TED'S CONDO - FRIDAY MORNING

KITCHEN

JENNY

“I am serious!” I assert to Uncle Ted, but he merely shrugs and goes back to blitzing my smoothie. “I don't get your reticence over this.” I pout.

“Newsflash, I don't have a type, I just like the person.” He says over his shoulder.

“Everyone has a type, isn't that a rule?” I demand but he just snickers without turning around. “So let's rule some folks out; would you go for someone like Uncle Ben or Uncle Brian?”

“No, neither of them! I don't know…”

“Why not the two of them?” I frown. “Okay, maybe not Uncle Brian, but definitely Uncle Ben. You’d look cute together, he’d be very caring and look after you…”

“I've been looking after myself for years now, and…”

“Are rattling around this place and are much too thin!” I declare, then sigh. “It is time. Go out there and paddle, please, just dip a toe in the dating pool.”

“Okay, my pinky toe, how about I dip that?”

“Careful you don't get a chill.” I tease, then grin at his eye roll as he puts down my smoothie.

“You are so like your Mother.” He remarks dryly.

“And a bit like my dad.” I reply quietly...and hold my breath, I have been wanting to ask him about my so-called father for years. “So, your theories?”

“On what?” He questions carefully, much like Mom does when he crops up in conversation.

“Why he stopped being my dad like Uncle Brian is to Gus and Uncle Ben is to me? Oh, that reminds me, who is my sitter tonight?”

“Nobody, you are coming too.” He replies shaking his head. “Carl insisted.”

“Do you know anything about what happened? Hunter knows but not even best buddy rights would make him tell Gus.”

“Like I said, Carl insisted and wants to tell everyone at once.”

“So why then? Why is he no longer being the dad he insisted on being?”

“I don't think he appreciated how much work goes into nurturing a young person to adulthood.”

“Especially when he's barely out of his teens mentally.” I complain, but instead of censure, like I get from the Moms, he chuckles. “I wish sometimes he wasn't so at least I could stop having to try.”

TED

My heart aches for her. I remember vividly how dogged Michael was to be involved. How much he wanted to show everyone how he was the daddy much more than Brian. The amount of times Mel would come and hide at the condo just so that she could breathe, and that was before her pregnancy was confirmed. Then he ratcheted it up. He had to be at every appointment, had to be the birthing partner, not Lindsay, who took that very well, while I stood on the sidelines and prayed to every god I could think of that all would be okay.

And for a few years it was, it was great, I had it compartmentalised that he was the dad and I did a favour for a friend. He was a great dad, always there for her more than Brian was for Gus, according to him, but then it all changed…

Start of flashback

DINER - EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO

TED

I frown as Michael comes to the booth and sits down, his expression mutinous.

“Thought you were supposed to be with Jenny?”

“I was, but she wanted to go with Gus, her Uncle Brian and Ben to the museum.”

“And?”

“The museum is boring!” He snaps as he puts his bag on the table. “I wanted to go the roller park; you know, do something fun…”

“So why not do both?”

“As I just said, the museum is boring. It's a brilliant sunny day, why would you want to be stuck indoors?!”

“Michael, you are spending time with her. Stop making a competition out of this between you and Brian.” I rebuke him.

“I am not making it a competition!” He protests then sighs. “Ever since they came back and he got his rights, which I still don't understand why he asked for that, it’s like he is making up for lost time. And now that he has all of this money he's lording it over me.”

“He’s not and you know that. The plain and simple truth of the matter, Michael, is that, whilst they were in Canada, your visits were seen as treats and special occasions, but now they are here you have to make an effort to be involved all the time. Like you insisted upon at the outset, you remember that?”

“What's got your dick in a knot?” He looks surprised at my tone. But to be honest this has been a long time coming.  Any time Jenny doesn't want to do want he wants he sulks until she caves or suddenly something has come up.

“She is your daughter, not a toy that you can play with as, when, and how you wish. And it is also jealousy...let me finish. You are jealous because Brian and Gus have a relationship, which was clearly well established before they came back. He used his visits to Canada to truly connect with Gus. You bought Jenny ice cream.”

“I took her to the park and we did lots of fun stuff!” He objects.

“What's her favourite colour?”

“Pink.” Michael looks unwisely smug.

“It's orange, and I know this because I was with them when they had to take the pink top, which was also a size too small, back.”

“Why were you with them?” He frowns.

“This is what you picked up on?” Emmett's slightly angry tone startles both of us as we were so engrossed in our discussion. “He's Mel’s best friend and Jenny's godfather. They have regular shopping trips.”

“Shopping is boring for me. So I am more than happy for you to take that hit Ted!” He retorts.

“And Teddy accepts with pleasure! Look Michael, this isn't about what you want to do, it's about Jenny’s wishes.” Emmett snaps, as he comes to join us on my side of the booth. “I agree with Ted, you are jealous of Brian and Gus.”

“I am not!” Michael bites back, then stands up. “You two don't know how the relationship between a father and their child works.”

“Neither do you!” Emmett returns. “Where are you going?”

“To the gym. PT session has just come free.” He checks his phone again. “I will see you boys at Babylon.”

“If only you knew Michael.”’I hear Emmett mutter as he returns to the counter and I can't help but wonder what that means...

End of flashback

“Uncle Ted!” Jenny shakes my arm. “You okay?”

“Sorry, sweetheart, just drifted a bit. Did you ask me something?”

“Yes. Do you think grandma will do the apple brined chicken tonight?”

“Oh I am sure of it, it’s your favourite after all.”

DIAMOND STORE - AN HOUR LATER

JENNIFER'S OFFICE

JUSTIN

“Say something other than, oh sweetheart!” I grumble as Mom grins from ear to ear. I have just told her that I have agreed to go to therapy, well at least one, with Brian. But now I need her advice on the living arrangements. “Right, so the other suggestion he had, by he I mean Mark, is that I move into the west wing of Britin.”

“And you need me to do what?” She frowns.

“Tell me it's a good…”

“From what point of view is it a bad idea?” She queries with a small smile, and I start to blush. “Honey, you have managed to keep a lid on your desire for the gorgeous tyrant for weeks now. Move in and wear a cage of death at night should you suddenly decide to sleepwalk.”

“Cage of death? How do you even know about that?!” I gasp.

“Liberty Avenue PFLAG chapter, joined a few months back.” She giggles. “So, therapy…”

“Jewel has already ordered me to go correct and I promised her that I will.”

“Good.” She smiles. “And the going out further afield thing?” I tense up as this is another bone of contention, I haven't gone anywhere other than the store, the cottage, and Jewel’s place. “And since you are starting to harden like concrete, I am going to bring up drawing and painting too. You seem hellfire determined not to do this anymore. I don’t understand why you are denying the world your talent.”

“Mom…” I warn, she doesn't understand that I am too scared to try. He broke my hands, the one thing an artist needs! “...it is not time for that…”

She regards me carefully. “I was happy with this place. Very happy, it was niche, bijou and didn't take up too much time or interfere with my home life.” I frown as am not sure where she is going with this. “Then one day a guy walked in for a bottle of wine. He purchased it, and was about to leave when he walked around the store again. He seemed to be checking it out, and didn't seem pleased by what he saw. Then he left and I thought nothing more about it until two weeks later when he came back. He left me an envelope with a raft of ideas about how the store could be better laid out, how the in store magazine needed revamping, and how he was the guy to help me do it. I showed it to your father and he said he couldn't see the harm in talking to the guy, so I did and seven years later here we are.”

“Okay, not sure what the point is.”

“My point is that he took a piece of coal and with judicious tweaking and polishing made it a diamond.”

“Still not following.” I sigh as she can sometimes go off on one, as Pearl says.

“The guy who came in worked for Vanguard, and when he started his own advertising business I followed him. His determination to make this succeed no matter what kept me by his side.”

“Mom, what are you…”

“His name is Brian Kinney.”

“Brian? Brian runs your advertising?!” I gawk and she nods before reaching into her drawer and pulling out the latest edition of the instore magazine. “And he has made a great suggestion. You can come in now!” I turn to the office door and Brian walks in. “Don't worry, he arrived after that part of the conversation.”

“Hey, Jennifer.” He kisses her cheek before sitting on the edge of her desk facing me. He takes up the magazine and flicks through it before dropping it in my lap. I look at it then him not sure what to do. “What do you think of it, from an aesthetic point of view?”

I turn the pages slowly, then sigh as I don't want to hurt her feelings. “It is a little flat picture wise. I love the magazine, as you know, but whoever is doing the artwork has no imagination.”

“Can you draw me a man eating an apple?” Brian asks, and I stare at him. “Not right now, think about how you would make a man eating an apple look, how to make him look like he has the best thing ever in his mouth.” I swallow hard then cross my legs. Yep, that was definitely a twitch! “Do you think you could get that to me by Sunday?”

“Um, yeah, but why?”

“We want to revamp the artwork, and...”

“Seriously? You are going to do that?!” I gasp, picking up the magazine again turning quickly to Emmett’s page. “This needs to be done first! If you…”

BRITIN - THREE HOURS LATER

SUNROOM

BRIAN

I am feeling all kinds of fucking smug right now. Justin is sitting at his easel,  concentrating on Emmett's page. I was struggling to figure a way of getting him to start drawing again, when I passed in Diamonds and saw a lady pick up, and then put back the magazine, which is free. When I asked her why, she said that it didn't hit her visually. She loved reading it, but the pictures didn't grab her. So I took a copy back to my office and started to read it, but pretty soon I found myself just turning the pages until I got to Emmett's column, reading that, then turning again. Then I saw it, Justin's painting, and knew what I had to do, and it worked! It killed two birds with one stone: got him drawing again and out of the house.

“Ouch!” Justin hisses and shakes his hand.

Sighing, I approach, determined to keep a lid on it as we’ve made progress, and I don't want him scurrying back into his dark world again. “How's it going?” I ask, standing behind him so I can check it out. When I do, I almost want to scream at him, it's a million times better!

“Think it is definitely better.” He rolls his wrist again then sits up straighter. “What do you think?”

I step forward, effectively trapping him between me and the desk. “I think you are a genius.” I nonchalantly massage his shoulders; he gasps quietly then I have to take step back! “So what you got planned this weekend?”

“Rest and TV, then catch up with Jewel and Pearl tomorrow about tonight.” He murmurs.

“Why not come with us?” I slide my hands down to his biceps and knead gently. “You're her best friend, and I don't...I mean, I would rather you weren't on your own. It is date night for Mark and Daphne.”

“Are you sure? It's your family stuff too that is going to be discussed from what she said.”

“You can wear ear defenders if you want.” I tease. He says nothing, nor does he object to me starting to do his exercises for him. I stand to his side, take his left hand and slowly and gently ease the cramping. He gives me a tired smile then there is a clink as the pencil rolls off the easel hitting it on the way to the floor. “Want to have a nap after?”

“Yeah, maybe just a hour. I’ve forgotten how lost I can get in it.” He gestures to the picture. “How'd you know him?”

“Emmett?” He nods, offering no protest when I move his other side and start on his right hand. “He produces the magazine for Jennifer…” His eyes widen. “...for free. Loves food, although you wouldn't think it to look at him. He owns Liberty Avenue diner, widowed…”

“Widowed?!” He gasps.

“Shit, didn't mean to say that.” I reach for my phone and dial his number. “Hey, Emmett, you okay? Look, I am sorry but Justin knows you're a widow. Yeah, I think it is time too. See you later.” When I feel the wiggle of his fingers against the palm of my hand I resume my ministrations. “You have to come now, Emmett insists.”

“Okay.” He replies.

“Now go have a nap.” I order, but as I try to release his hand he holds on.

“Five more minutes?” He looks hopeful.

“Okay.”