Bad as New
Chapter 4
Brian walked into Kinnetik
the next day.
"Where's Bree?"
Cynthia asked.
"Good morning to you too," Brian
replied. It seemed his daughter was more popular than he was.
"Didn't you bring her?"
"Do you think I have her hidden under
my shirt or that I left her outside the front door?" Brian asked now fully
annoyed. "No. I didn't bring her."
"You haven't had your coffee yet,
have you?"
"No!"
"Let me rectify that
immediately," Cynthia said going into the break room and returning with a
steaming mug just the way Brian liked it.
After a few sips of coffee had passed
Brian's lips, Cynthia ventured to ask, "Why are you here today? I wasn't
expecting you."
"I need to see Ted. He's supposed to
be meeting me here … right now."
"Morning, Cynthia, Bri," Ted said as he came through the door.
"Very punctual, Mr. Schmidt,"
Brian observed.
Ted gave his little smile and went to grab
a coffee. "Be right back."
"When you call him Mr. Schmidt
something big is up," Cynthia said looking at Brian. "Want me to get
lost?" she asked still able to read Brian pretty well.
"If you wouldn't mind," Brian
replied.
"I mind, but I'm used to it."
"Thanks."
"You'll tell me if it's anything I
need to know about."
Brian's non-committal shrug puzzled
Cynthia as she left the office closing the door behind Ted who had just
returned.
"What can I do for you, Boss?"
Ted asked.
"Sit down."
Ted gave Brian a quizzical look but sat on
the sofa next to him. He took a drink of his coffee. "Is something wrong?
Am I being fired?"
"Not yet," Brian replied with a
smirk unable to resist the temptation to play with his old friend.
"Shit!"
"Calm down, Theodore. I'm not firing
you."
"Thank God."
"You are, however, being sworn to
secrecy."
"I am?" Ted asked. Brian nodded.
Ted made the motion of locking his lips and throwing away the key.
"That's not good enough this time,
Ted," Brian said solemnly.
"Oh fuck!" Ted reacted. "Is
it the 'C' word again?"
Brian nodded.
"Cancer?"
"No."
"Cocaine?"
"No."
"Caffeine?"
"No."
"Cody?" Ted asked grasping at
straws.
"Fuck no!" Brian grimaced at
that awful memory.
"Then what the fuck is it?" Ted
asked sweat beginning to break out on his brow.
"Charity."
"Charity?"
"Yes, Theodore,
charity."
"Charity for who?
Why are you scaring the shit out of me about charity? Who needs charity?"
"I do."
"Fuck, Brian, you haven't gone and
done something stupid, have you? Have you lost all your money on some fly by
night scheme?"
"Do you really think I'm that much of
an idiot, Schmidt?" Brian shook his head. "I'm beginning to wonder
why I keep you around when you think so little of my judgment."
"Brian, Bri,
Boss, just tell me what's going on. Please!"
"Okay, but not a word of this goes
any further than this office."
"I promise … on my mother's
grave."
"She's not dead."
"I know but I didn't know what else
to say."
"Your solemn promise will
suffice."
"Solemn, solemn," Ted promised
his hand on his heart.
"Okay, listen up. I need to know
exactly where my finances stand and how much cash I can safely donate to a
charitable cause."
"Oh, you mean to get a tax break? I
already took care of that. You don't…"
"Shut up, Theodore, and listen."
"Sure, Bri."
"I want to renovate Terry's bath
house and turn it into a clinic and drop-in center for gay and straight street
kids, hustlers and other unfortunates."
Ted's eyes had got very big. "Have
you any idea…?"
"Yes, I fucking do have an idea. I
want to do this, Ted. I want to help some of those kids like Jason Kemp. I
don't want any more of them to die or get AIDS."
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am."
"It will take a lot of money."
"That's your job."
"And there's all the red tape."
"Bobby's looking into that."
"And the
renovations."
"John."
"And who's going to run it?"
"Hunter."
"Hunter? He's just a kid."
"He has his masters in Social Work.
He's not a kid."
"You really have thought this
through."
"All I need to know is if you can
spring enough cash to cover the cost of the building, the renovations and the
licenses and all that shit."
"I'll see what I can do."
"All the money from
"That should help."
"I realize that things may be tight
for a while, but I want this to happen. Bill is willing to come down from the
Farm after they close up for the season. He'll help Hunter get everything set
up. John's looking at what renovations need to be done and he'll start as soon
as I buy the building."
"Buy the building? You're closing the
last bathhouse in the area?"
"No, Terry will still run his
business from his current site, but it will be updated and he will be paying us
rent."
"Okay," Ted said shaking his
head. "This is a big undertaking."
"Make it work, Ted. I know you can do
it."
"I'll do my best."
"I know you will."
Ted stood to go get started shuffling
finances and crunching numbers. "You're sure about this?" he had to
ask one more time.
"Very, and Ted, no one is to know
about my part in this. Is that clear?"
"
Brian gave him a funny look and they both
chuckled. Ted had come a long way from the bad old days of crystal meth.
"Now, I have to go see a man about a
building, and then I'm going home to play with my daughter."
"You do that, Bri.
I'll call when I have some bottom lines for you."
"I know you will. And thanks."
Ted left the office wondering how he was
ever going to keep this all to himself. He knew he couldn't even risk telling
Allen. He felt like he was going to explode. But he also knew that he would
make this work for Brian. Who the fuck would have thought?
Brian took the time to consult with
Cynthia on Kinnetik's latest clients and current
campaigns. So far so good, Cynthia had everything under control. The Westbury
campaign was in full swing and despite
Brian was pleased and relieved. Even if
the clinic did acquire grants and donations, Brian might never re-coop what
he'd have to lay out. If he was lucky, the bathhouse rent might cover the
operating costs of the clinic. How ironic was that?
Brian finished up his calls, packed up his
briefcase and after saying goodbye to Cynthia and Ted, he decided to walk over
to Terry's. He stopped by the Vette which was parked
on
Across the street Michael was sprinting
down the avenue to get to the comic book store. He had stopped by the diner for
breakfast but it was so busy that his order took longer than expected. He was
sweating, his t-shirt had an orange juice stain down the front and he was
expecting a delivery. Michael was about to break into an all out run when he
saw Brian across the street. He was ready to yell out to get Brian's attention
before he drove off but then stopped in his tracks when he realized that Brian
wasn't getting into the Vette.
'What the fuck?' Michael thought to
himself. As he watched Brian throw his tie into the car, lock it then head back
down the alley. 'Where the hell is he going?' Michael crossed the street and
started to follow.
Michael hung back as he watched the tall
brunet duck into the alley toward one of the sleaziest bathhouses in all of
Michael was about to leave when the door
opened and Brian and some blond kid walked out. He watched as Brian dug into
his pockets and handed the kid a wad of cash. 'Holy fucking shit!' Brian patted
the kid on the head then opened the door to allow the kid back inside. Michael
ducked behind a dumpster as Brian started toward him and to his car. He heard
Brian's cell ring.
"Hey. I'm done. Want some lemon bars?
No? You sure? Okay, I'm heading home after I meet up
with the locksmith. Kiss the Squirt for me. Yes, dear, I'm fully prepared to shuck
corn. Bossy bottom. Love you too. Later." Brian
shut his phone then walked to his car.
Michael crept out from behind the dumpster, not only was he sweaty, now he smelled like a
garbage truck. 'Shit.' Michael made a beeline for his store and for the phone.
"Hellooo."
"Emmett? It's me, Michael."
"I guessed. What can I do for
you?"
"Nothing. I wondered if you heard anything about Brian."
"Brian? No, nothing
except the usual buzz at
"Oh nothing. In his leathers? Was Justin
with him?"
"No, but someone had to stay home
with the baby. Besides, Justin's been working very hard on the movie and he has
another show coming up."
"So Justin wasn't with him."
"I think I just said that. Michael?
What's going on?"
"Nothing. I gotta go, I have a
delivery."
"Bye, Honey."
Around lunch time, Michael had the chance
to go home to shower and change into clean clothes before heading back to the
store. Ben was home working on a lesson plan for the upcoming semester.
"Hey Baby, have time for lunch before
you go back?" Ben kissed his husband gently.
"Yeah, I have time. My delivery came
early so I don't have to rush back. Boy, it's hot out."
"Then you're in luck. You can enjoy
your lunch in air conditioning."
"Did Hunter call?"
"Yeah, he said he'd see us this
weekend at the barbecue."
"Oh that."
"You do want to go, don't you?"
"Wouldn't miss
it."
"Good, it'll be nice to spend a
relaxing day with the family in the country."
"Oh yeah, very relaxing. Um, Ben, I
think I'll take my sandwich with me back to the store. Is that okay?"
"Sure Baby. Oh, Scott and Brad asked
us over tonight for some wine and hors d'oeuvres. Is that okay with you?"
"That's fine. See you later."
"Later,
Michael." Michael
barely pecked Ben on the cheek as he scurried out the door.
Brian pulled into the yard at the cottage.
He smiled as he thought about Justin and Bree waiting
for him inside. His life was just about perfect. If he could get the clinic up
and running, it would be perfect. He shook his head at that thought. In the
past whenever things seemed to be going too well, life would kick him in the
ass. He thought about the prom, the fiddler, Stockwell,
Vance. Surely that was all behind him.
He gave himself a good shake and grabbed
his briefcase before heading into the house.
"Honey, I'm home," he called
out.
Justin stepped out of the kitchen carrying
a squirming Bree in his arms. "There's Dada,
sweetheart. She's been calling Dada all morning."
Brian smiled. His two favorite people and
they seemed to have missed him as much as he missed them. "Have you been
calling, Bri, all morning?" Brian said with a
smirk as he took the baby from Justin. Bree giggled
happily as Brian nuzzled her neck. Now everything was perfect in her world too.
"I wasn't calling your name, but I
think that could come later," Justin replied with a suggestive wink.
"I have some lunch ready and Bree has been
fed."
They went into the kitchen and Brian
placed Bree in her high chair. She watched her
father's dig into the salad that Justin had made.
"How did it go today?" Justin
asked.
"Ted's on board."
"Good, we need him if this is going
to fly."
"Are you worried?" Brian asked
looking into his husband's eyes.
"A little bit. This is a huge
undertaking, Brian."
"I know. I'm a little freaked too. I
don't think I really believed it could happen."
"It's happening," Justin smiled
offering encouragement to his partner.
"I saw Frank today, gave him the
latest installment of his salary."
"Interesting that you call it a
salary," Justin observed.
"He's a good kid. I think he's
heading in the right direction now."
"Don't be too disappointed if every
kid doesn't turn his life around."
Brian raised an eyebrow. "I guess I
sound like Pollyanna."
"Remember when you used to call me
that?"
"Yeah, how times have changed!"
"For the better," Justin said as
he finished his salad. "I'm going to put Bree
down for her nap. Want to meet me in the bedroom?"
"I'd rather meet you in the sun
porch."
"Okay," Justin smiled as he
lifted a sleepy looking Briana from her high chair.
Brian poured a couple of glasses of wine
and carried them out to the brass bed. He set them down by the bed and threw
back the covers. He started removing his clothes.
"Hey, wait for me," Justin
grinned as he joined his lover.
"Always," Brian said softly. He
handed the wine glass to Justin. "Here's to a successful
undertaking."
"Absolutely. Here's to the Jason Kemp Clinic and
"Where did that come from?"
Brian asked.
"You always let me name your
businesses. I thought that would be appropriate."
"It's perfect … like you," Brian
said taking Justin's glass.
Brian tumbled them onto the bed removing
clothes and kissing his delicious partner. In short work they were naked and
locked together. Everything was perfect. Just the way it was supposed to be.