EMMETT
I stayed away from Lindsay when they asked, but no way am I staying out of this one. Michael doesn’t get to come to my town and upset the life Justin and I made here. Would I change that I met Charles? No, there isn’t anything worth changing meeting Charles. I would change the way Justin and I lost everyone. All because they could never see that they didn’t own Brian in the way Justin did. I watched the little things, not the bullshit Brian was spewing when he didn’t want anyone to see Justin meant what he did to him. It’s why I never tried to stop Justin from continuing to love Brian. Justin brought out something in Brian that Michael and Lindsay never could, and Michael isn’t going to come here trying to mess with my family.
I drove straight to Justin’s house, got out and walked around the yard. If Miles or Michael see me they’ll show up, they couldn’t resist trying to tell me whatever idiotic thought was in their heads. Miles came outside after I went into the house. He knocked on the door and seemed disappointed when he saw me.
“How are you, find a job yet?” I ask.
“No, but it’s only a matter of time. I did my job, but I certainly couldn’t be expected to work where the owner’s life was harming mine.” He tells me.
“Justin’s right.” I say, and watch him perk up at Justin’s name. “You only see things the way you want to. Tell me Miles, how did Lindsay coming to your house, at your invitation mind you, equal Brian causing you problems?” I ask.
“I wouldn’t have met her if Brian hadn’t come here.” He tells me.
“Yet you invite more people to your house that what, you’ll later decide it’s somehow Brian’s fault for them being there? I’m going to give you some advice, Michael is not here because he gives a shit about Justin in any way, shape, or form. Michael hates that Justin was the person Brian wanted. Michael might be saying what you want to hear, but in the end he could care less what happens to Justin or his child. If you think hanging out with Michael will do anything for you, look at where Lindsay is now. Michael was helping her.” I tell him.
“Michael wants to be friends with you again, he said he was angry because you helped Justin hide Hannah from the family. Emmett, I understand not wanting Brian to know about Justin and Hannah, but not the people who loved Justin like family. It was just a misunderstanding, and you left before Michael could talk to you.” Miles tells me.
“Miles, are you really this gullible? Michael called Justin names that I couldn’t excuse. It had nothing to do with me until Michael accused me of being Hannah’s father. Your new friend was too busy trying to hurt Justin, I made sure he couldn’t.” I tell him.
“Michael told me all about Brian and how he treated Justin.” He tells me, looking less sure of what he got from Michael.
“I think it’s time for you to hear a new version. It starts with Michael, who followed Brian constantly, waiting for Brian to tell him that he was the one Brian wanted. I believe it started when Michael was fourteen, and it hasn’t stopped.” I tell him.
“Michael doesn’t want Brian, he told me he couldn’t love someone who would never be faithful.” He tells me.
“I’m just getting to the good parts. Like the part where Michael spent all his time trying to get Brian to shit all over Justin. See, Brian and Justin didn’t have a problem with tricking, as long as it wasn’t more than a trick. Which, if you heard the last sentence, means Justin was not a trick to Brian. When Justin’s father kicked him out, Brian didn’t just take Justin home with him. Brian took Justin home to his family, but wouldn’t let Justin stay with a father who wanted to change everything about Justin. You want to know what I remember most about the night Justin and his father fought? It was that I was playing around and put my arms around Justin, kissing him on the cheek, and there was Brian, removing my hands and pulling Justin to him. After that Michael, Ted, and I became invisible, because all Brian and Justin could see was each other.” I tell him.
“Brian didn’t want Justin in the loft. He only let him stay because he felt bad for Justin.” Michael says from the doorway.
“So bad that he did the one thing he told you never to do. He went after Justin.” I tell Michael.
“Ma and I made Brian go.” He tells me.
“Really. You want to believe Brian did anything he didn’t want to. It's one thing even you can't lie about, Brian has never done something unless he wanted to. If we'd left him alone, I doubt he wouldn’t have gone anyway. I seem to remember that we wandered around for hours before Brian called us. What do you think Brian was doing with Justin that whole time? I doubt he was giving Justin a lecture on how he only showed up because you and Deb made him.” I tell him.
“He was only letting Justin be the fuck toy Brian liked him to be.” Michael sneers.
“Justin was too young to see what that bastard was doing.” Miles tells us.
“Brian didn’t have to do anything to get Justin on his knees. Justin was constantly showing up, trying to get Brian’s attention away from me. Brian only wanted me, until that shit showed up. I just wanted the bastard gone, he wouldn't listen when I told him over and over that Brian didn’t want him. Do you know how I felt when Brian went to New York, leaving Justin without bothering to know what happened, I felt justified that I was right. Justin never meant anything to Brian. He took my calls and still kept me around.” Michael tells us.
“Brian knew if he had any contact with Justin, he'd want Justin with him. He cared enough to let Justin go. Brian wanted Justin to have the chance at a life he didn’t know if he could give him. Michael, letting you stay in his life meant he didn’t see you as someone he could hurt.” I tell him.
“Brian was always there, making sure I didn't get hurt.” He tells me.
“Let's talk about what Brian had to do for you. I seem to remember him taking the blame for you when you did anything, the way a brother might do for another brother. He threw a party and practically threw you at David. To me it doesn’t sound like he wanted to be with you.” I tell him.
“And Justin came to me after the party because Brian wanted me back in his life. He told me everything and helped Brian and I get back together. Even Justin saw what I meant to Brian.” He tells me.
“I thought you didn’t want Brian, you acted like you worried about Justin?” Miles asks.
“Why would I give a shit about Justin? All he does is take things that don’t belong to him. He was constantly running around making Brian take care of him, not giving a shit that Brian didn’t owe him anything. Justin’s idea of love was fucking other guys.” Michael tells us.
“Justin never needed Brian to take care of him, it’s why Brian couldn’t resist him. Justin never made Brian feel like he owed Justin anything. I find it funny you seem to think Justin fucking other people was wrong, but yet Brian was doing it too.” I add when Miles and Michael start glaring at each other.
“You told me Brian MADE Justin do those things.” Miles tells Michael.
“You’re too busy acting like Justin should be a fucking saint to see that he’s just a piece of ass to sell to the highest bidder.” Michael tells him.
“I think you need to look at Brian. Didn’t you say he was fucking anything that walked by him? I’ve never seen Justin do anything but be a father to his daughter, the one Brian fucking abandoned.” Miles tells him.
“Brian didn’t know.” I add, but they weren’t listening to me anymore.
“Justin got knocked up hoping to trap Brian.” Michael tells him.
“How do you get that? Justin was raising Hannah without Brian doing a damn thing.” Miles tells him.
“I doubt Justin even knew if Brian was the father. He was fucking anyone who wanted his ass.” Michael tells him.
“I’d believe that if it was Brian who got pregnant, remember you told me Brian was the whore of gay PA.” Miles tells him.
That comment made me think about Brian’s recent runs to the bathroom, while they fought with each other. I swear I saw Brian eating a King size hershey bar too. I looked at them in time to see Michael shove Miles out the door. I got up and watched the two, I think it was fighting. Hard to tell when they were running from each other, then trying to kick each other. It wasn’t until they were on the ground pulling each other’s hair that I could almost see it as fighting. Michael was on Miles’ back trying to, I assume, get Miles to eat dirt, but Miles managed to buck him off and turn the hose on him. Michael was screaming like it was acid and not water. I enjoyed watching, but really I just needed Miles to kick Michael’s ass back to Pittsburgh.
Justin was right, I really didn’t need to do anything, Michael and Miles would do it for me. I locked up and decided that maybe it was time for Charles and I to take a trip to Vegas. I needed to get on with the life that I found with Charles.