Brian finished his work and Justin played with Gus.  Brian joined the family for dinner and afterwards they played some checkers as Colin explored his cloth blocks.  He loved to look at the different sides of each one as each was decorated with different stimulating tasks.  On one of the blocks one side was a mirror, the other sides held a crinkly material, a squeaky sound when you pushed it, a black and white design, a fuzzy material and a flap that hid a sun picture.  He was enamored with this toy trying to alternately eat if or look at one of the sides.  When it was time to put Colin to bed, they did it together, each taking a different job; Justin bathed him, Brian put him in a new diaper and sleeper and Gus read him his story. 

They closed the door and started to walk down the stairs.  Gus said, " Daddy Justin and Dad can we talk for a few minutes?"

Both men gave a knowing look at each other but said in unison," Sure.  Let's go in the media room so we don't disturb Colin."

Justin went to the kitchen and brought everyone something to drink; milk for Gus and water for him and Brian. Brian and he sat on the couch while Gus sat on the ottoman.

"What's up, big guy?"  Justin asked, thinking he knew what Gus wanted to discuss but allowing Gus to steer the conversation. 

"I was thinking about this afternoon.  I know you said I don't have to go home with Mom and Momma but what if you guys aren't there the next time.  I don't like it when she yells at me.  Maybe I should just go so you won't have to worry about going to court." Gus eyes were getting really watery, the tears threatening to come down his cheeks.

"Gus, you don't need to worry about me and your Dad," Justin said as he walked over to the chair and enveloped his son in a hug. "You already told us that you want to live with us and as long as you want to be with us, then you will be.  Courts and legal stuff are things little kids don't need to worry about.  You should be thinking about soccer, your homework and hanging out with your friends."

"Justin is right, Gus.  We love you and want you here.  It is not a problem for one of us or Grandma Jenn to pick you up from school every day.  We want you safe and your happiness means more to us than anything else.  I have the papers giving me legal custody of you, and your Momma Mel saw them.  She didn't like that I had them and she tore them up, but she knew that tearing them up didn't change the information in them.  You are exactly where you belong; legally and otherwise."

"But what about the stuff Momma said.  I mean she was pretty mad and Mom was really pissed that I didn't listen to her and go home with her.  She always tries to use her witchy voice when she wants something."

"Her witchy voice?" Brian asked, finding it amusing that his son would label Lindsay's attempt to be firm with such a colorful term.

"Yeah.  That is what Momma Mel calls it when Mom gets angry and is all tight and stuff.," Gus said as he took a drink from his milk glass.  "So really it's okay that I live here?  I don't have to go home with my moms?"

"Do you want to go home with them, Gus?" Justin asked.

"No.  I want to stay here."

"Okay.  Then that is where you will stay.  What do you want to do for the rest of the evening?  You have about 30 minutes until you need to get ready for bed.  It is a school night," Justin  said.  Hearing those words come out of his mouth made him slightly smile.  He's heard those words often from his parents, especially in his rebellious teen years and he'd vowed to never speak them to his children.  But here he was saying those words to his son.  He decided that this was a right of parenting, making sure your kids had boundaries and limits they could count on.  Based on everything Gus said, the girls had failed in this area too, relying on Gus to provide supervision for his younger sister and having many chores to run the household rather than by setting limits on appropriate activities for school nights.  He felt his anger at the injustice his son had experienced and the missed opportunities of childhood he had been denied.

"There is this cool video on youtube that everyone has been talking about.  Can I play some videos?"

"What is so cool about this video?"

"Oh, it's a Halloween video about Toy Story."

"Sounds okay.  Want to watch it, Brian?"

"Toy Story?"

"It's an animated movie about a boy's toys that have adventures  while he's away at school."

"Of course, you know what it is, Sunshine.  It's a cartoon," Brian teased, tongue in cheek.  "Why don't you put it on the big tv and all of us can watch it."

Gus took the controls for the tv and found the video on youtube.  The three of them spent the next 40 minutes watching the short videos.  When the last one showed, Justin heard the clock chime in the kitchen.

"Hey, buddy.  It's past your bedtime.  Better go get your PJ's on and brush your teeth.  Your dad and I will be up in a minute to tell you good night."

"Sure,"  Gus turned off the tv and bounded up the stairs to get ready for bed.

"Those were some pretty innovative shorts", Justin said as he ran through the films in his head.

"I guess they were okay," Brian said.  He walked over to Justin, gave him a quick kiss on the lips and said, "Gus is waiting."

Justin recognized Brian's statement as admitting that he enjoyed the activity.  They went upstairs and tucked Gus in and then went back to the media room.  Brian grabbed two beers from the mini fridge and handed one to Justin.

"So how did the conversation with Ben go?  You haven't said a word since you came out of your office."

"Seems Zen Ben is thinking of taking over more care of J.R..  He feels that she may be neglected too."

"Oh," Justin answered, hearing the unfinished statement.

"He's not convinced that Mikey wants J.R.  He agrees with you that J.R. is just his way to be like me, a father.  Ben doesn't think Mikey really has an interest in the little girl, but he wants to be more a part of her life,"  Brian said as he drank half of his bottle of beer in one swig. 

"And...." Justin said, still waiting for Brian to drop the other shoe.

He's thinking of going it alone rather than having a partner who really doesn't want to be a parent in the mix."

"Shit.  That would cause all kinds of major crap.  What would Debbie think?  Would the girls go for it?  I mean he isn't even related to her. Could the courts support him?  What do you think about it?  I mean wow... I wasn't expecting that," Justin said as he too took a large drink from his beer.

"Yeah, shit is right, but I think he is really the only one who cares what happens to J.R.  Debbie is so wrapped up in this is my granddaughter that she isn't seeing how her parents are raising her or more appropriately, not raising her.  Michael sees her as an opportunity to be like me, a father, although he does little in the parenting sense of the term.  The munchers are too damn busy with their careers and they pawn her off on babysitters and her big brother as much as possible.  Wonder what they have done for the last month since Gus wasn't there to watch ?" 

Justin couldn't sit still any longer.  The ramifications of Brian's talk were too far reaching. He walked over to the window and pulled back the blinds, looking into the deep blackness.  They purposely didn't have many lights on the property, choosing to have motion detectors that triggered lights when someone approached.  It gave them some privacy and deterred drop in visits from their family as the property was dark and appeared empty from the road.  Anyone passing by would think they were not home.  They were happy that the media room was in the back of the house and the dining room in the front.  When they were in the media room or playroom, the house often looked unoccupied to a car driving down the road.

"So if he doesn't think Michael wants to be a parent and he does....."

"He mentioned that he felt being a father was more important than a relationship,"  Brian said, repeating Ben's words.  He pinched his nose with his forefinger and thumb, realizing that this action would bring its own set of problems.

"He'd leave Michael?" Justin asked, a little surprised at this new development.

"Sounds like it.  Don't think this is the only reason.  I think he is tiring of being the spouse of someone who thinks I'm more important.  I don't have time for Mikey's whining and I sure as hell don't want to play nursemaid to him if Ben decides to end things.  From what Ben said, he was going to decide in a few days what he is going to do.  It sounded like he and Mikey may be over regardless of J.R.  However, it he wants more involvement with J.R., he might need to stick around until that happens.  I can't imagine Mel would grant that if he were no longer with Mikey."  Brian went to the kitchen to throw his empty beer bottle away.  He wanted another one, but decided against it and rejoined Justin in the media room.

"What a freaking mess.  Reminds me of the custody fiasco when J.R. was born.  You had to look at a calendar to figure out who had her that day.  Talk about shared custody.  And the sad thing was Mel was the only one who really wanted her.  Mikey wanted her since Deb pushed him into spending time with her granddaughter.  Lindsay wanted her to get back at Mel and Mel only had her since Linds didn't want to get pregnant again," Justin said, stating the history of the young child's parental battles.

"Enough about J.R.  It just makes my head spin.  What are we going to do about Gus?"

"Nothing.  Mel's seen the papers and while Linds won't give up so easily, there isn't going to be any change to what is happening now.  My lawyer already stated that we have an air tight situation and even if the munchers try to take us to court, they will lose.  Possession is 9/10th of the law and in this case we possess Gus.  He lives here.  He eats here.  We buy all of his things.  We are involved 100% with his care and activities.  The munchers can't say the same about any part of his life.  No judge would give him back to them."

"Good.  I would hate to have to go to court.  I love our family and I know Gus would be devastated if he had to leave,"  Justin said.  "I think I'm ready for bed.  Join me?"

Brian smiled and looked at his husband, giving him an appraising look.  "Sure, lead the way.  Maybe Colin will sleep until 5:00."

TBC