JUSTIN

I was still trying to figure out why Brian didn’t have Michael arrested for trespassing. Michael would have had to explain that to the lawyer he hired.

“A restraining order keeps him away from anyplace we are, a trespassing charge only covers the loft. Mel has a strong case without the arrest. Truthfully, I was more worried about us.” Brian tells me.

I get that, Mel told me with the investigator's report and the restraining order, it was enough. I wanted Michael in jail. Brian said that would happen because Michael would be dumb enough to violate it in public.

I still told him it was stupid, we could have done both.

“Stupid is standing there with two cops in the loft, talking about Oreos,” Brian tells me.

“Brian, Oreos are the only junk food the girls will eat with me. They are always eating everything with you. I know it sounds like such a small thing, but it’s our thing.” I tell him. “I know the girls love us both, but it was my bond to the girls. Gus and I eat the same kinds of foods and I was his Jus since he started talking. I finally found something the girls and I had in common. Victoria and Beth tend to watch you for their cues on everything. One day I was eating an Oreo and the girls came over and we sat together, it sounds stupid but it gave me a happy moment all my own.” I tell Brian, hoping he’ll understand.

“As for why this is such a big deal to me. I think because not only did Michael violate the first home we had together, but then he took it one step further and took my bond to my daughters. I think I need to stop making such a fuss over the damn cookies.” I tell him.

Brian told me it made sense to be mad. It was about our family not about a cookie. I had to go get Gus, JR, and the girls. Brian told me to go home and Mel could come to our house tonight. She was going to need a friend before tomorrow.

I picked up Gus and JR first and then went to Blake’s to get the girls. I was still a little bummed, but I let it go. We were parking at home when I noticed a delivery van out front. The guy told me he had a several boxes to deliver. I got the kids in the house and let him follow with his dolly of boxes. When he left, there were ten boxes, all addressed to me. I opened the first one and started laughing. There was a note on the top that read, “It wasn’t stupid, it was sweet. Love, Your Husband.” The boxes were full of Oreos. I love my husband.

MICHAEL

I tried to tell the cops it’s not trespassing if I have a key. They told me it is if you aren’t invited. I waited till we got to the station and told them I wanted to talk to Carl.

“Carl can you tell your officers this is a mistake.” I can’t believe Brian is acting like an asshole.

“Michael you went into Brian and Justin’s loft without permission, and used a key we don’t even know how you got.” Carl tells me.

“I took Ted’s and made a copy. Brian hadn’t given me one.” I tell him. It’s not like it’s a big deal.

“Do you think that could be because Brian didn’t want you to have a copy?” Carl is being sarcastic.

“No, I think it’s because Justin was being a dick.” I sneer back.

“Well Michael, Brian is the one who asked me to give you this.” Carl hands me a paper.

I looked at the paper Carl gives me, and it’s a restraining order. I read it and it said that I couldn’t have any contact with Brian or Justin. Justin, I could live with, I don’t care about him. Brian is supposed to be my best friend. I have to be able to contact him.

“I need to talk to Brian, he didn’t mean to do this.” I tell Carl.

“Michael if you go anywhere near them, you WILL BE arrested. Brian was nice enough not to put you in jail today. Don’t think he isn’t going to follow through if you violate this.” Carl tells me.

I tell him thanks for nothing and leave. I have to get to the lawyer’s office. Brian and I will talk about this later. I was waiting, it was already past the time I was supposed to have an appointment and I was getting irritated with the wait. I finally get called in.

“Good Afternoon, Mr Novotny. Let's sit down and discuss what to expect in the mediation hearing.” Ron tells me.

“I’ve been through this before, when JR was still a baby. I know it’s just the lawyers talking to the mediator and trying to assassinate your character.” I tell him.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the first hearing?” Ron asks me.

“It was five years ago and Linds hired this asshole who made me sound like a deviant.” I tell him.

“It doesn’t matter when it happened. I need the information so we don’t end up hitting the same roadblocks from the first case.” He tells me.

“I got visitation and we all made up afterwards. Mel and Linds moved to Canada a couple of months later, so we just kept the visitation open.” I tell him.

“Do you have a copy of the visitation agreement? When Mel wanted to move, was there a written agreement from you to let them move JR out of the country?” He seems kind of agitated.

“I put the custody agreement with the papers I gave your assistant. I agreed to let them go because at the time we were concerned about the bomb someone set off at Babylon. I signed a paper saying I agreed to let JR move with them.” I tell him.

Ron opens up a file and starts to read the custody agreement. He was looking through all the papers I brought.

“Do you have a copy of the paper you signed, saying JR could move?” He asks me.

“I didn’t get a copy of it.” I tell him.

“You need to get a copy of it. It should have been in the papers you brought. Did you set an amount on the child support you paid to Mel.” Ron asks me.

“I don’t pay child support. Mel makes more than enough to support JR. My shop does okay, but not enough to help her.” I tell him.

“Were you paying her anything?” He asked me.

“No. Why does it even matter? She never asked for it. Mel makes a lot more now.” I don't know why Ron is acting like it’s a big deal.

“It matters because you want Mel to pay child support. Mr Novotny, I have asked you to make time to see me for the last few weeks so we could discuss everything, and you waited till today to tell me facts that can hurt your case. I also need the letters I asked for from your friends and relatives. The ones I asked you to get, giving you a glowing review on your parenting skills, do you have them?” Ron acts like it’s easy to get it done.

“No, I haven’t been able to get them to do it yet.” I tell him.

“Mr Novotny, these were not things you could take your time with. We are going into a hearing and I am just hearing that you sued for custody before. That you haven’t paid support for your five year old daughter, and that no one would write you a letter stating that you’re a good father. I gave you a written list I needed from you two weeks ago. At this point, I just hope Melanie doesn’t have anything damaging to your case. Is there anything you haven’t told me?” He asks me.

I told him no. I didn’t think the restraining order would be mentioned since it just happened. He asked me if it went to a formal hearing, would I be able to get people to testify for me. I told him the mediation shouldn’t be hard to win. I left his office. He is overreacting. I think the mediator hearing about Linds leaving the kids at school more than once should be enough.

BEN

I walk out of Brian’s office and go home. I want all my things out of the house. Hunter and I are going to share his apartment so he can work less. I called Jen and asked about selling the house. She told me I would need a walk through, so they could price it and give us advice on what we needed to do. I told her I would call her, when I could set a time. I really only have books, clothes, and a few things that I need to take now.

Michael and I will need to talk about a divorce and selling the house. Other than that, our life together should be easily dissolved. I was so angry when Mel told us about Michael’s field trips. I accepted Brian in our lives and put up with all Michael’s dramatics about Brian not being a good friend. It was more than anyone else would have done. After packing, I walk out the door and close it, wondering why I stayed so long.

LINDS

I tried to call Mel a couple of times, but she isn’t answering. Lynette told me to stop chasing after Mel and start looking for a husband or a job. I went to the house and no one was home. I was going to offer to start looking after the kids, so Justin could drop them off. It should please Mel that I was willing to help.

I put my bag away and tried to find something to do. I read online about Justin’s upcoming show. It didn’t give a lot of information on the art he was planning on showing. I decided to call Peter and tell him that he needs to entice people to want to come to the gallery. Peter’s secretary told me that she was authorized to send me a press release, but that Peter was a busy man and didn’t have time to talk to me. I told her that Justin wouldn’t be thrilled that Peter didn’t take the time to talk to me. She told me that she could leave a message but that was all. I told her he needs to contact me right away.

Mel keeps asking me why I won’t leave Justin alone. Justin is going to have the career I dreamed of. I want for him and I to travel together. I want to meet the famous artists he meets. I used to think if I ever wanted a husband it would be someone like Brian. Now I realize Brian is never going to travel in the circles Justin will. I saw a picture of Justin at the Louvre. He was talking to an ambassador and  standing in front of the Mona Lisa. I wanted to be the one next to him, I wanted the introduction to these people. I was raised to mingle with the people Justin is meeting.

I know that Justin and I will never be a couple, though I wouldn’t have opposed it. If he depended on me to guide him, I would be able to mingle with these people. Sam offered me the chance to see the world and I turned him down. I knew Sam wasn’t going to be accepted in the circles I wanted to mingle in. He is too crass and treats women like objects, so I told him no. I sometimes wonder if I should have said yes.

BRIAN

I sent Justin a present because I felt like an ass, and because I love his reasoning. I called my lawyer, Nick, because I wanted to make sure that the restraining order covered all the property I own. I brought up Linds and the crazy shit she’s been doing and asked if we should get a restraining order for her.

Linds thinks I don’t know she has been at the gallery and calling Peter. I told him about the things she has been doing. He told me that it could cause problems with Gus. It wasn’t the answer I was looking for. He told me until she does something to harm Justin, a judge wouldn’t uphold a restraining order. He then asked when I stopped telling people to go fuck themselves. I told him to go fuck himself. We both laughed at that; he said to tell her she can’t come over without an invitation, and be sure to do it in front of witnesses. I told him I would handle Linds, I just wanted some peace from her and her advice. Nick said slam the door, hang up the phone, and ignore any conversations she tries to start.

I don’t want to make things harder on Gus. Gus told us Linds is doing drive-by visits at Mel’s house. I asked what he meant by that. He tells me his mother shows up on the porch, hangs out for thirty minutes and leaves. Kind of like a drive thru. I wasn’t amused by the joke. I asked Mel and she told me that was all the time Linds seems to have.

I am going to go home and see my children and probably get some amazing sex for ten cases of Oreos. I need to stop worrying about the petulant twosome as Deb calls them.