“Hey, Gus.” Kevin called causing the older boy to turn around. “Wait up.” Kevin trotted up to catch his older brother. “Wanna go over to Grandma’s house after school? Uncle Vic and Emmett need tasters for their party stuff. UB’s gonna be there, too. So’s Carl.” “I don’t know.” Gus said shaking his head. “Grandma’s been kinda weird around me ever since -.” He trailed off not wanting to go into the whole ‘abuse’ discussion in the middle of the school hallway. “I don’t know if I’d be welcome.” “That’s bullshit and you know it.” Kevin countered. Gus arched his eyebrow in a manner very much like his father. “Maybe, but I don’t know if I’d feel right.” Gus explained. “But, you go on. I have to finish a project for science class anyway.” Kevin nodded then disappeared down the hall toward his math class. Gus sighed then headed to his own class in the opposite direction. -- Kevin arrived at his grandmother’s house shortly after school let out. He went in without knocking and dumped his books and jacket on the couch. “Hey, Grandma.” He called as he crossed the living room. “Hey, Sweetie.” Debbie called back pulling him into a bear hug before kissing him soundly on the face. Kevin pulled away sputtering and trying to wipe Debbie’s lipstick off his cheek. “Ah, Grandma.” He groused. “You will never be too old for Grandma kisses, little man.” Debbie said and added yet another lipstick smear to Kevin’s other cheek. “Yuck.” Kevin said laughing. “Now I have to go wash my face.” Kevin heard Debbie laughing as he ran upstairs to the bathroom to wash off the lipstick. Kevin loved his grandmother’s house. It felt like as much his home as his moms’ house did. Debbie had been his and Gus’ favorite baby sitter when they were little because Debbie believed that no meal was complete without dessert and that bed times were always negotiable. When he finished getting all of the greasy lipstick off his face, Kevin turned to head back downstairs but stopped. He made a short detour into the room that had once been his Dad’s room and then his Uncle Justin’s room and then his and Gus’ room when they stayed over. It still had the Captain Astro curtains hanging in the window and still had the stupid motorcycle wallpaper. The only difference was that the single twin bed had been replaced with a modern bunk bed. The computer had been a gift to Gus from his dad to replace the ancient one Kevin’s Dad had used when he was a teenager and the TV/VCR combo on the desk had been a birthday gift from Uncle Vic to Kevin two years ago. Kevin loved this room. Gus and Kevin had their own rooms at home, but here they stayed together and deep down Kevin liked it better. He and Gus would stay up talking for hours when they stayed with Debbie. It was usually when their Moms’ went out on the weekends or when they both had to be out of town for one reason or the other. It bothered him deeply that his grandmother was still treating Gus like a leper. Kevin loved his Grandmother, but had cringed every time he’d listened to her talk about Gus and Uncle Brian and even Uncle Justin throughout his Father’s trial. And, now, Gus doesn’t even feel welcome here. Kevin thought. Fucking bullshit. When Kevin returned to the kitchen, the adults were laughing about something so they didn’t notice him enter. “What’s so funny?” He asked surprising them. “Oh, nothing.” Debbie said still chuckling. “Just, you know, adult stuff.” Kevin rolled his eyes knowing that it must have had something to do with sex. With his grandmother, discussions had a way of turning in that direction. “So, what are we sampling?” Kevin asked causing Emmett to clap his hands and launch into a description of all the delicacies he and Uncle Vic had whipped up for an up coming party they were planning. -- “Oh, God.” Debbie groaned as he finished the last of her glass of wine. “That has got to be the best thing I have ever put in my mouth.” “Oh, really?” Carl said questioningly. “Well, second best.” Debbie said causing Kevin to roll his eyes again. Once Emmett, Carl and UB had gone, Kevin decided he needed to talk to his grandmother about Gus. They sat in the living room while Uncle Vic finished cleaning up. “Grandma?” Kevin began steeling himself for what might be an argument. “How come Gus doesn’t feel welcome here anymore?” “What?” Debbie asked distractedly. “When I told Gus I was coming here to sample stuff, he didn’t want to come because he doesn’t think he’d be welcomed here.” Debbie sat up and looked sharply at her grandson. “Why would he think that?” “Oh, please.” Kevin said. “You know it’s true. You act all weird toward Gus when you’re around him.” “It’s – it’s complicated, Baby.” Debbie managed. “No it isn’t.” Kevin said. “You know, he heard you. During Dad’s trial. He heard how you talked about him and Uncle Brian and Uncle Justin.” Debbie opened her mouth as if to say something but nothing came out. “You said awful things about them. Things that weren’t true.” Debbie dropped her eyes to the hands in her lap. “Even after Dad finally confessed that he had been hurting Gus and that he had threatened him so Gus’d stay quiet. You still acted like it was Gus’ fault.” “Sweetie, -.” “No, don’t ‘Sweetie’ me.” Kevin said angrily. “I’m not a baby. I’m almost 14. And, even I know that this wasn’t Gus’ fault or Uncle Brian’s fault or Uncle Justin’s fault. It was my Dad’s.” Debbie sniffed. “And, you should know that, Grandma.” Kevin took a deep breath trying to control his temper “It just hurts.” “You don’t think I know that?” Kevin asked. “I love my Dad. I hate that he’s not here. That he has to be behind bars. It fucking sucks.” Debbie looked as if she might correct Kevin for his language, but bit her lip instead. “But, he hurt my brother. He did it. He confessed. And now he’s gotta pay for it. I don’t like it, but I live with it, and I don’t have a problem with Gus, so what the fuck is your problem?” Debbie shrugged. “Well, figure it out, Grandma. Gus doesn’t have grandparents who love him like I do. The Peterson’s could give a fuck about Gus and Joan Kinney doesn’t even recognize him as her grandchild because Uncle Brian isn’t married to Mom.” Kevin huffed out an angry breath. “I have you and Grandma and Grandpa Marcus. Gus only has you. Or at least he did.” “He still does, Kevin.” Debbie countered. “Then stop treating him like he’s responsible for what Dad did.” Kevin shouted his voice starting to crack. “Stop treating Uncle Brian like he is the reason for all of Dad’s problems. And, then treating Uncle Justin like shit because he sticks by him.” Kevin then lowered his voice. “It isn’t your place to judge everyone, Grandma.” Kevin froze when he saw Vic standing at the end of the kitchen table staring at him. “I have to go home.” Kevin said abruptly and hurried out the door. -- The following afternoon, Debbie showed up at Brian’s loft. Brian was on the computer finishing up on new copy for his latest ad campaign when the intercom buzzed. “Yeah.” He said after punching the talk button. “Brian, it’s Debbie.” “What do you want?” Brian asked abruptly. “I want to talk to you and Sunshine if he’s home.” Debbie explained. “And, I’d rather not do it over the intercom.” “Fine.” He hit the button to open the door just as Justin came out of the bathroom. “Somebody at the door?” Justin asked. “Debbie’s on her way up.” Brian said. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Justin asked raising his eyebrows. Brian shrugged. A few minutes later Debbie pulled the loft door open and stepped inside. She seemed different to both Brain and Justin as she shyly walked toward them. “Hey.” She said through a halfhearted smile. “Hello, Deb.” Justin said flatly. Brain just nodded. “I, um, had an enlightening little talk with Kevin yesterday.” Debbie began. “He told me something that kinda surprised me. He said that Gus no longer feels welcome at my house.” “You gonna turn that into my fault, too.” Brian asked agitated. “No.” She said. “I’m the one to blame for that.” Debbie looked around the loft for a second then asked, “Mind if I sit down?” Brian motioned her to one of the bar stools. “Over the years, I have found a lot of ways to blame you for how Michael’s acted. It pretty much turned into a defense mechanism. If Michael did something stupid, it was just easier to blame you than to face the truth.” Debbie cleared her throat then looked at Brian. “Michael may have done some really stupid things because of his feelings for you but it was all Michael’s doing. He sabotaged his relationship with David because of it, he nearly lost Ben because of it and the whole time there I was blaming you.” She snorted a laugh. “Michael’s the one with the problem and I’m pissed off at you instead forcing him to see his problem.” Debbie sighed. “I can’t tell you how many times I heard him say that he did something because, ‘Brian’s my best friend’. I got so tired of hearing that. And, then I’d blame you all over again.” The loft door opened suddenly then and Gus hurried in. “Hey Pop, guess what?” He stopped in his tracks when he saw Debbie. He looked at Brian then Justin and was about to apologize and leave when Debbie called him back. “Gus, sweetie, please.” Debbie said. “Don’t leave.” Gus walked warily over to where the three adults were standing. Brian put his arm around Gus’ shoulders. “It’s okay, Sonny-Boy.” Brian said trying to soothe his son’s fears. “Gus, Baby, Grandma is so very sorry for making you feel unwelcome.” Debbie said her voice cracking. “Kevin read me the riot act for it yesterday and I realize that I have been very unfair.” Debbie tried to touch Gus, but he shank away all but hiding behind Brian. “I know that you heard me say stuff about you and your Dads during your Uncle Michael’s trial. Stuff that was nasty and mean spirited and I’m sorry for that, too. I was upset and I took it out on the wrong people.” Gus stared hard at Debbie as if trying to figure out how long it would take for her to turn it all back on either him or his Dads. “I like being your grandmother, Gus. I love you just as much as I love Kevin. You’re my boys’ boys.” She sniffed. “Can you ever forgive me, Gus?” Gus looked up at his father then back to Debbie. “I don’t know.” He finally managed. “I love you, Grandma, but I don’t know if I can forgive you.” A tear tracked down his face and he wiped it away angrily. “My whole life was turned upside down and you were one of the people I was sure I could count on and then you hurt me and you hurt my Dads and -.” He trailed off as more tears slipped from his eyes. “It’s okay, Sonny-boy.” Brian said as Gus turned into his arms. “It’s okay.” “Debbie.” Justin said softly. “Maybe you should go.” Debbie nodded. “I really am sorry, Baby.” Debbie said as she passed Gus and Brian on the way to the door. “Please try and forgive me. I don’t think I could stand it if you hated me.” She then walked out the door and hurried to the elevator. “Gus, son.” Justin said once she was gone. Gus turned to face him. “I want you to know that it’s your decision whether you forgive your grandmother or not, okay?” Gus nodded. “That’s right.” Brian agreed. “It’s up to you, Buddy.” “If you need to talk though, we’re all ears.” Justin added. Gus nodded. “Now, what did you want to tell me when you first got here?” Brian asked. “Oh, yeah.” Gus said excitedly. “I’m going to get an award in art class.” “Really?” “Yeah.” Gus laughed. “My pencil drawing, the one of Kevin at his soccer game that I entered into the school art fair. Well, all the students voted and mine won first prize.” Gus excitedly explained that he would be given a certificate and ribbon at an awards ceremony the following week. Justin watched as Brian skillfully distracted their son from the emotional confrontation he’d just had with Debbie. He smiled to himself thinking about the times Brian had done the same thing for him when he was recovering from the bashing. “This calls for a celebration.” Brian was saying. “Call your Moms, I’m taking everyone out tonight.” “Cool.” Gus said as he hurried dialed the number to his house. “Very cool.” Justin said quietly once Gus was out of earshot. “What?” Brian asked knowing that his partner knew what he was doing. “You’re the master.” Justin said with a slight bow. “Master?” Brian said a devious grin spreading across his face. “I’m going to remember you said that.” Justin just grinned. -- Epilogue -------- Gus continued to see a counselor and has often been joined by his family. Kevin opted to start seeing the counselor alone at least once a week. And slowly the family has begun to heal. Lindsay and Melanie became more involved in both of their son’s lives. They had missed something very important and refused to have it ever happen again. They ate more meals as a family instead of on the run and, of course, Brian and Justin were included more often than not. Debbie was still Gus’ Grandma, but there wasn’t the same closeness between them as there had once been. Gus knew she loved him and he loved her, but it would take time to rebuild the trust between them. And, uncharacteristically, Debbie didn’t push. Michael was sentenced to 8 - 10 years for aggravated child abuse and child rape. While incarcerated, he has been forced into counseling. His counselor says he is doing well. Melanie takes Kevin for monitored visits with Michael twice a month. Michael will be eligible for parole in 4 years. Brian has not visited his one-time best friend despite Kevin’s best efforts to make peace between Brian and his father. Some wounds, Brain explained, never heal. Justin stands by his partner’s decision. Both have vowed to keep Michael away from Gus altogether and should Michael be paroled have already told Gus that he can move in with them. Gus has yet to make a decision. The End.