OUTSIDE THE LOFT - MONDAY MORNING

DAPH

I see the twitastic twerps stalking up the street, so after a quick twerp alert text to Brian I pull out into traffic. Lindsay is the first to see me and points at the car. I relish the slump to their shoulders as they turn back the way they came, but then they start to head back to the loft.

“Oh for fuck sake!” I grumble, and making sure the car is parked out of sight, take my Lady and start back towards the loft. Then I hear my name being called and sigh in relief when Brian gets out of a cab.

“Aww, you so care about me.” He croons.

“Want to feel my Lady?” I warn, blushing slightly that he caught me being protective.

“Zipping.” He smiles and follows me back to the car.

LOFT RECEPTION

GRAHAM

“As I said.” I sigh at them. “Your names aren’t down so you’re not going up.”

“There is a family emergency!” She declares imperiously.

“You wanting to tap his wallet may be an emergency for you, but not for him.” Delores bites out. “Morning, Graham, I won’t be long.”

“Sure thing, Del.” I smile at her and smile even wider when they realise I haven’t moved.

“Aren’t you going to let her into the elevator?” Lindsay demands.

“What for? I have my own key.” She pats the side of her hair and starts to step into the elevator.

Michael gasps. “You have keys to his loft?!”

“Of course I do.” She smirks. “Had it since I started at the diner. It’s a trust thing, which you no longer have.”

Whatever he was about to say was stopped by Lindsay’s warning look. “Come on, Michael, we’ll catch Brian another time. Count on it.” She snarks haughtily and starts to drag him out.

“Whatever other villain you were going for Cruella, you swung at that and missed!” Del retorts. “Now off you go to do nothing with your lives. Oh, by the by Michael, I passed your store on the way back from checking on your former home. Are you going to open it at all? I’m sure that Mel will not be pleased that you’ve kept it closed for so long.”

“You know nothing about my store!” He snarls at her. “Or my reasons for not opening.”

“Nor do I want to. But you really should let the customers in. That way you and Mel make money.”

“Michael! You haven’t been opening the store?!” Lindsay exclaims. “What on earth are you doing all day that you can’t open the store?!”

He stares at her. “And what are you doing for your living?!”

“My situation will resolve itself. But you are partners with Mel, whether you like it or not, and you have Jenny to support! Remember, we discussed this and…”

“Well that's a change, isn't it, Graham?”

They stop yelling at each other and turn to us.

“What’s that, Del?” He grins.

“Them fighting each other instead of Brian. Though they were much more vicious with him. Seems that now he is no longer allowing them to use him as their common target, their rancour, malice, and hate has to go somewhere.”

“Let’s go somewhere more private, like your store, and discuss this!” Lindsay declares. “I don’t know where your head is at sometimes!”

KINNETIC - AFTERNOON

CONFERENCE ROOM

JUSTIN

I do wish he would stop staring at me like that. It’s the 3rd time I have dropped the boards!

“Are you alright? You’re not normally this clumsy.” Murph asks with concern, and a touch of irritation.

“I’m fine, just got a little distracted. Sorry Murph, sorry Mr Kinney.”

“Not a problem. Did you have an exhausting weekend, Mr Slim?” Brian asks.

“I... uh…”

I want to kill you!

“Sorry to interrupt guys…” Murph saves me. “...but this pitch is in a couple of hours.”

“Yes of course Murph, let’s get this sorted out, and maybe Mr Slim, you should have some coffee? Put a bit of pep in your step. I have some Blue Mountain in my office, I understand it’s a favourite. As it’s closer than the kitchen, why don’t you get yourself a cup?”

I frown, but there is the slightest raise of an eyebrow. “Yes, Mr Kinney.” I answer, and head to his office, then come to an astonished halt. For there sitting on his desk are two cupcakes:

There’s a note to the side: Dessert, do not eat both of them… one is for me! I just stare at them and try to formulate a witty response to it.

“Ted has managed to keep him occupied.” Cyn’s voice startles me. “You’ve been in here for 10 minutes.”

“I have?!” I gasp. “He’s going to kill me!”

“You had a dizzy spell and had to rest for a minute or so.” Cyn smiles at me. “Now go before he comes to check!”

I smile at her and with one last longing look I head back to the conference room.

“Everything okay, Mr Slim? You were a while.” Murph asks pointedly.

“His name, Murph, is Justin. Or would you like me to tell everyone what I called you the first time you started?”

He goes red and shakes his head furiously. “Sorry Brian. So what was the delay?”

“Bit of a dizzy spell, had to sit down for a second or two. But…”

“Maybe it was low blood sugar. Perhaps a frog… of the chocolate kind, will be helpful?”

Now I want to kiss him!

“I’ll just go and get them.” I can’t stop grinning as I rush back to his office, when I get there I find Cyn carefully putting the cupcakes in a box and then her fridge. “Uh, why?” I frown as I reach for the jar.

She hands me the note with a smile. “You need to read the other side.” She smirks as she takes the jar from me and heads back to the conference room.

I turn it over. Text me if you can come over tonight to put these frogs in our throats. BK

I drop my phone three times before I text back RIBBIT RIBBIT RIBBIT!

CONFERENCE ROOM

BRIAN

I snort into my water when I read it.

“You okay Bri?” Ted asks, handing me a napkin.

“Yeah Ted, just got a frog in my throat.” I respond just as he comes back, and yep… he goes red.

MICHAEL’S STORE - AN HOUR LATER

MICHAEL

Well that was really fun listening to both of them bitch at me for not opening the store all the time! I have other things to do! For a start, the store is not going to stock itself! Lindsay is staying here to make sure I stay open all day today. I am not a child, I don’t appreciate being treated like one!

“You have another customer to serve.” She clips out before heading back into the office.

Once they have gone, I flip the sign and march into the office. “You can leave you know, I’ve been running the store for…”

“Have you paid the support to Mel yet?” She interrupts, putting her feet on my desk.

“I will.” I growl. “Take your feet off my desk! You don’t work here you know!” She glares at me before smiling. “What the hell is that smile for, I’ve just blasted you or didn’t you notice?!”

“Oh I noticed, and I will allow you that one moment of rudeness as you’ve had a stressful day. I won’t allow it again, not since I’m going to be working here.”

I sit down hard and gape at her. “You’re going to do what?!”

“Work here, as the store manager. You, as the proprietor, will be out and about sourcing products, or whatever you call them. We will hire an underling to man the store. This way I get support from Mel, and you go back to doing what you were doing… but the store is open all the time, thus earning you more money.”

LINDSAY

As I watch him slowly realise what a good idea this is, I think to myself; you weren’t as smart as you thought Melanie!

“But first things first. The support, pay it now.”

“Yeah, and then we can hit her for a change!”

FABULICIOUS - SAME TIME

DARREN

I can hear the beating of Emmett’s eyes as he stares at Debs’ beaming face after her declaration.

“Well, when do I start?!” She demands, starting to come around the counter.

“What about the Diner?” He finally finds his voice.

“I’m taking a two week holiday, but am already bored!” She laughs. “I know you are busy, and me being the Mother of…”

“We’re not that busy.” I quickly interject, and push Emmett back into an upright position as he started to slump a bit. “In fact we’re thinking of closing…”

“Yes, we’re definitely going to be closing!” Emmett almost blasts her back to the door so loud is his exclamation.

“Wow, I’m right here Ems, there’s no need to shout.” She frowns. “So I can’t work here for the next couple of weeks?”

“No. Sorry Debs, but we’re going to be closed.” He is starting to resemble the Joker, so frozen is his smile. “What about Michael’s store?”

“Oh…” She thinks for a bit. “...no. I don’t think I could. Living with him and working him. I’d kill him.”

And Emmett would kill you!

“Well. Debs we’ve got to start the shutdown…”

“Well, I can at least help with that! Gives me something to do.”

“No, really Debs. Thank you, but this is my business and I have some high…”

“Are you saying you don’t trust me?!” She bristles.

Of course we are you stupid woman… nobody does on the Avenue, not anymore!

“Of course we do. But I have non-disclosure agreements that I have to abide by. You wouldn’t want me to get in trouble, would you?”

“No. I guess not.” She sighs.

You fucking guess not! I wince as Emmett stands on my foot to keep me where I am.

“Oh, hang on a sec!” She sits down on the other side of the counter as her phone rings and I see Emmett look longingly at one of the Sabatier knives he uses. I move it out of both of our reach!

“Michael! Michael! Stop jabbering and speak slowly! You’ve paid the support, well that’s great. I don’t under… you are hiring Lindsay as your store manager?! What the fuck for?! I will be right there!” She hangs up sharply. “Sorry, Ems, I need to go and fix yet another clusterfuck my son is making, this is all that selfish asshole’s fault! Bye darlings!”

She dashes out, leaving us in shock but no awe.

“What are we going to do now?!” I whimper. “She’s going to notice, now that’s she’s on holiday...”

“She’s been suspended by Delores.” Emmett smirks. “And we are going to close for two weeks, but first I need to make a couple of phone calls.”

2ND FLOOR LOFT - LATE EVENING

LOUNGE

BRIAN

He slowly rubs his eyes and blinks at me, before sitting up. “How long have I been asleep?”

“About an hour. How’s your headache?”

“A lot better. I shouldn’t have taken them out, but it was too late when I realised I didn’t have them.” He rubs his eyes again.

“Taken out what, and what didn’t you have?” I frown, and when he doesn’t answer I take his chin and turn him to face me. “Well?”

“Contact lenses. And… and my glasses.” He looks down, embarrassed.

“Ah I see. Well, can you see me enough to lean across and kiss me hello?”

He grins and swats me in the chest. “You nutter. Of course I can. Now come here!”

Our lips meet, but this time I want to show him how I kiss… and judging by the soft moaning and tightening of his hands in my hair, he’s liking it a lot! I back away and wait for him to open his eyes. “You enjoyed that didn’t you?” I tease him and he again swats me in the chest before getting up. “You are like a dessert seeking missile. Bottom shelf and do not dawdle. In fact I insist that you whistle until you get back here!”

“I refuse to do such a thing!” He sniffs, but the pink tinge as he sits down with the unopened box is a giveaway, I say nothing as he opens it. “Which one do you want?”

“Can you…”

“Choose for you? Sure the…”

“Whistle. Can you whistle?” I ask. “And look at me when you answer.”

Silence and eyes glued to the cupcakes, so I lean across and get close to his ear.

“You just put your lips together and blow.” I whisper and he turns to look at me. “Go on, put those pretty pink lips together and blow.”

“Cake first. Whistle after.” He whispers back.

“Kiss. Cake. Whistle.” I take the box out of his hands and pull him into my lap.

“Ribbit. Ribbit. Ribbit.” He giggles, claiming my mouth.

JUSTIN’S TOWNHOUSE - TWO HOURS LATER

KITCHEN

JUSTIN

I put the cupcake box in the fridge, we never got around to eating them. My phone beeps and I grin at the message: remember to pack your glasses. BK.

Ribbit. I text back.

Go to bed Kermit!