BRIAN 

In the last few months, life has just been about normal day to day things. Kinnetik was becoming the premier ad agency and making money faster than before, due to my not making the same mistakes I made in the past. Vic and Emmett’s business took off, and if they continue at the pace they’re going, they were going to own the business sooner than I predicted. Mel began dating, but so far she's had a hard time trusting the women she meets, Lindsay really fucked Mel up. Justin and I were waiting for Leda to show up, I always thought she was a better choice for Mel. Leda didn’t have hidden agendas. With Leda, what you see is what you get.

One of the best days of my life was the day I was able to sit in the bleachers with Jen and see Justin walk up to the podium to accept his high school diploma. I wanted to celebrate a victory in our lives, so I took Justin to Ibiza as his present. Justin sent Emmett and Ted to the Bahamas, to thank them for being true friends to us. We all came back ready for the next chapter of our lives.

I was waiting for Ted at the diner, it was time to push him into a more active role in Kinnetik. I’ve had him sit in on the meetings, but I wanted to groom him to start going out and bringing in the accounts.  

Justin was attending orientation at Carnegie Mellon, and would be meeting me later to help Mel with Gus’s first birthday. I told Mel if she bought a swing set, I'd pay the setup fee. She asked why we would buy a swing set for a one year old who was just learning to walk. Something that thinking back, I can see made absolutely no sense.

I put Justin in charge of buying Gus’s present, because when I suggested clothes, he looked at me like I was crazy. Justin doesn't understand that if fashion is taught young, my son won’t grow up dressing like him. 

Deb walked over to the table, it was time for my daily report on all things Michael. 

“Michael wanted me to ask you to call him.” Deb tells me.  

“What does he want?” I ask 

“I think he and David are having problems.” She tells me. 

“Shouldn’t he talk to David?” I ask her. 

“Yes, but you know my idiot son. He has to talk everything to death. Couldn’t you just talk to him?” She asks me. 

“Michael needs to learn to deal with his problems. All talking to me accomplishes is Michael avoiding his problems.” I tell her. 

“I’m not asking you to tell him what to do, I’m just asking for a break from him.” She tells me.

“Deb that relationship is going to fail because Michael won’t try to make it work. From what Ted has been telling me, he can’t find a job, he is mad because David is working, and when David isn’t working they have to spend their time with Hank. Michael isn’t the center of attention, and he wants to be.” I tell her. Plus he should be back any day now.

“Maybe I should have convinced him to stay.” She tells me.

“So we could listen to him bitch about how he should have gone with David?” Ted tells her as he slides in the booth.

“It’s sad that I can’t decide which would be worse. Okay, enough about Michael, what can I get you?” She asks us.

“What do you mean enough about me?” Michael stands behind his mother smiling.

“Michael?” Deb turns and yanks him into her arms.

“Ma, I need to breathe.” He tells her.

“Baby, what are you doing here?” She asks him.

“I wanted to visit, I’ve been gone for a while.” He tells her. 

“Well sit down and let me get you something to eat, you’re skin and bones.” She tells him.

“Glad I didn’t go by the loft first, we’d have missed each other.” Michael tells me.

“How’s Portland?” I ask him.

“It’s been a new experience.” Michael tells me.

“How long are you here for?” Deb asks him.

“I haven’t decided.” He tells her. 

“Is David here with you?” She asks him.

“No, he wanted to take Hank camping, so I figured it was a good time to see my friends.” Little Mikey’s lying.

“Deb can you check on our breakfast, Ted and I need to eat and run today.” I tell her.

“Brian, I just got here, I was hoping to spend some time together.” He whines at me.

“We can, but Ted and I are going to be busy for the next week. I also have to help Mel with Gus’s birthday. Justin and I have a lot on our plate.” I tell him.

“You should just let Mel deal with Gus’s birthday, or tell Boy Wonder to get off his ass and help, since he isn’t in school anymore.” He tells me.

“Justin just started a full load at Carnegie Mellon. So he isn’t sitting on his ass waiting around for someone to do things for him. Deb can I get a to-go tray?” Ted didn’t seem happy with Michael.

“I think I better get a to-go too. Ted and I have a lot to get done today.” I tell her.

“Hey, how about I come and see your office?” He asks me.

“Michael they don’t have time to visit, let them get to work and you stay here and eat.” Deb tells him.

“You think Emmett will let me stay with him?” He asks us.

“Michael, you can stay at the house. Emmett and Vic are really busy with their jobs and Emmett doesn’t have time to entertain you. You should have called and told us you were coming.” Deb tells him.

“I didn’t realize I needed to schedule time with my friends.” He pouts.

“If you want to us to have time for you, you do.” Ted tells him.

“I know what that’s like, David and I were always busy.” He tells us.

“Not that I could tell, with all the phone calls.” Ted mutters as we heads out the door.

MICHAEL

Ma made me come to the birthday party with her and Vic. I had to sit and watch Brian and Justin act like they were celebrating their kid’s birthday, instead of Mel’s kid’s. It was really depressing to see that no one seemed to miss me at all. All week they barely spend two minutes with me and then they have something I’m not invited to. All their lives moved on and I’m stuck behind.

Ma tried to convince me to join everyone at the party. She was disappointed when my stuff started showing up at the house. I had to finally tell her the truth, that David got tired of me complaining about everything and told me to go home. I ended up getting my old job back and it’s like I never left. Why can’t I ever move forward? 

BRIAN 

Justin was working on a painting, so I figured I’d get us breakfast. Michael was there dressed for another big day in retail hell. He’s been getting more dissatisfied with his life. All I could think was, please Buzzy sell the fucking shop. I almost went to Buzzy and offered to finance his move, if it would get Michael off my ass.

Justin is almost ready to move out, just to get away from the constant Michael barrage. Not that he would go anywhere, unless he takes me with him that just isn’t going to happen. Emmett even told us he could steal a condom, just so Mel would be able to use it. When Emmett is running away, it's bad.

Michael was complaining to Deb when I walked in the diner. I would have turned around but Deb caught me.

“Brian, I'm so glad you’re here, it will give Michael someone else to bitch too.” She tells me. 

“I wasn’t bitching, it's just I feel like nothing is ever going to change.” He tells us. 

“For you, probably not.” I tell him. 

“What does that mean?” He asks me. 

“You came back, but instead of looking for new opportunities, you ran back to what you know. You didn’t try to change anything, just got back to the same rut you were already in.” I tell him. 

“I didn’t have a fairy godmother helping me start a business, or giving me a job.” He tells me. 

“Neither did the rest of us. Vic and Emmett took out a loan, then used their talent to succeed. Ted had talent that was wasting away in a closet, he took a chance on me, to get out of his rut. I was lucky enough that Ted was willing to take a risk.” I tell him.

“I could have used someone wanting to help me.” He tells me.

“You weren’t listening to a word Brian said. They didn’t have someone helping them, they took opportunities that were there.” Deb tells him. 

You know I was going to let him figure it out, but it was starting to interrupt my time with Justin. I refuse to have another night of Mikey whining in my loft.

“Think of something you would love to do.” I tell him.

“I wish I could write comics, but I can’t draw anything.” He tells us and Justin already said no to that idea.

“Then do something with comics. I heard Buzzy wants to close up shop.” I tell him. 

“I know, I can’t believe he wants to just throw away that business.” He tells us.

“He would probably sell it.” I hint.

“I don’t have the money to buy a shop.” He tells me.

“Then sell something.” Hint, Hint, please get the fucking hint.

“Like what?” He asks us.

“Isn’t that Captain Astro comic that David got you worth money?” I ask him.

“I have to go.” He gets up and runs out of the Diner.