CHAPTER 35 - THE TREE CUMS TO MIND AND SHE CRIES THEM A RIVER

BRITIN - A WEEK LATER

TRACK

JUSTIN

We're holding our breath as Ariel and Stitch fly past; Brian confers with Emmett who nods. 

“Well, what was the time?!” Winston demands.

“Ariel was 1.05 and Stitch 1.08.” Brian grins, we're stunned. “They’re faster on the flats than their parents.” 

I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him. “Suppose we have to let them race them then.”

“What? Are you serious?!” Hunter gasps.

“They’re your horses.” I laugh. “So do you want to do that?” For the next two minutes, he and Gus are hollering and whooping, before I wave them quiet. 

“But before you do that, you need to know anatomy.” Emmett smiles.

“Anatomy?” Gus echoes.

“Yes, they need to trust that you won’t hurt them.” Daph explains, she waves away their protests. “Trainers need to know every inch of their horses.”

“Oh Dad!” Gus flings himself, sobbing into my arms. Everyone looks concerned except Debs, Nancy and Ronald who are near tears themselves. 

“Thank you!” Ronald beams. “It’s always been his wish to train horses. However, because of the accident, Justin always said no.” 

Hunter ducks his head, Brian bundles him into his arms. “This is gonna be tough. No quitting. You start and you stay started.”

“I will! Promise on the soul of Mom!” 

“So when do we start? After your show?” Gus uses my tee as a hankie.

“There’s not going to be one.” I glance at Brian, who looks relieved.

“When did you decide that?” He asks, a smile quirking.

“Why did you decide that?” Nancy frowns.

“Let’s sit down.” I spread out the blanket I’d left by the tree. Again, looks are exchanged as they join me, slowly hunkering down, except Brian. “Floga, need to be comfy, sit!” Instead he takes out his phone. “It’s too windy for you to play Leibovitz, I want to explain then go check on Zeus.”

“Just one photo?” His voice sounds odd. “Will be quick.” I nod and he is. 

Brian sits down and wraps an arm around my waist; Mel still looks a bit tearful. “Don’t cry, I’m just retiring from the arts. It was all ego, once I realised I could paint again. I wanted to announce to the world, with jazz hands, ‘look I’m back’!” They chuckle and I blush. “It took a while but I realised how much I enjoyed the quiet. Now that Zeus, Odin and the kids are here plus Elliott and Debs’s wedding to organise I just…”

“You’re doing that?” Mel beams at a stunned Debs. “Tell her why.”

“Because my other Mom is already married.” I smile, whilst Elliott and Ronald hand their beloveds tissues. “And he’s his Dad.” 

“My best man can’t organise anything like that, so he’s going to have to seek help from his best woman.” Elliott declares, I feel Brian’s jaw drop, whilst Daph grins and nods. “I want a honeymoon in Colorado, on a farm, hint-hint-hint!” 

“Of course!” I cry, he’s soon objecting to being in a Brian and Justin death-hug, Debs and Nancy rescue him. “So Mom, where’d you want to get married?” 

A slow smile spreads across her face. “The diner; Michael is giving me away.” She stands and gestures to everyone to do the same. “Let’s leave them to it.” She and Nancy almost have to drag our astonished family off.

“She’s not serious?!” I turn to Brian. “What? She can’t be?”

“You know what she’s like when she gets the bit between her teeth.” He replies tugging off my tee. “Now come here.”

“So you’re pleased about…” I trail into a moan as he teases my nipples. “...can we go to the hut or barn, it’s a bit chilly.” 

“I want to make love to you here…” He puts our tees under my head, then shimmies out of his shorts, placing them then mine under my hips. “...you have lube?” I blush. “You are so cute when you’re prim.” I wave a foot. “In there? Why?” He pulls down my sock.

“Because that's the warming one and it's a little too warm to start, so I thought…mmm! Yep-yep!” I squeal as he sucks my cock hard and fast “Sl-slow down!” I beg; he waggles his eyebrows and goes quicker. I am yelping and bucking, pleading for respite. “I can’t hold off much…BRIAN!” I howl as him ringing my cock stops me cold. “You swine!”

“But you love me so…” He trills. Taking a handful of his hair makes him chuckle. “...not gonna stop, just replace...” I loosen my grip as he slides up my body, wrapping one leg around his waist. He bottoms out as our lips meet. 

He feels like a branding iron, scorching me from inside out. I scream with each thrust delirious with pleasure then ‘pain’ as he brings me to the brink - never quite letting me get there. 

“LET ME CUM!” I roar, his startled jerk finally gives me release. 

BRIAN

It’s been five minutes since we hit heaven hard; his aftershocks, since I’m still inside him, feel crazy-good. Slowly his eyes open, they are filled with love and confusion. 

“I wanted to replace the memory.” I whisper, reaching for a tee to wipe his face.

“What memory…” He trails off starting up at the tree. “...so that’s why everyone was looking at me funny. I…I just saw somewhere shady, didn’t even think.”

“You mean I did all of that for nothing?!” I grumble, he cuffs my ear, I gently withdraw. ”Hut or barn? Zeus can wait.”

“Barn.” He declares, we have matching grins as we shuffle wrapped in the blanket for warmth and a nap!

NEXT MORNING

MICHAEL’s HOUSE

MICHAEL

I wince as Lindz opens the blinds. “Why are you up now?” I grumble.

“Could you go and make some coffee, please?”

“Babe, come back to bed.” When I try to turn back the sheets, she stops me. “What?”

“I…had an accident; so I need to change them.” She flushes, I get out grimacing. “I told you my period was coming, now please, give me some privacy.” I head to the en suite, she sighs. “Michael, use the main bathroom, I really need alone time.”

As I grab my toothbrush and leave, I count the days until she’s pregnant and glowing like she was with Gus. I can’t wait for the arrival of my son and heir after which we're going to discuss tube tying for both of us so we can do it raw always!

LINDSAY

The kissy face I make as he disappears into the bathroom turns into a gagging scowling one as soon as both doors are shut. Sighing in relief, I try to gather my thoughts. I've not heard from Mel; I get that she’s the one with power, for now, which is why she’s keeping me waiting. 

“Are you going to be much longer making the bed, babe?” 

I swiftly strip it then stop his advance. “A few more minutes.” I smile, he tries again to enter, I sigh - he backs up. “So you’re going back to bed?”

“Once it’s made.” He replies, following me to the kitchen. He says nothing - thank god - as I load the washer; however is frowning as he sorts through the post. “Not that I have a problem, but when did you start having yours forwarded?” 

I stop myself from slamming the door. “I haven’t. That’s most probably the storecard we signed up for, remember?” 

“Oh yeah.” He whistles after opening it. “Three grand each, sweet!” I want to headbut him when he snakes his arms around me then kisses my neck. “We’ll be doing some shopping for some more pretty underwear. Bet Mel’s done a hatchet job on the others like she did with your leather trousers. Shame you never got to wear the underwear isn’t it?”

“I did wear them.” I stop his attempt to caress. “Michael, extra tender now.” Huffing he returns to playing Postman fucking Pat. “How come you weren’t like this when I had my period before?”

“Because Mel wasn’t getting it either!” He grouses. “So what did she think of them?”  

“She never said. Besides I bought them to wear for myself, not just for sex.”

“I thought we made love, you and her had sex, bad sex as I recall you bitching.” 

“I’m not having this conversation!” She snipes then slams the kitchen and bedroom doors behind her.

MICHAEL

For fuck sake, she’s sulking about something that’s her fault! I don’t remember her being such a crotchety old moo before. I think about the underwear we bought. She was on her period then too. Then I have a thought but the bathroom door closes just as I get there. I decide to make nice and make the bed, hoping that her accident isn’t on the mattress too! 

Fifteen minutes later, she’s out and dressed. “Where are you going?” I ask just as the landline rings, I check the ID. “It’s Ma, let me put her off.” She shakes her head just as I put her on speaker. “Ma, can I call you…”  

“No you can’t. I’ll be there in half an hour. Tell your girlfriend that her parents expect her to be at theirs in forty - set off now!” She hangs up before I can respond. 

“That’s where I was going. To see my parents. Why so surprised? We can’t leave it like this.”

“But I wanted to talk to you about dates, for your period, can we put them on the calendar…”

“No! I can’t believe you asked that! Now, I’m going, Michael, we're going to have to face them sooner or later.”

“But we're living our lives now…”

“Aren’t you forgetting Gus in all of this?” She sighs. “I’m still his mother, there’s lots for us to discuss, so let’s just do that, come back and talk then.”

“I suppose.” I grumble then have a thought. “What about his show? That critic guy?” She frowns. “It would be nice to have in our back pocket to…why not?”

“That was when we would be within watching him suffer, we're outside now. See you later.”

NANCY AND RONALD’S HOME - AN HOUR LATER

LINDSAY

“As I said, you misheard her. Come back tomorrow.” Daddy orders. I resist the temptation to remark how much that voice carries. “Have you tried to speak to Handsome?”

“I’ve been unwell.”

“Funny, he’s been thriving. There must be a karmic correlation. After all, when you were happy, he was miserable, now he’s happy…well you see what I mean.” 

“It’s not true! Well, I mean it is, but not the way he said it is!” 

“For Chrissake, come in, what will the neighbours think!” Daddy hisses. 

RONALD

She’s been sobbing for ten minutes. What ‘hurts’ is she dregging up to produce these I wonder; I glance at Nancy whilst holding and rocking our best little actress. She is not helping with her expressions as I assure Lindsay that I’m here for her and we will do all we can to help.

“Now, please explain this. Was it…was it…”

“No, not nothing like that!” She hiccups. “We…we did the deed, but only once and we were both drunk. And…and he threatens to tell Mel about it, but only when he’s drunk…”

“Drunk? Are you saying he’s got a problem?” I hand her a tissue, wishing it was soaked with chloroform as her sniffing is making me gag. “Why not call his bluff and tell Mel yourself?”

“I was so ashamed. And it wasn’t just Mel he was going to tell…”

“Who else then?” Nancy demands.

“Justin, Gus and you both. And now he has, I’ve lost everything!”

“You haven't, darling.” She coos, rubbing her back as she soaks my shoulder with her crocodile tears. I glare at the faces she’s making. “We’re all just shocked. Where are you staying? Take it, he’s he forcing you to remain with him?” She nods, Nancy grimaces. “Okay, how about we…”

“Speak to Mel and persuade her to let me come home?” She looks at Nancy, her face falling at the negative reaction. “Why not? Don’t you believe me?”

“Of course we do!” Nancy exclaims, whilst mouthing ‘not’ at me. “As much as we want to fight your corner, we can’t get involved in your marriage. But we can put you up in a hotel, how about that?”

“A hotel?” She buries her smile in my chest. “Thank you so much.” 

“Nancy, please book Shadyside House, how long for Lindsay?” 

“Let’s just book a month, you never know how long Mel will take to forgive you.” 

“That’s true. What about clothes and things, can you at least go and get them?”

“Yes of course. Let me sort out the room.” Nancy’s smiles, as Lindsay resumes her sobbing position, Nancy does the ‘noose’ gesture and winks.

NINETY MINUTES LATER

NANCY

They’ve finally set off for the hotel; he almost had to carry the dying swan to the car - despite her needing a nap to calm her emotions! Chuckling at the rat-a-tat-tat, I open the door to Mel, Maya and Daphne, each carrying two cases. “That's everything?” I query over my shoulder leading them to the lounge. “Okay, this is the stuff you weren’t sure about?” For the next two hours we meticulously pick over every item. “Jesus.” I sigh. “So either, you, us or Justin, bought 85% of everything she owned?” 

“Yep. So now what?” Mel pours more champagne.

“Anything that you want to keep?” Maya opens the second bottle.

“Just the jewellery.”

“How you going to get this lot back to her? And why have you put that whore in a hotel?” Daphne scowls.

“Comfort…” I look across at my beeping phone, my jaw dropping. “...that little!” I seethe, handing it to Mel, she looks confused. “We put her in a standard room and she’s upgraded to a suite!” I down my glass. “And I was going to send what she paid for to the hotel. However, since she's blazing through my money. I’m going to blaze through that!”

“You still got that fire pit tub?!” Mel smiles, I nod.

“Where are the matches?!” Daphne leaps up.

“Kitchen by the stove, top left cupboard over the warmer are marshmallows and graham crackers, let’s make some s’mores!” I declare.