The Gus Diaries

Part 121

Is It Time II


 

“Planet earth calling Gus, come in Gus. What are you doing? Your head’s obviously not completely on the job today.”

It took me a while, but Uncle Michael’s words finally sunk in and I realized he was talking to me. To say the least, I hadn’t been concentrating on work this afternoon.

“What’s up, and don’t give me any of that nothing crap like JR tries to pull when she’s upset. It’s taken me a long time, but I’m pretty comfortable with this parenting stuff now, and I can tell you have something on your mind other than where to put Wonder Woman... which, by the way, is never next to Spiderman!”

There’s no doubt about it, Uncle Michael has turned into his mother, although I’m not sure that’s a bad thing... entirely. In some ways it’s kind of comforting.

“Well.” He stood in front of me with his hands on his hips, glaring. Okay, maybe he was channeling Grandma Deb a bit too much now.

“I have something on my mind.” I turned back to reorganize the comics I’d shelved incorrectly.

“That’s a start, but I guessed as much on my own. What do you have on your mind, and more importantly, is there any way I can help?”

Dropping my hands to my sides I turned back to face Michael. He’s a lot shorter than me, but somehow he’s learned how to command his own space and he’s always there for me when I need him. “It’s Mom.”

He wisely remained silent.

“She wants to be part of my birthday dinner at Britin.”

“I see.” He moved behind the counter, putting some rare comics he’d recently acquired in the glass display case built into the counter. “You know I’ve visited with her a lot since she’s living with my mother and Carl.”

I don’t know why I’d never thought of that, but it made sense that Uncle Michael saw my mom often. I nodded.

“Do you want my opinion or would you rather I butt out?” Okay, maybe he’s not as much like Grandma Deb as I’d first thought. I don’t ever remember her asking anyone that question.

“When did you get to be so reasonable, Uncle Michael? Dad always says you used to fly off the handle. Something about being part Italian, part drag queen. But Uncle Ben said you’d never dressed in drag.”

“Not that he knows about.” Uncle Michael smiled.

“Huh?”

“Never mind, Gus. It was before I met him and it was too brief to get on the radar.” He took out a duster and started wiping down the countertop. “So, about my input...” He let his voice trail off and waited for my answer.

“I know she can’t cart me off to her next fantasy destination, but Mom really hurt me when she didn’t even consider my feelings, my life with Jeff and my dads, and Mem.”

“Lindsay does have some trouble separating from her upbringing.”

“What are you talking about? She hasn’t lived with the Petersons in years.”

“No, she hasn’t, but they brought her up very spoiled, and to expect that she could have anything she wanted, that others would just fall in with her wishes. And from what I’ve witnessed and heard, they remained pretty damn manipulative despite keeping their distance from the black-sheep-lesbian in the family.”

“I was told Pop was pretty spoiled too. He’s okay. In fact, he bends over backwards to make people feel good about themselves and rarely presses his own needs.”

Uncle Michael laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“That spoiled little shit really did get in under the wire, but he earned his place in Brian’s life; in all our lives.”

“Are you talking about Pop?”

Uncle Michael leaned on the big, old-fashioned cash register, staring off to the side. “He really did become the little brother I never knew I wanted.”

“I’m pretty sure he feels the same about you. He really admires how you keep RAGE current and interesting, but I think he thinks you’re at your best as a husband to Ben and father to Jenny. He’s said as much.”

Michael rolled his lips inward, kind of like Dad. “Ben is everything, so is JR.”

I remained silent for a few minutes, watching as Michael ran his fingers over a picture of Ben and JR he keeps behind the counter.

“We met right here, in this store, on opening day, which is why I’ll never sell this place, it means so much to me because of that.”

“You and Uncle Ben are great. I love when we all get together.”

Michael smiled, blinking a few times, and then turned his attention back to me. “So, what about your Mom? Are you going to let her get to know you again?”

“Should I?”

“Look, Gus, it took her a lot of sessions with her therapist, but I’m pretty sure she feels genuine remorse about how she acted the last time you were together. That said, I wouldn’t let her visit alone with JR. I can be as overprotective as the next father.”

“So you’re saying she’s not ready?” I was getting confused.

“No, not at all. I’m saying, as a parent, that trust takes a long time to build and when trust is broken is takes even longer to get it back. It’s okay to take baby steps.”

“Maybe you’re right, getting together with Mom for my birthday might be just the slow start we need. Dad, Pop, and Jeff will be there too as support and backup in case things don’t work out.”

“You really are becoming a man, aren’t you? Where did the time go?”

“Dad told me you and Pop were there the night I was born.”

“I was. I took the picture your dad has on the mantle. Do you know Justin named--”

“Yes, I’ve heard that story a thousand times. I would have been named Abraham if Pop didn’t step up and vote for Gus. Turned out Gus was the name of his teddy bear. I’m named after his old stuffed animal.”

Uncle Michael huffed.

“He gave me the bear. It’s in my room. I’ll probably give it to my kid someday, if I ever have one.”

“You will. If Brian and I can manage to have kids, you sure as hell will. You’re better equipped.”

“What?”

“I mean emotionally.” Michael went back to wiping down the counter. “So, what’s the verdict about your Mom?”

I gnawed at the edge of my thumbnail.

“You really are Justin’s son too.”

I wasn’t sure where that came from, but it sounded like it was a compliment. Before I could say anything Dad and Pop came in to pick me up.

“Hey, Shop-keep, have you finished cracking the whip for the afternoon?”

“Brian, your sarcasm always cheers my day.” Uncle Michael abandoned his dusting and came out from behind the counter to give Dad and Pop welcoming hugs.

“Michael, you should know by now, if Brian isn’t sarcastic it probably means he’s asleep.” Pop winked.

“I’d resent that if it wasn’t at least seventy-five percent accurate.” Dad pressed his tongue against the side of his cheek.

I got the sense whenever the three of them were together the clock really did fly back at least fifteen years.

“I hear your son has the decision of a lifetime facing him this week.”

“Sonny Boy will be okay. Whatever choice he makes will be the right one for him. That’s all Justin and I care about.”

“Still working on getting that Father of the Year trophy, aren’t you?”

Dad strolled behind the counter and ran his fingers over several pictures of Jenny hanging in an arrangement on the wall. I nicknamed it the Altar to JR and tease her about it regularly. She usually snaps right back with a, “Jealous big brother?” If Pop hadn’t painted me almost as often as he painted Dad I might be.

“No, Michael, I think you’ve got that trophy sewn up for life. But I think I’m doing okay. It only took until he became an adult to hit my stride.”

I laughed. “Dad, you and Pop are great parents.”

“See, Mikey, he’s even well-trained enough to say the right thing at the right time.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. So what’s the plan for the birthday dinner? Lobsters, steaks?”

Pop put his ever-present messenger bag on a chair at the back of the room. “Whatever Gus wants is the birthday plan.”

Uncle Michael stood next to me, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Gus, now that you’re about to become an adult, what do you want?” I knew he wasn’t talking about the menu. Then he leaned in to whisper in my ear. “I hope our talk helped.”

“It did, Uncle Michael, and I love you for it. You really are an amazing father. Jenny’s lucky to have you.”

Uncle Michael glanced across at Dad, who was skimming through a Batman comic, trying to give the impression that he wasn’t listening in on our conversation.

“In that case, I think both of you kids got pretty lucky in the dad department.” Michael smiled.

I nodded.

“Hey, Sunshine, let’s break out the Batman dvd’s tonight. I’m in the mood for a little Christian Bale viewing pleasure.”

“I’d be in the mood for Christian Bale any time.” Pop smirked.

“Your loss, he’s straight.”

Uncle Michael snorted. “He hasn’t met Brian Kinney yet, has he?”

That was enough. “You guys just can’t help reverting to your past selves when you’re together, can you? Let’s get out of here before you start making plans to go to Babylon four nights this week.”

When we got into Dad’s car I settled into the rear seat, my decisions made about my birthday dinner. It would be lobster... and Mom would be there, along with Uncle Michael and Uncle Ben.

[TBC]
 

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