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Chapter 5 – Welcome Back Brian
Several Days Later…(Day 9)

It’s been several days since Michael and Emmett had their talk about things.  Michael spent a lot of time alone with his painting of the Superheroes, while awaiting Brian’s return.  The streams of people were continuing to visit the store to look at the painting, keeping Michael rather busy.

Finally Brian returns.

Brian and Michael arrived for breakfast at about the same time, Deb took their orders almost before they were seated since they both voiced that they wanted their usual breakfast.

“Where have you been?” Michael asked.  “I’ve been trying to call you for weeks.  You haven’t been returning my phone calls.”

“I was out of town, Mikey,” Brian explained hoping there would be no further inquiries about his travels or his whereabouts.  Just to be sure, Brian added a look that indicated he would tolerate no further discussion on this topic. “So what’s been going on?”

Michael immediately recognized the expression and moved on to more pressing matters.  “We have to go to New York,” Michael whispered hoping that Debbie wouldn’t overhear.

“Mikey, what are you talking about?  Why do we have to go to New York?” Brian asked.

“Something’s wrong with Justin.” Michael declared simply.

Brian immediately stood up and tried to keep the panic he felt from creeping into his voice.  He forced himself to remain calm.  After all Justin was ok when he had left him 24 hours ago.  “What happened?” he asked trying to contain his dread. “Have you talked to him?”

“I just got off the phone with him.  He says he’s all right. But…I don’t know.” Michael rambled on completely oblivious to Brian’s reactions.

“Well, if you talked to him, and he said that everything’s ok, so what’s the problem?” Brian asked, as he once again remembered to breathe and slowly sat back down.

“Will you just call him?”

“Call who?” Debbie asked, as she brought their coffee and juice.  She stood there and waited for the answer that she knew no one wanted to give her.

“You might as well tell me.  I’ll find out anyway,” she pointed out.  Deb waited to see what sort of a response she would get.  Seeing that none was forthcoming, she placed one hand on her hip and extended the other hand, with the palm facing up and said, “Well?  I’m waiting!” 

Knowing he had no alternative, Brian finally answered, “Justin”.

“How is Sunshine?  Has anyone talked to him?”  She asked with a smile, as her posture became more relaxed.

“He’s fine Deb, Mikey just talked to him,” Brian added.

“Oh!” she said, feeling satisfied that her Sunshine was ok, and she left to pick up the rest of the order.

Once Deb had left the table Michael and Brian resumed their conversation.

“Now you know of course that Justin forgets his cell phone half the time and leaves it turned off the rest of the time.” Brian informed him. “I’m surprised that you got through to him at all.  So why do you think I can reach him now?”

“Brian.”

“Besides, when did you become so concerned about Justin?” Brian asked suspiciously.  Although Michael and Justin were getting along better, this level of concern seemed a little out of character, especially for Michael.

“He and I talk all the time, you know that,” Michael pointed out proudly. “ Don’t act so surprised!  How do you think the comic gets done?” Michael cajoled, “Now will you call him?”

Brian placed a call to Justin in New York.  As expected, his cell phone rolled over into voice mail.  Brian left a message for Justin to call him back.  Brian remained unconcerned, and shrugged his shoulders as if to make a point.

“Now are you happy?  So why do you think that something is wrong with Justin?”  Brian asked.  “Especially when you just talked to him, and he said everything is all right?”

“It’s just a feeling?” 

“Need I remind you what happens when we simply act on YOUR feelings?  So do you have any facts?”

“No, not yet.”

“I see…so tell me what’s been going on while I’ve been gone?”  Brian asked, feeling his point had been made and trying to quickly change the subject.

Before Michael could answer that question, Ted and Emmett joined them in the booth.

“So Theodore, is my office still standing?” Brian asked never failing to torture his favorite target.

“Standing and thriving, Bri, but we’re glad you’re finally back,” Ted answered hoping that would satisfy his boss.

“Ok Emmett… now I know I’m going to be sorry I asked…but what’s the latest gossip?” Brian asked hesitantly.

“Well, with that attitude, I’m not sure I want to share with you,” Emmett told him in no uncertain terms. “A lot happens on Liberty Avenue in two weeks, even when you’re not around.  But just let me start…”

Before Emmett could bring Brian up-to-date on the latest news, Deb was back with their food.

“Did you see it?” Deb asked. “Did he tell you about it?”
 
“Ma!  We’re trying to have a conversation here!” Michael exclaimed.  “Brian, stop by the comic book store when you get a chance, I have something to show you,” Michael finally said quietly.

Brian stopped and thought for a minute feeling a sense of déjà vu with the ‘stop by…I have something to show you’ comment.  The last time he heard those words he ended up on a plane to Toronto and an encounter with Melanie.  Brian stared at Michael; then shook his head realizing it couldn’t be happening again.  Brian cast aside the thought that he was about to deal with the impact of another one of Justin’s paintings.  Michael, on the other hand, was continuing to ramble on about something that Brian had already tuned out.

“How about I stop past the store later today?” Brian suggested.

“Perfect.”

Since Michael had offered no further information about the reason to stop by the store, Emmett and Ted decided they weren’t going to spoil Michael’s surprise.  So the talk drifted to happenings at Babylon and the fact that Brian had been missed.

With breakfast over, the four friends departed with Ted and Brian walking together to Kinnetik.

That afternoon and evening Brian was swamped with work, especially in view of his long absence from the office.   So he was still unable to get over to Red Cape Comics to see whatever Michael wanted to show him.  Brian decided it could probably wait another day with no problem.