JUSTIN

Brian and I returned to the house very early because I wanted to be home when the kids woke up. Brian told me that Mel wanted to come too but would be here when Ted and Blake came in. I got to the house and walked in on Emmett rubbing Max’s back while Max seemed to be puking into a garbage can. 

“Is Max alright?” I ask Emmett.

“I don’t know Baby, he seemed fine earlier when we were trying out the hot tub. He just started throwing up a couple minutes ago.” Emmett tells me.

“I can’t be sick tonight, this is one of the biggest shows my gallery has ever hosted.” Max groans.

“Is he running a fever?” I ask Emmett.

“We were in the hot tub so he’s warm but it could be that.” Emmett tells me.

“I’m fine, I just shouldn’t have eaten half the menu at the restaurant yesterday.” Max tells us and pulls himself up off the floor. Thank god Emmett was standing there, because Max ended up passing out and would have hit the floor.

“Max, wake up. What do we do?” Emmett panics as he tries to get Max to wake up.

Brian walks over and helps Emmett carry Max to the sofa. Max starts to wake up but yells for the garbage can. I get it under him in time, but back up. It was nasty listening to him retch.

“Max we can handle tonight if you're sick.” Emmett tells him.

“I feel like absolute shit, and I wanted to ask you to marry me.” Max blurts out, but was looking at Brian instead of Emmett.

“Already engaged Max, and I doubt Justin is interested in be the other husband.” Brian jokes.

“Brian shut the hell up and let me ask Emmett without you barging into my relationship.” Max tells him.

“Wait, your serious?” Emmett asks Max.

“Yes, but I really wanted to ask you in a nicer way than while I puke over a garbage can.” He tells him.

“The answer is yes, but you can ask again when you're not throwing up, tends to make me worry why you're asking.” Emmett kisses Max’s head. 

“You can stay home tonight if you need to, Elaine and I can deal with this.” I tell Max.

“I don’t care if I have to hold a garbage can, I’m coming.” He tells us.

Brian and I go to the kids room and watch them sleep. Aidan sits up and rubs his eyes. I can tell he’s disoriented but remembers this room. He smiles when he see us sitting on the chairs by the beds.

“DAD, DADDY.” He yells excited to see us.

“Inside voice, you don’t want to wake Jewel up.” I tell him.

“Sorry Daddy.” He whispers.

“It’s fine, come on and we can start breakfast for everyone.” I tell him.

“I’m coming too.” Gus tells us.

“It’s too early Daddy, can’t we stay in the bed.” Jewel whines.

“Daddy and you can lay here and the boys and I will check on breakfast.” Brian tells us.

I snuggle with my girl and watch her close her eyes and sleep again. 

BRIAN

I stood inside the darkened gallery and watch Lindsey pacing around the lobby, pissed because Max wouldn’t let her in the main Gallery until the show started. Most of the people waiting in the lobby looked like they would rather eat ground glass than listen to Lindsay play the “Queen of the Art World”. People were excited to get a chance to see to famous artists showing together. Sam was MIA and wouldn’t answer any calls, until an hour ago. Apparently he meet his muse at the park when he left the gallery two days ago and took off and married her last night in Vegas.

“Sam you couldn’t have waited for tonight to run off? If you don’t show up you can forget Jay and Paris… Why didn’t you just say that… I’ll get someone to let you and wifey in.” Max hangs up and shakes his head.

“Wife number six?” Justin asks Max.

“Why not just hand them his bank account, they are never around that long.” Max complains.

Sam comes in with a very young girl giggling on his arm. He reaches for the champagne.

“Unless she has an ID that says she’s legal, she drinks the punch.” Max tells Sam.

“Fine. Sweetheart go get some punch, while I deal with Max.” Sam tells her.

“Don’t even know her name do you?” Max asks him.

“They all like nicknames, plus I really don’t care.” Sam tells him.

“Just make sure to announce it when Lindsay thinks you're going to introduce her.” Max tells him.

“Trust me, I’m looking forward to it. I had my agent get her shit out of my house. My darling wife and I don’t want to deal with her tonight.” Sam tells us.

Emmett and I take Shelly, aka wife number six, around the gallery to keep Lindsay from meeting her replacement. Emmett kept her entertained and I keep removing her hand from my crotch. Hope Sam realizes that trophy wife is going to run off with the next guy who offers her a bigger credit line. 

LINDSAY

My mother and I were finally let into the gallery, I stood next to the door and greeted each person and welcomed them to my fiance’s show. Mother wanted to know why Sam wasn’t with us and I told her he was working all night. Sam better be ready to apologize for disappearing after lunch yesterday and not answering any of my calls. Jay was standing next to Sam and talking to reporters and I decided to stand next to Sam so that we could be pictured together. I walked over near Sam and waited for him to tell me to come stand next to him. He looked at me and then past me. I turned to see Brian and Emmett standing there with some young girl. I honestly didn’t care if Brian knew anything anymore. I had Sam to give me what I wanted. I heard a reporter ask Sam about the rumors about me.

“You’ve been seen out lately with a certain lady friend, any wedding bells in the future?” The reporter asks him.

I waited for him to tell them all about me, my mother stood next to me and smiled with me.

“I was thinking of weddings last night and decided it was time to marry wife number is it five or six Jay?” Sam ask Jay.

“Six, but who knows, could be seven.” Jay jokes.

“Yeah, but when you meet the person who is your muse, you just have to marry them.” Sam tells everyone in the gallery.

“Why don’t you announce your news to everyone.” Max tells Sam.

“Honey is he going to propose here, in the gallery?” My mom whispers disapprovingly.

“It’s just the way artists are mother.” I tell her.

“It should be done in front of family, not people you barely know. Hopefully he gets you a tasteful ring.” She tells me.

I was about to tell my mother to shut up when I hear everyone clapping and cheering at something. We both turn to see Sam kissing some child. 

“Sam, I thought you were seeing another woman.” I hear a reporter ask him.

“You mean Lindsay Peterson or Liddy as we call her?” Sam asks.

“It’s who you’ve been with lately.” The reporter says.

“She’s a slutty groupie who will sleep with any artist just to be able to say she is part of the scene. Figured a pussy was a pussy, so I took her up on the offer to share a few nights.” Sam tells the entire gallery.

“How do you feel about Sam calling you a slutty groupie, Ms. Peterson?” A reporter asks while people snap pictures of me and my mom.

“Sam was just kidding, SAM TELL THEM THIS IS A JOKE.” I yell at him.

“Oh hey, I had my agent put your shit next to my garbage, you might want to pick that up before the garbage runs, maybe it already has. Darling, that’s the woman I was telling you about, she and her mother tried to redecorate our home.” He tells the girl.

“She’s so old Sammy, she could be my mom. She sure dresses like hers.” The little bitch tells Sam.

“That’s why I snapped you up darling, got tired of humoring her and the hag next to her.” He tells her.

I stood there watching all the pretentious assholes around me laughing and whispering to each other about me. I could feel the doors slamming in my face, because Sam had to marry some child, and let everyone know I was worthless to him. My mother turned and walked out of the gallery. I couldn’t stay here any longer. They would make sure I knew they are laughing at me. I wanted to do one last thing to hurt someone else. I walked up to Brian.

“He left knowing he was pregnant, because you kicked him out. So even if Michael hadn’t tried to kill him, he was running away with your child. Guess he either lost the baby or gave it away, must be just awful to know you not only fucked up Justin’s life but may have killed your own child.” I whisper to him and turn to walk away.

“Just so you know, Aidan is just fine. Unlike you, Justin kept OUR kid with him. The rest, I honestly don’t give a fuck about.” He whispers in my ear. He pulls Justin to him. “Want to congratulate me and Justin on our future marriage?” He asks me. He kissed Justin while reporters took pictures. 

I had to get back to Pittsburgh and make sure Michael and Deb understood that we had to protect ourselves.