And Never Brought to Mind
Chapter 9
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The party was in full swing chez
Kinney-Taylor. The barbecues were humming and everyone was cooking. Emmett was
having a fit because all of his plans were being totally ignored. Nobody really
needed a party planner when old friends got together and there was plenty of
beer and food.
"Gus," Bree said to her brother
looking up into his face and turning her toe in as she scuffed her pink running
shoe across the floor of the sun porch.
"Yes, Squirt,"
Gus said with a smile as he gulped down the last bite of his hamburger.
"Go to stream?"
"You want to go down to the
stream?" Gus asked to be sure he had heard right.
Bree nodded and gave her best 'take me
please' look. "Fwogs," she managed to say.
"You little…devil," Gus said
with a laugh. "Dad will kill us if he finds out."
Bree scuffed her toe some more and merely
smiled.
Gus decided he might as well take all the
kids, so he rounded up Patrick and JR and went to tell Justin and Brian where
they were going.
"Watch the little ones," Justin
said. "They can do silly things around water."
"I'll be careful," Gus promised.
"I know you will, Sonny Boy,"
Brian said ruffling Gus' hair.
"Could you use a little more
help?" Lacy asked seeing them all getting ready to go out. She had been
enjoying watching everyone kibbitz around in the porch but a little time in the
sun sounded good.
"Um … sure," Gus said.
"Everybody take someone's hand and let's go," he said
enthusiastically.
"No unexpected baptisms," Justin
cautioned as they all made their way out the door. Gus was in the lead holding
Bree's hand who held Patrick's hand who held JR's
hand. Lacy took hole of JR's hand and the two oldest made a kid sandwich of the
younger ones. Justin finally smiled his approval as it looked like Gus knew
what he was doing.
"They teach them things like that at
swim camp," Brian joked elbowing Justin gently in the ribs. "They'll
be fine."
"I know, but I can't help it if I
worry."
"That's why I love you," Brian
said planting a big, wet smacker on Justin's lips.
"Hey, Kinney, you got any dance music
in your collection?" Emmett asked. Having decided to give up with his
organization of the party, he thought dancing might be fun. "We don't hit
Brian shook his head, but went into the
living room to pop in a dance mix that he had. The speakers in the sun porch
began blaring the techno music. Everyone grabbed a
partner and started dancing.
"Come on, Carl," Debbie laughed.
"We can't let these homos outdo us." She took Carl's hand and they
began to do the hustle. Everyone was somewhat speechless until they got used to
the sight.
"Brings back good memories," Ted
said as he danced with Allen.
"Yeah," Emmett agreed as he
gyrated with Drew. "Loneliness, multiple turn downs, drug overdoses,
waking up someplace you don't remember going."
"Good times," Ted laughed.
Things had certainly changed, especially for him. He pulled Allen closer and
bumped suggestively against his groin. Allen was the stability and grounding
that Ted had always needed. With Allen he always felt special. He could almost
believe that he was special.
Brian and Justin were doing their special
grinding act much to the consternation of Melanie. "Don't those two ever
get enough," she griped as she danced with Lindsay.
"Leave them alone," Lindsay
smiled. "They're having a good time."
"Are you?"
"What?"
"You seem to be more interested in
what they're doing than in what we're doing," Melanie sniped.
"Fuck you, and in only the best
way," Lindsay laughed swinging Melanie around and kissing her heartily.
"Ew!" Brian commented. "Keep them away from my brass
bed."
Justin snorted. "Don't be such a
dick. And when did it become your brass bed?"
Brian stuck his tongue in his cheek and
then said, "Don't you remember how long it took us to fumigate that bed
the last time they stayed here?"
"If you don't bring that up
again," Justin whispered against Brian's ear, "I'll let you do
whatever you want to me in our brass bed tonight."
"Do you think you've got anything new
for me?" Brian challenged.
The fire in Justin's eyes immediately
flamed. "I think I can come up with something. I'm very creative."
"I know, my little artiste,"
Brian smiled. "What do you think has kept me around for all these
years?"
JP and Katerina watched the people
dancing, as they drank their beers. After a hushed conversation they finally
stood up and began dancing with each other. Brian observed them over Justin's
shoulder. He particularly noted the beautiful Katerina, and wondered why she
kept so much to herself. Not speaking English didn't really account for her
very shy demeanor.
Finally the dance disc ran out and
everyone grabbed a beer to cool off. Brian went back inside to find some other
CD's to dance to. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
As they were well into the second dance
session Gus and the kids were walking back from the stream. Bree had found
several frogs but Gus has talked her into leaving them by the stream, and not bringing them back for her father. He hoped
that little gesture might earn him some brownie points when he started bugging
his father about a car as soon as he got his license.
"Gus," Lacy said as she moved up
closer to the boy. "I haven't seen much of you since we stopped working on
the journals with Justin."
"I guess we move in different circles
now," Gus said with a sigh. He could still go for Lacy but he knew she
didn't feel that way about him.
"I'm still working at the diner. You
could stop in some time."
"I … I don't think that's such a good
idea."
"Why not? I thought we agreed to be friends," Lacy said.
Gus decided to take a page out of his
father's book and hit the problem straight on. "You know I still like
you?"
"Yeah, but…"
"I just don't think I'd be
comfortable around you."
"Oh," Lacy said sadly.
"That's too bad. I don't have many friends."
Gus looked at her and his heart softened.
"I didn't mean that quite the way it sounded. I like you, and I'd like to
be friends. I just don't want it to be awkward."
"Me either."
"Okay, I'll stop into the diner this
week. When do you have a shift?"
"Everyday, three till nine," she
replied with a big smile.
Gus felt himself blush. He liked making
her happy and it didn't take much. He'd go to the diner and be the best friend
he could.
"Gus, fwog," Bree cried as they
got to the edge of the grass at the back of the house. She pointed to a large
bullfrog hopping near the path. "Dada!"
"No, Bree, no frog for Dada."
"Why?" she pouted.
"Bree, how about I give you a
piggyback ride?" Lacy asked.
"Yay! Piggy!" the little girl yelled.
Lacy quickly picked her up and got her
positioned for her ride bouncing her gently. Bree laughed and giggled and
forgot all about the frog.
"Thanks," Gus smiled at Lacy as
he let Patrick climb on his back.
"That's what friends are for,"
Lacy giggled as she and Gus ran towards the house with their riders screaming
in delight. JR followed along wondering when she had become too big for such
things.
When they entered the sun porch, the
dancing was pretty well over and dessert was being set out. Bree gave Justin a
hug and a kiss, but she couldn't see her Dada anywhere. "Dada?" she
asked her other father.
"Hm," Justin said. "You
stay with Gus and I'll see if I can find him. He's been acting strange all
day."
"'Kay," she said as she ran over
to Gus who was getting juice for his charges.
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"Hi. My name is Lacy," Lacy said
shyly to the petite Katerina. Katerina was a couple of years older than Lacy
but shorter in stature. Lacy hadn't totally given up boy's clothing; to anyone
who didn't know Lacy, her gender was still a mystery.
"I am Katerina." Katerina held
out her hand which Lacy gently took to give a little shake.
"Are you a girl?" Katerina asked
in a whisper and in English.
"Yes. Does that bother you? Did you
think I was a boy?" Lacy had no idea that Katerina wasn't supposed to be
able to speak English so she carried on. She thought Katerina was whispering
because she was embarrassed by not knowing if Lacy was a girl or not. The girls
were sitting at the far corner of the sun porch away from most of the family and
the noise.
"I thought maybe you were a boy but
then I heard you talking to Gus. I hoped you were a girl like me."
"Like you? I wish I was like you.
You're so pretty. You look like a girl." Lacy leaned in and whispered more
softly. "You have boobs like a girl. Mine are so small, that's why they
think I'm a boy."
"And you want people to think you're
a boy?" Katerina found herself fascinated by Lacy and a little scared by
her.
"I feel safe when I look like a boy, then men don't usually want to hurt me." Katerina
wasn't sure what Lacy meant but men frightened her. She was always safe with
her brothers, especially JP who always looked after her even when they were
small children, but that was going to change as soon as they went back home.
She felt safe with this new family because the men weren't interested in her.
She had nothing to fear from them. All they wanted was each other.
Brian was up in his office again skimming
through Edna's notes, the ones that Justin was unable to read. From his vantage
point he could see Lacy and Katerina huddled together in their corner, sipping
their sodas and nibbling their snacks. Brian was beginning to make sense out of
it all. One note, he couldn't help but read over and over again.
How stupid am I? I've lived in this
village for most of my adult life. I've known all the families, witnessed
countless births and buried many dear friends. And yet, I did not put two and
two together.
I have shopped in their store long
before Juanito was born. I knew his grandfather. Helped him
to go through our large Bible, searching the old records. And yet when I
met the boys, I still didn't put it all together. I was so taken with those
boys. Regretted that one or all were not my own son; it blinded me. And then
they went home, back to
Juanito must marry and take his
father's place. The boy loves the girl they have chosen for him. They were
friends since childhood and grew to love each other. They will have a good
marriage. Even at this young age, they will have a good marriage. But Katerina. The child will not be happy.
When the boys were here, JP and
Katerina were babies. Meeting Justin would hold no meaning for them. And then
as they grew older, it was evident Juanito would follow his father's footsteps.
I pray I made the right choice. If my
Keith were here to guide me, I would feel more confident. Maybe it will work
out and it's only a phase. I pray it's only a phase she is going through. If
she were a man...men seem to have an easier time of it. The
poor sweet girl.
Juanito protects her but when he
marries and takes over the business, he will not have the time to protect her
as he once did. She will bow to the family pressure. Maybe I should show what I
have learned to Juan. He is still the head of his house. It should be up to
him.
"Brian, why are you hiding up
here?"
"I'm not hiding, Sunshine."
"Then what are you doing? The kids
miss you and we have guests."
"Them!? They're not guests. Freeloaders,
the lot of them."
"And you love them. Now answer the
question. What are you doing? And is that my Edna file? The one with the notes
I couldn't read?"
"Yes, it is. And you should have come
to me with this. I could have helped you. Edna and I didn't just e-mail, we
faxed. We faxed a lot. I got used to reading that chicken scrawl of hers."
"But what does this have to do with
anything? Did you learn more about Kinney or Patrick?"
"No, but I did learn more about your
Central American cousins. And they knew Edna. Or at least she knew the family,
their father to be specific."
"You're kidding?"
"No, I'm serious and I think I know
why they're here."
"So what are you fucking waiting for?
Tell me!"
"Not yet. If I'm wrong and I make a
huge fucking mistake then let it be my mistake, not
yours. If I'm right, I'll share the credit."
"Brian Kinney, you don't have to
fight my battles for me!"
"I'm not, Sunshine, besides I thought
it turned you on when I got all caveman."
"It does, but sometimes I have to
beat my own chest. Do you know what I mean?"
"Yes, I know exactly what you mean.
Come on, let's go down. I feel the need for some more thumpa thumpa music. I
have to burn off the gazillion calories of dessert."
"Bri, we haven't had dessert
yet."
"Just being
prepared."
"You." Justin gently swatted Brian across his very flat
stomach then gave his man a kiss. Whatever Brian was up to, Justin would have
to trust that Brian would make it all turn out right.
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"Lacy, can you help me? I can't go
back home." Katerina leaned in to whisper in the girl's ear. "Can I
trust you? You seem to know things. I can't go back home." Katerina was
almost in tears as she pleaded at Lacy.
"I don't know what to do. I just got
off the streets. I'm not even seventeen!"
"Then I don't know what to do. I
can't go back. I'll have to hide someplace." The tears in Katerina's eyes
pierced through Lacy's soul.
"Wait, I think I know someone who can
help." Lacy searched the family in the porch. Her eyes fell on Debbie.
Following Lacy's line of sight, Katerina began to shake.
"No, not her. She scares me; she is so loud."
"I know but she's a good person. She
helped me when I had no place to live, no job, but she's not the one I'm
looking for." Lacy scanned the crowd again. "There he is!" Lacy
found the man who she thought could make sense of all of this. "Come on,
we need to go for a walk in the woods."
"Not another walk in the woods,"
Katerina mumbled but followed Lacy anyway.
Tired of all the loud music, John switched
the CD's and something ridiculously romantic began to play. He grabbed Bobby,
held him close and they began to sway. Bobby nuzzled at John's neck as his
lover danced him around the room. It reminded them of all the nights they spent
at the Honey Bear. Like Brian and Justin who appeared to have outgrown
The lovers in the room followed John and
Bobby's lead and danced, before Emmett's desserts would call them away.
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Brought To Mind