CHAPTER 49: CONFUSION, CESSATION & CONFESSION

CAB BACK TO THE LOFT

BRIAN

We slide into the cab and I pull him into my arms. He’s shaking and my first thought is he’s cold but he’s chuckling.

“What on earth was he wearing and was that a wig?”  He giggles.

“No idea and no it wasn’t.”  I kiss the top of his head as he burrows into my coat.

After a few minutes, his giggles subside and I know he’s asleep.

MICHAEL

I whirl round to face Brandon and scowl.  “Bullshit! This is temporary and when…”

“You come out of jail in two and half months, he will still be with him.  And in the highly unlikely event of them not being together, he still won’t be with you.”

I open my mouth to speak but he just shakes his head and turns his back on me.

“Just going to the bathroom!”  I shout at Emmett. He nods and waves me off.

There wasn’t that much of a wait but I was being checked out more than ever.  As I was washing my hands, I adjusted my outfit and was surprised to see Ben gawping at me.

“Too late for you to lust after the new me.”  I sneer.

“I wasn’t.  I was just wondering why you were dressing like a cross between an extra from a Richard Simmons workout video and Eric from That 70s Show?”

I glare at him and the people that snickered.  “Highly amusing I’m sure.”

“Yes you are Michael.  I suggest you look in a mirror before you go out unless you like being the sartorial laughing stock of the Avenue.”  He smirks and walks away.

I head back to the bar; mercifully Brandon, Twinkle and Grim have gone, leaving Emmett and Idaho.  Idaho orders another round of drinks for them and with, after a nudge from Emmett, looks at me.

“I’ll have a beer please.”  I tell him turning back to the dancefloor. He taps my shoulder.

“And I’ll have the money for it first.  I’m not Brian or Debs.”  I hand him the money with a scowl.

Turning back to the floor, I take a few sips and was about to speak to Emmett when Idaho puts down his drink and steps to the floor, looking back he winks at Emmett.

“Come on babe, let’s hit the floor, it’s the erection-section-selection.”

Emmett’s eyes light up and he quickly drains his glass. Before he can reach Idaho, I grab his arm.

“Wait it’s the what?”  I ask.

“Tell you in a while!”  He calls back shaking me off.  Soon he’s in Idaho’s arms, swaying and making out.

Twenty minutes later the club starts to empty, I follow them to the cloakroom.

“What was that?”  I demand, having had to watch Grim and Twinkle join them on the floor.

Emmett helps Idaho with his coat.  “That is the new way of telling us that the club is going to close in twenty minutes without missing a beat as it were.”

I’m impressed.  “That’s a great idea. Brian always knows what works and…”

“It was Justin’s idea actually.” Idaho interrupts.  “Hey Bran, you want a lift?!”  He calls out.

“Nah am all good!”  He calls back and disappears into the night.

I follow Emmett and Idaho as they approach their car and Idaho turns to look at me and then Emmett.

“What?”  I ask.

Emmett sighs.  “It is customary to ask for or wait to be offered a lift.  Not just follow and hope for the best.”

After a few minutes of silence, I huff a breath.  “Can you drop me off at Red Cape please?”

“Don’t you mean Phoenix Rising?  Yeah sure I can.  Now that didn’t hurt, did it?”  Idaho drawls earning a swat from Emmett.

I make sure to slam the door extra hard when I got out.

THE LOFT

LIVING ROOM – LATE MORNING

BRIAN

“Are you sure?  Okay, thanks Slick.  Yeah.  Seems that a certain blonde bombshell…what?  Yes I said bombshell; is missing the furbabies.  Shush and have a good Sunday!”

I hang up chuckling at her teasing and watch Justin in the kitchen. He’s been quiet since we got up.  Sighing I stand behind him and stop him from doing what he’s doing.

“Justin.  What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…well no.  I just miss the boys that’s all.”

“Okay, so I have solved that problem. Slick is bringing them to the emporium tomorrow.  So what’s the other problem?”

He stays silent but plays with the hairs on my wrist.  “Want to sit and talk?”

He nods and I walk us, without letting him go, to the sofa.  “Justin.”  I nudge him gently.

“Michael.”

“What about him?”

“I’m not vain…”

“Definitely not.  The one thing I can safely say about you is that you aren’t vain.”

“But is it me or did he…was he trying to look like…?”

I sigh.  I had noticed that and had hoped he hadn’t.  “Freaked you out?”

He nods.  “A bit.”

“Me too.”  I lift his right hand to my lips and kiss it gently.  “Why don’t you call Slick now and explain what’s happened and then between you, make a decision as to what happens over the next two weeks.”

I feel his body relax and he turns round in my lap.  Wrapping his arms round me, he buries his face in my chest.

“Thank you.”  He mumbles before sitting up and stroking my face.  “Thank you for letting me sort this out myself.”

He turns round reaching for his phone and calls Slick.  After hearing what’s happened, they agree that he should work on Oliver at Britin for the next two weeks.  Although she suspects that due to Michael’s innate stupidity or a twist of fate that he might be in jail sooner than he thinks.  He finally agrees, when she promises to call him every night to let him know what happened.

“Feel better?”  I entwine our fingers.

“Much.  Now come on. You and I have some cooking to do.”

“Yes dear.”

DINER – LUNCHTIME

DEBS

There are very few times when I am rendered speechless and those few times it’s generally because of Michael but this is a whole other level of speechlessness.  I blink a couple of times, but he's still there.

“Good afternoon mother.”  He repeats.

I grab him by the arm, drag him through the silent diner and into the office, where Carl was working.  He just gawps at him.

“What on earth are you doing?”  He manages to wrest his arm from my grip and tries to go back to the diner but I block the door.  Carl clears his throat and Michael turns to him.

“And what are you looking at?”

“I have absolutely no idea.  Debs I can…”

“No Carl, you stay.”  I smile at him.  “As for you, you are not going out that way!”  I hiss.

“Mother, you are being…”

“Michael!”  I snarl.  “You’ve done fuck knows what to your hair.  You are wearing a Captain Asshat tee with grey suedette, not suede, straight leg pants that are too low in the waist and too high in the ankle.  Trainers and a bomber jacket in pleather and you say I’m ‘being’!!”

“Astro, not Asshat, and this is my new look and…”

“It’s ridiculous and fucking creepy that you are trying to dress 10 years younger!  What is wrong with you?   Please tell me you aren’t going to head to jail like that?!”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because you’ll be a bitch within 5 seconds of getting in the van!”  Carl barks at him.

There is a tap at the door and it’s Ems.  “You stay there!”  I hiss at Michael.

“Debs you really must…holy Danny la Rue, what are you wearing?  I thought you had heard Ben last night Michael but no you have taken it up, I mean down, a notch or two thousand.”

“You’re just jealous because you don’t have the figure to pull off this outfit.”  He sneers.

“Having the figure is one thing, which by the way you don’t.  But nobody with taste and common sense would wear that unless of course they were trying to channel their inner Baby.  That wouldn’t be the case would it?”

“Inner baby?”  I look between the two of them.

“This is what he was wearing last night.”  He shows me his phone.  “Style wise remind you of anyone?”

I shake my head.

“Hmm, look closely and maybe imagine him blonde, with a bubble…”

I snort.  Then chuckle.  Then cackle.  Then I have to clutch onto Ems’s elbow whilst I belly laugh.

“Come on Ems, let’s get back out there. He’s beyond help if he thinks he can be Justin.”

“Brian liked my outfit!  He said it was incredible!”  He snaps, following us out.

“Yes, but that wasn’t said in a nice way!”  Someone shouts back.

That seems to do the trick as he’s stomping out and I hope to God going home to change.

THE LOFT – LATE AFTERNOON

BRIAN

I’m sulking.  Justin has banned me from helping.  I sigh heavily and turn the pages of the magazine loudly.

“Oh for heaven sake.  How about you pour some wine instead?”

“Suppose so.”  I mumble and take the bottle out of the fridge, looking longingly at the salad.

“No, it’s for dinner; it won’t be long.”

“It needs to come to room temperature, a fridge cold salad is not fun.  Take it from me I’m an expert on salad temperature.”

“Fine take it out but leave the wrap on.  And can you set the table please?”

He bends down to check the chicken and I admire the view.

“Set the table Brian.”  He snickers and I smile and bump his hip when he stands up.

“Still can’t believe you confiscated the cherries and gave me a time out.”  I grumble.

“The whole point of a cherry mousse is to have cherries in it and you were being disruptively distracting whilst I was frying.”

I raise an eyebrow but he’s not backing down.  “Fine, my blonde bombshell bossy bottom, I’m going to set the table.”

“Oh.”  Justin goes pink and grins hugely.

“What’s the smile for?”

“I didn’t know you thought of me as your blonde bombshell, that’s all.”

“Who else would I be talking about?”  I kiss him gently and head to set the table.

MICHAEL

I grab my car keys having checked myself in the mirror once more.  I don’t see anything wrong with my outfit. Okay maybe the Captain Astro tee doesn’t quite work, so I might change that but the rest of it works fine.

Just as I change my top, Lindsay comes back in and stares at me.

“What do you think?  I swapped the Captain Astro tee for this. I think it works better.”

“I think you need to sit down and tell me what you hope to achieve by dressing like this?  And please tell me you are going to wear a suit to court this time?”

“Why does everyone keep telling me I look stupid?”  I glower.  “I like how I look and that’s the only thing that matters. And I wasn’t going to wear a suit.”

She sighs and rubs her temple.  “Michael, we are going to be called as witnesses. This is a very serious charge and you’re not even listening, are you?”

I snap my head up as I was trying to adjust my pants so my tag wasn’t so noticeable. “Fine I’ll wear a suit.  Now excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”

I grab my keys and head down to my car.

THE LOFT

JUSTIN

I can’t believe it!  Brian Kinney demolished two big pieces of chicken, the salad, some fries and is now sucking the remains of the cherry mousse off his spoon.

“That was superb.”  He pours me some more wine and takes our bowls to the kitchen.

“I’m glad you liked it.”  I help him stack the dishwasher and do my inner happy dance.

“I more than liked it; I loved it.”  He kisses the side of my neck.  “Do you think you could leave some for me to take for lunch tomorrow?”

“I know I can.”  I grin at him.  “And-and thank you for the flowers.  Want to watch a movie?”

“My pleasure.  So what…where’d that come from?”

I find him pointing at an ottoman chest under the TV.   It’s a slightly darker red than the back wall.  He touches it in wonder.

“Suede.”  He murmurs and opens the lid.  “And leather interior, oh Christ come read this.”

I hunker down next to him and burst out laughing; ‘everyone needs a place for their porn, here’s yours.  Love Slick.’

I pick a movie and we settle down on the sofa.  He makes a noise of protest when I get out of his lap but is happy when I come back with a bowl and some of the cherries.   We make short work of them and the movie is long forgotten, as we start making out like horny teenagers.  I’m determined to get him back for the in your pants at Babylon.

I had dozed off, on my Brian shaped pillow, after coming a second time, when he nudges me gently.  “Justin, it’s Lorimer.  Says it’s urgent.”  I open my eyes.  “He needs to talk to both of us.”

I shake my head to clear it and he puts it on speaker.  “We’re both here. What’s going on?”

“It’s over there’s no trial.”

“What’s over?  What are you talking about?”

“Craig Taylor agreed to a deal. He gets 5 years and Gold gets 4 in the maximum security jail upstate.  And then probation for another 2 years for each of them on a tag.”

We look at each other stunned.  “Does Slick know?”

“Yeah she knows.”

“Why?  He had been denying it all this time. What made him change his mind?”

“He’s still denying it but this is the lesser of two evils.  Apart from the evidence against him, this has completely destroyed his business.  And…”

“Lesser of two evils?  Sorry, I don’t understand.”  I interrupt.

“Nothing to be sorry for.”  Lorimer reassures me.  “He was facing a trial by jury and it would be here in Alleghany and the DA would make sure to get the right result and…”

I gasp and stare at Brian in horror.  “But that’s…”

“No he doesn’t mean rig the trial.”  Brian strokes my back calming me.  “He means he would press for the maximum he could get and that’s about 20 years and with the history of you and Slick and being in Alleghany, he’d get it.  Is that about right?”

“Exactly right…so it’s done.  Obviously the restraining order kicks in again when he gets out and I will get it extended but it’s over.”

I sniffle and bury my face in Brian’s neck.  I hear him say something to Lorimer and then there is quiet.

Brian clears his throat.  “Why don’t we go get the boys and go back home?”

I just nod into his neck and inhale his scent.

“Hey Slick.  Oh you did, we were on the phone to Lorimer.  Oh okay, thanks see you in about 20 minutes.”  He laughs quietly.

“She’s on her way isn’t she?”

“Yeah.  Like I said, she sees what needs to be done and just gets on with it.”

MICHAEL’S APARTMENT

LINDSAY

Michael had been out shopping for the last few hours and I wonder if he realises how much he is loathed on the Avenue. Clearly not, as he seems pleased with his purchases.  One is a purple top that he hasn’t noticed is a woman’s smock. He thinks he’s channelling Johnny Depp but it’s more a bad Blanche Devereaux.

I’m saved from further show and tell by my phone.

“Lindsay Peterson.  Oh hello Mr Hughes, um yes he is, just one second.”  I wave at him.  “It’s Mr Hughes. He wants to talk to both of us.”

“What do you want on a Sunday, Hughes?”  Michael sighs petulantly.

“Well I could hang up now and let you find out the hard way or…”

“No, please continue.”  I glare at Michael.  “We want to hear what you have to say.”

“Fine.  There will be no trial.  They’ve taken a deal so that means…”

“We get these tags off…”  Michael interrupts.

“No it means you go to jail on Tuesday. So get your affairs in order.”

“What?”  Michael gasps.  “But I’m not prepared; I can’t just go to jail!”

“You don’t have a choice.  You are confined to your domicile from 1900 tonight and then you are to report to 57th Precinct at 0900 on Tuesday morning to begin your sentence.”

I can feel tears start to fill my eyes.  “You said the hard way earlier. What did you mean?”

“I could’ve let you come to court and then you would’ve immediately been taken to jail.”

“Thank you for not doing that.”  I tell him and jab Michael sharply.

“Yeah thanks.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank Carl Horvath.  Enjoy your last few hours.”

It takes us a few minutes to realise he’s hung up.

“So now what?”  He starts to pace.

“Call your mom…”

“No I’ll just go and see Mother.  What am I telling her?”

“For the love of fuck Michael, will you ever listen when people speak?!  We can’t leave here!  There’s no food!  Even more importantly, there’s no wine!  It’s just you and me!  So call your mom and ask her to bring us some food and wine that will last us until Tuesday!”

“Lindsay stop shouting!  Besides we can order take out and…”

“If we could order take-out that wouldn’t be messed with on its way here, don’t you think I would suggest that?”

That seems to sink in and he finally picks up his phone.

BRITIN

MASTER BEDROOM

BRIAN

I lower my legs and wait for my breathing to come back to normal. Justin starts to shift off me but I wrap my arms and legs round him.

“Stay.”  I murmur.

“Never leaving you.”  He mumbles into my neck.  “Love you too much.”

“Oh thank God, I love you too.”  I reply quietly but he says nothing.  “Justin” He hiccups and I feel his tears sliding down my neck.  “And I’m never leaving you either.”