Fic: When All is Said and Done - Chapter 28
March
"Greg Sanders." The judge said, his smile returning when Jan and Jillian cheered and hugged their sons from behind. He allowed a few moments of celebration before tapping his gavel. Once they had settled down, he looked at Elijah's two fathers, "Since this whole thing has started, you two had been eager to do whatever necessary to see things through, even while not happy with what needed to be done. I've watched you with Elijah and knew that he had a very happy home life, despite both of you working third shift. Your sitters are competent and loyal to you and Elijah."
He turned to the Stanfield's, "As for you three. Flags went up at once when reading about Miss. Stanfield's ease about putting her own child up for adoption. It was clear then that she did not want him, so what changed? I understand now that it was not she who wanted this, but you, Mister and Mrs. Stanfield. From the visitation on, it was apparent that you would not care for him personally and had no qualms sending your daughter to do your dirty work. All this, because your daughter could not have another child naturally?
"Not only that, but you began to demean Mister Sanders and Mister Stokes about their relationship, something of which was none of your business. While most judges would not agree with me in the case of a homosexual couple, I have always felt strongly that they deserve a chance at raising a child just as much as a heterosexual couple. In this case, one half of the couple is the biological father, so their sexuality held no baring at all in my decision. Now, you may petition for visitation rights, but I am allowing Mister Sanders to be the one to agree to them if you decide to take them and they will all be supervised." The judge looked back at Greg and Nick, who were now holding Elijah between them, "Case dismissed."
As the judge stood up and left, Greg and Nick turned to Richard and shook his hand, "Thank you." Greg said, smiling.
Richard, in return, smiled for the first time since meeting them, "I didn't do much, truth be told. I wish you guys all the best. Oh..." He turned to his briefcase and opened it. He pulled out a book on animals and handed it to Elijah, "Something you might enjoy. Think of it as a congratulatory gift. Take care." He closed up his briefcase and walked out of the courtroom.
"We need to celebrate." Catherine said, as everyone grouped around them.
"Yeah, but not tonight. We just want to spend time with Elijah without all that stress hanging over us." Nick said, as he rested his arm around Greg's waist.
"Of course." Catherine said, "Tell you what, we'll plan for the party to be at your place tomorrow afternoon, since it's a Saturday. We'll take care of all the details. Sound good?"
Greg and Nick looked at each other and nodded, "Sounds great. Thanks Cath."
"No problem." She kissed them on the cheek and, after she and Warrick said goodbye, left as well.
The crowd dwindled as they made their way to the parking lot and separate vehicle's. Greg looked at their parents and his grandparents, "You going to join us for dinner?"
They all shook their heads and the females of the group gave them kisses, "No, tonight is about you three," Jan said as she pulled back from Greg, "We'll...go catch a show or something." she looked at Jillian, "You want to join us? Dad's got this thing for magic that..." Her voice faded away as they walked off to the other side of the parking lot.
Greg laughed and then sighed. His adrenaline, which had been keeping him going for the past few days, was starting to wear off, "Let's go home."
That night was quiet. After eating a meal that consisted of Elijah's favorites, hamburgers and macaroni and cheese followed by Nick's special ice cream sundaes, they cuddled on the couch with Elijah comfortably ensconced between them. They were now on the fourth book of Harry Potter, and Greg had also bought the school book set to show their son what the different animals in the series looked like as they came upon them, which Elijah kept on his lap.
After awhile, Elijah looked up at his fathers, "daddy? poppy?"
"What's up little man?" Nick asked, slipping his finger into the top of the book to hold their place.
"i don't haf'ta see mommy 'gain, do i?" He asked, twisting Stitch between his hands.
Nick and Greg looked at each other before looking down at Elijah, "Sproglet," Greg sighed, this was going to be harder to say than he thought, "Someday, kiddo, you may just want to." He held up his hand to stop Elijah from interrupting, "I'm not saying you have to now, just that you might in the future. When you're older."
Elijah shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest, "nah uh. she mean. i 'member dat a'ways."
"I'm tempted to hold you to that." Greg said with a sigh.
After putting Elijah to bed that night, Nick found Greg in the study, a notebook in front of him, "What are you doing?"
"Hm?" Greg looked up at Nick and accepted a kiss, "I'm working on Elijah's birthday letter. With so much that went on this past year, I figured it best to start it early."
"Birthday...letter?" Nick asked, confused, "You didn't give him one last year." he recalled, thinking back.
"I didn't give it to him, no, but I wrote one. It was something I started when he was still in NICU and just continued each year. I'll save them until he's sixteen or whatever and give them to him all at once."
Nick smiled and sat in the chair across from the desk, "That's a really sweet idea. Mind if I do one too?"
"Nope, not at all." Greg pulled another notebook and pen from the desk and set them across from his own.
~~
Catherine set the bowl of potato salad on the island, "So I called pretty much everyone."
Greg raised an eyebrow, "Meaning...?"
"Third shift mainly."
"So, it's going to be like the barbecue all over again." Greg said with a laugh.
Catherine nodded, "Yeah, I guess so, just with your's and Nick's families as well and no water activities."
With the exception of Catherine, Warrick, and Sara providing pretty much all of the food, it was almost exactly like their barbecue the previous May. This time, however, there were 'congratulations' banners hung along various places. There were balloons and streamers, and Sara had managed to procure a full sheet cake that had 'congratulations Nick, Greg and Elijah' across it in blue. They played different party games for the kids benefit and when it started to cool down, Nick, Warrick and Kieran lit a fire in the fireplace.
As the cake and ice cream was being handed out, Jan snagged her son's hand and pulled him into the house. She dragged him to the study and told him to sit down, which he did without question. He knew this had been coming.
"Now, Greg, you know I love you. Why do you put me through this? You always do this." Jan crossed her arms and leaned against the desk.
"Mom, I don't mean too, but..."
Jan sighed, "And you always say that too. It's like, you hide things from me on purpose and when I find out about it, you become mister innocent."
"Mom..." Greg tapped his fingers on his leg, "What would you have done back in December if I had told you about Blythe?"
Jan stared at him for a moment as she tried to put herself in that position, "I would have dropped everything and come here to be with my boys."
Greg nodded, "Which is really sweet, but...when would you have left?"
"Once the...court...hearing...All right, I get your point. I may not like it, but I get it." She bit her lip in thought, "There's one thing that's bothering me. Why did she, her parents, whatever, want him? What happened to her that made it so she can't have children?"
"I don't fully know myself. Something to do with her tubes or ovaries. Makes Eli pretty special, if you think about it." It was clear to Jan, however, that Greg didn't want to think about it because it brought to light the less than ideal circumstances surrounding the court hearing.
Jan stood up straight and slanted a knowing glance at Greg, "Anything else you want to tell me?"
"No, no, we're good." Greg insisted, shaking his head. He stood up and slipped an arm around her shoulders, "Come on, ma. There's some cake and ice cream with our names on them just begging to be eaten. I can hear the yelling from here."
Jan laughed and together they walked back out onto the patio, where their significant others were holding onto their plates. Nick handed Greg's over and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "So? How'd it go?"
Greg leaned against Nick and took a bite of his cake, "Better than I expected. I think I got her to understand the reason I didn't tell her, but whether she'll keep that in mind for the next crises that comes along, I have no idea."
Nick gave Greg a pat on the back, "I doubt there's going to be another crises anytime soon, so try not to worry about it."
Archie, who was sitting next to Nick and happened to over hear said, "Don't jinx it man. These kinds of things always happen in threes."
"Didn't know you were superstitious Archie." Nick replied, amused.
"He's right though. We've gone through two major events since we've been together." Greg said, referring to the dead body at Halloween as well as the custody battle.
"What about the engagement?"
Greg looked around Nick at Archie, who shrugged, before saying, "I don't think that counts as part of it. That was a good thing, which goes along with us getting together. It wasn't a bad significant event."
"So, we're just talking bad things? In that case, what about your ankle?"
Greg waved his hand as Archie said, "Minor. Doesn't count."
"My...stalker?"
"Happened before we got together. Face it man, we have one more thing to finish this chain off. Hopefully," Greg paused to take a drink of his coffee, "It holds off for awhile. I don't know how much more excitement I can take."
~~
Greg powered up his laptop, a new purchase that had him acting like a little kid with a new toy. He loved the thing and had conned Nick into agreeing to get wireless for the house so he could load the Internet from anywhere he pleased. Right now, he was camped out on their bed, papers surrounding him. Elijah was with Sammy for the afternoon and Nick was somewhere in the house.
He popped up his bookmarked link to the Vermont page and began looking through it, writing out some ideas as he went. He was so into his task that he almost flung his laptop across the room when Nick walked in.
"Awfully jumpy, G. What are you doing?" Nick asked as he took in the papers strewn about.
"Have a seat Nick." Greg said, patting the bed, "We have some planning to do."
"For?"
"The ceremony?" He phrased it as a question, wondering how Nick could have forgotten about it already.
"Okay..." Nick sat on the bed next to Greg and glanced at the laptop, "Vermont?"
Greg nodded, "They are the only state that legally has civil unions. Granted there are other countries, but it would take too long to get Elijah a passport, not to mention getting mine updated."
"I don't have one either."
"Really?" Greg looked at Nick, surprised, "You're parents seem like the kind of people who would do exotic locations for vacations."
"I don't know about exotic. We'd go skiing or go to the beach for a week. Stuff like that. I think Liam and I are the only ones who haven't visited another country."
"Hm." Greg tapped his pencil against his chin, "I'll take you to Norway someday. Maybe during one of the festivals. I haven't been there since I was a kid, but I remember that it was totally awesome."
"That'd be cool. So, okay, Vermont. You already thinking of a day?" Nick asked, trying to figure out what all the papers were for. Most, from the looks of it, were reception details, although he couldn't fully make heads or tails of them all.
Greg shrugged, "Maybe April? Because that'd be..."
"Our year anniversary. Not a bad idea." Nick interrupted, "You don't want it exactly on our anniversary do you?"
Greg looked at Nick, confused, but realization soon dawned when he saw the look on Nick's face, "No, babe, I don't. I was thinking before Elijah's birthday. Maybe the weekend of the fourth? We can fly out Friday after work, have the ceremony on Saturday, and be back in Vegas Sunday in time to go back in to work. We'll be tired, but we won't be putting anyone out."
Nick nodded slowly, "Okay, we can do that."
"I know our parents are going to want to be there. Mom pretty much told me that she was expecting a phone call or invite for it. What about the people from work?"
"It wouldn't be feasible to invite everyone on third shift out to Vermont for the weekend. One or two sure, but maybe we can do something for them when we get back. Like a reception or something."
Greg nodded and marked that down in his notebook, "All right, that'll be easy enough. It's not like there aren't enough venues in Vegas to choose from. I mean that, 'cause we are not having a wedding reception here at the house. Could you imagine the mess?"
Nick laughed, "I can live with that." He sobered instantly, "This is all great, G, but...this is all going to be void here in Nevada."
"I know." Greg said softly. He bit his lip and shuffled a few of the papers around, "I've been thinking about that since I found out about Vermont. There are...other things...that we can do to make us as legal as possible here, other than adding our last names together and you adopting Eli."
"Like what?"
"Ah, well, there's a dual partnership agreement, living wills, estate allocations, powers of attorney..." Greg trailed off, "It'd be a lot of paper work but it would make us as legal as possible until Nevada recognizes our civil union."
Nick looked through the papers Greg handed him, "You've really been thinking about this, haven't you."
"Yeah." Greg nodded, "But that's because we have Elijah to worry about too. There's something else if you want to."
"What's that?"
"Adding you to my bank accounts? You can keep your own," Greg hurried to re-assure him, "But, if you're on mine, well, it would make things easier. Especially if something happens."
Nick stared at Greg for a moment, before he nodded, "Okay."
"Serious?" Greg asked, eyes shining.
"Serious. It's a good idea except instead of adding me to yours, why don't we just combine them? It won't take much to open another one if, well..." He trailed off, reluctant to voice his thoughts.
Greg nodded in understanding. He knew where Nick was going with that, "If you think so." He made another jot in notebook, "Now that all that stuff is taken care off..."
"Wait, wait." Nick said, "When do we get the paperwork for all this stuff?"
"Whenever I call Malcolm and get him to put it together for us? Probably be best to do it all before we leave for Vermont though. We should also do up the adoption papers then too." He snorted in amusement, "We're going to have writers cramp for a week, I swear. When I took care off all the paperwork needed after my aunt and uncles death, I couldn't move my hand for the rest of the day."
Nick grinned, "Thanks for the warning."
"No problem. Now, about the invites..."
Nick waved his hand, "Wait a minute."
"What?" Greg asked, turning to look at Nick.
"Tasha called before. Thad's back in Texas."
Greg straightened up from his slouch, "You serious?"
Nick nodded, "Yeah, she saw him in town. It seems that the restraining order worked."
"Not to mention the assault charges." Greg said with a snort, rubbing his arm where the bruises Thad had left were now a memory.
"I still want to kill him for leaving those on your arm. The assault charge wasn't enough for him hurting you."
"You just said he's back in Texas. Let it go man."
TBC...