BRIAN 

I went to Justin’s office when someone seemed to be anywhere but Kinnetik lately. When I got there Daphne was standing at the front looking at her schedule.

“Justin busy?” I asked. 

“Grampy’s in there but otherwise no, he's free right now.” She tells me. 

“I think I’ll surprise them both.” I tell her walking to Justin's office.

“I’ll talk to Brian, but I don’t see a problem with you having Kayla and Joseph for the night. All you had to do was call.” Justin was saying as I walked in.

“I know, but I also wanted to see you.” The sneaky old codger tells him.

“Grampy, you’ve spent all day here, and don’t get me wrong, but why does it seem like you're hiding out?” Justin asks, looking up to see me leaning against the door. “Grampy what did you do?” He asked, when I shook my head to let him know not to let Grampy know I was standing here.

“Not a thing, just wanted to watch you work.” He tells him.

“So you didn’t have anything to do with Sam helping get Lindsay to give us all what we wanted?” I ask, and smirk when he jumps in his chair.

“You know, I think I should go see Granny.” He tells Justin.

“Why not explain to Brian and me exactly why he asked you that question?” Justin tells him, shaking his head when Grampy tries to get up. “I’ll call Granny and ask, if you don’t answer.” Justin tells him.

“You know, I always taught you that when you want answers to smooth your way in, not call in the troops.” He tells Justin, sitting back down.

“I didn’t say Mom, because you know she would be worse than Granny.” He tells Grampy. “So what did you do?” Justin asks, as if he’s the parent.

“I didn’t pay him if that is what you think. I just explained that if he was really as in love as he thinks that he should get her attention. Sam’s rich enough, but he likes the fame and the fawning over the chasing.” He tells us.

“Thank you for a lesson on who Sam is, but why did he want me to tell you he did what you wanted?” I ask, sitting next to  him.

“I might have been at the restaurant he was eating at and possibly had lunch with him.” Grampy hedging is a new one.

“Which means you called him and told him to be there, go on.” Justin tells him.

“He was frustrated with Lindsay being wishy washy about the whole thing with the babies and Gus. So I mentioned that she might act like she likes being in charge, but the people she seems to go around are more take charge. He really believes he loves Lindsay, so I told him to stop letting her tell him anything and take charge of her.” He tells us.

“Sam loves himself, Lindsay’s just the latest muse.” I tell him.

“Which I’m sure she enjoys, regardless of how short lived that life could be. Trust me, she’ll latch on to someone new when Sam isn’t giving her what she wants. I couldn’t stand by when Sam was starting to think having the kids around to amuse Lindsay sounded like a great idea to him. Trust me, it wasn’t because he wanted any fatherly role, but so that if he wanted to take off, she would be busy. I told him, set her up in a studio in Paris and make sure she’s surrounded by people she always wanted to be surrounded by, the elite. Then she won’t care what he’s doing. The only thing I really did beyond that was explain that if my Great Grandson got caught in one of Lindsay’s games to keep Mel and Brian on a tether, then I’d make sure Sam has a harder time getting shows in most of the major galleries in the cities where I do business.” He tells us.

“You threatened him?” Justin ask appalled.

“No, I negotiate with people, I tell idiots like him how it will be, that’s not threatening, it’s informing.” Grampy tells him.

“It worked, he wanted me to let you know he did what you wanted.” I tell him, not caring how, but just happy Lindsay was gone.

“I know, Mikey called and told me.” He tells us.

“Mikey?” I ask.

“He told me that when I say Michael it sounds like I’m about to scold him so we settled on Mikey.” He tells us.

“That’s all you did?” Justin asks, like he didn’t believe him.

“Justin, I’m your elder. You shouldn’t question me.” He tells Justin.

“Which just means your old, not that I don’t question you.” Justin smirks.

“Where is the respect I get for all the things I did for you?” Grampy asks.

“I figured I’d use the approach of not letting you evade the answer.” Justin tells him.

“He just understands that if Lindsay becomes a problem, that he will have one with me. Which is all you ever need to know.” Grampy tells us.

“Lindsay wants to talk to Gus today.” I tell Justin.

“Why?” He asks me.

“To explain to Gus why Mommy is leaving, since Sam seems to think that Lindsay should be the one to tell him.” I tell them, worried about what she would say to Gus.

“Brian, she needs to be the one, so Gus never has to wonder if you or Mel made her leave. Sam isn’t going to let her say anything but that she’s doing what she wants, not that you or Mel are making it hard for her to see him. It’s what she apparently told Sam, who mentioned it to me. It’s one of the reasons I thought we should take Kayla and Joseph tonight, so that you and Brian could be there for Gus. I know he loves his sisters and brother, but he needs his parents undivided attention tonight, because there is just no way he’s going to understand what Lindsay is doing. We as his family, need to do what Gus needs.” Grampy tells us.

“Who’s taking Jenny?” I ask.

“Mikey and Hunter are going to pick her up.” Grampy tells us.

“He really means well Brian.” Justin tells me, when I rubbed my hands over my face.

“You know she’s most likely not coming back don’t you?” I ask Grampy.

“I know that people can change, but they have to want to, and she just isn’t capable of letting anything be more important than what she believes are her rights. You might still wish your mother accepted and loved the man you are, but you don’t sit around trying to make her happy. Lindsay is still trying to figure out how to win the approval of two people who shouldn’t have had children anymore than she should. I think she’ll return, but only to tell Gus the wonderful things that she’s been doing and how it’s more important than sticking around and seeing what Gus will become one day. I also think he needs to see his mother for who she is, but understand that he can love her, but it’s okay because he has an entire family to always let him know he’s important. She’s never going to be able to fool that kid, because he sees what you and Mel do and Lindsay just won’t come out looking like she’s anything more than Craig will ever be to Justin.” He tells me.

MICHAEL

I got to the house and looked around at it, I own my home. I own a home that could have belonged to Ben and I, if I hadn’t treated our marriage so carelessly. I called Ben to meet me, because we need to make the decision together on what to do with the house. Most likely the last decision we’ll ever really make together. I watched as he opened the door and came in like he’s done so many times in the past.

“What did you need?” He asks, not sitting down.

“Sam Auerbach paid the house off.” I tell him.

“So you and Lindsay are bleeding Sam to get what you want. What did you have to do to get him to pay the house off?” He asks.

“Take custody of the babies.” I tell him.

“ You’re going to screw up two babies lives to help your ex.” He tells me, turning to walk out.

“No. I’m helping Ted and Blake be able to adopt the babies without Lindsay being able to give them shit.” I tell him.

“And what, you get a house for your kindness?” He asks.

“I didn’t ask for anything, I think even though Sam doesn’t want the babies he wanted them to go to a good home. So I think he felt like it was a thank you for me promising to always make sure they’re okay. I didn’t call you here to do anything but talk about what you wanted to do with the house. It’s really yours, because you paid for most of it.” I tell him.

“We can set a plan where you pay off what you owe.” He tells me.

“Or I could sell the house so you don’t have to deal with me anymore.” I tell him.

“Michael, we’ll always have Hunter between us. I heard you and Hunter have been talking more.” He tells me, smiling.

“I had to decide if I wanted to become a man who couldn’t keep my promises. Hunter’s worth more than that to me.” I tell him.

“At least we finally got that right.” He tells me. 

“Not completely, but I'm working on it. Carl's really been helping me with it.” I tell him. 

“Is Danny helping?” He asks. 

“He's willing to get to know me, but like I told him, Carl’s the father who wants the job. He understands me in a way Danny never will, but it would be great to at least be friends with my birth father.” I tell him. 

“I hope it works for you.” He tells me. 

“Sam told me love isn’t logical, it just is, do you believe that?” I ask. 

“I must, since I married a man who was still in love with someone else.” He tells me. 

“You’re right, you did marry someone who was in love with someone else, but you're going to leave a man who realizes he never understood love, and misplaced it on someone who was only ever a fantasy. Before you leave I want you to know that I figured out that real love is when a person loves you despite your flaws. That I found out that I married the man I love, because whether you can believe it or not, I love you more than I thought I could love anybody, including myself.” I tell him. 

“I wish I could believe you, because it's all I wanted.” He tells me. 

“Then let me visit you, in a new town. Let us see if we can rebuild your belief in me.” I tell him. 

“You aren’t the only one who messed this up Michael.” He tells me. 

“I didn’t do anything to help it either. I figured I just stalk you. Well, until you get a restraining order, then I'll love you from five hundred feet away.” I tell him. 

“I'd make it a thousand.” He tells me smiling.

“I can work with it.” I tell him. 

“Then call me when you want to visit.” He tells me. 

He wrapped his arms around me, and I knew this was worth fighting for.