BRIAN

It’s Friday and all I could think about was getting the hell out of here. I finished all the notes that I needed to leave in case Cynthia and Ted had an emergency this weekend. Drew came in and sat in front of me, I guess he wants to talk.

“What’s your problem with me?” He asks.

“I think that if Emmett hadn’t been in close proximity, that it would be some other guy sitting next to you.” I tell him.

“You base this on what?” He asks.

“The fact that when I walked in here you were sizing me up. It just doesn’t really work with the story that Emmett is the one you want.” I tell him.

“I’ve heard about you and I looked, it doesn’t mean I wanted you.” He tells me.

“Only because I’m not offering you my ass.” I tell him.

“But you’ll sell Emmett’s to make a buck.” He tells me.

“Is that really how you view my helping you?” I ask.

“I didn’t want Emmett to have to deal with the shit going on. Not because I didn’t want people to see that Emmett’s a Queen, but because I don’t want anything to happen to him that could hurt him. I like that he’s happy and sees the world the way he does. All this shit is going to change Emmett.” He tell me.

“Score one for Warren, he believed in you. I just couldn’t see the fiancee and Emmett both being there as proving Emmett meant more.” I tell him.

“How do you think I got caught, Sierra was bringing a friend for a threesome. Apparently the fact that I wouldn’t sleep with her made her think adding her friend would spice us up.” He tells me.

“Guy or girl?” I ask.

“Guy, why?” He asks.

“It makes the whole not knowing sound a bit strange.” I tell him.

“He wasn’t gay.” He tells me.

“Why was she there?” I ask.

“I didn’t really ask beyond her screaming like a banshee, but I was surprised because she was supposed to be at work and I told her I’d be out working with the team. It’s why I didn’t think twice about taking Emmett there.” He tells me.

“This is why I ask for full disclosure, leaving out things like that means that this could have been easier. Think about it.” I tell him, calling Warren.

“I don’t get what your talking about.” He tells me.

“Did you ever tell her you wanted a threesome?” I ask.

“No, but… shit she was cheating too.” He finally gets it. “So we smear her ass and I don't have to do all this other shit.” He tells me, and I put down the phone.

“First, no, we don’t smear her ass, we let it leak that there was more to the story. Sprinkle in the other guy and let them run with it. Second, you don’t get my help if you pull out of the outreach center.” I tell him.

“I didn’t mean that, just the part about making Emmett parade around. What you want to do with the center has my support and my financial backing. Emmett is really thrilled to see it happen, because he said having something like that would have given him somewhere to go instead of living with his family.” He tells me.

“Brian, my daughter and I were looking at the building next door.” Warren tells me, walking in.

“Why?” I ask.

“I just thought I could open an office.” He tells me. “Maybe join it to Kinnetik.” He adds.

“Why do you need an office here?” I ask him.

“I just think that me taking over your office isn’t convenient for you.” He tells me. “Which isn’t all, I also want to tell you that Jen found a building.” He tells me.

“For what?” I ask.

“For the center. It’s three stories and close to Liberty Diner. We are going to have to completely gut it, but until it’s done we can use the building next door for a soup kitchen and counseling.” He tells me.

“Grampy, you just had to find a reason for buying the one next door didn’t you.” I tell him, smiling.

“Well... I like the idea of watching over my grandson.” He tells me, pulling me into a bear hug.

“Drew needs to tell you about Sierra, and I’m out. I’ll handle anything else Monday.” I tell him, clearing my throat, it had a tickle in it. Yeah, I’m not believing myself either.

MICHAEL

I looked up when my door went off and see MY FATHER standing there.

“What do you want? Come to tell me about how Justin’s so wonderful while I’m a failure?” I ask him.

“I just thought I would see the shop you own. Maybe get you to explain why Justin seems to get so much animosity from you.” He asks.

“Everyone seems to think he’s just so fucking perfect. They act like because he’s running around and showing up everywhere that he’s great and not putting his nose in places that it doesn’t belong. I went to see my daughter, and Mel’s talking about how Justin comes by and cooks breakfast and plays with the kids, so she can sleep. Brian changing his locks and numbers has to be because Justin wanted him to. Hell, I can’t even spend time with anybody because they all want to kiss Uncle Warren’s ass.” I tell him.

“Why would Justin wanting to give a new mother time to rest after most likely being up half the night bother you?” He asks. 

“Because they're not his kids.” I tell him. 

“Gus will become his, from what I'm hearing Brian and Justin are going to make a go of their marriage.” He tells me. 

“Until Brian finds a better piece of ass.” I tell him. 

“You don’t really think much of Brian, do you?” He asks. 

“Of course I do, it's just Brian’s not being Brian if he isn't out there showing everyone that he's the man everyone wants.” I tell him. 

“So you like the idea that he'll be forever young and suicidal?” He asks. 

“What are you talking about?” I ask, confused.

“Did you really see the drinking and drugs six nights a week as something a normal person does?” He asks me.

“It was just Brian having a good time.” I tell him.

“Really? Because nameless, faceless men sounds more like he didn’t want anyone to get too close, because when you're too close to anyone they see what you’ve been hiding. It’s why I dated your mother, I could hide in plain site, only I couldn’t do it anymore. I ran and found who I am, but in that running I left your mother to deal with everything. You need to see that Deb was living during a time when being unwed and pregnant cast her out of a life she might have had. Yet she did everything to keep you, and didn’t ask for anything from anybody.” He tells me.

“Like you wouldn’t have helped if she told you.” I know he would have.

“You seem to think I had something to offer you, I didn’t, and honestly, you wouldn’t have had me as anything but a visitor who didn’t want the responsibility of a kid.” He tells me.

“So why bother now, if I’m so unwanted?” I sneer.

“I might not have wanted to be a father, to anyone, but I can’t stand by and watch you lose everything.” He tells me.

“Everyone will be fine when Brian gets rid of Justin.” I tell him.

“If he never does, what will you do?” He ask me.

“It’s going to happen, so I don’t have to do anything but wait for it.” I tell him.

“Warren was right; that you expect something, but do absolutely nothing to earn it.” He tells me, going to the door.

“I took care of him.” I tell him.

“Not very well if you never wanted him to grow up, because being a best friend implies wanting the best for that friend. Not sitting on the sidelines watching him kill himself.” He tells me, leaving.

He’s wrong, I just knew that nothing I said would stop him, but it could make him tell me he didn’t need me in his life, and that was my fear as he did the things he did. That one day the man I wanted would tell me to leave.

JUSTIN

Callie and Gus were sitting on the end of the bed in the loft trying to suggest that maybe if Brian and I picked Disney World we would have something to do, you know, instead of the B&B we were going to in Maine.

“I could come too, and we could ride like, Space Mountain.” Gus tells me.

“Or we could go to the castle I saw.” Callie tells me.

“We wanted to spend sometime alone.” I tell them.

“Why? There’s like nothing but woods in the pictures you showed me, and Uncle Justy you don’t like fishing.” She tells me.

“I heard there are bears and I love you and Dad, I don’t want you eaten.” Gus tells me.

“Gus where did you see that?” I ask, because really, bears.

“Um, I asked Nana if there were wild animals there.” He tells me.

“Why?” 

“Because I wanted you and Dad to take us to Disney World.” He nods.

“Really Uncle Justy, without Gus and me, how could you have any fun?” Callie asks.

“I think… they’ll find something to do.” Daphne giggled with Mel.

“Name one thing?” Callie gives me the eye.

“Talk, we want to talk.” I tell her, trying not to join Mel and Daphne.

“Gus and I would let you talk, just do it while taking us in the Teacups.” Callie tells me.

“I still think Space Mountain is where they could talk.” Gus tells us.

“How about Daphne and I take you to Kennywood.” Mel tells them.

“Okay, but Disney would still be better. Come on Gus, we have to go tell Granny.” Callie pulls Gus behind her. I love the look of ‘What’s a guy gonna do?’ Gus gets.

“You’re looking better.” I tell Mel.

“I feel better, I’m still not a hundred percent, but it makes staying for fifteen years at least seem like it meant something.” She tells me.

“We just came to see if you needed any help with the Disney whispers.” Daphne tells me.

“They can’t help that I’m the favorite.” I tell them, as they tackle me.

I tried to get away but they were determined to make sure I peed my pants. I was trapped when they both sat on my back and wouldn’t you know, Brian, Gus, and Callie had to see why I was screaming.

“Anything you need to tell me Justin?” Brian asks.

When Callie and Gus jumped on to help the moms, Brian just picked up the bag and told me to handle it. Really, he left me to fight alone, he is so going to meet the bear.