Emmett

When Emmett learned of it he decided it was high time to talk with Mysterious Marilyn, not an easy task as no one really knew where she lived.  He finally located her in Woody's at a back table. 

He marched over and threw the card on the table.  "The house plans were lovely, but what the fuck is the meaning of this?"

Mysterious Marilyn narrowed her eyes and looked at him as if he was crazy.  She reached for the card and withdrew her hand as if burned.  "Where did you get this," she hissed.

"What do you mean where did I get this?  You sent it to Brian and Justin."

"I did not sent that,"  Mysterious Marilyn asserted.

"If you didn't, who did?"  Emmett asked.

Mysterious Marilyn looked thoughtful and pulled out her Ouija board.  She motioned for Emmett to sit across from her and placed her fingers on the planchette and indicated that Emmett do the same.

"Who sent this card,"  Marilyn intoned.  Closing her eyes, she let herself go to the spirits.  The planchette moved.  It went to the M, then pulled away to go to the A, it zipped across the board to R.  Emmett, who had followed the moves saying each letter as it was landed on had thought for sure it would spell out Marilyn. But then it moved to T, finally coming to a stop on Y.  "Marty!  Who the fuck is Marty."

Mysterious Marilyn shrugged and put away the board. 

"Emmett!" 

Pasting a fake smile on his face, Emmett turned.  His eyes widened as he took in Michael's attire.  He was wearing baggie khakis and a Hawaiian print shirt.  In fact it looked like something that Vic would have worn.

"What the fuck are you wearing?"  Emmett asked.

Michael looked down at himself and scowled.  "It's all Brian's fault."

"How do you figure that?"  asked Mysterious Marilyn, her head cocked to one side.

Which was just fine with Emmett since he was too tongue tied to ask himself.

"Not that it's any business of yours, but if Brian had just let me move in with him I'd be able to see my Honeybunch and wouldn't have to hire the lawyer who said I needed to dress more grown up."  Michael stated matter of factly.

Emmett had a duh look on his face.  Michael used to be an assistant manager at the Big Q and wore suits, which were more grown up than what he was now wearing.  Mysterious Marilyn was shaking her head. "By the way, it looks like Mr. Grownup's ex will be returning to Pittsburgh."

Emmett felt like he was in a twilight zone and knew he had to get away.

Emmett could have gone back to his apartment, but oddly enough he felt more at home at the firehouse.  His lease was up soon and he wasn't sure what he wanted to do.  He and Marcel had talked about moving in together, but he had to face the fact that Marcel was a slob. 

He entered through the door and was headed for the stairs when he heard giggling coming from the indoor garden.  That could only mean the kids were in bed. 

"Argh, Justin.  There, right there.  Feels so good."

Then Justin let out a groan and all was quiet.

Emmett was just about to go back out when. 

"Em, you can come on in."  Brian called out.

"Are you sure?" Emmett called back as he tentively made his way through the multitude of bushes that constituted their garden.  Now he had no problem with trying to catch a glimpse of his two friends au natural.  Over the years the indoor garden had changed becoming almost a maze so when he came to a clearing that he'd never seen before he wasn't really surprised.  There was an adorable summer lattice work cottage. 

"Yoohoo!  Anyone home?"

"Come on in,"  Brian called.

Emmett was skeptical about what he'd find, but he walked over and stepped in anyway.  He found Brian reclining on a bed swing the duvet covering his body. 

"When did you add this?"  Emmett whispered so as not to disturb Justin.  There was a smaller swing in one corner so he made himself at home.

"It was a surprise," Justin said slipping through a backdrop that made the cottage seem larger..

Emmett nodded, surprises were not an unusual occurrence in this home.  "Well, I've been to Woody's."

"Hmmm?"

"I was looking for Mysterious Marilyn."

"Why?"

"Well, I wanted to know about the card she sent." Emmett waited for someone to ask why again.  They just looked at him.  "She said she isn't MM."

"Do you believe her?"  Justin asked.

"She pulled out her Ouija board and it came up with M-A-R-T-Y."

Brian frowned.  "Shit, the only Marty I know is Marty Ryder and an architect he isn't."

"I also saw Michael."

He got a double snort.

"He's dressing like a Vic wannabe.  Hawaiian print shirt and khaki pants."

Brian and Justin exchanged looks.  "Why?"  They both asked.

"It was very strange, he seems to think that dressing more "grown-up","  Emmett used the quotes sign.  "like his lawyer asked would get him a chance to move in here with his Honeybunch."

Justin burst out laughing.  "And he thinks dressing like Vic is grown up?"

"What the fuck is Michael up to?"  Brian wanted to know.