EMMETT

I walked into the house, trying to pretend that I didn’t throw Drew and Marco in the pool. I don’t know what came over me at that moment. Drew hasn’t given me any reason to worry about other men, but I still have a hard time with it on occasion. I thought about Brian’s bitching about being asked for advice, but he doesn’t see that we all see that the couple we never believed would make it, did. They have some magic formula the rest of us are still trying to find with our partners. I hate to admit that Michael is ahead of the class too, but it’s most likely because Michael never shuts up, so Ben gets the information he needs, in between all the rambling.

Drew was sitting on his chair, the one that he insisted be in our designer living room. It was a rocking recliner with pockets on the sides to hold everything a man could need to never get out of it. It was also where he sat when he didn’t want to talk to me. I decided that Drew and I weren’t going to tiptoe around each other the way the girls do. I walked in front of the giant monster screen he had to have and waited for him to at least act like I was standing in front of him. He leaned sideways and continued to watch, wait, what is he watching? I turned to see a cartoon that was apparently more important to him than my freak out.

“Emmett, can you move.” He asks, ever so politely.

“No, because I want to talk and tell you I’m sorry for what I did.” I tell him.

“Great, apology accepted, can you move now?” He asks, trying to out-lean me.

“I don’t want us to be like the girls.” I spaz.

“Since last I checked, I still have the parts that make that impossible. So then it’s really not something I worry about.” He tells me, burping.

“They don’t tell each other things if they think it will hurt the other.” I explain, leaning so he doesn’t see anything but me.

“Emmett, you talk without worrying how anyone feels. I think it’s safe to say we don’t have that problem.” He tells me.

“I started fantasizing about a Marco/Drew sandwich. Which, after the bathroom at the diner, made me think I really missed out when it came to Brian and Justin.” I tell him, giving up and sitting across his lap.

“It’s something all of us wish we thought of at one time or another. I mean Brian wasn’t for me, but you know Justin was a fantasy once in awhile.” He comments, looking at the screen.

“You fantasized about Justin!” I ask, not sure if I was appalled or not.

“Like you didn’t about Brian.” He tells me.

“Of course, but then he opens his mouth and the reality takes over. My fantasies after that were duct tape to keep reality from invading.” I tell him.

“I’m still not thrilled at what you did.” He tells me.

“It’s hard to see you with guys, especially when they look like Marco.” I tell him.

“Why? Emmett when I came back, I made you the promise that it was you and me. I don’t think I’ve given you a reason to think otherwise. I feel like you don’t trust me.” He tells me.

“I do trust you. I just know guys look at you and want what I have with you.” I tell him.

“Emmett, I want us to have children one day, does it sound like I care that anyone looks at me? You're who I think about when the idea of children and growing old one day, happens.” He tells me, standing up and carrying me.

“You tell me and it’s like I keep inventing drama.” I tell him, kissing him as he carried me.

I was so involved in showing Drew how much he meant to me, that I didn’t realize we were outside until he sent me flying into the pool. I came up sputtering, and watched as he took off his shirt before joining me.

“YOU are the one I want.” He tells me, as our clothes sink to the bottom of the pool.

MEL

We are going to find a house, one that we can agree on, I tell myself over and over. I walk into the kitchen, where Lindsay is cooking for the kids and me. She grumbled a bit when Brian took off, saying he and Justin had plans with the guys. She keeps expecting to be invited out with everyone. I think we need to find a home, because Michael can only take so much of our invasion in his home. He and Ben are coming home in a few days, and so far we are still here.

“You think Deb would want to watch the kids, we could go hang out with the guys?” She asks.

“We need to find a house, not run out partying like the guys, who all have homes of their own. Michael and Ben don’t need us living here forever.” I tell her.

“I can stay with Dad and Jus, they won’t care.” Gus tells us.

“I’m sure they would love it, but sorry kiddo we love you too much to lose you.” I tell him.

“They’ll need help when the baby comes.” He tells us.

“They’ll be happy with the help you can give them while you still live with us.” Lindsay teases.

“We all need to decide where we are going to live.” I tell all three of them.

“Daddy says there are houses everywhere, why are you two having a hard time.” Jenny repeats to us, the way her dad probably told her.

“Sweetie, we just want something that we can all love.” Lindsay tells her.

“Why, when we just move eventually anyway.” Gus says, under his breath.

“What makes you say that?” I ask, concerned.

“You and Mom never seem to like any place.” He tells us, walking out of the kitchen to the living room.

“Gus, I thought you wanted to move back here?” Lindsay asks.

“I did, but if I lived with my dads then at least I wouldn’t be living somewhere new all the time. You two spend all your time never agreeing on anything.” He tells us.

“It’s just the houses we’ve seen aren’t what we want.” Lindsay tells him.

“Do you even know what you want?” I ask Lindsay.

“What do you mean?” She asks, as Gus rolls his eyes at us.

“Lindsay, every house we look at, if I don’t immediately agree, you decide you don’t like it, after raving about it. I’ve been doing the same thing. Instead of calling Jen and getting her to help, we just keep driving around looking.” I tell her.

“Maybe we should talk about this when the kids are in bed.” Lindsay tells me.

“I guess it’s not about us, but what you two want.” Gus tells us sounding like his father.

“Gus, it’s just something Mama and I need to talk about.” She tells him, as Hunter comes in.

“Hey guys, I wanted to see if you needed anything before I go out with the guys tonight.” Hunter tells us. “What’s up with the scowl, Gus?” Hunter asks.

“They still don’t let Jenny and me get to have a say in anything.” Gus tell him.

“Gus, Mama and I just need to talk to each other. It’s a big decision.” She tells him.

“It’s a decision that affects him and Jenny.” Hunter tells her.

“See, he gets it.” Gus tells us.

“I do, but lose the attitude. They can’t help that they don’t realize you might want to be included on decisions. How about we go see what Jenny’s doing.” Hunter tells him.

Gus gets up, stomping out of the living room. Hunter waits until Gus is in the kitchen. “Look, Justin told me how Gus feels about the constant uprooting you guys have been doing. You guys seem to forget he wasn’t a baby when everything was turning upside down in his life. His only constant was Brian.” He tells us, going to see the kids.

“Gus never said anything.” Lindsay tells me.

“Why would he when we barely say anything to him, or even each other.” I tell her.

“We talk.” She insists.

“About anything that won’t have us fighting or hurting each other.” I tell her, realizing opening my mouth is the first step I need to take.

“You really think we’re avoiding saying things to each other?” She asks.

“When’s the last time you can remember not censoring what you say?” I ask.

She smiled and then leered at me. “The kitchen.” She tells me.

“It was a night I’ll never forget.” I tell her.

“Most of the time it’s just stupid things I don’t say. Like when you leave paperwork all over the table or when you come home expecting me to have dinner waiting for you. It’s not like it’s anything big that we need to fight over.” She tells me.

“Our son feels like we make decisions without talking to him. I know that we sometimes don’t talk to each other. I love you but I want a relationship where we actually say something without worrying how the other one is going to feel. If we disagree, I would hope it wouldn’t turn out the way it did in the past. You almost walked on eggshells just to tell me you wanted to move back.” I tell her.

“It wasn’t like life was bad in Canada, but we didn’t really make a lot of friends and our jobs were becoming boring and tedious. Brian might have said something, but I didn’t see why we were staying there.” She tells me.

“Jenny and I knew neither of you wanted to stay there.” Gus tells us, standing in front of us.

“Gus, do you really feel like we didn't include you?” I ask.

“I could lie if it makes you feel better.” He tells me, straight.

“I want how you really felt.” I tell him.

“Every time you and Mom fought, I moved, not understanding why. When you guys wanted to have Jenny, I only figured it out because you got bigger. It's like because I'm a kid, you two don't think I understand anything.” He tells us.

“It was hard on us to understand why we couldn't stay together. We didn't know how to explain it to you.” Lindsay tells him.

“Why stay together if you don’t know why you do?” He asks.

“Honey, we love each other, we just made a lot of stupid grown up choices. We’re always going to make decisions that might be wrong, but I think it's time to include both you and Jenny when it affects you.” I tell him.

“As long as it doesn't involve moving away from Dad and Jus. Can we eat?” He asks.

“I swear, somehow we got Justin’s sperm when we made you.” I tease him.

“Jus gets that food isn't the enemy.” Gus tells us, running to the kitchen.

“I'll call Jen, it's time to find home.” Lindsay tells me, kissing me before following our son.