Day 1: First Time Meeting Each Other
Nick frantically ran to his car, slung his work things in the trunk and climbed in. He started the engine and pealed out of his office's parking lot, heading for Jamie's school.
I really hope the teacher isn't pissed at me for being late. I'll just have to explain it's been tough recently - new home in a new place, new job for me and new school for Jamie, all in a fortnight.
He hurriedly parked and ran into the school, which looked deserted. He knew Jamie was at home with the childminder as usual right now, but he really hoped the teacher hadn't left yet.
He let out a relieved breath as he saw a light in the classroom at the end of the corridor and made his way there, knocking on the door before he went in.
"Mr Sterling? I'm so sorry, please accept my apologies, I didn't mean to be this...uh..."
The words stuck fast to Nick's tongue as Jamie's teacher looked up from his desk.
He had clearly been marking homework while he waited and his reading glasses were perched cutely on the end of his nose, his bright blond hair ruffled where he had been running his hands through it as he thought. Oh hell. He's gorgeous.
Mr Sterling smiled warmly as Nick faltered. "Mr Duval? It's nice to meet you at last. I'm Jamie's teacher, Jeff Sterling. Please have a seat."
Nick stumbled forward, glad to be able to sit right now. Stop staring!
Nick was grateful when Mr Sterling, no Jeff, continued. "I would have still been here grading papers any way. So, Jamie hasn't been here long, but I can already say he has joined in the class comfortably, he's found a good friend in one of the girls, Sasha, and he's already joined my glee club."
Nick smiled brightly at that. "That's great! I used to be in my school's acapella group, so I'm glad you have a glee club here."
Jeff nodded. "Great! We'll have to have you in as a guest one week then. It must run in the family."
Nick always hated what he had to explain next.
"Uh, well, you see, I'm not Jamie's biological father. We used to be neighbours when I grew up, he was a baby when I was a young teenager, but we just clicked as he grew up and he always saw me as some sort of older brother, I guess.
His family got split up when he was fourteen because the parents were always drunk or high and fought a lot. I, uh, offered to foster him initially once I heard about it, but my family weren't supportive. You see, I'm gay and I'm pretty sure Jamie is too." He searched Jeff's eyes, relieved to see no hate there.
"I didn't want him to end up in an endless cycle of foster homes where they might try to straighten him out, or give him back, or worse."
He took a breath before continuing. "That was a year ago. So, when my new job offer came up, Jamie and I moved here to start afresh. The paperwork for full adoption is nearly complete."
Jeff was silent, mouth agape. Nick was just beginning to wonder if he was homophobic after all, when he finally spoke.
"Wow. You are one amazing man, Mr Duval. You've definitely come to the right school, though. You see I'm gay too, so no bullying goes on here under my watch. There'll be no repeat of what I had to suffer daily when I came here."
The two men locked eyes with an understanding smile.
Okay, so who can blame each of them for thinking; he's gay!