BRIAN 

I open the front door thinking it would be Justin but got a very unhappy Daphne instead. 

“Is there something you forgot to call and tell me?” She asks me, not even saying hello. 

“How did you find out?” I ask her. 

“What, that's all you have to say? I see my best friend for the first time in five years and you want to know how I found out. Let’s see I wanted a bagel, stopped by the same place I've gone for years and end up seeing a face I almost gave up hope of ever seeing again, that's how. So you want to explain why you didn't warn me?” She asks me. 

“Jen and I were going to talk to you and Molly today, yesterday was one giant clusterfuck. Come in and I'll fill you in, because you're going to have to give Justin a break on any lectures.” I tell her. She follows me into the kitchen and picks up where she left off.

“Brian as much as I love Justin, it still hurts that he left without ever contacting us. You can’t just let that slide. He owes it to us to apologize for leaving us all to think he was dead.” She tells me. 

“He didn’t owe me shit, I tossed his ass out.” I snap at her.

“You were angry, why can’t you see he could have stayed and at least tried to talk to you. Both of you did stupid things, hell, I didn't try to stop his dimwitted plan to run away, so I blame me too.” She tells me. We hear someone snorting and look up to see Max standing there watching us.

“Two things, first, if you don’t want people just walking into your house, lock the door. Second, why are you still acting like any of the bullshit matters anymore? Things happened to all of you, but it’s like you're stuck in blame mode, and don’t forget that the world is full of people shit happens to because of bad days and decisions. Jay doesn’t blame you, so could you stop with the ‘it’s all my fault’ because it’s starting to get annoying.” Max tells us.

“Before you both start up again, I sent Jay to see the kids, because he wanted to come in here and tell you both to get the fuck over yourselves. Now, we need to eat the unhealthy shit before Jay comes in and tells us what it will do to our arteries.” Max starts pulling all sorts of muffins, donuts and things covered in chocolate out of the bag.

“Why do you keep calling him Jay?” Daphne asks him.

“That’s the only name he had when we meet. He didn’t know his real name, still doesn’t really.” Max tells her.

“Someone want to explain that to me?” She asks us.

“I woke up in an alley and that’s the last thing I remembered.” Justin tells her from the entrance to the kitchen.

“Amnesia, but most people recover from that.” She tells him.

“Most people are around something they knew at one time. Jay was in a new place, without anything to tell him who he was. Just a belt buckle with a J on it. In five years he never ventured out much unless it was with me somewhere. Even the doctor I talked to said that it was dependent on how much of the brain was injured and some shit I didn’t get, but that if Jay had been around familiar surroundings and people he knew it would be more likely he would remember something. He wanted Jay to come to his office so they could run tests but Jay is a bit stubborn.” Max tells us.

“You’ve never seen a doctor?” Daphne asks him.

“So they could tell me I have amnesia, I know that.” Justin tells her.

“So they could figure out if the part of your brain was injured and if it has irreparable damage.” She tells him.

“I don’t want Daddy to go to the doctor, they give shots.” Aidan tells us.

“Um, is he?” Daphne asks me.

“Yeah, apparently Justin left with something.” I tell her.

“Who dat?” Aidan asks me. It felt good that he seemed to defer to me.

“Aidan, why are you baby talking?” Justin asks him.

“Sorrrry, who is that? Better?” Aidan asks Justin.

“A lot better. As to who that is, she is someone who was my friend here. Her name is Daphne, can you be polite and introduce yourself.” I ask Aidan.

“Miss Daphne, I’m Aidan Maxwell Thomas. Daddy told me to always tell my full name.” He tells her.

“I prefer Daphne or Aunty Daph.” She tells him.

“New Dad, do you like her?” He asks Brian.

“Yes, in fact I love your Aunty Daph.” I tell him.

“So it’s okay if I like her?” He ask me.

“That’s up to you.” I tell him.

“Gus says that if I wanted to know something to ask you, cause you know everything.” He tells me.

“AUNTY DAPH, did you see Gus and I got a Daddy?” Jewel comes running in. 

“You did Jewel.” Gus tells her. 

“Nuuh, he’s OUR Daddy like Dad is Aidan’s New Dad.” She tells him. 

I guess we forgot Gus in all of this.

JUSTIN

“Gus, I might not be your Daddy by normal means but I can be if you want me to. You’re Aidan and Jewel’s brother, it makes you mine too.” I tell him.

“So it’s okay if I call you Daddy?” He asks me.

“It’s up to you what you call me. If you want to use Daddy and it’s alright with your Dad, you can. Or just call me Jay or Justin.” I tell him.

“I think I should call you Daddy, cause it might confuse the little kids.” He tells us.  It took everything we all had not to laugh.

“Gus, you're barely a year older than Jewel and Aidan.” Brian tells him. 

“Daddy, why is there all the bad food on the table?” Aidan asks me. 

“Uncle Max thinks that sugar is a food group.” I tell him. 

“Uncle Max likes food that makes his tummy happy.” Max tells us. 

“So did your Daddy when he lived here.” Daphne tells him. 

“I knew it, I bet you made me all the healthy sh..stuff, while you hid in a closet and gorged on the good stuff.” Max jokes.

“If you had to eat the way I did before we met, you'd understand not wanting to keep filling my body with those foods.” I tell him. 

“Wait, what happened to you?” She asks me. 

“What do you think happened Daphne, he was alone. No money or memory.” Brian tells her. 

“That is something we can talk about later.” I warn them. 

“You didn’t have to...?” She asks. 

“No, I couldn’t do that, even though I understood why others did. How about we feed the kids and think of something we can do today.” I tell her. 

“Can we eat Uncle Max’s stuff?” Jewel asks me. 

“A girl after my own heart. So Jay can they, pretty please, let them learn about the good stuff?” Max asks me. 

 “Only for breakfast, lunch is going to be something I don't wince at. Is that okay with you, Brian?” I ask.

“I'll just have toast, because working out all day isn’t in my plans.” Brian tells us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The kids wanted to go to the zoo, so Brian and Max were going to take them. Brian told me to spend time with Daphne and meet Molly. Max said it would be easier than having to filter everything. It was hard to talk to someone, when I didn’t know them.

“This is so awkward, you and I could talk nonstop for hours.” She tells me. 

“Trust me, it’s been hard not to apologize for looking at people and seeing strangers. Maybe you could fill me in on Brian and I. I haven’t asked much because he keeps acting like he needs to make up for things, and I don’t remember them.” I tell her.

“What do you want to know?” She asks me.

“What were we like? Why were we even together and how did I meet a guy that much older than me?” I ask her.

“You wanted him pretty much from the beginning. You met him on your first venture out into the gay world. I dropped you off on Liberty Avenue and the next day he dropped you off at school. Then it was a series of you chasing him and him chasing you. He acted like he didn’t want you around and you keep coming around. Eventually, he seemed to accept that you were going to be around. The truth is neither of you were running around proclaiming you had a relationship. You and he were both messing around with other people, but if you needed him, he would be there.” She tells me.

“I was okay with this? Because it’s not something I can let my kids be around. Having strange men in and out of their lives.” I tell her.

“Five years ago, Brian wouldn’t have cared. He doesn’t bring anybody around the kids. Hell, I wouldn’t even know if he was out with a guy, he doesn’t let on if he is.” She tells me.

“He wants us to try and see if there is a possibility, but I don’t share. If that’s what he wants, it’s not in the cards for us.” I tell her.

“Then tell him that, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. He’s not the same man who tricked and got drunk and stoned every night anymore.” She tells me.

“There is another problem, so far I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Deb, but if she shows up here again, I’m not going to hide in another room.” I tell her.

“She came here last night?” She ask me.

“With Brian’s mother, and let loose on everyone in the room. Have Emmett send you the uncut version of last night.” I tell her.

“Uncut, why?” She asks me. I hand her my phone so she can see the other version. 

“Holy shit, who did this?” She ask me.

“She pissed Max off.” I tell her.

“What are you doing with it?” She asks me.

“Sending through the gay grapevine, most likely all of the queers in Pittsburgh have a copy. Emmett said ‘send it to one queen and you send to all of them’.” I tell her.

Daphne was watching the video again and laughing at the idea of Deb being outed at the diner. When the doorbell rang, I got up to get it. My mom was bringing Molly over to meet me. Before I could get to the door the doorbell was ringing again and again. I guess my sister was excited. Opening the door, I see a man about my height standing there.

“Can I help you?” I ask him.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE? WE GOT RID OF YOUR ASS, YOU BETTER NOT BE HERE THINKING BRIAN WANTS YOU. HE BELONGS TO ME.” He yells at me. Good God does Brian have crazy ex’s like Max?

“Well he isn’t here, so maybe you could come back when he is and yell at him.” I tell him. I tried to shut the door in his face. The fucker put his foot in the door.

“BRIAN GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE.” He yells into the house.

Daphne comes to the door and starts shoving the guy out the door.

“Get the fuck outta here, how many ways do we have to say to you and your mother that no one wants you around before it finally penetrates the cement around the pea brains you two have.” She tells him.

“You don’t get to tell me or my mother anything. Why don’t you take him and get out of Brian’s life. I was there first and stood by him. He fucking loves me, but because of you and the twink’s mother, Brian turned me away.” He tells her.

“Turned you away? Wow Michael, you tend to change facts when it suits you and Mommy. Brian didn’t turn you away, he got away from the bullshit it took to be your friend and your Mommy’s credit line. He never loved you and never will, because you’re a pathetic little Mama’s boy.” She tells him.

“Fuck you, I bet you thought if Justin was gone, you’d get Brian to let you play Mommy to his brats. It’s the only way he would want you around, after finally getting rid of him.” He points at me.

“Michael, get the hell off Brian’s lawn.” My mom yells from her car.

“I’m not leaving until I talk to Brian. What did you do bring him here to try to keep Brian from me?” He tells her.

“Can I ask a question?” I ask him.

“No you can’t, but you can go the fuck back to wherever you were. Brian deserves a chance to be happy with me. While you're at it take my mistake with you.” He tells me. 

I think I would have just let him keep making an idiot out of himself, but no one calls my child a mistake. So I did the one thing I think we all would want to do to him. I knocked him the fuck out. I look around to see how they were taking me hitting the fucker. The smiles indicated they weren’t upset. So I figured it was time to get rid of the idiot while he couldn’t open his mouth.

“Can you get his legs?” I ask Daphne.

“What are we going to do with him?” She asks while grabbing his legs. I pulled him up by hooking my arms under his armpits.

“I kind of want to drop him off the planet but maybe just leave him in front of a homeless shelter?” I offer. Now how to get him out of here. Maybe my mom would let me use her car.

“If he starts to come to he’s going to be a pain in the ass.” She tells me.

“The last guy I did this to didn’t wake up for hours.” I tell her. The asshole was getting heavy.

“Justin, what are you doing?” My mom asks me.

“Throwing out the trash?” I tell her with a smile.

“Hey, we could put him in the dumpster behind Babylon.” A girl who must be my sister tells me.

“Babylon?” I ask her. Sounds as good as any place.

“Yeah, Brian’s club. They throw all sorts of nasty shit in the dumpster there.” She tells me.

“Molly, language, and how do you know that?” She asks Molly.

“Because Mom, they have to throw out the condoms and cleaning rags somewhere.” I like her.

“Can we borrow you and your car?” I ask my Mom.

Mom hands us the keys and tells us it’s not aiding and abetting if she doesn’t see it. We throw Michael in the trunk because no one wanted to sit near him. Daphne picks up her phone and makes a call.

“Hey Emmett want to help dump a body?... No, he’s still breathing. I just don’t want to try to lift him into the dumpster… Mikey… Molly suggested Babylon’s dumpster… Okay see ya.” She hangs up. “Emmett said he’s bringing a couple of bears to help.” She smiles with glee.

I decided that this was definitely my best friend, because she barely batted an eyelash at helping me do a body dump.