Blake, who had remained quiet, finally spoke. “It's not ideal, but it's not a disaster either. If James is happier staying with you and Michael, then we'll support that. The most important thing is what's best for him.”
I blinked at him, surprised yet grateful. “You're okay with this?”
Danny laughed, a sound devoid of any real humor. “I don’t think anyone isokaywith any part of what James is going through. It’s a fucked up situation that shouldn’t be happening at all. But he’s also not the only kid out there who needs a family to love them unconditionally.”
“Danny’s right.” Blake slipped his hand into his husband’s. “Did James needing a place light a fire under our asses to get the license expedited? Yep. But we didn’t do it because he checked all the boxes on some messed up checklist. If he’ll be happier with you guys, let him stay with you. We’ll be the cool uncles before having to be the buzzkill parents. You can teach us everything not to do.”
I let out a sigh of relief, grateful for their understanding. We all knew there was a rocky road ahead of us, but at least we were facing it together. “Thanks, guys.”
As we went back to cleaning, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could make this work. For James. For us. And in that moment, it was enough.
I peered through the window to see James and Theo getting out of Michael's car. They were followed by Michael, who had a serious look on his face as he helped them with the luggage and grocery bags.
As they approached the house, James looked noticeably nervous. His eyes flicked to the house, to me standing by the window, then back to Michael, who gave him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. The poor kid hadn’t even seen my house, and now we needed to pretend like he’d been living here for the sake of a caseworker who knew nothing more about his case than the complaint they’d been given.
“We've got company,” I announced, taking a deep breath as I turned back to Danny and Blake. Their smiles faded, replaced by expressions of concern. It was clear they were about to face the hard part of the afternoon: assuring James he had a say in his life.
When they entered the house, I could see the surprise on James's face as he took in the sight of his potential new roommates deep cleaning the living room.
“What's going on?” he asked, his voice wavering.
I gestured to Danny and Blake. “Hey, James. We're just sprucing the place up a bit. Can we talk?”
James glanced at Michael, who gave him a small nod. The kid sighed, running a hand through his hair in a gesture so eerily similar to my own that I couldn't help but smile. “Sure,” he finally said. “Let's talk.”
Michael and I hunkered down in the living room while Danny and Blake led James to the kitchen. As soon as they were out of sight, Michael said, “I saw your mom at the grocery store and told her a little about what's happening. She offered to take Henry out to help with the animals.”
When the dust settled from this, I was going to give my mom the biggest hug ever. She always knew what we needed and managed to be in the right place at the right time. I hadn't wanted Henry exposed to this drama but hadn't felt like it was my place to see if he could be spared.
Meanwhile, I could hear the soft murmur of voices from the kitchen. I couldn't make out the words, but the serious tone made my stomach churn with anxiety.
After a few minutes, I saw Danny and Blake come back into the living room, their faces unreadable. James, however, looked more relaxed than he had when he first walked in.
“Danny and Blake… they said it's okay if I want to stay here,” he confessed to me and Michael, his eyes flicking nervously between us. “They said wherever I want to live, they'll be okay with it. They also said they’re way cooler than the two of you could ever be, but I think they’re wrong about that.”
I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding, relief washing over me. “We meant it when we said we all want what's best for you,” I said, trying to sound casual. “You've got enough going on without having to worry about that, too.”
James nodded, looking relieved. “Thanks, guys.”
As soon as James had disappeared into his room to start unpacking, the atmosphere in the room noticeably shifted. There was a tense silence as we all looked at each other, the gravity of what we'd just agreed to sinking in.
Michael was the first to break the silence. “Thanks, guys.” He closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths. “I mean it. I know this isn’t what you wanted to happen, but—”
Danny raised a hand, cutting him off. “You don't need to thank us. We're family, okay? And family looks out for each other. And sometimes, that means admitting what we want isn’t what needs to happen.”
“But, it's not just that…” Michael looked at Danny, a worried frown creasing his brow. “I don't want you to think that James choosing to stay with us is some sort of reflection on you and Blake. I know you've been excited about becoming foster parents and…”
“Danny is okay, Michael,” Blake interjected, putting an arm around his husband's waist. “We're both okay. James choosing you guys doesn't make us any less of a family.”
Danny turned to Michael, his eyes warm and sincere. “This is about what's best for James, right? It's not a popularity contest or a reflection of how good we would be as parents. It's about him feeling safe and loved. If he feels that way with you and Billy, then we're all for it.”
Michael nodded, looking relieved. “I just— I don't want any awkwardness between us. We've only just started getting along and…”
“Hey,” Danny reached out, clapping Michael on the shoulder. “No awkwardness, alright? This is about James. Not us. And we're good. Really. It’s not like I think you started some sort of campaign to make him choose you instead of us.”
The reassurances seemed to do the trick, and Michael's face visibly softened as the tension drained away. His shoulders relaxed, and his eyes brightened. “Alright,” he said. “Thanks. Again.”
With the air cleared and an understanding reached, we all took a moment to regroup. We were all in this together, and I knew that no matter what, we had each other's backs.
