Small Town
Part 31
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With Justin’s birthday fast approaching, Brian decided to go all out for his boyfriend’s special day. He knew that Justin couldn’t wait to turn eighteen and he wanted to give him a day that he’d always remember.
Brian made all the arrangements, spending a little more than he’d wanted to, but knowing that it would be well worth it. Everything was set and he hoped that it would go perfectly.
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“Hey, baby, how’s your day
going?”
“Better now that I’m talking to you,” the blond said with a huge smile.
“Must be Brian,” Daphne said, mostly to herself as she watched her friend’s face light up as he answered his cell phone.
“So, I was just wondering if you were busy Saturday night?” Brian asked.
“Saturday…Saturday, let me think Do I have anything planned for Saturday,” Justin said playfully, knowing full well why his lover was asking.
“Well?” the brunet asked impatiently. He knew that his boyfriend was just teasing him, but he still felt a little insecure.
“Nope, nothing comes to mind.”
“You shit,” Brian said with a laugh.
“What’d you have planned?” Justin asked, getting more and more excited by the second. He couldn’t believe that Brian had remembered that Saturday was his birthday. He knew that’s what the question was all about.
“Something special for someone special,” the older man said sweetly.
“Aw, you’re just too good to me,” Justin purred, just about ready to melt from his lover’s voice alone.
“Aw, you’re making me nauseous over here,” Daphne taunted, overhearing the conversation and growing increasingly jealous as it went on. Not that she wasn’t happy for Justin, she really was. She just wanted the same thing for herself. Someone who would love her and make her feel special. And if they were incredibly HOT, like Brian, that wouldn’t be too bad either.
“Daphne,” Justin huffed, smacking his friend lightly on the arm.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah…I’ll butt out,” she said, lying down on the blanket they’d spread on the grass behind the school.
“Good,” Justin said, then focused back on his boyfriend. “Sorry, crazy brunette interfering. So, what were you saying?”
“Be ready at ten in the morning and I’ll pick you up at your house.” Brian paused, remembering that Justin usually had him pick him up at Daphne’s so his parents wouldn’t know. His heart fell slightly, but he continued, “Or, um, at Daphne’s if you want me to.”
Hearing the change in his lover’s voice, Justin made a decision. “No, you can pick me up at my house. In fact, I was wondering if you were free Friday night. My mother’s making dinner for my birthday, you know, with the grandparents, and I was hoping that you could come.”
Brian was a little stunned. He hadn’t expected to be able to get Justin at his house, never mind be being invited for a family dinner. Finding his voice, he asked, “Um, are you sure?”
“Definitely. I want them to meet you. Well, my parents already have, but I want them to get to know you, even if you have to pretend to just be my friend. I hope that’s okay?” the blond said the last part quietly, not wanting to make Brian feel like he was ashamed to be his boyfriend, but knowing that he couldn’t tell his parents that, not yet anyway.
“That’s great. I’d love to come. Thank you, Justin.”
“You’re welcome. But maybe you’d better wait to thank me until the evening’s over. You just might find yourself wishing you’d never come once you get to meet the whole brood.”
“Baby, you’ll be there, and that’s all that matters.”
Sighing, still amazed that he had Brian, Justin smiled brightly, lost in a daze of happiness until he heard a loud groan, and turned to see Daphne staring up at him, rolling her eyes and shaking her head in dismay.
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“Mom, I’m home.”
“In here,” Jennifer said from the kitchen.
“Hey, we’re starving.” Justin said as he entered the kitchen with Daphne trailing behind him.
“Aren’t you always?” Jennifer asked with a soft laugh. She pulled out two bowls and filled them with freshly made rice pudding, still warm from the stove.
“Oh, yeah, thanks, Mom,” Justin said, taking the offered bowl as he sat at the kitchen table with Daphne beside him.
“Thanks, Jennifer,” Daphne said, taking a spoonful of the delicious treat into her mouth. “You make THE BEST rice pudding,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you, dear.” Jennifer turned her attention to her son and asked, “So, any big plans for your birthday?”
“Well, as a matter of fact, I wanted to ask you if it was okay if I invited someone for dinner Friday night?”
“Of course, sweetheart, who did you want to ask?”
“You remember my friend Brian? You met him about a week ago.”
Trying to keep her smile from slipping, and recovering after just a momentary lapse, Jennifer said, “Yes, of course, the boy you were watching TV with when your father and I came home.”
“Right. I want to invite him. Is that okay?” Justin asked, watching his mother’s face for any sign of apprehension, not missing the way it fell at the mention of his lover’s name.
“Sure, yes, of course it is, dear,” Jennifer answered calmly, but on the inside she was anything but. She still remembered seeing her son and that Brian in the car, in front of the house, and…and they were…they were…”
“Mom!”
Shaking her head, trying to clear the unwanted images from her mind, she smoothed her hands over her blouse and tried to compose herself. “Yes, dear?”
“Where’d you go to? I was calling you and you didn’t answer,” Justin said with a puzzled look.
“Oh, sorry,” the woman said with a forced smile, “I was just thinking about what I was going to serve for dinner.”
Nodding his head, but not quite buying his mother’s answer, Justin said, “Okay, so I’ll tell Brian around six?”
“Good, fine, great,” the woman said, then excused herself and left the kitchen.
“What the hell was THAT all about?” Daphne asked, having seen Justin’s mother so unnerved.
“Brian,” Justin answered simply, then took another spoon of the warm dessert into his mouth, savoring the sweetness after the bitterness that he’d felt from his mother.
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Thursday and Friday went by in a blur with both men anxiously waiting for Friday night.
Brian got off work at five o’clock and headed home. He wanted to shower and change, to make sure he looked just right for dinner with his boyfriend’s family. He got into the jeep and headed over to Justin’s house, making sure to arrive at exactly six o’clock. He didn’t want to be even a minute late. He knew that presentation was everything, so as he walked up to the Taylor’s door, he smoothed down his shirt, ran his fingers through his hair and adjusted the bouquet of flowers in his hand just right, then rang the doorbell.
“Hey, you’re right on time,” Justin said when he answered the door, smiling brightly at his incredibly handsome lover on the other side. His breath caught in his throat from the sight.
“Thanks, ba…Justin,” Brian said, catching himself just in the nick of time. He smiled nervously, not too sure what he’d gotten himself into.
“Don’t worry, it’ll be alright. Just relax,” the blond whispered.
“Right, relax, okay, you too,” Brian returned, knowing that there was no way in hell that he would be able to relax, and neither would Justin.
“Brian,” Jennifer said, moving into the living room to greet her son’s guest. “It’s nice to see you again.”
Smiling, trying not to notice the less-than-genuine smile on his hostess’ face, Brian replied, “Thank you, Mrs. Taylor, it’s nice to see you again.”
“Please, call me Jennifer. All of Justin’s FRIENDS do.”
Neither Justin nor Brian missed the way the woman emphasized the word friend, making them even more uncomfortable than before.
“Um, these are for you, Mrs. Tay…I mean Jennifer,” Brian said, handing the woman the bouquet of flowers he’d brought.
“Oh, they’re lovely. Thank you, Brian. I’m going to put these in some water. Excuse me.”
Brian nodded and smiled as Justin’s mother left the room, then loudly exhaled the breath he’d been holding.
“Brian, just relax. They won’t bite.”
“Right, I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” Brian told his lover, wanting so much to take the man in his arms and kiss him, but knowing that there was no way he could.
“So, you’re Justin’s new friend?” Molly asked, coming into the room.
“Uh, yeah, and you must be Molly.”
“Smart AND good looking,” the girl said with a smile much like her brother’s, instantly making Brian feel a little more at ease.
“Thank you, you’re not so bad yourself,” Brian returned, turning on his charm, knowing that if he won over the youngest member of the family, he’d at least have one of them on his side.
Molly’s smile got even wider, loving the attention of her brother’s new friend. “You can sit next to ME,” the girl said, then disappeared into the kitchen to help her mother.
“Flirting with my little sister will definitely get you nowhere with ME,” Justin said, a little upset by his lover’s blatant moves.
Looking around, making sure that no one was around, Brian moved closer to his boyfriend and whispered, “You know you’re the only one that I’m interested in. She’s just a cute replica of you. I can’t help it if ANYTHING to do with you gets me going.”
Feeling his pulse begin to quicken from the closeness of his lover and the way the man’s hot breath washed over his face as he spoke, Justin replied, “Well, uh, well…okay. Just don’t go getting carried away.”
“No chance, baby…no chance.”
“Brian,” came a loud voice from the stairwell and the two younger men separated at lightening speed before the man who belonged to the voice entered the room. “So glad to see you again,” Craig said, offering his hand to Brian.
“Nice to see you too again, Sir,” Brian said, shaking the offered hand.
“Please, call me Craig,” the older man said, then turned to his son and asked, “Are your grandparents here yet?”
“Nope, not yet. Mom said they should be here any minute.”
“Good, well then, I’ll see you boys shortly,” Craig said, then left the room.
“Your dad seems nice.”
“Yeah, sure, just as long as you don’t disagree with him,” the blond said sarcastically, not wanting to get caught up in the Dartmouth thing again, but still not able to get over the way his father was handling the whole situation.
“I know, but don’t worry, it’ll all work out in the end,” Brian said reassuringly.
“I hope so.” Any further comment that Justin might’ve made was cut off by the ringing of the front doorbell. “I’ll get it,” the blond called out, then opened the front door, coming face to face with his grandparents.
“Justin, dear, so nice to see you.”
“Justin, how’s the almost birthday boy doing?”
“Great, Grandma and Grandpa. I’d like you to meet my friend, Brian.”
“Nice to meet you, dear.”
“Nice to meet you, son,” Justin’s grandfather, Bill, said, offering his hand to the younger man.
“Nice to meet both of you,” Brian said, again shaking the offered hand. He realized how different his and Justin’s families were. In his family, no one offered you their hand. Well, not to him. They thought he was just a stupid kid, and barely tolerated him, nothing more. But Justin’s family seemed to see him as a man, one to be regarded with kindness and hospitality. It was a really nice feeling. He began to think that the evening just might go okay after all.