Chapter 8

 

Day 4

 

"Brian, are you going into Pittsburgh today?" John asked. He was just about ready to leave.

"I'm not sure, why?"

"I'd like to leave soon." John wanted to supervise the plumbing and have the new furnace and water heater installed.

Brian had no formal conferences or meetings so he was dressed rather casually, still stunning but casual. His briefcase was all packed.

"Let me check something with Justin," Brian said as he went to find his partner. John nodded, waiting patiently.

"Are those two okay?" Bobby asked as he had the kids ready to take to school.

"They're fine. Nothing an honest talk and some loving couldn't fix," John replied.

"That's good. I don't like it when they fight. Not that they fight often but when they do..."

"…it's a doozie. I know; they love hard..."

"And fight hard, tell me about it. Come on guys, off to school we go!" Bobby announced then kissed his spouse. Patrick gave his Dad a kiss as did Bree, kissing her Unca John.

"Bye, Daddy, see you after school!" the little girl said, enthusiastically giving her Daddy a big kiss then bestowing one on her Dada. She followed Patrick and Bobby out the front door.

"Sunshine, you okay with me going to the Pitts? I can stay home today." Brian was feeling a little torn and somewhat guilty regarding their fight on the previous day.

"I'll be fine. Go to Kinnetik, harass Ted for a while. Sidney is going to move the Old Masters to Chicago for six months. He wants me to work on something else."

"Does he have a subject in mind?"

Justin looked out of the sun porch windows to the huge snowdrifts that hadn't melted all that much since the Christmas blizzard.

"Seasons," Justin answered.

"Seasons?"

"Yes, the four seasons and their consequences. Starting with..."

"Snow!" the lovers answered at once then laughed.

Brian kissed his beloved until neither man could think.

"Go. Now. Before I won't let you," Justin said breathlessly.

"You sure?"

"Yes. I know you want to stay close by just in case Gus or JR needs you. Go visit your mother or Debbie. I'm sure they'd love to see you."

"Okay, maybe I'll visit Joan. Give Schmidt a break," Brian said with a smirk as he donned his thick overcoat.

"You do that, Bri," Justin said ushering the brothers out. He had some ideas for paintings in mind and was itching to get started.

*****

As Justin was busy preparing canvas at Edna's Treasures, somewhere in a quiet B & B in St. Augustine, the girls were waking up.

"Morning," Lindsay murmured as she stretched under the sheets on their soft bed.

"Morning," Melanie replied as she too stretched then rolled onto her spouse. "Hi," Mel whispered with a smile.

The girls had had their first really satisfying sleep in months.

"Hi, back," Lindsay purred, sliding her hands up and down Melanie's back, slipping her hands under the waist band of Melanie's panties.

"I love you," Melanie whispered against Lindsay lips then captured those lips in a searing kiss. She gently caressed Lindsay's breasts, pinching her nipples until taut. "Let me love you," Mel continued as she began to strip her lover of her sleep clothes. "Please, let me love you."

Lindsay smiled serenely as she gave her body over to her lover.

*****

"John! Thank goodness! I was just about to call," Danny said loudly. He appeared to be all in a snit. The furnace and water heater were delivered bright and early. Danny wasn't sure who or what repairman was coming to do the installation.

"Easy, Danny, it's all under control. Ronny and his master plumber should be here soon to attack the furnace and heater. Then we'll start on the pipes. We can get the majority of the big stuff done today. Then we'll tackle the smaller jobs."

"Which are?"

"That kitchen sink is about to go. The pipes underneath are holding together with gum and a prayer. In the basement, some of the wiring has been corroded. As soon as we ensure there are no more leaks, we can replace the shot wiring."

"And all of this can be done by the time the girls get back?" Danny wasn't convinced.

"We have ten more days to get it done. I plan to have the repairs done in less than that. I want the time to troubleshoot and make sure it's all shipshape."

"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" Danny joked. John's confidence in getting the work done quickly put the retired drag queen at ease. "You have time for coffee?"

"Always. We construction types live on coffee."

"Then follow me." Danny led the handsome 'construction type' to the kitchen.

*****

"Hey Pop," Gus said cheerfully into his phone. He had called his father during a free period.

"Gus, I thought you aren't allowed to use your cell in class," Brian growled, automatically arching his brow.

"Aw, Pop, I'm in the library studying; it's cool," Gus laughed. "And you can relax your eyebrow now."

Brian shook his head. "What is it, Sonny Boy?" Brian relaxed.

"Just wanted to say thanks."

"For what?"

"For helping with the house. Sometimes the moms don't get pipes and plumbing and..."

"I get it, Sonny Boy. No problem, I'm happy to help. What time do you two get out of school?"

"We're both done around three-thirty. Why?"

"I have John's car. He's supervising the great American repairs at your house. I'll pick you guys up."

"Thanks Pop! Later."

"Later, Gus." Brian cut the connection as he walked up to Joan's front door.

*****

"Brian, come in. This is a surprise," Joan said with a big smile.

"You almost sound glad to see me," Brian teased.

"Of course I'm glad to see you. The only thing better would be if you brought my grandchildren with you."

"They're in school."

"And well they should be. I wasn't suggesting that you take them out of school to visit me."

"But you'd like to see them more often?"

"Of course."

"I'll see what I can do about that," Brian said seriously.

"That would be lovely."

"Would you like some coffee?"

"You know, that would be nice," Brian said, following his mother towards the kitchen. He looked around. Nothing had changed, except maybe the woman adding water to the coffeemaker. This house still held unpleasant memories for him. It always would, but Joan had done her best to make things right between them. He had to give her credit for that. But … the house still felt like the place he remembered from his youth. He supposed it always would. And he didn't like it at all.

"Have you ever thought about moving?" Brian asked his mother.

"Moving? Where would I go?"

"I don't know … an apartment, a condo."

"I like my little house and garden."

"No bad memories for you?" Brian wanted to know.

"Hm, of course there are bad memories. Your father wasn't an easy man."

"You thought that too?" Brian asked sarcastically.

"He had problems. His life wasn't what he wanted," Joan defended her husband.

"He was a mean son of a bitch. He took out his frustrations on his family," Brian said bitterly.

Joan sighed. "I won't deny that any longer. He was cruel to you and to Claire and to me."

"Why did you stay married to him?"

Joan stared at her son and then turned away to pour the coffee that was now ready. "I…" she didn't continue.

"I'd really like to know why, mother," Brian prompted.

"You don't know what it was like back then. I had no skills, no job prospects. What would I do if I left your father? Where would I go? I would have two fatherless children with no home and no chance of a life."

"So you thought about leaving him?"

"Yes, I did, many times."

"But you stayed."

"Yes."

"I always thought you stayed because you didn't believe in divorce," Brian said. He sat at the table where his mother placed a mug of coffee for him. She sat down across from him.

"I don't believe in divorce, but the overriding factor was that I had nowhere to go."

"You must have been scared," Brian said realizing that for the first time.

"I was … a lot of the time."

"I'm sorry," Brian said slowly. He reached over and took his mother's hand rubbing the back of it gently with his thumb.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Joan said softly. She loved having Brian touch her affectionately. How could she have let him suffer all those years? "I should be apologizing to you for keeping you in the same house with Jack."

"You couldn't help it."

"I guess we both have things to be sorry about, and things that couldn't be changed."

"Yeah, we do," Brian said with a faraway look in his eye.

"Is everything all right with you and Justin?" Joan asked with a frown.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I … the look on your face just then…"

"We had a fight last night, but we're okay now."

"Did you talk?" Joan asked him with a gentle smile.

"Yes…finally. Talking is my least favorite thing to do."

"I know. You were always a silent child, kept everything to yourself."

"Like I had any choice."

Joan looked away knowing that she was largely responsible for Brian feeling that way. "I'm sorry."

"I didn't come here to place blame, mother. I just wanted to see you."

"And I'm grateful you did," Joan smiled.

"I should get going," Brian replied looking at his watch. "I told Gus that I'd pick him and JR up from school."

"You're a good father, Brian."

"Thank you, mother. I really appreciate that."

"Please, come see me again, and bring your children."

"I will," Brian promised, as he stood up from the table. He stepped around it and leaned down to kiss his mother's cheek before leaving the house.

He didn't see Joan gently pat the spot he'd kiss and smile brilliantly.

*****

"Good afternoon, ladies and germs!" Brian bellowed out the driver's window as he pulled up in John's Navigator in front of Gus and JR's school. Gus rolled his eyes and JR acted demure.

"Pop, you always know how to make an entrance," Gus said as he climbed in the front seat after opening the back door for JR.

"Your point?" Brian quipped. Gus merely smiled.

"Uncle Brian, is the plumbing working yet?" They had spent the night at Danny's house which was fun, but JR wanted to be in her own home surrounded by her own things. And have the ability to shower in her own bathroom.

"I'm not sure, little lady. Uncle John has been there all day. He'll get it done as fast as he can."

"Okay," JR said as she settled back into the seat. She just hoped it would be done before the weekend.

*****

"Guys, one more day," John announced to the three pairs of eyes that were giving him the puppy dog look. And to the fourth pair that was giving him a pleading look.

"The new furnace and heater have been installed and tested. They work fine. We'll replace all the old pipes tomorrow. I was able to complete most of the rewiring today. I'll finish that up tomorrow while Ronny installs a new kitchen sink. There are a few outlets and switches I want to replace too. I'll install safety outlets in the bathroom and kitchen."

"Uncle John, won't the moms notice?" JR wasn't convinced that they could hide all the repairs from the moms.

"Probably," Brian answered. "If they complain, have them call me. I'd rather risk the bitching and moaning than the possibility of a fire or injury. I'll think of something," Brian reassured the girl.

"So that means one more night at Grandpa Danny's house?" Gus asked.

"Yes, we can get the rest done by tomorrow afternoon and you can come back. But I'm returning next Monday to inspect the rest of the house," John said with authority.

Neither Danny, Brian nor the kids would contradict him.

*****

"I wonder how the kids are doing?" Lindsay mumbled. The girls had spent most of the day in bed rediscovering each other and doing what was typically done on a honeymoon; first, second or whatever. Some time during the afternoon, they showered and briefly left their love nest in search of food to sustain them then quickly returned to bed.

"I'm sure they're fine, Lindz. We would have heard if anything happened. Danny is very responsible and I have back up just in case."

"Back up?"

"Yes, Debbie promised to check on them. If she finds a hint of trouble, she'll call us."

"Sounds good to me," Lindsay said as she eased herself between Mel's legs.

*****

"Just what the fuck is going on here?!" Debbie yelled as she pulled up in front of the girls' house just as Ronny and his crew were leaving. She caught the wink Ronny gave Gus as she walked through the door. "Gus Peterson-Marcus, I've known that boy since he was your age. He's too old for you. Now tie a knot in it!" Debbie snatched one of Gus' ears to bring him down to her level.

"Aw, Grandmaw!"

"Don't you Grandmaw me. I warned you, no tricks until you're eighteen."

"Yes, Grandmaw."

Debbie gave Gus a kiss then cuffed the side of his head. "Good boy, now what's going on?" Before Gus could explain, Brian came to his son's rescue.

"Howdy, Maw!" Brian greeted Debbie cheerfully.

"Christ, like two peas in a pod, the pair of you!" Brian kissed her cheek. "I mean it, kiddo. What's going on?"

Brian quickly filled Debbie in on the multitude of discovered problems, the solution they had come up with and the reason for not revealing the current state of the house to the girls.

"As much as I don't like lying to anyone, I agree that we shouldn't let them know about this. They'd be on the first flight back. They really need this time together. John, can you get this finished before the girls get home?"

"Yes, Deb, we can. Most of the major repairs were done today. We'll finish up the rest tomorrow. Danny and the kids can start cleaning up over the weekend and I'll come back next week to troubleshoot."

"Uncle John," JR began, "we have off on Monday so we have plenty of time to clean."

They all agreed, repairs first, letting the girls in on it, second.


 

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