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JUSTIN

 

Normally I don’t back down when I don’t like things, but Mel seemed to understand stepping into my house was only done if when she left Brian was happy with me letting her in. Lindsay asked to see my work, and I could tell it was because Mel was about to eat crow in front of her son and Brian. She followed me up to my pristine studio, or the studio I haven’t had a chance to bring my chaos into. I started to wonder if maybe I should get an assistant, since I tend to lose everything. 

 

“Did you choose the room because of the light?” Lindsay asked, looking at the floor to ceiling windows.

 

“I hadn’t been here until Brian and I got here. I just told the person looking for me what I needed. Brian and Emmett were the ones who decided what the room was going to be used for,” I told her.

 

“We just thought this room screamed studio when we walked it together,” Emmett told us.

 

“I didn’t even tell him I wanted a studio,” I told Emmett.

 

“But you worked for him, and he knew you were an artist. The first time he asked about you, Ben told him. I guess he figured this was the kind of studio an artist would want.” Emmett told me.

 

“When we were in college together I know I used to tell him the kind of fantasy studio I dreamed of.” Lindsay told me, smiling at what Brian did.

 

“I like the space, not something I usually care about. Most of the time when I do start creating I just do it wherever I am,” I told her.

 

“Big Bad was probably hoping you would want this to be where you are,” Emmett told me, putting my plate on the desk.

 

“He’s been worried about me not being able to stay in one place,” I said.

 

“Well, Pittsburgh really isn’t Italy or any other place you had him running to see you,” he said, while Lindsay and I ate the pile of bacon together.

 

“I traveled for my job, not because I didn’t like being in one place,” I explained.

 

“Which had to inspire some of what we’re seeing,” Lindsay said, walking around looking at the pieces hung.

 

“Most of them were done in Philly. They were things I remembered and wanted to paint,” I told her, as she comes to the ones of Brian.

 

“Yep, even when he annoys me, slap some duct tape over the mouth and it’s inspiring,” Emmett told me.

 

“Are you going to show these?” Lindsay asked.

 

“Those are ones that I did for me. I don’t share private memories,” I told her.

 

“If you do want to show, my old boss would love to do it,” Lindsay commented.

 

“I’ll think about it, but right now I’ll be busy working with Brian,” I said, thinking he would need the help if he wanted to spend more time home with Gus.

 

I left them to look around when the front door bell rang a couple of times. Gus came flying past me, stopping to tell me his moms were moving back, and then ran in to announce it again. When the banging started I hurried down the stairs to see why no one was answering, but didn’t see Brian or Mel in the kitchen. And I was happy about that when I opened the door to my sister, pissed. Instead of letting her in, I went out on the porch and closed the door.

 

“I can’t believe you!” She exploded.

 

“I’m sure you can’t, but at least tell me what you can’t believe first.” I asked.

 

“You gave Mom the shit about Dad, which I TOLD you not to do,” She spat at me.

 

“I didn’t have to. Apparently one of your little model buddies trusted Dad’s usual line that he’s fixed, and is on her way here to do what even I had probably wouldn’t have,” I informed her.

 

“She better not be saying it’s Dad’s. Everyone knows what a slut she is,” Molly said, sounding like our father. 

 

“Either way, he finally found the one thing Mom wouldn’t overlook. So storming over here and blaming me won’t change it,” I told her.

 

“Oh no, of course not, you’re too busy playing happy life with that asshole. Better get checked out for anything else he might have left you, since he was screwing around with other people the whole time you two were together,” She announced.

 

“So was I. Which was our business and not yours, Dad’s, or anyone else’s that you told. And all because he didn’t want to fuck you!” I yelled, not liking exactly what really bothered her. “I spent my life trying to help you, and you spent your life taking whatever you wanted. You trying to sleep with Brian wasn’t something I should have overlooked, but I did because it was either that or see what a shitty person you turned out to be,”

 

“What’s the big fucking deal? If he took me up on it, than it would have been a waste of your time to keep him around,” She answered. As if it made what she did okay.

 

“The big fucking deal was I actually fucking LOVE HIM!” I yelled, to get my point across.

 

“No. No. NO. You can’t… not him, anyone else but him,” She mumbled, confusing me.

 

“Why would that be a problem for you? Was it that you didn’t like that I could see through what you were doing to Justin? Or maybe it’s the fact Cinderella was going to leave you to figure out your own life, since our life together would be more important to him?” Brian asked, standing by the side of the house.

 

“He hates me, can’t you see that?” Molly shouted at me, ignoring Brian.

 

“And Justin loves me. Is that a problem for you, princess?” Brian asked, making me groan that he had to hear me say it for the first time when I was pissed at my sister. “Nice to know, by the way. Love you too. I’ll leave you to figure out what to do with her. I have other fish to flame broil,” Brian said to me, walking up and kissing me before leaving me with my sister.

 

She waited until he drove off, and everyone but Emmett walked out the front door. I really didn’t know why she stayed, since as far as I was concerned, she’d said enough.

 

“You need to fix things for Dad,” She ordered me.

 

“No, I really don’t. Right now I don’t understand why you’re defending him. Even if I lost my mind, which apparently when it came to trying to help you, I did. I can’t change the fact that he fucked one of your friends, and I agree with Mom finally getting a clue about him,” I told her.

 

“If Mom leaves him, he told me I have to start modeling again, or help the way you wouldn’t,” She said, in the little girl voice that I can now see was her way of getting me to do what she wanted.

 

“You’re eighteen. Which means he can’t make you do anything. Don’t even try and say that he controls your money, because I got that taken care of when you asked me. In truth, it’s time for you to start taking responsibility for your own life, something I can’t do for you anymore. My life has to be me taking care of my responsibilities,” I told her.

 

“That’s why I hate him. I knew the minute you introduced us, he’d take my place,” She snapped, running to her car.

 

BRIAN

 

As I drove to the campus to talk to Ben, I let it sink in that Justin admitted he loved me. He never said it to me, and even the way he said it to Molly didn’t change that he did say it. While I was putting it all out there for Molly, I didn’t want to leave without him knowing it was returned. It didn’t even bother me to say it, since I knew it the day he was trying to tell me about the baby.

 

Mel and I were walking back when we heard the yelling out front, she told me to let her know if what she said helped me, but wisely left what was going on out front to me. It wasn’t like I really needed Mel’s advice, but I wanted to start working towards us getting along, for Gus’s sake. It couldn’t have been easy for her to watch Lindsay and me talk about things, watching but not being included. I get that, because being with Justin, I don’t want there to be things he confides in someone other than me. I want him to confide in me, which he’s starting to, but still holding things in. Which I understand, because I do it too. 

 

Ben was sitting at his desk marking papers when I walked in and sat down. He looked up, not really expecting to see me. 

 

“What brings you here?” He asked.

 

“We need to clear the air, since you felt the need to tell Justin about us,” I told him.

 

“He should know, it felt like I was hiding something from him,” He said, like he wasn’t hiding it from Mikey.

 

“Justin didn’t really think it was, since it has nothing to do with him. My problem is why tell him about something that in truth I normally forgot happened?” I asked, watching to see how he reacted to it. And he flinched. “And if it bothers you so much, why didn’t you tell Mikey, instead of Justin?” I asked.

 

“I can’t tell Michael. Do you know what it would do to us if he knew? He’d start acting like he used to,” He told me, avoiding why he told Justin.

 

“Justin told me, because he didn’t want to say something in front of Michael. Now, since I told you why Justin told me, tell me why you told Justin,” I asked him.

 

“I didn’t like the way you didn’t listen to me about him. He needs someone to want only him, not half of Pittsburgh. I know you and he agreed to an open relationship, but he’ll be the one sitting at home with the kid while you do what you do. You get to have it all, while Michael and I can’t, because I fucked up my life before him. Michael settled for having a baby with Mel because we can’t, and now he’s going to have to watch you have one more thing I can’t give him,” Ben told me.

 

“So, telling Justin was your way of getting back at me for using fucking condoms?” I asked him.

 

“Which you didn’t with Justin, since he’s pregnant. You risked my best friend’s life, so yes, I told him. I was positive when we had sex!” Ben told me.

 

“Justin and I used condoms, Ben. And I knew I was clean the one time we forgot. I get tested regularly because of people like you, who didn’t bother to mention to me that you were positive. I wouldn’t have put Justin at risk the way your ex did to you. I won’t apologize because you took the risks that led to what your life is like. Telling Justin wasn’t going to change that he’s with me, or that Mikey loved you enough to accept the limitations your life put on his. He found a way to have the things he wanted to be with you, because he loves you. I accepted that one day my best friend might have to tell me a condom broke, never once doing anything to undermine your relationship with Michael. But keep screwing with mine, and the game changes,” I warned him.

 

“I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just, you don’t understand what it’s like to have no one I could tell the things to that I used to be able to tell Justin,” He told me.

 

“Why not tell Mikey? You married him. You have to tell your partner the truth, even if it’s not something that makes you sound all Zen Ben,” I told him.

 

“Would you tell Justin?” He asked.

 

“Yes, but then I’m not jealous of you,” I told him, leaving.

 

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