BRIAN 

I swear, you tell a lesbian she can have jizz and she's all over you, well Justin. Mel grabbed Justin the minute he came through the gate.

“I expected at least a hug for bringing the lifegiver with me.” I tell them.

“I’ll hug you.” Jenny tells me smiling.

“See, women adore me Mel.” I tell her, picking up Jenny.

“She’s still too young to know any better.” Mel tells me.

“What’s the plan, because you and Emmett are way too touchy feely with Justin?” I ask Mel when Jenny kisses my cheek and sniffs me.

“Can you get my Dad to wear your smell?” Jenny asks me seriously.

“Trust me, he wanted to at one time, but he likes Daddy Ben’s smell now.” I tell her.

“Brian!” The adults yell at me.

“Mel and I decided that we could go to the indoor waterpark and then dinner, it should have us back before it’s time to put the kids to bed.” Lindsay tells us.

“You and Justin really take the invitation thing too seriously.” I tell Lindsay.

“I know, he just doesn’t see a problem with showing up when he wants, but you and Justin had plans with Gus, not him.” Lindsay tells me.

“It’s why I left the Pitts, everyone was always showing up at the loft. Mikey is used to his mom’s house and thinks that it’s normal, so don’t give him too hard a time about this.” I tell Lindsay. It’s like they forget who Mikey is.

We dropped off our stuff in the house and take off to the indoor waterpark. If this doesn’t make Mel wonder whether Justin is mature enough for kids, it should. Justin took off with Gus and Jenny and down the large slide they go. Then they splash water all over each other and Lindsay who’s sitting with her legs in the pool. Gus and Justin look like drowned rats when they finally get back to us but are laughing the whole way.

“You think he’s a great example?” I joke.

“He’s hands on, unlike you, it’s like you're here to make sure every eye is looking at your perfect hair.” Mel tells me, smiling.

“Please, guys are watching, I can tell.” I tell her.

“Well that guy is watching Justin, but then you never said who they were watching.” She tells me, laughing.

“Did you two take happy pills because I was coming?” I ask her.

“Things are really going well. We started talking instead of the cold shoulder we normally give each other. I think being away from everyone just helped. It’s why you're doing it, isn’t it?” She asks me.

“I’m doing what’s best for us now. I didn’t leave just to get time alone, but because Justin was willing to walk away from what he’s working toward, to be with me. I thought it was time for me to be the one who does what we need.” I tell her.

“You can say whatever you want, but I can tell you that not having to constantly have everyone in our business really helped us see that we let too many people voice opinions about our lives.” She tells me. 

“Michael doesn’t understand that at the time you and Lindsay needed to work it out on your own. Mel, in his head he thought you and he were going to raise Jenny together. I tried to tell him it wasn’t going to be like that, but all he saw was a baby.” I tell her. 

“I know both he and Deb mean well, but I'm not Deb, who wants everyone at her house all the time. They never called, just showed up, and expected me to make time for them. Deb at least understood when to go home. Lindsay has the same reservations about us moving back. The only reason we are willing is because it's far enough away to allow us some privacy. I hope Michael doesn’t take it personally that I don't want him again.” She tells me. 

“It would be better to sit them down and tell them so Michael can deal with it. Just don't say it's because you want the father to be someone you love.” I tell her. 

“It know better than to say that to him. I was going to explain that with Hunter in college it would put a strain on their budget. Michael doesn’t send a lot, but he tries. Having another child would be more than he could afford. We don’t depend on him or you financially but he doesn't know that. Lindsay and I have been putting the money in accounts for the kid's college funds.” She tells me. 

“I set up Gus’s college fund a while ago, the money I send is for you to get things for the kids.” I tell her. 

“Just be happy they are going to start out life better than we were able to.” She tells me. 

“Are we going to eat soon?” Gus asks us, sitting down.

“Think we can get the WASP to give Michael a break?” I ask Mel.

“I think it was just so he knows we expected a call, so I doubt Lindsay will care if they meet us to eat.” She tells me. 

“You get to tell her, while I answer Mikey.” I tell her as my phone rings. Mel walks off to let Lindsay know and I answer Mikey.

“Brian, have you talked to Lindsay or Mel today, we've been trying to find them at home?” Michael asks me. 

“Lindsay and I made arrangements to take the kids out. Did you need something I can ASK for you?” I say to him. 

“Ben and I came earlier than planned, I thought we could all spend time together. I haven’t seen either you or Justin lately.” He tells me.

“You won’t see much of us this week either, we are taking Gus to do stuff all week. You must have had some plans for Jenny, to show up a week early.” I tell him.

“We could do some stuff together, with you living in New York this is time to see each other too.” He tells me.

“We are about to go eat dinner, why not meet us? Then you can explain to the girls why you didn’t call first to tell them you were coming.” I tell him.

“I wanted to surprise you, but even Ben is a little pissed that I didn’t call.” He tells me whispering.

“You remember that Lindsay and Mel like people to give them a courtesy call, they aren’t your mom.” I tell him.

“Is that Michael?” Lindsay asks me holding her hand out for the phone. I hand it to her and run to Gus and Justin. We all watch as Lindsay talks to Michael like a parent to a child.

“Michael it’s always fine that you come over, but with Brian and Justin coming, there isn’t room for a lot of guests.” She tell him.

“I prefer to have everyone have a room they can stay in. Brian and Justin volunteered to stay at a hotel instead of with Gus when we found out.” She tells him.

“Knowing you were coming is not the same as being asked if you could come Michael.” She tells him.

“Mom’s not happy.” Gus tells us.

“She’s fine, she just wants Uncle Mikey to understand that you call first not just show up.” Justin tells him.

“She has like all these strange rules about that.” Gus tells us.

“It’s just the way we were raised.” Justin tell him.

“Michael, keep this up and you can go home.” Lindsay tells him. I figure time to rescue Mikey.

“Talk to Brian.” She hands me the phone smiling.

“Brian, they took off knowing we were coming.” Michael complains.

“Next time call and make sure it’s okay for you to come. Meet us at the restaurant and make sure you're ready to apologize to the girls.” I tell him.

“Fine.” He tells me and hangs up.

We got to the restaurant and Michael stood next to Ben with his arms crossed and a frown, but Jenny solved that by jumping in his arms. After being seated and ordering, Michael looked like he wanted to say something but Ben shook his head. Thank god for small favors because Michael didn’t say whatever he was going to, but instead turned to Justin.

“Maybe we could work on some panels while we’re together.” He tells Justin.

“I didn’t bring anything to work with. Brian and I are planning to take Gus out this week.” He tell him.

“This is why living in Pittsburgh would be better for us. It’s taking longer to get things done because you and I can’t do like we used to and hash it out.” Michael tells Justin.

“It’s going to have to be that way until Justin and I can move back. It could be a couple years before that happens Mikey.” I tell him, to Mel looking confused.

“But Dad, when Mama has the baby, aren’t we all moving back?” Gus asks me, and I couldn’t have picked a less perfect way for Michael to find out.

“What baby?” Michael asks us.

“We can talk about it when we get to Mel and Lindsay’s, right now let's eat.” I tell him.

“But…” Michael stops when Ben interrupts him.

“Justin, are you getting more shows?” Ben asks, ignoring Michael.

“I have a couple coming up, none are solo, but I didn’t expect that.” He tells Ben.

“I really thought you would be further along by now.” Lindsay comments, to Mel shaking her head.

“I could be, but I never really wanted to become famous, just create.” Justin tells her.

“As long as you're happy with where your career is, than that’s wonderful.” Ben tells him.

“It is, I like that no one is telling me to do anything. A lot of other artists I meet are painting on demand and I’m able to do it so that I like what I produce. I think it allows my work to be about me and not the public.” Justin tells him.

“I learned that when I wrote my books, it has to be about me, not worrying if others like it.” Ben tells us.

Lindsay smiles at what Ben seems to get through to her. She needs to see that Justin will always do things his way and if she wants him to include her, she has to let him.

“Hey, did you get my email about artists being discovered outside of New York?” Michael asks as Justin, Mel, and I roll our eyes.