Chapter 17

Early the next morning Brian made his way back to the hospital with Debbie and was surprised to see Jennifer Taylor in the waiting area on Justin's floor.

“Mrs Taylor,” he greeted her, as he and Debbie made their way over.

“Jennifer,” she smiled politely, as she held out her hand in greeting.

Brian shook it, feeling as if they had come to some mutual understanding. He nodded and started once again. “Jennifer..., have you been in to see Justin?”

“No, not yet... The nurse said he was still sleeping.”

Brian wondered why that would stop her from going into Justin's room, but then realised that that wasn't really what had stopped her.

“I am sure he wouldn't mind seeing a friendly face,” Brian offered, but his statement was waved away by the blond woman.

“I don't want to upset him any further. You go on and make sure that he's alright,” she said quietly, turning away from Brian's and Debbie's gaze.

“Jennifer,” Brian started once more, but when Debbie shook her head, he stopped. At Debbie's insistence he went on to Justin's room on his own and left the two women on their own.

Brian sat at Justin's bedside for about half an hour before his boyfriend started waking up.

“Hey sleepyhead. It's about time you wake up. I was getting bored here,” Brian joked, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

“Brian?”

“Hmmm, that would be me,” Brian whispered, moving closer to Justin's side and into his line of vision so his boyfriend could see him. “How are you?”

“Tired and... woozy... as if a truck has run me over...”

“Well, it wasn't quite a truck, but I guess a burst appendix would feel close enough.”

“Burst appendix?” Justin frowned, looking around himself at all the machines and the hospital room he was in. “Fuck... I thought it was a bad dream...”

“I am afraid not,” Brian whispered, leaning in for a quick kiss. Brian smiled as he felt Justin try to deepen the kiss. “Hey hey, there, tiger. Keep it easy. You have stitches that need to heal.”

“So it was not a stomach bug, huh?” Justin tried to joke when Brian looked at him from gentle eyes.

“I told you,” Brian winked, feeling happy that Justin was obviously doing better. It was a huge relief to him to see his boyfriend try to joke and smile.

“I hate it when you're right,” Justin laughed, then stopped. “Fuck, laughing hurts.”

“Okay, no laughing for you then. And they say laughing is healthy. I call bullshit,” Brian smirked, leaning in for another peck on Justin's lips. “Are you really okay? No pain?”

“I am fine... Just tired, but... no real pain...”

“Okay,” Brian pulled back, squeezing Justin's hand. “You gave me quite the scare, you know?”

“I am sorry, Brian,” Justin muttered, looking at his boyfriend from sad eyes.

“Hey, it's not like you asked for this, so don't worry. We all survived.”

“How... why are you here?” Justin looked around the room and knowing that they were in a hospital he just knew that Brian was not supposed to be by his side. Not that he wasn't happy, but he was definitely curious.

“It's a long story,” Brian sighed, never letting go of Justin's hand the whole time he was sitting by his side.

“Well, I can't run away, so... explain.”

“It was your mom's doing,” Brian started and was not surprised when Justin immediately interrupted him.

“My mom?”

“Did you know that she and Debbie are friends?”

Justin's eyes widened comically. “WHAT?”

“Yeah, that was about my reaction, too. Apparently they struck up a friendship that day at the diner after you left... You won't believe it, but your mom has gone to PFLAG and LAAS meetings with Debbie,” Brian couldn't help but chuckle as he imagined Jennifer Taylor's discomfort the first time she went to those meetings.

“No way! Stop pulling my leg.”

“I am not. I am serious. When... when the paramedics whisked you away, I didn't quite know what to do, so I called Debbie and asked her to come here to the hospital, so you wouldn't be on your own and... she called your mom. Apparently she told your mother that this was her chance to prove how serious she was and well... she was at the loft half an hour later, picking me up to come to the hospital with her.”

“No way! My mom?” Justin looked at Brian from wide, disbelieving eyes. “My mom? The mom that said I was making my life harder than it needs to be?”

Brian just nodded. “Yep, that mother and let me tell you... she was amazing. Your doctor was a real prick as was the nurse, but... your mom went all Waspy on them and threatened to call her new PFLAG and LAAS friends and I think she scared the shit out of your doctor. Anyway, they allowed me to be with you, so... I am not going to complain.”

“Wow, I... I can't believe it.”

“You better. She was here all day yesterday worrying about you and...,” Brian sighed, not sure if he should let Justin know, but knowing that Jennifer deserved a chance after all she had done for them. “And she's outside now.”

“She is?” Justin looked at Brian and it was clear to Brian that he didn't quite know how to react to that information.

“She's talking to Debbie... I think she wasn't sure if you wanted to see her and didn't want to upset you in your condition.”

“I...wow...,” Justin just muttered again, his thoughts interrupted when Justin's doctor appeared in his room.

The doctor looked between Justin and Brian with obvious unease and nodded towards Brian. “Can you leave us alone for the exam?”

Brian nodded, leaving a kiss on Justin's forehead and squeezing his hand. “I'll be just outside and I'll be right back, okay?”

Justin nodded, watching as Brian left the room, so his doctor could examine him.

“How is he? Is he okay?” Debbie immediately asked as Brian made his way over to the waiting area which by now also housed Lindsay, Michael and Emmett.

“He's awake and okay. A bit tired and woozy from the pain medication, but okay.”

Everyone sighed in relief and hugged Brian, who looked around in confusion. “Where's Jennifer?” He asked Debbie quietly.

Debbie nodded towards the elevator. “She went outside to make a phone call.”

“Why don't you go in once the doctor is done with his exam? I am sure Justin would love to see you all. I'll be right back,” Brian announced and when Debbie nodded, he headed for the elevator and made his way down to the ground floor.

He didn't have to look long until he had found Jennifer Taylor standing next to the entrance to the hospital.

“Brian?” She frowned at him. “Is everything okay? Is Justin alright?”

Brian nodded. “He's fine. A bit tired and woozy from the medication, but fine.” To her unasked question, he just replied. “His doctor is with him now for an exam. And he doesn't like me much,” the man just shrugged.

“He's an idiot,” Jennifer replied angrily and the anger in her voice surprised Brian if he was honest.

“Well, he's not the only one,” Brian shrugged again as if it couldn't be helped.

“How can you be so nonchalant about the way he's treating you?” She eyed the man next to her with real curiousity.

“He's not the first and he won't be the last. What's the point in getting angry about it?”

“Things must be hard for you and Justin, I assume,” she said seriously after a few minutes of silence between them.

“We make it work,” Brian just replied, not sure how comfortable Justin would feel if Brian gave his mother insight into their relationship.

“Debbie told me how happy he is and how much he loves you,” Jennifer continued quietly, lowering her gaze. “That meeting at the diner... he told me how happy he was and I... my reaction was totally out of line that day.”

Brian shrugged. “You're his mother. You only want what's best for him and I realise that I don't really fit the bill.”

“But you love him, don't you?” Her gaze met Brian's and they looked at each other for the longest time, before Brian nodded.

“More than anything.”

“Then that's all that matters,” she said earnestly, resting her hand on his arm in a gentle gesture. “That's all any mother ever wants for her child. A partner that loves her child and makes him happy.”

“I try,” Brian replied evasively, knowing that he wasn't the easiest partner to live with and that he and Justin had already had their ups and downs. But they tried, both of them. And somehow they had made it work so far.

“Debbie tells me that you and Justin have created something amazing for yourselves and … that makes me happy for him. He might not believe me after my reaction at the diner, but I am happy that he is happy and has found you.”

Brian nodded, looking at the woman opposite him from serious hazel eyes. “Thank you for what you did yesterday. I... I really appreciate it.”

“You're welcome, Brian,” Jennifer replied sincerely, before she made to go back into the hospital.

Brian quietly followed her and they made their way back up to Justin's room in silence. Once outside Justin's room, Jennifer stopped Brian with a hand on his arm. “Promise me that you'll take care of him and make sure he's always loved,” she whispered, looking at her son's boyfriend from pleading eyes and in that moment Brian understood that after everything that had happened, she was just a mother that wanted what was best for her baby. And he couldn't fault her for that.

“I will,” Brian promised, as he turned towards Justin's room. When he saw that Jennifer continued towards the waiting area, he called after her. “Aren't you coming in?”

She just shook her head with a sad smile. “No, I don't want to upset him.”

Brian knew that she wanted nothing more than to be with her son and see him, but he also knew that she didn't want to pressure him and didn't want to corner him. He didn't know why, but at that moment in time he felt incredibly sad for Jennifer Taylor.

With a last nod, Brian returned to Justin's room, not surprised when he heard laughter coming out of the room. Apparently Emmett was telling one of his stories and Justin and the family members that were in the room were laughing at the tall queen's antics.

***

“Brian, is my mom still here?” Justin asked later that evening after he'd had his dinner and was settling down for the night.

“I think she left about an hour ago, why?” Brian replied honestly, trying not to show his surprise that Justin had asked about his mother.

Every time Brian had left the room during the day, he had seen Jennifer still waiting in the waiting area and he had always gone over to her and had given her updates for which she had seemed grateful. Brian had asked her two more times to come along to Justin's room, but she had always refused, claiming that she didn't want to upset Justin.

“Just wondering,” Justin muttered and Brian knew the expression on his face. He went over to Justin's side and settled on the bed next to Justin, wrapping his arms around the younger man's shoulder.

“About what?”

“Why would she hang out at the hospital all day long?”

“Because she's your mother and she's worried about you,” Brian replied without a doubt in his voice.

“But why doesn't she come in and talk to me?” Justin frowned, settling against Brian's side with a happy sigh.

“Because she doesn't want to upset you.”

“How do you know?”

Brian just shrugged, leaving a kiss on the mop of blond hair beneath him. “Because she told me when I asked her if she wanted to come inside your room.”

“You and my mom talked?” Justin turned so quickly in Brian's arms that Brian was worried he had bust some stitches.

When Brian just nodded in reply, Justin frowned some more. “Why?”

“Why not?”

“Because she's my mother and...,” Justin sighed, not continuing.

“She doesn't approve of me?” Brian supplied gently and Justin nodded, hiding his head in Brian's neck.

“A lot has happened in the last few days,” Brian said quietly. “You'd be surprised by how much she has changed from the woman she used to be.”

“Really?”

Brian nodded, continuing quietly. “I think you should give her a chance, Justin. She really loves you and... she's trying. She has been a great help in the last few days and... she is really sorry for how she has reacted at the diner.”

“Did she tell you that as well?”

“Yeah, she did.”

“I can't believe that you and my mom actually had a conversation that involved more than two words,” Justin muttered in utter amazement.

“I told you, she has changed and I think you should really give her a chance. She is trying so hard. Hell, she goes to PFLAG and LAAS meetings with Debbie. She deserves something in return for that,” Brian winked, though Justin knew that he was quite serious about what he had said.

Justin knew that he had a lot to think about concerning his mother and the future of their relationship. Would there be a relationship? Could they move on from what had happened?

Why couldn't things for once in life be easy, Justin wondered as he slowly drifted off to sleep in Brian's arms.

***

“Justin, are you alright, honey?” Jennifer asked as she sat down in the chair next to Justin's bed, where her son was sitting up and having his breakfast.

She had been quite surprised when Brian had come by her usual place in the waiting area a few minutes ago and had told her that Justin wanted to see her. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that request and hoped that Justin wouldn't throw her out of the hospital and his life.

“I am fine. They will probably let me go home later today if the blood tests return alright.”

“That's great! I am sure you can't wait to get back to your own place.”

Justin nodded, then wrung his hands in his lap. “Mom... why did you let Brian come here to the hospital?”

“I knew you'd want him to be here by your side,” Jennifer simply replied.

“But you don't like him,” Justin pointed out, eyeing her from accusing eyes.

Jennifer sighed, lowering her own gaze. “It's not that I don't like him... I... I just want you to be happy and... that day at the diner, all I could think of was how much harder your life would be with Brian as your boyfriend, but...I didn't see how happy he made you and Debbie helped me see how good you two are together, how much you love each other and how happy you make each other. I am sorry I was so shocked that day and yes, I was worried about what this would mean for your life, but... Debbie has helped me understand something really important: It's your life. You are an adult and a fine one at that. You make your own decisions and... what you and Brian have created for yourselves... I know it makes you both happy. And that's really all a mother could ever ask for. If he's the one that makes you happy, then so be it.”

“So, you and Debbie are friends now?” Justin eyed her from curious eyes.

“She has become a good friend in recent weeks. That day at the diner... when you left... she came and sat down and she told me very clearly that I would never get a chance to be a part of your life if I couldn't accept Brian and when you refused my calls after that day... I didn't know what to do. I... I just wanted to apologise to you for what I had said, but I didn't know how to get a hold of you and so I went back to that diner and asked her for her help. At first... she was wary of me and I think she didn't quite trust my motives, but with time, she could see that I was honest and she said, for me to be able to be a part of your life, I would need to understand your life, so she made me come to PFLAG and LAAS meetings with her, to help me get an idea what your life was like now.”

Justin couldn't help but laugh. “That must have been fun.”

“I have met some very nice people there. People that have opened my eyes to many things I hadn't even considered before... It's been a good experience, I have to admit.”

Justin only nodded at that, still not quite able to wrap his head around his mother attending PFLAG and LAAS meetings.

“I know that I can't fix the mistakes from the past and I know that too much has happened, but... I want you to know that I am trying, Justin. I am really trying.”

Justin nodded once more, able to hear the sincerity in his mother's voice.

“And you and Brian? You're like friends now as well?” Justin asked, still trying to understand about the conversations that Brian and his mother had had in recent days.

“I wouldn't go as far as calling us friends, but... I think we have a better understanding of each other now,” Jennifer replied honestly.

“What does that mean?”

“We both know how much either of us loves you and that we both only want you to be happy. That's all that matters. That you're okay and happy.”

***

After Justin's release from the hospital he and his mom started to work on their relationship. Justin would answer her phone calls when she called to inquire about his recovery and they would talk about this and that.

After a couple of weeks Jennifer carefully voiced an invitation to Brian and Justin to have them come over to dinner at her new place and everyone was surprised when Justin accepted.

Everyone, especially Justin and Jennifer had been really nervous about that dinner, but in the end everything had gone just fine. Justin had been beyond excited to see his sister Molly again and even Brian had gotten a big hug from her. She had always liked Brian when he had been her tutor and when her mom had told her that Brian and Justin were now boyfriends, the teenage girl had been beyond excited.

During dinner Molly had broken the tension by pointing out how cool her brother was for dating a slave and how everyone at school in her anti-slavery group would be envious once she told them.

It had been a nice evening and when it came to a close, Justin promised his mother that they would have dinner together again.

A couple of weeks later the boys invited Molly and Jennifer to visit them at the loft and after they had talked about it for a couple of days, both men had agreed to have Gus present for that dinner. If his mom was to be a part of his life from now on, she had a right to get to know what most people would probably consider her grandson.

Jennifer had been absolutely enarmoured by the two year old boy and Molly had immediately fallen in love with him and had offered her babysitting services. She once again exclaimed how Brian and Justin were the coolest couple ever for also having a son and Gus had just loved all the attention he had received that evening.

Over the coming months a real relationship formed between Brian and Justin and Justin's mother and his sister and due to Jennifer's friendship with Debbie, they were also welcomed into the fold of their crazy little family.

Justin had never expected that he would ever have any Taylor family member in his life again after he had closed the door on them at the age of 17, but now, months after his hospitalisation for his burst appendix, he was glad that life had had other plans for him. He was glad that he and his mother had been able to overcome the past and had moved on from it.

His mother had accepted Brian and his place in Justin's life and as far as in-laws went, Brian and her had a pretty good relationship. Justin would have never thought that possible after the painful past of Brian having been their slave and how he had been treated then, but apparently everyone had been able to move on from that. And for that Justin was more than glad.