BEN

“Michael, what did you think he was going to say?!” Mel growls. “How could you cheat on him? How long has it been going on? Oh God, please don't say you've been using the loft for your assignations?!”

He shifts guiltily but says nothing.

“You are going to be gone. He will give you time to pack, but you will be gone.” I tell him coldly. “And Brandon will help.”

“Brandon? Help? Help who?” Lindsay, for some reason, has an attitude with me over this!

“Help Hunter in assisting Michael to leave!” I bite back. “Did you know, as a matter of interest? I mean, you both used the loft, maybe you caught them there one day?”

“No, of course not! I am just as shocked by everything as you all are!” She objects, and then glares when Mel scoffs. “I didn’t! Tell them, Michael!”

“She’s telling the truth…”

“The truth? From you?! That’s a laugh!” Brandon fumes. “So after dinner, I will be dropping you off.”

“Now just a second, you don’t get to order me around!”

“You seem to have forgotten that I am your older brother, and that gives me butt kicking rights! And after the way you treated Ben and Hunter, I have no problem exercising them!”

Carl clears his throat, but Brandon doesn’t step back from towering over Michael, who is pressed back into the seat.

“Let’s all calm down a bit shall we?” Brian orders, and tugs the back of Brandon’s jeans. Two things happen then: one, he steps back; and, two, I find that so sweet.

“Seems the storm needs the quiet like the quiet needs the storm.” I drawl, and both Brandon and Brian smile. “But back to matter in hand; if it wasn't for the fact that you five are family, I would ask Brandon to take your ass out of here now. You have one more chance to partially redeem yourself; what were you thinking?!”

He swallows then drags his hand down his face. “If you were cheat...”

“OH COME ON!” Brandon explodes, and again Brian pulls him back a bit further.

“Okay! I have anal warts, and thought you gave them to me because of your pissy mood!”

“You cunt!” Mel explodes. “You miserable, inexcusable dickhead of a wanker! Get out! Get out of my sight!”

BRIAN

“Mel, you don’t get to do that. This is…” I begin

“Thanks, Brian, I knew you would understand.” Michael grimaces at Mel. “A man of your promiscuity knows the craving for getting your needs met, and that's all I did; got them met.”

“There is a difference between what you did and what Brian did!” Mel barks out.

“Sex is sex! That's what Brian says, and all I did was have sex!”

“And take him on holiday for a week in Paris!” I bellow, Michael looks stunned. “Ben had his suspicions for a while and talked to me about it. He found out about Paris when you went on your first trip to Cali.”

“Michael, just go to a hotel...no, go to the house, we will talk about this when we are all calmer.” Debs orders quietly. “Brandon, you are taking him nowhere. I mean it, go to the house and…” She stops as Brandon strides out with a smile then calls Mark. They confer for a few seconds, then he comes back in. “...and that was about?”

“You, De...Mom. We knew you would say that. Oh, thanks, Mark.” He beams at him when he drops the holdall at his feet. “So this is yours, bro. Ben packed for you after you stropped off this morning because he went to see Jenny.”

“You said you were going jogging!”

“Seems that the combination of cheating and anal warts makes you deaf!” I snarl, then reach into my pocket to pull out the keys. “Here.” I hold them out, and predictably Michael reaches for them. “Ben, the loft is yours for as long as you need it.”

“Ben?!” Lindsay gasps. “But Michael has been your best friend...and is your brother!”

“Who cheated on his boyfriend who is a very good friend of mine...no ours! And he has been more of a father to Jenny these days than my so called best friend and little brother!” I feel Brandon’s hand on my chest, stopping me from moving to give Michael a Debs head slap. “It has been redecorated and all evidence of my past and your fucking have been obliterated! Now get out!”

“If Michael goes then Mel and I go too! And as for seeing Jenny any further, that will have to be rethought, Ben. Everyone seems to have forgotten that Ben lied as well!”

“He told him that Hunter was his cousin, not his son! There is a vast difference between that and cheating; and...just in case it slipped your notice...getting anal warts!” I yell.

LINDSAY

“Lindsay! I am not leaving. you want to go with Michael, then you go. And there is no way in hell you are stopping Ben or Hunter from seeing Jenny! Like Brian said, he’s been more of a father figure than Michael ever could be. I can count on one hand the times he has been to see her and not within ten minutes been on his phone bidding on something. Or now we know what we know, texting his fuck buddy!”

“Sorry, I spoke out of turn. I am just so shocked. Michael, you need to leave, do you have cab fare?”

“Lindsay, I thought you were on my side. Brian has been mellowing out for a while…”

“Mellowing for a while?!” Brian snorts. “I am not! I am just being much more discerning! Besides, Kinnetic is hugely busy; I don't have the time or energy to fuck around.”

“Whatever!” Michael snaps and snatches up his holdall. “I am going back to where I live, and…” Ben starts to chuckle “...what now?!”

“Hunter has changed the locks. Looks like you will be sleeping with Captain Astro all by your widdle self!”

“You know, Ben, if you had been a whole lot less Zen and thought of me and my needs more, then I would not have found someone younger and interested in the things I like! Yeah, you look hot, but you being calm all the time got very boring! You bored me and I feel sorry for the next guy that you hitch your wagon to!” He turns to look at Debs. “Thanks for putting me up, Ma, see you later.”

“I will see you out.” Mark appears at the doorway, and, with a curt nod, Michael is gone. Mark comes back with a look of what? Delight? “Dinner will be another hour, do you need me for anything else?”

“No, honey, you go.” Debs smiles, and with wave he too is gone. “More wine, people!”

I feel a tightness in my chest as the full magnitude of what Michael has done hits me. I feel scared and sickened. I take a few breaths and feel my heart rate start to slow down. The first thing I need to do when I get some time alone is speak to Lynette, but how do I explain to her that the condoms I have been collecting aren't from Brian after all?! I just hope and pray she has just had them frozen as we agreed until I had spoken to Brian. I know she is getting impatient and hope she has not followed through with her threat to proceed with the surrogate she told me about who has verbally agreed to carry the child!