LINDSAY’S POV

I was worried that Michael was going to be there when we got home. We drove up and he wasn’t there. Mel and I get ready for work and go. On the way, Ben called and told Mel that Michael wanted to talk and could we be home tonight. Mel and I agreed to listen.

I was on my lunch break when Justin called to thank us for trusting him with our son. He tells me about the Legal Domestic Partnership and that they were going to have a party next Saturday. I think I screamed in excitement, if everyone around me staring was any indication.

I asked if we could come up this weekend, I know Mel and I want to be there for the party. Justin said that Brian would insist. He said that the party was also to celebrate Gus and us parenting together. I can’t wait for work to be finished. I told Justin that I want to tell Mel.

He asked if we had seen Michael yet. I told him no, that Ben took him to a hotel and we agreed to talk to him tonight. I told him Mel thought that we should go out to eat and discuss this. Justin said that all of us need to realize that that isn’t going to prevent Michael from queening out. Justin also said that we need to apologize to Michael for not including him when we make decisions for JR. I told him we planned to do that.

I left work skipping to the car. Justin and Brian are, in our terms getting married. I wanted a happy ending for them. I go to Mel’s office and when she sees me she smiles. I know now that we are starting to mend. Before, if I came she would ask what was going on, now we are happy to see each other.

“Mel, I talked to Justin. He and Brian wanted to thank us for Gus. Justin also told me that Brian and he are going to sign Legal Domestic Partnership papers. I screamed in poor Justin’s ears. Can you believe it?” I tell her.

MEL’S POV

Lindsay came in and she is all smiles. When she told me about Brian and Justin, all I see is happiness. I know now that all my fears of Brian and Lindsay, were my fears. I get up and we are hugging, overjoyed for them.

When we sit down she tells me that Justin thinks it would be great for us to visit both weekends. I wonder if maybe it’s time for us to legalize our relationship. We are domestic partners but we never went for the full deal.

“Lindsay do you think it’s time for us to legalize our union?” I don’t care if she says no, but I want it out there for when she feels it’s time.

“I want that, but can we wait till we move back? I don’t want to push into Justin’s day.” I noticed that she wants Justin to be the center of attention, not Brian.

I nod and we are smiling and giggling. She tells me that Justin said that a restaurant isn’t going to stop Michael from acting out. I guess we all thought maybe it would make him less volatile. I ask her if we should go to our house, but she said the less the neighbors had to hear the better.

I call Ben and voice our concerns and he told us that maybe it would be better at the hotel. We agree to meet in a couple of hours. I decide that Brian and I need to talk. I call him.

“Hey old man, heard the news that you’re getting hitched.” I can’t let the opportunity to needle him pass.

“Yep, I figured at OUR age that if you don’t nail them down, you could lose them. How’s it going smelly melly?” Brian is joking with me.

“We’re good. We are going to visit both weekends. We want to see the carriage house and talk about buying it and we want to see if you survive the marriage.” I can play too.

“Works for me. Gus is going camping with Ben and Michael this weekend if they work everything out down there. So it will just be us.” Brian tells me.

I tell him that will work for us too. I want to have everything ready before the kids find out. We hang up and I notice Lindsay is busy texting. I ask who she is talking to. Emmett is apparently in full gossip glory. She then asked who I called.  She wasn’t paying attention. I told her Brian and she asked if he sounded happy. I told her yes. I waited and she said she’s glad.

We really have come a long way, normally she would have wanted to be the one to call Brian.

MICHAEL’S POV

I promised Ben that I would be calm, and I will. I know I have been all over the place lately. While we waited, Ben told me what Justin said to him. I can’t believe that here I am pissing and moaning about Justin and he is defending me. Ben said that I should think about that when I start to blame Justin all the time.

The girls come in and Mel asks to talk first, and then they are willing to listen to me. Mel also said that if I just came to fight they would leave. I was about to tell them that they caused everything and that I have the right to say how I feel. Ben looked at me and shook his head. I waited because I am going to give them the chance.

“Lindsay and I want to apologize to you for hiding that we were moving again. It was wrong and done for the wrong reasons. You are JR’s father and have the right to know what concerns her. I also want to tell you that Lindsay and I have gotten help and we know that everything that happened was our fault. The kids shouldn’t be put in the situation. That is our failure as parents. We also need you to understand that our relationship is ours and we will not discuss it. Just know that we are working to make things better and that what happened will not happen again.” Mel finishes.

I sit for a second and I am glad they see that they caused it all. I think that they should have to tell us what is going on in the therapy so we know what to expect.

“Thank you for telling me that but I think we need to know why you couldn’t control yourselves. It hurt JR, and Ben and I have had to deal with it. I think you owe me a real explanation, not just that you’re working on it. I have been trying to be patient with you.” I tell them.

“Michael, we had problems with communication and that is all we are going to tell you. We are working on it and we’ve been seeing the results. If you and Ben have problems, we don’t need the details. I think it should work both ways. JR had a great weekend and wanted to share, what caused you to drive all the way here instead of sharing it with her?” Lindsay asks.

“When I have had problems doing things with her, Justin appears and she is okay with anything he does with her. Justin is taking the kids to do all these things and I should have been allowed to be there too. Then she’s showing us this scrapbook that Justin helped her make. It was just too much. I can’t take her to theme parks, museums and aquariums, it makes everything I want to do seem cheap. Brian isn’t helping either, he is buying Gus all this stuff, and JR has to see it. I guess we need to get together and talk to Brian and tell him he needs to stop.” I got it out. They need to help me with Brian and Justin.

MEL’S POV

I understand that JR can be hard to entertain, but why is he upset when Brian and Justin do things with the kids. Brian said that Ben and Michael were going to take Gus camping. I don’t see Justin freaking out over it. Michael needs to realize that it’s not about the event to a kid, it’s about the time we give them.

“I don’t understand what the problem is? Is it that the kids have fun without you? Is it because Justin is doing it? Michael you need to explain it better. You also need to remember that Justin visits a lot, not to make you look like a bad father, but to make sure the kids know he’s there for them. Brian and his spending habits are none of our business. Gus understands that not everyone can do things the way Brian does. We had to deal with it once and Gus told us that he would rather be home than shopping with his Dad. Gus also knows that he can’t just get everything he wants. JR isn’t left out either. Brian always gets her things too.” I want him to understand that his daughter is treated just like Gus.

“Justin can visit. He doesn’t have to live on a budget. I can’t just fly anywhere anytime I want. If you think that the way they spoil the kids is okay, then you two need to be there for the fall out.” Michael is getting pissed.

“What is the fall out, Michael?” Ben asks Michael.

“JR acting up because she would rather be at Brian’s house. All of you constantly on me, because I don’t plan every minute of the day. Brian making decisions and not coming to me so that we can help each other. I need people to take my feelings into account. Brian decides that Gus is going to visit and I have to find out from a phone call. He owes it to me to tell me. JR would have been crushed if she found out after they went.” Michael says JR, but all I hear is Michael.

“JR has never acted up unless she is bored. What happened?” We have been told but I want to hear his version.

“The first day Ben and I decided that I would keep JR with me. We went to the shop and not fifteen minutes went by and she is tearing up things. I tried to get her to read a comic, she throws it down and says she bored. I left her with Ma, and ‘Super Justin’ to the rescue.” Michael doesn’t see where he went wrong.

“Michael, she had never been interested in comics. You should have asked her if she wanted to draw or watch a cartoon. JR is too little to sit still unless it is something she wants to do. If either of us is busy we let her color or draw and take time to praise it. It gives her something to do and allows us to finish what we are doing.” Lindsay tells him.

Michael throws his hands in the air. Lindsay isn’t going to let Michael blame Justin and excuse the fact that he could have asked JR what she wanted instead of throwing a comic at her.

I agree with that, and it seems so does Ben.

GUS’S POV

Dad and I are shopping again. He told me that he wanted to get something for him and Justin. I have been thinking about that too. I want something for Justin, he’s my Papa now. I ask Dad if we could look around. I want something that he can use all the time and think of me.

We were walking by this store that sells things you can personalize. I asked Dad what that means. He tells me that you can put stuff on the merchandise. I tell him we are going in there. I got a coffee cup, with “For Papa Only” put on it and they are going to make a keychain for me that says “To Papa from Gus”. I asked Dad what he thought and he said that Justin loves anything, look at his clothes. I actually got that joke.

I thought about it and asked if we could get it for Ben from JR too. He told me if I want to, it’s up to me. I wanted to call the moms and tell them. Dad said they were busy but I could call tonight. I think that is code for Uncle Michael is with them.