BLUE MOON HOUSE - EVENING

LOUNGE

BRIAN

I have said it before and I will say it again, he really does have the most perfect ass. “I love the irony.” I husk as I palm his hot cheeks. He spreads his legs a bit and pushes back against my hand. I slide it between his legs so I can stroke his balls and he mewls.

“Iron...irony?” He moans, and then gasps as I crack my hand against his cheek.

“Born Under the Moon.” I turn his head so I can kiss him. “Considering that is how we met.”

“Uh huh….ouuummm!” I rap out six swift taps, his eyes darken and his juices saturate my lap and he starts to grind. “Tug. Close.”

“Look at me. Look at me.” I croon, and slowly tug him to heaven. His mouth drops open and he chants my name until he finally quiets. He rests his head on the armrest until his breathing regulates. “Don’t go to sleep, let’s shower first.”

“Two minutes.” He slowly sits up and straddles my lap, his eyes begin to lighten as he starts to come down. “I will sew them back in.” He murmurs against my neck.

“Thank you.” I chuckle and reach for the blanket.

PETERSON RESIDENCE - MONDAY AFTERNOON

RONALD

She is incandescent and it’s so funny. “But why won’t you?!”

“Because I don’t want to. I have my reasons and they remain that: my reasons to tell whoever I want; and since you are no longer in my...now what was it you both called it...special circle, I choose not to. In fact, it could be said you aren’t even near the perimeter of the square that squares the circle.”

“Daddy.” She sighs then nods in defeat. “Is there anything in the cottage you wish to keep?”

Ah, she's trying to see if I am going to rent it out. You are not fooling this old fool, not anymore!

“Yes, actually there is…” She practically falls over so earnest is her lean. “...I want the thing I actually like in there, the mirror.” Her face and her body almost hit the floor at the same time.

“The mirror?! But you bought that for me, and…”

“You fixed it to the wall, which works in my favour, because to remove it will cause damage to my cottage which I will bill you for.” She almost pulls her temple hair out in frustration. “Don’t do that, dear, you don’t have the bone structure for an undercut.”

“Undercut, oh the irony of that word when you are doing exactly that to me! Your own daughter!”

“I am not. I have paid exactly what the cottage is worth, plus their commission.”

“But, once again, I am your daughter!”

“Who forgets that I am her father when it suits her!” I rebuke her sharply. “You had no problem plundering the coffers when you wanted something, this is despite having your own resources. I am merely clawing some of it back! Now then, when exactly are you moving?”

“When am I...what’s the rush?” She scans my face intently.

“No rush exactly, I just need a timeframe. For a start, I want to repaint. Not a fan of the colour, and, of course barring the mirror, the furniture needs to be gone. No such a fan of the rumpled look…”

“Rumpled!”

“Would you prefer ramshackled instead? So you will let me know? As for the other rush, I have a date this evening and I need to get ready.”

“A date? I can’t believe you are so casual about the ending of your marriage!”

“As your mother doesn’t mind, I am as casual without it…” I stand up and gesture to the door. “...as you were callous within yours.”

LINDSAY

I’m sitting in my car seething and reeling! I had hoped that with me being his daughter and Mother now off on a six months’ cruise - as a fillip to her recovery from the callous eviction and abandonment of her family - that he would allow me to rent the cottage or stay until I have found the perfect place for me, but no, he wants me out almost immediately!

I sit back and try to gather my thoughts. I think a cup of tea is called for. “Let’s see what Ted and Blake’s new place is like, although by all rights this should be mine. Yet another example of someone stealing my idea and making it theirs. There is no way that Brian suddenly decided to call him Gus!”

As I head towards Liberty Avenue, my mind goes onto Michael. Hmm. He mentioned that he was going to, as well as ruin the wedding, move away from here. Wonder who the realtor is on his house. I know it is not Emmett, or Michael would not be there. I make a mental note to find this out! It may be semantic arguing, but if I am able to get his house I will simply call it Another State, it’s not my fault they misunderstood that...

STAY...SIP AND EAT - TWENTY MINUTES LATER

JAVID

I love Liberty Avenue and I love Debs and Carl! They have been so great and introduced me to the safe places to be, and now I have left the palace to work here. They thought it was a better environment for a young twink such as myself. Ted and Blake are just wonderful, and we have just taken in a shipment of special mugs for those who are deserving. I pull one out, and at first don’t see the point of it, as the others make much more of an impact, especially with what we have to say! I lift it up and then smile.

“Aaaah. Subtle and understated.”

“And here is the King of them now.” Blake grumbles as a dark haired man comes in.

“Who is that?”

“Michael Novotny. He’s Debs newly and very estranged son.”

“Is he the guy from the rehearsal dinner that…”

“The very same.”

“Why not bar him?”

“He’d love that. He thinks we are running scared of him. He’d be crowing like cockerel.”

“From what I see of him and what was described that night, there is little to get scared or excited about.”

“So I am not barred then?” He leans onto the counter and looks around scornfully.

“Why would we bar you? You are a paying patron, and as long as you observe the rules of the tearoom you are welcome.”

“Which are?” He yawns badly and then looks at the notice that I tap on, he reads it for a few seconds.

“I hate pussy…” He rolls his eyes slightly at the gasp behind him. “...besides, the people who should read the hippy ramblings coming out of a flea riddle snatch are Brian and his new mommy and daddy.”

I can’t believe he just said something so disgusting!

“What did you want to drink? And is it to take away?” I ask hopefully.

“A hot chocolate and one of those, I am going to go with cupcakes?” He points behind me. “And I will be over there.” He bolts for one of the easy chairs in the corner and puts his feet on the table.

“King you say?” I stroke the arm of a fuming Blake. “I would say he is the Lord God.” This raises a small smile which disappears completely when a blonde woman comes in, looks around and then and heads for his ungodliness. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Uh, you know one of the duties of a page was to observe and report to Wilson if anything needed to be reported?” I nod and smile then go to play waiter.

LINDSAY

“Good afternoon, Miss, how may I help you today?”

“Hi, uh Javid, this place is gorgeous!” Michael snorts but I need tea more than I need to deal with him right now. “Can I have…” Scanning the menu almost breaks my heart. “...a frappe with a slice of sachertorte please and a glass of sparkling water?”

“Of course, do you want the order together or as it comes?”

“Together, run a tab, we will be here for a while.” Michael rubs his foot on the table. I don’t care what his problem is he is not doing that!

“Michael, people have to eat off of that.”

“Then he can clean it, as is his twinking job, when I go. I know where my feet have been, shame I won’t tell them.” I smile apologetically at Javid and he gives me a tight smile of thanks, then heads to place the order. “What are you doing here anyway? Oh, how did the show go?”

“Wanted to check it out and it went fine.”

“Sounds like you were bored, bet you regret uninviting me now?” He scratches far too close to his crotch for my, and judging by the tisking from the table next to us, liking. “Did you get through to the winning whatever?”

Winning whatever? A $15000 bursary, he calls a winning whatever!

“Why did you say twinking job? Did you mean stinking and mispronounce it?”

“No, that’s what they are called, the people who work here, they call them the Twinkers. Not sure why.”

“You’re not sure why?” I repeat, thinking that Helen Keller could see and hear why! “Maybe you should look outside of your orbit, Michael.”

“Frappe in a pussy with bubbles and slice and PPM with a cup!” Is bellowed out and there is snickering.

“Frappe in a…” I can’t help but smile when our order is put down. “...please tell me the mug is for sale?” I plead.

“No, sorry and we don’t disclose where we got them from either. We want to be unique, and…”

“What’s unique about this place is that the cake is actually passable.” Michael speaks around a mouthful and sprays some crumbs.

“So if it is so displeasing to your sophisticated palate, why are you here?” I cut the torte and almost die. Passable? This is exquisite!

“Because it bothers them. Let me tell you what happened over the weekend…”

As he bemoans a fate that he caused, I keep the smirk off my face as I work out what PPM means, plain prick mug, but it what he has just said that brings me screeching to a halt with that thought and shuddering with revulsion and realisation.

“Say that again, I think I misheard you.”

“I said that we are both one and the same. We will both strive our utmost to repay wrongdoings.”

“We do?”

“Hell yeah, we do!” He laughs quietly, and leans in, the smell of coffee only just masks his body odour. “Just because they say I can’t be there doesn’t mean I won’t be. I shall get the last laugh before my fare thee well to these cunts.”

I sit back with the scales plunging from my eyes. He’s right, and I don’t like it.

“Hi, Javid. Please may I have the remains of this to go?”

“Of course, Miss.” He takes them to the counter and I stand up, dusting off the crumbs.

“So where are you going in such a hurry?” He looks as put out as I once did, when Mel had to go and fight a pro bono case last minute, and an oft tamped down sense of shame envelopes me. “I was just getting to the good bit.”

“I have to pack up my cottage. If you had bothered to ask anything about me, which does not involve you in some way, you would’ve found out that I have sold it and am looking for a place to live.”

“We could share again.” He is keen as mustard and I am as cold as a grave.

“No thank you. I want to live somewhere else.”

“What’s wrong with where I live? You’d be opposite a prince.” Again with the foot rub.

“Because you would be close by. I have come to the realisation that you are correct, we are the same...” He shrugs and nods at me to continue. “...and that revolts me. Bye, Michael, and one other thing, never has a mug been so apt!”

“Your order, Miss.” Javid hands it to me and after thanking him I walk out.

I turn back to see Michael looking at the bottom of the mug before slamming it down and storming to the counter. Heading back to my car, I spot the travel agency and go inside.

“Good afternoon, Miss, my name is Lennard, how can I help you today?”

“Yes, I would like to book a cruise to Europe.” His eyes light up. “For a year, my budget is twenty thousand dollars, what would that get me?”

“Have a seat, Miss, that would get you a great deal.”

MICHAEL

I refused to pay for their food after they showed me up like that. My ears are still ringing from the laughter that followed me out. I decide to find solace in the new diner. I take a seat at the nearest table and wait.

“What can I get you?” The busboy clips out.

“A coffee, burgers and fries please.”

“Johnno, PPM and some swill for booth three!”

“An interesting way of ordering you have…”

“It’s exclusive.” He seems to be sneering. “Reserved for special people. Oh, can you move to booth three at the back? This table is a little rickety.” I nod and move and five minutes later a bag is placed on the table.

“I wanted to eat here.” I explain, starting to hand the bag back.

“We don’t want you to. We will happily take your money, but we don’t have to have your company.” As he goes to place the mug on the table, I catch sight of the three words that have been the bane of my life today on the bottom of it…I’m a prick. “The mug is on the house.” I glare at him, push them both aside, and start to leave. “It doesn’t matter where you go on The Avenue for food, this is the only poisoned chalice you will drink out of. Emmett has made sure of that.”

As I slam out, I pull the collar of my jacket up and ignore the rumble of hunger. I have had more than enough humiliation for one day, I shall go home and maybe order in.

MICHAEL’S HOUSE - TWO HOURS LATER

KITCHEN

“Oh that hits the spot!” I sigh, and scrape away the remains of the food. “Now what’s this?” I pick up the ball of wrapping paper and it feels quite weighty, and when I open it I frown at a cup and saucer and then I read it…

Five minutes later I am waiting for Emmett to pick up but he doesn’t.

“This is harassment. Let’s see how he likes it!”