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CHAPTER 6 - THE EYES HAVE IT AND OTTER HONESTY


DEBS


“Okay then! So let’s get to chatting about things…”


Four hours later, not only do we have full bellies and new friendships, some more wanted than others, but Justin has ordered me to use the old barns in the back paddock for my sanctuary. As in move the entire thing there! Gus has not stopped grinning. Truth be told, neither have I, especially since he and Hunter seem to have connected over cookies.


“Grandma? So can he?” Hunter asks.


“Sorry, can who do what?” I smile.


“Why do you call her grandma? I am her only son, and…”


“She said I could, so I do.” Hunter responds, effectively shutting Michael down. “Can Gus take us to the back paddock, so we can see what we are working with?”


“Now, Hunter, how would you feel about calling myself and Ronald, Grandmammy and Grandaddy? Having met such a nice young man, second only to Handsome, it would...”


“Absolutely!” Hunter exclaims, then assumes the same across our laps position that Gus is in. “But we go after we digest, okay?”


“Okay, H!” Gus grins, before bumping his shoulder with this foot. 


“H? I like that!” He declares, then bumps him back.


NANCY


Oh, how I despise that boil on my butt, as I once heard Gus describe him, but now is not the time. I have two plots brewing in my cauldron, again overheard to describe me by Lindsay to her bestie. I look across at Debs, nod quickly at Brian, then Justin. She blinks twice, ah, she is of the...wait, why are Mel’s eyes wide? She stares at Brian, then Justin, and winks, Got it, we three need to talk!


“You okay, Dad?” Gus asks as he has been leaning against the sill. “Do you need…”


“Shall I get your wheelchair for you?!” Michael declares. “He’s only been out of it since…” 


“Baby, take my seat.” Emmett gets up, before helping him sit down. “Better?” 


“Yes, thanks. I…ouch!” He winces. Immediately Gus is by his side. “It’s...ow...it’s just pins and needles. Doctor said that this would happen.”


“When did you speak to the doctors?” Michael frowns.


“Since when do you care?” Gus scowls. Oh, how I love my little feisty Handsome!


“We need to elevate his legs a bit.” Brian orders. “Please, you two need to get off the chaise, so that…”


“How does that elevate his legs?” Lindsay queries. Neither of them move.


“Well, if you would vacate it, I could show you.” Brian calls out over his shoulder before lifting Justin up and striding over. “Not that I have a problem holding him, but your selfishness is showing.” I enjoy their expressions as he puts Justin down, plumps the cushions behind his back, and, after placing one in his lap, putting Justin’s feet on it. “Still having tingles, or is it a cramp? Yeah, that's a cramp-face! Okay, bend your foot back whilst stretching out your leg…”


“Ow, ow, ouch! How is...” Justin gripes before his pained expression slowly melts away. “Oh, that is so much better, thank you!” 


“You’re welcome. Now shall we go? Will you be able to make it?” Brian asks.


“Why don't you and the kids stay here, Justin? Lindz and I could show our new friends the…”


“Got your chair, Justin!” Lindsay tinkles. 


“Thank you, Michael and Lindsay, but he doesn’t need to stay or sit in that.” Mel gets up, then rifles in a drawer. “I know it is in here somewhere.” She mutters.


“Mom?” Gus joins her. “What are you looking for?” 


“Aha! Got them.” She pulls out a set of keys. “The golf cart!”


“Of course!” I cry. “Gus, can you see if it’s fully charged?” 


“It is, Grandmammy! I used it last weekend, but charged it up afterwards. I thought...” 


“You’ve been told about putting things back in their proper place before.”


“Did you want to use it, Michael?” Ronald asks.


“No, but that’s not the point.” Michael bridles. “He should’ve put them back in the key cupboard, and...one second, why did you look in the drawer first, Mel?”


“Because he didn’t put the keys in here, I did. He gave them to me to put away, as he needed to do his homework. I saw them here when I was getting a business card for Brian. Now, apologise to Gus.”


“No, Mom, that’s not…”


“Down, tiger mom, you know how he feels about that, right? Justin chuckles as he sits up. “The cart is a great idea. Gus, can you start it, and by the...hey!” He cries, as once more Brian picks him up. “If you are going to keep doing that, please give me a word of warning!” 


“How about I say ‘oupa’, then do it?” Brian laughs.


“Fine!” Justin giggles. “Gus, lead the way!” 


THE BARNS - FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER


LINDSAY


“Don’t know about you…” I whisper to Michael. “...but I am cold and bored!”


“Me too, but…” He looks over his shoulder. “...I am going to start helping Ma out more with the animals.” He grins at my incredulous expression. “One, that gets me back in the house and into Wheelie Boy’s good books…” I nod. “...and two, have you seen the hunks here? I caught the eyes that Ben and Emmett were giving me. I am going to have my pick, although my long term aim is Brian.”


“Hmm, he is a fine looking man, but right now he seems to have been taken in by the weak-as-a-kitten act of Wheelie. Look at him…” I sneer as they trundle around in the cart with Gus and Mel in the back seats. “...when did the miracle happen?” 


“The miracle? Oh, the walking? No idea. Have you gotten your keys back yet?”


“No, I haven’t, but why was Mel looking for a card for Brian?” 


“Good point. Well...” He stops as a shriek, followed by raucous laughter rings out. “...we need to get closer!” 


It takes us less than a minute to catch up, when we do, the golf cart is stopped, everyone is still laughing, as Winston is almost on Drew’s shoulders.


“Where’d it go?!” Winston squeals.


“Winston, will you stop?! You are being ridiculous!” Drew shouts as he tries to get him down, but he clings on tighter. “You have seen rats before!”


“Not rats that can be saddled and ridden in a derby!” Winston declares. “Not coming down until it is confirmed gone!”


“Jeez, what a wuss! Which way did his shriek send it?!” Daphne looks around. When Debs points to one of the barns, she heads in that direction. For five minutes there is silence, then she is beckoning us towards her quietly...he can suddenly walk unaided I notice! “Okay, it was not a rat.” She whispers as she waves us forward. This barn is waterlogged, so not conducive to sandals! Oh well, will just have to replace them, it is his fault we are here after all!


“What is it, Aunt Daph?” Hunter frowns, then smiles. “It can’t be bad, as you’ve gone derpy, so what?”


“Very quiet!” She orders, before leading us to a hole in the barn wall, through which we see the stream. “Do you see them?” She points at something.


“Oh wow!” Hunter sighs. “Dad, come look!” 


“Okay, at what...jeepers. Justin, did you know about these?” 


“About what?” He gets down next to him before gasping. “They are adorable!” 


“What are?” Daddy demands.


“Otters. There is a family of otters!” Daphne grins. “In fact…” She peers through the hole before stepping outside. “...wow, just wow, come out here!” She orders.


EMMETT


“A little help, please!” Drew demands, I try not to laugh as Winston is still clinging to his shoulders. “Not funny!” Drew grouses. “Get him down!” 


It takes five minutes for Winston to be transferred to Ben’s, so he carries him outside. We are greeted by a massive stream, but one that stops flowing about thirty foot away from us. 


“I was wrong...families, look at that.” Daph points up.


“How the hell didn’t we know about this?!” Justin exclaims as we take in the full dam structure. “Is this why the creek had gone dry? Why didn’t Ethan tell us?! I can’t understand how that could’ve been missed!” 


“You said nobody was to be up here, so don’t go blaming Ethan!” Michael fumes. “So how do we fix this?”


“What do you mean fix?” I ask, adding Little Mr Pissy, under my breath.


“That was one of the things that helped me sleep, even before my...our accident...the sound of the water flowing into the duck pond.” Justin looks sad. “It would create a little creek and water the vegetable patch, but when I came back from the hospital, the pond had dried up…”


“Let me see here.” Blake steps forward. “Oh, that should be easy enough. Come on, boys, let’s break it down!”


“You can’t do that!” Gus yells. “This is their home! If you…”


“G! Calm and listen…” Hunter takes his shoulders. “...we’re just gonna let some water out. Not sure where you were when this was said, but Uncle Blake knows animal habitats. The camping trips we’ve been on were amazing. We’ve been to India, the Amazon, South Africa, all over the world! He knows what he’s doing.”


“Can I proceed, Gus?” Blake asks. It takes a few, but he nods. Blake wades into the water and examines the master dam. “So the main source is the waterfall up there. If we loosen it a bit, the natural pressure would be enough to flow, but not break, so they can keep their home, and you get your creek and pond back.”


“I have a waterfall in my backyard?” Justin tries to see where Blake pointed.


“Oupa!” Brian swings him onto his back, without hesitation, he clambers onto his shoulders. “Can you see it?!”


“Yes! Let me down! Gus, you need to get up here!!” He helps him up. “Do you see it?” 


“Dad, can we go up there, when you’re stronger, walk wise, but can we?” 


“Yes, a picnic and...oh my god!” He gasps. We all look down. “What do I do?” 


“Nothing.” Blake smiles. “They are very inquisitive, so just stay still. It will most likely head back to the water.” After a few seconds of chirping, sniffing, and nibbling on his trainer, the otter yawns, then rests his head on his foot. “Or not.”


“Now what?” Justin whispers as we watch the baby slowly doze off.


“Mommy’s coming.” Blake nods at a movement in the water. She pauses before she gets out, as if waiting for Justin to do something. “Just keep still.” She chirps and calls. Slowly, the baby opens its eyes. She chirps some more, but still it doesn’t move. “Keep still, Justin, let her take the baby.” Who decides to get more comfortable! “Okay, he’s a little tyke! Now, there are two ways to do this: she takes, or you flick...”


“Dad, do not flick!”


“I wasn’t going to! Now, come on sweetness, you need to go back with your mommy.” Justin cajoles as he gets down on one knee. “She’s right there, you just need to go. So what I am going to do is move your pillow, but you stay here okay?” Slowly he shifts his foot, then we all back off whilst holding our breath, which we let out seconds later after they disappear into the water. 


“So, Uncle Blake, how do we do this?” Hunter demands. 


OUTSIDE JUSTIN’S BEDROOM - TWO HOURS LATER


NANCY


“Right, Justin! Can you hear it?!” I yell up to the window. 


“Not yet!” He replies.


“Need more flow!” Ronald shouts. They adjust the branches, whilst anxious, but oh-so-cute faces pop up and down. Finally, ten minutes later, the bottom half of the stream is filling, but more importantly, the dam is holding. “How about now?!” 


“Well, Justin, can you?!” I question.


INSIDE JUSTIN’S BEDROOM - A SECOND LATER


JUSTIN


Oh, I can hear something! It is me moaning into his mouth. One minute, we were at the window, well he was leaning through it, and his tee rode up. Gently, I traced my finger along the exposed bare skin, just above his jeans, then he turned around. 


“What are you doing?”


“Do you have a problem with what I am doing?” I hook my finger into a loop and pull us back to the bed, then flip him onto it. “You have three seconds to stop me.” I whisper against his soft cranberry lips.


BRIAN


“Yowsers.” I am snapped out of my primal lust induced fog by the awed voice of Hunter! 


I look at Justin, he looks at Mel, who looks at Gus, who looks at Hunter, who is looking at Daph. “I can explain.” I swallow hard as Hunter has never seen me with a guy. “You know that I am gay, and…”


“You were kissing.” Hunter is wide eyed.


“I know, and…”


“You don’t kiss. It’s like that movie Pretty Woman, you don’t kiss!” Hunter is now grinning.


“In fair…”


“Don’t even try it.” Daph hoots. “It doesn’t matter who instigates, it's the reciprocation that is important, and that was reciprocation!” 


“Please, may I take my best friend to the bathroom so he can explain himself?” Mel titters. Once I get off of Justin, he pelts away. “Daph, you get his side of things. Gus and Hunter, run interference!”


“Sure!” They chime, and close the door behind them.


“Well! Can I call in the troops?” She continues when I frown at her. “Michael has designs on a few, but long term is you.” 


“Eurgh!” I shudder. “God, I must look rough!”


“You don’t, and you know it, but he clearly doesn't like Justin or Gus, and with what you did today, he is going to want to cockblock.” She presses her finger to my lips. “I saw his face when you whispered in Justin’s ear earlier. I know you, you pick up guys, but you literally don’t pick up guys, or speak Greek, you know, since you are of American-Irish descent.” 


“Shut up.” I grumble. “I need a hit.” 


“Can it wait until we are alone? I mean, alone-alone?” I turn to Justin’s voice.


“It can, though what do you have?” 


“Grade A Kush.” He replies, looking at the floor.


“Were you on it when…”


“No, of course not! I was with Gus. I only toke up when he's not here.” 


“Why?” 


“Why? Because he’s a child, and…”


“So is Hunter, but he knows everything that I do.” He and Mel look shocked. “And no, I don’t smoke in front of him either, but I’m truthful with him because I would rather he found out things about me from me, as opposed to anyone else. I don’t kiss, I don’t bring guys home, as that is that...our home. I haven’t kissed a guy in years. At least five I think.” I get off the bed and straighten it up. “If you want to talk, you have my number.”


“Me too. And it was the worst in the world. All sweat, slobber, and teeth!” 


“So where do I rank then?” I smirk. “I mean, out of ten, as there was definitely no slobber or teeth clashing.”


“A four, no a five.” He nods.


“What?!” 


“Hmmm. Whilst there was no slobber or clashing, there was no stroking of the face, no tangling fingers in the hair, and definitely…” 


JUSTIN


His mouth is warm and sweet. He has me pinned against the wall, our tongues slip and slide against each other. He tastes of wine...oh, so divine! This is insane! Each time I see this man, I am on fire with lust, behaving like a monk on day release! I am not sure who moved first once the ‘scores on the doors’ were mentioned, but now we are back on the bed. This needs to stop! I start to push against him, but his hands just gently clasp mine.


“Please stop.” I sigh.


“Point of order, Mr Chairman. You are on top of me.”


“I am not normally like this.” I mutter as I scramble off him


“It’s fine…”


“But just how have you gone five years without sex? I mean, it must be…”


“I said five years without kissing a guy, I have had sex during that time. I am only human, after all. In fact, I had a rather exquisite encounter a few days back.”


I spring off the bed and adjust my clothes. “I would like you to leave, but before you do, why would tell me that?!”

 

He tidies himself up then stands. “Because it was with you.”  

Chapter End Notes:

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