Hunter was looking forward to meeting Max. Brian calling Hunter to help made him happy that they trusted him to be able to do it. He had been surprised when Brian told him they were adopting a kid. He asked why Justin wasn’t doing the tutoring. He agreed when Brian told him that Justin didn’t want Max to feel like he was more his teacher than his father right now. Hunter was thrilled to help since he was still waiting for a permanent position as a teacher. He’d been helping out with kids at the GLC, hoping to either get them back into school or at least working towards a GED and told Brian he’d be happy to volunteer his time for their son. Brian insisted they pay him, no matter how many times Hunter told him ‘no’. Brian told him to remember his time needed to worth something and this way he didn’t have to work two jobs to support his stubborn ass. Hunter knew if he asked Ben and Michael would have helped him out, but he liked his independence.
He called Lindsay to see where Max was behind and read between the lines. The kid hadn’t had any real education before starting school. He wanted to make learning fun for Max, the way he hoped to do for his students when he got a full time job.
He had told Brian he’d be running late today and pulled up to a houseful. Looking at the house he wondered how many kids they were thinking of having when they bought it. It wasn’t outrageous, but it still had six bedrooms. When they bought it only the two of them lived there. It had Michael joking he and Ben could move in, which no one laughed at when Michael said it. He was actually surprised that Michael hadn’t mentioned the adoption, until he talked to Ben today. He could hear that once again that things weren’t happy between his dads, but Ben told him not to worry, he and Michael would work it out as usual.
He got to the back yard and saw Gus swimming with some kids but they looked too old to be the five-year-old he was looking for.
“Get something to eat first. Hopefully by then Justin and Brian will be finished talking to Emmett and Drew.” Ted told Hunter when he walked over to him and Blake.
“I was supposed to meet them too, they want me to help tutor Max.” Hunter told him.
“Jen took him in to change. I think she’s curious about what Brian and Justin were up to.” Blake told him.
“Who are the two kids swimming with Gus?” Hunter asked, since they were new as well.
“Billy and Colton. Drew and Emmett brought them, and just like Brian and Justin, they’re planning to adopt them.” Blake answered.
“What did they do, raid an orphanage?” Hunter joked.
“They were kids that were at the same house as Max. Emmett was really upset about the whole situation. After talking it over with Drew they decided having a new baby wasn’t important to them anymore. We had a little meltdown earlier when Deb announced Drew and Emmett wanted to adopt the kids, which they didn’t know about before Deb said it. But everything seems to be okay now.” Ted told him.
Hunter grabbed a plate while they all waited for the guys to come back outside. Brian and Justin came out with a small kid holding their hands and Hunter figured this must be Max. Gus confirmed it by yelling his name.
Justin brought Max over to meet Hunter while Brian went to tell the boys that Emmett and Drew wanted to talk to them. Billy and Colton got out of the pool, and used the towels Brian handed them to dry off before following him into the house.
Max sat on Justin’s lap looking at Hunter, not knowing who he was. “Pa?” He asked, staring at Hunter.
“Sorry. Hunter this is Max, Max this is Hunter. Hunter came here because he’s going to help you catch up with the rest of your class at school.” Justin told him.
“Are you friends with my Pa and Dad?” Max asked, feeling confident since Justin seemed to like Hunter.
“We are. But he’s also family like everyone else here.” Justin explained to him.
“I’m also Jenny’s big brother.” Hunter told him, since he knew Max met Jenny.
“But she’s Gus’s sister too.” Max told him.
“Like your Pa told you, we’re all family.” Hunter told him.
“Are you like Gus for me?” Max asked trying to understand.
“He is, but he has different daddies than us.” Gus told him, coming to say hi to Hunter.
“Yeah, but we don't really think it matters, family is family. So I'm sort of like an honorary big brother for you too.” Hunter told Max.
“What’s onry?” Max asked Justin, wondering why they all laughed. But Pa smiled so it was okay.
“It means I love you like I love my sister Jenny and my brother Gus. Which means you have to decide if you want two big brothers.” Hunter told him. Max decided he was going to love his Hunter too, since Gus nodded in agreement.
“Did we do something wrong?” Billy asked Brian, not sure why he was taking them in the house.
“Justin is better with this than I am.” Brian mumbled, before stopping in front of the boys. “What would you think you could be in trouble for?” Brian asked.
“It feels like your taking us to the principal's office.” Colton said when he and Billy couldn’t think of anything.
“Your partly right. We’re going to my office in the house. But Emmett and Drew are waiting, not the principal. We just thought it would be better for them to talk to you by yourselves since the changes we were working on affect the two of you and no one else. Before we go in there understand two things. Even if we all are happy to do what we planned for you two, it won’t hurt any of us if you two aren’t ready for what we want. And, it also won’t change that Emmett and Drew still want the two of you.” Brian told them.
“If we say no, it still means they want us?” Colton asks, wanting to hear it again.
“Emmett cleaned our house from top to bottom, thinking he had to convince me, when all he would have had to do was take me to see you and Billy, for me to know we wanted you.” Drew told them, coming to see where they were. “Brian and Justin offered us a way so that you boys wouldn’t have to go back to the group home. How about we go and talk so you two can decide if you want to try it.” Drew told them.
Billy and Colton nodded and went into the office, where Emmett was pacing around. Drew managed to get Emmett to sit down in the chair and the boys sat on the sofa next to him.
“I didn’t want you two to have to go back to the group home. I know you’re still not sure if you believe we want to adopt you. And seeing that Max was staying here and will be until his adoption was finalized would have looked odd to you because we can’t take you home yet. I mentioned it to Brian… Actually I was jealous and worried, and used Brian to vent my frustrations because that’s how we all use Brian. I think it’s because, for years, Brian would say something sarcastic and then he’d do what he could to help. I didn’t expect him to this time, but then like always, he did.” Emmett tells them, as Colton and Billy looked really confused at the whole explanation.
“What Emmett means is that after he talked about not wanting you to return to the group home, Brian and Justin found a way to make what Emmett wanted, happen. Brian and Justin are willing to be your foster parents until Emmett and I can adopt you. It means you’ll end up moving twice more. Once here until we can finalize everything and make you our sons, and the second time into the home that will be yours for the rest of your life, with Emmett and me. This doesn’t mean you both can’t decide we aren’t who you want as dads but it also means something else.” Drew told them, hoping one of them would ask him.
“What?” Billy asked.
“No matter what you do or where you go in life this family will always be a place you can find a home with any of us.” Drew told him.
“Is that true?” Billy asked Brian. Wanting to know if they really wanted to deal with him and Colton for Emmett and Drew.
“Once you enter our lives, we are in your lives now and always.” Brian told him.
“We have to stay here?” Colton asked Emmett.
“Brian and Justin were already waiting to adopt a child. They’d already done everything required, which made it easier for them to foster Max. Drew and I both wanted children but hadn’t really done anything about it. Something about seeing you boys… I saw how much better Drew’s and my life could be if you two were part of it. Brian and Justin are offering to give you two a place here so we can have you both as often as possible while you two can get to know the family we want to offer you. I’m likely going to drive Brian crazy being here all the time, but my boys will be here, so they’ll deal with it.” Emmett told him.
“We could help with Max, we’ll make sure we do better this time.” Billy told Brian, willing to give this a try against his better judgement.
“Max is our responsibility and the only thing we want is for you guys to be friends with him.” Brian told them.
“Gus said he wanted to be best friends.” Billy said, testing how Brian would feel about him being around the real kid.
“God help you. Because he’s like his Pa, stubborn and unmovable when he wants something.” Brian told Billy, smiling.
“So, do we stay with him?” Colton asked Billy.
“We want to stay with him.” Billy told Emmett and Drew, pointing to Brian.
Justin came in, wanting to tease Brian when he heard Billy, but Gabriel was here. “We need to get Billy and Colton changed. They’re letting us go now and pack them up.” Justin told them.
“Today?” Billy asked, thinking it would still take time.
“Of course today. When Brian wants something he moves mountains to get it, or buys a house.” Justin joked.
“I can go with them, if you want to go shopping to get things for them.” Drew told Emmett.
“We will go after we help Brian and Justin. The boys need to pick the things they like, my style isn’t for everyone.” Emmett told them.
“I like it.” Colton told him.
“He likes everything.” Billy told them, trying not to get caught up in the excitement. It was hard not to let that little spark he could feel inside him out. Maybe this was what hope felt like.