There’s No Place Like Home
 

Chapter 4

 

Brian swung along on his crutches heading to the kitchen and the smell of coffee. He had spent a for shit night, tossing and trying not to turn so that he didn’t cause more pain in his ankle. And then when he did fall asleep, he dreamt of Justin falling off that horse.

Justin was gone when Brian had awakened. Brian figured Justin had left him alone to see if he could get some sleep when he had all the bed to himself. That must have worked because it was much later than Brian would normally get up. He hoped there was lots of strong coffee, and no conversation, when he finally got to the kitchen.

“What the fuck is this? A hen party?” Brian asked sarcastically when he saw the kitchen full of people. That was not what he had been looking for.

“Did you get some sleep?” Justin asked giving Brian a peck on the cheek. John handed his brother a mug of coffee.

“A bit, but you should have got me up when you got up.”

“You were restless all night, so I thought I’d let you sleep.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Brian replied taking a sip of the coffee. That helped a bit.

“Sit down, sire,” Emmett said continuing his royal treatment from the previous day.

“Have you all eaten?” Brian asked.

“No, we just managed to get everything cooked. You will join us for brunch?” Emmett asked.

“Sun porch?” Brian asked, meaning that he didn’t want to sit down twice. Getting up and down was hard enough doing it once.

“I’ll carry your coffee, Dada,” Bree volunteered reaching up for Brian’s mug.

“Thanks, Squirt,” Brian said handing her the cup. “Did you sleep good?”

“Yep, I like having everybody here,” Bree said as she trailed along with her father, carefully carrying his mug of coffee.

“Not everybody’s here yet,” Brian observed, inwardly shuddering at the masses of people who were yet to appear.

“I wish my Gus was here,” Bree added with a sigh.

“You know Gus is spending this holiday with Ray in New York.”

“I know but I still want my Gus here.”

“Cloning hasn’t developed to that stage,” Brian replied enigmatically.

“Huh?”

“It’s okay, Squirt,” Brian continued, his voice softening. “Gus will spend plenty of time with us this summer.”

“You promise?”

“I promise,” Brian said as he got himself situated at the big table in the sun porch.

Bree handed him his mug of coffee, and then she climbed onto the chair next to him and studied her Dada’s face. “I love you, Dada.”

“Love you too, Squirt.”

“Can you do gar-gar with me?”

Brian frowned. He hadn’t thought about what shape his gardens must be in with him being away. His beautiful gardens were going to go to wrack and ruin. There was no way that Brian could garden on crutches.

“What’s wrong?” Justin asked as he joined them at the table. He saw the storm clouds on Brian’s face.

The rest of the kitchen gang paraded into the sun porch carrying heaping bowls of eggs and platters of bacon, plus toast, juice and coffee.

“Bree just reminded me that there will be no one to take care of the gardens until my ankle’s better,” Brian said sadly. He hated the thoughts of all his beautiful beds becoming filled with weeds.

“I can look after them, Dada,” Bree said trying to be helpful.

“You won’t have to,” John said emphatically.

“I can do it, Unca John.”

“I know you can, princess, but Bobby and Patrick and I will do most of the work. My brother can supervise.”

“You don’t have to do that, John,” Brian said quickly. “I can probably get the garden center to send someone over to do it.”

“Wouldn’t you rather keep it in the family?” John asked pointedly.

“Drew and I can always help when we’re here,” Emmett offered as they started passing the food around.

Brian raised an eyebrow.

“As long as someone tells me which ones are the weeds,” Emmett amended.

“I still think I should get the garden center…”

“I won’t hear of it,” John said forcefully.

“Me either,” Bobby agreed.

“We had another idea while we were in Hawaii,” Justin said deciding that they should let Brian mull over the suggestions about the garden. If they pushed too hard, Brian would just get his back up and turn them all down.

“What idea?” John asked sensing what Justin was trying to do.

“We thought we might like to have a greenhouse.”

“A greenhouse?” Bobby asked in surprise.

“Yeah, we saw all kinds of orchids growing in greenhouses as well as outdoors. Brian thought it might be nice to do gar-gar in the winter,” Justin explained touching Bree’s blonde locks fondly.

“That’s a great idea,” John enthused. “Want me to build you one?” John asked his brother.

Brian nodded and smiled. He’d like that a lot. “If I’m able to garden by winter, that is,” he added with a sigh.

“Of course you will be able,” John stated emphatically.

“Where the fuck is everyone?” a booming voice called from the kitchen.

“Debbie,” everyone said at once.

“Out here,” Justin called.

“Well, look at this lazy crew, lolling around…” Debbie stopped mid-sentence as she spotted the sling on Justin’s arm. “Fuck! What happened to you?” Her face mirrored her concern.

“Dislocated shoulder,” Justin replied.

“You poor baby, how did that happen?”

“I fell off a horse.”

“Were you having s-e-x on it?” Michael asked snidely, only half joking.

“Why does everybody keep spelling sex, Dada?” Bree asked.

“Damned if I know, Squirt,” Brian replied, taking the high road on this one.

“Does it hurt?” Ben asked.

“It’s not so bad,” Justin said.

“And did you hurt your leg too?” Debbie asked spotting the crutches leaning against the table near Justin.

“No, they’re…”

“That must have been some trip,” Michael scoffed.

“It was great,” Justin retorted.

“In spite of your injuries?” Debbie asked.

“I only have one…”

“Well, you just rest and we’ll take care of everything, won’t we, Carl?” Debbie said.

“Yes, dear.”

“But…”

“Why don’t you boys tell us all about your trip and what happened when everyone gets here,” Debbie suggested. “That way you’ll only have to do it once.”

“Good idea, Deb,” Brian said as he stood up and placed the crutches under his arms.

“Oh my God, they’re your crutches?”

“That’s right.”

“But why didn’t you say something?”

“I don’t recall having the opportunity.”

“What did you do to him?” Michael demanded of Justin.

“Me?”

“Yes, this must be your fault. Brian never gets hurt.”

“I have to pee,” Brian stated. “And as your mother said, we’ll tell you all about it when everyone gets here.” And with that Brian Kinney hobbled out of the room.

 

*****
 

“Did he tell you what happened?” Debbie asked John as they were loading all her salads into the fridge.

“Of course he did.”

“Is he really all right?”

“They both are. They just need some time to heal.”

“I feel like such an idiot not noticing that they were Brian’s crutches.”

“You could hardly have known with his sprained ankle under the table.”

“I should have known.” Debbie shook her head. She couldn’t believe she had been so stupid.

“Don’t blame yourself, Debbie. They’re both going to be fine.”

Debbie was about to lay some more blame on herself when the front door of Edna’s Treasures opened.

“Hi, we’re here,” Lindsay called.

She and Candy walked into the house followed by Leda, Jamie and a little bundle in a car seat.

“The baby!” Debbie gushed rushing over to look at the sleeping baby. “Can I pick her up?”

“Sure,” Jamie said setting the car seat on the kitchen table. Debbie gently lifted out the little girl who slept on oblivious to her surroundings.

“I’m so glad you were able to come,” John said looking at the baby as Debbie held her. “She’s beautiful.”

“We figured with all the mothers scheduled to be here today, we should be able to handle anything that happens,” Leda replied. “And a few doctors thrown in for good measure.” She seemed to glow as she looked lovingly at her daughter.

“How are you both doing?” Debbie asked.

“We’re good. Tired with feedings at all hours, but really good,” Jamie said happily.

“That’s good,” Debbie concurred. “What did you finally name her?”

Jamie and Leda looked at each other and smiled. “After quite a lot of discussion and debate, her name is Briar-Rose Aideen Cunningham-Thalberg, but she’ll be called Rose,” Leda replied.

“That’s quite a mouthful,” Debbie laughed.

“Yeah, but we like it,” Jamie responded.

“Will she like it when she’s a teenager?” Debbie asked knowingly.

Leda and Jamie shared another look, like they hadn’t thought about that.

“Let’s get you something to drink. Take the baby out to the garden. A few family members are there already,” John advised.

As the girls made their way outside, John got drinks set up in the sun porch.

“Lookie, lookie, who’s here,” Emmett cooed when he saw Debbie carrying the baby. “She’s so lovely,” he said as he looked at the little face.

“Where’s Brian?” Leda asked. “We wanted to thank him for helping us at the hospital.”

“Over there,” Emmett said. “What did Brian do at the hospital?”

“Emmett, I could use a hand with the drinks,” John called.

Not getting an answer to his question, Emmett hurried over to help John. He didn’t know Brian had had anything to do with the birth of Leda’s daughter.

“Brian,” Leda said leaning down to hug Brian where he sat on a chaise with his leg extended and his crutches tucked inconspicuously behind him. “I want to thank you for sending Debbie, and everything you did the day our daughter was born.”

Brian nodded but didn’t say anything. Debbie offered him the baby to hold. Brian took the little bundle carefully and held her to his chest. “She’s beautiful, Leda, Jamie.”

“Yes, she is,” both women replied.

“Can I see, Dada?” Bree asked hovering beside Brian’s chaise.

“Sure, Squirt, sit here beside me, and you can have a good look at…” Brian realized he didn’t know the baby’s name.

“Briar-Rose Aideen Cunningham-Thalberg,” Jamie said.

“But we’re going to call her Rose,” Leda added.

“Ah, a rose amongst thorns,” Brian couldn’t help but say.

Leda shook her head and chuckled. “I knew you’d say that. It’s part of the reason we chose the name, that and it’s another name for Sleeping Beauty.”

“She is a sleeping beauty,” Justin said from his chaise beside Brian.

“Did you take note of her middle name?” Leda asked.

“It wasn’t lost on me,” Brian said smugly.

“I thought it was the least we could do after you came to our rescue the day she was born,” Leda said.

“How did you know my middle name? It’s not common knowledge,” Brian said.

“I pestered Lindsay till she told me.” Brian snorted, but he quickly smiled too. He was rather pleased by the feminine version of his middle name Aidan.

“How come they got a girl?” Bree asked having waited patiently to speak.

“Luck of the draw, Squirt,” Brian replied.

“We always get boys,” Bree griped.

Brian chuckled and shook his head. Bree still wanted a little girl in the family. This was probably as close as she was going to get. “Do you want to come up here on the chaise with me? You can hold her if Leda and Jamie say it’s okay.” The girls nodded. Bree climbed up beside her father and Brian carefully placed the baby in her arms. She looked very pleased with herself as she held Rose.

Other family members were arriving. Most of them went directly to the new baby, oohing an aahing at the little girl. Many family members eventually arrived at Brian and Justin’s chaises, where they noted the battered condition of the men. They were told that all would be explained later on. That was enough to stop too many questions about what had happened. Everyone wanted to know if they were in pain and if they would be all right. They were content when they heard that both men would recover eventually.

When Joan arrived with Danny and Riley, she was very upset that Brian hadn’t let her know that he had been injured. She wanted to be at Edna’s Treasures to nurse her son when he needed her. She got John to bring a chaise over beside Brian’s in the shade where she ensconced herself for the rest of the day. If Brian needed anything she would be the one to get it. Bree wasn’t happy to have competition in her nursing duties, but she loved her Gamma Joan very much, so she decided to share her Dada.

Danny and Riley made some good natured jokes about the boys, but then left Brian and Justin to make their explanations when they chose to.

Nick and Hunter arrived, much to the pleasure of Leda and Jamie who were happy to have medical personnel on hand in case the baby needed any attention. Rose slept until she was hungry. Jamie took her into Bree’s bedroom to breast feed her, when the baby started to cry. Bree wanted to go with Jamie since her nursing services were not required at the moment.

Jamie said Bree was welcome to come with her. The two headed inside the house with baby Rose. Jamie sat in the big rocking chair that still occupied a corner of Bree’s room. Jamie lifted her T-shirt and the baby latched onto her breast sucking contentedly.

“Does that hurt?” Bree asked with a frown.

“No, it feels wonderful actually,” Jamie answered with a smile.

“My daddies told me I’d get breasts like yours.”

Jamie chuckled to herself. “I’m sure you will.” She had trouble imagining Brian or Justin having a facts-of-life talk with their daughter, but they obviously had. She had to give them credit for that.

“Do you think I’ll have a baby someday?” Bree asked thoughtfully.

“If you want one.”

“I’d like a baby girl,” Bree stated.

“What if you got a baby boy?”

“Every time I wanted a baby girl, I got a baby boy, so that’s probably what will happen,” Bree said with a dramatic sigh.

Jamie laughed. “And you’ll love your baby whatever it turns out to be.”

“I will?”

“I guarantee it.”

“Would you have loved a baby boy?”

“I sure would.”

Bree frowned. Maybe this lady was right. Maybe it didn’t really matter whether a baby was a girl or a boy, they were all special.

As Rose started to doze off, Jamie lifted her to her shoulder and elicited a big belch from the small body.

“Gross,” Bree said.

“It may sound gross, but she needs to get rid of the air.”

“Does she do that every time?”

Jamie nodded her head. “Yes she does.”

“Are you done?”

“She’s falling asleep,” Jamie said as she cradled the baby. “Can you bring me the car seat?” Jamie asked Bree. They had left it by the bedroom door.

“Sure,” Bree said hopping down off her bed to get it.

When the baby was tucked securely in the seat they headed down the hall.

“Babies don’t do much, do they?” Bree asked.

“No, mostly eat and sleep.”

“I think I’d like a baby that could do more stuff,” Bree said.

“No shit!” Jamie laughed as they headed outside.

 

*****
 

When Molly arrived with Owen and Taylor, there were tears when she saw her brother, as there were with Jennifer. Both women were very solicitous of the two men, and neither blamed Brian for Justin’s condition, for which Brian was most thankful.

Taylor wanted to climb up on the chaise with his Unca Dust. When he was stopped from doing that, he tried his Unca Bi. At that point Bree took matters into her own hands. She grasped Taylor by the arm and told him they were going to go into the sun porch and color. He was to come with her and not cry and not make a fuss. Taylor looked up to Bree with eyes full of adoration. He followed her without question.

Brian and Justin looked at each other. “I think it’s almost time for the full story of our Hawaii adventure,” Brian said.
 

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