Be Careful What You Wish For

Chapter 16





“Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead,” Emmett called into Richie’s room as he gently knocked on the door and then turned the handle. The door opened soundlessly. “Time to get up.”

“Huh?” Richie reacted, his eyes popping open.

“Sorry to startle you, sweetie, but we need to get cracking.”

“What are we cracking?” Richie asked sleepily before burying his head in his pillow.

Emmett chuckled. “Eggs for breakfast, and then we need to make the hors d’oeuvres for the party this afternoon.”

“More hors d’oeuvres?” Richie groaned. “Didn’t you make enough at dinner last night?”

“That was just crackers and cheese. I’m making my blue cheese and pear puffs. They are to die for.”

“They sound gross.”

“Well,” Emmett said slowly, “they are an acquired taste, but Brian loves them.”

“And what Brian wants…”

“You learn fast, sweetie. Get up.”

“He hardly said anything to me last night,” Richie said as he sat up in bed. It didn’t look like he was going to get any more sleep.

“Everybody wants you to settle in and get to know them before they start asking you questions,” Emmett said gently.

“I can talk about stuff. I don’t just answer questions.”

“I know; you’re smart, but give the family a chance to get to know you,” Emmett pleaded. He didn’t want Richie bailing on the family already.

“That girl, Bree, she was kind of cool for a little kid.”

“You think so?” Emmett asked with a big smile.

“She told me she loves soccer. She thinks she’s pretty good and she asked me if I’d play with her today at the barbecue.”

“And are you going to?” Emmett asked.

“Sure, why not?” Richie replied with a shrug.

“Watch out for Miss Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor. She’s a soccer shark,” Emmett warned with a laugh.

“Huh?”

“She’s a very good soccer player. She may be small, but her father taught her everything he knows, and Bree is naturally gifted.”

“She is? I thought she was a piano player.”

“She’s that too, but she seems to be able to do anything she sets her mind to, and do it well,” Emmett explained.

“Wow!”

“Come on, get up. This is one very special family you are becoming part of. Help me make my pear puffs and I’ll fill you in on the rest of them.”

“Okay,” Richie agreed, shaking his head at this new group of people who were about as far from what he was familiar with as it was possible to get. He could use as much information as Emmett could provide. The people of the Edna’s Treasures family were intimidating enough, and he hadn’t even met half of the whole family yet.



*****



“How many for breakfast?” Brian asked as Justin came out of the shower. “Do I need to go coerce some hens for more eggs?”

Justin laughed. “No, it’s just us. Joan and Claire are staying over at Rachel’s where it will be quieter and Emmett’s baking this morning, so he’s staying at his cottage. Everybody else will arrive around lunchtime.”

Brian frowned. “Don’t they like it here anymore?” he asked with a frown creasing his brow.

“They like it just fine, my big smoosh. But they know they can be overwhelming, so they’re not all descending on us for the whole day.”

“But we can handle that,” Brian said.

“Yes, but with Joan still recovering and Richie not knowing most of them, they’re going to take it a little easy.”

“I didn’t know that was possible,” Brian snorted.

“Well, I guess we’re about to find out if it is. Go make our immediate family a fabulous breakfast,” Justin ordered pushing Brian out the bedroom door.

“Hardly seems fucking worthwhile” Brian griped. What kind of new world order was this?



*****



“Dada?”

“Yes, Squirt,” Brian replied as he whipped his eggs for the giant omelet he had decided to make.

“Do you like Richie?” Bree asked as she counted out the knives and forks they would need for breakfast.

“I guess so. I don’t really know him yet.”

“You should talk to him more. I think he’s lonely and scared.”

“You do?”

“Yep.”

“What makes you think that?” Brian asked stirring the vegetables he was sautéing for the omelet.

“I asked him to play soccer today and he said he would.”

“Why does that make him scared and lonely?” Brian asked puzzled.

“He was happy I asked him, but I think he doesn’t really want to play with a little girl like me. He’d rather talk to the big men.”

“Like Auntie Emm?” Brian asked with a snort.

“No, Dada, like you and Daddy and Unca John.”

“The big men?” Brian asked with a chuckle. Bree nodded in agreement. “Is that right?” Brian asked before filing that information away for later in the day when he just might take Richie on a little walk down to the stream.

Bree bobbed her head. “Why don’t we ever get girls to join the family?” she asked next.

Brian shook his head. He’d been afraid that question might come up. He remembered how much Bree had wanted Taylor to be a girl. “We don’t get to decide who comes into the family,” Brian said gently. “They just arrive.”

“Oh? That’s not fair.”

“Life’s not always fair.”

“But it should be,” Bree affirmed.

“Yes, in an ideal world we could pick and choose and have everything just the way we want it.”

“Then I’m going to make an ideal world,” Bree stated picking up the napkins and cutlery she had counted out.

“I just bet you will,” Brian chuckled.

“I will, Dada,” Bree said before she headed to the sun porch with her items for breakfast.

“And I certainly won’t tell you you can’t,” Brian said with a gentle smile as he watched her leave the kitchen.



*****



“So when does the invasion officially begin?” Brian asked out loud to whomever would care to answer. He was in the sun porch making some last minute adjustments to the table arrangements. The long table was up against the far glass wall of the porch; it would serve as the main buffet table for the day. The smaller wicker tables were pulled toward the center of the room with their chairs around them just in case anyone wanted to get out of the heat of the day and sit inside. The garden looked like an outdoor café with small groupings of round tables, chairs and umbrellas. More tables and chairs dotted the field close by. A loud rumbling noise signaled the arrival of John and Gordon’s men. Several large burly men climbed out of the trucks to unload three more grills and two full sized family, and his and hers port-a-potties, complete with baby changing stations.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Brian couldn’t help saying as one tall, dark skinned young man walked past the porch with a large bag of charcoal balanced on his shoulder. The man gave Brian a coy smile.

“See, they don’t look that bad,” John commented referring to the bathrooms not the men, as Brian watched the men set up the portable johns. “My guys will handle the potty maintenance for the day so you can concentrate all your efforts on grilling huge hunks of meat and flirting with huge hunks of hunks,” John snickered.

“Oh har har, I don’t flirt, that’s Justin’s job,” Brian snarked.

“I don’t flirt!” came a shout from somewhere in the vicinity of the yard.

“Sure, you don’t,” Brian retorted out loud. “You just smile and it’s all over but the shouting,” he teased.

“Speaking about shouting,” John began as they heard a long wail of a screech.

“Guuuusssss!”

“I guess Sonny Boy has arrived,” Brian said with a smirk on his face. John had a similar look, coming to the same conclusion. The brothers walked out of the sun porch toward the lane to greet Gus and his mothers. They got there in time to see Bree take a running leap right into her brother’s waiting arms. As the Bree and Gus love-fest continued, Brian and John welcomed the girls, JR and Ray.

“Ray! When did you get in?” Brian asked as he gave a hug and kiss to JR, getting hugs and kisses in return. He gave Lindsay a peck to her mouth getting the usual glare from Mel. He just stuck his tongue out at her. Ray rolled his eyes at the antics of his boyfriend’s parents.

“I took the bus in last night. Gus’ moms are letting me stay with him,” Ray explained as his face turned a lovely shade of pink.

Brian nodded knowingly then pointed a finger at him. “Play safe,” was all he said to Ray.

“Yes, sir, we are,” Ray replied seriously.

“Good boy. Speaking about boys, hey Sonny Boy, don’t I rate a hello?” Brian called to his son who still had a little blond octopus attached to his neck.

“Sorry, Pop, I have my hands full for the moment,” Gus said with a shrug and a smile. When they drew in JR for a three-way hug, Brian realized he wouldn’t be having a conversation with his son anytime soon.

“Come along, Raymond, we can use another pair of hands around here,” Brian said as he led the boy toward the yard. “They’ll be busy for a while,” Brian said as he pointed over his shoulder at the kids. Raymond nodded as he prepared to be put to work.

“Oh my!” Emmett exclaimed as he, Drew and Richie slowly drove past the construction trucks. Emmett was practically salivating at the sight of all the men.

“Down boy,” Drew admonished as he parked the Hummer as close to Brian’s kitchen door as he could. They had a ton of food to unload.

“Honey, I may be married but I’m not dead. Besides, you know I only like to look, I’d never touch. And they have nothing over you; you’re my big hunky he-man.” Emmett leaned in close to give Drew a deep kiss. A loud cough put an end to the kiss.

“Gag. Drew, what you see in this nelly assed fairy, I’ll never know,” Brian grumbled at Drew and Emmett as he reached past them for a tray of goodies. “Richard, my lad, you’ll never catch me in a PDA,” Brian said with a smirk.

“Liar, liar, pants on fire,” Emmett was heard to say as he released Drew’s lips. They all pitched in to divest the truck of all the edibles.

“Hey Pop!” Gus greeted his father as he came into the kitchen reaching for one of Emmett’s treats then popping it into his mouth.

“She let you up for air I see,” Brian said as he smacked Gus’ hand when he reached for another goodie. “Leave some for the rest of us.”

“I’m a growing boy, Pop.”

“And you’ll keep growing in the wrong direction if you’re not careful,” Brian said as he patted Gus’ flat tummy.

“Leave him alone, asshole, he’s fine,” Mel growled as she took several large colorful plastic bowls out of a cupboard to fill with chips and pretzels. “This is a party; he can have whatever he wants.”

“Bitch,” Brian grumbled as he grabbed one of the filled bowls to take out with him. Richie took another bowl after he politely said hello to Melanie then followed Brian out.

Another rumble brought the family out front in time to see Carl maneuvering the huge mobile home up the lane. When it was parked, out popped Michael and Ben who helped Debbie out of the RV. Hunter and Nick came out of the side door. Pulling up closely behind were Allen and Ted with Lacy and Katerina.

“Hail, hail, the gangs all here!” Emmett singsonged as he clapped then sprinted over to greet his friends. Richie smiled as he saw so many people that he recognized. Maybe he’d have a good time at this party after all.

As more cars drove up the lane, the garden and field began filling up with friends and family. It was too early to start grilling so Brian decided it was a good time to take Richie for a walk down to the stream.

“Richard, has anyone given you the tour of the grounds yet?”

“No, sir.”

“Then it would be my pleasure to play tour guide,” Brian said sincerely as he pointed toward the path that led to the stream. The Spring flowers that lined the path were in full bloom. It looked almost magical to Richie’s impressionable young eyes.

“Irises, in case you’re curious. They’re perennials and they spread on their own so they’re low maintenance,” Brian explained as Richie bent to touch a deep purple petal. They continued on down the path to the stream.

“This is beautiful!” Richie exclaimed as he took in the sight of the stream and the big rock that Brian fondly referred to as the thinking rock. Many decisions had been made over the years in its shadow or on top of it.

“Yes, it is. Our own little piece of heaven, that’s if heaven exists. If it does, I’d like to think it looks like this,” Brian said as he made himself comfortable on the large boulder.

“Richard, don’t let our cwazy wittle family overwhelm you. We get loud, up in your face and nosy, but we mean well. We’ve all overcome some injustice or life altering incident and we’ve become stronger for it.”

“All of you?”

“Yes, I think most have a story to tell. Mine is similar to yours.”

“You like to dress up in girls’ clothes?” Richie blurted out with eyes open wide with wonder.

Brian barked out a laugh. “No, Emmett is the cross-dresser in the family, although Michael did it once so he could march with Debbie at the PRIDE parade, and then of course Mel, um, forget I mentioned her. I mean that my parents never approved of me. I left home as soon as I was able to make it on my own. Debbie and Michael became my family.”

“But what about Ms. Joan? You get along so well.”

“That’s a recent development and largely in part to Bree. She can charm just about anyone including my mother. We’ve finally found peace with each other. My father died without ever really accepting me.”

“Mr. Justin?”

“He was attacked when he was in high school and badly hurt. We weren’t sure if he’d survive or if he’d be brain damaged if he did. He proved them all wrong. But his father threw him out because he refused to give up his lifestyle which included me.”

“Professor Ben?” Brian debated answering but he knew Ben would be the first to speak up with the truth.

“He’s HIV+.” Richie gasped. “He’s fine. He lives clean and smart; he’ll be with us for a long, long time. So you see, many of us have something in our history to either be ashamed of or to be taken as a challenge and say fuck ‘em. We’re here, we’re queer and we aren’t going anywhere.”

Brian patted the rock indicating that Richie should sit.

“May I ask you a question?” Brian asked politely. Richie nodded. “Are you gay?” Brian asked not beating around the proverbial bush.

“I’m not sure. I like boys but sometimes...I met Miss Katerina; she’s real pretty.”

Brian chuckled and nodded in agreement, “Yes, she is. Gus had a crush on her partner at one time, but don’t tell him I ratted him out.” Brian winked conspiratorially at Richie making Richie smile.

“You’re gay,” Richie said as a statement of fact not as a question.

“Yes, I like dick.”

“But Gus…”

“Lindz and I met in college and we tried to fit in by being just like all the rest of the hetero couples. She was so beautiful, still is. But we soon realized that I preferred dick and she has a thing for snatch. When she and her partner wanted to start a family, Lindz asked me for a donation. JR is a result of a donation from Mikey. She’s Mel’s child.”

“Bree?”

“Justin’s and a surrogate. Patrick is John and Rachel’s so he’s as close to Bobby’s son as he humanly can be. Patrick knows, by the way, and he’s almost your age so you can talk to him about anything. He’s a smart, loving boy, just like his dads.”

“Is he gay?”

“No, I don’t believe he is,” Brian said with a faraway look on his face. “I think when that handsome prince grows up there’ll be only one princess for him,” he said with a wistful smile. “So you see, my boy, a bisexual cross-dressing, young man will fit right in with us.”

Richie smiled brightly; he was beginning to relax and beginning to feel he might just belong in this cwazy wittle family.

“Bri?” Justin called out softly with a bright smile as he came up the path.

“Yes, Sunshine,” Brian answered as he reached out for Justin. Justin walked directly into Brian’s waiting arms. Richie smiled to himself, nope, no PDAs from Brian Kinney, he chuckled, shaking his head.

“Raph is here with Hector and Curtis. You should say hello and introduce them to Richie,” Justin said.

“Okay,” Brian said as he gave Justin a kiss. Brian hopped off the big rock, dusted himself off then barked out his orders. “Let’s go troops, we have people to meet and meat to people,” Brian commanded.

“Sir, yes, sir,” Justin and Richie said together then laughed as they followed Brian up the garden path.



*****



“Do you think he’ll be all right with the others?” Emmett asked Drew as he handed a cold brew to Justin.

Richie had been pulled into a soccer game by Bree. She had convinced the other kids to start up a game. Even Patrick agreed to play. There were several adults playing, as well as some of the kids that belonged to John’s men. However, Bree and Brian were truly the experts of the game.

“Babe, he’ll be fine,” Drew said.

“Let him go, Emm; he has to learn how to fit in,” Justin said. “Besides, Bree likes him. No one would dare say anything bad to Richie with Bree around.”

Emmett nodded. That was certainly true. “I just want him to have a good time,” Emm said with a sniffle.

“No tears, babe. This is a party and look at him, he’s having a good time,” Drew reassured his spouse. Bree was presently instructing Richie on the correct way to handle the ball. She pointed at her Dada who then began to show off by bouncing the ball off his ankles and up onto his knees.

Justin beamed proudly until Brian ran past a dozen men controlling the ball to score a goal. The goaltender just happened to be the same gentleman who had hustled the charcoal into the yard. Justin’s smile quickly turned into a scowl. Drew and Emmett laughed.

“Oh honey, he’s just having a little fun,” Emmett reassured his friend.

“Hmm, maybe a little too much fun,” Justin grumbled. “John, who’s that guy?” Justin asked his brother-in-law who was also standing on the sidelines.

“One of Hunter’s kids; he’s proving himself to be one heck of a mechanic. He’s very good with his hands.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Justin mumbled as he plastered his best sunshine smile on his face, shoved the beer bottle at John then sprinted out to the field to retrieve his spouse. The coals were ready and the meat perfectly marinated. It was time for someone else who was good with his hands to make with the grilling.

John, Emmett and Drew laughed out loud as the Taylor smile worked its magic, again. Brian snaked his arm across Justin’s shoulders as he was led back to the yard and the grills.