Despite Gus' protests to stay and visit with his Daddy and Justin; Lindsay left shortly after their snack. Justin sat at the kitchen table as he finished his Oreo and Brian drank the remainder of his ice tea. Both men were silent for a little while.
"I'm sorry you didn't get to work much today. I know you must be behind," Justin said as he put his glass on the table.
"Justinnnnn," Brian said, the message that apologies were unnecessary left unspoken. "Did you paint while Gus was here?"
"A little. Having an eight-year old in my studio does block the creative juices a bit. He can talk up a blue streak! I know he is your spitting image so he must have your genes, but unlike his father, he is not a quiet child. That is one area that he did not follow in his father's footsteps." Justin said as he teased Brian. After almost a decade with Brian, Justin had adjusted to Brian's conversational style, even though there were times he wished he would share more of his thoughts.
"Did you know he is considering entering an art contest to design a poster for his school's spring carnival? The winner gets their poster printed and 30 free tickets to the carnival."
"I seem to recall a poster you designed for a certain carnival and you were paid handsomely for it," Brian said as he remembered the carnival.
"Yeah. You paid me an exorbitant amount of money for designing it. I was on to you then, even if we weren't together. You knew I could use the money. I'm sure I thanked you, but if I didn't, I'm officially thanking you now."
Brian got a far-away look in his eyes and licked his lips subconsciously. "Well.... Considering you were with Ian then, I'm sure you did not offer me a proper thank you. I think you could do so now...." Brian eyed his partner with a lascivious grin.
"I could, could I? Well I think that might be an excellent idea, Mr. Kinney. Thank you so very much for the opportunity to design a poster for such a worthy cause," Justin said as he stood up and walked to Brian's chair. He stood in front of him and reached for his shirt as he quickly unbuttoned the buttons, exposing the smooth skin underneath. Justin bent down and latched onto a nipple, starting to suck the dusky nub.
Brian opened his legs to make room for Justin and Justin rested on his knees as he continued his ministrations. Brian played with Justin's hair as he sighed and enjoyed the attention.
"I think you may be on to something here, Justin. Want to continue this in our bedroom? Wouldn't want to surprise Rosa."
Justin kissed Brian's chest as he got off his knees and ended his ascent with a kiss to Brian's mouth. "Okay. Good help is hard to find." He walked past Brian swishing his ass in an exaggerated motion.
They moved their activities to their bedroom where Justin gave Brian a generous thank you.
"Maybe I should let you draw things for me more often. I like your method of thanking me," Brian said as he lay on his back while his heart returned to its normal rhythm.
"Sounds like a plan, but I think that's just an excuse to get me into bed in the middle of the afternoon." Justin sat up in bed and looked at Brian, enjoying the obvious flush on his cheeks and the knowledge that even after 8 years together he could still excite his partner. "Normally, we would be working this time of day. I'm really fine Brian. Why don't you go to your office and get some work done. I know you have a lot of campaigns that need your attention." Justin grabbed the blue back rest that he had pulled from the floor, placing it behind him to give him more support.
"In a bit. I can recognize Justin Taylor avoidance tactics." Brian sat up in bed and turned toward Justin. "If I go to work, what are your plans?"
Justin walked into the bathroom to grab a wet cloth to wipe him and Brian off and returned to the bedroom. "I could go down to the studio. I have some pieces I need to finish."
Brian waited until Justin finished wiping them off before he responded. "I heard that could. I asked what you are going to do, not what could you do. You could talk on the phone to Daphne for hours, you could drive out to your mother's, you could go run a mile on the treadmill. You could do a lot of things." Brian pointed his index finger on his right hand to each finger on his left hand as he recited each option.
"Daphne's coming in a bit; I think I will take a shower and call my mother. I don't want to start painting and get caught up in a piece, and then have to leave it when Daphne shows up."
"Okay. I think I'll join you in the shower and then go to my office. I do have a few things I want to do today."
They walked to the shower and Justin turned the water on, adjusting the temperature.
"Thank you for having Lindsay bring Gus over. He was a great distraction."
"He wanted to use his new brushes," Brian said as he inwardly smiled at his great idea. He wasn't about to admit to his own scheming.
"I guess I should try to paint tomorrow. Carol will be mad if I don't have enough pieces for the new show," Justin said as he poured the shampoo into his hand.
"Remember our conversation this morning.... You're painting for yourself- not Carol- not me- not the public. You said you have to create, to paint. It's in your blood."
"Yeah, I did."
"What's going on in that blond head of yours? I see the wheels turning." Justin stared at the tiles on the shower wall as he remembered the conversation from the morning; it seemed a very long time, but in reality it was only a few hours.
"Nothing," Justin answered.
"Justinnnnn..."
"I'm tired, Brian. Tired of all this shit. First it was the pictures. Then the article. Now the legal stuff. First he's locked in some psych ward. I let out a sigh of relief since I'm safe from unwanted advances, but then he's released and charged with 1st degree assault or some other legal mumbo jumbo. I feel like I'm on a nonstop merry-go-round but I'm not having any fun. Life is supposed to fun, enjoyable, not a nonstop crisis. Why is my life filled with such drama?"
Brian held out his arms and wrapped Justin in them as the water sluiced over the two men.
"I know, Justin. We dealt with your accident and regaining your memories. You thought New York was behind you, leaving all the dancing behind. It must feel like you're constantly reminded of a time you thought was over."
Justin gave Brian a weak smile and nodded his agreement. "Thanks."
"Not necessary," Brian said.
"I know. It's great to have a partner that you don't have to explain every little thing that is happening."
Brian kissed Justin lightly on the lips; his hug a physical reminder of his protection of the most precious thing in his life. They stayed like that for a long time and the water turned tepid.
"I guess that new hot water heater isn't so fabulous," Justin said as he shivered slightly from the dip in temperature.
"Let's get you out of here and dry off. That should warm you up." Brian turned off the water and reached for the towel on the heated rack, and then wrapped Justin in its warmth. He pulled a second towel for himself and enjoyed the warmth. Brian hung up the two towels and lead Justin into their bedroom. Pulling the duvet down, he motioned for him to get in and Justin did. He crawled in the other side and lay on his side spooning next to Justin.
Brian wrapped one arm around Justin's torso and closed his eyes. Soon Justin's even breathing lulled Brian to sleep as well. They slept for 45 minutes and then Brian shook his hand, getting rid of the pins and needles that had settled there. The slight movement woke up Justin.
"I thought you were going to work," Justin said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes slightly.
"We fell asleep. I guess I was tired." Brian pulled the blanket off and went to the dresser, pulling out some underwear and then he grabbed a pair of jeans. He went to his closet and pulled out a shirt, slowly buttoning it as Justin watched him get dressed. "I'm not that interesting. You've seen me a million times. What are you looking at?"
"I never get tired of the view," Justin smiled as he got out of bed and starting dressing as well. "I guess I'll call my mom. She'll want an update." Justin sat on the bed and grabbed his phone off the night stand. Swiping it he located his mom's number. Before he pushed the icon, he said, "What time is Daphne coming?"
"7:00. She'll be here soon."
"Okay." Brian leaned down to kiss Justin on the lips and then left the room so he could make the call.
Jennifer had just walked into her condo and was placing the mail on the counter when she heard the phone ring. Smiling when she looked at the caller ID, she quickly answered, hoping for an update on the latest problem Justin had encountered. "Hello, Sweetheart. How are you?"
"I've been better." Justin couldn't sit still on the bed. He got up, walked to the window, looked out at the back yard and watched a leaf fall down from a tree. "Daphne called and told us the guy got released from the psych ward. Guess the doctors don't think it's weird hugging random people." He wrapped his free arm around his body giving himself a hug. "Daphne understands the stuff better than I. She'll be here soon. Want me to have her call you?" Justin found that talking to his mother was uncomfortable. She wanted to make "things" better, like all mothers the world around. In this instance, no amount of motherly love or concern could fix things. Only the courts and legal system could do that and Justin wasn't too secure in their ability to make things right. He didn't want to take his frustration out on her, she didn't deserve that.
"No. I'll wait. I'm just glad that you are doing okay. Do you need anything? I've got some time before my first appointment tomorrow." Jennifer heard the anxiety and reluctance to talk in his voice and didn't want to push him. She'd been dealing with Justin's moods ever since the bashing and she was better at reading him now then she was that time.
"I hope to paint tomorrow, but thank you for the offer." Justin's reply was quick, shutting out his mother's offer of assistance. Justin walked away from the window and to the bed, pulling the blanket, sheet and duvet over the bed. He knew Brian hated going to bed in an unmade bed, even if they were just going to rumple the sheets again once they got in. It was just one of his eccentricities and Justin indulged him in this one when he could.
"I'm glad you are painting."
"Yeah. I got to go, Mom. I think I hear the doorbell."
"I love you, Justin. Take care."
"You too, mom." Justin hung up the phone, placing it in his pocket.
Jennifer wasn't happy with the conversation with Justin and while she normally let Justin handle things, she was concerned and called Brian, hoping that he could shed some light."
Brian saw the caller ID and answered after the first ring.
"Jennifer. I thought Justin was calling you," Brian said as he frowned when he thought Justin did not follow through.
"He did and that's why I'm calling you. What he didn't say was more informative than what he told me. There is so much going on in his life; the article, the upcoming show, not to mention the guy at Kinnetik. Usually I can't get him to stop talking but he barely said three sentences. Will you tell me how my son is really doing?" Jennifer pushed some hair behind her ear as she looked at the clock on the wall.
Brian didn't like going behind Justin's back, but he respected Jennifer and she had been a pillar of strength after Justin's car accident. He knew she only wanted him happy. Deciding that if Justin didn't share the information, someone in the family would do so, he felt if he told her, it would at least be accurate. Their ‘family' was definitely a shining example of the childhood game telephone. "The doctors decided the man wasn't a threat to himself or Justin and didn't keep him in the psych ward, but they are charging him with minor assault. I'd love to go assault him." Brian saw red when he thought about Justin's look of panic as the man started hugging him in the lobby of Kinnetik. "He was served with a restraining order so hopefully we are done with him, but I don't have a lot of faith in the law. The law hasn't exactly ruled in our favor." He didn't need to spell out what he meant by that statement; he knew Jennifer understood the reference. "He was so worried about the article, but no one has backed out of upcoming shows. If anything it was positive publicity. Carol told me that she'd had several requests for copies of the pictures. Seem like the public is very interested in seeing more of Justin Taylor."
"Oh Brian," she said with a note of concern. "I hope she told them no. I can't imagine how mortified Justin would be if the pictures actually circulated in the general public."
"She told them no, but Jennifer you must realize if this crazy guy had them, there are probably more pictures of him out there. He was working as a stripper. People get all caught up when someone takes of their clothes in public, even if he was getting paid to do it," Brian said, pointing out what no one had actually put into words. Brian frowned as he spoke, acknowledging yet again what his failure to recognize Justin's financial situation was costing both of them. Not for the first time, he wished he could have convinced himself to admit there were problems instead of turning the proverbial blind eye.
Jennifer heard the refrigerator as the ice maker cycled. Like Brian, she wished she had been aware of Justin's financial situation. Maybe she could have given him money so he would have been able to live without resorting to stripping, but she knew that Justin would have never told her and if he did he would have never accepted her help. His stubbornness was notorious. "Is there anything I can do, Brian. I know Justin says he is fine, but..."
Brian leaned back in his office chair, clasping his hands and making a steeple with his index fingers. He bit his lower lip and licked the inside of it as he thought of his response. "Justin is ... I know we want to wave a magic wand and make all this disappear but we can't. The best thing you can do is keep showing up, keep calling and keep being a part of his life. We don't have control over any of this," Brian said, knowing his reply was not really what Jennifer wanted to hear. Just like him, she wanted to take charge and ‘fix' the problem.
As she was listening to Brian, Jennifer went to the tea kettle on the stove and brought it to the sink, filling it with water. She placed it on the stove and turned the burner on and then got a cup down from the cabinet. She went to the pantry and grabbed a packet of lemon tea.
"Thank you for talking to me. I'll call him tomorrow. Take care of him."
"I will. Bye, Jennifer." Brian clicked his phone off and put it on the desk. Looking at the corner of his computer, he saw it was already 6:30. Daphne would arrive at any moment, so he really did not have time to do any work. He hoped her visit would help settle their concerns about the stalker, but if nothing else it would distract Justin for the evening.
He clicked on the icon, shutting his computer down. As he shut off the light in the room, the doorbell rang. Brian went to answer the door, but when he answered it, there was a strange man standing there.
"You must be Mr. Taylor's partner?"
TBC