Chapter 9

9

A Meeting

Justin and Liam followed Eric up the steps, and into a hallway. Jamey following loosely behind.

At the end of the hallway was a door, with had a small sign that says Meeting Room. Eric opened up the door, to see many people in that room.

Eugene was playing on his phone, Angelica was looking through files, and two lawyers talking to each other.

Eric walked in first, followed by Justin, Liam, and lastly Jamey. Eric gestured for them to sit, and Justin sat next to his, Jamey sitting on his lap.

Eugene looked up from his phone, seeing Jamey and waving, though Jamey didn't wave back, and Justin smirked at that.

Eric sat down next to the other lawyers. The room was mostly quiet. "Can I play on your phone, Liam?" Jamey asked politely, and Liam agreed.

He gave Jamey his phone, and Jamey played Angry Birds as Eugene glared daggers at the scarred man.

Though one of Eugene's lawyers tapped on his shoulder and whispering something to him before clearing his throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Ok, well we all don't want this meeting to drag on forever, so I suggest we get started." A lawyer in brown hair said.

Eric looked up at the man and smiled. "Of course, let's start with, some stories. Mr. Miller, you can go first."

Eugene sat up in his seat, smirking.

"Ok, I always thought me and Justin had a great relationship. Well at least about five years ago. But then it just went downhill from there."

Eugene paused, taking a moment to breathe.

"I lost my job, and I don't know what happened to him. Maybe he was just in it for the money, I don't know." Eugene says shrugging.

"He would call me bad things, and whisper stuff about me to Jamey, my own kid!" Eugene says, sadly.

"Like Verbal Abuse?" Eric questions him and Eugene nods his head.

"Exactly like that," Eugene says, a single tears running down his face.

There was this quiet moment where all the lawyers were writing down things in their notepad.

"What happened next?" A blond lawyer asked Eugene, as Justin shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Liam must have noticed since he places an arm around him.

Eugene points to Liam glaring, "He happened." Justin looks at Liam before back at Eugene.

Angelica gives Jamey some earbuds so he can listen to a youtube video. Though she was still listening to every word Eugene was saying every lying one.

"He ruined this family. He was our waiter from when I proposed to Justin, but I never knew he would steal him from me." Eugene says harshly.

Liam glares at Eugene, though when Justin noticed, he nudged him to stop. "So, what made you think Mr. Parker was cheating?" Eric asks, randomly.

"Simple, he would go out late, once even going out until the next day," Eugene says simply.

Justin stands up glaring at Eugene. "You kidding me right?! I didn't even know Liam when I took that double shift at work!" Justin yelled as Liam grabbed him, hoping he would sit back down.

Eugene also stands to his feet, glaring at Justin. "Oh yeah, then where were you those nights when you weren't home?!" Eugene questions, slamming his hands on the table.

The lawyers just watched, getting information for the trial. "I was with Liam at Central Park!" Justin answers, Angelica, sitting Jamey on her lap, listening to everything.

"Yeah right more like you were fucking him!" Eugene yells as Angelica covers Jamey's ears.

"Wow, real mature," Justin says rolling his eyes. Eric quickly stands up, in between the two men.

"Ok, everyone sits down, we need to get through this meeting, ok. We can handle this like men." Eric says, before quickly adding.

"And women." He says for Angelica.

She knew about Liam, she knew that they were never in a relationship, that nothing happened. Justin would tell her if anything were to happen.

"Justin sighs, walking out of the room, Liam and Angelica both standing up. "I got this," Liam says, Angelica nodding and sitting down.

Liam walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. Justin was pacing back and forth, his face red as a tomato.

He was mumbling words to himself, shaking or nodding his head now and then.

As Justin turned away from Liam, he grabbed Justin's arm, pulling him to face the older man.

"Justin, what was that back there?" Liam asked, his face, worried. "He's lying, and they are believing him," Justin says, eyes filled with tears.

"And everyone's believing it, even you," Justin says, his brown eyes, meeting Liam's blue ones. "No, Justin. I don't believe him." Liam confirms.

"Liam places a hand on Justin's cheek, wiping away the stray tears. "I will never believe him because I know you're telling the truth," Liam says softly.

Justin nods, hugging Liam, leaning his head in Liam's neck. "We will get through this, no matter how bad it gets," Liam says smiling at the warmth.

Justin nods, stepping back from the hug. "I just….. he's lying to my face, and he knows he's doing it too," Justin says, looking at the ground.

Liam shrugs, knowing Justin was right. "Ok, well. Your sister knows what happened." Liam says,  looking through the blurred glass on the door.

Angelica was talking, her hands moving as she tried to explain. "And besides, even if they don't take her word, Jamey is a good candidate," Liam says, looking back at Justin.

He smiles, as Liam places his hand on Justin's cheek. "Stop crying, it's making me sad," Liam says as Justin sniffles.

Justin wipes his eyes, sniffing one more time before nodding. "Ok, thanks Liam," Justin says, smiling at the man. Liam, rolls his eyes, groaning.

"What did I say about you saying thank you to me?" Liam scolds sounding like a teacher.

"You sound like my ninth-grade teacher," Justin says giggling. Liam smiles wider, now that Justin is smiling.

"Well then, you have detention for a week!" Liam says, pointing to the meeting room. "Detention is this way?" Justin asks skeptically.

"Yep, come one," Liam says, holding the nob of the door. He turns back to Justin, seriousness taking over his face.

"But, seriously, are you ok now?" Liam asks as Justin nods. "Yeah, thanks to you." Justin smiles.

Liam glares at Justin, before opening the door, all eyes go to Liam as he sits in his seat, Justin following closely behind.

He sits between Angelica and Liam, him grabbing onto Liam's hand, holding it in his lap.

Everyone was silent, looking at Justin to find any evidence of breaking or crying. Jamey jumps off Angelica's lap, walking over to Justin, sitting on his lap.

Jamey turns to look at Justin, asking; "Papa, are you ok?" Justin slowly smiles at Jamey, nodding his head.

"Yeah, I'm ok. I and Liam just had to talk." Justin says as Jamey looks over at Liam.

"Thanks for making Papa, happy again," Jamey says innocently. Everyone, including Liam, looked at Jamey shocked.

Liam just smiled at him, messing up his hair a little bit. Eric cleared his throat, letting the attention go back to him.

"Ok, um, Mrs. Parker, you can keep going," Eric says as Angelica nods her head.

"Of course, Justin tells me everything, he told me how much he loved Eugene when they first got married. Told me he was pregnant first, and he told me how Eugene started getting a new job."

Angelica sighs as she wipes her eyes. "But he also told me how Eugene became aggressive. How he was knocked out multiple times a week."

Justin looks down, holding Liam's hand tighter. Liam squeezed Justin's hand, in three beats. And Justin looked up at Liam and smiled.

Angelica looks at Eugene, before looking at Liam. "But, when Liam Wilson came into my son's life, he was just happier. He was smiling all day."

Angelica, looked at Eugene, not glaring, but sadly. "Justin would have told me if he accidentally kissed someone he would feel guilty. So I can tell you, he didn't cheat on you."

Eugene rolled his eyes, not believing a word Angelica was saying. Angelica smiled at Justin, and Justin smiled back.

"Ok, so we've been through Mrs. Parker, Mr. Miller, Mr. Wilson, you can go next." A lawyer with brown hair said, pointing to Liam.

Liam points to himself before sighing. "Ok, so a couple of years ago, I was working at this nice restaurant. And when I was their worker they seemed to be in love." Liam says, looking at Justin.

"Then, a couple of years ago, I saw Justin at the market, and I didn't look like myself with the whole, skin cancer sucks," Liam says shrugging.

"But when he was checking out, I saw that he had like, bruises on his neck, and I didn't know what to do, so I invited him to a bar."

Liam looks at Eric, and Eric gestures for him to keep going.

"And we have been friends ever since. He invited me to come with Jamey and we went to jump world."

He looks at Jamey and Jamey smiles, looking at Liam. Liam grabbed him, holding him in his lap.

"Then after he promised me that if something bad happened with Eugene he'd call me and I can protect him, and gave me the key to the back door."

Liam says, holding out his keys and showing the house key, Liam gave him. Eugene and his lawyers looked at the key, looking between his and Liam's key.

"And after Jamey got hurt by Eugene, he called me using Justin's phone, and told me to come, and that they're arguing and fighting," Liam says, placing his key in the pocket.

"When I got there, Eugene was choking Justin, on the wall, and his face was purple, so I told Jamey to go outside and call the police with my phone."

"Then I grabbed a bat and hit him in the back," Liam says, winking at Eugene, who was glaring at Liam.

The lawyers were writing notes down, looking up at Liam and Justin every couple of seconds.