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CHAPTER 15 - TEDDYBEAR AND MORE ABOUT BRIAN

 

MICHAEL

 

As I follow Carl and Ma up the street, I come to a stop. “Oh no, she did not!” I snap, and start to head back to the diner.

 

“Where the hell…?” Carl bellows, I can hear them both coming back after me.

 

“It is not fucking Monday!” I snarl, as I wrench the door open. “Jenny, you will apologise!” The room goes quiet. “You do not call me that!”

 

“Call you what?” She replies calmly.

 

That word?”

 

What word? I merely said I would not be there on Monday; see you next Tuesday, whatever word are you talking about?”

 

“Oh!” Ted exclaims before looking at Jenny then Pearl. “First, that was once too many, no more. And secondly, date?! You can’t just randomly set me up on a date?!”

 

TED

 

“It is not random, when have you ever known me to do anything random?” Ems looks peevishly at me. “This is a result of some well thought out research, and after we whittled it down and the girls discussed it, we…”

 

“Girls? What girls?!” I look around the table then catch the slightly guilty looks on the faces of Jenny and Pearl, who she has supposedly just met! “Explain yourself, young lady. How did you two meet?.” I sigh with a smile.

 

“Technically, we haven’t met.” Jenny grins. “We have emailed, which is not completely the same…”

 

“Jewel, exactly how much like her father is Pearl?” Brandon chuckles.

 

“Depends on the day. Safe to say that when she gets to full snit, you don't want to get caught in the blast zone.”

 

“I see. And how long have they been talking?”

 

“Um, not sure. Figure since Gus was made her buddy, so about four months.”

 

“Ah.” I rub my temples. “And how much of you has she inherited?” Ems is smiling.

 

“Why are you smiling, Emmett?! She is mostly likely the reason she called me…”

 

“Jenny, apologise immediately!” Lindsay orders cutting Michael off. “How dare you call him that?!”

 

“For what, Momma dear? I told him when I would see him. I don’t understand what other connotation there is. Care to explain?”

 

“Oh my!” Gus gapes at Jenny then turns to Pearl. “I have just gotten it!”

 

“I learned from the best!” Pearl grins at Jewel.

 

BEN

 

“Wankoweek.” Ted states. “That’s what you called him after you threw him out of the restaurant.”

 

“Wankoweek?” Brian echoes. “And what’s with the throwing?”

 

“A food critic came to a restaurant in San Fran and made an unnecessary fuss so I slung him out after calling him a Wankoweek.” Jewel replies sipping her wine.

 

“Which is…” Brian prompts.

 

“Wanker of the week.” Jewel chuckles.

 

“By the by, you also need to point out that you didn’t actually work at the restaurant you threw him out of.” Ted chuckles then stands up, his hand outstretched. She takes it with a frown. “Hi, I am Teddybear, and because of you, I grew a set and kicked him out.”

 

“Teddy...Teddybear?! That’s you?! So what was it that made the balls drop?"

 

“Are you kidding me?!” Ma screeches, then grabs a surprised Jewel in her embrace. “Thank you! Thank you!”

 

“What are you thanking her for?!” Michael demands.

 

“The demise of Tad, that controlling dickhead!” Ma snarls. “So how come she got you to dump him, and why did you say he dumped you?!”

 

“Shame.” Ted sighs. “I could not admit to you all that he was everything that you said he was. You called it right away, but…” He shrugs. Personally I thought Tad was okay, he was clear in what he wanted made sure he got it. Ted was punching way above his weight with him. “It was when he started to mess with the pairings, saying he knew better than some get lucky woman, that I really began to get fucked off. I have followed your career since you popped up then became the first Black woman to hold a Master of Wine qualification. When he saw the bottle of Macebo you sent for my birthday, he threw it down the toilet so that was it.”

 

“He threw it down the toilet?!” Jewel growls. “Both of them?!”

 

He shakes his head. “I drank the other after I kicked his ass out of my house then threw his stuff out of the window.”

 

MICHAEL

 

I have been slowly inching my way back to my seat. This does not go unnoticed by Brandon.

 

“Thought you were packing?” He snarks.

 

“Retake your seat, Debs, and you, Michael, let’s get this over and done with.” Carl remarks as he sits down, Ma does so but looks confused as am I. “Been thinking, are you still in touch with your adoptive parents, Brandon?”

 

“Not anymore.” He replies, I fight not to roll my eyes. It’s not as if they no longer have parents for crying out loud! Brandon frowns. “Why?”

 

“You said you were never given the letters?”

 

“So what? You have all found each other now, what difference do the letters make?” I sit back in my chair scowling.

 

“The difference is that we should’ve been given the letters and she should not have abandoned Brian like that!” Brandon snaps. “For a woman that said she had the kids that she deserved, always have always will, she was quick to…”

 

“What did you say?” Carl frowns at him.

 

“Always have, always will? It was something she said all the time, but was quick to…”

 

“Oh, boo hoo, he got slapped about a bit, he’s still here isn’t he?!” I storm. “At least he knows who his father is!”

 

“You unfeeling cu...cad!” Pearl screams, she has to be hauled back by Gus, and it’s Hunter that keeps Jenny on the other side of the room.. “Oh, it is so on! Right, first things first, Jenny, me, Gus and Hunter, sleepover. Mom, we’re gonna need an alibi. Not sure when, but we’re going to need one! Come on, let’s get out of here!”

 

“Slow ya roll, Harley Quinn and the Furious Three!” Jewel orders, stopping the marching to the door. “Butts in seats now!” They make their way back, all three glaring at me, Mel also looks at me with disgust. “Honey, I know you want to psych-yardie…”

 

“Are you seriously letting her getting away with threatening me like that?!”

 

“He’s your Dad, Jenny? Are you sure? Besides I never threaten, I promise! And I promise to make you pay for that remark, you buffoon!”

 

“Buffoon! Are you saying that I am stupid?!” I thunder, then really wish I hadn’t when Pearl just stares before slowly giving me the thumbs up!

 

“I think it would be best if the four of you went back to Hunter’s for the night.”

 

“Mom, you okay?” Pearl asks, looking at her with concern.

 

“Yeah, but go now please; take some food and go.” Jewel orders.

 

“Now just a minute, they are my…” Lindsay rails.

 

“Oh shut up, you silly old trout! They are a convenience to you. Four months! Four months I have known about Gus, and for all that time apart from his Dad, Hunter, his Grams and Gramps, where do you think he goes to let his heart out? Yep, his Uncle Emmett.” She pulls out some keys and hands them to Hunter. “You don’t have enough gas to get you back tomorrow. I will fill you up. That good for you?”

 

“I…”

 

“Please take them back. Please? Get them to talk about it, formulate a plan and come to us on Sunday, deal?”

 

“Mom, you are the best!” Pearl cries before flinging her arms around her. “Okay, let’s pack!”

 

Twenty silent minutes later, they are out the door.

 

“What just happened?!” Lindsay demands. “And whilst I don’t appreciate you calling me a silly old trout; I understand that it was in the heat of the moment…”

 

“Again, shut up, you silly old trout!” Jewel snarls. “Everyone that is not Brandon, Michael or Ben get out!”

 

MICHAEL

 

“Jewel, what is going on?!” I demand.

 

“Ems, you take Brian and Justin with you. I need to have a word with Michael. Show them the rabbits, prove your theory hmm?”

 

“Rabbits? What rabbits? When did you get rabbits?” Justin face lights up.

 

“Please take them to see Tonka and Beam, Ems, think they will be perfect for them. Brandon and Ben will catch you up, Brian, but right now people need to leave!”

 

“Jewel tell us what is going on?!” Ted exclaims as he gets up, he gestures for Mel and Lindsay to do the same, after a bit of reluctance from Lindsay, she does so, just as Jewel shakes her head and keeps glaring at me. “Okay, whatever it is, someone tell me first thing? Mel, you can stay at mine tonight. Lindsay…”

 

“We can drop her off.” Carl declares.

 

I can’t understand why everyone is obeying her all of a sudden!

 

“Justin, Emmett is the owner of a Flemish Giant Rabbit, called Sapphire and her kittens, Tonka, Beam, Doogie and Howser, currently looking for homes for two. Show him.” She orders, Emmett hands his phone to Brian, he has an expression on his face I have only seen once, which was when Gus was born.

 

“Which is which?!” He demands adjusting the screen, again I roll my eyes, and again the look that Jewel gives me makes me very uneasy.

 

“The small one is Beam right. Is he the runt?” Brian asks Emmett who nods. “What about the dogs, will they be okay with…”

 

“We have kittens, they will be fine.” Jewel grins.

 

“You’re taking the other two?” Ben frowns.

 

“No, I mean cat kittens. We got them at the same time. I love cats, she loves dogs.”

 

“Pitbulls are very unpredictable.” I advise.

 

“No they are not.” Jewel snipes. “Animals only behave the way they are taught or to defend themselves. Besides, your sermonising about their demonhood is moot since they have been asleep for the last hour!” She points to the corner of the diner where, as she said, the demon dogs are sound asleep.

 

BRIAN

 

The look of intense hatred on Jewel’s face has me hustling people out of the door. “Take him back to the house, Ems!” I order, but both blondes shake their heads. “Then be very quiet!” I declare, then lead them to the back of the diner and all three of us clamber onto the smoker roof and crowd around the vent.

 

JEWEL

 

I stare at Michael, wishing I could magic a bat into my hands. “So, did he tell you what he did, or just go away with you and say fuck all?”

 

“What are you on about?” Michael frowns.

 

“I finally got where I saw you before, or more accurately, heard you before, It is the voice. You left a message for him one time, your voice is very distinctive, like a drill bit, but with less finesse.”

 

“Jewel, what is this?!” Ben demands.

 

“You called him twice; once to arrange the date then again afterwards and left him a message telling him to forget the troubles with his frigid boyfriend to come to you, you would make it all better.”

 

“Who?!” Ben snaps.

 

“Ethan.” Even saying that name makes me heave. “He left his phone and most of his things in the apartment when he skipped out. He never had a passcode as he knew that Justin would never violate his privacy like that. Next time you talk to him, tell him Jewel wants word.”

 

“Jewel, who the hell is Ethan?!” Brandon growls.

 

“The ex who put Justin in the hospital for three months.”

 

“Hospital?!” Ben shouts.

 

“He was defending himself from his hopped up lunatic of an ex!” Michael screams. “He was attacking him!”

 

“Really?! How come the only broken bones, bruises, cuts and bites were on Justin? It is a little difficult to attack when you are tied to a radiator. Fuck alone knows what he would’ve done if I hadn't gotten there!”

 

“What was that?” Brandon demands as we hear a loud thud.

 

BACK IN THE DINER - TEN MINUTES LATER

 

EMMETT

 

“Careful, be careful! Don’t hit his head.” I order as I instruct Ben and Brandon who are helping a passed out Brian off the roof. Michael, of course, is long gone. Jewel has Justin, they are talking quietly. I step nearer so I can rescue her from his now notorious, to some, temper.

 

“He bit me where?” He demands.

 

“Your…”

 

“Oh for fuck sake! Why didn't you tell me?!”

 

“No, not there! Your butt, and by bite I mean, oh sweet mother of god, love bites, well that’s how they started.”

 

“Love bites? Why?” We both ask.

 

“You...you mean...we were…?” He gulps.

 

“Yep. Although he and Michael spoke in the restaurant. Seems he almost managed to use his dubious charm on you, but that stopped because he called him again. So you flipped out on him, ordered him to leave to go see his fuck buddy. And when you said leave, you meant leave never to come back.”

 

“How do you know all of this Jewel?” Ben scrubs his face.

 

“Because of this.” She pulls out a phone but before she can say anything about it there is a noise from the booth. Looks like Brian is starting to come around, he looks around the room.

 

“Where is Justin?!”

 

“Here. Am here. Come on, can you sit up?” He nods slowly and does so. “I am taking us back to Britin. He needs to rest and I think to speak to Daphne. I...”

 

“It was what made me run.” Brian almost whispers, we all go still. “He bit me, on my shoulder, still have the scar as he went down to the bone. So I hit him to get him off me. I hit him so hard I thought I killed him. My ex-dad, I thought I killed him.” He starts to cry, great heaving sobs the likes of which we have never seen. “That’s why I ran away. Kiki found me behind the dumpster and she took me in. It took weeks to find out that he was fine but of course he didn’t want me to come back, said he had hoped that I had been done away with.”

 

“You are a runaway?!” I gasp almost collapsing on the nearest seat.

 

“Yeah. And although I didn’t know it at the time I ran home.” Brian stands up and looks at Justin. “Speaking of home. Let’s go.”

 


Chapter End Notes:

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