Should Old Acquaintance
Chapter 14
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The next couple of weeks went by in a
flash. The work on the cottage went on non-stop. Gordon was lifting the roof at
the same time that his crew was affixing the cottage to the foundation. Once the
roof was raised and the under-structure in place the work switched to the
inside of the building and the noise level decreased accordingly.
One morning Brian awoke to the sound of
the alarm. It had been his practice to go into Kinnetik
everyday and escape the banging and pounding from next door. Usually that was
what woke him up, the sound of hammers or drills or men shouting. This morning
it had been his alarm. He frowned and listened.
"Hear that, Sunshine?" Brian asked
as he poked a sleepy Justin in the ribs.
"I don't hear anything," Justin
replied rolling over.
"Exactly!"
Justin sat up. "Do you think that
means they're done with the outside work?"
"There's one way to fucking find
out," Brian smirked.
"Let's go," Justin said kicking
off the sheet and getting up.
"You think we might actually get our
fucking lives back to normal?" Brian asked as he pulled on some shorts.
"Our fucking lives have been just
fine," Justin grinned before pulling a T-shirt over his head. "It's
our sleeping late lives that have been disrupted."
Brian gave him the patented Kinney smirk.
If there was one thing they could count on, it was plenty of good fucking.
They peeked in Bree's
room and she was still sleeping along with Patrick. They quietly made their way
to the front door and snuck out without awakening any of the other sleeping
beauties in the sun porch. They walked over towards the new cottage where
Gordon gave them the high sign. They joined him looking up at the new roof.
"You guys finally finished banging
and pounding?" Brian asked.
"Did we disrupt your beauty
sleep?" Gordon asked with a laugh.
"Yes," Brian said keeping his
face straight.
"Oh, um, sorry," Gordon replied.
Justin gave Brian a swat in the chest and
smiled at Gordon. "He's such a drama queen."
Brian raised an eyebrow as Gordon laughed.
"I've had to deal with his brother for many years. I'm used to it,"
Gordon said.
"Was John a drama queen even before
he knew he was gay?" Justin asked.
"He had his moments, but we never
quite knew what to call them. Now the guys simply look at me
and mouth, 'Queen out'."
"Ahem," Brian said clearing his
throat. "We did come out here for a reason. The dramatic lack of ear shattering noise this morning … could that possibly
mean that the only remaining work will now be inside the cottage?"
"I believe that could be the
case," Gordon said using exactly the same tone Brian had.
Justin giggled. He could see why Gordon
got along so well with the other Kinney male. Nobody put anything over on
Gordon.
"Then I guess I don't need to go into
Kinnetik today," Brian observed.
"I wouldn't be too hasty,"
Gordon warned.
"Oh, why?" Brian frowned.
"We're doing eave troughs later
today."
"Shit!"
"But we'll finish them today and from
tomorrow on should be relative peace and quiet."
"That's something to look forward
to."
"Brian, I know this has been a bit of
a trial for you." Brian nodded. "But I haven't seen John as excited
and happy about anything since the work on the old theater. He's so looking
forward to living here next to you two."
Justin watched Brian's face soften and
turn into a smile.
"You've done a great job, Gordon. And
ignore my griping. I know this will all work out," Brian said extending
his hand and shaking.
"I know it will," Gordon said
accepting the handshake.
"Let's get ready for work,
Sunshine," Brian said turning to Justin before things got any more
emotional. "Looks like Kinnetik is going to have to put up with me for one more day."
"Cynthia and Ted will be so
happy," Justin said before Brian elbowed him in the ribs.
Gordon watched them walk back to their
house arms around each other.
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Brian pulled up in front of St. Anthony's.
He turned off the car and sat staring at the imposing façade.
"Brian," his sister said gently.
"Are we going in?"
"If we have
to."
"You know, you don't have to do this
if you don't want to."
"Father Tom wants to talk to you
about being Briana's godmother and I want to finalize
what we're doing about the baptism."
"Then let's go," Claire stated
and opened her door.
"Claire, do you think this is the
right thing to do?"
"Absolutely! Brian, Bree can make her
own decisions about religion when she gets older, but in the meantime I think
it's good for children to know about traditional religion. It gives them a grounding in what is right and wrong and how to treat
people."
Brian snorted. "It helped your boys,
didn't it!"
"I know they were little terrors for
a while, but they've turned out very well," Claire said icily.
"I … I'm sorry. I didn't mean to
imply… It's just that I don't believe in all this shit."
"But, like the good father that you
are, you're going to give Briana every benefit that
you can … just in case."
"Just in case her
father goes to Hell."
"Brian, stop that!"
"Okay, okay, let's get this fucking
shit done."
They walked up the steps to St. Anthony's
and opened the heavy door. They had just got inside the main part of the church
when they heard a loud gasp. Brian turned and felt his stomach clench and his
heart rate accelerate to beyond the speed of sound.
"Hello, mother," Brian said
making sure his patented smirk was firmly in place on his face.
"What … what are you two doing here …
together?" Joan managed to get out. She was truly amazed to see both of
her children walk through the door of her church at the same time.
"We could tell you that we're
planning a funeral," Brian said.
Joan blanched.
"Brian," Claire said, the warning very clear in her tone of voice.
"We're here to talk to Father Tom."
"About what?" Joan asked wondering if it was the whole baptism
thing.
Brian hesitated. He knew this was his
moment to tell Joan everything about the baptism and invite her to attend. He
just wasn't sure he could force the words out of his mouth.
Claire looked from Brian to Joan and
decided to take matters into her own hands. "We're here about Brian's
daughter, Briana."
"Oh?" Joan said. She had never
heard the little girl's name before. "What a beautiful name!"
Brian raised an eyebrow. He had half
expected Joan to make some comment about him naming his daughter after himself,
some implied criticism. He hadn't expected a compliment.
"She's going to be baptized on Labor
Day weekend," Claire added hoping Brian would jump in some time soon. But
he seemed totally paralyzed.
"That's good," Joan said.
"All children should be baptized."
"Unless they're Jewish or Muslim or
Buddhist…" Brian said, not understanding why the words were coming out of
his mouth.
"Brian…" Claire said again
touching his back and trying to make him control whatever was happening to him.
"I better let you get to your meeting
then," Joan said with a look that could only be described as sad. She
turned to walk away.
"Mother," Brian's voice stopped
her.
She turned back to look at his tortured
face. "Yes?"
"Would you like to
come … to the baptism?"
There he had said it. He half expected to be struck down in this house of God, or at the very least that Joan would laugh in his face
and ask if he was delusional.
"I … I'd very much like to
come," Joan said holding herself tall and proud with a little smile on her
face.
"You would?" Brian blurted out.
"I would."
"Then we'll make the arrangements
later," Claire said. "We better go, Brian. Father Tom will be waiting
for us." She took Brian's arm and propelled him towards the priest's
office.
Brian let himself be led, but he couldn't
help but look back to see the little smile on Joan's face. He couldn't tell if
she was happy to have been invited, or if she felt like she had just won some
battle with him. He knew which one he thought was probably the correct choice.
"Brian! Claire. Good of you to
come!" Father Tom exclaimed when he saw brother and sister walk into the
rectory.
"I always come, Father. You should
know that by now," Brian snarked, saying the
words before engaging his brain.
"Brian Kinney, that was rude and
horrible! Apologize this instant." Claire turned
beet red and admonished her younger brother.
"I'm..." Brian started, only to be stopped by Father Tom's raised hand.
"I take it you had a run in with your
mother?" Tom looked up into Brian's eyes. Brian nodded contritely and
began to blush. "Brian, sit, you look like you're about to fall down. You
look tired." Brian merely sighed.
"Father, Brian's being even more
moody than usual. They've been doing some construction on his home and I'm
afraid it's put Brian in a bad mood." Claire glared at her brother with
her own version of the Kinney death glare. Her version was just as effective as
Brian's, perhaps even more.
"I see. Then why don't you both
relax. I'll see if we can rustle up some coffee and we can finalize the
arrangements for the christening."
"It sounds so simple when you put it
that way," Brian mumbled.
"It is, Brian. I don't want this to
be a painful experience for you. It's supposed to be a joyous time for you and
your family. You're bringing Briana into God's
family," Father Tom attempted to counsel Brian.
"And if I don't have her baptized,
does that mean she's condemned to Hell like her fucking old man?!" Brian
stood up and roared, his anger, frustration and his feelings of unworthiness
came to the fore. Brian stormed off out of the rectory and inadvertently found
himself in the grotto. The same grotto that Justin sketched
when he visited with Bree and Patrick weeks ago.
Claire stood shocked. She hadn't seen
Brian this upset in a very long time. She felt helpless, not having a clue of
how to help.
"Give me a minute with him,"
Father Tom reassured Claire. Claire nodded and quietly followed Tom out to the
grotto.
"Brian..."
"Don't, Father, I'm an asshole. I
know that. But for most of my adult life Joan has used her religion to torture
me. I don't want her to do that to Bree. I'm afraid she'll..."
"What Brian? Afraid Joan will turn
your daughter against you? Not a snowball's chance in Hell. Did Justin tell you
about his visit here?" Brian nodded yes. "He showed me pictures of Briana as a baby and a few recent ones too. Brian I know Briana isn't your biological child but that little girl
couldn't be more loved if she was. And more importantly, she loves you. It's so
obvious in the pictures. Even as young as she is, she loves you. You and Justin
have a beautiful loving daughter. No one, not even Joan can ever change that.
You have to believe God would never let that happen." Father Tom put his
arms around the taller man, offering his comfort and support as well as his
guidance.
After a few moments, Brian was able to
speak.
"Not here, not in a
church, not even in this garden.
You do it at my home. We have a stream not too far from the house. I want it
done there with my family all around us," Brian whispered quietly in the
good Father's arms.
"
"Good. Saturday, August 30, one
o'clock, my house. And Father, would you mind blessing our home?"
"Didn't I do that already?"
"Yes, but now...let me put it this
way, I think I'm considered an estate. You'll see."
"Whatever you say, Brian," Tom
said with a smile. "Are you good to drive?"
"Yeah, my moment is over."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. I'm allowed one per day.
I'm good to go."
"Then I'll say goodbye to Claire.
I'll be in touch with you, John and Claire as we get closer to the day. But I'm
sure it will all work out fine."
"From your lips to God's ears,
Father," Brian smirked, his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.
"Out of my church,
Kinney." Father Tom,
good naturedly pointed toward the exit.
As Brian and Claire walked from the grotto
through the church toward the front door, Brian called back to the priest, over
his shoulder.
"I've been thrown out of better
churches than this one, Padre!" Brian and Claire heard Father Tom crack up
in very unpriestly-like laughter.
Joan Kinney heard this exchange from one
of the chapels. She had been in the church when Brian had raised his voice to
Father Tom. She hadn't been able to hear the words, but she had heard the
shouting. She had witnessed an upset Brian storm out of the rectory and take
refuge in the grotto. She had tried to keep the smile off her face. She knew
the church was no place for her wayward son, especially since she knew he would
never renounce his wicked ways. The smile had crept across her face until she
had looked out into the grotto and had seen Father Tom consoling her son.
That had been hard to watch. Father Tom
was her rock and salvation, not Brian's. She knew she shouldn't be jealous, but
somehow she was. She had gone into the chapel to pray that the jealousy would
leave her. Then she had heard Brian joking with her priest. Brian always landed
on his feet no matter what happened to him. That was another reason she
resented her son. He had all the luck.
She waited until Father Tom went back into
his office. She spent a few minutes more in silent meditation, thinking about
what she had promised to do. Brian had actually invited her to the baptism.
That had been huge, and she had actually accepted. She wasn't sure what all
this meant, but it seemed like a new beginning.
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Old Acquaintance