KIDZ

Chapter 4

“Daddy, does this look okay?” Bree asked as she twirled around in the sun porch, trying to show off her dress. Her father who was elbows deep in paint wasn’t paying attention.

“Daddy?” Bree called out.

“DADDY!” Bree shouted with a stamp of one dainty sandal clad foot.

“Hmm?” Justin mumbled around the wooden end of his paint brush.

“Look at my dress, Daddy. Is this nice enough to go to work in?” Bree twirled again; her pink and white sundress swirled around her legs while the white shrug sat daintily on her shoulders. “Do you like it?”

“Uh huh,” Justin murmured.

“Daddy,” Bree whined softly then slowly shuffled toward the doorway that led into the main house.

“Bree,” Brian called out from overhead on his balcony. Bree stopped to look up. “Come up.”

“Okay,” Bree replied in a dejected tone. Bree carefully climbed up the spiral staircase to Brian’s office. “Hi, Dada,” Bree said with a sigh as she entered the office.

“What’s the matter, Squirt?”

“Daddy doesn’t have time for me,” she said with tears welling up in her big violet blue eyes. Brian patted his lap and Bree climbed up. Brian wrapped his arms around his forlorn daughter.

“That’s not true, but you know how Daddy gets when he’s in the middle of a project. What did you want Daddy to do?”

“To look at my dress. I want to know if it’s okay to wear to work,” Bree said with a sniffle.

“Squirt, you know better than to ask your Daddy’s opinion about clothes. His idea of high fashion is black cargo pants and a t-shirt.” Father and daughter gave an exaggerated shudder. “So let me see what you’ve decided to wear,” Brian said as he gently pushed Bree off his lap to set her back on her feet. Bree did a little twirl to show off.

“I think that’s perfect, Squirt. And it’s very smart of you to include the sweater. Sometimes it gets cold in the office. And they keep the gallery cool to help preserve the paintings.” Bree smiled at her father’s praise. “Is this what you’re going to wear the first day?” Bree nodded. “Very nice.”

Brian was pleased with her choice. Bree looked sweet and innocent. He wasn’t prepared for his nine year old daughter to dress like a fifteen year old imitating a hooker. No, Brian Kinney wasn’t quite ready for his baby girl to be all grown up. He pulled her close, inhaling her sweet little scent. He gave her another hug.

“Do I look pretty, Dada?” Bree said into Brian’s ear.

“Beautiful,” Brian whispered. With a sigh, Brian ended the hug. “Let’s go put together other outfits,” Brian suggested as he shut down his computer to lead Bree down to her room.

Justin was still totally engrossed in his painting as they passed by. Brian stopped for a moment to watch his preoccupied spouse.

“Justin, I’m dying Bree’s hair pink and shaving mine off,” Brian quipped while winking at his daughter. Bree giggled softly at his side.

“Okay,” Justin mumbled as he applied more paint to his canvas with a flourish.

“Oh, and your mother is pregnant with twins,” Brian stated as he took Bree’s hand.

“Uh huh,” Justin murmured.

About twenty minutes later while Brian and Bree were mixing and matching separates in her room, Justin flew through the door.

“Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor, don’t you dare dye your...hair?” Justin stood blinking in confusion getting two innocent smiles in return. “Your hair is still blond,” Justin stuttered.

“Yes, Daddy,” Bree said with a smile and a nod. Justin gently caressed the baby fine strawberry blond hair as he drew her in close for a kiss. He then turned toward Brian.

“And yours is still...”

“On my head?” Brian smirked.

“Gorgeous,” Justin whispered as he held his arm out. Brian moved toward his spouse and daughter. The trio stood in the middle of Bree’s room, hugging close. Brian leaned down to kiss the top of the blond heads.

Justin’s head popped up after a few more minutes of savoring the closeness. “Twins?” Ocean blue eyes twinkled at the laughing hazel eyes. Before you could say ‘Edna’s Treasures,’ the cottage was filled with laughter.

 

*****
 

“Is she asleep?” Brian asked as he walked out of their bathroom naked, toweling off his hair.

“Yes, she is,” Justin replied as he gazed at his spouse with an appreciative eye. “She’s so excited at the thought of going to work with us.”

“She hasn’t changed her mind about day camp, has she?” Brian asked as he tossed the damp towel toward the bathroom door. Justin bent down to pick up the towel and put it into the hamper. Brian gave his own lusty look at Justin’s still delectable ass.

“Nope. In fact she’s planning on organizing a soccer tournament while she’s attending,” Justin said with all confidence in their daughter’s ability to carry out her plans. He began to strip off his clothes in order to take a quick shower.

“Do you think we should warn the camp?” Brian remarked.

“Nah, if they’re not prepared for Bree by now then they deserve to be shocked,” Justin said as he gave Brian a view of his wiggling butt before dashing into the bathroom. Brian debated getting wet all over again but then decided it would be too much fun helping Justin dry off.

Brian made sure their door was securely locked then he turned down the bed. He took out a thick fluffy bath sheet and carefully draped it over their Egyptian cotton sheets. He then rummaged through his bedside table for some flavored massage oils. After all, Justin had worked hard all day at his canvases, he deserved a little pampering.

Justin exited their bathroom amidst billowing steam. To Brian he looked like an angel descending on a cloud. Brian swept Justin up in his arms, towels and all then planted a toe curling kiss. Justin hung on as Brian worked his magic, consuming Justin’s willing lips. Brian’s hands took the towels, gently drying his mate. When satisfied, Brian led Justin to their bed, laying him on the bath sheet.

Before Justin could question Brian, Brian had a vanilla scented oil warming in his hands. The last coherent thought Justin’s brain registered was Brian’s tongue rimming his ass.

 

*****
 

“Hey,” sated blue eyes twinkled up at Brian.

“Hey,” Brian said as he pulled Justin closer to surround him with his warm body.

“Last night was so good,” Justin said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around Brian’s trim hips. “Inspiring, even. I have so many colors swirling around in my head that I want to paint.” Justin snuggled closer and wiggled his toes against Brian’s leg.

“Before you get lost in your own little world again, spend a little time with Bree,” Brian suggested without admonishment.

“She felt neglected, didn’t she?” Brian felt Justin frown.

“A little but she understands that when the inspiration strikes, you have to run with it.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want her to feel that I don’t pay enough attention to her.”

“I’m sure. Let her help you make breakfast then ask her to show you the outfits she’s chosen for work. She’ll be tickled pink,” Brian said with a chuckle.

“There’s enough pink around here but I’ll ask her,” Justin said with a roll of his eyes. “And I’ll see if she’d like to paint with me this afternoon.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

The lovers kissed, sealing their bargain. When the need for air made them part, Brian totally changed the subject.

“Did you see the invitation?” Brian asked.

“Yes, we are going, right? If we don’t, my name will be mud and you risk your other ball.”

“I’ve already cleared my calendar. What do you think we should get her?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe I should ask Molly or my Mom.”

“Good idea, Sunshine. They must have some idea what to get a teenaged girl for her graduation.” Justin nodded in agreement then reached up to kiss Brian’s lips once more.

Before they could do more than kiss, a gentle knock broke their quiet reverie.

“Daddy? Dada?”

“Just one minute, Squirt,” Brian immediately answered as they scrambled for something to clothe their lower halves.

Clad in a pair of sleep pants, Justin opened their door as Brian sat on the edge of the bed in sweats. There stood Bree in her nightgown, grey bunny in her arms.

“Good morning, Daddy!” Bree exclaimed with a bright sunny smile.

“Good morning, Baby Girl,” Justin replied as he picked her up, peppering her little cheeks with a myriad of kisses. Brian smiled and quietly thanked the gods for his two sunny blonds.

“Hey, don’t I get any of those kisses,” Brian called out pretending to pout. Justin and Bree exchanged looks then scurried over to the bed. They pounced on Brian, knocking him back on the bed and covering his face with kisses.

Sunny laughter once again rang out through the cottage.

 

*****
 

“JR?” Curtis called as he saw his friend, sometimes girlfriend, down the hall at school.

“Hello,” JR responded coolly as she turned to face him.

“I wish I knew why you’re upset with me,” Curtis said honestly. “If you want me to turn down being valedictorian, I will.”

JR’s eyes got very large. “Are you serious? You’d turn it down for me?” she asked.

“I don’t want to, but I will … if you really want me to.”

“Wow, I never expected you to do that,” JR told him.

“I want us to be friends. You’re very important to me.”

“I am?” JR asked with a coy smile.

“Definitely.”

“I … I’m sorry I was such a bitch.”

“That’s okay. We know where you get that from.” Curtis immediately regretted saying that as JR screwed up her face.

“I do have some of Mama in me,” she admitted and then chuckled.

“So, are we okay?”

“Yeah,” JR replied giving Curtis a peck on the cheek.

“Phew! Thank goodness for that.”

“So, you’re going to be valedictorian,” JR said with a smile.

“Um, I don’t know. The results aren’t in yet.”

“But … I thought you said you’d give it up for me.”

“And I would … if I’m chosen.”

“So, you might not have to give anything up at all.”

Curtis grinned sheepishly. “Maybe not, but … you weren’t really going to ask me to give it up, were you?”

“Maybe not,” JR returned in kind.

They both chuckled.

“Curtis Samuels, please report to the principal’s office,” came an announcement over the PA system.

“Uh oh, this must be the moment of truth,” Curtis said.

“Good luck,” JR replied, “and I really mean it.”

“Thanks,” Curtis said with a genuine smile. “I’ll need all the luck I can get.” He started down the hall towards the principal’s office.

“Curtis, let me know what happens,” JR called.

Curtis turned and gave her the thumbs up symbol, and a nervous grin to go with it. JR stared after him as the bell rang for the next class. She wasn’t sure which way she wanted the verdict to go. With a sigh, she headed for her class.

 

*****
 

JR didn’t see Curtis for the rest of the day. They had no classes together. As JR was packing up her books to take home, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

“Oh!” she said with a start.

“Say hello to this year’s valedictorian,” Curtis said with a huge smile.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“That’s really great, Curtis,” JR said giving her friend a warm hug.

“You’re not going to ask me not to do it?”

“Nope.”

Curtis stared into JR’s eyes. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“Don’t thank me. I was being selfish.”

“You! Selfish?”

“I am my mother’s daughter, remember,” JR said pointing at herself.

“I love you.”

“Me too,” JR replied hoping neither of them was being too serious, but also hoping there was some truth to the declarations. “Have you thought about what you’re going to say in your speech?” JR thought it was prudent to direct their conversation to a safer topic.

Curtis laughed. “I started composing it the moment the principal told me about it.”

“I bet it’ll be great.”

“Thanks, wanna grab a soda?”

“I promised Daddy I’d be at the store right after school.”

“I’ll walk with you.”

“Thanks,” JR said with a smile. JR finished packing her books in her backpack. Things seemed to have returned to normal. “Your dads are going to be so happy about you being valedictorian.”

“I know.”

“Who all are you inviting?” JR asked as they started walking down the hall. “I’ve got my moms and my dads and Gus, Uncle Brian and Uncle Justin. And Grandma Debbie, and of course, Grandpa Carl comes with her. She’d never let me forget it if I didn’t invite her.”

“Wait!” Curtis ordered. “That’s a lot of people when we only get four tickets each.”

“Four?”

“Yeah, they announced it the other day. Maybe that was the day you were home with a cold.”

“Fuck!” JR mumbled.

“What?”

“I’ve already invited nine people. I wanted to ask Bree too. It’s a good thing I didn’t. She is my sister, but I thought she might be a bit too young.” JR looked distraught.

“Maybe I can help,” Curtis offered.

“How? Have you got some extra tickets up your sleeve?” JR asked sarcastically.

“As a matter of fact I have.”

“Huh?”

“One of the perks of being valedictorian is you can invite extra people.”

“You can?” JR asked.

“I was going to invite Mr. Brian and Mr. Justin too, so you don’t need tickets for them.”

“Right, but what about Grandma and Gus?”

“Mr. Jeffries said I could have four extra tickets. I told him I didn’t need them, but I bet I could still have them if we go tell him right now.”

“Would you? Oh, that would be so great, Curtis. Then I could invite Grandma and Grandpa as well as Gus and Bree.”

“Let’s go,” Curtis said confidently. He held out his hand to JR. She slid her hand into his, smiling genuinely at him. They ran down the hall to talk to the principal.

 

*****
 

“Hi, Daddy,” JR said happily as she entered the comic book shop a little later.

“You sound like you’re in a good mood,” Michael said giving his daughter a kiss on the cheek.

“I am.”

“What’s up?”

“Curtis is going to be valedictorian,” JR stated with pride in her voice.

“Is it official?”

“Yep.”

“I didn’t think you wanted him to be valedictorian.”

“I’ve change my mind,” JR said with a little giggle.

“What brought about that?” Michael asked as he opened a new carton of X-Men comics. They needed to be placed on display.

“Curtis is a really great guy,” JR replied as she took a stack of the comics from her father and began arranging them to the best effect.

“I agree, but we always knew that.”

“Yeah, but he really proved it today.”

“How so?” Michael asked.

“Oh Daddy, he was willing to turn down being valedictorian if it would make me happy,” JR gushed.

“No shit,” Michael said surprised. “He really does like you.”

“He said he loves me.”

“He did?” Michael asked suddenly concerned. That was not what he had expected to hear.

“It was a friendly ‘I love you’, but he showed me that it’s true by what he did.”

“I thought it was what he was willing not to do,” Michael corrected.

“He gets extra tickets for being valedictorian, and he said I could have them, so I can invite everybody I want,” JR said happily as she eyed her arrangement of the comics. “Do you like the way these look?” she asked her father.

“Yeah, they look great.”

“Thanks.”

“I thought you had invited everyone you wanted,” Michael said returning to their conversation.

“I was away the day they announced that we only get four tickets each for graduation.”

“But … that’s your moms and dads – that’s four.”

“Correct,” JR giggled.

“I thought you were inviting Maw and Brian…”

“I did invite them.”

“Without tickets for them?”

“Right, but Curtis got extra tickets so now everybody can come,” JR said happily.

“Curtis is quite a guy.”

“He’s my guy.” JR grabbed her backpack and carried it into the office.

“Quite a guy,” Michael repeated uncertainly. He wasn’t sure about all of this ‘I love you’ and promises to do whatever JR wanted. It sounded far too serious.

Return to KIDZ