London Calling

Chapter 13

“Dada, can we go for a walk?”

“A walk?”

“Yeah, I want see what’s out there,” Bree said as she had her nose stuck to the front window of the townhouse.

Brian set down the brochure he had been reading. “Let’s ask Daddy if he can come with us.”

“’Kay,” Bree replied leaving her post at the window.

“Where’s Patrick?” Brian asked standing up to go look for Justin in the library where he was working with Lindsay.

“Patrick and his daddies went out a long time ago.”

“Early birds,” Brian speculated, even though it was well into the afternoon when everyone had finished their naps.

“I don’t know, but I want to go out too.”

“Didn’t they ask you?”

“Yes, but I wanted to go with you,” Bree said batting her long lashes at her father.

“You are a little temptress,” Brian chuckled.

“Temptress – what’s that?”

“Someone who knows how to bat her eyelashes at unsuspecting beaux so that she can get whatever she wants.” Brian watched a little color come to his daughter’s cheeks.

“Moi?” Bree asked with a perfect patterning of the way Brian said that when someone accused him of something he had done, but he wasn’t prepared to admit it outright.

Brian laughed. “Yes, Squirt, toi!” He picked Bree up and hugged her tight, carrying her across the foyer to the library.

“Knock, knock,” Brian said at the door. “There’s a little girl here who wants to go for a walk, and she’d really love her daddy to come with her.”

“Hey, sweetheart,” Justin said smiling at Bree. “I think we’re pretty well organized for tomorrow, aren’t we, Lindsay?”

Lindsay nodded and continued to write some notes on a pad of paper.

“So, can you come, Daddy?” Bree asked.

“I’d love to.”

“How about you, Lindsay?” Brian asked. “Care to join us.”

“I’d love to, but I really need to make a few more phone calls, and get some things ready for tomorrow. Go, have some family time before I hustle Justin away tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Lindsay,” Justin said. He followed Brian out of the library with Bree holding onto his hand.

“Hudson,” Brian called.

“Yes, sir,” Hudson said appearing immediately from another doorway. “You can use the bell pull, sir. It’ll save your voice,” she said pointing to the needlepoint strip of fabric hanging in the foyer.

“Point taken,” Brian said. “Bree would like to go for a walk before dinner. What would you suggest?”

“Dinner will be at seven,” Hudson informed them. “And for the walk, I would recommend going that way. After a couple of blocks you will see the entrance to the tube. You might care to use that to go downtown in the future, so you will know where it is. And if you continue on for another couple of blocks, you will come to a small park where the young lady might enjoy playing.”

“Yay!” Bree said clapping her hands.

“Let’s get our coats, and we can be off,” Brian said. “Thank you, Hudson.”

“That’s part of my job, sir. I’m happy to help. Your coats are in the cupboard over here.” She walked to the back of the foyer and opened the door to a closet.

“It’s a closet, not a cupboard,” Bree informed the woman.

“Perhaps that’s the case in America, but here in England we would call this a cupboard or a wardrobe.”

“Oh,” Bree said staring up at the woman.

“You’ll find there are many other words that will be different from what you usually call them,” Hudson explained. “Take the tube, for example, also called the Underground. You would call it a subway, but here a subway is merely a walkway that goes underground. There are no trains in it.”

“Oh,” Bree said. She had no idea what this lady was explaining to her.

“Put your coat on, Bree,” Brian said holding it open for her. She slid her arms inside and started buttoning it up.

“How come there’s no snow?” Bree asked when she was finished buttoning. “I didn’t see none out the window. We have snow at home. I made snowmen.”

“Our climate is a little less cold than yours, my dear,” Hudson said proudly. “It’s rare that we get snow.”

“That’s too bad,” Bree replied.

Hudson stifled a laugh.

“Thanks again, Hudson,” Justin said. “We better get going.”

“Good idea, sir,” Hudson said. “If you have time you can walk through the park and along the street on that side to come back home.”

“Thank you,” they all said as they left the house.

“She’s very nice and helpful,” Justin said as Bree put one of her hands in each of her father’s and they started down the street.

“I imagine she’s extremely good at her job,” Brian said.

“She certainly seems to be.”

“Why doesn’t she like snow?” Bree asked, having listened to her fathers’ conversation.

“Most adults aren’t nearly as fond of snow as you are, Squirt,” Brian told her.

“I love snow.”

“We know.”

They walked along the street admiring the fine townhomes that they passed. This was certainly a lovely part of London with wide streets and sidewalks. There were trees spaced out along the street. None had leaves at this time of year, but they would provide nice shade in the summer. Brian made note of all that with his gardener’s eye. He wondered what the park would be like.

They passed the entrance to the Underground or the tube as Hudson had called it. Bree walked along between her fathers looking at everything and taking it all in. She was very interested in the black cars with the lights on the top. Justin explained they were taxis.

“But taxis are apposed to be yellow,” she replied.

“Not in England.”

“Oh.” She realized she was going to have a lot to learn.

Before long they reached the park. There were benches and paved walkways, and a children’s play area off to one side.

“Slides,” Bree grinned.

“Okay, you go play on the slides, Squirt. Daddy and I will be sitting on the bench right here. Stay in sight.”

“’Kay, Dada,” Bree said as she ran over to the slide and started climbing the ladder. A little boy who didn’t appear to be as old as Bree was also sliding. Brian hoped Bree didn’t try to take over the play area.

“So, you have to go to the gallery tomorrow?” Brian asked as they sat down on the bench.

“Yeah, probably tomorrow and the following day until we work out what’s happening,” Justin explained.

“We should figure out what we want to see, and any day trips we might want to take.”

“And then there’s the plays and museums and architecture and…”

“We’re only here for a month,” Brian said with a laugh.

“Yeah, but we can make the most of it.”

“True.”

“Daddy, Dada, this is Ian. He has a soccer ball over there,” Bree said as she and the little freckle faced boy from the slide came to a screeching halt in front of them. “Can I go play with Ian over there?” Bree pointed over to a woman who was sitting on a bench with a soccer ball beside her. The woman gave them a wave.

“I guess,” Brian said. “But stay in sight.”

“’Kay, Dada. Come on, Ian.”

The kids ran over to the woman and Ian grabbed the soccer ball. They started kicking it back and forth between them and then running along keeping control of the ball as they did so.

“That little boy is good for his age,” Brian observed as he watched the children.

“But not as good as Bree,” Justin said with a smile as Bree deftly took the ball away from Ian with her feet and ran it back towards the lady who had been holding it.

“She needs the exercise after that long plane ride.”

“Let’s let her run for a while, then we’ll head back.”

“Sounds good.” Brian continued to study the children.

“You want to join them, don’t you?” Justin asked with a grin.

“Well, maybe…”

“Go ahead,” Justin encouraged him.

He sat for the next half hour or so watching his daughter and his husband and a freckle faced boy run and kick a ball and have the time of their lives. It was a great start to their trip to England.

 

*****
 

“Are you two off to the gallery?” John asked as the family was gathered at the dining table for breakfast.

Hudson had announced at dinner the previous night that breakfast would be served promptly at seven. Anyone arriving later than that could argue with Cook and then rustle up their own breakfast. Considering how busy Lindsay and Justin were going to be for the next few weeks, the family thought it prudent to show support by getting up and having breakfast together. Besides, they were all quite used to being up just as early when they were all home.

Hudson was rather impressed.

“Yes,” Lindsay mumbled around a scone. “We’re expected by nine.”

“Auntie Lindsay, when are we going to have school?” Bree asked. She was enjoying her toast with brambleberry jam.

“We’re going to review your lessons each night after dinner and then you’ll both take a small quiz,” Lindsay began to explain. “Bobby is going to be my assistant teacher.”

“Poppa? A teacher?” Patrick asked.

“Believe it or not, when I met your Poppa, he was one of the most hardworking men I ever had the pleasure to meet,” John explained with pride to his son and niece. “He tended bar, waited tables and tutored his fellow students to pay for his education. I don’t know where he got all the energy but he did it and it paid off. He’s a very successful lawyer,” John said beaming broadly at his spouse.

“When were you going to let me in on these arrangements,” Brian growled.

“Oh Brian, knock it off,” Bobby countered. “After breakfast, I’ll go over the individualized lesson plans with the kids and then proctor them as they work on their assignments. After dinner, Lindsay will review their homework, assign the lessons for the next day and quiz the kids on what they’ve learned. Part of their overall assignment is to write a report on this trip. They each have a particular subject to write about. When they return to school, they’ll each present their reports to their classes. Don’t worry, we have bright kids, they won’t fall behind,” Bobby reassured Brian.

Brian nodded. Lindsay and Bobby indeed appeared to have it all worked out.

“What do you guys have planned for today?” Justin asked Gus and Ray. Justin was happily chowing down on a thick piece of bacon with his eggs.

“We’re going to go over to Baker Street to see the Sherlock Holmes museum,” Ray answered for them both.

“But we’ll be back to go to Westminster with you,” Gus added. The boys wanted to see some of the sights they thought would be too boring for the kids, on their own.

“Sounds like a plan,” Brian said and John agreed. “I need to do a little work. I wonder if Cook will allow me to hang out in the kitchen near the coffeepot?”

“Bri, why don’t you ask Hudson?” Justin mumbled around his own piece of toast and jam.

“Good idea,” Brian said as he got up from the table to tug on the bell pull. Within moments, Hudson appeared at the door.

“You rang,” Hudson said with a smirk on her face. Brian, John and Lindsay chuckled.

“I apologize, sir, I just couldn’t resist. You had a question?” Hudson said when they all stopped laughing.

“Yes, Hudson, do you think Cook would mind if I did a little work at her kitchen table near the coffeepot? Does she have a kitchen table? And is Cook a she?” Brian asked.

“I shall inquire and yes, we have a kitchen table and Cook is a he. But wouldn’t you be more comfortable in the study? I can prepare a tray for you.”

“I have no problem working near the source, no need to bring it to me,” Brian replied.

“Very well, sir, allow me to prepare Cook. He’s rather particular whom he allows in his kitchen.”

“Mmm, I love it when they play hard to get,” Brian drawled.

“Is there anything else, sir?”

“Yes, Hudson,” John quickly said before the efficient housekeeper disappeared. “Could you tell me where the nearest library is? I have some research to do.” John had finished his breakfast and thought since everyone was going to be busy for the next few hours, he could put the time to good use.

“Of course, sir. I can do that now, if you’d follow me.”

“If you just give me directions...” John began as Hudson turned. John shrugged his shoulders, gave Bobby a quick kiss as he ruffled Patrick’s hair then scurried off to follow Hudson before he lost her in the maze of the house.

As John went out the door of the dining room, he saw Hudson standing next to a set of double doors. Dramatically she threw open the doors to reveal an extensive library.

“Holy shi, uh, sugar,” John exclaimed as he peered into the library. He was reminded of Bree and her ‘do not touch’ feeling. “Are you sure the family won’t mind if I use their library?” John murmured as his eyes were drawn to a couple of huge volumes that were entitled, Houses of Great Britain.

“The library is at your disposal. You may also use this computer.” Hudson indicated the unit sitting on a small but rather ornate desk. Seeing John preparing to protest, Hudson reassured him that nothing personal was on the computer, it was used solely for internet access, writing and printing.

“Thank you, Hudson,” John said with a charming smile.

“Could I interest you in a tray of coffee?” Hudson asked mischievously.

“Yes, Hudson, that would be lovely,” John responded appropriately. As John carefully brought volume one to the desk, Hudson went off to perform her task.

 

*****
 

“Schmidt!” Brian growled into his speaker phone as his fingers were flying over his laptop keyboard.

“Here, Bri, and how is London?”

“Large,” Brian quipped as Cook, a large man nearly seven feet tall was preparing the ingredients for minced pies. He stood at his chopping block using a rather lethal looking meat cleaver.

“Yes, well, what can I do for you?”

“You can start by explaining what the fuck is going on with our insurance?” Brian glanced at Cook but he appeared nonplussed at Brian’s colorful use of language.

“You noticed that.”

“Of course I noticed. Now, Theodore, an explanation in my lifetime would be appreciated,” Brian growled. A refill cup of strong black coffee was subtly slid closer to Brian’s hand.

“I have no explanation, Brian; something is happening with our insurance broker. We’re looking into other carriers as we speak.”

“Do it fast, Ted. Edwards at Part Deux is going on maternity leave soon and Cullins at Perspectives has just been cleared for minor surgery. I don’t want our people to have any interruptions in their health care.”

“I’m on it, Boss.”

“You better be.”

“Yes, Boss, right away, Boss.”

“Knock it off, Ted.”

“Of course, Boss,” Ted said making Brian roll his eyes.

Ignoring the last ‘Boss’, Brian asked about the Lethal campaign.

“Right on target, Bri. Leda’s numbers have exceeded their projections. We’re preparing to roll out the Northeast phase on schedule,” Ted said proudly.

“Good work, Ted. Just what I wanted to hear. I’ll email Leda after you send me the stats.”

“Will do, Bri. Anything else, Boss?”

“Yeah, uh...”

“We’re all fine, Brian. I heard from Debbie and Carl; they’re at Disney World. I stopped by the bookstore, Joan and Danny are well. I went over their accounts, they had an excellent holiday season....” Brian settled back in his chair, casually sipping his excellent coffee as Ted’s familiar tone filled Brian in about home and the family.

After Brian concluded his business with Ted, he started to clean up. Cook gave Brian a pointed look.

“Sir, may I ask a question?” Cook ventured with an Irish lilt to his voice. Brian nodded. “What type of business would you be in, sir?”

“Advertising.”

“You're soundin' successful at it.”

“You could say that,” Brian said with a smirk that led Cook to believe that this temporary master of the house was very successful.

“Would you be lookin’ to expand yer business, sir?”

“I might be,” Brian said with an arch of his brow.

“Can I be gettin’ you another cup of coffee then, sir?” Brian smiled as he nodded.

 

*****
 

“Lindsay! Sidney didn’t exaggerate, you are just as beautiful in person as you sound on the phone,” a very distinguished gentleman exclaimed as Lindsay and Justin were met just inside the London National Gallery doors. He greeted her with a warm handshake.

“Charles, it’s so wonderful to finally put a face to a name,” Lindsay replied.

Charles smiled with a very handsome and charming smile. “Lindsay, this can’t possibly be Mr. Taylor. He’s much too young!”

“Charles Higgins, allow me to introduce Justin Taylor. Justin, Charles is the chairman of the procurement committee." Charles extended his hand to Justin who took it and gave it a firm shake.

“It sounds rather stuffy but let me assure you that I’ve been known to take hammer in hand and hang many a painting myself.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”

“The honor is all mine, Mr. Taylor.”

“Justin, please. Mr. Taylor is my father.”

“Justin, it is. I must ask, how does one so young paint with the maturity of one three times your age?”

“I’ve been inspired, sir.”

“Yes, you have. Allow me to escort you to your little corner of our gallery,” Charles said as he guided Lindsay and Justin to an elevator and up to a large gallery. “Here we are,” Charles said as the elevator doors opened.

“As you can see, Sidney and I have chosen a varied selection of your work including a copy of your Fractal movie, a sampling of your Seasons collections and many of your Old Masters. The board of directors insisted on your Old Masters. I think the familiarity of the pieces made our stuffy old board members happy,” Charles said leaning in as if revealing a deep dark secret.

“We also selected several of your portraits including...”

“Brian,” Justin said as one of Brian’s large nudes loomed in front of them. It was a portrait of Brian in all his naked glory in the loft shower. His head was thrown back, eyes hooded as if the water sluicing down his gorgeous body was his lover.

“This man is real?” Charles asked in astonishment.

“Very,” Lindsay supplied. “Brian Kinney is Justin’s life partner,” she added.

“Will he object to being in our exhibit?”

“No, he won’t, but I better tell him before the day of the opening,” Justin said as he continued to stare at Brian’s portrait. His reverie did not go unnoticed by Charles.

“Justin, is there some imperfection in the portrait? Everyone who has seen it has declared this man a god. The staff will be thrilled to learn that he is flesh and blood and not just pigment on canvas.”

“Forgive me for staring. And you’re right. When I first met Brian I truly thought I had seen the face of a god. I’ve drawn or painted some part of him practically every day since we met.”

“Your painting is stunning.”

“No, Brian is stunning, I merely paint him. He is my life.”

“Your passion for the subject shows in your work, Justin. As it does with all the pieces we have selected. Justin, I foresee a long association between you and the London National Gallery,” Charles said as he extended his hand again to Justin.

Justin smiled brilliantly and was about to shake the proffered hand when a handsome young man sprinted into the room.

“Father! Oh, I’m sorry, I appear to be interrupting.”

“Henry, my boy, please allow me to introduce you to our latest artist in residence. Justin Taylor, my son Henry Higgins.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Henry said with a wide smile as he extended his hand to Justin.
 

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