Before the Fall

Chapter 6





“Hey, Justin, have you got a pot of coffee on?”

“I’ll start one right now,” Justin replied into the phone. “Are you at the cottage?”

“Yeah, Taylor and I came up a day early. Owen will be here tomorrow.”

“Come on up, and bring my nephew. I haven’t seen him for weeks,” Justin instructed his sister.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Molly replied. “Be there in a few.”

Justin hung up the phone and went to start the coffee. He got out a plate of the chocolate chip cookies he and Bree had made.

“Hello,” Molly called a few minutes later as she pushed open the front door of Edna’s Treasures.

“In the kitchen,” Justin replied. Before he could turn around a little blond tornado came racing across the kitchen floor and attached himself to Justin’s leg.

“Dust,” Taylor said with a big smile.

“That’s Uncle Dust to you, buddy,” Justin laughed as he picked up the little boy.

Taylor wrapped his arms around Justin’s neck and gave him a big slobbery kiss.

“Yummy,” Justin laughed wiping his cheek. “How about some cookies and milk for our little man?” Taylor nodded many times to illustrate his enthusiasm.

“I have his sippy cup here,” Molly said pulling it out of the cloth bag she carried. It contained all the necessities for a toddler.

“When did you get to be such a big boy?” Justin asked Taylor. He tickled his belly eliciting a big giggle from the little boy.

“Where’s Bree?” Molly asked as Justin got Taylor situated on a chair at the kitchen table. He picked up a cookie and looked at Molly for permission to give it to Taylor. “Half,” Molly said. As soon as Justin handed the half cookie to Taylor, he started stuffing the gooey mass into his mouth. “Slowly,” Molly ordered which did slow the boy down a fraction.

“Bree and Brian have gone to pick up some supplies for the barbecue this weekend.”

“You’re not having three quarters of Pittsburgh again, are you?” Molly asked with a worried look on her face.

Justin laughed. “No, just half of Pittsburgh. Actually, we’re only having the residents of this lane, small and intimate,” he averred.

“Riiight! That’s only, what, twenty, thirty people?” Molly asked with an evil grin.

“Which is considerably less than we had here for Memorial Day,” Justin informed her.

“True. So, how’s the princess?”

Justin chuckled. “She’s peachy … to quote Brian. We finally got her a real piano.”

“Oh? Where’s the grand instrument?” Molly asked looking around.

“It’s not a grand piano,” Justin said shaking his head. “We’re not that extravagant with Bree.”

“No, you’re not,” Molly said gently. “You’ve raised a wonderful little girl, even if she does have her moments.”

“Every child does,” Justin replied with just a hint of reproach in his voice.

“I didn’t mean anything, Justin. You and Brian have done a fine parenting job.”

“Thanks, it’s just that sometimes I wonder if Bree would have been different if she had had a mom.”

“Of course she would have,” Molly stated. Justin blinked at her, feeling hurt flood through him. “She wouldn’t be the Bree we know and love. She’d be someone else. You and Brian have helped to make her just what she’s supposed to be. She’s wonderful, Justin, and so are you.”

“You mean it?”

“Of course I do.” Molly came around the table and gave her brother a big hug. “Never doubt yourselves.”

“Coookie,” Taylor said, his hand all gooey with chocolate.

“Taylor knows what’s important,” Justin said giving his eyes a swipe. “Can he have another?”

“Give him the other half. That will be plenty for him,” Molly told Justin. She watched as Taylor took the half cookie and chewed happily. His face was smeared with chocolate. “You know, Taylor wouldn’t be this little boy if he was raised by someone else,” she said philosophically. “But I know in my heart that he will grow up to be exactly what he’s supposed to be. And so will Bree.”

“Thanks, Mol,” Justin said sincerely.

“What makes you think you’re not a good parent?”

“It’s not that I think we’re bad parents. It’s just that … I know somewhere down the road someone is going to make a big deal of Bree having two fathers and no mother. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“You know what she’ll say when they tell her she should have one father and a mother?”

“What?” Justin asked, curious to hear Molly’s explanation. “She’ll tell them she’s very lucky to have two dads, and she wouldn’t change that for anything in the world.”

Justin blinked back a tear. “You know, mollusk, sometimes I really love you.”

“Just sometimes?”

“Always,” Justin whispered as he got up to get a cloth to clean up his very chocolaty nephew.



*****



“We’re back,” Brian called as he came through the front door of the house. He was carrying several bags, and Bree was loaded down too as she followed behind him.

“We’re in the kitchen,” Justin called.

“We? Oh hi, Molly. We didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”

“I know. Taylor and I came up early. Here, let me take one of those.” She took one bag from Brian.

“Did you buy the whole store?” Justin asked as he took the bags Bree was dragging.”

“Not quite.”

“We got tons of stuff,” Bree said heaving a big sigh of relief as her burden was taken away. “Shopping is hard work.”

“Bite your tongue, Squirt. Shopping is fun,” Brian retorted.

“Clothes shopping is fun, Dada. Food shopping is hard.”

“God, you’ve trained her already,” Molly laughed as she started unloading the bags while Justin put things away.

“No, Squirt. Clothes shopping is fan-tastic. Food shopping is something that has to be done.”

“’Kay, Dada,” Bree agreed with a bob of her head.

“Unca Bi,” Taylor said having slid off his chair when no one was paying any attention to him. “Unca Bi!”

“Does he know something I don’t?” Brian asked with a wicked smirk, as he scooped the toddler up into his arms and kissed his cheek. “Hey, Taylor.”

“Hi, Taylor,” Bree said looking up to where her father held the baby. She didn’t get to be held like that anymore. Sometimes growing up wasn’t fair.

“Bee,” Taylor said happily. He reached down to grab a handful of Bree’s hair.

“Ow!” Bree reacted, prying his fingers off her hair. “My name is Bree.”

“Bee,” Taylor repeated.

“He has trouble with his r’s,” Molly explained.

“And several other letters too,” Justin laughed. “I’m Uncle Dust.”

“Ha!” Brian laughed. “Bi and Dust. We’re quite the pair.” He gave Justin an affectionate peck on the cheek.

“Want to see my piano, Auntie Molly?” Bree asked.

“Sure thing,” Molly replied as she emptied the last bag.

“It’s in the living room,” Bree told her. She took Molly’s hand and started into the living room.

“Oh,” Molly said when she saw the old piano. “Where did you get that?” It wasn’t at all what she had expected Bree’s piano would be.

“It was Gamma Claire’s. She gave it to me. She said my great grampa Aidan used to play it. It’s beautiful.”

“Yes, it is, sweetheart,” Molly said with a smile. It certainly seemed to be beautiful in Bree’s eyes. “Have you played it yet?”

“A bit, but Unca Drew says it needs to be tuned. Some of the notes sound funny.”

“I see. Uncle Drew told you that, huh?”

“Yeah, he plays real good.”

“Does he now?”

“Yep.”

“I’ll have to get him to play for me some time,” Molly said with a mischievous grin. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy your piano once it’s tuned.”

They walked back into the kitchen.

“How do you like our new acquisition?” Brian asked.

“I think it’s lovely that it’s staying in the family, so to speak.”

“Me too,” Justin agreed.

“Taylor and I should head back to the cottage and get things organized for Owen’s arrival.”

“Come up for dinner if you feel like it,” Justin told her as she took Taylor’s hand. Bree took Taylor’s other hand and the three walked to the door of Edna’s Treasures.

“I’m going to walk Taylor home, Dada and Daddy. I’ll be back soon,” Bree called.

“She’s walking Taylor home,” Brian said shaking his head, a wistful note in his voice. “She can’t be growing up that fast. Maybe I should go with them.”

“Let her be, Brian. She needs to be independent.”

Brian frowned and looked longingly toward the front door.

“Here, have a cookie,” Justin said holding the plate of cookies under Brian’s nose. “I think you missed eating your required quota of three yesterday after you brought the piano.”

“I didn’t think anyone noticed,” Brian smirked.

“We Taylors notice everything.”

Brian took a bite of cookie. “I think we all got renamed today,” Brian chuckled.

“Huh?”

“Bee, Bi and Dust.”

Justin laughed. “We should start a rock group. That would be a perfect name.”

“Yeah, better than Moby.” That earned him a swat from his husband.



*****



“Allen, it’s a holiday weekend,” Brian stated into his phone.

“Yeah, so. Lots of people work on a holiday and Riley won’t be working on the holiday, just the day after.”

“Ah, a mere technicality. What if this job turns out to be longer than a day? This piano looks like it’s a hundred years old.”

“Didn’t you say it’s a spinet?”

“You say spinet, I say piano. The point is that Drew thinks this will be a major job.”

“Not a problem. Riley is very good at what he does. And he has a thing for older instruments.”

“Please, I do not need to know about your sex life,” Brian snarked. “How much is this going to cost me?”

“I have no idea. I bang on drums not piano keys. But Riley is the best in the state and he’s available.”

“Are you guys coming for the Fourth?”

“Yes, we’ll be there.”

“Invite Riley. He can stay for the weekend then I’ll drive him back to the Pitts when he finishes the job.”

“Works for me. Do I have your permission to pass on your contact info?”

“Absolutely,” Brian confirmed. He appreciated a man of action.

“If I know Riley, he’ll contact you within the hour.”

“I’ll be here. We’re preparing for the invading horde.”

“Hey, I resemble that remark,” Allen joked. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Brian and Allen chuckled before hanging up.

“What did Allen say?” Justin asked as he came round the spiral staircase into their attic office.

Bree and Patrick were down the lane visiting Emmett and his family. Emmett had enlisted the kids into his hors d’oeuvre brigade. The kids were delighted to help. Richie was becoming more and more indoctrinated into the family and it gave the men of Edna’s Treasures some time alone for those last minute party details.

“He said to expect a call from a man named Riley who is the best in the state when it comes to tuning antique pianos. Apparently this man has no life because he’ll work over the holiday through the weekend.”

“Well that doesn’t seem right. Shouldn’t he spend the time with his family?”

Before Brian could reply, the phone rang.

“Kinney. Yes, Mr. Riley, Allen did say you were going to call. All right, just Riley it is. I appreciate you coming here. We’d be happy to have you stay instead of commuting. I can drive you back when the job is finished. Your own truck. That’s fine. We’ll see you tomorrow. Bring an appetite,” Brian ended the conversation.

“Well?” Justin waited for Brian to elaborate.

“Riley cometh on the morrow, Sunshine. He’ll check out the spinet then start working on it. He sounded almost excited about the prospect of working on something so old.”

“Not old, Bri, classic. Like you and your fuck-mobile, but go on,” Justin teased ignoring the glare of death.

“He said he has all his supplies on his truck and whatever part he doesn’t have, he can make himself. He just needs a safe place to work.”

“He can use the shed. I had plenty of room when I created the henge.”

“That’s what I thought. Great minds think alike, Sunshine,” Brian grinned. Justin smiled brightly. “The cottage seems quiet,” Brian whispered. “No pitter patter of little feet,” Brian purred into Justin’s ear.

“The little feet with their associated children are still down the lane. Emmett’s putting them to work making canapés.”

“So we have some uninterrupted time?” Brian asked as he dragged his t-shirt over his head.

“Yes,” Justin hissed as he latched onto a dusky nipple.

“Then let’s not waste it,” Brian moaned as he hoisted Justin onto his desk. Justin's lips never broke their connection.

As Justin laved and nipped at the peaked bud, Brian loosened Justin’s shorts to pull out Justin’s dick. Brian began pumping Justin’s cock as Justin switched his attentions to the other nipple. Justin gasped as Brian slowly ran his thumb over the sensitive head that was leaking a copious amount of pre-cum.

“Fuck me,” Justin demanded as he slid off the desk, turned in Brian’s arms then quickly pushed his shorts down.

“Hard and fast?” Brian growled into Justin’s ear. Brian nipped at the earlobe as he fished a small tube of lube out of the desk drawer.

“Yeah, the harder the better.”

“Your wish is my command,” Brian murmured as he slicked himself up then drove himself home.

“Fuck me!” Justin repeated as Brian bent him over the desk and did what he was told.



*****



“Your brother is taking advantage of the current lack of children in the house,” Bobby quipped as he came up the stairs to their attic office. John was working on his thesis. He looked up from his notes to smile at his spouse.

“I never realized how noisy they are,” John said with a laugh. Justin’s moans were echoing across the sun porch.

Bobby walked over to the desk and hitched his thigh up on it. He gave John a coy smile. “Do you remember that night in the barn?” Bobby asked.

“When you and Justin tried to trick us? I remember,” John replied with an arch of his brow. Bobby thought how much the brothers were alike and how different.

John stood then guided Bobby over to the sofa. It was big enough for John’s long frame to lie on it comfortably. He laid down taking Bobby with him. Bobby sprawled himself along John’s body.

“You want to take advantage of the lack of children too?” Bobby asked with a waggle of his eyebrows and a devilish grin.

“Yeah,” John said as he his hands traveled down Bobby’s back to his ass. John began to rhythmically squeeze the pert globes.

“You inspired by the other side?” Bobby asked as he cocked his head toward Brian and Justin. John pushed down on Bobby’s ass, grinding their groins closer.

“Inspired by you,” John said getting wet dirty kisses as a reward. “God, I want you,” John gasped when they came up for air.

“Mmm, it’s been a while since you took the lead.”

“I know. That’s because I’m addicted to you. I’m addicted to your touch, to you inside me. I love you so much,” John said before he slid his hand behind Bobby’s neck to bring his lips against his own.

“Make love to me, John. I want to feel it,” Bobby demanded. The lovers stood to quickly shed their clothes.

“No, I want to see your face,” John said as Bobby went to lay belly down on the sofa.

“Lube,” Bobby reminded John. John thought for a second and then went to his desk. Brian had thoughtfully hidden a small tube there some time ago. ‘Just in case,’ Brian had told his brother. John came back to the sofa all smiles, brandishing the tube. “My hero,” Bobby crowed. “Now do me!”

“My pleasure,” John purred as he lubed himself and Bobby. Bobby wrapped his legs around John’s trim waist.

“Oh yeah,” Bobby murmured as John pushed his way inside Bobby's tight searing heat.

“Bobby!” John cried out as his instincts took over. Bobby held on for the ride.



*****



“Sounds like they’re having fun over there,” Brian said smugly as he took his discarded t-shirt to wipe down Justin before giving himself a cursory cleaning.

“Leave them be,” Justin admonished. “Let’s go take a shower before Bree comes home,” Justin said with a kiss as he righted his clothes. Grabbing Brian’s wrist, Justin led him down the stairs toward their room.

“Yes, dear!” Brian teased as John and Bobby’s moans echoed through the porch.