PAR-TAY WITH BREE

Chapter 4

“Hey, Molly,” Justin said as his sister opened the door of her cottage to her brother’s knock.

“Hey, Jus, what brings you down here so early?”

“I wanted to make sure Taylor survived his fall with no ill effects.”

“He did.”

“Is he up?”

“Come on in and have a coffee with me. You can see for yourself,” Molly replied, stepping back to let Justin enter.

Justin could see Taylor sitting in his high chair at the little kitchen table. He had his hands in a bowl of something rather disgusting and was stuffing it into his mouth. “He looks fine,” Justin observed.

“His lip is still a bit swollen but it hasn’t stopped him from eating breakfast,” Molly chuckled.

“Kids are so resilient,” Justin said as he leaned over and kissed the top of Taylor’s head. “Hey, buddy,” he whispered.

Taylor gave him a two tooth grin in response. Food covered the rest of the area around his mouth.

Justin couldn’t help but smile. “You have one great kid here, sis.”

“I know,” Molly replied with a warm smile, “and so do you.”

“Thanks,” Justin said, “even though said kid was ready to disown your son.”

“You mean murder him, don’t you?” Molly chuckled.

“I think she’s over that…finally.”

“Sit down,” Molly said indicating the other chair at the table. She brought another mug and poured them both coffee. Once she was seated, she asked, “So what really brought you here this morning?”

“I … I told you I wanted to know how Taylor was doing,” Justin stammered.

“He was pretty well recovered from his fall by the time we left your place yesterday, so tell me the real reason,” Molly insisted.

Justin heaved a sigh. He had always had trouble trying to keep things from his sister. “I’m worried about Bree,” he said reluctantly.

“Worried? Why?” Molly asked in surprise.

“You didn’t see her when she blew up at Brian. She ran through the house screaming that she hated us. Then she locked herself in her room and wouldn’t open the door. I don’t know what we would have done, if Emmett hadn’t come over and talked her down. Where did we go wrong?” Justin stared into his coffee mug, looking more forlorn than Molly could ever remember seeing him.

“What do you mean – go wrong? You haven’t gone wrong at all,” Molly chided him gently.

“It should never have happened.”

“What? You think Bree’s perfect?” Molly asked sarcastically.

“Far from it,” Justin admitted. “But she shouldn’t have gone crazy like that.”

“She didn’t go crazy, Justin. She had a temper tantrum.”

“It was way more than a temper tantrum,” Justin replied. “It nearly destroyed Brian … and me.”

“I seem to remember a temper tantrum that you had, big brother. Remember that day after you came home from the hospital. You pushed Mom and you destroyed your bedroom.”

Justin shook his head at the memory. “I was out of control. I was lashing out.”

“And that’s what happens when we’re afraid or hurt. Bree was hurt. Remember? She thought everybody was giving Taylor all the things she thought belonged to her. She thought nobody loved her. It was understandable, if unfortunate.”

Justin thought about what Molly had told him. “I suppose that could be true, but what if this happens again?”

“It probably will.”

“What?”

“No matter how smart your daughter is, Justin, she’s still a child. Her emotions will get the better of her from time to time. So there will be more tantrums.”

“I don’t think I could stand it,” Justin whispered.

“Of course you can. And you will. You’ll handle it just fine too.”

“How can you know that?”

“I know it, because you handled this incident just right. You stayed calm, you didn’t yell or hit her…”

“I’d never hit her,” Justin stated emphatically.

“I know, but some parents would,” Molly reminded him. “Some would break down that bedroom door, and punish Bree for locking it. You respected her emotional turmoil and let her cry it out. That was the best thing you could have done.”

“You think so?” Justin asked with genuine surprise.

Molly nodded. “I do.”

“But what would we have done without Emmett?” Justin asked.

“You didn’t have to do without Emmett. I’m sure he was happy to help.”

“What if he isn’t around next time?”

“Then you and Brian will figure it out.”

“What if we can’t?” Justin asked, genuinely worried that they wouldn’t be able to handle Bree. Their emotions had been as raw as Bree’s.

“You have a whole support system, Justin. John and Bobby would talk to her. Hell, even Patrick would. And you could always call Debbie as a last resort.”

Justin laughed out loud. “I can just see that happening,” Justin said shaking his head and chuckling.

“But you see what I mean. I bet if you had waited an hour or two longer Bree would have let you or Brian into her room without Emmett being there at all. That little girl loves her daddies, and she knows how much you love her. She’d get over her tantrum eventually.”

“You really mean that?” Justin asked.

“Every word. You’re great parents, you and Brian. Don’t doubt yourselves.”

“You have no idea how good this makes me feel,” Justin admitted. “I’ve been almost afraid to discuss the party with her since her … tantrum.”

“She’ll be fine … and you’ll be fine,” Molly averred. “Besides, you and Brian are my model for parenting. I look up to both of you, and pattern what I do with Taylor after what you and Brian did with Bree.”

“Wow, does Mom know that?” Justin asked with a wicked laugh.

“No, and you better not tell her,” Molly said with a threatening look. “I learned a lot from her too.”

“But not so much from Dad,” Justin felt compelled to add.

“Let’s leave him out of the equation for now.”

Taylor took that moment to let out a little cry. He wanted some attention and he had finished his breakfast, what he wasn’t wearing anyway.

“I bet he’s wet,” Molly said.

“I’ll change him,” Justin volunteered as he wiped Taylor’s face then lifted the baby from the high chair and felt the damp diaper.

“Great,” Molly said with a smile. “Feel free to come here for advice anytime, if it includes free diaper changing services.”

“Nothing’s free,” Justin retorted as he headed for Taylor’s room.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Molly giggled, shaking her head at her big brother.

 

*****
 

Gus sadly set the alarm at the loft door then rolled the heavy door shut. With a sigh, he locked up, shouldered his duffle bag then stepped on the elevator that Ray had been holding for him.

“The week went fast,” Ray murmured as the old freight elevator descended to the first floor.

“I know,” Gus sighed again. “I loved every minute we spent together. I only wish we had more time.”

“The semester is almost over,” Ray said trying to cheer the both of them up.

“Not soon enough for me,” Gus grumbled.

“Gus,” Ray began, as he grabbed Gus’ arms to turn him so they could speak eye to eye. “You love it at Penn and the projects you’re doing for PIFA are amazing. And as much as I would love to drop everything to spend all my time with you, we both have a responsibility to finish college. Our parents would be so disappointed if we dropped out just so we can be together,” Ray said reasonably. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t spend our vacation time together,” he added cheerfully.

Gus smiled a brilliant handsome smile that took Ray’s breath away. “You’re so practical,” Gus said as he leaned down to kiss Ray’s mouth.

“I am older and wiser,” Ray said with a smirk.

“By only a year,” Gus said with a chuckle.

The elevator came to a halt at the first floor. Sadly the boys opened the gate then stepped out. A cab had been ordered to take Ray to the airport. Gus was going to spend the day with his moms then take the bus back to Penn the following morning.

“I love you, Ray. I can’t imagine you not being in my life.”

“Me either. I know it’s too early to talk about forever, but I want what my dads have, what your dads have.”

“Me too,” Gus agreed as he leaned down so he and Ray could touch foreheads. He had grown up seeing that gesture done by his father and Justin for most of his life. It meant love and commitment to Gus.

The boys parted as Gus opened the Tremont apartment front door. The taxi was already at the curb. The boys in true drama queen fashion loudly sighed then giggled at themselves as they rolled their eyes.

“I guess we’re more like our dads than we think we are,” Ray commented.

“Yeah,” Gus said as he opened the cab door. “I’ll miss you. Call me later.”

“Okay,” Ray murmured as they discreetly touched lips then Ray slipped into the cab.

Gus tugged the collar of his coat up around his neck, as the cold shiver of loss went through him while he watched Ray’s cab drive away. He adjusted his duffle bag on his shoulder then turned to walk to his mothers’ house.

 

*****
 

“What the fuck is all of this?” Brian bellowed across the sun porch.

Bree’s party was less than two weeks away and in the spirit of partnership and the fact that Brian still felt guilty about not doing more to help around the house, Brian was busy with Spring cleaning. He had torn apart the living room and breakfast nook and was about to tackle the kitchen when he decided to see what Justin was up to.

Justin still had a long list of commissions to be done but he was determined to spend a portion of his artistic day working on his ‘Then and Now’ project. Justin loved the concept of reproducing his earlier works into something modern. And even though Justin was resigned to the fact that he couldn’t go back, it was fun to look through his old sketch books to catch a glimpse of his younger self.

Right now, the evidence of that younger self was strewn across the sun porch. The artist in question was sporting a pair of headphones, one of Brian’s old denim shirts that Justin had appropriated as a smock and wiggling his luscious ass in time to the unheard music as he added paint to canvas.

Brian couldn’t help but smile even though he was sweaty, covered with the few dust bunnies that had escaped prior cleaning, and pissed that their once pristine sun porch now looked like a ransacked art gallery. Instead of futilely shouting again, Brian walked up to the easel Justin was working at and stood until noticed by his deeply engrossed artist.

“Hey, Brian,” Justin greeted his spouse with a cheery smile as he took off his headphones. “What’s up?”

“I could be, if you want to take a break,” Brian said with a smirk as he pulled Justin in close then planted a kiss on Justin’s full lips.

“Mmmm,” Justin murmured when released from the kiss to take in the necessary air. Justin inhaled the heady scent of a hard working Brian.

“I stink,” Brian said automatically as he took a whiff of his armpit, but knowing Justin had a thing for his sweaty smell.

“Yeah,” Justin whispered with lust filled eyes. Justin was on an artistic high, the sweaty subject of his current painting was in his arms and his dick was rapidly filling, straining at the zipper of his cargo jeans.

“Where’s Bree?” Brian asked in his low breathy voice.

“With John and Patrick at Ashley’s house. Susanna’s loan came through; she wants John to work on her house. They’ll be there for hours,” Justin assured his spouse.

“So...”

“So, why are we standing here when I can be fucking your tight ass off in our room?” Justin asked with a demanding tone as he ran his hands up and down Brian’s glistening arms.

Brian knew that look and there was no denying the command in his partner’s voice. Brian was in for a long hard fuck. His asshole was twitching in anticipation. His eyebrow arched as Brian searched Justin’s determined face then he turned to walk into their bedroom. Justin placed his paintbrush into the cleaning fluid, covered his painting then went to join his spouse.

Justin found Brian waiting, standing naked in the middle of their room with his arms out reminiscent of their first night together.

“Are you coming or going?” Brian murmured. “Or coming then going?” Brian again arched his brow. “Or coming and staying?”

“Staying. Definitely staying,” Justin said without hesitation as he took off his clothes. His hard penis sprang back against his abdomen. Justin walked into Brian’s arms to place a tender kiss on his lover’s lips, for the briefest of moments, silently asking permission. Brian imperceptibly nodded getting a licentious smile in return.

“Lean over the bed and hold on,” Justin commanded.

Brian did what he was told. The kitchen could wait until later, much later.

 

*****
 

“What’s got you grinning like a Cheshire cat?” John asked Justin as they were cooking dinner in the Anderson-Morrison side of the cottage.

After Brian’s ride, and renewed energy, Brian decided there was no time like the present to complete his cleaning of the Kinney-Taylor end of the cottage. It was Justin’s turn to cook, so instead of disturbing Brian, he began dinner with John.

“Brian and I had a very productive day today,” Justin said trying to look innocent and flashing John with a sunny smile. John had a good idea just how productive Brian and Justin were.

“I see. I take it it's this sense of accomplishment that has my brother humming while cleaning the oven and mopping the kitchen floor?”

“Must be,” Justin blushed, making John laugh.

“You two are priceless, do you know that?” John asked rhetorically. “After all this time, the mere inference of making love to your partner still makes you blush. Justin, you have been together for almost twenty years, taking the lead now and then is perfectly all right.”

“I know,” Justin murmured as he took a huge roasted chicken out of the oven to rest before carving. “Sometimes it still amazes me that he lets me top.”

“Why? He loves you, and more importantly, he trusts you. He knows you would never hurt him and he feels safe with you.”

“Safe?”

“Safe. He can allow himself to let loose and he knows you would never take advantage of him. For a man like Brian, knowing he’s free to indulge his fantasies is very reassuring,” John said wisely.

“Fantasies?”

“Justin,” John began as if speaking to a naive child. “Don’t you ever fantasize about Brian?”

“All the time,” Justin replied with a starstruck sigh.

“I know he has many fantasies that all involve you.”

“Has he told you about them?”

“A gentleman never tells, and Brian is nothing if not a gentleman. I see it in the way he looks at you.” Justin’s eyebrows rose high toward his forehead. “I’m not just talking about his lusty leers. His love for you is obvious, but it’s the way his eyes follow you around.”

“He has a thing for my ass.”

“Not just your ass, it’s the whole package.” Justin giggled at the double entendre. “You know what I mean. He loves every part of you from your blond head to the tips of your toes. During the summer when you’re out there wearing shorts, I catch him staring at your legs. I’ve even seen him go spitless at the sight of your belly.”

“Jo-ohn!” Justin blushed deeply then giggled again.

“I mean it!”

John and Justin shared a laugh as Brian peeked his head into the kitchen. He was about to ask if he had time to shower before dinner when the sight of Justin’s bright smile and the sound of his laughter stopped Brian dead in his tracks. He swallowed, fighting to regain control.

“Um, hi. Am I interrupting?” Brian asked as he cleared his throat.

“Not at all,” John said as he patted his brother on the back and then took the dishes out to the dining room to set the table.

“How goes the cleaning?” Justin asked with a loving smile.

“Fine. I’m finished. Do I have time for a shower before dinner?”

“Yes,” Justin replied as he stepped closer to inhale Brian’s scent and to give him a chaste kiss. “I love you,” Justin purred against his partner’s lips, the man who embodied all of Justin’s greatest fantasies. “I love you, Brian Kinney-Taylor.”

“Love you too, Justin Taylor-Kinney,” Brian affirmed as he drew the younger man into his chest then kissed the top of the blond head. “With all my heart,” he murmured as Justin nodded. Justin could hear that heart beating strongly and steadily in Brian’s chest.

“Go, shower, you stink,” Justin teased as he patted Brian’s ass.

“Yeah,” Brian said with a chuckle then left to take a quick shower.

“Everything okay in here?” John asked when he returned to the kitchen for the cutlery.

“Fine,” Justin answered, blushing.

John just chuckled as he shook his head. He and Justin took their time preparing the rest of dinner then getting it onto the table.

 

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