CHAPTER 25: FOCUS!

BRIAN

“You topped Brian!”  Michael shouts appalled.  “Brian how could you let him?”

“Amazing, your daughter has just moved back to Pittsburgh and that’s what you focus on!”  Ben snaps.

“Shut up Ben! This is nothing to do with you!”  Michael snaps.

“What isn’t? The bottoming or the daughter?”  His voice is cold.

“Both!”  He snarls at him.

“You can’t stop me from seeing Jenny.”  He tells him.

“Yes I can! I have my rights still and…”

“Pay no support, therefore no say.”  Robin points out.

“What the fuck do you know?”  Michael shouts at him.

“You were using my money to support both kids, weren’t you?”  I ask quietly.  Lindsay says nothing but does start to go red. “And you told me you were paying support to Jenny and you weren’t.  So you both lied to me.  And you know as my closest and dearest friends that the one thing I hate most is being lied to.”

“But Brian my store…”

“Get out, both of you.”  I tell them firmly.  “Pack your shit and leave.  I don’t care where you go, I don’t care what you do but get out!  And don’t even think of taking Gus with you. He stays here as per the schedule that you instigated Lindsay.”

“Brian, I know you are angry right…”

“No this is not angry.  I’m fucking furious right now!  Daphne, can you go and get Lindsay’s case as clearly she’s not going to do it herself. Be as quick as you can.”

“With pleasure.”  Daphne is out the room and up the stairs in a flash.

“You stay away from my things!”  Lindsay calls out, rushing after her.

“Brian…”  Michael tries again but stops when Emmy takes him firmly by the elbow and starts to drag him out.

“Stop it!  Stop throwing my things!”  Lindsay shouts.

We all dash into the hallway to find Daphne taking stuff out of Lindsay’s case and throwing them down the stairs.  This girl can pitch!

“Oh look what I have…straighteners…wonder if they can fly too?”

“Don’t you dare you bitch!”  Lindsay is scrambling to pick up her stuff.

“Wrong answer.”  Daphne grimaces.  “Emmy the door please?”

Emmy opens the double doors.  “Yep that’s a big enough target.”  She smiles and sends the straighteners hurtling through the front door.

“Go fetch Lindsay.  Go fetch!”  She orders.  “Oh you’ll need your case.”  She sends it tumbling down the stairs. “Didn’t break.  Pity.”  She grumbles.

“Car’s here!”  Jennifer calls out.

Lindsay scrambles picking up the rest of her things and stuffing them back in her case.  She turns to me and sneers.

“Once you are calmer, we will discuss this unpleasantness and…”

“Yeah let’s do that.”  I reply sarcastically.

Michael snickers at me.  “You’ve clearly forgotten something Brian. We now know where Britin is and…”

“Will be thrown off the grounds for trespass.”  I cut him off.

“Besides how are you going to get here?”  Slick asks him whilst carefully checking her nails.

“By car of course, same way as today.”

Slick giggles and winks at me.  “Then the chances of you finding your way here are between remote and not a cat in hell’s chance.  Now while you still can get out under your own steam…do so.”

Five minutes later they are gone.  As I shut the door, I feel Justin’s arms around me.  “We’ll be back in a minute.”

Taking my hand he leads me to the study and shuts the door.  “Bit of a day huh?”  I nod.

“Want to be alone or talk about it?”

“Neither, just need to hold you for a bit.”  I pull him into my arms and inhale his scent.  “Tell anyone and I will castrate you.”

We head back to the kitchen to find Mel and Jenny are back!

“We’ll be in the media room if you need us.”  Hunter calls out as he and Gus leave with Jenny.

“Okay seriously, what is happening?  Do I really have them back?”

“Yes, you do. They are really back.  I’m really sorry Brian for everything.  I never knew what you were going through.  I got blinded by my jealousy of you and let it go on too long but then when you met Justin and I saw that dopey smile on your face... Well anyway, everything I said about moving back is true.  I called Jennifer and she did the rest.”

Debs sniffles into Carl’s shoulder.  “Ben, Debs this is the address and when you see them tomorrow…”

“Nope they won’t be coming back anytime soon.”  Slick interrupts her.  “If at all.”

“And why not?  I don’t get how you’re so sure.”  Jennifer asks.

“Because she’s very clever is my lady.”  Lindon kisses her neck.

“Your lady?”  Emmy Lou grins.  “Now come-come, how can you be so sure?”

Slick grins.  “The cars had blacked out windows and I made sure he was distracted by comics.”

“How’d you distract Lindsay or is this too delicate for my widdle gay ears?”  Ben teases Mel.

“She was too busy sulking when she found out that Jenny’s been to Britin.”

“But she hasn’t been to…Melanie Marcus you should be ashamed of yourself.  Getting your daughter involved in your schemes!”

Mel smiles triumphantly. “All in a day’s work when it comes to dealing with Lindsay Peterson. It was like taking candy from a baby. Tell her highness someone she considers one of her subjects had a privilege before she did and she gets as pouty as Michael. Like I said, it’s all in a day’s work!”

Suddenly I realise why Mel’s a good lawyer. She can scheme and connive with the best of them. And there was once none best than Lindsay Peterson.

“So Mel, first let’s get you back in your room.  And please tell me you want to know how I let her have it?”  Daphne grabs her hand and tugs her out.  “Ooh girl you’re going to love it, by the way are her straighteners very expensive?”

“Straighteners?”  I hear Mel echo.

HUNTER

I look at Gus’s stricken face.  “Oh jeez... Gus, I’m sorry. I really am.”

He turns to look at Jenny but on seeing her tears, he pauses.  “You didn’t know about the support either huh?”

She shakes her head and wipes her eyes.  Once the coast is clear, we quickly head back to the media room.

CAR SERVICE

MICHAEL

“What the hell are we going to do?”  I ask her.

“We?”  She snaps.  “Sorry Michael.  I’m just in shock at what’s just happened.  I can’t believe Brian has treated us like this.  And as for Mel.  This, I feel is just show and bluster.  Mel can’t take Jenny away from us and is definitely not moving back to Pittsburgh.” She rolls her neck.  “Oh I need a bath.  What say we both check into a nice hotel for the night before coming back to Britin tomorrow?”  She presses the intercom.  “Driver, take us to the Holiday Inn Downtown.”

“Yes ma’am.”

We sit back and enjoy the rest of the ride knowing that everything will be back to normal tomorrow.

BRITIN

LOUNGE

JUSTIN

We’ve just had a great lunch and I’m feeling really full but curious. “Ben?”  He looks up at me.  “Have you ever bottomed…I mean for Brian?”

The room goes quiet and Brian and he exchange looks before Brian shrugs.  “Yes it was at the White Party well before I met Michael.”

“Oh my God!”  Daphne gasps.

“Jesus.”  Slick looks between the two of them.  “Michael is going to pitch a fit when he hears about this.  Can I tell him, please let me tell him?”

“Why do you get to tell him?”  Hunter interrupts.  “I had to live with the uneducated buffoon for a year; I need some form of payback.”

“Uh you got to correct his mispronunciations on a daily basis.”  Brian points out.  “Slick gets to tell him.”

“Slick after this are you done hunting him?”  Emmy asks.

“Maybe…”

“Hey guys.”  Gus calls from the door.  “We’ve got the movies sorted, you coming?”

We all head to the media room but Ben stops me.  “Justin.  It was just…”

“Sex.  I know.  I just...I mean he was my first and…”  I look at him for understanding.

“Just stop comparing yourself to everyone he’s had before.”  He smiles in the face of my confusion.  “In case you haven’t noticed, he’s as much in love with you as you are with him.”

I open my mouth to deny it but snap it shut.

“And little tip…he shows rather than tells, something Michael never learned.”  As we head to the media room I notice Brian frown at Ben’s arm across my shoulders, he chuckles.  “See what I mean.”

I smile at him and settle in Brian’s lap.  “Down boy…for now.”  I whisper in his ear and enjoy the feeling of the shiver that runs through his body.

HOLIDAY INN, DOWNTOWN – SUNDAY MORNING

RECEPTION

LINDSAY

I can’t believe it!  Mel had our joint credit card cancelled!  How could she?!  Luckily, I managed to settle the bill with my own but she’s going to pay for that!  I’m waiting for Michael to come so we can drive to Britin and sort this out.

He pulls up and I get in, trying not to wince at the mess in the car. “Okay let’s go.  Time to show them how this WASP kicks ass.”

As he pulls out, he pauses.  “Which way am I going?”

“You don’t know the way?”  I gape at him.

“No I thought…oh for fuck sake!”  He snaps and slams his fists against the wheel of the car.

“Look let’s go back to yours.  The house has to be registered. We’ll find the address and directions that way.”

Two very frustrating hours later, we’re no nearer finding the address.

“I don’t know about you, Michael, but I’m starving. Let’s go to the diner and get something to eat.”

When we get there, we grab a booth and settle down.  Michael calls for Kiki who calls for Sarah who comes to serve us.

“What will it be?”  She asks and we lose ourselves in the hubbub of the diner until I overhear an interesting tidbit and just have to share with Michael.

PITTSBURGH AIRPORT – EARLY EVENING

GUS

“Lambskin!”  Mom calls out as comes up to me with Michael.  “Are you ready?  Where’s your father?  Mel and Jenny?”

“Dad’s at Britin with Justin and the others.  Momma and Jenny are at their place.  Let’s go.”

“Aren’t you going to say hello to Michael?”  Mom admonishes me, clearly missing the bigger picture.

“No.”

“Gus…”

“Why would I want to speak to someone who is hellbent on making my dad miserable because he can’t have him?”

“Gus Marcus Peter…”

“Kinney!  Gus Marcus Kinney!  I am going to live with my dad.  When momma comes back at the end of the week, I’m coming back to Pittsburgh with her!  And now that he has his rights back, you can’t stop me!  Or him!  I know everything.  How could you?!”

I storm to the gates without looking back.

DINER – TUESDAY LUNCHTIME

MICHAEL

I’d been staking out the diner, Emmett’s place and Kinnetic, albeit from a distance with the last one, all day yesterday but no Brian.   Now finally here he is and…of course, he’s with them.

I head to the booth and lean against the seat.  They continue to talk as if I’m not there.

“Brian you and I need to talk alone.”

He snorts and then helps himself to another cherry.  “Justin you have got to teach me how to do the tying thing.”

“It’s very simple.  Take a cherry stem and put it on the tip…”

“Brian, we need to talk now!”  I demand.

“About?”

“This misunderstanding that occurred over the weekend…”

“Mis.under.standing!”  Mother explodes at me.  “You told me- us- that you were paying support but you lied!”

“This is between Brian and I and nothing to do with you, mother!”

“Oh you’re opening a mouth to me now!”

“My store wasn’t doing too well and I just needed a little help…”

“And didn’t think to, oh I don’t know…ask Brian for that?”  Emmett snipes.   “Which he would’ve given to you!”

“It’s only been about 5 months.  And that was…”

“A lie.  It’s been 3 years.”  Slick interjects.  “Sorry Brian.  I spoke to Mel.  You stopped paying 3 years ago.”

“Michael.  Three years!  Are you kidding me?!   Three fucking years!”  Mother shouts at me.

I flinch as my ears ring and then look at Brian and he looks at me with…with a look I’ve never seen before and she put it there!  I hate her!  Time for payback!

I turn to Slick and smirk.

“So Slick tell me something.  This hunting of me you are supposedly doing,  I hope it doesn’t go the same way it went when your dad hunted down your mother…and we all know how that went.” She doesn’t say a word or move. I continue as the silence grows in the diner.  “You know when Lindsay told me about…”  I pause as someone taps me on the shoulder and when I turn I feel nothing but white hot agony!

“Aaaaah!”  I scream as Daphne tightens her grip and twists.

“Stop fucking screaming!”  She hisses.  “Quiet or I will pull them off…and don’t touch me!” I lower my hands and try not to vomit.  “You messed with the wrong lady!”  She barks into my ear.   “She is going to end you.  Now fuck off!  Crawl back under that rock!”

She lets go and I curl into a ball.  “I’m pressing charges for assault!  I have witnesses!”  I cry out hoarsely.

“No, you really don’t!”  Someone calls out.  “Come on you two help me take out the shit!”

I feel arms grab mine and I’m dragged outside and dumped on the sidewalk.

DEBS

We’re all looking at Slick.  She’s so calm just eating the cherries.

“Thanks Daph.  Though I would advise you to clean your hands.”

“Um, are you okay?”  She asks, taking the cloth from Kiki and wiping her hands.  Kiki throws the cloth in the trash.

“Yep just dandy.  Excuse me a second.”  She pulls out her phone.  “Hey Joshua, it’s Slick. Get it done for me, within the next two hours.  Thank you doll.”

She turns to me and sighs.  “Sorry Debs he brought this on himself.”

“I know honey, I know.”

“See you later guys.  Justin, take the rest of the day off.  I’m on lockdown.  And it’s best I go out the back way.”

“Someone want to tell me what’s happening?” Daphne demands after Slick leaves.

“You said it yourself.  She’s going to end Michael.”   Emmy tells me.  “And we get to watch.”

“Huh?”

“Just be at mine in two hours okay?”

RED CAPE COMICS – TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER

MICHAEL

I still can’t close my legs yet but the throbbing is down to painful.  I am definitely going to be pressing charges against that fucking banshee!

The door opening pulls my attention and I scowl at them all.  “What do you want?”

They all just stare at me, but Brian finally steps towards the counter.  “How could you say that to her?” Crossing my arms, I say nothing.  “I’ve never been so ashamed of you in my life.  You’ve said some shitty things but that beats all…”

“She said shitty stuff to me too!”  I yell at him and immediately regret it as the pain from my balls radiates through my body.

“Nothing like that!  Nothing so personal!  And not public!”  Emmett snarls and slaps my face hard.

“What the fuck Emmett?!”  My eyes water and I rub my cheek and I could swear I can taste blood.

“Ooh that’s going to leave a mark.”  Slick snarks.

In the middle of Emmett’s tirade nobody heard the door open.

“You’re barred from here.  Get out!”  I growl at her.

“Call Lindsay.”  She drawls running her finger along the counter.  “Now.”

“Let me help you Michael.”

I gape at Mel as she turns the phone around and dials the number, putting it on speaker.

“Michael!  How are…”

“Hello Lindsay.”  Mel interrupts her.

“Mel!  When are you coming home and ending this ridiculous…”

“Shut up and listen!  You and I are through!  Brian has his rights back.  Jenny and I are staying in Pittsburgh.”

There’s silence on the other end before she hisses.  “You are forgetting that I have my rights to Jenny and so does Michael.”

“Which will not be impacted by this move.  However, there is the little issue of the house.”

“I’m not moving from here and Gus…”

“Will be returning with me on Friday.  Don’t make this harder Lindsay.  He wants to be with his dad.  For once think of someone other than yourself.”

“That’s rich coming from you!”  I spit at her.  “You’ve taken my daughter away from me!”

“Seriously?  How is bringing your daughter back to Pittsburgh taking her away?”  Justin asks.

“Shut up Vom…”

“Finish that sentence and you will be spitting teeth.”  He glowers at me.

“Wow.”  Brian murmurs.

“Guys.  Eye fuck each other later.”  Slick snorts.  “Lindsay this is…”

“I know who it is Ghetto Queen.”

“Oh you’re going to wish you hadn’t said that pretty much like Michael’s going to wish he hadn’t said what he said.”

“I don’t….”  I begin.

“Michael, Lindsay, this Ghetto Queen is now your landlord.”

“What?!”  I sit back with a groan and there is silence from Lindsay’s end.

“Yeah, bought this building.  And Mel was looking for a quick sale on her house and not many people would buy with a sitting tenant but we came to an amenable agreement.”

“But, but the house is in…” Lindsay sputters.

“My name only.”  Mel cuts her off.  “And she’s ready to negotiate your rent.  Same for you Michael.”

“Lindsay, you and I will chat later.”  Slick cuts the call.  “Now Michael, let’s chat shall we?  I have certain standards and thus far you are not upholding them...”