Fractalized

Chapter 10
 

It was a few days before the opening of Justin’s Seasons show in Pittsburgh when Brian decided to call a family meeting. Brian realized that once the show actually opened, all six of the occupants of Edna’s Treasures would not be together until the launching of the show was over. Brian also harbored the notion that as soon as certain critics got wind of the Fractal movie, his life might forever be changed. Brian resolved to cross that bridge when he got there. Pushing down any anxiety or misgivings Brian called his meeting to order.

“I’ve asked you all here today...” Brian began.

“Bri, this isn’t a staff meeting,” John said gently. “Just tell us what’s on your mind,” he prodded. Brian dipped his head.

They were all gathered at the long table in the sun porch and just about to have dinner. Brian passed the platter of grilled chicken cutlets then began again.

“The first day of Justin’s show is this Friday.”

“No news there,” Bobby commented as he took a couple of cutlets for Patrick’s plate as well as his own.

“Justin will be needed in the Pitts, so after I pick up the kids from school, I’ll be heading there as well. I’ll stay through the weekend but bring Bree home Sunday night.”

“Brian, Rachel or I can get the kids. Then we’ll all drive in later that evening,” John suggested. “You should go with Justin in the morning.”

“We’ll still need to take two cars. I’ll be commuting back and forth that week; Justin will have to stay. He’ll need his own wheels.”

“Then you drive in together in the Cherokee. “Bobby will take the Navigator with the kids and I’ll drive your Jeep. This way you’ll have a car to come back whenever you want.”

“I guess. Justin doesn’t need me to be under foot all the time,” Brian mumbled sadly. Brian didn’t want to admit that he liked being needed by Justin.

“Brian,” Justin said softly as he placed a gentle hand on his lover’s arm. “I want you there with me. You know how Sidney gets; you know how he drives me insane sometimes. I’ll need you to remind me to trust that Sidney does know what he’s doing and that it’s all for my own good.”

Brian didn’t hear the explanation, just that Justin still needed him.

“Okay, Sunshine. If you want me there then I’ll be there,” Brian said with a small grin, finding it hard to conceal his joy. “Do you guys want me to book you a room at the Plaza or do you want to share at the loft? I’ll have Emmett stock the refrigerator before we get there.”

“That is, if Debbie and my mother don’t get to it first. They know I’m staying the week. I’ve been warned that I’m going to be fed,” Justin said as he rubbed his filling tummy.

“Daddy, are you going to be away for a whole week?” Briana asked her father with very wide eyes.

“Yes, baby girl, I am. But I’ll call you every day and I can read your bedtime story over the phone if you’d like. And you’re going to be there opening night and on the last night for the big party.” Justin hoped this offering would mollify his daughter. “This is an important show,” Justin added quickly, feeling guilty that he had to be away.

“I know, Daddy. It’s okay,” Bree said as she slid off her chair to give her Daddy a hug. The petite child could feel her father’s distress as she climbed into Justin’s lap. Brian slid her plate closer so that father and daughter could finish their meals while remaining in physical contact.

The family engaged in quiet conversation as dinner continued, shoring up their plans for the weekend and the rest of the week.

 

*****
 

“Brian?”

“What is it, Sunshine?” The lovers were preparing for bed. Justin was very nervous with anticipation. Anticipation regarding the show, its reception by the critics and the aftermath.

“This feels different somehow, doesn’t it?” Justin asked as he snuggled down close to Brian.

“No, feels the same to me,” Brian quipped, as he wound his arms around the anxious younger man.

Justin gave him a little poke. “Brian, you know what I mean. This show feels different.”

“How?” Brian asked as he gently nibbled Justin’s ear, manipulating his blond into revealing his fears.

“This show is all me,” Justin whispered, as he leaned his head over giving Brian better access to the sensitive spots on his neck.

“They’ve always been all you,” Brian murmured kissing the pale delectable skin, lapping at the sweet salty neck.

“Not completely. The Old Masters were my interpretation of classic paintings. My portraits have been about us, you, our family or how I’ve felt about them when I was happy or sad. Other times it’s been about Rage, this time it’s all me and the world around me.”

Justin pushed back on Brian’s shoulder, urging him onto his back. He began to nip at the prominent chin, relishing the scratchy feel of Brian’s five o’clock shadow.

“I feel naked,” Justin mumbled.

“You are naked,” Brian stated, patting Justin’s plump round rump, awaiting the inevitable retaliation, which came in the form of a bite to Brian’s right nipple.

“Ow!”

“You’re not listening,” Justin scolded.

“I am listening, Sunshine,” Brian said forcefully as he flipped them both over again. “The contents of this show have the potential of being more personal to those who will see them. The other subjects you’ve painted in the past are personal to you. The seasons and the weather in general affect all of us, in good ways and bad. But everyone can relate to it. I’ve never met someone who didn’t like the look of newly fallen snow.”

“Until you had to shovel it like this past winter.”

“Right, or the first Spring flowers.”

“Unless you have allergies like me,” Justin griped as he recalled his battle with his allergies. Brian kissed Justin’s wounded nose.

“And Fall leaves, the colors they become.”

“Except when we have to rake them.”

“Exactly. Even if you live in a bubble, the weather affects us all. What we wear for the day, what mode of transport we might take that day and our attitude for the day. Spring fever, the Winter blues, it touches all of us.”

“I guess that’s why I’m so nervous, Bri. What if I don’t touch anyone? What if I’m a flop? What if all my art is a fraud?”

“Why would it be a fraud, Jus? Your paintings have sold everywhere. Why would this time be any different?” Brian kissed Justin’s butterfly filled tummy then worked his way down to the semi-erect penis. “You are the bravest man I know, Justin Taylor-Kinney. Even if your worst fears become real, you painted from your heart. No one can ever take that away from you,” Brian whispered. He kissed, lapped then sucked on Justin’s cock, loving the feel of it as it grew harder in his mouth.

Brian watched as Justin fisted the sheets and arched his back under Brian’s thorough ministrations. Just before Justin came, Brian looked up into Justin’s face. His lover still radiated a youthful innocence.

“Come for me, Justin. Give me what you’ve got,” Brian urged as he swallowed Justin’s cock and cum. Without thought for himself, Brian gathered his mate close and waited until Justin became coherent.

“Mmm, that was so good,” Justin murmured, cuddling closer to Brian. “What about you?” he asked sleepily.

“That was for you. It’s all for you,” Brian said softly, his voice hitching, holding Justin tighter. “Your paintings are as beautiful as you are. Your art transformed my loveless soul, it touched me and now it will touch whoever sees it. Of this I have no doubt. Now sleep. I have a feeling once this show hits, you won’t have time to sleep.”

“I love you, Brian,” Justin murmured as sleep took him.

“I love you too, Sunshine.” Brian willed down his hard-on because his needs weren’t as important as the man in his arms. And that’s the way it was supposed to be.

The next morning, Brian was up with the birds as it was his habit even if he didn’t have to be anywhere. He was sipping coffee by the sun porch door, watching Beau chase the first Fall leaf that had made its way into the garden. There was a slight chill in the morning air but with promises of a warm afternoon.

“Had a quiet night,” Bobby casually remarked as he walked into the porch with his own cup of coffee. They still had a couple of hours before the kids needed to be up to get ready for school.

“You spying on us?” Brian asked with an arch of his brow.

“No, just came out looking for a brief I misplaced. Couldn’t help but notice the lack of noise that usually follows when you two go to bed.

Brian turned to stare out the door; a slight smirk graced his face. “Just making sure my Sunshine knows how much he’s cherished,” Brian murmured quietly as he took another sip of coffee.

“Good,” was all that Bobby said as he too greeted the new day.

 

*****
 

“Unca John,” Bree said as they gathered up her things to head into Pittsburgh for the opening night of Justin’s show. “What am I gonna wear tonight?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. Your Dada packed your clothes in this suitcase,” John said as he indicated the open suitcase lying on Bree’s bed.

Bree looked into the suitcase and frowned. She lifted up a couple of items to make sure she could see everything that had been included. Having viewed every item that was in the case, she realized that there was no new outfit for the opening of her Daddy’s show. She always got a new outfit for special occasions like this one. With a frown, she sat down on the edge of her bed and crossed her arms over her chest. Her mouth formed into a perfect pout. She sat there staring wordlessly out into the room.

“Bree, is something wrong?” John asked when he realized that Bree was silent and unmoving.

“I can’t go tonight,” she stated.

“What do you mean you can’t go?”

“I don’t have nuffin to wear.”

“You have a closet full of beautiful clothes, and your Dada packed your two beautiful dresses from your birthday party.”

“But they’re old,” Bree said regally. “I need a new dress.”

John stared at the little girl that he loved with all his heart. He couldn’t believe how selfish she sounded at that moment. “Bree, these dresses are fine. You don’t need a new dress.”

“Yes, I do,” Bree contradicted. “My Dada always gets me a new dress,” she said emphatically. “I can’t go.”

“You are most certainly going,” John said feeling his temper rise.

“No,” Bree repeated.

“Briana, your fathers are expecting you to be there.”

Bree looked at her uncle. He didn’t often call her Briana, but when he did he meant business. He was obviously not happy with her. But Bree wasn’t happy either. “Why didn’t my Dada get me a new dress?” she pouted.

“Your fathers have been very busy the last few weeks. You know your Daddy has had to spend a lot of time in Pittsburgh, and your Dada has helped him in any way that he can. That was more important than any new dress.”

Bree frowned. That did sound more important, but she had to look nice for her fathers. And she wouldn’t look her best in an old dress. “I can’t go,” she repeated her arms still folded on her chest.

“You most certainly can go, young lady. You have just decided that you want a new dress, and you didn’t get one. It’s not very becoming to see you acting in this unseemly manner.”

Bree frowned as she listened to her uncle. “I’m not acting,” she said not a hundred percent sure what her Uncle John had just said, but it didn’t sound good.

John smiled. Sometimes he forgot she was only five. “Bree, there are lots of little girls who would be thrilled to have one of the dresses you had for your birthday party, let alone both of them. Ashley doesn’t have nearly as many clothes as you, does she?” John asked, deciding to take a different tack with his niece.

“No,” Bree admitted reluctantly.

“Do you know that there are children all over the world who go to bed hungry every night and barely have enough clothes to cover their bodies and keep warm?”

Bree’s eyes got very big. At school she had heard about poor places in the world where that happened. “I know,” she said uncertainly, “but I want to look nice for my daddies.”

“Your daddies will love you whatever you’re wearing. And you will look like a little princess in either one of those dresses,” John said.

“Even if they’re old?”

“They’re classics,” John told her, taking a leaf out of Brian’s book. “Your Dada wouldn’t buy you anything that couldn’t be worn for many years. The trouble is you grow bigger each year, so he gets you new things.”

“Oh,” Bree said with a frown. That made sense.

“So, will you be okay wearing one of those dresses tonight?” Bree nodded somewhat reluctantly. She had really expected to get a new dress. “Then let’s get going. We’ll get you ready when we get to the loft.”

“’Kay,” Bree said as she tucked her grey bunny under her arm and John snapped the suitcase shut.

“Let’s go,” John said.

Bree was staring into her big closet filled with clothes, some of which she hadn’t worn in a long time. “Unca John, can I give some of my clothes to kids who need them? They should be warm.”

John almost laughed out loud. What an about face! He cleared his throat. “I think that would be a lovely idea, Bree.”

“Me too,” Bree said with a smile. “I share.” She slipped her hand into her uncle’s and they headed out the door.

 

*****
 

“Are we ready to give this fucking thing a try?” Brian asked. His last nerve was on the verge of unraveling. He had been stuck at the gallery all day while Justin and Sidney and Lindsay moved paintings around, and argued over which paintings to display on which revolving easel.

“I was ready an hour ago,” Sidney said as he pushed the button to start the first set of easels revolving on their platform. They had tried them at least fifteen times already, each time ending with some change being made to the order of the paintings.

“Let’s see how they look,” Justin said with a sigh. He was getting more and more worried about how this show would be received. He wanted it to be perfect.

The first set of paintings had almost revolved back to where it started when there was a grinding sound and a little puff of smoke. The revolving stand halted suddenly.

“What … what happened?” Justin gasped.

“I think we blew a fuse or something,” Lindsay said.

“I knew all this high tech stuff was a mistake,” Justin moaned. “Why didn’t we just hang the paintings on the wall?”

“Let me see what’s happened,” Sidney said lifting the skirt of the platform. “Oh shit! I think we fried some wires.”

“Oh no,” Justin croaked. “What are we going to do? This is a disaster.”

“Calm down, Justin, we’ll get it fixed,” Lindsay told him.

“What the fuck happened?” Brian demanded. “Didn’t you have this inspected by an electrician?”

“Well no,” Sidney admitted. “The company I rented this equipment from assured me it would be fine.”

“Get them on the fucking phone,” Brian ordered.

Lindsay quickly dialed the company and spoke with someone. After a minute or two she snapped her phone closed and shook her head at them.

“What did they say?” Sidney asked with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“They don’t have a replacement for these stands. We rented the only four they have.”

“Can they be fixed?” Sidney asked.

Lindsay shook her head. “He said they’d refund our deposit, but it’s closing time on Friday and he doesn’t have an electrician that he can get here until tomorrow.”

“Fuck!” Sidney gasped.

Justin leaned against Brian. He felt like his life was slipping away one fried wire after another. “I knew this was going to happen. I’ve been dreading this show.”

“Stop it, Sunshine. We’ll think of something.”

“Why couldn’t it have been a fucking fuse?” Sidney asked the ceiling. “Do any of you know a good electrician?”

Everyone shook their head and Justin moaned audibly. “This is going to be a disaster, I know it is.”

“Wait a minute,” Brian said, suddenly pulling out his cell phone. He hit a number and waited. “John?”

“It’s me, little bro’. What’s up?”

“Where are you?”

“Halfway to Pittsburgh with the kids. Why?”

“We’ve got a problem.”

“What kind of problem?”

“Electrical.”

“You need Aaron?”

“Was that the guy who worked on Lindsay’s house?” Brian asked.

“That’s the one. He’s very good at what he does.”

“Do you think you could get him here ASAP? We need someone to fix some wiring for us at the gallery. It looks like it’s fried,” Brian explained.

“I’ll ask him for a favor. I’ve sent quite a bit of business his way lately. I’ll tell him to get there as soon as he can.”

“Thanks, John,” Brian said with a sigh of relief. “It’s the revolving stands that hold the paintings.”

“I’ll let him know so he can come equipped. Do you want me to come to the gallery?”

“No, take the kids to the loft. They need some dinner. We’ll meet you there as soon as this fiasco is fixed,” Brian said.

“Hang up so I can call Aaron.”

“Thanks,” Brian said and snapped his phone shut.

“Can John help?” Justin asked hopefully.

“He’s sending an electrician right now.”

“Thank you, Brian,” Sidney said with a sigh of relief.

“Next time you do something like this, check the fucking wiring before you burn the place down.” Brian did not feel like being forgiving.

“I will,” Sidney replied. “I’m sorry, Justin.”

“Just get it fixed, please,” Justin begged.

Brian led Justin into Sidney’s office and got him some water. Would this fucking opening ever be over?
 

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