Glass Houses

Chapter 9






“Michael,” Ben began. They were sitting in Emmett’s backyard doing nothing but taking in a little sun. Ben sat in the shade as he read a book, relishing in the opportunity to read something for pleasure rather than for work. Michael was reading a comic book sitting in the sun turning a golden brown; his Italian genes that were rarely used had taken over.

“What?”

“As much as I’ve enjoyed your company here, don’t you think it’s time for you to go back to work? JR is good but she’s still just a kid.”

“I guess so, but...”

“But?”

“Will you come back with me?” Michael turned toward his spouse.

“Do you want me to go back with you?”

“Why would you ask such a thing? You’re my husband!”

“Not lately,” Ben murmured, not too subtlety.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means, Michael, that we haven’t slept together in weeks!”

“What are you taking about? We always sleep together!” Michael announced indignantly.

“Michael,” Ben put down his book, “we haven’t made love for over a month until the day you came here.”

“Sure we have...”

“Michael, think about it, it was before Brian and Justin came home from their trip. It’s almost July.”

“It can’t be. We always make love.”

“I don’t consider me whacking you off, making love.” Ben rarely used language like ‘whacking off’; it shocked Michael almost as much as the realization that they hadn’t made love for a very long time. Michael was so wrapped up in his own little world that he hadn’t noticed.

“I...I...”

“Michael, I have no intention of forcing myself on you. I’ll wait until you’re ready, but I think you need to find out why.”

“Why what?”

“Why you don’t want me anymore,” Ben said more pitifully than his male pride wanted to. Michael stared at Ben for a moment then jumped up and ran toward the lane. Ben desperately wanted to follow but couldn’t bring himself to. If this was the end of their marriage, Ben wasn’t ready for it, and he certainly wasn't going to beg. He flung his book into a grouping of trees then stormed into the house.

“Fuck!” Ben roared and began to throw his clothes into his duffle bag.



*****



“Hey, Mikey,” Brian said as Michael ran into the practically empty greenhouse.

Brian was sitting on a small bench that he used when he was concentrating on one area of his garden. He carefully potted the water plants that were destined for the pond. Once he had all the plants in place, he’d add the fish. The pond was filled with treated water and gently circulating its way around down the man-made waterfall into the main pond then out the small opening that joined the inside pond with the outside. The pond was heated and deep enough so that the fish could spend the winter without fear of freezing to death.

“What’s up?” Brian asked with an arch of his eyebrow as he caught the look on his friend’s face.

“Ben thinks I don’t love him anymore,” Michael blurted out.

“And why would he think that?” Brian asked as he slowly stood.

The boys had gone back to their doctor with good results. Justin no longer needed his sling and Brian was fitted for a walking boot. He still needed a cane but he now felt freer than he had in over a month. They were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Gerald, their therapist.

“Because we haven’t...”

“Fucked?” Brian supplied.

“Made love in a while.”

“And why is that, Mikey?” Brian asked in a tone that required an answer.

“Because.”

“Because why, Mikey?”

“Because I can’t!”

“Why? Why would you do that to Ben? You love him. Or has that changed?”

“NO!”

“Then what has? Why are you running away? You spent the last, what, fifteen, sixteen years bragging to me that you have the perfect marriage. That I can’t possibly have what you and Ben have. That I have no idea what a real marriage is and now you’re ready to fuck it all up? Why?”

Brian was trying to push every button he could to get Michael to face the truth, whatever the truth was.

“Tell me, Michael, what’s got you so spooked that you’d risk losing the best thing that ever happened to you?” Brian said gently as he grabbed Michael by the biceps and brought him in close. Michael looked up into concerned hazel eyes filled with love. Michael’s eyes welled up with tears. “Tell me,” Brian whispered.

“I think I got it.”

“It?”

“I think I’m positive,” Michael cried while Brian held his friend as if his life depended on it.



*****



“Daddy,” it’s time for your exercises!” Bree announced as she came into the porch.

Justin had finished several small canvases and was slowly packing them up for transport to the gallery. He didn’t want to go through the hoopla of another show but he was proud of his floral paintings and Sidney was happy to add them to his collection. There was a buzz in the art world that Justin had new canvases in the works and Sidney was very happy to exploit it.

“Baby girl, can I finish packing before I do my exercises?”

“But I promised Mr. Gerry that you were going to stick to your schedule!” Bree protested as she held up a chart.

“And I will, but the messenger is coming soon. He’s also on a schedule. Uncle Sidney is waiting.” Bree stamped her foot but sat down on a chair watching and waiting. “Thank you, sweetheart,” Justin said as he reached for a roll of tape. “You know it would go a lot faster if you’d help me,” Justin suggested as he looked up with innocent blue eyes.

“Okay, Daddy!” Bree said cheerfully as she held the tape in place as her father secured the box. Father and daughter were all smiles as they packed up the boxes.



*****



“Mim?”

“Yes, Candy.”

“Have you got plans for the Fourth of July?”

“Not exactly. Do you?”

“No, I was just thinking about what my mother and I used to do for the Fourth.”

“And what was that?” Lindsay asked sensing the girl needed to talk.

“We both love fireworks, so we’d make a picnic dinner and go to the local fireworks display. We did that last year. I … I think she knew it would be the last time.”

Lindsay saw the sadness on Candy’s face. It must be so hard without her mother. The memories were good, but they also reminded her of the gaping hole in her life since her mother’s death.

“Maybe it’s time for a new tradition,” Lindsay suggested. “Or … I guess I could go with you to the Pittsburgh fireworks … if you wanted.”

Candy shook her head. “No offense, but it just wouldn’t be the same,” she said with a sigh.

“Usually Brian and Justin have a barbecue for the Fourth of July,” Lindsay said deciding the topic of how Candy and her mother spent the Fourth of July was best left alone.

“They have a lot of barbecues,” Candy observed.

“Yeah, they do,” Lindsay said with a chuckle. “But maybe not this year. They’re both still pretty beat up.”

“Oh,” Candy replied with a note of sadness in her voice. “Everything went really well at the Memorial Day barbecue.”

“Yes, it did,” Lindsay agreed. She studied Candy for a moment. “You’d like to go to a Fourth of July picnic at Edna’s Treasures, wouldn’t you?” she asked as the light finally dawned.

“Well, maybe,” Candy hedged, “if they had fireworks.”

“They have fireworks,” Lindsay said with a laugh. “Let me call up there and see if they’re planning a get together.”

“Okay,” Candy agreed. “I’m going to make some iced tea.” She headed to the kitchen with a happy grin on her face.

Lindsay watched her and smiled. Their relationship was certainly developing. Candy had learned how to get what she wanted without directly asking for it. It was a round about way of communicating, but at least they were communicating. Candy seemed to be settling in and didn’t talk about her mother all the time the way she had at first. Lindsay didn’t want Candy to forget her mother, but it was nice to see that the girl was able to think about other things too.

Lindsay picked up the phone. “Justin?”

“Hey, Lindz. What can I do for you?”

“Are you guys planning a barbecue for the Fourth?”

“Oh, I’m not sure. We haven’t really talked about it.”

“If you are I’d be glad to help. We all know you two are still recovering. Is that going okay?”

“I got rid of my sling and Brian has a walking cast for his ankle. I guess that’s progress.”

“Sounds like it.”

“How are you and Candy doing?”

“Good. Better. Fine,” Lindsay said not sure what word best described where they were.

“It’s usually good, better, best,” Justin laughed.

“We’re okay,” Lindsay replied returning Justin’s laugh. “It was Candy who was asking about the Fourth. She loves fireworks so she tells me. I thought I’d call and see if you were up to the usual festivities.”

“Let me talk to Brian,” Justin said.

“Okay, but remember that I’m available for anything you need.”

“Thanks, Lindsay,” Justin said before he hung up the phone. He went to find Brian who he suspected was still in the greenhouse.

“Hey,” Justin said as he entered the greenhouse. Brian was sitting on his bench staring into the pond.

“Hey,” Brian muttered.

“Is something wrong?” Justin asked with a frown.

“No, at least I hope nothing’s wrong,” Brian said without looking at him.

“What does that mean?”

“It means I don’t fucking know if something’s wrong.”

“Whoa, what’s eating you?”

Brian shook his head. “I … I shouldn’t bite your head off. I’m just in a foul mood.”

“What brought this on? I thought you were looking forward to working out here. It looks like you got a good start,” Justin said as he nudged Brian over and sat down beside him on the little bench.

“Yeah, I got started, but then I had an interruption.”

“I saw Michael come out here. Did something happen between you two?”

Brian shook his head. “No, not between Michael and me.”

“Are he and Ben still fighting?”

“How did you know?’

“The shouting match on Memorial Day, and the fact that Ben was here for days by himself before Michael decided to come, make it pretty obvious that something’s wrong between them,” Justin explained.

“Yeah, I guess it does.”

“So what did Michael tell you?”

“How do you know he told me anything?”

“Because you’re bummed and you weren’t bummed before he paid you a visit.”

“Sometimes you’re too smart for your own good,” Brian stated.

“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine,” Justin said standing up.

“Wait, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you…”

“But you don’t want to break Michael’s confidence.” Brian nodded. “That’s okay, Brian. You and Michael have things between you that I’ll never know or understand.”

“No, no we don’t,” Brian contradicted. “Sit down … please.”

When Brian said please, Justin always did what his husband wanted. Brian rarely used that word, but when he did, it was for something important. Justin sat back down on the bench. “You still don’t have to tell me.”

“Michael thinks he’s sick,” Brian said barely above a whisper.

“Sick, with wha…?” Then the light dawned. “Oh, fuck! No! It can’t be … after all this time.”

Brian’s face showed the anguish he had been hiding. “That’s what he thinks.”

“Has he been tested?”

“No, he’s afraid.”

“But that shouldn’t stop him from being tested.”

“It has so far,” Brian said. “I told him he and Ben need to go back to the Pitts and get tested. I hope they’re going to do that.”

“They fucking better,” Justin declared, sounding a lot like his husband.

“He has to be all right,” Brian whispered as he pulled Justin against him.

“He will be. Look how long Ben has fought this thing. Michael will be fine, and we don’t even know for sure that he’s … ill.”

“You mean positive,” Brian corrected refusing to let the word scare him any more than he already was.

“They’ve made big strides since Ben was diagnosed. Michael will be okay.”

“Let’s not talk about this any more,” Brian said drawing in a deep breath and releasing Justin.

“Think positive thoughts,” Justin replied caressing Brian’s cheek.

“I always think positive thoughts, Daddy,” Bree said as she stood in the entrance to the greenhouse.

“How long have you been standing there?” Brian asked.

“I just got here. What don’t you want to talk about anymore, Dada?”

Brian let out a soft breath. He didn’t want Bree burdened with their worries, especially when he was praying that they would be unfounded.

When Brian didn’t answer, Justin piped up. “We were discussing a Fourth of July barbecue,” he informed Bree.

“We were?”

“Yes, we were,” Justin replied firmly. “Lindsay just called to see if we were planning to have one. It seems Candy is very fond of fireworks.”

“Is she now?” Brian asked, his equilibrium returning with this topic that he could discuss dispassionately.

“Yes, she is,” Justin responded with a gentle smile for his mate.

“I like fireworks too,” Bree added.

“I know you do, Squirt,” Brian conceded.

“So, can we have a barbecue with fireworks?” Bree asked.

“I think that might be arranged,” Brian said.

“But only if you do your exercises every day, Daddy,” Bree decreed.

“And if I don’t?” Justin asked wanting to see how his daughter would deal with that.

“No barbecue for you,” Bree stated. “And no fireworks.”

“Then you won’t get to have a barbecue or fireworks either.”

Bree frowned and glared at her father. “Yes I will! You’ll have to stay in your room, Daddy. Won’t he, Dada, if he doesn’t do his exercises?”

“I think that makes sense,” Brian agreed with his tongue in his cheek. Justin gave him a swat. “We wouldn’t want to punish everyone for your recalcitrance in doing your prescribed calisthenics.”

“You are so full of shit!” Justin told his husband.

“Daddy, you shouldn’t tell Dada that. He’s right.”

“Well, I don’t agree that he’s right,” Justin contradicted.

“But he is, Daddy,” Bree insisted.

Justin heaved a weary sigh. “Well, it’s a moot point, because I have been doing my exercises and I will continue to do so.”

“That’s my Sunshine,” Brian crowed.

“That’s my Daddy,” Bree declared.

Justin and Brian smiled at their precocious daughter.

“Are you ready for a snack?” Justin asked.

“Yes, Daddy. Ice cream.”

“Ice cream?”

“Yes, ice cream. It’s very hot,” Bree told them.

“I guess it is,” Justin agreed.

“I think I could use a bowl of sorbet,” Brian stated.

“No, Dada, banilla!”

“Vanilla it is,” Brian said standing up and stepping down on his walking cast gingerly.

“Yay!” Bree yelled before she disappeared out the door of the greenhouse.

“Michael’s going to be fine,” Justin said as he slipped his hand into Brian’s.

“He has to be,” Brian whispered.

“He will be.”

Brian nodded. That was what he was hoping for, but Michael needed to get to a doctor and find out one way or the other. “Maybe vanilla ice cream will make us all feel better,” Brian said.

“Ice cream makes everything better,” Justin agreed as they walked hand in hand out of the greenhouse.