Chapter 1 Britin Manor- 2026 Brian stood at the window of his home office smoking his third cigarette of the day. It was ten in the morning, which meant he’d already exceeded his quota, leaving him only two more cigarettes for the next thirteen hours. The whole experiment was ridiculous, considering he’d been a pack-a-day person for as long as he could remember. But he had promised; promised Justin that when he turned fifty-five he would quit. His big birthday had come, heralded with much more fanfare than he would have liked. Justin insisted on celebrating it with a small dinner for family and friends. Brian had wanted to ignore the day, much in keeping with his dislike of birthdays in general, but Justin was not to be deterred, and the dinner proceeded as planned. It was executed with style and grace by the owners of Fabulous, Pittsburgh’s premier party planners, and close personal friends. Emmett and Max had gone all out to help celebrate Brian’s big day and despite his protests, the party was a huge success. Even when they wheeled out the cake with the fifty-five candles and everyone in the room chanted blow, blow, blow. By the time Brian stopped laughing and managed to blow out all the candles, with the help of Gus, and the twins, he was glad that he had let Justin talk him into having the party. That evening, as they were getting ready for bed, Justin brought up the subject of the cigarettes once again, reminding Brian of his promise and demanding that he comply. He cut him down to five cigarettes a day, a stupid figure that he had pulled out of his ass, literally blackmailing Brian into doing it, threatening to cut him off from all sexual favors unless he complied. “That is pathetic and inexcusable,” Brian had said at the time. “Only women pull crap like that.” “Tough shit,” Justin had answered. “I’m tired of fighting over this. You were supposed to quit years ago, when I did, but you insisted on continuing to pollute your lungs and the air around us, so I’m putting my foot down. Either quit smoking or…” “What?” Justin looked at Brian and shrugged. “Are you threatening me, Sunshine?” Brian looked down at Justin and raised an eyebrow. His partner lay in bed holding a book and he had peered up over his reading glasses to respond to Brian’s question. He sighed and put the book down, taking off his glasses and saying, “I’m sick of arguing about this, Brian. You said you’d quit and it’s time to do it. Every time you have a physical, I hold my breath, waiting for them to find something. You make no sense at all. You exercise like a fiend, push away carbs on a regular basis, eat the right food every day and take vitamins by the handful, yet you continue to poison your body with the fucking smokes. I don’t understand how someone so brilliant can be so incredibly dumb!” “And you’re saying that if I don’t quit, you’ll withhold sex? Now who’s incredibly dumb?” Brian asked, looking down at his partner of over twenty-five years. Justin was sitting on the bed bare-chested, the duvet pulled up over his lap, hiding the rest of his body from Brian’s sight. There was nothing left of the seventeen-year-old twink in him, except for the still abundant blond hair that he kept long for Brian’s sake. The man sitting in bed was a man in his prime; more beautiful now than he had ever been in his youth. Physically, he had gained several pounds, his body no longer that of a young boy. He was a striking forty-three year old who continued to draw admiring looks from men and women alike. There was an aura about him, of success and entitlement, as well as one of peace and contentment that added another dimension to his appeal. Justin had become much more than the best homosexual he could ever be. He was a world renowned artist and a caring and devoted father, but most important to him was his role as the cherished life partner of a man who was at the top of his game in his own chosen field. A man admired and envied by many. Brian was the center of his universe. One look from him could reduce Justin to tears of frustration or moments of such incredible joy and passion; unequaled by anything else in his life. Brian was a challenge and an enigma that continued to entice and intrigue him, driving him mad with frustration one minute, showering him with love and respect the next, but never once causing him to regret his decision to marry him and share his life. This emotional stability only served to add yet another layer to the multi-dimensional personality that was Justin Taylor. He was not only Brian’s life partner he was also his most respected and much loved friend. Justin’s opinion meant more to Brian than anyone else’s and as he listened to him going on and on about the cigarettes, he acknowledged that Justin was right, yet he was damned if he was going to be pushed into a corner over this. Brian stepped up on the bed and knelt on it, with Justin in between his legs. He bent forward and cradled Justin’s head between his arms, licking his lips, feasting on them like a vampire on blood. “That’s blackmail, Sunshine, and a federal offense,” he whispered. “You will not win this battle, so don’t even go there,” Brian had said, turning the lick into a mind numbing kiss. He moved his hands across Justin’s face and tugged on his hair. “You would never last without this,” he stated, all the while licking Justin’s ears, nipping at the lobes and blowing on them, watching the goose bumps appear automatically on Justin’s arms. Brian moved his hand across Justin’s chest, resting a few minutes on his right nipple, tweaking it gently, and then moving down in slow, maddening circles, brushing his hand lightly over Justin’s stomach, playing with the light layer of downy blond hair that ended in a point, just above his penis. Brian watched Justin’s face, noting the color rising slowly up his neck, turning the perfect white skin rosy with the heat of his arousal. “How long do you think you’d be able to stay away from this?” Brian asked in a barely audible whisper, watching with satisfied pleasure as Justin’s breathing started to change, enjoying the frustrated whimpers coming from his partner who dared to think he had any kind of control over his body and its reaction to Brian. Justin put his hand on Brian’s, trying to move it towards his cock which was now leaking with drops of moisture but Brian would have none of it, shaking Justin’s hand off and laughing softly, saying, “Oh, no, Sunshine, I want you to imagine what it would be like, sleeping beside me everyday, denying yourself of the pleasure of my hands, and mouth and cock,” Brian continued, all the while moving his hand in ever widening circles all over Justin’s thighs, pushing them apart, skimming his balls, pausing to cup them gently, noting with satisfaction that Justin had spread his legs even wider and lifted his hips, no longer able to lie still, now squirming uncomfortably as Brian moved his hand up to his own mouth to wet his fingers before moving them back down and inserting one, then two into the tight ring that waited to be stretched and plundered, feeling Justin clamp around his fingers as he rutted against his hand, seeking release. “Tell me again how you’re going to resist this,” Brian whispered, his eyes locked in on Justin, even as he moved his head closer to Justin’s groin, blowing gently, not touching anything with his tongue, just blowing hot, short breaths, while his fingers kept up their movements deep inside Justin’s ass, driving him mad with the waiting. He looked at him with amusement, enjoying his partner’s discomfort. “Stop it…” Justin whispered, his voice barely able to make a sound. “Stop?” Brian asked, as he swiped Justin’s penis with a long lick, then blowing on it, watching it twitch, rigid and aching for relief. “You want me to stop this?” he whispered again, as he nibbled on the soft flesh at the base of his penis. “Okay, I’ll stop,” Brian said, moving away from Justin getting ready to leave the bed. “Brian…please,” Justin said, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him back. “Finish this,” he begged, placing Brian’s hand on his groin, pulling him down towards him and kissing him deeply. “Do you really want to deprive yourself?” Brian asked again, as soon as he could break away from the kiss. He heard the familiar moaning coming out of Justin’s throat, knowing what it meant and how close Justin was to losing it. “Tell me how you’re not going to blow me Sunshine…how you’re going to stay far away from me if I don’t quit smoking…show me how well you can resist my mouth,” Brian taunted, shifting his attention to Justin’s inner thigh, kissing the soft smooth skin near his balls, lapping at them in slow motion, moving closer and closer to his penis, yet holding back, driving Justin crazy with want. He lifted Justin’s legs and rested them on his shoulder, making himself comfortable as he moved his mouth towards Justin’s tight pink asshole and licked it, pushing his tongue in and out then lapping at him in excruciatingly slow circles, feeling his partner buck with each lick, hearing the soft cries of satisfaction coming out of Justin’s mouth as Brian’s warm, velvet tongue serviced him with an expertise born of years of practice. Every move was calculated to drive Justin to the brink, pushing him closer and closer as Brian’s tongue worked its magic. The sounds pouring out of Justin only goaded Brian on, his own desire building as the whimpering became more frantic. He felt his arms being squeezed by Justin’s hands even as Justin’s hips moved frantically, rutting against Brian’s face, needing, wanting, and now begging Brian to take his cock in his mouth. Finally, Justin could stand no more and Brian felt the legs moving off his back. He looked up and saw Justin resting on his elbows, staring at him intently. The eyes that bore into him had turned a deeper sapphire color, dark with lust. Brian took in Justin’s face and saw a man intoxicated with desire, his breathing coming in short, hot breaths, his mouth pink and swollen. There were tiny drops of moisture dotting his forehead and the blond hair was disheveled and wild. He had never looked more beautiful and Brian’s stomach clenched as his own desire rose up to meet Justin head-on. “Tell me how much you want this,” Brian asked, his voice now gravely with lust. “I want you,” Justin said, barely able to get the words out before Brian slowly took Justin’s penis in his hand and gently tugged at it, rubbing the engorged head with his thumb, spreading the moisture around it in slow, delicious circles as he watched Justin close his eyes and moan. “What about the cigarettes?” Brian asked. “I don’t care, Brian…” “Tell me what you’re not going to do Sunshine.” “Will not withhold,” Justin whispered, grabbing Brian’s face again and kissing him, ravaging his mouth with abandon, wanting desperately to get off. Brian huffed out a laugh and moved his head back down, quickly enveloping Justin in his hot, wet mouth, taking him in all the way to the base, sucking and pulling, feeling Justin grab hold of both sides of his head, fucking his mouth wildly, coming within seconds, spewing hot, wet come down Brian’s throat as he swallowed, savoring each drop, listening to the sounds of satisfaction coming from the beautiful man lying underneath him. Brian moved his hand down to his own hardness, knowing he was wet and ready, smearing the drops of moisture around the bulbous head, preparing himself to enter Justin as he turned him over and lifted his hips so that he had easier access to his gorgeous ass. He watched Justin move his legs apart, preparing himself for Brian to enter him. He heard Justin’s quick in-take of breath as he slid in effortlessly, driving in as deep as he could, squeezing Justin’s hips with both hands and pulling him hard towards his stomach. He heard Justin gasping as he hit the one spot, over and over, hard and long and deep. He felt Justin’s muscles contracting around him in a tight, sweet vice that never seemed to loosen, squeezing the life out of him. He felt hot liquid pouring into the velvet darkness, as he lay his head down on Justin’s shoulders, groaning loudly in unison with the cries now coming out of Justin’s mouth as the waves of the orgasm swept over them both, causing Justin’s body to clench and spasm. Brian quickly moved his hand down and encircled Justin’s cock, moving back and forth in an effortless rhythm, in tandem with his hips. He was reward by ropes of hot come all over his hand and the bed sheets, as he felt Justin convulsing underneath him. They collapsed together, intertwined in a heap. Brian’s breathing was ragged as he lay on Justin, his heart thudding violently. “You are going to kill me someday, Sunshine. Not the fucking cigarettes.” “What a perfect way to go,” Justin whispered, barely able to talk himself. After a few minutes, Brian reached over Justin’s head to pull a cigarette out of the pack on the nightstand but was stopped by Justin’s hand, pulling him back down and latching on to him purposely. “Give it up for me…please,” Justin begged. “I want you around for a long, long time. It would kill me if you got sick because of this.” Brian moved off Justin’s back and leaned up against the headboard, dragging Justin along with him, cradling him against his chest, enjoying the feel of the smooth skin and the silky blond hair against his body. “I’ve got to die of something,” Brian said, kissing him gently on his forehead. “I know you do, Brian, but there’s got to be a better way than what’s in store for you if you don’t quit smoking. Do you want to lay gasping for air because your lungs have turned black with disease? Or have all your hair fall out because of the chemicals they’ll pump into your body if you get cancer, or walk around lugging a fucking oxygen tank behind you? I’m sure even Armani couldn’t dress that up, no matter how hard he tried,” Justin rattled off in his most clinical tone of voice. “Jesus, you’re just one big source of joy tonight, aren’t you? I suppose, when you present your case that way, it doesn’t seem worth it. But,” Brian whispered in Justin’s ear, “You know you always get better results from me when you ask nice. Don’t threaten me with lezzy shit.” Justin held Brian tightly, reminding himself how far they had come in their relationship yet how easy it was to forget that Brian always was and always would be his own decision maker, unwilling to respond to threats of any kind. He reached up and pulled Brian’s head down, kissing him and saying ‘thank you’ softly against his lips. “Don’t thank me till it’s a done deal. I need to figure out how to do this without having a nervous breakdown. What am I going to do, to satisfy my oral fixation?” Brian asked. Justin looked up at Brian and smiled, “Do you really need to ask that?” “I can’t very well take your dick to work Sunshine. My board members are very understanding but they’re not demented! Besides, you happen to be attached to it. I think you have better things to do than wait on the sidelines for my next craving to hit.” “What could be more important than you?” Justin said, smiling at his partner. Brian was still a beautiful and incredibly sexy man, despite the generous amount of gray littering his still healthy mane of hair. He blamed every single strand of gray on Justin, telling anyone who cared to listen that it was the stress of living with a drama queen that did it. He refused to color it though, considering it tacky and in poor taste. He felt that the gray was a sign of wisdom and accomplishment, not a sign of aging. He thought it made him look hot. And it did, judging by the number of men and women who continued to proposition him whenever he was alone. That part of his life remained unchanged, so his turning fifty-five was just a number. He still looked and acted like a man in his mid-forties. “I could have a plaster cast made of it?” Justin had said wryly, going back to the question of his dick and the oral fixation issue. “Oh yeah, that would be so very GQ. Walking around with your hard dick in my pocket all day and pulling it out every time I need a fix. Maybe I could put it in a leather cigar case and tell everyone it’s the latest Cuban craze. The Board would really go for that, wouldn’t they?” Brian asked, pressing his lips on Justin’s forehead. “My mother would roll over in a dead faint,” Justin said. “No she wouldn’t. Your mother looks like the Virgin Mary but deep down in her heart, she’s a closet whore; has to be to have put up with us all these years, not to mention keeping a much younger man happy and content in her bed.” “I will thank you to not insult my mother, Brian.” “I’m not; that was a huge compliment. I have nothing but admiration for the woman,” Brian said with a lip-biting grin. “You are a sick and twisted individual,” Justin said. “And you’re a big prude when it comes to your mother.” Brian grinned as he recalled the entire conversation that had eventually led to the five-cigarette-a-day rule and to this ridiculous situation. He took one last puff and killed it in the ashtray on the table near him. His train of thought was broken by the honk of a horn and he looked out the window and saw that the Cherny’s SUV was finally pulling in to the driveway. It’s about fucking time! He made his way out of his office and practically collided with Justin who was also on his way downstairs to greet the twins. “I thought they were going to be here at nine,” Brian asked, as they made their way down the long flight of stairs. “I’m going to be late for my meeting because of this.” “I’m sorry, Brian. I have no control over their time clock. They are always fucking late, you know that.” “I know it, but it still pisses me off. I don’t understand why they can’t get anywhere on time.” Justin got to the front door first and pulled it open. A harassed looking Daphne stood there holding a large blue suitcase. Alex stood by her side with its matching pair, also looking completely stressed. The twins were in the background, waiting to come in. “Sorry,” Daphne said, beautiful despite her stress. She looked at them from behind chocolate brown eyes, now framed by fashionable glasses, her sleek new short cut enhancing her incredible bone structure. She looked stunning in the red business suit, her figure slim and elegant. “We couldn’t find Sorina’s toe shoes and she refused to leave without them,” she explained. “It took us almost half-an-hour to find them.” “And where did the princess put her shoes?” Brian asked, peering over Daphne, looking straight into Sorina’s blue eyes. Sorina beamed up at Brian, warming him with her smile and he put his arms out as she quickly made her way up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, even as he bent down and kissed her cheek. “Sorry, Dad,” she whispered. “I couldn’t leave them. I need to take them to the ballet to be autographed.” “It’s okay, princess,” Brian replied, never able to stay angry at her for very long. “I was ready a long time ago,” Sasha said, as she too moved forward to greet Justin and Brian. “Of course you were, honey,” Justin said, looking at his other daughter. “You’re always so organized.” “Well, I packed two days ago, not last minute like some people I know,” Sasha said, referring to her sister, clearly annoyed with her as well. She reached up for Justin and he bent down and kissed her. Then she went to Brian and did the same. The girls were dressed in blue jeans and t-shirts. Sasha’s top was white, which off-set her skin color perfectly. She wore white a lot because it suited her, and Justin had told her long ago that a frame was just as important as the painting within it, and she considered clothing to be just that, a frame for the body and one that had to be chosen carefully, the way she deliberated over everything. Spontaneity was not her style. Sorina, on the other hand, was unpredictable and unorganized. One never knew which direction she was coming from or which way she was headed. The only certain thing was the fact that when Sorina Cherny was around, you noticed. Both sisters had skin the color of a Caramel Machiatto, one of Justin’s favorite drinks. Sasha’s eyes had remained hazel, alternating between green and brown, depending on her mood. When she was calm they were more fawn-colored but when she was upset and they pooled with unshed tears, they glowed green and were feline in their intensity. Sasha’s dark brown hair lay around her shoulders in big, soft curls, much to Daphne’s delight. She was so grateful that neither one of her daughters had inherited her tight curls and unruly hair. They both had Taylor hair, thick and easy to manage, glowing with good health. Daphne loved their hair and would spend a lot of time brushing and plaiting, buying endless supplies of ribbons, head bands and jeweled clips. Sorina had her brown hair pulled back today, in a ponytail. The blue ribbon in her hair, matched her blue t-shirt which in turn matched her sky blue eyes, exactly. Her eyes appeared huge in her little heart-shaped face, and as a result, were the only thing one focused on when meeting her for the first time, even though her skin was flawless and her rosebud lips pouty and perfect. It was her eyes that drew you in and never let you go. And of course, when she bestowed on you the smile, the Sunshine smile she had so aptly been named for, the world shifted. Alex handed over the leather passport holder to Brian. “Everything is in there,” he said, running his hand over the top of his now balding head. His face was still youthful and free of wrinkles in contrast to the lack of hair which made him look slightly older than his fifty-three years. “Their passports are in there, along with travelers checks and medical releases, allowing you and Justin to make any and all decisions. I don’t think we’ve forgotten anything, but if we have, just call and I’ll have it Fedex’d, wherever you are.” “Don’t worry about it, Alex. I’ll take care of whatever they need. The only thing I really needed were the passports,” Brian stated. “Thanks guys,” Daphne said, embracing Brian first and then Justin. She turned to look at her daughters and said, “Girls, Papa and I are leaving now. Come give us a big hug.” “I’m going to miss you, Mama,” Sasha said, “But I’ll send you a postcard from every city we visit, okay?” “Okay hon. Have a really good time and listen to your fathers. Don’t give them a hard time about anything, alright? And make sure your sister stays out of trouble.” “I will Mama, stop worrying,” Sasha said, giving Daphne one last kiss. She moved over to Alex and reached up for him. He picked her up in a big bear hug and spun her around, squeezing tight, never wanting to let go. “I’m going to miss you pretty girl,” he said to her. “Me too, Papa, but we can text each other every day and Dad will have his laptop so you can communicate with us at all times,” Sasha said quietly. “I know, sweetie,” Alex said. “I’m just going to miss your hugs and kisses.” Alex put her down, looked over at his other daughter and opened his arms, waiting for her to come and say good-bye. Sorina moved over to him and latched on to his neck tightly. “Ahh, Sorina, Sorina…the house will be so dull without you.” “Good, I hope you miss me terribly, Papa. That way you’ll appreciate me more when I get back,” she said. Alex laughed when he heard that. It was so typical of this daughter who expected the entire world to revolve around her. “Sweetie, your mother and I always appreciate you, you know that.” “Well, you were both yelling at me this morning,” she said, looking at him with tears in her eyes. “I didn’t know Sasha packed my shoes.” “I know, honey, I’m so sorry we yelled but Mama and I were stressed because we should have been here an hour ago, and you know how your Dad gets when we’re late.” “Whatever,” Sorina said, rolling her eyes. She hugged him once more then slid down his body and made her way over to her mother who was waiting for her. “Mama,” Sorina said, looking at Daphne. Daphne got on her haunches in front of her daughter and looked into the beautiful blue eyes that were still wet with tears. “Honey, please don’t cry. You’re going to have a wonderful time. You’re finally going to see all the places in Europe you’ve been talking about and I’m sure the St. Petersburg ballet will be everything you’ve dreamed about, so please, don’t be upset.” “But Mama, I’m going to miss you and Papa. A month is a long time,” Sorina said in a little voice. “Honey, you always spend a month with your Dads. Every summer, only this year you’ll be traveling.” “I know, and I’m really excited to see the ballet, but I’ll miss you. Who’s going to stop Sasha from bossing me around?” she whispered conspiratorially. Daphne grinned when she heard that remark. It amused her because Sasha had secretly asked her the same thing. There were no braves in the Cherny household, only chiefs. “It will be fine, honey. I’m sure your ‘Daddy’ will referee anything, if need be.” “Okay everyone,” Brian said, interrupting the farewells. “We have got to get going.” Daphne and Alex got ready to leave, only stopping briefly to wish them a good trip, admonishing them to stay in touch and to call if they needed anything or had any trouble with the girls. They would be leaving town themselves, taking advantage of their empty nest and going on a two week vacation to the Bahamas. This had become a yearly ritual for both couples. When Brian and Justin had the girls, Daphne and Alex left town, taking the much needed break from their very successful medical practices. As the car left the driveway Brian pulled Justin aside and said, “I’ll meet you at the airport, at the American Airlines counter. I should have my meeting wrapped up in an hour so I’ll see you and the girls at two, sharp. The limo will be here to pick you up at one-fifteen. Don’t be late!” “I won’t. Everything is ready to go.” “Okay,” Brian bent forward and kissed Justin lightly on the lips. “I’ll see you later.” “’Kay.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gus sat at his desk at Kinnetik, waiting for Brian to get there so they could start the meeting. All the department heads were ready; the only thing that was missing was the owner and CEO of the company. He put his head back against the black leather chair and closed his eyes for a minute, hoping to catch a quick cat-nap before Brian made his appearance. He’d only had three hours of sleep, and his head felt like it was going to explode, but he knew that he was expected here this morning and there would have been hell to pay if he hadn’t shown up for work. And missing work wasn’t really something he ever did. He had not missed a day since he started working at Kinnetik two years ago. He remembered how proud Brian had been when he had shown him the office that was prepared for him on the executive floor, the one right beside his. The gold letters on the door proclaimed to the whole world that Gus Peterson-Kinney, Art Director, had finally arrived. His road to Kinnetik had not been an easy one. It was fraught with drama, the usual ingredient in any decision made involving two mothers and two fathers. When he had told Melanie, after his second year in college, that he was not going into law but had changed his major to business with a minor in graphic arts, she went ballistic and didn’t speak to him for weeks. She had planned out an entire scenario of a mother and son legal dream team after the family had moved back to Pittsburgh five years ago and she was bitterly disappointed that he would not share her office. She felt that he would be wasting his time at Kinnetik, and that he should pursue a legal career as originally planned. Gus, on the other hand, could not imagine an entire life spent buried in paper work and litigation. His artistic side needed to be stimulated and challenged daily and working at Kinnetik would enable him to do that. The only thing that had assuaged Melanie was the fact that JR seemed interested in law and eventually did indeed end up going to law school, thus fulfilling her mother’s dream. Another major fight had ensued when Gus had announced that he wanted to legally add Kinney to his last name. Everyone had been shocked, especially Brian, but after much deliberation and many hours of arguing between Melanie, Lindsay and Gus, they all agreed. Brian and Justin had wisely stayed out of that confrontation, preferring to watch from the sidelines to see how it all played out. It was the first time all four parents had witnessed Gus at his most determined; unwilling to back down or give in to pressure of any sort. It was the year that they all realized that their boy was no longer a child; he had become a man right in front of their eyes and had every right to request the addition to his name, regardless of how anyone felt. Finally, Kinney was added with a hyphen. Secretly, Brian couldn’t have been more pleased. He was extremely honored and proud that Gus had asked to have Kinney added to his name. He was ecstatic with Gus’ career change as well, because he knew, as soon as he heard about the switch, that Gus would end up at Kinnetik where he belonged; a job where his artistic talent and his fine business acumen could work in tandem. Justin was delighted as well, because it meant having Gus closer to home. At twenty-six, Gus looked more like Brian than ever. He had finally reached his full height of six-foot-three and filled out, weighing in at around one hundred-sixty-five pounds. He worked out three times a week and played racquetball as often as he could with Brian and Alex Cherny, however, his job kept him busy, leaving little time for socializing. He had spent the last two years buried in his work, proving to his father over and over that he was more than capable and that Brian’s faith in his abilities was not misplaced. He was also using work to try and forget; to take his mind off the fact that he had totally screwed up his personal life. He was still in the recovery stages from the heart-breaking divorce that he and Ashley had gone through shortly before he moved to Pittsburgh two years ago. Work had become his therapy and the more time he spent at his desk the less time he thought about his ex-wife and how things had gone so wrong, so quickly. The divorce had been gut-wrenching for everyone, but for Gus it had been traumatic. Ashley had been his high school sweetheart, his first love, and his first sexual partner. The fact that they had completely outgrown each other and wanted different things out of life came as a complete surprise to him. Everyone had warned him against the marriage. Brian and Justin had numerous conversations with him about growing and needing change but their words had fallen on deaf ears. He had been stubborn and foolish by insisting on marrying Ashley and ultimately he lived to regret it. Of course everyone had been right. Although there wasn’t much to fight about, property-wise, nor were any children involved, it had gotten pretty ugly towards the end and Gus had build a wall around himself, only letting Brian and Justin in occasionally to get a peek at his heartache. The rest of the time he put on a happy face for the world and managed to function. When the tension would build to the breaking point he would cruise the bars, hoping to find a quick one-night stand, and he invariably did. The women found his intense, sad look simply irresistible. They would flock around him, like pigeons in a park full of bread crumbs, hoping they would be the lucky pick of the night. His club of choice was called Gaslight, a straight version of Babylon, another meat-market, but one that served the purpose. He could check out the scene and pick someone out, bringing her back to the loft, taking what he needed then sending her packing, all within the space of a few hours. He never saw the same woman twice nor did he ever let anyone spend the night at the loft, a place he now called home, after Brian had given it to him when he moved back to the Pitts. It had been completely remodeled of course, and looked nothing like the loft Brian had lived in. Its décor was much more in keeping with Gus’ love of color and comfort and the minimalist Italian furniture was replaced with easy-going American. Red was a prevalent color, along with browns and black and the big naked man painting had been moved to Britin, replaced by a huge mural that Gus had painted of a hockey scene, with all the blood and gore that accompanied the game. It was a beautiful painting and its reproductions had been used as the front cover of the program for the 2024 National Hockey League championship game. Gus opened his eyes when he heard his door open. “Hey, Uncle Ted, how’s it going?” Ted Schmidt was pushing sixty but looked exactly the same, except now he was completely bald. He had given in to the hair loss and had let Blake convince him to shave everything off, instead of fighting the inevitable and resorting to the dreaded comb-over. Blake could pretty much convince Ted to do anything and if he thought bald was hot, then bald he’d be. Their relationship had endured over the years and had given Ted the happiest years of his life. That and his continued success at Kinnetik had given him the confidence and emotional stability that had been so lacking in his youth. He talked jokingly about retiring, only to have Brian completely ignore his request and give him double the work, knowing that nothing made his juices flow more than his job. Ted loved working for Brian. He always had and to this day, each morning was a new challenge that he looked forward to. “Rough night, Gus?” he asked, looking at Brian’s mirror image. “Nah, just the usual.” “The Kinney usual, or real life usual?” Gus laughed at that statement. “I guess a little Kinney self-abuse mixed with the simple fact that I need at least four more hours of sleep.” “God, I can remember when your father would function with no sleep at all. I never figured out how he did that.” “I know, he is amazing isn’t he? Even now, I can barely keep up with him.” “Yeah, well, it looks like you and I are going to run this ship for the next month. You ready?” “Of course, with you and Cynthia by my side, what’s to worry about?” Gus said, smiling at Ted. Ted smiled right back. Gus was the son he’d never had and he was as pleased to have him working at Kinnetik as Brian was. The kid was bright and hard-working and never failed to come up with ideas that only confirmed the reasons why Brian had made him head of the art department. It had nothing to do with Nepotism. “You know, Brian will be in constant touch with us, it’s not like he’s willing to lose control for a second, even though I am shocked that he’s consented to do this European tour for an entire month. I can remember when Justin had a hell of a time convincing him to get away for a week of snow boarding; which, never happened by the way.” “You’re rambling again, Uncle Ted,” Gus said with a lip-biting grin. “Oh shut up. You’re too much like your father.” “So everyone tells me.” The buzzer on Gus’ desk went off and he picked up the phone and said ‘okay’ and hung up again. “He’s here.” “Let’s go,” Ted said. In the boardroom there were some familiar faces, as well as some new ones. Sitting around the huge Mahogany table were all the department heads as well as Cynthia, who was now a partner and vice president of Kinnetik. All Brian’s top people were waiting to meet with him. He had called the meeting to make sure that everything was in place while he went on this unprecedented holiday for a month. He’d never been away from Kinnetik this long and he was reluctant to do it but was secure in the knowledge that Cynthia, Ted and Gus would be able to handle any major problems that might arise during his absence. Everyone looked up when Gus and Ted walked in, followed shortly after by Brian. “Good Morning,” Brian said, greeting everybody and pulling out the chair at the head of the table. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back at Britin, Justin was dealing with two unhappy females. He had left them for a few minutes, peacefully watching television so that he could finish up some last minute packing when he was interrupted by the sound of rising voices and finally, yelling. He made his way back to the family room only to find a disheveled Sorina standing with a hand on her hip telling Sasha in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t her boss and she should leave her alone. Her face was all flushed and her eyes were swimming with tears. “Hey, you guys,” Justin said, walking in between the two of them and hugging them close to him. “What’s going on?” Sasha looked at her father with fire in her eyes and said, “Sorina wants to take something out of her suitcase and I’ve already told her that she can’t. Everything fits perfectly and she’s just going to mess it all up.” “Why does she get to decide”? Sorina asked, sticking her lip out and looking pitiful. “What is it you need, Sorina?” Justin asked gently. “I need my journal. I want it in my backpack, not in my suitcase. What if I want to write while we’re on the plane?” That seemed like a reasonable request to Justin but he had to figure out a way to get Sasha to give in without feeling like she’d lost the fight. “Sasha, is the journal way at the bottom of the suitcase?” Justin asked. Sasha looked at him and rolled her eyes, “It is at the bottom and I’m not letting her pull it out. She’ll make a big mess and I’ll have to repack everything.” “Would you be able to get it out, without making too big a mess? I can help you if you like?” Justin asked, hoping she would see reason. “I guess I could try,” Sasha sighed, moving over to the large suitcase in the corner of the room. She laid it flat on the floor and knelt down beside it. When she opened it Justin could see that everything in the suitcase was positioned perfectly and not one item was out of place. Sasha zeroed in on the spot where she knew the journal to be and expertly moved her little hand around until she felt the hard edges of the book and pulled it out, leaving everything relatively untouched. “Here,” she said, handing Justin the journal. “Thank you, honey. That was very nice of you and great packing job by the way. Almost as good as your dad’s. Who taught you how to do that?” “I’ve watched Dad pack before a business trip and Mama helped me too, showing me how to fold stuff so it doesn’t get wrinkled.” “I’m sure your Papa isn’t quite this organized is he?” Justin asked, marveling at the fact that even though the girls weren’t around much, Sasha still managed to pick up some of Brian’s habits, just by observation. “No, he’s like Sorina. He just throws stuff in the suitcase without a plan.” “Well, thank goodness we have you. We’re going to need all your talents for this trip because one week in each city will mean a lot of packing and unpacking, so Sorina and I are going to need all your help in getting us through this.” Sasha smiled up at the father she absolutely adored, and said, “I’ll help you Daddy, you know I will.” Justin smiled at her reply, inwardly delighted at hearing himself referred to as ‘Daddy’. Somewhere along the way, his name had morphed from ‘Daddy J’ or ‘DJ’ to Daddy; a definite change from Gus’ name for him but quite typical of his daughters who continued to do things in their own unique way. “Thank you, sweetheart. Now, let’s get all our stuff near the front door so we’re ready when the limo driver gets here.” TBC