BRIAN 

I finally cleared my desk and was checking my email when Max called.

“Have you ever seen the show America’s Dumbest Criminals?” He asks me.  

“No, why?” I replied, not sure what he was getting at.

“I think we might have some living in Deb’s house.” He tells me. 

“Dumb definitely, but we knew that. Where does the criminal part come in?” I ask him. 

“You have to see it for yourself, especially when Michael tells all on YouTube.” He tells me. 

“What did he tell, that he's a closet drag queen?” I joke.

“As entertaining as that would be to comment on, nope. More like confessed to hitting Jay in New York and Lindsay helping to hide the evidence. Oh and Deb apparently got credit cards in some dead man’s name.” He tells me.

“He posted that?” I ask.

“Yes, but I don’t think he realized he put it all on there. Lindsay showed up and he didn’t stop recording.” He tells me.

“Which one, there are a bunch of him on YouTube?” I ask him.

“I sent you the link in an email. I also saved it on my hard drive, just incase he figures out what he did.” He tells me.

I tell Max to hold and click the email and link. 

“Okay got it, but it’s just Michael sitting there.” I tell him.

“A lot of it happens after Michael runs for the closet. Just go to about a half hour in.” He tells me.

I move the video forward and see Lindsay staring at me. I push it forward more and see Deb and Lindsay. As they finish their conversation and Lindsay leaves, out comes Michael, who crucifies them.

“Max, you still there?” I ask him.

“Yes. Can you believe it’s this easy?” He asks me.

“Let me get Mel to watch it and see what she thinks, because I don’t want them getting away with any of it. I’ll call you back.” I tell him and hang up.

I decided it was better to talk to her in person. I told Ted to watch the clip and left to go see Mel. Mel and Gus were outside cleaning the yard together, when I pulled up. 

“Dad, what are you doing here?” Gus asks me.

“I needed to get Mama to look at something and tell me what she thinks.” I tell him.

“You need me to look over something?” She asks me.

“Just watch something and give me your opinion, it’s about a hour long so I can hang with Sonny Boy while you look at it.” I tell her.

I sent the link to her, so I told her to just get the email and got to it. She left us to rake the leaves while she looked at the video. Mel comes out shaking her head.

“We need to talk to a criminal attorney to find out about how they would deal with Deb and the credit card fraud, but I forwarded the rest to a DA I know. The only problem with what Michael did is that there is a statute of limitations that dates from when the crime was committed. Michael could have gotten away with it, but he admitted that he thought he killed Justin. That is felony assault with intent, so it’s up to New York to decide.” She tells me.

“What about Lindsay?” I ask her.

“Lindsay could get time because she hid the weapon but she could also be charged with embezzlement along with Michael. It doesn’t matter that she wasn’t personally stealing the money, she knew the money was stolen and used it, by law she’s just as guilty as Michael for stealing the money. The Big Q would be able to prosecute them both.” She tells me.

MAX

Emmett and I were on our way to the doctor. In the last two days I sat at my desk, laid in bed and was pampered by my fiance. I started getting the creeping doubts again, what if the test was wrong. We got to the doctor’s office and waited for our appointment. Emmett was all calm and relaxed and I was jumpy. I need to hear the doctor tell me I was pregnant before I stopped doubting the other six tests I took. All of which said I was pregnant.

We got called in and I was given a cup to pee in and then sent to the exam room where Emmett was waiting. We were fiddling with some of the stuff on the walls when the doctor came in the room.

“Good Morning Max, how have you been.” Dr. Jacob asks me.

“Good, I’m getting married and hoping you’ll tell me I’m pregnant.” I tell him.

“Well then, Max you’re pregnant.” He tells me.

“See I told you, Maxie. He’s been acting like six tests could be wrong.” Emmett tells  Dr. Jacobs.

“Is there some reason you thought you couldn’t get pregnant?” Dr. Jacobs ask me.

“I was with someone for a couple years and never did.” I tell him.

“Well the tests are coming back positive, so that is one thing you can stop worrying about. Any concerns? Because everything looks normal so far.” He asks us.

“Yeah, I’m sick like all the time. Sitting still seems to be the only thing that I can do.” I tell him.

“We can prescribe some medications but most of it will be waiting it out.” He tells me.

We finished with my appointment and got my on-going appointments arranged. Emmett asked about flying to Pittsburgh and the doctor told us I could do anything I normally do, but to call if we needed him. I programed his number in my phone because I know I’ll have lots of questions.

Brian met us at the airport and told us what was going on with the dizzy trio. I knew about the New York DA because I called him personally and told him that I wanted results.

At that moment it was over for us. The Pittsburgh DA contacted the New York DA who got the ball rolling. No one wanted to ignore Jay Thomas and me, because money talks. Deb was taken in and told that the credit card companies were going to pursue charges. Big Q fired Michael and had him arrested before he could leave the building. Lindsay was being held for questioning, but the New York DA was going to offer her a reduced sentence if she testified against Michael. We were free of them and it was time to get on with our plans.

JUSTIN

Emmett and I had talked and I told them to get married first. Max wanted to still look good at his wedding. Max seem to be expecting massive weight gain and exploding belly any second. Max and Emmett’s wedding was being planned for New York because Emmett only had us to be there. Max had to invite most of the Art scene, they tend to get bitchy if they are discluded. Emmett kept worrying that his plans might not be what Max expected and came to me to see if he was making the right decisions.

“Emmett, Max doesn’t care. He wants you to do what you want.” I told him.

“I told him what I could afford and thought we could split the cost, do you know what he told me. He told me that the budget was however much I wanted to spend. Now I’m worried because the truth is, other than renting the ballroom at a hotel, well, that’s the most I can do within my budget. I think he expects a bigger wedding.” Emmett tells me.

“Max has never cared about impressing anyone, so do what you want.” I tell him.

Emmett seem to feel better about his plans after that. They planned to be married in a month because Emmett refused to rush plans.

Brian and I wanted a simple ceremony that included the children. Emmett wanted to help plan our wedding, but I told him that we weren’t going to turn it into a big event, just one that included the people we loved and care about. Brian had a couple of clients that he would have to invite but our wedding was going to be about our family.

A week before Max’s wedding he finally stopped feeling sick all the time. He told us that he’d been having nightmares that he had to carry barf bags on him. Max and Emmett had a party with family and friends because neither was interested in a bachelor party.  

The Ballroom was going to host the wedding and the reception. The each table was decorated with Bacarra roses and Ivory calla lilies in a vase. The stage had two large urns with the the same flowers on each side. When everyone was seated, Emmett and Max walked in together and the ceremony started. When asked if they had vows, Max spoke first.

“Emmett, thank you for allowing me to love you and for loving me. You’ve given me the one thing that I never thought I would have, unconditional love. So know that our child and I couldn’t have asked for a better father and husband.” Max tells Emmett.

“Max, thank you for allowing me to love you and for loving me. I couldn’t have asked for a better father to my child and husband for myself. I love you Max.” Emmett tells Max.

We all stood and clapped when they were pronounced united, and I realized that Max and I were always going to be friends but we both had other people who took importance over our friendship. I smiled at Aidan and Gus sitting on Brian’s lap and Jewel on mine, Brian and I seated side by side.