BRIAN

I got up early to make a call, because I don’t want to add to Justin’s stress. After getting off the phone I decided to feed Justin for a change. The buzzer rang and I smiled, because the new code and key are keeping people out. Pushing the intercom was really rather delightful.

“Brian, I need to talk to you.” I’m sure I know what Deb wants.

I push to let her in and open the door. When she comes in with Carl behind her holding a bags I smiled, because Justin is about to meet Deb’s idea of cooking. 

“Deb’s worried.” Carl tells me, holding up the groceries.

“I just thought I’d never have to deal with Danny again. Michael seemed to let it go.” She tells me, pulling out pans.

I hear Justin talking in the bedroom and Deb seems to be alternating between smiling and looking worried. ”How is Helen going to take that Danny and I never told her?” Deb asks.

“Brian, did you call my mom this morning… Oh hi, let me get dressed.” Justin tells my visitors and runs his underwear clad bottom back into the bedroom.

“So have you decided anything?” Deb asks, practically rubbing her hands together.

“That he doesn’t want to be related to Mikey.” I tell her, because what we decide is for us only.

“Shit, Michael had to act up.” Deb mumbles.

“So again, did you call my mom?” Justin asks, not commenting on Deb’s mention of Mikey the asshat.

“Yes, because she seems to keep her father under control, and what happened yesterday isn’t the way we want to start a marriage.” I tell him.

“That explains Grampy’s apology text. By the way, he said he respects that you don’t want to be given something.” He tells me.

The buzz was still music to my ears and well ,Grampy isn’t really unwelcome. 

“I was sent by Granny to tell you both, that unless you want to do the interview, there won’t be one.” Grampy tells us, and then notices Deb and Carl. “Is that real bacon?” He asks Deb, and sits with Carl.

“You get a normal serving.” Justin tells him.

“I swear, that kid thinks because he got a medical degree, that it means nothing good gets past my lips.” Grampy tells Carl, sounding like a proud grandfather.

“Stick around Deb, and he won’t know what hit him.” Carl tells him.

“Grampy, did you know?” Justin asks him like he would understand.

“Yes, but unless Danny wanted us to know, I respected his privacy.” He tells Justin.

“What about Granny?” I ask, and Warren smiles Justin’s smile.

“You know she’s going to love you for calling her that right?” Justin tells me.

“I never told Granny because, I’m going to tell you straight Deb, your son really hits me wrong.” Warren tells Deb.

“Grampy.” Justin warns, but Warren is just telling her without the bullshit.

“What bothers you about Michael?” Deb asks.

“He never tries to do anything without someone telling him what to do. You practically raised Brian and Michael side by side, but where Brian chased his dreams and goals, Michael sat around waiting for you and Brian to make his dreams a reality. Deb, I wanted to know the people I’m dealing with, so I hired people to find out who my grandson would be involved with, and Michael had potential, but seems to never bother to get past finding people to do everything for him. It left me not telling my family about your son.” He tells her.

“Do you want Danny and I not to tell Helen?” Deb asks, but I can tell she’s angry. Mikey might behave like an asshole but he’s still her son.

“Do I look like I want a divorce? Yes, tell her, but don’t be surprised when she tries to straighten him out. Where do you think my grandson get’s his ‘heal the world’ attitude from?” Warren tells her.

“I know Michael has a tendency to be selfish…”

“Deb, he can be a shit, but I think it’s that we all just protected him too much.” I add when she doesn’t seem to know how to explain Mikey.

“That, and the fact that I feel like Michael is going to be a problem for my grandson. Have you gotten the other one to back off yet?” Warren asks me.

“I think she’s most likely to become your headache.” I tell him because Lindsay seeing this as a good thing, only means she’s up to something.

“Too bad you didn’t have one with the partner, although Gus is a perfect little boy.” Warren tells me, and yes my sonny boy is.

“I’m just worried how Michael is going to react to having more family.” Deb tells him.

When the buzzer goes off again, I doubt I wanted to know.

“Brian, can I come up.” Emmett sounds upset.

“Drew is messing up with Emmett.” Deb tells us, and Warren’s look of surprise is not something Drew is going to like.

“What did Drew do?” Warren asks.

“He stopped returning Emmett’s calls.” Deb tells Warren.

“Hey, I was just seeing if I could hang out here.” Emmett asks when he walked in shoulders slumped and almost turned around when he saw Warren.

“Emmett, it’s not what you think. He’s not allowed to talk to anyone until his agent and Brian approve.” Warren tells us, and interesting, when I explained to Jen that I work for what I get.

“Grampy, you’re crossing the line.” Justin tells him.

“No, I’m hiring Brian because he’s the kind of man that can spin this without it turning into a bigger problem. This is not like what I tried to pull yesterday. I’m asking Brian as the owner of Kinnetik to help me sell Drew.” Warren tells both of us.

“If I agree then Drew understands that he’s going to sell a love story. Emmett you're going to have to deal with me using you.” I won’t do it if Emmett can’t.

“Drew and I need to talk first, because I won’t pretend we are anything if he’s just using me.” Emmett tells me.

“Emmett, he’s at my hotel. Sean will take you and get you there without anyone seeing you. If you don’t feel like Drew is worth what’s coming, then tell me and I’ll help you find some place to be until it blows over.” Warren tells him, calling Sean.

Emmett leaves and I really don’t know if the Drew who hid him is someone I want my friend with, but like Grampy just said, that’s up to Emmett.

“Now Deb, it might be easier to have a dinner with Michael and Ben at Justin’s house. If anyone overreacts than it’s just family to see it.” Grampy tells us, and Justin rolls his eyes.

“I haven’t even decorated or even put a chair in the house and now I’m hosting a dinner party. You know I do work and will be working tonight, then I need to check on Mel and Hunter.” Justin tell him.

“Why are you checking on Hunter?” Deb asks and Lord help Michael when she finds this out.

“Hunter is having a hard time with things and I couldn’t act like I didn’t see he wanted to run away from everything. I tried talking to Ben, but apparently right now Michael and Jenny are taking precedence over a teen who needs the attention.” Justin tells her.

“Hunter just said that he wanted to see if the school offered accelerated programs.” Carl tells us, and I guess Hunter was protecting Mikey too.

“Maybe this is none of my business, but in a way, Hunter is my family too, is there some reason everyone is ignoring that Hunter’s barely caring if the meds keep him alive?” Justin asks.

“Justin, it’s not their fault.” Warren tells him.

“If I was in his situation, I know you would have noticed and done everything you could to help me. I’m only doing what you and Granny taught me, to help anyone who needs me.” Justin tells him.

“There’s also a time when you ask for help.” I tell Justin.

“Then help me get Hunter to see that he isn’t nobody, that he’s got a future.” Justin tells me.

“Why didn’t I see this?” Deb asks us.

“Sometimes it’s easier not to see that someone’s in pain, or that we learned to hide it.” I tell them.

“You made it, because you had Deb.” Justin tells me.

“Hunter will make it, because you're too stubborn to let him give up. Justin, when you came to Brian’s office yesterday, that kid was smiling, just because you gave him your time and attention.” Warren tells him.

“Brian, who’s this?” You know, locking my door would have made keeping a social climbing pregnant lesbian out easier.

“Warren, Gus’s mother.” I know the sarcasm was loud and clear.

“He’s so bad at introductions. I’m Lindsay Peterson, and yes, Brian and I had Gus together. I really haven’t had a chance to get to know Gus’s new stepfather and well, I think it would be wonderful for all our families to have dinner together.” Lindsay the hostess, starts serving coffee. Deb snorted when Lindsay tried to fill Warren’s full cup.

Justin comes over to the counter and starts eating my toast, watching Lindsay stand there waiting for Warren to respond.

“My parents were mentioning that we could have dinner at their club.” Lindsay tells him.

Warren sat there not saying anything and I’ve done this, where you let someone continue until they realize it’s getting them nowhere.

“Justin, we should get to know each other, I mean if you and Brian decide to stay married than as Gus’s mom, we’ll be part of each other’s lives.” She must have thought Justin didn’t learn anything from Grampy, but yes, he learned to look through someone too.

“Brian, don’t you think we should all make sure that Gus sees us as family?” She ask me.

“When you tell everyone, including your family, and I mean ALL of your family how that bun got in your oven, then Justin and I will gladly have dinner with your parents.” I tell her.

“Brian, it’s just not something I can tell my parents, and really, does it matter how Gus’s brother or sister was conceived?” She asks me, not looking very happy that I brought it up.

“No, it doesn’t. But I won’t put my name on a birth certificate unless it’s mine.” I tell her.

“Brian, I told Justin this and now I’m going to tell you. She is beyond your help.” Warren finally says something directly about Lindsay.

“What do you mean by that?” Lindsay asks him.

“I could explain it to you, but I think the words speak for themselves.” Warren tells her.

“Lindsay, fix your problems before you try to cause more.” Deb tells her.

“Deb, we need to get going. We are going to see Hunter and talk to him.” Carl tells her.

Deb cleaned up and followed Carl out, but Lindsay didn’t seem to see that maybe she needed to go with them. 

“Brian, when I put the code in it didn’t work.” Lindsay tells me.

“How soon will my house be done?” I hear Justin ask Grampy.

“Are you letting Granny decorate?” He asked Justin.

“If it means I can move in, then yes, but on my budget, not yours.” He tells him.

“I could help.” Lindsay offers, and really, I see the family likeness in the ‘What the hell’ look they gave her.

“Brian, we need to get going.” Warren tells me.

Justin and I go get dressed and I hear Warren and Lindsay talking, and whatever he told her, she left without saying anything. I look at Warren.

“I just told her that I respect people who take care of their children, which it seems my nephew might need to hear too.” He tells me, walking out.

“Michael is never going to get on his good side.” Justin tells me, walking out behind him.

I locked my door and thought, no, because Michael got on the wrong side of Justin. I can understand Warren’s point of view.