CHAPTER 41: AFTERTHOUGHTS & MACHINATION

KINNETIC – WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

BRIAN

Justin is still asleep.  He made the mistake of coming here for lunch just after we signed a deal and I pounced.  I have to admit Mary handled walking in on me pounding into Justin as if it was perfectly normal …I take it you won’t be participating in the fire drill?  Right I’ll let them know that this office is clear…I can’t help it and start to laugh again.

His food has gone cold and he should be getting back to work.  I stroll over and brush the hair out of his face and give him a slow kiss.  His eyes flutter open and he stretches before sitting up.

“I can never look Mary in the eyes again.”  He groans

“At least she didn’t see your ass.”  I point out.

“No, but it’s still mortifying.”  He grumbles as does his stomach.

“You need to get back.  I’ll pick you up say six okay?”

He nods and picks up his food after putting on his jacket, giving me a quick kiss he walks passed reception with his head down.

“Hey Justin!”  I call out.  “You forgot these!”  I wave his boxers at him.

“Brian!”  He squeals and rushes to snatch them out of my hands.  “You are in so much trouble!”

“Look forward to it.”  I grin and close the door as he sprints out of the building.

PHOENIX RISING COMICS…DOWNTOWN

MICHAEL

I feel like crying.  I have built this collection up since I was a child and now I have to box it away so that she can come in.  It’s just not right.  And on top of that Lindsay and I aren’t really speaking so I had to do most of it myself.

I look up as the door opens and find Mel looking at me with something verging on pity.

“Well, it looks a fuck of a lot better than it was.”  She puts down her purse and takes out more papers.

“Oh now what?”  I groan.

“Huh?”  She looks at me in confusion.

“What are they?”  I point at the papers.

“Nothing to do with you. The reason I’m here is for your response.”

“To what?”

Her face immediately clouds over.  “To what?  The letter that your daughter wrote to you, do you have a response?”

“I do but I want to give it to her myself.”

“Oh my God you’ve not read the letter have you?  You’ve had it all this time and you’ve not read it!”

“What makes you think I’ve not read it?”  I glare at her but before she can answer Lindsay comes in.

“Mel what are you doing here?”

“Have you read yours?”

“Have I read my what?”

“Unbelievable, just unbelievable.  You two disgust me!”

“Wait, Mel what are you talking about?”  Lindsay tries to calm the situation.

“The letters from the kids. I wanted to know what your responses were and it’s clear that he’s not read it and…”

“Again, what makes you so sure that I’ve not read it?”  I demand.

“Because I have, and before you power-sulk, Jenny gave me a copy and I’ve read it and she asks for your reasons for doing what you did and wants me to collect it today.”

I feel the blush creeping up my neck.  “I haven’t finished writing it yet.”

“Well.”  She eyes me carefully.  “I’ll be back here by five to collect it.”  She then turns to Lindsay.  “I don’t know what Gus has said in his letter as he gave a copy to Brian but if there is a response from you, I’ll collect it at the same time.”

After she bangs the door shut, I sigh and look at the time.

“We’ve got about 2 hours…”  The door opens again and this time it’s Kyle.

“We need you to leave now. We’ve already given you more time than we agreed.”

I give the place one more look before heading out to the truck and putting in the last of the boxes.  Lindsay touches my arm.

“Michael the letter...”

“You drive there and I can read and write and then we do the reverse…”

“No Michael.  The storage facility is open 24 hours.  Let’s just get this done.”

“Fine.”  I say crossly and follow her upstairs.

DINER – LATE AFTERNOON

ETHAN

I had to run an errand earlier and thought I would see if he was in but none of them are.  Not even the red-haired lady.

“Can I help you sweetheart?”

I look disdainfully at the person addressing me and scoff.  “No, you cannot.”

“Fine, then fuck off with that attitude!”  She snaps and people actually laugh at her rudeness.

“You clearly have no refinement…”

“And you clearly don’t know how to shave. You’ve missed a bit, just between that big fat mouth and your chin. It’s not a good look on you.”

“What’s going on here?”  A voice behind me asks, ah it’s the tall one from the booth.

“Are you the manager?”  I demand.

“No but can I help ease this ugly situation?”

“She was rude to me and I want an apology.  Immediately.”

“And what exactly was she rude about?”

“She told me to fuck off with that attitude.”  I tell him smugly.

“Then you must have done something because it takes a lot to get her to swear.  How about you sit in that section over there and you, sweetie, stay in this section here and ne’er the twain shall meet hmmm?”

I stomp over to an empty but messy table and wait.  And wait.  I finally manage to get the waitress’s attention and she slowly clears it up, dropping some detritus in my lap deliberately.

“So what can I get you?”

“I would like a cup of coffee in a clean cup and a glass of water.”

She stares at me for a full minute.  “Please.”  I add grudgingly.

“There that’s better.  Now I’ll only spit in it.”  She calls back.

I was about to cancel my order when he comes in, but he’s alone no ungrateful son.  He heads to the back booth and joins the other man.  I watch them from behind the menu.

“Hey Brian is Studs’n’Suds still happening?”  Someone shouts across at him.

“Of course.  Babylon wouldn’t be Babylon without Studs’n’Suds.”

“Great!”

“He’s very much taken.  They both are.”  A voice drawls.

“Pardon?”

“I notice you eye fucking the back booth.  There’s nothing there for you.”

“I was not eye fucking as you so crudely put it.  I was merely interested in the…”

I try and find something that would be plausible.  “Like I said nothing there for you.”

Whoever he is heads to the counter and then takes a seat in a booth nearby and is soon joined by friends effectively blocking my view of the back booth.

I look at the time and realise I have to go back if I’m to help Mr Taylor lock up.

KIKI

I jerk my head at Brandon and he joins me in the office.  “That’s the second time I’ve seen him in here and he’s been fixated on the back booth both times.”

“Okay thanks Kiki.”

As he heads back to his booth, I can’t help the bad feeling I have about that creep.

BRITIN – EARLY EVENING

LOUNGE

JUSTIN

I’ve read Gus’s letter to Lindsay twice and it’s heartbreaking how manipulative she’s been and for her own son to see it is even worse.

“So what do you think?”

“I think a rabid viper would make a better mother.”  He gives a small smile.  “I can’t believe what she’s done.  I feel so sorry for you and Gus.  And in a way, I feel sorry for Mel.  She played on her insecurities whilst looking like the sainted earth mother.”

“True.”

“I think you should definitely ask for Mel to have legal guardianship…”

“And what about you?  Do you want to be in Gus’s life?”

“You come as a pair of course I do!  Why would you think otherwise?!”  I exclaim.

“I didn’t think otherwise.  I know how you feel, I just wanted to hear you say it.”

“You’re still in trouble mister, don’t add to your list of punishments.”

He pulls me into his arms and kisses me thoroughly.  “Maybe I want to.”

ETHAN’S HOUSE

Craig and I talked for a while whilst he was locking up.  He’s finally told me what I already knew about the court cases and is going to try and persuade them to settle out of court.  But it’s the harassment and threatening behaviour cases that are the problems but I think I have a solution.