London Calling

Chapter 15

The family assembled for dinner promptly at seven, as Hudson had indicated. Brian seemed even quieter than usual. Justin kept giving sideways glances at his husband. Finally Lindsay decided there needed to be more conversation.

“So how was the sightseeing tour today?” she asked. “I wish I could have gone with you.”

“Me too,” Justin said looking at Brian while he said that.

“We had lunch in the oldest pub in London,” Gus reported.

“Is that the best thing you did?” Justin asked with a chuckle. “Usually culinary places are my line of expertise.”

“It was a cool place, down in a cellar, not a basement, but a cellar,” Ray said using the word their waitress had used when telling them about the old building.

“Did you have warm beer?” Justin asked.

“Warm ale,” Bobby said with a laugh.

“Guinness,” John piped up.

“I had ginger ale,” Bree said. “It made me burp.”

“That’s good, sweetheart,” Justin said. “Did you like it?”

“Yep,” Bree replied bobbing her head. “Can we go there again?”

“I don’t know, Bree,” Gus said. “I’m sure there’s a million other places to eat in London. We’ll have to try some of them, right, Pop?”

“Yeah,” Brian said and left it at that.

Justin glanced at Brian once again. He knew it had to be the appearance of Henry Higgins that was upsetting Brian. He wasn’t sure what he could do about it. “So, what else did you do today?” he asked looking around at the people seated at the dinner table.

“We went to Westminster Abbey and saw Poet’s Corner. I’ve always wanted to visit that,” Bobby said. “Chaucer and Tennyson and Browning…”

“A whole bunch of dead guys,” Bree supplied.

“Yeah, dead guys,” Patrick agreed.

Everyone looked at the children and chuckled. They had not been impressed, so it seemed.

“How come there aren’t any dead girls there?” Bree asked as if the thought had just struck her.

“That’s a good question, Bree,” Justin said.

“Maybe Auntie Lindsay can answer that one too,” Brian supplied rather sarcastically, as he pushed his food around his plate.

“Brian…” Justin said but he didn’t know how to continue without getting into what was bothering Brian, and he didn’t feel the dinner table was the place for that discussion.

“And what else is Auntie Lindsay supposed to explain?” Lindsay asked with a frown. It sounded like they were leaving all the tough questions for her to deal with.

“About gravity,” Patrick chimed in.

“Yeah, we saw Sir Isaac New-tone,” Bree added.

“It’s Newton,” John corrected with a laugh, “and we saw his tomb, not the man himself.”

“He invented gravity,” Bree said solemnly remembering what she had heard at the Abbey.

“And Uncle Bri said you’d explain all about gravity to us,” Patrick said looking at Lindsay.

“Did he now?” Lindsay glared at Brian who didn’t even bother to look up.

“Maybe you can study it together,” John suggested. “There are a lot of really interesting books in the library here.”

“There’s a library?” Lindsay asked.

“Yes,” John replied. “However, I don’t know how many would be useful for the children. I’m sure there’s some scientific books though.”

“Maybe we need to find the nearest public library,” Lindsay said.

“I’m sure Hudson can help you with that,” Justin offered.

“I’ll talk to Hudson later. Speaking of which, I think we seem to be finished with dinner. Perhaps the children and I should go up to the nursery and start looking at how we can do our studies.” Lindsay stressed the word “our”. She did not appreciate Brian offering her services to teach science. She was an art teacher after all. Science was something she had never had much interest in.

Everyone else got up and started leaving the room as well. John looked at Justin who merely shrugged. With a frown of worry John left the dining room, quietly closing the door behind him. He thought maybe Brian and Justin needed some time together alone.

“Brian,” Justin said as the door closed.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what? Don’t talk to you. Don’t worry. Don’t care about how you’re feeling? Tell me what’s going on.”

“Nothing’s going on,” Brian said looking up at Justin at last. “Can’t I feel like shit if I want to?”

“If you had any reason to feel like shit, then you’d be welcome to your feelings. But I feel responsible for this mood, and I’m telling you that it is totally unfounded.”

“Just because nothing has happened between you and Henry Higgins doesn’t mean that I have to be all happy and upbeat because that fucker is back on the scene.”

“I told you at the gallery that I was bound to you. I’m where I want to be. Henry Higgins is no threat.”

“But there’s still an attraction there, isn’t there?”

“I have to admit that there is, but nothing will happen. I guarantee it.”

“How can you guarantee something like that?” Brian asked looking into Justin’s eyes.

“Because I’m older and wiser and stronger and more secure in my relationship with you. It’s you I love, Brian. You, and no one else.”

“Is that right?’

“One hundred percent.”

“Not a hundred and ten percent like they often say?” Brian asked with just a twinkle of humor in his voice.

Justin breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that. Maybe Brian was starting to come around. “They are full of shit. One hundred percent is all of something, so how you can do a hundred and ten percent is impossible. You have all my love, one hundred percent of it.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Me too,” Justin replied sliding onto Brian’s lap where he still sat at the dining room table. “I love you.”

The kiss was soft and warm, becoming hot and burning and then tempestuous. Justin wondered if Brian might rip his clothes off and fuck him right there on the big table.

Finally Brian released his lips, and Justin let out a sigh of frustration. His cock was so hard it hurt.

“I want you,” Justin whispered.

“Shall we have an early evening?” Brian whispered in Justin’s ear taking a little nibble on the lobe while he was there.

“I think we shall. That’s a one hundred percent excellent idea,” Justin said with a little chuckle.

“We only have good ideas.”

“Got that right, Mr. Kinney.”

“Let’s go make sure Bree is looked after, and that Gus and Ray aren’t planning anything too dangerous for the rest of the night, and then we can share that wonderful bed we have upstairs.”

“You are the consummate planner, Mr. Kinney.”

“But of course, Mr. Taylor,” Brian agreed kissing Justin once more and then pushing him off his knee.

Justin wove his fingers into Brian’s and they exited the room to take care of all the things they had just discussed, especially the bed in their room upstairs.

Hudson came in as they closed the door after themselves. She smiled warmly at the love she had briefly witnessed just moments before. She signaled for the maid to start clearing the dinner dishes.

 

*****
 

“Brian, do you feel up to telling me what you were doing today?” Justin whispered quietly as he tugged on Brian’s rapidly filling cock.

“I’m always up, Sunshine,” Brian automatically responded then arched up as Justin licked around the crown then through the slit.

“Did you have a business meeting?” Justin mumbled as he sucked hard.

“Not polite to talk with your mouth full,” Brian moaned.

“Tell me,” Justin demanded as he teased Brian’s hole with his tongue.

“Bossy bottom,” Brian griped then did as Justin commanded. “Yesterday, when I was in the kitchen, Cook overheard me on the phone with Ted. He asked what I did for a living so I told him. Oh, yesss,” Brian hissed, interrupting his story as Justin slipped a spit slick finger into him.

“Want more?”

“Yeah.”

“Finish your story,” Justin said as he finger fucked his lover.

“Cook is from Ireland; he has a cousin who’s been marginally successful in advertising, but it’s been a struggle. He’s been on the verge of folding for a year now.”

“What does that have to do with you? Did he want your advice?” Justin laved a ball with his hot tongue.

“Mmmm, yeah. I mean no, not my advice as such. We’re going to merge.”

“What?” Justin dropped the ball he was sucking on as his head popped up from between Brian’s legs.

“I discussed it with Ted and Cynthia and had a joint meeting with Scott, Joseph and Stacey, we all agreed there was no reason not to merge.”

“But who’s going to run it? Brian, I don’t want to stay here any longer than we have to,” Justin said with some distress. Brian could hear the tremor in Justin’s voice.

“Come up here,” Brian whispered as he held out his arms. Justin crawled up Brian’s long body to be gathered in the strong arms and held tight against Brian’s chest.

“I have no intention of prolonging our stay. This will be a simple transfer of Kinnetik assets into a floundering business. And a few employees with ties to the old sod are planning to fly over here to lend Shane McKenna a helping hand, so to speak.”

“Shane McKenna?”

“Cook’s cousin and proprietor of McKenna Advertising.”

“McKenna Advertising, not a very original name, is it?”

“Maybe someone I know who’s very smart and creative when it comes to naming my businesses, will think of something.”

“Kinney and McKenna?” Justin suggested as he kissed a nipple.

“Too many K’s.”

“Kinnetik, UK?” Justin said as his gently bit the nipple then licked away the sting.

“Has possibilities,” Brian moaned. Justin leaned up to look into Brian’s eyes. They were a deep emerald green on their way to turning black with lust.

“Your eyes, I love your eyes. Their color changes to reflect your moods. They’re the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen,” Justin whispered as he kissed Brian’s eyelids. “Kinnetik Isles.”

“Hmm?”

“Kinnetik Isles like the Emerald Isle or Irish eyes. Like you, beautiful. Want you,” Justin murmured as he kissed Brian deeply then crawled down Brian’s body to resume his ministrations. After a while, Brian spread his long legs, a silent indication that he wanted Justin to make love to him. Not needing a second invitation, Justin grabbed a tube of lube to prepare himself then swiftly entered Brian.

“I love you, Brian,” Justin murmured as he thrust deeply into his lover.

“Tha gaol agam ort-fhIIin,” Brian replied with his last remaining functioning brain cells then surrendered himself to his lover.

 

*****
 

The following day everyone slept in a little bit, but not Bree.

By six o’clock in the morning she was wide awake. She sat up in her bed and looked around the room. Patrick was still sleeping, but maybe he would be ready to get up. She threw back her covers, grabbed her grey bunny and slipped on her fluffy slippers. She walked over to Patrick’s bed.

“Patwick,” she said in her baby voice. There was no response. “Patwick,” she said again a little louder. Patrick did not move, no eye fluttered, no sign of awakening. Her fathers had told Bree many times not to wake sleeping people, unless it was an emergency. She thought for a minute and decided that this didn’t qualify as an emergency. She really wanted Patrick to get up though, but she finally decided that maybe she better follow the rule about not waking people up.

With a sigh Bree headed to the door of the nursery. She’d go see who else might be up. She opened the door carefully and looked out into the hall. All the doors were closed and no one seemed to be around.

She walked down the hall to the room she knew her fathers occupied. She tapped softly on the door. There was no reply. She reached for the knob and turned it. It was locked. With a glare at the door, one worthy of her father, Bree continued down the hall. She stopped at her Auntie Lindsay’s door. She was about to knock when she decided maybe that wouldn’t be such a good idea. Auntie Lindsay might decide it was time for school if she was up so early. Bree wanted to play.

She went on to her uncles’ room and thought maybe she should not disturb them either. No noise came from inside except some soft snoring.

Next was Gus and Ray’s room. Maybe they’d like to play. She tapped on the door. Again nobody answered. She gently turned the knob and opened the door. Gus and Ray were sound asleep in each other’s arms. Bree studied them for a moment and then closed the door. Nobody wanted to play with her.

She went to the stairs and started down. Maybe she could find some toast or something downstairs. She was hungry and nobody wanted to play. Maybe she could find someone to play with down there, or something to eat. She was on the second step from the bottom when a stern voice halted her in her tracks.

“And what are you doing, little missy?” Hudson demanded.

 

*****
 

When they all started arriving downstairs for breakfast, they found Bree sitting at the big dining table eating a bowl of porridge.

Brian had been worried when he discovered that Bree was not in her bed, but Justin had said she would be somewhere in the house. Hudson would never let anything happen to the little girl. “What time did you get up?” he asked Bree.

“Long time ago, Dada,” she informed him.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Patrick asked.

“I tried, but your eyes wouldn’t open.”

Justin smiled at his daughter before leaning over and kissing her cheek. “Thank you for not waking people up, Bree. We needed our sleep.”

Bree looked smug, not unlike her other father who was often known to sport that expression. “I know, Daddy. I membered what you told me.”

“Good girl.”

“How’s your porridge?” John asked.

“Good,” Bree replied. “Hudson made it with raisins and brown sugar. I like it a lot.”

Hudson came in from the kitchen at that moment.

“I see you’ve had company this morning,” Brian said to her.

“Yes, a very well mannered and cooperative little girl came down the stairs to join me. She may come down early for breakfast any day that she likes,” Hudson replied with an affectionate smile at Bree. It seemed that Bree had earned Hudson’s seal of approval. “We had a lovely chat.”

“You did?”

“Yes, Bree told me all about her grey bunny and her Gamma Joan who gave it to her. It sounds like you have a lovely family.”

Bree beamed at the complimentary words. Her fathers were also very pleased, as everyone sat down to breakfast. Many of them decided to try the porridge fixed just the way Bree had hers.

 

*****
 

Some time later Justin and Lindsay went off to the gallery for a few hours. The others decided to look through some brochures about possible sightseeing trips they might take in and outside of London. Brian went on line to see what plays were currently on stage. He thought that might be a nice evening out for them all.

Just after lunch Lindsay and the children assembled in the nursery/schoolroom for their first lesson. Lindsay had gone to the gallery in the morning, and then had rushed to the library that Hudson had told her about. At lunchtime she had returned to the townhouse laden with books and ready to teach.

“Auntie Lindsay, are you going to teach us about gravity?” Bree asked.

“I thought I might,” Lindsay replied picking up a book she had found with the help of the librarian. “Isaac Newton came up with the theory of gravity when he was supposedly hit on the head by a falling apple.”

“A apple?” Bree asked with a frown.

“Where did the apple come from?” Patrick asked.

“Isaac was sitting under a tree and the apple fell on his head.”

“It must have been ripe,” Patrick contributed.

“I think that would be the case,” Lindsay said with a laugh. “Why do you suppose the apple didn’t go upwards when it came loose from the tree? Why didn’t it drift off into space?” Lindsay asked the children.

“Cause things don’t fall up, Auntie Lindsay,” Bree stated. “They fall down.”

“Exactly, and it’s gravity that makes them fall down.”

“Oh,” both children said.

“Where does gravity come from?” Patrick asked.

“Have you studied about the Earth spinning on its axis?” Both children nodded.

“That’s why we have daylight and dark,” Bree said.

“You’re a very smart little girl,” Lindsay told her.

“I know.”

“When the Earth turns, it also produces gravity. That’s what keeps us in our place on the Earth’s surface.”

“Cool,” Patrick said.

“Can we paint now?” Bree asked. Lindsay laughed. It seemed like the science lesson was over for the day. “I think that would be a lovely idea,” she replied as they moved over to the easels that were set up on a tarp at one side of the room.
 

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