The Village

Seth’s Perspective

November was busy as hell for all of us. I was busy organizing our big Thanksgiving get together with The Halls’, Dad and Best, Brad and Scotty’s crew, and Benny Bestford and his husband Chris. I made an uncountable number of texts and phone calls trying to organize everything. Kelly and Nathan had driven down from Wisconsin a few days before Thanksgiving to do some projects in their villa and enjoy a little extra time with their children and grandchildren, plus Kelly was chomping at the bit to help me with Thanksgiving. The kids were happy as hell to have them back in town, it had only been about a month or so since their last visit, but Izzy was talking so much more and both her and Freddy had so much to tell them. Kelly soaked up every word and every second with her grandchildren, she adored those kids and they adored her. So, that’s what was going on in our world.

Meanwhile, in other news, the new home of BroMax Candle Co. was shaping up. The shell of the place was done for the most part, the retail shop was completely set up, and the classrooms for the Sip n’ Pour and Sip n’ Paint classes were ready to go. In the plant, new equipment was arriving and being installed regularly and it was almost functional. Meanwhile, the old plant was running almost twenty four/seven back at the Candle barn; the guys were producing as much as possible so they could meet the demand during the transition. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving would be the last day of production there, then the plant would close for two days over the Holiday and the move to the new building would happen over the following week. The move was Stressing Max out, he was scared and excited at the same time, I was happy that he had decided to shut down for two days and take a little family time. He was working his ass off and deserved a break, that’s why I decided to take over Thanksgiving completely and invited the whole BroMax clan, including the Dylan James clan, Daddy, and BA… I was sure a couple of Villagers would be on the list too (even though Colton was planning a feast for all of them at his apartment at Harrington House).  That made (a minimum of) eighteen adults and seven kids if my count was right (and god I hoped it was because I went over it a million times). I ordered a fresh 24 pound turkey from the local farmer Max had introduced me to the year before. I also planned on making a ham, about a dozen sides, and several desserts… that was a frig of a lot of cooking! Thank god Kelly was so eager to jump in. and help.

While I was preoccupied with planning the Thanksgiving extravaganza, and Max was buried in getting BroMax Candle’s new home ready… Brody, Zach, Harrison, and Terrance were working on the year-two light display for our usually dark and quiet country road.… bigger and better than the year before (just like my Thanksgiving and Max’s candle plant… see the pattern? We were always growing)! It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I had an action-packed day ahead. It was Freddy’s last day of school, Zach’s last day of work, and the day everyone started to descend upon us for the Thanksgiving extravaganza. For me it was a day of errands, cooking, and prep. Nathan dropped Kelly off in time for breakfast and then he was off to Lowe’s Home Improvement to pick up supplies for a few projects at the villa. Kelly was going to hang with me for the entire day and then take the kids back to the villa that night for a sleepover, and Eli and Riley were taking Brad and Scotty’s kids for the night too. The plan was to give us some time to get to know Benny and Chris before Dad and Best showed up Thursday morning.

The kids were so excited to see Grandma at breakfast and even more excited when she got in the SUV and rode with us to school. Freddy and Teddy pulled her into the building to see their classroom, meet Mr. Pringle and Mr. Ferris, see their artwork, meet their friends, and hear about everything first-grade! Kelly was the center of attention in Mr. Pringle’s classroom and loving every damn second of it. When I was finally able to pull her away from Freddy’s school, we were off to drop Izzy at Mrs. Mavis’s where it was more of the same as Izzy showed her everything for her cubby to her nap mat. The kids reveled in the attention Grandma Kelly gave them. After carpool duties it was off to The Village for a session with Asher, after that I was done for the rest of the day. Kelly hung out with BA while I met with Asher. He was a MESS! He was accompanying Brody to the main office in Phoenix the following week (his first business trip) and was doing his best not to freak out about it… he was failing. Since taking the job with Brody’s firm Asher had been pushed out of his comfort zone. He was happiest curled up in his apartment with a marvel movie, a comic book, or a video game but his new job forced him to interact with people regularly (mostly via e-mail and DM). Online he was outgoing, in-person… not so much. He had charmed the hell out of everyone at the home office via the phone and internet (according to Brody), but now he was going to meet them face to face and was flipping the frig out! I talked through it with him, gave him some tools and phrases to help him interact, and he seemed to be better by the end of our session. I promised to meet with him again before his big trip. I also reminded him that Brody would be there and he could lean on him for help… Asher was smart, talented, and had support. He would be fine as long as he didn’t sabotage himself.

After our session I went into the lobby to find Kelly so we could go grocery shopping and then pick up our turkey, when I got there, she was gone. “She went over to check out the new BroMax plant” BA offered. So, I went off to find her. I hadn’t been in the building for a couple of weeks… Holy crap, they had made so much progress! The retail space was so cool! In addition to candles and Brody’s line of BroMax Farm mugs, Tee’s, etc., BroMax had procured products made by local artisans and the place just drew you in, you couldn’t help but browse. Max was determined to make BroMax the hub of the local art scene and had promoted Mason to head of retail operations; Mason was really stepping up to the challenge. I walked through the retail space and into the plant… the place had wax melters, pouring stations, a cooling area, and everything else a growing candle company needed. I know they still had equipment to move in from the old plant, but damn it looked ready to go to me.

I saw Max talking to Kelly in the middle of the big space “This looks frigging awesome, Max” I yelled across the echoey space.

He smiled proudly and said, “you guys are here at the perfect time. I am about to melt my first batch of wax in the new building.”

Ricky came out of the backroom to do whatever he did to get things rolling. He dumped something into the machine, then something else… he checked, and smelled, and stirred before he flipped a couple of switches. “Alright, gang” he said. “The first batch of wax is in progress!” He and Max cheered, then Eli, Bubba and the other crew members did the same… Kelly and I added our voices to the celebration.

“This is our first test run” Max said. “After this, Ricky’s going to head back to the barn to finish things up the last day there then shut it down. This is really happening.” Max said. He was so excited… and rightfully so, this was a big achievement for him, he was taking his little candle company to the next level. Kelly and I hung out while the wax melted and soon the old church smelled like sage and mint. I was surprised at how fast the commercial machine worked. “The new equipment is so much faster than our old stuff, we’ll be able to increase production” Max declared proudly as he lined up jar after jar on one of the pouring stations. “Hey Ricky, come over here and pour the first candle.”

Ricky came over with a smile on his face, the two guys had poured thousands of candles together, but this one was special. This one symbolized an expansion that neither of them could have imagined when they first started working together in the barn a few years back. Kelly clapped and cheered as Ricky poured, she was a good cheerleader and loved being in the middle of it all. The guys poured a couple of more candles then Ricky headed back to the barn leaving Max to finish the first batch. Kelly and I headed off to the grocery store to start our day of prep and cooking. When I hit the grocery store, I usually go aisle to aisle, get what’s on my list, and browse a little… not Kelly. She was on a mission, she knew what she wanted and went right for it, we got in and out of there with two carts full of groceries and loaded them into the Atlas. Next Stop, the turkey farm to pick up our fresh guest of honor.

“Oh, this is so much fun, we should’ve brought the kids with us” Kelly suggested as we drove through the countryside and up the long drive of the turkey farm.

“Sure” I answered. “We could let Freddy pick out the turkey, Izzy could name it, then we could watch the farmer chop it’s head off so we can go home, shove bread up its ass, put it in the oven, and serve it up… they’d LOVE that!” I said with a smile in my voice as I drove.

Kelly punched me in the arm and laughed, “okay, okay, bad thought” She said. We picked up our turkey and headed home for a day of cooking. We cooked, talked, laughed, and shared… it was great spending the day together and before we knew it, it was time to pick up the kids. Kelly kept cooking while I ran carpool, by the time we got home Brad, Scotty and the crew were there and the Holiday had officially begun. The four kids took off to play while the adults greeted each other, Zach, Nathan, Eli, and Riley all showed up and joined us.

“So, when do Benny and Chris get here?” Brad asked.

“Their flight was supposed to land about fifteen minutes ago, so they should be on their way from the airport” I answered. “I made reservations for the six of us at a restaurant down by the harbor. I figured we could get y’all settled across the street, then head out for a nice dinner, and come back here for cocktails.”

“That sounds like a plan” Brad said. “I’ve talked to Benny a couple of times since you connected us, he’s a nice guy and I’m excited to meet him” he paused before adding, “and it’s been really cathartic to be able to talk to someone who went through the same crap.” We all just nodded, I mean, what could we say? We all empathized with Brad but none of us truly understood what he had been through.

“Well,” Kelly said changing the subject. “We’re going to take the four kids out to dinner.”

“Then will take them back to the Villa’s for the night” Eli added. “I’m excited to spend time with Maddy and Brook… I’ve missed ‘em since I left Phoenix.” 

“And they’re excited to spend some time with Uncle Eli and Aunt Riley” Scotty said. It’s all they talked about on the pane. Brooklyn needs a little girl time.”

“I need a girls night too! We’re braiding hair and doing nails” Riley said with a laugh.

“OH! That sounds like fun! Can me and Izzy join?” Kell asked excitedly.

“Dad, you and Freddy came come to our place for a boys night of video games while the girls get girly” Eli offered up. The next thing we knew it was girl’s night and grandma’s and boys night and Uncle Eli’s… the kids would love it. Nathan, Eli, and Riley were ready to wrangle the kids and go, but Kelly dragged her feet, busying herself in the kitchen… I know she dying to meet Benny and Chris and wanted to meet them. Well, she got her wish. The doorbell rang and our conversation ended when Brad went to answer it.

When the door opened there were two very handsome, perfectly groomed men standing there.

“Seth?” The flannel-clad, bearded otter asked.

“No. Brad” My brother answered with an amazing smile. First, he held out his hand to shake Benny’s, then he leaned in and pulled him in for a hug. Benny wrapped his arms around Brad, and the two whispered something to each other. I heard Brad say “I am SO sorry” but couldn’t make anything else out. On the surface it was just two friends hugging, but to those of us in that room it was a powerful moment; two jilted sons, two betrayed souls, two survivors empathizing with each other.

I broke the silence by introducing myself to Chris who stood there awkwardly not sure what to do. He was cute. Thirtyish, blond. More effeminate and less “rugged” than his husband, but just as perfectly groomed and handsome. We shook hands, then he handed me a bottle of whiskey and said, “I wasn’t sure what wine goes with meeting your husband’s fellow abductee. So, I went with hard liquor.”

Zach dove in for a handshake as he grabbed the bottle and said, “Perfect choice. We’ll pour after dinner.”

When Brad and Benny finally let each other go, Brad introduced everyone. Benny remembered Eli from high school and asked him about Brian. We made small talk for a bit until Kelly yelled for all the kids and they came running. They all shyly acknowledged our guests and said hello. Except Izzy of course who pointed right at the two strangers and asked “Who dam?” Brad introduced his friends, then our kids got into Grandma and Grandpa’s car, and Brad and Scotty’s kid got into Eli’s Bronco and they all took off for dinner and their big sleepover leaving us to get to know Benny and Chris. We went across the street to Harrison and Terrance’s place to get the guys settled in, of course our neighbors house was spotless and ready for guests. They dropped off their luggage then the six of us piled into the Atlas with Zach behind the wheel and headed downtown towards the harbor for dinner. We talked on the way there, then while waiting for our table, and then over appetizers and drinks before dinner, and even through dinner. The conversation was lively and naturally flowed as we talked about everything and anything except for the elephant in the room. We just got to know each other, Benny and Chris felt like instant family.

As we were enjoying dessert and an after dinner drink, Benny blurted out “I am so fucking nervous about seeing him tomorrow” then he told us the story of his abduction. He was a few years younger than Brad and going to college in Tucson at the time. His parents were divorced and his mother had moved to Boulder Colorado. He and his father weren’t estranged, but they weren’t exactly close. One night his Father showed up unexpectedly, claiming to be in town on church business and came to the dorms to take him out to dinner. His father led him to the church van parked outside and when the back door slid open, two men yanked him inside. “I was in total shock and had no idea what was happening. I just through we were going to dinner. I looked inside the can and saw you passed out in the back row” he said to Brad, “I was terrified and yelled to my father for help, He just said, ‘it’s okay, we’re all going to help you’ then I felt a pinch in my neck and the next thing I knew I was in some hospital in New Mexico.” Brad stood up, instinctively Benny did the same and the two men walked to the side of the table and hugged again… victim to victim.

When they sat back down Brad pulled out his phone, scrolled around for a bit then hand it to Benny and said, “Watch this” Chris and Benny moved in close and watched the video on the small screen. “That’s the surveillance footage from the security camera’s at my old condo complex” Brad said. “I have a friend who’s a cop, he gave that to me several years ago.” I had seen that video before, it show my dad, Best and a couple of other men from the church abducting Brad. “I keep it on my phone, when things suck, I watch it to remember that things are pretty fucking good now.”

Benny looked up at Brad and said, “I was messed up for a long time after that. I didn’t go back to that school in Tucson; Instead, I moved in with my mom and started School in Boulder where I met Chris.”

“I was messed up too but I hid it and moved on. I had to get my brothers the fuck away from him so I did what I had to do.” Brad said. As I listened, I couldn’t help but appreciate how much he and Scotty had done for me and my brothers… I said it before and I’ll say it again. They saved my life.

Then Benny asked, “how the fuck do you forgive the person who betrayed you like that?” He posed the question to the table, but it was clearly Brad’s to answer.

“You exhale, then do your damnedest to realize how damaged that person was” Brad said. “I fucking hated my father for a long, long time. Last year when my mother was dying, I was face-to-face with him for the first time in a decade. It hurt like hell, I just wanted to… to punch the mother fucker” Brad said, is voice got angry for a moment.

“You should’ve” Scotty said interrupting, “I did punch the mother fucker and it felt good” he said, then told the story about how he punched my dad when he came to the hospital after Brad’s abduction. His story got a chuckle from the others.

Brad calmed down a bit while Scotty spoke, then he picked up his story where he left off. “Then I took a good look at him. This wasn’t the same guy, he was older, softer, and I believed he was truly remorseful. So, I decided to give him a chance.” Then Brad paused and took a deep breath, Scotty reached across the table and held his husband’s hands in support. “The big game changer was your father” Bead said as he looked at Chris.

“My father? How so?” Benny asked, riveted to Brad’s tale.

“I was in a receiving line shaking hands with people at my mother’s wake when your father came up to me, introduced himself, and apologized. It was a sincere, heartfelt, remorseful apology… not just empty words. I could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice.” Brad said. “He didn’t have to face me. He could’ve easily avoided me, but he didn’t. He faced me… that could not have been easy for him. That was it. I instinctively forgave him and it was… well, it was gone. I let it go. I never fucking thought it possible, but I did it.”

“Just like that?” Benny said. “All those years of hatred and resentment just gone?”

“Yup. Just like that” Brad said.

“C’mon, Brad. You can’t be serious” Benny said in disbelief.

“Serious as a fucking heart attack” Brad said. “One minute I was seething at the idea of being in the same room as my father and couldn’t wait to get the fuck out of there, the next… poof. It was gone. Shit, I would’ve never believed it possible.” Brad said, Benny just shook his head in disbelief. After that we talked about Best and West coming out and how hard it must’ve been for them to face who and what they were given their situation… Brad tried to put a human face on them. We talked about them as a couple and what they’d been doing to take down the church. I even told him about my dad going to the local church last Thanksgiving and confronting them and how it stirred some controversy. Then I told him how the church eventually went bankrupt and about BroMax buying the building and employing young LGBTQIA adults who need a better start (and of course I gave The Village a plug). “I know this sounds in-fucking-sane, Benny” Brad said, “But the two closeted, reprehensible mother fuckers who abducted us are dead and gone. They’ve been replaced by a gay couple filled with regret and doing their best to leave their self-loathing, cruel past in the past.” Then he took another deep breath and said, “I actually like them as a couple.” Benny wasn’t completely convinced, but he listened to Brad.

After dinner I gave the guys a little tour of downtown and we ended up in front of the new BroMax Candle Co. Benny looked up at it, “It looks just like that living hell in Texas” then he shuttered. The place was beautifully landscaped and there was a BroMax Candle Co. sign hidden behind a tarp awaiting it’s big reveal on Saturday. There were lights on inside and Max’s truck was in the parking lot so I texted to see if he was there. Yup, and he was happy to let us in for a preview and met us at the front door.

He opened the big doors and let us in. He was so excited to see Brad and Scotty who instantly introduced him to Benny and Chris. The retail shop shined with perfection and smelled like candles. Mason and a couple of villagers were stocking the shelves and building displays, they greeted us and I introduced them to everyone. Then Max showed us the event rooms and then the main plant.

“Damn, Max. This is impressive as hell” Scotty said.

“Well, I owe a lot of that to you.” He responded. Scotty worked for The Resort, Max’s first big client.

I started to tell Benny and Chris about some of the different villagers that had worked for BroMax and some of the new opportunities that this old church would create for them.

“From hell to hope” Chris said almost under his breath, then he looked at Benny. “See, Benny? Things can change for the better if you can look beyond the hate.” Benny nodded as he looked around the former church. I know he was hoping that was true of his father. We’d find out the next day.

After our adventure downtown we headed back to our place and broke open the bottle of Whiskey Chris and Benny had brought for us. Benny seemed at ease around us now… he was ready to reunite with his father.

To be continued…