Blizzard
Cynthia laid Brian’s Monday morning mail on his desk. On top of the
pile was Brian’s invitation to Vanguard Advertising’s client
appreciation dinner. Brian picked up the envelope and opened it. “I
hate these things.” he said.
“It’s only for a few hours, once a year. You can stand to be around
straight people for that long.” she assured him.
Brian watched as Cynthia took a seat, and crossed her legs at the knee
inadvertently exposing a good portion of thigh. “Don’t be so sure
about that.” he frowned.
“So are you bringing Justin?” she asked.
“Justin? Are you nuts?”
“The invitation is for Brian Kinney, and guest.” Cynthia reminded
him.
“That doesn’t apply to senior partners, and their gay lovers.”
Brian said.
“Come on Brian, it’s the new millennium, you don’t have to
hide in the closet anymore.”
“Who said that I was in the closet? Whenever the subject of
cocksucking happens to come up I always feel free
to join right in.”
“Don’t play dumb, you know what I mean. How do you think Justin
is going to feel if you don’t invite him?”
“He’ll be fine, he’ll understand.” Brian tucked the
invitation into his briefcase, and began his work week.
Brian left work early that following Friday evening. The weatherman had predicted
blizzard-like conditions with snow, blustery winds, and an accumulation of
six to eight inches. Brian’s intention was to beat the weekend rush
hour traffic. Unfortunately he wasn’t the only one following a similar
mindset. The highway was bumper to bumper with commuters who had the same
idea. Brian maneuvered his jeep through the snowy rush hour, eager to get
home and allow himself to become snowed in with Justin. The thirty minute
ride took almost an hour and a half, but finally he reached his building.
Brian brushed the snow from his overcoat as he rode the elevator to his floor.
“Partner, your partner is home.” He announced as he slid the loft
door open.
“Close your eyes!” Justin called from the bedroom.
Brian laid his briefcase down, and closed his eyes. “What are you up
to?” he smiled.
“No peeking.”
“I’m not peeking.” Brian assured him.
“Ok, open your eyes.” Justin said.
Brian opened his eyes to find Justin standing in front of him dressed to
the nines in a tastefully tailored black silk suit, with silver shirt, and
matching tie. “My, my, my.” Brian
smiled.
“Do you like it?” Justin asked.
Brian reached out, and ran his fingers along the lapels, and across the
shoulders. “Sharp, very sharp. You wear it
well baby.” he said.
“The saleswoman suggested the silver shirt, and tie. It’s not too
flashy is it?”
“For what?”
“For your dinner next week, I don’t want to embarrass the
senior partner.” Justin smiled. The dapper young man walked over to
the full length mirror for a final look.
Brian swallowed hard, and took a deep breath as he searched for a delicate
way to break the news to his baby.
“Justin.”
“Hum?” Justin stretched out his arms, and rechecked the
length on the sleeves of his new suit.
“Baby, I can’t take you to the dinner.”
The smile suddenly dropped from the young man’s face. He looked over
his shoulder at Brian’s reflection in the mirror. “The invitation
said Brian Kinney, and guest.” Justin reminded him.
“Since when do you go through my briefcase?”
Justin turned around to face his lover. “Don’t try to change the
subject Brian.” he said. “Why can’t I go with you to the dinner,
we’re suppose to be a couple
remember?”
Brian walked over, and wrapped his arms around Justin’s waist. “Baby,
I don’t think Gardner Vance is ready to introduce his clients to his
new senior partner, and his gay lover.”
Justin looked into Brian’s eyes. “Are you ashamed of me?”
he asked.
“No, of course not.”
“Then why can’t I go?”
“I already told you.” Brian attempted to clarify his point.
“Justin, you have to understand that some of our more conservative clients
aren’t very opened minded.”
“They hired you didn’t they?”
“Most of them don’t know that I’m gay.”
“Since when did you become a closet fag?”
“I’m not a closet fag. I’ve never denied who I am if, and
whenever the subject comes up, it just rarely comes up.”
“Hypocrite!” Justin pulled away from
Brian’s embrace, and headed to the bedroom. He jerked the tie from around
his neck, and flung it onto the bed.
Brian followed him. “Baby, the corporate world isn’t like the art
world. People are quick to judge, and penalize you for being different.”
he pointed out.
“Tony never had a problem with taking me anywhere.” Justin
mumbled.
“What did you say?” Brian’s eyes narrowed.
“Nothing.” Justin continued to remove
his new suit.
“Bullshit, I heard you! Tony never had a problem with taking me
anywhere.” Brian mimicked Justin’s voice.
“If you heard me, then why did you ask me to repeat it?” Justin
snapped as he slipped into a tee, and lounging sweats.
“Michael said you were going to do this.”
Justin tied the strings on his pants, and slid his feet into his house slippers.
“Michael, what the hell has Michael got to do with this?” he
frowned.
“Michael warned me that every time things didn’t go your way you
would go running back to Tony.”
“Who said anything about running back to Tony? I only
said.....”
“I know what the fuck you said!”
“Why is Michael always in our business?” Justin asked.
“Because Michael is my
friend.”
“A friend who should mind his own damn business.” Justin
added.
“You mean like your fuck buddy Tony?”
“Let’s not talk about fuck buddies Brian, I run into one of yours
every time I take a piss in a public toilet. The only reason Michael hasn’t
been added to your list is because fucking him is even too low for you.”
Justin sauntered past Brian, on route to the kitchen. “Dinner’s
ready.” he hissed.
Brian was momentarily stunned by Justin’s cocky
demeanor, it was pure Anthony Massey attitude. Without
thinking, he lunged at his brazen baby. Brian grabbed Justin around the waist,
and lifted him off the floor. “Why you little shit!” he
growled.
“Brian, take your hands off me!”
“Fucking princess, who the hell do you think you are?” Brian snapped
as he headed for the front door. “Where the fuck do you get off comparing
me to that son-of-a-bitch!”
“BRIAN!”
“OUT, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY GODDAMN HOUSE!” Brian roared,
as Justin struggled against his grip. The furious lover yanked the loft door
open with one hand, and slammed Justin’s ass onto the cold hallway floor
with the other.
Justin quickly scrambled to his feet. He attempted to follow Brian back inside,
only to be met by the steel door. “BRIAN, OPEN THIS DOOR!” he
pounded.
The loft door opened, and out flew Justin’s jacket, wallet, and car
keys before quickly slamming again. “GO FIND YOUR PRECIOUS TONY!”
Brian barked from the other side of the wall.
“Shit!” Justin groaned, and rubbed his hip. The evicted lover slowly
gathered his scattered belongings, and limped out into the pre-Thanksgiving
blizzard. The young man shivered as he tracked through the snow in his lounging
sweats, and house slippers. By the time he reached the little red Celica,
and cleared the snow off of the car his hands, and feet were freezing. Justin
climbed inside, started up the engine, and turned the heater up to full blast.
He blew into his hands, and rubbed them together as he pondered what would
be his next move. Going to Jennifer’s, or Debbie’s was not an
option, neither was Mel’s, and Lindsey’s
place. Justin was
certain that his four mommies would chew Brian’s balls off, and spit
them out if he showed up on either of their doorsteps, in the middle of a
blizzard dressed like this.
Of course there was always Daphne’s, Justin reminded himself, then quickly
dismissed that thought as well. While his best friend would surely welcome
him in, she would also nag him for the rest of the night with I-told-you-so.
Justin pulled out his wallet. He was searching its compartments for enough
money to rent a cheap room for the night when he remembered the emergency
fund that Tony had given him. Justin reached behind his driver’s license
for his bank debit card, but by chance pulled out Tony’s pass key to
penthouse four at The Plaza instead.
“Tony never had a problem with taking me anywhere.” Brian mimicked
Justin’s voice again. “Fucking princess, I hope you freeze.”
He growled, as he removed his work clothes, and hung them in the closet.
Brian slipped into his robe, then walked over to
the kitchen refrigerator. As he foraged the nearly barren shelves a delicious
aroma coming from the stove caught his attention.
“Ummmm.” It
was Justin’s linguini, with white clam sauce. Brian lifted the tops
from the pots, and scooped himself a generous helping. He then walked over
to the living room sofa, clicked on the television, and settled down to enjoy
his supper.
“Here’s a snow advisory update for all of the
The desk clerk at The Plaza Hotel stared suspiciously at the thawing blonde
snowman, dressed in pajamas and house slippers, and presenting a pass key
to their exclusive penthouse four. She immediately called her supervisor,
who in turn called security. Justin was then escorted to the hotel security
holding area while Anthony Massey was contacted.
“Hi Tony.”
“Jesus Christ Justin, what the hell is going on there?”
Tony hailed from his home in
“I’m fine, just a little cold.” Justin downplayed the incident.
“Would you mind if I used your place
tonight?”
“What the fuck has that whore done this time? Stay right there,
I’m on my way.....” Tony said.
“No Tony, I’m ok really. Please don’t come.” Justin
begged.
“Put Daniel back on the phone.” Tony ordered.
Justin handed the phone to Tony’s head of Plaza Pittsburgh security.
The burly detective looked over at Justin as he listened to his bosses
instructions. “Yes sir Mr. Massey.” Daniel
said. “No sir. I believe so sir. Yes. Yes.” Justin listened to
the one sided conversation until Daniel passed the receiver back to
him.
“Everything is taken care of princess, you can stay as long as you like.
Get yourself dried and warmed, and try to get some sleep. If you need anything,
just call the front desk.” Tony instructed. “Goodnight princess,
I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight Tony, thank you.” Justin said.
Tony hung up the phone, and looked over at the trick
laying beside him. “Is everything ok
sweetheart?” the trick asked.
“Everything’s just fine.” Tony smiled.
Brian finished his linguini, and sipped his after dinner wine as he continued
to watch news coverage of the blizzard of 2003. The snow had now accumulated
to almost ten inches, and cars were reportedly spinning out all along the
highways. Brian sat his glass down on the cocktail table, and walked over
to the living room window. From his top floor apartment the streets below
were barely visible. The wind, and snow was blinding.
Brian thought about the long highway ride to Jennifer’s suburban townhouse,
and the light weight little red Celica.
“It’s dangerous out there, don’t
go out if you don’t have to.” The weatherman warned yet
again.
“Trifling little shit, where the fuck are
you?” Brian worried out loud.
He continued to watch the snow fall, and listen to the ongoing news. Actual
accumulation was now up to eleven inches, with still no signs of stopping,
and the numbers of serious automobile accidents were mounting. Brian looked
at the clock on the wall. It was almost
Brian picked up his phone, and dialed Justin’s cell phone number. Much
to his surprise a shrill ring began to sing out from the other side of the
room. Brian followed the sound to find that Justin’s phone was not in
his jacket pocket, but tucked away in his book bag instead. Brian hung up
his phone, and retrieved Justin’s from the outside zipper pocket. Out
of some strange curiosity he pressed the outgoing calls button. Brian recognized
most of the numbers, Daphne’s, the dinner, Jennifer’s, but there
was one that was unfamiliar to him. Brian pressed the redial
button.
“What’s the matter princess, can’t
get to sleep?” Anthony Massey answered.
Brian quickly turned off the phone.
NEXT WEEK: Blizzard, part 2
Return to Fantasy Season 3