Blasts From the Past

Chapter 6

“Drew, do we have to go home tonight?” Emmett asked with a sigh. He had so enjoyed their days away in New York City.

“’Fraid so, babe,” Drew said giving Emmett a little hug. They didn’t want to be too conspicuous on the streets of New York. But Emmett was pretty conspicuous wherever he was.

“I don’t want to go back,” Emmett whined.

“Well, we have our tickets booked for ten tonight,” Drew replied. “I guess we could change them.”

Emmett’s smile radiated along the street. “You’d do that for me?”

“Of course I would.”

“I guess I should go back,” Emmett admitted. As tempting as Drew’s offer sounded, he knew he really needed to be back in Pittsburgh the following day.

“You do have that wedding tomorrow, and they do need your personal expertise. At least that’s what you’ve been telling me.”

“I know,” Emmett sighed again. “They’re a very picky couple, and I don’t want to leave everything on Sean’s shoulders. He’s done a great job making sure everything is ready for tomorrow.”

“Then we’ll catch our flight later,” Drew said decisively.

“I hope Dijon isn’t the steward on this flight,” Emmett mused as he remembered their flight coming up to New York.

“Not likely that will happen, and yeah, he was … weird.”

“Weird doesn’t begin to cover it.”

“Let’s go have our last dinner in New York and enjoy ourselves. No more talk about Dijon or going home. Let’s enjoy fabulous New York City for as long as we’re here,” Drew said gently. “And … I promise a very special something when we get back to the loft.”

“You do?” Emmett asked perking up.

Drew nodded. “Very, very special.”

“Ooh, I hope it involves a touchdown,” Emmett whispered in his husband’s ear.

“Count on it, Babe.”

 

*****
 

“Bye, Bree,” Winona said as the camp bus drew up in front of Edna’s Treasures.

Bree and Patrick stood up and slid on their backpacks.

“Bye, Winona, I’ll miss you,” Bree said with a smile.

“I’ll miss you too,” Winona said sadly. “Can you call me when you get back from your trip?”

Bree frowned. “I guess so,” she said uncertainly.

“Or I could call you,” Winona said, “if your Dada wouldn’t get mad at me.” She still remembered how Bree had said her Dada was going to have someone murdered. She didn’t want to get in Mr. Kinney’s bad books.

“I guess so,” Bree repeated. “Bye, everybody!” She gave a wave to all the children on the bus as she and Patrick climbed down the steps. She made sure to jump from the last one. “Daddy!” she yelled when she saw her father standing outside Edna’s Treasures waiting for her.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Justin said leaning down to give her a hug. “Everyone’s waving to you and Patrick.”

The children looked up and saw arms and heads sticking out the windows of the bus. They were calling their goodbyes to Bree and Patrick. The children of Edna’s Treasures smiled broadly and waved back, yelling out their own goodbyes.

“Looks like you two made lots of friends at camp,” Justin said with a smile.

“Yeah,” both children replied. They watched the bus start forward and disappear down the lane.

“Will you miss your friends?” Justin asked.

Both children nodded.

“But not too much,” Patrick said. “We’ll see them all at school.”

“Yeah,” Bree agreed.

“Let’s get you two some snacks,” Justin said heading for the front door of the house.

“Yay!” both children said racing into the kitchen and taking their places at the kitchen table. Backpacks lay in a heap by their chairs where they had dropped them very unceremoniously.

Justin looked at them and had to chuckle while he shook his head. The children were so happy and so eager. He hoped that attitude would never end, but he knew it would. That was the way of life.

He set out the snacks and glasses of milk and sat down with the children.

“We’re having company this weekend,” Justin said.

Bree frowned. Gus wasn’t company. “Is it JR?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“Somebody else in the family?” Patrick asked. Justin shook his head.

“Taylor?” Bree asked hopefully. The baby hadn’t turned out to be so bad after all.

“No, this is someone your Dada and I knew a long time ago,” Justin explained. “She’s coming for the weekend.”

“Have we met her before?” Patrick asked.

“No, she hasn’t been in Pittsburgh for a very long time.”

“Will I like her?” Bree asked with a frown.

“I don’t know, sweetheart,” Justin replied.

“When will she get here?” Patrick wanted to know.

“Brian is driving up with her right now. They’ll be here soon.”

“Do I have to like her?” Bree asked.

Justin chuckled. “No, Bree. I can’t make you like her. But you will be nice to her. She’s the guest of this family.”

“’Kay, Daddy,” Bree stated. “I be nice.”

“Good girl.”

The children dug into their snacks quickly forgetting about the pending visitor. They probably wouldn’t have much to do with her anyway, or so they thought.

 

*****
 

“Dada!” A shriek was heard from the vicinity of the Wendy house. Then a streak of strawberry blond lightning was seen running toward the lane. The blond streak was closely followed by a red-headed streak and then one slightly taller blond streak and one very large wolf-like dog. Hearing the loud rumbling of engines, and noticing the running streaks from his living room window, the other red-headed member of Edna’s Treasures decided to find out what all the excitement was about. He left the cottage with a slam of the front door.

Up in his attic office, the current and only sane one left in the Edna’s Treasures asylum, John, was putting the finishing touches on a design he was working on for a building in Harrisburg. Naturally, the shrieking, rumbling and slamming caught his attention. With that Kinney dignity, John sauntered rather than streaked toward the lane to join the rest of his family.

“Wow!” Patrick and Bobby exclaimed as they ogled Leda’s monster bike. Brian had his arms filled with his daughter who was happily bestowing a myriad of kisses to his face. Justin managed to squeeze in a few of his own kisses then suggested that Bree let go of her father so that he could get his things out of the ‘Vette and they could all go inside.

“Little lady and gentlemen,” Brian began formally. “Allow me to introduce Ms. Leda Thalberg, owner and creator of “Lethal Motorcycles” and Kinnetik’s newest client.”

Leda took a mock bow then stood her ground as each member of the family came up to say hello.

“Bobby Morrison-Anderson,” Bobby said as he introduced himself. Leda smiled as she firmly took his hand. “My son, Patrick,” Bobby continued. Patrick shook Leda’s hand, his eyes full of awe. He had never seen a woman on a motorcycle this big and powerful before. Patrick was impressed. Bree narrowed her eyes with a twinge of jealousy.

“Hey Leda,” Justin said cheerfully as he shook her hand then exchanged chaste kisses. “You’re looking good.”

“And you still look seventeen! What the fuck is with you guys? You have a painting hiding in the attic somewhere?”

Justin giggled as Brian smirked. Bree was getting hot under the collar, so to speak. Only she and her Daddy were supposed to know about paintings.

“John Anderson,” John said simply as he took Leda’s hand. “Very impressive bike, ma’am,” John drawled with that country gentleman way of his.

Leda was momentarily floored by John; his resemblance to Brian was uncanny. The graying at the temples gave John a rugged, distinguished look, and just as Brian was stunning in his business attire, John was equally as stunning dressed in his jeans and work boots.

“Hello, and where has Brian been hiding you?” Leda flirted shamelessly, John blushed.

“Retract those claws, Leda. My brother is a one man, man and no women allowed,” Brian snarked as he gave Bobby a little shove toward John.

“Bobby is my life partner,” John went on to politely explain. “Patrick is our son,” John said proudly as he snaked his arms around both his red-heads.

“Just my luck to bunk in a house filled with gorgeous men and they’re all fucking gay,” Leda groused good-naturedly. The men chuckled.

Just then a petite in stature but not in chutzpah, strawberry blond, pushed passed the men in her life and into Leda’s personal space. Leda took a step back.

“My name is Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor. This is my Daddy and this is my Dada!” Bree said loudly as she grabbed her fathers’ hands. “My Daddy said you’re going to be our guest,” Bree said, stressing the word guest. “So I’ll be nice,” she said with a note of warning in her voice.

“So I guess I’ll be nice too,” Leda said softly as she squatted down to be eye to eye with Bree. Beau, who was observing quietly, sat next to Bree, his big bright eyes watched the whole exchange. Bree’s tiny hand automatically patted his head. Bree wasn’t totally convinced but nodded her head then extended her hand to Leda. Leda took it and gave it a shake. Somewhat satisfied, Bree stepped back toward her Dada. As Leda stood up, Brian immediately scooped Bree up to give her a kiss of reassurance then gently placed her down.

“Shall we all go inside?” Justin suggested. With nods all around, John Bobby and Patrick led the way as Brian and Justin unloaded the Corvette. Leda shouldered her duffle bag as she followed behind Bree.

“I think Leda has the Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor seal of approval," Justin whispered to Brian as he carried the boards.

“I’m not so sure,” Brian replied with briefcase in hand.

“Woof!” Beau added in agreement.

 

*****
 

“What a delicious meal!” Leda exclaimed as she patted her full belly. “I didn’t realize that cooking was among your artistic talents, Justin,” Leda complimented the chef of their evening meal.

“Justin has many talents,” Brian snarked proudly and with love as he loaded up his arms with dirty dishes to carry back into his kitchen.

They were having their dinner in the sun porch. The late August garden was in full bloom and the waning sun still had enough light to proudly show off the flowers. Leda stood up to walk around the porch, looking out at the garden and admiring the ingenious way Justin’s paintings were hoisted out of the way. The kids had asked to be excused to play outside before dessert was served. Beau accompanied them as ever their protector. Brian and Justin went about making coffee while Bobby went to his side of the cottage to bring out a couple of pies and ice cream.

“Aren’t you afraid to be alone with me?” Leda asked John.

“Should I be?”

“Some people may think so.”

“Like who?”

“Who what?”

“Who are those people?”

“Lindsay, for one, and possibly Melanie.”

“And Justin?”

“He was a child when I first met him, very pretty.”

“Still is.”

“But not my type.”

“Which is?”

“In a man? Tall, dark, handsome.”

“Like Brian.”

“And yourself.”

“And in a woman?”

“Petite, I like them petite and with brains, although I have been swayed by a tall leggy blond with talented hands. So you see I can be lethal to one’s so called monogamous relationship.”

“You don’t believe in monogamy then.”

“For some, maybe. For others, I don’t believe it.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m proof that given the right temptation, anyone can be persuaded to take a dip in someone else’s well. Hell, I’ve been to that well many times.”

“And that pleases you?”

“You know you’re a lot like your brother; you don’t mince words.”

“Thank you,” John said with a smile.

“To answer your question, I guess I keep waiting to find that special someone that would make me want monogamy. But I haven’t found her yet. Came close once but it didn’t last. And the couples I’ve met over the years couldn’t truly be called monogamous.”

“Why, did they succumb to your charms?”

“Something like that.”

“Then you may find your visit to our cottage quite an eye opener.”

“I came here to work not to fuck,” Leda announced.

“Glad to hear it,” Brian said as he came in holding a large tray with coffee and cups. “Coffee first then I’ll show you the preliminary mock ups.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Leda replied as she accepted a cup of coffee from Brian. Justin came in with the milk and sugar.

“Who’s for pie a la mode?” Bobby asked as he brought in a tray with Claire’s homemade pies and a tub of ice cream. Brian grabbed Justin’s wrist to look at the time. It was after seven.

“Live dangerously, Bri,” Justin teased his spouse with a wink. “We can work it off later,” Justin promised.

“Well, in that case, I’ll share a piece with the Squirt,” Brian said as the kids with an uncanny sense of timing for desserts came bursting through the sun porch door.

Bree settled on her Dada’s lap as Patrick sat in between his fathers. Leda accepted a small piece of pie from Bobby with a dollop of ice cream. She quietly enjoyed her pie as she casually observed her host and his family’s behavior.

“Dada, when do we bring Gus to college?” Bree asked as she fed a spoonful of pie to her Dada. Leda sat back very amused.

“Wednesday, Squirt. We’ll pick up Gus in the Pitts and then go up together,” Brian answered as he took the spoon from his daughter to scoop up more pie and ice cream to feed it to her. Bree giggled as Brian kissed her little nose. Justin couldn’t help but smile at the most important people in his life.

“I still can’t believe Gus is old enough to go to college,” Leda said.

“Yes, and he’s decided to follow in his father’s shoes, and also his mother’s,” Justin boasted, smiling proudly. “He’s going for a business degree.”

“And one in computer graphics,” Brian added jiggling his knees and making Bree laugh as she was bounced around.

“Bri, she’s just had pie and ice cream,” Justin admonished his silly spouse and equally silly daughter as they played at the table. Brian obediently stopped bouncing his legs. Father and daughter immediately sucked in their lips, looking up very contritely at Justin with wide eyes. Justin just shook his head.

“Dad, Uncle Brian, can Bree and I go back outside?” Patrick asked politely. It was too early for bed and it was Friday. There was no reason for the kids to go to bed early.

“I have no objection,” John said as he looked at his brother. Brian made a raspberry on one of Bree’s cheeks then gently pushed her off his lap.

“Go play, Squirt. Take a couple of flashlights with you … and Beau,” Brian commanded.

“Okay, Dada!” Bree smiled with her Daddy’s smile as she ran to get the flashlights. She and Patrick were outside in no time with Beau right beside them.

“Your children are beautiful,” Leda said with a regretful sigh. Her biological clock had long stopped ticking. “Patrick is yours?” Leda asked Bobby.

“There’s a bit of a tale to that,” Bobby said softly. John moved closer to encircle his lover’s shoulders with his arm. John placed a kiss on Bobby’s temple.

“Let’s get more comfortable,” Brian suggested as he freshened everyone’s coffee then settled into a chaise next to Justin. John and Bobby shared another chaise as Leda settled into one of her own.

The rest of the evening was spent quietly as the men of Edna’s Treasures told the stories of Patrick Rowan and Briana Victoria.
 

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