Across The Pond
Chapter 2
JR and Jacq pulled up to the hotel in Philadelphia where they would stay for a few days before their flight to London. JR looked over at her new wife. It seemed a little strange to think that they were finally married, but it also felt so wonderful. They had truly committed to each other. She smiled as she got out of the car, while Jacq spoke to the valet who would park the car in the hotel garage.They proceeded inside with a bellhop bringing in the several bags they would need for their stay in England.
Shortly after the ceremony, Jacqueline surprised JR with a slight change in their itinerary. Instead of staying at Jacq’s apartment in Philadelphia, they were staying at a lovely hotel where they could be pampered prior to their flight. Jacq called it their honeymoon before the honeymoon and JR loved the idea.
After checking in and getting settled in their room, Jacq stared at her new wife and smiled. They had been very quiet during the long drive to Philadelphia. She wondered how JR was feeling especially after what her father had done, or rather not done at their wedding.
“Want to talk about it?” Jacq finally asked.
JR turned to look at her wife. “I’m kind of hungry. Could we go to the restaurant or order room service?” she asked.
Jacq took the clue that JR wasn’t ready to talk about the wedding. “Which would you prefer?”
“Let’s check out the restaurant,” JR said with forced enthusiasm. “I feel like being waited on.”
“Restaurant it is,” Jacq agreed. Maybe it would be easier to have conversation with other distractions around. They wouldn’t get too serious.
Once they were seated and had placed their orders, Jacqueline decided to try to get JR to talk. “How does it feel to be a married woman?” she asked with a small smile.
JR smiled back. “It feels a little strange. Nothing’s changed, but somehow it does feel different.”
“I agree,” Jacq said as their waitress brought them two glasses of wine. “May I make a toast?”
“Of course.”
“To the lovely lady who consented to marry me and is now my beautiful wife.”
JR smiled and clinked her glass against Jacq’s. “That was … nice.”
“Just nice?”
JR giggled. She raised her glass. “To the lovely lady who consented to marry me and is now my beautiful wife.”
“That was … nice,” Jacq said with a grin.
They clinked glasses again and had a chuckle.
“It’s good to hear you laugh,” Jacq observed.
After they had eaten some of their meal, mostly in silence, Jacq thought that maybe she could broach the elephant in the room.
“You’ve been awfully quiet ever since the wedding.”
JR sighed and let out a long breath. “What can I say? I have an idiot for a father. I have no explanation for what he did. I still can’t believe he just disappeared from our wedding. What is wrong with him? He didn’t even say anything. He almost ruined everything, and he doesn’t even care.”
Jacq studied her wife waiting to see if JR had anything more to say. When JR remained silent, Jacq took her hand and caressed it gently. “I’m sure your father thought he was doing the right thing. He’s never really liked me or thought I was good enough for you. He probably thought you’d call off the wedding and that would be the end of his problems with me.”
“If that’s the case, then he’s even stupider than I thought he was. He knows I love you. If he was trying to make me choose between you and him, he should have known that he’d lose every time.”
“I love you,” Jacq said squeezing her hand.
“Backatcha.”
“What’s going to happen when we come back from London? How will you two ever…” Jacq didn’t know how to finish that question.
“Reconcile? Tolerate each other? Co-exist? I’m not sure any of those are possible, and at the moment I don’t really care. I want to forget about him and enjoy being married to you. I want to go to London and have a fabulous time. I want to have the best honeymoon humanly possible. I’ll worry about my father when the time comes.”
“A philosophy to live by,” Jacq said with a smile.
“A philosophy to love by,” JR agreed.
“Shall we go upstairs to our room?”
“You’re such a sweet talker! How could I possibly say no,” JR replied with a giggle.
“Check please,” Jacq said as the waiter was passing by. “I’ll just sign for dinner and then we can be alone.”
“Sounds like heaven,” JR said as Jacq scribbled her signature on the check.
*****
“Dada?” Bree called as she made her way up the steps to her father’s office.
“Up here, Squirt. What’s up?” Brian asked as Bree entered his office.
“Are you busy?”
“Never too busy for you.”
“I know,” Bree said with a frown.
“Is that a bad thing?” Brian asked, puzzled at her expression.
“Of course not. I … I’m just wondering how Uncle Michael couldn’t find the time to attend JR’s wedding. She’s his only daughter. How could he do that?”
“That’s a question to which I don’t have the answer.” Brian knew this might be coming but he truthfully could not explain Michael’s decision to leave the wedding.
“Didn’t he know it would hurt JR?”
“I think he probably did.”
“Then why would he do it?”
Brian shook his head. He really had no answer. “Michael has never been easy to figure out.”
“But you’ve known him forever.”
“And I’m none the wiser.”
“I just don’t get it. I know he doesn’t like Jacq all that much, but he loves JR, doesn’t he?”
“I’m sure he does.”
Bree shook her head. There was a long pause. “Dada, if I was getting married to someone you didn’t like, would you stay away from my wedding?”
Brian stared at her. “Squirt, I’ll always trust your instincts. If you think the person is the right one for you, then I have nothing to say about it. I would happily walk you down the aisle on the most important day of your life.”
“I love you so much, Dada!” Bree said as she flung herself at her father.
As they hugged, Brian said, “I love you right back and always will.”
Right then he resolved that he would do exactly as he said, even if it took every fiber of his being to see it through. He swore to himself that he’d never be Jack and he’d certainly never ever be Craig.
*****
“Knock knock! Mama, you decent?” Gus shouted as he opened Mel’s apartment door and popped his head inside with his eyes tightly closed. He laughed when his mother bopped him on the head. Raymond wisely remained outside in the hallway until the coast was clear.
“Wise ass,” Melanie mumbled. “And don’t take this as a compliment but you’ve learned too many bad habits from your father,” she griped. “Come in Ray,” she then added as she opened the door wider to allow them inside. Gus pecked her cheek as did Ray.
“You on your way to the airport?” Mel asked, noting their carry-on bags.
“Yup, we have a car arriving soon,” replied Gus. “The Jeep’s at Mom’s.” Mel nodded.
“Is that all you’re taking?”
“We did learn a few good habits from Brian. We shipped most of what we need a while ago,” said Ray.
“Makes sense,” said Mel. “You’ll be there to greet the girls,” a statement, not a question.
“Yes,” Gus reassured his mother. He searched her eyes for a moment. “She’s okay. Pissed as hell at Michael but okay. She’s a strong woman.”
“I know she is, but…”
“You’re her mother and you worry. She’s fine or will be and she has Jacq. That woman could break Michael in two,” Gus said giggling.
“Stop it,” said Mel trying to be stern but failing. She too broke out into giggles. Ray just shook his head and smirked.
Just then a buzzing noise was heard. Both Gus and Ray pulled out their phones. “The car will be here soon,” said Ray. “Do you have anything for Shane or Pierre?”
“Yes,” said Mel, suddenly in lawyer mode. She handed Ray a neatly secured folder containing documents for Isles and Rose. Ray was aware of them but would study them on the long flight to London.
Another buzz went off.
“You better get going and call me when you land,” Mel said as she gave both boys a hug and a kiss.
“You have to come over soon,” said Gus as he opened the door.
“I will, I promise,” said Mel. “Love you!”
“Love you too.”
And then they were gone.
Mel stood near the door for a moment. Her apartment was quiet. The whole building was currently quiet. She decided to make a call.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“They just left?”
“Yes,” spoken with a sigh.
“Would you like to come over? I have a nice bottle of wine chilling in the refrigerator?”
“You sure? Because that sounds heavenly.”
“I’m sure.”
“Can I bring anything?”
“Snacks?”
“Got it. See you in a few.”
Melanie smiled as she pulled out a tray of neatly cut fruit, a variety of cheeses and meats that would probably send her cholesterol levels sky high. But what the hell, you only live once and now both her children were flying off out of the country.
Mel quickly packed up her tray, adding a few bags of munchies then left for Lindsay’s house. When she arrived, Lindsay opened the door to let her inside.
“Are you planning on feeding an army?” Lindsay asked when she spied the numerous bags of snacks and the fullness of the tray. Melanie blushed as she shrugged her shoulders. “Empty nest syndrome?” Mel nodded. “Come on,” said Lindsay as Mel followed her to the kitchen.
While Melanie unwrapped the tray, Lindsay took out bowls for the chips, pretzels, and the other comfort snacks. The women worked in concert setting out their feast on the dining room table.
“The good glasses,” Mel commented as Lindsay brought two lovely cut crystal wine glasses to the table with a bottle of their favorite wine.
“We deserve it,” Lindsay replied. On impulse, Lindsay swept Mel into her arms for a long hard hug. Melanie briefly stiffened then relaxed in Lindsay’s safe arms and hugged back. After a moment, Lindsay released Mel and said, “Let’s celebrate the next phase in our lives.”
Melanie poured out the wine, and she and Lindsay clinked glasses before digging into their feast.
*****
“Hello?” a familiar voice shouted from somewhere near the front of the cabin.
“Around back,” Ben called out. Glen followed the path around to the back porch of the cabin. He found Ben luxuriating in a hot tub.
“Wow, this is new,” Glen stared…at the hot tub not at Ben, well Ben too but it was the hot tub that took most of his attention.
“I had John install it last month. Didn’t your Mama ever teach you that it’s impolite to stare?”
“Yeah, but I was a difficult child,” Glen retorted.
“Of that I have no doubt. You want in?” Ben casually asked. Glen’s eyes grew wide. “In the tub, I mean.”
Glen appeared to be contemplating the question.
“Do you have to call home for permission,” Ben teased. Glen shook his head.
“No, but just trying to think up a good excuse,” Glen admitted.
“Try saying, ‘Hi Alex, Ben has a new jacuzzi and he invited me to try it. Do you mind?’ Or better yet, ask him if he’d like to join us. We have plenty of room,” Ben suggested.
“Really?”
“Do you have anything else that you have to do today,” Ben asked.
“No, not really.”
“Well then,” Ben said with a poignant look.
“All right!”
Within fifteen minutes Ben, Alex, and Glen were all luxuriating in the hot tub. As the jets temporarily bubbled away all cares, woes, aches, and pains, Alex asked a question.
“Ben, asking as your friend not as your doctor, are you okay? We’re here for you in any capacity,” said Alex. Glen mumbled an agreement.
“Thank you, and as friends, you may hear me bitch and moan. But I have to come to terms with the fact that my marriage has been in trouble for years. Everyone knew it but I chose to ignore it.”
“You weren’t ignoring it,” Glen said behind closed eyes. The bubbles were working their magic on him. “You were working very hard at saving your marriage. But sometimes there comes a point when things are beyond fixing. You’ve done everything a committed partner could have done. This wasn’t a failure on your part; it does take two people to make a relationship work,” Glen said as he briefly opened his eyes and gave Ben a poignant look. Glen closed his eyes and went back to enjoying the bubbles.
“I sometimes forget that there’s a very smart psychologist behind all that snark,” Ben casually mentioned to Alex.
“Unfortunately, he never lets me forget it,” Alex remarked. The man in question made a rude gesture.
For the next hour or so, there was silence except for bubbling water, birds, bees, and the occasional manly crude noise.
*****
“Y’all having a party and you didn’t invite me? Not sure if I should feel insulted.” Brian said as he suddenly appeared on the porch. He blatantly admired the good looking men before him. “You’re all pruned.”
“Fuck, Brian, wear a bell!” shouted a startled Ben.
“Tut tut, language, Professor. I’m here to invite you all to dinner,” said Brian.
“No, Brian, not another carnivore special,” Ben whined.
“I promise, not a cow or hog in sight. Just fish, lean chicken, and plenty of fresh green stuff. What do you say, boys?” Brian stood staring at his friends with hands on hips.
“It’s not ethical to ogle your doctor,” Alex said, feeling slightly uncomfortable under Brian’s scrutiny.
Brian gave them a “who me?” innocent look, which wasn’t fooling anyone.
“Give us an hour,” Glen deadpanned, answering for the group.
“Perfect, see ya!” Brian left as silently as he had arrived.
“How does he do that?” Alex ventured the question.
“We’ve learned not to ask,” Ben flatly replied. “He’s right,” Ben commented as he held up a hand for inspection. “I am pruned.”
“This was very nice,” remarked a grateful Alex. “A wonderful way to relax.”
“You have my permission to use it anytime. Just give me the heads up, so I can get it running and warm up the water,” said Ben.
“Thank you but we wouldn’t want to take advantage,” said Alex.
“Nonsense. John did a wonderful job incorporating the tub in the overall esthetic of the cabin. It would be a shame not to use it. As a matter of fact, I was planning to continue my exercise routine, if Glen wouldn’t mind spotting me. Nothing really heavy, just a light routine for maintenance. We can use the tub after exercising.”
“I imagine I’ll be gym bunny widow again,” Alex said dramatically.
“Just think of all the quiet reading time you’ll enjoy without me blabbing away at you,” said Glen.
“Hmm, there is that. In that case, we accept,” said Alex with a grin.
Eventually the boys got out of the tub, dried off then went to change for dinner.
*****
Gus and Ray were picked up at the airport with efficiency by Stuart and Nathan then chauffeured to the Cranston House. The boys were updated regarding improvements that were completed including the conversion of the old nursey into an artist’s studio. The boys were looking forward to inspecting all the renovations.
As Stuart pulled into the driveway, Nathan pressed the button on the remote which opened the large gate. “This is new,” remarked Ray.
“Yes, sir. It was suggested by Ms. Renaud,” replied Nathan. The large gate that allowed access to the cobbled drive and to the courtyard in the back of the house, now electronically swung open instead of using the keypad and having to open by hand. Plus, a small section of the gate closest to the house was made into a “people” gate. The construction was done preserving the original gate that stood there for hundreds of years. Hidden security measures were also included.
“Are Hudson and Cook home?” Gus asked.
“Yes, sir,” came the reply as they pulled to the back of the house and parked.
The back of the house, which was a bit utilitarian looking when they first saw the property now had a more pleasing look, complementing the peacefulness of the park land directly across from it. With the large doors cleaned up, the back entrances were as polished as the heavy main front door.
“This had to be Hudson,” said Gus with a wide grin. Stuart and Nathan both smiled as they nodded.
“Masters Gus and Raymond, welcome home,” said Hudson as the family entrance door opened and the woman who made all things possible in their new home, greeted them. “I know you’re tired from your long flight, however Cook has prepared a light meal,” said Hudson.
The boys dutifully followed Hudson through the labyrinth of halls and doors that led them to their main floor suite. Throwing open each adjoining door for effect, the sight was magnificent. It was like stepping back in time but with all the modern conveniences. When the last door was thrown open, they were greeted by Cook, a myriad of dainty sandwiches, and their favorite coffee. Gus and Ray profusely thanked Hudson and Cook before digging in.
In between bites, the boys went over the tentative itinerary regarding occupancy for the summer. JR and Jacq would be arriving in a couple of days. Brian, Justin, Bree, and other extended family should be flying over as soon as school was out for the summer. The house should be full until at least mid-August. The boys also filled in Hudson and Cook about the wedding and how it didn’t quite go according to the original plan but it was beautiful nevertheless.
Before the boys started to fade, they managed to let Hudson and Cook know that they had plans to stay until at least November, depending how well it went with the German galleries. Hudson assured the boys that the house and staff would be ready. The boys had no doubts. While Hudson escorted the boys to their suite, Cook wrapped up the remainder of the sandwiches. He also started cooking a few easily reheated meals for the boys’ convenience.
After a long hot shower and several calls home, the boys finally made it to bed.
“Was that Gus?” Justin asked Brian as he ended his call. They were quietly lounging in the sunporch watching the sun set over the horizon.
“Yes. They made it safely to the house, were fed, watered, showered, and now ready to crash,” replied Brian.
“You certainly have a way with words,” Justin said with a snicker.
“That’s why they pay me the big bucks,” Brian boasted.
“Is it now, I thought it was all due to your charms.”
“And which charms is that, Sunshine?”
“Take me to bed and I’ll show you,” Justin purred.
“How can I possibly refuse?” Brian asked as they got up to go to their room.
“You can’t,” Justin said with confidence as he led his man to bed.
Hours later after some playful lovemaking the boys were cuddling.
“I think we should take Debbie, Carl, Claire and Steve with us to London,” said Justin.
“I was also thinking of inviting Ashley’s mom,” said Brian. “I don’t remember the last time she had a real vacation. Peter and Ashley are close. It wouldn’t hurt him to have a mother figure in his life.”
“First off, who are you and what have you done with the real Brian Kinney. Secondly, I thought Peter’s gay.”
“He’s gay like Lindsay’s a lesbian. He and Joe appear to be headed in the same direction as Gus and Ray did when they first met, starting out as good friends then ending up as a couple. However, he and Ashley have a lot in common and they’re very comfortable in each other’s company. I’m not making assumptions, just observations. Either way, we have a big house with many rooms; it would be nice to fill it with people we love.”
Justin rolled over to plant himself onto Brian’s chest. Looking down on him Justin said, “You are the sweetest man. I love you so much.” Justin began to kiss and love the stuffing out of Brian.
“I guess you approve of my idea?” Brian asked between kisses.
“Whole heartedly. We should start making phone calls in the morning. We may get some push back from Susanna but…”
“But I can remind her of the discounts we get from Liberty Air,” said Brian.
“Exactly. Uh, what about Ben?”
“I did tell him to pack his passport but I wouldn’t push him,” warned Brian. “He may feel better staying on the lane for now. He’s been thinking in twos for years. For a man like him, it won’t be easy going back to being single. Besides, the Wilders have rallied around him.”
Justin gently kissed Brian’s lips. The times when they were apart for more than a day or two took a heavy emotional toll on them. Justin could sympathize.
Their kissing deepened and so did their lovemaking.