CHAPTER 22 – CROSSING THE LINE, TEACHING THE GULLIBLE & HAILING THE QUEEN

LOUNGE

MATT

Did I just hear that right?  What’s that supposed to fucking mean?  I need to speak to mom and dad.  Michael and Lindsay are across the room chattering like hyenas over carrion…I love my dad, he has the most amazing phrases!

I can’t see mom and dad and that could mean one of two things and since I’m still traumatised from the last time, I’ll wait for everyone to go and then speak to them. 

I’m brought out of my traumatic memories by the chiding tone of Auntie Ems.

                “You do realise that gives us less than two months to plan the wedding, we need a firm date from you two!” 

                “Okay let’s go for April, the 2nd weekend in April how about that?  And are you sure you want to be an usher and the party planner?  We’d rather you didn’t work so hard in the run up and then be running around during the wedding itself.  Please Emmy Lou let someone else do this?”

                “No, Brian, absolutely not!  After all you guys have been through no way am I leaving it for someone else to organise!  Okay, okay, stop glaring!  How about we compromise a scooch.  We will get, where’s Daph…Daphne unliplock Vince and come over here for planning duties…we will get you to a certain point and then hand over how’s that?”

Brian and Justin nod and Justin gets up much to the annoyance of Milo who had just started to doze off.

                “Ladies and gentlemen!  We have another announcement to make…”  Justin yells. 

Everyone turns to look at them.

                “So lock in your diaries the second weekend of April for our wedding!”

Hugs and kisses abound and Alice and Debs go out to get more bubbles, then I see mom and dad and make my way over.

                “Can I have a word with you two?”  I ask.

                “Sure, what’s up my boy?”  Dad has a tense look on his face.

                “In the office.”

Dad makes the sweeping gesture and I lead them to there, before I could shut the door behind us Jenny has squeezed in and sits down hard.

                “Uh J, I need to talk to my folks in private, so can you give me a minute.”

                “No.” 

We’re surprised by the anger in her voice.

                “Did you see it?  Matt, did you see it!”

                “Jenny?  See what?  Jenny what’s happened?” 

Dad is immediately by her side, trying to get her to look at him but she won’t, she keeps her eyes glued on me and then I realise and pull her into my arms and she lets out a litany of swear words…some I have never heard of.

                “Sorry J, I’m sorry!  I knew I shouldn’t have taught you…” 

                “And she doesn’t know and he’s clearly forgotten.  Sometimes people being jealous imbeciles has advantages…”  Mom growls pacing the room

                “For…wait…Matt have you been teaching Jenny to lip read?”  Dad asks

I nod and she soon quiets down.

                “Did you see it too?”  She asks quietly

                “Yeah we did.”  Dad growls.

                “He’s using me as an ‘in’ isn’t he?  He doesn’t want me, well not completely, but he wants Uncle Brian more.  And he’s using me as a way to get back in his life.  Well that shit stops now, he’s not getting back in there, I’m going…”

                “No!”  We all shout halting her advance to the door.

                “Why not?!” 

She actually stomps her foot and mom smiles.

                “Take it Mel…I mean mom doesn’t know either?”  Mom asks

She shakes her head.

                “Cool your jets and think about it, come on J, think carefully…”  I prod.

She sits down again and thinks, then smiles and nods.

                “Shame I don’t get to wear cool shades but its good I don’t have Walther PPK.”

                “I do.”  Mom pipes up.

                “Not helping!  Now let’s get back out there, before your momma comes to find us.”  Dad tells us.

                “She’s not my momma anymore.”  Jenny leads us back to the lounge.

LOUNGE

DEBS

                “Where the heck have you guys been?”  I demand.

                “Booking the plane for the honeymoon.”  Jenny pipes up.  “Uncle Faal was showing me how to do a flight plan weren’t you?  Obviously they’re not going to fly you there but they are going to lend you the plane and…”

                “The helicopter so you can at least island hop.  You know once you get out of bed.  Oh and commit this to memory, north side gets cooler at night.”  Faal smirks at them.

Zee curls up on the sofa and snorts and then smiles softly whilst looking at Carl.

                “What?  What?”  I demand.

                “Carl.  He’s in the centre and we’re all spread out around him, without even trying he’s become the patriarch of this ragtag family and it’s nice, to papa bear and his queen.”  She raises her glass

                “To papa bear and his queen.” 

They raise their glasses to us and I can’t help but smile as he blushes and tries to wave it away…yep he’s papa bear.

                “So what did we miss?”  Faal asks.

                “Ooh, ooh we were talking about first dates to marriage and so we’ve done Debs and Carl, Joshua and Carrie so now it’s you two, how was yours, tell us all!”  Ems gushes.

                “Not much to tell really.  We met in a bar in Chelsea, in London, he was with his friends and I was alone; we got talking and we discovered we both lived in New York, I was…”

                “This was after Matt was born right?”  Drew asks.

                “Drewsie hush!”

                “Yep, dad insisted that I go and recharge myself and said pick somewhere outside of the US so I did and brought him back as a souvenir…tissues behind you Emmy Lou…and we started dating from there.  It was going great, everyone was happy.  It all went to shit when Faal asked my dad for my hand in marriage and he said no.”

There were astonished gasps.

                “No.  Why would he say no, what’s wrong with Uncle Faal?”  Gus demanded.

                “He’s white.”  She replies.

                “That’s, that’s just the most…”  Hunter is outraged as is everyone else.

                “What you think racism only works one way?  He said that there was no way he was letting him marry his daughter, he would let us date until I got it out of my system but marriage no way.”

                “But you’re married now.  How did that come about?”  Blake asks.

                “We had a family dinner and dad decides that this would be the perfect time to mention the proposal and his rejection of it, whilst Faal was sitting there in front of my ex.  He had just finished proudly boasting of his accomplishment and hi-fiving my ex, when my granddad got up and slapped him across the face.  He then told Faal that there was a senior father in the family and to ask again.  So he did and granddad gave his permission and then he asked me and…”

                “You said yes, you’ve lived happily ever after blah-blah-blah!”  Michael griped.  “Some of us are…”

                “Shut up Michael!”  Almost everyone snapped.

                “Before I could answer my dad said if I said yes he would cut me off without a penny and never speak to me again.  He would still be granddad to Matt but I would cease to exist in his life.”

                “So I said yes, he’s not spoken to me since.  For which I’m eternally grateful.”

                “Well fuck me Sunshine, you have more in common with Zee than I thought!”  I say.

Zee and Justin toast each other.

                “Do you see his granddad, I mean your granddad.”  Ems sniffles at Matt.

                “Nope.  Grandpop tried to get him to change his mind but he wouldn’t accept dad, grandpop died disappointed in his son and made sure he knew that.  To this day we don’t know why and I don’t care just because they’re blood doesn’t make them family, I mean look at us.” 

Matt answers pulling Hunter closer to him.

                “What about your mom, what does she say about this or did she agree?”  Tucker asks.

                “Oh hell no!  Where do you think I get my temper from, whilst hers is a quick light I’m a slow burn but we raze to the ground the same, leaving but nothing but ash.  She left him within a week.  A few months later found herself a new more enlightened partner, they’ve been together I think 14 years now.”

                “Good that’s good.  I’m glad.”  Carl beams.   “So pudding people! No Zee you stay there.  Matt and Hunter you come help.”

They follow him out hand in hand.

KITCHEN

CARL

                “Okay Hunter, you grab the plates and the biscuits and where is this liqueur she talks about?”

                “Back kitchen, I’ll get it.”  Matt tells me.

Once he’s in the room hunting around I follow him and close the door, he turns to me in surprise.

                “Look, it’s a shitty thing your dad and grandfather did but you’ve got great folks and, um, and, if you want to only if you want to, you um can call me Uncle Carl and Red Aunt Debs, but only….ooof.  Okay, son, I really do need to breathe here!”

LOUNGE

MICHAEL

I can’t believe I get to go to Portland and expose Charles for the cheating bastard that he is.  I think I will go and speak to Emmett about the farce of a wedding.

                “So Emmett, how does it feel to be an usher at the event of the century?”  I roll my eyes.

                “Huh, oh pretty good!  I’m so excited although you’ll have to hear about it second hand or read it in the newspapers.  Which reminds me I must put in a notice.  So much to do!”

                “What do you mean?  I’m going to the wedding…”

                “In order for you to go the wedding you would need to be invited and that would be by one of the grooms or be someone’s plus one.  And since you’ve behaved like a total cunt that’s not going to happen now is it…now excuse me, no, Debs, Debs you are not going to choose purple flooring we have discussed this!”

I watch as he dashes across the room and tries to wrest the catalogue from ma’s hands and think what the fuck is his problem! 

                “Hi dad, are you enjoying yourself?”  Jenny’s by my side smiling and munching on a cookie.

                “Yeah, though I’m a bit worried about how long this evening is going to last you’ve got school tomorrow.”

                “Nope it’s a teacher day so we’re off tomorrow.”

I’m fuming and stalk to Mel and tap her hard.

                “Ouch jeez Michael!  What is with the poking?”  Mel winces rubbing her shoulder.

                “Why didn’t you tell me it was teacher day tomorrow?”  I demand testily.

                “Why tell you something you can read yourself?”  She replies just as testily.

                “Mel, Michael what’s this about?”  Ma looks between us.

                “Well father of the year here, thinks I should’ve told him about the teacher day when it’s clearly written on her schedule, which I send him every week.”  Mel replies her eyes blazing.

Ma takes a deep breath.

                “Michael, you need to come over tomorrow seems we need to have yet another talk, and bring a pad and pencil seems you need to take notes!”

LINDZ

Whatever is going on over there, I’m not getting involved in.  I turn back to Ben only to be confronted by an empty space.  I look around and see Zee collecting glassware and starting to head to the kitchen.

                “Zee?”

                “Yep?”

                “Do you need a hand with anything?”

She looks at me in confusion and shrugs indicating the rest of glasses and I follow her to the kitchen.  Once they are stacked in the dishwasher she turns it on and then turns to look at me.

                “You followed me.”  She arches a brow

                “I had no idea about how difficult it was for you and Faal.”

                “I tend not to discuss things that make no difference in my life, my dad makes no difference.”

                “My family is the same, they aren’t happy that I’m with Mel never have been…”

                “So what, you want us to start a poor daughters’ fucked over by their parents club with you and me the founding members?”

                “No!  I was just thinking that you and I aren’t so different…”

                “Yeah we are, I’m not trying to get Mel to fuck me.” 

I can feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

                “Well I’d better get back to…”  I mumble.

                “Lindz, I gave up my dad, and he was everything to me, to be with Faal, what do you think I will do to keep him?” 

Her gaze never wavers and I can feel her eyes burning into my back as I leave the room.

DAPH

Judging by the hoebag’s expression she’s just got an opening salvo, time to cool my girl, I head to the kitchen and find her bouncing her head on the counter.  I manage to get my hand between the two and she turns to look at me.

                “So first shot fired?”

                “Mmm.  Enough about that, so how good is Vince?”

Just as I’m asked that question, Justin comes in and we spend the rest of the evening comparing notes and giving tips.

DEB & CARL’S – MONDAY LATE AFTERNOON

MICHAEL

I hope this isn’t going to take long and Carl isn’t here, I could do without him witnessing another mother meltdown, looks like my luck is out as he opens the door, but calls out.

                “Red you going to be okay, or you need me to stay?”

Ma looks out from what used to be our family kitchen and shakes her head, she’s cleared everything out and there in the middle of the kitchen is Zee’s former stove.  And judging by the take out boxes, they’ve not been cooking either.

                “No honey, you go.  Have fun.”

He comes back to kiss her goodbye and without a word or a glance at me leaves.

                “Sit.”

                “Ma, I’m not a dog…”

                “No you’re not, a dog learns.  Now sit.”

I sit down and fold my arms.

                “Before we have this little talk, you are going to do one thing today.  You’re going to give Jenny a key to your place.  Am I clear?”

                “I’ve been meaning…”

                “Stop meaning and do!  You know why you are invited to lunch…because of her who you conveniently ignore at the first opportunity.  She asks and they swallow it down so that she is happy, so in a way they are better parents…”

                “Who are?  Ben, Mel and Lindz?  Don’t make me laugh especially about Ben, he’s so busy swapping spit with Steve that…”

                “Where is she?” 

                “Who?  Calm down before you blow a gasket, you said she just after I mentioned Mel and Lindz and you could’ve been talking about….ouch ma!”

                “Where is Jenny, clearer now?”

                “I don’t know.  Out with her friends it’s not as if she tells me anything.  For fuck sake ouch!”

                “She’s with Ben and Steve and Hunter, they’re having a family day.  Hunter took the day off to have a family day with his little sister and you can’t be fucking bothered to look at the schedule.”

I’m beginning to lose my temper and I know I’ll say something if she doesn’t shut up soon.

                “Okay I get it ma, I need to get a key cut today, look at the schedule anything else?”  I grit out.

                “Yes how much do you want?”

My bad mood immediately evaporates and I stare at her in surprise.

                “How much do I…?”

                “How much money do you want?”  She replies.

                “Um, uh about $10,000 would be fine, actually make it $15,000.  Are you sure?”  I gasp

She nods and sighs.

                “This is between you and I understand?  Once the outcome of the appeal is known I will give you the money, it will be a monthly payment by standing order okay?”

I nod furiously as she grabs her coat and pulls me out of the seat.

                “We’re going into town, you get the key cut for her and bring it to the diner, I’m seeing her tonight, and I’ll set up the standing order.  Remember between you and me, you don’t tell anybody else.”

We head to town in silence, relief washing over me, we separate at the diner and I give her a kiss and a hug and dash to the nearest key cutters.

LIBERTY AVENUE BANK

DEBS

                “Hi I would like to set up a standing order starting at the end of March, yes the payee is Michael Novotny, yes he banks here too and the amount is one penny.  Yes that’s correct one penny.”

As I head to the diner, I start to laugh and in the end I have to stop and hold the wall as I’m laughing so hard I’m gasping.

                “Debs.  Debs!  Are you okay?”  I hear the concerned voice of Grizz.

                “Oh, yes Grizz, I’m fine don’t fret so much.”

                “Well where you headed to the diner?”

I nod and try to catch my breath.

                “Good then I’m walking you there.  How’s that gorgeous husband of yours?”

                “He’s fine, at the lock up working on the car with Gus today?”

                “Okay give him my love.”  He winks and saunters off.

I had barely hung up my coat and put on my apron when Michael came in and handed me a key before rushing out again.

                “Hey Debs, you okay?”

                “Yeah Kiki, never better never better.”  I smile and go about my day.

SMALLING, STEWART & VINE – TUESDAY EARLY AFTERNOON

JOSHUA

                “Meredith, once my two o’clock arrives, unless the building is on fire or its Carrie we’re not to be disturbed okay?”

                “Of course.  Oh actually I do believe they are here.”

I look up and see Mel, Brian and Justin coming down through the door.

                “And so is the coffee.”

Once we are seated, I take a breath and nod at Grace and Richard.

                “Justin this is Richard, partner in the firm and this is Grace, our stenographer.  Richard and Grace, meet Justin, Brian’s fiancé.  Now Mel I want you to look at these email addresses and see if you recognise any of them?”

I hand her the list and quickly her eyes lock onto one.

                “This one, lindzpete590@hotmail.com why?”

                “Can you confirm that this is or was the email of your wife Lindsay Petersen?”

                “Yes, and again why?”

                “We have recently come into possession of correspondence that you all might want to read.”

I hand each of them a copy and for 15 minutes there is silence.

                “Oh my God.”  Mel murmurs.

                “So what does all of this mean?”  Justin asks.

                “Breach of promise.”  Mel tells him.

                “That’s a legal thing?”  He looks to me for confirmation and I nod.

                “Obscure but legal, you see here, where she says; ‘I promise to persuade Brian to make your dreams come true’.  Well the fact that according to Brian in his affidavit that she never once mentioned Emily means she breached her promise and Emily can sue.”

                “And once the tears stopped and realisation dawned, I believe that’s exactly what she’s going to do.  That was one very fucked off woman.” 

Richard chuckles in remembrance but stops laughing when we all look at him.

                “Sorry that was crass of me.”

                “At the risk of sounding naïve, how does this help anything and where the hell did you get this anyway?”  Justin is pacing.

                “Lawsuits.  Breach of promise from Emily and deception from Brian should…”

                “Look all we want is her out of our lives, to be married, to have Gus as my son too and just…just to be…just to be fuck...fuck…”    

Justin starts to hiccup and tremble.

                “We’ll give you a moment.”  Richard stands and guides us to his office.

RICHARD’S OFFICE

MEL

                “So to answer Justin’s question.”  I prompt

                “Huh?  Oh somebody dropped it off.”  Joshua replies with a small smile.

I give a small chuckle and am startled when there is a knock at the door.

                “Hey Meredith, they ready again?”

                “Yes.”

We head back to Joshua’s office and set our plans in motion to eradicate her from our lives.

FIENMAN REFURB – WEDNESDAY EVENING

INSPECTOR

                “Well Mr Honeycutt and Miss Stark, here’s your certificate for all three buildings, I wish you every success in this endeavour, it’s a good spot, and the footfall will be immense.”

ZEE

I have my hand on the back of Emmy Lou’s pants to stop him from going to hug the man.

                “Thank you so much.  We hope so too.”  I tell him.

As he leaves I still hold on as I’m not sure that he won’t run up the street after him.

                “Can I let go now?”

He nods and then turns to me, 10 minutes later he’s still crying.

                “Honey if you cry anymore damp is going to set it and we’ve just been given the all clear.”

He takes a big snotty sniff, and I try not to barf, then collects himself.

                “So now what do we do?”

                “You do your thang and get everything in and I send my boys to sort out Debs, my home stove arrived yesterday and mine is installed at hers.  And as you know it takes a day to settle in.”

                “We still need to name us, this you know.  And how long do you think the kitchen will take for Debs?”

I frown and give it some more thought.

                “It would be easier if they weren’t there, let me talk to Carl…”

                “Don’t you mean papa bear?”

I scrunch my nose up at him and swat him on the ass.

                “Start ordering!”

He dashes to the laptop and is soon clicking and squealing.

                “Carl, its Zee.  How you doing?  Great that’s great.  Look my boys are done here so they can come and finish off the kitchen say from tomorrow but that’s going to be a monumental pain to live in, so why not go to…ah you’re ahead of me.  Okay want me to send a service to take you to the Brownstone, okay no problem will send one for eight and the boys will be there by seven is that okay?”

I hang up and smile.

                “Well?”  Emmy Lou asks.

                “They will be out by eight.  They should have everything stripped out by tomorrow lunchtime.  And be ready to redec by Thursday evening, just make sure you give Baz everything he needs.  Hard stop is Friday, can’t believe you boys are doing this.  All from a stove!”

                “What can I say, except she’s our queen?  And we all hail her.” 

BROWNSTONE – THURSDAY MORNING

DEBS

                “Hello is anyone in?”  I call.

When the service picked us up we were given a key.  Mel had called Carl on Tuesday evening and suggested that we stay over whilst the kitchen was being done and to be honest I was so grateful.  I was getting itchy sitting in that building site.   When there’s no answer to my call I start to head upstairs but Carl calls me back waving a note.

                “It’s from Mel.  She says to make ourselves at home, the kids will be home by half four and to send them straight up to do any homework, especially Gus and that she and Lindz will be here by six half six latest.  And to use the boys’ floor as they are going to stay at the loft whilst we’re here.”

We head to our bedroom and put our stuff away.  For two young adult males they are remarkably tidy.  I was just marvelling at that when Carl barks out a laugh.

                “What’s so funny?”

                “It’s from Matt, he says he’s counted all Eve Lom balms and under no circumstances are we to be persuaded by Jenny that she needs just one more, though you can have one.  And they’ve put the water on so it should be nice and hot for us to have a bath and he’s put out some toiletries for us.”

I head to the bathroom and whistle.  Carl joins me and chuckles.

                “Now that’s one heck of a bath.”

                “And you’re at the tap end.”  I tell him.

KINNETIC

BRIAN

I’ve called Ted in because I want him to lock down Mel the way he locked down Ben but not without letting him know why, for some reason I feel foolish over how she played me.  Michael always said she was playing to my ego and for once he was right, but I got my gorgeous son out of it and soon he will be our gorgeous son.  I still can’t believe she’s going to give up her rights like that. 

We had a good talk after the meeting with Joshua, she surprised me by admitting that for years she’d been jealous of me and the way that she put me first and that was why she insisted on the move, but Lindsay kept holding on and now we know why.  I teased her that the reason she was with her is because she’s me in female, well bull dyke form, which got me a punch on the arm.  But she did agree because the one thing we both always did was try to make Lindsay happy at the expense of ourselves, well no more.

Theodore’s light tap and head poking round hails his arrival

                “Theodore, how are you this morning?”

                “Fine Brian fine.  What can I do for you?”

                “Well it’s more for Mel, she’s going to come and see you this afternoon around about thee, I can handle Dandy Lube myself, and I want you to do for her what you did for Ben but don’t ask me why.  Can you please just do it?”

                “Sure, but can I hazard a guess?”

I quirk an eyebrow, this should be interesting.

                “Apart from the obvious they are separating, it’s the reason I’m going to guess at.”

                “Go on.”

                “Lindsay’s constant sniffing of Faal.  Though judging by her face on Sunday I think Zee gave her a rocket up the ass.”

                “Double ding-ding!”  I point at him

He nods and smiles but before he leaves he turns to me.

                “But that’s only part of it isn’t it?  Tell me the rest when you’re ready.  If you want.”

                “I will Ted I promise.”

                “Okay. And you never break your promise Bri.”

Before I could answer my phone goes.

                “Oh hey.  Still not great.  Sure why?  You want to do what?”

DEB & CARL’S – FRIDAY LUNCHTIME

BAZ

Well we are done, she promised us quadruple pay if we got it done and we got it done.  It looks incredible and huge now that we’ve extended backwards, we’ve added about another 3 meters, maybe 3 meters and a half, one of the advantages of these old places is they are easy to knock through.  We’ve added a covered decking area with a permanent table in lacquered concrete and seating for 20 and under the deck is a storage space.

                “Baz the couches are here!”

                “Okay bring them in!”

Oh man does Zee know people, those couches look like new.  I think this Debs is a well-loved lady.

BRITIN

STUDIO

JUSTIN

                “Oh Milo what am I going to do?  I know that the moment I see her I’m going to want to rip her eyes out and shove them up her ass.  Why, why is she so…?”

I break down again and he crawls into my lap letting my tears fall on his fur without objection.  I’ve been so stressed we’ve not even fucked and not only that but I’ve not painted just sat in my studio and stared into space. 

She was supposed to be my, our friend, and she does this.  But Brian’s been wonderful he’s just held me and let me cry and process it in my own time, I’m still slightly embarrassed by the meltdown in front of everyone, but they understood.

                “You are going to come with me.”

I’m so startled that I look at Milo in confusion.

                “Come on twat you’re not that depressed that you’re imagining a talking cat!”

Milo chirrups and winds himself round Brian’s ankles. 

                “Where are we going?”  I sniffle.

He says nothing but pulls me along down the stairs and to the back lounge, which we don’t use too much as it’s too small for company and the moment I come in I am smacked by a pillow.

                “What the hell!” I snap at a grinning Faal.

                “Tension release!”  He replies smacking me again.

                “Pathetic!”  I snap and stalk to the door and then a water balloon explodes next to me.

I slowly turn round with water dripping down the side of my face.

                “Who threw that?”  I demand.

Brian and Faal point at Zee, who is finding the ceiling very interesting and trying not to grin.  At this point I look round the room and notice that there are piles of pillows in each corner, water guns, water balloons, paintball guns and cans of silly spray.

Out of the corner of my eye I can see Brian making his way to a corner and grab a paintballing gun.

                “Brian don’t you fucking dare!”  I cry.

He grins, seems to pause and then shoots me from the ankles up stopping at my chest.

                “Oh it’s on!”  I scream and dive into a corner and burrow behind the cushions.

                “No hiding behind the pillow forts the whole…oof jeez Zee me husband hit one of them…point is that you are supposed to get…fuck woman…hit and messy!”

For the next two hours we beat, shoot, spray, paint and behave likes kids in a playground.  Suddenly there is a bullhorn going off and we all pause in mid fight.  Alice shakes her head smiling.

                “Zee, Faal your car is here.”  She intones solemnly.

Carefully they slip and slide out of the room and follow the trail of newspapers to the front door and out, giggling like loons.

                “It’s pot roast.  Faal said he’ll send a clean-up crew tomorrow morning.  Goodnight boys.”

As she closes the door we hear her burst out laughing.

                “So, feel better?”  He asks nuzzling my neck.  “Ugh, that tastes disgusting!”

                “Yes I feel much better.  And sticky, we need to have a shower and…”

                “What?”

                “Come on it’s not been that long?”  I lick his ear.  “Oh Christ that is disgusting, seriously we need to wash this shit off!”

FRIDAY EVENING

SHADYSIDE

MICHAEL

I knew it!  I knew she would come through for me, she would put me ahead of Carl as it should be.  When I got home the rest of my bids were there and I have put them in my display cabinet.  If ma and Carl come round again and ask about them I shall just say I hadn’t taken them out yet. 

BROWNSTONE

DEBS

I love being here, it’s great and all, but I can’t wait to get home.  Brian said that he would be sending a service for us to go home tomorrow morning and Zee insisted that I do a shopping list of everything I would need to stock the home and she would get them for me.  Carl told me to not even try to protest as they would find a way of doing it anyway so they might as well get the things we like.

I’m making the ribs that the kids like and Jenny is helping.  Gus is with Carl trying to negotiate a good deal on car parts and Mel and Lindz are getting ready for dinner, having had yet another argument about whose turn it was to cook…hence me doing it.

                “Grandma?”

                “Mmm sweetheart?”

                “Is it true?”

                “Is what true?”

                “That you knew Uncle Brian loved Uncle Justin and called him on it?” 

                “Yes it is.  But it still took him a while to say it but yep he loved him almost from the get-go.  We all could see that.  Why do you ask?”

                “I’m working on a project that’s all.”

BRITIN

MASTER BATHROOM

BRIAN

                “I know you were fully dressed, just how exactly did feathers and stuff get down there?”

I’m trying to rinse off the feathers, paint and silly string that seem to have made their way to the most intimidate areas of my now horny fiancé.

                “Less complaining, more cleaning then getting dirty again!”  He’s wriggling and grinning

                “Justin will you keep still, I don’t want you to slip.  Seriously stop wriggling!”  I command sternly.

He pouts and looks up at me through damp lashes but does keep still.  I rinse him off carefully making sure I get everything off him and then kiss him thoroughly.

                “Now go dry off.”

He looks bemused but goes anyway.  I sigh in relief and rinse myself off.  I wrap a towel round my waist and head to the bedroom and am brought up short by the sight of Justin covering his cock in honey dust.

                “Seems I got dirty again, what…?”

                “Come here.”  I growl.

BROWNSTONE – SATURDAY MORNING

DEBS

Finally I get to go home!  Carl and I have packed up our bags and are waiting for the service.  Outside as we just had to get out of there.

                “Is it me or do the girls seem to spend most of their time arguing?”  I mutter to Carl.

                “Why stay together since they are obviously miserable with each other.” 

I shrug and get in the car and sigh happily and lean against him.

                “Maybe they are afraid to be alone.”  I mumble.  “Although I would rather be alone than be unhappy.”

                “Are you unhappy Red?” 

                “No, not with you never!  But.  It’s…okay it’s silly.”

                “Red.”

I sigh and turn to face them.

                “I’d just like it, just once to host lunch at our place.  I know it will be cramped and not what they’re used to but…”

                “Red for heaven sake why didn’t you say earlier.  Okay this weekend, we’ll ask, oh whose turn is it, think its Brian’s if we can host it here.  Once we get home we’ll call him okay?  We’ll have a kitchen warming dinner, now who could refuse that?”

I grin at him and settle in the crook of his arm and close my eyes, he nudges me and as we turn into our street, looking out of the window I could’ve sworn I saw Jenny.  When we pull up outside our house, I immediately grab our bags and it isn’t until I start to head up the path to the front door I notice my boys flanking the path wreathed in smiles.  Jenny is by the front door with a big pair of scissors as our house has a massive bow wrapped round it.

                “What’s going on?”  I demand of him.

                “I have no idea.”  He replies not quite looking me in the eye.

                “Come on grandma, grandpa cut the ribbon!”  Jenny is hopping from foot to foot.

Taking the scissors from her we cut the ribbon and push open the door, inside is everyone else but it’s what’s happened inside that causes me to stop. 

                “Guys I didn’t mean…”  Carl chokes up.

                “You knew about this?”  I turn to look at him.

                “I asked Brian if he could freshen the place up a bit, I didn’t think he would…”

                “It wasn’t just me, it was everyone; we all had a hand in it.  It was Emmy Lou’s idea.”  Brian tells us.

                “And you know what he’s like once he gets an idea in his head.”  Drew chuckles.

I look round the lounge has been repainted and my knickknacks are in display cases, the couches seem to have been restuffed and cleaned.  Carl’s Barcalounger has been reupholstered and has papa bear’s chair written on it.

                “Look down.”  Ems tells us.  “I couldn’t let you have purple flooring but I could get you this fabulous rug.”

                “You’ve even done the stairs and given me storage under them.”

I whisper in awe closing the cupboard and it’s then I notice the kitchen.

                “C-C-Carl.”  I stammer.

                “Jesus guys what have you done?”  He mutters.

The kitchen is sleek and just what I wanted but when I see the decking area, I start to sob.

                “Think that this space is big enough for lunch tomorrow?”  Carl asks.

I nod because I can’t actually speak.

                “Now about the decking area. The boys will be back to give it another coat and to add to the steel supports and brackets but it is perfectly usable.”  Faal advises.

                “So what’s for dinner and what time should we commis get here?” 

Alice asks handing me a glass of bubbles before I could answer the front door goes and Blake answers it.

                “Sorry I’m late I got…fuck what the hell happened here!”  Michael looks round in shock.

                “We did a bit of redecorating.”  Blake replies.

                “We?”  He echoes.

                “Yes the family got together.” 

Mel advises and hands him a glass of bubbles, she then leans in and whispers something to him, then she smiles and turns to me.

                “So what’s for lunch?  We need to take it out now right?  Debs?”

                “So Zee want to tell me what the hells is in my freezer?”

                “Everything and anything, but I understand you make a mean roast chicken.”

                “Roast chicken it is and commis here for 1100!”

                “Wait, we’re not at Britin tomorrow then?”  Michael asks.

                “Nope, we’re having lunch here.”  I tell him from inside the fridge as I check supplies.

                “I see, then that means I can stay tonight then, saves me from going back home.”  He decides.

                “No that means you go home later and we see you tomorrow.  It’s our first night in our new home and Carl and I want to spend it alone.”

I look at him and he glowers back.

                “But ma, it just seems silly for me to go out to come back again.”

                “Dad, they want to get schmoopy for heaven sake!”  Jenny chides him.

                “Schmoopy?”  He looks confused.

                “Teen speak for they wanna fuck.”  Blake tells him.

                “And you know how thin these walls are…”  I remind him.

                “Okay!  What time tomorrow?”

MICHAEL

Looking round the place, they’ve done a great job and the decking area is superb, must have added a few thousand to the place. 

                “So Michael what have you been up to?”  Blake asks me.

Since he took my store away from me, I’ve made it a point not to speak to him.

                “Oh this and that.  How goes saving your fellow lost souls, you still a counsellor, how does that work with being a comic book store owner?”

He smiles at me, I don’t smile back but do raise an eyebrow waiting for an answer to my question.

                “Yes I’m still helping those who have fallen victim to whatever addiction that ails them and as for the store, it is doing great, Stuart is an excellent manager, he was one of my lost souls as you put it.”

                “You’d better be careful, you never know he might steal from you when he relapses, all addicts do it’s just a matter of time.”

                “Really Michael and what do you base this knowledge on?  Scientific fact or your experience?”

                “I’ve never been addicted to anything!”  I hiss at him.

                “Au contraire Michael, you have an addiction and it’s killing you that you can’t get your fix.  How does it feel Michael, knowing that it is so close but you can’t touch it, how does it smell the scent of it in your nostrils, if you could have just one tiny taste to slake that need but no, you can’t.  How much does it hurt?”

                “Are you back on crystal?  What are you talking about?”

                “Brian, he’s your addiction and for a while you replaced him with David and then Ben but then along came Captain Twink and his Mighty Ass and slowly but surely took him away from you.  But that’s the thing Michael he didn’t take him away from you as he was never yours to begin with.”

I snort and roll my eyes.

                “Now excuse me I’ve got to get back to my addiction, he’s called Ted.”