CHAPTER 18 - HAUNTING WORDS AND NEEDING TO FEED HIS BEAST
MICHAEL’S HOME - MID MORNING
KITCHEN
LINDSAY
I can’t believe I’ve had no response from him! Although irked, I admire my ingenuity in keeping Joan’s old phone. Some would call using her words mean, but it’s his fault for not behaving the way she and I drilled into him. With a look, sigh or weary shrug he was back under her control. She taught me every trick she had, plus I’ve added my own. I snatch up my phone; whilst I’m pleased that Brandon has replied, I want Brian to answer!
I pour the Vidago, it truly is the best sparkling water. I insisted that we shopped for my creature comforts. Despite its cost, I know Brian likes it, having seen it in his office. My refinement is always rubbing off on him.
“You know what I think?” Michael asks as he enters smiling. “We should open the store tomorrow, today is a day off.”
“A great idea, we're both still in shock. And I’ve got one of my own. Why don’t I move in with you?” He looks surprised. “I’m all alone in the hotel, we get on very well, plus I can get Manning to work here. He can sleep in the back room.”
“That’s…an excellent plan!” He smiles, giving me a hug and a kiss to my cheek, which makes me a little sad. As usual, he notices. “Not heard from Brian then?”
“No.” I sigh. “What about Justin for you?” He shakes his head. “And yesterday is something I want to talk to you about.”
“The fooling around comment?” He puts on the kettle, I nod. “I know you know Brian, but could he be…”
“Absolutely not.” I declare. “However, it just seems an odd thing to say.”
“And then there’s what Justin didn’t say?”
“What do you mean?”
“He didn’t deny it. Ironically, he’s very straight like that.”
“But, and how can I put this delicately? He's been spiteful to me, following the lead of his suddenly arrived best friend. Yes, we got off to a rocky start, but his behaviour is now mirroring hers. And ever since she got that bracelet, she’s been a prancing popinjay.”
“Of course Daphne is the problem! We were fine until she came.”
“She was bad in New York, but containable, now she’s here, she’s running riot. And I think I know why?”
“Jealousy?” He suggests, again I nod, before he looks nauseated. “You don’t think she fancies Brian or Justin do you?”
“More like she fancies the money they’ve now acquired.”
“But isn’t he rich already?”
“I’m worth more than Brian and Kinnetic put together - although he still hasn’t given me any shares as we discussed before we came here. That being said, I will get the money he got from my father, he certainly doesn’t deserve it now.”
“No he doesn’t. How much is Kinnetic worth though?” I shrug. “I think you might have a problem with getting shares now, didn’t Justin get what his Dad had?”
“Yes!” I exclaim, still smarting over that “We can look on the stock exchange later. Let’s have some breakfast. I can’t wait for Manning to come and do this. To be honest, I’m not the greatest of cooks.”
“Why would you need to be when he’s there for that kind of thing? Shall we order from the diner instead?”
“Excellent idea.” I smile, he really is a very smart guy!
Thirty minutes later, I open the door and am surprised by Debs. I frown as she’s empty handed. “Is everything okay with Uncle George?”
“Everything is fine with him. I’m here to speak to Michael, can I come in?”
“One minute.” I enjoy leaving her on the doorstep. When I tell Michael she’s waiting, he sniggers and we decide to make some coffee and leave her to stew for a few minutes longer.
DEBS
As much as I want to explode, this is what they crave, the spiteful shitty demons. I didn't say anything to Justin or Vic, but Michael had sent Justin a few texts, which didn't sound like him, but when I saw the ones to Brian, I knew she encouraged and most likely dictated them. With a plan in mind to fix them, I go back to my car. Another twenty minutes pass, I spot one of the busboys coming up the road. Much to his relief and glee, I take their order from him.
I get comfortable and start to read my book. Five minutes later, the front door is yanked open and Michael is heading towards me, looking hangry. Patience reaped the first of my rewards then!
BRIAN’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
OUTSIDE THE OFFICE DOOR
JUSTIN
I knock again. After a few minutes of terse words, the door opens. “I made you something. You must be hungry.” He looks down at the tray, I push it gently into his chest. “Just eat it, please, it might make you feel a bit better.” He takes it then gives the world's tiniest smile before shutting the door. “Enjoy.” I whisper and turn to my studio.
Pacing the room, I know I should at least start selecting for the Asteridge Dinner, but my heart is not in it. I want to wring my twista-sista’s neck for the slew of needling texts she sent when he wasn’t answering her calls.
He ended up raging, it was kinda frightening, how angry he looked. It was Vic and Debs who managed to persuade him not to respond, especially when a few of them were from his Mom’s old phone. He didn’t even know she had it. She’s so freakishly unholy and tenacious it’s unnerving. And as for Michael; I had to be reminded by Vic to not answer when ‘Sidney’ called a few times!
OFFICE - A MINUTE LATER
BRIAN
I check the screen, then catch a whiff of myself and cringe. However, I must get this done, don’t care how long it takes. I smile at the plate of food, a sunny side egg and fries. It does look nice, although I can’t remember smelling anything cooking. Spearing the egg, I’m perplexed as it’s hard. What the hell did he do to this to get it to be like that?! As I lift it out of the white, first it drips, then the scent hits me so I take a bite. The yolk is a nectarine in peach juice and the white is peach yoghurt, I pick up a fry, seconds later the apple fries with lime vinegar and sugar-salt are gone followed rapidly by the egg. Rubbing my stomach and smiling, I reach for my phone.
STUDIO - THREE MINUTES LATER
JUSTIN
I snicker at his text, ‘the yolk is on me, it was delicious. Give me a few hours and I’ll thank you properly’. Replying with ‘look forward to it’, I start to go through my paintings.
KITCHEN, MICHAEL’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
MICHAEL
“You could’ve said that you had our food!” I fume. She smirks as my stomach growls.
“I was being respectful of the private time you needed.” She doesn’t look or sound it. “All sorted then?”
“Yes.” Lindsay smiles, I hide mine in my coffee cup. “I have a proposition for you.” Ma stares at her. “I want to buy your share of the store?”
“Why?”
“Brian and I have discussed going into business together, and he said to pick one. I will offer two dollars per percentage of your share.”
“That’s $40K.” She gasps.
“Cash, which I will earn in interest in a couple of days.” Lindsay puts her bank card and phone on the table. “What do you say?”
“What would happen to Michael’s side?”
“He’s already sold that to me.” She replies. I look at the ground. “It took some persuading, but he’s going to manage it instead of me.”
“Michael, this store was, I mean is, your life though!” Ma declares.
“I know.” I sigh. “But with the little I have now, it no longer feels that way. I think it’s best that I save up and start again and make wherever I end up mine and mine alone.”
She looks thoughtful. “But where would you go? You’d have to move out of Liberty Avenue, and I couldn't let that happen, could I?” Lindsay and I exchange looks. “As mad as I am at you for how you treated Jennifer and behave with Justin, you’re still my son and I love you very much.” She sits next to Lindsay. “I accept.”
TWO HOURS LATER
LINDSAY
We're about to toast successfully executing stage one of our restoring normality plan! I didn't totally lie to Debs. Whilst Brian and I have talked about going into business, is true. Michael selling me his side of the store is not.
“And now all you have to do is sign this transfer and your 35% holding is restored.” I hand him the pen, he tearfully does so then gives me a warm hug. “See, I told you that things come back to their natural order. You will soon have the store under your full ownership, once I speak to Brian and get his side of it.”
“Are you sure you don’t want money for it though?”
“Your friendship is payment enough.” I squeeze his hand. “Now, I’ve just got to move the money from our joint account back to mine and everything is back in balance.”
“Joint account? You and Brian have a joint account?”
“Just for household bills, I’m glad I insisted on that now.” I call over my shoulder as I take out another bottle of champagne.
“You’re so lucky living with the love of your life. I can barely get Justin to share a meal with me without other people hanging around.”
“You just need to create a situation where people, especially Daphne, can’t interfere. For example, the Asteridge Dinner, we need to shop for that. It will be just the four of us, and Brian and I will discreetly leave you and Justin alone.”
“You really are the best!” He declares, opening the champagne. “So when do Flick and Manning come?”
“Flick and Manning?” I frown.
“Yeah.” He smiles. “To move you in, they can do that and then he can make this place a home away from home for you, can’t he?”
“He can indeed.” I grin, relishing being able to order him about as before, plus slowly but surely bringing Brian back under my vivacious wing then finally in my bed! “But first we clink!”
BRIAN’S HOUSE - EARLY EVENING
KITCHEN
JUSTIN
I’m trying not to look at my watch. It’s been more than a few hours; I check the oven, the cheesecake looks great - almost time to take it out. I start to dress the salad when I realise that this is the first time I’ve cooked a meal for anyone from scratch! I’m glad that Vic took the boys to Emmett’s and said he’d tell everyone to give us some space.
“What smells good?” Being quietly asked whilst trying not to look nervous makes my heart melt. “You okay?”
“Much better now. As for dinner, mushroom cheesecake and salad, with Guinness sandwich cookies. But to start, Black Velvet Martini.”
“I’m sensing a theme.” He smiles, when I step towards him, he shakes his head. “Need to have a shower, be about ten minutes.” He starts to leave then pauses. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that and I cut you off. I will try not to do it again, but she was…”
“Psychotic?”
“Yeah.” He scrubs his face. “Will explain what I’ve done when I’m back, meet you in the…”
“Lounge, and I’ll put the fire on?
“Yeah.”
TEN MINUTES LATER
BRIAN
When I join him, I’m pleased that it’s a pitcher of martini. He pours in silence then stays at his end of the sofa, I relax when he puts his feet in my lap.
“You have pretty feet.” I remark, then sip. “This is very good. So, I’ve started the process of separating myself financially from Lindsay.”
“How the hell are you two connected financially?! It’s bad enough that she sucks the life out of you emotionally, she’s blow jobbing you that way too!” I rub his feet, he takes a few deep breaths. “Continue.”
“Ever since I’ve lived with her, we have had a household bills account. She and Mom always said it wasn’t necessary, but I listened to my gut. And Dad.” I raise my glass to the heavens. “Besides, Kinnetic is worth ten times what she thinks it is; which is why most of today was spent making it private again. I know how she operates, she will come after it if she can.” I close his mouth. “There’s some papers you need to sign. I’ve also found out that Lindsay needs to make rent on the brownstone from this year.”
“How?”
“Daphne. She found out from George and told me, God I love her. Anyway, I got the finer details out of Manning and Mel, after I tore a strip off them for not telling me in the first place. However, I’m glad I was fucked off when I found out.”
He pauses mid sip, eyes slowly widening. “You’ve bought it?” Smiling, I hand him the papers, he reads and wiggles his toes. “It’s not been empty for six weeks, why now?”
“Because of the other shitkicking thing she’s done. Let’s eat, then I’ll give you a bit of background, am starving.”
“You too? I don’t eat when I’m angry or anxious; just can’t keep anything down.”
JUSTIN
I’ve spent the last forty five minutes hearing how truly appalling Lindsay was growing up and having money has made her even worse. The unoccupied clause was put in by Nancy after Lindsay left for six weeks. No word of where she was going; all because Lynette got engaged and the attention wasn’t on her. She said she didn't want to get in the way of the arrangements. The bill for her petulance was, quarter of a million dollars. Coincidence? I think not!
“That was absolutely delicious.” He finishes off the last of the bread, I grin proudly. “She’s bought Debs’s share of the store for forty grand so that she and I can be in business together.”
“Oh my fucking God. What are you going to do?!”
“Let her think they’ve got what they wanted.”
“They?”
“Hmm, she’s given her share to Michael, so he’s back to 35% holding, the winners in all of this are Debs and Mel.”
“Wait, back up, how did you find out about the giving thing?”
“Desmond, her ex attorney, you met him very briefly at the reading. His office is still handling some aspects of her private work. He called to warn me, although Debs already had. She didn't believe Michael’s lament that he sold his share and would set up elsewhere whilst managing it for Lindsay and me.” It takes him a few minutes to wrest the phone out of my furious grasp. “Justin, you twot, listen! I don’t own it anymore, Mel does!”
“Mel? Why?”
“Because she offered me good money for it.” He blushes slightly. “Besides, I only bought it as another tie-in to you.”
I giggle. “That’s why I sold it.” I brush his cheek, he sucks my bottom lip first then devours my mouth. His tongue combined with the taste of biscuits and cocktail is making me throb. Slowly we pull apart. Our hands are entwined, he’s stroking my palm. We're both breathing deep. Slowly I look up. “Brian.”
“Justin, I need you inside me.”