BRIAN 

Aidan was sitting in the backseat with Emmett. I was going to sit with him but he didn't seem very comfortable with me yet. Emmett volunteered to sit with him.

“Did you know I had a grandmother?” Aidan asks Emmett. 

“Yes I did.” Emmett tells him. 

“Did you know that grandmother's smell good?” He asks Emmett. 

“Your grandmother just wears a nice scent. She always did.” Emmett tells him. 

“Do you like how she smells?” He asks me. 

“Grandma Jen does smell nice.” I tell him. 

I always liked that Jen never overpowered us with her perfume. It was the way I always know she’s somewhere near, because the light floral scent is in the air. It was the first thing I noticed about her. I was so used to Deb's perfume taking over the room that Jen’s always seemed less invasive. It was like the cologne I used to use, it just enhanced my natural scent. I still remember catching Justin sniffing it in the bathroom and telling me it smelled different when I wore it. Could that be why I’m not familiar to him, because I don’t use it anymore? 

“Ted, I need to stop at the store I buy my cologne and soaps at.” I tell him.

“You really want to go shopping?” He asks me.

“Just fucking go there.” I tell him. 

“My new Dad just said a bad word.” Aidan whispers to Emmett.

“He is really serious about his shopping.” Emmett tells Aidan.

“Daddy said bad words when Kevin was around.” He tells Emmett.

“Who’s Kevin?” I ask him.

“Uncle Max said Kevin was a distraction. Daddy said he was Uncle Max’s boyfriend. Me and Daddy didn’t like him very much.” Aidan tells me.

Ted pulls up and I run in and get all the items I used when Justin was with me. I want to see if they jar anything from Justin’s memory. I wanted him to tell me I was familiar, because he might be here physically, but it’s like he’s still lost. I was praying that we would see each other and he would just remember me, because he has haunted me for years.

JUSTIN

My mom was sitting with me but it was still awkward. I was trying to think of something to say to her.

“Would you like to meet your sister and maybe your friend Daphne?” She asks me.

“I wouldn’t know what to say to them. It’s hard, because I can see you trying to figure out something to do, and hoping I’ll remember you. I just want to apologize for the hurt I see in your eyes.” I tell her.

“I can deal with it, because your home. Don’t apologize for something you don't have any control over. If we have to start from here, and build a relationship, we will.” She tells me. 

“Tell me about you, and don't hide anything. I promise not to judge you.” She tells me. 

“Where do you want me to start?” I ask her.

“I want to hear all of it.” She begs me.

“I woke up in an alley in New York, that’s the first thing I can remember. I don’t know how I got there or why I was there. I spent a few months living on the streets, I got day jobs and lived the best I could. When I found out I was pregnant, I started staying at shelters. I was worried about the winter coming and wanted some place I could at least stay warm. They helped me get a job cleaning a gallery at night, which is where I met Max, my agent. Max encouraged me to keep creating and wanted to help me. I resisted for a while but the day I had Aidan, I knew I couldn’t take him to the shelter, so I took Max up on his offer to let us live with him. Max told me that his only condition was that I work on my art. It’s why I show exclusively at his gallery. Max and I became like brothers and raised Aidan. I could have moved out sooner but Aidan really loves Max. I moved here because we passed through here once and I felt like I belonged here. We really just moved here a week ago. Can you tell me about Jewel and how Brian ended up with her?” I ask her.

“I didn’t find out about Jewel until Brian called and asked me to come to the hospital for a test. I think he was worried about how I would feel seeing all of them. I was in contact with Brian, but it was to see if there was anything about you. I blamed them all for your disappearance. I ran into Brian at the store and he was like a shell of the man I used to know. At the time he was having problems with Deb, Michael, and Lindsay. I took him home with me and made him sleep, because he was running on adrenalin. When he woke up he told me about Michael being pregnant and that Michael claimed it was his. Then he told me about how Michael got himself pregnant, and let you take the blame for the alarm. Brian kept telling me it was all his fault you were gone. I've never been able to get him to forgive himself for what happened that day. When Jewel was born, he forced them to take the test, because he wanted his name on the birth certificate. He already planned to sue for custody, citing theft. Only the test can back and he wasn’t the father. He called me and explained there was only one other person it could be, you. I was the only one they could test against. Michael had already abandoned Jewel at that point. Brian was staying at the hospital with her, and fell hopelessly in love with her. When I got the news, it was like we got a piece of you back. Brian wanted to raise her, and we got Michael to sign her over to us. She reminds us of you in little ways. She has your smile and eyes.” She tells me.

“Brian told me that Michael’s mother is a problem?” I ask.

“Deb and I aren’t grandmothers sharing stories about our granddaughter. She seems to think that Brian and Michael should raise Jewel together. Deb blames Brian for what happened with you, and thinks her son should get a free pass for trying to force Brian into a relationship. She feels I’m to blame for not letting Jewel be with her ‘real family’ and Brian alienating her from Michael. I got tired of listening to her and told her to go pamper the lying little shit she raised. One thing you need to know about her is that if you don’t do what she wants, you’re wrong. She constantly reminds Brian and I that we owe her for taking you in at one time. I told her that since I had to pay her to keep you, I think I paid my dues. Brian owes her because she let him come to her house when he was trying to avoid his father’s fist. Everyone owes St Debbie.” She tells me.

“I’ve been hearing about these people and they just don’t sound real.” I tell her.

The doorbell rings and I get up to answer it and end up with an armful of Max.

“I hate you for moving, if I could run a gallery here, well, I wouldn’t, but that’s not the point. Where’s my Aidan and what about the insta-family.” He blurts out. 

“I let Brian take Aidan to meet my daughter. I wanted to wait for you before I go over there, and Brian wanted a chance to tell Jewel about me. My mom is here, want to meet her?” I ask him and start walking toward the living room.

“You got to see the yummy Brian, was it like in that movie I saw where you like suddenly remember everyone? I mean it would suck if you're hanging out with him and you don’t remember. I would want to remember, it would finally end your long dry spell. Are you sure you have another kid, or do you think they just want to dump the kid on you…?” I had to stop him, this is Max, he tells you whatever has been percolating in his head and asks questions in between the dialogue.

“Can you slow down? First, no I didn’t remember anything. My mom smelled familiar, but not Brian. My daughter was tested against my mom and I doubt they are trying to ‘dump’ Jewel on me, since they have custody of her and have been raising her.” I tell him as we reach the living room.

“Max this is my mom, Jen Taylor. Mom this is my agent and best friend Max.” I tell them.

“Okay, I’ll believe that you're his mom, but can you tell me how a kid gets named Jewel? Why didn’t you ever like put Jay’s picture on the news or a milk carton? See I told you you came from breeding, your mom is like really refined. Wait, how old is your daughter? Because if they stole your sperm, and that is the only scenario I came up with, it had to be a fresh sample. Unless you were bumping uglies with the father. Which you wouldn’t remember, because well, you don’t remember shit about anything before.” He tells us.

“They stole the sperm from a used condom.” I tell him. He looks at my mom.

“Oh, you want me to talk?” She ask Max.

“I asked you questions, so yes, talk away.” Max tells her.

“I wasn’t sure we were supposed to participate, but in answer to why Jewel, Brian said she was the most precious thing he held, so Jewel. We did put Justin’s picture on the news, but if Justin was on the streets, he wouldn’t have had access to the most media. The news doesn’t run missing persons for longer than there is interest. When no leads panned out, as in there were no leads, they stopped putting it on the news.” She tells Max.

“Can you hold your questions? I’m worried about Aidan, he isn’t used to being away from me, unless it was with you. I’m desperate to see my daughter.” I tell him.

Max wanted to see Aidan and was curious about Jewel, so he held the questions. I let my mom drive, because I was nervous about meeting my daughter and didn’t even know where Brian lived. When she pulled into the driveway, I looked at the place my child lived without me.

“Brian used to live in a loft, but with the kids and wanting to get away from the others, he bought this house.” Mom tells me.

I get out of the car and start walking to the door that has my children on the other side. When I got to the door, it opened, revealing a wet, half dressed Brian.

“Jay, if you don’t want him, can you help a brother out?” Max asks me.

“In case you are wondering, this is Max.” My mom tells Brian.

I was staring at Brian, and something was different about him. 

“Why don’t you come in Justin?” Brian asks me. 

As I walked past him, I realized I knew that smell. He stood still and let me come closer. I breathed in his scent and it was familiar. I wanted to stand there and breathe him in because I remembered his smell.

“Something familiar?” Brian whispers into my ear.

I nodded, “Something familiar.” I tell him.

“Can I try one more thing?” He asks me. I nod at him. Brian lowers his head and seals his lips over mine. I reached up and ran my hands through his hair and even the feel was familiar. I wanted to keep kissing his soft lips but I heard giggling and turn to see three little face looking around the corner at us.