Brian had just picked up Justin from the airport when the theme song from Jaws echoed through the car.

“The munchers are calling,” Brian announced before answering his cell phone and putting it on hands-free. “Yeah.”

“Hi, Daddy… it’s me… Gus,” came the voice out of the car’s speaker system.

“Hey, Sonny Boy,” Brian said with a smile. He thought it was adorable that his son felt the need to clarify who it was on the phone, as if he didn’t recognize his voice and there was someone else who called him “Daddy.”

The men could hear Gus whispering but couldn’t understand him.

“Speak up son, I can’t hear you. Why are you whispering?”

Gus replied a bit louder in his high-pitched voice, “I’m hiding from Mama and Mommy in the closet. I don’t want them to hear me talking to you. Daddy, you have a pee pee, right?”

Brian was completely caught off guard. “Uh… what?”

Justin giggled beside him.

“Mama said that’s how boys and girls are different,” Gus explained. “I’m a boy, you’re a boy, so that means you have a pee pee too, right?”

Brian and Justin both laughed.

“Um, yeah Gus, I have a, uh, ‘pee pee.’”

“Daddy, don’t laugh. This is serious,” Gus scolded.

Brian composed himself. “I’m sorry, son. Why are you asking?”

The men heard some scuffling a moment later followed by Gus yelling, “Go away! I’m talking to Daddy about boy stuffs!”

A door slammed.

“Gus?” Brian asked, wondering what was going on at the other end of the line.

“Sorry, Daddy… can’t get any privacy in this house. Anyways, does your pee pee ever do anything funny?” the six year-old asked.

Brian and Justin simultaneously looked at each other and bit their lips, trying not to burst out laughing again and angering the sensitive boy.

“You’re on your own with this one, Daddy,” Justin whispered.

Brian gave the blond the finger. “What… what do you mean by ‘funny,’ Gus?”

“Well, I hugged my friend Daniel earlier on the playground and my pee pee did a funny thing. My tummy got all bubbly, too.”

Justin covered his face, his body shaking with quiet laughter. Brian had to pull the car over to the side of the road to keep from crashing.

“Uh…” Brian said, taking a few seconds to carefully craft his response. “That… that can happen when you like someone, Gus. It sometimes happens to me when I hug someone I like. It’s normal and nothing to worry about.”

“Does your pee pee ever go funny when you hug Justy, Daddy?” Gus asked in his sweet little voice.

Justin whispered, “Oh my God, it hurts…” He was holding his ribs, trying so hard not to laugh out loud.

Brian reached over and smacked the blond on his arm to shut him up. “Yes, sometimes. It’s because I love Justin.”

Justin grabbed Brian’s hand and squeezed it. Brian responded by kissing the back of Justin’s hand.

“Maybe you just really care for your friend Daniel,” Brian offered.

“What about when you see Mommy? You love Mommy too, right Daddy? Does your pee pee do funny things when you hug her?”

Brian whispered to Justin, “She makes it shrink.”

Justin snorted.

“There are different kinds of love, Gus,” Brian explained. “I love your Mommy like a friend. Justin is my extra-special friend and I love him differently than I do Mommy.”

“He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he, Daddy? Mommy said so.”

Justin smirked at Brian, who stuck his tongue out in reply.

“Maybe Daniel is your extra-special friend,” Brian said to his son. “Maybe he could even be your boyfriend, if he feels the same way that you do.”

“Nuh-uh, Natalie is my girlfriend. I can’t have a boyfriend and a girlfriend at the same time, that’s mean.”

“Hmm, I haven’t heard about a ‘Natalie’ before,” Brian said, feeling left out. He hated that there was so much of his son’s life he wasn’t able to share in, due to him living in Toronto with his mothers. “What happened to Jessica?”

“She’s Tommy’s girlfriend now.”

“Ah… Does Natalie make your uh, pee pee do funny things, Gus?”

Justin was crying at this point, he was laughing so hard. Brian glanced over and pinched the blond on his thigh.

“Shut up,” Brian whispered to his boyfriend.

“I’ve never hugged Natalie before. Should I hug her tomorrow to see?” Gus asked.

“You could try. It’s okay to like Natalie and Daniel at the same time, but you’re right - you should only have a boyfriend or a girlfriend so you won’t hurt anyone’s feelings.”

The men heard what sounded like someone knocking on a door followed by a woman’s muffled voice yelling.

“Thank you for your help, Daddy. I’ll let you know what happens when I hug Natalie. I’ve gotta go, Mama said I need to get out of the closet. I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Sonny Boy. Oh, and tell your Mama that you’ll come out when you’re ready.”

Justin gave Brian his brightest Sunshine Smile.

“I’m ready, Daddy. Bye.”