JUSTIN

I was making Gus and the girls breakfast when someone knocked on the door. It still startles me because we live far enough away that people can't just show up.

“Linds, what are you doing here?” I ask her when I open the door.

“I had a free morning and thought I could prepare breakfast, so you could work,” she tells me.

“Linds, you do realize that I just had a show and my next one isn’t for a couple months. I already have pieces finished and only have to work when I want to.” I try to get through to her.

“If I can help out, you should take advantage of the time,” Linds tells me snippily.

“I already have breakfast ready and Brian and I have the day planned. We’re taking the kids to the park. Why not go home and have a free day with Mel. JR is still with Michael isn’t she?” I ask her.

“I have to go pick up JR in an hour. Michael is going with Ben to some party with the other teachers.” She tells me.

“We can take JR if you need us to. Unless you have plans to do something.” I tell her.

“Why don’t I take the children out and you can work,” Linds says, she is persistent.

“I want to take my children out Linds. If JR wants to go she can too, but we wanted to have a family day with the girls and Gus.” I’m trying to not be an asshole but she needs to go.

“We’re all family. I’m sure Brian would rather do something else and I can be there to help you.” Linds tells me.

“Actually Linds, I planned the day, so I think that I would want to go with my family,” Brian tells her as he walks into the room.

“Brian if you want to come you can, I was just telling Justin that it would free up his time to work on his art. I know you don’t understand how important it is that he is always creating, but I do.” Linds tells Brian.

“I think I understand better than you do. I mean, I live with Justin and have for the last ten years. I am usually the one who has to sit still while he sketches. Go home to your wife Linds. If JR would rather come with us, then have Mel call.” Brian tells her.

“You don’t have to be an asshole, Brian. I was just offering to help Justin.” Linds tells him.

Brian leads her to the door and tells her to learn to use the phone. Her phone is ringing as she walks out the door.

LINDS

Brian is starting to piss me off. Justin needs me to help him, so he doesn’t have to rush when it comes to his shows. I only came over to help him this morning. Three kids demand a lot and Justin should be allowed time to work. I tried to get them to let all the kids stay with me, but Brian told me he wants to raise his kids.

My phone is still going off. Michael keeps calling.

“Michael, I’m on my way. I was running an errand, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” I hate dealing with Michael.

“We were supposed to be at the party already Linds. You should have planned better. Now I have to be later because you’re going to be late again.” Michael whines into the phone.

“It’s a party Michael, nobody expects you there the minute it starts. I’ll be there soon.” I hang up on the idiot.

Michael is on my shit list. He keeps trying to leave Justin to take care of the kids, so Brian can go out with him. I told him that Brian needs to take care of the kids so Justin can work. Michael said Justin can stay home since Brian has to support Justin and the kids. Kids that Justin wanted, not Brian. I told him that he had it backward. Justin is making just as much as Brian, but his career demands more time. Brian has a staff that can take care of clients. We’ve been fighting ever since.

I look at my phone when it rings again and I guess Michael has called to complain to Mel. She was asleep this morning when I left.

“Linds, where the hell are you?” Mel asks me.

“I was just dropping off some clothes for Gus this morning. Then I was helping Justin cook breakfast for the kids and time got away from me. I told Michael I was on my way. I'm sorry he woke you.” I tell Mel.

“Why would Gus need anything, he had his stuff packed yesterday? You know what, never mind. Michael is dropping JR off here, apparently, he’s pissed you can’t make it on time.” Mel tells me.

“Michael needs to stop acting like a party is a big deal,” I tell her.

“It’s a surprise party for one of the professor’s who just got tenure. Michael wanted to be there to yell surprise, and now because you couldn’t get JR on time, he isn’t going to be able to.” Mel tells me.

“Poor Michael. Brian offered to take JR with them today. Why don’t all of us go?” I ask her.

“Why not let them take JR and you and I have a day to ourselves?” Mel tells me.

“I think it would be great to have a family day with them. It would give Justin some time to sketch, while we play with the kids.” I tell her.

“Linds, you need to stop trying to help so much, your irritating Brian,” Mel mentions to me.

“I don’t care what Brian thinks, Justin is important. If Brian had been thinking, Justin would still be in New York, alone, advancing his career.” I tell her.

Mel tells me to get home and she will talk to Brian.

MICHAEL

I had JR ready to go, and no one came to pick her up. Linds finally called when she was already late and told me she would be even later. I called Mel.

“Is someone who can be on time going to pick up JR?” I ask Mel.

“Linds was gone when I woke up Michael. I thought she was going to pick up JR.” Mel tells me.

“Well, no one is here. I had to stay behind until someone showed up. I was supposed to be at a surprise party for a teacher at Ben’s college. Now instead of yelling surprise, I’m stuck waiting for someone to get JR.” I tell her.

“I can come and get her. We only live two blocks away.” Mel tells me.

“I’ll just bring her. Next time just tell me I can’t depend on you guys to do what you say.” I tell her.

I get JR and we walk over to the house. Mel is on the steps. She asks JR if she wants to go with Justin and Brian to the park today. JR tells her yes because all her friends are going to the park today. I tell my honeybun good-bye and walk home.

I was pissed, Brian could have come with Ben and I to the party, but instead he is going to hang out at a park with kids all day. I tried to get him to come, saying it would be a day we could hang out. Brian told me he was busy. I thought he had to work. Ben calls me and asks if I’m coming to the party. I told him I was finally on my way.

BRIAN

We were on our way to the park when Emmett called to see what we were doing. I told him the park was having a kid’s at play festival and we were taking the kids. Emmett and Calvin told us they would meet us there with Mark.

Ted was already there with Blake. Blake was running a 'Say No to Drugs' booth. Blake and Ted are in the process of adopting a kid. Ted and Blake ran into an old patient who was only seventeen and pregnant. She told them she couldn’t keep the baby and was putting it up for adoption. They found out that she would let them adopt the baby. The baby is due anytime now.

Mel called to let us know that JR wanted to come too. I’m glad Justin talked me into the big SUV. He told me that with all of us having kids, we needed a way to transport them. I asked why we needed one bigger than what five asses could sit in. Justin ignored me and bought the Mercedes with seven seats.

As JR climbed aboard Mel told me that she would keep Linds home. I almost kissed her. Linds and I have been bitching back and forth at each other. My Wendy wants her Peter to fall off a cliff for daring to take Justin away from a career. I told Wendy to jump off the cliff, I’ll keep Tinkerbell.

We got to the park and kids are everywhere. Emmett is waving at us and Gus runs to Mark. JR found her gaggle of friends and one of the mothers volunteered to take the girls around. The woman knows Justin, so I felt safe letting JR run around with them. We follow Gus and Mark, they headed for the boat races in the pond. Justin pulled out some stale bread for the girls to feed the ducks. Mark and Gus decided they wanted to race a boat, so Emmett took them to get two at the vendor booth. Beth ran to me when the duck started to chase after the bread.

“Beth you have to give this to the ducks,” I tell her.

“Ducky eat it.” She tells me.

“That’s why Daddy gave it to you, to feed the ducks,” I tell her.

She throws it on the ground and watches as the duck eats it. Beth is Justin’s child, she is a strawberry blonde, with green eyes. We are going to be busy beating boys off with a stick if she looks anything like Molly. Victoria is mine, she got blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. She looks enough like me that you can tell she is mine. Victoria and Beth are starting to talk. I was worried at first because neither of them was talking much other than saying Da and Daddy. Jen told me that if Justin and I would make them ask for things, they would talk more. We realized that the girls were pointing and we were getting things without them ever having to talk. We stopped doing that and the girls started talking. I told Jen we moved back because we needed the moms to tell us not to panic all the time.

We started walking around when the kids got tired of the ducks. The girls wanted to see Blake and Ted. So we headed that way. We got there to see my best friend standing at the booth.

“Hey Mikey, thought you had a party to go to today?” I ask him.

“We went. I got there late because Linds couldn’t pick up JR on time and then I wanted to come here, so we left after cake, that way we could spend some time with JR. I thought you had to work today?” Michael asks me.

“No, I said I was busy and I am,” I tell him.

“Where is JR?” Michael is looking around us.

“She is running around with her friend and the girl's mother,” I tell him.

“You don’t just let my kid run off with someone. I can’t believe you guys are that irresponsible.” Michael snaps at us.

“Michael, she is with Joanne and her mother Karen. I know them from all the parent-teacher conferences we have attended for Gus. We didn’t just leave her with someone we don’t know.” Justin tells him.

“I’ve never met this person. I would have preferred that you didn’t let her wander off.” Michael starts to get louder.

Ben walks up with JR and Joanne. He asks why Michael is upset. I tell him we abandoned JR to the clutches of a possible mass murder. Ben rolls his eyes at me and tells Michael that they were going to take Joanne with them for the day. I told Ben to make sure that Michael calls and tells Mel about the change of plans.

All the kid tell us they’re hungry, so we decide to go to the diner for lunch. Michael tells Ben they should go too. Oh goody, another lunch with Michael being a dick to everyone, I just can’t wait.