“It will require surgery…” That was all I remember hearing the doctor say.

Jennifer and I had been on our way back to Justin’s room when the doctor spotted her in the hallway.

“Mrs. Taylor I was hoping to find you. We need to talk.” He looked from her back to me and she was quick to notice the tension between us.

“We can talk now.” She assured him. “I’d like Brian to be kept informed as well as myself and Mr. Taylor.” The doctor nodded.

“Very well then, let’s go to my office.”

Afterwards I walked Jennifer back up to Justin’s room. He was still asleep so after a few minutes I just grabbed my jacket and left. I know Jennifer said goodbye and that she’d call me if anything changed. I remember nodding and saying something. I’m not sure what either one of us said. My numbness was wearing off and I couldn’t help but feel slightly panicked by the idea of Justin not being all right after everything he’d already been through. I must have looked as worried as I felt because I hadn’t even made it to the elevator when Jennifer came up behind me.

“Brian?”

I turned around and found myself being pulled into a tight hug.

“Don’t you fall apart on me now, okay?” I nod and she lets me go.

We’ve finally come to terms with the fact that we both will always be in his life. I just can’t help but wonder how long he’ll be in ours.

I drive toward home in a daze. When I get there Gus is laying on my sofa watching something on television. He looks over his shoulder at me and nods his head toward the food containers on the table.

“I already ate. It’s probably all cold by now.”

“I’m not really hungry.”

I make my way to the refrigerator and grab a beer, before heading toward my bedroom to change. I sit down on the bed and finish off most of the bottle before I even attempt to change into something else. I hear Gus turn the television off and climb the steps up to the bedroom.

“If you’re just going to get drunk again, I’m going home.” This is the last thing I want to deal with right now, a teenaged mood swing so I simply shrug.

“Then I suggest you just go home.”

I don’t even look up at him. Hearing the loft door slide shut, I just fall back on my bed and stare up at the ceiling. The phone rings at some point bringing me out of my surreal fixation of my bedroom ceiling. I couldn’t tell you exactly how much time passed; just that it was long enough for my beer to get warm.

“Hello?”

“Brian?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s Lindsay.”

“I know your voice Linds. What do you want?”

“Gus called earlier and said he was going to have dinner with you. Did something happen there?”

“Why?”

“He came home just now and he’s in a mood that only proves to me that your disposition is genetic! He and Melanie just got into a huge argument… he’s just really acting angry Brian. What happened over there?”

“Nothing happened over here. He decided to go home. Can I help it if your wife and your son can’t get along?”

I can hear Melanie ranting in the background.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

This is really more than I need to deal with right now. I sigh to let Lindsay know that this whole family drama is beyond my patience level.

“He’s a teenage boy Lindsay. Most teenagers argue with their parents deal with it.”

“I’m not blaming you Brian. I’m just trying to understand what’s going on. It’s just not like him to act this way for no reason.”

Gus and Melanie are still going at it in the background.

“Out! I’ll be back before eleven so don’t worry about it!”

“You are NOT taking the car.”

“Yes I am! BYE!”

I can hear the door slam and Melanie’s frustrated scream.

“I don’t know Lindsay. Listen I need to get off of here…”

“I won’t keep you. Talk to you soon. Bye.”

I hang up and go get myself another beer before dialing Gus’s cell phone.

“Hello?” He answers tersely.

“Hey.”

“Wasted yet?” The words are much angrier sounding than the tone of his voice.

“Not even close. Can you stop back over here? I need to tell you something.”

“Yeah… I guess. I’m on the other side of town though, it’ll probably take me about twenty minutes to get there.”

“I’ll see you then.”

Hanging up the phone I realize I have just enough time to finish this beer before I completely go against Jennifer’s wishes and tell Gus what’s going on with Justin. I suppose I could have avoided all of this drama by just telling him when he was here before. He deserves to know about it. He’s been there for Justin since the beginning and if this is the end he deserves to know that too.

To be continued