I'm not sure what it was Michael expected Brian to do once he saw Justin, but what he did do was obviously not it.  Brian was perfectly polite, he didn't get pissed or anything.  He certainly didn't run up and hug the kid, which is what I did.

Catching Teddy's eye I could see that we were in agreement that nothing should spoil Brian's house warming party.  While Ted latched onto Mikey, I ushered Deb and Carl over to the table loaded with cheese, fruit, and assorted finger foods.

I handed Carl a couple of plates while Deb sampled one of the many cheeses.

"Well, at least it doesn't taste like cum,"  Debbie pronounced loudly.  Everyone around her gave her a strange look.

"Maw, do you have to be so crude?"  Mikey whined.

"I'm just saying."  Debbie shrugged.

Oh, lord.  If this was the way the evening was going to go, we were in trouble.  I can only hope that Ben and Carl will help rein them in.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.  I noticed Brian introducing Justin to various clients.  He seemed totally at ease with having him there, and I admit I got a little complacent, but in my defense I was busy keeping hors d'oeuvres on the table.  Ted, too, was busy making sure everyone had something to drink. 

Every time I checked up on Michael he seemed to be watching Brian like a hawk.  Cynthia was doing her best to deflect his interest so I wasn't too worried.  Therefore, I wasn't prepared when Michael literally started flinging people aside in an attempt to get to Brian!

I followed as quickly as I could, picking people up off the floor on my way and apologizing profusely to each one as I helped them back on their feet.  Once I got closer I could see that Michael was banging on the wall shouting.  "Brian, Brian, let me in."

"What the fuck are you yelling about, Michael?"  Debbie asked loudly.

That's what I wanted to know too, but I would've whispered. 

"Maw, we're family, we should be allowed to go in there."  Michael demanded.  Michael spotted me, and grabbed me by my suit jacket.  "How the fuck do I get in?" 

I looked around at all the people staring at us and laughed nervously hoping that everyone would think this was some kind of joke.

"How should I know?"  I hissed, jerking his hands off my now rumbled jacket.

"Michael, why is it so important that you get in there?"  Ben asked calmly.

"He's in there, probably fucking Justin."  Michael informed him.

"What, he's fucking Sunshine!"  Debbie shrieked, then she, too, started banging on the wall. "Asshole, you have guests out here.  You don't have time to be fucking anyone."

Oh my God.  People were whispering to each other and shaking their heads before heading for the stairs.  Could things get any worse?  Teddy and Cynthia were apologizing and trying to stop the exodus. 

Deb and Michael were both pounding on the wall and shouting loud enough to wake the dead, and I just wanted to cry.  Carl and Ben were trying to shut them up without any success. 

I don't know how long this went on.  Long enough that most of the guest were gone and Brian was standing behind us.  How did he do that? 

"What's wrong?"  Brian asked.

Debbie turned around and clutched her chest.  "What's wrong, you asshole.  You've got a houseful of guest and you run off to fuck."

Now I happen to know, though I'm not supposed to, that Brian's currently on medication that pretty much makes it impossible to get it up.  Not that I'd tell Deb that.

She pointed one of her red painted nails at him.  "Look at them, they're all leaving."

Then she was poking Brian in the chest.  "And it's all your fault!"

I gasped and I know I wasn't alone in doing so.  I saw the hurt flash across Brian's face and then I saw red.  I grabbed both Debbie and Michael and pulled them to the stairway and down.   When I got back from taking out the trash, Brian was no longer around, not that I could blame him.

I looked around the room taking in all the half empty glasses and the trays of finger foods I worked so hard to make.  What am I going to do with all the leftovers?   Maybe the Vic Grassi house would like them.

QAF

Brian stayed in hiding and I didn't see hide nor hair of him for two days, but really, who could blame him?  Personally I couldn't understand how Debbie and Michael could act that way and then try to blame Brian for it!  When I did see him, we talked and I said I'd like to send Debbie a copy of the security tape and maybe she'd get a clue.  That at least got a laugh out of him.

The security system that was set up was top of the line and recorded when motion detectors were set off.  Now that might seem like an invasion of privacy, but you have to remember that a lot of people helped rebuild the place and Ms. Cynthia thought someone might try to pull a fast one.  And a couple of people did, but we had the goods on them. 

We watched the proceedings the next day and it was not pretty, there were four cameras running from each corner of the room, and you'd have to know where to look to see them.  It was turning out to be a good investment considering the neighborhood.

Well, ever since the night of Brian's longed for open house, Brian started acting different, he was more driven.

It was obvious that he was depressed and who could blame him?   Looking back, it all started with Justin's unexpected appearance.  Nobody that I could find had known how to get in touch with Justin.  Well, maybe his mother did, but I never dared ask.

As if that wasn't bad enough, shocking news struck.  Brian's condition had worsened and he was going to be forced to go under the knife, again!  They said they could get it all, but that was what they said last time too. 

He, of course,  didn't want to tell anyone, again a repeat of last time, but since Cynthia had his POA she convinced  his doctor that I should be kept in the loop and unlike Justin, I found out before the fact.   You might be wondering how I know about when Justin found out about Brian's cancer.  One night, shortly after it all came out; Michael had gotten terribly drunk and spilled the beans.  I hadn't realized back then, that as a friend, a supposed best friend, that he wasn't much help which was probably why Brian wasn't telling him now.  Somehow he managed to make Brian having cancer all about poor Michael. 

It was decided that telling Michael or Debbie was out of the question.  For some reason that I'll never be able to understand, Debbie was maintaining that the reason the party ended was Brian's fault, and she was doing that loud and long.  Anyone who'd been there could tell you different, though.  I wanted to tell her off so badly, but Ted just shook his head stopping me.  I heard from Teddy that guests had been calling Kinnetic and apologizing for leaving, explaining that they'd been too embarrassed for Brian to stay.

Then I got serious and suggested he needed to talk with Justin.  I don't know what went on between them at the party, but I was hoping that it was the start of something new.  Hopefully mistakes of the past were not about to repeat themselves.