Doing Hard Time

[kcm17480]

The Carl Scott scenario could be an interesting side to this story. I think you should go for it. Excellent and steamy chapter. Go for it Reid.

 

[Wolfowitz]

I love this french stud!

 

[mexamor]

wow, as awesome chapter. I love how this story just turns....

 

[Craiger]

I must wholeheartedly agree with all of the above posts. I really enjoy how this story continues. Everything in it is so true to life. Thanks, Justin! Until next week and the next chapter I will try to keep my mind from exploding from all sorts of scenarios.

Craiger

 

[Mikiki]

Your story is wonderful and I can't wait for the next installment. Keep up the great work.
Michael

 

[harry113]

Thanks Justin, Great story, so natural in it's flow.
Looking forward to the next !!
Harry

 

[arogersb]

Author’s Note: Harrison’s narrative begins approximately a month after Reid’s ends.​

~ Chapter 32 ~​

From the Narrative of Reid Scott:

“So, tell me about yourself,” I said as we spooned in Phil’s luxurious bed. I loved the way his smaller frame fit perfectly with mine, my flaccid cock rubbing against his bubble butt. “How does a cute French guy like you end up in a California beach town?”

He blushed. “There isn’t much to tell really. My parents worked in the French diplomatic service. I spent most of my childhood in Washington. They retired the same year I was accepted into Stanford. So they went back to France with my sisters, while I stayed on here to finish my studies.

“How many sisters do you have?”

“Three. One of them is older than me; she’s married and has two little kids of her own. My second sister is also married, but no kids yet. The youngest one is currently engaged.”

“Oh … so you’re the only son. Does your family know about you? Being gay, I mean.”

“Yeah,” he said. “They’re comfortable with it. My younger sisters actually thought it was cool to have a gay brother when I came out to them.” He smiled until he noticed the look on my face. His features clouded. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up,” he apologized.

“You didn’t bring it up; I did,” I pointed out. I added, wistfully, “It’s nice that they accept you. Not all parents do.”

Phil tried to console me. “Hey, it’s their loss. They don’t know what they’ve given up.”

I’ve already mentioned how much I liked to hear him speak in that sexy accent of his. I loved it even more when he was trying to comfort me. “You know, you are just sooo cute.” I kissed his hair and hugged him tightly around the waist.

He gasped for breath. “A bit less pressure, please. You’re squeezing the life out of me.”

I grinned and loosened my grip.

He turned over and smiled. “But don’t get me wrong – I like being in your strong arms.” He lightly kissed my right bicep. “These muscles are just … phwoar.”

“Is phwoar a French word? Because it sure doesn’t exist in the English language.”

He punched me playfully in the arm. “Don’t make fun of me. I’m complimenting you.”

“Say monosyllable,” I said suddenly.

He looked at me, confused. “Huh?”

“Just say it.”

He shook his head in bewilderment. “You sure have some weird kinks,” he said. “But I’ll do it. Monosyllable.”

I rewarded him with a wild kiss on the mouth. The befuddled look on his face only heightened the pleasure.

As my lips moved lower down his body, he giggled. “Well, if it gets me that kind of response every time, I don’t mind reciting it nonstop, like some kind of chant.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” I said, as we embarked on a long but supremely gratifying night of lovemaking.

***​

“Okay, guys, wake up!”

I burst into Josh and Harrison’s bedroom. They both stirred from their sleep at the sound of my voice. Harrison’s bright blue eyes were the first to focus on me. They widened as he realized he was naked in front of me for the first time. With a yelp, he grabbed the duvet to cover himself up, in the process exposing Josh fully. Josh, however, didn’t bother covering up because we both knew I’d seen him naked hundreds of times before.

“Didn’t you ever learn to knock?” snapped Harrison.

“I was too excited, okay?” I retorted.

The sour look on Harrison’s face was replaced by a gleeful one. Josh looked on in interest.

“So it worked out? Between you and Phil?” asked Harrison excitedly.

“If you’re asking whether we hooked up last night, the answer is, quite obviously, yes. If you’re asking whether we’ll be seeing more of each other …” I paused for dramatic effect.

“Yes?” Harrison said impatiently. Josh grinned in amusement, knowing that I was pulling his boyfriend’s leg.

“… the answer is, very likely, yes as well,” I finished.

Harrison whooped in delight. Josh said, “Good for you, man.”

I smiled at Josh, glad that he seemed truly happy for me. I had been just the tiniest bit worried he might not have been too pleased. I suspected Harrison’s hand in all this; the little bugger was turning out to be quite crafty.

“I realize what you did back there, Harrison.” His grin froze on his face. “And really, after I expressly told you I would find someone on my own …”

“But you did,” said Harrison, but his guilt was plain to see in the pink blush that spread across his cheeks.

I arched one eyebrow and he looked down. Then I added, “But I’m grateful that you were your usual, meddlesome self. I probably wouldn’t have met Phil otherwise.”

He raised his head and grinned. “Wow … well …” He seemed to be at a loss for words.

Josh spoke instead, with a smile on his face. “I take it that it was good then?”

“Let me just say … what they say about the French people’s aptitude in sex … it’s all true.”

Harrison gazed at me with a stupid grin on his face. I gave his bare shoulder a squeeze and then stretched, yawning.

“And now, I think I need some sleep. Unlike you two, I’ve been up all night.”

Harrison looked indignant. “Well, I like that. Who had to organize everything last night and -”

I ignored him and strode to the door. I called back over my shoulder. “By the way, you have a very cute cock there, Harrison.”

I didn’t have to look to see him blush bright pink. I grinned to myself and shut the door behind me.


From the Narrative of Harrison Ridgeway IV:

“No, Harrison, I will not tell you all the dirty details, as you put it,” Phil said firmly. “Do you remember what you told me on your first day of work? I won’t ask you for details of your sex life, and I expect you to do the same.”

“That was over two months ago!” I protested.

“When I say no, I mean it. Honestly, all you’ve been badgering me about since I hooked up with Reid last month. At this rate I think I’ll need to get a transfer out of this office.”

I pouted as I watched him arrange the files on my table into neat stacks. He sounded so stern, although the fact that the corners of his mouth were curling upwards betrayed how he truly felt.

Stephanie poked her head into the cubicle. “Harrison? Adrian wants to see you in his office. Now, if you don’t mind.”

“Uh, sure. I’ll go and see him right away,” I replied.

Stephanie nodded and disappeared.

“What does Mr. Fernley want with me?” I wondered aloud.

Phil grinned wickedly. “He must have decided to act on that sexual harassment complaint I filed against you this morning.”

I glared at him and got up from my chair. “Don’t make a mess of my files,” I warned.

Phil looked hurt. “They were a mess before I started arranging them for you!”

I laughed. “Okay, okay. Don’t get all worked up. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Phil nodded. I went out of my cubicle and wandered through the office until I reached the door marked with Adrian Fernley’s name. I knocked on it.

“Come in,” called Mr. Fernley from within. A brief memory – of the same door, the same voice saying the same words, on the day I’d applied for this job – passed through my mind. It was hard to believe it had been two months ago.

“Ah, Harrison.” Mr. Fernley looked up from the open file on his desk.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” As with every time I saw Mr. Fernley, I felt a slight apprehension.

Mr. Fernley laughed. “Good heavens, Harrison. You look positively terrified of me. Lighten up; it’s all good news.”

I felt myself relax.

Mr. Fernley continued. “You’ve done some remarkably good work here since you joined us a couple of months ago. You’ve even impressed Stephanie, which is hard to say the least, especially considering the short time you’ve been with us.”

I blushed furiously. “I’m sure it wasn’t all that good,” I mumbled.

“Hardworking and modest,” said Mr. Fernley. I thought I would die of embarrassment. He made it sound like I was the Young Employee of the Century or something. I thanked my lucky stars that this conversation was being conducted in private.

Mr. Fernley was still speaking. “Which is why, I have decided to entrust you with one of our most important clients. Scottmart closes its accounts at the end of the fiscal year, which for them ends in July. Stephanie and Phil usual -” He stopped, seeing the stunned look on my face. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m sorry, did you – did you just say Scottmart?”

Mr. Fernley looked vaguely puzzled. “Yes. You didn’t know Scottmart was one of our clients?”

I shook my head, dazed. A familiar voice – Josh’s – came back to me. He was saying, “The principal shareholder is his father.”

Mr. Fernley was watching me in concern. I struggled to pull myself together. “It’s nothing. You were saying …?”

“Hmm? Yes. Stephanie and Phil usually deal with the auditing of the Scottmart accounts, but Stephanie, as you know, is very much preoccupied with her father being ill. She was the one who suggested you as her replacement. She said you, and Phil, have been handling things very well during her frequent absences.”

“I think it was more Phil -” I started to say, but Mr. Fernley waved a hand dismissively.

“You’ll do superbly, I’m sure. Harvard would have taught you all the basics and the rest is just experience. This,” he added pointedly, “is an excellent opportunity to gain that – experience.”

His mind, I realized, was made up. And to be honest it was a wonderful opportunity. It was highly unlikely I would actually come face to face with Reid’s father, Walter Scott. It dawned on me that I was trying to reassure myself, because I was feeling guilty about associating in any way with Reid’s father who had virtually disowned him.

It’s just a job, I told myself. “Thank you, sir,” I heard myself say aloud.

Mr. Fernley brought his hands together with a resounding clap. “It’s decided then. I will talk to Phil at once.”

His use of Phil’s name reminded me of my French colleague … Phil was now Reid’s boyfriend … and he had dealt with Scottmart before … had he never told Reid? In all this time – almost a month had passed since their initial meeting on the night of the Surf Fest – surely he would have mentioned it to Reid. Unless … unless he was unaware that the Scott in Scottmart had anything to do with the Scott in his lover’s surname. It was possible, wasn’t it? He would have said something otherwise. Yes, that was it.

“Please ask Phil to come and see me after this, will you?” Mr. Fernley’s voice broke into my thoughts.

I nodded mutely and turned to go, when he called me back.

“Your mother … I trust she is fully recovered now?”

I turned back, slightly incredulous. Mr. Fernley had not mentioned Mom in the last few weeks. I’d thought it had only been a fleeting interest, that night at the Surf Fest. But now, looking at him … I could tell that he was only a moment away from blushing. I stifled the urge to giggle.

“She’s fine, sir. In fact she’s been helping out at the café for the last couple of weeks.”

“The café, you say?” remarked Mr. Fernley absent-mindedly. I had the oddest feeling that one of these days, I would find Adrian Fernley, looking out of place among all the tanned surfers in the café, sipping coffee and flirting with my Mom. He seemed to notice me staring at him (I couldn’t help myself) and quickly recovered his usual composure.

“Well, then. That will be all.” I recognized a dismissal when I heard one.

“I’ll fetch Phil. And sir?”

He looked up from the papers he’d returned to perusing.

“Thanks once again. For everything, from the beginning.”

He smiled. “Think nothing of it.”

I nodded and left his office.

***​

I didn’t say anything to Phil, not then. I thought I noticed him giving a strange look in my direction when he came back from his meeting that day with Mr. Fernley. I couldn’t be sure; maybe I’d imagined it. Certainly he did not seem to have discussed the matter with Reid; he was so cheerful these days that Mom commented he might have been an entirely different person from the one she’d met back in May.

Phil was now a frequent visitor for dinner at home. He got along very well with Mom, who was delighted with his impeccable manners and the fact that both of them could converse in French (Mom had learnt the language in university, before she met Dad). He was careful not to flirt with me, not even teasingly, in front of Josh. To hear Josh laugh over Phil’s endless supply of jokes, one would think they had known each other for years.

What I loved most about having Phil over for dinner at our house was watching him together with Reid. The two of them – Phil with his pale, handsome features and dark hair, and Reid with his tanned good looks and blonde hair – made an even better-looking couple than I could have ever imagined. It was clear to any observer that they were very much in love. I did not want to spoil their happiness by bringing up the topic of Reid’s father.

Stephanie had overseen most of the auditing before she left, on extended leave, to look after her terminally-ill father in San Francisco. Phil and I applied the finishing touches. On the day we were supposed to meet the Scottmart representatives, I noticed Phil looked rather nervous. The doubts I’d had from the start came to the fore. But I wasn’t given much time to ponder about this, because I saw the Scottmart people arriving in the reception. An older, grey-haired man and …

For a moment, I thought I was looking at Reid. Reid in an expensively-cut navy blue suit, the sky blue tie matching his eyes perfectly, the blonde hair neatly combed. From the few times I had seen Reid in clothes more formal than his usual surfer wear, I knew Reid would have been quite as dashing in a suit. Then I saw the minute differences between Reid and this guy. This guy wasn’t as tall, or well-built. The blonde hair was darker than Reid’s sun-bleached locks. And there were some other dissimilarities – particularly the smile he gave Mr. Fernley as he shook his hand … a pleasant smile, but nowhere as dazzling as Reid’s.

I heard the last part of Mr. Fernley’s words to him, “… so glad you came, Carl.”

Carl replied, “Yes, my father wanted …” The rest of his sentence was lost behind the closing door of Mr. Fernley’s private office. I stood there for a few seconds, as if I were rooted to the spot. Those words offered the final proof – I knew Reid’s younger brother was named Carl. And I knew something further – from the way Carl had acted, I knew he had been to this office and met Mr. Fernley before this, and definitely, he had been seen by Phil. Phil who could not have failed to note the striking resemblance between his new boyfriend and the younger son of the retail magnate, Walter Scott.

I barged into Phil’s cubicle. He looked up, startled.

“You knew!” I hissed. “You’ve known all along.”

Phil sighed. “About Carl Scott? Yes.”

I was stunned by his casual admission. I sat down heavily in the chair facing him.

“But … why … why didn’t you say something?”

He grabbed my hands, in a desperate plea. “Harrison, I want you to know, how much I love Reid. I didn’t keep this from him; I told him, the very first night.”

I stared. “Reid knows? He knows about all this? But … but …”

Phil corrected my misconception. “He doesn’t know about today’s meeting. He does, however, know that I have seen, and spoken to, his brother before. He knows that Scottmart is one of this firm’s main clients.”

I couldn’t believe Phil had kept this from me. “And you didn’t bother to tell me any of this because …?”

“Reid asked me, specifically, not to tell you.”

I felt hurt by Reid’s lack of trust in me. “How could he say that?”

“Because he knew what you’d try to do! I can see the look in your eye, Harrison. I know it too. You want to reunite them, the Scott brothers.”

I was nonplussed. “But that’s the right thing to do! That’s what Reid wants … right?”

Phil looked at me helplessly. “I … I don’t know, Harrison. All I know is, Reid gets all weird and upset whenever I mention any member of his family, whether it’s his father or his brother.”

“But he wants to see Carl, I know it. He told Josh, the thing he regretted most was that he couldn’t look after his brother like he promised their mother before she died.”

“You don’t understand, Harrison. I’ve talked to Carl. The only time he mentioned having a brother, Reid, was to blame him for walking out on their family after their mother died.”

“That’s not what happened! It was his Dad …”

“I know, Harrison, but -”

I didn’t give Phil the chance to finish. “Don’t you see? If they could meet each other, they could clear up this whole mess. They could be brothers again. Reid can fulfill his Mom’s final wishes.”

Phil was faltering and I knew it. He said, almost as if he was trying to convince himself, “It’s not his brother he’s mad at … only his father …”

I seized the chance. “Exactly! I’m sure that, given this chance, the brothers can work out their differences and …”

“Everyone can play Happy Families?” Phil said sarcastically. “That’s not the way the real world works, Harrison.”

“Phil, listen to me. I have this feeling, this instinct. It tells me that this will work; I know it will. Why else do you think we’ve been given this chance? It’s one hell of a coincidence that you should work in the same office as me, get set up with Reid and just happen to know his estranged brother. It was meant to happen like this. It can’t be any other way.”

It was this argument that clinched the deal. Phil, I knew, did not believe in coincidences. He believed everything had a purpose; it was one of his core beliefs that he’d shared with me early on.

He stared down at the pen in his hands, turning it over, seemingly mesmerized by the light glinting on its metallic surface. “You do know, if this doesn’t work, Reid won’t want anything to do with me, ever?” he whispered.

“If it goes wrong, I’ll accept responsibility for the whole thing. I’ll say that I forced you to go along with the plan.”

He laughed mirthlessly. “You forced me … how? By putting a gun to my head?”

“Phil, come on …” I pleaded.

“You know, the crazy thing is … I believe you. Damn you, Harrison, for making such a persuasive argument. If this works, we’ll reunite two brothers who’ve been separated for seven long years. If it doesn’t, I’ll lose the only guy I’ve ever loved. He’ll forgive you even, Harrison, but he’ll never forgive me. What’re the odds, huh?”

He looked at me and I saw there were tears in his eyes. I realized just how big a sacrifice I was demanding of him. I’d brought these two people together, and now I may well destroying whatever chance they had of a relationship.

I backed down. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” I said weakly. “Maybe we should think this through …”

“No.” Suddenly he was the confident one. “If it wasn’t meant to be, then so be it. I love Reid, and I want him to be happy. And I know, deep down, that he can never be truly happy until he does what his dying mother asked him to … until he’s reunited with his brother … That’s what’s been missing his whole life.”

He gazed at me fiercely, as if expecting me to contradict him.

One of our coworkers knocked on the door. “The Scottmart people are waiting for you guys in Conference Room A.”

Phil nodded tightly to the guy, who disappeared. Then he turned to me. “Reid will be in the café, won’t he?”

I checked my watch. “I’m quite sure of it.”

“A morning tea break is the best option, then. I’ll recommend the Surf ‘n’ Sand Café to Carl.” He got up from his seat.

I reached out and touched his hand. “If this doesn’t work,” I whispered, “I’ll be truly sorry. You and Reid … you have something. I’ll never forgive myself if you lose that.”

Slowly, he put his other hand on top of mine and patted it, trying to be reassuring, although I could see from his face that he was no less worried than I was, if not more so.

***​

I fidgeted throughout the meeting, hardly paying attention to the accounts, or what was being said. I couldn’t stop looking at Carl … Carl and Phil … As I saw their blonde and dark-brown heads bend over a document I thought of Reid and Phil … they had made such a wonderful couple … for one short month … why was I thinking in the past tense … my previous confidence was eroding with the passage of time.

“You seem rather tense, Phil,” commented Carl lightly. I looked up; Phil was indeed looking drawn.

“Maybe we should take a break,” he suggested. This was the opening Phil and I had waited for.

“There’s an excellent café … just down the road actually.” Phil’s voice sounded strained.

Carl looked in concern at Phil. “Well, I don’t see why not. You look like you need a cup of coffee.”

Phil smiled weakly. “Yes, I think so.”

“Well, I don’t think I will be coming. Don’t drink coffee,” announced the older man who’d accompanied Carl. I almost sighed in relief.

Carl turned and smiled at me. “Just the three of us then. Harrison, isn’t it?”

I nodded. Phil stood up and swayed slightly; for an instant I thought he was going to collapse. I felt awful for the pressure I was putting him through – why had I come up with this stupid idea in the first place?

***​

“This is a rather long walk for ‘just down the road’, isn’t it?” remarked Carl cheerfully some ten minutes later. “We passed a couple of nice-looking cafes back there.”

“This one is quite popular,” I said wildly. “Relatively new, but it was selected as the venue for the post-party during last month’s Surf Fest.”

I fancied a shadow passed over Carl’s face when I mentioned the word surf. Was he, perhaps, reminded of his brother? I looked at Phil, who was curiously silent. In the bright sunlight he looked paler than ever.

‘What are you idiots doing?’ screamed a voice in my head. Bringing two brothers face to face without warning after seven long years. I wanted to open my mouth and say, one of those other cafes back there were just as good, we don’t need to go to this one.

But it was too late; we were already in front of the Surf ‘n’ Sand Café.

“This is the one, isn’t it?” asked Carl. He was as cheerful as ever, like Reid often was nowadays. Was I about to wreck that happiness?

He pushed open the door; Phil and I had no choice but to follow. For one, heart-stopping moment I thought, thank God, Reid isn’t here. We can just have the coffee and leave with Carl none the wiser.

Then I saw him. He strode out from the back, holding a glass in one hand and a cloth in the other. I looked at Carl; neither of the brothers had seen each other yet. But Phil had. He let out the tiniest whimper, which only I heard, and sat down, seemingly resigned to his fate.

I couldn’t do the same. It was a moment filled with both excitement and dread. Reid stopped to talk to Mom, who was arranging freshly-baked muffins on a tray. And, as I watched in horrified fascination, he looked up, at the same instant that his brother, who’d been looking at Phil worriedly, did.

The two pairs of pale blue eyes met. Two brothers, whose lives had taken them down different roads but those roads were now intersecting, after seven years.

The glass slipped from Reid’s grasp and shattered, out of sight, behind the counter. Mom looked up at this disturbance, but she hadn’t seen Carl yet, because he was behind her.

It was Reid who spoke first, because Carl had frozen, like a statue. His tone was disbelieving and soft, yet it carried across to where I was standing next to Carl.

“Carl?”

To be continued …​

This chapter is, in my opinion, one of the best I have written so far in this story. It came to me naturally, without any hesitation – I could see clearly, in my mind’s eye, the look on everyone’s faces. I could imagine the sense of time stopping when Reid, for the first time in 7 years, sees his brother in the café. I can only hope that you agree with me. I am now making an effort to have my chapters end on a cliffhanger, since we are reaching the end of this story (Don’t worry, there are still several chapters and subplots to be resolved).

Another update can be expected within the next 7 days. In the meanwhile, I very much look forward to your feedback, this chapter more than ever, for the reasons stated above. Thank you.

 

[robbieadam]

This chapter is, in my opinion, one of the best I have written so far in this story.

I'm not gonna disagree with that. The cliffhanger was fantastically wrote, especially the build up. I'm literally dying to read the next installment, I don't think I can wait 7 days! Again, an excellent chapter so thanks a lot for posting.

 

[kcm17480]

In my opinion I have to agree with you, it is the best one you wrote. This one is going to be a hard wait for the next chapter. Love the intensness of this story.

 

[Craiger]

Justin,

You are torturing us with these cliffhangers..........however, I agree that this last chapter was excellently written. I felt the emotions just as strongly as your characters. Well done. Are you sure you can't have the next installment done before seven days elapse...........lol I can't wait.

Craiger

 

[mexamor]

i love you and i hate you at the same time lmao. you are just a wonderful writer that is all there is to it....

 

[harry113]

Wow,Justin. Thanks
What a cliffhanger !!! Is this the end of Phil & Reid ??
More soon!! PLEASE !!
Harry

 

[arogersb]

~ Chapter 33 ~​

From the Narrative of Reid Scott:

I stared across the café at my brother. It seemed to take an eternity for me to realize that, in the years that had passed since I’d last seen him, he’d grown to look a lot like me. Similar facial features, light blue eyes, straight blond hair, though his was naturally darker … it was almost like staring at myself in the mirror. To someone who didn’t know either one of us all that well, we might have been twins. But of course we weren’t; there was more than a two-year gap between us. It was this fact that bothered me the most … I should have looked after him, as his big brother.

Marcia turned around to see what it was that had me transfixed and let out a gasp. She looked back at me but I had moved away from where I’d been standing. Glass crunched under my shoe, but I hardly noticed it … I hardly noticed anything, or anyone, except the brother I had not seen in seven years.

“Carl?” I repeated, as he had not responded to my earlier call.

He seemed to stir. Only then did I realize that my feet, of their own accord, had brought me directly in front of my brother. I saw a whole range of emotions flash across his features – confusion, delight, hope, pain and anger all seemed to mingle there, leaving me no clue to as to how he ultimately felt about seeing me after all these years.

From the moment I had seen him, my arms had ached to hold him and embrace him, like I hadn’t done since our mother’s funeral. Now that I was so close to him, I couldn’t help myself. I wrapped my arms around him. For a few seconds, it seemed all was well. He was still in too much shock to react.

But once his shock had subsided, he reacted … not in the way I had hoped. He angrily pushed me away.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he yelled, oblivious to the customers around us.

“Carl, I’m your brother,” I said stupidly, as if he hadn’t recognized me from the start.

“I know who you are,” he said, barely concealed fury in his tone. “How dare you call yourself my brother?”

I reeled back as if he had physically hit me. “What?” I choked. “Of course I’m your brother.”

He glared at me coldly, his blue eyes like chips of ice. “As far as I’m concerned, my brother died shortly after my mother did.”

I stared at him in shock. I could hardly get the words out of my mouth. “I can’t believe … you would say such a thing.”

“Reid.” Someone tugged my arm. I turned to see Josh. When he’d come up beside me I didn’t know. “Maybe you could continue this somewhere more … private. There’s a room in the back -”

“There’s no need,” Carl interjected. “I don’t have anything left to say.” He turned to leave.

I couldn’t bear to let him go. I automatically grabbed his arm. “You can’t just leave …” I started to say.

I didn’t get to finish the sentence. He swung around violently and punched me in the stomach with his free hand. It might not have hurt so much if I’d been prepared for it – or if it hadn’t been my brother who’d hit me. I staggered back, thoroughly winded; Josh caught hold of me.

I stared at Carl, my eyes filled with tears of pain and sorrow. This was my first time seeing him in all these years and he hit me. He’d never hit me, not like that, with the intent to harm.

He glared at me angrily. “Don’t tell me about leaving! You were the one who left. What you did to me, and Dad …” He flexed his arm as if to hit me again.

“Don’t hit him,” said a quiet voice. Phil positioned himself between the two of us.

Carl looked confused. “Phil, what are you doing …” His voice trailed off; he must have realized it was no coincidence that he’d met me here.

“You set this up … that’s why you led me to this café …” he said slowly, piecing together the puzzle. Then he looked up, straight at Phil and asked, “But why?”

“Because I love him,” answered Phil simply.

“What?!?” His laughter choked abruptly as he realized that Phil was serious. He took a step back. “But you … I thought you were nice. What are you doing … with him?” He didn’t even say my name.

I couldn’t stand it any longer. I shoved Phil aside, attempting to ignore the wounded puppy-dog expression on his face. “I don’t need you to protect me,” I snapped at him.

“See? You deserve better than him,” said Carl, speaking to Phil and ignoring me completely.

Phil shook his head slowly. “No. He’s the one I love.” He glanced at me. I saw the pain in those melting brown eyes. And I felt incredibly ashamed.

Carl spoke, almost pleading. “Phil, no. You’re a nice guy, and I don’t want to see you get hurt. He’ll walk out on you, just like he did on our family.” He shot me a venomous look. I couldn’t believe it had come to this – my brother cared more about my boyfriend, than about me.

I hadn’t done anything to warrant this. “I DID NOT WALK OUT ON OUR FAMILY!” I yelled. I struggled to calm down. “If you let me explain, you’d know that.”

He pretended to ignore me, but I saw him waver. Contempt was written all over his face, but for the first time, I saw something – something that gave me hope.

“Carl, can we go inside? You can talk to your brother …” Carl flinched noticeably at the mention of the last word. But Phil continued, speaking softly so that only we could hear, “I’ve heard Reid’s story. If I didn’t think there was something in it, something that could be mended, I wouldn’t have arranged this.”

Both of us looked at him. Harrison, looking very guilty, interrupted. “Wait … it’s not his fault. I talked him into it.”

Phil sighed. “No, it’s not, Harrison.” He focused his attention on Carl and me. “Can you two just … indulge me? This once? I promise … okay, maybe I’m not in the position of promising anything, but I hope both of you can work things out … if you’ll just listen to your brother, Carl. Reid is not the heartless person you seem to think he is. I might not be sure of a lot of things, but this is one thing I know for certain.”

He gave me a look that was both hopeful and devoted at the same time. I couldn’t be angry with him. Yes, he’d done something I’d told him expressly not to. But who can resist those puppy-dog eyes?

Apparently, even Carl could not. “Alright. Where is this backroom?” asked Carl.

Josh pointed silently. Carl nodded to him and strode off in the direction he’d pointed. I hesitated. I felt someone put a hand on my arm. It was Marcia. She gave my arm an encouraging pat. “Go on, talk to him.”

I smiled back at her and started to follow Carl. Then I remembered Phil. “Can you come with us? Please?”

He blinked. “You want me?”

“He thinks of you as his friend.”

“Yeah, and you’re his brother.”

“I don’t think he sees it that way. It might be better, if you were there.”

Phil nodded and went into the room. I shut the door behind me, getting one last glimpse of Harrison, Josh and Marcia, and their hopeful faces. And then the door was closed. I turned around to face Carl.

My throat was suddenly dry. Or maybe it had been that way all this while, and I just hadn’t noticed it.

Carl had his arms folded in front of him. I wondered what it was we hoped to achieve; the look on his face was no more encouraging now than it had been outside.

“Reid …” said Phil. I realized they were both waiting for me to start. I just didn’t know where to begin.

“Well?” said Carl acidly. “That’s it. I knew he had nothing to say. How’s he going to explain why he treated the people who loved him like shit? Why he could abandon his family, so soon after one loss?”

His words stung. “Carl, I didn’t want to. It was Dad … I couldn’t stay there, in that house, any longer. He forced me to leave.”

“Did he tell you to leave?” retorted Carl. “Did he bodily throw you out?”

I slowly shook my head. “No, but -”

Carl was determined not to let me finish. “No one made you leave … you left of your own free will.”

“That’s true, but-”

“You see! He’s not even denying it.”

“CARL!” I shouted. He stopped and stared at me.

“Dad told me it was my fault that Mom died.”

His eyes widened in shock. But it was only for a moment. Then he recovered and glared at me. “Don’t lie.”

“It’s true! Dad said, if I hadn’t told Mom that I was gay, she wouldn’t have succumbed to cancer so quickly.”

“You’re lying,” he said flatly.

“Carl …” I was begging and as much as I hated myself for it, I couldn’t let this one last link to the family I’d once had slip away again. “You know how much I loved Mom. I would never have come out to her if I knew it would make her health deteriorate. And I know it wasn’t the reason she took a turn for the worse and died, but Dad didn’t see it that way. He blamed me. He said I helped her into her grave. I couldn’t take that – you know I couldn’t. Not after everything else. Dad always disliked me. You were his favorite; I didn’t begrudge you for it. I knew I could never be the next CEO of Scottmart; that was a job for you. Surfing was always my passion. I couldn’t -”

Carl held up his hand to stop me from continuing. My heart sank. I was pouring my guts out here and he wasn’t inclined to believe any of it.

“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?” he asked quietly.

“I’m telling you now!”

He rephrased his question. “Why didn’t you tell me then?”

“You were seventeen. I didn’t want to burden you.”

“And leaving home without telling me the reason wasn’t burdening me?” he retorted angrily.

“I … you loved Dad, and he loved you back. Just because I didn’t have that, didn’t mean I had to ruin it for you. What was I supposed to do anyway? If I’d told you, you might’ve wanted to follow me. And I couldn’t let you do that. You were well looked after in Dad’s house. With me, you wouldn’t have had half those luxuries. You were a kid.”

“I used to look up to you. And then you just … left. Packed up and left, soon after Mom died. I felt as if I was losing both of you in the same year.”

I could see that he was fighting back tears. My own eyes felt wet. “I didn’t want to leave you either, Carl, but Dad … he made it hard for me. He sent you off to boarding school in … where was it, Virginia?”

Carl nodded silently.

“He sent you off to boarding school because he thought I would corrupt you. Turn you gay, or against him or something. Carl, you have to believe me. What can I do to make you believe me?” The tears flowed freely down my cheeks.

He shuffled his feet awkwardly, looking more like the 17-year-old kid brother I remembered him as than the 24-year-old man he now was. “I always knew you wouldn’t have left without good reason. I thought it was Mom’s death which you couldn’t face.” His eyes met mine and I saw the sorrow in them – the sorrow that he, like me, had been so good at hiding. He whispered, “I’m sorry I said those things …”

I felt an indescribable relief. “Come here,” I said. I wrapped my arms around him and he hugged me back tightly. Over his shoulder, I saw Phil smiling. I grinned back at him; I definitely was not angry at him, not in the least.

“Reid,” Carl said suddenly, “You’re hugging me a bit too tightly.”

“Oh.” I relaxed my grip a little, but I couldn’t bear to let go of him completely, not after being separated for so long.

Phil snorted with laughter. Carl turned back to look at him. “What?” he asked.

“No, it’s just that you’re not the first person Reid has tried to suffocate with one of his so-called hugs.”

Carl glanced from him to me. “So you two are really together?”

I looked at Phil and, without letting my blue eyes leave his brown ones, replied, “Yes.”

Phil looked ridiculously pleased … until I added, “But Harrison is going to get it from me afterwards.”

His eyes widened. “No, hold on, he didn’t do anything!”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m kidding. I’m too happy to have my brother back.” Suddenly a doubt assailed me. “You are, right?”

He nodded and grabbed my hand. “Come on,” he said, leading me out of the room. He took me past all the people in the café. Phil stayed behind to explain things to Josh, Harrison and Marcia.

The sunlight hit me as soon as we were out of the café. I laughed at his sudden enthusiasm – it made everything else seem like a bad dream. “Wait!” I called. “Where are we going?”

He turned around to face me, but didn’t slow in his pace. “To see Dad, of course.”

I halted, pulling him to a stop as well.

He looked puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

“See Dad? Why would I want to see him? Didn’t you hear a word I said back there?”

“But …” He looked utterly confused. “I thought you wanted to be reconciled with us.”

“With you, not Dad!” I stared at him in disbelief. “How could you think I actually wanted to be reconciled with Dad – after what he said?”

He smiled uncertainly at me. “He didn’t mean it; he was just upset at the time.”

“Just upset?” I repeated. “My God. You’re impossible! He accused me of killing the mother that I loved!”

Carl flinched. “I know Dad still loves you,” he said in a small voice. He piped up hopefully, “You saw how we worked things out by talking? You and Dad can do the same!”

“Things between us were different! And Dad certainly does not have any love for me.”

“He does! I’m sure of it.”

“Carl,” I said warningly. “If you insist on me seeing Dad, I’ll have no choice but to leave you again.”

“You wouldn’t,” he said. But he could see it in my face.

“I swear, if you try …”

Carl hastily backed down. “Alright! I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to. But I still think you’re wrong about Dad.”

“What, you don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you. I just think both of you are too stubborn to admit your mistakes.”

“I didn’t make any mistakes!” I protested. Carl’s rebellious look told me he thought otherwise, and I half-expected him to pester me about it, but he didn’t.

Instead he asked, “So, what have you been doing all these years?”

I relaxed. “Why don’t we find a nice spot on the beach and I’ll tell you all about it. You have to tell me about your life too, mind.”

He grinned. “You always did love the beach. Is it really because the surfing thing or is it because you like looking at the guys? Since you're gay and all that.”

I laughed and cuffed him playfully on the head. “Oi! I’m still your older brother.”

He smiled and put his arm around my shoulder. “I won’t deny that – ever again.”


From the Narrative of Joshua Spencer:

Reid got his happy reunion with his brother. Harrison and Phil got away with their stunt. (Judging from how exhausted Reid and Phil were the next morning, I think the latter more than just got away.) Everything was right in the world … or so I thought. It seems that, in my life, there’s always a storm on the horizon.

It had been a regular day in the café. Marcia had gone with Phoebe to her appointment at the hospital. A smartly-dressed guy in his late thirties came up to the counter. I got the feeling he was looking for someone.

I smiled. “Can I help you?”

“As a matter of fact, you can. Are you Joshua Spencer?”

I confirmed the fact.

He held out his hand. “Jack Dwight. I’m the attorney representing the Hendersons.”

Mr. Henderson owned the building in which the café was housed. I shook Jack Dwight’s hand.

“You’re new,” I noted. “What happened to the previous guy?”

Jack averted his eyes. “He is … uh … indisposed.”

“Oh … it’s just as well that you came. I’ve been meaning to see Mr. Henderson myself and sort out the renewal of our tenancy contract …” I ran out of steam when I saw the look on Jack’s face. “That is why you’re here, right?” I said uncertainly.

Reid came up beside me. The smile that seemed to be permanently etched on his face nowadays faded a little. “Hey, is anything the matter?”

“This is Mr. Henderson’s new attorney, Jack Dwight. Mr. Dwight, this is the café’s other owner, Reid Scott. Mr. Dwight is here about our tenancy contract?” I left the sentence hanging.

Jack nodded. “I am here about the contract, but … just not about renewing it. Mr. Henderson … um … he has decided to sell the building.”

“What!” Reid exclaimed. I was too stunned to respond. “He can’t do that. We have a contract … until October.”

“That’s true, but Mr. Henderson does reserve the right to sell the building … the clause is in your contract.”

I found my voice. “I know that clause was in the contract, but when we talked to him last year Mr. Henderson didn’t say anything about selling.”

“Yeah,” Reid chimed in. “In fact he led us to believe he wouldn’t have a problem renewing the contract this year.”

Jack was biting his lip. “Well … circumstances change,” he said vaguely.

“He can’t just sell like that! What if the next owner doesn’t want to extend our contract?” asked Reid.

“Ah … well … then you will have to move.”

Reid looked mutinous. I was still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that we might be on the verge of losing the café we’d worked so hard to build up over the past year.

Jack, realizing he was treading on dangerous ground with Reid, hastily said, “Look, I’m just the messenger. Mr. Henderson is supposed to give his tenants three months’ notice in the event that he wants to sell; that’s why I’m here. If you have any further queries, you can contact Mr. Henderson himself.”

“Damn right we will!” said Reid.

Jack looked unsure how he was supposed to respond to that. “Um … well, then … here are the documents …” I took the papers he offered numbly.

Jack snapped his briefcase shut and smiled tightly. “Okay, then. It was nice, er, doing business with you.” He was in a devil of a hurry. I had the feeling his eagerness to leave was due to more than just Reid’s forceful personality.

My suspicions were confirmed when he bumped into Harry, who was just coming into the café. His eyes lit up in recognition.

“Jack! Well this is a surprise. I wouldn’t have expected to see you here.” He smiled. Jack, on the other hand, looked distinctly uncomfortable.

“You know this guy?” asked Reid.

“Who, Jack? Sure. He’s my father’s attorney …” Harry’s voice trailed off as he realized something was wrong.

“What’s going on here?” he asked in confusion.

“It’s just business, Harrison,” said Jack, looking, for the first time, slightly guilty. He gave a curt nod and hurriedly left the café as though he was being chased by a pack of wild dogs.

Harry, perplexed, looked from Jack’s retreating back to me and Reid.

“Guys?” he asked uncertainly. “What’s going on? Why are you both looking like that?”

I didn’t know what to say. Of course I should have seen the congressman’s hand in Mr. Henderson’s sudden change of heart. I had been foolish to think that he was actually going to let me get away after what I’d said to him.

I didn’t want to say anything. But Reid wasn’t quite so calm. “Your father!” he exploded.

A worried expression appeared on Harry’s face. “Dad? What has he done now?”

“Nothing – except try and destroy us!” said Reid furiously.

I laid a hand on his arm. “Reid …” I pleaded quietly, “Don’t.”

“No, tell me what it is,” said Harry suddenly. “I need to know. You can’t keep protecting me from him, Josh. Just tell me what it is.”

I could see that he was determined to find out. Still I hesitated.

“Josh, tell him,” said Reid. “If you don’t, I will.”

I glared at Reid. But I knew that they were right.

“Okay, let’s go into the backroom. Liz, can you …?” She nodded. The three of us retreated into the back.

I shut the door and turned to find Harry, with his arms folded and looking at me expectantly. “Well?”

Slowly and hesitatingly, I went over everything that had transpired with Jack Dwight.

Harry was flabbergasted. “But … why do you think Dad has anything to do with this?” he asked.

I looked at Reid. This was the difficult question I’d been anticipating. I still hadn’t told Harry about what I’d said to the congressman the night Marcia had her heart attack.

“Harry … You remember when your Mom had a heart attack?”

He nodded.

“And I went to talk to your Dad … to tell him to leave both of you alone?”

He nodded again. I could see realization was starting to dawn on him.

“Harry … everything I said, it was out of love for you. Of course I would never actually tell anyone publicly about it.” I was starting to babble and I knew it. But I was terrified of what Harry would think of me after I told him what I had to.

“Josh, you’re starting to scare me,” whispered Harry.

“Okay …” I took a deep breath. “Basically … I told your Dad, if he didn’t leave you and Aunt Marcia alone, I would reveal to the world exactly what kind of a father he was …”

Harry’s blue eyes filled with tears. “You wouldn’t!”

“Harry, no!” I cried. “Of course I wasn’t actually going to tell anyone.”

He whipped around to look at Reid. “But you told him,” he said accusingly.

Reid looked helplessly at me.

“You weren’t supposed to tell anyone!” yelled Harry.

“I had to tell him. I swear, he’s the only one I’ve told.” I looked pleadingly at Harry.

“Harrison, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m damned fond of you. Otherwise I’d have throttled you within an inch of your life for that stunt you pulled the other day with my brother. And despite that, you wanted to keep something like this from me?”

Harry looked embarrassed and stared at his feet. “Well,” he mumbled, “I didn’t want you to think I’m a weak person or … or just a stupid idiot.”

Reid put both hands on Harry’s shoulders. “Harrison, I don’t think that at all. I admire you for putting up with all the stuff your Dad did … It makes what my Dad did seem trivial next to it, and I couldn’t put up with even that.”

Harry sniffed. “That still doesn’t put you in the right.” This comment was directed at me.

“I couldn’t think of any other way. I knew how desperately you wanted to be free of him … not only you, but Aunt Marcia as well. This was the only way I could be certain he would be too afraid to force either of you into doing something you didn’t want to.” I couldn’t bear to look him in the eye.

“Josh …” Unexpectedly I felt his fingers under my chin, propping my head up. His lips brushed lightly against mine. His brilliant blue eyes met my own grey ones.

“I know you’d never hurt me in any way … you’re the last person on earth who’d even dream of doing that. I believe you when you said you did it out of love.”

He paused. I wondered if my relief was going to be fleeting.

“But it doesn’t seem to have worked, he continued. “Dad must know you weren’t serious when you said that.”

Reid pointed out, “To be fair, Harrison, I would say that it has worked, to a certain extent. Your Dad did agree to sign the divorce papers, and he hasn’t tried to contact either you or Marcia in the time since Josh talked to him. I think this is more of a personal revenge against Josh. Because he actually stood up to him and got the better of him. I don’t think … anyone has ever done that to him to before.”

I had to agree with Reid’s observation. And, apparently, so did Harry. “Yes … he must know what the café means to you, Josh. You really shouldn’t have done that – challenged him, I mean.”

I was incredulous. “But, Harry! You know what would have happened if I hadn’t.”

He nodded slowly, with his eyes closed. I knew he was remembering all the times he’d suffered. Suddenly his eyes snapped open. I was, as always, amazed at just how deep a blue they were.

“I’ll do it,” he muttered. Looking straight at me and Reid, he gave a strained smile. “This problem is ultimately because of me, and I have to fix it.” He turned to leave.

“Wait!” I called. “Where are you going?”

“My Dad’s,” he replied.

“Are you crazy? You can’t go there.”

“Josh … I’ve put it off long enough. I hoped I would never have to see him but I realize now … I have to. Reid knows that, too, don’t you?”

Reid was put on the spot.“Um … well …”

“You said it – just now, you said I wasn’t a weak person. I have to prove it.”

“It’s not going to change anything,” I told him.

“Maybe not,” he acknowledged. “But at least I would’ve tried. I can’t let you do everything for me, Josh. I have to do this.”

“You don’t have to do this alone; I’ll come with you,” I said.

Harry shook his head. “This is something I have to do for myself. Besides, your presence will probably only infuriate him further. And no, Reid, you can’t come either.”

I tried to stop him from leaving, but Reid held me back. I shrugged off his arms once the door shut behind Harry.

“Why didn’t you let me stop him?” I asked him angrily.

“He didn’t want you to interfere.”

“He’s going to get hurt. You know how he is with his father …”

“I don’t think so. He thinks differently of him now that he knows he isn’t his real father.”

“Still! You don’t know the congressman. He holds this – this power over Harry!”

Reid sighed and squeezed my hand. “He’ll be fine. I’m sure Harrison doesn’t want you to worry about him.” I wasn’t convinced. Reid raised his eyebrows and added, “Trust me, the kid’s got balls.”

I smiled in spite of myself. I knew Harry was certainly not lacking those. But it wasn’t his courage I was worried about …

To be continued …​

It’s difficult to live up to expectations and deliver a chapter like the last one. I can only hope I’ve done a good enough job with this one. It's a bit long, because I had to fit in all the 'action'. Now the story is winding down, there'll be quite a bit of that. At the moment I am wavering between whether the final chapter will be number 39 or 40 … still a long way to go, I’m sure you’ll say. But it feels like we’re all too near the end. But I like the ending I’ve planned out – all the storylines clearly resolved and all the characters’ fates ultimately determined.

Your feedback is appreciated, as always. (I hope you guys appreciate that I wrote this new chapter in less than 7 days! LOL. Next one in 5 days, hopefully)

P.S. The guy on the left in my new avatar is my idea of what Phil looks like. (I love Cyrille )

 

[harry113]

Thanks Justin. great stuff.
I just wonder if possibly this is going to be reconciliation all round.
Hugs
Harry

 

[robbieadam]

Excellent chapter and you've built up the tension well with the cliffhanger.
It's good that Reid and Carl have made up after 7 years so I'm looking forward to hearing more on that relationship.
I can't wait for the next chapter, thanks for a fantastic read.

 

[kcm17480]

Oh wow the tension has got me by the balls. This story is great reading. I can't keep away from it.

 

[mexamor]

excellent chapter wonderful thank you so much for your writing.

 

[Craiger]

Justin,

That was one awesome chapter. The reconciliation of Reid and Carl was extremely potent. Even though I wanted them to makeup there was a short period where I wondered if it would really occur. It brought tears to my eyes when Carl finally accepted Reid back. Now we have to worry about the Congressman. Maybe we can start a "recall election" to get rid of him......lol Anything to thwart his power.
I look forward to the next installment but am a little sad that you have only a few more chapters until all is resolved. I, for one, would like to see it continue, but you know best. Kudos for an excellent story.

Craiger

 

[arogersb]

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM YOUR AUTHOR​

Hi everyone,

I am currently at work on the 34th chapter - it is almost half done and I should have it up by Monday. However, the reason I am writing this message is because I've noticed that, as the story progresses, I've been getting less replies compared with the earlier chapters. Is it because you guys are losing interest in long stories, or do you feel the quality of writing has gone down (I'll be the first to admit I can't offer consistently good chapters) or are you guys still following this story but just not posting any comments?

That's the main reason I am posting this - I understand that some of you are silent (anonymous) readers, but what about those of you who have posted comments in this thread before? Are you guys still there, following this thread? If you are, just give a shoutout (of course this doesn't apply to the regular posters).

If the reason you've stopped following this story is because of a deterioration in writing quality, please do also give some feedback on how I can improve! I'm afraid I can't do much to change this story at this point, but I do have other ideas in the pipeline and your feedback would be of great help.

And finally, to those regular posters (you guys know who you are), a big thank you for faithfully following this story since the start!

Cheers,
Justin

 

[Mikiki]

Never fear we are here, your silent readers and we are loving every chapter, every paragraph, every sentence, every phrase and every word.


MIKIKI