In Sickness and In Health

Chapter 12

Brian's POV:

We're almost back to the cottage. We'll soon be at the little village with the general store that has the lawn ornaments with legs that whirl in the wind. Bree always wants one every time we go by. I promise to get her one every time, but I've never done it. There's only a couple of them outside today. They're stuck in the snow and their legs aren't spinning.

"Emmett, stop the car."

"What?" Emmett asks, but he slows down.

"I need you to turn around and go back to the general store," I say.

"But we're almost home. Don't you want to get there first before you go shopping?"

"No," I say bluntly. "Take me back to the general store."

Emmett pulls the vehicle onto the shoulder and stops. "Are you all right, Brian?" he asks. "Are you feeling sick?"

"Babe, I think Brian has something important he needs at the store," Drew states. "Take us back."

I look appreciatively at Drew. He's a smart man. Emmett makes a U-turn on the narrow road, and then pulls into the parking lot for the general store.

"I'll be right back," I tell them, before jumping out and running into the store. I debate yanking the little Tweetie Pie ornament out of the ground, but I decide against it. Maybe they have more inside that aren't frozen into the snow. I ask the old man behind the counter about the ornaments and he points to a barrel filled with them. There's every cartoon character and lots of other bugs and animals represented. And then I see it. I know it's the one that I'm meant to have. I yank it out and take it back to the counter. I quickly pay for it and he throws a plastic bag over the top. I walk quickly back to the Hummer.

Emmett and Drew have changed places. Drew is driving his beloved vehicle now. I was surprised that he let Emmett drive all this way.

"Home, James," I say to him as I climb in the back next to John.

They all look at me and the bag with the stick hanging out.

"Are you going to explain?" John asks.

"No," I say.

Drew starts up the car and we're on our way. I feel my pulse pounding as we turn into the lane. We pass Drew and Emmett's place, as Drew drives on up the lane to Edna's Treasures. The cottage seems the same, beautiful as ever, with just a bit of snow on the roof. There is smoke from the chimney. It's just the way I want it to be, almost.

As we pull to a stop, the front door opens and Justin and Bree come running out. I fling open the car door and my arms are full of Justin, and we're kissing and hugging. This is the way I wanted it to be.

"Dada! Dada! Dada!" I hear, and I realize that Bree is hanging onto the bottom of my overcoat, yanking for all she's worth.

"Hey, Squirt," I laugh, releasing Justin and picking up our daughter. I kiss all over her smiling face, making her giggle with delight.

"Missed you, Dada."

"I missed you too, Squirt."

"Why didn't you call?" Justin asks. "I've been worried."

"I didn't mean to worry you. I just wanted to get home and surprise you. I'm fine!" I blurt out. "Clean bill of health all round."

"Oh, Brian," Justin whispers. There are tears in his eyes and relief on his face. "That's the best news."

I pull him against me, hugging both him and Bree.

"Daddy!" Patrick calls from the doorway of the house. He and Beau come bounding out to where John has unloaded our things from the Hummer.

John scoops him up, even though he's getting to be a big boy. They hug like crazy. Beau is leaping around greeting everyone. I put Bree down and give the big dog a hefty head rub. He soaks it all up wanting more. John is happy to provide him with lots more as soon as I'm done.

"Your boo-boo is all fixed?" Bree asks, wanting to be sure.

"All fixed," I tell her.

"See ya later," Emmett calls as he and Drew get back into the Hummer, now that everything's been unloaded. They head down the lane towards their cottage.

At the same time Bobby's SUV heads up to the house. He screeches to a stop and leaps out, racing into John's welcoming arms. Justin and I watch as the other reunion continues.

"Too much kissing," Patrick says as he walks over to me and Justin. He stands beside Bree and looks up at the two of us. "Welcome home, Uncle Brian."

"Thank you, my little man," I reply squeezing the boy's shoulder.

"Bree was really worried about you. Me too."

"I was kinda worried myself," I admit. "But it's all over now, and I'm fine."

"That's good," Patrick says, as his fathers finally stop kissing.

"Let's get your stuff into the house," Justin suggests. "It's freezing out here."

Neither Bree nor Justin has a coat on. We all walk over to pick up my bag. Justin grabs it and heads for the house. I pick up my purchase from the general store. It was laying on top of John's bag.

"Hey, big bro, it's kinda chilly out here. Don't want you to get sick," I say with a wink.

"I don't want that either."

Bobby comes over and gives me a warm hug. "Thanks for bringing him home to me."

I chuckle. "He was the one who brought me home."

"It doesn't matter. You're both here and you're both fine."

"Let's go in out of the cold," I say, as I feel tears in my eyes.

"Yeah, let's," Bobby says.

The kids scamper into the house hand in hand, Beau bouncing along beside them. John picks up his bag, and the three of us follow them inside.

*****

"That was a great meal, Justin," I say.

"Thanks, I've been planning what I'd cook for you ever since I got back here."

"You outdid yourself."

"It was great, Justin," John agrees.

"I think we should have homecomings more often, if it results in meals like this," Bobby adds. He pushes his plate away and belches.

"Gross, Poppa," Patrick says.

"Up, Dada," Bree asks after she slides down off her chair.

I scoop her up and sit her on my knee. She rests her head against my heart. As much as I wanted to fuck Justin senseless the moment I saw him, this meal and Bree and having John and Bobby and Patrick all together, is almost as good. The fucking part will come later.

"You getting sleepy, Squirt?" I ask hopefully.

"Nope," she replies.

I sigh, but I'm happy just sitting here like this. "Oh, I forgot," I say. "I bought you something."

"You did, Dada?" she asks, looking up at me with those fabulous blue eyes of hers.

"Yep, it's by the front door, leaning against the wall."

"I get it," she says.

"Okay, but don't open it, just bring it here."

"'Kay, Dada."

She runs to the front door with Patrick following her. He wants to see what she got this time too.

"You shouldn't buy her so much stuff, Brian," Justin chastises me gently.

"It's not much, and it's something I promised her a lot of times."

"What's that?" Justin asks with a frown. He obviously doesn't remember all those promises I made every time we passed that general store.

"Here, Dada," Bree says. Patrick's carrying the top of the ornament and Bree has the stick. They bring it over to me.

"Ready?" I ask as I take the bag containing the ornament from them.

They nod as one. I chuckle and wait, adding to the suspense.

"What is it, Dada?" Bree asks.

"Ta Da!" I say pulling off the bag that covers the lawn ornament.

Everybody laughs, Bree's infectious giggles egging everyone on.

"What?" I say, feigning innocence.

"It's a frog!" Bobby laughs pointing at the green monstrosity that I hold in my hand. There is a huge headed frog with legs that will whirl around in the wind. The frog looks like he's winking with his head cocked at a jaunty angle.

"He's great, Brian," Justin giggles.

"Can we put him outside?" Bree asks, knowing that if it's windy his legs will go around.

"We can try," I say. "Put on the floodlights outside the sun porch and I'll see if I can find a breezy spot for Mr. Ribbit."

"He's not a rabbit, Dada," Bree says seriously. "He's a frog, my frog."

"But we'll share him with everyone else, won't we?" I ask.

She bobs her little head in agreement. We get up and make our way into the sun porch. Justin flips the outside lights on and I step outside. There's a strong wind from the north. I shove the frog into the snow bank along the edge of the path. I think the grounds too frozen to shove it into the garden. We can do that in the spring. I turn the frog and his little legs start spinning. I can hear Bree's shouts of glee as she sees it working. I smile at her enthusiasm and make my way back inside. We all stand watching the frog running for dear life out in the snow. I pick up Bree and kiss her cheek.

"Thank you, Dada," she says.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," I say.

I feel Justin's arm come around my waist and I know that I'm finally and truly home. This is how it's supposed to be.

*****

It's only eight o'clock, but Bree's in bed and the dishes are done and we're sitting out in the sun porch watching the frog running a hundred miles an hour. I'm so happy I hardly know how to contain myself.

For all my bravado and imposed optimism, I was scared shitless the last few days. I couldn't make myself truly believe that the lump was just an ingrown hair. I think somewhere deep inside I believed that it was the cancer coming back. I didn't want to think that way, but I did. I remember the agony of my first cancer surgery and the radiation and the sickness. I didn't want to go through that again, but I would have … for Justin and Bree and Gus. But if it had been the cancer, the outlook would not have been good. When it recurs, the chance of a cure drops significantly. I suck in a deep breath.

We're in the chaise lounge, Justin practically sitting in my lap, all curled up against me. It's so peaceful here, and everything's perfect. The Christmas tree is all decorated and blinking away in the corner. Justin did that while I was in Pittsburgh. He and the kids and Bobby went and picked out a tree at a lot in Harrisburg, and they spent all one evening decorating it. I would have liked to help with that, but I understand that Justin needed something to keep him, and Bree, occupied while I was gone. Otherwise, he would have been worrying every minute of every day, just like I was.

I thought I was going to fuck Justin the minute I got home. It had been far too long that I had been sleeping with John. I love my brother, but he's just not the same as Justin, not by a long shot. I snort at the thought.

"What?" Justin asks.

"I was just thinking about John and me sleeping together."

"What?" Justin repeats. He pushes himself up from my chest and glares at me.

"Not like that, Sunshine, but I didn't want to sleep alone."

"Okay," Justin replies slowly.

I know he understands. "I missed you so much."

"I could have stayed."

"I know, but then Bree would have been upset."

"She was pretty upset the day we came home."

"She was?"

"Yep."

"What happened?"

"She stomped off to her room and had a good cry. Patrick stayed with her. He was really great."

"They are cute together," I say.

"It goes a lot deeper than that," Justin informs me.

"What do you mean?"

"Patrick seems to know when Bree needs someone, and he steps right up. He's a great kid."

"Yeah, he is," I say thoughtfully.

"But why are we talking about the kids. They're both in bed, and Bobby and John are probably fucking. Shouldn't we be doing that too?"

"My sentiments exactly, Sunshine," I chuckle. "Although, and I never thought I'd fucking say this, cuddling with you is almost as good."

Justin's smile threatens to light up the sun porch more than the floodlights from outside. He is so fucking beautiful when he smiles like that. I pull him in and kiss his lips. His mouth opens to let me in. My tongue pillages his mouth, tasting and feeling every spot that I've ever known. We gasp for air when I finally stop. I'm so fucking hard it hurts, and I can hardly breathe.

"Let's take it to our bed," Justin whispers.

"I thought maybe we could sleep out here under the stars."

"If that's what you want to do, that's fine with me."

We get up and move the screen aside. I pull back the bedspread and find that my favorite thousand count sheets are already on the bed. I look at my husband.

"Just in case," he grins.

"You always were very resourceful," I acknowledge with a grin of my own.

"Never hurts to be prepared."

I flip off the outside lights and turn on the little lamp by the brass bed. I note that Justin has a tube of lube already lying there next to the portable phone.

"Expecting a call from your lover?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"Unh unh," Justin grunts. "My lover will be in bed beside me."

"Or on top of you."

"Or underneath me!" he says.

I raise my eyebrow farther, but that will be fine if that's what he wants. I walk towards the man I love, and we collide with a small oomph, our lips finding each other immediately. While we kiss, the clothes are quickly ripped from our bodies. Soon we're naked and needy. I tumble Justin back onto the bed and lay myself atop him. Our hard-ons press against each other and I rub myself along his length. It feels so fucking good.

"Do we have to be careful or anything?" he asks.

"Only when I trim the hair on my balls," I say with a smirk.

"Oh?"

"No more shaving. I have to trim with scissors."

"I can do that for you," Justin grins.

"I was counting on that."

We kiss again and then I know that I have to be inside him or I'll explode. I lube my dick and press a finger into his pulsing hole. He gasps. It's only been a few days but we're both so needy and it seems like forever since we've done this.

I'm just about ready to press my rock hard dick into Justin's willing body, when the fucking phone rings.

"Don't answer it," I order, as Justin reaches for it.

"But it might be something about Molly and Owen."

"They're in fucking Mexico on their honeymoon; they won't be calling here."

I manage to breach the first ring of muscle as I plow into Justin. I refuse to wait any longer. The fucking phone just keeps on ringing. I feel Justin relax and I push in further.

"Yes," I whisper. This is what I needed so badly.

"I'm going to answer that, Brian," Justin says picking up the still ringing phone. "It's Mom," he tells me, as he looks at the call display.

I yank the phone out of his hand and am about to throw it across the sun porch when he lays a gentle hand on my arm. His eyes plead with me to answer it. I'm fully imbedded inside Justin and he wants me to answer his mother's fucking phone call.

I press the talk button and bellow, "What?"

"Oh, Brian, you sound busy," Jennifer stammers.

"I am busy."

"Are you okay? The tests?"

"I'm perfect."

"That's good."

"Do you need something, Jennifer?" I ask impatiently. I'm starting to thrust. I can't help myself.

"I … I did something that I maybe shouldn't have."

"And what the fuck might that be?" I demand. I'm really plowing into Justin now. She better hurry up, as I won't be able to carry on any kind of coherent conversation much longer.

"I … I invited Owen Sr. and Sharon to Edna's Treasures for Christmas. She's feeling kind of lonely without her son and Molly around, so I thought…"

"Fine, great," I grunt.

"And they had already invited Raphael, you know, the man who's their vet, and his partner, Hector. So I told them to bring them along, so that's four more people. I hope that's all right. I know I should have asked first, but it all just kind of happened, and…"

"Fine, bring them all. Bring the fucking fifth army if you want to." I can feel the sweat beading on my forehead. Justin's pretty far gone, and I'm not sure how much longer I can hang on. "I need to go," I grunt.

"Thanks, Brian, say hello to Justin for me."

"I already am."

"Oh? OH!"

I think she finally gets it. I push the end button and toss the phone onto the chaise. I begin my assault in earnest. Who the fuck cares how many people are coming to Christmas dinner? I have much more important things to take care of.

I hear Justin moan as I hit the sweet spot. And then everything spins out of control.

Return to In Sickness and In Health