Uncle Brian

Justin had breakfast on the table when Brian, sleepy-eyed, emerged from the bedroom.

"The condemned man has arrived for his last meal," he announced.

"Oh Brian, it's not going to be that bad." Justin suggested, "You might even enjoy yourself."

"No," Brian told him, "It's going to be bad. When you told me that there was something you wanted me to do today that I might not like, I was suspicious. When you told me you wanted to tell me this morning instead of last night so I wouldn't be thinking about it all night, I knew it was real trouble. At least you told me I didn't have to do it if I really didn't want to, but somehow, Baby, I kinda think I'm gonna have to do it."

"What I said was that it was something that at first you might think you didn't want to do. I wanted you to get a good night's sleep and sometimes you tend to make mountains out of molehills," Justin pointed out.

"Well, wasn't I up nearly all night, and I would say it was because of you," Brian smiled at him, "And you showed no signs of wanting me to get any sleep at all."

"I can't see where that is germane to this subject," Justin told him, smiling back at him.

"You are flirting with me, my sweet," Brian responded, " Which makes me think this could be worse even than I thought before. I guess I will find out soon enough but the sooner the better. I maybe couldn't take it on a full stomach."

Justin walked over to the table and flopped down on Brian's lap. Brian sensed disaster.

"Your sister called yesterday. You weren't here. She has a problem. She asked me to talk to you about it, and I told her I would," Justin started out

"How much?" Brian laughed, "That's not as bad as I thought."

"Money isn't everything," Justin told Brian.

"It is to Clare, as long as I have some and she wants it," Brian remarked.

"It's not money, Brian, let me finish," Justin asked him, "Her older son, your nephew, was voted most valuable player in his baseball league."

"Well that little shit is not very valuable to me," Brian replied, "If the league thinks he's valuable, they can have my share of him. He acts like he has Clare's genes on both sides. Not that his old man was any great shakes either. Smart enough to get the hell out though."

"You are making this harder than it needs to be." Justin pleaded, " I have to remind you that Clare's genes are also your genes, and that you turned out perfect as far as I'm concerned."

"Well then," Brian countered, "You're responsible for how I turned out, so we should just send you over to help the little twit out."

"No, Brian," Justin stroked Brian's hair, "We're sending you."

"I'm not a praying man, usually," Brian allowed, "But I think I better learn. You have my complete and undivided attention."

"At last," Justin said, "There is a banquet tonight. It's an all male affair and each kid is supposed to bring his father. A lot of kids these days don't have fathers at home so some of the boys are bringing their uncles or other relatives. He especially asked Clare if you would go with him. You haven't seen him in a couple of years so he might be a lot different than he was. He wants you to go with him. You ought to give the kid a chance."

Brian thought of a strategy himself. He threw both arms around Justin. "I wanted to have a romantic dinner and an even more romantic evening with you tonight, Sunshine," he told him, "Doesn't that sound better than an athletic dinner with the little brat?"

"Yes, it does," Justin replied, "I'd love that for tomorrow. It's just not possible tonight."

"Why not?" Brian wondered.

"Because I told Clare that if you wouldn't go, I would take your place. That's not a good alternative though. I wouldn't be a very good substitute for you, but that kid needs somebody to go with him," Justin insisted.

"Then I have to go," Brian laughed, "If you go the little shit will go around introducing you as his fag-uncle's boyfriend, and you are too nice to choke him to death. He'll know he can't get away with any crap with me."

"You're right of course, Brian," Justin told him, "I'm not tough enough for this job." So Justin provided Brian with all the details and Brian left the loft, thinking that maybe Justin was "tough enough" for any job, and wondering what hit him.

Brian was half-way to work before he realized that he had not eaten, but he knew that having Justin was worth all the inconvenience it caused. Brian smiled. He wanted to go to the banquet with his nephew if Justin wanted him to.

Justin cleared the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher before he also realized he was still fasting. Living with Brian was sometimes tough, but it was so worth it.

Both of them spent at least part of the day wondering how the evening would turn out.

Justin got home about six. He figured Brian wouldn't be home before nine. He tried to read; then he tried to draw; then he gave up, lit the fireplace and sat gazing at the darting fire. That calmed him down. He fell asleep and wakened when he heard the door close. Brian was back.

Brian didn't say anything. He went directly to the bedroom and changed. Justin was a bit nervous as Brian came back out and sat down next to him. Justin felt better when Brian put his arm around him and guided his head down onto Brian's shoulder. They just sat there for a few minutes before Brian finally spoke.

"I liked him, Sunshine. He is a really nice kid," Brian said, "What a difference a couple of years have made in him. And he has a tough life dealing with Clare. He doesn't have anybody. I know what it's like. I lived it myself."

"You were just about his age when you found Mikey and Debbie and Vic, weren't you, Brian?" Justin reminded him.

"Yeah," Brian remembered, "And they saved my life. They saved me until I found you or you found me or whatever. They kept me alive until you came along to make me happy."

"So you told him he could count on you when he needed somebody," Justin figured.

"Yeah, I did, and we're taking him and his brother to the Pirate game Saturday if that's OK with you. But how did you know that, mind reading again?" Brian wondered.

"No mind reading needed, Bri, I just know you." Justin explained.

"I wish I did." Brian smiled. "You're getting there," Justin laughed at him, "In a few years you'll know as much about yourself as I do."

"That scares me," Brian said to him. "I'll be here to help you cope, Honey, I'll always be here," Justin told him.

A little while later, Brian nudged Justin and said: "He told me something else that I didn't mention, Baby, guess what," Brian said.

"Can't guess," Justin admitted.

"He thinks he might be gay," Brian said.

"So you'll get to make him the best homosexual he can be," Justin teased, "And you can avoid all the mistakes you made with me."

"Actually, I'm very happy with how you turned out." Brian countered "But we'll need you to make him the best person he can be, like you did with me, if you'll take on that job."

"With pleasure, and then I can avoid all the mistakes I made with you." Justin retorted.

"Sorry if you're not satisfied with the work you've done with me but I was a pretty tough guy to change. You did pretty well considering what you had to start with. Now don't get mad at me, Baby," Brian told Justin, "But it could be that I did a better job with you than you did with me, granting that you had the much harder job to start with."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Bri, I'm very satisfied with how you turned out, but my goal is to get you to love yourself as much as I love you and that is probably going to be impossible. That's my own fault though, but I can't help it that I love you so much," Justin admitted, "But I don't intend to give up. My work is not done yet."

"That's what I was afraid of," Brian told Justin as he pulled him closer, and a little later he said "Honey, is it too late for that romantic evening I mentioned this morning?"

"I don't think so," Justin told him, "Isn't that what we're having now?"

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