DEB

Fucking Ryan had all the employees acting like he was the best thing that walked on Liberty Avenue. I’d gone there to talk to some of the employees, but it fell on deaf ears. Everyone was singing the praises of the new owner and Ryan. The young waiter who had dropped out of school was back in school and had been offered a place to live as long as he stayed in school. Kiki rolled her eyes at me when I commented that maybe they should all be careful, because none of us knew who the new owner was and what his game was. I reminded them all that I was the one who hired them when no one else would and treated them like family. 

One kid eating at a booth got up and walked over to the table where we were talking. “If your idea of family is what you did to Hunter, then they’d be better off without you.” He says, walking out the door. 

I was about to yell something when my phone rang, but ended up leaving when it was Michael, calling to tell me that Carl arrested him. I got to the station, and once again the assholes treated me like I didn’t once bring them dinner and welcome them around my life. Carl was standing away from the cop who had Michael in the chair next to his desk.

“I think I need to have a lawyer look into the fact that Michael and I are being targeted by the boys in blue.” I tell Carl.

“While you’re doing that, make sure to tell the lawyer that you and Michael lied to the police about what happened at the girls house the other day. I had a very interesting conversation with Lindsay, who decided that she wanted to press charges on the person who hit her so hard she fell from the chair she’d been sitting on.” He tells me.

“I’m sure if you asked around you’d find out that Lindsay’s latest problems come from the fact that she can’t tell the truth to save her life, or her marriage. It’s also her word against Michael’s and mine, since you can’t trust Mel to tell you anything but what will get her out of trouble. It sounds more like she’s pissed that if Michael and I get custody of Jenny, she won’t get a free ride anymore. It’s also her word against Michael’s and mine.” I tell him.

“If that’s all you can say, then I was right to walk away from you. Especially if this behavior is something you don’t see as a problem.” He tells me.

“He didn’t mean it, she was taunting him. He just lost Ben and now he’s losing Brian, the last thing he needed was Lindsay using Brian’s marriage against him. The restraining order was ridiculous. Michael would never do anything to hurt Brian.” I tell him.

“But because you don’t like Brian’s husband, it doesn’t matter that Michael sees Justin, Cameron, and Gus as a problem to what he wants? But then as long as Brian tows the line and keeps you from having to realize there’s something really wrong with your son, you don’t care do you? Deb, Michael’s obsession with Brian means he doesn’t care who gets hurt in his efforts to get what he wants. Even if it’s you.” He tells me, walking into his office.

Carl didn’t know shit. My son loved me, because without me where would he be? I went to where Michael was sitting, only to hear him tell the cop next time he planned to break Justin’s jaw. 

“Michael!” I yelled, trying to get him to shut up.

“What? I’m tired of the shit that comes out of his mouth.” He complains.

“He’s upset, that’s all.” I tell the cop.

“Yeah, sounds like he has a problem with a lot of people.” The cop tells me. “By the way, when you threaten people, we tend to take it seriously.” He tells Michael, before getting up and walking off.

“What did he mean by that?” I ask.

“I told him the shit is going to get more than a slap if I see him.” He tells me.

“Michael, stop. Even though he caused trouble between you and Brian, you can’t say things like that, people will think the wrong thing.” I whisper to him.

“I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks, no one is going to get in my way anymore. Including you!” He glares at me.

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that.” I tell him.

“I’ll talk to you any way I want to, it’s because of you that Brian thinks he wasn’t good enough for me. You get in my way and I’m done with you.” He tells me.

“Honey, he isn’t going to give you what you want. He isn’t the kind of man you need.” I tell him.

I didn’t expect what he tried to do next, not my Michael. Only, Carl did, and stopped him before he could lay a hand on me. Michael scowled when they held his hands behind his back. “I don’t want her allowed around me anymore.” He spit at me.

“Son…”

“You mean nothing to me!” He yelled, trying to get to me.

“Deb, you need to leave.” Carl told me.

“He doesn’t mean it.” I tell him and Carl.

“I fucking hate you for ruining everything!” Michael yelled as he was hauled off.

“What… How could he say that?” I ask.

“How can you still not see he needs help?” Carl asks.

“It’s because he’s still grieving for Ben.” I tell him.

“Always ready with an excuse for anything he does. Good luck.” Carl tells me, shaking his head and walking away.

BRIAN

There were times when Justin’s camera was something I dreaded, because that was what took him away from us. Only today, it was him taking pictures of Cameron playing, and it reminded me of the times we would get away and be us, without all the things that caused problems between us. 

I promised to let him help me, but today was my first treatment, and with Gus here I wanted Justin to help him to understand what was going to happen when I got back. Drew and Emmett came with us, reminding me that I made Emmett promise me to help Justin. When I went to go, Drew got in the car with me and told me he was going to be there in case I needed anything. It was awkward at first, because Drew and I hadn’t really talked to each other since the day at the old house.

“Emmett would have driven you, but I wanted to clear the air between us.” Drew spoke after we been driving for a couple minutes.

“What’s to clear? I fucked up with Justin and everyone took sides, as usual.” I tell him.

“The only side I took was the kids, Justin didn’t need me to do anything. It’s one of the things I liked about him, he doesn’t look to anyone to make a decision.” He tells me.

“It wasn’t like he could depend on me.” I tell him.

“He could, but he didn’t. If he had demanded you come home it might have solved the problems before they got this out of control. I asked him once why he didn’t.” He tells me.

“What did he say?” I ask.

“Because you didn’t demand he stop when the things he did that almost got him killed. Although he did tell me he’d kill Michael before Michael kills you.” He smiled.

“He doesn’t seemed worried about Michael.” I tell him.

“You are?” He asks.

“He was already acting unstable… and after seeing the things he did to Justin’s things… well, I’m worried about it.” I tell him.

“You’re not alone. You have people that will be there to keep anything from happening.” Drew tells me.

“Nick would walk through fire to protect my family.” I tell him.

“So would Ted, Blake, Emmett, and I, and it’s the same we would expect from you and Justin if we ever needed you. It’s not because we owe each other, it will never be like that between all of us. It’s just what a family that loves you does. They stand up for each other.” He tells me.

“Even when you wanted me out of Justin’s life?” I ask.

“I didn’t want you out, just to stop acting like you didn’t deserve everything Justin gave you. I wanted you to get your head out of your ass and fight for Justin.” He tells me.

Justin read up on everything he could find about what I would go through, but nothing prepared him or me for what it would be like. I got home from treatment and felt fine. So I didn’t take the medicine the doctor prescribed, because other than tired, I didn’t feel like I was going to get sick. It was after I got home it started, and I barely left the bathroom all night. Justin helped me clean up, got me in the shower, and I thanked him by throwing up on him. We ended up taking three showers before it passed. We ended up sleeping most of the day and he wouldn’t let me up until I took the medicine that I ignored the day before. When I got downstairs, I didn’t want to eat anything, because even the smell of food made me sick. Nick handed me dry toast and then turned and made more for Daphne when she looked as bad as I did. She looked at me and asked how I was.

“Are you okay?” I asked instead, looking at her pale face.

“Nothing hundreds of other women haven’t gone through.” She whispers.

“Congratulations.” I whispered, hugging her.

“Don’t tell anyone, but I wanted to tell you first.” She tell me.

“Why?” I ask.

“I know if, when Nick has to go, you’ll understand why I don’t need people coddling me. Justin doesn’t get what it’s like to wait.” She tells me.

“Cameron wanted to see you.” Justin tells me, coming in the kitchen with Cameron running towards me. “Cameron be careful, remember Dada’s not feeling good.” He tell him.

Cameron crawled on my lap and took a bite of the toast I didn’t really want. He looked at Nick and smiled when the strawberry jam was spread over it. I ended up taking a few bites because Cameron made me. Nick brought over a shake, which was tasteless but easy to drink. By the afternoon I started feeling better and hoped it stayed that way. I needed to talk to Justin about what Lindsay told his mother.

Cameron was napping while Emmett took Daphne with him to explore the shops around the area. Drew and Nick went outside to give us privacy. Justin was reading an email when I came in the room.

“Anything I need to know about?” I ask.

“Hunter said Lindsay’s been behaving, but that she mentioned she wants to have her parents over at the house. Likely to show off. Ted going to be out of town with Cynthia to help get the launch for Sawyer done. Deb’s trying to test Ryan’s authority, nothing he can’t deal with.” He tells me.

“He should just fire her.” I tell him.

“He will if she takes it too far, but I asked him not to unless she did.” He tells me.

“Why? She’s never had any compassion for you.” I tell him.

“I’d rather not do anything that could make me anything like her.” He tells me.

“We need to talk about what Lindsay told Mom.” I tell him.

“What, that she was disappointed that I didn’t go to London?” He asks.

“No, that she still had the sample I left at the clinic. It was before we met.” I tell him.

“You were going to have another child with her?” He asks.

“If she and Mel had another kid, they didn’t want it to be with another donor. I agreed, because it was a way to have another child. Then I met you and told her no.” I tell him.

“She kept it anyway?” He asks.

“I should have made sure the sample was destroyed, but I trusted her. I called the clinic and they let me know that I still had the authority over it. I already had them take Lindsay’s name off it.” I tell him.

“What are you going to do with it?” He asks.

“At first I was going to tell them to get rid of it, but I figured it didn’t hurt to leave it there.” I tell him.

“You should, we don’t know what will happen after the chemo.” He tells me, looking at the screen when he received another email.

“I don’t really get why it would matter.” I tell him.

“I want more children, and since you’re stuck with me, then we can do it again with you.” He tells me, paying more attention to what he was reading than what he was saying.

“What are you reading?” I ask.

“Michael’s house was set on fire.” He tells me.

“What?” I ask, getting up to see what he was looking at.

My phone rang along with Justin’s. He got up and left before answering. I watched him walk out then answered my phone.

“Hey, Ted asked me to call you and let you know what was going on.” Blake tells me.

“Ted sent Justin an email about it.” I tell him.

“From what I got, the only one home was Michael. He got out and instead of calling the police he called Ted, telling him he needed everyone.” Blake told me.

“I’m not coming.” I tell him.

“Neither is Ted, if he doesn’t want to be in the dog house with me. Plus the house isn’t that bad, the kitchen will need work, but other than that nothing was really that bad.” He tells me.

“How do you know?” I ask.

“One of the fireman was a patient at one time. He said it looked like Michael started a grease fire in the kitchen. Michael’s denying it.” He tells me.

“Thanks.” I tell him before hanging up.

Justin came in and sat on the couch. I sat next to him. “What?” I ask.

“My mom called. Lindsay showed up at her house, trying tell her Gus needed to stay with her at, get this, HER house.”

“What did Mom say?” I ask.

“Told her that he would love to visit her at HIS DAD’s  house, but was still angry at her for letting Mel go to jail. Mom got out of her that she planned a dinner party and wanted Gus there because he was getting confused at who his family was.” Justin tells me.

“I’ll deal with her.” I tell him.

“No, you’ll let your mother-in-law deal with her. Mom told me to tell you that.” He snickers.

“What am I supposed to do?” I ask.

“Not a damn thing but let me take care of you.” He tells me.

“I want to take care of you.” I tell him, leaning our heads together.

“When you’re up for it, please.” He whispered kissing me, I ended up laying down with my head on his lap after realizing I was tired as hell.