Chapter Three: “My Child”

Sunday, October 30, 2005

“Mmm….” Justin sighed as he stretched his sore body, awakening from sleep. As he opened his eyes, the previous night’s events started to flicker through his brain, causing him to smile.

He looked at the empty spot in the bed beside him and sighed. He and his lover had talked and Justin knew that a relationship could not come from their sex. They lived on different continents for one thing, and Justin would still be in school until the end of December and would be going to University that coming January. Besides, Justin could admit that he still had feelings for Robbie and was not ready to move on.

The blond knew that the Irishman had to leave early that morning, only two hours after their last round of sex. So Justin had not expected the man to be lying beside him when he awoke. He was surprised however, when he saw an envelope with his name on it resting on what had been his lover’s pillow. Justin thought the envelope probably contained the check the man had promised him for the pack of smokes. Even though Justin had tried to assure him that, he did not really need the cash.

He sat up, felt a slight burn in his ass as he did, and looked over at the bedside clock. It was already eight in the morning and he wanted to take advantage of the nice Jacuzzi bathtub the hotel offered. However, he also wanted to put on some clean clothes afterwards. So Justin quickly gathered his clothes and dressed sloppily. He grabbed the envelope; put it in his pants pocket and left the penthouse suite.

Once Justin got into his room, he went directly to the bathroom and started to fill the tub. He shucked off his clothing and stepped into the hot water. He luxuriated in the wonderful feel of the jets that immediately began to alleviate his sore inner and outer body.

After about an hour, he climbed out and put the blue fluffy hotel robe on. Before he could begin to dress, he heard a loud knock on his door. He figured that it was probably someone knocking on the wrong door. However, when he looked through the peephole he was taken a-back.

It was Robbie.

“Justin, please its Robbie, open the door,” he heard the man quietly beg from the other side.

Justin considered not answering it, but when Robbie started to knock, again he remembered all of the things he had learned last night, took a deep breath, and opened the door. Ready to stand his ground. “What are you doing here?”

“Can I come in?” Robbie asked his eyes downcast.

Justin sighed. “How the fuck did you even know I was here?”

“You told me you were thinking about renting a hotel room, Justin. I asked the front desk where your room was. Your parents always stay here so I kinda figured….”

“What are you doing here?” Justin repeated in a strong agitated voice.

“I wanted to see you, Justin,” Robbie told him.

Justin let out a deep sigh and stepped back, allowing the boy to enter the room. “You’ve got two fucking minutes, Robert.” Justin delighted in seeing the boy cringe when he used his full name. He closed the door behind him and then gestured for the dark haired boy to sit down on the bed he had not been sleeping in the night before.

Robbie sat down and looked up at Justin. “I made a huge fucking mistake, Justin. I really did. You were not only my boyfriend but my best friend too. I am so fucking sorry for what I did.”

Justin crossed his arms over his chest. “Right. So that is supposed to make up for you cheating on me and embarrassing me in front of the entire Academy, oh and telling Mica Jacobs that I wouldn’t fuck you?”

Robbie stood up and tried to take Justin in his arms but the blond backed away. “Please, Justin. I really am sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Ah, no… that seems to be the way you were thinking, Robbie,” Justin spat.

“No! Look, Justin!” Robbie got down on his knees. “I didn’t do anything with Mica.”

“What? You mean that slut wouldn’t fuck you?” Justin started to pace the floor in front of Robbie.

Robbie remained on his knees, his face full of regret and defeat. “I couldn’t do it. We went back to her hotel room and I just could not bring myself to do it. All I kept thinking was that I wished it was you under me, not her.”

Justin stopped his pacing and looked down at Robbie. “So this about you wanting to fuck me then?”

Robbie stood up. “No. I do not want to fuck you… I mean yes, I want to have sex with you. But, I want to make love with you, Justin.”

Justin eyed Robbie up and down and stared into the boy’s eyes. “You really hurt me.”

“I know I did. I wish there was some way I could make it up to you, Justin.” This time when Robbie took Justin in his arms the blond boy allowed the contact. “I really do love you. I do not want to be with anyone else. I just want to be with you.”

Justin put his head on Robbie’s chest and let himself calm down as he felt the boy rubbing circles on his back. This was the Robbie he knew and loved. The gentle, caring friend he usually was to him. “You really didn’t sleep with her?”

“No, I didn’t, and I want you back, Justin,” Robbie pleaded. “Can you forgive me?”

Justin sighed and looked up at the other boy, he seemed so sincere, and Justin would be lying if he said he did not want to be with Robbie. “You really mean it?”

“Yes.” Robbie took Justin’s face in his hands and slowly leaned in to kiss him. “I love you, Justin,” he said after lightly kissing him.

Justin’s heart leapt. “I love you too, Robbie.”

Both of the boys began to kiss passionately and soon, Justin was on his back on the bed. “Wait… we have to use a condom.”

“What? You’re not on birth control?” Robbie asked him.

Justin sighed out, “No.” He rolled out from under Robbie, grabbed a condom and the lube from his bag, and handed the supplies to his boyfriend.

Once Justin was prepared, Robbie took his time sliding into Justin’s body. He was surprised at how easily Justin was able to take him, though; his cock was not that large he still thought he would see the boy wince in pain a lot more than he had. The first time his ex-boyfriend fucked him, it had been very painful. “Do you have a dildo?”

Justin looked up at Robbie, wondering why he was asking him such a question. “What?”

Robbie moved his cock out and then pushed back in, causing Justin to moan. “Do you have a dildo, Justin? Do you play with your ass?”

Justin blushed, but then realized why Robbie was asking that. He could probably tell that he was not a virgin. “Yeah.” He had fingered himself a few times, but he was lying about the dildo.

Robbie smirked. “That’s fucking hot.” He started to thrust harder and quicker. “You playing with yourself.”

Justin wrapped his legs tighter around Robbie’s waist as the boy set a very fast pace of thrusting inside of him, it did hurt a little as he was sore from the previous night but he was happy to see the look of bliss on Robbie’s face as he fucked him.

“Touch yourself, Justin,” the boy commanded him.

Justin grabbed his semi-hard dick and stroked it quickly as Robbie pounded into him. The fuck was definitely not as intense or pleasurable as the ones he had gotten from the Irishman; however, he knew that skill probably came with age and experience. Also, Robbie’s dick couldn’t reach the places deep inside of Justin that he’d learned to love to be stroked.

He definitely needed to jerk himself to hardness and completion, no matter what angle Robbie tried it did not seem to hit Justin’s prostate. Though Justin liked the feeling of his boyfriend’s dick sliding in and out of him because it made him feel so much closer to Robbie than he ever had before, something about it did not feel right.

“Uh yeah, fuck….fuck, Justin. I’m gonna come now,” Robbie, said, his eyes closed, face screwed up with pleasure.

Justin closed his own eyes and stroked himself faster and faster, he knew that if he came first his ass muscles clenching around Robbie’s penis would heighten his boyfriend’s orgasm. The Irishman had taught him that. He moaned and panted as he felt his balls drawing up and he hunched himself onto Robbie’s cock, meeting the fast thrusts. He soon found himself exploding into orgasm.

Robbie felt Justin’s ass tighten and the added stimulation brought him to climax. He pounded inside the blond as he groaned and released himself, falling with out a care onto Justin.

Justin grunted as his boyfriend fell heavily on top of his body. He opened his eyes as the pleasure of his orgasm started to leave his body and his natural feelings came back. Robbie was heavy and his chin was digging into his chest. Justin’s ass hurt, more than before and his insides felt funny. He dropped his legs and pushed Robbie’s shoulder’s. “Robbie, you’re heavy.”

Robbie groaned and opened his eyes. “That was so hot, Justin.”

Justin gave him a half-smile. Something was not feeling right. His ass hurt, but there was a feeling of heated wetness inside him. Had Robbie torn him? Was he bleeding? “Robbie, can you please move?” he asked with worry.

“Sure, babe,” Robbie said and started to pull out.

Justin reached down to hold the condom onto Robbie’s dick. As the boy pulled out of him, he groaned in pain and then gasped in shock. “Robbie the fucking condom broke!” Justin sat up and pulled off the split condom from Robbie’s softening cock.

“What are you talking about, Justin?” Robbie rubbed his face and then looked at the condom.

Justin was trembling. “You… you don’t have anything do you?”

“Of course not!” Robbie spat. “How could you ask me that?”

“Because this fucking condom broke, Robbie!” Justin reached behind him, touched his hole, and felt the slick substance there. His hands shook as he brought his fingers in front of him. “There’s cum inside me!”

“Calm down, Justin,” Robbie told him. “It’s okay.”

Justin jumped up from the bed and ran for the bathroom, turning on the shower. “It’s not okay!”

Robbie followed the blond into the bathroom. “Calm down, Justin.”

Justin jumped into the shower and began furiously washing himself. “I don’t want to get pregnant, Robbie!” He had tears falling down his face, blurring his vision as he forced fingers full of sudsy soap up his sore entrance. The soap stung his insides but Justin was hoping that it would clear away any of the sperm.

“Calm down, you know they say you can’t get pregnant your first time,” Robbie said dumbly standing outside the shower stall.

Justin’s face went white. “That isn’t true you idiot.” If it was, it did not matter, since it was not his first time anyway.

“You’re calling me an idiot?” Robbie yelled above the spray. “Fuck you, Justin! You’re the one that gave me that condom.”

Justin cried and sunk down into the shower. “My parent’s are going to kill me.”

“You’re parent’s don’t have to know! Go take the morning after pill or something,” Robbie yelled as he paced the small bathroom.

“Fine!” Justin yelled. “I will, but that doesn’t always work you know! What am I going to do then?”

“You know what? This is fucked, you are really freaking out about this. You probably aren’t even going to get pregnant!”

“Shut up, Robbie,” Justin sobbed putting his face in his hands.

“Justin! Stop acting like this. If that doesn’t work than you can get an abortion,” Robbie told him.

Justin shook his head. “I couldn’t do that. It would be my baby and yours.”

“What? So now you want to be pregnant? What is the matter with you? Get up and get dressed and we’ll go get that pill at the drugstore.”

Justin stood up and shut off the water; he got out and wrapped a towel around himself. “I don’t want to be pregnant, Robbie, but you could try to be more sensitive about this. It’s my body that it will happen too!”

“I’m trying to be logical! But if you don’t want that then I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing here!” Robbie walked angrily out of the bathroom and started to gather his clothing.

“Where are you going?” Justin asked following him, tears still falling from his blue eyes.

“I’m getting out of here! This was a mistake.” Robbie fixed his clothing and started for the door.

“What do you mean?” Justin cried following the boy.

“You and I are a mistake. I should not have come here this morning. You are too immature, Justin. You freak out about everything, you’re a control freak just like your parents and I cannot be with someone like that.”

“You can’t mean that!” Justin yelled. “What if I am pregnant?”

“Go take that fucking pill and then, if you are you can tell me and we’ll figure out what to do. But for right now, I do not want to see you. Do not fucking show up at school and stalk me and don’t fucking call me!” Robbie opened the door and then disappeared behind it, slamming it in Justin’s face.

Justin stood shocked still staring at the closed door as his mind raced. He could not believe that Robbie had just fucked him, possibly gotten him pregnant and walked out on him. He had to do what Robbie said, he had to get to the drugstore and buy the morning after pill before his entire life was fucked up even more than it was!

As quickly as Justin could he got himself dressed and packed the rest of his things. He was pushing his jeans into his backpack when he felt something crinkle in the pocket. Remembering it was the envelope the Irishman had left him he dug it out and opened it.

There was a check inside, made out to him for ten dollars. But, there was also a business card, and a letter written on stationery that was not the hotel's.

Good morning, Justin, I hope you slept well. If you are reading this, I am probably off back to Ireland. I thought about waking you up to say our goodbyes but I would rather think of you as beautiful as you are, lying naked beside me as I write this.

The sun is just coming up and its rays are just barely touching your soft skin. Your hair is sparkling in it and I am glad that me running my fingers through it has not awaken you. I know you need your sleep; we definitely wore each other out last night, and into this morning. I will probably sleep the entire ride on the jet home.

I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed meeting you, and I’m not just talking about when we made love, though that was wonderful too. I had a great time talking to you and I hope that you will soon feel better after your break up with your boyfriend. He did not deserve such a kind, smart and passionate man such as you. If you still love him, as I am sure you do, then I am sure getting over him will take some time.

Know that, if you are sad, the world will be lesser for the times it is robbed of your smile. I am writing to you an old Irish poem, perhaps it will give you comfort to know that whatever you may be feeling now, someone else too, has been there.

“Mairg darab galar an grádh” By: Isibeul ní Mhic Cailín. I will take pity upon you and give you the English translation Justin.

Love is a sad sickness -- When speaking to him, whatever the cause, it is a hardship to separate after time together. Pity my own blood's case. -- This love of mine came without knowledge; my benefits came over him without mention. For us delay departure an hour, if my flower would, till a time of pity and fear. This man of mine -- love came, for him, and I cannot say from what direction; though buried, it's myself in pain, till I burn myself with a hundred sorrows again.

I know that it is not a truly happy poem, but there are others I would write to bring you comfort if I could. Maybe you will become inspired and pick up an Irish poetry book on your way home this morning. Or maybe you will think I am silly. Reading Irish poetry is one of my secret passions. I wonder how many secrets about myself I have now shared with you and no one else? I hope you never forget them, or forget any of my advice, even if you are not ready take it, Mo grá. I know that you are a strong person. I think that is what I liked most about you. Remember, you will make it through your heart’s pain. I have faith in you.

Either way, I want to tell you thank you for giving me what you did last night. I know that we arranged it that we would not try for a long-distance relationship, or friendship. Nevertheless, I want you to know that if you ever find yourself in Ireland to give me a call. Or, in any case, if you ever need anything at all I am here for you. I have put one of my business cards inside the envelope just in case; even years from now that situation may come to head.

What is it you dared to call me? Ah, yes, I remember. I remember everything, perfectly.

Later, Justin,

Your silly Irish man.

Justin finished reading the words and felt strength come pouring back into him. He had to get his emotions in check and think about what he was going to do. He had to do what Brian had told him the day before; he had to take control of his life. First, he would go to the drugstore and get the pill. Next, well next he would figure out what to do next.

Justin gathered his things and left the hotel. However, just as he exited he was stopped in his footsteps as he saw his mother and father walking up to the front entrance.

“Justin!” his father growled.

Justin wondered if the day could get worse.

His parent’s approached him. “You’re coming home now,” his father, said. “We’re not going to discuss this on the street.”

Justin rolled his eyes but kept quiet.

“Come get in the car,” his mother told him, taking his arm.

Justin groaned but walked to the car, once inside he put his head in his hands.

“What were you thinking using my credit card to reserve the room?” Craig asked him.

Justin opened his mouth to apologize but his father cut him off.

“I don’t want to hear your lies. You’ve been acting weird for weeks, Justin,” Craig yelled as he drove through the city streets. “You can’t just go stealing things to get what you want.”

“I only used it to reserve it,” Justin protested. “I paid with my own money.”

“You obviously aren’t getting the point here. You lied to us. Which means, you aren’t going to have the opportunity to lie to us again,” Craig told him.

“What are you talking about?” Justin asked with a quiver to his voice.

“You’re grounded to the house and will only go to school. Your mother will have John drive you,” Craig told him.

Justin groaned. He hated his mother’s driver. He was creepy and Justin preferred to walk to school. Fuck, if he couldn’t go anywhere than that meant he wouldn’t be able to go to the drug store and get the morning after pill. “Dad, no please… I’m sorry. I won’t do something like this again. You can’t just keep me locked away.”

“Really, Craig he…” Jennifer started to defend her son.

“Do you want him to turn into a juvenile delinquent Jen?” Craig snapped.

“No, of course not. Justin made a mistake…”

“And he won’t make it again. He’s grounded until I can believe he acts like a real man and respects me.”

“Fuck!” Justin said, causing his parents to glare at him. He was in deep shit trouble.

***

March 17, 2006

“Excuse me,” Justin said, approaching the airport’s arrival help desk.

“Yes?” the woman behind the counter asked smiling at him.

“I am in need of a luggage carrier, not a very big one. Just large enough to carry three suitcases,” Justin told her.

“Oh, well we usually only reserve those for persons with a great need for them.”

Justin sighed. “I realize that. But I’m alone and I have this backpack, two heavy bags and a small container I flew here with. I’m also expecting.”

“Expecting someone to meet you here?” The woman’s eyebrow rose.

Justin shifted his backpack on his shoulder. “Uh, no. I’m going to take a cab.”

“I can help you with getting a car, but I’m sorry we have to reserve the carriers for our passengers with a special need for them,” the woman replied.

Justin backed away from the tall counter and smoothed his t-shirt over his stomach. “I meant that I am expecting a child.” He ran his hand over his baby bump and smiled when he saw the woman smile at him.

“Oh, well why didn’t you say so?” she laughed. “I wasn’t sure what you meant. Well, of course I can get a carrier for you. Would you like me to arrange a car for you as well? The airport is very busy today. It might take a little while for one to arrive.”

Justin smiled gratefully. “Thank you. That would be wonderful. I need to go and use the restroom and freshen up. It was a really long flight.”

“You haven’t gotten your luggage then.” The woman leaned over the counter to see. “Well, would you like to go and get it? You can leave it here with me while you use the facilities if you would like?”

Justin gave the woman a bright smile, already things were looking up. He really needed that. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

“You’re welcome, wait right here and I’ll grab the carrier for you,” she told him and then disappeared into a door behind her desk. She came out a minute later from a side door and wheeled the carrier to Justin. “Just bring it back to me and I’ll take care of it.”

Justin took the carrier and then went over to where the carrousel had just begun to disperse the suitcases. Thankfully, his things came out quickly. He grabbed them and then went back to the woman at the counter. She took his carrier and brought it back to the attendant who directed him to the bathroom.

Once there, Justin went into a stall and used the bathroom. He then changed into a clean pair of underwear, jeans and a snug fitting green t-shirt he had stashed in his backpack. After stuffing his other clothes back into the backpack, he went out to the sinks, pulled out a couple of moist facial cloths, and wiped his face clean. He noticed that other people in the bathroom were giving him odd looks, but, he wanted to make sure that he didn’t look like he’d been on a plane for hours. He wanted to look good so then he combed his hair and put lotion on his hands and face. Already the black bags under his eyes were abating, and he realized that he also had not thrown up that day. Yes, things were definitely looking up for him.

***

February 25, 2006

“Mom, Dad I need to talk to you,” Justin said quietly.

“This isn’t about the car you wanted for your eighteenth birthday, is it?” Craig laughed.

“No, it isn’t about my birthday at all,” Justin, told them. He glanced back and forth at his parents who sat across from him eating the wonderful dinner his mother had prepared.

“What is it, Jester?” Molly asked in all of her wide-eyed twelve-year-old innocence.

Justin realized that perhaps telling them in front of Molly was not the best idea. “Can we talk about it after dinner?”

His parents agreed, shrugging the conversation off. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, though Justin barely picked at his chicken, his stomach was in knots as he imagined the millions of different ways the conversation might go.

“You didn’t eat much,” Jennifer commented, taking Justin’s plate and stacking it on top of the other empty ones.

“He probably had too much birthday cake and ice cream yesterday,” Craig commented, smiling at his son.

Justin nodded his head. “Yeah.” It was true, he had eaten half of the chocolate chip cake and half the tub of butter pecan ice cream.

Craig stood up from the table. “Molly, go finish your homework. Your mother will come and check your algebra when you’re done.”

Molly sighed, “Fine.” She slumped and went slowly of the dining room and disappeared down the hall.

“You want to talk in here or go in the living room?” Jennifer asked, coming back into room.

“Living room please,” Justin told her.

Once the three of them reached the room, Justin felt his nerves start to bubble up inside his skin. He looked at his parents who seemed to not have any idea that in just a few minutes he would tell them something that would change all of their lives. He was so fucking scared.

“What is it, Justin?” Jennifer asked softly, she could clearly see that Justin was not acting like himself. He’d been withdrawn and moody for a while. She wondered if her son was still not over the breakup with Robbie. Jennifer didn’t know the details of the breakup. Anytime she tried to talk to Justin about it, her son would change the subject.

Justin took a deep breath before he began to speak, “It’s about my future.”

“Justin we already agreed to allow you this semester off from school. Your mother and I both agreed that you could take this time to assess what it is you want to major in at Dartmouth. Have you already decided what that will be?” Craig asked.

Justin felt tears prick the back of his eyes as he shook his head. “That’s not it, dad. It isn’t about school exactly. Though I don’t think I’ll be able to attend in the fall.”

Craig’s face grew red and angry. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m pregnant,” Justin choked out.

“What?” Jennifer and Craig gasped.

“I’m having a baby,” Justin told them, tears falling down his cheeks faster than he could wipe them away.

“The hell you are,” Craig stood up and started to pace. “You’ll get an abortion!”

“Craig!” Jennifer stood up next to her husband but he roughly pushed her away.

“You will not ruin the future your mother and I have fought so hard to provide for you!”

Justin sank himself into the couch cushions. He’d never seen his father so angry before, he was glad that he had decided not to tell them until now. “I can’t get an abortion, Dad.”

Craig turned to Justin and towered over the blond. “You’ll fucking do as I tell you to do to get you out of this mess.”

Justin covered his stomach with his arms and backed, as far away from Craig as he could. “I won’t do it, Dad. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I’m already too far along.”

“You disgust me!” Craig spat in his face and turned around to begin pacing again. “Who’s the father, huh? Is it Robert’s? I’ll call his parent’s and the two of you will be married before the weeks out. I won’t have you bring my family shame by bringing a bastard into my family.”

“Craig,” Jennifer stepped in and went over to her son, taking the shaking boy in his arms. “You need to calm down, Craig!”

Craig shook his head. “I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, huh Jen?”

Justin felt his mother’s arms go stiff around him. “I guess not.” Jennifer glared into her husband’s eyes, her gaze unwavering until her husband looked away. “Is it Robbie’s, Justin? I know you broke it off but…”

“It’s not Robbie’s, Mom,” Justin cried.

“Then who knocked you up?” Craig yelled, pacing once again.

“I don’t know,” Justin whispered through his crying.

“You don’t know? What have you been doing, sleeping around?”

“Yes,” Justin whimpered. “I did.”

“Oh god, Justin,” Jennifer gasped squeezing her son closer to her chest. She couldn’t believe her child would do such a thing. She thought that he had more intelligence than that. But, maybe that was why he’d been acting so strangely?

“I’m sorry,” Justin cried, hugging his mother.

“I want names, Justin,” Craig told him.

“I don’t know them,” Justin lied.

“What? Have you been whoring yourself out to anyone on the street?”

“Craig, don’t talk to him that way! He’s still your son!” Jennifer yelled.

“Not right now he isn’t. I do not know him. Get him outta might sight right now, Jen!” Craig roared.

Jennifer grabbed Justin’s hand and helped her sobbing boy off the couch. “Stop this, Craig. Stop acting like this. We’ll figure out what to do.”

“Out! Get him out of my face before I do something to him that I don’t even know if I’d regret right now!”

Jennifer felt chills go down her spine at her husband’s words; she was in total shock of the entire situation. She didn’t know what to do, but she had to keep Justin safe. She held the boy and guided him down the hall into his bedroom.

Justin himself was in shock, he felt like he was living out a nightmare. He also felt numb and couldn’t remove his arms from where they were, wrapped around his belly. He was laid down onto his bed and curled up away from his mother, still crying, though he didn’t even notice.

Jennifer sat behind her son and rubbed his back, the way she had when he was a baby. When he had fallen asleep, she got a warm washcloth out of his bathroom and wiped all the tear tracks from his face. He looked worn out, but peaceful in his dreams. “Oh my little boy. What have you gotten yourself into? You are my baby; you’re not supposed to be having one, not yet. God, Justin, I do not believe you. I think you know exactly who the baby’s father is and for some reason you will not tell us. I hope that you weren’t hurt. I’m so scared for you. What is really going on?” Jennifer reached around Justin’s body. She was going to touch her son’s stomach but saw that even in sleep, Justin’s arms and hands were covering it. She opted for placing her hand on top of his for a moment. “I’m going to do everything I can to help you. But it’s all going to be so hard.”

***

March 17th, 2006

“Thank you so much,” Justin told the driver.

“You sure you’ll be all right getting in here?”

Justin stared up at the huge castle like building in front of him. “Yes, I should be fine.” He handed the man the fee for the car ride and a nice tip. “Thanks for helping me with the luggage too.”

“You’re welcome. Good luck to you,” the driver told him and got into the car.

Luck. It was definitely on Justin’s side today. Of all days, today was definitely the day that he needed it with him. He was sure the Holiday was probably the reason for it.

Justin watched the car turn out of the gravel covered circular drive and then he slowly marched up the four remaining stone steps to the large wooden door. There was an old looking knocker on the door, but Justin decided that he would probably be heard better if he rang the doorbell beside it.

He started to get nervous when he heard a voice yell, “Coming!”

Then the door was being rattled and then opened. “Hi.”

Brian stood, staring at Justin in disbelief. The sun backlit Justin’s blond hair, creating a halo around him and when the boy looked up at him, smiled shyly, and spoke, Brian couldn’t even tell you what the boy had said. His heart pounded loudly in his ears. Justin looked so beautiful, standing on his doorstep. “Dealramh no gréine,” he whispered. He was just as beautiful as the morning he’d left him in the hotel, but now, there was one big difference that Brian could clearly see as he raked his eyes over the length of the blond’s body.

Justin was caught off guard when the man grabbed him by the waist and pulled him inside the door and started to kiss him. Justin opened his mouth in surprised gasp that was mumbled as Brian’s lips and tongue searched inside his mouth. He gave into the man as Brian’s mouth moved from his lips to kissing his cheek and then down to his neck.

Brian placed his hand on Justin’s round stomach. “Mo páiste?”

Justin gently pushed Brian away, heaving deep breaths as he righted his mind and willed his body to calm down. “Brian…”

“You’re pregnant,” Brian interrupted.

“Yes,” Justin said, his hands twisting in the fabric of his shirt. “I didn’t know where else to go. You said you’d be there for me if I needed you. Did you mean that?”

“Of course, Justin,” Brian told him, trying to take the blond into his arms again, but Justin tensed so he backed off. “Why didn’t you come sooner?”

“I didn’t know how my parent’s would react until a couple of weeks ago. They were going to try and send me away to live with my God Mother, but my dad and my Great Aunt want me to leave the baby with her once I have it.”

“What?” Brian said, appalled. “You should have contacted me.”

“I needed to know what my parents would think first. And Robbie, he doesn’t want anything to do with the baby. They were going to try and make me marry him if I told them it was his. I don’t want to force myself and the baby on Robbie. I want him to love us on his own,” Justin started to cry. “I stupidly got back together with him for one day and now I’ve ruined my life.”

Brian’s blood ran cold. “It is Robbie’s child?”

Justin nodded. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want them to take my baby away from me.”

“They won’t take your baby,” Brian promised and walked toward Justin.

Justin wrapped his arms around Brian, finding the connection and comfort he knew he would within them. “Please help me, Brian. I want my baby. I don’t want my father trying to take my baby away from me but I don’t know how to stop it.”

Brian squeezed Justin to him, feeling his entire body breaking into little pieces as he realized the real reason Justin was there. He had come for the friendship he’d offered him and he couldn’t let the boy down. “I won’t let that happen, I promise you. I’ll help you find a way to keep your baby.” Brian kissed the boy’s hair and Justin let out a relieved whimper and thanked him. Brian squeezed him tighter. “That’s what friends are for.”

XXXXX