KYLE

The next morning, I headed towards the diner, man I have a hangover of epic proportions. Brian started ordering shots and after that, the night is just a blur. I tried to ask questions for the article but the minute they’d start on one topic it would go to another, it took all I had just to keep up with them. Justin was trying to explain what each conversation was about, but I told him I had time to learn.

I walk in the diner and Deb is there waiting on everyone again. Does she ever have a day off?

“MORNING SWEET CHEEKS!” She yells. I want to cry at the pounding my head is doing.

“Morning Deb.” I whisper. I sit down and ask for coffee, I want to get through today without dying.

“SUNSHINE, I NEED YOU TO HELP AGAIN, KIKI TWISTED HER ANKLE LAST NIGHT!” I know they told me not to hurt Deb, but I could hide her body, at least until my head stops hurting.

Justin walks over and grabs me. He shoves me into a booth.

“It’s easier on your head if you distance yourself from Deb in the morning.” He tells me. I watch as he grabs the coffee pot and a bunch of coffee cups. Justin pours me a cup of heaven and then pours one and puts enough sugar in it to kill a diabetic.

I’m sitting there with my nectar when Brian sits across from me. Well no, not Brian, but someone who could be his twin. I stared at the guy, who smirks at me. I want to say that I was dignified but when Justin put his hand under my chin and closed my mouth, that negated the fact I was dignified.

“Morning Pop, where’s Dad?” The guy says to Justin. No way this is Justin’s kid.

“Morning Gus, Brian’s picking up Elle from Nana’s. Want your usual?” Justin tells the star of my new fantasies.

“Yep and JR is on her way too. She’s in trouble with the moms. I think you need to tell them to stop trying to kill JR’s fun.” Gus tells Justin. I was trying not to stare but it’s like seeing a younger copy of the original.

“Kyle, this is our son Gus, who is SIXTEEN. Gus this is Kyle, he’s writing an article about being gay in the US.” Justin tells Gus and shoots me a warning glare.

I get pushed over and see Emmett sitting down. Emmett is so colorful this morning I want to lay my head down or maybe get the sunglasses he suggested.

“Morning Gussy, giving everyone a preview of the future stud?” Emmett asks Gus.

“It better be far in the future. Last thing I need is to have to play Jen to Gus.” Brian comes over and pulls a little girl to sit between him and Gus Okay my fantasy now has twins.

“But Dad, think about where you would be if Justin hadn’t been waiting under a street lamp at seventeen. I shudder at the name Abraham and thank Pop for keeping it away from me.” Gus tells Brian.

“There is nothing wrong with the name Abraham, it was my grandfather’s name.”  A dark haired woman tells Gus. I see a blonde woman and another girl standing with them.

“Aunty Mel, Dad said you shouldn’t be allowed to pick names. Poor Jenny is called Junior by everyone.” The little girl tells Mel.

“Elle, your Dad doesn’t even call people by their names. Jenny Rebecca is a beautiful name.” Mel tells Elle.

“Until some idiot named Gus tells everyone my name is actually Mikey Junior.” Jenny says to her mother. My God how do these people keep up?

“Smelly Melly is just jealous that Wendy agrees with me on the names.” Brian throws out there. You can see he is waiting for Mel to react.

“Dad be nice to Aunt Mel, Nana told me that you shouldn’t say something if you can’t be nice.” Elle tells her father.

Everyone sits down in the booths around us. Justin comes out and ask me what I want for breakfast. I tell him eggs and toast and wait for everyone else to give their orders. Justin walks off without getting anyone’s order but mine.

“Um Wendy, aren’t you guys going to eat?” I ask Wendy.

“It’s Lindsay, Brian just calls me Wendy and I call him Peter sometimes. We all eat here all the time, so Deb and Justin just get the orders of new people. You're the reporter, Kyle, right?” Lindsay asks me. I know it shouldn’t surprise me she knows, but it does.

“Yes, I wanted to explore how this group of people see the changes in their lives and what they felt growing up gay.” I tell her. I really need to start on the article.

“Good luck with getting these guys to answer questions, unless you ask Michael, they’ll just run you in circles.” Lindsay smiles at me. I figured out that much so far.

“Pop, I wanted you to come talk to my class about being an artist.” JR tells Justin.

“When do I need to be there?” Justin asks her.

“Well, um, Monday?” JR tells him.

“JR you were suppose to tell Justin a week ago.” Mel chastises JR.

“I forgot, and it’s not like he has to make a speech, just tell about his career, bring it down a notch Mama.” JR tells Mel.

“Wait, why didn’t you ask me to do it?” Michael comes in.

“Nothing personal Dad, but nobody wants to hear a long winded speech about Captain Astro.” JR talks to Michael like he’s five.

“I like Captain Astro.” Gus breaks in the conversation.

“You also like men in tights, so you're opinion doesn’t count.” JR sticks her tongue out at Gus. Poor Michael looks crushed.

“Uncle Mikey is the coolest, and you would be lucky if he wanted to talk to your icky class.” Elle tells JR. Michael is preening.

“Elle we need to have a long talk about cool before you get to middle school.” JR tells Elle.

“Guys, I forgot to tell you, Drew rented a beach house for next weekend. We wanted to have a Fourth of July party.” Emmett tells everyone.

Everyone agrees to be there and Emmett tells me it means me too. It was nice that they were including me. Deb tells them she’ll let Carl know. Great, another name to remember.

“Teddy, did you hear, we’re going to celebrate next weekend?” Emmett yells to Ted. Ted just walked in with Blake, who I met sometime last night. Behind them is a little girl.

“Selena, come sit with me.” Elle pushes her father out of the way. Selena kisses Brian on the cheek and sits down. Ted and Blake join Michael. Ted hands Brian a paper. Brian reads it and smiles.

“Maybe we should have naked Superheroes night more often.” Brian says and hands it back to Ted.

“NO, I can’t watch my heroes strip again.” Michael tells Brian.

“I’m sure Ben enjoyed it, Mikey. I mean we got you all revved up…” Deb hits Brian in the head and stares at the kids.

“Granny Deb, you always cut Dad off before he get’s to the good part.” Elle complains.

“I cut him off before Nana explains what you can hear to your father, the way she did to me.” Deb tells Elle.

“In other words, we just need to ask Gus, Elle.” Selena tells Elle. Gus is suddenly interested in the menu.

“Gus, tell me you didn’t explain what these idiots talk about to those two little girls?” Mel says it like a question but it sounds more like a command.

“Look Mama, if they are going to grow up in an alternative family, they need to know everyone is a deviant.” Gus tries to sound like he’s helping the girls.

“Mel, we want all the children in this family to know we’re comfortable with any subject.” Brian tells Mel.

“I don’t think they need that much information at TEN, ASSHOLE.” Mel tells Brian.

Justin starts to deliver the food. Once everyone is served he sits on Brian’s lap and starts on a burger. The toast is almost too much for me, but Justin who drank me under the table is munching on that greasy burger like it’s no big deal. Brian on the other hand is practically molesting Justin. I see Gus reach over and grab a bite of Justin’s burger. Elle and Selena start eating his fries. His plate is almost empty when Deb delivers another for him.

“The kids are always eating Justin’s food. Deb just order’s him double because once Brian and he sit together, food is the last thing on their minds.” Emmett tells me. They all just say things out loud, and don’t care who hears them.

“Brian, let Justin eat, you can scr… talk to him later.” Michael tells Brian. The girls looked really interested in what Michael almost said.

“Mikey, one of the things I have been trying to teach you for years, is I need to … talk to Justin A LOT.” Brian tells Michael.

“You know everyone get’s a day of rest.” Michael tells Brian.

“You know, most people who just got married would be TALKING at home on their honeymoon.” Brian tells Michael.

“Justin, we’re taking Selena to the zoo, do you want us to take Elle?” Blake breaks in. Michael gets distracted by that.

“We can all go, Ben we need to get the camera and the video recorder. I can have it ready for everyone to watch next weekend.” Michael gets excited. Justin groans into Brian’s neck and says something about it being Paris all over again.

“Michael, there better be cheese that doesn’t taste like C  U  M  this time.” Justin tells Michael. Everyone is laughing hysterically and Emmett just tells me he’ll explain at the zoo. I guess we're going to the zoo today, although I feel like I’m at the zoo already.