Confounded: Part II - 34. Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34 --==Taylan’s POV==--

“I’ll take a couple of ribs, a steak and some chicken!” Mitchell’s voice came from somewhere in the house while I was busy outside, arranging plates with meat, putting out salads and drinks. “Oh, and throw Tay in the pool, so he’s well marinated by the time I get there.”

Tsk.

“In your dreams!” I yelled back, eying Kit who was grinning feral at me, already rising from his lounge chair. “Sit your butt back down, or become sterile. Your choice,” I continued, sharply. There would be no throwing me in the pool today. “You’ll be having a veggie burger and some salad!”

“What!? I’m not a rabbit!” Mitch replied. From the sound of it, he was on his way from the bedroom after changing.

“Fuck like one, eat like one,” I mumbled, getting a steak for him.

Right behind me, Tom choked on a piece of cucumber I’d seen him steal from the salad bowl; I didn’t think I’d said it that loud. Oops.

“You doin’ okay there, kid?” I said, patting his back. “Here, have a root beer.”
I handed him a bottle.

“I’m eighteen!” He coughed, waving it away.

“Oh, I’m sorry; have a root beer, Sir!”
He accepted it, and took a chug. And then produced a cigarette.

“Yeah, you’re kidding me, right?” I hissed, grabbing it from his fingers. “Smoking?”
He held back the pack when I also reached for that.

“Wha…we’re outside!”
He didn’t see Kit coming up behind him, handily filching it from him.
“Hey!”

“I don’t care if we were in outer space,” I said, disgusted, holding out my hand to Kit, who put the pack in there. “If you need grass that bad, go suck the lawn.”
Crumpling the pack, I turned to Kit, who received a killer-glance from Tom.

“You knew about this?”

“Oh yeah,” he replied, sending a toothy grin Tom’s way. “Caught him a few days ago.”

“And you don’t mind him doing that?”
He shrugged and I gaped at him. This was coming from Mr. Healthfreak? Tom sent a triumphant grin.

“It’s his choice but no, I don’t like him doing it and he knows that. Not much I can do about it, if he wants to disappoint those who love him.”
Tom’s grin sobered instantly and I grinned inward. That one had to have hit home. Good one, son!

“Great; any other great habits you picked up, lately?” I asked, catching Tom’s eye. “We don’t smoke here. And you’re lucky I caught it, and not your Uncle Mitchell; he’d really have something to say about it.”

“About what?” Mitchell’s voice suddenly sounded, as he stepped out onto the patio.
He was dressed casually, in a baggy t-shirt and long shorts.

“Bunnies,” I answered, dryly.

“Pfft; it’s a plot of the grown-ups against us tiny peeps,” Tom mumbled.

“Oh, come on; there’s a small person in everybody,” Mitchell grinned, “there’s even one inside of me, screaming to get out.”
Tom looked him up and down slowly.

“You sure it’s just the one?” he asked, taking his plate and going for the chair furthest away.
I snorted at the perplexed look on Mitchell’s face. Good one!

“Silent, you,” Mitchell said, elbowing me. “Why isn’t my steak ready yet?”

“Shut it; have a drink,” I replied, nodding at the assortment of bottles. “Happy hour starts now.”

“No, not yet,” he answered, leaning down.
Planting a kiss on my mouth, he took his time before he lifted his head.

“Now it’s happy hour,” he grinned.

**********

“What’s up with those two?” he asked a while later, nodding at Kit and Tom who’d retreated into the pool halfway through the barbeque.

“Whattayamean?” I answered slowly, eying them.

“Something’s up, but I can’t seem to put my finger on it.”
Ah. I grinned.

“Tom pretty much admitted to me that he’s in love with Kit.”
Swiveling his head, Mitch raised an eyebrow at me.

“Really…and how did you get him to admit that?”

“Put the thumbscrews on him for a bit.”
That caused a wince.

“And, knowing you, you went straight for the kill? What did you tell him?”

“Basically that, if he hurt Kit in any way, he’d have me to deal with. And that he was gonna have to tell his dad. Who will be coming around on Wednesday, by the way. He called him.”
Mitchell slowly whistled.

“My my, you’ve been a busy bee, haven’t you?”
I shrugged.

“It was time, I saw an opening and pounced. You know me.”

“That, my love, I do.”
It earned me a kiss.
“What did Roman say?”

“He was very glad that Tom finally called. He sounded relieved. I can’t imagine this whole thing being easy on him either.”
And then I told him the rest. All of it.

When I finished, I saw Mitch looking at my nephew with new eyes. Sympathy shone in them.

“He seems…less weighed down; that’s what I couldn’t put my finger on.”
I nodded, watching the boys chase each other in the pool, Tom keeping well ahead of Kit, staying out of his reach.
“Maybe he doesn’t even need to see the pshych. You think there’s more?”

“If he has any secrets left, I’d be very surprised,’ I answered, shaking my head. “I think he’s done running.”
To add strength to those words, Kit finally caught Tom and planted one on him that, in my minds’ eye, had the poolwater steaming.

“I’ll say,” Mitchell snickered. “Kit’s good for him. And he’s head over heels…”

“Yes he is,” I agreed.

“So what’s gonna happen after Wednesday? When Tom goes back home? I take it that is what Roman would want; for his son to come back home…”
I stiffened, watching the boys.

Damn. I hadn’t even thought about that and voiced that out loud.

“Crap,” I whispered, “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Then we better start thinking fast, or we’ll have a potential Romeo and Julian situation on our hands. We need to talk to Roman, before he comes over here on Wednesday and demands his son to come back home.”
I groaned softly. That could definitely be something my brother would want.
I shot from my chair, grabbing Mitchell's hand.

“You’re right. C’mon, they’re in their own world; we might as well do it straight away, get it over with. Let's make a call."