20 Weeks

As Michael and Melanie were shopping for Christmas presents for Jenny Rebecca, Melanie thought about her current life compared to those of her childhood expectations.  At eight, she didn't know she was gay, having little sexual awareness at all.   She wasn't a Tom boy, playing sports and climbing trees, rather she and her friends watched super hero cartoons and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  She didn't play princesses or dress-up, but she does remember a time where she and her friends would frequently play wedding and each take turns being the bride and then the groom.  She always liked being the groom since she didn't like dresses. She envisioned growing up, getting married and staying home like her mother did. She loved her father, but thinking back on her childhood, the feeling would better be described as idolization.  She and her father rarely did things together and she didn't remember many one-on-one conversations.  When he did spend time with her, it was to talk about current events and an occasional afternoon at the movies.  He seemed to have the glamorous life, going into the city, meeting people and experiencing life while her mother cooked, cleaned and took her and her sister to various after school activities.    

JR enjoyed reading and gymnastics. She didn't compete but she took lessons twice a week and was fairly good.  Having two short parents, her body was ideal for the sport.  She had four involved parents and an over-the-top grandmother; all who doted on her. They spent time as a family and had one on one time with each of her parents enjoying their unique interests. She often went to museums and cultural events with Lindsay and attended social justice rallies and helped out at the Gay and Lesbian Center with her.  Michael often took her to his comic shop, spending endless hours talking comics and watching science fiction movies and tv shows.  Ben was teaching her card games and they had begun playing chess occasionally. Mel hoped that the influence from each of JR's parents would help her become a well-rounded adult.  When asked what she wanted to do when she grew up, JR would tell the person she would like to be a painter and a lawyer and a writer.  It always made Melanie smile.

As they passed the infant aisle in Toys R Us, Michael frowned.

"I still can't believe that Brian and Justin are going to have a baby.  Justin must have gotten him really wasted for Brian to agree to become a full time father."

"I don't know about that.  Brian told you and Lindsay they were having a child months before Cynthia was even pregnant.  There would have been plenty of time for him to change his mind."  Melanie continued to push their cart toward the board games.   Picking up a game of Monopoly, she pondered if she wanted to introduce her daughter to the realities of takeovers and conglomerates at her young age.

Looking at Melanie, he made a small frown.  "I never really liked that game. Every time Brian and I would play, he would always end up with all the property and I would have to pay him huge amounts of money since he always built hotels," Michael said as he remembered the board filled with red hotel buildings on most of the properties.  He was always happy that you couldn't build hotels on railroad properties.   "I liked Life better.  Come to think of it, Brian always hated getting stuck with the kids.  Whenever he would land on a section where he had to get a kid, he always made some remark about never having kids and how they were not ever going to a part of his life."   

"Guess some things change, but others stay the same.  He still has loads of money and buys very extravagant things. The man has more clothes than I do and he loves to shop.  And now he's going to have a second child."  Melanie put back the Monopoly box and picked up Life instead, reading the summary on the box as if she had never played the classic game. 

"Yeah.  Can you imagine him changing a diaper on that fancy couch he has? He practically inspects my clothes for any dirt before I sit on it."   Michael took the game of Life from Melanie and placed it in the cart.  Melanie nodded her head in agreement and then pushed the cart toward the building block aisle. 

"I'm sure he changed more than a few diapers when Gus was little.  He did watch him overnight a few times and his furniture was just as extravagant then as it is now."

"But he didn't have to do it every day.  I just can't see it.  I still think Justin is the one who will do the parenting."  Picking up a Castle Lego set, he looked at the kit with a twinkle in his eyes. 

"I think you're wrong.  Brian Kinney doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do.  I wonder how Gus will react to the new baby.   There is always some jealousy when a new child comes around and this one is going to live with Brian,"   Melanie picked up the castle Lego set and smiling approvingly.  Gender neutral.  At least Michael wasn't trying to stereotype their daughter.

He took his role as father seriously; spending at least one evening a week and every other weekend with his daughter.  It was the perfect set up; he was a part of her life but didn't raise her directly.  Melanie had not expected him to be so involved but when he fought for custody and became adoptive father of Hunter, she realized that he took this opportunity seriously.  At first she wasn't happy about a third partner in raising her child, but she relented as she knew that legally he had as much right to spend time with Jenny as Lindsay did.  She sometimes cringed when she remembered that time in their shared history.  Thankfully it appeared to be working out well.  Jenny had a father in her life; even if he was a gay man and didn't exemplify the typical male machismo.  Ben, her father's husband, on the other hand was as machismo as any straight male and his participation in her life provided the strong male influence that society expected. 

"I hadn't thought about Gus.  Gus just sees Brian on occasion. Why would the baby affect him?" 

"Gus sees Brian all the time.   He's there practically every weekend and Brian goes to every soccer game and most school events.  The only time he doesn't come is when he has a business dinner.  I think it will be hard to keep up that level of interaction with a new baby.  With a new baby, you barely get any sleep and they take a lot of time.  You look at the clock and boom it is three hours later than the last time you looked and you wonder where the time has gone."  Melanie rolled her eyes at Michael's naiveté.  She remembered the sleep deprivation that comes with a new baby and wondered how Brian and Justin would react.  

"I didn't know that Brian saw Gus that often. No wonder, he's not at Woody's like he used to be."

Melanie frowned a little at Michael's response, seeing again how self-centered he really was.  All he worried about was how the baby would impact him, specifically his ability to continue spending time with Brian.  She was still surprised that Michael had not accepted the current version of Brian Kinney-  compliments of Justin Taylor's presence.   Brian had changed, even she could see that.  He was happy and part of a family, albeit an unusual family with no blood relations, but still a family.  As a result of her friendship with Ted, she knew he still hit Babylon and the clubs and he and Justin were known to be a bit wild occasionally, but they weren't the same people from a decade ago.

"With his money, he'll probably just hire a nanny."

Melanie chose not to respond, having heard Michael's undisguised feelings about Brian's money on many occasions.   Brian was more than generous with his money, especially when it came to Gus.  She sometimes wondered if Michael were jealous of his money, but guessed that it was more that he was jealous of Justin and his influence on Brian.  She thought Michael believed that Justin was with Brian for his money.  She knew this wasn't the case, but trying to convince Michael of this information was like talking to Jenny when she wanted to stay up to see the latest Star Trek episode. Neither one wanted to budge.

Melanie placed a few additional toys in the basket.  There was a card game, a new backpack and soccer shin guards  that Gus had asked for. Melanie and Lindsay didn't divide the purchases by whose biological child it was, but each did shop with their respective fathers for special presents.  She and Michael shopped at Toys R Us while Brian and Lindsay most likely hit FAO Schwartz.  She didn't allow that financial discrepancy to bother her as Brian often bought Jenny presents when he shopped for Gus. 

"It really isn't our business.  I'm sure they will figure it out.  Every parent does."

They paid for their purchases and Michael took Jenny's presents home so he could hide them.   When he got home, Ben was sitting at the kitchen table working on the term papers his student's had turned in.   Michael leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.  Placing the package on the counter, he started his latest tirade and show of indignation.

"Did you know that Brian goes to every soccer game of Gus' and he spends most weekends with him?   And did you know that he still gives the girls money for him?  And did you know that he goes to his school events.  No wonder he rarely goes to Babylon; he's too busy supporting them.  I'm sure that is how Justin got him to have a baby.  I can just see the conversation.  ‘You are such a great dad for Gus.  I know having our own child would be so great.  Come on Brian-  let's have a baby.'  It just makes me so mad to see the influence Justin has on my best friend."

Ben looked up from his grading and took a deep breath.  He really hated when his husband showed this ugly side.   Standing up he gave Michael and soft hug and kissed him lightly on the cheek and pointed to the chair opposite him.  Michael sat down heavily and Ben returned to his seat.  Moving the papers out of the way, he took another deep breath before starting. 

"Michael.  Gus is his son.  Of course, he attends soccer games and school events and gives the girls money for his needs."  Ben thought he would start with acknowledging the obvious before he attempted to explain why it didn't matter.

"But he's not his father. The girls are raising him."  He stood up and walked to the fridge grabbing a Coke.  Popping the top he took several drinks and returned to the table.

"You're not raising JR but you still spend a lot of time with her."

"That's different.  I didn't sign my rights away.  I always wanted to be a dad.  He did Linds a favor.   I remember.  I was there.  He never wanted to have anything to do with the baby."

"Things change, Michael.  I think it's great that Brian spends a lot of time with Gus.  Have you ever watched the two of them together?  Brian is not faking his interest in Gus' life."   Ben took a drink from his water bottle that sat on the table.  "As for Justin and Brian's decision to have a child, it really is not for us to second guess how they decided or to pass judgement on their decision.   They are as much a family as you, me and Hunter.   If they want to enlarge that family, I think that's great.  I would love to have a child with you, but we talked about that and decided now is not the time to do it.  Brian and Justin have the same right to make that decision."

"But, Ben.  As Brian's best friend..."

"No, Michael.  You don't get a say in this.  In fact, unless Brian specifically asks for your opinion, you don't get a say in his life period.  You don't ask Brian about things that impact our lives-  should we have a child or should we move to a bigger house?  Why should you demand Brian seek your opinion on things that do not affect your life."

"But it does affect my life.  If he has another kid, he'll have less time to hang out."

Ben reached out to hold his husband's hand and squeezed it hard.  He gently smiled at him and spoke softly.   "Michael.  You guys are not 17 anymore.  You both are married and have separate lives. You have jobs, mortgages and lives that do not always include each other.   Sorry, hon, but this time I disagree.  Brian has every right to have a child and spend whatever time he feels like he wants to with Gus.  I just wish more parents were as interested in their children as Brian is with Gus." 

Ben pulled the papers toward him again and started reading the small stack.  Luckily he only had three left to grade.  He knew his husband was disappointed in his lack of support, but he knew he could not condone Michael's attempt at controlling Brian's actions.  Unfortunately, he also knew that Michael would not be satisfied with just one round of this conversation.  He determined he had about an hour before Michael would greet him again with the same information presented just a little differently.  Michael would try to convince him that he'd made a mistake and he was correct; Brian was making a mistake and had to be stopped.  The piece that Michael seemed to forget was that the baby would be there in less than 5 months and he really couldn't stop it. 

TBC