It had been two days since the confrontation at the diner. Ben was still staying at a motel, and Brian had avoided the diner like the plague. Everyone else was worried. The gang seemed to be breaking up. Well, that wasn't going to happen if Debbie had anything to say about it.
Debbie decided to try talking to Ben first. Knocking on his hotel door, she waited for him to answer. A minute later the door was opened, and a tired Ben stood before her.
"Debbie," he said.
"Can I come in?" Without waiting for his answer, she walked past him and into the room. After he had shut the door, she asked, "How you holding up?"
Ben shrugged. "Okay."
"You need to talk to Michael, Ben. Make him see what he's doing."
Ben shook his head. "I tried that, yesterday, as you know. He met me at the diner and he couldn't quit complaining about how different Brian was acting. About how Brian was his best friend, and he deserved to know everything that was going on. I got fed up with the shit and left. I came back here, to think. And, I've pretty much made my decision."
Ben took a deep breath, then added, "I'm leaving him, Debbie. I'm tired of playing second fiddle to Brian. And, Michael needs to grow up and realize that Brian has his own life."
Debbie nodded. She had seen this coming. She had tried to warn her son. But, sometimes he could be such an idiot! "Well, just don't do anything rash. I know that my son loves you, Ben. And, even though I wasn't happy about it at first, I know thatyou two belong together. My son just needs to pull his head out of his ass and open his eyes."
Twenty minutes later, Debbie had left Ben and was her way to the apartment that Ben and Michael shared. She'd smack some sense into her son if she had to. She didn't bother to knock on the door, she used the key that her son and Ben had given her for emergancies.
"Michael, you here?"
A minute later she heard, "Ma! What are you doing here?"
"We need to talk. By the way, you look like shit." Michael had circles under his eyes and looked just as tired as Ben had.
"Ma!," he screeched.
"Michael, you need to fix your relationship with Ben."
Michael sat down on the coush and sighed. "He left me, Ma."
"Yes. But, you caused it. He's tired of you obsession with Brian. And, to tell you the truth, honey, we all are."
"I'm not obsessed with Brian. He's my best friend!"
"I know that. But, you need to live your own life. Brian has his own life and you need to realize that you and he are not going to be together. Not the way you want. Now, you need to call Ben and try to work it out. Before you fuck up the best thing that has happened to you."
Michael just nodded, his eyes on the floor. "And, don't forget. Family dinner. My house, tonight. And, you had better be there."
"Alright, Ma." With a quick kiss to the cheek, Debbie left.
"Now, to Brian's," she mumbled. A few minutes later, she was standing in front of his front door. She had a key to his loft, for emergancies. But, she decided to knock. 'Might as well be polite,' she thought. After her second knock, the loft door was open to reveal Brian standing there. He was shirtless and the top button on his blue jeans was left undone.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No. Come on in."
She walked in and saw Justin sitting on the couch, his head bent over a piece of paper. "He's helping me with sign language. Drawing the positions of the finers for different words," said Brian.
Debbie was a little shocked. If Brian was willing to learn sign language, then he must like Justin more than any of them had origianally thought.
Feeling someone looking at him, Justin glanced up, a little surprised to see Debbie. He gave her a wave and a smile, which she returned.
"So, why are you here, Deb?" asked Brian.
"Because, you haven't been at the diner." She answered, noticing Justin following their conversation by reading their lips.
"Yeah, well there's a reason for that," Brian snarked.
"I know that, smartass. You and Michael need to sit down and fix your friendship."
Brian sighed. "I don't want to lose Michael's frindship. We've been friends for years. But, Michael needs to realize that I... like Justin. And, I don't appreciate what he's been saying to Justin, and I'm sure as hell not going to stand for it."
Debbie nodded. "I understand. I've talked to my idiot son about that. If he doesn't do something, Ben's leaving him. I'm hoping that Michael will smarten up before that happens.
"Just try, okay?" At Brian's slow nod, she added, "Family dinner at my house, tongiht. I expect to see you and Sunshine there. Got it?"
Brian gave her a smirk, "Got it."
"Alright then, I'll let myself out." When she reached the loft door, she looked back at Brian and Justin. Brian was sitting beside Justin, his eyes on the paper that Justin was using, and his right hand playing with the back of Justin's neck and hair. She couldn't help the smile that showed as she walked out and shut the door.
Brian had it bad. Even if he hadn't completely admitted it to herself, and Michael didn't want to see it. Justin was worming his way into the Stud of Liberty Avenue's life. Looking at her watch, she saw that it was three in the afternoon. 'Better get on home,' she thought. She had to figure out what to fix for the Sunday family dinner, that night. She was determined that everything go right. She refused to let the family fall apart. It just wasn't goint ot happen. Not on her watch!