Bad as New

Chapter 10

"Debbie, are you sure you want to do this? Why can't we just go over to his office and ask him?"

"My dear sweet Emmett, do you really think that Brian Kinney would tell us the truth?"

"Deb, he's always told the truth. He's brutally honest sometimes."

"Not about this, he won't. We have to confront him and soon before something happens! We have to save him."

"Save who, Ma?" Michael had walked through Debbie's door with Jennifer close behind.

"Oh, hi Michael, I didn't hear you come in, and Jennifer! What are you doing here?"

"I was showing a building near Liberty and stopped by the diner."

"Yeah, I was picking up some lemon bars for dessert when we got to talking. So we decided to come over. What are you guys up to?"

"Your mother wants to try some sort of intervention."

"Inter-what?"

"An intervention."

"Who are we going to intervent?" Michael asked with a dumb expression on his face.

"Brian," Emmett replied.

"Why are we going to intervent him?" Emmett sighed loudly; he never understood how Brian put up with Michael for all those years.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Debbie shrieked. "Michael, baby, we just want to talk to Brian and Sunshine to find out if we can help them. It's obvious that something's going on and it's our job to make sure they're all right."

"Why, Ma? Brian can take care of himself. If they're having problems then he should just kick Justin out."

"Michael! How dare you think that it's all my son's fault that they're having problems." Jennifer knew better than to come to the Novotny home for sympathy.

"He's done it before with the fiddler and Brian got hurt," Michael said nonchalantly as he pulled out a lemon bar from his bag and began to eat.

"Mikey, that's ancient history," Emmett said gently. "Something more serious is going on and I think it involves more than Brian and Justin."

"What do you mean, Emmett?" Jennifer's eyes grew wide. She wondered just how much worse things could get.

"I don't think it's an occasional trick we're talking here."

"I knew he couldn't do it," Michael mumbled as he took another bite of the sticky confection.

"So, don't keep us in suspense. What do you know?!" Debbie shouted.

"I think Brian and Justin are sleeping with John and Bobby," Emmett sadly stated.

"Ewww, that's incest!"

"Michael! He means John and Justin and Brian and Bobby!"

"Oh. Are you sure?"

"Well, think about it. They spend a lot of time together. And they did go away on that trip together. And John looks so much like Brian. And he's a bottom. We all know that Justin's really a top, he only bottoms for Brian."

"He is?" Michael didn't have a clue. "Brian would never let Justin top him." Emmett wondered if Michael knew just how stupid he was sounding. Before anyone could comment, Carl walked in.

"Hey, baby, I didn't know we were expecting company." Carl looked around and wondered what the convention was all about.

"This just sort of happened," Debbie shrugged.

"So what's this all about?"

"We're discussing the Brian and Justin situation," Emmett tried to explain.

"What situation is that?" Carl hadn't gotten the okay from Brian yet to discuss the clinic.

"Carl, honey, we were thinking of having an intervention. We have to let them know we love them and we'll be there for them. And then I'll smack the shit out of them."

"Deb..." Carl was trying to figure out a way to stop it when the phone rang.

"Hello. Sunshine! How are you? Okay. This Saturday afternoon? Uh, I think that should be fine. Emmett? He's here. He's invited? And your mother is here too and Michael. Everyone? Sure. Can I bring anything? You're sure. Okay, honey. See you then. Bye, Sunshine." A very perplexed Debbie hung up the phone.

"Who was that, Ma?" Apparently Michael was too interested in a second lemon bar to pay attention.

"Sunshine."

"What'd he want?" Michael asked, now paying attention.

"He issued a summons."

"A what?" Jennifer asked.

"He said that if we wanted to continue to be his family, we'd all show up on Saturday afternoon. If we didn't, he'd never speak to us again."

"That little shit! Who does he think he is?" Michael started to fume.

"I can't stand around here and listen to you all insult my son. Maybe you shouldn't go on Saturday. At least he'll know then who his real friends are," Jennifer shouted and stalked out of the house. Debbie jumped as Jennifer slammed the door.

"I guess that takes care of the intervention. See ya'll on Saturday. Tootles!" Emmett left the house.

"Are you going?" Michael was still not sure if he should go.

"Of course, we're going. And if you know what's good for you, Michael Charles Novotny, you'll be there too!"

*****

"Mom?"

"Gus, I'm taking a shower!" Gus snuck into the bathroom after he heard Lindsay get into the shower. He had to tell his mother that his father wasn't doing what Melanie said he was. He didn't know of any other way of getting his mother alone.

"I know, but I need to tell you something in private."

"But in the shower?" Lindsay hid behind the shower curtain and stuck her head out.

"This is the only way."

"Okay, lambskin, just make it fast." Gus made a face at the nickname Lindsay still used for him. He was almost a teenager for cripes sake. With a sigh Gus quickly related his conversation of several weeks ago with his dad and Ted. Lindsay listened intently. This was so like Brian. She was proud of Brian and a little pissed at Gus that he cut school.

"Mooommm! What are we going to do? I love momma but I don't want her to stop me from seeing dad and Justin. And what about Bree? I love her too."

"I know, sweetie. We'll think of something. I promise. Don't worry. Your dad has gotten himself out of bigger messes than this one. He'll figure it out. I love you, lambskin."

"Love you too, Mom." Gus gave Lindsay a quick peck on the cheek then snuck back out of the bathroom and just in the nick of time. Melanie came in a few minutes later.

"Lindz?"

"Yeah, Mel."

"I got the strangest phone call from Justin a few minutes ago."

"Oh?"

"He said that if we don't go up there this Saturday then we shouldn't bother ever speaking to him again. Do you think he's going to finally wise up and throw the fucker out?"

"I don't know. I guess we should go and find out."

"Okay. Oh, and Lindz?"

"Yes?"

"We're out of milk." Melanie left the bathroom as Lindsay shook her head under the spray.

*****

"Ted, are we doing anything this Saturday?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"Justin left a message on the machine. Sounded rather cryptic but important. He wants us to go up there this Saturday. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure."

"Do you have any idea what it's about?"

"Maybe, but I'm not at liberty to say."

"You don't think they're breaking up, do you?"

"No, Allen. I can't speak for them but let me assure you, Brian and Justin have never been closer."

"Okay then." Allen and Ted kissed and then went about making dinner.

*****

"Debbie, what are you doing?" Carl asked.

"Figuring out what I'm going to say to that asshole."

"What asshole?"

"Brian fucking Kinney."

"Debbie, he's not such a bad guy," Carl said trying to smooth things over.

"You have to say that because you work for him. You know, maybe you should think about quitting and getting another job, or just retiring completely."

"I like my job at Babylon."

"Yeah? You turning gay on me? Hanging around all those horny young gay guys can't be good for you."

"I've grown kind of fond of them," Carl grinned. "Besides, I didn't think you had any complaints about our sex life."

Debbie grinned back. "No, definitely no complaints."

"Why don't we go prove that point beyond a shadow of a doubt?" Carl asked waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Debbie giggled. "That sounds like an excellent idea," she agreed as Carl took her hand and led her upstairs. Carl hoped this would take Debbie's mind off reaming Brian a new one until the man had a chance to make his announcement.

*****

"Justin? I got your message on my answering machine. What's going on, honey?" Jennifer asked as she finally got to speak to her son. Their line had been busy ever since she got home from Debbie's.

"You'll find out on Saturday, Mom."

"I'm worried. There are all these rumors flying around about Brian, and you, and Bobby and John."

"Bobby and John?"

"Yes, didn't you know?"

"Apparently the gossip grapevine has been at full tilt," Justin said with a shake of his head. This was worse than he had suspected.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Jennifer asked concern evident in her voice.

"I'm fine and I'm strong and I'll explain everything on Saturday," Justin said curtly.

"Okay, I'll be there," Jennifer said before hanging up. Justin didn't sound like he was hurting. He seemed to have come to terms with whatever was going on. She prayed that Saturday wouldn't bring the dissolution of Brian and Justin's marriage.

"Why didn't you just tell her the truth?" Brian asked as Justin set the phone down.

"Because now I'm really pissed."

"Why?"

"My mother just told me that the rumor is that you and I are sleeping with John and Bobby."

"What the fuck? Who the hell ever came up with that one?"

"I don't know and I don't care, but I refuse to have them thinking like that about you, and about me, and about John and Bobby. This is beyond contemptible."

"Easy, Sunshine," Brian said putting his arms around Justin's chest.

"I'm not taking it easy on this one. They are going to regret ever buying into these fucking rumors."

"My little Rage."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I feel like, full of rage. These are supposed to be our fucking friends."

"I understand that, Justin, but we did precipitate this by not telling them the truth from the outset."

"You mean we're not allowed to have anything private without them jumping to the wrong conclusions."

"I didn't say they were blameless," Brian backed off.

"Well, I've had enough."

"What are you planning?"

"You'll see on Saturday."

"Now you're starting to scare me."

"Good, because I want them all to be scared too."

"Justin…" Brian said wrapping his arms around his husband from behind.

"Yes, dear," Justin grinned as he turned around in Brian's arms to look into his eyes. "All the redness has gone out of your cheek," he observed as his fingers lightly brushed over the bruised area.

"Must be the healing powers of JT."

Justin's smile was radiant at Brian's words. "I like to think so," he whispered.

Brian pulled his husband into a long and sizzling kiss. "I want you inside me," Brian whispered.

Justin smiled and nodded. "Anytime, big guy."

"I think I could use some more of JT's restorative powers before I face the angry contingent on Saturday," Brian stated.

"You can have as much of me as you can take," Justin chuckled.

"There's no such thing as too much of you."

Justin smiled. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. He couldn't believe that their family and friends couldn't see the love between the two of them. How could they doubt their commitment to each other? "Of course not," Justin said with a sweep of his hand.

"Cocky little bottom, aren't you?"

"Cocky little top, if you meant what you just said."

"Oh, I meant it."

"Then let's get started before you change your mind."

"I wouldn't do that."

"I know and that's why I love you. You always mean what you say," Justin said leading Brian to their bedroom. Everybody else was going to find out the same thing on Saturday if everything went the way he hoped it would.