Druid II

Chapter 7

Brian turned his head to study his partner. Justin slept peacefully next to him. The first rays of morning sunlight were peeking through the drapes in the bedroom. It had been a sleepless night for Brian. His mind was racing with terrible thoughts about what Jennifer Taylor must think of him. He wondered if she’d be leaving like Quinn and Maggie had. If she didn’t leave, he could only imagine how tense the next days would be.

With a heavy heart he threw back his covers and got up. Justin continued to sleep, so Brian headed for the bathroom, deciding a shower was what he needed.

About twenty minutes later he appeared in the kitchen where Mrs. Hopkins had a pot of coffee ready for him. He poured a cup and sat down at the kitchen table.

“I think your party went very well,” Mrs. Hopkins ventured to say, “until those policemen came to the door.”

Brian glanced over at her. “I would totally agree with you. After the police left, it took a major nosedive.”

“What happened?”

“Let’s just say we are only seven for breakfast, and two of those are highly questionable.”

“But you said Mr. Quinn and the older lady would likely go back last night,” Mrs. Hopkins said with a questioning look on her face.

“They couldn’t wait to get out of here. Mick and Pats would have gone too, if Justin hadn’t begged them to stay.”

“I see.”

“Do you?” Brian asked acerbically. He was in no mood for pleasantries. “Justin’s mother and sister probably won’t come down for breakfast, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they have found a flight back to the United States of America for later in the day.”

“But…”

“I really don’t want to rehash it,” Brian said abruptly. “If you would make breakfast for those that want it, I would appreciate it. I’m going out.”

“Out?”

“Yes, out. And don’t tell me that I have guests to look after. Justin can take care of them, and they’ll all be much happier if they don’t have to look at me.”

Brian walked out of the kitchen, leaving a stunned Mrs. Hopkins wondering what had happened. She heard the front door close signifying that Brian Kinney had indeed left the building.

 

*****
 

“Morning, Mrs. Hopkins,” Justin said as he entered the kitchen. “Is anyone else up?”

“Only Mr. Kinney.”

“Yeah, I know he’s up. Have you seen him?”

Mrs. Hopkins handed him a mug of coffee. “He went out.”

“Out?”

“That’s all he said, ‘I’m going out’, and then he was gone,” Mrs. Hopkins explained.

“He didn’t say anything about where he was going or how long he would be?”

Mrs. Hopkins shook her head. “Nary a word.”

“Shit,” Justin muttered.

“Justin, I need to speak to you,” Jennifer said from the doorway to the kitchen.

“I have coffee if you’d like some,” Mrs. Hopkins offered. “I’m about to make some breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry,” Jennifer said abruptly. “Justin, I need to speak to you … in private.”

“Okay, Mom,” Justin replied wearily. He took the mug of coffee that Mrs. Hopkins had poured for Jennifer, and carrying his own coffee as well, he followed his mother into the library. He handed her the coffee when she stopped inside the formal room.

“I have to leave, Justin. Molly and I want to go home,” Jennifer said firmly. “I need your help to change the airline tickets. And I want you to come with me.”

“Mom, you don’t have to go, and my life is here now.”

“I have to leave and you should too.”

“Mom, I know about Brian’s past. This isn’t a shock to me.”

“And because you know about his sordid history, I’m just supposed to accept it and welcome him with open arms? I don’t think so.”

“I’m just asking you to give Brian a chance. He’s really changed his life since I met him.”

“Justin, I cannot condone leaving you here with this man, a man being investigated by the police.”

“He's not being investigated, Mom.  They just talked to him.”

“Nonetheless, I want you to come back to the States with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Justin declared. “I love Brian, and I trust him.”

“You’re being unreasonable…”

“I’m being unreasonable? Why can’t you give him a fair chance?”

“Maybe because I don’t think he deserves one,” Jennifer said bitterly. She couldn’t believe her son had hooked up with such a man.

“You really should give Brian a chance,” a voice said from the doorway. It was Pats with Mick standing silently behind her. He nodded in agreement. He held a sleepy Little Mick in his arms. “I’m sorry to butt in, but I heard you as I came down the stairs,” Pats continued. “I’ve known Brian longer than either of you. He’s like a brother to me. You have no idea what his life was like.”

“I’m not sure I want to know,” Jennifer said haughtily.

“At least talk to him before you go running off to America,” Pats continued. “And before anyone goes running off anywhere, I’m starving. Any chance of breakfast?”

“Mrs. Hopkins is cooking as we speak,” Justin said with a smile of thanks for his cousin’s support. “Let’s go get some breakfast. Mom, please think about staying. You can talk to Brian when he gets back.”

Jennifer was about to tell them all to go stuff themselves when Molly appeared as well.

“Mom, you should talk to Brian,” the young girl said. “I think he’s … okay.”

“And that makes all the difference,” Jennifer said sarcastically.

“Let’s eat,” Justin interrupted before the two women in his life could get into it.

 

*****
 

As breakfast was drawing to a close, Justin kept glancing at the door to the dining room. He willed Brian to come back. Pats had been working on his mother trying to get her to see reason where Brian was concerned. Even Molly, bless her heart, did her best to convince Jennifer to stay in Ireland, and maybe talk to Brian.

Jennifer remained cool and aloof with all of them. Even Little Mick could barely elicit a smile from her when he tried to feed her some toast.

“Justin, I really could use your help to change our airline tickets,” Jennifer said as she finished her coffee. Apparently all their attempts to dissuade her from leaving had been for naught.

“Okay, Mom,” Justin said resignedly. What else could he do when Brian wouldn’t even put in an appearance? Justin pushed his chair back from the table.

As he and Jennifer walked towards the library where the computer was located, Jennifer stopped and took Justin’s hand.

“Justin, your father and I are not getting along. Things have been … bad. I need you to come back to Pittsburgh with me.”

Justin shook his head. He had been waiting for his mother to confirm that she and his father were going to divorce. This was not what he had expected. Surely she didn’t think he would pack up and leave his partner because of it.

“Mom, I can’t leave Brian. I love him,” Justin replied.

As Jennifer was about to tell her son that he deserved much better than this Brian Kinney person, they heard the front door open. It was Brian. He looked at the two of them standing in the foyer of what was his home, his home with Justin.

“I hope everyone had a nice breakfast,” Brian said with no sound of emotion in his voice. “Jennifer, I’d like to speak with you … please.”

Jennifer looked up at the handsome man who was her son’s lover. He looked tired, like maybe he hadn’t slept much. That was good, because she hadn’t slept well either.

“Talk to him,” Pats said softly, as she and her family and Molly had come into the foyer to make sure Brian was all right.

“No!” Jennifer said emphatically.

Brian looked at all the faces staring at him. He knew it was now or never. “Mrs. Taylor, library now!” Brian commanded. He turned on his heel and walked into the library. He prayed she would follow.

“Go with him, Mom. You have to work this out,” Justin pleaded.

“Go, Mom, please,” Molly added.

With a heavy sigh Jennifer gave in. She turned toward the library door where Brian had disappeared. Her back became rigid as she walked across the foyer. She entered the library. Brian immediately closed the door behind her.

“That won’t keep me here, if I choose to leave,” Jennifer informed him.

“I won’t try to stop you after I have my say,” Brian said his eyes a deep green. He was trying to hold his temper in check. He had a feeling he was losing.

“I’m not used to being ordered around. I wouldn’t have followed you, but everyone seems to think you can explain your … lifestyle.”

“I’m not explaining anything to you,” Brian said tersely. “I love your son, and I would be pleased if we could get along. However, I won’t allow you to ruin my relationship with Justin. If you try to take him away from me, I will fight you to the end.”

“You certainly have your nerve,” Jennifer sneered. “You’re the one with the questionable past and the police visiting your home. You can’t tell me what to do.”

“If you want to leave, I’ll gladly help you out the door. Just don’t try to take Justin with you,” Brian warned.

Jennifer studied the handsome face. She had not seen such passion from Brian Kinney before. She knew in that moment how much he truly did love her son. But that didn’t make him any less unsuitable for Justin. “I’ll take you up on that offer of help to leave Ireland,” Jennifer said icily. “The sooner the better.”

Brian nodded and turned to open the door.

Jennifer watched him, wondering if he would really walk out … just like that. Brian reached for the door knob. “Brian, wait,” Jennifer said suddenly. Something wasn’t right. Maybe they did need to talk. “Aren’t you going to defend yourself?” She had expected him to try to convince her that he was a good man, worthy of her son, someone who had turned his life around. She had expected him to plead with her. She had expected contrition on his part. He made no attempt to do any of that.

“I never explain myself, or my … life. It is what it is. I’m far from perfect as you have undoubtedly surmised. However, if you want to hear the story, I’ll tell you, but I doubt it will change anything.”

Jennifer swallowed. This man was infuriating and arrogant, but he was also fascinating. She had expected apologies and … groveling, but apparently he didn’t do that. She could see what Justin must love about him. What was that expression, an enigma wrapped in a … mystery, or some such thing. “I think I’d like to hear your story,” she conceded. “Before I go…” she added so that he knew her resolve to leave was strong.

He nodded in agreement. “I know it’s early, but I could use a drink. How about you?”

She smiled then. “Sure.”

He poured them each a scotch and they sat down in the armchairs near the fireplace.

“The story starts when I was about twelve…”

 

*****
 

“Did you hear anything?” Justin asked as Pats came back into the dining room. They had all decided to wait in the dining room where they could have coffee and nibble on muffins. Pats had been sent to listen at the library door.

“Just low voices,” Pats replied. “I couldn’t make out anything they were saying.”

“At least they’re talking and not shouting at each other,” Mick said.

“It might be better if they were,” Justin said weakly. He hated this waiting.

“Mom can be … okay … sometimes,” Molly advised them all.

They continued to wait. Mrs. Hopkins brought more coffee, and milk for the children. She set a bowl of fruit on the table for anyone who might want it.

“What are they doing in there for so long?” Justin asked as he twirled his coffee cup around. He let out a long sigh.

“Maybe it’s good that they’re talking so long,” Mick suggested. “Working some stuff out.”

“Or figuring out how to kill each other,” Justin threw in.

Mick chuckled. “That would certainly solve the problem.” That earned him a glare from Justin. “But then we’d have the police on the doorstep again,” he added as an afterthought.

“’Nana,” Little Mick said.

“Peel him a banana, Mick,” Pats said as she handed her son to her husband. She wanted to listen at the door once again … just in case she needed to do something about whatever was going on behind that door.

As she walked across the foyer, the door to the library opened.

“Oh!” Pats said in surprise. “I was just coming to see if you’d murthered each other.” She looked Brian and Jennifer up and down. They both seemed to be okay, no visible scars.

“That thought did occur to each of us,” Brian said.

Jennifer chuckled. “Yes it did.”

Pats stared at them. They seemed to be … friendly. “What the hell happened in there?” Pats blurted out.

Jennifer gave a quick glance at Brian. Pats could almost swear she saw him wink at her.

“What’s going on with you two?” Pats asked.

“We’ve come to an understanding,” Jennifer said.

“That’s it?” Pats demanded. “An understanding?”

Brian nodded.

“Well, I don’t understand how that came about, but I’ll happily accept that it’s so,” Pats said with a smile.

“You two are okay?” Justin said from the doorway of the dining room. This was much more than he had hoped for. Both his mother and his partner nodded. “That’s good.”

“Yeah, good,” Brian repeated.

Jennifer gave him a look that said he better shape up. Brian grinned … just a little bit. It was nice to be on good terms with his partner’s mother. Did that make her his mother-in-law? He couldn’t help but shudder just a little bit at such a thought. His life was certainly different from what it used to be. Telling Jennifer about his old life made it all seem so far away. Brian knew that the Brian Kinney from that life no longer existed. Maybe that was what he had been able to get across to Justin’s mother during their discussions.

“Do you guys want something to eat?” Justin asked. “I’m sure Mrs. Hopkins could whip up some eggs.”

“I could use a little food,” Jennifer said with a little giggle. “The alcohol is kicking in.”

“Alcohol?” Justin asked.

“I could hardly tell my life story without a few drinks,” Brian said with his tongue stuck in his cheek.

“And I could hardly listen to his life story without a few drinks,” Jennifer giggled.

“Eggs, coming up, immediately,” Justin said hurrying to the kitchen to alert their housekeeper.

“I think you could use some coffee, Jennifer,” Pats said wrapping her arm around Jennifer’s waist and steering the slightly tipsy woman towards the dining room.

“I venture to say you could use some coffee too,” Mick said.

“Coffee, Uncle Bri,” Little Mick said taking Brian’s hand.

“Does everyone in this fucking house think I can’t hold my liquor anymore?” Brian demanded, but he let himself be led into the dining room.

They all got seated at the long table. Justin returned with a new carafe of coffee and the promise that scrambled eggs and toast would appear momentarily.

Neither Brian nor Jennifer seemed willing to discuss what went on in the library, so the conversation turned to what Jennifer and Molly would like to do while they were in Ireland, now that they seemed to be staying.

As Jennifer and Brian were finishing up their eggs, the front doorbell rang. Brian frowned and looked at Justin.

“I’ll get it,” Justin said to Mrs. Hopkins who stuck her head out of the kitchen. She nodded and disappeared back into the kitchen.

A couple of minutes later Justin appeared at the entrance to the dining room. “Brian, the police are here again. They want to speak to you.”

Brian drew in a breath. He had thought, hoped, that Thierry’s death was behind him. Slowly he stood up. “You’ll have to excuse me for a few minutes,” he said. “Apparently the constabulary isn’t done with me yet.” He walked towards the foyer.
 

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