BRIAN

Justin and Anne wanted to have dinner together tonight, so Alex could get to know Justin better. I think the ‘adopt the world plan’ Justin seems to have is getting out of hand. I rolled my eyes when Justin suggested inviting his mother. I doubt she wants to meet the woman who was fucking her husband. Anne tells us she’ll call Jen and see if she wants to come. Straight people are strange. 

Practice was over and I see Jackson running towards us. I look for Gus and don’t see him. 

“Where is Gus, Jackson?” I ask.

“His mother was waiting by the bleachers and wanted to talk to him.” Jackson tells us. 

“Did she talk to you?” I ask him.

“She tried to invite me to her house but I told her that I don’t take candy from strangers either.” He tells me.

I tell Jackson to stay with Justin. Lindsay better not be fucking with Gus. 

“Shit.” Justin muttered under his breath. I look around to see an older guy walking towards Anne and Justin.

“I have to get Gus. I can’t let Lindsay do whatever she is up to now. Are you going to be okay?” I want to stay but Gus needs me right now.

“Go take care of Gus. I can handle my father.” Justin tells me.

I run down to look for Gus and pass Justin’s father. “You fuck with my kid and I’ll rip your balls off.” I tell him as I walk by. He looks confused, but I'll straighten it out if he hurts Justin or Jackson. 

Lindsay is standing there dressed like a soccer mom, and I can tell Gus wants to tell her to leave him alone. I would think with all the excitement yesterday, she would be too busy destroying Sam’s life and leave us alone. 

“Gus, I’m leaving Sam, we could start spending time together. I want us to have a better relationship. I would love to have you and your friends over so I could get to know them. Wouldn’t you love that, Lambskin?” Lindsay tells Gus.

“I would love is for you to stop calling me that stupid name. I asked Dad and he said that I only have to spend time with you when the court ordered it. I don’t want you to embarrass me in front of my friends, and I don’t want you around my brother either. You only want me around because you want Dad, and that’s not going to happen.” Gus tells her.

“That’s not true. I knew you didn’t like Sam, so I let your father have custody because I knew it would make you happy. I was only thinking of you.” Lindsay tells him. Yeah, she let me have custody, I only had to go to court for six months to get it.

“Dad doesn’t lie to me, like you do. I know you didn’t give him custody, he had to fight you for it. Just leave me alone.” Gus see me and runs into my arms. I tell him to go to the coach and wait for me. I watch him leave and turn to Lindsay.

“You come near him again and I’ll go back to court and fight to keep you from hurting him emotionally anymore. Gus doesn’t need your shit. Go back to your husband and forget we exist.” I tell her.

“Brian, I’m leaving Sam. I want to repair all the damage I’ve done to Gus. I think letting him spend time with me would help Gus. I can’t do that if you're blocking me. I made a mistake marrying Sam, but I wanted to give Gus a normal family life. If you would have agreed, we could have done that together.” Lindsay tells me. 

“You were going to give him a normal home life? Sorry if I don’t believe you. I know straight people are supposed to be better parents, according to you, but I don’t think Gus having to share his home with the resident pervert, who thinks nothing of letting naked women walk around a seven year old, is an example I want to set for my kid.” I sneer at her.

“Brian, don’t make this about Sam, it’s about Gus.” Is she for real?

“Do you know that every time you come around, Gus reminds me of me when my father would come home. It’s the look on his face. The same one I would have, the one praying he was sober and not planning on breaking my arm because he was having a bad day. I wanted Gus to escape from the curse of my family, to be happy. I gave you a child and all I wanted was for you to be a good mother. Instead you and Mel play musical partners and Gus never knows where to call home. I forgave you each time because you seemed to love Gus. I blame myself for not seeing what a self centered bitch you really are, but thanks to Justin, I finally got to see a what happens when a child has a good life with a parent who loves him. I will make sure that Gus has that, even if it means making you look like a lunatic to get it. Don’t fuck with me on this Lindsay. I’m sure a court would love to hear about what I found out yesterday; Sam fucking some woman in front of Gus while you yelled but didn’t get my son out of the room.” I stare at her, so she knows I won’t play this game with her.

“Brian what happened to us? We were Peter and Wendy. You and I were suppose to help each other.” Lindsay stares at me.

“Peter Pan sent Wendy home so she could grow up. I guess I left Neverland and you stayed to play with Captain Hook.” I walk off. I need to put out the next fire. Justin’s father better have listened to me.

JUSTIN

I watch Brian run off to get Gus away from Lindsay and turn to Jackson.

“You want wait over by the steps for Gus and Alex?” I ask him.

“You think your dad is going to be mean?” Jackson asks me.

“No. I just never wanted you to have to know him.” I tell him. Jackson shrugs his shoulders and starts walking slowly toward the stairs. 

I watch my sperm donor stop and stare at Jackson. I stand up, ready to go to my son. I swear if Craig does anything, I’ll kill him. He smiles at Jackson and offers his hand. Jackson looked at his hand and then into Craig’s face.

“You want to shake my hand? Wow. I mean, Nana hugs me silly and my new Nana pinches my cheek then kisses my head, but you want a handshake. It won’t change the fact that my dad is gay and got pregnant with me. It won’t change the fact that you told him he didn’t exist anymore. It won’t change the fact that I want to build a space shuttle to put bigots like you in and shoot you to Uranus. So take your hand and stick up your butt.” Jackson tells him. Turning to me my son says loudly “Dad, I didn’t say the bad word for butt.” I wanted to laugh.

Craig walks up and tells Anne they need to talk. 

“I don’t have anything to say to you, just sign the papers. You can go live with Barbie or Skipper, you know, the chick you’ve been screwing.” Anne tells him.

“You aren’t getting full custody of Alex. I won’t have him thinking it’s normal to be gay. I want it in the paperwork that Simon can’t be left alone with Alex.” Craig apparently doesn’t care that Anne is divorcing him.

“You mean the person who took care of Alex when you couldn’t be bothered? Go ahead and fight me Craig, I’ll make sure you don’t have a pot to piss in if you do.” Anne tells him.

“I won’t have him grow up to be a faggot because you don’t care enough to keep him from being exposed to them.” Craig tells her.

“I’d rather he be around a gay man than a man who treats women like we’re property and can’t seem to keep his dick in his pants. I don’t want Alex to learn that unless he tows the line you’ll kick him out and tell him not to come home. You alienate all your children and then act like they were at fault for not preaching your hate. I will not allow you to do that to my child. Go home and finish packing your clothes. I want all reminders of my mistake out of MY HOME.” Anne tells him.

“I never hated Justin. If he had given up being gay, he could have come home. Justin was the one who would rather live that deviant lifestyle. The Bible says it’s a sin. Do you want Alex to be around people who ignore the Bible?” Craig asks her. It’s like I’m not standing next to him. 

“You know DAD, it amazes me you even know what the Bible says, considering you never read anything. Isn’t adultery a sin? And doesn’t it say that only God is allowed to judge people? I guess as long as you’re heterosexual, you get to be forgiven for your sins. Good luck getting into heaven. I doubt God makes exceptions for sins based on who you love. One more thing, I don’t want you to even look at my son, he might really build a shuttle just to shoot you into space.” I tell him. Craig isn’t worth my time.

Anne tells Craig to call her lawyer, she no longer wants to deal with him. I should be upset that he isn’t going to change, but I lost him years ago.

“Justin, it isn’t right to raise my grandson around a bunch of deviants.” He just had to say it.

“Why do you think I keep him away from you?” I tell him.

MICHAEL

Ben has been acting stranger than usual lately. When I got home after Lindsay tried to kill us, Ben told me he wanted to celebrate. It wasn’t a birthday or anniversary, so I asked him what we were celebrating. 

“Freedom from oppression. I think that deserves to be celebrated.” Ben tells me. I hope he isn’t going to lecture about whatever oppression is.

“Did you want to have a party or something?” I’m so confused.

“I invited Monty and Eli over with the neighbors so they could watch a movie, I made it and I want everyone’s opinion on it.” Ben tells me.

“When is everyone coming over?” I ask him.

“I thought we could start the block party in the house. Peter, my TA, and a couple of students are coming to help set up the screen and speakers. I told Monty to let everyone know the kids shouldn’t watch, so only adults could come and see. I want you to be in the front with Monty and Eli.” Ben tells me. He seems really happy about it.

Ben makes me some tofu crap and tells me he has a present for me but wants me to open it at the party. Ben tells me it’s something to tell me what I mean to him. I smile and tell him that I would be proud to be there. I’m sure it’s something stupid, but I can pretend it’s important to me. I don’t even understand half of what he’s talking about anyway. Eli and I can laugh about Ben wanting to show everyone a boring movie.

BRIAN

I got Gus from the coach and went to see if Jackson was alright. Jackson told me Justin would handle the sperm donor. We watched as Craig talked to Anne. I also watched as Craig tried to tell Justin he still loved him. Got to give it to my old man, he didn’t waste words, just kicked the shit out of you. Justin walked away from Craig and came to us.

“Is everything okay?” He asks us.

“Lindsay is trying to get Gus to spend time with her. I made sure she understands that isn’t going to happen. Are you okay?” I ask Justin.

“He isn’t going to change and I don’t expect him to, I was over it years ago.” Justin tells me.

Justin tells the boys Alex is coming over tonight, they ask if they can swim in the pool. Everyone seems to be doing fine. We get the boys in the car and I feel like we should do something special, just the four of us. I drive till I see the evil place and turn under the ‘golden arches’ to cheering.