CHAPTER 3

SIX PM AT THE COUNTRY CLUB

"Good evening, Mr Taylor. Dr and Dr Chanders are waiting at their table for you. Follow me, sir," The waiter informed Craig as he led him to the table, which was set so that the Chanders would see him as he approached the table.

"Daniel, Roxanne, nice to see you both,"

"Craig," they both answered tersely.

"Just water for now, please," Daniel requested from the waiter. "This is not a social occasion, Craig. So just tell us what you have to say," Daniel announced curtly once the waiter had left.

"Fine," answered Craig, taking out the folder from his briefcase and handing it to Daniel. "These are the degenerates with whom your barely-legal daughter is now associating. I doubt that you would want your friends, and others, to know the kind of people she is fraternizing with. I also have it on good authority that she is planning on dating Glenn Bartier, again. As you already know they had a previous relationship BEFORE she graduated from high school. Since he is twenty-four years old now, he was definitely over twenty-one when they were together before. The drunk man in those pictures is Brian Kinney, owner of Kinnetik Advertising and a fucking faggot like Justin. He is thirty years old and has a horrible reputation as a drunk and a drug user. Are these the kind of degenerates you want your daughter to be associated with and working for? Just think of the backlash if your patients found out about this."  

Roxanne rolled her eyes as did her husband. "So basically, you're saying that based on some pictures and hearsay, by you- of all people- we should dictate where Daphne goes and with whom she associates or you will slander us, as well as Mr. Kinney? Daniel, we aren't seriously going to submit to this clown a second time, are we? If it wasn't for his threats and mistreatment against his own son, we wouldn't have lost our daughter in the first place."

"Daniel, if I were you, I would learn to control the accusations flying out of my wife's mouth. This is why I didn't want her included, since it's obvious she is unable to keep a civil tongue in her head, while we fathers talk. Women are far too emotional to comprehend the firm hand it takes to lead a family, and therefore should remain silent until asked for an opinion dealing with feelings and the like," Craig said scathingly, glaring in Roxanne's direction.

He never did like the bitch. She held too much equality in her marriage. He had told Daniel that regardless of his wife's medical degree, he should have turned her into a housewife as other successful men of their set did. The fact that Roxanne made too much of her own money gave her the opinion that she didn't need a man to guide her. As a result of her very overt willfulness, she raised her daughter to be as fiercely independent as herself. Well that backfired, since instead of going to college and then med school, Daphne was now working for two faggots and getting involved- again- with a child molester.

"Roxanne, honey, even though I may or may not agree with Craig's bigotry, I still think we owe it to ourselves to hear what the ass has to say," Daniel coaxed his wife, subtly reminding her of their ulterior motive.

Truth be told, he was ready to pick up the table and beat the shit out of Craig Taylor with it. But hearing what this cretin had to say was too important, and a cooler head needed to prevail. Roxanne was always quick-tempered when she felt that an injustice had been committed. It was one of the things that Daniel loved about her, but Craig was right, although not for the reason the smug slug thought. He would rein in Roxanne, at least long enough to get the information they needed, but then he would allow her to do what she did best... pop the top on a mean can of verbal whoop-ass.

If anyone deserved it, it was Craig Taylor.

"Craig, I would like to hear what you have in mind for us to regain control of Daphne while protecting our reputations within the community in the process. Please understand, we are only concerned for our daughter's safety and well-being, not your personal vendetta against Mr. Kinney, Justin, or Kinnetik. But since I suspect you have a plan to bring our wayward daughter back into compliance with our wishes for her, I am willing to hear you out, just this once,"

"Why don't you instruct your wife to go sit at the bar, and we can discuss this plan as men," Craig rolled his eyes at Roxanne, who sat at the table with her arms folded.

"My husband doesn't need to instruct me to do anything," Roxanne answered before Daniel could. "The only thing I have to do is stay black, pay my taxes, and die. So you and your chauvinistic opinion can kiss my educated, independent, overachieving ass. And since this involves MY daughter, I'm not going anywhere. So deal with it,"

Before Craig could say anything to refute her, Daniel told his wife, "If you continue to be a good little woman, I'll do that for you later. In the meantime, let's just hear what Craig has to say, okay?" At her curt nod, he turned back to the man sitting across the table from them. "Okay, Craig have your say. But I have to warn you, if you make one more disparaging remark about my wife, I will get up and punch you in the fucking mouth. As it is, you're walking a chalk line in us even agreeing to hear you out. So let's get on with it so that we can go our separate ways already. I have an angry Diva on my hands and would like to get her home to bed as soon as possible for obvious reasons," He chuckled at the confusion on Craig's face. Apparently, the prudish bigot has never had angry sex before. Well, Daniel had with Roxanne, many times over the years. It was an event he wasn't inclined to forego or miss.

"Based on what we know about Brian Kinney alone, it would be enough for businesses from the Country Club set to stop going to him. Many of us use or have used Vanguard in the past. So it isn't like there isn't an alternative to going with Kinney's company, and not turning over our hard-earned money to a man who basically embodies the gay agenda. Once Kinnetik is ruined, not only will Brian Kinney be out of a job, but my pansy-assed son will be back out on the street peddling his ass again, which is all he's good for anyway. It would serve his faggot-ass right for trying to be more than he ought to be. These hedonistic fairy fornicators have no business making a living off the backs of the decent, God-fearing, moral citizens of Pittsburgh.

As for getting your daughter back from the clutches of Glenn Bartier again, I suggest that, using Laura, we fabricate photos and date them for a few days from now. Since we aren't sure where Daphne lives as of yet, it would be easy to have a courier service deliver them to her office within Kinnetik's halls. We can certainly implement this plan over the course of several weeks. By the time Harriet and Glenn figure out what caused Daphne to back away from him again, it will be too late for them to reel her back in. And if all goes according to plan, she will be anxious to bring herself back home and do your bidding, especially if it means a full, free ride to Penn State which is where she was accepted before she disregarded your wishes by choosing to run after my son instead,"

Daniel was quiet for several moments, trying to absorb the viciousness wrapped in faux-morality that Craig spouted. Like many of the ‘God-fearing' judgemental bigots, Craig forgot to read the New Testament, where he isn't supposed to judge anyone's life choices. Daniel was having a tough time absorbing all of the hypocrisy he had been witness to. Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor were ‘hedonistic fornicators?' REALLY? Considering how and when Craig began fucking Catherine on a daily basis, Craig really had no right to speak about anyone else. And Daniel told him so.

"So let me get this straight: you want to punish Mr. Kinney and Justin for being more successful than you could ever hope to be? Not only that, but you are calling them hedonistic fornicators, while you're an adulterer since you cheated on Jennifer with that tricking trollop you've recently married. Pot meet kettle much, Craig? It must be wonderful to live inside your head with all your delusions of grandeur, making you think more highly of yourself than you ought. Then, you want to ruin my daughter's happiness by basically ruining her renewed friendship with Justin, who is a decent young man despite having you for a father, and the rekindling of her relationship with Glenn Bartier. I regret my part in their original break-up as it is,"

"What? How could you regret saving her from a child molester?!" Craig asked incredulously, reeling from every word that spewed from Daniel's mouth.

"Glenn Bartier is far from a ‘child molester' as you put it. First of all, he used to be at our house all the time and was like a son to me, until he started seeing my daughter. I wasn't against them having a relationship per se; just the timing of it all. You and Harlan convinced me that he had a bet going with his other peers that he could have my daughter's cherry before she graduated high school. I was a fool to listen to the two of you. Whereas it may have been true that he could have, there was no bet with any of his friends about it. I asked around after Daphne left to look for Justin. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you and Harlan had been paying off people to corroborate your story.

And I also heard about your disgusting plans to have Harlan's mistress marry his son so that your new bitch of a wife could have a higher rank within the WASP nest. When are you going to get it through your head that no one wants to associate with her low-class ass, or yours for that matter? Jennifer married down, gave you a place within this community, and you repaid her by cheating with a cunt that has been used so much you could probably run the Brooklyn Bridge from inside her twat and charge a toll fare, too. So you can take your plans and try to fulfill them yourself. Roxanne and I want Daphne back, it's true. But we love her enough not to sacrifice her happiness to accomplish that goal. Roxanne, do you want to add anything?"

Roxanne looked at her husband in amazement and lust. She had heard Daniel be forceful before, but it was the low baritone of his voice telling off the grimy excuse for a man in front of them with a mixture of WASPy ghetto that turned her on. She had never been more proud to be his wife as much as she was at that moment. "No, Love. I think you summed up our thoughts on Craig the Cunt-Slayer very well. Let's go home. You owe me an ass-kissing, and I'm going to give you the ride of your life afterward," She rose gracefully from her seat, looking over to the glaring man, who was regarding them with disgust and not a little bit of envy. Craig would never have the passion and love with Catherine that Daniel and Roxanne Chanders weren't afraid to display openly.

"I would wish you a good evening, Craig, but I try to make it a point to never say things that I don't mean. For that same reason, I also won't tell you to get home safe. I would much rather the earth open up and swallow you whole now. But I guess we'll have to wait for judgment day for that to happen. In the meantime, I will say that it has been my pleasure- or it will be soon- to have met with you this evening. Night."

Daniel chuckled at his wife's parting comments, noticing that she deliberately left ‘Good' off before saying ‘night'. As they left the seating area, they could both hear Craig Taylor grumbling about them being misguided fools, and how he would make them pay for their insults to him and Catherine. Daniel fumbled with his phone once they were in the lobby. "Give me a moment Roxie-babe. I'm just sending this to Harriet. It's a pretty large file so I'm converting it to multimedia and emailing it to her so that she won't have to open multiple files to hear the entire conversation. I think she will be replaying it just for the laughs you provided,"

Roxanne laughed. "You had some pretty comedic moments as well. I mean, if you called my wife's twat as wide and well-used as the Brooklyn Bridge, I might have taken umbrage. But something tells me that Craig knows everything we said was the truth about him and his so-called wife,"

"Well I'm done sending this, so I guess it's time for your ass-kissing," Daniel announced a few moments later.

"You bet your ass it is. And don't worry lover, I'll be happy to return the favor," Roxanne purred at him as they made their way to the car so that their good night could really begin.

Many mutually satisfying hours later, they both decided to ask Harriet's advice on the best way to approach Daphne. Their last parting was anything but amicable, and they really missed having Daphne around. If anything good came out of meeting with the disgusting degenerate, Craig Taylor, it was that they could officially stop fearing the worst had happened to their baby girl. She was safe, sound, gainfully employed, and reconnected with her best friend. Most of all she was happy. They both drifted off to sleep, at peace for the first time in many months and secure in the knowledge that the ever-resourceful Daphne had once again landed on her feet. They had no doubt that she was about to be swept off of them again by Glenn Bartier and that they would be using Daphne's untouched college tuition money as a wedding present in the very near future.   

After Harriet heard the recording that Daniel Chanders made, she called Brian and Justin so that they could hear it too. Once they were finished listening to the recording, Harriet told them that she also had a printed copy of the meeting. She then asked if they would come to dinner at the Bartier Estate on Saturday. Daphne's parents would be there and she thought Daphne would be more comfortable if Justin and Brian were there too. Harriet explained that they also wanted to speak to Justin.

AT THE DINER

Michael sat in the booth he used to share with his friends, waiting on the results of his mother's talk with his best friend. He still couldn't believe how Ben had reacted to this entire situation when he'd told him of the Twink falsely accusing him of spreading vicious lies. Nothing Michael said was a fucking lie! Ben told Michael that he was going to have to find a way to pay the judgment on his own because he wasn't there and he wasn't taking responsibility for Michael's continued immaturity where Brian was concerned, nor the sanctimonious pronouncements he'd taken to making over everyone else's lives. He sat there replaying the entire conversation with Ben in his mind, frowning into his cold cup of coffee.

"Michael, I can't remember how many times we have had this conversation. You cannot dictate how others live their lives. Remember how it felt when your mom tried that with you? You didn't like her telling you that she didn't want us dating, now did you?"

"Ben, that was different and you know it. Besides she was only saying that because she wanted to keep seeing that fucking homophobic cop, and I was putting my foot down. She's my mother, for fuck's sake. Why would she need to ‘date' anybody?!"

"There's nothing wrong with your mother wanting- needing- companionship, Michael. She devoted her entire life to raising you and half of the gayborhood. So how dare you begrudge her a social life with whomever she chooses to spend time with? But this isn't about her; it's about YOU,"

"Me? What about me, Ben?"

"Ever since we've moved here, all you have done is make these judgments on everything that no longer fits into you wannabe-WASP image. You used to be one of the most understanding and caring people I knew... or I would like to think you were. But now I'm not so sure,"

"What the fuck's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you used to be a man I thought I could respect and spend my life with. Now you're just a mean-spirited busybody, who thinks you are better than everyone and everything that doesn't fit into your ‘new' self-image. Well, I'll tell you what Michael... you either clean your shit up, beginning with this fucking lawsuit that you brought on yourself with your foolish actions and ill-advised words, or we're fucking through!"

"You're my husband, NOT my father, Ben. You can't tell me what the fuck to do!"

Ben sighed, resigned. "Then I guess there is nothing left for us to discuss, Michael. You've obviously made up your mind about what's more important to you,"

"What are you talking about? Why are you being so unreasonable?!"

"I'M NOT," Ben yelled before taking a deep breath to regain his control. Lowering his voice, he continued, "I'm not being unreasonable, Michael. In fact, I think for the first time, I'm seeing and thinking more clearly than I have been in years. And I realize that I can no longer tolerate what I'm seeing in you. So I'm making a conscious decision to change the view right now. Good luck, Michael. My attorney will be in touch,"

"But Ben..."

Michael didn't get to say anything else to his husband. Ben walked over to his car hurriedly, got in and drove away without looking back or even glancing Michael's way as he tried to pull Ben's door open just as the car began moving. He kept trying to believe that Ben wasn't serious after returning home following his argument with Emmett and seeing that his mother was informed of Brian's betrayal in favor of Mr. Blond Boy Ass. But Michael discovered just how serious Ben was. The house they shared, was an empty testament to a former life combined. It fucking hurt that Ben had left the marriage, without even giving Michael the chance to try and stop him. Just another thing Justin Taylor was responsible for.

Kiki came over to Michael then, and let him know that Deb was taking the rest of the week off. He got up, paid his bill, and headed to her house. He really needed her shoulder to cry on. Monty, Eli, and Tannis were all less than sympathetic to his husband's defection and he felt that they were more than likely laughing at him, instead of being his friends. He called Emmett, only to be hung up on and even his Uncle Vic was coarse in his speech to Michael about ruining the best thing that had ever happened to him in favor of minding Brian's business instead of his own.

Why couldn't anyone see that he was just looking out for his best friend?

Vic had told him that there was a difference between being a best friend, who looked out for the other, and trying to live vicariously through said best friend while trying to run their life. Vic said that he fluctuated between trying to live through Brian and trying to tame the man who was the human definition of uncontrollable. Again, Michael brushed it off as if no one understood anything about his and Brian's relationship.

Arriving at his mother's house, he leaned on the doorbell until he was faced with a very irate Emmett, wearing a towel and a shower cap.

"Your mother is not here,"

"Well, where is she?" Michael narrowed his eyes at the taller man, who he would really rather never speak to again.

"She's gone away for a few days,"

"Gone?! Where the fuck has she gone off to?!"

Emmett smiled wide at the man. "I'm not sure, but Carl surprised her with a little getaway. Isn't it romantic? While your love life is falling apart, your mom's is taking off big time. Oh, and don't bother trying to call her Michael, because the very first thing Carl did was hand me her cell phone. He wanted her to have a week of relaxation and rest since she's been working nonstop for the last two months; not that your self-absorbed ass has noticed. But hey, I guess you'll have time to notice a lot more now, won't you? Well, I have a date, so toodles," Emmett said cheerfully as he closed the door in Michael's stunned face.

When Michael realized he was still standing there, staring at the closed door, he turned on his heel, stomping down the stairs muttering about irresponsible mothers, unreasonable lovers, and fickle fair-weather friends. His life was falling apart, and no one seemed to fucking care! Talking aloud to no one in particular, Michael vowed to find a way to get even with the little blond usurper, who was stealing away all of the most important people in his life. Even if he hadn't paid as much attention to them lately as he had in the past, they were still his family. They should be there for HIM, especially since the breakdown of his own marriage. Fucking Justin Taylor should be the one alone, not him!  

"I swear I will make that fucking blond pay for causing all this. Hmph... enjoy your ride on the high horse for now, Justin, because I'm going to find a way to knock you down."