The Funeral

Jewish tradition dictated that burials were to take place as soon as possible after death. With its soul now vacated, it was considered a shame for the shell of a body to continue to linger on earth. Jenna Rebecca's funeral was scheduled to take place the following afternoon, less than 24hrs after her passing. Brian needed to make a decision, and he needed to make it fast. With Tony barely 3 days out of the hospital, stubborn as a mule, and non-compliant as a teenager on a Saturday night, Brian was reluctant to leave him alone. Even under the watchful eye of his housekeeper Mary, Tony defiantly ignored Dr. Sharma's direct order to take it easy. He was already mixing wine coolers with his pain medication, and sneaking blowjobs in the middle of the night. Brian concluded that the only person that Tony might listen to other than himself was Justin. Hence Brian left his baby to watch over his man, while he went home to see about his best friend Michael.

Tony's private jet landed at Pittsburgh International Airport within hours following Ted's call, just in time for Brian to make a brief stop by the loft to change, and pick up the jeep. Upon his arrival at the funeral home he noticed a small gathering of people standing out front. Although none of their faces looked familiar, it felt safe to assume that they were friends of Lindsey, and Melanie. With the designated guest parking spaces filled, Brian parked the jeep in the middle of the block, and started to walk back to the building.

Details surrounding the death of Jenny Rebecca was still sketchy. All Ted knew for sure was that the official cause of the baby's death was ruled as sudden infant death syndrome, commonly known as SIDS. What a devastating blow. Melanie, and Lindsey must be beside themselves. Poor Michael, and Debbie, and what about Gus? The loss of his little sister was certainly a harsh way to learn about death. Brian pondered his next move as he continued to walk toward the group of people gathered in front of the funeral home. Maybe he would go speak to Dr. Silver Fox tomorrow. Brian's former trick had been instrumental in advising him on how to help Justin get past his bashing ordeal. Perhaps he could offer some advice on grief counseling for Gus, and Michael as well.

The small group of people standing in front of the funeral home turned toward Brian as he approached. "ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN. GOD'S WAY, OR NO WAY!" one called out.

"ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN. GOD'S WAY, OR NO WAY!" The others picked up the chant.

"GOD HATES HOMOSEXUALS! GOD HATES YOUR CHILDREN!"

Shit, fucking protesters. "Get out of my goddamn way!" Brian began to push his way through.

"TURN NOW FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS!" The catcalls continued. "DEATH TO ALL FAGS!"

"Brian hurry, this way!" Ted opened the funeral home door, and pulled his boss inside. "Are you alright?" He slammed the door shut behind them.

Brian straightened his suit jacket, and adjusted his tie before turning back to look at the protesters through the stained glass window in the door. "Yeah, I'm alright. Who are those assholes?" he barked.

"They call themselves Beziers." Ted said.

"Brassieres?" Brian frowned.

"No Beziers. They're a new group of Christian zealots. They named themselves after the French town of Beziers where in 1208 over 20,000 men, women, and children were slaughtered after they were accused of heresy." Ted explained.

"So what the fuck are they doing here?" Brian continued to brush off his jacket.

"They've been showing up at the funerals of U.S. soldiers. According to them the United States is under attack because of its position on gays." Ted said.

"This isn't a military funeral, this is a baby's funeral." Brian pointed out.

"They say that Jenny Rebecca died because her parents are gay." Ted said.

Brian turned, and looked at the door again. "Motherfuckers, I should go out there, and…"

Ted grabbed Brian's arm. "No Brian, these people are crazy. There's no reasoning with them. They follow the belief of history's French commander, Arnaud. He believed in the old "kill them all, and let God sort them out" philosophy. As far as their concerned gays, and friends of gays are all an abomination in the eyes of God, and should be destroyed. They're like skinheads with bibles.

"Why haven't the police been called?" Brian asked.

"They were called, but as you can see no one has shown up yet." Ted said.

"Fucking Stockwell." Brian growled. "Where's Michael, where's Gus?"

Nothing could have prepared Brian for the grief he was about to encounter when he opened the door to the viewing parlor. The small sanctuary was filled with mourners dressed in black, sitting reverently as the rabbi recited his prayer. "Yit-gadal v'yit-kadash sh'mey raba, b'alma…." The old bearded man gave tribute to his god amidst the muffled tears of various members of the assembly. Brian took an isle seat on the back row next to Ted, and scanned the sea of sorrow for his loved ones. There sitting on the front row was Melanie holding Gus tightly in her arms. Her face was buried in the younger's shoulder, and her woeful wails could be heard all the way to the back of the room. Lindsey was sitting to Melanie's right, Ben and Michael were sitting in the row directly behind them. Michael had his arm around Debbie's shoulder, as the distraught grandmother wept into her tissue.

"di v'ra hirutey, vyam-lih mal-hutey b'ha-yey-hon…." The rabbi continued his prayer.

A visibly shaken Gus spotted his father in the back isle seat. Brian watched as his son attempted to wiggle his way out of his grief stricken mother's grasp. Lindsey reached over, and held her son's hand in an attempt to calm him, but Gus continued to struggle.

"They're scaring the shit out of him. Why doesn't she let him go?" Brian whispered to Ted.

"Shh!" A mourner turned to Brian, and placed her finger to her lips.

"uv'yomey-hon uv'ha-yey d'hol beyt yisrael.." The rabbi prayed on.

Gus looked up at the strange man, saying the strange words that he didn't understand. He wasn't quite sure why he was there, but what he did know for sure was that his little sister, Jenny Rebecca was dead. Mommy Mel had taken her over to Michael's house, and Michael took her to the hospital where they killed her. Now she was locked in that little box in front of the strange man saying the strange words.

"ba-agala u-vizman kariy, v'imru amen." The rabbi prayed on.

The people yelling outside said that God hated fags. That's why Jenny Rebecca was dead.

Gus had had that talk with Brian, yes it was true that his pop was a fag. Maybe Gus was next. Maybe that was why his mommies were crying, and mommy Mel wouldn't let him go. Gus turned around, and looked at Michael who was sitting behind his mother. Was Michael there to take him to the hospital too? Was the strange old man with the strange words there to put him in a box as well?

"Y'hey sh'mey raba m'varah l'alam ul'almey alma-ya….." The rabbi prayed on.

"POP!" Gus yelled for his father at the top of his lungs.

"Brian, Brian where are you going?" Ted whispered.

"I'm going to go see about my son." Brian stood up.

"You can't do that, they're in the middle of prayers!" Ted attempted to pull Brian back to his seat.

"The fuck if I can't." Brian stepped out into the center isle. He could see the frowns of disapproval on the mourner's faces, and hear their whispers of outrage as he headed down to the front. How dare this gentile would interrupt the sacred Kaddish. Some of the faithful even attempted to pull his coattail as he filed past them, but Brian was relentless. He didn't stop until he reached the front row.

"Brian, what are you doing?" Lindsey attempted to keep her voice down.

"I came to get Gus." Brian whispered.

"No, you can't take my son!' Melanie held on tighter.

"Pop, I want to go home." Gus sobbed.

"Sir, please sit down." The rabbi interrupted his prayers.

"Brian, please!" A tearful Michael leaned forward.

"POP, I WANT TO GO HOME!" Gus cried out again.

Brian looked at Gus, then at Melanie. What was a man suppose to do when his son was frightened to the point of hysterics? But then again how could he pry the last remaining child from a grieving mother's arms? Brian needed to make a decision, and he needed to make it now. "Come on Gus." He reached for his son's hand.

"No, you're not taking him. LINZ TELL HIM THAT HE CAN'T TAKE HIM!" Melanie wailed.

"Mel please, let him go." Lindsey attempted to gently remove Gus from Melanie's grip.

"You fucking faggot, I'm not going to let you kill this one! Not like your little friend killed my Jenny Rebecca!" Melanie wailed.

"How dare you say that. It wasn't Michael's fault!" Debbie placed her tissue aside.

"Ma, please!" Michael attempted to quiet her.

"I gave him a live child, and he gave me back a dead one!" Melanie sobbed.

"POP!" Gus reached for his father.

With the situation rapidly spiraling out of control, two of the synagogue elders came down to the front. "Sir you have to leave." They placed their hand on Brian's shoulder.

"Come on Gus." Brian took Gus's hand, and attempted to pull him from Melanie's arms.

A tug of war ensued. Melanie was determined to hang on to the last child that she had, and Brian was determined to rescue his only offspring. Gus continued to cry, and fight furiously to get away, while Lindsey struggled to put a stop to the whole shameful display. Michael, and the rest

of the shocked mourners were at a loss, not knowing exactly what to do. Brian could hear their outrage growing louder in the background. Finally with both elders holding him around his waist, and pulling him from behind, Brian placed his arms underneath Gus's armpits, and locked his fingers. One, two, three, he pulled with all of his might. Melanie had no choice but to relinquish her hold, and Gus flew into his father's arms. The force of the impact, along with the weight of elders caused all three men to fall backward, with Gus landing on top of the pileup. For a split second the room went silent, then a unified gasp could be heard, as Jenny Rebecca's casket toppled over, face down onto the floor.

Shrieks of horror rang out as Brian, Gus, and the two elders scuffled to get to their feet. Brian was the first to regain his bearings. Dear God, what the hell had just happened? He quickly went to pick up the fallen coffin, only to have the lid fly open, spilling its precious contents. Brian looked down at the tiny mummy sliding across the floor, then over to Michael where Debbie now laid passed out in her son's arms. Gus was screaming bloody murder, and enraged mourners were surging toward the front. Brian needed to make a decision, and he needed to make it fast. The desperate father picked up his son, and made a beeline toward an opening in the isle to his left.

Brian plowed through the lesbian defense line that was making their way to their friend. Melanie and Lindsey were lost somewhere in the chaos. Brian could hear voices calling for everyone to stand back, to allow the overwhelmed mothers some air. With Gus plastered to his side, Brian continued his hasty exit. He had made it out of the viewing parlor, and to the front door of the funeral home when he was forced to stop short. The Beziers outside appeared to have grown in numbers.

"ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN, GOD'S WAY OR NO WAY!" The protesters chanted.

"Pop, what are we going to do now?" Gus whimpered.

Brian could hear the angry, mob-like voices heading up the isle behind him. Once again he needed to make a decision, and he needed to make it now. Would he rather face the vicious hate mongers outside, or the rage of a bunch of wild-eyed lesbians defending one of their own? Brian opened the funeral parlor door.

"ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN. GOD'S WAY OR NO WAY!" The Beziers turned toward him.

With Gus still attached to his side, Brian held up his free hand, and cried out in his loudest fire & brimstone voice. "FOR IN THE LAST DAYS MEN SHALL BE LOVERS OF THEMSELVES, COVETUS, BOASTERS, BLASPHEMERS, DISOBEDIENT, UNTHANKFUL, AND UNHOLY.."

The Beziers were stunned. The last thing they expected to hear was a scripture hurled at them.

"WHEREFORE COME YE OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPARATE, THUS SAITH THE LORD!" Brian pelted them again, this time from the book of Corinthians.

"AMEN BROTHER!" One of the protesters called out.

"PRAISE GOD!" called another.

"AMEN! HALLELUIAH!" The cries of victory went up.

Brian stood still, and watched as the hate mongers parted like the Red Sea to allow passage for this brave father who had obviously come to rescue his son from the heresy taking place inside the funeral home. Brian hurried through the protesters amidst cheers of halleluiahs. There wasn't much time, the lesbians had already reached the funeral home's front door. Gus hung on tightly, and watched over Brian's shoulder as the Beziers closed ranks behind him, and his father, stopping the angry women dead in their tracks.

Gus was never so happy see the jeep in his life. The youngster literally leaped into the passenger seat. Normally the active tyke would protest being strapped in, but today Gus reached for the seatbelt himself. "Come on Pop, let's go!" His little hands trembled.

Brian climbed into the driver's seat, and looked back at the funeral home through his rearview mirror. The Beziers, and the lesbians were now engaged in a verbal exchange, and pushing match that was beginning to spill out into the street. Whew, that was a close one. Who would have thought that all of the years of catechism Joan Kinney forced her son to attend would finally paid off?

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Judging by the cool 75 degrees on the temperature gage in Tony's room, one would never know that Chicago was sweltering under an early summer heat wave outside. Justin pulled the down filled blanket up over them both, and snuggled close to Tony's chest. "Is this ok? I'm not hurting you am I?" he asked.

"No, you're fine." Tony cradled his princess in his arms, and settled back to watch the early evening news. "Have you heard from Brian?"

"No, not yet. The funeral was at two o'clock. I'm sure he's still over at Mel, and Lindsey's house now. I imagine he's going to go spend some time with Michael after he leaves there. I really don't expect to hear from Brian until late tonight." Justin said. "What about you, How are you feeling? You hardly ate anything for dinner." The young man pointed out.

"I wasn't hungry." Tony said.

"You're never hungry anymore. You're wasting away to nothing. I'm worried about you." Justin confessed.

"Don't worry about me Princess. I'm alright." Tony assured him.

Justin tilted his head up, and kissed the hallow of his lover's throat. "I love you." he whispered.

"I love you too princess." Tony found Justin's mouth for a kiss.

"The recent wave of antigay sentiment that has overtaken the country reached a new low today when a group of protesters who call themselves Beziers showed up at the funeral of an infant who's parents happen to be gay. Eyewitnesses say that violence erupted when the coffin containing the child was overturned by one of the protesters who had come to the funeral to rescue his son….." The evening anchorman reported.

Tony and Justin stopped, and looked over at the television screen, then back at each other. "Brian." They both said.

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NEXT WEEK : A Shoulder To Lean On

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