Compromising Positions

Part 1

 

After employing his legendary negotiation skills to talk the owners of Brentwood Hills into allowing his family admission into Pittsburgh’s newest, and most exclusive, gated community, Anthony Massey, the man known for his Midas Touch had also talked the owners down yet another million off of their original asking price. And so it was with complete bewilderment that Tony announced that the deal was off, then stormed out of the realtor’s office.

Jennifer looked across the conference room table at Justin. “What just happened?” She mouthed to her son.

“I don’t know.” Justin shrugged his shoulders.

“Where’s Brian?”

“I don’t know.” Justin tried to keep his voice down.

“Is Tony coming back?”

“Mom, I don’t know!”

“This is an outrage! You tell your “HUSBAND” that we’re going to bill him for wasting our time!” Mr. Brentwood bellowed at Justin. “I’ve tried to be fair to you people. You wanted to move to Brentwood Hills, and against my better judgment, I thought I’d give you a chance…..”

“Excuse me?” Tony’s twin brother lawyers, Kenneth, and Bishop Davenport caught the libelous insinuation.

“Now see here!” Jennifer rose from her seat. “How dare you refer to my son as YOU PEOPLE?”

The embarrassing situation was rapidly spiraling out of control. With Jennifer’s protective instincts awakened, and both sets of lawyers now positioning themselves for a verbal brawl, Justin grabbed his mother’s arm, and led her out of the office.

“Your father said this was going to happen. He predicted that Brian would screw things up.” Jennifer fussed, as she, and Justin hurried through the parking lot.

“Get in the car mom,” Justin said.

“Wait till your father hears about this. He’s going to just die! We have friends, and your father has business associates who live in Brentwood Hills.” Jennifer slid into the driver seat.

Justin raced around to the passenger side. Talk about Murphy’s Law, the lunch hour rush was now in full bloom, and so was Jennifer. Justin closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the headrest of his seat, in a feeble attempt to try to drown out his mother’s voice.

“I’ve tried to understand your world, Justin, but this is too much. First you announced you were gay. Fine. Then you insisted on being with Brian, a man thirteen years your senior. Fine. Then you wanted a man old enough to be your father..!”

“Mom, would you please just drive?” Justin whined.

Jennifer continued. “You’ve been the topic of every disagreement your father and I have had since we got back together. Do you know how it feels to see your son’s name in the newspaper as being Pittsburgh’s first gay polygamist?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” Justin said.

“Don’t you get snippy with me, young man!” Jennifer hissed. “Your sister is embarrassed to go to school, and what just happened here this afternoon will be all over the country club by tonight…!”

Justin cursed himself a thousand times. He should have followed his first mind, and driven his own car to the realtor’s office, instead of meeting Tony, and riding with him from The Plaza. Now look at what’s happened. Both of his husbands were missing in action, and Justin was stuck in traffic listening to his mother nagging.

That goddamn Brian. What was wrong with him now? He loved the Brentwood Hills duplex, at least that’s how it appeared when Jennifer was pointing out all of its features. Tony, and Brian had both marveled at the landscaping. Together they visually deconstructed the place, deciding where new skylight windows would be put in, what type of furniture would have to be ordered, and where Justin’s studio would be located. What happened in the realtor’s office wasn’t making any sense. The only possible reason Justin could think of that would cause Brian’s sudden change of heart was his history with his beloved loft.

“You just wait until your father hears about this…!” Jennifer ranted on.

 

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Back at Michael’s shop, the Liberty Diner’s Tuesday meatloaf specials were but a memory. With their bellies full, and just a few customers thumbing through the new releases, Michael and Brian sat at the counter, and continued their conversation.

“Look at us, we’ve both got our own businesses, and our own families. I guess we’re all grown up now.” Michael sighed. “Did you ever think we’d be sitting here together, two old married queens?”

“Speak for yourself, I’m only 29.” Brian batted his hazel eyes.

“In your dreams,” Michael chuckled.

“No, in my dreams I’m 19.” Brian smiled. “I guess I’m still married. I might even be a widower by now.”

“Why do you say that?” Michael asked.

“Hell hath no fury like Anthony Massey scorned. Tony may have very well stroked out when I didn’t show up to close the deal on Brentwood Hills. He doesn’t like to be placed in compromising positions that makes it appear as if he’s not in control,” Brian said.

“He sounds like David.” Michael understood.

“Doctor David. Paging Doctor Cameron!” Brian teased. “Do you ever think about him?”

“Sometimes,” Michael admitted. “I miss how wise he was. Not that Ben is dumb, after all, he is a college professor, but David was wise, always well organized, always in control. That’s what I loved about him. He was the kind of man I wanted to be.”

“Like Tony. If I couldn’t be me, I’d want to be Tony,” Brian said.

“What about Justin?” Michael asked.

“I’d want Justin’s ass.” Brian grinned.

“I’m not talking about that. I mean doesn’t it bother you that you have to share Justin with Tony?” Michael rephrased his question.

Brian thought for a moment. “No, not really,” he said. “Of course you’d have to be there with us to understand the complexities of our unorthodox relationship.”

“Unorthodox relationships, is that what they’re calling three-ways these days?” Michael smirked.

Both friends laughed.

“If you had it to do all over again, what would you change?” Brian asked.

Michael thought for a moment. “We came out in the age of HIV. Just one time, I’d like to do it raw,” he said.

“You’ve never done it raw?” Brian looked surprised.

“Well neither had you until Justin!” Michael reminded him.

“What about with David?” Brian suspected.

“Never once,” Michael reiterated. “Now it’s too late. It doesn’t matter how long Ben and I are together, we’ll never be able to have that closeness, that bond that you and Justin, and Tony have. I’m so fucking jealous.”

Brian’s eyes momentarily drifted off. “I’d better get going.” He stood up from his seat.

“Already? You might as well wait until the lunch hour traffic has died down,” Michael suggested.

“Nope. I’m a married man now. I have to get home to my husbands.” Brian smiled.


NEXT WEEK: Compromising Positions, pt 2

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