Sorry for the upload delay. Family stuff has kept me away from the computer. It is going to be difficult to get much else uploaded this week, but I promise that as soon as things settle down I will get some more uploads going.
Chapter Sixteen: There's Never a Good Day for a Funeral
It is finally Saturday and Brian isn't anxious to get out of bed. Normally this would be for a different reason, but this morning sex is actually the last thing on his mind. He doesn't know how he is going to be able to say goodbye to one of his oldest friends and most of all help his son get through it all without too much emotional anguish. His question is answered when he sees stirring coming from the under the sheets beside him.
Justin pops his head out from under the covers, stretches his arms above his head and turns to see the look of anxiety on Brian's face. He reaches over and places his hand on his husband's chest and rubs comforting circles over his torso.
"Brian you don't have to worry. I know how close you and Lindsey were and that today is going to be difficult for you even if you can't admit it out loud. Just remember that I'll be right beside you all day. You've always been the one giving me a shoulder to lean on; when the kids bullied me at school, after the bashing, when I thought I would have to quit school, after the bombing and too many other times to count. I know you don't like to talk about such things for fear that it will affect your reputation as a cad, but I don't care. Today you will lean on me. Whatever you need you just let me know, and I'll be there."
"Shit, I didn't think it would hit me this hard. I just talked to her last week and now she's gone. She was the only one who could keep me in line; not even Michael could accomplish that task. I always claimed to be so fucking independent, but Lindsey always saw right through it; telling me how I needed you just as much as you needed me. She knew I was full of shit when I told her I could care less about you."
"I always said she was one of the smartest people I ever met. Just try not to worry too much okay. I'm going to go get Gus up and ready. You put on a pot of coffee and we'll meet you out there to have breakfast."
"Do you want eggs and toast?"
"I'm sorry; did you just offer to cook? I'm sure I heard you wrong."
"I can cook. I just choose not to. Why would I ever need to cook anyways with you around to do it for me?"
Justin can't help but chuckle because it's true. Justin really enjoys cooking, so why should Brian have to do it. "Sure; eggs and toast sounds nice", he says as he gives Brian a kiss and rises out of bed.
"Good, because I never made it to the store and that's all we have." He reaches over and slaps Justin on the ass before he gets too far from the bed.
An hour later the newly united Kinney family is finishing breakfast.
Gus is squirming in his tie. "Daddy why did I have to get all dresses up like you do. Do I have to go to work?"
"Now that I'd like to see kiddo but not today; today we have to go to a funeral."
"Gus, do you know what a funeral is?"
"No Daddy (Justin); is it fun?"
"Why don't you come over here and sit on my lap, so Daddy and I can explain it to you?"
Gus walks over and climbs into Justin's lap. Brian moves his chair closer to the two of them and waits to see how Justin is going to proceed. He hopes that Justin can explain it better, because he knows that he would never say it in a way that Gus would understand.
"Buddy, we're gonna talk about some sad stuff for a minute, okay. You know how we told you that your mommy and your mama went to Heaven?"
"So they wouldn't be broken anymore?"
"That's right Gus. Well today we are going to a place where all of your mommy and mama's friends and family can say goodbye to them, including you. "
"How can we say goodbye, if they already went to Heaven?"
"You see buddy, we pretend like they're in the room. Then we tell stories about their life and how much they meant to us. Do you know what I mean?"
"Do you mean like when Mommy took me to Sesame Place and I got to meet Elmo and Big Bird?"
"Yeah, things like that. Everybody is sad that your mommies are gone, so a lot of people might be crying today and that's okay. Even your daddy might cry today."
"Not Daddy; he never cries. He says big boys don't ever cry. Right Daddy?"
Justin looks at Brian as if to say what the hell have you been saying to him. Brian understands the look and figures that Justin knows what he is saying.
"Big boys don't cry over pancakes and stuff, but its okay to cry at a funeral. Not that I would ever do that.
"Don't forget weddings too. Some big boys cry at weddings also, don't they?"
"They only cry when they marry sentimental little twats; beautiful sentimental twats."
"I'm glad you just called yourself a sentimental twat, because now I don't feel all alone."
"I didn't call myself…" Shit I guess I did. "What Daddy Justin means is that if you get sad today when everyone is talking about your mommies, you can cry."
"Okay Daddy, but I'll try to be a big boy like you and not cry."
"Brian it's getting late. We better get going. I want to make sure that we're there before anyone else."
Justin and Brian put on their best suits and the three of them head off to the funeral home.
Two hours later they are in the chapel of the funeral home as the last of the bereaved have arrived. Rabbi Bisno is ready to start. The service is not a traditional Jewish service, but since the Rabbi knew Melanie he has made a rare exception.
All of Melanie and Lindsay's closest friends are sitting in the first few rows. Melanie's mom couldn't come due to declining health problems and she wasn't close with most of her other family because of her sexual orientation. Brian, Justin and Gus are sitting in the first row. Brian keeps looking back to see if Lindsay's parents have tried to come in. Just before the rabbi is ready to begin, sure enough the Petersons come walking up the aisle.
Justin sees His husband's face turning red. "Brian please don't cause a scene. It will only upset Gus."
"Lindsay didn't want them here. I'll be damned if I'm going to let them stay."
Mrs. Peterson walks over to Gus and says, "Hi Gus, do you remember me?"
"You're the mean lady that hated my mommy." He looks to Brian. "Daddy I don't like her. She hated my mommy. Do I have to talk to her?"
"No Gus you do not have to speak to the mean lady." Brian stands up and looks at both of Lindsay's parents. "Lindsay didn't want you here, so why don't you just leave before I have security throw you out."
"She was our daughter, and we have every right to be here."
Gus doesn't understand. "Is she really Mommy's mommy? Mommies are supposed to love you, not hate you right Daddy?"
"That's right Sonny boy, so she couldn't have really been your mommy's mommy. Why don't you go sit with Grandma for a little bit and let Daddy Justin and I handle this?"
Gus goes to sit with Jennifer. Justin stands up to support Brian who get really close to Lindsay's parent's faces so no one else can hear him and says, "This is not a battle you want to fight with me. You didn't attend her wedding and wouldn't acknowledge Melanie as her partner. What makes you think you have the right to fucking show up now?"
Justin squeezes his arm so he will calm down. He doesn't want Brian to give them any ammunition to use in court.
Brian continues but is reining it in as he states, "Also if you think you are going to take my son away from me you must be off your rocker. As a matter of fact I should probably make that suggestion to our attorney."
As usual Mrs. Peterson does all the talking. "He is our Grandson and we will give him a better upbringing in a strong conventional household."
"You think so huh? You want to raise my son to be a homophobe just like you? Well, what would you do if he came to you in ten years or so and told you he was gay? Would you treat him like an outcast, just the way you did Lindsay?"
"Gus isn't gay and neither was Lindsay. She was just brainwashed by that degenerate lawyer."
Justin reflexively shows off his intelligent. "Lindsay was a Lesbian and studies do show that homosexual women tend to have homosexual sons. Gus comes from two homosexual parents so his chances of being gar are actually very high."
"Thank you Sunshine." This distracts Mrs. Peterson for a second before she hears Brian's voice again. "I wonder who makes better parents; a committed gay couple or a non-committed straight couple?"
"I don't know what you are talking about. We are very committed."
"That's not what I hear. I've done my research too. I remembered Lindsey telling about walking in on something when we were in college. She was heartbroken and distraught. All of her ideals were shattered. Our lawyer did some digging of his own and it turns out that Mr. Peterson has a hankering for young secretaries. I think we found at least three who are willing to testify."
"I don't think so. Ron has always been faithful to me. You must be mistaken."
"I don't think so, because your face said it all. Of course Melanie said you knew about the one back then too. She just didn't know there were others. If you proceed with this nonsense of trying to take my son away, I will bring it up in court and I'll make sure that all the papers are there. That way all the lovely people in your social circle will know and I don't think you want that. You think about it and we'll see you on Wednesday. Meanwhile I think you should leave." He motions for security and tells them to remove the Peterson from the premises.
Brian motions to the rabbi that it's okay for him to start.
25 minutes later the rabbi calls Brian up to deliver Lindsey's eulogy after he has finished the one for Melanie.
Brian stands up in front of everyone and begins his speech. "I know all of you were close to Lindsey, but I like to think I knew her better than anyone else. She was a very compassionate woman; I mean she was friends with me for over 15 years. That should tell you something right there. She was never afraid to speak her mind. She never tried to hide her sexual orientation. She was always very active in the gay and lesbian community; heading multiple committees at the GLC. She was always willing to help a friend in need. I think Lindsay's most important contribution to this world was also the best gift she could have ever given me."
At this thought he starts to feel his composure crumbling a little bit. Justin notices it too and quickly goes up to hold Brian's hand and offer his support. This is just what Brian needs to be able to continue.
"The best gift she could have ever given me; my son Gus. He was the center of her universe along with Jenny Rebecca. She loved being a mother more than anything else she ever did in her life. She dreamed her whole life of becoming a mother and when it finally happened she couldn't have been happier."
Brian spends the next ten minutes covering every aspect of Lindsay's life, before he returns to his seat with Justin.
The Rabbi finishes up the funeral and instructs anyone who wishes to do so, to join everyone at the Liberty Diner for a more casual celebration of Melanie and Lindsay's lives. There will be no graveside service because Melanie and Lindsay had stated they didn't want people to watch them being put in the ground. They asked that people not dwell on what had been lost, but celebrate what had been accomplished.
Next up is Chapter 17: A Judge Visits the Diner