CHAPTER 28: YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME Part 2

Nancy

We're all standing a little ways from where Lindsay passed out, trying to contain our collective laughter. It's only been about fifteen minutes or so since Lindsay viewed, possibly for the first time, the original artwork for Rage. Justin even upped the ante from the original five to include a second collection of the works, which is how we obtained the ten paintings. The way they were advertised was that they were only going to be the sketches. But as always, that young man is full of surprises.

Once Theodore Schmidt advised him of how much we were willing to donate to the charity, Justin went back into the recesses of the building and gave us the original paintings for the comic instead. And may I just say that they are incredible! They actually look like photographs instead of paintings; so well done and high gloss that there isn't a detectable brushstroke in sight. If that thing currently sprawled out on the floor in a stupor ever thought she could possibly do something so magnificent, then it's apparent that Ronald and I should have been checking her into Three Acres Psychiatric Facility, instead of allowing the delusional bitch to waste our money attending college. Justin Taylor has more talent in his pinky toe than Lindsay could ever have, if she lived three lifetimes.

She finally comes to, looking dazed and confused, until her eyes come to rest on the collection once more. I can't help but be gratified as we all watch her expression go through a myriad of emotions including envy, shock, and anger. She turns an unflattering shade of red and picks herself up off the floor, obviously pissed that neither of the security guards made a move to help her. Seeing us all standing there watching her, she looked as though she wanted to say something but must have thought better of it, since she stayed silent. Honestly, I can't tell you how relieved I am that she did.

That haughty, entitled tone of hers has been making my palm twitch to slap her all morning.

Huffing, she glares at us all once more before leaving the parlor, heading towards the stairs. Ronald, Lynette, and I know what's about to happen, so we warn Clarence, Jennifer, and the guards, moments before we hear the first series of crashes and booms. The screeches and curses flying from her as she continues to demolish anything in her path can clearly be heard throughout the house. It's taking everything in me not to go up there right now and knock some sense into her, but Ronald and I had already discussed this in detail before we set this morning's show into motion. The sound of glass breaking all over the room tells us that she has reached the closet- a walk in which has a series of walled mirrors across the back of the room.

It isn't hard to discern the sound of material being ripped to shreds, or shoes being thrown haphazardly at the windows. I can't help the chuckle that escapes me knowing that Lindsay will be paying for that particular deed in more ways than she could bargain for. After thirty minutes, the noise finally dies down and I know that I have go play my part now. I move up the stairs, trying to contain my glee at what I am about to do. No longer do I have to be ‘Nancy Peterson: Wasp Wife'; I get to be ‘Nancy Peterson: Wasp Mother' in so many more ways than just biology.

I'm pretty sure Lindsay will be coming up with several words to place on the back of mother beginning with ‘fucker', after I tell her what I have to. Stepping into the room, I'm not surprised to find it the disaster and destruction zone we were all expecting. Lindsay's room honestly looked like a hurricane, tornado, and landslide hit it, all at the same time.

"Well, Lindsay, now that your furious four-year-old tantrum has stopped, do you have anything to say for yourself?" She glares at me from the corner of her eyes, before going back to staring at seemingly nothing. "Okay, if that's the way you want to play it. Since I intend to give the staff off... Well, everyone except the security guards," I specify when I see the bitch perk up at that news, "You have the distinct pleasure of cleaning up the mess up you've made."

"I'm not cleaning a damn thing, Mother. I'll just move to another room in the house, until the maids can clean this one properly."

"Like hell you will. Since you like to create filth, you can live in it as well." Taking another look around, I see all of the designer labels Ron, myself, or the money Brian Kinney has given her paid for. Needless to say, that it pisses me off even further. She is such an ungrateful little bitch! "Also, since it's an absolute no-no for you to walk around in your pajamas all day, I will pick up some clothes for you."

"Finally, you give a thought or care to something I actually need. It's about fucking time."

I chuckle beneath my breath. I know exactly what she needs, but I think what I have in mind will be much better. "Be sure to have this place picked up before I get back Lindsay, or you certainly will NOT like the consequences."

"What can you possibly do to me that hasn't already been done?"

"Don't do what you've been told, and find out." I dare her, returning her scowl until she looks away.

"Fine. But I also need to use the computer in the office."

"Tough shit. Since you destroyed the one we allowed you to use, you'll have to go without."

"But that's not fair! If Lynette had done anything like this..."

"She never would have and you know it. You have always been a spoiled, entitled, ungrateful, spiteful bitch, Lindsay. And as such, it's time for you to learn that all your actions have both consequences and reactions. These are mine and Ronald's. If you don't like it, you can simply move out."

"Maybe I will..."

"And where will you go?" I laugh when I see the thought in her eyes. "To Clarence? Well I can tell you that because of your little temper tantrum, he's one step closer to calling off your relationship. But you keep right on acting as you have been. I'm sure that I can speak for your father when I say that I would rather see you alone than to give away your hand in marriage, and let you loose on the unsuspecting upper-echelons of society. Just knowing you as your parents is already cruel and unusual punishment enough. Makes me wish that murder was indeed legal."

"Mother!"

"What? I'm not lying. But then again since you're certainly not friends with the truth, you wouldn't know I was speaking it even if it bit you in the ass. Well no matter, Lindsay. You have your orders. I will be back in two hours, and this place had better be spotless or else..."

"Or else what?"

"You can add ‘homeless' to the many other names you're called lately. Am I clear?"

She rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth before answering me, but I'll let it slide, for now. "Crystal."

As I turn to leave, I turn back briefly to remind her of one more thing. "Now don't forget that the security guards in the parlor are armed. You would do well to stay out of there. They have orders to shoot to kill and yes dear, that means YOU specifically. Have a good rest of the morning, sweetheart."

Upon turning to leave, I make sure to smile and wink my eye to show my pleasure in delivering that warning. Is it wrong that I hope she tests the security guards, just once? Perhaps. But it's certainly not stopping me from wishing it was so! It would solve so many problems she's caused, and keeps causing.

I find myself wondering what exactly would make homicide justifiable, as I begin to descend the marble staircase. Undoubtedly, I heard her slamming the door behind my departure, while screaming further obscenities she's unaware or uncaring the entire household can hear. It's taking everything in me not to go back up there and slap her so hard her soul will immediately exit her body. But somehow I'm even finding it uncharitable to even wish her on the devil. And isn't that just very telling all by itself?

As I re-enter the parlor, I find my companions and the security guards howling with laughter, at Lindsay's expense. "God Nancy, I never knew you could be so vicious," Jennifer laughs. "You reminded me of my son, infusing WASP mannerisms with just enough common language that there can be no mistaking the meanings and innuendos behind the words. I think being involved with Brian has made his language even more... colorful."

"What can I say... she's officially pissed me off."

"Remind me never to do so," Ron says, as he pulls me into him around my waist.  

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ADLS

Melanie

I just hung up with the DA's office. I know I have to talk to Brian and Justin about what Ethan Gold wants to do. I guess it depends on what Justin is thinking this morning. God, I felt so bad for the kid, having to hear what the Wonder Twits were up to all this time. And all in the name of fucking love... What a load of shit! It was all in the name of greed, nothing more. Which brings me to my own early morning guests.

To say that I was more than a little surprised to see Daphne at my front door in the company of two young women, would be the understatement of the year. Dusty and Marie still had Gus, and although I'm expecting Brian and Justin over this morning, I had still planned to sleep in until about half past nine. So imagine my consternation about who could be ringing my doorbell at eight-fifteen in the morning. Needless to say, I would have thought it was Lindsay, with all her ‘woe is me' persona, and pronouncements about how I've been doing her wrong. Without my liquid sanity first thing in the morning, I wouldn't have been able to handle it.

"So Daphne, what brings you all here this early? I would have thought that after last night, you would have still been asleep."

"I would have been except... well let's get the introductions out of the way first. Melanie Marcus, this is Taryn Charles and the young one over there is Malinda Taylor but you can call her Molly."

"Molly? As in Justin's sister Molly?"

"One and the same," the young girl answers me. "May I have a cup of coffee too please?"

I find myself smiling at her. Yep, now that I have a better look, I can definitely see the resemblance between Molly and Justin. It's in the intelligent eyes and the full lips. Other than that, she looks exactly like her mother, except with strawberry blond hair. "You're a little too young for coffee I would imagine."

"Not exactly Ms. Marcus. I've been stealing sips of Justin's since I was twelve. Or should I say, he's been letting me. Mom would have had a fit if she had found out. But Jester and I are like that."

"Jester?"

"Yes. According to him, I couldn't say his name right when I first started speaking so I called him Jester. The name stuck. In turn, he calls me Mollusk, which I know groups me with snails, slugs, octopus, and other slimy creatures without a backbone, but it serves me right since I used to sneak into his room undetected and hide in his closet. There were many interesting things in there."

"I'll just bet there were," I laugh. I can't help it. She's as intelligent and incorrigible as Justin had mentioned many times after he was thrown out by his father. I know that she was one of the only things he missed about being in that house. "I'll get your coffee and then you can tell me how you ended up with Daphne this morning. I know that your mom said it was your weekend with your father."

After I come back with coffee for Daphne, Molly, and myself, and a large glass of orange juice for a very heavily pregnant Taryn, we move forward with the conversation.

"So Molly, why aren't you with your dad this morning?" I ask.

"How well-versed are you about relations between my mother, father, and brother, Ms. Marcus?"

That question takes me aback a bit. "I suppose I'm very well-versed in all the matters concerning the Taylors, including custody arrangements, and the divorce settlements. I'm also well aware of the trust funds your grandfather set up for you and Justin. I was your mother's secondary attorney during the proceedings. The lead partner in my firm handled the matter directly."

She nodded. "Well, as for what I'm doing here... I would like to seek emancipation from my father immediately."

That causes me to spit my coffee. As I mop it up with a napkin and apologize, I ask, "Why Molly? I thought the relationship between you and Mr. Taylor was good."

"It was until I found out this morning what a hypocrite and liar he really is."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that he had no reason to throw Justin out of our childhood home when he has been doing the exact same thing. He cheated Justin out of safety and security when he needed it the most while he's... Oh my god, he's such a fucking asshole!"

"I don't understand."

"Okay, I'll spell it out. I woke up this morning and as I usually do, I went to his room to let him know that I would start breakfast. When I got there, I thought I was tapping my dad on the shoulder, but instead I ended up tapping Mr. Mayweather's, who is dad's business partner in Taylor Electronics. Dad was just coming out of the shower, and it is obvious what they had been doing since the room smelled like sweat and sex. The empty condom wrappers confirmed it all. I left the room, screaming about what he had done to Justin and how his actions caused this family to fall apart.

"By then I had reached the kitchen, and Mr. Mayweather was hot on Dad's heels, trying to be the voice of reason between us, I suppose. But by then I was just too angry. So we were in the kitchen and the argument escalated. He started talking about sending me to boarding school and taking me away from Mom permanently, since I had no manners or respect for my elders. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed the cast iron skillet off the stove that I had laid it there the night before, and I hit him with it."

"You hit him?" I know I sound incredulous, but there is also a tinge of laughter in my voice. "Where did you hit him?"

She blushed to the roots of her hair, and it didn't take much for my imagination to fill in the blanks. So when she said, "In his private place," I lost what little composure I had left. "I got dressed in a hurry as he was rolling on the ground, being consoled by Mr. Mayweather, grabbed my things and left his house. Fortunately, I knew the way to Daphne's place, which isn't far from his."

After pulling myself together, I tell her, "I think we should call your mom and let her know what's happened." She began to protest, but stopped when I held up my hand. "This is an unusual circumstance, but I don't know if it is enough to get his rights revoked permanently. I'm thinking only supervised visitation, but I have to do some research on it."

"Please don't call Mom. She'll make me go back there."

I smile reassuringly at her. "I doubt that, since she wasn't thrilled about you having to spend time there anyway. But I'll tell you what... your brother and his partner should be here at any moment, and I know that he'll help you reason with her if she proves difficult. So, that said, let's get her over here and we can lay out the options together. Okay?"

She looks to Daphne, probably trying to gauge whether she can trust me. I don't blame her. The poor child's life has been upended so much in the last two years. "Wait! Justin's partner? Tell me he isn't still with that fucktard Ethan?!"

Once again, I find myself losing the battle to withhold my laughter in this serious situation. "No. He's back with Brian."

"Thank God for large miracles! I couldn't stand that pretentious pain. Justin should have never left Brian."

"You've met Brian?"

"Once, but Mom doesn't know it. He was at the hospital when Justin was there. Mom was in the room with Justin, and I saw him peeking around the corner to see when she left. He didn't talk much, but he told me he cared for my brother and wanted to make sure he was doing okay. Mom stayed until visiting hours were over, and Justin was asleep. She left and never looked back, but I did. When I saw him, he was standing outside of the room, speaking with the night nurse."

Wow! I never knew that. Like everyone else, I assumed that Brian never went to see Justin. I mean, if your boy toy is broken, get a new one, right? This was another piece of the Kinney puzzle that no one knew, but it explains a lot. I wonder if Justin knows. As if I voiced the thought aloud, Daphne confirms my suspicions.

"He doesn't know. Or he didn't, but I'm not sure if he does now. You saw them last night," she says, and I nod.

"There is definitely something... different with them this time."

"Yeah, there is. I'm sure they will tell us or more than likely, not tell us, but leave us to draw our own conclusions. By the way, Taryn wanted to meet them."

I turn my attention to Taryn then. "How much about recent developments do you know?"

"Only that one of these children's fathers has been arrested; Lindsay is M.I.A. and hasn't returned any of my emails. Also, I've been in touch with a man who claims to be Lindsay's father."

"Ron Peterson. I know that he's offering to set you up for life."

"Yes, he is. Can he be trusted?"

"Yes, he can," I answer. "Unlike Lindsay and her mother, Ron is an upstanding gentleman. Nancy, though, I think has come around in recent times. Lindsay is staying with them for the time being, and all of her emails have been going to him or Nancy. There is a whole lot about this situation that you don't know."

For the next hour, Daphne and I explain to Taryn and Molly what has happened, and about the scheme Lindsay and Michael put forth to entrap Brian. "So basically, I am not carrying Michael and Brian's children, but possibly Brian and/or Justin's?"

"That's it in a nutshell," I confirm.

"Wait? Justin's?" Daphne questions. "I thought Justin was a total bottom."

"He is, but only with Brian, according to what I've been told." I smirk.

She laughs. "That explains so much."

"What? What does it explain?" Molly asks.

"I'll tell you when you're older. Suffice it to say that there is a special level of trust involved, and it's obviously not been achieved between Justin and Ethan."

Molly seems to mull over that information, and it must have been good enough for her because she shrugs her shoulder and simply says, "I'm glad."

The doorbell rings, and in walk Brian and Justin. They look pretty relaxed, all things considered. Brian has actually latched his pinky onto Justin's, and I can't help but be surprised by that simple, yet effective, gesture. It's as close to hand-holding as I have ever seen them do. Once again, I find myself wondering what has changed between them.

"Mel, coffee," Brian orders. When I glare at him, he adds, "Please."

"That's better, Frankenstein," I say but smile.

"Good morning, Mel. Can you make that two cups if it's not too much trouble?" Justin asks. I cross over to him, throwing my arms around his shoulders, knowing Brian hates that, and give him a big kiss on the cheek.

"Sure, Baby. You still take it with cream, no sugar?"

"Absolutely, and a little extra if you have it." He looks around, his eyes landing on his sister. "I think I'm going to need it. Mollusk!" He lets me go, and turns to catch his sister.

"Jester! It's been a long time!"

"I know Mols but..."

"Say no more. I know what he did."

I watch as they look at each other, sharing a silent communication the way only siblings can. I move into the kitchen to prepare the cups of coffee, and take the opportunity to call Jennifer Taylor. Brian follows me in, giving Justin and Molly a much needed chance to catch up.

The minute I hang up, he asks, "Alright, what's Molly doing here and why have you called Jennifer?" I shake my head, and begin to relate all that was told to me this morning. "Fuck! Craig isn't going to take this lying down. What fucking more can go wrong?"

"You'd be surprised." And then I tell him about the other phone call I received to start my morning.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*ADLS

Justin

"God Mollusk, you look so grown up! I feel like I've missed over half your life."

"Only the last two years or so. I've had two growth spurts, but enough about me... how are you, Justin?"

I look into the blue eyes that are so much like my own. I've missed her, it's true. But I didn't realize how much, until this moment. When my fath- when Craig- found out that Mom was bringing her to the hospital to see me when I was in after the bashing, he had me served with a restraining order and threatened to take Molly away from Mom unless I stayed away. When I got released, we kept it quiet that I was living with them for a time but he'd found out anyway.

Mom was prepared to fight him for making her choose one child over the other. It didn't help that I was having extreme fits of rage, suicidal thoughts, and was unable to sleep without nightmares. So it was fortuitous that Brian was willing to let me live with him. I think back to that time, and realize what a trial it must have been for Brian. At the time, I had the benefit of not remembering unless I was trapped in a nightmare, but Brian had his full memory intact.

I have to remember to thank him again for taking care of me the way he did, does, and always has.

"I'm good now, Mols. Something happened when I was in California. I think I needed to get away for everything to finally click."

"What happened?" Both Molly and Daphne ask at the same time, and I can't help as the tears come to my eyes.

I look directly at Daphne and smile. "I remember... everything."

"Everything?" she gasps.

"Yeah. Everything. You were beautiful and you were right."

"Right? About what?"

"Brian and I were amazing. I even remember the look in his eyes as we danced to that old song, which I thought was kinda corny, but it summed up every single thing Brian felt for me. It was ridiculously romantic."

I find myself smothered by two sets of skinny, but surprisingly strong, arms and the tears are flowing freely between the three of us amid platitudes of gratitude to a god that I still wasn't sure I believed in, until I got my memory back. Even the newcomer seems to be affected by this display. I pull the girls off of me and walk over to her.

"I'm sorry that we all seem to have forgotten our manners. "I'm Justin Taylor, and you are...?"

"Taryn. Taryn Charles."

It's then that I notice her protruding belly, and reach my hands towards her before pulling back. "It's nice to meet you, Taryn. May I?"

Smiling, she takes my hands in hers, and lays them gently on her belly. The first thing I feel are the mighty kicks of our children beneath my hands. Brian and I decided that no matter who's the bio-dad, these babies will never want for anything, whether we are together or not. Although, I know I'm never letting him go from me again. If that means I'm simply Uncle Justin or Jus, that's absolutely fine by me; I just want to know them.

I know that my smile is wide enough to brighten up the room as I feel it happen, again and again. "I think they may like my touch. Can I get you anything, Taryn? A refill on your orange juice, a pillow to sit on? Anything?"

She smiles at me, before she chuckles. "No thanks, Justin. I'm fine. I think what Daphne has told me about you is true."

"And just what has this expert of all things Justin Taylor, told you?" I eye her, warily. Daphne knows too many things about me, both good and bad.

"She said that you were a child-whisperer. These two have not been so active in days and honestly, I was beginning to worry a bit."

"I told her it was probably starting to get a little crowded in there. But if they didn't do any moving today, I would have taken her to the hospital. So see, Taryn, I was right! I usually am, you know."

"And so modest, too," Taryn says, as we all laugh. "I wish I had listened to you about Lindsay."

"I do, too, but what's done is done. The good news is that you will be taken care of in spite of all this."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I've been in touch with Ron Peterson. He wired me funds, where I never have to work a day in my life, if that's what I choose to do. He said that he felt bad about what Lindsay and Michael did."

"I guess, he would. I've recently found out that he and Nancy are decent people. They aren't anything at all like what I've thought all these years, or what Lindsay has led us all to believe. How long do you have left at Carnegie?"

"A little more than a year to go for the Bachelor's; two for the Master's degree program. Why?"

"Brian and I have both started our own businesses, which could use your expertise. I hear you're an International Business major?"

"That's right. I have also taken a concentration in graphic arts. Professor Bruckner's Gay Studies class helps to fulfill an elective, but I'm learning a lot of how to incorporate homoerotic images into text and graphics, without it being overt. A lot of texts and images have done the same down through cultures and generations, especially those where homosexuality weren't thought of as taboo. I would like to work with companies with that kind of vision. There's nothing wrong with me, but with a society that wants to tell me who I can love and how to do it. From what Ron tells me, Kinnetik is a company that believes in staying ahead of the trends, instead of riding the current wave."

"Ron Peterson would be correct." Brian says, sitting down next to me before I have a chance to answer her. Turning his head to his immediate left, he smiles. "It's nice to see you again, Molly."

"I've talked about her, but never introduced you." I frown at the two of them, as she blushes and giggles.

"Nice to see you too, Brian. For the record, Jester, Brian and I met awhile ago. Have you told him or should I still keep my silence, Brian?"

He smiles softly, before realizing that he is. He clears his throat before speaking again, and looking directly into my eyes. "Molly and I met when you were in the hospital. Your mother was visiting you and I was waiting for her to leave."

"But she didn't come to... Oh my God, Brian! You were actually there! I'm still surprised that I didn't dream you."

He looks down. "No, you didn't dream me. Anyway, that's when she and I met. Molly you've grown since I've last seen you. Mel tells me that you've had an interesting morning."

She snickers. "You could say that."

"What happened?" I never did get told how she came to be at Mel's this morning.

"Let's just say that dad and I had a misunderstanding... one that I intend to make permanent."

We're interrupted by the doorbell again, but this time, it brings my mother.

"Malinda Anne Taylor, I just received the most interesting call from Craig. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Nothing, but I'm sure he had plenty to say, leaving out some very important details," Molly sneers. I don't think I've ever seen her do that, or be so angry before. "What exactly did he tell you I did?"

"He told me that you became angry with him and hit him with a cast-iron skillet."

"That's true, I did and would do it again. But did he tell you why?"

"He also said that he thinks since I can't control you, that we should enroll you in boarding school. I told him that he'll have take me to back to court if he thinks I'll agree to something as asinine as that. But why did you hit him?"

Molly narrows her eyes at her. "Because I caught him coming out of the shower while Mr. Mayweather was comfortably sleeping, naked, in his bed."

The silence in the room was deafening as the information Molly imparted sinks in. Craig Taylor is gay?  The biggest homophobe I know, who kicked his homosexual son out of the house is gay himself? Okay...two things: Why the hell did he do that to me, and WHAT THE YUCK?! Mr. Mayweather is a fucking troll.

Wait though... "They must have been having an affair for years. No way this shit just started," I imply.

"So let me get this straight... you caught your dad in bed with Mr. Mayweather?" Brian says, snickering.

"No, he was just coming out of the shower. But seeing the empty condom wrappers strewn all over the floor, and the fact that room smelled of unwashed ass and sweat, it wasn't hard to discern what they had just finished." She shivers, and I find myself doing so as well. Mr. Mayweather never struck me as the cleanest person alive. YIKES!

"But Molly, did you have to hit him?" Mom asks, plaintively.

"After all the wrong shit he's said about Justin over the last few years, he's lucky all I did was make it painful for him to pee for the next few days," she says through gritted teeth.

"Well then, I guess there's no help for it but to call Mr. Donaldson, and make sure he notates this in the record. Monday morning, I'll start the proceedings to revoke his custody permanently. Which reminds me, I need to call the bank."

"The bank? What for?" I ask.

"Because knowing your father, he will hold all monetary assets hostage from me and Molly. He's always been a vindictive sonofabitch."

As she goes to make her call, Mel begins to fill me in on this morning and honestly, I can't believe it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*ADLS

District Attorney Annette Donnelly

I can't believe it. I'm sitting here, looking over the full confession given to me by Ethan Gold. I already called the plaintiff's attorney, Melanie Marcus, and am waiting for her to get back to me with Justin Taylor's response to the plea deal I'm prepared to offer Mr. Gold, in exchange for his testimony.

The knock at my door interrupts my musings. "Come in."

"You have a sec?" Peeking around the door, the ADA enters at my nod. Garrett Dickerson and I only started seeing each other when my divorce became final, even though we've known each other since the early days of law school. Although we are still new, I feel like this relationship may be moving in the right direction. Noticing the small stack of yellow lined paper in front of me, he asks, "What have you got there?"

I smile a small smile at him, narrowing my eyes. "Quite possibly the answer to many of my prayers of late. Getting some belated justice for Justin Taylor for the bashing on an unrelated matter, and a way to get back at my ex-husband's whore in the process." I hand him the handwritten confession of Ethan Gold.

"Is he serious?" he asks me, as he continues to peruse the documents.

"As a heart attack. Right now, I'm waiting to hear back from Melanie, who is representing the plaintiff in this case."

"So, Lindsay Peterson is responsible for this, even though technically all she did was make suggestions?"

"If what Mr. Gold says is true, we have her on conspiracy, accessory before, and after the fact, attempted copyright infringement, and here is the kicker... breaking and entering."

"B & E? How?"

"According to Mr. Gold, there was a plot between the defendant, Michael Novotny, and Lindsay, to basically entrap the plaintiff's former partner into becoming a father again, without his knowledge. Also, according to Mr. Gold, both Novotny and Peterson were given keys to Brian Kinney's abode, which he shared with Justin Taylor at the time. Justin used to complain to Ethan about how they would always enter the apartment loft without calling or knocking, demanding to see Brian. It contributed to Kinney and Taylor's breakup. Anyway, they weren't using the key for its intended purpose, or at the behest of Brian Kinney himself."

"Fucking nitwits! And knowing how entitled and proprietary they feel about Brian Kinney, they probably thought it was their right to come and go, in and out of his loft whenever they pleased, regardless of whether he was home or not."

"How do you know that?" I ask, because although I have the same theory, it is just that... a theory. For Garrett, it seems a surety.

"My adopted brother has been asking around of late."

"Okay."

"There's more to it, but it's a known fact that Brandon is gay. He's as well known in Chicago as King Kinney is here. Anyway, one of our fathers had been hospitalized much of the last year, but is doing much better now. While there, he mentioned that he possibly had another son, who just happens to be..."

"Brian Kinney... Oh my God, Garrett, do you know what this means?"

"Yeah, I do." He sighs. "I think instead of waiting for the Taylor-Kinney faction to come into the office, it would be more prudent to go to them. This is not news that I feel comfortable telling Brian and Justin within this office, with so many connections to Liberty Avenue and the WASP nest, discounting ourselves, of course. Hell, there is a possibility that Brian doesn't even know about it."

I nod my head and gather my things. "But in regards to Lindsay Peterson, I think we should have her arrested. I really don't want to wait."

"I know, Darling, but you're going to have to."

"Why?"

"Because you want to leave her no avenue of escape when you do. You want her desperate, with no one and nothing coming to her rescue. Right now, she is trapped in the WASP nest. Let them sting her ass well and repeatedly, while you gather more evidence. She's bound to fuck up more, thinking that being with her family will keep her untouchable."

I smile at him, catching onto his reasoning. "And in the meantime, she'll add to her list of charges, including undisputed proof of her breaking and entry." At his confused look, I tell him, "Those babies that Mr. Gold alluded to, will have her DNA."

"She used her own eggs?"

"Lindsay is a jealous, spiteful bitch, and as such she would never allow someone else to carry the offspring of the man she believes to be hers. The funny thing is that Ethan Gold also put in his confession that he cheated on Justin."

"So?"

"So, according to him, he did so because Justin never let Ethan fuck him."

"And word on the street, well at least according to Brandon, is that Justin Taylor is a superlative Top, as is Kinney. The King of Liberty Avenue and the King of Babylon hold their titles respectively, but Justin Taylor neither bows nor bends for anyone except Brian Kinney."

"Well I guess it's definitely time to go and see the Kings. It should prove an interesting and informative meeting all the way around."

"You bet your sweet ass it will, Ann. And I for one, wouldn't miss it!"

I pulled out my cellphone to dial Melanie, and let her know to have coffee ready. We were on our way. Smiling to myself, I thought, Enjoy your short-lived freedom Lindsay. You've fucked with the wrong set of WASPs this time. Between Lynette, Justin, and me, we're about to show you how revenge is really done! And it will all be legal and above reproach.

Garrett turned up the radio and we began to sing along with the lyrics: "Shot through the heart and you're to blame, you give love a bad name. I played my part and you played your game, You give love a bad name!"