JUSTIN 

How the hell does Brian get clients with this shit? I stood there looking at a board that was sitting on the desk. I figured I could see what they do. I looked and prayed that this was some kind of joke. Blinking a few times, it stayed the same. Who the hell draws a feral kitty to advertise to little girls? I started writing notes on the board when some guy comes in and starts telling me to stop touching his boards.

“You drew this shit?” I ask him.

“Yes, but it's not shit,” He tells me. 

“Why does that cat look like it's going to give me rabies? Reading these notes, didn’t you notice the age group?” I ask him. 

“Why are you here? I know you don't work here,” He tells me. 

“I was told there was an art department and wanted to see what artists do in advertising. I just don’t get that a skeletal kitty that is barely recognizable could be considered art,” I tell him. 

“I suggest you leave, because I will not have a teenager insulting my work,” He tells me, looking down his nose at me.

“If a teenager drew this shit, then I wouldn't insult it. I drew better than this at ten,” I tell him. 

“Which was what, six years ago?” He sneers.

“Is there a problem?” Another man asks us.

“This guy is here touching my boards,” Jackass tells the new guy.

“Allen, let me deal with this,” He tells Allen, but I like Jackass.

“Before we get into anything, can you tell me what this is for?” I ask politely.

“We're working on a campaign for a line of girls toy fashion accessories,” He tells me, while Jackass rolls his eyes.

“Are you planning to scare the girls?” I ask him, because cuddly kittens are what little girls like.

The guy looks at the board and I can see the wince. I like Sphinx cats, but not a cat who looks like it’s hairless because of disease.

“This is not what you were told,” He tells Jackass.

“Murph, Brian likes edgy,” He tells Murph.

“There's edge, then there's just whatever the hell that is,” I tell him. 

“I'm not going to stand here and listen to him insult my work,” He tells Murph, sneering at me.

I grab the paper stating what they wanted and then grab a notebook and flip to a blank page. Quickly sketching a calico kitten in the shape of a child's handbag. I stopped and pulled up a picture to get more details for the kitten. When I finished, I ripped it out and handed it to Murph. 

“Little girls love baby animals, this would be a way that you could make it seem as if they are holding a kitten, not something that should be euthanized,” I tell him. 

“Anybody could draw that,” Jackass tells Murph. 

“Here. Apparently when I sign my name across my art, it sells for close to a million,” I sneer and sign across the paper.

“My Taylor what are you doing here?” Murph looks at me surprised. 

“Praying that this isn't what you consider art,” I tell him. 

Jackass isn’t looking very confident anymore. I smiled my brightest smile.

“Justin, is there a problem?” Brian asks, as Ted and Terry follow him in.

“Mr Taylor was just remarking on Allen’s technique,” Murph tells Brian. 

Brian walks over to see what Allen drew and rubs his hand over his face. I can see old Allen cringing when Brian turns to look at him.

“Is this what you've spent two days on?” Brian asks, like a question and an insult at the same time. I need to learn how to do that.

“You've always liked us to be edgy,” Allen really needs to just accept he fucked up.

“Which, if this was for goth teens would work, but when we discussed this, I thought I made it clear this was for the three to ten age group. Before you open your mouth and get fired, can you explain what they hell this is?” Brian asks him. 

I decided not to put in my opinion, because I’m just really impressed with how Brian handled Allen. I’ve never been able to make someone look like they want to crawl under a rock and die before. Brian pulls the notebook paper from Murph and stares at it for a minute. 

“It could work if they are willing to change the line of handbags, they could put them out with different animals as collector’s editions,” Murph tells Brian.

“Only one problem. We have to get the artist to agree to give us the rights,” Brian stares at me.

“I drew a kitten, not the Mona Lisa. Just use it with my permission,” I tell him.

“Justin, if they use your name on this, it becomes a business decision,” Terry tells me.

“Hello! My baby’s daddy is head of the firm promoting this. I think I can let him make money to support me in the style I like,” I tell Terry.

“You know, you make it hard for me to be your agent,” Terry tells me.

“Dude, it’s not like you haven’t made enough off me to give Ted a life of luxury,” I hint to Terry.

“No, Justin,” Terry tells me but I can see he likes Ted.

“I was just saying, Brian and I are doing the cohabitating thing, and if it works, what’s mine is his and vice versa,” I tell him.

“We can talk about this after we contact the client and see if they would want to use this,” Brian tells us.

“Nothing to talk about, it’s just a kitten shaped like a handbag. Hell you could do an adult version and lots a women would love it,” I tell them as a blond woman comes in. I hope this is Cynthia, Brian likes her.

“Brian, is this right, I get to hang up on Michael?” She asks, excitedly holding up a piece of paper.

“Cynthia this is Justin,” He tells her, rolling his eyes at her excitement about Michael.

“That’s adorable, Are we marketing custom purses?” She asks when she looks at the picture I drew.

“It’s just an idea we were looking at, what do you think?” Brian asks her.

“I’d buy it,” She tells him.

Which seems to be all Brian needed to hear to start making arrangements to meet with the client about changing the campaign. I like when people appreciate my work. 

MEL

Emmett came to the house to talk about the whole Michael situation. I couldn’t believe that at one time I thought of asking Michael to be my child’s father. When Ben called saying he was moving here, I realized that he would be the perfect father for a child. Of course I also thought Lindsay and I were perfect for each other. 

When she left me for Sam, all I cared about was keeping Gus with me. Lindsay is too flighty to take care of him. I know that I was just relieved to end things with Lindsay. Leda came in town while I was pregnant and stayed with me to help out when I needed it. I found it refreshing to be with someone who I could depend on. Ted has never understood why I’m still being cordial to Lindsay, but it's because Gus doesn’t need us fighting. He’s intelligent enough to know that Lindsay’s self-absorbed. It just makes it easier if he isn’t dealing with us fighting over him.

Ben came in while Emmett was telling me about the diner and looked puzzled at Emmett complaining about Michael. I figured I could explain the whole Michael thing to Ben later.

“Why would he feel he could tell you who you should be friends with?” Ben asks him.

“Because he’s a little shit who thinks he can dictate to everyone,” I tell Ben.

“I wanted to believe the best in him. Teddy told me if I spent enough time with Michael and Deb, that I would see why he doesn’t want anything to do with them,” He tells us.

“I can’t believe Deb is helping Michael in this,” I tell Emmett.

“It’s because you were never really friends with them,” Emmett tells me.

“Lindsay didn’t like them until recently, so other than the occasional dinner, I didn’t really get to know them,” I tell Ben.

“Ted called me and invited me to lunch, which I still haven’t had because I ran from the diner and the Novotny's. I’m about to eat crow, want to come watch?” He asks us.

“Leda and I were going to lunch with friends,” I tell him.

“You should come Ben, at least you could meet Justin,” He tells Ben.

“You need to get out and meet people,” I tell Ben.

“It’s just been hard since Peter and I ended things. I haven’t really been up to going out,” Ben tells us.

“It’s been months. Trust me, the best way to move on is to find people who don’t know you as Ben and Peter,” I tell Ben.

Ben agrees to go and I really hope he can at least make friends with people outside the friends he and Peter shared. Emmett could use a friend like Ben who is Michael’s opposite in every way. 

TED

I started feeling that nervousness I get when I know a guy that would never look at me is going to be around. I’ve meet Ben, but he’s usually part of a couple and I never saw him as potential. Emmett called and told me he was bringing him, and all of a sudden I felt like I was the troll in the group again. Brian looks at me and pulls me from the table.

“Why are we dealing with this again?” He asks me.

“What?” I ask him.

“Your loss of confidence. Justin isn’t going to kiss it back this time, are we clear?” He asks me.

“I’ve always liked Ben, but when he was still with his boyfriend I knew it didn’t matter. Now he’s single,” I tell him.

“If you want to set yourself up for disappointment, then your there. Pick your head up and show him you’re worth his time,” Brian tells me.

“It’s easy for you to say that, look at you. Most guys would stand in line to be with you,” I tell him.

“If you want him, then you have to at least show him how adorable you are,” Justin says as he comes up to us.

“I really wish you would quit calling him that,” Brian tells him.

“I call you hot and that should beat adorable. Ted, it doesn’t mean adorable is bad.” Justin tells him, kissing his cheek.

“Justin, no more kissing other men.” Was that a growl from Brian?

We walk back and when Ben and Emmett come in, Justin looks at Ben and raises an eyebrow at me and Terry. Terry turns and stares, which once again means another hopeful bites the dust for me.

“Which one is which?” Terry asks Justin.

“Emmett’s would be the one giving you a woody. I guess the other one is Ben.” Justin tells him.

When they get to the table Ben nods at me and then gets introduced to the rest of the group.

“Emmett, why not sit next to Terry. He’s new in town.” Justin tells him and then the only chair is next to me. 

“Ted, it’s been awhile, how have you been?” Ben asks me.

“Good, just working and took a… vacation with um, Justin.” I tell him nervously, because he’s staring at me and not the other guys.

“Maybe we could meet sometime for dinner. You could tell me about it.” Ben tells me.

“Ted, Ben asked you a question.” Justin tells me.

“You want to go out together?” I ask him.

“I think he established that, if you were paying attention.” Brain tells me sarcastically.

“I’d love to... I mean sure, if you want.” I stumble to answer.

The rest of lunch was spent with me trying to figure out if Ben meant a date. God I hope so.