Chapter 10

"No, you weren't wrong," John said reassuringly to Brian as they slowly walked the path to the stream. The sun was getting low but they knew the path by heart. There was just enough light filtering down through the trees. "This isn't a matter of life or death; it's just a stupid kiddie argument. I'm more upset that Patrick was that easily swayed by so called popular opinion. I thought we taught him better than that."

"John, you did and still are. He's a boy and you know that until they reach 'that age,'..." Brian said while making quotes in the air with his fingers, "he's going to think that girls are dumb and icky. When the hormones kick in Patrick will be singing a different tune."

"Oh great, make my hair go grey, why doncha," John groused.

"Yeah, well, you're one of the few men I know who looks good with grey hair."

"Brian, don't be flippant. What happens if Patrick and Bree don't get their act together before lunch? How do we deal with it then?"

"How will you deal the next time he comes home from school saying that fags go against God and country?"

"Where the fuck did that come from?!"

"John, Bree goes to school in September. We all may be faced with children who come home to us and question why they don't have a normal family."

"Brian, this may come as a shock to you but the only one around here who grew up with a so called normal family is Bobby. You, me and Justin don't count."

"Then we better perfect our constructive argument skills because not only are our kids smart, just look who they have as parents."

"Oh fuck!" John wore a horrified expression as Brian nodded. Just then Beau barked. He had found a frog and began to chase it along the edge of the stream.

"John, let's go back to the house before that dog brings back a slimy friend. I think I can use a drink."

"Good idea, I can use one too." The brothers walked back to the house.

The next morning, Brian woke up early to cook up one of his massive breakfasts. He figured they might as well start the day off right. Brian wasn't sure if it was all going to go to hell in a hand basket fast. Brian was flipping pancakes when Justin joined him in the kitchen.

"Morning," Justin said to Brian with a kiss. Justin lit the back burner under the kettle for his tea. "Is Bree awake?" Justin asked as he snagged a piece of bacon.

"Not yet but she should be soon. She didn't eat that well last night, neither of them did. She has your stomach. She'll be out here soon." Brian smirked at Justin who rolled his eyes. John and Bobby strode into the kitchen.

"Have you seen Patrick and Beau?" John asked with concern in his voice.

"No, we haven't seen either of them," Justin answered. "You?"

"Patrick wasn't in his room," Bobby said. "I thought Beau was over here."

"Maybe he's out on patrol," Justin offered.

Brian turned off the burners, placing the cooked food on warming plates. "Let's go," Brian suggested. The dads went to Briana's room.

Brian carefully opened the little girl's door. Her shades were up, the morning sun lighting the room with a golden glow. On her little table were the remains of a midnight snack, empty juice boxes and homemade oatmeal cookies that Rachel had sent over. The juice boxes came from John and Bobby's refrigerator, the cookies from Brian and Justin's cookie jar. Brian knew that Bree couldn't reach the jar without help. He suspected the help came from Patrick.

The children were cuddled together on Bree's bed. Beau was sprawled across the bed at the foot. Beau looked up, swished his tail then laid his head back down with a loud sigh. The fathers backed out of the room as quietly as they entered, smiling. They followed Brian back to the kitchen. Working in concert, the men plated up breakfast, taking it to the sun porch to enjoy it. By ten-thirty, full bladders and empty stomachs awakened the children. The dads got the kids cleaned up and settled at the porch table. Beau, seeing that all was right again with his pack, went out for a long walk.

*****

"Squirt, I want to check out the garden at the new cottage, will you go with me?"

"Yes, Dada!" Brian and Bree took the path toward Emmett and Drew's cottage. About halfway there Brian picked up Bree to carry her the rest of the way. They entered the greenhouse so that Brian could check on the herbs he had planted.

"Briana, I want to ask you something." Brian stood the child on a stool so that they were almost eye to eye. "Did Patrick apologize to you?"

Briana looked down at the floor of the greenhouse. "Yes, Dada."

"But you were still upset with him."

"Yes, Dada. But he said he was sorry again last night, and he brought me cookies."

"Did you accept his apology just because he brought you cookies?"

"No, Dada. I missed him and my tummy was making noises and so was Patrick's. We had a snack and then fell asleep."

"Bree, you know you aren't supposed to have cookies that late at night."

"I know, Dada, but we were hungry."

"I realize that. You didn't eat very much at dinner."

"I wasn't hungry then."

"I know. Bree, I need you to try to understand what I'm about to tell you. Okay?" Briana nodded solemnly. "Sometimes people we love hurt us, not by hitting or hurting our bodies but they hurt us with words. They say bad things that make us feel sad."

"Like Patrick? He said I was dumb."

"Yes, just like that. He was just repeating some things he heard in school."

"We don't say bad things in my school."

"No, you don't, but it happens."

"Like Gampa Craig? He said he hates you. Why does Gampa Craig hate you?"

"Because I hurt him," Brian said regretfully. Bree's eyes grew wide.

"But you my bestest Dada." Bree was astonished that her Dada could ever do anything hurtful.

"I wasn't always the bestest anything. I hurt your Gampa a long time ago and now he doesn't like me."

"Is that why Daddy gets sad sometimes?"

"Yes," Brian replied softly, marveling at how perceptive his daughter was. "You may get sad sometimes too, when someone you love hurts you. It takes a strong person to forgive."

"I strong, Dada!"

"I know you are, very strong. And brave. Patrick loves you; he always has and he always will. You remember that when he says something stupid. Us boys don't always say the right things to the people we love. It takes some of us a long time to learn to say the right things."

"But you my smartest bestest Dada. You say the right things."

"Not always, Squirt, but I'm learning."

Briana appeared to be taking it all in, what her Dada was trying to say. "I love you, Dada, and I forgive you if you say something stupid."

"Thank you, Squirt." Brian hugged his daughter. They looked around, satisfied that the herbs were growing nicely. "Let's go home." Brian scooped up the little girl into his arms to take her home.

*****

"So you took Bree some cookies, did you?" Bobby asked Patrick.

"Yes, Poppa."

"I'm glad you apologized to Bree."

"Me too, but at first she wouldn't talk to me."

"She wouldn't?"

Patrick studied the floor under his feet as he shook his head. "She was really mad at me … and sad."

"So what did you learn from this?"

"That I should think about what I'm saying before I say it and that what other kids say isn't always right. I didn't mean to hurt Bree."

"I know you didn't," Bobby said ruffling his son's red hair. "What made you take her cookies and drinks in the middle of the night?"

"She's always hungry," Patrick noted with a grin. "She wouldn't talk to me at dinner and she hardly ate anything. I figured she'd be hungry."

"And she was?"

"Yeah. I think she really liked that I brought her the cookies."

"Girls do like to be taken care of … most of the time. But not too much."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I'm just warning you that girls can be very unpredictable. It's a fine balancing act knowing what they want or don't want."

"That sounds hard," Patrick said with a frown.

"It is," Bobby chuckled. He could hardly believe that he was having this conversation with his son. "But you followed your instincts and that's the best you can do." Patrick nodded. "Now, no more wandering around in the middle of the night," Bobby admonished.

"Okay, Poppa. Unless I have to 'pologize again."

Bobby snorted. His son was so smart. "You got that right, Son."

Patrick grinned knowing that everything was all right between him and his fathers … and Bree.

*****

"Come here, Dog," Brian said as he saw Beau doing a patrol of the backyard. He had just sent Bree into the house after they came back from Emmett's cottage.

Brian knelt down on the ground and scrubbed the fur around Beau's neck. The big pup loved to have someone do that. His tongue lolled out in sheer ecstasy.

"Thanks for looking after the little ones last night," Brian said into Beau's ear.

Beau gave Brian a decisive lick across his face.

"Hey, don't get fresh," Brian laughed wiping away the doggie slobber. "You did good last night. You're making one fine guard dog … and member of the family.

Beau took another swipe at Brian's face with his tongue.

"Enough, go chase a frog!" Brian ordered standing up and wiping off his face.

Beau skittered over to the path that led to the stream. He plunked down under a tree and watched the man go into the house.

[good dog, smart dog, love, petting, good]

*****

Justin heard Bree coming back from Emmett's. She let the sun porch door slam and ran into the kitchen yelling, "Thirsty!"

"Okay, okay," Justin laughed as he got her a juice box out of the fridge.

"Did you and Dada have a good walk?"

Bree nodded her head as she drank. "Dada tell me not to have cookies late at night."

"He did, huh?"

"Yep, and I won't … unless I'm really hungry."

Justin smiled. "Good girl."

"Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart."

"Dada says he hurt Gampa Craig a long, long, long, long time ago, and that's why Gampa Craig hates him."

"Dada told you that?"

"Yep. What did Dada do? He my bestest Dada."

"It's very complicated," Justin said with a sigh. He didn't think Bree was ready for the discussion about homosexuality and all it implied.

"Me no like cop-a-clated things."

"Me either, Bree, me either."