CHAPTER 19 - EPILOGUE...AFTER EVERYTHING A QUIET END

BRITIN - A YEAR LATER

MASTER BEDROOM

JUSTIN

“We are so weak!” Brian giggles, which I love so much, as I clamber into bed having carried her in, very quietly, we have guests after all.

“Totally and utterly, but who could not be when faced…” 

“Oh for….boys?!” Carl taps then pokes his head in. “That is it!” He whispers. “Honey, Jen...some tough love is called for!”

“She snuffled! And she…” I trail off as he glowers me into silence.

“Darlings.” Mom comes in with a head-shaking Debs. “We are taking them back to the nursery. I will be on one side of the door and Tucker on the other. Capitch?!”

“Capice.” Debs corrects her whilst taking Bella off a pouting Brian. 

“Yeah that. Come, my little sweetling.” Mom croons as she takes Donna from me, before closing the door behind her.

“What am I gonna do with you two?” Carl smiles as he sits down. “The grandmas are right. You will run yourself into the ground if you leap up everytime the Oreo Twins make a noise.” 

“But…”

“But nothing, Justin, babies make noise, and with Cyn and Daph for mothers, they are gonna make a lot of it.” He looks thoughtful. “I am glad you did it that way. I saw her face that night. She looked sad…”

“But understanding.” I add, and he nods.

“A combination of the four of us, with them both carrying, was the perfect solution.” Brian grins as he listens to the monitor. “Stop that, you can’t hold a tune in a bucket!” 

“You are getting a very polite shush, which is one time only!” Debs snipes back.

“So we have free time now. Want to…” Brian whispers.

“As if you need to ask.” I return.

“Let me leave first!” Carl laughs before he hurries out.

NEXT DAY

KITCHEN

I reach across Brian and turn the monitor off. “This afternoon is going to be tough for Debs.”

“Tough in that we get to find out what the court decides, but for him going to where he is going, no it won’t be.” Brian smiles. This I don’t understand. “She has finally accepted it. Yeah, that night she realised, but acceptance is something different. With the irrefutable evidence we had and how he behaved, she saw him for who he is.”

“A lying sack of sh…” Ben comes in and I give him Bella. “...shishkebab.” As well as rueful he also looks so healthy. His life is going really great, but when the gates creak and the horn blasts he sighs. “Well, it was good whilst it lasted. Seriously, not only are you the most loved up men in the world after all these years, you also have two beautiful daughters, but have one godfather who…”

“Give me!” Ems orders, holding out his arms.

“When the heck…” Ben gasps.

He smirks at our incredulity. “I ran from the gate. My workout routine now includes sprinting, so give me.”

“Have Donna.” Ted grins and he immediately puts her in his sling. Yes, he has his own sling for each of them. “Give him a minute.”

“Please do.” Ems sighs then waits for her to settle. “Where are we?”

“Waiting for the gang, but they’re not coming.” I reply. “They are going to stay with Jay-Ray. It’s just the grown ups.” I take that moment to look at a bubble blowing at Bella Brian. “Grown ups, that would be us, remember?”

“And who was it that was doing…”

“Okay!” I blush before pointing out the window as the gang meanders down the path. “So I could be reaching…”

“No you are not, and we are saying nothing!” Ems whisper-hisses walking to the other side of the kitchen. We follow. “Themksssedonlipsbarn.” He mumbles.

“What?” Brian demands.

“Themksssedonlipsbarn.” He repeats, grinning.

“Honeycutt!” Brian growls.

“They. Kissed.” He pronounces. “On the lips for a long time! It was in the barn!”

“I returned a favour.” Hunter makes us all jump. 

“Took him long enough.” Hank laughs, but whilst Jay-Ray goes red, she does not let go of his hand.

“Well, I have nothing. You Sunshine?” Brian grins.

“Yes. Let’s get these princesses ready!” I take Bella from Ben.

“Come on, Baby, time to get them looking good and smelling gorgeous!” Ems orders.

“Not so much talc this time, Honeycutt!” Brian demands as it makes him sneeze.

“Fine, but don’t call me Honeycutt!” He laughs as he gently trots out.

ALLEGHANY COURTHOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON

COURTROOM ROOM THREE

MICHAEL

“That’s Parker Hall, isn’t it?!” I gasp as he sits down. “Why is he here?” I ask Simon, my attorney.

“No idea.” He replies.

“One of the most high profile gay hockey players in Pittsburgh is in this courtroom, and you don’t know why?!” I hiss. 

“No I don't!” He snaps.

“I can answer that.” Jacob Moon, the prosecuting attorney snarks. “He is supporting his partner and their friends.”

“Who’s his partner?!” I mutter, then hear Ted’s laugh. I try to turn but Simon tugs on my sleeve. 

“I said look at me!” He orders, so I do so. “Now before you carp again about Peterson reaching a deal, I would not. All she did, as was proven, was wash away the blood, but not say that is what she did.”

“She should’ve gotten three years! That’s what her cow of an ex said she should get, but oh no, she most likely screwed her way to eighteen months! The way she talked about me, the way they all did! They made me look jealous, but…”

“For crying out loud.” Jacob sighs. “Today is your sentencing! Like her, you have been found guilty. Can we please have a day of you not…”

“Lying!” Simon interrupts. “You did it for 16 years. Now be quiet.”

I scowl as I sit back in my seat, then gape as Ben sits down next to Parker Hall and he kisses him! “Did you see that?!” I elbow Simon. 

“What?”

“He kissed him. He kissed...”

“His partner. You got a problem with that?” Jacob asks.

“Does he know about what he has?” I shout, relishing the courtroom going quiet.

“Don’t they have newspapers or TV in jail?” Parker Hall retorts. “Or did you stay in your cell, wanking off to what is never going to be?! We have been official for six months, so yeah, I  know, and I am enjoying the rewards of Ted’s Freedom Present! Do you remember that? Or do I need to remind you that my partner got it on the night you confessed to trying to murder Justin?!”

“Everyone needs…”

“No they don’t. This is not your day to speak.” Jacob states. “Hey, gents, you look good!” He declares as the love of my life walks in with Boy Toy Wonder and others!

“Who the hell are they?” I gawk.

“Yes, yes, Honeycutt, she’s coming!” I gawp as he lifts a baby out of the sling and gives her to him. Boy Toy Wonder gives the other one to Nose Boy.

I look around their group. “Where is my daughter, Mel?” 

“She no longer recognises you as her father…” She replies without looking at me. “...ergo no reason for her to be here.”

“She was at the trial!” I point out.

“Supporting her real family. Now for goodness sake, sit and be quiet!” Jacob barks, then looks at a guard. “Can you restrain him?”

“You are not serious?!” I demand.

“Very. Try and say one more word.” He glowers at me. “Just one.” I fold my arms and sit down.

“How’d it go?” Nose Boy asks. 

“Wonderfully. Oh Ems, you need to speak to Christian as the party is now on Saturday instead of tonight.” Boy Toy Wonder waffles. 

“So what are we waiting for?” Columbo asks.

“Judge Malcolm.” Jacob replies. “Should be here in a couple of minutes.”

I tear off a sheet of paper and pick up a pen. He never said I couldn't write! What is going on with them? Why are they having a party? When did they have babies? Why did you allow my ex to humiliate me like that?! I shove it under his nose. He scribbles something down before handing it to Jacob!

“Only he can answer the first three questions, owing to him being on that and their side.” He responds to my incredulous look, I fume at the snickering as they pass the note around. It doesn't take long to come back. “Okay, nunya, because of you going to jail, nunya, and freedom of speech.”

“All rise.” The bailiff orders.

THE LOFT - EARLY EVENING

LOUGE

BRIAN

“Why here? Why not go back to Britin?” I pour my husband a glass of Veuve Clicquot and watch him take a sip. “Though I think you have made Honeycutt’s year. His first overnight with the Oreos. And on our wedding day.”

“Because this is where we began.” Justin feeds me a prawn. “And now he is in jail for twenty years, then the restraining orders for all of us kick in.”

I feed him some lobster. I love watching him eat, the way he savours the food is such a turn on, instead of shoveling it down like it is his last meal! “Whose idea was it?” 

“What?” He starts to take off my clothes, whilst returning the lobster favour.

“What he says.” I raise an eyebrow, he beams as I help him get naked. “So?”

“Well. It was you, you, who said that simplest is always best.”

“It is true, I did.” I follow him to bed with the platter and we get comfortable. “But that tinkling wave with your left hand making sure the ring got his attention like a magpie after saying goodbye forever, Trigger as a victim statement was the idea of?”

“Carl.”

“Carl?”

“Yep. You know he never liked him.” This surprises me but he says nothing, just traces my lips and smiles before clearing his throat. “Now can you tell me when you started to see what I saw?”

“Oh how you know me.” We gaze at each other, again he traces my mouth. “In my heart of hearts, years before Bora-Bora. I couldn't believe how...how much he became like Jack.” I wait and again he proves how he knows me best by saying nothing. “Always wanting to take things. First it was from you then it was from us. Like the treat box. He was determined to...”

“Wait. Taste this.” He orders and puts a cube of watermelon in my mouth. 

“Delicious. Haven’t had watermelon with brandy sugar syrup in forever.” I give him a cube and his eyes sparkle with devilment.

“Does this go on the list too?” He grins.

“It does.” I run one more piece over his lips...oh how he eats! “So wherever did you find this recipe?”

“I might have found out that it was at the White Party that you and Ben met at.”

“And…” I prompt.

“And he said you really loved it. But back to Nomatter, he was always trying to take something from you, always trying to muscle in on something that makes you happy.” Justin strokes my face then feeds me another cube of watermelon.

“Yes he did, but like that love at first sight night, he is not in here, nor will he ever feature again. We’re free. Now let’s make us as happy as only we can, Mr Taylor-Kinney.” 

The end.