Christmas Solutions

Just a few days remained before Christmas but there was no hustle or bustle around the loft. None at all. The guys were settled on the loft floor – gazing contentedly at their blazing fake fireplace – maybe too contentedly.

“You were worried that we got a late start on Christmas this year, Mr. Kinney,” Justin grinned. “I told you things were OK and here we are with time to spare – and all the Christmas stuff is done – just like I said it would be….”

“Well I guess if you talk all the time, Mr. Taylor,” Brian grinned back at him, “You’ll get something right every once in a while….”

“But how do you explain my getting stuff right all of the time?” Justin laughed.

“I don’t even try. I just let you explain that, Baby,” Brian told him, “as you are always so very willing to do. So how come you got us stuck going to Mikey’s party - on Christmas Eve yet – when you know I like to spend Christmas Eve here….”

“I told you, Brian,” Justin countered. “Mikey and Ben sent out a whole lot of invitations before I even knew about it – and we couldn’t like – not go. Mikey would be mad and you’d be complaining about his whining – so there wasn’t much choice. I told them we would come - but we would have to leave by ten o’clock so….”

“Bet we won’t get out of there a minute before 10:30,” Brian countered back.

“If we don’t,” Justin was still laughing, “it’ll be because you’re having such a good time and won’t come…..”

“Geez, Taylor,” Brian squeezed the kid, “That ought to be easy for you. Just see to it that I don’t have a good time. You’re really good at that….”

There followed a pause in the conversation at this point. It could be that Justin was trying to refute Brian’s accusation in his own way. Anyhow:

“You’ll have to admit that Gus’ party was a huge success again this year,” Justin eventually renewed the discussion. “Everything went perfectly I thought….”

“As expected,” Brian agreed. “Gus was really pleased – and so were his friends. They all went home happy….”

“I saw you talking to Rex a couple of times, Bri,” Justin told him. “Making sure he had a good time?”

“Yep,” Brian affirmed, “and he did too. He’s a nice kid. I’m glad he’s Gus’ friend….”

“You know what, BK?” Justin allowed. “I’m guessing you asked him what he wanted most for Christmas – didn’t you?”

“I guess maybe I did, JT,” Brian admitted. “He wants a red bicycle – but he said his mother wasn’t sure Santa Claus would be able to get it for him….”

“Betcha Santa will be able to get it for him, Kinney,” Justin conjectured. “Just the one he wants. I don’t think there’s much doubt about that….”

“Yeah,” Brian said, “he’ll be getting a bicycle all right – but not from us. And that’s like – your fault, Twink. You talked Dave and Wendell into coming to the damn party and you told them about Rex – and Dave asked him first what he wanted for Christmas - and you know Dave. So the poor kid will end up with some Mercedes Benz kind of bicycle that probably isn’t what he wants at all….”

“Wait a minute, Kinney. I talked them into coming because you knew Martha would be here and you hoped Dave could help us manage Martha,” Justin pointed out. “You ordered me to get them here – and I did – but it’s your fault they were here …..”

“Well Martha turned out to be no problem at all anyhow,” Brian defended himself. “And probably because …..”

“Which reminds me, Brian,” Justin laughed, “Debbie told me that you invited her and Martha to your after-Christmas open house for the Kinnetics staff. What was that all about? If they come and foul things up…..”

“I didn’t invite them, Sweetheart,” Brian informed him. “Until after I heard them talking. Martha has a big holiday party at her cottage in the Hamptons scheduled for the same night. She wanted Debbie up there for it but Deb has a party of her own – her card club – so like – they’re both busy and won’t be available for the open house. Too bad….”

“I hate to say it, Kinney,” Justin laughed. “But you are learning. Just when I think you’ll never learn, you come up with ….”

“Well I wish I could have done something about Dave and Rex’ bicycle,” Brian recalled. “I tried….”

“Take an hour off work tomorrow morning, Honey,” Justin suggested, “and you and me will go out together and pick Rex’ bicycle. You’ll need me along to make sure you don’t try to outdo Dave. I’ll call Wendell first thing in the morning and fix it all up. We’ll let Dave pay for it if he insists. He’ll like that - and we want to keep him happy too. After all, it’s Christmas…..”

“Yeah it is Christmas - but how do you expect to manage all that, Kiddo?” Brian had to smile at him. “Sounds like a major project. Dave is pretty tough….”

“You forget, Brian Kinney,” Justin told him. “I am Justin Taylor. I can do that kind of stuff. Not a problem. Then we can deliver the bicycle to Rex on our way home from Mikey’s on Christmas Eve – if you want to. Rex should be asleep by then. I’ll make those arrangements too …..”

And Brian – thus so clearly reminded that he was sitting next to the formidable Justin Taylor – initiated another pause in the discussion - which also reminded Justin that he was in the presence of the formidable Brian Kinney. As if they didn’t know that all along – but like – any excuse would do for those two.

“And what about our visit to Children’s Hospital on Christmas Day, Babe?” Brian asked in resuming the Christmas conversation.

“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin told him. “If I didn’t know how you are, I could be hurt at your lack of confidence in me – in light of all my many prior successes…..”

“Yeah, you’re right, JT,” Brian grinned. “I guess I just like to ask questions – when all I have to do is sit back and enjoy the benefits of having you around. So no more questions….”

“Well maybe I’d like to ask one last question, Bri,” Justin decided. “What kind of bicycle did you have when you were a kid?”

“I had a pretty nice green one, Kiddo,” Brian remembered. “My dad got it used from some guy he worked with. It was a good bike and I loved it – but I always really wanted a new shiny red one - but the old green one was OK….”

“Maybe we should get two red bicycles tomorrow, Kinney,” Justin suggested, snuggling up closer to the guy on his left. “Whattaya think?”

“I don’t think so, Baby,” Brian ran his fingers through the kid’s blond tresses. “It’s like – too late to recover my lost youth. Anyhow, I’ve got what I really want now – even more than any shiny red bicycle …..”

“Well maybe after Christmas we can visit Rex,” Justin proposed. “He’s a good kid. He’ll let you ride his – if you promise to ride responsibly that is ….”

“That sounds good to me, Taylor,” Brian laughed. “Even if I have to ride responsibly – with you watching the whole time – unless I can get away…. Any other last questions?”

“Well since you asked,” Justin laughed back, “Would you want to list some of the benefits of having me around – that you mentioned a while ago?”

“Not a chance,” Brian told him. “You know that answer as well as I do.”

And that suited Justin – because he did.
 

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