TED

I was waiting in the lobby with Max while Brian and Mel got Linds to sign the papers. Max told Cynthia he needed to be able to hear what was being said, Cynthia put the speakerphones on and muted the lobby. It was going okay, Linds was agreeing to sign the papers, then Brian nearly explodes.

“Brian needs to hold it together and get out of the room.” Max is muttering.

“This IS Brian holding it together. You put Brian in a situation where he has to let someone else control the room. Brian is the person who is usually in control of everything.” I tell Max.

Brian tells Linds to get out of his life and stay out before he slams out of the room.

“Max, you get that bitch out of my building and keep her away from my family. Everyone expects me to be able to walk in there and let her tell me that I have to let her near my girls. You expect more than I can give.” Brian tells him as he walks into my office.

“Brian, you did what you had to do. Let the professionals handle this.” I try to calm him down.

“I can’t sit in a chair, listen to Linds tell me I should have left Justin, and not want to fucking smash everything in the room. SHE WAS FUCKING TELLING ME JUSTIN BELONGS TO HER. YOU WANT TO TELL ME THAT IF THIS WAS ABOUT BLAKE YOU COULD BE CALM.” Brian yells at me.

“I know I wouldn’t Brian, but at this point, you need her to give you what you wanted, custody of Gus. Max told you she is going to keep trying to remind you to leave Justin to her. I know it wasn’t easy to pretend you were giving up, but it’s over and you don’t have to be okay with it.” I tell him.

“Ted, Justin is the reason I get out of bed every day. When he came into my life, I was one hit away from becoming a statistic. All my friends didn’t care that I was high and drunk as long as I stayed the life of the party. Justin didn’t kiss my ass the way Michael did. He made me want to be a better man, just to have him near me. You know why I was always telling him there are no locks on our doors? So when he finally left me, he would know he could always come home. He was never going to get rid of me. I always made sure I could watch over him. It took five years for me to admit I loved him, but we are finally in the same place at the same time. I want to have the life we wanted, but once again parts of my life are causing him pain. All the horrible moments in his life, involve me and my friends. I let Michael shit on him and protected Michael. Michael tells me I should have left Justin to die, and other than punching him, I forgave my best friend. Linds wouldn’t even have met him if for once in my life I did the right thing and left him under that street light. He could have had a better life away from all of this.” Brian tells me.

“Brian, why are you blaming yourself, instead of the people responsible for their own actions?” I ask him.

“Because I can’t take it out on Linds and Michael. I want to drop kick their asses into shark-infested waters and watch them being torn to bloody shreds. I couldn’t go into my office and say what I needed to say, for her to find the fastest train and stand in front of it. I stood there and had to leave it up to Mel because I wanted to wrap my hands around her throat.” Brian deflated and fell into in my chair.

“Are you done?” I ask him. Brian nods and stares out the window.

I let him rant because he needed it, but he can’t make this his fault. It’s Linds and Michael’s faults for causing the drama in his life. “Brian, name the best moment of your life.”

“Justin waking up from his coma,” Brian tells me.

“Why?” I ask him. I’m confused. I would have thought it was his wedding or his children being born.

“Because from the moment I first looked into Justin’s eyes, I saw my future. When he was in a coma, I was waiting for my chance to have the future his eyes promised me.” Brian tells me.

“Justin never wanted any life but one that included you, Brian. Don’t take this on yourself.” I hope I helped him.

LINDS

I wanted to drive to Justin’s house. We could just get in the car and get away. We didn’t need to plan anything but to drive away from people trying to keep us apart. Justin probably thinks I abandoned him. I don’t care what Max said, Justin loves me and didn’t have anything to do with that restraining order. If he signed it, then it was because Brian forced him to. Brian and Peter are the ones who did that, Justin would have told them he wouldn’t do that to me.

I parked at the mall, I need to think of a plan. I got out and started looking through the stores, hoping I could think of a way to get to Justin. If Brian hadn’t convinced Justin to marry him, I could have already been in New York. They didn’t even have a ceremony. I heard it was in a lawyer’s office. Justin and I were both cheated out of our dream weddings. I didn’t get to wear a beautiful gown, instead, it looked like a mumu. Neither one of us got a real honeymoon. Both Justin and I got stuck being slaves to our spouses. Justin and I should get married to prove we want to be together.

I left the mall and need to find a place to stay. I refuse to be around Brian and Mel. If it wasn’t for them Justin and I would be together. I didn’t want to stay with my family, they would try to interfere too. There is one person, but I would have to pretend Justin was the bad guy, not Brian.

JUSTIN

Brian called to tell me he was coming home. We have to talk to Gus this afternoon and I hope he is going to understand about Linds. Regardless of what Linds has been doing, she is his mother, and Gus is going to suffer.

I wanted to ask Brian what happened, but he sounded tired. The girls and I watched the little mermaid and I played what they wanted me to. Peter was working on postponing my show. He told me it would only be a month later, it was because Max said security could be an issue, too many people coming and going.

Ted called me and told me that Brian feels responsible for Michael and Linds being in my life. I told Ted, “Brian always puts the blame on himself for everything bad that happens.”

“Justin, he thinks you would have had a wonderful life, without him,” Ted tells me.

“Don’t worry Ted, I’ve dealt with him before when he blames himself and he knows it’s not him, but just life. Brian just needs to let it out and you were the lucky victim.” I tell Ted.

“How did it go with Linds? I can’t ask Brian, and Max will get technical. I want your honest opinion on what you think.” I tell Ted.

“Justin in the last two days, she has gone from wanting to run your career, to telling us you’re her husband. I know, not think, you need to listen to Max. Linds tore up the restraining order and used it to confetti Max with. I think you and Brian should go on a vacation and leave the nutter butters to Max.” Ted tells me.

“Find me an island to go to and we’re there Ted.” I joke with him.

“I think if we found an island Brian would drop Linds and Michael off on it,” Ted tells me before hanging up.

Linds is still calling like a madwoman. Max told me not to answer her.

MICHAEL

I’ve been working at my shop and waiting for Brian to call me. I was sure he would have at least dropped the restraining order. I called Carl all day asking if Brian had changed his mind. Carl finally told me to stop calling. When the bell went off, I look up and see the reason my life has been going to shit walk in the door.

“I don’t want to talk to you Linds,” I tell her.

“I don’t really want to talk to you either, but if you want Brian, I need your help.” The bitch tells me.

“Brian is going to forgive me, so I don’t need anything from you,” I tell her.

“If your plan is to sit on your ass, read comics and play the wounded friend, then you’ll still be waiting for Brian when you die from old age. If you want Justin to go back to New York, you’ll listen to me.” Linds tells me.

“Linds, the only thing I want from you is for you to walk your ass back out the door. Brian and I wouldn’t be fighting if you had taken the time to get off your ass and gotten JR. You were too busy trying to kiss Justin’s ass to take care of your responsibilities ” I tell her.

“It must hurt to know that Brian fucked me, one of his best friends, but uses that you guys are friends as the reason he won’t let you even suck his dick.” She sneers at me.

“It would only hurt if you hadn’t had to drug his ass to get him to go near your smelly twat,” I tell her.

“And to think you couldn’t even get him to fuck you drugged and drunk. I get it though. I mean, who the fuck would want to listen to you whine during sex. ‘OHHH Brian, my bestest friend in the whole world, do it again’.” She raised her voice to this high pitch screech on the last part of the sentence.

“At least I know who I want to fuck, you keep switching teams,” I tell her.

“You mean your mother had to tell you. I mean, imagine where you would be if your mommy hadn’t told you to be gay.” Linds sneers at me.

“Fuck you, Linds get out of my store,” I tell her.

“Wow, great come back Mikey. Mommy teach you that too?” Linds taunts me.

“How about I call the cops and tell them to take you to your mommy, Linds,” I tell her.

“How about you learn to use those balls you seem to have lost after Brian started fucking Justin.”  She tells me.

“How about the fact that even if you had a dick, you still couldn’t get Justin to fuck you.” I sneer at her.

Why don’t we find Brian a magnifying glass so he can find your dick when you offer it to him.” Linds sneers.

We keep going at each other until finally, I tell her I should get a restraining order against her. She suddenly turns and walks out the door. I wait till I see her get in her car to leave and decide I’ll go wait at the diner for Brian to come in.

MAX

I got a call from Tom telling me that Linds and Michael planning anything together would be hard to do. Apparently, they can’t stop trying to one-up each other.