Inheritance (8/30)
Previous Chapter
Scotty went over to Nora’s house long before Game Night was supposed to begin. He had offered to help her prepare appetizers and desserts. Justin was already there too, hoping to sneak some of the food as they made it. The phone rang, and Nora went to the office to answer it. Justin took advantage of their momentary privacy to tell Scotty something he was nervously optimistic about.
“So,” Justin started. “I made plans with Tyler in a few days. I wanted to see her again, once before I left.”
“Who’s Tyler?” Scotty asked, racking his memory for previous references to her.
“My ex-girlfriend. We broke up literally the night I met you. I had only been sober for a little while, and it really threw me, when I found out about you. I didn’t use, but it had been close. She couldn’t really handle it, and we both realized that I wasn’t in any place to be in a relationship.”
“And so tomorrow, you’re going to…what? Try and get back together?” Scotty asked as he continued to chop vegetables.
“I don’t know,” Justin said. “I don’t know. I just need to see how she’s doing, you know? She was very important to me. Really helped me turn a lot of things around, and…I don’t know.”
“Are you getting worried about going back? Is this, like, a saying goodbye thing?”
Justin shrugged. “Maybe.”
Scotty was about to speak again, when the kitchen door opened. Both men turned to the new arrival. She didn’t notice them at first, as she was having a heated discussion with someone on her cell phone. She put her purse on the counter, then finally looked up. When she noticed Scotty, she stopped talking suddenly. As soon as she caught herself, she tried to speak again, but eventually gave up and told the other person she’d have to call them back.
Scotty smiled nervously. “Hi,” he said.
Justin looked back and forth between them. Then he jumped in. “Kitty, this is Scotty.”
“Oh. Oh, hi. It’s really nice to meet you.” she said, her voice shaky.
Scotty nodded, reaching a hand out to shake hers. They both stayed fairly silent as they tried to recover from the surprise. Kitty finally escaped, offering the excuse that she had to get ready for Game Night. Scotty sighed, turning back to Justin.
“Well, that went well,” he observed sarcastically. Justin started laughing in agreement.
Their lightheartedness lasted only a few moments, as Kevin slammed the door open and shut it just as forcefully. As soon as he saw the others, he sighed, calming down as he walked to the counter and stood next to Scotty. He reached out and grabbed a carrot stick, taking a bite. Justin watched him with raised eyebrows, while Scotty simply smirked.
“How was your date?”
“Horrible,” was Kevin’s terse reply.
Scotty tried not to appear too outwardly pleased. He had thought about it the night before, tried to figure out why it was bothering him. It wasn’t like he was jealous. That would just be weird. But he and Kevin had grown quite close, and Scotty liked hanging out with him. If he had a boyfriend, if he fell for someone who would actually want to date him (unlike Chad), then they would naturally drift apart a bit. Surely Scotty wouldn’t be Kevin’s first choice for a companion then, and Scotty…would miss him.
***
Scotty had learned by then that the Walkers could be intense and overly enthusiastic about things. He hadn’t realized how much until he saw them in action at Game Night. He mostly just sat in the back with Julia; they made sarcastic comments under their breath and tried not to get in anyone else’s way. He laughed out loud at Kevin’s dinosaur impression and smirked as he repeatedly took jabs at his sister. When they had found out that Kevin’s date had been Jason McCallister, Scotty thought Kevin was going to lose it entirely. He had actually gone nonverbal for a few moments.
It was a pretty fun evening, but the thing was, Scotty was an only child. And that many people could still get to be too much for him. Thankfully, they took a break as they set up Operation for Tommy and Lizzie’s husband Ken to play. The others dispersed, and Scotty took the opportunity to slip out to the backyard for some fresh air and quiet. He sat down on a bench and sighed.
“Oh!”
Scotty looked up at the door, where Kitty was standing. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who needed a breather.
“Hi,” he said slowly, standing up.
She looked panicked for a brief moment, like she was about to turn back around. Then she stepped out into the yard.
“Hi.”
Scotty tried to find something to say, his mind incredibly blank.
“I didn’t expect you to look so much like my dad,” Kitty said quietly.
“Uh…sorry.”
Kitty shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. It’s just hard to accept.”
“I understand.”
They were silent then, watching each other cautiously.
“You’re a chef?” Kitty finally asked.
Scotty nodded. “I’m in culinary school.”
“That’s neat,” she replied. “I can’t even boil water.”
“Kevin told me about some green bean dish that actually jellied or something?”
Kitty laughed, shaking her head. “He’s exaggerating.” She walked closer to him, and they both sat down. “Let me tell you the truth. The truth is, it was his fault.”
Scotty grinned.
***
Later that week, Scotty was hanging out on Kevin’s couch. Scotty had found out that Kevin had never been to a karaoke bar, prompting him to once again take on the self-appointed role of instructing Kevin in the ways of gay men. Kevin responded that he had never had any complaints about his ways with gay men, thank you very much. But Scotty wouldn’t take no for an answer, and they were going to Cinnamon Jack’s that night. While he waited for Kevin to change out of his work suit, Scotty flipped through the channels on his TV.
“Ooh, Glitter!” he exclaimed as Kevin emerged from the bedroom.
Kevin smirked, flopping on the couch next to Scotty. “You make fun of me for Wicked.”
Scotty didn’t say anything. When Kevin had sat down, he landed perhaps just slightly within Scotty’s personal space. Scotty could feel Kevin’s warmth all along his body, and Scotty was trying desperately not to react to how disturbingly pleasant it was. Clearly it had been too long, if sitting next to his brother was enough to…he should probably go on a date pretty soon, take some of the edge off.
Kevin’s phone rang, and he leaned even closer to Scotty as he twisted to reach into his pocket. Scotty closed his eyes and swallowed, exhaling slowly through his nose.
“Hello? Hey Justin!” There was a brief pause, and then Kevin said, “Well, is that good or bad? No, no. I think it’s good too.” Another long pause. “Look, just enjoy the moment for right now, and when you’re both ready to talk, just be honest.”
Scotty looked at Kevin curiously. Tyler, Kevin mouthed with a slight eyeroll. Scotty nodded in understanding. After a few more exchanges, Kevin hung up the phone.
“They slept together,” he explained. “Justin’s freaking out.”
“You think they’re going to get back together?”
“I hope so; I liked her.”
Scotty nodded. “He seems to want it.”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Well, good,” Scotty said, standing up. “I’m glad for him.” He turned to Kevin, reaching out a hand. “Time to go. I want to see you sing.”
Kevin took his hand and pulled himself to his feet. “I am not singing.”
“Want to bet?” Scotty asked with a smile.
Next Chapter
Main Page
Scotty went over to Nora’s house long before Game Night was supposed to begin. He had offered to help her prepare appetizers and desserts. Justin was already there too, hoping to sneak some of the food as they made it. The phone rang, and Nora went to the office to answer it. Justin took advantage of their momentary privacy to tell Scotty something he was nervously optimistic about.
“So,” Justin started. “I made plans with Tyler in a few days. I wanted to see her again, once before I left.”
“Who’s Tyler?” Scotty asked, racking his memory for previous references to her.
“My ex-girlfriend. We broke up literally the night I met you. I had only been sober for a little while, and it really threw me, when I found out about you. I didn’t use, but it had been close. She couldn’t really handle it, and we both realized that I wasn’t in any place to be in a relationship.”
“And so tomorrow, you’re going to…what? Try and get back together?” Scotty asked as he continued to chop vegetables.
“I don’t know,” Justin said. “I don’t know. I just need to see how she’s doing, you know? She was very important to me. Really helped me turn a lot of things around, and…I don’t know.”
“Are you getting worried about going back? Is this, like, a saying goodbye thing?”
Justin shrugged. “Maybe.”
Scotty was about to speak again, when the kitchen door opened. Both men turned to the new arrival. She didn’t notice them at first, as she was having a heated discussion with someone on her cell phone. She put her purse on the counter, then finally looked up. When she noticed Scotty, she stopped talking suddenly. As soon as she caught herself, she tried to speak again, but eventually gave up and told the other person she’d have to call them back.
Scotty smiled nervously. “Hi,” he said.
Justin looked back and forth between them. Then he jumped in. “Kitty, this is Scotty.”
“Oh. Oh, hi. It’s really nice to meet you.” she said, her voice shaky.
Scotty nodded, reaching a hand out to shake hers. They both stayed fairly silent as they tried to recover from the surprise. Kitty finally escaped, offering the excuse that she had to get ready for Game Night. Scotty sighed, turning back to Justin.
“Well, that went well,” he observed sarcastically. Justin started laughing in agreement.
Their lightheartedness lasted only a few moments, as Kevin slammed the door open and shut it just as forcefully. As soon as he saw the others, he sighed, calming down as he walked to the counter and stood next to Scotty. He reached out and grabbed a carrot stick, taking a bite. Justin watched him with raised eyebrows, while Scotty simply smirked.
“How was your date?”
“Horrible,” was Kevin’s terse reply.
Scotty tried not to appear too outwardly pleased. He had thought about it the night before, tried to figure out why it was bothering him. It wasn’t like he was jealous. That would just be weird. But he and Kevin had grown quite close, and Scotty liked hanging out with him. If he had a boyfriend, if he fell for someone who would actually want to date him (unlike Chad), then they would naturally drift apart a bit. Surely Scotty wouldn’t be Kevin’s first choice for a companion then, and Scotty…would miss him.
***
Scotty had learned by then that the Walkers could be intense and overly enthusiastic about things. He hadn’t realized how much until he saw them in action at Game Night. He mostly just sat in the back with Julia; they made sarcastic comments under their breath and tried not to get in anyone else’s way. He laughed out loud at Kevin’s dinosaur impression and smirked as he repeatedly took jabs at his sister. When they had found out that Kevin’s date had been Jason McCallister, Scotty thought Kevin was going to lose it entirely. He had actually gone nonverbal for a few moments.
It was a pretty fun evening, but the thing was, Scotty was an only child. And that many people could still get to be too much for him. Thankfully, they took a break as they set up Operation for Tommy and Lizzie’s husband Ken to play. The others dispersed, and Scotty took the opportunity to slip out to the backyard for some fresh air and quiet. He sat down on a bench and sighed.
“Oh!”
Scotty looked up at the door, where Kitty was standing. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who needed a breather.
“Hi,” he said slowly, standing up.
She looked panicked for a brief moment, like she was about to turn back around. Then she stepped out into the yard.
“Hi.”
Scotty tried to find something to say, his mind incredibly blank.
“I didn’t expect you to look so much like my dad,” Kitty said quietly.
“Uh…sorry.”
Kitty shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. It’s just hard to accept.”
“I understand.”
They were silent then, watching each other cautiously.
“You’re a chef?” Kitty finally asked.
Scotty nodded. “I’m in culinary school.”
“That’s neat,” she replied. “I can’t even boil water.”
“Kevin told me about some green bean dish that actually jellied or something?”
Kitty laughed, shaking her head. “He’s exaggerating.” She walked closer to him, and they both sat down. “Let me tell you the truth. The truth is, it was his fault.”
Scotty grinned.
***
Later that week, Scotty was hanging out on Kevin’s couch. Scotty had found out that Kevin had never been to a karaoke bar, prompting him to once again take on the self-appointed role of instructing Kevin in the ways of gay men. Kevin responded that he had never had any complaints about his ways with gay men, thank you very much. But Scotty wouldn’t take no for an answer, and they were going to Cinnamon Jack’s that night. While he waited for Kevin to change out of his work suit, Scotty flipped through the channels on his TV.
“Ooh, Glitter!” he exclaimed as Kevin emerged from the bedroom.
Kevin smirked, flopping on the couch next to Scotty. “You make fun of me for Wicked.”
Scotty didn’t say anything. When Kevin had sat down, he landed perhaps just slightly within Scotty’s personal space. Scotty could feel Kevin’s warmth all along his body, and Scotty was trying desperately not to react to how disturbingly pleasant it was. Clearly it had been too long, if sitting next to his brother was enough to…he should probably go on a date pretty soon, take some of the edge off.
Kevin’s phone rang, and he leaned even closer to Scotty as he twisted to reach into his pocket. Scotty closed his eyes and swallowed, exhaling slowly through his nose.
“Hello? Hey Justin!” There was a brief pause, and then Kevin said, “Well, is that good or bad? No, no. I think it’s good too.” Another long pause. “Look, just enjoy the moment for right now, and when you’re both ready to talk, just be honest.”
Scotty looked at Kevin curiously. Tyler, Kevin mouthed with a slight eyeroll. Scotty nodded in understanding. After a few more exchanges, Kevin hung up the phone.
“They slept together,” he explained. “Justin’s freaking out.”
“You think they’re going to get back together?”
“I hope so; I liked her.”
Scotty nodded. “He seems to want it.”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Well, good,” Scotty said, standing up. “I’m glad for him.” He turned to Kevin, reaching out a hand. “Time to go. I want to see you sing.”
Kevin took his hand and pulled himself to his feet. “I am not singing.”
“Want to bet?” Scotty asked with a smile.
Next Chapter
Main Page