He's What?

"He's what?" Michael's cry was loud enough to alert all the patrons in the diner and summon Debbie, who was taking orders at a nearby table, over to the booth where he was sitting.

It all started simply enough. Mikey and Ben were breakfasting with Mel and Lindsay when Brian came into the diner and sauntered over to their table. "He's not here," Mikey had laughed at Brian, "It's his day off. Don't tell me you have lost Boy Wonder and don't know where to find him."

"Not at all," Brian countered, "I know where he is. I just thought since he was unavailable for breakfast that I would go slumming and eat with you guys."

"Unavailable for breakfast," Mel broke in, "I hope that's not a bad sign."

"It's no sign at all, Madame Inquisitor. We showered together this morning if you must know everything, and then he had someplace to go," Brian responded.

"Oh no," Michael insisted, "You're not getting away with that. We want to know where he's gone. We have a stake in this too. We have to put up with 'mean old Brian' when things aren't perfect with you two lovebirds."

"To the airport," Brian responded without elaboration.

"Come on, Brian, we want to know. Is he going someplace? Where? Why?" Michael insisted.

"Will you quit trying to give my kid apoplexy, Brian?" Debbie interrupted as she passed by, "I think you want to tell him as much as nebby little Mikey here wants to know. You better not have mistreated my little Sunshine, or you'll be sorry you picked this diner to eat in."

"He's just picking someone up from the New York flight," Brian complained, "Jeez , aren't we allowed to have a private life without my getting the third degree? I thought you all would be glad to see me."

"Somebody we know, isn't it, Brian?" Lindsey returned to the subject, "Maybe a bit of a surprise? Remember

I 've known you longer than anybody else here, and I know how you operate. We're going to find out anyway, and you're here to tell us first for damage control."

"Ethan Gold," Brian admitted, "He's picking up Ethan Gold."

And that was what caused Mikey to let out the shout heard all around the diner if not all around the world.

"Well," Ben entered the conversation, "Now I'm getting interested. There's more to the story, I suspect. Are you going to tell us what it is? I figure we'll soon enough find out from Justin otherwise."

"The fiddler is moving back to Pittsburgh. He is joining the Pittsburgh Symphony. We saw him when he auditioned a month ago and he got the job," Brian announced.

"And you're letting Justin go out alone to pick him up at the airport. Are you crazy or something?" Mikey wanted to know.

"Shit, Michael," Brian answered, "You have been telling me for years how much he loves me. So have Mel and Linz, here. Why the hell shouldn't I trust him? He wants to help Ethan out, and I don't see why he shouldn't. Ethan isn't such a bad kid and you know I want Justin to have some friends his own age. That was another of your suggestions, if you remember."

"Well I didn't tell you to let him go out alone to pick up Ethan Gold at the airport," Mikey groused.

"I couldn't tell him not to go. I wouldn't tell him not to go. What would you have told me if I had asked you what to do?" Brian inquired, "Actually, he's spending the whole day helping Ethan to get settled in. There are other kids going to be there too so they can be chaperones. I am not worried at all."

"Well, I think I could have thought of a better way to handle this whole business," Michael grouched.

Brian smiled. "I think I'll have the three-egg cheese omelet with home fries, Deb," Brian gave his order.

"No dry rye toast , Brian" Debbie smiled too, "I think my little Mikey has got to you."

And maybe he had. Brian was a bit restless at work. Cynthia noticed and mentioned it to him. Cynthia knew what was going on. Cynthia almost always knew everything. There was a line of communication between her and Justin that Brian was not in on, and she was also very good at reading Brian's moods - not as good as Justin was, and maybe not even as good as Lindsey, but good nevertheless.

Brian got home from work earlier than usual. He had no idea when Justin would be home. He had hoped Justin would be there when he got in, but there was no Justin. Brian changed into comfortable clothes and paced for a bit. Then he sat himself down on the floor and turned on the fireplace. He was not worried about Justin. He was not in the least suspicious. That was not his style. But he was concerned and he wanted his little twink back with him, as soon as possible.

He had an hour or so to watch the darting flames and wait. It gave him time to think and that's what he did. He thought about the time before Justin had entered his life, comparing it to the time since. He was a happy man, happier than he had ever been - but he wanted Justin back, right now or even sooner. There had been problems along the way but things were perfect now, Brian thought to himself.

In due time, Justin bounced into the loft. "What a day," he told Brian, "There were six of us and we worked all day but Ethan's apartment is in pretty good shape now. Actually, a couple of the guys are still there but I wanted to come home. I hoped I'd be home before you got here. You must have come in earlier than usual."

"It was a slow day at the office," Brian responded, "so I decided to come home and wait for you."

Justin flopped down next to Brian. Brian put his arm around Justin and put his head onto Justin's shoulder.

"Hey," Justin objected, "You've got your head on my shoulder. I'm supposed to have my head on your shoulder. What's going on?"

Then Justin began to laugh, almost hysterically, Brian thought. "Brian," Justin exclaimed, "You're sniffing at me. What are you doing? Are you looking for Ethan's scent?"

"I am not sniffing at you, but I think I would remember Ethan's scent if I smelled it." Brian defended himself.

"Brian," Justin laughed, "If this weren't so darn funny, my feelings could be hurt, and I could be pretty mad at you. I wouldn't have gone to help Ethan if you didn't want me to go. You know that. You are the only guy in the world that I want - that I would ever want. What's got into you?"

"I'm sorry, Baby," Brian told him, "I do trust you but I really don't want ever to lose you. I had breakfast with Mikey, Ben, Linz and Mel at the diner this morning, and they acted like I shouldn't trust you. It was all their fault. When they found out you were with Ethan they were suspicious - but I guess I should have known better. They don't know "us" like we know "us." Brian told Justin all the details.

Justin kept laughing. "Will you quit laughing for a minute," Brian finally told him, "I'm sorry for being so dumb about this but it's not that funny."

"Oh Brian," Justin answered him, "I love you, but this is kind of funny."

"Well I must be missing the point," Brian growled.

"You are, Honey," Justin told him, "but that's not your fault, though maybe you could have figured it out. And you really ought to know by now I don't want Ethan, or anybody else but you."

"You knew that I baby-sat for Gus the day before yesterday," Justin continued, "I told Lindsay and Melanie about Ethan. It was no secret after all. They knew I was going to pick him up at the airport. They were putting you on, Brian."

"Putting me on? Damn! Do you think Mikey knew too?" Brian asked.

"I didn't tell Mikey but since Mel and Lindsey acted surprised," Justin said, "I think Mikey must have known too. But Brian, you should have known better than to get upset. I hope you didn't get upset."

"I thought they might be putting me on." Brian rationalized, "I guess they were getting me back for the old days, when I was 'mean old Brian' as Mikey likes to call me sometimes. I wasn't always real nice to them."

"Well," Justin consoled him, "They shouldn't have done such a mean thing to my new sensitive loving Brian. That new Brian could never be anything but nice."

"The 'new sensitive loving Brian,'" Brian repeated.

"Sure," Justin reminded him, "Look how well you're taking this trick they played on you."

"Sunshine Baby," Brian declared, "They may sometime real soon find out that 'mean old Brian' is still alive and well."

Return to Fireside Chats