CHAPTER 6 - BLUE MOON HOUSE, PRO BONO AND BEING A LITTLE PIMP
LINDSAY’S COTTAGE - TUESDAY EVENING
LOUNGE
She hasn’t come back with her tail between her legs like I assumed she would! How dare she?! I tap my nails against the glass and think. I need Mel here. I hadn’t realised how much she actually does when I am at the galleries and the like. I look around and notice how shabby the place is looking. When we first started dating and I moved into her place, it was sweet, bijou and cosy. But then it got too small for the two of us and my things, so at my suggestion, we moved to this place. It needs a clean. Reaching for my phone, I send her a text. I know Mel and she doesn’t like spending unnecessary money! Ten minutes later, I am flabbergasted when she simply replies fine, I will pay half directly to whichever company you choose. No how are you? No concerns about my welfare. Bitch!
MICHAEL’S COMIC BOOK STORE - WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
MICHAEL
I ring up the sale and just about keep the smile on my face until the guy leaves. While Brian got me this place, he still hasn’t give me any capital for stock. He paid for the stuff I bought on our road trip, but that is rapidly dwindling. I am about to place a call to him when the door chimes and it’s Ted.
“Well if it isn’t the Accountant Godfather. To what do I owe this visit?”
He sighs and puts his case down. “It’s clean. I shall tell him. Look, I’ve come here to tell you in person to stop calling me about Brian.” I glare at him but wave for him to continue. It’s not as if I am going to do as he tells me. In fact, I decide to tune him out.
“Are you finished?” I interrupt his speech.
“Yes as long as we understand each other.”
“Yeah of course, we do. Now if you could excuse me, I have a store to run.”
TED
Well that went a lot better than I thought it would, I think to myself as I head back to my car. I unlock the door and then spot Ems looking at what used to be the diner, which is now closed down.
“Ems!” I yell and he turns and waves with that I’ve got an idea grin on his face. I cross the road quickly and join him. “So what’s the idea?”
“A gay friendly estate agent.”
“Keep going?” I prompt.
“Think about it. His portfolio is huge; he’s got over 100 properties…” He snickers. “...oh damn that NDA as I so wanted to tell her! Anyway, as you know he’s moving to Shadyside now and with Britin going to be used as an event space. We need to have a central place for people to come and why not here?”
I start to nod. “Okay give me the figures and we’ll sell it to him. But we need someone to run it and I was thinking of Debs.”
“And Mel.” Ems says and I almost fall over in shock.
“Mel?! Are you feeling okay? You clearly have a fever or some…”
“Pro bono, to help those who have been thrown out for being gay by their landlords.” He sighs that sigh I know all too well. “Can we have a coffee?”
“Let’s go back to the office and get Big Bad involved now so we don’t have to say it twice.”
“Okay, Teddy.”
KINNETIC - 90 MINUTES LATER
BRIAN’S OFFICE
BRIAN
“But I thought you hate Mel?” I adjust Gus slightly and get sappy looks. “Why would you want her to work for us, free or otherwise?”
“I don’t hate her.” Emmett sighs. “Before you went away, she was all about seeing the greater good for gay rights. She would fight every step of the way. But in the two years since you’ve been gone, she’s become cowed and…”
“Started to become like Lindsay?” Cynthia suggests.
He shudders but nods. “And when she saw Gus, then said what she said and walked out, I was so impressed! Let’s test her and see what happens.”
“We need the NDA so watertight, not even a ghost could get through.” Cynthia adds and we all nod.
“I’ll call her and you call Debs.” I tell him.
“Why am I calling Debs? It’s an easy sell to her.” Emmett points out.
“Mel won’t believe you.” Ted explains gently. “Brian she will believe because…”
“He doesn’t lie.” Emmett smiles and picks up his phone to call Debs.
BEN AND JUSTIN’S HOME - SATURDAY AFTERNOON
ATTIC
BEN
“How the hell did you manage that?” I ask again as Justin looks like he wants to cry.
“It must have been this morning before I left. I locked up and got jerked back, but I just pulled hard and thought nothing of it. It wasn’t until I came in and found the other half…” He shows me the broken key. “...in the hallway that I went from room to room and of course it had to be.”
“Maybe between me and Mr Thatched we can bash the door in?”
“No! You can’t judge the force and you might hit my scope.” He almost screeches.
“Okay, let’s call Emmett. Maybe he has a spare key?” I suggest and he nods.
BLUE MOON [BRIAN AND GUS’S] HOUSE, SHADYSIDE - AN HOUR LATER
GARDEN
EMMETT
I have never had so much fun moving in my entire life. But right now all fun is done as we need to set the house perfectly. And I can’t do it perfectly with the Alpha Male of Perfection hovering over me! If he moves that cushion back one more time, I will wipe his face with Gus’s nappy!
“You’re beeping, go check your messages!” Carl orders as I almost stalk back inside, having stepped out to quell my tongue and then made the mistake of looking through the window!
“Good idea!” I snarl and walk to the other end of the garden with my phone clamped to my ear. “Hmmm. This could work.” I say to myself as I head back to the house and see him moving the rug. “No, this has to work!” Forty minutes later, I have the thing that can save our friendship in my hand and walk inside. And twenty minutes later, he and Gus are off down the street.
BEN AND JUSTIN’S HOUSE - 50 MINUTES LATER
JUSTIN
I keep looking at my watch and at the sky. “Hurry up!” I mutter to myself and then the door knocks and I almost cheer in relief but then I open the door. “Hi Shri...Michael! It’s a pleasure to meet you finally.”
“Nice to meet you too, James. I’d like to speak to Ben.”
“He’s not in…”
“Yeah I know, I saw him leave. But I was in the middle of bidding and now that I have finished, I thought I would come in and wait.”
“Come...uh no, sorry but I have a landlord’s visit and I…”
“Michael. It is Michael, isn’t it?” Mr Blue Door calls out and he turns around frowning.
“Yes and you are?”
“Your next door neighbour. Someone was trying to deliver a package and I think they are about to…”
“I’ll be right back!” He shouts at me and then dashes down the street back to his house. I step out onto the street and try not to laugh as he runs, actually runs, after the van as it starts to drive away screaming at the top of his lungs.
“Twenty bucks says that van comes back tomorrow.” Mr Blue Door says and I am about to shake his hand when someone clears their throat.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Justin. You’d lose.” I turn quickly and am faced with a smiling Brian. “He’s a very determined man when it comes to packages.”
“Damn, I almost had him!” Mr Blue Door laughs. “He’s right. He spends most of his time watching his front door! The drivers have taken to parking down the street so he doesn’t pounce on them before they have even opened the van door! I’ll see you at the block party. You and Ben are still coming, right?”
“Yeah, we are. Looking forward to it, see you.” I turn back to Brian. “And thank you, Brian. I now can spend my money on more important things like...oh!” I gasp as I see he has a buggy. “Oh, may I see?” He nods and I walk around. “Gus is going to be a heartbreaker! He is gorgeous. How old is he now?” I can’t help the grin as he counts on his fingers. “Just under two weeks.” I supply.
“Yeah.” He laughs. “It was good to see you again. But I need to…”
“Come on in.” I grin at his confusion. “I’m the one that needs the key.”
“You?” He looks up to the sky. “Let’s get in quickly. First, judging by that face, Gus is going to object to something and secondly, it’s supposed to be perfect for seeing Pluto tonight.”
“I know! I am so excited! I haven’t seen it yet and...oh fuck quick, be quick!” I practically shove him and Gus up the path and he looks puzzled. “Shrillseeker!” I point in the direction of the rapidly approaching figure and Brian speeds up!
LOUNGE
BRIAN
I am hidden behind the shutters as I watch Justin briefly chat to Michael before setting off on his run. He looks pissed off and glowers as Justin heads down the street before staring hard at the house. I let out a breath as he finally turns and heads back towards his home and I hear Justin coming through the back door.
“Okay, can you..” We both freeze when the door knocks.
“Justin! Justin! It’s Ben! I left my phone and…”
“Ben! Hey, Ben!” We hear Michael shout from down the street. “Don’t move, I’ll be there in a minute!”
“Fuck! Justin, if you are in please open the door now!” He pleads.
“I can’t leave him out there!” Justin hisses. “What do I do?”
“Take him upstairs and make sure he doesn’t make a sound.” I hiss back, putting Gus into his arms. “How friendly are you and Ben?”
“Just friends.” He whispers back.
“That makes this easy.” I smirk and head to the front door and pull it open and then pull Ben into a tongue fucking kiss.
“Brian!” Michael shrieks from the bottom of the path. “What the hell are you doing?!”
I drape my arms over Ben’s shoulders and lick my lips. “What does it look like?” I nuzzle Ben’s ear and whisper. “Put your arms around me, will explain later!” I then run my fingers through my hair while looking into his confused face. “...I’m getting to know Ben a bit better. And I’d like to get back to that. It’s been a while.”
“But...I like Ben.” He pouts, but he’s smiling. “But if fucking Ben is what it takes to get you back to being the Stud and my best friend, you go ahead and then come to mine and tell me what it was like! Trust me, Ben. You’re going to enjoy it!”
We both watch aghast as he swaggers back down to his house as if he was the one doing the fucking and we quickly go inside.
MICHAEL’S HOUSE - 5 MINUTES LATER
LOUNGE
MICHAEL
Wow he certainly hasn’t wasted any time! First, he dethrones the Stud and now he’s doing a Beefcake. Mind you, I would’ve liked to have gotten there first...and I was so close!
BEN AND JUSTIN’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
BRIAN
“If fucking Ben is what it takes...did I hear that right?” I look at the two of them and they nod their expressions filled with disgust and...something else.
“What a moron!” Justin explodes as quietly as he can as he’s holding Gus. “He’s basically given you permission to fuck and then has the temerity to...to...”
“He sounded like a pimp. The only difference is that he wanted a report instead of money!” Ben growls.
“You can’t let him get away with that!” Justin asserts. “You have to say something... you just have to! If you don’t, I will. Regardless of what your reputation is, he has no right to say that!”
“I can’t…” I grit out and they look at me in disbelief. “...I am too angry right now!”
“I’ll come with you and hold you back, but you must say something now!” Justin hands Gus to Ben, stalks to the door and pulls it open. “And you know you must!”
Swallowing down my rage, I nod and follow him out. I feel somewhat calmer as we walk down the path. I’m not sure if it’s because of Justin and Ben’s staunch defence or what, but I am calmer. I knock on the door and Michael takes a while to open and when he does he smiles but then frowns.
“Uh, that was quick and why is James here?”
“There was no quick and Justin is here to stop me from knocking you on your ass!” I snarl.
“What the hell are you thinking of hitting me for?”
“I am not a whore! And don’t ever talk about me or my sex life like I am! Come and tell me about it... who the fuck do you think are?! A male version of Heidi Fleiss?! You say shit like that about me or to me and I will knock you on your ass! Stay away from me, Michael! I mean it, Stay. The. Fuck. AWAY!”
“Brian, what the hell is the matter…”
“Stay the fuck away!” I yell and much to my surprise Justin shoves him backwards and slams the door shut.
“Come on. You’ve said your piece so let’s go back.” Justin tugs on my hand and we head back to his house.
BEN AND JUSTIN’S HOUSE - 10 MINUTES LATER
LOUNGE
BEN
Justin and I are watching Brian in the back garden while he’s slowly walking around. Gus is in his buggy sound asleep by the bay window. “Maybe one of us should go out there?” I suggest.
“I’ll go. It was me that got him to speak to him. It’s my fault.” Justin sighs.
GARDEN
JUSTIN
“Brian, I’m sorry.” I say quietly as I come up to him and he looks surprised. “I shouldn’t have made…”
“No, the only person at fault is M…”
“Don’t you dare say you! The person at fault is Michael! How dare he say such a...and you were going to say Michael, weren’t you?”
“Yeah.” He rubs his nose and sighs. “I should go back. He’s due a feed and I don’t have enough formula.”
“No, you can’t…”
“Why not?” He frowns.
“I want to see Pluto on the day your balls dropped!” I reply.
“My balls dropped?” He repeats.
“Yep, I think that smackdown was a long time in coming. And the key is still jammed in the attic…”
“Oh shit, of course!” He exclaims. “Right, let me go and have a look and…”
“I’ll go and get the formula!” Ben calls from the door. “I have to get some things anyway. So what does he have?”
ATTIC
Ten minutes later, Brian is doing something that I just know is not going to work. “Have faith. It will work and if it doesn’t you can come to ours. I’m sure I’m no longer banned from my own house!”
“Explain that comment and why you think that is going to work?”
“Emmett is setting up our new house in Shadyside and I was getting on his nerves. And this is industrial strength glue and it should be set by now and…” He carefully turns the lock and it opens. “...it works every time. You just have to make sure that the pieces are joined.”
“I can’t believe that worked.” I murmur. “So now what?”
“Take the key out and sling it. And remember to not leave it in the lock again. Why was it locked anyway since it’s the two of you? From what Ben’s said, he’s not an astronomy fan.”
“I’m not.” Ben laughs as he comes upstairs carrying Gus and the bottle. “But this is where he hides his candied pecan cookies, of which I am a huge fan, to stop me from demolishing them.”
“Candied pecan…” Brian pauses in feeding Gus and bats his eyes.
“I only have one jar left!” I protest.
“Which is full.” Ben points out and joins Brian in the batting.
“Oh for heaven sake!” I grumble and go to the cupboard. “Two each and that’s it!”
MICHAEL’S HOUSE
MICHAEL
I am waiting for him to come around and apologise for humiliating and threatening me like that!
LINDSAY’S COTTAGE
LINDSAY
“You’re going to do what?” I look at Mel in confusion.
“I’m going to work for Brian on a pro bono basis. So that…”
“Oh Mel! I am sorry I ever doubted you!” I clap my hands together and then beam at her. “I knew you would find a way to get in and this is the way to do it. You had me so convinced that you meant what you said. Moving out was a master stroke. Did you think they were following you or something? Where are your cases and…”
“What are you talking about, Lindsay?”
“You offering your services to Kinnetic for free. You will gain Brian’s trust and…”
“I’m not working for Kinnetic; I’m going to be working with Emmett and Debs, who are going to be managing Liberty Avenue Estate Agents, as their legal representative.”
“Lib...what? What are you talking about?” I demand, impatiently. “You are talking gibberish.”
“I am not talking gibberish, nor was I acting or anything. I meant everything I said and I am not moving back. I am moving forward! Moving forward without you!”
https://tutti-dolci.com/2014/12/candied-pecan-cookies/