Fighting Authority Part II
After the service, Beats' first instinct was to leave, but he knew from the look on Flint's face that no amount of excuses would let him do that. He did however pull out his phone, as it had vibrated in his pocket during the service. He checked it and saw that he had missed a call from Elliott, but he had left a voicemail. He dialled the number to hear the latter, and heard Elliott's voice, full of emotion, telling him that he had broken down under the strain of a busy Saturday morning, and had ended up telling Dani everything. To make matters worse, he had only realised once he had done so that Skylar had walked in as he began, and now also knew what was going on…
"Okay, put your phone away. What is going on, Beats, and don't say nothing, because I will know that you are lying to me…" came Flint's voice, and Beats smiled wanly, knowing he was right. He pocketed his phone, and he realised that if Elliott had told his best friend and inadvertently Skylar, then there was no harm in him telling Flint everything too. He poured it all out, watching as Flint's smile fell from his face, and his anger began to grow for his friend, and the boy that had found a place in all of their hearts. It was only as he was halfway through the tale that Beats noticed that he had done an Elliott; Rabbi Hirsch had been within earshot as he began, and she had stopped to listen, now sitting down to join them, shaking her head and scowling just as much as Flint.
When Beats finished, it was she that spoke first. "That law is ridiculous; if you can foster, then you should be allowed to adopt. If you need someone to speak up on your behalf, then I would be happy to. I will say this though; fighting the city won't be easy, and it won't come cheap either. You are going to need every bit of support that you can muster, both emotionally and financially."
"To be honest, the money is not an object in all of this," Beats replied. "We will not stand by and let Dante suffer because of an outdated system, and if it costs every penny that we have, if it means that I am in debt for the rest of my days, then it is worth it. He has already packed a bag with his most treasured possessions, and I am not sure if that is because he wants to be ready should they come to take him away, or if it is because he intends to run himself before then… Everything was going so well; we were a proper family, but now…"
As Beats words failed him, Rabbi Hirsch, who had said nothing since he began, dug into her pocket and pulled out a card. "This is my phone number. Call me, day or night, should the situation begin to escalate. It is amazing what the presence of a recognised religious leader can do in these circumstances, even now. There is also a children's home for orphaned Jewish children in Manhattan, and yes, I know he isn't strictly Jewish, but I would happily tell the administrators that you are a member of my congregation; as a result it would not be impossible for us to get him accommodated there rather than in a city run facility in the Bronx. That is of course for the worst case scenario…."
"You would do that for us?" said Beats in a whisper.
"Certainly, and in any case, there happens to be a young man by the name of Lachlan in the congregation, the son of a stockbroker, who might just happen to be the young man that your foster son is dating. I do so hate to see young love spoiled…" she replied. Beats had an urge to hug the rabbi, but he did not; it was not appropriate behaviour, even in the circumstances, for a Warbler. The issue had not gone away, but he suddenly had a new reason for hope, as long as the city could be persuaded to use the alternative home…
Flint had been quiet until that moment, but now as the rabbi moved on and bade them farewell, he knew what he had to do. As Beats made his way to the door, he joined him, and would not let his best friend say goodbye. "Uh uh! You do not get to tell me something like this and then just walk away. As far as I am concerned, as all of your fellow Warblers are concerned, Dante is like a nephew to us, and as his 'uncle' I need to act in his best interests. Then there is of course the whole business of once a Warbler, always a Warbler. Your problem is therefore our collective issue. We will all be there to help you fight this idiocy, and that fight begins now. I am coming home with you, and we will have a spot of lunch as we formulate our plan of action. We begin by finding out exactly how we mount a challenge to these rules. I wonder if Nick would know anything about that? I mean, he did study a lot of general law at college, before he got his gig at the UN, and it is a rights law issue really when you think about it. You should have the right to adopt him, and Dante should have the right to be able to stay."
"I don't want to bother Nick," Beats began.
"Beats, if he finds out from someone else what is happening, and that you didn't ask him for his help, he might well be very upset, so look on asking him as a means of avoiding another issue. Then there is the money question; I have some that I can lend to you…"
"Flint, I can't accept…"
"…a loan? If it was a gift, then I could accept your indignation, but I would want the money back! I am also sure that I am not the only one of us that would lend you cash to get the process started. Your fight is our fight. You know that. We just need to work out a strategy of how we can best approach this and win." Beats didn't even bother to answer back. After all, this was going to be a battle, and they needed all the assistance they could get…
When Elliott arrived back at the house from his shift at the Spotlight that afternoon, it was to find Dante on the doorstep, about to let himself in. He opened the door, and the two of them climbed the stairs in silence. On entering the living room of their home, they both paused to stare. Beats and Flint had been joined by Ethan and Drew, and they were watching as Beats was talking to Nick on Skype. "So you are saying that is all we need to do? Lodge a petition at City Hall as soon as possible, demanding that they consider changing the rules?" Beats was saying as they stood there.
"As far as I can see, yes, although I am the first to admit that my knowledge of the rules and regulations of New York's city government is limited and not as up to date as it might be," Nick replied "It might actually be better for you to consult my sister; she knows more about it as she does a lot of work that involves children. Anyway, both Jeff and I will happily contribute to your fighting fund, and I am pretty sure that Sebastian will too."
"Thanks Nick. Give them both our love," said Beats, then with the usual pleasantries, he ended the call. It was only then that he noticed Dante and Elliott in the doorway.
"Fighting Fund? What on earth is going on, Nate?" asked Elliott.
"It is all my fault," said Flint before his best friend could reply. "He told me what was going on, after you had talked to Dani. We decided that we needed a plan of action as to how we are going to prevent you losing your boy, and the first part of that was sorting out the money side. A petition to the city will not come cheap, and we are all more than happy to lend what we can afford so that the two of you don't have to resort to taking out crippling commercial loans. Our next problem will be the petition itself. For it to be considered, we need to amass 10,000 signatures at least. We thought that it could go in the Spotlight to begin with, and we will all give of our time to take it door to door as well…"
"Okay, whoa! Rewind a bit. A petition?"
"It is the easiest way to force the city to reconsider the rules," said Beats, "and the cheapest. Elliott, we are just at the start of what is going to be the biggest battle of our lives. Your dad and what he did will be nothing compared to this. We are fortunate in that we have a lot of folk with us, and a good cause; keeping Dante where he belongs; here with us."
From those small beginnings quickly spread a wave of action. By the following the morning the petition was on display at the Spotlight Diner, alongside a photo of Beats and Elliott with Dante, and a short explanation of what was happening. Elliott was popular with the regular customers, and as the usual Sunday morning brunch rush went on, so the number of signatories to the petition grew; it seemed that everyone was determined to help out. On top of that, Elliott also received a number of offers in person of financial aid, and also free advice from one elderly regular who it turned out had been a city councillor. She told him the exact wording to use on the missive that they would send in with the petition to ensure it could not be rejected on a technicality, but then confirmed what they all thought; that there were strong religious interests enshrined in the adoption committee. She also stated that although they were charged with being equal and fair to all, no-one in authority at the city council had ever suggested changing the make up of the committee to make it more reflective of the city as it was now…
In the West Village, Dante received a text from Lachlan early on, saying that he was coming over. He had been told the news by Dante the previous evening, the young man not wishing to destroy their afternoon together by bursting their bubble. When he arrived, he was not alone; he had at his side his parents. Beats was glad that he had tidied up last night when the brainstorming session had drawn to a close as he guided them into the kitchen. It transpired that Lachlan's mother was the head of the school PTA, and his father was well respected amongst the higher echelons of Wall Street…
"We were having a quiet family evening together when Dante called last night, and Lachlan headed out of the room to talk to him, as he always did… When he came back, he was sobbing, and eventually he managed to tell us what was going on…" began Mrs Rosenfeld as they sat down for coffee and cake. "That poor boy has just found out that his mother has died, and those in authority think that the best thing to do is to remove him from a home that he is happy in? It is ridiculous! Anyway, we came to say that we will help out in any way that we can; the PTA will be backing your fight for a start, if the members I have already talked to are anything to go by."
"And I can also say without fear of contradiction that several of the wealthiest people in this city will have objections too," added Mr Rosenfeld. "A few words can be said into the correct ears, and this adoption committee will find itself with a major battle on their hands."
"Well, we have actually started a petition this morning; we had advice that the best way to get the city to consider a change is to petition them. We will need to get a heck of a lot of signatures, but it is a start I guess…" replied Beats.
"Right. Give me some sheets if you have them, and I can go into the school tomorrow morning and start to get some signatures from other parents and the faculty. I can also take it with me to the ladies clubs that I attend," said Mrs Rosenfeld firmly. Beats got up to collect some sheets, as she looked like the kind of lady people did not say no to.
"I will take some too, if I may," her husband added. "There are several people in my workplace for a start who foster like you do, and they will be just as appalled by the city's attitude here as I am."
The Rosenfelds left then, having another appointment, but left Lachlan to spend time with Dante. As he was showing them out, Flint arrived, this time with Izzy and his son, Aaron. She had been working the previous day, but when Flint had told her what was going on her return home, she had shared his outrage and indignation. She had of course told her mother all about it when she had called her that morning, and she had told her husband naturally. As it happened, Mr Bernstein was a close friend of the current city mayor, and he would express his concerns to him directly.
Beats knew that would help, but they still had to go through the proper channels. To that end, Izzy wanted copies of the petition to take to the hospital with her, knowing that she would find a lot of support amongst her fellow staff there. Beats asked them to stay to lunch, and they agreed; that meant that Dante had to introduce Lachlan to his Uncle Flint and Aunt Izzy. The latter took it upon herself to then inform the two young boys all she knew about the two bromantic friends at the table with them, although she stopped short of mentioning what they had once done as a job, and how that had brought Flint into her life. It was not the time or indeed her place to do that. Old photographs were eventually dragged out from the two friends schooldays and student lives, and both Dante and Lachlan laughed out loud at how in every single one of them, Beats and Flint were side by side…
After lunch, Flint and Izzy left, but Lachlan stayed, and was still there when Elliott arrived home from work. He had barely got in when there was another knock at the door. Beats headed down to answer it, and came back up with Grace, along with her toddler twins. Dante offered to look after the twins so she could talk his foster fathers, and she gratefully accepted, and took a seat at the table.
"There are Sundays," she began, "when I seriously envy my beloved husband for his matinee performances. Okay, so I will come straight to the point; Nick called me this morning, and he has given me a full run down of what is going on. He felt that I would be able to do more to help you in his absence. I made a call to a colleague of mine who specialises in this sort of family law. The rules of the committee have not been drastically altered since the mid 1970s, and the representation on it is decreed by a statute that was drafted just after the Second World War. That states that religious groups are to have no less than two thirds representation on the body. That will be why they are so resistant to change; that and the fact that several of the members have served for over 40 years. The last rule that was altered was a decade ago, and that was to remove the injunction that communists could not adopt!"
Grace shook her head sadly, then carried on, "Nick tells me that he told you to start a petition, and from what I hear you have done so. That is the best way to start making change in this city of ours. I will tell you now though that I will not be able to sign it. Now before you jump down my throat, let me point out that I cannot sign it as I will be taking your case to the committee. My donation to your fighting fund is my time. I love a good fight with those in authority, and this one will be all the sweeter because I will be helping friends…"
Beats and Elliott had both been staring at Grace until she finished; they then looked at each other before Beats turned back to her and said, "Grace, we can't possibly let you work for nothing. To do this for us would mean that you would have to turn down other paying work, and we can't and won't have you ending up out of pocket for our sake."
"Firstly, I have a couple of long running cases on the go at the moment which are keeping the wolf well and truly away from the door; I can work on them and yours at the same time, so the only expense that I really will have is my time, which is free. Secondly, as I said, this is mine and Cooper's donation to your fighting fund, so if you do decide to decline my offer, then he will donate the exact amount I charge you to the fund. Accepting it this ways cuts down the paperwork and let's be honest, the taxes."
"I guess that we can't really argue with that sentiment," said Elliott.
"There would be no point; I am a lawyer after all, and my arguments are always very convincing, trust me. So as I am here and have a babysitter, shall we sit down now and have our initial discussion on the facts of the case as we know them? Any information that you can give me will be appreciated; even the most trivial seeming of things can be used to build up a strong case. On top of that, we need to build up a character profile for each of you, emphasising your good points. Now I do also have to warn you; the city does not like being challenged like this, and there is every possibility that things will get messy. They will dig around for anything that they can find that will make you look bad; fortunately neither of you has a criminal record, at least to my knowledge…"
Grace stopped talking as she saw that Beats had paled, and she knew at once exactly what he was thinking about. "I don't think that can be used against you, but there is every chance that they will bring it up. For that reason, if certain people are not aware of that part of your past history, then maybe you should tell them about it sooner rather than later. For my part I will argue that the past is just that, and they should be focusing on the work you have done with Dante since he came into your care…"
"Which is exactly how it should be," added Elliott, placing an arm around his partner's shoulders. Beats nodded in reply, but he knew that later that day, once Lachlan had left, they would need to sit down and tell Dante. The conversation might well be a difficult one, but they had no option…
Lachlan's parents came to collect him just before dinner, and with Grace already home, the three of them sat down to eat; afterwards, they asked Dante to stay at the table, as they knew it had to be dealt with, and so began the talk. He already knew that Elliott and his brother were estranged from their family, but he did not know why. They shared with him the full details of the drama, and the final showdown that had taken place in Elliott's old apartment. Dante reacted with anger at the way that Elliott had been treated at first, and that grew as they told him about the fight; he was also proud of the way that Beats had intervened to save the man that he loved… That in turn lead on to a chat about the problems that Beats had with his eyes, though they sold that as a prime example of how good could come out of a bad situation.
That done, Beats took a deep breath, and told Dante all about the job he had undertaken whilst he was at college. He did not know when he began how the young man would react, but the smiles and laughter came as a shock; Elliott didn't help matters either by saying that he had been hot as a stripper. He did however not say where he had worked, or reveal that he had actually had a partner in crime. To have done so would not have been fair on Flint, and if at some point in the future he agreed that Dante could know, then that was all well and good. It also protected the two current Preppy Boys, the protégés of Callum and Alan; those initial replacements chosen by Beats and Flint had graduated from college, and where living together in Philadelphia.
"I can't believe that one of my foster dads was a stripper! If I had to have guessed I would have said that Elliott would have been the more likely of the two of you too! I guess that you are only telling me know because there is a chance that they might try and use it against you now. In my opinion, there are much worse things that you could have done to make a buck at college…" Dante said with a grin.
"That is very true," said Beats. "Anyway, now you know, but it stays between the three of us, okay. We don't need it broadcast to all and sundry if it doesn't have to be, so don't even tell Lachlan, at least not until this is all over."
"Okay, no sweat. By the way, for what it is worth, I think that you could still get a crowd screaming," remarked Dante cheekily, which made Elliott laugh out loud and Beats go bright red…
With a lawyer in place and the petition begun, all they could do now was wait, hoping that it would not take too long to gather the 10,000 names needed to get the city to consider their case. The sheets that they were using had space for 25 names, along with the addresses, something that was demanded by the authorities as all signatories had to live currently in one of the five boroughs. That meant that they had to have 400 completed sheets just to make a start. When Elliott returned to the Spotlight on Monday, it was to be presented with 38 completed sheets, just from the one day of trading. As Elliott worked that Monday morning he discovered that the usual weekday customers, even those that just came in to grab a coffee and go, took the time to read the notice, and then in most cases, they filled in a line, smiling at him as they did so…
Dante saw Lachlan's mom at the school gate as he arrived, standing there with a clipboard and talking to parents as they arrived; on finding Lachlan inside the school, he was informed that his mom had already filled in a number of sheets the day before, just by approaching friends and neighbours. He also took him to a quiet spot and disclosed something else. "I overheard my parents last night, and they have decided to get themselves approved as potential adoptive parents. That way, if your foster dads don't win the case, they can apply to adopt you instead. It would make things strange for us, but I guess it means that they like you and kind of approve of our relationship." Dante felt himself close to tears as he listened, overwhelmed by the kind gesture from his boyfriend's parents, but he was careful not to let them show…
Beats arrived at work that morning, and it took very little for him to tell his tale of woe from the weekend to the entire office. When he had finished he dug in his bag and brought out one of the petition sheets, and left it on his desk as he excused himself to use the restroom to wash his face, given that he had begun to cry… By the time that he returned, every line on the sheet was full, and he had to find another copy as there were people waiting to sign up… That was just the start of it, and he kept having to get a new sheet out as people popped by his department from across the MTA offices, just to sign the petition. By the end of the day, he had a small pile of sheets of his own; better yet, when he walked into the subway to catch the train home, he was stopped by the staff on duty, and had to wait as they all signed up; it seemed that the news had spread even to the station staff and drivers…