“This is a surprise,” I say as I let Brian in.
“Had some time to kill, so I thought I’d stop by and spend some time with Gus,” he says as he goes over and picks up Gus off the floor. “What do you say, Sonnyboy? Want to spend some quality time with your old man?”
Gus, of course, giggles and claps his hands. He absolutely adores Brian. Brian in turn smiles at him. “Good boy.” And he hands him yet another toy.
“Brian, I thought we agreed.”
He puts Gus down, who immediately starts playing with his new truck, and turns to me. “We agreed about Christmas. Besides, my son deserves as many toys as he wants. Right, Gus?”
“Wite,” Gus replies, grinning at his father.
“Your son has way too many toys and not enough room to store them in,” Melanie says as she walks in the door. She drops the laundry on the couch and turns to Brian again. “So, unless, you’re offering to use your loft as Toys’ R Gus, I suggest you DON’T buy him anymore toys.”
“I don’t think Gus would appreciate the kind of toys I have,” Brian smirks.
“Brian!” I shake my head. That man can’t not talk about sex.
“What?” He gives me his innocent look I’ve seen so many times I’ve lost count.
“So, does this visit mean you’re not coming to Debbie’s dinner tonight?” Melanie asks.
“Why would you think that?” he asks while watching Gus push his new truck around the room.
“Well, we thought you might want to spend your first Thanksgiving with your new boyfriend,” I say, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous it sounds.
He looks up at me, annoyed. “Jesus, did Mikey send out a newsletter or something?”
I sigh, about to make a mental note to never listen to one of Michael’s crazy ideas ever again when I realize that he didn’t deny it. Not really.
“We had a brunch with Michael and Ben a couple of days ago,” I say.
“Ooh, brunch. How very country-club of you,” he scoffs.
I expected as much. He mocks anything remotely resembling anything a straight couple, anything a COUPLE might do, like have a brunch with another couple.
Except when one half of a couple is Justin. Then Brian just nods and keeps his mouth shut. And there were a lot of instances of that in the last year or so.
A part of me hated it. Watching Brian watch Justin with all these guys. Oh, he didn’t show it bothered him, of course. But I knew. I knew it was killing him. Because I know how much he loved Justin. I saw it vividly as he tied Justin’s tie on his nineteenth birthday. Ironically enough, on the same day Justin met the man he left Brian for. Except, it wasn’t that simple. Brian pushed Justin away so that Justin could experience all the things a young boy should. So, I was glad to see Justin do exactly what Brian wanted for him. Go out there and meet guys and go on dates and be romanced and whisked away on weekend getaways. That’s why Brian never said a word or mocked Justin. And that is why the rest of us didn’t say anything either. Because Justin deserved it. All of it. I just worry that Brian’s not getting what HE deserves in the meantime.
I think that is why when Michael mentioned that Brian might be seeing somebody a part of me wanted to believe him.
“So, are you seeing somebody or not?” Leave it to Mel to get right to the point.
“Why do you care?” he snarls back at her.
“I don’t. I’m just sick of your love life being the topic of every conversation,” she looks at me.
“And how is that different from any other time?” Oh no. Here we go again. I have to say, the two of them sparring has lessened since Brian signed his parental rights over to her, but it’s still there.
I’m waiting for Mel to blow up at him as usual, but she doesn’t take the bait this time. “So, is that a yes?”
He stands up and puts his jacket on. “It’s a ‘none of your business’.”
“Where are you going?” I ask when he heads toward the door.
“I came to see my son, not to get interrogated.” He gives me a peck on the cheek. “See you tonight.”
And he leaves.
“He didn’t say ‘no’,” Mel says when I turn back to her.
I nod. “I know.”
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