After the Fall

Chapter 2

“Hi, hi, hi!” Emmett swished himself back into Kinnetik just as most of the employees were packing up to go home.

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Brian griped. “Twice in one day? What did I do to deserve this?” Emmett was not put off by Brian’s supposed angry display. He knew that Kinnetik did a kick ass job on the promotions for the Village project and that Brian refused to take any money for the job.

“We’re having a little celebration at the restaurant and I wanted to make sure you and Justin will be there. Drew’s store was the last to open. All the shopkeepers are going to be there as well as John and some of Hunter’s kids.”

“I didn’t think the restaurant was big enough.”

“We have a garden patio similar to the bistro, only bigger. We’ll make do. So will you come?” Emmett got the eyebrow for his double entendre. “You know what I mean. It would mean a lot to me and Drew if you were there. I know you had a hand in securing the project.”

Brian was awestruck by Emmett’s sincerity. Even though the Village project was John’s baby, the city planners and the mayor’s office had wanted Brian’s ‘input’ and the financial backing that went with it. Brian nodded.

“And will your better half be in attendance?” Emmett asked with a gleam in his eyes. Brian rolled his.

“My better half, as you so aptly put it, spent most of his day at the gallery. Sidney is pushing Justin for more paintings for his new show. I think I can pry him away for a drink or two. You serving dinner at this shindig?”

“Of course. A simple buffet. And before you ask, there will be plenty of your favorite hors d’oeuvres.”

“I have no idea to what you could be referring,” Brian said nonchalantly.

Emmett snorted. “Be that as it may, there will be plenty of delectable morsels for you to partake in.”

“We’ll be there. Bobby should be driving in too. Rachel volunteered to keep the princess and Little Red for the night. We’ll stay at the loft tonight if your soiree runs late.”

“Sounds good to me. Well I must be going. No rest for the weary or event planners,” Emmett stated as he swished himself out of Brian’s office.

“Or big old fairies,” Brian mumbled to himself.

“I heard that!” Emmett shouted back, making Brian bark out a laugh. Brian shut down his computer and prepared to leave Kinnetik for the night.

 

*****
 

“Hey Sunshine, you ready to blow this popsicle stand?” Brian asked as he strode into the Bloom Gallery. Justin, Lindsay and Sidney appeared to be having a heated discussion regarding Justin’s new show. Justin rushed to Brian’s side and gave him a kiss.

“I’ve been ready to leave for over an hour,” Justin sighed. He looked tired and exasperated.

“What’s going on?” Brian asked softly as he bussed Justin’s temple.

“Oh, Sidney has a bug up his ass about the show. He wants this huge party and to invite every art critic he can think of. I’d like to keep it low key but I think I’m being overruled.” They glanced over to where Sidney and Lindsay were still talking about the show. Lindsay had a clipboard in her hand, jotting down notes as Sidney talked on and on.

“Sunshine, I suggest we ‘git’ while the ‘gittin’ is good.”

Justin nodded and retrieved his bag from Sidney’s office. They said goodnight then left for the Village.

“Brian, do you think I’m being foolish for wanting a smaller, more intimate opening night?” Justin asked as Brian drove them to the site.

“Foolish, no, more naive than anything else,” Brian said honestly. He knew that Justin was still uncomfortable with the fanfare. However, Brian also knew the fanfare was a necessary part of keeping Justin in the public eye.

“Why do you say that?” Justin asked innocently but with a frown.

“Jus, I’m an adman. I know the value of the right publicity and the importance of keeping the right people in your corner. By making yourself available to the critics, you prove yourself honest. Whether they love you or hate you, they have to admit that you’re honest. Your style runs the gamut from the sublime to outrageous and activist. You have mass appeal because of it; all your fans can relate to some facet of your art. But that doesn’t mean the critics like your work. Didn’t you notice how most of the older more established critics raved about your “Old Masters” show, while the younger critics love your Rage pieces and your darker abstract work? Everyone sees what they want to see.”

“So you’re telling me that I should let Sidney have his way.”

“No, I’m suggesting you allow Sidney to do his job of representing you and promoting your work while you do your job like you always do.”

“And what job is that?”

“Painting from your heart. No one can tell you what to paint or how to paint it because it all comes directly from your heart.”

Justin gave Brian his sunniest, brightest smile. When Brian pulled over to park, Justin slid closer to grab Brian before Brian left the Jeep.

“I love you so much,” Justin whispered then kissed Brian silly.

“I know,” Brian snarked, when Justin allowed him to breathe again. The lovers got out of the Jeep to join their friends and family at the party.

 

*****
 

Cole and Lex were sitting in the small living room of Lex’s apartment. Cole’s cousin worked at the Big Q in the warehouse and stocking the shelves. With his pay, he just about afforded the rent on his one bedroom apartment. With the money Cole ‘found’ at the loft, they bought a couple of six packs and two large buckets of fried chicken.

“So the money was just lying around?” Lex asked with a loud burp.

“Nah, I found it in a drawer. But it was right inside the drawer, not hidden or anything. Stupid fuck, has all this shit just laying around. I’m surprised no one robs the place.”

“Too risky,” Lex mumbled around a chicken leg.

“What’d ya mean?”

“I mean that Kinney owns the building and only rents to people he knows. He has a state of the art alarm system and everyone on Liberty keeps an eye on the place.”

“Who the fuck is this guy?” Cole belched louder, chugged a bottle, then farted. The cousins laughed like maniacal hyenas.

“All I know is that he’s some fucking king around here. He owns an advertising agency and half of Liberty Avenue, including Babylon. When he was younger he fucked anyone with a dick. He sabotaged some politician and stopped him from being elected mayor and they say he’s Rage.”

“Rage? That homo comic book hero? Was he involved with the movie?”

“Yeah, but I’m not sure how. The blond guy Kinney lives with is some sort of famous artist. He’s the one who really did the movie.”

“Huh. The bottom line is that Kinney’s little boy, Gussie, is one fucking rich little shit. And if I play my cards right, I can be one fucking rich little boy too,” Cole said with a sinister smile.

“Hey, you better include me in that rich kid stuff.”

“Of course, cuz. Mi gravy train, su gravy train.” The cousins toasted with more beer and chicken then tried to out-belch and out-fart each other for the rest of the night.

 

*****
 

Brian and Justin sauntered into Emmett’s Place Too. A lot of the people in attendance at the celebration stopped talking and turned to look at the striking couple. Brian continued in his stride, taking the adulation as part of being Brian fucking Kinney. Justin smiled as he watched Brian soak it all up. He knew he would never be as at ease with this kind of thing as Brian was.

“So glad you two could make it,” Emmett said with his toothy grin, as he rushed over to them with a tray of champagne glasses.

“What’s a party without us?” Brian asked with his tongue in cheek. Justin elbowed him gently in the ribs.

“Have a glass of champagne,” Emmett said extending the tray with several glasses on it.

“Is it some of that cheap shit they usually serve at these affairs?” Brian snarked.

“It’s not Cristal,” Emmett replied haughtily, “but it passes my taste test.”

Brian took a sip. “Not bad,” was his response. Emmett smiled at Brian’s approval for his choice.

“There’s your mother, Brian,” Justin said indicating Joan who was standing with Danny.

“I guess we should speak to her then,” Brian replied as they started in that direction.

“Brian…?” Justin asked, surprised by that comment.

“Force of habit,” Brian said quickly. “I still can’t believe that we took her to New York, and she was … wonderful through the whole thing.”

Justin squeezed Brian’s arm in recognition of what that statement meant for Brian. “Let’s go say hello.”

“Mother,” Brian said as he came up beside Joan. He kissed her cheek, winning a happy smile from the older lady. Brian smiled at Danny.

“Brian,” Joan said formally. “How’s my darling Briana?”

“I guess I know where I stand in the pecking order of important people,” Brian laughed.

“You’re very high up,” Joan said sweetly, making Brian blush just a bit. “But we all know that Princess Briana is top of the heap.”

Brian nodded and Justin giggled. “Miss Briana is just peachy,” Brian added.

“And how are you both?”

“Great,” Justin contributed.

“Gus?” Joan asked with a slight look of worry on her face.

“I think it’s good that we came home when we did,” Brian said carefully. “He’s been moping around though ever since we got back.”

“He misses that boy,” Joan stated. She looked knowingly at Danny.

“I saw Gus run by the shop earlier today,” Danny informed Brian. “He was with some lad.”

“Oh, who?” Brian asked with a frown.

“Danny didn’t know and I didn’t see who it was,” Joan contributed.

“That’s strange,” Brian said, a grain of worry developing in his head.

“Anyway,” Justin said, changing the topic. “Everything’s looking great in the Village. How’s business?”

“Good so far,” Danny replied. “And Joan has been a godsend. Her computer skills have improved so much since her trip to New York.”

Joan laughed. “I’m still not very good, but Gus helped me a lot.”

Brian smiled. He liked to hear good things about his son, not about him running around with some unknown male. He hoped Gus was being careful whatever he was doing.

“Hey, Brian, Justin,” Michael said as he and Ben approached them.

“Hey, Mikey, professor,” Brian replied. Justin nodded at the two men.

“The Village looks great,” Ben said.

“Yeah, my brother will be thrilled that it’s going so well. Is John here?”

“I saw John and Bobby a while ago. Maybe they’re out on the patio,” Ben said.

“We haven’t got that far yet,” Justin noted with a grin.

“I saw Gus today,” Ben told Brian. “He and some kid I didn’t know almost ran me down in the street.”

“They did?” Brian asked, his frown deepening. What the fuck was Gus up to?

“Yeah, they were in a big hurry. I don’t know where they were going.”

“Where was this?”

“Near Michael’s store.”

“Did they go into the store?”

“No, they ran down the street in the direction of your loft.”

“I wonder what they were doing,” Brian mused.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Debbie said as she grabbed her son in a hug and kissed his face leaving the imprint of her lipstick. She tried to rub it off, while Michael endured her usual ministrations. “This Village is just wonderful. I’ll have to shop here all the time.”

“The shopkeeps will be thrilled,” Brian snarked.

“Your brother did a great job,” Carl said. “I think this may start a new trend in city revitalization. I can’t think of anything better.”

“John had a real vision for this area,” Justin contributed. “He’s carried it out in a great way.”

“Yeah,” Debbie agreed. “Oh Brian, I wanted to tell you that I saw Gus with some guy I’ve never seen before. They were kissing outside the diner. What the fuck happened to Gus in New York?”

Brian felt his blood pressure rise. What the fuck had happened to his son with this Cole character? He couldn’t believe Gus would be kissing some stranger in the middle of the street. That wasn’t like his son at all. “What did this guy look like?” Brian asked with a big frown.

“He wasn’t as tall as Gus and he had kind of auburn hair,” Debbie said. “That’s all I saw.”

Brian found that description too much like Cole Adams to suit the way he wanted his world to unfold. Cole was supposed to be in New York. He was supposed to stay there and that was the end of it.

“That sounds like the guy I saw Gus with too,” Carl added.

“You saw Gus with someone too?” Brian asked. “Were they kissing?”

“They were examining each other’s tonsils, and doing a fair bit of groping,” Carl informed his boss. “Ted saw them too. We were going into Babylon.”

“Shit!” Brian responded. This didn’t sound like his son. “I’ll have to talk to the boy.”

“Maybe you should,” Carl said remembering that things had seemed rather hot and heavy between Gus and the other guy.

“Aw, he’s young and he’s growing up. Let him be,” Debbie said cheerfully. “Come on, honey, I need some of that champagne and some of those blue cheese and pear thingies.”

Carl and Debbie walked away. Brian stared after them wondering what was going on with Gus. Could Cole Adams have followed his son from New York? He sure as fuck hoped not.

“Brian, Brian,” Justin was saying.

“What?” Brian asked as he realized he was being spoken to.

“Gus is fine. Stop worrying until you find out exactly what’s going on.”

“I intend to find that out as soon as I can,” Brian stated emphatically.

“Can we just enjoy the party first? You can deal with Gus later.”

“Yeah, I guess we better.”

“Let’s get you a blue cheese and pear thingie,” Justin giggled. “That will make you feel ever so much better.”

Brian let himself be led over to the buffet table.

Some time later Justin and Brian made their way out to the patio. They found John and Bobby talking to Gordon and his wife, Betsie.

“Hey, little bro’,” John greeted his brother. “What do you think of the Village?”

“It’s not bad,” Brian responded, his tongue clearly in his cheek.

“It’s absolutely wonderful,” Justin corrected his husband. “You both did a great job on everything. The Village has its own character. I think it’s great.”

“Thanks, Justin,” John replied, pleased by Justin’s words.

“See, I told you everybody loved it,” Bobby said giving John a kiss on the cheek. Brian nodded his approval.

“This get together has been really good for the spirit of the community too,” Gordon added.

“I’m happy to meet all the other shop owners,” Betsie said. “I’ve visited their businesses to introduce myself, but it’s nice to meet them all more informally.”

“I really hope the feeling of community is going to grow,” John said.

“I believe it will,” Betsie said sincerely.

“My kids had a fine education from you guys,” Hunter stated as he and Nick joined them. “Several of them have gotten jobs in the trades. It was great experience for them.”

“That’s good to hear,” John replied with a big smile.

“This whole idea has been wonderful, John,” Nick told Brian’s brother. “You and Gordon did a beautiful thing.”

John and Gordon looked at each other and smiled broadly. That was exactly the reaction they had been hoping for.

John looked over at his brother who seemed rather distracted. He took Brian by the arm and led him over to a quiet corner. “What’s going on, Brian. You look like you’re someplace else.”

“I’ve been hearing some things about Gus that disturb me.”

“Like what?”

“Like he’s been kissing and groping some guy all over Liberty Avenue.”

“I saw Gus with some guy when he was here in the Village.”

“You and everybody else,” Brian sighed.

“Do you know who this guy is?”

“No, but it sounds like this kid named Cole Adams that Gus met in New York. I didn’t care for the little fucker.”

“I gathered that,” John said quietly. “Maybe you need to have a talk with Gus.”

“I thought I already had.”

“Maybe you need to have another one,” John suggested gently.

“Apparently so,” Brian sighed.
 

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