Dear
Brian
Chapter Six
“Cynthia, I’m leaving this afternoon after lunch. I’ll be back Monday. Don’t tell anyone that I won’t be here. Keep it between us.”
“Are the police any closer to catching this guy?”
“…No. Just don’t tell anyone anything.”
She nodded. “You know, I could reschedule your ten o’clock if you want, you could go now.”
He thought for a moment. “No. If I cancel, you’ll have to make some calls and that means that someone could find out.”
She handed him some article that looked like it had been printed off the Internet. “I thought that this might be a good idea with what’s going on.”
He scanned the page. It was about home security; phone bugs, Internet piracy, invasion of privacy and that sort of thing. There were suggestions for having your home or office swept for bugs.
“Yeah. Call them. Ask them if they would have anyway of knowing if someone has been gathering information about me. And have then run a sweep of both my office and the loft.”
Nodding, she left.
The security company was hired; they would conduct the sweeps the next day. They would also see what they could find about any possible searches run on his daily movements and his personal life.
The meeting went as well as these things generally did and if Vance found him slightly less focused than he usually was, the clients didn’t notice and were impressed enough to agree to signing the contracts as soon as they were finalized.
“Brian, I was hoping that you would be free to join Mr. Blacker and myself for lunch to celebrate?”
“Thank you, Gardner, I’d enjoy that, but I’m afraid that I already have lunch plans which I’m unable to break at short notice.” He turned to the client. “ I’ll look forward to it when you’re here next, if that would be alright?” The man nodded. He’d known the minute that he’d walked into the meeting that the man would try to hit on him and although normally that would be good for some entertainment, he had other things on his mind right now. Smiling, shaking hands, he walked back to his office.
Picking up his briefcase containing his laptop and a single change of clothing along with some basic toiletries, he made his way down to the parking garage. He had packed no bags, thinking that anything he might need could simply be purchased when he got there. Getting into the ‘vette, he left the building, headed out to the turnpike east.
The drive was uneventful. The weather was good, there were no traffic accidents to slow things down and he managed to miss the worst of rush hour. He pulled into their Long Island driveway around eight that evening. They hadn’t been expecting him until the next day.
He had met Justin’s grandparents before when they had been out to visit Jennifer the summer before and he had liked them They were about what you would have expected her parents to be—intelligent, reserved, WASP but with a core of decency that he had been impressed by. They had accepted him as Justin’s friend, despite the bashing and the age difference and everything else that had happened. They had no problem with Justin being gay, just wanting his happiness.
If they had reservations about him as a suitable partner, they kept it to themselves treating him with courtesy.
There were lights on inside. He rang the bell. After about a minute he heard footsteps, the door opened.
“Yes?…Brian! Good Lord, we thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow. You get yourself in here…Justin? Justin…get downstairs. Claudia—look who the cat dragged in.”
Bill Breslin shook Brian’s hand as he pulled him into the front hallway, Justin was—well the only word was ‘bounding’ down the stairs and Claudia was coming out of the family room to give him a restrained but genuine hug and a kiss on the cheek before Justin threw his arms around him, pulling him close.
“You look well, but we weren’t expecting you tomorrow. Had a change of plans?”
Brian didn’t know how much Jennifer or Justin had told them, he decoded to play it safe. “I managed to get away a day early—one of the advantages of being partner. I hope it’s not an inconvenience.” He meant that.
“God, no—and I’m sure Justin won’t be complaining. Have you eaten?”
“…No, I drove straight through.”
“Fine, fine, let’s get you fixed up with something.”
The two young men lingered a minute in the hall while the older couple went through to the kitchen. They were kissing, holding one another.
“Why are you here early. Are there new problems?”
Brian stopped the question by stroking Justin’s lips with his tongue, then entering and caressing, dueling one against the other. “No, I just got away early.”
“Bullshit. What’s going on? More threats?”
“Brian? Is chicken alright?” Justin’s grandmother called from the kitchen.
“That’s fine, Claudia, thanks.” He kissed Justin again. “How much do they know?”
“Not much, just that you have a little stalking problem.”
“Keep it that way.”
Justin nodded, he’d find out more later, when they were alone. Taking Brian’s hand, they went to get him some food. The chicken was left over from dinner and still warm, the salad beside it was just some lettuce, the beer was imported. It was simple, but enough.
He declined the homemade apple pie.
“I hope you don’t mind my getting here a day early, I was just…”
“Missing Justin. We know. Jennifer told us to expect you.”
Brian looked over to Justin. “Your mother knew I was coming here?” He seemed surprised by the news.
Justin met his look. “I didn’t tell her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure, Brian. Come on, you know me better than that.”
Fuck. The only person who knew was Cynthia and she wouldn’t say anything, not on purpose.
Fuck.
“Bill, I’m sorry to impose, but is there someplace where I could connect my laptop? I have to check on something about work.”
He was shown into the den. “Would you just want to use mine?” There was a state of the art Vaio sitting there.
“Thanks, but I need my files.” Connected to the phone line, he started the thing.
He had mail.
“Dear Brian,
You know, I never in my life thought that I’d ever say this,
but you’re starting to piss me off.
Did you really think that I wouldn’t know that you were going
to see the twat at the grandparent’s house?
Do you think I’m stupid?
Do you really believe that this is just some kind of hobby or crush,
that I’ll get over it and that it will all go
away?
Fat fucking chance.
This is a long way from over. I told you that I love you and I know
that you love me, too. I know that you think that the boycunt is your trick
d’jour and that you think that there’s something there, but I’ve
already told you that he’s just a spoiled Goddamn WASP princess and
that you can do better.
I let you play along with this because I knew that you had to get
it but of your system, but I’ve just about had
enough.
I think that I’ve been patient for a long time and I can still
be patient if that’s what it’s going to take, but I’m not
going to let you string me along forever.
One of these days you’re going to realize that he’s just
a toy and I’m the real thing.
You will and then you’re going to tell him to fuck off, to get
the Hell out and to pack up all his shit and leave you the Hell alone because
you want to be with me and then you’ll call me up and I’ll tease
you a little—or maybe I won’t because you know that I want you
as much as you’re going to want me and then I’ll come over to the
loft again and you’ll have the door open, waiting for me and I’ll
walk in and you’ll have a bottle of perfect wine and two glasses and
soft jazz will be playing and the lighting will be all soft and you’ll
have on your silk robe and I’ll carefully untie the belt and you won’t
mind when I slide it off of you and then you’ll take my clothes off
of me and we’ll drink the wine and then we’ll make love all
night.
You’ll see.
We will.
And the twat won’t be anywhere around.
And then the next day we’ll pick up Gus and we’ll take him
to the park and push him on the swings and get him ice cream and maybe
we’ll end up at my place and we can teach him how to swim in my pool
and he’ll laugh and it will be great.
So stop jerking me off and get your ass back to
Pittsburgh.
And tell the twat that he should stay with the grandparents because
I’m tired of him being around.
Yourfan