AN EPILOGUE: THE FINAL CURTAIN
IN PITTSBURGH
"It's still in all the papers you know, about how his step-mother fell down the stairs...I think there is much more to it"
That was Danny's opinion. Nathan sat up at the bar with Josh in a tight black vest. Over the months since Rhona's fall that had killed her, life was starting to get back to normal.
His father Patrick spent four nights in a police cell as the investigation into Rhona's death took place. Of course Uncle Brad accused his brother of murder saying that he found out about their affair, and it drove him to push his wife to her death and make it look like an accident.
Well, they did do that...and it worked. Patrick was in two minds about coming clean to the cops to begin with, but Nathan reminded him about baby Leo and he needed his father.
Regardless of what Rhona had told him before she died, Leo only knew Patrick as his father and it was better to let sleeping dogs lie. It would take a DNA test to prove paternal-hood, and he decided to just go along with instinct and bring him up as his son.
Of course, they did sell the business to the highest bidder. Patrick and Leo were set-up for life after paying Brian back the medical fees.
They live in Boston now to start over. Nathan was going to go with them...until he realized he actually wanted to stay. He had grow much closer to Josh and was waking up to his true feelings for him, and also wanted to be an artist like Justin and had enrolled into art college.
Josh leaned in and kissed Nathan on the mouth up at the bar. They were in the Pink Parrot. Danny pulled a face at them, "agghhh...you two look kinda grosse together"
Swinging around on the bar stool, Nathan turned to him, "I heard what you and your friends were just saying about my wicked step-mother..."
Danny came over to them in his bright pink half cut T shirt, "I'm just saying what everybody else is thinking, honey"
Josh raised his eyebrows, "and what's that?"
"That his father gained a lot from the sale of the business...with his wife gone, he got the whole lot...and what about that Uncle of yours...", he looked at Nathan, "...I saw him the other day begging on the streets, and sifting through dumpsters...don't you even feel bad that someone in your family is living like a dirty disgusting hobo"
Nathan laughed, "My Uncle Brad is nothing but a drunkard. He wastes his life now half cut and begging for cock...with a bit of luck, he might run into the wrong person and get his throat cut"
Danny didn't like the look on Nathan's face. He looked kinda twisted, like he had got away with murder or something.
Stu grabbed his arm, "hey Dan, just leave them..."
Danny gave them both a bitchy glare and moved off. Nathan watched them go out of ear shot and looked at Josh, "What if it does come out? He's just guessing I know, but what if the cops suddenly re-opened the case, and found out that we watched Rhona die, and set it up that it looked like she tripped over one of Leo's toys on the top stair"
Josh placed his hand over Nathan's thigh and shook his head, "it won't...anyway...we are in this together, I suppose in a way, it's brought us a whole lot closer"
Nathan met his eyes and smirked at him., "who would have thought that a year ago, I was stalking that park and bumped into you"
Josh laughed, "Yeah...and at first you were only interested in the fit guy in the jeep", he teased.
They met for a kiss again. Josh grabbed his bottle of beer from the bar top and said, "speaking of which...did you talk to Brian?"
"Yeah...he and Justin are having a beach party next weekend, he said that they'd love us to be there"
Josh shook his head, "you told him, didn't you? The truth about Rhona..."
"yeah...he said it was the best out come all round...anyway...have you bought your swim shorts yet ?Once I see those rolling waves of the Pacific, I'm diving straight in"
Josh held his hand, "Yeah...you and me both"
Xxxxx
LOS ANGELES
"so what to you think about Mom and Cole getting married?"
Molly asked her brother as they strolled on the beach. Justin shrugged, "It's okay I guess, at least he's age appropriate this time"
Molly pulled her hair back and laughed, "yeah...I suppose...but Mom deserves to be happy like we are...I mean, I know Cole is not the most exciting guy in the world, but she could do a whole lot worse"
Justin shook his head and looked out to the ocean. The gulls were in the skies, he gazed up at them and turned to his sister, "do you miss Pittsburgh?"
"What is there to miss? When you've got all of this"
Justin knew that. He loved LA. But he was worried that Brian might be missing Pittsburgh.
"What's brought you to ask me that anyway?"
Justin lead the way to the boardwalk and replied, "Michael came to visit last week, I think Brian misses him..."
Molly laughed, "You kidding aren't you? Are you sure it's not you who misses the Pitts...I saw Brian last week on the surf...he looked well funny trying to compete with all those young beach bums"
Justin laughed, "He fell in twice...but he does look hot in a wet suit"
Speaking of which, Brian in his wet suit was running over to them, his hair wet and hanging in his face, "hey...I'm sure I was nearly eaten whole by a great white back there..."
Justin looked at him, "Yeah Yeah...you are just saying that because you don't wanna go back in"
Brian frowned at him, "Huh?"
"..yeah...since Gus has become one of the beach bums...", he looked at Molly, "...now there is a beach bum in the making!"
Brian looked deflated, "I just wanted to make him see I can keep up with the rest of them"
Molly looked at Brian who smoothed back his hair in the sun, "Hey Brian...do you miss the Pitts?"
He looked at here as if she was stupid, "Fuck no"
Molly grabbed up her beach bag, "I'll catch you guys later, I said I'd help Mom with the wedding invites..."
Brian watched her go and looked at Justin and sniffed back, "so...come on...was it she asking that...or you?"
Justin looked awkward, "I dunno..."
Brian tilted his head to one side in question.
"Ohh okay! It's just when Michael flew back, you looked kinda sad...that...I dunno, you wanted to go back with him"
Brian laughed at him.
Justin glared at him, "Stop that"
"Why? Why would I wanna go back to fucking shitty old Pittsburgh, when I've got all I want here"
"I know..."
"Clearly you don't...let me spell it out to you, we've gotta great pent house looking out to the ocean...the business is doing more than successful where I get a front page review in the LA advertising journal, and we've made ourselves a bunch of hot looking friends...yes, before you jump in, I know ,we can look and not touch!"
Justin took his arm and kissed his shoulder, "I'm sorry..."
Brian glanced at him flippantly, "Yeah right"
"I'm just bored...I shouldn't have jacked in that beach bar job"
Brian looked at him with raised eyebrows, "Oh yes you did...I wasn't gonna let that sleazeball running it touch you up...and yes, it was me who gave him a black eye that night when he called me a cradle snatching Grandad...but he didn't go to the cops, because I know for a fact he's fiddling his taxes...he wouldn't want that to all come out, now would he"
Justin sighed as he looked to the waves, "I was thinking about Nathan...about him being in art college"
Brian shrugged, "He was inspired by you, you should be honored"
"What if he gets to be a bigger artist than me?"
Brian put his arm around him as they walked bear foot on the sand, "nobody is good as you...that gallery I pass on the way to the office, I think you should talk to them about putting some of your pieces up"
"Have you seen the art in there!"
"And yours is just as great...look...stop with the fucking bar jobs and wiping tables in shit ass diners...you're better than that...just go back and do what you're good at"
Justin smirked, Brian stopped and looked down at him, "What?"
"I didn't tell you, did I? When I was wiping tables in that shit ass diner, one of the studio guys that rejected the Rage project was in there...I cum in his coffee...and he drank it thinking he'd had extra cream"
Brian laughed, "He deserved it...that project was worth it...but, I will say part of me is glad it failed..."
And their eyes met...and they moved in for a kiss.
"AHHGGHHH GROSSE!"
Gus was standing there in his wet-suit and surf board, "Why don't you guys go get a ROOM...Dad you are like 50"
Brian playfully clipped his son around the ear, "you cheeky sod, I'm 41...", Gus looked at him suspiciously, "...okay, I'm 43"
The teenager watched the other guys on the surf, "I love it here...I'm so glad we came to live here..."
Brian and Justin glanced at one another and nodded, "Yeah...so are we"
"And we've got that beach party next weekend"
Brian nodded, "Yes we have...that's when Nathan and Josh will be flying in...it'll be great to see them again"
Justin nodded, "Yeah...they can fill us in what's NOT happening in the Pink Parrot right now"
The three of them stared out to the rolling waves as the sun was starting to go down.
THE END
Author's Chapter Notes:
Final Chapter or a sort of coda or epilogue. I think there was only 3 people reading this so thank you for your kinds reviews. I am giving the boys a rest now and starting to recover from my time in hospital.
The End.
Markab1972 is the author of 1 other stories.
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This story is a favorite of 4 members. Members who liked Summer of love also liked 361 other stories.