Do I Know You?. by starlight
FeatureSummary:

Justin is moving back to Pittsburgh with his son. This one is completely AU and MPreg.


Categories: QAF US, Reader's Choice Award Characters: Ben Bruckner, Blake Wyzecki, Brian Kinney, Carl Horvath, Craig Taylor, Cynthia, Daphne Chanders, Debbie Novotny, Emmett Honeycutt, Jennifer Taylor, Jenny Rebecca Marcus-Peterson, Justin Taylor, Leda, Lindsay Peterson, Melanie Marcus, Michael Novotny, Molly Taylor, Original Character, Original Female Character, Original Male Character, Other Cast Regulars, Sam Auerbach, Ted Schmidt
Tags: Anti-Lindsay, Anti-Michael, MPreg (Yup! Went THERE!)
Genres: Alternate Universe, Angst w/ Happy Ending, Drama, Hurt/Comfort
Pairings: Brian/Justin, Michael/Ben, Other Cast Pairing, Ted/Blake
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 29 Completed: Yes Word count: 61773 Read: 340611 Published: Aug 21, 2016 Updated: Aug 02, 2017
Story Notes:

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

I want to Thank Lorie for being a great Beta and always improving my stories.

1. Chapter 1 by starlight

2. Chapter 2 by starlight

3. Chapter 3 by starlight

4. Chapter 4 by starlight

5. Chapter 5 by starlight

6. Chapter 6 by starlight

7. Chapter 7 by starlight

8. Chapter 8 by starlight

9. Chapter 9 by starlight

10. Chapter 10 by starlight

11. Chapter 11 by starlight

12. Chapter 12 by starlight

13. Chapter 13 by starlight

14. Chapter 14 by starlight

15. Chapter 15 by starlight

16. Chapter 16 by starlight

17. Chapter 17 by starlight

18. Chapter 18 by starlight

19. Chapter 19 by starlight

20. Chapter 20 by starlight

21. Chapter 21 by starlight

22. Chapter 22 by starlight

23. Chapter 23 by starlight

24. Chapter 24 by starlight

25. Chapter 25 by starlight

26. Chapter 26 by starlight

27. Chapter 27 by starlight

28. Chapter 28 by starlight

29. Chapter 29 by starlight

Chapter 1 by starlight
Author's Notes:

This is also Anti-Ben so if you don't want him to be a bad guy don't read this.

JUSTIN

 

I wanted to experience gay life and found my answer in a one night stand. The next morning I asked him when I could see him again. Brian told me I could see him in my dreams. I wanted him to tell me he would see me tonight. His friend smirked at me, he was such a little weasel. I stood there and decided it was his loss. I was going to become famous and tell him when we met again that he could see me in his dreams.

 

Eight Years Later

 

“Jackson, get your butt down stairs, we're late.” I tell my son.

 

“Dad, you always say we’re late but we always get to school on time.” Jackson tells me.

 

“I have two back-to-back meetings before I show up at your school for parents day.” I tell him.

 

“Are you going to bring a copy of your new book? I told everyone you would.” Jackson tells me.

 

“I told you I would, and I always keep my promises.” I tell him.

 

We leave the house and I stop by McDonalds to get breakfast. I keep promising myself Jackson’s diet will improve, then we end up eating a Big Mac. Daphne told me Jackson and I could probably eat fatty foods every day and never gain a pound.

 

We get to the school and Jackson barely lets me stop the car before he jumps out and runs into school. I shake my head at him. He was excited to go to the new school. We finally moved back to Pittsburgh. My mom divorced my dad six years ago and wanted me to come home then, but I had just started a career writing children's books and I didn't want my dad near Jackson. I was lucky my illustrated children’s books were top sellers. I was also achieving success with my painting. I thought my life was over when I found out I was a freak of nature.

 

After Brian left me at the curb in front of school I decided to go on with my life. I had all these childish fantasies about him regretting letting me go. It was four months later when I found out Brian had left me with a surprise package. I graduated without having to tell my father he was going to be a grandfather. I went to Dartmouth, not for school, but to be far enough away to have the baby without my father finding out. Daphne came with me, we used the money my father was sending to finance my life. I was working anywhere I could to make money and taking classes at a community college to keep up with my education.

 

My mom only found out because I had a bad reaction to the pain meds the hospital gave me, I should have listed all my allergies. She flew up and met her grandson. She wanted to tell my dad. I asked her if she thought a homophobe would welcome his gay son’s baby. She told me it would be different since Jackson was here. It wasn’t. Instead he cut me off and told me he didn’t want me to talk to my family anymore. I wanted to tell my mom “I told you so”, but I had a child to raise.

 

I had enough saved to be okay for a couple of months. I wanted to tell Brian about Jackson, but decided he probably wouldn’t care, and in my one night stand stupidity, I never got his last name. It was weird that I never bothered to get his full name. I mean, we got naked together and didn't even introduce ourselves beyond first names.

 

I got lucky, because I was drawing a book about children having adventures in a small town. I used it to read stories to Jackson. Daphne brought her Aunt Mary to visit and Mary told me to let her shop my book to her publishing company. I figured I didn’t have anything to lose. The first book was a hit and I used Jackson’s life to write the others and added Brian’s son Gus into my stories. I wanted Jackson to hear about Gus without telling him he had a brother.

 

My doctor told me that men were having babies more often. I thought I was the only freak of nature, but it apparently it’s some change that has been happening. He told me I could go on birth control. The genius who figured out men were going to need it forgot to tell us men we could get pregnant.

 

We lived in New Hampshire for Jackson's first eight years, but I wanted him to be able to see my mom. I warned my father we were moving back and he told me he didn’t care. Dad had gotten remarried and had a new improved son. He told me Alex plays football and isn’t a pervert like me. I told my dad to have a good life. It’s still funny to me that Mr Morality has a ten year old, since he only divorced my mom six years ago. I guess being straight means he gets a pass on being an adulterer.

 

Jackson scored high on all his placement tests, but I didn’t want him pressured the way I was, so I started him in Kindergarten. I ended up placing him in second grade a month later because the teacher told me Jackson was being disruptive out of boredom. Jackson was already ahead of the second grade class. My mother suggested sending him to an advanced school. We finally found a school that taught children who were genius level. I use to crow about my 1500 SAT’s, now I look like an idiot compared to my son.

 

I was supposed to meet Sydney Bloom at his gallery. My agent told me if I was going to live in a place with the name Pit in it, she was going to find top galleries for my shows. It’s funny that I actually make more money off my books than my paintings, but I am more famous for my paintings. I paint under the name JJ Taylor, because I write under the name Justin Taylor for my children's books and now Cole Taylor for the young adult books. My agent wanted me to separate my works from each other. She didn't want the fact that I wrote a children's series to make it harder to sell young adult books.

 

I got to the gallery and a blonde woman tells me Sydney is busy and she would keep me company. She is gushing about showing my work. I think people make too much of my art. She tells me that she just married Sam Auerbach. I tried to sound impressed, but Sam is a perv who hits on women stupid enough to believe they’re his muse. She tells me that they would love to have me come to dinner at their house. I told her I had a son, was to new to town, and didn’t trust just anybody to watch him. She tried to convince me her son would be there and they could make friends. I really wanted to tell her I’d rather eat dog crap than listen to Sam talk about himself. Luckily for me Sydney came out and rescued me from the overzealous woman.

 

Sydney told me he was sorry he didn’t greet me but he was also in the process of finding new help and had an interview that ran over. I told him it was fine and asked how many paintings they were expecting for the show. Sydney suggested fifteen to twenty. I had that many in my vault at home, so I invited him to come over and pick what he wanted from them. I told him that if they weren’t what he wanted I would be working on more. I got up to leave when the blonde accosted me again and tried to get me to come over to her house. I smiled and told her I’d call when I had a free evening. She shoved a card in my hand. Lindsay Auerbach was the name, no job listed and her cell written in. What a strange woman.

 

I was driving to my second meeting with my new accountant. He was willing to meet at some diner on Liberty Avenue. I almost told him I’d rather meet somewhere else, but Liberty is a big street so I agreed to it. I pulled up and looked at the diner, it was definitely a greasy burger joint and my stomach was happy to go in. I plastered a smile on my face and pushed the door to get in.

 

“Hello, Sunshine.” A woman in a red wig greets me.

 

“Sunshine?” I ask.

 

“Well your smile could brighten any room. Have a seat and I’ll get you a menu.” She seems really nice.

 

“I’m actually supposed to meet with Theodore Schmidt.” I tell her.

 

“Teddy, your date has arrived, and you should see the ass on him.” The woman yells to a guy sitting in a booth. He gets up and stares at me. Well, with that intro, I couldn't go anywhere but up.

 

“I’m Justin, hello Ted.” He is just staring at me. I was going to walk into the bathroom and check if I had something on my face.

 

“Oh sorry, you just really look familiar.” Ted tells me.

 

“Well I lived here eight years ago, but sorry, I don’t remember meeting you.” I tell him.

 

“Don’t worry about it, maybe you just look like someone I've met. You wanted to set up accounts here in Pittsburgh?” Ted ask me.

 

“I need to transfer all my accounts here. I want to be able to centralize my life.” I tell him.

 

“I can do that, I actually work for Kinney Advertising and we added a financial planning section a few years ago.” Ted tells me.

 

“Well you have a great track record for investments, otherwise my mom wouldn’t have pointed me in your direction.” I tell Ted.

 

“Let me get you the forms and I can email anything else you need. We can meet whenever you have time.” Ted tells me.

 

“I have to go to my son’s school for parents day, so I’ll call you to arrange a time.” I tell him.

 

“If you want to meet people here, you could go out with me and my friends, we go to Woody’s every night. Unless you're not gay.” Ted tells me.

 

“Yes to being gay, and I’ll think about it. Thanks for meeting me on such short notice.” I tell Ted. It might be nice to have friends. He’s still looking at me like he’s trying to place me. Maybe I remind him of someone.

 

I got up to leave and almost get run over by a woman and her daughter. I keep her from falling to the floor. She tells me thanks and sits with Ted. I look at my watch and see that I need to get to the school.

 

TED

 

Why does Justin look so familiar? I know we’ve never met, but I know I’ve seen him before. I watch as he keeps Mel from hitting the floor. I still swear I’ve seen him before. I’ll remember eventually. Right now I have to keep Mel from killing Michael. Not that I care about Michael, but Jenny doesn’t need to visit Mel in prison.

 

“Do you know what that asshole did now?” Mel fumes. She is on the warpath.

 

“Which asshole? And good afternoon Jenny.” I figure Jenny gets enough crap with the parents at war.

 

“Michael. He thinks he should have custody of Jenny. He and Ben think it would be better for her to have two parents to take care of her.” Mel tells me.

 

“Mel, don’t let the stepford fags get to you.” I tell her.

 

“He’s claiming that Lindsay and I fighting was harming her.” Mel tells me.

 

“Michael just wants to impress that group of assholes he hangs out with.” Deb tells her.

 

“They all are willing to testify that Michael is a perfect parent. He claims that Leda isn’t a good role model for Jenny.” Mel tell us.

 

“Well, you can claim that Ben’s HIV status isn’t safe for a four year old. I hate for you to have to do it, but they aren’t giving you a choice.” Deb tells her.

 

Michael burned all his bridges with us after letting his new friends treat everyone like garbage. They made fun of Emmett, claiming that he was the reason people look down at gay people. I hung out at a hedonistic den and helped to encourage gay men to turn their backs on respectability. Michael was trying to encourage Brian to date one of his new friends. Brian told him he had taste and trolls weren’t on his radar. Monty made the mistake of telling Brian how to live his life. Brian told them if living like you lost your balls was the answer, he’d rather go to his hedonistic den. Michael told Deb that unless she was invited to his house, she needed to call first before visiting. Deb told him unless he grew a pair that Monty didn’t have in his pocket, don’t come to her house.

 

To make matters worse, Lindsay decided dick was her new favorite thing. She tried to convince Brian they should get married. Brian told her to put down the crack pipe. Lindsay gave him an ultimatum, if he didn’t make them a family, Sam would. Brian told her she could have Sam’s dick because his was not on offer. Lindsay told him to kiss Gus goodbye, because now the boy would have a real father. Lindsay didn’t expect the fight Brian put her through. He brought up everything, including the teacher she was going to marry so he could get a green card. Sam told Lindsay to let Brian have the kid, they didn’t have time for it. Lindsay still fought to get visitation. We all think it was to make Brian have to see her.

 

BRIAN

 

I wanted to catch Ted at the diner, so we could go over the presentation he would have to give. Gus is playing soccer this afternoon and I promised to be there. Lindsay has been putting Gus through an emotional ringer. I’m trying to keep her away from us. She's like a vampire trying to suck you dry. I looked up in time to see a very fine ass; too bad I don’t have time to explore that. I watch the guy get in his car and have to admire his taste, it’s a classic Mustang. He turned to look at traffic, I smile at him as he turned and looked at me. He looked surprised, then tore out of the parking lot. Must be in a hurry.

 

I look in the diner to see Mel talking to Ted and decide it can wait. Mel and I are okay with each other, but she wants me to talk to Mikey for her. I told her Mikey is no longer my friend and I don’t want anything to do with him. He tried to use Gus to set me up on a date with some asshole. Mikey thought having children made us compatible. I told Mikey I don’t want anything to do with his new life. Mikey tried to act offended. I told him I wanted to have my friend back. Mikey waited in my office and told me all I had to do was fuck him. I told him to go fuck Ben. They deserve each other. Ben started the whole downfall by convincing Michael they needed to move to a place where people respect you. I asked Ben if they respected the fact that he liked to be tied up during sex.

 

I call Cynthia and tell her to make sure Ted is ready. She tells me Ted has been handling it like a pro for years now. I have time to grab Gus a burger before I head to St James Academy to watch Gus play.

Chapter 2 by starlight

JUSTIN 

 

I had to pull over. What were the chances I'd run into Brian? Apparently really good. I was looking at traffic and turned to see Brian smiling at me. It was a ‘want to meet’ smile, not a ‘Justin where have you been’ smile. I just tore out like I was in a hurry. I’ve always been honest with Jackson about Brian, and told him that if he really wants to meet Brian I would try to make it possible. Jackson told me he wasn’t interested in meeting his sperm donor. I think Jackson doesn’t want his father to reject him. I always made sure my child knew he was loved and never felt like he was to blame for my mistakes. 

 

I finally get my head together and drive to Bright Futures Academy. It’s next to my old school. Mom tried to convince me St James might be a good school, but I told her with me being Jackson’s father, it could be the worst place to put him. I left St James with only the memories of torment. I won’t let them do it to my son. Mom knew about the bullies and tried to help, but I told her to just stop. I only had a month left and learned to keep my head down. I pretended to go to prom with Daphne but we just hung out at an all night diner instead. Mom thought we missed the getting our picture taken but otherwise never figured out we just didn’t go.

 

Jackson is waiting outside for me. He has the look he gets when he’s trying to solve a problem. I hope he gets it solved soon. I can’t go through him writing on every surface until it’s solved, again.

 

“Jackson, help me carry in the books.” I tell him.

 

“Dad, did you ever seen someone who could be your twin?” Jackson asks me. Please God, let Brian still be on Liberty Avenue.

 

“I think someone said everyone has a twin somewhere.” I tell him.

 

“I was waiting for you and this kid in a soccer uniform walked by, we really look alike. Well except he has darker hair and brown eyes.” He tells me. I'm relieved, it was just a kid he saw.

 

“Well, you're a dirty blonde with blue eyes so it doesn’t sound that much alike.” I tell him.

 

“True, but he looked a lot like me. My teacher came outside and asked why he was wearing a soccer uniform.” Jackson tells me.

 

“Did he answer?” I ask.

 

“No, because the teacher saw me and told the other guy sorry, but to get to school.” Jackson tells me. Strange, but nothing to get excited about.

 

We go to his class and all the kids were excited about the new books. I had started writing young adult books. I wanted to make a book about a kid with superpowers, who was smart and solved cases. The first book started slow in sales but word of mouth caused kids to beg their parents for a copy. My agent told me to work on the second and third books so we could publish them back to back. Jackson wanted to give copies of book two to his class. My agent said we could use them to gauge if we wanted to continue the series. I just love that my son is proud of my books.

 

I hung out with the kids and answered questions about the characters. The kids wanted to know everything about it. I finally got out of the class and told Jackson I’d pick him up after school. 

 

Walking out the door, I see the soccer player sitting on the side of the front entrance. He seems really upset and I can’t just walk by.

 

“Hey, you okay?” I ask him.

 

“No.” He tells me.

 

“Anything I could help you with? I’m good at listening.” I tell him.

 

I was going to shake his hand but I had a copy of my book in my hand. I put it down and sat next to poor kid. He looks at the book and picks it up. He starts to flip to the first page.

 

“How did you get a copy of the second book?” The kid asks me.

 

“I wrote it. I’m Cole Taylor.” I tell him.

 

“Really? I mean that is so cool. I love the first one and was waiting for you to release a new one.” The kid tells me.

 

“Since you know my name, what’s yours?” Jackson was right, they do look alike.

 

“Aiden Kinney. Well that’s not my real name, but it’s the name I want.” He tells me.

 

“What’s wrong with your real name?” This kid is too young to have an identity crisis.

 

“I don’t want anything to do with my birth mother. She tries to act sweet but she uses me to make my dad talk to her.” He tells me.

 

“Maybe she wants your dad back.” I hope that is all it’s about. People who use emotional blackmail on their kids should be erased from the planet.

 

“My Dad is gay, and she knew he was when he donated sperm for me. Mom just thinks men should fall all over her.” He tells me.

 

“How’s your dad handling it?”  I hope he at least has his father to help him.

 

“My dad is great. He fought for full custody and won. I live with him. It’s just, my mom showed up at the school and tried to convince me to come over to her house tonight. She wants me to be nice to someone’s kid.” He tells me.

 

“Is that why you're here?” I ask him.

 

“Yeah, I figured I would go back when she left, I’ve been watching her car.” He points at a car way down the street. 

 

“I’m sure the school is looking for you by now.” I tell him.

 

“My teacher thinks I went to the locker room to escape my mom.” He’s smart, and St James is still lax as ever.

 

“Want me to sit here with you until you can go back?” I ask him. It’s an upscale neighborhood but you never know who is driving down the street.

 

“If you want to. Could I ask you about the book? It’s coming out soon right?” Aidan asks me.

 

“In a couple of weeks, but take that copy. Just don’t let anybody see it till it’s released, okay?” I want to see him smile.

 

“Can I tell my Dad? We read the other book together.” He asks, and there is the smile.

 

“Sure, tell your Dad, here let me sign it for you.” I offer.

 

“Can you make it out to Gus Aiden Kinney, otherwise no one will believe it was for me.” He tells me.

 

“Hey, I like the name Gus. I named my teddy bear Gus, and I also helped to pick it out for a new baby once.” I tell him.

 

“That’s kind of neat, you like my name.” He seems happy about me liking his name.

 

We get distracted by two people yelling at each other down the street. Gus tells me it’s his parents. I wanted to run down there and tell the woman that if you love your kid you don’t use them. She slams her car door and drives off clipping Gus’s dad. We both start heading towards him. He gets up and walks back towards the school. Gus tells me bye and thanks me for the book. I watch until he gets in the building. Hopefully, getting to read my book makes up for a shitty day.

 

BRIAN

 

I walk into the school to see Lindsay being her usual shitty self. She is trying to order the school to let her take Gus. I took her name off the check out list when she tried to keep Gus the last time. I told the school to let me escort Lindsay out of the building. 

 

“Brian, I have every right to take Gus with me.” Lindsay tells me.

 

“You don’t have any rights, other than the forced visitation every other week. You can’t see Gus unless I say you can any other time.” I tell her.

 

“He’s my son too. I wanted him to meet a new friend's son at my house tonight.” She tells me.

 

“If it’s a friend of yours or Sam’s, Gus doesn’t need to be anywhere near them.” I tell her.

 

“Fuck you, Brian. At least my friends aren’t club hopping, drugged out tricks. I’m sure your son loves meeting your flavor of the night.” She sneers at me.

 

“Unlike you, I don’t bring perverts into Gus’s life.” I sneer back.

 

“If you had agreed to marry me, Gus would have had a normal life.” She screeches.

 

“Go home to your cheating asshole of a husband Lindsay. I guess being able to spend his money keeps you warm while he’s cheating with his groupies.” I tell her.

 

Lindsay gets in her car and peels out, she ends up clipping me with the car. I wish this school had cameras, so I could put her ass in jail. I get up and dust off, I need to check on Gus, Lindsay’s visits cause him emotional trauma. I was just about to head to the office, when he runs up behind me.

 

“Dad, you won’t believe what I’ve got.” Gus is happy. I’m thankful for that much.

 

“Is that the Cole Taylor book?” I wonder why he’s excited about his book. He’s had it for a year now.

 

“Yes, but it’s the second one.” He tells me.

 

“Gus, that book isn’t due out for a couple weeks.” I have it preordered for him.

 

“I know but I was waiting for you over at Bright Futures Academy and Cole Taylor came outside. He was really cool and gave me the book. He even signed it for me.” I think Cole Taylor just earned my eternal gratitude.

 

“That was really nice of him.” I tell Gus.

 

“He told me Gus was his teddy bear's name when he was a kid.” Gus tell me.

 

We walked to the soccer field and I tell Gus I’ll hold the book for him. I think about the kid who helped pick Gus’s name and I realize it’s the guy I saw getting in the car this afternoon. I always wondered what happened to the kid. Justin. That’s his name. Maybe I can catch up with Justin again. I kind of regret not looking for him, but he was too young for me to keep around.

 

Chapter 3 by starlight

LINDSAY

 

I finally got my dream house, a husband, and an invitation back to the country club. I should be happy, but I wanted Brian, not Sam. Gus was my ticket to that, but he is being a shit like his father. Every time I need Gus, Brian blocks me. If Sam hadn’t been so crude in front of the social worker I’d be able to control Brian by using Gus. Brian always brings up his rights. I couldn’t believe a court sided with him. Brian’s lifestyle should have stopped them from giving him custody. Sam propositioned the court reporter, telling her he could ditch me if she wanted to see his sketches. The judge ordered supervised visitation, because Sam tried to corner the reporter in the hallway. 

 

I need to keep Sam from running off with his latest muse and I knew he was eager to meet JJ Taylor. Sam told me he needed to be around artists. 

 

“I’m an artist, why not talk to me?” I asked him.

 

“Darling, you’re a girl who draws crappy pictures. An artist has vision.” He tells me.

 

“You told me I just needed inspiration, and that I was stifled living with Mel.” I tell him.

 

“I just wanted to fuck a lesbian and turn her.” Sam told me as he walked out of the house.

 

I did try to stay with Mel, but Sam had to make that impossible. He hired a lawyer from her firm and drew up a prenup. He told the lawyer he hadn’t proposed yet but he wanted everything in order before hand. Mel had been walking by and stopped to say hi to Sam. Sam told her he wanted some advice on prenups. Mel told him it wasn’t really her area. Sam said since he was going to marry her wife, it should interest her. Mel threw my stuff in the trash and told me to get out the same day. She also let me know that she and Brian had already filed to restore Brian’s rights. I told her with Brian’s lifestyle no one would give him custody, she told me he already had it. I decided to just marry Sam, since Brian told me no. I wanted Sam’s money behind me when I tried to sue Brian for not siding with me.

 

I know Sam has been seeing some teenage slut groupie, but he married me and he isn’t going to get out of this that easy this time. I wanted to rub it in Brian’s face that I married someone famous. Now I have to keep Sam from taking off and leaving me high and dry. JJ Taylor was the answer to my prayers. He kept turning down my invitation for dinner but I thought I could call him and tell him Gus was eager to make a new friend. It was a way to keep Sam at home tonight. 

 

I could still call him, but he might wonder where I got his number. I snuck into Sydney’s office when he went to lunch to get the number. Sydney is looking for more help at the gallery. He’s trying to replace me, all because I offered a few artists to be their muse for an afternoon. The artists told Sydney they didn’t want to deal with me anymore. I told Sydney they came on to me, I turned them down and they were pissed. Sydney told me if I hadn’t done the same with Sam, he would have believed me. I told Sam that Sydney was trying to fire me and he should let me open a gallery of my own. I would put Sydney out of business. Sam told me being an art teacher doesn’t make me qualified to run a gallery and that my pussy wasn’t enough for any artist to sacrifice their career to show in the dump I would put together. I threw his favorite erotic vase at him. We fought and destroyed half the house. We ended up having sex and Sam told me if I could be like that all the time he wouldn’t fuck other women.

 

I wanted to have a baby with Sam to keep him tied to me. I just didn’t have the energy to fight and have angry sex to keep him interested. Sam told me he got clipped years ago. I told him he could get it reversed but he told me the idea of me getting fat made him sick. He also said seven brats were enough for him. 

 

I need to find a way to get JJ Taylor to come to the house, none of his groupies could do that.

 

JUSTIN

 

I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to decide if Jackson should know I’ve seen his father. I want to be honest with him. He deserves the option to see his other father, if he wants to. I just worry that Brian might hurt him. If Brian’s son Gus wants to meet Jackson,… Shit it isn’t possible is it?

 

All this worrying about Brian and I nearly forgot about the baby he had that night. Gus is a darker version of Jackson because they are brothers. I don’t think I have a choice. Jackson needs the truth, because sooner or later they are going to run into each other again. 

 

I walked up to the front to get Jackson from school. He’s talking to his teacher. I was stalling. Jackson needs information and I have to give him the correct information. I have never said anything bad about Brian, just that we didn’t know each other. If what Gus says is true, then hopefully Brian will treat Jackson well.

 

“Ready boy genius?” I greet him.

 

“Sure Dad, I want to start a science project, we get extra credit for it.” He tells me.

 

“It’s only your first week here, but if it’s important to you, go ahead. Just don’t blow anything up.” I tell him.

 

“Dad, it was only supposed to be flowing lava. It didn’t blow up, it just got everywhere.” Jackson says with a long suffering sigh. 

 

“I thought we could go have burgers at the diner on Liberty. They’re extra greasy. You want to?” I ask him.

 

“Is this where you need to tell me something but try to make it seem like a father-son day?” I swear my kid is too smart.

 

“Yes. I wanted to tell you about your other father, and his son.” I tell him.

 

“I have a brother? Really? That is so cool. How about we sit and talk at the park and then go eat. I don’t want people to try and distract us.” Jackson suggests.

 

We go to the park near the diner. I sit him down and explain that I haven’t talked to Brian, but I did see him. I also tell him that the soccer player he saw is Brian’s other son. 

 

“Is he older than me?” Jackson asks me.

 

“Nine months. I got pregnant with you the night he was born.” I tell him.

 

“Was Gus nice when you talked to him?” Jackson asks me.

 

“He was a lot like you are. He is having some home life problems with his mother. He talked about Brian like he was a great dad.” I tell him.

 

“Can I think about meeting them?” Jackson asks.

 

“You can think about it all you want. I do want to try and talk to Brian first, so it’s not a shock to him.” I tell Jackson.

 

“Well, at least we know his last name now. Just have to figure out where he works or lives.” Jackson is always trying to help solve a mystery.

 

I didn’t tell Jackson, but I think my accountant works for Brian. There can’t be that many Kinneys on Liberty Avenue. We walk into the diner and the redhead is still there, I wonder if she ever goes home. 

 

“Well Sunshine, you must have like the food, and who is this cutie?” She asks me.

 

“My son Jackson, this is… I never did get your name Ma'am.” I smile at her.

 

“Just call me Deb, Sweetie, and you can call me Nana if you want, little Sunshine.” I like that she was nice to Jackson.

 

“I have a Nana, but I could call you Red if you want.” My son, the smart ass.

 

“As long as you call me.” She quips back at him. 

 

“I like her, Dad.” I think we are going to be eating here a lot.

 

We sit down and Jackson orders. I was still full so I just got a shake. Jackson told Deb she should sit with us. He seems to really like her. 

 

“What a polite little boy you are. I would love to join you, it’s the end of my shift.” Deb saya as she sits down.

 

Deb gets our whole life story out of Jackson. She told me I wasn’t the first male pregnancy she’s heard of, that with all the gay men around it’s happened a lot here. She asked if the other father knew about Jackson.

 

“Dad, didn’t know his last name and he moved before he knew he was pregnant with me. He did see the guy today, so he is going to talk to him about me and make sure my other dad wants to see me.” Jackson tells her.

 

“I know most of the guys on Liberty, what’s his name?” Deb asks.

 

“It’s Brian. Brian Kinney.” Jackson tells her before I can stop him.

 

“Brian. Well Sunshine, when you aim, you aim big.” Deb laughs.

 

“You know my dad?” Jackson asks her.

 

“I helped raise your dad, and to answer your question, he’s going to love you.” Deb tells him.

 

I want to kiss this woman. Jackson has always held back on wanting to meet Brian, and she just gave him a reason to overcome his fear of rejection. I smile and mouth ‘Thank you’ for making Jackson happy. We were eating together when a guy comes in and stands at the end of our table.

 

“Feeding the riff-raff again Ma? You should just call child services to pick up the kid, he deserves a real family.” As much as I like Deb, I might have to kick her son’s ass.

 

“Michael, why don’t you go back to your new family, no one wants you here.” I can see it hurts her to say this, and the slimy little toad is going to wish he was nicer to his mother.

 

“I would, but you owe me, and I want you to testify against Mel for me.” Michael tells her.

 

“All I’ll testify to is that you couldn’t raise a hamster, so a child might be reaching high for you.” Deb tells him.

 

“If you don’t, I’ll sell your house out from under you.” He threatens.

 

“Fucking do it then, Michael. I’ll move in with my adopted sons. The ones who don’t threaten me to get what they want.” She yells at him.

 

“You need to learn to respect your mother.” I tell him.

 

“You need to stay the fuck out of it. If she wasn’t always feeding strays like you, I wouldn’t have had to pay her mortgage. Instead I own a crappy house I don’t want. She owes me.” He tells us.

 

“You know, if you weren’t such a shithead, you would realize you owe her for not doing the world a favor and fucking aborting you. What kind of asshole kicks his mother out of her home? Nevermind answering that, apparently I’m looking at one. Take your ass out of here before I get the bear behind you to help me drop kick you into oncoming traffic.” I know it’s none of my business, but shit, who acts like this? I smile at the guy in leather behind Michael.

 

“I’m going, but Ben and I are going to move your shit to the lawn today, Ma. Should have thought of that before you let the twink open his mouth.” The asshole tells her.

 

“Dad, we have to help her.” Jackson tells me.

 

“Is he talking out his ass or is he telling the truth?” I ask her.

 

“I signed the house over to him when my brother was sick. I wanted it out of Vic’s name, so the state couldn’t use the house to pay Vic’s bills.” She tells me.

 

“Do you think he is really going to kick you out?” Jackson leads such a sheltered life.

 

“He and his husband will probably have the locks changed before I get home.” She is trying to put on a brave face for Jackson. That does it, we’re taking her home with us. Hopefully we can get this straightened out for her. I need to call Natalie, she will enjoy fucking with Michael.

 

“Why not come home with us tonight? I have a large country house about thirty minutes out. Jackson and I would love the company.” I tell her.

 

“You might as well tell him yes Red. Dad will just drag you to the car. Plus you can answer my questions about my other Dad.” Jackson pleads with her.

 

“If you’re sure. It might be nice to have two handsome men to talk to.” She smiles at Jackson.

 

We get up to leave and I want to destroy the asshole. And you know what, I want to make Gus’s mother the next in line for her shit too. 

 

“Dad, you owe me eight bucks for all the colorful language.” Jackson smirks.

 

Thank God he can’t read my mind, he’d probably be able to finance his college with my thoughts alone.

 

 

Chapter 4 by starlight

MICHAEL 

 

Who the fuck does that guy think he is? No freeloader is going to threaten me. Ma better hope someone will take her in, because I just called to have her locks changed. She needs learn who wears the pants in this family. And it’s damn well not her. She’ll be sorry she refused to help me.

 

I tried to call Ben, but it keeps going to voicemail. Ben is starting to piss me off, he keeps running to help his students. If he thinks I don’t know he’s fucking his grad student, he’s in for a surprise. Truthfully, I don’t want his diseased dick near me. I only married him because he asked and I wanted everyone to be jealous that Ben wanted me. I just couldn't pretend I liked having sex with him anymore. I keep picturing his HIV finding it's way out of the condoms. He can screw the guys willing to take the risk.

 

Brian should have stopped me from marrying Ben, but he was too busy fucking everyone but me. I played the sympathetic friend and even offered to set him up with the guy I was screwing at the time. I pictured us having a threesome together and after that Brian would realize it was me he wanted. Brian refused, he acted like a dick about it and ruined my plan. He’ll come around, as soon as he lets go of the losers we hung out with.

 

I don't feel like clearing out Ma’s house by myself, the locks will keep her out. It’s all junk anyway. I should smash her knickknacks to punish her, it would serve her right. I hate that house. Tomorrow she can beg me to let her come home. Then she'll just have to do as I told her, or she can live in the park for all I care. 

 

BEN

 

Man, Peter was pile driving into me when Michael repeatedly called. I told Peter to keep fucking me, Michael wasn’t important. Peter and I finally climax and stay on top of my desk. I miss bottoming for a big dick. Michael’s dick is like poking your finger in a freeway tunnel. We also look ridiculous, it’s like a Chihuahua fucking a Great Dane. He also whines when he comes, it makes me want to shake him off like fleas on a dog. Pretending he does anything for me is hard, but I just think of Peter.

 

“Ben, I don't like feeling like your dirty little secret. When are you going to leave your husband?” I just wanted to enjoy my high, not have to placate Peter. I guess he deserves to hear what he wants, even though it will never happen.

 

“Michael needs me to help him win custody of Jenny. Once that’s done, I promise we'll be together. Just give me time.” I kiss him to soften him up. I don't want to replace him, but if he keeps it up, it'll be time to find a new fuckbuddy.

 

Peter leaves, still unhappy, but hopefully he won't make me dump him. But there are always a lot more guys willing to fuck for an ‘A’. Time to see what fucking Michael wants this time. I should never have given Michael a second chance. I call him.

 

“It's about time you called, I kicked Ma out of her house. She let some twink yell at me. All she had to do was agree to help me against Mel, but instead of acting like my mother, she bitches me out. I want her shit thrown out on the lawn.” Michael rants.

 

“Michael, it’s going to look bad that you threw your mother out of her home. We are trying to prove we're the better parents, and you shit on your mother. Next time fucking call, so we don’t have to keep fixing your screw ups.” I really hate being married to someone this stupid. 

 

“I'd call but you always seem busy. Want to tell me what was so important YOU COULDN’T ANSWER YOUR FUCKING PHONE!?” He yells at me.

 

“My job. You know the one that pays for everything. Maybe it's time you find a real job, volunteering at comic conventions doesn’t pay bills, Mikey. Maybe you could go back into retail, it’s all your limited brain power seems capable of doing.” I tell him. 

 

“Ben let's not fight. How about I cook dinner and we talk? I was upset Ma isn’t taking my side. I'm sorry I took it out on you. Please don't call me by that name, I've told you, calling me Mikey makes me sound like a child.” I had to keep from laughing at him. He is a child. He really thinks I'll take the blame for him yelling, like I was the one who started this fight. He can eat his shitty food alone, I'd rather kill myself than pretend that we still love each other.

 

“Sorry, but I told one of the teachers I'd sub for him tonight. I'll probably stay on campus tonight, since I have early classes tomorrow. We can do something tomorrow.” I tell him. Michael hangs up without saying goodbye. Tomorrow I can make up something else.

 

Maybe I just found Peter’s replacement. A student from my morning class walks in and smiles. I tell him to shut the door. He does that and pulls out his dick. Hopefully he’s as good as Peter. Yeah Mikey, I'm busy until forever.   

 

BRIAN

 

Emmett called and told me about Michael’s latest trick. Michael better fucking run from me. Deb deserves better than this. The only problem is, no one knows where she went. Just that some guy and his kid took her with them. I told Emmett to meet me at the loft and to call Ted and Blake. We were going to have to find Mom. Gus was so caught up in his book I had to get him to close it just to listen to me.

 

“Grandma Deb needs us. Do you want to stay with Blake or come with me?” I ask him.

 

“I'll go if you want me to.” Gus answers, although he really wants to read instead. I think he doesn’t need to hear about the crap Mikey’s pulling on Deb. It’s too much like Lindsay. 

 

“How about you stay with Blake and if she needs you, I'll come get you?” I ask him. 

 

“Okay.” And he’s back to reading, I've lost him again.

 

Blake agrees to stay, but tells me to keep in touch, he's worried about Deb. Emmett told me a customer saw Deb leave in a Mustang. I guess I get to meet Justin sooner, too bad I need to take care of Deb, but that has to come first. I call Cynthia and tell her to find an address for Justin Taylor, Ted interrupts me.

 

“I know his address, he's the new client from this morning.” Ted tells me. 

 

“He’s the big account you were talking about?” I ask him. 

 

“He’s probably the biggest we've had since we started financial services.” Ted tells me. 

 

“Trust fund kid?” I ask him. 

 

“No. Author and painter, made every dime on his own. He’s Jen Taylor's son. She told me he wanted help and she recommended us.” Ted tells me. 

 

“Call and tell him we need to see Deb.” Good for Justin, he didn’t live off mommy and daddy. 

 

Ted calls and gets directions to Justin’s house. Emmett tells me he’ll stay and cook dinner. Ted tells me it's a half hour out of Pittsburgh, guess we're driving to the country today. We arrive to see a mansion, not a house. Deb is waiting for us outside.

 

“You okay?” I ask her. 

 

“Nothing new. Michael’s being an ass. I won’t go to court for him so he took my house.” Deb started to cry. Ted and I held her. I'll fucking buy Michael’s neighborhood and raze it to the ground for this. Deb finally got ahold of herself, but asked me if we could talk before we went in. She told Ted to go into the kitchen, Justin was in there. 

 

“Brian, you need to talk to Justin first before you meet his son.” Deb tells me. 

 

“Deb, I wouldn't be mean to a kid.” I assure her.

 

“It’s just that you don't like surprises, and this one is gonna knock you on your ass.” Deb tells me. 

 

Deb asks me to wait here and she'll send Justin out to me. What the hell is going on? I'm here to help Deb, not walk down memory lane. Justin comes outside, he smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes. Do they really think I'd be mean to a kid?

 

“Hey, it's been a while. I don't know if you remember me.” Justin seems nervous. 

 

“Actually, I remembered you when Gus told me about meeting his favorite author. Guess you did well for yourself.” I tell him. He still looks so young. I wished we'd kept in touch.

 

“Gus and I met when you and his mom were fighting on the street. He’s a good kid.” Justin is pulling on his sleeves, I really wanted to tell him to stop, that's designer, not Big Q.

 

“You were there with him too?” Gus didn’t mention anyone else. Just that he met his favorite author. 

 

“No, it was just me. Maybe I should finally introduce myself to you. I'm Justin Cole Taylor.” He tells me. 

 

“Brian Aidan Kinney. So you gave Gus the book. Thanks, it made his day. Lindsay, his mother, is making life difficult.” I tell him. He smiles but starts to fidget again.

 

“I'm afraid I'm not gonna make it any easier.” He tells me. 

 

“We haven't seen each other in eight years. What could you possibly do in the few minutes we’ve sat here that’s going to make things difficult?” I joke.

 

“Introduce you to Jackson. Our son.” He said the words, but maybe he meant his partner and him. We were only together one night.

 

“You don't have to do anything. If you don't want to acknowledge Jackson, just answer his questions and go. Don’t hurt him, that's all I ask.” Justin tells me. I can’t just stand here, I have to know.

 

I walk past him into the house, I need to see this kid. I don't know how I feel right now. There, sitting at the kitchen counter is Gus, if he was dirty blonde with blue eyes. He turns and smiles, guess Justin gave him something, otherwise he’s all Kinney. 

 

“Hi, I'm Jackson. I guess you're my dad. It’s okay if you don't want me to call you that. I'd like to, but you don't know me and maybe you don't want another kid. But maybe we could talk once in awhile. I'm really smart and I have so many questions. I sometimes put people off because I can't shut up, but I have so much information going through my head it's easier to talk and get it out. It drives my teachers crazy, but Dad told me to keep asking questions, because I need the answers. I'm going to do a science project and if you want, you could help me. Dad thinks I'll blow a crater in the yard if no one keeps an eye on me. I hope you like me.” He stops talking and all I can think is ‘this gorgeous child is mine’. He starts to fidgeting with his shirt, I'm going to have to stop him before he ruins his clothes, but I have time. I have the rest of my life.

 

I walk over and lift his chin to make him look at me, ”I'd love to be your other dad, but first let's talk about how to treat your shirts better.”

 

I smile at him and my son lunges himself into my arms. Jesus, how do you love someone this much that you just met? Justin smiles at me and points to the living room. I carry Jackson with me, while they leave us alone. I turned and told Ted to get Blake to bring Gus, he has a brother to meet.

 

I want to be angry that I didn’t get to see him growing up, but I can't, because he looks like he’s had a good life with Justin. This beautiful child has had a good life, filled with love. One Kinney isn't stained by my family. He doesn’t have the anxious look I had all my life, and I'm grateful to Justin for that. I wanted to see what it's like for my child to be carefree and happy, Justin gave me that in Jackson. It’s more than Gus has had in his short life, so I let it go and decide to be a better man than my father.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5 by starlight

TED

 

When I walked into the kitchen, I knew why Deb wanted to talk to Brian alone. Brian’s genes must overpower anyone else's. Seeing the little boy sitting at the counter, I almost asked how Gus got here. If it wasn't for the hair and eyes, he could be Gus.

 

“Hi again, Ted.” Justin says.

 

“I didn’t expect to be meeting so soon.” I look at the kid then to Justin.

 

 

“Ted this is Jackson, Jackson this is Ted. Ted works for... Brian.” Justin tells Jackson. I hope he told the kid the truth about Brian.

 

“You know my other father?” Jackson asks me.

 

“I've known him for a long time.” I tell him.

 

“Is he nice?” Jackson asks me.

 

“Only to people he likes.” I tell him. The kid starts to fidget. “And to anybody he considers family he’s the nicest guy in the world, so you don't have to worry.”

 

Deb comes in and tells Justin to just tell him, don’t play games. Justin nods to her and walks out of the kitchen.

 

“Well kiddo, I hope you’re ready to meet your father. If I know him, he’s going to be in here the minute your dad tells him about you.” Deb tells Jackson.

 

“Would that make you my grandmother?” Jackson asks her.

 

“I would be honored to be your grandmother.” She tells him, tearing up.

 

We sit and wait to see how it went outside. I hear the door open and there is Brian, staring at Jackson. The poor kid is talking a mile a minute. Brian finally talks to him and Jackson didn’t have anything to worry about. Brian takes Jackson out of the room, but on his way out he tells me to get Blake to bring Gus.

 

“This is turning out to be one hell of a day.” I tell Justin.

 

“Dad, does the rule apply if other adults curse?” Jackson yells from the living room.

 

“Let’s worry about that later. Talk to your father.” Justin yells back.

 

“Justin, how did you meet Brian?” I ask him.

 

“I was on Liberty Avenue, he came out of a club.” I tell Ted.

 

“You're the kid he took to the hospital with him when Gus was born.” I knew I’d seen him before.

 

“Are you one of the guys we left on the street that night?” Justin asks.

 

“Yeah, it was me, Emmett, and Michael. Look, normally I would stay out of Brian’s personal life but he’s going to want to see Jackson. He had to fight for Gus and he will fight for Jackson if he has to.” I hope Justin won’t make this harder for Brian.

 

“As long as he treats Jackson right, he can see him anytime. Jackson will want to spend time with Brian too, and I want him to have more family. We already love Deb.” Justin smiles at her.

 

“Thank you Sunshine.” Deb smiles.

 

“The only condition I have is that Michael isn’t allowed around Jackson. I don’t care if they’re friends, but I don’t want anyone like that around my son.” I tell them.

 

“You don’t need to worry about that, none of us want anything to do with him.” I tell him. “I wish for Deb’s sake it wasn’t true, but we can’t change the way we feel about Michael.”

 

“What are we going to do about Michael? I really want to buy his house and up the interest rate.” Justin smirks at me.

 

“Well, first we are going to try to get Deb’s house back, if we can’t, then I’ll help you.” He tells us.

 

“No, you need to meet my agent. I like to call her when people piss me off. She likes to make people wish they weren’t born.” Justin is kind of scary.

 

“It’s my fault for trusting my son.” Deb tells us.

 

“No, it’s his fault that he’s a total douchebag.” Justin tells her.

 

Justin tells me he is going to call Natalie and his friend Daphne. I wonder what he is going to do. Blake calls and tells me he’s here. I walk outside to get him and Gus. Emmett came with them. Justin comes outside and Gus is yelling hello to him. Guess they met already.

 

GUS

 

Blake told me my Dad wanted me to come to where Deb is. I hope she’s okay. Emmett decided he wasn’t going to be left behind, so we all get in the car and head to the house Dad went to. Emmett was asking Blake why we were going to this guy Justin’s house.

 

“Brian wants Gus to meet someone.” Blake tells us.

 

“Did Teddy tell you anything else?” Emmett asks Blake.

 

“Yes, but I think I’ll let Brian tell you.” Blake tells Emmett. Emmett starts to pester Blake, he only stops when we reach the house thirty minutes later.

 

“Hey, it’s the kid Brian took home eight years ago. It was the night you were born Gus.” Uncle Em always amazes me, he can’t remember directions, but remembers anyone he’s ever seen.

 

“That’s Cole Taylor, he wrote the books I like.” I tell him and get out to see Cole.

 

“Hey Cole, I’m already halfway through your book.” I’m excited to see him again.

 

“I’m glad you like it. We need to go inside. Gus, normally people call me Justin, so don’t get confused when you hear it okay.” Justin tells me.

 

“Do you know why my Dad wanted me here?” I ask him.

 

“I do. How about we talk about it first and then it might make it easier.” Justin suggests.

 

Justin takes me to the kitchen and tells me about him and my dad. Then he tells me I was the baby he named Gus. I don’t mind the name Gus anymore, in fact I love it. He asks if I understood about men being able to have babies and I told him Liberty Avenue had a lot of that happening.

 

“Well, I’m one of those people, and I had a son, Jackson. He’s your Dad’s son too.” Justin tells me.

 

“Why haven’t I met you and Jackson before?” I ask him.

 

“I moved away and didn’t return till a couple weeks ago. I didn’t know your Dad’s last name, so he didn’t know either.” Justin tells me.

 

“Are you going to let my Dad see him? I don’t want him to have to fight for rights, like he had to with me.” I want to make sure Justin treats my dad well.

 

“You and he can both see Jackson as much as you like.” Justin tells me. I guess I still like him then.

 

Dad comes into the kitchen with the kid I saw at the smart kid school. Jackson smiles at me. I hope we like each other.

 

“I hope you don’t mind but I explained to Gus about Jackson.” Justin tells my dad.

 

“Jackson this is your brother Gus. Gus meet Jackson.” Dad introduces us.

 

“You want to see my room. Dad bought me a new game, if you'd like to play.” Jackson asks me.

 

“Can I Dad?” I ask.

 

“If you two want to, but we need to get dinner and I would like to spend time with you both.” Dad tells us, smiling more than I have seen in a long time.

 

“If you don’t mind eating here, I can cook us dinner.” Justin offers.

 

Everyone agrees to stay and Jackson takes me to his room. I see a copy of book three and decide Jackson and I need to talk.

 

BRIAN

 

I want to make sure Justin understands that I will be in my son’s life. If it’s another fight, I’ll do it. I ask Justin if we can talk in private. Deb and Emmett volunteer to make dinner. We walk to his study down the hall.

 

“Would you like a drink?” Justin asks.

 

“Beam, if you have it.” I need a drink. Justin pours me one and sits down.

 

“I guess we need to decide how to share a kid. It will be strange to have another person to help.” Justin tells me.

 

“Didn’t your parents help you?” I never thought about how he managed so young with a baby.

 

“They did until they found out. My friend Daphne stayed with me, but she had school. So for the most part it was just me. My mom is more involved now since she divorced my dad.” Justin tells me.

 

“Do I need to get a lawyer?” I need him to spell it out for me.

 

“If you want something on paper, sure. I just thought we could work it out between us. You can see Jackson all you want. Here or at your house. I was going to put a condition on his being with you, but Ted told me Michael isn’t a part of your lives.” Justin tells me.

 

“You remember Michael?” I ask him.

 

“No. But I got to meet the fucker when he accosted Deb. I think he’s pissed because I told him I was going to drop kick him into oncoming traffic.” Justin tells me.

 

“I wish you had. Michael isn’t a friend, and you can trust me that I don’t want either of my kids anywhere near him, or Lindsay. Although with Gus I have to make an exception because Lindsay’s his mother.” I make sure he knows not to let Jackson near Lindsay.

 

“Does she work at the Bloom Gallery?” Justin asks.

 

“I know she does at present, why?” I tell him.

 

“I didn’t recognize her. I mean I remember seeing her at the hospital, but she wasn’t all made up like she was at the gallery. Usually, I’m better with remembering faces, but she was really annoying and I just wanted to get away from her.” Justin tells me.

 

“Did she offer to be your muse?” I jokingly ask him.

 

“No, thank God. And well, even if I was into women it still wouldn’t work, she’s married to skeevy Sam. I call him that because he’s always trying to get into some young girl’s pants.” Justin laughs.

 

“We can talk about that later. Tell me about Jackson.” I didn’t get a lot of information out of Jackson. He was busy interrogating me. He even offered to let me move in.

 

“I really sheltered Jackson from people. First it was because he’s a child from two men, then it’s because Jackson is special. When he tells you he’s smart, he’s actually being modest. Jackson is genius level. I tried to keep him in normal school but he get’s bored and you don’t want him bored. He isn’t kidding when he said he could blow a crater in the yard. He’s outgoing and will talk to anyone. If he’s with you, make sure you set ground rules. He will obey them, while he figures out ways to get around them. Love him, because he already loves you.” Justin tells me.

 

“We’re going to share him and I hope you’ll allow Gus to hang out with him. I had a long fight over Gus and I don’t want to alienate them from each other if we don’t have to.” I tell him. I can’t believe he’s being this accommodating.

 

“I won’t use my son, and I expect the same from you.” Justin tells me.

 

I get a call and tell Justin to give me a minute. The tenant upstairs from me tells me Michael is harassing everyone who comes to the building. I tell her to call the police and have him removed. She tells me she will, with pleasure. Is Michael really that stupid?

 

“Sorry about that. Michael seems to be at my loft, trying to get in.” I tell him.

 

“You and Gus are welcome to stay here if you want. You can get to know Jackson and I would really like to know Gus better.” Justin offers.

 

“It might be better for me and Gus, if you're sure.” I really want to be able to stay.

 

“The house has eight bedrooms, so space isn’t a problem.” Justin tells me.

 

We go up to tell the boys, and find them reading a book and playing games. I’m amazed at their multitasking skills.

 

“Gus, Justin invited us to stay tonight, do you want to?” I think I already know the answer.

 

“Could we? Jackson and I go to the schools next to each other, so we could get dropped off together and picked up at the same place.” Gus needs to slow down. I think the boys are getting along.

 

“Dad, is it okay if Gus sleeps in here on the top bunk.” Jackson asks.

 

“Yes.” Justin and I both answer.

 

“Maybe you could call me Papa. That way we know who you're talking to, Jackson.” I tell him.

 

Deb yells that it’s time for dinner and we follow the boys to the kitchen. Justin tells me he wants to buy Deb’s house from Michael. I tell him I’ll do it. Justin told me it would please him to tell Michael that the freeloader bought it.


Chapter 6 by starlight

MICHAEL

 

I saw everyone leave Brian’s loft and figured I'd see if Brian was alone. I know he said he doesn't want me around, but I won't let him throw me out like garbage. I've always been there for him, it’s time he remembers. I took care of getting rid of his tricks for him, I let him stay at my house so his old man couldn't beat the shit out of him, I was the one who drove him home when he was done fucking half of Pittsburgh. And did I complain that he wouldn’t fuck me, no I didn’t. Brian needs to remember who was really his friend all these years, it sure wasn’t Emmett or Ted.

 

“Hey, you need to leave and stop bothering everyone.” It’s the bitch from upstairs.

 

“Look, just get Brian, I need to see him.” I tell her.

 

“I just called him and he told me to call the police and have you removed.” She tells me.

 

“Don’t fucking lie. Brian is my best friend and I know he wouldn’t say that.” I tell her. Brian isn’t going to ignore me. He owes me and it’s time to pay up.

 

“I guess it’s the cops then. I was trying to be nice enough to let you leave on your own.” I want to slap the bitch.

 

“Fuck it. When Brian and I talk, I’ll make sure to mention this to him.” I tell her.

 

I walk away while she watches. I’m so pissed that I want to run back and tell her to mind her own fucking business. I just don’t want to have to call Ben to get me out of jail if she was serious. Maybe I should go to the campus and ruin Ben’s night, but I don’t feel like dealing with him. I started walking towards my house, I turn back when I hear someone who sounds familiar. When I turn around I see Lindsay standing outside the building. Wonder what she’s doing out here tonight? I walk closer to hear what’s going on.

 

“I came here to see my son. If you could just get Brian to answer me.” Lindsay’s all manners.

 

“Like I told the last guy, he left a while ago and I don’t keep his personal schedule on me. Call him, it’s the only way to find out.” She is so nice to Lindsay.

 

“If you see him, will you tell him to call me?” Lindsay asks her.

 

“I probably won’t, since I was trying to go to bed. I really wish you and that other guy would stop ringing my buzzer.” The woman turns around and enters the building.

 

“Still trying to get Brian to finance your life?” I say to her.

 

“No more than you are.” Lindsay tells me.

 

“You know if we worked together, it would have been easier.” I tell her.

 

“Michael, we both want the same thing, I’m not going to share him with you like a timeshare.” Lindsay tells me.

 

“He isn’t going to become straight Lindsay.” I tell her.

 

“That’s what you think Michael. At least I can say he fucked me.” She tells me.

 

We both look at each other and start laughing.

 

“Want to get some coffee? I miss hanging out together.” She tells me.

 

“Why not, Ben’s probably fucking one of his students, so I’m free.” I tell her.

 

“Better than some underage groupie.” Lindsay tells me.

 

We go to a coffee shop near the campus to catch up. Lindsay told me about the artist she was trying to convince to come to her house, and how Brian ruined her plans by not letting her spend time with Gus.

 

“Brian needs to remember that you were nice enough to let Gus stay with him. I mean if you wanted you could have told the court about the tricking and drugs.” I tell her. Brian needs to remember that Lindsay is Gus’s mom.

 

“It’s because of Mel. She’s still mad about Sam, so she was making it sound like I’m a bad mother.” Lindsay tells me.

 

“I told Mel I was going to sue for custody of JR.” I tell her.

 

“Are you going to?” Lindsay asks.

 

“I don’t really want to actually. I like spending time with JR but I don’t want to have to do it full time. Ben wants me to.” I tell her.

 

“What’s your lawyer say?” Lindsay asks me.

 

“Well that’s the thing, Ben thinks I’ve been using the money on a lawyer but I just use it to buy things. I just had to act like I was really suing Mel. I even told Ma she has to testify for me or I’d kick her out of her house. I kicked her out today, mostly because she let some asshole at the diner say shit to me.” I tell her.

 

“Michael, they are going to figure out you’ve been lying, then what?” Lindsay asks me.

 

I’ll just tell them I didn’t want to hurt Ben because Mel would bring up the HIV.” I tell her.

 

LINDSAY

 

I put up with this idiot because he can normally get information. I wanted to know where Brian was tonight and I find out Michael doesn’t know either. Jesus, he tells a lawyer he is suing her for custody and then probably used the money to buy some stupid toy. I almost wanted to roll my eyes and tell him Ben most likely fucked other men to keep his IQ points from dropping any lower, since Michael probably kills any intelligent brain cells that come near him.

 

I should have tried to stay friends with Emmett. He would at least know what was going on. I should have figured it out when I was able to lie about the custody hearing and dimwit believed every word. I need him to make up with Deb. She is still in the group and if Michael hadn’t shit all over her, we would at least know what’s going on.

 

“Michael, call Deb and tell her you're stressed that Mel is being impossible and didn’t mean to hurt her.” I hope he listens.

 

“I would but I yelled at her in the diner and this twink got people to kick me out. I can’t believe my mother is still feeding the losers who come into the diner.” Michael tells me.

 

“You know your mother can’t let someone go hungry. She cares about people and you need to apologize to her for being rude.” I tell him. I would rather throw coffee in his face, but I just smile.

 

“Ben told me that too. I guess I’ll call her and tell her not to worry about me. I have real friends who will make sure the judge hears the truth.” Michael tells me. We get up to leave and I’m glad, since I wanted to tell him only an idiot would keep the pretend custody case in everyone’s mind.

 

I get in my car and drive off before he asks for a ride. Michael can’t seem to understand that Mel will expect his lawyer to send paperwork eventually. It may be time to cut the apron strings. Michael will do anything you tell him, the problems happen when he tries to think on his own. I almost wanted to ask Brian how he could claim Michael was a friend. Maybe I should call Deb and offer to help her, then I wouldn’t need Michael anymore.

 

JUSTIN

 

I let Jackson take Brian and Gus swimming in the indoor pool. I wanted to give them time together, without making Brian think I was supervising everything. Ted and Blake went home, but Emmett wanted to stay.

 

“It’s really nice to meet you. I remember you and Brian taking off that night.” Emmett tells me.

 

“It’s kind of strange though. I met Lindsay, Ted, Deb, and Gus all in one day. I saw Brian my first time on Liberty Avenue in eight years. I really thought Jackson wasn’t going to meet Brian, because I didn’t know his last name.” I tell Emmett.

 

“Brian changed from club boy to father. I mean, he still tricks, but only when Gus isn’t home. Maybe you guys could try again.” Emmett tells me.

 

“You know the girl you hear about, the one that gets pregnant the first time they have sex. That’s me. It’s also the last time. No one wants to date a guy with a baby that has to go on a date. I did go out with one guy, but all I did was worry about Jackson and in the end he told me he didn’t do baggage. I think it was not wanting to bring people in and out of my child's life. Maybe now that Brian wants to spend time with Jackson, I can do the things I was afraid to do.” I tell Emmett.

 

“Baby, you call and we’ll paint the town together.” Emmett tells me.

 

“When I have a schedule set up with Brian, I’ll take you up on that. You're always welcome to come here though.” I tell him. I want us to be friends, Nat and Daphne are going to love Emmett.

 

BRIAN

 

The boys wanted to go play the video games again, so I figured I could talk to Justin about sharing Jackson. I hear him talking to Emmett and find out that not only did I leave him pregnant, but he never had a social life. Part of me wants to cheer, but the other part wonders how he didn’t go crazy, eight years and no sex. Emmett needs to not encourage Justin to go out and go crazy. If Justin needs sex, he can come to me. He was a natural that night.

 

Maybe Gus and I need to stay here a little longer, to keep Emmett from giving Justin any ideas. I don’t want my kid’s father going out on dates. We could go out if Justin wants to date. It would be fun to take the boys out together, maybe take a vacation together. I know, I could just marry him, then I could turn into a lesbian and beg him to tell me he loves me. Shit, where the hell was my head a minute ago.

 

Although, I could at least offer to be his outlet for sex. Gus and I staying here would keep Lindsay and Michael away from everyone.

 

“You know, you could just tell Justin that you would like to at least get to know each other. Then see where it goes from there.” How did Deb get behind me?

 

“I’ll admit he’s still hot, but we were a one night stand.” I tell her.

 

“Now you’re parents to the same child. Brian you haven’t cared about your reputation in years, maybe it’s time to try a relationship. I’m going to bed. Think about it.” Deb, the matchmaker, tells me. What do you do on a date? I guess I could always ask Ted.


Chapter 7 by starlight

BRIAN

 

This morning I woke up to Jackson sitting on the end of the bed. He was writing in a notebook. I waited for him to notice I was awake, and waited. Whatever he was doing seemed to interest him. Finally I just sat up, and he looked up as he smiled at me.

 

“Morning Papa. Gus said you wake up by six, so I waited.” Jackson tells me. I look and see it’s just shy of six.

 

“What are you writing?” I ask him.

 

“My teacher went all ‘Good Will Hunting’ on us and put up a problem that if we solve we get to skip the next math test. I solved it ten minutes later, and now he keeps trying to trip me up.” He says this like a seven year old normally has to explain it to adults.

 

“Are the problems harder?” I ask him.

 

“He seems to think so, this is the fourth one in two days, I finished the other two he gave me before he was finished writing them. So he gave me one to take home, but you and Gus came over so I waited until this morning to do it.” Jackson tells me.

 

“How long have you been sitting here?” Am I really having this conversation with my seven year old son?

 

“Ten minutes, I was just rechecking my answer.” Jackson tells me. The teacher better not be treating him differently.

 

“Let me get dressed and we’ll decide how you guys are getting to school today.” I tell him.

 

Gus and I are usually too groggy to discuss anything in the morning. Jackson is solving math problems. After getting ready, I head down to see where Gus is. We’re going to have to hurry this morning, I have a meeting at eight and it’s ten minutes from the loft.

 

“Gus we need to hurry, I have to be at work by eight.” I tell him.

 

“I have to take Jackson in and if you need me to I can take Gus. I let Emmett take my other car, so Deb could get to work on time.” Justin tells me. This is different, but it’s starting to sound like we could work out a deal on getting them to and from school.

 

“I can pick them up, if you want me to. I’ll have to drop Jackson off, so I can finish work, Gus usually comes with me.” I tell him.

 

“I work from home so, it’s not a problem to pick them up. That way you don’t have to stop working.” Justin tells me.

 

“I don’t want to take advantage of you.” I tell him.

 

“It will give the boys time to finish their homework and they can go swimming or play in Jackson’s room.” Gus is pleading silently with puppy dog eyes for me to say yes to Justin.

 

“It would help, but Gus has an hour of soccer practice after school.” I don’t want him to change his mind, but if he needs to get Jackson home, I can pick up Gus.

 

“You want to see Gus play?” Justin asks Jackson.

 

“Sure. I can figure out how much force it takes to get the ball across the field.” Jackson tells Justin.

 

“OR, you could watch the game for a change.” Justin tells him.

 

“Can I bring one of my notebooks?” Jackson asks Justin.

 

“Yes. I don’t want to have to pay to replace any surface you write on, if you didn’t take the notebooks.” Justin tells him. What does this kid do for fun?

 

I leave and tell Justin I can bring dinner tonight as a thank you. Justin tells me he’ll just call an order in and I can pick it up. I wanted to argue that I take care of my son, but Justin was just offering a solution, not trying to make me look bad.

 

Ted calls while I was driving to tell me that Michael called.

 

“I took the call and told him you would love to talk to him. Michael didn’t get that I was being sarcastic. So, sorry if he calls you today,” Ted tells me.

 

“We know he’s going to, just tell Cynthia to put him on the hang up list. Michael might figure it out after the tenth or eleventh hang up,” I tell Ted.

 

LINDSAY

 

I got home last night to find Sam gone, I kept calling his phone until finally some woman answered and told me she, her friend, and Sam decided to go to the Bahamas.

 

“Who the hell are you?” I ask her.

 

“Me and my friend Cara are like his muse. He told us he was going to use us in his next show. I was like, won’t it be cool to try modeling? Is he like a fashion designer or something?” She asks me.

 

“No, MY HUSBAND is a famous painter,” I can’t believe he took off to the Bahamas with these valley girls.

 

“Cara, the guy like paints, betcha he’s one of those pervs who thinks we’ll like drop and blow him just cause he’s paying for everything. Hey lady, like is your husband a perv?” she asks me.

 

I hang up, I’m going to make his life hell for this. I wanted to catch Gus at school and convince him to at least meet JJ’s kid, but Sam is out of town, so there is no reason to bother until he get’s back. I could at least try to see Deb.

 

JUSTIN

 

Jackson, Gus, and I go through McDonald's as usual. Gus tells me Brian would probably have a coronary if he found out. I would have said something but I was eating my steak and egg Bagel. I decide to rethink the pizza and wings tonight. Jackson actually waited for the car to stop before he hopped out today.

 

“Do we meet at the field?” Jackson asks Gus.

 

“I can wait out front for you. Um Justin, would you meet some of my friends?” Gus asks me.

 

“Sure, is there someone you wanted to hang out with?” I ask him.

 

“No, it’s just they wanted to meet you.” Gus tells me.

 

“Do I need to bring drinks or anything?” I don’t really know what the soccer parents do.

 

“Just a pen, yeah that should be it.” Gus gets out and waves bye, I watch as both boys get into their buildings.

 

Natalie sent me a text that she and Daphne were coming Saturday and she wanted to meet my baby daddy. I wanted Emmett to meet my girls, we could take them out clubbing.

 

I told Deb that I would meet Emmett at her house and see if we could do a little breaking and entering. She wanted her clothes and anything else we could get out. Emmett told me he knew what to get.

 

I get to Deb’s and Emmett is waiting on the porch wearing skin tight leather pants and a black and red half shirt. It was really hot looking, but I explained to him the point of breaking and entering is not to stand out.

 

“Emmett, we don’t need the neighbors to tell the police you were here. I like the pants though.” I tell him.

 

“It’s black, I thought you wore black when you robbed a place.” Emmett tells me.

 

“The thing is, you don’t want people to remember you, if Michael calls the cops.” I tell him.

 

“Oh, should I go change?” Emmett asks me.

 

“Let’s see if I can get in first.” I tell him.

 

We go down the alley into the backyard and Emmett tries the windows and I go to work on the door. I looked up picking a lock online and it looked really easy. Fifteen minutes later, I figured out it wasn’t as easy as it looks. Emmett grabbed the doorknob, he was going to see if he could push the door open and we could replace the lock. New rule, check to see if the door is even locked before trying to unlock it.

 

Emmett tells me to get the knicknacks, he’ll get her clothes. I wonder why anybody had this many little objects in a house. I was grabbing the last one as Emmett was coming down the stairs. Thank God, we can get out of here. We had just gotten out the backdoor, when someone came in the front door. Emmett and I look through the window.

 

“Is that Michael?” It was hard to see through the curtain.

 

“Yeah. I wonder who the other guy is?” Emmett says to me.

 

We watch as they talk to each other. Michael unzips his pants. The guy is down on his knees giving Michael a blow job. Michael is asking the guy if he can handle his dick. I really didn’t want to see this, but I also want to ask Michael if he really thinks a guy would choke on that.

 

“You know, I think I just threw up in my mouth.” I tell Emmett. I turn around and look anywhere but in the house.

 

“I never knew Michael sounds whiny during sex.” Emmett tells me, looking a little creeped out. We both hear a high pitched squeal.

 

“Is he done already?” I ask. Emmett looks back in and nods.

 

“Is that normal? I mean Brian took hours. I came like twice before he even came once. Then in the morning we did it in the shower and if we’d had time we would have done it again, but he had to get to work.” I tell Emmett.

 

“Are you telling me, not only was your first time with Brian, but that the man gave you multiple orgasms?” Emmett asks me.

 

“Well, yeah. I mean we slept barely an hour that night. Maybe Michael seems small by comparison, but Brian was long and thick.” I tell him.

 

“Did you cum right away?” Emmett asks me.

 

“The first time yeah, but then it was 30 to 40 minutes apart. He also does this thing with his tongue that had me screaming.” I tell him.

 

“You remember what he did?” Emmett asks me.

 

“Well, it felt like he wrapped his tongue around the head of my dick then sucked it like a lollipop.” I tell him.

 

“Brian Kinney blew you? Oh my God, you must be special. Brian Kinney gets blow jobs, he doesn’t give them.”

 

I feel a tap on my shoulder and realize Emmett and I have been standing here talking. We totally forgot about Michael. I turn, trying to think of a lie about why we are here. Instead of Michael, it’s a older lady. She tells us she hated to interrupt, but we should probably continue the conversation over in her yard. She didn’t want us to get caught. We both look over to her side of the fence and there are four ladies sitting outside with coffee and cake, smiling at us. Guess we should have been paying better attention to what we were doing. I apologize to them for the conversation we were having. One of the ladies tells us it’s the best sex she’s had in ages and another lady asks if Brian was into older women.

 

Chapter 8 by starlight
Author's Notes:

This one is dedicated to Lorie. Happy Birthday.

MICHAEL

 

I kept calling Brian so we could talk. Ted told me Brian wanted talk to me, but every time I call they hang up on me. I tried to tell the woman answering the phone that I’d already called and could they learn to push hold, but she just ignored me. I was heading to Brian’s office, but on the way I see a hustler that reminds me of Brian a little. I still have some of the money Ben gave me, so I get the guy to agree to a blow job for fifty bucks and since no one is at Ma’s house I take him there. We get in the door and he tells me that he wants the money upfront. I hate that, it's like he wanted to remind me he's only doing it to get paid. I handed him the fifty and pull down my pants.

 

“You think you can handle it.” I ask him.

 

“Yeah. Can I get this over with?” He asks me.

 

It was over too fast. I wanted to demand he do more, but I hear Emmett talking to someone outside and want to know why Emmett is here. I told the guy to wait and turn to the backdoor. The twink from the diner and Emmett are talking outside and I hear Emmett repeating what the twink said. Something about Brian giving the twink a blow job.

 

The kid has to be lying. Brian receives, he does not give. I wanted to go out there and call the twink a liar, but then the granny squad is with them. Betty will probably get rid of them, she hates men. I watch as the old biddy invites them over. She always tells me to go away.

 

I have to see Brian. He usually picks up Gus at school. I'll just meet him there to tell him about the lying little shit. I don’t want the shit lying about my best friend. People might actually believe him, and I can’t let him ruin Brian’s reputation like that.

 

JUSTIN

 

Emmett tells me he’s going to see Deb, and it was time for me to go to the schools. Jackson was hopping up and down ready to go watch Gus. We walk over to St James and see Gus standing there with a group of boys.

 

“Hey Cole, want to meet some of my friends?” Now I know why he said to bring a pen. “Guys, this is my brother Jackson, and his father Cole Taylor.”

 

All the kids have one of my books, Gus seems a little worried I’d be mad. I think it's great he wants to tell everyone about me and Jackson. I smile and tell the kids to bring their books out to the field and I'll sign each one. Gus smiles and tells them he knew I wouldn't mind. Jackson rolled his eyes.

 

“Gus, Dad always makes time for kids.” Jackson whispers to him.

 

“Gus, I need to get my messenger bag, I'll be right back. We’ll meet everyone out at the field.” I tell him. I ask the two older kids to come and help bring the cooler, I hope I didn't go overboard on the snacks and drinks.

 

Jackson and I run to the car and get my bag and a box out of the trunk. The boys take the cooler.

 

“If you guys want to take the cooler out to the field, it's full of drinks and things.” I tell them.

 

“Normally we get our own, but thank you sir.” One of the boys tells me.

 

 

“I usually bring stuff for school events, I hope that's okay.” I tell him.

 

“Everyone will be thrilled. My parents don't even show up. My dad will come for my games, but that's it.” He tells me.

 

“I can't imagine not showing up for Jackson’s things, but most people have to work.” I tell him.

 

“My dad just likes to show up for games, he said practice doesn't interest him.” He tells me.

 

We carry all the stuff to the field and the coach told me I could sign books at the table on the field. I smile and look to see half the school is out here. I need to call Natalie and tell her it's time to write book four, if kids are lining up with the first book. Jackson asks the coach if he could watch on the field, then Gus asks the coach if he and Jackson can kick the ball around until the team got their books signed. The coach said they could. I told the coach the team could go first. I feel bad about interrupting practice.

 

I was signing books when a teen comes up and tells me she loves my books. I ask if she brought a copy.

 

“I didn’t expect you to be here today. It sucks cause it's my birthday and it you could have written Happy Birthday in it.” She tells me.

 

I get book two out and ask for her name.

 

Lorie,

 

Thank you for enjoying my writing and I hope you have a great birthday.

 

Cole Taylor

 

“Happy Birthday.” I tell her.

 

“Wait, this is the second book.” She tells me.

 

“Everyone deserves to get a present on their birthday.” I tell her.

 

She runs off to show her friends, I get back to signing.

 

“Make it out to Michael.” I look up to see Michael standing there.

 

“I’m sorry, but I only sign for people who aren't assholes to their parents.” I smile at him, “plus, you don't want anything from a free loader.”

 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Michael sneers.

 

“I'm signing my books for the kids who attend the schools here. Why are you here?” I ask him.

 

“I came to tell my best friend about you lying.” Michael tells me.

 

“You came here to tell on me, for what?” Seriously, how old is this guy?

 

“You told Emmett that Brian blew you. I think he should know you're spreading lies.” Michael tells me.

 

“You know, you should tell Brian. And while you’re at it you can tell him why you felt the need to discuss something like that in front of kids. I'm sure the parents and coaches would love that, with your loud whiny voice nobody will miss a word.” I tell him.

 

“Fuck you. I want everyone to know you're a fucking lying twink.” Michael tells everyone.

 

I see the coach coming. I figure Michael can try to explain his need to talk about blow jobs in front of eight to twelve year olds.

 

“You should leave. No one talks to my Dad like that. Maybe if your mom had taught you better manners you wouldn't have kicked her out of her house yesterday. I told Dad no one should have to worry about being homeless when they have kids. He told me people like you don't care that she took care of you. You're a bad person and you need to stop threatening people all the time.” Jackson tells Michael.

 

Crap, I didn't want Michael to interact with Jackson.

 

“Gus, when your Dad gets here, he is going to be pissed at this guy. You need to stay with me.” He tells Jackson.

 

“My Dad is sitting right in front of you.” Jackson tells him.

 

Michael finally looks at Jackson, then he sees Gus coming up behind Jackson. Michael turns to look at me.

 

“You’d better not be trying to pass your brat off as Brian’s. I can't believe you would involve Gus in your scheme. Brian is going to make you wish you kept your lying ass away from his kid.” Michael tells me.

 

“Sir, do you have a child at this school?” The coach asks.

 

“No. But I'm here to keep him away from my friend's kid.” Michael says, pointing at Gus. “You need to worry about my friend Brian finding out you let this guy near Gus.” Michael tells him.

 

“My Dad called and told the school Justin could come. Coach, my dad doesn’t want Michael near me or my brother.” Gus tells the coach.

 

“Gus, don't believe what this guy is telling you. You don't have a brother.” Michael tells him.

 

“Yes I do. Jackson is my brother. He’s Dad’s kid with Justin.” Gus tells him. I want to stop this train wreck.

 

Michael starts yelling at Gus and telling the parents that we’re all liars. I've had it. I get up to tell Michael off. The security guys ask me to let them handle it. Michael tries to tell them he is protecting Gus from me, and when Brian finds out they kicked him off school grounds Brian will sue them. He is finally led off school property. The coach tells me they'll give him a no trespassing order.

 

I guess Jackson isn't going to be a secret.

 

BRIAN

 

I had just shown my last client out and told Cynthia I was going to finish for the day, when I hear Michael whiny voice yelling at the front desk.

 

“I don’t give a fuck if he told you not to disturb him, it’s important.” Michael tells the receptionist.

 

“Unless you have an appointment, you don't get in, SIR.” She tells him. Michael sees me and runs past the receptionist. She tries to stop him. I shake my head and decided to see what Michael ‘thinks’ is important.

 

“Brian you have to get to the school. There's a guy telling Gus that his kid is yours. I tried to get the coaches to listen, but they kicked me out. I came straight here to tell you. We need to go and tell them that the twink is a liar. You should have heard the crap he was telling Emmett earlier. Well, are we going?” Michael asks me.

 

“First, why were you at Gus’s school? I’ve already told you to stay away from my son. Second, you need to understand the meaning of ‘GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY LIFE’. I hope for your sake you didn’t scare the boys, if you did anything to upset Jackson or Gus, I’ll fucking end you, Michael. My children are off limits to you and your group. Now do me a favor and disappear before I start in about what you did to your mother.” I tell him. Michael stands there and absorbs what I just said.

 

“I don’t care what the twink told you, you need to tell him to stay away from you. He could be some deranged guy after your money and using Gus to get it.” Michael seems to have missed the ‘stay away from my kids’ part of the conversation.

 

“Listen to me Michael, are you listening? I told you before and this will be the last time I tell you. I don’t want to be your friend. I don’t want you trying to get involved in my life. And I don’t want you near my kids, either one of them. You’re a worthless piece of shit who treated his mother like crap. She was always defending you until you started treating everyone like they were beneath you. Everything you touch turns to shit and I don’t want to chance my family being tainted by you. You need to go home to your husband and pretend we were never friends. No one wants you around, you whiny piece of shit. Do I need to make it any clearer?” I tell him.

 

“You don’t mean that, I was the one who took care of you, all of our lives. You can’t turn your back on me. You need to remember what I did for you. You owe me.” Michael tells me.

 

“Michael, watch this.” I turn my back on him and go to my office. Cynthia called security and told them Michael is not welcome in the building.

 

“Think he’ll get it?” Ted asks me.

 

“Find out if we can buy Michael’s house. I want to make him understand I wasn’t playing games with him.” I tell Ted.

 

Jackson and Gus are going to be protected from both Michael and Lindsay.


 


 

 

Chapter 9 by starlight

 

 

LINDSAY

 

I was standing outside the diner. It's a place I stopped going to when Mel and I separated. No one stopped me from coming here, they just ignored me when they saw me. The lines were drawn and I wasn't welcome in the circle. 

 

Everyone was on Mel's side, and no matter how I tried to explain my side, it was as if I had become invisible. Deb, who usually let us fight and only offered advice, well, even she became silent. I knew if Mel and I broke up, people were going to pick a side, but I never expected it would be Mel’s.

 

I open the door and paste on a smile. Deb looks up and stops herself before she yells a greeting. I just decided to do my best to get back in her good graces. Walking to the counter I sit down right in front of her.

 

“Deb, I know we haven’t been on the best of terms, but I wanted you to know I heard what Michael did. I’m here to offer any help if you need it.” I tell her.

 

“Did you want to order?” She asks me.

 

“Did you hear what I said?” I ask her. 

 

“Yes. But the only thing I’m interested in you saying is that your order is to go.” Deb tells me.

 

“Deb, don’t be like this, I’m trying to help you. You could at least meet me halfway.” I tell her.

 

“I’ll send Kiki over to take your order. Lindsay, if you think you could treat one of us badly and we would run to you for help, then I gave you too much credit for intelligence. If you're only here to offer unwanted help, then maybe you could clear out so people who pay to eat here can use that stool.” Deb says before she walks away.

 

I was trying to be friendly and this is the way she treats me. She needs to realize most people wouldn’t offer to take a loud overbearing woman in. I get up and leave. I don’t want to eat in this shit hole.

 

MICHAEL 

 

Brian doesn’t understand. We were supposed to be there for each other. I have always protected him from people trying to use him. I'll just have to help him whether he wants it or not. I thought about talking to Ben or Monty about this Cole or Justin, whatever the fuck the guy’s name is, but it’s not worth the hassle of Ben being a dick and Monty trying to get an introduction for his kids. 

 

I see Lindsay walking out of the diner and know she would help me. I flag her down, and at first she seems to ignore me.

 

“Lindsay, you won’t believe what happened at Gus’s school. The writer Cole Taylor was there, and I was trying to get him to autograph my book.” Lindsay interrupts me.

 

“Michael, I really need to get going, maybe we could talk some other time.” She tells me.

 

“The writer has a kid and the kid is telling everyone Brian is his dad. Gus even said the same thing. I went to tell Brian and he acted like I was bothering him.” I hurry and get it all out so she’ll listen.

 

“I think I would know if Brian had any children other than Gus. Unless it’s from a one night stand. He better not have knocked up some trick.” Lindsay tell me.

 

“If it’s true, then the guy had to have had the kid around the time you had Gus.” I tell her.

 

“Michael, maybe you misunderstood.” Lindsay tells me. She acts like I’m telling stories.

 

“No. Gus said that this kid, Jax or Jackson was Brian’s with Cole. But then he called the guy Justin. When I told Brian, he told me to stay away from his children, both of them.” I tell her.

 

“Are they still at the school?” Lindsay asks me.

 

“If Gus is still at practice they are. I was told not to come back to the school, otherwise I would go with you.” I tell her.

 

Lindsay tells me she is going to see if she can find out who the new kid is. I told her they couldn’t kick her out since Gus is her son. 

 

JUSTIN

 

The coach wanted to have a team meeting before they left. With all the stuff going on he didn’t make them practice the whole hour. I was sitting at the table with Jackson, I told the parents if their kids wanted to come by before I left, I’d sign a copy of the book. 

 

The older boy who helped with the cooler came over and asked if he could talk to me. 

 

“Sure. Is it about the book?” I ask him.

 

“No, I wanted to talk to you, but I wasn’t sure if you would talk to me.” He tells me.

 

“Is there something you need from me?” I had no idea why he thought I wouldn’t talk to him.

 

“My name is Alex, and I think you're my brother.” He tells me. 

 

“Who’s your father?” I asked. This could be bad.

 

“Craig Taylor. I’m not here to make trouble. I just wanted to talk.” Alex tells me.

 

“Craig won’t be happy if you do.” I tell him.

 

“He isn’t happy anyway, so it doesn’t make any difference. I guess I wanted to know why you and he don’t talk to each other anymore?” Alex asks me.

 

“He doesn’t want me in his life. Alex, it’s because I’m gay and I got pregnant with Jackson. I wish it was different, but he isn’t going to change his mind.” I tell him.

 

“I would like to know you. My mom wouldn’t care.” Alex tells me.

 

“I don’t want you to get in trouble. He’s going to think I can make you gay.” I tell him.

 

“I like girls, boys don’t do anything for me. You can’t change that by being my friend, or if you want, my brother.” Alex tells me.

 

“Just don’t get in trouble because of me. I don’t want you to have to see that side of Craig.” I want to know Alex, but I also don’t want Craig being his usual asshole self.

 

“I think my mom is going to divorce him. He was great until they got married, then he started acting like we needed to get his approval for everything. My mom can take care of us, so she isn’t going to be hurt if she leaves him.” Alex tells me.

 

“Tell her if she needs help to call me. Do you want Jackson to know you’re his uncle?” I ask him.

 

“It’s weird, we’re almost the same age. It would be cool though.” Alex tells me.

 

I introduce my son to my brother. Can this day get any weirder? They sit and talk together while the coach finishes up. Gus comes running over to see why Alex is talking to Jackson.

 

“Alex is my half brother. We have the same dad.” I tell him.

 

“Like Jackson and me?” He asks.

 

“Yes, but my father doesn’t want anything to do with me.” I tell him.

 

“You don’t need him. Dad and I can be your family.” Gus tells me. I hug him because that made my day.

 

We get ready to leave, and I promise Alex I’ll come to his practices. He told me he would get his mom to come so she could meet me. I hope this goes well. The boys grab my bag and I get the cooler and let the coach know I can bring it when I come to see Alex and Gus play. 

 

I was walking towards my car. The boy’s had already made it to the car when I see Lindsay walking up. She turns and sees me and smiles. I don't want her to see the boys, so I stand there and wait for her. 

 

“JJ, it’s nice to see you again.” She tells me.

 

“Hello Lindsay.” I am not going to say anything.

 

“Does your son go to school here?” She asks me.

 

“No. I was here to see my brother practice.” Thank you Alex.

 

“Were you here when the writer Cole Taylor was here?” She asks me.

 

“Is there some reason you want to know?” I ask her.

 

“I just heard he had a son, and since my son goes here I thought maybe I could introduce them.” Lindsay is good, but being a WASP, it's as easy as breathing to pretend. Guess Michael opened his mouth.

 

“I couldn’t tell you. Excuse me but I have to go, my son needs to get his homework done.” I tell her, but she isn’t looking at me, but behind me. Please don’t let the boys be there.

 

“Brian, I was just telling JJ about Cole Taylor. Did you know the writer has a son?” She smiles, but you can see the glare in her eyes.

 

“Justin, you ready to go?” Brian ignores her.

 

“Brian, aren’t you going to tell me about your new son?” She sneers.

 

“Everyone is waiting in the car, you want me to follow you?” Brian asks me.

 

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out about you knocking up a trick?” Lindsay is getting louder.

 

I turn to walk to the car. She can bitch to thin air. Brian grabs the cooler from me and puts it on the ground. He grabs my face and starts licking my lips open. It’s been a long time for me and I want to savor it. I reach my arms up and start running my hands through his hair. I feel him slowly slide his hands down my arms and around my back. Man, I need to feel him, so I start rubbing myself all over him. He cups my ass and I want to grind against him until we cum together. Is he moaning? I feel his hands slide into my shirt and I start to pull his shirt, I want to feel his skin.

 

“What the fuck are you doing Brian?” Where the hell did that screeching voice come from?

 

“Get to your car and take the boys home. I’ll handle the screaming banshee behind you.” He whispers into my ear. I want to say 'fuck it, don't stop'. It took a second for me to remember where I was. Oh yeah, Lindsay.

 

BRIAN

 

I saw Lindsay talking to Justin and was thankful the kids were at the car. Last thing I want is for Jackson to meet Lindsay. I told them to get in the car and stay there, I’d get Justin. Lindsay didn’t wait two seconds to start laying into me about having another child. I ignore every word, because I learned not to try to battle with her, it only encourages her.

 

Justin was about to walk by and I wanted Lindsay to know he was important to me. I was going to just kiss him, but Justin had other plans. I need to get him naked, it’s like his body just knows what to do. I was just about to cum like virgin, when Broomhilda interrupts. I watch Justin come out from his daze. I want him to get the boys out of here. Justin stands there then turns to Lindsay.

 

“You know, I had this whole speech about being a mother means your kid comes first, but truthfully, I’d be wasting oxygen talking to you. Later.” The little shit smiles at her. Reaches up to give me one last peck and tells me not to waste time on Lindsay.

 

“JJ, we need to talk. Brian is a whore who will treat you like garbage. He isn’t going to settle down.” Lindsay tells him.

 

“Is it that he won’t settle down, or is it that he wouldn’t, with you?” Justin asks her, but leaves without giving her a chance to respond.

 

“You know, Michael came to me today and told me I could have a deranged guy after my money and using my son to get it. I just realized he should have said you instead. That is my thought of the day, so anything else will have to wait until Hell freezes over. Bye bye now.” I leave a sputtering Lindsay standing there.

 

I really need to get Justin alone. 

 

JUSTIN

 

Ever had to drive with a hard on and two young boys asking what Brian was doing to me? I have.

 

I think that we need to get the boys to bed. I have eight years to catch up on and Brian better not expect to sleep at all. 

 

Chapter 10 by starlight

JUSTIN 

 

I'm a shitty father. Instead of paying attention to the boys, all I can think of is how to get Brian naked. I came up with every reason I could think of that they needed to go to bed earlier, the little imps ignored me. I told Jackson I would take him and Gus to the arcade tomorrow, so they needed to get to sleep early. Jackson told me eight o’clock would have them up at four in the morning. I asked Gus if he was tired from all the practice today and I get told that with me signing books he just sat around, so he’s not tired. I was desperate and I needed to get my mind on dinner, not ten places to lock Brian in and get him to do bad things to me. You’d think Brian would help, but no, he is trying to win Dad of the Year

 

I cook Cilantro Lime Ground Chicken and serve it with rice and sliced cucumber and red onion salad. I should have thought of something else to make because I was molesting the poor cucumber, part of me felt bad having to cut it. Brian wasn’t helping to calm me down, the bastard kept coming up behind me and suggesting ways to peel the cucumber so that we get to see the silky flesh, then he runs hand down my back and his finger down the crease of my ass. Have I called him a dirty rat bastard yet?

 

Well two can play at this game. I arrange the slices of cucumber in a long row and add the shredded onions to the side, I pour the vinaigrette down the cucumber slices and put the ground chicken at the end. I pour more of the dressing to make it extra messy. See how he likes that, maybe he’ll learn not to mess with me. I make the boys plates leaving out the plate porn, then smile as I place Brian’s in front of him. Brian looks at it and tells me he can’t wait to get it in his mouth. It’s not fair, he just adapts to anything I do.

 

Deb comes in and looks at Brian’s plate. She stares at it and starts laughing. The boys try to see the plate but Deb distracts them.

 

“The boys and I should go swimming and watch a movie tonight. I haven’t been able to spend alone time with Jackson and Gus yet. It will give you to a chance to solve your problem. You know, if you and Brian need to work tonight.” Deb tells us. I decided to build Deb a castle, she's my new princess.

 

“Papa, I thought you were in advertising? I mean Dad’s a painter and writer, or are you going to help Natalie plan the release date?” Jackson asks Brian. Why does Jackson have to question everything, doesn't he understand, I HAVE NEEDS.

 

“I was going to talk to your Dad about his ad campaign. It may take some long hours, deep into the night.” Brian needs to shut up. Then he forks a slice of cucumber and rubs it into the vinaigrette, slowly lifts the fork and uses his tongue to catch it and sucks the vinaigrette off before eating it. At this point, I decide he’ll be lucky if I give him time to get undressed.

 

The boys finish eating and I decide Brian deserves payback. I grab popsicles out of the freezer. I tell Deb the boys can eat them at the pool. Brian raises his eyebrow and I unwrap a red one. I lick my lips slowly and start licking up each side of the popsicle. I smile at Brian and suck the end of the popsicle, then slowly insert it in my mouth. I bring it slowly back out and wrap my teeth around the top. Brian is watching me. I bite the end hard. I think he whimpered.

 

“Deb, you can take care of the boys tonight, right?” Brian asks her, but it sounds more like a command.

 

“Sure. Um Justin, you need to show me how to eat a popsicle, it could come in useful.” Deb tells me. 

 

“It takes years of practice, but once you learn, it's something you never forget how to do.” I tell her, but look at Brian. Deb grabs the boys and tells them it's her night with her grandsons, they don't need us dads to spoil their fun.

 

BRIAN 

 

Never compete with a guy who hasn't had sex in eight years, you will lose. After the dinner porn, I was going to take it slow and make him beg, Justin ended up throwing my plans out the window. 

 

Justin went straight up to his room. I walked slower to build up more anticipation. Opening the door, I get a head full of condoms and Justin slamming the door shut. He grabs my pants and starts tearing the zipper open. He is on his knees and fucking swallows all nine fucking inches. I needed to stop him before he finds a way to make me cum in ten seconds, but trust him to change gears. He starts to remove my pants, and my underwear with them. Then he slides his hands under my shirt while suckling my cock. We need to both be naked. I grab him, pull him up, and start to work on his pants. Justin is kissing and licking my nipple, while fondling my balls. He backs away and starts removing his clothes, every time I try to touch him, he shakes his head. He grabs my hand and starts sucking my fingers into his mouth. Then leads my hand to his crease. I feel his bud and God he's tight. We need to move this to the bed.

 

I slowly move him backwards to the bed and push him onto his stomach, time to relive the first night. His skin is like porcelain, I have to kiss every inch. I start on his shoulders and work my way down his back, he's moaning as I get closer to the prize. I part his cheeks and start licking all around his bud, then sucking. I could cum just from hearing him. Justin turns over and pushes me on my back. He gets a condom and uses his mouth to put it on. Jesus, he's killing me.

 

I watch as he crawls up my body licking and sucking his way up. He sits up on my midsection and while keeping my lips busy, he's lubing my cock. I watch as he sits up and leans back, teasing his entrance with the head of my cock, then slowly slides it into himself. I'm not going to last, he's squeezing me like a vice. I flip us over and slide back in, watching to see if he's in pain. Justin looks like he’s in paradise. Time to ramp it up. We start fucking like animals. I finally feel him tensing and watch him cum like a fountain. I drive into him three more times and reach my zenith. 

 

“You’d better not be planning to sleep tonight. I have years to make up for.” Justin tells me. Since I’m still hard as a rock that shouldn’t be a problem.

 

EMMETT

 

I show back up at Justin’s house and Deb comes to the door. Apparently Justin and Brian wanted to have some time alone. I went upstairs to get my swimsuit and decide the boys, along with Deb and I needed to have a slumber party downstairs because Brian and Justin don’t seem to remember the little ears in the house are not deaf. I better get details.

 

LINDSAY

 

I want to scream at Brian, how dare he walk away. I was so busy trying to get him to listen to me, I didn’t realize he called JJ, Justin. I replay Michael telling me about Cole Taylor and remembered he said Gus called the writer Justin. That fucker got knocked up by Brian.

 

I was supposed to be the only one who had Brian’s baby. It made me special, no one could have gotten Brian to have a child but me. It was the first time Brian gave me something no one else could have.

 

I remember sitting in the hospital and holding my son. Mel was playing protective dyke. Then Brian finally arrives and I knew in that moment I gave him something no one else ever would. Mel kept trying to get me to name Gus a Hebrew name, after her grandfather. I didn’t really care, but when Brian arrived I wanted to make the decision with him, not Mel. I pulled the name Gus out of my ass and made sure it sounded like Mel and I couldn’t decide. Brian and Mel were still at each other’s throats so I knew he would like my choice, if only to piss Mel off. 

 

Wait, that kid was there. It’s been so long that I just remember blond hair and that he was young. I know I have pictures that Michael took. I walk to my room and look in the box I keep all the pictures of my old life in. It was at the bottom. That motherfucker, it’s JJ, or Justin, standing there. I throw the box and start screaming. I want to call Brian and tell him he ruined my life. I was suppose to be the one he ended up with, I fucking had a kid with him. I spent years being the person who comforted him and this is how he repays me. He brings the person who took away my shining moment, being the only person to be able to say I had Brian’s child, to the birth of my child. 

 

I will ruin Justin. He won’t get away with this. Of all the times for Sam to take off. I need him to help me make Justin a laughing stock in the Art World. Well, he can take his dick out of wherever he stuck it, because he needs to help me. I call him and he better fucking answer.

 

“Lindsay what the hell do you want?” Sam sneers into the phone.

 

“I need you to get your ass on a plane and come home. I’m not playing with you anymore, you can tell the idiot twins that you need to come home to the woman you married before I take a knife to your favorite paintings in your vault.” I tell him. He better not fuck with me.

 

“Do whatever you want. Look around the house, I moved out while you were busy playing lady of the manor. I should have left your ass years ago. Just so you know, I left enough in your account for you to move out and hope Sydney doesn’t fire your ass. I have better things to do than listen to you bitch all day.” Sam tells me.

 

“You don’t get to leave me. I gave up everything for you. I could have been married to someone people wouldn’t have cringed at seeing me with, but you had to make it impossible for me. I’ll take you to court and sue you for everything.” I tell him.

 

“I’ll just provide your lawyer with the prenup you signed that says you get what I give you. If you want to be able to afford a place to live, you need to shut the fuck up.” Sam tells me.

 

“I’ll let you out of giving me anything, all I want is you to make JJ Taylor wish he was never an artist.” I offer him.

 

“I knew you could be a bitch, but stupid wasn’t something I related to you. I’m not going to make my career harder because JJ Taylor wouldn’t go near your useless twat.” Sam tells me.

 

“You better get a good lawyer then, because I’m going to make you regret not helping me.” I was getting desperate for help.

 

Sam tells me to talk to his lawyer because he wouldn’t take any more calls from me. I walk to his vault and find a note on the door.

 

Lindsay,

 

Would say it was fun, but I don’t sugar coat things. I made the stupidest mistake of my life by marrying you. Maybe wife number five will be everything you weren’t.

 

Sam

 

 

 

 

Chapter 11 by starlight

BRIAN

 

I was lying there thinking about calling in dead. Justin wasn’t joking about having eight years to make up for. I couldn’t even open my eyes, I was so tired. Turning over I reach for him and pray he’s as fucked out as I am. The squeak I heard was not Justin. I quickly pried my eyelids open.

 

“What the fuck are you doing here, Honeycutt?” I ask Emmett. 

 

“Mr. Kinney, after having to explain to your sons that Daddy Dearest was busy thinking of new sounds to add to Mr. Taylor’s books, I spent the night camping out in the den with not only two very handsome boys, but Deb. We listened to the Olympics going on upstairs and somehow managed to convince your sons that you and Justin were exercising, not trying to break each others dicks.” Emmett tells me.

 

“Where is Justin?” I ask Emmett.

 

“Well, the ball of energy fixed the kids breakfast and took them to school. I called Cynthia and Ted and told them you were going to work from home today. I figured you needed the rest. So are you moving in?” Emmett asks me.

 

“Emmett, find some place else to be, you were not who I wanted to wake up to.” I tell him.

 

“You know, after the multiple orgasms, you should be in a better mood Mr Crankypants.” Emmett gets up and tells me he’ll be downstairs. Why is he even here?

 

“In case you wanted to know, I didn’t want Michael to show up at my apartment. Justin told me to stay here if I needed to.” Emmett tells me. Justin and I need to talk about his fondness for moving people in, I hope he’s not planning on running a ‘keep away from Michael’ boarding house.

 

I look at the clock and it’s past nine. Good thing my meetings are done, I get up and almost wished I just stayed in bed. I didn’t think I would ever not want to get a blow job, but being sore is new to me. 

 

BEN

 

Michael has been calling me every fifteen minutes. I need to just deal with him. I don’t want to waste any more of my life on him. I tried to be a good husband, but I made the mistake of thinking Michael was a good person under all the childish behavior. The last straw for me was Michael fucking Eli, in our bed.

 

I thought by moving away from Liberty Avenue we would finally have our marriage be about us. It always seemed to be about Brian, and Michael’s friends. I ignored the big warning signs because Michael was telling me what I wanted to hear - that my HIV wasn’t the whole of me. 

 

Brian no longer had time for Michael. Brian’s first priority was Gus, and Michael couldn’t stand not being the center of Brian’s universe anymore. Instead of focusing on our marriage, Michael was trying to get Brian to continue to play the Stud. Our marriage was in trouble, so I suggested moving to get away from Liberty Avenue. It was my belief at the time that half of Michael’s problems stemmed from Brian not letting Michael have his own life. I made the mistake of telling Michael it was okay to love someone else too. Michael thought that gave him permission to tell me about his and Brian’s friendship. 

 

The day I found out about Eli, I came home early to surprise Michael and received a surprise myself. The desperate househusbands wanted to spice up their lives. I was about to bust in on the little tryst, when I heard Michael,

 

“God I needed that, I can’t stand to let Ben touch me anymore.” Michael tells Eli. 

 

“Ben is hot, but I get what you're saying. I can’t figure out how you could let someone who obviously was so careless about his health touch you.” Eli tells him. I stood there in shock, this was supposed to be a moral upstanding gay man.

 

“It makes my skin crawl every time he comes near my kids. I want to carry sanitizer and clean the kids whenever Ben hugs them.” Eli tells Michael. Yet Eli tells everyone HIV shouldn’t turn people into lepers in the community.

 

“Well at least I was safe when I still had sex with him. I should have listened to my Ma when she told me she didn’t want me to be with Ben. It’s the only advice she ever gave me worth anything. I must have scrubbed the house with bleach every time he touched something.” Michael tells him. Yeah, Michael getting off his lazy ass and cleaning, that was something that would never happen.

 

I backed out of the house instead of walking into the bedroom and asking Eli how the monogamy was going. I mean, he spouts so much shit about not being Peter Pans and wanting to make straight people aware all gay men are not sexual deviants. He sat in judgement of Brian, while Michael played offended host. Yet the only difference is, Eli fucks my husband in my bed, instead of the backroom of Babylon.  

 

I wanted Michael to feel what it was like to lose everything you thought you had. I started with letting  him alienate anybody who would have once supported him. I accepted the loss of Deb and the gang, but I was making sure Michael lost his supporters. I encouraged Michael to try to win custody of JR. I plan to send Mel tapes I made of Michael. The ones where he’s fucking hustlers in my house and telling them to pretend they’re his slaves. 

 

As for Eli, he will get to share with Monty the threesomes and kink he does with Michael. I installed a camera in the bedroom, and made sure to get plenty of footage of the two of them and their wonderfully deviant behavior. They get to explain to the entire neighborhood the trash talking they do together, at the yearly block party. Eli likes to throw a big party, he uses it as his platform to say he and Monty want to live their lives the way gay men should, to be an example to the community. As my big fuck you to Eli, the hypocrite, I made a greatest hits sex video starring my husband, Eli, and whoever else they include.

 

I went to the coffee shop near campus and decided to let Michael stew for a couple more hours. This is not the person I wanted to be, but I made my bed by being blind when it came to Michael. My phone goes off again and I silence it.

 

“Hey Ben.” Blake greets me. He looked like he was trying to decide if he should even associate with the enemy.

 

“How are you? It’s been a long time.” I tell him.

 

“I’ve been doing okay.” Blake stands there, like he’s wants to say something.

 

“It’s okay for you to leave. I know I’m the last person you want to talk to.” I give him an out. I refuse to mess with their lives, they were innocent.

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you, it’s that you and Michael aren't making friends when you treat people badly. It’s hard to play nice.” Blake tells me, “I really want to ask how you and Michael could hurt Deb ?”

 

“Michael did that one on his own. I would never have hurt Deb.” I know it’s a lie, I could have stopped Michael, I just didn't want to.

 

“Then make it up to her and let her have her house back. It’s not like Michael paid for it, Deb did. I always thought you were a better man than your husband. I guess that was my mistake.” Blake tells me. He looks at me and then turns to leave. I can at least do one thing to right all the wrongs my revenge caused.

 

I call my lawyer and tell him I want Deb’s name put on the house. Michael’s credit was so bad that we put it in my name instead, so Deb wouldn't lose the house. It will be the one thing that makes me feel less dirty. I also told my lawyer I wanted to start liquidating all my assets. After the block party it’s time for the trip I canceled to be with Michael. I want to find the person I was before I became a chess piece in the world of Michael Novotny.

 

MICHAEL

 

Ben is useless, he never fucking answers me. Eli comes over and we decide to play a little bondage. Eli had been trying to convince me we should leave others out of our games. Eli actually wants to be with me. He was tired of the same old sex. I feel like Brian when he comes to me.

 

Eli and I fuck on the bed and I make him pretend he's a trick. I fuck him and pretend I want him gone. He is always trying to outdo the last time, and waiting to see if I'll approve. 

 

He brought over a couple butt plugs with horse tails on them and told me, he wanted me to wear one while he blows me. I figure why not, it's not like anyone will see us. 

 

 We were laying on the bed after sex and talking shit about all the people in the neighborhood. Eli was telling me that Monty isn’t very exciting in bed, Monty never wants to spice things up. 

 

“He thinks pulling out his dick is foreplay. I want to tell Monty the ten minutes he takes to cum isn't worth taking my shirt off for.” Eli is always talking shit about everyone. 

 

“What do you expect from the uptight assholes in this neighborhood.” I tell him.

 

We get cleaned up and I go. I wanted to see what Lindsay has found out. 

 

JUSTIN

 

I should be tired but all I want to do is throw Brian back in bed. I didn’t want to crowd him and become the guy who thinks we’re a couple now. Although I wouldn’t mind a repeat. I don’t want to become the guy who mistakes sex for a relationship. I did that the first time. Instead of going back to the house I just continue my plans and if he’s still at the house I’m not going to make a big deal out of it. 

 

Sydney and I made arrangements for him to come over on Saturday. He wanted to start getting everything lined up for the show and with Natalie coming they could get sit down and discuss the contracts for my work. He asked if he could bring a new employee to help in loading the paintings in the van.

 

“I would prefer not to have Lindsay involved if possible, so I’m fine with you bringing someone else to my house. Lindsay can’t leave our personal issues out of my professional life and I really don’t want her at my house, and especially near my son.” I tell him.

 

“That won’t be a problem. I’m training a new employee to take over for her. I want to bring fresh eyes into the gallery.” He tells me. We agree to meet at two o’clock on Saturday. The whole time I was sitting talking to Sydney my phone is vibrating. I walked back to my car and start reading.

 

“I feel so used. You left me in bed with Emmett, is that a hint?” 

 

“I at least showered with you and drove you to school.” 

 

“You got a high protein breakfast, why did I only get a cup of coffee?” 

 

“Hey, why did you leave your cat outside?”

 

“Emmett gave him some of your spicy chicken, the cat is freaking out.”

 

“We were looking for the litter box and your cat used the potted plant, is that okay?”

 

“Emmett wants to know if the furball has a name?”

 

“Brian, I don’t have a cat, so tell Emmett he can name it. Whatever gets Emmett to take it home.” I text back.

 

“That’s just wrong. First you use me then you abandon poor Yum Yum. Emmett wanted to name it Baby, but could you imagine if he was yelling during sex and called the guy Baby? The cat would show up. I told Emmett to name it something he wouldn’t scream during sex.” Brian texted.

 

“Are you two smoking crack or something?” I texted back. 

 

“I think you need to get a litter box, the cat is christening every potted plant in the house.” Brian text.

 

“This is a joke right, you really didn’t find a cat and feed it.” I text.

 

 

Chapter 12 by starlight

JUSTIN

 

I just figured out where Jackson gets his penchant for getting in trouble when he is unsupervised. I was sure Brian was kidding about the cat. I got home to Emmett and Brian arguing about feeding the cat spicy chicken or the can of salmon they just found. I look down at the kitten and at the two older people, I'm still debating about calling them adults. Emmett is reading labels and Brian is looking online to see if they should feed it to the kitten. The poor thing looks like a they've already overfed it. 

 

“Brian and I decided on Yum Yum for the name. Every time we feed him he purrs and it's like he says Yum Yum.” Emmett tells me. So, these two keep feeding it, I assume.

 

“How much have you two fed Yum Yum?” Do cats explode if you overfeed them?

 

They both look at each other, “First we gave it a piece of chicken, the problem is that cats don’t like spicy foods. Then Brian and I cut up some salmon and fed it to Yum Yum and he purred for more. We wanted to feed the baby some tuna, but you don’t have any. I gave him a can of goat’s milk, then I thought he might like the canned shrimp you had.” Emmett explains to me.

 

“You do realize Yum Yum’s stomach is the size of your thumb, right? Kittens can’t eat more than maybe half a can of kitten food.” I stare them down.

 

“Justin, it was begging for more.” Brian tells me.

 

“And purring at us when it ran out.” Emmett adds.

 

“It’s what a cat you idiots, they purr. He isn’t telling you he’s hungry, he is just making noise.” I tell the wonder twins.

 

I pick up the kitten, to save it from these two and see they opened quite a few cans and fed the cat. If this was Gus or Jackson, I would expect this kind of behavior.   

 

MICHAEL

 

I called Lindsay a few times, but she wasn’t answering her phone. She was probably at the gallery working, so I head there. Lindsay was sitting in her car, staring out the windshield. I walk up to her window and knock, it took calling her name to get her attention. I get in the passenger side so I can talk to her.

 

“Lindsay, I came to see if you found out anything about the writer.” I tell her.

 

“He’s that kid you and Brian brought with you to the hospital the night Gus was born.” She says distractedly.

 

“The kid Brian left Babylon with?” I ask her. 

 

“HOW THE FUCK WOULD I KNOW MICHAEL, I WAS HAVING A BABY, ALL I KNOW IS THAT YOU AND BRIAN BROUGHT HIM WITH YOU.” Lindsay yells at me.

 

“Calm down. Brian brought him, they picked me up, I didn’t invite the trick, Brian did.” I tell her.

 

“WHY DID YOU LET BRIAN TAKE HIM HOME? HE TOOK MY PLACE AND GAVE BRIAN A KID. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO COMPETE WITH BRIAN’S NEW FUCKBUDDY?” Lindsay glares at me.

 

“You were never going to have a chance with Brian, even you couldn’t be that delusional.” I sneer at her.

 

Lindsay starts the car and shoots us into traffic. When I yell at her to stop, she pushes harder on the accelerator. She is clipping park cars on the side of the road. 

 

“I was the one Brian wanted when he fucked a woman Michael. I was the one he allowed to have his child. And I was the one who he turned to when he wanted advice. The only reason he bothered with you was because Deb took care of him, while you jacked off, wishing Brian would finally fuck you. Brian didn’t fuck you Michael because you’re a whining child with the intelligence of a snail. You run to a child’s soccer practice to get an autograph for a book written for children.” Lindsay is ranting at me and I want to get her to slow down, she’s weaving all over the road.

 

“I can’t pretend to be friends with you anymore. Every time you open your mouth, every person in the room loses brain cells. We are going to get off the merry go round together Michael.” She smiles at me.

 

Lindsay heads under a bridge and into a parking lot. I finally hear sirens and thank God they’ll pull her over. Lindsay speeds up and heads out of the parking lot and toward the water.

 

“LINDSAY YOU HAVE TO STOP. ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US?”  I scream.

 

“No Michael, not us, just you. I can’t listen to you anymore. It’s torture to pretend I like you enough to listen to your inane chatter and the ‘why can’t Brian love me’ or my favorite, ‘Brian is my best friend’. I would rather drown than be subjected to the Michael Novotny whine track the rest of my life.” She tells me. I scream as the car goes airborne into the water. We’re going to die. 

 

BRIAN

 

Justin tells Emmett and me to go to the pet store and buy our kitten supplies, then pick up the children from school. We were bored waiting for Justin to come home. It’s not our fault Yum Yum came to the backdoor. Justin told us both that the food bowl was off limits to anybody who thinks purring means hunger. 

 

We walk into the store and I tell Emmett to get a cart. We need to get a lot of supplies. Emmett picks up a rainbow sweater and throws it in. I look at the cat post and see this jungle gym set for the cat, I hope they deliver. Emmett and I fight over what kind of food, Emmett thinks because it has fish a cat would want it. I grab ten cans of each food on the shelf and put it in the basket, I don’t care what Justin says, Emmett and I know the cat wanted food.

 

We picked up the kids and head to the diner to pick up Deb. Jackson and Gus were excited about the cat, but wanted to know why we bought so much stuff. I told them both that my cat was going designer all the way.

 

DEB

 

I was just about done with my shift, and sat at the counter talking to Kiki. A guy asks me if I heard about Lindsay and Michael. 

 

“I don’t talk to either of them much, why?” I ask.

 

“Lindsay and Michael were in a car that was speeding, they didn’t slow down. The car drove through the jogging trail and went airborne into the water.” He tells me.

 

“Was anybody hurt?” I ask him.

 

“I don’t know, they wouldn’t let anybody get close enough to see.” He tells me.

 

Brian and Emmett come through with the kids and I tell them what the guy told me about Michael and Lindsay. Brian tells Emmett to take the boys home and let Justin know what’s going on. Brian calls Ted and tells him to pick us up, so we can find out what happened. I hope Michael is safe. I might not like the shit he does but I don’t want him dead. 

 

Ted picks us up and we head to where the guy tell us to go. I hope Michael wasn’t killed. The police blocked off any way in, I was demanding to know what happened.  

 

“One of the people in the car is my son. I just need to know if he and Lindsay are alright.” I tell them.

 

“If we could get them to come out of the water, they’ll be fine.” He tells us, pointing at the two of them.

 

He lets us through and the car is in waist deep water and Lindsay and Michael yelling at each other. The cops all stood at the water's edge, none of them bother to go in the water.

 

“You fucking tried to kill us you crazy bitch.” Michael yells.

 

“Michael it’s waist deep, I just wanted to ruin Sam’s favorite car. God, you’re such a chicken shit.” she yells back.

 

“Your a fucking psycho. You wanted to kill me, you told me that.” Michael tells her.

 

Get the fucking facts straight, I said I’d rather drown than listen to you whine.” Lindsay sneers.

 

“MICHAEL NOVOTNY AND LINDSAY PETERSON, GET YOUR ASSES OUT OF THE WATER.” I yell at them.

 

“Ma, she tried to kill me. She was speeding and just drove us into the water. Brian you need to make sure Gus is doesn’t go anywhere near her.” Michael runs up and tries to hug Brian. Brian blocks both of them and turns and walks away with Ted.

 

“Glad you're not dead but that is all I am.” I follow Brian and we leave the park and head to Justin’s house.

 

LINDSAY

 

I was sitting in my car trying to think of something to do with it. Sam loves this car and probably thought it was safe from me. I wanted to do something that would make it impossible to keep the car. Michael shows up and gets in the car to talk. I was still angry that Michael was with Brian that night and didn’t prevent Brian from fucking JJ and knocking him up. 

 

Michael was talking in his usual whiny voice, wanting to know all about what I found out. I just wanted to scare him so he would shut the hell up. Michael reminds me again that Brian wasn’t going to be interested in me and I started the car and sped off. I clipped every car I could and drove until I see water. Once water gets in you never get the smell out. Michael is screaming he’s going to die. I wanted to tell him the car wouldn't  be completely submerged, but Michael is practically pissing in his pants. We land and I roll down the windows I want as much murky water to fill the car as possible, Michael gets out and starts screaming. He can’t even scream without sounding like a whiny child. 

 

Well, the car is done, it makes me smile. Michael and I continue to yell at each other while people watch from the shore. Deb cuts in and tells us to get out of the water. I see Brian and Ted walking away. Deb tells us she was glad we didn’t die, but then it was back to the being ignored again for us. Michael tried to get Brian to talk to him but Brian just kept walking away from him. 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 13 by starlight
Author's Notes:

Lorie added the cat scene, it was great.

JUSTIN 

 

Emmett arrived with the boys, he told me about Lindsay and Michael. He said Ted called while they were on the way home and said that other than the car being full of water, neither of the two were hurt. I looked at Gus to see if he was okay. He shrugged and asked if Jackson wanted to take Yum Yum upstairs and play. Gus told me that he has practice tomorrow and Alex wanted to know if I was coming. I nodded and the boys grabbed the kitten and ran off. I told them not to feed her any more.

 

“Do you think I should turn one of the rooms into a room for Gus? I want him to feel like he has a place here that’s his.” I ask Emmett. 

 

“Gus and Jackson probably like sharing a room.” Emmett tells me.

 

“I could turn the room that shares a bathroom into a playroom and the bedroom already has bunk beds so it would just be moving the stuff they play with into the other room and adding a dresser and desk for Gus in the bedroom for the boys.” I tell him.

 

“Thinking about moving in father Kinney too?” Emmett asks me.

 

“I was just thinking that with a crazy mother Gus needs stability. If Brian wants to stay, I won’t object.” I tell Emmett.

 

“I don’t think I would object either Mr Screamer.” Emmett smiles.

 

“I thought I imagined how good it was, it was my first time and I always thought it was great. You know, like you build up something in your head and it seems to get better every time you think about it. I thought maybe I made it more than it was, but last night proved I was underestimating what I remembered.” I tell Emmett.

 

“If you and Brian decide on another marathon, you should soundproof your room. Do you know how hard it is to find a reason for the moaning and thumping that would explain it to two little boys.” Emmett tells me. 

 

“We weren’t that loud were we?” I ask.

 

“I finally had to move us out to the pool room. I need details.” Emmett is hopping in his seat.

 

“We were just finished the first time and he was still hard. I jokingly told him he better not plan on sleeping and then he just started …” I look up to see Brian standing there, smirking. “Hey Brian, Emmett and I were talking about changing Jackson’s room so Gus and Jackson could share.

 

“And soundproofing ours so Honeycutt doesn’t have to be jealous,” Brian tells us, “Or maybe you could go back to living at your apartment, Emmett.”

 

“I’m not the only one spending time here, Kinney.” Emmett tells him. Brian looks around and asks what I did to Yum Yum.

 

“The boys wanted to play with her.” I tell him.

 

“YumYum is a boy.” Brian tells me, while Emmett nods his head in agreement like a bobble-head doll.

 

“I would think that with you both being fags you would have noticed, the cat has NO balls, which would make HIM a HER.” I tell the two of them.

 

“But we were calling him a good boy.” Emmett tells me.

 

“I don’t think she understands enough English for it to matter Emmett, so I don’t think she really cares. Now, could you bring in the stuff you bought, and I hope you remembered a litter box.”

 

Emmett and Brian go out to bring in the things they bought for the cat. Brian hands me four bags and tells me it’s the food. I start pulling out can after can of cat food. I hope this cat lives a long life. I look up to see them bringing in a climbing pole, a scratching mat, and a couple bags with sweaters- good luck dressing a cat. They tell me they got the litter box that self-cleans and Brian ordered the kitten jungle gym too. I look at my grown children and decide that as long as my house doesn’t become like a hoarders from 'shopaholic’s are us', I’ll let them have fun.

 

The boys come down with the cat and they are all trying to get the cat to play with the toys, I wanted to point out until the cat was able to digest the ten pounds of food it has already been fed, it probably wouldn’t play with anything but the litterbox.

 

LINDSAY

 

I told the police that they could take the car to the junkyard, I was through with it. It felt liberating to destroy Sam’s car and to be able to tell Michael what I really think of him. Michael was trying to accuse me of wanting to kill him. The cop told him he could file charges but no one was going to believe him since he could have gotten out and walked away. I told them Michael has always been touched in the head. I called a cab and think I owe it to Sam to make the house ready for sale. 

 

Sitting in the cab, I wanted to be angry at JJ for having Brian’s child, but I think I would get further by trying to befriend the little boy. With Sam gone I could try to convince Gus to come home more often, maybe invite his new brother. I called my mother and she offered to let me stay at their guest house until Sam’s done playing. That's how my mother sees affairs. 

 

I owe Michael though, for being a dick, so I make a call.

 

“Hello Lindsay, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call.” Mel sneers.

 

“You owe it to Michael for pissing me off. Michael didn’t get a lawyer or file for custody. He’s too busy using the money Ben gave him for a lawyer buying toys and hustlers.” I hang up and smile. Mel deserves to know, she really tried to be a good wife.

 

BRIAN

 

Justin invited Ted to stay for dinner, Ted told me that he found out that Ben put their house on the market. 

 

“Do you know why?” I ask Ted.

 

“Haven’t got a clue what he’s up to. Maybe they are looking for a new place. You still want me to buy it?” Ted asks me.

 

“I just don’t see what we could do with it, if they are moving we wouldn’t hurt them, we’d be helping them.” I tell Ted.

 

“Why not buy the house and the one next to it and build a halfway house for single fathers and to help get hustlers off the street.” Justin suggest.

 

“Why a halfway house?” I ask.

 

“You guys don’t like the people in the neighborhood right, because they try to be pillars of society but look down on people. Imagine what they would think of having a halfway house built in the neighborhood. They can’t openly say anything but they can quietly seethe when their house value drops.” Justin tell us, “Plus, you can get Deb to be the house mother and live there.”

 

“Could you see the look on Monty’s face if he had to say good morning to Deb everyday.” Emmett tells Ted.

 

“I still want to know why Ben is selling the house. Have Cynthia look into that. Go ahead and put in an offer for the house.” I tell Ted.

 

Justin mentions that Gus has practice and he wanted go to see his brother and Gus play. I asked Ted if we had anything urgent, he told me we were clear unless we sign more clients. I told him I would meet them at the field. Justin told me his mother was coming this weekend, if I wanted to meet her. I’m not big on the whole concept but I already know Jen, as a realtor, might as well meet her as my son’s grandmother. 

 

After the boys went to bed, Justin told us he was going too. I watched as he walked up the stairs and turn to see Emmett and Debbie staring at me.

 

“Brian just go, it’s not like you aren’t going to find a way into his room anyway, or has he worn you out?” Emmett asks me.

 

“Just keep the volume down. I don’t want to camp out in the pool house again.” Deb tells me. 

 

I get up and walk up the stairs to Justin’s room. I didn’t bother to knock, just walked in. He was in the shower, I stood and watched as the soap suds traveled down his body. He bent over to wash his legs and I decided he needs me to help with all those hard to reach places.

 

 

JUSTIN

 

I was on my way to the practice field with Jackson. I carried the cooler and had Jackson bring the sandwiches from the deli for me. Alex and Gus come running to help, Alex told me his mom was up in the bleachers and wanted to meet me. I get everything situated and asked the coach if Jackson could sit and watch with the boys, in case this doesn't go well. He agrees. I walk up to the woman who married Craig.

 

“Hi, I'm Anne. You have to be Justin.” She smiles at me. 

 

“It's really nice to meet you. Alex is a nice kid.” I tell her. 

 

“He was so excited to meet you. He came home and told me you were at the school with your son.” She tells me. 

 

“How did he connect me to Craig?” It was the thing I was trying to figure out.

 

“Molly talks about you. I think she wanted to rub it in Craig's face that even with being abandoned by him, you became successful. Molly constantly brings new pictures of Jackson over and tells Craig all about him and you.” Anne tells me.

 

“You know he’s going to demand you keep Alex away from me.”  I tell her. 

 

“I honestly only care what Alex wants. Craig is only interested in Alex when Alex does something he approves of, otherwise he’s too busy trying to impress people at the country club. I want Alex to grow up being able to accept people, not discriminate against people for things they can't and don’t need to change.” Anne tells me. 

 

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but why did you marry Craig?” I ask her.

 

“We seemed to want the same things. A family life, a home, and to raise Alex with both parents. Until we got married, Craig seemed like a great guy. If you were brought up in conversation, he made it sound like you ran away and went wild. Like you rejected him. I fell for it. My mother told me I should have talked to Jen and found out the truth. I was too busy believing Craig was a good man to pay attention.” Anne tells me.

 

“He wasn’t a bad father, until he found out about Jackson and that I was gay. If I had gotten a girl pregnant, he'd have probably been thrilled. I don’t want Alex to lose Craig because of me.” I tell her.

 

“Craig is losing Alex all on his own. Alex lost respect for Craig when he kicked my brother out of our house for being gay. He told Alex that my brother, Simon, was a bad example for him. Simon helped raise Alex, he was the one who showed up for all of Alex’s events and listened when Alex needed to talk. Simon became the father Craig wasn’t. I refuse to let Craig take away the person who loved my son, just because he's gay. If my son wants you in his life, then Craig accepts it, or he won’t be in Alex’s life. I want Alex to make up his own mind about people, not be a clone of Craig” Anne tells me. 

 

“Alex told me you were planning on divorcing Craig.” I tell her. 

 

“Not planning on it, I already filed. I shouldn't have married him in the first place. He lied to me from the beginning, I didn’t know he was married or even had kids. I broke it off when I found out. I wasn’t going to be a homewrecker. I found out I was pregnant with Alex a couple months later, and told Craig he could be a part of Alex’s life. Craig showed back up when he divorced your mom, and I gave him another chance. Craig wants a mindless doll, not a wife. My mother and father raised me to think for myself, not let a bigoted man tell me how to think.” Anne tells me.

 

“If Craig cuts you off, like he did to me and my mom, call me and I’ll help you any way you need.” I tell her. 

 

“I don’t need Craig for anything. My brother and I design gaming software together and I came into the marriage with more money than Craig has ever made. My mother told me to keep Craig out of my accounts. She hates him. Thank God I listened to her. She’s probably laughing that I finally kicked his ass out yesterday. Craig already has a mistress, I hope he enjoys her.” She tells me.

 

We talk about my life with Jackson and I tell her about Brian. She tells me if Brian doesn’t work out, her brother is always available. At my horrified look, she laughs and tells me Simon is ten years younger. I told her it wasn’t his age, it was imagining if Simon and I worked out. I would be my father’s brother-in-law. We were laughing so hard that everyone was looking at us. 

 

Brian showed up to the two of us still trying to stop laughing but failing miserably. He asked what us girls were laughing about, and I told him about her suggestion for a future boyfriend. 

 

“Why is everyone trying to get you a date?” Brian says.

 

“I’ve never had a date last more than half an hour, it would be nice to go on one.” I tell him.

 

“I can take you out, but we’d just end up getting drunk and making redneck dating jokes.” Anne jokes.

 

“I could go out with Simon and call Craig and tell him I might be his brother slash son.” I tell her. 

 

“I have an uncle who would do it just to piss off Craig, then you could be your father’s uncle.” She tells us.

 

“How about we skip all the incest and I take you out.” Brian offers. 

 

Anne nudges me to answer. I couldn’t. I mean we’ve only been around each other a few days. I don't want him to feel he has to do anything he doesn’t believe in. 

 

“Justin would love to go out with you, right Justin?” Anne tells Brian, and nudges me again.

 

“Sure, but I thought you didn’t date.” I tell him.

 

“I figured we already got the sex, and the kid, what harm would dating do at this point?” Brian asks me.

 

“Brian, since I’m Justin’s stepmother, I’m telling you to find a better way to ask my son on a date. I’ll tell Jen if you don’t.” Anne warns Brian.

 

“Justin would you like to join me on a date, where we will eat and carry on a conversation? Then I can take you to my place and fuck you silly.” Brian smirks at Anne as he says the last part.

 

“Justin, as your stepmother I’m ordering you to tell him yes, and give me details.” Anne tells me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 14 by starlight

BRIAN

 

Justin and Anne wanted to have dinner together tonight, so Alex could get to know Justin better. I think the ‘adopt the world plan’ Justin seems to have is getting out of hand. I rolled my eyes when Justin suggested inviting his mother. I doubt she wants to meet the woman who was fucking her husband. Anne tells us she’ll call Jen and see if she wants to come. Straight people are strange. 

 

Practice was over and I see Jackson running towards us. I look for Gus and don’t see him. 

 

“Where is Gus, Jackson?” I ask.

 

“His mother was waiting by the bleachers and wanted to talk to him.” Jackson tells us. 

 

“Did she talk to you?” I ask him.

 

“She tried to invite me to her house but I told her that I don’t take candy from strangers either.” He tells me.

 

I tell Jackson to stay with Justin. Lindsay better not be fucking with Gus. 

 

“Shit.” Justin muttered under his breath. I look around to see an older guy walking towards Anne and Justin.

 

“I have to get Gus. I can’t let Lindsay do whatever she is up to now. Are you going to be okay?” I want to stay but Gus needs me right now.

 

“Go take care of Gus. I can handle my father.” Justin tells me.

 

I run down to look for Gus and pass Justin’s father. “You fuck with my kid and I’ll rip your balls off.” I tell him as I walk by. He looks confused, but I'll straighten it out if he hurts Justin or Jackson. 

 

Lindsay is standing there dressed like a soccer mom, and I can tell Gus wants to tell her to leave him alone. I would think with all the excitement yesterday, she would be too busy destroying Sam’s life and leave us alone. 

 

“Gus, I’m leaving Sam, we could start spending time together. I want us to have a better relationship. I would love to have you and your friends over so I could get to know them. Wouldn’t you love that, Lambskin?” Lindsay tells Gus.

 

“I would love is for you to stop calling me that stupid name. I asked Dad and he said that I only have to spend time with you when the court ordered it. I don’t want you to embarrass me in front of my friends, and I don’t want you around my brother either. You only want me around because you want Dad, and that’s not going to happen.” Gus tells her.

 

“That’s not true. I knew you didn’t like Sam, so I let your father have custody because I knew it would make you happy. I was only thinking of you.” Lindsay tells him. Yeah, she let me have custody, I only had to go to court for six months to get it.

 

“Dad doesn’t lie to me, like you do. I know you didn’t give him custody, he had to fight you for it. Just leave me alone.” Gus see me and runs into my arms. I tell him to go to the coach and wait for me. I watch him leave and turn to Lindsay.

 

“You come near him again and I’ll go back to court and fight to keep you from hurting him emotionally anymore. Gus doesn’t need your shit. Go back to your husband and forget we exist.” I tell her.

 

“Brian, I’m leaving Sam. I want to repair all the damage I’ve done to Gus. I think letting him spend time with me would help Gus. I can’t do that if you're blocking me. I made a mistake marrying Sam, but I wanted to give Gus a normal family life. If you would have agreed, we could have done that together.” Lindsay tells me. 

 

“You were going to give him a normal home life? Sorry if I don’t believe you. I know straight people are supposed to be better parents, according to you, but I don’t think Gus having to share his home with the resident pervert, who thinks nothing of letting naked women walk around a seven year old, is an example I want to set for my kid.” I sneer at her.

 

“Brian, don’t make this about Sam, it’s about Gus.” Is she for real?

 

“Do you know that every time you come around, Gus reminds me of me when my father would come home. It’s the look on his face. The same one I would have, the one praying he was sober and not planning on breaking my arm because he was having a bad day. I wanted Gus to escape from the curse of my family, to be happy. I gave you a child and all I wanted was for you to be a good mother. Instead you and Mel play musical partners and Gus never knows where to call home. I forgave you each time because you seemed to love Gus. I blame myself for not seeing what a self centered bitch you really are, but thanks to Justin, I finally got to see a what happens when a child has a good life with a parent who loves him. I will make sure that Gus has that, even if it means making you look like a lunatic to get it. Don’t fuck with me on this Lindsay. I’m sure a court would love to hear about what I found out yesterday; Sam fucking some woman in front of Gus while you yelled but didn’t get my son out of the room.” I stare at her, so she knows I won’t play this game with her.

 

“Brian what happened to us? We were Peter and Wendy. You and I were suppose to help each other.” Lindsay stares at me.

 

“Peter Pan sent Wendy home so she could grow up. I guess I left Neverland and you stayed to play with Captain Hook.” I walk off. I need to put out the next fire. Justin’s father better have listened to me.

 

JUSTIN

 

I watch Brian run off to get Gus away from Lindsay and turn to Jackson.

 

“You want wait over by the steps for Gus and Alex?” I ask him.

 

“You think your dad is going to be mean?” Jackson asks me.

 

“No. I just never wanted you to have to know him.” I tell him. Jackson shrugs his shoulders and starts walking slowly toward the stairs. 

 

I watch my sperm donor stop and stare at Jackson. I stand up, ready to go to my son. I swear if Craig does anything, I’ll kill him. He smiles at Jackson and offers his hand. Jackson looked at his hand and then into Craig’s face.

 

“You want to shake my hand? Wow. I mean, Nana hugs me silly and my new Nana pinches my cheek then kisses my head, but you want a handshake. It won’t change the fact that my dad is gay and got pregnant with me. It won’t change the fact that you told him he didn’t exist anymore. It won’t change the fact that I want to build a space shuttle to put bigots like you in and shoot you to Uranus. So take your hand and stick up your butt.” Jackson tells him. Turning to me my son says loudly “Dad, I didn’t say the bad word for butt.” I wanted to laugh.

 

Craig walks up and tells Anne they need to talk. 

 

“I don’t have anything to say to you, just sign the papers. You can go live with Barbie or Skipper, you know, the chick you’ve been screwing.” Anne tells him.

 

“You aren’t getting full custody of Alex. I won’t have him thinking it’s normal to be gay. I want it in the paperwork that Simon can’t be left alone with Alex.” Craig apparently doesn’t care that Anne is divorcing him.

 

“You mean the person who took care of Alex when you couldn’t be bothered? Go ahead and fight me Craig, I’ll make sure you don’t have a pot to piss in if you do.” Anne tells him.

 

“I won’t have him grow up to be a faggot because you don’t care enough to keep him from being exposed to them.” Craig tells her.

 

“I’d rather he be around a gay man than a man who treats women like we’re property and can’t seem to keep his dick in his pants. I don’t want Alex to learn that unless he tows the line you’ll kick him out and tell him not to come home. You alienate all your children and then act like they were at fault for not preaching your hate. I will not allow you to do that to my child. Go home and finish packing your clothes. I want all reminders of my mistake out of MY HOME.” Anne tells him.

 

“I never hated Justin. If he had given up being gay, he could have come home. Justin was the one who would rather live that deviant lifestyle. The Bible says it’s a sin. Do you want Alex to be around people who ignore the Bible?” Craig asks her. It’s like I’m not standing next to him. 

 

“You know DAD, it amazes me you even know what the Bible says, considering you never read anything. Isn’t adultery a sin? And doesn’t it say that only God is allowed to judge people? I guess as long as you’re heterosexual, you get to be forgiven for your sins. Good luck getting into heaven. I doubt God makes exceptions for sins based on who you love. One more thing, I don’t want you to even look at my son, he might really build a shuttle just to shoot you into space.” I tell him. Craig isn’t worth my time.

 

Anne tells Craig to call her lawyer, she no longer wants to deal with him. I should be upset that he isn’t going to change, but I lost him years ago.

 

“Justin, it isn’t right to raise my grandson around a bunch of deviants.” He just had to say it.

 

“Why do you think I keep him away from you?” I tell him.

 

MICHAEL

 

Ben has been acting stranger than usual lately. When I got home after Lindsay tried to kill us, Ben told me he wanted to celebrate. It wasn’t a birthday or anniversary, so I asked him what we were celebrating. 

 

“Freedom from oppression. I think that deserves to be celebrated.” Ben tells me. I hope he isn’t going to lecture about whatever oppression is.

 

“Did you want to have a party or something?” I’m so confused.

 

“I invited Monty and Eli over with the neighbors so they could watch a movie, I made it and I want everyone’s opinion on it.” Ben tells me.

 

“When is everyone coming over?” I ask him.

 

“I thought we could start the block party in the house. Peter, my TA, and a couple of students are coming to help set up the screen and speakers. I told Monty to let everyone know the kids shouldn’t watch, so only adults could come and see. I want you to be in the front with Monty and Eli.” Ben tells me. He seems really happy about it.

 

Ben makes me some tofu crap and tells me he has a present for me but wants me to open it at the party. Ben tells me it’s something to tell me what I mean to him. I smile and tell him that I would be proud to be there. I’m sure it’s something stupid, but I can pretend it’s important to me. I don’t even understand half of what he’s talking about anyway. Eli and I can laugh about Ben wanting to show everyone a boring movie.

 

BRIAN

 

I got Gus from the coach and went to see if Jackson was alright. Jackson told me Justin would handle the sperm donor. We watched as Craig talked to Anne. I also watched as Craig tried to tell Justin he still loved him. Got to give it to my old man, he didn’t waste words, just kicked the shit out of you. Justin walked away from Craig and came to us.

 

“Is everything okay?” He asks us.

 

“Lindsay is trying to get Gus to spend time with her. I made sure she understands that isn’t going to happen. Are you okay?” I ask Justin.

 

“He isn’t going to change and I don’t expect him to, I was over it years ago.” Justin tells me.

 

Justin tells the boys Alex is coming over tonight, they ask if they can swim in the pool. Everyone seems to be doing fine. We get the boys in the car and I feel like we should do something special, just the four of us. I drive till I see the evil place and turn under the ‘golden arches’ to cheering.

 

 

 

Chapter 15 by starlight

JUSTIN 

 

I got home in time to catch Emmett trying to feed Yum Yum. I swear that poor kitty is going to break the world record for most feedings. Emmett at least looked guilty. Brian, on the other hand acted like the french fry he snuck the kitten was just an accident.

 

“You are both forbidden from feeding the cat. In fact, you two are on litter duty, until you learn.” I tell them. 

 

“No problem, right Emmett.” Brian smirks.

 

“You're not gonna think that way when you have to clean it ten times a day. Where do you two think all the food goes?” I ask them. 

 

They both smile like they have a secret.

 

 “I think you forgot it’s a self cleaning litter box.” Emmett tells me. 

 

“So we just let the box do the work.” Brian says it slowly, like it should be obvious.

 

I pick up YumYum, “Baby, I'm sorry your other parents ride the short bus when it comes to cats and litter boxes. You see YumYum, neither of them realize your presents don't just magically disappear, it just gets grated out of the litter. If they had bothered to read the instructions, they would have known to attach the bags so the box would wrap up your presents. Now they not only have to clean the surprises you left them, but the area where the poop went.” I kiss her head and watch Emmett and Brian look at the box.

 

“Get it shiny boys.” I tell them. 

 

“Dad I need a book about rocket fuel.” Jackson tells me.

 

“You are not doing anything that requires liquid that can explode.” I tell him. 

 

“But Dad, I got this idea to build a faster go-cart. I was going to build the engine based off…” I stop him before he gets any further. 

 

“We already talked about not making things that could get someone killed, maimed, or stained, remember?” I tell him. 

 

“It wasn’t my fault, I told the kid what would happen if he poured the mentos into the soda.” Jackson tells me. 

 

“Did you have to build a car out of a two liter grape soda to show him. I had to pay the cleaning bill for all the kids who stood and watched.” I tell him. 

 

“Wait, what happened?” Emmett asks. 

 

“The soda shoots out the back and the car moves, it would have been okay but the car started spinning in circles and got everyone. Dad, the teacher was with us, so I was supervised.” Jackson tells us. Emmett and Brian are smiling, not good.

 

“The rule goes for you two too.” I quickly tell them.

 

“We wouldn’t do that.” Emmett tells me.

 

“It just sounded interesting.” Brian tells me.

 

“I want your word that neither of you will help the boys conduct any experiment Jackson comes up with, unless I say yes.” I tell them. They both nod and roll their eyes at me. 

 

I shake my head and tell Jackson that Nana is coming to dinner and he better be on his best behavior tonight. I make sure his partners in crime understand it goes for them too. 

 

BRIAN

 

I told Emmett after we cleaned YumYum’s massive shit not to feed the cat, let Justin do it. We both decided Justin was evil. Anne and Jen show up together, I would have put money that being something that would never happen. Like I said, straight people are strange. Anne makes a big production of introducing Simon to Justin. I thought she liked me.

 

Simon was Mr Helpful. If Justin needed someone to set the table, Simon to the rescue. Oh you need help cooking, let Simon show you his marvelous cooking skills. Justin don’t get up, I’ll get you some more wine. Justin your paintings are amazing, you're so brilliant. It was even worse that the guy was hot, in a nerdy way. I wanted to erase the name Simon from existence by the end of the night. I hoped when they were leaving I could just slam a door in wonderful Simon’s face.

 

I was nice because apparently Simon is Alex’s favorite person. Alex keep talking up his uncle to his brother. Can we say incest? I wanted to, but I promised to be nice. Emmett wasn’t any help either, he was drooling over the guy. Simon told Justin they should get together and do something one night. Emmett told them we could go to Babylon one night. Simon, unlike Monty, told Justin they should go, he would love to dance. Fucker. 

 

Jen smiled at me and told me if she had known I was Jackson’s father, she would have tried to get Justin home sooner. At least Jen is on my side. I sat next to her, Anne isn’t my favorite anymore. Jackson told Jen that she now had two grandsons, and introduced Gus to her. I waited, and hoped she would be kind to Gus. Jen smiled at Gus.

 

“What do you think Gus, do I have what it takes to be your Nana?” Jen asked Gus.

 

“Would you want to be? You don’t have to, I’m not really related to you.” Gus tells Jen.

 

“I would never turn down a chance to be a handsome boy’s Nana. I would be the envy of all the others if you were my grandson.” Jen tells him.

 

“You would want to do things together, right?” Gus asks her.

 

“You and Jackson could come over to my house and spend the night tonight. I could make you both pancakes in the morning and we could sit in our pajamas and watch cartoons and eat.” Jen tells Gus.

 

“Can we Dad?” Gus begs. I look at Justin and he nods.

 

“If you both want to go, you can.” I tell both boys. They run to get clothes for Jen’s slumber party. 

 

I was glad to get rid of Simon, but it was strange being here without the kids around. I’ve been using it as a reason to stay. I was going to offer to go home tonight, but Justin seems to have other ideas. 

 

“It’s been a long day, I think we should get some sleep before Daphne and Natalie show up tomorrow.” Justin stretches so I can see his stomach and happy trail. He gets up and tells Emmett and Deb goodnight. I don’t need flashing neon signs.

 

I get up and follow behind him. He walks into the bedroom and starts stripping his clothes off. I follow his lead. Justin walks into the bathroom and turns on the shower. I like being squeaky clean. Justin must have decided I was taking too long to join him. He comes back out, grabs my cock and leads me to the shower. I grab his face and stare into his eyes, then lean down and start licking his lips. I let him take charge of the kiss as I work my hands down his body. I want to feel every inch of him. I want to be the only thing he dreams of. Justin gets down on his knees and kisses all around my hips and teases my cock with his tongue, he finally envelopes the head of my cock and uses his tongue to tease the nerve endings. I had to brace my hands to stay standing when he swallowed me. I didn’t want this to be fast, I wanted to make every touch mean something. I picked him up and started cleaning him. I wanted him to feel worshipped tonight. I pushed him against the shower wall and started to kiss down his back, I teased him by licking his bud then biting his luscious ass. Justin was breathing faster with each lick, I knew he needed more. I stood up behind him and started to push into that tight gateway to heaven. We were getting closer to our release and I wanted to see Justin explode. I turned him and picked him up, he wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist. I leaned him into the wall and drove into him again. Justin was getting closer to his climax, his walls were pulsating around my cock. I pushed in hard, making sure his prostate triggered his release. Justin screamed and got cum all over both of us. I could feel the cum erupting from my cock into him. We both slumped against the wall. I finally got us detached and we cleaned up again. I dried Justin off and we fell into bed. Neither of us were awake long enough to put any clothes on.

 

“Simon can put that in his pipe and smoke it.” I muttered before falling asleep. I heard Justin say “Simon who?” I think I smiled in my sleep.

 

JUSTIN

 

I woke up excited, my best friends were coming. I wanted to run around and get everything ready for them. I hadn’t seen Daphne since she moved to New York to start her residency at the hospital. Natalie and her see each other all the time and I have to hear about it. They both wanted me to move to New York, but I wanted to live near my mom. I was going to get out of bed, when I remembered I have my own friend to play with. I woke Brian up with a blow job. We started to make out and I was going to give him the ride of his life, until my two best friends decided to burst through the door.

 

“Justin, we got here early. Oops, well too late, get off the gorgeous man and introduce us.” Daphne eyed Brian. Brian raised a brow but didn’t even try to cover himself.

 

“Justin, Does he have a brother or is he willing to help a girl out?” Natalie my smart ass agent asks. Brian smirks.

 

“I helped one out once, but now she seems to think I owe her my penis the rest of my life.” Brian tells them.

 

“I promise to only take video, so I can relive the moment, over and over.” Natalie tells him.

 

“Justin and I share everything, so you're just gonna have to take one for the boys.” Daphne tells Brian. I grab the blanket and throw it over Brian and I. 

 

Emmett comes in to see what’s going on, Deb right behind him. They all sit around the bed and start introducing each other. When did my bed become grand central station? I figured if they were going to stay, they could watch the show. I turned and started licking Brian’s neck. Brian grabbed my ass and sat me on his lap, I grabbed a condom. We heard the door close, so we finished what we started before my ex-best friends decided to interrupt.

 

EMMETT

 

I think I love Daphne and Natalie, they filled me in on gossip. I told them about Justin and Brian, we made bets. Brian would be living here by the end of the week, Me. The end of two weeks, Daphne. The end of the month, Natalie. Deb told us we all lost because Brian was already practically living here. Daphne told her that it only counts if Justin asks Brian to move in.

 

Natalie asks Deb to fill her in on the situation, she’s here to help make Michael pay. I listen as Deb tells her about Michael and I fill in anything I think is important. 

 

“Justin mentioned turning Michael’s house into a halfway house for single fathers and hustlers. He even suggested I be like a den mother. It sounded fun.” Deb tells us.

 

“Do you want your old house back? Because I want to build you a new one.” Brian tells her as he entered the room.

 

“I don’t want you to spend your money on a house. You worked too hard for it.” Deb tells him.

 

“You were there for me Deb, you're the only real mother I ever had. To me it’s a thank you to my mother for being the person you are.” Brian tells Deb. I’ll admit I had a tear in my eye.

 

“Deb, I want you to be able to retire and have fun. Not die in the diner because you work too hard.” Brian tells her.

 

“I work because to me they know that their family might not approve, but I’ll be there for them.” Deb tells us.

 

“Let someone else feed them diner food. If you want to help people, you can do that at the halfway house.” Justin tells her.

 

“I don’t have any qualifications. I’m just a waitress.” Deb tells us.

 

“You also nursed your brother back to health, and were there for us anytime night or day.” I tell Deb, she always underestimates herself.

 

“That is all someone in trouble needs Deb. Someone who listens and helps them.” Justin tells her.

 

Deb tells them she wants to think about it. My phone rings and I see Ben’s number, what the hell does he want? I smile and tell them I have to take this call. I stood outside and listened to Ben. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 16 by starlight

BRIAN

 

Emmett comes back inside and tells me that Ben wants to talk to me. He holds his phone out to me.

 

“Why the fuck would I want to talk to Ben?” I ask, loud enough so Ben can hear.

 

“Just take the phone and listen before you offer your opinion.” Emmett tells me.

 

“Ben, you have one minute to make me stay on the line.” I tell him.

 

“I thought you might want to see Stepford Haven turn into Desperate Housewives.” Ben tells me.

 

“You just earned more time, Benny.” I tell him.

 

Ben tells me his plans for Michael, he wants to give us the opportunity to witness his revenge. I told him we’d bring the popcorn. I hang up and explain the call to everyone. I think Justin’s hags were a little too excited.

 

“When is this block party?” Natalie asks.

 

“Ben told us tomorrow night.” Emmett tells her.

 

“That’s not enough time, give me Ben’s number.” Natalie tells him. “Daphne call Stuart, promise him a hundred blow jobs if he can be here tomorrow, tell him to bring his equipment. Justin can you rent somewhere with a stage and a large floor?

 

“Brian owns a club.” Emmett tells her.

 

“Can we use it? You know what Emmett, it would be better to get Ben here to explain everything, tell him to bring the video. I need to call my staff and get them here. Justin call Alan and tell him to round up the troops. Deb if I make flyers can you pass them out on Liberty Avenue? We should add a cover charge to donate to the halfway house, it will also make the night a write off for the club.” She looks at me.

 

“Can I at least ask what your up to?” I ask, thoroughly confused at this point. She and Cynthia could compete for planning on the spot.

 

“Ben thinks too small, the people would be there long enough to see the start of whatever he has, before the room erupts and other than embarrassing everyone, he really accomplishes nothing. We turn his revenge into a charity event for all the ‘pillars’ to show up at, and tease them with glimpses of what Ben wants to show them. Make the snide comments sound like joking, but build it until the end is like a fast run of clips, think Benny Hill.” Natalie tells us. Justin told us Natalie likes to fuck with people, I think we all now know not to piss her off.

 

“We could do it on Friday, it gives me time to get Stuart to edit the video and I can get Brett to help turn it into a story. Then all we have to do is convince Michael’s neighborhood to come.” She tells us.

 

“Michael would show up if Brian invited him.” Emmett adds in.

 

“Only one problem with that, I told Michael to stay out of my life.” I mention.

 

“We’re talking about Michael, you say stay out of my life, he tells himself you’ll change your mind. So make nice with Michael.” Emmett tells me.

 

“I don’t want anything to do with him.” I point out.

 

“Start by inviting them all out to dinner, tell them you want them to meet Justin. Michael always wants to impress his friends. Justin is a successful author and painter. Michael will be the bell of the ball, letting them meet a successful gay man. They’ll be so busy trying to say they met the author of “The Adventures of Jacko and Gus” and Justin can slip in he wants to use Babylon to promote charitable works, they’ll be clamoring for an invitation.” Natalie puts in.

 

I told them to get with Cynthia. I want to know about the book they just mentioned. I used to read it to Gus when he was little. I grab Justin and tell Emmett to call Ted, then let me know if Ben agrees to come. I drag Justin into his office so we can talk about his past. Justin thinks it’s an invitation and starts trying to pull off my shirt.

 

“Wait, I think we need to talk about your past.” I tell him.

 

“You fucked me, I got pregnant, had Jackson and moved back. Now can we get on with me blowing you.” Justin tells me.

 

“Why did you name one of the characters in your book Gus? I remember reading that series to Gus. I bought them because Gus thought they were about him and the character Jacko having adventures.” I tell him.

 

“It was my way of giving Jackson a life with Gus. At the time I didn’t know if they would ever meet each other. I wrote and illustrated the books for Jackson. I couldn’t afford to buy books at the time and so I made them. Jackson needed lots of stimulation throughout his childhood.” Justin tells me.

 

“How did it go from you writing it for Jackson to best seller?” I ask him.

 

“Daphne’s Aunt Mary worked for a book publisher and wanted to see if she could shop it around. They offered a small fee for the rights and commission on every book if they sold. Mary made sure I didn’t sign exclusive rights to the publisher so I could renegotiate if the book did well. I kept my rights and the publisher paid me enough to keep the series printed under his company.” Justin tells me. “To clear the air; I paint, write two children’s series, I own a graphic design company with Stuart, Daphne’s boyfriend, and on occasion work for Brett Keller, when he needs help on storyboards.” Justin tells me. I feel like such an underachiever.

 

I look at the father of my son, who, instead of relying on other people, found ways to support himself and give Jackson a happy home, and all I can think is that Michael and Lindsay are children compared to him. Staring into his eyes, I can see a home if I want one for me and Gus.

 

BEN

 

I got a call back from Emmett, he told me that Natalie wants to talk to me. Before I could even ask who the hell is Natalie, Emmett starts giving me instructions.

 

“Natalie wants you to wait till Friday, so she can help you think big. She told me to tell you to bring the video because Brett Keller wants to help edit it to make it more exciting than just showing porn to the neighborhood. Natalie wants to use it as the show ender for the charity event she has planned for Babylon. She said she’ll even let you give a speech if you want. Brian and Ted wanted to talk to you about buying your house. Oh, and Brian is going to be nice to Michael, and we need you to not be a dick to Brian if any of this is going to work. I’m texting you the address, we’ll be waiting.” Emmett hangs up.

 

I was going to call him back and ask who the hell Natalie is, but it might be easier to just go there and find out. Michael is outside talking to Monty and the rest of the neighbors about the party. I guess I need to tell them, I might have to postpone. If I don’t like what Natalie thought up, I can always go ahead.

 

“Hey Michael, I have to go to the campus and pick up some things. I also wanted to mention to everyone that the movie I was going to show needs some re-editing. I got a call that they want to include it in some event this Friday.” I tell the guys.

 

“Ben, I was looking forward to your movie on impression. It sounded so interesting.” Michael gives me a pout. He can’t even remember it was oppression. Well, I didn’t tell him what it meant, so he probably thinks the words are interchangeable.

 

“I was so looking forward to giving you my present and showing you all the hard work that went into the film. Don’t worry, it will be worth the wait. I want to make sure you and Monty are front and center for the whole event. Maybe I can dedicate it to you and Eli, Monty and I are so lucky to have such wonderful husbands who love us.” I hope I didn’t roll my eyes.

 

“Ben that is so sweet. Eli would be so thrilled that you said that. We have always wanted everyone to see gay men can be as committed as the next couple. We don’t need others sleeping in our bed to be happy.” Monty tells us. I almost wanted to ask Michael if he and Eli were happy they had to share with Monty. It was time to go so I didn’t spoil the fun for Emmett’s Natalie.

 

MICHAEL

 

It was so hard to have to listen to Monty and Ben and not want to tell them both to shut up. Monty just likes to hear himself talk, and Ben can put you to sleep with all his lectures. I ask Ben how long he’d be gone, maybe I can spend some time with Paul and Eli today. We haven’t done a threesome in a while. Ben tells me it could be late but he would call.

 

After Ben left I told Monty I need to get stuff done at the house. I just wanted to get away from all the “what a great marriage Monty has" speech. My cell rings and I hope Ben isn’t calling to say he’s coming home earlier. I look and can’t believe it, Brian is calling me.

 

“Brian, wow, it’s been forever since you called me.” I tell him.

 

“I know, but I’ve been busy with a work and I want to finally introduce you to Justin. I know I’ve been harsh lately but Lindsay was fucking with Gus and I guess I took it out on you. I thought maybe you and the friends you tried to introduce me to would like to go out to dinner and meet Justin. He has a book signing and an art exhibit coming up. I think all your new friends would love to meet Justin. Plus we could spend some time together.” Brian tells me.

 

“When do you want to have dinner?” I ask him.

 

“We could do it Monday night. We need to make it around seven, I need to get home in time to put the children to bed.” Brian tells me.

 

“I could come over now and we could hang out.” I want to spend time with Brian, it’s been so long since it was just ‘Brian and Mikey.’

 

“I have a business meeting with my top execs today but why not meet me for lunch at the diner tomorrow we can hang out like we used too.” Brian tells me.

 

“I miss being around each other. I know you didn’t want to meet my friend, but it wouldn’t hurt, can I at least invite him to dinner.” I ask him.

 

“The more the merrier Mikey.” Brian hangs up the phone.

 

“Monty, my friend Brian wanted to invite us couples to dinner tomorrow night. He knows a guy who writes books and is a painter, thought  we could welcome him to our community. I think he said his name is Justin Taylor.” I tell them.

 

“Not the guy who wrote the adventure series about two little boys? We all read that to the children when they were babies. The books were all best sellers, Michael we could try to get him to speak at one of our committee meetings of the importance of reading to children. I can’t wait to tell everyone you're friends with a famous author.” Monty tells me.

 

I was going to say something snide about Justin, but everyone seems happy they are going to meet him. Brian and I can make fun of them kissing up to Justin. It’s time to work on bringing back the “Brian and Mikey show” permanently, with no twinks allowed.



 

Chapter 17 by starlight

JACKSON 

 

I needed to get Nana to help me and Gus. We want our dads to be together. Gus told me Papa doesn't do relationships. We wanted to help Papa change his mind. The only problem is we can't think of a plan. I told Gus that Nana would help. We waited for Nana to get breakfast ready and we were sitting on the couch with her.

 

“Nana, do you like Papa?” I asked her.

 

“Yes, I helped him buy some property around the area. He was always nice.” Nana tells us.

 

“Gus and I need some help.” I tell her.

 

“I’ll help if I can.” Nana tells us.

 

“We want Papa and Dad to become boyfriends or husbands.” I tell her.

 

“Boys, only your Papa and Dad can make that decision.” She tells us.

 

“It’s just, Papa hasn’t had a relationship, and Gus is afraid Papa doesn’t know what to do.” I tell her.

 

“Yeah, he tends to work a lot and I know he sees people but he told me he didn’t want to bring anybody permanent into my life.” Gus tells her.

 

“I think both Papa and Dad don’t know how to start a relationship. They are too busy working and exercising all night.” I tell her.

 

“Dad must think Justin needs to get in shape, Nana. They were making so much noise the other night that Emmett and Granny Deb told us we needed to camp out in the pool house, just to get some sleep.” Gus tells her.

 

“We tried to look up romancing a gay man, so we could help, but the parental control on the computer blocked a lot of stuff.” I tell her.

 

“You and Tucker seem to know how to make a relationship work, you’ve been together forever.” I tell her.

 

JEN

 

I think I need to have a talk with the two dads. Exercising, that’s the best they could come up with? I look at the two matchmakers and decide to help them before Jackson hacks into the wrong sites.

 

“Nana, maybe you could tell my dad what people are supposed to do on dates. I heard Mama say that Dad likes to eat Trix. I think Justin would rather eat something other than cereal.” Gus tells me. I think I need to find Mama and explain not to talk in front of little boys.

 

“Trix are good, but you're right Gus, no one wants cereal on a date.” I tell him.

 

“Will you help us Nana? I want Papa to live with us.” Jackson tells me.

 

“I’ll talk to them for you later. Right now we have a cartoon to watch and pancakes to eat.” I tell the boys.

 

I wanted to laugh at the thought of Brian handing Justin a bowl of cereal and calling it a date, but the boys were so serious. I wouldn’t mind Brian for a son-in-law.

 

BRIAN

 

I talked to Mikey with the cheerleading squad behind me. I wanted to tell Mikey he could take his friend and shove him up his ass. Emmett was right, because I tell Mikey I want to introduce him to Justin, and Mikey ignores that I will be with Justin and tries to set me up with his fellow loser. 

 

“Now I feel dirty, having had to talk to the enemy.” I complain to them.

 

“Brian we aren’t asking you to sleep with him, just make nice.” Emmett tells me. Justin starts gagging.

 

“Emmett don’t make me picture that, I want to be able to keep my food down.” Justin tells him.

 

“He can’t be that bad. I mean someone married him.” Daphne tries to reason.

 

“Girl, the man has this weird patch of hair on his chest, I tried to get him to wax it. He told me waxing hurt and he liked his patch. He has this nasally whine that will make you want to throw duct tape over his mouth when he starts talking. And, Justin and I unfortunately had to not only hear that the whining extends to when he orgasams, but the fact is that his dick makes my thumb look big.” Emmett tells her.

 

“Okay, you win Emmett.” Daphne tells him, shuddering. 

 

The doorbell rings and Natalie, Justin, and Daphne race out to get it. Did I say Justin was mature? I follow behind them to keep them out of trouble. Daphne gets to the door first and opens it. Ben is standing there. Daphne opens the door wider and looks behind Ben and around the driveway.

 

“Daphne what are you looking for?” Emmett asked her.

 

“I’m looking for Ben, because if the description of Michael I got is true, there is no way this hunk is married to him.” Daphne smiles at Ben.

 

“Please tell me you're not Ben. I want to be able to keep imagining a Brian and Ben sandwich with me as the peanut butter holding you together.” Natalie tells Ben.

 

“Sorry, I’m Ben.” He tells them.

 

“Daphne and I will just pretend you weren’t stupid enough to marry this Michael character, it takes points off your hunk status. Brian made a few up though, since Emmett told us he and Justin have been fucking like bunnies. I’m Natalie, I will be your conductor on this ride.” Natalie tells Ben.

 

“Look, I just want to say a big fuck you to Michael, then leave and try to find the person I was. Trust me when I tell you, none of the people in this room has as much of a reason as I do to want to get revenge on my husband.” Ben tell her.

 

“I truthfully don’t care about you or Michael, I just don’t like people shitting on Justin and Jackson. Michael screwed up when he called them freeloaders, then fucked his mother over.” Natalie tells him.

 

“Deb, I’m having the house signed back over to you. I should have stopped Michael but I was pissed at him and took it out on all of you.” Ben tells us.

 

“Instead of apologizing to everyone for being an asshole, let them help.” Justin tells him.

 

“Not that I don’t love the heart to heart, but either get in the house and help or go plan your little show that won’t last long enough for anyone to care.” I tell Ben.

 

Ben comes into the house and is ushered to the kitchen. Natalie told Ben to give her the video tape, so she can see what we’re working with. 

 

“Deb, you might not want to see this.” Ben warns her.

 

Deb thinks about it and decides to watch, she tells us she’ll leave if she can’t stand it. The tape rolls and the video starts like most pornos, with shit talk. Then Michael starts acting like the guy’s a trick and even tells him to call him Brian. Shit, this is bad. Natalie scrunches up her face as Michael pulls out his dick and tells the guy not to choke on it, while we shake our heads at the vienna sausage. Justin and Emmett beg them to fast forward it. Deb leaves the room and tells us she can’t watch anymore. Daphne tells her to stop the tape and play it at normal speed. Is that a tail sticking out of Michael’s ass? I’m kind of insulted, if he is going to pretend to be me. I don’t do things like that. They start forwarding and stop when Michael and Eli are talking. I guess Monty never learned how to be exciting. Natalie asked if Ben got more of the conversations. Ben told her Michael and Eli like to talk shit after they were done. Justin tells them he wants to be able to still get it up so the girls were on their own. Justin tells me he wants to pick up Gus and Jackson from his mom. I told him we were picking up our sons together. The cheer squad awed.

 

JUSTIN

 

Brian and I need to talk about what we want from each other. I don’t want to us to be fuckbuddies, because the kids would misinterpret it as being more than that and the most important thing is that they not be hurt. I also don’t think we know each other well enough to call it a relationship. I want to, but not if it’s going to hurt the boys. Emmett told me that Brian is doing things with me that he never does. It could mean he just likes the sex or that he likes it with me. I wanted to scream ‘just move in and we can figure out the rest later’, but it sounded too crazy one night stand to me. Deb told me that I should make sure I tell Brian what I want and what I won’t put up with. What if he tells me that he isn’t going to be given conditions? What if he likes the freedom of not having to be tied down to one person? 

 

“Justin, as much as your silence is welcome after the girls constant yapping at the house, I need directions to your mother’s house.” Brian tells me.

 

“Just turn left on the next street and she’s the fourth condo down.” I tell him.

 

“Want to tell me what your thinking so hard about?” Brian asks me.

 

“I guess I need to know what we’re doing. I just didn’t want to say anything because we’ve only been with each other for a week and we really don’t know each other that well.” I tell him.

 

“I know I want to spend time with you and Jackson. Gus needs to see that being a kid isn’t having a mother who is selfish enough to use her son to get her way. That he’s important because he is special just for being him. I watched you welcome people into your life and teach Jackson and Gus that the world isn’t a bad place. Jackson thought nothing of you taking in Deb and Emmett. You didn’t expect them to do anything but be your friend. I’m so used to people telling me I owe them for being there for me that I waited to see what you were going to tell them they had to do for your kindness. You want to know what I want? I want to know you, and be the kind of father you are, to both Jackson and Gus.” Brian tells me.

 

I stayed silent until we pulled into the driveway at my mother’s condo. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I turned to face Brian and leaned up and pulled our foreheads together. I wanted to look in his eyes.

 

“You already are that father, never let anyone tell you that you aren’t. The world is full of bad, but we teach the kids to look beyond the outside and see if the person is worth saving. That’s what I’m looking for in your eyes and have found. You're worth it Brian. I can’t tell you what is going to happen in the future, but for now, you're who I see when I dream of my future. If you're willing to try, than we do the best we can, and if it doesn’t work we stay friends and raise the kids.” I tell him.

 

“I don’t try. I succeed.” Brian tells me before kissing me. 

 

I crawl on his lap and deepen the kiss. I want to devour him, this gorgeous man who I can’t seem to stop wanting every minute of the day. I start kissing his neck and want to feel his skin. I reach back up and start kissing him again. Then there was this knocking sound, I turn to see Gus and Jackson smiling and my mother giving me the mom look. Brian laughs and rolls down the window.

 

“Mother Taylor, we came to get the boys.” Brian tells her.

 

“Did you get lost on the way out of the car?” Mom asks.

 

“Justin was just explaining how to do CPR. It’s really important.” Brian tells her.

 

“Next time wait until you're not in my driveway.” Mom tells Brian with a smile.

 

We go to get the boys things and Mom tells me the boys want to get Brian and I together. She told me that after the driveway, she didn’t think we needed any help.

 

Chapter 18 by starlight

BRIAN 

 

Ted and Ben settled on an amount for the sale for the house, Ben told us the two houses beside his were vacant. Justin and Natalie told Ted they're buying those houses. Deb was worried about the money they were spending.

 

“Deb, it’s pocket change to us. Justin could buy half the neighborhood before he would have to worry.” Natalie tells her.

 

“I also like the idea of helping someone who wasn't as lucky as I was. I had a friend who stuck by me, and I was able to find a way to support Jackson without doing things other people have had to do. By having a place to go, so a hustler can get his life back together, or a pregnant teen can give their baby a better life than the streets, is worth any amount of money.” Justin tells her. 

 

Deb tells them she wants to be a part of it and is willing to sell her house to help. Natalie tells her to keep the house, she would be paying her part with mothering. She could rent out her house if she wants.

 

I laid in bed this morning watching Justin sleep, and wonder why I care about helping Ben. He could have walked away and started his life over without all this bullshit about revenge. When I don’t want someone in my life, they no longer exist for me. I don’t care if they suffer, or if they live happily ever after. The only reason I’m doing any of this is because Deb deserved better. I want Michael gone from my life, but he just keeps popping back in. Justin, Jackson, and Gus are the only people who matter to me. I look at Justin and I see Michael’s opposite in every way. Justin cares for people, they could be a beggar on the street and Justin would look and see a wounded vet that we all pass by. Michael would tell the guy to get a job and stop begging. Justin stayed with Gus that first day because he worried that a child was upset. Michael wouldn’t even have noticed. Justin is my future, so I need to get up and deal with the past one last time, both of them.

 

I got to my office and called my lawyer. I decide it’s time to use all the information we collected over the years on Lindsay. I thought I was doing the right thing letting Lindsay stay in Gus’s life, but watching Jackson, I know Lindsay is doing more harm than good. Gus told me she was interested in Jackson and keeps trying to get Gus to introduce them. I promised Justin that nothing would taint Jackson, and it’s time to keep my word. 

 

“Gabe, I want Lindsay out of Gus’s life,” I tell him.

 

“I told you the last time it was going to take using the information we have. I told you from the beginning it was better to lay it all out.” Gabe tells me.

 

“The judge wanted Gus to be able to still have contact with Lindsay. They still believe it’s better for Gus to be in contact with his mother.” I tell him.

 

“You didn’t let me tell them about her leaving him with some drugged out groupie of Sam’s so she could scream like a fishwife when Sam was screwing some woman at his show. If it hadn’t been for the gallery owner stopping the girl, she could have fed your son ecstasy. If we plan to go back to court, you agree to let me do my job and let the court hear how Lindsay worried more about herself then Gus.” Gabe tells me.

 

“I’m giving you permission to use anything that keeps her away from my children.” I tell him.

 

“Children? Brian is there something you didn’t tell me.” Gabe asks.

 

“I just found out, I have another child. And now Lindsay is trying to play mommy dearest to him.” I tell Gabe.

 

“I’m going to ask, and you need to not be an ass, are you sure the kid is yours? You're worth a lot of money Brian.” Gabe asks me.

 

“His father doesn’t need my money, he’s probably richer than me.” I tell Gabe.

 

“I’ll file today, I’ll send copies to Cynthia for you.” Gabe hangs up and I sit wondering if I’m doing the right thing.

 

“Brian, I wanted to come over early and see if you wanted to take a long lunch. We haven’t been able to talk without everyone around in a long time.” Michael tells me as he walks into my office. I almost called Cynthia and told her to fire whoever let him in. 

 

“Sure, you want to go to the diner, or do you think someone might kick your ass for what you did to Deb?” I smirk at him. I said I would try to be nice, not that I wasn’t going to take a few shots.

 

“I think we should look for a new place you and I can turn it into a new tradition. The ‘Brian and Mikey Show, a new beginning'.” Michael tells me. God he’s such an idiot.

 

“We should include Emmett and Ted, make it like a reunion.” I tell him.

 

“Brian, I think it’s time we dump the baggage. I think if you gave Monty, Eli, and Paul a chance, you’d see there is more to life that tricking and hanging out at clubs.” Michael tells me.

 

“I guess we’ll see tonight, when I meet all your new improved friends.” I say sarcastically. Michael nods and smiles, I guess he only heard what he wanted.

 

We leave and head to some high end deli, where Michael orders a meatball sub and makes a mess. I wanted to take pictures. This is Michael, the sophisticated gay man. Michael talks about Eli and Paul like they’re the second coming. All I can see is Michael with a tail and the nasally scream when he came on Eli. I shiver and want to spit the food out. Michael asked if I was cold. I told him I had to get back but would meet them at the restaurant tonight with Justin. Michael tells me if everyone hadn’t wanted to meet Justin, he would have suggested just he and I go out with them tonight. I left before I could tell Michael ‘not in this lifetime’.

 

MICHAEL

 

It was so great to hang out with Brian today. I made sure to talk up Paul, and told Paul to look his best tonight. I asked Ben to please be nice to Brian, we were trying to work on our friendship. Ben told me he was just there as arm candy. I laughed and told him that was Justin’s job tonight. Monty and Eli wanted to ride to the restaurant together. I let Monty sit in the front with Ben. I wanted to fuck around with Eli right in front of them, not that they would figure it out. Ben pulled up and told us to go in and he would park the car. We arrived in time to meet Paul with the hostess. I pulled Paul to the side.

 

“When Brian gets here, try to get him away from Justin.” I told him.

 

“Michael, let's just go in and I promise to flirt with him. I don’t want to piss him off the minute he gets here.” Paul tells me.

 

“Just make sure Brian get’s your number before he leaves, and try to arrange a date.” I tell him. Ben comes in and I walk to him. The hostess tells us Brian and Justin are already at the table. She leads us to the table and I want to run ahead and push Justin off Brian. They’re kissing each other. Brian looks up and welcomes us to the table.

 

I get seated on the other side of the table from Brian. I tried to get Monty to change seats with me, but Ben told me to sit down. I waited for Brian to say something but he just started introducing Justin to everyone. 

 

“Justin, I wanted to tell you, my children love your books. They just started reading the new young adult books.” Monty gushes. I want to smack him.

 

“My editor and I are thinking of putting in a ‘children to young adults’ category. I recently signed books for eight to fourteen year olds, it seems that I hit a younger market than we targeted.” Justin tells everyone. 

 

“Michael said you're a painter too. I was trying to find out if I’d seen your work.” Monty the suck up says.

 

“I paint under the name JJ Taylor. I was trying to separate my work. I wanted to be taken seriously as a painter.” Justin tells them.

 

“I think I own one of your paintings, it was called 'The Face of God'.” Paul, the traitor, puts in.

 

“That was one of my favorites, it was youthful folly. I thought I saw the face of God my first time venturing into the gay world.” Justin tells us. Brian starts smiling at Justin.

 

“What made you write children’s books?” Eli asks. What the fuck, Brian and I were suppose to talk, not these idiots. I start to get pissed, Justin isn’t that big a deal.

 

“Brian and I have a son together; Jackson is highly intelligent and normal children's books couldn’t keep his interest. I wanted something that helped kids learn faster than ‘see Dick and Jane run’, those books are great but I wanted something that challenged our children’s minds.” Justin tells us.

 

“We have a community gathering where we like to discuss ways to help our children and social issues, it would be great if you would agree to speak at one.” Monty tells Justin. I want to start screaming for them to shut up.

 

“My agent and I are hosting a charity event at Babylon Friday. Brian and I want to raise awareness of the young gay men on the street, and teens who find themselves abandoned by family when they find themselves pregnant. Brian wanted to show the people of Liberty Avenue that Babylon was more than a club that promotes promiscuity.” Justin tells all of them.

 

“Brian, I’m glad that you finally see that there is more to life than the backroom.” Monty tells him.

 

“Well Eli, Justin asked and really, could you say no to him? I figure whatever keeps me out of the dog house with the ball and chain works for me. You know what that’s like, since you and Monty never stray.” Brian tells Monty.

 

“Brian, I’m Monty, this man to my left is Eli.” Monty tells him.

 

“Sorry, you must just look alike because of your long monogamous marriage.” Brian jokes.

 

“I wanted to invite everyone here to the event on Friday. Feel free to invite all your friends, we want to make it successful. I plan on auctioning off a painting to raise money. Ben is working with a friend of mine, Brett Keller. Brett loved Ben’s movie and wanted to show it at the event.” Justin tells everyone.

 

Everyone starts talking to Ben, telling them they can’t wait to see it. I play the proud husband. I told Ben he should have introduced me to his new famous friends. Ben told me he was going to when we went to the event this Friday. 

 

Justin had everyone eating out of his hands and I wanted to tell them he was nothing but a trick that got knocked up. Brian was practically up his ass all night. I was so glad when everyone wanted to leave. I tried to catch up with Brian and get him to go for a drink with me. Ben kept talking to me and by the time I turned around Brian was gone. I didn’t even get to talk to him.

 

 

JUSTIN

 

Brian and I left the restaurant, both of glad to get out of there finally. I love playing WASP. It reminds me of my life growing up. Brian told me we were going to stay away from the morality police until Friday. I was fine with that. We spent the rest of the week taking care of the boys and leaving the planning to Natalie and the thirty people she brought to town. Natalie rented a hotel for everyone, after Brian told her he wanted to be able to have monkey sex without tripping over everyone.

 

I woke up this morning and almost told Brian he could go tonight by himself. The video of Michael and the crazy shit he does made me want to hurl. I told Natalie I would be there to help get it started but they could fill me in on the rest. I got up and just about fell back in bed. I need to start eating more, Brian and I seem to forget food when we look at each other. I get up slower and everything is normal again. 

 

Emmett was downstairs cooking breakfast for the boys. I walked in and kissed them on top of their heads. Emmett asks me if I want bacon. I looked at the greasy bacon and ran past Brian out of the room. The bacon smelled bad, I barely made it to the bathroom in time to throw up. I finally felt better and went back to get some toast. Brian told me he’d take the kids with him this morning, it was on his way. The boys told Brian they wanted me to take them. We stop for donuts on the way, it’s our secret. Brian told them he’d get them a donut, guess it wasn’t that big a secret. They grab their things and follow Brian out the door. I really wanted a donut. I tell Emmett we need to go get a couple dozen for the troops.

 

LINDSAY

 

I got papers from Brian’s lawyer, Brian is trying to make it so I can’t see Gus. I start reading the documents and can’t believe the things they listed. I mean it happened, but I didn’t know they had someone watching and photographing it. I ask my mother if I could talk to her lawyer, Stan, about the paperwork. 

 

Stan read the papers and told me that supervised visitation is the most I could hope for, even that could be challenged. I asked about the prenup that Sam and I have. He told me it would hold up, unless we could prove Sam was abusive. I told him Sam was emotionally abusive, he told me I needed witnesses and people who were willing to testify. That would be a total bust, I don’t have anyone who would do that. 

 

I left Stan and drove to the house Sam and I shared. I walked around the empty rooms, Sam had the house cleared out while I was staying with my mother. It was as empty as my life, maybe it’s time to let go of Brian and find my own place in the world. I sat on the floor of the bedroom and thought about the stupid decisions I made and wondered if you get redemption.

 

“Ever wonder why everything went to shit?” Sam asks me.

 

I turn and look at him, “No. It happened because instead of doing the right thing, I chased a dream. Sorry about your car, I just got mad.” I tell him.

 

“I can buy a new one. I only told you it was my favorite to see if you’d destroy it.” Sam tells me.

 

“Figures, I couldn’t even get that right.” I tell him. Sam sits next to me.

 

“We could try again, I miss the woman who would laugh at a joke.” He tells me.

 

“I miss the man who treated me like I was his muse.” I tell him.

 

“We should go to Paris.” Sam tells me.

 

“Why not, but I have to do one thing first.” I tell him.

 

I leave the house and drive to Brian’s office. I owe it to him to do this in person. I walk into his office and he looks like he would rather eat ground glass that speak to me.

 

“Brian, please listen. I know you don’t owe me anything, but listen. I need to apologize for everything. I wanted you, it didn’t matter who I hurt. I want to do one last thing and hope one day Gus will want to see me again.” I tell him. I hand him the agreement to stay out of Gus’s life until he turns eighteen.

 

“Why?” Brian asks me.

 

“To give Gus a good life, to say I’m sorry for everything and maybe one day Peter and Wendy can visit again. I’m going back to Sam, but this time I don’t want your ghost in our marriage. We’ll probably last till the next fight, but I made this bed.” I tell him.

 

“Good luck Lindsay.” That is all he said as I walked out the door. I whispered ‘Good-bye Peter’ under my breath. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 19 by starlight

JUSTIN 

 

Brian called and told me Lindsay came by and agreed to leave Gus alone. She was going back to Sam and they are moving to Paris.

 

“Maybe she'll try to fix her problems.” I tell him.

 

“Until she loses her mind again.” Brian tells me. 

 

“Brian, take the gift and run with it.” I tell him. 

 

“We need to talk about your optimism. In the real world you have nutballs like Lindsay and Michael.” Brian tells me. 

 

“You mean in your dysfunctional life there are nutballs. All I did was get knocked up by you.” I tell him. 

 

“How are the plans going?” Brian asks me. 

 

“Project ‘embarrass the upstanding gay men of Stepfordville’ is finished, just waiting around now.” I tell him. I grabbed another donut.

 

Looking around, Natalie set up the screens to flash scenes of Michael and Eli, then Brett added animals mating as a parody to the icky Michael sex. I almost wish we'd added a charity for head examinations, these guys need one. Brett had his crew interview the neighborhood, he wanted to use the responses and pair them up with Michael and Eli’s comments. It started out with just voice overs and led over to Michael and Eli laying in bed. It’s amazing how well Brett was able to put it together so fast. Natalie argued with Ben to change it from ‘Oppression’ to ‘My New Start’. She told Ben it went with the charity and Ben’s theme, Ben finally agreed. Emmett decorated the club in Rainbow flags and had the confetti changed from metallic silver to a variety of colors. 

 

I was sitting around sketching the scene in front of me. I painted the “Streets of Liberty” to stay in Natalie’s theme. She was on the fence about auctioning it, she thought I should do a series for my show in New York next month. I agreed to work with that idea in my next set.

 

Brian and I were going to take the boys out to an early dinner and my mom volunteered to keep them overnight again. She wanted to make Friday night her standing date night with the boys. She asked whose idea it was to tell the boys we were exercising, we pointed at Emmett. Emmett told Jen she was trying to protect little ears. 

 

Brian called and told me he was waiting outside, he didn’t want to see his club turned into a Pride Float until he had to. I waved and ran before they asked me to pick up anything. Brian and I picked up the boys and took them to the diner. 

 

“Dad, I need to get a Solar Panel and potatoes.” Jackson told him.

 

“I have potatoes at home.” I tell Jackson.

 

“I need more. I need at least two hundred potatoes.” Jackson tells me, “Um, I also need some copper wire, and a meter for electrical current.” Jackson tells me. 

 

“Is there some reason you need these items?” Brian asks him. 

 

“I wanted to show that potatoes could carry as much current as a solar panel, I was going to attempt to jumpstart a car, but I didn’t think Dad would let me. So instead I was going to wire it into a lamp, watching it brighten will show the same thing.” Jackson tells Brian.

 

“Do you need it tonight?” Brian asks him.

 

“No, but I wanted to get it set up by Sunday. Gus agreed to help me wire the potatoes together.” Jackson tells him. Gus is nodding. 

 

“You do this in your part of the garage, I don’t want potatoes all over the house.” I tell both boys.

 

“I know Dad.” Jackson tells me.

 

“Justin, the guys on the team wanted to know if you’ll bring stuff for the game on Sunday?” Gus asks me.

 

“Drinks and snacks or sandwiches?” I ask him.

 

“Aunty Anne said all the parents were going to start bringing stuff too, so if you don’t mind they wanted the sandwiches you brought last time.” Gus tells me.

 

“I’ll arrange for the sandwiches and Justin and I will bring them.” Brian tells Gus.

 

We finish eating and take the boys to my mom’s house. Brian drives us to the loft and tells me he had some clothes delivered for us to wear tonight. I thought my sweater and cargo’s were fine. 

 

“If we have to go, we dress for it.” Brian tells me.

 

I look in the bag and pull out tan leather pants and a blue half shirt. I shrug, if he want’s to show off my ass, he deals with the consequences. Brian wears jeans, a black sleeveless tee, and a shirt unbuttoned over it. I twirl in the outfit and Brian grabs a long shirt to wear with the outfit, you know, in case I get cold tonight. 

 

Brian tells me we’re going in the back entrance, he didn’t want to deal with Michael until he had to. We watch from the monitors in his office as people start filling the club. I see Michael and his group come in, I think he brought the whole neighborhood. I snicker at the idea of the neighbors descending like zombies when they hear what Eli and Michael really think of them. Brian and I finally go down to the stage and wait.

 

Daphne takes the stage.

 

“Good Evening and thank you for joining us for a good cause tonight. We are here to raise money for “My New Start”, a charity that will help young men and women get off the streets and begin a new life. I would like to first thank the ‘TK Foundation’ for purchasing the property which we will be breaking ground on on Monday. The houses that currently reside on the property will be replaced with a one large building. “My New Start” will be open to young men and women whose families have abandoned them for not living in the closet, but Out and Proud. We want to offer these children and teens a chance to finish school and be less likely to turn back to the streets. I hope everyone will dig deep in their pockets and help this new foundation become a success. The waiters will not be taking tips tonight, but will instead add that to any donation you generously give. Thank you and enjoy the evening.” 

 

Natalie takes the stage.

 

“Just a small speech so we can start getting everyone drunk and donating. JJ Taylor has generously donated a painting tonight that embodies the reasons we are here.” Two men walk out and put the painting on an easel. “Anyone who wants to bid on the painting will need to go the south bar and put their bids in. The person who wins will be contacted tomorrow morning. Thank you JJ for allowing your work to help a great cause. We also have various movie memorabilia  located throughout the room that were donated by Brett Keller and will be available for auction. Bidding for these items will also be at the south bar.

 

The music starts up and everyone is looking at the items and begins walking to the bar to put bids in.

 

BRIAN

 

I watch Michael’s friends all piss themselves to bid on one of the items. I can’t wait till Monday, when they figure out the street urchins are going to live across the street from them. Justin told me when the film starts he wants to be standing on the catwalk and far away from Michael. Daphne and Natalie come giggling up to us.

 

“TK Foundation?” I ask Daphne.

 

“I wanted it to sound official.” Daphne tells me.

 

“Daphne and I want  to stand on the stage so we can jump in like a mosh pit when the movie gets to the the good part.” Natalie tells us.

 

“How about we just watch from here, you get to see all the action.” Justin tells them. The girls boo him. 

 

“Brian, I’ve been looking for you. I guess you have to play hubby dearest to poor little Justin.” Michael says to us.

 

“Natalie, you know I didn’t believe them, but shit Michael, you do whine.” Daphne tells him.

 

“Who the fuck are you?” Michael sneers.

 

“I’m the bitch who is going to kick your ass if you don’t get some manners.” Daphne sneers at Michael.

 

“Brian, are you going to let them talk to me like that?” Michael asks me.

 

“Daphne can you at least kick his ass down stairs, I don’t want to try to get blood off the stairs.” I tell Daphne.

 

“You got it Brian. Well whiny man, want to see if I can kick your ass?” Daphne asks him. 

 

“Brian why don't you come and hang out with the adults? Obviously Justin only has children for friends.” Michael says to me. 

 

Justin smiles and takes off the shirt. He tells the girls it’s time to show the queers how to dance. I watch him walking away and want to kill Michael. That’s my ass, and now I’m going to have to kill a few hundred men. Michael is still talking, but I walk away to catch up with Justin. Justin grabs Emmett and they start dancing together. I watch men stare as Justin closes his eyes and begins to move. I move in behind him and we start dancing together. I turn him so we can grind. Justin dances like he fucks, every move is for maximum effect. 

 

MICHAEL

 

I watch Brian and Justin practically fuck on the floor and decide that I can do better. I walk up to Ben and tell him to dance with me. Ben tells me to ask my boyfriends, Paul and Eli. I laugh and tell him to stop teasing. Ben walks off. I stand there and have to watch all the men stare at Brian and Justin. Eli tells me we should slip into the backroom. We walk to the backroom and try to get guys to join us, but no one would. We walk out of the backroom an hour later and see Monty standing at the bar watching us. Shit, he looks pissed. The music stops finally and Brett Keller and Ben walk on the stage. 

 

“Good Evening, I wanted to come up tonight and thank all the people who helped with the short film we made to end the evening with. Everyone is invited to stay and dance the night away, and remember all the money from tonight will go toward “My New Start”. Brett waves and walks off the stage.

 

“I just wanted to dedicate this to Michael and Eli, two men who have always proclaimed gay men can have monogamous relationships. Enjoy the short, this is for you two.” Ben smiles at me and walks behind the stage.

 

I stand in the front. All the guys were smiling that Ben wanted to dedicate it to me and Eli.

 

It started with Paul, being asked what he feels is the biggest misconception about gay men.

 

“That we don’t care who we sleep with.” Paul answers. 

 

“Paul will give up his ass to anyone.” I hear through the speakers. Eli said that after Paul left one day. Everyone laughs, Paul turns and looks at Eli.

 

“Monty, does monogamy take the spice out of the marriage?” 

 

“I think you invent your own spice and you don’t need other men.” Monty tells the interviewer.

 

“He thinks pulling out his dick is foreplay. I want to tell Monty the ten minutes it takes for him to cum isn’t worth taking my shirt off for.” Monty turns to look at Eli. 

 

It keeps going and at one point the voice becomes me. I watch as the people we made fun of are surrounding us. Then I see Ben doing an interview.

 

“Was it easy to get in a relationship being HIV positive?”

 

“I always told anyone beforehand that I’m positive. I never want to lie and possibly harm another person. I was lucky that my partner saw me as a person and not a disease. Our neighbor Eli is always there to tell everyone HIV shouldn’t mean being treated differently.” Ben tells them.

 

“I can’t stand to let Ben touch me anymore.” I see me and Eli on the bed.

 

“Ben is hot, but I get what you're saying. I can’t figure out how you could let someone who was so careless about his health touch you. It makes my skin crawl every time he comes near my kids. I want to carry sanitizer and clean the kids whenever Ben hugs them.”

 

“I must have scrubbed the house with bleach every time he touched something.” I almost tell everyone they left out that my mom didn’t want me to marry Ben, but they all look pissed.

 

I hear someone gasp and look up to see me and Eli wearing the fucking tails and then it changes to animals mating. The film starts moving faster and everyone gets to see the people we fucked around with in the neighborhood. I started trying to back out of the crowd. I bump into Ben.

 

“Michael enjoy your life. I wanted to give you one last thing. In the envelope is a bill of a sale on our house, you have till Monday morning before they demolish it. You can keep the marriage certificate, because here in the US it’s as useless as you have been as a husband. Oh yeah, I signed Deb’s house back to her, since you were only acting like a total dick, kicking your mother out of her home. Hope you find a job or you might need to ask your mother for a room at ‘My New Start.’ Brian wanted me to mention one thing before I go. STAY THE FUCK OUT OF HIS LIFE. Now it’s time for my new start. Good luck, Monty doesn’t look happy-go-lucky tonight.” I watch Ben walk off and turn to see everyone staring at me like I’m scum. I look up and see Brian and Justin walk down the stairs and out the door. 

 

I look at Ted and Emmett and they shake their heads at me. My mother walks up to me and I sigh in relief. I have someone.

 

“Michael, I changed the locks so you might want to throw away your key.” Ma tells me and walks away.

 

 

Chapter 20 by starlight

JUSTIN 

 

After leaving Babylon, I told Brian we needed to eat. Brian asked how I could still be hungry. 

 

“We ate hours ago, and if you want any of this ass, you’ll feed me.” I told him.

 

“Brian, you don't get between Justin and food. When we were growing up, I always brought extra food because Justin would pout if I didn't feed him. My mom once said Justin only liked holidays because he could eat the leftovers at both houses.” Daphne tells him. 

 

“Your mother used spices, that’s why I wanted her food. My mom wouldn’t put a touch of salt and pepper in most stuff, probably because the sperm donor didn’t want anything that tasted good.” Justin tells her. 

 

“Your mom is a great cook, you just liked stuffing your face.” Daphne tells me. 

 

“Well, you suck at cooking. I remember having to get your mom to send us care packages when we lived in New Hampshire.” I stick my tongue out at her.

 

“Remember when you ate tuna for the first month you were pregnant. Justin ate so much, the doctor had to order him to stop. Justin tried to convince the doctor he had to have it, the doctor stopped trying to get him to listen and told me mercury is bad. I had to throw it out, because Mr Taylor kept sneaking into the kitchen in the middle of the night. Like I couldn’t hear the can opener.” She tells us. 

 

“Is that why you didn't have any tuna when I was looking for it?” Emmett asks me. 

 

“Yeah.” I tell him. “Tuna sounds kind of good right now. Man, and some cole slaw, maybe a milkshake, and onion rings with chili and cheese.”

 

“Um Justin, might want to save some food for the starving children in Africa.” Natalie tells me. I ordered and told them I’d send a check to the kids in Africa.

 

“So how long are you in town for?” Emmett asks the girls.

 

“I can stay until Tuesday, but I have to get back to the hospital. My residency is almost through thank God, then I just have to decide on a hospital.” Daphne tells us.

 

“We have hospitals here.” Emmett tells her.

 

“It might be a possibility, Stuart can work from anywhere. It would be easier on him and Justin to be in the same state.” Daphne tells a clapping Emmett.

 

“I can stay until Justin kicks my ass out.” Natalie tells us.

 

“You can stay at the loft, Justin and I have too many guests as it is.” Brian tells them.

 

“I need to get started on Gus and Jackson’s room. We need to make sure Gus doesn’t want his own room.” I tell Brian. I grabbed a tomato from his salad and dunked it in my gravy. 

 

“We should stop by the loft and pack up some more clothes and Gus’s toys.” Brian tells me.

 

“We could stay there tonight and pack most of the stuff. Emmett could come by with my SUV in the morning.” I tell Brian.

 

“I can get Cynthia to arrange the movers for Monday.” Brian tells me. I took his salad and finished it. I was looking at Daphne’s burger, she slid it to me.

 

“You want to use the other room downstairs for an office?” I ask him.

 

“We can both use yours, no sense in using two rooms and setting up another connection.” Brian tells me. We watch as Daphne and Natalie hand Emmett money. 

 

“You couldn’t wait two more days.” Daphne glares at me.

 

“For what?” I ask her.

 

“To move the baby daddy in.” Daphne tells me.

 

Wow, I didn’t even realize that we were doing that. Guess Brian’s moving in. I shrug at her and try to steal some of Natalie’s fries. Brian grabs my hand and tells everyone he’s taking the garbage disposal home. I wanted to ask if we could take some lemon bars to go. We were walking out when I hear Daphne say, “I hate Justin, he can eat like a pig and never get fat. With my luck if I ever have kids I’ll gain fifty pounds in my ass, unlike Mr ‘I only gained ten pounds being pregnant’.”

 

MICHAEL

 

I sat outside the diner and watched everyone, I wanted to go in there and ask if they enjoyed ruining my life. I got out of Babylon before Monty caught up to me. I need to get out of town for a while, hopefully this will all die down and I can come back. I call a number, and hope he still wants me to visit for a while. 

 

“Hey David, I wanted to come see you. Maybe it’s time we talked.” I tell him.

 

“You understand that if I send you a ticket, you need to leave Pittsburgh out of our lives.” David tells me.

 

I agree and tell him I can be on a plane on Sunday. David and I stayed in contact, I always made sure he would be available. I like the fact that David wants me to stay home and take care of Hank. I want to give Brian a chance to miss me, then I’ll be back. I should have just convinced David to move back here. 

 

BRIAN

 

I woke up to Justin groaning and holding his hand over his mouth.

 

“If you hadn’t eaten all that crap last night, you wouldn’t be getting sick.” I tell him.

 

“I don’t have time to get sick, I have a book signing this week and a show next week. I have to get the layout for Stuart done in between, and we have to find a billion potatoes so the boys can light up the fucking lamp.” Justin tells me. He lays back down and is asleep again. 

 

I get up and start packing some of Gus’s things. I let lazy twat sleep. I was looking through my calendar to see if I could squeeze in the art show and book signing. It might work if I call and change my check up to next month. 

 

“Justin, I can change my yearly exam if you want me to go to your book signing.” I yell at him.

 

“You can come, but it’s just a lot of sitting around and talking to fans.” Justin yells back.

 

“You want me to see if my doctor can fit you in for your checkup?” I ask him.

 

“I don’t normally go unless something’s wrong.” Justin tells me.

 

“I’ll get him to fit you in, hopefully we can do it on the same day. Always get a checkup every year. You also need to get screenings every six months.” I tell him.

 

“Why? Other than allergies, nothing is wrong.” Justin tells me.

 

“Because you’re having sex.” I tell him.

 

“Let’s see, it was you, and eight years later, it was you. Not a lot going on in my world.” I tell him.

 

“I haven’t been as active as usual, but there have been a few guys since my last appointment.” I tell him.

 

“If you want to go, we’ll go.” Justin tells me.

 

“I don’t want to, but we need to. I can’t promise I won’t be with other men, but I don’t want to.” I tell him.

 

“I don’t know if I can promise you either, I want to too. I just think if we are honest, we won’t fall into the trap of sneaking around like other people do.” Justin tells me. I sat and thought about other guys getting to touch Justin, not fucking happening.

 

“We could at least try it. If we decide to we want to change it, we tell each other.” I tell him.

 

“Promise that no one comes to our house. If we are out, that’s different.” Justin tells me.

 

“That’s easy to promise you. I don’t know if I want to share you.” I admit to him.

 

“Then don’t, but don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself. If you fall off the wagon, tell me and we’ll work on it.” Justin tells me.

 

“Are we done being lesbians?” I smirk at him.

 

“Yeah, want to get some breakfast? I’m feeling better.” Justin tells me. I’m glad Justin doesn’t gain weight with the way he eats. 

 

I was grabbing my shaving kit and toothbrush out of the bathroom and think Justin and I should try the shower soon. I got a box of condoms out of my medicine cabinet and loaded everything into my bags. Looking at the shower I keep feeling like I forgot something. I’ll think of it later.

 

Emmett, Ted, and Blake are waiting for us. I look and see that Michael crawled his ass into the diner. I steer Justin toward the guys and ignore the idiot at the counter. Ted looked at me and rolled his eyes. Michael was trying to get someone to serve him, Kiki and crew walked around him. Deb brought him a to go box and slapped it in front of him. Hope she spit in it.

 

“Michael, take this and savor it, don’t come back here until you can grovel. You shit all over Liberty Avenue, and Liberty Avenue decided you can find a new street.” Kiki tells him. Deb stays silent, I know this is hurting her. No matter what my former friend did, he’s still her son. 

 

Michael stands up and starts towards the door. I want him to keep going, no one wants to hear what his limited brains cells want to spit out. He turns and walks towards us. Kiki stands in front of him, blocking his path. Michael stops.

 

“I just wanted to say, we were supposed to be family, and instead of sticking by me, you stabbed me in the back. Brian, wait until you do something that Ted and Emmett don’t like, and your twink sics his friends on you, then you’ll realize who your true friend was. All of you made fun of Brian and treated him like dirt. But Brian, instead of remembering who was there for you, you chose the guys who didn’t even really like you. They only stayed around you because I made them. Think about that and if you get your head out of your fucktoy’s ass, call me, I’ll be there for you.” Michael tells me. He stands there like I’m going to suddenly run to him.

 

“I remember all the things you did Michael. But you know, having to take care of your needy ass for the last decade probably makes up for the rides you gave me home. If I call, it will be so I can listen to you tell me I owe you for keeping me from having a life. I think I’ll take a pass. Bye bye now.” I tell him. I grab Justin and start eating his mouth. I hear the door open and close and hope Michael moves to the Arctic.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 21 by starlight

JUSTIN

 

I was on my way to the doctor’s appointment Brian scheduled for me. His was two days ago and they couldn’t fit me in until today. Brian got his results, all negative. I told him mine would be the same anyway. I promised him I would go, he seemed really worried about the appointment. 

 

After both Michael and Lindsay had left town, Natalie and Deb took great pleasure in thanking Michael’s old neighbors for helping to raise forty thousand dollars towards the charity. Monty and Eli actually showed up for the dedication. Granted they stood on opposite sides of the crowd. When they announced the building was being built on Michael’s old property they cheered, but I wondered how many would try to move out of the community. They might talk reform but they didn’t want to live next door to it. 

 

Michael left to go live with a guy he dated before Ben instead of trying to support himself. I was just glad to be on the other side of the country from him. Michael still hasn’t given up on Brian, he sends him three to four emails a day. Most contain his exciting life as a doctor’s wife, one is usually him bitching about Brian not replying. Emmett and I stopped reading after the first set. We thought it would be exciting, instead it was boring as hell. 

 

Lindsay calls on Saturdays and speaks to Gus. She keeps all the conversation on what Gus is doing. She’s been good so far. Brian allowed the phone calls as long as she didn’t upset Gus. Gus was like all little boys, he would rather play than talk to his mom.

 

Deb and Emmett moved into Deb’s house together. Emmett hates living alone, so Deb moved him in with her. After seeing their decorating choices, Brian told everyone involved in the design of the halfway house Emmett and Deb were not to decorate anything. 

 

I finally get called into the doctor’s exam room. The nurse gave me a gown and a cup for urine. I sat in the room and read the posters on the wall until the doctor finally arrived. I told him I was just supposed to get tested because Brian recommended it. He read through my chart and wanted to know about the pregnancy. I thought it was kind of stupid that he wanted to know. I’m here for a STD test. 

 

“It was eight years ago. I had a c-section, Jackson was healthy.” I tell him.

 

“Any complications at all?” He asks me.

 

“No. Well, I didn’t list all my allergies and had a reaction to a medication the doctor gave me.” I tell him.

 

“Let’s hope this pregnancy will be like your last one then.” He tells me.

 

“Yeah, sure... wait, WHAT?” I ask him.

 

“Mr Kinney was worried about STD’s when he was here. He explained that you had unprotected sex one night. You both were lucky that nothing came up in his test, remember that. He didn’t tell me you could get pregnant though, I just got the urine results and it tested positive for pregnancy.” He tells me.

 

The doctor filled out prescriptions for vitamins and I was told to schedule an appointment for next month. I got up and walked out of the building. I had to go kill the father of my children. 

 

BRIAN

 

When the doctor called and told me all my test results were clear, I breathed a sigh of relief. I couldn’t believe I forgot a fucking condom. I told the doctor Justin would most likely be fine, but to test him for everything. I couldn't believe I forgot.

 

Ted came in with financials and we were going over them. Cynthia buzzed me that a very pissed off Justin was heading my way. I was going to tell Ted to go, but Justin burst in before I got the chance. I need to tell him I was irresponsible and didn’t mean to risk his health.

 

“YOU ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO PUT YOUR DICK ANYWHERE NEAR MY ASS EVER AGAIN. I FUCK ONE GUY TWICE IN EIGHT YEARS AND YOUR SUPER SPERM KNOCKS ME UP BOTH TIMES. WHAT THE HELL MAKES ME SO SPECIAL? I MEAN, YOU'VE FUCKED HALF OF PITTSBURGH AND NOT A STRAY KID IN THE BUNCH. YOU FUCK ME AGAIN AND WE'RE TWO FOR TWO.” Justin yells. 

 

“Justin, I forgot to protect you the second night, when we were in the shower. I was worried about STD’s. I should have mentioned it sooner but I didn’t want to worry you... Wait could you repeat the last thing you said?” I ask him. I was so busy thinking of ways to apologize that it just registered what he said.

 

“Which part did you miss?” Justin glares.

 

“The part about being two for two.” I tell him. 

 

“You mean the part where you... knocked... my... ass... up. AGAIN.” Justin tells me. I nod. I know better than to smile at him.

 

Justin stands there waiting for me to say something. I walk over to him and hold his face in my hands. Looking into his eyes as I ask him, “Can we be happy about this?”

 

“Are you sure we're ready to be parents again?” Justin looks so unsure.

 

“You weren’t ready the first time, but you raised my son to be the perfect person he is. We get the chance to do this together this time. I won't lie and say I was thinking about having another child, but I can tell you I’m thrilled that if I get to have another one, that you're the father.” I tell him.

 

Justin starts to tear up and I hold him until he calms down. Ted walks over to us and hands me a tissue. 

 

“Congratulations guys.” Ted tells us and walks out of the office.

 

“Brian, we have to tell the boys, before anyone else.” Justin tells me. 

 

“Let’s take them out to dinner, not the diner. You want to eat anything special tonight?” I ask him.

 

“I really want Deb’s lasagna.” He tells me. 

 

“I’ll call her, but you know if we go over there everyone is going to know.” I tell him.

 

“Did you want to keep it a secret?” Justin asks me.

 

“I want to shout from the roof of Babylon that my super sperm struck again.” I smirk. 

 

Justin and I sit on my couch, I just want to stay here for a while. I think we need to start consolidating our lives. I want to make sure that Gus, Jackson, and number three are my only heirs. My sister and mother are fucked up enough to try and seize my assets. I don’t want Justin to have to fight them. 

 

“Justin, we need to talk about combining our finances. I don’t want any doubt that everything goes to you and the kids if something happens.” I tell him.

 

“I already took care of that when Jackson was born. When we moved back I wanted to make sure Craig couldn’t get custody of Jackson. I left everything to my mom and Molly. I didn’t know you at the time or it would have been you, now I need to make it so. I also need to get you put on the birth certificate. I left it blank because the idea of telling the nurses that it was this guy Brian, but I didn’t even know his last name didn’t sound any better. I also need to add Gus to my will.” Justin tells me.

 

I smile at him, because to Justin, Gus is his kid. I tell Cynthia to call my lawyer and tell him we need to meet with Justin’s lawyer. After settling that, I tell him to get the boys and meet me here.

Justin leaves a lot happier than when he came in.

 

I called Deb and asked if she could make dinner tonight. Deb was thrilled about having a family dinner, we had stopped doing them for the last few years. I tell her to expect the gang and Justin’s family. I think it’s time I meet Molly. Anne told me Molly had been Justin’s champion. 

 

I call Ted and ask him to come to my office, I need to make sure he doesn’t accidently let Emmett know he heard it first. 

 

“Theodore.” I say, before Ted interrupts me.

 

“I don’t know anything. I didn’t hear that you managed to shoot your super knock-up sperm into our poor little Sunshine.” Ted tells me. I look at Ted and change my mind.

 

“Ted, you get the honor of being able to tell the gang tonight at dinner. Emmett won the last bet. I think it’s time you get bragging rights.” I tell him.

 

“You think I’m going to be the one stupid enough to tell Emmett that I knew before him? No thank you. I value my ears, Emmett can keep the title. I’ll just be smug that I really knew first.” He tells me.

 

“Then you don’t get to tell everyone the story of Justin charging in here screaming.” I tell him.

 

“You suck, you just want an excuse for why I know before Emmett. You realize Natalie and Daphne are going to squash me like a bug for knowing before them. This isn’t an honor, it’s a nightmare.” Ted tells me. I notice as he walks out the door though, that he’s smiling.

 

Justin returns with the boys, and we want to tell them before we go. I want to be able to answer any questions they have. Justin tells the boys we need to talk to them. 

 

“Papa and I wanted to tell you two something before we see anybody else.” Justin tells them.

 

“Are you getting married?” Jackson asks us.

 

“No, but it’s along those lines.” I tell him.

 

“Justin and I just found out that we are going to have a baby.” I tell them.

 

Jackson is thrilled and jumps up to hug Justin and then me. Gus sits there and looks down at the floor. I ask Jackson if he want’s to go tell Cynthia. I need to know why Gus looks so upset. Jackson runs out of the room screaming for Cynthia. Justin and I sit on either side of Gus.

 

“You want to tell me what’s wrong sonny boy?” I ask him. He shakes his head no.

 

“Gus, we can’t help if you don’t tell us what’s wrong.” Justin tells him.

 

“Where am I going to go?” He asks us.

 

“I don’t understand what you're asking sonny boy.” I tell him. 

 

“You know, like when Mama had Jenny Rebecca, me and Mom moved out. I had to live with Mom and Sam because Jenny was born. When Justin has the baby, do I have to go back to Mom?” He asks me.

 

“Gus you live with us. Another baby doesn’t mean you leave, it’s just what happened because your mom left Mel. It had nothing to do with Jenny being born.” I tell him.

 

“I get to stay with you?” Gus looks at me.

 

“Gus, you will always get to stay with me. Justin wants you to stay too. We need you and Jackson to help with the new baby.” I tell him.

 

“Justin, can I ask you something?” Gus asks him.

 

“You can ask me anything.” Justin tells him.

 

“Are you like Mama, you know, one of my parents?” Gus asks. Justin looks at me.

 

“Justin is who ever you want him to be.” I tell Gus.

 

“Can I call him Dad or something?” Gus asks.

 

“That is up to you. I don’t mind being Justin, but if you want to honor me by calling me Dad, I’d be very happy.” Justin smiles at Gus.

 

“Dad would get confusing though. I could call you Papa like Jackson.” Gus tells me. 

 

“That sound like a plan.” I tell him.

 

Gus runs out of the room to get Jackson. I never knew Gus associated Jenny with the loss of Mel. Mel is still in Gus’s life, but not the way she used to be. Mel spends any time she can with Gus, but they haven’t lived in the same house since Lindsay left her for Sam. I need to talk to her about arranging our schedules to include all the kids. 

 

Chapter 22 by starlight

JUSTIN 

 

Standing on the porch at Deb’s I don't know why I'm nervous about telling everyone. At least this time I know I can support a child. Last time I spent many nights trying to figure out how I was going to keep a roof over my head. I worked up to the day I had Jackson. After I had him, Daphne helped out until my books started selling. Daphne and I made it work. Her parents even helped when Craig cut me off. So it makes less sense to me that I'm more nervous this time. 

 

Brian and I decided to tell everyone tonight, instead of waiting a few months. I don't think anybody is going to be upset about it, maybe I feel this way because last time I hid it from my family. I knew Craig wasn’t going to be happy about his grandson. I need to remember Craig isn’t going to be here to condemn me to hell.

 

“Justin stop working yourself up over telling everyone. Everyone is going to be happy about this. If they aren’t, fuck them.” Brian tells me. 

 

“Papa, you owe me and Gus two dollars.” Jackson tells him. Brian grabs his wallet out and hands them each a twenty. 

 

“I have a feeling you and Gus are going to hear a lot of payable words tonight.” Brian tells them.

 

“The whole point was to stop swearing, not raise money for Jackson and Gus’s college funds.” I tell him. 

 

“You think the people in this house are going to monitor what they say?” Brian asks me. 

 

 Brian walks in the door without waiting for an answer. My mom is here with Molly. Brian heads over to Molly and picks her up and kisses her on the cheek. Poor Molly was blushing. 

 

“Um, I'm Molly, you must be Brian.” She stammered. 

 

“Yep, I just wanted to kiss the person who didn't let people tell you to abandon Justin.” Brian tells her. 

 

“My Dad is a narrow minded bigot, if I had gotten pregnant, he'd have still supported me.” Molly tells us. 

 

“Thank God we don’t have to test that theory.” Jen tells her. I want to tell her not to thank God yet.

 

BRIAN

 

Everyone took a seat at the table. I look at Simon and want to smile. I can’t wait to see his face when we tell everyone. Mr Perfect can stop looking at Justin and thinking he has a chance. I can be gracious about it, but since I didn’t get to slam my foot in his ass for drooling, this is the next best thing. 

 

“I made vegetarian Lasagna for you Mel.” Deb tells her.

 

“I never really was a vegetarian. Lindsay was the one who wanted to eat like that.” Mel tells her.

 

“Lindsay was eating meat, you just didn’t know it Mel.” I tell her.

 

“Fuck off, Brian.” Mel laughs.

 

“Dad, is the money Papa gave us for everyone else too?” Gus asks Justin.

 

“Until you run out.” Justin tells him. I pray I don’t end up having to credit their accounts.

 

“Deb, I hate to bring this up but have you heard from Michael? My attorney wants me to finalize a custody agreement, so we don’t play Michael threatens to sue.” Mel asks Deb.

 

“He hasn’t called since he left.” Deb tells her.

 

“I have an email address, Michael is sending emails to us at Kinnetik.” Ted tells Mel.

 

“He’s sending emails to you too?” Emmett asks Ted. 

 

“I think he thinks I’ll forward them to Brian.” Ted tells them.

 

“Just send me the address, I’ll send him a copy of the forms and hope he doesn’t ignore them.” Mel tells Ted.

 

I watch Justin piling on the food. I think he is keeping his mouth full so he doesn’t have to say anything. Jackson tugs on my shirt.

 

“Papa are we going to tell everyone about the baby.” I think he meant to whisper.

 

I watch everyone look at Jackson. Jen turns to me and waits for me to tell her what Jackson is talking about.

 

“Ted you want to tell them?” I smirk at Ted. Ted glares at me.

 

“Wait, why is Ted telling us. Blake isn’t pregnant is he?” Emmett asks.

 

“No, Blake isn’t pregnant.” Ted tells Emmett, “Brian is the only one with Super Sperm.” 

 

“If Brian had Super Sperm, we’d probably be dealing with a couple dozen little Kinneys.” Mel tells us.

 

“It seems to only work on Justin.” Ted tells them.

 

“Well Jackson is the proof of that.” Deb smiles at Jackson.

 

“Justin, is there something you need to tell me?” Jen seems to be the only one to figure it out. Justin shovels more food in his mouth.

 

“Justin put that fork down.” Daphne tells him. Justin seems to be taking forever to chew.

 

“Swallow, Justin.” Natalie tells him. I guess I need to save him.

 

“In the words of Sunshine, I knocked his ass up. Again.” I tell everyone. Poor Simon, time to look for a new obsession. I was nice, I didn’t even smirk at him.

 

“Jesus Brian, you didn’t even give other men a chance before you knocked him up.” Deb tells me.

 

“Why look at other men, when he already has the best.” Emmett tells her.

 

“When your right Emmett, you're right. Don’t worry Sunshine, after Brian, it’s all downhill from there.” Deb tells Justin.

 

“When are we expecting my next grandchild?” Jen asks. 

 

“I should be just coming on my first month, so it will be a while.” Justin tells her.

 

“Brian, what did you do, look at Justin’s ass and think baby?” Mel asks.

 

“Well if you looked at Justin’s ass, you’d think of a way to get in it too.” Simon tells us. I glare at him. He needs to not be looking there. Justin rolled his eyes, Simon can live.

 

“Too bad Blake wasn’t pregnant, then you and Brian could wear matching ‘Baby Daddy’ T-shirts to work.” Daphne tells everyone. 

 

“Unless it’s designer, my Papa wouldn’t wear it.” Jackson tells Daphne. That’s my boy.

 

“Brian can wear any Baby Daddy outfits.” Ted tells everyone. I think Ted needs to look at Blake.

 

“Hey Blake, what do you think?” I ask him. I pay attention to people, it’s my business. 

 

“I think it’s great that you and Justin are going to have a baby.” Blake says as he hurries out of the kitchen.

 

“I think that Ted will never make a great Ad man, is what I think.” I tell Ted.

 

“Brian, I did okay with presenting your accounts.” Ted tells me.

 

“Yes, but part of being a Ad man is being able to read people.” I tell him. This is fun.

 

“I can read people.” Ted tells me.

 

“Then look at your partner and tell me what you read.” I tell him.

 

Ted looks at Blake. Blake is studying the coffee table. Emmett looks at them and then at me. He points with his head at Blake and then at Justin. I nod. Emmett starts laughing. Ted turned back to me.

 

“I don’t get it, what am I supposed to see?” Ted asks. I shrug and look at Emmett.

 

“Teddy, if you need Daphne and Natalie to buy you the shirt, they will. Prove to me you have powers of deduction and put Blake out of his misery.” Emmett tells Ted, who gets up and goes to his partner.

 

“Shit, I was planning to tell you tonight at home. Brian isn’t the only one with super sperm.” Blake tells Ted.

 

Poor Ted, bet he wishes he didn’t stop drinking. Justin started smiling, I guess compared to Ted my reaction was better. Everyone starts congratulating Blake and Justin. Emmett tells us we should go to Babylon tonight. He tells Simon, Justin might not be available for dancing, but that he was. Simon seems to be agreeable. I tell the guys we wanted to celebrate alone tonight, so have fun.

 

Ted finally comes out of his stupor and I guess he paid attention this afternoon.

 

“Blake, I love you and I’ll love our child. I’m thrilled about this.” Ted tells Blake. I did it better.

 

“What did you and Brian do, call and tell each other, let's knock up our partners?” Mel asks them.

 

“Jealous Smelly Melly, I’m sure you could ask Emmett or Simon to knock you up.” I tell her.

 

“Please, if I got to choose, I would choose Justin. At least I know we’d have an intelligent child.” Mel tells us.

 

“Hey, Gus and Jackson are both mine. They are both highly intelligent, so maybe it’s me.” I tease her.

 

“Brian if your sperm ever went near my eggs, I’d be afraid we’d birth the Antichrist.” Mel tells everyone.

 

MICHAEL

 

David told me we were going on vacation with Hank. Told me, not asked me. I tried to get him to just take the two of us. Hank isn’t the cute little kid who came to visit. I tried to talk comics with him and he told me he grew out of comics before high school. David and Hank hang out together and ignore me, David told me I should try reading a real book, if I want to be included in the conversation. I tried to mention moving back to Pittsburgh, but David told me he would give me a ticket back if I wanted to go. I told him it was just a thought.

 

David never wants to go out or do anything, he told me that if I had a job, I’d understand wanting to relax after work. I wanted to tell him being a chiropractor was like pretending to be a doctor. All he does is massage your back and charge huge fees.

 

I was hoping we would go to Europe again, but no, we are going camping with Hank and his frat. I told David it might be better if we stayed home. Frat boys don’t exactly welcome gay guys. David told me it’s not like we were going to be doing anything, just camping. I smile and tell him, whatever he wants is fine. I guess I get stuck being eaten by mosquitoes all weekend. 

 

I wait till David leaves for work to email Brian. David was serious that he didn’t want me talking to people from Pittsburgh. He told me Ma was the only person that I should need to talk to. I told him that Ma was still upset at me for not trying to make it work with Ben. David seem to accept that as the reason Ma wasn’t calling three times a day. I don’t think he really cares. 

 

I type an email about how David is introducing me to all his friends and people who could be potential clients for Brian. I told him it was too bad he wouldn’t answer my emails, it could have brought him more business. I bet Cynthia is blocking my emails. I’ll send another one later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 23 by starlight

JUSTIN 

 

I waited till Brian fell asleep. At least this time I tired him out enough, he isn't hugging anything but the pillow. Inching my way slowly off the bed, I put one foot down on the floor. Then I carefully slide sideways out of the bed.  Brian starts mumbling, so I sit still. When I hear his breathing even out, I stand and carefully walk to the bedroom door. I put WD40 on the hinge this morning, so hopefully the door won't make any noise. I opened it just enough to sneak out. Yay me, escape the bedroom accomplished. I stand there just to make sure he isn’t going to catch me. After a minute, I start walking down the stairs. I count to the fifth step and use the banister to keep from putting my weight on the step, damn thing is creaky. Finally I’m at the bottom of the stairs. I head straight for the kitchen. I wait again, listening for any sounds. So far so good. Once I get to the kitchen, I look back out in the hall, still alone. I slip into the pantry and grab my key to open heaven's gate. I hate Daphne, “I could hear the can opener”, I have to use a manual one. I get it open and grab the fork I hid in behind the the spicy mustard and dig into nirvana. I was on my second bite, when the devil sneaks in and catches me. Looking down at YumYum, I debate what I should do. I could open another can of tuna to keep the little shit from howling and waking up the whole house like she did last time. I could eat real fast and run back upstairs, I like that idea. She is still on my bad list for telling. I walk out of the pantry and the little shit follows me. I lead her to her bowl and tease her by putting a flake in it. She licks it up and looks at me. I want to tell her ‘too bad’, if she hadn't gotten me in trouble the last time I'd have shared. 

 

YumYum, being the determined kitty she is, climbed up on the counter, stared me down, and waited. She can wait till hell freezes over, the furry little tattle tale. I fork up some more and pretend I'm going to let her have it. I hold the can behind me and play keep away with the fork. I smirk as I put it in my mouth, and make yum sounds. She starts to open her mouth to complain, damn it. I was just about to give her some when the fork and the can are snatched out of my hands. I did so well, no thanks to satan kitty. I turn and face the fucker who stole my tuna.

 

“Justin, do we keep having to play catch the pregnant idiot eating the tuna every other night?” Brian asks me.

 

“Brian, do you have to knock me up every eight years? Now give it back.” I tell him, reaching for the can.

 

“Look, the doctor talked to you about this, the mercury you're consuming isn’t good for the baby.” Brian thinks that I care about fucking mercury. I mean, if people were more considerate of the oceans, I could eat the fucking tuna. It’s not that ‘Mother Hen’ cares about the environment. 

 

“I’ve only eaten three cans this week. You need to stop acting like I committed a sin, it has good stuff for the baby in it.” I tell him. Brian looks at me skeptically . “Okay so maybe it was five, but I can’t be like Blake, Mr Healthy.” I spit out.

 

“Where did this even come from? I thought I threw it all out.” Brian questions me, holding the can in front of me.

 

“I think the maid bought it.” I tell him.

 

“Justin, only you could invent a maid we don’t have to buy your kryptonite.” Brian tells me.

 

“Sorry Mikey, but it’s called a craving.” I sneer at him. Brian, the evil asshole he is, dumps my can into Satan’s bowl. I swear the cat smiled at me. I know I whimpered. 

 

“You could have let me at least eat one more bite.” I wanted to cry as I watch my tormentor eat all the tuna. Brian doesn’t love me.

 

“Are we done? Can we go back to bed?” Brian asks me.

 

“Since you gave the traitor my food, you can sleep with her.” I turn and walk out in a huff.

 

Brian is so used to this from me, that he walks with me to bed. I fall in and start sniffling. He lays next to me rubbing my back. 

 

“Justin, the doctor just doesn’t want you to harm the baby. I’ll take you out for a burger tomorrow after the checkup. You can even have a lemon bar.” Brian can’t deal with my tears. I smirk and pretend to feel better. I just need maximum drama, to punish him.

 

“I... just... wanted… to give... sniffle… the baby what it wanted.” I make sure to sniffle a couple more times, it gets him every time.

 

“Justin, we get to find out what we’re having tomorrow. Think about that.” Brian tells me. I nod and smile through my watery eyes. Brian grabs me into his arms and kisses my forehead. I swear, evil kitty is being fed bread and water for the next few days.

 

BRIAN

 

Justin is getting better at sneaking around. I almost didn’t catch him last night. The only reason I did was because I was trying to cuddle up to him and couldn’t find him. God, I've turned into a lesbian in the last three months. At least I have it better than Ted. Poor Ted, he doesn’t seem to understand that comparing Blake to Justin isn’t the smartest thing to do.

 

Blake is actually two months further along than Justin. It stands to reason he was going to show sooner. Justin came into Kinnetik with Blake and Emmett, Ted being the dense man he is, asked Justin how he still looked normal when Blake was already getting big. Blake turned to Ted and told him he just kissed sex good-bye and walked out. It took Ted two days before he was even allowed back home. 

 

The boys are coming with us to this appointment, Justin thought it would help them get used to the idea that there is another baby on the way. Jackson and Gus were more interested in the cat than they seem to be about the baby.

 

Justin was still pouting about the tuna this morning. I don’t get it, Blake wants fruits, but Justin wants tuna. Why couldn't he want pickles? Daphne warned me that Justin would pull this, she told me that no matter how many times she threw the cans away, new ones found their way into the house. I even started grocery shopping with Justin to make sure we didn’t end up with a case of tuna in the house. He slipped one by the first time. He told me it was cat food, I wasn’t paying attention. I thought me being at the store was enough to stop him. He even bought tuna steaks, telling me it was regular steaks. I laughed when he put it on the counter at home, he needed to rearrange space in the refrigerator. Well, YumYum tore into it very happily. Poor Justin, he accepted defeat but not very gracefully. Justin told Yum Yum that the shelter had room for her. I took my baby and told her Justin didn’t mean it. Justin told me that he was going to introduce YumYum to Prada. The man is just wrong, Prada is designer.

 

The boys ran into the doctor’s office, Jackson wanted to see if he could borrow the charts that show what happens to your organs if you consume too much cholesterol. He wanted to show the principal that the food they were serving at school was harming his arteries. The fact that this is normal to me now tells you Jackson does this all the time.

 

We all decided that we wanted to know if it was a boy or girl. Ted and Blake wanted to be surprised. I should say that Ted agreed, because Blake was the ruler of his castle. Blake wanted to be surprised, so they are waiting. 

 

We walk into the room and wait for the tech to measure everything. She let Gus and Jackson sit near the screen. Gus whispers to her and she looks at the screen, she tells him probably. Gus smiles at me.

 

“I think I guessed Papa.” Gus tells me.

 

“I can’t tell you until the doctor comes but I think Gus is right.” She tells us.

 

We wait for Dr. Metz to come in. He looks at the monitor and checks the measurements. He asks if we are sure we want to know. The boys tell him yes.

 

“Well Gus, you're correct, it’s a girl.” He tells us.

 

“I didn’t see a penis.” My son proudly tells everyone. Justin started laughing.

 

I take the boys out so the doctor can finish the exam. Jackson and Gus wanted to see the exam.

 

“I think some things in life are just going to remain a mystery.” I tell them. We wait outside, because the boys would be all over the waiting room. 

 

I’m going to have a daughter. I’m both happy and terrified. I watch the boys and wonder what you do with a girl. We have boys, we are boys, I get boys. Suddenly I hear someone talking to Gus and Jackson, I look over and want to grab my sons and get the hell out of here. It’s my mother and Claire.

 

“You boys should be with your father, not running all over the place.” The bitch that birthed me tells them.

 

“You should mind your own damn business Mother.” I tell her.

 

“Brian, what are you doing here?” Claire the cunt asks.

 

“Watching my children. You know, the ones you were lecturing, Mother.” I tell her. Shit, I didn’t mean to tell her that.

 

“Brian, did you finally accept the Lord and give up a life of sin?” Mother asks.

 

“Why yes Mother, I decided that living in a house where God fearing people think it’s okay to kick the shit out of their kids was much better than being gay. In fact, I told the boys that drinking till you're too out of it to care that your child has a broken arm because his father had a bad day was what good Christians do.” I sneer at her.

 

“Brian, watch your language.” Mother tells me. I see Justin standing behind my mother and Claire. I don’t want him near these two.

 

“Well Mother, as much as I enjoy these talks, I think I’ll take my children and get them away from your well meaning ass.” I tell her. I hand the boys a ten each.

 

“Brian, Mother and I deserve respect. I can’t believe you would have children and never tell us.” Claire has to be involved.

 

“Dad, I don’t like these people.” Gus tells Justin.

 

“Young man, you don’t interrupt adults when they are talking.” Mother tells Gus. I see red, she is not allowed to talk to my sons.

 

“I’m sorry, but you don’t talk to our children unless Brian or I tell you that you can. Neither of you need to be giving advice on how to raise children. Brian, take the kids to the car please.” Justin tells me. I want to tell him to let me deal with them. Justin shakes his head. I walk to the car and put the boys inside, but stay outside the car in case Justin needs me.

 

“Now, I want to tell you both one thing and then I don’t want you to ever contact Brian or my family again. Using God to excuse your inadequacies as a mother doesn’t excuse you from blame. It just makes you worse, like people who murder in the name of God. At the end of the day, your job was to protect your kids. Now I’m going to protect my kids from two women who should never have been allowed to give birth, by making sure you understand me. If you come near us again, I will make it my mission in life to go to your church and let the good Christians you go to church with know that you let your husband beat your child while you hid in a bottle.” Justin tells my mother. Mother and Claire turn their backs on Justin and walk off. 

 

Justin smiles and tells me I owe him a burger. It’s weird, normally it takes me a day or two to get over a visit from my family. Looking at Justin, they just don’t seem to matter anymore. I owe this amazing man much more than a burger.

 

 

Chapter 24 by starlight

BRIAN

 

“Brian, hey Brian, you want to wake up and pretend to be the boss.” I hear what sounds like Ted.

 

I open my eyes and realize that I’m at work, not at home. God, I just want to sleep here tonight, to get some sleep. I look and wonder how Ted got through the horny stage and how long does it last.

 

“Ted, how did you manage to keep your energy level up with Blake?” I ask him.

 

“What are you talking about Boss?” Ted asks me.

 

“You know, with the overactive sex drive. I mean Justin is demanding at least round three or four before I can get some sleep. How long does this stage last.” I yawn.

 

“Wait, are you telling me Justin not only wants sex, but usually three or four times a night?” Ted asks. 

 

“Yeah, but that isn’t unusual for him. It’s just that he would go all night if I didn’t stop him. When did Blake stop?” I ask him.

 

“Blake never started, it’s been all ‘don’t touch me’. I mean we do still have sex, but just once a week or so.” Ted tells me.

 

“I think I need  to go home and thank Justin. Not even once a day, that’s kind of pathetic Theodore.” I tell him.

 

“I just need to make sure I don’t mention that to Blake, it will come out as Justin being better than him, again.” Ted tells me.

 

“Is he still pissed you called him and told him to get windshield wipers?” I ask Ted.

 

“He says it only proves that I don’t think he’s capable of taking care of anything on his own.” Ted tells me.

 

I think I’ll just be happy that Justin wants sex, all the time. I can’t even get in the door before he is trying. Poor Ted hasn’t said one thing right since the dinner at Deb’s. Justin seems to have gotten over his tuna stage. I check everywhere in the house and not a can of tuna to be found. I asked him how he go through the horny stage the last time. Justin shrugged and told me he lived with Daphne. I had to stop Daphne from beating his ass for that statement. 

 

My mother learned not to think Justin’s threats were harmless. She showed up at the diner and started preaching to all of the diners. Justin didn’t say a word, he just showed up at mass the following Sunday and waited for my mother to stumble. I came to see the show.

 

“MRS KINNEY, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE BRIAN AND I TOLD YOU NOT TO DRINK BEFORE THE SERVICE. I GUESS THE OTHER PEOPLE HERE ARE SO USED TO YOUR DRINKING THEY DIDN’T NOTICE.” Justin loudly whispers.

 

Justin turned to another person and says, “This church must be really lenient, my mother’s church probably wouldn’t let us in if we drank the way Joan Kinney does.” 

 

“I did not drink, young man.” My mother tells him.

 

“JOAN, you shouldn’t lie in church, I know, maybe you should drink vodka instead of sherry. Then no one could smell it on you, they'd just think you're clumsy.” Justin told her.

 

The other ladies sniffed the air, my mother tried to get away. Justin wasn’t through with her. “MRS. KINNEY, you need me to call you a cab? You don’t want to kill someone driving. Lucky that she made it here.” Justin tells my mother and all the other people sitting there.

 

Claire, who doesn’t care about anyone’s opinion, tried to tell Justin that I should be helping her boys go to private school too. Justin told her if the boys could pass the specialized testing at Jackson’s school, he’d gladly pay for not only their tuition but their college. My sister never bothered to check if either kid could get in, not that either could have read the exam. 

 

Lindsey, had what I refer to as a flare up. Sam ran into an old girlfriend and Lindsay caught him screwing the girl in the bathroom. Lindsay called and demanded I fly out there and get her. I hung up. By the next Saturday, Sam was wonderful again. Gus mentioned the new baby and Lindsey tried to give Justin advice on prenatal care. Justin told her that having a twat didn’t make her much of an expert on male pregnancy. Lindsey actually thought Justin was joking around. I’m sure she figured it out when he hung up on her.

 

Michael on the other hand is an emailing little fiend. If I don’t have at least four in my box then I assume Michael hasn’t sent one yet. I don’t read them, Ted and Cynthia will randomly read one, just for the laugh. 

 

I am surprisingly monogamous, I can honestly say that it was easy. The only time we’re not having sex is when I'm working and when the boys are with us. I don’t bother to look, I’m too tired. Justin told me that we could go back to an open relationship after he has the baby. I told him we could talk about it way after the baby’s born, I’m not thrilled he wants to try someone else. 

 

JUSTIN

 

Standing in front of the mirror, I was turning sideways to see if there's a bump. I was kind of jealous that Blake looked more pregnant at this stage. Nope, still flat. Blake, my buddy, got me a tuna sub on his way here. We have an agreement between the two of us, I don’t tell that Mr Fruit has been eating a box of HoHo’s a day, as long as he sneaks me a sub. 

 

“Would you stop trying to make me jealous that you don't look pregnant. I'm a fucking whale, and you actually lost weight.” Blake tells me. 

 

“Stop eating all the snack cakes. You probably gain five pounds holding the box. I don't even get why you're hiding it from Ted.” I tell him. I took a big bite and dropped some to the ground for YumYum, she’s been helping me keep my secret.

 

“Ted would be stupid enough to mention that I'm getting fat, because I'm eating it. I just forgave him for telling me I look like Buddha.” Blake tells me. 

 

We hear someone trying to open my studio door. I put my my sub in my art supply cabinet and Blake hid the HoHo’s under the daybed. I grabbed my toothbrush and did a quick scrub. Blake waited till I was through and opened the door. Emmett came in with a bag.

 

“Brian and Ted wanted me to come by and bring you two some food. I got you both a veggie wrap, from the deli.” Emmett tells us.

 

Blake and I hate veggie wraps, but we eat the stupid things, to keep the boys from figuring out anything. Blake gets the ‘Ted is an asshole’ look and dials the phone.

 

“So not only am I fat, but I can’t feed myself? Maybe you should come and feed me, since I can’t do anything right.” Blake tells Ted and hangs up.

 

“You know Blake, you’re suppose to use the pregnancy power sparingly. Brian would no longer believe my crying if I did it all the time. I just use it when I want him to do things. Poor Ted is never going to want another kid if you act like a raving asshole all the time.” I tell him.

 

“Justin, you forget your baby daddy is Brian Kinney. Ted, unlike Brian, is used to being abused, so Blake has more leeway.” Emmett tells us. Emmett pulls out the wraps. I tried to feed it to YumYum, but even she has standards.

 

“I don’t mean to, it’s just I want to yell and Ted puts up with it.” Blake tells us.

 

“Brian has been inspecting the kitchen every night looking for tuna. I use sex to get him to stop trying to find evidence. I’m so glad that I don’t have a job to go to, I’d never make it. I’m still trying to figure out how Brian stays awake at work.” I tell them.

 

“Why would you need to use sex to keep Brian from looking?” Emmett asks me. Fuck, I forgot Emmett is a tattle tale too.

 

“I just think it’s stupid that he can’t trust me.” I tell Emmett. 

 

Emmett starts walking around and looking at things. I watch Emmett pull the HoHo’s out from under the daybed. Blake sticks his tongue out at Emmett. I lean against my cabinet. Emmett walks up to me and picks me up and puts me down next to Blake. I wanted to run over there and stop him. Emmett pulls out the sandwich and shakes his head at us. Blake looks guilty. 

 

“YOU WILL PUT THAT SANDWICH BACK, OR I’LL TELL MY STEPMOM YOU AND SIMON HAD SEX IN HER BED.” I tell him. Emmett put the sandwich back and hands Blake his box.

 

“Um. I think I’ll go and see if Deb needs me.” Emmett hurries out of the room.

 

I grab the offending wraps and put them in the trash. Blake and I smile and eat, score one for us pregnant guys.

 

MICHAEL

 

I was checking my email, to see if Brian wrote me back. It’s been four months and he is still not talking to me. My email was mostly spam. I see an email from Paul, I guess he’s not pissed at me anymore.

 

Michael,

 

I just thought I’d let you know that Eli and I are going to have a commitment ceremony. Eli tried to talk to your mother about allowing the hustlers in the halfway house walk anywhere in the neighborhood. I told him we should tell you and you could talk to her about it. We don’t want the neighborhood to become Liberty Avenue. You should see your friend Ted’s boyfriend, he is huge, I told him he should stop eating so much, it’s unhealthy. Justin told me to mind my own fucking business, in front of all our friends. I told him I was just concerned and he didn’t needed to be nasty about it. They both walked away and I heard they are both pregnant. I wanted to tell them both they should get some birth control, because they are assholes and their kids will be like them. Anyway, Eli and I wanted to invite you to the ceremony, but will understand if you don’t come. Most of our old friends are still pissed at you. 

 

Paul

 

That fucking twink better have not trapped Brian with another kid. I sit and reread it again. I need to find out who the slut is saying is the father. Ted and Brian won’t answer my emails, I decide to send an email back to Paul and ask him to see if he can find out who the twink is saying is the father. 

 

I could have been the father of Brian’s kids, if he would have just given me a chance. I can just imagine me and Brian having a baby. I must have been daydreaming for a while because David walked up to see what I was looking at. David could see this email, there is nothing he could get upset about in it. I wait and start writing an email to Paul, I started calling Justin a twink but I need to make sure Paul knows who I was talking about.

 

DAVID

 

Michael has been staring at the screen for a while. I walked up behind them and see some guy name Paul was letting Michael know about their commitment ceremony. I hope Michael doesn’t think I plan on doing that with him. Truthfully, if he doesn’t start helping around the house and do all the things I can’t do because I work, Michael might find a ticket to Pittsburgh in his hands soon. 

 

I also think Michael needs to start working out, his starting to gain weight. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 25 by starlight

JUSTIN 

 

Brian is giving me the look. Damn it, Emmett told. I'm telling Anne on him. I thought I got away with it, it’s been two months and Brian didn’t know. I decide to pretend I don't know what that look is for.

 

“I'm not gonna say it, but you know what this is about.” He tells me. 

 

“You can tell Emmett he’s banned from my house.” I tell him. 

 

“Emmett didn’t tell, I can smell the tuna. You do get that it smells like a canning factory in this studio.” Brian tells me. 

 

I sniffed, okay he has a point. I guess the makers of Febreeze lied, it doesn't get rid of the fish smell. The liars. I decide to use my pregnancy powers. I start sniffling.

 

“Cry all you want, this time you don't get sympathy.” Brian tells me. 

 

Shit, I guess I’ll just have to seduce him. I walk over an inch my fingers up his tie. Brian pulls back and raises his eyebrow. 

 

“So, it's fuck me until I forget time?” He asks me. 

 

“Brian, I can’t help that I think of sex whenever you're in the room.” I smile. 

 

I finally started to look pregnant. Now I wish I wasn’t jealous of Blake, of course Blake now can crow that he wasn’t gaining too much weight, it’s just the twin was hiding in the first ultrasound. Brian and I told our doctor we better not find out at at seven months that we’re having twins. The doctor told us that he was absolutely sure it was only one. Poor Blake is on bed rest for the last month. Ted is actually having an easier time with Blake now. I still have only put on a few pounds, my doctor told Brian to try to get me to eat more. Brian told the doctor if I ate any more, we’d need a semi to deliver food. 

 

“While I would love to have you fuck me into a coma, we have to get to the soccer game.” Brian tells me. I forgot about the game. I hate that I can’t remember things.

 

I wasn’t looking forward to this game. Lindsay is back in town, she and Sam are fighting again. Instead of chasing Brian, she’s trying to get Mel back. Mel told us Lindsay keeps showing up at the house. Leda, who is like Brian’s twin, is practically fucking Mel on the couch during Lindsay’s visits. I asked why Leda even lets Lindsay past the door. 

 

“I love to watch her face get all pinched up and tell me that I should behave better in front of guests.” Leda told us.

 

“Better watch out Leda, Lindsay totaled Sam’s car. Your bike might take a swim.” Brian tells Leda.

 

“You're talking about Lindsay, the woman wouldn’t even know how to start the bike.” Leda tells us.

 

“Too bad, maybe you could show her.” Emmett tells Leda.

 

“Why would I want to do that?” She asks Emmett.

 

“Because Sam would show up and want her back if he thought she was trying to play for your team again.” Emmett tells her.

 

Emmett is ready to kill Lindsay. Lindsay decided she needed a new best friend and picked Emmett. Everywhere Emmett goes, Lindsay follows. We were all having brunch at Mel’s house, when Lindsay got her ass kicked out when she told Leda to leave, so she and Mel could take care of their daughter. 

 

“Is ‘taking care of your kid’, where you only remember them when you want something from the other parent?” Leda asked Lindsay.

 

“Mind your own business, Mel and I are the mothers, I was the one who helped Mel get pregnant and we were the ones who decided to have Gus.” Lindsay told her.

 

“And YOU were the one who left your kids with their other parents to run off with Sam, let's make sure we mention that.” Mel adds.

 

“What was I supposed to do Mel, you kicked me out? You wouldn’t even listen to me. Brian, tell her I’m right.” Lindsay looked at Brian.

 

“Not my problem. You see the pregnant guy over there?” Brian points at me. “That’s my problem. You letting Sam play hide the weenie, that’s your problem.

 

“Mel and I need to talk and I think Leda being here causes problems.” Lindsay looks at Emmett.

 

“I think if you don’t want me to kick your bony ass, you better remove it from the house Mel and I pay for.” Leda tells Lindsay as she throws her out of the house.

 

“Emmett, are you coming?” Lindsay stands in the yard and yells.

 

“Sorry, but Simon told me to stay here, so if Simon says, I have to do it.” Emmett gleefully tells her.

 

Lindsay told Gus she was coming to the game, so we have that to look forward to tonight. Craig is coming with his new girlfriend. He seems to think that Anne and my mom deserve him rubbing the new mistress in their faces. Craig started criticizing Tucker and telling my mom that Tucker is too young for her and they look ridiculous together. Mom asked him if the thirty year age difference between Craig and Tiffany doesn’t make him look ridiculous. Craig now sits with the other single dads.

 

When Craig found out about the new baby, he tried to convince me that I should give the baby to a loving couple. I asked what Brian and I were. 

 

“You’re sinners.” He told me. He actually tried to say it like he cared.

 

“We just have to join you in sin, Dad. I mean, you fuck around on your wives, isn’t adultery a sin? You even had a kid out of wedlock, guess we aren’t so different.” I tell him.

 

“Justin, I’m trying to help you live a good life.”Craig tells me.

 

“If living it the way you do is good, I’ll sin with Brian three times a night and be happy.” I told him.

 

Brian couldn’t leave it at that. He walked over and started kissing me in front of Craig. I grabbed Brian’s hands and slid them over my ass. I don’t really remember much after that, having Brian touch you will do that to you.

 

Let’s just hope we don’t have a lesbian cat fight at Gus’s game. We got to the game in time to see Soccer Mom show up. Lindsay made a point of sitting next to Mel. Leda made a point of moving Mel in between her and Brian. Lindsay then turned to the person next to her and started asking about the kids. Then explained to the perplexed parent that Mel was her wife and doesn’t the woman next to her feel that Leda should stop getting involved in her and Mel’s lives. The woman got up and walked away. I wanted to beg her to take us with her.

 

Lindsay sat on the bleachers and silently huffed anytime Leda touched Mel. I wanted to ask Lindsay why the hell is she trying to get back with Mel. This woman needs a mental institution named after her.

 

“Ms. Lindsay, I thought you were here to watch Gus.” Jackson says to her.

 

“Of course that’s why I’m here Sweetie.” Lindsay tells Jackson.

 

“Then maybe you should watch the game, instead of Aunty Leda.” Jackson points out. I hear Brian snort.

 

“Jackson, have I told you that you're an incredibly smart little boy?” Leda asks Jackson. 

 

“Nobody needs to tell me, I have the tests to prove I’m smart.” Jackson tells her.

 

“Lindsay, maybe we could get you tested. Do they test for Crazy Bitch?” Leda asks her.

 

“Five bucks, Aunty Leda.” Jackson tells her.

 

“I thought it was two?” Leda asks him. They ignore a red faced Lindsay.

 

“Inflation.” He tells her.

 

I look to see where Gus is on the field, granted the show in the bleachers is fun too. I see Sam, and poke at Brian. We both watch as he walks across the field the kids are playing on. He heads to us. Mel looks at Sam, and I hear her say in a whispered prayer, “Please come take your crazy wife and leave.”

 

Lindsay looks up in time to see Sam coming towards her. They both stand and stare at each other.

 

“You ready to go to Italy?” Sam asks her.

 

Lindsay smiles and they end up making out with each other in front of everyone. I can feel my tuna sandwich coming up. Lindsay turns and tells us she has to leave but it was a great visit. I think we all just have to wonder if she and Sam like drama, they seem to be using it a lot. 

 

 

MICHAEL

 

I got in a fight with David over my weight, he told me that I need to start exercising. I was pissed and jumped on a scale to prove that I hadn’t gained that much weight. I looked down and I’ve gained twenty pounds. I told David maybe I was pregnant. David was not happy about that, he made me go see a doctor. I was worried, what if I got pregnant before I came to Oregon? 

 

David came with me and I tried to get him excited about having a baby. David told me he didn’t want any more kids. He also thought it would be impossible because we use condoms. I played it up and told him it would explain the weight gain and he better start being nice to me. I could be the father of his child.The doctor called us into his office. 

 

“Michael, we need to talk about your diet.” The doctor tells me. I smile at David, guess who is going to be paying for my kid.

 

“Sure whatever you think is good for me and my baby.” I tell him.

 

“Well, until you get pregnant, we need to worry more about helping you lose weight.” The doctor tells me.

 

“I’m not pregnant?” I asked.

 

“Michael, you're eating like your pregnant, but it doesn’t make you pregnant.” David sneers at me.

 

 

Chapter 26 by starlight

BRIAN

 

Blake was just taken into delivery and we were told it would be a hour or longer. Justin was on his way, he dropped the boys off at school first. Poor Ted is a basket case, he keeps saying they weren’t ready for two babies. I looked at him and told him no one is ready for even one. With all the bitching Blake was doing, Ted didn’t even try to get started on the baby room. I called the mom brigade to save Ted. Emmett, Jen, Anne and Deb are running all over town with my credit card, so the room will be finished before they come home. I asked Jen and Anne to keep the babies from being overwhelmed by the ‘color duo’. As much as I love Deb and Emmett, no baby could handle their decorating choices. I told them to pay the extra to have the items set up, I don’t trust Emmett to put a bed together.

 

Justin comes, or should I say waddles, in. I can get away with the fat jokes, mostly because Justin is all baby.

 

“How’s Ted with blood?” Justin asks me.

 

“It makes him a little light headed, why?” I ask him.

 

“Because when they perform the C-section, there is going to be bleeding.” Justin tells me.

 

“I hope they have a bed to put Ted in.” I tell Justin. 

 

A nurse comes out and asks if either of us would like to be there with Blake. Ted didn’t just get light headed, he took a header right to the floor and is getting stitches. Justin tells her he’ll go in with Blake. Justin kisses me and follows the nurse. I almost asked if they had tuna in the delivery room, but I wanted to sleep at home tonight. I got up to get some coffee, my phone rings and I answered without looking to see who it is, I figured Cynthia wanted an update. 

 

“Hey Cynthia, Ted did a header to the floor, but no babies yet. The nurse let Justin waddle his way into delivery to help Blake.” I tell her.

 

“Brian, it’s Michael. You finally answered. Can you believe we haven't talked in seven months? So Ted got duped into supporting Blake. I hope he made sure to tell...” Michael tells me. I interrupt what I'm sure is going to be a long winded conversation I don't care about.

 

“As much as your opinion means to Ted or me, I have to go wash my hair, and there is that tiny spot on my car that will probably take hours for me to buff out. Why don't you talk to David, I'm sure by now he either remembered why he kicked you out the last time or he’s wandering around the baths trying to forget he fell for it again.” I tell him. 

 

“Brian, I was trying to check on my best friend. I heard that the twink…” I hung up. My phone starts ringing again, I hit ignore. It’s easy, you just hit this button and all annoying people end up in voicemail. I call Cynthia. 

 

“Hey boss, I'll be there in a couple minutes. Give Ted a wet sloppy one for me.” Cynthia jokes.

 

“Yeah. Not ever happening, can you find out how to block calls to my cell or forward them to Zimbabwe?” I ask her. 

 

“How did Michael get your new number?” Cynthia asks me. Notice she didn't have to ask who.

 

“Good question, maybe Emmett will be able to answer that, before I kill him.” I tell her. I see Emmett running in, on his phone.

 

“No Michael, I will not get Brian on the phone. Why? Because I would rather live to see if Simon will be the one. Like I give a shit. We stopped talking when you became too good for me. How the hell did you even get my number? Well then, send whoever sent it to you my everlasting thanks for hating me. Bye and lose this number.” Emmett tells him. Emmett hangs up shaking his head.

 

“Cynthia is on her way, she’s going to block Michael from my phone, she can do yours next.” I tell him. 

 

“Who would give him our new numbers? He said someone sent it to him in an email.” Emmett asks me. 

 

“I answered mine thinking it was Cynthia. Should have checked first.” I tell him. 

 

“I thought maybe he was calling to congratulate Ted. Call me optimistic.” Emmett tells me. 

 

“How about delusional?” I ask him. 

 

Justin comes out, he is eating a cookie. This is what happens when you look sweet and innocent, people want to take care of you. I pray our daughter looks just like him.

 

“Hey, the doctor is checking one more time before they get the babies, just wanted to let everyone know.” Justin tells us.

 

 My phone rings again. I was giggling, as I hit ignore again. Emmett’s phone rings.

 

“I swear to God if I ever figure out who sent that email to Michael, I’ll strangle them.” Emmett tells us.

 

“What’s going on?” Justin asks.

 

“Michael got our phone numbers and thinks we want to talk to him. Apparently someone sent them to him.” Emmett tells Justin.

 

“Why would someone do that? Did he say who sent it?” Justin asks us.

 

“No, I don't even think he knows who sent it.” Emmett tells Justin.

 

“Guess it’s just a mystery. I have to get back in. If you see Ted, tell him Blake would love him to be there for the birth. Could one of you stop worrying about Michael long enough to check on Dad.” Justin giggles as he walks off. I watch him and think no, he wouldn’t do that.

 

JUSTIN

 

I walk away from my tuna tormentors. If they don’t think I know Emmett told, they both need their heads examined. Was it mean to give Michael their numbers? Yes, it was. Am I enjoying the fact that they’re both going to be hit with nine hundred phone calls? Yes I am. Maybe they’ll both think before they gang up on me again. 

 

I waddle my ass back to the room. Blake is on the good drugs, I need to tell him Mission Michael was accomplished. What? We pregnant men have to stick together. Between Brian, Emmett, and Ted, Blake and I couldn’t get away with anything. Ted actually searched me when I visited, and Brian searched and sniffed Blake when he came over. Blake wasn’t even allowed one HoHo. I told Ted, if he ever got pregnant, Blake and I were going to hide his Opera collection and see how he liked it. I told Anne about Emmett and Simon and she told me she would have been disappointed if they hadn’t tried. That was not the answer I wanted. Unfortunately, no one wanted to mess with Brian, so I did the one thing that would annoy them the most. I emailed Captain Astro and gave him their numbers. Blake and I giggled as we hit send. They should have learned by now, if I want to get you back it’s never obvious. 

 

Blake looks to see me coming back in. “Brian or Emmett will see where Ted is. Guess who’s calling them?” I ask him.

 

“He didn’t waste any time, we just sent the email.” Blake tells me.

 

“Ted shouldn’t have left his laptop in the room with us earlier.” I tell him.

 

“I still think you should have let me put Ted’s number in there.” Blake tells me.

 

“I thought we should let him off easier. He did confess to us that Emmett told on us. Brian must really think I believed the crap about the studio smelling. Well, I did, but only because he almost caught me.” I tell Blake.

 

“Okay Blake, I called down and Ted is going to be wheeled up here. Do you want to wait for him?” My favorite nurse asks him. (She gave me cookies)

 

“If I have to give birth, he needs to be here.” Blake tells her. 

 

“You know, since men started having babies, I found that you’re more demanding than women. Probably because we numb your bodies. Unlike women, you guys get to lay there pain free. I really want to have a sit down with the guy upstairs and ask how that’s fair.” She tells us.

 

“I think it’s because if we went through the pain you women do, we’d all find ways to kill the fathers. He probably wanted a way to keep us out of prison.” I tell her. Yeah I’m kissing up to her. If she ends up being my delivery nurse, I want lots of cookies. 

 

The doctor comes back in, with Ted. I guess I get to go back out to the guys.

 

TED

 

Man, I can’t believe I passed out. They weren’t even doing anything with blood. I was watching them insert the needle into Blake’s back for the epidural. I was cringing as they had to try a couple time to get it in and that’s the last thing I remember. The doctor came and got me and told me to stay at Blake’s head, I didn’t need to see the rest if the needle caused me to get stitches.

 

I held his hand and waited to see the kids. Blake wanted to talk about the names. We still haven’t decided.

 

“Ted, we need names.” Blake tells me.

 

“We don’t even know if it’s boys or girls or both.” I tell him.

 

“Both.” He tells me.

 

“I thought you said we were going to wait?” I’m kind of offended, he was all ‘I want to be surprised’.

 

“Are we going to argue about that now, or can we save it when they aren’t cutting into MY BODY?” Blake tells me. That last part was almost demonic. I’ll just be happy, yeah definitely happy.

 

“I know it’s nerdy of me to ask but can we name the boy Luciano, we can shorten it to Luke.” I really want that name.

 

“Ted, I already knew we were going to name the boy Luciano, it’s the girl we need a name for.” Blake smiles at me. I think I love him more at this moment.

 

“Lily?” I ask him.

 

“No, I want something Italian to go with Luciano, I want to be able to make her name special too.” Blake tells me.

 

“Renata is another Opera singer.” I tell him.

 

“Are you two ready to meet the children with the big names?” The nurse asks us. I look over and see the doctor had one of the babies in his hands. The doctor cleared the air passage and the baby started screaming.

 

“This young man has quite a set of lungs.” The doctor hands the baby to the nurse. 

 

Minutes later my daughter is out and letting us know she might have a future as a singer too. The nurses brought them over to us, and in that moment I got what love at first sight is. I kiss the man I’m going to marry one day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 27 by starlight

JUSTIN

 

“Jackson, what are you and Gus doing?” I ask him.

 

“We wanted to check the babies hand-eye coordination.” Jackson tells me.

 

We were visiting Blake and the twins. I wanted to point out to the boys that at a month old the babies weren’t going to have a lot of hand-eye coordination, but it’s easier to just let them figure it out on their own. Blake is just happy the boys are interested in the babies. I came over to finish the trim in the nursery. Mom and Anne had it painted but the trim was too light and Blake was going to try to do it, but caring for two babies makes it impossible.

 

I was also kind of depressed lately, I don’t even know why. I thought it was because for the first time in years, I have nothing to do. It’s hard to go from working to nothing, I started trying to dress YumYum up in the outfits Brian bought, but she wasn’t exactly willing. God I want this pregnancy to end, it’s taking forever. The doctor told us two weeks and he was going to schedule me for surgery. Brian has been ansty ever since, he’s been trying to finish anything pressing at work so he can stay home for the first couple of weeks. 

 

“Dad, are you going to get on a ladder?” Gus asks me.

 

“Just for the last part of the trim.” I tell him.

 

“Papa told us to remind you you're too big to be climbing on anything.” Gus tells me. Brian just earned a night on the couch.

 

“I only have to go up there for a few minutes.” I tell him.

 

“Do I have to call Papa?” Gus asks me. That is the other thing, my boys are telling on me.

 

“You know what, call Papa and tell him to get his giant as… butt up here if this is a problem.” I tell the boys. They both roll their eyes at me, I just can’t do menacing like Brian.

 

“Justin, I’ll do it.” Blake tells me.

 

“Whatever, I guess I’ll take my fat pregnant ass home.” I tell Blake.

 

“Five bucks, Dad.” Mr Smarty Pants Jackson tells me.

 

“Tell your Papa he owes it to you.” I tell him. If Brian wants to control everything, he can pay up too.

 

“Wow Dad, you’re really in a bad mood today.” Jackson tells me.

 

“I’m sorry, I just can’t seem to get in a happy mood. How about I take you guys out for ice cream?” I ask them.

 

“Can we go see Papa?” Jackson asks me.

 

“Sure, why not.” I tell them. 

 

We leave Blake’s house and drive to Kinnetik. I hope Brian can cheer me up. I walk in with the boys into the reception area. The girl behind the counter asks us if we have an appointment. 

 

“No, we just came to see if Brian has a free moment.” I tell her.

 

“MR. KINNEY only sees people by appointment.” She tells me. 

 

“MR. KINNEY, WILL WANT TO SEE HIS SONS WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT.” What the hell, I realize she’s new, but couldn’t she have gotten our names before acting like a bitch.

 

“Sir, I might have only just start two days ago, but Mr Kinney only sees people by appointment.” She needs to check her facts.

 

“Do yourself a favor, call him and tell him Justin, his partner, is here with HIS SONS.” I tell her.

 

“I could just call security to remove you or you could leave on your own.” She tells me.

 

“I’m trying to save your job. Call Mr Kinney and tell him to come out here.” I tell her.

 

“Look, I know for a fact that you aren’t his partner, his partner just came in and is in his office waiting, so maybe you could think of another one.” She tells me.

 

What the hell does she mean his partner is in his office? Fuck this, I walk past her and start towards Brian’s office. She tries to stop me. 

 

“I’m calling security, you need to stop.” She tells me.

 

I walk to Brian’s office and shove the door open. When I walk in the door, I hear someone coming out of Brian’s bathroom. I turn to see a guy walking out with a towel on.

 

“Who the fuck are you?” I ask the guy.

 

“Excuse me, but maybe I should ask you, since you barged in here.” The guy asks me.

 

The security guy, Frank, comes in and asks me to step out of the office. Shit, I felt a cramp. I turn and tell the boys we need to go. I hear Frank telling the guy he needed to get dressed. The cramping was getting worse, Frank tried to get me to sit down. I told him I didn’t want to be in the same room with the receptionist. Cynthia comes out and wants to know what the hell is going on. I told Cynthia that the bitch behind reception let some random guy in Brian’s office. I turn to the receptionist.

 

“Tell Mr Kinney, that Justin, the father of his children was here. I hope you have a resume.” I tell her.

 

I walk out the door and head to my car. I hear Cynthia talking to Brian.The boys are following behind me, I need to calm down. I can feel my heart racing and I’m cramping. Shit, I need to call someone to watch the boys. I hit the last person I called.

 

“Hey Justin, are you still bored?” Emmett asks me.

 

“Emmett, can you come to Kinnetik please, I’m cramping. If I end up having the baby, I need someone to watch the boys.” I try not to scream as it starts to hurt more. I sit in the car and tell the boys to stay calm.

 

“I’m on my way it, should take me ten minutes. Where’s Brian?” Emmett asks me.

 

“I don’t know, I came here to see him. The woman in reception let some random guy in Brian’s office and the security guy is kicking him out. Truthfully, if you find him could you tell him today was not the day to be out to lunch.” I tell Emmett.

 

“Justin, what is going on?” Emmett asks me.

 

“Can we talk about this after you get here?” I ask him.

 

Emmett hangs up the phone. God, it hurts, not just the cramping but that I had to deal with stupid people today. I try to calm the boys, but they know something is wrong. I lean my head back and close my eyes. I hear a car skid into the parking lot and want to tell Emmett we have to live to get to the hospital. 

 

“Justin, I need to put you in the backseat.” Brian tells me.

 

“I need you to go in that building and tell the woman in reception that I’m your partner.” I tell him. Ouch, another cramp, okay, so maybe it’s not important for him to do that right now.

 

“Emmett, open the backdoor, boys slide over, so I can put Dad in the back.” Brian tells them.

 

I hurt too much to argue right now. Brian helps me in the back. He tells Emmett to drive the car and gets in the passenger side. We arrive at the hospital and Brian runs in to get a wheelchair. A nurse follows Brian out and they help me in the chair. I see my doctor waiting and I get wheeled into a room. The doctor tells everyone to wait outside. 

 

“Want to tell me what’s going on?” The doctor asks me.

 

“The asshole out there knocked me up.” I tell him.

 

“I meant what’s going on with your body.” The doctor says kindly.

 

“I was upset earlier and I started yelling. I was walking really fast and I could feel my heart rate climb. The cramping started right after that.” I tell him.

 

I see the nurse bringing in an ultrasound machine. “Justin, I want to see what’s going on in there. If we have to take her, she’s developed enough to come.” He tells me.

 

“I didn’t mean to hurt her.” I started crying.

 

“You didn’t. It could be your body telling us it’s time.” He tells me. I feel a little better, I didn’t want to hurt the baby.

 

I see Brian walk in the door. Right now I just care about the baby, I’ll deal with him later. He needs to put pictures in his office, so stupid people know who I am. Okay, not the thing I need to worry about right now. The doctor watches the scan and tells me he wants to go ahead. The nurse comes to help me get undressed, Brian walks over to help me get ready. We get taken to the delivery room and I just want to get this over with, man I’m ready to just sleep. It happened so fast, I think I passed out after all the excitement was over. Brian was standing next to me holding our daughter. I look at her and smile, at least we make beautiful children. The doctor told me to rest, sounded like a good idea. When I woke up later I see Brian in the chair next to me but staring at the sleeping baby. I look around and Gus and Jackson are on the bed next to me watching TV. I want to see her. Crap no lifting up, I forgot about the stitches.

 

BRIAN

 

I was out buying Justin a fucking tuna sandwich. I wanted to cheer him up. Blake called and told me moody Justin was coming to see me. I ran out to get him the sandwich, he seemed depressed for the last couple days, and I thought it would make him happy. I was driving back, when Cynthia called me and told me Justin was at Kinnetik and needed to get to the hospital. I punched the gas and raced to him. Emmett pulled up as I skidded to a halt. I don’t know why Justin was pissed, but right then I wanted to get him to the hospital, we could fight it out after the doctor sees him. 

 

Justin kept telling me something about putting pictures in my office. He just needs to get over it, we were about to have our daughter. When Justin kept falling asleep during the surgery the doctor told me it was his adrenaline wearing off, nothing else. Only Justin could sleep through giving birth. When she came into the world, I got to be the first person to hold her. It was the first time I was able to watch one of my children be born. I swear she was smiling at me, I know I was probably grinning like an idiot. Justin opened his eyes and smiles at her, then the twat falls right back to sleep. I’m putting this in her baby book, “DAD SLEPT THROUGH YOUR BIRTH.”

 

Emmett and the boys were in the waiting room. I told Emmett to call Jen and tell her. Jen will take care of the rest of the family. The boys were acting strange and Emmett told me what Justin said when he called him. None of it is making a lot of sense, I finally sit the boys down, while we wait for Justin to be taken to a room.

 

“Anybody want to tell me why Dad is mad?” I ask them.

 

“That lady at the front desk was mean to Dad.” Gus tells me.

 

“Cynthia?” I can’t see her doing that.

 

“No. The one at the desk when you come in.” Jackson tells me.

 

“What did she do?” Her ass is fired. 

 

“She told Dad he couldn’t go to your office without an appointment.” Gus tells me.

 

“Then Dad went anyway and we heard him and some guy yelling at each other.” Jackson adds.

 

“The lady called security to kick us out.” Gus tells me. What the hell is going on?

 

I tell Emmett to watch the boys. I need to know what the hell happened in the hour I was gone. I call Cynthia and tell her a rough version of what the boys told me. Cynthia gave me the real version. I asked her if the receptionist has been fired yet.

 

“I wanted to know if you wanted her gone or not.” Cynthia tells me.

 

“Her job is to verify. You don’t just take some guy’s word that he’s my partner. You were in the building, she could have just called you. She is not to be there one minute more.” I tell her.

 

“Frank recognized Justin and went to remove the other guy. When he asked Justin to leave he only meant so he could get rid of the moron in your office, he didn’t want Justin hurt.” Cynthia tells me. Frank gets to keep his job. 

 

“I need to go, they’re bring Justin to his room. I might need you here, in case Justin won’t listen.” I tell her.

 

“No problem, Boss.” She tells me.

 

I just hope he listens to me. I couldn’t stop staring at my daughter. The boys told me she was pretty and then asked if they could watch TV. Hopefully they’ll be more interested when she gets home. I hear Justin grimace, I turn and he is eyeing the bassinet. I lifted her and brought her to the bed. 

 

“I know you’re pissed and we can talk about it when Jen gets here, so the boys can go with her.” I tell him. Justin looks at the baby and nods.

 

“What name do you want?” Justin asks me.

 

“I thought you were going to name her, you named both the boys.” I tell him.

 

“It’s your turn to do the naming.” Justin tells me.

 

“Chastity. As in, you know I will kill anybody who tries to take it.” I tell him. Justin smiles.

 

“Is that what you want?” He asks me.

 

“No, I just wanted to see you smile. I like Riley” I tell him.

 

“She looks like a Riley, good choice Dad.” Gus tells me. Jackson smiles at us. Guess Riley has a name.

 

Jen shows up and I ask her to take the boys to the cafeteria. Jen stays long enough to hold Riley. Once they’re gone, it’s time to see if  Justin will listen to me.

 

“Justin, will you listen to me first.” I ask him. Justin nods.

 

“I was getting you a tuna sandwich, that is why I wasn’t at the office. Cynthia told me the receptionist let the guy in because he told her he was my partner. There is a bet at Babylon, the first guy who gets me to fuck him wins the bet. I guess the guy in my office was trying to win.” I tell Justin. 

 

“Did you fire the woman who was in reception?” Justin asks me.

 

“Yes. Her job is to verify who someone is before they get past her. Cynthia was there and so was Ted. Frank in security recognized you and wasn’t asking you to leave, he just wanted to get the other guy out. He didn’t want you hurt if the guy wasn’t going to go quietly.” Brian tells me.

 

“Brian, I never thought you did anything. I was frustrated that she didn’t even attempt to find out anything. When she told me someone was in your office, I was pissed she let a random man in your office. I left because the cramping started, not because I don’t trust you.” Justin tells me.

 

“Wait, you didn’t think I cheated?” I need to hear him say he trusts me that much.

 

“No. We promised to tell each other. You’ve always been honest with me.” Justin tells me.

 

“I love you, Justin.” I tell him for the first time.

 

“I love you, too. Did you bring the sandwich?” the twat asks me.

 

 

 

Chapter 28 by starlight

BRIAN 

 

The boys and I were on our way to pick up Justin and Riley from the hospital. I asked everyone to wait till dinner to invade. I wanted us to drive home as a family, not caravan with the troops. The boys missed Justin not being home all the time and I felt they needed time without so many people around. Justin wanted to have lunch before we were invaded. I asked Emmett to set it up at the loft, so it would be only the five of us. It would be nice to get to hold my daughter for more than three seconds. 

 

The boys were ready for their Dad to come home. Apparently only Justin cooks what they like. YumYum was even rebelling, she wouldn’t eat anything. I was worried about her until I realized she wanted tuna, she's going to be pissed when she figures out her supplier stopped eating it. Apparently Justin doesn’t like tuna, only his babies do. I've learned to appreciate all the things Justin does when I am at work. 

 

We pull up and once again I have to remind the boys not to try to jump out of a moving car.

 

“Sorry Papa.” They both say.

 

“I know you're excited Dad is coming home, but can we not land in the hospital. I'd like it to look like I can take care of you two.” I tell them.

 

“You did okay, but if Dad has to go somewhere ever again, maybe you could get Nana or Granny Deb to cook.” Gus tells me. 

 

“What was wrong with dinner last night?” I ask him.

 

“Nothing if you like peanut butter and avocado sandwiches.” Gus mutters.

 

“Or drinking that nasty juice.” Jackson mutters.

 

“At least the hospital food had dessert.” Gus points out.

 

“At least I tried, I could have made you fend for yourself.” I tell them.

 

“We couldn't have done any worse than you.” Gus smiles, the smart ass.

 

The imps ran in and told Justin on me. I'll get them for that. Justin and Blake are next. I found out who sent my ‘best friend’ the email. I told Emmett, we hit them when they least expect it. Until then we're just going to let them think they pulled one over on us. 

 

I head for my girl. Yes, I'm that father with the thousand pictures to torture you with. I can’t help that my baby is better than everyone else's. Riley has big blue eyes and reddish blonde hair, and as far as I'm concerned, is perfect. 

 

“Can we get out of here? I don't think I've had a minute alone since you left.” Justin asks me. 

 

“It’s your fault for being nice to everyone, learn to tell people to fu... go.” I tell him. The boys looked disappointed, but cursing is getting expensive.

 

“No one takes me seriously. I ask if they have things to do and they all think I'm worried about them. I even had to stop Deb from helping me use the bathroom.” Justin tells me.

 

“It’s your WASPY manners, learn to tell them to take a hike.” I tell him. 

 

Justin looks at me. Why does he think hinting at things works with this group? The boys help Justin get his things, and I pick up my angel. The nurse comes with the wheelchair, I had to hand Riley to Justin, well, I got a whole minute. We were headed out the door, when Craig and Malibu Barbie are walking in. Craig stops and looks at us.

 

“Still determined to raise that baby to think what you're doing is okay?” Craig asks Justin. It’s my turn.

 

“Craig, how's it going? You bringing your niece in for a checkup?” I ask him. 

 

“I'm so like not his niece, silly.” She flirts with me. 

 

“Really. You can’t be any older than Justin. I like, would think that Craig wouldn’t want to promote corrupting little girls.” I tell her.

 

“I’m like nineteen, and Craig was all, you act so much older. I mean normally old guys like do nothing for me, but I figured he at least has his own car.” She tells me.

 

“Yeah, old guys tend to like, have a car.” I tell her.

 

“I know, and it’s nice to not have to support myself, Craigie does it for me.” She smiles at an unsmiling Craig.

 

“Wow, but like I bet your Dad likes that your boyfriend is his age.” I watch Craig turn redder. The people watching are laughing.

 

“Well, like I guess I’ll take my deviant family out of here. Make sure Craig like buys you a car, then you can like show it off to your friends.” I tell her.

 

“Yeah, I think I should get one, I like have to hang out with a bunch of old people all the time. I want a car Craigie. What a cute baby, Craigie maybe we can like babysit for them sometime.” She tells him. Craigie grabs her arm and storms off. 

 

“Like, could we get out of here.” Gus jokes.

 

“I know, I like, feel like taking her to English class.” Jackson tells us. Justin smirks.

 

“I think Craigie is going to give you a wide berth from now on.” Justin tell me.

 

“But, like I wanted you to at least get to meet Mommy dearest.” I tell him, smirking.

 

I run and get the car. Time to get my family to lunch. We drive to the loft and Emmett opens the door. 

 

“I’m leaving, I just wanted to pick up the bags to drive to the house.” Emmett tells us.

 

I go with Emmett and transfer everything to his car. Emmett hands me a present.

 

“It’s for you, not my new princess.” Emmett tells me.

 

I open the box and in it was an Armani T-shirt with “Riley’s Papa” on it. I looked at it and smile at Emmett. At least it’s designer. Not that I plan on wearing it, well maybe at home. Emmett tells me it was just so Jackson wouldn’t chastise him for not buying designer. I push him into his car. I took my shirt and decide to wear it into the loft.

 

JUSTIN

 

I looked at the table and was glad Emmett made lunch, I love Brian, but his idea of dinner is take out and apparently peanut butter and avocados. I bring Riley to the table and start picking at the chicken, I don’t even want to see a can of tuna again. We look up to see Brian walk in wearing a Tee shirt.

 

“At least it’s Armani.” Jackson, the clothes horse points out. Brian smiles that Jackson recognized it. Gus and I rolled our eyes.

 

Brian walks over and picks up Riley, I think he was tired of everyone taking her out of his arms all the time. I watch as he walks around and talks to her. Brian told me this is the first time he was able to be there from the beginning and he was going to make sure to be there for her every moment. The boys get up to sit with him and Riley. I smile at my family.

 

We stayed a couple hours, Brian asked if we should keep the loft. 

 

“It’s your first home, keep it.” I tell him.

 

“No, you and the boys were my first home. This was just a place I lived.” He tells me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 29 by starlight

SIX YEARS LATER

 

BRIAN

 

I was waiting on Justin to get ready for date night. Jen told us we needed to have ‘us’ time. Neither of us really wanted to be away from the kids, but agreed. I think it made us realize that we needed to spend time alone. The sex alone was worth it. She and Anne also informed me that date night meant going somewhere, not getting naked the minute the kids left the house. I think they must not be doing it right if they think that. Justin told me to learn to lie to the moms, he was more than happy to stay home and fuck on every surface.

 

After Riley was born, we talked and Justin decided that unless I wanted to get pregnant, no way in hell, no more kids, so we stopped at three. Justin has banned tuna from the house forever. He was still trying to think of a way to get back at me and Emmett for the fifty cases we gave him for his birthday. It was our small revenge for the email. Blake got a year's supply of HoHo’s. Blake was still having a hard time fitting into anything pre-pregnancy. Ted was thrilled when Blake told him two was enough for him.

 

Jackson, Gus, and Riley now attend the same school but the boys play soccer at St James. The coach discovered that Jackson was a natural talent at soccer and was able to get special permission to use him on the team, since Jackson’s school didn’t have a team.

 

Without Lindsey to mess with Gus’s head, Gus was able to concentrate on school and was found to be almost as intelligent as Jackson. I told Mel it’s obvious where they got it from, me. Unfortunately that also means that we have fourteen year olds that are determined to blow up the back yard with every experiment the two manage to get past Justin. Justin was not amused when they decided that they wanted to try to make their own fireworks for fourth of July. I'll admit I bought the supplies but, they really shouldn’t have connected the fuses together. I will say that the twenty fireworks going off at the same time was spectacular, even if it only lasted a minute.

 

Riley, my perfect little angel, told the boys if they had just attached the fuses to a timer, it would have worked. She even made them one but waited to see if they figured it out themselves. She thought it was pretty for the minute we watched.

 

Michael came home to Pittsburgh and tried to convince Riley that he would be a better father than Justin to her and the boys. Big mistake. Riley wanted a resume with letters of recommendation. When Michael looked confused, she told him she doesn’t take the word of a man who couldn’t even tie his own shoes. She also suggested a diet to Michael, she told him that she could print him up a copy of foods that made his butt so big. Did I mention that Riley is me, only loved and cherished by all the men in the house. Her brothers, who are both tall and can glare like me, don’t let anyone near Riley. JR made the mistake of trying to tell Riley she was a brat, after the Michael incident. Gus and Jackson were ready to tell JR off, until Riley intervened.

 

“JR has a right to defend her dad, no one else wants to. She should just be glad she’ll be pretty like her mom.” Riley pointed out. JR took it as a compliment, and the kids stayed friends.

 

The boys let it go only because Riley wanted them too. JR, poor kid wanted a relationship with Michael. She wanted a dad like our kids had. Michael was blaming everyone for all his problems and telling JR his opinion as to why he isn’t welcome at anybody’s home. JR, not understanding that her father would lie to her, took his side and was pissed at all of us. Then, Michael made the mistake of telling JR that Leda wasn’t her mother, Lindsey was. JR might have wanted a father but she wasn’t going to forget the woman who loved and raised her. After that incident, she no longer blindly listened to daddy.

 

Michael came home a year after Riley was born, and I have to say I was surprised by the weight gain. David bought Michael a comic shop, as long as Michael opened it somewhere that wasn’t Portland. Michael tried to play it off as David giving Michael what he wanted. Emmett, being the gossip hound he is called David and was told David had caught Michael putting holes in the condoms, in an attempt to get pregnant. Michael tried to get back in the group but none of us hang out in the same places anymore. We found a new bar and the security guys at Babylon won’t let Michael in after he tried to do a striptease for me. I still haven’t been able to totally erase that episode from my head. Deb told Michael he could rent one of her rooms at her old house, but he would be sharing it with a couple waitresses from the diner. I think he lasted two weeks before Kiki tried to shove her size thirteen shoe up his ass. Michael ended up living in the back of his shop. He still runs around after us, we still pretend he isn’t there. I miss the ignore button.

 

Lindsey and Sam finally divorced last year. They spent four more years fighting and making up. The last straw for Lindsey was when Sam slept with Lynnette. She could forgive the eighteen year old girls, but not Lynnette who used it to one up Lindsey. Mel and I held our breath, we weren’t ready for Wendy to show up and wreak havoc on us. Lindsey instead met a sixty-five year old multimillionaire, who bought her a house bigger than both her mother’s and Lynnette’s. Harold was thrilled to have a trophy wife, Lindsey was happy to have all her WASPY dreams come true.

 

The halfway house was a success, Natalie promoted the hell out of it. Paul and Eli told Natalie and Deb it was a great cause but that they should be more selective of who they allow to reside in the house. They felt the hustlers gave the wrong feel to the cause. Natalie asked Eli if maybe they should add tails to the the back of all the hustlers pants and then Eli would fit right in. I heard they are trying to sell their house now.

 

Riley, Jackson and Gus are all waiting with me at the bottom of the stairs. I told them they could be here for this part. Riley wanted to give the ring to Justin, so I picked her up and handed her the ring. Justin comes skipping down the stairs in the tan leather pants and a tight baby blue shirt. I wanted to tell him to put more clothes on, but I would have had to unstick my tongue from my mouth.

 

“Nana’s not here yet?” Justin asks looking at the boys.

 

“Nana is waiting outside.” Gus tells Justin.

 

“Did you want me to walk you guys out there?” Justin asked them. The kids usually are out the door as soon as Jen or Anne show up.

“Justin.” I say to get his attention.

 

Justin turns to look at me. “Look Dad, Papa got you a ring to match our eyes.” Riley tells him. Justin looks at the ring and then at me.

 

“Marry us?” I ask him.

 

“Yeah Dad, will you marry Papa and us?” Jackson adds.

 

“We could get cake and stuff. I promise no tuna.” Gus tells him. The suck up.

 

We all waited for Justin to answer. He rolls his eyes and starts stuffing his hand into his pocket. When he pulled his hand back out something falls to the floor and Justin turns to pick it up. Definitely need to change into a longer shirt, but maybe we could stay and play naked games at home, or I could try to remove his pants with my teeth and tongue. I wonder if he’s going commando.

 

“Papa, Dad got you a ring too.” Riley grabs my face and makes me look at her instead of Justin.

 

I look over at Justin’s hand and I guess we were on the same wavelength.

 

“Yes.” I tell him.

End Notes:

First I want to say thanks for reading and enjoying this story. It was fun to write AU and MPreg, I really didn’t know if I could do it.

 

Second, for everyone who was probably wondering about the tuna. It came from my best friend, she found out that she was pregnant after years of trying to have a baby and not succeeding. The thing was she didn’t crave any of the good stuff, nope, it was tuna. Her cats were thrilled. I worked with her in a grocery store and we were in this tiny office, so it was like walking into a tuna sandwich convention every time she worked. It wasn’t a pleasant thing to walk into three times a day.  Her poor husband had asked all of us to try to get her to eat something else, because the doctor told her that her Mercury was too high. We all tried but you have to realize in a grocery store with twenty-two aisles, four bathrooms a backroom the size of a football field and ten coolers and freezers, she could hide and gobble it down before we could catch her. This was also the time I found out I was having my second child, my craving was a Baja Gordita from Taco Bell. My problem was that they made me sick for the rest of the night, after eating one. So our husbands ganged up on us to save us from ourselves. Lisa and I started finding ways to get out fix, without the men finding out. I was the boss at my store so, you think my employees cared what the husbands thought, no they didn’t. They were to busy being sent to Subway and Taco Bell. After we had our kids Riley for her and Gabriel for me, neither of us wanted those foods again. I can’t even look at a gordita and not have it turn my stomach.

 

Lisa wanted someone other than her to crave tuna, being pregnant, and I told her I would write it for her.

 

Again thank you for sticking with me and your wonderful comments. I have another story sitting in my computer, if I get the courage to post it, you could see the first chapter tonight. It has major character death but only for a minute, then they are back happy, I promise.

This story archived at http://www.kinnetikdreams.com/viewstory.php?sid=360