24. Unexpected Help
John listened patiently to what JR told him. He couldn't help but be impressed with her detective work. She was good; he wondered if her family knew how good she was.
"So you think he is with Gram?" he asked.
"Well yea, who else? She wants forgiveness for everything that she's done to him. She would do anything for him after his life … and then she had that stroke and he took her in. She loves him and she is his mother." She stated hoping he understood.
"Well, let's see if we can get her on the phone." he stated taking out his cellphone."
Joan could not help but look on in awe as her son got ready to leave the hotel. Gone was the frightened boy that slept curled up next to her. Now before her stood the confident man her son had become without her.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Brian asked.
"Maybe we should call Justin; he is your partner and really is the one that should be here for you. He would want to be here for you."
"You think I don't know that mother! I am a bastard for not letting him be here. Its not that I do not want him here, but he shouldn't have to be here. He is young and I have too much shit for him. If I get better then he can leave without wondering if I have burned down the house while he was away. Are you going to help me?"
"Of course, I told you I was going to be there and I am here." she stated dropping the subject. She knew when he had to let him be in charge. She would contact Justin … somehow.
Melanie Marcus was no fool. Brian had asked her to meet him at the airport; and using her contacts, she found out he had not been on any flight yesterday so she would wait here. This was the place … he had to come here to leave town.
Christina watched as Gus walked back and forth in front of her doorstep. She knew that he had something to say and he would say it in his own time. She knew that it was eating him up and he needed to explode. She could be patient and help him through it. She never knew loving someone could be so complicated.
"It's so fucked up." he shouted.
"What is?" she asked.
"Everything, he planned all of this. We are all worried sick and I overhear Justin and some asshole talking last night about how all of this was another cliff."
"Cliff?" she asked confused.
"That is something that Dad does. Whenever someone gets to close or he thinks he is doing something for their own good then he will fuck with your mind and make you leave. He was trying to make Justin throw him away and he had a fit instead. Now we don't fucking know where he is. Why am I even caring?" he asked looking to her for answers.
"You are a son who cares for his father. Do they have any clues where he is now?"
"They think that he is with Gram. Trying to find her."
Joan looked down at her phone again and for the fourth time it was Justin. She looked to Brian and he was almost asleep. All he had to do was wait and then she would answer and tell where they were.
Brian was no fool, at least not today. Every time her phone vibrated he saw when she glanced at it. It was Justin; she was caving. If he didn't act fast whenever he lost lucidity she would call. She would call and tell where he was and he would be back being spoon fed. No, he knew what had to be done.
"Mom, I just want to thank you for all of this," he said taking her hand. "I know that I was not the best son, but you taking this train trip with me ... I love you for being here for me mom." them he threw his arms around her neck and gave her the biggest hug.
Joan did not know how to react to that. He had said he loved her and he was in his right mind and he meant it. All she could do was hold him tightly and give him words of comfort. She had to be there for her son. Justin would understand that..
Brian couldn't help but smile to himself as his mother tightened her grip around him. He still had it, he could sell reading glasses to the blind. His mother was just as emotionally damaged as him and all he had to was to dangle some love and she would eat it up. She would see him through this and then he would deal with Justin.
"I waited at that damn airport all day and he never showed." Melanie replied to the group of family scattered around Justin's den.
"Well, he has Gran with him. She adores him now. She's thrilled he picked her over Debbie and she'll do anything because she truly is sorry for what happened with Gramps." John added.
"That is good work; how did you figure out that she was with your grandmother?" Melanie asked John.
"I cannot take the credit for that - it was JR. She heard Izzy talking to him on her phone. Dad gave her a cell phone and he called her. He told her to call him if she didn't hear from him by a certain time. We need to find him before then; he is not going to answer now." John added getting upset.
"Well, there is no reservation for Brian Kinney at the airport or train station. I've checked."Melanie added.
"You should try Stephen Meyers." Michael added. He had been quiet the whole time.
"Fucking Captain Astro." Justin added in reference to the comic characters alter ego. "
"Brian told me when he ran away from home, he told anyone who asked his name was Stephen Meyers. We should try that name; but what do we do when we find them. If they see us they'll run. We need someone to go and find out if they are there and keep them there. If they see any of us they will bail." Justin worried.
"I'll go." said an unexpected voice from the doorway.
"I wasn't trying to listen. I bought the kids back. If you find out that where they are then I can go there and keep tabs on them until you get there. I mean you said that they would bail if they saw you. I won't approach them, but I will watch them so when you get there you won't have to track them down." Chris offered.
"No, I brought the kids because Gus was upset and I wanted to check on Izzy. There is no problem with me doing this for you, Justin. I know nothing I can do to make up for what I have taken from you, but I will do this for you … I really am different from the prick you knew in high school."
"Okay." Justin accepted right now to get Brian back he would take help from where ever he could get it.