MEL’S TEMPORARY HOUSE - SAME TIME

GUS

“Hang on a minute, Uncle Michael!” I huff, annoyed that he is making the bell ring so long. “I have to get Momma or Uncle Ben!” I shout out. “They’ve just got out of Momma’s bed and are in the bathroom!”

Uncle Michael stops making the bell ring, and is now staring googly eyed at me through the window. “Gus, I need you to open the door now!” He calls loudly.

“I’m not allowed to open the door, Uncle Michael!” I shout back.

“You know it’s us, sweetheart…” Grandma Debs calls out. “...just open it.”

I shake my head again. “Momma said no to opening doors, no matters swat. So you will have to wait for Momma or Uncle Ben!”

“Gus! Open this door immediately!” Uncle Michael shouts really loud now and I don’t like it!

“No! You sound mean and cross!” I sit down on the seat with my back to him.

“Gus!” He shouts again.

“You were mean and need to say sorry! Daddy, Momma and Uncle Ben say you has to not be mean! I didn’t do anything bad, I just did as Momma told me!” I shout over my shoulder.

“Gus, buddy, what are you shouting for?” Uncle Ben asks as he comes downstairs.

“Uncle Michael was mean. He wanted me to open the door, even though I tolds him that you or Momma would do it.”

“I see. Well leave him to me. Go and get your blankey. Momma is bringing Jenny down, and you can watch your cartoons okay?”

“Thank you, Uncle Ben.” I smile at him, he is always so kind and there has always been something I wants to ask him. “Uncle Ben, do you think Daddy would be mad if I asked him something about you?”

“No, of course not. But I am wondering what the question is?”

“You huggle a lot more now than when we lived in Canada. You don’t seem scowly with him like when we were in Canada. So are you better friends now?”

“Yes, we are.”

“Why weren’t you as friendly before then?”

“That is difficult to explain…” He picks me up and takes me to the sofa, he is about to say something when Uncle Michael knocks hard on the window. “Michael! Be patient!” He calls out to him just as Momma and Jenny come down.

“What’s going on? Why is he trying to break the window?” Momma puts Jenny next to me and covers us with blankey, and we’re joined by Tyson. “Ten minutes of schnuggles and then you can go play with Tyson outside okay?”

“Yes, mommy.” Jenny replies, patting Tyson’s head.

“Uncle Michael wanted me to open the door, and when I saids you saids I should wait for you, he shouted and I…” I look down as I don’t want her to be angry with me. “...I turned my back on him and said he should say sorry for being mean and cross when I was doing what my Momma said I should.” And then I frown.

“Gus, you okay? You did good by not opening the door.” Momma tells me.

“Can I call you Mommy while mommy is not here?” She doesn’t say anything. “It’s just that Jenny calls you Mommy and…”

“Yes. Yes, you can. I would love you to call me that.” She has the biggest smile!

“Good. And one more things. Why is Uncle Michael giving me the bad eye?”

“I shall find out. You two want to go and play with Tyson?”

“Yes, please, Mommy.” I smiles so hard.

“Off you go. Make sure he runs lots and lots.”

MEL

I wait for them to rush out laughing and giggling. “What do I…”

“Nothing. You do nothing at all. He has made the choice, as has Lindsay. Now come on, let’s get to messing.”

We both approach the door and Michael is immediately standing in front of it, as if ready to barge in. “Open your robe a bit and mess up your hair.” I giggle and he does so. I slip my robe off one shoulder.  “Now stand behind me.”

I open the door, and as predicted he shoulders his way inside. “Good…” I yawn. “...morning, what’s the rush?”

“What’s the…” Debs trails off and then stares at us, and I pull my robe back over my shoulder then tighten it. “Have you two just got up?”

“Yes.” I reply, leaning against Ben. “Close your robe, you don’t want to get a chill. Can I get anyone coffee?”

“Co...coffee!” Michael splutters as he tries to find something to do with his hands. “You are offering us coffee instead of a fucking explanation!”

“What about?” Ben asks sitting down with his legs slightly apart before tucking himself back in and slowly crossing them, I beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen!

“Wh…!” Michael gapes at the action. “What are you doing?!”

“Adjusting my cock. You’ve seen me do it many a time before. As you know, going commando and wearing a robe does have its problems. So what exactly should we be explaining?”

“What Gus said!” Debs screeches, and sits down shakily. “He sa...said that you were in bed.”

“Yes, we were.” I come back in with the coffee. “Here you go, just the way you like it now.”

“Thanks.” He brushes my hand as he takes the cup. “You still want me to set that bath for you? You know, to ease those muscles which got a work out last night...so deep into the night.”

“Are you two insane?! You’re gay and…” Debs gasps.

“This is not happening, this is not happening!” Michael mutters pacing around the room and throwing his arms up and down. “You...” He storms up to where Ben is sitting and jabs him in the chest. “What was it?! A drunken fuck, or had you had this planned all along…”

“Michael, what does what I do have to do with you? Or whom I do it with?” He stands up and tightens his robe. “What Mel and I did together last night is our business and ours alone. Now, what are you doing here anyway?”

“We want to take Jenny for the day, but this…” He shrieks waving his hand between the pair of us. “...takes precedence!”

“Michael…” Debs begins having finally stopped merely opening and closing her mouth.

MICHAEL

“Get Jenny packed! She is not staying here with you sleazebags!” I stalk to the stairs and start to take them two at a time.

“Michael, what the hell?!” Debs screams at me. “Where is she going to stay?!”

“With us of course! Come on, Ma, let’s get her. Since I have my rights, I have the right to…”

“Stop it, right there!” Mel shouts from the bottom of the stairs. “Who are you calling a sleazebag? That’s the pot calling the kettle black, isn’t it?” She’s turning red in the face as she continues. “There is no way on this earth, you are going to take my daughter out of this house. What and who I do in my house is none, I repeat, none of your business.”

I get right in her face and snarl. “I am taking my daughter!”

“No you will not.” Debs is taking calming breaths. “Because we do not have the set up for her, and besides…”

“Besides nothing, we…”

“They haven’t fucked, you moron!” Debs barks at him. “A lesbian and a gay man fucking, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, I mean look at Brian and Lindsay, they did it and the world still revolves. The only fucking they are doing is fucking with your mind.”

“What?!” I explode and turn to look at a very amused looking Ben. “You were messing with us?! How could you do that?! How could you be so cruel?!” I bellow.

“Oh, you want to talk cruel do you?!” Ben snarls and gets in my face quicker than The Flash, so I take a step back. “Do you?!” He shouts. “I can give you chapter and verse of your cruelty towards anyone that doesn’t bend to you will! When did it start? When did you decide to be the author of people’s destruction or near destruction?!”

“Ben.” Mel’s voice is oddly calm and he looks at her. “Not now.” He nods and then pushes past me to go upstairs and she turns to me. “Get out and don’t come back until I say you can or you get a court order forcing me to do so.”

“Mel. Honey.” Ma steps towards us. “Let’s not be hasty here. He’s been a boneheaded moron but let’s not go…”

“He’s been much more than that, and you’ve allowed him to be so.” She stalks to the door, wrenches it open and bellows: “Now both of you get out!”

“Michael! Come on! Let’s not let this get any worse!” She stalks over and grabs my arm in a vice like grip and pulls me out.

MEL

I slam the door as hard as I can and try to calm down.

Ben calls down from the landing: “Mel I am going to run you a bath, I’ll go play with the kids. Come on, it might help you calm down a bit.” I trudge up the stairs, when I reach him, he high fives me. “I don’t know about you but man, I’m feeling great. It feels good to fuck with their minds.”

“True. But I thought you were going to say something about that.”

“I almost did.” He admits sheepishly. “When are they going in again?”

“It’s Monday now.”

“You know something? Maybe he had some here? Those books I mean. Let me go get changed and…”

“Where though?” I frown and slowly he looks up.

“Call Carl. Check if he went through the attic when he dumped out Michael’s stuff, because it was just his things in there. If he didn’t, then ask him to call Riley and get him to come here.”

I swallow hard and go and get my phone. Half an hour later the kids are having their bath and Riley is on his way.

LINDSAY’S HOTEL

LINDSAY

I look down at myself and then it hits me like a dash of cold water and a ton of bricks! Grabbing my purse I run out of the room so fast that I almost forget the hotel key. I jab frantically at the button, I know it doesn’t get the lift here any faster but still! Finally it arrives, but then, of-fucking-course, it stops on each and every floor! I rush to reception, trying to compose myself. There is an old lady in front who seems to be in the middle of an Alzheimer’s episode as she’s umming and ahhing!

I tap her gently on the shoulder and she turns her rheumy eyes towards me. “Excuse me, but could you step to one side? I just need to quickly ask the receptionist a question.”

“I won’t be long, I will remember what I need to remember in a minute. That’s one of the disadvantages of dotage...you’ll find out soon enough.” She glowers at me and I gasp at her effrontery. “What’s wrong, dearie, can’t handle the truth of what’s staring at you in the mirror?!”

“Now just a minute, you old bat!” I declare heatedly. “I was very polite just now, this ends! I would like to know where the nearest Walgreens is, please.” I demand of the receptionist who looks pityingly at me.

“Two blocks down on the right ma’am.”

“I am not a ma’am I am a Ms!” I correct her and storm off.

WALGREENS - 5 MINUTES LATER

PHARMACIST

Oh that is a desperate looking woman! “Can I help you?”

Her head jerks up and she rushes to the counter. “Yes, I am looking for a pregnancy test kit.”

I nod and come around the counter. “How old is your daughter? Will this potentially be your first grandchild?”

“My first…” Her eyes bug out of her head. “The test is for me!” She snarls heatedly.

“Oh. I’m sorry, ma’am! I naturally assumed at your…”

“At my what?” She seethes her face almost going puce.

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” I backtrack in the face of the fire in her eyes. “How pregnant do you think you are?”

“I have no idea, isn’t that what the test is for?! Just give me the best one you have!”

“This one, um, will give you an exact number of days.” I am glad that I had put it on the counter. She would’ve clawed my hand judging by the way her nail just broke.

“How much is it then?!” She spits

“$24.95 excluding tax.” I reply, and have to pick up her card from where it fell on the floor. “I won’t be long.”

Three minutes later she’s storming out of the building, and I am feeling sorry for any child that gets to call her Mommy without adding the word Dearest on the end of it!

LINDSAY’S HOTEL - AN HOUR LATER

LINDSAY

Almost three months! I am almost three months pregnant! First things first, find out who the hell the father is!

DE CAPIO ESTATE - SUNDAY AFTERNOON

LOUNGE

BRIAN

I roll my lips in and look again at Justin. He is sitting on the other end of the sofa, still seemingly a little shell shocked. I reach across to him and he slowly turns his head. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“You clearly forgot your murdered cardigan.” I smirk at him. “I can’t see what the problem is. The Italians are known for their passion….”

“Neither of us are Italian!” He points out peevishly, while going a wonderful shade of pink, but he is edging closer to me. “You gave me a rim job in the changing room in Armani!” He whispers even though it is just the two of us. “I had to buy another pair of pants!”

“I told you to move yours from where they were. That was your fault.” I start to grin. “Besides, it wasn’t me who was holding your cock was it?”

“Brian!” He gasps and then hits me with the cushion.

“And it was your fault for flashing your backside at me.” I pull the cushion easily out of his hands and him into my lap. “You were texted to say that if you did that again I would do something about it.”

“But I didn’t think you were serious!” He husks in my ear after giving my lobe a nice suck, causing a ripple of pleasure down my spine.

“Oh, I am always serious about all my jobs, especially if it is a job on you.” I hold his chin and look him in the eyes. “I got you something just in case you were upset about it.”

“What?” He murmurs, his eyes trained on my mouth.

“Would you like to kiss some more or do you want to help me make some pasta con tartufo Nero fresco?” I wait for a few seconds before his Italian catches up with him.

“When did you get that?!” He gasps as he wiggles off my lap then pulls me to the kitchen. “Where is it?!”

“Open the fridge. And smell.” I try not to laugh as he almost rips the door off its hinges, and when he finds them he is quickly pulling out the things we need. “So no more kissing then?”

He leans up on his tiptoes and kisses my chin. “Oh yes, definitely, but right now we feast!”

“Indeed. You know what, Mr Slim…” As I pull him back into my arms, he sighs and puts his hands over mine. “There is nothing in the world that can make me unhappy. Nothing at all.”

4TH FLOOR LOFT - TUESDAY EVENING

LOUNGE

BRIAN

We look up as the door opens. Carl had asked if they could come round. When I asked who is they, he didn’t say. He just asked if they could come around. I said yes, but got curious when he specified that we were to meet on the 4th floor and not the 2nd.

“Hey, son.” Carl calls out, and he has a box with him as does Riley. Del, Mel, Ben, Daph, Emmett, Ted and Cyn are all here.

“Uh oh, this looks serious.” I head to the cart and wave the Beam at them and to the one they all shake their head. Carl puts the box down and takes a stack of notebooks out. I look at the books and then at their faces. I can see concern, anger and...pity? So this definitely is not good.

“What do we have here?” I ask, trying to look and sound smug. “I always had a no-repeat-policy, so these aren’t my little black books. And I don't have any offshore accounts either, so no secret money. Someone care to tell me what’s got all your panties in a twist?”

“Brian, I..” Emmett starts but Carl clears his throat and then takes over.

“Son, I really don't know how to tell you this. Hopper found one of these at Michael's store. So Daph and Riley went there to see if there were more of them, and, unfortunately, there were. Both there and at his old house and...” He trails off pointing to the stack of notebooks. “Now I want you to sit down before I tell…”

“Carl, stop babbling and tell me! You know what? Never mind, I’ll find out myself!” I say and grab one of the books.

When I start to read I feel the blood drain from my face. This can't be true! It has to be some cruel joke! I read some more and then grab another book. There are drops falling on the pages and I realise that I am crying.

“Brian?” Justin says. “Brian, what’s wrong?”

When I don't answer, he asks the others. “What is this? What's written in there?”

Before anyone has the chance to answer I look at him. “This is the sick diary of how Michael and Deb made sure that my father never went without reason to beat me up. Not that he needed a reason anyway!”

“They what?!” Justin gasps.

Immediately he is by my side and tries to pull me into his arms, but I step back. I sit on the sill and start to reread page after page of meticulous notes he made, and what he decided to tell him about. Everything, but everything is written down in those despicable books. I just can’t believe it. I let it sink in for a moment, and then realise that all that he had written down had an undertone of glee to it. I want to puke, for it feels like he was getting off on me being beaten by Jack. I want to throw up, right here and right now.

I get up to leave the room for I feel my stomach roil. Justin grabs my arm and tries to turn me around. I angrily swat away his hand and raise my arm as I turn around. In my anger, I see Michael standing there, a sneer on his face, his eyes full of glee. I am drowning in pure rage and I turn cold. As I raise my hand to slap that ugly look of his face, someone screams.

“BRIAN STOP!!!”

Instantly the voice penetrates the angry haze and I realise I’m standing in front of Justin, his eyes are wide with fear, looking at my hand raised ready to slap him. Shuddering with horror, I lower my hand and slump down on the floor.

Fuck me! I would have struck my Sunshine...my Tigger, I would’ve hit him. I look up at Justin. “I will understand if you want to leave.” I mutter. “If you all want to leave.”

“I am not going anywhere. Nowhere, do you understand?!” He cries and drops to my side to wrap his arms around me. “Nowhere!”

As he holds me, all I feel is a fire that runs all through my body, and I have only one thought - actually not a thought but a promise to myself...Michael and Debbie will curse the day they met me. I almost became the monster he was! I’m going to ruin them like they tried to ruin me! Not even the Devil would dare give them sanctuary!

https://kitchenstories.io/en/recipes/simple-pasta-with-fresh-black-truffle