Brian sat holding the hand of his aunt, Lillian Kinney. Her partner Mave was on the other side of her, running a soothing hand through her hair. Tears ran unchecked down their faces as they spent their final moments with the dying woman they loved. Brian reflected on the years that had passed.

(Flashback)

The first time he’d seen his Aunt Lill was in New York when his father forced him to lie in order to protect his sister. He was seven years old and knew she wanted to take him away from the abuse. That was when Claire and he were close. Not anymore, Claire had hardened towards him when she had been punished for his supposed wrongdoings one too many times. The family had moved to Pittsburgh and now 14-year-old Brian watched from the safety of his aunt's car as Jack and Joan Kinney were handcuffed and led away. By a twist, they would be charged in both New York and Pittsburgh. The PI’s she had hired had evidence on film of the beatings he had taken from his dad. The last was when he had been kicked in his ribs, cracking several, and then shoved over the porch railing. He had been unconscious for an hour, but luckily he’d only had a concussion. Aunt Lill and her life partner Mave were each holding one of his hands when he woke up. They held him as he first cried, then got mad at his parents for not caring. It had taken a while for him to totally trust the two women. He chuckled to himself as he thought of the fact his aunt was a lesbian. Not that he cared. After all, he was a big ho ho ho homo himself. So was his friend Mikey Novotny, and Mikey's mother was one hundred percent behind them. Then his thoughts were pulled back to the present day and he remembered that the cancer his aunt had was genetic and that he carried the gene. Granted the doctor told him it didn’t always hit everybody and when it did it was not always fatal.

(End Flashback)

Looking at Brian, Mave mildly rebuked him. “Don’t dwell on this Brian, you may never get this dreadful disease. Remember, your aunt wants you to live your life to the fullest but also wishes for you to find a love of your own. It’s why she fought to take you away from them when you were fourteen.

She doesn’t want you to close yourself off. You are a good man who is worthy of being loved. She fought hard to live for you and me, Brian. She was determined to see you graduate college and find a good job in advertising. Now it’s time for you to concentrate on being the best homosexual you can be. Establish your reputation as an adman. You have a promising future to look to when you’ll establish your own company. But get a couple of years' experience first.



After the funeral and when Brian and Mave had gotten away from Vic, Mikey, and Deb, they sat on the back patio of the home he now shared with his Aunt Mave. They shared the love seat while looking out at the beautiful yard and pool. Noticing Brian’s teary eyes, she cupped his face in her hands. “Remember what Lill said?”



He nodded his head and replied, “She said 'Miss me but don’t deeply mourn me. There are no more treatments or pain. Remember all the talks we had. Reminisce about the Thanksgiving's and Christmas’s we had. The New Year's Eve we watched the ball drop in New York with our glasses of champagne. The birthdays we celebrated. I lived my life well. I have the love of my life and the son of my heart by my side. I have never thought of you as a nephew. Once I’m gone, this house is yours and Mave’s. Enjoy it and someday you will find a beautiful young man to love. Please promise me you’ll live here with him and fill this house with children. I hand you over to Mave now, she is your Aunt Mave.

Get your checkups, as they WILL catch this dreaded disease IF you get it. But don’t dwell on it and promise not to let that hold you back from loving. PROMISE ME!' I promised her Aunt Mave. I will do my best. You said you are moving to the cottage on the grounds. You know you don’t have to do that, don’t you?”


“Brian, I love you as much as Lill did. You should get used to living here alone and so should I. I’ll never marry again. Brian, just because it isn’t legal means nothing. When, not if, but when, you find your young man, do as we did. Get a legal partnership. I will stay in the house for a month while the cottage gets refurbished. I’ll always be here for you for as long as I can. I promise you that we WILL have some meals together and sit here together often,” Mave says as she gently kisses his cheek and brushes it gently.



Later, after they ate what they could of the food and they had both retired to their rooms, Mave thought about how glad she was Lillian got Brian away from his horrid family. Deb Novotny and Vic Grassi are good people, but Deb's guilt at not having a father for her son is going to be a hindrance for him. He needs to learn to admit his mistakes and take responsibility for them. She remembered when Deb came here blaming Brian for something Mikey did. Lill very firmly told her she was the mother and solely responsible for Mikey and to stop expecting Brian to help her raise him. When Vic came back from New York, she and Lill took Brian on a vacation to Europe for the summer. She encouraged Brian to open up and ask to go places or ask for something not available in the states. After they came back, Brian had pulled away, remaining friends but not letting Mikey cling on to him anymore. He made friends at college and partied with them, but he didn’t want to become a drunk as his dad and mom had. His aunt taught him moderation. Her only vice was the occasional bit of weed.



The next day, the cook brought out a tray of sandwiches with some coleslaw for them with some iced tea. They talked about the flowers and bushes Aunt Mave took care of. Brian was going to take over the vegetable garden, as he found it relaxing. She even taught him how to freeze and can food. They had plenty of money, as he had learned about the stock market from her, and had been given chores he was paid for. Keeping his room clean was his responsibility. They had a gym membership down on Liberty Avenue. He met Mikey, Em, and Ted there on the weekends. While he’d been in school, the school gym kept him in shape. He even kept up with his chores after his internship with Ryder Advertising garnered him a part-time job where he now was a full-time employee.



“I almost forgot Aunt Mave. Justin is coming back to school, he’s going to be in Junior classes.”



“Really? I’m so glad to hear that. How’d he keep up with his studies and accomplish the jump to Junior? Weren’t their bank accounts frozen by that son of a bitch’s attorney?”



“He told me that he found a job at a popular Italian restaurant, Ginos. It has great food and middle to high-class clientele. He got great tips. On weekends he generally got $75 to $100 in tips. His mom finally was approached by a woman lawyer, just graduated, but she was a shark! She produced proof of infidelity and somehow got them to let her see his bank records and she won the defamation of character lawsuits, plus lawsuits for cruelty to Justin for being gay, as well as their mental anguish, he had to sell both electronic stores here in town in order to put the trust funds back, plus he had to repay the money she gave him out of her trust fund. His mom is taking Real Estate classes now and he’s back in school. His father took his mistress and moved to Philadelphia, where his last two stores are.”



“You said a newly graduated lawyer? How did that come about?”



“She was top in her class and Donaldson and Chase hired her. Philippa Chase took her under her wing, but let Melanie take the lead as she had uncovered all the dirt on that dirtbag. Justin told me Ms. Chase said Melanie Marcus will go far if she keeps going the way she’s started.”



Brian goes on about Justin. “He got 1500 on his SAT. He’s a phenomenal artist and really good with graphics. He has also sold some of his paintings and has done a few murals for businesses. He could go big someday in New York, but he tried traveling there some for shows and he can’t stand it. Says he wants to get a job in the art department at an advertising agency.”



“You like this young man a lot, don’t you? What does he look like?” She chuckles at the blush that covers Brian’s face.



“Yes, I do like him. He’s going to be twenty, so he's only three years younger than me. Blond hair, beautiful blue eyes. He's shorter than me at 5’8”, but his body type fits with mine so well. Uhhhh..... Oh, I haven’t mentioned we like similar things as well. Though I could do without Yellow Submarine, but he loves the animation on it.” He peeks at his aunt and blushes at her smile of delight.



“Well, you take your time and let things happen naturally. Be safe. Is he your first boyfriend?”



“Boyfriend! Welllll, I’ll admit he is more than just a friend. But he’s not my first and the others haven’t been serious. Yes, I have been safe, it’s stupidity not to be. They have always tried to be in charge, as if, so that ended things. That’s as far as I’m going. Justin needs to be out of school before we decide anything if we become more or not. He is shooting for a master's in two years as I did. I’m proud of him. I need to check the garden. It will soon be time to turn the mulch into it again and then till and plant the early vegetables.” With another blush, he gives her a kiss on the cheek and hurries off.



Mave sits and thinks of what Brian said about Justin. She’s so thankful that Justin appears to be his own man, like Brian. He knows what he wants and how to go about it. Lill took Brian on some of their business trips to LeClassique in New York. The clothes were made there with the perfume made next door. He saw the polite gentle aunt at times, but she could be loud at times, giving the employees a dressing down when needed. She and Mave had successfully got Brian’s walls torn down after bringing him home. It wasn’t easy, but he now shows how much he cares, instead of hiding it.



______Six days later



Brian wiped the sweat from his face with a hand towel. The mulch had been turned into the soil three days ago and well-watered. The garden had been ready to till. He had planted the early spring vegetables. Kohlrabi, kale, collards, Chinese kale, peas, onions, radishes, spinach, lettuce, and turnips. He had started the cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts in the greenhouse. Also, he had beefsteak, heirloom, cherry, Roma, and grape tomatoes planted there as well. He would plant plenty of heirloom tomatoes, as Aunt Mave loves fried green tomatoes. I swear, he thought, she can eat platefuls of the greasy things. He allowed himself one big one or two small ones. If his college friends could see him now. But he really didn’t care. This was who he was and he wasn’t going to pretend to be what he wasn’t. That made him think he would have to have a talk with Mikey. He was trying to cling again. They had gone to Woody’s and then Babylon, then some of his other college friends had joined them, which had pissed Mikey off. He would go to Deb's on Sunday for dinner. She had even invited Aunt Mave, and he had convinced her to go. It would be good for her. That would be a good time to have that talk. If they were to remain friends, Mikey had to quit clinging. They would never be a couple. Thankfully, Em had forewarned him about Mikey’s continued dreaming. Ted had mentioned it to Em, and Em said he had noticed it and they should tell him. They promised that he wouldn’t lose their friendship that had been established in his freshman year. Em had a degree in business management and Ted in accounting.

_____________



“Hey, Beautiful! What’s going on this weekend? Wanna spend some time together? I miss you now that I’m out of college.” Brian rubbed his hardened member through his pants, thinking of his boyfriend.



“Heck yeah, I do! I’ve got no homework, for a change. Wish we could spend all weekend together,” Justin said, grinning as he heard Brian’s breathing speed up. "No fair, are you playing without me?“



“Thinking of you and hearing your voice always gets me hard, Baby. How about you spend the night with me tonight?”



“Sounds good to me, when you want to go? Oh gosh, I’m getting close, Hun.”



“Well, how about I come get you and you come to the house for dinner tonight then we’ll take off. I’m imagining your sweet lips around my dick right now. Feels so good.”



“Let’s finish this first. I part your sexy cheeks and blow on your rosebud, making you shiver. Then I lick and nibble all around it. Then I start stabbing at you with my tongue. My fingers are rubbing your perineum while I hear those sweet sounds you make. So so close. I’m cumming! Cum with me, Baby! Briannn!!”



“Justinnn. So good, Baby. Whew! Let’s get cleaned up and I’ll be right there. Later.”





Brian got out of his car and saw Justin come running out the door. He opened his arms wide and Justin ran into them, wrapping his legs around Brian’s waist. He peppered his face with kisses.



“You, Justin Cole Taylor are going to meet my Aunt Mave.”



“Are you going to show me your garden too?” He asked, as Brian simply held him in a hug.



“I’m going to show you everything, and if you’re really good, maybe even my bedroom.”



Justin reached down and opened the jeep door and Brian let him down into the seat.



“Justin, I know you’d like to see my loft, but that was where I took my tricks. You are sooooo NOT a trick. You are special to me. We’ve had an open relationship, as we agreed. Granted you are twenty now, but you can continue that if you want.”



“Brian, I have hung out with guys and I know at the beginning when we first met I told you I would only bottom for that special guy. I’ve topped since I was sixteen. I no longer need an open relationship, but I’ll...”





Brian put two fingers on Justin’s lips and then leaned over to kiss him tenderly. “I’ve sowed all the wild oats I need to Justin. I want to show you a certain room when we get home.” Justin smiled a big sunshine smile at Brian’s words. They drove off with Justin’s hand on Brian’s shoulder.