BRIAN

Alex came to Chicago to talk to us. He told us it was better to be prepared than to walk in playing it by ear. Lindsay allowing me to know about her sessions made it easier, she must have thought I still kept things from Justin.

“One of the reasons I encouraged you to revoke her rights is that she would use any time she had with Gus to try and get information about your life with Justin. The other reason is because right now she can't have a healthy relationship with anyone.” He tells us.

“Until I came back, she seemed like the person I always knew. She came to New York with Gus, but never really stayed around. I was only interested in spending time with Gus and didn’t care what she was doing. I only found out after I talked to Justin what she’d done. After that, she seemed hellbent on destroying her life and mine.” I tell him.

“To her, there was no change in your life, you were still tricking and avoiding relationships. She didn’t have to worry that you would be involved with someone other than her. If you had started a relationship with someone else, she would have needed to deal with the other person.” He tells us.

“She never seemed to have a problem with Justin until after I left. When she came to tell me leaving was a mistake, she used Justin as a reason I should stay.” I tell him.

“She knew you well enough to know that by using Justin, was a way to guarantee you would leave. If she thought you two were getting closer she would comment on it, because you would take off to prove to everyone that Justin wasn’t important to you. If they’d paid attention they would have understood it was your way of pushing away the idea that Justin meant more than you wanted him too.” He tells us.

“What made her say she would give up Gus?” Justin asks.

“She knows it's the only way to get Brian to see her. I'm not even sure if she plans to sign away her rights, or if she just wants us to think she does. It's why I haven’t suggested Brian see her, it could all be a plan she cooked up to entertain herself. I do want to see the way she reacts to you, but I doubt it will get you what you want.” He tells Justin.

“I don’t think she'll sign either.” Justin tells him.

“Then why do you want to see her?” I ask.

“I want something a judge can't turn a blind eye to. She’s capable of making people see what she wants them to see. Part of her excuse for the whole kidnapping was that I was threatening to take Gus from her. Which is what Brian and I are planning to do, now. I plan to give any judge involved in the case the real Lindsay.” Justin tells him.

“How would talking to you accomplish that?” Alex asks.

“I’m everything she said I couldn’t be. She can argue anything she wants, but in the end, I have everything she believes belongs to her. When she can’t win against me, she is no longer in control of herself, and she becomes less able to not say what she really thinks or feels. Just make sure you have a way to contain her when she blows.” Justin tells him, getting up to go pick up the kids from school.

“He really believes he can do that by talking to her? I’ve spent sessions with her and she treats them like a vacation from prison. She lets her mother come because that way she can avoid talking to me, by letting her mother use the sessions as if the therapy was for Nancy.” He tells me.

“She doesn’t see any reason to talk to you. You don’t hold any significance in her life. You don’t give her anything that would make her feel superior to you.” I tell him.

“I offered to let her get sessions in prison if seeing me was wasting my time and hers. She thought it would be a great idea.” He tells me.

“That’s because you know enough that she can’t convince you to see it differently.” I tell him.

“She practically dared me to do it.” He tells me.

BRANDON

Ted and Emmett were out with Deb looking for Michael. I told them I had work to do. Deb rubs me the wrong way. She came over to our apartment and immediately started telling us how to raise Katie. I left before I could ask her why she thinks she’s the expert.  Later on I was sitting in our bedroom flipping channels when the door opened. Deb came in and I practically had to bite my tongue before I told her to get out.

“Can we talk?” She asks me.

“Go talk to your son, Brian and Justin would like to live their lives.” I tell her.

“I plan to deal with Michael. I got the feeling I did something that pissed you off.” She tells me.

“I just don’t think you should be giving us advice on Katie.” I tell her.

“I've raised a kid, I just thought Ted and Mel might need advice.” She tells me.

“I'm sure you do, but look at how your kid turned out. I'd rather make mistakes than have a kid like yours.” I tell her.

“I did the best a single mother could do for Michael.” She tells me.

“My mother did the same thing with me. Only she didn’t run around chasing me and expecting to be included in everything I did. She wouldn’t come here and act like she had all the answers to questions nobody asked her. You show up to once again deal with the kid you raised, who is an adult, but instead of going to find him you sit here giving us your advice.” I tell her.

“Brandon, let it go.” Ted tells me.

“I did, but she wanted to know why I was pissed. So when she walked in here uninvited, I told her.” I tell him.

“Deb, can you go wait for me with Emmett.” He tells her.

“I guess he's learning from Brian.” She tells him, walking away.

“I tried Ted, but even Mel wanted to kick her ass.” I tell him.

“What's really bothering you?” He asks.

“She's here, which seems to mean everyone puts their life on hold for her and her son. You asked me to marry you, and instead of making plans with me, we're stuck helping her with Michael. How hard is it for her to go to Miles’s house and drag Michael home?” I ask.

“I'll be back.” He tells me.

I sat on the bed, feeling like an ass. It's just, I wanted to invite my mom here to meet Katie and Ted, but before I could talk to Ted, Deb shows up with bags, like she was planning on staying. My mood just went to shit when she sat there acting like only she knew how to raise a kid.

“What do you want to plan?” He asks, sitting on the bed.

“I’m just being an asshole, go help Deb and we can talk later.” I tell him.

“Deb needs to deal with Michael, we don’t. I don’t want to you to ever feel like you’re second in my life. I saw what that did to Justin, and I won’t make that mistake.” He tells me.

“I know you weren’t putting me second.” I tell him.

“So what did you want to plan?” He asks me.

“I want you to meet my mom, and for her to meet Katie.” I tell him.

“Why haven’t you already invited her?” He asks me.

“I wanted all the bullshit gone first.” I tell him.

“I sent Deb with Emmett, he’s going to get her a hotel room and take her to Miles’s house. We are bullshit free.” He tells me.

“You really think she isn’t going to want you to help her.” I tell him.

“I’m sure she does, but it doesn’t mean we have to. I would rather meet your mom and show her our daughter.” He tells me.

We called my mom and invited her here. I told her about us getting married and all about our Katie. Ted talked to her and asked her if he could marry me. I could hear my mom say she would love to have another son. Ted hung up and we laid on the bed, making plans for her visit.