Lois, thank you for the beta...you are the greatest!
Author’s Comments: Updates to this story will post daily.
Chapter 1 - A Trip To Pittsburgh
Later that Same Day…(Day 15)
The drive down from Toronto had been rather uneventful. The roads were clear, and the traffic had been surprisingly light.
Jenny Rebecca slept easily in the back seat, while Melanie and Lindsay talked easily. Every now and then on the drive to Pittsburgh, they would reach out and touch each other or momentarily hold each other’s hand.
“You know we’re probably going to have to stay with Debbie and Carl. At least we can talk to her if we have to without everybody else finding out what’s going on,” Lindsay casually mentioned.
“That is probably the best idea, you know how hyper Michael is. He would just blow everything out of proportion,” Melanie responded. “You know I think back to the all the stuff about Jenny Rebecca and her custody. That was a really difficult time.”
“Yes it was. You and I were separated. I just couldn’t find a way to reach you,” Lindsay said quietly.
“I know, sometimes I just get so angry, I forget how to listen. And then, I just don’t hear you anymore,” Melanie said remorsefully. “I feel like I heard you for the first time today.”
“I guess I tend to keep everything inside. I always seem to cry on Brian’s shoulder, but I guess I never tell you what I’m thinking…what I’m feeling. You’ve met my parents. You see how they treat Lynette. But me, they seem to act as if I don’t exist. Sometimes they act like I’m not even alive.” Lindsay acknowledged.
“But you are alive. We both are,” Melanie reminded her.
“You know back when Gus was first born and Ted was in a coma, Brian and I had this discussion about how do you know when you are alive.”
“What did the asshole say?” Melanie quipped.
“He asked me how I knew I was alive. I told him I knew I was alive because of Gus. I knew that Gus needed me to feed him, to change him, to love him, to take care of him. I told him that’s how I knew that I was alive,” Lindsay recounted. “You know, while you’ve been driving, I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t let being Gus’s mother be the only way I know that I’m alive. If I do that then I will smother Gus, and he will never be the person he was meant to be. No, I have to find other ways to define my own living…other ways to define who I am.”
“You’re not alone in this. Look at me. I’ve been in involved in the struggle so long… first because I was Jewish…then because I was gay. I’ve been fighting so long, I always seem to automatically come out swinging.”
“That’s partly why you’ve been successful. It’s why you win all those cases.”
“Yeah, but the whole world isn’t hostile. The entire world isn’t against me. I bet I come off as one angry bitch,” Melanie said with a laugh.
“Well…”
“You don’t have to say anything. I know the truth,” Melanie interrupted.
“We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?” Lindsay commented with a smile.
“Yes we are,” Melanie finally said with a smile.
***
Just before 10PM, Melanie, Lindsay, and Jenny Rebecca arrived at Debbie’s. Debbie and Carl helped to unload the car and helped everyone to get settled in the guest room.
When Melanie and Lindsay were alone and unpacking, Melanie commented, “You know this is the first time we’ve been back to Pittsburgh since we left a year ago. I missed being here.”
In spite of Debbie’s instructions when they left about returning to Pittsburgh for the various holidays, that really hadn’t happened. Michael and Ben had been conscientious about visiting Jenny Rebecca every month or so in Toronto, and Debbie had visited six months ago. But this was their first trip back to Pittsburgh.
Returning back down stairs, Debbie doled out the suffocating hugs that everyone had come to expect. At that moment…Melanie and Lindsay realized how much that needed her hugs.
Debbie made sandwiches for everyone while she tried to catch up on what had been happening in Toronto since they last saw each other. Carl called Michael and Ben to let him know that the girls had arrived safely. Since Jenny Rebecca was already asleep, Michael and Ben planned to see Melanie and Lindsay tomorrow.
A short time later, Emmett came home. He welcomed Melanie and Lindsay with hugs as well.
Remembering that he wasn’t supposed to mention about Brian and Justin’s move to their house, Emmett was content to provide a recap of the yesterday’s family dinner. (See Superheroes, chapter 22)
As expected the surprise return of both of Gus and Justin was the main topic of conversation yesterday at dinner. Emmett couldn’t resist recounting for everyone how Brian and Justin were truly together, and how they couldn’t seem to keep their hands off each other.
Everyone rolled their eyes and groaned at the last comment. Melanie and Lindsay were glad to hear that Gus was happy to move from family member to family member with tickles and hugs all around. They were especially glad to hear that Jennifer and Molly were there for dinner.
Emmett explained that the incident with Michael and his reaction to his painting, had originally sent Brian in full-protection mode where Justin was concerned, but things seemed to have calmed down and appeared to be back to normal by yesterday.
“I even noticed that Michael and Justin were talking to each other yesterday,” Emmett recounted. “Of course, Justin’s in town to work on a project for Kinnetik with Brian, or at least that was the line that Brian keep telling everyone.”
As usual, everybody laughed at the last comment.
“I keep telling Brian that he can’t have Sunshine all to himself. I have to keep reminding him that Sunshine belongs to all of us. But you know Brian,” Debbie commented.
Everybody nodded their head in agreement and smiled.
“Well, I guess we better call the asshole and let him know we’re here,” Melanie remarked, reaching for the phone.
“Don’t even waste you time, Sweetie. You’re not going to be able to reach Brian until tomorrow morning,” Emmett explained.
“Oh, is he at Babylon in the backrooms again,” Lindsay asked with a smile. “Where’s Gus? Is he forcing Justin to baby sit?”
Emmett let out a sigh of disgust. He had just gone through a similar discussion with Michael, now here it was again. Emmett wondered why no one had noticed that Brian had changed.
“No, Lindsay. Will you give it a rest?” Emmett said. Then he burst into a big smile, after all he had gossip to tell. “Justin and Brian and Gus are camping tonight. Justin and Gus have Brian sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent. You should see the camping gear Justin got today.”
“Camping!” Melanie reacted. “Need I remind you that it’s the dead of winter? We nearly froze in the car driving here. Now you tell me Brian has our son out in this weather, in the woods, some place where he will probably catch pneumonia.”
“Melanie, give it a rest!” Debbie interrupted. “This is Brian Kinney we are talking about. Brian Kinney doesn’t do outdoors.”
“Justin has been planning this all day. Remember Justin has allergies, so I promise you they are not deep in some woods somewhere,” Emmett continued.
“They are probably at some lodge somewhere warm and cozy. Anyway, we’ll hear all about it tomorrow morning. Gus is coming over tomorrow to make cookies so we’ll get all the details. Until then you know you can trust Justin to be sensible, even if you have your doubts about Brian,” Debbie added.
“That’s true, Justin has always taken good care of Gus,” Lindsay said with a smile. “I guess everything is probably ok. After all it’s not like Gus and Brian are alone.”
“Like I said, Justin planned this all out very carefully. So you have nothing to worry about,” Emmett said once more for emphasis.
There was a bit of easy chatting among everyone as they continued to eat their sandwiches.
Melanie and Lindsay both started to yawn, for it had been a very long day. So they said their goodnight to everyone and proceeded upstairs to get ready for bed. After their showers, Melanie and Lindsay snuggled into each other’s arms and fell asleep.
***
“It’s good to finally have my whole family back in the same town,” Debbie commented to Carl.
“Yes, mother hen, your chickens have all come home to roost,” Emmett teased as he hugged Debbie goodnight.
Author’s Comment: The events from this chapter will play out in Talisman Of Time, Chapter 5, when Brian drops off Gus the next morning. Then this sidebar/sequel will continue.