BRIAN

The gang was sitting outside together after the kids went to bed. They all looked ready to collapse after helping with my mother’s house.

“I’m going to ask, now that it’s just us. Why the new furniture?” Emmett asks.

“She needs to not have the things around her that remind her of why she drank so much. I can’t buy her a new home, but to be able to look around and not see the couch that my father sat on drinking and bitching about how she caused him to live like this, will hopefully make it easier. It’s why I don’t bother with the loft as much. It’s a place that no longer fits this life.” I tell him.

“Ever think of selling it?” Lindsay asks me.

“Not really. We use it, just not often.” I tell her.

“Like we don’t know where you and Justin disappear to during the times you have lunch without the kids,” Ted tells me.

“Sometimes we all go there because we don’t want to go to a restaurant for lunch. I don’t want the kids growing up thinking that it’s normal to constantly eat out.” Justin tells them.

“It’s hard to even want to eat at the diner most days anymore. We used to go there every morning, and now it’s maybe once every few weeks.” Emmett tells us.

“It’s what happens when you have relationships. You guys went there to discuss your morning afters.” Blake tells him.

“Or in my case, to find out what the guys did,” Ted tells us.

“Ted you could have had stories, but you were too busy thinking everyone would reject you,” Emmett tells him.

“I always feel bad that we don’t hang out there as much, but after all the crap with Michael and Deb, we just didn’t want to listen to it anymore,” Mel tells us.

“When is he actually being released?” Blake asks her.

“In a week. He could have gotten out sooner if he would have agreed with Carl.” Lindsay tells us.

“I hope he doesn’t come looking for any of us to help him,” Emmett tells us.

“If he does he’ll be right back where he was. He can’t come near Lindsay or me. And I included all the kids in the restraining order.” Mel tells us.

“Are you getting one too?” Ted asks me.

“I have one through our kids. They wouldn’t really cover us because the victims are Mel and Lindsay, but with them as guardians over Penny and Nathan, Mel could include them.” I tell them.

Everyone was going home for the night, while the kids stayed at our house. I walked in the bedroom to see Justin on his laptop, working, until he saw me and put it aside.

“How’s it feel to have a mother?” He asks me.

“It still doesn’t feel real, but she’s trying when she never tried before. I want her to be happy, and she seems to be.” I tell him.

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what to believe at first. Now I’m willing to believe that she really wants a chance to be in your life.” He tells me.

“Do you ever see your mother being a part of our lives?” I ask him.

“I never stopped her. I think we developed this routine where we don’t really talk to each other, but she talks and I barely listen to her. I told her she needed to show me she wanted to be in my life but I haven’t made it any easier on her.” He tells me.

“If my mother could change, so could yours,” I tell him, believing it.

JUSTIN

It was so weird to call Brian’s mother to see if she wanted to come to watch the kids. I wanted to let Molly have time to study, so at first, I planned on keeping them with me. But I needed to work on some graphics for Alex, which, while having to watch Penny and Nathan would be impossible. Lindsay was working on a new campaign and Mel was busy, Brian and I called to see if she'd want to hang out at Alex’s house with the kids. She seemed surprised that we would call but happily volunteered to come with me. Brian came with us to pick her up, I loved how he could smile that we were going to that house. We dropped Brian off at work and headed to Alex’s.

She was quiet at first when we got to Alex’s house, but Grant was bubbly as ever and made sure she felt welcome. Alex and Emmett were in the kitchen making snacks for the kids when we walked in.

“I thought we could hang out while the guys worked. Blake is coming over too.” Emmett tells her.

“You don’t have to interrupt your day. Justin said the kids like to swim.” She tells him.

“I wanted to get to know you, you're part of our crazy family now.” He tells her.

“Grandma, I need my swimmers,” Nathan tells her dragging her off.

“I'll show Grandma,” Penny tells us running behind them.

I went to the office and started working, I stopped when Blake came into the room.

“How is Brian taking this?” He asks me.

“Why not ask him? “ I ask.

“I hated that I couldn’t tell him. I just don’t want him to feel like he has to talk to me.” He tells me.

“He would probably thank you for giving him a mother,” I tell him.

“He needs to thank her for wanting to do this. She told me I could answer anything you wanted to know.” He tells me.

“What made her do it?” I ask.

“Brian. She said she didn’t want to die without doing something that Brian could be proud of her for. She told me he did so many things growing up that a parent should be proud of, and she wanted to be a mother who could tell him that.” He tells me.

“How did you get involved?” I ask him.

“I was at work when she walked into the clinic, with the look you see when someone is serious. I went over before she ran off like we all want to do, and talked to her while helping get signed in. I wanted to help her, because Brian did it for me, by just standing by me.” He tells me.

“How is she really doing?” I ask.

“She’s overwhelmed at how easy it was to get Brian to want her around. Claire hasn’t been very supportive.” He tells me.

“Probably because she can’t leave her kids with Joan all the time. Joan seems to have found a life outside her house.” I tell him.

“I want to help her keep it that way. Claire could make her want to fall, but I think with you and Brian helping her, she’ll do her best to stay away from anything that triggers the need to drink.” He tells me.

“She’s welcome in our lives as long as she stays clean and never hurts our children,” I tell him.

“I’m really glad, it’s what she worked so hard for,” Blake tells me, leaving.

I tried to get back to work but there was a part of me that wondered if I should try harder too. I picked up my phone.

“Justin, are you really calling me?” My mom asks.

“I decided to give you a break from always having to be the one calling,” I tell her.

MICHAEL

I got out of hell and looked around for Ma. I walked around outside for an hour and then called a cab. Thank God I still had money in my account before I left. I got to her house to find no one there to welcome me home. I went to my house to find some other couple living there. What the hell was going on? I thought she was kidding when she said she was going to sell it. I walked to the diner and didn’t recognize anyone there. I went in to ask if Ma was there and some kid tells me she went on vacation this week. I figured she’d take the week off to see me but where is she?

I went to the police station figuring Carl could tell me where she was, all I got was that he was on vacation too. When I asked where the guy looked at me like I asked for state secrets or something. I was sitting across from Kinnetik when Justin pulled in with Joan, and the kids Ma told me about. He’s really an idiot if he thinks bringing Joan around Brian will do anything but piss him off. Brian came out, kissed Joan’s cheek and picked up the little girl, smiling the whole way. What the hell is going on? Well, I couldn’t find out because of fucking Mel. I sat there and watched as Brian came back out with his mother and drove off, still trying to figure out how Joan Kinney is welcome in Brian’s world. I was so lost that I didn’t realize someone sat next to me.

“Is there some reason you’re here?” Dan asks.

“Where the hell would I go? Ma isn’t around and someone is living in my house.” I tell him.

“I would assume you had enough of prison but I guess you haven’t.” He tells me.

“I’m not bothering either Mel or Lindsay. How the hell did you even find me?” I ask.

“I’ve been following you since you left. I wanted to make sure Justin and Brian don’t have to deal with you anymore. See, no one felt the need to give Brian and Justin protection from someone like you, but Justin was just as much a victim of your schemes as Mel and Lindsay. I got what no one wanted to give Brian.” He tells me, handing me another restraining order.

“I wonder how Brian would feel, knowing you love his husband.” I sneered.

“Brian knows I love Justin, as a friend. One who doesn’t deserve the kind of shit you bring with you. I protect my friends' happiness, not try to ruin it by destroying anything that gets in the way of your goals. If you decide to stay in Pittsburgh, you're going to find it colder than any winter you ever experienced here. The chance Carl offered you would have been a way to rebuild your life, but then you still haven’t been able to see what you did to people you claimed to care about.” He tells me.

“It wasn’t my fault that asshole Chris couldn’t get over Justin, the same way you can’t seem to,” I tell him.

“Chris didn’t do anything alone. You helped even before Justin met Brian. What really pissed you off about Justin, other than your husband wanting him? To me, that would be Ben’s fault, not Justin’s, who wasn’t in any way interested in you, or in Ben.” He tells me.

“Justin was nothing to me,” I tell him.

“Yet you couldn’t leave him alone. Sounds like he was someone you had a problem with. You have ten minutes to get out of here before I enforce the paper you’re holding.” He tells me, standing and waiting at his car.

“Where the fuck am I supposed to go?” I ask him.

“I would think the offer Carl made you would start to sound good right now. You go willingly and I’ll have you taken there.” He tells me.

“Fine, but it’s just a waste of time,” I tell him.

“I’ll gladly waste it, to get you out of this town.” He tells me, letting me in his car.

“You know, one day my friends are going to remember who they are, and I’ll be back,” I tell him when we pull up to the bus station.

“They haven’t in the last five years, but who knows, maybe they’ll lose their sanity and want to be around you again.” He tells me, handing me the bus ticket and a gift card.

“What’s this for?” I ask, holding the card.

“Your mother asked me to give it to you so you don’t starve on your way. We all figured out that if you didn’t have a choice you’d go. It’s why I got the restraining order. No Brian and you wouldn’t have a reason to stay.” He tells me.

“Where is she?” I ask.

“She’s on a cruise so that she didn’t have to hear what a shitty mother you think she is. It really amazes me how you view the one person who came to see you and tried to help you. Good luck, and take this how I mean it. I hope to never have to put you in prison, but come back and I’ll find a way to do it.” He tells me.