JUSTIN

Brian decided we weren’t going to lunch at Deb’s. He told Mel he wasn’t interested in the Mikey show. I think he just didn’t want his kids around Michael anymore. I was fine with it. I told him we could take Deb and Carl to dinner sometime this week. We told Mel we’d keep Gus, and Brian would take him to school in the morning.

The girls were in full run mode, but lucky for me, Gus likes to chase them around. I was cooking breakfast and thrilled that we had a day to ourselves. We don’t get them often lately with everyone around the house. Victoria came screaming that Gus was trying to get her, and Gus was running into the room, Beth behind him giggling. It is so rare to be able to just be a family. Brian silenced all the phones in the house. He told me if anyone came to the door they weren’t getting in.

Monday morning came too soon. Brian brought the girls and put them into bed with me and left to take Gus to school. I was snuggling with my babies, trying to decide what we were going to do today. We always meet Brian for lunch, but today he wanted to have lunch at the loft. Brian made the decision after we made love last night. We were going to leave the crazy twosome out of our lives. I think he is being optimistic. Michael will never leave him alone for long.

I got the girls and I ready to go and as we were leaving the house Mel calls and tells me she needs to see me. I told her I was going to the loft, Brian wanted to have a family lunch together.

“Justin, do you guys normally go to the loft for lunch?” Mel asked me.

“No, the diner. Why?” I ask her.

“I need to show you and Brian the investigators report. It has some surprises in it.” Mel tells me.

“I’ll call Brian, he was just catching up on some reports. Do you want to meet me at Kinnetik?” I ask her.

“That would probably be good, you might want to leave the girls with someone. Brian isn’t going to be thrilled with this report.” Mel tells me.

“Mel, tell me what's in it then. I can usually tell you how Brian is going to react to anything.” I tell her. She has me really worried about this.

“Michael has been staying at the loft when you guys are working or at your house,” Mel tells me.

“Let me call Blake to take the girls, my Mom is busy today,” I tell her.

I called Blake and asked if he could watch the girls for a couple of hours. He told me to bring them over and was waiting for us when we got there. I gave him a brief explanation of what was going on. He wished me luck on keeping the volcano from erupting and told me not to worry about getting the girls. I left to go to Kinnetik even though I really wanted to go to the loft and kill the Oreo eating asshole. I decided that maybe Ben needed to hear what his hubby had been up to lately. I called and told him to meet me at Brian’s office. I walked in and was told by Cynthia that Mel was already here. I hurried into Brian’s office. Ted was sitting in a chair, he looked like he would rather be anywhere but here.

“Justin, do you want to explain why we are having a party in my office?” Brian asked me.

“I’ll let Mel tell you, but we have one more person coming before the fireworks start.” I tell him. Ben walked in to see why he was summoned.

“Is JR okay?” Ben asks Mel.

“JR is fine, she’s at school. Michael, for some reason, didn’t bother to get JR the whole weekend. I took her to Deb’s for lunch yesterday and he didn’t show. That isn’t the reason I wanted to talk to Brian and Justin. My lawyer asked his investigator for a report this morning. I only hired one a week ago. I don’t even know how to say this to you, Brian.” Mel tells Brian.

“In plain English, and without the pauses, so I can get back to work, would be nice,” Brian tells her sarcastically.

“Okay, Asshole. Apparently, you have a squatter at the loft. The investigator followed Michael for three days and he seems to go to the loft and stay there half the morning. He left his assistant to open and close the shop on those days, he was followed by my investigator. The investigator told us he leaves the loft about twenty minutes before Justin arrives with the kids. He couldn’t tell us what Michael is doing in the loft because once Michael is in a building, the investigator can’t follow him.” Mel tells us.

Ben stands up, thanks Mel, and walks out of the office without another word. The rest of us turn to see how Brian is doing.

“How did he get the key? The code is probably from watching me put it in when he follows me in, but the key?” Brian asks us.

“I don’t know,” Mel tells him.

Brian tells Mel he needs a copy of the report and asks if Michael is there now. Mel tells him the investigator followed him there this morning but left to give his report to Mel’s lawyer. Brian thanks her for letting him know.

After Mel and Ted walk out, I sit on the sofa and wait. Brian tells me we need to go to the police station. I told him we need to know he’s there first. We drive to the back of the building and park. Brian told me he was going to check and would be back. When he got back he drove to the police station and walked into Carl’s office.

“Brian, everything okay?” Carl asks him.

“Not really. Michael has taken up squatting in the loft when Justin and I are not there. He’s there now, I walked in and he was napping on the sofa. I had the code and the key changed a few years ago and never gave Michael a new copy of the key. I have no idea where he got it.” Brian tells Carl.

“Do you want him arrested for trespassing?” Carl asks Brian.

“No, but I want him out and I’ll change the key and the code today. Can I get a restraining order?” Brian isn’t playing anymore.

“A temporary one. A judge will have to give you a permanent one.” Carl tells Brian.

Brian told Carl the temporary one will do for now. Carl sent two officers with us.

MICHAEL

This weekend was a bust all the way around. Ben is still mad and won’t come home. I thought we were having dinner at Ma’s yesterday. I got to her house and woke her up. She told me it was lunch, not dinner. I remembered Justin saying that, but thought he was too busy giving me a speech and got it mixed up. Mel was hostile and told me she wasn’t going to listen to any more excuses from me.

I told her that since she wouldn’t let me see JR that I wanted my daughter next weekend. She told me to tell my lawyer to write that down because I might need a reminder. I hung up on her.

I’m meeting with my lawyer after lunch today. He wanted to go over what to expect tomorrow. With nothing else to do, I went to the loft.

I couldn’t tell Ben why I did the E thing. The only time Brian ever really kissed me was when he would give me a hit. In a way, when Ben and I did the E kiss, I felt like Brian was there with us. I always thought that Brian and I would be two old queens living together someday. I watched all the men pass in and out of his life, and I could believe that he was waiting until he was ready so he could offer me what I wanted. Then Justin stood under the damn lamp post and Brian kept him around.

When I met Ben, I wanted to have someone to point at and say ‘there’s my Justin’. I wanted to watch Brian get jealous that I found someone. Brian never got jealous. He was worried about the HIV, but other than that didn’t really care. When I told him about Justin cheating, it was because I felt vindicated. Justin wasn’t so perfect. It’s like no matter what I do Justin comes out better. Ben is a college professor, hot and caring, Justin was a college kid, yet people thought Justin walked on water. My mother even acted like Ben wasn’t good enough, but Sunshine could break my best friend’s heart and Ma was mad at me for telling Justin to leave us alone.

I came in and snacked on the Oreos and drank all the milk, just because it would inconvenience Justin. I was watching Dirty Dancing and fell asleep.

I was having the best dream. Everyone was on my side and Brian was kicking Justin and his kids out of the house and asking me to move in. Then Brian was calling my name and I was trying to reach him. I look at Justin and he says something about getting my oreo eating ass out of his house. I was going to say something, then I woke up.

“Mr. Novotny you need to get up and get dressed.” I looked at the officer and had to think about where I was. I look over to see Brian walking around the loft with another police officer. If Brian got robbed again that would suck. I was about to ask when I realize I was in the loft.

BRIAN

Justin keeps saying something about Oreos and I told him I’d buy him a case if he would focus on the real issue. Justin actually looked offended. We got to the loft and I let the officers in. Michael is only wearing his boxers, and lying on the couch still asleep. When we were here earlier, I walked in and saw him asleep. I left and decided to let the police department do the work.

I shook Michael to wake him up and he keeps on sleeping. One of the officers told me to walk around the loft and see if anything was missing. Justin said he wanted Michael’s Oreo eating ass out. I told Justin to focus. The other officer got Michael to wake up. Michael was looking around like he was lost. He sat there in a stupor for a couple of minutes, then started to dress. Justin grabbed a can of Lysol and started spraying the sofa. Michael got a mouth full and was hacking. The officer in the living room asked Justin to stop.

“Sir, can you explain why you’re here?” The officer asked Michael.

“It’s my best friend’s place. I was just waiting for Brian.” Michael tells him.

“Mr Taylor and Mr Kinney stated you were not invited and weren’t given permission to be here. I need to remove you from the building and bring you into the station.” He tells Michael.

“Brian, tell them it’s a mistake,” Michael demanded.

“Please remove him from my apartment and my sight,” I told the officer.

Michael was escorted out, screaming the whole way. I called and told a locksmith to be here this afternoon. I called the security company and changed the code. I asked Justin to get the girls and meet me for lunch at the deli next to Kinnetik.

Carl told me Michael was given a copy of the restraining order and left the station intent on talking to me. Carl told Michael if he showed up at Kinnetik, he would go to jail. I called and told Cynthia and Ted if Michael got in the building to tell the security guards to find new jobs. I also asked Cynthia to send someone out and buy fucking Oreos in every shape, color, and size.

Deb called and asked me if Michael destroyed anything. I told her no but I was going to need new furniture at the loft. She told me to have it fucking cleaned and send her idiot son the bill. I kind of like the idea.

“Linds is next, Justin. It’s time to stop playing games with either of them. If she shows up and starts harassing you, shut her down. However you have to. I want us to be able to have a lot more days like Sunday. It was about us, not the rest of the world.” I tell him.