*****

 

"Bri, the girls are cool with just t-shirts. Um, they said they usually sleep half naked," Justin whispered to Brian with a grimace.

Brian chuckled. "When Lindsay and I were in college, she always slept in my t-shirt," Brian divulged.

"TMI, Bri," Justin stated with an exaggerated shudder. Brian went to Bree's bedroom door, gave it a couple of knocks then barged in.

"Fag in the house!" Brian announced as he quickly opened the door, stepped inside then shut the door.

"Hey!" Lindsay yelled but then laughed when she noticed that Brian had his eyes shut tight.

"What the fuck is up with you, Kinney?" Melanie shrieked.

"Believe me, Mel, with the thought if you naked, nothing's up," Brian snarked then got hit in the head with a pillow. He still had his eyes closed. "Are you decent?"

"Yes, we're all tucked in," Lindsay said.

Brian cracked open one eye to survey the situation. Seeing the Munchers all huddled under Bree's big thick quilt, he flopped himself onto the bed near Lindsay's side. "What are you doing, you big goof?" Lindsay slapped away Brian's hand as he pretended to threaten to pry away the blankets.

"Nuthin, just wondering what you got hiding under there," Brian said with mischief.

"Nothing that you'd want to see, asshole," Melanie snarked.

"You can say that again." Brian rolled his eyes at Mel.

"Behave!" Lindsay admonished Brian. "Now get out and we'll help with breakfast in the morning."

"Okay," Brian said contritely. "And no icky lesbian shit in my daughter's bed!" Brian wagged his finger at the girls.

"Get. Out!" Mel commanded as she pushed the man off the bed. Lindsay giggled. There was no malice in either Melanie or Brian's words. Brian placed some sweat clothes on the rocking chair then said goodnight to the girls.

*****

 

John and Bobby got Debbie, Carl, Ben, Michael and Danny situated in their side of the cottage after doling out the spare clothing to be used as sleepwear.

Katerina was happily ensconced on the sofa in Brian's end of Edna's Treasures. She had brought one of her nursing theory books to read.

All that was left was Seth, Raph and Hector. John, Bobby and Justin were finishing the cleaning up and setting the timers on the coffeepots for the morning.

"Seth, I hope you don't mind the chaise," Brian inquired. "It's really very comfortable. We've all slept on it at one time or another."

"No, not at all, I'm amazed that we all seem to fit," Seth commented. He had changed into a t-shirt and a pair of John's sleep pants and was given a thick duvet for his use. He was making himself a little nest on the chaise when Raphael and Hector came into the porch wearing their own borrowed sleepwear.

"Brian, I don't mean to be rude but all night I kept hearing about the brass bed. What brass bed?" Raphael asked with skepticism. Hector stood by with his hands on his hips.

Brian smirked. "Sunshine, would you assist me?"

"My pleasure," Justin answered with all innocence.

Working in concert, Brian and Justin folded back the big Japanese screen that was surrounded by the large potted palms in the corner closest to their bedroom. The polished brass gleamed, reflecting the light from the tree.

Raphael and Hector simultaneously let out a gasp of delight and wonder. Seth sat up in his lounger.

"This is beautiful!" Hector exclaimed as he reached out to touch the cool brass foot rail.

"You'd never know that the bed was here. This must be some experience in the summer, sleeping under the stars," Raphael commented.

Brian leered suggestively at Justin, as Justin sidled closer to him. Justin snickered then waggled his finger under Brian's nose. Brian captured the wandering digit in his hand then kissed Justin's palm.

"If you'd like more privacy, we can put the screen back in place," Justin offered.

"No, thank you," Hector answered for them both. "Your tree is so beautiful. It's a lovely sight to fall asleep to."

"Good night. We'll see you in the morning." Justin switched off the chandelier then dimmed the tree lights. John and Bobby went up to their office room as Justin then snuggled close to Brian under their blanket.

The snowstorm howled outside but it was warm and cozy within Edna's Treasures.

Beau made his rounds, making sure the occupants of the cottage were safe then he took his place upon his cushion and fell asleep.

*****

 

Joan and Jenn settled in on their futon. The lights were out and it was very dark being out in the country.

"Jennifer, could I ask you something?" Joan began.

"Sure."

"Do you think Brian is really all right? Has he said anything to you about his health?"

"What do you mean?" Jennifer asked, turning on her side to look at Joan in the darkness. "Did he say something to you?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Joan said hastily. "It's just that Brian has always been such a private person. I had to find out from Debbie the first time that Brian had cancer. He didn't even think to tell me."

"But your relationship with him was so much different back then."

"Sadly you're right. I was so prejudiced and inflexible."

"But you and Brian are so much closer now. I'm sure he'd tell you if something was wrong."

"Would he?"

"Joan…"

"He didn't tell me for days after this scare."

"He probably didn't want to worry you."

"It's a mother's job to worry."

Jennifer sighed. "Yes, I know. After Justin got bashed, I worried for months. Without Brian I don't think I would have my son back … even now. I don't know what would have happened to him … to us."

"That must have been a terrible time for you," Joan said reaching over to squeeze Jennifer's hand.

"It was." The memory still made tears come. Her beautiful son had been so damaged, so scarred, turned into someone she didn't even know. And couldn't cope with. She hated to admit that, but it was the truth. She had turned him over to Brian out of desperation. But it had been the right thing to do, no matter the motivation. Brian had brought him back. "I'm sure Brian's fine, Joan," she said, squeezing Joan's hand in return. "Brian says he is, and they were so happy today. Justin would have told me if something was wrong."

"I pray you're right," Joan whispered.

"I know I am."

*****

 

Sharon and Owen settled into the big four poster.

"It's so quiet here," Sharon said after a few minutes.

"Yes, so unlike our house in the city. There's always a siren or a car going by or a dog barking."

"Did you see that dog they have here? He's huge," Sharon observed.

"Yes, he certainly is, but he's so well trained. I hardly knew he was here most of the time. That's really saying something with all the people who were milling around and all the food laid out all over the place. I snuck him a piece of turkey at dinner," Owen laughed.

"You didn't!" Sharon giggled.

"Did to."

"My big, bad husband," Sharon giggled.

"Am I?"

"Of course you are."

"I can't believe we're here in Brian and Justin's home," Owen stated. "I would never have guessed this is where they would live."

"Where did you think they'd live?"

"In a mansion on a huge estate."

"Or a penthouse high above the city."

"But this place is much … nicer."

"Homier," Sharon observed.

"Yes, that's exactly the right word," Owen agreed.

"And Brian and Justin seem so happy."

"I hope Owen and Molly will be that happy when they start their married life together."

"Yes, I do too," Sharon said. "It's so much harder these days to make a marriage work."

"They have some good role models to follow."

"Like us?" Sharon asked.

"Yes, us."

Sharon giggled. "I love you, Mr. Brenner."

"I haven't heard you giggle this much in years. You should giggle more often," Owen said leaning over to kiss Sharon's cheek.

"I should?"

"It's one of the things I love most about you. Couldn't get that giggle out of my head after the first time I heard it."

Sharon smiled in the dark. "My mother used to tell me it sounded silly, that proper young ladies don't giggle."

"Well, you know what I thought of your mother," Owen said without any real rancor in his voice.

Sharon giggled. "It was the reason I kept going out with you. You pissed my mother off."

"Is that the only reason you went out with me?" Owen said with a smile.

"No, just one of many."

"Here's another one," Owen said as he rolled over and kissed his wife as he hadn't kissed her for quite a while.

*****

 

Katerina closed her book and switched off the light by the sofa. She snuggled down under the warm covers and watched the fire dance in the fireplace. Someday she wanted a place like this, a place of her own, a partner to share her life with.

She let out a long sigh and listened for a moment to the wind whipping around the cottage. This was so different from her homeland. It would be warm and green there, even though it was winter. She shivered just a little bit.

She wondered how John Patrick, her brother was doing. Maybe when she got her nursing degree finished and had a good job, she could afford a plane ticket home to see him and the rest of her family. Sometimes, it was so lonely here. Everyone had been great with her. She loved living at Jennifer's and always felt welcome, but she wanted her own place too.

Thinking about the cottage and Brian and Justin, she knew that's what she wanted for herself, a warm, cozy home with a partner to love. She'd have that … someday, she decided, as she snuggled down some more and fell peacefully asleep.

*****