Professor Joel Callahan looked upon his wife as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. Even five months pregnant and just beginning to ripen, he couldn't deny that she still looked like a throwback to the Hollywood Starlets of his youth. That had been his first thought when he'd seen her two years ago in the most frequented cafe around campus.  "I wish we didn't have to go tonight, Joel. I look like an overstuffed strawberry," his wife complained.

He couldn't help but laugh. "You look like a goddess." And she did. Not only was her hair shining like spun gold but her soft skin was dewy and radiant. To him, she had never been more beautiful. "Besides, you know my aunt and uncle. They'll send stormtroopers if we don't show up tonight. They haven't seen you for a while and specifically asked me to bring you."

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly at the mention of the Chartrez couple. They were the kind of people she wished that her own family were like. Her brother had been away for a long time and although she had been dodging his calls, she missed him. It wasn't that she didn't want him to know about the pregnancy- she did- but the fact that she had married Joel without the benefit or approval of her family was another matter. She had been successfully hiding it for over a year, whereas Joel had wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Somehow, she had convinced him to keep a lid on it until she was ready but it would have to be soon. As she looked down at herself again, she took a deep breath before rising from the vanity in the main hotel's penthouse suite.

"You're sure you just couldn't make my excuses at dinner and tell them I'll see them tomorrow?"

"No can do, Doll. Besides, it's the grand opening and as two of the initial investors we should be there. After putting in an appearance, if it's still too much for you we can always come back here. I promise to rub your feet."

That earned him a chuckle from his wife. "I'm holding you to that and a few more perks." She seductively ran a single digit up the tall man's midsection, making it abundantly clear what other ‘perks' she meant.

Entering the nearly full ballroom a few minutes later, the couple couldn't help but be surprised at the transformation. Not only were the chandeliers gleaming but the stylish wallpaper complimented the decor. Both had not seen the room since the first day the construction had begun. Joel laughed softly as his wife's blue eyes lit up when they landed on the buffet tables along the side wall. People milled about while others waited on the long line trying to also sample every delight offered.  

"I can't believe what Uncle Pete and Aunt Prissy have done with this place," Joel marveled.

"I can. Your aunt and uncle are amazing," his wife answered. "I thought they were crazy when they had suggested a resort like this."

"I know it's weird. No one is fighting or threatened by same-sex and hetero couples."

"My brother would have loved this place," she answered wistfully.

Taking in her sudden melancholy, Joel tried his best to cheer her up. "Tell you what Doll. Why don't we get you settled at our table and I'll come back for the food." He laughed as the mention of food lit her eyes and brought out a bright smile. "I knew that would do it."

She chuckled. "Don't blame me. I wouldn't be surprised if he or she came out the size of a big rig with the amount of food I put away."

"More than usual?"

"Oh shut up, turkey!" They both laughed again at her nickname for him. "Mark my words, as soon as I drop this little foodie, I'll back down to my usual weight."

"Okay, but don't lose the boobs though. I kinda like the boobs."

She playfully smacked his arm. "You always have, which is what got us into this mess in the first place. Now, I will go and find our table. I think Aunt Prissy said that it's near the front of the other room. In the meantime, get me some food before I eat you instead."

He wrapped his long arm around her waist, pulling her in close so that she was plastered against the front of his body. Lowering his lips to her ear, he licked the delicate outer shell and enjoyed the shiver that raced through her at the contact. "Later," he murmured just before giving it one last fast lick and releasing her. The blue eyes glittered up at him with her arousal. It was just one more thing he loved about her being pregnant. His wife was already a sex machine, but pregnant, she had the ability to fuck him to sleep. And what man wouldn't enjoy that!

The blonde made her way through the throng of people, noticing many conversations all happening at the same time. There was some talk about the owner of the advertising company Kinnetik and his partner who were making rounds with Uncle Peter and Aunt Prissy. Based on the way the resort looked, she imagined that Mr. Kinney's business would be booming by the end of the week long opening. She had yet to meet the man but Joel said that although he was gay, he was an Alpha male. She took that to mean that he was controlling of everything and everyone around him. Because he had garnered such high praise from her extended family, she decided that she would keep an open mind when she finally did meet him. Ordinarily she would run the other way since her father was like that.

"Can I help you, Mrs. Callahan, you seem a little lost?" a hazel eyed gentleman happened up on the side of her.

She couldn't deny that he was absolutely gorgeous and had she not been married, she might have considered giving him a good tumble. Pasting on a smile even as she wondered how or why he knew her legally-married name she said, "Thank you. That would be great. There are just so many more people than I expected." She took the proffered arm of the stranger, figuring that if anything happened, there were a roomful of people that would come to her aid. She was just naturally distrustful like that. Drawing on years of etiquette classes, she decided to make a little small talk to calm her inner nerves. "I really can't believe the opening is finally here. Aunt Prissy must be beside herself with excitement."

The tall brunet smiled down at her. "I'm sure Priscilla Chartrez is excited although she's doing an admirable job of keeping it all under wraps and being the consummate professional. Peter on the other hand is hard to contain."

She laughed. "I imagine he is busting at the seams. It's all he's been able to talk about for the last two years."

"Oh? What sparked him to want to open up a place like this?"

"A good friend of his was killed at a resort that was advertised as gay friendly although it was mostly for hetero couples. He and his partner David used to own steakhouses throughout the States. Anyway, they were just doing what other couples do while walking on the beach hand-in-hand when they came upon the local riffraff. According to Uncle Peter, when the cops caught up with the perpetrators and asked why they had done that, it turned out that one of the owners had ordered that they be killed. Although the other six partners on the board of the hotel were liberal people, John St. Marks was a closeted bigot. Also apparent was that he had been getting away with killing off random couples who stayed there for years- gay, interracial, black- it didn't matter. This was the only one that happened at the resort though."

"I hate fucking creeps like that which is why I didn't mind helping the Chartrez Resort make a name for themselves. By the way, my name is Brian Kinney."

She smiled wide. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Kinney. I'll Malinda  Taylor-Callahan although you can call me..."

"Molly," the newcomer said.

Justin had been separated from Brian when he got stuck talking to Harry. It wasn't that he minded or that he knew what Harry was doing. He hadn't seen Craig and Marlene since their altercation just before the doors opened up. The meeting inside the office was even more enlightening than before Lindsay's phone call. Ted, in all of his neuroticness, added to the records that Brian had brought with him to show Harry and Ava. As Ted and Ava went over the monthly expenses for Gus' supposed care, it was uncovered that Melanie hadn't been made aware of any of it. Like Ted, Melanie kept strict financial records which he had access to online in addition to her sending him the hardcopies at the end of every month. In that impromptu meeting, Justin learned that it paid to be a bit more over-vigilant than not at all.

Also according to Ted, Michael had been on him about giving him money to help with Red Cape Comics. The funny thing was that Ted was the accountant for the store since it was established under Kinnetik when Michael had first gone into business for himself. Consequently, Ted was never taken off the records as the accountant when Michael decided that he and Brian shouldn't be in business together anymore during one of their spats. For years, Michael had been regretting that decision and had tried to get Brian to come on board again which Ted advised Brian against. The business in and of itself was high-risk and not very lucrative with the current market being aimed at web comics and the like. It would have been a bad business decision on Brian's part.

But the most interesting development in the whole Red Cape Woe Show had been where the money had actually been going. Michael would occasionally send Mel checks for amounts ranging from ten dollars to fifty dollars for the care of their daughter Jenny. Yet he was sending checks to Lindsay for three hundred dollars monthly and thereby letting his rent, which Ben paid for, lapse for several months or making partial payments. The reason he was so focused on Brian was not only had Ben found out three days ago that the money he had been pouring into the failed business venture had not been turning a profit, but apparently the money Michael had been sending to Lindsay was to cover his share of the private detective's fee to keep tabs on Brian. Needless to say that Brian was pissed off and not only was Brian, but Gus was too.

Justin had learned a little bit more of how and why Gus came to be as they went over the financial records and he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Brian. Part of the reason Justin didn't have any close friends was because of his inability to blindly trust anyone outside of Harry, his sister and the Sheltons. But Brian had trusted Lindsay's judgment and friendship on more than one occasion even in matters concerning his son. From what Emmett had whispered to him, it sounded like he and Brian had a lot more in common than just their drives in business. Emmett had confided that Brian had come from an equally abusive home although in reality his was probably worse than Justin's. Instead of the inattention coming from Justin's father, it came from Brian's mother and the physical abuse which came from Brian's father had come from Justin's step-mother. If that wasn't enough to convince Justin that Emmett was right about becoming partners- even fake ones- than nothing else would.

Justin forged his way through the crowd, stopping to make conversation here, and listening to an observation there, until he had finally spotted Brian in the company of a petite blonde woman dressed to the nines in red. Her hair had reminded him of his own glistening color which he'd heard described many times as a halo. He would laugh when people would say that but now looking at the back of the shining blonde locks, he had to agree. There was something vaguely familiar about the set of the woman's shoulders as Brian led her effortlessly through the crowd, keeping up conversation while he deftly avoided the milling crowd who would bump into her. He figured being a gentleman was just another facet of Brian's personality that he would enjoy uncovering. It was already becoming hard to think of Brian as his boss, even if that was exactly what he was. But Justin thought that there was no harm in getting to know the man beneath the facade he showed to the world.  Following the couple at a sedate pace, Justin had caught up to them as they were introducing themselves.

"...I'm Brian Kinney."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Kinney. I'm Malinda Taylor-Callahan, although you can call me..."

"Molly," the word had slipped out of Justin's mouth before he even registered that it had.

"Jus!" she exclaimed, pivoting around to embrace him fully. She couldn't believe it. Her big brother was there in the flesh. She pulled back to get a good look at him, everything else in their vicinity forgotten as she regarded the man who wasn't only family but who she'd always thought of as her hero. Finding her voice again as she drank in the sight of him she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Justin was having the same reaction to seeing the sister that he hadn't seen in many years except the one day he was home a few years ago. "I'm here with my partner."

"Partner?" she asked wrinkling her nose in a way that reminded Justin of when she was an eight-year old. "Well where is she...errrr or is it a she?"

Justin really laughed then and embraced her again briefly. "You've actually already met him. Brian, this is my little sister, Molly."

Brian smiled at the blond duo in front of him. He took in the sparkle of their eyes and the identical wide, guileless smiles and marveled that he didn't put it together before then. "It's a pleasure to meet you Molly. Justin didn't tell me that his little sister was so beautiful."

Molly laughed. "My, my don't you turn a pretty phrase, Brian. And for the record, Jus, I'm not so little anymore."

"I noticed. And what's with the last name?" Justin asked, a little frown marring his cherubic features.

Before she had a chance to answer they were interrupted. "Doll, I was wondering where you had gotten off to," Joel came up to the small group, looking curiously at the other two men.

"Honey, this is Brian Kinney and this man is my brother, Justin," Molly said as she drew him forward.

Joel placed the plates down onto the table before he dropped them. Grabbing Justin's hand he began to shake it, "I can't believe you're here. Is the rest of your family? I know that we should have told you before, but Molly..."

Justin looked as puzzled and shell-shocked as Brian did at the newcomer. Shaking his head as the man continued to babble on and Molly stood there giggling like a drunk school-girl, Justin finally asked. "Wait...now what was it you should have told me?"

Molly chuckled before extending her hand to both Joel and Justin. Looking into blue eyes so like her own, Molly stated, "I'm married, Justin. Joel and I have been married for two years. We've been keeping it a secret but now that I'm pregnant..."

It was then that Justin allowed his eyes to travel down the front of her. The flowing red gown reminiscent of a toga gracefully framed her burgeoning baby bump. Some of his reaction to the news must have shown on his face as Brian said into his ear, "You should probably say something along the lines of congratulations, Sunshine. It wouldn't do for your baby sister to think you weren't pleased with this."

Justin met Brian's eyes, his own wide with shock. When Harry had told him not two hours ago that there was something going on with Molly and that she was hiding something from them, the last thing that entered his mind was that she was married and pregnant. He'd even thought that it may have been an illness but a marriage? Shaking himself out of his reverie, Justin took Brian's advice and uttered, "Congratulations Mollusk. I really am happy if you are, but why have you been keeping it a secret from us all this time?"

The answer that might have come was cut short by the arrival behind her of people she never wanted to see again in her life. The honeyed voice purred near her ear even as Justin and Brian tensed beside her unwitting husband.

"See bitch, I knew you were just a fucking whore. It's all you or your mother have ever been good for."

Molly turned to face the hate-filled voice of Marlene Taylor, drew back her fist and connected.