BRIAN 

I love Justin Taylor, I do. I don't love a worried Justin Taylor, so like the wonderful partner that I am, I need to get him to think of something else. Now we ALL know usually me naked makes Sunshine happy, but after the fourth round even I have to take a break, which means a worried Justin Taylor again. So I think Mel deserves to deal with me for causing all of this. Of course when I call I get Gus and well, listening to Gus is just as important as taking care of Mel.

“Dad, they want me to play hockey.” He complains.

“It's a Canadian thing. It's like baseball and football here.” I tell him. 

“But like I saw this video of teeth being knocked out by the puck. I like my teeth.” He tells me. 

“Are you watching YouTube again?” I hear Lindsay ask.

“Mom, it has like everything you need to know on it.” Gus tells her. 

“I'll talk to the moms about it.” I tell him. 

“Thanks, because they acted like the fact that I wanted to be in the play  Unimportant.” He tells me. 

“Which one?” I ask him. 

“Romeo and Juliette, I get to kiss Megan. I really want to do that.” He tells me. 

“Then we'll make sure you get to do that.” I tell him laughing.

“Mom wants you.” He tells me. 

“Brian, how's everything in New York?” Lindsay asks me.

“Good. I'm scouting locations for a branch office and trying to convince Justin to look at bigger apartments.” I tell her. 

“I'll talk to him about it.” She tells me, and once again I'm glad we don't live near our friends.

“Justin and I can talk to each other, so just worry about Gus kissing a girl.” I tell her. 

“I guess the gay gene skipped him.” She tells me giggling.

“As long as he's happy, that's all we wanted.” I tell her. 

“How's Justin doing in New York? I know he's had small shows but has he been approached by an agent yet?” She asks me. 

“He's selling, but Justin never cared about fame, just creating.” I tell her. 

“I could call some old friends, if he needs help.” She tells me. 

“He wants to do this on his own, so let him.” I tell her. 

“Brian it never hurts to have help.” She tells me. 

“Lindsay this is his career, leave it alone.” I tell her.

“Is there a reason you called?” She asks me, ignoring my comment.

“Tell smelly Melly I need legal advice.” I tell her. 

“Brian could you stop calling her that, I'd like for you two to get along.” She tells me. 

“We do get along, like the Hatfield and the McCoys.” I tell her. 

“I swear one day you two are going to figure out you like each other.” She tells me putting the phone down.

“Hey, what legal advice?” Mel asks me. 

“I was thinking of stringing up a lesbian for causing Sunshine to be distracted when I was power thrusting.” I tell her. 

“TMI, way too much. Why a lesbian and not your dick? Obviously it didn't keep him interested.” She tells me.

“I don't know Mel, why not a lesbian, since she wants to give him a womb to play with.” I tell her. 

“Fucking Ted told, didn’t he?” She asks me. 

“My friend warned me you were going to spring this on us. Why tell Ted and not, oh I don't know, the guy with the magical sperm you want?” I ask her. 

“I figured Ted would know how to approach you.” She tells me. 

“I'm not the person you need to talk to.” I tell her. 

“You're the one that could make him say no.” She tells me. 

“Have you met Justin? Because my Justin makes up his own mind. You’re talking about a man who went after Stockwell, even though it would hurt my career. He cares more about doing the right thing than about my opinion. So in the end he'd do what he wants and expect me to do what a partner does, stand by him.” I tell her.    

“But are you okay with the idea, because I really want to do it?” She asks me.

“Mel, if Justin does this are we going to play the same game as the last time?” I ask her.

“You mean signing his rights away?” She asks me.

“I mean forgetting that he’s important to a child’s life even if he’s a man.” I tell her.

“It’s different to me because it’s Justin. Brian I told Lindsay this, and I think I need to tell you too. I had a problem with you because I know Lindsay loves you, but the thing is I think that’s why she was happy being pregnant, because the child came out of love and not just a way to get the kid. I honestly think it’s one of the reasons that I didn’t take care of myself with Jenny. I like Michael but I don’t really love him as anything more than a guy we knew. Don’t take that as I don’t love Jenny. I just know that when you love someone you want to take care of yourself and them. Maybe I’m messing this up but I think having a child with someone I really care about would change how I acted.” She tells me.

“Okay, so through all the lesbian crap you spewed is that you love Justin and want a baby with him?” I ask her.

“In essence, yes.” She tells me.

“Mel, he’s worried about where the baby is going to live, if you and I can get along, and all sorts of shit. You realize that Justin tends to worry about things we haven’t even thought of.” I tell her.

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

“I’ve been sitting around for two days trying to decide. I think I have an answer to most of it but you have to meet me halfway.” I tell her.  

“You have to spit it out Kinney, before I can say yes or no.” She tells me.

“I plan for us to be here for a year in New York. That can’t change because Justin needs to finish what he started here, and I want to make this move successful in New York. Once the office here works then we can consider moving to back to Pittsburgh. Are you with me?” I ask her.

“Yes, but not making the connection to what you want.” She tells me.

“I want you and Lindsay to move back with us then. I’ll even help you setup your own firm, because you can’t just find a job and leave without something to leave for.” I tell her.

“Brian, I can’t live near Deb and Michael again.” She tells me.

“I have a plan for that too. You know the house I bought?” I ask her.

“Brian, you and I under the same roof isn’t the best idea.” She tells me.

“Justin and I own the house and all the land behind it. You and I talk to an architect and build on the land behind the house. Justin won’t be able to not be with his child, no matter what he thinks right now.” I tell her.

“He’s willing?” Mel asks excitedly.

“Cautiously willing, he’s going to say no if you try to take his rights away. Shit Mel, he’s willing to spend every cent he has if you want to sit on your ass and stare at the kids all day. I won’t support him if you think he isn’t going to be involved.” I tell her.

“Brian, I want you and him to be the fathers. Lindsay and I also want to change things so that you and Justin are also Gus’s legal fathers.” She tells me.

“Why?” I ask because this sounds like a bribe to get what she wants.

“Because you are his father and he needs that on paper. Right now if something happened to Lindsay or I, Gus could go to Lindsay’s family or mine and I don’t want him going to either of the homes that we came from.” She tells me.

“The new baby?” I ask her.

“Would be all four of ours.” She tells me.

“Then are you willing to move next year? The house is a half hour away from everyone and I’ll even install a gate so you can keep Deb and Michael out when they get to be too much.” I tell her and she starts laughing hysterically. “What?” I ask her.

“I was picturing Deb trying to get over the gate and yelling at Michael to pick her up and help her.” She tells me.

“I never knew you had a funny side, I kind of like it, and that scares the shit out of me.” I tell her trying not to laugh at what she said.

“Kinney, you don’t know the shit they did. Deb showing up anytime whether I wanted her to or not. Michael acting like he was solely responsible for Jenny being created. I saw Canada as a way to escape the insanity that came from the Novotny’s.” She tells me.

“Mel, they mean well, but they don’t understand that not everyone wants their opinions.” I tell her.

“So we all move to make it harder for them to pop over.” She tell me.

“It doesn’t stop the phone calls and email though does it?” I ask her.

“Did you get the one about how to raise a child in a gay household?” She asks me, giggling.

“No, I get the ones that tell me that I’m not supporting Gay Rights by not marrying Justin.” I tell her.

“Like you need that to show you and he are committed.” She tells me.

“If it ever becomes more than a ceremony then I’ll support the hell out of it. I just don’t see the point in saying words, that Justin knows and I tell him everyday, in front of people not involved in our daily life.” I tell her.

“So it’s not marriage you're against, but false ceremony.” She tells me.

“I just think if you do something it should be legal, not just words.” I tell her.

“Then I’ll be fighting to see you get the opportunity.” She tells me.

“Why are we being nice to each other, it might unbalance the universe.” I tell her.

“Don’t worry asshole, I promise to fight with you after Justin tells me yes.” She tells me.

“I think he should make you suffer a little, because trust me having him ask me about you in the middle of sex is never something I want to experience again. I mean there I was, about to thrust...” 

“And that is enough, later asshole.” She tells me.