JUSTIN

Hunter was sleeping on the couch when I walked in. I grabbed a blanket and put it over him, thinking he needed some new clothes. His were clean, but he was outgrowing them. I was going to bed when Hunter got up with the blanket wrapped around him and headed one of the bedrooms.

“Where were you?” He asked, seeing it was getting closer to four am.

“Out meeting with guys other than a street kid.” I tell him, closing my door.

I threw off my clothes and took a shower, because I could still smell him on me. I didn’t even remember falling asleep, which made the dream I was having feel real.

Brian was driving and we were headed out of Pittsburgh. I was complaining that I didn’t think he planned to drive to West Virginia. He pulled up to a house I used to dream about when I was in the group home. So it dawned on me I was dreaming.

He tells me it's our house, which had me confused. Then we walked into the main room, with him trying to convince me to marry him. I woke up when I said yes. Jesus, it's like he can’t even leave me alone in my sleep. I got up and passed by the drawer I threw the manuscript in. Remembering that I skipped something like that in the book. I flipped to the part where it described the kid and Aidan deciding to get married. I remember thinking of Ben’s description as if Aidan proposing was due to being scared of being alone and wanting to drag the kid down with him. It was just, it didn’t feel that way in the dream, it felt like he finally figured out he wanted me, I mean the kid, forever.

I couldn’t believe I was sitting here trying to argue about a scene in the book that Ben wrote happening in the middle of a burned out building. It's just, it would have made more sense the way I dreamed it. I got up and went to get coffee, since I wasn't sleepy anymore.

Hunter must have gone on a cleaning spree, because the kitchen was sparkling. It gave me a way of getting Hunter to accept the clothes he was going to get today. I called Cynthia to let her know I'd be in later, and winced when she asked why I needed to tell her at five in the morning when we didn’t go in until nine. I just hung up, ignoring her bitching at me.

I made breakfast since I had someone to make it for, and then tried to figure out when I turned into someone who wanted people around.

“Hey Dad.” Hunter said sarcastically, when I put his breakfast on the table in front of him.

“If I was your father, you wouldn’t be dressed like that.” I replied, just as sarcastically.

“No you would have tarted me up, the way you did to impress whatever guy you were trying to impress.” He tells me, eating. “Why do you do take out when you can cook?” He asks.

“Until you came along I didn’t see the point in cooking for myself.” I tell him.

“Hey, you want to cook, I have no problem eating.” He tells me.

“Then you’ll have no problem going with me this morning to get you something that doesn’t have holes decorating it.” I added, waiting for him to argue.

“I earn my way.” He tells me, glaring at me.

“You cleaned this kitchen better than my cleaning lady, so you get clothes for doing something she couldn’t.” I tell him.

“Fine, but I’m not wearing fancy shit.” He tells me.

“I never thought you would, that would take fashion sense.” I tell him.

I tried, really I did, but he wouldn’t budge from going to Big Q, saying jeans were jeans. I walked around trying not to make faces at the fashion downgrade we ended up at. He snagged jeans and went in the dressing room when I ordered him to. I had to explain that clothes were not one size fits all. I looked around at shirts that only a blind man could love.

“JUSSIN.” I hear some kid yell.

I looked around to figure out why the kid was yelling. I saw a little boy running from a woman who had three others with her and holding a little girl. The kid latched onto my leg looking up at me like we knew each other. I couldn’t help but smile when he smiled a giant smile at me.

“My Jussin.” He told the woman when she caught up.

“Gus, you don’t run off like that.” She tells him, looking worried.

“But Jussy.” He says, as if that explains him running to me.

“I’m so sorry, he normally doesn’t attack people he doesn’t know.” She tells me.

“He’s probably used to people falling all over him.” I tell her, picking up Gus when he held out his arms.

“You're only the second person he’s acted like this with.” She tells me.

I didn’t want to let him go when he laid his head on my shoulder. “My Jussin.” He said, as he kissed my cheek.

“They fit. You taking in a foster kid too? Hey Linda, been awhile.” Hunter says, looking at the woman.

“Hunter, where have you been?” Linda asks.

“My cousin lets me stay at his house, Mom and Dad have been on benders again.” He tells her.

“Come see me, I’m glad you found someone to help you, but don’t be a stranger. Gus we need to go.” She tells them.

Gus started throwing a fit not wanting to go anywhere without me. I wasn’t exactly handing him back, only thinking of reasons the woman should trust a stranger to take a kid with him.

Linda and I were trying to calm Gus down when Babe came over to make it worse.

“You need to get that kid to calm down, there are people here that would like to shop in peace.” Babe tells Linda, not seeing me.

“Kids do things whether or not adults approve.” Hunter commented.

“You're in here again? I told you the last time I’d call the cops. We prosecute for theft.” He sneers at Hunter.

“I paid for everything I got.” Hunter tells him, getting pissed, and making Gus cry at the angry voices around him.

“Do you have proof Hunter stole anything?” Linda asks, angry.

“All the street kids steal.” He tells her, looking at me finally. “What the fuck are you doing here?” He asks.

“Deciding I was right, all the employees at Big Q are assholes.” I tell him, not really remembering why I thought that, since I never shopped here.

“Is there a problem?” Someone, I assume the manager, asks, since it says ‘store manager’ on his name tag.

“I was just trying to explain to these people, that we didn’t need all the noise they were making.” Michael tells him.

“I guess you don’t need me shopping here then, since you don’t like the idea of a family with kids in your store.” Linda, who I couldn’t help but like for protecting Hunter, announced.

“Michael, why not go do your job and let customers shop.” The manager orders him.

“That kid is one of the ones who come in here stealing things.” Michael whispers loud enough for us to hear.

“Hunter doesn’t steal.” Linda tells him.

“Maybe I should get my lawyer to come down here and talk to you and Michael about making accusations.” I tell the manager, ignoring the asshole glaring at me.

“I’m sure Michael will apologize, IF he likes having a job.” He tells me.

“I’m not apologizing to him.” Michael tells him.

“Look, I’m sorry your boyfriend’s book sucks as bad as he says you do, but don’t use it as your reason to treat Hunter as anything but a paying customer.” I tell Michael, who turns white. “Hunter go pay for the clothes and we can get out of here.” Handing him my credit card.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.”  Michael says loudly.

“You broke up with him? Then at least you have some sense.” I told him, as I followed Linda and Hunter to the registers, still holding Gus, who wouldn’t let go of me.

We got out the door with Hunter telling Gus he would bring me to see Linda, if Gus went with her. Michael came outside and followed us to the cars, to do what I didn’t know or care.

“I don’t need you outing me at work because Ethan didn’t want you.” He sneers.

“I don’t need you to keep thinking there would be any reason I would want anyone who could want you, or him. Now go inside like a good little boy, before your mouth is the bigger reason I wouldn’t published the crap Romeo writes.” I tell him, getting in the car and shutting the door.

BRIAN

I went to Linda’s to see Gus, they told me it would be a week before I would be approved to foster Gus, and the rest was just waiting for the paperwork to be approved for adoption. Linda was nice enough to let me come by to see Gus. I got there and Gus ran to me, chattering away.

“Jussin?” He asks, looking around.

“Gus met someone at the store today, and seemed to think he belonged to him.” Linda tells me.

“Is it okay if I take Gus to get some lunch?” I ask her, not understanding why Gus said the name he used to call Justin.

“I just need a number I can call if I need Gus here.” She tells me.

“Who was Jussin?” I ask.

“It was Justin, but I didn’t get the last name. One of the kids who used to stay here named Hunter was with him. Is it someone you know?” She asks.

“A good friend, kids like him.” I tell her, distracted when Gus kept asking where Jussin was.

I gave her the information and called Marty, because I needed to know why Gus knows Justin.

“Marty is there any reason Gus would remember?” I ask as I drive towards my Gallery.

“Kids always remember, it fades over time.” He tells me.

“Gus ran into Justin.” I tell him.

“I saw, but it didn’t trigger anything in Justin. He came in a minute ago being his shitty self.” Marty tells me.

I hung up and decided to piss Justin off a little more. Gus and I picked out the roses and sent them to his office. “We’ll kill him with kindness, Sonny Boy.” I tell Gus.