A/N: I'm so so so sorry for all my late updates and not writing as much as the others do. But my life does not allow me to write so much. I do hope you will enjoy this chapter. Thanks!
Justin’s POV
I never thought I would be happy here. Being away from my friends and my town is not that bad. I can be myself here. Granny explained the story of the weeping willow to me, I can’t believe I forgot it. It seems that when I was younger that tree was mine, well not really mine, but every time I was here I would be sitting or playing by that tree. It was my escape, granny said. It’s strange now, cause I am so many years older and it seems I am still escaping. But everything is different and yet everything is the same. I’m still the little Justin that I was when I came here. The difference is, that on some level I am grown up. I have my baby now. It’s such a beautiful boy. He looks like Brian, he really does. He has the nose, the hair, the tan. The only thing he has of me are the blue eyes. And all this makes a beautiful child. He is 3 years now. Damn, I can’t believe I have been here for so long. I sometimes talk to Emmett and Michael on the phone, but that’s all. I never saw or heard Brian again. It still hurts after so many years. Brian wouldn’t change for anyone and if I told him I was pregnant, things would have been nasty. Come to think of it things are nasty now between the two if us. No contact at all and he still doesn’t know I had a baby that is his. How fucked up is that?
I have a job and a mini home of my own, well not really. Granny and me changed the barn into sort of a loft. On the outside it looks like shit, but on the inside it’s everything I always wanted for me and for Gus. My baby means the world to me and I want him to have a good and protected life. I’m not in a relationship, but it’s not that I can’t, it’s because I don’t want to. Like I said I want to protect Gus and I can’t do that when strange men come in and out of my life.
Michael called yesterday, he had so much to tell. It seems that he is getting married to Ben. He invited me over for the wedding next week. I’m still contemplating if I should go or not. I told him I needed to think it over and I did. It means me and Gus will go back to Pittsburgh, I will see everyone back including Brian and I don’t know if I am ready to unleash everything about us. It also means Gus will be in the picture and I don’t know if I can do that to him. But I also know I have been hiding enough. I am 20 years old now and my parents have no more say about me. They stopped controlling me when I turned 19. I know I have to face the other family. I know I owe it to them.
--------------------
Brian’s POV
Oh shit!!! Michael is getting married. How stupid can he be? The life of a husband is not for me. And it never will be. I always was a son of a bitch & I know it. I couldn’t love anyone. But then I fell in love with Justin and he walked away, I was ready to tell him I loved him and that I wanted to be with him. I never got that chance. I chased him away I think. Or maybe… No, it doesn’t matter anyway. He is gone and I never heard of him again. But there isn’t a day that I don’t think about him. He was my best friend and then we both fucked up really good. So I’m here and I am queer. I’m very successful and I do what I want to do. I don’t need anyone to tell me I am gorgeous. I already know I am. But there is no denying the fact that I feel a part missing somewhere inside me. And when Justin was still here with me, I didn’t have that.
--------------------
”Gus, come out of the car and stay with me, ok.” I tell Gus after driving for many hours. The boy can’t sit still and I know being out of the car will make him wild and loud.
”Ok Daddy…Daddy what are we doing here? Where are we?”
” I already told you, baby. This is where I used to live and a friend of Daddy is getting married. And we, you and me Gus, are here to party. Get it?” I tell my boy again.
” Oh yeah party!!!” He yells.
I laugh and take him inside of my parents house. I will look after the bags later on. I see my mother standing in the kitchen. She greets us and picks up Gus and hugs him close. You know for thinking he is a basterd child, she sure does love him a lot.
”How are you doing Justin, is everything alright?” She asks
” Yeah mom, everything is great, right Gus?”
” Great!!!” he yells in my mom’s ear.
I laugh again. I must be truthful, that boy is a handful. But I wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world. I take Gus in my arms and head upstairs. I walk into my old room and I can’t help but seeing the scene that caused Gus to be here in the first place. I let Gus jump on the bed. In the meantime I go into the bathroom and clean myself up a bit. When I return Gus is going trough all my stuff. He gets up with a picture in his hand. As he is coming closer I see it’s one of Brian and I feel like I choking.
”Daddy, who is this?” He asks me in such an innocent voice.
”That… That’s a friend of me.” I tell him softly.
”He is pretty, daddy, he has the same hair as me. Am I pretty too daddy?” I laugh when he touched his hair and goes in thinking mode. He is so cute when he does that. He reminds me off…
” DADDY!!! Am I pretty or not?”
”Huh, oh yes Gussie, you are, you are the prettiest boy I know.” I tell him. He giggles and it makes my heart melt.
” Is he the one who is getting married?”
” No, he is not. And why don’t you put that picture back where you found it? And get your sweater back on, we are going to a diner.” I get up and get his sweater.
” Oh are we going to eat, daddy, cause I am hungryyyyyy.” He whines.
” Yes we are. Now come on, let’s go.”
--------------------
I knew this day would come one day, I only wish it wasn’t today. I’m standing in front off the diner and I know everyone will be there. I phoned Emmett before I left and it seems that Michael, Debbie, Emmett, Ben and Brian are there. Gus is standing next to me and holding my hand. He looks up to me and I see him smiling and all I see is Brian’s smile.
I open the door to the diner and thank god it’s very calm in here. I feel Gus crawling behind me. I hear a scream and I know it’s Debbie.
” Justin honey, where the hell have you been? How are you doing?” She yells when she is coming towards me. Her arms are wide open and it look like she is attacking me. Gus comes out behind my legs.
” Noooo, get away. You leave my daddy alone.” He yells, while he’s blocking her way. Debbie stops and looks to Gus and I can see that her eyes are ready to pop out of her head.
” Daddy?” She questions.
I don’t answer her. I look around the diner and I see the group sitting in a booth. They are all looking at me and Gus. And yeah everyone is here, including Brian. I see Emmett standing up and coming towards us. Emmett kneels down in front of Gus on eyelevel.
” Hey Gussie sweetie, how is my pretty boy.” Emmett asks Gus.
” Auntie Em, are you here too? I’m great, that’s what daddy said. I don’t like it here, that woman tried to hurt daddy.” He tells Emmett very seriously.
”Is that so? You know Gus, I think that woman wanted to give your dad a hug.”
I go to the booth were Michael is and I give him a hug. I congratulate him. Emmett and Gus come over too. All the while Debbie is standing there with a shocked look on her face. I didn’t look at Brian. I know he is here and I can’t seem to look him in the eye. I pick up Gus in my arms and talk to Emmett. Seconds later Debbie comes over and asks again what shocked her so much.
” Justin, is that your kid?”
I look at her and give a small smile. “ Yes he is, Deb. Gus is mine.”
” But how? I mean, well… You know he looks an awful lot like Br…”
” Mom, don’t!” Michael warns her. Although her eyes are directed to Brian. This is an awkward situation.
” Deb, can I have a milkshake and a hamburger? And Gus, what do you want?”
”I want a hamburger too, daddy.” He tells me.
”Coming right up.” Deb tells us.
I take place at the booth with Gus on my lap and I see Brian looking at him. Brian does not look at me, but at Gus and in some way it frightens me. I see some light in his eyes and I don’t know if it’s anger or something else.
” So Justin, how have you been?” Brian asks me. See, I told you this was an awkward situation.