Surprise

Justin was trying to look cool and collected as the guys were assembling in front of the fake fireplace in the loft. So was Brian. Neither was actually succeeding all that well though.

“OK, Kinney,” Justin took the lead once they were settled in. “You said you were gonna surprise me and I was gonna like it. Like – it isn’t all that easy to surprise me either. I bet I know what it is ….”

“I bet you don’t, JT,” Brian grinned at him, “but feel free to guess if you want to….”

“Well, next Tuesday is bobble-head night at PNC Park and I bet you got tickets for it …..” Justin conjectured. “Am I right? That would be a nice surprise, I guess ….”

“Some surprise all right,” Brian laughed, “since we’ve been to every bobble-head night for the last hundred years. Even last year when it wasn’t even bobble-head night. They gave away those action figurines instead and you complained the whole season, although those lousy figurines did end up in your collection over at the comic book shop ….”

“And it’s action figurine night again this year too,” Justin allowed. “But since you got the tickets, I guess we should go and Gus likes the stupid things …..”

“Well you – Justin Taylor – are in the wrong ballpark this time around if you think that’s what the surprise is – cause it isn’t,” Brian laughed again. “Like I said – you’re in the wrong ballpark ….”

“Well I bet I won’t be all that surprised when I find out what it is either, Brian,” Justin groused, “but I guess I’ll humor you and let you tell me. Then I’ll act surprised and you won’t know if I’m faking it or not ….”

“Yeah, I will know, Baby,” Brian seemed confident. “You will be surprised – and you will like it - and you will admit it just because of how surprised you’ll be. I’m sure of that ….”

“Well when is this big surprise coming, BK?” Justin wanted to know. “Maybe you shouldn’t overdo this suspense stuff. Then you won’t be so disappointed when …..”

“I’m not gonna be disappointed, Sweetheart,” Brian was still laughing, “and neither are you. The surprise is in this package,” pulling said package from under the couch where it had been secreted. “And you can decide when to open it. I don’t think you’ll wait around too long – if I know you very well ….”

“Well I guess we should get this over with, Kinney,” Justin pointed out, “so we can get on with other stuff. You’ll be bragging about this surprise till I open it and act surprised ….”

“Well then go ahead and open it, Sunshine,” Brian advised him. “I promise not to say anything about it afterwards unless you decide to continue the subject. After you open it, we’ll talk about only what you want to talk about ….”

“I really thought it was about the bobble-heads, Bri, so ….” Justin repeated as he hastily opened the package to find four smaller packages inside the larger one. “Hey, Kinney – this isn’t one of those jokes where there are just a bunch of smaller packages, is it? I don’t think I’d be real happy about that surprise ….”

“Would I do a thing like that, Honey?” Brian smirked. “Me – Brian Kinney …? I don’t think so ….”

“Well you might after what happened on April Fool’s Day, Brian,” Justin replied with a laugh of his own. “You do have a vengeful streak and …..”

“So humor me and open this one, Taylor,” Brian picked out one of the very similar smaller boxes. “Maybe you’ll admit I’m not all that vengeful at that ….”

“OK- I’ll bite,” Justin gritted his teeth – but broke into a broad grin when he pulled out the contents of the package. “Gee whiz, Brian,” he exclaimed. “It’s a bobble-head of Sidney Crosby. I never saw a bobble-head of a hockey player before. It’s really neat. I love it. I love you ….”

“Wrong order, Babe,” Brian pulled the twink closer. “You love me: then you love the bobble-head of Sidney Crosby ….”

There was a pause here in the discussion – and the package opening – and Brian got the definite impression that Justin had his priorities in the right order. It was a while before the discussion resumed – as it had eventually to do.

“Well, Mr. Taylor,” Brian asked when attention returned to the packages. “Were you surprised?”

“I guess so, Mr. Kinney,” Justin admitted, “but I bet I’m not surprised again. I predict the other boxes are Malkin, Fleury and Letang. Right?”

“I think so, Sweetheart,” Brian told him. “Open them up and see - if you want to ….”

“Are the Penguins gonna give these away next season, Bri?” Justin wanted to know – instead of immediately opening the other boxes. “They don’t need to give out prizes to get people to come to games. They’ve sold out every game for the last three or four seasons …..”

“Nope,” Brian assured him. “No freebies for the $100 ticket holders. These are gonna go retail at the sporting goods stores. They’ll sell well at higher prices than they should. They’re gonna release them in stores in a couple of weeks – no announcement – no advertising – they’re just gonna let the fans find them – and then word of mouth ….”

“I gotta call Jason,” Justin pulled away. “He’ll be so jealous ….”

“Later, Kiddo,” Brian pulled him back. “You’re not allowed to display them till they hit the store shelves. I promised Dave Rothbart who got them for me. I guess it’s OK to tell Jason about them. Brandon knows Dave too so he can get them for Jason if Jason wants them – which I’m sure he will – knowing Jason – and knowing Brandon ….”

“Maybe I’ll wait a while before I tell Jason, Brian,” Justin reconsidered. “Yeah, that’ll be better. Everybody doesn’t need to know. But like – what about Gus?”

“I think we should wait until they’re available in the stores, Baby,” Brian opined. “He might be tempted to show them around before the release date. He’s not mature - like you are. We’ll get them for him when they’re public stuff….”

“I bet you just got these to torture me, Brian Kinney,” Justin told him as he nestled closer to the big guy on his left. “Having these and not being able to show them – or even talk about them ….. That was like – real mean of you …..”

“So is there anything else I can do to make up for being that mean?” Brian wondered as Justin’s head fell onto his shoulder.

“Well you could try, BK,” Justin pointed out. “You might think of something ….”

“OK,” Brian agreed – before he tried – and for all intents and purposes – succeeded in thinking of something.

It was an extended period before Justin finally broke the silence – resuming the discourse. “The Penguins are smarter than the Pirates, Bri,” he said. “Bobble-heads are a lot better than action figurines. I’ve been telling you that ….”

“Some people like the figurines better, JT,” Brian recalled, “And the Pens are coming out with the figurines of the same players about a month after the bobble-heads. They’re not ready yet – but I guess I could get you a set of them – if you wanted them, that is – knowing what you think of figurines ….”

“Well that might be a pretty good idea, Bri,” Justin allowed, “Just to like – keep the set complete – but I still don’t like those action figurines – and I think I’m glad we’re not going to the Pirates figurine night next week ….”

“Well I know you don’t want to go, Sweetheart,” Brian told him, “but maybe you’d go just to please me. I think Gus is looking forward to it so I did already get the tickets ….”

“Yeah, I’ll go – but just to please you and Gus. Which player is gonna be the action figurine this time, Bri?” Justin asked. “I did know but I forgot ….”

“Me too,” Brian said. “Gus will know. Give him a call if you want to ….”

“Nah,” Justin decided. “Let’s just let it be a surprise. I like surprises ….”

Justin was nodding off in his comfortable position when Brian leaned over and asked him: “You do love me more than action figurines, don’t you?”

“Oh yeah,” Justin drawled sleepily, “better than action figurines all right – but maybe you shouldn’t ask that same question about bobble-head dolls ….”

And Brian just smiled and didn’t ask – because he was sure he knew the answer.
 

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