Brian arrived at the meeting just as the leader was calling it to order. He didn't have time to transition and found he had missed the opening remarks from the leader. Chastising himself for a quick minute, he then turned into the meeting and the message of the day. The discussion today was about inadequacy.
"...I used to feel inadequate, but then I realized that everybody has things they don't do well." A young woman who was sitting next to Justin said. Brian didn't catch her name, but the smile on her face as she spoke showed that she felt anything but inadequate.
"I'm Shane," a man with thinning hair and glasses spoke. "When I was drinking I lost job after job after job and I started to feel that I could never amount to anything in regards to a career. It was a vicious circle. I felt inadequate at work so I drank to hide my feelings of inferiority. But then I sucked at my job since I was frequently hungover and didn't do my job well. But then I got sober and found that I was really good at my job. The alcohol fed my inadequacies."
"My name is Jayden."
"Hi, Jayden" the group said.
"Getting sober helped me realize that I'm my own worst enemy. All the things that I feared I couldn't do, I realized that I could do them, especially once I wasn't drinking. The alcohol didn't give me the liquid courage that I thought, but instead gave me the excuse to not perform to my abilities."
The leader of the group said, "So instead of the alcohol bolstering your confidence, it actually diminished your performance?"
Jayden nodded his head, "Yeah. When I stopped drinking, I realized I had a lot of things to offer, on the job, in a relationship, to my friends, everywhere. In fact, my friends are always telling me what a great guy I am. I thought I had it all together when I was drinking, but I had it backwards. I was falling apart, but just didn't see it."
"My friends expect me to be a screw-up," Brian said.
"Is that what they say or what you believe?" a young woman who was sitting next to Brian asked.
"They are used to saying that they don't expect anything different from me. You know, I used to not show up on time to events, and even sometimes I wouldn't show up at all. My friends would just blow it off as that is what Brian did. Now, I don't know what they would say since I've chosen to limit my interactions with them," Brian said.
"I take it these are not people you typically drank with?" The woman wearing a light pink sweater asked.
"Right. I guess you would call them my pseudo-family as I have nothing to do with my biological family. Both my parents are alcoholics," Brian said.
"Since you've been sober, have you given them an opportunity to see that you've changed? You might be surprised at the reception you get," the leader of the group chimed in.
The universe was sending him a message yet again or really it was that the message in the AA meeting arrived at just the right time for what was happening in his journey. "I guess I'll find out. I'm planning on having most of the family for a small dinner next week." Brian chose not to go into a lot of details, deciding that talking about the dinner party was sufficient for the conversation. The important person in the group was Justin and he knew all about the party and Brian's fears. He joked that Justin must talk to the group leader before a lot of their groups to guide the discussion of the day since so many times the discussions were aimed at problems he was coping with.
"Good luck. You might be surprised at their reception," Jayden said, giving hope to Brian that he was supporting him.
"Thanks," Brian said, acknowledging his sincerity and belief in Brian's abilities. Brian thought about his interactions with Debbie, Emmett, and Ted realizing that their reactions were positive. He had avoided the family en masse for fear of many things; mocking his sincerity in his desire to be sober, temptation to drink with them, and of course, in Michael's case, disbelief that he even had a problem. Because his interactions with them were tainted by his former behavior, he judged any future interactions by the same gauge. Maybe Jayden was right and their reactions and interactions would be more positive.
"Our time is up for today, but thank you everyone for coming. Have a great week," the leader said. "Remember the collection box is on the coffee table. The money goes to support our cause by printing materials, paying phone bills, and the like. All the leaders are unpaid."
Justin looked at Brian and motioned for the door. Brian nodded and the two men walked out of the building and toward the parking lot.
"I asked Debbie about dinner next week. Gus also mentioned that you would be there. I can just imagine the third degree she is giving him now about who you are," Brian said, trying to keep his voice neutral. He felt he knew Debbie well enough to know that she would be asking Gus all kinds of questions about the cooking lessons, my meeting attendance, and of course, who the mysterious Justin is. I can see it now. In her mind, you are already a member of the family." Brian smiled at the thought of Justin being part of the family and hoped maybe one day he might be willing to explore that option, but for now, he was quiet. He needed Justin as a sponsor. He wondered if Justin could be his sponsor and his ... His mind stumbled on the words to fill in the blank. He didn't do boyfriends or partners but in some ways, Justin was something more.
Justin laughed at Brian's rendition. "I can't wait to meet everyone. I've heard so much about your family. I bet I could name them as soon as they walk in the door."
"Probably. There aren't too many people, but I guess we get to put that question to the test. Gus and I had a talk this morning about who to invite and the consensus was everyone but Michael. So..... I guess Mel and Linds will be invited and I told you Debbie has already said yes." Brian got to his car and clicked the lock to open the door.
"Are we cooking dinner tonight?" Justin asked, hoping that Brian still planned on coming over.
"A man's got to eat and you've shown me that there is more to eating than turkey sandwiches and Thai food. Sure, I'll meet you at your place."
"Sounds like a plan," Justin said.
They drove to Justin's place where they cooked dinner together and enjoyed a nice meal. As they were cleaning up, Justin said, "I've got a lot of work to do this week for the show. I'll probably be able to make the meetings, but I don't think dinner will be on the agenda,"
Brian said, "Okay. but are you sure you can make the meetings? You don't have to go if you don't have time." A slight feeling of guilt washed over him as he wondered if Justin would be pushing himself by attending all the meetings with Brian.
"No, I'm good. Meetings are really important to me before I have a show. I still have a lot of trepidation about my paintings. Attending a meeting helps keep me grounded and helps me remember that I paint from my heart. I know that not everybody will like my paintings and the critics can pan the show, but I keep repeating to myself that I don't paint for anyone but myself," Justin said, sharing his fears with Brian.
"You still have fears before a show. Is there anything I can do to help? It would be great to return the favor. Mind you, I know that what you have done for me is something I can never repay, but I would like to help if I can." Brian said, going over to Justin and offering him a hug. It was the first time he'd initiated the physical gesture, but he felt natural in offering this common mode of comfort to his friend and mentor.
"Thank you," Justin said, returning the hug. "Showing up and escorting Molly is really helpful. I know she wants to support me, but I always worry about some of the creeps that show up at an exhibit. Like she said, some guys just show up with the sole purpose of picking up women. Not to say that if a person was genuinely interested in the art it would be a bad place to meet someone. It's just that there are guys that have no interest in the art that show up with the sole purpose of hooking up. I think they think it makes them look cultured," Justin said as he finished putting the last of the leftovers in a container. "At least I'll have dinner for a few nights if you won't be coming over," Justin joked and opened the fridge to place the dish inside.
"True." Brian agreed but then added, "Let me know if I can help. It wasn't an idle offer."
"I will. But for now, I'm kicking you out. I've got a meeting early in the morning and I don't do mornings." Justin walked to the door and reached out to hug Brian. "You've got this. If you need anything, feel free to call. I know my show is coming at a bad time for you with the upcoming dinner and all your fears, but..."
Before Justin could finish his statement, Brian stopped him by putting his finger on Justin's lips. "I'm not your responsibility. I'm a grown man and now a sober one. Six months and counting is a long time. I can handle a few days without an after-meeting dinner to rehash all that was talked about in the meeting. If I need help, Ted or Emmett are probably more than willing to help."
"I'm proud of you. You realize that you can ask for help. That is so huge. I'll see you tomorrow. I guess you'll be talking to everybody else about the dinner tomorrow," Justin said, purposely not telling him the familiar "good luck" as he didn't want Brian to think that he couldn't handle the situation. He had every confidence in Brian's ability to be successful and looked forward to the coming week.
Brian drove home feeling confident and happy. He was not certain what had changed in the last few days, but he was finally feeling positive about his abilities to be successful. He knew that consumers needed to see an advertisement a minimum of 5 times before they might be willing to try a new product; therefore, it would make sense that a person would need to talk about a new behavior at least that many times before they might consider incorporating it into their interactions. Maybe he'd been exposed to the idea that his behavior was really changing and he had control over his life enough times to incorporate it into his psyche. His comment to Justin that he could handle a few days without Justin's tutelage and support was genuine. Knowing that Emmett and Ted were available to help him if he were to need help was something he had never really considered, but now accepted as part of the normal give and take of friendship. He was smiling, something he couldn't remember doing on a regular basis unless he was interacting with Gus.
When he got home, he realized he was tired, having been very busy over the weekend. He walked into Gus' new room and admired the sketch Justin made on the long wall. It was detailed and he could see what the finished product might look like. Gus would be so happy to share it with his friends and he was pleased to have it in his home. Just walking into the room, he could feel Justin's presence and that sent a sense of calm over him. He yawned and got ready for bed.
*****
When he got to work in the morning, he walked into Ted's office. Ted had been looking at his computer but looked up when he sensed someone come into the room. "Bri... I was just reviewing the sales reports from last quarter. I don't know how you do it, but our numbers have improved over 15%."
"Sobriety. I think my sobriety has made the difference. I no longer take 2-3 hours to sober up in the morning before I am capable of being productive. I didn't recognize how my drinking was impacting Kinnetic until I stopped."
"I like the changes. What can I do for you this morning?" Ted said, knowing Brian rarely came in for idle chit-chat.
"I came to invite you and Blake to dinner on Friday night. Gus has been getting cooking lessons from Emmett while I attend meetings on Saturday night. Gus wants to have a family dinner so he can show off his new skills," Brian explained, understanding this invite was so far out of the norm.
Ted's face showed his surprise by his eyebrows going up slightly but didn't add any vocalizations.
"Let me look at my calendar, but I think we are free," Ted said as he retrieved his phone from his pocket and opened the calendar app. After scrolling to Friday, he looked to see if there were any entries. "We're good. Emm had mentioned that he was teaching Gus to cook, but I didn't expect this. You must be really proud."
"He is a good cook. He wants to invite everyone. Emm, Mel, Linds, Deb, and you guys."
Ted noticed that Michael wasn't mentioned and wasn't surprised. He had heard enough complaining from Michael that Brian hadn't hung out with him and he just couldn't believe the nonsense about his drinking being an issue. He supposed it bothered Michael less than it did Brian, but he wasn't going to ask.
"Okay. Now I have to invite the munchers. Gus wants his moms to see how good he cooks. I've avoided talking to them since the court appearance, but I guess this is a good reason to do so."
"Let me know if I can help," Ted said as he picked up his coffee mug to take a drink.
"Will do. Send me a copy of those reports and a copy of the reports from a year ago. I'd like to review them," Brian said before he left Ted's office.
He went back to his office to start his day. Several hours flew by before he looked up from his desk. It was almost noon and he needed a break. While he really didn't feel that calling Lindsay would be considered a break, it was necessary.
Pulling out his phone, he pushed the icon for her and waited for the call to connect. He half wished that she wasn't there and that he could just leave a message. After three rings she answered.
"Hello Brian," Lindsay said.
"Gus has been taking cooking lessons from Emmett and he wants to have a family dinner to show off his new skills. The dinner is this Friday night at 7:00," Brian said, jumping right into the call. He didn't feel the need or have the desire to make small talk with Lindsay, nor did he really want to talk with her about anything other than the upcoming dinner.
"Cooking lessons with Emmett. And what are you doing while they are cooking? I can't imagine you are participating," she asked, continuing her traditional negative comments about Brian's life.
"Not that it really is any of your business, but I've been attending AA while Gus learns to cook."
"So you're not even in the house. What if something happens while you're gone? Would Emmett even know where to take Gus if he cut his hand or got burned? I can't believe you would just leave Emmett with Gus. I think that is so irresponsible," Lindsay said, accusing Brian of bad parenting decisions.
Brian took a deep breath before he answered. "Lindsay, listen to yourself. I know you've left Gus with a babysitter before. How old is the babysitter? Did the person even drive? What would happen if something happened while you were gone? I'll tell you what would happen. The person would call 911 if it was serious enough and otherwise would call you on your cell." Brian stopped and let his statements sink in before continuing. He hoped that his quiet reaction would de-escalate the conversation quickly. "Emmett is a chef and has his own catering company. He is perfectly capable of teaching Gus how to safely cook. He has a phone and a car if he needs to take Gus somewhere in case of an emergency. Now, stop trying to find fault with my parenting decisions and answer the question. Will you be coming Friday night or not? Dinner is at 7:00."
Brian's response surprised her. In the past, he would yell or just hang up. She could twist almost any situation into her way of thinking. She had had almost no interactions with him since he informed her that he was stopping the direct payments to her for Gus. Her initial response to his request was to immediately find fault with the situation. Something had changed and she wasn't sure she liked the changes.
"Of course, we'll come. Maybe he'll want to cook at home. That would help out a lot," Lindsay said. "It would make my life less complicated."
"He still needs help to get the pans in and out of the oven," Brian said, trying to quash her ideas. He would have loved to add a question about Gus' safety, asking what would happen if something happened while he was cooking dinner and she wasn't home, but he declined. He would discuss this situation with Gus, preparing him on how to respond to his mother's potential request to cook dinner when she wasn't home. He oftentimes wondered if Lindsay saw Gus as a child or as a home worker. According to Gus, he was already in charge of doing a lot of the cleaning in the home. While Brian was learning about parenting, he acknowledged that children needed responsibilities, but also knew they should be in proportion to their age and abilities. Cooking a special meal like Gus was planning for Friday was fine on occasion, but not every day. Kids needed to be kids. He had learned that his childhood was abnormal; kids didn't usually fend for themselves for all their meals and didn't have to take responsibility for signing permission slips, doing their laundry, and even finding money for necessities like lunch at school. He wanted his son to learn responsibility but also to enjoy his childhood.
"I guess the chicken can't cook unless he can put the pan in the oven. Oh, well. I'll have to wait a little bit until he can do that before I ask him to cook dinner. Still, it was a nice idea," Lindsay said, backtracking on her statement, but trying to make a joke of it.
"So Friday at 7:00. He's excited about cooking for everyone. Bye." Brian didn't wait for her to continue the conversation or ask any questions. He was already angry about her assumption that he was irresponsible by not supervising Gus, but he thought he handled her accusations. She didn't continue her mini-meltdown after his quick response. Justin would be proud. He remembered when he would have added the incident to an imaginary list of things that happened during the day that would justify his drinking after work. He had learned that there were always things that would disrupt a day and he'd learned to not get upset by them.
The day was over half over and he still had a lot to accomplish before he went to his meeting. He pushed Lindsay out of his mind and returned to the work on his desk. When his phone alarm went off signaling he needed to wrap up things so he could leave, he was pleased with the amount of work he'd accomplished.
He arrived at the meeting a little early, hoping he would see Justin and have a few minutes to talk to him before the meeting. He looked in the parking lot and saw his car there. He hurried in and located Justin at the coffee table. He tapped him on the arm.
"Hey," Brian said, smiling at Justin.
"Hey," How was your day?" Justin said, stirring his coffee with a plastic stirrer.
"Good. Work was busy. I asked Ted and Lindsay. Ted said sure. Lindsay gave me the third degree about how irresponsible I was letting Gus cook with Emmett when I wasn't home. When I pointed out that she leaves him with babysitters who aren't even old enough to drive and that Emmett owns a catering company so he has to be sure that his employees use safe techniques, she didn't respond."
"I guess you were right. She did attempt to find fault with your parenting, but you responded right away. I'm proud of you. Great job," Justin said.
Brian smiled at the compliment and was really happy with the praise. He was used to colleagues commenting on his work and had won a few awards for his advertisements, but it was still novel for someone to praise him for his behavior outside of work. This was a big change.
The leader called the group to the circle and Brian listened to the participants discuss Serenity. Again, he marveled at the timing of the topic. After the meeting, Brian and Justin walked toward the parking lot. Brian knew Justin was not able to eat dinner with him, so he planned on eating at the diner. It would be weird not spending the evening with Justin, but he had some work on a campaign that he wanted to complete.
As they walked to their respective cars, Brian asked, " How's the prep for the show?"
"Good. I always think that the next time it will be easier. I write down the things that I wanted to change, and I address those issues ahead of time. But it never changes, there is always something that comes up in the last few days that I hadn't planned for. This time, it is the lighting. Typically the lights in a gallery are more than adequate, but I have a few pieces that need unique lighting and I've been working with the gallery to move certain pieces to other locations in the exhibit. It disrupts the flow a little, but it can't be helped."
"I can't wait to see it. That reminds me I have to call Molly and make arrangements for the show. We had talked about eating dinner beforehand, but I need to double-check with her," Brian said, taking out his phone to make a note to himself as a reminder.
"Thanks for taking her. She is really excited about attending with an ‘escort'," Justin said, putting air quotes on the work escort. "I've got to get back to the gallery. I want to see how the lighting holds up at night," Justin said as he reached over to give Brian a hug. "Later."
Brian returned the hug and said, "Later." He got in his car and drove to the diner. After dinner, he returned to his loft and worked on the campaign until about 9:00. He pulled out the big book and read until he was tired, then went to sleep.
Tuesday and Wednesday were busy for both men, working, attending meetings, and prepping for Justin's show.
Thursday Brian attended a noon meeting. One of the things he liked about AA was the organization's respect for people's time. Every meeting he attended was an hour or less. This gave the participants time to receive the support they needed and to share their thoughts and feelings about any struggles they were experiencing. He had heard traditional therapy was also an hour, but he felt that meeting with a group of people who shared your problems with addiction was better than working with one person who may or may not understand your particular struggles. As he listened to the topic of Hope he appreciated AA and his friendship with Justin. For the first time in his life, he was actually hopeful that there was a possibility for an enjoyable life. He was building a strong relationship with his son and he was realizing that his small circle of friends that were his family were, for the most part, interested in his success and well-being. He'd not experienced acceptance as a child or young adult. He'd come to realize that he had used alcohol and sex to feel accepted and now he was using neither, but his family was there to support him. He returned to the office in a good mood and the day passed quickly.
He went home to get ready for dinner and the art show. He was taking Molly to the Capital Grille. He had reserved a table for two, wanting to ensure they didn't have to wait and could arrive at a reasonable time for the show. In talking with Justin, he learned that while the doors opened at 7:00, most people arrived at least a half-hour after opening. The critics showed up early before the venue got crowded so they could view the artwork without the crowds. The patrons showed up a little later but often stayed later as well, especially if they were purchasing a piece.
Brian perused the menu and decided what he would order. Brian asked Molly, "Do you attend all of Justin's shows? I've only been to one and that was about three months ago. Does he do a lot of them?"
"I try to attend any that are local. He's had a couple out of town and I haven't been to any of those. He is starting to make a name for himself. He's had a few pieces in a larger show about 4-5 times. That show where we met was his first solo show. The one tonight is a show with another artist." Molly returned her attention to the menu, looking at the prices of the items. If this had been a typical date, she would be concerned about the cost but wasn't since Brian had no interest in dating. This resulted in a more relaxed atmosphere. She wouldn't have to worry that Brian was trying to impress her so she would go out with him again. It was a welcome change from her typical evening out. She decided on her food selection and put down her menu.
"As an upcoming artist, he pushes his agent to get him in as many shows as possible, but the flip side is that it takes time to paint. He's not a factory where he can just crank out so many pieces on demand. He frequently complains that his agent wants more work to show to galleries, but that his muses are really in charge of how much work he produces. It is a catch 22. The more he paints, the more of his work his agent can show, but the more his agent shows, the more pieces he has to paint. His muses have to cooperate so he can find inspiration to paint but if he doesn't paint then his muses often aren't cooperating," Molly said, hoping Brian understood her explanation. She took a sip of her water.
"He can't paint on demand, but if he doesn't have pieces for his agent to show, then he can't get slots in shows or a show for himself. So he is somewhat forced to paint if he isn't in the mood so his agent can show his work," Brian said, hoping to show Molly he understood.
"Right. It is frustrating for him. Luckily, he seems to be figuring it out. He paints most days, but some days are obviously better than others. He never knows what his muses will come up with but if he always paints, there is bound to be some good pieces. Of course, patrons are unique. Everybody's taste is different, so even if Justin doesn't like a piece, someone else will."
"I understand. I work in advertising and there are days I can rack my brain for an idea and other days where the ideas seem to flow. I have to convince my clients that my campaign is just what they need to sell their product."
"I would imagine that you do understand. You guys are working in similar fields," Molly said.
The waiter came to take their order. When the waiter asked if they would like a glass of wine or a cocktail, Molly said, "no."
Brian said, "Go ahead, order one if you'd like. I won't mind." He realized that if this was a business dinner, the company rep would typically order a drink while he abstained. At first, it had been difficult not to order a drink, but it had gotten easier. He would probably always want a drink, but when he thought of his twisted car wrapped around a tree, he would decline. That picture was one of the strongest deterrents to drinking in his arsenal.
"No, thank you."
The waiter said, "I'll be back with your salads shortly."
"I want to thank you again for being my date to the opening. I really like seeing Justin's work, but I really don't like all the guys trying to pick me up. I was so glad to hear that you were gay and weren't interested in dating me," Molly said.
Brian laughed. "My pleasure. I want to support Justin as much as he's supported me."
They enjoyed the meal and talked about art, their jobs, and a little about Pittsburgh. Brian had shared about their project to explore Pittsburgh and Molly shared her favorite places to visit as well. Brian made note of the places to see if they were on the list. After the meal, they drove to the gallery. Brian and Molly stopped in front of each piece, spending a little time taking in the colors and the message. They talked about a few of the pieces that particularly moved them, but for the most part, they enjoyed the show in silence.
Justin was able to excuse himself from a patron about 45 minutes after their arrival.
"So, what do you think?" He asked, curious and anxious to hear their opinion. He realized he really wanted Brian to like the exhibit and that it was important to him. While he had espoused the idea that the critics were unimportant as it was his patrons that were important, he knew that Brian's opinion was important.
"Exquisite," Brian said, the honesty in his voice coming through. "I really admire your skills to get your feelings on your canvas. I understand what it is like to create, but I can't imagine how you must feel when you have to get your thoughts on a canvas. I wish I had more wall space so I could hang another piece." Brian smiled at Justin. He fought the urge to reach out and hug him, accepting that this was not the place to do this.
"I agree," Molly said. I know I'm biased, being your sister and all, but your work seems to improve each time I see it. Your muses must be working overtime. Unlike Brian, I do have the wall space, I just don't have the money to purchase your work." She shrugged slightly.
"Tell me which one you want and it is yours. They are my paintings," Justin said, waving his hand toward the exhibit.
"Justin, if you give all your work away for free, you won't make any money. Someday, I might take you up on your offer, but I need to be living in a house, not an apartment I share with a roommate. I like Karen, but she has zero taste in art and wouldn't recognize your talent even if she read about it on the front page or saw it plastered on a billboard. Now, if it was advertising a pair of Jimmy Choo's, she might comment, but it is unlikely."
"Ouch. I guess you'll just have to find another job or get a promotion so you buy a painting," Justin teased, knowing that his sister was very happy in the law firm. "Or, you could find yourself a nice, rich, sugar daddy."
That comment resulted in a punch to Justin's arm from Molly. "That wasn't even funny. The day I find a rich, sugar daddy might be the same day that you settle down with someone too," Molly said, knowing that Justin wouldn't mind a rich Patreon so he could paint all the time instead of juggling his painting and the need to put food on the table."I know you make a living from your art, but I hear you complain that sometimes the commissions you have to do are not the pieces you want to spend your time on. They pay the bills." Molly looked at Brian who was taking in the conversation between the siblings with interest. He knew Justin earned his living as an artist and didn't have a side gig, but he hadn't known that some of the painting he did was not necessarily by choice. The mural he was doing for Gus was going to take some time, and he felt guilty about Justin spending time on something he wasn't getting paid for. He decided he would revisit that conversation again.
"Well, I have to get back to my patrons. Everything on for tomorrow night, Brian?" Justin asked.
"Yes. I'll be at the meeting at noon if you can get away. Otherwise, I'll see you tomorrow night," Brian said, linking his arm in Molly's as they walked away.
Molly asked, "Are you guys dating or something? I thought sponsors weren't supposed to date the person they were helping?"
Brian smiled as they walked past several patrons and said, "No, we're not dating. While I've been attending Saturday night meetings my friend has been teaching my son how to cook. He wants to have the family over to show off his skills. Justin and I usually eat dinner together after our meetings and he's joined us for my son's culinary excursions."
"So, Justin has been eating dinner with you every night for 6 months?" Molly asked, wanting to verify his statement. That's a lot of dinners."
"Just about. Fridays we go to a noon meeting, so we don't eat dinner that day. After our AA meeting, your brother has helped me explore my thoughts about the meetings. Our after-meeting dinners have been invaluable in my sobriety journey."
"He's really put a lot of time into helping you. I'm not surprised; he's always been generous. I thought he mentioned that he's gone with you to a few places in Pittsburgh too."
"Yeah. Even though I grew up here, I knew very little about the city. When I started my sobriety journey, I had no idea what I wanted my life to look like. I'd been drinking since I was a teen and hadn't developed any hobbies," Brian started to explain, purposely keeping out the information about his other hobby, sex. "Justin suggested we explore the city together and maybe I'd find something that sparked my interest. Since I now have Gus every weekend, the three of us often explore someplace on Saturday or Sunday."
"That sounds like Justin. He's always loved the city and having someone to share it with him would make him pretty excited. Where have you guys gone?" Brian and Molly continued to stroll around the gallery, stopping to gaze at the paintings. This was their third tour of the exhibit and each time, they ended up stopping at a different piece.
"We've hit the Incline, the Science Center, Carnegie Mellon Art Museum and we even went to a bike museum. Last weekend, we went to IKEA to buy my son a bed. That was not a place I'd ever return to," Brian said as he shuddered at the memory.
"It is huge. What kind of bed did you get?"
"We bought him a bunk bed. It will be delivered in a few weeks and then we're going to put it together. Justin offered to help me."
Molly tried to hide her grin, but Brian saw through her attempt. "What? Did I say something funny?"
"Oh, it's just that IKEA is known for having really difficult instructions. People talk all the time about the difficulty they have in putting furniture together."
"Shit," Brian said under his breath. "If I had them put it together it would have taken another 6 weeks to deliver. Gus was so excited that I agreed to put it together. I'm sure between Justin and me, we can figure it out," Brian said with confidence. He wasn't going to disappoint Gus over a stupid bed.
"I'm sure it will be fine," Molly said, finding the whole situation very interesting. She knew Brian had met Justin through AA and he was helping Brian with his sobriety, but it appeared to her that Justin was finding a lot of ways to insinuate himself in Brian's life. She wondered if Justin had an interest in Brian that went beyond being his sponsor. Could he be falling for him? Brian was gay and gorgeous and from everything she'd seen in their interactions, a very likable man. Her brother could do a lot worse, but she worried that getting himself involved with Brian while he was his sponsor could backfire for both of them.
Molly looked at her watch and said, "I think I need to head out. It's been a lovely evening and I appreciate your escort service. I have to work in the morning and it sounds like you have a busy day ahead of you as well. Good luck with your son's dinner."
"You're welcome. It's been my pleasure. I'm sure I'll be attending more of Justin's shows and I'd be happy to escort you in the future," Brian said as they walked toward where Justin was standing. When he finished speaking with the patron Brian tapped him on the shoulder. "We're heading out. I enjoyed the opening. I told Molly that I'd gladly escort her the next time you had an opening. She's a fabulous date," Brian said, tongue in cheek.
"Brian was a perfect gentleman. Of course, he has no real interest in dating me. What a pity. As they said, all the good ones are taken or gay. But seriously, I really enjoyed the evening, Brian and Justin, your art is exquisite, as always. Someday, I might be able to buy a piece. I have to work tomorrow and it sounds like you're going to a dinner party at Brian's. Have fun and we'll catch up soon." She reached over to give Justin a hug and he returned the hug.
"Thanks for coming," Justin said. He reached out a hand to shake Brian's hand, feeling that he really wanted to hug him instead, but knew this was not the place to do that.
Brian reached out his hand and shook it and also gave him a smile acknowledging the awkward gesture. He raised his eyebrows and glanced toward the patrons, letting Justin know that he understood that a handshake was not really the gesture he wanted either.
"See you tomorrow night. Have a good evening," Brian said and then he led Molly toward the door.
He had picked her up in his car so he drove her home. Molly asked Brian a few questions about his son and he found himself regaling her with a few tales of the adventures that he and Justin had with Gus. Molly found it very interesting that Justin was so involved with Brian and his life.
When they arrived at her home, she turned to get out of the car and said, "Thank you for a lovely evening." She opened the door and walked to her door. Brian waited until she was safely inside before heading home.
When he arrived at home he realized that he was a little too wound up to sleep, so he pulled the Big Book off the shelf and read until he was sufficiently tired to go to bed. He lay awake for a little bit, thinking about the dinner tomorrow night, but reminded himself that Justin would be there and would help diffuse any difficulties. In addition, his presence would deter him from wanting to drink. Of course, it didn't hurt that he had no alcohol in the house and he wasn't about to change that. He knew that if he was really struggling with wanting a drink when everyone left, Justin would be more than willing to have an impromptu meeting with him. With those positive thoughts running through his head, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
TBC