In the two weeks since Brian and Justin had been in Vermont, Brian had had the following correspondence with Mikey via emailing from the town library's computer. (Justin had raised an eyebrow at Brian's email address, which was a carryover from when he was still tricking, but Brian saw no reason to sign up for a new account. It wasn't like any of the tricks he'd picked up in cyberspace were beating down his virtual door. Not after getting the patented Brian-Fucking-Kinney brush off, which was notoriously cruel to prevent just such continued interaction).
To: CaptainAstrosBoy
From: 9inchesforu
Date: Thursday, October 12, 2000 at 2:00pm
Subject: Stuff and things
Mikey,
Justin and I decided to take off for a while. We're fine; the baby's fine. We just needed to get away.
Brian
To: 9inchesforu
From: CaptainAstrosBoy
Date: Thursday, October 12, 2000 at 5:00pm
Subject: You are such an asshole!
Brian,
I can't fucking believe you! You left town and didn't even tell me! I knew something was wrong! I kept coming to the loft, and you weren't there. I tried calling you a bunch of times at work, but Cynthia never let on that you were out of town. She just kept saying you were currently unavailable. Where did you go? How long will you be gone? Why did you leave? And what's gonna happen with you at Ryder?
Mikey
To: CaptainAstrosBoy
From: 9inchesforu
Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 at 1:00pm
Subject: Don't be a twat
Mikey,
This is me telling you.
Where did you go? Just away. How long will you be gone? A few months. Why did you leave? Like I said, we just need a break. And what's gonna happen with you at Ryder? Justin and I both took leaves of absence. Mine's even paid. Justin's isn't, but Marty did agree to take Justin back when we return with no loss of time served.
Brian
To: 9inchesforu
From: CaptainAstrosBoy
Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 at 6:00pm
Subject: I'm not being a twat!
Brian,
Like I care about Justin! Sorry. I just miss you, and I feel like I'm the last to know what's going on with you nowadays. You used to tell me everything. First. Now…I don't even feel like part of your life anymore.
Ma's super pissed at you. She wanted to be at your commitment ceremony. And as much as I don't understand the way you've been acting the last few months, I'm still your best friend. Aren't I? I should be your best man. Will you be having the ceremony while you're away? Are you in Vermont?
And why the hell does it take you so long to answer me?
Mikey
Brian cursed. He should have expected the 20 questions and the guessing. But he didn't. Maybe he had. Maybe he'd just assumed that he could put Mikey off easily enough. That had been stupid, as he was now realizing. Brian had made a great many preparations for their trip, miraculous preparations considering the time constraint…the cash, the rental car, and the fake IDs. He'd even ditched their cell phones along the way, and he only contacted Mikey and only through email.
Brian had planned to sort of marry Justin some time before the baby was born while they were in Vermont. The poster at the travel agency had just been an additional incentive. Brian would have suggested Vermont anyway (so that he could sort of marry Justin). But Brian should have realized that anyone who knew they were engaged would assume that if they disappeared, they'd be in Vermont. Of course, no one knew where in Vermont they were, but Brian didn't want anyone to even know what state they were in.
He knew he was probably being silly, even ridiculous, but he never could have imagined that one day Lindsay would state in court under oath that Brian was a drug user and a pedophile. She might have said such things to him or even to friends, but never to someone in a position to wreck him. If she could do that, she could do anything. This obsession of hers with having a baby, and not just any baby, but his, had caused her to do a great many things that seemed out of character. It had gotten so bad that, as far as Brian knew, Mel had moved out (after Lindsay had broken a confidence to try to get at Justin and Brian's baby). Of course, Mel was a pushover when it came to Linds. It probably wouldn't be long before she took her back. In fact, Brian had counted on it. It was Mel's connections to the prosecutor's office and thus law enforcement that had Brian going all secret agent.
The question was, what should he tell Mikey? Brian didn't want to lie to his best friend, but Mikey couldn't keep a secret to save his life, and, clearly, not telling Mikey anything was the wrong move. That just spurred Mikey to whine and prod. If Brian didn't tell him something, who knows to what lengths Mikey would go to learn the truth? If Brian did lie (and it was looking like his only option), the lie would need to be simple and as close to the truth as possible. He didn't want the hassle of having to make up a bunch of shit later to support the lie. Unfortunately, Brian couldn't think of a simple one, not one that would be believable. He supposed that he could just say whatever he had to along the way and then explain later. Surely Mikey would understand Brian's desire to protect his fiancé and his unborn child, well his unborn child anyway. So he picked the place farthest away from Vermont (all the way southwest) just in case Mikey slipped and told someone.
To: CaptainAstrosBoy
From: 9inchesforu
Date: Sunday, October 22, 2000 at 1:00pm
Subject: Whatever
Mikey,
We decided to rent a cabin in the mountains of New Mexico. That's why it takes me so long to answer (no Internet up here. I have to drive 30 minutes to get to civilization). We're going to wait until after the baby is born to have our commitment ceremony. Tell Deb to stop freaking out. She's invited. And you need to stop acting like a twat. Not only are you invited, but also, I expect you to be my best man. Who the fuck else would I ask? Emmy Lou? Dead Man Walking?
Brian
To: 9inchesforu
From: CaptainAstrosBoy
Date: Sunday, October 22, 2000 at 7:00pm
Subject: What are you, a lumberjack?
Brian,
Why the hell did you pick New Mexico? And a remote mountainous region?
I'm glad you are waiting to have your commitment ceremony. That'll give you time to come to your senses. Just kidding :) Ma was thrilled when I told her she was still invited.
So…maybe I could come visit…like around Christmas or something…let me know (and be sure to keep in touch. I miss you so much already!)
Mikey
Brian sighed. Why couldn't Mikey be more like Daphne? Justin hadn't needed to say much to her. Just that he was worried about his stress levels with everything that had been going on in the Pitts, so he and Brian had decided to go somewhere for a few months, until after the baby was born. He didn't tell her where they'd gone, and she didn't ask. Justin emailed her every week (on Brian and Justin's weekly trip to the library), but they mostly chatted about her life.