CHAPTER 38: SHOWDOWN

LOG CABIN – SUNDAY EARLY MORNING

LOUNGE

JUSTIN

It’s so toasty warm in here but there’s no Brian.  I lift my head from the pillows and look round.  Nope, definitely no Brian but it seems like he brought the bedding down last night and has banked the fire.

“He’s awake.  Sleep well?”

“Mmm.  Do I smell coffee?”

“Yes and waffles. They have a waffle iron here.  First time I’ve made waffles.”

“Okay, teeth, then waffles and then explanation.”

I stumble to the bathroom naked as the day as I was born and wiggle my ass at his wolf whistle.

“And we’re up early, why?”  I ask from the warmth of his lap and fork a piece of waffle for him.

“Emmy Lou’s coming.”  I look up at him with surprise.  “Just to drop B&B and then go straight back.”  I continue to stare at him.  “Okay I miss them. It doesn’t feel right without them.”

I wriggle to sit astride his lap and kiss him.  “Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop feeling guilty or try to justify the reasons that you are happy.  You have the fucking right to be happy so be happy.”

“How come we just work?  I just don’t get it.”

“Does it matter?”  He shakes his head.  “Good.”

I pick up a berry and put it between my lips, lean in and share.

“You know what’s down the path from hot tub?”  I begin as he nibbles my neck.  “Nope.”  His fingers run down my spine. Now I know what he means about a hot spot.

“An outside waterfall shower and I mean a warm natural spring waterfall shower.”

His fingers come to an abrupt halt and I squeal with laughter as he flings the duvet to the floor and carries me outside.

EMMY LOU

Oh my God, this place is so peaceful! B&B had been good as gold, nice and calm, all the way here but now it seems like they can sense their daddies.  They’re now bouncing about in the back of the truck.  I’m reluctant to open the door and regret not taking up Idaho on his offer to come with me.

“Emmy Lou you can let them out!”  Brian calls out sauntering down the path.

“Ah that would explain it!”  I call back and open the door.

They pelt up the path like little furry bullets and he’s almost knocked off his feet.  The smile on his face is something I’ve never seen before.

“Baloo!  Bagheera!  Come!”  Justin calls and again they’re off.

“Coffee Emmy Lou?”

“No I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Emmy Lou come!”  Justin yells.

Inside I just marvel at the cosiness of it all.

“Looks like a wreck from the outside right?”  Brian grins handing me a mug.

I nod and settle on the couch.  “Can you imagine this place in summer, the barbeques you could have? And as for you Mr Kinney, I’ve not seen you look this relaxed in months!”

“Thanks, I think.  Okay I’m going to walk B&B.  I’m sure there’s some gossip you two want to catch up on.”

Ten minutes later he’s out the door and I join Justin in the kitchen. He’s cooking a stew of some description, which my stomach tells me is going to be gorgeous.

“So how was it?”  I demand.

“You must promise not to tell a soul?”  He pleads and I nod.  “He fainted.”

I frown and then realise what he means.  “Oh my goodness, you made GGK faint!  Just tell me the name of the oil again and I’ll be on my way…with some of that stew!”

BRITIN – MONDAY AFTERNOON

STUDY

BRIAN

“…okay Mel thanks for letting us know.  It’s better than nothing, at least we can see them coming.  But the one against his father still stands? Great.  Yeah see you Friday.”

Fuck!  I think to myself and grab my keys and call Justin on the way.

MICHAEL’S APARTMENT

MICHAEL

We’re feeling very pleased indeed. They’ve reduced the distance that we have to keep away from them to a half a mile.  Our new lawyer, who has more than earned his keep thus far, successfully argued that a 15 mile radius was unfair as we hadn’t actually threatened him or her.

So in order to celebrate, we are going to the diner. Emmett should’ve calmed down by now.

DINER

BRANDON

Just when I was having a nice meal in come the gruesome twosome.  I’m not remotely surprised when I see them coming into the diner. I push away my plate and wait for the sounds of delusion.

“What?  What are you all staring at?”  Michael snarks.

“What part of you are barred didn’t you understand?”  Kiki demands

“Oh that was just Emmett being a drama queen.  As if he owns this diner... mother would’ve have told me.  Now we’re going to sit over here and you are going to do your job, which is to serve the customers.”

“No.  Get out.”

“Listen to me you over made up pomander, you…”

“Pomander?”  Kiki echoes

“Yes pomander, you…”

“Okay I normally have a clue about what I’m supposed to be correcting.  But this one I have nothing.”  Hunter drawls, to the amusement of the rest of the diner.

“And you can shut the fuck up too! You think you’re so great and educated but you’re not.  You are nothing, who will be nobody and will end up nowhere!”

“Nope, none of those things apply to me. They apply to you and her.”

“Me?!”  Lindsay gasps.

“Yep.  You don’t get it, do you?  You don’t get what it is that makes Brian want Justin, more than you two, more than anyone, do you?  Well let me spell it out to you.  Justin gets him. He understands him.  He doesn’t crowd him or try to mould him to be something he doesn’t want to be.  And above all else, he nurtures, respects and likes him, something you never did!”

“Bullshit!”  Lindsay spits.  “He likes his money.  I saw them in the art shop…”

“Yeah you think he’s this little blonde nepharite that…” Michael interjects.

“This one I’ve got…you mean neophyte.  Say it with me ne-o-phyte.”  Hunter smirks.

“You’ve had this coming for a long time!”  Michael snarls.

Before Lindsay could stop him, he launches himself at Hunter only to sink to the floor winded when Hunter dropkicks him in the stomach.

“And you’ve had that coming!”  He stands over a groaning Michael.  “Another thing you didn’t bother to know about me.  Tae Kwon Do.”

“What the fuck are you two doing here?”  Emmy demands.

“Emmett...”  Lindsay begins.

“You are barred, what confused you?  Oh I get it. This is the ‘we only hear what we want so we do what we want’ side of your personality again.  Sick of it, sick of you, get…why is he on the ground?”

“Tae Kwon Do.”  Hunter replies simply.

“Oh.  Can someone take out the trash, both the one on the floor and the one simpering next to me?”  He shudders.  “God I hate it when she simpers…ugh!”

DEBS

I’m heading for my shift and then I see them.  Michael is on the ground and Lindsay is crouched over him.

“What’s happened?”

“Hunter happened!”  Lindsay snaps.  “You should get your cop boyfriend to arrest people that need to be arrested!”

I sigh.  “What did you say Michael?”

“What makes you think it was Michael? Why does everyone blame Michael?”

“Because 99.9% of the time, it’s his fault.”  Brandon scoffs before strolling down the street.

“You need to go.”  I tell them.

Michael is finally able to speak.  “Mother, you need to put your son first!”  He grumbles.

“I am.  And he’s coming towards me with his boyfriend.”  I get a kiss on each cheek from the pair of them.  “How was the Huntsman Weekend?”  I ask as I open the door for them.

“Wait a second Brian.”  Justin stops and pulls out his phone.  “Half a mile in any direction... start walking or I start dialling.”

“And if we don’t?”  Lindsay challenges him.

“Why not stay and find out?”  Brian growls.  “You call about him and I call about her. This will lend more credence to the support case.”

Justin nods and starts to dial.

“We’re going!  This is not over!”  Lindsay shouts.

“We know!   But you’re still going down and not in a positive life affirming way!”  Brian yells back.