London Calling

Chapter 3

“Lindsay, I have John with me and you’re on speaker.”

“Hi, Brian, hello, John, and I have Justin and Sidney with me. Why do I have the impression that I’m not going to like this conversation?”

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“Well then, why don’t you explain it to me?”

“You know something, Lindz, I think I made a big mistake orchestrating the big reconciliation of 2018. You’re sounding more and more like your husband every day.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Please get to the point, Brian. We’re really very busy selecting the right paintings and supervising their preparation for shipping. We only have a short window to get them there and hung in the London National Gallery.”

“That leads me to why I asked for this meeting. As you may be aware we’ve decided to turn this trip into an extended family vacation and believe it or not, with Sarah Kingsley’s influence, we’ve decided to rent a home in London for the time we’re visiting. I’m sick and tired of hotel food. And we’re taking the kids with us."

“Brian, what do you mean, you’re taking the kids?”

“Just what it sounds like, Lindz. John and Bobby deserve some time together before John knuckles down to his research. And other than our time in Florida, they really haven’t had a proper vacation since their honeymoon. However, neither one of us wants to leave Bree and Patrick. I’d also like to ask Gus to come with us. He’s on winter break, so there’s no reason why he can’t go, unless you and Mel say no or he declines the invitation.”

“Brian, I’m sure Gus will jump at the chance, but what about the kids’ schooling? Do you intend to take Bree and Patrick out of school for all that time? We’re talking a minimum of two weeks. Probably longer if the gallery manager has anything to say about it. He’s been talking about receptions with several Lords and Ladies and even tea with the Prince.”

“Before I answer that, will you answer something for me?”

“If I can.”

“Are either you or Sidney planning on accompanying us?”

“How did.....yes, we've been discussing it. Why?”

“Answer one more question. Are you still a certified teacher?”

“Yes, I am. I worked way too hard to become an educator to let that go. And I always thought it was good to have a back up plan.”

“Now you sound like me.”

“I learned from the master. But why all the questions?”

“Because, during the day I realize you’ll be on Sidney Bloom time but I’d like for you to set aside some part of the day to be on Kinney time.”

“Meaning?”

“I’d like to hire you to be an educator. Specifically, to home school Bree and Patrick while we’re gone. I was going to ask Joan or Rachel to babysit but that would be unfair to them and the kids. Us dads are in agreement that this experience will be invaluable to them. Spending time in London galleries. Touring one of the most history rich countries in the world. Not to mention that we'll get to spend time with them, it's a win-win situation. But we don’t want them to fall behind in their school assignments. John and I have spoken to the school principal and to Patrick and Bree’s teachers. They’re willing to give us a specific syllabus including exams to follow so that when they return to school, they’ll be right where they’re supposed to be.”

“I sense a but.”

“But they want us to arrange to have a teacher to give the lessons, none of us are qualified. I’d rather have someone that I know and trust to do it than me hiring a complete stranger. So what do you think?”

“You’re really serious about this?”

“Completely. You’re also invited to stay with us at the townhouse. I promise your virtue will not be compromised.”

“I’ll be a lesbian in a house filled with gay men; I don’t think I’m worried. I like the thought of staying in a home rather than in a hotel.”

“Lindsay, from what Mrs. Kingsley has told Brian, the house is as good as living in a private hotel,” John said. “The house is fully staffed.”

“John’s itching to study authentic English cottages,” Brian explained smugly. “As well as the architecture in general.”

“You appear to have all the angles worked out,” Lindsay replied.

“Not all of them. Gus is still planning to go to New York after Christmas to spend some time with Ray. I’m thinking we can fly from Pittsburgh to New York then connect to London.”

“That sounds reasonable.”

“So why don’t you sound convinced?”

“Because I don’t like being manipulated.”

“Who’s manipulating you?”

“You are! You’re the master of all the manipulations that go on in my life.”

“Let me ask you something. So, who was planning to come along on this trip, you or Sidney?”

“I can answer that, Brian. This is Sidney, by the way. I was planning on sending Lindsay.”

“Sidney?”

“Come, come, my dear woman, don’t tell me you didn’t know.”

“I didn’t. I hoped, but I wasn’t sure.”

“Be sure. Spending over a month over there, firming up our contacts and arranging this new exhibit, I came to the conclusion that you are the right person to supervise this show. It’s about time you developed your own rapport and relationships with your counterparts around the world. London is a good place to start.”

“What about my family? I’m not sure I’d like to be separated from Mel and JR. Mel and I are finally on the same page and JR...”

“Lindz, JR can use this time alone with Mel. And we can always fly them over for the opening.”

“You have thought of everything.”

“Not everything, Lindz, but I’m trying.”

“John, I haven’t heard much from you.”

“That’s because my brother is good at what he does. Lindsay, I’m about to reveal some of Brian’s secrets here and I’m sure he’ll make me pay dearly for doing so, but he’s worried. You know how he hates to be separated from Justin.”

“And I won’t go without Brian,” Justin spoke up to confirm his feelings.

“They won’t go without Briana. Of course, this trip is just a vacation for me and Bobby and we deserve it, but I think it’ll also be very educational for me and for Patrick.”

“Okay, okay. I know when I’m being double teamed. But as for home schooling Bree and Patrick, I’m not sure I’m qualified. I’m an art history teacher. I haven’t taught at grade school level in years.”

“We have confidence in you, Lindsay,” Justin reassured her.

“It appears that you all have made up your minds. Can I at least speak to Bree and Patrick and their teachers before I give you my decision?”

“Of course, Lindz,” Brian replied. They discussed a few more details before ending their call.

 

*****
 

“Is your Dada picking you up?” Winona asked Bree.

“I don’t know,” Bree replied. “He’s usually waiting when I come out.” Bree frowned as she scanned the parking lot and still didn’t see the familiar vehicle that would tell her someone had arrived to collect her.

“My mommy’s late too,” Ashley said.

“That looks like her car,” Bree said pointing as a car pulled into the lot.

“Yep,” Ashley said with a smile. “Gotta go. See ya, Bree, Winona.” The little girl ran over to the car. She waved before she climbed in and then the car drove away.

“I think your Dada’s very handsome,” Winona told Bree.

“I know,” Bree said with a sigh. Winona must have told her that a million times.

“Is that him?” Winona asked pointing at the big SUV that had just pulled up. “That looks like your Dada,” she added as the man got out and waved at Bree.

“That’s my Unca John,” Bree said.

“He looks a lot like your Dada.”

“I know. Bye, Winona,” Bree called as she headed to the car. She and Patrick met part way there. Patrick had been tossing around a tennis ball with his friends while he waited for whoever was picking them up.

“Hey, Bree,” Patrick said. “Is Winona giving you a hard time again?”

“Nope. She thought your dad was my Dada. I think she has a crush on Dada.”

“A crush?” Patrick asked with a laugh as they arrived at the SUV.

“Who’s got a crush?” John asked looking askance at the two children.

“Winona has a crush on Uncle Bri,” Patrick giggled. “At least that’s what Bree thinks.”

“What makes you think that?” John asked while he made sure Bree was secure in her booster seat.

“Winona always waits for Dada to pick me up, and she says how handsome he is, and then she looks all goo-goo eyes when she sees him,” Bree explained with a tinge of disgust in her voice. “She should know she can’t have my Dada. Daddy wouldn’t like that. And she’s not old enough. So there!”

“Make sure you explain it that way to your Dada if you ever tell him about Winona,” John told her.

“What way?” Bree asked with a frown.

“That Winona’s too young for him,” Patrick said, quickly having clued into what his father was saying about Winona’s age. “Uncle Bri doesn’t like it when you say he’s too old for something, so say that Winona’s too young.”

“Oh,” Bree said considering Patrick’s words. And then she added, “But Winona can’t have him anyway. It’s just stupid.”

“You got that right,” John laughed, “so let’s talk about something else.”

“Where is my Dada?”

“He’s gone to pick up Gus at Penn State,” John explained. “Didn’t he tell you that?”

“Gus?” Bree squealed with delight. “Gus is coming home? Yay!”

“Didn’t Brian tell you?” John repeated. He realized he might just have spilled the beans.

“No, he said he had an errand to do, and he might not be able to pick us up. Why didn’t he tell me?”

“I bet he wanted it to be a surprise. I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it,” John said mentally kicking himself in the behind for speaking out of turn.

“I won’t tell him,” Bree said solemnly, feeling the need to protect her uncle from the wrath of Brian Kinney. “I can be real surprised when Gus comes home. I love Gus!” she declared.

“We know, sweetheart, and thanks for trying to save my hide.

“I love you too, Unca John.”

“I love you right back,” John said with a big smile into the rearview mirror.

Patrick grinned at his father and his favorite cousin. He was glad Gus was coming home too.

 

*****
 

“Is that everything?” Brian asked putting the last bag in the back of Justin’s SUV.

“Yep, I’m ready,” Gus said.

“Then let’s get this show on the road,” Brian replied opening the driver’s side door. As he was about to climb inside, he had a different thought. “How about you drive us home?” he asked his son.

“Me?” Gus asked in surprise. This wasn’t at all what he had suspected would happen. He was worrying that his father was going to tell him that he couldn’t go see Ray after Christmas.

“Don’t you want to drive?” Brian asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course I do,” Gus said with a smile as he came around to the driver’s side of the car.

“Then get in.”

“But it’s winter,” Gus said.

“The roads are dry and clear. If the weather turns bad, we can switch places, or you can practice driving in inclement weather.”

“Gee, Pop, thanks for trusting me,” Gus said as he got behind the wheel.

“I’ll always trust you, Sonny Boy, until you prove to me that I shouldn’t.”

“I hope I never do that,” Gus said sincerely.

“That makes two of us.”

They drove out of the university area and Gus navigated them onto the main highway. They drove along in silence for a while, until Gus couldn’t stand it any longer. He needed to know what his father wanted to discuss with him. He thought he might ease into it gradually.

“So, how’s my driving so far?” Gus asked.

“Not bad.”

Gus smiled, as that meant he was doing pretty good. “Thanks for letting me drive, Pop.”

“No problem.”

“Um … Pop, I can’t stand it any longer. What did you want to discuss with me?” So much for being cool about it.

Brian stifled a chuckle. “I know you want to go to New York after Christmas to see a certain young man,” Brian began.

“Yeah, I really need to see Ray.”

Brian raised an eyebrow. “Need, huh?”

Gus blushed. “Yes, you know what it’s like to need someone.”

“I suppose I do,” Brian said thinking about how much he needed Justin, and how he could never let Justin go to England on his own for a whole month without him. He would go crazy if that happened.

“You’re not going to tell me that I can’t go see Ray, are you?” Gus asked. He held his breath waiting for his father to answer. He just had to go to New York and see Ray.

“Is that what you thought I was going to tell you?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you obviously don’t know me very well.”

“Huh? I don’t?” Gus asked in confusion. Had he been totally wrong in his reading of the situation?

“No, you don’t. I know you want to go visit Ray, and I won’t stand in your way of doing that.”

“Gee, thanks, Pop.”

“But…”

“But?’

“But, I have a request to make, and I want you to think about it carefully,” Brian explained.

“Sure, but what is it? The suspense is killing me.” Gus gripped the steering wheel hard making his knuckles turn white.

“Calm down, Sonny Boy. You’re way too tense, and that won’t help your driving.”

“I’m trying, Pop, but will you just fucking tell me.”

“Okay, okay,” Brian said. “I’d like you to go to New York right after Christmas so you can have your week with Ray. But then I want you to come to England with Justin and your sister and me … until you have to go back to school at the end of January.”

Gus swallowed hard. England? He knew his father and Justin were working out a plan to go there, but now his dad wanted him to go too, and Bree. He turned briefly to stare at his father.

“Eyes on the road,” Brian ordered.

“Sorry, Pop.” That was all he said. His brain was trying to process what his father had told him.

“So what do you think?”

“You want me to go to England with you?”

Brian nodded. “I do. I think it will be a good education for you. You should see the world. There’s lots of culture to be soaked up in England … history, art, sights to see.”

“Jeez, Pop, why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“I’ve been trying to work out the details about taking Bree out of school and where we’re going to stay.”

“I can’t get my mind around it,” Gus admitted.

“Would you like to come with us?” Brian asked. That was the crux of the question. Gus was a young man. He might not want to spend a whole month with his family.

Gus thought about it for a minute. “I still get my week with Ray?”

“Yes you do. I thought we could fly to England through New York and pick you up the day after New Year’s. How does that sound?”

“I think it sounds … fabulous!”

Brian laughed out loud. “You really are gay, aren’t you?”

“Wh…What do you mean?”

“You just used Emmett’s favorite word.”

“Then I guess that makes me gay,” Gus chuckled. “I think Ray will vouch for that fact too.”

“You’ll come to England with us then?”

“I’d love to, Pop. It sounds like an experience of a lifetime.”

Brian smiled. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that. I think this trip will be good for all of us. And Bree will be over the moon that you’re coming with us.”

“She’s probably waiting for me at the front door of the house right now,” Gus laughed.

“I didn’t tell her you were coming home early.”

“Oh, why not?”

“I didn’t think I’d get her to go to school today if I did, and she has her Christmas concert tomorrow evening.”

“She’s going to be so hyper.”

“You got that right.”

A while later, Gus pulled the SUV into the driveway of Edna’s Treasures. The front door of the cottage flew open and a little blonde whirlwind came racing out of the house.

“Gus!” Bree shrieked as she flung herself into Gus’ arms, hardly giving him time to get out of the car. Justin and John followed her out to greet Gus.

“I thought it was going to be a surprise,” Brian said to the two men. John looked sheepish and Justin shrugged.

“It’s my fault,” John said. “I spilled the beans on the way home from school. She said she’d act surprised,” he added.

Bree heard the end of that conversation. “Oh Gus! I’m so surprised to see you,” she said, batting her eyes at her brother and trying to sound sincere. She failed miserably.

The men all laughed. Bree merely grinned. She was too happy to see Gus to care.
 

Return to London Calling