Should Old Acquaintance

Chapter 8

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"Dad?" Gus said as he and Brian walked out to the stream behind the cottage.

"Yes, Sonny Boy," Brian replied. He was watching Justin and Bree chasing each other up ahead. He shifted the thermal bag with their lunch and drinks to his other shoulder.

"There's something I want to ask you."

"Shoot!"

"Um … when did you know you were gay?"

Brian looked at his son. Was Gus about to tell him that he was gay? Brian braced himself for what was to some, and said, "Around your age." He tried to keep his voice normal.

"Really?'

"Yep."

"Dad, I don't think I'm gay," Gus blurted out.

"What?" Brian asked startled at this turn of events. "Are you sure?"

"No, I … I haven't done anything yet," Gus blushed.

"Then you don't know for sure?"

"No, but I like to look at girls. They make me feel funny."

"Funny?"

"All squishy inside, especially Pamela Black."

"Who's Pamela Black when she's home?" Brian asked.

Gus laughed. "She's a girl at school. She's a couple of grades ahead of me, but she's … great!" Gus said enthusiastically.

"Well, at least you didn't say it was Pamela fucking Anderson," Brian replied swiping his hand over his face. How did he get himself into these conversations? Right! He was trying to be a fucking parent.

"Pamela Anderson's got humungous … you know."

"I know, but I'm trying not to think about them," Brian chuckled.

"You're not mad, are you?"

"Mad? About what?"

"If I'm not gay."

"You are what you are, Sonny Boy, and that's fine with me."

"Thanks, Dad."

"I didn't do anything, and quite frankly, you'll have a much easier time of it if you're straight."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Was … was it hard for you?" Gus asked knowing his father hating talking about stuff like this, but he really wanted to know.

"Hard enough," Brian said thoughtfully as they spread the blanket out on the grass by the stream. "My parents would have been horrified if I told them I was gay. My father would have beat the snot out of me."

"No?"

"Yeah, he would. I never told him I was gay until just before he died."

"What did he say?"

Brian debated how to answer that and decided that the truth was the best way. "He said I should be the one dying, not him. He thought all gays should have AIDS."

"That was so cruel. I'm sorry," Gus said giving Brian a hug.

"It's not your fault, Sonny Boy."

"I know, but it's so … mean. What about your mother?"

Brian chuckled at the memory. He had taken Ted's Viagra and had been fucking Justin into the mattress when his mother arrived at the loft with a cake. That had taken care of his hard-on. "She stopped by the loft one day," Brian said out loud. "She found Justin there and put two and two together. She keeps telling me how I'm going to burn in Hell for my perversions."

"Fuck!" Gus reacted.

Brian looked at his son but didn't say anything.

"Is that why she's always so mean to you?"

Brian nodded. "She can't seem to help herself," he added not wanting to poison Gus against her, although it wasn't likely that Gus and his grandmother would spend any time together.

"I wish you could make it up with her."

"I've tried many times, but she doesn't want to give an inch."

"What about Bree's baptism?" Gus asked. "You could invite her."

"You're not the only one who thinks I should invite her. Maybe she'll like my straight son and my yet to be determined daughter," Brian chuckled.

"Yeah, maybe," Gus laughed and picked up Bree who had just toddled over to him. He swung her around eliciting joyous giggles.

Brian and Justin watched their children and smiled at each other.

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Early Sunday morning, Gordon arrived at the cottage to consult with John about their plans. Bobby and his sister had arranged a play date for Patrick and Briana with some of the children in Bridgeton. Patrick would be entering kindergarten in the Fall and they decided that he needed to interact with the children he might meet. Even though Rachel's girls were much older, Rachel and her family were well known in the community. Bobby packed up the kids and headed for Rachel's house. Brian and Gus did some more 'bonding' as Brian puttered around the garden, planting colorful annuals. It was the time in Gus' life that he needed his father and Brian wanted to cement his relationship with his son. That left Justin with the Kinney journal and papers.

Justin packed the newly organized journal, all his notes and of course, his sketchpad, and headed for the glade by the stream. It was a peaceful place for him to reflect and study the information they all had amassed.

My beloved John has encouraged me to write down these words. My hand is not as elegant nor as eloquent as his, but I shall endeavor to recite what is in my heart.

Kinney has sacrificed so much me, for us, I can not tell you. He suffers, at times, from a melancholia that is difficult to break. I would watch him walk within a field of flowers; tears of sadness would mark his beautiful face. There is no cure for when one is missing home.

I have seen my beloved at times of great joy! When he takes brush in hand, all his pain appears to vanish. The love of his art is on his canvas.

There are the times that nothing in the world exists but for him and I. It is at those times when we express our love and devotion to one another that cannot be duplicated. It is always different and yet the same. Our forbidden love.

My Kinney is a man amongst men. Taller than most and surprisingly strong. No one who would gaze at him could know his physical strength and his strength of will and of character. And he is the most silent man I have ever met. I have scarcely heard him utter two words together. For, between ourselves, there is no need for words. I am able to see his thoughts in his eyes.

His beautiful eyes that can be as green as the leaves upon the trees and as brown as God's rich earth. His eyes shine with gold and then as black as night in the throes of passion. His eyes are my gateway into his soul. My dear Kinney is my life.

My beloved has informed me that soon we must leave this place. We have been able to call this humble village home for several years now but the elders of the village have grown suspicious. The priest has forbidden us entry to the chapel. Kinney has found peace within God's house. To be unable to walk within its walls wounds him. We are again, without a home.

"Justin? Sunshine? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Brian and Gus had finished their planting and decided it was time for lunch. John invited Gordon to stay so they could discuss the construction plans with Brian and Justin. John, Brian and Gus made short work of creating the thick sandwiches they were all about to enjoy when Brian went looking for Justin. Brian found his partner leaning against their boulder by the stream, tears running down his face.

Justin held up the copy of the page that touched him so, for Brian to read. Justin heard a hitch in Brian's breathing, the only indication that Patrick's journal entry had hit its mark with Brian. Brian gathered Justin into his arms.

"Oh Sunshine, they did find a home. We know where they finally settled and we know they eventually found peace." Justin's eyes that so reflected the sky gazed deeply into Brian's eyes, their love reflecting back. "Justin, they have a home here, with us and with Claire. Kinney and Patrick are home." They sat for a few more moments, comforted within their embrace and warmed with their love until a familiar rumble signaled it was time to return to the house.

"Sunshine, methinks your stomach has more important things on its mind other than Kinney's journal. Lunch is ready." Justin softly giggled then wiped his eyes. Brian helped him pack up the journal. Hand in hand, they went back to the house.

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Justin pulled up in front of the loft. Lacy was waiting for him by the front door. He turned to Gus who was sitting beside him in the vehicle.

"You sure you want to spend the first day of your summer vacation going over old documents with me?"

"I'm sure," Gus grinned.

"Then let's go. I'll introduce you to Lacy."

They got out of the car and approached the front door.

"I brought another pair of eyes to help us," Justin said as he stuck the key in the lock. "Lacy, this is Gus, Brian's son."

"Hi," Lacy said giving Gus the once over. He was a very young version of his father. She didn't think he'd scare her the way Brian did, though. "Justin told me that you found the reference to the daughter that Patrick and Kinney had. That must have been exciting."

"It was," Gus smiled. He liked the looks of this Lacy. She was all right. "And Justin told me that you're the one that figured out how to organize all this data. You must be pretty smart."

Lacy couldn't help but smile at Gus' compliment. It had been rare in her life that someone had thought she was smart, street savvy, but not smart. She liked this kid.

Gus followed Justin and Lacy into the building. They decided to take the stairs and Gus watched Lacy's butt all the way up. He quite liked that butt. He felt a tightening in his groin that kind of scared him. He was definitely not gay.

Once inside the loft they got to work. Gus watched as Lacy continually leaned towards Justin or looked over his shoulder or touched him in some other way. Gus wanted to do all those things with Lacy but he didn't have the nerve. It didn't take Gus long to figure out that Lacy had a big time crush on Justin. He wondered how that could be. With a frown he set down the papers he was reading and watched more carefully. Justin was absorbed in what he was reading, but Lacy would ask a question and they would lean close to find some reference or discuss something.

Lacy looked up and saw Gus staring at her. He could see her blush and then she moved away from Justin. This was too weird. Gus wondered of he should talk to Justin about it. Or maybe he should talk to Lacy. That would give him a chance to talk alone with her. He liked that idea.

"I'm going to go down the street and get us some donuts and coffee," Justin said.

"Sounds good," Gus replied, "but I'll have soda."

"Make mine soda too," Lacy said.

"Three Mountain Dew's?" he asked with a grin.

They all laughed and Justin went out to get their afternoon snacks.

"You like Justin, don't you?" Gus asked when Justin had disappeared.

"Justin's great! He's been teaching me to draw."

"You like art?" Gus asked feeling his heart beat even faster.

"I draw all the time. It was pretty rough; however, until Justin started tutoring me. I owe him so much."

Gus digested that fact. Maybe he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. "I like art too. My Mom works at the Sidney Bloom Gallery and is an artist too."

"Your Dad's very talented in advertising."

"I know," Gus smiled. "He and Justin are great together." Gus watched Lacy's face drop and knew that his original suspicions were probably true. "What kind of stuff do you draw?"

"Real stuff," Lacy said defiantly.

"Meaning?" Gus asked with a frown.

"What did Justin tell you about me?"

"Nothing, just that you were helping with all these papers."

"I … I was on the streets for over a year," Lacy admitted. She waited to see what Gus' reaction would be.

"Like Hunter?"

"Exactly like Hunter." She wondered if Gus would understand the full import of that statement.

"You hustled?" Gus asked.

"Yeah, among other things. That's what my art is about. I draw street people and what their lives are like."

"Wow!" Gus reacted. "I draw my family and friends and my house."

Lacy laughed. "I guess we come at art from different directions."

"I'd love to see some of your work," Gus said.

"Maybe I'll show you some time. And you could show me yours."

Gus' smile was brilliant as he basked in the glow of his first successful conversation with Lacy, and the promise of more to come.

The loft door opened and Justin returned with the donuts and Mountain Dew. He wondered what had Gus in such a good mood.

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"Hey Johnny! I'm glad you were able to work from here today." Gordon and his crew arrived early at the cottage to continue the preliminary work for the joining of the two cottages.

"No problem, Gordy. This means a lot to all of us. I want it done right."

"Eh, man, I wouldn't screw up your house. You sign my pay check," Gordon laughed.

John joined in and then remarked, "Gordon, it's not my house I'm worried about. We screw up Brian's cottage, there'll be hell to pay."

"Don't tell me you're afraid of your scrawny little brother?" Gordon was teasing John.

"Brian's not so scrawny and he's been working out. You haven't seen him in action. I, for one, do not hang around when he's angry." John gave an exaggerated shudder then they cracked up again. "Seriously, we did a great job on this cottage; I don't want to ruin the look of it."

"John, you know I would have never gone along with this plan if I didn't think it was a good idea or it would look like shit. I think it's a fine idea and quite frankly you won't be able to see your cottage from the lane. The angle is different since you intend to join the sun porch via your kitchen. Your front door will be on the side. We can extend and widen the driveway to bring it closer to your door."

"Oh hell, please don't tell me you have to rip out any of Brian's garden. He'll kill us both."

"You big wuss! I promise, not a flower or shrub will be sacrificed during the joining of the cottages." Holding up his hand, Gordon continued, "I give you my solemn vow." They both broke up into another fit of giggles. "Seriously John, I've been waiting a long time to get my hands on your cottage."

"What are you talking about?"

"John, as well kept as your cottage is, it has never been really renovated. Your mother kept it as a summer rental. It needs to be rewired; you still have fuses, for fuck sake! You need a new water heater and I intend to raise your roof like we did for Brian. You know as well as I do that you'll be running your own dynasty soon and you can do it from home. Bobby will eventually go into private practice or at the very least, want the ability to work from home too. And what if you want another child?"

"Enough! I get the point. Sheesh."

"Eh, just trying to keep my boss happy."

"You know you're full of shit."

"Yeah, well, comes from working with you for over twenty years. By the way, do I have a time limit on this project?"

"Yes, I'd like it to be completed by Labor Day. Brian is seriously considering having Briana baptized. I think he wants to do it here. We'd have all summer to get this done, re-landscape and get settled in."

"Okay, then let's shoot for mid-August."

"Which in Gordon speak means the end of July. Gordy, that's barely a month."

"John, I can do it. The primary crew, here, six days a week. We have over twelve hours of daylight to work with. When we get close, a second crew to prepare your cottage. It'll work John, I promise."

"You've convinced me. The men are all here, let's get cracking." John and Gordon went to speak with their crew and to begin, in earnest, the latest renovation to the Kinney/Taylor home.