Vic and Emmett joined Justin in a booth at the diner. They waved at the other booth where Michael, Ben, Lindsay, and Mel were having lunch. They all chose the diner knowing what the meeting was going to be and they didn’t want to miss it. Deb also circled waiting for the show to begin.

 

“Brian and Cynthia should be here any minute,” said Justin. “Did you guys think about what you would like for the kitchen?”

 

“Yes, and we still can’t believe Brian is okay with the idea of a painting party,” said Vic.

 

“He hated the idea until he got the estimate from the painters. You wouldn’t believe how much they wanted. When Cynthia and I saw the work order we persuaded him that we could do it ourselves for a fourth of that and the rest could go towards office furniture or computers. He reluctantly agreed.”

 

Cynthia entered the diner. She had become quite fond of the place over the last week or so. She noticed Justin sitting at a booth with two other men. Look at the smile, she thought to herself. His nickname certainly fits him.

 

Justin greeted her with a hug. They had become fast friends. Justin took her to the other table first.

 

“Cynthia, you know Michael.”

 

“Hello,” she smiled.

 

“Hi, you sure you want to be saddled with Brian’s moods indefinitely?” He laughed.

 

“I have spent all this time learning to read him and frankly I’ve trained him pretty well,” she said confidently. “Well, most of the time, anyway,” she conceded.

 

The others at the table laughed.

 

“I’m Lindsay, we have talked on the phone many times. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

 

“Same here. I must say you have a beautiful son. Not that I want to give away the boss’ secrets or anything, but he brings in updated pictures of him often. He has Brian’s smile, but he’s still young enough that his eyes smile too. Brian is as charming as they come. His smile has melted more than one unsuspecting female client’s resolve not to mention the gay ones,” she laughed. “Unfortunately, there is a sadness behind it most of the time. I don’t see it when he looks at pictures of his son or when he looks at a certain person,” she explained, looking to Justin.

 

Justin blushed. “This is Ben Bruckner, Michael’s partner and Melanie Marcus, Lindsay’s wife.”

 

“Hello.”

 

“Hi.”

 

“Nice to meet you and congratulations,” she said to Melanie.

 

“Thanks.”

 

Justin guided her to their table. “Now, I would like to introduce you to Emmett Honeycutt and Vic Grassi. They are going to be sharing the brownstone with us.”

 

They both stood and shook her hand.

 

“From what Justin has told me, I understand I am going to get to taste some amazing cooking. I love to eat, so I hope it’s all low-cal,” she smiled.

 

“We actually have a way of magically removing all calories, but no taste,” assured Vic.

 

“Perfect.”

 

Just then, Daphne came barreling into the diner. “I didn’t miss it. Did I?”

 

“No, sweetie,” said Lindsay. “Come sit with us before he gets here.”

 

“What’s going on?” Cynthia asked.

 

“Since we all know Brian so well, we can’t wait for this particular discussion. They decided they just had to see it. A few of them even called in sick so they could witness Brian Kinney picking out paint colors for walls.” Emmett explained.

 

“What’s so interesting about that?” Cynthia wondered.

 

“It wouldn’t be interesting at all if it was his decision alone. However, you and Sunshine are going to have a say so they started a pool to see how long it takes him to explode,” laughed Deb, as she brought everyone a cup of coffee.

 

Cynthia smiled, “Can I get in on the pool?”

 

“Sure,” said Mel. “The shortest time is three minutes and twenty seconds, that’s mine. The longest is twelve minutes, that’s Ben. He believes in people.”

 

“Okay, I say he keeps his cool.” Cynthia stated.

 

“What?”

 

“I have seen Brian in more high pressure situations than this and he can hold it together.”

 

“You obviously haven’t seen how he treats the rest of us. We aren’t his clients,” said Michael. Brian is going to lose it if Justin starts with the comic book colors, he thought.

 

“This is ‘Brian Kinney,’” said Emmett.

 

“That’s Brian ‘Fucking’ Kinney to you,” said Brian swatting Emmett on the back of the head. He bent and kissed Justin, “Morning.”

 

“Morning,” smiled Justin.

 

“I see the gang’s all here and the audience is in place, so let’s get started.”

 

“I want to start by saying that I think Cynthia’s idea of all of us bringing paint chips from Home Depot was a great idea. I am starting to understand why you and Brian work so well together.”

 

“Thank you,” she smiled.

 

“Alright, enough with kissing ass. Vic, what have you got? I doubt I will have a problem with it considering it won’t be part of the actual agency. That is contingent on you having kept Queen E on a leash.”

 

Emmett placed a paint chip with three shades of yellow onto the table. “We were thinking something in this family. Probably the Banana Cream but depending on how it looks against the wood, the Applesauce might be better.”

 

“That’s why I brought this,” said Justin, pulling a piece of baseboard out from under the table. “I found it in the closet.”

 

“Why yellow?” Brian asked, trying to remain calm.

 

“We thought it would accent the wood and the windows nicely. Besides, it’s cheery and when you have to make dozens and dozens of the same thing, you need all the goodwill you can get,” Vic said.

 

“Both of those while a little bright, look good with the wood. So that’s fine.”

 

“Good choice,” agreed Justin.

 

“I like it, I have a similar color in my kitchen,” said Cynthia.

 

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Brian smirked.

 

“After a day of dealing with a boss who is often moodier than a teenage girl with PMS, I can use all the cheer I can get too.”

 

“Fuck off,” mouthed Brian. The group at the next table laughed.

 

“What were you thinking?” She challenged him.

 

Brian pulled out his own paint chips. “I was relieved to see that Ralph Lauren has a line of paint.”

 

Justin rolled his eyes and shook his head. What a label queen he thought and look at those boring colors he chose. He sighed.

 

“I was thinking Throne for the foyer. Dover Cliffs for the halls. Sisal for the bathroom.”

 

“Brian,” Justin said. “I thought you agreed that this agency was going to be different and original. Those are the same boring blah colors that are in every office in the city.”

“So what did you decide? I am scared to look.”

 

Justin put his chips on the table and Emmett gasped. He couldn’t help himself. This was going to be worse than any of them had imagined. Vic literally bit his tongue trying not to laugh and Cynthia knew instantly that she had lost the wager.

 

“What the fuck is that?” Brian glared. He was sure his eyes were deceiving him.

 

“They are from the Disney line of paints. I listened to your ideas so you can listen to mine. I thought Bouncy Bouncy and Rumbly Tumbly would be good for the reception area.”

 

“They are bright orange.”

 

“I know and this bright yellow called Laser Beam could be an accent color. Mickey’s Pants is perfect for the downstairs hall. The red works well against the orange. Friendly forest would be cool in the bathroom…”

 

This has to be some kind of joke, thought Brian. He didn’t really come here with paint chips in the shape of a cartoon mouse’s head and expect me to take him seriously.

 

“Cynthia, I thought Princess Purple or the pinker shade of Happily Ever After would be nice for you. The other downstairs office could be this deeper red called Three Cheers for Pooh.”

 

A silence fell over the diner, even the customers who were unaware of the happenings at that particular table knew something was about to happen. They could feel it in the air.

 

“Have you lost your mind?” Brian snapped.

 

“People ask me that all the time, but it’s usually after you have left the room.”

 

Brian offered him a sarcastic smirk. “What are we supposed to say if some client likes a color and asks what it is called? ‘Well, Mrs. Stanley, that particular shade is called Piglet’s Ass.’”

 

“Blushful Piglet,” corrected Justin.

 

“Whatever the fuck. Forget it, no way,” Brian snapped. He gathered the mouse shaped chips and handed them over to Lindsay. “Here, when you want to do Gus’ room, you know who to call.”

 

“BRIAN.”

“I am not discussing it anymore. Cynthia, let’s see what you chose.”

 

There he goes just dismissing me again, thought Justin. I knew he wouldn’t like them, but I hate the way he just ignores what I think.

 

Cynthia pulled out a large card folded in three with ‘Pastel and Light’ printed on it. “I like these, Primrose Bouquet, Blushed Cotton, Rose Dawn, Sweet Peach, Pink Dust…’

 

Brian hung his head, what did I do to deserve this? One of them wants to turn the place into a fucking cartoon and the other a pussy retreat, he thought to himself. Then he saw three more folded color charts. He took the White and Neutral one. Now this is more like. How am I going to convince Justin? He’s still sulking about that Disney shit.

 

“I still think these are safer choices,” he suggested putting the chart in the middle of the table.

 

“Brian, I wasn’t kidding when I said I wouldn’t work in an environment that stifles my artistic expression. These colors are depressing,” he said. “Wouldn’t it be easier to get clients excited about campaigns if they weren’t lulled into a trance by their surroundings? Color has an affect on our moods.”

 

Brian just stared at his lover.

 

“Why don’t you guys look at these? Maybe there is a way to compromise,” suggested Vic, opening the color chart labeled Midtone and Deep.

 

“Some of these have potential,” smiled Justin, leaning in to get a better look.

 

Brian looked at the last color chart. “There are a few here too.”

 

“Okay, but not the top rows they’re too light to make a statement.”

 

“We should start room by room,” said Cynthia trying to be the voice of reason. “Let’s start with the reception area.”

 

“Ripe Currant,” said Justin, confidently.

 

“Too red,” concluded Brian. “Haze.”

 

“Too boring,” sighed Justin.

 

“I like Autumn Maple,” said Cynthia. “It’s dramatic, but not overpowering.”

 

“I could agree to that,” Justin smiled. Brian nodded.

 

“There, that wasn’t really so hard,” chuckled Vic. “I assume the hall is next.”

 

“Caraway,” suggested Justin. “It’s a complimentary color. It would also make a nice backdrop to the framed campaigns that we’ll hang on the walls.”

 

“Beautiful,” said Lindsay.

 

“Perfect,” admitted Brian with a smile.

 

“That was easy,” glowed Emmett.

 

“How about Wild Lilac for the bathroom?” Vic asked.

 

“I like that very much,” Cynthia said. Brian and Justin both nodded.

 

“The extra office will be the staff room and the copy room so what about Relaxing Blue,” offered Cynthia.

 

“I could live with that,” said Brian.

 

“Me too,” said Justin.

 

“I think we should all pick the color of our own office,” suggested Brian. “Cyn, any ideas?”

 

“Since they should be from these charts so they will go together, I like Heirloom Quilt.”

 

“It’s a very nice variation of periwinkle and it will go well with the hall color,” Justin agreed.

 

“The upstairs hall really has to go with the reception area,” Brian thought out loud.

 

“What about Pumpkin Bread,” Cynthia suggested.

 

“I like Terra Cotta Pot,” said Justin, sheepishly.

 

“It matches the Autumn Maple better. You win, Sunshine. Let’s get this over with. The extra office upstairs can be Pollen Grains. My office is going to be this greenish grey, Meditation.”

 

Justin almost choked on his coffee. 

 

“What?” Brian glared.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“The bathroom in the bluish Quiet Moment.”

 

This time Vic laughed. Brian rolled his eyes.

 

“That leaves your office and our bathroom. How about Goldenrod Field for the bathroom it matches my office and the hall and is still quite bright to please you.”

 

“That’s good. I want several colors in the art department. Castle Moat blue, Pepper Grass green, Daredevil red, Aurora Orange and Palace Purple.” Seeing the look on Brian’s face, he added, “Shut up, or I’m going back to the Disney colors.”

 

“I didn’t say anything,” snapped Brian. “But exactly how are you going to use five paint colors on four walls? Not to mention the fact that three of the walls are mostly windows.”

 

“I have a plan.”

 

“I am scared to think about it.”

 

“Then don’t.”

 

“This is going to be one colorful building,” said Vic.

 

“It’ll be perfect,” said Justin, kissing Brian.

 

“That remains to be seen. I have to go to the office supply store and talk about the accounting programs for the computer system. Later.”

 

“Later.”

 

Brian stood and started for the door, but paused. He returned to the table and pulled Justin up. “I shouldn’t have snapped, but Mickey Mouse? Fuck!”  Then he kissed him again, but very tenderly. “Later.”

 

“Later,” smiled Justin, as he watched him leave. “I’ll take the garbage out for you, Deb, before I go.”

 

“Thanks, Sunshine.”

 

The assembled group couldn’t help but smile.

 

“So who won the pool?” Cynthia asked.

 

“You did. He didn’t explode. One harsh comment and he even apologized,” said Michael incredulously.

 

“I think he knows what he has this time and doesn’t want to lose it again,” smiled Lindsay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Emmett and Justin were standing at the paint counter of Home Depot. The clerk was on the phone with the department manager. Her eyes had almost bugged out of her head when they told her they needed twenty-nine cans of paint.

 

“The manager will be right with you,” she said sweetly after she hung up the phone.

 

About five minutes later a handsome tall man approached them. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I understand you need quite a bit of paint. Have you already decided on the colors or shall we start at the color charts?”

 

“No. I have a list here of how many of each color we need,” explained Justin.

 

“Okay, let’s get the paint. My name is Sam, by the way.”

 

“Well, hello. Sam, I’m Emmett and this is my good friend Justin.”

 

While the three men piled the gallons of paint into shopping carts, Emmett couldn’t help but steal a few appreciative glances Sam’s way. Justin smiled when he noticed.

 

Justin double checked the list to make sure he had the right number of cans for the right colors picked for each room. Confident that the list was correct, he handed it to Sam.

 

“Will you require painting equipment as well?” Sam asked.

 

“Yes. We are having a painting party. The building is large and the owner is quite impatient. I think about a dozen people will be helping us.”

 

“Then you will need a lot of supplies. Will the owner be charging all of this? If he has a Home Depot card, there is a twelve percent discount.”

 

“I doubt Brian has ever been in the store, let alone has the credit card,” laughed Justin.

 

“Approval can be established within a half hour. So, if you want to call him, it’s going to take longer than that to mix all of these,” Sam said, pointing to the cans of base paint waiting to be mixed.

 

Justin pulled out his phone. While he waited for Brian to answer, he noticed that Sam was also checking Emmett out. “Hey, where are you?”

 

“In the car,” came the reply through the phone.

 

“Do you have time to stop at Home Depot for a bit?”

 

“I already told you that the paint isn’t going in the ‘Vette.”

 

“No, but if you come get a Home Depot credit card there’s a twelve percent discount on the paint. That should be over a hundred dollars in savings. A couple of months’ worth of paper for the office,” said Justin.

 

“Okay, you convinced me. How will I find you?”

 

“We’re in the paint department. Emmett is drooling all over the guy mixing the paint. That seems to stand out to some of the other customers.”

 

“I’ll bet it does,” chuckled Brian. “See you in a few.”

 

Justin put his phone back in his pocket. “He’s on his way. I am gonna go get some of the other supplies we’ll need. Em, you have this covered?”

 

“I’m all over it,” said Emmett, smiling at Sam.

 

“I can see that,” laughed Justin.

 

“Actually, I’d rather be under it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Cynthia was the first to arrive at the brownstone. It was a nice sunny morning and she opened all the windows. Entering the kitchen, she thought about how much easier it was to spend time there now that the power had been turned on. She checked the fridge to make sure there were enough refreshments. It was full to capacity with bottled water, various sodas, juices, and dairy products which were for coffee. Glancing into the freezer she felt confident there was enough ice. 

 

She went to the counter and started to make two pots of coffee on the elaborate yet portable specialty coffee machine that Brian and Emmett bought. It would be the coffee machine for the agency during the day and could be taken to the parties at night. Then she took the paper cups out of the packaging and placed them next to the brewing machine and poured sugar into a bowl. Napkins, plastic spoons and swizzle sticks were added. Further down the counter she put several boxes of muffins and donuts in every variety.

 

Grabbing two shopping bags from the reception area, she went to all four bathrooms to ensure that they all had plenty of soap, toilet paper, and paper towels. That’s it everything is ready, she thought. She noticed that Justin and Emmett had put the paint in the room where it would be used, along with stir sticks, plastic drop cloths, a paint tray and liner, several rolls of masking tape, rollers, and brushes.

 

Coming down the stairs, she heard a knock at the door. Opening it, she greeted Jennifer who led a group of five into the reception area.

 

“Cynthia, you know Debbie and Vic. This is Debbie’s…” Jennifer paused. She didn’t know what to call Carl. Deb looked away.

 

“Carl,” said the policeman. “Nice to meet you.”

 

 “You too,” she replied.

 

“This is my boyfriend, Rodney,” Vic continued.

 

“Hello. Come on in everybody. I’ve made some coffee. Actually, I made two pots, regular and Kinney.”

 

“What’s Kinney coffee?” Carl asked.

 

“It’s probably spiked. That might not be a good idea since we are going to be painting,” said Deb.

 

“No, but it’s so strong, the consistency is more like cake batter. Getting his coffee right was actually one of the hardest parts of my job. When I first started, he didn’t give me any work to do. ‘Just make coffee and answer the phone,’ he said. For two weeks I made dozens of cups of coffee a day. He would reject them all. I later found out that was how he got rid of potential secretaries. They would all give up when he wouldn’t drink any of the coffee. I must have lasted longer than anyone because he eventually started to give me a hint. Not strong enough. One morning he took a drink and smiled. Then he told me that I had the job and my probation period was over. He handed me a bunch of files and asked me to look them over and tell him what I thought. I was almost crying by the time I got back to my desk, I was so relieved. First, I had finally made the right coffee and second, that I was going to be more than a secretary, my opinion was going to count.”

 

“I have always wondered how you put up with him. You seem so nice on the phone,” laughed Deb.

 

“Don’t get me wrong, there have been plenty of times when I’ve wanted to push him out a window and we worked on the fifteenth floor over there.”

 

“Please excuse me,” said Jen, when her cell phone rang. She went out onto the deck.

 

Why did I make Brian sound so harsh, Cynthia thought. He is really very easy to work for after you get used to his moods. I can’t leave things like this. “Brian is very fair. I always got a percentage of his bonuses. The other execs didn’t do that for their assistants. If I made a particularly useful contribution to a campaign, he’d split it with me.”

 

“Those days are over for awhile, I am afraid,” Brian interrupted. “Are you trying to ruin my image again?”

 

“Not ruin, just alter.”           

 

“Bitch. Please tell me YOU made the coffee.”

 

“Here,” Vic offered him a cup. “You look tired this morning.”

 

“Thanks and no, I didn’t go out last night.”

 

“Where’s Sunshine?”

 

“He decided that we needed a good night sleep so he stayed at his place. He and Daphne should be here any minute.”

 

“That was probably a good idea. You guys would have stayed up until one o’clock fucking,” cracked Deb.

 

“More like three,” he replied before he noticed Jennifer standing just inside the garden door. “Sorry Jen, I didn’t know you were here.” She smiled.

 

“Then why are you so tired?” Deb asked, a disgusted look came across her face. “You really are a dog, you know that right.”

 

“What?” Brian snapped. “Justin and I had dinner and …” He paused and looked at Jen. “Talked.  Then he left around eleven. I couldn’t sleep so I got up and did some work at the computer and before I knew it, it was two thirty. That would be fine, but the little shit decided that we should start painting before any sane person is awake. Which by the way is true because he called me to make sure I am awake. Let me guess, she was telling you about how it took her two weeks to learn to make coffee. She loves to tell people that story, she thinks it makes me look bad, but I think it questions her intelligence.”

 

“Yes, but only because she kept trying,” said Deb. “I would have poured the third cup over your head.”

 

“Don’t get to uptight. It’s not that hard to figure out. Justin did it in like three days.”

 

“That’s because Justin likes his hot chocolate with more chocolate than water. He has experience,” laughed Jennifer.

 

“It’s too early to be alive on a Saturday,” mumbled Brian.

 

“But I am so glad you are,” beamed Justin, as he and Daphne joined the others. He kissed Brian. “Morning.”

 

“Morning.”

 

“Where’s the food?” The teen asked. Daphne pulled him to the counter where they attacked the box of muffins.

 

“Em, Michael, and Ben were just pulling up.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Bending to take the lid off the first can of paint, Justin took the paint can opener but his right hand was shaking noticeably. Brian stopped him and took the hand in his and started to massage it.

 

“What’s going on? Does it hurt?”

 

“No, it’s okay, I think I just overdid it lately.”

 

“Maybe we should talk about this because you start school next week and if it’s already starting to be too much, we have to rethink this.”

 

“You’re overreacting. It’s early and it’s always worse in the morning. I also think I might have overdone it carrying all the paint the other day.”

 

“Shit. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. I really am a heartless bastard. I am so sorry. Why don’t you just take it easy today and supervise or something.”

 

“No, I’m alright. It will loosen up in a little while. You’re stalling, get to work.”

 

Brian watched Justin open the paint with a concerned look. The other members of the group loved to watch the man show his love and concern for the boy and smiled as they finished taping the woodwork.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

“What’s the latest on the Hunter situation?” Carl asked Michael and Ben as they worked on painting the foyer.

 

“I saw him a while ago. He was still going to school at the time. So that’s good. Have you heard much?” Ben answered.

 

“Not since that first incident. I talked to the patrolmen in that neighborhood and also down where the boys hustle. They are going to keep an eye out. They know the situation and will contact me if there’s anything to report.”

 

“Thanks Carl,” said Michael. “I am very happy that Ma is giving you another chance.”

 

“Me too!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Lindsay and Mel walked through the front door.

 

“This is the most beautiful building,” gushed Lindsay.

 

“Yeah, you’re late,” snapped Brian. “Should you be here?” He asked Mel.

 

“At this point I would do anything to get out of the house and away from the monotonous housework. I have brain drain. I need to experience stimulating conversation. Even though, you’re here I should still be able to find it with the others.”

 

Lindsay sighed as she watched her wife walk ahead of her.  

 

Most of the group had assembled in the kitchen to put the protective tape on the woodwork. Michael looked around to see if Emmett was in the room. He wasn’t.

 

“I got a call from Ted yesterday.”

 

“What? How is he?”

 

“When does he finish rehab?” Mel asked.

 

“Next week. He was trying to figure out what everyone’s reaction was going to be. I think he thought he burned too many bridges within our little group. He sounded so much better. I was talking to Ted, not that tweaked out zombie that he had turned into.”

 

“That’s great. I am so relieved,” sighed Debbie.

 

“I hope I didn’t speak out of place, but I told him that no one hated him. He said he knows he has a lot of work to do to make amends with people, but I think he was scared that we had written him off and he wouldn’t have the chance to do that.”

 

“No. He deserves a second chance to mend the friendships,” said Emmett. After grabbing an extra drop cloth, he left again.

 

“That about sums it up, I guess,” said Brian.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Mel answered the door to find a tall man with nice green eyes standing there.

 

“Is Emmett here?”

 

“Sure, just a minute. Come in, but be careful there’s wet paint everywhere.”

 

“EMMETT,” Mel yelled.

 

“Sam, what are you doing here?”

 

“I thought since this order put me over my sales quota for the month, the least I could do is help.”

 

“That’s very kind of you.”

 

“Where can I help?”

“I was just going to start the upstairs bathroom. You could give me a hand.”

 

“Great.”

 

They made their way upstairs just as Justin came into the entrance.

 

“That looked like Sam from Home Depot.”

 

“It was. He came to help.”

 

“Right. He came for something, but it wasn’t painting,” laughed Justin. “Good for Em, he seems like a great guy and he’s gorgeous.”

 

“Thanks,” smiled Brian.

 

“Not you, Sam, the guy from Home Depot. He came to help paint.”

 

“I hope Em doesn’t mess this one up,” smirked Brian.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Jennifer was painting the bathroom that was going to be Cynthia’s. Justin brought her some water.

 

“Are you okay, honey?” She asked.

 

“Yes, I sometimes forget that my hand is a little different than it used to be. It doesn’t really hurt while I do things, unless I really go too far. It just cramps up a bit later. The doctor says it’s like arthritis. It will come and go for the rest of my life. Sometimes, it will be from overuse and other times it could be from not using it enough. I can’t let it stop me.”

 

“I am so proud of you. When you were born I had high hopes about what kind of man you would be. You surpassed them a long time ago.”

 

“Thanks mom.”

 

They worked in what Jennifer thought was a happy silence. Justin, however, could only think of his father and how he wasn’t proud of his son, but ashamed.

 

“Have you heard from Dad lately?”

 

One of these days I am going to strangle that man for the way he has hurt our son, she thought. “Yes, he is thinking about moving to Harrisburg and is being a little difficult about the custody arrangements.”

 

“Why Harrisburg?”

 

“The company is opening a new office, I think.”

 

“Does he ever ask about me?”

 

“Yes, he does. He loves you, Justin. He is just too small of a person to get past his own hang ups.”

 

“I know, I just wish… I don’t even know what I wish,” he sighed.

 

Jennifer put her roller down and took her son in her arms. They silently exchanged strength and returned to their tasks.

 

“Is he taking the Barbie with him?”

 

“I don’t know. I didn’t really ask,” Jennifer laughed.

 

“Mom, I think you should stop focusing on me, Molly, and work so much and have more fun.”

 

“I wasn’t ready before, but I am starting to get there.”

 

“Really?”

 

“As a matter of fact, someone asked me out just yesterday.”

 

“So when are you going out? Who is he?” Justin asked excitedly.

 

“I told him I would consider the offer. If I decide to go, I will tell you about him then.” Jennifer assured her son.

 

“Okay, but make sure it is someone who deserves someone as great as you. Because obviously, Dad didn’t.”

 

“Thank you, sweetie, and he certainly doesn’t deserve a perfect son like you. I know it hurts you more than you let on, but he is the one that is missing out.”

 

Brian painted the hall wall just outside the bathroom and listened to mother and son. If I ever get my hands on that son-of-a-bitch for hurting them this way, I will tear him apart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Daphne and Justin were painting the pantry in the kitchen. They had been teasing each other and having a great time. Brian joined them and immediately realized that the paint fumes were much stronger in the small windowless room.

 

“Why don’t you guys take a break? I’ll finish in here.”

“Why? There are plenty of other places for you to paint. We’re fine.”

 

“Justin, the fumes are quite strong in here. I don’t want you to get dizzy.”

 

“Will you leave me alone? Before you didn’t want me to use the ladder and do the upper parts of the walls in the reception area and now this. I AM FINE. Go paint something.”

 

They were interrupted by Daphne’s cell phone. She answered and immediately started to offer whoever was on the other end apologies and justifications.

 

“Dylan,” Justin mouthed to Brian, before he left. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like that guy. He seems a little controlling, he thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

It was late in the day and everyone was starting to tire. With fourteen people working together, the whole brownstone was almost finished. Brian had ordered subs and sandwiches for lunch and had just finished ordering several large pizzas and a virtual buffet of Chinese food for dinner.

 

They all sat around on the floor taking a break, waiting for the food to arrive.

 

Ben’s cell phone rang. He stood and answered it out in the hall where he could hear. He returned with a stern look.

 

“Michael, we have to go.”

 

“Why? I am starving. Where do we have to go?”

 

“The hospital. Hunter was just brought there in an ambulance.”  

.

 

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