Chapter 2
The memorial was not large. Besides family, the employee’s of the bakery attended as well as a few of the regulars who remembered when Marley worked at the bakery before Fiona had been born. Victor had arranged for a nurse friend of his to stay with Fiona during the service. She would be part of the gathering at the bakery afterward.
Brian and Justin had on charcoal gray suits with white button downs and blue ties because Marley had given them as Christmas gifts. George wore all black. Aiden didn’t really have a suit but he had on black trousers, a light blue shirt and he borrowed a deep blue tie from his dads. They were a stunning looking group.
Gus had JR and Trevor go to his house and they brought back the two suits Gus owned. One was black and the other was a blue sharkskin suit with a patterned tie. Gus knew the black was more traditional but he thought back to the day they went shopping for it. Marley had always said Gus should have a shiny blue suit. They searched several stores before Marley pulled this suit off the rack. There was no arguing with her. They left after having the suit marked for tailoring. Once it was finished, she insisted they go out for a night of dancing. He could still picture her in the deep midnight blue dress. It fit her like a second skin and it was because of that dress that Gus realized Marley was pregnant.
Brian walked in to see if he was ready and found Gus bent over on the edge of the bed. “Gus, are you ready?”
“Ya, Dad. I was just thinking about the night I found out about Fi. I was wearing this suit and Marley was…”
“Marley was wearing that stunning blue dress that looks like liquid.” Brian finished.
“Do you think it is Ok for me to wear this? It isn’t black.”
“Gus, this is perfect. She loved this suit. She loved you.” Brian extended his hand to Gus and when Gus took it he pulled him up. “The quicker we go the quicker it is over.” Gus looked at Brian. “Oh, son, I didn’t mean it that way. I just meant then…”
“Dad, I know what you mean. It will never be over and we will need to find a new normal. I don’t know how long it will take or what it will look like but we will find it. Fiona deserves that.”
“Gus, so do you.” With that Brian hugged him tightly and Gus hugged him right back. Then father and son walked down the stairs and, along with the rest, walked out the door.
The nurse met them at the small chapel. Gus insisted on having her in the same building. Aiden took Fi to the nursery and then returned just in time to walk into the church. When the doors opened the seats were filled with friends and family. Gus and George walked in first followed by Brian and Justin with Aiden right behind them. George sat next to the aisle and Gus sat next to him. Then Brian sat next to him with Justin and Aiden filling in the pew. Joe and Jenn, along with Molly, Spencer, and their kids. Nine year old Sam sat between his mom and dad while 16 year old Tasha sat by her grandmother with her head on Jenn’s shoulder. Lindsay, Luke, and Mel sat in the front row on the other side with Victor, Ted and their family sitting behind them.
Victor was leading the service. After talking about Gus for several minutes and then JR spoke . “I have been Gus’ best friend since we were 15. Gus has always been there for me and when he met Marley, they both were. They were made for each other. So when we all opened the bakery Marley said it was my turn to find the love of my life and a week later she introduced me to Trev. Marley wore her heart on her sleeve.” JR had to drop his head and Trevor came up and put an arm around him. Then JR lifted his head, he softly said, “Gus, buddy, I hope you don’t mind, but I think she might be the only woman I have ever loved.” He smiled wistfully. “You know Trev and I will always be here for you and Fi. We love you.”
Brian got up next. “I remember the first time we went to Martha’s Vineyard. We had just found out that Aiden was ours free and clear and after getting there, Gus found his future. He was going to culinary school and a famous chef became his mentor and then his father in law. The first time I saw them together I knew. It was like they had been born to love each other. And Fiona, our beautiful Fiona, is the result of that love. Gus, you know we will always love and miss Marley. She will always be in our hearts.” Brian sat down and he and Gus hugged.
Victor got back up and looked at Gus. Gus had said he wouldn’t talk but they made eye contact and Gus got up and moved forward. “I didn’t plan to do this today but as I got ready I thought about something I wanted to share with you. I want to tell you about this suit.” He went on to tell them about the shopping trip and finding this suit. And then he told them about Marley’s dress. “Every man in the place could only look at her that night. Marley was always beautiful but that night she was ethereal. After I realized we were going to be parents, I lifted her off her feet and twirled her around a few times. And then she looked down at me and she said,” Gus swallowed hard. “The most beautiful woman in the world kissed me and said, ‘Gus Kinney, once we have our baby, I won’t need another thing from this world.’ Well, baby, this world needed a lot more of you. I love you, Martha Lee, and I will never let our daughter forget you.” Gus took a step but then he just couldn’t go another step.
Aiden stood and walked over to his brother. “Let’s go find Fiona, Bro. I am sure she needs her daddy by now.” Aiden put his arm around Gus and they walked down the aisle and out of the chapel with the rest of the family behind them.
Thirty minutes later everyone was at the bakery. Gus had arrived and entered through the back door. He took Fiona to his office and gave her a snack. JR knocked and stuck his head in. “Is it alright if I come in?”
“Sure.” Fiona smiled up at her buddy and JR took her off Gus’ lap. Gus continued, “You know my wife loved you, too. Good thing you didn’t swing that way or I would have had to fight you for her. Are there a lot of people out there?”
“Just your family and mine and a few other people. The staff is working on getting food out now.”
“JR, do you mind taking her out with you and I will be there in a couple minutes.”
JR moved around the desk and as he took Fi he kissed Gus. He didn’t say anything but they didn’t need to. They loved each other. They both knew it and nothing else had to be said.
Gus laid his head down on the desk, closing his eyes. “Oh, Marley, what do I do now? I don’t seem to remember how to live.” Somewhere from deep in his heart he heard her voice, ‘Gus, you have enough love in your family to keep going and when the time is right, find Fiona a new mommy to love.’ Gus’ head snapped up and he looked around. He was sure he heard her voice, felt her next to him. If he believed in ghosts he was sure she had been in his office just then. “I love you, darling.” Gus stood and went to the bathroom splashing water on his face. And then he went out to greet his friends.
If a memorial could be nice. This one was. Everyone there loved Gus and Gus loved them. There was laughter and tears. There pastries from the bakery and before it all ended, George, Gus, and JR went to the kitchen and started cranking out deluxe hot sandwiches. They whipped up sauces and combinations no one could imagine but everyone loved and then it happened. Gus laughed. JR had said something that cracked him up but the moment he realized it, he looked at George and rushed to his office.
Justin had seen what happened and started toward Gus’ office but George stopped him, “May I?” Justin hugged the man and walked back into the group of friends.
George walked into the office and found Gus leaning on the sink in front of the mirror. He glanced into it and saw George standing behind him. “I am so sorry. I can’t believe I just laughed at his fucking comment and Marley is…”
“She is doing that funny little dance she did when she was bubbling with happiness. Gus, my daughter loved you and one of the things she loved most was your fun loving spirit. She doesn’t want you to be sullen. You love her. You always will but she will want you to move on. She will want you to laugh with Fiona as much as you laughed with her and, yes, Gus, eventually she will want you to love again. You will find that someone special and that is exactly what she wants. You need to laugh and you can’t feel guilty that you are still here.” George put his hands on Gus’ shoulders. “From my experience, there will always be days that it sneaks up on you. Let yourself mourn and move on when you’re ready.”
Gus turned, “Thanks, George. I am going to miss you when you leave.” George pulled him close.
“Well, expect to come for a visit. I need to see Fi’s little arms around me soon. Now, we have hungry people out there. JR can’t deal with it all.”
Turns out JR, with a little help from Trev, managed to finish lunch. There were a couple sandwiches waiting for them. Justin walked over and hugged Gus, softly saying, “Love you.”
“Love you, too, Dad. Don’t worry. I’m good, for now anyway.” Justin and Gus walked over to Molly and Spencer’s table. Aiden, Tasha, and Sam were sitting nearby. Gus glanced around the room and found Fiona in the arms of Jenn so he relaxed a bit. They chatted about ordinary things, normal life and Gus began to relax.
The group thinned out. People had lives to continue Gus realized and so did he.
A year later
“Happy Birthday, Fiona. Happy Birthday to you!” The family sang.
“Blow out your candles, Fiona:” Justin said. Gus stood behind her holding his little girl so she didn’t fall face first into her cake. And helped with a little puff of his own to get both candles out.
Fiona had a special cake just for her. It wasn’t long before her pretty outfit was covered with frosting but no one cared. Aiden was in charge of pictures and he took as many as he could. Fiona was his favorite subject.
Aiden had just finished his last year of undergrad and was going to be in medical school. He had been accepted at Harvard so would be moving out in the fall. He knew that he wouldn’t have a lot of free time but if he had a weekend now and then it would be nice to have a place close to get away too. The school realized that Aiden’s stamina was lower than most med people his age and they set up a plan that he would spread it out to an extra year. He would enter med school before he turned 18 so there was no rush. If he took six years to finish he would still be younger than most starting doctors.
As Gus helped Fiona open gifts there was a knock on the door. Justin got up to answer the door. He pulled the door open and was shocked to see a battered Cass standing there. “Oh, god, Cass! Come in. What happened to you? Did your husband do this to you?”
Cass flung herself into Justin’s arms. “I didn’t know where to go. I told him I was planning to leave. A coworker of mine was going to have a room free in a week and I was moving in with her. He said I couldn’t leave him, that I wouldn’t leave him. This happened three days ago but he passed out and I needed to get away. I can’t move in with my friend for another four days and I don't know where to go.”
“You’re staying here with us,” Brian said. For the first time Cass realized Brian and Aiden had walked in.
“I am interrupting a party. Can I just go somewhere until everyone is gone?”
Aiden stepped up, “I’ll take care of her, Dads. Take pictures until I am back.” Aiden slipped his arm around Cass’s waist and took her bag from her. “Come on, Cass. I’ll get you settled.”
“Aiden, you are all grown up.”
“I start med school in the fall.”
“I heard that. I am so proud of you.”
“Cass, I’m glad you got away from him. You deserve so much better.” He looked at her closely. “Are you feeling alright? Have you seen a doctor?”
“Aiden, I had a miscarriage after the beating. I’ve been in bed the last three days. I guess coming here has worn me out. What is the party for?”
“Fiona is two this week.”
“Oh, please go to the party. I just need to nap.”
“I’ll check on you in a little bit.”
Aiden rushed downstairs to Victor. In perfect French he said, “Cass a fait une fausse couche. Pouvez-vous la regarder?”
“When did it happen?” Victor asked.
“Three days ago.”
Victor left the room as Fiona clapped her hands over a new toy.
Victor returned in time to leave with Ted. JR and Trevor each stole a hug and kiss from their favorite girl and also left. It was finally time for Gus to find out what was going on. “Who is upstairs?”
Brian put his arm around him. “Cass is upstairs. She left her husband and just needs a place for a couple days. She has a place to live in a couple days.”
“Did he hit her again? You told me he hit her.” Gus looked at Fi who was playing with Aiden on the rug.
“Yes, and she lost a baby,” Justin said from the kitchen where he was warming up some soup. He left the room with a tray.
Gus looked out the window and then lost it. “That fucker. I would do anything to have my wife and he beats his?” Gus moved and picked up Fiona, who started crying at her daddy’s loud voice. He grabbed a couple of her new toys and said. “She needs a nap. We will be back later to pick up the rest of her gifts. Gus walked out the back door and went to the apartment they had shared for the last year. Keeping up with a baby, a business, and a house had been too daunting so they had moved into the apartment as a temporary fix but they had now been there a year.
Aiden headed for the door but Brian stopped him, putting his arms around Aiden’s shoulders and pulled him against his chest. “I know you want to be there for your brother,” Brian kissed his temple, “but I think he needs a little time alone.”
“But Fi was crying.”
“We know Gus would never hurt her and she was fussy because she does need a nap.”
Aiden turned and hugged his dad. “I know you’re right, Big Daddy.” Aiden smiled up at him. He hadn’t called him that in years. “But that doesn’t make it easier to see him hurting.”
Justin walked in carrying a tray. He had brought Cass some soup, “Well she ate the soup and several slices of bread.”
“Is she still so pale?” Aiden asked.
“She looks much better. I am sure she would enjoy talking for a little while.”
“Good, I’ll be down in a little while.” Aiden left Brian and Justin alone for the first time all day.
“I think Cass stirred up something in Gus.” Brian commented.
“He is getting lonely. And a familiar ex-lover…”
Brian walked up behind Justin and slipped his arms under Justin, wrapping them around his waist. “I think Gus needs to get away. Do you think he’d like to spend a couple weeks at the cabin?”
Justin turned his head so they could kiss, “Which one, Montana or Martha’s Vineyard?”
“I was thinking about Montana. As much as he loves, no, they love George, I think Gus needs time to straighten some things out in his head.”
“Maybe we could all go for a week and then he and Fi could stay on after that.” Justin now turned to face Brian. “It’s been over a year and he has done well but I get the feeling he is getting very lonely now and not only physically but mentally. If you and I don’t talk for a couple days we start going crazy and he hasn’t had anyone to talk with in a year. Sure he has JR and Trevor and of course us, but that is different.”
“We will talk to him tomorrow and see if it sounds like a good idea. It’s about time Fiona was introduced to the cabin.” Brian pulled Justin against him. You know this fall if Gus is on stable ground and Aiden is off at school, I think we need a long vacation. We retired more than six months ago and have only gone to George’s since then and that was with the boys and Fi. We both love them but can you remember the last time we went anywhere?”
Justin smiled up at him, “I would give anything to spend a month with you and you alone.” He leaned into Brian and met his kiss with a sweetness of desire. “Tonight, my love.”
Aiden sat on the bed with Cass. Their backs were against the headboard and they were eating the crackers Justin had left by the bed. “Cass, why did you stay with him this long?”
“I love him. I know that sounds crazy. It does to me, too, but I don’t have anyone else to love. Most of the time...Damn, Aiden, I was too scared to leave him but I am going to do it now. I have a place and I told him, I wasn’t scared anymore.”
“You’re aren’t going back to him, are you?”
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so?”
“Aiden I know you are brilliant but I don’t think you understand what it is like to be alone. You have always had someone that loves you. I can’t imagine being alone.”
Aiden stood up and walked over to his old dresser and dug in the back of a drawer. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to her. “Take this.”
Cass took it and opened the envelope. There was a key, a piece of paper and a credit card. “What is this? Well, I know what they are but why are you giving it to me?”
“That is the key to our cabin in Montana. The paper gives directions to the cabin. Cass, if you ever need to get away and I don’t mean a new apartment, use that card. I know it is active. It is a debit card and there is at least $10,000 in the account. Put it somewhere safe, maybe at work or an acquaintance. Don’t give it to a good friend. He will go there and look.”
“Gus, I can’t take this. I don’t know why you have that money but I just can’t.”
“Yes, you can. That money came from my grandpa, Craig Taylor. When he died a few years ago, he gave Gus, me, Tasha, and Sam each $ 10,000. I opened this account and haven’t touched it since. Gus put his in a trust for Fiona.”
“Aiden, are you sure? I promise I won’t use this unless it is life or death.”
“I am sure. Tuck it away and someday when you are safe and loved, really loved, you can bring it back to me.”
“Damn, you are so much like your dads and brother.” She hugged him. “Aid, if you don’t mind, I think I need to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning?”
As she laid down, Aiden pulled up the blankets to her neck, “Do you want to see Gus tomorrow and meet Fiona?”
“I...I’ll see.”
“Cass, I know he’d like to see you. Oh, and Fi, she is beautiful and wonderful and funny.”
“I’ll see in the morning.” She kissed his cheek and Aiden left her so she could sleep.
Gus texted Aiden and said he and Fi were just going to eat at the apartment tonight. He wasn’t very hungry anyway and he had plenty of food for Fi.
Aiden, Brian, and Justin ate some leftovers and then spent a quiet night watching a movie while Cass slept upstairs.
Out in the apartment, Gus fed and bathed Fiona and then put her down for the night. Then Gus did something he hadn’t done in a year. He took a bottle of whiskey, without the glass, and started drinking. After several glasses he looked to the ceiling and said, “I’m sorry, Marley. I feel like I am failing at everything. I am living in my fathers’ apartment. I make it to work most mornings but I am worried about Fiona. My mom said she would raise her but I could never do that and my dads always help. But, Martha, she needs her mama. But I don’t think I am ready for...there is no replacing you, my love.” With that he polished off the remainder of the bottle and passed out on the sofa.
As Brian and Justin moved upstairs to go to bed, Justin looked in and saw Cass asleep before Brian tugged on his arm and he shut the door and followed Brian into their room. They showered and sank onto the mattress. “Justin, lay on your stomach.”
“You know that is hiding one of your favorite parts.”
“One of them but not my very favorite physical spot.”
“Physical spot?”
Brian roughly pulled Justin’s ass up in the air and Justin quickly put his knees under him and then Brian began to feast. Justin bit his lip as shock waves ran through him. When Brian’s tongue got tired, he probed and stroked with his finger bringing more pleasure then he was sure he could deal with. After his third orgasm Brian plunged his cock deep inside him. Justin was nearly a limp rag by now. He along with Brian were covered with sweat and by the time Brian collapsed on top of him. He laid there for a moment and then rolled off of Justin.
“We might be too old for that much fun,” Brian mumbled and reached for a bottle of water.
“Never too old. Just all the more reason we need a month away where we can spend all day loving instead of only an hour.” Justin moved in a more comfortable position and pulled Brian’s head onto his chest.
“I promise, Justin, this fall we will take a month off to go wherever you want to go. We will make sure Linds is available to help Gus that month and we are going away.”
“I love that. But now I think it is time we get to sleep. Fi never seems to realize it’s the weekend.”
“But Gus is off tomorrow at least. I was worried about him when he left. I have a feeling he will not be feeling too hot in the morning.” Brian moved his head and nibbled on Justin’s nipple.
“Good night, Bri. Love you.”
“I love you, too.” Both of them closed their eyes and went to sleep.
Before daybreak, Cass quietly slipped out of the room, and then out the door. She had been up for hours, texting with her husband. She agreed to go home with him until her new place was ready. Then if she wanted to, she could move out.
When Aiden woke up at 6:30 he peeked in to see if Cass was awake. “Dads! She’s gone. Cass is GONE!” Aiden ran into the master bedroom. “Cass is gone. Where could she have gone? She shouldn’t be out alone. She was really weak and scared.”
Brian put his hand in the air and spun it. Aiden turned around. Brian and Justin got up and put on their robes. “Did she leave a note or anything? Did she text you?”
Aiden rushed back to his room and came back with his phone. “What is she thinking? He is going to kill her.”
“I take it she went back,” Brian responded.
“Ya, I was afraid she would. I had to do something.”
Justin walked over to him, “What did you do?”
“I doubt she would ever do it but I gave her a key to the cabin in Montana and the directions to get there.” He didn’t mention the debit card. They had told him it was up to him what he did with that money. Well he could still get it but he would always keep enough money in there that she could fly across the country to safety.
“Oh, Aid, you are such a good man. I would probably have done the same thing if I had thought about it.”
“I’m glad you think that was the right thing to do. I thought I made a bad decision. Maybe she went there and not back to him?”
Brian put a hand on Aiden’s shoulder, “I wish that was true but her note told us the truth. Aid, go take your meds. We will go down and see what’s for breakfast.”
They walked into the kitchen and found Fiona in her highchair eating scrambled eggs with her purple plastic spoon while Gus sat next to her nursing a cup of coffee. Justin kissed Fiona’s head and then Gus’.
“Daddy, tired,” Fiona said.
“Daddy hungover,” Brian said softly and kissed both of them as Justin had.
“Gus, can I make you some toast? It might help settle your stomach.”
“With a side of aspirin?”
“I’ve got the aspirin,” Brian said.
“Is Cass coming down for breakfast?” Gus asked.
“No. She left.” Aiden walked into the room.
“Left?”
“She texted me and said she was giving him another chance.”
Gus sprang up and grabbed the table when his hurting head made him stop. “Changed? Cass was smarter than that! Men like him don’t change!”
“Gus,” Brian pointed to Fi whose face was crumbling as her daddy yelled. “She’s an adult and he is her husband. I plan to have a friend check into him a little but she has to decide she is ready to leave.”
Gus ate his toast but as Justin made breakfast for everyone else, the smell of food was getting to him. “I’m going to go take a shower. I’ll be back in about half an hour.” When he had first moved to the apartment he always asked if they would watch Fi but eventually he realized, he didn’t need to ask. They were all in this together. Someday he would figure a way to pay them back for all of this.
For the next week Brian checked into Cass’ husband while Justin spoke to JR about Gus taking time off. JR was sure he could handle the bakery a month or even all summer if need be. He had a couple interns for the summer from the culinary school and one of the teachers there had shown interest in working for them part time and improving their own baking skills. Brian found out that Cass’ husband had lost his job six months ago. He seemed to switch jobs frequently and the older he got the quicker he switched which, Brian was sure, had to do with the fact he was drinking more as he got older. It appeared his name had gotten out there as someone you didn’t want working for you and now he couldn’t find a job.
Aiden had heard from Cass a week later. She let him know she was back at work and felt great. She thanked him again for the escape plan but she wouldn’t need it. He made her promise to hide it at work just in case. She told him she had it just in case. She also promised to check in on him the first of every month. That was for his peace of mind.
Aiden and Justin had to go to Harvard for a weekend for orientation and Justin and Brian had decided this might be a good time for Brian to talk to Gus about taking a break. It was Friday evening. Gus had gotten off at noon and didn’t have to go back until Monday. He had decided it was the perfect night to cook for his dad. He decided to try something he had always liked but never made. It was a French specialty of George’s. Brian had taken Fiona to the park so Gus had the place to himself. For that hour he was free. He had turned on music and forgot the world for a short time. He had sipped on a glass of wine as he stirred a simmering pot on the stove. The playlist changed on his phone and he found himself listening to ‘their’ song.
Gus had laughed when he found out she was a Michael Buble fan but when they got married, they chose that song for their first dance as man and wife. He turned his burner off and sat on the stool to listen. (Close your Eyes)
Let me tell you all the reasons why
Think you're one of a kind
Here's to you
The one that always pulls us through
Always do what you gotta do
You're one of a kind
Thank God you're mine
Tears trickled down his cheeks,
You're an angel dressed in armor
You're the fair in every fight
You're my life and my safe harbor
Where the sun sets every night
And if my love is blind
I don't want to see the light
It's your beauty that betrays you
Your smile gives you away
Cause you're made of strength and mercy
And my soul is yours to save
Now he was sobbing.
I know this much is true
When my world was dark and blue
I know the only one who rescued me was you
Close your eyes
Let me tell you all the reasons why
You're never gonna to have to cry
Because you're one of a kind
Yeah, here's to you
The one that always pulls us through
You always do what you gotta do baby
Because you're one of a kind
When your love pours down on me
I know I'm finally free
So I tell you gratefully
Gus didn’t even realize he had stood and started swaying to the music.
Every single beat in my heart is yours to keep
So close your eyes
Let me tell you all the reasons why babe
You're never going to have to cry baby
Because you're one of a kind
Yeah, here's to you
You're the one that always pulls us through
You always do what you got to do babe
'Cause you're one of a kind
You're the reason why I'm breathing
With a little look my way
You're the reason that I'm feeling
It's finally safe to stay Songwriters: Jann Arden Richards / Alan Chang / Michael Steven Buble
When the song was finished Gus felt Marley in the room. He felt her arms around him and heard her voice in his head. ‘Gus it is time. You deserve love. Fiona deserves a mommy’.This was the second time he had heard those words in his head. Now he just had to figure out where to find her.
When he heard the garage door going up he quickly wiped his eyes and turned on the burner. He put the loaf of brioche, that had been rising, into the oven. When Brian walked in Fiona was chattering, “Papa, swing fun! When we go again?”
“Soon, Fi. Give your daddy a hug and then we will go wash you up a bit.”
“Ok Papa. Daddy,” she moved to Gus and raised her hands. Gus swooped her up and hugged her tightly. Brian met his son’s eyes and knew something happened while they were gone.
Ten minutes later Fi was settled by the sofa with a coloring book and colors and a sing along movie playing. Brian stood next to Gus who was again working on the meal, “What’s going on?”
“You may think I am crazy but Marley is telling me it is time to move on. Our song came on and I felt her here with me. She told me it was time.”
“It was your song and she is right, it is time. Justin and I have been talking about that. You know how much we love you.”
“I do. Look what you have done for Fi and me the last year. And I never doubted it before that, either.”
"We were thinking that it might be good for you to get away. Maybe you and Fiona should go to Montana. JR said he can manage for a month or two. What if we all go up and we can spend a week or two, making sure everything is working well and then we will go home and you can stay. You know I am not one of those 'find your center' people but you need to relearn who you are with your daughter and then, when you come back, you will have a fresh outlook."
“And JR is Ok with it?”
“He already has it all worked out and when the place closes for that scheduled remodel for the last two weeks of July, he thought they might go up and join you. That would give you about four weeks alone and you know it isn’t like it was when your dad and I met up there. There is communication available and the roads have improved immensely.”
“Dad, you don’t have to convince me. I think it will be good for me and Fi. Do you have our departure scheduled?” Gus laughed a bit and Brian smiled.
“Two weeks? We don’t have the tickets or anything yet. But Justin, Aid, and I will only be staying 10 days at the most. Aiden has things he needs to do this summer and if you come back for the month of August, you will have time with him before he goes off.”
“What are the two of you going to do with him out of the house and inevitably, Fi and I will be going somewhere else soon?”
“We have been talking about traveling. We haven’t made any specific plans but we will be spending time at both of our other places.”
Later that night, after they had eaten Gus’ amazing meal and Fiona was asleep in Aiden’s old room and Gus would sleep in Aiden’s, Brian called Justin and said that Gus seemed excited about the trip. He told him about playing at the park with Fiona and coming home to an emotional Gus. “How is Aiden doing with orientation?”
“As usual, all the classmates here first think he is maybe 14 but then learn he is 17 and smarter than all of them. You know he will be the target of a few but most of them will learn to love him like a little brother. And I know he hates that but it will serve him well.”
They spoke a few more minutes but then Aiden arrived at the hotel and Brian and Justin said goodnight. “You’re home earlier than I expected.” Justin looked over at Aiden and saw the look on his face. “What happened?”
“Nothing!” he snapped. Aiden had never been the typical teen but tonight he wasn’t happy. “I don’t want to go here.”
“Aid, tell me what happened.”
“The dinner finished and we listened to a couple of the doctors that will be our teachers but then everyone left to go to a bar. Of course, I can’t go. I’m too young. I am always excluded because I’m too young, or too small, or this stupid blood disease I has makes me too tired. I think I will see if they will wave me this year and maybe next year…” He dropped down face first on his bed and Justin did the same. They looked at each other eye to eye across the aisle between their beds.
“Aiden, you have wanted to be a doctor all your life. If you wait until you are the same age as everyone else in your class, you could have been practicing for a couple years.”
“Dad, a couple years ago Uncle Victor had talked to me about going to med school in France. He said he could get me in back then. Do you think he could?”
“Paris? You want to go to school in Paris?”
“It is actually in Bordeaux. It is between Paris and the border of Spain near the ocean.”
“Aiden, have you seriously thought about this?”
“I have. I didn’t want to disappoint everyone because they were so excited I was going to Harvard. You know I speak the language fluently and Uncle Victor says I could go anywhere in the world with a degree from there.”
Justin reached across the gap between the beds and Aiden reached out to link fingers with him. “I’ll make changes so we can go home tomorrow while you call Victor. Then we will call your dad and tell him we will be going to France. Good thing we kept our passports up to date.”
Aiden flipped and sat up and then moved to Justin, hugging him. “You’ll come to visit a couple times, won’t you?”
“Try and stop us. We’re retired. We can visit any time. We will only be a call away and I bet Vic will visit, too.”
Brian took the news in typical Brian style. “I guess your dad and I know where we are traveling to now. A couple months in Europe with a couple layovers in France. I will see you both tomorrow. I love you.”
By the next afternoon they were all together and planning their trip to the mountains and planning Aiden’s move to France. Before the end of the week Aiden had received an acceptance letter from the University of Bordeaux. He was expected to be there by early September so they planned to go mid August to help Aiden get comfortable before they left on a trip around Europe. They had a travel agency working on that for them now.
Gus also locked in his plans. All of them were leaving for Montana the first week of June. Brian, Justin, and Aiden would come back two weeks later and it would just be Gus and Fiona up at the cabin for the next four weeks. Then Trevor and JR would be there for two weeks before all four of them flew back together. Gus had to admit, he was looking forward to seclusion. It would be just him and his little girl. There would be time to read and try new dishes. He had done some cooking with ingredients from nature but he had a whole forest and meadow to shop in. He ordered a stroller that would work on rough terrain and Justin had let the local grocery know they were coming and to get their order together.
On June 3rd they landed in Montana. As they got off the plane Gus took a deep breath and then sighed. “It is so good to be here. I already feel more relaxed.”
They drove up to the cabin together and Brian had made arrangements to be picked up for their flight home. They stopped at the grocery store and picked up their order and then began the drive. Fiona talked the whole way as Aiden pointed out some antelope, a raccoon and several other animals along the way. As they neared the cabin they had to wait for a bear to cross the road and she was thrilled. As they pulled into the drive and came around the bend, having the cabin come in view, she proclaimed, “I love it.” And with that they arrived at their summer home.