CHAPTER 53 - WOE FOR JOAN AND MICHAEL AND A BRANDON UNBURDENING

NOVOTNY HOUSEHOLD - NEXT MORNING 

LOUNGE

MICHAEL

“This is not happening! It can’t be legal!” I seethe. “You’re my doctor, you can’t just give them that information willy-nilly!” I glare at George’s snickering. “I don’t find this funny!” I hiss at him. “No, I’m not talking to you, but it applies!” I grip my neck to ease the tension that is building, which will lead to a headache. “I don’t care about the duty of care to him, I care about your duty of care to me. Client confidentiality, that kind of thing!” 

“Michael, put it on speaker, perhaps we can help.” Matthew, he has been relegated to non father status now, declares. I ignore him. “Speaker or we stay for six months.

“My attorney has arrived, you can explain to both of us.” I snipe. George is almost on the floor laughing. “I could sue you for your enormous breach of confidence!”

“No you can’t. As I said to you, Mr Novotny, the court order compelled me - which means without good reason I couldn’t refuse - to provide the details they requested.” 

“Me not wishing him to know is a good reason!” I snark.

“Just one moment Doctor, I’ve got a question. Matthew states, making me ball my fist into my twitching eye.

“Go ahead, but make it quick. I’ve got another appointment in five minutes.”

“As you know my client is selective about the information he gives. Apart from his Hepatitis, what else did you disclose to them apart?”

“Getting the truth out of him is like getting blood out of stone?” The laughter stabs into my brain. “His full sexual history, including any HIV tests he had.” I go cold. “They’re mandatory given that he was part of the sex industry. He’s due to come for his next one soon.” 

“Okay, thank you. Can you give me the date? A representative from our office will ensure that he will be there. Just a few more questions. Michael, go make us some coffee.” 

TEN MINUTES LATER

MATTHEW

George had followed Michael to the kitchen to make sure he was making the coffee correctly. I’m furious with the pair of them, Michael more so than George, who has his faults, one of which is being hopelessly romantic. The notion of him and his first lover being together for example. They’re both back with George looking pissed off and carrying the tray, so in other words he ended up doing the coffee. 

“George, have you ever had a HIV test?” 

“No. I’ve only bottomed twice. Ironically both of them are brothers, one so much better than the other. I guess I really should since the supposed love of my life reassured me he was clean and I had nothing to worry about!” I can see Michael’s smugness and it takes all my strength not to snipe at George for his romanticism. 

“You’ve never topped!” Michael snarls at him; George chuckles and sips his coffee. “You utter bastard! Why not?!”

“Why not what?” I sigh, he unwisely starts clicking for his phone, I pocket it. “Now I need to make another call.” 

“Me not topping him.” George calmly answers. “I gave it to him through blowjobs, his ass was disgusting!”

“Stop laughing at me! Who do you need to call, are they at least in the US?”

“Carl and Debs.” I reply and George shoves him back down. “Ah, Carl...no, it’s not Michael, it's Matthew. I’m calling on your stepson’s behalf, he and George want you and Debs to come around for dinner, to apologise for his past behaviour.” George is now looking stunned.. “George is going to be calling his Mother and sister to arrange for them to come too. Yes, I was surprised when he suggested it. Tomorrow at around 1130 for pre-lunch nibbles, they’re going to cook! Yes, I’m serious! Great, see you then.” 

I shake my head as Michael fumbles the catch, his phone hits the side of the table, judging by his grimace, it’s cracked. “Butterfingers.” I declare before looking at George, he is wisely already dialling.

“Hi, Mom. No, don’t hang up. I’m calling to arrange for you and Reva to come for lunch with Carl and Debs tomorrow.” He rolls his eyes. “If you don’t believe me, you can call her to check, Michael invited them. Oh, Reva’s doing that.” After about a minute’s silence, he gives Matthew a thumb’s up. “Right, see you tomorrow, can you remind me about any allergies, send me a text. Bye.”

JOAN’S HOUSE - SAME TIME 

LOUNGE

JOAN

“This will go a lot quicker if you just tell us where they are.” The officer sighs, I remain silent. They’ve found the obvious bottles, but as for the rest, those dullards will never have the minds to think! “Do you want me to get that?” He asks when the door knocks. I continue my silence.

“I’ll get it!” Another officer calls from the kitchen. “Found another one!” He shouts, his triumphant voice scorches my soul. I clasp my hands tightly, not just because of anger, frustration and humiliation, but also because of the trembling. I wait for my guest to be shown through. “Sorry, what did you say?” He asks whoever it is. “Oh, right. Um, let me see.” I get up when I hear the sound of the table being moved. 

My view is blocked by someone. “Get out of my way!” I demand. Without a word, the person moves. I start to sweat when I see the table is to one side as is the rug that it stood upon. It’s when the panel is slid open I step forward. “You’ve got no right to be in there, that has my most intimate of things!”

“Jesus!” He declares as he pulls out the first bottle. “Spirytus Rektyfikowany - proper hard stuff. Ciroc, Hangar 1, Beluga, oh, two of each.”

“Those are presents!” I shriek, but am pulled back. I turn to my assailant and gape at Brandon. “What are you doing here?!” 

“Making sure that you obey the rules of your house confinement.” He sneers, how much he has turned into his birth whore of a mother. “Have you guys checked the bookcase, especially the bibles?”

I grip the door frame before staggering to the lounge. I’m too late, the other person is taking them out and shaking his head looking disgusted. “This dishonesty is stupid! Now tell us where the rest of them are. If we have to hear from him, you will land back in jail!”

“Do not threaten me; I shall report you to the authorities!”

“We are the authorities, why haven’t you grasped that yet?!” He fumes. “Now, for the last time, where are the rest of them?”

LEDA AND HUNTER’S HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON

BEN

We’ve both been through the ringer today. We met Mel and Leda at the loft. Once we told them everything, they insisted we crash out. Which we did but without speaking, and our backs to each other. Upon waking, I saw tear tracks and my heart broke. So I called Hunter. Like a shot, he agreed to help adding that he and Leda would leave the house so that I can pamper my man.

It did take a bit of persuading to get him to come here. His surly, but understandable mood tested my patience. As I open the door, the first thing that hits me is the feeling of home and the sound of the TV.

“Leda and Hunter are here?”

“No, as per usual, Hunter most likely forgot to switch it off.” I chuckle. He doesn’t.

“Look, I’m really not in the mood for company. You stay, and I’ll go back to mine and call you tomorrow.” My heavy sigh stops him from leaving, which is good because I don’t want to start my pampering by dragging him back in by his hair! “I just want to be by myself, I’m no good to anyone right now.” 

“It’s been so hard for you, I’m sorry I didn’t think.” I curse myself for not realising sooner. 

“What do you mean? It’s been no harder than Brian.”

“Yes it has, because of how you’re now feeling.” He stiffens, sighs, then nods. “Say it. You need to say it. No judgement, say it.”

“I’m so jealous that they love him more.” 

“Brandon.” I pull him to me, he rests his head on my shoulder. “Just say it.”

“I can’t.” He whispers. “I’m so ashamed.” I tilt up his tearful and fearful face. “Please don’t make me.”

“I promise not to tell a soul, just unburden yours.”

“I never got him in trouble!” I hold him tighter, he relaxes a little. “I loved being her favourite, and now he’s theirs, maybe because they’ve known him longer. I don’t like it. I feel like I’m starting on the back foot and, and she called me a, she called me a useless treacherous cunt.” He shudders. “She used to call Brian that all the time. Only said his name, sober, maybe she was watching herself around me. What she said could’ve got her sent to jail, but I said nothing. So much for having power over her, thought I did but I don’t, she has it over me, because she knew I wouldn't say anything.”

“Why didn’t you?” I prompt.

“I don’t feel like I’m anyone’s favourite. And by saying nothing, a minute piece of me was still her favourite.”

“Go set yourself a bath whilst I cook you something to eat. Okay?”

“Alright.” He sighs. I feel each heavy step he takes away from me.

AN HOUR LATER

BRANDON

I wish I hadn’t said anything! I could feel his look of disapproval drilling into my back. Twice I’ve gone to ring a cab just to get out of this atmosphere, but as Daph said, you can't close Pandora's Box.

“Are you going to be long?” He calls up, I stick my head out, he’s at the bottom of the stairs, hands on hips, pissed off expression in place. 

“Ten minutes.” I reply. With a brusque nod - how he does that so well, which was great and very amusing when warty bro was on the receiving end - me copping it not so much. 

As I trudge into the kitchen, he tosses the towel over his shoulder. “Feeling better?” 

“Not really.”

“Because you think I’m mad or disappointed?” He barks, I flinch and nod. “Good, because I am.” He slides a glass towards me. “Lady Macbeth is on her way back to jail and will stay there till her trial.”

“Why? Eventually, she told them where everything was.”

“Because of what she called you. She deserved to be in jail for that, now she is.” He replies, opening a bottle of Yebisu, then turning back to the stove. “Perfectly chilled. You’re not curious as to why I feel this way?”

“You want to break up?”

“Breaking up would imply that we are together.”

“We are together! What the hell do you think we’re doing?!” 

“You don’t feel like you’re anyone’s favourite. I thought I was more than anyone!”

“Of course you are, but I’ve disappointed you and I hate that!” He goes still, I approach and with a firm tug turn him around. “Oh, Ben!” I cry when I see his eyes are bright. “I want to kill him for making you feel so insecure. I don't want to break up, I want to be with you as long as we both want to be, and - what’s that?” I look over his shoulder at the stove, then around it. “Ben, what are you cooking?!”

“Leda went shopping. She and Hunter did the prep, I'm just finishing off your absolute favourites of spicy beef shoyu ramen, and mizu yokan for dessert.”

I’m staggered. “How do you know about that?!”

“Your Dad told me what, your Mom taught me how.” 

“I forgot I told them.” I sniff and move him aside so I can do two things: taste and tidy! 

“You’ve not disappointed me. Just promise to be honest from now on. Also never think of them as loving Brian more. They love you differently but equally the same.”

“I’m jealous.” I blurt out, he looks surprised. “Of Brian and Justin, I’m jealous.”

“Oh, thank Christ, me too!” He gives me a sweet kiss. “But competing with others makes you bitter. My love for you is different. If and when you catch up with me, yours will be different too, but it will be our love.” Another kiss. “Gonna hit the shower. Clean, I know you want to.”

BATHROOM - TEN MINUTES LATER

BEN

“Ahem!” I turn carefully, a fully dressed Brandon is getting into the shower.

“What are you doing?!” I demand, trying to keep him from getting wet.

“Catching up.” He replies, pulling me close. “So, you know I’m having you first for dinner, then breakfast and the ramen for lunch.”

“Go to it.”

Ramen: https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/13406001-spicy-beef-shoyu-ramen

Yokan: https://www.thespruceeats.com/mizu-yokan-2031140