Episode 3
"You have two choices" Emmett said to the man across the dance hall "you either do as I asked or you're out of a job" he said turning away.
Emmett is now become a qualified party planner. Finally putting some money down on a property for him to create a small bunch of people to help man the home base while he would see clients and look for venues. Emmett had recently acquired someone to handle the finances after a huge client.
Even after all the years him working, the last relationship he ever had was Calvin 2 years ago which was the longest relationship he ever Had. Calvin got transferred overseas with his company and they decided to take a break and see other people.
Once Emmett started the business and finally got the recognition it needed he barely any time to himself to find the perfect suitor. Emmett wondered sometimes if he would ever be with someone. He was the only one that was unattached within the bunch and he found it hard to be around them all the time.
Emmett got back to his desk straightening the paper into a neat pile before turning the laptop on, he waited for it to boot up. Rubbing his face Emmett leant back in the seat once the screen came up, he checked his emails and calender.
The Phone rang, Emmett moved a piece of paper that was hiding the phone underneath he pressed the speakerphone button "Emmett Honeycutt Wedding planners how may I help you?" he said leaning forward on his arms.
"Emmett" Ted's voice said from the other line.
"Hey Teddy what can I do for you" Emmett Asked.
"Well you can help me and Blake really" he explained "we want you to plan our commitment ceremony"
Emmett clapped his hand "congratulations when was this?" he smiled.
Ted laughed at Emmett's enthusiasm "well from last night and well me and Blake decided to get married before Brian and Justin" he explained "we only want it simple though"
Emmett rolled his eyes "I can take a hint Teddy" he said "well that's okay let me check my diary as I won't have any other time" Emmett moved to open the drawer. Bringing out a medium sized diary "if I don't book you. You'll have to wait for next year as I'm swamped"
"That's fine"
Emmett opened the diary finding the date and going from there "when's best for you?" Emmett asked "I have next week at around 10 or earlier or that's it until next month"
"Next week" Ted said.
There was a shuffle on his end and Brian's voice in the background 'I'm not paying you to chat on the phone Theodore' Ted rolled his eyes.
"No Brian you pay me to crunch numbers and I have no numbers to crunch" he said turning back to Emmett on the phone "Sorry Em what day would it be?" he asked.
"Saturday morning" he replied.
"That's good Blake has a day off" Ted said "hey Emmett you're okay aren't you?"
Emmett licked his lip "yeah Teddy"
"I can tell in your voice you miss him"
Emmett leaned on her elbow "yeah, I thought this relationship would work but as usual it never does with me" he said writing Ted and Blake's name in the Saturday slot "there's nothing I can do about it though"
On the other side of the phone Ted sighed "why don't you go dancing you might meet someone" he said leaning in his office chair.
Emmett sighed on the other end "don't have time"
Ted licked his lip "make time" he said looking at the time on his watch "I got to go I have meeting with the adoption agency" he said standing from the seat.
"Good luck Teddy" Emmet said.
"Thanks Em" Ted said putting the phone down grabbing his coat from the back of his seat. Ted popped his head into Brian's office "I'm going now Brian" he said.
Brian was sitting at his desk without looking up he waved.
Ted got walked past the front desk "see you later Natalie" he said.
The receptionist looked up and waved at him "good luck Ted" she said.
"Thanks see you tomorrow" Ted opened the door. Unlocking his BMW he got into the car reversing out of the parking spot he turned left reaching over to grab at the Bluetooth on the passenger seat "Call Blake" he said into the Bluetooth, the ringing started but he didn't answer "redial" looking left to right Ted drove straight ahead at the crossroads.
Blake answered on the 2nd ring this time "hello"
"Am I picking you up" he asked.
"Yeah" Blake said "I've just finished a session I'm waiting outside"
Ted slowed down for the intersection before driving down the way to the rehabilitation facility "I'm just round the corner"
"Bye" Blake said.
Ted turned the phone off by tapping his Bluetooth, he saw Blake standing on the curb like he said he was. He approached the cur and Blake opened the door and got in the car.
Blake had his hands in his lap; Ted glanced over at him "Nervous"
Blake smiled and licked his lip "a little" he said.
Ted indicated left "me too" he said.
Blake looked over at Ted.
-QAF-
Red paint flew across the air as Justin stood a foot away from the canvas he flicked his paintbrush against the white canvas dipping another paintbrush into another colour. Justin repeated the actions several time. The music in the background had a rock theme with drums and guitars.
Biting his lips Justin threw the paintbrush in his hand through the air Blue paint went flying across the room "shit" he cursed leaning onto the stool with his hand.
Justin sat down in a huff glancing at the clock he rubbed his face and his hands which were still wet. He glanced down at hi messy hands wherethere were several colors mixed togather "great" he stood and walked across his studio to the small sink in the sink. He rinsed his hands and checked his face in the mirror. A red line went down the side of his face and on his forehead there was blues and greens.
He splashed some water on his face and used a towel to scrub the paint, once there was no faint line Justin threw the towel onto the stool and retrieved the paintbrush from the floor and cleaned it in the sink.
The studio door slide open and Brian walked into the room "hey Picasso take a moment from your cursing" he said.
Justin always threw his paintbrush across the room if he got frustrated with the painting. Once in a while Justin would just stare at the canvas and imagine before painting.
Justin walked to the stool he stood with his back to the painting "look at it" he said gesturing to his painting "I got nothing. Can you get painters block" he said turning round with his back to Brian.
Brian sighed and moved behind him putting his arms round his neck "I don't think their no such thing" he reassured him.
Justin leaned into Brian "maybe I'm losing my touch" Brian hugged him tighter "Brian I know I haven't lost that touch" Justin said, Brian grinned "I'm being serious Brian" he turned into the circle of his arms and leaned into his chest.
"Justin don't be a twat your 27 years old not 5" Brian said "you can't lose talent. So stop thinking too hard about it and just paint"
"That really helps remind me how young I am" he said muffled sliding his arms round Brian's body "the whole reason I left New York because all my painting were about anger and resentment and now I'm back somehow I'm still feeling that" he sighed.
Brian pulled his arms from his body and moved Justin round for him to stare at the painting "then let it the anger and resentment go through the canvas and then what's left?" Brian asked putting his hands on his shoulder and shoved him forward.
Brian moved the towel reluctantly from the stall and chucked it over to the couch that was sitting near the sink. He looked down to see if there was no paint stains before sitting down on the edge of the stool.
Justin picked a large paintbrush and dipped it in a can of black paint. Biting the end of the brush he looked down to the floor, he looked up and started painting the canvas. covering every square inch.
Brian watched from the side.
Justin changed colour and the size of a paintbrush to a thinner version. He closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath His eyes shot open and he was inspired drawing a big round red circle he chose a smaller thinner paintbrush and got to work.
Brian tilted his head and looked around Justin where he was close to the painting. A tiny nudge and Justin could be in the painting instead of looking at it. Brian leaned on his elbows on his knees and watched.
Justin stepped away from the painting and squinted his eyes "it needs something else" he said biting his lip with his hands on his hips.
Brian looked away from his Laptop that he was balancing on his knees and squinted at the canvas as well.
Justin clicked his fingers "that's it" he said moving to his back pack.
Brian raised an eyebrow.
Justin rummaged inside and bought out a toothbrush "I'll get another later" he said moving the tray closer to him and poured some red paint into the main compartment and dabs off other colours around it. Placing the toothbrush into the red paint and coated it he turned to the painting and flicked his whole arm toward the canvas.
The mixtures of the previous colours intertwined perfectly.
Brian moved from the stool "watch it" he said. Standing as far away from Justin as possible across the room he held his laptop under his arm.
Justin looked over his shoulder and smirked.
Brian glared at him as he continued to open the laptop "no wonder you get paint everywhere it looks like you coat yourself in it" he said "are you nearly done" he asked shutting his laptop off.
Justin reapplied the red but added a mixture of other colours he had dabbed into the mix "about 5 minutes" he replied.
Brian closed his laptop and placed it back into his case. Putting his coat on, Brian held the laptop case with the handle.
Justin had stopped flicking his arm like a baboon and put down the toothbrush. Tilting his head to the side Justin smiled "I'm done" he said carrying all the trays and tools to the sink he run the tap for a second and turned it off and grabbing his jacket from the couch.
"Finally" Brian said opening the door.
Justin walked out and set the code on the side panel where Brian was leaning against it "did you walk here?" he asked zipping his jacket up.
Brian pushed himself off the wall "the car is at the garage"
They both walked down the stairs side by side "Michael called me" Justin said.
Brian took Justin's hand once they were outside "what does he want?"
Justin shrugged "I have a distinct feeling on what it is" inching his arm.
Brian rolled his eyes as he knew what Michael wanted ever since Justin's been back Michael has been bugging Brian at work, at night whenever he was with Justin.
-QAF-
Ben sat on the sofa with his laptop with a pile of papers beside of him. The papers were a mess with red ink over the puctuality and grammer. He moved the top paper to the other side of him.
Michael walked into the sitting room he had a jacket over his arm "hey I'm going to go out"
Ben nodded "mm"
Michael walked over to the back of the sofa and put his hands on Ben's shoulders "do you want me to get anything"
Ben looked up "no thanks Michael" he reached up and kissed Michael on the lips, Michael kissed him back.
"Bye" Michael shut the door behind him.
Ben rubbed his eye running his hand through his hair; closing the laptop shut he stood from the sofa moving to the kitchen he opened the juice and drunk some out of the carton.
His grip had loosened and the carton splattered onto the floor and the juice leaked out Ben fell after.
His whole body convulsed and he hit the floor along with the carton, his breathing picked up as he closed his eyes.