Right Next Door

Chapter 7

 


When Brian woke up the morning after the birth, he felt different. He couldn’t explain why, and would probably deny it if asked, but helping Molly deliver her baby touched him deep down inside. Knowing that he was gay at such an early age, he’d never even contemplated having children in his life. It was just another heterosexual ritual, ranking right up there with marriage and monogamy. But seeing an actual birth first hand, as well as the look of sheer love written all over Molly’s face when see saw her daughter for the first time, was something that Brian would never forget. As scared as he was through the ordeal, it was a moment that he was thrilled to be a part of. He got out of bed and went to the phone with the intention of calling the hospital, when he decided that a phone call wasn’t enough. Instead he jumped in the shower, refusing to acknowledge how anxious he was to get to where he was going.

A little more than an hour later, armed with a huge bouquet of flowers and a soft, brown Teddy Bear, Brian walked the halls of the maternity floor, looking for room 312. He finally found it and peeked in to see Molly lying in her bed, with the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms.

“Hey Blue Eyes, am I interrupting?” he said softly from the doorway.

“Brian,” Molly replied in surprise. “Of course you’re not interrupting. What are you doing here?”

“Well, I just happened to be in the area and thought I’d stop in and say hello,” Brian said, trying his best to sound casual.

“In the area? Yeah, right,” Molly giggled, seeing right through Brian’s excuse. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“You are?” Brian asked as he walked in the room and placed the flowers and teddy bear on the table at the foot of the bed.

“Yeah, I wanted to thank you again for last night. I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t been there. It was foolish of me to wait so long to call for help, but I really thought I’d have more time. I was just at the doctor’s two days ago and everything was fine. I’d been having false labor pains for over a week so I just assumed that was what I was having last night. By the time I realized that it was the real thing, it all happened so fast. You were wonderful,” Molly said.

“It was nothing,” Brian replied, uncomfortable with the praise.

“It wasn’t nothing,” Molly insisted, noticing the blush appearing on Brian’s face. “You helped deliver my daughter. That’s huge. Learn how to take a compliment, alright?”

“Yes Ma’am,” Brian laughed as he looked down at the sleeping figure in Molly’s arms.

“You want to hold her?”

Brian nodded and reached out, taking the baby into his arms. He couldn’t resist placing a soft kiss on her forehead. “What’s her name?”

“Stephanie Rose,” Molly told him. “Stephanie is the closest I could get to Steven; her father.”

“It must be tough,” Brian said.

“Yeah, it is. After the shock of finding out I was pregnant wore off though, I knew I needed to put the past behind me and focus on the future. Not only for the baby, but for Jared and Hailey, too. I miss him every day, but our lives have to go on, you know?” Molly felt the dampness in her eyes, but refused to cry on such a happy day. Steven may be gone, but she had Jared and Hailey, and now Stephanie, too. They gave her the strength and courage to go on.

Brian could sense the sadness in Molly and kicked himself for mentioning what she was going through. He knew it was time to change the subject. “So, have you talked to Justin? He was pretty upset when he got home last night and found out what happened.”

“He called earlier, apologizing over and over again for not being there. I kept telling him it wasn’t his fault, but I don’t think he believed me. He’s going to get the kids dressed and fed and then come over and meet his niece. I called my parents, too. They wanted to fly home right away, but I convinced them to stay the rest of the weekend. Stephanie and I won’t be released until Monday anyway. There’s no reason for them to cut their trip short and rush home.”

Brian all but stopped listening to Molly half way through as little Stephanie opened her eyes and looked up at him. He knew she was too young to understand anything that was going on around her, but she looked at him as if she was curious as to who he was. He held her small hand, and was captivated by the way she wrapped her little fingers around one of his own. “Hey Princess,” he cooed gently.

Molly stopped talking when she realized that her daughter had stolen her audience. She couldn’t blame Brian for becoming distracted, though. Stephanie was absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way. Instead, she lay back in bed and enjoyed watching Brian unknowingly bond with Stephanie.

Justin hurried the kids along as he entered the hospital and went straight to the elevators. He couldn’t wait to see Molly and the baby. He was still kicking himself for ever going out and leaving Molly and the kids’ home alone. He knew that it wasn’t his fault. Molly had lied to him, telling him their mother was going to be there and leaving him in the dark about her surprise trip, but that didn’t make his guilt any less real. With Molly being so far along in her pregnancy, there was no reason why Justin couldn’t have waited until after the baby was born before going out and developing a social life. But it didn’t matter anymore anyway. Little Stephanie had arrived, and thanks to the quick thinking of Brian, was a healthy little girl. Justin would have to find a way to thank Brian for being there for his family. It was a thought that had been plaguing him since finding the man sleeping with the twins the night before.

As the elevator came to a stop on the third floor, Justin looked down at the kids.

“Okay you two, remember what I said. Be very quiet until we find your Mommy’s room and see if she’s awake. We don’t want to disturb anybody.”

“Okay Uncle Justin,” Hailey replied quietly. Neither one of them had said much since getting out of the car downstairs. The big hospital seemed very intimidating.

Justin led them down the hall and stopped in the doorway of room 312, confused at the sight before him. Molly was lying in bed watching closely as Brian stood beside the bed, the baby held gently in his arms. What was Brian doing there? And why did Justin’s heart flutter at the thought of him being there?

“Justin, you’re here,” Molly said as she spotted Justin standing at the door, his face showing signs of confusion. “Don’t just stand there. Come in and meet your niece.”

Justin didn’t have time to react before he was practically knocked down by Jared and Hailey.

“Mommy,” Hailey shrieked, forgetting all about her promise to talk softly. “Can I hold my new sister?”

“I get to hold her first. I’m older,” Jared pointed out, gently shoving Hailey aside as he reaching out to take Stephanie from Brian’s arms. Justin gently grabbed his arm before he could actually touch the baby.

“First of all, a minute and thirty-two seconds doesn’t mean a whole lot when it comes to who’s older. Second of all, Stephanie is not a toy that you two can pass around. I think you’d better wait a few days until you try holding her, and only then while you’re sitting down with a grown-up alongside of you. Okay?”

“But Uncle Justin,” Jared whined.

“Honey, your uncle is right. Stephanie is too small for you and your sister to be carrying around like a doll. You can look at her, even give her a kiss on the head if you want, but neither one of you are to ever hold her without an adult’s permission. Is that understood?” Molly said gently, but sternly.

“Yes Mommy,” Jared sighed, his face showing clear signs of disappointment.

“Hailey?” Molly looked at her daughter.

“Okay Mommy,” Hailey replied, a little more upbeat than her brother. “Can I kiss her now?”

“You sure can, Mutt,” Brian teased as he kneeled down, giving Hailey better access to the baby. She didn’t react to Brian’s nickname for her. Both kids had gotten used to the names Mutt and Jeff in the last weeks. They actually liked the way Brian teased them. “Just be very gentle.”

“Hi Stephanie,” Hailey said softly. “I’m your big sister Hailey.”

Brian held onto Stephanie while Hailey and Jared both introduced themselves to their sister and kissed her lovingly, feeling a strange tightening in his chest at the scene before him. Despite the screwed up family he had, he’d learned about love through the Novotny’s, and knew it existed, but their love was different. It was harsh and very verbal, usually shown by affectionate smacks and almost violent embraces. What he was witnessing through the Taylor’s was different. He could see their love and support in every gentle move and loving stare. It was different, but very comforting in a strange way. It also made Brian feel a little bit uncomfortable and out of place. He walked over and handed the baby to Justin.

“I’d better be going. I have a long list of things I need to do today.” Once the baby was safely in her uncle’s arms, Brian leaned over and kissed Molly on the forehead. “Take care Blue Eyes.” He turned towards the door, glancing over at the kids. “I’m sure I’ll see you two rug rats later.”

Justin watched Brian saying goodbye to his family, and knew he needed to talk to him before he left. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say, just that he had to say something. He quickly handed the baby to her mother. “I’ll be right back.”

Brian was standing at the elevator, waiting for the car to arrive at the floor when he heard Justin calling his name. He turned to see the blond approaching him. “Is something wrong?”

“No…I just wanted to thank you again for what you did. Last night I was kind of surprised by everything, but Molly told me what happened and I think I’m almost glad I wasn’t there. I mean, I would’ve loved to been there for my sister and to see my niece born, but I don’t know if I would’ve handled it the way you did. She said you were great. I’m glad Jared had enough sense to go find you,” Justin said, shifting nervously from one foot to another.

“Me, too. Although it seems kind of strange that I’ve been spending my Friday nights looking after the Taylor’s,” Brian replied, enjoying the look of discomfort on Justin’s face as his memory brought him back to the night he was too drunk to get himself home.

“Look, about that night,” Justin began, trying to think of something to say. “Thanks for getting me home. It was stupid to drink that much. I know better than that.”

“That’s okay. We all forget our limits sometimes,” Brian said, just as the elevator arrived and opened its doors. Without thinking, he leaned in and kissed Justin on the lips, lingering for a moment before pulling away and smiling. “You taste pretty good, too.” Before Justin could respond, Brian stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the lobby, never breaking eye contact until the doors closed, separating them.

Justin stood there in shock as he listened to the sound of the elevator descending. Brian kissed him. Right there in the hospital, without the help of alcohol, he actually kissed him. Justin reached up and placed his fingers on his lips, still feeling the warmth of Brian’s mouth on his, and couldn’t help but smile. As much as the man infuriated him, he was drawn to him in a way that left him feeling very confused. Ever since they met, all that they managed to do was get on each other’s nerves. How was it possible that a couple of stolen kisses could make him want with such intensity? Pulling himself from his thoughts, Justin turned to find a couple of nurses smiling knowingly at him. He blushed and returned their smile before making his way back to Molly’s room.

Brian waited until he made it back to the house before allowing himself to think about what happened between him and Justin in the hospital. What had he been thinking, kissing Justin like that? If he didn’t know any better, he would’ve sworn he was turning into a lesbian. Sure, he kissed guys before. He kissed them all the time, but only when it was a prelude to sex. He never intentionally kissed anyone without getting something in return. But it had been nice. He’d been thinking about Justin’s mouth for weeks, ever since they kissed in the jeep on the night he drove Justin home from Babylon. His reaction that night had startled him, yet it all happened so quickly that Brian figured he had imagined the heat that burned from the light touch. Seeing Justin standing in front of him made his curiosity peak and he couldn’t help reaching out for a second taste. He just needed to confirm that his mind had been playing tricks on him and that kissing Justin was no different than kissing a trick, except that nothing would transpire between them afterwards. The plan backfired though. His second taste was even better than the first, leaving Brian more confused than ever. His sighed audibly and pushed thoughts of Justin and their kissing to the back of his mind. He didn’t have time to dwell on it anyway. Justin was still the same person that irritated him to no end. Despite their two shared kisses, nothing had changed between them. Instead he lost himself in his novel, forgetting all about the world around him.

*****

Molly paced the living room with little Stephanie in her arms, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. It had been five days since they’d been released from the hospital and in that time, Molly had barely gotten more than a couple of hours of sleep. Justin had been forced to fly to Chicago to meet with a client on Tuesday and although her mother had been by everyday to check up on them, she was still overwhelmed by having a newborn around the house. Stephanie was a little angel, but she wasn’t much of a sleeper, leaving Molly tired and frustrated. All Molly wanted was a couple of hours of sleep to wipe away some of the exhaustion she was feeling. Luckily Jared and Hailey were upstairs playing, sensing their mother’s need for peace and quiet. Now if she could just get the baby to stay asleep, everything would be okay.

She looked down at the baby in her arms, and smiled. It was her last link to Steven and Molly wouldn’t trade her for the world. She just wished Stephanie would give her a break. She couldn’t wait until Justin came home. The doorbell shook Molly from her thoughts and she carefully made her way to the door. She was surprised to find Brian on the other side.

“You look like shit, Blue Eyes,” Brian laughed as he took in the dark circles under Molly’s eyes.

“Thanks,” Molly replied dryly. “It’s great to see you, too. Come on in.”

Brian walked inside and closed the door behind him before following Molly into the large living room. He dropped the card he’d brought over for Molly and the baby on the coffee table and took a moment to take in the mess spread out through the room before focusing on Molly again. “Is everything alright?”

“I guess,” Molly replied tearfully. “It’s just that Justin was called back to Chicago and Stephanie only likes to sleep when someone is holding her. Jared and Hailey have been really good but they’re only five. I still need to take care of them and I haven’t slept and I’m just so exhausted. I don’t know what to do.”

“Okay, slow down,” Brian said. “Maybe I can help.”

“How?”

Brian smiled sympathetically as he reached out and took the baby from Molly’s arms. He chuckled as she quickly handed the sleeping infant over. “When is she due to eat?”

“I just finished nursing her right before you got here,” Molly replied.

“Okay. Go upstairs and send the rug rats down here and then go to bed. I can handle things down here for awhile so you can get some sleep,” Brian said as he glanced down at Stephanie. He owned an advertising agency and a dance club. Surely he could handle three kids for a couple of hours, couldn’t he?

“Brian, I can’t ask you to do that,” Molly said, trying not to show how much the thought of a few hours sleep excited her. “I’ll be fine.”

“You didn’t ask me. I offered. Now go do what I said and see if you can get rid of the dark circles under your eyes,” Brian insisted.

“Are you sure?”

“Go,” Brian demanded gently.

“Thank you, Brian. You have no idea how much this means to me.” Molly kissed him quickly on his cheek before heading up the stairs. She couldn’t wait to get reacquainted with her pillow again.

Brian wondered where his offer came from as he held Stephanie in his arms and waited for Mutt and Jeff to appear. He knew nothing about kids and even less about babies, but there he was on a Saturday morning promising to take care of things while Molly went to sleep. He was obviously going to have to have his head examined the first chance he got. A moment later, Jared and Hailey raced down the stairs, making more noise than a herd of elephants.

“Brian, we’ve missed you!” Hailey exclaimed as she ran over and threw her arms around Brian’s waist, careful not to disturb the baby. “Mommy wouldn’t let us go outside because Uncle Justin isn’t here and she was taking care of Stephanie and said she couldn’t watch for us if we were outside.”

“Easy Mutt,” Brian said as he held on tight to the baby. “Your mom was just worried about you. She seems to be having a rough time right now.”

“She is,” Jared replied, his face showing signs of worry. “I woke up last night to go to the bathroom and I heard her crying in her room. Do you think she’s okay?”

“She’s going to be fine,” Brian assured Jared, touched by the boy’s concern. “She’s just a little overwhelmed right now. A new baby is a lot of work and she’s really tired. That’s why I made her go upstairs and get some sleep. Now I want you two to stay down here and be as quiet as you can so you don’t wake her up. Can you do that?”

“You’re going to stay here with us?” Hailey asked.

“Yep. I might need you to help me though. I’m not real good with babies,” Brian admitted, suddenly feeling inept. How did he get himself into this?

“Okay, we’ll help you. Just be careful. Every time Mommy thinks Stephanie is sleeping and tries to put her down, she wakes up crying,” Jared said.

“Great,” Brian mumbled. “Okay, so why don’t we go watch some TV?”

The rest of the morning and most of the afternoon seemed to fly by. Brian was impressed with the way he handled watching the children. It wasn’t as hard as he thought it’d be. Just after noon Stephanie started crying, obviously hungry after her late morning nap. Brian took her upstairs and clumsily changed her before bringing her into her mother. Breastfeeding was one thing he was sure he couldn’t do. Brian insisted that he had everything under control and that all he needed was for Molly to nurse the baby. Molly hardly woke up as she nursed Stephanie and then handed her back to Brian. She was asleep again before he even made it out of the room. When he got back downstairs, he gently laid the baby in her infant seat and almost cried in joy as the baby snuggled up and went back to sleep. It gave Brian time to make lunch for Hailey and Jared. He sat at the table with them as they all ate turkey sandwiches and drank milk. Jared talked non-stop through the meal, but he was careful to keep his voice down like Brian had asked him to do. After they were done eating and the kitchen was cleaned up, the three of them went back into the living room and straightened up before sitting down to play Candyland. Midway through the game, Stephanie woke up, but all Brian had to do was hold her and she fell back to sleep, letting them get back to their game. It was just after five when Justin walked through the door, causing Brian to sigh in relief. Watching three children was exhausting and he now understood why Molly was so tired.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Molly?” Justin asked in confusion when he found Brian in the living room.

“Uncle Justin, you’re back!” Hailey exclaimed as she got up and threw herself into Justin’s arms. “Mommy’s really tired and Brian’s watching us so she can sleep. We’ve been really good, haven’t we Brian?”

“Yes Mutt,” Brian replied with a smile. “You two have been really good today. Thanks for all your help. Now why don’t you go upstairs, quietly, and let me talk to your uncle?”

“Okay,” the kids agreed before tiptoeing up the stairs, talking in hushed voices. Brian waited until they were gone before turning back to Justin.

“I came by this morning to bring over a card for Molly and the baby, and found Molly asleep on her feet. The poor kid’s exhausted. I couldn’t just leave her like that so I told her I’d watch the kids while she took a nap,” Brian explained.

“This morning? How long has she been sleeping?”

“About seven hours, although I did have to wake her up once to nurse Stephanie. That’s something I can’t do,” Brian teased.

“You’ve been here all day?” Justin asked incredulously.

“Yeah, but it’s no big deal. I didn’t have any plans for today anyway. Stephanie is sleeping now, but she’s probably going to be up any minute looking for food. The last time she ate was around one. She’s also going to need to be changed. I left a card over on the table. Just tell Molly I’ll talk to her later,” Brian said as he made his way towards the door. Suddenly having Justin in the house was making him uncomfortable.

“Uh…okay…and thanks. I guess taking a business trip so soon after the baby being born wasn’t the best idea,” Justin said as he followed Brian out.

“Hey, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. I know all about business obligations. Molly was fine. She just needed a little help today and I was here. It’s no problem. I’ll see you later.”

Justin watched Brian walk back to his house before going inside. He looked over at Stephanie and smiled, realizing how much he missed her and the rest of his family while he was gone. He hated leaving them, but one of his regular clients needed him for a special project and since it was charity, Justin couldn’t say no. It was strange being back in Chicago again. After living there for years, he could honestly say that he was more at home in Pittsburgh than he ever was during his days in Chicago. He looked over at the table and saw the envelope that Brian had left behind. Curiosity got the better of him and he opened the envelope to see what was inside. He smiled as he read the card, touched by Brian’s sentimentality, and then gasped as he realized what else was enclosed. A letter explaining that a saving bond in the amount of $5000.00 was purchased in Stephanie’s name and would be mailed to them soon. Not only did Brian have a sentimental streak in him, he was apparently very generous, too.

“Great,” Justin sighed. “As if my physical attraction to him wasn’t enough, he had to go and do something so sweet. Now what am I going to do?” Of course no one was around to hear him, so he wasn’t offered any words of advice. All he was left with was a mixture of confusion and fear. Fear that he was falling for his neighbor harder than he had ever fallen before, guaranteeing that he would end up hurt in the end. Maybe he should’ve just stayed in Chicago.


End of part 7
11/06/06

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