CHAPTER 40 - CAUSES AND CLAUSES OF A SON AND DAUGHTER’S SADNESS

INTERVIEW ROOM 2, 57TH PRECINCT - AN HOUR LATER

MICHAEL

I stare at the cop, who just stares back. “So how long until my attorney gets here? You can’t question me without an attorney!”

“I wasn’t there when you made the call to your attorney, so I don’t know.”

“You are most probably holding him up.” I assert, and lean back in my chair just as there is a sharp knock on the door; he lets in Horace, my attorney. “How convenient! I ask what the hold up is, and lo and behold here he is!”

“Had to make my way across town. So what’s this about an assault?”

“It was an accident, not an assault. He’s over reacted as he is threatened by my place in Brian’s life.” I glare at the cop who has just scoffed. “As if I would do such a thing!”

Horace raises an eyebrow. “Okay, let’s start from the beginning shall we…”

THREE HOURS LATER

MICHAEL

I am making my way home feeling very pissed off! I have been formally charged with assault on Justin The Dumb Dom Taylor! It’s not like I don’t have enough to deal with! When my phone rings, I am unsurprised to see that Ma is calling me…no doubt this is at the nasty bidding of Carl! “Called to gloat, have you? What do you mean what about? Surely your boyfriend would...what do you mean he’s not your boyfriend anymore?! Where are you? Your place? I will be right there. Ma, I am so sorry!” I hang up and signal for a taxi. As I sink into the seat, I would feel sorry about them splitting up, but to be honest I never liked that guy! He was in her life far too long, and now it’s back to it just being the two of us...well the three of us when Brian dumps the Dumb Dom!

DEBS AND CARL’S HOUSE - 40 MINUTES LATER

KITCHEN

DEBS

I turn the cutlet and look over my shoulder as once more I hear Carl chuckle. “You know what he’s thinking, don’t you?” He rolls his eyes.

“What?” I ask, pouring myself a glass of wine. “Oh surely not?! That’s why he said he was sorry!”

“Shall I formally…” He begins, but then the insistent ringing on the doorbell stops him. “Want me to get it? Mess with him a bit?”

“Please and yes.” I grin.

“What are you still doing here?!” Michael demands, and then strides past him to stand in solidarity with me. “Want me to get rid of him, Ma?”

“No. It’s fine, Michael. Carl was just leaving.” I tell him. “But before he does, there’s something you should know. Carl...care to explain to my son why you are no longer my boyfriend?”

“Let me guess, you cheated on her, neglected her or both?! I said that he spent too much time on the job, if that’s what he was doing!” He barks.

“Because I’m her fiancé.” Carl replies and opens the fridge.

“Actually, I don’t want to hear it! What the hell are you doing with that beer?!”

“I am leaving to go to the lounge to watch the game. Debs, call me if you need me.”

“Thanks, sweetheart but I can handle this. I won’t be long.” He raises his bottle to me then shuts the door quietly behind him. I turn to Michael, whose jaw would be swinging if it was on hinges. “So, what was I supposed to be gloating about that my fiancé hasn’t told me?”

“Fi...fiancé?” He stutters weakly then reaches for the stool. “He’s your...when did you decide to do this, and without my permission?”

“Well, he asked me a month ago and I only just realised when Brian, Justin and I had that chat about Gus...that’s Gus not Guy, oh wannabe Guardian of the Kinney Legacy. So, I finally accepted. But I am confused, why would I need your permission? You don’t ask my permission to live your life, but expect me to fix the fuck ups you make.”

“What fucks up?! What chat? What are you talking about?! Do you have any idea the stress that I am under because of Justin and that fruitcake that Brian hired?!”

“I know I am going to regret this, but what exactly has Justin done to you, I mean apart from actually be in a relationship with Brian? And Brian has not hired any fruitcakes, had one as a former best friend, yes, but hired no.” His face begins to twitch and his eyes narrow. “Now, before you take the Chinese route with your response, remember what happened the last time?”

He subconsciously covers his crotch and then sniffs. “Ma, Justin had me arrested for accidentally breaking a glass, of which a tiny speck went in his eye. You and Brian are overreacting to the invoices, and his fruitcake has kicked me out of my house!”

“You tried to have me arrested for what happened at your store. Or do arrests only matter when you order them?”

“I said I was sorry!” He exclaims.

“Only when I made it clear that forgiveness wasn’t on the cards when you wanted it! And even then it was grudgingly given!”

“Ma, can you please just focus on the problems that I have at the moment?” He sighs. “You know his Mother don’t you?” I nod. “Well, can you speak to her about…” I shake my head and he folds his arms. “Why not?”

“Because this is between you and him. Not you, me, him and her. You started this fight. Now, Carl and I are going to eat. You created these problems, so you solve them like any normal grown up!”

“But my house, Ma, and my store! He gave me my lifelong dream! He…”

“Your dream, his nightmare!” I snap. “Carl, going to serve up now, do you want another beer?!”

“Please, honey!” He shouts back.

“So, if there is nothing else, you really should be going.”

“But I can’t get into my house!” He screams, his face going red.

“Michael, how did she change the locks in the first place?”

“I don’t fucking know!”

“Well, unless she’s a trained locksmith, I’m figuring what my fiancée is trying to say…” Carl drawls as he comes back in. “...is that you should call a locksmith and get them changed like she did. But we ask again, how did she get them changed in the first place? She would have to prove ownership for a start…” Michael shifts and looks away. “...what did you get her to do?”

“She took advantage of my…”

“Stupidity and laziness?” I sigh. “Since I want to eat, I shall let you know what I know. You broke the key in the lock when you were taking delivery of more toys. She turned up to do her usual shift, but you called the locksmith and had her wait for them, while you went to a fayre.” He looks flabbergasted. “How do I know this?” He just blinks. “You seem to forget that I work for Kinnetic Estates, and almost all of the houses bar one are owned and leased by us. People talk! She had warned you about your filth and disrespect, and you didn’t take heed. So, if you want that dream house back, I would be a good little penitent pissant and repent! I will tell you one thing though, Michael…” He looks hopeful. “...if you do get back inside, make the most of it, because we will take ownership of it and your store. But if we are feeling magnanimous enough, we might let you work there.”

“Where will I live?” He says looking queasy.

“Damned if I know, and fuck if I care, but know this: it won’t be here!” Carl growls and pulls him off the stool but he wrenches his arm free. “Want to be arrested again? I haven’t retired yet!” He growls.

“How on earth did you end up with this guy?!” He sneers, and holds his ground. “You never told me how this great romance came to be. I came home from a convention and that was that, we were saddled with him! But he obviously knows a good thing when he sees it, he’s not going to let this cash cow go, is he?!”

The only thing that stops me from giving him a proper slap is relishing what I am going to say next. “Brian told me he was checking me out.”

His face falls. “Br...Brian contributed to this relationship?!”

“Even paid for dinner and my outfit. And he’s paying for the wedding, well he and Justin are, and letting us have it at Britin. Just so you know, you are not invited. Brian will be giving me away. And speaking of away...GO!” I yell and shove him towards the front door.

“Don’t come crying to me when this all goes wrong!” He snarls.

“I have never come crying to you before and I don’t intend to start now!” I shove him out and slam the door in his face before he can say anything else. “Right, let’s eat!” I tell Carl firmly.

“No, let me hold my fiancée first and try to make it all better.” Carl tells me gently, and I step into his warm and loving embrace.

MICHAEL’S STORE - MORNING, A WEEK LATER

MICHAEL

I have ended up sleeping on the couch in the office. The first night it was because I was just too shocked to go anywhere but here! So Brian is the cause of me getting him, of all fucking people, as a stepfather! But for the last few nights, I have been guarding my store just in case she sends one of her fruitcake friends here! I am so glad that I persuaded Brian to put in a shower. I wince as I sit up and my back spasms. “I knew I should’ve insisted on a sofa bed instead of this damn couch!” I grouse as I slowly stand up. “Right, first things first, shower and then a word with the gay version of Patti Stanger!”

Twenty minutes later, I feel better and am pouring myself a cup of coffee. I haven’t left here, not even to buy food, I wait for the takeaway guy to leave before I quickly unlock the door and snatch the food inside...but the bins are starting to get full and the air a little funky.

I frown when I hear the door knocking, and am surprised to see Lindsay peering through the windows. I wave my phone at her and she rolls her eyes before calling me. I put her on speaker so I can drink my coffee. “What are you doing here, and why haven’t you been returning my calls?” She demands.

“Drinking coffee and protecting my Alamo. What are you doing here? Where did you end up?”

“At my cottage.”

“I thought you didn’t have that anymore?” I frown.

“Michael, can you please let me in? I would rather not discuss this so that all of Liberty Avenue can hear it!”

“Alright but be quick coming in!” I snap and open the door.

“Thank you.” She says as she comes in, and then wafts her hand in front of her face. “Can you open a window at least? Have you even left here?”

“How can I protect it if I leave? Now, what is that about your cottage?”

Sighing, she looks for somewhere to sit, and uses a couple of comics as a cushion. “Well, it turns out that I am not as free of the cottage as I thought. I had made a minor miscalculation and still have a small mortgage on it. But luckily I have almost found a tenant for it. I have been making it habitable. It cost my parents a good few dollars, which, surprisingly, they loaned me. This is why I was at my cottage, I am not living there, too many bad memories!” She sighs again but I am in no mood to be sympathetic!

“That’s great for you! Meanwhile, I still have a problem with my house! And on top of that Ma and Carl are getting married!”

“Oh, sorry to hear that.” She twists her face in disgust...she hates him too! “However, I am not here to discuss geriatric marriages. It seems you no longer have a squatter in your house!”

“What? When did that happen?!” I exclaim.

“I don’t know! I was called last night by that Eli from the Committee to say we must return immediately!” She retorts.

“Come on, let’s go!” I start to leave but she remains seated. “Lindsay, I want to go home!”

“That’s the thing, you still won’t have a home. Or a store. You know when the court case happens...”

“For fuck sake!” I snarl. “What am I going to do? Ma is refusing to take them over from me.”

“I honestly don’t know, Michael, but at least you will have them for a few weeks, and it will give you time to maybe put some stuff temporarily in storage. I am sure there is an appeals process for this...”

“No! I am not losing my dream house or my perfect store…”

“It doesn’t look so perfect right now.” She points out.

I stride to the office and pull out the paperwork I had on me at the time of the arrest, and the transfer papers are still there. “How about I transfer them into both our names?” But she shakes her head. “Why not?”

“You clearly don’t remember, do you? The clause was very specific...any property bought by Brian Aiden Kinney for Michael Charles Novotny or Grassi that is in his name will be forfeited.”

“Christ!” I holler, and try to get Hugo on the line, but he’s out of the state. “Come on, let’s go!”

“Go where?!”

“There’s a property attorney up the street, Pitsson something or other, let’s get this signed over to you right now!” I declare.

LINDSAY - AN HOUR LATER

“Okay, Michael, let’s get you home!” I tell him as we head to find a taxi.

“Thanks, Lindsay, you’re a lifesaver!” He sighs as he rubs his eyes tiredly. “Alright, so we have to do it tomorrow, but at least my house and store will be safe from them!”

MICHAEL’S HOUSE - TWENTY MINUTES LATER

“Did you get them to clean up the garden?” He asks as I get out of the cab.

“No. I have been staying with my parents.”

I don’t understand what has happened here!

“Ah, Mr Novotny and Ms Peterson, you are finally back.” The snotty tones of Eli interrupt us.

“Look, Eli, we have had a very trying time and…” I begin.

“We have spoken to Mr Kinney, and now that we are aware of your situation with him. That combined with the continued disruptive behaviour emanating from this residence, the Greenfield Boulevard Neighbourhood Committee has voted to invoke the eviction notice. You are to check your boxes and leave immediately!”

“What?!” We both exclaim.

“You can’t do this!” I gasp.

“We can. It is a term of being a tenant and...”

“I am not a fucking tenant! I own this house!”

“And for being a homeowner in Greenfield Boulevard, there is an expected level of behaviour. You have never come close. Now, as I said, check your boxes and leave. They only have your clothing and other personal effects. The furniture, as per the agreement, remains.”

“What?! No! I chose that!” He wails.

“For once you showed exceptional taste. It is a shame for you both that you didn’t behave that way. You have one hour!”

Michael and I exchange horrified looks. Why was that fucking attorney busy? Why?!

WOODY’S - AN HOUR LATER

BOOTH

JUSTIN

“Mom, over here!” I call out as I see her beautifully coiffured chignon; she smiles as she approaches, and takes a seat. We look at her expectantly.

“They are out!” She grins.

“Are you sure? They’re gone?” Emmett demands.

“As of 15 minutes ago, they were last seen in a truck heading away from Greenfield Boulevard. Both looking like they wanted to cry...actually I think Michael had already started before the first box was put in. Oh wait, Melissa over here!” Mom calls out.

“Mom?!” Daph demands puzzled.

“Meet the other protagonist in this happy tale.” Mom pours her a glass.

“Seriously, Jennifer, they’re gone? Both the store and the house are mine?” Brian looks stunned.

“Yes they are a parasitic best friend, dear friend, unloving son and manipulative daughter free zone!”

Mel raises her glass. “Well I suggest a toast. To never pissing Jennifer and Melissa off!”

“Cheers!” We all yell.

“Hey. You okay?” I whisper to Brian, who although raised his glass still seemed a little shocked.

“Never been happier.” He grins.