PAR-TAY WITH BREE

Chapter 5

“Hey, Pop.”

“Sonny Boy, where are you?”

“At the moms.”

“How was your break from university?”

“Fantabulous!”

Brian chuckled. “I guess the loft bed got a real workout.”

“Dad!”

“Well, it did, didn’t it?”

“Um … yeah, but you’re not supposed to know.”

“How naïve do you think I am, young man?”

“Not naïve at all.”

“So…”

“Okay, okay, Pop, can we change the subject, please?” Gus begged.

“All right, so is this my weekly call?”

Gus groaned as loudly as he could to let Brian know his displeasure.

“I like to know where I stand,” Brian chuckled.

“Consider this your weekly call then,” Gus snarked.

“When do you head back to Penn?”

“Later today.”

“Everything going okay in that regard?”

“I’m doing great, Pop. I’m so glad I can do the double major. It’s been wonderful working in both areas.”

“That’s what I like to hear, my man.”

“Dada, is that Gus?” a little voice asked.

“Yes, it is, Squirt. Did you want to talk to your brother?” Bree nodded her head enthusiastically.

“Pop,” Gus said quickly, having heard Bree’s voice. “She doesn’t know I’m in Pittsburgh, does she?”

“No, Sonny Boy. I’m handing the phone to your sister now.”

Bree took the receiver. “Hi, Gus, I miss you.”

“Miss you too, short stuff,” Gus whispered. He suddenly felt very guilty for spending the week in Pittsburgh and not telling Bree. She would be devastated if she knew.

“I wish you could come here for my sleepover birthday party,” Bree said in what could only be described as a pleading voice.

“I’m sure you’re going to have a blast with all your girl friends,” Gus said quickly.

“I know, but it would be better if you were here.”

“I’ll come to see you as soon as I finish my exams.”

“Promise?” Bree asked.

“Cross my heart.”

“I love you, Gus.”

“Love you too, Bree. And I know you’ll have a fabulous party.”

“Bye, Gus,” Bree said softly then handed the receiver to her father. She ran into her bedroom to get her grey bunny. She suddenly needed to hold onto him.

“Is she okay, Pop?” Gus asked, worry in his voice. He now felt guiltier than ever.

“She’ll be fine. She just misses you.”

“I miss her too. I feel like a shit for not seeing her while I was here in Pittsburgh.”

“She’ll survive.”

“I know she will, but I want her to be happy,” Gus stated, still annoyed with himself.

“You can’t be everywhere. It will all work out.”

“Did you get her that Barbie Fashion Model doll that I told you about?”

“Yeah, it’s been ordered along with several gowns including a pink ball gown that will look like a princess dress for her princess sleepover,” Brian said. “I’ll see that it’s wrapped and has a card from you.”

“Thanks, Pop, I really wanted something special for her birthday.”

“I think she’ll be thrilled.

“Great. Well, I guess I better go. Got to gather up some last minute things and get ready to catch the bus.”

“I expected a call asking me to drive you back,” Brian said seriously.

“I thought about it, but I know you’re busy this time of year, and the bus is not so bad. I can sleep or listen to music all the way.”

“Take care of yourself.”

“I will, and thanks again for the use of the loft. It was great.”

“I hope Ray got away on time.”

“Yep, he’s already back in New York.”

“Where you’ll be later in the summer,” Brian reminded him.

“Yeah, I can hardly wait.”

“I’m sure. Just study hard, and do good on those exams.”

“I will, Pop. I love you.”

“Love you too,” Brian said before he set the phone back on its base.

 

*****
 

“Bree, are you okay?” Justin asked as he pushed the door to Bree’s bedroom open. He could see Bree lying on her bed holding her grey bunny. Her back was to him and she didn’t turn over. When there was no response to his question, he moved over and sat down on the edge of Bree’s bed. “Sweetheart?”

“I’m okay,” a pitiful little voice responded.

“You don’t look okay,” Justin said as he managed to get Bree to turn over and look at him.

“I want Gus to come to my party, Daddy,” Bree said in a voice full of woe.

“You know Gus is going to be writing his exams. He has to stay at school and study,” Justin explained gently.

“But Gus is sooo smart, he doesn’t need to study,” Bree protested.

“Yes, he does, sweetheart. University is hard.”

“But…”

“Bree, sometimes people have other responsibilities that take precedence over what we want. I’m sure Gus would be at your party if he could. He loves you very much.”

“I love Gus,” Bree replied adamantly.

“I know you do. And he will come see you as soon as he can.”

“I want him now.”

“I know, sweetheart, but we don’t always get what we want.”

“Why?” Bree asked through her tear filled eyes.

“Um … that’s just the way it is. Sometimes things don’t work out the way we want them to, and how we handle it says a lot about who we are,” Justin added, deciding that this might be the moment for one of those life lessons that Bree needed to learn.

“It does?” Bree asked truly wanting to know what her father meant.

“Yes, it does. If you whine and cry about it, people get sick of that after a while. If you grin and bear it, and do the best you can, people usually appreciate that. And if you really accept what has happened and try to make the best of it, you learn a lot and you make other people happy.”

“Really?” Bree asked, a frown creasing her brow as she thought about what her father had just told her. “How can I make the best of Gus not being here?”

“Um…” Justin replied. He was hard pressed to come up with an answer. “Maybe you could send Gus a card, one with your rainbow on it, and tell him that you miss him, but you understand why he can’t come to your party. I bet that would make Gus feel a lot better. I’m sure he feels very bad that he can’t be here.”

“Will you help me?” Bree asked as she sat up on her bed and set her grey bunny aside.

“Of course I will, sweetheart.”

“Let’s go do it right now, Daddy.”

“Okay,” Justin said with a little chuckle. One never knew how quickly the wind could change when dealing with their mercurial daughter.

“Thank you, Daddy,” Bree said throwing her arms around Justin’s neck and kissing his cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Let’s go make that card.”

Bree slid off the bed and placed her hand in her father’s. They walked down the hall hand in hand, one of life’s lessons learned.

 

*****
 

“Honeycutt! What are you doing in here?” Brian growled. He was attempting to walk through the sun porch to get to his brother’s side of the cottage. John, inspired by Brian’s cleaning frenzy, was doing a little cleaning of his own, just not as obsessively as Brian’s spree. However, a certain party planner slash fairy godmother slash royal pain in the ass was blocking Brian’s way.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Emmett snarked back. Emmett was rearranging furniture and moving mattresses. It was hard strenuous work and the normally cheerful Emmett was in no mood to deal with a prissy Brain Kinney. In addition to shuffling furniture, Emmett had yet to hang his pink tulle.

“It looks like you’re destroying my house,” Brian declared with a scowl.

Emmett dropped the edge of one of the futon mattresses then turned to face his tormentor.
“Now hear this, you sanctimonious pain in my ass! I am turning this sun porch into a princess’ palace. I do not need any flak from you, Mr. Kinney! Now, if you are not going to help then shut the fuck up and get out of my way!” Emmett shouted at Brian.

Shamed into silence, Brian stood staring at Emmett awaiting a further meltdown or at the very least, a punch in the nose. All of a sudden Emmett’s anger melted into sheer panic, as his lower lip began to quiver and tears of frustration spilled from his eyes.

“Emm?” Brian began, not quite knowing what he should do. The only thing worse than Bree crying or weepy lesbians, was an hysterical party planner.

“Oh Brian!” Emmett moaned as he swooned into Brian’s arms nearly toppling them both onto the mattresses.

“Oof! I think you’re gaining weight,” Brian grumbled as he managed to keep them both upright.

“What’s going on out here?” John said as he sprinted into the porch, hearing the shouting. Emmett was in Brian’s arms being ‘consoled’.

“Our party planner is having a … a moment,” Brian stated as Emmett’s sobs became more pronounced.

“I see,” John said calmly. “Uh, I know I’m going to regret asking, but why?”

“I’m not quite sure. I came in here trying to get to your side and ran into a few obstacles,” Brian said as he gestured with one hand indicating the barrier of mattresses.

“Perhaps if we offered to help?” John asked with a shrug of his shoulders. He too, wasn’t quite sure what to do. The Kinney men were under the impression that a sleepover only required something to sleep on.

Apparently they were wrong.

“Emm, perhaps if you tell us how we can help,” John ventured as he slowly approached. Brian was patting the tall queen on the back.

“Help?” Emmett sniffled from the vicinity of Brian’s shoulder.

“Yes, Emmett, we’ll help,” John reassured him. “You’ll just need to direct us.”

“You’ll help me?” Emmett asked raising up his head but not relinquishing his hold on Brian’s arms.

“Yes, Emm, help,” Brian repeated somewhat reluctantly. He had a feeling he’d be regretting his words very shortly.

“Well, in that case,” Emmett began, his tears drying up, composure restored, he stepped back from Brian. Using a yardstick as a pointer, Emmett began to issue orders to his new and temporary minions.

The Kinney brothers were both stunned into silence and gawking at the flaming queen who was now flitting across the sun porch instructing the brothers on the proper way to drape the tulle. Which, by the way, was in several bolts sitting in the back of Emmett’s car and in several shades of pink, purple and white.

“Well, don’t just stand there!” Emmett commanded as he clapped his hands. “My car is just out front. Chop! Chop!” Emmett said clapping his hands again.

A groan of dismay was heard as the Kinney brothers embarked on their new career as party fairies.

 

*****
 

“No, no, no. That’s not draping. The fabric must flow in waves of color around the room!” Emmett was trying to explain the concept of draping fabric to John and Brian. However, he only succeeded in pissing off his helpers to the point of mutiny.

“Emmett, if you say drape one more time, I will drape you from the rafters! I need coffee,” Brian growled then stormed off toward the kitchen.

“But...”

“Emm, I think we can all use a break. We’ve been at this for several hours. The balcony rails and the staircases look wonderful but I’m hungry. I don’t drape fabric very well when my stomach’s complaining at me,” John explained as he followed Brian through the hall.

“But… Oh hell,” Emmett conceded when his own stomach protested. He went to join the Kinney men in the kitchen.

 

*****
 

“Soooo, do you like it?” Emmett asked Bree. They were all standing in the sun porch doorway at the garden entrance to get the full effect.

Taking advantage of the various hooks and pulleys attached to the rafters, waves of pink and purple tulle flowed across the upper half of the glass ceiling with some hanging straight down reminiscent of royal coats of arms. The balcony and staircase rails were draped in white with pink jeweled and sequined silk bouquets every few feet. The long back wall of the glass sun porch against which the dining table had been pushed, was lined with another bolt of pink tulle. And the chandelier was draped in royal purple, fit for a princess.

Overall, the sun porch had been transformed into a pink and purple palace.

“I love it, Auntie Emm!” Bree squealed as she ran around the room marveling at its transformation. “Oh thank you!” Bree gushed as she ran back to Emmett, jumping into his waiting arms as he squatted down. “Thank you so much!”

“You’re so welcome, my lady. But I think there are two more people you need to say thank you to,” Emmett suggested as he whispered into Bree’s ear.

“Okay, Auntie Emm,” Bree said as she released her fairy godmother. Bree walked toward her uncle. “Thank you, Unca John,” Bree said using the title from her toddler years even though she could and did on occasion, pronounce, uncle, correctly. “Thank you so much.”

John lifted his petite niece to give her a hug.

“You’re very welcome, princess,” John said as he gave Bree a little squeeze. Bree peppered several kisses on her uncle’s face. After a minute, John set the child down.

“Dada,” Bree said as she approached her older father.

“Yes, Squirt.”

“I love you,” Bree said as she lifted her arms.

“Love you too, Squirt,” Brian managed to say without choking, as he swooped his daughter up into his arms.

Giving father and daughter some privacy, Emmett and John retreated into John’s kitchen for some well deserved coffee.

“Where are Justin and Bobby? I expected to see them today,” Emmett asked John as they sat at the kitchen table with their coffee. They were nibbling at some of Emmett’s fruit tarts.

“Bobby’s putting in some extra hours today so that he can totally be at the princess’ disposal this weekend, just in case the princess’ fathers get overwhelmed. Justin went to Pittsburgh with a load of canvases in his car,” John explained.

“He’s been painting like a fiend since we got back from London. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this busy. Not even for his Seasons show. According to Brian, Justin has a new project that he’s been working on, plus all of his commissioned work. It’s a wonder when the man sleeps.”

“If he sleeps at all. Brian has some appetite. If you know what I mean,” Emmett said with a grin.

“Emmett, theirs is a true partnership. Justin has a similar appetite,” John smiled knowingly.

“Ooooo! Do tell!”

“A gentleman never tells.”

“Who said I’m a gentleman!” Emmett retorted. John wagged his finger at the party planner then poured them more coffee.

 

*****
 

“Hey,” Justin said into his hands free cell phone. He was about thirty minutes away from the cottage.

“Hey,” Brian murmured from the safety of their bedroom.

John was supervising homework time while Emmett was applying the finishing touches to the sun porch including hooking up Gus’s flat screen TV monitor in the sun porch for the planned movie time.

“You sound tired,” Justin commented.

“It’s been quite a day.”

“Sounds like there’s a story in that.”

“You don’t know the half of it. I’m sorry, Justin, I have no energy to cook dinner.”

“Don’t worry about it. I anticipated the possibility so I took out a tray of Debbie’s lasagna. It should be ready to heat when I get home.”

“You are a life saver,” Brian said with a sigh. Justin chuckled at the dramatics. “Was Sidney impressed?” Brian asked with a yawn.

“Yes, he was. I’ll tell you all about it later. Take a nap; I’ll wake you when dinner’s ready.”

“Okay, Sunshine,” Brian murmured barely hanging up before his eyelids closed.
 

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