Work Text:
Things Change
by Scribe
I talked to my lawyer today."
Mike kept eating, kept his eyes on his plate. His partner, Josh ("Only together three months--I'm a fucking newlywed," Josh liked to say) saw his lawyer often--very often.
Mike didn't know why. It wasn't for business--he did the books for Josh's construction company, and he knew they were in fine shape. He didn't THINK it could be for any criminal reason. Mike knew next to nothing about Josh's past, but Josh was just so damn decent that Mike couldn't imagine him doing anything petty or vicious.
Yes, Josh had a comfortable income, but still--lawyers weren't cheap. Mike was curious as to what could inspire him to see one several times a month--but he didn't ask. When they'd met five months ago Josh had told him up front that there were certain parts of his life that he wouldn't be able to discuss till he knew him better, and Mike had accepted it. At first it was simply because he'd do anything necessary to get this gorgeous man in bed, but as their relationship grew he refrained from asking questions out of respect. Josh would reveal his secrets when he was ready. Mike just hoped they wouldn't prove too painful.
He'd been quiet too long. Josh was waiting for some sort of response. "Yeah? Any good news?"
"Very good news--I think."
There was both hope and doubt in Josh's voice. Mike put down his fork and gave him his full attention. Josh was one of the most confident, self possessed men Mike had ever known, but now he looked... vulnerable. *Whatever it is, he's worried that I'm going to be angry, or hurt.* "Tell me."
Josh took a deep breath. "I won a settlement. It's been in negotiation since long before we met, but it was complicated, and the other party was kind of vindictive. She finally agreed to my terms, we signed the papers, and the lawyer is bringing..." The doorbell rang, and they both looked toward the door. "That's him."
Mike pushed out his chair and stood up, waling toward the door. His heart was beating a mile a minute, but outwardsly he was calm. *He said 'she'. Okay, I knew he was bi, but he said he hadn't been with a woman for more than a year before we met. Was he married? Was he suing for divorce, and she wouldn't agree? Did she agree, but was stiffing him on the property?* He'd reached the door. *One way to find out.*
"Babe..."
Mike looked back to see Josh still at the table. His lover bit his lip, and said softly. "Remember I love you, and I want to live my life with you."
"I know. I feel the same."
"I hope to God you will after you open that door."
Feeling a little dread now, Mike opened the door.
He found the expected, and the unexpected. The expected was the dapper man wearing a dark business suit and conservative tie that screamed 'lawyer'. There were a couple of unexpected things. One was the fact that it wasn't a briefcase sitting beside his feet--it was a diaper bag. And the other was the plump, dark haired toddler girl riding on his hip.
He felt Josh move up close behind him and put his arms around his waist. Josh said quietly, "Mike, I want to introduce you to the other important person in my life. This is my daughter--Kara."
Mike didn't just stare--he gaped. The little girl had a thumb plugged in her rosebud mouth, and was watching him with grave blue eyes--Josh's eyes. She studied him for a silent moment, then smiled at him around her thumb.
Josh was talking. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, but, well... Some people hear you have a kid and jet. And I didn't want to have to apologize for my baby. I didn't plan her, but the second I knew she was on the way I loved her with everything I had. Her mom... Missy can take her or leave her, but she sure did like the child support. I've been trying to get custody of Kara since the day she was born. Missy finally found a man she wants to marry, but he doesn't want kids, so..." He trailed off. "I'm trying to give you the Readers Digest Condensed version, and you deserves so much more. I was just hoping you'd want..."
Mike turned in Josh's arms, grabbed his face, and planted a hard kiss on his mouth. Then he smiled at the love of his life. "Well, now we don't have to go through the whole adoption vs. surrogate nonsense." He looked at the lawyer. "Get my daughter in off the front steps before she catches a chill."
The end
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