JUSTIN

Brian ended up having to leave when his phone rang. I sat there listening while he had to explain why he didn’t bring Gus straight home. I didn’t really get why it was such a big deal when it was still really early. He hung up, not happy about the call.

“I have to get Gus back. Apparently Mel wanted him home for dinner with his mothers.” He tells me.

“Sounds like you guys get along about as well as a divorced couple.” I joke.

“Lindsay and I are good, and most days Mel and I are fine. She just doesn’t like it that Jenny and I get along.” He tells me.

“It’s always great for kids to have a large support system.” I tell him.

“I agree. Which is why she can get as pissed as she wants, it won’t change what I do for Jenny.” He tells me, getting up to get Gus..

“It was nice having dinner with you and Gus.” I tell him.

“How about we try it without Gus?” He asks.

“You’re persistent, and I would love to say yes, but most days I just want to go home, after working all day.” I tell him.

“Then I can bring dinner over.” He tells me.

“I like to cook, more than I like take-out.” I tell him.

“I’ll bring the ingredients.” He tells me.

“Fine, Friday then, because my mother wants to take Gwen with her for the weekend.” Giving in because I wanted to get to know the man I once thought was everything I wanted.

BRIAN

Gus and I were parked in front of the girl’s house. He didn’t get out like he usually did, but sat with me.

“Gwen said her dad never goes out.” He tells me.

“He agreed to dinner on Friday.” I tell him.

“I like him. He treated me and Jenny like we had brains in our heads.” He tell me.

“Your mothers are just worried, and they lose their minds when it comes to you and Jenny.” I tell him.

“Please. They all do. Normally Ben can at least be logical, but even he was acting like it was Mama and Mom's fault.” He tells me.

“It probably comes from years of dealing with your Uncle Mikey’s dramatics. Ben knows, until Mikey gets to be a drama queen, no one sleeps.” I joke.

“Do you like Dr Taylor?” He asks.

“I think I do, but we’ll wait and see.” I tell him, as he hugs me, getting out.

I drove to my loft, and seeing Michael sitting outside wasn’t really what I wanted. I knew it was more that I didn’t agree with him than anything else at Justin’s office.

“Mikey, I have an early meeting tomorrow.” I tell him.

“I came to tell you that I’m having a dinner party Friday. There’s a new guy Monty and Eli thought you should meet.” He tells me.

“I already have plans with someone Friday.” I tell him.

“Then change your plans and come over, your judgement in men leaves a lot to be desired.” He tells me.

“My taste just doesn’t run to the guys you keep showing up with. I support causes, but spending the entire evening talking about speed bumps and rallies about how to be the right kind of gay isn’t how I want to spend my night.” I tell him.

“If your taste is so great then who’s the date that you seem to think is better than the guys I introduce you to?” He asks me.

“No one you know. And until I decide for myself about him, you and the gang can stay out of it.” I tell him, leaving him on the sidewalk.

JUSTIN

The next morning, I dropped Gwen off with my mom and headed to work. Mary looked up at me shaking her head, which she does when we have the parents we call ‘special’. Which is usually first time parents, because by the second or third kid they figure out everything isn’t an emergency.

“Mr Novotny-Bruckner and Ms Peterson are waiting in your office. I tried to tell him you were booked, but he insisted on waiting for you in your office. And by the way, we are to refer to him as Mr Novotny-Bruckner,” She tells me, rolling her eyes.

“How did he get past you? You're normally a pitbull about who is allowed into my office," I ask.

“Apparently for his darling Honeybun, you need to re-explain it to him. He thinks it’s the moms fault. Ms. Peterson thinks you should tell him that most of the ear infections happened when JR stayed with Mr Novotny-Bruckner and his husband, not her and her wife. I want you to know, there are times when patients tell me things, but nothing like these two,” She tells me.

“This is why I chose to parent alone. No matter what happens there’s no one but me to blame,” I tell her, going into my office.

“Lindsay, until he answers my questions, you need to sit there and be quiet,” He tells her.

“He’s going to tell you what Mel and I told you, all those ear infections she got while staying with you caused her to lose her hearing,” She tells him.

“What I’m going to tell you both is ear infections happen. It doesn’t matter whether Jenny is with her fathers or her mothers. Some children are just more susceptible to them,” I tell them both.

“So tell Lindsay needs to stop blaming me and Ben,” He tells me.

“I will when you stop blaming me and Mel,” She tells him.

“If that was all, I have patients who already have appointments,” I tell them.

“Shouldn’t they have noticed that Honeybun had problems sooner?” He asks, and all I could see was Jenny rebelling to that name when her hearing got better.

“Not all kids start to talk at the same time in life, we thought maybe she was behind. Which, with your DNA, is definitely possible,” Lindsay hisses.

“I was talking early in life, Ma told me people were always commenting on how young I was when I started,” He tells her, acting superior.

“I’m sure they were just hoping you’d shut up. It’s what we all wish for everyday,” She tells him.

“Lindsay is correct, not all children do things at the same time, but as parents, you should all have noticed that she wasn’t responding when you spoke to her,” I tell them, wondering why I felt like a parent to two children. Well, most likely because they are children in grown up bodies.

“Ben and I only get Honeybun every other weekend. Lindsay and Mel act like we don’t know how to take care of her,” Michael tells me.

“Michael, you were feeding her cereal that you doused in sugar. Instead of the food we were sending with her,” She tells him.

“She doesn’t like that vegan shit you two think is all the rage,” He complains.

“We make her food homemade. It’s better than the stuff in the stores where they add all those preservatives. We want her to have a better diet than cheeseburgers dripping in grease,” She tells him.

“Okay, now that you two got that out, it’s time for you to go. Jenny isn’t going to get better just because you two want to argue with each other,” I tell them.

“He wants to blame us,” She tells me.

“It doesn’t change what happened, blame it on the wet winters if it will get you both to stop arguing.” I tell them.

“See, it wasn’t Ben and Me,” Michael tells her.

“Mr Novotny-Bruckner and Ms Peterson, she is going to get better and it might help her if her parents weren’t fighting when they should be paying attention to her,” I tell them.

They get up, still glaring at each other. Michael gives me a limp handshake. “My husband and I are hosting a dinner. I wanted to ask if you wanted to come. I have a lot of friends who would love to hear all about being a successful doctor. It’s this Friday, I invited an extra person to round out the numbers, but my best friend said he couldn’t make it. We would love to have you over so we don’t have an odd numbers,” He tells me.

“Mel and I were planning to invite you to dinner with us on Friday. My son seems to like you,” Lindsay tells me, as they both look at me for an answer.

“I have plans with a friend,” I tell them, wondering why they thought to include me.

“You could bring your friend with you to my house,” Michael tells me, which, wouldn’t they still have an odd number?

“Mel and I could just add an extra person,” Lindsay tells me.

“We both wanted to have dinner alone,” I tell them.

“My invitation is open if you change your mind. The people who attend my dinners are family oriented, and you could pick up a few clients,” Michael tells me, opening the door to my overflowing office.

“Thanks, but as you can see, my patients are waiting,” I tell them, holding the door open.

BRIAN

Ted and I were looking over a campaign, but my mind was on Justin. I wanted this date to lead to more, but my dating history wasn’t what you would call successful.

“What do you and Blake do on dates?” I ask.

“Avoid Michael’s cult of ‘we wish we were straight but can at least pretend’,” He jokes.

“After you manage to avoid it, then what?” I ask.

“Dinner, a movie, and talk. We really just prefer quiet nights together,” He tells me. “Why are you asking?” He asks.

“I want to make a better impression than I did the first time,” I mumble.

“What did you do the first time?” He asks.

“Took his virginity and kicked him out,” I shrug.

“How did you manage to get him to agree for round two?” He asks, laughing.

“I asked until he agreed,” I tell him.

“What were your plans before asking me?” Ted asks.

“He’s cooking dinner for us,” I tell him.

“Call Emmett and have him make dinner for you. Then you two can relax and get to know each other. Emmett was looking for a reason he could tell Michael ‘no’ to he and Drew going to Michael’s cult night,” He tells me.

“Why do you guys go if you don’t want to?” I ask.

“Hello! You do remember your best friend, and what he’s like until we all agree to do what he wants. It wasn’t bad, until he and Ben moved and decided to drink the kool aid. Ever since then, even when Michael wants us to hang out at Babylon, he sits and disapproves of every person who comes to dance and have fun. Blake made me dance off the ten pounds I was complaining about to avoid listening to Michael,” He tells me.

“He thinks Blake should be preaching to every kid who gets high. Michael doesn’t get why Blake is standing up at rallies and blaming the clubs for the drug problems,” I tell him.

“It’s why Blake and I made plans to take Poppy to the movie she wanted to see Friday. Apparently the cult is planning to host an evening to show the party kids that playing charades can be just as fun as hooking up. I told him no when he thought we should bring our daughter, we want to spend time with Poppy, not fall asleep,” He tells me.

“Where do they plan to host the evening?” I ask.

“I think Michael thinks Emmett and I would convince you to let his group use Babylon. Which is why the four of us are staying far away,” He tells me.

“I’m shocked that Lindsay and Mel aren’t attending,” I tell him.

“They’re still pissed at each other, which saves you from both of your best friends nagging you to let them do it. Who are you going out with?” He asks.

“The doctor they took Jenny to, he was the kid I left with the night Gus was born,” I tell them.

“Dr. Taylor?” He asks.

“You’ve met Justin?” I ask.

“He’s everyone’s favorite pediatrician. When we took Poppy to him, he took time with her and answered every question we had and even ones she asked. It’s why I suggested to Mel and Lindsay that they go to him when they wanted change doctors for Jenny and Gus. The pediatrician they had barely spent ten minutes with the kids before letting the nurse take over,” He tells me.

“Gus likes him, he said Justin treated him like he had a brain,” I tell him, smiling.

When Cynthia raised her voice, we knew it could only mean Michael or Lindsay tried to barge into my office. Unfortunately it was both of them, as we found out when my door flew open.

“Brian, can you tell Lindsay she needs to stop blaming everything on Ben and me,” Michael demands.

“JR comes home sick all the time when you and Ben have her. Which, if you had let Dr Taylor listen to me, he would have told you that it’s your fault JR has hearing problems,” She tells him.

“All of you ignored Jenny. Which makes it the fault of all four of you. Brian was the one who finally make you guys pay attention to the fact that Jenny only responded when she was looking directly at the person talking,” Ted tells them.

“Honeybun responded to me,” Michael screeches.

“How could she not when you yell everything,” Lindsay tells him.

“Why were you at Justin’s office?” I ask, because neither of them ever understands there are times and places for everything, example, my office during business hours.

“Who?” Michael asks.

“Dr Taylor,” Ted tells him.

“Why are you calling him Justin?” Lindsay asks.

“Why are you two avoiding my question?” I ask.

“I wanted him to tell Lindsay that she and Mel should have known something was wrong with Honeybun,” Michael tells me.

“I wanted Dr Taylor to tell Michael that JR getting sick at his house was the cause of JR’s hearing problem,” Lindsay tells me.

“What did he say?” I ask.

“He told us to quit blaming each other and help JR get better,” Lindsay said, before Michael could answer.

“So you left his office and came here to get me to decide which one of you was most to blame?” I ask, pointing at the door.

“Briii-aaan,” They both started whining.

“Out. If you two want to fight, do it at home,” I tell them.

“Make sure Emmett goes all out for your date. Because, after dealing with Lindsay and Michael, he’s most likely wondering if you’re even worth the aggravation,” Ted tells me.