JUSTIN

We got to Mel’s as Lindsay and Sam were leaving. Lindsay looked like a tragic Madonna, tears streaming down her cheeks. She put her arms around Brian, but must have noticed the lack of response, because she backed up, looking puzzled at him not doing anything.

“Brian…”

“Excuse me, I need to see if my son with Mel is okay.” He tells them, walking past her.

“I didn’t ever want to hurt them.” She tells me.

“Who? Because there are so many people on that list, it's hard to figure out who you mean anymore.” I tell her.

“No one understands the stress I'm under. I had to pick a life that would make me happy.” She tells me.

“Then go be happy, but don't ever come back expecting anyone to want you around. Before you leave, do one thing for me.” I tell her.

“Anything, I want us to be close.” She tells me.

“I don’t want anything to do with you. I just wanted you to take care of yourself so these two children have a healthy start in life.” I tell her, walking into the house.

Mel was sitting next to Brian, watching Gus play on the floor. Brian slid down on the floor next to him and played with one of his cars. Gus kept crashing them into each other but not saying anything to Brian.

“Anybody want a drink?” Mel asks.

“I'll help you.” Brian tells her.

They both went to the kitchen, most likely so Brian could ask what happened. I sat across from Gus letting him continue the demolition derby.

“Do you miss your daddy?” Gus asks.

“Sometimes, but it's hard when he couldn’t be happy with the way I lived my life.” I tell him.

“Do you think he still loves you?” He asks sniffing.

“In his way he does, just not the way I wish he did.” I tell him.

“Does it hurt that…”

Suddenly I had a crying Gus in my lap. I held him and let him cry.

“Yes, Gussy it hurts, but not always, and one day you realize it had nothing to do with you, some people just don't love the way you do.” I whisper.

“Like the way I love you?” He asks.

“Yes, and the way Mama, Daddy, and I love you for being the best little boy we could have.” I tell him.

“Forever and always?” He asks.

“There will never be a time we don't.” I tell him, crying.

BRIAN

“Are you okay?” I ask Mel.

“I'm still trying to understand how she could walk in as if Gus should be thrilled she's leaving him.” She tells me.

“What did she say to him?” I ask.

“It was all about her, and how she was going to be traveling to all the places she's always wanted to go, and how for him, it will be hearing new exciting things from her. Nothing about hating to leave him or when she'll call or visit.” She tells me.

“Do you think he understands that she's leaving him?” I ask.

“Brian, he just hugged her then started smashing cars together. He hasn't had time to ask anything. I don't know how he's feeling because he hasn't even looked up from his cars.” She tells me.

“We'll stay until he's ready.” I tell her, walking back into the living room to find Gus in Justin’s arms, the two of them crying. I sat down behind Justin and wrapped my arms around both of them. Mel sat next to us and I put my arm around her too.

Gus cried himself to sleep in our arms. I laid down with him and held him, hoping to ease the pain my son should never have felt. Justin sat with Mel to give me time alone with my son. When Gus woke up a couple of hours later, I could see that for a second he forgot what was happening but then his face crinkled and he laid back down, pulling my arms around him.

“Daddy, I love you.” He whispers.

“I know sonny boy, and I will always love you and always be there when you need me.” I tell him.

“Why does mommy have to go?” He asks.

“She didn’t know how to stay.” I tell him.

“She said she wanted new things. Was it because I'm not new like the babies?” He asks.

“Gus it wasn’t you or the babies, mommy just doesn’t know how to be her anymore. Remember that it wasn't you, that you didn’t do anything to make her go.” I tell him.

“She said she'd call, do you think she will?” He asks.

“Mama and I will make sure she does, if you want to talk to her.” I tell him.

“You promise?” He asks.

“As long as you want it, I promise.” I tell him.

“Can we just stay here for a while, I'm not ready to get up.” Gus tells me putting his head on my chest.

“Whatever you need Sonny Boy.” I tell him, wrapping my arms around him.

When Gus was down for the night, Mel asked us to let her have some time alone with him. She wanted to show him she was always going to be the mother Lindsay should have been. As we left, I heard her singing to him.

It took a while before Gus seemed to be his normal, happy self. The family made sure that when he asked questions we answered in a way that we didn't make Lindsay sound bad, it wasn’t easy, but he still loved her and we accepted he always would.

When Sam called to tell Michael to come, we all prepared Gus for meeting the babies that changed his world. I was proud when he told us he'd help them not miss their mommy.

So the whole family went to the airport to meet Helen Deborah and Warren Michael, who slept through the loud family greetings. Michael stayed long enough to dump all the bags on us and took off for his first visit to see Ben. Which he announced loudly to anyone he walked by.

Grampy took Warren the second in his arms and showed off his namesake to anyone standing near. When he held Helen, Grampy melted, and it was a sight to see the King of Industry fall in love with the tiny life in his arms.

Justin laughed when he told Ted it was time to start calling him Grampy, since the babies would need to use the name, and Blake had a bag ready for Ted to breathe into. Of course Ted got over it when Grampy tried to take the babies with him. Then ‘Grampy’ was used to try to stop him from taking off with Ted’s babies.

“Grampy, I have my car ready for the babies, which is how they are getting home.” He tells Grampy, not letting him argue.

“Ted my boy, they need time to bond with me, I won’t be here forever.” Grampy guilted.

“You’ll outlive us all Grampy, just so you can shape the future generations.” Blake tells him, taking Helen.

“I have plans and I just want to make sure all my grandkids know their roles.” He tells Ted, as he hands over Warren Jr.

“How about we wait for them to talk before they take over the world with you.” Ted tells him.

“Kayla, tell them they need to help me.” Grampy tells her.

“I already agreed to help you with your next plan Grampy.” She tells him, dragging him to the car.

“Wait, what did you plan with my daughter?” Justin yells, as he takes off after them.

“Dad, you should know that Grampy always has a plan for something.” Gus yells, as he and Joseph run after them.

“Well Brian, shall we behave like adults?” Granny asks me.

“Someone has too.” Deb tells us.

“Why? We always said we wanted to be forever young.” Emmett tells them, skipping off with Drew following.

“I’ll never understand the skipping.” I tell Granny.

“He’s just being Emmett.” Carl tells me.

Justin and I let the kids stay with Grampy, who was still pouting because Ted and Blake wanted to spend their first night with the babies alone. They let Grampy tell them a bedtime story, and we all listened to the story of Grampy and Granny, ‘the ultimate love story’ according to him. How he turned being almost knocked over and deciding to marry said trippy a month later, into the ultimate love story, was seriously lacking in the excitement department to me.

“I’ve been with my Darling Girl for forty years, so top that.” He tells me.

“I will, in thirty six.” I tell him.

On our forty-first wedding anniversary, surrounded by our children and their husbands and wives, I married my doctor again, and this time he remembered the entire event.