"Hi, Mr. Hunter!" Curtis waved as Hunter's SUV pulled up in front of the vet clinic.

"Hey, Curtis, how was your day?"

"Great, um, we have a dinner invitation."

"We do?" Hunter asked as Curtis settled himself in the car.

"Hunter! I'm glad I caught you. Did Curtis ask you about tonight?" Hector asked.

"He was just about to."

"Raph and I would like to invite you, Curtis and Nick to dinner tonight at our house. About seven?"

"Sounds good, see you later, but Nick is working at the hospital tonight." Hector handed Hunter a scrap of paper with their home address and number before they drove off.

Curtis began to fidget.

 

*****
 

Minutes to seven Hunter and Curtis pulled up in front of a nice house not too far from the house that Michael and Ben shared. It was situated on a nice quiet street. Curtis thought it looked a little like the Hardigan's house but a lot friendlier.

"Hi, guys! Welcome to our home," Raph greeted his guests cordially. "Hector's in the kitchen doing something to a salad. For some reason he never lets me help." Raph laughed as he ushered them into the living room and took their coats. They all made small talk when Hector came out with a tray of vegetables and dip.

"What can I get you all to drink?" Hector asked as a good host should.

After a nice meal and a quick tour of the house, Raph and Hector offered a solution to the Matty situation.

"I realize sending Matty home to the Jason Kemp Center may not be the best place for her," Dr. Raphael, using his Vet persona, stated. "She needs a real home."

"And so does her owner," Hector added.

"We'd like to have Matty live with us," Raph continued as he and Hector smiled hopefully at Curtis.

"I don't understand," Curtis replied, very confused, looking toward Hunter for an explanation.

"Curtis, I can't have Matty at the clinic. Some of the others may be allergic and, well, the center is not the best place for her. She's still recovering from her illness. Raph and Hector are offering to take Matty in."

Hunter paused to see what, if any, reaction Curtis would make. Seeing nothing, Hunter continued.

"They also expressed an interest in being your foster parents. That is if you have no objections."

Curtis had that deer in the headlight look and Raph's heart began to sink. He knew this would all be too much for Curtis.

"I don't know, Mr. Hunter," Curtis sputtered. His head was spinning.

"Curtis, why don't we start out small. Matty has to leave the clinic. She's getting stronger and we don't want her exposed to sicker animals." Hector tried a different tactic. "You are welcome to visit her on your way home after school or after your clinic hours. And you are more than welcome to spend the weekends here. You'll get to know us and we'll get to know you. Then if you think this will work, we can petition the court to let us be your foster parents."

"But you don't know me and the things I did and..."

"Curtis, I think we do know you. You're basically a good kid who's had some very bad things happen to you. Now you're on the right road to making a better life for yourself and for Matty. Hector and I would very much like to be a part of that life. That is if you like us."

"I do like you but..."

"All we're asking is that you think about it, but I have to ask," Raph paused to phrase his question properly. "Does it offend you or frighten you that Hector and I are life partners?"

Curtis thought about it for a moment. He never knew anyone gay. At the Hardigan's they would talk anyone down that they didn't think was 'normal.' Which usually meant the rest of the whole human race. Curtis kind of thought Hunter was gay from the way he and Dr. Nick would look and smile at each other. And many of the kids that came to the center seeking help were gay. But Curtis never really thought one way or the other about it.

"I don't know what being life partner means," Curtis said honestly.

"Curtis," Hunter began to explain, "in this state gay and lesbian couples are not allowed to marry in the legal sense. We can file for domestic partnership and we can have commitment ceremonies. Some of us refer to our spouses as life partners. Raph and Hector are in a committed relationship just as if they were married."

"Do you have any questions for us?" Hector addressed Curtis.

"When did you know you were gay?" Curtis asked Hector.

"When I was about your age, maybe a little older," Hector answered honestly. Curtis looked at Raph and he nodded. "Curtis, several years ago I met a very kind, generous and beautiful person and fell in love. A few years ago we bought this house and had a private commitment ceremony here. We love each other and we have love to share. Don't answer now. Spend time with us outside the clinic and then decide."

"In the meantime, if you approve, Matty can come home with us," Raph added.

"Okay," Curtis said softly.

It wasn't much but it was a start.

 

*****
 

"Jason Kemp Center, how may I help you?" Karen answered .

"Karen? It's Melanie; I have some great news about Curtis. Can we meet for lunch?"

"Sure, it's quiet here, I can do lunch. Where?"

"The diner?"

"Yeah, that'll work; my cholesterol level is way too low anyway. Thirty minutes?"

"See you then."

 

*****
 

"Hi, Honey, what brings you here?" Debbie asked as Melanie walked into the diner and sat at the counter.

"I have a lunch date," she responded.

"That's nice, Sweetheart. It's so good to see you and Lindsay getting along so well lately," Debbie assumed.

"No, Deb, it's not that kind of date. It's business." Mel gratefully accepted a cup of coffee as Karen walked in. They shook hands then sat at a booth.

The two associates placed their orders then got down to business.

"So what's your news?" Karen was hoping it was about Curtis' benefits.

"I had a hell of a time cutting through all the red tape within the fire department's bureaucracy. It was so damned frustrating. I had to throw a lot of names around but I finally got it. I have a copy of the life insurance policy and survivor's policy of one Jerome Curtis Samuels. I also checked to see if Samuels had a will. I am very happy to say that Mr. Samuels had filed a will. Curtis gets everything. Right now it's all on hold because they lost track of Curtis."

"I'm surprised the Hardigans didn't try to get a hold of the money. They're usually smarter than that."

"I think they may have tried but you know how screwed up the system is. There was another boy with a similar name whose father died around the same time. He was penniless. I think the Hardigans thought that was their Curtis. Whatever the reason, the benefits and money are all there waiting for Curtis. I have all the paperwork ready, I just need the Center to sign off on a few things since you have official custody."

"No problem." Karen was very happy to help.

They were just about finishing their lunch when Carl came in.

"I'm glad to see you both," Carl said as he sat next to Melanie.

"What's up?" Karen asked.

"I heard from some of my buddies that work juvenile. The Hardigans are being arrested for a whole list of different offences ranging from child abuse to misappropriation of funds. They'll get them for littering if I have anything to say about it. We also found some nasty photos, boys and girls. And many of them look old. They've been at this for a long time. They're going down and hard. No kid will ever have to go through that horror again."

The girls reached out across the table to clasp hands as Karen burst into tears of joy. Carl slipped his big arm around Mel's shoulder.

"It's over, it's finally over," Karen whispered between sobs. Mel and Carl smiled broadly.

 

*****
 

"Brian?"

"What's up, oh master of social work?"

"We never got around to speaking."

"Ah yes, I do recall you wanting my advice on something but we got a little sidetracked. So what's it all about?"

"I was thinking about opening another clinic on the other side of town. There's a building, an old abandoned apartment house. We can use it for housing. Maybe John could hook me up with a carpentry school. We could teach the kids a trade. Something like that. What do you think?"

"Give me the address. John and I will check it out then get back to you."

"Thanks, Brian. You're a peach."

"So they tell me. Just answer one thing, why?"

"Because it needs to be done and there are kids on that side of town that need it to be done."

"Okay but promise me something."

"What?"

"Do not overdo it. You're healthy and I want you around for a long time. You'll be no good to those kids if you wind up sick from exhaustion. Promise me."

"I promise, Brian."

"Good boy. Now hang up and go save a kid."

"Yes, sir!" Hunter cut the connection then went out to 'patrol.'

 

*****
 

"Are you sure we have time to stop?" Justin asked as Brian headed down Liberty Avenue.

"Your mother knows I'm always late," Brian said with his tongue in his cheek.

"She also knows why you're chronically late," Justin smirked.

"You're the main reason," Brian told him.

"Sure, blame it on me."

"Don't blame Daddy, Dada. It's not good," Bree said sagaciously from her car seat in the back. They were on their way to Jennifer's for dinner with her, Seth, Molly and Owen.
"I'm not blaming him, Squirt. I was just teasing."

"Oh," Bree said with a frown. "Where are we going?"

"We're here," Brian said as he pulled up to the curb.

They all piled out, Brian releasing Bree from her restraints.

Brian opened the door to the comic book store and called, "Hey, shopkeep."

"Unca Mikey!" Bree screeched as Michael came out from behind the counter.

"There's my girl," Michael cried squatting down so Bree could run into his arms for a hug.

"I thought JR was your girl," Bree reminded him.

"Can't I have more than one girl?" Michael asked with a grin.

"'Kay," Bree agreed and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Is Lacy here?" Justin asked still in a hurry to get to his mother's.

"She should be here momentarily," Michael said. "I laid out the issue in the office. Go have a look.

Justin disappeared into Michael's office while Brian and Michael looked at each other.

"Is he going to be happy?" Brian asked.

Michael nodded, just as the door to the store opened again and Lacy rushed in.

"Sorry I'm late," she began. "I'm on a break from the diner so I can't stay long. Has Justin seen it yet?"

"Take a breath, young lady," Brian said sardonically.

"Sorry, I'm just nervous."

"Nothing to be sorry for. Go join Justin. You too, Mikey," Brian instructed. "I'll keep an eye on the shop."

"Me too, Dada," Bree offered.

"See, you couldn't be in better hands.

 

*****
 

A short while later Brian, Justin and Bree pulled up at Jennifer's.

"So, you're really okay with Rage?" Brian asked, even though Justin had spent the entire trip from the comic store telling his husband how good the next issue looked.

"I couldn't believe it, Brian. Some of the work was mine, and I could hardly distinguish what I'd drawn from what Lacy drew. I don't think the readers are going to have a problem when the next issue comes out. They won't know anyone else is drawing the comic unless they read the credits."

"Is that good for Lacy?" Brian asked unbuckling Bree.

"Not at this juncture, but I think we should let the readers see her work and accept it before we make an announcement."

Brian nodded as they walked up to the front door of Jennifer's townhouse. He had been happy to hear that Rage was still the main superhero. Nobody was being killed off. Justin was over the moon about the next edition, and he loved Lacy's drawing of Sateeena. Brian had to admit Sateeena was unlike any superhero he had ever seen before. He could hardly envision how she was going to be worked into the story, but Lacy had some very definite ideas about that.

Molly answered the door.

"You look good, Mrs. Brenner," Brian said appraisingly as he kissed her cheek.

"You too, brother-in-law dearest," Molly laughed hugging him back.

"Auntie Molly," Bree said having waited for her father to get finished hugging. "It's me, Bree."

"Hello, short stuff," Molly laughed bending down to kiss and hug Bree.

"Do I get one of those?" Justin asked as Brian took Bree inside to get her coat off.

"The biggest one of all," Molly told him giving her brother a hearty hug.

"You must have been practicing on your honeymoon. That was a bone crusher," Justin laughed.

Molly smacked him before taking his hand and drawing him inside so she could shut the front door against the cold air.

After all the hugs and kisses and greetings everyone sat down with a drink. Jennifer had hors d'oeuvres all set out. Molly and Owen told them all about their honeymoon, even though each of them had gotten bits and pieces of information over the phone. Molly had made an album of pictures that she used to recount their tales of love and adventure while they were away.

Brian watched Jennifer and Seth wondering what was up with them. He noticed the way they touched each other at every opportunity and leaned together to look at the photos. When Jennifer got up and called Seth to help her in the kitchen, Brian whispered to Justin, "They're doing it."

"What?" Justin reacted. The smirk on Brian's face told him the answer to his question. "They are not! Eiw! I don't want to think about that."

Brian nodded knowingly. "Trust me, they are."

"What are they doing, Dada?" Bree asked.

"Getting dinner ready, Squirt," Brian replied without missing a beat. "Eat your cracker and cheese. Dinner will be ready in a minute."

"Hungy, Dada."

"I know, Squirt."

"Dinner is served," Seth announced and everyone moved to the table.

There was more pleasant chatting. Brian had to smile as he watched Justin studying his mother and Seth trying to decide if Brian was right. Brian didn't have to decide. He knew what was going on between the two of them.

When Jennifer was ready to serve dessert, Seth opened a bottle of port and raised his glass in a toast. "I want to thank you all for coming here tonight. It's always lovely when family gets together. Since I don't have much of a family of my own, I like to think of you all as my family. Jennifer and I have decided to make that arrangement a little more permanent. We're engaged," he announced with a smile that threatened to split his face apart.

"I told you," Brian whispered.

Justin gave him an elbow before he smiled at his mother and Seth. "Then may I add a bit more to that toast. Here's to the happy couple." He smiled at his mother and Seth who beamed with pleasure that Justin was giving them his seal of approval. Molly leapt out of her seat to hug her mother and Seth. There were a few moist eyes for the next few minutes.

Finally everyone collected themselves, raised their glasses and touched them together, including Bree and her glass of Koolaid. They all nodded towards Jennifer and Seth in affirmation of this new step in their relationship.

"Wedding?" Bree asked hopefully. "I be the flower girl."
 

TBC