CHAPTER 36 - EYE OPENERS...AS THERE’S BOSSY AND IN THE NICEST WAY...THERE’S DEBS
MICHAEL
“Well get on with it!” I snap.
“I was going to dump you anyway, but in a much crueler way than this. Be grateful that I have more humanity than you do! I…”
“Dump me?! What…”
“Again, shut the fuck up and listen!” Jeremy yells, effectively silencing the entire bar area. “I didn’t think there was anyone that could be this arrogant by proxy than you, but you really are. You really think that being his ex-best friend afforded you rights and privileges. You don’t remember me, do you?”
“Of course I remember you! You are the frightened virgin who stormed out of the backroom just…” I stop and look at him again and then I realise who he is!
“Ah, your mind has cleared has it. Yes, it’s me. I even told you my name then, but you were so determined to get Brian away from me that you didn’t pay attention. I bet you didn’t notice how angry he was at you did you?”
“Angry at me?! Have you been stalking me or Brian or something like that?! Is that why you are back here trying to…”
“To what?” He sneers. “I don’t want anything to do with Brian. In fact, I am thankful to him for getting me out of the backroom where you had me waiting for him. Naked. Do you know what could’ve happened to me in there? It was so dark I would not have known if it was him!”
“You were in the backroom of your own…”
“No I wasn’t!” I yell, and feel the tears of humiliation burn in my eyes as I cast my mind back to that horrible night. “Like tonight, I was there because of you! I was there because that is where you sent me, saying he would be coming but knowing he wouldn’t be! He told you to buy me a drink and to say that he would love to, but was too wankered to do anything that evening. Didn't he?!” I stare at him and then shake my head. “So you can remember every goddamn boring cartoon from before you were born, you can remember every trick that Brian has ever fucked and in what position, you can remember every drink you have ever had with Brian, down to the fucking ice cubes, but you can’t remember - or is it won’t remember - a time that Brian was decent in Babylon and it wasn’t with you?!”
“Jeremy, let me call the service and get you home, okay?” Brian interrupts his lambasting of me, for which I am relieved. Finally he is standing up for me, though giving him a lift home is a bit much.
“Yes, Brian, get him out of here. I can’t believe his delusions! As if…”
“Shut the fuck up, Michael. For once just shut up.” Ben interrupts. “Are you anywhere near Greenfield, Jeremy? Can we share?”
“Yes. At the top.” He sighs. “Look, I know you mean well but you don’t have to..”
“I don't have to, I want to!” Ben interrupts. “Let’s get out of here, okay? Don’t give him the pleasure of getting off on something so hurtful to you. That's the only time he gets some other than using his hand.”
“Yeah!” Brian starts laughing. “I bet he has named them. Tim? Tom? Which one of you wants to pleasure me tonight?”
Slowly Jeremy’s face starts to light up until he howls with laughter. “And I bet that when he’s finished they are Pretty and Bad!”
“And the bad one doesn’t get rinsed as punishment!” Ted joins in. “But the pretty gets a clear nail varnish manicure...now I know what that buffing was really!”
“How can you let them disgrace your best friend like this!” I bellow at Brian.
“They’re not disgracing the behaviour of Justin, Ted or Emmett, they are making fun about you!” Brian answers as he signals the barman. “Humiliating, isn't it? How does it feel to get some of your own medicine, Mikey? Jeremy, forget about the service for now, let us all have a drink together.” He looks at me again. “In case you didn't get it, that doesn't include you, so get lost!”
BRIAN
I look at Michael with all the scales having completely fallen from my eyes. He really is a horrible person. I got used to him watching me in the backroom, but it was his face when he saw it was Justin and I that compelled me to remain over him, although I was shielding him from most of the guys there, I was really shielding him from Michael.
MICHAEL
I turn around and just run away from their laughter. Never have I been so humiliated in my entire life! Not only did he put on this show with this good for nothing trick, but what he said to me clearly shows how much this blonde asshole has changed him. Now more than ever I have to make sure he leaves Brian's life! In the long run, Brian will see how these changes were bad for us. Once the twink is gone, Brian will come back to me and I will finally get what I always wanted. And the backroom show he will do with me will shut everybody up who is now making fun of me!
BRIAN
I watch him leave and think about what I saw after Justin and I had finished...
Start of flashback
BED
I sit behind him and Jerome stands in front so that nobody can see too much. He leans back against me and drains the bottle. “Want another?” Jerome asks as he drapes the towel over his lap without looking at him.
“Please.” Justin answers, and Jerome opens the other one.
“Heater is on, Brian. Should be perfect right now.” Jerome smiles and signals Kyran and he opens the door behind the show bed so that he doesn’t have to go up through the club to get to the office. I make sure that his robe is secure, and lead him out, nobody catcalls, nobody whistles, nobody does anything to ruin this moment for us.
Except I saw it. The look of betrayal in his eyes, like he wanted to scream that it should have been him on that bed. Why doesn’t he get that he would never have ever been there?
OFFICE - TWO MINUTES LATER
He is resting against my chest as I test the water. “Yep, perfect.” I declare, and pull open the drawer. “Want me to wash your hair or not?”
“Not.” He murmurs. “I like that you made it this way.” I take out the shower cap and put it on him, making sure all the hair is inside.
“Get in.” I tell him gently. “Want a scrub or just gel?”
“Scrub, it will wake me up a bit.” He squirms a bit as the water hits his slightly cooled skin, but then starts to purr as I use the scrub on him. Soon I am rinsing him off and helping him out of the cubicle before I use the Lush soft coeur massage bar on him and he reciprocates.
“By the way, why did you say thank you?” I ask over my shoulder as he sweeps his hands up my back.
“Oh! Yes! Diamond said you were making a statement and that I am that statement. You came here to say that I am with you. And that’s why I took the mask off, to say that I am with you as well. Does that make sense?”
“Yes, and I was so desperate to take the mask off when I first laid you down but I knew you had to do this in your own time.” He pauses. “But that was a one-off. The message has been received. I will never do that again.”
“Good.” He kisses the middle of my spine and slowly, between kisses, we redress each other before heading downstairs…
End of flashback
JUSTIN
I rest against his shoulder as he looks so thoughtful. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Absolutely. You?”
“Mmm. But...um…”
“You want the wings and ribs, right?”
“Please!” I chirrup and burrow into his side.
“Had already ordered them, was just waiting for you to ask...Sir.” He murmurs.
“Good little sub!” I retort.
“Less of the little!” He snickers.
I swat him in the stomach because he’s right...little he is not! But I can’t have the other head getting swollen can I?
BLUE MOON HOUSE - SATURDAY MORNING
KITCHEN
JUSTIN
I blink and am thankful that I have my robe on and had a sneaking suspicion who it would be and am proved correct. For there bustling about in the kitchen, rummaging around as if she owns the fucking place is, Debs. Yes, I know I am not a morning person, but, and it is a big but, she doesn’t seem to let Brian know that she’s coming around. We just jolt awake as we hear someone downstairs and think it’s a fucking burglar!
“Uh, Debs, what are you doing here at this time?” Brian asks the question a lot more polite than I would.
“Breakfast. Now where is my grandson?” She demands before pausing and looking at us. “I have never seen you look this well fucked, kiddo. And he had better be the reason for it. That fucking and sucking thing you do should only be for him now...capiche!”
“I…”
“Now, grandson.” She asserts and starts to go past us.
“Is asleep, and we would appreciate it if you could leave him…” My attempt at stopping the Debbie tsunami is halted when Gus lets out a lusty cry.
“He’s awake now and…”
“I will get him and bring him down.” I insist and head upstairs.
“What crawled up his ass and died?” She asks with a frown. “Did you lack some of your legendary prowess in your performance last night? You’d better make it up to him then. Tell him we will take Gus so you can fuck him into a better mood.”
CARL
Yeah I had a feeling that this was coming. At first because of Copernicus-Gate she took him backing her as giving her permission to be Debs. And I know that is not sitting well with him, Brian is used to her ways, but an outsider will see if for what it is...her being bossy and us, for I include myself in this, letting her get away with it. The only way I stopped her from going around to get Gus last week was because of the phone she got that morning.
Brian is just looking astonished as he doesn’t understand why Justin is annoyed, but I do because sometimes I get annoyed with her as well. She needs to back off...and see, sadly, that her asshole son learned from her.
“Brian, why don’t you go check on...Debs, let Brian go check on Gus.”
“But Justin is…”
“Pissed…” I interrupt her. “...and feeling protective. So let’s finish off breakfast and wait down here okay?”
BRIAN
I head upstairs, completely bewildered by his pissy mood. As I push open the door, I see him holding Gus and am about to say something when I hear him talking.
“I know she’s your grandmom, Gus, but that doesn’t give her the right to come and go as she pleases. She’s your grandmother, but he’s your father and he has to realise that he comes first, not her. I can’t stand the way she just comes in, makes these bumptious speeches, edicts and not-amusing bon-mots, takes you out of his arms, and then fucks off as if it is her right. It isn’t! He’s got to put his foot down and tell her straight out. Yes, you have keys, but let us know when you are using them, by not doing so…”
“...she’s the same as Michael?”
He slowly turns to face me his face bright red but his eyes determined. And slowly he nods.
“Be right back, you go give him a shower and get him ready for his feed. Okay?”
“Okay. Oh, and...Brian?” I turn my head to look at him again. “Can you tell her to stop talking about us fucking? That's SO none of her business, and we don’t just fuck. And I am sorry to say this, but it makes her look even more like...”
“...Michael. I get it. Be right back!” I tell him and start to head back downstairs but then turn around again. I walk back to him and kiss his forehead. “Again, thank you, Sir.”
I head downstairs and find Debs in her brooding mode. When I clear my throat she looks up and frowns. “So where...”
“He’s upstairs with Justin. You and I need to have a talk…”
“A talk?” She shakes her head and starts to head up. “Grandma time is being…”
“Stop it, Michael!” I bark and she comes back into the kitchen looking confused.
“Why the fuck…”
“Debs, listen to him. I mean it, listen to him.” Carl tells her and shuts the door behind him as he leaves.
“Well, what do you have to say?” She demands, doing the Novotny arm cross.
“He’s my son. This is my house. How would you feel if I did that to you?” I ask quietly.
“Did what?!” She demands, but I can see realisation beginning to dawn in her eyes.
“It’s not the same now. I am no longer that person. Like I said, the Stud has retired. I am a father to my son. I have a partner who wants to be a father to my son. And I have to be first in his life, not you. You can’t do what you used to do, and I allowed you to do. You can’t come and go as you please. You can’t just barge in when you feel like it, it’s not fair to us, and by us I mean Justin, Gus and…and me. The amount of times we’ve jolted awake, thinking there’s a burglar downstairs, only to find you stacking the freezer is unreal. Do you know that we can both cook?”
“Well, no, but you…”
“Don’t have to because you do it? But we want to do it. I have a list of purees I want to try for him, but you aren’t giving us the chance.”
“But, I…”
“And one other thing.” I continue, because that’s how you have to be with her sometimes, keep talking until she starts to listen. “Our love life - not fuck life, not suck life, but love life - is our business and ours alone; so don’t question or comment on what we do anymore. As I said, I am not that person anymore. Justin is not a trick, he’s my partner, and talking about our love life like that is disrespectful to him and what we are trying to build here. I don’t like it and…”
“Do you want your key back?” Her voice although quiet is laced with fear.
“No.” We both turn to Justin, as he comes in with Gus, in surprise, having not heard the door open. “Just let us know when you are going to use it.”
DEBS
I bite back my initial response of who the fuck do you think you are…and think back to what Carl said and, if I am honest, has been saying since Gus arrived…
Start of flashback
LIBERTY AVENUE ESTATES – A MONTH AGO
DEBS
Where the hell is he?! I seethe as Carl is almost twenty minutes late to drop off Little Grub, so that I can get him home for grandma time!
“Honey, you alright?” Treyvon asks as he closes out another successful let.
“Just waiting for Carl to…finally!” I exclaim and march up to him as he comes in.
“For God sake let me…Debs, stop it! Jesus, will you stop, woman!” He hisses, actually hisses, and then pushes away my hand. “I can undo this myself!”
“I’ll make some coffee!” Treyvon calls out as he heads out back.
“What is wrong with you?! I just want time with my son!” I snark in annoyance.
“Then go see Michael! This is Gus, and he is Brian’s son!” He sighs and unclips Gus from his chest before putting him in his buggy where, after a bit of a grizzle, he settles down. “Debs, you can’t keep doing this.”
“Doing what? What am I doing that is so wrong?”
“Taking over the raising of Gus. How…”
“I am not! I am helping him raise…”
“He has Cynthia, Daph and Justin for that. But more importantly he has himself. He obviously knows what he’s doing…okay, first poopy nappy and illness aside. Let him do it. Let him be dad and to call you when...”
“He always needs me!”
“How do you know?! You never give him a chance to find out if he can do it alone! He calls for advice and you immediately hare around there and take over. So not only do you not give him the advice, you don’t allow him to not act on the advice you don’t give him!”
“Now just a minute, Carl Horvath! I have been there for that kid since…”
“No, you hang on a minute, Debbie I want you to be Horvath! This is a different stage of his life! Let him live it! Let him invite you in instead of kicking you out!”
End of flashback
I head to the freezer and open it. “Okay, so the grown up food can stay, but the Little Grub food has to go, correct?”
“You don’t have to…” Justin begins.
“Correct?” I repeat.
“Yes, that’s correct.” Brian replies, and gives me a small smile before opening a drawer. “I want him to try this.”
He hands me a piece of paper and I read it and nod. “Carl!” I call out, and he comes inside looking worried. “I’ve got the message. Can you help me empty this lot out?”
“Sure, honey.” He kisses me very softly and we start to unload the freezer and then it hits me!
“Wait a second! What the hell was that?! You call that a…”
“Only took her a month!” Carl chuckles and I turn to see Brian, Carl and Justin smiling.
“Are you serious? You want all of this bossiness in your life?” I sniff.
“For as long as I live it. Yes, I do.” Carl replies, and pulls me weeping into his arms.
“I think that might be a yes.” Brian laughs, and I just nod. “It’s on me.”
“No.” Justin looks at him with so much love, that I feel stupid that I never saw it before and guilty because I was me. “It’s on us.”
MICHAEL’S HOUSE – SAME TIME
MICHAEL’S BEDROOM
MICHAEL
I switch off the TV and throw the remote across the room. When it shatters against the wall, I reach for my pad and add that to this list of things he owes me for! I am about to pick up the pieces of the remote when the door knocks.
“Come in!” I yell.
“Are you okay?” Lindsay asks. “You seemed very upset when you…”
“Jeremy was an asshole, and Brian let him be!” I snarl. “But I will be fine. I am so much better than them.”
“Oh…kay.” She nods and starts to back out before sticking her head back in. “Those envelopes on your desk, want me to mail them?”
“Yeah, please.”
“Okay, see you later then!”
After I finish clearing up, I head downstairs and have some breakfast. I think back to last night, and still can’t believe that Jeremy is that guy! And I don’t understand his bellyaching. Everyone in Babylon has known for years that I am Brian’s last line of defence! I have always made sure that he only fucked the choicest ones. The choicest ones that look like me!
As I pour Captain Crunch into the bowl, I rub my temple and am still smarting about the way I was treated then pause and head to the study. I see that the invoices that I had started to prepare are gone and smile. I can’t wait to see their faces when they get that, especially after Brian’s treatment of me!
BLOOM GALLERY - MONDAY AFTERNOON
SIDNEY’S OFFICE
LINDSAY
I reread the warning again and put it on the desk. “Sidney, this is not fair.”
“How is it not fair? You have over these last few months been insubordinate to the point of lying. You said you would be back yesterday afternoon and you weren’t without…”
“I was going to explain when I got here!” I exclaim.
“Which should have been this morning, not afternoon. There are phones, I know you know this because you called Makinsky Galleries to move their appointment to tomorrow. Shame you could not afford your boss, who would be the rather pissed off me, that courtesy.”
“Sidney, as you know I am having troubles in my private life that are…”
“No reason you can’t use the phone to call me to tell me that you would not be in. Don’t worry about Makinsky tomorrow though, Phillipe and Thomas will cover that. You will be cataloguing, and if that causes an issue for you, I can easily make that your final warning and you can clear your desk now.”
I can’t believe how callous he is being, but I need this job until I secure the house. “Once again, Sidney, I apologise for being human and being unable to…”
“Lindsay, don’t bullshit me...again. Let’s leave this here, and hope there isn’t another step. I suggest you go and catalogue...now.”
I get up and walk out with my head starting to pound, and for once I have a genuine migraine coming but I will just have to work through it. As I head, fuming, downstairs, I try to think of a way to badmouth Sidney to the art community without it coming to bite me in my, now I have seen it from the side, well toned ass!