Post Fractalization

Chapter 9

“Oh hell!” Jennifer cursed as she arose from her bed, wrapping her robe around her to look out the window. It was a week until Jennifer's wedding to Seth and the month of April was living up to its reputation.

“What is it, sweetheart?” Seth asked as he got out of bed.

“April showers,” Jennifer grumbled.

“Ah, but just think how beautiful Brian’s garden will be.”

“But what if it rains on the day of the wedding?”

“What of it?”

“It’s too late for Brian to build that pavilion,” Jennifer deadpanned.

Seth laughed. “If you really want that pavilion, Brian would find a way.”

“Yes, he would,” Jennifer said in a soft, wistful voice. “There was a time when Brian and all he represented terrified me. I had never met anyone like him before, gay or straight. He can be so in your face and mysterious at the same time. He’s impressive and not just for his stunning good looks.”

“Hey!”

“You’re a very handsome man, Seth Harris. I’d love you even if you were purple with green spots. But Brian grew up thinking he wasn’t worthy of love.”

“That’s so sad.”

“Yes, it is.”

“What changed him?”

“Justin. He saw through the facade to what lay beneath. It wasn’t easy, for any of us. Brian can be stubborn.”

“I bet Justin is just as stubborn.”

“More. But when it comes to getting things done, no one surpasses Brian.”

“Like getting Justin to Chicago.”

“Yes.”

“Building you a pavilion if you really wanted one.”

“Yes.”

“And buying a Winnebago for Debbie and Carl!”

“Yes!” Jenn and Seth laughed.

“He’d find a way to chase away the rain if you’d ask him.”

“I believe he would.”

“He’s a very good man. I hope I can live up to his example.”

“You already have,” Jennifer said as she gave Seth a kiss then led him back to bed.

 

*****
 

“Hellooo, Emmett Honeycutt’s Event Planning. Emmett speaking, how may I help you?”

“Mr. Honeycutt, my name is Jeremy Sacks. I’m the city editor of the Times.”

“Yes, Mr. Sacks, what can I do for you?”

“I understand your company is handling the Taylor-Harris wedding.”

“That’s correct.”

“Jennifer Taylor is Justin Taylor’s mother, is she not? Her daughter is married into the Kingsley-Brenner family and Seth Harris is a prominent businessman.”

“All true.”

“The Times would like to send a reporter and photographer to cover the event.”

“If this wedding was being held in Pittsburgh, I believe the participants would welcome the Times.”

“I’m sensing a ‘but’.”

“The venue is a private home over an hour away from the city. The homeowners value their privacy.”

“I can guarantee discretion.”

“You don’t know the homeowner.”

“Tell me who he is. I’ll call him, make a personal appeal.”

“Brian Kinney.”

“He invited my reporter to his home!”

“We’ve met. But if I remember correctly, Richard Connolly is your art critic. You want to send someone who writes gossip. That is unacceptable.”

“Get me permission and I’ll send the Connollys.”

“Mr. Sacks, give me time to consult with my clients and I’ll get back to you.”

“I’ll be waiting for your call,” the editor said hopefully then hung up the phone.

Emmett did some fast dialing to conference with the primary players.

“Hellloooo!”

“Hi, Emmett,” Jennifer responded cheerfully from her home.

“Hi, Emm,” Justin said just as cheerfully on his cell phone. He was shopping for art supplies.

“Hello, Emmett,” Seth chimed in. He was wrapping up some last minute details at his office.

“What the fuck do you want now?”

“A little testy, aren’t we, your majesty? Justin, sweetie, you’re not keeping up your end of the bargain.”

“I’m trying, Emm.”

“What bargain, Sunshine?”

“Not now, Brian,” Justin whispered.

“Ah-hem, can we focus, people?” They all murmured their consent. “I just got a call from Jeremy Sacks, the editor for the Times. He wants to cover the wedding for the society section. Even though we’re keeping this intimate, family only, this is an important alliance.”

“You’re making my wedding sound like some sort of detente,” Jennifer snarked.

“Believe it or not, Miss Jennifer, your hand is highly desirable and sought after,” Emmett tried to explain. “And the fact that your hand and the rest of you will be officially off the market in a week is news.”

“So why did it take years, and Brian’s influence, for me to get a date with a respectable and desirable man?”

“Fear,” Brian contributed.

“What?” Jenn, Emm and Justin asked at once.

“Fear and ignorance. Mother Taylor is a beautiful woman. She’s also business savvy and whether she believes it or not, her resilience and independence is intimidating to most men. Present fiancé and past boy toy excepted.”

“But that makes no sense,” Emmett chimed in. “I love Jennifer’s abilities and her way of looking so beautiful without even trying.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, you’re gay! Of course you love it. Breeder boys have other agendas.”

“Brian’s right,” Seth spoke up. “I almost didn’t pursue you. I didn’t think I was interesting enough for you. I’ve been told that I’m too old fashioned.”

“But that’s what I love the most about you.”

“Before this turns into a lovefest, can you please get to the point, Emmett. Some of us have lives,” Brian growled.

“Sorry, silly me. So the editor wants to cover the wedding. I told him that I’d have to clear it with all of you. He assured me that he’d send the Connollys.”

The attendees of the conference call became very quiet in anticipation of the eruption of Mount Kinney.

“Brian, I’m very honored that the Times thinks my little wedding is newsworthy but I know how you value your privacy. I won’t consent unless you agree.”

“Sunshine, what do you think?”

“It’s my Mom’s wedding.”

“Seth?”

“Whatever makes Jennifer happy.”

“Emm?”

“I think the Connollys will do a fabulous job.”

“Mother Taylor, are you sure I can’t just build you a pavilion instead?”

“No, Brian.”

“All right. The Connollys can come. Just make sure they bring their pj’s.”

“Will do! Meeting adjourned people,” Emmett gushed. He wanted to call back the editor before Brian had a chance to change his mind.

Everyone said their goodbyes then hung up.

“Sunshine?” Brian said quickly before Justin closed his phone.

“Yes, Bri?”

“What bargain?”

 

*****
 

“Oh Mom, I look like a whale,” Molly cried in despair.

She and her mother were at the dress shop having their final fittings for their dresses. Molly was very pregnant and feeling huge and bloated.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” Jennifer tried to reassure her.

“No I don’t. I look like a hideous, huge whale,” Molly cried.

“Honey, that’s just the hormones talking.”

“Why did you ask me to be your matron of honor? Your pictures are going to look horrible. You’ll have to have me Photo-shopped out,” Molly wailed.

“Don’t be silly, honey,” Jennifer sighed.

“Silly? You think I’m silly. Look at me!”

“I … I didn’t mean it that way, Molly. You look fine, beautiful.”

“I look like a fucking piece of shit!’

Jennifer laughed even though she tried to stifle it. “Oh, Molly…”

“What? How can you laugh at me, Mom?”

“You sounded so much like Brian when you said that.”

Molly stared at her mother and then she burst out laughing. “Fuck! I did, didn’t I?”

Jennifer nodded and leaned over to hug her daughter. “You really do look beautiful, and just remember what you’ll have at the end of this … a happy, healthy little bundle of joy.”

Molly smiled and hugged her mother. “I do look like a whale though, don’t I?” she asked with a chuckle.

“Well maybe just a bit,” Jennifer laughed.

That’s how the salesgirl in the shop found them minutes later, hugging each other and laughing hysterically.

 

*****
 

“Brian, I thought I’d touch base with you about the wedding,” Richard Connolly said into his phone.

“Yes?”

“You sound … distant … pissed off,” Richard observed with a frown. “You really don’t want me there, do you?”

“No.”

“Then why did you agree to it?”

“It’s my fucking mother-in-law. What else was I going to do?”

Richard laughed. “You certainly have a way with words, Mr. Kinney.”

“Mr. Kinney?” Brian asked wondering why Richard had switched from Brian to this more formal appellation.

“You sounded like being friendly wasn’t an option,” Richard explained.

“I’m in a pissy mood. You can come to the wedding and cover it for the Times.”

“Thanks, I think.”

“Look, this means a lot to Justin’s family. I could give a shit about the fucking society pages, but the family wants this. So, don’t make me regret saying that you were the only one I’d consider having do the article.”

“I wouldn’t dream of letting you down.”

“Good.”

“And I already have pajamas in an overnight bag,” Richard laughed.

“Did Emmett tell you that?” Brian chuckled.

“Yep.”

“It was a joke.”

“After my last visit, I thought I should be prepared.”

“Bite your tongue! If we have a Nor’easter on the day of the wedding, Jennifer will commit suicide, or worse, cut off my balls.”

“Why your balls? The weather’s not your fault.”

“You obviously don’t know my family very well, in spite of that article you wrote,” Brian chuckled. “Everything is my fault.”

“I guess I have a lot more to learn about your unique family.”

“Or, you could run screaming down the lane and try to save your sanity,” Brian advised.

“I’ll take that under advisement,” Richard laughed. “See you Saturday for the wedding.”

 

*****
 

“You’re okay with being my matron of honor?” Jennifer asked Molly as they left the dress shop. She was willing to forego having Molly stand up with her if her daughter really felt that uncomfortable about doing it.

“I’m fine now, Mom,” Molly said linking her arm through Jennifer’s, as they started walking down the sidewalk to where they had parked the car. “It was just a temporary meltdown.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure. I want to be there for you and Seth.”

“And I want you there, sweetheart.”

“Ooh, look at that outfit,” Molly said as they passed another dress shop. “Someday, when this is all over, I’ll be able to wear something like that again,” Molly sighed.

“You’ll look fabulous in it too. Do you want to go in and look at it?” They stopped and viewed the outfit through the front window.

“No, it’ll just make me feel huge all over again.”

“You look wonderful, and this has been a pretty easy pregnancy,” Jennifer told her.

“Yeah, I guess I’ve been lucky. Hardly any morning sickness and no complications.”

“You are lucky.”

“Did you have problems with Justin or me when you were pregnant?”

“No, thank God. In fact everything went very smoothly just like your pregnancy. Except…” Jennifer said with a frown.

“What?” Molly asked in alarm.

“I almost didn’t get to the hospital before Justin was born.”

“Really? I thought first babies took forever and are notoriously late in coming. I’m really ready for this baby to be born,” Molly said as they resumed their walk.

“They are, but not Justin, and you were pretty quick too.”

“Hm, I wouldn’t mind if this baby came tomorrow,” Molly stated.

“Hey, I need you at my wedding.”

“I know, Mom, and it’s not due for a bit yet, I think.”

“You think?”

“Well, there is some problem establishing the exact date.”

“You and Owen having so much sex that you don’t know when my grandchild was conceived?” Jennifer laughed.

“Mom! You do say some scandalous things.”

“So do you, my darling.”

They both laughed as they arrived at the car.

“Ow,” Molly gasped as she got into the passenger side.

“What? Are you okay?” Jennifer asked in concern.

“Yeah, I guess I twisted the wrong way. Got a shot of pain.”

“Be careful,” Jennifer advised. “You want this baby to be full term.”

“I will, Mom,” Molly promised. She wondered if she should be more concerned about the jab of pain she had just experienced. Then she dismissed the idea. There were no more pains as they drove home.

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