Going the Distance

Chapter 12

As soon as Justin was off Brian’s lap, he jumped up, unsure of what to say. “Look Billy…”

“Relax Brian; I kind of had a feeling about you as soon as I watched you walk into the house today with your blond beauty. Although I have to say I’m a little disappointed. If not for you I would make a play for him myself,” Billy replied with a chuckle.

“You? Wait a minute? What about the gorgeous redhead you were dating last spring?” Brian was shocked by what he was learning.

“Oh believe me, he was gorgeous. ‘He’ being the key word in that statement. I guess it’s in the Kinney genes. That’s one of the reasons I’m anxious to move away from here. This family is way too nosey for my blood.”

“You’re moving?” Brian was becoming more confused by the moment.

“Uh, yeah…I was gonna talk to you about that. Justin and I were talking on the ride home and I told him I was interested in moving out to Pittsburgh. I checked into a few schools there and found this really great art school that I might be able to transfer to, but I told him I wouldn’t even think about it unless you were alright with it. So, what do you say? Do you think you’d mind having me in the same city as you?”

The thought of having family close by; someone who knew who he was and he didn’t have to hide from sounded wonderful to Brian and he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. “On one condition.”

Billy was taken back by Brian’s reply. “Oh yeah, and what’s that?”

“Keep your hands off Justin; no plays. Got it?” Brian demanded gently.

Billy saw a glint of humor in Brian’s eyes and knew that he was teasing so he decided to play along. “Okay, no plays. But the first time you fuck up, he’s all mine.”

“Um…excuse me…HE’S in the room and has a mind of his own, you know,” Justin interrupted after watching the banter between the two of them.

Billy and Brian laughed at Justin’s comment and soon they were all giggling at the whole situation. Brian pulled himself together first and started questioning Billy about his life.

“So, how long have you known?” he asked as he sat back down, pulling Justin with him.

“Since I was about thirteen, I guess. I didn’t do anything about it until I was fifteen, though. I met this hot guy at the gym I was working at part time. One taste of the dark side and I was hooked.” Billy laughed at the memory.

“What about Aunt Patty? Does she know?”

“Actually, she does. Ever since Dad died we’ve become pretty close. I mentioned that I thought I was different as soon as I realized that I was attracted to guys. She helped me find myself, while promising to keep my secret from the Kinney side of the family. We both know how well they would take the news.”

“Oh yeah, they’d be praying for our souls all the while telling us we were going to hell,” Brian replied dryly.

“You got it. That’s why I want to get away from here. I feel bad about leaving Mom, but she’s been seeing this guy for about a year now and I think things are starting to get serious. Another secret kept from the Kinney’s. Anyway, I want her to be happy for once. She’s had a hard time ever since Dad died and her job raising me is over now. I’m a grown man and I can take care of myself. Thanks to the life insurance Dad had, my schooling is paid for along with a yearly allowance to get me through four years of school and one year of getting settled. It’s time to move on and start my life and I thought it would be nice to have a change of scenery. You’ve seemed so much happier since moving so I thought maybe I would find that, too. Now that I’ve met Justin, I understand why you’ve been so happy.”

“Yeah, he’s the reason. I was hooked ever since our first IM session,” Brian admitted, kissing Justin’s cheek. “So what happens next?”

“Well, I figured I’d take a trip out to visit my favorite cousin and check things out. If I like what I see, I’ll start making all the arrangements. I’ve already spoken to my advisor and he knows I’m looking to leave so it’s not going to be that hard to relocate. I just need to get acceptance from PIFA; it shouldn’t be that hard. My advisor has a little crush on me and his brother is on the board at PIFA so…”

“So you’ll just use your Kinney charm to get what you want.”

“Exactly,” Billy replied wickedly.

“Wow, you two really are related,” Justin teased, earning himself a light slap on the thigh.

From there the conversation turned more on the fine points of Pittsburgh and they made tentative plans for Billy to fly out in two weeks for a long weekend. Once the plans were made, they agreed on a movie they wanted to see and ordered pay-per-view. By 1:00 am they were all tired and ready for bed. It had been a long day.

“So, what are you two doing tomorrow? You’re not planning on going back to the house of hell, are you?” Billy asked as he stood up.

“Fuck that. Besides, I have to go through Mom and Dad’s things and see if there’s anything I want. Aunt Kathy said she was going to take care of the house and everything else next weekend, but since I’m leaving on Tuesday, tomorrow’s my only chance. I doubt if there’s much I want to take with me, but I’ll look anyway,” Brian explained as he turned off the TV.

“Do you want me to stay and help you? I don’t want to interfere, but if you need me,” Billy offered.

“Are you sure? If you have something else to do, I’ll be fine here with Justin,” Brian assured him.

“I think I saw enough of the family today. I never unpacked my bag so everything I brought is here with me. I can just as easily stay here with you guys and catch a ride to the funeral home on Monday morning. In fact, it might be better if I was around to drive anyway. I know they were horrible parents, but it’s still going to be an emotional day for you, don’t you think?”

Before Brian had time to reply, Justin decided to jump in. “He’s right, Brian. Having him here might be good for you. I’ll be here for you, but he’s part of your past and it might be good to have him around.”

Brian knew Justin was right. He was dreading not only going through the house, but also the services on Monday. Justin would be by his side, but it would be comforting to have Billy there for him, too. “If you’re sure, then yeah, I’d like for you to stick around. We’ll just call Aunt Kathy in the morning and let her know.”

“Anything you say, man. Now I’m off to bed. I need my beauty rest. Night Guys, see you in the morning.”

Brian and Justin said goodnight and watched Billy head upstairs before Brian grabbed Justin and pulled him close. “Wow that was weird. I can’t believe that Billy’s gay. I guess I always pictured him as a lady’s man.”

“I guess he’s more of a man’s man,” Justin teased before turning more serious. “Brian, are you alright? So much has happened in the last few days and I’m worried about you.”

“I’m alright, but I’ll be even better when I have you upstairs and naked, begging for release,” Brian replied, his voice turning husky.

“Well I am here to help,” Justin said, blushing.

“Then come up stairs and help me release all this tension I have bottled up inside me.” Brian brought Justin’s hand to his crotch, letting him feel the hard on that was waiting for him.

They finished closing up the house in silence and walked up the stairs hand in hand, anxious to get behind closed doors. Once they were in Brian’s room with the door locked, they lost themselves in each other, forgetting all about the circumstances surrounding their trip and finding peace in each other’s arms.

Justin woke up to find Brian staring down at him with a smile on his face. He sensed that Brian was about to say something and stopped him before he had a chance to speak.

“Don’t say it, Brian.”

“Say what?” Brian asked innocently.

“If you thank me one more time for being here I’m going to withhold sex for two weeks. Do I make myself clear?” Justin said sternly.

“But…”

“No buts. I told you before, there’s no where else I would rather be. Now just give me a kiss and let’s go downstairs and see if there’s anything to make breakfast. I’m starving.”

Brian did as he was told, kissing Justin soundly before climbing out of bed and throwing on his sweats. Justin followed and together they went downstairs, noticing the smell of bacon cooking. The walked into the kitchen to find Billy at the stove.

“Hey, whatcha making?” Brian asked as he walked over and peeked in the pan.

“Bacon and cheese omelets. I’ve been up for awhile, so I drove to the store and picked up a few things for us to eat. Growing up with a single mother teaches you a thing or two. I’m going to make spaghetti and meatballs with homemade sauce for dinner,” Billy told them as he continued cooking.

“Billy, you don’t have to cook for us. We’re fine ordering take out,” Brian replied.

“Now Brian, leave the guy alone. If he wants to cook for us, who are we to object?” Justin said before turning to Billy. “Garlic bread?”

“Of course. You can’t have spaghetti without garlic bread,” Billy laughed, causing Brian and Justin to join in.

After breakfast was finished and the kitchen was cleaned up, Brian went up to his parents room and hesitated before slowly opening the door and walking inside. His mind was immediately thrown back into the past as memories washed over him. Despite his insistence that he would be okay, Justin found him a short time later, sitting on the bed, crying.

“Brian?” Justin whispered for the doorway, unsure if he should interrupt. Once he saw Brian open his arms, he went inside and took him in his arms.

“I didn’t think it would be this hard. I hated them; why is this so hard?” Brian asked weakly, trying to hold back his sobs.

Hearing Brian in such distress broke Justin’s heart and silent tears started down his face. “You didn’t hate them, Brian. You hated the kind of people they were; hated how they treated you, but they were your parents and you loved them because of that. It’ll get easier for you, I promise. For now you just have to let it out. You need to grieve for them so that you can move on, and I’ll be here for you through it all.”

“I love you; you know that right? You are the best thing that has ever happened to me,” Brian admitted, struggling with his emotions.

“I know Brian; I love you, too.”

Justin continued to hold Brian until he was finally able to pull himself together and begin looking through the contents of the room. Billy finally joined them and together he and Justin helped Brian cope with the task. It took most of the day, but Brian had managed to go through the entire house, selecting a few items that meant the most to him. As promised, Billy made an amazing meal and by the time they had finished eating and cleaned up, it was after 9:00 and Brian was exhausted.

“I’m going up to bed. It’s been a long day and I think I just need a little time alone. Is that alright, Justin?” Brian asked softly.

“Of course, Brian. Take all the time you need. I’ll be up later,” Justin assured him, noticing the sadness in Brian’s eyes.

“Thanks. Good night, Billy. See you in the morning.”

Billy and Justin watched him go, wishing there was something they could do, but feeling so helpless.

Brian walked into his room and closed the door behind him, before stripping down to his underwear and climbing into bed. He reached into his nightstand and pulled out the small book he had found among his mother’s belongings. Apparently she had kept a journal. He found it earlier and decided to put it away without anyone seeing him, so that he could look through it in privacy. He ignored the feeling of betrayal he was experiencing at looking through her private thoughts, and opened the cover. The date on the first page surprised him. It was the day he was born. He took a deep breath before beginning to read.

May 9, 1986

Today my precious baby boy was born. There is nothing on this earth as wonderful as becoming a parent. He’s so tiny and perfect in everyway. The doctors all told me that I’d never be able to have children, but apparently God had other plans. I know Jack isn’t too happy right now. He never wanted children, but he’ll come around. Who wouldn’t love a beautiful boy like my Brian?

Reading the words that his mother had written all those years ago caused a pain to rip through Brian’s heart, but he pushed it aside and continued on.

May 12, 1986

I brought Brian home today. What a wonderful experience. I wish that Jack could have been here, but he insisted that he couldn’t miss a day of work. The doctor bills are high and since we don’t have insurance, he needs all the work he can get. That’s okay, though. I understand. I’ll just put my faith in God and pray that it all works out.

July 9, 1986

Brian is two months old today. He’s growing so fast and I’m afraid that if I blink I’ll miss it all. I found Jack standing by the crib this morning and I could see the love in his eyes as he watched our son sleeping. I knew he’d come around. Life is wonderful and I thank God for it everyday.

October 7, 1986

I found out today that I’m pregnant again. How can it be that I was never supposed to have children and now I’ll be blessed with two? Jack was surprised, but he took the news well and we’re both thrilled with the way life is going. If you believe in a higher power, anything can happen. The baby is due in April and I’m looking forward to having another little one to love and cherish.

As the tears rolled down Brian’s face, he was shocked by what he was reading? If his mother was pregnant again, what happened to the baby? And where was the love that they obviously had for him while he was a baby?

January 21, 1987

I just got home from the hospital today and I feel as if I don’t have the strength to go on. Our precious unborn child is gone. A life taken away before it even had a chance to grow. Jack is taking it hardest. I’ve never seen him so distraught before. My Brian has been staying with Kathy so when I was released I took a cab home from the hospital. I expected Jack to be here, but the house was silent. Kathy assure me that she was okay with keeping Brian another few days so that I could rest so as soon as I got home, I took a nap. I awoke sometime later to find Jack sitting alone in the darkened living room. He’d never been much of a drinker, so I was shocked by the smell of alcohol through the room. His eyes were puffy from crying and he looked so lost. I tried to approach him, but he wouldn’t let me get close. He kept saying that this was why he never wanted children. The pain just wasn’t worth it. He looked so broken and I wanted to be able to help him, but I couldn’t. I just came back upstairs to wallow in my own grief, praying for the strength to carry on. I have to be strong for my Brian.

Brian could feel his mother’s pain through her words and wondered why he was never told of the baby that died all those years ago. He wanted to close the book; push away the secrets that he was learning, but he couldn’t. He felt as if he needed to continue. Maybe the answers to why he was treated so badly were inside and he needed those answers.

May 9, 1987

Brian turned one today. I was planning a party, but Jack was too upset to follow through with it. Ever since we lost the baby he’s changed. He’s drinking all the time and refuses to spend any time with Brian. I tried to talk him into seeking counseling, but he refused. I can only pray that one day he will put the pain of our baby’s death behind him and move on.

April 12, 1990

It’s been awhile since I’ve written anything in here, but under the circumstances, I felt it was best to keep my thoughts to myself most of the time. Brian is almost four and he seems like a happy, well adjusted boy which is surprising I guess. Jack never got over his grief and things have gotten so out of control. I called social services yesterday to discuss giving Brian up, but I couldn’t go through with it. The thought of losing my precious boy is too much to bear. I know I’m being selfish; he deserves so much more than I can give him. Let me go back to three years ago. Jack’s drinking continued to get worse until one day when he came home from a night out with the guys. He was so angry. He’d lost his job because of too many call outs. His hangovers were becoming a problem. I tried to tell him things would get better and that’s when he hit me. I was stunned; too stunned to fight back and curled up in a ball trying to avoid the many punches I was receiving. By the time he finished, I could barely get off the floor. I wish I could say that it was the only time it happened, but after that first time it seemed that there was nothing I could do to make Jack happy. I wanted to leave him, but my mother told me that if I left, she would no longer consider me her daughter. Divorce is a sin. Where would I have gone? I had a baby to think about and without any education or job experience, no one would hire me. I did take on a few babysitting and sewing jobs to try to make some extra money for Brian and I, but with Jack constantly losing his job, I had to use my money for food and electricity on more than one occasion. I had to accept my lot in life and find a way to deal with it. Of course things got worse from there. Jack used me as his punching bag every time things didn’t go his way. Sadly, with his drinking so out of hand, that seemed to happen a lot. I would spend my days enjoying Brian as much as I could, never knowing what was coming when Jack got home. He hated the time I devoted to our son and went into rages if I paid to much attention to him, so I tried to give him as much attention as I could when Jack was out to make up for the nights when Jack was home. I’ll never forget the day that Jack hit Brian for the first time. Poor little Brian was just three years old and wanted to play with the toy truck his aunt had given him. Jack had been drunk as usual and wanted Brian to be quiet. Three year olds don’t understand things like that. When I saw Jack take a hand to our son, I lost control and attacked him, hoping to protect my boy. It backfired and Jack hurt me so bad that when he turned back to Brian once again, I was unable to help. I vowed to leave, but again I had no where to turn. It’s almost a year later and I’ve learned to stay out of Jack’s way. I hate who he’s become and wonder how we got to this point. We were so happy back when we had Brian. Life had been good. Now I spend my days praying for the strength to live my life as best as I can. God, please help me through.

Brian was sobbing openly now. He put the book aside and cried for the boy he used to be and for the parents he used to have. He wondered what his life would have been like if his brother or sister had survived. Would his parents have continued to love each other? Would Jack have started drinking if he didn’t have the need to soften the pain of losing a child? So many questions remained unanswered and Brian knew that they always would. After taking the time to pull himself together, he reached for the book again, turning forward the pages as he looked for the more recent updates.

June 20, 2004

My Brian graduated from high school today. He was in the top of his class and I’m just so proud of who he’s become despite the horrible upbringing he had. I wanted to tell him how much I love him, but it’s become a way of life for me to enjoy him in silence. He’s such a bright boy and I know he’s going to be a success in the world. I agonize everyday over the life I’ve lived and the pain I have caused my precious boy. I’ll never forgive myself or Jack for what we’ve done to him. I know that he’s leaving us soon. With his intelligence there was never any doubt that he’d get a scholarship to college. Every school in the country would be lucky to have him. I pray for his safety and hope that he has the best of everything in life. He deserves that and so much more. I’ve promised myself that one day I will find the courage to tell him exactly how I feel and I will. I’m just going to give him time to find his way in the world first. I long for that day and hope that he’ll find a way to forgive me; even if I’ll never be able to forgive myself.

August 29, 2004

My Brian is gone. He’s living on the other side of the country. I guess he feels that he needs to have 3000 miles away from us to be happy, and I hope that he is. I’ve spoken to Jack. We finally had a real heart to heart talk after over seventeen years. We spent the evening last night crying about our past mistakes and vowed to make things right before it’s too late. He’s agreed to get help for his drinking and apologized over and over for hurting Brian and me through the years. For the first time since the baby died I actually have hope again. We agreed to wait a little longer before contacting Brian. I want him to have time to get settled before we intrude on his life. I can’t stop thinking about the day he left for school. We left early that morning to go to Kathy’s where I cried on her shoulder for most of the day. I wanted to stay at home and see him off, but the thought of my baby leaving me behind was too much to bear. I’ve asked God to give me the patience that I need to wait until the time is right to go to Brian. It won’t be that much longer and I know it won’t be easy, but hopefully soon I will have my Brian back again.

That was the last entry. His mother and father were killed soon after, never having the opportunity to reach out to him. It saddened Brian to think about how he had lost the opportunity to reconcile with his parents; he wasn’t even sure if their apologies would have been enough had they contacted them, but now that he knew the story and knew that they did love him and want him, it helped ease the pain. He’d never forget the torment he lived through growing up, but maybe he’d be able to move on with the knowledge that he wasn’t as unlovable as he thought. He was so focused on the past that he never heard the door open and jumped when he heard Justin call his name.

“Brian?”

Brian looked up at Justin and smiled through his tears. “They loved me; I never thought that they did, but now I know.”

Justin was stunned by Brian’s words, curious as to what had changed while he was downstairs. “Of course they loved you. Who wouldn’t?” he replied as he approached the bed.

Brian put the book aside and pulled Justin down with him, holding him in his arms while he shared what he had learned from the pages of the journal. He cried as he spoke, but needed to open up to someone who would listen and understand exactly what it was that he needed, and Justin was that person. He listened quietly, offering his strength in silence, occasionally wiping away Brian’s tears as well as his own. When Brian had finally finished telling his story, Justin kissed him softly before speaking.

“Wow, it sounds as if you weren’t the only one suffering all these years. Are you okay?”

“Not really, but I will be. I’m not sure how I feel about them right now, but at least I can go to the funeral tomorrow without carrying around the hatred I was feeling for them. It’s sad to know that I’ll never be able to work things out with them, but knowing that they were going to try means everything to me,” Brian replied.

“Thank God your mother kept a journal.”

“Yeah,” Brian whispered, his exhaustion threatening to overtake him suddenly.

“Go to sleep now, Brian. I love you,” Justin said, noticing how quickly Brian was fading.

“Love you, too,” Brian muttered as he drifted off to sleep.

Justin continued to hold Brian long after he had fallen asleep, happy for the peace that Brian seemed to find through the pages of a book.

Everyone seemed to oversleep the next morning and had to rush through the house in order to make it to the funeral home on time. It was a somber morning and all three were unusually quiet. Even during the long car ride, conversation was limited, each one lost in their own thoughts. By the time they got to the services, Brian was struggling with his emotions. After learning what he had the night before, burying his parents seemed even more devastating to him and he wished that he would be able hold Justin’s hand through the service, needing the contact to help him through.

When they entered the large room and Brian saw the duel caskets awaiting him up front, his control slipped and his knees buckled. Luckily Billy and Justin were there to prevent him from falling to the ground. It was just all too much for him and he felt cheated out of the time he was supposed to have with his parents. Kathy came over and tried to help, but Brian pushed her away. He wasn’t ready to forgive her for whatever part she played or didn’t play in his upbringing.

Looking over at Justin, trying to draw strength from him, Brian stood tall and made his way towards the caskets. He knelt down before them, saying a prayer before standing back up and approaching his mother’s body. She looked peaceful and Brian couldn’t help but think that it was the first time he ever remembered her looking that way. He touched her hand as it lay lifeless and cold on her body, and leaned in closer, whispering his forgiveness to her as if she could hear him. He took a deep breath and said his good byes, moving on to do the same with his father. He knew in his heart that he did forgive them. It wouldn’t take away the pain he experienced, but it was something that he needed to do. He needed to forgive them so that they could rest in peace. Once he was done, he made his way to the front pew where Justin was waiting for him. Billy had waited until Brian was done before going up to say his own good byes to his aunt and uncle. He had his own grief to deal with which he had pushed away so that he could be there for Brian; now it was his turn.

Soon after, the Priest took his place at the Alter and started the service, asking everyone to pray for the two souls that were lost to their family and friends. Soft sobs could be heard periodically through out the room that was filled with family and friends who had come to say good bye. Brian managed to hold it together at the church, but the cemetery was another story. Seeing his parents being lowered into the ground tore at his heart and he grabbed Justin’s hand for support, oblivious to those around him.

Justin felt the desperation in Brian’s grip and held on tight, refusing to allow him to suffer alone. As family and friends began making their way towards their cars, Brian continued to stand there, refusing to leave his parents behind. Kathy and some of the others tried to get through to him, but it was as if he blocked out the world and went inside himself.

“Go ahead; I’ll take care of him,” Justin demanded gently. He knew that he had a better chance of getting through to him if everyone else was gone.

“Justin, I know you’re his friend, but we’re his family…” Kathy began before Billy interrupted.

“Aunt Kathy, let’s leave them alone. Justin knows how to handle him.” Billy turned to Justin then. “I’ll be waiting in the car. Take your time.”

Once everyone was gone, Justin laid a comforting hand on Brian’s shoulder. “Bri, come on. It’s time to say good bye now.”

“I…I…don’t know if…I can,” Brian stammered quietly, his eyes never leaving the caskets.

“I know, but you have to. They’re not really here Brian, and I know they wouldn’t want you to stand here mourning for them. They’d want you to say good bye and move on,” Justin replied.

“It’s not fair, Justin. All this time and I never really knew them. Why were they taken away from me?”

“I don’t know. No one knows why these things happen. The best that we can do is accept our fate and carry on. You need to let them go now so that you can heal. I’ll help you, but you have to let go,” Justin said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Brian continued to look at the caskets for a few more moments before pulling his gaze away and locking on the blue eyes that were looking at him, damp with tears. “Hold me?” he whispered.

“Always,” Justin whispered back in response, taking Brian in his arms. He held him for a good five minutes while Brian sobbed uncontrollably. Once the sobs quieted a bit, Justin pulled back a bit and looked up at Brian. “Are you ready?”

Brian took one last look back before nodding his head. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Brian and Justin walked back to the car, hand in hand, and found Billy sitting on the hood waiting for them. Billy opened his arms wide and Brian released Justin’s hand long enough to seek comfort from his cousin and well as offer his own.

“I’m going to miss them,” Billy said through his tears. “Despite everything, they’re still family.”

“I know Billy, me too.”

Eventually Billy pulled back and wiped away his tears, noticing how quickly Brian gravitated back to Justin. He smiled slightly to himself, happy to know Brian had Justin by his side. “Are we going back to Aunt Kathy’s or do you want to go home?”

“No, let’s go to Kathy’s. Despite everything, they’re still family,” Brian said, using Billy’s words.

When they pulled up outside Kathy’s house, they saw her sitting on the porch waiting for them. Her eyes were damp and puffy from crying.

“Brian,” she called as she approached him hesitantly. “I’m so sorry; for everything.”

“It’s okay Aunt Kathy, I understand now,” Brian told her.

“I should have…”

“It’s okay…really. Let’s just forget about it. The past is the past. It’s time to say good bye and move on,” Brian said, glancing at Justin in gratitude for the strength to say those words.

“Your parents loved you, Brian. I know they weren’t perfect, but they did love you.”

“I know; I loved them, too. Now let’s go inside. I want to spend some time with the family before I have to leave. We have an early morning flight back to Pittsburgh,” Brian explained.

“Are you sure I can’t convince you to move back home?” she asked yet again.

“Pittsburgh’s my home now Kath, but I’ll definitely be back to visit,” Brian assured her.

“I’m going to hold you to that young man,” she teased.

“I’m sure that you will,” Brian chuckled, feeling some of the weight he’d been carrying lift off his shoulders.

Hours later, after most of the family had left; Brian told Justin that he was ready to go. They had a long drive back and wanted to get some sleep before their flight the next morning. They said good bye to those who were left and promised to call later in the week before walking out of the house with Billy following behind them.

“Are you sure you’re okay to drive?” Billy asked for the third time in the last hour.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Thanks for everything, Cousin. You’ve been great,” Brian said as he hugged Billy good bye.

“Anytime. I love you, man. And don’t forget; I’ll be in Pittsburgh in a couple of weeks. I’ll call you when I finalize my plans.”

“We’ll be waiting,” Brian promised.

Billy turned to Justin and pulled him in for a hug, too. “It was nice meeting you,” he said aloud, before whispering in his ear. “Take care of him.”

“I will,” Justin whispered back.

Billy stood outside and watched them drive away in awe of the men they were becoming. He only hoped that one day he would find someone he could love and count on as Brian obviously had.

By the time Brian and Justin made it back, it was almost midnight and they were exhausted. They quickly went through the house, straightening everything up and packing their things. They had to be on the road by six to make it to the airport in time, which meant that they wouldn’t get much sleep. As they climbed in bed, Brian pulled Justin to him, kissing him gently before they both drifted off to sleep, ready to put the weekend behind them and go home.


End of part 12
10/22/04

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