CHAPTER 49: SECRET SANTA, PAYBACK, SORTING, SUFFERANCE & STORM ROOM

EPHIE

“Daphne, is that you?”  I cry and look towards the source of the noise.

“Ephie!  I’d get up but too comfy!  Come here you gorgeous man!”  She waves an arm.

I stride over to the sofa and gape.  “What the hell?  When the…why wasn’t?  Seriously?!  Dammit Mel!  And as for you…”

Daphne grins from her position from the sofa in Leda’s lap.  “How many months?”  I breathe and sit down next to her on the floor, staring at her stomach.

“Eight and twins.”  She winces and then grimaces.  “One of whom is resting on my bladder.  Jenny, can you come do your thing?”

“Thing?”  I echo.

Jenny comes over and gives Daphne her hand and once she’s placed it where she wants her, she gently presses and rubs.  Slowly the pained expression melts from Daphne’s face.

“We’re calling her the baby whisperer!”  Leda chuckles and then looks at Daphne’s phone and laughs harder.  “Vince.”  She hands it to her.

“Yes, bladder, I swear this one is going to be a soccer player judging by the kicking I’ve been getting.”  She smiles and rubs her belly.  “Okay, we will see you tomorrow, love you.”

“What was that about?”  I still can’t believe she’s pregnant.

She chuckles.  “I hurt, he hurts apparently.”

Carl clears his throat.  “At the risk of getting us back on track…about Michael.  We need to…oh my God!”  He gasps staring at Daphne’s stomach.  “Was that a foot?”

Daphne laughs and nods.  The tightness of her top means that every movement and ripple is seen.

“Christ.”  He sighs and then looks at her shyly.  “May I…”

“Come on papa bear.”  She grabs his hand and presses it onto her stomach.  “Oh.”  He breathes in awe.  “That is just…”  He blinks back tears and then clears his throat.  “Excuse me.”

He strides out much to the surprise of everyone. Deb wipes her nose and closes the door behind him, before clearing her throat and placing Daphne’s feet in her lap.

“When his eldest Colleen first starting dating Daniel, he wasn’t pleased.  He was like Luther in that respect.  Trust me, I let him have it when he told me that.  But he was a stubborn man and made things a whole lot worse; they ended up not speaking for months.  Daniel is in the army and could be stationed anywhere, and of course he was. He took a transfer to Germany.  Colleen tried to get them to reconcile before they left but...nothing.  And then she sent a letter.  Never seen a man get in a car so fast.”

Brian hands her a brandy. Seems she’s been wanting to talk about this for a long time.

Her face darkens.  “I didn’t know what was happening as he didn’t tell me, just took off.  Michael was sympathetic as usual.  For about three days, I heard nothing from him.  I was worried sick but fucking pissed off more than anything else…”

“Oh fuck, I remember that time.”  Ted growls.  “He was so fucking pleased and smug!  Announced in the diner that you were done with that fag hating cop; said that now you could concentrate on the most important things like him…”

“I’ll bet.”  Debs snorts.   “Anyway, finally on the fifth day he came back and explained that the letter was a sonogram of Samuel.  He went there to make amends.”

“Aww.”  Jenny smiles and continues to rub Daphne’s stomach.

“She’s in Germany with Daniel and the kids so we don’t see them that often.”  Debs carries on.  “Suspect he’s speaking with them now.”

Brian and Justin look at Zee and Faal and there is a nod.  Something has just been agreed.

PRISON TRANSFER TO PENNSYLVANIA UPSTATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

MICHAEL

This is fucking ridiculous!  I look at the two guards on either side of me. Neither of them have said a word since I was put in the car.

“Why am I being transferred?”

“As was said to you by the governor…”  One of the guards sighs.  “You need to be in solitary confinement and there isn’t one in County.”

“Yes I know what was said but not why it was said.”  I snark impatiently.

“Because you attempted to bribe a guard.  And…”

“That’s his word against mine!”  I snort imperiously.

“And you expect us to take the word of a lying, duplicitous, cheating asshole over a prison guard who has a recording of the attempt?”

“Recording?  What do you mean recording?”  I look at them in surprise.

“He recorded your conversation and here you are.”

“But…but why would he do that?”  I stammer.  “He told me to speak to the press!”

“Speak to the press maybe but you offered him money to make sure it got out.”

I would’ve crossed my arms in frustration if it wasn’t for these fucking cuffs.  “It was his suggestion that I do so…”

“Not what we heard.”  One guard snickers.  “And…”

“You said cheating.”  I point out.

“Yeah you cheated on Ben while he was sick.”  He replies, adjusting his glasses.

“How did…”

“You really don’t get it, do you Novotny?”  The guard to my left takes off his glasses and looks at me coldly.  “It is safer for you to be out of County because there are a lot of people who don’t like what you did to the Kinney-Taylors and the rest of the family.”

“Ooh I’m so scared…people, what people?”  I scoff.  “And what family?”

“Liberty Avenue.  The whole of Liberty Avenue hates what you’ve done, tried to do, and are going to try to do to them and the family.  Especially what you and Lindsay tried to do to Hunter and Jenny, especially Hunter.  Jenny is more than capable of shredding you alive, but Hunter is special in that…”

“Oh he’s special alright.”  I sneer and am jerked forward when the brakes are applied hard.

The guard next to the driver turns to face me.  “You will not fucking diss Hunter!”  He yells.

I shrink back in my seat and just nod. He nods and the drive starts again.  I look at the guard to my left and nudge him.

“Don’t do that.”  He orders and continues to look out the window.

“But…”

“Don’t sp…verbalise.”  He growls.

“All I wanted to…”

“That’s the problem with you, Novotny. It is always about what you wanted and fuck everyone else. Well no more!”  The guard in front growls.

“Seriously.  What the fuck is your problem?”  I snarl.

“I don’t like you and I don’t like basketball either!”  He snaps.

“Basketball?”  I repeat.

“Yeah, basketball.  I was at Gus’s party when you tried to fuck Hunter over with Matt.  And Ben took the hit.”

“Which one are you again?”  I sneer, dimly remembering the group of friends he turned up with.

“The one that is going to be your guard and only guard, morning, noon and night until your trial.”   He smiles at me and the rest of them laugh.

Shit!

NEW JERSEY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

VISITOR ROOM

LINDSAY

“Peterson!”  A guard yells.

I step forward hoping to see Brian, but I’m surprised to see Talon instead.  “What are you doing here?”

“To ensure that you understand something.  You are on your own.  And I will collect when you get out…”

“I have my side of the money, I can pay you!”

“Yes you do and no you can’t.”  She replies, smoothly.

“What do you mean?  I haven’t spent the money Michael got from you and…”

“You will need that for lawyer fees.  They reckon that would be about $40-50K.”

“No I won’t.”  I smirk her.  “I’m having a lawyer provided for me free…”

“You can only do that if you can’t afford one and you can.”

“But they don’t know that.”  I sneer.

“Yeah they do I made sure to tell them.”  She chuckles.

“You did what?!”  I hiss.  “Why you…”

“Temper, temper Lindsay.  You forget who is wearing the suit.”  She smirks at me and then waves at the guard.  “Can you peruse this and hand it to her please?”

He reads it and chuckles and then hands it to me.  “What the fuck?  What do you mean domestic servitude?!”  I gasp.

“I get his entire collection, if he defaults, and I get you as a domestic for 2 years if you default, which you will I’ve made sure of that.”

“But…”  I begin to cry.

“Not gonna work sweetheart.”  She stops me coldly.  “And let me guess you knew nothing about the garage that Michael had.”

“Garage, what garage?”  I demand and she frowns at me before shaking her head.

“Nice try.”  She stands up.  “Well I’ll be going, see you whenever you get out.  Oh wait, a couple more things.  One don’t try and call Brian or anyone else the number to this facility has already been blocked and two, Emily is going to be a mom to twins.”

As she walks away I am pulled back towards my cell.  “Wait can I make a phone call?”

The guard looks at me and nods, she waits for me to place the call.  The number you have called from has been blocked by the recipient for 30 days…”

I hang up before the end of the rest of the message and follow my guard back to my cell my thoughts racing.

What garage and how the fuck is Emily having twins?!

SATURDAY EARLY AFTERNOON

BRITIN

LOUNGE

KIKI

All I can say is thank goodness I said that they should look through this.  For the last 20 minutes, twenty fucking minutes, Brian, Faal and bizarrely, Leda, have been arguing over a leather jerkin jacket.  Admittedly it would fit all three of them but would look best on Brian judging by the way Justin keeps looking at the jacket and then Brian.

“Guys!”  Millie has finally had enough.   “Please, can we move on from this?  Let’s just take it off the site and then toss for it later.  We’ve got another 7 pages to go through, and then we’ve got to pull the stuff out.”

Mel snickers and makes a note.  “Leather jerkin for Leda, box…”

“Mel!”  Millie berates her.

Two hours later we are almost done.  We’ve not pulled out as much as I thought’ although the Gucci overcoat, jerkin, tan suede suit, full length faux fur coat…cough…numerous items of costume jewellery…cough-cough…and other pieces have made it into the family pile.

We are just about to finally shut down then send the boxes back when Justin gasps.

“Where is that?”  Emmy and I look over his shoulder.

“Ooh Justin you would look extra fine in that!”  Emmy coos.

“Uh women’s jumpsuit.”  I point out as Emmy dashes out to the boxes having noted the number.

Emmy comes back in with said jumpsuit and holds it up against Justin.  I look at it again and start to formulate a plan.

“If we took off the sleeves and, can you turn around for me?  Put it up against him but with the back to me.  Oh yes!  Pockets low so that when Brian puts his hand in he’s cupping his butt and…”

“Need to narrow the leg.”  Millie joins us staring critically.  “Just take the flare down a notch or two.  What shoes would you be wearing initially, so we can get the length right?”

He grins.  “Gus!”  He bellows and Gus comes running in.  “Can you go to our bedroom and try and get the grey Gucci boots out without your dad noticing?”  He nods and is off.

Ten minutes later he’s back grinning.  “Dad and Uncle Faal are still discussing the jerkin, momma gave up!”

“Make sure they don’t come in here.  Okay?”  He nods and closes the door behind him.

Another 90 minutes later I have worked my magic, if there’s one thing about being me is that I learned very quickly to customise and correct my clothing.

“Well I’ll be damned.”  Millie is grinning.  “Where exactly are you going to go in that?”

“I’d say about as far as the bedroom door…the inside of the bedroom door!”  Emmy snickers.

“Do not allow him to rip that off you!”  I warn.

Justin goes bright red.

Another hour later the family is finally on the way to the Treehouse.

TREEHOUSE – EARLY EVENING

OFFICE

EPHIE

I’ve been on the phone to Meriam and she says that the family should watch the interview disc but I’m loathed to do that since they’ve had a great day, but as she’s pointed out it is never going to be a good day to watch it so they might as well get it over and done with.

I head to the lounge and gesture for Mel and she closes the door behind her.

“Meriam says that we should show them his interview.”

She sighs heavily.  “I agree, let me just prepare them okay?  You go tell Zee and Emmy to come in.”

I head to the kitchen and tell them and we start to prep booze, lots of booze.

LOUNGE

MEL

I look round the room at their stunned faces.  “I know it’s not ideal but you will be seeing it at the trial as I said.”

“Let’s just watch it and get it over with.”  Justin decrees.  “How bad can it be?”

An hour later we’re staring at the screen in shock.

“Press clippings?  Why the fuck would he have press clippings with it?”  Ben whispers.

“Worst case scenario?”  Ephie looks round and takes a breath.  “He was going to sell it.”

“Sell it?”  Justin gasps.  “Who to for fuck sake?”

Brian is taking heaving breaths.  “Justin can you get up a minute.  I n-n-need the bathroom.”

Less than a minute later there’s an enormous crash.

“Brian!”  Justin screams and dashes out, we quickly follow and find Brian out cold on the floor.

“Get him in here!”  Daphne shouts, Ben and Faal quickly carry him in.  “On the sofa on his side!”  Daphne orders.

“Brian?  Oh God please Brian!”  Justin cries tears streaking down his face.

“Justin!  Justin move let me look at him!”   Daphne snaps.  “Jenny, my bag!  Gus, ice cold cloth wrung out!  Matt blankets!”

“Daphne move out of the way let me do this!”  Nobody had heard the door and we are all surprised to see David.

“Think he hit his head on the way down, I feel something lower left occipital area.”

“Someone check what he hit and is there any blood on it?”  Carl orders.

“Pulse?”  David barks.

“Steadying.”  She tells him.  “Airways clear.”

“Table, which you need to replace, but no blood.”  Hunter relays.

“Good.  Okay goose egg definitely a goose egg.”

“Brian please wake up!”  Justin shouts tugging at his hand.

“Justin!  He just fainted!  Please calm down, I don’t want you to have…”  Daphne starts.

“Shut up!”  David yells startling all of us.  “Say that again!”  He’s peering at Brian.

“Said, only faint when fucking.”  Brian mumbles and his eyes slowly flutter open.

“Kiddo!”  Debs cries in relief and almost elbows David out of the way.

“Red!  He’s the doctor remember!  Now anyone that isn’t David or Justin back off!”

“Come on Daph let’s get you off your knees.”  Jen and Leda get on either side.

“Ironically if I had stayed on them I wouldn’t be pregnant right now!”  She snickers.

Twenty minutes later a slightly less embarrassed Brian still has his head in Justin’s lap and is covered in a blanket with Lilah on his stomach.  She glares and growls at anyone that approaches.

“Lilah hush.”  Brian soothes as even George gets the treatment.  “Can I get up now?”  He gripes.

“One more can I get up now and I will have you sedated!”  Justin glares at him.

“Fine.”  He pouts until Justin bends his head to kiss him gently.

“So Ephie, about this disk?”  Justin has steel in his voice.  “What can we do about it?”

“We will submit it as evidence twofold.  One to refute any psychological excuse he may have and two for the restraining orders.”

“Restraining orders?”  Carl frowns.  “But he’s in jail.”

“For now.”  Ephie sighs again.  “Look he’s not crazy but he’s manipulative, look how he’s worked you guys over for years.  Sorry.  And the only reason we were able to catch the press call was because you didn’t fuck Brandon.  If it had been anyone else then this would be all over the news.  So I propose that we get restraining orders for everyone in the family to stop him from coming anywhere near should he make bail.”

“Could he make bail?”  Debs asks nervously.

“No, I 100% believe he’s in jail until the trial but this is just a precautionary thing.  Now he’s in Pittsburgh and if he makes bail I suspect he will try and come to see you…”

“Which is another reason we’re going to Portland until the New Year.”  Zee interjects.

There are astonished gasps.  “Hear me out please!”  She takes a swig of brandy.  “This family, all of us, need distance from Pittsburgh.  So we’re going.  There’s plenty of office space for those who need to work.  And the kids are off anyway.  If you need to come back then that’s what the small plane is for.  Because I don’t know about any of you, but I have no problem not one going upstate and…”

“Lawyers present!”  Ephie reminds her.

“So tonight we are getting the fuck out of Dodge!”  She drains her glass and slams it down.

QUBE HOUSE – SUNDAY EARLY AFTERNOON

LOUNGE

EMILY

I can’t believe all that has happened since we moved here.

“How can so few people create so much hurt?!”  I shake my head and stop pacing.

“Because they can and for the love of God now what are they bickering about?”  Zee snarls as yet another whispered heated argument is occurring between Brian and Justin.

We have been trying to not watch them but they are both growling at each other and it’s so unusual.

“Oh for fuck sake!  You two with me NOW!”  Zee yells and stalks to the door yanking it open before they follow like scolded children.  “Storm Room!”

STORM ROOM

ZEE

“Sit!”  I order and amazingly enough they do without argument.  “Okay I get it you're stressing about him fainting…”

“And treating me like I’m made of fucking glass!”  Brian pouts.

“And you didn’t do that when he had his accident in New York?”  I point out.

“Hah!”  Justin smirks.

“But he already had an injury.”  Brian points out.

“I know and we get that you were, and still are, scared.  But you did mollycoddle and were over protective right?”

“Double hah!”  Justin is almost happy dancing earning himself a glacial look.

“But he stopped when he was reassured that you would be fine if he was gentle and careful.”

“Hah!”  Brian snarks back at Justin.

“And you still had sex Justin.  With Brian.”  I take a sip of wine.  “We heard you.  Give the man a fucking fuck-break and have at him!”

I stalk to the door and yank it open.  “You change he wins!”  I slam the door hard.

BRIAN

“Come here.  Justin come here.”  I open my arms and he burrows into my chest.

“Is it very sore?”  He touches my bump and it’s not that bad.

“Been better.”  I concede.  “Lilah was interesting.”

He snickers into my neck.  “Yeah.  Wh…when I heard the crash I heard…”

“Oh Sunshine!”  I scoot up the bed and he sobs and somehow manage to get us under the covers.

“Th…the sound of the wood breaking…”  He hiccups.  “How have you coped with that?”

I tilt up his chin.  “I honestly don’t know.”  I sniff.  “Ev...every time there’s a noise that-that sounds like that I have to take a minute or so to get my shit together.”

“Blake?”

“Yeah.  Blake.”

I go to kiss his temple but then lift his hair and kiss his scar and his breath hitches.  “Be right back.”

I head downstairs to the lounge and open the door, predictably it goes quiet.  “Blake?  Just…Justin and I need to talk to you.”

He looks surprised but follows me out without saying a word.

LOUNGE – FOUR HOURS LATER

BLAKE

I’m emotionally drained but amazingly happy. Nobody says anything as I sit down next to Ted and he wraps his arms around me.

“How are they?”  Ted asks quietly.

“Sleeping.  They’re not coming down until tomorrow but you want to know the irony?”

Ted nods squeezing me tightly again.

“Michael’s actions have brought them closer together by forcing them to talk about the prom and their feelings, which I don’t think they ever had.  Someone should tell him!”

“I’ll get Meriam right on that.”  Charles smirks and then reaches for his phone.