Justin hadn't been able to see Brian alone.  The few times he did manage to see him he was always with the three Musketeers, Michael, Ted, and Emmett.   But he decided that he was not going to chase after him either.  He remembered when he told Brian, "I need you."  and cringed.  The gang came into the diner and Justin eaves dropped learning that Michael was having to work late at the Big Q and that Brian was having a problem with one of his clients.  He started trying to formulate a solution when his mom walked into the diner.

She has a tight grip on her purse and was looking nervous.  Justin rushed over and hissed, "Mom, what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see where you are working.  Is that a crime?"

Before he could respond, Debbie was there smacking her gum.  "And who's this, Sunshine?"

"This is my mom.  Mom, this is Debbie.  My boss."

"Garcon," Brian called out holding up his coffee cup.

"You go on, Sunshine.  I'll take care of your mother," Debbie said drawing Jennifer to the counter.

Justin grabbed the coffee and with a quick glance at the two women made his way over to the booth to fill Brian's cup.

"That your mother?" asked Emmett craning his neck.

Justin nodded.

"My mom never looked like that," Ted offered.  "Well, I need to go."

"See you at Babylon tonight?"  Emmett asked.

Ted shook his head no.  "Since my near-death experience, Babylon is no longer deductible."

Emmett looked worried.  "He'll be back."

Justin was worried too.  He looked over at his mother and Deb.  They were looking back at them.  Deb had never been quiet about his association with Brian and from the look on his mom's face she wasn't happy.

"Shit," Justin muttered.

"Don't worry.  Ma will set her straight," Michael offered.

"That's just what he's worried about," Brian countered.  He sipped his coffee. "You worried she's going to tell your dad?"

Justin nodded.  He and Brian had talked a bit about it the last time they'd been together.  Especially about his needing money when it finally happened. 

Brian pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to Justin.  "Come see me.  I may be able to help."

Justin took it and smiled.  As he went around filling other cups with coffee he could hear Michael whining.  "What kind of help can you be?  You've got enough problems with that Marvin fellow."

Justin's mom walked over to him.  "Justin, could I talk to you?"

Justin glanced at Deb who was looking all innocent.  "Mom, I'm working, can this wait?"

Deb butted in.  "Why don't you take a break now."

Justin took off his apron and followed his mom out the dinner.

Jennifer sighed.  "Justin, I talked with Debbie and she tells me that this Brian you've been seeing is not ...  I'd rather you didn't see him anymore."

"Mom, with all due respect.  Who I see is none of her business."

"She's only looking out for you.  When you said you were seeing someone, I thought it was someone your own age.  You do realize I'm going to have to tell your father."

"Mom, I'm begging you.  Don't tell dad.  He'll throw me out."

"Justin, your father wouldn't do something like that?"

"Just remember this conversation when he does."  Justin said before heading back to his job.  He couldn't help glaring at Deb.  'Thanks a lot, Deb,' he thought as he put on his apron.  Brian and the gang were gone along with any tip they might have left.

A couple of days later Justin's mom met him at school.  Things had changed so much from the first time he didn't know what to expect, but she was being reasonable, so he thought 'what the heck'.

They ended up at the Art Museum.

"Justin, I have so missed coming here with you.  Van Goghs and Hoppers. Y'know, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be an artist."  Jennifer said.

There is a grain of truth in what she said so Justin didn't argue. 

"I mean, I encouraged you."  she laughed and seemed relieved when he smiled.  "Hey, after we're done, you want to share a piece of that incredible chocolate cake, like we used to?"

The chocolate cake was good, so he readily agreed.  Jennifer had moved on to the  painting of a mother holding her fair haired child.

"Oh, Justin, look, my favorite.  Remember?"

Justin attention was detracted by an art student who entered the room.  He remembered going off with the guy and making out in the public restroom.  Was it worth repeating?  The fact that the guy was young was in his favor, since his mother had a problem with Brian's age, and it had been a while since he'd gotten anything from Brian.  So, when the guy indicated he was interested, Justin interrupted his mother's monologue.  "Mom, I gotta use the bathroom."  

"Okay, honey, I'll be right here."

Justin's experience made this time a much more enjoyable incident and Jennifer didn't seem to have a problem with his having disappeared.

That weekend Justin and Daphne went down to Liberty Ave.  This time Justin paid for the bracelets that they decided to buy.  He turned around and sure enough across the street were Melanie and Lindsay.  He needed to reconnect with them again if only to stop Brian from giving up his rights.

Dragging Daphne across the street he clued Daphne in.  "That's them.  Brian's lesbians.  Hey, hey, how's it going?"

Melanie immediately wanted to know who he was.  Justin worried.  She seemed to have a memory problem.

"I'm Justin.  I was there the night Gus was born.  I was the one who named him."  He didn't think reminding her that he was Brian's friend was a good idea.

"Oh, right. Yeah. So, when Gus ends up pumping gas, we'll have you to thank." was Melanie's sarcastic response.

Justin wanted to roll his eyes, but decided on introducing Daphne instead.  He focused on Gus, happy to see the little guy again.  Once again, he volunteered to babysit and offered to carry their packages of which there seemed to be a lot.  He had already told Daph the story of this meeting so when he left with the girls all she said was, "See you later."

Gus was cooing in Lindsay's arms while Justin drew them when Brian showed up with a toy.  One that would remind Justin of all the collectables that Michael had.

Lindsay asked him how long he'd been drawing.

"My mom brought me crayons when I was still in the crib.  I never stopped."

"How did you find them?"  Brian asked.

Melanie explained.  "We ran into him on the street."

"Yep, it was like this weird coincidence."  Justin offered.

"Yeah, right."  Brian snickered.  Then he reached out for his son.  "Where's my Sonny Boy?" 

Lindsay was going through Justin's art pad.  "You know, these are really good."

"That's what my mom says."

"Lindsay's an art teacher," Melanie explained proudly.

Justin had forgotten that, he remembered her being a stay-at-home mom and later working at Bloom Gallery.

"For someone your age, you have an amazing feel for the human form," Lindsay announced as she handed the pad to Brian.

All he said was "Umm." not really trying to stop her. The picture she showed Brian was vastly different from the original.  For one thing he didn't exaggerate Brian's penis though it was still impressive, and he'd drawn him with his face turned away. 

Brian was looking at it critically.  "When did you draw this?"

Justin didn't want to say. 

Melanie looked over Brian's shoulder.  "Ah, circumcised.  Just like I thought."

Justin wasn't sure why Melanie was pointing that fact out.  "It's not like Brian had a choice.  He might have wished he wasn't." 

Lindsay decided it was time to change the subject.  "You know that there is going to be an art show at the G.L.C."

"Really?" Justin racked his brain, then he remembered that he wasn't supposed to know what the G.L.C. was.  "The G..L..?"

"Gay and Lesbian Center." Brian informed him.

"You know, it might be good to get out there and meet some nice 'young' men," Melanie suggested. 

Justin noticed she emphasized the word young.  He thought about it.  Did he really want to have to deal with all that again? 

"You should do it," Brian said, which surprised the hell out of Justin. 

"Do what?"

"It's the annual fund-raiser. Melanie and I are on the board. Would you like to have your work in the show?"  Lindsay explained.

"Do you really think I should?"  Justin asked Brian.  This was a change from last time where Brian thought him doing this would stop Justin from stalking him.

"Sure.  I'll even show up."  Thereby cutting out the need for Lindsay to twist Brian's balls.  Brian twirled around the room bouncing Gus, causing him to coo happily. 

When it was time to leave, Brian kissed his son goodbye and took Justin back to the loft to have some much-needed sexual activity.

This time Justin made sure to warn Daphne not to tell his mother.  Even though she seemed okay with it, Justin knew she wasn't. 

He did let Daphne help him with hanging his pictures.  After all, there was no need to deprive her of getting a coke with a bonafide lesbian.

He wasn't as nervous about Brian not showing up because Brian had said he would, and Brian rarely lied. Lindsay came over to admire his work and once again she felt the need to tell him that he shouldn't count on Brian for anything.

Daphne was amazed that they were charging a hundred dollars for his sketches.  He reminded her that he didn't get any of it since it was for charity.

Melanie was pushing for him to go to the buffet and kept pointing out the cute guys.  Daph was disappointed since all the cute guys were gay.

Justin was fairly sure that Brian would arrive late so as to make an entrance and he was right.  Michael was there with Doc. Dave and he tried to commandeer Brian's attention.  Michael introduced David to Lindsay, but when his mom called out across the room, he decided he needed to be elsewhere making Justin laugh.

Justin introduced Brian to his best friend then pointed out where his drawings were hanging and let Brian go see them alone which was difficult since he wouldn't be able to gauge Brian's reaction except from a distance.

Michael, of course, like a rocket made his way over there leaving David at the buffet which is how Justin heard what was said.

"Does he always do that?  Michael running after him?" he asked Melanie who had taken one of the glasses of wine from the waiters who were flitting around.

"It's the greatest love story never told, trust me. Oh, what was your name?"

"David."

Melanie shook his hand.  "Melanie. Trust me, David, long after you're gone, he'll still have Michael. Brian's little acolyte, poor guy. Oh, but don't worry. Michael can wait forever. Brian'll never fuck him. Pardon my French."

It was obvious that Melanie who'd had a couple of drinks thought David had come with Brian.  Justin snickered as David explained that he was there with Michael.  Watching Melanie try to back herself away from the corner she'd gotten herself into proved entertaining.

Next Emmett showed up and Justin listened in on the conversation he was having with Deb.

Emmett grabbed a shrimp ball and pointed to a painting.  "Now that's what I call a piece of art."

Debbie snickered. "I’ve always admired creative people."

Emmett looked at the brightly colored top she was wearing.  "You're pretty creative yourself there, missy."

Debbie scoffed, "Not me. But Michael, he's got a gift."

Emmett looked astonished.  "I didn't know he could draw."

Debbie laughed.  "Oh, he can't. I bought him tracing paper when he was a kid so he could copy his comic books. His Spiderman always ended up looking more like little orphan Annie."

Now Emmett was puzzled.  "Well, what's his talent?"

"Well, it's nothing he'd be famous for. You won't ever see his...paintings hanging in an art gallery or...hear him playing at Carnegie Hall. But when it comes to taking care of people--knowing what you need better even than you do--he's a fuckin' Picasso."

Justin almost spit out his drink.  He shook his head; Deb was pretty much delusional.  Right now, he couldn't remember why he'd thought her the perfect mother. 

Lindsay came over.  "Did you invite your mother?"

"No, she's kinda new to all this and I didn't want her to be uncomfortable."

Once the showing started closing Brian returned.  On learning that some of Justin's works had sold he ordered, “Get your fag-hag and let's head out to Babylon.  We're celebrating."