January 13 (Part One)

Brian closed the file on his desk and sat back in his chair; he rubbed the back of his neck and tried to decide what needed his attention most when a commotion arose outside his door. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose just knowing that whatever was headed his way was going to piss him off and give him a headache.

Sinking further into his chair, Brian steepled his fingers and watched the door, a bland expression on his face. And just in time too as the door went flying open to reveal his mother and his very harassed looking personal assistant, Yasmeen. Sighing internally, he wondered what the fuck his mother wanted now. It couldn’t be money seeing as he'd given her a sizeable sum not even ten days before.

Or at least, it better not be money, because like hell was he going to continue funding her benders.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Kinney,” Yasmeen said, glowering at the woman in his office as if she were ready to drop kick the bitch out the door at the slightest indication from Brian. “I tried to stop her, but you know what she’s like. Some people just don’t know how to take ‘get the hell out’ in the light in which it was meant.”

Brian snorted in amusement and thanked God each and every day that Cynthia had managed to hire this woman for his assistant. Life was never dull around here since she’d started manning the desk outside his office, and she was surprisingly tolerable for a breeder. He’d even go as far as to say that he liked her and considered her a friend; not that he’d ever admit it aloud as Justin would never let him live it down.

“Brian, are you going to let this…woman…talk to me that way?” his mother demanded, looking down her nose at Yasmeen.

Yasmeen just stared her down, not in the least intimidated.

“Yes,” he replied, eyeing his mother blandly, and letting her draw her own conclusions as to what he meant by that; he then turned back to Yasmeen with a thin smile. “I do indeed know what she’s like. Thank you, Yasmeen; I’ll take it from here. Keep security on alert would you? If she isn’t gone in fifteen minutes, feel free to have them…escort her out.”

“As you wish, Mr. Kinney,” Yasmeen smirked, and then threw a vicious smile his mother’s way and walked out, shutting the door behind her. Yes, he quite liked her.

Heaving a tired sigh, he turned back to his mother and arched a brow, internally snickering at the sour expression on her face. Hey, act like a bitch, and you get treated like the bitch that you are.

“So, Mother; what has you slithering out from underneath your rock today?” Brian drawled sarcastically, a bored expression on his face.

“How dare you let that…,” Joanie spluttered indignantly, her back poker stiff. “I am your mother, and I will not have you or any of your staff speaking to me that way.”

“Like I give two fucks what you want, Joanie,” Brian sneered, rolling his eyes at her dramatics; honestly, you would have thought she’d learned by now that he didn’t give one flying fuck what she thought. “Now tell me why you’re here or get the hell out of my office. And before you begin, if the words ‘I need more money,’ are any where in your explanation, you can turn right around and get the fuck out. I will not support your sherry habit any more than I already have.”

“As if I would turn to you in my time of need,” Joan sniffed, turning her nose up at him. Brian just rolled his eyes at her attitude.

“So, I’m guessing you’ll be handing back that $2500 you requested earlier this month?” he asked, arching a brow; and then sniggered when she looked startled by the implications of that question. Of course, Claire hadn’t said anything.

“What are you talking about?” Joan asked stiffly, a pensive frown on her face. “Claire gave me that money.”

“Where the fuck do you think she got it from?” Brian snorted, shaking his head at his mother’s blindness when it came to her favored child. “Do you honestly think that Claire has $2500 to pull out of her ass when she’s living on alimony, child support and a low-paying temp job? Please. She was up at my place whining about my duty and I gave it to her the money just so she would shut the hell up and get out of my house.”

“She said…” Joan retorted, her arms crossed over her chest

“Whatever,” Brian cut in wearily, holding his hand up to cut off anything that she might have added to that statement; he really didn’t want to hear it. “Don’t care what lies she’s been feeding you. Now, what do you want?”

His mother pressed her lips together, obviously irritated at being cut off and simply stared at him in disapproval. But she was wasting her time. He’d gotten over her dismissal of him and his life a long time ago. So he just stared right back at her, and impatiently gestured for her to get on with it. She huffed.

“I heard that you and that…that boy…” she began, her mouth pursing as if she’d just sucked on a box of lemons.

“You mean my husband?” Brian interrupted, smirking when she glared at him; she still hadn’t gotten over the fact that he and Justin had ‘sullied the institution of marriage’ by getting hitched; her words, not his. And he just loved to rub her nose in it.

“That you and that boy were having a child,” Joan spat, still refusing to acknowledge Justin’s place in his life. Whatever. He just wanted this over with.

“Yeah,” Brian asked, arching a brow as if to say, ‘and your point is?’

“How could you?” Joan spat, her body trembling as she stared at Brian in betrayal.

“It was really quite easy,” Brian said with a sardonic smile. “I tossed out the condoms, he went off his birth control and then I fucked his brains out until I finally knocked him up. Had lots of fun doing it to. You should know the basic mechanics as you must have done it a time or two yourself.” Brian paused in contemplation. “Well, jury is still out on Claire. She might have just slithered out from whatever rock you like to hide under; which would make sense when you think about it as like recognizes like.”

“It’s a sin and an abomination before the eyes of God. Men were not meant to be together and they certainly weren’t meant to have babies. It is the role of a woman and the Bible says…” Joan blustered, her face screwed up in disgust.

“Like I give a shit what your 2000-plus-year-old rules have to say about the proper roles of a man and a woman,” Brian sneered. “They have nothing to do with me, or my life. Life changes and evolves every day. And if we were to believe that God is the puppetmaster in charge of all of creation; then obviously he doesn’t have a problem with it as he would have been responsible for the change in the male physiology as well.”

His mother blanched, her lips compressing so tightly at his words that they disappeared.

“The only true abomination here is you, Joanie,” he continued in a cold tone, thoroughly fed up with his mother’s presence. “And your complete inability to be a decent human being. And frankly, I don’t have time for this bullshit. If the only reason you’ve come to see me is to tell me yet again that we are going to hell, you’re wasting yours and my valuable time because I couldn’t care less. But be sure to take it up with the big guy once you do me the favor of croaking and leaving me the fuck alone.”

His mother gave an affronted gasp, her hand flying to her throat.

“If you even get there,” Brian smirked, an amused glint in his eyes. “After all, how many passages mention the supposed sin of homosexuality and how many mention leaving judgment in the hands of your God and treating people with kindness and dignity? I wouldn’t be gilding your cloud just yet, as I doubt you’ve lived a good enough life to warrant it. My guess is you’re headed straight to purgatory; if you’re lucky. I doubt you even warrant that. After all, purgatory is for repenting sinners and you’re far too sanctimonious to ever truly repent for your sins against me and the world in general.”

Brian snickered as his mother glowered at his words. Brian looked down, and noticed a red light on, his snickers turning into hearty chuckles as he realized that Yasmeen was likely listening to the whole thing. And if he knew her well at all, she was recording it to send to strategic people around the office, friends, family and people within Joanie’s church group. You’d think his mother would have learned not to piss her off the first time around.

“You’re going straight to hell…” Joan spat, practically frothing at the mouth.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Brian interrupted, dismissing her with a careless wave o his hand. “Been there, done that, heard it all; do get a new line as that one is getting a bit worn out and is losing its power.” Brian paused and watched as his mother opened and closed her mouth like a landed fish; but he just pointed towards the door. “I’m sure you can find your way out. I’d hurry if I were you; Yasmeen isn’t known for her patience when it comes to sanctimonious bitches.”

His mother stared at him, her lips quivering, but whether it was in rage or sorrow or humiliation, he didn’t know and didn’t care. He’d written her off the day she'd stood in Claire’s house and accused him of molesting the little shit that tried to steal from him. He raised a disinterested brow and made a ‘well, get on with it’ gesture, and silently watched as his mother turned stiffly on her heel and headed toward the door.

However, before she left there was one more thing.

“Just one question before you leave,” Brian said, halting Joanie’s progress; his mother turned to look at him. “How did you find out? I know I haven’t told Claire; or anyone that you would socialize with for that matter.”

“I ran into that Novotny boy at the store,” his mother sniffed, making Brian’s hackles instantly rise. “What was his name?”

“Michael?” Brian said between clenched teeth, ignoring the small gasp on the other side of the intercom; one that his mother didn’t hear thankfully.

“Yes, that’s it,” Joanie said in a huffy voice. “He told me since my own flesh and blood couldn’t be bothered.”

“I see,” Brian said tightly, his hands clenching into fists as he tried to make sense of this new betrayal on Michael’s part. Because he damned well knew Michael hadn’t told Joan out of any excitement or joy for the occasion.

He’d deal with that later.

“Well, mother, we shouldn’t keep you,” He smiled tightly and shooed her out the door. “I’m sure there is some poor soul out there that needs praying for; and I certainly wouldn’t want to interfere with your ongoing and passionate love affair with the bottle. Do take care of yourself and feel free to never darken my door again.”

Joan huffed again and the stormed off, the door slamming in her wake.

“And to the nosy assholes in the other room,” Brian said, finally addressing his audience; rolling his eyes when his words were met with several chortles, proving that it wasn’t just Yasmeen out there. “I’ll be taking the rest of the day off; now get back to work!”

Brian watched as the light flickered off; he shut down his computer, packed his remaining files into his briefcase, gathered his things and headed for the door.

… … … … …

Brian walked through the door, thankful to be home, and hoping for peace and quiet; but was quickly dispelled of that notion when he was met with the loud, strident voice of Deb, the smooth, cultured tones of Mother Taylor, and the irritated voice of a certain blonde bombshell, who sounded like he was seconds from exploding. He sighed and slammed the door to announce his presence, grateful when the voices halted and he was attacked by a blonde whirlwind at the end of his last thread.

“Thank God, you’re home,” Justin huffed as he pressed his nose into Brian’s neck and nearly squeezed the life out of him. “If I had to deal with them for one more second, I would not have been held responsible for what happened. Do something! Before I lose it and kill both of our very well-intentioned, but annoying mothers.”

Brian chuckled and pressed his lips to Justin’s temple and just breathed him in for a minute, allowing some of the tension of the day to slide away. “What is it with fucking mothers today? All I need now is to have Lindsay call and my day would be complete.”

“What?” Justin asked, pulling back to look at him in the face, a concerned frown on his face. “What happened? Why are you home so early?”

“Later,” Brian promised, kissing his husband softly on the lips. “For now, let me go slay your dragon, my fair damsel.”

“Fuck you,” Justin hissed as he pulled away, his annoyance reasserting itself. “It’s not me you have to save, but them; because if I hear one more word about how I should handle my own fucking pregnancy, I might just kill them both.”

“Easy there, tiger,” Brian laughed and wrapped his arms around his husband once more, happy to be home and with the man that he loved. “Let’s go send our mommies packing and then I will show you just how much I appreciate you.”