Scrambled Egg

"You don't know a disaster when it hits you, Baby," Brian was telling Justin.

We have been through some real disasters, Bri," Justin replied, "And I knew them when I saw them. Maybe it's just that you turn some little problems into disasters. You aren't as patient as I am, you know."

"Well I'm trying to be patient with you right now, Taylor," Brian groused, "But I don't think it's working. You think this mess is funny, don't you?"

"I'm sorry, Honey," Justin admitted, "But there is something funny about this if you just look at it reasonably."

"So now I'm not reasonable," Brian objected, "First I'm turning molehills into mountains and now I'm not reasonable."

Justin put his arms around Brian's neck. "You know anything that bothers you bothers me too," Justin told him, "I love you, Brian, even when you are unreasonable. We'll face this together and we'll get through it together, just like we get through everything together."

"Geez, Twink," Brian had to smile at him, "When you put it like that, the situation doesn't really seem so bad. But don't you think for a minute that I don't know I'm being manipulated."

"Deep down, Kinney, I don't think you mind that so much at all," Justin conjectured.

"Of course, I mind," Brian said as he wrapped his arms around Justin, pulled the kid closer and kissed him, "But I'm used to it. I might even be complaining about stuff just to see what you'll do."

"So I am the one who is really being manipulated, I guess, " Justin responded, "But I can't say that I feel like complaining - not right now anyhow."

"Then how do you think we need to play this, Mr. Know-It-All?" Brian questioned without releasing the grasp he had on the kid.

"Well, I think all we can do is to do our own thing and see what happens," Justin opined, "That's what we did at Christmas time with Mother Christmas, and that's what we ought to do on Sunday. It wasn't all that bad, Brian. The kids kind of liked Mother Christmas. I'm sure they'll like Miss Easter Egg just as well."

"I hope you'll admit that Miss Easter Egg is a bit of a stretch, Baby," Brian grinned.

"Oh yeah," Justin agreed, grinning back at the guy he loved so much, "I can see Mother Christmas a lot easier than I can Miss Easter Egg."

"Was Daphne in on this Miss Easter Egg business like she was with Mother Christmas?" Brian wanted to know.

"She says not, Honey." Justin informed him, "Actually she was closer to thinking it was a disaster than to the reasonable approach we're taking. You know it's actually her volunteer group that sponsors our holiday visits to Childrens' Hospital. They've been getting the credit for our great performances and they stand to get the blame if things don't work out. But nobody says 'No' to Debbie, and if anybody can pull Miss Easter Egg off, she's the one."

"You make me feel pretty good sometimes, Sunshine," Brian told him.

"That's why I'm here, Honey," Justin replied, "That's the major goal of my life."

"Yeah," Brian said, with just a trace of doubt in his voice, but only just a trace. And the subject was dropped for the time being.

It was later, when the guys were seated in front of their blazing fake fireplace, that the subject came up again.

"Don't worry, Honey, our Easter visit to the hospital this year will be another big success," Justin told Brian, "The kids will love it, and Miss Easter Egg will be a success too."

"I still can't help worrying about it some," Brian admitted.

"Well then," Justin consoled him, "I'll just have to try to take your mind off the problem then, won't I?"

"And how do you propose to do that?" Brian wondered suggestively.

"Let me think," Justin began, but was interrupted in mid thought by the arrival of a visitor at the door.

"I'll kill whoever it is," Brian fumed, "I will. What lousy timing."

What he said to the visitor however was "Hi, Mikey. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you."

"Probably because you aren't all that happy to see me," Michael replied with a grin, "Well I wouldn't be disturbing you two lovebirds if I didn't have good news I thought you'd want to know right away. So I'll give you that and get out and leave you guys to whatever awful things you have planned."

"The best news you could bring would be that your mother decided not to come with us on Sunday," Brian told him, "But we couldn't be that lucky."

"Sorry," Michael answered him, "My mother still wants to go on Sunday. She wouldn't dream of disappointing you guys. You two are her favorite people in the world - better than me even."

"Yeah," Brian said in return, "We are lovable."

"Justin is," Michael laughed, "But if you're trying to get rid of me, let me tell you the news. My mother will certainly be with you on Sunday, but Miss Easter Egg will not."

"No Miss Easter Egg," Brian exclaimed, "Why did she change her mind about Miss Easter Egg?"

"She didn't change her mind. My mother is not one to change her mind," Mikey explained, "The costume broke and she can't get it fixed in time, so she's going along with you as a civilian."

"The costume broke?" Justin interjected.

"How can a costume break?" Brian wanted to know.

"Don't ask," Mike responded, "I never saw the costume. I asked Vic but he just laughed and said that he saw the costume and it was really broken."

"I guess we'll just have to take it on faith that the egg is broken," Justin smiled.

"Well, I'm leaving you guys to make your own omelets, " Mikey informed them, "Unless you insist that I stay."

They did not insist that he stay because they knew Ben would be disappointed if Michael were late getting home, so the visitor headed out.

"The angels must be on our side for a change," Brian exulted. "No Miss Easter Egg."

"I guess I won't have to take your mind off that problem then," Justin told him.

"But I really have a lot of other problems I need to have my mind taken off, Baby," Brian replied, "So maybe you should go ahead with what you were planning."

"Well," Justin began, but the interruptions were not over. This time it was the phone.

"Damn," Brian said, "Where are those angels now?"

But he answered the phone. "Deb," he said; then "Oh that's too bad. Justin will be so disappointed," then "Well we'll do the best we can without Miss Easter Egg, but we're very glad you can still come." He brought the call to a conclusion and did not have to explain to Justin what the conversation was about.

Justin was rolling around the floor laughing.

"All right, Twink," Brian demanded, "Where were we when we were interrupted?"

"We were trying to cheer you up," Justin said, still laughing, "But you have to be already cheered up by now."

"And I can see now that it is you who needs cheering up," Brian leered at Justin. "Want me to see if I can cheer you up?"

"Brian, Honey," Justin told him, "You really know me so well. Most people seeing me rolling on the floor laughing would not notice that I need to be cheered up. I'm so lucky to have you. I'd be glad if you would try to cheer me up. I'm sure you can."

Fortunately, there were no more interruptions.

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