"Coup de Foudre" 134
By Gaedhal
Pittsburgh, August 2016
The picnic, like many of Debbie’s family get-togethers, was more than a little awkward.
Gus stayed glued to his father’s left side, as if he was afraid Brian might suddenly disappear, while Justin stayed close to his right side, making sure he didn’t get over-tired or upset.
And then there was Emmett. He and Michael also sat side by side, but it was an uneasy pairing. Neither of them could completely remember where their friendship had gone wrong. Was it over Brian? No, things had been shaky even before he returned from Los Angeles. Was it about Michael’s marriage? Maybe. Emmett was certainly unhappy about his love life, but that had always been the case - both men searching for the ‘perfect man’ and a relationship that would last. But Michael had actually found that in Ben, while Emmett… not so much. In fact, not at all. He’d played on-and-off with Drew Boyd for years until time and distance and disparate desires had finally ended it for good. Or rather Drew had finally ended it when he began a very public relationship with a hot underwear model who was 20 years his junior. Emmett, who was pushing 40 and had lost most of his hair, was no longer a cute twink, but a successful gay businessman, one of the most successful in the Pitts. He had different expectations - expectations that Drew, who was living a celebrity existence in Palm Springs and South Beach, couldn’t - or wouldn’t - meet.
But Emmett missed the old days, perhaps even more than Michael did, and certainly more than Ted did. Emmett missed when they were all single and bonded with each other instead of with partners. He didn’t particularly miss being broke all the time, but things had never been that bad. He’d always made do, finding places to live after he came up from Mississippi - first with Godiva and then with a parade of losers in pathetic digs over in Vaseline Towers, then with Michael after he met him through his failed trick with Brian, and eventually with Debbie until he was flush enough to buy his own condo - borrowing money - which he always repaid - and taking all those crazy jobs, from couturier to disco trash to naked maid to internet porn star to, finally, a successful caterer and party planner. Emmett Honeycutt, white trash queen from Hazlehurst, Mississippi, had come a long way.
Emmett looked around the picnic table. Yes, the years had taken their toll on everyone. Debbie was the most unchanged - nothing could really change Deborah Jane Grassi Novotny Horvath! The same red wigs, the same cackling laugh and dirty mouth, the same colorful tee shirts with their profane slogans. But she was also moving a lot slower lately. And her hearing wasn’t the greatest, so she often spoke louder to compensate. “Keep it down, Ma!” Michael was always telling her. But she and Carl were happy. They traveled all over the country in their big RV and found friends wherever they went. That was Deb’s real talent - making friends. Emmett thought of all the people Debbie had welcomed into her home over the years, even when she didn’t have any money. But that had never mattered. She’d almost bankrupted herself taking care of Vic when they all thought he was dying. Hell, he WAS dying! But then the cocktail kicked in and he had all those extra years. But the truth was that Deb never could have afforded it if it hadn’t been for Brian. Ted confided it to Em when they were a couple. Brian was paying for a lot of Vic’s drugs and treatments that weren’t actually covered by his insurance.
“But don’t tell anyone,” Ted had insisted. “Deb doesn’t know and neither does Michael - supposedly only Vic knows. That’s the way both Vic and Brian want it.”
“But why?” It puzzled Emmett. He understood why Brian would do it - it had always been unspoken but common knowledge among the gang that Brian and Vic had something going on between them when Brian was young - probably too young. No one said anything, but the looks exchanged between them years later, like there was a secret understanding, was clear to anyone who cared to notice.
“Because Debbie and Michael are too proud and hard-headed to admit they couldn’t pay for Vic’s treatments,” Ted stated. “Actually, they both know Brian was paying, but no one says anything. In other words, Brian’s contribution is in the closet and that’s where it’s going to stay, right?”
“Right.” Emmett was well aware of his reputation as a gossip, but this was one secret he kept, mainly for Ted’s sake. He knew that if Brian found out that Ted had spilled the beans, Brian would have his balls. Probably both their balls.
Ted. He wished Ted was here at the picnic. He was still with Blake. Em never thought that would last. But it did. He shouldn’t be a bitter slightly older queen, but he couldn’t help wonder… but wondering didn’t work. Maybe if Teddy hadn’t become a major crystal queen. Maybe if Emmett hadn’t been so judgmental when Ted got out of rehab. Maybe this, maybe that. Fuck! So many different maybes, but there was only one reality and he’d have to live with it. Ted seemed happy and that was all that mattered.
He looked at Michael. He was laughing at something Ben said. Emmett never thought Ben was particularly funny, but if Michael thought so, well… It seemed strange to see lines around Michael’s eyes, especially when he laughed. Michael, the eternal boy next door. Even though he was older than both Emmett and Brian, he always seemed much younger. Justin would say immature, but so the fuck what? Michael and his comics books had always been a joke, but he’d made it into a successful business. Too bad about that ‘Rage’ movie. That would have been a coup, not to mention all that Hollywood money! But Michael was happy, too. Like Ted, he’d found a partner, a husband. Sometimes Ben was sick, but he always rebounded. And Michael stuck by him. Michael was loyal. Always loyal. Those big puppy dog eyes were no lie.
Justin. He was the biggest shock. Over the past ten years he hadn’t seen Justin all that much, even after he moved back to Pittsburgh. But it always made him do a double take whenever he saw him. Justin was a grown man. In his thirties! That was really what told Em that time had passed. Justin’s hair no longer that bright blond. Justin, serious and adult. Justin the little twink, no longer little, his twink days far in the past. Justin looked over and saw Emmett eyeing him. He gave him a small, close-mouthed smile. Emmett missed that huge ‘Sunshine Smile.’ But since Brian’s accident he guessed there wasn’t a lot to smile about. Yeah, even what’s-his-name - Bobby? Robby? - the kid Justin dumped who Emmett fucked around with a couple of times, hadn’t really had anything bad to say about him. Except that he’d dumped him for an old boyfriend who’d come back on the scene.
Which meant Brian.
Everything always came back to Brian Fucking Kinney.
Emmett had to admit that Brian was still a good-looking guy. Obviously. That was who Brian was. Mr. Handsome. Mr. Sexy. It was effortless for Brian. Emmett spent hours picking out clothes, working his hair - when he’d still had some - and practicing his attitude before they went out to Woody’s or Babylon. They all did. Maybe Brian did, too, in private, but Emmett doubted it. Brian could show up anywhere in an Armani or Prada suit, looking like a fucking million dollars on two long legs or he could walk into the room in shredded jeans and a tee shirt he’d worn the day before and guys would still be falling all over each other to get to him. Apparently it hadn’t been any different in Hollywood. Em had spent time out in Los Angeles visiting his old friend Shelly and he knew that the bar was set high out there. But that hadn’t stopped Brian from landing an A-Gay movie director and from probably fucking God knows how many stars, gay, straight, or unaffiliated.
Even after a bad accident and a nasty recovery… well, he was still sexy. Even the gray in his hair and a more rugged cast to his face didn’t make any difference. In fact, it gave him a different kind of sex appeal. Brian as the Daddy. Not a daddy bear, but a smooth daddy. A rich daddy. A sugar daddy. And a REAL daddy - of a teenager! A straight and very hot - although Emmett shouldn’t be thinking such thoughts! - twink. Gus. Also crazy was the fact that being a father in his forties didn’t seem to bother Brian, but seemed to give him a confidence he’d never had when he was younger and pretending not to be insecure. Emmett remembered how shaken Brian had been when he turned 30. But then Justin got bashed and that put things into perspective. Age didn’t matter as long as you were alive - or as long as Justin was alive.
Brian was even wearing glasses! GLASSES! Who would have imagined that? A four-eyed Brian Kinney!
“What’s so funny, Mr. Honeycutt?”
Emmett looked up. Brian was smirking at him like he could read his mind. Brian was uncanny like that. He really could read you. See right through you. Like he knew what you were going to do before you knew yourself. Maybe that’s what made him so good at sex. He knew. He just knew.
“I was thinking how nice it is that we’re all here together,” said Emmett. “And what a gracious and lovely hostess our Mrs. Horvath is - as always.” Em gave Debbie a little bow. “It’s only too bad Teddy couldn’t be here. Then everything would be just about perfect”
“Then I guess everything IS perfect.”
Emmett turned to see Ted standing there, Blake at his side, holding a covered bowl.
“Finally!” Debbie cried. “We’ve been waiting for that fucking potato salad!”
“And here it is,” said Ted. “The fucking potato salad.” Ted set the bowl on the picnic table.
“Mustard?” Debbie questioned.
“Of course,” said Ted.
“Okay then,” Deb sniffed. “Now sit the hell down and have a hamburger!”
Ted immediately sat next to Emmett. “I didn’t expect you to be here.”
“Oh,” said Em. “It was one of those curious coincidences. Something only Mysterious Marilyn could have predicted.”
“Mysterious Marilyn?” Justin cocked his head. “Whatever happened to her?”
“He calls himself Bob now, is married with three kids, and sells used cars over in Monroeville,” said Michael, reaching for the potato salad.
“No shit?” Justin said.
“He’s busting you, twat,” said Brian, squeezing Justin’s arm.
“Who’s Mysterious Marilyn?” asked Gus, wide-eyed.
“Oh, honey!” said Emmett, laughing. “The stories I could tell!”
Pittsburgh, August 2016
The picnic, like many of Debbie’s family get-togethers, was more than a little awkward.
Gus stayed glued to his father’s left side, as if he was afraid Brian might suddenly disappear, while Justin stayed close to his right side, making sure he didn’t get over-tired or upset.
And then there was Emmett. He and Michael also sat side by side, but it was an uneasy pairing. Neither of them could completely remember where their friendship had gone wrong. Was it over Brian? No, things had been shaky even before he returned from Los Angeles. Was it about Michael’s marriage? Maybe. Emmett was certainly unhappy about his love life, but that had always been the case - both men searching for the ‘perfect man’ and a relationship that would last. But Michael had actually found that in Ben, while Emmett… not so much. In fact, not at all. He’d played on-and-off with Drew Boyd for years until time and distance and disparate desires had finally ended it for good. Or rather Drew had finally ended it when he began a very public relationship with a hot underwear model who was 20 years his junior. Emmett, who was pushing 40 and had lost most of his hair, was no longer a cute twink, but a successful gay businessman, one of the most successful in the Pitts. He had different expectations - expectations that Drew, who was living a celebrity existence in Palm Springs and South Beach, couldn’t - or wouldn’t - meet.
But Emmett missed the old days, perhaps even more than Michael did, and certainly more than Ted did. Emmett missed when they were all single and bonded with each other instead of with partners. He didn’t particularly miss being broke all the time, but things had never been that bad. He’d always made do, finding places to live after he came up from Mississippi - first with Godiva and then with a parade of losers in pathetic digs over in Vaseline Towers, then with Michael after he met him through his failed trick with Brian, and eventually with Debbie until he was flush enough to buy his own condo - borrowing money - which he always repaid - and taking all those crazy jobs, from couturier to disco trash to naked maid to internet porn star to, finally, a successful caterer and party planner. Emmett Honeycutt, white trash queen from Hazlehurst, Mississippi, had come a long way.
Emmett looked around the picnic table. Yes, the years had taken their toll on everyone. Debbie was the most unchanged - nothing could really change Deborah Jane Grassi Novotny Horvath! The same red wigs, the same cackling laugh and dirty mouth, the same colorful tee shirts with their profane slogans. But she was also moving a lot slower lately. And her hearing wasn’t the greatest, so she often spoke louder to compensate. “Keep it down, Ma!” Michael was always telling her. But she and Carl were happy. They traveled all over the country in their big RV and found friends wherever they went. That was Deb’s real talent - making friends. Emmett thought of all the people Debbie had welcomed into her home over the years, even when she didn’t have any money. But that had never mattered. She’d almost bankrupted herself taking care of Vic when they all thought he was dying. Hell, he WAS dying! But then the cocktail kicked in and he had all those extra years. But the truth was that Deb never could have afforded it if it hadn’t been for Brian. Ted confided it to Em when they were a couple. Brian was paying for a lot of Vic’s drugs and treatments that weren’t actually covered by his insurance.
“But don’t tell anyone,” Ted had insisted. “Deb doesn’t know and neither does Michael - supposedly only Vic knows. That’s the way both Vic and Brian want it.”
“But why?” It puzzled Emmett. He understood why Brian would do it - it had always been unspoken but common knowledge among the gang that Brian and Vic had something going on between them when Brian was young - probably too young. No one said anything, but the looks exchanged between them years later, like there was a secret understanding, was clear to anyone who cared to notice.
“Because Debbie and Michael are too proud and hard-headed to admit they couldn’t pay for Vic’s treatments,” Ted stated. “Actually, they both know Brian was paying, but no one says anything. In other words, Brian’s contribution is in the closet and that’s where it’s going to stay, right?”
“Right.” Emmett was well aware of his reputation as a gossip, but this was one secret he kept, mainly for Ted’s sake. He knew that if Brian found out that Ted had spilled the beans, Brian would have his balls. Probably both their balls.
Ted. He wished Ted was here at the picnic. He was still with Blake. Em never thought that would last. But it did. He shouldn’t be a bitter slightly older queen, but he couldn’t help wonder… but wondering didn’t work. Maybe if Teddy hadn’t become a major crystal queen. Maybe if Emmett hadn’t been so judgmental when Ted got out of rehab. Maybe this, maybe that. Fuck! So many different maybes, but there was only one reality and he’d have to live with it. Ted seemed happy and that was all that mattered.
He looked at Michael. He was laughing at something Ben said. Emmett never thought Ben was particularly funny, but if Michael thought so, well… It seemed strange to see lines around Michael’s eyes, especially when he laughed. Michael, the eternal boy next door. Even though he was older than both Emmett and Brian, he always seemed much younger. Justin would say immature, but so the fuck what? Michael and his comics books had always been a joke, but he’d made it into a successful business. Too bad about that ‘Rage’ movie. That would have been a coup, not to mention all that Hollywood money! But Michael was happy, too. Like Ted, he’d found a partner, a husband. Sometimes Ben was sick, but he always rebounded. And Michael stuck by him. Michael was loyal. Always loyal. Those big puppy dog eyes were no lie.
Justin. He was the biggest shock. Over the past ten years he hadn’t seen Justin all that much, even after he moved back to Pittsburgh. But it always made him do a double take whenever he saw him. Justin was a grown man. In his thirties! That was really what told Em that time had passed. Justin’s hair no longer that bright blond. Justin, serious and adult. Justin the little twink, no longer little, his twink days far in the past. Justin looked over and saw Emmett eyeing him. He gave him a small, close-mouthed smile. Emmett missed that huge ‘Sunshine Smile.’ But since Brian’s accident he guessed there wasn’t a lot to smile about. Yeah, even what’s-his-name - Bobby? Robby? - the kid Justin dumped who Emmett fucked around with a couple of times, hadn’t really had anything bad to say about him. Except that he’d dumped him for an old boyfriend who’d come back on the scene.
Which meant Brian.
Everything always came back to Brian Fucking Kinney.
Emmett had to admit that Brian was still a good-looking guy. Obviously. That was who Brian was. Mr. Handsome. Mr. Sexy. It was effortless for Brian. Emmett spent hours picking out clothes, working his hair - when he’d still had some - and practicing his attitude before they went out to Woody’s or Babylon. They all did. Maybe Brian did, too, in private, but Emmett doubted it. Brian could show up anywhere in an Armani or Prada suit, looking like a fucking million dollars on two long legs or he could walk into the room in shredded jeans and a tee shirt he’d worn the day before and guys would still be falling all over each other to get to him. Apparently it hadn’t been any different in Hollywood. Em had spent time out in Los Angeles visiting his old friend Shelly and he knew that the bar was set high out there. But that hadn’t stopped Brian from landing an A-Gay movie director and from probably fucking God knows how many stars, gay, straight, or unaffiliated.
Even after a bad accident and a nasty recovery… well, he was still sexy. Even the gray in his hair and a more rugged cast to his face didn’t make any difference. In fact, it gave him a different kind of sex appeal. Brian as the Daddy. Not a daddy bear, but a smooth daddy. A rich daddy. A sugar daddy. And a REAL daddy - of a teenager! A straight and very hot - although Emmett shouldn’t be thinking such thoughts! - twink. Gus. Also crazy was the fact that being a father in his forties didn’t seem to bother Brian, but seemed to give him a confidence he’d never had when he was younger and pretending not to be insecure. Emmett remembered how shaken Brian had been when he turned 30. But then Justin got bashed and that put things into perspective. Age didn’t matter as long as you were alive - or as long as Justin was alive.
Brian was even wearing glasses! GLASSES! Who would have imagined that? A four-eyed Brian Kinney!
“What’s so funny, Mr. Honeycutt?”
Emmett looked up. Brian was smirking at him like he could read his mind. Brian was uncanny like that. He really could read you. See right through you. Like he knew what you were going to do before you knew yourself. Maybe that’s what made him so good at sex. He knew. He just knew.
“I was thinking how nice it is that we’re all here together,” said Emmett. “And what a gracious and lovely hostess our Mrs. Horvath is - as always.” Em gave Debbie a little bow. “It’s only too bad Teddy couldn’t be here. Then everything would be just about perfect”
“Then I guess everything IS perfect.”
Emmett turned to see Ted standing there, Blake at his side, holding a covered bowl.
“Finally!” Debbie cried. “We’ve been waiting for that fucking potato salad!”
“And here it is,” said Ted. “The fucking potato salad.” Ted set the bowl on the picnic table.
“Mustard?” Debbie questioned.
“Of course,” said Ted.
“Okay then,” Deb sniffed. “Now sit the hell down and have a hamburger!”
Ted immediately sat next to Emmett. “I didn’t expect you to be here.”
“Oh,” said Em. “It was one of those curious coincidences. Something only Mysterious Marilyn could have predicted.”
“Mysterious Marilyn?” Justin cocked his head. “Whatever happened to her?”
“He calls himself Bob now, is married with three kids, and sells used cars over in Monroeville,” said Michael, reaching for the potato salad.
“No shit?” Justin said.
“He’s busting you, twat,” said Brian, squeezing Justin’s arm.
“Who’s Mysterious Marilyn?” asked Gus, wide-eyed.
“Oh, honey!” said Emmett, laughing. “The stories I could tell!”