CHAPTER 49 - MEMORIES, IN MEMORIAM AND DICTION
BRIAN
“Justin asked for lobster French toast!” Jewel squeals as she bursts through the kitchen door. She takes in the scene. “What’s happening?!”
“Joan is being arrested for child abuse.” Dad explains, then he frowns. “Where’d you spring from; how’d you get in the house?”
“Parked at the back; door was unlocked. Justin called…let me call Mark to bring Daphne and Justin, they need to be here.”
“Thanks.” I look around at the hissing. “Sorry Bran, I…”
“Worry not, Bruh, I’ve got two of them. Hold as tight as you want.” I breathe deeply to calm my thumping heart. Ben rubs my back, whilst whispering ‘in for three out for four’.
“Get them out of here.” Dad orders. “Jewel, you might want to go with Brian…that’s the former cop she asked to find out about you.”
“Is it now?” She stares at the guy until he looks away. “Need to call my uncle and aunt, voice confirmation. Leave the attorney to me.” She states. I just nod.
NOVOTNY RESIDENCE - AN HOUR LATER
LOUNGE
MICHAEL
Whilst I’m glad to be out of there, I’m not happy about how he spoke to me in front of everyone! He’s outside on the phone, to some crony or other. George comes back down and pours us both large glasses of wine. “Shall we order something? I’m starving, although what she gave us was lovely!”
“She does know her way around a kitchen.” I concede and begin to warm to the food idea. Quickly grabbing my wallet, I see that Dad is still on the phone. “Come on, let’s go now!”
“What about Dad? Won’t he want to…”
“No, we need to be alone.” I hiss. He nods, but his usual enthusiasm is lacking. But I can easily get him back onside; soon we’re in the car and he’s starting the order from Diamond Foods. “You know what? Let’s go to Babylon instead.”
“Babylon? I’ve started the order now. Let’s just order and…”
“Well, since I’m driving and you still owe me for giving me worms.” I cut my eye at him, he rolls his. “Explain that look! You did give me worms, and you…” I go quiet when cars pull up on either side as our windows are down. “...wind up your window!”
“It’s too hot for it to be closed!” George snaps, then frowns. “Why is he scowling at you like that?” He jerks his head to the car on my side, I turn to look and briefly freeze before shrugging. “Do you know him?”
“Never seen him before in my life!” I state, winding up my window; feeling relief when the light changes, I scowl at the filthy look the guy gives me before taking the next exit. “Back to the worms issue…”
“Oh, stop behaving like a sainted virgin!” He snaps. “You were with Ben and Ethan at the same time, and we, to quote Ross, were on a break!”
“That does not change the fact that…”
“You were going to try and leech from Ethan’s family by playing the grieving boyfriend, or would you’ve been a victim?!”
“You called them?!” I snarl, then spot a parking space. “Hold on, we’re going to talk about this!”
“Oh yeah, let’s do that!” He snipes before crossing his arms and staring out the window.
TEN MINUTES LATER
“The whole point of talking is that you’re supposed to explain yourself!” I thunder; he’s said nothing since his last snarky remark. “George!” He continues to stare out of the window before suddenly running across the street! “What the hell?!” I shout.
“Am going to pick up the food! We can argue at home!” He bellows back before disappearing around the corner.
An hour later, he’s still not returned. “What the hell is he doing?” I grumble, reaching for my phone. It goes to voicemail. Fuming, I decide to go to Diamond Foods but he’s not there. “Oh, for fuck sake!” I mutter, heading back to the car; then I see a hunk in Eros’s beer garden. “Mmmm, perhaps I can get some wine to take back?” I murmur before realising that my wallet and phone are still in the car. I try to get the hunk’s attention but he heads inside; smiling as I know what the service is like there, I run back to the car.
Just as I turn the corner, I see George puting the food in the car then going around to the driver’s side. I call out to him as he gets in. He looks through the window before giving me the finger and taking off! “What the fuck is wrong with you?!” I yell, but he doesn’t stop.
As I have no money or phone, it takes me four hours to get home. When I do, my car is not there.
“Where have you been?” Dad asks sourly as I limp into the lounge. “Why are you limping?”
“Because of your other son, I ended up walking back home.” I groan, sinking into the sofa and pulling off my shoes. “Where the hell is he?!”
He smirks. “Lover’s tiff?”
“Dad, do you know where he is? He stole my car, and…”
“I did not steal your car!” George snaps as he enters. “I did what would happen anyway, I came home! How could you?! I thought you used Carl’s surname for both of us, and said that Kinney had syphilis, not that you registered me as George Kinney! You’ve ruined everything!”
“You did what?!” Dad thunders.
“It made no difference anyway; he’s still the fucking stud, isn’t he?! You were fine with us messing with…”
“What did Carl do to you?!” Dad jabs me in the chest. “Is that what you need to apologise for amongst other things?!”
“I don’t like him thinking that I did that!” George joins in the jabbing. I’m beginning to feel like a pin cushion. “Keep away from me, Michael! Not only have you shown me what a shit you are by doing that, but by wrongly accusing me of calling Ethan’s family, you showed how little you think of me!”
“Ethan’s…” Dad begins.
“If you didn’t call them, why did you say leech then?!”
“Because you kept going on and on about what happened! And besides, you’re not so lily white, are you?!”
“Will you two stop arguing, and…”
“Where did you go with my car without my permission? I could have you arrested for that!”
“NOBODY IS HAVING ANYBODY ARRESTED!” Dad bellows. “Explain yourselves!”
“I just have! You can listen to his lies if you want!” George declares. I’m flabbergasted by his behaviour, lack of apology and now histrionics. “You lied to me! I’ve never done that to you...” He takes a couple of deep breaths. “...the guy at the lights was in Diamond Foods. He warned me off, saying I should get myself checked if I’ve been with you!”
“Checked?!” Dad looks disgusted.
“Yes. He works in the clinic, seems brother dear has got quite the ‘dossier’. Had to be sent over from another place in Sewickley. Like I said, keep away from me, Michael, or I will seriously cut your dick off!” He grabs a bottle of whisky and a glass before storming out.
“Michael what does he mean?” Dad frowns. I shrug and start to leave, but he stops me. “I said, what does he mean?!”
“It’s nothing; was nothing. Just a mild case of Hepatitis A, it’s all cleared up now.” In his stunned state, I push past him. “Don’t worry, I can't get it again. It’s not a big deal.”
“The way you get it is a big deal!” George being outside the door startles me. “You get it from eating shit!”
“You can get it from eating infected fruits and vegetables!” I protest as Dad gags.
“We all know how you feel about them!” Dad explodes. “Tomorrow, you are going to get a full work up then apologise to Carl!”
“And speak to Brian!” George declares. “You’ll tell him what you did! If not, then I will cut it off!”
DREW’S RANCH - MORNING
BEDROOM
DREW
His head is on my chest. We finished making love two hours ago. I feel his eyelashes brushing against my skin. “Morning.” I whisper, stroking his hair.
“Morning.” He mumbles before slipping out of bed; not quite the reaction I was hoping for. I wait for a few minutes before going to check how he is.
I’m surprised when I hear the front door open, looking out the landing window, he seems to be heading to the garage. “What on earth is going on?” I grumble, quickly grabbing my sweats.
GARAGE - FIVE MINUTES LATER
“Can you at least tell me why you’re leaving?” I ask. Slowly, he turns around. “Jesus, what’s wrong?! Do I hug you or…”
“Hug!” He weeps; I hold him until he stops crying. “Sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“What for?” I wipe his face with my sleeve.
“I’m not leaving. I was going to put it back on.” He sniffs. “I took it off, you know when I knew that we were going to...to make love. I took it off. When I went to put it back, I realised...I don’t want to. I feel so conflicted; because even though he said I’d know, I don’t want to dishonour him by knowing.”
I’m slightly confused, then he opens his hand. It’s his wedding ring. “I see.” We stand in silence until I feel him shiver. “You want to get back in bed?” He nods. “Great, my robe is on the door. I’ll bring coffee.”
BEDROOM - TEN MINUTES LATER
EMMETT
I think back to last night, it felt so wonderful. Not just the love making itself, the lead up to it. I was doing my podcast, he was cooking along. I smile as he comes in with a tray. “It suits you.” He grins as I put the mugs on either side. “Be back in a sec…” He calls over his shoulder. “...it should be set now.”
“We can always eat it later if not.” I call back. When he returns with a piled high plate, I chuckle. “I was also going to say just bring a piece to test!”
“First, they’re very small.” He hands me the plate. “Do not test yet.” He orders as he strips and gets back in, his body is so warm. I wait for him to get comfortable, then shuck off his robe. “Much better.” He kisses my shoulder. “On three?”
“On one.” I state. “One.” We feed each other a piece of chocolate almond toffee, it is exquisite. Just the right amount of sweetness.
“Can you not do that?” He asks, sipping his coffee.
“Not do what?” I frown, then smile when he nods at the toffee. “Okay, I won’t.”
“Ems, I understand why you took it off and went to put it back on. However, I’m glad that you don’t…”
“I’m not saying we’re going to be the greatest romance in the world ever; I’m saying I’d like to try.”
“Me too.” After kissing my hand, we finish our coffee in contented silence.
We’re about to have more toffee when his phone beeps; he looks incredulous and disgusted as he reads. “What’s wrong?”
“I knew I’d seen him before!” He scowls. “It was bugging the hell out of me!”
“Saw who before?” I steady the plate as he fidgets. “Will you please stop and explain.”
“Sorry, Ems. That guy at the dinner with the other dark haired one: I’d seen him before, years back. Couldn’t fix on him. When I was in Diamonds earlier I saw him outside, he was skulking about and that’s when I remembered him.”
“Do you mean Michael, the big mouth? Or the guy he was with called George?”
“Yeah, him, it’s been a while but I finally remembered him.”
“How do you know him?!” He blushes. “Drew, how?”
“I’ve not been celibate, but I have been discreet. I used the same service…” His blush deepens. “...but then school and my practice took my attention until you came along.”
“What service are you talking about?”
“You know, to…”
“Oh, I see. I think. So you and George used the same service, and…”
“No, the other guy, the big mouth, Michael. Him.” He shudders. “I just couldn’t, he was the reason I stopped.”
“You’re losing me. He stopped you from what? And what does George have to do with it?”
“He was willing to do weird stuff. He was bragging about it. Like you said, a loudmouth, couldn’t risk him seeing me. As for the George guy, nothing, I just remember Michael.”
I sit in his lap and hold his face. “Less pomp, more circumstance.”
“I was using them for about three years. The text was from one of the guys I met whilst there, met not slept with. We became acquaintances, met for a beer occasionally, he’s out and very happy with his man...ouch!” I pinch his cheek to bring back his focus. “Sorry, yes, he saw him and wanted to give me a heads up, knowing I live here; said that he got fired from the service, but was in the clinic...”
“Fired? Are you saying that Michael was a…”
“Yeah.”
“An escort? Michael?” I contemplate this for a few minutes. “Well, isn’t that interesting?”
“So you're going to tell the world?” As he pulls me closer he’s smirking.
“What do you mean to tell the world? How can I do that?”
“How you say? Well, whilst you can change your voice Mr Cockblogger, you can’t change your diction. It’s ingrained in how you write and speak.”
“How long have you known?” I search his face finding only mirth and a touch of evil. “And do you want to help me bring him down?”
“Second podcast and absolutely!”
Chocolate almond toffee: