CHAPTER 8 - THIS SMALL WORLD IS ABOUT TO TILT ON ITS AXIS
CYNTHIA’S HOUSE - EARLY EVENING
LOUNGE
CYNTHIA
“There is to be no swooning!” I remind her.
“I do not swoon!” Daphne pouts.
“You wanted me to get him to do an audiobook of 50 Shades of Grey! And you described the book as unmitigated claptrap that a nun wouldn’t get off on.” I watch her try to keep the smile off her face as she reaches for the wine. “Do I have your word?”
“Okay, I will not swoon.” She promises.
“Or do anything that could be described as swooning by any other word or action?”
“Yeah that too. Jeez, Cyn just show me the picture already?!”
I turn my phone around and although they have spoken lots of times, they have never met each other. When she went into labour, I was there as her birthing partner. Brian stayed at the head end and by the time he came back, she was in the mother and baby unit sleeping. And stuck to her resolve to not touch the baby once.
“He’s alright, I suppose.” She says, having been staring for the last two minutes...staring and drooling. “So when’s he coming around?”
“He’s not. We’re meeting him... well them, on Saturday.” I look at the box at her feet. “So I can’t…”
“No, you can’t! You have to open them with him. Mom insisted!” She laughs and then sobers slightly. “She wanted to slap her and pull her hair out. Lindsay, I mean and she doesn’t know.”
“Oh I’ve been wanting to do that for years! And what doesn’t she know?”
“That the incubator Lindsay was talking about is me.” She smirks.
“Are you going to tell her?” I plead and bat my eyes.
“Of course, I’m going to tell her. It’s all about the timing though!” She cackles. “Now tomorrow, I have to go and see my friend and then sort out CG.”
“Who’s that? You’ve not told me about him or is it a her?”
“Him. We haven’t seen in each other in years, but always kept in touch. Such an absolute sweetheart. Lovely guy, but cross him at your peril. Looks like an angel, but behaves like the devil when pissed!”
“Single?” I ask hopefully and she nods, but she’s got that glint. “Gay?”
“Very much so. But was able to help a gal out when she needed something dispensed with.”
“Dispensed wi...you’re kidding me!” I squeal, reaching for the bottle to top up her glass and curling my feet under me. “And…”
“Sitting will be a problem for anyone that gets him when he gets, how can I put it, enthusiastic.”
“More details, woman!” I demand.
“Well, he may be short in stature but he’s tall where he needs to be. Oh and there is one other thing: I taught him everything he knows about how to blow.”
I splutter into my drink. “I don’t quite...”
“Why do you think he reciprocated by plucking my cherry? I made him a very popular guy!”
MICHAEL’S HOUSE - FRIDAY MID-AFTERNOON
BEDROOM
MICHAEL
I have shopped my heart out and have three choices of outfits. I have settled on a combination of hi-lo fashion. I treated myself to some Prada jeans and boots, a leather jacket and, I couldn't believe my luck when I found a vintage Captain Astro tee-shirt. I remember something that Brian told me about his pricy shoes and that’s to wear them in immediately. I take off my shoes and socks and slip them on. After five minutes, I am wincing but you have to suffer for beauty.
BLOCK PARTY PREPARATION - SATURDAY MORNING
EMMETT
I look down the street and smile. Every single house for these three blocks is owned by Kinnetic Inc. We will close the top and bottom roads later this afternoon, so that people can wander around safely.
“Ems! Ems!” Debs calls out as she come bustling down the street, pushing Gus in his stroller. “I finally wrested him from his father!” She grins proudly.
“What did you threaten to chop off?” I raise an eyebrow.
“His hair.” She snickers.
“Oh lord!” I giggle. “Okay, let’s get inside the warm and plan!”
“Inside? What do you mean inside?” She frowns.
“Hey, Emmett!” I turn and grin as Ben and Justin come jogging towards us.
“Wow and who?!” Debs whisper demands.
“Ben, built beefcake and Justin, juicy jigglebutt. Friends only. Plot 625. Be subtle!”
“Hi, you gorgeous pair. Are you still coming this evening?” I ask.
“Yeah, and we need to speak to you about that. On Thursday, Michael helped himself to a seat at our table and saw the papers for this evening.”
“So that was inevitable and there…”
“He thinks he’s throwing the party for him.” Justin finishes.
“For as in for?” Debs demands. “Sorry, I’m Debbie. Debbie Novotny, the idiot’s mother. He gets his brains from his father’s side! Told him that amount of hairspray could not be good!”
“Yeah as in a welcome home party. Justin.” Justin puts his hand out.
“Such a gentleman.” Debs takes his hand and kisses the back of it much to his surprise.
“Now, who might you be?” She turns to Ben.
“Ben.” He waves his hand in front of her face with a mischievous smile and she bestows a kiss.
“Mind if I have a cuddle?” Ben asks and her eyes widen. “With Gus, I mean. He’s the sweetest thing.”
“How do you know Gus?” She asks.
“Brian and he kissed.” Justin explains.
“He did what?!” We both gasp.
“Come on, let’s explain indoors.” Ben chuckles.
BEN AND JUSTIN’S HOUSE - 20 MINUTES LATER
KITCHEN
DEBS
I take a sip of my coffee and take a slow, angry breath. “So he basically called Brian a whore?”
“Pretty much.” Ben sighs.
“Ooh, I just want to…”
“Ems, please. Let’s think about this. Brian hasn’t said anything to me, which means he’s severely pissed.”
“He did tell him to stay the fuck away from him. Fudge, I mean fudge!” Justin corrects hastily.
“You are a sweetie. I think it is time for a smackdown, but it’s a matter of how to give it. This will need some thought.”
“Oh what time is your friend coming?” Ben turns to Justin.
“In a couple of hours.” He grins. “I haven’t seen her in a while, and she said she’s got so much to tell me. And to bring me.”
“Bring you?” Ben frowns.
“Yes, a special something that comes in jar. In fact, three special somethings that come in a jar. From my Mom.”
“The cookies? She’s sending your friend with cookies?!” Ben’s eyes light up.
“Yep!”
“Oh my goodness!” Ems suddenly gasps. “I think we have our smackdown!”
“We do? What is it?” I ask eagerly.
“The new Stud…” He starts to go a bit pink. “...I, um, well we exchanged numbers and, well we’ve both been busy and…”
“Ems, I get that you like him, but how does he fit into this?!” I demand impatiently.
“I invited him and he’s said yes.”
“Not quite following.”
“Well, as you know, I am the doyenne of discretion when it comes to all things Kinney. But I also keep my ear to the ground when it comes to all things Michael. Well it seems that the night myself and the new Stud met, he was in Woody’s watching the interplay between Brian and Dr Stud with rather keen interest. That, coupled with what you guys have told us, has given me an idea.”
“Which is?”
“Have Dr Stud come here and make a play for Brian. He thinks that they’ve already done something, so how do you think his world will implode if he thinks they’ve are planning to do it…”
“Again? Oh Ems, you are wicked!” I chuckle. “Wait a second. You said earlier that you wanted to go into the warm. Where is the warm?”
“Oh, two places, the loft apartments down the street. They’ve finally finished modelling them. And I am now allowed to show the grandmother what we have to offer in the style of loft apartments. And the second place is Plot 718, which is the new house for Gus’s Bumpy Momma.”
“Bumpy Momma?” Justin looks adorably confused.
“Yes. Gus was carried by a surrogate and Brian’s now hiring her to look after Gus while she studies medicine.” He grins down at a sleeping Gus. “But now we have to go back because we all have to look gorgeous!”
“Do you need any help with anything?” Ben asks.
“Yeah, you two just need to turn up and we’re good!” I laugh as Ems and I start to head back to the Blue Moon House.
BLUE MOON HOUSE - 40 MINUTES LATER
EMS
I watch my darling Debs bustle around the kitchen, making sure everything is perfect for Daddy Stud’s return. But I know that brand of bustling; she’s more upset that she’s let on.
“Debs, you okay?” I ask.
“He called him a whore. My son called him a whore.” She sniffs.
“Aww come here. Let Ems make it all better.”
I rub her back as she sobs and vow to make Michael suffer a world, no a universe, of pain!
LINDSAY’S COTTAGE - EARLY AFTERNOON
LOUNGE
LINDSAY
Contemptible! That’s what she is! Utterly contemptible! I have given her 10 years of my life and what did she do? She reduces it to hers and mine. I had no idea how anal for a lesbian she is! She kept a receipt for everything. Everything! Now I have to find furniture for the cottage after she came and collected her stuff. Me pointing out that I picked some of the items fell on deaf ears, as she could prove that she paid for them. And with Ted to witness my humiliation, the only saving grace was that it wasn’t Emmett, too. Oh, how he would’ve had a field day! So here I am, standing in the cottage looking like I am about to view the property, not like I have lived here for four years! The good thing through all of this is that I have still got the lounge and a bed, but as I look around my lounge, I grimace. Ted’s parting comment that its new style is called ramshackled chic so irked me. But with the starkness of nothingness in the other rooms, it does look a little glaring…
I have to do something and I know just the person to help me make this place better than it ever was! He must have cooled off by now. I still can’t believe he came up with the name of Gus just like that. I was going to call our son that and if the baby was a girl, she would have been called Lysette Brianna. I drum my fingers on my almost bare counter, waiting for the call to connect to Brian, but it goes to voicemail...again!
MEL’S COTTAGE - SAME TIME
TED
It’s official! I like this Mel! I was as surprised as anyone else when she walked out of Britin, wondering what grand scheme they had cooked up this time. But when she moved back into her old place, I began to think she was serious about leaving Lindsay. And now she’s taken all her stuff back, I know she is! Lindsay’s face when we turned up with the removal van was a picture. She kept leaping from piece to piece, trying to stop us from taking it but she had been told we were coming. As per usual, she didn’t think that anyone would follow through with threats unless it was her!
“Okay, I think we should move this sofa to there. You ready?” She nods. “Okay, lift... with your legs Mel, not your back!” I order and wait for her to adjust. “We take it to the middle here and we’re done!”
“Oh wow! It looks…” She smiles. “...like my home. Mine.”
BEN AND JUSTIN’S HOUSE - EARLY EVENING
LOUNGE
JUSTIN
She looks incredible. Absolutely incredible! And of course, Ben is in love with her, cookies notwithstanding.
“Are you absolutely sure I can stay in the attic? I know how precious you are about your scope!” She laughs, stretching out on the sofa. “Oh, it is so good to drink again! Nine months dry was not pretty. But my skin does looks great and my kidneys love me!”
“I still can’t believe you did that, but then I can believe it.” I squeeze her arm. “And yes to the attic. My landlord is coming over to help me move it without ruining the alignment.”
“And that sounds like him now.” Ben smiles as he goes to answer the door. He told her about the kiss that they shared in intricate detail, which I am absolutely fine with!
“Hey Brian, Gus and friend! Come in, come in!”
“Brian and Gus?” She asks. “Who’s Gus and is he available?”
“Yes, but he won’t be legal for another 17 years. He’s his son.” I grin at my dearest friend.
“Guys, this is Cynthia. She’s Gus’s mother. Cynthia, this is my friend Justin and his friend, Daphne.” Ben does the introductions and then we both notice the incredulous looks on the other people’s faces.
“What’s going on?” I demand.
“She’s my cousin and I carried Gus.” Daphne comes out of her shock.
“What?!” I gasp.
“And you and I, sir…” She turns to Brian with a mischievous smile. “...need to have a little talk.”
“What about?” He smiles.
“Metaphorically fucking the putrid pussy of one, Lindsay Peterson, with a rusty chainsaw.”
“Anything else?” Cynthia asks and I start to wonder why they are both looking at me like they are.
“Oh yes, my darling Cyn. We will certainly be talking about that!” She chuckles.