Should Old Acquaintance

Chapter 14

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The next couple of weeks went by in a flash. The work on the cottage went on non-stop. Gordon was lifting the roof at the same time that his crew was affixing the cottage to the foundation. Once the roof was raised and the under-structure in place the work switched to the inside of the building and the noise level decreased accordingly.

One morning Brian awoke to the sound of the alarm. It had been his practice to go into Kinnetik everyday and escape the banging and pounding from next door. Usually that was what woke him up, the sound of hammers or drills or men shouting. This morning it had been his alarm. He frowned and listened.

"Hear that, Sunshine?" Brian asked as he poked a sleepy Justin in the ribs.

"I don't hear anything," Justin replied rolling over.

"Exactly!"

Justin sat up. "Do you think that means they're done with the outside work?"

"There's one way to fucking find out," Brian smirked.

"Let's go," Justin said kicking off the sheet and getting up.

"You think we might actually get our fucking lives back to normal?" Brian asked as he pulled on some shorts.

"Our fucking lives have been just fine," Justin grinned before pulling a T-shirt over his head. "It's our sleeping late lives that have been disrupted."

Brian gave him the patented Kinney smirk. If there was one thing they could count on, it was plenty of good fucking.

They peeked in Bree's room and she was still sleeping along with Patrick. They quietly made their way to the front door and snuck out without awakening any of the other sleeping beauties in the sun porch. They walked over towards the new cottage where Gordon gave them the high sign. They joined him looking up at the new roof.

"You guys finally finished banging and pounding?" Brian asked.

"Did we disrupt your beauty sleep?" Gordon asked with a laugh.

"Yes," Brian said keeping his face straight.

"Oh, um, sorry," Gordon replied.

Justin gave Brian a swat in the chest and smiled at Gordon. "He's such a drama queen."

Brian raised an eyebrow as Gordon laughed. "I've had to deal with his brother for many years. I'm used to it," Gordon said.

"Was John a drama queen even before he knew he was gay?" Justin asked.

"He had his moments, but we never quite knew what to call them. Now the guys simply look at me and mouth, 'Queen out'."

"Ahem," Brian said clearing his throat. "We did come out here for a reason. The dramatic lack of ear shattering noise this morning … could that possibly mean that the only remaining work will now be inside the cottage?"

"I believe that could be the case," Gordon said using exactly the same tone Brian had.

Justin giggled. He could see why Gordon got along so well with the other Kinney male. Nobody put anything over on Gordon.

"Then I guess I don't need to go into Kinnetik today," Brian observed.

"I wouldn't be too hasty," Gordon warned.

"Oh, why?" Brian frowned.

"We're doing eave troughs later today."

"Shit!"

"But we'll finish them today and from tomorrow on should be relative peace and quiet."

"That's something to look forward to."

"Brian, I know this has been a bit of a trial for you." Brian nodded. "But I haven't seen John as excited and happy about anything since the work on the old theater. He's so looking forward to living here next to you two."

Justin watched Brian's face soften and turn into a smile.

"You've done a great job, Gordon. And ignore my griping. I know this will all work out," Brian said extending his hand and shaking.

"I know it will," Gordon said accepting the handshake.

"Let's get ready for work, Sunshine," Brian said turning to Justin before things got any more emotional. "Looks like Kinnetik is going to have to put up with me for one more day."

"Cynthia and Ted will be so happy," Justin said before Brian elbowed him in the ribs.

Gordon watched them walk back to their house arms around each other.

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Brian pulled up in front of St. Anthony's. He turned off the car and sat staring at the imposing façade.

"Brian," his sister said gently. "Are we going in?"

"If we have to."

"You know, you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"Father Tom wants to talk to you about being Briana's godmother and I want to finalize what we're doing about the baptism."

"Then let's go," Claire stated and opened her door.

"Claire, do you think this is the right thing to do?"

"Absolutely! Brian, Bree can make her own decisions about religion when she gets older, but in the meantime I think it's good for children to know about traditional religion. It gives them a grounding in what is right and wrong and how to treat people."

Brian snorted. "It helped your boys, didn't it!"

"I know they were little terrors for a while, but they've turned out very well," Claire said icily.

"I … I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply… It's just that I don't believe in all this shit."

"But, like the good father that you are, you're going to give Briana every benefit that you can … just in case."

"Just in case her father goes to Hell."

"Brian, stop that!"

"Okay, okay, let's get this fucking shit done."

They walked up the steps to St. Anthony's and opened the heavy door. They had just got inside the main part of the church when they heard a loud gasp. Brian turned and felt his stomach clench and his heart rate accelerate to beyond the speed of sound.

"Hello, mother," Brian said making sure his patented smirk was firmly in place on his face.

"What … what are you two doing here … together?" Joan managed to get out. She was truly amazed to see both of her children walk through the door of her church at the same time.

"We could tell you that we're planning a funeral," Brian said.

Joan blanched.

"Brian," Claire said, the warning very clear in her tone of voice. "We're here to talk to Father Tom."

"About what?" Joan asked wondering if it was the whole baptism thing.

Brian hesitated. He knew this was his moment to tell Joan everything about the baptism and invite her to attend. He just wasn't sure he could force the words out of his mouth.

Claire looked from Brian to Joan and decided to take matters into her own hands. "We're here about Brian's daughter, Briana."

"Oh?" Joan said. She had never heard the little girl's name before. "What a beautiful name!"

Brian raised an eyebrow. He had half expected Joan to make some comment about him naming his daughter after himself, some implied criticism. He hadn't expected a compliment.

"She's going to be baptized on Labor Day weekend," Claire added hoping Brian would jump in some time soon. But he seemed totally paralyzed.

"That's good," Joan said. "All children should be baptized."

"Unless they're Jewish or Muslim or Buddhist…" Brian said, not understanding why the words were coming out of his mouth.

"Brian…" Claire said again touching his back and trying to make him control whatever was happening to him.

"I better let you get to your meeting then," Joan said with a look that could only be described as sad. She turned to walk away.

"Mother," Brian's voice stopped her.

She turned back to look at his tortured face. "Yes?"

"Would you like to come … to the baptism?" There he had said it. He half expected to be struck down in this house of God, or at the very least that Joan would laugh in his face and ask if he was delusional.

"I … I'd very much like to come," Joan said holding herself tall and proud with a little smile on her face.

"You would?" Brian blurted out.

"I would."

"Then we'll make the arrangements later," Claire said. "We better go, Brian. Father Tom will be waiting for us." She took Brian's arm and propelled him towards the priest's office.

Brian let himself be led, but he couldn't help but look back to see the little smile on Joan's face. He couldn't tell if she was happy to have been invited, or if she felt like she had just won some battle with him. He knew which one he thought was probably the correct choice.

"Brian! Claire. Good of you to come!" Father Tom exclaimed when he saw brother and sister walk into the rectory.

"I always come, Father. You should know that by now," Brian snarked, saying the words before engaging his brain.

"Brian Kinney, that was rude and horrible! Apologize this instant." Claire turned beet red and admonished her younger brother.

"I'm..." Brian started, only to be stopped by Father Tom's raised hand.

"I take it you had a run in with your mother?" Tom looked up into Brian's eyes. Brian nodded contritely and began to blush. "Brian, sit, you look like you're about to fall down. You look tired." Brian merely sighed.

"Father, Brian's being even more moody than usual. They've been doing some construction on his home and I'm afraid it's put Brian in a bad mood." Claire glared at her brother with her own version of the Kinney death glare. Her version was just as effective as Brian's, perhaps even more.

"I see. Then why don't you both relax. I'll see if we can rustle up some coffee and we can finalize the arrangements for the christening."

"It sounds so simple when you put it that way," Brian mumbled.

"It is, Brian. I don't want this to be a painful experience for you. It's supposed to be a joyous time for you and your family. You're bringing Briana into God's family," Father Tom attempted to counsel Brian.

"And if I don't have her baptized, does that mean she's condemned to Hell like her fucking old man?!" Brian stood up and roared, his anger, frustration and his feelings of unworthiness came to the fore. Brian stormed off out of the rectory and inadvertently found himself in the grotto. The same grotto that Justin sketched when he visited with Bree and Patrick weeks ago.

Claire stood shocked. She hadn't seen Brian this upset in a very long time. She felt helpless, not having a clue of how to help.

"Give me a minute with him," Father Tom reassured Claire. Claire nodded and quietly followed Tom out to the grotto.

"Brian..."

"Don't, Father, I'm an asshole. I know that. But for most of my adult life Joan has used her religion to torture me. I don't want her to do that to Bree. I'm afraid she'll..."

"What Brian? Afraid Joan will turn your daughter against you? Not a snowball's chance in Hell. Did Justin tell you about his visit here?" Brian nodded yes. "He showed me pictures of Briana as a baby and a few recent ones too. Brian I know Briana isn't your biological child but that little girl couldn't be more loved if she was. And more importantly, she loves you. It's so obvious in the pictures. Even as young as she is, she loves you. You and Justin have a beautiful loving daughter. No one, not even Joan can ever change that. You have to believe God would never let that happen." Father Tom put his arms around the taller man, offering his comfort and support as well as his guidance.

After a few moments, Brian was able to speak.

"Not here, not in a church, not even in this garden. You do it at my home. We have a stream not too far from the house. I want it done there with my family all around us," Brian whispered quietly in the good Father's arms.

"St. John baptized Jesus in a river. I have no problem with this."

"Good. Saturday, August 30, one o'clock, my house. And Father, would you mind blessing our home?"

"Didn't I do that already?"

"Yes, but now...let me put it this way, I think I'm considered an estate. You'll see."

"Whatever you say, Brian," Tom said with a smile. "Are you good to drive?"

"Yeah, my moment is over."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. I'm allowed one per day. I'm good to go."

"Then I'll say goodbye to Claire. I'll be in touch with you, John and Claire as we get closer to the day. But I'm sure it will all work out fine."

"From your lips to God's ears, Father," Brian smirked, his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.

"Out of my church, Kinney." Father Tom, good naturedly pointed toward the exit.

As Brian and Claire walked from the grotto through the church toward the front door, Brian called back to the priest, over his shoulder.

"I've been thrown out of better churches than this one, Padre!" Brian and Claire heard Father Tom crack up in very unpriestly-like laughter.

Joan Kinney heard this exchange from one of the chapels. She had been in the church when Brian had raised his voice to Father Tom. She hadn't been able to hear the words, but she had heard the shouting. She had witnessed an upset Brian storm out of the rectory and take refuge in the grotto. She had tried to keep the smile off her face. She knew the church was no place for her wayward son, especially since she knew he would never renounce his wicked ways. The smile had crept across her face until she had looked out into the grotto and had seen Father Tom consoling her son.

That had been hard to watch. Father Tom was her rock and salvation, not Brian's. She knew she shouldn't be jealous, but somehow she was. She had gone into the chapel to pray that the jealousy would leave her. Then she had heard Brian joking with her priest. Brian always landed on his feet no matter what happened to him. That was another reason she resented her son. He had all the luck.

She waited until Father Tom went back into his office. She spent a few minutes more in silent meditation, thinking about what she had promised to do. Brian had actually invited her to the baptism. That had been huge, and she had actually accepted. She wasn't sure what all this meant, but it seemed like a new beginning.