Our Boys

The Interview

JJ knew that when the day came and he stood before the gates to heaven, he would have to face God and answer for all his actions during his time on earth, a lot of them dumb and stupid and thoughtless, especially during his teenage years. He also knew that after a one-hour session with Ms. Lizzie Wells, facing God would be a walk in the park.

Simon had arrived home on the dot and was faced with the steely gaze from Ms Wells and an agitated one from his boyfriend. Ever since then it had been question after question.

"Which school will Ethan be attending?"

"Well, we haven't quite decided yet..."

"You are aware that many have a waiting list?"

"Well, kind of...but..."

"What about the days when you are out late? Do you have someone that can pick him up and care for him?"

"Well, the girl who looks after Tobi should be fine to take on extras ...."

"You are 'YouTubers'. Do you think this is a suitable career choice to be taking on extra responsibility?"

"Well, I reckon that...that..."

"Has he had his immunisations? Has he had any of the childhood illnesses? Who is his paediatrician?"

"Well, I guess we could find out..."

"Where does Ethan stay on the nights you want to 'entertain' guests? What time does he go to bed? Do you have a plan to help him with his dyslexia? Do you monitor what he watches on television? How much time does he spend in front of the television? Does he eat well-balanced meals? Do you allow him to have junk food? How are his teeth? What are his current school assessment levels?"

Finally, only the ticking of a clock filled the otherwise silent house. Ethan had fallen asleep at the beginning of the interview after eating just one cookie and drinking a half a glass of milk. He lay stretched out on the sofa with his head resting on JJ's lap, one arm draped across the man's leg. JJ stared down at the child, letting his hand rub gently across the small shoulders. He was trying very hard not to think about how empty their life was going to be when Ethan was gone. Don't get him wrong he loved Tobi and Simon with all his heart, but this little boy was just so loud and so full of life that it was going to be strange without him running around. Because while it had been made painfully obvious to him that there were a lot of things he didn't know, one fact had become crystal clear; there was no way that they were going to be approved for a child like Ethan. JJ was even worried the lady might decide to snatch Tobi from them.

Ms. Wells watched the silent exchange and truly regretted having to make her decision. The love that JJ and Simon already felt towards Ethan was easy to see but the two men were simply unprepared to take on another child so demanding. They had even admitted to the fact they weren't planning getting another child so soon if it hadn't been for fate. Perhaps, in a few years time, when the two young men had grown up and more mature themselves could they consider it.

"Sirs..."

"JJ. You can call us JJ and Simon and you don't have to say it. We know we didn't pass the test. Shit. I've never been that great at tests anyway." JJ glanced up briefly to flash Lizzie Wells a quick smile to let her know that he wasn't really blaming her and there were no hard feelings. "I guess we were just having so much fun with the little guy we didn't stop to think that there might actually be work involved with keeping him."

Beside him Simon was silent. But that did not mean he wasn't upset either. If they couldn't even get approved to have Ethan what did that mean for the chances of taking in Josh?

"Is that why you want to be his foster parent, for the fun of it?" Ms Wells asked the question to his boyfriend.

"Well, sure. I mean, why else would a person have a kid?"