They Say It's Your Birthday

Chapter 3

Brian was surfing the net in his office when he heard the sound of little feet on the circular staircase that led to his attic office. He wondered what would be bringing Bree up to his inner sanctum.

“Dada,” a little voice said just outside his door.

“Come on in, Squirt,” Brian replied. Bree stepped inside her father’s office. “What’s up?” Brian asked.

“I want to say thank you for taking me and Ashley and Patrick to McDonalds.”

Brian smiled. “Did you have fun?”

“Yes,” Bree said but there was uncertainty in her voice.

“That’s good,” Brian replied, “but you don’t sound very sure about how much fun you had.”

Bree shook her head. “I shouldn’t have fun,” she whispered sadly.

“Why not?” Brian asked in surprise.

“I should be sad.”

“Sad? Why?”

“’Cause Gamma Joan wasn’t there, and she won’t be at my dinner with my other grandparents.”

“And that makes you sad?”

“Yes,” Bree said her eyes dropping to the floor.

“Do you think Grandma Joan would want you to be sad all the time? Do you think she’d be upset that you had a good time at McDonalds?”

“Maybe,” Bree said uncertainly. She ventured a look at her father.

“I think Grandma Joan would be very upset that you thought you couldn’t have any fun now that she’s not here.”

“You do?” Bree’s hopeful face looked up at Brian.

“Come over here,” Brian ordered gently. Bree approached her father, and Brian lifted the petite girl into his lap. “Better?” he asked. Bree nodded. “Let me ask you something.”

“What?” Bree asked with a frown.

“If Grandma Joan had been with us at McDonalds, what do you think she would have said?”

Bree thought about that for a minute. “She would have said she wished she could fit in the slide with us,” Bree said as a smile crossed her face.

“Exactly.”

“And then she would have told me and Patrick and Ashley to have tons of fun.”

“Right.”

“But she wasn’t there to say any of that,” Bree reminded her father.

“No, she wasn’t, but you’re allowed to have fun. In fact, your grandmother would have insisted on it.”

“But…” Bree began. “Is it disrespectable to her?”

“Disrespectful, Squirt.”

“Disrespectful,” Bree repeated.

“No, it’s not. After someone dies, there’s a period of what’s called grieving when the deceased person’s family and friends are sad about the death. Everyone grieves for as long as they need to in whatever way they need to, but then eventually they have to get on with their lives. That doesn’t mean they forget about the person who has died. It just means that life goes on, and we are allowed to have all the emotions we had before, including being happy or angry or … sad. Do you understand?”

“I think so, Dada.”

“Good,” Brian replied with a sigh of relief.

“Daddy said Gamma Joan has gone to heaven.”

Brian drew in a breath. He was afraid of this happening. “Yes, I guess Daddy did.”

“Where’s heaven?”

“There’s no answer to that,” Brian said after thinking for a moment.

“Huh?”

Brian knew he needed to explain more fully, but he wasn’t sure how. “Some people believe that heaven is way up in the sky.”

“Further than the spaceships go?” Bree asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you think that’s where it is?”

“I don’t really know, Squirt. I think if it exists it’s actually deep inside our hearts.”

“Oh?” Bree said in surprise. “I like that better.”

“You do?”

Bree nodded. “I can feel Gamma Joan in my heart sometimes.”

“You know, I think maybe I can too,” Brian admitted.

“I love you, Dada,” Bree said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

“I love you too, Squirt.”

“And I love my new rose.”

“I thought you might.”

“And I want to say something about Gamma Joan at my dinner party.”

“You do?”

“Yes.”

“What do you want to say?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’ll figure it out.”

“I bet you will.”

“Love you, Dada.”

“Love you too.”

And that was that.

*****

“How was your visit with Bree?” Justin asked when Brian came down for some coffee a little later.

“You knew she was up there, and you left me to the wolves?” Brian asked with an arched brow.

“A conversation with our daughter is hardly leaving you to the wolves.”

“Well, it felt like that.”

“So what was this conversation about?”

“Heaven,” Brian replied with a smug look on his face.

“Shit! What did you tell her?”

“You told her that Grandma Joan had gone to heaven.”

“Yes I did.”

“She wanted to know where heaven was.”

“And how did you answer that?” Justin asked with a worried look on his face.

“I didn’t tell her that there is no heaven.”

“At least not in your view of the world.”

“I know Bree prays each night. It was my mother who taught her to do that,” Brian reminded his husband. Justin nodded. “I told Bree that most people thought heaven was way up in the sky, but she didn’t think that was very likely.”

Justin frowned. “She didn’t?”

Brian shook his head. “I said I thought that if heaven existed it was actually deep inside our hearts.” Justin smiled warmly at Brian. “And she agreed with me, because she says she can feel Joan in her own heart.”

“Aw,” Justin said kissing Brian’s cheek.

“Sometimes I do say the right thing.”

“Most of the time you say the right thing,” Justin corrected.

Brian sucked in his lips and looked at Justin. After a moment he said, “And she wants to say something about Gamma Joan at the dinner.”

“She does? What does she want to say?” Justin asked curious as to why Bree would be suggesting such a thing.

“She doesn’t know yet.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Justin demanded.

Brian shrugged. “That’s what she said.”

“I … I don’t want her to be upset,” Justin said hesitantly. “She might cry.”

“If she needs to cry, she will,” Brian stated.

“How can you be so cold?”

“I told Bree that people grieved in their own way for as long as they needed to. I think this is part of that process for her.”

Justin shook his head. “Sometimes you amaze me.”

“Sometimes I amaze myself,” Brian admitted sticking his tongue in his cheek.

Justin laughed and threw his arms around Brian’s neck. “I love you,” he whispered before kissing his husband silly.

*****

The day before the grand event, Emmett came to the lane and proceeded to take over the cottage. He insisted that if Justin had to paint, Justin should take his paints, canvases and other accoutrements elsewhere. Emmett refused to allow the sun porch to smell like oil paint and turpentine. Nothing was to interfere with the aromas and scents of Emmett’s delicacies and floral arrangements. Of course, the flowers for the floral arrangements were cheerfully provided by the master gardener of the lane and owner of the greenhouse. Most prominent on display was Bree’s rose.

With the kids at school, Emmett had carte blanche to do whatever he needed to do.

“Hey, Emm, what’s on the menu for tomorrow?” Justin asked on his way through the sun porch and out toward the greenhouse; he decided to paint there. The natural light was perfect and Justin found the soothing sounds from their man made waterfall inspiring.

“I decided to keep the menu simple. Since no one is on any restrictive diet, I’m doing a roast with all the fixings. The ladies already approve of MY gravy so no worries there. And I think Princess Bree could use some comfort food instead of something fancy,” Emmett explained. “What do you think?” Emmett asked looking to Justin for some affirmation regarding his choices.

“I think you’re right,” Justin agreed. With his easel, canvas and paint box under his arms, Justin left the sun porch for the greenhouse.

“I agree,” Brian’s voice came from above. He had been working in his office and overheard the conversation.

“Thank you, your majesty,” Emmett teased. “How are you doing?”

It had been about six months since the passing of Joan. For the family of Edna’s Treasures and their extended family, most of life had gotten back on track; with a few exceptions, namely Brian, Bree and Danny. Brian and Bree for the obvious reasons, but Danny felt the loss daily. He even considered closing up his shop were it not for Riley and several of the bookstore patrons.

The members community surrounding the Village closed ranks around the bookstore, giving Danny their support and proving to him that it would honor Joan’s memory more to keep the bookshop going, especially the ‘lending library’ that a lot of the kids counted on as they continued their education. Danny was working through his grief and named the spot near the fireplace ‘Joan’s reading corner.’ Hunter had donated the two overstuffed chairs Joan had in her house to the bookstore. The queen in Danny loved the chairs and thought it a fitting ongoing memorial. In turn, Danny gave to Hunter the two leather covered chairs that were originally in that spot. He thought they would fit in perfectly in Joan’s old house which had been transformed into a halfway house for Hunter’s kids.

The whole family had approved.

“A little better,” Brian replied honestly. It was getting a little easier each day for Brian but there were still a few days where his anger threatened to get the better of him. He kept himself together with the love and support of his immediate family and especially Bree. As with Justin, Bree held the magic key to Brian’s heart. “Can I help you with anything?” Brian asked.

“No, honey. I’ll bake the cake tonight at my cottage. The rest I’ll do here tomorrow. The grandparents should all be descending at around three. So I’ll be…”

“Knocking on my door early, but NOT before eight,” Brian warned. “We deserve one day to sleep late.”

“Oh pshaw! You can sleep late on Sunday but I promise not to disturb you,” Emmett vowed.

“Uh huh,” Brian murmured before retreating back into his office. He remained unconvinced.

Emmett spent the rest of the day cleaning, checking on linens and inspecting the ‘good china and crystal.’ Not that anything in Brian Kinney’s home could possibly be sub-standard or in disrepair, but as the family’s fairy godmother, Emmett made it his mission to keep tabs on things like that. Emm arranged the sun porch furniture then stacked the dishes and silverware on the table. He’d set the table the next day.

All that was left was the baking and the cooking. Emmett shouted his goodbye up toward the balcony then slipped away through the porch door when he heard a grunt of acknowledgement.

*****

“Helllooo!” Emmett called out as he entered the greenhouse. The greenhouse was lush with vibrant blooms and foliage. He looked back through the doorway that he had just come from. The path from the edge of Brian’s garden to the side door of the greenhouse had been lined with hedges and every few feet stood an arching arbor. It made for almost a completely sheltered path from the garden to the greenhouse. It allowed for light but kept most of the snow off the path during the winter.

“Near the pond!” Emmett heard. He turned then walked toward the back of the greenhouse. The back wall as with the front wall was made from stone. However, the back wall had water sluicing down the rock face into a pond. The pond had an outlet though the wall to the outside. The rest of the pond was outside. It was deep enough and was heated so that the koi survived the winter. This was Brian’s tropical oasis in rural Pennsylvania.

“Am I disturbing you?” Emmett asked as he saw the artist through the trees and approached closer.

“No, just taking a break,” Justin responded. He was sitting on the pond wall.

“Everything okay?” Emmett asked, glancing at Justin’s hand. It was over twenty years since the bashing but the occasional cramp in Justin’s hand was an ever present reminder of that day.

“I’m fine, Emmett. I’m really taking a break.” Justin smiled then cocked his head toward a finished canvas slowly drying on the easel.

“Oh!” Emmett exclaimed. “That’s me!” he gasped as he stared at the canvas.

“Yes, it is. I hope you don’t mind.”

“But I thought you were painting construction workers.” Emmett had seen several of Justin’s ‘working men’ at the Bloom Gallery.

“It started out that way and then grew. I’ve been painting and sketching many of the everyday people,” Justin said making quote marks in the air at the word, everyday.

“I’m hardly an everyday person,” Emmett teased.

“You know what I mean. I couldn’t stop at just the people at the construction site. I started sketching cops and firemen and, well, you get the picture,” Justin quipped at Emmett.

“I certainly do,” he said as he stepped closer to the canvas. “No one has ever painted me before. Not like this.” Justin had captured the tall queen by his oven with a rack of freshly baked popovers in his oven mitt covered hands. The details were so precise that one could feel the heat coming from the oven, see the sweat on Emmett’s brow and smell the hot popovers.

“This is beautiful,” Emmett gushed. “I love it,” he said as he threw his arms around Justin. “I’ve always admired your work. Your abstract paintings are incredible but there’s something about your portraits, you capture the model’s soul.”

“Thank you, Emm,” Justin said from Emmett’s chest. Emmett was a very special member of their family. His opinion meant a lot to Justin.

“Is there something I should know about?” Brian growled as he stood under a potted palm.

“Hmmm?” Emmett mumbled then quickly released Justin from the hug. Emmett’s hands had made a quick trip toward Justin’s delectable rump.

Brian arched a brow. Justin quickly moved into Brian’s arms as Emmett nervously giggled.

“Don’t you have a cake to bake?” Brian glared.

“Oops! Silly me. Tootles!” Emmett smiled brightly then scurried through the greenhouse to the front door. Brian and Justin laughed when they heard the front door open and shut.

“You know nothing would ever happen with Emmett,” Justin said with his arms still around Brian’s trim waist.

“I know, Sunshine. Emmett is so not your type but I have a reputation to maintain.”

“Emmett has shot holes through that reputation over the years.”

“I know that too but allow me to live in ignorance,” Brian quipped. The lovers remained in the hug; Brian pressed his lips on top of the blond head. He felt Justin sigh and his arms tighten around Brian.

“I love you,” Justin whispered.

“I know,” Brian replied. “We have about an hour before the Squirt gets home. Wanna fuck?”

“Ever the romantic, aren’t you, Kinney,” Justin laughed as he pushed back from Brian to see his face.

“Well?” Brian asked with an arch to his brow.

“Hell yeah!” Justin shouted, waggling his eyebrows, grabbing Brian’s hand then quickly leading him through the greenhouse and back to the cottage.

“You’re so easy,” Brian laughed as Justin dragged him to their room.

*****

After dinner the dads checked over homework then spent the rest of the evening at the Anderson-Morrison side of the conjoined cottages. They were enjoying a game of Scrabble and talking about their day.

“Bree?”

“Yes, Uncle Bobby?”

“Can you help me make the popcorn?”

“Sure, Uncle Bobby,” Briana replied. They went to the kitchen to make the popcorn the traditional way in a popper on the stove.

“Bree, I wanted to thank you,” Bobby said as he shook the pan.

“I like making popcorn, Uncle Bobby.”

“I’m glad, but that’s not what I wanted to thank you for. I wanted to thank you for inviting my parents to your party. My parents are honored to be included.”

“I don’t understand,” Bree said, a little bewildered. “I love Grandpa Dan and Grandma Emily.”

“And they love you too, sweetheart. But they’re a little different from your other grandparents.” Bree studied her uncle’s face; she wasn’t sure what he meant. Bobby sighed; for a lawyer, he was doing a lousy job getting his point across. He turned to pay attention to the corn popping on the stove.

Bree stood on a stool watching her uncle. She was trying to figure out if he was upset or angry or what.

“Uncle Bobby, my Grandma Jenn is my daddy’s mommy,” she said as Bobby turned off the stove. “And my Grandpa Craig is my daddy’s daddy. Grandma Debbie is Dada’s special Maw.” Bree said ‘Maw’ the way she heard Brian always pronounce it. “And Grandma Claire is Uncle John’s mommy.”

It was Bobby’s turn to not fully understand as Bree recited her inventory of all her grandmothers and grandfathers and their relationship to her.

“You’re my uncle and I love you. My daddies love you. I love your mommy and daddy too,” Bree declared.

“Thank you, princess.” Bobby hugged the petite child then kissed her cheek. “Let’s bring in the popcorn,” he whispered.

“Yay, popcorn!” Bree bounced excitedly then helped her uncle bring in the bowls.

The kids eventually were put to bed and the men cleaned up for the night. Beau was on his nightly patrol of the lane then cut through the trees following the stream to Danny and Riley’s tollhouse. No one was home but Beau made sure it was all secure.

“You okay, Red?” Brian asked his brother-in-law before going back to his side of the cottage. Bobby was washing some glasses.

“I’m fine, really. Do you know just how remarkable your daughter is?” Bobby asked with moist eyes.

“I have an inkling,” Brian remarked. He kissed the side of Bobby’s head then bid Bobby and John a good night.