Dear
Brian
Chapter Seven
“What did my grandfather say to you?”
“Not all that much, just that they’re concerned, that they want you to be safe.” They were speaking in whispers.
“What was that shit about sending me to Europe to get me out of harm’s way?”
“You heard it. It’s just what he meant.”
Justin turned onto his side, pressing his body against Brian’s in the too small guest room bed. They had made love, fucked, whatever, as quietly as they could since they shared a wall with the master bedroom, now it was post coital, or at least post round one, and they were talking.
Somehow they seemed to have most of their serious conversations in bed.
“If you go back home, you’d be in some danger from the stalker, wouldn’t you? I mean, he’s starting to think that you’re not quite what he thought you were cracked up to be.”
“…Justin, I’ll be fine. First of all, he still wants me and secondly, I’ve upped the security at the loft. Really, I’ll be fine.”
Justin lifted his hand up to Brian’s face, stroking his chest on the way up. He moved closer, leaning in for another kiss, tongues stroking one another as they started escalating what they were doing, Brian ready for a change of subject.
He rolled Justin over onto his back, the old springs of the bed complaining as they moved, he came to rest between Justin’s legs for the second time that night, beginning a rocking movement he knew would have Justin ready in moments.
“My grandparents will hear.”
“They’ve heard it before.”
“Brian…”
“Quiet.” He was rubbing his entire body along the length of the smaller young man, the friction causing a delicious heat to course from one to the other. Justin’s hands came up to hold Brian’s back, stroking up and down the long muscles along his spine, knowing that was something guaranteed to arouse him even further. His fingers caressed, shoulders to butt then up again only to repeat the movements.
They continued with the kisses, their mouths moving against one another, their tongues moving from one mouth to the other.
Reaching into the bed stand drawer, he pulled out a condom and a tube of lube without looking, opening the wrapper, handed it to Justin who placed it quickly on Brian. The lube was slicked on, the preparations made, seconds later they were causing Justin’s grandparents to look at one another in the darkened room on the other side of the wall and laugh quietly.
They had, indeed, heard the same noises before—most recently from Jennifer and Craig in that very room before everything happened, before the bashing and the divorce.
It was past due.
After a few more minutes, silence returned.
Claudia turned to her husband. “Do you think that they’ll be alright?”
“I don’t think that Brain will allow anything to happen to him.”
“…What did you say to him?”
“To be careful.”
“I’ll bet you did.”
The next morning Brian was up before the rest of the household. When Bill came down the stairs around seven thirty, he found him on his laptop in the study, dressed in yesterday’s jeans and a black tee shirt.
“You’re up early.”
He looked up. “I just wanted to check in with the office.”
“They start early, do they?” Brian didn’t bother to answer. “Justin still sleeping?”
Brian nodded, slightly distracted. “I don’t expect to see him for a couple of hours.” The old man refrained from commenting, but managed to avoid laughing out loud.
He nodded at the screen. “You mind if I take a look?”
After a second’s hesitation, Brian moved enough so that he could see.
“Dear Brian,
I’m getting upset that you would leave like you did. It’s
almost like you decided to try to sneak out without my knowing. I know that
you wouldn’t do that unless the twat asked you to or something, but
I still don’t like it.
I had this really great surprise planned for you and I know how much
you would have liked it and now it will have to wait.
I hate waiting—except for you, of course.
I went by the lezzies place yesterday. They weren’t home, the
stupid bitches—they had our boy with a frigging babysitter. I fucking
hate when parents do that.
I just fucking hate it.
Anyway, Gus was out in the back yard with the kitten. Did you know
that he named the thing ‘Brian’? I love that. He’s just such
an incredible kid—and he looks just like you.
I hopped over that stupid fence when the cuntdyke sitter went to answer
the phone. Gus was there, playing with the kitten and then he picked him
up and I walked over and asked if he would like if I pushed him on the swing
set.
He actually asked who I was—smart kid, damn he’s like
you—and I told him that I’m a friend of Daddy’s and he
said—I couldn’t fucking believe this—the kid says
“You’re not Justin”.
Jesus!
So I told him that he was right, but I was Daddy’s new friend.
He liked that answer, so I pushed him for a while and the stupid bitch never
came back out and didn’t know that anybody could have gotten into the
back yard and done anything.
Dumb cunt.
You really should talk to them. Assholes.
Anyway, I know that you’ll be back soon. I’m looking forward
to it. The city doesn’t feel the same when you’re not in
it.
Don’t be long, OK?
Oh, I sent Cynthia and Jennifer presents, too.
Yourfan
“Have you gotten many of these?”
“A couple a day. I forward them to the police.”
“Have the cops done anything yet?”
Brian leaned back in the chair. “No, not really. I’ve spoken to the police psychologist and I’ve done research on stalkers, had my place swept for electronic bugs.”
“They find any?”
“Yes, on the phones, both at home and at work.”
Bill sat on the corner of the desk. “Have you considered setting up a meeting with him? Alert the police then let then nab him?”
“I asked about that. They said it would be entrapment.”
“They’re right, but it could be worked out if they wanted to make an effort.”
“They don’t.”
Bill shifted slightly. “Because you’re gay, you mean?” Brian just nodded. “Make them care. You’re not some skid row bum. You’re a partner in a prestigious firm. You’re a respected member of the community. You’re rights have been violated. Make some noise.”
“Bill, I did. I’ve spoken to the cops, they don’t give a shit. It’s just a couple of fags. No one gives a rat’s ass.”
“So what are you going to do? Spend the next couple of years looking over your shoulder? You could always move, change your name, go that route. Those are your alternatives, you know”
“…It will end, one way or another. I’m not going to let it drag on indefinitely. Besides, I have a feeling that it’s starting to come to a head.”
“What makes you say that? Has something happened?”
“Not specifically. It’s just a feeling I have.”
Bill decided to drop it for now. “Do you and Justin have any plans today?”
“I think Justin has some things he wants to do. It doesn’t really matter to me.”
They heard Claudia come down the stairs. “I’ll have breakfast ready in a few minutes.”
“Look, Brian, don’t screw around with this. This stalker is dangerous.”
“That’s why Justin is here, Bill.”
He stood up. “Make sure you don’t get careless—don’t be around when he loses it.”
An hour later Justin stumbled into the kitchen. The others were making small talk and looking over the New York Times and nursing second cups of coffee.
“Eggs, sweetie?” Justin mumbled what might have been a yes, leaned over and kissed Brian while the older man’s hand came to rest around his waist. After a moment he sat at the empty chair.
“Have you ever been to the Cloisters?”
“Is that where we’re going today?”
“Unless you’d rather do something else?”
The Cloisters it was.
Brian dutifully made the trip, surprisingly himself by enjoying not just the day out with Justin, but also the medieval surroundings, the quiet and the peace that marks the place. He suspected that it wasn’t randomly picked and silently thanked Justin for his choice.
They had lunch at the site, and then explored the surprisingly county like feeling of Glen Cove and Oyster Bay where the grandparents had lived for decades.
Around eight, after stopping at a local seafood place for shrimp, they were back home.
The moment they walked in they could feel the tension.
“Brian? You had a couple of calls.” Bill gestured to his study; he went in with out question. Justin followed.
“Justin, if you don’t mind…?”
“I want to hear.” He looked at Brian who just nodded.
“First of all, your secretary? Assistant? Whatever she is, a young woman named Cynthia called. She said that a package had been delivered to you at the office. They called the police to have it opened. It contained a heart.”
“A heart?” He was thinking a valentine, maybe a box of chocolates.
“A pig’s heart. Evidently it was a bit gory. She sounded somewhat upset. Next Jennifer called. She said that they had received another box and since she was afraid to open it, the police were called in again. This one contained a baseball bat with the note that said ‘next time will be a home run’.”
“Christ.” Justin, pale, put his arms around Brian who stroked his back.
“Then a young woman named Melanie called. She said, rather forcefully, that if you don’t deal with this, then she will. Gus—that’s your son?—Gus was approached today by a man they think was the stalker.” He held his hand up to stop Brian’s questions. “No, the child wasn’t harmed or even frightened, he was just talking about ‘Daddy’s new Justin’.”
The old Justin tightened his grip and looked up at the taller man. “Brian, you’ve got to stop this. This is getting to everyone now, it’s got to stop now.”
“I know. I will. I’ll take care of it.” He looked at Bill. “If it’s alright with you, I’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
“I think that might be best, now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going upstairs.”
Brian sat at the desk, turning his computer back on.
He had mail.
“Dear Brian,
I guess that you’ve probably heard by now that I arranged for
a few new presents to be delivered today.
Fuck me—I thought I’d laugh my ass off when I saw the looks
on their faces at Vanguard. Vance alone was worth the price of admission.
I thought that he’d shit. And Cynthia? The keeper of the
gate?
Sent her ass home in tears. Stupid bitch who never put my calls
through.
Jennifer—the ice princess? I almost lost it when the cops told
her what was in the box. You ever hear a really solid hit at a baseball stadium?
You know, when Sammy Sosa or someone really connects? I keep getting this
great mental picture of that happening with cuntboy’s
head.
Make me fucking laugh if that ever happened.
Oh, and the lez’s?
Shit. You know I’d never hurt a hair on his head. I just wanted
them to know what a crappy job they’re doing of protecting that
kid.
When you and I are watching him together, no one will get near
him—fucking believe that. He’ll be the safest Goddamned kid in
the world.
Oh, you’re wondering why the heart?
Because you’re stomping on mine and making me
bleed.
I want you to stop this.
It’s starting to piss me off. I want you to get your ass back
to Pittsburgh where you belong so we can start being
together.
I want you fucking back here now and I’m getting upset that you
aren’t here.
I want you here and I want to be with me so that we can start being
in love together and so that I can start taking care of you the way you should
be taken care of.
And I want you to wear the ring I had made for you,
too.
The next time I see you, I want you to be wearing
it.
You’d better be wearing it.
Yourfan