The rest of the weekend went by slowly for Brian and Justin. Any attempt on Justin’s part to talk about the Burkes’ visit would lead to a shouting match between the two of them. Finally Justin holed himself up in his studio and Brian in the study. The issue of whether Justin’s herbal tea worked didn’t mean much as they were barely speaking. Burke arrived with John right on schedule Sunday evening. John launched into talk about the Penguins game he’d gone to and then the stuff he and Burke had done since. Brian was hardly listening. Justin smiled and nodded in all the right parts, but was barely listening himself. “John, why don’t you go put your stuff away.” Justin offered. “Dinner will be ready soon.” John nodded and hurried up the stairs. “Dirty clothes in the hamper please.” Brian called behind him. “I know.” John called back from the upstairs hallway. When Brian heard John’s bedroom door close, he turned to Burke. “Can we talk a minute?” He asked. Burke nodded following Brian into the kitchen. “What’s up?” Burke asked confused. He could sense tension toward him but couldn’t understand why. “Have you talked to your parents lately?” Brian asked. “Sure.” Burke confirmed. “I called them about a birthday party I want to have for John.” He smiled at that. “It’s at this great place with mini golf and laser tag and those racing go carts. He and his friends’ll have a blast.” He nodded to himself. “And, I want you guys there, too, of course.” “What did you tell you parents about where John is living?” Brian asked ignoring what Burke had just said. “I told them that he was living with you.” Burke said shaking his head. “They know how much of a fuck up I am. These weekends with John have been great and I guess I must be making some kind of progress because he seems to have a good time and all, but –.” “They were here yesterday.” Justin interrupted. “Here?” Burke said stunned. “Why?” “They want to take John?” Brian said his face unreadable. “Take him where?” “They want custody.” Brian explained. “Custody? Jesus.” Burke said. “Why the hell would want to take John away from here. He loves it here. And, I’m glad he has you and Justin. I never would have been able to be the Dad he needs right now.” Burke let out an exasperated breath. “This is so much bullshit.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Christ.” “I think they mean business, John.” Brian said softly. “And, the fucked up thing about it is depending on the judge, they might fucking win.” “No way.” Burke said. “I will go and talk to them today. Right after I leave here. Don’t you worry. I am not going to let them do this to John.” “Do what to me?” John asked entering from the hallway. “Nothing.” John said trying to look a lot calmer than he really was. “I’ll take care of it.” He looked at Brian and Justin. “I promise.” -- Even though Burke, Sr. knew that Brian would probably be pissed because they hadn’t called first, he showed up at their house on the following Wednesday with his parents in tow. “John?” Brian said his dislike of the situation evident on his face. “Mr. & Mrs. Burke? What’s going on?” “I need to talk to you.” Burke said. “I would have called, but I was afraid you’d tell me not to bring my parents and, well, I need to have you all in same room so we can straighten this out.” “Fine.” Brian said tightly. “Come in.” Burke motioned for his parents to sit in the living room. His mother started to speak, but Burke raised his hands to stop her. “Not yet.” He said then turned to Brian. “John upstairs?” “Yeah.” Brian said. “I’ll go get him.” A few minutes later Brian returned with John. John looked from his father to his grandparents to Brian and back to his father. “What’s up?” He asked. “Well,” Burke began, “it seems that your grandparents came over here this past weekend and tried to stir up some trouble.” John frowned and looked at the Burkes. “They told your Uncle that they don’t think he should have custody of you. That his sexual orientation has something to do with his ability to raise you. They also told Brian that they fear he will ‘recruit’ you into homosexuality.” John snorted a laugh. “I’m serious.” Burke stated matter of factly. “No way.” John said. “That’s just stupid.” He stared at the Burkes as if they had grown an extra head. “That’s how they feel.” Burke said nodding his head. “John, I want you to look at your grandparents and tell them exactly what it’s like to live with your Uncle.” “Okay.” John cleared his throat. “I like living here. Uncle Bri is great. And, so is Justin.” The Burkes immediately started shaking their heads. “It’s true. And, Uncle B isn’t anything like my Mom or my Gran said he was.” His face colored a bit. “I mean, Mom and Gran used to tell me how nasty Uncle Bri was. That he didn’t care about anyone. But, that’s not true. He cares. He cares a lot about a lot of people.” John looked directly at his grandparents then. “Uncle B and Justin have been great to me. They helped me catch up with my work after the accident. Uncle Brian just started his own business, but he still makes time to go to teacher conferences, stupid school plays that I don’t even have a speaking part in, and even got me a guitar and hooked me up with lessons because I said that I might want to learn.” He smiled at Brian. “Sure he may not have been the ‘ideal’ son to my Gran or the best brother to my Mom. But they weren’t much better to him. And, Gramps was, well, he hated Uncle Brian. I heard what he used to say about him. I didn’t understand it all. But, I listened.” John looked at his Uncle and tried to smile. “Bottom line is I like living here and I want to stay. Not to mention I get to see Dad more now than I ever did when Mom was around.” “John.” Mr. Burke began. “I understand that you might like living with your Uncle, but his lifestyle -.” “Has nothing to do with it.” John interrupted. “Brian and Justin love each other. I think it’s pretty cool. I mean. I get to live with two people who actually love each other and aren’t afraid to show it. I didn’t even know what that was like before now.” He looked up at the Burkes again. “Mom and Dad always fought. They were always arguing and most of the time Mom would put Danny and me in the middle. We were expected to choose. And, God forbid we try to defend Dad.” John sniffed. “It’s nice living here. I don’t feel on edge all the time. And, Brian and Justin have never ever made me feel like I’m in the middle of any disagreement they might have. They don’t even argue in front of me.” He shrugged. “I know they argue. What couple doesn’t? But, I’m never in the middle of it.” “And, I know for a fact that John is doing better in school.” Burke Sr. said. “And, Brian never uses John as a weapon. Claire used the boys like that all the time. I had to live up to certain ‘conditions’ just to be allowed to take them to the movies on any given weekend. Brian never does that. And, it’s true that I see John more now than I did when his mother was alive.” He looked at his parents. “If you take this to court, I’ll testify on Brian’s behalf not yours.” The Burkes looked shocked. “I mean it. This is where he belongs.” “We disagree.” Mrs. Burkes said. “No faggot -.” She trailed off then looked up at Brian. “Go ahead.” Brian said. “No faggot what?” Mrs. Burke shook her head. “Can raise a child?” Mrs. Burke remained silent. “No faggot should be allowed to have a normal home and family? Go ahead. I’ve heard it all and to be honest I agreed with it for a long time.” He looked at Justin. “However, at the time I didn’t have all I have now. I like having John here. I like doing the parent thing and believe me no one is more surprised by that than me.” He grinned at John. “What my partner and I do in the privacy of our own bedroom has little or nothing to do with how we raise John.” Mrs. Burke opened her mouth to speak. “It’s not like we fuck in front of him.” John snorted a laugh earning him a disapproving look from his grandparents. “I was raised by a man and a woman. I believe that’s what the President considers the sum of a real honest-to-God marriage. But, I wasn’t loved or nurtured or cared for in any ‘real’ way. They did for me because they ‘had’ to. And, my father, whenever he had one too many to drink or not, took his pathetic excuse of a life out on me.” Brian pressed his lips together. “And when he found out I was gay, he told me that I should be the one dying instead of him. And, Mom, well, Mom was convinced that I was going to burn in hell for the sin of homosexuality.” Brian felt a wave of fury flowing through him. He gritted his teeth to keep his anger under control. “Is that the type of home that you feel John should be raised in?” The Burkes said nothing. “Because I think that’s bullshit.” “But, our home is nothing like that, Mr. Kinney.” Mrs. Burke said. “Any home where the adults use words like ‘faggot’ as a insult or think that who a person sleeps with defines their parenting skills, is no place for my son.” Burke said flatly. “Even though, at the time she put Brian down as the boys’ guardian, Claire was doing it to get back at me for one thing or another, Brian has been the father to John that I couldn’t be at a time when he really needed the support.” He turned on his parents. “And, you want to turn his life upside down again. What kind of shit is that?” “We just want what’s best for our grandson.” Mr. Burke said. “And, I want what is best for my son.” Burke blasted back. “Being here is what I think is best for John.” “A judge might think differently.” Mr. Burke piped in. “As to that.” Burke said rounding on his father angrily. “You want to drag my son into court. You want to find a judge that agrees with your bullshit so that you can take John away from his home. Uproot him again. All in the name righteousness. That’s bullshit!” “We love John.” Mrs. Burke fired back. “So do I.” Burke said. “He stays here.” He turned to Brian. “I’m sure that if you want to spend time with John, we can work that out.” Brian nodded. “But, be forewarned, I will be checking with John and if he even hints that you’re are trying to sour him to his Uncle, I will put a stop your visits like that.” He snapped his fingers. “And, if we don’t agree to your conditions?” Mr. Burke asked. “Stop Julius.” Mrs. Burke said softly placing her hand on her husband’s arm. “Just stop.” Mr. Burke silenced at his wife’s tone of voice. “Johnny?” She said looking at Burke, Sr. “If you are sure this is where John, Jr. should be,” Burke, Sr. nodded, “then that’s good enough for me.” She sniffed. “I’ve lost one grandson. I really don’t want to lose another.” “I’m not going anywhere, Grandma.” John said. He walked over to Mrs. Burke and hugged her. After a startled moment she hugged him back. “Me and Dad can come visit on the weekends and stuff.” Mrs. Burke smiled nodding. “God, I hope this is settled now.” Burke, Sr. said looking questioningly at his mother and father. “I’m still not sure about your choice of lifestyle, Mr. Kinney.” Julius Burke said doubtfully. “It’s not a choice, Mr. Burke.” Brian countered. “This is who I am. Being with Justin is a part of who I am. You don’t have to like it. I don’t remember asking your permission.” Mr. Burke nodded slowly then offered his hand to Brian. “We agree to disagree on that then.” Mr. Burke said flatly. “But, John stays with Brian.” Burke, Sr. stated. “Yes.” Mr. Burke said softly with a shrug of his shoulders. “John, Jr. stays here.” “Yeah!” John said and hugged his grandfather tightly. “Now that that is settled.” Burke, Sr. said. “Let’s go to dinner. My treat.” -- When Brian and Justin returned home, Brian retreated to his study to finish work and Justin and John sat in the living room watching TV. “I’m beat.” John said when the program they’d been watching ended. “See you in the morning, Justin.” He said around a yawn and headed toward the stairs. “‘Night, John.” Justin said turning off the TV. He looked at he clock. It was still early at 10:00pm. Smiling he headed toward the study. “Brian.” He called as he opened the door. Brian was sitting staring at the computer monitor, but Justin was pretty sure he wasn’t actually seeing it. He moved in behind Brian seemingly unnoticed and slid his arms down around Brian’s shoulders. Brian reached up to grab his partner’s hands in his own. “Long fucking day.” Brian breathed leaning his head back against Justin. “Another crisis evaded.” Justin smiled and Brian pulled him around and into his lap. Justin felt Brian’s erection pressing against his leg. “My happy time tea worked?” “Doubtful.” Brian said with a tongue in cheek smile causing Justin to chuckle. “I’ve been thinking a lot since I came in here, though.” “Oh?” “About the fact that ‘someone’,” he pointed toward the ceiling, “gave me a second chance at life and I don’t want to blow it.” Justin waggled his eyebrows and smiled as he undid the buttons on Brian’s jeans and slowly slid down Brian’s body divesting the older man of them as he went. “But, you feel free to.” Chuckling again, Justin continued his ministrations as Brian watched totally enthralled by the sight of his erection disappearing into Justin warm, wet mouth. End Chapter 8.