Up, Up and Away

Chapter 5

 

“Brian…Brian…Brian!”

“What the fuck!” Brian rolled over and cracked open an eye. Justin was sitting on the side of the bed clutching at his stomach. “What’s going on?” Brian asked with a worried tone as he sat up in bed.

“Have you got any antacid?” Justin requested.

“You’re sick?”

“No, I just felt like sitting on the edge of the bed in the middle of the night while my stomach cramps,” Justin retorted, but he felt too shitty to put much force behind his words.

“Do you need a doctor?”

“I need a TUMS.”

“You know what TUMS…”

“If you say SMUT, I’m going to puke all over you,” Justin threatened as he threw Brian an evil look.

“I think we should call the front desk and ask for a doctor,” Brian said.

“Will you shut the fuck up and get me an antacid. Don’t you have some in your toiletry case?”

“I might.”

Brian headed for the bathroom and returned with a small bottle of TUMS. He tossed the bottle to Justin who quickly opened it and took two tablets. Brian watched his husband carefully, looking for signs that he should be taking Justin to the hospital.

Brian picked up the bottle. “Don’t you have a bottle like this in your case?”

“I did, but I used them all.”

“All? How many of these have you been downing?” he asked concerned.

“My stomach has been churning over this show,” Justin said by way of explanation.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I don’t know how many. I just feel crampy and nauseous a lot of the time. I wish I had never agreed to do this fucking show.”

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” Brian told him.

“I signed a contract.”

“We can get out of it.”

“It would cost the earth.”

“We can cover it.”

“But … I don’t want to get a reputation as a welcher. My word means something.” Justin lay back on the bed. Apparently the pain in his stomach had eased.

“Are you feeling better?” Justin nodded. “Why has this show got you so worked up? You’ve been like a bear with a sore paw ever since we started getting ready for it.”

Justin shook his head. “I don’t know why it’s different. It just is. I’m … afraid something bad is going to happen.”

“To your paintings, to your show, to you…?” Brian asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe, any or all of the above.”

Brian sat down on the bed. “Is this a gut feeling?”

“Yeah.”

“How’s your real gut now?”

“Better.”

“SMUT is always good for what ails ya.”

Justin laughed in spite of himself. “Apparently you are correct.”

“I don’t like what this show is doing to you.”

“It was just indigestion,” Justin stated.

“Maybe so, but it shouldn’t be happening.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You better be.”

“Aw, you care,” Justin said with a mischievous grin.

“And sometimes I wonder why I do,” Brian griped, not at all pleased by Justin’s frivolous answer.

“You know you love me,” Justin said rolling over and pulling Brian down on top of him. “And I want you to show me just how much.”

“My pleasure, Sunshine.”

“Mine too.”

 

*****
 

“What the fuck time is it?” Brian asked as he opened his eyes and saw by the amount of light streaming into their bedroom that it was probably much later than it should be. They had been fucking for a good portion of the night.

Justin groaned and looked at the clock. “Shit! It’s almost nine. I’m going to be late.”

“Since when does a gallery put you on a schedule? Technically you don’t have to be there at all until the opening.”

“Which is tomorrow,” Justin reminded him as he threw back the sheet and got out of bed.

“I wonder what Bree has been doing,” Brian said as he too got up. “Usually she’d be pounding on our door long before this.” He threw on some clothes. “You don’t think she’s…”

“Oh fuck!” Justin replied. He pulled on some sweatpants and raced to the bedroom door. He fumbled with the lock and finally got it to open. “Bree!” he shouted as he ran into the main room of the suite. He skidded to a stop when he realized what was before him. His mouth dropped open at the sight.

Bree sat at the dining room table which was situated to one side of the main room. She had obviously had breakfast since empty plates were all around her. She was reading a newspaper. She looked up nonchalantly as Justin burst into the room.

“Good morning, Daddy,” she said with a big smile.

“Wha…What are you doing?” Justin asked when he got his voice to work. Brian came up behind him and squeezed his shoulder.

“Reading the paper,” Bree responded as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“How long have you been up, Squirt?” Brian asked.

“Forever,” was the brusque reply.

“Why didn’t you call us?”

“I did,” Bree stated emphatically. “I knocked on your door a million times, but you wouldn’t answer.”

“I guess we were really tired,” Justin said sheepishly. He glanced up at Brian who merely smirked.

“Real tired,” Brian said for emphasis. Justin gave him a gentle elbow to the ribs.

“So, how did you get breakfast?” Justin asked as he nodded towards the empty plates on the table.

“I was real hungry,” Bree replied.

“But where did the food come from?” Justin persisted.

“I called room service.”

“You did?” Justin asked in amazement.

“Daddy, I know how to read,” Bree stated as if she was talking to a small child. “I read the menu and then I called the number it said to call for room service.”

“And they brought it just like that?” Brian demanded. He was annoyed that they would indulge a child.

“They didn’t want to … at first. They asked to speak to you or Daddy.”

“And what did you say?” Brian continued.

“I said you were sleeping and that I was real hungry. I told them you would be very mad if I starved to death in their hotel.”

Brian tried unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh. That was his resourceful little daughter. She could do anything.

“So what did you have for breakfast?” Justin asked.

“I had fruit cocktail, scrambled eggs, orange juice and whole wheat toast,” Bree said proudly.

“That’s a very healthy breakfast,” Justin told his daughter.

“I know, Daddy. I thought I might like French toast, but I remembered that you said sugar isn’t good for me, and French toast is really sweet.”

“That was very wise of you, Squirt,” Brian said proudly.

“Thank you, Dada.”

“How would you like to order breakfast for Daddy and me while we go take a shower?”

“Sure, Dada,” Bree replied with a huge Taylor smile. “What would you like?”

“Order us something healthy,” Justin said earning a smile from Brian. “But throw in a side of bacon.”

“Pork-a-holic,” Brian teased as they turned to leave the room.

“Dada, look at this,” Bree said pointing to the newspaper. Brian went over to the table. New topiary garden opening, he read from the page. “Can we go there?” Bree asked. “It looks real neat.”

“Let Daddy and me get our shower, and then we’ll discuss it over breakfast.”

“Okay, Dada,” Bree agreed.

The two men headed for the shower. Bree picked up the room service menu and made her selections. She called down and told the person she was talking to that she was Briana Victoria Kinney-Taylor from the Presidential Suite, and she was ordering breakfast for her fathers. She got immediate attention. When she was finished with her order, she decided to add one more item.

“And I’d like a big bowl of fresh strawberries – good ones,” she added.

“Of course, miss,” was the reply.

She loved strawberries and it was a long time since her own breakfast.

 

*****
 

“Justin, is your presence really required at the gallery today or is this just your paranoia acting up as well as your stomach,” Brian asked as their car pulled up in front of the Krupp gallery.

Justin took a moment to consider his mate’s question and Bree’s pleading look. “The paintings are all hung,” Justin murmured to himself.

“So what is left for you to do today?” Brian asked with a stern look. “The paintings are up; the PR has been long done and the reporters got to you already. Why can’t you spend some time with us?” Brian wanted Justin to take a break. He needed it; Justin’s stomach needed it. He deserved it. There was no logical reason for Justin to spend any more time at the gallery until the opening. The concierge at their hotel highly recommended the topiary display which was a yearly event. And the weather was perfect.

“Okay, let me run in and let Marcus and Miss Williams know,” Justin said as he opened the car door. Brian nodded with approval and Bree smiled.

“Yay!” she said as she bounced in her seat. “Hurry, Daddy,” Bree urged. “Dada, do you think he means it?” Bree asked pensively.

“I hope so,” Brian replied as he reached over to take Bree’s hand. Brian flipped through the colorful brochure that described the topiary garden. The large creatures were whimsical as well as superbly crafted. Brian was looking forwarded to spending a leisurely day looking at them with his family. The sound of the car door opening and Justin sliding in next to him broke Brian out of his reverie.

“Marcus agreed with you,” Justin said with a grin. “I don’t have to be here until tomorrow night,” Justin confirmed.

“Good,” Brian said as he directed their driver to take them to the topiary garden.

 

*****
 

“Ooooo!” Bree exclaimed, sounding so much like her Auntie Emm, as she walked through the gates to the garden. Brian and Justin exchanged looks and smiles as they followed closely behind their daughter.

“Dada, can I go look?” Bree begged. There were so many different displays that Bree couldn’t decide which one to go to first. Brian and Justin took a quick look around the grounds and judged them safe enough.

“Go ahead but stay within sight, please,” Brian said.

“Thank you, Dada!” Bree said brightly then sprinted over to the nearest display which was a large pond with topiary ducks taking flight.

Brian steered Justin over to a nearby bench and had him sit while he got them a couple bottles of water. Justin closed his eyes and held his head up to the sun.

“Okay?” Brian asked gently as he approached.

“Yeah,” Justin said softly as he opened his eyes and took the offered water. “This was a good idea,” Justin said in between sips. Bree ran over to borrow her fathers’ digital camera then ran back to take pictures of the “seals.”

“She’s having fun,” Brian commented as he watched Bree set up her shot, looking a lot like Gus when he was in full photographer’s mode. Brian pointed at her and smirked.

“She looks like Gus,” Justin said, reading his spouse’s thoughts. “I didn’t realize how much she picked up from him.”

“I didn’t realize how much she picked up from all of us,” Brian admitted.

“What do you mean?” Justin asked. Brian told him about some of the ideas Bree came up with during her brief stint at Kinnetik and her thoughts at Waldon Industries. “Wow!” was all that Justin could say.

“Both Ted and Cynthia agree that our daughter is brilliant, and both she and Gus will be able to take over Kinnetik with no problems. Providing that they want to,” Brian qualified.

“Gus, will,” Justin confirmed. “He’s said many times that he really wants to follow in your footsteps.” Justin looked down at Brian’s size 12’s and giggled. “At least he can fit in your Pradas.”

“Hey, you know what they say about men with big feet,” Brian quipped with a smug smile.

“Yeah, yeah,” Justin snorted. Bree ran back to them so she could get a drink then ran to take more pictures. “It’s so nice here.”

“Thinking of becoming a citizen? We can legally marry like Mikey and Ben.”

“No, I just like the quiet,” Justin said wistfully. “My stomach likes it too,” he said as he patted his tummy which wasn’t giving him any trouble at the moment.

“Spill, Sunshine, what the fuck’s been going on with you lately? You’ve been pissing off some of your fans and seem to have suddenly lost your confidence in your work. What’s been going on in that little blond head of yours?” Brian asked as he gave Justin’s head a gentle poke.

“I honestly don’t know, Bri. I have so many things in my head that I want to paint; it’s like there aren’t enough hours in the day.” Justin sounded so much like a little boy that it almost broke Brian’s heart.

They sat quietly, sipping their water and occasionally touching hands.

“I think you need a vacation,” Brian finally stated.

“We’re on vacation.”

“No, we’re just taking a break while we’re working. I’m talking about an honest to gods real vacation. No work, no sketch pad, no injuries, no walk through memory lane. Just you, me, maybe the Squirt, on an all inclusive beach resort somewhere before school starts.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. We’ve barely survived a year from hell, Sunshine. We deserve this. YOU deserve this. You’ve been taking care of me since Joanie died. It’s time I take care of you.”

Justin shook his head. “I didn’t take care of you.”

“Yes, you did and I freely admit it. From last Thanksgiving through Christmas all the way up to my birthday,” Brian stated.

“You said the ‘B’ word,” Justin teased as he bumped Brian’s shoulder.

“Yeah, well, I had a birthday. Justin, if I get on the phone now, I can have us sunning ourselves on a beach within a week. We do the opening, you suck up to the deep pockets and be nice to all of your fans then we’re outta here,” Brian said with a new determination. “We haven’t had a real family vacation in a very long time.”

“We’re always working,” Justin murmured.

“Yes, we are. We just need a few days to recharge. Then the Squirt goes back to school, I go back to work and you paint, without…”

“Without feeling so desperate about it,” Justin finished Brian’s thought.

“Sounds like we have a plan, Sunshine,” Brian said with a smile, turning on the charm. Justin visibly relaxed as he leaned on Brian.

“Dada! Daddy! Come and see,” Bree said as she ran up to their bench holding out both hands. Justin packed up their water bottles then the dads took one hand each to follow where Bree led them.

 

*****
 

The little family wandered through the topiaries admiring the beautiful, and sometimes humorous creations. Bree had mapped out her route. She wanted her daddies to see all the things she had already checked out.

“Look at the owl, Daddy,” Bree gushed. “He’s so cute. I love his face. Isn’t he great, Dada?”

“Hm, impressive,” Brian agreed.

“And see the dragon,” Bree continued.
 

“He’s really big,” Bree informed them. “How come his wings aren’t green like the rest of him?” she asked.

“Maybe he’s a baby dragon,” Justin suggested, “and his wings haven’t had time to fully develop.”

“More likely they haven’t figured out how to get the plants to grow over those frames,” Brian stated, the cynic in him coming through.

Bree frowned and looked up at her Dada. “Are there really dragons?” she asked in all seriousness.

Brian opened his mouth to tell her that there were no such things, but Justin had something to say on the matter and jumped in before Brian could get a word out.

“Dragons have been in stories since the beginning of time,” Justin explained. “I think they live in our imaginations. They are such fierce and dominating creatures. They are the stuff of myth.”

Bree studied her younger father’s face. She wasn’t sure if she fully understood what had been said, but she wanted to believe in dragons, especially this one. “I think you’re right, Daddy,” she said.

Brian glanced at Justin who responded with a warning look that told Brian not to contradict him.

“There’s a real special topiary over here, Dada,” Bree stated as she dragged her older father around the dragon. “You’ll like it.”

Brian stopped in his tracks as he saw where Bree was leading him. “I don’t believe it,” he said in mock horror.

“It’s real, Dada. It’s just for you,” Bree added with a big grin as they all studied the creation in front of them.

“It better not hop off that lily pad,” Brian said seriously.

“Silly Dada,” Bree chastised. “The topiaries can’t move.”

“I don’t know,” Brian replied shaking his head. “It looks pretty real.”

“You are such a…” Justin began.

“What?” Brian demanded with a glare.

“Wuss,” Justin decided.

“Am not,” Brian countered.

“Clown.” Justin tried another descriptive word.

“Un unh.”

“Asshole,” Justin mouthed so that Bree wouldn’t see.

Brian merely grinned and nodded.

Bree and Justin had a good laugh at the silliness of one Brian A. Kinney.
 

Return to Up, Up and Away