BRIAN

This week has been non stop, when Grampy likes something he’s full speed ahead. Unlike the rest of the world, who have to get bids to start a project, Grampy just calls the guys who do the work on all of his projects. I was standing in the middle of the building that had seen better days and there was Grampy with a hardhat and plans for the entire building. Sean and I followed behind him as he told Hugh what he envisioned for the center. I kept thinking about the school and decided to mention it before this went too far.

“Grampy, we need to consider having a way for the kids to get an education.” I tell him.

“What were you thinking, because most of these kids aren’t going to be able to deal with public school.” Grampy tells me.

“When Ted and I went to see the school Hunter is going to attend, I thought the same thing. It’s just, an alternative school would offer the kids a chance if they wanted to finish and possibly look into college.” I tell him.

“Why didn’t you call me so I could come?” He asks me.

“I wanted a chance for Hunter to see the school without you deciding to buy a mansion for it.” I tell him smirking.

“This is the school Justin helped with right?” He asks me.

“That’s what Ms. Martinez told us.” I tell him.

“I was planning on seeing what they needed, I promised Justin not to do anything, but you know, a few computers and a couple gift cards don’t really count.” He tells me winking.

“It’s just, counseling will help, but giving them a future would do more.” I tell him.

“What were you thinking?” He asks me.

“The top floor could be separated into classrooms and we hire on teachers who don’t need to volunteer their time because we pay for it. I was just thinking we should maybe relook at it.” I tell him.

Grampy, Sean, and I walk up to the top floor, with the plans. The whole way, Hugh was being told the offices could be put in the building he purchased next to Kinnetik, and we change the top to classrooms. At that point it was just Hugh and his assistant redoing the plans while we looked around the rooms that most likely were being used by the homeless during winter. I went to open one door and heard a noise, when I looked in the room seemed empty, but there was a wad of dirty blankets and a couple garbage bags sitting in the corner. It was when I heard the whispered be quiet that I realized what those blankets were for. I walked to the closet and opened it to find a young girl and boy sitting in there.

“We were only staying until we found someplace else.” The girl told me and the boy started hyperventilating. 

I watched as the girl helped get the young boy to breathe and knew I needed Justin to come, because it sounded raspy and wet when the boy started coughing.

“He’s been sick for a few days so we came in here so he was out of the weather.” She tells me in a small voice.

“I’m Brian…” Hoping they’ll at least tell me their names.

“We’ll go.” She tells me, trying to pass me with the little boy.

“How about you stay and let me get someone to check him out for you? I promise not to try to stop you if you don’t feel comfortable.” I tell her standing back.

“Kayla… I need…” He starts wheezing.

I didn’t care anymore if they were staying until Justin could get here. I called him and he told me that he could be here in ten minutes. Grampy came in and blocked the door without them realizing it.

“You like this room, I’ll let you stay if you’ll wait for my grandson to get here.” He tells them.

“We don’t want to cause more trouble.” Kayla tells us.

“You're not, we’re just worried about ..., sorry you never told us your names.” Grampy tells them.

“Kayla and Joseph, but we don’t need anyone trying to separate us anymore.” She tells us.

“Why are people trying to separate you, you seem to be trying to take care of Joseph?” I ask her, hoping to stall long enough for Justin to get here.

“Our parents died and we were put in care, which is really just being told that we had to go to separate homes.” She tells me.

“BRIAN.” Justin yells as he’s running up the stairs.

I walk out of the room because Joseph seemed to get worse when he heard the yelling. 

“Hey, sorry, you forgot to tell me which floor.” He tells me.

“They’re scared.” I tell him.

“I deal with scared a lot.” He tells me walking in the room. 

“Meet my grandson Justin, he’s a hoity toity doctor.” Grampy said happily.

“Hi, so I heard someone here was sick, since I happen to like dealing with sick people, I thought I’d stop by.” Justin tells them smiling, but I could see he was worried when Joseph had a coughing fit.

“We don’t have his inhaler anymore.” She tells Justin.

“I’ll have a friend bring one, but how about you let me look at…” He looks to me.

“Joseph and she’s Kayla. He’s been having trouble breathing.” I tell him.

“That happens when the weather gets wet and cold, but I think we need take Joseph to the hospital Kayla, because he’s really too hot.” Justin tells her and I see the fear in her eyes.

“They’ll make us go back.” She tells Grampy.

“No one is going to make you do anything, well Justin will, but only because he wants to help.” Grampy tells her.

“How long have you two been out here by yourselves?” Justin asks her.

“A couple of weeks, but it’s just we got caught in the rain.” She tells him.

When Justin went to pick up the kid who seemed too skinny, Kayla tried to stop him but Justin somehow got her to let him and then held out his hand for her to come with him. She stared at the hand but since Justin didn’t try to make her take it she put her hand in it.

“How old are you Joseph?” He asks.

“I’m nine and three quarters.” He whispers. 

“Wow, so I’ll get to see you turn ten.” Justin tells him walking with the kids out.

“How about you Kayla?” Justin asks her.

“Thirteen, but everyone says I act older.” She tell him.

Grampy and I followed behind Justin, who kept them talking all the way to the car that Sean pulled to the front, and it was as if Sean knew not to ask where to go, because the car headed straight for the hospital. Justin let Kayla stay in the room with Joseph while they were checking him out and when they had to admit him because he had pneumonia, he got Kayla a bed and both of them a meal. Then did the one thing I knew he hated doing, called Child Services.

I stayed with the kids while Justin sat outside the room explaining the situation. 

“They’re going to make me leave him again.” She tells me.

“Justin and I will try to get them to let you stay, but if they don’t, we’ll try to make sure you can see each other.” I tell her. I wanted to promise but I didn’t know if I could give her that.

“Brian, I need to talk to you.” Justin tells me.

Justin and I walked to an office and he shuts the door.

“Elizabeth said Kayla showed up at Joseph’s school and they took off. They’d been placed in two different homes. I guess to some foster parents, nine and thirteen is too big of an age difference.” He tells me.

“What is she planning on doing?” I ask.

“Kayla is now considered a problem child and will be placed with a family who deals with behavior issues.” He tells me, practically seething.

“So because she wanted to be with her brother, she has issues?” I cannot believe wanting to be with your brother is an issue.

“Elizabeth is only saying how they handle runaways.” He tell me.

“What other way is there?” I ask him.

“If there was an approved family that will take them, understanding that Kayla is labeled a problem child, they could stay together. Right now she doesn’t have anyone that is willing.” He tells me biting his nail.

“What do you want to do?” I ask, because I think I know.

“I want to take them home, but Brian, we’re trying to get used to being married, and children mean a lot of our time.” He tells me.

“We make time for Gus.” I tell him.

“Do you feel like we would be able to make time for two more and Gus, because as much as I want to help them, Gus is just as important.” He tells me.

“I think my son has a big heart, and it’s a shame not to let him share it.” I tell him.

“I think my husband has a big heart.” Justin tells me walking into my arms.

“What do we have to do?” I ask, because I know he already found out.

“We have to get approved to be emergency foster parents. Then it’s paperwork.” He tells me groaning.

“You don’t think it’s going to be a problem that we’re gay?” I ask him.

“No, because for once, I’m going to use Grampy to get my way.” He tells me.

“You're about to make an old man happy, he’s been waiting for you to do something selfish.” I tell him, kissing him for constantly proving how unselfish he is.  

We were lucky, because Joseph was going to be in for a while and Grampy pulled enough strings to keep Kayla with us. I put Ted and Cynthia in charge at Kinnetik while we dealt with everything it takes to foster a child, I even made sure to get the information we would need if this became permanent.

Justin was in with Joseph, so I took Kayla with me to the cafeteria because I knew she needed more than the sandwich they gave her. Grampy was going to get Gus. While we waited I called Mel to see if she could help if we ran into roadblocks, she showed up twenty minutes later with Jenny.

“So Mikey still hasn’t managed a day?” I ask, because he was supposed to be with Jenny right now.

“He tried to convince Deb to come home, since Ben packed his bags and moved into an apartment at the school. By the way WASP on the warpath.” She tells me.

“I wasn’t going to have her parents up my ass because of Justin’s family.” I tell her. 

“Right now they are having a family meeting with Sam. I’m sure that’s going to thrill them.” She tells me.

“He’s not a woman, and that’s really what they want.” I tell her.

“So what’s going on with…” She looks at Kayla who was eyeing every move Mel made with Jenny.

“They were hiding out together. No family to take them both.” I tell her.

“You and Justin are thinking about it?” She asks.

“What’s to think about? They need us and I think in a way we could be happy having them.” I tell her.

“We need to talk to Gus about this.” She tells me.

“We will, but I think Gus understands that nothing changes how we feel about him.” I tell her.

“Whose Gus?” Kayla asks me.

“He’s my son.” I tell her.

“So you already have a kid.” She tells me acting disinterested.

“I do, but it’s not like I couldn’t have more.” I tell her.

“He might not like having other kids around, it happens in most of the homes I’ve been in.” She tells us.

“Gus was raised in an alternative family and understands that parents can be shared.” Mel tells her.

“I thought that Justin was your husband, did you two get divorced?” She asks.

I rolled my eyes when Mel handed me Jenny and put her head down, laughing her head off.

“Is she okay?” Kayla whispered.

“I’m fine…” Off she goes into hysterical land.

“Mel and I being married would be the end of the world as you know it.” I tell her.