Domestic Bliss

Goals and Ghosts

Jennifer drove her station wagon into the alley leading to the baths. Brian was sitting beside her and Justin was in the back. She glanced in the rearview mirror and noted the frown on Justin's face. Her son seemed to know where they were headed and wasn't too pleased about it.

"What are we doing here?" Justin asked as Jennifer pulled the car to a stop near the entrance to the old baths.

"Come on, Sunshine," Brian smirked. "Surely you remember one or two nights we spent here."

Justin felt his cheeks grow red and he looked at his mother who was studiously getting her seat belt undone and appeared not to be listening.

"Brian!" Justin warned. "I know what this is, but surely you're not thinking of starting the new company here?"

"Why not?" Brian said with a laugh as he got out of the car. "If I want to be 'in your face', there's hardly anything that makes that statement more than this place."

Justin shook his head as he followed his mother and Brian up to the door. Jennifer unlocked it and let them in. Together Brian and Justin wandered down the hall looking into the rooms and noting various fixtures or spots that meant something to them. Jennifer stayed back watching.

Brian Kinney had come a long way over the last few years. She could remember the day she found out about him, and how her world had changed from that moment on. She had detested Brian Kinney and everything he stood for. That was, until she got to know him. She would never forget him taking Justin after the bashing. She wondered where her son would be now if Brian hadn't stepped up to the plate and looked after him, helped him in ways that she never could.

She smiled as she saw Justin say something and poke Brian in the ribs. Brian grabbed Justin's arm and pulled him into a hug. The little kiss to the top of her son's head did not escape her notice. They were good together.

"Mom," Justin called. "I like this place. What made you think it would be suitable for Brian's business?"

"I didn't think it would be suitable. I just ran out of places to show him."

Justin laughed. "Well, knowing it was the baths, should have been your first clue."

Jennifer smacked her forehead and laughed. "How could I have missed that?"

"Are we going to the other place?" Justin asked looking at Brian.

"Oh yeah, I want you to see them both."

"But I like this one."

"So do I."

"Then what's the point. Why don't we just take it?"

"I like the other place too," Brian said. "And I want your opinion."

"Okay," Justin said with a shrug. "But I think this is it."

They followed Jennifer out the door. While she locked the place back up, Brian pulled Justin into a kiss.

"See what I mean about this place. It has potential."

"It does," Justin agreed. "I can't imagine what would be better, except maybe for a place that wasn't at the end of an alley."

"You noticed," Brian chuckled.

"Yeah."

"It is a drawback," Justin stated.

"I agree, but the next place definitely is not down an alley."

"Then let's go."

Jennifer had been waiting for them to finish their kiss and their conversation. She liked to see Brian being affectionate with her son. That didn't happen very often around her. It made her feel good that Justin was so loved.

They climbed back into the car and she headed for the old mansion. As they drove along, she debated about telling Justin the haunted history of the house, but she thought she'd wait until he had seen the place.

As they pulled into the driveway, Justin looked at the house. "Wow! This is some place. It's kind of rundown, but it could be great."

"That's what I thought too," Brian said as he got out of the car.

Justin stood in the driveway staring at the old mansion taking it all in. His eyes went to the upper windows. "That upper level would make a great place for the art department."

"My thoughts exactly, Sunshine," Brian said with a smile. He and Jennifer headed for the door. Justin remained standing looking up at the house undoubtedly envisioning how it would look if it was all fixed up.

"Justin, are you coming?" Jennifer asked as she opened the front door.

Justin was looking at the top of the building when something caught his eye. It was some kind of movement in one of the windows at the very top of the house. He blinked and looked again, but didn't see anything. However, he was sure there had been a figure in the window.

"Is … is this place occupied?" he asked his mother as he walked towards the front door.

"Oh, goodness no," Jennifer laughed. "We can't get people to stay here to run a business, let alone live here."

"What do you mean?" Justin asked.

"Rumor has it that the house is haunted. Nobody who has tried to run a business here in the last twenty years has lasted longer than a few months."

"You're not serious, are you?" Justin asked as he felt a riffle of cold run down his spine. Just what had he seen in that upper window?

"I warned Brian, but he liked the place anyway, and the price is certainly right," Jennifer explained.

"But…" Justin began, but wasn't sure what he wanted to say. He shook his head and remained standing at the front door.

"Is something wrong?" Jennifer asked.

"I could have sworn I saw someone in the window at the very top of the house."

"The ghost," Jennifer whispered.

"Mom!"

"Hey, don't scare the boy," Brian smirked.

"I did see something," Justin said, "and I'm not a boy."

"Ghosts!" Brian snorted. "There's no such thing."

"Tell that to all the other people who have owned this place and then refused to stay here," Jennifer declared. "Do you want to leave?" she asked Justin.

"I want you to see the inside," Brian said taking Justin's hand. "You're not going to let a big, bad ghost scare you away, are you?"

Justin let himself be led inside. He looked around the foyer and smiled. This would have been a beautiful, even regal home, but it could make an impressive setting for Brian's business too. They went into what had been the living room and the dining room and the kitchen. Jennifer and Brian laid out for Justin the potential that each room held. Then they went upstairs and let Justin fall in love with the master bedroom with its set of windows that looked out the front of the old house.

Brian watched Justin's face and saw his lover grasp the full impact of what the mansion could become. Justin turned to face Brian and his smile was radiant. He looked into Brian's eyes.

"This is the place you want, isn't it?" Justin asked.

Brian had to be truthful so he nodded his head. "I like it," he said simply.

"Me too," Justin said full of enthusiasm. "It's a great location, much better than the baths, and the rooms are spectacular…or will be when they're redone. I think I know just the kind of colors and furnishings that should work."

"You do, huh?" Brian grinned. "Don't I get a say?"

"Of course you do," Justin said with a little frown. Maybe Brian already knew how he wanted everything to look. It would be Brian's building after all. "But I can help, can't I?"

"I'm counting on you."

Justin smiled and walked into Brian's arms for a hug.

"You haven't seen what will become Brian's office," Jennifer said from behind them. "If he decides to take the place."

"Have you been holding out on me?" Justin laughed.

"I knew the art department would be more impressive … as far as you're concerned," Brian said with a smile.

Justin leaned up and kissed him. "Let's go see the domain of the great ad god Kinney," Justin joked as he took Brian's hand.

They went out onto the landing and Justin had the strangest sensation that someone was looking at him. He glanced around wondering where it could be coming from. He noticed the way the stairs ended abruptly with a wall.

"Did there used to be stairs going up there?" Justin asked. He felt drawn to see who or what had been at that window in the attic.

"Yes, the attic has been sealed off. There was a death up there," Jennifer said softly.

"The ghost?"

Jennifer nodded. "You know, if this is too spooky, you don't have to take this place. I won't be offended."

"Come see the office," Brian said changing the subject. He started to usher Justin down the stairs. Justin looked up at the wall where the stairs should have continued. He could have sworn he saw a shadow pass across it, but it didn't give him a cold feeling this time. He suddenly felt warm all over.

"Brian," Justin said halting their descent. "Kiss me."

"Huh?"

"Kiss me."

"Anytime, Sunshine," Brian said pulling Justin into a very warm and tender kiss.

Justin smiled into the kiss. He could feel the warmth all around him. There was definitely something going on in this house, but for some reason it didn't frighten him anymore, didn't make him feel cold inside. In fact, if anything it made him feel just the opposite, warm and accepted and … loved.

Brian released Justin from the kiss. "When did you become an exhibitionist, putting on a show for your mother?"

"Um … that wasn't what I was doing," Justin said in a faltering voice. He wasn't sure he could explain what just happened.

"What's going on?" Brian asked with a frown.

"Can we talk about it later? I want to see your office."

"Okay." Brian started down the stairs once again. Jennifer was waiting for them at the bottom.

"Do you always stop and kiss on the stairs?" she asked with a grin.

"Not always, but when the spirit moves us…" Brian laughed. "Get it, spirit, ghost?"

"Very funny," Jennifer said.

Justin didn't laugh. He had definitely felt a spirit or … something, when they were kissing. This place seemed to have a life of its own.

Brian led him into what had been the library. Justin smiled as soon as he stepped through the door. He could definitely see Brian sitting at his desk in the bow window at the front of the house. It would make a beautiful and impressive office.

"This could be spectacular, Brian," Justin stated. "I love it!"

"Me too," Brian agreed. "So, which place do you think we should take?"

"I don't want to be hasty. I think we should go home and talk about it," Justin said.

"Okay," Brian sighed, "but I already know which one I want."

"I do too, but we still need to talk. There's no rush, is there, Mom?"

"Neither property is likely to be snapped up tomorrow," Jennifer admitted. "Think it through carefully because this is a big decision."

"Yes, ma'am," Brian said.

"Let's go," Justin chuckled.

They made their way outside and back to the car. As Jennifer turned out of the driveway, Justin couldn't help but look up at the window in the attic. This time he didn't see anything. He wasn't sure whether he was glad about that or not.

Jennifer stopped her car in front of Brian and Justin's house. "I love this place," she said.

"And we wouldn't have it without you," Brian said squeezing her arm. "Hopefully you'll be our good luck charm with the new business too."

"I hope so," Jennifer said with a smile.

"Thanks, Mom," Justin said as he got out of the car. He started towards the house and then turned back. "Mom, what was the name of the people who owned the house when the butler was killed?"

"Until about twenty years ago it was owned by the Baggley family. They owned the house since the late eighteen hundreds. I think they actually were the ones to build it. They had only one child, a daughter. After the murder and the subsequent death of her parents Clarissa Baggley lived in the house alone. She never married and was quite the recluse. The house was put up for sale when she died about twenty years ago, and that's when all the ghost stories and strange happenings began."

"Do you think she's the ghost?"

"I don't know," Jennifer admitted.

"Do you know the butler's name?"

"No," Jennifer replied. "But it was quite a famous case. I'm sure you could find out in the newspaper archives."

"Thanks," Justin said.

"Why are you so interested in the story?"

"Just curious," Justin replied. "Thanks for finding these two places. Brian has been much more civil since you directed him to those two."

"I'm right here, Sunshine," Brian snarked. "Do you think I'm that hard to please?"

"You, never!" Justin laughed.

"Let me know what you decide," Jennifer said before she drove away.

"So why all the questions about the Baggley place? Is it the one you think we should select?" Brian asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Justin said. "I'm hungry. Would you mind going to Domenic's for some lasagna? I'd really love some."

Brian raised an eyebrow. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing, I just feel like lasagna, and Domenic's has the best."

"Okay," Brian said pulling out his cell phone. "I'll place the order. Are you coming with me?"

"Um … no, I want to think about the two properties … without any influence from you," Justin said giving Brian a gentle elbow to the ribs.

"You think I would try to influence your choice?"

"It's been known to happen," Justin laughed.

"I can't believe you accused me of that," Brian said trying to sound stricken.

"Go get the food, and let me think in peace."

As Brian climbed into the Corvette, Justin went into the house and straight to his computer. He logged on and started searching for anything about the Baggley family that he could find. He also wanted to learn about the murder of the butler.

By the time Brian returned with the lasagna, Justin had gained a lot of information. He left the computer to join Brian in the kitchen. His stomach was rumbling and he was really hungry. Brian was setting out the lasagna on plates with salad that he had bought to go with it. There was also several chunks of garlic bread. Justin's mouth watered at the site.

"Garlic bread," Justin said practically drooling.

"All for you."

"Un unh," Justin replied. "If I'm having garlic so are you. Otherwise we won't be … you know," Justin giggled.

"Well, if I have to," Brian laughed taking a big bite of the garlic toast. "You are such a bad influence on me. You better help me work this off later."

"I intend to."

Brian smiled and studied Justin's face as he shoveled in salad and lasagna. "What did you find out about the Baggleys?"

"Huh?"

"I know you sent me on the food chase so you could research the house."

"You know that, huh?"

Brian nodded. "What did you find out?"

"Not as much as I would have liked. I still don't know who the ghost is."

"Tell me what you did learn," Brian said as he picked at his lasagna.

"Well," Justin said swallowing a mouthful of lasagna. "The Baggleys were a very prominent family in the late eighteen hundreds. Most of their money came from using steel in the manufacture of various products. The house was built in 1899 after Joseph Baggley met and married Blanche Cathcart. They didn't have any children for several years. Finally in 1908 they had one child, the daughter that Mom mentioned. Her name was Clarissa and she never married."

"What about the butler and the murder?" Brian asked.

"That happened two years after Clarissa was born. According to the newspaper accounts, the house seemed to have been broken into while only the butler and the child were at home. The Baggleys were out at the theater. When they came home they found the butler murdered in his room and their daughter safe in her crib."

"That's weird," Brian said with a frown.

"What's weird?"

"Why would the butler be up in his room while the family was out and the house was being broken into?"

"I wondered that too. I thought maybe someone was trying to kidnap the little girl. They had a lot of money, but there's no mention of anything to do with the child."

"Was the murderer ever caught?"

"No, and there was hardly any mention of the crime or suspects or anything after a couple of days," Justin explained. "I tried every source I could think of to try to get more information, but that's all I could find."

"So, the ghost must be the butler, waiting for someone to avenge his death," Brian said.

"That would be my guess," Justin replied as he cleaned off his plate and took the last piece of garlic toast.

"I doubt that his murder is ever going to be resolved after all these years."

"I know, so that means we're stuck with him unless someone from the cold case files comes up with a new theory."

"So, what do we do about 4Front?" Brian asked.

"You like the Baggley place, don't you?"

Brian nodded slowly. "It's a much better location than the old baths. It could be really done up to be a classy establishment."

"That's what I thought too."

"But … and it's a big but. What if the ghost scares our workers and clients away?"

"That would not be good," Justin said with a sigh. "Do you think we should risk it? The baths might be safer."

"Safer, but not better."

Justin shrugged. "What do we do?"

"We take the Baggley place and we make it the biggest, fattest, most incredible success that Pittsburgh has ever seen."

Justin started to smile. He couldn't stop himself. He loved it when Brian got like this, all decisive and forceful, the consummate businessman making decisions without a second thought. Justin stood up and moved around the table. He plunked himself down on Brian's lap.

Brian let out an oomph and said, "Wow, that lasagna sure is heavy."

Justin swatted him and then kissed his lips caressing them with his own and gently forcing his tongue into Brian's mouth. "I thought we could work off that garlic bread now," Justin whispered.

"That could be arranged."

"Good."

"Have we made our decision?" Brian asked.

"Yep, the Baggley place is our mutually agreed upon location."

"Done," Brian said gently shoving Justin off his lap. "Let's get working on that garlic toast. We can call your mother tomorrow." He took Justin's hand and led him towards the stairs.

Suddenly Justin hung back. "Brian, wait. Do you believe in the ghost now? You said you didn't before."

"I know something affected you while we were in the house," Brian said slowly.

Justin nodded. "It did."

"Were you afraid?"

Justin frowned. "At first, I was. I saw that figure in the attic window and I didn't know what it was. But upstairs in what will be the art department I felt something. It was like someone was watching us. When you hugged me and kissed my head, I felt … approval."

"Approval?"

"Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but I did. That's why I asked you to kiss me on the stairs. I felt the same thing."

"You're starting to spook me out, Sunshine," Brian said with a frown.

"I'm not trying to. It's just what I felt."

"What does it mean?"

"I'm not sure, but it didn't feel like we'd be driven out of the house. That's why I'm okay with choosing it for the business."

"Are you saying we have the ghost's approval?" Brian asked raising an eyebrow.

"Something like that."

"But … we don't even know for sure that the ghost is the butler, and why would he give his approval to us?"

"Maybe he's tired of haunting the place. Maybe he's ready to … rest."

"Let's hope so," Brian said. "Enough about ghosts. Come on, I want to fuck you."

"And I want you to fuck me too," Justin giggled.

Brian took Justin's hand again and started up the stairs.

"Brian," Justin said. "I think we should fuck in the art department when we get possession of the house."

Brian turned to look at his partner. "You want to put on a show for the ghost?"

"Yeah."

"Well, fuck me! You're getting to be quite kinky in your old age," Brian chuckled.

"Are you up for it?" Justin challenged him.

"I'm always up for a fuck. Besides, we need to practise up for the ghost."

"Asshole!" Justin laughed as they ran upstairs.

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