Pride Goeth...

Chapter 10

Melanie rolled her eyes when she saw who was knocking on her front door. Since the argument with JR and Lindsay, Lindsay had locked herself in the bathroom and JR was holed up in her room. Melanie was not in the mood for guests. Seeing Debbie, Michael and Ben on her doorstep wasn’t what she was in the mood for.

“What are you doing here?” Mel asked as she swung open the door.

“Can’t I visit with my only granddaughter when I want to?” Debbie retorted as she pushed passed Melanie.

“What’s your excuse?” Mel growled at Michael.

“We drove Ma,” was all he could answer. Ben stayed quiet.

“Yeah, right. Did JR call you?” Mel asked Debbie.

“No, she did not and don’t you use that tone of voice with me young lady,” Deb said pointing a very sharp finger at Mel. “You know how much I love you and my Jenny Rebecca. I’m just here because I want to help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“And I think you do! Melanie, JR is growing up; she’s fourteen years old, not a baby. There are some things she can decide for herself. Why are you making such a big to-do over her marching with us with PFLAG?”

“Because I’m her mother and she should do what I say.”

“Even if what you say is unreasonable?”

“Is it unreasonable to ask to have my family’s support on an issue that I’ve work toward for most of my adult life?”

“No, honey, it’s not but there are lots of ways to show support. The fact that JR has chosen to march at all shows how much she supports you and Lindsay. This would be JR’s first PRIDE, not counting the times when she was in her stroller. She wants to march because she is a member of her Rainbow Club at school and PFLAG,” Debbie was trying to explain.

“Melanie, I never felt the need or desire to march,” Ben interjected, “and then we got a call from Emmett. Michael and I discussed it and decided, why not.”

“But why now? After all these years, why now?” Mel asked.

“Because Emmett asked. And while I’ve always been proud of what I am, this time it’s about instilling some pride into the next generation.”

“You mean Richie.”

“Richie and others like him who feel they have to hide what they are. Or like JR and Curtis who are the children of alternative families.”

“So you’re saying by marching with PFLAG, in essence JR is supporting my cause?”

“The fact that she’s chosen to march is a testament to how she was brought up.”

“That doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”

“JR called me,” Michael blurted out. “She wants to come home with us.”

“With you?”

“Yes.”

“My daughter wants to run away from home and you're enabling her,” Mel accused.

“I’m not enabling anything. She called, I’m here and I’d like to see her,” Michael said calmly. Mel gave him an evil look then shouted up the stairs.

“JR, YOUR FATHER IS HERE! I suppose I should be grateful she didn’t call Brian,” Mel grumbled as JR stomped down the stairs and straight into Michael’s arms.

“Hiya, honeybun.”

“Hi, Daddy. Daddy, can I please go home with you and Uncle Ben?”

“Why, sweetheart?” Debbie asked.

“Because I can’t stand it anymore. I feel like I’m drowning. I can’t breathe here. Everything I say or do is wrong.”

“That’s not true,” Mel said.

“Maybe not, honey, but JR feels like it is,” Debbie said gently as she gave Melanie a hug. “It’s not for forever; maybe you all just need a break. I know how hard you work and this was JR’s first year of high school. Don’t you remember how tough that was? Be grateful that she didn’t really run away. She’s only a few blocks away and with her dads. Please, Melanie.”

“You mean before things get any worse.”

“Possibly. Come into the kitchen with me,” Debbie said as she steered Mel toward the kitchen. She cocked her head at Michael indicating he should take JR upstairs to pack. Michael and Ben took the weeping girl up to her room.

“Honey, I love you. I’ve always tried to see your side of things. I know your family and Lindsay’s were never supportive or even acknowledged your children, so I’m begging you to hear me out and let JR stay with her dads for a while.”

“I don’t know…”

“You know it was pointed out to me the other day that I have very little experience with girls.”

“What do you mean?”

“Emmett made that comment when I was taking in Richie’s dress. He said I was so used to mothering boys.”

“He does have a point.”

“Yes, he does. Sweetheart, don’t you remember high school, the pressure to fit in, to do well. And when the hormones hit...”

“Oh god, I hated when I first got my period. I always thought that anyone who looked at me knew I was wearing a pad.”

“I remember having an argument with my mother practically every morning. The only place I felt safe was with Vic and his friends. I always knew he was different and he didn’t mind that I hung out with him. They kinda liked it cause I had a great right hook. No one picked on any of them when I was with them.

“Honey, JR needs to be with people that accept her for what she is.”

“And you’re saying I don’t.”

“I’m saying you should examine why it’s so important for JR to march with you. Can’t you just be proud that she’s marching with her peers? The point is that she feels comfortable and proud to march at all.”

“So I should just let her go with Michael?”

“It’s not like you’re kicking her out of the house. Look at what happened to Richie. He didn’t do anything wrong and neither is JR. She’s trying to stretch her wings. Don’t stifle her, not on this. This isn’t a major battle. She didn’t say that she was running away to join the circus or a commune, she only wants to march with her friends and family. It was you and Lindsay that helped to make JR confident enough to do that. Do you understand?”

“In other words, I should pick my battles carefully?”

“Yes, but I want you to remember what you did to have her. Don’t throw away all of your sacrifice for your pride. Give yourself and JR a break. School is almost over; let JR stay with her dads for now and maybe part of the summer. She’s only a few blocks away. Maybe Michael can give her a job.”

“She’s too young.”

“Not to help out in her dad’s store. Look, it’s getting late. You’re tired and I’m sure JR is tired. Let Michael and Ben take her home. I’ll make dinner on Sunday and we can all calmly talk about this then. Okay, sweetheart?”

Melanie nodded with tears in her eyes.

“JR!” Debbie called up the stairs. In a minute she heard JR’s door open. JR, Ben, Michael and Lindsay came down the stairs. “Hi, Lindsay.”

“Deb,” Lindsay replied somewhat curtly. She wasn’t all that sure that this was the right solution, but it was the only alternative that made any sense at the moment.

JR had her school bag over her shoulder. Michael and Ben were carrying a couple of suitcases and stopped just in front of the door waiting for confirmation. No one spoke.

“JR, kiss your mothers good night and you will call them tomorrow,” Debbie instructed as she took charge of the situation.

“Good night, Mommy,” JR said as she gave Lindsay a hug and a kiss.

“I love you, sweetheart,” Lindsay said as she returned the hug and kiss. “You call us every day.”

“I will.”

“JR?” Mel said meekly as she held open her arms. JR moved into them. “I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, Mama,” JR whispered then followed her Grandmother and fathers out the door.

“This is all my fault,” Mel said with tears steaming down her face as she watched her daughter drive away.

“Yes, it is,” Lindsay said coolly as she walked up the stairs into her room. Mel could hear the old tumble lock on their door catch.

Melanie sighed, locked up the house, cleaned up the kitchen then went to sleep in JR’s room.

 

*****
 

“Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada!” Bree repeated, her voice getting higher with each repetition.

“Your sister is practically pulling my shorts off,” Brian said into the phone. Bree had been yanking on the leg of Brian’s shorts to punctuate each time she said Dada. “I better give her the phone or she’ll rip them off me.”

“Okay, Pop,” Gus said with a chuckle. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Brian handed the phone to Bree. “Gus!” she shrieked. “Where are you? When are you coming to see me? I miss you. Dada and Daddy said I could march in the PRIDE parade. Will you march with me? And Ray too?”

“Take a breath, short stuff,” Gus laughed. “You’ll make yourself sick.”

“But I miss you. Come see me.”

“I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

“Now!” Bree said decisively.

“Um … I can’t, Bree. I’ll march in the PRIDE parade with you, and then I’m coming to stay at Edna’s Treasures. You’ll see me every day for most of the summer.”

“You promise?” Bree asked. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She had missed her brother so much since he was there for the Memorial Day weekend.

“I promise,” Gus said solemnly. “I’m going to work at Kinnetik in Harrisburg, and I’ll be there every morning and every day after work.”

“’Kay,” Bree said with a hitch in her voice.

“I love you, short stuff.”

“I love you too, Gus,” Bree said before she handed the phone back to her father.

“Is she okay, Pop?” Gus asked.

“She’s fine. She just misses you whenever you’re not here.”

“I hate that I’m so close and yet so far from her. Maybe I should come out there this week.”

“Suit yourself, Sonny boy, but I wouldn’t advise it.”

“You wouldn’t? Why not?” Gus asked puzzled.

“You’ll be setting a precedent that will be hard to live up to. If she cries and begs on the phone, you arrive. You better start saving for airline tickets when you go to N’Rgy in New York.”

“Oh, right!”

“Bree will be fine,” Brian said reassuringly. “Just make sure you’re here next week.”

“I will be, Pop.”

“And decide if you want to march with us in the parade. I … might embarrass you a little,” Brian admitted.

“You could never embarrass me, Pop.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ll see on Saturday.”

“Well, I promised Bree I would march with her, and she’ll be with you, won’t she?”

“Only if we can find her the perfect pink dress,” Brian said with a snort.

“She’s such a fashionista. You trained her well,” Gus laughed.

“Too well. See you Saturday.”

“Bye, Pop.”

Brian hung up the phone in the kitchen. “Where did Bree go?”

“She’s in the sun porch,” Justin said as he continued to fix dinner.

“Should I talk to her?”

Justin chuckled. “How should I know? You know if you want to talk to her or not.”

“You’re no help at all,” Brian griped.

“You’re a big boy. Figure it out for yourself.”

“Thanks, uber bitch!”

Justin laughed. “Calling me names you usually reserve for Melanie won’t get you any tonight.”

“Oops,” Brian said with a sheepish grin. “My sweet hubby, please forgive me.”

“Now you’re making my sugar level go critical,” Justin laughed again.

“I’m going to talk to your daughter, before I kill you.”

“Good plan,” Justin said shaking his head and laughing as Brian walked by heading for the sun porch.

Brian stopped in the doorway. Bree was seated at her little pink baby grand piano. She wasn’t playing just sitting and staring out the window of the sun porch.

“Squirt, you okay?” Brian asked gently as he approached her.

Bree nodded but didn’t say anything. Brian squeezed onto the end of the little bench and gave Bree a hug.

“You’ll see Gus on the weekend,” Brian said.

“I know.”

“So, what’s making you so sad?”

“I wanted to play a new song for Gus, but I know all the ones in this book. I need a new book,” Bree replied in a whisper.

“I’m sure Gus will be happy to hear whatever you play for him.”

Bree shook her head as Brian released her from the hug. “I want a new song,” Bree repeated.

“Do you still want lessons on a big piano?”

Bree nodded. “I really, really, really do.”

Brian smiled. “Do you want to start soon or wait till Gus goes to New York, or maybe till you go back to school?”

Bree frowned. “I don’t know, Dada. I want them now.”

“I don’t think we can get you lessons immediately,” Brian said running his hand over Bree’s hair. “We need to check out who teaches piano … nearby.”

“Oh.”

“Play something for me?” Brian requested.

“’Kay , Dada,” Bree said, launching into her rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

Justin smiled as he finished making dinner. Everything seemed to be right in his world.

 

*****
 

“Gus?”

“Mom? I know we were supposed to come to dinner but...”

“It’s okay, lambskin,” Lindsay said as she was fighting back her tears.

“Mom? What’s wrong?”

“Everything. JR left us.”

“What do you mean?”

“We had a fight. She left to stay with her father.”

“Who had a fight? I thought everything got better after the dance.”

“It did, for all of two seconds. JR and your Mama had a disagreement over PRIDE.”

“What disagreement? I thought JR was going to march in the parade with PFLAG. What could Mama have against that?”

Ray sidled closer to Gus as he heard Gus’ end of the conversation.

“Mel wants us all to march with the marriage rights committee.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Gus blurted out sounding so much like his father when he had to deal with Mel’s idiosyncrasies. “Mom, I love Mama but sometimes...”

“I know, honey. I love her too but right now I don’t like her very much.”

“Where’s JR?”

“She’s going to stay with Michael for a while. Maybe they’ll both cool off after PRIDE. It’s a good thing you and Ray missed dinner. Did he get in all right?”

“Yeah, his bus was late. I’ll drop off the car tomorrow.”

“No problem. Just as long as it’s off Tremont during PRIDE. You know how crowded the streets will get.”

“Yeah. Mom, it’ll be okay. Mama will come around. She always does.”

“I hope so. She’s becoming more and more irrational lately.”

“Mom, I hate to say this but maybe she needs to see a doctor or something.”

“You mean a shrink?”

“NO! I mean a doctor doctor. Just because I’m a man doesn’t mean I’m insensitive to women’s issues,” Gus tried to sound reasonable. He really was worried about his Mama. His parents were getting older.

“So you think you’re a man, do you?” Lindsay said with a little smirk on her face. Her son was growing up and at times so wise beyond his years. He also had that Kinney wicked sense of humor.

“Yeah, and that makes me the man of the house. Even though I’m not there all the time. Mom, I mean it. Weird things happen to women when they get older.”

“Are you implying that I’m old?”

“No, but you hid very little from me when I was growing up. Every time I’d open the bathroom closet, there’d be boxes and boxes of feminine products on the shelf. Now there’s very little. And I know for a fact that JR hides her stuff in her room. Mom, you and Mama are NOT old, just older. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes, Gus, I know what you mean and I’ll take it all under advisement.”

“Good. So, I’ll see you at the parade?”

“I’ll be there. I love you, lambskin. Behave yourself and take good care of your dad’s loft.”

“I will and I love you too, Mom.”

Gus sighed loudly as he hung up the phone. He leaned a little onto Ray for emotional support.

“Come on, let’s go take a shower,” Ray gently suggested.

“Okay,” Gus said softly. The boys made sure the loft was secure and the alarm activated before going to the bedroom and into the huge shower.

Ray took extra care as he lovingly washed Gus. Under the warm spray, Ray slowly dragged a soapy sponge across the smooth skin of Gus’ back and chest. When Gus was thoroughly cleansed, he reciprocated. Afterwards, wrapped in thick fluffy towels the boys rested on top of the duvet on the big loft bed.

The boys did nothing but fondly gaze into each other’s eyes.

Ray began to giggle then screw up his face.

“What’s so funny?” Gus asked.

“Not funny, really. Actually it’s kinda gross.”

“What is?” Gus wasn’t following.

“Feminine products?” Ray asked and then began laughing in earnest.

“You try growing up with lesbians!”

“No thanks, I’ve been traumatized enough.” Gus’ eyebrows rose into his hairline. “Nothing bad, I swear. It’s just, one time I ran out of clean t-shirts so I went into my dad’s closet and I accidentally found their toy chest.”

“Ewwww!” Gus exclaimed.

“Yup.”

Both boys broke out into laughter and began to roll around on the bed. When the towels wound up on the floor, the laughter came to an abrupt halt. There were more important things to be done with their mouths.

 

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