MICHAEL 

Who the fuck does that guy think he is? No freeloader is going to threaten me. Ma better hope someone will take her in, because I just called to have her locks changed. She needs learn who wears the pants in this family. And it’s damn well not her. She’ll be sorry she refused to help me.

I tried to call Ben, but it keeps going to voicemail. Ben is starting to piss me off, he keeps running to help his students. If he thinks I don’t know he’s fucking his grad student, he’s in for a surprise. Truthfully, I don’t want his diseased dick near me. I only married him because he asked and I wanted everyone to be jealous that Ben wanted me. I just couldn't pretend I liked having sex with him anymore. I keep picturing his HIV finding it's way out of the condoms. He can screw the guys willing to take the risk.

Brian should have stopped me from marrying Ben, but he was too busy fucking everyone but me. I played the sympathetic friend and even offered to set him up with the guy I was screwing at the time. I pictured us having a threesome together and after that Brian would realize it was me he wanted. Brian refused, he acted like a dick about it and ruined my plan. He’ll come around, as soon as he lets go of the losers we hung out with.

I don't feel like clearing out Ma’s house by myself, the locks will keep her out. It’s all junk anyway. I should smash her knickknacks to punish her, it would serve her right. I hate that house. Tomorrow she can beg me to let her come home. Then she'll just have to do as I told her, or she can live in the park for all I care. 

BEN

Man, Peter was pile driving into me when Michael repeatedly called. I told Peter to keep fucking me, Michael wasn’t important. Peter and I finally climax and stay on top of my desk. I miss bottoming for a big dick. Michael’s dick is like poking your finger in a freeway tunnel. We also look ridiculous, it’s like a Chihuahua fucking a Great Dane. He also whines when he comes, it makes me want to shake him off like fleas on a dog. Pretending he does anything for me is hard, but I just think of Peter.

“Ben, I don't like feeling like your dirty little secret. When are you going to leave your husband?” I just wanted to enjoy my high, not have to placate Peter. I guess he deserves to hear what he wants, even though it will never happen.

“Michael needs me to help him win custody of Jenny. Once that’s done, I promise we'll be together. Just give me time.” I kiss him to soften him up. I don't want to replace him, but if he keeps it up, it'll be time to find a new fuckbuddy.

Peter leaves, still unhappy, but hopefully he won't make me dump him. But there are always a lot more guys willing to fuck for an ‘A’. Time to see what fucking Michael wants this time. I should never have given Michael a second chance. I call him.

“It's about time you called, I kicked Ma out of her house. She let some twink yell at me. All she had to do was agree to help me against Mel, but instead of acting like my mother, she bitches me out. I want her shit thrown out on the lawn.” Michael rants.

“Michael, it’s going to look bad that you threw your mother out of her home. We are trying to prove we're the better parents, and you shit on your mother. Next time fucking call, so we don’t have to keep fixing your screw ups.” I really hate being married to someone this stupid. 

“I'd call but you always seem busy. Want to tell me what was so important YOU COULDN’T ANSWER YOUR FUCKING PHONE!?” He yells at me.

“My job. You know the one that pays for everything. Maybe it's time you find a real job, volunteering at comic conventions doesn’t pay bills, Mikey. Maybe you could go back into retail, it’s all your limited brain power seems capable of doing.” I tell him. 

“Ben let's not fight. How about I cook dinner and we talk? I was upset Ma isn’t taking my side. I'm sorry I took it out on you. Please don't call me by that name, I've told you, calling me Mikey makes me sound like a child.” I had to keep from laughing at him. He is a child. He really thinks I'll take the blame for him yelling, like I was the one who started this fight. He can eat his shitty food alone, I'd rather kill myself than pretend that we still love each other.

“Sorry, but I told one of the teachers I'd sub for him tonight. I'll probably stay on campus tonight, since I have early classes tomorrow. We can do something tomorrow.” I tell him. Michael hangs up without saying goodbye. Tomorrow I can make up something else.

Maybe I just found Peter’s replacement. A student from my morning class walks in and smiles. I tell him to shut the door. He does that and pulls out his dick. Hopefully he’s as good as Peter. Yeah Mikey, I'm busy until forever.   

BRIAN

Emmett called and told me about Michael’s latest trick. Michael better fucking run from me. Deb deserves better than this. The only problem is, no one knows where she went. Just that some guy and his kid took her with them. I told Emmett to meet me at the loft and to call Ted and Blake. We were going to have to find Mom. Gus was so caught up in his book I had to get him to close it just to listen to me.

“Grandma Deb needs us. Do you want to stay with Blake or come with me?” I ask him.

“I'll go if you want me to.” Gus answers, although he really wants to read instead. I think he doesn’t need to hear about the crap Mikey’s pulling on Deb. It’s too much like Lindsay. 

“How about you stay with Blake and if she needs you, I'll come get you?” I ask him. 

“Okay.” And he’s back to reading, I've lost him again.

Blake agrees to stay, but tells me to keep in touch, he's worried about Deb. Emmett told me a customer saw Deb leave in a Mustang. I guess I get to meet Justin sooner, too bad I need to take care of Deb, but that has to come first. I call Cynthia and tell her to find an address for Justin Taylor, Ted interrupts me.

“I know his address, he's the new client from this morning.” Ted tells me. 

“He’s the big account you were talking about?” I ask him. 

“He’s probably the biggest we've had since we started financial services.” Ted tells me. 

“Trust fund kid?” I ask him. 

“No. Author and painter, made every dime on his own. He’s Jen Taylor's son. She told me he wanted help and she recommended us.” Ted tells me. 

“Call and tell him we need to see Deb.” Good for Justin, he didn’t live off mommy and daddy. 

Ted calls and gets directions to Justin’s house. Emmett tells me he’ll stay and cook dinner. Ted tells me it's a half hour out of Pittsburgh, guess we're driving to the country today. We arrive to see a mansion, not a house. Deb is waiting for us outside.

“You okay?” I ask her. 

“Nothing new. Michael’s being an ass. I won’t go to court for him so he took my house.” Deb started to cry. Ted and I held her. I'll fucking buy Michael’s neighborhood and raze it to the ground for this. Deb finally got ahold of herself, but asked me if we could talk before we went in. She told Ted to go into the kitchen, Justin was in there. 

“Brian, you need to talk to Justin first before you meet his son.” Deb tells me. 

“Deb, I wouldn't be mean to a kid.” I assure her.

“It’s just that you don't like surprises, and this one is gonna knock you on your ass.” Deb tells me. 

Deb asks me to wait here and she'll send Justin out to me. What the hell is going on? I'm here to help Deb, not walk down memory lane. Justin comes outside, he smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes. Do they really think I'd be mean to a kid?

“Hey, it's been a while. I don't know if you remember me.” Justin seems nervous. 

“Actually, I remembered you when Gus told me about meeting his favorite author. Guess you did well for yourself.” I tell him. He still looks so young. I wished we'd kept in touch.

“Gus and I met when you and his mom were fighting on the street. He’s a good kid.” Justin is pulling on his sleeves, I really wanted to tell him to stop, that's designer, not Big Q.

“You were there with him too?” Gus didn’t mention anyone else. Just that he met his favorite author. 

“No, it was just me. Maybe I should finally introduce myself to you. I'm Justin Cole Taylor.” He tells me. 

“Brian Aidan Kinney. So you gave Gus the book. Thanks, it made his day. Lindsay, his mother, is making life difficult.” I tell him. He smiles but starts to fidget again.

“I'm afraid I'm not gonna make it any easier.” He tells me. 

“We haven't seen each other in eight years. What could you possibly do in the few minutes we’ve sat here that’s going to make things difficult?” I joke.

“Introduce you to Jackson. Our son.” He said the words, but maybe he meant his partner and him. We were only together one night.

“You don't have to do anything. If you don't want to acknowledge Jackson, just answer his questions and go. Don’t hurt him, that's all I ask.” Justin tells me. I can’t just stand here, I have to know.

I walk past him into the house, I need to see this kid. I don't know how I feel right now. There, sitting at the kitchen counter is Gus, if he was dirty blonde with blue eyes. He turns and smiles, guess Justin gave him something, otherwise he’s all Kinney. 

“Hi, I'm Jackson. I guess you're my dad. It’s okay if you don't want me to call you that. I'd like to, but you don't know me and maybe you don't want another kid. But maybe we could talk once in awhile. I'm really smart and I have so many questions. I sometimes put people off because I can't shut up, but I have so much information going through my head it's easier to talk and get it out. It drives my teachers crazy, but Dad told me to keep asking questions, because I need the answers. I'm going to do a science project and if you want, you could help me. Dad thinks I'll blow a crater in the yard if no one keeps an eye on me. I hope you like me.” He stops talking and all I can think is ‘this gorgeous child is mine’. He starts to fidgeting with his shirt, I'm going to have to stop him before he ruins his clothes, but I have time. I have the rest of my life.

I walk over and lift his chin to make him look at me, ”I'd love to be your other dad, but first let's talk about how to treat your shirts better.”

I smile at him and my son lunges himself into my arms. Jesus, how do you love someone this much that you just met? Justin smiles at me and points to the living room. I carry Jackson with me, while they leave us alone. I turned and told Ted to get Blake to bring Gus, he has a brother to meet.

I want to be angry that I didn’t get to see him growing up, but I can't, because he looks like he’s had a good life with Justin. This beautiful child has had a good life, filled with love. One Kinney isn't stained by my family. He doesn’t have the anxious look I had all my life, and I'm grateful to Justin for that. I wanted to see what it's like for my child to be carefree and happy, Justin gave me that in Jackson. It’s more than Gus has had in his short life, so I let it go and decide to be a better man than my father.