Culturation

Chapter 8

In spite of the bumps and the inevitable small family squabbles that were bound to happen when a group this large all got together in one place, the afternoon party welcoming the latest child into the fold went well. Ray called from New York and had his family get on the phone to add their congratulations. Ray would have come but he was in the middle of a class project and couldn’t get away. Ken and Simon invited Drew, Emmett and Richie to New York at their earliest convenience. The family all made suggestions regarding the sites that must be seen. At some point, someone suggested a group photo of all the kids. Justin got his camera and began to take pictures, promising printed copies to anyone who was interested.

As the sun started to go down, many of the Liberty Avenue contingent started to leave. Michael had had a great time with JR and everyone, but the busy day and unending conversations were taking their toll. Ben put Michael to bed as the rest of the family began the task of cleaning up and packing up the leftovers.

“Are you sure he’s okay?” Debbie asked Ben for what seemed like the one hundredth time.

“He’s fine, Deb. I promise you, but he was up early and he’s tired. I swear, he just needs a good night’s sleep,” Ben reassured her.

“Well, if you’re sure.” Debbie wasn’t totally convinced.

“I’m sure.”

“But it’s so early,” Debbie exclaimed. Ben glanced at his watch; it was just about seven in the evening.

“Believe me, this is late for him. For most of the summer, Michael was fast asleep by five,” Ben tried to explain.

“Come on, professor, would ya stop monopolizing Debbie, I need her help with all these salads!” Brian scolded Ben as he held up a bunch of containers and lids. He gave the impression of a typical husband that didn’t know his ass from his elbow in the kitchen. Debbie marched herself over.

“Give me those,” Debbie shouted as she grabbed the containers. “Men, useless sometimes,” she griped as she busied herself organizing the leftovers. Ben looked at Brian and gave him the thumbs up. Within an hour the leftovers were packed away and a special ‘care package’ was made for Gus to take back with him to Penn.

As if on cue, the remaining family made their way through the gardens toward Edna’s Treasures.

 

*****
 

“It’s beautiful out here,” Lindsay commented as she slowly led Charles toward the conjoined cottages. The Fall plants were in full bloom.

“Yes, it is,” Charles agreed. The evening was still warm even though it was approaching mid September. “Where does this path lead?” Charles asked referring to the path past the Wendy house and to the stream. He already knew from Brian what was down there, but he wanted some time alone with his lovely lady.

“The stream. There’s a small stream that cuts through the property. It’s not really deep enough for swimming but it’s very refreshing in the heat of summer. Would you care to see it? It’s still light enough.”

“I’d love to if you think your family wouldn’t mind our absence. I have the impression that I am being closely scrutinized.”

They strolled along the path until they got to the stream. There on the big rock Lindsay and Charles continued their talk.

“You probably are,” Lindsay replied honestly. “My family is...”

“Very protective, as they should be. But I do hope they give you the opportunity to make up your own mind regarding our...”

“Future?”

“Mmm. We are, after all, attempting a transatlantic relationship. I fear that you would perhaps be happier with someone more convenient and younger.”

“Charles, you are a fit, vibrant man.  I don’t think age should be a factor. And the transatlantic issue goes both ways. I am aware that you have a certain reputation among the ladies.” Lindsay was trying for some diplomacy.

“Sidney warned you, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did and so did your first wife,” Lindsay said nonchalantly. Charles broke out into laughter.

“She likes you. She thinks that you might be the one to break me of my bad habits.”

“Charles, I learned a long time ago that no one can change you but yourself.”

“Do you speak of Melanie?”

“No. But if you’re able to get a quiet moment alone with Brian before we leave tomorrow, ask him about the stud.”

“Stud?”

“Just ask him. And now I think it’s time for us to go back.” Lindsay took Charles’ arm and steered him back toward the cottage.

 

*****
 

“Mama?” JR entered the living room on Brian and Justin’s side of the cottages. The remaining families were quietly talking, enjoying the evening and sharing future plans. Mel was talking to Gus who was proudly boasting about the grade he received on his summer project.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Mel said as she gently caressed JR’s cheek.

“Are you leaving soon?”

“I’m going back with you guys tomorrow.”

“No, I mean, you’ll be going back to Portland soon.”

“Yes, I have to go back to work. Lorna’s been very generous allowing me this time off.”

“I’m going to miss you,” JR said as she wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist.

“I’m going to miss you too, baby,” Mel said as she kissed JR’s head. “I love you so much and I am so very proud of you.”

“Gus, are you leaving too?” Bree asked her brother as she crawled up onto his lap. Her violet blue eyes glittered with unspilt tears and her lower lip began to tremble.

“I have to go back to school, you know that. But I promise we can eat breakfast together in the morning before I drive back.” Gus hoped that promise would forestall any waterworks. “Hey, short stuff, why don’t you ask Mr. Riley if he’d play something on the piano with you.”

Bree’s expression immediately changed. She hopped down off her brother’s lap and then skipped over to her fathers to find out if it was okay to ask Riley. Getting smiles and nods from her dads, Bree went to coax Riley into an impromptu concert.

 

*****
 

“Mr. Riley,” Bree finally said when Riley had stopped talking to Danny. She had waited patiently while the two men were talking.

“Yes, young lady. You wanted something?” Riley asked as he looked down at the petite girl.

“Could you play something with me on the piano?” Bree batted her violet blue eyes at him.

“I might be persuaded,” Riley replied with a smile. “What would you like to play?”

“Mozart.”

“Mozart?”

“Yes, my daddies are going to take me to the symphony to hear Mozart, so I want to know what it’s like.”

“Hm,” Riley said. “Mozart isn’t exactly easy to play. Has Miss Faith taught you a Mozart piece?”

Bree shook her head. “I thought maybe you could.”

“As I said, Mozart isn’t easy.”

“Oh,” Bree said dejectedly. That must mean that she wasn’t good enough to play Mozart. She didn’t like hearing that.

“But I think we should give it a try anyway,” Riley said cheerfully.

Bree’s face lit up. “Oh yes, Mr. Riley. I’ll try really hard.”

Riley took Bree’s hand and they started towards the living room where the spinet now resided. “You don’t need to try really hard, Miss Bree,” Riley said gently. “Sometimes it’s much better just to feel the music … let it sink inside you and roll around. You might be surprised at what comes out.”

A frown creased Bree’s forehead as she walked along with Riley. She didn’t know what he meant. Miss Faith had never told her anything like that. Miss Faith just expected her to play the right notes with the right fingers in the right tempo. She wasn’t sure she understood what Riley expected of her at all.

When they reached the piano, they both sat down on the piano bench. Bree waited patiently for Riley to tell her what to do.

“I’m going to play the first part of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,” Riley explained.

“Huh?”

“It’s just the title of a piece by Mozart. It means A Little Night Music or A Little Serenade.”

“I like that,” Bree said with a smile.

“It’s a very famous piece. I want you to listen carefully and see if you can hear the same chords repeated.”

“’Kay,” Bree said. She thought she could do that.

Riley began the piece. The first section repeated itself several times.

(You can go here to listen to what Riley played:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8HrTfZwtic )

“Can you hear the repetition?”

Bree nodded. “Right at the beginning it repeated twice.”

“Very good. Do you think you can play that part? I’ll play the first one and you play the repeat.”

“’Kay,” Bree agreed. She studied Riley’s hands as he played it again.

“Feel the music, Bree. Place your fingers here and try to play the same thing.”

Riley played the start again and Bree jumped in on cue. It was almost correct.

“I made a mistake,” Bree said sadly.

“No you didn’t. It was almost perfect. Let’s try again, and watch for that troublesome note. Listen and feel,” Riley counseled.

When it was Bree’s turn to come in, she did it perfectly this time.

“Wonderful!” Riley exclaimed. “Now I’m going to play another section, and then there’s a place where much the same thing happens. See if you can hear the repetition and then we’ll play that together.”

Bree nodded. This was fun. Playing for Miss Faith was very serious. They never had fun. Bree knew she learned a lot from Miss Faith. But Riley made it fun.

After several repetitions Riley stopped. “I think you have done very well, young miss,” he said. “Shall we play for the family?”

“Yes, please,” Bree said. “I like Ina Clina Knock Music.”

Riley chuckled. “I like it too. Mozart has some wonderful tunes. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the symphony.”

“Do you think they’ll play this one?” Bree asked.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s one of Mozart’s most famous pieces,” Riley said. “Go get your daddies and we’ll play for them.”

Bree hopped down off the piano bench and ran to get her fathers.

Riley sat staring at the piano keyboard. For so many years since the death of his lover, he had been reluctant - no afraid - to play the piano. It had taken this little girl to get him to play again. And not only was he playing, but he was enjoying it.

“I hear we have a concert to listen to,” Brian said as he entered the living room.

“Briana and I are ready for an audience, aren’t we?” Riley asked with a wink as Bree climbed back onto the piano bench beside him.

“Yep,” was Bree’s simple answer.

Most of the rest of the family had trailed behind Brian and Justin as they went into the house. The living room quickly filled with people.

“Are you okay with this?” Riley whispered to Bree. Many children her age would have stage fright in front of so many people.

“I’m ready,” Bree responded. “I just have to feel it.”

Riley grinned. “Good girl! Then let’s get started.”

Riley waited while Bree positioned her hands over the appropriate keys. With a flourish he played the familiar opening section. Bree repeated it beautifully. Riley played the more difficult section in the middle, and they ended with the repetition again. The applause was deafening as everyone clapped loudly as soon as they finished.

“That was wonderful, Bree, Riley,” Justin said. He leaned down to kiss Bree’s cheek. She beamed up at him.

“Do I get one of those?” Riley asked mischievously.

“If you can teach Bree to play like that in five minutes, I’ll kiss your feet.”

Riley was taken aback. “I was just joking,” he said quickly.

“I wasn’t. That was amazing. Bree has learned a lot over the months she has been playing, but this was … special.”

“I’d say she’s ready for the Mozart concert,” Brian interjected.

“Most definitely,” Riley agreed.

“Thank you, Mr. Riley,” Bree gushed. She threw her arms around his neck.

“You’re most welcome, little lady,” Riley replied with a big smile.

“If Mozart sounds this good, I should take myself to that fucking symphony too,” Debbie said loudly.

“Yes, maybe I should take Candy and JR,” Lindsay added.

There were several more rumblings about other people attending. Brian felt his blood pressure escalate. What kind of a monster had they created?

 

*****
 

It was getting close to ten and everyone was feeling the aftereffects of the abundance of good food and drink, and a long emotional day. Sleep was calling. Fortunately, with the additional rooms at the B&B, there was room for everyone to sleep on a comfortable bed for the night. JR invited her mother to room with her while Lindsay and Candy shared a room. For propriety’s sake, Charles was offered the futon in Brian’s attic office. Danny and Riley were about to go home to their tollhouse cottage.

‘Now what are they up to?’ Brian asked himself when he saw his blonds with their heads together, whispering.

“Mr. Riley?” Bree asked from Justin’s arms just as Riley was about to go out the door.

“Yes, little lady?”

“Would you teach me more Mozart and other stuff?” Bree asked, her violet blue eyes sparkling with hope and anticipation. Justin’s ocean blue eyes held the same sparkle. Brian smirked knowing very few could resist the power of those Taylor eyes. He held his breath waiting to see if Riley would cave under the pressure. Brian had no clue what Bree had asked but it amused Brian to see Riley’s response.

“Well, now that’s a difficult question to answer. You already have a piano teacher who I know is a very good teacher,” Riley insisted.

“But she doesn’t make me feeeel the music like you do. PLEEEZZZ!” Bree begged.

Riley felt Danny discreetly nudge the back of his leg as he contemplated the request. “I’m not always in the neighborhood. Sometimes I have to travel to wherever the orchestra needs me and of course Danny and I live in the city,” Riley explained. Bree and Justin’s faces fell. “However, when we’re staying out here, I’ll come by to give you special lessons as long as you keep up your lessons from Miss Faith,” Riley said as he shook his finger at the little girl. Then gently poked her tiny nose.

“YAY!” Bree screeched, jumping excitedly in her father’s arms. Duel sunshine smiles were trained on Riley making him laugh and shake his head.

“I think I’ve been hoodwinked,” Riley said as he laughed.

“I know you have,” Danny said. “But it’s good for you. I think Miss Briana will be your greatest student. Come on, old man, it’s time for bed,” Danny said as they passed out their goodbyes to the family. “We’ll be back in the morning for breakfast,” Danny said giving Brian a pointed look. Brian nodded; he anticipated cooking up a massive breakfast in the morning.

As Danny and Riley left the cottage, they could still hear Bree and Justin giggling with delight.

 

*****
 

“And this is where the artiste makes his magic,” Charles stated looking around the sun porch as Brian took him through and up the spiral staircase.

“Yes, he and John devised the pulley system. It came in very handy when Bree was in her exploration of everything she could touch phase. We use the sun porch daily; it’s just convenient this way,” Brian said.

“Ingenious,” Charles exclaimed. “I don’t think I’ve seen anything else like it. And this is your domain?” Charles commented as he looked around the office. Justin did have his own desk at one end of the office, but it truly was an office of an executive with its state of the art computer, fax machine, and copier. “You oversee all of your businesses from here.”

“You can put it that way,” Brian smirked.

“And you can keep an eye on your family as well,” Charles observed as he looked over the balcony rail. Brian nodded. “What’s over that way?” Charles pointed across the sun porch.

“John’s office. He likes a certain amount of symmetry. Our cottages are very similar although a bit turned around. Our front door faces the lane, his faces the garden. The sun porch connects through our back wall and the side of his cottage. Neither cottage had a basement nor an attic, just a small crawl space. He literally raised the roof to give us an attic office. With the futon or pull out, we both have an extra room when we need it.”

“And with the size of your family, you certainly need it,” Charles agreed. “This is amazing. Not quite what I envisioned for a man of your means and the hippest artist since Warhol.”

“It works for us,” Brian quipped.

“Evidently. And your children, they don’t miss the city?” Charles asked as he opened up his overnight bag while Brian extended the futon then took out the bedding from a small built in closet.

“Gus lived with his mother in the Pitts when he was growing up and stayed with us during holidays and the summer. Now, he comes and goes as he pleases. Bree and Patrick don’t know any other way of life. They can’t miss what they don’t know.”

“And you and Justin? I always took you for city boys.”

“We still have my loft in the city if we need it, although now Gus uses it more than we do. I like my privacy,” Brian said with an arch of his eyebrow. Charles took it as a sign and refrained from asking any more questions. “I’ll show you the bathroom,” Brian said as he turned to walk back down the staircase. Charles quickly grabbed his things then followed.

 

*****
 

“What do you think about Charles?” Brian asked Justin as he and Justin stepped into their bathroom to shower off the day.

“What do you mean? He’s a very important person in the art world.”

“No, I mean, what do you think of him personally? He’s handsome, I think the term debonair fits him perfectly, but will he be good for Lindsay?” Brian expressed his concerns as he gently scrubbed Justin’s skin with a bath sponge. Justin, loving the feeling of Brian’s ministrations, took some time to respond.

“I think we should let Lindsay make up her own mind about Charles,” Justin said wisely. “But I’m going to be spending a lot of time in the Pitts. Sidney and I will keep an eye on her if you’d like.” Brian nodded in agreement. “Your turn,” Justin said as he took the sponge from Brian.

Justin poured a generous amount of Brian’s favorite body wash onto the sponge then slowly dragged it all over Brian’s long frame. Brian closed his eyes leaning a little on the shower wall letting Justin take control. He could feel the tensions of the day flow away and down the drain with the bubbles.

“Turn around,” Justin murmured sensuously in Brian’s ear. He repeated his slow careful bathing of Brian’s back and legs, lifting each leg to tend to Brian’s beautiful feet. He poured more soap onto the sponge to take particular care of Brian’s cock and ass. It had been a long time since he and Brian indulged in any shower fun.

“Hang on,” Justin teased. Brian positioned himself with his hands and arms against the wall. Justin knelt behind his lover, parting the taut cheeks to access the tender bud within. Using all the lessons taught to him by Brian, Justin rimmed until Brian was almost begging for more. Justin stood up, rubbing his hard cock against Brian’s leg.

“Yes?” Justin asked.

“Yes,” Brian purred back.

Justin opened up a small packet of lube that they always kept in the shower and prepared Brian. Brian pushed back, taking a wider stance to compensate for their height difference. Justin pushed himself in, waiting while they both adjusted to the overwhelming feelings. At Brian’s grunt, Justin began to thrust, filling his lover completely. Before the water could run cold, they felt their orgasms build, coming together with loud moans.

Justin leaned against Brian’s back as their breathing regulated back to normal.

“One of your personal best, Sunshine,” Brian murmured as he turned and gathered Justin into his arms, kissing him senseless. Brian turned off the water, guided his sated lover out of the shower, toweling him dry.

The lovers went to bed, cuddling close then falling into a deep sleep.
 

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