Semi-surrender
Shaken, Brendan quietly joins the family during 4th of July celebrations and gets to know his nephews -- Michael, Jordan, Stephen, Andrew -- and niece -- Aisling. Even goes to the fireworks display in Hermann Park. Manages to hide the scars on his back and wrists. After they've seen everyone off, Brendan quietly tells his uncle he will become Brennan McGabbhin and let his uncle arrange papers for him. But he continues to join the group at Mrs. Glendon's for Friday dinner and even introduces them to Jeremy and Everett, who are accepted into their family.
Uncle Sean wants the whole group kept away from him, but Brendan gets around it in many ways...like all showing up to Jeremy's graduation. Brendan works 4 days a week at The Colonel's, which is now gentrified. Todd is in prison for pot and Lorraine is gone, so he just brings a book to read and makes sure he does his job. Again, he feels as if he's in stasis.
Jeremy is hired by an oil company and will be sent to Hong Kong to help negotiate a contract because he knows Chinese. During his going-away party at Mrs. Glendon's, Eldon casually helps him work out the difference between Mandarin and Cantonese; turns out he's a whiz at languages, and even knows the Irish. Brendan asks if Rhuari can write him, since he's working on Gaelic. Eldon agrees, and the two begin to exchange letters. Brendan now has a better route into learning how his younger brother is doing.
Prisoner
Everett finally shows Brendan a series of nude sketches he did of Jeremy and, surprisingly, Myron. He asks him to model, too. Nude. He has a client seeking a triptych of a nude young man, in oils, and Jeremy made him swear he'd never show anyone the work he did of him. Brendan is wary, and Everett uses his uncertainty to seduce him into allowing a blow job...then hen takes a Polaroid of his face after he ejaculates. Furious, Brendan grabs at Everett but he locks himself in the bathroom and talks Brendan down from his anger...then shows him the photo. It has the expression Everett had been trying to capture when he did the first portrait, and he plans to use it in the main painting. Finally, Brendan agrees.
Jeremy returns as a total success and sets up an apartment, a bit hurt that Everett didn't invite him to move in. Brendan helps him find a Mercedes 450SL to fix up and move his things into the new place. Everett admits he was afraid to ask Jeremy to live with him because he's about to quit his job and sell his condo. He finished the triptych and was well-paid for it and is tired of being treated like shit over being gay.
Meanwhile, Ma has shifted into warrior mode for Ireland, disparaging Mairead's work in the peace movement, goading Kieran to confront the British Army more while proclaiming full pride in Eamonn's radicalization. She's also dismissive of Rhuari and his wife for living in Belfast, despite it being a far more dangerous place. Brendan begins to see when he loved Vangie he had a very rosy view of everything, and wonders if he and Joanna would have lasted, for the same reasons. He seemed to pick women with a plan, so could that mean he wanted to stop them or have them carry him along? No idea.
Status Unbound
During Jeremy's coming-home party at Mrs. Glendon's, Brendan learns Rhuari is about to become a father, and that their mother has cancer. Not a word came from Maeve or Mairead, and without a doubt Aunt Mari must know and stayed quiet. Unsure of how he feels when he's dropped off at his home, after the dinner, he is too agitated to sit still so hops his Montesa and rides up to The Colonel's. The place is busy and the music very middle-of-the-road. He can't convince himself to go in or leave and wanders about...until flashes of his kidnapping hit him. He looks around, shaken, and realizes the kidnappers' car must have been parked across the street, with the men watching him before deciding to take him. Perhaps like thad been done to his father.
Flashing between memories and current-day actions, Brendan hops on his Montesa and rides down to I-10. The car had turned left so he heads east on the Interstate, to pass downtown. He reaches Loop 610 and takes the first exit past the interchange. Now comes a long drive through commercial and residential areas, miles and miles. Brendan was too hyped on adrenaline to feel fear as the kidnapping was actually happening, but now it comes ripping into him. There are more memories, more turns, a run through a tunnel and down to gravel roads. The stars seem to be leading him on and on...until he reaches an open space with a couple of oak trees that feels...right.
But the trees shelter a playground. A church is at the end of the open space, and across the street are low-slung houses with dogs barking and lights on. Is this right? It's so benign. Then he sees an old rope hanging down a tree trunk, off a thick branch, and checks it. Finds its pattern matches the light scars on his wrists and knows this is where he was brutalized...in a churchyard, next to homes that were inhabited. He explodes with fury and uses the Montesa to tear up the area, screaming obscenities. Lights flare on, people come out and he curses at them then roars away. Once back in the pool house, he tears the clothes he's wearing into rags, shaves his face clean and cuts his hair into a mohawk, and snarls, "Fuck the world."
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