Thanks Lois for the beta...you're the greatest! Chapter 18 – Interruptions, part 4 A little Later…(Day 13) Justin made his way slowly to the Diner, taking in the sights of Liberty Avenue on his way. When he arrived, he looked around for Debbie. Seeing that she wasn’t there, he ordered a lemon bar and a glass of milk and took a seat to wait for his order. He tried to process all the happenings of the day so far. The brainstorming with Brian was a highly charged, highly creative process. Justin realized that he hadn’t had that much fun since the days of the Stockwell campaign. Justin liked the fact that Brian needed him. Justin also liked the fact that he and Brian were working as equals, as partners. Justin had a fleeting moment where he wished he and Brian could work together again. Justin thought about the conversation with Gus. He was touched that Gus missed him and was really concerned about him. Justin always thought that Gus just liked him just because he was with Brian. Now he knew that Gus really loved him, in his own right. The conversation with Gus also showed Justin how careful you have to be when you said anything around kids, for they just pick up on everything. Justin laughed to himself. Justin replayed his mother’s visit. He had been too busy for the details of the conversations to register at the time, but he loved the interplay between his mother and Brian. It had been a long time in coming, but now Brian and his mother seemed so comfortable with each other, like family. They teased each other really badly, but they also kissed each other a lot. Justin loved the way his mother manipulated Brian to Sunday dinner at Debs. Justin started to realize that he probably inherited his wicked sense of humor from Jennifer. He loved seeing Ted and Emmett and watching Brian decide that he didn’t need to get too close to either of them. Justin chuckled, as he realized that Brian might actually be little jealous, although Brian would definitely never admit it. Justin was looking forward to dancing at Babylon tonight. While Justin was playing back his day, his milk and lemon square was delivered, but not by Kiki. Justin tried to say thank you, but before he could get it out, a pair of loving arms engulfed him, and his breathing became difficult, as a red wig tickled his nose. The hug and the red wig were all too familiar. “Debbie!” Justin finally gasped, when air returned to his lungs, and he was finally released. “Well Sunshine, when were you planning to call me and tell me you were here?” she asked, adding the tone that was guaranteed to elicit guilt. “In fact I bet that you’ve probably seen everyone else but me.” “Debbie, I knew I’d see you at dinner tomorrow. Didn’t my mother tell you?” Justin tried to offer as an explanation, knowing it wouldn’t really work. “Jennifer and I don’t keep secrets from each other where you’re concerned. So I knew you were here. I also knew that Brian would try to keep you all to himself. He just can’t seem to understand that you belong to all of us, not just him. That’s ok, he really missed you, you know,” Debbie explained “Michael told me,” Justin whispered. “You talked to Michael? I thought he went to New York to see you.” “Well I guess since they couldn’t reach me there, he and Ben must have decided to go Toronto instead to see Jenny Rebecca. I just got off the phone with him.” “Then you know what’s been going on?” Debbie asked, hoping that Justin had answers. “I know what’s been happening. I just don’t know what it means. Do you have any ideas?” “First of all I think he missed you, like we all have. But Michael has a lot of guilt where you’re concerned. You’ve got to admit he’s tried everything he could think of to separate you and Brian. But once you went to New York, Brian got very busy at work. Everything changed. Brian just didn’t have the time to cater to Michael’s childish fantasies anymore. Brian still loves him and everything, that’s never going to change. But it just seemed like Brian got tired of it all. So Michael had a lot of time to think. I believe the painting has caused him to rethink everything,” Debbie explained. “So that’s what you think, huh?” Justin teased with a smile. “You know Sunshine, maybe Michael should have gone away to college like Brian. I love my son, but there are times when he seems like he’s still 14 years old. But then so did Brian until you came along,” Debbie said with smile. “ Brian decided he had to grow up to deal with you, and he also had to grow up for Gus. You know how much he loves that little boy. Michael, on the other hand, has just stayed child-like. Even Jenny Rebecca hasn’t helped him grow up yet.” “Michael tried to change when he was with David. Don’t you remember? He had a new image of himself after his trip to Paris.” “Then he became a snob. He became ashamed of who he was and where he came from. He became ashamed of all his friends,” Debbie said remorsefully. “Yes, that was when he became more of a pain than he usually was,” Justin laughed. “He became an …” “Asshole. You can say it, ” Debbie quickly interrupted. “He became ashamed of what he had done. After that he seemed to never try to grow up again.” “That’s not true. Remember when I came back from LA and Brian and I separated, Michael and Ben let me stay with them. Michael even helped me get settled in that awful loft. He and I were developing a relationship apart from Brian. Things were good between us, even when he found out that Brian and I were getting married. He was even going to be Brian’s best man. Then Brian and I didn’t get married, and I went off to New York. Michael didn’t’ understand our decision. He started to whine on the phone again. And now …” “Sunshine, this is not your problem. Michael will have to work through this for himself.” “If I’d known the painting would cause so much trouble I would have just sold the damn thing to Brett Keller for a lot of money,” Justin said laughing. “Michael loves the painting. Ben wanted to take it and hang it in his office at Carnegie-Mellon. You should have heard Michael get totally possessive and everything about the painting. You should have heard how he told everyone how you sent it to HIM. So no matter what happens, know that Michael loves the painting. Whatever is going on with him, it was just time for it to happen.” Debbie leaned over and gave Justin a kiss on the cheek. She tried to be reassuring. Debbie and Justin chatted a bit longer; then Debbie said goodbye, reminding Justin that she would see him tomorrow at dinner. Justin finished his snack and picked up a few extra lemon bars to go. Justin then made his way back to the loft…and Brian.