Diffrent Path

Chapter 5….

Brian sat at the loft looking out the window, a half smile playing on his lips. Today his baby was going to take one of the last steps into the adult world. Tomorrow was Justin’s High school graduation.

The next step was Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Arts. He was very glad that Justin had chosen a college close to home. He had been accepted at bigger and fancier schools. However, he had decided to stay in Pittsburg.

The last few days had been stressful with Justin finishing up at school and Brian being out of town. Brian had been over at Debbie’s tonight, spending a few hours with Justin. He had gotten home to the Pitts just this afternoon. He had missed his lover so much. They had watched a movie with Debbie, curled up together on her sofa. The night had been peaceful and calm.

Brian grinned to himself. He turned the envelope over in his hand. It contained his graduation present to his love. He did not celebrate birthdays because frankly any fool could be born, he celebrated accomplishment. High school graduation was something to celebrate.

He knew that Justin would be shocked when he showed up tomorrow because he had been vague when the blond had asked. He tossed the envelope on the table in front of him. Standing up, he headed towards the bedroom. He needed his beauty sleep to be beautiful for his prince.

The next morning dawned bright and sunny, perfect for a graduation. Justin was nervous as he dressed himself. He knew that Debbie, Vic, his mother and sister were coming. Even Mel and Lindsay had said that they would come if they could find a babysitter. However, the man he wondered most about was, of course, Brian.

He wanted the older man there to see him graduate but he had been very vague. Justin had not dared to push too much.

A fleeting thought passed through his mind about his father. However, he dismissed that thought from his mind. He was not that bastard’s son. Why would he show up?

The morning moved slowly. Soon he was seated with his classmates waiting to be called up to the stage between Jimmy Samuels and Adina Turner-Smith. They were sitting through like a million boring speeches. Soon their names were called.

“Justin C. Taylor … Adina… “He heard his own name being called. ‘Finally!’

Justin thought with a roll of his eyes. He moved to the stage and took his place in the line. The blond swept his eyes over the crowd looking for familiar faces, spotting Debbie first. That red wig of hers was hard to miss. Beside Debbie sat his mother, flanked by his sister. Beside his sister, Vic had taken up position like a guard. They waved at him when they saw that he had spotted them. He waved back with a sunshine smile.

His gaze kept sweeping the crowd hoping against hope to see another familiar face. By one of the bigger trees, leaning against its trunk stood Brian, the man he had been hoping to see. The older man was smiling proudly at him. That smile made Justin feel insanely happy. To know that Brian was proud of him, that was huge!

A nudge from Adina in his back drove him forward onto the stage to accept his High School Diploma. Thank God it was over. He was finally done with this fucking school.

Soon all the fuss was over with and he moved to find his family. His mom and sister stood talking to Mel, Lindsay, Vic, and Debbie.

Justin’s eyes widenened as he realized just who stood behind his mother looking quite uncomfortable, his Father.

Justin halted as he felt a pair of familiar arms surround his waist. He laughed out loud as those arms pulled him closer to a firm body.

“Hello sunshine...” An amused voice caressed his ear. A kiss on his cheek made him grin and turn around in Brian’s arms.

Brian engaged Justin in a steamy liplock that made a few of the more conservative of his classmate’s parents raise an eyebrow.

The kiss continued for a couple of heartbeats before Justin was ripped from Brian’s arms. Brian faced the one who dared to touch his lover with a low growl. However, he forced himself to calm down when he saw who it was, Justin’s father.

Craig had decided to attend Justin’s graduation after all. He was not sure that he was welcome but had decided to go at the very last minute. He walked onto the school grounds as Justin’s class was lining up beside the stage. He felt a sense of pride as he spotted Justin.

The pride was deeply tinged with regret. Regret because he had handled the ‘gay’ thing and the situation with ‘that man’ so badly. He watched his son walk across the stage. When the ceremony was over he moved around the crowd greeting people he knew. He was trying to find Jennifer as he knew Justin would find his mother first.

He found his Country Club ex-wife talking to a big redheaded woman and a pale sickly-looking man. There were also two females and a small baby in the gathering of people around his wife. Molly was kneeling beside the stroller, playing with the small child. Craig felt very uncomfortable.

Frankly, these were not people he had any urge to spend any time with, or be seen with. Who were they? Craig looked around and spotted his son walking over towards his mother. Justin looked so young and so old at the same time. He could still remember holding his son the day he had been born.

Such dreams he had for his son. Maybe he had too many dreams but what parent doesn’t?

Was that really such a crime to want his son to follow in his footsteps, to carry on the family name? To find that his pride and joy, his son, was gay was a blow that was hard to take. He could admit it freely.

To find that not only was your son gay but he was also involved with a man twelve years older was a blow to his ego. Then add that to the fact that the man was far more successful than Craig would ever be. To add insult to injury, Justin had chosen ’That Man’ over him, his own father.

He studied him, watching his son. He was comparing him to the boy who had moved out of his house all those months ago. He could plainly see that the boy was becoming a man. He saw his son stop as he noticed himself there.

He felt sadness wash over him at the expression on his son’s face, the pure shock and panic.

He saw someone approach Justin and pull the young man into his arms. It was ‘that man’! He had to admit that they looked good together, as much as two men could. He watched as the two turned to each other and kissed passionately. He could feel all his magnanimous feelings slowly fizzle out and a deep, burning rage replace them.

He rushed over to the kissing men ignoring the shouting of his ex-wife. Taking a firm hold on Justin’s robe, he pulled back sharply.

As Justin got his balance back he saw his father, spitting with rage trying to get to Brian. Vic and Debbie were holding him back. Brian stood still, looking at him, ignoring Justin’s father.

Justin felt rage settle in the pit of his stomach and he brushed past his mother who was fussing over him and got right into his father’s face.

“Craig! What the fuck do you think you are doing?” he shouted in his father’s face. His blue eyes were blazing with anger. His hands bunched into fists at his sides.


At the sight of his pissed-off son Craig calmed down enough to realize what he had done. He had probably placed the last nail in the coffin of his relationship with his son. He had once again attacked his son and his lover. But he was pissed and being the stubborn man that he was, he did not back down.

“Do you enjoy shaming me?” He asked in a raised voice. Justin looked at his father as if he was crazy.

“What the fuck have you been smoking?” He exclaimed, “How the fuck does me kissing Brian shame you. I am not your son, so what does it matter if I am a fucking fag?” Brian stood back and watched his blond spitfire go off at Craig.

He was smiling proudly as he laid his hand on Justin’s shoulder. He was enjoying the show but he knew that they both needed to calm down before they came to blows and were asked to leave the grounds.

“Calm down, Sunshine, you are making a scene. “ It was not the fact that he did not want Justin to kick his father’s ass. The fact was that he rather wanted to do it himself but this was not the time or the place. Too many people would back up Craig if anything got started. Justin took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He laid his hand on top of Brian’s hand. His eyes met his father’s as he stated.

“I am with Brian and that will not change. I am gay and that will not change. I will not change because of you and your peer’s warped opinion of what is right and wrong. Love is love, get used to it because it is the future.” He turned around and led Brian away from his father.

Jennifer, Debbie, Vic, Mel, Linds, and the kids followed. A few seconds later Craig stood there alone. He felt the air go out of his lungs. He might just have lost his son for good.

Jennifer hurried through the crowd to catch up with her son and his lover. She still had not made peace with the thought that her little boy had a lover. She kind of liked Brian, he was obviously a good man. But was he good enough for her son?

She stopped as she saw the couple. Brian was leaning against a tree supporting a sobbing Justin. The older man had his arms wrapped around her son so tightly she was amazed that he could breathe. Then again, Justin was embracing Brian just as hard.

Brian rested his head on top of Justin’s and she could see him speaking to her son quietly. She stopped in her tracks. Holding up her hand, she stopped the others.

“Let Brian take care of him. Justin needs him more then he needs us right now.” Jennifer smiled to herself. She saw something that she had seen in her parent’s relationship when she looked at Brian and Justin. She saw an all-consuming love. The veil of doubt was lifted and now she saw. She smiled widely.

Justin leaned on Brian taking in the other man’s strength. He was soaking it in like an elixir. He needed it; the confrontation with his father had taken its toll on him. He felt drained. The blond had always hated fighting with the people he cared for and even if his father was an asshole, Justin still loved him.

He would probably never be able to forgive him but he would always care. The man was his father after all.

Brian tightened his arms around his little blond. It broke his heart to see Justin like this. So broken over a man that could not, no make that would not, accept him for who he was. It was something unforgivable in Brian’s eyes.

“You might love him sunshine but you don’t need his approval to live your life to the fullest. Become the biggest fucking success you can, because nothing pisses off a straight guy more then a successful fag…” Brian said, raising Justin’s chin so the younger man was looking at him, to see that he understood the meaning of his words. The smile on Justin’s lips told him that his message had hit home.

They both looked up as they heard Gus start to fuss.

Realizing that their family had been waiting for them to be ready, they straightened up and headed over - their hands unconsciously entwining.

“You all ready to go?” Debbie grinned, “We have a graduation to celebrate!” They all laughed and together they headed to their cars. They were planning on meeting up at Debbie’s place. They had a Graduation party to get started!