London Calling

Chapter 8

“Hey, Justin, how are things going?”

“Not bad, Moll, how about you?”

“I’m okay. I’m at Sharon’s.”

“Oh? Is it Christmas already?”

“No silly,” Molly laughed. “I’m helping her do a few things around the house. We made some cookies and squares to serve on Christmas Eve. She’s having a little get-together, just some of the neighbors.”

“And you and Owen?”

“Yeah, but I wish I was up at Edna’s Treasures with the other Christmas fairies.”

“I’m surprised you and Owen didn’t come up for a few days. I miss seeing Taylor.”

“He’s growing so fast,” Molly sighed.

“How did he like being in the school at Kinnetik?”

“I think he liked it as much as I did,” Molly laughed.

“You were in school too?” Justin asked with a laugh of his own.

“Kind of. There’s so much to learn about advertising. I know nothing.”

“I don’t think they expect you to learn everything about advertising. They hired you for your language skills. I’m sure they have other people to look after the advertising side.”

“I know, but I like to be on top of things.”

“Does Owen know that?” Justin joked.

“Yes, he does … and I am … sometimes.”

“TMI, Moll, TMI,” Justin said feeling himself blush.

“Well, now that I’ve thoroughly embarrassed you, I better let you go.”

“Maybe I should inform you that we have some injured Christmas fairies,” Justin said with a chuckle.

“Injured? Who got hurt?”

“It’s nothing much. Don’t worry about it,” Justin told her.

“You’re sure? It’s not Mom, is it?” Molly sighed.

“No, definitely not Mom. She’s fine.”

“I wish I was there.”

“Can’t you come up for the day?”

“Maybe Sunday,” Molly said hopefully, “but Sharon wants us involved in everything she’s got planned.”

“Christmas Eve?”

“We’re expected to be at her soiree,” Molly sighed.

“Then how about tomorrow? I’d like to see you all before Christmas Day, since you won’t be here for that.”

“I’ll try, and I expect to hear all about the Christmas fairies,” Molly said. “Say hi to the fairies from me.”

“You got it. Say hi to Taylor and Owen for me … and Owen and Sharon.”

“Will do,” Molly said as she cut the connection.

“Who was that?” Brian asked as he came up behind his husband.

“Molly. She’s at Sharon’s. I think she’d rather be here.”

“Who wouldn’t?” Brian said with a laugh.

“Some of our fairies are probably wishing they were anywhere else but here.”

“They’re stuck with us and we’re stuck with them,” Brian replied.

“And you wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Brian didn’t nod, but he dipped his head and then leaned down to kiss Justin.

“Daddy, Dada, are we going to decorate the tree?” Bree asked. She had changed into her pajamas and was carrying her grey bunny.

“Tomorrow, sweetheart,” Justin said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

“I love Christmas,” Bree proclaimed.

“We know.”

“Can you read me a Christmas story?”

“How about The Night Before Christmas?”

“Nope, cause it’s not the night before Christmas. There’s three more days, right?”

“That’s right,” Brian agreed.

“Dada, can you tell me a story about when you were a little boy and what Christmas was like?”

Justin saw the look of horror that came over Brian’s face. “I’ll tell you about one of my Christmases,” Justin offered.

“You already did, Daddy, but Dada hasn’t.”

“Maybe Dada doesn’t have any good stories,” Justin suggested.

“I don’t care if they’re good,” Bree informed them. “Just tell me what Christmas was like with Gamma Joan.”

“I…” Brian didn’t know how to continue.

“Um, Bree, I don’t think Dada’s really able to do that,” Justin said. “I’m a much better story teller.” He hoped Bree would let it go before Brian got too upset.

“But I want to know about Dada’s Christmas,” Bree whined.

“Bree,” Brian said sternly.

“Brian, let me,” Joan said as she came in from the kitchen.

“Mother?”

“I can handle it.”

Brian shook his head. He wasn’t sure which might be worse, having to make up some kind of cock and bull story for his daughter or having his mother tell her the truth.

“Come here, Bree,” Joan said as she sat on the edge of one of the chaises. She threw an afghan over them once Bree was ensconced on her knee with her grey bunny held tight. “You see, we didn’t have very happy Christmases when your Dada was your age.”

“You didn’t?” Bree asked with a frown.

Joan shook her head. “No, we didn’t. You see, Grandpa Jack…”

“He’s dead, right?”

“Yes, he died long before you were born.”

“Oh.”

“Sometimes Grandpa Jack would drink too much and he really didn’t like holidays very much, so we didn’t celebrate.”

“But everybody’s apposed to be happy at Christmas,” Bree declared. This wasn’t at all what she had expected to hear. She just thought there would be something about Gamma Joan making figgy pudding and everyone singing Christmas songs.

“Not everybody is happy at Christmas, Briana,” Joan said sadly. “But once you came into your fathers’ lives, I know your Dada was much, much happier. He also had Gus, and Gus brought great joy to him. Isn’t that right, dear?” Joan asked looking up at her son.

“Yes, he did.”

“Tell me about Gus’ Christmas, Dada?” Bree asked. She really wanted a happy story.

“When Gus was two years old…” Brian began. He sat down on the end of the chaise. “I went over to Lindsay’s and Mel’s on Christmas morning and Gus was so happy to see me. He practically jumped into my arms.”

“But Gus is so big,” Bree said with large eyes.

“He was still a baby, and cute as a button, just like you,” Brian said with a soft smile.

“Gus was little like me?”

“Haven’t we got some Gus pictures from that Christmas, Sunshine?” Brian asked.

“I believe we do,” Justin said. “I’ll get them and start some hot chocolate. I think you have lots of stories to tell after all.”

Brian smiled and turned back to his daughter and his mother. They were both smiling at him and he felt the Christmas spirit seep through his body.

 

*****
 

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

“Soon.”

“Can’t wait.”

“How are we going to...?”

“We’ll find a way. Besides, Jeffrey’s cool.”

“Yeah, he is. Sometimes I wish I had a brother. Sisters can be so like...”

“Girls?”

“Yeah. But I love them, ya know?”

“Yeah, I know. Your sisters are cool.”

“I miss you.”

“Miss you too. You alone?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Yeah. Wanna?”

“I’m about to explode already.”

“Me too. Gus, your birthday, when we were together, it was incredible. The best.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean I’m no expert but me and Vin, we kinda went at it a lot. But with him, it was kind of like a competition. With you that weekend, it was fun.”

“Fun? Shouldn’t it be hot?”

“It was hot. But it was also fun and I really liked what we did together and that we, uh...”

“Switched?”

“Yeah. Vinny, he had to top all the time. He didn’t like to bottom unless he was high. And I really don’t like doing shit like that, ya know?”

“Yeah, me neither. My Pop, told me about a lotta stuff he did when he was younger. He said he had no apologies and no regrets about what he did, but he wanted me to know so I could make my own decisions about relationships and sex and stuff like that.”

“Yeah, my dad told me when he was younger he was a big bad bear but then he met my father and that was it. He said that he never wanted anyone else ever again. Gus, we’re really young.”

“I know, Ray. And we have college and other shit to do before we settle. But I really hope it’s you I settle with.”

“Me too, Gus. Uh, you still in the mood for phone sex?”

“If I can’t have you in person then I guess I’ll have to settle for phone sex until I do!”

“Oh that was bad.”

“So bad that I’m gooood.”

“Yeah, you are just that.”

 

*****
 

“Sunshine, I am soo happy that this day is finally over,” Brian said as he crawled into bed.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Justin replied as he snuggled close, pulling up the duvet.

“Yes, it was,” Brian said as he drew Justin closer to his chest. Justin laid his head on Brian’s chest as Brian traced lazy circles on Justin’s back. “Not only was I awake before dawn, I could have been sued by a bunch of Christmas fairies,” Brian said with a straight face. He could feel Justin chuckle against his skin.

“Those Christmas fairies are our friends. They wouldn’t sue us.”

“They wouldn’t sue you, Sunshine; however, they wouldn’t think twice about bleeding me dry.”

“You are so full of shit, do you know that?”

“Me? You wait, when you least expect it, one of those fairies is going to sue the pants off me.”

“That’s because they want to see your dick.”

“So you think this is all a ruse to get me naked?”

“I’ll tell you what I think. I think you should shut up, get naked and fuck this Christmas fairy until I see stars.”

“So you’re my Christmas fairy?” Brian asked low and sultry into Justin’s ear.

“Your very own personal fairy,” Justin murmured as he nipped at a nipple making it harden and peak.

“If you’re my fairy then what am I?” Brian whispered, arching up his chest in response to Justin’s ministrations.

“My very own jolly St. Dick,” Justin replied as he sucked down Brian’s dick.

“Ho, Ho, Ho, Sunshine.”

 

*****
 

“Daddy, Dada, it’s snowing.”

Bree had flung the door of Brian and Justin’s bedroom open. She was standing there clutching her grey bunny. She waited for a response.

“Bree, why are you up?” Brian asked as he tried to prop an eye open. He and Justin had fucked into the wee small hours of the morning.

“I told you, Dada,” Bree said with annoyance. “It’s snowing. There’s a whole bunch of snow on the ground too.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to wake us up,” Brian reminded her.

“Yes, I did. I want to play in the snow.”

“What time is it?” Justin mumbled.

“The big hand’s on the nine and the little hand’s on the six, so it’s quarter to seven,” Bree replied logically.

“Is it even daylight?” Justin asked.

“I can see the snow,” Bree told him.

“It’s too early, Bree,” Justin muttered. “Go back to bed.”

“But I want to play in the snow,” Bree pouted.

“Later,” Justin said emphasizing the word so that Bree would get the message that this wasn’t the time of day for playing in the snow.

“But…”

“No but’s, Bree,” Justin said forcefully. “Dada and I need to sleep some more.”

Bree heaved a sigh and grabbed the door handle. She was about to slam the bedroom door when she thought better of it. That might make her fathers mad, and then they wouldn’t let her play in the snow at all.

She stomped down the hall to her bedroom, even though the stomping had little effect since she was wearing her big, soft, fluffy slippers. She climbed up onto her bed and pressed her nose against the window, looking at the big lazy flakes that drifted down to the ground. There was all that wonderful, glorious snow out there and she was supposed to stay in bed. Then it occurred to her that she could dress herself and get her coat and boots on all by herself. She didn’t need her fathers to go play in the snow. However, it would be more fun if they came with her. She wondered if Patrick was up. Maybe she’d get ready and then go over to Patrick’s side of Edna’s Treasures to see if he would come play with her. With a determined set to her jaw she started getting dressed.

 

*****
 

Joan tapped on Brian and Justin’s bedroom door. Nothing happened so she pounded a little harder.

“What?” came a grumpy voice in reply.

“Brian, Justin, you have to come see this,” Joan said through the door.

“What time is it?”

“A little before nine.”

“Shit,” Brian said throwing back the covers. He grabbed some sweats and threw them on even though he needed a shower. Justin was doing the same. “What’s going on?” Brian asked as he opened the bedroom door.

“Come look outside,” Joan said as she headed back to the screen porch where she had been sleeping.

Brian and Justin trailed along behind her.

“Oh, my fucking God!” Justin said.

“Don’t take the name of the Lord in vain,” Joan corrected.

“Sorry.”

“Do you believe that?” Joan asked.

Outside of the screen porch there were three large snowmen that had already been assembled. Another snowman was still under construction by about half of the Christmas fairy contingent who had arrived at Edna’s Treasures.

Michael and Ben were rolling the balls of snow. Hunter and Nick were trimming and shaping the snowmen that had already been constructed. Debbie and Carl were adding eyes, noses, and some clothes. They had already stuck some small tree branches into the second ball of the snowmen to make arms for them.

Bree was supervising the whole thing. Her pink jacket and hat ran from group to group telling them what was correct or what needed to be fixed or changed. Apparently she had a very definite idea of what she wanted done, and she had the fairies to carry it out.

“Do you fucking believe that?” Brian asked staring at his daughter and the way she was directing traffic. “And what is that…?” He stopped, staring at a rather large looking appendage sticking out from one of the snowmen. “Could that be a dick?”

“It has to be,” Justin chuckled. “It has to be Debbie’s idea.”

“I’ll kill her. How dare she do that with Bree?” Brian said angrily.

“Bree probably doesn’t even realize what it is,” Justin said soothingly.

“She better not,” Brian griped.

Just then Bree turned and saw her fathers and grandmother standing at the windows of the sun porch. She smiled and waved, and then called, “Daddy, Dada, look at the family of snowmen. It’s us!”

“The one with the dick must be you,” Justin whispered with a laugh.

Brian glowered. “Then the one with the spaghetti on his head must be you.”

“Yeah, I guess so. I was going to eat that leftover pasta for lunch.”

“It’s now your hair, dear,” Joan said with a chuckle.

“Is that Gus?” Brian asked looking at the third tall snowman.

“Must be,” Joan said. “I think that’s his toque on the snowman’s head.”

“How did they get all that stuff?” Brian asked.

“I woke up when I heard someone in the kitchen,” Joan said. “They must have been getting the spaghetti.”

“I wonder how long they’ve been out there,” Justin mused.

“Probably since Bree woke us up,” Brian surmised.

“Shit! She’ll be frozen.”

“She doesn’t look like it’s bothering her,” Joan observed.

The last snowman had just been completed. It was much smaller than the other three. Bree looked it over and nodded in approval. She took off her hat and Debbie added it to the snowman’s head. Bree then shook off her mitts and they went on the end of the twigs Carl had used for arms.

When that was done, Bree turned with one of those brilliant Taylor smiles on her face. She ran towards the house, rushing into the sun porch. “Look, Daddy, Dada, Gamma, it’s us!” she yelled. “I wanted to make you too, Gamma. And JR, and Gamma Jenn…”

“Take a breath Bree,” Justin cautioned.

Bree drew in a breath before continuing, “But Gamma Debbie said there wouldn’t be enough snow.”

Joan, Brian and Justin all laughed.

“Well, at least she was right about that,” Brian said with a snort. “You’d need ten football fields to make everyone in this family.”

“And we’re very lucky that that’s the case,” Joan said.

“Dada?” Bree said as she slipped out of her coat. The fairies were heading for the sun porch, very satisfied with their morning’s work.

“Yes, Bree?” Brian asked.

“Why did Gamma Debbie put your nose so low?”

“My nose?”

“Yeah, the cucumber that’s sticking out?”

“Oh, that nose,” Brian said with a snort. “You’ll have to ask Grandma Debbie. I’m going to make breakfast.” Brian made a quick getaway … from the gang and from Bree’s question. Let Debbie fucking deal with it.
 

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