December 28, 2008 4 PM Peterson-Marcus home Pittsburgh Pennsylvania “Lindsay have you seen Gus? He’s been very quiet this afternoon, it’s like he isn’t even in the house.” Melanie Marcus asks as she enters the living room from the hall. “Gus isn’t in the house Mel, he went to the park, with his friends, after lunch. It was so nice today, for December, I couldn’t see making him stay inside. He should be home soon. Come sit with me until he gets home,” Lindsay replies with a wink and grin. SLAM - - - - STOMP - - - - STOMP - - - - STOMP - - - - STOMP - - - - STOMP Melanie jumps up from the couch and runs to the stairway. “What the hell? AUGUSTUS BRIAN PETERSON-MARCUS GET DOWN HERE THIS MINUTE.” Melanie shouts up the staircase, then returns to the couch. Within a few minutes a handsome, tall for his age, 8 year-old appears at the living room door. “Yes Mama?” Gus asks while trying to look as innocent as a lamb and failing miserably. Whenever she see her son Lindsay is amazed how little he looks like her, other than his blond hair, and how much he looks like his father. At this moment though the boy looks as miserable as she can ever remember him looking. Gus is usually a very happy go lucky child but on this late December afternoon he's anything but happy. “Gus what’s the matter, what happened?” Melanie asks, all anger disappearing at the sight of her upset son. “Mommy, Mama I’m so mad at Uncle Justin I can’t stand it. I hate being mad at Uncle Justin since I love him so much, but I can‘t help it he made me so angry today.” “Why're you mad at Justin?” Melanie asks with a tone of surprise. “What could Justin possibly have done to you to make you so upset? He’d do almost anything to keep you from any type of pain, physical or mental.” “I’m mad at Uncle Justin because he made Daddy do something that Daddy didn’t want to do.” Gus replies in a rush to get the words out. “What?” both women respond at the same time. “When I went over to their house I overheard Uncle Justin telling Daddy to do something even though Daddy said he didn’t want to do it.” “Wait a minute young man, what were you doing at Brian and Justin’s house. You were supposed to be at the park playing with your friends.” Lindsay asks her son. “I was at the park, that’s when I got the idea to go to Daddy’s to show him and Uncle Justin my new bike.” “Gus, they saw your new bike on Christmas Day when they came over for dinner,” Mel puts in her 2 cents. “They saw the bike but they didn’t see me riding it and doing wheelies.” Gus replies with a tone of disbelief that his mother’s don’t realize the difference. Over the years Gus has been amazed how many times his mothers, and his father for that matter, couldn’t see why things were important to him. His Uncle Justin always knew what Gus was thinking and why he thought the way he did. “Gus you know that you should’ve asked permission to go to Brian’s. What if they hadn’t been home?” Lindsay asks with a tone of exasperation. “Well Mommy when I thought of going to Daddy’s house to show him and Uncle Justin how I can do wheelies I was closer to their house than I was to here. It didn’t make sense to ride all the way back here and then go back there. I suppose I could have called Daddy from Lance’s house but his mother still doesn’t like me and probably wouldn’t have let me use her phone. If they hadn‘t been home then I would’ve come back here and I wouldn‘t be mad at Uncle Justin.” Gus replies with the logic of a youngster. “Gus that wasn’t the right decision, you still should have come home, we could’ve called Brian and Justin and then you could’ve gone tomorrow.” Melanie tells her son with a lawyer like explanation. “But Mama I wanted to show them today.” Gus replies, trying to not let his exasperation show. “I think we’re getting away from the topic that started this discussion. Gus what happened that got you so mad at Justin?” Lindsay asks with a glance at her lover. “Well Mommy, Lance and I talked about how much fun it was to do wheelies on the way to his house from the park. After I said goodbye to Lance I realized how close I was to Daddy’s house and I decided that I wanted to show Uncle Justin, and Daddy, that I’m big enough to do wheelies so I rode over there. I was very careful about traffic both going there and coming home.” Gus answers with a hope of getting back into the good graces of his mothers. “I’m glad you remembered about being safe, on your bike, but you still know better than to go somewhere without telling us first.” Lindsay admonishes her son. “I’m sorry Mommy, I won’t do it again. Even after I’m all grown up and married and have moved away I won’t go anywhere without asking permission.” Gus states with a glimmer of joy in his hazel eyes and a grin on his face.” “Lindsay it’s bad enough that he looks like his father does he have to have his attitude as well?” Melanie smiles as she makes the statement to lessen the harshness of the comment. “Gus you still haven’t told us why you are so mad with Justin.” “Well Mommy when I got to their house I went in without knocking, since Daddy told me it was as much my house as theirs and it was stupid for me to knock every time I come there, and then I heard them arguing. I didn’t know that Daddy and Uncle Justin argue but they were almost yelling at each other.” Gus says with a frown. “Gus all adults disagree with each other some of the time, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other.” “Well Mama I know Uncle Justin loves Daddy but he doesn’t have to make him do things he doesn’t want to do, does he? Gus asks with a huge scowl on his handsome features. “No Gus, but I’m sure you just misheard them, Justin wouldn’t make Brian do anything that he doesn’t want to do. Besides your Daddy never does anything he isn’t willing to do.” Melanie adds, trying to defuse the situation. “But I heard them Mama. Uncle Justin made Daddy do something he didn’t want to do.” Gus says almost in tears. “Just exactly what did you hear Gus?” Lindsay asks, needing to know but not really wanting to know. “Well the first thing I heard was Daddy saying: ‘Justin I don’t want to do it.’ Then Uncle Justin said: ‘Brian quit being such a baby. You know you’ll like it once we start.’ ‘It’s too big Sunshine. I don’t want to do it.’ ‘Brian it isn’t that big. It won’t kill you to do it.’ ‘Sunshine why're you always trying to make me do this? It will too kill me.’ ‘I do it because I know that you really love doing it but you’re afraid to admit it.’ ‘Just because you love doing it doesn’t mean that I love doing it.’ ‘It’s not like this would be the first time. Come on Brian act like the rugged hero I fell in love with.’ ‘Flattery will get you nowhere Sunshine. I don’t want to do it and you can’t make me. It’s too big.’ ‘Yes I can and you know it. Do you want me to pull out all of the stops?’ ‘You wouldn’t. Of course you would. Justin Taylor don’t you dare look at me like that.’ ‘Like what?’ ‘Fuck you, you little twink, bring that big thing over here and give it to me.’” “Gus what were you doing outside of your Daddy’s bedroom?” Melanie interrupts her son’s account of what he'd heard before he goes too far. “They weren’t in the bedroom Mama.” “Then where did you overhear this conversation?” Lindsay asks, not really wanting to know the answer. “Daddy and Uncle Justin were in the kitchen.” “The kitchen!” Melanie and Lindsay exclaim as one. “Where else would they be? Gus asks somewhat confused by his mothers response to his story. “Gus you didn’t see what Justin was trying to get Brian to do did you?” Lindsay asks in a very small voice. “Of course I did, why do you think it made me so mad? Uncle Justin shouldn’t make Daddy do something he doesn’t want to do. Especially when Daddy thinks it‘s too big for him to enjoy.” “Did they see you before you left?” Melanie inquires with a pained expression on her face like she really doesn’t want to know the answer. “I don’t think so Mama but they probably heard the door slam when I left.” “Gus you know that Justin wasn’t really doing anything that would hurt your Daddy. When two adults love each other they show it in many different ways. Though usually not in the kitchen.” Lindsay speaks in a quiver since she really isn‘t prepared to give the ‘Talk’ at this point in her life. “Mommy, you mean Uncle Justin making Daddy eat a huge gooey cinnamon roll is how he shows him that he loves him?” Gus asks with some confusion. Melanie and Lindsay just stare at each other with looks of relief; trying not to laugh.