Pride Goeth...

Chapter 4

John pulled his Navigator to a stop on the road outside the munchers’ cottage. He turned off the key and looked into the back seat at his brother.

“Well?” he said.

“JR has a little problem,” Brian began.

“What’s up with our little miss?” John asked with a frown. Even though he had his own set of problems to deal with, he didn’t like the idea of JR being in some kind of trouble.

“Our little miss is growing up,” Brian said carefully. He was debating whether he should tell John the whole story before they went into the cottage, or let him find out as things were revealed. After a pause he decided on the latter.

“What do you mean – growing up?” Bobby asked.

“Dating,” Brian replied.

“Dating?” John repeated. “I can’t believe she’s old enough for that.”

“Her mother doesn’t think so either,” Brian stated.

“You must mean Melanie.”

“Right on the first try.”

“So what are we doing here?” John asked.

“That was JR on the phone at the diner. She wants our help,” Brian explained.

“Our help … or your help?” Justin asked knowingly.

“Um … she called me,” Brian admitted, “but I’m sure she would like all the help she can get.”

“So, exactly what is the nature of this dating problem?” Bobby asked.

“Why don’t we just go inside and see what develops?” Brian suggested.

John, Bobby and Justin all tossed him a look, but when Brian didn’t say anything else, they all got out of the SUV and headed to the door of the cottage. Brian knocked on the door which was answered quickly by Lindsay.

“Brian?” she said. Then, “Justin? John? Bobby?” as all the men made their way past her into the cottage. “What are all of you doing here?”

“What’s going on?” Melanie asked as she came out of her office. “Where the hell did all of you come from?”

“What a warm and gracious greeting,” Brian snarked.

“Can it, Kinney.”

“We are your neighbors,” Justin said with a cheery smile. “We just thought we’d stop by.”

“What the fuck do you want, Kinney?” Melanie asked glaring at Brian, and ignoring Justin.

“Why are you picking on me?” Brian asked trying to appear innocent. “There’s four of us here.”

“Yeah and you’re the one who brought them.”

Brian glowered, but then said, “JR called me. She’s very upset.”

“It’s none of your fucking business,” Melanie said through gritted teeth.

“It is when I get a call for help,” Brian retorted.

“JR, get out here!” Melanie shouted.

“Mel,” Lindsay said.

“We’re having this out here and now,” Melanie snapped, cutting her off.

“Yes, Mama,” JR said as she entered the room. She looked pale and scared.

“What do you think you’re pulling calling your Uncle Brian when things don’t go your way? You’re totally out of line, young lady,” Melanie told her daughter.

“Mel,” Lindsay said trying to smooth things over as she always did.

“Stay out of this, Lindsay,” Melanie retorted. “This is my daughter and I’ll deal with her.”

Lindsay opened her mouth to refute that statement, but before she could, Brian took Melanie’s arm and propelled her toward her office, slamming the door behind them.

“What should we do?” Justin asked with a worried look on his face.

“Wait and see who emerges triumphant,” Bobby suggested.

“Stay out of it,” John wisely counseled. “JR, come over here and tell me what happened.” JR joined her uncle on the sofa and started into the long story about Curtis and the dance and what Melanie had said, and how her mother had grounded her.

“Hey, did we miss a party?” Gus asked as he and Ray walked in from outside. Then he looked at JR’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Sit,” Justin said. “It’s a bit of a family crisis, and you might as well hear the whole sordid tale.”

They could hear raised voices from Melanie’s office, but couldn’t really make out any words.

“Should … should I go in there?” Lindsay asked, looking like that would be the absolute last thing she would want to do.

“I’d stay out of it if I were you,” Bobby advised.

Lindsay nodded, liking the out that Bobby had just provided. “I think I’ll stay where I am.”

JR started into her story again so that Gus and Ray would know what was going on.

Inside Melanie’s office, Melanie was pacing back and forth and ranting about how Brian should keep his fucking nose of her business. Then she started in with how Brian and Justin led such protected and privileged lives, and couldn’t understand what it was like out in the real world. Brian had let her do most of the talking up to this point. He felt she needed to have her say before he tried to argue with her. But when she started on about how he and Justin didn’t understand the real world, he had to interrupt.

“Whoa!” he said holding up his hand. “You have your opinions about things, and I’m prepared to listen to them, but don’t start telling me that I don’t know the real world. I live in it every day and I understand what’s going on.”

“The fuck you do! That Curtis kid mugged you. Do you even remember that? He was a little hooligan, and you want that dating my daughter? I don’t think so!”

“The operative word out of what you just said is ‘was’, Mel. Curtis was a scared, lonely kid trying to survive on the streets all by himself. He did what he had to do.”

“So you condone cutting people with a knife and stealing their money.”

“Of course I don’t. Don’t be ridiculous. I never said any such thing. But Curtis would never have done those things if he had any other choice. You just spent the day with him at the barbecue. Did he look or act like a fucking hooligan?”

“Even if he is a nice kid at heart, he’s still black,” Melanie finally stated.

“And another prejudice rears its ugly head.”

“I am not prejudiced!” Melanie responded emphatically.

“What the fuck would you call it?”

“I don’t want my daughter dating someone that’s going to put her in potential danger.”

“Danger?” Brian asked with a frown. “What are you talking about?”

“The real world still contains people who don’t like mixed race couples, who have been known to attack those couples. I don’t want JR put in that position.”

“For Christ’s sake, Mel, JR likes this kid. They’re not going to run away and get married. They just want to go to a fucking high school dance together. It will be fully supervised.”

“And wasn’t Justin’s prom fully supervised?”

Brian felt like Melanie had stuck a knife in his gut. Anger boiled up inside him. He’d like to take Melanie’s fucking loud mouth and shove it in the toilet where it belonged. He swallowed hard and counted to ten before answering.

“That was uncalled for,” he said softly but with an edge to his voice that could frighten even the most bold.

Melanie blanched when she heard his tone. If he had shouted at her, she had her retort all ready. But his voice made her reconsider. “I … I shouldn’t have said that,” she admitted. “But you see why I’m worried.”

“So, are you going to hold JR’s hand until she’s a lonely, old spinster in twenty or thirty years?”

“My daughter will not be a lonely, old spinster,” Melanie stated forcefully.

“She will, if you don’t allow her to live her life. She’s not asking to do anything that any other girl might ask to do. Let her be a teenager. Let her be carefree and happy. You know kids always do exactly what you tell them they can’t do,” Brian informed her. “She’ll sneak out and go to that dance anyway. You’ll lose her trust for good.”

“You’re full of shit, Kinney. I’m her mother. She loves me. She always will.”

“Like I loved my mother for so many years,” Brian said bitterly. “Like Lindsay loves her parents who have never really acknowledged you or Gus or JR as their grandchildren. It’s a fine future you’re creating for your family, and a sure way for everyone to end up bitter and alone. I’m done here,” Brian stated as he walked to the door and pulled it open.

All the faces looked at him expectantly as he entered the main room of the cottage. He shook his head to indicate he had failed.

Melanie followed him out of the office. She looked at all the people who were assembled there because her daughter had put out a distress call. It gave her pause.

“Mama,” Gus said gently. “I hope you don’t mind my two cents worth, but I think you should let JR go to the dance with Curtis. They’re awful cute together.” He gave his mother his best smile and a wink.

“I think so too,” Ray chimed in, “not that I have any say.”

“I agree,” Justin piped up.

“Me too,” Bobby said.

“And I want to say that if you’re smart, and I know you are,” John said with a smile and wink of his own, “you’ll take to heart whatever my brilliant brother told you.”

“I have to agree with everyone else,” Lindsay said taking her cue from the others.

“Looks like I’m slightly outnumbered,” Melanie said shaking her head.

“You never let that stop you before,” Brian couldn’t help but add, the sarcasm clear in his voice.

“Maybe I should reconsider,” Melanie said softly. “I just want what’s best for my daughter.”

“And she should have some say in what that is,” John added hoping they were finally getting through to Melanie.

“You really want to go to the dance with Curtis?” Melanie asked her daughter knowing full well that was what JR had wanted all along.

“Yes, Mama, I really want to go with him.”

“And you promise to obey your curfew and be very careful, and no … funny business?”

“Yes, Mama, I promise,” JR said crossing her heart and holding up her hand.

“Then … I guess you can go,” Melanie stated.

“With Curtis?” JR squealed.

“With Curtis.”

“Oh, thank you, Mama,” JR screeched before running across the room and throwing herself into Melanie’s arms. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she repeated. “I love you, Mama.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. I just want you to be happy and … safe.”

“I’ll be really careful, Mama, and Curtis will look after me.”

Melanie hugged her daughter hard, as tears appeared in both their eyes.

“Looks like our work here is done,” Brian said heading for the door.

“Took enough of you to accomplish it,” Melanie taunted him as they all started out of the cottage.

“I always bring my A team,” Brian replied with a chuckle, and a wink to JR.

JR squirmed out of her mother’s embrace. She ran out the door after the men and caught her Uncle Brian’s arm. “Thank you,” she said sincerely giving him a big hug.

“This was a tough one,” Brian whispered, “but I’m glad it turned out this way.”

“Me too.”

“See ya, Pop,” Gus called from the doorway.

“Thanks, Brian,” Lindsay said with a wave as the men all piled into John’s SUV.

John started the car and they pulled away from the cottage.

“I’m glad that’s over,” Brian said leaning his head against Justin’s.

“Took a lot out of you, didn’t it?” Justin asked.

“That woman is impossible,” Brian stated.

“But you made the impossible happen,” John said looking in the rearview mirror to see his brother. They both smiled when their eyes met.

“Chalk one up for the good guys,” Brian said with a sigh.

“Better not let Mel hear you say that,” Bobby laughed.

“None of you better fucking tell her,” Brian informed them with a glare, before closing his eyes and letting Justin hold him tight.

 

*****
 

When the boys made it back to Edna’s Treasures, they were greeted by a note taped to Brian and Justin’s door.

“What’s it say, Sunshine?”

“It’s from Emmett. Rachel took the kids down there. They decided to have a camp out,” Justin said.

“And just where do they intend to camp out?” John asked as he gratefully accepted a cold brew from Brian. Brian handed out beers to Justin and Bobby as well.

“In the Emmett’s backyard. Drew is testing out some new camping equipment on the kids,” Justin explained as he waved around the note. Brian broke out into giggles.

“I’m getting some weird image of Emmett in some sort of fuchsia pj’s snuggling into a bright purple sleeping bag,” Brian laughed; the guys joined in. They all needed to laugh. “So do we let the Squirt camp out with the boys?”

“I don’t see why not,” Bobby spoke up. “She’s a tough little cookie and you know the Emmett and Drew wouldn’t let anything happen to her. And I’m sure Beau will protect her.”

“Yes, but who’s going to protect the boys?” John quipped and they all laughed again.

“I just don’t get Melanie,” Bobby said sadly when they all quieted down. Brian filled an ice bucket with ice and more beers while Justin took out a tray of Emmett’s snacks to reheat. They had plenty of leftovers to nosh on.

“She’s an advocate for the underprivileged and she’s always doing battle for her LGBT clients. How can she be so discriminatory against the very child she fought for? It doesn’t make any sense,” Bobby said as he sat in one of the oversized chairs in Brian and Justin’s living room. He had had enough of the sun porch and wide open spaces. Right now Bobby needed to be warm and cozy. He squished over as John sat with him.

“JR is a very sensible young lady,” John said. “She hasn’t done anything foolish to make Melanie distrust her. And Curtis has more than redeemed himself. What’s her beef?”

“She’s a fucking cunt,” Brian said quickly and then shook his head apologetically. “And I don’t know why I let her get under my skin.”

“You both have a lot in common,” Justin said gently. “But you’ve learned and grown over the years,” he added quickly to take away the sting of his words. “I think Melanie gets stuck sometimes in old arguments and habits. She certainly has a double standard when it comes to herself and her children. I’m surprised she’s taking Gus’ relationship with Ray so well.”

“She isn't,” Brian added as he took the tray of hors d’ oeuvres out of the microwave to plate them then he brought them into the living room.

“What do you mean, Bri? Ray’s been staying with them. It’s obvious they’re sleeping together,” Justin commented.

“Did you notice the way Mel was watching them yesterday? I thought she was going to get whiplash. One minute she was glaring at Ray, the next she was spying on JR.” Brian explained.

“I’m surprised you noticed anything but my crew,” John snarked.

“Oh, ha ha. A little innocent flirtation never hurt anyone and it was innocent.” Brian directed his last comment at Justin. Justin leaned over to give Brian a kiss. “Besides, your boys needed a little thrill.”

“I wasn’t really worried,” Justin whispered. Brian kissed his forehead.

“I don’t think any partner, straight, gay, black, white, purple, rich or poor will be good enough for Mel’s kids. And on some level I can understand that,” Brian candidly admitted. “However, everyone deserves a second chance. Some of us have had thirds and fourths,” Brian murmured.

“Including Melanie,” John added. “How many times has she fucked up her marriage and then had you work some miracle to fix it? She’s too full of herself. JR is a very sensitive young lady, if Mel’s not careful, her pride is going to get JR hurt,” John said vehemently.

The boys silently agreed with him.

 

*****
 

“Curtis, it’s JR again. Please call me back,” JR said sadly to his voicemail. It was the fourth message she had left. She had been trying to reach Curtis ever since her uncles left their cottage.

JR flopped back onto her bed, her cell phone still in her hand, and tears streaming down.

“Go away,” she whined at the gentle knock on her door.

“Please JR, it’s me,” Gus said through the door.

She sighed; at least it wasn’t her mother. “Come in.”

“Hey,” Gus said as he laid down next to her.

“Hey.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Curtis won’t return my calls. I’ve left four messages so far.”

“On his cell?”

“Yeah.”

“Try the house number.”

“But, what I got to say is sorta private,” JR said with a blush to her cheeks.

“You don’t have to say anything personal, just start talking. If he’s there, he’ll pick up.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because no guy can stand to hear his girlfriend crying on the phone.”

“But I’m not his girlfriend and how do you know I’m going to cry?”

“Because you’re crying now. And you’re a girl and you’re Curtis’ friend.”

JR swatted her brother’s arm.

“What do you have to lose?” Gus asked.

JR considered it for a moment. “Okay, I’ll try. Can’t make it any worse,” she grumbled as she flipped open her cell to search for Curtis’ home number. JR dialed then reached out to hold her brother’s hand for luck. The answering machine picked up after the fourth ring.

“Um, hi, this is JR. Curtis, if you’re there, could you please pick up?” JR said trying to be brave but her bravado was wavering and she began to cry. “Curtis, I’m really sorry if I hurt your feelings. My mama can get stubborn sometimes but if you still want....”

“Hello,” Curtis said hastily into the phone. He sounded like he was running.

“Hi,” JR sniffled. “I’m really sorry and if you still want to go to the dance with me I got permission to go.”

“You did?”

“Yes,” JR said almost pitifully.

“Please don’t cry.”

“I’m not,” she sniffled again.

“I really like you. You and Gus and Bree were my first friends, and Miss Melanie, she helped me a lot. I thought you liked me too.”

“I do. My mother just doesn’t understand. She thinks you’re my boyfriend.”

“I’d like to be but...”

“But what?”

“I don’t like labels. Boyfriend, girlfriend, gay, straight, I just want to be friends. I want to be able to go with you to the dance and have some fun before things get too serious. Do you understand? I was thinking a lot about what you said about Richie.” Curtis’ conversation was a bit convoluted but JR seemed to understand.

“Yeah?”

“He’s really nice, a little shy but I realized why. I felt the same way when I was first introduced to your family.”

“Sometimes we are too much to handle,” JR giggled, her tears all but drying up.

“Can we start all over again? About the dance, I mean.”

“I think I’d like that.”

“Miss JR, would you like to go with me to the school dance?”

“Yes, I’d like that. Curtis, I really am sorry about everything.”

“So am I. I jumped to conclusions and I shouldn’t have. Miss Melanie is just being a...”

“A bitch?” JR said before she engaged her brain. Gus squeezed her hand and scowled.

“I was going to say, a mom. You’re her little girl.”

“How come you’re so smart?”

“Just lucky, I guess. Dr. Raph and Hector are calling me to dinner. I’ll see you in school on Tuesday.”

“Okay, and thank you for answering the phone.”

“You’re welcome,” Curtis said just before they ended their conversation.

“Sooo?” Gus asked, shaking his sister’s hand.

“So I have a date for the dance!”

“Yes!” Gus said raising their joined hands into the air in triumph.

 

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