September

"Hi, Mom," Jeff said through a half-forced smile as Doreen swung the front door open to greet her guests. Jeff shifted his weight anxiously as he stood on his mother's doorstep. He always felt awkward when he visited her, mostly because his visits tended to be short and infrequent. He just wasn't very good at this type of thing. Today, however was going to be especially uncomfortable. Behind him, Tyler was peeking at Doreen from behind his legs. If Jeff was nervous about this meeting, it was nothing compared to how Tyler was feeling.

"Jeffery," Doreen greeted happily, reaching up to wrap her arms around her son's shoulders. Jeff had to stoop to return the hug, patting her awkwardly on the back.

"And who is this?" She cooed, crouching down to Tyler's level and smiling sweetly at him from around Jeff's legs.

Jeff placed his hand against Tyler's back and guided him gently forwards. "This is Tyler, my, um… This is Tyler."

"Hello, sweetie. It's nice to finally meet you," She said rather pointedly. Jeff gritted his teeth.

"Hello, Ms. Fitzgerald," Tyler said politely.

"Jeff!" Doreen reprimanded. "Did you tell him to call me that?"

When Jeff shrugged, she tsk'd at him before turning back to Tyler, "You can call me Grandma, if you want to."

Tyler looked up at Jeff then back at Doreen. "Grandma." He tried out the name. The word sounded odd to Jeff's ears.

"Well," Doreen said cheerily, standing up straight. "Are we just going to stand on the porch all day? Come in, come in!" She stepped aside and eagerly waved them in.

Doreen led them into the sitting room and practically shoved them onto the sofa. She grabbed a chair and pulled it up so that she was sitting right in front them. She wanted to give them her undivided attention. Jeff resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"So," Doreen turned to Jeff. "What have you been up to? Are you still working at Hamlin, Hamlin, and Hamish?"

Jeff shifted in his seat, "No, I, uh, cut ties with them. I do consulting work for Mark's firm sometimes. Mostly over the summer. I'm going back to school, remember?"

"Ah, yes. That's right. Greendale Community College. Do you still like it there?"

Jeff drummed his fingers against his leg. A nervous habit. "Most of the time it's alright. The students can be… Pretty out there. It's a unique place." Explaining Greendale to outsiders was like speaking in code.

"So I've heard. That school has a reputation, you know?"

"And it's well-deserved, I assure you."

Doreen gave Jeff a strange look before turning to Tyler, "And what about you, sweetie? Where do you go to school?"

Tyler looked nervously over at Jeff. He'd never seen the kid this shy before. When it became clear that Tyler wasn't going to speak, Jeff answered for him, "He's in the second grade at Greendale County Elementary."

Doreen nodded. "And do you like school?" She asked Tyler.

Tyler bobbed his head in affirmation. "I like reading," He said quietly.

"Well, how about that?" Doreen said with a grin, leaning in and resting her chin in her hand. "What do you like reading?"

"Spider-Man," Tyler grinned. He was in his element now. The surefire way to get Tyler to open up was to get him going on something that he loved. He would talk your ear off if you'd let him.

"Comic books, eh?" Doreen commented, shooting a very knowing look at Jeff, who averted his eyes. He wished people would stop looking at him like that. It made him uncomfortable. He didn't like when people acted like they understood his motivations better than he did. He wasn't a puzzle for them to solve.

While Doreen and Tyler continued to animatedly chat about Miles Morales, Tyler's favorite iteration of Spider-Man, Jeff excused himself to the kitchen. He said he wanted a glass of water, but mostly he just wanted to get some space. He leaned against the kitchen counter and twirled the water glass around in his fingers. Visiting his mother made him anxious in the worst way. She was a great mom. She'd always adored him. But, growing up, he'd felt the pressure to always please her. In her eyes, he could virtually do no wrong, but that made it worse for him when he messed up. He couldn't stand the idea of disappointing her. But these last few years had taught him that he wasn't very good at not disappointing people.

"Jeffrey!" His mother called, her voice pulling him from his reverie.

"Jeffery!" He heard Tyler echo with a giggle in his voice.

Jeff turned his eyes skyward, "Thanks, mom." He muttered at the ceiling.

He pushed off of the counter and made his way back to the sitting room. "Yes?" He answered them both with faux sweetness.

"There you are!" His mother exclaimed, springing to her feet. "I was wondering if you'd help me get into the attic. I have some of your old toys stored away and I was going to get them down for Tyler."

Jeff was surprised, "You do?"

"Well of course, dear," Doreen said, patting him on the cheek. "Mothers tend to hope their children will bring home grandbabies one day." She turned and headed for access ladder to the attic without looking back.

"I – Okay." Jeff stared after her for a moment, before turning to Tyler. "Wait here. We'll be right back."

He waited for Tyler to nod in understanding before he turned to follow his mother down the hallway. She had already pulled down the door and unfolded the ladder. He could hear her rooting around above him. He wrinkled his nose at the visible dust that floated down from the opening in the ceiling and reluctantly climbed up after her.

"Look for boxes marked 'Jeff'," Doreen instructed when he had reached the top.

He immediately got to work sorting through boxes, looking for the faded black scrawl on the side of each box that labeled its contents. He had no interest in idle chatter. His mother, however, seemed to have a different plan.

"I'm glad I didn't do this before you came over," Doreen said unexpectedly. "This gives me a chance to speak to you alone."

Jeff was glad that the low light of the attic made it impossible for her to see his face. His annoyed expression would have gotten him into trouble with her. "About what?" He asked, trying to keep his voice conversational.

"About Tyler. And you. How are you guys doing?"

"We're fine, Mom." This time he wasn't able to keep his tone in check.

"Really, Jeff. It's not like it's a ridiculous question," She scolded. "This is a big undertaking and you're acting like it's not."

"I know it's a big undertaking. You don't go through four months of applications and interviews and home studies without realizing it's a big deal. I've got this handled."

A long silence met his words. The only sounds that passed between them were the dull scrapes of cardboard boxes shifting against each other.

"I'm sorry," Doreen finally said. "I'm not trying to pry. I just… You two look like you're getting along, and that's great. But you just seem so casual about all of this. I understand that you worked hard to make this happen. I know this is what you wanted. But I have to wonder if it's still what you want."

Jeff turned to face her. He could see her silhouette standing across the room. They both stood still, facing each other. "Tyler is wanted." His tone indicated finality. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. After a moment of silence, he nudged a box with his toe, "I think this is the right one."

Doreen nodded and climbed down the ladder first. Jeff grabbed the box and passed it down the ladder to her before making his way down. She took the box into the sitting room while Jeff folded up the ladder and pushed the attic door shut. He rejoined them in the sitting room and stood to the side to watch Doreen and Tyler unpack the box together while he brushed the dust off his clothes with slightly more force that was strictly necessary.

After the toys were all unpacked, Doreen excused herself to the other room. "I'll be right back," She promised, and disappeared into the kitchen.

Jeff went to sit on the couch but Tyler grabbed his arm. "Who is this?" He asked, holding up an orange and blue action figure for Jeff to see.

Jeff took the figure from him to get a closer look at it, "You don't know who Lion-O is?"

Tyler shook his head no, but his eyes were bright and curious.

"Kid, we have got to teach you about the ThunderCats." Jeff sat down on the floor next to the pile of toys and started going through them, separating out the various action figures. Tyler excitedly joined him on the floor and watched his progress with fascination.

"Okay," Jeff said as he lined up the warriors along the edge of the coffee table and pointed to each one as he named them off, "You've got Lion-O, Cheetara, Panthro, Tygra, and Snarf."

Tyler burst into a fit of giggles. "His name is Snarf?"

"Yes, his name is Snarf and he talks like this:" Jeff grabbed the little red and yellow figure and held it up in front of his face. "Snarf, snarf!" He pitched his voice higher into a nasally whine, just like the character's.

Tyler squealed and laughed, squirming away when Jeff started to walk the figure up his arm and towards his shoulder.

They were still laughing together when Doreen returned. "And what are we up to?" She asked, smiling and looking back forth between them.

"Jeff is teaching me about the ThunderCats!" Tyler took the figure from Jeff and held it up to Doreen, "Snarf!"

Jeff brought his fist to his mouth to stifle the laughter brought on by his mother's perplexed expression.

"Alright, buddy," Jeff eventually said, getting to his feet. "Let's start packing this stuff up. We better get going."

"Aw!" Tyler whined.

"We'll come back some other time. Put your toys away."

"No, it's okay," Doreen said. "I'll clean them up."

"Mom…"

"Aren't grandmothers supposed to spoil their grandchildren? It's fine, I've got it."

Jeff ran his fingers through his hair. He didn't want to leave all the clean up to his mother, but he was rather anxious to get going. "Well, if you're sure…"

"I'm sure. Oh! Before you go…" She held up the shiny black camera that now hung from a strap around her neck. "I want a picture of the two of you!"

"Mom…" Jeff whined again.

Doreen held the camera aloft and gestured for Jeff and Tyler to get together on the couch, "Consider it a trade. You let me take your picture, and I clean up the toys for you."

Jeff sighed and did as he was told. He and Tyler posed on the couch and smiled for her. She took way more pictures than Jeff thought were necessary, but he bit his tongue. "I'll send you prints of these," She said when she'd finally put down the camera.

Jeff started to tell her that no one made prints anymore, but his snark was cut short when his ribcage was suddenly being crushed in a hug. "He's just like you when you were his age," Doreen whispered to him. "He's a special little boy. Just like you were."

When Doreen released him, she held him at arm's length. Their eyes met and all Jeff could manage was a half-hearted smile, "Bye, Mom."

"Bye, Grandma," Tyler said in a small voice, reaching for a hug. Jeff still thought that word sounded strange, but it made Doreen coo.

She scooped the little boy up into her arms. "Bye, sweetie," She said. "Come see me again really soon, okay?"

"Okay," Tyler agreed.

After a few more hugs and kisses, Jeff was finally able to get them both out of the house and into the car. He let out a big breath as he pulled away from the curb. Visiting his mother was exhausting.


Most days Tyler went to Andre and Shirley's house after school, but on occasion Jeff would bring him to their study sessions. The group had just had their first big test of the semester and were having more of a hangout session than a study session. They all sat around the table in study room F at their usual spots. Tyler was sitting in the spot next to Jeff that by now had been deemed Tyler's chair. He and Annie were leaned in close together, looking over a book Annie had gotten him as a gift. It was a book she had loved at his age. Tyler flipped through it excitedly then held it up to her. "Read it with me!" He demanded.

Without looking up from his phone, Jeff cleared his throat loudly.

"Will you read it with me, please?" Tyler rephrased.

Annie laughed, "I'd love to. Let's go!" They both jumped to their feet and raced over to the couches where they giggled together before hunching over the book to read.

"Why isn't the kid with Andre today?" Britta asked. "Not that I don't enjoy having him around," She added quickly after a glare from Jeff.

"He likes hanging out with you guys, for some reason," Jeff said with a shrug, looking back down at his phone. "And I don't mind the extra time with him, either."

"Aw!" The table cooed. Jeff ignored them.

"You know, Jeff, I've been meaning to talk to you," Pierce said from across the table. "As a man who's raised thirty-two step-children, I feel like I can give you some solid parenting advice, sort of father to son."

"Not likely," Jeff responded.

Pierce opened his mouth to speak again, but was thankfully interrupted by Tyler shouting across the room. "Jeffery!" He called playfully.

Jeff took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Please stop calling me that."

"Grandma calls you that," Tyler argued back.

"Only Grandma can."

"But Shirley calls you Jeffery, too."

The sound of stifled laughed from the group met Tyler's words. Jeff didn't acknowledge them. "Okay," He amended. "Only Grandma and Shirley."

"But the Dean -"

"Fine! Everyone not named Tyler is allowed to call me that."

"That's not fair!" Tyler whined, draping himself dramatically over the back of the couch and giving Jeff a pitiful look, rousing another round of cooing from the group.

"Look what you did!" Britta accused lightheartedly.

"Jeffery, don't be mean," Shirley reprimanded.

"Ugh, fine!" Jeff threw his hands up in defeat, "Everyone named Tyler can also call me by my full name!" Jeff pointed at Tyler's triumphant smile, "But don't abuse this power. I reserve the right to take it away whenever I want."

"Deal," Tyler agreed. He held up the book he and Annie had been reading together and leaned over the back of the couch, "So, Jeffery Tobias Winger, wanna come read with us?" Tyler's shit-eating grin was bright enough to light up the entire room and the raucous laughter that met his words could have been heard from Boulder.

Jeff pressed his lips into a thin line and turned, pointing an accusatory finger around the table at his laughing friends. "This is all your fault," He said before standing up and joining Tyler on the couch.


"That was delicious, baby, thank you." Andre said, placing his napkin on the table and leaning over to give Shirley a loving kiss on the cheek.

"It really was great." Jeff agreed, setting his napkin down as well.

"Can we be excused now?" Elijah asked impatiently. The kids had been done eating for several minutes and were squirming in their seats, ready to get up and go play.

"Alright. Go ahead," Shirley said with a nod. Jordan, Elijah, and Tyler immediately took off for the living room. When the three of them were together it was like trying to control a circus. Within seconds of them disappearing from view, the pounding of child-sized feet running back and forth and leaping from furniture could be heard.

Jeff shook his head, "I don't know how you guys do it. I can barely take care of one kid, three would be impossible."

Shirley and Andre laughed. "You get used to it," Andre said. "And you seem to be doing fine with Tyler."

Jeff shrugged and dropped his gaze.

Whatever Shirley was about to say next was cut short when Tyler came barreling back into the room. He rushed straight for Jeff's chair and came to a stop in front of him. "Jeff, look!" He shouted, "My tooth is loose!" He smiled wide and wiggled his top front tooth with his tongue in demonstration.

"Huh, so it is," Jeff said, peering into the kid's mouth. Then, after a beat, "Are you supposed to be losing teeth yet?"

Tyler shrugged. Jeff looked over at Shirley for the answer. She sighed, "Yes, Jeff, seven-year-olds lose teeth. Did you do any research before deciding to adopt?"

"Yes, I did," Jeff said defensively. "But looking up when children start losing teeth wasn't exactly at the top of my list."

Tyler, bored of the adults' conversation, turned and skipped away, headed back to his friends in the other room.

As Jeff watched Tyler's retreating form, he had a sudden realization. He turned to Shirley and Andre with wide eyes, "I have to be the Tooth Fairy, don't I?"

"Maybe I take back my previous statement," Andre laughed, causing Jeff to glare.

"Alright, well, we should probably get going," Jeff said half an hour later.

"Let me give you some leftovers," Shirley said happily, getting to her feet and heading for the kitchen, baby Ben in her arms.

"Shirley, no, that's not necessary," Jeff insisted, getting up and following her. "You guys watch Tyler every day after school. I'm not going to take your food, too."

"Here, take him," Shirley said, handing Ben to Jeff, completely ignoring Jeff's argument.

Jeff took Ben and looked down at the chubby, drooling toddler in his arms and held him out, slightly away from his body. "Um…"

"Oh my gosh," Shirley exclaimed. "You have a kid! How can you be uncomfortable with kids?"

"I'm just not good with babies." Jeff nervously kept his eyes on Ben. "And I don't have a kid. I have a Tyler. There's a difference."

"I'll take him," Andre offered, arriving just in the nick of time.

Jeff gladly placed Ben in Andre's arms and hastily ducked out of the kitchen before anymore could be said about the subject. He made his way into the living room where the three boys were currently taking turns wrestling each other to the ground.

"Alright, Tyler. Time to go. Say goodbye to the Bennetts."

"No!" All three boys shouted, getting to their feet.

"Thirty more minutes!" Jordan pleaded.

"Yeah! Please, Jeff?" Tyler begged, wrapping his arms around Jeff's waist.

"Please, Jeff!" Jordan and Elijah echoed, grabbing each of Jeff's arms.

"Come on, Tyler. We need to go," Jeff said, trying to extract himself from their grip. "You'll see each other tomorrow!" He tried to shake them off again but that only made them laugh and hang on tighter, putting all of their weight on him and holding him in place.

"Shirley!" He called. "Some help, please!"

A few moments later, Shirley appeared in the doorway. As soon as she saw Jeff's predicament, she burst into laughter and got out her phone to take pictures.

"That is not helpful!" Jeff said with a frown. "Aren't you supposed to discourage this stuff?"

"Say cheese!" Shirley laughed.

"Cheese!" The boys mimicked, grinning for the camera. Jeff stuck out his tongue.

"Alright, boys. Let go now. Time to say goodbye." At her command, the boys released Jeff, who gratefully reclaimed his arms.

They all said their goodbyes quickly and Jeff managed to get away with only a couple of Tupperware containers of leftovers, thankfully none of them containing baked goods of any kind.

By the time they'd made it home, the picture was already posted to Facebook with twenty-five Likes and climbing.

You suck. Jeff commented.

Moments later Shirley replied, Love you, too!