Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Once again, Josh woke up in Hugh's arms. A nice habit that appeared to be forming. Plus, it was another cold morning. That made it extra nice to share a bed with someone.

"Are you awake?" Hugh asked.

"Yep," he replied. "I don't know how you do it. You've woken up before me every single time."

Hugh chuckled. "It's the touring life. I've trained myself to function on not much sleep. Besides why would I want to miss this by being asleep?"

They lay in silence for a while. Everything felt still and calm. Josh could get used to this.

"Are you in the studio today?" Hugh asked.

"No. I'll probably go through some things from here later," Josh replied. "Suzanne is off today. They're going to buy a cot."

"Sweet. Have you ever wanted kids?"

Josh raised his head. This was a strange direction of the conversation.

"No. Have you?"

"God no," Hugh replied. "I can barely take care of myself."

Josh had never wanted a child. His relationship track record was not one that would support having a dependent. His choice in men tended to veer on the infantile enough for anyone.

Suddenly, a hammering on the door made them both jump.

"Who the fuck is that?" Josh blurted out.

"You'd better answer it."

"Fuck's sake."

Josh got out of bed and threw his bathrobe on. Another round of banging made Hugh get up too.

"I'm coming with you," he said, putting his boxer shorts on. "It might be anyone."

They both ran down the stairs. Hugh held back at the bottom while Josh barged down the hallway.

He flung open the door.

"Michael!"

Michael pushed past him toward Hugh. "I figured you'd be here when I didn't get an answer next door. We're in the shit."

Hugh stood. His white boxer shorts leaving nothing to the imagination. Although two drag queens who toured together had probably seen everything on more than one occasion.

"Ugh," Michael said, covering his eyes. "That might impress lover boy, but can you cover up such a monstrosity, please? Some of us are of a nervous disposition."

"Go through, you filthbag," Hugh said, pushing Michael into the kitchen.

"Should I leave you to it?" Josh asked.

Hugh kissed him. "No. I want to spend all day with you. Maybe we should both get dressed though."

Josh frowned. "Only if you insist."

"At least then I can undress you later," Hugh replied, placing a kiss on Josh's forehead.

"I can hear that," Michael shouted. "More movement, less canoodling."

They hurried up to Josh's bedroom and found their discarded clothes.

"He was knocking like the devil himself was chasing him up Queens Crescent," Josh said. "What on earth can be so important?"

"God knows," Hugh replied. "Trouble is following me around at the moment. Just in case it's something personal for him, give me a five-minute head start yeah?"

"On one condition."

Hugh was midway pulling his jeans up. "What's that?"

Josh pouted his lips. Hugh laughed as he waddled over to Josh and kissed him.

Fuck those lips are electric.

They broke apart. "Go to your friend," Josh murmured. "I'll be down in a bit."

With his clothes in place, Hugh went downstairs, leaving Josh alone in his bedroom. He looked at the bed. It was time to get a new one. If he intended to embrace his new unmarried life, he wanted to do it with no memories of Winston whatsoever. In fact, he might get the decorators in for the whole house. A change was as good as a holiday or however the saying went.

By the time Josh got to the kitchen, the two best friends were frowning at Michael's phone.

"Fuck," Hugh said, sitting back. "It doesn't get any better with another viewing. Fucking twat has edited it to make me come across like a wild animal."

"You don't know it's him."

"What's going on?" Josh asked, sitting down with them.

Michael glanced at Hugh.

"Show him," Hugh said.

Michael slid the phone over to Josh. Twitter was open and a paused clip of Hugh filling the screen. He picked it up and pressed Play.

It appeared to be at a wedding. Hugh stood opposite a handsome grey-haired man in a morning suit.

"Who is that?" Josh asked.

"My darling stepfather," Hugh replied.

Josh had unease flooding through his system.

"Don't you dare talk like that in front of me," onscreen Hugh said.

"I'll say what I like at my own fucking wedding. Besides, it's all true. Your mother is too weak to tell you."

Suddenly, onscreen Hugh launched at the man. A woman screamed as they fell to the floor. Random men leapt forward to separate them. The final shot was of the older man with blood running down his face.

Josh snapped up to look at the real Hugh. "What the fuck?"

"Meet my new stepfather, Donald Hogg."

"Even so, you attacked him," Josh replied.

"Told you," Michael said. "Everyone is going to think that."

Hugh pursed his lips. "It's nicely edited," he explained. "He pushed me too far."

Josh hated violence of any shape or form. After everything that had happened in his life, nothing had got physical. It was a line he would never cross.

"What did he say?"

"He told me that my father was weak and I was a pervert. He demanded that I give up drag if I wanted to have anything to do with my mother now that she's his wife."

"Even so…"

Hugh got up. "Sorry, Josh. I'm human. That piece of shit wanted to rob me of my memory of my dad."

"Not to mention his own mother," Michael added.

Guilt swept over Josh when as Michael instantly jumped to Hugh's defence.

"I get it," Josh said. "I'm sorry. Come and sit down."

Hugh did and hung his head in his hands. "If you think that, strangers are going to be far worse. Fuck, where did this video come from?"

"Who posted it?" Josh asked.

"Some nameless account with two followers," Hugh explained. "What difference does it make? It's out there."

Michael sat back in his chair and folded his arms. "We don't need this shit right now."

A silence descended on the kitchen. It was awkward for Josh. He didn't like to see Hugh brawling on the tape, no matter what had led up to it. Yet, it wasn't his fight. They weren't even officially an item.

What are we?

"Maybe we should make a statement," Michael said. "Explaining the real story."

Hugh shook his head. "I hate Donald, it's true. I don't want to ruin my mother's marriage. He makes her happy and if he loses his job because of it, then it will go badly for her."

Michael stood, his nostrils flaring. "All this drama affects me, you know. Our career is in fucking tatters."

"Calm down," Hugh said.

"No, Hugh. I won't calm down. What happens when the press find out about this one?"

He stuck his thumb at Josh.

"We're hardly Posh and Becks," Josh said.

The idea that he might be dragged into this bizarre backlash hadn't occurred to him. Would it impact the divorce?

"You're a name," Michael replied. "No matter how small."

"Stop it," Hugh interjected. "I'm not having Josh insulted in his own home because you're about to throw a tantrum. I will sort it."

"How?"

"I don't know, do I? You're not helping. I think you should go."

Michael had gone pale and was trembling.

"Oh great, so I traipse all the way over here on the stinking Underground to warn you and now you're turfing me out?"

Hugh stood. His height made him tower above the petite Michael.

"You came here for the drama. You should have called. Get a cab and I'll transfer you the money. Honestly, Michael, you need to give me a break. You know what happens when we're like this. If we let this drive a wedge between us, we might as well cancel the tour and be done with it."

"We might not have a choice in that. The bookers want to talk to us. I suppose I'll have to handle that."

Josh glanced nervously at Hugh. He looked like he was about to burst into tears.

"Ignore them for now," Hugh replied. "Let's see how it plays out. Then we'll both speak to them."

It was a stand-off. Josh glanced from one friend to the other. He desperately wanted Michael to concede.

"Fine," Michael said. "I'll speak to you after the weekend, I suppose."

Hugh nodded.

"Don't bother to show me out," Michael continued. "I can find my own way."

He marched out of the room and down the hall. Josh winced when as the front door slammed shut.

"Sorry about that," Hugh said, slowly sitting down. "He has a right to be annoyed but not to behave like that."

"I think my door took the brunt of it."

Hugh wiped a tear away from his eye. "That fucking bastard stepfather of mine,"

"Had you better ring your mum?"

"That's the last thing I'm going to do," Hugh replied. "She'll jump to his defence and I'll get hurt all over again. Why did she have to fall in love with that piece of shit?"

Josh reached over and took his hand. They sat at the table for a while as Hugh got himself together.

"Any ideas what you're going to do?" Josh asked tentatively.

"Not a clue," Hugh replied. "First the TV show and now this. It's like someone has it in for me. What is it going to be like when we start the tour? I'm…"

He stopped and glanced at Josh.

"You're what?"

"I'm afraid. I don't know how to do anything else. If the bookers get cold feet, we're well and truly done for. Washed up drag queens are not in fashion."

Words were failing Josh. He had no idea how to make this better. The video was pretty damning.

"What if this is someone out to get me?" Hugh asked.

Josh kissed the back of his hand. "It's a coincidence. Nothing more. You're talented and now you have Mrs Wimpole on side, this tour is going to be amazing."

Hugh nodded. "I didn't even tell Michael about that. I'll call him later."

"I wouldn't until we've come up with a proper plan. He wants answers and that's okay."

"We?"

"Absolutely we," Josh replied. "You're way too handsome to risk these worry lines."

Hugh sighed. "If only Botox dealt with life as easily as it does wrinkles."

"Let's go for a walk," Josh suggested. "For once it's not pissing down with rain. Fresh air might get the old brain going. Do you think you should ring your mum?"

"Probably," Hugh replied. "Am I going to? Hell no. Thank you for your help. It means the world."

Josh stared into Hugh's eyes. Other people's problems had always been preferable to his own. Although he really needed to face those as well. Once they'd both weathered their own storms, who knew what lay on the other side.

Looking at Hugh at that moment, Josh decided that he was absolutely committed to finding out. He could well imagine the judgemental posts that were swirling around social media. Careers had been ruined for less.

There must be something they could do.