JUSTIN

I laid in bed, praying that the voice I heard downstairs was not my mother. Michael is making me postal with all the shit he keeps pulling, trying to show me that Brian isn’t the best bet to have a relationship with. The real winner was him inviting a bunch of guys to my house to party naked downstairs. Brian and Ted ended up having to kick the party out of my house. I was ready to kick his ass out, but Emmett convinced me that he would make sure that Michael didn’t do anything else. Right now Emmett isn’t on my good list either, which makes me wonder why I invited them at all. 

Now I need to know why my mother, of all people, is here. Ted and Emmett better keep the baby news quiet, the way they have been, because the last thing I want is my mother turning this into another reason I should move home. I looked up at the painting and got up to face my mother.

“I’m so sorry,” Emmett tells me as I come out of my room.

“Why?” I ask him.

“Michael called and told his mom and yours about you and Brian.” He tells me.

“Then Michael can leave with them when I kick yet more uninvited people out of my house,” I tell him.

“Brian is going to kill him for this,” Emmett says, following me down the stairs.

“Justin, Sweetheart. Deb and I wanted to come to see how everything is going.” She tells us.

“Michael told us about Brian causing a ruckus in the house,” Deb tells me, as Molly snorts.

“I guess Brian throwing out a bunch of guys thinking they would have an orgy in the house was a bad thing,” Molly tells her.

“Brian shouldn’t have invited those kinds of men here,” Deb tell her.

“He didn’t, Michael did,” Molly tells her.

“Then I’m sure it just got out of hand,” Deb tells us.

“Mom, why are you two here?” I ask, to stop Molly from coming unglued.

“We just felt that you think Brian is someone you can trust,” Deb tells me.

“Deb was just worried about you, and she and I know Brian,” Mom tells me.

“And your opinion stopped mattering once I earned my first commission,” I tell her.

“I’m still your mother, and whether you believe it or not, I only want what’s best for you, and Honey, Brian isn’t it.” She tells me.

“My relationships have never been open for discussion in the past, and they still aren’t,” I tell her.

“I asked them to come and tell you what you don’t want to hear,” Michael tells me.

“If I was five, then I could see calling my mommy and yours on me, but since I’ve handled my life without my mother being any part of it since I was sixteen, I don’t see the point in it now,” I tell him.

“My Michael would be a great partner. He’s looking for someone to share his life with.” Deb tells me.

“If anything about your Michael remotely interested me, then I would take it under advisement,” I tell her.

“Justin, you need to see that dating guys like Brian is never going to give you a family and home life,” Mom tells me.

“Think about it, your mother sees that you aren’t the best at picking partners. We think if you give Michael a chance you’d see that Brian might be nice to look at, but that’s really all you should do.” Deb tells me.

“Mom, when I act disinterested it’s not a sign that I want the guy. You encouraging Michael really just hurts him.” I tell her.

“I need someone to explain to me why you think Justin would lower his standards for him,” Molly says as she points to Michael.

“Michael is worth ten of Brian,” Deb tells her.

“Then go find someone who wants your son, which will never be me,” I tell her.

“Justin, you don’t want Brian,” Mom tells me.

“Mom, you don’t want Brian, but I do. And what I want for my life wins.” I tell her.

“Emmett, you should tell Justin about Brian. He needs to know what he’s walking into.” Deb tells Emmett.

“No one needs to tell Justin anything. Sorry, I went to get those bagels you wanted. I guess I missed the party. At least Michael kept them dressed, unlike the troll patrol.” Brian tells me, handing me the bag.

“How could you do this to Michael? You knew he wanted a chance with Justin.” Deb yells at him.

“If you were listening, I don’t want your son,” I tell Deb, stuffing the warm bagel in my mouth.

“Hey, where’s my donut?” Molly asks Brian.

“I’ve got them. What are you and Jen doing here?” Ted asks when he sees them.

“Justin, you need more than that for breakfast, and Molly, donuts are not breakfast food,” Mom tells us. I just take a big bite.

“We came because Michael said…” Deb stops when Emmett talks over her.

“They came because Michael can’t see that like Brian, Justin isn’t interested in him either,” Emmett tells us.

“Well, how could Justin see Michael when Brian is charming him?” Deb asks us.

I look over to see my mom pulling out eggs and milk. Why she cooks when she’s upset never made any sense to me. I watch the eggs drip out and start to get queasy. Man, I never really noticed how gross it looks. 

“Justin, Brian might be saying all the right things now, but he never sticks around for a relationship to become anything.” Deb continues, while I start worrying about the bagel that’s trying to come up.

“Honey, I just don’t want you with someone like him,” Mom tells me while beating the eggs, and putting sausage in a pan.

“I love how you act as if I’m not standing right here while you’re talking about me,” Brian tells them.

“Brian you need to go home and leave Justin alone. You owe it to Michael to let him have a chance to have a relationship.” She tells him.

“I thought I took care of what I 'owe' when I did the birthday party you wanted for Michael. I’m all paid up, so try a new tactic.” Brian tells her.

“I don’t want my son involved with you,” Mom tells him. Is the sausage bad?

I turn off the stove and grab my mother and Deb and lead them to the door. “Don’t move I’ll be right back,” I tell them.

I hold out my hand to Michael who takes it and lead him to the door with them. I open the door and ask them to step outside so we can talk. I love how they smile like they think I’m agreeing with them. Smiling I slam and lock my front door. Really it’s the only way with my mother.

“Twenty says they run to the back and try to get in,” Emmett tells Ted.

“Twenty only Deb does, hauling Michael behind her like a two-year-old,” Molly tells Emmett.

We all look to see who won. I’m really disappointed in my mother for leading them to the door.

“Justin, open this door and allow us to talk to you.” My mother tells me.

“Hey Mom, you know Justin doesn’t listen, just like Mikey,” Molly tells her.

I walk by and get whiff of the sausage and just make it to the sink. Brian is behind me wetting a washcloth and my mother realized the door wasn’t locked and ran in. I kept going until nothing was left and leaned on the sink. Brian pulled me up and cleaned my face. 

“I know this is supposed to happen but I was hoping I was one of the lucky ones,” I tell him quietly.

“At least you made it to the sink so we don’t have to clean it up,” Brian smirks.

“Justin are you okay?” My mom asks me.

“I’m just fine, but honestly I won’t be if you stay,” I tell her.

“This is all Brian,” Deb tells us.

“No, I’m actually a really big asshole when people don’t listen to the words that come out of my mouth. I don’t want your son, will never want him. Is that getting through or do I need to get someone to write it across the fucking sky for the world to see before you three get it?” I ask her.

“Justin, calm down, it’s not good for the baby. Fuck. Sorry.” Emmett tells me, and I’m going to kill him.

“What baby?” My mother asks as the color drains from her face.

“Baby?” Michael looks at all of us then at Molly. “This is what happens when Brian’s around, people do stupid things.” He tells Molly.

“I use birth control and condoms asshole, so don’t lecture me,” Molly tells him.

“Molly, when did you get birth control?” My mother asks.

“Then who the hell are you talking about Emmett?” Michael asks him.

“I meant Justin should calm down Baby. You know that's what I call him,” Emmett tells us, nodding like we should be agreeing.

“No, you said for the baby,” Deb tells Emmett, glaring at Brian. “You knocked him up didn’t you?” She really told him but made it sound like a question.

“Justin?” My mom stares.

“I don’t care. If you tell Brian to go, I’ll help you raise the kid,” Michael tells me.

“Michael, let it go,” Ted tells him.

“I’m tired of Brian always getting everything. He barely pays attention to Gus, so a new kid won’t matter to him.” Michael tells me.

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” I yell at them.

“Justin. Honey, you don’t mean that.” My mom tells me.

“You shouldn’t be talking to your mother or me like that.” Deb points a finger in my face.

“I’ll talk to either of you any way I want in my house,” I tell them.

“You're renting,” Michael tells me.

“What the hell does that have to do with it?” I ask him.

“It’s not your house.” He tells me.

“I’ll buy the damn thing if that helps you to GET… OUT… OF… MY… RENTED… HOUSE.” I tell him.

I guess Brian had had enough, because he, Ted, and Emmett started pulling them to the door.

“Justin, where are we supposed to stay tonight? We were counting on staying here.” My mom asks me.

“I got it,” Daphne tells me following them out of the house.

Brian opened his arms and I walked to him, trying to calm down. We’d been spending nights talking because he wanted me to know what I felt I needed to know about him. We both decided that I would stay here and he would visit on weekends until the summer was over, but I just can’t stay here if my mother and Deb know where I am.

“We need a new plan,” I tell him.

“Then come back to Pittsburgh.” He tells me.

“I hate Pittsburgh,” I tell him.

“Then we look at alternatives. We don’t have to live in the city. You could go back to New York.” He tells me.

“I’m not ready to do that either,” I tell him.

“Are you ready to at least try living together?” He asks me.

“Only if you promise not to expect that I made a decision,” I tell him.

“You don’t think you did a minute ago?” He asks me.

“I just don’t want to screw this up,” I tell him.

“We won’t. But we either go into this knowing it’s a relationship, or it’s pointless to try.” He tells me.

“Okay,” I tell him as he raises a brow. 

“Okay, what?” He asks with a smirk.

“Okay. Yes, Mr Kinney, I know this is a relationship.” I tell him, kissing him.