On the steps of the courthouse, Willow took Tara's hand as they descended back down to the street.
"So he can just come home with us now, right? He gets to stay with us while they do all the official stuff?"
"Yes," Tara answered with a resolute smile, "It didn't hurt that Hallie was the judge."
"Nice to see her move up in the world when she helped us keep JJ," Willow smiled back, "Okay, so…what do we do now?"
Tara blinked as she tried to take in the enormity of what they had just done.
"Guess we'll have to fix up the other attic bedroom."
Willow's eyes lit up.
"Yes!" she said with a quick bob of her head, "I'll call in the cavalry and get all of our junk moved to the basement. And I'll get right onto the IKEA website."
"Actually, I think I'd like to take him there myself," Tara replied with a soft smile, "I feel like he hasn't had much that's his own in a while."
"Right," Willow said, clicking her fingers, "Yes, of course."
She looked back at Tara.
"What's next?"
"We'll have to undergo an official assessment," Tara answered slowly, "Take parenting classes and have a home study. Medical checks, background checks."
"Which we both need for our jobs anyway, so no big deal," Willow nodded, "How long is the parenting class?"
Tara grimaced.
"30 hours."
Willow's eyes popped out of her head.
"It's specifically catered to the unique circumstances around fostering," Tara explained, "It's done over 10 weeks. One day or night a week for three hours. I've actually taught some."
"They're making you take the class when you've already taught it?!" Willow asked incredulously.
"We're being assessed as any other foster parent would," Tara replied calmly, "We're lucky that we've gotten temporary custody until we're certified and we really only got that because of my position. So we have to consider ourselves ahead of the game."
"Right," Willow breathed, "So what do we tell the kids? All of them, Kayden too?"
Tara thought for a moment.
"We tell Kayden he has a home," she answered through a soft breath, "And we tell the others that Kayden is coming to live with us."
Willow smiled.
"Incredibly simple, actually."
They walked to the point of the street where they would have to physically part to return in their respective directions. Tara took both of Willow's hands.
"Willow, there's one thing that came up that I didn't' mention yet," she said and visibly took in a long breath, "By all accounts, there have been reports of the neighbors overhearing Anthony repeatedly and angrily calling Kayden—"
She had to stop as her jaw set in anger. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she struggled to push the words out of her mouth.
"Calling him a faggot."
Willow's body slowly deflated.
"He's gay."
"That's for him to say," Tara replied quickly.
"Of course," Willow nodded, swallowing, "Well, if he is…hopefully he'll feel safe enough to tell us."
Tara just hung her head and sighed.
"I want to collect the boys from school, just in case. I don't want Kayden to get spooked."
Willow nodded again.
"Well, I feigned intestinal distress to get out of work so I can't really head back. Why don't I go home and wait for the girls?"
"That would be great," Tara answered, squeezing Willow's hands.
"And we can order in tonight," Willow suggested.
"No, no," Tara shook her head, "No, I want Kayden to have a home-cooked meal."
"Yes," Willow replied resolutely, "You're totally right. What should we cook?"
Tara thought about it for a moment.
"I'll make spaghetti and meatballs."
"…and I'll buy extra napkins," Willow said with a smile, "Okay. See you at home?"
Tara pecked Willow's lips discreetly.
"See you at home."
Willow nodded and started to move off in the opposite direction.
"Willow?" Tara called when she was a few feet away and waited for her to turn back, "Thank you."
Willow just smiled.
"I don't need thanks for doing the right thing."
She blew a kiss and turned the corner back toward her office.
Tara took a moment to gather herself until a distracted lawyer bumped into her and she had to help him pick up all of his papers. She then checked her watch and quickly sped away to get back to the office building so she could hop in her car and get to the high school before the last class let out.
At the high school, JJ smiled and nodded at several girls as he passed through the hallways. He wasn't as popular as the football players, but a few gazes lingered back.
Finally, he spotted who he was waiting for at the freshman lockers.
"Yo Kayden," he called and Kayden looked startled to be addressed.
"JJ?" Kayden asked and looked over his shoulder as if another person with his name was standing behind them.
"My mom messaged me," JJ replied as he leaned against the lockers, "Told me to bring you home with me."
Kayden frowned.
"Why?"
JJ shrugged.
"I dunno dude but I am very in need of some snackage, so come with?"
Kayden hesitated for a moment, then put his guitar case on his back and silently agreed with a nod. He followed JJ out of the school as JJ waxed lyrical about the techniques he was using to improve his jump shot.
Tara was waiting outside and JJ grumbled as he slid open the door to sit in.
"Can I drive myself to school again tomorrow? Being picked up by your mom in a minivan is so uncool."
"I can get you a bus pass if you'd like," Tara replied pointedly and smiled over her shoulder, "Hi Kayden."
Kayden looked uncomfortable as he sat small in the seat.
"H-Hi."
Tara glanced at JJ, who was pulling his chunky headphones on and playing music loudly into his ears. Tara looked back to Kayden and lowered her voice.
"I know you need to know what's going on. I'll explain once we're home. Everything is okay."
Kayden just looked down at his knees. Tara looked at him sadly, then swatted her hand as best she could against JJ's leg.
"Turn that down if you still want to be able to hear when you're my age."
"WHAT?!" JJ yelled over the music and Tara wished Willow was in the car to work with the greentooth or whatever it was called and shut those wireless headphones right off.
"Turn. It. Down," she repeated and JJ seemed to get the message because the thrum of music around the car dropped to a dim hum.
She pulled away from the curb and smiled at Kayden through the rearview mirror.
"You can listen to your own music too if you'd like, Kayden. At an appropriate volume."
Kayden frowned a little and shook his head.
"I like this."
Tara realized that she hadn't seen a phone in Kayden's hand all weekend and deduced pretty quickly he didn't have one. She glanced at the radio and turned it up some more on an oldies channel.
"You and Willow will get along. She loves Elvis too."
Kayden just looked out the window contemplatively or perhaps forlornly.
As Tara turned onto their street she spotted the school bus cruise alongside her and three heads of red or reddish hair running up their driveway. Willow's car was already there so Tara didn't hurry in parking them up.
"Okay, come on boys," she said as she stepped out and locked up the minivan.
She unlocked and held the front door open for them both. JJ dropped his book bag and headed for the kitchen. Tara smiled at Kayden and nodded for him to do the same.
"Hey pipsqueaks!" JJ's voice carried through the hallway.
There was some little girl giggling and Lily pounced on Tara as soon as she saw her through the doorway.
"Mom-mom-mom-mom-mom-mom-mom!"
"Hi sweeties," Tara greeted her and Emily as they ran out to say hello, "Did you all have a good day at school?"
"Mom!" Lily waved her hand Tara's face.
"I hear you, I see you, sweetheart," Tara comforted gently.
"I came first in the class spelling bee!" Lilly blurted excitedly.
"That's fantastic," Tara complimented, cupping Lily's cheeks and kissing her head, "How did you do, Emily?"
Lily sighed heavily.
"She wouldn't stand up in front of the class."
"That's okay," Tara replied heartily, "I bet you knew all the words."
Emily smiled shyly and nodded quickly. Tara winked at her and Emily stepped up on her toes proudly.
Robyn appeared then with a skateboard under one hand and a soccer ball under the other.
"I'm out," she said casually as she walked toward the front door, "Heading parkside."
Tara tapped Robyn's shoulder pointedly.
"Excuse me young lady, that didn't sound like asking for permission."
Robyn turned back and rolled her eyes.
"Mom, I'm ten, jeez."
Tara pursed her lips silently.
"You can go to the park when your homework is finished."
Robyn's face set angrily.
"Homework is a tool of societal oppression that tries to turn children into parrots instead of human beings with independent thought."
Tara held Robyn's face in her hands and kissed the top of her head as she had Lily.
"I don't disagree with you but there's nothing I can do about it until you convince the American education system of that argument."
"Do I hear someone speaking out against homework?" Willow asked as she stepped out of the kitchen, "No child of mine would do such a thing."
Robyn just scowled some more.
"Why are you home early?"
"For the warm welcome I'm getting," Willow replied to her and stuck out her tongue before looking over to her wife, "Tara?"
"Yes," Tara nodded to the question not asked, "Kayden?"
Kayden slowly appeared; head poking through first like a giraffe but much more timid.
"Did you get a snack?" Tara asked gently.
"Oh, um, no," Kayden shook his head, reaching his hand over his shoulder to hold it awkwardly.
"I'll get you one," Willow offered and made a step toward the kitchen as the girls all ran back inside at the promise of snacks.
Tara guided Kayden into the living room and closed the door. Kayden sat on the couch and nervously starting pulling at the skin around his fingernails.
"Is someone coming from the group home to collect me?"
Tara's brow creased in a small v as she sat to the side of Kayden in an armchair. She sat forward with her elbows in her lap.
"What do you mean?"
Kayden's eyes stayed downcast.
"Last time I ran away…they put me in a group home before they put me back with…" he looked up again sharply, "I-I'm not going back to them, am I? A-already?"
Tara reached out and put her hand on Kayden's knee.
"Sweetheart, you're not going anywhere."
Willow came in with a plate and kicked the door closed again behind her. She handed the plate with a sandwich on it to Kayden and slipped him a candy bar from her sleeve.
"I had intended to bring you cookies but my daughters savaged them," she said with an exaggerated sigh, "Here's a Snickers from my private stash. Tell the others nothing."
She sat on the arm of the chair next to Tara.
"Thank you?" Kayden said, his brow furrowing as he tried to gauge what was happening.
Tara noticed.
"Kayden, we asked to speak to you in private because we want to discuss your situation. Your living situation."
Kayden looked toward Willow.
"Are you a social worker too?"
Willow shook her head.
"No, I work with the FBI as an analyst."
This did nothing to aid Kayden's confusion. Tara took lead.
"First Kayden, I have to tell you, an official investigation has been launched into your uncle's behavior and conduct toward you. It should have been done long ago," she said apologetically, "You've been removed from their custody and placed with a family."
Both of Kayden's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"A family? Not a group home?"
Tara smiled and nodded.
"That's right."
"We hope you'll like them," Willow added in eagerly, "The other kids are a bit nuts but the moms are great!"
Kayden blinked heavily.
"I'm confused."
"Do you want to come live with us?" Tara cut to the chase.
"I sure hope so, we just spent the whole morning convincing a judge to let us have you," Willow replied with a chuckle.
"Willow," Tara chastised softly, "Kayden, we have been given custody while we proceed with an official foster application, but if our house isn't where you want to be—"
"Here?" Kayden interrupted, his cheeks flushing with the new rush of blood from his thumping heart, "I-I get to stay here?"
"If you want to," Tara smiled.
Kayden's hand trembled around the plate.
"Why?"
"We think you're a great kid," Willow said, helpfully this time.
"And you found your way to us," Tara added, holding her hand out for Willow to take, "In this house, we trust anyone that finds their way here."
They shared a smile and looked back at Kayden together.
"Do you want to stay?"
Kayden could only nod quickly and wiped his sleeve over his eyes.
"Can we give you a hug?" Willow asked and got the same response.
They sat either side of him and embraced from each side. Tara stopped Willow from putting an arm on the back at the last minute. Willow looked at her confused for a moment, then remembered. She gulped, realizing the solemnity of the situation and hugged a bit tighter, though only in non-injured areas.
"You'll meet your new social worker tomorrow," Tara said when they pulled back.
"You aren't my social worker?" Kayden asked with a worried eyebrow raise.
Tara shook her head.
"I can't be your social worker and foster parent."
"Oh," Kayden replied sadly.
"But I know the guy you'll be working with. He's young and he's good. He'll help you settle here alongside us," she promised softly, "He'll have to bring you for a medical tomorrow and have quite a long chat."
Kayden nodded.
"Yeah…I've done this before."
"But tonight, you don't have to do anything," Tara reassured, then threw him a sly wink, "Except your homework."
Willow nodded quickly.
"And our guest room is less guest-friendly and more dust-friendly so you'll have to sleep on JJ's couch until the weekend and we can get some new furniture for it."
"I-I don't mind sleeping on the couch," Kayden offered somewhat desperately, "I can sleep on the floor if I'm in the way."
"You're not sleeping on the floor, Kayden," Tara said, looking him straight in the eye, "It's about time we made that room habitable."
Kayden's whole face grew surprised.
"A whole room?"
"A whole room, sweetie," Tara nodded with a sad glint in her eye.
Kayden took a moment to take it all in. He looked between them unsurely.
"Can I ask something?"
"Of course," Tara nodded.
Kayden slowly frowned.
"Are you guys, like, married?"
Willow's eyebrows shot up.
"Uhhh…"
She looked over the fireplace where their wedding portrait hung and Kayden followed her eyes to it. He blinked rapidly.
"But you're so normal."
"I'm insulted you would even suggest it," Willow replied with mock-haughtiness.
Tara gave her a look but was smiling too.
"Have you ever known a family with two moms or two dads before?" she asked Kayden carefully and got a shake of her head back, "That's okay. It's a new thing for a lot of people."
"But like you said, we really are pretty normal," Willow added easily, "We just have a Mom and a Momma instead of a Mom and a Dad."
"You can ask us any questions you have about it," Tara continued quickly, "It's very okay to ask questions."
Kayden thought about it for a moment.
"I don't have any questions," he said evenly, "Except…am I just here now? I just get to stay?"
Tara nodded.
"Someone will be sent to collect anything from the other house."
Kayden shook his head.
"Everything is in my case. There's nothing left there that's mine."
Tara's eyes creased sadly but she used all of her professional training not to let it show.
"Well then, we're due a little trip to the mall," she said easily, "If you're not too embarrassed to be seen with me, unlike my other son."
Kayden pulled at the end of his sleeve.
"I'm not embarrassed."
Willow rubbed Tara's back; a comfort for them both.
"In that case, I'll go get the other kids and we'll tell them."
"Let him eat his sandwich," Tara advised softly.
"Of course," Willow agreed, "I'll go make sure the girls haven't choked on the cookie wrappers trying to find a crumb."
She squeezed Tara's thigh as she stood and left them alone.
"I know it's a lot," Tara said as Kayden slowly ate.
"No, it's really good," Kayden replied before he took another big bite.
Tara's lips sloped up on one side.
"I didn't mean the sandwich."
Kayden's eyes flickered toward Tara.
"I know."
Tara's smile spread out across her face.
When Kayden was finished, Tara gathered everyone back in the living room and noted they were going to need a few more bean bags to strew about.
"Can we make this quick?" Robyn asked, flicking some of her strawberry-blonde hair over her shoulder, "I wanna play ball."
JJ perched on the arm of the sofa and tapped his hands against it.
"Actually, I kinda want to go shoot some hoops too."
"Stop being so rude, both of you," Willow scolded with a frown, "We need to talk to you."
"I didn't do it!" both Robyn and Lily shouted at the same time.
Tara noticed Emily's eyes start to flit around nervously and reached over to rub her arm.
"Everything's okay, Emmy."
"Everything is fine," Willow added, sitting right by Tara again, "We just have something to tell you."
Kayden's palms started to rub together nervously.
"Well, you see," Willow continued, smiling at him reassuringly, "You all seemed to enjoy having Kayden stay with us so much this weekend that we've asked if he'd like to live with us permanently. And he said he would. So…here he is."
She finished off a bite lamely but everyone else was too busy in their own reaction to notice.
JJ's eyebrows rose on his face while Robyn's eyes shot toward Kayden quizzically.
"Don't your parents want you?"
"Robyn Ruth," Tara chided and looked at Kayden apologetically.
"I don't have a mom and dad," Kayden interjected with a soft shoulder shrug.
"Sorry," Robyn said, holding her hands up defensively, "I didn't know. Hey, will you teach me guitar for real?"
"Uh…" Kayden started to reply but couldn't before Lily started pulling at his shirt.
"Will you be the candle from Beauty and the Beast?!"
Emily shyly poked his shoulder.
"Can I see your sketchpad again?"
Above them all, JJ slowly nodded with a sly smile to himself.
"Cool," he said evenly, nudging Kayden's shoulder affectionately, "Never thought I'd have to share my bedroom having all sisters but hey…"
"Just for a few more nights until we can fix up the other bedroom," Tara promised.
JJ's eyes suddenly lit up. That was the best possible scenario.
"We got the best rooms in the house, man."
The door creaked open from its position ajar and Woofy came in with his tail wagging. He put his paws in Kayden's lap, then appeared to smile and leaped up to lick his face.
Kayden started laughing, the first any of them had heard him do.
"Good boy," he said, patting Woofy's head and scratching his ears, "Never had a dog before."
"You won the dog lottery," JJ replied, also scratching Woofy between the ears, "Woofs is the best."
Woofy barked and everyone laughed this time; a small relief from the emotion.
"Kayden, we only have three rules here," Tara explained while keeping his gaze, "1) You respect everyone else's space and we'll respect yours. 2) If there's a problem, you come to us and 3) We eat together every night. Is all that okay with you?"
Kayden nodded silently and a brief glimpse of tears in his eyes showed why.
"Okay, everyone," Willow said quickly, "You're free to bounce your respective balls."
She winced at her wording and Tara winced along with her, throwing her a sidelong glance.
"Dinner is at 6."
Everyone disbanded and Kayden was pulled in all directions.
"Kayden is not a doll!" Willow called after them, "Let him do what he wants."
She closed the door over again, albeit not fully, and breathed a long breath as she looked at Tara.
"How stable is all of this? I'm worried he'll settle in and then yoink."
"He was never adopted, so it's much easier legal situation," Tara replied easily.
Willow frowned.
"Why didn't they adopt him if he's been with them for years?"
"They'd stop getting paid," Tara replied sadly.
Willow jaw tensed.
"Will the state press charges?"
"Probably not," Tara shook her head.
Willow's eyebrows shot up.
"For real?"
Tara looked dejected.
"It would expose the department's failures. They'll put a black mark against his name but he'll be free to parent any natal children he has in the future."
Willow slowly shook her head and approached Tara, putting her arms around her wife's shoulders.
"You are a true superhero."
"No, I'm not," Tara shook her head, "I just wish I could do more."
Willow pecked Tara's lips.
"It's not physically possible for you to do more."
Tara nuzzled Willow's nose.
"Nothing without my sidekick."
Willow grinned.
"Long as I'm not your side chick."
She pressed her lips against Tara's and lingered.
Then did it again and again and again.
In the brief slit of the open door, Kayden looked in at them doing it.
JJ passed by with his water bottle refreshed and rolled his eyes as he glanced in the same direction.
"Ugh. Yeah. They do that a lot," he scoffed and pulled at Kayden's t-shirt, "You'll learn to ignore it. Hey, let's go upstairs before we get pulled into helping with long division or something."
Kayden followed and passed by Lily and Emily in their bedroom on the way, scribbling in their respective workbooks.
"Emily you're doing it wrong!"
"I-I don't think I am, Lily," Emily's confused voice floated out.
Lily sighed dramatically.
"Just let me do it!"
"I-It's my homework," Emily protested, and then their voices faded to a muffle.
Up in JJ's room, he watched Robyn skate by while trying to head the soccer ball outside the window.
"Sorry about all of the rules stuff," JJ said as he sat on his bed and changed his sneakers.
Kayden pulled his attention away and looked at JJ with his brow furrowed.
"Are you kidding?" he asked, sitting on the couch that was his current bed and holding one of its cushions against his body, "I would have killed for those rules in my old place."
JJ tried to seem casual as he tied his laces.
"Where'd you come from, man?"
Kayden looked away.
"A bad place."
JJ noted the tone and jumped up.
"Well, I'm glad you're here. Need some more testosterone around here. Me and Woofs can only carry so much."
Woofy, who had promptly followed them up when the girls disbanded, came up to sit diligently at JJ's feet.
"Hey, you want to see his tricks?"
"Sure," Kayden replied, smiling again.
JJ grinned.
"I can make him jump on my shoulders."
Kayden's eyes widened.
"No way."
"Hey, Woofy!" JJ called down to him and jumped with his back arched and knees bent, "Piggyback!"
Woofy promptly leaped onto JJ's back with his paws over JJ's shoulders.
Kayden beamed at the sight.
"Cool!"
"You can teach him one if you want," JJ offered and had Woofy jump down again.
Kayden shrugged one shoulder.
"I don't know any."
"I'll show you!" JJ offered eagerly.
Kayden smiled.
"Cool. Thanks."
"No problem," JJ shrugged one shoulder, "It can be our boys' club. I already have one with my cousin Alex and best friend Thomas. They won't mind you joining."
"You have cousins?" Kayden asked, reaching across to hold his own arm.
"Alex is the only other guy, apart from Liam but he's just little still," JJ explained, "You'll meet them all soon, probably."
Kayden bit his lip contemplatively.
"Do your parents, your…your moms do this a lot?"
"Do what?" JJ asked in confusion.
"Foster kids?" Kayden clarified.
"Uh, no," JJ chuckled, "You're the first."
Kayden's face slowly spread in surprise.
"I am?"
"I mean they adopted me as a baby, but yeah," JJ nodded easily, "I'm gonna go shoot some hoops. You wanna come?"
Kayden scratched his own neck.
"I don't really play…sports."
JJ looked out the window to the driveway that housed his hoop and back to Kayden.
"Wanna see Woofy spin the basketball on his nose?"
Kayden nodded slowly.
"Sure."
JJ grabbed his basketball and gestured for Kayden to follow.
"C'mon bro."
Kayden smiled.