The Start of New Families.
The next few weeks were particularly hectic ones for Sebastian Smythe. He had his current role to play eight times a week; he had readings and rehearsals to begin on his next one; and on top of that he had moments such as the one when Brittany called him at 4am to tell him that it was the perfect time, and could he bring round a donation in a jiffy bag as soon as possible… The ringing of his phone had woken Dave up, and when he told him why they had been called, his husband had laughed long and loud. Sebastian did not; he just looked at him until his laughter died down, then pointed out with a wink that he wouldn't mind a hand in the process, if he wasn't too busy… It was almost 5am by the time that he was walking up the path to Santana and Brittany's place, intending to just post it through the door and ring the bell; instead he found the latter waiting for him on the threshold. The whole thing was extremely unnerving, and he left as quickly as he could, the whole affair having reminded him of that horrible looking thing for the turkey… He made a note of the date when he returned home, knowing that he could expect another call in around 4 weeks, although hopefully at a more respectable hour, unless he was very lucky indeed…
Before that event came along, he also had the joy of a trip with Dave and the surrogate to the doctor's office for another check up; with all still well, and the twenty week mark having been passed, they agreed that they could finally go public with the news, and that the best way to do so was in the most modern of ways. He made a point of calling both his parents and his brother first to share the news, whilst Dave called his own father; they were all delighted at the news. Then with all of the most important people in his life told first hand, including Peter, he posted the most recent sonogram image on Facebook for his friends to see, with the simple caption "Due in August…"
Nick and Jeff were on the phone to him less than a minute after the post was made, offering their warmest congratulations, and a loan of all of the parenting books they had acquired when little Wes was expected. Trent and Rory were not that far behind them in offering their best; when at the end of the conversation Trent whispered to him that he should look out for something similar on their Facebook page very soon, Sebastian felt a warm glow spread through him at the realisation that very soon all of the musketeers would be fathers. He guessed that Trent had also been sworn to silence as he and Dave had been, and he said nothing further on the matter.
Messages quickly built up on his post too, all of them congratulating them on their impending fatherhood, even that from David on this occasion. He would however later admit to Thad that his initial intended message had been spotted by Mercedes just before he posted it, and she had threatened to have him locked alone in a room with Santana if he did not delete at once the reference to the fact that Sebastian being the father of two children was surely one of the first signs of the end of Western Civilisation.
Thad accepted the news from New Jersey with a smile, but it only served to remind him that he was never going to feel the wealth of emotions that came with finding out that you were going to be a father himself. He went for a walk on his own after the last classes of the day were over, giving himself time to think; on his return to the school, it was to the sight of Mrs Carmichael returning from town with a bag full of wool, which made him smile as he thought of all the tiny articles of clothing she would be knitting again…
The only person that was not overjoyed on Facebook was Brittany, who felt that it wasn't fair of Sebastian to be having two babies at the same time. Santana was able to console her a little by pointing out that the baby in the picture could well have Dave as its father. In private, she hoped that would indeed be the case, as it would make things a lot easier if she did happen to fall pregnant through their attempts if her child was the only one he was father to…
The month of May was upon the world all too soon after that, and with it came the first real signs of the benefits of the new order in the government of the nation. The first works were started on the new rail tunnels below the Hudson that would double the number of tracks between New Jersey and Penn Station, using a tunnel boring machine that had been brought over from England, where it had been instrumental in constructing new rail routes underneath the heart of London. The unions were not exactly pleased with its arrival, as it meant less jobs and a new way of doing things, but the simple facts had been stated by the government; the works were urgent, as the old tunnels would soon need to be closed for repair, so the old order had to change if the city was to carry on working as normal.
This was not the only rail project in New York, as a delighted Beats was finding out. The month had seen the opening at long last of the long awaited East Side Access project, and the first trains had begun to arrive from Long Island at Grand Central Terminal. The planners were now talking about building another curve below the city streets, using the machine, which would allow trains from New Jersey to access the great terminal at 42nd Street too; in addition to that, there was a plan to build a new station on the existing line under 34th Street near Second Avenue, to provide a new interchange there with the new subway line, allowing the commuter load to be spread far more evenly than before. The MTA was beginning to dust off projects that it had designed then consigned to storage as the funds just were not there, among them the idea of running the '7' Train through to Secaucus Junction, and even all the way to Meadowlands Stadium on game days; the long awaited subway link to La Guardia Airport, and even of a through train from JFK to the heart of the city via the LIRR…
With all of this going on, Beats found his working life busier than ever, and the same was true of his fellow MTA employee, Flint's cousin Leo. In spite of all of that, he had managed to find time to meet a nice girl; that he had done so at the synagogue he attended from time to time with Flint, Izzy and Ethan had been a surprise, but they all liked her. She was from a very nice family, and the two made an excellent match; so much so, that everyone predicted wedding bells in their future…
They were ringing at home for Beats too, although not with himself and Elliott, but with the latter's brother. Josh had come home one night and announced that he and his long term boyfriend Scott had decided to get engaged, and that they intended to get married as soon as possible, having decided that they were perfectly matched. It had not come as a real shock to anyone, but the speed with which they wanted to get married did worry some. On top of that, they had decided that when they married, they wanted to move out, and given the amount that they could afford between them for rent, Elliott was concerned about just what kind of area they would end up living in.
As so often seemed to be the case for the circle of friends, fate was on their side. Isabelle had decided that she no longer needed her little place in town; as a mother, she no longer did the same number of late nights she once had, and when she was out late, she always wanted to head back home. At the same time, she did not want to sell up, just find a reliable tenant. The rent she had decided to ask was low, and it was close to the West Village without being right next door, something that Josh and Scott wanted. With Sebastian acting as an intermediary, an approach was made, and within a few days, there was no longer any need for anyone to worry about where the newlyweds would make their first home together.
The first week of May also saw Sebastian being proved right as Trent and Rory announced that they too were expecting their first child. It seemed that they had struck lucky on their first attempt back in January, and that they would be proud fathers in October. Everyone was just as pleased for them as they had been for Sebastian and Dave, and they all predicted that a certain Irish grandmother would be in the States at around that time… Mrs Carmichael was seen with yet more wool, as Thad pondered the implications of a Warbler baby boom; as a go to confidante for most of the others, he knew things that others did not. Flint had confided in him that he was worried that Izzy was working too hard, as she was constantly tired, looked so pale, and on top of that was being sick most mornings… And then there was the fact that David had informed him that Mercedes had announced that she might be taking a break from her music career for a few months at the end of this year and the start of the next; he knew her well enough to know that she would not be considering that right now if she had the very best of reasons… He pitied Principal Carmichael if his suspicions were confirmed as correct, as he would be surrounded by knitting for many weeks to come if they were…
The talk of weddings and babies had different effects on different people. Ethan for example was very pleased for Leo, particularly as he had actually been instrumental in making the introduction between the two of them. It was definitely love, as Leo did not bother about whether her family were wealthy or not, he just wanted to be with her. As it happened, they were, but as he plainly stated to his potential father-in-law one night, his immediate family were not; but they had enough, and they had love, and that was all that anyone really needed in life. Such honestly had made him popular with his girlfriend's father, who saw that he was a hard worker, and a skilled, college educated man in a good job that would allow him to provide for his daughter and any future family.
However, talk of weddings always made Ethan think of Drew, and he was always heart sore that he did not even know if his best friend was well; was dead or alive. To make matters worse that month, he had arrived at his office one morning to find someone waiting for him - Drew's mom. His face must have betrayed the worst fears that filled his head the moment that he saw her sitting there, as she quickly said, "It's okay, Ethan, he isn't dead - at least, not as far as I know…. I came here half hoping that you would know something more than I do, but I can clearly see from your face that you know as much as his father and I do…"
He abandoned his work that day, and instead spent it with Mrs Symons; he went so far as to bring out something he had kept hidden away since the day he had been given it. As she read the last letter that Drew had sent to him, Ethan felt tears filling his eyes, and by the end of it, she was sobbing as much as he had that day at Dalton. When they parted that night, it was with a promise to stay in touch with each other, as they could both clearly see that they were equally desperate for any news about their son and friend respectively. Ethan was desperate for so much as one word from his friend; and if that word was "Help", he would be on the first flight that he could catch…
The forthcoming wedding of Josh and Scott had also given Beats a pause for thought. He was quite content in the nature of his relationship with Elliot, but he was now starting to realise that there was one thing that could possibly be added to that mix, and that was children. He had enjoyed being a surrogate older brother to both of the younger boys, and the apartment would seem much emptier when they were gone. He had resigned himself for a while to that fact, as neither he or Elliot wanted to go to all the hassle of finding a suitable surrogate, and then playing the waiting game to see if they would fall pregnant. Then there was of course the fact that as he was not a stranger to the opposite sex, Elliot might decide that it would be best if they conceived the natural way, and he would see that as tantamount to cheating, even with his partner's permission. Then as he travelled home from work one evening, he found himself looking up as he waited for the lights to change at a crosswalk, and saw a billboard…
He said nothing to Elliot when he arrived home from work, just kissed him on the cheek before carrying on with the final preparations for that evening's meal. It was only once that meal had been eaten, and the two of them were side by side at the sink washing the dishes that he decided to broach the subject… "I saw a poster as I was walking home from work today, and what was on it got me thinking; it was a picture of two men with a teenager between them, and the strapline was 'New York needs foster families'. I am guessing from the picture that they are open to same sex couples as foster parents, which would cause people to have all kinds of fits back in Ohio…"
"It wasn't all that long ago that such things would have been unthinkable even here, Nate. We are really fortunate that we live in such tolerant times," Elliot replied.
"I brought the subject up because it made me think that with Josh and Scott moving out very soon, and yes, all of my friends in the Warblers starting a family, that maybe being foster fathers is something that we could consider doing. We both know that there are kids out there in bad situations; some of them like Josh, being bullied and tormented by the people that should love them unconditionally because of their sexuality, and we are in a position were we could offer them a safe home and the stability that they need."
"I guess…" said Elliot, then paused, before taking Beats' hands in his own. "I am not against the idea, far from it, but I wouldn't want a very young kid, because I don't think I cold cope with that, but a teenager… I don't know exactly how the system works, and if you can actually specify what kind of kid you want to foster…"
Beats nodded, glad that it wasn't a no from the man he loved. "We could make enquiries about that; they must have a website, and it would probably tell us more on there…"
"True, but then we come to the second thing. There is the question of whether Jeff would approve of us bring potentially very troubled kids into the mix here; my brother was one thing, but complete strangers might well be something different altogether."
"I don't see him objecting," Beats replied, "given that he is only here because he was adopted himself, but obviously we would ask him… Look, maybe this is a bad idea, and if you are not behind it, then we can forget about it."
"No, it is nothing like that; I think it would be a wonderful thing to do. I just think we need to be cautious, and not start to build up our hopes about the idea too soon. They might not approve us as foster parents as we aren't in a legally recognised relationship. That is what I am afraid of…" Elliot's statement did give Beats pause for thought. Could it be that their choice not to formalise their relationship would be the one thing that would cost them their chance to do something useful and help children in need of a home?
There was only one way to find out, and with the dishes washed and dried, they headed to Beats' laptop to find the answers. There was indeed a website, and the first thing it stated was that there was a desperate need for foster parents willing to take on teenagers. A further check revealed that applications from co-habiting couples would be considered, providing that they could prove that they had been in a stable relationship for at least two years. On reading that, they had both turned to each other, and found the other smiling as broadly as they were. They decided to move on to the next obstacle immediately, and headed out together to the house two doors away to see their landlord.
They found Jeff at home, sitting quietly with Nick, little Wes tucked up in bed. Beats decided that there was no point in procrastinating, and just came straight out with the question. The response from Jeff was an immediate okay, as he had no issue whatsoever with them fostering. "If I am being honest, had little Wes not come along, then it would have been a consideration for us too. I have been in the situation myself, and I know exactly what a difference can be made to a life if you have a loving family behind you. It won't be easy though; there will be all kinds of checks for you to go through, not that I foresee any issues for the two of you. If you are asked for character witnesses, both Nick and I would be happy to oblige…"
Nick nodded in agreement with Jeff's promise, and with that assurance fresh in their minds, it was with no qualms whatsoever that Beats made the phone call to the number on the poster the following morning to register an interest. It was however a bit of a shock when the lady that answered offered them an initial assessment that evening. After a quick call to Elliot to check he had no plans, the appointment was made, and when Beats hurried home that evening it was to discover that Elliot had been cleaning like mad, and was in the middle of baking a cake…
The lady from Children's Services arrived bang on time, and was given a tour of their home by Beats; then she accepted coffee and cake, full of compliments for their house. When she asked them why they wished to foster, it was Elliot that answered before Beats had a chance. "We currently have my younger brother and his fiancé living with us; my father threw him out of the house on Christmas Day, as he had done with me a few years earlier, because of the fact that he was gay. Nate had no issue in taking him in and giving him the stable environment he needed to be able to go to finish high school, and then head to college. We know that there are other kids out there that are in the same situation, and we are in the position that we can offer them a secure place to call home, where they can be themselves without any fear. We have good supportive friends and neighbours too, and a lot of space. We have love to give, and that is what all kids need…"
Beats smiled, and said, "I agree. We are very lucky in what we have here, and it is only right that we share our good fortune with others who are not so lucky."
The lady took her notes, asking them other questions, and then took her leave; on doing so, she said that in her opinion, they were perfect, but that there would be other tests to go through before they got the final okay. When that happened, she admitted that she actually had someone in mind that she would place with them straight away…
The decision by the two young men to start down the road to becoming foster parents was broadly welcomed by everyone that knew them; they also knew that it would potentially be a long and drawn out process, not least because of the course that they would have to take as a now mandatory part of the role. That would however be the only real hurdle in their way, given that they had a perfect home, good health and a decent level of income. These factors had lead the lady from the Children's Service department to fast track their application just a little; that and the fact that they had a lot of children waiting for a place. She had also admired just how honest the two of them had been during their interview; to confess without any qualm to the fact that you were pansexual was not a new one to her in her personal life, but it was amongst the foster parents she had interviewed over the years. As for the kids that she had in her charge, well she had heard it from some of them too…
By the time that the middle of May came, she had made her decision, and the letter that had arrived at the West Village stated that all that stood between them and being foster fathers was their attendance at, and completion of, the necessary course, the one that taught them how to deal with the issues that could arise with their charges, and the biggest problem of all, the birth parents. Finding the time to attend the course was the next challenge that faced them, but fortunately they were both employed by people that supported what they were doing. Michelle told Elliot that he could have the same time off as Beats, regardless of when it was, as she was fully aware of how passionately the two of them wanted to take on the role now. He had admitted to her that he was reluctant when the idea was first mooted, but now he was relishing the idea of being a father figure to someone young that was in need…
The middle of May also saw the return of a familiar face to the Broadway stage, with the start of the previews of Twelve Angry Men. The return to the stage after time away and in a serious role was a little daunting to Cooper, and if that alone was not stressful enough, his placing in the lead role alongside two big names from the world of film and television meant that he found himself booked to appear alongside them on The Tonight Show. That had thrown him for six the minute that he was told, and knowing that there was no avoiding it, he did the next best thing and told no-one except for Grace that it was going to happen. In the end, he relented slightly, and told his mother with a few days to go; she was delighted to say the least, and on the day of the actual broadcast she took great pleasure in informing most of her colleagues at Bloomingdale's that her boy was about to star on the small screen. When Cooper heard that she had told people, he had shrugged, and pointed out that he thought it was rather an overreaction to one small spot on one chat show, in which he was sure most of the attention would be on his better known co-stars.
The main reason that Cooper had kept quiet was the fact that there was a studio audience, and the last thing he wanted to see was a slew of familiar faces in the seats. He did go public on the afternoon of the day in question, and as a result, everyone that he knew tuned in. As they did so, they discovered the same thing that Cooper had done only two hours earlier; his co-stars were both booked to appear on the show, but on the next two nights. Like them, he was to appear on his own.
His initial reaction to this was to excuse himself, hurry to the restroom, and throw up. Afterwards, as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, he realised that he was no longer on his own… "Honestly, I am more than a little disappointed in you, big brother. After all that talk about Hollywood when I was growing up, and all of that showboating every time I saw you once you'd left home, you can't even cope with a simple chat show?"
"Hollywood has scripts, squirt. This is live, unscripted stuff. Who knows what might be brought up during the interview!" Cooper replied tersely.
"Well, certainly not your dinner," said Blaine a little sarcastically in reply. "I would put money on both of your previous shows, and why you have chosen to step away from musicals; that means your new family will feature as a result. I imagine they will ask about your surname, and I think if they do, tell them the unvarnished truth. And don't be too shocked if they bring up a certain commercial…"
"They will mention that, won't they," Cooper said with a wry grin. "What if I just freeze up, Blaine? What is he asks me a question, I open my mouth to reply, and no sound comes out?"
"Cooper, you have never been lost for words before now, and I doubt that will start today…" came his reply…
There was of course a quick discussion session beforehand on what he would be asked with the show's host; Blaine was proved right on many things, and the only question that he vetoed was one on his parents; he knew that there was a slim chance his father might be watching, and he didn't want to say anything that might bring him back into their lives. He also made a quick call to Burt to warn him that they would mention his surname, and he wanted to ensure he had no issues with the possibility. He had no qualms, and wished Cooper all the best, before saying that both he and Carole would be tuning in to see him… That did not exactly make him feel any better about the prospect.
If Jonathan Anderson had tuned in that evening, he would not have been alone in watching his eldest son make his TV debut. The man that they all saw on camera came across as cool and composed, talking with eloquence about his move into more serious drama. He chatted happily about the break he had taken, and the reason why, sharing the story about why he had been absent on his final night; the fact that being their for the birth of his kids was more important than anything won him many fans that night. The infamous commercial was also played from end to end, making many at home laugh, but Cooper took it in good heart, and made fun of himself to everyone's amusement; the former New Directions in particular howled when he came out with the line "It was pointed out to me that I had missed the point in acting by continually pointing."
Then came the question about his name change, and Cooper's expression changed. At once, the whole tone of the interview changed as he told everyone the reason behind it. He produced a picture of Blaine and Kurt from his wallet, and held it up to the camera; he described what had happened to them succinctly, and how those events had been the catalyst to a change of direction; how he felt he should go on the stage in their stead. His appearance ended with a song, and the verdict amongst everyone was the same; he had performed perfectly, and deserved every accolade directed towards him…
