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CHAPTER 27: IDIOCY

RED CAPE COMICS – WEDNESDAY LUNCHTIME

MICHAEL

It’s over 3 days since everything happened and Brian has still not returned a single call nor can I get into see him at Kinnetic, as he still has that stupid ban in place.  I’d have thought he’d have gotten over this by now.  Like I said at the time, it’s not as if he can’t afford it.

I decide to go to the diner to see if mother is talking to me yet. I may have gone a little too far but if she’d had answered her phone, I would’ve known what she was doing so it’s partly her fault.

DINER

MOLLY

“Miss Debs, can we have the back booth please?”

“You can indeed honey.  Is it just you or is your mom coming?”

I nod my head as I’m concentrating on the lemon bar that I am hoping she’s taking out for me to eat whilst I’m waiting for them.  Her laugh has me looking at her and I blush.

“Mom, Aunt Mel and Lucy are coming.  And also Jenny.  Can I have the bar now please?  And…”

“Here and no I won’t tell your mom.”  I grin and dash to the back booth and take out my car magazine.”

“Kiki!  I’m just popping to the office, can you man my section?”

“We’ve discussed this!  Woman the section if you don’t mind!”  Miss Kiki yells back.

I love it here, so much better than that fancy club dad used to take us to.  “Jenny!  Jenny over here!”  I wave at her. I’m so pleased that she’s moved to Pittsburgh and hopefully Gus will be moving over soon too.

We’re pouring over car parts and making notes when a shadow casts itself across the magazine.

“Hello Jenny.”  

 

She looks up and groans. “Oh you’ve remembered me then?”

Whoever this is ignores the question and sits down without asking.  “Those seats are taken.”  I point out politely.  “So could you move please?”

“No I won’t move please.  I’m going to sit and talk to my daughter and who the hell are you?”

“I don’t give my name out to strange people.”  I reply.

“You mean strangers.”

“No I don’t.”  I reply.  “Oh mom, over here!  Now you will have to leave as the people who are supposed to sit here are coming.”

He looks up and scowls.  “What are you doing?  Is he bothering you?”  Mom asks.

“Not me.  But I think he’s bothering Jenny.  How do you two know him?”  I look between Jenny and mom.

“He’s my dad.” Jenny replies quietly.  “When he remembers.”

“Oh.  Sorry about that.”

“Apology accepted.”  He replies.

“I was talking to Jenny.”  I shoot back.

“Okay girls what’ll it…”  Miss Debs stops talking.  “What are you doing here Michael, move from this booth!”

Slowly he gets up.  “You two complain about me not spending time with my daughter and when I try you move me along like I’m some kind of bum.”

“Did you know she was going to be here?”  Aunt Mel asks.

“Well no…”

“Then you weren’t spending time, you were coming for lunch.”  She snaps at him.  “Now if you want to see Jenny call me and we will arrange a time that works for the three of us.”

“Two of us.  I don’t want you there.”

“Well I do.”  Jenny states.  “And I’m the only person who matters here.  Now please just go I want to enjoy the rest of my lunch with my friends and family.”

As he turns to leave I spot Aunt Ems coming in.  “Auntie Ems!”

“Darlings!”  He slides into the seat that her dad has just vacated and hands me a bunch of comics!

“Yes!”  I flick through them quickly and go to hand over the money.  “I insist, you had to go out of your way to get them.  Please Auntie Ems.”

“Tell you what, you can pay for lunch how’s that?”  He offers

“Okay and that’s the deal from now on.  Let’s shake on it.”

MICHAEL

“Where’d you get those comics from Emmett?”

“Phoenix.”  He replies and starts to tap the table.

“You drove to Phoenix for comics when my store is around the corner, how stupid is that?”

Jenny groans and slumps on the table before lifting her head.  “Not Phoenix as in Arizona, but Phoenix Rising as in the comic book store uptown.”

“What comic book store uptown?”  I ask.

“Oh for goodness sake Michael it’s basic business sense.  Check out the competition.”  Emmett scoffs.  “They’ve been open for the last 2 years. How do you not know this?”

“Why would I need to go uptown? I’m the only comic book store on Liberty Avenue and as a friend you should be supporting me by buying in my store, shouldn’t you?”

“Not all comic book readers live around Liberty Avenue. There’s a world out there, which does not revolve around you.  And yes I should be supporting you but until such time that you apologise for what you’ve done I’m not going to.”

“Hey ladies!”  I turn to find Hunter and Idaho coming towards is.  “Room for two more?  Actually make that three. Dad’s coming.”

“We might as well wait to order then.  Ah here’s Lucy.  I didn’t know she was bringing Robin with her, did you Jenny?”

“Who’s Lucy?”  Mel asks.

“Oh you haven’t met.  Lucy this is Mel, Jenny’s mom and she’s Robin’s cousin.”

“Nice to meet you Lucy.”  

“Likewise.”

“Excuse me!  I’m still here!”  I snarl.

“More’s the pity.”  Robin snipes.  “And since you are clearly not taking the hint.  Would you like me to escort you away from the table or can you go yourself?”

I stare hatefully at him for a few seconds before making my way to an empty table.  They’re not chasing me out of here!

I strain to hear bits and pieces of their conversation but can’t quite hear clearly but I do hear ‘Babylon’ and ‘Friday’ and ‘Brian and Justin’.  So at least I know what I’ll be doing at the end of the week.

JUSTIN’S APARTMENT

As much as I love this place, the light is awful!  I’m struggling to get the colours right because I can only paint up to a certain time and the easel is too heavy to move back and forth for the right light.

I still can’t believe he bought me an easel.  I was, at first, annoyed about it, but then we sat down and I explained why I was upset.  So he let me pay what I could towards it and added the rest to my bill.

“Fuck!”  I mutter to myself and then almost scream the place down when he kisses the back of my neck.

“What have I asked you about at least putting the door on the chain when you’re in here?”

I lean back and wait for my heart rate to slow down.  “Sorry I know.   But the light was right and I wanted to paint as long as I could.”

I turn round in his arms and kiss his neck.  “Okay let’s talk about a solution to this problem.”

“Want a coffee first?”  He nods and I come back with coffee and some of Emmy Lou’s torte.

“Just so unfair that this doesn’t stick to you.”  He grumbles but takes a bite anyway.  “Okay so I have a suggestion, why not paint at Britin?  You know the room by the mud room it gets the most light for about 80% of the…”

When I finally release his mouth he grins.  “That’s a yes then?”

“Uh-huh, less talking more kissing.”

“In a minute.  Where do you want to go to dinner?”

“Tonight?  I thought we were staying here and you were going to show me how to cook your steak perfectly.”

“We are.  I mean for your second meal.”

BRIAN

We’ve been together a month. He’s virtually moved in and I’m not freaking out.

“Wow it’s been a month since we’ve been dating!”  He squeals and leaps off me and then does his happy dance for a bit before climbing back on.  “Okay so what do you fancy and when is it?”

“Well there’s this place called Green Forest, it’s Brazilian.  And how about Friday?  We can then spend the weekend at Britin.  I’ll take Friday off and we move the easel over and then you can catch up on a bit more painting before dinner.”

“Okay now back to making out.”

MEL & JENNY’S – THURSDAY EVENING

LOUNGE

LUCY

I really like Mel.  She’s sharp as a whip and between the three of us, we are including Jenny here, we’re trying to get Robin and Ben moved along a bit.  Apparently, Slick and Lindon have got passed the kissing stage but Emmy and Idaho are working on them.

“So what do we know so far about how they feel about each other?”

“Well Robin definitely likes Ben but doesn’t feel that he’s moved on from your dad Jenny.”

“More like dad is not letting Uncle Ben move on from him!”  She huffs angrily.  “First he messes with Uncle Brian and now Uncle Ben! Why can’t he just let people be happy?”

Mel shakes her head.  “I don’t know sweetheart.  Wait, what do you mean messes with Uncle Brian?”

Jenny winces and then explains what they overheard.  “And that’s why I don’t want to spend any time alone with him.  I was mad at you as well but then Gus told me that you apologised to Uncle Brian because momma lied to you too.”

“Jesus.”  I murmur.  “You know what we should do? Instead of Babylon, why not have dinner at my place?  I’ve finally moved into my new house and a small intimate setting will be more conducive to romance…”

Jenny grins at us both.  “Yes we could do that.  But how about this…”

EMMY LOU’S APARTMENT

SLICK

When Emmy Lou texted AHN, I had a feeling I knew what it was about.  And when I saw Justin I knew what it was about.

“Help me!”  Emmy Lou whispers hoarsely.

“Justin, what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here; what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to stop you from making the ultimate fuck up, which is almost why you are here but you don’t know how close to fucking up you are.

“Huh.”

“You want advice from Emmy on how to top the ultimate top right?”

He blushes and nods.  “Exactly how much have you done sex wise?  Have you rimmed, fingered or fucked?”

“No, no and no.”  He groans.  “Just blow and hand jobs.  He’s going to think I’m rubbish!”

“You’ve got him off for crying out loud!  So why would he think you’re rubbish?!”

“But that’s all I’ve done!”  Justin repeats.

“And Brian knows this correct?”  Emmy Lou is now down from hysterical and is at logical.  “So what do you think is going to happen when you go from Virgin Mary to Zach O’Toole?”

He looks at us blankly.

“Okay bad porn reference.”  Emmy Lou grins at me and dodges my swat to his head.  “You go in all guns blazing he’s going to wonder where it’s come from.”

“In other words.”  I begin and pull him to stand up.  “You want to know what Brian likes in bed…”

“Ask Brian?”  He whispers going redder than I’ve ever seen.

“Good boy, now let’s get you home, you idiot!”

BABYLON – FRIDAY EVENING

LUCY

I haven’t danced for so long and so hard in my life.  Mel and I have had an excellent time but I can’t help thinking about Ben and Robin.  I hope they are having as good a time as us and aren’t mad at our little ruse.  If they are we’ve decided to blame Jenny.  I’ve actually managed to make it back to the booth upstairs without spilling the drinks and I’m surprised to find Jenny’s father there.  I don’t like that expression on his face.

“Hello again.”

“Hi.”  He replies dismissively and scans the room before sitting down next to Mel who moves away slightly.

“What are you doing here Michael?”  Mel asks.

“Waiting for Brian. I need to talk to him.”

“Brian’s not meeting us tonight, he’s out with Justin.”

He gapes at her and then scowls.  “Fine, I’ll just wait for Ben then.”

“Strike two.  He’s not here either.  It’s just me and Lucy and neither of us want to be in your company.  See ya.”

Mel pulls me up and starts to pull me towards the lower bar where there’s another boss booth but on the way she stops to talk to someone.  Seconds later Michael is gesticulating and leaving.

“He was taking up space that could otherwise be used for paying customers.”  Mel snickers.

LUCY’S HOUSE

BEN

I’ve never had anyone kiss me like this is my life.  Not even Brian.  He can kiss but Robin seems to want to drink me and it feels so nice to be cherished and the sole point of focus.  There were times when I could see and feel Michael drift and that was dispiriting and insulting.

“We need to stop before we get carried away.”  He mumbles sitting up and adjusting his shirt.

“No, we really don’t.  Come back here.”  I tug at his shirt.

“Remind me to send Michael a thank you card.”  He whispers into my ear making me shiver.

“Huh?”

“A thank you for being an idiot card because if he wasn’t I wouldn’t get to be here.”

BEN & HUNTER’S

HUNTER

For the love of fuck what is this guy’s problem!  I bury my head and scream.

“Sorry he’s not going to go away until the door is opened.”  I groan.

“Get up let me handle this.”

“What the fuck do you want Michael!”

“Daphne!”  He shouts.  “I knew it!  You and Ben are fucking!”

 

 

Chapter End Notes:

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