Title: Taking Care of Justin

Chapter 1

Brian's POV
I just said bye to my dad 15 minutes ago and I was now sitting on the couch. I just finished moving into my new apartment. I finished high school and graduated just 2 months ago and I told my parents that after I finish and graduate high school, I would be getting my own apartment. They helped look for an apartment 4 months before I graduated. They didn't want me to move out of their house, but they knew that they couldn't stop me from doing what I want to do. So they told me they support me. After we searched everyday for a month, we found the perfect apartment. Well, it's not really an apartment; it's more of a small house. So I guess it's more of a house then an apartment.

Anyway, my parents and I found this house and it was perfect. It was a month later I could move in, but I didn't move in until after graduating. Then I spent the last two months setting up and moving in. I really like the place. It's in a nice neighborhood and it's close to my parents.

Now, I'm sitting on the couch, resting, after just finishing moving everything in and there's a knock on the door. I get up and when I open the door there's no one there. I look down and I see a cardboard box. It's a really, really small cardboard box. What is in the cardboard box is so surprising. There's a baby. A baby! But there's not only a baby there's a note on top of the baby and next to the box is a diaper bag.

I pick up the diaper bag and the card board box and bring them both inside with me. I close the door and set the diaper bag next to door. I walk over to the couch and I set the card board box on the coffee table, in front of the couch, and pick up the baby. As I hold the baby in my arms, I read the note. This is what it says:

Whoever is reading this,

My name is Jen Taylor. I just had a baby boy a week ago, (October 15th) but I know I'm not fit to be a mother. I didn't want to go through the process of putting him in an orphanage and I hear those places can be awful. This neighborhood looks safe. I figured this would be better. I hope you take good care of my child. I will miss him terribly but I can't take care of him and I can't go through the process of adoption. As I already said, I had a baby boy. I named him Justin. You can keep that name or change it. In the diaper bag is two weeks worth of formula and diapers. There's also some clothes in there as well. I wish you the best.

I can't believe what I just read. At least she admits and realizes she can't be a mother. I'm only 18 but as I look down at this beautiful baby, I can't give him up. I feel like I have to take care of him. So I will. I hold him as I stand up and go over to the diaper bag. I bring the diaper bag over to the couch and sit back down. I look through it and see formula, bottles, bibs, clothes, diapers, wipes, and pacifier's. I set the diaper bag on the floor and I sit back on the couch and relax, holding the baby boy. Holding Justin.

I guess I have fallen asleep because I wake up to a baby crying. I get flashbacks of what happened. I'm still holding Justin, but he's the one that's crying.

I go into the diaper and pull out a pacifier and give it to him. I figure he's probably hungry and wants to “eat” so I know I have to make him a bottle. I remember going over to my mom's friend's house when she had her baby and watching her make a bottle. So I make a bottle as I remember mom's friend making it, and give it to Justin.

After I feed him, I burp him. I get up, and call the two people I need right now.

They get here within five minutes. As soon as I open the door, I hand them the note as I walk over to the couch and sit down. They follow me and sit down next to me. After they're done reading the note, they look at me. “Oh my god!” They say at the same time.

“I know.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I'm going to raise him.”

“By yourself?”

“Yes, I am mom. I know I just graduated, only 18 and gonna go to college soon but I know I can do it.”

“We will always support you no matter what,” my dad said.

“Thanks mom, thanks dad. Do you have any of my old baby stuff?”

“Yes. It's in the attic.”

“I would love to go over now, but I don't have a car seat.”

“I could go get it while you two talk if you want,” my mom suggests.

“I'm fine with that,” I tell them.

“I'll stay.”

My mom comes back 10 minutes later. After getting the car seat into my car, we all go to my parents my house. I carry the car seat in with me so I wouldn't disturb Justin. I set the car seat down, next to the couch. Since the attic is in the hallway and the hallway starts at the living room, I know Justin would be okay and I would hear him if he started crying. So my mom opened the attic “door” and pulled down the ladder. We all go up there and I turn on the light. My mom points to where my baby stuff and I go over to it. I open the first bin and there's clothes in there. The next bin also has clothes in it. The third bin has toys and stuffed animals, fourth bin has a dissembled swing. The fifth bin is bigger and it's a dissembled crib. I go through the rest of the bins and there's more clothes, toys, stuffed animals and then there's shoes and stuff from day care, pre-school, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and so on.

“You can have all this if you want,” my mom tells me. “This way you save money and you have everything already. It's all in very good condition.”

“Thank you so much.”

“It's no problem. Just helping out my own baby boy.” I hug my mom and dad and we all take the bins downstairs. My mom sits on the couch to keep an eye on Justin while my dad and I put the bins in my car.

I hear a door close and I'm brought back to reality. I'm sitting at my desk, in my office, in the house I've lived in since I was 18. Why I thought of that, I don't know but it might have something to do with the fact it's Justin's 17th birthday today. I always think about that same thing every year, on Justin's birthday. Why, I don't know.

Anyway, I hear the door close and Justin yells, “Dad, I'm home.” Ever since Justin learned to talk, he's called me dad. I loved hearing that. I exit out of what I was working on, on the computer, and go to see Justin. I walk over to him and hug him. “How was school?” I asked him.

“Fine.” There's something wrong.

“What's wrong? Is that kid still taunting you?”

“Yeah.”

“Why does he taunt you?”

“I don't know.” There's something he's not telling me. “Dad, can I tell you something?”

“Of course you can. You can tell me anything.” We're in the kitchen by now and sitting at the table. He Hesitates.

“I'm gay.”

“I know. I've just been waiting until you told me.” Justin jumps out of his seat and hugs me. I hug him back. When he pulls back I can tell there's still something wrong. I bet it's because he thinks I forgot his birthday. Of course I didn't and I never will. “There's something I need to tell you. Wait here.” I get up and go into my bedroom. I go to the closet and on the way back, I pull out the card board box, the blanket, letter, and diaper bag. I bring it all out to the kitchen and set it all on the table. I stay standing.

“What's all this?”

“That's what I'm going to explain.” I pick up the blanket and explain, “This is the blanket you were wrapped in when you appeared on my door step.” I set down the blanket and pick up the card board box. “This is the card board box you were laying in.” I set down the card board box and pick up the diaper bag. “This was the diaper bag your first set of clothes, diapers, formula, wipes, formula, bottles, and pacifier's was in.” I pick up the letter. “And this is the letter your mom had written and set on top of you.” I hand him the letter so he can read it. After he reads it, he looks up at me. He's speechless. I can tell. “It's true. I would never ever lie about anything like this. You know I would never lie. You appeared on my door step October 22nd, 17 years ago. I was only 18 at the time and have literally just finished moving everything in this house with my dad, your grandpa.” I tell him everything and he's sitting there, absorbing the information.

It's around 4pm when we've talked everything out. He asks if he can go into my bedroom to take a nap and if I'll come with him. I tell him yes and we fall sleep. I wake up at 5, but Justin is still sleeping. I exit the bedroom and go into the kitchen to start making dinner. I'm thinking about everything that's happened today. I don't know how Justin will react when he wakes up. I don't know what he's going to do. He found out that I'm not his real dad. His mom gave him up willingly and never stayed contacted with him. He's probably upset. I would be too. What about his dad? I wish I knew more about his real parents. I'm his dad. Blood doesn't matter. It's love that makes a family.

This kid, at his school, taunts him all the time. I have gone to that school numerous times and they haven't done anything to the kid that taunts him. At least Justin has a best friend; Chris Hobbes. They have been inseparable since they first met. I had just started college and I continued to work. I had just dropped Justin off at daycare for the first time. He was a month old I believe.

Flashback

I walk into the college daycare and I see a woman standing there, holding a child. I'm guessing a year old. I go over next to her. I'm guessing she's waiting for one of the daycare workers, like me. She turns to me. “Hi, I'm Lindsey.”

“Brian. Is this your son?” I asked her.

“No, my brother.”

“He's cute. What's his name?”

“Chris. He's a year old.”

“Well this is Justin.” I hold up the car seat Justin was sleeping in.

“He's so cute. How old is he.”

“A month old.”

“Is he your son?” For some reason, I felt I could trust Lindsey, so I explained the situation to her.

“Oh my god. That's awful. Except for the part about you keeping him and taking care of him and your parents helping.”

“I know. It's bad. But he has me and my parents.”

“Lin.” I hear a little voice. I realize its Chris. Lindsey looks at him.

“Yes?”

“Baby,” Chris says, pointing to Justin.

“Yes, it's a baby.” Lindsey tells him.

“His name is Justin. You want to say hi?” I ask Chris.

“Ya.” I put the car seat on the counter we're standing next to and take Justin out, all though he's still sleeping. I come closer to Lindsey and Chris. Chris leans over and kisses Justin's forehead.

After that, I stayed in contact with Lindsey, and we would hang out a lot and Chris would “play” with Justin.

Flashback end

I go into my bedroom and wake Justin up. When he sits up, I tell him, “I'm sorry if I ruined your birthday. I promise tomorrow we will go out and spend the day doing whatever you want.”

“It's okay. Really, it's okay. I don't mind.”

“Okay. Come on, dinner's ready.” Justin and I go into the kitchen. I tell him to sit at the table and he does. As I'm putting the food on plates for us, there's a knock at the door. I see Justin look over at the door. “Don't get up.” I tell him. I go answer the door. It's my parents, Lindsey, Chris, their parents, Michael, and Debbie. (Michael's mom. I met them both a few years ago. I met Lindsey and Chris' parents a week after I met Lindsey.)

We are all seated at the table, eating dinner and I see Chris whisper something to Justin and then see Justin whisper back to Chris. They both stand up. “We have an announcement.” Chris says.

“We, Chris and I, have been dating for a month,” Justin says. Everyone smiles, hugs them, even say congratulations. I smile and walk over to both of them and hug them both. I'm happy they told me, us. I go back over to my seat, and sit down. They sit down as well.

We continue to have a good time and soon, Justin starts opening his gifts from everyone. He hates when someone fusses over him in anyway and the he hates being the center of attention. It's his birthday. He's going to deal with it.

After Justin opens his gifts, everyone starts to go home. I allow Chris to stay over (which I talked to Lindsey about). I let them sleep in the same room. I trust them. Plus, they're teenage boys. I know they're going to end up having sex sooner or later. I tell them both good night and head to my bed. As I'm watching TV, but drifting off to sleep, there's a knock on my door. “Come in.” I see it's Justin who comes in. He comes over and sits on the bed.

“Thank you. For everything.” I know what he's thanking me for. For today, for telling him about what happened when he was a baby, and for keeping him, taking care of him, letting Chris stay over, and for everything I've done for him. “No matter what, you will always be my dad. I love you.”

“I love you too. Now go get some sleep.”

“Good night daddy.” He sometimes still calls me daddy. I love that. I admit, it's cute.

“Good night.” He leaves the room and closes the door behind him. I fall asleep, with a smile on my face.

TBC