FOSTERING

“I may be a mere brain surgeon but I understand exactly what this means.”  Reid glared at Tom, Casey, and Luke alternately as they sat around the kitchen table, covered with so many legal documents that there was no room for food.

Casey started to open his mouth to speak, but Tom cut him off.  “Reid, I know this seems like more paperwork than should be necessary but it’s all part of the process of adoption.  The purpose being to protect the child.”

“Don’t the goddamn powers that protect children have any respect for the Last Will and Testament of their parents?  It says in black and white that Luke and I, as long as we’re together, should raise Ethan.  You’re supposed to be the premier attorney in this tiny village of insanity.  At least that’s what everyone seems to think.  So fix this mess.”

Jumping in without waiting for his father’s permission, Casey Hughes, law student extraordinaire, got to share his viewpoint.  “As I explained to Luke, this is just a stepping stone on the way to adoption.  Being a foster parent is like a trial run.”

If Reid’s eyes could burn a hole in Casey they would have.  “A trial run for what?  Do you think we’re giving him back if it doesn’t work out?  Ethan’s part of this family.  Luke’s his brother, for Christ’s sake.”  Reid ran his hand through his hair.  “I’ve never heard of anything so ludicrous.”

Luke stood and slowly approached Reid from behind and rested his hands on his shoulders.  “No one’s going to take him away from us.  This is what my parents wanted.  It’s in both their wills.”

Taking a deep breath, Reid turned to face Luke.  “Then why do we have to go through a period of observation and approval before your little brother can call this his permanent address.  Hell, we moved out of the loft into this house for him.  Both of our names are on the mortgage, even though we both know your family’s money could have funded it outright, just so it would be evident this is our home.  What more does the State of Illinois need to know we’re serious about being a family?”

Tom interrupted staring expressly at Reid.  “I think the Great State of Illinois is waiting for you to complete the Domestic Partnership paperwork.  Luke is definitely considered Ethan’s guardian for all decisions and will remain so, but until you demonstrate your commitment to him and his brother this is the procedure you’ll have to go through.  You can’t skip steps.  Right now, you’re Luke’s partner in the most informal way possible.”

“But the house, what about the house?”

“I could buy a house with anyone, for a number of good reasons, none of which have to be a permanent relationship with the co-owner.  However, no one can challenge my legal commitment to Margo.”

“Reid, I know this is hard for you.”  Luke gently brushed his hand over Reid’s cheek.  “You got us these beautiful rings, and we even celebrated with Attachment Pecan Pie at Grandma’s, but maybe it really is time to take the next step.  The one that’ll make this legal.”

“This state is so messed up.”  Reid started to walk away, disgusted by all the hoops he would have to jump through to adopt a kid who he’d been a father to for nearly a year already. 

Luke huffed.  “You think Texas would have been easier for us?”

“No, but Massachusetts wouldn’t have made us this crazy.”  That was it.  Reid couldn’t form the words to say it, especially with the Hughes boys watching him, but he hated that no matter how he wanted to create a life for Luke, Ethan, and himself, it would take enough paperwork to render him useless in the operating room for two days.  There were less than a half-dozen other states where they could just get married and it wouldn’t be such a damn project.  It made their commitment seem like it bordered on illegal and that just didn’t sit right.

Tom stood up, tapping Casey on the shoulder as an invitation to follow him.  “We’re going to take off.  The documents to get this process going are here.  The sooner you start, the sooner you can petition the courts for legal adoption.”

Reid pinched the bridge of his nose.  “If I don’t do this, what happens to Ethan should something happen to Luke?”

Patting Reid on the back, Tom shook his head.  “He wouldn’t stay here.  You need to make some decisions, Doctor.  Yours isn’t the only business where the clock is ticking and time is of the essence.”

As soon as Luke returned from showing Tom and Casey out, he took Reid’s hand and walked him into the living room.  Although it still had touches of the modern motif they’d worked to attain in their loft, a number of countrified touches were added to soften the appearance and fit the new house.

“I know all this commitment stuff has to be bothering you.  I never wanted you to be forced to make decisions like these about our relationship.  These should be choices we make together out of love, not obligation.”  Luke lowered his head.

Reid cupped Luke’s chin, lifting it so they were looking into each other’s eyes.  “Is that what you think this is about?  God, you must think I’m some big jerk.  This isn’t about obligation or my feeling like I’m signing my damn life away under duress.  You may not believe this, but I love you, and under and other circumstance, you and I could elope and all this paperwork would be totally unnecessary.  We could live happily ever after... as best as I could swing that.”  Reid sighed.  “Instead, we have to fill out pounds of paperwork to have an agreement that will allow you to be on my medical insurance or pounds of paperwork to allow me the privilege of beginning to adopt a kid who I happen to have grown crazy about.  Even Jacob can’t compete anymore.  Ethan’s the closest I’ll ever get to my own kid and I don’t want anyone, especially not some bureaucrats to decide if he can stay with me.”

Luke’s mouth opened twice before words came out.  “Wow.  I’m speechless.  I’ve never heard you say anything like that before.  I didn’t realize.”

Eyes wide, Reid laced his fingers with Luke’s.  “What didn’t you realize -- how much I love you, or how much Ethan has grown on me?”

“Both.”  Luke pressed his lips to Reid’s.  The kiss was warm, tender, not the heated passionate kind he was more than capable of dishing out when they were alone in their bedroom and Ethan was asleep.  “I’m not sure I could love you more than I do at this minute.”

“I think you’ve loved me pretty darn well, especially last night.”  Reid raised an eyebrow.

Luke gently covered Reid’s mouth with two of his fingers.  “Don’t be an asshole and ruin the moment.”

Reid nodded, saying nothing.

“Let’s fill out the Domestic Partnership papers.  Maybe I’m crazy, but it sure as hell sounds like you’re ready, and I’ve been ready... well, a lot longer than you have.”

“Then I get you and Ethan comes soon after, right?”

“Right.”

“You know, Luke, I worry about you.  Your health.  The next kidney will be here soon.  There has to be a match out there that’s better than the black market one you have now.”

“It’ll be here soon.  Between you, Bob, John, and Chris I can’t imagine waiting much longer.  In the meantime, I take more meds and hope things stay steady.”

“In the meantime, we get hitched, and Ethan gets two people responsible for his well-being.”

“I’m not leaving -- you or him.  I plan to torture you until we’re both older than either of us ever imagined.”

“Good.”  Reid went to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of sparkling cider.  He then walked to the antique roll-top desk in the corner of the great room and pulled out a different stack of legal documents.  “Why don’t you go get two pens?  I’m sure with a little effort we can sign all this mumbo-jumbo, bring it to Tom’s office to get notarized and processed, and be well on our way to being legal partners in this damn state before Ethan wants his after-school snack.”

“You’re the ultimate romantic, Reid Oliver.”

“I did take out the sparkling cider to toast our nearly-wedded bliss.”

Luke laughed, grabbed two pens, and two champagne glasses.  It may not have been the kind of wedding his parents would have wanted for him, but he had a feeling this one would be a one-time-only deal.

Return to Luke/Reid