New Year, New Kir Ness was making her way past Kir’s bedroom when the distinct sound of giggling came from inside.
“Hey?” Ness called out. “Who’s in there with you?” Although Ness’ hand was already on the handle, pushing the door open to find out the answer. It was abruptly pushed back and there was the sound of the lock clicking.
“Kiiiiir?” Ness whined, half annoyed at the rude expulsion but still curious to know the answer as to what was happening, “What are you doing in there? And who with?”
“Nothing. Go away,” came the terse response.
“I’ll tell mom if you don’t tell me.”
“I’m just hanging out with James,” Kir replied, deciding that a modicum of honesty was the only option and hoping it would be enough to make Ness go away. Though of course it wasn’t.
“Can I come hang out too?”
“No, you cannot,” Kir replied. Ness had always been kind of a pain like this, always wanting to butt into whatever he was doing. He had hoped that with Evelyn around, it might be an opportunity for him to get some peace, especially as he had no desire to let her see what he and James were getting up to.
“Why not?”
“You just can’t, alright?”
It was not alright. Thwarted in attempts to find out what Kir was doing, Ness resorted to wielding a bigger weapon.
"MOM,” the shout echoed down the corridor, “KIR'S BREAKING HOUSE RULES!"
Marijke, who had been answering owls in the home office, stuck her head out.
“He’s got someone in his room, and he’s closed and locked the door!” Ness protested.
Marijke walked across to the closed door. Ten minutes prior, she had let James Tate in, and directed him up to Kir’s room. The boys had known each other practically their whole lives, and she couldn’t really imagine anything that untoward was going on, in spite of James being openly gay and having greeted her with the words I’m here to seduce your first born. He often said that, or something like it. She had never assumed he meant it, and still didn’t. Still, a rule was a rule.
"Kir? James? What's going on in there?"
"Nothing."
The protest sounded exasperated, but whether this was due to suspicious activity or just irritation at sibling interference, Marijke couldn’t be sure, though she still strongly suspected the latter.
"Then open up, please,” she instructed.
"We just want some privacy! You know I have a girlfriend."
"Yes, but you might like boys too, and I don't know whether you and Zevalyn are exclusive."
"Boys are ok but I like girls better. And Zevalyn and I are exclusive."
That was honest enough to pacify Marijke. Kir could have flat out denied liking boys at all, which would have given him a better excuse, but he hadn’t. She believed him. Still, that did not solve the present problem.
"You can't have one rule for Kir and one rule for me, that isn't fair!"
"Kir, honey... I do believe you, but I would really rather this door was open. Any reason why it can't be?"
There was a pause, which made her anxious. She had raised her children to be honest and open with her, and the fact that Kir seemed to be weighing up how to answer that question concerned her.
"We're doing our makeup, and we don't want anyone to see until we're ready," came the admission.
"It's hours until the party!" Ness protested.
"Being as fabulous as we plan to be takes time, Tiny," came James' voice.
Ness looked incredulously at Marijke, wondering whether she was really going to buy that excuse. Marijke weighed her options. She believed the boys, especially given how besotted Kir seemed with his girlfriend, and the fact he had never had any reason to break her rules or lie to her. But Ness was going to be on the warpath if there was any sense of unfairness.
"I have twenty years experience with drag queens," she told the closed door somewhat more sternly than she really felt, "I know what four hours of getting ready looks like. If you don't both come out of that bedroom looking drop dead fabulous, there will be consequences. Fair?" she appealed to all parties. There were two shouts of agreement from behind the door, and a mumbled hmph but no further argument from Ness.