KYLE

I got to Pittsburgh and was able to get the information on the red headed woman. Debbie Novotny. She works at the Liberty Diner. I decided to start there and see if I could talk to her. It was my starting point. I walked into the diner, it was early so I expected it to be slow. I was practically run over walking in the door. I see Debbie Novotny at the counter and the place is a mad house.

“Good morning honey, find a seat and someone will get to you. Sunshine stop trying to suck Brian’s dick and get to work.” She’s very colorful. I look around and sit at the counter, next to a guy who is laughing at Debbie.

“Deb, if Justin sucked my dick here, more people would show up. Bet I could fund Gus’s college with the tips.” Yells this gorgeous guy, that must be Brian.

“Brian, you’ll get better tips if you show them Sunshines ass.” Debbie yells back.

A bunch of men start hooting and telling Sunshine to take it off. The blond flips them off while he’s bent over kissing Brian. A guy asks if that’s an offer. Brian gives the guy a death stare. What kind of place did I walk into? I see the blond walking away from Brian putting on his apron.

“Sweety, look at Brian all you want, but unless you grow a bubble butt and become Sunshine, it won’t get you anywhere. Now what can I get you?” Debbie asks me.

“I’ll take eggs, bacon and toast. If you have some time later I’d like to talk Ms Novotny.” I tell her.

“It’s Deb, and honey until the boys go to work, I won’t have time. Be right back with your order. Brian let Sunshine go.” Deb yells.

“Deb, I’m being nice enough to let your Sunshine work today, be nice enough to let him thank me for being sweet.” Brian starts to swallow the blond.

I turn to look at Brian again and see Justin Taylor walking away carrying a tub. Why would a multimillion dollar artist work in a diner?

“I also wouldn’t look at Justin like that if you don’t want God Kinney making your day worse.” A very colorful man next to me says.

“I was just taking in the diner, lots going on, my name is Kyle.” I introduce myself.

“Emmett. Yeah it’s hard to look at Brian and Justin and not imagine their sex lives.” Emmett says laughing.

“Emmett, if you're imagining Justin and Brian, I don’t keep you busy enough.” Drew Boyd tells Emmett. How many famous people come here?

“Drewsy, if you kept me any busier, I’d be in traction.” Emmett starts kissing Drew.

“Okay knock it off, you're just encouraging Brian.” Debbie tells Emmett.

“Is it always like this around here?” I ask Emmett.

“Honey, this is a slow morning.” Emmett tells me.

I watch Justin running around delivering orders and flirting with all the customers. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he is waiting tables. Justin walks by and Emmett grabs him.

“Justin, meet my new friend Kyle.” I hope Justin doesn’t recognize me.

“Hey Kyle. Emmett, Elle is going to stay with my mom tonight, want to got to Babylon? We want to throw Ben and Michael a party to celebrate their wedding. I have a couple dancers dressing up as superheroes for Michael.” Justin tells Emmett.

“That will be fun. You want to join us Kyle?” Emmett and Justin wait for me to answer.

“Sure, that sounds like fun.” I answer.

“What will be fun?” Brian walks up and pulls Justin away from Emmett.

“Justin wanted to us to meet at Babylon tonight.” Emmett tells Brian.

“Justin, we need to be going, you had enough of playing at the diner?” Brian asks Justin.

“Brian, I couldn’t leave Debbie short, but yeah let me put up my apron and we can go.” Justin walks away. Brian’s eyes follow Justin.

BRIAN

It took me a second to place the guy at the counter, he’s a reporter for the New York times. He usually writes fluff pieces. I know he interviewed Justin once or twice, but Justin usually doesn’t pay any attention to the reporters. I want to know why he’s here, and why he seem to be looking at Justin’s ass.

“Brian this is Kyle, I invited him to go with us tonight.” Emmett tells me.

“Nice to meet you Kyle. Emmett can you get Michael there without telling him, this time?” I ask Emmett.

“Brian, last time he wouldn’t come unless we told him. It’s not my fault, I told him you were having a party and he figured out it was for him.” Emmett told me.

“You could have just said we were meeting at my place to go out.” I tell Emmett.

“You could have told me to tell him that, you know I’m not good at making up things.” Emmett tells me.

“How about you tell, never mind, Deb tell Michael you overheard we're going to Babylon tonight.” I yell to Deb.

“You got it.” Deb yells back.

Justin finally gets his ass in gear. We have to head to the school for Elle. Her class is having a parent day. Michael wanted to come, but Ben convinced him to stay home, since it was the day after they got married. Michael was going to argue that Elle wanted him there, but the hamster started rattling in his head to get him to realize why Ben wanted him to stay home.

I told Justin to get in the car and I would be there in a second. I wanted to make sure Mr Reporter understood Justin was not giving an interview.

“Emmett, call Ted and let him know about tonight.” I figured that would give me and Kyle a second alone.

“I don’t know why you're here, but don’t make me regret letting you spend time with us Kyle.” I tell him.

“Look, I wanted to do a piece on being gay in the US and seeing Debbie and her son on the news got me here to write a story. If you guys are willing to talk to me, great, but it’s not going to be a hatchet job on Justin.” Kyle tells me. I stared at him, shrugged and left to go with Justin.

EMMETT

Kyle’s a reporter? I wonder why he’s here. I could tell him all about growing up in Hazelhurst, that usually gets people to run screaming in the other direction. I decide, why not talk to him.

“You're a reporter?” I ask him.

“Yes, and before you ask, I saw Debbie and her son on the news and my editor thought it would make a good article, talking to them. I wanted to do an article on what it’s like growing up gay and how you feel the world has changed. I do want to interview Justin, but only because his name will get some notice for the article.” Kyle tells me.

“I can tell you from my point of view, it sucked, people treat you like your one step away from a child molester, or they try to be your best friend to prove they can handle people being gay. I’m not saying there aren’t straight people who accept us, just that there are a lot that don’t. I personally just let my light shine bright and tell people to wear sunglasses if it hurts their eyes.” I tell him.

“Tell me about growing up here in Pittsburgh.” Kyle asks me.

“I ran away from my redneck, beer chugging, homophobic family, and got to Pittsburgh. I met Deb’s son Michael through my friend Teddy, and then met Brian. We became family. Deb mothers us and so does Justin’s mom now. You do anything to upset Deb, and no one will find the body.” I tell him.

“When did Justin join the group?” Kyle asks me.

“Justin meet Brian about fifteen years ago, and unless Brian or Justin want to tell you more, you're out of luck.” I tell him.

“I was just wondering why you didn’t include him in the list of who you met.” Kyle seems sincere. “Tell me about Babylon and Liberty Avenue.”

“Sweety, Babylon is the gay mecca, in the Pitts. Brian and Justin own it. In fact you have the tale of two Kings, to everyone here. Brian is still known as the Stud of Liberty Avenue and Justin will forever be the King of Babylon. Every year some twink shows up and tries to win the crown and Brian, but Justin won the crown and the stud. I’m only telling you this because everyone knows.” I tell Kyle.

“What is the King of Babylon?” Kyle asks.

“It’s a pole dancing contest.” I tell him. Drew tells me we have to go, I yell bye to Deb and walk out of the diner.

KYLE

Brian wasn’t exactly warm and welcoming, but Emmett was willing to talk. Hopefully when I get to Babylon they’ll be willing to help me with the article.

“How was the food?” Deb asks me.

“Just as interesting as the company.” I tell her.

“So you're a reporter.” Deb tells me. I looked up, surprised she knew. Deb laughs and tells me, “Honey, one queen knows, and we all know.”

“I’m actually here to talk to you. I watched the news when you and the protesters were fighting. I thought it would be nice to find out how you view the issue from the point of view of a mother.” I tell her.

“Well you just need to come to dinner at my house on Sunday if you want to see what it’s like to have a family of gay children. I will warn you, if you make me regret inviting you, I’ll tie your balls in a knot and shove a cannon up your ass. Do yourself a favor when you go out with the boys, stop looking at Brian as if you want to suck his dick and don’t let him catch you staring at Justin’s ass like it’s your last meal.” Deb pinches my cheek and yells for the guy ringing the bell to hold on to his dick.