�It will require surgery�� That was all I remember hearing the doctor say.

Jennifer and I had been on our way back to Justin�s room when the doctor spotted her in the hallway.

�Mrs. Taylor I was hoping to find you. We need to talk.� He looked from her back to me and she was quick to notice the tension between us.

�We can talk now.� She assured him. �I�d like Brian to be kept informed as well as myself and Mr. Taylor.� The doctor nodded.

�Very well then, let�s go to my office.�

Afterwards I walked Jennifer back up to Justin�s room. He was still asleep so after a few minutes I just grabbed my jacket and left. I know Jennifer said goodbye and that she�d call me if anything changed. I remember nodding and saying something. I�m not sure what either one of us said. My numbness was wearing off and I couldn�t help but feel slightly panicked by the idea of Justin not being all right after everything he�d already been through. I must have looked as worried as I felt because I hadn�t even made it to the elevator when Jennifer came up behind me.

�Brian?�

I turned around and found myself being pulled into a tight hug.

�Don�t you fall apart on me now, okay?� I nod and she lets me go.

We�ve finally come to terms with the fact that we both will always be in his life. I just can�t help but wonder how long he�ll be in ours.

I drive toward home in a daze. When I get there Gus is laying on my sofa watching something on television. He looks over his shoulder at me and nods his head toward the food containers on the table.

�I already ate. It�s probably all cold by now.�

�I�m not really hungry.�

I make my way to the refrigerator and grab a beer, before heading toward my bedroom to change. I sit down on the bed and finish off most of the bottle before I even attempt to change into something else. I hear Gus turn the television off and climb the steps up to the bedroom.

�If you�re just going to get drunk again, I�m going home.� This is the last thing I want to deal with right now, a teenaged mood swing so I simply shrug.

�Then I suggest you just go home.�

I don�t even look up at him. Hearing the loft door slide shut, I just fall back on my bed and stare up at the ceiling. The phone rings at some point bringing me out of my surreal fixation of my bedroom ceiling. I couldn�t tell you exactly how much time passed; just that it was long enough for my beer to get warm.

�Hello?�

�Brian?�

�Yeah?�

�It�s Lindsay.�

�I know your voice Linds. What do you want?�

�Gus called earlier and said he was going to have dinner with you. Did something happen there?�

�Why?�

�He came home just now and he�s in a mood that only proves to me that your disposition is genetic! He and Melanie just got into a huge argument� he�s just really acting angry Brian. What happened over there?�

�Nothing happened over here. He decided to go home. Can I help it if your wife and your son can�t get along?�

I can hear Melanie ranting in the background.

�Where do you think you�re going?�

This is really more than I need to deal with right now. I sigh to let Lindsay know that this whole family drama is beyond my patience level.

�He�s a teenage boy Lindsay. Most teenagers argue with their parents deal with it.�

�I�m not blaming you Brian. I�m just trying to understand what�s going on. It�s just not like him to act this way for no reason.�

Gus and Melanie are still going at it in the background.

�Out! I�ll be back before eleven so don�t worry about it!�

�You are NOT taking the car.�

�Yes I am! BYE!�

I can hear the door slam and Melanie�s frustrated scream.

�I don�t know Lindsay. Listen I need to get off of here��

�I won�t keep you. Talk to you soon. Bye.�

I hang up and go get myself another beer before dialing Gus�s cell phone.

�Hello?� He answers tersely.

�Hey.�

�Wasted yet?� The words are much angrier sounding than the tone of his voice.

�Not even close. Can you stop back over here? I need to tell you something.�

�Yeah� I guess. I�m on the other side of town though, it�ll probably take me about twenty minutes to get there.�

�I�ll see you then.�

Hanging up the phone I realize I have just enough time to finish this beer before I completely go against Jennifer�s wishes and tell Gus what�s going on with Justin. I suppose I could have avoided all of this drama by just telling him when he was here before. He deserves to know about it. He�s been there for Justin since the beginning and if this is the end he deserves to know that too.

To be continued