Pride Goeth...

Chapter 8

“What the fuck is she doing up there?” Melanie demanded.

“She’s getting ready for the dance,” Lindsay said with a little smile.

“I want to see this fucking dress that both of you have been raving about, but wouldn’t let me see,” Melanie continued to gripe.

“You’ll see it in a minute when she comes down the stairs.”

“This dress better not be … too revealing.”

Lindsay laughed. “It’s very proper. She looks lovely in it.”

“Why wouldn’t you let me see it?”

“She wants to surprise you.”

“Fuck surprises! This is her first big dance. I should have been the one to take her dress shopping. Then I would know that she’s properly dressed.”

Lindsay frowned. There were so many things wrong with that statement. “I hope you’re not implying that I don’t know how to dress our daughter in a suitable manner. And you were busy when we went shopping.”

Melanie shook her head. “I should keep my fucking mouth shut. I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“I’m not mad, but sometimes you make me feel like I’m not JR’s mother too.”

“That wasn’t my intention.”

“I understand that, but words hurt.”

Melanie was about to pull Lindsay into a hug when the doorbell rang.

“That must be Curtis,” Lindsay said walking away from Mel towards the front door. “Come in, Curtis,” she said as she opened the door. “You look very handsome.”

Curtis beamed. “Do you think this suit is all right?”

“I think it’s perfect,” Lindsay said.

Melanie watched from the entrance to the living room. She had to admit that Curtis looked very good. His suit was appropriate and fit him very well. But she still had misgivings about this whole thing. “Are your fathers with you?”

“Yes, Miss Marcus,” Curtis replied politely. “They decided to stay in the car. They’ll be driving us to the dance and picking us up afterwards.”

“That’s good,” Melanie said sternly. She wanted to give him a longer lecture about what he was allowed and not allowed to do with her daughter, but she bit her lip and held her tongue.

“Um … is JR ready?” Curtis asked hopefully.

“I’m ready,” JR said from the top of the stairs. She wore her beautiful turquoise dress with black patent heels, not too high. Her hair was loose to her shoulders and her smile was radiant.

“Wow!” Curtis said as she started to come down the stairs.

“My God!” Melanie reacted.

“What is it, Mama?” JR asked, stopping mid-step. “Don’t you like my dress,” she added with a worried note in her voice. She wouldn’t be able to stand it if her mother suddenly decided she couldn’t go, or that she couldn’t wear this dress, or that Curtis couldn’t take her or…

“You look … wonderful,” Melanie said choking back tears. “You’re so grown up.”

“I keep telling you that, Mama,” JR said.

“I guess I’ll finally have to believe you.”

“I brought this for you,” Curtis said holding out a florist’s box with a wrist corsage. “It’s as close to turquoise as we could find,” Curtis added shyly.

“It looks lovely,” JR said as she took it from him. “I’ll put it on in the car.”

“Okay,” Curtis agreed, happy that she seemed to like his gift. That had been Raph’s idea, along with the turquoise tie that he was wearing.

“Bye, Mama, Mommy,” JR said giving each of them a quick kiss before heading for the door.

“Have a good time, sweetheart,” Lindsay whispered in her ear.

“Be careful,” Melanie whispered as JR kissed her cheek.

“I’ll be fine, Mama. I’m with Curtis.”

With that they were gone, the front door closing behind them.

“I have to go out,” Melanie said quickly.

“Out? What are you talking about?”

“Um … I have an appointment.”

“At this time of night?”

“I’m going to change,” Melanie stated. “Then I’m going out.”

Lindsay watched her wife disappear up the stairs. She couldn’t help but wonder what Mel was up to. Shaking her head she went to make a cup of tea. Some time later Lindsay heard the front door close.

“Mel?” she called. There was no answer. Lindsay walked to the front door just in time to see their car heading down the street. With a shrug of her shoulders Lindsay decided she’d just drink tea and put her feet up, since she was all alone anyway.

 

*****
 

“Are you having a good time?” Curtis asked, as he and JR came off the dance floor.

“Yeah, you’re a pretty good dancer … for a boy,” JR said with a cute grin.

“You’re awful mean sometimes,” Curtis teased with a smile.

“And that’s why you like me.”

“There’s lots of reasons why I like you,” Curtis said seriously.

“You sure are a sweet talker.”

Curtis laughed. “Let’s get something to drink.”

They made their way over to the refreshment area and each got a Coke. As she started sipping the soda, JR saw something out of the corner of her eye that made her want to scream. Her mother was standing in the door of the school gym looking around. JR could only assume that her mother was there to take her home. She quickly set down her can of soda.

“I’m going to the restroom,” she said to Curtis hoping he hadn’t seen her mother. “Why don’t you go talk to Greg till I get back,” JR said sweetly. Greg was a kid they both knew. He was sitting in a corner with a bunch of other boys who didn’t seem to want to dance.

“Okay,” Curtis agreed. “Don’t be too long.”

“I won’t,” JR said as she watched Curtis walk away towards the other boys. She immediately headed for her mother. When she got to the door of the gym, she grabbed her mother’s arm and pulled her out into the hall. “What are you doing here, mother? You said I could come to this dance. I’m not going home with you.”

“I just thought I’d check out what was happening. They can always use chaperones at school dances,” Melanie said trying to sound like it was the most natural thing in the world for her to be there.

“You are not a chaperone, and I don’t want you here,” JR said adamantly.

“Well, I am here.”

“Please, Mama, don’t ruin tonight for me,” JR begged.

“How am I ruining the night for you … unless you’re doing something you’re not supposed to.”

“We’ve been dancing and we were having a Coke when you got here.”

“The liquid kind, I hope.”

“Mother!”

“Okay, okay, but I want to be sure you’re all right.”

“I’m just fine. Please go home.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Mama…”

“I’m staying,” Melanie stated crossing her arms on her chest.

JR gave her mother her best scowl and headed for the restrooms. Melanie sat down on a bench outside the gym to wait for her daughter to return.

Inside the restroom, JR pulled out her cell phone. She hit a number and waited as it rang. “Uncle Brian, I need your help.”

 

*****
 

Melanie felt her cell phone vibrate in her small handbag. She pulled it out. “Yeah?”

“Good evening to you too,” Brian Kinney’s voice came back at her.

“What the fuck do you want?” Melanie demanded.

“Your daughter called and said she was being harassed by this person of the lesbian persuasion. She wanted to know if I could make you go away.”

“You can’t make me do anything, Kinney.”

“And don’t I know it.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I told JR I’d try.”

“You’ve tried, so fuck off,” Melanie snarled. She was about to close the cell phone when she heard Brian say something else. “What did you say?” she asked.

“I said listen, you fucking asshole.”

“Excuuuse me! That’s your title.”

“You remember what we talked about when you didn’t want JR to go to this dance. You’re doing the same thing. You’re driving her away.”

“I am not!”

“Okay, I’ve warned you. If you choose not to believe me then it’s all on your head.”

“Kinney, why did she call you?” Melanie asked as the reality of what she had done began to sink in. JR had called Melanie’s arch enemy … again. The kid must be desperate. Melanie started to realize that maybe she was driving JR away, and driving her towards Brian Kinney.

“Because most people are afraid of you, Mel,” Brian said staying calming as he spoke his version of the truth. “She knows I’ll tell it like it is.”

“No punches pulled.”

“I’m not trying to hurt you. I just want JR to be happy.”

Melanie let out a long breath. She saw JR come out of the washroom. “I have to go,” she said into the phone.

“Do the right thing,” Brian replied before he cut the connection.

“JR,” Mel said as her daughter approached. “Have I done it again?”

JR nodded. “You’ve got to let me live my own life, Mama.”

“But, you’re so young.”

“Not that young. You said so when I came downstairs tonight.”

“Yeah, I guess I did,” Melanie admitted. “I’m going home, honey.”

“Thanks, Mama,” JR said allowing her mother to hug her. She even returned the hug … a little bit. “I’ll be fine.”

“You better be,” Melanie said as she watched JR disappear back into the gym.

Melanie hesitated to leave. Knowing she shouldn’t, she poked her head around the edge of the open gym door. She could easily spot JR’s turquoise dress. She was dancing with Curtis. They were laughing and having a good time. And she was being an idiot. It was time to go home.

 

*****
 

"Emm?" Debbie shrieked from her living room. Emmett was in her kitchen sitting with Carl. They were enjoying coffee while Debbie was in the process of altering Richie's dress.

"Yes?"

"What do you think?"

Richie was in the dress, standing in the middle of the room, trying not to breathe for fear of being stuck by all the pins Debbie had inserted.

"Oooo, I like it but don't you think it's a little too tight?" Emmett asked with a crooked smile.

"I was going for the fitted look."

"Fitted is nice but breathing is better, and we must leave room for undergarments," Emmett said with a poignant look.

"Undergarments?"

"Debbie, honey, when was the last time you altered a dress?" Emmett knew that Debbie was used to dealing with her lost boys. She had very few lost girls.

"I, um..."

"Exactly. Perhaps it was when Lindsay and Mel were getting married?"

"No. It can't be," Debbie said in denial. "Really? Carl?"

"Sweetheart, we've been together for a lot of years now and I've never seen you work on a dress. You took in a couple pairs of my pants but no dresses," Carl said as he pulled on the waistband of his trousers. He and Debbie were trying to watch their weight.

"Well, fuck. I'm sorry, honey," Debbie said to Richie. "Let me fix this and give you some breathing room." A few minutes later, Richie's dress was still taken in but he had much more room.

"Go on upstairs and change. Just yell if you need some help," Debbie said gently. Richie smiled then turned to go up to Michael's old room to get out of his dress.

"Deb, am I doing the right thing?" Emmett asked.

"What? You mean letting him march in drag in the parade?" Debbie asked in order to clarify Emmett's feelings. Emmett gave a pensive nod. "Oh Emm, I think he should feel free to express himself. And you'll be there, right?"

"Of course I'll be there. I can't have him marching alone, can I?"

"What are you going to wear?"

"I hadn't given it much thought."

"Do you still have Godiva's gown?"

"Yes, I do, but it's a bit flashy."

"Wasn't too flashy when Michael wore it," Debbie said then the two of them laughed.

"No it wasn't but I'm not that same girl anymore. And I don't think it would be right for me to outdo Richie. This is his time to shine! I'll find something; maybe I'll see if I can still fit in that old pink Chanel suit of mine."

"Oh, you did look nice in that. You know, I can’t help but think back on that night we crashed Michael's party. I have to admit he was being a stuck up asshole at the time. Do you remember what our little sunshine wore?" Debbie said with a big grin.

"Yes, but I mostly remember what our Mr. Kinney wore! Talk about flaming!"

Emmett and Debbie broke out into belly laughs.

"What got you two ladies cackling like a bunch of hens?" Carl asked.

"Wait, I'll show you!" Debbie said as she rummaged through some old photo albums.

"You have pictures?" Emmett asked incredulously.

"A member of the Senator's staff was taking some candid PR shots. I convinced him to send me a couple. Here!"

Debbie, Carl and Emmett gathered around to look at the picture in Debbie's album.

"Emmett, is that you?" Richie asked. He had just come down and into the room. "And is that Mr. Brian and Mr. Justin?"

"In the flesh," Deb replied.

"The very same," Emmett added.

"Holy Shit!" Carl said as he stared at the photo. And then they all laughed again.

"They were hot!" Richie blurted out. "Oops, I'm sorry."

"Sweetheart," Debbie began, "nothing to be sorry about. They were hot, and have only gotten hotter with age."

"How true," Emmett sighed. "Now, where did you leave the dress?" Emmett changed the subject having had enough of the walk down memory lane.

"Hanging upstairs in the closet."

"Very good, young man. Tomorrow we’ll go shopping for the right undergarments."

"Um, Emmett, do I really need them?" Richie asked, embarrassed to be thinking about female underwear, let alone having to buy it.

"Honey, there's nothing to worry about. I know just the right place to go to. It's where only the best drag queens shop!"

Richie just nodded, trusting in Emmett's wisdom.

"Good night y'all!" Emmett said as he gave Debbie a kiss and a pat on the back to Carl. Debbie kissed both her boys as she showed them to the door.

"Night, Emm, Richie," Deb said as they walked to their car.

"Night boys!" Carl called out as he closed their front door. "Babe, I have to admit when you told me about Emmett and Drew wanting to adopt a child I had some reservations," Carl admitted, as he and Debbie snuggled together on their couch.

"And now?"

"After seeing them all together at the barbecue and tonight, I can't think of a more perfect family. Emmett loves that boy."

"Yes, he does. I hope it works out for them. Richie is so starved for love. And Emmett and Drew have more than enough love to give."

"Yes, they do. And I love you," Carl murmured as he gave Debbie a kiss.

"I love you too," Debbie said against his lips. After a few minutes of making out, Carl got a curious look on his face. "What is it?" Debbie asked.

"It's a good thing I'm straight because if I had seen Brian and Justin that night, I might have been tempted over to the dark side," he said with a straight face.

Debbie was momentarily stunned into silence.

"Oh you!" she finally said then laughed. "Come on upstairs and I'll keep you straight."

"Yes ma'am," Carl said as he followed his missus up the stairs to their bedroom.

 

*****
 

"Where were you?" Lindsay asked the minute Melanie stepped through the door.

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied as she stomped through the house and up the stairs to their bedroom.

"You don't want to talk about it?" Lindsay asked in an acerbic tone as she followed closely behind.

"That's right, I don't want to talk about it!" Melanie took off her clothes then threw them into a pile on the floor. She grabbed her robe as she stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Lindsay could hear the lock catch.

"Bitch!" Lindsay growled at the closed door then went downstairs to the kitchen. "I don't know why I bother," she mumbled as she put the kettle on to boil.

While she waited for the water to come to a boil, Lindsay answered the phone.

"What?"

"Someone doesn't sound very happy," Brian snarked.

"Brian, I'm in no mood for your shit."

"Whoa! Where is the sweet innocent mother of my son that I know and love?"

"Standing in her kitchen watching water boil."

"Sounds exciting."

"Brian, what do you want? I'm really not in the mood."

"I just called to see how JR is."

"She's still at the dance. Why?"

"When I didn't hear from her again, I..."

"When did you speak to JR?"

"She called me a little while ago."

"What did she say?"

"That her mama Mel was being an ass, spying on her and her date."

"Mel was at the dance?"

"Yes, didn't you know?" he asked with a combination of innocence and sarcasm.

"No I didn't know." Lindsay was now very angry. "Brian, will you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Please put Bobby on retainer for me and be prepared to bail me out of jail."

"Why will I need to bail you out of jail?"

"Because I'm going to kill my wife." Lindsay slammed down the phone then stomped through the house and up the stairs to confront her wife.

"Whoops!" Brian said to the silent phone in his hands. "Oh Bobby!" he singsonged as he walked through the conjoined cottages.

 

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