Two months later…
Sway tilted his head up, watching Brian expectantly. He knew what he wanted. They had their own language. Brian cupped the back of Sway’s neck and pulled him towards his mouth. Brian licked Sway’s lips before he sucked on the bottom one. His front porch wasn’t the place for this so Sway quickly turned and unlocked the front door to his apartment.
Tweetie and his mom were in their usual spots, watching television, looking up with pleasant surprise when they came in. “Brian. Hey, shuga’. How are you?” Tweetie stood and gave Brian a hug, his mom immediately motioning for Brian to give her one too.
When they were done acting as if they hadn’t just seen Brian two days ago, Sway lifted his hand. “Hello to ya’ll, too.”
His mom laughed at him. “Hi Squirt.”
“Mmhmm,” Sway grumbled, sitting on the arm of the chair that Brian sat in.
“So, what are you guys up to today?” Tweetie asked, picking up another stack of coupons to put in her organizer book.
“Ask him?” Sway pointed at Brian.
“We were on our way to get a bite. I just finished up a meeting at work. My boss thought he was going to slow down on business and cut back on the bounties. Now, come to find out him and Quick have the complete opposite in mind.” Brian said, his voice sounding stronger but just as raw. “He’s actually recruiting. Bringing in at least two more hunters.”
“Wow.” Sway’s mom added. “How do you feel about that, Squirt?”
“I’m fine, mom. Of course. As long as he’s careful.” Sway rubbed Brian’s back while he talked. It was if they had to touch every few minutes.
“Why did he change his mind anyway? Duke is hot, but he ain’t getting any younger,” Sway said.
“There’s such an influx in crime right now, it’s almost impossible to do. We can’t keep up. Now we got jumpers fleeing by water as well,” Brian told them.
“Water? Atlanta is landlocked. How can a fugitive get—?”
“Dana thought that too. And, that’s what Duke met with us about. A jumper used a boat and navigated all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. Not an easy feat but doable with the right conditions. Being landlocked and being accessible by water are two very different things. We had a twenty-minute debate about Atlanta being landlocked. I guess your brother should study a map and follow the Chattahoochee River. Fact of the matter is; drugs, criminals, guns, will all find a way into your city and it’s not going to be the way everyone expects. Duke wants us to be prepared for anything.”
Sway looked at his mom and Tweetie’s concerned faces. “You’re just the bringer of good hope today aren’t you, babe?” Sway teased.
“Sorry.” Brian put his hands up and laughed that easy laugh. “I didn’t come to talk about work. I came to take my favorite ladies out to dinner.”
Tweetie clasped her hands. “Now, see. That sounds a whole lot better than all that other stuff you just said. You should’ve said, ‘I got good and bad news; which do you want to hear first?” Tweetie popped Brian on his leg when she inched by. “Next time let us decide which we wanna hear first.”
They laughed while Tweetie got his mom’s purse and winter coat together. She had a push wheelchair they used when Brian took them out, since he could lift her and the chair with no problem.
“Squirt, guess what?” His mom smiled widely. “I got a job.”
Sway’s head snapped up. “What?”
“Steph, don’t scare the boy,” Tweetie jumped in. “It’s not a job. We’re volunteering down at the community center with Sam, three days a week.”
“That sounds great,” Brian said, squeezing Sway’s leg while he sat there staring stupidly. “Don’t it, baby?”
Sway jumped. “Y-yeah. Of course it is. But, what makes you want to do that now?”
His mom giggled. “It’s never too late to get involved, honey. And, well, I see how close you and Brian have gotten. And Tweetie and I are so happy for both of you. So, we’ve decided, now that you don’t need us to keep you company anymore, we’re going to go out and get a life.”
Sway’s mouth dropped open. When Tweetie walked by, she took her hand and closed it for him.
“Yes, we are very happy. And, we know it’s only a matter of time before Brian refuses to let you call this place home.” Tweetie grinned.
“This is my home.”
“Brian is your home, sweetheart. You’ve come so far, now you gotta keep going. Every man has to leave the nest,” his mom interjected. Her eyes shone bright with pride. The pain and hurt she used to display when she spoke of her sons were gone, now replaced with appreciation that she still had one son left… and maybe one day… a new son-in-law. “When you and Brian decide to take that step, I’ve asked Tweetie to move in here with me.”
“Are you guys putting me out?” Sway yelled.
Brian laughed beside him. “I wish they would.”
“We haven’t decided to live together yet, Mom.” Sway knew they weren’t quite there yet. It was good to miss each other sometimes.
“Oh, I know. We’re just being prepared for when you do.”
Tweetie clasped Sway’s shoulder. “And, now that you have a partner. Your mom and I are going to help down at the LGBTEQU center and help the young—”
Sway clamped his hand over his mouth to stop the burst of laughter.
“What?” Tweetie darted her eyes between them. “Did I miss a letter?”
Sway shook his head, trying not to look at his boyfriend who was struggling to hide his own smile. “Um, no. That sounded about right. Give or take a vowel.” Sway laughed, and Brian yanked him onto his lap.
“You two.” Tweetie swatted at them and finished styling her pixie-cut wig in the mirror in the hall. “Gonna show these young people how it’s done.”
“Honey, with Tweetie getting all that extra money with the respite hours, she thinks we can afford a used van.” Sway’s mom beamed at the possibilities. “We won’t have to worry about Ride Aid transporting us anymore. We can go all over the place, as we please. Ohh, to that good flea market on Moreland Ave.”
“Oh my gosh, your own wheels. Lord help me now. I’ll probably have to send Brian to hunt you two down.” Sway shook his head. He played as if his mom getting active was bothersome but they all knew it wasn’t. The livelier she behaved the younger and healthier she’d feel. Besides, volunteering her time was a great idea. She was amazing with children. Even Tweetie had so much to offer; political incorrectness and all, her heart was genuine and good.
Brian carried his mom to the car, and Sway watched as he pushed her wheelchair behind them. His heart warmed any time he saw Brian helping her. His boyfriend had embraced not only him but the most important people in his life, too. He didn’t completely monopolize Sway’s time, understanding his mom needed him and missed him too. Like now, Sway had been over at Brian’s the last two days and when he’d asked to eat out instead of cooking, Brian quickly suggested inviting his mom and Tweetie along with them. His partner really was the gentlest, strongest man he’d ever met, and he was all his. There wasn’t a chance in hell he was letting Brian go, not for anything. They’d both fought hard to get to this place in their life and they’d both suffered great losses. Now their walk together was beginning and anyone that was around them could see their happiness. The happiness they’d earned.
The End….
Well you heard Duke. He’s not slowing down! He wants to bring in some more hunters to keep up with the demand. In Part 5, Brian realizes that now that his voice has returned, he has responsibilities. He’s the only one who knows what happened to his good friend and lieutenant while in captivity. Jenkins left Brian with the task of telling his only son everything. It is a task Brian has yet to fulfill. But he’s a man of honor and he is going to right that wrong.
However, he’s not expecting to find a striking, twenty-seven-year-old black man who possesses Jenkins’ untapped skills and a huge chip on his shoulder. He owes it to Jenkins to find his boy, get him away from the street life and into something positive. Like bounty hunting, perhaps.
Brian loves a good challenge… and so does Quick.
So why not pair Brian’s hothead with one of Quick’s disciplined students from his dojo? When Duke sends them out to retrieve a simple jumper, sparks and tempers soar in more ways than one, for these two—supposedly straight men—on their first recovery.
Coming winter 2018… I think *winking*
(this is not the official synopsis)