BRIAN

When Danny and Deb came over to Kinnetik to talk to Grampy, I was hanging out in his office finalizing an opening date for the center. Neither of us saw the point in not having at least part of the center open, so that these kids would at least have a place to go before the weather made these kids do things just to stay warm. Ted came in with Deb and Danny.

“I just don’t get how they haven’t figured out that no one's buying it?” Ted asks.

“I don’t think they care as long as the end result is that they get Jenny and Gus.” Grampy tells them.

“My son can’t even clean up his own room, much less be responsible for a baby.” Deb tells us.

Granny came in, kissed Grampy’s head, then mine and Ted’s, before sitting next to Grampy. “Everything go the way I told you it would?” She asks us.

“We all acted like we were happy with their relationship and offered them advice to be able to give the kids a loving home.” Deb tells her.

“It was just hard not to ask them how they expect us to believe it.” Ted tells her.

“I’m staying out of it like you told Brian and me to, but Michael needs help if he can’t see that this is the worst plan the two have concocted.” Danny tells Helen.

“Hopefully you won’t have a daughter-in-law before this is over.” I tell Deb.

“I’m really worried about those two babies, how are they going to be able to take care of them?” Ted asks us.

“Lindsay almost acts like she isn’t pregnant. I mean, she barely remembers them unless someone brings it up.” Deb tells him.

“It’s how she’s always dealt with things, if she doesn’t acknowledge it, then she doesn’t have to act like it matters.” I tell them.

“Like her use of Justin being Kayla and Joseph’s only father?” Danny asks.

“If she called them my children then she would have to see that having Gus didn’t make her special, because it would mean that I can love my nonbiological kids too.” I tell them.

“I doubt Michael could.” Ted tells us.

“Theodore, why are you so worried?” Granny asks him.

“It’s just we are building this center for children whose parents don’t seem to give a shit and it’s hard to see it living color, from people who I used to think were caring people. It brings home the fact that any child could be on the street.” Ted tells her.

“They don’t have to be Ted, but it takes someone wanting the commitment of children to help do the right thing when kids need the help.” Granny tells him.

“I know, but I can’t help but see that these babies will need more than Michael and Lindsay to have a good life.” He tells us.

“Ted you can’t take on the world, anymore than Justin wants to.” Grampy tells him.

“But if I could convince Michael and Lindsay the babies would be better off with two people who would want them, I want to.” Ted tells us, getting up and leaving the room.

Grampy and I got up to see why Ted seems so passionate about Lindsay’s babies, because he’s never seemed interested in any kid really. I found him reading a file and trying to ignore us.

“Ted, where did that come from?” I ask him.

“I guess that Blake and I were thinking about children, and then when you adopted Kayla and Joseph, it showed me that having one biologically didn’t matter. I just think Blake and I could possibly offer Lindsay and alternative to this idiotic plan. She isn’t a horrible mother, it’s just she doesn’t understand the responsibility doesn’t end with collecting support and kissing a boo-boo.” Ted tells us.

“Why not look for a kid that wouldn’t involve you having to deal with Lindsay?” Grampy asks him.

“Blake wants to adopt a baby, just so that we could experience it all from the start. We both think it’s great that Brian and Justin didn’t, but for us it’s just wanting to experience it all from the beginning.” He tells me, almost apologizing for not wanting to do it the way Justin and I did.

“Ted there’s no right way to become a parent, what you do and what Brian and Justin do, doesn’t make one better than the other.” Granny tells him.

“There are other children out there, you don’t have to deal with Lindsay.” Grampy adds.

“It’s just… damn it, Blake and I want a child and would do everything to give it what we barely had and to have to watch Lindsay treat it like a way to finance her life, just bothers me.” He tells us.

“Do you expect her to just hand over the babies?” Grampy ask him.

“I was thinking of offering to help her out, I know that we have to be careful because of the way it could be interpreted as us buying her kids.” Ted tells us.

“You can’t give her money at all if you want to adopt the kids.” Grampy tells him.

“It’s the only language she understands sometimes.” Ted tells us.

“Ted just be there to offer to take the babies, don’t give her a way to manipulate you.” Grampy tells him leaving.

“I doubt she is going to want me to have them.” He tells me.

“I didn’t think Mel would be a better mother to Gus then Lindsay, but it happened.” I tell him, chasing after Grampy.

TED

I don’t even understand why I want to put myself through the shit Brian did with Lindsay.

“Ted, why is this really bothering you?” Granny asks.

“I couldn’t really tell you, maybe it comes from the fact that my parents seem to still want to be included in my life as long as Blake isn’t around to point out I’m gay. Being gay isn’t the sum of me, but it’s an aspect of my life that ignoring it won’t change. It’s like Lindsay treats this pregnancy, she doesn’t marvel in the fact that she can have children, just seems to ignore it. Blake and I will never have that, I almost hate her for being given the chance to have kids but treating it so fucking carelessly. Sorry Helen, it’s just hard to not want to curse her out.” I tell her sheepishly.

“Don’t worry there are a lot of things I would love to explain to both Michael and Lindsay, but I just don’t see the point in wasting words neither of them are willing to hear. Ted I want you to know that Grampy and I accept you for the sum of you, and we always will and so does Deb.” She tells me.

“She’s always loved us as her own. I never did get how Michael could act like Deb embarrassed him.” I tell her.

“That’s what us mothers are for, to make sure our children felt the same way we did, when our parents did something that embarrassed us.” She tells me.

“It must have been nice for Justin to not only have Jen but you guys to listen to him.” I tell her.

“I hope Grampy and I do it for all of you just like Deb, we love the new grandchildren my grandson has brought into our lives. Maybe instead of Helen and Warren you could find a way to be less formal. Blake managed to call us Granny and Grampy, hopefully you will too.” She tells me, kissing my head again and leaving.

I grabbed a paper bag from my desk and breathe into it, they expect me to call a legend in business, Grampy?

JUSTIN

I was running around trying to get groceries for dinner, I wanted to celebrate that my clinic would be opening soon. I got to the grocery store and saw Lindsay arguing with a guy. I didn’t care as long as I didn’t have to deal with her. Of course she saw me dragged the guy over to me.

“Justin, this is Sam.” She tells me and I look over, offering my hand because I honestly didn’t know what to do. “This is Justin, he’s Warren Marston’s grandson and Gus’s stepfather.” She tells him like she thinks we are all just one big happy family.

“Well, I’m going to get what I need, you two probably want to talk about the babies.” I tell him.

“Nothing to talk about, I don’t need more kids, but Lindsay seems to determined to have them.” He tells me.

“I thought you and Michael were planning on taking care of them?” I wanted to slap myself for even opening my mouth.

“It was Michael who thought that up, I just went along with it because I needed a place to go.” She tells me, wow, the tide turned quickly on that one.

“So no wedding? Sorry it didn’t work out but I am really in a hurry and need to get going.” I tell her.

“Sam wanted to see if you and Brian could spare some time to talk to us.” She asks me.

“Lindsay, Brian doesn’t really want to talk to you, and I honestly don’t get what you think talking to us would do.” I tell her.

“It’s just Sam offered to take me with him to Europe, and it wouldn’t be convenient with two babies…” She looks at me.

“Lindsay said that Mel wouldn’t want my bastards, but you and Brian don’t mind strays. I can give you money to deal with them.” Sam tells me.

“Sorry, but Brian and my children aren’t strays, but children we were lucky enough to find and complete our family with Gus. I’m sure you two can figure out a way to deal with babies unlucky enough to have you two for parents.” I tell them, walking away before I beat the shit of him for saying Kayla and Joseph were strays.

I picked up Kayla and Joseph and headed over to Mel’s to tell her that her ex is apparently about to skip out of the wedding. Gus answered the door and dragged Joseph behind him while Kayla followed. I went to find Mel. I was sort of surprised to see a woman sitting in the living room and even more when Mel came in smiling at the woman.

“Hey, if it’s a bad time I could take the kids with me.” I offer.

“Not at all, and old friend of mine was in town. Candice this is Justin, Gus’s other father.” She tells Candice.

“You married Brian Kinney?” She asks me.

“You know Brian?” I ask.

“Sort of, I met Mel through Lindsay and Brian was always somewhere. I wasn’t surprised when Mel told me that Lindsay asked Brian to father their son.” She tells me.

“Candice works for a group that helps gay parents fight for the rights to keep their children.” Mel tells me.

“It’s hard to understand why we aren’t considered just as good as a straight couple.” Candice tells her.

“Anyway, my lawyer called her in to help us in case Michael and Lindsay are really going to try and take this to court.” Mel tells me, acting guilty of wanting to spend time with another woman.

“About that, I have a feeling Michael is going to be fighting alone.” I tell her.

“Trouble in paradise already?” Mel asks, rolling her eyes.

“I don’t know, did Lindsay seem to really want Sam?” I ask her.

“I think she wanted the life he could offer her, whether she really wanted him, I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t realize there was even an affair until she finally admitted it.” Mel tells me.

“I saw them together at the store. They were talking to me as if I cared, and I guess Sam offered to take her with him to Europe, but not the babies.” I tell her.

“Where on earth do they think the babies would go?” She asks, and when I just stare, “You’re kidding?” She asks me.

“I guess she has some idea that we would just be willing to handle everything for her. While I love having children, I’m not keen on the idea of giving Lindsay one more way into our lives.” I tell her.

“I just couldn’t take on more children than the ones I have.” She tells me.

“You know, I never did understand how you stayed with Lindsay, she was always acting like everyone needed to kiss her ass. Sounds like she still expects it.” Candice tells us.