My Big Fat Gay Life (21 page)

Donovan arrived shortly before the guests were due to start arriving, dragging a reluctant Tony behind him. We asked him to move in with us, and he gladly accepted. I wonder if the poor kid knows what he’s in for! Maybe he should have spoken to Sebastian about living with us before he agreed so readily.

I greeted the guests as they arrived, and played the perfect hostess. “Food’s over there. Bar’s over there. Toilet’s over there.” I pointed out the essential services to Kento and his date.

Some guests I didn’t know arrived, so they received a more cordial welcome than Kento had. After introducing them to Kento, I went to greet Doris and Jack as they walked in the door.

“How lovely to see you both again!” I exclaimed, kissing both ladies on each cheek. We exchanged pleasantries, but Doris seemed a little reserved. I wondered if she felt a little awkward after our group sex following the engagement party.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” she said, looking around at all the staff and preparations. “I wish you’d let me pay you back for all this. After all, it’s my daughter’s wedding! I should be paying, as the parent of the bride. Maybe we can set up a payment schedule?”

So that was it! She felt awkward because Donovan and I were paying for the caterers and string quartet, etc. Silly woman!

“Oh please, I wouldn’t hear of it!” I replied. “Forgive me for being tactless, but I get the impression you and Jack aren’t exactly rolling in money. Donovan and I are, however, and we don’t have a daughter. Well we kind of do, if you count Sebastian, but in the gay community it’s the parents of the bottom that pay for the wedding, and Sebastian’s a top. Actually, we have two kind-of daughters now, if you count Tony. I really should ask him if he’s a top or a bottom!

“But anyways, my point is this: we love Ruth dearly. She’s the daughter we never had. If we can help make her day special, and in the process not place a burden on you both, then we’re happy to do it. She doesn’t need to know that you didn’t pay! It’ll be our little secret.” I tapped the side of my nose with my index finger.

Tears welled up in Doris’ eyes. “Thank you,” she said, putting more emotion, depth, and substance into those two little words than I’d ever heard before. She hugged me, briefly.

“OK! Food’s over there. Bar’s over there. Toilet’s over there.” I pointed out the facilities again. “Jack, you can piss outside with the blokes if the dunny’s busy.” I gave them a mischievous wink as I went to greet the next guests.

“Don. Maria. So good to see you both!” I said as Justin’s parents came through the front door. We made appropriate air kisses, however Maria looked concerned.

“There’s something going on outside,” Maria said quickly. “There are police out the front!”

I rushed outside - in a manner as ladylike as possible so that it wasn’t obvious that I was being a nosey neighbour - and arrived in the street just as a police officer was shoving Bruce into the back of a police van.

“Get him out of here! Quick!” I screamed at the police officers.

“Thank you for the tip that he may be here today, Mrs. Parker,” the other office said to me.

“You’re welcome. Now go away!” I waved my arms dramatically. The police officers waved as they got into their vehicle and left.

I took a few deep breaths: breathing out the tension and breathing in the relief. Bruce had been caught! That news could wait until tomorrow, however. I went back inside.

“The police finally arrested the American that murdered Sebastian’s lover!” I told Don and Maria. “I gave them a tip that he may be here today, because it’s a big event that would likely draw him out of hiding and make him a little careless. It looks like it worked!

“I won’t tell any of the kids until tomorrow. Today is all about Justin and Ruth! Speaking of Justin, there’s something I wanted to discuss with you both. He may ask you both to go inside when they’re taking the nude photographs. If he does, it’s important that you don’t get upset or offended. He loves and respects you both: probably respects you too much which is why he doesn’t feel comfortable being nude around you. Here’s my suggestion for how you should handle it…”

* * *

The ceremony was beautiful, and the photography session was fun! I was taking a short time-out in the den, having a gin and tonic with a bourbon chaser in the window seat, when I saw Sebastian and Justin talking in the back garden. Before long, Sebastian was crying in Justin’s arms. Damn, Justin is good! Some things a mother just can’t do.

Now that Sebastian has cried, he can start the grieving process. I don’t want to appear heartless, but his grieving process won’t be very prolonged. Him and Quentin had only just started dating, and the grieving process for lost potential was far shorter than the grieving process for lost history.

The boys went inside, and I heard Sebastian tapping a glass for attention. I went back into the grand room to listen, and smirked at his eloquent start. Luckily this was an off-the-cuff speech before dinner, and not his official Best Man’s speech!

* * *

Dinner was superb. Donovan and I were sitting with Doris and Jack, and Don and Maria were mingling with the other guests. The kids were all dancing and laughing, and I was pleased to see Tony fitting in so well. The four of us were all sipping port, and I saw a familiar expression work its way onto Donovan’s face.

“We’ve made up the spare room for you ladies,” he said, “but we’d be happy if you stayed in our room with us. Don’t feel obligated in any way - we won’t take any offence if you aren’t interested - but how about it? Do you feel like a repeat performance with the small warm dildo?”

Jack laughed, and Doris blushed. “Why not!” they said in unison.

“Excellent!” Donovan exclaimed. “I was thinking I might get one of you ladies to strap on your own dildo and… Errrk”

The strange noise Donovan had made snapped my attention back to him from the dance floor. The eyelid of his left eye was drooping, and his mouth was drawn down on the left.

“Errrk,” he said again, and a trickle of drool ran down his chin from where his mouth was drawn down. He held out his right hand to me, seeking help and reassurance. His left hand was resting on his lap and balled up into a claw. He was having a stroke, and I was struck mute and frozen with fear. I was totally paralysed.

“Holy shit! Somebody call an ambulance!” I hoped I heard somebody shriek.

Day 8 – Day 14

Trapped. I think we need to create some new words to give more depth and dimension to traps, as there are so many different traps and ways to be trapped. Some traps are inevitable, and we can’t do a single thing to avoid being caught in them. Some other traps can be avoided, yet we seem to go out of our way to ensnare ourselves in them. And yet other traps are created purely by our own actions: we immerse ourselves in them with our eyes wide open.

Donovan, Day 14

Narratives from:

Justin and Ruth should be back home from their honeymoon today. I can’t wait! It’s been a long two weeks. Kento’s wrapped up in his new relationship with Ian and I’ve hardly seen him - but I’m thrilled for him. Patricia spends most of her time with Donovan, so it’s fallen to me to run Rainbow’s End. My days are spent either at work, or at the care facility where Donovan is recovering from his stroke.

The lack of Justin has resulted in a lack of exercise, and I feel like I’ve developed a bit of a tummy. I’m feeling a little self-conscious about it, so I’ve resorted to an old trick to make me appear slimmer: wearing a cockring. The theory is that when you have a bigger bulge, it makes your tummy look smaller. I don’t know if that’s true: maybe people just don’t notice your tummy when you have a big bulge. The cockring was a gift from Patricia, although the gift was supposedly a new collar for Cujo. The thought of Cujo also summoned up thoughts of Quentin, taking the shine off my good mood.

Looking at the clock, I saw that I had a little time to spare before work. I decided to make a quick trip to the supermarket for some groceries; my cupboards were bare. I threw on my cockring, a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and some runners, and then rushed to the new up-market supermarket.