Lois and Carolyn, thanks for the beta...you’re the greatest!
I would also like to thank everyone who previewed the chapters for me.
Chapter 15 –An Unexpected Visitor
Late Thursday Night…(Day 60)
“That was a great dinner. I’m really quite stuffed. And I must say that I find that I really do like Daniel,” Carl commented once they’d returned inside, after saying goodbye to Danny Devore.
“I’m glad. I must admit after seeing him here, I can’t believe what I’ve done for all these years,” Debbie commented with some distress. “I really am just a selfish bitch.”
“Debbie honey, don’t go there. Nothing is going to be gained by rehashing the past. You need to gather your strength to be able to tell Michael the truth. You can’t go back and unmake the decisions of the past. All you can do is move forward from here,” Carl suggested, lovingly wrapping his arms around her.
“I know that you’re right. It’s just that Michael is my baby. It’s just that, all these years, it’s just been him and me. Now, that’s all about to change,” she whispered. “No matter, what happens between Danny and Michael, my relationship with my son will be changed forever.”
“Somehow, we’ll get through this…together,” Carl reassured her. “I’m standing right beside you.”
“You know Carl, Michael’s been so angry at Brian because of the supposed betrayal against their childhood promise. Everyone has tried to tell him that he wasn’t being fair. It’s as if losing Brian was like losing his father all over again. My son has been trying to avoid losing anyone else that he loves by going into this fantasy world, and he’s slipping further and further away from all of us. He’s so overcome by anger and grief that he threw away his relationship with Ben in the process.”
“As you said, honey, Michael hasn’t been himself for a very long time. The news about Brian and Justin was just the last straw.”
“Yes, but in this whole fucking messed up family of ours, the news about Brian and Justin is the one shining spot. Then Michael and Lindsay had to try to spoil everything for them. But I must admit that I’m fucking proud of the way Brian has handled things,” Debbie pointed out.
Carl couldn’t resist teasing, “You mean with him and Justin coming back into town at just this moment?”
“So you don’t believe it’s a coincidence either, do you?”
“No one has seen or been able to talk to Brian and Justin since dinner two weeks ago. Yet suddenly, here they are, back in town. Of course, you know that Justin can’t resist your lemon bars?” Carl added with a smile. “It’s all so clear!”
“Ah huh!” Debbie said sarcastically.
“Well?” Carl innocently asked.
“Sunshine knows something. I could see it in his eyes when he looked at me at the Diner. He never could hide anything from me.”
“No, I guess not,” Carl finally agreed. “But, it’s time for us to turn in,” he added.
As they were starting up the steps, the phone rang. Carl went back downstairs to answer it. “Hello,” he said.
“Carl, it’s Linds,” the voice on the other end of the line said. “I hope I didn’t wake you…I remembered that you and Debbie like to stay up late.”
“No Lindsay, we haven’t gone to bed yet. You caught us just in time,” Carl said with a smile. “I guess you want to talk to Debbie?”
“Yeah, if you don’t mind, but it’s been good talking to you,” Lindsay added.
Carl nodded to Debbie that he was going upstairs. Then, he handed her the phone, so that she could talk to Lindsay.
“Hi Lindsay,” Debbie said, taking the phone and settling down on the sofa. “How’s my granddaughter?”
“Your granddaughter, as usual, is just fine. She’s asleep at the moment, but I know she misses you.”
“I miss her too,” Debbie said wistfully. “Now tell me, what’s on your mind at this late hour?” she asked.
“Melanie and I have to come to Pittsburgh tomorrow. I know that this is short notice, but I was wondering if we could stay with you this weekend?”
“No problem, kiddo, you know that you’re always welcome. You know that you didn’t even have to ask.”
“Thanks Debbie, that makes everything so much easier.”
“I think that Brian and Sunshine will be in town too…well, at the mansion anyway. Did you know that?”
“No, they were going to be my next call, but I thought that Brian was in New York on business, and I guess, I just assumed that Justin was there with him.”
“No, the story is that Brian had to check in on Kinnetik, and Sunshine had a craving for lemon bars…”
“Well, Debbie, you know how much Justin loves your lemon bars?” Lindsay added with a laugh.
“Ah huh…”
“Let me let you get some rest…Melanie and I will see you sometime tomorrow night. We’re not exactly sure about the time that we’ll arrive, but we’ll call you.”
“I’ll see you then. Bye,” Debbie said as she hung up the phone.
“Carl!” Debbie called out. “Lindsay and Melanie are coming for the weekend.”
“That’s great honey. That means that we’ll have a full house for dinner on Sunday.”
“After the last Sunday dinner, I’m not sure that I’m ready for another full house,” Debbie mumbled.
Carl now headed back downstairs, “Since when are you not ready to have everyone here for dinner…no matter what happens?” he asked as he settled down on the sofa next to her.
Debbie just shrugged.
“Now will you come up to bed?” Carl insisted, giving her a gentle push to make his point.
“It’s been quite a day. I do think that I’m ready for bed.”
“And promise me…you’re not going to toss and turn all night?”
“Oh sure, like I know what I’ll do in my fucking sleep!”
They both laughed at her remark as they headed up the steps again with Debbie in the lead, and Carl following behind her.
There was an unexpected knock on the door. Carl turned to see who was there. As he was walking towards the door, it opened. Carl quickly walked back downstairs to see what was going on and turned on a light.
“Michael?” Carl exclaimed, “What are you doing here at this hour?”
“I came to talk to my mother!” Michael said sternly.
Carl could see that Michael was upset, but under no circumstances was he about to let mother and son talk tonight.
Since at the moment he was in control of events, Carl had every intention for things to stay that way. “It’s late, Michael, can’t this wait until morning?” he asked.
“Wait until morning! That’s easy for you to say. You seemed to have spent a cozy evening here tonight, while I was all alone!” Michael protested.
“Michael, why you don’t you stay the night with us? That way, you won’t have to be alone tonight, and then you and Debbie can talk in the morning. Why don’t you plan on staying for breakfast? It’s late, we’ve all had a really long day,” Carl insisted, not giving Michael a chance to argue. “C’mon” you can borrow a pair of my pajamas for the night,” he added with a smile.
“But….” Michael tried to protest…but to no avail.
Carl, in the meantime, made sure the front door was locked. Then he put his arm around Michael and led him upstairs.
Debbie was nowhere to be seen.
Carl settled Michael into the guest room and gave him the aforementioned pair of pajamas.
“Can I get you anything else, before I say goodnight?” Carl asked, once again, not giving Michael much of an alternative.
“No Carl, thanks, I’ll see you in the morning,” Michael said quietly, in defeat.
“Sleep well,” Carl added, as he closed the guest room door. He knew that everyone needed a good night’s sleep, for tomorrow was going to be an upsetting day.
This wasn’t the ending to the night that Michael had planned; he had come there ready to take his mother to task for her years of lying, but instead, he simply prepared for bed.
Michael realized that, at least for tonight, he would not be alone.
***
Meanwhile at Kinnetik, Brian had talked to Justin a little earlier and found out that he was deeply engrossed in a painting, so Brian had used the time to finish up a few things at the office.
While Brian was working, his cell phone rang. He checked the caller id and saw that it was Lindsay, so he answered.
“Lindsay? Is everything okay?” he immediately asked, without saying hello.
“Ah…Hi Brian,” Lindsay began. She immediately put his mind to rest, “No need to worry, everyone is just fine.” Brian let out a sigh of relief.
“Then what’s the reason for the call at this late hour. I thought you crazy lesbians went to bed early. Don’t tell me you’re sleeping alone,” he quipped.
“As a matter of fact, I am,” Lindsay admitted sadly. “Not that it’s any of your business,” she added.
“There’s no reason to get so testy. Is there trouble in paradise? What else is new?” Brian asked sarcastically.
“Brian, I’m not up for one of your I told you so lectures ,” she said pointedly. “I have more important things to discuss with you.”
“What now?” Brian asked, already trying to figure out how much this phone call was going to cost him.
“Melanie and I have to come to Pittsburgh tomorrow for counseling. I thought that you were in New York so you’d miss seeing Gus, but Debbie said that you’re in town. I was just letting you know that we were coming.”
“I see. Isn’t it a bit soon for another counseling session. You and Melanie were just here less than two weeks ago?”
“Melanie and I have been having some problems…if you must know…” Lindsay finally admitted.
“So that’s why you’re sleeping alone? I’m beginning to get the picture.”
“Stay out of it, Brian. I just wanted to see if you and Justin had some time to spend with Gus. I know that you’re busy, and I know this is short notice, but I was hoping….” Lindsay almost pleaded.
“Call me when you get in. I’ll probably be at the office. I’ll wait in town for Gus. How are you traveling?”
“This trip was such short notice that we didn’t have a chance to get a flight, so I think that we’ll be driving this time.”
“Do you need me to have Cynthia make last minute reservations for you?”
“Normally, I would take you up on your offer, but I think this time…driving is best. Thanks away. I’ll call you as we get close to town.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Brian closed his phone and pondered the conversation. He looked at his calendar schedule, trying to figure out how he and Gus and Justin could all spend some time together this weekend.
In spite of the fact that they were in Pittsburgh/West Virginia, Justin was still under a really tight painting schedule…a schedule that would probably disappear if Justin and Gus were left alone together…even in Justin’s studio.
Brian smiled as he thought of the many scenes he had witnessed between his partner and son together in Justin’s studio. Gus liked to read to Justin while he painted. Still Brian was determined that nothing would interfere with Justin on this trip.
Brian rechecked his calendar again and realized that he too had a really busy weekend scheduled. Then, he smiled to himself as he realized that it was unavoidable…this weekend, he was going to have a six-year-old assistant.
And as Brian made the last key strokes on his computer and gathered up his things, he had to smile. He was on his way home to Justin, and Gus was coming for a visit.