Title: I’m Missing You…
Story Type: AU
Word Count: 2307
Rating: R
Warnings: Passion and Lust…
Beta Queen:bigj52
Banner: yvonne_reid
Summary: Brian goes missing during a sea cruise…
Chapter Summary: Lindsay gets her way and has a funeral service for Brian…
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable charters, settings, plot, etc. are property of their respective owners, including, but not limited to Russell T. Davies, Cowlip, and Showtime. The author of this story is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended…
I’m Missing You…
Chapter 9 ~ Brian’s Funeral
Lindsay finally settled on just a service for Brian - no empty grave or monument like she wanted. Having a service didn’t cost that much compared to a real funeral and Justin refused to have anything to do with it. He totally disapproved of what she was doing, which only seemed to make her more determined. She was having it at the GLC which Justin said was even more ridiculous because everyone knew how Brian felt about the GLC. To say he wouldn’t be caught dead there was an understatement. Justin felt like they were making a mockery of Brian’s life and he made it clear that he would not be attending.
She had it announced in the paper so there was a very heavy turn-out; standing room only. It seemed that every fag in this burg wanted to attend the Great God Kinney’s funeral. She started out with Father Thom giving a eulogy then followed with Michael crying through his declaration of love for his best friend and Lindsay saying what a great man and father he was. Ted spoke about what a great friend and businessman he was and how he would be missed by the community. There were even some of Brian’s business associates who spoke about how he was a true visionary in the advertising world.
When it was all over Lindsay invited everyone over to Michael and Ben’s house for the wake. They had wanted to have it at Deb’s house but she announced that she wouldn’t be attending and forbade them to use her place. She agreed with Justin that this was premature on their part and felt they should all wait until they knew the true outcome. She was ashamed that her son would be involved in such an ordeal without even waiting for the truth. She felt that it was morbid with all of them clamoring for Brian’s money.
Later that evening Lindsay planned on Brian’s attorney reading his Will. He only wanted to have the people who were inheriting in attendance but Lindsay insisted that everyone stay. So at seven o’clock they were all gathered in Michael’s living room as he read Brian’s last Will and Testament.
‘To my son, Gus I leave five million dollars which includes an insurance policy of one million dollars in a trust fund to be paid to him on his twenty-fifth birthday. I also leave him a college educational fund of one hundred thousand dollars and a monthly stipend of two thousand dollars per month until his twenty-fifth birthday.’
To my family, which includes Debbie Novotny, Michael Novotny, Lindsay Peterson, Melanie Marcus, Emmett Honeycutt and Ted Schmidt I leave a one-time donation to the Vic Grassi House in their names in the amount of one million dollars.
To my mother, Joan Kinney and my sister, Clair Thompson I leave them each one dollar.
I bequeath the remainder of my estate which includes all my property, bank accounts, stocks and bonds and my business to my partner, Justin Taylor.
“What? Is that it? I don’t understand. We're just listed as giving a donation? That’s all? This is outrageous! I’m the mother of his child. Mel, do something! You have to do something…”
“I think that he’s been more than generous. After all Brian has always believed in working hard to earn a good living and pulling yourself up with your bootstraps. I, for one, am very proud to have my name associated with that large donation to the Vic Grassi House,” Melanie replied.
Everyone was in shock after what was read sunk in. Michael asked Lindsay, “What happened?”
She had told him that he would be getting a large inheritance. They all seem so disappointed. Ted sniped in, “Well, he could have left each of us one dollar like he did his family.”
Lindsay says, “One million dollars? That’s what about one hundred and sixty thousand each.”
Michael says, “At least you’re still getting two thousand dollars a month. That’s something…”
“But I already picked out my new car…” Distraught, she looks at Mel.
“So Justin gets everything? I bet he already knew this and that’s why he didn’t attend Brian’s funeral. Mel, there has to be something we can do. Can’t we sue Brian’s estate?”
“Is that really what you want to do? Please stand back from all of this and look at yourself. I can’t believe the way you’re acting. Maybe Justin’s right. Brian isn’t dead and when he’s found you can ask him about your inheritance. Quite frankly, I’m ashamed of the way you’re carrying on. You’re acting like the only thing you care about is his money.”
~~~~
Back at Britin Justin’s struggling with the fact that Brian’s friends are so heartless, so eager to have him dead and buried. He is just grateful that Lindsay couldn’t afford a real funeral; he can’t help the tears running down his face, he misses him so much. Daphne comes over and puts her arms around him encouraging him to let it all out. After having a good hard crying session, Justin rolls a joint and sits looking at a scrapbook of photos of the two of them. Today is one of the hardest days he’s had to deal with.
It isn’t long before the house phone starts ringing, but Justin lets it roll over to voicemail knowing that it’s probably Lindsay calling to complain about Brian’s will. He doesn’t know what it says but he’s sure she won’t be happy with any amount of money. He finds it strange how much people change when money is involved, whereas he’d rather not get any inheritance. Everyone one else can’t seem to wait for their share. One thing he is surprised about is the fact that Joan and Claire haven’t been on the war path for Brian’s estate.
Daphne tries to cheers him up asking if he wants to go out to dinner, but he’s so depressed he just wants to go upstairs and paint to get his mind off Brian’s funeral. She tells him that she’s ordering pizza and that she’ll let him know when it gets here. He works on several canvases but he can’t seem to get in the groove. He’s frustrated and angry, throwing paint at the canvases and yelling at them. He finds himself crying again, feeling overwhelmed with grief. He feels like his heart is breaking and he’s so lonely. God, he wishes he had something stronger than a joint to get high on.
Then he remembers something about the stages of grief and maybe he’s still in the denial stage. He just can’t believe that his life is falling apart. He refuses to go into therapy because then he would be admitting that Lindsay is right. That Brian really is gone and he truly doesn’t believe that. He’s angry and feels like he’s been left behind. How could Brian do this to him? He couldn’t believe how many people had suggested that he go into therapy; his mother, Daphne, and even Debbie and they’re supposed to be on his side. Even if he did, who would he talk to? Then he remembers Brian mentioning a Dr. Wilder back from when he was bashed.
He doesn’t really want some coke - he just wants all his pain to go away. He’s still underweight and doesn’t eat or sleep that much. He’s been up most of the night and he has to go to class in a couple of hours. He showers and goes down, makes coffee and reads the newspaper. There’s an article about a new exhibit at the Sidney Bloom gallery that he thinks he’d like to attend this Friday - a local ceramics artist called Shawn Jameson. He’s taking a ceramics class right now and he’s really enjoying working in a new medium.
It turns out his professor for his ceramics class is good friends with the artist and has arranged for the class to go to Shawn’s studio later in the week. Justin’s excited about it and can’t wait to see his work. Currently Justin’s working with porcelain, learning to throw pots on the potter’s wheel. He’s not very good at it but practice makes perfect. He’s also working on a sculpture of Brian and that’s really fun trying to capture his likeness in clay.
He stops by the Sidney Bloom gallery on the way home just to say hi and to show him some slides of his latest paintings. Shawn is there setting up for his show this coming Friday night. Sidney introduces them and there’s an immediate attraction between the two of them. They strike up a conversation and Justin mentions that he’s attending PIFA and that his class is coming to Shawn’s studio on Wednesday afternoon. Both men seem pretty eager to see each other again. Justin asks a lot of questions about his techniques and compliments him on his outsized vases.
Sidney comes back from taking a phone call and asks Justin if he’s interested in hanging several of his new paintings at the gallery. Justin blushes and then eagerly accepts. Shawn asks him about his paintings and says he looks forward to seeing his work. The chemistry between the two of them is so thick you could cut it with a knife. After Shawn shows Justin some of the major pieces in his exhibit he walks him to the door and says that he hopes Justin will come to the show.
And for the first time in months Justin is happy and excited about meeting someone who understands his work. He meets Daphne at the Liberty Diner for lunch and it’s obvious to everyone that Justin is happy for once. He explains that he just met the artist, Shawn Jameson at the gallery and can’t help going on and on about his work. Daphne’s happy for him; she’s just so glad he isn’t in his normal depressed mood.
Unfortunately that doesn’t last long. Lindsay and Mel show up at the diner and see Justin sitting there; Lindsay can’t help but question him about Brian’s will. He tells her that he’s hasn’t read it so he doesn’t know what her inheritance was. She’s angry and her face is turning beet-red. She wants to know if he knows that he inherits everything. She complains that it isn’t fair and she wants Justin to do something about it. After all she is the mother of Brian’s child.
Justin is taken aback and confused. He says, “I can’t believe that Brian didn’t leave anything in his will for Gus.” He was sure that Brian would have taken care of him. Lindsay gets even madder as she says, “Of course he’s left Gus a trust fund but he didn’t leave me anything. Justin just looks at her and says, “It’s my understanding that you’ll be receiving the same monthly stipend that you’re receiving now and when you add that up it’s over four hundred thousand dollars. If you ask me that’s quite a bit of money. What more do you want?”
Lindsay stutters and stumbles on her words. She asks Mel, “Is that right? Is it really that much money?” Mel just looks at them and then she apologises to Justin for Lindsay’s outburst. Lindsay still can’t help herself as she says that Justin has so much more money than they have and he can afford to give them a larger monthly stipend. Whatever good mood Justin had been in before was now gone. He just wants to go home and work in his studio.
~~~~
Shawn’s studio is huge and after he gave his lecture in ceramics to the class they toured his space. Shawn couldn’t help but ask Justin if they could go and have coffee sometime and they exchanged numbers. Justin said he was free after his life drawing class Thursday around lunch time, so they made plans to meet for lunch at a Chinese restaurant.
He had planned on asking Daphne if she wanted to go with him to the art opening at the Bloom gallery but in the end he decided to go on his own. It’s really crowded and Sidney introduces him to several prominent art collectors who are admiring the couple of paintings he has hung in the upper level of the gallery. Sidney couldn’t help but tell them that Justin will soon have several more paintings displayed.
Justin continues to schmooze with some of the artists and they talk about their own art work and their upcoming shows at the gallery. It was an hour or so before Shawn could break away and come and talk with Justin. He thanked him for coming and asked him if he wanted to have dinner after the show. An hour later they break away from the dwindling crowds and go to dinner. Justin admires how easily Shawn handled the crowds, saying how nervous he always was at his own shows. Shawn tells him that it all comes with time and besides he’s known almost everyone there for years now.
They have an enjoyable dinner and the conversation seems to flow easily with the two of them really enjoying each other’s company. They got to talking about Shawn’s studio and how much Justin enjoyed seeing his workspace and art work. He mentions that he has a studio at his home and ends up inviting Shawn over to see it sometime.
They went back to Shawn’s house and stayed up talking until the wee hours of the morning. Once Justin noticed how late it was he told Shawn that he really had to leave. Shawn walks him to his car and when he says goodnight he embraces Justin, pulling him into a passionate kiss. Justin can’t stop thinking about Shawn and the kiss the whole drive home to West Virginia.
TBC…
