All the Rage
Chapter 10
Another holiday, another
day of eating and the gathering of family. This year's arrangements were slightly different to
accommodate the ever changing and expanding family. Gus, as planned would spend
the Thanksgiving holiday with Brian, Justin and Bree; they all would be at
Claire's. Debbie commanded that Hunter, Nick, the 'girls with JR, Michael and
Ben would have Thanksgiving at her house, including, of course, Lacy. Debbie
thought it would be good for Lacy to see and interact with the girls. Emmett
decided he was going to do his own very FABULOUS version of Thanksgiving at the
loft with Drew, Ted and Allen and he insisted that Hunter and Nick join them
for dessert later that evening. Nick didn't care where he was as long as Hunter
was at his side the whole time. They had spent the night fucking and sucking
their brains out until the wee hours of the morning and had fallen into a sated
sleep somewhere around four Thanksgiving morning. And they had slept through
the alarm.
"Yeah," Hunter mumbled into his
phone.
"Don't you 'yeah' me, young
man." Debbie shrieked on the other end of the phone.
"Where are you?"
"Debbie?"
"Well, of course, it's me, asshole!
Now you get your skinny twink ass out of bed this minute, young man, and get
over here pronto. If my turkey is ruined, there'll be hell to pay! So move it,
mister!" Debbie shouted then hung up.
Hunter stared at the phone then shuddered
with the realization that they had overslept and they were late for Debbie's
extravaganza. Hunter jumped out of bed and started running around looking for
clothes, starting the shower and screaming for Nick to get up.
"Where's the fire?" Nick asked
trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.
"Come on, she'll kill me if I ruin
her dinner," Hunter babbled.
"Who'll kill you?" Nick had an
idea but couldn't resist teasing his panicked boyfriend.
"Debbie, asshole. Now get up before she sends the cops over here to
drag us to her house."
"Oh Baby, she wouldn't do that."
Nick sat up and watched as Hunter went through his closet looking for something
nice to wear and then searching through Nick's bag for something equally as
nice.
"Come on! I have the shower going to
heat up. Let's go!" Hunter threw down the clothes on the bed and then
proceeded to drag his uncooperative boyfriend out of bed and into the bathroom.
Nick broke out into a fit of giggles. He couldn't believe that his brave,
streetwise and tough boyfriend was afraid of an aging little woman with a
horrendous red wig.
"You won't be laughing when Debbie smacks
you upside your head, now move it!" Hunter yelled.
"Yes, dear." Nick snickered but followed his boyfriend into the
shower.
*****
"Brian, stop fussing, it looks
great," Justin admonished his spouse as Brian was putting the finishing
touches to his fruit salad. Claire had insisted that the only thing that Brian
and Justin needed to bring to dinner was themselves and the children. It had
been a few years since she had the opportunity to host Thanksgiving and there
were enough hands at her house helping. Since construction came to a halt for
the holiday, John and Bobby took Patrick back to their own cottage for the long
weekend. They missed their home but missed being with Brian and Justin too. The
four men fell into an easy rhythm living under the same roof and the children
loved being together. They would all go back to Brian's after the weekend. It
just made the commute so much easier on all of them.
Brian felt horrible unable to bring
something so he made his fruit salad. He personally went shopping to his
favorite organic fruit stand and picked out all the best, tree ripened fruit.
He woke up early to chop and dice the fruit into bite sized pieces carefully
drizzling a little lemon juice over the fruit that might turn brown and then
arranged, said fruit, in a large bowl so that the colors would compliment each
other. Then he topped it all off with Grenadine and sprigs of fresh mint. To
Justin's artistic eye, the salad was a masterpiece and he complimented his
worried husband several, no hundreds, of times. But that didn't stop Brian from
fussing. Justin shook his head, instructed Gus to load himself and Bree into
the Cherokee and helped Brian and his salad into the passenger side.
"Just drive carefully, I don't want
the strawberries to fall into the grapes," Brian instructed. "It'll
ruin my color scheme."
Justin nodded then sighed. Big bad Brian, worrying about strawberries and grapes. No
one would ever believe it!
*****
"John, just ask him." Bobby told
his husband as they were preparing to get up and get ready to walk over to
Claire's to help with the preparations.
"You think I'm being foolish, don't
you?"
"No, I don't but it's an awfully big
undertaking."
"I can do it, but do you think Brian
and Justin will go for it?"
"I have to admit that at first I
thought it was definitely a hair-brained scheme but after spending so much time
with them, and the kids love being together, I think they'll go for it."
"But Brian values his privacy."
"Yes, he does but he also values you.
When he really thinks about it, he'll love the idea. And I bet he'll break out
the old tool belt to prove it."
"Maybe I should ask Justin
first."
"You afraid of your
brother?"
"No, maybe, a
little. This will be a big
change for them. Damn, I'm not so sure. It seemed like a good idea when it came
to me but now..."
"John, you'll never know until you
try."
"I didn't know a lot of things until
I tried."
"You mean me?"
"Yeah, Baby, I mean you. I didn't
know I'd like being with a man until I was with you. I didn't think I could be
a father until Patrick."
"And you didn't think you could be a
brother until Brian."
"Yeah. I'm hopelessly in love with you and I can't even
conceive of my life without Patrick..."
"And a life without
Brian in it?"
"Never. He's the most stubborn, pig-headed man I've ever met
but I can't see myself without him either."
"Sounds like someone else I
know."
"Oh yeah? Can't imagine whom you're referring
to."
John and Bobby fell back into bed laughing
and made love one more time before heading out.
*****
"Well, it's about fucking time!"
Debbie called out as Hunter and Nick finally made it to the house. The family
was already gathered and the food was being put on the table.
"I'm sorry Deb, did we ruin
Thanksgiving?" Hunter asked as he smiled meekly and gave his grandmother a
hug and a kiss. She gently cuffed him behind the ear, and returned the hug with
one of her own bone crushing ones.
"No, I'm used to timing my meals
around horny twinks." Debbie winked at Nick and gave him his own hug.
"Go sit down; I want to hear all about the clinic and Nick's studies.
We're finally getting a doctor in the family!"
With the Thanksgiving fixings on the table
and everyone seated, Carl said grace and the meal began.
*****
"Drew, honey, you going to help me
with dinner?" Emmett drawled as he stretched a little then curled his
lithe frame around his burly man.
"Of course, anything for you, Baby,
you know that, and we have a lot to give thanks about," Drew whispered
against Emmett's cheek.
They'd been together for several years now
and it was only getting better. They were aging but aging together. Drew had
grown comfortable with being out; it was no big deal for him anymore. He had
grown up and was very thankful that Emmett was there and wanted him. Drew had a
vested interest in the Ironmen and with Kinnetik, and
he adored Emmett. He was so different from Emmett but it was their differences
that made their relationship work, just like another couple he knew. And Drew
was now a part of a family, a very large unique family. As he flipped Emmett
over for another round of lovemaking, Drew knew in his heart that he had a lot
to give thanks for.
*****
The minute Justin parked the Cherokee in
the yard, Gus helped Briana out of her car seat and
took her into the house. There he was greeted by Claire, Steve, John, Bobby and
Patrick. Rachel and her family were going to spend Thanksgiving with the
Morrisons but they all promised to stop by for coffee and dessert later on.
Justin was holding the fruit salad as Brian got out,
stretched and retrieved his salad.
"Brian, you're being silly."
"No, I'm not, now go clear a path to
the kitchen. I want this salad to be perfect," Brian commanded.
"Yes, your majesty, your wish is my
command." Justin gave a little bow then scurried to do his master's
bidding. Brian was carefully walking to the house with his large burden,
praying he wouldn't trip sending fruit flying.
"All hail the conquering hero of the
fruit salad!" Justin bellowed as Brian made it into the house and placed
the bowl on the table. The fruit remained just where Brian had placed it, not
daring to budge under the watchful eyes of the master chef. Brian blushed when
the family applauded as he unveiled the salad.
"It's almost too pretty to eat."
Claire declared as she gave Brian a hug and a kiss.
"You did good, little bro," John
added with his own hug.
"Looking good, big guy," Bobby
teased.
Steve stepped up and was about to comment
when Brian stopped him with a look.
"Okay, okay, I get it." Brian
conceded that he was being ridiculous but accepted a handshake then a bear hug
from Steve.
"It does look good," Steve said
as he clapped Brian on the shoulder. "Come on, you deserve a beer. It must
be five somewhere in the world." Brian nodded and gratefully accepted a
cold one.
After dinner, while they waited for
Claire's coffee to brew, John decided to take Brian down to the stream. They
needed the walk to allow all the wonderful food to digest and John wanted to
suggest something to Brian.
"You swear there aren't any
frogs!" Brian groused.
"No frogs, you big
baby. Sheesh, you're a
grown man. You'd think you could handle a few frogs," John teased his
brother.
"Hey, you weren't the one who nearly
got slimed to death by a poison dart frog," Brian protested. John giggled
nervously, he was losing his nerve.
"John, what is it? You didn't bring
me down here to talk about frogs. Is everything okay?" Brian
turned to look into his brother's eyes, eyes that were so much like his own but
softer somehow.
"Everything's fine; I just wanted to
ask you about something. I had an idea the other night as Bobby and I were
falling asleep on the sun porch. I love that porch."
"I know, so
does Justin. It can get a little cool in the winter sometimes but when the sun
hits it, it warms up. You should build one."
"I would if I could but there's no
room and we're too close to the stream."
Brian nodded as he leaned against the
great rock. John's cottage was nestled more into the woods as opposed to
Brian's. He had a lot more room. Room enough for two or more cottages before
the tree line and his own stream.
"Brian, this past month, staying with
you and Justin, the kids being together, I've loved every moment of it. So has Bobby and the children have grown so close."
"We've enjoyed it too."
"You have? Really?"
"Yes, really."
"And you don't mind the intrusion? I
know you value your privacy and the quiet."
"John, it's not like you guys are
noisy and I've learned to tolerate a little noise with the blond ambition boy.
He can really crank up the noise when he's painting. I'm kind of dreading when
the construction is done and you guys move back here."
"Really? You're not shitting me, are you?"
"No, I'm not. I've kinda been wishing
that there was some way of expanding my house to make it more family friendly.
But I like the intimacy of the cottage, you know what I mean?"
"Yes, I do and that's the reason I
wanted to talk to you. I think I have a way of doing that without doing more
construction to your house."
"How?" Brian was intrigued.
"You're right about having the space
for expansion. You do around the back, on the other end of the porch. What if I
moved my cottage and attached it to the other end of the porch. The two cottages
would remain separate for privacy but be attached via the porch. We'd each have
our own homes but the families would be together. The
"Can you do that? I mean move your
whole cottage?" Brian asked all wide eyed. The thought of literally moving
the whole house had never occurred to him.
"Yes, I can. It's relatively simple.
You hoist the whole thing on hydraulics then onto a huge flatbed. Then you
replant it on a new foundation. Piece of cake."
"Um, big bro, you don't expect me to
break out my tool belt, do you?"
"Nah, besides the last time you did
that, it fell off." John laughed thinking back to when they built the
treehouse and Brian demonstrated how the tool belt fit around his slim hips or
rather didn't fit, and Justin wore the tool belt.
"Hey, no thinking about Justin's ass;
that ass is mine," Brian snarked.
"Wouldn't dream of it, little bro. So
what do you think about the Anderson-Morrison family moving to your neck of the
woods?"
"I think we need to talk to a certain
blond and red-head."
"I think so too." There was a
pause in the conversation as the brothers contemplated the whole idea.
"Come on, big bro. Claire's coffee
should be ready by now and I'm still not so sure that there isn't a frog hiding
out here to get me." John laughed and drew Brian into a hug.
"Heaven,
forbid!" Arm in arm
the beautiful brothers sauntered back to the house.
*****
"That was the best
Thanksgiving," Nick said as he and Hunter drove back to the loft.
"Huh?"
"The best."
"What are you talking about?"
Hunter asked in amusement.
"Well, think about it. We fucked all
night and didn't wake up until it was time to go to Debbie's. We ate a
delicious meal, schmoozed a little, and now we're going home to fuck some more.
Perfect!"
Hunter laughed. "Yeah, how could I
have missed that?"
They pulled up at the loft and Hunter
squeezed the Cherokee into a parking space. Hand in hand they ran into the loft
to continue with their own special brand of celebration and thankfulness.
*****
On the first floor Emmett and Drew were
just finishing up their Thanksgiving dinner. Emmett had made turducken which
Vic had taught him about many years before. They had enjoyed it and had invited
Ted and Allen to join them for dinner. There would still be plenty of leftovers
for the next few days.
They were stuffed and moved into the
living room before tackling dessert and coffee. Emmett hoped Hunter would
remember to join them.
"It seems funny to be having
Thanksgiving without the whole gang," Ted said.
"Funny, but kind of nice," Drew
replied.
"Nice?" Emmett asked.
"Don't get me wrong. It's nice being with the 'family', but the group is getting
so large that's it's kind of nice to have a more peaceful and calm
Thanksgiving."
"I see what you mean, sweetie,"
Emmett said kissing his partner. "It is nice. I'm glad you two could join
us."
"I agree with Drew," Allen said.
"The whole 'family' can be a little overwhelming."
"I don't think Brian was too fond of
us all getting together, after the whole clinic/hustler fiasco," Ted
mused.
"It was amazing that he didn't rip us
all to shreds," Emmett observed.
"Justin did that for him," Drew
laughed.
"Yeah, Justin is a little bulldog
when he wants to be," Allen agreed.
"I wonder how their Thanksgiving is
going," Ted said.
Allen sighed. "It always comes back
to Brian and Justin, doesn't it?"
Ted laughed. This had been a long standing
bone of contention between them. "They are the most interesting
couple."
"I don't know," Emmett replied.
"I think Drew and I are pretty fabulous."
They all laughed and agreed with Emmett.
"You should call Hunter and make sure he's coming for dessert," Drew
reminded Emmett. "We can find out how everything went at Debbie's."
*****
Nick and Hunter were on their second round
of coupling on Hunter's new bed when the persistent ringing of the phone
interrupted them.
"Just a little more," Hunter
groaned as Nick thrust into him. "Don't stop. Harder.
Oh yeah, right there!"
The phone went to the answering machine as
the young men finished what they were doing. That was much more important than
any phone call.
Nick rolled away and disposed of the
condom. Hunter snuggled up against him. "Best Thanksgiving ever,"
Hunter grinned. That had become his new mantra.
Nick smiled and kissed Hunter. "I
hate the thought of being separated even for a day."
"Did you apply to Allegheny General
and
"Both."
"When will you know?"
"Some time after Christmas."
Hunter groaned. It all seemed so far away.
"I wish we could be together every day."
"Me too," Nick said kissing
Hunter once again.
"I wonder who called," Hunter
said after a minute or two.
"I'll check," Nick said getting
up. Hunter heard a "Shit!" and asked what was wrong. "That was
Emmett reminding us to come for dessert. I forgot all about it."
"I could use some sustenance,"
Hunter grinned. "You wore me out."
"Want to go down?"
"Yeah, we should. Let's take a shower
first."
"Should we let them know we're coming?"
"I'll call," Hunter said.
"Go start the shower."
Hunter dialed Emmett's number and waited
for him to answer.
"Hey, baby, are you home?"
Emmett asked.
"Um … yeah, just got in," Hunter
lied.
"I know you guys have been fucking.
We could hear you all the way down here."
"You couldn't!" Hunter reacted.
"No, sweetie, we couldn't. I'm just
yanking your chain. Are you coming down?"
"Is it too late?"
"Not at all. See you in a few minutes. "They'll be right
down," Emmett told everybody as he went to get his chiffon pumpkin pie
ready to be served.
A few minutes later a knock at the door
signaled the arrival of the lovebirds. Emmett welcomed them in and served the
pie and coffee.
"So, how did things go at Deb's
without all us fabulous people?" Emmett asked with a laugh.
"Good," Nick said.
"Hey, come on," Emmett
encouraged them, "Dish!"
Hunter laughed. "Debbie and Carl were
great. They made Lacy feel really welcome."
"Lacy?" Ted asked.
"She's this girl who was hustling and
came to the clinic. She's off the street now, working at the diner and living
at Deb's."
"In my old
room?" Emmett asked.
"That would be Vic's old room,"
Hunter chuckled. "No, she's in Michael's old room."
"There sure are a lot of old rooms at
Debbie's," Drew laughed.
"It's an old house, sweetie,"
Emmett said giving Drew's thigh a squeeze. Drew smiled affectionately at his
partner.
"So how does Lacy like it
there?" Ted asked.
"She seems to be getting along fine.
Michael is more than a little pissed at how Deb redecorated his room,"
Hunter said.
"Redecorated?" Emmett squealed.
"Did she get rid of that hideous wallpaper?"
"No," Hunter laughed. "Just the hideous curtains and the hideous bedspread."
"Well, that's a start," Emmett
had to admit.
"Deb's going pink with the room,
since Lacy's a girl," Hunter explained.
"Pink with the Captain Astro
wallpaper," Emmett asked with a shudder.
"It is kind of gross," Hunter
had to admit.
"I'm sorry I asked," Emmett
said.
"Lindsay and Mel were there. Can you
believe that JR's in first grade this year."
"They grow up so fast," Allen
said with a smile.
"And we get older," Emmett
observed.
"No, we get better," Drew
corrected him.
"That was sweet," Emmett said
kissing Drew once again.
"This pie is delicious," Nick
said.
"Thanks."
"Could I have another piece?"
"Certainly, we want you to keep up
your strength for other activities later tonight," Emmett said as he went
to cut another piece for Nick.
"This has been the best
Thanksgiving," Nick said kissing Hunter while he waited for his pie.
"I think we can all agree on
that," Drew said, and they all did.
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the Rage