CHAPTER 4 - TENTATIVE FOUNDATIONS AND THEY FIND OUT

DINER

MICHAEL

“What do you mean they’re gone? Where’d they go?!” I demand of Ma.

“I don’t know. Kenya said she was desperate for a drink and...”

“You really need to get that lock checked! Supposing there was a fire?” I interrupt. “Let me call to see where they are. I still don’t believe it!” I try Emmett’s, but it goes straight to voicemail as does Ted’s. “They’re not picking up. What a day... Brian is so going to need that drink tonight!”

“Michael, surely you’re not that stupid?” Kiki scoffs.

“What?”

“He’s just met his other daughter and the father of said daughter again. This is not something they can discuss in a couple of hours! You aren’t going to see him for the rest of the day. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t see them for the rest of the week.”

“Brian will meet me tonight!” I assert firmly and smirk in my surety. “Right, I am going to go home. Gotta get some sleep in advance of the hard night’s drinking we’re going to be having. So glad, I booked tomorrow off!”

“Thought you booked that because of the convention you were going to?” Ma asks and I grimace at her.

“Well that, too. Still don’t see why I can’t use the car.”

“Because Kiki is using it and before you bitch again, she asked first. Now go and get that much crowed about sleep! Wouldn’t want you flagging part way through the evening, would we?”

As I head back to my place, I have three thoughts: First, I must suggest a DNA test to Brian...he’s got to protect himself; second, how is Lindsay going to react to this; and, finally, I feel like Ma was being sarcastic!

TAYLOR RESIDENCE - 90 MINUTES LATER

GUS

It is so surreal! But Kendi and Kemi have clicked straight away. Can’t wait for LP Jnr to meet her! I gasp at that realisation and everyone looks at me.

“Your moms and Jenny?” Dad asks dryly.

“Yeah. I think we should call before someone else does.” Kemi rolls her eyes.

“Mr Shouty Man, by any chance?” Kendi scowls. “What is his problem? Who is he to you uh...oh what do I call you?”

We all look at each other.

“That’s a good point.” Justin rubs his nose and I snicker. “What?”

“Kemi does that a lot when she’s thinking hard about something.” Dad explains and then just stares at Kendi, who rolls her tongue in her cheek and I burst out laughing.

“Let me guess, you do that?” She grins at dad and he just nods.

“So what do we call the pair of you?” Kemi demands, having given up the nose rubbing in annoyance. “We can't call you by your first names because that is just wrong, but dad right now is…”

“Too soon?” Dad and Justin asks at the same time and then smile at each other.

“Oh, I know! How about you call my dad pa and I call your dad pop? I’ve always wanted to call dad that, but he bitched that it sounds like he has gas.” Kemi declares.

“Everyone happy with that?” Dad asks and we all nod. “And now to let Lindsay and Mel in on our news before Michael, or Mr Shouty Man, calls them and puts his slant on things!”

“Um, before you do that. What do I call you, Justin?” I ask quietly. “I mean, if I can call…”

“Of course, you can! You’re her brother so you can call me Papa J.”

“Oh, I like that!” I hi-five Kemi and then Kendi puts her hand up so I hi-five her, too!

“Why does he have a side at all?” Kendi demands, still riled by Michael's treatment of Papa J. She was so cool, earlier!

“Because that’s what he does. He thinks he has the right to have a say in everything, especially when it comes to dad. He and LP Jnr sure have a lot in common!” Kemi grumbles.

“LP Jnr? Who’s that?” Papa J frowns.

“Oh, you have so much to find out! But quick question: is this where you guys live?” Kemi looks around.

“No, we live in Fox Chapel. We’re here to close up grandpa’s...oh shit! Grandma!” Kendi exclaims. “Dad, we have to call her now!”

“Right, let’s go make some calls.” Dad orders. “Then I think something to eat is called for.”

“Agreed. We can use my dad’s office. It’s big enough for the two of us. This way. You three can get to know each other a bit more, but no family telling before we get back. Understand?”

“But I can tell her about grand…”

“Of course you can, sweets .” Papa J and brushes Kendi’s cheek.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Kemi asks, immediately looping her arm through Kendi’s when she nods. “Want to tell me about him? He obviously meant a lot to you…”

“Yeah, you’d have loved him.”

“Let’s leave them to that. The longer I wait to tell her, the more she’s going to sulk!” Dad rolls his eyes and follows Papa J out.

STATION - SAME TIME

KENYA

I look at Ted and Emmett and know what they are thinking, I am thinking the same. “There is no way they are not sisters, is there?”

“Nope.” Ted replies.  “But, now please don’t get upset…”

“DNA test?” I smile at him and his shoulders droop, in relief. “Justin Taylor is a very wealthy man and has just inherited his father’s estate.”

“Likewise for Brian. He’s the Founder and President of Kinnetic…”

“So tell me about him? Why was he called the Stud of Liberty Avenue and what’s with the blatherskite?”

“Blatherskite?!” Emmett giggles. “Sounds great, but what exactly is it?”

“A person who goes on at great length without making much sense.” I answer and sigh happily as the food arrives. “Okay, I judge places by two things, wings and fries, but those nachos look so good…”

“Nachos? Where?” Emmett looks where I am pointing. “Oh yeah, excuse me can we have one lot of nachos too please?” He flags down the waitress before resuming the conversation.

I listen as they describe how Brian was before that fateful lost weekend. Apparently, the blatherskite was on the verge of calling the FBI to track him down when he staggered into Debs house, covered in hickeys and with a shit eating grin! And on top of that, he didn’t tell anybody about the weekend itself... just said he drank a lot, fucked a lot and slept very little!

“So they’ve been friends for a long time, then?”

“He’s his best friend...when it suits him.” Emmett intones darkly.

“Meaning?” I sit back and watch them exchange looks before Ted sighs crossly. “Justin is more than capable of taking care of himself and Kendi, but he’s my best friend and if I have to become the BAB…”

“BAB?” They echo.

“Birmingham Alabama Brawler, then I want to know why.”

“He’s not...no, let me start that again. Blather...I mean Michael, has had Brian to himself since they were teens and he got used to that. Then when Gus was born, he lost a bit of Brian’s attention, but that was fine because Gus lives with his mothers, Lindsay and Melanie, and there is a whole lot of history there. But then Kemi came along, and that was it, Michael was 3rd in line and he doesn’t like that at all!” Ted finishes with Emmett, nodding.

“He doesn’t like her, then?” I ask carefully.

“Their relationship is not the best, neither is the one with Gus, but that was slightly better because they were in Toronto. But now they’ve moved back here and it’s going to be interesting to say the least. And, of course there’s the mini hellion that is Jenny Rebecca…”

“Who’s she?” I swipe the last piece of pork belly from the nachos and Ted’s face falls. So I signal the waitress for another plate. “Better?”

“Yes thank you, this is good!”

Emmett looks at me. “Bet not a drop sticks to you either! As for the mini hellion, she’s Gus’s sister. Mel’s her mother and…”

“Brian’s the dad?”

“Oh, fuck no!” Emmett shrieks. “It was bad enough for her that he’s Gus’s father. Lindsay is one of Brian’s closest…”

“Leeches?” Ted snickers.

“Ted, hush!” Emmett swats him. “Now before we proceed further on this, what are you going to call me? Because I feel that you and I have bonded.”

“What do you prefer?”

“Ems, Emmy or Emmy Lou.”

“Ems it is, and you can call me Nya - pronounced Nia. Because of the similarities in our names, Justin calls me that. I’m only Kenya if I’m in trouble, he’s sad or he needs me to hold him back!”

“So proceed with the leech, I mean Lindsay, Teddy.”

“I think that Nya needs to get the full effect when she meets them to form her own opinion because meet them she will...and I suspect very quickly!”

HILTON HOTEL, PITTSBURGH - AN HOUR LATER

MEL AND LINDSAY’S SUITE

MEL

“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask carefully. She’s been very quiet since coming back from storming out after Brian’s phone call. She didn’t say what it was about, only that she needed to go because she was in immense distress by his continued selfishness!

“Yes, I am somewhat calmer now.” She clips out. “Now, Jenny darling, please can you join us?” Jenny darling is watching a movie with her headphones on and she’s been told about that before.

“Jenny Rebecca!” I shout and she jumps then pulls one behind her ear with a disgruntled expression. “Movie off. We want to talk to you.”

“Is this a family discussion? Shouldn’t we wait for Gus?”

Ah, this must be a good movie then. She’s one for always knowing things before Gus does.

“Yes, it is and he already knows.” Lindsay bites out.

“How? What?” She demands in that takes-after-mommy imperious tone. “Why hasn’t he told us whatever it is?!”

“Because he’s with his father and sisters.” She retorts.

“Sisters? What do you mean sisters?” I demand.

“It seems that, subject to DNA testing, the other attendee of their fuckfest weekend also carried the male pregnancy gene and had a daughter, too! They bumped into each other on Liberty Avenue and now they are holed up somewhere getting to know each other!”

“You are kidding?!” I sit down hard.

“No! I would not joke about something like this, especially when it impacts our children…”

“Child...singular...Jenny is our responsibility, remember?” I correct her sharply.

“Brian doesn’t mind and…”

“We promised Gus and we’re following through with that!” I catch the eye roll of Jenny and turn to her. “And what’s wrong with keeping a promise to Gus, Jenny? You would expect, no demand, the same thing, wouldn’t you?” She looks sulky, but says nothing. “So what happens now?”

“Well I want to meet these people for a start, but first I need to speak to Michael! He’s bound to be with him and can tell us where they are right now.”

Oh great! We’re in for another episode of the Spider and her pesky ass Fly!

MICHAEL

I have been trying Brian since I woke up an hour ago and his fucking phone is constantly going to voicemail! I rush to answer my phone when it rings, but it’s a fuming Lindsay.

“Lindsay, I saw them! And the bastard’s child threatened me. Where are you now? This needs telling face to face! Okay, I will see you in 20 minutes. Exactly! He’s not thinking about how this impacts us at all!”

TAYLOR RESIDENCE, OFFICE

BRIAN

“Did it go the way you thought it would?” Justin asks quietly as I rub my temple. I nod. “But at least, you got there first. So that’s something, right?”

“Yeah, but they are still going to raise merry hell about it. How’d your mom take it?”

“She is, and my dad was, always supportive. She’s in Cape Cod so she’s flying back next weekend.”

“Come on, let’s go see what they are up to.” I stand up and we reach the door at the same time. “After you, it’s your house.”

“You just want to watch my ass, don’t you?” He chuckles.

“Oh yeah!” I smile. “Just to see if it’s like I remember…that’s one thing I never forgot from that weekend. Well that and the...”

“We’re hungry!” Kemi interrupts and I can see Justin blush and feel the heat on my face. She grins. “You reminiscing, dad?”

“Shut up! Or I shall make you eat a salad and you know I will.”

“Sass you...me, never!” She snickers as she leads us back to the lounge.

“It will be a green bean salad with rocket if you don’t stop chuckling!”

“Stopping, definitely stopping!” She looks soberly at me and I almost buy it!

“She gets that from you!” I tell him and he smiles.