JUSTIN

After Alex dropped me off, I called my mother, because it was time for her to understand that bothering everyone I knew wasn’t going to work in the future. I told her to meet me at the diner. It was the one place I knew she'd be uncomfortable.

“Justin, I would rather we go somewhere else.” She tells me, eyeing everyone.

“It's here or we don't talk.” I tell her.

“It’s just there are so many people coming in and out.” She tells me.

“That happens at any restaurant. Can we just get this over with?” I ask.

“Justin, I'm your mother, not some stranger.” She tells me.

“I’d expect a stranger to ignore me, not you.” I tell her.

“I still called, it's just you never wanted to talk.” She tells me.

“If the conversation ever managed to get past Molly or Dad, I would have wanted to talk.” I tell her.

“Justin, I want us to be a family again.” She tells me.

“Tell me how you see it happening?” I ask.

“It would have been nice to be invited to your wedding.” She tells me.

“It would have been nice if I thought you coming wouldn’t have ruined my day. I just know nothing about my wedding would have gotten a seal of approval from you.” I tell her.

“You didn’t invite anyone we knew. Daphne’s parents weren’t even invited, so yes, I think it's a problem that you snubbed everyone we knew.” She tells me.

“I only wanted people who would be happy about it, not the people who would smile at my face, then talk about why they didn’t approve, behind my back. You wanted to see me, but if this means you voicing your disapproval of my life, it would be better to go back to the once a month calls.” I tell her.

“I want you to help me with Molly. How could you let her get involved in whatever went on?” She asks me.

“I didn’t let her get involved in anything, she was doing the things that caused her to get in trouble. Molly wants to make up for what she did.” I tell her.

“I’m taking your father to court, Molly would have been better off with me.” She tells me.

“Why tell me?” I ask.

“My lawyer thinks that we should bring up how your father treated you. He left you with nothing at sixteen.” She tells me.

“Did you mention that you were still married to Dad and left me on my own too. I doubt it will make you look any better.” I tell her.

“I need to be there for Molly. You were going to college.” She tells me.

“I’m sure it will make you sound better, I really don’t have all day, so can we get to why you pestered everyone to get me to come?” I ask her.

“Your father is willing to give me custody without having to go to court.” She tells me.

“Then why were you telling me about what your lawyer wanted?” I ask her.

“What he wants won’t happen.” She tells me.

“What does he want?” I ask her.

“He wanted me to see if you could get Alex to back off. Your father could lose everything if this boycotting continues.” She tells me.

“What boycott?” I ask.

“All your father’s friends and associates are being boycotted,”She tells me.

“You're here to ask me to tell Alex to stop?” I ask, wondering if she really ever broke away from my father.

“Are you kidding, let the bastard burn. I don’t owe him anything after the things I put up with. I just wanted you to know that if he tries to contact you, it’s not because he’s your loving father.” She tells me.

“Then I’m confused as to what you want from me.” I tell her.

“I just wanted to know that you would support me if called to testify.” She tells me.

“I don’t think anything I say would help either of you.” I tell her.

“I did the best I could in the situation.” She tells me.

“I made it easy for you by leaving home and going to college, at least get that part straight.” I tell her, paying for the bill and leaving.

DEB

I watched Justin leave looking disappointed in his mother. I walked over to the woman staring at her drink and sat across from her.

“Bad day?” I ask.

“Bad life, sorry, I should go.” She tells me.

“You’ll never have a relationship with him by only seeing or calling him when you need something.” I tell her.

“He went to college like he wanted, started a business and still acts like I abandoned him. I called and tried but he always treated it like I was bothering him.” She tells me.

“You did too little, I did too much, and somehow what both of us did led to most of what was happening to Justin.” I tell her.

“I don’t understand.” She tells me.

“It’s a long story, but my son helped stalk your son. Justin didn’t go to college and have a normal college life, he was harassed and had his life violated; by Chris Hobbs, my son, and your daughter. The part that you missed was that instead of your son being able to go to you for help, he got help from people you barely know. They stood by him when he had no one else. You can’t expect him to welcome you back with open arms when you didn’t do more than call to see if he was breathing.” I tell her.

“He never wanted my help.” She tells me.

“Why did that stop you from at least finding out what was going on? The school might have wanted to ignore what was happening, but you didn’t have to.” I tell her.

“Your son seemed to be the problem, so I don’t see why you feel like you can lecture me on mine and what I did or didn’t do.” She tells me.

“Because unlike my son, yours wouldn’t turn away the mother of the son that caused him grief. He doesn’t need a mother who seems to only see him as the way to solve her problems. Be the mother he wished you were, before you have to face what I am with my son.” I tell her.

“What would that be?” She asks.

“Losing him, because right now I love Michael, but don’t like who he is. Justin loves you, but he doesn’t like you very much.” I tell her.

“How can you be so sure he still loves me.” She asks.

“He came here to see you, when he most likely knew you’d disappoint him again.” I tell her.

BRIAN

Drew called back two hours after we called, he told Ted that he’d be willing to hear the offer over dinner tonight. I called Justin to see if he wanted to join us, then went to see Emmett. I didn’t want him to find out about this from other people.

“You know, normally I have to come to you, how did I get the honor of a visit?” He asks me.

“Drew is coming in tonight to talk to us about a campaign.” I tell him.

“Why tell me?” He asks me.

“I wanted you to know in case you end up running into him. I would want you to do the same if the situation was reversed.” I tell him.

“Did he ask to see me?” He asks.

“I don’t know, Ted talked to him. Do you want to see him?” I ask.

“I have Alex now. Why cause problems if I don’t have to?” He tells me.

“Emmett, maybe you need to see him, just to be sure.” I tell him.

“He didn’t fight me when I told him I couldn't be the first in a line of experiences. If it had been you, would you have agreed, or told Justin the experiences could go to hell?” He asks me.

“It would have depended on the person I was when Justin and I met. I doubt I would have given up the experiences years before, now they aren’t as important to me.” I tell him.

“Alex is worth more to me.” He tells me.

“Remember that when you run into Drew.” I tell him.

“There’s no reason for it to happen.” He tells me.

“He’ll look for you, make him regret you. You were worth more than being hidden in a closet.” I tell him.

“Then he’ll find out that he waited too long.” Emmett tell me.

I went to find Justin, I doubted that his mother was going to give him a reason to believe anything changed for them. When he answered he told me he went to see Gus. I got to the girls’ house, Lindsay was waiting for me.

“Is he okay?” I ask her.

“Brian, I think he knows that nothing will change, and like me, accepts who they are. He just wanted to show Gus the pictures. Did you two even leave the room?” She asks smiling.

“There was ocean, ocean, and more ocean, why leave the view I was enjoying to see the less spectacular one.” I tell her.

EMMETT

I wanted to be indifferent about Drew, but he was someone I once loved. I waited in the lobby of the hotel for him to come down. I've been on pins and needles the whole drive here, wondering if I still had the same feeling as before. I watched as he came out of the elevator and he stopped and signed an autograph then came towards me.

“I was hoping to see you.” He tells me patting me like a pal.

“I figured we should get over the awkwardness now.” I tell him.

“I thought maybe we could go out sometime. It would still have to be on the down low.” He tells me.

“Why? You came out, it’s not like they don’t know you see men.” I tell him.

“I just don’t want to lose my fan base. They might know, but they don’t want to see it.” He tells me.

“So you came out to go back in the closet? It doesn’t really matter if we saw each other publicly, because I found someone who isn’t afraid to hold my hand, and walk into the light with me.” I tell him.

“It’s easier when you aren’t in the public eye Emmett. When you’ve been out all your life you can’t understand what it’s like.” He tells me.

“Alex hasn’t been out, he just doesn’t see any reason to label how he loves. I really don’t see any point in us getting together to do anything, but it was enlightening seeing you.” I tell him, shaking his hand.

“I won’t give up that easily.” Drew tells me.

“You already did, have a good life.” I tell him.