The Marble Wall

Part 2

The bourbons at the chef's table of The Gazebo restaurant kept coming while Tony tried to figure out his next move. He didn't have much time. Both of his boys would be home soon, expecting a frolicking reunion in penthouse four. How was Tony supposed to pull that off following the bomb David had just dropped on him? Of course the first thing that crossed Tony's mind was protection. The Royal Trio didn't use any. They didn't have to. They were in an exclusive relationship, at least that's what Tony thought up until now. Did the trick bring his own? Did Brian pick up a box of condoms at the airport, or did he just say fuck it, and throw caution to the wind? At this point, who gave a shit? Even in the best case scenarios, when both partners were being careful about HIV, there were still other STDs to consider. Crabs, syphilis, herpes.... Oh, this was so fucked up! Damn Brian for jeopardizing what they had going for a 100mile fuck.

Tony didn't hear the waitress when she returned. "Mr. Massey, would you like me to refresh your drink?" she asked. Without looking up, he eased his empty glass across the table, where she removed it, and replaced it with another bourbon.

For what had transpired, Tony blamed himself. He knew about Brian's insatiable appetite for variety. Perhaps that's why it came as no surprise to anyone that it took not one, but two good men to even slow him down. Maybe if Tony had spent more time with him. Between working, and overseeing the erection of Camelot, Brian and Justin were often already asleep when Tony arrived home. Maybe this time Tony had taken on more than he could handle. After all he wasn't thirty-five anymore, and his mirror was starting to reflect that. Could it be that Brian had been biding his time all along, waiting until Justin's obsession with his older lover was over so the two of them could resume their previous relationship? Before Tony stepped into the picture it was clear that Brian Kinney had found his protégé, a fresh newbie, infatuated, and eager to please, Brian began grooming him right from the start. Justin followed Brian sometimes unwillingly to the backrooms, back alleys, and circuit parties of underground Pittsburgh, where he soon acquired a similar reputation to his mentor. The dashing twosome easily became the pride of Liberty Avenue, known for their all night stands, and open door policy. It was Tony who showed Justin that there was another side of gay life outside of casual fucking where men actually dated, and courted, and fell in love. Perhaps what Tony had to offer was too old fashioned, too passé by today's standards. That would explain why Justin insisted on keeping both of them, rather than making a choice. How the hell did Tony allow himself to be seduced into a threesome situation? Threesomes aren't serious relationships. They're not meant to be permanent. Brian knew that, and that's why he didn't give a second thought about resuming his activities with other men.

Tony finished his fourth drink. This time the waitress didn't bother to ask. Instead, she promptly came over to remove his empty glass, and replaced it with a new one.

Sadly, Tony knew what he had to do, but it wasn't going to be easy. Things would be different if it were only he and Brian involved, but there were other hearts to consider. During their time together, Gus had become attached to his new father. The two shared secrets together like sightseeing rides in Tony's limo, and sneaking over to The Gazebo after school for giant sized ice cream sundaes. Tony found it endearing when Gus confided in him about his secret crush on Megan, a little girl at school, and he was even more surprised when Gus asked him for instructions on how to kiss her. It was Gus who taught his new dad to love pineapple pizza, and the joy of spitting off of the rooftop of The Plaza. Yes, Tony would miss that special bond with the son he knew he'd never see again. Hopefully Mel and Lindsey would be able to smooth things over for him, and Gus wouldn't end up hating him too much. And then there was Justin, the binding member of The Royal Trio, the one Tony really worried about. There was no Mel, or Lindsey to look after him. With Tony gone, Justin would be left with Brian. One could only imagine how long it would take to convert him back to the "circuit lizard" that Brian always wanted him to be. David was right. Tony deserved a love of his own, and he couldn't turn the whore of Babylon into a housewife.............

"Mr. Massey."

"Yes?" Tony looked up to find his waitress, and the manager of The Gazebo standing over him.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'm cutting you off. I think you've had enough," the manager said.

Tony downed the remainder of his drink. "I think you're absolutely right. I've definitely had enough," he said.
 

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Two days, three nights, and thirteen hours. That's how long Brian's first solo venture away from his new life had taken him. Brian Kinney had been on dozens of business trips before, and he was always happy to return home, but this reunion was special. This reunion marked the first time he was returning home to a family. Justin showing up at Kinnetics earlier only served to wet Brian's appetite for the night that was to come. Which one did he want first, the wild ass-pumping ride of Justin, or the smooth calculated strokes of Tony? Either way it was a win, win situation.

"Flowers for sale! Flowers for sale! How about you sir? Some flowers for the Mrs. perhaps?" A street vender outside of Kinnetics extended a bouquet of red roses to Brian.

Brian paused for a moment to recall all the times he didn't buy flowers for Justin. At the time it seemed like such a lesbian thing, until Tony sent a giant floral arrangement to Justin at the Liberty Diner. It was those flowers that initiated Justin and Tony's first date. Someone once said that those who do not learn from their past are doomed to repeat it. "Let me have two of your best bunches," Brian said to the vendor.

"Two? You are either a very lucky man, or you are in the shit house." The vender laughed.

"This time I'm lucky." Brian paid for the flowers, and went on his way.

Lucky indeed. Brian's encounter with Blondie served to remind him of just how far he had come, and how easy it would be to lose everything he now held dear. It was that spirit of remembering that drove Brian back to his old loft one last time before the dividing wall came down, and the marble wall connecting the unit next door, and the lives of Justin Taylor, Brian Kinney, and Anthony Massey went up. Brian slid the steel door open, and stepped inside. The old place was just as he remembered it, modern and spacious, with an impressive view of the distant Pittsburgh skyline. He could still recall where each piece of designer furniture had been strategically placed. Jennifer was right. Even now, empty and full of dust, this was clearly a "fuck pad". In fact, if Brian closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply, he could probably still smell the testosterone from all of the men who were privileged to have crossed the threshold to his bed. No doubt they left with memories to last them a lifetime about a young auburn haired man, with hazel eyes who gave them a night worthy enough to brag about with their buddies years from now when they were sitting in their rocking chairs, on the front porch of the old queens retirement home.

Speaking of memories, there was one night that Brian would never forget. It was the night he met his two babies for the first time. One came into his life kicking and screaming. The other one came into his life, and decided to stay. Brian could feel the tears welling in his eyes. He had never been a superstitious man. However, if there was any truth in destiny and the planets being in perfect alignment, they were certainly aligned in his favor that rainy night. Justin might have been just another one-night-stand if Gus hadn't been born that night, and Brian would never have met Tony if it wasn't for Justin. People often talk about miracles, but few have actually ever experienced them. To this day, Brian still considered that night, and the events that followed, which lead his heart to this place, nothing less than miraculous...................

The sound of the steel door opening suddenly echoed through the loft. "I thought I heard someone over here," Tony said.

"You scared the shit out of me!" Brian clutched his chest. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you at The Plaza?"

"I could ask the same thing of you," Tony said.

"I wanted to get one last look at the old place before the marble wall went up," Brian said.

"Fond memories?" Tony asked sarcastically.

"Some," Brian admitted. "But not as fond as the memories yet to come. I was thinking about that right before you walked in."

There was no need to beat around the bush. Stalling longer wasn't going to make it any easier. Tony took a deep breath, then reached inside his jacket pocket, and grasped the Tahitian pearl choker. "Brian...." he began.

"Wait! Hear me out," Brian interrupted him. "It's not often that I feel like this. Let me enjoy the moment. I was just thinking about the night I brought Justin here for the first time. That was the night Gus was born. If it hadn't been for the two of them, I would have never met you...."

"Brian..." Tony began again.

"I'm not finished," Brian said. "No one has ever built a home for me. I want to thank you for that."

"That's not true. You had a home when I met you," Tony reminded him.

"I had a place, this place, a fuck pad. A modern, well furnished, expensive fuck pad," Brian corrected him. "Those things don't make a home. It takes people to make a home. That's a lesson Justin tried to teach me, but I wasn't ready to learn. It wasn't until I nearly lost Justin to you that I realized how much I loved him, and it was you forcing me to grow up that made me fall in love with you. I can't wait till that old wall comes down, and our marble wall goes up, because I know that you and Justin will be on the other side of it waiting for me."

Tony held onto the choker. Now the son-of-a-bitch gets an epiphany! Well, it was too late now. Brian should have thought about this BEFORE he fucked that model. "Brian...."

"I know I come with a lot of baggage, Tony, and I know there are those who would say that Anthony Massey could do better. Let me prove them wrong," Brian said.

Speaking of epiphanies. While talk shows may thrive on jilted lovers confronting their cheating mates, Tony suddenly realized that was not the answer for his particular situation. In all of his years he had never heard such an unsolicited, heartfelt plea, and he certainly didn't expect to hear it coming from Brian Kinney. Confrontation is overrated. Sometimes love means taking your knowledge to the grave with you, and that's exactly what Tony decided to do when he released the choker, and allowed it to drop back down inside his jacket pocket.

"You never told me why you came here," Brian said.

Tony moved in closer, and wrapped his arms around Brian's waist. He pretended not to notice the tremble in Brian's voice, how limp Brian felt in his arms, and the obvious tears that had found their way down Brian's face. "I came here to check on our beautiful marble wall," Tony smiled.

 

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