Before the Fall

Chapter 1





“Who the fuck are you?” Gus roared as he threw down the bottles he was carrying, both hands now free, balled up into fists. “And what the fuck are you doing with MY boyfriend!?”

“I can see why you like him, Raymond,” Wayne said ignoring the seething Gus. “He is pretty to look at, but wouldn’t you prefer a man instead of a boy?” Wayne snarked as he weighed his options. Wayne was about Ray’s height. At 5' 10", neither boy was short; however, at just over six feet, like his dad and uncle, Gus was taller.

Gus was fuming and ready to do battle.

“Sonny Boy, Raymond, who’s your little friend?” Brian drawled as he and John sauntered over to the boys, having seen the potential altercation. Older Kinney eyebrows were arched in anticipation as they loomed over the boy.

“Mr. Kinney, Mr. Anderson, this is Wayne Johnson, an acquaintance from New York,” Ray explained, being very precise with his description of the interloper. “He decided to celebrate PRIDE in Pittsburgh this year.”

“How nice of him,” Brian sneered. It was obvious Brian thought Wayne was anything but nice. “Well, if Wayne is looking for a friendly place to celebrate PRIDE then I highly recommend Meathook. A young man of his obvious attributes could do well there,” Brian said as he looked the young man up and down. Not very impressed with what he saw, Brian turned toward his son and Ray.

“Gus, Ray, I believe Joan could use a set of strong arms to lean on.” Brian urged the boys back toward the parade then turned his death glare toward Wayne. Wayne quickly lost his bravado. “Do you need any help confirming your flight back to New York? I know one or two people at Liberty Air. I’m sure someone would be happy to assist you.”

With that, Brian picked up the bottles that Gus had thrown down and threw them in a nearby receptacle. “Must make sure the trash goes where it belongs,” Brian growled before he and John walked away. John followed Brian to the street vendor.

“What’s with us Kinney’s? Why can’t there be one generation that has it easy in the relationship department,” Brian griped as he paid for several bottles of water, handing a few to John to carry. Brian twisted off a bottle cap to take a long drink.

“Brian, young men from time immemorial have had trouble with relationships. It’s a part of life,” John said wisely.

“I was hoping Gus would be different.”

“He is different. He’s met a nice levelheaded young man from a great family. So there’s a bump or two in the road, they’ll get over it. Besides, Ray is planning to spend most of July here, right?”

“Yeah. Both he and Gus will be staying with us while Gus does his July internship at Part Deux. I’m not worried about that.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

“What Gus will do when he meets up with Wayne back in ole New York.”

“Brian you can’t always be there to protect your children.”

“Who says I can’t,” Brian mumbled. He finished off his water, threw the empty bottle away then he and his brother sprinted to catch up with the rest of their family.



*****



“I’m sorry,” Ray said to Gus as they walked just behind JR and Curtis. Lindsay and Mel were glowing having their children marching so close to them. At Joan’s request, the boys had guided her to a bench where she sat under a sun umbrella. Jenn and Seth were keeping her company. They shooed the boys back to the parade.

“What do you have to be sorry about? You’re not the asshole stalker,” Gus said quickly.

“Yeah, but it’s my fault that he’s here.”

“Did you invite him?”

“Fuck, no! But I’m sorry anyway.”

“Sorry is bullshit,” Gus spouted as he took Ray’s hand. The boys began to relax and enjoy themselves.

“Meathook?” Ray asked after a while.

Gus laughed. “A leather bar,” he explained. Ray gave him a pointed look. “So I’ve heard,” Gus quickly qualified. The boys kissed then nervously laughed hoping for no further drama to plague them for the remainder of the day.



*****



“Hey, Kinney!” someone shouted from the sidewalk as the family was getting near the end of the parade route.

Brian turned and looked in the direction of the voice. So did Gus. Brian looked at his son and they both chuckled and shook their heads, neither sure who the caller had been referring to.

“Brian Kinney,” the voice repeated.

Brian looked at the man who was now waving at him. He looked vaguely familiar. Something told Brian he should find out what the guy wanted.

“Justin, hold onto Bree. I’ll be right back,” Brian said.

Justin gave Brian a scowl. The last thing they needed was some old trick of Brian’s ruining the day.

Brian walked quickly over to the man. He didn’t want the family to get too far ahead of him. “Is there something I can do for you?” Brian asked abruptly as he studied the vaguely familiar face. If only he could put a name to it.

“You don’t recognize me, do you?” the guy asked with a laugh.

Brian frowned. “If you’re an old trick, I’m not interested,” Brian replied turning to go back to his family.

The man grabbed Brian’s arm to stop him. Brian gave the guy a death glare and the hand dropped immediately from his arm.

“Brian, I’m sorry,” the man said. “I just wanted to say hello. I’ve been gone from Pittsburgh for years. It was nice to see some familiar faces … and bodies,” he added as his eyes scanned Brian’s suggestive outfit. He gave Brian a wink.

“Don’t let the clothes fool you,” Brian said firmly. “I’m not who, or what, I used to be.”

“I’d say you’re even better than you used to be, and you were mighty fine way back when.”

“Who the fuck are you?” Brian asked with a deep furrow in his brow, and a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“Would the name Todd mean anything to you?” the guy asked.

Brian thought for a moment and then it hit him. “So, how’s it going?”

“Fiiine,” Todd replied with a laugh. Brian had figured it out.

“If you had been naked, I might have recognized you sooner,” Brian said with a smirk.

“Or if I was leaning against a wall with someone’s dick up my ass.”

“Yeah, that would have been a dead giveaway,” Brian chuckled.

“I thought I’d visit some of my old haunts,” Todd added. “I’m living in Chicago now.”

“I’d love to reminisce,” Brian said, “but I need to catch up with my family.”

“Sure, nice seeing you,” Todd added.

Brian started to walk away then he turned back. “Hey, Todd, we’ll all be at the GLC for a while after the parade ends. Come over there if you’d like to see some of the old gang.”

“Thanks,” Todd replied with a big grin.

Brian hustled on down the street in his skintight and rather sweaty pants. He was happy to catch up to Justin and take Bree’s hand. Justin gave him a questioning look. Brian decided that discretion was the better part of valor and didn’t say anything. Matters would unfold in their own way.



*****



Finally, after a couple of hours on the trail, the marchers walked into the GLC parking lot.

“That was fucking way too far to walk,” Brian griped as he grabbed a bottle of cold water from the table that had been set up there. He drank it down greedily.

“Me too, Dada,” a little voice said.

“Sorry, Squirt,” Brian said turning the top on another bottle of water and handing it to his daughter. “You okay?”

“Tired,” Bree said finishing a long drink of water.

“That makes two of us.”

“Make that three,” Justin said as he finished off his bottle of water.

“We are becoming old farts,” Brian muttered.

“Did I hear old in that sentence?” Justin asked elbowing Brian gently in the ribs.

“I feel like I’m a hundred, and these fucking pants have started to chafe.”

Justin laughed. “They may chafe, but they sure proved you are still the Stud of Liberty Avenue.”

Brian raised a brow. “I’ll settle for retired Stud of Liberty Avenue.”

“Dada, what’s a stud?” Bree asked.



*****



“Richie, drink some water,” Emmett said taking a bottle from one of the water tables in the GLC parking lot. “We don’t want you getting dehydrated.

Drew, Emmett and Richie drank greedily for a couple of minutes.

“That was much needed,” Drew said wiping his mouth and tossing the empty bottle into a recycling bin.

“The last few blocks seemed to be a million miles long,” Emmett said with a sigh. “Am I getting old?”

“You’ll always be young and beautiful to me,” Drew replied correctly, giving Emmett a big smile and then a hug and kiss.

“You are so getting some tonight,” Emmett said returning the kiss.

“Eiw!” Richie reacted, but then he giggled.

“So what did you think of your first PRIDE?” Emmett asked his son.

“I think I floated all the way through it,” Richie said with a faraway look in his eye. “It was … the best!”

Emmett grinned at him. “I guess I should call you Nina, not Richie, as long as you’re dressed the way you are.”

“Hey, Nina,” a young man in drag, who was walking by, called out. He gave Richie the thumbs up.

Nina beamed in response. Drew and Emmett stared at them in astonishment.

“You … you’re not going to start dating, are you?” Emmett asked uncertainly.

“I can’t date,” Drew replied with his tongue in cheek. “I’m married.”

“Oh, pshaw!” Emmett reacted swatting his husband. “I meant Richie.”

Richie was staring after the guy, or girl, who had called to him. He wasn’t sure what to make of this at all.

“Richie,” Emmett repeated.

“Oh, sorry. What do you think he meant?” Richie asked cocking his head towards the boy in drag.

“I think he meant that you looked good,” Drew replied.

“And that maybe he was interested in you,” Emmett added.

“Oh,” Richie said. “I thought that might be what it meant, but I wasn’t sure.”

“You’re a little young for such things,” Emmett said carefully. “But you look so grown up and beautiful as Nina.”

“Thanks,” Richie said with a big smile. “I feel beautiful today.”

“Then let’s go inside and show you off to everybody.”

“Sure,” Richie replied. He would never forget his first PRIDE.



*****



“Mom, how are you feeling?” Brian asked as he came out of the restroom in the GLC with Justin. He had needed his husband’s help to peel off the snakeskin pants. He felt much better in his jeans and a wifebeater. He carried the legendary pants in a case he had brought for just that purpose.

“I’m doing fine, son,” Joan replied. She was sitting on a chair having a cup of coffee. Danny was being most attentive.

“She got tired about halfway along the route, so we sat down,” Danny explained. “One of the golf carts came by and we got them to drive us back here.”

“I … I’m sorry, Mom, I didn’t see you drop out,” Brian said. “When I realized you weren’t with us any longer, I didn’t know how to find you.”

“I’m fine, but I think I may have tried to overdo it a little. Danny took good care of me.”

“That’s my man,” Brian said squeezing Divina’s shoulder.

“I have my moments,” Danny replied with a coy wink.

“Where’s my granddaughter?” Joan asked.

“I think she’s over at the food table with John and Bobby,” Justin said. “Would you like to see her?”

Joan nodded and Justin headed over to the food table to retrieve his daughter.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” Brian asked again.

“Just fine.”

“Gamma Joan, I marched in the parade,” Bree said proudly running over to her grandmother and giving her a big hug.

“I know you did, sweetheart. You looked very beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Bree said pertly.

“She was pretty zonked at the end of the route,” Brian added hoping to make Joan feel better about having to stop partway through. “We all were.”

“But I’m good now,” Bree informed them.

“The wonders of food and water,” Justin contributed.

“Hungry, Daddy,” Bree told her father.

“I think we need to return to the food table. See you in a bit, Joan.”

Joan watched the two make their way through the masses. “She is a lovely little girl.”

“I happen to think so too,” Brian replied.

“Where’s my grandson?”

“He’s probably around here somewhere,” Brian said looking around. When he didn’t spot Ray or Gus, he began to wonder about that kid on the parade route.



*****



“Did you have a good time at the parade?” Lindsay asked JR and Curtis as they were enjoying a cold beverage and some snacks.

“I had a great time, Miss Lindsay!” Curtis said with enthusiasm.

“You sound surprised,” Lindsay commented.

“I wasn’t really sure if I should be here but everyone seems so nice.”

“Why wouldn’t they be?” Lindsay asked.

“I’m not gay,” Curtis replied.

“Neither is JR or Debbie, Carl, Jennifer or Seth but they all marched,” Lindsay said reasonably.

“I guess so. Anyway, I had fun,” Curtis reaffirmed as Dr. Raph and Hector came up to the buffet table.

“We all had a great time,” Raph said.

“Ditto!” Hector added. “For years I used to watch from the sidelines, it felt good to participate for once. What about you, JR, did you have fun?” JR was looking rather contemplative as she sipped her soda.

“I liked it a lot.”

“But…?” Lindsay queried.

“No but. Like Mr. Hector said, it felt good to participate. Being a member of a club is one thing but actually taking part in something means a whole lot more,” JR explained.

“I agree,” Mel said as she joined them. “And now that you’ve proven your point, you can come home with us tonight,” Melanie said emphatically.

“What do you mean?” JR asked her mother.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Mel asked.

“Mel, it isn’t obvious to me. Why don’t you explain it to me?” Lindsay said coolly. Curtis took that moment to walk away with his dads. He gave JR a sympathetic look before he went.

“JR marched with her friends; the parade is over. And after we have our round up meeting, we can all go back home as a family,” Mel said.

“Mama, I’m going home with daddy and Uncle Ben.”

“But I assumed...”

“Remember that old adage, never assume,” Lindsay counseled.

“Fuck that! JR, we’ll take you back to Michael’s to pick up your stuff then we’re taking you home. I’ve had enough of this nonsense.”

“Mama, it’s not nonsense. And I’m not going with you!” With tears in her eyes, JR turned to run back toward Michael.

“Melanie, have you learned nothing?” Lindsay began. “We’re going to lose her if you’re not careful.”

“She’s my daughter,” Mel blurted out without any regard to Lindsay’s feelings.

“You know something, Mel, I think I finally got it. It doesn’t matter what I think or feel. It doesn’t matter what your daughter thinks or feels. It’s all about you, isn’t it? Well, guess what? Now you have what you want. You can do whatever you want, because I’m done. If you need to get in touch with me, you’ll find me at the Plaza,” Lindsay turned and walked away leaving Mel alone.

“What just happened?” Mel asked herself out loud.

“Looks like you just trashed your family,” Brian answered.

“I bet this makes you very happy. You’ve always hated me. You’ve always taken every opportunity to turn Lindsay against me.”

“After all these years you still don’t get it, do you?”

“What don’t I get?”

“You’re right about one thing; I don’t like you very much.”

“I knew it!”

“But not for the reasons you might think.”

“Enlighten me.”

“It’ll be my pleasure. You’re beautiful, for a woman. Intelligent and very good at what you do, but you’re just not a nice person. You’ve tried to stifle Lindsay’s dreams to make her conform to your way of thinking, and you’re doing the same to JR. You tried to do the same to Gus but fortunately Lindsay was strong enough to stand up to you.”

Melanie snorted. “Like you’re so perfect!”

“I’m far from perfect and man enough to admit it. But this is about you, and you’re on the verge of losing everything that gives all of this any meaning,” Brian said as he waved his hand in the air indicating the GLC and what it represented. “What’s so good about fighting for equal marriage rights when you’re about to lose your wife and daughter to your own prejudices and stubbornness. Think about it, Mel.” Brian walked back to his family.

Melanie stood alone for a moment then decided to go home, alone.

“Brian, what’s going on?” Michael asked. JR was outside in the parking lot with Ben and Curtis. Michael turned his soulful puppy dog eyes toward Brian hoping, like always, Brian would save the day.

“I don’t think I can fix this, Mikey. Mel is going to have to do this on her own.”

“What should I do?”

“Nothing, just give JR the love and respect she deserves,” Brian said as he bussed his friend’s head.

“I can do that,” Michael whispered into Brian’s chest.

“I know you can, Mikey. JR couldn’t have a better father.”

“Except maybe for you,” Michael quipped.

“Yeah, well, I have my hands full with the Squirt. Speaking of which, I better go find her.”

“I think she’s holding court with Emmett and the rest of the ‘ladies’,” Michael said with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Fuck, that’s all I need, Emmett and Bree trading fashion tips. I gotta go,” Brian groaned then rushed off to find his daughter and perhaps prevent further disaster. Michael laughed as Brian went in search of his precocious daughter.

Just then a familiar person walked by.

“Hi, Todd, how’s it going?” Michael automatically said.

“Fine,” came the expected response. The two old acquaintances laughed then took the time to become reacquainted.