Brian was in middle of talking about Justin’s work when Gus and John came back. Both boys looked sullen and annoyed. He bit back a laugh when Justin asked them about Karen, the hostess. Both boys just glared at Justin, not answering. A few minutes later a smiling Peter came back carrying Nanette who was laughing hard in his arms.

“What’s so funny?” Justin asked, smiling at the two.

“I can’t say, I promised I wouldn’t,” Peter said, setting Nanette down.

“I didn’t. They had to get Big Bob get them down because they were too scared,” Nanette said, putting her hand over her mouth, giggling.

“Nanny, that’s not nice. You wouldn’t want anyone laughing at you, would you?” Justin said, his tone firm.

She stopped laughing and looked chastised. “No, Daddy. I wouldn’t.” She looked at Gus and John. “I’m sorry you got scared. I didn’t mean to laugh and hurt your feelings. Do you want a hug?”

John’s eyes narrowed and opened his mouth. That was when Brian glared at both of his fifteen-year olds, daring them to hurt a little girl’s feelings. John shook his head and went about picking at the table cloth.

Pegleg Lou made his way over handing Brian his check and doing the same to Justin.

“I’ll get them both,” Brian said, taking Justin’s check out of his hand.

“Why?” Justin asked, a look of confusion on his face.

“You made this night bearable. Trust me, that’s no easy feat in a place like this. Anyway, you’ll need to save your money to hire Mel.”

“Do you really think she’ll take my case?”

“She’s a ball-buster but has a need to see kids with the family that has their best interest at heart.”

Brian paid the bills and gave Justin his card. He jotted down his cell phone number along with Mel’s name and number. He just hoped she treated the man right. Anyone could see how much he loved this little girl and missed his other child. He couldn’t imagine having to give up any of his boys. As annoying, smelly and loud they were, they were his and he would fight to the death for them. It was a trait he picked up from his pseudo-mom, Debbie Novotny.

“Thank you,” Justin said, taking the card.

“Call…if you need anything.”

On the way home, he let his mind drift to the young blond man. It wasn’t like he had been celibate over the last fifteen years, but he didn’t fuck around as much as he did prior having three kids. Once a year Deb takes the boys for the week and he goes to Ibiza, it’s his way to stay sane. But there was something about the blond that called him to him. That was a scary thought. A long time ago he thought being in a relationship was the worst thing that could happen to him. But it’s funny what parenting alone could do to you. Sometimes when you had two throwing up and the third burning up with fever you just wished there was someone else to help.

“She totally had it bad for me,” Gus said from the passengers’ seat.

Brian rolled his eyes, teenagers were a whole different animal from the little boys who drew him pictures and begged to stay up and watch a movie with him. Now he was lucky to have them for a night without their noses in their phones. But the posturing was the worst. Gus thought he was God’s gift to girls, and none of Brian’s friends let it escape him how much his son is like him. John on the other hand is Gus’ Michael, except for the crush part. John is always pulling Gus out of trouble, physically if he must. Then there is his youngest, Peter, his baby. God, if him from sixteen years ago could hear him now he would kick his own ass. Peter was so much more sensitive than the other two. He worried too much also. If Brian worked too long at night, he would always get a text or call from Peter asking if he was alright. He blamed it all on Debbie. She had more input in raising Peter than Gus and John. Five years ago, he got sick. Testicular cancer. He wasn’t able to take care of himself much less his children. John went to stay with Em, Gus with Michael and Ben and Peter with Debbie and her boyfriend Carl.

They were only with them for a few months, but Debbie had rubbed off on Peter and made him a bit neurotic about worrying. He was only eight at the time, so he was very impressionable.

“Sh-she didn’t ha-have it bad for you,” Peter said, stuttering his words. It was a clear sign he was tired, being overly upset and overly tired both set off his stutter.

“Sh-shup u-up, Pi-picky P-peter,” Gus said, mocking his brother’s stutter.

“Stop, or you’ll find yourself grounded this weekend, meaning you won’t be going to Florida with Em and Drew,” he said sternly.

Drew had just gotten a job for the sports channel. He invited the boys to go with him to watch one of the playoff games. Gus and John had taken him up on the offer, but Peter had passed on it. He wasn’t really a fan of sports…of any kind of sports. He would rather sit in his room and draw. It worried him some that Peter didn’t even seem to have or want friends. But not as much as it worried him that he would have to bail Gus out of jail for his temper or having his house blow up one day because John wanted to experiment with chemicals.

The car got very quiet after that, now all he wanted to get home and give Mel a call. He wasn’t sure she would take Justin’s case but if he paid her what Justin couldn’t she might. He told himself it was for the little girl and her unseen brother, but it he knew it was for the piercing blue eyes that just called out for help.

Justin had just gotten Nanny to sleep when his phone rang. This was the first night he was without one of his children. Mika had cried and screamed when Tara took him. She said it would be too much this early to take both Nan and Mika. He didn’t understand that, they would feel safer with each other. This was also the first time they were separated from each other.

He looked at who was calling and saw it was Tara, snatching up his phone he answered.

“Tara? Is everything alright?”

There was a pause but finally Tara spoke, “Justin, I just got a call from my agent. Gregor Michaels wants to sign me to his label, that means I need to go to Los Angeles right away.”

His heart started thundering at the name. He wasn’t completely honest when he told Brian about his husband’s death. He did die in an elevator accident. But it was more than he said, it was neglect pure and simple. Ethan called him that morning telling him that he thought the hotel was on its last leg. He didn’t like the sound of the elevator, so he said he would be taking the stairs. Something didn’t feel right when they told him that Ethan died in the accident. Why would he be in the elevator after telling him how much it scared him? It didn’t make any sense to Justin, and now it seemed Tara would be signing with the same man who cared so little about Ethan’s life that he put him in a hotel that failed their last expectation.

“What does that mean?” he asked quietly. He had to play this game carefully with her. He didn’t trust her very much, he had lost all that after Ethan’s death. They had just fallen apart after Ethan died, and because Ethan didn’t want her to completely give up her rights to the kids, well…here they were. She was never meant to be a full or even part-time parent. She wanted to be the fun aunt from the beginning. In fact, she didn’t really like children.

“I need you to come and get Mika, I know I said I would have him all week but-

“I’m on my way,” he cut her off.

“I-oh, alright. I’ll see you in a little while.”

He hung up his phone and rushed to Daphne’s door. She had just gotten off a shift at the hospital, but he didn’t want to wake Nan.

“Daph,” he said, knocking on her door.

“GO AWAY!” she yelled.

Knowing she would want to know this, he opened the door and peeked his head in.

“I just need to let you know I’m going to pick up Mika and leaving Nanny here, she should sleep until I come back.”

She sat halfway up and looked at him. “Well, what are you waiting for, go get that boy.”

“Thanks,” he said before rushing to get his keys and leave.

He sped his way to Tara’s apartment, hoping that this meant she was giving up the custody suit. But after almost a year of this, he highly doubted it. When he was almost there his phone rang.

Thinking it was Daphne or Tara, he answered without looking.

“Hello,” he said, turning onto the main road.

“Mr. Taylor?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Mr. Taylor, my name is Jeremy Knott.”

“I’m sorry, whatever you’re selling I’m not buying,” he said, sure this person was a telemarketer.

“I’m not selling anything. I have information about your late husband.”

Justin took his foot off the gas and pulled over, finding it hard to breath. He could handle talking about Ethan but still had issues when he was brought up out of the blue.

“What information?” he asked, his voice raw.

“Mr. Taylor, I was having an affair with your husband.”

Two nights after Brian and the boys had dinner at pirate hell, he found himself considering going back. He hadn’t heard from Justin and even called Mel again, she hadn’t heard from him either. He really thought the blond wanted to get Mel as his attorney.

“Dad, I need poster board for my presentation,” Peter said, dragging him out of his thoughts.

“I have extras in my office,” he said, setting his laptop and keys down on the table.

“I looked, there wasn’t any left. I think Gus used the last to make his healthy body diorama.”

The last thing he wanted to do was go out again to the store. And this late at night the only place open would be the The Big Q, he really hated that place.

“Can’t this wait until tomorrow?”

“I guess, it really doesn’t matter anyway,” Peter said sadly.

“What’s the presentation for?”

“It’s not important. It’s just that I just found out about a summer program at PIFA, and the cut off is tomorrow. I’ve already made my portfolio, but they want a faux poster of a movie/book of our choice.”

Brian rolled his eyes and grabbed his keys, the kid never asked for anything. If he wanted this damn poster board, he would have it. “Come on, I’ll drive, you run in the Big Q and get it.”

Peter smiled and ran to put on his shoes.

“Dad are you going somewhere?” Gus stepped into the hallway.

“I’m taking your brother to the store to get poster board.”

“Awesome, I need to get some things from the store too.”

“Me too,” John added, showing up in the hallway also.

The night just got that much longer for him.

Now that all three were with him he would have to go into the store with them, if he didn’t anything could happen. He parked his car and walked in behind the three boys. Gus and John split off to parts unknown and he followed Peter to the arts and crafts section.

“But I want it,” a little boy cried loudly followed by wails.

“I told you no,” a strained, vaguely familiar voice said.

As he rounded the corner he recognized Justin. He looked more tired and haggard, nothing like the man from the restaurant. There was a boy laying flat on the ground kicking his feet. Looking around he saw Nanette standing next to the colored pencils, tears running down her face.

“Problem?” he asked.

Blue eyes shot up, surprise clear in them. “Brian?”

“Who else?”

Brian could tell Justin was on the edge of a breakdown. Not a mental one, a parental one. He needed to walk away and get a breath. He knew that Justin couldn’t do that but maybe if he would let Brian help.

“I’ve had my share of melt downs in store aisle, think I could help?”

Justin bit his lip. “It’s nothing.”

“Pick up your daughter and I’ll pick him up, we’ll walk around the store until he calms.”

He saw Justin wavering; he didn’t want to be a bother but needed someone. Brian was sure Justin could take care of it alone but why should he if he could help. Finally, Justin nodded and picked up Nanette.

Brian leaned down to the boy throwing a Gus-worthy fit, he got the boy’s attention.

“Mika, can I talk to you?” he asked firmly. Dark eyes looked at him warily, but the fresh tears stopped. “Your dad and sister are going to walk around the store with me. Would you like to go with us or stay here alone?” The boy had a look of panic. “That’s what I thought. Can I pick you up?” Some kids didn’t like strangers picking them up, but he was taking a chance. Finally, another nod. He tried not to smile too much hearing the relieved sigh from Justin.