JUSTIN 

There is just not enough time in a day, I napped for a few hours but Mel called sounding upset, and well, I just couldn’t not check on her. I called Blake to see if he'd drive, because sleeping behind the wheel is just an ER visit waiting to happen. He met me out front and got us to the house. Seeing Lindsay in the kitchen explained why Mel was upset. I'm starting to wonder what Lindsay’s agenda is.

I got an armful of Mel, and didn't like the tension that was coming off her in waves.

“Look, maybe you could give her time to adjust to everything.” I tell Lindsay, hoping she’ll leave.

“It's my home, and she needs to remember I forgave her when she cheated on me.” She tells me like turning a new mother into a nervous wreck is perfectly fine. The baby crying seems to get Mel’s attention and I guess Ben and Hunter were still here when I hear someone talking upstairs.

“Mel go with Blake.” I tell her, because Lindsay and I are going to talk about why she thinks this is the way to repair a relationship.

She barely waited for them to leave when she seemed to think she could talk down to me.

“I don’t think you need to stick your nose in my marriage.” She tells me sitting there like a princess.

“Your marriage is hanging on by a thread, so nothing I do is going to change it.” I tell her sitting across from her. I learned from my Grandfather to make them think they have the advantage before showing them who really does.

“It wouldn’t be if Brian hadn’t acted like this was a big deal.” She tells me rubbing her stomach.

“You know I haven’t really known him that long, but seeing him with Gus tells me that he couldn’t ignore his kid. Which you seem to think is in character for him.” I tell her.

“Which really makes the idea of your marriage a joke, if you think Brain couldn’t ignore something.” She tells me.

“I think you need to see that what you did isn’t going to brushed aside and figure out a way to not make Mel deal with your shit.” I tell her.

“Who do you think you are? Just because Brian married you it doesn’t make my life your business.” She tells me, once again not getting that she really couldn’t compete with my mother.

“I’m a doctor worried about how you're affecting a new mother.” I tell her.

“Like having Ben and Hunter waiting on her hand and foot is so hard.” She tells me.

“I think she thought her partner would have been the one to help her, but you know, I’m going to assume that it’s too hard for a princess like you to understand that sometimes it’s not about you. Now how about you find a place to go for a while and come back when she’s back to fighting form. I’ll even watch Gus so he doesn’t end up in your war zone.” I tell her.

“Brian and I need to talk about Gus, I don’t need him around someone who isn’t going to be around past the divorce papers he needs to slap in your hands.” She tells me.

“That’s our decision, not yours. While I’m still feeling generous, get the fuck out.” I tell her smiling the whole time.

“Lindsay, you can stay at our house, but Justin’s right, Mel doesn’t need this.” Ben tells her.

I guess Lindsay wasn’t going to fight a free place to invade. She grabbed the key and walked out. Ben sat down looking as if he wanted to say something and I waited because that’s how I get people to talk to me.

“Thank you.” He tells me.

“For what?” I ask, because I’m just about ready to pass out.

“For getting Hunter to talk.” He tells me.

“Are you really not seeing that he’s hiding how he feels?” I ask him.

“It’s just lately we’ve been dealing with Jenny’s birth and Michael’s things.” He tells me.

“Why are you worried about a grown man, when you have a kid in trouble? Ben, what I saw was a kid on the verge of running, there isn’t any way to miss that, unless you want to.” I tell him.

“What do you want me to say, that I’m married to a man who can’t see past his wants to realize that the son we adopted might be more than we bargained for.” Ben tells me and that was not what I wanted to hear.

“You know, adopting a kid isn’t like getting a goldfish, you don’t get to flush it because it needs more than a sandwich. So if it’s really too hard maybe you and Michael should have stuck to a goldfish and not a kid who wasn’t going to be cute and cuddly. Hunter is going to have a lot of issues that he’s not going to want to tell you about and that smart mouth of his is just pain hiding under bravo. If it’s ‘too hard’ as you put it, I’ll take him and make your life easier, because he’s had it hard, not you and clueless you married.” I tell him and really the adrenaline woke me up. 

“I didn’t mean we didn’t want Hunter.” Really, what does ‘not what they bargained for’ mean to him.

“It sounds like you don’t seem to know what you want. You need to figure it out before that kid takes off and endangers himself more that he already has. I don’t understand people who go as far as adopting an HIV teen, but don’t realize his life will never be normal. Is your life normal anymore? No, I didn’t think so, so don’t make his life harder because you refuse to see that people are assholes and can’t see past something that he got because no one took care of him.” I tell him. 

I left him sitting there, because he either gets it or he doesn’t. Hunter was sitting on the stairs and I just couldn’t leave him there. I sat down and told him what I would have love to hear if I was him.

“It’s not a death sentence, just an obstacle that you can work with. Don’t give up what can be a fulfilling life because it seems impossible.” I tell him.

“I don’t get you.” He tells me.

“Why, I’m pretty simple.” I tell him.

“You really care about me, I’m nobody.” He tells me.

“I care about anybody I see that has the potential to become more than you probably realize. Hunter, you survived a life I can’t even imagine and whether or not you see it, I do. You’re a fighter.” I tell him.

“I was going to leave.” He tells me.

“I know, I saw it in your eyes, but hey, if you need a place call me and I’ll help. All I expect is for you to at least try the school I told you about.” I tell him.

“You really think Brian wants me around?” He asks.

“Until Brian and I decide what we’re doing, it’s more me. Just give me a couple days, because my house isn’t finished. Then you can come if things get to be too much.” I tell him.

“Ben’s really not bad, it’s just Michael likes to be the center of the universe.” He tells me.

I already guessed that, and Brian’s friends leave a lot to be desired, but then some of the people I know aren’t really the greatest either. My phone goes off and I laugh when Grampy texted that Ted needs a stronger inhaler.

“Blake, we might need to rescue Ted.” I tell him as he comes down the stairs.

BRIAN

Deb of course came to check out Warren. He seems to think Deb was interesting enough to ask her to sit with us. Deb who has never stood on formality, fired the first shot.

“So, that your huge ass car blocking the diner?” She asks him.

“Yeah, want to take her for a spin?” He winks at her and is she blushing, Carl is going to love this.

“No, but I can get my fiance to write you a ticket.” She tells him.

“I’m heartbroken, but I’ll get Sean to move it.” He tells her.

“Is this business?” She asks me and Ted.

“Deb, this is Justin’s Grandfather Warren, and Warren, this is Deb.” I introduce them as Ted stares at me like I just committed the ultimate sin by calling Warren by anything but Sir.

“It’s always a pleasure to meet a beauty.” He tells her, and really, Carl better romance the hell out of Deb, because I’ve never seen that smile from her.

“Grampy, I’m going to tell Granny you're hitting on other women.” Justin tells him flipping his hair.

“She still get’s hit on at her age, so she’ll get it.” Warren smiles at Justin and grabs him in a bear hug. “Blake, how are you doing son?” Warren lets go of Justin and hugs him too.

“I’m great, I’m a counselor at the clinic and I’ve been with Ted for two years.” He tells Warren, who really seemed to want to know.

Justin leans down and kisses me which has Warren watching us closely. It was strange that it didn’t bother me that everyone was staring at Justin.

“I like him.” He tells Justin.

“I think I do too, but we’ll see.” Justin tells him.

I look up to see Michael and Lindsay arguing outside the diner, and this is not what I need Warren seeing, but they didn’t really care that everyone could hear them. 

“Why the fuck are you staying at my house? You're supposed to be taking care of my daughter. So get your ass home and do that.” Mikey yells at her.

“I would if that asshole doctor didn’t have Mel kicking me out. Ben said I could stay so get over it and what the hell is wrong with you?” She just noticed those welts?

“Michael, what the hell are you doing running around, get home and get your ass back in bed like you were told.” Deb yells heading out the door.

“Lindsay Peterson and Michael Novotny, Brian I have to say, those two almost made me wonder about you.” Warren tells us, looking at them.

I look to Justin, because maybe he can clue me in on what Warren’s talking about.

“Grampy, how much did you managed to get on him.” Justin asks.

“Just the normal.” He so casually acts like it’s that easy to get information in one night. “Brian, unlike my grandson, I checked out the whole thing five years ago.” He tells me and I hold back the groan, because there was a lot that I didn’t need my somewhat Grandfather-in-law knowing. “Not to worry, he wasn’t taking his marriage seriously either.” He tells me, pointing at Justin.

“Grampy, you promised no more spying.” Justin tells him.

“Please, you really think I was telling the truth. Do you know how many people would have loved to get their hands on you?” He tells Justin, and yeah, but I’ll leave that one alone.

“You need to stop filling my husband’s head full of garbage.” Mikey came in, staring at Justin.

“Mikey, go home and maybe come out when we all don’t want to play connect the dots with fists.” I tell him.

“Brian, he’s probably after your money, you really need to tell him to get the fuck out of our lives.” He announces to everyone, including a man who probably is working at making Justin the richest kid in the world. 

“Grampy, no, he’s annoying, but not enough for me to care.” Justin tells him, and I see the twin glare we are sharing.

“Who’s the old guy?” Mikey finally saw his doom.

“Warren Marston.” And really, passing out wasn’t necessary.

“Who?” Mikey asks, staring at Justin who runs to check on Lindsay when she hits the ground.

“I’m Justin’s Grandfather, and did he forget to mention I own the Ironmen, and well, a lot of other things, which probably puts Justin looking at Brian’s money as a bit of a laugh, to anyone who would find that funny. Do you?” I am so going to learn from him, because Mikey took off without arguing. Deb kissed his cheek, and maybe Granny could like, spare Deb for that.

“Brian, we need to talk business, but tonight Jen is going to want us to refrain. So tell your delightful assistant to send my PA an appointment. Justin come along, we have a house to look at.” He tells him.

“I can find my own house and I did.” Justin sasses at him. 

“I didn’t like it, so no, you’ll deal with the one I got you. She waking up yet? Good, time to go, you can’t help that one.” Warren tells Justin, dragging him out the door.

“I have to tell my parents who you married.” Lindsay says, as she gets up and leaves us all sitting there kind of stunned, well, Ted was breathing into a bag. 

“Brian, did he just say business?” Ted asks dropping his bag.