“My plan is to hire a service to pack up everything in Wyatt’s room and have it shipped to you,” Mike explained. “I’ll also have Mike and Becky’s personal effects sent to me and Ellen so we can go through that stuff when we’re ready. I’ll make arrangements to donate furniture and clothing to a couple of organizations that Mike and Becky supported here, and then I’ll get a crew in to clean and stage the house so that it can go on the market.”
“It sounds like a lot of work, Uncle Mike. Are you sure we can’t stay and help you with everything?”
“I think I can get most everything arranged within a few days. I’ll have the lawyer’s office here be the contact point so that I can fly home as soon as everything is arranged. I appreciate your offer but knowing that my grandson is being cared for is the most important thing right now.” Mike’s voice broke as he spoke.
“Don’t worry, Jon and I will take very good care of him.”
Jon returned, saying, “Sam’s gonna see what she can do and call me back.”
“I don’t know about you guys,” Mike said, “but I’m beat. I’m gonna go call home and see how Ellen is doing, then I’m gonna hit the sack.” He leaned over and kissed Wyatt on the forehead.
“Good night, Uncle Mike,” Kyle replied.
“Good night, boys. Thanks again for being here with me.”
Chapter 9
Jon
“Do you really think Mike will be okay?” Jon asked. They were seated in the first class lounge at LAX, waiting for their nonstop flight back to DC.
“I think so. He’s always had this inner strength. I know Dad will check up on him, and I’ll call him tomorrow too.” Kyle paused a moment.
“What?” Jon quickly picked up on his boyfriend’s mood.
“I’m almost more worried about Wyatt.”
Upon hearing his name, Wyatt, who was sitting on Jon’s knee, looked up at Kyle and smiled.
Kyle whispered, “Is it me, or does it seem like he hasn’t really noticed that Mike and Becky aren’t around?” A few random times, Wyatt had said “Ma” or “Da,” but one of them had given him a hug and distracted him somehow, and within a few minutes, all had been well.
“I think part of it is that we were all with him not that long ago. God, was it really just a few months ago that we were alltogether on the cruise?” Jon was astonished. “Anyway, I think Wyatt got used to being around us, and so a lot of this seems kinda normal to him.”
“You’re probably right.” Kyle sighed. “I wonder what’s gonna happen when he finally realizes they’re not coming back.”
“Hey, babe.” Jon reached for Kyle’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “We’ll get through this. Whatever it takes.”
“Thanks, sweetheart. I don’t think I could do this without you.”
A few moments later, their flight was called, and they gathered their belongings and schlepped to the gate for boarding. Wyatt fussed a bit when the plane first took off, but he finally settled down and slept for a good part of the trip.
Jon looked across the aisle at Kyle. He looked worried, as if the weight of the world sat on his shoulders.
“I can see the wheels turning,” he said to Kyle. “What’s got you all in a twist now?”
“I just feel so unprepared for all of this,” Kyle replied. “You and Uncle Mike seemed to know exactly what to do. Last night after we ate, you took Wyatt and got him washed up, changed his diaper, and got him ready for bed. I wouldn’t have known where to start.” Kyle sounded forlorn, and it shook Jon to his core.
“Relax, will you?” Jon told him. “Your uncle Mike has been through this before. He raised your cousin Mike, right? And he’s taken care of Wyatt too. I had the pleasure of helping care for Bernie’s kids, so it all sort of came back to me. I will teach you everything you need to know once we’re home and settled. Until then, I’ll just swoop in and do what needs to be done. Like I said before, we’re in this together, right?”
Kyle nodded and closed his eyes. “Thank you,” he murmured as he drifted off to sleep.
Jon’s own brain started working. He thought back to Christmas, when he had asked for permission to marry Kyle. It would soon be Valentine’s Day.Yeah, that could work.
Wyatt cried when they landed.Jon was sure it had to do with the changing pressure affecting Wyatt’s ears, so he tried to distract him by making funny faces, and eventually, Wyatt started to giggle, forgetting all about the discomfort.
They’d had to check a couple of pieces of luggage on this flight, and while they waited in baggage claim, Kyle’s phone buzzed.
“It’s Neil,” he told Jon. “He’s waiting for us in the cell phone lot. I’ll text him back once we get our stuff.”
