Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction. It contains characters who share names, descriptions, etc., with real-life people (specifically members of the groups *N SYNC and Backstreet Boys and their families); however, this is all fantasy and in no way is to insinuate anything about any real-life people.
Special thanks to Eriker--as always! And to everyone who takes time to read!
Okay, I eat my words. Here's a chapter NOT in telephone format. But I don't promise any more like this! Hope you enjoy it! Please let me know . . . e-mail me at storywrightr@aol.com.
All Grown Up 17--All Together
As Justin pulled up in front of Brian's beachfront cottage, he saw a car turning in from the other direction. It wasn't until they each stepped from their cars that Justin realized it was Nick.
"Hey Nick! How's it goin'?" Justin called to the other man.
Nick smiled. "Hey Justin. All's goin' well, thanks. How bout you?"
"Pretty good. Actually very good!" Justin smiled as they came together in front of the cars and paused. "Well, we're here at the appointed time. How you think these two got along today?"
"It'll be interesting to see. JC was actually pretty excited about coming. He was looking forward to hearing Brian's work, and he brought some of his stuff too. I think he was also dying to see the house--he's heard so much about it from both of us."
"Yeah, it was like he thought he was missing out on something," Justin said, laughing again. "Hope it went well."
"Well, let's go see," Nick suggested, and the two walked toward the front door.
Justin rang the bell, and they waited for someone to let them in. After a minute or two, the two men looked at each other. "Think the bell doesn't work?" Nick asked, as he took a turn pressing the button.
Still having no response, Justin started rapping hard on the door. "Ow that hurts. And nobody's answering anyway."
Nick took a turn knocking, but to no avail.
"Come on, I think we can get around the side and to the back of the house. I bet the doors are open back there," Justin suggested.
The two men helped each other through the overgrown shrubbery at the side of the house and then on around to the decking across the beach side of the cottage. As they stepped onto the deck, they could hear the piano, as well as the joined singing voices of Brian and JC.
Justin and Nick paused and looked at each other shaking their heads. "One's as bad as the other," Justin said with a smile.
"Yep, we should have known; get these two together and they won't hear the door bell--they probably wouldn't even feel an earthquake," Nick said, starting to walk across the deck. Justin followed.
They arrived at the French doors opening to the living room where they could see JC and Brian sitting together at the piano singing a song Justin remembered Brian having played for him the previous week.
When the singers came to the end of the piece, Nick called into them, "Hey, do you ever answer your door bell?"
JC and Brian both looked up, startled--then smiled at Nick and Justin. "Hey guys! When did you get here?"
"Well, we got here a few minutes ago, but since you wouldn't answer the door, we had to hack our way through the jungle to get back here and climb onto the deck," Justin said, smiling at Brian.
"I'm sorry," Brian said quietly, smiling intensely at Justin. There was a pause, as JC and Nick observed how Brian and Justin stared into each others' eyes.
"So, have fun today?" Nick asked JC.
"Yeah it was great. I can't believe it's as late as it is."
Finally Brian and Justin broke their stare. "Yeah, it was a great day. A lot of fun," Brian added, finally looking over at Nick. "You guys hungry?"
"Brian, Nick hasn't changed that much in the last twenty years! He is ALWAYS hungry!" JC said with a laugh.
Brian smiled. "Good. You might NEED to be hungry to want to eat what I prepare."
"Hey, if you're grilling fish again, it's very good--don't put it down!" Justin said.
"Well, that was the plan. That okay with everyone? I got some tuna steaks I was going to sear on the grill. I was going to make a salad. And I have some great bread from Mario's Bakery. Oh, and some chips and stuff too," Brian said, laying out the proposed menu.
"Sounds wonderful!" JC spoke up. Brian smiled at him. "What can I do to help?" JC offered.
"You want to start the salad? I can get the grill ready for the fish."
"Sure. Just, wanna help?" JC asked.
"Um, sure. I can do that," Justin answered. He followed Brian and JC into the kitchen off the living room. Nick stayed out on the deck, turning to enjoy the view over the Pacific Ocean.
In the kitchen, Brian started pulling all kinds of salad makings out, placing them on the counter. He had three kinds of greens, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, green onions, broccoli, and cauliflower. "I have a couple kinds of cheese in here too," Brian said, indicating the refrigerator. "And we can toast some croutons if you want--bread's on the counter. And there's balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the counter."
"Wow, you want all this stuff in the salad?" Justin asked.
"Oh," Brian said, looking slightly embarrassed, "Whatever you think."
"I think it all looks great!" JC said. "But we could cut up the broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots and just have them to pick on separate from the salad--maybe with some dip."
"Sure, that sounds good," Brian said, looking relieved. Now it was Justin's turn to feel embarrassed--at having embarrassed Brian. "I'll go get the grill started."
"Do you think I embarrassed him?" Justin asked JC when Brian was gone. "I didn't mean to."
"Nah, he's not that sensitive, is he?" JC asked, starting to wash the vegetables.
"I hope not," Justin said, staring after Brian.
"Here, get to work cutting the broccoli," JC said. Justin smiled at him and did as he was told. "So why didn't you hug him?"
"What?" Justin asked, almost cutting his finger, startled by JC's question.
"The two of you are so silly. You stare at each other like love birds, but don't go near each other. Tell me you don't usually greet each other with a hug--at least?" JC asked his friend. "You don't have to be so self-conscious around us."
"Don't we? I guess not. But it does feel a little awkward," Justin said with a thoughtful look on his face. "It feels strange. I mean, it was awkward when it was just the two of us-- at first; but I guess this is the next step, to feel comfortable around other people. Especially people who knew us before." Justin was staring intently at his work.
"Hey, it's okay. Just relax. You'll get comfortable with it all again," JC said with a very caring look.
"Thanks. . . . Hey, how did the day go?" Justin said with renewed spirits.
"Really good. Like you and Nick said, Brian's doing some great work! We're talking about doing some stuff together. I'm really excited about it!" JC said, his excitement obvious in his voice and expression.
"Cool," Just said with a big smile. "Hey, did you see any dip or anything in the frig?"
"There's some sour cream. Let's see what else we can find," JC answered.
Out on the deck, Nick walked over to where Brian was preparing the gas grill. "It's so beautiful here, Bri."
Brian looked up with a smile. "Thanks. I really love it. . . . And it's nice to have a chance to share it." The two smiled at each other for a few moments.
"You enjoy today?" Nick asked.
"Oh yeah! It was so cool. I mean, it's fun to play stuff for you and Justin--you both get into it, but . . . " he trailed off.
"But JC is into it the way you are," Nick finished for him. "It's okay--believe me, I know how he can get lost in writing. I don't think Justin would be insulted if I grouped him with me--that we play at it and enjoy it; but you and JC, you can just lose yourselves in it for hours at a time. I think it's wonderful--for you; but it's not my thing. I'm glad you two can share it."
"Yeah, I guess that's it," Brian said with a small smile.
Just then JC and Justin came out on the deck with a couple platters of veggies and the dip they had prepared. "Here's some stuff to nibble on while we prepare the salad," JC said, as they placed the platters on the table.
"Isn't it beautiful here?" Nick asked JC as they walked over to the railing of the deck to stare out over the beach and water.
Justin turned and approached Brian. "JC said I should hug you," Justin said with an innocent look on his face.
"What?"
"He suspected that we would have greeted each other with a hug-- or as he said, 'at least' a hug--if they hadn't been here," Justin continued.
"Oh," Brian said, as Nick and JC returned from the rail and Nick grabbed something to eat.
"Well?" Justin asked. Brian looked at him a bit startled and embarrassed.
"Well what?" Nick asked while crunching a crisp carrot in his mouth.
"I had just told Brian that JC thought that we should greet each other the way we usually do--if no one is around; that we should feel comfortable even with you guys here," Justin answered Nick but stared deeply into Brian's eyes.
"Oh," Nick said, stopping his chewing. "Um, what does the usual greeting entail?"
Justin and Brian broke their stare to look at Nick. "Just asking!" Nick said a little too loudly. They all broke into a laugh after a few moments of awkward silence.
"Just this," Justin answered, as he approached Brian and wrapped his arms around him. Brian hesitated only a moment before returning the hug, his eyes closed and his face buried in Justin's shoulder. They pulled back from each other, Justin with a broad smile, Brian with just a slightly self-conscious smile.
"That wasn't bad--I remember a lot worse from the two of you!" Nick said. He looked up to see three sets of eyes on him. "WHAT?" Again the tension was broken as the other three burst into laughter, Nick soon joining them.
When all the food was prepared, the four gathered around the table on the deck. As they ate, the sun began to sink behind the ocean, creating a beautiful sky of reds and oranges and blues. They sat in silence for the most part, enjoying the view, their food, and the company.
After dinner, still in the dusky light of the setting sun, they left the plates and dishes on the table to walk down to the water's edge. "Brian, we are all jealous as hell of you and your beach!" JC said. "We're moving in! You have room for all of us?"
Brian smiled, proud of his home and feeling almost overwhelmed by the renewed friendship and love of these three men. Justin moved to his side and took his hand, smiling proudly at him. JC moved to Nick, and they joined hands as well.
"I guess we should move inside," Justin said some minutes later. The others seemed to ignore him. "Well, I love it out here too, but we have to go in sometime." They all smiled at him and turned toward the house. As they came up on the deck, they each grabbed something from the table and managed to clear it all into the kitchen in one trip.
"Leave everything here, I'll get it later," Brian said. "Let's go into the living room."
Justin walked to the refrigerator. "Pelligrino for everyone? I'll cut up a lime."
"Sorry I don't have any wine," Brian said meekly.
"Don't be ridiculous--water is fine! And a lot better for all of us!" JC reassured him.
Sitting in the living room, Nick asked Brian, "So anything else from Jackie? You heard from her again?"
"Nick!" JC said in disbelief.
"It's okay," Brian said. "I don't mind. Actually it's kind of nice to know you guys care and are supportive. . . . And no, we haven't talked again. I think I just have to accept that she is who she is, you know? I mean, I should be used to it by now. And actually, the conversation made it somehow more comfortable--we were both more honest with each other than ever before. We might not have said nice things, but it at least kind of cleared the air."
"Well, few mothers are easy--especially about this subject! My mom has been okay through the years, but she hasn't always hidden her disappointment real well. JC's the lucky one--and through him, I'm lucky too. His mother has been really good to us," Nick said.
"She has been great--I mean, after an initial period of surprise-- though I'm not sure she was ever really surprised. She seemed to know before I did!" JC added.
"Yeah, she's always been great to all of us. You all know my mom has been up and down with the thing. I do think she's gotten better through the years though," Justin commented on his own situation. "Not sure what lies ahead with her though," he barely mumbled.
The men fell silent, each lost in his own thoughts.
"Well, I hate to break this up, but I have that early meeting tomorrow," Nick said with real regret.
"Yeah, we better head out. You coming Justin?" JC asked.
"Sure, I'll walk you out," Justin said.
The four men walked out the front door. Walking toward Nick's and JC's cars, they paused to look at each other with expressions of true loving friendship.
"It's been wonderful," Nick said, stepping forward to hug Brian.
Brian returned the hug. "I hope you'll come back again soon!"
Justin and JC smiled at them, then at each other, as they too joined in a hug. "I'm SO happy for you," JC whispered.
Justin drew back with a smile on his face as he looked into JC's eyes. "Thanks. That means a lot coming from you."
"Well, I mean it."
After a couple more moments of staring at each other, JC turned to Brian. "Thank you SO much for today! I really enjoyed it!"
"Wanna come back next Tuesday?" Brian asked.
"Really? I'd LOVE to!" JC said excitedly. "Here or my place?"
"Either one."
"Actually, I'd like to come back here--if you don't mind; we can always go to the studio if we get to the point of wanting to lay something down," JC suggested.
"Sounds great," Brian responded.
"Cool!"
"Okay, I'm on my way," Nick said. "Or I'll never get up for that meeting with AJ tomorrow." As soon as the words left his mouth, he cringed.
JC closed his eyes. Justin looked at Brian with concern. Brian just smiled and said, "You better get going then. Thanks again for coming. Maybe we can make a weekly thing out of it."
Nick looked at Brian with a look of apology.
"It's okay," Brian whispered to him. "Night."
"You going?" JC asked Justin.
"No, I'm, um, going to help, um, clean up," Justin responded, looking between JC and Brian.
"Oh. Sorry. I mean, good for you. Um, whatever," JC answered, obviously flustered. "Night guys. Thanks again, Bri." Brian and Justin smiled at JC.
As Nick and JC drove away in their cars, Justin and Brian walked back into the cottage, hand in hand.