Sorry I took much longer than usual to update. Thank you for all the reviews it makes my day to see how you react to the fic. Thanks to: Dark Kaneanite, extremeshan81, caspersmom, iNdy MiLk, Hatter-Zombie.ate. your.brains, and 68 stones from a broken heart. Love to all the readers out there!
Chapter 14
Matt's stomach tightened into knots. He could never remember a time in his life when he had been so angry. Jilly had called waking him early that morning. It was the morning after she had come over the night before and they had fought and he had ordered her off his property. She was coming this morning to get Morgan and there was nothing Matt could do about it, yet. Matt sighed and ran a hand through his dark curls and walked grudgingly up the stairs. He glanced back over his shoulder at the stockings that hung on the mantel and he ran his hand over the silver garland that Morgan had draped over the stair railings. Could the woman be any colder? It was fucking Christmas after all…Matt pushed open the door to Morgan's room and found it empty but for a suitcase sitting at the foot of the bed. He could hear crying and sniffling from within the room and the door to the closet was slightly ajar. Matt started to go to the closet but stopped. His heart sank with sadness when he saw the Christmas list Morgan had taped to the door. At the top it read in sloppy red and green letters: Morgan's Cristmis List. Matt smiled at the misspelling of the holiday. However, it was a smile that was tinged mostly with sadness because this morning when he woke up, Morgan had drawn a big X through the list of gifts he wanted. At the bottom of the list were two words written in big capital letters. Those letters now told anyone who caught a glimpse of the list the one single thing Morgan wanted for Christmas: My Dad. Matt sniffed as tears welled in his eyes. He pulled his gaze away from the list and walked over to the closet and opened the door. He knelt down and crawled into the back of the closet where Morgan was sitting shadowed in the dark. His tears glistened on his face and he rubbed at them hastily as his Dad peered at him. Matt pulled his knees to his chest mirroring his son.
"Hey Morg." Matt whispered trying to keep his voice from wavering. He had to be the strong father for his son. He just didn't know what to say or how to say it. "I love you."
"I don't wanna go with her!" Morgan half sobbed half screamed.
"I know. I don't want you to go but you have to."
"Why?"
"It's…hard to explain. She's your Mom so she has a right to see you. I can't stop her from taking you for now. A little bit later your mother and I will have to go to this person, a judge, and the judge will tell us when we get to see each other."
"I heard you and Blaze talking last night when I was s'pose to be asleep…that judge person isn't going to like you because of you and Blaze."
"Don't worry about that Morgan." Matt pulled the little boy close to him in a hug and kissed the top of his fiery hair. "Just be good for your Mom and the grown ups will get things straightened out, okay?"
Morgan nodded and wrapped his arms around his father's neck. He crawled out of the closet and waited for Matt to follow.
Matt carried his son's suitcase down stairs and he sat next to Blaze. Morgan perched himself on the coffee table and they all sat just staring at the door waiting for the dreaded moment that the woman—beast—who was Morgan's mother would come through the door.
"I can't believe the bitch!" Kody cried to Jeff who nodded his head in total agreement. "The nerve!" Kody's lips drew together in a tight line and her eyes narrowed in anger at that woman. Kody had not been a big fan of Morgan when he had first arrived in all of his mischievous glory, but he had begun to grow on her. Not only that, but she loved Matt and Blaze and she could only imagine what this would be doing to Matt. Her mother instincts were in over drive as she imagined how she would feel if her children were just being pulled out from under her nose. As if to verify to herself or prove to someone else that her babies were still with her, she laid a hand on Harley's shoulder and kissed the top of Shawna's blond hair. The baby sat in Jeff's lap banging her blocks together happily. Harley sat next to Kody engrossed in a hand held video game. He didn't even flinch or look up when his mom rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Daddy, blocks!" The little girl laughed and banged her red block onto Jeff's chest repeatedly.
"This is going to be bad…Matt's really going to get thrown under the bus." Jeff said, his own features tightening with anger. "It's not fair, my brother's a good dad, being gay has nothing to do with it!"
"Daaaddy!" Shawna pinched her father's chest.
"Ow! Shawna don't pinch people there." Jeff rubbed his chest and play pouted at her. Pinching and winking were Shawna's newest habits. She demonstrated both of them by winking her brown eyes at her Daddy and then pinching his leg. "Shawna, no baby."
"Yes." Shawna stated simply and pinched some more.
"I feel so horrible…" Kody sank back onto the couch and her brows drew together at the bridge of her nose in sadness for two guys she truly loved as dear friends and even brothers. "I think I'm going to make some food and take it over there later. I think I'll make a pie too."
"Pie fixes everything darling." Jeff smiled up at her as she rose from the couch. He pinched her backside and she turned and glared at him playfully. Jeff threw up his hands as though pleading his innocence.
"It was her!" Jeff pointed to his daughter who widened her eyes in surprise.
"That's right Jeff, blame it on the baby."
"Daddy pinch!" Shawna yelled and she reached for her Dad's nose and pinched it shut. She shrieked with laughter when he talked to her in an exaggerated nasally voice. She released her hold on his nose and his voice again went to normal. She quickly pinched it again and Jeff returned to his silly voice and she giggled at him.
"Great." Kody laughed as she pulled a mixing bowl down from the cabinet. "Another fun habit for Shawna to pick up."
She mixed the pie dough and then rolled it flat and pushed it into a pie pan. She felt bad that all she could do was make food for them. What the hell was that supposed to do? I'm sorry your son was just taken away by your witch of a girlfriend, here have pie! She sat the crust aside and pulled apples from the crisper and washed them and then began to peel the colorful skins away.
"Can I help Mom?" Harley pulled up a chair and stood on it so he was leaning over the counter.
"I'm peeling honey, you can't use a knife." Kody cast a sideways glance to the sink. "There are a few dishes in there you can do to help Mommy."
Harley got down from the chair and scooted it over to the sink. It screeched against the tile floor and everyone in the house grimaced. Soon Jeff and Shawna had wandered over, tired of the 'pinch Daddy's nose' game. Jeff took dishes from the drainer and dried them and put them up. Shawna tugged on Kody's pants.
"Apple."
Kody sliced a couple of pieces and handed them to Shawna who fed them to Eddie. The little dog gobbled up the sliced fruit and then sat wagging his tail at Kody, waiting for more.
"Apple!" Shawna tugged again. Kody gave her a couple more pieces.
"Mom…she's feeding Eddie." Harley said looking down and watching as Shawna poked one of the slices at the dog. Eddie took it from her fingers, nearly taking a finger or two in the process. Shawna shrieked and smacked the mutts' nose.
"No!" The little girl yelled and the poor dog sulked off with a whimper.
"Big H, why don't you take Shawna and put in a movie for you guys to watch. You remember how?"
Harley nodded and followed his Mom's instructions. Kody sighed heavily as she continued cutting the apples into slices.
"Kody, we can't do anything more. All we can do is be supportive…well…we could make a voodoo doll and cast hexes on her." Jeff contemplated and an evil smirk crossed his face as he imagined poking the red haired Jilly look-a-like doll with long pins and doing other nasty things to it. "That could be fun."
"I'm making him a pie Jeff…how is a pie even helpful?"
"It's showing you care. Besides, it's pie. It's automatically helpful." Jeff got out another knife to help Kody slice the apples but he immediately nicked his finger and frowned down at it as a dot of blood welled up. Kody couldn't help but grin over at him. He was too helpless. Her thoughts were however pulled back to the more daunting issue which was confronting the family.
"Can you imagine what's going to happen once this gets out? The press, the public, opinions, letters, blogs, just all the stuff that's going to accompany this…they won't let this be a private affair. This kind of thing is still a big deal and especially in the South where ideals are generally more conservative. On top of the issue its self which is enough on its own, is Matt's status of being in the public eye." Kody shook her head. "I mean he's not like a big Hollywood face but still…"
"Let's just get through the holidays first. Matt is a strong person, he's a lot stronger than I am that's for sure. We just have to help Matt through one thing at a time and just be there for him and be supportive."
Kody finished her apples and Jeff's and dumped them into the pie crust with a few added seasonings and some butter. She put the top on the pie and began to press the edges together but then stopped.
"Hey Shawna, come help Mommy for a minute." Kody called into the other room. Shawna ran into the kitchen with her bare feet pounding against the tile. She cocked her head up at her Mom and clapped her hands.
"Help!"
Kody picked up the little girl and sat her on the counter top next to the pie.
"See the edges Shawna? Mommy wants you to pinch them together like this." Kody demonstrated pushing the edge of the pie dough.
"Pinch!" Shawna giggled and copied her mother's actions. "Pinch…pinch…pinch!"
Kody watched her daughter enjoy such a minimal task. Children took such joy and pleasure in the simplest things. Kody leaned into Jeff feeling tears suddenly spring into her eyes. She could never imagine losing a child. She only hoped Matt did not have to experience such a thing, and that Jilly would lose.
A knock on the door. Matt did not want to answer it. He wanted to shut off the lights and close the curtains and pretend that no one was home. He knew that was not going to happen however. His feet seemed cemented to the floor and unable to move forth as the impatient knock clamored again. Blaze reached over and laid a hand on Matt's knee and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The blond man got up and ambled slowly to the door, not wanting to let the woman in. Blaze opened the door to find not only Jilly but two police officers, one flanking each side. His fair brows furrowed in annoyance.
"You didn't need to that you know." He snapped. "Matt's not the one who causes the problems." His blue orbs burned into the woman standing before him. She crossed her arms and smiled with fake pleasantry.
"I just wanted to make sure."
Blaze grumbled as he moved aside to let her and her body guards in. Morgan's eyes widened when he saw the police. Matt rose from the couch and cast his eyes downward. He didn't want to lose it in front of Morgan but it was a tough struggle. He swallowed the lump of emotion that was rising in his throat and battled with the tears. When he felt he could look up without crying in front of everyone he did. He took his son's hand in one of his and picked up Morgan's suitcase with the other. Morgan tried to wiggle free.
"Come on Morgan." Jilly said. Her ruse smile faltered into false tears as she acted like this was some huge touching moment for her. Matt chewed his lip as his emotions were now swirling somewhere between sadness and anger.
Morgan looked up at his mom and was enraged at her. The rage boiled for a quick moment but it was overtaken by the sorrow he felt at having to leave his father. He didn't know when he would see him again, if ever, and the truth was he now realized that he loved his Dad more than he ever loved his Mom, and his Dad returned that love in a way Jilly never could or wanted to. He wiped at his pink nose which was sore from too much rubbing. His green eyes began to swim in tears again and he rubbed at them too, and like his nose they were raw and puffy and painful. He felt his Dad's hands on his shoulders and his Dad turned him around.
Matt knelt and turned the red haired boy towards him. Morgan looked up into his Dad's warm brown eyes and the little boy's lip quivered uncontrollably with his pain at the parting.
"I love you Morgan, and we will see each other again so…please don't cry." Matt swallowed again and willed his voice to stay still. "Be good for your Mom. I'll see you in a few days at Christmas, okay?"
Morgan nodded and threw himself against his father's chest in a hug.
"Come on Morgan." Jilly tugged at the back of the boy's shirt. Matt gave him one last squeeze and the two broke away reluctantly. Jilly stooped to grab Morgan's suitcase and then she took his hand in hers and led him out of the house and perhaps out of Matt's life for good. Just as easily as she had inserted the boy into his life, she had now taken him away. Blaze and Matt followed her out onto the porch to watch as she buckled Morgan into his seat belt. The officers gave some parting comments and climbed back into their car and pulled out of the drive.
Morgan pressed his small hands and his face against the window. The cold glass felt good against his face which was hot with running tears. He closed his eyes for a moment and sobbed against the window. He had heard the word 'heartbroken' before but he didn't really understand what it meant until now. He really felt like he was crushed inside. He opened his eyes and watched the blurry form of his father disappear as Jilly took him away from his home.
Matt felt the tears slip down his face as his son pressed his own face against the glass. The sight of his features so scrunched with grief was too much. Matt felt his knees wobble and threaten to give way. He stayed on his feet waving at his son until the van disappeared down the road. After that he collapsed onto the porch steps. Blaze sat down next to his lover and stroked his dark hair. It pained Blaze to see his family in such a state, it hurt him to see the devastation this woman was causing to his family and his lover. He wanted nothing more than to set her in her place, but with things edging towards a custody battle all parties had to be on best behavior. Both men knew this was far from an end of the situation. A long battle loomed ahead.
Please review! I feel like I'm being really depressing…but the whole situation is…luckily Shawna is a cutie. She's the little ray of sunshine! I could just see Jeff slicing his finger tool. Little Shawna doesn't know how lucky she is to get to pinch Jeffro, I wouldn't mind pinching him. Lol, well please let me know what you think of this chap and I will try to update more. For some reason Shan muse has been acting up and wanting me to write about him, but this fic is not about him. I'm seeing a Shan fic in the near future, probably after this one ends…well that's unless you guys are getting sick of these people, then I might take a break and just focus on my other fics I have going on right now. I don't know yet, maybe let me know your thoughts on this stuff. (but probably Shan muse will whine until he gets his way and I'll write it anyway, lol.)