Karma
Title:Karma-Chapter 24
Author:mickiebg
Time Frame:Post 513-Future
Rating:NC 17
Summary:Will Daphne's request destroy a 15 year relationship?
Warnings:Angst, unsafe sex, real life issues, some sappiness and much drama. If you are not 18 or older, you do not belong here.
DisclaimerI own none of this-Showtime, Cowlip and others do. Only the original characters are mine.
Authors Note:Thank you once again to the best beta in the world, the_glamster for all her help and support. My beautiful Karma icons are made by nanoa, chynnadoll17 and marilla_pm67.
A Buddhist who is fully convinced of the law of Karma does not pray to another to be saved but confidently relies on himself for his own emancipation. Instead of making any self-surrender or calling on any supernatural agency, he relies on his own will power, and works incessantly for the well-being and happiness of all. This belief in Karma validates his effort and kindles his enthusiasm, because it teaches individual responsibility.
Chapter 24
Gus turned around to look back at Brian and Justin, minutes before he went through the airport security check points. He dropped his backpack and moved over to Brian, wrapping his arms around his father’s waist and giving him a tight hug. He then moved over to Justin and did the same, holding on a little longer as he listened to Justin whispering in his ear, “Let me know how things go with Ashley, okay?”
He nodded and then picked up his backpack again, signaled Austin and moved forward towards security. They were on their way back to Toronto, to be home in time for football practice which always started a week before school did. Brian had promised Gus that he and Justin would fly to Toronto for the first home game, scheduled about a month from now. This had made Gus feel better, easing the sadness he always experienced after the end of each summer vacation.
Brian and Justin walked away from the gate, hand in hand, through the terminal and into the parking garage. They got in the car and slowly made their way out the building, stopping at the ticket booth to pay before heading towards the expressway.
“Alone at last, Sunshine,” Brian said quietly.
“I know, I’m going to miss him too,” Justin answered back.
Brian looked over at him, gave him a sad little smile, grabbed his hand and squeezed. They drove the rest of the way in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. One thinking about tomorrow’s presentation with a new client, the other dwelling on the phone call he had received before leaving for the airport.
Daphne had called to say that she had started taking the medication she needed to induce ovulation and that she had begun taking her temperature every morning to determine when the ovulation would actually take place. She explained all the mechanics of body temps rising and falling with hormonal fluctuations to Justin as he listened with half an ear. All he heard was her first sentence; that she had started the hormone therapy. Everything else after that was a blur.
The reality was that now that the wheel had been set in motion, he was terrified! He was afraid it wouldn’t work; afraid he would let her down, afraid that once again, she would face disappointment and heartache. Conversely, he was also afraid that it would work, that he would soon have a child and that his life, no matter what the terms of the agreement stated, would never be the same.
He knew he was just stressing. He needed to go see the Master, to sit in the temple and meditate with him to regain some of his internal peace, to settle his Wa and stop queening over a decision that he knew was right for everyone.
What Justin found hard to believe was the fact that both Brian and even his mother had agreed to his decision. Jennifer’s first reaction was shock, followed by tears, followed by questions. She acknowledged that because he was Gay, having a child in the conventional way would never be possible but she supposed that having a child with a person he not only loved but respected and had known most of his life was the next best thing. Her main concern was whether she would be able to acknowledge the child as family.
“Would I be considered the grandmother? Will they let me have any contact with the child?”
Justin had explained his plan, telling her about the pre-conceptual agreement and his request to be a part of the child’s life, albeit part-time. She found the whole thing a little too forward thinking and modern, however she knew her son well enough to know that once he had made up his mind about something there would be no changing it. She would have had more luck attempting to move the pyramids from Egypt to the Pitts than try and change Justin’s mind.
What changed everything was Alex’s decision to inform the child who the biological father was and all the events leading up to its birth. This would mean more involvement from everyone, specifically Justin, Brian and most definitely, Jennifer.
It was good news and bad news all at the same time. Justin had never expected Alex’s change of heart and he had to adjust his whole mind set to now accommodate the fact that if they were successful in their plans a new person would be entering his life, and not in a peripheral or virtual way. This child would know that he was the biological father and he and Brian would be more involved than either of them had ever thought they would be; much more then they had originally thought possible when this whole idea had been brought to the table. He was thrilled that he would be able to participate more in his future child’s life. On the other hand he was a little concerned.
What worried him the most was Gus’ reaction to all this. He had not said anything to him because the reality was that none of them knew if it was going to happen at this point. The future was a big question mark, so there was no sense in telling Gus and getting him upset for no reason. And upset he would be. Somehow, Justin knew that Gus would not take this well and he was very unsettled by the thought of having to tell him of his decision.
Gus had always been the center of everyone’s attention, especially Justin’s, and even when Jenny Rebecca was born, that never changed his position as top dog. Justin was determined that this birth would not do that either, if there was to be such a birth.
He was unwavering in his wish to make sure that Gus’ position in his life would never be jeopardized. He never wanted Gus to feel intruded upon by a new player, someone who would be thrust on him through no choice of his own. A person that would not be related to him in any way, blood-wise, yet who would now take up a small part of his fathers’ hearts, hearts that had previously belonged to him alone. And of course the key to making sure this never happened would be Justin and Brian and the way they dealt with the baby, if there ever was a baby.
Justin’s thoughts were interrupted by the car slowing to a stop and the engine being turned off. He looked up and was surprised to see they were home, he didn’t remember anything about the drive.
“Hey,” Brian said. “What’s going on in that pretty blond head? You seem to be a million miles away.”
“I’m just thinking about Gus and what he’s going to say or feel when he finds out about Daphne and our decision to help her. Do you think he’ll be upset, Brian?”
“Justin, you’re worrying about something that may never happen. I suggest you put that worry on the back burner until a pregnancy becomes reality, then we’ll discuss it,” Brian replied in his usual pragmatic way.
Justin reached out and wrapped his arms around Brian’s neck. He held on to him as Brian’s arms automatically moved around his body, pulling him close, holding him, reassuring him with his presence.
“It’s going to be okay Justin, I promise you. Whatever happens, we’ll get through it together, like we always have. You just have to believe that,” Brian whispered in his ear.
“I love you, Brian,” Justin replied emotionally, grateful that he had a partner who was able to read his mind and sense every bit of insecurity that floated around him as soon as it appeared.
“Me too, Sunshine, me too.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emmett sat at his desk surrounded by paper work. He had everyone at Fabulous in a frenzy of activity trying to complete the plans for the wedding reception. In his usual flamboyant manner, and in keeping with his love for theme parties, he and Max had decided that their wedding reception was going to be anything but conventional. It was going to be the most amazing, most talked about, most well remembered and best attended Masquerade ball that would ever grace the entire Pittsburgh Gay community. He was determined to make this the most memorable wedding reception in the history of Gaydom.
Invitations had gone out yesterday on rolled pieces of parchment paper, hand-printed and tied with velvet ribbons in the most beautiful shades of brown and gold and green that he could find. At the bottom of each invitation there was a sentence asking that in lieu of gifts, a small donation to the Vic Grassi House would be accepted. He and Max had everything they could possibly need or want and the thought of having to return or exchange dozens of gifts was something neither one of them wanted to deal with.
The head count was now up to two-hundred, now that he had added Max’s sister and brother to the list after just receiving their phone calls acknowledging that they would come, along with Enid and David Steiner. Most of the two-hundred guests were friends and business acquaintances of Emmett’s. He couldn’t believe that he knew so many people when he first started making the list. It was a far cry from the party of one that had arrived at the bus depot with nothing but a raggedy old backpack twenty years ago.
Emmett was heady with the anticipation; his mind filled with necessary decisions on food and liquor, the eighteenth-century livery outfits that the waiters would wear, the impending arrival of the beautiful Venetian masks that had been specially ordered for the occasion as wedding mementos. Streamers in all the rainbow colors of Pride were being prepared and Chinese lanterns in the same multi-colored shades were also being fashioned so that they could hang strategically throughout the many trees that surrounded the general area where the dancing and reception would take place. They had hired a live band, as well as the top Deejay in the business as a back-up to the band.
The party was scheduled to start at seven-thirty sharp and would probably last into the wee hours, if it was the big success Emmett was hoping it would be. Brian and Justin had graciously consented to lend them the grounds of Britin along with the use of the pool house and its restrooms for the guests. The main house, however, was off-limits as neither one of them had any desire to have it trashed and so security guards were going to be posted at all the entrances to make sure no one entered without permission.
Emmett had made hotel reservations for the Steiners and for Andie and her husband as well as Ari and his wife. He and Max had decided that it would be better if they all stayed at a hotel rather than trying to accommodate them all at home, even if they had the room. They were still dealing with boxes of Max’s things, still unpacked from his move. He didn’t think his nerves could take anymore pressure with having to deal with in-laws, on top of everything else.
Max was stressing big-time over the menu, crossing off and adding things constantly. Because he had to be at Emmett’s side, there would be no chance for him to actually be in the kitchen to supervise, so he would have to be content with delegating, a difficult thing for him under the best of circumstances. Fortunately, Brian did end up hiring his friend from Chicago, Jerry Bither, who was as good a chef as Max, and he would be in charge of the kitchen at Britin, making sure that everything Max had on the menu would be perfect!
So far, he had decided on five buffet tables to accommodate the number of people invited. Every delicacy and special cut of meat imaginable would be served. He wanted the food to be as fabulous as the entertainment and spared no detail or expense in his selection of ingredients. Lobsters and shrimp were being flown in from Maine, lamb from Australia, the best cuts of beef from the finest sources in the country. There would be platters of chicken and bowls of salad with every fruit and vegetable in season. One entire table would be devoted to nothing but desert, with a chocolate fountain as the centerpiece, pouring fresh chocolate syrup into bowls that guest could use as a dipping sauce for the giant strawberries and other assorted fruits that were flown in from California and South America just for this occasion. Cakes and pastries lovingly crafted by the best desert chef Max could find would be a gastronomic delight that would send anyone into insulin shock with just one look. The liquor served at the open bars would be top shelf of course, in addition to the flutes of champagne that the waiters would be circulating all night long. All in all, Max planned on having the best of everything, wanting his guests to leave their party with fond memories of having one of the finest meals they had ever had.
The biggest source of stress right now was deciding what costume to wear. Max had left that to Emmett who was nowhere close to making any kind of decision. He had picked and discarded so many ideas, none of them really holding his attention or appealing to his sense of drama. He wanted something that would show off Max’s wonderful assets but short of having him walk beside him naked, a definite no-no, he could not for the life of him think of anything that would be appropriate or do him justice. He finally gave up and decided to call the one person who made big bucks by never running out of ideas.
Picking up his phone, he dialed Kinnetik and asked for Brian.
“Hey Em,” Brian answered, “What can I do for you?”
“I’m fresh out of ideas for the Masquerade ball, Brian, as far as what Max and I should wear. Any suggestions?”
“Well, you could go as Siegfried and Roy, however, without the props it wouldn’t be as much fun and I doubt that you’ll be able to rent tigers and lions on such short notice.”
“Seriously, Brian, can’t you do better than that?” Emmett asked petulantly.
“I’m thinking, I’m thinking…give me a minute, Em,” Brian laughed.
“Brokeback?” Brian queried.
“No.”
“Romans?”
“Absolutely not!”
“Southern gentlemen? All white suits?”
“Hmm,” Emmett said, “Max would look gorgeous in white. That’s a definite possibility,” he muttered to himself.
“How about leather?” Brian asked. Motorcycle hogs?”
“Hell no,” Emmett said. “Honestly, Brian, you’re the big idea man and this is all you can come up with?”
“You know, most people give me a day or so to come up with something, Emmett. I wasn’t exactly thinking of costumes this very minute!” Brian snarked at him.
“What are you and Justin going to be?” Emmett asked.
“Rage and JT,” Brian said, with a big sigh. “What else?”
“Awww, really?” Emmett said.
“Yeah, I let him convince me. What the fuck, hopefully I’ll be good and drunk within the hour so I won’t see how stupid I look in spandex.”
“Honey, you know you’ll look nothing but beautiful in spandex, so don’t even go there.”
“Whatever the fuck!”
“How about something dark, Brian? Some vampire, horror kind of thing, what do you think?”
“Naa, not his type Em. I can’t see Max as the Vampire Lestat.”
“Alright, well I give up. Will you call me, if you think of anything else,” he asked.
“I will, Em. Give me a few hours, I’ll think of something and get back to you.”
“Thanks Brian,” Emmett said.
“Later,” Brian answered.
Emmett hung up and shook his head. He couldn’t believe that this was so difficult. Of course the thing that was so hard was trying to find something that would appeal to Max. He would have been happy throwing on anything that glittered but somehow he couldn’t imagine Max being too happy to see his partner in drag. He was starting to lean more and more towards the Southern gentleman thing. The whole Tennessee Williams look with the white linen suit and straw hat. That might definitely work and Max, of course, would be incredibly handsome in white.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daphne stood in front of the full length mirror in their bedroom, dressed in the beautiful pale blue ballroom gown that she was going to wear to the Masquerade ball. She was going as Christine to compliment Alex’s Phantom of the Opera. She was quite pleased with the dress she chose and because of the cut and style of the times, her breast’s, which normally would never draw any attention but which were nice and full thanks to the wonderful world of hormone therapy, were literally spilling over her bodice. Alex’s eyes had bugged out of his head when he saw her dressed and she had to throw him out of the room before he proceeded to tear her dress off.
“Jesus Christ, Alex,” she said. “You’re acting like you’ve never seen my boobs before.”
“Never like that,” he said with a definite leer in his voice.
She continued to twirl around, looking at herself from all angles, deciding that all was well and that so long as she didn’t gain one ounce she would be able to wear the dress to the party without making a spectacle of herself.
The only thing that was a little disturbing was the fact that the party couldn’t have come at a worst time. She was almost in the middle of her cycle which meant she would ovulate any day now and if it happened on the day of the party there was no way she was going to get Justin to do his thing; which would mean they would lose out on this month’s opportunity. If that were the case, would he tack on another cycle or would that just leave her with two more tries? She decided to shelf the worry for now, a talent she was becoming extremely adept at, and deal with it if and when it came up. Since the party was only two days away, she might get lucky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was the night of the party and Britin had finally quieted down after the flurry of activity all day long. The electricians, florists and decorators had left. All the tables were set up. All the lanterns were hung, streamers positioned, the torches were burning, flowers overflowing their vases and tables groaning with platters and platters of silver that were soon going to be piled high with food. The bars, all three of them, were stocked and ready to go. The waiters were dressed in the black and white outfits that Emmett had picked out, with white wigs and white gloves. Their pants were skin tight, showing off every beautiful bulge, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. They had little black vests on top with no shirts underneath, eye candy for everyone. Every single waiter was under the age of twenty-five and could have been a model. Every last one was incredibly beautiful; definitely hand picked by their host for all the hungry eyes that would be roaming that night.
Brian looked out the window of their bedroom, watching the men down below. He turned to Justin who was dressed in his simple blue jeans, athletic shoes and short sleeved cotton shirt with a matching t-shirt underneath.
“That’s not a JT outfit, that’s a Justin outfit,” Brian said, frowning at him.
“You think I’m not aware of what JT is supposed to look like? I’ve only drawn him about four million times.”
“Well you look way too comfortable while I on the other hand feel like I’m stuffed into this outfit like a sausage in its casing.”
“Ah, and what a sausage it is,” Justin said as he smiled at Brian.
“Really?” Brian asked, turning back to the mirror and looking at his body from every angle. He didn’t look a day over thirty-five and he knew it. He just wanted to hear Justin say it so that he could walk out there secure in the knowledge that every fag within ten feet of him knew it too. The costume clung to him like a second skin, showing off every ripple and cut of muscle on his arms and back and legs, not to mention the very prominent bulge at his groin. Every minute spent at the gym was now paying off. Every night of pushing away the plate of pasta was definitely worth it to see the lust lurking behind his partner’s eyes. It was flattering and most satisfying to know that at forty-five he still had that kind of animal magnetism.
Justin walked up to him slowly and wrapped his arms around Brian’s waist, pulling him closer so that he could feel the bulge pressing against him.
“How exactly does one take off this costume, Rage, or do you just blink an eye and everything falls off like magic?”
Brian smiled at Justin as he felt the blonde’s hands starting to make little circles on his ass, moving forward in the general direction of his dick which was definitely showing signs of distress at this point.
“I’m not sure JT, but you’d better figure it out fast. I’m about ready to rip this fucker off ‘cause if you don’t put your mouth on my cock in the next two minutes, I’ll definitely have a Rage moment.”
Justin laughed and proceeded to gently peel off the spandex outfit to alleviate the immediate problem.
Thirty minutes later, they were out in the garden, listening to the band warming up and waiting for Max and Emmett to show up. In a few minutes their limo pulled up and they got out. They were both dressed in exquisite white Armani suits in the finest linen, Panama hats in hand. Even their shoes were the whitest of white, hand stitched, Prada, no doubt. They had matching red roses on their lapels and even Brian had to acknowledge that they were both drop dead gorgeous.
Just behind their limo, another pulled up and the doors opened to reveal the entire Steiner family coming out one by one. Andie Levin dressed as Marie Antoinette was stunning. Every bit of bling on her body was real, much to Brian’s delight, and she sparkled like a Christmas tree. There must have been at least one hundred thousand dollars worth of diamonds on her and she completely outshined her husband who was dressed as Louie XVI. Her brother Ari and his wife were dressed like Israeli Freedom Fighters, complete with pretend Uzi’s strapped to their backs. Mama and Papa Steiner were, of course, the Fiddler on the Roof and his Yenta. Certainly an eclectic bunch, Brian thought to himself.
The waiters started circulating, their trays filled to overflowing with flutes of Champagne. The band began to play and Max and Emmett positioned themselves at the entrance, near the flowered archway. A large table covered with the Venetian masks stood over to their right. Each guest was handed one as they arrived and they in turn laid their money envelopes in the small black lacquered box beside Max so that at the end of the evening it could all be put away to be delivered to the Vic Grassi House at a future date.
Brian and Justin stayed close by to give them any help they needed but also to see what everyone was wearing when they walked through the flowered archway. There were costumes in every possible design, ranging from the incredibly beautiful and creative to the ugly and down right tacky but the boys of Pittsburgh had put on their finest tonight and everyone was on display.
There were numerous Cowboys and Indians; leather daddies and motorcycle hogs galore. Shanda Leer was dressed as Audrey Hepburn and someone else looked just like Liza Minnelli. A group of Dykes came in on the same limo dressed as Xena and Wonder Woman, Christina Aguillera in her Moulin Rouge outfit and Brittany with her snake around her neck. Even Barbara Streisand and Princess Di were represented tonight. There was every Dr. Who character imaginable, firemen and construction workers, gentlemen in ascots and top hats, Geishas in their finest silks, doctors, pirates, priests, whores and pimps. It was interesting to see people’s choices of costumes and one could only imagine the time and expense involved in perfecting their look. Vampires and Werewolves abounded as did rock stars old and new. Tina Turner, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Bowie, Jagger, Madonna, Prince…the sky was the limit. Truman Capote and Jackie O. Andy Warhol. You name it, they were there.
Brian was having the time of his life watching the long line of guests making their entrance. Jennifer and Tucker looked perfect in their Sonny and Cher outfits. Surprisingly, she looked as pretty with the long black wig as she did as a blond. Ben and Michael showed up as the Brokeback Boys, Debbie and Carl came as hippies, looking more like burnt out loadies, complete with the beads and headbands that were so cool in the seventies. Hunter and his wife were both in gothic outfits, black as the night, with nose rings, eyebrow rings and just a bunch of rings in weird places. Ted and Blake were dressed as horse jockeys in beautiful silks, perfect for their slight frames. Cynthia showed up as a dominatrix in a beautiful black leather bustier with chains and whips attached to the belt at her waist. She had her boyfriend Andrew in tow looking as meek and mild as possible, being dragged around by the chain she had on his collar.
Brian and Justin were complimented by everyone; most of the guests were huge Rage fans and even though it had been years, they still remembered. Finally, Brian spotted Daphne and Alex dressed in their Phantom of the Opera costumes. Brian walked up to Daphne and complimented her, noticing that she didn’t exactly look happy, even though she looked particularly beautiful tonight. Justin put an arm around her shoulder and walked her over to a bar where he got her a drink.
Brian turned back to Alex after watching Justin and Daphne walk off and said, “What’d you do to her, Alex? Come in her mouth?”
“Jesus, Brian, would ya give it a rest? She’s in a snit because her temp dropped this morning,” Alex stated looking at Brian with annoyance. He was still getting used to his raunchy sense of humor and even though he knew Brian much better than he did many months ago, the man continued to shock him at times with the things he’d say.
“So, is that supposed to mean anything?” Brian asked.
“It means she will ovulate in the next twenty four hours and we’re not going to be able to do anything about it because of this party. That’s why she looks unhappy,” Alex replied.
Brian looked at Alex for a while, took a sip of his drink and made a decision.
“Dr. Cherny, we are going to do something about it, and we are going to do it tonight, right here, in this house. Do you have the stuff we need in your car?” Brian asked.
“Yes of course, I always have my doctor’s bag with me. But wait a minute, Brian. This is not the time or the place,” Alex said getting agitated.
“Why not?” Brian asked.
“Because it’s not,” Alex stammered. “It should be planned and it should be done at our house.”
“Whoa there,” Brian said. “That is part of the problem Alex. You and Daphne live by the numbers; everything in your life has been planned, down to the last detail. Spontaneity doesn’t exist in your vocabulary and you guys are uptight as fuck! Look, you’ve tried it your way; tonight we are going to try this my way, the Kinney way. Are you listening Alex?”
Alex looked at Brian in stunned silence. He never thought he would ever be in a situation where he would be at a loss for words but right now he was speechless.
“Alex, are you listening to me?” Brian asked again.
“Yes,” Alex said reluctantly.
“Okay, first of all, let’s go to the bar and get you a drink. You need a couple shots of Vodka in you to loosen you up. Next we are going to get Daphne a little bit drunk,” Brian said.
“What?” Alex said. “Why?”
“’Cause she needs to loosen up too, for God’s sake. She’s wound tighter than a drum and we need for her to relax, okay?”
“Alright, and then what?” Alex asked, mystified.
“Then, we are going to party! We’re going to have dinner and dance and drink, and drink some more and get a little fucked up.”
“Okay, we can do that. And then?” Alex asked, still not getting it.
“And then the four of us are going to sneak into the house. You are going to go to one of the guest rooms, the one closest to our bedroom and you are going to fuck the shit out of your wife.”
“Excuse me?” Alex asked in disbelief.
“You heard me. You are going to fuck her every which way you can, in as many positions and as many times as you can keep it up. I want her to have multiple orgasms, to be completely exhausted and satisfied. I want you to put a smile on her face, Alex, do you understand? Do you need any Viagra, by the way?” Brian asked a shocked Alex.
“No, I do not need any Viagra,” Alex said indignantly. “I may shoot blanks but everything else works just fine. I’ve never had any complaints.”
“Okay, TMI, I’m sure it’s all good,” Brian said. “Anyway, once she’s all fucked out, you will text me and let me know. I’ll bring you Justin’s sperm somehow and you’ll inject it into her and she’ll go to sleep. You guys can spend the night. Okay? I don’t want her to move from that bed all night.”
Alex looked at his new friend with respect and gratitude. He couldn’t believe Brian was going to all this trouble to help them.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I really appreciate what you are doing.”
“Stop! Don’t get wet on me. I’m doing this for Justin, no one else,” Brian said.
“Well thank you anyway,” Alex said, reading through Brian’s words and finally figuring this guy out.
Daphne and Justin were in the general area of the bar sipping their drinks and nibbling on caviar covered Crostinni. People kept coming up to Justin, complimenting him on the beauty of the grounds and Emmett’s decorations as well as making jokes about how comfortable he looked. While he was engaged in small talk Daphne looked over at Brian and Alex, both wearing masks, huddled together, deep in conversation. At one point they busted out laughing and she had this instant moment of ‘Déjà vu’ recalling the dream she had many weeks ago, except now the players were Brian and Alex, not Max and Justin. She started feeling a little tipsy, thanks to the expensive Champagne she was drinking and decided it was part of the reason she was so disoriented by the vision of her husband and Brian with their heads together.
Max and Emmett continued to greet their guests, happy with the number of people that were showing up and listening to the excitement and energy that was filling up around them. The band was starting the thumpa-thumpa music that Emmett had insisted on, fuck wedding waltzes and polkas. Tonight was not only a celebration of their union. It was a celebration of life, of the wonderful Gay life they were all fortunate to be living, at this time in history, when changes were occurring so rapidly and landmark decisions were being made throughout the country, improving the quality of their relationships with each other and society in general.
Max’s parents were enjoying themselves in spite of the fact that they were a small minority in this huge mass of Homosexuals. Women were outnumbered twenty-to-one but despite that, the few women that were at the party were having the time of their lives. Andie was being waited on by all the men around her, Gay and straight, acting like the true princess that she was.
“It’s too bad Gus and Austin couldn’t stay for the party,” Daphne said to Justin.
“I know. It’s always tough saying good-bye to him at the end of the summer. In a way though, I’m kind of glad he’s not here. Brian would be queening all over the place worrying that one of these guys would hit on Gus and he wouldn’t have been able to have any fun.”
“Why would they hit on Gus when he’s obviously straight?”
Justin looked at her like she had just grown another boob. “Because he’s fucking gorgeous and hitting on straight men is the ultimate challenge for any Gay man. You know that.”
“Well thank God he’s not here then. We wouldn’t want Rage to get into one of his rages now would we?”
“Yeah, really. That would not be a pretty sight.”
Justin drained his glass in one gulp, signaling Daphne to do the same and then he grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor. They both had their Venetian masks on in deference to Emmett and as they joined the throng on the dance floor they noticed that the receiving line had finally eased up and Max and Emmett were making their way over to the dance floor themselves to join their guests.
“Isn’t this fucking fabulous honey?” Emmett gushed when he and Max got close.
“It’s beautiful Em. You have completely outdone yourself, that’s for sure,” Justin replied.
“And does my husband not look incredibly gorgeous?” he said looking at Max with absolute love in his eyes.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” Max said as he bent forward and proceeded to suck face.
“Oh-my-God,” Brian said, coming up to the group with Alex in tow. “I haven’t seen this many queers in one place since the last Pride parade. What’d you do Em, put a sign-up sheet in OUT magazine asking for volunteers?”
“Whatever,” Emmett said, rolling his eyes at Brian. “You look particularly studly tonight, Mr. Rage. I don’t suppose there’s any stuffing in that package you’re sporting, is there?”
Brian gave him the raised eyebrow and mouthed ‘Fuck you’ as he grabbed Justin’s hand and moved him off in another direction.
He nuzzled Justin’s neck and put his arms around him, swaying to the music, enjoying the feel of their bodies coming together.
“You still are the most gorgeous man out here,” Justin said looking up into Brian’s face.
“Thank you Sunshine. You’re just saying that because you love me.”
“I’m saying it because it’s true. What were you and Alex talking about earlier?”
“Nothing important,” Brian answered as he bent down and kissed Justin’s beautiful mouth.
TBC
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Chapter 25
Author:mickiebg
Time Frame:Post 513-Future
Rating:NC 17
Summary:Will Daphne's request destroy a 15 year relationship?
Warnings:Angst, unsafe sex, real life issues, some sappiness and much drama. If you are not 18 or older, you do not belong here.
DisclaimerI own none of this-Showtime, Cowlip and others do. Only the original characters are mine.
Authors Note:Thank you once again to the best beta in the world, the_glamster for all her help and support. My beautiful Karma icons are made by nanoa, chynnadoll17 and marilla_pm67.
A Buddhist who is fully convinced of the law of Karma does not pray to another to be saved but confidently relies on himself for his own emancipation. Instead of making any self-surrender or calling on any supernatural agency, he relies on his own will power, and works incessantly for the well-being and happiness of all. This belief in Karma validates his effort and kindles his enthusiasm, because it teaches individual responsibility.
Chapter 24
Gus turned around to look back at Brian and Justin, minutes before he went through the airport security check points. He dropped his backpack and moved over to Brian, wrapping his arms around his father’s waist and giving him a tight hug. He then moved over to Justin and did the same, holding on a little longer as he listened to Justin whispering in his ear, “Let me know how things go with Ashley, okay?”
He nodded and then picked up his backpack again, signaled Austin and moved forward towards security. They were on their way back to Toronto, to be home in time for football practice which always started a week before school did. Brian had promised Gus that he and Justin would fly to Toronto for the first home game, scheduled about a month from now. This had made Gus feel better, easing the sadness he always experienced after the end of each summer vacation.
Brian and Justin walked away from the gate, hand in hand, through the terminal and into the parking garage. They got in the car and slowly made their way out the building, stopping at the ticket booth to pay before heading towards the expressway.
“Alone at last, Sunshine,” Brian said quietly.
“I know, I’m going to miss him too,” Justin answered back.
Brian looked over at him, gave him a sad little smile, grabbed his hand and squeezed. They drove the rest of the way in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. One thinking about tomorrow’s presentation with a new client, the other dwelling on the phone call he had received before leaving for the airport.
Daphne had called to say that she had started taking the medication she needed to induce ovulation and that she had begun taking her temperature every morning to determine when the ovulation would actually take place. She explained all the mechanics of body temps rising and falling with hormonal fluctuations to Justin as he listened with half an ear. All he heard was her first sentence; that she had started the hormone therapy. Everything else after that was a blur.
The reality was that now that the wheel had been set in motion, he was terrified! He was afraid it wouldn’t work; afraid he would let her down, afraid that once again, she would face disappointment and heartache. Conversely, he was also afraid that it would work, that he would soon have a child and that his life, no matter what the terms of the agreement stated, would never be the same.
He knew he was just stressing. He needed to go see the Master, to sit in the temple and meditate with him to regain some of his internal peace, to settle his Wa and stop queening over a decision that he knew was right for everyone.
What Justin found hard to believe was the fact that both Brian and even his mother had agreed to his decision. Jennifer’s first reaction was shock, followed by tears, followed by questions. She acknowledged that because he was Gay, having a child in the conventional way would never be possible but she supposed that having a child with a person he not only loved but respected and had known most of his life was the next best thing. Her main concern was whether she would be able to acknowledge the child as family.
“Would I be considered the grandmother? Will they let me have any contact with the child?”
Justin had explained his plan, telling her about the pre-conceptual agreement and his request to be a part of the child’s life, albeit part-time. She found the whole thing a little too forward thinking and modern, however she knew her son well enough to know that once he had made up his mind about something there would be no changing it. She would have had more luck attempting to move the pyramids from Egypt to the Pitts than try and change Justin’s mind.
What changed everything was Alex’s decision to inform the child who the biological father was and all the events leading up to its birth. This would mean more involvement from everyone, specifically Justin, Brian and most definitely, Jennifer.
It was good news and bad news all at the same time. Justin had never expected Alex’s change of heart and he had to adjust his whole mind set to now accommodate the fact that if they were successful in their plans a new person would be entering his life, and not in a peripheral or virtual way. This child would know that he was the biological father and he and Brian would be more involved than either of them had ever thought they would be; much more then they had originally thought possible when this whole idea had been brought to the table. He was thrilled that he would be able to participate more in his future child’s life. On the other hand he was a little concerned.
What worried him the most was Gus’ reaction to all this. He had not said anything to him because the reality was that none of them knew if it was going to happen at this point. The future was a big question mark, so there was no sense in telling Gus and getting him upset for no reason. And upset he would be. Somehow, Justin knew that Gus would not take this well and he was very unsettled by the thought of having to tell him of his decision.
Gus had always been the center of everyone’s attention, especially Justin’s, and even when Jenny Rebecca was born, that never changed his position as top dog. Justin was determined that this birth would not do that either, if there was to be such a birth.
He was unwavering in his wish to make sure that Gus’ position in his life would never be jeopardized. He never wanted Gus to feel intruded upon by a new player, someone who would be thrust on him through no choice of his own. A person that would not be related to him in any way, blood-wise, yet who would now take up a small part of his fathers’ hearts, hearts that had previously belonged to him alone. And of course the key to making sure this never happened would be Justin and Brian and the way they dealt with the baby, if there ever was a baby.
Justin’s thoughts were interrupted by the car slowing to a stop and the engine being turned off. He looked up and was surprised to see they were home, he didn’t remember anything about the drive.
“Hey,” Brian said. “What’s going on in that pretty blond head? You seem to be a million miles away.”
“I’m just thinking about Gus and what he’s going to say or feel when he finds out about Daphne and our decision to help her. Do you think he’ll be upset, Brian?”
“Justin, you’re worrying about something that may never happen. I suggest you put that worry on the back burner until a pregnancy becomes reality, then we’ll discuss it,” Brian replied in his usual pragmatic way.
Justin reached out and wrapped his arms around Brian’s neck. He held on to him as Brian’s arms automatically moved around his body, pulling him close, holding him, reassuring him with his presence.
“It’s going to be okay Justin, I promise you. Whatever happens, we’ll get through it together, like we always have. You just have to believe that,” Brian whispered in his ear.
“I love you, Brian,” Justin replied emotionally, grateful that he had a partner who was able to read his mind and sense every bit of insecurity that floated around him as soon as it appeared.
“Me too, Sunshine, me too.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emmett sat at his desk surrounded by paper work. He had everyone at Fabulous in a frenzy of activity trying to complete the plans for the wedding reception. In his usual flamboyant manner, and in keeping with his love for theme parties, he and Max had decided that their wedding reception was going to be anything but conventional. It was going to be the most amazing, most talked about, most well remembered and best attended Masquerade ball that would ever grace the entire Pittsburgh Gay community. He was determined to make this the most memorable wedding reception in the history of Gaydom.
Invitations had gone out yesterday on rolled pieces of parchment paper, hand-printed and tied with velvet ribbons in the most beautiful shades of brown and gold and green that he could find. At the bottom of each invitation there was a sentence asking that in lieu of gifts, a small donation to the Vic Grassi House would be accepted. He and Max had everything they could possibly need or want and the thought of having to return or exchange dozens of gifts was something neither one of them wanted to deal with.
The head count was now up to two-hundred, now that he had added Max’s sister and brother to the list after just receiving their phone calls acknowledging that they would come, along with Enid and David Steiner. Most of the two-hundred guests were friends and business acquaintances of Emmett’s. He couldn’t believe that he knew so many people when he first started making the list. It was a far cry from the party of one that had arrived at the bus depot with nothing but a raggedy old backpack twenty years ago.
Emmett was heady with the anticipation; his mind filled with necessary decisions on food and liquor, the eighteenth-century livery outfits that the waiters would wear, the impending arrival of the beautiful Venetian masks that had been specially ordered for the occasion as wedding mementos. Streamers in all the rainbow colors of Pride were being prepared and Chinese lanterns in the same multi-colored shades were also being fashioned so that they could hang strategically throughout the many trees that surrounded the general area where the dancing and reception would take place. They had hired a live band, as well as the top Deejay in the business as a back-up to the band.
The party was scheduled to start at seven-thirty sharp and would probably last into the wee hours, if it was the big success Emmett was hoping it would be. Brian and Justin had graciously consented to lend them the grounds of Britin along with the use of the pool house and its restrooms for the guests. The main house, however, was off-limits as neither one of them had any desire to have it trashed and so security guards were going to be posted at all the entrances to make sure no one entered without permission.
Emmett had made hotel reservations for the Steiners and for Andie and her husband as well as Ari and his wife. He and Max had decided that it would be better if they all stayed at a hotel rather than trying to accommodate them all at home, even if they had the room. They were still dealing with boxes of Max’s things, still unpacked from his move. He didn’t think his nerves could take anymore pressure with having to deal with in-laws, on top of everything else.
Max was stressing big-time over the menu, crossing off and adding things constantly. Because he had to be at Emmett’s side, there would be no chance for him to actually be in the kitchen to supervise, so he would have to be content with delegating, a difficult thing for him under the best of circumstances. Fortunately, Brian did end up hiring his friend from Chicago, Jerry Bither, who was as good a chef as Max, and he would be in charge of the kitchen at Britin, making sure that everything Max had on the menu would be perfect!
So far, he had decided on five buffet tables to accommodate the number of people invited. Every delicacy and special cut of meat imaginable would be served. He wanted the food to be as fabulous as the entertainment and spared no detail or expense in his selection of ingredients. Lobsters and shrimp were being flown in from Maine, lamb from Australia, the best cuts of beef from the finest sources in the country. There would be platters of chicken and bowls of salad with every fruit and vegetable in season. One entire table would be devoted to nothing but desert, with a chocolate fountain as the centerpiece, pouring fresh chocolate syrup into bowls that guest could use as a dipping sauce for the giant strawberries and other assorted fruits that were flown in from California and South America just for this occasion. Cakes and pastries lovingly crafted by the best desert chef Max could find would be a gastronomic delight that would send anyone into insulin shock with just one look. The liquor served at the open bars would be top shelf of course, in addition to the flutes of champagne that the waiters would be circulating all night long. All in all, Max planned on having the best of everything, wanting his guests to leave their party with fond memories of having one of the finest meals they had ever had.
The biggest source of stress right now was deciding what costume to wear. Max had left that to Emmett who was nowhere close to making any kind of decision. He had picked and discarded so many ideas, none of them really holding his attention or appealing to his sense of drama. He wanted something that would show off Max’s wonderful assets but short of having him walk beside him naked, a definite no-no, he could not for the life of him think of anything that would be appropriate or do him justice. He finally gave up and decided to call the one person who made big bucks by never running out of ideas.
Picking up his phone, he dialed Kinnetik and asked for Brian.
“Hey Em,” Brian answered, “What can I do for you?”
“I’m fresh out of ideas for the Masquerade ball, Brian, as far as what Max and I should wear. Any suggestions?”
“Well, you could go as Siegfried and Roy, however, without the props it wouldn’t be as much fun and I doubt that you’ll be able to rent tigers and lions on such short notice.”
“Seriously, Brian, can’t you do better than that?” Emmett asked petulantly.
“I’m thinking, I’m thinking…give me a minute, Em,” Brian laughed.
“Brokeback?” Brian queried.
“No.”
“Romans?”
“Absolutely not!”
“Southern gentlemen? All white suits?”
“Hmm,” Emmett said, “Max would look gorgeous in white. That’s a definite possibility,” he muttered to himself.
“How about leather?” Brian asked. Motorcycle hogs?”
“Hell no,” Emmett said. “Honestly, Brian, you’re the big idea man and this is all you can come up with?”
“You know, most people give me a day or so to come up with something, Emmett. I wasn’t exactly thinking of costumes this very minute!” Brian snarked at him.
“What are you and Justin going to be?” Emmett asked.
“Rage and JT,” Brian said, with a big sigh. “What else?”
“Awww, really?” Emmett said.
“Yeah, I let him convince me. What the fuck, hopefully I’ll be good and drunk within the hour so I won’t see how stupid I look in spandex.”
“Honey, you know you’ll look nothing but beautiful in spandex, so don’t even go there.”
“Whatever the fuck!”
“How about something dark, Brian? Some vampire, horror kind of thing, what do you think?”
“Naa, not his type Em. I can’t see Max as the Vampire Lestat.”
“Alright, well I give up. Will you call me, if you think of anything else,” he asked.
“I will, Em. Give me a few hours, I’ll think of something and get back to you.”
“Thanks Brian,” Emmett said.
“Later,” Brian answered.
Emmett hung up and shook his head. He couldn’t believe that this was so difficult. Of course the thing that was so hard was trying to find something that would appeal to Max. He would have been happy throwing on anything that glittered but somehow he couldn’t imagine Max being too happy to see his partner in drag. He was starting to lean more and more towards the Southern gentleman thing. The whole Tennessee Williams look with the white linen suit and straw hat. That might definitely work and Max, of course, would be incredibly handsome in white.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daphne stood in front of the full length mirror in their bedroom, dressed in the beautiful pale blue ballroom gown that she was going to wear to the Masquerade ball. She was going as Christine to compliment Alex’s Phantom of the Opera. She was quite pleased with the dress she chose and because of the cut and style of the times, her breast’s, which normally would never draw any attention but which were nice and full thanks to the wonderful world of hormone therapy, were literally spilling over her bodice. Alex’s eyes had bugged out of his head when he saw her dressed and she had to throw him out of the room before he proceeded to tear her dress off.
“Jesus Christ, Alex,” she said. “You’re acting like you’ve never seen my boobs before.”
“Never like that,” he said with a definite leer in his voice.
She continued to twirl around, looking at herself from all angles, deciding that all was well and that so long as she didn’t gain one ounce she would be able to wear the dress to the party without making a spectacle of herself.
The only thing that was a little disturbing was the fact that the party couldn’t have come at a worst time. She was almost in the middle of her cycle which meant she would ovulate any day now and if it happened on the day of the party there was no way she was going to get Justin to do his thing; which would mean they would lose out on this month’s opportunity. If that were the case, would he tack on another cycle or would that just leave her with two more tries? She decided to shelf the worry for now, a talent she was becoming extremely adept at, and deal with it if and when it came up. Since the party was only two days away, she might get lucky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was the night of the party and Britin had finally quieted down after the flurry of activity all day long. The electricians, florists and decorators had left. All the tables were set up. All the lanterns were hung, streamers positioned, the torches were burning, flowers overflowing their vases and tables groaning with platters and platters of silver that were soon going to be piled high with food. The bars, all three of them, were stocked and ready to go. The waiters were dressed in the black and white outfits that Emmett had picked out, with white wigs and white gloves. Their pants were skin tight, showing off every beautiful bulge, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. They had little black vests on top with no shirts underneath, eye candy for everyone. Every single waiter was under the age of twenty-five and could have been a model. Every last one was incredibly beautiful; definitely hand picked by their host for all the hungry eyes that would be roaming that night.
Brian looked out the window of their bedroom, watching the men down below. He turned to Justin who was dressed in his simple blue jeans, athletic shoes and short sleeved cotton shirt with a matching t-shirt underneath.
“That’s not a JT outfit, that’s a Justin outfit,” Brian said, frowning at him.
“You think I’m not aware of what JT is supposed to look like? I’ve only drawn him about four million times.”
“Well you look way too comfortable while I on the other hand feel like I’m stuffed into this outfit like a sausage in its casing.”
“Ah, and what a sausage it is,” Justin said as he smiled at Brian.
“Really?” Brian asked, turning back to the mirror and looking at his body from every angle. He didn’t look a day over thirty-five and he knew it. He just wanted to hear Justin say it so that he could walk out there secure in the knowledge that every fag within ten feet of him knew it too. The costume clung to him like a second skin, showing off every ripple and cut of muscle on his arms and back and legs, not to mention the very prominent bulge at his groin. Every minute spent at the gym was now paying off. Every night of pushing away the plate of pasta was definitely worth it to see the lust lurking behind his partner’s eyes. It was flattering and most satisfying to know that at forty-five he still had that kind of animal magnetism.
Justin walked up to him slowly and wrapped his arms around Brian’s waist, pulling him closer so that he could feel the bulge pressing against him.
“How exactly does one take off this costume, Rage, or do you just blink an eye and everything falls off like magic?”
Brian smiled at Justin as he felt the blonde’s hands starting to make little circles on his ass, moving forward in the general direction of his dick which was definitely showing signs of distress at this point.
“I’m not sure JT, but you’d better figure it out fast. I’m about ready to rip this fucker off ‘cause if you don’t put your mouth on my cock in the next two minutes, I’ll definitely have a Rage moment.”
Justin laughed and proceeded to gently peel off the spandex outfit to alleviate the immediate problem.
Thirty minutes later, they were out in the garden, listening to the band warming up and waiting for Max and Emmett to show up. In a few minutes their limo pulled up and they got out. They were both dressed in exquisite white Armani suits in the finest linen, Panama hats in hand. Even their shoes were the whitest of white, hand stitched, Prada, no doubt. They had matching red roses on their lapels and even Brian had to acknowledge that they were both drop dead gorgeous.
Just behind their limo, another pulled up and the doors opened to reveal the entire Steiner family coming out one by one. Andie Levin dressed as Marie Antoinette was stunning. Every bit of bling on her body was real, much to Brian’s delight, and she sparkled like a Christmas tree. There must have been at least one hundred thousand dollars worth of diamonds on her and she completely outshined her husband who was dressed as Louie XVI. Her brother Ari and his wife were dressed like Israeli Freedom Fighters, complete with pretend Uzi’s strapped to their backs. Mama and Papa Steiner were, of course, the Fiddler on the Roof and his Yenta. Certainly an eclectic bunch, Brian thought to himself.
The waiters started circulating, their trays filled to overflowing with flutes of Champagne. The band began to play and Max and Emmett positioned themselves at the entrance, near the flowered archway. A large table covered with the Venetian masks stood over to their right. Each guest was handed one as they arrived and they in turn laid their money envelopes in the small black lacquered box beside Max so that at the end of the evening it could all be put away to be delivered to the Vic Grassi House at a future date.
Brian and Justin stayed close by to give them any help they needed but also to see what everyone was wearing when they walked through the flowered archway. There were costumes in every possible design, ranging from the incredibly beautiful and creative to the ugly and down right tacky but the boys of Pittsburgh had put on their finest tonight and everyone was on display.
There were numerous Cowboys and Indians; leather daddies and motorcycle hogs galore. Shanda Leer was dressed as Audrey Hepburn and someone else looked just like Liza Minnelli. A group of Dykes came in on the same limo dressed as Xena and Wonder Woman, Christina Aguillera in her Moulin Rouge outfit and Brittany with her snake around her neck. Even Barbara Streisand and Princess Di were represented tonight. There was every Dr. Who character imaginable, firemen and construction workers, gentlemen in ascots and top hats, Geishas in their finest silks, doctors, pirates, priests, whores and pimps. It was interesting to see people’s choices of costumes and one could only imagine the time and expense involved in perfecting their look. Vampires and Werewolves abounded as did rock stars old and new. Tina Turner, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Bowie, Jagger, Madonna, Prince…the sky was the limit. Truman Capote and Jackie O. Andy Warhol. You name it, they were there.
Brian was having the time of his life watching the long line of guests making their entrance. Jennifer and Tucker looked perfect in their Sonny and Cher outfits. Surprisingly, she looked as pretty with the long black wig as she did as a blond. Ben and Michael showed up as the Brokeback Boys, Debbie and Carl came as hippies, looking more like burnt out loadies, complete with the beads and headbands that were so cool in the seventies. Hunter and his wife were both in gothic outfits, black as the night, with nose rings, eyebrow rings and just a bunch of rings in weird places. Ted and Blake were dressed as horse jockeys in beautiful silks, perfect for their slight frames. Cynthia showed up as a dominatrix in a beautiful black leather bustier with chains and whips attached to the belt at her waist. She had her boyfriend Andrew in tow looking as meek and mild as possible, being dragged around by the chain she had on his collar.
Brian and Justin were complimented by everyone; most of the guests were huge Rage fans and even though it had been years, they still remembered. Finally, Brian spotted Daphne and Alex dressed in their Phantom of the Opera costumes. Brian walked up to Daphne and complimented her, noticing that she didn’t exactly look happy, even though she looked particularly beautiful tonight. Justin put an arm around her shoulder and walked her over to a bar where he got her a drink.
Brian turned back to Alex after watching Justin and Daphne walk off and said, “What’d you do to her, Alex? Come in her mouth?”
“Jesus, Brian, would ya give it a rest? She’s in a snit because her temp dropped this morning,” Alex stated looking at Brian with annoyance. He was still getting used to his raunchy sense of humor and even though he knew Brian much better than he did many months ago, the man continued to shock him at times with the things he’d say.
“So, is that supposed to mean anything?” Brian asked.
“It means she will ovulate in the next twenty four hours and we’re not going to be able to do anything about it because of this party. That’s why she looks unhappy,” Alex replied.
Brian looked at Alex for a while, took a sip of his drink and made a decision.
“Dr. Cherny, we are going to do something about it, and we are going to do it tonight, right here, in this house. Do you have the stuff we need in your car?” Brian asked.
“Yes of course, I always have my doctor’s bag with me. But wait a minute, Brian. This is not the time or the place,” Alex said getting agitated.
“Why not?” Brian asked.
“Because it’s not,” Alex stammered. “It should be planned and it should be done at our house.”
“Whoa there,” Brian said. “That is part of the problem Alex. You and Daphne live by the numbers; everything in your life has been planned, down to the last detail. Spontaneity doesn’t exist in your vocabulary and you guys are uptight as fuck! Look, you’ve tried it your way; tonight we are going to try this my way, the Kinney way. Are you listening Alex?”
Alex looked at Brian in stunned silence. He never thought he would ever be in a situation where he would be at a loss for words but right now he was speechless.
“Alex, are you listening to me?” Brian asked again.
“Yes,” Alex said reluctantly.
“Okay, first of all, let’s go to the bar and get you a drink. You need a couple shots of Vodka in you to loosen you up. Next we are going to get Daphne a little bit drunk,” Brian said.
“What?” Alex said. “Why?”
“’Cause she needs to loosen up too, for God’s sake. She’s wound tighter than a drum and we need for her to relax, okay?”
“Alright, and then what?” Alex asked, mystified.
“Then, we are going to party! We’re going to have dinner and dance and drink, and drink some more and get a little fucked up.”
“Okay, we can do that. And then?” Alex asked, still not getting it.
“And then the four of us are going to sneak into the house. You are going to go to one of the guest rooms, the one closest to our bedroom and you are going to fuck the shit out of your wife.”
“Excuse me?” Alex asked in disbelief.
“You heard me. You are going to fuck her every which way you can, in as many positions and as many times as you can keep it up. I want her to have multiple orgasms, to be completely exhausted and satisfied. I want you to put a smile on her face, Alex, do you understand? Do you need any Viagra, by the way?” Brian asked a shocked Alex.
“No, I do not need any Viagra,” Alex said indignantly. “I may shoot blanks but everything else works just fine. I’ve never had any complaints.”
“Okay, TMI, I’m sure it’s all good,” Brian said. “Anyway, once she’s all fucked out, you will text me and let me know. I’ll bring you Justin’s sperm somehow and you’ll inject it into her and she’ll go to sleep. You guys can spend the night. Okay? I don’t want her to move from that bed all night.”
Alex looked at his new friend with respect and gratitude. He couldn’t believe Brian was going to all this trouble to help them.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I really appreciate what you are doing.”
“Stop! Don’t get wet on me. I’m doing this for Justin, no one else,” Brian said.
“Well thank you anyway,” Alex said, reading through Brian’s words and finally figuring this guy out.
Daphne and Justin were in the general area of the bar sipping their drinks and nibbling on caviar covered Crostinni. People kept coming up to Justin, complimenting him on the beauty of the grounds and Emmett’s decorations as well as making jokes about how comfortable he looked. While he was engaged in small talk Daphne looked over at Brian and Alex, both wearing masks, huddled together, deep in conversation. At one point they busted out laughing and she had this instant moment of ‘Déjà vu’ recalling the dream she had many weeks ago, except now the players were Brian and Alex, not Max and Justin. She started feeling a little tipsy, thanks to the expensive Champagne she was drinking and decided it was part of the reason she was so disoriented by the vision of her husband and Brian with their heads together.
Max and Emmett continued to greet their guests, happy with the number of people that were showing up and listening to the excitement and energy that was filling up around them. The band was starting the thumpa-thumpa music that Emmett had insisted on, fuck wedding waltzes and polkas. Tonight was not only a celebration of their union. It was a celebration of life, of the wonderful Gay life they were all fortunate to be living, at this time in history, when changes were occurring so rapidly and landmark decisions were being made throughout the country, improving the quality of their relationships with each other and society in general.
Max’s parents were enjoying themselves in spite of the fact that they were a small minority in this huge mass of Homosexuals. Women were outnumbered twenty-to-one but despite that, the few women that were at the party were having the time of their lives. Andie was being waited on by all the men around her, Gay and straight, acting like the true princess that she was.
“It’s too bad Gus and Austin couldn’t stay for the party,” Daphne said to Justin.
“I know. It’s always tough saying good-bye to him at the end of the summer. In a way though, I’m kind of glad he’s not here. Brian would be queening all over the place worrying that one of these guys would hit on Gus and he wouldn’t have been able to have any fun.”
“Why would they hit on Gus when he’s obviously straight?”
Justin looked at her like she had just grown another boob. “Because he’s fucking gorgeous and hitting on straight men is the ultimate challenge for any Gay man. You know that.”
“Well thank God he’s not here then. We wouldn’t want Rage to get into one of his rages now would we?”
“Yeah, really. That would not be a pretty sight.”
Justin drained his glass in one gulp, signaling Daphne to do the same and then he grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor. They both had their Venetian masks on in deference to Emmett and as they joined the throng on the dance floor they noticed that the receiving line had finally eased up and Max and Emmett were making their way over to the dance floor themselves to join their guests.
“Isn’t this fucking fabulous honey?” Emmett gushed when he and Max got close.
“It’s beautiful Em. You have completely outdone yourself, that’s for sure,” Justin replied.
“And does my husband not look incredibly gorgeous?” he said looking at Max with absolute love in his eyes.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” Max said as he bent forward and proceeded to suck face.
“Oh-my-God,” Brian said, coming up to the group with Alex in tow. “I haven’t seen this many queers in one place since the last Pride parade. What’d you do Em, put a sign-up sheet in OUT magazine asking for volunteers?”
“Whatever,” Emmett said, rolling his eyes at Brian. “You look particularly studly tonight, Mr. Rage. I don’t suppose there’s any stuffing in that package you’re sporting, is there?”
Brian gave him the raised eyebrow and mouthed ‘Fuck you’ as he grabbed Justin’s hand and moved him off in another direction.
He nuzzled Justin’s neck and put his arms around him, swaying to the music, enjoying the feel of their bodies coming together.
“You still are the most gorgeous man out here,” Justin said looking up into Brian’s face.
“Thank you Sunshine. You’re just saying that because you love me.”
“I’m saying it because it’s true. What were you and Alex talking about earlier?”
“Nothing important,” Brian answered as he bent down and kissed Justin’s beautiful mouth.
TBC
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Chapter 25