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Title: The Offer Still Stands…
Story Type: AU
Word Count: 6191
Rating: R, Porn…
Warnings: Anti-Michael, Passion and Lust…
Beta Queen: bigj52
Summary: Everyone seems to be catching the love bug...
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, plot, etc. are property of their respective owners, including, but not limited to Russell T. Davies, Cowlip, and Showtime. The author of this story is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended…
The Offer Still Stands…
Chapter 10 ~ Love is in the Air…
It’s early spring and there’s still a crispness in the air, although the sun is shining bright. Pierre stops at the flower stand and buys a bouquet of flowers, forget-me-nots and yellow daisies. He’s almost humming as he strolls into the sushi restaurant. He spots Justin right away and makes his way over to his table, saying,
“These are for you. I thought they’d bring out the color in your eyes and complement your hair.”
He practically gushes as he thinks he’s so clever, finally getting to spend some time alone with Justin. Just as he’s about to sit down, Brian returns to the table after saying hello to a client of his across the restaurant. Brian pulls the chair out from the table, leaving Pierre to tumble to the ground as Brian takes back his seat. Pierre lands hard on his ass, and the flowers fall all over the floor. His face turns a shade of red as he picks up the flowers and glares at Brian.
“I didn’t know you’d be joining us for lunch.”
“Obviously. Unless of course you brought those flowers for me.”
The waiter comes rushing over thinking that Pierre had fallen by mistake. He wants to make sure he’s alright, as he helps him up. Brian hands the waiter the stack of crushed flowers and asks if he’ll dispose of them for him. Pierre tries to object but he thinks better of it, not knowing what to say about bringing another man’s boyfriend flowers.
Justin holds up his menu to keep everyone from noticing he’s laughing at Brian’s antics; he can’t help thinking Pierre is such a pathetic troll. And he really has some nerve bringing him flowers, after he thought he made it clear that he wasn’t interested in him. Brian doesn’t even acknowledge Pierre’s uneasiness as he asks the waiter to bring them a wine list. Pierre smoothes down his clothes and runs his hands through his hair as he takes a seat at the table.
Brian stares him straight in the eyes then asks, “Just what perfect piece of furniture do you have to show us today?”
Of course this throws him off his game, knowing that he can’t very well show them the bedroom sets he planned to show Justin.
“I thought that we’d look at living-room furniture and see if we could find something that fits your taste.”
“I thought that the whole purpose of hiring a decorator was so that you would have already chosen several selections for us to review? Justin and I can look at furniture all on our own without you holding our hand. That is if you haven’t already chosen anything for us to see.”
Again Pierre is thrown by this comment. He had really hoped that he could impress Justin, and maybe even get him to see how charming he is. He’s sure all they need is some time together, and he’ll be able to sweet talk Justin into a little afternoon roll in the hay. But with Brian always seeming to show up when he least expects it, it’s infuriating him, to say the least.
Brian loves to play with other people’s minds, and he can tell that he’s got Pierre just where he wants him.
“You know Justin will be starting back to school soon and he won’t have time to waste meeting you if you’re not prepared. After all, time is money, and I don’t expect to be billed for hours of time that you’ve wasted.”
Pierre pulls his lips in and scowls at Brian; just then the waiter comes over to take their order. Brian orders for him and Justin while Pierre fumbles through his selections. He had only picked this restaurant because he heard that sushi can be an aphrodisiac; he’s never really had sushi before.
~~~
Emmett’s been searching high and low but can’t seem to come up with a perfect place to hold Justin’s birthday party. He’s been racking his brain, going over all his options when he remembers the tour that Justin took them on of their new house. That’s when it clicks - the pool house would perfect. It’s glassed in and heated, with a big kitchen where he can set up for the party. He thinks it will be totally romantic, decorating it with tiny white lights and candles everywhere. He can even have water lilies floating in the pool and small tables set with fine linens and china. Now he just has to work on the menu.
Justin loves all kinds of food; he wants it to be something elegant, and something he would never make for himself. That’s when he decides on caviar, shrimp cocktail and Oysters Rockefeller for hors d’oeuvres. Then prime rib with asparagus spears, roasted petite redskin potatoes, and Caesar salad, topped off with a rich chocolate torte. Emmett’s sure Justin will love it and he can’t wait to tell Brian. He’s keeping his fingers crossed that Brian will approve the menu.
~~~
Jennifer’s phone rings and it’s Justin. He’s frantic. He hates Pierre and he thinks Brian will murder him before they finish decorating their house. He asks her if there is anyone else that can take over for him, complaining that he seems totally unprofessional and more interested in him than the house. He starts telling her about how creepy he is and how he bought him flowers and éclairs, and he just seems to show up out of nowhere.
Jennifer sympathizes with Justin, while telling him that the other decorators she works with all have clients on waiting lists. That it would most likely be months before they can squeeze them into their schedules. Justin takes a deep breath and says, “We might have to do this on our own. Brian’s not going to put up with much more of his bullshit.”
“I’m so sorry, honey. I heard he can be overbearing. But he also comes highly recommended and he was available right away.”
“I know, but could you talk with him? Explain to him that Brian and I no longer have an open relationship.”
“Really? I mean, I didn’t know. Not that it’s any of my business. I’m so happy for you, honey.”
“Mom, please let’s stay on track here.”
“Of course, darling, I’m just so surprised.”
“I’ve got to go. Now you promise you’ll talk to him.”
~~~
Lindsay’s finishing up for the day. She’s the last one in the gallery as she turns the lights out and closes the door. Just as she’s locking up she sees Sam waiting for her across the street. She can’t help her excitement, knowing that they’ll be together soon. She knows she shouldn’t keep seeing him, but her desire burns deep within her. She thinks she’s falling in love with him, as she convinces herself that Mel is so busy at work she’ll never suspect anything.
Mel comes home early to make up to Lindsay for the foul mood she’s been in lately, she’s pretty sure it’s all been in her head. After all, Lindsay would never cheat on her again, after what happened last year when she was pregnant. She listens to her messages as she gets in the car. Lindsay has some problem at the gallery that she needs to attend to. She doesn’t know how long she’ll be so she asks Mel to pick the kids up from daycare.
Now it’s getting late; she already has the kids fed, bathed and in bed and Lindsay still isn’t home. She calls the gallery but the phone just rings and rings. She’s surprised that Lindsay didn’t answer it. So she calls her on her cell, but that just rolls over to voicemail. It’s not like Lindsay to be so late, and she can’t help worrying that something has happened. So she pours herself a glass of wine and tries to watch some television, but she can’t focus and just keeps channel surfing as her mind reels.
~~~
“I picked up some Thai food on the way home. I know you said you didn’t want to go out tonight.”
“Thanks. I’m so sick of always going out. I’m really starting to hate living out of the hotel. It was fun the first couple weeks, but now I just want to feel settled in our own place.”
“I know. It’s hard always feeling like you’re on vacation all the time. I’m sorry we have to put up with this.”
“Brian… I hope you’re not mad, but I fired Pierre today.”
“Really? You think this will upset me?”
“No, I hope not. But I have just had it with all his scheming and devious behavior. It was really giving me the creeps, feeling like he was watching me all the time.”
“I’m so proud of you. I’ve wanted to can him since he showed up early that morning, surprising you.”
”I asked my mom to try and find us someone new, but I was thinking that maybe we could hire a contractor to oversee all the construction. And maybe I’d design the rooms the way we want them. After all we both have a pretty good idea what we want.”
“What about school?”
“We’ll go slowly so we can live in just a few rooms while we’re working on the others.”
“I see. So you want to move into a big empty house?”
“Well, we both liked the bedroom set I picked out. And we can use the kitchen and bathroom in the pool house in the meantime.”
“So you’ve been giving this a lot of thought?”
“Yeah. I feel like I’m hanging by a thread, waiting for my life to start.”
“I see… So when do you see us moving out there?”
“Well, I talked with Cynthia and she said that she can clear your afternoon schedule for tomorrow, and I thought that we could pick out living-room furniture. My mom says we can use her wrought-iron patio furniture in the kitchen area of the pool house until we get something.”
Brian gets a big grin on his face as he pulls Justin into his arms, saying, “You’ve got this all figured out now, don’t you?”
“So, you’re okay with this? Because the limbo is driving me crazy, not to mention being cooped up in the hotel all the time.”
“Yeah, I’m more than okay with this. Why don’t we plan on moving in the weekend after your birthday?”
“I can’t believe you remembered my birthday is next week.”
“You see, I’m really trying this time.”
“You know I love you. You’re the best.”
Brian kisses him on the top of his head and then presses their foreheads together, whispering, “I love you too, sunshine.”
~~~
Michael’s attorney has the results of his competency test from his psychiatrist, and he’s using it to try and negotiate a plea bargain with the district attorney. Even though it shows that Michael was aware of his actions, it also shows he has a distorted view of his relationship with Brian. That he has been building a fantasy in his mind about the life they would have together. When he was faced with the fact that Brian has finally admitted to loving someone other than himself, he was unable to accept it and he had an emotional break from reality.
He’s still struggling to accept the truth and he’ll need to be under psychiatric care for some time. The courts have agreed to let him plead guilty to destruction of property and assault, without the intent to cause bodily harm. It’s the best they could hope for under the circumstances. Michael will have to serve a sentence of two to four years with the possibility of parole after eighteen months. He’ll also have to make restitution for the damages he caused, with the amount being specified after the final insurance settlement is reached.
His court appearance will be within the next two weeks, and then he’ll move into a minimum security prison in Philadelphia. Even though it’s a drive from Pittsburgh, he’ll be in a safer location than the local maximum security prison. Debbie’s relieved that it’s all being settled out of court, and that it won’t make the front page of the papers. She’s unsure how Brian and Justin will react to the news, she just hopes they are able to forgive Michael over time.
~~~
Hunter’s going away for the weekend with his Wilderness Awareness class he signed up for to learn more about the local flora and fauna. He’s been considering studying at Pittsburgh University in their horticulture program to become a forest ranger. Ben’s glad that his interests have grown into something he can develop into a career and that he’s finally looking to his future.
This will give Ben and Emmett the weekend alone to get to know each other better in their evolving relationship. Emmett can still hear Teddy’s words in the back of his mind, but it’s too late to change the course they’re on. He’s already falling hopelessly in love with Ben.
~~~
Lindsay sneaks into the house at a quarter past one in the morning, when Mel asks her where the Hell she’s been. She practically jumps out of her skin, not having seen Mel as she sat in the dark.
“You scared me to death, sneaking up on me like that.”
“I’m not the one sneaking around at all hours of the night.”
“Mel, it’s not like that. I told you I had to work late, we have a client in from out of town. It was important for me to make sure they’re settled into their hotel room.”
“I bet.”
“Mel, this is a very important artist. It really means a lot to Sidney that we get his work shown in our gallery.”
“Uh hum…”
“As a matter fact, Sidney’s asked me to go to Paris to help select just the right paintings for the gallery. Isn’t that fabulous?”
“Fabulous… Who’s going to watch the kids while you’re gone? You know I have the Patterson trial starting next week.”
“Well, I’ll need to be gone for a few weeks. So maybe we could ask Meredith to watch JR during the day, and pick Gus up after kindergarten when she picks up Shelly.”
“Three weeks is a long time for you to be away from home.”
“Oh Mel, you know I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t important for my career. After all, you’re not the only one whose career takes precedence.”
“I can’t believe that I’m just hearing about this now. When do you have to leave?”
“It turns out I need to go right away. I’ll be flying out on Thursday.”
“This coming Thursday? You’re going to miss Justin’s birthday party on Friday night?”
“It can’t be helped. Oh and there’s another thing. I know this is just a precaution but because I’m going overseas, I think it would be a good idea if we drew up some papers so Brian can have his rights restored. After all, I could die in an airplane crash, or something.”
“What? Isn’t that a little much? I mean I’m sure you’ll be just fine.”
“Of course I’ll be fine. It’s just a precaution, that’s all.”
“Lindsay, what’s going on?”
“Nothing. I just want everything in order for the worst-case scenario.”
Mel has no idea what to make of all the things Lindsay has just said, it’s almost too much to take in. She can’t help wondering what’s going on. But how can she complain when she’s always putting her career ahead of taking care of the family? Even though it will be hard managing both kids and her trial coming up, she knows she needs to give Lindsay’s career the respect that it deserves, just like Lindsay always gives her career.
~~~
Brian pulls Justin down on him as they lay across a big overstuffed sofa in the designer showroom. Justin is telling him to behave, but Brian looks at him completely innocent.
“You said you wanted to try this one out, and that’s all I’m doing. After all we need to know if it’s comfortable with both of us lying on it.”
“Brian, everyone is watching us.”
“It’s not as if I have you bent over the back of it with your ass in the air.”
“Not yet anyways.”
“You’re such a spoil sport. I thought you said we were going to have fun.”
“Enough!”
“Okay, let’s try out that one over there. It looks like it’s totally fuckable.”
“Ssssh, the salesmen are going to hear you.”
“Justin, believe me, this is the most fun they’ve had all year. Besides, they don’t care as long as we buy one.”
“I really can’t take you anywhere.”
“Okay, when we’re done here let’s go try out that bed you have your eye on.”
“Brian, you are not going to get me to lie down in bed with you here in the store. You’d probably make me ride you just to test the springs.”
“All right. Fine. I’ll just have to get the salesman to help me check it out.”
“You’re impossible.”
“You love it now, don’t you? Besides, this is way more fun than shopping with Pierre.”
“You stain it, you buy it. So keep your pants on.”
The salesman just happened to be coming over to them and overheard Justin, who is now fifty shades of red.
“Do you have any questions? Is there anything I can answer for you?”
“Yes, my husband is worried about the stain-resistant warranty.”
Justin blushes harder, as he swats Brian across his chest.
“Husband, ha? Is that some kind of proposal?”
Brian gets real quiet and Justin just stares at him.
“Brian? Oh My God! Brian!”
Brian smiles back at him, watching him fill with excitement as Justin throws himself into Brian’s arms, saying, “Really?”
Brian shakes his head yes.
“Really? You have to say it!”
“Yes, sunshine. I was hoping you’d make me an honest man?”
“Brian, I can’t believe it…” Justin is bouncing up and down, unable to contain his excitement.
“Okay, fine. Now stop bouncing before you break your leg or something.”
Justin now has tears welling up in his eyes as he watches Brian actually kneel down on one knee, taking his hand in his.
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“Justin, will you marry me?”
Justin is now back in Brian’s arms, placing butterfly kisses all over his face grinning like a fool.
“Oh God, yes! Yes, I will marry you.”
“Okay. Now will you lie down on the bed with me?”
“Oh God, Brian… I love you so much! Okay. Take me someplace where we can lie down.”
“I think the beds are in the back.”
“No, not here. Someplace where you can make love to me.”
“Slow down there, Sonny Boy. Let’s at least buy a few things while we’re still here and let these gentlemen earn a commission.”
It took them another hour to pick out just the right sofa and living-room chairs, as well as a couple of designer end and coffee tables. Justin even laid down with Brian on the bed he had picked out with Daphne the other day. While the salesman was writing up their order and putting a rush on the delivery, Brian took a few minutes to call the Fairmount. He had them light the fireplace in their suite, as well as bringing a bucket of champagne and strawberries, so it would be there waiting for them when they got back. This wasn’t how he had planned to propose to Justin, but it seemed like just the right time when it happened, and Justin couldn’t have been more surprised.
~~~
Mel is really trying but she feels so distant from Lindsay. She wants to spend some quality time with her before she has to leave for Paris. She again plans a romantic night together, only this time she decides to get a hotel room. They’ve already made plans to go out to dinner at Pappaganos. She told Mel that she’d meet her there at eight o’clock; she needed to finish up something at work to get ready for her big trip.
It’s already 8.45 and Lindsay’s still not there. Mel keeps looking at her watch as the waiter brings her another glass of wine. This will be her third and she’s starting to feel a little tipsy. She can’t imagine what’s keeping Lindsay, but she’s determined to not let this affect her good mood. When she finally shows up she looks slightly disheveled, with her hair a mess and her clothes untucked.
Mel asks, “What happened to you?”
“Oh, I’m so sorry I was late. I had to get the new exhibit framed and hung and the framer was late. Then Sidney kept changing how he wanted them spaced and we ended up getting into a big argument. So of course I had to stay and work things out with him. Today’s been a total nightmare. I almost called to tell you we’d need to postpone tonight, but I knew how much you wanted us to go out.”
Melanie’s just watching her as she fidgets with straightening her clothes and finger combs back her hair. Her explanation comes rushing out of her all in one breath. She barely takes a moment to breathe. And there’s just something a little bit off about it, but Mel decides to let it go. The waiter brings Lindsay a glass of wine and hands them the menus. His smile is curt as he tells them the specials of the day.
Lindsay tries to hide her face behind her menu, hoping that the waiter doesn’t recognize her. Earlier this week she came in with Sam, while telling Mel she was working late. But she can’t fool him. He remembers her all too well as the woman that was way too drunk to even place her order while hanging off her man. She was loud and obnoxious, while being overtly sexual, making lewd insinuations. It was totally out of character for the prim and proper Lindsay.
Mel picks up on the tension, but she’s unsure of its origin or why Lindsay should feel uncomfortable. After all the trouble she’s gone to make this a romantic evening, she doesn’t want anything to sidetrack her plans. After they order Mel takes her hand and tells her how much she’s going to miss her. That even though it’s only for a few weeks, it’s going to seem like an eternity.
Lindsay promises to call her every night, telling her that the time will fly by before she knows it. That she thinks all the fuss Mel has gone to for this evening is sweet. Mel finally thinks Lindsay appreciates her effort. She can’t help but be excited to tell her that she’s made plans for them to stay at the Wyndham Hotel and just how great it will be to get away from the kids, even if it’s only for one night.
~~~
Ben has just returned home from dropping Hunter off for his week in the woods. He’s running around straightening everything and setting out a good bottle of wine and wine glasses; he even made a cheese platter and crackers. Emmett has tried on a dozen outfits, unable to decide on which one to wear. His nerves are getting the better of him as he anticipates his evening to come. He finally decides on a pair of skin-tight jeans and his bright pink corduroy button-down shirt, matching socks and black boots with a black leather jacket.
He knows that it’s totally girly but he can’t help putting on a little mascara and eye shadow to highlight his eyes. Only Emmett could pull off the outfit and still look sexy. He hears Ben pull up out front and starts down the stairs. Debbie tells him how good he looks, and wishes him luck on his weekend. Ben even comes to the door saying hello to Carl and Deb as he takes Emmett’s overnight bag and walks him to his car. Debbie can’t help thinking how cute they look together as they leave on their first official date.
~~~
Michael’s on kitchen duty tonight as he serves meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy with canned corn to the first shift of prisoners. It’s relatively easy serving up extra potatoes and gravy when they ask for it. Several of the men give Michael the onceover, letting him know that they’re interested in him. He’s stopped being so frightened as the weeks go by, realizing that he’s now housed with petty crooks, drunk drivers and white-collar criminals.
He’s made a few friends in his cell block, and they’re even trying to teach him how to play basketball out in the courtyard during their afternoon break. He’s still a terrible player, clumsy and uncoordinated, but he’s finally getting the gist of the game. He meets with his psychiatrist three times a week, and even though he still carries a torch for Brian, he’s now able to express his desires openly, no matter how unrealistic they are, and it feels good to be able to talk about it without being judged.
~~~
Justin’s floating on Cloud Nine, today was a perfect day. He’s had so much fun picking out the new furniture, even if Brian embarrassed him to death. Everything just seems so easy between them now. It’s amazing how comfortable Brian is in showing his feelings, even though he rarely does it in public. He wants to scream from the rooftops, Brian Kinney Loves Me and he even wants to spend his life with me! Although he knew that before, when they bought the house, but the proposal just made everything gel. It was the last thing he thought would happen today, or any other day.
Brian can’t seem to keep his hands off Justin in the elevator as they ascend to their floor. He has him up against the back of the elevator, with his arms above his head. He’s kissing him passionately, leaving him breathless. Justin feels lightheaded as he’s filled with more passion than he’s ever experienced. He feels weightless as Brian lifts him up and tosses him across his shoulder, carrying him to their suite. Once they’re inside Justin is overwhelmed with how romantic the room is, aglow from the fireplace that crackles in the corner.
Brian’s never seen him smile so brightly as he lights up the room. It sends a little chill down his spine knowing that he’s the one who put that smile on his face. He never thought showing his passion for Justin would come so easily. Justin’s heart is racing as he takes in his surroundings, never wanting this moment to end. Brian lays him down on the sofa as he stares into his eyes reading all his love and adoration. Brian gives him a genuine smile that comes from some place deep in his soul, some place that’s new to him he never knew existed.
Justin blushes and looks at the coffee table, noticing the champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries. He opens his mouth as Brian feeds him a juicy berry, coated in white chocolate, his favorite. He hears the champagne cork pop as the bubbly wine seeps over the rim, dripping down Brian’s hand. They toast to their future, sipping the brut champagne as it tickles Justin’s nose. It makes him laugh as Brian places butterfly kisses all over his face. He’s never felt so in love, and he can’t help that giddy feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Brian reaches over and starts undoing the buttons on his black shirt, finally pulling it off him and letting it fall to the floor. He moves on to his beige cargo pants, unzipping them and letting his firm erection spring free, finally pulling them by the bottom of the pant legs until his gorgeous naked body is spread out before him.
“God, you are so beautiful and now you’re all mine.”
“Brian, I’ve been all yours for a while now. Don’t you know that?”
“Yeah, but now I don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing and you walking out on me.”
Justin’s a little surprised by Brian’s admission, finally knowing how much he’s hurt him in the past. He wraps his arms around Brian’s neck and pulls him into his embrace, kissing him with so much passion that it leaves no doubt how he feels.
Just because Brian never expresses his feeling, doesn’t mean he never has them. All you ever had to do was look in his eyes, and you’d be able to see all his fear and pain. The problem was Justin never stayed around to notice it before.
“Brian, I’m so sorry for hurting you. I now know how sensitive you are, and I promise I’ll always stand by you from now on.”
Brian rolls his lips into his mouth and smiles, showing Justin how happy he is.
“Here, let me help you out of your clothes. I’m starting to feel very naked.”
Brian lifts his arms up and Justin pulls his red cashmere sweater over his head. He then runs his hands down his chest until he reaches the waistband of his black 501’s. He pulls at the buttons until they all pop open, revealing his black underwear. He already has a wet spot spreading across the head of his penis, showing just how excited he is. He shimmies out of his pants and jockey shorts, stepping out of them as they fall to the floor.
They wrap their arms around each other, pulling themselves closer as they kiss and nibble at one another’s neck and ears. Brian lies them down in front of the fireplace as they feel the warmth spread across their bodies. Even though they’ve been together thousands of times before, this moment seems to be the start of a whole new level of their relationship. The intensity of the passion they feel for one another is unparalleled, and they can’t seem to get enough of each other.
Brian tucks his head into Justin’s shoulder, sucking on his neck, not caring that he’s going to leave a red mark. Justin’s legs naturally circle around Brian’s waist as they rub their groins together, sending sensations spiraling through them both. Justin reaches into the drawer in the coffee table where he knows Brian has a stash of condoms and packets of lube. He rips the lube open and motions for Brian to sit up as he reaches between his legs and circles his opening, leaving it coated and glistening as it calls to Brian to come and play. Brian’s mesmerized by him, watching him twitch and wink.
Brian hears Justin rip the condom open then feels him rolling it down his shaft. Justin aligns himself as Brian pushes deep into him. Brian can feel Justin arch his back, taking even more of Brian into him, loving the feeling of being full. They’re both excited and overcome with need as they move in sync with one another. They slowly build friction deep within until Justin’s moaning out Brian’s name, beckoning him to fuck him harder. Brian can’t help but pull back and look deep into Justin’s eyes then he slams into him, increasing his thrusts.
Justin’s body convulses as Brian shifts his thrusts and starts pounding his prostate. His breathing is labored as the sensations build to full throttle, bringing him right to the edge. Their bodies are so close together that Justin’s cock is wet and slippery, gliding between both of their stomachs, soon to reach climax. Brian throws his head back as his orgasm explodes, sliding smoothly against Justin’s deep channel. They both cum together as they feel each other’s body quaking and shuddering, riding out their intense pleasure.
Brian’s heart is racing as he rests his head against Justin’s chest, rising and falling with each breath. They’re both so overcome with passion; they’ve never felt so close to one another before.
A brand-new page in their playbook has been turned.
~~~
Lindsay is sitting on her suitcase trying to get it closed. Mel comes in and helps her, questioning why she feels the need to take four suitcases.
“You’re only going for a few weeks, but you’re packing like you’ll be gone for the next year.”
“Oh, you never know how the weather is going to be and I just want to be prepared.”
“Do you have a copy of your itinerary for me? I want to know how to get a hold of you in case something should happen. Or I just need to hear your voice.”
“I’ll print one out and leave it on your desk. But there’s no need to worry, everything is going to be fine.”
“I know, but this is the first time you’ll be away from Gus. I know he’ll want you to say goodnight to you while you’re gone.”
Lindsay thinks to herself about how much she’s going to miss Gus, but she knows that he’ll be okay. After all, he’ll have Brian and Justin as well as Mel to take care of him. Even though it will be hard on him at first, she’s sure that he’ll get past it with time.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the airport? It really isn’t a problem.”
“No, of course not. My plane is leaving at the crack of dawn. Besides you need to be here to get the kids ready for school, and Meredith.”
Mel is driving her crazy with all her questions; she just wishes that she’d back off before she snaps at her. She goes in to say goodnight to Gus, kissing him just a little too long and running her hand through his hair. She looks down at him with tears in her eyes. She reads him a story and before she’s even finished he’s already asleep. She closes his door and then double checks her list just to make sure she has everything.
~~~
Emmett was just putting the finishing touches on all his plans for Justin’s birthday. He has hired a wait staff so he can enjoy the festivities, and still oversee the event during the party. He has workmen hanging tiny twinkle lights all over the room, and the tables and chairs were being delivered that afternoon. He has checked with the florist and they have eight dozen Water Lilies ready to float in the pool, plus mini fish bowls with a water lily in each of them for the centerpieces on each table.
The butcher has dropped off all the beef, and the bakery was due with the chocolate torte anytime. Ben stopped by the house to check and see if Emmett needed any help; he was totally taken back by the grandeur of the mansion. He had heard that it was really beautiful and huge but that didn’t do it justice. It was truly magnificent and he is proud of how far Brian has expanded his business; he couldn’t help but be envious.
~~~
Justin still didn’t have a clue about his surprise party. He was still going over all his art supplies for next week for when school starts back up. Brian had left for work early but insisted on having lunch with him. He was just packing up everything in their suite. Tomorrow they would check out of the Fairmount and spend their first night at Britin. He still didn’t understand why he couldn’t move some of their things out there today, but Brian had been adamant that they wait until Saturday.
His instincts told him something was up. Everyone was acting a little strange, even his mother. Daphne made plans for them to have breakfast together, she was due any minute. They were going to Dominick’s which was famous for their huge omelets, and he was starving. All he and Brian had last night was champagne and strawberries, although at midnight he ordered a hot fudge sundae. He can’t help smiling, almost blushing as he thinks back to him dripping ice cream and hot fudge all over Brian’s body and licking it off. The only reason Brian agreed was because it was after midnight, so it was technically his birthday. How could he refuse?
~~~
Lindsay left early Friday morning before Mel even got up. She was a little sorry for deceiving Mel the way she was, but she just had to get away. And after all it was Mel who said, “You’re thirty-four years old. Either grow up or get out.”
While she felt guilty for leaving Gus the way she was, she just hoped he would understand when he was older. Now that Brian’s parental rights had been restored she hoped that they would share custody and Gus would have a chance to really know his father.
She knows she should have stayed and explained herself. But she just wasn’t strong enough to face reality and come clean with Melanie. It would only be a matter of days before she realized that Lindsay was gone for good.
TBC…
