CHAPTER 12 - GLOVES STARTS TO COME OFF AND A MISCHIEVOUS MOM

MICHAEL

“What do you mean?!” I fume, looking around. The party crashers are looking bewildered or smugly amused. “I would’ve told you in private.”

“The same private way you’d have told me what Ted said?”

“That was different!” I argue.

“How?” Ben asks, Mel snorts. “Oh, and then there's the first how from the original question.” I glare at him. “What? It’s boyfriend mind twinning, he’d have asked that next. Right, babe?” 

Brian’s nodding ramps up my fury back to earlier levels, but now is not the time for an explosion. “That is for Brian and me to discuss in private with Ted. What he said was so horrid that it still haunts me to this day.”

“No you won’t, and no it doesn’t.” Ted declares. “You laughed at the time, the only people that didn’t were Debs, Mel, Vic and Emmett.” 

“It was a laugh of shock!” 

“Then said that you must remember that for future use.” He adds. 

“Mel didn’t laugh? Fuck me, how bad was it?”

“Like I said, it was horrid. Now let’s just eat, we're here to celebrate your triumphant return.”

“Novotny, let’s spin back, shall we? Don’t get me wrong, it was a good attempt at distraction, but you failed to launch again.” I glower at Evan, whose draped arm  across Daphne’s chair rankles. “That death glare doesn’t answer the two hows, and also, come to think of it, why do you feel you should tell him?”

“Okay, enough.” Crone stands up, Ma also rises. “Boys, back to your corners.”

“By boys, she means Michael and Evan.” Ma adds, shocking me with her loutishness. “As was said, this is a time for celebration. If we can’t celebrate without sniping, sulking or overstepping marks, then get a take away box and eat at home.”

Why is everyone looking at me and not Evan?! This is so unfair!

“However, there is one thing that I should say.” Crone continues. “And that is thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Debs.” She turns to a stunned Ma. “For doing the job I wouldn't, because drinking was more important than bringing up Brian. Most women wouldn't have stepped up like you did, you set him on the path to be the man he is now. Yes, he wanted me to love him first, last and always. No Vic didn't tell me, I was coming to check on you. For once your son is right you raised Brian, and I hope that we can help him and Mel raise their children.”

DEBS

“Come on, come with us, let’s get you cleaned up.” I don’t know who’s talking to me, I’m led blubbering like a baby to the bathroom. “Have you got any make up so we can refresh it?” 

“Purse.” I manage to get out. I just can’t stop crying. “Under the table.”

“Won't be long. Joan, help her to stem them!” 

“It’s okay Aunt Jen, I’ve got it.” Daphne states. “Let me have her.” I’m turned around. “Debs, look at me. Now get yourself together!” Her sharp tone stops me cold. “Tissue. Wipe.” She orders. Meekly, I obey. “Now, girlie, fix your face! You’ve got two minutes!” I turn to the mirror, catching Joan’s eye. She’s as surprised as I am. “That's better. Now don't you ever let me see or hear that you cried over something you should be fucking proud of!” I drop my eye pencil in shock. “I remember.” She smiles, handing it back to me. “First break-up, he was cheating, but I kept taking him back. One day I got good and drunk and dumped him. Of course, panic set in, because nobody else would love me like he does, and she said, that’s not love. It's manipulation, cruelty and ego on his part and stupidity on yours for falling for it every time. You're smart and beautiful, who deserves better. Now take some Advil, give me your phone, and go back to bed.”

“He sent about 150 messages.” I chuckle. “I was so close to replying, but I had to leave it to you. Did you ever block him?”

“No, and that was hard. I just muted the conversation, and about a year later, I finally deleted him from everything.” She twists her lip, looking sad. “He got married to the last one, they have a baby now.”

“And is a housebound cuckold, which he can do nothing about.” Mel giggles, we turn to her. “She trapped him. Very rich and vindictive sister of one of his conquests, can’t even fuck the help. All gay men!”

“How do you know that?!” I laugh as Daphne, yes Daphne, is fixing my face, Joan is tidying my wig and Aunt Jen is topping up my glass. 

“How do you think?” Mel grins.

“Emmett, of course! And how are you an Aunt, Jen?”

“Daph and Justin are childhood friends. The food will be in about ten minutes, Emmett asked them to wait for you and Brian.”

“Ben’s on clean up too?” I start to smile. “He must truly love him, he’s never cried in front of us. When we asked him why, he said crying made his Dad continue beating him.”

MEL

The realisation that Michael would keep hurting him, knowing he wouldn't express his pain, makes me hate him more!

INSIDE BRIAN’S CAR 

BEN

I hand him another tissue. “Been holding that in for a while, huh?” He nods and checks his face. “Yeah, you look like you've been crying.” He sniffs. “Blow it hard and let’s get back inside.” 

“For fuck sake! That’s the second time he’s past the door.” 

“Are you sure you're gonna get through this without lamping him?”

“Yeah, although I came close when he called Gus that kid!” Removing his tie, I smooth it out, then start putting it back on. “Maybe I should give you a hickey?”

“You’re such a bastard.” I laugh, how his mendacity works. “Although it would give some credence to why you ordered me outside. Did you see how Justin reacted to that?”

“Yeah. I kissed him.” He looks, dare I say it, bashful. “Figured it would shut him up.”

“But it piqued your curiosity.” I surmise, grinning when he reluctantly nods. “He sings a good chorus.” 

“Where the hell did you - Nellycutt? How long have you two been talking for you to be swapping pithy epithets?”

“Long enough.” I glance at the entrance and turn up the heating. “Start biting.” 

MICHAEL AND DAVID’S HOME - NEXT DAY

KITCHEN

MICHAEL

I stare out the window, absolutely livid. Finally, there’s signs of life, I struggle not to whirl around when the door swings open. 

“Morning, is there coffee?” Ma croaks, I point to the machine. “No, then. Is this still you sulking from last night, or something new?”

“You think I’m sulking instead of feeling hurt and betrayed?!” I spit, fuming as she starts to boil the kettle. “It's set up, all you had to do was switch it on!”

“Since you set it up, why didn‘t you do that?” She snipes back. “You’re hurt and betrayed because?”

“Because?!” I shout. “Were we in the same places last night?!”

“Yes, as my head can testify, so stop shrieking.” She gets water and Advil, then frowns. “One second.” She shuffles to the door then clears her throat. “Do you two need pills?!” I slam my mug down, she’s more concerned with their hangovers than my feelings! “For fuck sake, Michael, stop!” 

“Stop what?!” I bark, putting back her mug, and switching off the kettle. “Expecting my Mother to care for me first, or are you still basking in the glow of praise from Joan of Bark? Where was my praise, where were my thanks? You didn't raise him alone!”

“You didn’t raise him, you humped his leg at every given opportunity!” Uncle Vic coming through the back door surprises me as much as what he said. “Got the diner hangover cure.” He puts it down, whilst she looks relieved. “Not a word until she’s had at least half her coffee.” He sorts that out for her, whilst she has the Advil. “Who else is with us?”

“What do you mean?” I demand, then swear as the coffee drips onto my new white jeans and trainers. “Let me get changed then you can explain yourself!”

TEN MINUTES LATER

VIC

She’s looking less green, although the creep of her default SPOCC, spoil, protect, overcompensating coddling crapshit, is beginning to seep into her resolve. 

“You’ll lose him. Again. Want to risk that?” She sighs, taking off the ring that she snagged off of Evan. “Debs, I've worked too hard for you to allow him to fuck it up for you.” She retakes her seat. “Let him come to you. Evan gave it to you for wearing. I forgot how much you loved to dance.” She grins, polishing the ring, then putting it back on. “He’s improved.”

“Oh, Christ, hasn't he?!” She laughs. “But enough about that, well we’ll come back to it. You and George?” 

“It just happened.” I blush, remembering how he’d been badgering me to admit that I was jealous of his flirting with Ben. I pointed out that I was more embarrassed for him as he looked ridiculous trying to channel Shirley Temple cuteness. “I kissed him to stop him blathering on, and that was it.”

“What was he blathering on about? Let’s talk and eat.” She chuckles, beginning to help me plate up. “I think we should leave everyone else’s for now.” She checks the dishwasher before leaning closer. “He’s had cereal, do not offer him any, he’ll be here in a second. Trust me.”

And she’s right. The second the plates hit the table, in he comes. He gets out another set of breakfast things, sits down with a thud and folds his arms. 

Debs and I start to eat; he gawks and gnashes his teeth. Finally, face all gnarled up and huffing like an asthmatic pug, he helps himself to most of the food. When he goes to get salt, she puts it back then remains in front of the stove. I move her plate closer to me. “What the hell?!”

“You didn't want anything, remember?” His lips quiver with indignation. “Since you’ve changed your mind, call Kiki and eat it in the store.” I’m also stunned by that. “None of us want you for company whilst you’re acting like a sulphur spitting shrew.” 

“This is my home! If anyone is leaving, it will be you two!”

“Will you stop being so fucking disrespectful!” David booms.

“Disrespectful? When was I disrespectful and to who?!”

“It’s whom, not who, and you were disrespectful last night to me, your boyfriend of 4 years. I only existed when you wanted to bitch and moan about Brian having the audacity to spend time with other people. Especially when those people were Ben, Emmett, Ted and his mothers, Joan and Debs.” I glance at Debs. She’s nodding and looking proudly at David. “The only time you smiled was when Brian disappeared for an hour. Oh, how you scampered to the backroom like a foal discovering its legs thinking he was living up to his old reputation. You were crushed to discover that he was in a booth with his boyfriend, who by the way, he has every right to put a love bite on, without having to listen to disparaging remarks about how high school musical it is.”

“Since when are you so pro-hickeys?!”

“Cherry picking at its finest.” David scoffs. He pauses when Daphne comes in. “Hey  darling, best to go back to bed for now.” 

“Need Advil.” She mutters, leaning against the counter. Michael’s face as Debs waves her back out before passing it through to her is a kaleidoscope of colours and emotions, none of them good. 

“Michael, if you have a grain of love for those two people, do as they say and leave.” I open the back door. “And when you get to wherever, take time to spin back to this conversation and truly look at yourself!” 

“I can’t believe you’re quoting that guy or you’re wearing his ring! And as for that shaking about you were doing with him, I never thought I would ever say this, but Crone had more decorum than you. Although I wonder which bottle she’s crawled out of this morning. I hope Brian wasn’t taken in by her soberness last night!”

As I shut the door quietly behind him, David scrubs his face. “He has no idea how much he’s going to regret that!”

DEBS AND MICHAEL’S STORE - THREE HOURS LATER

KIP

I’ve never seen him so angry at Debs and David; and having given this some thought last night and listening to him now, I’m beginning not to see his point of view. He’s coming across as jealous and spiteful.

“And then guess what happened?!” He demands, I discreetly wipe this food spray off my hand, again. “After we ended up in Babylon, his old stomping fucking ground!”  He inhales some coffee. “Where he danced with everyone but me! He even danced with his work mommy’s twinky son. And as for that supposed boyfriend, or should I say long term fuck buddy, he was dancing with Emmett and Evan all night, hardly respectful of their relationship!” 

“Michael, you and I are fooling around, that’s hardly respecting your relationship, is it?”

He rushes to lock the front door and close the shutters. “Keep your voice down!”  I shake my head at his dramatics. “That’s only when we have a major argument!”

“And the blow job in the van when you came to collect it? What was that row about?”

“I told you, besides you weren’t complaining at the time! What’s that face for?” 

“Because the person you argued with was Debs! I didn’t think we fooled around when you argued with her too - that’s just gross!” I grab my wallet. “I’m going to the convention, think about the part you’ve played in being miserable these last few hours!”

BRIAN’S HOUSE - EARLY AFTERNOON

KITCHEN

JENNIFER

“Good afternoon.” I smile, taking out the mugs, etc., as Brian quietly sits down. “Do you need Advil?”

“No, thank you. Where’s Ben and everyone else?”

“Out and about, it’s just you and me.” I pour him a large mug and sit opposite. 

“Not quite.” He shifts slightly. “Justin’s in my bed.”

“My son is in your bed?” He nods, flame faced. “I see.”

“I only kissed him once and not in bed! I remember dancing with him, but I don’t know how we ended up where we did.”

“Brian.” I glower, he goes pale. “He’s in your bed because I put him there. He’s still dressed. You got in afterwards, didn’t even notice. Don’t tell him that though, he’d be most upset.” 

“You put him in my bed, why?” 

“Because, after we got here and drank some more, Evan wanted to take him home. I knew you’d have an issue with that.” I smile at his flash of anger. “I’m not going to stop you two from doing what you two are going to do, but be civil afterwards because I’m not picking sides!” I start to set up the tray. “He’ll need gentle waking then feeding. I’ll leave you to that.”

BRIAN’S BEDROOM - THIRTY MINUTES LATER

JUSTIN 

“My God, this is so good, just what this nurse ordered.” I sigh, as I dunk my cookie.

“If you do that once more I will vomit!” He bitches as he does a sit up. “How can you drink coffee after that’s been in it?”

“It’s hot chocolate. I can’t have coffee if I’m hungover.” He shakes his head, however, looks mollified that I’m not desecrating his most sacred of beverages. “That’s fifty, stop now.”

“Yes Doc.” He starts his stretches. “Are you going to get out of my bed?”

“Do you have a problem with me being in your bed?” I make myself more comfortable.

“Only because you’re dressed and reek of last night.” He tugs at the quilt.

“Would you like to get me undressed and smelling sweet?” It's instant regret  when he slinks panther-like onto the bed, kneeling astride me, shirtless, I keep my eyes on his face. “My Mom is downstairs.” 

“She put you in my bed, is okay with me kissing you, and said we should just be civil after we do what we're going to do. That sounds like approval to me, what do you think?”