranteed Brian and Justin wouldn’t be available to anyone other than each other for two weeks afterward. Doesn’t Justin realize that during those two weeks, if he’d spent it in New York where he fucking belongs, he could have had more shows?!

I called his agent, Miranda to complain about how she was handling Justin and his career by letting him have his way. She told me to get a life and stay out of Justin’s. Well that bitch will have to eat crow when I get Justin back where he’s supposed to be, and that’s going to begin with him doing the Simon Craswell show as he ought. Then maybe, just maybe, he’ll see my worth and have me manage his career. Lord knows I would do a better job than she obviously does!

I began calling Justin back immediately, with new vigor and renewed resolve that he will listen to me. When he didn’t answer, I called Brian, using Gus as the trigger. Brian called right back, but it was Melanie he spoke to. My harridan of a wife told him that everything was fine with Gus and that if there were any problems, she would call him directly. When the fuck had they become so close? Mel was pissed and basically ordered me to stay out of their relationship. I told her that they do not have a relationship. We have a relationship; Brian and Justin only have a fuck-ship, one that neither of them can seem to let go of.

I really think that’s why things didn’t work out as I hoped they would with Ethan. I dangled him in front of an affection-starved Justin, and nearly jumped with glee when he took the bait. My reason was that Brian would only stifle Justin’s creativity in his need to be the center of attention at all times. Sure I knew that Justin loved Brian, but in order for him to reach his true potential, he has to suffer emotionally and mentally, where it has nowhere else to go but on canvas. That’s how the Masters became great, in my opinion. And Justin has the talent to become one of them, if only Brian would leave him the fuck alone!

Well, I’ll make sure that happens, now that Mel has finally agreed that Canada is NOT for us. It’s taken nearly two years, but she’s gotten the message loud and clear that although I agreed to move here, I’m not happy being here. Because of her insistence and catastrophizing, Justin is now in danger of losing his career in favor of fucking. That can’t happen! And I will make sure that it doesn’t!

BRITIN

“Oh shit! Oh...Hm…. a little to the left, pl-please….” Justin moaned as Brian pounded into him.

It was the last day of their break from reality. Originally, it was only supposed to be for two weeks, but turned into five since they kept it going past the allotted time. The life free from unwarranted and unwanted interruptions was bliss and they were taking full advantage of it. Since Ted and Em were the only ones within their circle who knew Brian had kept the house, they knew the secret was still safe. Although Brian would go into the office and Justin had meetings, they managed to avoid Michael, knowing that he would use any and every excuse to detain them. Even Debbie had backed off and they knew to thank Mother Taylor for that.

Brian and Justin were given a play-by-play account of what happened after their abrupt departure from the loft that night. They had won the Tawdry Tournament, fair and square, guaranteeing themselves two weeks of unintrusive sucking and fucking. Although that was the goal, it was simply being together after an unsteady year that both men wanted. Whereas the other opponents of the legendary pool game were willing to grant the couple their space, Michael was not. Not even a half an hour after they arrived back at the loft, Michael showed up, trying his key, complaining that he couldn’t get in and leaning on the buzzer. Justin had threatened to commit justifiable homicide, effectively removing his ass from Brian’s orbit if they didn’t get out of there. So they escaped to their refuge, Britin for their own brand of R&R, reconnection and restoration. Rest and relaxation, such as it was, would come later.

“God, Justin,” Brian grunted. “How the fuck are you still so fucking tight?”

Instead of answering, Justin grabbed a handful of his lover’s locks, forcing him into a torrid kiss. Brian moaned as the younger man emulated what Brian’s cock did to him inside of the brunet’s mouth. That tongue-roll of Justin’s- no matter where it was enacted- always sent Brian into paroxysms of pleasure, where he was usually more subdued during sex. Justin was the only man to bring sounds out of him in such a way where it was completely involuntary. And he knew it!

Brian redoubled his stroking, unable and unwilling to control himself. He fucked Justin as if it was the first time and the last time, as if he was afraid the younger man would disintegrate into a dream within the next second. It was dirty and gritty, pouring every ounce of what he felt into it, as if his next breath depended on Justin’s ultimate pleasure. From the near screams and frantic thrusting happening beneath him, Justin didn’t mind Brian’s sudden rough-handling.

“Fuck! Harder, Brian. Give it to me,” He chanted as he ripped his lips away from the man laboring above him. “More dammit! Give me more!”

That was another thing about Justin that Brian really loved. Too much was never enough for him. Brian widened his stance, gripping Justin by his shoulders. Then, isolating the younger man’s hips, drove into him in a staccato rhythm. The moans emitting from Justin told Brian that the small, forceful movements were exactly what he was demanding.

“So that’s what you wanted, huh?” Brian crooned rhetorically, stabbing into Justin’s prostate over and over again. “That’s right, Sunshine… gasp with it! I want to hear you. Tell me what else you want…”

He watched as Justin’s eyes rolled back on a particularly vicious thrust into the walnut-shaped gland. Brian knew by the time they finished this round, he was going to be close to fainting. He didn’t care. Fucking Justin was more euphoric than the high he got from winning the toughest account. He always felt like he was at the top of his game with the man beneath him. Justin drove him, in bed and out of it. He was life to Brian, always breathing and challenging him to be the best he could be. As animalistic as their mating was, there was a degree of love and respect between them that couldn’t be matched or duplicated.

“Oh fuck, Bri… I’m…”

“Yes! Go for it! Take it, Jus! Give it to me!” Brian demanded, as he redoubled his efforts to get them both off. This was what he missed. Justin’s feelings and wants were never more clear than when he couldn’t hide behind words anymore. His needs- emotionally, physically, and mentally were never more exposed than at the moment just before culmination. “Show me!”

And Justin did, spilling his seed between them in copious amounts without being jerked off. The keening cry reached deeply into the brunet’s soul as Justin trembled beneath him. Brian followed right behind with a shout, as the orgasm was wrenched from him. He literally saw stars while his eyes were closed; the rushing release of endorphins, causing him to feel dizzy. He laid his head in the crook of Justin’s neck, inhaling the salty, sweaty skin and the fragrance he’d dreamed about more times than he could count or admit. Justin was a drug more potent than any other Brian had ever tried. As he lay there, insensate and replete with pleasure, he wondered why he’d ever even tried to fight this feeling.

“Sanka, ya dead?” Justin asks, in a faux-Jamaican accent. They had just watched and laughed at the movie Cool Runnings the night before.

“Yah Mon!” Brian answered, causing them both to snicker and then guffaw loudly with laughter. It was moments like this they cherished most.

Sighing deeply, Justin snuggled in closer to Brian, who had yet to remove himself from atop him. “I suppose we should get up and at least check our emails. I loathe to leave the hottest spot on earth, but with the meet-and-greet just hours away…”

“Yeah, I know. I wish we could just stay here forever.”

“We can.”

“Huh?”

Justin cleared his throat. “I said that we could. We only used the loft these past weeks for business and the occasional stay. There’s no reason that we have to share this with anyone. I thought we went over this five weeks ago.”

“We did. But I thought by now that you would have changed your mind.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No, Brian. I meant it when I said that I want to stay here. There is no constant buzzing and revolving door here at Britin. The few times we stayed at the loft, we had to live by candlelight, which might have been considered romantic if not for your obsessed fan club of one. We only did it because we knew that if Michael saw the electricity running, it would have been an automatic invitation to invade our space. I don’t want to go back to that. And I don’t think you do either.”

Brian thought about it for a moment. Although he and Justin were both city boys by nature, there was nothing more appealing to either of them than the peace and quiet Britin offered. He actually found himself able to think better and Justin was painting during their enforced breaks. They only got dressed when they had to, not having to worry about people dropping by unannounced at their whims. At thirty-six years old, Brian could honestly say that this was the life he wanted. And he wanted it with Justin. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay, we’re officially changing our address. All of our important documents, with the exception of our licenses and passports, will read this address.” He could tell that Justin was smiling wide and bright, so he sat up to look down at the man who continually made his most secret dreams a reality. “And the only person outside of those who already know about this place will be Gus.”

“I love the sound of that. But how will we keep it to ourselves once he knows? You know how Lindsay is.”

Brian frowned. Yeah, he knew how she was and her tendency to question Gus every time he spoke to Brian. Whereas the Novotnys were more overtly nosy, Lindsay was more subtle. Unless she asked a question directly, one didn’t know they were being cultivated to provide information. She didn’t badger like Michael did, where you ended up agreeing just to shut him up. No, Lindsay and her passive-aggressive personality would just consistently refute every argument you could give before you saw the supposed wisdom in her thinking. By then, it’s too late to recant the agreement without looking foolish and she preys on that particular vulnerability. It’s the fear of being wrong in having second thoughts. Ironically, she went after two head-strong people who rarely indulged in those, and won. It’s how she got Brian to agree to push for Justin to go to New York in the first place. He didn’t doubt that she would do the same to Gus at every opportunity, without him realizing it. Hell, he was only about to be six years old!

“I get what you are saying, so I propose this… Whenever we bring Gus here, until he learns how to keep a secret, we tell him that it’s a hotel. And before you ask, we need to hire staff for this place anyway. There’s no way you will have time to clean this place from top to bottom and still be able to service me.”

“Oh, I’m to be at your beck and call, am I?”

Brian shifted over Justin a little more, pulling the pliant body into his. “Nice to know you’ve finally learned your role.”

“Fuck you.” Justin laughed into the smiling face above him. “Well, that takes care of one problem, but not the pain in the ass herself.”

Brian nodded. “You know Ted says that they are moving back to Pittsburgh?”

“Blake told me the same. I won’t have her trying to micromanage me, Brian. In fact, the less dealings I have with Lindsay, the better for a while,” Justin said forcefully.

“Hey… Hey, I get it. And I’m as pissed as you still are at her manipulations, but I take responsibility for my part in it. You should too.”

Justin sighed. “I do, but I’m also hurt behind it, Brian. Her actions basically screamed that I owed her and that I’m not allowed to lead my own life. This wasn’t about a wasted opportunity, like she would have everyone believe. Lindsay is hell bent on living vicariously through me and I won’t have it!”

“I understand more than you think. Justin, you have the man, the money, and the career she will never have, simply because she never cared enough to cultivate her own talent. She’s never had that drive to work hard and succeed the way you have. Sometimes I wonder how you two could have been born within the same society, with practically the same upbringing and yet be so different.”

“That’s easy. My family is from old money, Brian...Well my mother’s side is anyway. But we were taught to never simply expect things handed to us because of our status, the way Lindsay and her new money family tends to do. The set that I was born into don’t act entitled, even if our status says we are. That’s the key difference between those of us born into money, and those within the WASP nest who are new to having it. It's all about appearances, whereas for the rest of us, it's simply a fact of life.

"According to my mother, when Ron married Nancy, they were flat broke. And if it’s a lie, Ron told it. Anyway, Ron hit it big in the European markets about 1971 and had the money transferred to America. It’s how he became a consultant at Merrill Lynch for a time. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, Lynette and Lindsay were born after Ron became one of the higher ups in the company. He sold his stock right before the market crashed in ‘88 and moved here just before you entered your junior year in high school.”

“You know, for a young man, you’re remarkably well-informed.”

“Who knew all of those boring country club dinners would prove useful in understanding the complexities of a shrew.”

“Hey Sunshine, no name-calling.”

“I was being nice.”

They shared a laugh, knowing that Justin was telling the truth. Justin may look like an angel, but he could make the devil blush with his creative cursing. Brian couldn't disagree with anything Justin said, or how he feels about Lindsay.

“So what do you say we get up, have a shower and get to work?”

“Is clothing still optional?”

“Absolutely...unless you don’t think you’ll be able to concentrate with me and all my magnificence uncovered for you to admire.” Brian extended a questioning eyebrow upward, causing Justin to laugh again.

“Of course I’ll be able to concentrate, even if I have to wipe the occasional drop of drool from my mouth. But I won’t deny you if you wanted to grope the goods once or twice.”

“Like now?”

“Race you to the shower…”

***

An hour later, Brian and Justin reconvened at their respective laptops within the office, where they discussed the latest account. Jacob Emerson had signed on the dotted line after six months of negotiations. Upon learning that Justin was a partner within the firm, Mr. Emerson was more than happy to sign a fifteen million dollar contract with Kinnetik to take Emerson Global to the next level. Of course, at this news, Emerson’s major competition, Craig Taylor of Taylor Electronics, was not pleased in the slightest.

For the first time in more than two years, Justin heard the irritating and irate tone of his father. Justin laughed loud and long at Craig’s threats to ruin Brian if Justin didn’t convince him to tear up the Emerson contract. Justin, in turn, told the sperm donor that loyalty was earned, not automatically given, and he owed Craig the same thing he had given him...NOTHING. Later that night, Justin laid in Brian’s arms and cried angry tears from the whole experience. It wasn’t so much that he was disappointed; Justin had crossed that bridge many years ago. It was that the entire episode was expected and that saddened him. But Justin’s outlet and response surprised Brian. After talking it over and letting his own anger at Craig’s numerous threats and actions over the years come to the surface, Justin set to work on art for the campaign that would even make the old Masters green with envy.

He decided to  begin the campaign with scenes back from the birthplaces of Greek mythology, straight through to Thomas Edison and rounding out with how technology, specifically electronics, had evolved into today’s must-haves. With the boards officially finished, Brian looked at the spectacular finished product: a drawing of Morpheus dragging a dark blanket amid a star-covered sky while the sun shines brightly on the other side. Although the artwork was intricate and complex, the message conveyed was clear and concise.

“Emerson Electronics Global: Riding the Electro-waves into the Future.”

Justin smiled brightly at him. “That’s the idea. Perhaps I should draw a board depicting a shipwreck for Taylor Electronics as a final parting gift. It could have Craig’s face as the lobster being caught in a cage, watching helplessly as his store sinks to the bottom of the ocean.”

Brian laughed. “Whereas the idea has merit, let’s just concentrate on what we do best: making money and becoming the best homosexuals this planet has ever seen. Your father’s own bitterness and hatred will take care of him for us and we won’t even have to lift a finger. Our success, especially yours, is already pissing him off. I’m sure he already looks like a boiled lobster right now. But wait until he sees the first round of commercials...”

“So you think this will all translate easily if it’s approved by Emerson and crew?”

“Not a doubt in my mind that it will be approved or be easy to turn into commercials. The talent agency we just signed has loads of people looking for work. They’re SAG/ AFTRA approved so that also gives us access to their actors anywhere globally. It shouldn’t be too difficult to put the word out now.”

“Speaking of which, I received two other emails that I wanted to talk with you about.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, one is Michael’s usual spiel about doing another installment of Rage. I really don’t have the time or the inclination to work with him anymore. I’ve offered several times to find him a replacement artist to draw the comic for me while I’ve been away, with me keeping creative control so that he could still trust the caliber of work provided and to pay the artist out of my share.”

“I take it he wasn’t thrilled about the suggestion?”

“You take it correctly. I looked over the contract, paying attention to the fine print and found out the reason why. The publisher won’t print drawings if they aren’t approved. That’s their standard policy, which keeps the goal of printing quality and selective reading material to the fore. But it was also listed in the fine print that with Rage, they won’t print it if I’m not the artist doing the comic. I had forgotten about that particular clause. Apparently, I’m a bigger draw than I thought I was before I left for New York. They understand the integrity with which I work. Although they deal with Michael, they obviously don’t trust him.”

“Are the printers and publishers local guys? I never thought to ask that. I know that the original owner of the company, whom I’d worked with while at Vanguard, had retired and sold the business. But I didn’t keep up with developments after the initial issue of Rage was released. I was too busy starting Kinnetik and everything else that happened afterward.” Brian’s voice trailed off, letting Justin know that he was speaking specifically about the cancer. That was indeed a tough time for them.

“Actually yes, they are. Ironically the new owners- or semi-new, in this case- graduated a year before I was supposed to at PIFA. They pooled their money together along with a few of their friends who had graduated the Business Administration masters degree program from Mellon and bought the publishing company. They do both printing and publishing in-house now and are coming on par with the New York Big 6.”

Brian knew that the Big 6 referred to the major publishing houses within the United States and their various divisions abroad. He found it amazing and encouraging that a local company was keeping up with the big boys of New York City. Little fish in a big pond, indeed! “So how did that evolve into them not trusting Michael?”

“Oh, did I forget to mention that five out of seven of them are gay?”

“And?”

“And, there is no way that they could have been part of Gay PA and not know of the little blond twink who could, did, and keeps the heart of the former Stud of Liberty Avenue. Consequently, that means they also know Michael as your ‘best friend’. There’s not much that happens in the gayborhood that isn’t talked about, which includes Michael’s one-track mind concerning you.” Justin shrugged and brushed off Brian’s continued questioning look. He didn’t want to tell him what else the guys had said about Michael.  Although true, he didn’t think Brian needed him to state the obvious.

“So what do you want to do? Honestly and no bullshit, Justin, what do you want to do?”

“Offer Michael 15K to buy him out, disband Rage or more to the point, reformat it by discontinuing the current storylines based on our life as Michael sees it. Then re-release it after it’s been off the market for a year or so. I want to cultivate it to reach its full potential, not the small town dreams of a man with no vision of his own. The good and the bad news is that the first edition and Volume 1 as a whole, are considered collectors items and worth a mint alone. Michael knows that and receives a distributor’s fee every time one of them is sold since they can only obtain it through Red Cape. Taking away Rage profits, Michael barely makes enough to cover store expenses and pay his mortgage along with child support to Mel.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. Michael isn’t paying support to Mel.”

“So how the fuck are they getting by?” Based on the guilty look on Brian’s face, Justin knew the answer. “Oh no fucking way! Brian, they decided to move; they decided to take your son away from you and they decided that you weren’t good enough to father JR. Although I love that little girl, why are you once again bailing out Michael and Lindsay from their own bullshit din?”

“I’m not doing it for them. In fact, although I’m sure Lindsay knows, I’m not doing any of it for her. Mel is the one who asked.”

“At Lindsay’s suggestion, I’m sure.” Justin huffed out a breath.

“Not as far as I know. She called me directly to ask for a loan and has been trying to pay it back ever since, which I keep redepositing into her account separate from Lindsay. It’s become sort of a game between she and I.”

“What ‘Pass the Buck?’ Brian why did you do it?”

He folded his lips inward for a moment before answering. “At first, it was because I had something to hold over her head. You know she and I run hot and cold when it comes to getting along. But then I listened to the desperation behind that shrewish voice and I couldn’t not respond to it. Things have been hard up there in Canada for them and I couldn’t let the kids suffer because Mel chose wrongly for the father of her child. What kind of man- what kind of father would I be- if I knowingly let that happen? So I made an executive decision and paid their mortgage up through the rest of last year. But now that they have decided to move back, Mel feels that she should pay what’s left of the balance of the mortgage so that I would have the money right away while she waits for the check from the broker in Canada.”

Justin looked at the man he loved more than his next breath. Everyday he seemed to learn something new about the man he’s always known underneath his public persona. And right then, Justin couldn’t have loved Brian more. “I’m proud of you Brian. And you are a good father, regardless of what the misguided idiot who is the epitome of a drop-in dad tells you.”

Brian looked away from the blue eyes regarding him so intently, mixed emotions heavy in his throat. Clearing them away with an forced ‘ahem’, Brian asked about the second thing Justin said he wanted to talk about. “So what’s with the other email?”

“It’s about tonight’s meet-and-greet actually. There’s been a new development.”

“Really? At this late stage?”

“Yeah, but I think it’s a good one. You know how Lindsay has always said that I couldn’t make it big as an artist living in the Pitts?”

“Yeah. We’ve already established that she didn’t know dick, although she occasionally likes to ride one.”

Justin snickered. “True. But there is an artist competition coming to Pittsburgh. A very prominent and lucrative one. They're going to be using the old steel mills and the Alwin building as the headquarters and for the sets. I’ve been invited to compete in it.”

“What kind of competition?”

“Skin Wars.”

“Skin Wars? Isn’t it that competition you’ve been obsessed with since the very first episode with... What’s her name?”

“Rebecca Romijn. Yep. That’s the one.”

“So what’s the prize?”

“Other than 100K and the chance to become an internationally known artist four years sooner than my five year plan?” Justin smiled and bit his lip before continuing his answer. “A chance to be one of the judges next season, under contract for three years, unlimited access to the finest materials and a five movie contract as lead artist with Kell-Jam Studios, which is the new studio owned by Brett Keller and Connor James. The movies are to be spaced out over a period of six years since each movie takes about a year to complete before it goes to editing. Although the show films in Chicago, the taping only happens twice weekly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for it to air on Saturday nights.”

Brian’s eyes twinkled, catching the wave of Justin’s thinking. “Which means you can still live here at Britin and not sacrifice your career. Nor will you stall the momentum you’ve been gaining steadily since the move to the Big Apple. You must be thrilled to be able to send the big FUCK YOU to Lindsay. By the way, have you checked the numerous phone messages she’s left you?”

Justin frowned. “Yeah, I checked. She wants me to do a show in New York with her cunty fag friend, who acquired a gallery after leaving Art Forum.”

“So you’re not going to do the show?”

Justin rolled his eyes at the thought. “No fucking way! I will not give Satan Caswell a way to make money off of me just to make Lilith, also know as Lindsay Peterson, happy. I used to regard her as family, Brian. Now, I just think of her as a bitch I never knew.”

“Justin…” Brian began, hearing the pain in his lover’s voice.

“I know, Brian. I know. I have to put it behind me since some good came out of her pissing on my choices. Ultimately, we let her separate us.”

“True, but look how it all turned out. You have a fabulous agent in Miranda; you’ve already had two shows and are now being invited to participate in…” Brian looked at the computer screen then, his eyes going wide. “The Celebrity Edition of Skin Wars?! Justin, you’re already considered a fucking celebrity?!”

“Guess my time in California counted for something too, especially since I know for a fact that Brett, Connor and Mr. Nichols from the studio bought seven of my paintings between my first two shows and have commissioned three others. I suppose I should thank Michael for bullying me into it.”

“No. Like Lindsay, let his ass stew in the knowledge that he helped your career without meaning to. He was being evil and an emotional bully, just as he was when he told me that you’d heard the call from Johns Hopkins. I can look back at it now and see what Michael’s real aim was… to shut you out!”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does, but fuck it. All that matters is how we are now.”

“And just how are we, Mr. Kinney?”

“Hot and horny, so basically... fabulous.”

“That works!” And they made it work, over and over again for the rest of the afternoon.

***

LIBERTY DINER

TED

“No, it’s not a problem Brian. I already know the boards are quality. I’ll call Mr. Emerson and set the appointment up for next week. So is he really going to do it? When do you want me to have it done? That soon, huh? I’ll have Donovan go over the contracts again. It should prove interesting. Oops...gotta go! I’ll call you back the minute I leave or I’ll just meet you there.” I hang up the phone, truly in awe of what I’ve just heard. Justin’s a celebrity and is doing Skin Wars!

I knew about the temporary leases on both the Alwin building and the old steel mills. Of course, it’s my job to know, since Brian owns them separately from Kinnetik. I don’t even think he’s told Justin yet. We were looking into redeveloping the area since it’s technically prime real estate close to downtown where the Alwin building is located. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I forgot who’s just walked in.

“Did I hear correctly, Ted? Were you speaking to Brian just now?” Lindsay’s voice smoothly asks.

“Well hello to you too, Lindsay. Welcome back, and yes, that was Brian. It’s amazing that you heard that all the way from the door, in a crowded diner such as it is.” I didn’t hide the sarcasm in my voice. She seems to forget that Mel and I are best friends the way Daphne and Justin are. Sure, our friendship had its trials due to my former addiction, but once I came back to my senses, Mel was my biggest supporter and vice versa. Consequently, that also makes me privy to information about Lindsay and her motives that she would rather be kept quiet.

“Aww Ted, what’s wrong? Getting the itch again?”

“No, Lindsay. If I have an itch at all, it’s because I’m allergic to bullshit. So do me a favor and find another table.”

“Well I don’t feel like finding another table. The view from here is quite good, although the present company leaves a lot to be desired. So about Brian…”

“What about him?”

“Don’t you think I should know why he’s calling you instead of his son?”

I glare at her. Oh no Lilith, not today! Fuck! I’ve obviously been talking to Justin too much and have picked up on his name for Lindsay. But fuck it! Her depiction as the Devil’s wife is accurate, especially for what she and Michael are trying to do. “Lindsay, let’s cut the shit, shall we? We both know that Brian has been speaking to Gus on a regular basis. It’s YOU, who hasn’t heard from him. Why that is… well, that’s none of your business. What he’s been doing with his time that he won’t call you back… again, none of your business. And while we are on the subject of Brian, let’s switch it to Justin for a moment. I think a certain warning is called for in this situation. Leave him alone! Your attempts at ruling him have failed; it’s time to give up the ghost, stop beating a dead horse and move on. He’s not going to do what you want, regardless of how much you badger him and Brian to make your dreams his reality.”

Lindsay applauded. “Bravo Ted. I see you’ve stolen Brian’s balls. You even managed to sound like him to a degree that’s commendable. But you forget one thing: I’m not one of your subordinates at Kinnetik and I will not be spoken to in such a manner. I think Melanie will have plenty to say about it when I tell her.”

“I already do, Lindsay,” Mel said from behind her. Had I not been watching, I might have missed the initial surprise and then, the brief flash of anger enter the brown eyes still regarding me. “Ted, how are you?”

“I’m good, Mel.” I stood up to kiss her cheek. “Despite Canada not being agreeable for the long-term, you look well.”

“Yeah, being out of the Novotny orbit does have its privileges. So how are things?” She asks me, deliberately ignoring Lindsay. Yep, something is definitely rotten in the milk there, judging by the pinched look on Lindsay’s face.

“Things are well. Kinnetik keeps growing and I’m busier than ever.”

“Yet you still manage to have lunch on Brian’s dime and speak to Brian when his best friends have yet to?” Lindsay sneers.

Clearing my throat, I address her. “First, for a college graduate, you are really ignorant if you don’t know that by State and Federal law, I am entitled to a lunch break. Now when that happens is anyone’s guess because I actually have a career which I love and sometimes requires me to be flexible in my schedule as such. As for your second complaint, I would say to take it up with Brian, but you see… he’s spending his time doing something he actually wants to do and talking the person he actually wants to speak with. Obviously, that isn’t you. You know, bitterness really doesn’t suit you Lindsay; it just makes you look sallow.”

“How dare you speak to me that way?! I’m the moth…” Lindsay’s tirade was cut off by the chuckle/hiccup coming from my left, in the form of Melanie.

“And how is Justin?” Mel asks. “Where is he anyway?”

“At a meet and greet with Brian by his side. The producers of Skin Wars are meeting with him tonight.”

“Skin Wars? The reality crap that comes on tv for artists who couldn’t use their talents adequately to become important in the art world? Please tell me Justin isn’t getting involved with that talentless drivel?!”

“He sure is, but just one question Lindsay: if you’re as good as you apparently think you are, where are your marvelous works of art? The ability to engage in that talentless drivel as you put it, is worth a small fortune in certain circles. But in order to be considered for this particular competition, you have to be an established artist. So I guess that leaves you out!” I taunt her.

I really don’t get her idea of success, since all she’s ever managed to do for herself is sell paintings, never creating anything notable herself. Now that’s not to say that curators don’t have value, but they would never put an artist down unduly simply because they aren’t able to achieve their own dreams. At least, I wouldn’t like to think so. “Lindsay, take my advice, some I’m sure you’ve heard over and over again. Find your own life, raise the son you’ve nearly broken your uterus to birth, and leave Justin’s life and career alone! You won’t like the consequences if you don’t.” I get up to leave the Diner, placing my tip underneath my coffee cup. I have to get to the Alwin meet-and-greet as soon as possible.

“Where are you going? I just got here,” Mel asks me.

“I know, but business calls.” I tell her, but then see the despondent look on her face. “Hey, what are you doing right now?”

“Nothing of importance,” she tells me, watching Lindsay gasp and frown out of the corner of her eye. “The kids are spending the night with Deb at her insistence so that I go out and have some fun on my first night back.”

“I believe that she said we should go out and have some fun, Mel,” Lindsay tells her through gritted teeth.

“Yeah well, since you’re not my definition of fun anymore, I’ve decided to exclude you from my first child-free evening since we’ve moved.”

“I haven’t had a night free either you know.”

“Of course, you haven’t. It was the afternoons or early evenings when I had to get the children from daycare while you were fucking the Curator and his Bi-wife. Ah, I see you think I didn’t know about that, did you? Well it doesn’t matter, Lindsay. I’ve only been staying with you long enough to figure out what I want to do. Suddenly, I’m so happy you decided that we didn’t need to get married in Canada; it makes dissolving our partnership, such as it is, easier. Since we have joint custody with Brian, I figured that Gus will stay with me until you can get re-established with a job and apartment of your own. Since Sidney won’t rehire you because of the whole Sam thing, you should begin to look elsewhere. So what are we doing tonight, Ted?” Melanie asks as if she didn’t just drop the metaphorical atomic bomb on Lindsay.

I have to give it Mel, when she is out to destroy someone, she goes at it full-tilt, without worrying about the catastrophe she leaves behind. Reminds me of Brian. “Well Mel, first thing we have to do is get you dressed.”

“Excuse me, but Melanie, we really need to talk about this!” Lindsay tries again.

“I’ve already said everything I need to say. Whatever you didn’t hear, you can ask someone else. I’m sure everyone has heard and are just waiting to fill you in along with all of the Avenue. As for you Ted, lead the way. I’m ready to get out of here. Outside of the other patrons, the company has become stifling.”

“Well Lindsay did always suck all the air out of the room,” I tell her.

“That’s not all she sucks… but that’s a conversation for another day. In the meantime, let’s get this show on the road!”

We both leave behind a stunned Lindsay, who looks like her world just crashed. I suppose it did, since both her cash cow and prize bull have escaped her penny-hungry pen. Guess Lindsay has, at long last finally learned a valuable lesson, but it has come a day late and several dollars short. Mess with the bull and get the horns… even if it’s from a very pretty bulldyke!

***

LINDSAY

I can’t believe what’s just happened, first with Ted and then with Melanie. Who the fuck do those two think they are?! If she thinks she’s about to escape her viciousness unscathed, she has another think coming.

Pulling out my cellphone, I know exactly what I have to do. The very first thing I have to do is appeal to Brian. He and Melanie can’t stand each other, no matter that they have just recently started aligning themselves with each other. That’s another thing that can be laid at Justin’s door. Had he just stayed where his ass belonged, Brian would be here with me when I need him most! Well let me just take care of this matter first, before I deal with the other.

“Yes, I would like to speak with the person in charge of the casting for Skin Wars, please. This is Justin Taylor’s agent, Miranda Charles.”

I wait for a few minutes before someone comes back on the line. “Hello. Who’s speaking?” A woman’s voice comes on the line.

“This is Miranda Charles. I regret to inform you that Justin Taylor will not be able to participate in the competition. He has a prior commitment with the Caswell Gallery formerly known as the Swinton Gallery in New York City.”

“That’s funny, because I sent an email telling that cunty fag that Justin will NOT be appearing in his opening or any other show the pretentious prick has. Justin doesn’t like him and neither do I, so it was really a no-brainer and no hardship to cancel what a jealous, untalented, vicarious-living hack tried to arrange with him. By the way, Lindsay, this is Miranda, Justin’s true agent. You’ll be hearing from my new attorney, who just walked in the door. Ah, Melanie… so good to see you! No, no Lindsay’s on the line, impersonating me and trying to get Justin out of doing the show and into Caswell’s gallery. Oh, don’t worry darling, we’ll have you fixed up in no time; just let me call Pepper and she’ll fit you immediately. Hello Lindsay, checkmate dear. Bye now!” She tells me, laughing and hanging up.

Bitches!

***

“SHE DID WHAT?!?!” Justin exploded as Miranda filled him in on Lindsay’s latest stunt. He was of a mind to find her and drop her in the middle of the Ohio River.

“Hey, calm down. I handled it. I should also let you know that I told her that you and I hired Mel. I know you hadn’t wanted that knowledge to go public yet but…” Miranda soothed him.

“No I hadn’t, but as usual, Lindsay leaves a person no choice. It’s no secret that Brian and I regretted firing Mel as our personal attorney when I moved to New York. It’s just that she and Lindsay had gotten back together and we knew that Lindsay would badger information out of her at every turn. She’s always had a blind spot when it came to Lindsay. Brian had too for awhile, but it took certain actions on her part to open his eyes.”

“Well I’m glad he did. It also seems that she’s opened her own. Before coming over here, Ted told me that Lindsay tried to make a scene in the Diner and that Melanie rained on her parade… more like stomped on it really.” Then Miranda filled him in on Mel informing Lindsay that they were no longer together.

“How is Mel feeling about it? That must have hurt.”

“I’m actually fine with it Baby,” Mel answered, coming upon them. She was stunning in a pantsuit that was such a deep red that it looked black. “It was long overdue, if you ask me. I never should have tried again with her.”

“You can’t help who you love, Mel.”

“That’s true in the case of you and Brian, but not for Lindsay and I. We were together because we were each other’s safety net; financial for her and for me, it was the emotional safety, although questionably so now. It took a while for me to know and understand the difference, but well… it’s better late than never, I guess.”

Justin nodded. He understood exactly what Mel was talking about. He’d gone through something similar during the whole Ethan folly. He often wondered if the reason he was with Ethan at the time was because he was safe. Brian challenged him at every turn about his decisions and to get him to think about situations from every angle instead of always giving into his impulses. Being with Ethan was easy, especially at a time when Justin just needed a rest from conflicting feelings and second-guessing himself.  It was comforting in a way to say the words that he would never feel for the musician. Sure, he liked Ethan well enough, but it was never anything to the degree of what he’d felt for Brian. There was safety in that knowledge.

“So what’s next for you?” Justin asked her.

“Well I’ve long since recovered from Lindsay, even after this last affair she had with a husband and his wife. I guess the fact that I basically shrugged off the whole episode was telling in and of itself. I just needed to bide my time until we could get back here. Now that we’re back, there really isn’t anything holding me down.”

“Oh I don’t know about that, Sugar Lips. I remember just how much you loved to be held down while I took care of certain things.”

“Leda! Wow!  What are you doing here?!” Mel exclaimed, turning around to face her ex-girlfriend.

“Working. I’ve been the Head Photographer for the show since it started. But did I hear right? You and Frigid Bitchzilla are through?”

“Yeah. You did.”

Leda smiled, then placed a firm kiss to Mel’s lips before saying, “Good. Then that means you won’t feel guilty when I hold you down later tonight. That is, if you’re willing…”

“You still do that thing with your tongue I loved?”

“Nah, that was a Leda special just for you. I’ll pull it out of retirement tonight. Nothing like getting reacquainted in one of the ways that always suited us.” She wagged her eyebrows and smirked, leaving no doubt that she was in full-on predator mode.

“Oh God, Brian! Please get over here and save me from mental images of lezzy sex! Oh God, my brain….MY BRAIN! Make them stop, Brian!” Justin moaned, causing all of them to laugh.

“Don’t worry, Sunshine. I’ll make sure your dick is still long and strong.” Brian dragged Justin away, to the loud guffaws happening behind them.

“Nice to see they haven’t changed,” Leda said.

“They have,” Mel answered her as she watched the two men, playfully tussling while entering the bathroom. “They got stronger.”