BRIAN

We were pulling up to get Molly on our way to Vermont. Molly was a close second to Jen in my eyes. It took her a second to stop staring at me before she asked if I had a straight brother. Then joked that she’d wait for mini me to grow up, making Gus blush. She told Gus he could call her Molly or Aunt Molly since we were family. She asked Gus what he liked to do and when he told her he and Gwen were interested in ghost hunting right now, she told him they could check out some of the abandoned buildings in the woods and see what they could find.

Justin was complaining that their grandmother knew about me, which had Molly saying better him than her. 

“It’s not that bad, maybe they’ll be too busy being awestruck that you actually want them to meet someone. Grandpa will be just as happy to be left alone because of Brian,” Molly tells him.

“You’re just happy that they aren’t going to try to set you up with every grandson of their friends because they’ll be too busy trying to marry me off,” Justin tells her.

“We could surprise them, gay marriage is legal in Vermont,” I joke.

“You don’t think they haven’t already thought of that. Trust me, the minute I came out my grandmother and her sisters were first in line to vote for it,” I tell him.

We got to the house, which was huge and overflowing with people who all seemed to stop and stare at us pulling in. Molly took the kids with her as Justin seemed to not want to get out of the car.

“Justin?” I ask.

“I just want one minute before my grandmother and great aunts swarm,” He tells me.

“It’s going to be okay. I love that they will be happy that we’re together,” He tells me.

“It’s just the first time I wanted them to meet anyone. I know we’ve been together for a while but they’re going to start asking what our plans are, and then pushing us to move faster,” He tells me.

“Do you see a future without me?” I ask.

“There isn’t one if you aren’t in it,” He tells me.

“Then let them plan away, we do what we’re ready for,” I tell him.

“I’m ready to change your address,” He tells me.

“Great minds think alike,” I tell him, kissing him.

We were interrupted by a knock on the window. Justin laughed as three older women stood there looking put out that we hadn’t gotten out of the car. I shifted a bit to hide the way Justin affects me. Only, one of them was watching me and cackled, something Justin had joked about, but that was apparently true.

“Looks like Justin found a big man,” She said to her sisters.

“Grandma,” Justin said, turning red. “Let me introduce you to Grandma, and be smart and just call her that. Aunt Mary and Aunt Rose are the cackling hens besides her,” Justin tells me, laughing at them glaring at him.

“Get over it, you brought us a hunk and we were expecting a ninny, since you seemed to want to hide him from us. It’s obvious he can keep you satisfied,” Grandma tells him, still looking at my crotch.

“Grandma!” Justin warns.

“Honey, if you can’t find it, it’s not worth keeping,” Mary tells him.

“It’s why I divorced my first husband. It’s a lie that size doesn’t matter,” Rose tells us, holding up her pinky finger and wiggling it.

“Where is Grandpa?” Justin asks.

“Likely burning dinner on the grill,” She tells him.

“I’ll go see if I can help him,” I tell them, kissing Justin one more time to the awes of the hens. I left Justin to them, because I wanted to meet the man who survived these women.

“Good God Justin, he’s one hot piece,” I heard as I took off around to the backyard. 

I found Grandpa sitting with Gus and Gwen, trying to decide what went wrong with the grill. They were staring at the black things that looked like charcoal. 

“I don’t know, but Daddy Brian doesn’t burn things,” Gwen tells him.

That stopped me from saying anything to interrupt them, because it’s the first time she referred to me as anything other than Brian.

“Yeah. Dad’s been learning to cook, I think he wanted to give Daddy Jus a break,” Gus tells him.

“It’s why I try. But as you can see I’m still a bit behind Daddy Brian,” He tells them smiling.

“I don’t know how to grill either,” I tell him.

“I’m assuming you're my grandson’s boyfriend? Frank, and you’re Brian?” He asks, not really giving me a smile or anything to let me know how he feel about it.

“Hopefully more one day, and yes I’m Brian,” I tell him.

“Oh God, make sure you don’t tell the women. They be all over both of you to plan your lives,” He laughs.

“No worse than the rest of my friends,” I tell him.

“Sit down and maybe between the four of us we can figure out how this grilling thing works. It really chaps my ass that Molly does it better than me,” He tells me.

“Justin’s pretty good at it too,” I tell him.

“Auntie Em brings the sauce,” Gwen reminds me.

“We all like his sauce, it’s better than the stuff out of bottles,” Gus tells him.

“Emmett would also help us fake that we did it,” I smirk.

“Why did you forget to bring him? It’s been horrible when the hens cackle at my attempts,” He laughs.

“Poppy was sad she couldn’t come,” Gwen tells him.

“Who’s Poppy?” He asks her.

“My very bestest of friends, after Gus, and we like Jenny too,” Gwen tells him.

“Maybe we should call and see if we can get your very bestest friend for you,” He tells her.

“She really loves Daddy Jus,” Gus tell him.

“It’s hard not to love that boy, so I understand. From what I heard from my daughter, you're a hard little boy not to love too,” He tells Gus.

“I never had a Nana before. Grandma Deb’s cool, but she’s really my sister Jenny’s real grandmother. Nana feels like she belongs to me,” Gus tells him.

“It’s cause she says your her first grandson. Let’s go see if they have cookies,” Gwen tells Gus, dragging him off.

“Could have knocked me over with a feather when I heard who Justin was bringing. I never thought he’d be interested in someone in business,” Frank tells me.

“I don’t think he really cares what I do,” I tell him.

“When are you going to take Kinnetik national?” He asks.

“It’s been something we eventually want to do, but it would also take me away from Gus. Who still likes having me around,” I tell him, sitting down when he waves at a chair and hands me a beer.

“From what I heard, the big boys in New York are thrilled you haven’t taken them on yet,” He tells me.

“You seem to know a lot about me,” I tell him.

“I like to know who’s who. Your name keeps popping up in my circles,” He tells me.

“Good things I hope?” I ask.

“Very good,” He tells me.

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something here?” I ask.

“Frank Thomas, at your service,” He smiles.

“I’m honored you even know my name,” I tell the man who businesses called a fixer when they needed a way back from bankruptcy.

“You’ll likely never need me,” He tells me.

“About the grill, we could call Emmett and see if he could give us pointers,” I tell him, to change the subject. 

“Why call him, just tell him to come. The hens love to have people here. I think they need to meet all the people in your life too, because my grandson loves you,” He tells me.

“Frank, you done burning dinner?” Grandma yells.

“I didn’t catch her name,” I whisper.

“Grandma is all you ever need to call her. I’m good with Frank, but Grandpa warms my heart,” He tells me, rushing to get rid of the bricks that were likely steaks before the women all came out.

I tried not to give him away but he threw them behind the bushes into the dried brush underneath it. The hens started sniffing as the smoke started rising. Justin came out with a pitcher and in order to show solidarity with the men of the world who hadn’t gotten the grilling gene, I accidently bumped into Justin and got the pitcher to spill all on top of where Grandpa threw whatever it was before he charred it. Justin looked suspicious, but just dragged me with him to get more drinks for everyone.

“So, Grandpa said to invite Emmett,” I tell Justin.

“Shit. We are going to end up married before we leave here today if he asked you to call him that,” Justin tells me, not really seeming to care.

“I think he wants to shut up the haters of his grilling,” I tell him.

“It makes so much sense now. Were you protecting him from the hens?” Justin asks, pulling me down for a kiss.

“No. More like saving the house from being burnt down,” I tell him, kissing him again.

“Rose, we need to do some planning,” We hear from behind us.