Holiday Parties of Various Sizes

There were hints of the upcoming holidays all around the loft as the guys positioned themselves on the loft floor with their fake fireplace ablaze with flickering light – adding to the holiday atmosphere.

“Things went really well this year with our ‘just the two of us’ Thanksgiving dinner, Brian,” Justin was recalling happily. “It was perfect. Just us two. That’s one of our great traditions. We’ve had trouble some years but this year things all fell into place. Now we can celebrate the holiday itself with all the regular holiday gang functions and enjoy them too.”

“Don’t forget the mystery party that I have scheduled for Saturday, Baby,” Brian reminded him. “Me and you, Mikey and Ben, Hunter and Malcolm, and Jason and Brandon. At a time and place known only to me….”

“Like – Cynthia doesn’t know, Kinney?” Justin teased. “If Cynthia doesn’t know, that might turn into this year’s disaster – not that I’m saying you couldn’t plan a swell party yourself if you wanted to….”

“Well maybe I did want to, Sweetheart,” Brian pointed out.

“Well then it will be memorable, Mr. Kinney, “ Justin grinned at him coyly. “I bet we’ll all remember it….”

“So how come you aren’t pestering me to find out what the big plans are, Taylor?” Brian wanted to know. “You don’t seem all that interested like you usually have to know everything….”

“So maybe I’m finally growing up, BK,” Justin reasoned. “And maybe I’ve decided to do things your way – not that I haven’t always done things your way….”

“I guess I can tell you what’s going on then, Baby,” Brian decided. “It’s about time. If you promise not to do any meddling….”

“Like I ever meddle, Brian,” Justin protested. “But you can count on me not to meddle this time. This is your party, Boss, and I’ll keep my hands off….”

“Well the thing is, Honey,” Brian confessed. “It’s not really my party at all. It’s Dave’s party. Seems he puts on this huge shindig on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in one of New York’s toniest hotels. It’s like a party to open up the holiday season – with about 500 guests. Really important people. Rick and Robert and Shawn won’t even be the biggest TV stars there – and there’ll be lots of other important people….”

“And when did you start to get impressed with important people, Kinney?” Justin asked him. “That doesn’t sound like you…..”

”I’m only excited because maybe you’ll find some more buyers for you art stuff,” Brian defended his interest. “Anyhow, Dave called me a couple of weeks ago – from the French Riviera no less - and he asked me to set it up for the eight of us to come up there and party and I told him we would….”

“And you decided to keep it a secret from all us guys?” Justin asked. “Or am I the only one who didn’t know…?”

“Nope,” Brian told him. “Nobody knows. I invented this mystery party so that you all would be free. Dave is sending in the big jet on Saturday afternoon and we’re all flying up. We’ll stay over in the hotel overnight….”

“Bet the party’s not in ‘our’ hotel, Brian,” Justin laughed. “I don’t think they have a party room for 500 in that hotel….”

“Nope, Babe,” Brian laughed back, “Their party rooms are like – just for two….”

“Well that works too,” Justin stated, as he insinuated himself closer to Brian and brought the discussion to a screeching halt for a considerable period - before it resumed exactly where it left off.

“Actually Dave owns the hotel where his party is scheduled, JT,” Brian informed him. “So I guess that will have to be our ‘new’ hotel in New York City….”

“OK, Kinney,” Justin acquiesced, “I guess I can adjust…. but I’ll still always remember the old one…. so how come you decided not to tell us right away? Why the big mystery?”

“I just thought it would be better, Baby,” Brian replied. “You did notice that Wendell is not on my list of people invited. I guess your match-making last month didn’t work….”

“Maybe not, Bri,” Justin smiled knowingly, “But maybe Wendell wasn’t invited to fly up with us because he’ll already be in New York – like - for Thanksgiving. Like – maybe he’s up there now. I think he said he would be when I saw him last week at the Institute. By the way, he had just got back then from the French Riviera….”

“Damn,” Brian said. “I guess I should have known. What Justin Taylor has joined together, let no one even try to put asunder…. Why didn’t you tell me though?”

“I guess I thought you knew, Bri,” Justin told him. “You know I don’t like to brag. You remember the night we had dinner with them at Gino’s and Dave met Wendell. Well Wendell flew back to New York with Dave the next morning….”

”Like – they’ve moved in together already, JT?” Brian seemed surprised.

“No they haven’t either, Kinney,” Justin informed him. “They’re taking things slow and don’t want to rush into anything. They’re both kinda new at relationships….”

“Lucky they’ve got you, Baby,” Brian laughed. “So Wendell went up to New York with Dave the day after they met last month and he’s up in New York with Dave now - and in between, they were sunning themselves together on the French Riviera. I think they’re right to take things slow, Babe Slow is definitely better….”

“Cut it out, Brian Kinney,” Justin commanded. “Everybody’s slow is not the same. Wendell is staying at the Institute for the rest of this academic year and then they’ll see….”

“So I guess you knew about this party all along then?” Brian surmised. “Wendell wouldn’t dare not tell you….”

”Well I actually did know about the party, Brian,” Justin admitted, “But I did not know we were going. Wendell asked me if we could come and I told him you were having a mystery party here that same night so we couldn’t. I guess Dave invited you before Wendell invited me….”

“Well I was wondering about how Malcolm and Hunter got invited since they didn’t meet Dave at Gino’s last month,” Brian recalled.

“Probably Wendell, Bri,” Justin filled in the information. “Wendell and Malcolm are pretty good friends…. And you know what I’m wondering, Bri – while we’re wondering? You said I might sell some paintings to the crowd at Dave’s party. How would they know…?”

“You know that favorite painting of yours that I hung in my office at Kinnetics,” Brian told him. “Well Dave saw it there and he liked it so much….”

”You gave him that painting, Brian?” Justin seemed disturbed. “You gave him ‘our’ painting?”

“Lent him our painting, Baby,” Brian clarified. “Like great museums lend each other the works of the great masters – so lots of other people can get to see them. Just a loan….”

“You are so full of it, Kinney,” Justin laughed at him. “But I did notice my stuff was selling up there faster these last few weeks. I wondered if Dave….”

“It’s hanging in his New York office now, JT,” Brian said. “And he says a lot of people ask…. So there’s something for you to be thankful for this Thanksgiving….”

“What I’m most thankful for – and not just at Thanksgiving either, Brian Kinney,” Justin informed him, “is sitting on the floor of this loft right now – right next to me….”

“If you say so,” Brian replied, as he cuddled the blond twink closer to himself.

And it appeared – at just that point in the discussion - that everything that needed to be said - had already been said.
 

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