Chapter Fourteen: Beliefs
"Knock, knock." Greg announced as he walked into his father's bedroom, carrying a tray of food. "Or should I say room service?"
"More food? I'm gonna get fat." His father smirked, leaning back against the pillows behind him as Greg sat down beside him. "What is it this time?"
"Some kinda soup. Oh and more pills." Greg handed him the bottle of water first, setting the tray down on his lap as he watched his father taking the relevant pills. "Mom made you a colour coded chart?" Greg noticed. "That's cool."
"That's your mother." His father retorted. "She's stuck coloured stickers on all the pill bottles, so I know which ones to take at which time and how many of them I'm supposed to take to prepare for my op." Daniel threw back the last of his pills, washing them down with the water before he could start on his soup. He looked up at Greg's surprised expression, realising what he just said. "Shit, I just told you..."
"Yeah, so you can't lie to me now. What op?"
"I was going to tell you. Your mother thought it might upset you..."
"Dad, just tell me. What op?" Greg insisted again, feeling his heart pounding in his chest.
"Open heart surgery." Daniel looked up into Greg's glazed eyes. "I'm gonna be okay though Greg. I have a good chance at survival and the best surgical team around. They've explained the operation to me over and over again . . . I really am gonna be okay though Greg." He reached for his son's hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "Hey, you believe me don't you?"
Greg nodded slightly, feeling his breath catching in his throat as he struggled to speak. "Y-yeah . . . I believe you dad." He choked out.
"Good, now you're the first to know so don't go telling your brother or sisters until I've talked to them myself okay?"
"Okay dad." He nodded again. "But I'm staying here while you're having it done. There's no way I'm leaving now."
"Okay." He smiled softly, not wanting to argue with him. "So, what are you doing up here anyway? Shouldn't you be hanging out with Nick?"
"We're not joined at the hip, we can spend time apart dad." Greg rested his back against the pillows beside his father, watching him slowly sipping his hot soup. "He came here to be with me . . . not the other way around."
"Okay, just I don't want you two to drift apart because of me."
"I heard him tell mom that he loves me." Greg smiled round at him.
"Really? He told your mother before you? Well actually that doesn't surprise me, you're mother could get the Priest to confess his sins to her. I told her she'll be good in law enforcement, but she insisted she was better suited for child care."
"Nick's daughter AJ seems to like her." Greg handed his father a napkin as he spilled some on the cover across his lap. "What's gonna happen during your operation then?" He asked curiously. "And don't leave out any details coz I'll research it online and know you lied to me."
"You're as bad as your mother." Daniel smiled round at him. "She's always researching things online."
"It's our thirst for knowledge. So tell me." Greg pleaded with his puppy dog expression that his father couldn't resist as it looked just like his wife's.
"Well, first of all they put me under with an anaesthetic. Stick tubes into my stomach and bladder. Then there's a breathing tube, there's something else to monitor my blood pressure too. I can't remember what that's called, but there's also these electrode things they put on my chest to monitor my heart rhythm." Daniel bit his lip as he tried to think back to what all the doctors had told him about his operation coming up. "Oh then my breast bone is cut and separated, but I won't feel it." He assured him. "Then they use the vein's in my leg to graft it together or something. There's a heart and lung machine to keep the circulation to my other organs while they replace or repair the valves of my heart. There's a normal amount of bleeding which they clean up with suction . . . I'm in there for one week tops for recovery. I'll be fine Greg."
"Why a week's recovery?"
"Well when the surgery's done they close me back up. My hands will be restrained so I don't move and hurt myself, I'll be on a respirator, but apparently I won't aware because I'll be so dazed. I won't be able to talk for a while either, but I think your mother will fill the silence." He smiled round at him. "I'll slowly be taken off the respirator then they'll be a nurse or something to help me sit up and slowly stand over the next few days. Oh and apparently I'll be woken up every two hours to do some kind of breathing exercise. After I'm discharged from the hospital I'll still be doing rehabilitation, but I'll be perfectly fine."
"Papa Olaf wasn't okay."
"But I will be." Daniel wrapped his arm around his son's shoulder. "Your mother's side of the family don't exactly have a strong immune system Greggy. Remember your Nana Olaf was always getting sick."
"That's because she always sat outside in the cold at night to look at the stars. She said they were talking to her."
"Only in her last few years," Daniel smiled softly. "I'll be fine. Nothing to worry about. Now go find Nick." He insisted.
"I can stay with you a little longer."
"No go, I'm gonna get some sleep anyway." Daniel gave Greg a warm hug before he sent him away. "And don't cry for me Greg, I'm fine. You don't need to cry."
"I'm not." Greg quickly wiped his cheek. "I know you're going to be okay. You're my dad, the strongest man I know. You have to be okay." Greg wrapped his arms tightly around his father's shoulders, sniffing back his tears. "I love you dad."
"I love you too Greg."
Nick walked down the end of the garden; spotting Greg sat against a tree down the end with his head resting on his knees. Nick slowly approached him, hearing soft sniffles the closer he got. He dropped to his knees beside him, noticing the tears running down the side of his beautiful face.
Without asking any questions, Nick wrapped his arms around Greg's body, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head as he clutched him tightly.
Greg slowly lifted his head to look at Nick, revealing his puffy eyes and tear stroked cheeks. Nick gently wiped away his heartbreaking tears with his thumb, pressing delicate angel kisses to his puffy eyelids. He moved himself to sit behind Greg against the tree trunk, putting his knees either side of the younger man's body as he pulled him against his chest.
Leaning back into Nick's warm embrace, Greg sniffled back his tears as Nick's warm arms wrapped securely around his waist. "Aren't yah gonna ask me why I'm crying?" He whispered.
"Not until you're ready." Nick shook his head, resting his chin on Greg's soft head of hair as he clutched him tightly. "For now I was just gonna let you cry." He whispered, tightening his arms around him as he felt his body shaking against him. "I'm here if you need me G." He spoke softly against his ear, gently smoothing his hands up and down his chest as he softly soothed him.
"Do you ever just wish that time could stop?" Greg spoke a few minutes later, sniffling back the tears in his eyes. "That you could like live in peace, knowing that your loved ones and everybody else in the world are going to be okay?"
"All the time G."
"We'd be out of a job then." Greg inhaled a deep breath then turned his head to look up into Nick's warm welcoming eyes. "But I guess then you'd of never of met your daughter if no one ever died."
Nick nodded in agreement. "Everythin' happens for a reason Greg."
"That's what everyone says. I don't see how I'd benefit if my dad died." Greg rested his head back against Nick's chest, closing his eyes as the gentle breeze dried the tears on his face.
Nick decided not to ask for now as Greg looked completely exhausted. Gently grazing his thumb across Greg's soft cheek, he wiped away the delicate tear trickling down his face then pressed his lips to his forehead. "I love you Greg." He whispered softly.
Greg smiled softly as he relaxed in the arms of the one he loved, knowing he loved him too. He soon dozed off to sleep in Nick's warm embrace.
Nick watched him peacefully sleeping in his arms, counting each of his soft breaths. He desperately wanted to take away his pain along with anything else in the world that could upset him. He hadn't cried in a few years now, but seeing a heartbreaking tear spill from Greg's beautiful eyes made his tears bubble to the surface.
"AJ, don't jump on the sofa." Jean warned her, grabbing the phone as it started to ring. "Hello?"
"Mom, it's Connie."
"Oh hello dear." Jean quickly caught the flower vase before it crashed onto the floor as AJ ran past it waving her bunny in the air. "What's the matter? You sound very quiet."
"Oh, I was just... got a bit of a sore throat is all." She lied. "What's going on there?"
"Nothing much. AJ!" Jean covered the mouth piece of her phone, running off into the front room after her. "So what's the matter? Why are you calling me?"
"I just wanted to say that we'll be coming home..."
"We?" Jean lost AJ as she crawled under the sofa. She gave out a heavy sigh then stood guard in case she decided to come out again. "Who are you bringing with you?"
"Betty, we'll be driving over in a few days as soon as Betty's up to it."
"What's wrong with her?" Jean immediately panicked. "She's okay isn't she?"
"Yes mom, she has a bit of a surprise for you when we get there though. She doesn't want me to tell you over the phone."
"Tell me what?" Jean grabbed AJ's wrist as she tried to run, sweeping her up into her arms. "What's the matter Connie, just spit it out." Jean moved her head away as AJ fiddled with one of her earrings.
"There's nothing the matter. We'll see you in a few days mom, send dad our best. Bye." Connie quickly hung up before her mother asked her anymore questions.
Jean sighed heavily then dropped the phone onto the sofa, losing her grip on AJ in the process. "AJ!" She shouted after her but she kept on running. "AJ, would you stop running around. I'm out of breath chasing you around." She groaned as she followed her into the study.
As she walked in she couldn't see AJ, but she could see her feet underneath the desk. "Well I suppose I should just give up then. You're too good at this game for me." Jean heard AJ giggling as she slowly approached the desk. "Gotcha!" She declared as she poked her head under the desk. AJ burst into giggles as Jean swept her up into her arms. "Now we're done with all the running around, how about we go and see Grandpa Daniel?" She suggested.
Jean carefully carried AJ off upstairs, knocking on her bedroom door before she walked in. She smiled at her husband, carrying the small child over to him. "Good Lord Jean, you haven't resorted to kidnapping children you like now have you?" Daniel immediately asked her.
"No." She laughed at the statement. "This is AJ, Amaya-Jayne . . . Nick's little girl."
"Does he know you have her?"
"Yes, of course he does." She chortled at his statement. "He asked me to look after her for a while. AJ, this is Greg's father Daniel."
"Hello AJ." Daniel shook her little hand, studying her features carefully. He hadn't actually met Nick yet, but looking at AJ made him even more curious to meet him. Daniel smiled softly then looked up into his wife's eyes. "I told Greg."
"Why?" She snapped at him. "We were going to wait."
Daniel looked at her wide eyed as AJ looked between them. "It kinda slipped. He has the right to know honey."
"This is the first time he's come home in ages and you're gonna drive him away by telling him this?"
"You think that I'm gonna..." Daniel looked at AJ, not wanting to discuss it in front of her. "Greg's okay, he's a lot stronger then you give him credit for Jean. Nothings gonna happen to me Jean. I need you to believe that too. I need your support."
"You have my support. Of course you do. I just thought we were going to tell them all together. I spoke to Connie this morning; she and Betty have some big news to tell us too. They'll be here as soon as they can."
"Well we can tell the others together. I don't want Greg to lose his job because of me. He's okay with knowing. He's not gonna have some mental break down Jean. He'd of figured it out eventually anyway."
"You should have talked to me first before you told him." Jean sighed heavily in frustration then stormed off out the room, leaving AJ on the bed with Daniel.
AJ turned her head to look at Daniel, sticking her thumb in her mouth as she studied him with her curious eyes.
Greg slowly began to stir awake, immediately smiling as he still felt Nick's arms wrapped tightly around him. Slowly fluttering his eyes open, Greg raised his head to look Nick in the eye. "Hey beautiful," Nick whispered to him. "Sleep well?"
"Best spot in the house." Greg beamed a wide smile up at him as he rested his head on his shoulder. "Where's AJ?"
"She's okay; she's still with your mom." Gently wiping away the remains of the tears on his cheeks, Nick pressed a soft kiss to his temple. "I'm more worried about you."
"I'm okay." Greg turned his head more to capture Nick's lips for a soft gentle kiss. "You know this is the first time you've been intimate with me outside when the sun was shining."
"It is?" He questioned, tightening his hold around Greg. "Well we should do this more often then, especially because you look so beautiful in the sun." He smiled, tickling his fingertips across Greg's tummy. Greg giggled softly, leaning further back into his boyfriends warm embrace. Greg rested his arm against Nick's leg, reclosing his eyes. "You wonna go inside?"
"I wonna relax a little longer." Greg leant his head back against Nick's shoulder, opening his eyes to look up at him. "Do you really love me?" He suddenly asked him, surprising Nick as he didn't know he had heard him.
Nick smiled down at him, feeling his cheeks flushing slightly. "You were supposed to be asleep."
"I always stay awake long enough so I can hear you say it."
"Yes I love you Greg." Nick confessed, watching a wide smile spreading across the younger mans lips as his cheeks flushed red even more. "I love you more than I've ever loved anythin' in my life. And I know for a fact that you love me too Greg."
Greg smiled up at Nick's adorably flushed cheeks. "And how do you know that?"
"You're little secret language."
"How did you figure it out?"
"Give me some credit Greg, I found a translation dictionary."
"Is that what you were doing in the library with my mother?" Greg giggled as he entwined his fingers with Nick's. "My body's a bonus, huh?" He cheekily asked him.
Nick watched the sweet smile spread across Greg's lips, giving him a wide smile in return. "You're not supposed to be listenin' in on people's private conversations."
"I heard my name mentioned. How else am I gonna get to know how you really feel about me?" Greg softly smoothed his fingertips across the back of Nick's hand, feeling the warm swirls in his stomach bubbling like crazy. "Were you just saying that for my mother's sake . . . or did you really mean it?"
"I meant it. I love you for who you are . . . and your body is definitely a big bonus." He smiled down at him, pressing a warm kiss to his forehead. "And you only have to ask G."
"But that would be too easy." He smirked. "Okay then Nicky, one hundred percent honesty . . . what do you think of me?"
"One hundred percent?" Greg nodded to him, excited to hear how he really felt. Nick rested his chin against Greg's soft head of hair, trying to pick one thing out of the millions of things that he liked about Greg. "I think . . . that you're not only my best friend, but you're the best friend I've ever had. And I've fallen in love with you Greg, one hundred percent. I love your crazy soft hair . . . your big puppy dog eyes . . . there's not a single thing I would ever want to change about you. Because you're perfect . . . just the way you are. And I think that I . . . that I love you more every second I spend with you." He nervously stammered.
Greg's mouth spread into an ear to ear grin as he tightened his grip on Nick's hands. "So you love me more now . . . then you did three seconds ago?"
Nick laughed, nodding his head before he pressed a soft kiss to the top of Greg's head again. "I don't know why I was so nervous to tell you I loved you." Nick admitted as he felt his hands shaking.
"Don't be nervous Nicky." Greg whispered softly. "It's just me and you. I'm not gonna tell anybody you love me." He giggled.
"I'm not ashamed to love you Greg. I'm ashamed I never told you before."
"I don't care when you tell me." Greg trailed a series of soft kisses across Nick's neck towards his jaw. "I'm just glad you did."
"Stop it." Nick giggled as Greg continued to kiss his jaw. "I don't want your mother to see us."
"Why not?" Greg cheekily smiled.
"Because, I'm violatin' her youngest... that never goes over too well with parents."
"I'm thirty three; I think they'll allow it." He smirked. "You shouldn't be afraid of anything around my family. They openly talk about sex, orgasms and have absolutely no shame or barriers. I'm more worried about you and your mental health while you're staying here with us."
"I'll be fine." Nick smiled against Greg's parted lips, joining their lips together for a passionate kiss. "I've been livin' in . . . Vegas for years now . . . nothin' surprises . . . me . . . anymore." He spoke between kisses. "Except you . . . but I love that about you."
"Hey Nicky?" He whispered against his mist lips.
"Yeah G?"
"I love you too." He finally admitted him, earning a wide smile from Nick. "I love you with all my heart. I've been too afraid to tell you in case you didn't love me back."
"Of course I love you back." He smiled, pressing his lips to Greg's. "Did you think I was gonna beat you up or somethin'?" Nick shook his head as Greg gave him a nod. "I'd never hurt you baby. I've been tryin' to tell you that I loved you for a while now."
"What made you realise? Was it Sofia, you missed my non-smelly hair products?" He chuckled.
"No, I think I loved you before that . . . I just never realised. Why do you think I always invited you over to spend time with me when the girlfriends weren't around?"
"I dunno . . . maybe I thought you were some kinda sex addict." He giggled and squirmed as Nick tickled him. "I'm kidding... I'm kidding." He laughed as he struggled to breathe.
"I'm not a sex addict . . . I mean look at us, we haven't really had sex since AJ came along. That's what I love about you; we don't always have to have sex to stay together. Everyone else I dated I couldn't be myself around. We had to have sex so we'd stay together. But me and you . . . we can do anythin' together, don't get me wrong I love havin' sex with you . . . but it's not the only thing in our relationship. We can talk and just sit with each other. Like a real relationship . . . the kind I've always wanted."
Greg gave him a warm smile then pressed their lips together again for a warm heavenly smooch. "I've always wanted that too." Greg turned in Nick's arms again, resting his back against his chest as he relaxed back into his arms, watching the trees softly swaying from the gentle breeze. "I've never had someone I can just be myself around and I don't have to worry about driving them away. You're the best boyfriend I could ever have Nicky."
"Hey G, do you know what 'Te quiero' means yet?" Greg shook his head. "It means I love you in Spanish."
"Really?" Nick nodded resting his head against Greg's.
"And when I said 'Te quiero con toda mi alma'." He sexily rasped in Spanish against Greg's ear. "That means I love you with all my soul."
"See, now why couldn't you just tell me that in English?" Greg giggled softly. "Then I coulda told yah days ago that I loved you."
"Yeah but then you'd always remember I told you that I loved you in bed, and you'd always wonder if that was the reason why I told you and the only reason that I did love you. But now we have the perfect settin' and you're in my arms."
"You know I never gave it that much thought." He smiled up at him.
"Sorry." Nick smiled widely, pressing a kiss to his cheek as he tightened his arms around him. "I feel closer to you now that I've told you I love you."
"Well you are completely wrapped around me." Greg smirked, swirling his fingertips across Nick's knee beside him. "But I get what you mean . . . I feel closer to you too."
"Greg . . . what were you cryin' about?" He finally asked him.
"My dad." He whispered, sliding his hand across Nick's arm to join their hands together. "He has to have this open heart surgery. He always puts on this brave face . . . just like you, but I'm really worried about him."
"If he's anythin' like you he's tough Greg. Lots of people survive open heart surgery now, they've got it all figured out."
"You don't have to treat me like a child Nick. I think by now I know how seriously fucked up the world is . . . and people die for no reason."
"Your dads gonna live a lot longer than this though Greg. Some people aren't meant to die."
"Like Warrick?" Greg whispered softly. "He didn't have to die . . . what's the reason behind that?"
Nick closed his eyes a moment, relaxing back against the tree behind him. "Well if he didn't . . . we'd of never of known about McKeen for starters."
Greg closed his eyes as a tear ran down his cheek. "That's a shitty reason."
"People dyin' are shitty reasons G. But if nobody died . . . then no one would ever be born." He whispered to him as he caught his tear with his thumb.
"My sister Connie used to say that people died because God wanted more angels. She soon changed her mind after our mean Aunt Helen died though. She said 'why would God want an angel who doesn't allow children to sit on her sofa?"
Nick laughed softly. "When me and my brother were little, we lost our granddad. He said that our granddad advanced to the next level of life, like a computer game."
Greg gave out a soft giggle, inhaling a deep breath as he sniffed back his tears. "And what do you believe Nicky? What do you think is waiting for us on the other side?"
"I don't know." He shrugged. "I used to believe that good people never die, that their body dies but their spirit of who they are goes on livin', like they're watchin' over us or somethin'. Maybe there's like an alternate universe somewhere. Once you die on this plain you go and live somewhere else, meetin' up with all the people you lost in this life." He smiled down at him. "What about you G?"
Greg shrugged. "Before my Nana Olaf died . . . she told me not to be afraid of death. You can't have living without dying. She said you should be more afraid of an unlived life then you should of death."
"I think your Nana Olaf's right then G. If you spend your whole life bein' afraid of death... then you're not livin' the life you have left." Nick pressed a kiss to the side of Greg's face, giving him a warm smile. "Your dads not afraid, so you shouldn't be G."
Greg stared up into Nick's big brown eyes, giving him a warm smile. "I seriously love you Nicky."
Nick smiled widely at him, bursting at the seams. "I seriously love you too Greg. Are you okay now?"
Greg nodded slightly. "I'm hungry though. Are you hungry?"
"Yes." Nick gently wiped his hands across Greg's cheeks to remove any evidence of his tears before he released his warm grip around his waist to let him stand up. Greg reluctantly climbed out of Nick's warm embrace, turning to pull him to his feet.
"You know its kinda funny that we're talking about death and beliefs about the afterlife next to Papa Olaf's tree." He smirked.
"That's your Papa Olaf's tree. I thought it would be smaller."
"Nope, he planted it while he was still alive. He said he didn't want a young tree to represent him when he was gone; he wanted a strong sturdy tree with lots of years on it. Just like him." Nick slipped his hand into Greg's as they looked up at the large tree together. "After he was cremated we buried his ashes all around it so he could grow into the tree like Nana's Olaf's tree." Greg pointed to the one straight across from it.
Nick nodded to him, seeing the long shadows of the trees overlapping. "That's beautiful."
Greg nodded to him then pressed his lips to his chin. "C'mon, I'm starving." Greg tugged Nick away from the tree, off towards the back door of the house.
Greg quickly stepped into the kitchen as he saw his father stood by the fridge. "Dad, you're not supposed to be up and about."
"I can walk Greg, I'm not paralyzed." He smiled at him then saw Nick walking in through the back door behind his son, seeing they were holding hands. "This must be Nick, pardon the bath robe and pyjamas."
"Oh, sorry. Nick this is my dad, Daniel Sanders. Dad, this is my . . . boyfriend Nick and you obviously met his daughter."
"Hi Mr Sanders." Nick politely reached his hand out to shake Greg's father's hand. Daniel looked a lot more like Greg. He had light brown tousled hair, ears too big for his head and slim cheek bones.
"Call me Daniel." He smiled warmly at him. "Is this your little girl?" He indicated to AJ in his arms. Nick nodded to him giving her a smile. "You're a lucky guy." Daniel handed AJ back over to him then gave his son a smile. "Well, I should get back to bed before the warden finds me." He joked as he turned around. "Nice meeting you Nick."
"You too Daniel." Nick smiled after him then turned to look at Greg stood beside him. "What?"
"You're a hit with everybody." Greg smiled at him then turned for the fridge to find something to eat. Nick raised a sleepy AJ slightly higher in his arms. He watched her yawn then sleepily rub her eyes before she leant against his shoulder again.
"Are you gettin' sleepy there sweetie?" He whispered to her. AJ stuck her thumb in her mouth giving him a shrug.
"I am." Greg announced as he climbed onto one of the stools around the counter with a sandwich in his hands that he stole from the large plate of them in the fridge. "I'm supposed to be sleeping right now."
"You just slept for an hour G." Nick reminded him.
"I need more than an hour nap now. I'm getting old." He smiled up at him, watching AJ giggle.
"Well I think you should both go to bed then so you're awake for dinner later." He advised them both. AJ shook her head against his shoulder. "You'd rather sleep against me huh?" He smiled down at her.
"She has good taste." Greg smirked, licking his lips as he finished his sandwich. "I'd choose you."
"You did choose me." Nick smiled over at him. "You wonna come up with me?"
"To put this little one to bed?" Greg tickled AJ as he climbed to his feet, watching her sweetly giggling. "Only if I get a hug." Greg lifted AJ free from his arms, giving her a warm hug. "Where's Bugsy, you haven't lost him already have you?"
AJ shook her head pointing off towards the front room. Nick smiled as Greg carried her off into the front room to retrieve her bunny from the sofa.
Greg then led the way off up the stairs towards the guest bedroom, setting AJ down onto the soft mattress. Nick sat down the other side, carefully removing her trainers before she crawled towards the pillows. Greg lifted the covers for her, carefully tucking them around her as she rested her head down on the pillow beneath her. Nick tucked Bugsy under her arm, watching her thumb instantly finding its way to her mouth again.
"G'night AJ." Nick smiled down at her, watching her eyelids slowly falling shut over her sleepy eyes. "Now you." Nick looked up Greg as he climbed off the bed, taking his hand in his own. Nick carefully clicked the door shut as they left the room then led Greg off down the hall to his room.
Greg dropped to the edge of his bed, pulling his sneakers off then lay back against the covers. Closing the door, Nick removed his own shoes then dropped onto the bed beside Greg, propping himself up on his elbow beside the younger man's head.
"You gonna stay with me?"
"If you want me to." Nick nodded, gently trailing his fingertips down the side of his face.
Greg nodded, readjusting his body against Nick's so he could wrap his arms around him. "I'm sorry I cried." He whispered softly to him.
"You're allowed to cry . . . cryin' is healthy G." Nick wrapped his arm around Greg's waist, pressing a delicate kiss to his cheek. "You're braver than me. I hold it all in. And I assure you, you're dad is goin' to be fine G. The Sanders are a tough bunch." He smiled softly, watching a slight smile spread across Greg's lips. "Go to sleep G, everythin' will be okay when you wake up."
"How do you know?"
"Because, I said so . . . so it has to be." He smirked, pressing a kiss to Greg's forehead. Greg gave him a slight smile then closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep against the comfy bed and Nick's warm body.
"Hello Nicky." Jean smiled warmly up at him as he entered the kitchen. "Where's Greg and AJ?"
"Both sleepin'." Nick leant against the counter, watching Jean pounding the raw steaks with a wooden hammer. "Do you need any help?"
"Nonsense, guests don't help prepare their own dinner." She chortled. "Would you like a beer?" Before Nick could even answer she cracked one open, sliding it across the counter towards him.
"Thank you."
"So how is AJ taking all the changes?" She asked him curiously as she coated the steaks in pepper and various spices.
"Okay, at least I think so." Nick took a seat at the counter, taking a sip of the cold beer in his hands. "Greg said you used to run a day care?"
"Still do, I've taken it up again since all my children have left home and have no need for me anymore, I decided to start running child care again for working parents. I work with three other women at our local community hall. We currently have twelve children in our care. Not all on the same days obviously." She chortled, taking a sip of her glass of wine. She wiped her hands on her apron then turned around to the stove to mix her gravy. "We have these triplets that come in on Mondays and Fridays, all boys, they're a real handful but they're completely adorable. But I've never met a child as quiet as your AJ though. The triplets are like having three Greg's." She laughed. "He was such a hyper little boy, a real handful a lot like your AJ. But he was never that quiet."
Nick noticed that Jean talked about subjects just like Greg. "Well . . . maybe AJ's just a quiet person?" He suggested. "One of my sisters were really quiet. She used to love to read all the time, we hardly ever heard her speak."
"But still, given AJ's circumstances." Jean turned round to face him. "What was her relationship like with her mother?" Nick bit his lip then shrugged to her. "Some parents I know, not naming names, but they just shove their children in front of the television every day, using it as a babysitter to keep them entertained while they get on with things. Children who watch television don't develop as quickly as others who spend quality time with their parents. Your daughter shows real signs of separation anxiety Nicky. She hated being away from you earlier, and she's always sucking her thumb. Did you know your daughter can't read or write yet?"
"Leave him alone mom." Mark's voice suddenly sounded from behind them as they walked into the room. "Not every kid is a smart and intelligent as your perfect little Greg."
"Clearly." She smirked looking up at him. "When do I get to see my granddaughter again?"
Mark shrugged as he grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge. "Dunno, the custody hearing's like in three weeks and Meghan's coming by for a supervised visit next Friday."
"Supervised visit?" Jean questioned him.
"Yeah, they send a councillor over with her. Everything we do together we have to take the councillor with us. Apparently when your ex-girlfriend aka the mother of your child tries to kill herself in front of your daughter it can emotionally damage them, and I have to be supervised with her because of it." Mark informed her, looking at the confused expression on Nick's face.
"That's ridiculous."
"I know mom, that's what I've been telling them."
"I hope you got a good lawyer, that woman doesn't deserve to see her daughter again after what she put her through."
"I'm not gonna take her daughter away from her mom."
"She's your daughter too." Jean reminded him. "You have as much right to see her as me."
"Why do you always have to include yourself in every hearing case? The hearing is for the parents, not the grandparents." Mark reminded her.
"Don't moan at me in front of Nick, he doesn't want to hear about this."
"You shouldn't have brought it up then. Sorry Nick." Mark tapped him on the shoulder as he walked by, rushing off upstairs to take a shower after his run.
"Sorry Nick." Jean apologised to him too. "In case Greg didn't tell you, Mark has a nine year old daughter called Meghan with this woman who is completely unfit to be a mother. She smokes, drinks and take drugs... I have no idea why Mark ever slept with her. But it was a one night stand a long time ago and she recently tried to commit suicide. Meghan called for an ambulance herself after her mother started seizing," Jean looked up at Nick's shocked expression. "Sorry, am I talking too fast?"
"No, no... I was just listenin'."
"I'm sure I have a picture around here somewhere." Jean wiped her hands again, grabbing a framed photo off one of the cabinets. "There she is, I think she's seven there. Mark didn't know about her until she was three years old. That didn't go down too well with the court, they accused him of neglect. How could he be neglecting her when he never knew about her?" Nick looked down at the photo seeing a young girl with long curly pig tails and eyes just like Mark's. "Anyway since her mother's little hospital visit Mark's been trying to get full custody of his daughter. The last hearing he lost because the judge sided with the mother, but now that she tried to kill herself we might get the advantage."
"Oh." Nick looked at her wide eyed then took another swig of his beer.
Nick finally managed to escape from Jean, heading back upstairs towards Greg's bedroom. As he opened the door he spotted Greg wide awake snuggled under the covers with his laptop open at his side. "Hey." He smiled as Greg looked round at him.
"Hi."
Nick crawled onto the bed behind Greg to spoon him as he looked over his shoulder to see what he was doing. "What are you doin' G?"
"Researching." Greg leant back in Nick's arms, receiving a warm kiss to his cheek. "Have fun with my mother?"
"Um... no, not really." He truthfully admitted watching Greg giggling. "I've never met someone who talks a mile a minute. Half the time I didn't know what we were talkin' about then I couldn't even get a word in edge ways because she talks so much. She asks me a question then she answers it herself with her assumptions." Greg giggled again, smiling widely as Nick wrapped his arms around him. "Hey, how come you never told me about Mark's daughter Meghan?"
"I didn't?" Greg looked up into Nick's eyes watching him shaking his head. "I thought I did. I only met her once; her mom let Mark have her last Christmas. She's a sweet kid, she's gonna be really screwed up if she keeps staying with her druggy mother though. She gets high all the time, Meghan's skipping out on school all the time too."
"I know, your mother told me." He smirked. "She also implied that I'm not parentin' AJ properly by allowin' her to call me Nick. She thinks its goin' to cause complications apparently."
"Don't listen to her. You don't wonna pressure AJ to call you daddy, that's the last thing you wonna do. She'll call you daddy when she's more comfortable with you. Meghan doesn't call Mark dad and she's known him for six years. AJ's known you for five minutes. The last person you want to listen to for parenting advice is my mother anyway."
"She also said she thinks AJ has separation anxiety."
"Because of the thumb sucking? My mom says that about every kid who sucks their thumb. AJ's fine." He assured him.
Nick nodded to him then looked at the computer screen. "Why are you researchin' open heart surgery anyway?"
"Because I wonna know. Only seven point five percent of patients die after this operation and six percent can't walk again."
"When were those odds last updated?" Nick asked him. Greg gave him a shrug. "This isn't going to help you feel better G." Nick reached out for the laptop to close it shut, pressing a kiss to Greg's cheek. "You need to get it out of your mind and think positively."
"But I have to know. It's killing me not knowing."
"Well you'll just have to put your big beautiful brain to rest." Gently trailing his fingertips across Greg's forehead, he smiled down into his eyes. "Your dads gonna be fine G, that's all you need to know." He assured him. "Are you wakin' up now G?"
Greg rolled onto his side to face Nick, readjusting the warm covers around him. "Are you bored without me Nicky?"
"Yes." He admitted. "I'm not hangin' out with your mother again either."
"And you were so excited to meet my parents." Greg giggled softly.
"I just think that one Greg in this world is enough." He smirked. "And I'm glad I get to be with you."
"Well, how long is it till dinner cowboy?"
"I'm not gonna have sex in your parents house G." He warned him.
"I never said anything about sex." Greg laughed, snuggling closer towards him. "I just want you to hold me." He smiled as Nick's arms wrapped tightly around him. "Thank you for being here with me Nicky." He whispered against his warm neck.
"You're welcome. There's no where else I'd rather be." He admitted to him.
"I love you Nick. And I'm very sorry you have to sit through one of my family dinners." He spoke softly, deciding to apologise in advance before the horrible event started.
"I think I can handle it G."
"Very shortly you'll be withdrawing that statement." Greg warned him.
"Boys, Dinner Time!" Jean's voice suddenly shouted up the stairs.
"Here we go, are you ready?"
To be continued...
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