Pittsburgh GLC - 7:00 p.m. A Friday night in late March 2009

Soft music and gentle murmurs filled the air. People wandered through the large open area, discussing the various works of art. Each piece had been reasonably priced except for a select group, which was on display in a separate room for the auction that was to take place later in the evening.

Justin walked around Pittsburgh's Gay and Lesbian Center watching everyone enjoying the event as they admired the numerous paintings, sculptures and photographs. The fundraiser, so much like the one eight years ago, was to raise money for the expansion of the Center's daycare. When Lindsay had called him at work back in January, he was surprised to say the least, but as soon as she mentioned the event, he offered to send a couple of pieces for the auction.

Living in California for nearly four years now, Justin rarely spoke with or saw any member of his Pittsburgh family of friends, other than Vic who had kept in touch through weekly phone calls, emails, and most recently a few webcam visits. The remaining ‘friends/family' members always cut calls short and seldom replied to his emails with more than a line or two.

Unfortunately, Vic was out of town with his partner Rodney for the weekend visiting Rodney's sister. Still, Justin was looking forward to visiting with some of the other members of the family, if only on this one night. The last time he had been to the Pitts was Thanksgiving, which as far as Justin was concerned had been a huge error in judgment. However, since he had heard nothing from Lindsay, Debbie, or his mother suggesting he should stay away from tonight's event, he decided there would be no problem with him attending.

Turning toward the back of the room Justin spotted Lindsay talking with Debbie. He started toward them, determined to forget about his Thanksgiving visit as well as the disappointments during Christmas. If nothing else, he wanted to say hello and find out how things were going with the fundraising. He slowed once he heard what they were discussing.

"... so everyone's meeting at the park tomorrow around noon. We should have plenty of food and before you ask, yes I'm bringing my veggie lasagna." Debbie laughed.

Lindsay saw Justin standing a few feet away with a slightly confused expression on his face. She reached out and touched Debbie on the arm to stop her from continuing.

"Justin!" Lindsay smiled brightly, but there was something in her eyes that told Justin she wasn't so happy to see him. "I didn't know you were going to be here."

"I sent a note with the paintings I donated for the auction; didn't you get it?" Justin wasn't sure what was going on; it was almost as though his presence made Lindsay uncomfortable. He knew the paintings had arrived as scheduled, so Lindsay must have received his note.

"Sunshine! It's so good to see you!" Debbie pulled Justin into her arms, squeezing him tight before letting go.

Debbie's outburst gave Lindsay the excuse she needed to not respond to Justin's question. She remembered seeing the note but didn't want to admit that she had only skimmed it briefly, looking for any information on the paintings he had sent. She had needed the dimensions and type of each work so she could make a rough estimate of their value to the Center. She didn't bother to read the note in its entirety once she had the sought for information.

"Thanks, Deb," Justin said as he returned the hug. When he stepped back he looked more closely at the older woman and realized there was something in her expression, too. "Everyone's getting together at the park tomorrow?"

Debbie's smile faltered briefly; she shook her head a bit as she replied. "It's nothing special, sweetie. Just a few of us getting together; no big deal."

"Does Mom know? She didn't mention it when I saw her earlier. I'd like to be there; I don't get to see you guys that often anymore." Justin smiled a bit, trying not to sound like he was whining although he thought he might sound like he was rambling. His heart began to beat faster as he waited in anxious silence.

"Yes, your mom knows, but, Sunshine, you may want to skip this one." Debbie looked consolingly at Justin as she reached out and rubbed his upper arm gently for a brief moment.

"Why?" he asked with a bemused look and keeping his emotions in check.

"Uhm... well, Brian and Steve will be there and... well..." Debbie made a helpless jerking motion with her hands, her bracelets rattling as she gave a quick glance at Lindsay.

"I'm sure there will be someone else there I can talk to. I don't have to speak to either of them."

Lindsay placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It would be difficult since it's just the family... you know... to keep your distance from them..." Her voice faded out.

"I see." Justin held Lindsay's gaze until she looked away, her hand moving to her neck, nervously twisting her necklace around her fingers. He wondered if she was hinting that he wasn't family.

"Justin... I think it would be best... well, Brian and Steve might be uncomfortable..." Debbie stammered, not knowing how to continue. She looked back to Lindsay, once again silently seeking her help.

"It's okay, Deb. I'm sure there will be other times. Tell everyone I said hello. Unless of course you think it would make them uncomfortable." Justin gave both women a slight nod then walked away.

"Justin!" Lindsay called out, but he ignored her. She blew out a harsh breath. "Well, that went well, didn't it?" she muttered sarcastically.

"It's for the best, honey. Remember Thanksgiving?"

"Yes, I remember. Steve couldn't stop watching them. It was like he expected Brian to sneak off and fuck Justin. Honestly, everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells that day. I hate to say it, but I was glad when Justin left for the airport to pick up Daphne, although I was surprised when he didn't come back for dinner after he dropped her off at her parents' house," Lindsay said.

"That was Jennifer's doing. She told him it would be best if he didn't come back since it was so obvious that Steve was bothered with Justin being there." Debbie flashed back to how upset she had been with Jennifer at first, but when she saw how everyone relaxed, especially Steve, after Justin left, she decided Jennifer had made the right decision. However, she would only admit to herself that Brian didn't seem happy that Justin hadn't returned.

"Do you think he stayed in California for Christmas instead of coming here?" Lindsay asked. She remembered the gifts everyone received from Justin but that no one mentioned seeing him during the Christmas holiday.

Debbie shrugged. She didn't want to admit that she had been the one to ask Justin not to come to the family Christmas when she found out that Brian and Steve had decided to come after all. She didn't want a reoccurrence of the tension that had affected Thanksgiving, since even after six years with Brian, Steve still had very little in common with the rest of the family, but for Brian's sake they did their best to make him feel like he was a member of their family whenever they visited.

Lindsay watched Justin moving around the room, looking at the different works of art, but never interacting with anyone. She hadn't spoken to Justin since the brief phone call when she called to tell him about the art auction with the hope that he would offer to send a painting to be auctioned. He was beginning to make a name for himself in the art world and she knew the Center would be able to get a nice sum for one of his paintings. Before that phone call Lindsay hadn't spoken to Justin since Thanksgiving.

Emmett suddenly appeared next to Lindsay startling her out of her thoughts.

"I thought they weren't going to be here this early," Emmett said.

"Who?" Lindsay and Debbie both responded.

Emmett pointed over his shoulder. "Them."

Turning toward the front entrance they saw Brian and Steve standing together at the top of the stairs that led into the gallery room. The two men were scheduled to arrive around 8:30; it was barely after 7:00. Lindsay cringed, thinking of the problems that could possibly arise with Justin's presence.

~*~*~*~

Glancing across the room Justin saw his sister Molly with her fiancé, who was admiring a sculpture of two women embracing; he silently wondered what it was about straight men that had them salivating over two women groping each other. Looking back at Molly, Justin realized he hadn't seen or spoken to his sister in almost four months. The last time had been New Year's Eve when she called to tell him that she was getting married in June.

Earlier in the day, after checking into the small hotel off Liberty Avenue, Justin had stopped by his mother's condo, but Molly hadn't been there. He knew she was in town with her fiancé, Henry Holley, a med student she'd met at Stanford, and that they were staying with Jennifer while they were in town. Justin shook his head thinking that in three months his sister's name would become Molly Holley. He took a deep breath, preparing to walk over to say hello when he saw Molly look off to the opposite end of the room, her face lit up with a bright smile. Curious, Justin turned to see what brought such a glow to his sister's face.

There, in the large open doorway, stood Brian and Steve. Justin watched his sister quickly walk up and embrace first Steve and then Brian as if they were long lost family.

Justin stood as if rooted to the spot as Molly, Henry, Brian and Steve joined Debbie and Lindsay. Then he noticed Emmett standing with them as well. They were all hugging and kissing each other in greeting.

Remembering his brief conversation with Debbie and Lindsay from a few moments ago, Justin turned away, moving to the area that held the artwork for the auction. He decided he would make sure his work had been displayed properly before heading back to his hotel.

After all, he didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable.

~*~*~*~

Brian was strolling through the exhibits, casually looking at the work of Pittsburgh's local gay artists. He had left Steve chatting happily with Lindsay and Melanie, who had joined the small group once the hug-fest was over, about the highs and lows of being on the board of the GLC; that was a conversation which he really didn't have any interest in taking part.

As he examined the artwork, Brian thought of a sketch that was carefully stored away with a few other items that he deemed precious enough to keep but didn't want others to see; not even Steve.

Ignoring the other patrons wandering through the area, Brian made mental notes of which paintings he might be interested in bidding on. He paused in front of a small oil painting of a little girl kneeling on a pristine beach examining a colorful conch shell. The little girl's hair was strawberry blond, her eyes bright blue, her skin tinted pink from the sun; she was wearing bright pink shorts with a yellow top emblazoned with pink bunnies. The shell was painted a swirling rainbow of colors; everything else was in shades of gray - the ocean, the beach, even the setting sun. On the placard next to the painting was written: Greatest Discovery by Justin Taylor.

Brian's eyes flashed back to the painting again. He stepped closer, examining the little girl's face more closely. He realized it couldn't be anyone other than Molly as a child. Turning, Brian glanced around the room, but there was no bright blond head in sight. As he turned back to the painting, he was startled by a hand touching his arm.

"Sorry. I didn't realize you were unaware that I had joined you," Steve said. He looked at his younger partner closely. "You alright? I called out to you, but you didn't seem to hear me."

"Yeah, fine." Brian's voice was strained; he cleared his throat. "Just checking out the auction pieces."

Steve turned and looked at the painting that Brian had been admiring. He glanced at the placard, doing his own double take when he read the name of the artist.

"His work really is exceptional," Steve said, as he evaluated the painting once again. "Other than one or two sketches of you, I've only seen his abstracts."

Brian didn't comment out loud, he simply nodded and moved to the next painting. Steve followed along at Brian's side.

The next painting, done in bright acrylic, was much larger than the previous one. It was a colorful room filled with children of all ethnicities playing in small groups. There was a little redheaded girl dressed as a fairy princess, smiling brightly with her hands clasped in front of her chest; a large stuffed dragon sat at her feet. Before her was another little girl dressed as a knight in shining armor astride a white rocking horse, her toy sword held high as she challenged the dragon, a look of determination on her beautiful mocha face. Not far from them stood a little boy wearing a chef's apron and hat, holding a mixing bowl in front of him. He held a long wooden spoon to stir the batter, an intense look of concentration on his lightly freckled face. Two smaller children, both girls, stood watching him, expressions of anticipation on their cherub faces. Another grouping of three children showed two boys and a girl dressed as rock stars, playing guitar, piano, and drums respectively, their mouths open wide in song. There were children dressed as superheroes and sidekicks, doctors and nurses, firefighters and police officers, and even one standing next to an old-fashioned movie camera, yelling into a megaphone. The last grouping was two boys. A blond-haired boy with wire rimmed glasses held a bouquet of sunflowers out to a dark-haired boy who looked a lot like Gus. Both boys wore expressions of shock, for sitting on the little brunet's nose was a bumblebee.

The two men smiled at each other, then checked the placard. The painting was entitled: Childhood - Imagine, Hope and Dream by Justin Taylor - Donated by the Artist to the Children of the Gay and Lesbian Center of Pittsburgh.

"Oh my!"

Brian and Steve turned at the soft exclamation to find Jennifer and Debbie standing in front the first painting by Justin. Jennifer stood with her hand over her mouth as tears filled her eyes. With a worried look, Debbie placed her arm across Jennifer's shoulders trying to give her friend comfort.

"Justin did this," Jennifer mumbled through her fingers.

"It's beautiful, Jenn. Sunshine has a true gift." Debbie squeezed her tightly for a moment.

Jennifer shook her head. Pointing at the painting, she reiterated, "No, I mean Justin did this. Not just the painting, but this... he did this."

"You mean he found a rainbow shell on the beach?" Debbie tried to clarify. "Wonder why he didn't paint himself?"

Brian and Steve moved closer to where the two women were standing, wanting to hear Jennifer's reply.

"He must have been around 11 or 12... we took a summer vacation to the beach and Molly found this shell. She wanted to keep it, but Craig wouldn't let her. He said it was too dirty. She cried when Craig made her leave it behind." Jennifer pulled a tissue from her purse, daubed the now falling tears from her face and took a calming breath. "I remember Justin watching Molly. He seemed to be more fascinated by her than she was by the shell. Somehow Justin managed to sneak it home. He cleaned it up and painted it hoping Craig wouldn't recognize it. He gave it to Molly for her birthday that year."

Brian glanced at Steve, letting him know with a look that he would make certain that Jennifer would be the one to hang that painting in her home. Steve nodded in agreement.

"Come on, Jenn, let's see what else Sunshine sent. Lindsay told me he sent two pieces for the auction." Debbie rubbed Jennifer's arm before releasing her and moving to the next painting. Jennifer slowly joined her.

The small group stood for a moment looking at the painting Justin had donated to the Center.

"They look so fucking real; it's like they'll start playing at any moment," Debbie said in awe. "The little shit sure knows what he's doing."

"I always knew he was talented, but this..." Jennifer responded, her words dropping off in a whisper.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

The group turned to find a young woman with dark hair, deep green eyes, and a bright smile standing behind them. Debbie recognized her as one of the newest board members of the GLC.

"Danielle, it's good to see you. How's the turn out so far?"

"We're doing really well, Debbie. People are already asking to get the bidding started for the auction. From what I've been hearing, most of them are anxious to bid on the two pieces donated by Mr. Taylor." Danielle smiled brighter.

Debbie grinned. "That's our Sunshine! Oh, where are my manners. Danielle, this is Justin's mother, Jennifer."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. You must be very proud of your son." Danielle reached out to shake Jennifer's hand.

"Yes, yes I am," she responded as they shook hands. "You said Justin donated two pieces for the auction, but this one says he donated it to the children," Jennifer pointed out.

"Yes, he did donate this painting. We wanted everyone to see it, so we decided to make it the centerpiece of the auction area. After all, the subject matter is the reason for the fundraiser. The other piece your son sent to be auctioned is right over here." Danielle led the group to the area opposite the paintings.

They stopped in front of a charcoal drawing of two hands reaching toward each other, one in the lower right corner turned palm up, the other in the upper left corner turned palm down. Nothing else was in the picture. The placard next to the sketch said: Strength by Justin Taylor.

"Of all the auction items, this is my favorite," Danielle said.

"I don't get it. Shouldn't strength come from the hands joining together?" Debbie asked in confusion.

Danielle laughed. "You know, I said the exact same thing earlier to Mr. Taylor. He pointed to the hand turned palm up and said, ‘Strength is knowing when to ask for help.' Then he pointed to the hand turned palm down and said, ‘Strength is also knowing when to accept it.' I was surprised that someone so young would be that wise."

"He's here?" Brian and Jennifer both asked anxiously.

Startled a bit by their reaction, Danielle hesitantly said, "I spoke with him again just a few moments ago."

The four of them began looking around the crowded room trying to spot the artist. Debbie didn't mention that she had seen him herself in the main room earlier.

"He's not here now; he left," Danielle said causing them to turn back to her. Seeing their expectations, she continued, "He glanced toward his paintings, said he saw someone he hadn't seen in a long time and wanted to say hello. He excused himself, but instead of walking that direction, I saw him leave the Center."

Jennifer pulled her cell phone from her purse and quickly hit speed dial. She frowned. "It went straight to voicemail."

"Well, you'll see him when you get home, right?" Debbie rubbed Jennifer's back consolingly.

"I'm not sure where Justin is staying; he never mentioned it." Jennifer felt a little embarrassed admitting she didn't know where her son would be staying while in town.

"He's not staying with you?" Brian asked with a frown.

"There wasn't enough room. Molly and Henry are staying with me while George is out of town." Jennifer was interrupted before she could say anything further.

"Mom."

"What, sweetheart?" Jennifer asked as she turned to her daughter.

"Is that me?" Molly asked, the surprise evident in her voice and facial expression, as she pointed back toward the painting on the opposite side of the area.

"Yes, it is. Do you remember that?" Jennifer asked her daughter; her eyes began to fill again as a soft smile appeared.

"It's a little vague... I mean... he gave it to me for my birthday... wasn't it?"

"That's right, you're fourth birthday. What is it, Molly?" Jennifer wondered why Molly seemed to be upset by the painting.

"I still have it... the shell... did Justin... he painted it?" Molly asked. Henry stood behind her, his hands gently massaging the petite blonde's shoulders.

Jennifer nodded as Debbie handed her another tissue. "Thanks, Deb. Yes, Molly, your brother painted it for you. You found it on the beach, but your father wouldn't let you keep it because it was dirty. Justin snuck it home, cleaned it up and painted it so your father wouldn't know it was the same shell."

"He painted the shell exactly like that. How could he remember that?" Molly had been so shocked by the painting, but not just that it was of her. The shell in the picture was exactly like the shell that she still kept on her bedside table.

"If I'm not mistaken, that's the outfit you were wearing, too." Jennifer laughed softly.

Molly blushed.

Suddenly Jennifer's expression changed to a frown.

"What is it, Mom?" Molly asked, her embarrassment disappearing at the look on her mother's face.

"I just remembered something Justin said at the time." Jennifer started back towards the painting followed by the small group of friends. "He was so intent with watching you on the beach that day. I asked him about it later; he said everything about you looked so bright it was as if you had absorbed the color from everything around you."

The group was silent for a moment.

"And that's what he painted," Brian commented when they stopped in front of the painting. "It's not Molly's greatest discovery... it's his."

~*~*~*~

Liberty Hotel - 8:30 p.m. Friday Night

Justin sat on the bed and looked around his hotel room. He tried to think of some reason to stay through Sunday as planned, but nothing would come to mind. All he could think about was what had happened earlier and for the first time he realized he was no longer a part of the Liberty Avenue family.

He knew that right after the breakup most of the family had supported him and had actually been angry with Brian and Steve. It seemed that Michael and Lindsay were the only two who stood by Brian from the start. Now it seemed that all was forgiven, which Justin could understand; it was all water under the bridge. Justin could believe that except for the simple fact that for the past few years it felt as if he were being pushed aside by the ‘family' in preference to the much older Steve.

Slowly Justin rose from the bed. He walked to the bathroom and gathered his toiletries, packing them without thought in his travel kit. Luckily he had not taken the time to unpack anything else, so after placing the kit in his carryon Justin opened up his laptop, hooked up to the internet through the wireless service provided by the hotel, and logged on to the airline's website to see about changing his return ticket to an earlier flight. Thankfully he was able to find an available flight quickly and without having to pay an exorbitant penalty for the change. Now he would be headed back to San Francisco at 2:15 p.m. the next day instead of Sunday evening.

With his arrangements taken care of, Justin sat once again on the bed. He thought of walking the few blocks to Woody's for a drink, but he didn't want to drink alone; nor did he want to chance running into someone he knew. Besides he knew drinking wouldn't solve anything; he had learned that lesson when he had problems with his hand during his first semester at PIFA. He thought back to how Brian had helped him with the new computer and then later with his tuition. Despite agreeing to Brian's request for a dozen paintings in lieu of money, Justin had been putting money aside in an account to repay Brian for all his help. He was currently working on a commissioned piece that would go far to bringing the account to the total necessary to repay the man. He would tell Brian the paintings were in payment of the interest on the loan.

Justin picked up the remote and turned on the TV. He flipped through the channels, but nothing caught his interest. He considered going for a walk then crossed that off his mental list for the same reason he had decided against Woody's. He had no interest in Babylon, and the diner was out of the question despite the fact that he knew Debbie wasn't working. He considered calling Daphne, but she was in New York with her new boyfriend, an architect that Justin had yet to meet, and he didn't want to spoil her evening. Although they had only been on a couple of dates, Justin considered calling Kyle; then he remembered Kyle was visiting his mother who was recovering from a hip replacement.

Rejecting all of his options for one reason or another, Justin finally stripped down and climbed into bed. He called the front desk for a wakeup call then turned off the bedside lamp and let the darkness envelop him.

It was a long time before he fell into a restless sleep.

~*~*~*~

Liberty Diner - 9:00 a.m. Saturday Morning

"Dad!"

Brian smiled when he heard his eight-year-old son's voice. He searched for Gus in the noisy diner, finding him in a booth close to the back, sitting with Lindsay, Jenny, Michael, and Ben. Brian turned to Steve and nodded to the back of the diner.

"Sounds like someone is happy to see you," Steve said with a grin. He enjoyed watching the change that would overcome his partner whenever Gus was around.

The two men joined the others as everyone said good morning, taking a seat in the next booth. Gus immediately joined his dad and Steve.

"Hi, Steve," Gus said politely once he sat down.

"Hi, Gus." Steve smiled at the youngster. The boy looked more and more like his father every time they saw him.

"Hey, Sonny Boy." Brian gave his son a quick one-arm hug.

"You're coming to the park, right?" Gus asked his dad, then anxiously rambled on. "Everyone's gonna be there; even Aunt Jennifer and Molly and her boyfriend. We're gonna cook burgers and hot dogs, and even steaks on Grandpa Carl's portable grill."

"You are, huh? On Grandpa Carl's portable grill?" Brian rubbed two fingers over his lips to hide his smile. Gus had taken to calling Carl ‘Grandpa' once Deb finally decided to put the man out of his misery and marry him. He remembered the look of shock on the man's face the first time Gus used the new moniker, which was quickly followed by pride; it had been priceless. "Well, I think I could probably eat a steak if Grandpa Carl is going to go to all that trouble. So, yeah, we'll be there."

Gus bounced in the seat. "Cool."

The group chuckled at the boy's exuberance.

"Where is Grandma Deb and Grandpa Carl?" Brian asked; he hadn't seen Debbie when they entered the diner. Kiki stepped over to their table with a coffeepot in her hand. Both men flipped their cups over so she could fill them with the hot brew.

"They're at the house getting everything ready for the picnic," Michael responded. "You know how Ma is."

"Yeah," Brian said with a smirk. "I know."

Steve sipped his coffee then turned a bit in the seat so he could see the rest of the gang at the other table.

"Where are the others?" he asked no one in particular.

"Ted needed some legal advice on something, so he and Mel are at his office. They'll meet us at the park," Lindsay replied. "And I believe Emmett is preparing some desserts."

The bell over the door rang interrupting the group's conversation. They were soon joined by Molly and Henry. The young couple slid into the booth next to Steve who moved over to give them enough room.

"Gus said you're coming to the park this afternoon. What'd you do with Jenn?" Brian watched his ex-lover's little sister. He thought she was a very pretty girl, but she was no match to Justin.

Molly smiled. "Mom had some errands to run this morning so we decided to join everyone for some coffee."

"You mean you didn't leave her at home to slave over fixing whatever she decided to bring?" Brian smirked.

"Of course not," Molly huffed. "Everything is ready."

"Don't let him bait you, Molly." Steve laughed, nudging the teenager with his shoulder.

Brian watched their interaction. He still found it surprising that Molly had developed such a strong friendship with his partner since meeting at Jennifer's wedding two years ago.

"So, is your brother joining us this afternoon?"

The group became quiet when Steve posed the question.

"I doubt it." Molly paused a moment, surprised by the inquiry. She looked over at Brian as she continued. "I think he only came into town to check on his paintings for the auction last night. You know how he is about his ‘work'; everything has to be perfect." She made quote marks in the air when she said the word work, implying that she didn't consider his artwork as something he did to make a living.

Silently Brian wondered about the slightly snide tone he thought he heard in her voice, but he didn't say anything.

Conversation at the other table picked back up and Lindsay made a strong effort to draw in the group at the next table.

No one mentioned a certain blond artist again.

~*~*~*~

After checking out of the hotel Justin made a feeble attempt at eating the breakfast he really didn't want in the hotel restaurant. Afterward he walked to the Starbucks across the street. His need for caffeine was still strong due to a long and restless night and the simple fact that the restaurant's coffee had been mediocre at best. Besides, he reasoned it was a safe bet that the family would have chosen to have their breakfast and coffee together at the diner a few blocks down Liberty Ave. so there would be little risk of running into anyone he knew.

Taking a seat by the window he watched the traffic and people of the city he grew up in, the city he had once called ‘home.' It wasn't long before he pulled a sketchpad from his ever-present messenger bag.

He didn't know how long he had been sketching, just that he was on his second latte, when he heard a familiar voice. Justin looked toward the line forming at the counter; he spotted Ted with Melanie standing next to him. Quickly Justin shoved his sketchpad back into his bag. Grabbing his overnight bag and trashing his lukewarm latte, he headed for the door. He managed to make it outside without being seen and began walking in the opposite direction of the main strip of Liberty Ave.

‘Why is there never a cab when I need one?' Justin silently wondered as he rounded the corner. Glancing at the cars parked along the curb Justin came to an abrupt stop.

"Could my luck be any more fucked?" This time he spoke the words out loud. Parked in front of him was a beige, four-door sedan that could only belong to Ted Schmidt. Justin was certain there could be no mistake. It wasn't possible that there could be two accountants in the same location driving a car with a bumper sticker that read ‘The BEST Accountants Know How To Handle Your ASSets.'

Shaking his head Justin quickly checked the traffic then jogged across the street and stepped into a small shop. Once the door closed behind him he turned to the storefront window. Before he could take another breath Justin saw Ted and Melanie approach the beige sedan. He watched in silence as they climbed in and drove away.

Justin stepped back out onto the sidewalk once he saw Ted's car turn right onto Liberty Ave., heading in the direction of the diner. He checked his watch. It was a few minutes past noon, so he decided to head for the airport. He pulled out his cellphone and turned it on. There were several missed calls, mostly from his mother, one from Molly, and two from an unknown number. Justin dialed information for the number to the cab company. With a quick call, he gave the address of the shop to the anonymous voice that answered before shutting off his phone once again. He leaned back against the building and waited; he would check the messages once he was at the airport. Maybe.

Ten minutes later Justin was seated in the back of a cab on his way to the airport. Unfortunately, due to road work, the cab driver took a route that passed the park and a happy family cookout.

~*~*~*~

San Francisco - First week of June

Justin hurried back into the building to retrieve the flashdrive he had forgotten. He would need it to finish the campaign he was working on and secretly hoped it would help him forget about his sister's upcoming wedding. He couldn't believe that this weekend Molly would have the June wedding of her dreams. He was happy for her, he really was, despite the fact he was no longer invited to the wedding. Back in January, Molly had asked him to take part as an usher and to escort their mother down the aisle. Justin happily agreed. Then two weeks ago she called him, complaining that their father was refusing to walk her down the aisle if Justin was going to be at the wedding. It was Molly's dream to have her father walk down the aisle with her, give her away to the man with whom she would live her life. Justin didn't want to ruin it for her, so he told her he would stay away, that he understood it was her big day and she should have the wedding she had always dreamed of. He could still hear her squeal of happiness before she quickly composed herself and thanked him for understanding.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Justin continued down the hallway. As he turned the corner and was approaching the conference room, he heard James, one of the partners in the company, talking to someone that Justin once thought he knew quite well.

"He's doing fine, Brian. Some of our stronger competitors have been trying to steal him away for more than a year now. ... No really. You didn't happen to send them slides of Justin's work, too, did you? ... The fact is, we probably need to work up a new deal if we want to keep Justin here. ... Yeah, you were right; hiring Justin is one of the best things to happen to our company in ages. He deserves a hefty raise."

Justin couldn't believe what he was hearing. He stepped back around the corner and waited; he could still hear the conversation, but no one would know he was there.

"Yes... okay... I'll be sure to let you know. Tell Steve we said hello. Bye, Brian."

Justin leaned against the wall as he heard James end the call. He had often wondered, but now he knew for certain that he had been offered the job because of Brian Kinney.

"You know it still surprises me that after all this time, Kinney still checks up on the kid."

Justin recognized the new voice as Charles, the other partner in the company.

"You know, Steve is a lot older than Brian; maybe Justin is Brian's... what would a gay man call his ‘piece on the side'? Mistress wouldn't work." James laughed.

"How the hell would I know? Although... I have heard my little brother use the term ‘boy-toy'. Maybe that's it," Charles answered with a chuckle.

"Just out of curiosity, why didn't you ever try to hook Danny up with Justin?" James asked.

"Hmph. I learned my lesson on playing matchmaker when you married my sister."

"Ha-ha-ha, very funny."

Justin tuned out the rest; he'd heard enough. He left the building, forgetting about the work he had returned to pick up, and drove home. The next morning he would call the company in Hanover, New Hampshire that had contacted him about a job and accept their offer. He would hand in his two-week notice on Monday, stating a better offer as the only explanation.

~*~*~*~

Pittsburgh - two days before the wedding

Jennifer handed Molly a cup of tea as she joined her at the kitchen table. Her husband, George, kissed them both on the cheek.

"I'll be back in about an hour. You sure everything you need is on this list?" he asked his wife. Jennifer nodded. George smiled and left the kitchen.

Jennifer turned to face Molly, watching her daughter for a moment as she tried to figure out how to ask her question.

"Sweetheart, I have to ask... are you sure you don't want to ask Justin to come to your wedding? Your dad wouldn't have to know and I'm sure Justin would love to be here." Jennifer spoke softly. She had been surprised by Molly's acquiescence to Craig's ultimatum that if Justin were at the wedding, she would need to find someone else to walk her down the aisle.

"I really would like to have Justin at the wedding, but it's just not possible. I don't want to risk Dad seeing him because you know, as they say, that would be that. Dad would be pissed and refuse to give me away. Besides, Dad doesn't know that Brian and Steve will be there... and Justin would probably cause a scene once he saw them." Molly grew quiet for a moment. "You know..."

Jennifer noticed the tension in Molly's expression. "Know what, Molly?"

Molly sighed. "I can't help but think that maybe if Justin had stayed in the closet, at least for a while, and gone to Dartmouth like Dad wanted, then maybe things would have worked out different."

"Maybe if your dad had loved and accepted his son the way God created him, Justin would be in the first row watching him walk you down the aisle."

Both women turned to see Daphne standing in the kitchen doorway. They never heard the doorbell, so George must have let her in when he left for the store. Molly flushed guiltily as Daphne set her wedding gift on the table and walked out without saying another word. They heard the front door close quietly.

"She's right, Molly," Jennifer stated quietly. "Justin couldn't live a lie and your father couldn't accept the truth."

"I'm just saying that maybe he should have waited until he was older, until after college," Molly said softly.

"Why? You explored your sexuality at seventeen. Why should Justin have waited to explore his?" Jennifer arched her brow at her daughter.

Molly blushed. She had no idea that her mother knew that she had been sexually active in high school.

"Do you think he had no right to date someone simply because he's gay? That sounds like your father speaking." It had taken some time for Jennifer to accept Justin's sexual orientation, to not think of his sexuality as a ‘desire' he chose over his family. It took Craig completely turning his back on their son before she could finally admit that Justin was born gay and from that moment on she truly believed he had the same rights as anyone else.

The comparison to her father caught Molly's attention. "No, I don't think that. It's just everything fell apart when Justin came out."

"Things fell apart because I was no longer willing to put up with your father's multitude of affairs. And his ability to turn his back on his own son was simply the last straw," Jennifer stated firmly.

"I know. I guess everything just happened at the same time." Molly shrugged her shoulders dejectedly. She turned the cup in her hands a couple of times before taking a sip.

"Well, I will admit there were times, long in the past now, that I wish he had waited until after high school to come out. Maybe he wouldn't have been attacked at the prom." Jennifer shuddered as she spoke about that horrible time. "It's not as if he made an announcement over the PA system or wore dresses and makeup to school; and even if he had that was no excuse for what that bastard did to him."

Molly cleared her throat. "Let's not talk about that now. I think I'll go and pack my suitcase for the honeymoon. Although, I'm not sure what to pack; Henry still hasn't told me where we're going."

"Come on, I'll help you." Jennifer stood and led the way upstairs.

~*~*~*~

The reception at the country club was well under way. Justin stood in the doorway, Kyle at his side, searching the room for his sister. Daphne had called him two days ago and told him that she overheard Molly mentioning that Brian and Steve were invited to the wedding. After hearing that, Justin decided to deliver his wedding gift personally instead of using the courier service as he had planned.

Looking around the room he spotted his father sitting at a table with a young woman with dark blond hair; somehow the man managed to scowl and smile at the same time. Justin continued to peruse the room for his sister. He was surprised to see so many familiar faces from Liberty Ave. - Debbie and Carl - Lindsay, Mel, Gus and Jenny; even Emmett, Ted, Michael and Ben. Justin had no idea his sister knew them well enough to invite them to her wedding. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Justin went back to searching the room.

When he finally saw Molly, it was to find her and her new husband, Henry, standing with his mother and George across the room talking and laughing with Brian and Steve. Taking a deep breath and fighting the heat he felt creeping up his face, Justin gave a quick squeeze to the hand in his before he crossed the room.

Molly's eyes widened in shock. Everyone standing with her turned to see what had caused the reaction. A few feet away from the group stood Justin, impeccably dressed in black slacks and a deep blue dress shirt, no tie, and low-heel black boots. The entire ensemble was by Raden, the newest designer to come out of Paris, which meant that Justin's outfit would have cost a small fortune.

Justin ignored the people standing with his sister as he stepped forward. In his hand was a long envelope, which he offered to Molly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't attend your wedding, but I wanted to be sure you got my gift. I remember how you always talked about going to Jamaica on your honeymoon, so I set this up with Henry." Justin placed the envelope in her hands. He leaned in, brushed a kiss to her cheek and whispered, "Have a happy life, Mollusk. I love you." Before anyone could say a word, he turned to leave the room.

Craig, who had stood as soon as he had seen Justin, stepped into his son's path. Before he could utter a word, Justin raised his hand.

"Don't bother, Craig, ‘this' fag is not staying. I just wanted to make sure Molly got my wedding gift." Justin continued past the man he had idolized as a child and with Kyle at his side once again, he left the building.

Finally shaking off the shock of seeing her son at the reception, Jennifer rushed after Justin.

"I'll be right back," Brian said as he handed his glass of champaign to Steve. He hurried out the door of the ballroom to the front of the country club, arriving just in time to catch part of a heated conversation between mother and son with a slightly familiar young man as a silent witness.

"Justin, I'm sorry, but I had to let Molly make her own decision about you attending the wedding. Ever since she was a little girl, she has dreamed of her father walking her down the aisle. You have to understand!"

"I'm not stupid, Mom, I understand exactly how Molly felt; she doesn't want to lose her father. And I know you have to do what you think is best for the family."

Jennifer gasped as she remembered saying something similar to her son at Molly's birthday party years before. "Justin..."

"No, it's okay, Mom. I do understand. This is Molly's big day. I didn't come here to cause a scene. But why can't you see it from my point of view? Molly can't have her faggot brother, but she can certainly invite any other fag she wants. Even the ones she barely knows; or maybe I'm mistaken, maybe they're her ‘family' as well. But I am curious... What did you tell everyone? Did you tell them I was just too fucking busy to come to my little sister's wedding?" Justin's hurt and anger was beginning to break through.

"Justin, please." Jennifer's voice was anxious. "Both of you, please, come inside."

"Why? You haven't humiliated me enough? Do you have something more planned?"

"Justin..."

"Save it, Mom. I need to get back anyway. I'm moving."

"Moving?" Jennifer asked shocked by her son's words.

"Yes. I'm starting a new job this week." As he finished speaking Justin spotted Brian. He turned and whispered to Kyle asking him to wait in the car.

"You sure?" Kyle whispered, taking hold of Justin's hand. When Justin handed him the car keys, Klye gave him a brief kiss and reluctantly made his way to the car.

Brian stepped closer. "What happened to your job?"

"I quit."

"Why? What happened?" Brian asked truly concerned.

"Nothing, other than the fact that I didn't earn the job. They hired me because you asked them to hire me."

"I didn't ask them to hire you, Justin," Brian firmly stated, shaking his head.

"Are you going to deny that you called the owners, that you sent them slides with images of my work?" Justin asked calmly.

"No, but you wouldn't have been hired if they didn't think you were qualified," Brian calmly argued.

"Oh, you mean that being the ‘only trick Brian Kinney fucked more than once' had nothing to do with it?" Justin asked with a small amount of sarcasm in his voice.

Jennifer looked astonished.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Brian asked; he was just as surprised by the comment as Jennifer.

"I overheard part of a phone conversation between you and James. I heard him ask if you had sent slides of my work to their competitors, just like you sent to them. That phone call was followed by a bit of speculation by my bosses. They figured I must be something special to have the great Brian Kinney getting me job interviews and checking up on me. They actually believe I'm your little West Coast piece on the side, you're ‘boi toi'," Justin explained, exhaustion tempering his angry tone.

"Justin-" Brian started only to be interrupted by Justin wearily speaking and waving his hand slightly.

"Forget it. I don't need to hear it; it no longer matters. And don't worry, if the new job doesn't work out, I can always sell my best asset." Justin turned to join Kyle in their rental car. He heard the engine start and knew his boyfriend would get him out of there quickly.

"What?" Jennifer was shocked by what Justin said.

He stopped and turned back. "Sorry; bad joke."

"Where will you be working?" Brian asked. "And how long have you been with Kyle Raden? That is Kyle Raden, right?" Brian added when he remembered he had seen the other man at a fashion event the previous year.

"Yes, it is. But I don't believe the answers to either of those questions are any of your business. Maybe now you can let me live my own life. I'm not a part of your life, Brian; I'm not your responsibility. I never have been. You need to remember I'm nothing more than a former fuck buddy." He turned to face his mother. "If you need anything, get in touch with Daph. She'll know how to reach me." Justin then joined Kyle in the car and they drove away.

Both Brian and Jennifer called out to Justin, but he never looked back. Jennifer sighed heavily and turned to Brian.

"I'm sorry, Jennifer, we shouldn't have come."

"No, it's alright; you have nothing to apologize for, Brian. Molly wanted you and Steve to be here. After all, you both are a part of this crazy mixed-up family. Justin will have to accept that someday." Jennifer turned and walked back into the country club, back to her daughter's reception.

"I think he has accepted that," Brian said softly to himself as he watched the car exit the parking lot. "But do any of you consider him still a part of this crazy mixed-up family?"

The end for now.

1/12/2024