[Michael and Gob have breakfast in bed, and Tony finds out.]
Their second morning at the cabin, Gob woke up just as the sun peeked through the window curtains. It was about 6 o'clock, and Gob would have enjoyed spooning with Michael some more, but he had to pee, so he quietly got up and slipped on his robe.
Michael stirred and heard him in the bathroom. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced at the clock and asked, "You're not leaving already?"
Gob shook his head and said with a grin, "Nah, Mikey. Not before I get breakfast in bed!"
"Oh right." He bought the bed tray for that reason. Michael sat up and asked him, "What do you want for breakfast this time, Gob? Pancakes?"
Gob looked excited. "Oh, you got stuffs for that?"
"Yeah, even the syrup." Michael had bought the ingredients yesterday along with the s'mores, hoping to surprise Gob.
"Cool!" Gob added, "And make us some dong tea too." He wanted to have more sex before he left to go see Franklin on the yacht.
"Okay," Michael said. He got up to grab his own robe and join him in the bathroom.
While Gob brushed his teeth, Michael hugged him and murmured, "Morning."
"Morning," Gob mumbled, before spitting into the sink.
Michael washed up too, then kissed him as he left. "Okay, breakfast coming right up."
Gob returned to bed and lay back, basking in how much Michael spoiled him lately. He loved the look in Michael's eyes that kept away the darkness inside him. They were going to be great together in Cabo, and have fun with Franklin.
Meanwhile, Michael heard the music still playing in the living room and remembered that they left the laptop plugged in and repeating the CD all night. He went over to stop it and turn the laptop off, but after he did so, he glanced toward the fireplace.
"Oh no!" Apparently they had not cleaned up all the crumbs from s'mores last night, and now a cluster of ants were crawling all over the tray.
From the bedroom, Gob heard him and called out, "What's wrong?"
Michael sighed. "Nothing! Just ants." He went to the kitchen to look in the under-sink cabinet for stuff to get rid of the ants. Michael did buy some pesticide before, when he thoroughly cleaned the cabin on Monday. The spray bottle had worked on various spiders, so he hoped it might work on ants too.
"Ants?" Gob became concerned and put on his robe again. "Maybe I should spray them with lighter fluid," he said as he started to grab his magic stuff.
"Let me try this first." Michael put on shoes so the ants wouldn't bite him, then he stepped close enough to spray the ants. Luckily, the pesticide did seem to work, making the ants scatter and scurry away.
Gob came into the living room and watched the insects quickly march in a line out of the cabin. "Oh, we should have cleaned up, I guess." At least he and Michael finished the whole bottle of wine last night, so it wasn't wasted on the ants.
Michael nodded, then carefully picked up the bed tray and shook it to get all the ants off it. "I better clean this before I make breakfast. Can you get the blanket, Gob?"
Putting down his lighter fluid device, Gob picked up the blanket from the floor and shook it out over the rug to get rid of crumbs and ants. Then he tossed the empty wine bottle in the trash.
Michael returned to the kitchen to clean the tray and put away the pesticide. Since the spray didn't kill the ants immediately, but had merely repulsed them, he wasn't sure how long the ants would stay away. They might have a mound hidden somewhere nearby. "If those ants come back later, I might need to buy something stronger."
Gob brought over the used wine glasses. "Yeah, but I hope they don't come back."
Michael heard birds singing outside the windows, so he shrugged and looked on the bright side. "Well, if these are the only animal pests we have to deal with, it's not too bad. I think Lindsay must have lied about snakes and coyotes just to scare me, 'cause I haven't seen any of those around here."
Gob said cheerfully, "Great! So I won't have to worry about you when I'm not here." He came close and hugged his brother, smelling his hair.
Michael leaned into his embrace and smiled. He wanted Gob to spend more time at the cabin, but he knew that Gob had to rehearse with Steve for their magic show. After washing the tray thoroughly and setting it aside to dry, Michael brushed Gob's arm and said, "Well, I better make those pancakes now." He didn't want to make Gob late.
"Yeah, Mikey!" Gob felt pleased and went to grab the tea kettle. "Don't forget the dong tea!" He filled it with fresh water, then left to put away his lighter fluid and return to bed.
So Michael put the kettle on the hot plate and let it boil. He had plenty of time while he got out the mixing bowls, syrup, and batter ingredients.
Back in bed, Gob got naked again and waited for Michael to finish making breakfast. When he brought it on the tray, they could feed each other playfully. Gob worried a little that Michael wouldn't want to make a mess and create more crumbs to attract ants, but then again, Michael was much more fun and carefree lately. Gob could probably persuade him with more sex.
But then Gob's cellphone rang, and he saw that it was Tony Wonder. Gob felt guilty and almost didn't answer it, but then he remembered that Tony said he would call him when he finished convincing all the Alliance magicians to meet Michael. Gob reluctantly answered and hoped that Michael didn't hear the ring and get suspicious. "Hey, Tony." He felt nervous and covered himself with the blanket, even though Tony couldn't see him through the phone.
"Hi, um..." Tony finally realized the time. "Oh, I'm sorry, Gob. Did I wake you up?"
Sally Sitwell had woken him early this morning after she was already dressed. She apologized for being on the phone so long last night and promised that she would have sex with him next time. Then she kissed him goodbye and left to sneak back to her house so that none of Tony's gay fans would know about their relationship.
After she left, Tony lay in bed feeling somewhat anxious about having to sleep with his girlfriend later; he wasn't sure he could do it and prove he was straight. The last time he slept with Sally, he still dreamed afterward of kissing Gob some more. Tony smoked a cigarette and went to his dark place again. By the time he came out of it and called Gob, he didn't realize how much time had passed. It was barely 6:30 AM now, and Tony should have waited to call at a more polite hour.
Gob said, "Well, I was already awake. I just-I can't talk long, Tony. I'm kinda with my boyfriend now."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Tony felt embarrassed and crushed his cigarette in an ashtray. He didn't want to make Charlie jealous. "Should I call you back later?"
Gob wasn't sure how long it would take for Michael to make breakfast, and how long they would spend eating and having sex. He didn't want Tony to interrupt them while they were doing it. "Uh, I'll just call you later, Tony. I promised to have breakfast with him and all..."
"Well maybe we can talk at the Gothic Castle. You're gonna come practice with Steve today, aren't you?"
"Uh, yeah." He probably shouldn't blow off another day of rehearsal, with the show only a couple of days away.
Tony said, "Okay, so we won't be alone, and your boyfriend won't be jealous. Maybe Charlie could even meet us there for lunch and-"
"No!" Gob interrupted sharply. Then he whispered, hoping Michael hadn't heard him, "No, he can't come, Tony. I have to keep him a secret from everybody."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Tony had forgotten that Gob was not out of the closet to most people. "Right, the prison escape. It's just, I thought that Charlie could help me convince the Alliance to meet Michael on Friday."
Gob sighed in disappointment. "You couldn't convince them at all?"
"No, they still think he's crazy 'cause Michael bid on Lindsay at that bachelorette auction."
Damn Trisha Thoon for digging that up! "But he didn't date her, Tony. He just felt sorry for her 'cause she went to the wetlands."
Tony suggested, "Well then maybe you and me can talk to the other magicians over lunch and convince them, okay?"
Gob still felt nervous, but agreed since they wouldn't be alone at lunch. "All right."
"Good. I'll see you later, Gob."
"Bye." Gob hung up in relief and put down the phone on the nightstand. He frowned and tried not to think about how cute Tony was, and how he'd like to touch his beard again and kiss him and caress his smooth legs... Gob had to stop thinking about him like that and be strong for Michael. He loved Michael and couldn't lose him over a crush. Besides, Tony had a secret boyfriend too.
As Gob smelled pancakes from the kitchen, he relaxed and felt better. Soon Michael would come back to bed, and help him forget about temptation.
Michael finished cooking a stack of pancakes, so he shut off the hotplate and put the dirty bowls and pan in the sink to soak. He arranged breakfast on the tray, along with tea and syrup, then brought everything to the bedroom.
"Who was that on the phone?" he asked, having heard Gob's earlier outburst. "Was it Steve Holt?"
Gob said, "Uh, yeah. He wanted to know what time to come to the Gothic Castle. I said I'd meet him there later."
Michael smiled as he kicked the door shut behind him. "Good, so he won't be suspicious." He came to bed and set down the tray carefully.
Gob looked excited and pulled him close for a kiss. "Wow. Smells great."
"Yeah, not bad for that hotplate, huh?" Michael kicked off his shoes and sat next to him. He poured the syrup while Gob drank some of the dong tea out of a thermos. (Michael had not wanted to risk a spill in bed.)
As they ate the pancakes together, Michael affectionately caressed Gob and asked, "So you can stay awhile, huh?"
"Yeah, Mikey." Gob encouraged him to drink the tea too. "The Gothic Castle's not open for hours yet, and I don't have to go see Tobias like yesterday."
"Okay." Michael drank and relaxed, glad that Gob could linger with him this morning.
Gob kissed him, and Michael could taste the syrup on his lips. "Mmm. Perfect."
Gob touched his sticky fingers to Michael's neck so he could lick the syrup off his skin. "You taste good too."
Michael moaned and closed his eyes. He liked being naughty together.
Gob gave his brother a friendly grope under his robe, but before they could get too carried away, Michael said, "Wait," and reached for the bedtray.
Quickly moving the tray onto a table, Michael came back to bed and curled up with him. They fooled around at a leisurely place, enjoying every sensuous moment as they got naked.
Gob said, "Tell me I'm good," because he needed reassurance to help him stay strong when he saw Tony Wonder today.
"You're so good, Gob. I love you."
"Love you too." Gob tried to memorize the look on his face so he would never forget it.
Michael could sense how needy he was, and he spoke tenderly, "You're so sweet and funny and magical. I was so blind." He pressed their foreheads together and sighed in regret. Gob was right here under his nose all along, if only he hadn't been in denial. "Should never have listened to Mom and Dad." He let their parents turn him against Gob too often.
Gob nodded and said, "We'll start over in Cabo, and we'll be happy."
"Yeah. We'll escape them." Michael kissed him passionately and brushed fingers down his chest. Getting hard, he reached for lube and asked, "Is it my turn again?"
"Sure, Mikey." Gob didn't mind letting Michael fuck him again, and he helped put the condom on him. They had hot sex, imagining how great it would be in Cabo. Afterward, they rested cozily together and held hands.
Gob wished he could stay and make love all day, but knew he had to leave soon, before Steve Holt got suspicious and really did call him. Gob suggested that they take a shower together, and Michael agreed.
After his phone call with Gob, Tony assumed that Gob was either at the yacht with his boyfriend or he had spent the night at Charlie's place. (He had no idea that "Charlie's place" was "Michael's cabin.")
Unable to get back to sleep, Tony got up from bed to shower and dress. Then he went to his kitchen and cooked an early breakfast.
Tony still wished he could meet Charlie somehow and convince him not to be jealous. After all, Tony was helping Gob plan the prison escape so they could flee to South America with Michael. Gob also trusted Tony to help smuggle them back into the America to visit Michael's son too. Plus, they would do a DVD together and split the money. Why couldn't Charlie think of Tony as a friend and learn to trust him?
With a sigh, Tony ate his breakfast and smoked unhappily. But after a while, he got an idea. Maybe he should go visit Michael this morning before going to the Gothic Castle. After all, Sally told him where the cabin was, and Tony could bring Michael some breakfast to cheer him up. Michael must be feeling lonely, what with getting kicked out of his family and being shunned by most people lately. Yeah, Gob would be too busy rehearsing at the Gothic Castle to help Michael today, so Tony should go check on him and try to make friends. (Gob had said he wanted his brother to make friends.)
So Tony found a suitable bag and started to pack some food into it. While at the cabin, he could tell Michael that he needed to get a mask made of his face for the prison escape, and maybe they could discuss Gob's blasphemous magic act too. Then Michael could help Tony convince Gob to change the show before Friday. If things went well, maybe Tony could even ask Michael to talk Charlie into not being jealous of him. Then they could meet and be friends too. Everything would be great.
Excited, Tony took the bag out to his car, then drove to Newport Coast. It was about 7:30 in the morning.
Tony followed the highway uphill until he saw the dirt road leading into the woods, and he took it. When he found the cabin, he parked his car near the trees to hide it in the shadows. Tony started to take his bag of food with him, but he soon stopped in confusion.
He saw Gob's Segway there on the porch, parked next to a bicycle and a big chimney. Tony thought that Gob was with his boyfriend. How odd. Then Tony realized that Gob must have left the Segway with Michael yesterday, to help him out, and Charlie picked up Gob in a car or something. Sure, that was the explanation.
So Tony quietly shut his car door and sneaked up close to the cabin. He didn't want to directly knock on the front door and greet Michael. He wanted to find a place to hide, let Michael smell the hot breakfast, and wait for him to say, "I wonder-" and then Tony would jump up and ask, "Did somebody say Wonder?"
Tony crept onto the porch and looked in the windows to see if Michael was awake, or if the coast was clear for him to break into the cabin and hide somewhere. Most of the windows had curtains blocking the view, but the ones by the corner kitchen were tied back, so he peeked inside. There were dirty dishes in the sink, and he was surprised that electric lights were on and a hotplate was plugged into an outlet. Did this cabin have electricity somehow?
Tony was still confused by this when he heard a bedroom door opening, so he ducked down on the porch before Michael could see him. Crouching beneath the window, Tony placed the bag on a nearby rocking chair and waited for Michael to smell the food and approach. Tony used a convex mirror (one of his tiny magic props) to still look in the window.
Michael came out of the bedroom wearing a robe and pajamas. His hair was damp like he'd just had a shower and he was freshly shaved too. Tony had expected the guy to have a five o'clock shadow from roughing it here in the cabin. But then again, the cabin didn't look that rough, if it had electricity and maybe running water; apparently Sally was wrong about this place being a dumpy shack. Why did Gob need to help Michael so much?
Michael was carrying a breakfast tray with half-eaten pancakes on it. "You don't want the rest?" he asked, calling towards the open door behind him.
Was there someone else here? Tony was so confused. He heard some kind of mumbled response from within, but couldn't recognize the voice.
"Okay." Michael took the tray to the kitchen and set it down by the sink. He ate the leftover pancakes and also poured out the thermos in the sink. Michael put away the syrup bottle in the fridge so that the sugary substance wouldn't attract more ants.
It was clear that Michael didn't need breakfast after all. Tony considered putting his bag of food back in his car, but he was afraid that the rocking chair would squeak and give away his movements.
Then Michael washed the dirty dishes, and Tony thought he heard a low noise coming from some other room in the cabin. It sounded almost like a blow dryer, so maybe this cabin had a bathroom as well. Tony still wasn't sure who else was here. Maybe Buster had changed his mind yesterday and asked Steve Holt to bring him to the cabin.
Tony wondered if he could sneak inside the cabin while Michael had his back turned. Tony adjusted his mirror view to look around. He could see a furnished living room with a big fireplace, and there was a laptop on a side table next to an armchair. Hmm, maybe Gob spent all yesterday fixing up the cabin for Michael and also convincing Buster to move in so Michael would have company. What a good brother Gob was, and he left his Segway here too in case his brothers needed it.
Then the bedroom door opened again, and Gob came out, fully dressed. Tony was so shocked that he dropped his magic mirror, then quickly had to catch it so they didn't hear a crash.
Michael thought he heard something outside and turned, but he didn't see anything. He guessed it was just some noisy bird that passed the window.
Meanwhile, Tony heard Gob's footsteps come over to the kitchen. "Hey, babe."
Babe? Tony blinked and thought he misheard Gob over the sound of Michael washing the dishes. Or else Charlie was in the cabin too, and Tony just didn't see him because he dropped his mirror so quickly.
But Michael answered, "Hey," as if Gob had indeed spoken to him. Michael turned off the water, and there was a strange, shuffling sound, like an intimate hug. Michael warned, "I'll get you wet!" but Gob laughed as if he didn't mind. They seemed to be teasing each other playfully, even... flirting somehow.
Tony didn't dare move to see exactly what they were doing, and he hoped that neither brother would open the window and look down at him. Tony also frowned and desperately hoped that Charlie was somewhere he couldn't see.
Michael asked, "So you're leaving now?"
"Yeah, Mikey." He knew it was still early in the morning. "I gotta go change my clothes at the yacht before I go to the Gothic Castle."
"Okay. Well, say hi to Steve for me."
"Sure. And Franklin too. I gotta tell him he can't come to the magic show on Friday." That might take some convincing, and Franklin might get angry enough to curse.
Michael sighed and felt sad again.
"Come on," Gob said worriedly. "Don't be jealous. You gotta be nicer to him."
Tony didn't know who Franklin was, and for a moment tried to convince himself that Gob's boyfriend was named Charlie Franklin or something like that. But then why was Gob here with Michael, telling him not to be jealous of Franklin? Tony really didn't want to suspect the creepy things he was suspecting between them.
Michael still sighed and worried about Gob's stubborn belief in the puppet.
"Mikey," he insisted. "He's my real friend."
"I know," he finally said, humoring Gob once again. "I'm sorry. I just... Tony's your friend, too?"
Tony tensed and was still confused about Franklin being a "friend" rather than a boyfriend. He raised his mirror again and dared to look at them. He regretted it.
They were standing too close together, holding onto each other with their faces only inches apart. The embrace didn't look brotherly at all, and Michael looked into Gob's eyes.
Gob glanced away, though, getting nervous at the mention of Tony Wonder. "What? Why? Why w-would you ask-?" he stammered, feeling ashamed and miserable. "He's a magician. Just a friend. Just-" Gob grew more and more incoherent while Michael became concerned, shushing him gently.
"Hey. Hey!" He caressed Gob comfortingly and then kissed him. Right on the mouth. There was no mistaking that, and Gob kissed back.
Tony froze in horror at first, then quickly put down the mirror and covered his ears so he wouldn't have to hear them either. He was so upset, finally admitting to himself that Charlie wasn't here. That Charlie probably didn't even exist. Gob had lied to him about his so-called boyfriend the maritime lawyer. Tony felt so hurt and angry. Michael really was crazy after all, and somehow he had seduced Gob after Lindsay rejected him! Tony felt shocked and didn't know what to do.
"Hey," Michael said to Gob again. "Calm down. Are you all right?"
Gob sniffled like he was crying, and pulled away, walking toward the living room.
When he heard this, Tony started to have hope that Gob realized how sick and wrong this was. He was putting an end to it maybe, so Tony looked in his mirror again.
Michael followed Gob, who stood at the fireplace mantel and tried to pull himself together. "I just... why were you asking about him? You jealous of him too?"
Michael shook his head and took Gob's hand, entwining their fingers. "No, no. Of course not." He leaned against Gob's back and kissed his shoulder. "I just meant... he's your friend too. Your real friend, Gob. He's better for you than Franklin is. I mean, Tony told you to change your act, because he doesn't want you to get beat up-"
"Mikey!" Gob protested. "There's nothing wrong with my magic show!"
Michael sighed and stopped arguing, just hugging Gob silently from behind.
After his initial irritation, Gob felt relieved that Michael wasn't jealous of Tony Wonder. He didn't suspect the crush, and he wasn't accusing Gob of doing anything wrong. Gob turned around to face him and then kissed Michael again.
Outside, Tony felt disappointed and upset. He decided to try to crawl quietly away and sneak back to his car. He didn't have the nerve to burst into the cabin and confront them about the incest. He just wanted to leave and take a roofie and forget everything he discovered.
But then Tony realized something awful. If he left here and took a forget-me-now, then he would go back to believing Gob's lies about his boyfriend Charlie. He would probably still keep helping Gob plan the prison escape for Michael. Tony would just go along in blind ignorance, helping Gob run away to South America and commit incest with his brother! This realization was so gross and terrible that he zoned out for a while and went to his dark place, hearing the familiar music.
Meanwhile, Michael and Gob moved to one of the armchairs and sat down in it together, still kissing each other. They had forgotten that Gob had intended to leave the cabin, and it was still early enough in the morning that it didn't matter. Michael tried to soothe Gob and apologize for upsetting him.
Gob hesitantly explained himself. "I was just scared you were jealous of Tony, and we were gonna boyfight."
Michael shook his head and hugged him. "No, of course not. I trust you."
Gob looked in his eyes and felt guilty, because he didn't think he deserved that trust.
Michael continued reassuringly, "I know you didn't mean to kiss him at the party. It wasn't your fault."
Gob got upset again, though, because he hadn't confessed to Michael about kissing Tony Wonder again recently at the Gothic Castle.
Michael said, "It was an accident, because of Tobias. Tony's been such a good friend to you, helping you with the Alliance, and-"
Gob couldn't take it anymore. "Michael," he said, starting to cry again.
"What?" Michael still gently kissed away his tears.
Gob felt like a dam about to burst, from all the things he had held back until now; he wished Franklin was here to listen to him and reassure him that he could get over his crush on Tony Wonder. Gob was on the verge of confessing to Michael about the crush, about having lunch with Tony and flirting with him. About touching his smooth legs, and kissing him again, and dreaming about having sex with him. Sure, it was a threesome in the dream, but Tony had said they were "the same" and it felt like cheating. Gob felt worse because it was kind of true that they were the same. Tony had darkness inside him too, and they heard the same music, and they had so much in common about magic and fathers and brothers...
Michael realized that Gob was trying to say something, and he kept caressing him. "It's all right, Gob. I love you." He guessed that Gob felt so needy and desperate that he couldn't even manage "Tell me I'm good" as usual. Michael told him anyway," You're so good."
"I'm not good," Gob admitted suddenly. He wasn't thinking just about Tony Wonder anymore. He was remembering something far worse that he hadn't confessed to Michael yet. Something he'd been avoiding every time Michael mentioned the 1990s. "I'm bad. I'm awful."
"No, no!"
"I'm evil, just like Eve Holt said. I'm-"
"Stop it! Stop it!" Michael was getting upset too. "Don't listen to her. She's wrong!"
(Outside the cabin, Tony Wonder returned from his dark place due to Michael yelling so loudly. He realized in shock that he was still sitting on the porch, and they were still inside. Since they were so distracted, Tony grabbed his bag of food and was going to quietly sneak away before they could discover him.)
Gob hid his face and started crying. "It's my fault."
"What? Kissing him?"
Gob shook his head. "You don't know, Michael. You'll hate me."
"What are you talking about?"
"I killed her," he said.
That shocked Tony Wonder enough to stop outside the front door and to listen.
Michael also was shocked and bewildered. "Who?"
"Tracey," Gob said.
Tony felt confused again, because he thought Sally told him that Michael's wife Tracey died of ovarian cancer. She wasn't murdered.
Michael started to protest, but Gob interrupted him. "I was so jealous of her."
Michael frowned and looked sad. "I know you were, but you didn't kill her."
"But I did. I hated it when you dated her in college, using that car I gave you. I wanted to be with you all the time, but you didn't love me yet. You loved her, and then you knocked her up, and I tried to make you break off the engagement. For a while I thought me and Dad could convince you to not marry her; that you were too young, and she was a gold-digger."
"She wasn't!" Michael protested.
"I know, but I thought Dad could convince you, and you'd break up and get rid of the baby. Then I'd have a chance finally. I could take you to Mexico or something to cheer you up, and we'd be alone. I'd get you drunk and tell you how I feel and maybe you could like me back. We could be together and escape the family. You know, like us going to Cabo." Or their fantasy of living in Lake Tahoe.
Michael realized something and moved to a separate chair. "Wait, was that what you were trying to do when we went to Mexico the first time? I was married then."
Gob nodded in guilt. "I thought, with her being all gross and pregnant, that you wouldn't like her anymore and I could seduce you."
"Gob! I wouldn't cheat on her. And she wasn't gross." Michael finally started to look disapproving and angry with him.
Gob knew he deserved it, of course. He kept confessing, "Anyway, you wouldn't listen to Dad about Tracey, and Mom liked her, so you got married to her. I tried to do a great illusion at your wedding so you would forgive me for being mean and taking Dad's side. It really was an accident when I set her hair on fire. When you forgave me for that, and started being all nice to me and sorry about not making me your best man, I thought maybe you could like me too, and it wasn't too late to try."
Michael sighed and remembered the trip to Mexico. "Well, you didn't do anything after all."
Gob nodded. "You were excited about George Michael, so I decided maybe we should just be friends and I should try to get over you and date other guys."
Michael nodded and reached for his hand in a gesture of understanding. "Good. I'm sorry that I let Mom and Dad manipulate me when we got home from Mexico. Those stupid boyfights." He squeezed Gob's hand. "I should have been a better brother to you."
Gob got upset again. "No I deserved it. I was mean to Tracey all the time."
He shrugged. "So was the rest of the family. Even Mom was mean, and she liked Tracey."
"You don't get it. I was trying to make her mad all the time, so she would hate me."
Michael couldn't understand this strategy. "But why? You made her stop liking you, and she didn't want you to visit us and George Michael."
Gob explained, "I didn't want to be just brothers anymore. It wasn't enough, and I couldn't get over you. When I slept with other guys, I kept thinking about you. I couldn't take it, that you loved her and were gonna be with her for the rest of your life. So I picked fights with her. I wanted Tracey to hate me, to hate all us Bluths. I kept wishing that Tracey would get fed up with our family and leave you, or that you guys would fight about money and the baby. Any excuse for you to divorce her."
"Gob!" Michael was annoyed now to realize his selfish scheming.
"But it was wrong! It was evil. So God got mad at me, and he killed Tracey to teach me a lesson for my awful wishes. You loved her so much, and I killed her." He added, "I killed George Michael's mom."
Michael stared at him in shock, horrified that Gob believed this for all these years.
Gob sobbed and covered his face in shame. "I'm sorry!" He wished he had Franklin to cling to, so he pulled a blanket over him so he wouldn't have to face Michael hating him. "It was my fault, and I never told you!"
"No! No, Gob!" Michael shook his head and came over to him, feeling heartbroken. He knelt on the floor in front of the chair and tried to pull the blanket off him. He caressed Gob with forgiveness and confessed, "No, it was me. The cancer was my fault."
Gob was stunned and looked up at him.
Michael continued quietly, crying too. "I listened to Dad about the business and dropping out of law school. I worked too much and didn't go to the beach with Tracey and George Michael like I should have. I let her keep going to visit her family by herself without going with her. I didn't appreciate her while she was alive, and I wasted so much time. I didn't deserve her. God was teaching me a lesson." This was the first time Michael ever said these things out loud, for he kept his full grief from even George Michael, wanting to protect his son.
Gob didn't know that Michael felt this way for five years. "No, it was me, Mikey. You're the good son, and Eve Holt said I'm a sinner-"
He insisted, "No, you're good. You're so good." Michael held him close and kissed him.
Gob pulled Michael from the floor onto his lap again. They kept kissing and crying. "I love you."
"I love you." He clung to Gob like he was precious.
Outside the cabin, Tony heard everything, and he realized how truly fucked up they both were. He felt so angry and frustrated. Earlier, Tony had wanted to believe that Michael was solely to blame. That he manipulated and seduced Gob into sharing his insanity. However, from what they said to each other about Michael's wife, it seemed that Gob had inappropriate feelings about Michael for years. It was Michael who came to reciprocate later, and he was so shockingly devoted that he forgave everything bad that Gob confessed to him. He loved him still.
And Gob loved Michael enough to want to break him out of prison and run away with him. Gob had told Tony that they planned to escape to South America, but apparently they were going to Cabo instead. It was another part of Gob's lies about Charlie, when actually Michael was his secret boyfriend the whole time. His own brother.
Tony felt disturbed when he heard the two of them eventually get up from the chair and go back to the bedroom, probably to have sex. Oh God, how long had this been going on between them? This was why Gob kept "helping" Michael at the cabin? Tony wondered if Gob had ever told him the truth about anything. He wondered why Gob kissed him in his dressing room, and why he said that Charlie was jealous, when in fact Michael kept saying he trusted Gob, like a fucking idiot. Tony sighed as he recalled their confessions of love; he realized that those brothers meant it, they seriously meant it.
Since they wouldn't hear him, Tony just grabbed his bag and stood up, hurrying back to his car. He got inside, but didn't feel steady enough to drive yet. So he sat in the car awhile feeling miserable about Gob. He couldn't believe that Gob was so crazy. How could it be true? Gob was such a cool and amazing magician, and all the members of the Alliance had thought so too. They knew him for years before Tony did, and they didn't know something was so terribly wrong. How could this happen? Was it just the awful Bluth family, or had some religious nutjobs done a number on them, to make them think that God would teach them such crazy, unjust lessons?
Tony also felt sad because he liked Gob so much as a friend. He thought they were the same, but Tony had never committed incest with his brothers. They merely competed like crazy, and then Tony had revenge sex with his brother's widow. If only he could help Gob somehow and fix him. Tony had to figure out how to break them up and get Gob into therapy. Then maybe he could get all better, and they could be friends again. With a sigh, Tony finally started the car and drove home, smoking cigarettes all the while.
