Back safe and sound from their New York trip, the gang was having breakfast at the diner and asked the bus boy for water. Whatdoyaknow? It’s Justin. It seems Brian made him get a job to pay off the credit card bill from his escapades in New York. He’s got a lot to learn. I would’ve returned the water! He stuck his fingers in the tops of the glasses to pick them up and bring them over to the table and also gave Brian the finger when he summoned him over to the table by calling him, “Boy?!”

Michael was trying to look on the bright side of his break up with David, but in reality was lamenting it – and turning 30. It is a milestone but he wanted it to go by unnoticed. The gang at the Big Q gave him a little surprise party in the back room but he came home himming and hawing about it and changed his mind about going out with Ted and Emmett to celebrate. Ted got fed up with him and spilled the beans… Brain planned a surprise party for him… one he would never forget.

Debbie had a heart to heart with Brian about his interference with Michael and David’s relationship. Brian told Deb that Mikey just wasn’t having any fun. And she aptly pointed out that he’s had enough fun – they’ve all had enough and its time to grow up. She knew from the day Michael first met Brian he was gonna be trouble and he didn’t disappoint her one day since. She demanded that Brian owes Michael something; he owes him at chance and having a relationship and a life that doesn’t revolve around him. So Brian decided he will do something – he’ll through Michael a birthday party. Debbie was bewildered at the response but didn’t pursue it, the wise woman that she is.

The party was sure full of surprises. Brian invited David to the party but continued his pissing contest with him. David bought Michael an exquisite and expensive watch that was engraved, which Michael was extremely pleased with, that is until Brian unveiled his present. Just as he was admiring the watch Brian distracted him and there appeared Captain Astro bearing the very first edition of the comic of same name, a very expensive and rare find, which blew Michael’s mind and any interest in David or the watch.

Personally, I preferred Emmett’s gift which was an Easy Cake Oven. How right was he when he asked Ted, “Didn’t every gay boy want an Easy Cake Oven for his birthday?” YES! And I never got one. But who cares about the oven, I wanted the entire kitchen, stove, sink, and fucking refrigerator. I remember JC Penney had a whole kitchen play set that I was longing for but alas never got. Ted’s gift on the other hand must be listed as the definition of tasteless tackiness. And to think in a future episode, he will have the nerve to call the African fertility god statue Michael bought for them to jointly give Lindz and Mel a piece of shit. Didn’t see this episode? You may be wondering just what sort of gift Ted bought! Let’s play a visualization game, boys and girls. Close your eyes and imagine Mikey in a pair of tightie whities. Now make them red satin. Now imagine an elephant head plastered to his crotch and instead of a comfy pouch to show off his package there’s a long wavy elephant trunk just big enough to… well you get the picture!

Anyway, I would’ve thought Ted could do better than that, after all he did go shopping with Mel, but their choice of store was um, savory to say the least. While shopping, Mel confided in him that things aren’t going all that well for her and Lindsay. Seems Lindz is not interested these days and is growing distant. Ted didn’t want to hear because he said once you start telling your friends your relationship problems, that’s the end of the relationship. At the party Mel let really lose and got a bit too drunk. Debbie, told them they need to enjoy these years while the baby is young because before you can blink, he will be 30.

A few days earlier Ted ran into an old one night stand at the drug store and panicked as he heard him discussing HIV medication with the pharmacist. They didn’t use a condom! As we move through the story more and the characters evolve, we are learning that Ted is less and less the one who seemingly had all his shit together. You never ever let anybody fuck you without a condom, as Brian will also soon tell Justin. Emmett went along with him to the clinic for an HIV test and took one for moral support but he had little concern over it because he was totally distracted by the cutie that took his blood instead. Ted’s test came back fairly quick and he was negative, but they wanted Emmett to come back to the clinic. He panicked that he was positive and it weighed heavily on him all through the party. He took an opportunity to talk to Vic about it. Vic told him that IT doesn’t mean what it used to. It’s not an automatic death sentence and if you did make a mistake, then admit it, accept it and move on. It is the only way to get through it. Em decided to make a pact with God that if He would let him be negative, then he would never touch another man for as long as he lived. So as fate would have it, Emmett did turn out to be negative. The only problem was his check bounced and they wouldn’t give him the results until he paid in cash. But what to do now? The hottie from the clinic asked Em out to celebrate, but because of his pact with God, he had to turn the hot guy down.

As the party was in full swing, the surprise guest showed up. One can easily imagine Michael’s shock and panic when he spots Tracey across the crowded loft. He quickly tries to convince her that he doesn’t know all of these people, for fear his cover will be blown and that everyone at work will found out he’s gay. But it is to no avail as Brian swoops in and forces an introduction. He introduces Tracey to David, Michael’s boyfriend. Tracey was equally shocked and bewildered and looked to Michael for clarity. He finally came clean and said that David had been his boyfriend. With that, David punched Brian in the face and Michael ran out after Tracey. She feels betrayed and used, and rightly so. But you can’t fault Michael for doing what he needed to to protect himself and secure financial security for his family.

Michael and David left the party together and went back to Dr. Dave’s. It finally hit Michael that his future is not clubbing with the boys and following Brian around, but that it is settling down with David and so he finally accepted David’s offer to move in and join their lives together. David was happy but he didn’t want to be the consolation prize now that Brian had betrayed Michael. Michael reassured David that he was in fact first prize. The next morning Debbie showed up at Brian’s loft. While everyone was mystified why Brian would do such a cruel thing to his best friend, she realized it was exactly what Michael needed to force him to move forward with his life, separate from Brian. It hurt Brian just as much to do it, but he did it for Michael’s own good. If he wouldn’t have “pushed him off a cliff” as Debbie called it, he would have followed Brian around forever, not following his own path… wherever that may lead.