Sins of the Father
Chapter 15
"My feet hurt," Brian groused as
he threw off his flip flops and laid down on the bed.
The kids began to play with some of the
Lego toys they had purchased in
"If you wore something more
substantial on your feet than flip flops, your feet wouldn't hurt so
much." Brian was ready with a snarky retort but thought better of it.
Brian grunted then closed his eyes. He felt the bed dip a little under Justin's
weight then felt his feet lifted and placed into Justin's lap. Brian heard the
click of the TV going on and the murmur of CNN in the background. Brian felt a
cooling lotion rubbed onto his aching feet as Justin's strong fingers made
magic.
"Mmm, thank you, Sunshine,"
Brian mumbled as he drifted off.
"Hey, big guy, time
to wake up." Justin
gently shook Brian awake. Brian stretched then cracked open an eye to his
Justin's bright smiling face looking down on him. Brian grabbed Justin and drew
him in for a kiss. "I bought you something," Justin managed to get
out when Brian released their kiss. Brian arched a brow.
"Here, the saleslady said you have to
break them in, wear them only for two hours the first day then add more wear
time every day." Justin handed a box over to Brian. Brian opened the box
to reveal a handsome pair of Birkenstock sandals. "I figure you can wear
them to dinner tonight. Then a few more hours tomorrow.
By the time we go home you'll be able to wear them full time if you want."
Brian caressed the finely crafted leather
uppers of the sandals and the uniquely designed cork sole. "Thank you,
Sunshine, they're beautiful. Where did you find them?"
Justin pulled out his trusty map and
pointed to the approximate location of the Birkenstock outlet. "And they
were on sale!" Justin announced proudly with one of his infamous smiles.
"My little shopper," Brian
smiled broadly as he hugged the younger man to his chest. They shared a laugh,
got cleaned up and ready to face the lesbians at The Shark House.
The Shark House wasn't hard to find. It
was on the main beach road between
"I wonder if the girls are
here," Justin said as he got Briana out of her car seat.
"They stopped being girls half a
century ago," Brian said snarkily.
"Be nice," Justin admonished
him.
"I'm always nice. The lesbians love
me."
Justin groaned. "If only they
knew."
The group walked across the road and into
the restaurant. They had just arrived at the podium where customers checked in,
when a loud voice called out, "Brian! Justin! Over here."
The hostess quickly escorted them to the
large table where Jane and Myrna were ensconced. As they all got seated, Myrna
felt compelled to say, "We got here early so we could get the best
table."
Brian looked around seeing tables out on
the sort of porch area that looked out over the water and would get the benefit
of the beautiful sunsets that
"I see you noticed the piano,
Brian," Jane laughed. "We've been here twice already to hear the
singer who will start performing in about … thirteen minutes," she said
checking her watch for verification. We just love him."
"Really," Brian said
skeptically.
"Oh yes," Myrna enthused.
"His name's
Brian shuddered. "I bet you
could," he said with just a touch of snark in his voice.
"We certainly have ringside
seats," Bobby observed.
They ordered drinks and informed the
waitress of their meal selections. The children looked around, a little
overwhelmed by the size of the room and the noise that seemed to radiate from
everywhere. The place was filling slowly, perhaps in anticipation of this show
that would soon start.
Their meals had just arrived when a not
quite middle aged man took a seat at the piano. He wasn't bad looking with s
few gray streaks in his hair. He had the demeanor and the clothes of a lounge
lizard. Brian shuddered inwardly.
Myrna and Jane let out little gasps and
some other patrons started to clap. The man blew into the mike and announced
that he was
"Oh
Myrna got up and snatched a tambourine
from the top of the piano. She proceeded to accompany the man while he sang his
incomprehensible version of the song. She swayed and laughed and shook her
tambourine as well as her ass. Brian tried to look away, but he stared in
fascination.
The others at the table had eaten a bit of
their food when Bree let out a long wail. The noise and commotion around her
had started to frighten her. She let out a blood curdling screech that brought
Brian out of the hypnotic trance that the performance had lulled him into. He
lifted Bree out of her seat and cradled her against his chest while she
whimpered.
"Out, Dada, out," she begged. He
got up and carried her out the front door. She immediately stopped crying.
"You okay, Squirt?" he asked her.
She nodded, her
eyes full of tears. "Ears hurt," she said covering them with her
little hands.
"That's my girl," Brian laughed.
"You know when you like music and that was obviously not it."
"Bad," she declared decisively.
Justin arrived at that moment. "Is
she all right?" Brian nodded. "Then come back inside."
Brian shook his head. "It hurts
Bree's ears, to say nothing of my brain. What's he playing now?"
"Some song about
having a friend. I think I
should recognize it, but I can't begin to figure out what the original song
must sound like," Justin said with a chuckle.
"I always knew lesbians had
questionable taste," Brian said tongue in cheek, "but this proves how
abominable it really is."
"They love that guy. Jane was up
dancing at the piano a minute ago."
"Fuck! I think Bree just developed an
intestinal problem. I need to take her home," Brian said.
"Me too, and John and Bobby will have
to come too, since they rode with us."
"Go get them."
Justin ran back inside and soon returned
with the others. Jane and Myrna did not appear.
"I paid for the meals," John
said. "The ladies are going to stay and sing along."
"May the gods of music forgive
them," Brian snarked as they made their way over to the minivan.
"James Taylor," Bobby said
suddenly.
"What?" John asked.
"That song was 'You've Got a Friend'
by James Taylor."
"Holy fuck!" Justin said. "I would have never figured that
out in a million years."
"How could that guy massacre
perfectly good songs like that?" John asked as they all climbed in and
Brian started the engine.
"I can't understand why people seem
to love that singer," Bobby said shaking his head. "He's
abominable."
Brian chuckled as he pulled out onto the
road heading back to
"After he said his name was
"We should have been so lucky,"
Brian replied. "Well, where to now?"
"McDonalds," Patrick said
answering that question.
"McDonalds it is," Brian
laughed. He was so glad to get out of the Shark House that he would gladly take
a half hour at McDonalds with hundreds of screaming kids. It would be way
better than what they had just left behind.
On their way to finding the local
McDonalds, they passed a sign for a restaurant and hotel named the Conch House.
Brian pulled into the parking lot. The Conch House was a multi-tiered
restaurant situated on a pier. It was made up to look like a big Polynesian
hut. It overlooked the harbor and there were hundreds of boats of every shape
and size moored.
"Patrick, I know I said McDonalds but
honestly I'd rather have real food. Is it okay with you if we have dinner here
and then tomorrow we can have McDonalds or any other place you'd like for
lunch?" Patrick was far from unreasonable and he liked the idea of being
treated like an adult and asked his opinion, and not told what was going to
happen.
"It's okay,
Uncle Bri. I think the boats are cool."
"Thank you, Little Red. I appreciate
the change of venue." All the adults thanked Patrick although Bree gave
him a little frown.
"Don't worry, Bree. I bet they have
French fries here," Patrick whispered to his cousin before she could cry.
"Okay," Briana capitulated but
seeing was believing.
Dinner was pleasant. The menu was simple
but filling. The kids had their fries and the rock duo that played oldies but
goodies were on key and the songs recognizable. The adults had a few drinks
that mellowed them all out and then they all took a nice walk up and down the
dock. The evening was saved.
It was still rather early and no one was
sleepy so they decided to check out one of the many ghost tours that were
advertised.
"Is it scary?" Bobby asked at
the counter. "We want to be able to bring the children."
"No, the walking tour basically takes
about an hour and we tell stories about the local hauntings and town landmarks.
It's really a lot about the history of
The group agreed, paid for tickets, made
the appropriate pit stops and waited until the tour started.
"Susan, stop fussing. I said I'd go
with you and I will."
"Thank you, honey. They said we'll be
riding a trolley and get out at different stops along the way."
"That's fine, as long as I don't have
to climb." Craig was still upset about his climb to the top of the
lighthouse.
"No climbing. Just riding and
walking," Susan reassured her husband.
"That I can do," Craig said
trying to relax. He was trying to enjoy himself on their vacation. He wasn't
succeeding, but he was trying.
Brian, Justin, Briana and Patrick began to
make their way toward the designated meeting place in front of the oldest
school house to wait for the tour to begin. John and Bobby were looking over
some hats at a nearby shop as a trolley pulled up awaiting another ghost tour.
"Craig, look, there's Brian over at
that hat shop. I know that's him. But who is that red-head."
"I don't know but I intend to find
out." Craig was about to walk over to John and Bobby when Susan held him
back.
"Not now, the tour is leaving."
"Fine, I'll call Jennifer in the
morning. She'll know what's going on."
"She won't talk to you."
"I'll make her talk," Craig
grumbled.
"Sure you will." They sat back
on the hard seats as the trolley lurched forward to begin the tour.
*****
It was close to ten when the tour ended
and the kids were ready for bed. Back at the 'Piece of Plenty' Bobby and Justin
gave the kids a quick bath and laid them on Patrick's cot. They were out before
their little heads hit the pillows. Justin and Bobby decided to look over the
maps and tourist books as John and Brian went to the common room for a couple
of drinks.
"Think it's safe to leave those
two?" Brian arched a brow at his brother while he poured them both a
tumbler of scotch.
"What do you mean? The kids are safe
with Bobby and Justin."
"No, I meant your boy and mine, alone
with tourist maps and books. With my luck we'll be hitting Marineland tomorrow,
as well as McDonalds." Brian had a pitiful look on his face that made John
crack up out loud.
Later on, the brothers grim,
were feeling no pain and joined Seamus on his private veranda for more drinks
and a rousing round of old Irish ditties. Hearing the noise, Justin and Bobby
went out to investigate. Seeing the slightly inebriated men, they decided it
was best to leave them as they were, having fun while singing a little off key.
"It beats
The next morning Seamus cooked up a
heaping platter of pancakes for his drinking buddies and their families as well
as a pot of strong coffee.
"I hope I didn't lead you boys
astray," Seamus remarked with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Nah," Justin answered, "it
takes a lot to get these guys really drunk."
Bobby nodded. John and Brian blushed and
they each took an appreciative sip of Seamus' excellent coffee.
"We're fine," John said softly.
"But I hope we didn't frighten your guests. I'm afraid we really don't
sing all that well."
"Hey, I think we did better than...
"Is that guy still doing the Shark
House? If I'd known you were heading out there I would have warned you,"
Seamus said while shaking his head. "That man sure knows how to butcher
good songs. Well, I'll leave the pot and you to your breakfast. Enjoy your
day!" Seamus went back into the kitchen.
The ride to Marineland was fairly short.
They decided not to do any extensive Marineland tours or programs, just walking
around the grounds and enjoying the huge tanks that had hundreds of 'portholes'
which allowed for viewing and pictures. The children had a great time watching
the dolphins at play.
"Uncle Brian?"
"Yes, Sonny Boy."
"Is this the same road we took to the
Shark House?"
"Yes, it is. You're very smart, do
you know that?"
Patrick beamed at his uncle. "Can we
try there again for lunch? I really don't want McDonalds. Bree and me just like the fries and they have them there.
But..."
"But what, Little
Red?"
"Can we find out if that guy is there
first?" Brian giggled then pulled out his phone to dial information.
"Good idea, Sonny Boy." Brian
ruffled the boy's fine red hair as he waited for the operator to pick up.
Lunch at the Shark House was much better.
It was less crowded and no
"Hello? Hi, Myrna.
Much better, thank you. The pool?
Hold on, I'll ask." Brian covered the phone then posed the question.
"The lesbians want to know if we want to go to their condo to use the
pool, and they have access to the beach."
They all looked at one another then back
at Brian with large smiles.
"I'll take that as a yes. Yes, Myrna,
give us about an hour to get our suits and things then I'll call back for
directions. You do that. See ya!"
"What is she planning?" Justin's
eyes got very large at the thought of Myrna planning something.
"She mentioned something about snacks
and wine. Oh and some sort of drink called 'chocolate cake.' Sounds awful to
me, I think I'll be the designated driver."
"Wine, that
reminds me, the
"Maybe tomorrow," Brian half
agreed.
With that they headed back to the Band B
and more fun with lesbians.
*****
"Susan, this is boring." Craig
and Susan were at the winery taking the tour. It was more than an hour long
then it concluded with wine tasting.
"Oh, stop being a spoil sport. I'm
enjoying myself." Craig smiled at his wife. Maybe if she really enjoyed
herself tasting the wine, he'd enjoy himself after.
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