BRITIN

BRIAN

It has been two weeks since Justin was brought here against his will but he has settled into the back cottage nicely. It affords him privacy when he wants to fall apart, but he's doing that less and less now.

It also helps that the casts were taken off on Friday, and, because of how long he was hospitalised, the bones have healed almost perfectly. He will have weakness in his right hand, and has to do exercises, most likely for the rest of his life to make sure it doesn't get weaker. Much to his annoyance, I make him do it in front of me, just to make sure he is doing them!

I have the place to myself, he's with Jennifer and Jewel. The builders for Gus’s barn have gone, they should be finished in the next week or so. Oh, Lindsay was so pissed when she was told, not asked her opinion as his mother, but told that he was going to be having that space by Mel. But it was when Michael’s nose got put out of joint that mine was too...

Start of flashback

MEL AND LINDSAY'S HOUSE - A MONTH AGO

LOUNGE

“So where is Jenny's room going to be?” Michael asks, sipping his beer.

“Wherever you want to put it, Michael!” I retort. When he smiles widely, I get it. “I mean in your house. She is not getting a room in Britin.”

“What?!” Michael and Lindsay gasp, so he gets up to stand in solidarity with her in the entitled because of my child and our friendship club.

“Gus is my son, so he gets a place here. Jenny is your daughter, so she should have a room at your place, obviously with Ben’s perm...”

“That's not fair!” Lindsay exclaims. “You should treat them both the same!”

“No I shouldn't.” I growl, and go to grab my coat. “Britin is my place and I decide who has space in it!”

“How about we all just calm down?” Ben stands, taking the coat out of reach.

“With all due respect, Ben…” Lindsay begins, and I catch the tick in his jaw. “...I know you mean well, but this is between us as a family, and…”

“There is no us as a family where Jenny or anyone else with the Novotny gene getting a room at Britin is concerned.” Ben interrupts her, causing all jaws to drop. “Brian has worked hard to build up Kinnetic, and Britin is his reward for that hard work. Don't you think it is enough that you can come and go to the loft whenever you please, Michael?”

“Come and go?” I turn to face a now pale Michael. “What is this coming and going? Have you been going to the loft when I'm not there?!”

“Ben!” “Michael!” Michael and Mel snap, but Lindsay says nothing. Then it hits Mel and me, Lindsay knew!

“How long?! How long have you two been playing house in his loft?!” Mel yells.

“We haven't been playing house!” Lindsay protests. “We have been making sure that nothing untoward happens…”

“When was the last time you were there?” I ask quietly.

“For me last week, I had a meeting in town.” Lindsay replies, then nudges Michael, who is glaring at Ben.

“Wednesday. And it's not as if you are using it all the time, you virtually live in Britin now.”

“That's true, but .”

“So what did you hope to achieve by telling him, Ben?” Michael growls. “He clearly doesn't mind!” But Ben is on his phone and talking quietly, Michael clears his throat hard, and after a few minutes Ben hangs up. “Well, answer the question, and who were you talking to?!”

“Hunter…”

“Why are you calling your family now?! We are in the middle of a…”  Michael snarls.

“He should be there in half an hour or so, Brian.” He stands up and hands me my coat. “Fancy a beer?” He nods at the door. “He's going to change the locks for you.” The room goes quiet. “I mind, Michael. I mind that you lied to me. Hope you don't mind me taking the liberty, Brian, but sometimes it is best to strike whilst the iron is hot.”

“Uh, no. Um, thank you, and yes, yes to the beer.” As I follow him out, I stop and turn to my best friends. “That was a gross invasion of my privacy, let's not talk for a while! Mel, I will send you the plans to…”

“My work address, please. And get out, Michael. Lindsay and I need to have yet another talk about her highhandedness!”

WOODY'S - TWENTY MINUTES LATER

“Thanks.” I take the beer and whisky chaser off of him and wait for him to settle down. “So…”

“Surprised you, didn't it?”

“Yeah. So why?”

“I think he’s having an affair and is using your loft to fuck in.” I blink at him in shock, first at what he's said and secondly how calmly he said it. “Not sure how long for, but yeah, think he's cheating on me. I know I just put you on the spot there, but it was…” He starts to tear up. “...why aren't I enough?”

I scoot around to his side and wrap my arm around his shoulders, thankful that we are in the back booth as it gives us some privacy. “Are you sure you're not reading more into this than there is?”

“He went to Cali a couple of weeks back for work he said…” He sighs and takes the napkin to wipe his eyes. “...but he took his passport with him. I saw him pack it with a smile, you know the one?” I nod. “Then a couple of days into the trip, I was walking down the street and Marley called out to me. She was surprised to see me considering Michael and I were in Paris for a week.”

“Christ!” I knock back the chaser and signal for another two. “What did you say to her?”

“That I would be joining him, just had a work meeting I couldn't get out of.” I just can't get my head around this. “I stayed in the house for the rest of the week. When he came back, he was complaining about how miserable the weather was but it was okay as he's working so hard in the new store.”

“Double Christ! What are you going to do?”

“I don't know. Please don't…”

“Not mine to tell, but if you need somewhere, you can stay in the lo...uh no, sorry!”

He chuckles around his beer. “If you redecorated, would take you up on that!”

“Take him up in what?” Brandon smiles as he approaches, then it falters. “Ben, you okay? Um, do you want me to leave…”

“I am fine, Brandon, and stay, we're done talking about this, okay?” Again, I nod, and he drains his beer. “Right then, get some more beers and chasers in, Mr Green; then you can regale us with your exploits on Liberty Avenue!”

End of flashback

I wince at the memory of that night. I had to get Ted to do all the meetings for me, I was so hungover! Ben hasn't mentioned his suspicions since, so I have assumed that he was wrong, they are still together after all.

I smile as the familiar figure of Brandon strides up the drive. I was flattered by his attention when he hit Liberty Avenue, but he is just not my tricking type, and he, unlike some, has accepted that we will never have sex.

We’ve been hanging out together, just shooting the breeze, and me kicking his ass at pool, for almost six months now, much to the annoyance of Michael, who has for once kept away from me. As for Brandon, I don't understand why I like him so much...but there is just something about him that makes me like him. Ben said, when we first met Brandon properly, that he is the quiet to my storm, ever the philosopher is Ben.

“Hey!” I call out when he gets closer, but then I see how awful he looks. “You okay? You look bad.”

“Mom died.” He crumples to the floor and starts to cry. I drop to my knees, bundle him into my arms, and let him express his grief. “She died.” He mumbles.

“I'm sorry. But what hap...”

He jerks out of my arms. “Sorry?! Is that all you to say that you're fucking sorry?!”

“What else do you say to someone whose parent has died?!”

“Died?! I said lied!” He yells back then stares. “It's the eyes and the smile.”

“What is?!” I demand starting to get uncomfortable with his scrutiny. He hands me a piece of paper; I unfold it and start to read...then I reread it. “We need a drink.” I announce standing up and silently we go inside.

KITCHEN

“Why did she tell you?” I pour generously and hand him the vodka. “Brandy won't hit this spot.”

“She didn't have much choice when I found that.” He points at the papers. “It was tucked, ironically, in her bible.” He scrubs his face. “Well, it explains the connection doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” I keep staring at him.

“Do you remember her?”

“Not really. I don't remember much of my time there to be honest, apart from the beatings and his angry face. Doctors said I blocked most of it out.”

“Hmm.” He fiddles with his glass. “You're taking this very well.”

“It is what it is, let's just deal.” He nods. “Okay, what do we do now?” He drains the glass and takes a step towards me. I pull him into my arms and we both start to cry. I am not sure how long we were standing there just holding each other, but the cough gets our attention. I turn and find Ben in the doorway with a holdall.

“Can I crash here tonight?” He asks, looking shattered. I nod then point at the vodka. “I was right, he's having a affair.”

“Shit!” I groan.

“So what’s up with you two?”

“Who's having an affair? Michael? He is cheating on you?!” Brandon looks furious. “Is he crazy?!”

“Are you absolutely sure?” I sigh.

“Yeah. Kinda caught them at it in the kitchen at his mother's house.”

“His mother's house?!” Brandon grimaces. “Why there?!”

“Dunno. Most probably the easiest place to get to now that you have locked him out of the loft. Was returning the casserole dish and found the door unlocked. They were too busy to notice.” He pours some more vodka in his glass. “He was topping.”

“Michael or the other guy?” I cringe.

“Michael.” He snorts. “But back to my earlier question, what's up with you two?”

“Just found out that he's my brother.” Brandon explains, and I wait for him to say something. “We were adopted together, but when she left her old man she took me with her.” Brandon closes Ben’s mouth for him. “And here we are.”

“Jesus.” Then Ben starts to smile. “Two things: can I tell Michael, and does the loft offer still stand?”

“Why do you want to tell Michael? And yes, it does. It will be redecorated first.” I shiver at the thought of him doing that there. “But what about the house? Thought you owned it.”

“Oh, I do, and he will be gone once he's back from Cali, but me staying in the loft will be much more annoying for him. And as to why I get to tell him, because then I can tell him my little secret.”

“Which is?” Brandon prompts. “And who is it about?”

“Hunter. He’s not my cousin, he’s my son.”