Past Tense

Chapter 12


Over the next couple of days, Brian heard little to nothing about his finances or his potential half brother. He carried on with his work on the new campaign for Hammond Foods. He filled in Sam Spade on the information he had received from his mother. In return Spade supplied him with little information regarding his investigations. Everything seemed to be at a standstill. Brian was getting frustrated, and that was not a good thing.

Brian had been going to call Chase to tell him about this other John Kinney. However, with Chase arriving in Pittsburgh very soon, he had decided that he’d wait to tell Chase in person.

Ted arrived at Brian’s office door one morning to give him the update on what was happening with Brian’s finances. When he got a nod from Brian, he entered the office, closing the door behind him. He sat down across from Brian and drew a paper out of the file he was carrying. He handed it to Brian.

“What’s this?” Brian asked taking a cursory glance at the figures on the page.

“I’ve been doing some juggling of figures and I came up with this plan.”

“Juggling? I didn’t know that was one of your hidden talents,” Brian said making a joke. He hated dealing with the loss of so much of his money.

“Only juggling with figures,” Ted clarified.

“You mean with my money.”

“Well, that too.”

“So what’s this great plan of yours, Mr. Financial Guru?”

“I’ve scrounged enough money out of your accounts and stocks, etc. to make it possible to reduce your debt by half. It’s a good job you were in such a stable financial position before all this happened.”

“Thanks to you,” Brian said honestly.

Ted noted that there was no sarcasm in Brian’s comment, just genuine appreciation for Ted’s efforts. Ted nodded in acknowledgement. “All we need to do is decide where we put the money.”

“I want the loft secure,” Brian said immediately.

“Understood, but the bank is willing for you to pay it off at a reasonable rate. It’s the credit cards that charge such exorbitant interest.”

“So we should direct whatever we can towards that?”

“That would be my suggestion.”

“You haven’t steered me wrong yet.”

“I try not to,” Ted said with a look of relief on his face. “We can get all this under control.”

“You can take more of my salary if you like. Justin is paying for most of the food and incidentals at the loft. We’re … economizing.” Brian shuddered dramatically. “I never intended to have to say that again, not after the Stockwell business.”

“I think we can get this sorted pretty soon, especially now that you have the Hammond account. That’s a nice chunk of change.”

“Speaking of which, Chase Hammond will be here tomorrow afternoon. I want you to sit in on the meeting.”

“You do?” Ted asked with a puzzled look.

“Yeah, I’m hoping Chase will come by himself. We’re supposed to have dinner afterwards. But he brought that other exec last time and he was a pain in the ass.”

“So you want me to occupy the pain in the ass, and disappear if it’s just Mr. Hammond?” Brian nodded. “Will do, Boss.” Ted stood up ready to leave.

“Ted, I … appreciate all your help with … everything.”

“No problem, Boss,” Ted replied before making his way out of the office.



*****



“Hello,” Brian said into his cell phone.

“Daddy, can you come play trains with me?” a little voice asked.

Brian smiled in spite of himself. “Where are your other playmates, Sonny Boy?”

“They don’t play as good as you,” Gus said.

“Hm, it’s good to know I’m a success at something.”

“Huh?”

Brian chuckled. “When did you want to have this excursion into railway architecture and management?”

“If you mean when do I want you to come over, I want you right now,” Gus stated.

Brian knew Justin was pulling a shift at the diner and wouldn’t be home until after nine. Brian did like spending time with his son. “I don’t think I can manage that for a couple of hours,” he said looking at his watch.

“That’s okay,” Gus replied cheerfully. “But now is better.”

Brian shook his head and grinned. Children saw things so simply. Gus wanted his daddy, and he wanted him now. “Did your mommy put you up to this?” Brian asked.

“Nope, but she pushed the buttons for me so I could talk to you.”

“Put your mommy on,” Brian ordered.

“Yes?” Lindsay’s voice said sounding sickly sweet.

“Cheap shot.”

“I didn’t want to call you, but Gus really wants to play with the new trains you brought. It’s really your fault.”

“Of course.” Most things were his fault, at least in his friends’ estimation.

“You should spend time with your son.”

“I want to … spend time with Gus. I guess I can come after work. Will Melanie be home?”

“No, she’s working late on some big case.”

“Good.” Brian couldn’t help himself. Melanie and Lindsay had finally gotten back together, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Brian!” Lindsay admonished.

“I’ll see you in an hour or so,” Brian responded, not wanting to get into an argument with his son’s mother.

“Great, and I’ll make you some dinner.”

“Wonderful,” Brian said before he cut the connection.



*****



“Yeah, I’ll see you at home,” Brian said into his cell phone. “I’m just walking up to the front door. Don’t work too hard. I have things for you to do when you get home.”

Justin’s laughter was the last thing he heard before he cut the connection. He rang the doorbell. While he waited he studied the front door. He wondered if Lindsay was happy being back with Mel. This house was certainly better than the fucking little apartment Lindsay and Gus had lived in for a few months. Brian decided the front door could use a coat of paint, and it wouldn’t be him who would be painting it. That sounded like a job for Mel.

“Daddy!” Gus yelled as Lindsay finally opened the door.

“Sorry, Brian, I was in the kitchen checking on dinner,” Lindsay said.

“Hey, Sonny Boy,” Brian replied picking up his son. He carried the boy into the house.

“Play trains, Daddy.”

“We’re having dinner first, Gus,” Lindsay informed her son. “It’s almost ready. I’ll go make sure everything is okay.” Lindsay disappeared into the kitchen.

“How was school?” Brian asked sitting down on the sofa and settling Gus on his lap.

“Okay, but Billy punched me.”

“Billy punched you?” Brian asked with a frown. “Why?”

“I don’t know. He punches everybody.”

Brian stifled a laugh. “Did you punch him back?”

“No, Mommy says I’m not apposed to fight.”

“So what did you do?”

“I told him to fuck off.”

“You said…what?”

“I told him to fuck off,” Gus repeated nonchalantly. He was picking at the lapel of Brian’s suit.

“Um, did the teacher hear this?” Brian asked concerned.

“No, we were at recess.”

“What did Billy do?”

“His mouth fell open,” Gus said with a giggle. “Then he said he was going to tell the teacher.”

“And did he?”

“I told him if he told, I’d tell that he punched me.”

“So he didn’t tell?”

“Nope, and he won’t punch me no more.”

“Why not?”

“Coz I’ll tell him to fuck off again.”

Brian kissed Gus’ cheek. “Where did you hear that word?” he asked. He prayed it wasn’t from him, but he knew it probably was.

“Mama says it all the time when she’s mad.” Brian let out a soft breath. “And you say it sometimes, Daddy. It works real good.”

“It’s not a word you should be using,” Brian advised.

“I know. I won’t use it … much.”

“That’s good, Gus.”

“Dinner’s ready,” Lindsay called from the dining room.”

“You won’t tell mommy, will you?” Gus whispered in Brian’s ear.

“I think it will be our little secret, as long as you don’t say that word … often.”

“’Kay, Daddy.”

Gus hopped down from Brian’s lap and headed for the dining room. Brian shook his head and smiled, before standing up and following.



*****



“Brian,” Lindsay said as they were finishing up the dinner she had prepared.

“Yes.”

“Is everything all right with you?”

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“The last time you were here, you seemed distracted.”

“I was probably thinking about work,” Brian lied.

“Got a big new deal you’re closing?” Lindsay asked fishing for information.

“As a matter of fact…” Brian responded thinking about the Hammond Foods account.

“Care to share?”

“Since when did you get so interested in business, my business?”

“I’m just keeping up with what’s happening with you,” Lindsay said batting her blonde lashes at Brian.

“Daddy, time to play trains,” Gus said having cleaned his plate.

“You got it, Sonny Boy,” Brian agreed, pushing back his chair and standing up. “Lead the way.” Brian was very glad to be offered this escape from Lindsay’s scrutiny.

Brian and Gus played trains for the next hour. They changed the layout of the train and repositioned the station. They managed to get a few more curves into the track that Gus currently had. Brian made a note to get him some more. Gus was happily running the train around the new layout while Brian watched with a satisfied smile. He was glad he had decided to take up Gus’ invitation. He loved these quiet moments with his son. There hadn’t been enough of them in the past. He decided he was going to make sure there were many more in the future.



*****



“Hey, you’re home,” Brian said as he entered the loft and saw Justin sitting on the sofa with a drink in his hand. “Do you think it’s wise to drink alone?”

“You do it all the time.”

“And I’m your role model?” Brian asked with a raised brow.

“Oh, fuck it,” Justin said turning away and sipping some more of his drink.

“What’s the problem?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m going to change, and you’re going to figure out how to tell me what the fuck’s bugging you,” Brian declared as he disappeared up the steps to the bedroom.

Justin made a face and debated leaving. He could use a night at Babylon. It might restore something that was missing in him. He was still thinking about doing that when Brian came back, now dressed in jeans and a black wifebeater. Brian poured himself a drink and offered Justin some more. Justin held up his glass and Brian gave him a good sized drink. That all done, Brian sat down beside Justin on the sofa.

“Spill,” he ordered. “And I don’t mean your drink all over my Italian furniture.”

“I thought it was our furniture?”

“Ah, so that’s the source of your foul temper,” Brian said.

“What is?” Justin snapped. He hated when Brian made assumptions, especially since he was usually right.

“You’re feeling left out and overworked. I’m playing with Gus while you’re getting your ass pinched at the diner. Life isn’t fair, is it?”

“No.”

“So, tell me what’s eating at you.”

“I’m tired. I work all day at Maxim Graphics, and then I hustle my butt over to the diner for a few hours. I work all those hours and I have peanuts to show for it.” Justin let out a long sigh. It felt good to actually express his frustration. He wanted to help with Brian’s problem, but what he was doing seemed so … insignificant.

“That’s a perfect testimonial about why you should finish your education promptly,” Brian replied sticking his tongue in cheek like that proved his point.

“Fine!” Justin said standing up. “Treat it like a joke, like you do with everything else.” He started towards the loft door. Babylon was looking better and better.

“Wait,” Brian said, his long fingers encircling Justin’s wrist as he passed. He pulled his lover to a stop. “I didn’t mean to make light of what you’re doing.”

“Yeah, right,” Justin replied with bitterness in his voice.

“I appreciate how hard you’ve been working.” I just told Ted this afternoon that he could take more of my salary to pay off the debt because you were paying for all the household things.”

“Really?” Justin asked looking into Brian’s eyes. He saw truth there.

Brian nodded. “Ted’s about to pay off most of the credit card debt, and he’s negotiated a decent mortgage on this place.”

“That…That’s good,” Justin said.

“So, I do appreciate what you’re doing. We’re going to get out of this soon. We’ll be better than ever.”

“We?”

“We’re in this together.”

Justin felt the smile start to curl the corners of his mouth. He liked the sound of that. “I wish…”

“What?” Brian asked with a frown. He thought for once he might have said the right thing, but apparently not.

“I wish you could say things like that more often,” Justin blurted out.

“I’ll … try.”

Justin’s smile broadened. “That would be nice.”

“So, are you staying or leaving?”

“Staying and coming,” Justin responded with a gentle laugh.

“I thought you were tired.”

“Never too tired.”

“And never enough … of you,” Brian whispered as he pulled Justin down onto his lap. Brian’s warm breath against his ear made Justin’s cock spring to life.

“Man, are you getting lucky tonight,” Justin whispered back.

“I get lucky every night.”

“You are one lucky man,” Justin chuckled.

“Got that right.” Brian unceremoniously dumped Justin from his lap. Justin caught himself and stood up glaring at Brian who stood and pulled Justin against his body for a toe curler of a kiss. “Let’s make it an early night. I want to fuck you until you scream for mercy.”

“Ah, my idea of heaven,” Justin laughed as Brian took his hand and pulled him up the steps to their bedroom.