Chapter 9

^^^^^^^^

"Hey Michael," Melanie said softly as she let him into the house. "You want some coffee?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Where's JR?"

"In her room reading but she's probably fallen asleep by now."

"She likes to read."

"Yes, she does. Come on, let's go into the kitchen."

Michael followed Melanie into the kitchen. He watched as she set up the coffeemaker then everything came pouring out. How Michael found his mother's old high school yearbook. How Danny never admitted being his father but Michael couldn't deny the resemblance even though both Danny and his mother did. And how Danny has been hanging around Hunter.

"Michael, has Danny approached you in any way?"

"No, but I think he's been talking to Ma."

"What do you think he wants?"

"I don't know. But what if he wants to talk to JR?"

"He'll have to get through me first!"

"Would you let him?"

"I'm not sure. I mean, he's not a bad guy. We had all the queens checked out when my firm was deciding which one to sponsor. We considered him but we went with Shanda."

"Why?"

"Because she's more our style and she's been doing a lot for our community. Divina doesn't do fundraisers that often."

"Yeah, I know; we had to beg her to get her to do it the last time."

"So who begged her this time?"

"No one. I heard that she was invited by accident but she's staying."

"You think it has something to do with us?"

"Maybe, I don't know. Mel, what if he wants to meet JR?"

"I guess legally I could stop him but..."

"But what? He's not my father, not really. My father was a war hero not some old drag queen!"

"Michael, if he is related to JR, there are things I'd like to know."

"What things?"

"His family background, what illnesses might run in his family, things like that."

"Oh, I never thought about that."

"And there's one more thing. JR has only one grandparent that acknowledges her."

"Who?"

"Michael! It's Debbie, your mother. My parents certainly have never wanted to know JR and Lindsay's parents are still waiting for her to settle down and get married."

"She's already married."

"To a man, you duffus."

"Oh."

"Maybe it would be nice for JR to have a grandfather, even if he does wear dresses and size 14 pumps."

Michael and Melanie stared at each other for a moment then began laughing.

"Stop it, Mel. I'm gonna have to pee!" Michael was laughing so hard his sides were aching. After some time and after Michael went to the bathroom, they were calm again.

"Mel, my father died in Viet Nam. I don't think I want anyone else for a father. Not yet, anyway."

"Then that's that. But what if JR wants Divina for a grandfather?"

"Or another grandmother?"

"How about Auntie Divina? Think you could handle that?"

"I … I don't know."

"Why don't you go up and tuck JR in?" Melanie said with a sigh. She was getting a headache trying to decide what to do about Danny Devore.

"Can I?"

"Sure." Michael looked at Melanie then went up to kiss his daughter good night.

Melanie watched him go wondering if all her joking about Grandfather Danny or Auntie Divina might actually come to pass. It really wasn't funny. She didn't know if she could allow the older man to usurp her daughter's affections. She wasn't at all sure she wanted Danny Devore in JR's life.

^^^^^^^^

"Hi, Susan," Justin said as his stepmother opened the door for him and Bree.

"Hi, Gamma Susan," Bree piped in.

Susan smiled.

"Are you ready to give this another try?" Justin asked.

"I'll do my best."

"Cookies?" Bree asked.

Susan groaned.

"She loved baking cookies with you last time," Justin laughed. "I have to admit I ate more than my fair share of what you sent home with us. They were delicious."

"I guess that could be arranged," Susan said giving into the subtle pressure.

"I'll be back by seven. Good luck," Justin said, kissed Bree and headed out the door.

"What do you have there, sweetheart?" Susan asked as she saw the doll in Bree's arms.

"Muñequita," Bree said with a smile.

"She's very pretty."

"Yep," said Bree.

"Would you like to read a book before we bake cookies?"

Bree frowned. She really liked cookies but she liked books too. "'Kay," she said after some thought.

Susan sat them down on the sofa and scooped up one of the children's books she had signed out of the library. She proceeded to read Bree the story of The Velveteen Rabbit. Bree listened intently telling her grandma that she had a rabbit at home and that Gamma Joan had got it for her. After many pages of the story Susan felt Bree snuggle up against her hip and lay her head in her lap. Bree had fallen asleep. Susan took the afghan from the back of the sofa and gently eased herself out from under Bree. She laid the throw across the little girl. She couldn't help but smile to herself at the sleeping angel. She went into the kitchen to get the fixings ready to make cookies when Bree woke up.

When Susan had just about everything ready, she thought she heard a noise in the living room and wondered if Bree had woken up. She went to the door and pushed it open a bit to see if Bree was awake.

The smile that crossed her face was beautiful to see. Somehow Craig had come home early. He was perched on the side of the sofa running his fingers through Bree's blond hair and staring with wonder at her sleeping face. Susan closed the door to the kitchen and went back to her work getting the cookie dough ready. She would let Craig have his moment with his granddaughter.

In the living room Craig continued to stare at the beautiful little face. It reminded him of Molly when she was little and he used to go into her room and run his fingers through her hair, making sure she was breathing and everything was all right.

Bree stirred and started to wake up. Craig decided he better get away before she realized that he was there. He grabbed his briefcase and quickly stepped out of the apartment. He could pretend he had just arrived home and come back in in a couple of minutes.

"Daddy," Bree called as she wondered where she was.

Susan quickly hurried out of the kitchen expecting to find Craig with Bree. He was nowhere in sight. "It's all right, sweetheart. You're here with me."

"Gamma?" Bree said rubbing her eyes.

"You fell asleep. It's okay."

Bree held up her arms for Susan to pick her up. Instead Susan sat down and Bree crawled into her lap. She rocked Bree gently until the little girl really woke up and got her orientation. Susan wondered what had happened to Craig.

Just then the door to the apartment opened and Craig walked in acting like he had just arrived home.

"Is she here again?" he asked seeing Briana in Susan's arms.

Susan sighed. What kind of a game was Craig trying to play? "Yes, I'm minding her this afternoon. You're home early."

"Obviously. I didn't realize we had company or I would have stayed at the office. I was looking for some peace and quiet."

"We can be quiet, can't we, Bree?" Susan asked.

Bree nodded studying her grandfather from the safety of Susan's arms.

"We were going to make some more cookies," Susan said. "Care to join us?"

Craig snorted. "I don't think so."

"It could be fun," Susan prodded.

Craig merely walked into the bedroom and shut the door.

"What wrong?" Bree asked with a frown.

"Nothing, sweetheart, let's go make those cookies."

They quickly had the first tray of cookies in the oven and were working on the second tray when Craig came into the kitchen and got a beer out of the fridge.

"They smell good," he had to admit.

"They taste even better," Susan laughed.

"Good," Bree said as she tapped at the little mound of cookie dough flattening it out as Susan had shown her. "Help me, Gampa?" she said innocently.

Craig shook his head.

"Give her a hand, Craig. I need to take the first tray of cookies out of the oven."

With a sigh, Craig set his beer on the counter and took Bree's hand into his. He helped her press the spoon on top of the cookie mound.

"Good, Gampa," Bree told him.

"Thanks," Craig replied. He almost smiled at the precocious little girl telling him that he was pressing cookie dough correctly.

Susan set the tray of cookies to cool. "Is that tray ready?" Craig nodded and Susan put that tray in the oven. "I need to go to the bathroom. Will you keep an eye on Bree till I come back? You can fill this tray with the dough." Susan stuck the tray in front of Craig and quickly walked out of the room before he could refuse.

Craig scooped out a spoonful of dough and dropped it on the tray.

"Too big," Bree said.

Craig looked at the mound and realized that it was quite a bit bigger than the previous cookies he had been working on. "You're a smart little thing, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yep."

Craig laughed out loud. This child was really something. He took some of the dough away from the mound and Bree flattened it out with her spoon. She smiled up at her grandfather, batting those blue eyes at him, eyes so much like Justin's and Molly's.

"How are you doing?" Susan asked as she came back into the kitchen.

"All done," Craig said except for this. He held up a good sized spoonful of the dough.

"Shall we make one big one, Bree?" Susan asked.

Bree nodded. Susan grabbed a foil pie plate from the cupboard and Craig and Bree molded one big cookie that almost filled the bottom of the dish. They both were giggling by the time they were done.

"For you, Gampa," Bree said as she pushed the big cookie towards him.

"Thank you," Craig smiled.

"Time for the next tray," Susan said switching the cookies that were in the oven for the tray they had just filled. I'll stick this big cookie into the oven too. It will take longer than the others." The doorbell rang. "That must be Justin. Will you get it, Craig?"

"I'll stay with Bree. You go."

Susan headed for the door. She gathered up Bree's bag and her doll on the way. She opened the door and whispered to Justin, "He's in the kitchen helping her make cookies."

Justin smiled. "Should I come back later?"

"I don't think we should press our luck."

"Bree," Justin called.

Briana came racing out of the kitchen carrying a paper bag. "Gampa says I take these home with me."

"Okay," Justin said as he helped her on with her coat. "Thanks, Susan."

"I'll call you tomorrow," Susan whispered. She closed the door and went back into the kitchen. "That was nice of you to send the cookies home for Justin."

"They're for Bree," Craig corrected her. He got up and went into the living room. She finished up baking the cookies.

Later that night she found Craig eating the big cookie while he watched a hockey game on TV. Maybe they were making progress.

^^^^^^^^

"So how goes your master plan?" Brian casually snarked as he turned the Cherokee onto their lane.

"What master plan?" Justin asked innocently. He could never truly hide anything from Brian.

"The plan to get Craig's head out of his butt so he'll walk Molly down the aisle. That plan."

"Oh, um, I'm not so sure how it's going. He's very stubborn."

"Well, if there is any crack to be found in Craig's armor, I'm sure Miss Bree will find it but I need you to promise me something."

"What, Bri?"

"I need you to take a good long look at what you're doing. A lot of people can get hurt."

"I won't get hurt. I'm not expecting any miracles. Craig is not like your mother."

"No, he's not but it's not you that I'm worried about. I know you can handle any disappointment."

"Who are you worried about?"

"Our daughter for one, Molly and Susan. And then there's Jennifer. Justin, you're using a three year old as bait."

"I almost four, Dada," Briana didn't understand her fathers' conversation but she did know that her birthday was in a few weeks.

"I stand corrected," Brian assured his daughter as he parked the SUV and began to unbuckle Bree from her seat. "Justin, we all know what a bastard he is, but more importantly this is Molly's day. Yes, it would be nice for her father to man up and do his job, but not at the expense of our daughter. You can't use her like a pawn. What if she begins to form some sort of attachment to the idiot and then he does something to rip it apart. Remember how much it hurt you, Sunshine, and you were more than four times Bree's age."

Justin slowly followed his partner to the cottage. The March wind was howling through the trees. Justin hadn't thought of the points that Brian brought up. He didn't realize he was using his daughter in that manner. Brian had an analytical mind and a way of seeing the total picture at least when it concerned the people he loves.

Brian opened the cottage door and was halfway to the kitchen with Bree when he realized that Justin wasn't behind him.

"Justin?" Brian called toward the door.

"Here." Justin closed the door and immediately went to the fireplace to start a fire. The thought that he was being careless with Bree's affection pained him. Brian, sensing an impending meltdown, set the kettle on the stove for tea. He then made sure it was okay for Bree to hang out at the Anderson-Morrison end of Edna's Treasures for a while as he went about preparing a simple supper of tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches and salad.

Brian found Justin sitting on the sofa staring into the flames. He was still wearing his coat.

"How could I be so stupid?" Justin murmured.

"You're not stupid, Jus. You just want this so badly that you hadn't thought it all through yet. None of you had. You would have, eventually."

"Yeah, but by that time Bree could have gotten hurt. You're right, Bri, she is forming some sort of attachment. I can see it already. I should put an end to it now. Molly has no clue what Susan and I are trying to do. She still thinks I'm walking her down the aisle. I'm going to call Susan right now." Justin got up to go to the phone.

"No, you're not. First you are going to give me your coat, then you're going to drink this tea before it gets cold. Then we're going to have some comfort food for supper. After dinner, Miss Bree has a date with Patrick. She can spend the night over there. You and I are in need of some serious cuddle time."

"I thought Brian Kinney never cuddles," Justin commented with a slight smirk. He knew exactly what Brian was trying to do and it only made Justin love him more.

"Well, see! There you go not thinking things through again, I love to cuddle but only with you and Miss Squirt. You have to work on that, Sonny Boy."

"Yes, daddy," Justin snarked as he handed Brian his coat and sat back on the sofa to sip his tea. The Kinney-Taylor end of Edna's Treasures became quiet for a while as Brian stirred the soup and flipped over their sandwiches.

The warmth of the tea washed over Justin and his brain began to think more clearly.

"Bri?" Justin said softly as he wrapped his arms around Brian's waist.

"What is it, Sunshine?" Brian removed the soup from the flames and placed the pile of sandwiches on the counter.

"Don't ever stop taking care of me and Bree. You're right; I don't always think things through."

"I've been guilty of that myself on occasion, Justin, but I promise you, I'll never stop taking care of you or Bree. Never." Brian hugged the younger man close. "Come on, I made way too many sandwiches and far too much soup. Let's see if we can convince next door to join us." Brian smiled warmly at Justin.

"Okay, but do we still get that cuddle time later?"

"I'm counting on it!" The lovers kissed sealing their bargain. Then they went about setting the porch table for six.

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