Should Old Acquaintance
Chapter 9
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"What the fuck was that?" Brian
asked sitting up in bed.
"What was what?" Justin asked
rubbing his eyes.
"That!" Brian stated as a loud
rumbling came through their bedroom window.
"Must be the bulldozer," Justin
said.
"Bulldozer? Nobody told me about a fucking bulldozer, and it's
barely the crack of dawn.
"Calm down, Brian," Justin said.
"I meant to tell you last night before we went to bed, but you …
distracted me."
"I distracted you?"
"You know…"
"Oh, yeah, but what the fuck is a
bulldozer doing here at this ungodly hour?" Brian demanded.
"They're leveling the area in
preparation for moving the house, then they're digging the foundation and
then…"
"Fuck!" Brian interrupted.
"One of the reasons we have this place is because of the peace and quiet.
How fucking long are we going to have to listen to that?" Brian demanded
as the bulldozer let out another roar of power.
"The bulldozer won't be here too
long, but once the house gets moved there will be all the construction and
renovation."
"Tell me again why I agreed to
this?" Brian asked as he rubbed at his aching head.
"So John and Bobby
and Patrick can be nearby.
It'll be fine. We'll be gone most of the day while they're working."
"I guess…" Brian said
reluctantly. He had got used to his privacy and peace at the cottage, and he
didn't take it well that it was all being interrupted.
"Dada," Bree called from the
hall.
"What are you doing out of bed?"
Brian called as Bree pushed back the partially open door.
"Noise," she said climbing up
onto her fathers' bed.
"I know, sweetie," Justin said.
"It's loud."
Bree covered her ears and let her Dada hug
her against his chest. He kissed her little cheek.
"It won't be for very long,
Squirt," Brian whispered against her hair. "Will it, Justin?"
"Um … hopefully
not."
"Hopefully?" Brian glared.
"Let's get ready for work. We can
leave all this noise behind when we go into peaceful downtown
Brian threw a pillow at Justin as he
escaped through the bathroom door.
When they all met in the kitchen some time
later, Brian was still not a happy camper. He cornered John. "Do your guys
have to come at the crack of dawn?"
"If they don't then it will take that
much longer to complete this project," John said reasonably.
Brian let out a long sigh. "Well,
they better not touch any of my flower beds."
"They've been warned about
that," John said.
"How long are we going to have to
listen to that?"
"Today and tomorrow," John
replied.
"That's all?"
"For the bulldozer," John
amended. "Then there will be the carpenters building the frames for the
foundation and then the cement trucks…"
"Fuck!" Brian reacted.
"Maybe I should just stay at the loft."
"Are … are you sorry that you agreed
to this?" John asked looking crestfallen. "If you are, tell me now,
and I'll put a stop to this right now."
"No, no, I didn't mean that. I just
hate the noise."
Justin set the waffles and bacon down in
front of the men. It was his turn to make breakfast. "I guess we could
stay at the loft, but it's not really good for Bree. All her stuff is
here."
"I know," Brian conceded.
"I'm just being a bitch. Don't even listen to me."
"You're not being a bitch,"
Justin said kissing his cheek. "You've just got used to your peace and
serenity out here in the country."
"Serene," Brian said
thoughtfully. "Did you ever think Brian Kinney could be serene?"
"You are serene. Sometimes I think
you forget how much you've changed over the years," Justin grinned at him.
"I haven't changed at all,"
Brian stated.
"Of course not," Justin
chuckled. "You only go to
"Don't finish that statement,"
Brian interrupted looking at Bree and Patrick who were taking in every word.
"Sorry," Justin replied,
"but you do forget how much you've actually grown up."
Brian snorted. "I was always the
grown-up."
"Waffle," Bree said as she
stuffed the last piece of her syrupy waffle into her mouth.
"More?" Brian asked.
Bree nodded her head. "Good."
"Yes, they are. Your daddy knows
everything, and he's a good cook too."
Justin chuckled. "And don't you
forget it."
"Yes, dear," Brian said in his
inimitable falsetto.
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Standing outside of Kinnetik Father Tom
was rather bewildered looking at the structure. Of course he knew that Brian
owned his own business; he always kept up with the gay grapevine. Father Tom
was also well aware that the building was a former bathhouse. But he had never
seen the building up close and personal. The outside of the building still had
the look of it original purpose, including the "men only" sign. Father
Tom was working up the courage to go inside when an attractive woman came up to
the door.
"Excuse me, Father, may I help
you?" Cynthia was returning from a lunch meeting when she spotted the
priest.
"Um, this is Kinnetik, isn't
it?" Father Tom asked rather shyly.
"Yes, Father, it is," Cynthia
chuckled. "The building often gets this reaction. It's why Brian never had
the facade changed."
"It fits him. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm
Father Tom. I officiated at Brian and Justin's commitment ceremony.
"Cynthia Morgan,
and I remember. I was there. I'm Brian's personal assistant and partner. Do you
have an appointment?" Cynthia didn't remember seeing the good father's
name on Brian's schedule.
"No, not really. I guess I should have called. Brian does have to
travel a lot."
"Don't worry. He's here but he may
still be in a meeting. Why don't we go in and I'll give you the fifty-cent tour
then you can wait in his office." Father Tom agreed and followed Cynthia
into Kinnetik headquarters.
"This is very impressive,"
Father Tom expressed his compliment as they completed the tour. Cynthia led the
priest into Brian's office.
"Father, I don't mean to pry but is
this visit business or pleasure." Cynthia had run interference for Brian
for nearly twenty years. Old habits died hard and she would do just about
anything for her friend and boss.
"A little of both,
I think. Let me ask you
something first. Have you known Brian for a long time?"
"Longer than most. I was his assistant when he worked for Ryder and
stayed when Vangard bought them out."
"So, you must know him well."
"Very well. Father, is something wrong?"
"No, no. I'm sorry to be so cryptic.
I'm assuming you know of the rift between Brian and his mother."
"Rift, is putting it mildly. Yes, I
am well aware of it."
"And has he told you that he and
Justin are considering having Briana baptized?"
"I've heard rumors to that
effect."
"Mrs. Kinney is a regular at my
church. She visits nearly every day. I try to encourage her to reconcile with
her children but the divide grows wider. She was once close with her daughter
but..."
"I remember that too. Everyone here
was pulling for them. Brian was hurt at what his mother attempted. But what
does that have to do with Briana's baptism?"
"I'm hoping the ceremony could help
to unite the Kinney family."
"Father, you ask a lot. And I'm not
the one you should be talking to."
"On the contrary, you are the perfect
one to speak to. I need to know how to approach Brian. You know him as well as
anyone and you know what he's capable of. Do you think he'll consider inviting
his mother?"
"I honestly don't know. And you're
right, I do know what Brian Kinney's capable of."
"Tell me about him, aside from the
obvious."
"But you know him, have spoken to
him. I've heard him grumble about you. And I believe you've heard his
confession."
"You know about that too?"
"Father, you'd be surprised at what I
know. And it's all to protect him. I make sure he's given the clearance he
needs to do his job. What he does, how he does it affects a great many people
and I'm not just talking about the ads he comes up with. His success is our
success. So I have to be able to read him even when he's in our
"I understand. The business Brian is
just that, all business. And how is he with his family?"
"Father, I'm not at liberty to speak
about his personal life. He loathes anyone prying into what he feels he must
protect. And he will do all within his power to protect the ones he
loves."
"I've seen him in action. I have no
intention of getting on his bad side."
"Father Tom, just be honest with him.
Above all Brian values honesty and straight- forwardness, if you excuse the
pun."
"His mother is a lonely old woman and
I'm afraid she'll never know the joy of holding her granddaughter in her arms.
I wish there was something I could do to make her see that what she believes is
God's will is so wrong. I fear she'll die alone."
"She's not sick, is she?"
"No, from what I see she's as healthy
as a horse. But her spirit is dying. There is no love in her life. I've spoken
to Claire, her daughter, and she tries to include Joan in family gatherings but
Joan..."
"I know. Brian did invite her to
Christmas dinner once, right after Joan tried to sue them and take away
Claire's children. He even paid Joan's attorney fees when he found out she
didn't have the money. He continues to pay her bills and her mortgage."
"He's a good son. He loves his
mother."
"Father, I've seen Brian at his worst
and at his best. You'd never know that under all that Armani armor there is a
little boy who only wants his mother's love."
"Then help me to convince him to
invite his mother to the baptism."
"All right, I'll do it but if I get
fired, it'll be your fault!" Just then Brian sauntered into his office.
"What will be your fault?" Brian
asked as he looked back and forth at his assistant and his confessor.
"Um, er..." Father Tom
sputtered.
"I think I'll go see what Ted's up
to. Nice chatting with you, Father. See you later, boss." With a flurry of
her heels clicking on the floor, Cynthia left Brian's office. Brian watched her
breeze out of the room then fixed his gaze on the hapless priest.
"Now, Brian, you know I have your
best interests at heart and your mother isn't getting any younger and..."
Brian held up his hand.
"Enough!" Brian bellowed as he
sat at his desk and scrubbed at his eyes. "You're here to convince me to
baptize Briana and invite Joan." A statement rather than
a question.
"Yes."
"Okay."
"Okay?! Just okay?
No yelling, no screaming, no one thousand reasons why this isn't a good
idea?" Father Tom stood in front of Brian's desk doing a good impression
of a carp out of water.
"My partner and my brother have both
been at me and now Gus wants to know more about Joan. I don't think I have a
choice in this matter."
"Yes, you do and from what I
understand, Justin is Briana's biological father and he's not Catholic. You
don't have to agree to anything."
"But it will make my family happy.
Both John and my sister want to be Briana's godparents. Justin's all for it and
Debbie will be over the moon, so will John's mother."
"And what about
you? I know how you feel
about the church and about Joan. What do you want, Brian?"
"What do I want? World peace, the
cure for AIDS and Cancer..."
"Brian..."
"I want...I want her to like
me." Brian answered the priest's question in a tone barely above a
whisper. Placing his hand on Brian's shoulder, Father Tom offered him comfort.
"Then let me help." Brian could
only nod.
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Over the next few days the bulldozers
finally left. The new foundation was about to be poured, the new electrical and
TV cables were laid as well as the pipes for water, sewer and gas. The joining
of the two homes was getting closer. The school season was over which afforded
Gus the opportunity to spend time with his dad before he went to camp. Rage:
The Movie was still hot. And Rage: The Art Show was garnering more than just a
passing interest. The second phase of Kinnetik's Rage PR hit the public with great
success.
Brian and Justin were able to take a
little time off to spend at home with Bree and Gus as well as to supervise the
construction. After a long hike into the woods and a hearty dinner, Brian
decided to prepare a very sleepy Briana for bed. Justin was lounging on the
settee in the sun porch, studying more of the Kinney journal, while Gus was
quietly reading a book.
Brian brought his daughter into the
bathroom, turned on the shower to warm the water, stripped them both and then
stepped into the shower. He held the child close as the warm water sluiced over
them. Briana held onto her dada's neck as Brian passed a soapy cloth over her
skin. Bree giggled softly as the bubbles tickled her toes and her dada kissed
her tummy. Brian knew that his daughter was growing up fast and these innocent
pleasures would not last long. Soon his baby wouldn't need her dada to bathe
her. When their shower was finished, Brian wrapped Bree in a big fluffy towel.
Grabbing a robe for himself, Brian went to put his daughter to bed.
Justin knew that Gus could hear Briana's
giggles emanating from her bedroom and he ached for the little boy who never
got to spend that kind of time with his father. He also ached for Brian,
knowing how guilty Brian felt. Gus caught Justin looking at him.
"It's okay, you know," Gus said
quietly.
"What's okay, buddy?"
"That Dad dotes on Bree. I know he
loves me."
"He feels bad that he wasn't there
more often for you when you were younger."
"He doesn't have to. I know what he
did for me. As soon as I was old enough to understand, Mom told me all about
it. No apologies, no regrets. Isn't that what Dad always said?"
"Yeah, but sometimes..."
"Jus, Dad and me, we're okay. I like
that I'm old enough to hang with him and we can do guy stuff."
"You mean plant flowers?" Justin
laughed.
"Yeah, who knew Pop has a way with
impatiens?" Gus cracked up with Justin.
Brian walked in the porch to find his son
and his lover laughing like a pair of hyenas with tears rolling down their
cheeks.
"What?" Brian asked looking very
perplexed and wondering what the joke was. Gus and Justin caught the expression
on Brian's face and then cracked up all over again.
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Old Acquaintance