Justin woke the next morning with a happy smile on his face, especially as he remembered the way the night before had ended. After Brian had arrived with the rose and said some of the words that Justin really needed to hear, Brian had pulled Justin into an embrace and kissed him senseless. Justin could recall the intense feeling of satisfaction being in Brian’s arms again had brought him. Then, Brian had smattered small, wet, open mouth kisses all over Justin’s chin and neck. Justin remembered almost laughing when the kisses had turned to nuzzles; they had practically tickled. Then, out of nowhere, Brian had very gently pushed him back on the bed and quickly joined him. 
		
There had been tantalizing moments of flesh on flesh, mind blowing kisses, and lots of small, inconsequential talk until Justin realized that he was not supposed to be aroused, and that he and Brian should also probably talk about Rage the movie. So after reminding Brian that the oncologist had suggested no arousing or sexual acts for two whole weeks, Justin had timidly told Brian that they needed to talk. 
	
“Uh-uh,” Brian said, kissing him chastely on the nose, “Our talk isn’t until tomorrow. Now, turn around so that I can hold you until you go to sleep.” Justin gave him a searching look and realized that Brian really didn’t want to talk until the next evening. So, he pecked Brian on the mouth and urged Brian off the bed. Once they both were up, Justin rearranged the covers, crawled in, and motioned for Brian to join him. Brian got in behind him and pulled him firmly into his warm, tight body. With a kiss to his ear and a light squeeze, Brian softly said, “Goodnight.” The last thing Justin remembered before falling asleep is that it felt so good to be back in those arms. 

Justin was pulled from his musings of the night before by the brilliant sunlight hitting his face. Realizing that it must be getting late, he threw back the covers and got out of bed. Grabbing the clothes he wanted to wear, he opened the door, checked the time, and headed to the hall bathroom. Mentally noting that he only had twenty minutes before his mom would be there to take him to the doctor’s office, he quickly pulled his clothes off, set the water to an appropriate and enjoyable temperature, and jumped into the shower. 

He gave himself a moment or two to enjoy the warm water cascading over his head and down his body before getting to work and finishing his shower. He was just pulling up his underwear when there was a brief knock on the door.

“Sunshine, your ride is here.” Debbie called from the other side of the wooden door.

“Ok,” he called, “I should be ready in a few minutes.” He quickly grabbed his pants, put them on, and then did the same with his shirt. With a quick brush stroke or two through his hair, he pulled open the door to find Brian leaning on the wall just outside the bathroom. He was smirking at him. 

“Brian?” Justin queried. 

Brian shrugged in an overly nonchalant way that immediately let Justin know that what he was about to say was very, very important. “I thought you might like to ride in a cool car to the doctor’s office.” 
	
Justin smiled and assured Brian, “Yeah, I would like that.” He walked up to Brian, placed a hand behind his neck, and pulled him down for a highly pleasurable kiss. Justin wore a smirk himself when he heard Brian moan out loud from his pulling away. Stepping back from Brian, Justin patted him on the chest and said, “We need to go or I’ll be late.” 

Brian, with his tongue pushing on his cheek, nodded and motioned for Justin to head down the hall. Grabbing his coat and gloves from the coat tree, Justin was surprised when he felt Brian helping him get his coat on. Once it was on, Justin turned to Brian and gave him an odd look. 

Brian shrugged his shoulders. “You looked like you needed some help,” he declared before opening the door; once again, he motioned for Justin to get going. 

The trip in the car was pretty casual. Brian’s car radio was playing a classic rock station, and Justin was semi-amused to hear Brian humming along to a few of the songs. 

At a stoplight about five minutes from the doctor’s office, Justin got up the courage to ask Brian about dinner. “So,” Justin began, “Should we talk about plans for dinner tonight or should I just call Cynthia later on this afternoon when you have a better idea what today’s work load is going to look like?” 

Brian gave him a brief look before the light turned green. “You should probably call Cynthia. Leo Brown has been up my ass all week and not in a way that I typically enjoy. In fact, I’m pretty sure that he’s going to want to meet in the next few days.” 

Justin nodded. He knew how important that account was to Kinnetik and to Brian. “Ok, I’ll give her a call later on this afternoon.” 

Pulling into a parking spot, Brian confirmed with a quick mumble and put the car into park. Brian met Justin at the back of the car and together they walked into the doctor’s office. 

Waiting a mere five minutes, Justin was called back by the nurse. Brian gave his hand a gentle, comforting squeeze and picked up a magazine as Justin walked back to the examining rooms. 

Justin had been sitting on the examining table for several minutes when his oncologist walked in. 

Extending his hand for shaking, the doctor greeted him, “Good morning, Mr. Taylor. How are you feeling?” 

“A lot better now that the nausea and diarrhea has stopped.” Justin said as he shook the doctor’s hand. 

The doctor half laughed and said, “I bet. I just looked over your last set of test results before leaving the hospital. I’m pleased with the lab results that I’ve seen. I spoke with your hospital doctor and your G.P. We all feel that taking you off the radiation is probably for the best. The intestinal infection you acquired was rather nasty; we’re lucky that it didn’t go septic. That being said, I also need to make sure that the cancer doesn’t recur. So, I’m proposing that for the next six months we check your blood work every four weeks and an ultrasound of the area in question every six weeks. How does that sound to you?” 

“I trust your advice, so I guess I’ll see you in about three weeks?” Justin queried, half agreeing and half asking. 

The doctor nodded his agreement. “You can make an appointment as you leave. Let me give you some lab sheets. That way, you can just go get the lab work done wherever and whenever is best for you. Although, let me assure you that if I don’t have lab results in three weeks, I will be calling you.” 

“And I believe you!” Justin quipped as he walked out of the room into the hallway. He stopped at the exit desk and made an appointment for the ultrasound in six weeks. He had barely walked through the door to the waiting room when Brian was by his side and checking his face for any signs of distress. Justin gave him a smile to relieve Brian’s obvious concern. As they left the medical building, Brian verbally confirmed, “Things still ok?” 

“Yeah, he’s decided to keep me off the radiation treatments. I have to have blood work done every four weeks and an ultrasound every six weeks for the next six months. They are still very optimistic that things are good.” Justin wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw Brian visibly exhale in relief. 

Getting into the car, Brian asked, “Want me to take you to Debbie’s or the diner?” 

Justin thought about it a moment and said, ‘The diner. That way I can call my mom and see if she wants to meet up for lunch. Speaking of which, how did you talk her into letting you bring me to the doctor’s office?” 

Brian smiled. “That’s between your mom and me.” 

“That isn’t any fun.” Justin assured him. 

“Well, that’s all you’re going to get, Sunshine.” Justin chuckled. He’d just ask his mom. As if reading his mind, Brian added, “She won’t tell you.” 

“And how do you know that?” Justin asked. 

“It was part of the deal,” Brian replied sagaciously. Brian looked at Justin and laughed. “Nice pout, Sunshine, it becomes you.” 

“Ha! Ha! Ha!” Justin sarcastically retorted. As Brian pulled up in front of the diner, Justin double checked, “So, I’ll call Cynthia this afternoon for confirmation?” 

“Yep,” Brian confirmed as he leaned over and pulled Justin by his jacket into scorching kiss that left Justin wanting a lot more. With a smile, a wave, and knowing that Brian would meet him later to talk, Justin finally got out of the car and went into the diner. 

“Sunshine,” Debbie practically screeched as he walked in. 

“Hey, Deb, busy today?” he asked. 

“Not since breakfast ended about thirty or so minutes ago. You called your mom, yet?” she inquired. 

“Was just getting to that,” Justin assured her and further proved his point by pulling out his cell phone and flipping it open. He quickly depressed her speed dial code on his phone and heard it ring. She picked up on the third ring. “Hey, Mom,” he said as he sat down in a corner booth. 

“Hi, sweetie,” she warmly replied, “How did things go at the oncologist’s office?”

“Pretty Good. Everyone seems to agree that stopping the radiation treatments are for the best considering the type of infection that I had; however, that means I now have to have blood work done every four weeks and ultrasounds every six weeks to make sure the cancer is really gone.” 

“After seeing you so sick in the hospital, I have to say that I’m relieved that they stopped the radiation treatments.” 

“Yeah, I’d agree with you there and I know Dr. Finnegan is one of the best, so I trust his judgment.” 

“That’s what’s important,” his mother agreed. 

“So, can you meet your handsome son for lunch? I’m at the diner.” Justin informed her. 

“I think I can do that. Give me,” Justin could hear rustling of things in the background, “Can you give me about thirty minutes to finish up here?” 

“Sure,” Justin said, “I’ll just get Debbie to make me a chocolate fudge sundae to tide me over until you get here. See you in thirty or so minutes.” He heard his mother laughing as he pushed the ‘end’ button on his phone. 

“A chocolate fudge sundae, eh?” Debbie said from across the room. 

“Yep, a chocolate fudge sundae. Oh, and heavy on the nuts, please,” Justin sarcastically cracked. Debbie’s resulting laugh was contagious and Justin joined in a second later. 

He had long finished his sundae when his mother arrived forty-five minutes later looking very rushed. 

“Hi,” she practically sighed as she slid into the booth across from Justin. 

“Hey,” he responded, “Everything ok?” 

She smiled, “Yeah, the client just couldn’t seem to get it together. I want three bathrooms. No, no, I need four bathrooms. Honestly, you’d think someone would know how many frigging bathrooms they’d need!” She shook her head and Justin could tell she was pretty exasperated. “Enough about me! How was that chocolate fudge sundae?” 

“Gone,” Debbie assured her as she come up to take their order. Justin quickly ordered a fish sandwich, tator tots, and a side of coleslaw with a large Coke to wash it down. Jennifer rolled her eyes at Justin’s order and ordered a bowl of tomato soup with a grilled cheese and water. 

While waiting on their food, Justin tried to get his mother to tell him how she agreed to let Brian take him to the doctor’s office. Jennifer flat out refused. 

“Please,” Justin cajoled. 

“No, now drop it, sweetheart,” Jennifer said, finality about the subject clearly evident in her tone. 

Deciding to give up for now, Justin and she talked about other things: Molly, his art, etc. When Justin and his mother had just finished their lunches, Michael walked into the dinner and headed straight for the booth Justin and his mother were sharing. Plopping down beside Justin, Michael began talking a mile a minute. “I just heard from Brett Keller again. He wants to talk to you like yesterday. He thinks things could start rolling as soon as three weeks from today. You need to get your bags packed, Justin! L.A., here you come!” 

Justin wondered if Michael even took a breath during the entire verbal spewing. He also noticed that his mother was looking at him very oddly. She obviously wanted to ask a million questions about what Michael had just partially spilled on. 

“Michael,” Justin calmly spoke, “Would you mind letting us finish our lunches?” Justin pointed his index finger in his mother’s direction and then his a few times. “Then, I will be happy to discuss this issue with you.” 

“Sorry,” Michael sheepishly said to Jennifer. “I’m just so excited about Rage being made into a movie!” His mother’s eyebrows went way into her hairline with that comment. She looked pointedly at Justin. Her head was cocked a little to the side and she looked very concerned, surprised, and taken aback. It was not a good look on his mother, he thought.  

He turned to Michael. “Jesus Christ, Michael,” Justin said completely annoyed, his voice starting to rise, “Nothing is decided yet! Furthermore, I would have liked to have been the one to share this information with my mother. Sheesh!” 

Michael’s eyes got big and he immediately looked contrite. “Sorry! Sorry! I’ll…umm…go talk to mom for a few minutes and come back when you two are finished.” Michael hurriedly got out of the booth and went to talk to his mother. 

Justin’s mother looked at him rather intensely for a few moments. When she spoke, the words that came out of her mouth were not what he was expecting at all. “Does Brian know about this little development?”