Oh Brother

"You've got something to tell me," Brian was saying to Justin as they settled themselves in on the floor in front of the fireplace. "And you wouldn't tell me till we got the fireplace lit so you must be feeling guilty."

"It's not really guilt, Honey," Justin answered, "But it's something that I was hoping never to have to tell you. Maybe I should have told you sooner but I was hoping I wouldn't ever have to."

"No confidence in me?" Brian complained, "I've told you lots of times you can tell me anything at all and you say you believe that. So you were hoping never to have to tell me this?"

"That's about it, Bri," Justin admitted, "But before I tell you, I want you to know we're going to keep you completely out of it - or at least we're going to try our hardest."

"How come you've decided to tell me now?" Brian wanted to know.

"Because you're sure to find out," Justin explained, "And you might be mad if we tried to get through this without you knowing."

"It sounds to me like I'm going to be upset with you, Baby," Brian surmised, "I hope not, but that's what it sounds like to me. But if you think you better tell me, then you better tell me."

"Are you going to let me get through the whole thing before you decide if you're mad at me?" Justin asked.

"I'll try," Brian seemed amused by now, "But I can't promise anything. It might be a promise I can't keep."

"Brian, Sweetheart," Justin began tentatively, "Malcolm has a brother."

"Now that is genuine bad news," Brian broke in, "But I think I can stand that. I don't understand what all the hype was about."

"Hunter met this brother when they were in Cincinnati." Justin continued, "He's a year younger than Malcolm and his name is Abe."

"That was one of the names Melanie wanted to hang on Gus," Brian remembered, "She said her grandfather was named Abraham. I don't know why all this is such a secret"

"You're not making this easy, Brian," Justin replied, "When I get finished, you'll know why it was a secret, I'm pretty sure. So let me finish, please. This is hard for me."

"Sorry, Twink," Brian apologized, "Go ahead."

"Anyhow, this Abe is not short for Abraham." Justin interjected, "Malcolm's brother's name is Abelard."

"Abelard?" Brian wondered, "Wasn't that some old saint from the middle ages?"

"Not exactly a saint, Bri," Justin seemed a bit less tense. "Just some philosopher. Malcolm's mother teaches medieval philosophy and Abelard is one of her favorites. Abelard got mixed up in a forbidden love affair and got into a whole lot of trouble with the church."

"Sounds familiar," Brian laughed.

"If you don't let me finish, Honey," Justin sounded desperate, "I'm going to send you an e-mail instead of trying to tell you this."

"So the telling's not over?" Brian said.

"Hardly begun," Justin responded. "Hunter met Abe when they were in Cincinnati. Abe is a great big guy who plays football at Ohio State, and he's only a freshman. He's a real jock and he doesn't much like gays. He told Hunter that he should give up on Malcolm. Abe offered to help find Hunter a date for Malcolm's birthday party. Said he knew just the girl for Hunter."

"Abe doesn't like Malcolm then, I guess," Brian concluded. "It's good they're living in different cities."

"Actually, he does like Malcolm, Honey," Justin explained, "He warned Hunter that once Malcolm grew up, he was bound to be straight, and so Malcolm could break his heart."

"Geez, Twink," Brian exclaimed, "You get mixed up with the weirdest people. Actually, Malcolm might break Hunter's heart but I don't think it will be for a girl. Not that I don't agree with Abe that Malcolm should grow up."

"Malcolm is doing some growing up right now, Brian," Justin told him, "He and Hunter are trying to tell all this to Mike and Ben, and I hope they're having better luck than I am with you."

"More?" Brian asked.

"Oh yeah," Justin replied. "Hunter tried to explain to Abe about gays but Abe told Hunter that he didn't believe there were any gay people in Cincinnati or at Ohio State. He said he had never met a gay person."

"Bet there are some on the team with him at Ohio State," Brian guessed.

"I think Abe must be some kind of a dim bulb, Brian," Justin tried to finish his story, "Anyhow, he told Hunter he wants to visit Pittsburgh where the gay people live and get to know a few. He figures if he tells us about girls, we'll all see the light."

"It would be smart to keep him away," Brian decided. "I don't want him to tell you about girls and have you see the light."

"Brian Honey," Justin told him, "You are having so much fun with this that you have lost the right to be mad because I didn't tell you before."

"OK Baby, you're right," Brian admitted, "So I'm not mad. I'm not even sure why you thought I might be mad. But I hope Malcolm knows enough to keep Abe in Ohio where there aren't any gays."

"That's what Malcolm has been doing, Bri," Justin answered, "But Abe has announced he's coming here next weekend and he wants to meet all Malcolm's gay friends, and that's why I had to tell you this now."

"He's actually coming here," Brian repeated.

"Yeah," Justin said, "But we're going to keep him away from you. We figure he has to meet Mike and Ben because Malcolm is involved with Hunter, but I promise that you won't have to meet him at all."

Brian just sat there. He didn't say anything. Justin was the next one to speak. "I am really relieved to get that story told. It's only for a weekend. I'll make sure you aren't bothered. Are you OK about this?" he said to Brian.

"Well I'm not mad at you for not telling me sooner," Brian replied in a halting voice, "I can see where you figured I didn't need to know."

"But what, Brian?" Justin wondered, sensing Brian was not finished.

"I can't figure how a guy can come all the way from Columbus to study the gay culture of Pittsburgh," Brian told him, "And not meet me."

"What are you saying?" questioned a Justin who was afraid he knew exactly what Brian was saying.

"I think Abe needs to meet me," Brian concluded, "He deserves to see gay Pittsburgh at its best and that's me.

I might even volunteer to be Abelard's guide while he's here in the Steel City." Brian was smiling. Justin was not.

"Remember when I just said I was relieved, Brian," Justin reminded him. "Well I'm not relieved any more. I think I would have liked it better if you got mad at me."

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