Michael got up a little earlier than normal as his body protested sleeping on the futon rather than the queen-sized bed that it was used to.  He stretched and stood up, hoping to get some of the kinks out of his back.  He wanted a shower and realized that he did not have anything but a toilet and sink in the shop.  He didn't want to go to his mom's as she would ask too many questions.  He thought he would just go back to his house and shower before opening the shop.  Ben probably had a change of heart and they'd patch things up.

Driving to his house, he thought about the new shipment of comics that would be coming in today and where he would place them in the shop.  He pulled into the driveway and saw that Ben's car was still there. 

He pulled out his key and started to open the door, but his key did not work.  He turned it around and it still didn't work.  Pulling out his phone, he called Ben's cell.

"What do you want, Michael?"

"I'm trying to get into the house, but my key doesn't work. Can you let me in?  I see you haven't left for work."

"Michael, I told you that this is no longer your house.  I have boxed up your things and they are in the garage.  I will get them for you, but as I said yesterday, this is not your home anymore."

"But where am I supposed to go?"

"Michael, I don't have an answer for you, but it is not my problem. I told you we were done and I meant it."

"But this is my home.  You can't do this."

"I can do this.  Your name is not on the mortgage as you had bad credit.  I suggest you take your things and move on.  I'll open the garage and you can take your boxes.  They should all fit in your car."  Ben hung up and shook his head. 

Michael walked to the garage and waited for the door to open. Ben pointed to the small pile of boxes in the corner and Michael went to them.

"What about all my action figures?  And my clothes?  And what about..."

"It's all there, Michael.  I boxed up everything that was yours. Including that hideous Captain Astro poster.  The stuff in the corner wouldn't fit in boxes so you need to get that too."

"But...."

"There are no buts, Michael.  Get your stuff and leave.  My lawyer will be contacting you about the divorce.  As for J.R., Mel will probably be talking to you about that."

"J.R. is my daughter.  You can't have her," Michael said indignantly.  He crossed his arms and frowned deeply.

"Michael, she is not a possession.  She is a child and I have every legal right to have her with me.  I suggest if you want to be involved in her life, you talk to her mothers."

Michael realized that he wasn't going to get anywhere with Ben so he quickly loaded his boxes and the small pile of items in the corner and put them in his car. 

Backing out of the driveway, he drove toward town.  He wanted a shower but he didn't want to face Debbie this morning.  It was Monday and she always worked on Mondays so he decided to go to her home and shower.  He'd think about things later.

He unlocked the front door, calling out to ensure that no one was home and when there was no response to his call, he sighed in relief. Going upstairs to the hall bathroom, he quickly undressed and showered.  When he got out of the shower, he realized that he did not have any clean clothing and cursed Ben again for kicking him out.  He put back on the clothes he wore yesterday and went to the shop.  It was early, but at least he was comfortable there.

When he got to the store, he called Brian again, hoping for a different response to his request for temporary lodging. Brian turned him down as did Ted and Emmett.  He had nowhere to go but to Debbie's and he didn't relish that choice. 

He logged on to his computer and went to his bank account and saw that he only had $1500.00 in it.  After this morning, he knew Ben wasn't going to give him any money and he was truly on his own.  He'd bought $700 worth of action figures and comics for the store this weekend and while that bill wouldn't come due for a month or more, he knew that he didn't have enough in savings to rent a place.  He was going to have to talk to Debbie.  He was 45 years old and now returning to his mother's house to live. His life had been so great a few days ago and now because of Ben, it was falling apart. 

He knew Debbie was busy at the diner so he opened the shop, pretending to the world that nothing was amiss.  At 2:00, he put the closed sign on his door, determining that he had about an hour and a half before the school kids started trickling into the shop.  The diner was usually pretty empty at this time and he thought it would be a good time to talk to Debbie.

Making his way to the diner, he tried to think of a good way to ask Debbie and tell her about him and Ben, but could not figure out a way to spin the information.

Debbie looked up when the bell rang and frowned a little when she saw Michael walk in.  Anytime her son came in the diner at an odd hour meant there were problems and she did not want to deal with any problems at the moment.

"What happened now?" She asked before he could even sit down in the back booth.  She walked toward the back booth, looking around at the few patrons in the diner. 

"Geez Ma, can't I come into the diner to get something to eat without you thinking something is wrong?"

"Sure you can, Michael, but it is 2:00 in the afternoon and I know you have a business to run.  So I ask again, what happened?"  She popped her gum as she watched him sit in the very back booth, far away from anyone.

Michael sighed with frustration and defeat.  "Ben kicked me out.  He wants a divorce.  And he is going to be taking care of J.R."  Michael played with the salt and pepper shaker on the table, avoiding Debbie's eyes.

"What do you mean he is going to be taking care of J.R.?"

"Mel and Linds are busy with their careers and they evidently asked Ben to help out.  Mel is making some kind of legal papers to take care of it."  Michael said, hurt that his mother chose to comment on J.R. rather than the end of his marriage.

"I see.  So they are now childless.  Gus is living with his dads and J.R. is living with Ben," Debbie said.  She looked at Michael as she spoke and didn't see any concern for the fact that his daughter was living with his soon to be ex-husband.  "What about you?"

"What about me? Aren't you curious as to why Ben wants a divorce?  He practically kicked me out of my home,"  Michael said as he scowled at the lack of concern from his mom. 

"I'm not going to get involved in your and Ben's marital problems.  I like Ben and if he is raising my granddaughter I don't want to piss him off.  I want to be a part of J.R.'s life and if I piss him off, he may not let me."  She wiped down the table where the salt had spilled as a result of Michael's actions.

"It's all about J.R.  That is what everybody thinks.  Ben says that he and I have different goals and he doesn't want to fight me about J.R.  Now all of a sudden, he's the father of the year,"  Michael said as he crossed his arms and frowned.

"Do you want to be a full-time parent to J.R.?" Debbie asks.  She picked up the salt shaker and wiped it down, placing it back on the table. 

"I'm her dad,"  Michael said.  He picked up a menu realizing that he hadn't eaten all day and was actually hungry.

"I didn't ask if you were her father.  I asked if you want to be involved in raising her," Debbie said as she wiped down the pepper shaker and checked the ketchup bottle to see if it needed refiling.

"That's what her mothers are for.  I really don't get why Ben is even involved and I don't have time to be a full-time father.  I have a store to run."  He looks at the menu again and said, "Can I have a burger with fries and a coke."

Debbie yelled to the cook, "One burger, medium well, and fries.  You said Ben kicked you out, where are you living?"

Michael put back the menu and looked at Debbie.  "I was hoping you would let me stay in my old room for a bit until I find a place.  I slept on the futon in my back office last night, but there is no shower there and...  well no washer, dryer, or tv."

"You can stay for one month, but then you have to leave.  I'm not running a boarding house.  Michael, you are 45 years old and shouldn't be living with your mom.  And no tricks.  Carl and I need our sleep."

"Geez Ma," Michael started to add more, but Debbie gave him her patented stare and he stayed quiet.

"I'll bring my stuff over after I close tonight.  Can you make that burger to go?  I have to get back to the store."

"Sure.  I'll see you tonight.  Remember Michael, one month and I will kick you out too."

"Okay.  I'll start looking for places tonight."

***********

"Where is Daddy Michael?"

Shit!. Fuck!  Ben thought, but didn't say aloud.  He rarely cursed and even though this was a perfectly acceptable time to do so, he refrained.  He was already pushing J.R. with rules and guidelines.  How in the hell was he going to tell her that her father didn't want to be her parent?  What kind of monster, well not exactly monster, but what kind of father didn't want to commit to his kid?  How was he going to spare her hurt feelings and question her desirability when her own father did not want to be her parent?

"He's at his store," Ben said, hoping that pretending to not understand her true question, she would not delve into his answer.

"I know he's at his store right now, it's the afternoon and that is one of his busiest times.  I want to know how come he wasn't around this weekend and why he didn't come with you to Uncle Brian and Uncle Justin's house."  J.R. looked out the window and watched the unfamiliar landscape. 

"It's complicated, sweetheart."

"Well tell me anyway.  If I'm going to be staying with you most of the time, I want to understand complicated," J.R. said, the authority in her 8-year-old voice easily heard.

"I want you to understand that Daddy Michael cares for you a lot."

"Of course, he does.  He's my Dad," J.R. answered, brooking no words.

Ben decided that this was not a discussion that he should have while he was driving.  He saw a small strip mall to his left and pulled in.

"This isn't the grocery and it doesn't look like there is any place here that I can buy stuff for my room. Why are we stopping?"

Ben pulled to the back of the lot and turned off the car. Turning to look at J.R. head on, he reached out his hands to hold hers.

"Daddy Michael and I have different goals and have decided that we shouldn't be together anymore."

"Why?  I mean people have different goals all the time."

Ben recognized that he was not going to get out of this discussion easily.  J.R. was smart, like her mother.  At least the girls had done something right, he thought.

"We are getting a divorce.  Daddy Michael and I are not going to be living together anymore."

"But if Daddy Michael is my father, how are you going to take care of me if you aren't living with him?"

"You ask the tough questions.  You must be your mother's daughter,"  Ben said.

"Daddy Ben, you are not making any sense."  J.R. frowned and crossed her arms, just like her father would do.

Ben took a deep breath and decided that an eight-year-old girl who had been emotionally neglected for awhile deserved the truth.

"J.R., Daddy Michael likes his Comic Shop and going to his Comic conventions.  He loves collecting his action figures and his old comics.  While I like to teach.  I love to go to museums and lectures about a variety of topics.  I love seeing the eyes of my students when they understand a new topic.  I love sharing my knowledge.  But we want to do different things in life and none of those really overlap.  When two people have very different lives, then its best that they not be together anymore."

"But Daddy Michael has always liked those things and you have always taught.  What is different now?"

"In the beginning, we liked learning about each other's world's but eventually Daddy Michael realized he is not comfortable in my world. While I love his knowledge of comics and his ability to share that enthusiasm, it's not enough to keep us married to each other."

"Okay.  But doesn't he want to be with me?"

"Daddy Michael cares for you a lot, but he has never wanted to be a full-time father.  He always saw his role in your life as someone who you knew about but he didn't want parenting responsibilities.  He likes being with you, but he is not interested in the day to day activities that parents need to attend."

"So, I'm a burden to him?"  J.R. was trying really hard to keep back the tears that were threatening to fall.  She wiped at her eye and looked at Ben for reassurance.

"No sweetie. You are not a burden.  Not everyone wants to be a full-time parent and those people should not have children.  Daddy Michael never intended to raise you or be very involved in your life.  Your moms are very busy with their careers and realize that they don't have the time to participate in your life and provide the guidance you need and deserve.  I am eager to provide you with those things and I want to be more involved in your life.  I'm so excited about being your Dad all the time, not just on an occasional visit."

"But what if you change your mind?  I mean my moms thought they wanted me and Gus and now neither of us are living with them.  You just said that people change."

"J.R.  You know that I have HIV?"

"Yeah, sure.  We've talked about it.  I know I'm not supposed to do certain things so I won't get sick."

"HIV is passed through semen and I could not risk having a child of my own.  I have always loved spending time with you at family dinners and when you called the other night, I was there in a short time.  I have always wanted children, but never thought I could have one of my own due to my illness.  To me, this is a dream come true.  I'm not going to change my mind.  In fact, I'm having your mom put together some legal papers guaranteeing that I will always be in your life."

"Really?  You'd do that for me?"

"Of course.  I want to be in your life for as long as you want me.  Now realize that I am your parent and with that comes rules and responsibilities.  You never had to do any chores when you visited, but now you will have chores and we will have rules.  Just because you have come to live with me, doesn't mean that you get to do whatever you want."

"So you asked my moms to put together legal papers so you could always be a part of my life?"

"Yes."

"You love me," she said, beaming at the realization that someone in her life was choosing to be with her.  She reached out across the seat to give Ben a huge hug and kissed his cheek.

"I do love you and I want us to be a great family."

"Okay.  Will I still see Daddy Michael?"

"Of course.  Just because Daddy Michael doesn't want to be a full-time parent, doesn't mean he doesn't want to be with you.  I'm sure you will see all the family."

"I'm hungry, Daddy Ben.  Can we get a snack and then do our shopping?"

"Of course," Ben said, realizing that if he could get through this tough conversation, he could do anything.

***************************

Michael moved his belongings into Debbie's home and Mel delivered the legal papers as promised.  The lives of the family had been altered.

The end-  There will be an epilogue posted in a few days.