Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
May 2024
"Hello?"
"Hi, JR."
"Bree, what's up?" JR asked.
"I haven't seen you in forever," Bree whined hoping to get her sister to invite her out for lunch.
"It has been a couple of months," JR admitted.
"More like forever," Bree informed her.
JR chuckled. "So, what do you want to do to get together?"
"I could ask my dads to bring me to Pittsburgh and we could have lunch," Bree suggested.
"True, but there's another possibility," JR said as a thought struck her.
"What?"
"Why don't you ask your dads if they'd like to have dinner with Jacqueline and me?"
"But I want to come too."
JR laughed. "Of course I meant that you would come too."
"Oh, then I'll ask," Bree said happily. "Hold on."
JR waited while voices discussed the invitation.
"JR," Justin's voice said into the phone.
"Hi, Uncle Justin, did Bree ask you about coming to dinner?"
"Yes, but we'd love to take you girls out somewhere, if that's easier."
"It's easier," JR replied, "but I'd love you to come here and see our place."
"Then we'd be happy to come to dinner."
"Great," JR said, before they discussed time and date.
*****
"They should be here soon," Jacqueline said as she picked up a celery stick from the cheese/veggie tray and bit a piece off.
"Are you getting hungry?" JR asked.
"Yep, and something smells really good."
"I made jambalaya. I found this recipe that sounds really good."
"It sure smells good, but why jambalaya?" Jacqueline asked.
"I'll get Uncle Justin to tell you the story," JR laughed.
"Do they have a story about everything?"
JR stopped stirring for a moment and thought about that. "Yes," she finally said.
Jacqueline laughed as the buzzer went off indicating that their guests had arrived. When everyone had exchanged greetings and Bree had hugged her sister as hard as she could, everyone settled in the living room.
"Interesting that you guys live in a loft," Brian observed.
JR and Jacqueline looked at each other. Smiles played around their mouths, but neither wanted to comment.
"Wine?" Jacqueline asked, before serving wine to the adults and juice to Bree.
"When can I have wine?" Bree asked looking at her glass.
"Not for a while yet, squirt," Brian replied.
"Oh, poo, everything's always in the future," Bree said with disgust.
"You don't want to grow up too quickly," JR cautioned her sister.
"Why not?"
"Grownups have just as many problems as children," Jacqueline contributed, "and they're usually harder to deal with."
Bree frowned. "Do you guys have problems?" she asked.
"Not at the moment," JR said with a smile. "Things are pretty good. I'm back at the comic store and dad has been okay about everything. We had him and Ben for dinner one night."
"I know," Brian stated.
"He told you?"
"Yeah, we're speaking again."
"That's good. He wouldn't know what to do without you."
Justin decided they were getting onto shaky ground. "Something smells good. What are we having for dinner?"
"Jambalaya," JR said waiting for the reaction.
Justin's mouth dropped open. "I haven't had that in a long time."
"JR tells me there's some kind of story about jambalaya and the two of you," Jacqueline said looking from man to man.
When Justin didn't reply, Brian decided he would. "Jambalaya was the first big meal Sunshine cooked for me ... back when he was trying to wheedle his way into my life." Brian made the statement and then sat back with a smirk.
"So Brian brought home this hot guy from Atlanta to show me that he didn't need me," Justin said with a wry smile.
"What did you do?" Jacqueline asked.
"Left."
"You left?"
"There was no reasoning with Brian at that point. I knew what he was telling me."
"But we discovered something about jambalaya the next day," Brian added.
"It tastes even better the next day," Justin said with a smile as Brian rested his hand on Justin's knee.
"So, I should hope for leftovers," Jacqueline said with a chuckle.
"Definitely," Brian agreed.
"Bree, come help me dish up dinner. I think it's ready," JR said. Bree happily accompanied her to the kitchen where they could talk about sisterly things.
Brian and Justin asked Jacqueline about how things were really going with Michael, and were very pleased to hear that all really was okay.
Dinner was a nice affair, relaxed and filled with comments and humor. Everyone enjoyed themselves.
When the Kinney-Taylor family were ready to leave, Justin had to tell JR as he put on his jacket, "I'm really glad you ladies are doing so well. It was lovely of you to invite us. You'll have to come to the lane soon."
"We'd love that," JR replied. "I wanted to thank you for that great night we had at Babylon."
"You don't have to thank us," Brian replied. "And if you want to do it again, just let me know. It's good to get out and relieve stress."
"Look who's talking about stress," Justin said elbowing his husband gently in the ribs.
"Dada knows best," Bree stated defending her father.
And on that profound note, the party was over.
*****
Thatched
May 2024
“What the fuck is this stuff?” Brian growled. He was scowling at the mess that surrounded him on his lane.
“That stuff is called thatch,” John stated as he hoisted a bundle onto his shoulders then proceeded to march it over toward the almost completed new addition to Edna’s Treasures Lane. Patrick scooped up another bundle, gave his uncle an exaggerated smile then followed his father. Brian had just come back to the lane from a Harrisburg meeting wearing a suit. Inappropriate attire for lugging thatch.
“Et tu, Patrick,” Brian called after his nephew.
Patrick would be turning fifteen this year and he was already as tall as John and Brian, and Gus, for that matter. The Kinney men topped off at just about six three or close to it. Patrick had that striking Kinney physique and the intensely expressive hazel eyes. The one thing that made Patrick unique among the Kinney men was his Morrison flaming red hair.
Red hair and hazel eyes.
Brian decided to stay back, out of the fray of the construction workers who like a swarm of bees were busy creating a thatched roof for this cottage. Due to Brian’s work on the Toronto branch, he missed most of the construction of this cottage.
“I told him he was nuts but Doctor Cottage wanted to learn how to construct a thatched roof,” came an exasperated explanation from John’s closet friend and business partner Gordon Smith. Gordon had his hard hat in one hand while wiping the sweat off his brow with the other.
Brian acknowledged with a nod. “Who are the guys on the roof? I don’t recognize them,” Brian said. He was witness to the construction of all the structures on the lane and to the relocation of Rachel and George’s house at the top of the lane. Brian knew most of John’s regular crew. The rest was made up of interns John acquired from local vocation schools or from Hunter.
“Specialists.”
“Specialists?” Brian arched his brow at Gordon. “More cottage doctors?”
Gordon chuckled. “Something like that. They’re experts in thatched roofs. It’s a dying art. These guys have learned their craft from their fathers and grandfathers. From generation to generation. John had them flown in from the U.K.”
“Are they the people who’ve taken over the B&B?” Brian grumbled.
“Yep. John figured it was easier that way instead of putting them up at a hotel.”
“Considering the nearest decent hotel is more than an hour away, it makes sense. And they’ll get a feel for the lane,” Brian murmured as he looked around at the small community he and his family had built for themselves.
“You’ve built a very special place out here, Brian. Very special,” Gordon said as he gave Brian a pat on that back. “I better get back before John decides to fire me,” he joked. Then Gordon jogged closer to the site.
*****
“Hey,” Justin greeted his spouse as Brian walked through the door.
“Hey,” Brian replied. He lowered his briefcase to the floor before gathering Justin into his arms for a proper greeting. Brian had been almost like a guest in their lives for months since the Kinnetik North project got going.
“How long can you stick around for?” Justin asked with longing in his voice.
“How long can you stand me?” Brian asked with a smug smile.
“Really? Are you shitting me?”
“Nope. I may go back just before the holidays but I’m done for now. Cynthia, Mel and Gus have Kinnetik North under control. I’ll go back when we have the official launch.”
“Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Brian Kinney,” Justin teased. Brian gave Justin a questioning look. “Brian, we all know you’re a control freak and now you’re giving control over your pet project to Cynthia, Melanie and Gus.”
“I am not a control freak,” Brian succinctly stated. Justin stood staring with his arms crossed. Brian sighed. “Okay, okay. I have to step back a little and give my people a chance to show me what they’re made of. Cynthia has nothing to prove but...”
“Gus and Melanie do. I get it. And I’m sure they’ll do fine. Most likely surpass your expectations. I’m just happy you’re home to stay for a while. We miss you. Bree misses you. I miss you. John misses your input regarding the new cottage.” Justin wrapped his arms around his lover. “Even the dogs miss you.” Justin smiled against Brian’s chest. “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you,” Brian said as he hugged Justin close.
*****
A few days later Brian grabbed a bundle of thatch, hoisted it up onto his shoulder then marched his way closer to the cottage. He handed it up to the waiting man standing on the lower level of the scaffolding.
The cottage was almost complete. It had several stone fireplaces, an impressive kitchen and light airy but cozy rooms. The only furniture it currently sported was a large brass bed formally housed in the sun porch, now residing in the master bedroom.
Brian walked back to the rows of neatly stacked bundles of thatch to grab another. He looked around to gaze at the cottage. In his mind’s eye he could picture the neat lawn of clover and the fragrant flowers waiting to be planted. By next summer the plants would have taken a firm hold to be a permanent part of the grounds, just as the thatched cottage would become a permanent part of the lane. He lifted the next bundle of thatch onto his shoulder.
Now if they only had someone to live in it.
-end-