Chapter 19

The day after Halloween everyone slept in late. Bree and Joan were very tired from walking in the parade and staying up later than they normally did. Brian and Justin had fucked late into the night playing out the Rage/JT fantasy that they had created with their costumes. Rage's restorative bed was just that, but it would take a late morning to see the full effects of the restoration that JT had achieved on his partner.

Patrick and his dads were the first to come out of their bedroom that morning. Realizing that the rest of the group was still sound asleep, they decided, since they were already dressed, they'd go out for breakfast. They left a note for the others.

When Brian and Justin finally got up some time after John and Bobby and son had left, they could hear some stirrings in the room that Joan and Bree were sharing. Brian went to the door while Justin called room service for breakfast.

"So you kneel beside your bed like this," Joan was saying, "and then you say your prayers. Most people say them before they go to bed, but we can do them this morning."

"'Kay, Gamma," Bree said kneeling down beside her bed and reaching up to place her hands on the edge of the mattress just as Joan was demonstrating.

Brian was about to fling the door open and tell Joan to keep her fucking religion to herself.

"Now I lay me down to sleep," Bree began. "I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take," Briana said perfectly. "Bless everybody."

"That's perfect, Briana," Joan said. "I didn't know you knew that prayer."

"Patrick taught me. He says it every night. Sometimes I forget," she explained.

"Well, you did very well. I'm proud of you."

"Love you, Gamma," Bree said throwing her arms around Joan's neck.

Joan kissed her cheek. "I love you too, sweetheart," Joan said as she looked up with tears in her eyes. She saw Brian standing in the doorway. "Oh Brian, I hope you don't mind," she said hastily.

"No, no, it's okay," he muttered. "Justin ordered breakfast. It should be up shortly if you two want to get ready."

"Hungry, Dada," Bree said smiling at him.

"Aren't you always?" Brian said brusquely. He saw Bree look at him funny. "You two better get your showers and put some clothes on."

"'Kay, Dada," Bree smiled at her father.

Brian stepped back and closed the door behind him. He turned to see Justin staring at him. "She's making Bree pray," Brian stated with anger in his voice.

"Making?" Justin asked.

"I almost told her to shove her fucking religion up her ass," Brian declared.

"Brian, there's nothing wrong with prayer."

"The way Joan has always used it … to condemn and punish. I don't think so."

"Bree says her prayers some nights when I tuck her in," Justin said softly. "I used to say the same prayer when I was a kid."

"She does?" Brian asked surprised. "She's never said them when I tuck her in."

"She's probably picked up on the fact that you don't approve of praying."

"I never said I don't approve of praying."

"I think that's exactly what you said a minute ago. Kids pick up on things."

"Well, I don't like it."

"I understand that, but there's nothing wrong with religion and what it teaches, as long as it doesn't get carried to extremes like your mother used to do, and I am deliberately using the past tense in that statement."

"You think I should just let her teach her religious gobbledygook to our daughter?" Brian asked in disbelief. "I thought you agreed that religion wasn't part of how we were going to raise her."

"I don't think I ever actually agreed to that," Justin said softly. "You just assumed I'd go along with what you wanted."

"So instead, you help her pray behind my back."

"Brian!" Justin said hurt by the tone of his husband's voice. "I didn't do anything behind your back. Apparently she learned the prayer from Patrick. You know how often they sleep in the same room. And we had her baptized. What was that for, if she can't pray? I don't think religion hurts a little kid."

"Tell that to all the altar boys…"

"I … You didn't … You weren't…?"

"No, I wasn't. But lots of other little boys were."

"Bree is never going to be an altar boy," Justin said brusquely. He didn't even want to think about that. "But I do think the Bible stories and fundamentals of religion help children to know right from wrong. What's wrong with understanding 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'?"

"What's wrong with it? Well, the main thing that's wrong with it is when people say it all self-righteously and then turn around and do the exact opposite. My mother is the prime example."

"Don't you mean used to be the prime example?"

Brian grimaced. He really did want to believe that his mother had changed. "I just…" He didn't know how to finish that statement. It was obvious Justin didn't agree with him, and he didn't want to start a fight with his husband.

"I don't want Bree to become really religious, Brian, but I don't have a problem with a bit of it in her life," Justin said softly. He could tell that Brian was giving in slightly to his point of view.

A knock at the door interrupted further discussion. Breakfast had arrived.

Bree and her grandmother joined them shortly after the food arrived. Bree seemed to be thriving since the paint incident, and all of them had been able to put it out of their mind. Brian was especially glad that Justin seemed to be back to himself and was able to paint without fear. He did owe his mother for that. And Joan had actually marched in a parade with hundreds of homosexuals. He had to shake his head at that thought. He wondered if his mother actually understood what she had done the night before. If she did, she had certainly come a long way.

"You seem preoccupied, Brian," Joan observed.

"I guess I am a little," Brian admitted.

"Care to share?" Joan persisted. She was wondering if Brian was upset about the prayers. She didn't want to upset him, but she did think Briana should have some religious guidance in her life.

"I share," Bree said holding out a Cheerio to her Dada.

"No thanks, Squirt," Brian said. "Those are yours."

"'Kay."

"Brian, I have a favor to ask of you," Joan said hesitantly.

"What's that?"

"I … I really would like to go to mass. It's Sunday."

Brian tried to keep his groan to himself, but a little bit of a one escaped. Joan straightened her shoulders and her face turned to stone. "I was hoping you'd come with me, all of you, but I guess that's out of the question." She stared at the eggs on her plate.

"Joan, do you have a church where you'd like to go?" Justin asked gently.

"No, no, I don't know the city. I was hoping you might know… But I should have known better." She stood up and turned to go back into her bedroom.

"I could call the concierge and find a church that's nearby," Justin volunteered. "Did you want to try to make the next mass?"

"Oh, yes, that would be lovely. I'll go get ready." Joan hurried back into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"We could go with her," Justin said looking at Brian.

"We could, could we?" Brian asked with a grimace.

"Brian, she's been good enough to come all this way to help us out. It's the least we can do."

"Is it?" Brian asked flatly.

"Well, I'll go with her. You can stay with Bree."

"You're not even Catholic," Brian said in an accusatory voice.

"What difference does that make?"

"Never mind," Brian said shaking his head.

"Me go too, Daddy," Bree said not wanting to be left out of anything.

"Um … I don't know…" Justin said looking at Brian.

"Pweese," Bree pleaded reverting to her baby voice.

"Brian?" Justin asked.

"Fine, we'll all go, if that will make everyone fucking happy," Brian groused.

"Thank you," Justin said kissing Brian's cheek. "It'll be an adventure for Bree."

"Yay! 'Venture," the little girl giggled.

"Some adventure," Brian said, but he had to smile at Bree's enthusiasm. "Go on, Sunshine, talk to the concierge. I'll find something fabulous for Miss Briana to wear."

"She'll undoubtedly be the best dressed three year old in the place," Justin laughed.

"That goes without saying." Brian helped Bree down from her chair and took her hand as they walked over to the door to the bedroom. Brian tapped gently on the door. "Mother, we're all going to go with you. May I come in and get something for Bree to wear?"

*****

The Kinney-Taylor entourage walked through the lobby of the hotel. Brian and Justin had donned suits and Joan wore her best wool coat. Bree had a pink jacket over her cutest pink dress. She looked like a little doll as she held onto her Daddy's hand. Brian had Joan's arm linked through his. Heads turned as they made their way through the lobby.

"Why are people looking at us?" Joan asked.

"Because we're fabulous," Brian joked.

"Maybe they recognize Rage and JT," Justin said from behind them.

"Or the little princess and her fairy godmother," Brian said as he smiled fondly at Joan. He had to admit that going to church with Joan was one of his least favorite things, but this time he had Justin and Bree with him, and they all did look fabulous.

They had a couple of blocks to walk to get to the nearest church. It didn't take long as Justin had got the directions from the concierge. As they rounded a corner they could see the church up ahead with people making their way inside for the next mass.

"It's a beautiful old church," Joan observed as they drew nearer.

"Yeah," Brian said. All churches were the same as far as he was concerned.

"Pretty," Bree said as they stopped back from the church to get a good look at it.

"It's a church, Bree," Justin said squatting down to Bree's level. "You'll have to be quiet while we're inside. Can you do that?"

Bree nodded her head. "I will."

"Good girl," Justin said as he stood up.

They made their way inside.

Bree looked up at the high vaulted ceiling and the large stained glass windows. "Big," she said.

"Yes, very big," Justin agreed.

"Let's sit here," Joan said entering a pew about a third of the way back from the front.

They all sat down with Bree between Brian and Justin.

"Daddy, who they?" Bree asked pointing to the people a couple of rows up.

"They're other people who are here to take part in the church service."

"Oh," Bree frowned. She had no idea what that meant.

The priest came out onto the altar area and the service began. Bree watched everything that happened. She kneeled down when her Grandma did and tried to sing when everyone else sang. But she didn't know what they were saying, so mostly she hummed along. She liked the sound of the music inside the big building. She did her best to sit still and be quiet. She watched her Grandma go up to the front of the church and get to eat something. She would have liked some too, but her Daddy told her no. When she got fidgety once, Brian gave her a candy he had in his pocket. She liked that and sat still until the service finally came to an end.

People started to file out of the church and they joined in the line as their pew emptied. At the door the priest was shaking hands with the parishioners. Joan went right up to him.

"We're just visiting New York," Joan said. "I wanted to tell you that that was a lovely service. Thank you," she said.

"Well, thank you. I'm Father Charles. How long will you be in New York?"

"A few more weeks," Brian supplied.

"Well, I hope to see you and your sons again," the priest said.

Joan chuckled. "This is my son Brian. That's his partner, Justin," Joan said in no uncertain terms. She looked the priest in the eye.

"Oh, my mistake. I hope you'll all come again," Father Charles added.

"And this is my granddaughter, Briana," Joan said pulling Bree gently into view.

"You were a very good girl, Briana," the priest said. "I didn't even know you were there. I hope I didn't bore you all too much," he chuckled.

"As I said, it was a lovely service," Joan replied.

They made their way down the steps and started back towards the hotel.

"Mother," Brian said. "Thank you for introducing Justin as my partner. I know that must have been difficult for you."

"Not at all," Joan said. "It's the truth and I think everyone should know it."

Brian cleared his throat and looked at Justin. Justin smiled and shrugged. Maybe Joan really had changed.

Bree walked along looking at people and buildings. She was enjoying being out with her daddies and her grandma. She liked wearing her nice dress.

"How would some ice cream sound?" Brian asked as they passed a little restaurant.

"Ice cream! Yay!" Bree called out. Going to church had lots of good things to go with it.

Justin looked at Brian. "I'm always up for ice cream," he said with an evil grin.

Brian let out a little groan as the memory hit him. "Mother?" he asked. He wanted nothing more than to take Justin back to the hotel and fuck him senseless, but he had started the whole ice cream thing and he needed to go through with it.

"Why, yes Brian, that would be lovely," Joan said.

They went inside where Bree got her ice cream. Brian and Joan had apple pie with ice cream and Justin had a big piece of chocolate cake with whipped cream. They tasted each other's choices and had a very pleasant time. Bree felt like she was all grown up being at the restaurant with her parents and grandmother. She was on her best behavior.

Finally they made their way back to the hotel and up to the suite. They found John, Patrick and Bobby there with Emmett and Drew and also Ted.

"Hail, hail, the gang's all here," Brian said as they came through the door.

"We just can't tear ourselves away from you," Emmett laughed.

"We were talking about last night," Drew offered. "That was fun. I wonder what Thanksgiving and Christmas are like in the Big Apple?"

"I don't think we'll be here long enough to find out, sweetie," Emmett said.

"But maybe we could come back before Christmas," Drew stated.

"Oooh, could we? That would be awesome."

"We'll see." Drew smiled at his lover.

"Brian," John interrupted. "I'm thinking of going home with Bobby and Patrick tonight, if that's all right with you."

"Oh, um, sure," Brian replied. He had so enjoyed working with his brother. He would be sad to see him leave. "The apartment's almost done?"

"It is done. Really all that's left is the painting, and I thought Stacey might want to make the color selections. I have a painter all lined up to do the priming and then he will put on whatever colors Stacey chooses after that."

"Then I think you should head on home, big bro'. I can't thank you enough for all you've done," Brian said giving his brother a big hug. "Kinnetik N'rgy would not be up and running if it wasn't for you."

"What's family for, if not to help each other," John replied as he hugged Brian back.

Joan watched the exchange and marveled at the brother that Brian had never known for so much of his life who could give so generously. And then she realized that her son also gave generously. She never gave Brian enough credit for the fine man he had become.

"So, where were you all this morning?" Emmett asked. "And looking mighty fine too."

"We went to mass," Brian said smugly.

Emmett choked and Ted tried not to laugh. They all stared at Brian and then realized that he wasn't kidding.

"Have to take care of the spiritual side of our beings," Brian added with his tongue in cheek.

Emmett was about to make some smart remark when he remembered that Joan was there. "Well, I'm sure if the structure is still standing, that the Lord was very happy to have you there." That was the best he could do on the spur of the moment.

"It was a very nice service," Joan supplied.

"And we had ice cream!" Bree piped in.

"Ice cream?" Patrick asked. "Dad, can I have ice cream?"

"I think that can be arranged, Little Red," John said squeezing his shoulder. "Maybe at the airport."

"Okay, Dad," Patrick said although he would have liked ice cream right then and there.

Bree ran into her bedroom and reappeared a moment later carrying the little plastic pumpkin that she had used to collect candies the night before.

"Here, Patrick," she said holding it out to her cousin. "I share."