LINDSEY'S APARTMENT - MID-AFTERNOON, TWO DAYS LATER

LOUNGE

LINDSAY

I stretch out on the sofa and look up the exquisitely moulded ceiling. Oh yes, I am on my way to my triple A-score: getting Michael back in jail, splitting up Brian and Justin, and getting my own mother back for marrying David.

She had no right! Her time has long past, he was mine! But I have him in a way, just not the way he anticipates. Yes, we are helping each other by getting Michael back where he belongs, but, whereas Mother will quietly divorce and move, I will ensure that she moves out of the area, or I will let her friends and enemies know that she was a beard, and a submissive one at that! I am surprised GQ let that slip, must be losing her touch.

Speaking of touch, I reach behind my head to the table and feel for the invitation to the Montefiore Fundraiser! I can’t wait to go! I turn the invite this way and that, examining its design. Just perfection. The cream of society will be there, and...I frown at the doorbell ringing since I am not expecting anyone.

“How the hell did he find me?!” I grumble as I see Michael on the monitor. I plaster on a smile, then go to let him in. “Hello, what are you doing here?”

“Hi. It’s a bit lonely over at the house. Thought I would come and spend some time with you.”

“Lonely?” I question as I lead him to the elevator. “Where is the gorgeous Matt?”

“Gone. He's got an assignment in another state, going to be away for a month at least.”  He whistles as he enters. “Now this is nice! Two floors is it? Bet this cost stepdaddy a few bucks. How many bedrooms?”

“Three. Plus a walk in…” I turn to face him and feel the dread pool in my stomach. “....you can’t leave the house until you find gainful employment, and they have to sponsor you, including accommodation. I am not sure what you could do for David...”

“Huh? Oh no, I am not going to live with you! Been there, done that! No, I was wondering about using one of the rooms for storing some things?”

“What things?”

“Just some comics and stuff. Matt may be hot, but he is a bit of a neat freak and territorial. Reminds me of France and Catherine, remember they wouldn’t let us have anything anywhere but in our rooms?”

I frown at him and gesture to the glass of wine I had poured when I came down from my nice leisurely bath. He shakes his head, for which I am grateful as I recall his clumsiness with any drinking vessel that isn’t a mug, beer bottle or paper cup!

“Yes. I have water or coffee.”

“No beer? Let me go and get some, be right back! Then we can plan!” He grins at me and before I can ask what is this we shit he is out the door.

WHOLE FOODS - THIRTY MINUTES LATER

MICHAEL

I keep my distance, but him in my sights. There, wandering around the store as if he hasn’t got a care in the world, is my nemesis and reason for my distance from Brian. If only he had choked on the food instead of barfed on Brian and his car, then none of what followed would’ve happened.

“So how long did they let you out for?” I whirl around and find myself gaping at Jenny. “I thought it was a bit warm, they opened the gates of hell so you could come and swrerak havoc?” She looks me up and down. “Oh, you sure packed away your three squares didn’t you?”

“You have certainly taken after your mother in the rudeness stakes!” I snap. “You will apologise for that, not just because I am your father but also because I am a grown up who…”

“Rights removed, remember?! So you are neither of those things! My fathers' names are Ben and Robin. My second fathers are Brian and Justin. Your name is in the process of being expunged from my certificate and replaced with the first two. Uncle J, not that one! It’s the blue pack!”

He is staring at a huge bag of stuff. “I don’t think the boys have had this one, where is…” He gawps and I can’t help but be pleased that my presence upsets him so much that he can’t speak. “...what on earth is that?!”

Jenny turns around and bursts out laughing. “Uncle Brian, are you crazy?! You can't seriously be thinking of giving them that, especially Baggie?!”

I turn back to face her and my heart melts and plummets at the same time. Brian is walking towards us. He is wearing a pair of brown Boss jeans and a top in the same colour. From a distance, if you were to look really quickly, he looks naked! I am about to say something to him as he passes, but he doesn’t even look at me.

“Jenny, what have we told you about stranger danger? Come away from...whatever that is!”

“Brian, you are not, repeat not, going to give Baggie a brontosaurus rib! Or do I need to remind you of the turkey neck?”

“No, Justin, you do not. And it is not a brontosaurus rib, it is the ribs of a cow, the cooked bone marrow is supposed to be excellent. And the bones will be good for their teeth.”

“Bone marrow?” Gus appears from out of nowhere chuckling. “Dad, two things: first, how are you going to get them cooked to get the marrow out? You don’t have a big enough oven! And two, can I be there when you give it to them? I don’t want to miss that!”

Brian looks down at the bones thoughtfully. “Maybe I should’ve gotten them cut in half.”

“Or we could do a barbeque?” Jenny suggests. “That solves the oven problem, and it is supposed to be nice tomorrow

“Oh there’s an idea! Yeah, let’s get everyone around.” Brian grins and again my heart melts. “Ben!” He bellows and I freeze.

“What?!”

“Can you grab the turkey….”

“No! You are not putting them and that on a BBQ!” The twink shouts, stunning everyone. “Baggie will hurt himself and you trying to get to it! No!”

“Legs, now calm yourself, I have learned my lesson.”

“Thank you.” He smiles up at him.

“Brian, how many?!” Ben shouts back.

I feel my temper rising. How dare they treat me as if I am invisible?! But I can neither move from where I am nor speak.

“Four…”

“Dad!” Gus snickers

“Six fresh! Then a frozen pack!”

“Got it! Where are you?!”

“Aisle seven!”

My stomach boils as I wait, sure enough he comes into view, but joy of no joy he has Robin with him.

“Dad, we’re having a barbeque at Uncle Brian and Justin’s! You need to start the ring around Papa!”

“Has he had a stroke?” Robin asks. “Or is this a mime act?”

“Neither. That's him hiding his boner.” Ben replies, dumping the food into the trolley. The entire aisle goes quiet. “That combo is a favourite.”

“What do you mean?” Brian looks uneasy.

“From a distance, and if you look quickly, you kinda look naked in that.” Ben replies. “Now Justin, if you are wanting him to burn that…”

“We are soaking it in kerosene the moment we get home!” He has the nerve to say.

“There is another outfit he droned over, and thought I never noticed.”

“Not the chocolate tee with the green stripes?!” Brian gapes, I am a ball of fire both from embarrassment and fury as Ben nods. “And the dark indigo…”

“That's the one. Why do you think he suggested you wear it so much and would wear almost the same thing? For reasons best known to himself, he thought I didn’t notice.”

“Dad, just why?” Jenny demands scowling at me before walking up to Ben shaking her head. “How could you stay in such an emotionally abusive relationship?”

“It was all I thought I had, but now I know better.”

“Hi hi hi!” I turn to face the shriekiness that is Emmett coming towards us. He pauses for second and stares. “Three whys. Why is he here, why is he so fat, and why does Brian look nauseous?”

“Boner outfit.” Gus explains.

“Oh I see, where are the buckets? Actually troughs.”

“Troughs?” The idiot frowns.

“Yeah. Brian, didn’t you ever wonder why a person who dresses like he does would show so much interest in your shopping?”

“We were just hanging...oh god! Fuck no!”

“Oh...oh! Home now! We are getting rid of every...well, almost everything! I can’t believe that back street raggedy ass Barbie was playing dress my Ken doll up!”

“Move it, everything pre-you needs to be destroyed!” Brian declares. “Guys, can you settle up and we pay you back?! Seriously, home!”

“Sure, honey!” Emmett calls out as they rush by me, then he goes to peruse the trolley. “Finish this, Ben!”

I feel sickened as he approaches, coming to a halt less than a foot away. People are gawking and a couple are filming. “You had no right!” I spit at him.

“No, you had no right. No right to lust after a man in front of me.”

“Hey, you there!” I shout at oine of the guys that is filming. “I want you to get this and post it all over the web. This man…” I am basking in his look of fear. “He has…”

“What is going on here?!” A security guard looms into view.

“I was just going to warn the good citizens of this store that…”

“You are on a tag.” The security guard interrupts. “He has lived here with his boyfriend and son for the last couple of years. We know Mr Bruckner well. So what is it you want to say about him, jailbait?”

“What are you doing here, Michael?” David’s somewhat snotty tone demands. “I wouldn't have thought this was you kind of store.”

“I was just visiting Lindsay, and…”

“Yes, she had mentioned that you stopped by. Why are you in the pet aisle, thought you were going to buy beer?”

“I was. I mean I am, but I got…”

“Well, whatever it is you got, you have taken too long. She has had to go to an appointment.”

“What do you mean?” I frown.

“Michael, you have been here for over an hour now. Lindsay, if you had bothered to enquire, had things to do, so has left to go do them. So not only is there no Lindsay, there is also no place for you to put anything of yours in my apartment.”

“It would only have been…”

“Nothing in my apartment.” He cuts across me. “So since you no longer need the beer, you no longer need to be here do you? I mean, you can get your kind of beer from nearer home, can’t you? Saves you lugging it across town, does it not?”

EOHOPS HOUSE - TWO HOURS LATER

KITCHEN

MICHAEL

I am flapping the newspaper at the alarm to get it to stop. My eyes sting with tears, not just from the smoke from my burnt lunch, but also from the way they treated me.  As the smoke slowly makes its way out of the window, I am subsumed, feel sure that’s the word, with anger! I can’t wait to make them pay! I step into the hallway so I can see to read.

“Yes, this is perfect...” I crow as I make sure every demand is on there, which is why the lunch got burnt in the first place. “...I have to admit from an outsider view he is hot, so it won’t take much to persuade David to fuck him raw! Such a terrible shame they won’t find that on my list of demands!”