Mark held me tighter, reminding me that he and Hunter were there to support me. We’d been sent an invitation to the show from Justin, but also invited to the dinner at Brian and Justin’s house, by Emmett. I felt like I was about to be judged for being a hypocrite, for sitting back when I could have helped another human being. It made me want to turn around and go home. 

“Ben, you’re making this worse than it probably is,” Mark tells me, letting me go and getting out of the car.

I watched as the kid who must be Patrick walked over to Mark, shook his hand and waved him in the door. Hunter got out, leaving me sitting there still acting like someone was going to shoot me if I got out of the car. Gus and Hunter were standing there talking like long lost brothers, and Patrick looked at me, as if curious to why I was still sitting in the car. He came over and opened my door.

“No one’s going to bite you,” He says, and offers me a hand out of the car.

“I’d deserve it if they wanted to,” I joke.

“There are only three people on this family's hit list, and you aren’t one of them,” Patrick tells me.

“Are you waiting for an engraved invitation?” Brian asks sarcastically.

“Da, Nana said to be nice,” Patrick says, shaking his head.

“Yes Son, but since you’re the one complaining about eating, I figured I’d get Ben to stop acting like he walking to his execution instead of dinner with the family,” Brian tells him.

“He thinks you guys are going to bite him,” Patrick announces, running into the house.

“I only bite Justin,” Brian smirks.

“I guess so since apparently he agreed to finally put a ring on it,” Emmett jokes, dragging me into the house.

“Hello Ben, glad you could make it,” Ted says as I walk in behind Emmett and Brian.

“Where did Mark and Hunter go?” I ask when they weren’t in the kitchen.

“Justin invited Mark and Hunter to see his studio when Mark told Justin that he is one of his favorite artists,” Ted says, grabbing a tray and walking out the door.

“I decided to grill out since it’s a perfect night, and apparently I’d be the favorite for giving in to Patrick and Taylor,” Emmett comments, as Drew comes in from the back.

“I didn’t know you two were back together,” I say, curious since I’d followed Drew’s career and there wasn’t any mention of Emmett again.

“We just reconnected recently,” Drew answers. 

“Then proceeded at warp speed to meeting the family and giving notice to your landlord,” Ted teased Emmett.

“I just don’t see the point in wasting more time. Why fight when you know you’re with the right person,” Emmett says, teasing Ted right back.

“It’s why I couldn’t stay with Michael, after meeting Mark,” I say, not willing to deny the truth.

“No one of faults you for leaving him. You stayed longer than anyone in their right mind would have,” Gus says, coming in the backdoor. “Taylor and Patrick are threatening to eat everything if you guys don’t hurry,” He jokes.

Mark and Hunter came back with Justin, all laughing and making me relax finally and realize that my fear was unwarranted. They didn’t expect me to wear a hairshirt, instead, they were all willing to let the past go and start again with me. I was introduced to Ian and Taylor, as we all walked outside where Jen was swatting at Patrick’s attempt to nibble on the food.

“I can’t excuse that you didn’t help Lindsay when she needed it, but we all made mistakes at one time or another,” Brian tells me.

“How is she?” I ask after we all sat down.

“She has good days and bad, right now it seems more good than bad for her,” Gus tells me.

“She wants to see you again, Patrick,” Ian mentions.

“I can go tomorrow since it’s one of my off days,” Patrick shrugs.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Brian asks Patrick.

“Yeah. It’s still weird right now,” Patrick tells him, confusing Mark, Hunter, and me. “I just don’t see her as my mother, since she hasn’t been all my life. I mean, she’s nice, but I’m happy with just my dads,” he explains.

“I get it, I don’t need my birth mother or Michael, Mark and Ben are enough for me,” Hunter tells him.

“I hate to ask, and possibly ruin the good mood, but is David or Michael going to cause problems with Hunter?” Mark asks since we’d been contacted by Gabriel.

“If he does, then he’ll find out the Cameron name doesn’t mean anything in Pittsburgh. From what it sounds like, David’s father is still dealing with issues in their hometown in Portland. The other prominent families closed ranks, trying to save their kids by making David’s son Hank the fall guy for all of them. It’s why David moved back to Pittsburgh, in hopes of getting back in the circles he felt should welcome him. Which they did, until Michael’s little display. I made a point to explain that Hunter didn’t choose the life David and Michael made it sound like was a choice for him, but he did it to survive until he was given a way out. Which he took and has done very well for himself, regardless of what David and Michael thought was all he was good for,” Jen says, rolling her eyes.

“David isn’t going to get anyone to go against Mother Taylor,” Brian comments, kissing her cheek.

“Even if they did, I’m not ashamed of it,” Hunter tells everyone.

“None of us think you should be, but you don’t deserve to have it dredged up and turned into something it wasn’t. Which is what David pretty much told Gabriel he wanted to do,” Justin tells him.

“If he does, it’s not like I could prove they said anything,” Hunter tells us.

“No. But it doesn’t mean he or Michael should get away with saying it, or try to smear you to save themselves. Which David might have been able to get away with, without having our family support you,” Brian tells him.

“We would have protected Hunter,” I point out.

“While I'm sure you both will; when things like this happen, having people like Jennifer or Brian supporting Hunter, changes the game. People that matter to David are going to follow the lead of people whose opinions matter in their circles. Brian’s opinion does because he makes them richer, Jen’s because she’s navigated these waters successfully all her life. David doesn’t care what people he doesn’t see as his equals think since his only concern is people he deems are people who could make or break him in the world he wants to stay in,” Ted tells me.

“I hate to say it, but he’s right. When I announced to the world I was gay, if my coach and team had supported me things would have been easier. It sometimes really is about who you know, more then what you can prove,” Drew tells us.

“Which is the point of this family, to protect our own,” Brian says to Hunter.

For once, I felt like I was inside the circle of this group of men, which I never felt when I was with Michael. At the show we all ended up having a great time as Justin showed off the new artist, letting her shine instead of taking the spotlight that always seems to be on him. 

MEL

After seeing the paper with all the pictures of Justin’s show, I figured it was why Michael demanded I meet him, or he’d make sure Jenny got what she wanted. I agreed to meet him at his house, knowing the paperwork was going to be served at his house and not wanting him to miss signing for them. I checked to see if Gabriel filed anything, and was relieved to hear he hadn’t. I still needed to find someone to represent me, since only an idiot would represent themselves. Hopefully, the attorney I called would take me on, since she wasn’t exactly swimming in clients, which was made pretty apparent when I was told anytime was good for her.

Michael answered the door, looking like he’d barely slept. He left me at the door and wandered to the living room, which looked like a hurricane hit it.

“Why didn’t you tell me Justin took Lindsay’s kid?” Michael asks.

“Why would I care? The kid became Justin’s problem, not mine,” I tell him.

“Oh yeah, I forgot it has to be all about you, it didn’t matter that it ruined my life. Well, you better care if you expect me to help you now,” Michael sneers at me. 

“How can you help me? From what I saw you’re about to be out in the cold. Not only did you fuck up what David gave you, but now no one on Liberty Avenue is going to welcome you either,” I tell him.

“They will when I have Brian supporting me,” Michael says as if that would ever happen.

“Michael, when are you going to get a clue, he never wanted you. Which he proved when he banned you from his life. How many more doors does he have to shut for you to figure it out? He’s done giving in to your childish wishes,” I say, needing him not let his fantasy world cause problems if Gus tries to take Jenny from me. I didn’t need Michael using it as a way to Brian, as Jenny said.

“It wouldn’t have happened if Lindsay and Justin didn’t use that kid to get Brian to go back to Justin,” Michael says, looking at the paper with Brian and Justin kissing for the camera, after announcing once again that they are getting married.

“Seriously? You think Brian kicked you out because Justin and Lindsay somehow plotted the whole thing just to take Brian away from you?” I ask, almost wanting to apologize to Jenny for picking this idiot to be her father.

“It doesn’t matter because I know how to fix it now. I just need you to help me,” Michael says like I don’t have enough problems to deal with.

“What I need is for you to make sure Jenny stays with me. After that, I honestly don’t care if you make an idiot out of yourself. Which you did by losing David, who was willing to support your ass, unlike Brian, who left you to fend for yourself while moving back to Justin,” I tell him.

“After reading this, I don’t see it that way,” Michael says, throwing a file at me.

I skimmed most of it, not wanting to read all about Brian’s constant successes. The little bit about Lindsay, I couldn’t let bother me, since she was the one who betrayed me. I had to give it to David, the detective broke some laws getting information on Patrick’s adoption. But nothing gave me a clue as to why Michael thought it mattered and would get Brian back. “I don’t understand why you think any of this would change things with Brian for you,” I tell him.

“Because none of you really know Brian the way I do. All of you believed Brian kept Justin around because he loved him. I knew the truth, and so did Justin. Brian only stayed with Justin for years because he felt responsible for the asshole getting hurt. I hate to admit it but Lindsay was always better at getting Brian to listen to her, and manipulate him into doing what she wanted. Lindsay hated me for years because I made sure Brian knew she was only using him for anything she could get her greedy little hands on, and it worked, since she had Justin there to help her force Brian to once again go back to him. Because Justin couldn’t have afforded a kid unless Brian was there to finance his ass,” Michael tells me.

“I give up. Explain to me why you think Brian would come back to you when all he seems to be doing is planning to marry Justin?” I ask.

“I’m going to play Lindsay’s little game, and make it so Brian admits he’s making a mistake with Justin when he has to help me,” Michael says, still leaving me confused and worried that his idiotic plan would somehow backfire on me.

“You are planning on making everyone think you’re crazy?” I had to ask, hoping I was wrong.

“No. Just that I can’t remember anything past the night Gus was born. That way, Justin can’t be around, and I have time to stop Brian from making the biggest mistake of his life,” Michael tells me.

“Michael, we need to make sure Jenny stays with me. Which means you pretending to be crazy won’t work,” I tell him.

“After Brian and I are together, I’ll make sure you keep Jenny. I wouldn’t want to leave you without a way to pay for your life through our daughter,” he said, shoving the letter informing him I was suing for a change in the child support, at me.

“I have a right to have it assessed Michael, what you were required to pay was ridiculous when you could afford to help out more after combining your finances with David’s. Which we need to talk about, since it looks like David left you,” I tell him.

“He did. While letting me know we were going to lose everything since his boss fired his ass. He even managed to get the money I took from our accounts back after I’d transferred it into my own account to make sure he couldn’t screw me,” Michael tells me.

“He did it to his ex-wife too. Letting his income drop drastically so he didn’t have to pay her what she should have gotten,” I tell him.

“Did you not hear the part about him losing his job? So yeah, his income dropped, as in he doesn’t have one,” Michael says like I’m the idiot in the room.  

“I heard, but what you don’t understand is that David isn’t going to want to support you when he gets nothing in return for it. He might have lost his job, but the money didn’t disappear overnight because of it. David is hoping that, as usual, you’ll believe anything you’re told, and he gets to walk away without having to support you, even though he made you dependent on him. The last thing you need is for everyone to think you’re crazy, if we’re going to make David do his duty to you,” I say, hoping to get through to him.

“I’ll have Brian. So I don’t need to waste my time fighting with David,” Michael says, making me think he didn’t have to pretend to be crazy, he already was, on top of being delusional.

I just couldn’t deal with him any longer and left before I ended up killing him for not getting that what I wanted needed to be more important. I couldn’t let Jenny get what she wanted. Not just because of the money, it was knowing that Jenny would end up spoiled the way Gus was by Brian. It’s the only reason Gus acts as if what I did was worse than Brian. Because once again Brian is always forgiven for his mistakes because he refuses to rein in his child. 

GUS

Justin slept in, saying he’d see my mom later after we all visited. Ian thought maybe Justin was backing off since my mom didn’t need him to protect her from the world. It made me think about how hard it must have been for Justin with everything else he was dealing with.

“How did Justin do it? Take care of everything while trying to make a name for himself in the art world?” I asked my dad.

“It’s just something he’s always done- taken on more than most people could. Justin worked at the diner, did the comic, and babysat you while going to college. It’s why I fought him over keeping Patrick- because I’d seen him almost kill himself trying to do too much. I’m just glad he once again did what he wanted instead of listening to me,” Dad tells me, hugging Patrick.

“Love you too Da,” Patrick says, as we walked to my mom.

“Did you enjoy the show?” She asks me and Patrick.

“They get kind of boring for me,” Patrick tells her.

“Why? Justin’s work is always breathtaking,” She says as if she didn’t understand how Patrick viewed it as boring.

“Patrick’s interest didn’t go in that direction,” Dad tells her.

“I remember Justin saying Patrick liked sports,” She tells my dad.

“Loves would be a better word for it,” I tell her.

“I didn’t mean I don’t like his art. I just don’t like having to stand around while people analyze it to death. Everyone at the shows acts like they have to find some hidden meaning in every brushstroke, instead of just enjoying his work. I just don’t see the point in talking things to death,” Patrick tells her.

“Patrick and I laughed at some of the crap they came up with,” I tell her.

“What sports do you like?” She asks Patrick.

“I like trying to kill my dads if you ask them. But pretty much anything as long as it doesn’t involve sitting for more than a few minutes,” Patrick tells her.

“Patrick runs us ragged going from one sport to another, he’s a bit of a daredevil,” Dad tells her.

“They record my stuff if you want to see it,” Patrick tells her.

“I’d like that,” She tells him. “How’s Jenny?” She asks me.

“She’s staying with Deb right now. There have been a few problems with Mel,” I tell her.

“I should have talked her out of having Jenny, especially when it seemed more like she was doing it because she needed to prove something, than because she wanted to have a baby,” She tells me.

“Both she and Michael were more interested in getting pregnant, not the end result,” Dad comments.

“It’s the only thing either of them ever did right in my eyes because it gave me another sister,” Ian tells her.

“You don’t like Mel?” Lindsay asked Ian, thrilling me that she wasn’t resorting to coping methods to talk to all of us.

“I’m sort of in Justin’s camp. I don’t have any use for her. I don’t waste my time on people who are unable to learn and grow from their mistakes. I like it less when instead of facing up to their mistakes, they play the blame game. Which for Mel seems to center around Brian. It’s like she needs Brian to be the reason her life isn’t perfect. I’m sort of puzzled about the mess that is Michael Novotny. He lives in the land of denial where Brian is concerned,” Ian tells her.

My mom bit her lip, then started laughing, looking at my dad. It was weird when he seemed to understand why she was laughing without her telling him. It said a lot about the difference in his relationships with my mom and Justin versus the one he had with Michael. Dad had to spell out everything then explain it over and over again when it came to Michael, but with my mom and Justin, it’s like they were all on the same wavelength. 

“What?” Patrick asks, confused.

“It’s just…” She had to stop, trying to catch her breath. “It’s just, Michael would probably ask where denial was, thinking it was where to find Brian.” She finished, laughing in the carefree way I once remembered.

JUSTIN

After finally getting up, still tired from Brian thinking we needed to celebrate late into the night, I made my way to my agent’s office. He offered to deal with the invitations to the wedding and also wanted to talk about my next show, so we planned to meet this afternoon. Paul knew better than to expect me at what Brian jokes was a reasonable hour to the rest of the world.

Paul was standing outside his office when I came in, not looking like his usual happy self when the shows went well. Which didn’t make any sense, since it went better than we expected, not just for me, but for the artist he asked me to promote. I looked over at Anna, his PA, for a clue. She just looked as if she owed me an apology.

“If you turn the guy down, I’ll kiss you,” He tells me.

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

“This older gentleman- and I use the term gentleman since the other words I’d like to use show my lack of breeding, as he told me... showed up here, demanding I call you. I told him I could make an appointment, but as of right now you weren’t planning to do any commissions, and that you really don’t jump just because someone thinks they can summon you to do their bidding. He didn’t take it well and told me I obviously didn’t know who he was, which I agreed, then left him to huff and puff as he stomped out the door. Anna mistakenly told him you’d be in this afternoon when I was out getting coffee. I’ve spent the rest of the day until now having the guy show up every half hour, insisting on seeing you. The guy wouldn’t even give his name, just said he expected you to see him,” He tells me, exasperated.

“He acted like we should feel privileged to be in his presence,” Anna added, rolling her eyes.

“Damn it, here he comes again. I really wanted to piss him off by saying he missed you,” Paul says, as I turned and didn’t recognize the older man walking in.

“I need to speak with you in private,” He says, ignoring everyone but me.

“I’m not planning on taking on any work, so you’ve wasted a lot of time just to be told no,” I say, waiting for the guy to at least introduce himself.

“I have a private matter that you and I will talk about,” He demands as if he expects me to just give in.

“Since I don’t have a clue who you are, I don’t see any reason we need to talk,” I tell him, not moving away from Paul to give him the privacy he obviously expected.

“Could we at least speak somewhere else?” He grits out.

“After you tell me who you are and why I should waste my time with you,” I said, earning a snicker from Paul and a pinched-off look on the old guy’s face.

“Lucas Cameron. Now can we please talk in private,” He says, sounding like it hurt to have to say please. 

It took my tired brain a second and really looking at him, to figure out who he was. “I’ll give you five minutes to give me a reason to listen any longer,” I say, waving him into Paul’s office. I shook my head when Paul looked at me to see if he should come.

“It’s hard for me to believe you could be raised in our society with your manners,” Lucas chastises me. 

“I stopped giving a shit what our society thought the day they condoned someone swinging a bat at my head and turned my attacker into a victim. You’ve wasted a minute,” I tell him.

“I came here because I’m concerned about the situations that my son and grandson are in. I can see you’re already assuming as to why I came here, but it’s not to get my son out of the situation he got himself into by not heeding my words when he married the man-child, Michael Novotny,” He tells me, sounding like he wished he’d never heard of Michael.

“What are you here for?” I ask.

“I spent my life wanting our family name to be respected, something I know you don’t care about, but for me it’s important. I might have… I know, I made a mistake in how I handled the situation with Hank and that woman Deb Novotny… but I do care about him,” He tells me, not trying to mask his shame.

“What do you think I could do to help? From what Deb told me, part of the problem with Hank is never feeling like he was good enough for the vaulted family name. It’s something I still can’t forgive my father for- being more concerned about how people would view him because I dared to color outside the lines of the expectations of being Craig Taylor’s son,” I tell him.

“I approached your father when your mother didn’t return my calls. I attempted to talk to Deb Novotny, which didn’t go well. My pride, you see. I didn’t like her telling me where I went wrong, or making it sound as if our parenting was one of the things we had in common,” he admitted.

“Why go to my father? Our relationship doesn’t exist, which is something I’ve never made any secret of.” I ask.

“I wrongly assumed he could help me get your family to speak to me, and saw how bleak my relationship with my grandson will be. I know it’s my fault for constantly blaming Hank’s mother’s family, and acting as if none of it could be my son’s or my fault for what Hank did. Instead of helping Hank, I once again let my pride get in the way. It really made me look at my actions and wonder what it said about the family name… when my grandson wasn’t even upset at me threatening to disown him,” He tells me.

“It says how little the name meant to Deb, who could only see Hank’s cry for help,” I tell him.

“I wrongly judged her based on the imbecile she raised,” He tells me.

“Which doesn’t say much for you since you raised David,” I point out.

“I guess you have me there, but as to why I came here. With your help, I’d like to try to work with Deb towards a better relationship with Hank,” He tells me.

“Why should I believe you? The way you behaved with my agent doesn’t make me want to trust you,” I ask.

“Being told no isn’t ever going to be easy for me to deal with. I’m a very old man, trying to change,” He tells me.

“I better not be sorry if I help you. But if I am, Deb will hand you your ass on a platter,” I warn him. “And what about David, are you planning to help him?” I ask.

“I might not have liked hearing my mistakes with my son, but I can’t deny that half the problem with David is he’s never had to deal with the consequences of his actions. He’s still under the mistaken impression that he can depend on me to pay his way out of trouble. Instead, it’s time to see him sink or swim, which I’m hoping Hank will do. Which reminds me, could you ask Theodore Schmidt to take my calls?” 

“For what purpose?” I ask.

“I wanted to hire him to handle the money that will be placed into a trust for Hank, until the counselor… Blake, feels Hank is ready for the responsibility,” he tells me.

“Couldn’t your own accountants do that?” I ask, curious.

“I just feel it’s best to handle this away from people who my son knows well and uses for his accounts. While they’ve always been trustworthy, I’d rather not risk my son finding out Hank will hold the reins, until it’s too late for him to do anything about it. Please tell Deb I heard her and I’m cutting the apron strings as well as David. I’m also willing to throw my support behind Hunter if my son tries to touch him,” he tells me.

“He has my mother and Brian, but I’ll let him know,” I tell him, as he gets up to leave.

“I’ll never understand David. He should have seen you as the ideal to look for instead of the dimwitted, blockheaded, dunce of a husband, my twit of a son married,” He tells me.

“How many ways can you say idiot?” I joke.

“Since my son introduced me to Michael, I’ve started a list,” he tells me.

“You’re not what I expected,”  I tell him.

“You were everything and more than I expected. Which tells me why my son hates Brian Kinney, for being better than my son could ever be, without the advantages,” he tells me.

“I’ll call Deb and tell her not to hit you with a rolling pin first,” I tell him.