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CHAPTER 17 - WHILE THERE’S MOONLIGHT...LET’S FACE THE MUSIC AND HOME TRUTHS


JUSTIN


I had almost gone to sleep when I remember something! Gasping, I sit up before snapping the light back on. “My keys!” I exclaim.


“What’s wrong?” Brian mumbles as I shake him.


“He has my keys, Brian!”


“Oh fuck! I forgot that. Hang on!” He is immediately focused and reaching for his phone.


“You don’t think he’ll use them?” I demand worriedly.


“To be honest, I’m not sure. But was it just the house keys on there?” He asks.


I relax a bit but not much. “Yes, just them. Why aren’t you sure?”


“Can you call Ben and let him know what’s happened key wise? I’ll get a locksmith out just in case.”


Ten minutes later, he’s spoken to a locksmith, who was more than happy to help out and I have spoken to Ben. But I can’t help the flash of jealousy at the locksmith’s words.


“Do you want me to take you home? Personally, if he does use them I would rather you were not in the house. But if you want to go home…”


“Yeah, please.” I reply and instantly regret it. Ben said that he wasn’t going to go home as Benson had turned up at the party, so I would be by myself. “Actually no, it’s fine. I can go to a hotel.” I realise as soon as the words are out of my mouth that I am indeed the biggest pillock on the planet!


“Justin? Why are you wanting to go to a hotel?” He frowns at me.


“Because I’m a pillock.” I sigh.


“Yeah. I worked that one out, but why are you being a pillock?” He studies my face. “Okay, you have to understand something. I fucked a lot of guys and although I didn’t fuck them again, it doesn’t mean I treated them like trash. Despite the reputation that Michael wants to cultivate for me, I am not a heartless prick nor am I a whore. I…”


“I know that. I…”


“Let me finish.” He cuts me off sternly. “I had a life before you like you had a life before me. I am not going to let my past ruin my future and I hope you won’t either.”


I feel about two centimeters high. “Sorry. I’m sorry.”


“So you don’t want to go to a hotel?”


“No.” I reply and swallow hard. “It’s just…”


“What?” His tone is softer and I am relieved.


“The way he said it.”


“I fucked the locksmith once, but he’s a better locksmith than he is a fuck. I have never done this with anyone...at all...ever.”


“You have, you make an appointment. You said...and again, a pillock!” I bump my head against the wall, but at least he is smiling. “Can we cuddle again and pretend that this conversation never happened?”


“Cuddle, yes. But the conversation happened and I’m glad it did.”


“You are?” I ask as I slide back into position under his chin. “Why?”


“Because now I know what you sound and look like when you’re jealous. It’s hot!”


“Shut up!” I gripe into his neck and then smile as his leg wraps around mine. “Sleep.”


“Yes, Sir.” He chuckles before snapping the light off again.


DAPHNE’S HOUSE - THIRTY MINUTES LATER


EMMETT


I watch Mel carefully from the other side of the lounge. She’s got an odd expression on her face. “What’s the matter?” I ask quietly, leading her to the back garden, as it’s quiet but still warm out. “Mel, what’s wrong?”


“I tried, Emmett, I really did.”


“Tried what?”


“To love her the way she wanted…” She sniffs.


Mel is crying! I don’t know how to handle a crying bulldyke lesbian, who I am supposed to dislike but find myself actually liking! Luckily, the other man in her life is over in seconds.


“Finally hit home, has it?” Ted hands her a drink and napkins as she nods.


“What has?” I am confused.


“Lindsay never loved her. She loved the idea of her and what Mel gave her but she never loved her.”


“I don’t understand.” I whisper.


“She lied to her country club cronies about me; the things she told them that we did as a couple. She described our sex life in intricate detail…”


“I always got the impression that you had a good sex life” I interrupt. “Even if it was with a plank of wood with fried eggs on it, but whatever gets you off.”


She hiccups a laugh. “She said I was Melvin to them. She told them I was a man. The sex she was having to them was with a man.”


“Ouch. I didn’t realise she took the ruse that far.” Ted hands her another napkin.


“It took me saying I no longer loved her to finally realise she never loved me. She didn’t even flinch, just gave an insouciant shrug. And that hurt.”


“So why were you giving Brian shit?” I ask, finally able to.


“She’s always maintained that theirs was just a friendship and I believed that. I had no reason not to. But then something happened and I took it out on him. We had never been the greatest of buddies but striking out at him instead of confronting her, as it were, was easier. When he offered to help us with having a baby and she turned him down flat, I felt better about it then pushed the entire episode to the back of my mind. But then when he got the money and she went after him again…”


“What are you talking about? What happened?” Ted and I exchange confused looks.


“She cheated on me.”


“She cheated on you? When?”


“A couple of years before we got engaged. It was with a man. A man who happened to be called Brian.”


“You know that he would never ever go there!” I exclaim. “Never!”


“I know. But...one time, after we got engaged, she called out his name. She came calling his name.”


“So? Just because she beat off to...ah, one sec. Were you with her at the time?”


“Not the first time, no. The second time it happened she claimed she was saying she...she loved Byron, not Brian.”


Ted and I look at each other dumbfounded. “She’s in love with Brian?!” I gasp.


“She thinks she is, you mean.” Ted looks as nauseous as I feel and I inhale my drink when Mel shakes her head. “But she can’t be? Why would she be?”


“Because of the lifestyle he can now offer her, of course.” Daph has been standing quietly, rubbing Mel’s back.


Cyn comes up with a tray of drinks. “I have always had my suspicions, you know.”


“Really?” Mel looks incredulous.


“I even told Brian. And once he’d finished puking up his lunch, he backed right off. Wouldn’t be alone with her, would never meet up when she wanted him to...”


“So why offer the donation back then?” Ted frowns.


“She seemed to finally get the message that he wasn’t going to become more to her than what he was. It was a genuine offer and the thing is that she wanted to say yes, but she also wanted to punish him for rejecting her in the first place.” Cyn explains while Daph nods sagely. “It put her back in control of the friendship. And then along came the money, but also along came Michael.”


“Oh, that man is odious!” Brandon says joining us. “Especially after what he did to Justin.”


“What did he do to Justin?” Cyn asks puzzled.


“Broke a glass in tantrum when people weren’t paying him attention and a piece of it got in Justin’s eye. Naturally, he, of course, faced the consequences of his actions by running away!” Brandon grimaces.


“And he’s got Justin’s house keys. We’ve had to call a locksmith out to get them changed.” Ben comes up, looking a cross between relieved and pissed.


“Stop. Wait. And Whoa. Why does he have his keys?” Mel demands, the bulldyke attorney coming to the fore.


“Because they were running away from the dork and Justin dropped them. Luckily, it was only the house keys. I’ve just picked up the new set. Justin is staying at Brian’s tonight and I’m going back to Benson’s.”


“And you are?”


“Ben. I share with Justin and you are Mel. Daph has told us about you. Nice to finally meet you.”


“Nice to meet you, Ben. And I am anxious and intrigued to meet the guy that can get Brian to run away from Michael…”


“Honey, that would be most men.” Ted smirks.


“So getting back to the Lindsay hideousness, Michael got in the way of her baby plans for two years by…” Daph tries to clarify.


“Being the lesser of two evils.” Ted shudders again. “She was badgering him every day, trying to get him to offer his swimmers again but he was playing dumb and, for once, ran away. Only this time it was with that ingrate Michael hot on his trail.”


“Hot on his trail? You mean Brian didn’t offer him the trip?” I’ve always had my suspicions, but still!


“Good god, no! He got him the house and the store, but the trip? No, that was all Michael, selling some things and turning up at the airport.”


“But he gave everyone the impression that…”


“Uh, Michael lies...a lot!” Ted rolls his eyes. “Especially when it comes to bigging it up with Brian. Remember when he went to the bathroom just before Brian had to go through security?” I nod and then realisation starts to dawn. “You got it, Ems. He went through security and waited for Brian then guilted him into taking him along by saying that Debs had bought the ticket for him to go with him.”


“Does Debs know that?”


“Think she does now, Ems, but at the time, no she didn’t. Michael told her…”


“The reverse of what he told him.”


“But then of course, there was Lindsay’s unintentional streaking.” Cyn starts to smile.


“What? What the hell have we missed?!” Mel demands.


“I think it will sound better coming from Daph, who she directed most of her bile at.”


“I can only say what happened in the garden. I have no idea what happened before that. Ben and I were too busy trying to get Justin to pounce on Brian.”


“I like the word pounce; it has a playful devilment about it. What do you think, Brandon?” I ask, tilting my head.


“Like hearing the word, love doing it more.” He replies with a wink.


“Ems. Yes. Definitely.” Mel smirks. “Now Cynthia, you start and Daph, you finish.”


Cynthia clears her throat and gets comfortable. “Well when she arrived, uninvited, the first thing she did was look for Brian. They both did. She saw him first and he was by himself. So she got into predator mode but once again, Michael got ahead of her. But by the time they had jostled their way through the throng, Justin had taken his man away. But they heard something that appalled one and could be used as bait by the other. So then Michael, ran after Brian and Justin, appalled and screaming like someone had pinched his marbles and then Lindsay walked over to Daph and Ben and…”


“...ooh, this is so good!” Daph chortles. “So she comes up to me praising what I have done with the place, but saying she would keep the aesthetics after all it would be her house and she would be looking after Gus...”


“But how? There’s no way that Brian would just give her your house like that. What could she possibly have on him that would ever make her believe that he would?” Mel huffs angrily. “You know, I am getting fucking sick and tired of this! She’s already had her first and last warning. So the next time I see her, she’s going to have another legal problem.”


“Justin is a dominant.” We all look at the owner of the voice in surprise. “Hello, Mel. I’m Jennifer... Jennifer Taylor, Justin’s mother.”


“He’s a dominant?” “You knew, Mrs T?” Mel and Daph say at the same time.


“Yes and yes.” She smiles at Mel. “Shall I continue, Daph?”


“Yes please, Mrs T.”


“So after she finished denigrating Daph, Cyn and Justin, I briefly introduced myself and told her to run as I was going to beat her ass. And in the process of her swift departure, her dress got caught in the gate and she took her too flat, too pasty white and way too bare ass and ran screaming down the street! It was both funny and horrific at the same time! Like a plucked chicken in a human body.” She pauses to allow us to control our cackling and cringing. “It’s in the trash can over there.”


MEL


I stare at Jennifer in admiration. “How did…”


“I just did. I was worried for a while. But then I heard nothing but good things, like I said, about Mr Kinney and I’m not worried anymore. After all, he’s been trained and corrected by the best.”


“Wow is all I can say about that. But hang on a second. You said she ran down the street?” Jennifer nods. “And they were here together?” Cynthia nods. “She has nowhere to live because of damage to her cottage, but he has a brand spanking new house somewhere and…”


“Down the road. As in literally, down the road.” Ben grumbles. “All of his neighbours are so thankful to Brian for that. I might have to remind Justin of this error.” He smirks.


I stand up and march to the trash can. “Ems, these blocks are owned by Brian and Kinnetic, correct?”


“Yes.”


“Security cameras are installed, correct?”


“Oh yes...oh we don’t have to watch it, do we?”


“No. But I know Lindsay, and she’s going to somehow say this is not her fault. Now Daph, don’t take this the wrong way but did…”


“Yes, at my insistence I might add and thank goodness for that!”


“I need a copy of that recording and Ems a copy of the recording from earlier.”


“Mel?” Ted looks nervous.


“It’s best to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it.” I reply darkly. “Ben, can you take me to his house? There is a rather expensive dishcloth I need to return!”


“Uh, okay.”


I follow him out of the garden and then smile as I hear footsteps behind me. They are being led... judging by the snickering, by Ted. When we get to Michael’s house, I tell them to wait at the bottom of the path. Just to be on the safe side, of course. We wouldn’t want the poor damsel claiming emotional distress!


I knock on the door and hear his whine yelling that he’s coming and to hold our horses...I knocked once, for fuck sake!


“Me…”


“Lindsay!” I bellow. “You need to come to the door, preferably dressed!”


“Mel?! What are…”


“This is yours. It’s not too damaged so you can sew it up, I suppose. But next time, I suggest you wear underwear with it and more importantly, don’t insult people you don’t know. And as for you Michael, I shall be speaking to Justin Taylor about assault charges for the glassing incident in...where was it, Brandon?” I call back and it’s then that they notice everyone and their mouths fall open.


“Woody’s. They have it on tape, I checked!”


“So before you get it into your heads to say it was done to you...just don’t. You know how I operate, Lindsay, above the law and thoroughly. Now we are going back to Daphne's...I repeat Daphne's house to continue to enjoy our evening. So should you really still think that you will live there and look after Gus, you better think again and think fast! The ice you are standing on is starting to crack and you certainly don’t want to drown in Lake Delusional due to the weight of your combined arrogance.”


As I turn my back and head up the path, Jennifer walks down and I briefly contemplate stopping her but want to see what she’s going to do. “Michael, Justin and Ben will be billing you for the cost of having the locks changed on their house and…”


“It’s not their house; it’s Brian’s like this is mine! They don’t own it!”


“Just like you don’t own Brian for all your bluff, bluster and subterfuge. My son in a few short weeks has managed to do what you haven’t done in years and couldn’t do in a lifetime even with an open opportunity to try. He’s given him what he wants and needs. So let’s face it, the only way you are going to get Brian to bend to your will, either of you, is to take away what he loves most...and that would be Gus. And that would be a very stupid move indeed.”


“So even you think that your son is just a passing, disgusting phase...”


“My son is neither a phase nor disgusting, that is what you are...or should we say were? You were a phase of his childhood, he is now a grown up. You are disgusting because of your behaviour and cowardice. Because of your lack of class, talent and brains, you have been left behind. That goes for both of you, by the way. I said that he loves Gus most, he will just love Justin a little bit less than that, but love him he will. And he will love only them.”

 

Chapter End Notes:

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