Chapter 6

Sophia

After the outburst of shock from everyone that didn’t already know about me or my dad a silence grows as I guess they are trying to think about what to say.Well all but one is thinking of what to say, Michael seems to be on his way to having a complete melt down and I know I shouldn’t but I find it a little funny. How does a grown man get along for all these years acting like a 2 year old who had their toys taken away. 

“Daughter? No, that’s not true, It can’t be true. How could you do this and not tell me about it Brian…” Michaels rant is Quickly interrupted by papa who looks so angry right now, if he wasn’t such an asshole I would feel sorry for Michael being on the receiving end of that anger. 

“I didn’t know until very recently, but even if I had have known it would have absolutely nothing to do with you. You do not get to dictate my life in any way. You are not some kind of god that I must bow down to and follow all commandments that you send down. I choose how to live  my life. I choose who is a part of my life. Nobody has any right to force me to do anything I don’t want to do so if that is what you want to do then I guess the times of you being a friend of mine is over.”

Emmett

I never thought I would see the day that Brian would effectively tell Michael to go fuck himself. I am so proud of him for doing so, Michael has been in his life for so many years I guess it just seemed inevitable that they always would be friends but I guess I was wrong.

Sure Michael has been my friend for a long time, but never as close as he was to Brian and as time went on I was closer to everyone else than I was to Michael. I can’t be the only on thinking that Michael isn’t going to take what Brian is saying seriously though.

“You don’t mean that Brian, I know you don’t.”

“Have you ever known Brian to say something that he doesn’t mean, I know I haven’t.” Lindsay says in a tone that I can tell means she has had enough of him too.

Mel 

I keep waiting for Deb to say or do something about this argument but she doesn’t, instead she sits looking at Brian with a proud smile on her face. I guess she really is willing to let Michael face the consequences of his actions without trying to soften the blows for him anymore. It’s about time, I understand that he’s her son but he needs to know that the things that he says and does won’t always get him what he wants and he will just have to deal with it. 

Michael

I can’t believe what is happening right now. He does not get to try and dump me after everything I have done for him over the years. I kept him safe when his parents were abusing him, I helped him build up the reputation he has as the stud of liberty avenue, I gave him ideas when he was stuck on accounts and i’m sure that it was always my ideas that won him those accounts in the end.

“After everything I have done for you, you do not get to throw me away like trash.” I tell him sternly so that he knows how serious I am.

“Michael that is enough, what exactly have you done that you think he owes you for because I can’t think of anything.” 

I turn my head towards my mother and can’t hide my shock that she dares talk to me like that. Mothers are supposed to defend their children not let them be attacked. What does she mean she can’t think of anything I’ve done for him, I brought him home with me for safety. She was there for that every time. 

“What do you mean you can’t think of anything, I kept him safe from his abusive parents and…” I’m interrupted by Brian who seems to be looking at my with disgust. Something that he will pay for later.  

“No you didn’t Deb and Vic did. You may have brought me here but it was them who patched me up and fed me. It was them who let me sleep here to give me a break from being used as a Human punching bag. You do not get to take credit for their kindness. If I owe anyone anything it’s them not you.” 

Justin

I am so angry right now, how can this man sit there and talk to people like this. Brian does not need enemies with someone like Michael in his life, although I doubt it that he will be part of Brian’s life in any capacity now.

“But I am the one who brought you home, so I am the one who made it possible to have somewhere to go. You got to see what a normal family is like because of me. It’s because of me that you have the reputation as the Stud of liberty avenue that you enjoy so much. I’m the one who was at the hospital the night Gus was born, I was the one who pulled you off the roof when you freaked out about being a dad. If it wasn’t for me you would not be here to be the dad that you are, although you don’t spend that much time with him but its better than nothing…”  

“You can hardly talk about my parenting skills, when was the last time you actually spent time with Jenny. Could you even tell me anything about her, do you know her favourite colour? Do you know what music she likes? How about sports, do you know what she sport she plays? I can tell you the answer to all of those. It isn’t a good look for you that I know your daughter better than you do.” Brian takes a moment to calm himself a little bit and puts his hand on my shoulder before continuing with what he was saying.

“You being there at the hospital the night Gus was born isn’t something I owe you for. Nothing would have changed if you hadn’t been there. I would never have done anything that night on the roof, not really, I just needed a moment to think about how things had changed in that moment.” He looks between me and Sophia before turning back to Michael.

“You being there was nowhere near as important as Justin being there that night, He was the one who named Gus, if it wasn’t for him my son would have very nearly been called Abraham.”

Everyone but Michael starts laughing, but Mel was the first one to stop. She turns to me with a smile on her face and I knew she was thinking back to that night.

Lindsay

Oh my god, it’s him. When Brian brought a kid with him the night Gus was born I remember neither Mel or I being impressed that he thought it was appropriate to bring a stranger with him that none of us would see again and yet he’s here now with their daughter. I look at my wife and then back at Justin, there is no way I would ever have predicted that this would happen but i’m glad it has.

“Brian’s right Michael, you need to back off and change you attitude. How can you sit their and make any kind of comment on how Brian is as a parent. You are always backing out of plans to see your daughter whereas Brian spends as much time as he can during the week with Gus and takes him every other weekend. He sometimes even takes Jenny with them for the day sometimes to make up for the fact you don’t do anything with her.”

I look over to Jenny and Gus who I quickly realise are both sat with smirks on their faces, clearly amused by Michaels childish behaviour. I then glance over at sophia who is also seeming to enjoy watching Michael have a tantrum and I just know that there will be absolutely no problem with the three of them getting along. I was about to continue to let Michael have a few more home truths but Jenny  decided it was time for her to have her say so I just sit back in my chair and let her speak.

“Face it dad, I was something you liked back when I was a little kid because I was new and it excited you but you are bored of being my dad now. You just aren’t made to be a parent, you are too much of a child yourself to be a good dad so I’ve asked mom to fix that situation…”

“What do you mean? I’m a good dad and you have no right to speak to me like this. I don’t know when you started to be so disrespectful but it needs to change now.”

“No you’re not a good dad Michael, Jenny asked us to have your parental rights removed and both Lindsay and I agree it’s the right thing to do so we filed to have them removed, you should receive the papers in the next few days.” Mel tells him and I don’t think I have ever seen the Michael go so pale before but after a few moments he shakes his head as if to get his mind refocussed on what’s going now rather than what’s going on in his head. 

“I will fight you for this, you can’t take this… I Mean her from me. I will fight you for this and when I win you are going to regret picking a fight with me.” With that Michael gets up and puts his jacket on and glares at us all and storms out of the house.

“Wow, he just strutted out of here better than some of the drag queens I have seen in the clubs, maybe that’s what he’s been doing with his time instead of being a dad.” Emmett commented before taking a sip of his drink which had all of us cackling away.

If Michael thinks he has us worried about going to court with him over jenny he has another thing coming. His unwillingness to pay child support alone will be a big mark against him but combine that with the fact he has no interest in spending time with her, he has no chance.

The rest of the evening we have a good time getting to know they two newest members of our family. All thoughts of what Michael and what plans he has to fight back at us forgotten for the night.