CHAPTER 41 - SWING BATTA BATTA BATTA BATTA BATTA SCHWING!

CARL

“Michael Novotny, I am arresting you on suspicion of trespass on the property belonging to Brian Kinney and the stalking of Brian Kinney. You…”

“Let’s just go and get this farce over with!” He snaps before standing up and starting to leave.

“Mr Novotny!” I growl. “One more step and I shall add resisting arrest to your rap sheet!”

“I am going to your car. I assume you have a car, or did you come on your flat feet?” He sneers but does stop walking.

“Mr Novotny, I have handled braver, bigger, better and bitchier than you. Now, as I was saying…”

OPERA HOUSE - TWO HOURS LATER

KITCHEN

BRIAN

“And where do you think you are going with that?” I ask Daph as she picks up the entire plate of perfectly prepared Ahi tuna tartare with avocado.

“To my room.” She smiles winningly.

“Your room is not on the roof.” I point out, and she puts the plate down.

“Justin! You want it, you come get it!” She yells up the stairs leading to the roof. Turning to me she adds, “Told him it wouldn’t work.”

“He’s a Brat…” I chuckle, and reach for a tub and gloves. After I decant some for him and put the tub and the gloves on a tray, she frowns. “...but he’s a hungry one, the gloves are for his bow. How he can’t use chopsticks I don’t know.”

“Me neither.” She titters. “He’s watches so many tutorials, but then the moment the chopsticks are in his hands, he forgets everything and the food ends up on the floor!”

“Can you also get him to taste this?” I put a mini casserole dish on the tray with four slices of toast.

“You spoil him.” She chides me.

“I spoil you both. Now go before he starts sulking and it goes cold!”

ROOF

JUSTIN

I am hungry but I need to get this piece right. Sighing, I pick up my bow and am about to start again when Daph comes up grinning. “I thought you yelled you couldn’t get it.”

“No, I said you should come and get it. Totally different. But he sent it anyway, along with something hot.” I lift the lid of the dish, and we both stare dubiously at what is inside. “Do you know what it is?”

“Not really. Give me a piece of toast, a very small piece of toast. Oh, come on, Daph, not that small!” She hands me a bigger bit and I spread the mixture on it and take a bite. “Oh, he didn’t!” I exclaim and take another bite. “When the hell did he do this?!”

“Uh, Justy?”

“Potted mushroom and bone marrow.”

“What?!” She exclaims, yanking the knife out of my hand so she can slather some on her slice. “I will put Evelyn through a grinder if you dump him!” We eat in contented silence before she turns to me. “I am serious, don’t fuck this up, Justy.”

“No, I won’t. I promise.” We battle for the last bits in the dish...I only pout a little when she wins. “So, are you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“If those pictures are the only ones on his phone?” I am dreading her answer.

“Justin Taylor! If you are implying that...”

“No! I mean, he’s not got pictures of Brian on his phone. You know, in the backroom?”

“Oh, I see. Sorry. No, nothing like that. Brian only went to the backroom once, and then he met you.”

“He did?”

“Yes. I thought I told you that.” We are both startled by Brian’s arrival with, God I love him so, a bottle of rose champagne and two glasses. “You take this. Let me take Evelyn down and you two just be. Alright?”

“Thanks.” I can’t help the feeling bubbling up inside me as I watch him carefully put Evelyn away.

“And for dessert, because I know you are going to ask. Apple sorbet with Calvados.”

“I will kill you in your sleep. Seriously!” Daph growls in my ear.

VIC AND DEBS HOUSE - SAME TIME

LOUNGE

VIC

The nerve of that supercilious shithead! After his demands about the money, the return of his other stuff and now this, whatever the hell it is! I hand Debs a glass of brandy. “Drink and then speak.”

She swallows it back in two gulps. “All his mangy chickens have come home to roost. He got served by some woman at the same time as his arrest!”

“What woman?” I sigh, walking back and forth in frustration at his continued imbecility.

“Carl didn’t say, but did say she said something about culpability…” She pauses when I stop and gawk at her. “...what?”

“Let me call Ted, I have a feeling that Jerry’s widow is in town!”

“I’ll call Noel!”

TED’S CONDO - 10 MINUTES LATER

KITCHEN

BLAKE

“Uh huh. Yeah. I understand. Of course, we would love to, hold on…”

“Just tell me where and when and I will be there, give her my love.” I tell him before he can ask.

“What time and where?” He squeezes my hand. “Look forward to it. Bye, Marilyn.”

“So what happened?” I ask, pouring him some coffee.

“She served the papers to him, just before he was arrested for trespass and stalking.”

“Who and where?!” I gape at him.

“Brian and Britin.”

“Christ!” I can’t believe it. “Justin is going to go spare! He is very territorial where Desperado is concerned.”

“To say the least.” He smiles. “I am just grateful he doesn’t have a thing for blondes. I thought I loved before but that’s nothing compared to the love I have for you now. Petal.”

“Oh...you are my Teddy Blossom, I love you too. Even if you do have a worrywart mind when it comes to candles!”

“You just have to fall asleep and...one second, we’ve just said our love yous.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Just making sure we are on the same page.” He chuckles.

SADE’S APARTMENT - AN HOUR LATER

LOUNGE

SADE

“What do you mean, no?!” I glare at Marlon.

“The opposite of yes.” He replies calmly.

“Marlon.” I try not to grind my teeth at this sudden objection to most of my work and dance clothes. “Where has this come from?”

“Carl.”

“As in Det. Horvath?” He nods. “He is way too old and way too not you.”

“But it’s what he said…” He looks down at the floor. “...and Chyna. She’s fine with it, everyone is fine with it, but I am not fine with you wearing that.” I start to grin. “What? You were snarling just now.”

“Isla. Have you two been talking?”

“No, why?”

“Chyna was bitching last night that Isla took one look at it, and, like you, said no...”

“It’s too tight!” He declares, albeit quietly.

“Too tight? Are you trying to say that I don’t have the body for that playsuit?!”

“You do. It’s just a whole lot of body…”

“Marlon...” I am back to snarling.

“What did you do when Kyran stroked my abs?” He is starting to smirk, and I am starting to blush.

“That is different. People are used to you being shirtless and…”

“You were ready to turn him inside out. That’s how I feel about you in that playsuit. And how are you going to dance…”

“So, either change the dance or change the outfit?”

“And the dance is fantastic.” He approaches slowly. “Can I please have something that is for me and me alone?”

“Nicely done!” I loop my arms around his neck. “So…”

“Yeah, now would be good!” He concurs and flings me over his shoulder.

COOR PR - EARLY EVENING

OFFICE

NOEL

They have been relentless in their calls, I will give them that. Now if only they’d showed even half that level in understanding and support...I watch her, then him, get out of the car and start to stride up the path towards my new place. I don’t let them get very far.

“Nao-el.” Philippa calls out, swiftly correcting herself.

“Noel. My boy, what a lovely...” He trails off and is now looking pissed. “What are you doing here?”

“Noel?”

“Philippa. How lovely to see you. How have you been keeping?”

“George.” Ivan sneers. “Again, I asked what you are doing here.” He clips out as if he has some authority over us.

“In answer to your partially asked question, Philippa, I know about here because Noel told me about here. You know about here how?”

She adopts her usual pleading and pacifying expression. “Noel, please, can we talk inside?”

“Your mother is talking to you, Noel.” Ivan bristles.

“Exactly why are you talking to my son like that, Ivan?”

“George…” He begins.

“Answer the question. You know damn well how I feel about that tone towards Noel in my presence!”

“Please, can we talk inside?” Philippa tries again.

“There is nothing to talk about. You have to accept all or you have to accept nothing.” Dad tells them.

“So you walked away and left me, us, to bring up your son and think that…” Ivan starts to sprout his same old bullshit rhetoric.

“Now, come along, Ivan, you know that’s not true, I didn’t walk away. I was working. You know, trying to provide for my son and, I thought, wife. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I know you were working as well - but working on how to steal a wife away from a husband is not a job that most decent people aspire to. However, that is in the past, we are talking about his future. Their future. So what’s it to be, accept or pack?”

“You can’t seriously be thinking of throwing your mother and me out?!” Ivan gasps.

“That depends on you.” Dad smiles. “That is why I had the house put in Noel and Naomi’s names.”

“What?!” I gasp, and tears spring to my eyes. “I...I had no idea you did that.”

“Oh, you know me, I have always been over cautious. So, when you told me that he was having issues with you being Naomi, and what he wanted you to do, I simply added her to the deed.”

“Why are you speaking to him and not us?!” Ivan demands.

“Why should I?” I reply in Naomi’s voice.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Ivan sputters. “Talk like a man! I refuse to deal with you when you are speaking like a candy ass…”

“I will knock your teeth down your throat.” I interrupt, smiling sweetly and feel dad grab my arm as I start towards Ivan. “You wouldn’t want to add to your costs of finding another house now would you?”

“Did you just step towards me, girlie?! Did you? As if you could knock my teeth down my throat!” Ivan laughs. “Maybe I should’ve done that to you and knocked some fucking sense in to you!” He winces as Philippa slaps his arm. “So, that’s your final decision, is it...whatever the hell you are calling yourself at this moment!”

“It is not my decision, it is yours. If you can’t accept me, then I will have the house put on the market by the end of the week.”

“You created a vacancy when you married.” Dad has that tone in his voice, and I look at him. He is starting to smile. “Such a shame for you.”

Philippa slowly turns to face a now florid faced Ivan. “You’ve been cheating on me?”

“I haven’t! Have you been cheating on me?”

“Of course not!”

“Kindly take your disintegrating marriage off of his lawn!” Dad snaps.

“Disintegrating?!” Philippa snaps. “Didn’t you hear just now?! Nobody is cheating on anyone! I can’t believe you took such a vicious and…”

“Again disintegrating marriage off of the lawn!” Dad snarls.

“I will deal with you in the courts for slander!” Ivan spits at him before he stares hard at me, then clears his throat. “We want to buy the house from you.”

“Ivan!” Philippa gasps.

“What? We have the money and I don’t want to move!” He explains. “So how much do you want for it and everything inside?”

“Nothing.” I reply as Noel.

“Nothing?” They all repeat and look confused.

“You...you mean you’re giving the house to us?” He looks incredulous. “Are you serious?!”

“No of course not! When I said nothing, I meant nothing because I am not going to sell it to you! That was, until you came along, my home. You ruined it and you let him....”

“I will ruin you.” Ivan snipes. “Do the people in LA know that…”

“I am Naomi Coor? Yes, they do. Do the people in Pittsburgh know that I am Naomi Coor? Yes, they do. Do they care? No, they don’t.” His face falls. “I knew you would never accept me, and she knew that too.”

“Why should she accept this…” He gestures to all of me before turning back to her. “...come on, let’s just go. There is nothing here.”

“You are so right, Ivan. There is nothing here. Here are the keys, both sets...”

“What the hell are you doing, Philippa?!” He explodes.

“Saving him the trouble of going through the expense of changing the locks.” She replies, then sets her lips in a thin line. “Right, that’s that done. Are you happy now?”

“Yes I am happy now. It was the least you could do.”

“I know. Thank you, George, for allowing the closure without me losing my standing in the community. It would’ve been very unpleasant to say the least.”

“How has any of this been pleasant?!” Ivan sneers.

“I didn’t want our laundry aired in public. Since we aren’t known here, George suggested that it should take place here.”

“What should take place here? I don’t under…”

“I am divorcing you.” She replies coolly, and you could’ve knocked me down with a feather. “I no longer have a son or a husband, but I will have my freedom. The more I thought it about this and the way we behaved, the more I knew I had to walk away. Without their money, what would we do? How could we keep that place?”

“But why are you divorcing me?!” He demands. “I have done nothing but to try to make that boy into a man!”

“He is a man!” Dad rebukes him. “He just likes to switch it up for work.”

“I am divorcing you because I am very selfish and will put myself first, last, and always. After all, I married you despite Noel’s objections. While we had a common cause in trying to correct him, we were fine. Now we no longer have that, and I could see you trying to change me. But I don’t want to change, so before the going gets tough I am getting going. “

“Where the hell am I going to go?! What am I supposed to do?!” Ivan yells at her retreating back.

“I really couldn’t care less!” She shouts over her shoulder. “I shall send the papers to your lodge!”

“Jesus!” I am staggered, and that seems to snap Ivan into movement, but she’s already driving away, leaving him in the dust.

“Shall we go back inside and talk about that office space?”

“Yes, let’s talk about office space.” I drawl and put my hands on my hips. “Well?”

“Yeah, you want to explain this to me, George!” Ivan approaches, but I stand in front of Dad.

“One more step, just one.” I say it so calmly that he pauses. “I may sometimes dress like a girl, but I always fight like a man. Just one more step.” He stays where he is. “This is where you leave us, much like your soon to be ex-wife just left you.”

“I will fix it with Philippa and…”

“No you won’t. As she said, she thinks only of herself.” Dad laughs. “But before you go, Mr Thorn, the watch if you please.”

“The…”

“Yes, you don’t accept them, then you most definitely don’t get to keep that! But, if it is so very sentimental to you, you can always buy it off him at full market price.”

He scowls and then pulls the watch off his wrist before throwing it at my feet. “Aren’t you going to pick it up then?”

“Not while you're standing that close, no.” I reply, and his shoulders slump slightly in defeat before he turns, walks back up the path, and, thankfully out of our lives forever. “So, how did you concoct this?” I demand as I pick up the watch and then lead him back into the house.

“She called me and asked how I could accept you and Naomi. I told her I just could.”

“But the divorce. That was out of left field.”

“Not really. I was telling the truth about the vacancy. She was looking for a way out without having to pay him anything. This gave her the perfect scenario.”

“Jesus.” I sigh. “She really is that cunning and calculating.”

“Yes. She is. But you got your house back, and that’s all that matters.”

“True.” I grin at him. “So, office space...”

MICHAEL AND ETHAN’S HOUSE - NEXT DAY, AFTERNOON

ETHAN’S BEDROOM

ETHAN

I muffle my laughter into the pillow. It just gets better and better! He was screaming at his attorney, oh the irony, of his previous demands! Because of the rapidly racking up charges, he’s had to surrender his passport and his assets have been frozen. He has to report to the station every day, and Brian Kinney has issued a restraining order against him! I pull myself together as he hammers on the door and doesn’t wait for permission to enter...again!

“I need to borrow your laptop!”

“Why?” I frown, first at his tone, and then because I don’t want anything he does coming back to me!

“My battery is dead, and I need to send an email. There is no way in fuck I am being told where I can or can’t go!” He rails.

“Who to?”

“People will learn that I don’t take this shit!” He mutters, and starts to tap his feet looking meaningfully at my laptop but I pull it close to my chest. “He’s going to fucking learn!”

“Uh, who is?”

“Justin Taylor of course! Who else do you think put Brian up to this?! I am going to tell him to...”

“Michael, you are not using my laptop to send an email to Justin!”

“Why not?! Surely you have his email address?”

“Yes, I do. But still no.”

“I’m not going to send it from you, if that’s what you’re thinking!” He protests just that little too much!

“That’s exactly what I am thinking. Surely the email can wait? It’s not as if he is going anywhere or doing anything right now.”

“You don’t understand, Ethan, as you aren’t the one being persecuted! He is the cause of this!”

“Cause of what?” I demand, just as heatedly.

“He told Brian to go to the police!”

“Why were you there anyway?!”

“You know what? Fuck this! Why should I send an email when I can tell him my fucking self, and, unlike the last time, he will fucking listen, even if I have to beat it into him!”

“Michael, you need to calm down before you do anything stupid that involves beating!”

“See you later!” He glowers, and swiftly leaves the room.

“Just calm down before you do anything stupid, okay?!” I yell, following him out.

“I am fucking calm!” He yells back.

“You are not fucking calm! So what now?! You want to add mayhem to stalking? Don't you see that your obsession is getting out of control? How do you plan on ruining their performance when you are in jail? For once, think with your head, not with your dick!”

“I am not obsessed! I am set on getting what I want, and Brian is what I want!”

“He doesn’t want you!” I make my point by jabbing my finger at him before heading back to my room. “Oh, just one more thing.” I stop and turn back to him. “Don't ever try to use me for your stupid acts again! You won't like the outcome! I am not threatening before you start that ear splitting whine of yours, I am promising you that you will regret it!”

http://kitchenbowl.com/recipe/e9zBqNwLK8/fresh-ahi-tuna-tartare-with-avocado

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/recipes/potted-mushroom-and-bone-marrow-on-toast/

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/apple-sorbet-calvados/f9d225da-8fb7-44a7-9557-83f61668b198