*Next day and everyone's up early to get everything sorted for school. First stop of the morning is to Hollyoaks High to see if they can fit Declan in, as Paddy is only a year 6 so he is yet to start Hollyoaks high but will be joining in the next school year. After enrolling Declan and having to buy a uniform from the school on the spot they then head to Hollyoaks primary where they enrol Paddy and buy his uniform before dropping the kids off to their classes. Both older boys are obviously nervous but Declan puffs out his chest and says he'll be fine and Paddy hugs Brendan and Ste tight and promises that he'll too be fine. Once the kids are all in school it already feels late in the day but in actual fact it's only 9.00am so the two of them head off to the bank hand in hand prepared to ask for a loan so they can buy their new house together*
"Why do you think the bank should provide you with a mortgage?"
"Well, I did have plenty of money but after investing it into a new business I do not have enough for a new house. At the time the house was big enough for us but due to unforeseen circumstances my two boys are now living with me. That's 6 of us in a 2 bedroom house."
"At the moment we're having to have the youngest two sharing our bed which is bit of a squish and the older two are sharing a room with two single beds in so we're really in need of upgrading the house as both mothers of the 4 children have left us with the children permanently" Ste adds holding Brendan's hand.
"Without meaning to pry exactly how did you two…?" the banker begins to ask.
"Well we were both in relationships before we met each other and we both had two kids each with the kids mums but about 15 months ago Amy found out I was gay and we had split custody of the kids but about 8 months ago I met Brendan and then a month or so into our relationship we moved in together as Amy left me with the kids to go to abroad with another man" Ste says
"And my boys had a falling out with their Ma, she's very against me being happy as I left her due to me being gay. My boys wanted to see me but their Ma was totally against it because of us being gay but the boys argued and my sister, their Aunt, brought them over for a few weeks for our wedding but when we were on our honeymoon their Ma rung Cheryl who was looking after the kids and told her the boys were no longer welcome at hers so now they're living with us and we only found out about this literally 2 days ago. My little flat is much too small for the 6 of us to live comfortably"
The banker thanks them for them time and dismisses them and promises to ring back with a decision later. Just in case and whilst they're in town the boys decide to have a look at houses up for sale. They find a nice house, four bedrooms and the best part is it's opposite the bakery, there is a problem though. It's up a lot of stairs to get to the house meaning moving furniture will be a bit of a pain but the house is just too good to ignore for such a trivial problem.
They go home and have an anxious 3 hour wait before the phone rings. Brendan answers and is pacing up and down biting at his nail. Ste sits with his hands together in a prayer fashion watching as Brendan paces going mhhm every so often. Brendan eventually hangs up the phone after thanking them. He looks deflated and Ste sinks slightly but then Brendan grins.
"We got it babe! We can go and see the estate agent about that house we were eyeing up earlier"
"Oh Brendan that's fantastic news!" Ste says giving Brendan a massive hug. They practically run into town to make sure that the house hasn't gone and much to their joy the house is still there and still unsold. They go in and after a lengthy discussion they agree to have a viewing of the house 10am tomorrow morning.
They collect the kids from school and ask about their day especially interested in Paddy and Declan's first day in a new school. They decide not to tell them about the new house in case it falls through and then it could take months to get everything finalised if the previous owner is in no rush to move.
Back at home and the kids are all so hungry from such a productive day that Ste makes everyone a sandwich and gives them a packet of crisps to keep them going until dinner.
"I've made 3 new friends already Da!" Paddy says happily munching his butty. The teacher is really nice too and he said he loves my accent. He wanted to know why we moved but I just said we decided we wanted to stay in UK with our Da but Ma decided to stay in Ireland but it didn't matter as you weren't together anyway then I told them about Declan and Ste and Leah and Lucas and someone said Gay but the teacher told him off and explained all about heterosexuality and homosexuality and about how it's not a choice you're born that way and all sorts of other things and now Billy doesn't say anything about you and Ste being gay."
"Well that's good I'm glad the teacher sorted it from the very start. I'm not having my boys being bullied because I love another man. There's nothing wrong with that. Love is love no matter who you fall in love with ok?"
"Got it Da, me and Deccy don't care anyway because you're happy, ain't that right Deccy?"
"Yeah."
"How was you're day then Decs?"
"It was alright, everyone's dead friendly and I played footy with the lads at playtime, gutted I had maths on the first day though. English was alright we've got a project coming up soon, actually we've got another project in art too but it sounds really good. We have to do different styles of writing on a chosen subject and in art we have to do a project with different styles of drawing and then a big piece on one of the 7 deadly sins, sounds cool eh dead? Luckily everyone's just started this topic so I'm not behind at all."
"What did you choose to do for your projects then?"
"Well for English we have to do a few letters, a diary entry and a story so I thought I'd do them on Johnny Cash, you know lots about him Da so I know you can help if I get stuck"
"That's ma boy" Brendan says ruffling his hair "Course I can help"
"and for the art project I haven't decided for definite as we're having to do an interpretive piece on each sin before we start but for the one I might choose lust."
"So long as it's not too lusty. I don't want you using that as an excuse to draw hundreds of boobs in your art book you here me mister?" Brendan says winding him up.
"I won't Da I promise but I will have to have some nudity. Is that ok?"
"Course it is I was only winding you up boy."
"Thanks Da I knew you'd understand"
Ste's sitting with Leah on his lap listening to her read and helping her do her spellings before helping Lucas with his reading and writing of his name.
"You're doing so well Lucas are you practising?"
"Yeah, Paddy taught me"
"That explains why you didn't need any of my help today, well keep it up you're doing so well"
"And me! I've been practising too daddy" Leah says pouting
"I know you have sweetie pie and you're doing really well with your reading and spellings, my little bookworm."
Lucas goes to Declan and asks if he can still do a drawing for him and seeing as Declan luckily didn't get any homework on his first night except for think about your projects and what you want to do he happily does Lucas a big picture just as promised. He works hard up until teatime, has his dinner, watches a bit of TV then continues and before Lucas' bedtime he manages to hand him his very own picture just how Lucas wanted it. Declan had drew a massive family holiday picture from when they all went abroad. There was Daddy Brendan teaching him to swim, everyone snorkelling (including Declan and Paddy as Lucas said it was only fair they were in the drawing as they couldn't actually be there) It was a wonderful picture and again Brendan hung it up on the drawings wall with pride.
Declan then takes the little ones to their room with the help of Paddy and Declan reads them all the gruffalo doing all these funny voices and Leah and Lucas cuddle up with Paddy and fall asleep by the end including Paddy.
"Erm Da? Paddy's fallen asleep and Leah and Lucas are piled on top of him do we wake them up or do you want me to sleep in there too and then you and Ste have the single beds for tonight?"
"If you don't mind Declan"
"Not at all. Gives you some space too"
"Yeah means we can spread out… ok we'll be hanging off the bed but at least we can move freely without waking our little munchkins."
Declan stays down a little longer and sits on the sofa watching a film with Brendan and Ste. The film finished later than they thought it would so once it's finished the 3 of them toddle off to bed yawning.