CH 11

Linda Hollings, the very lovely and efficient secretary handed him the phone. She was one of those elementary school secretaries that everyone loved. Great with the kids, friendly with the parents, and indispensable to the staff, motherly and caring. She knew everything and everybody.

"Hello?" Gareth had been called to the phone over the P.A. system shortly after the end of day bell. He walked briskly to the main office thinking it was a parent calling. It was, just not one he was expecting.

"What, you change your number or something? I'm still their mother, I still have rights," Leeann's shrill voice screeched through the phone line. Gareth had to hold the phone away from his ear she was so loud.

"No, Leeann, I haven't changed my number. My phone is off during school hours, when I'm at work. Remember, I'm teaching?" Gareth reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved his cell phone. Sure enough there were eight missed calls and fifteen texts, all from Leeann. Judging from the lack of coherence in the later texts, it was obvious that she was under the influence of something.

"You can't keep me from my kids, you asshole," she spewed.

Gareth was taken aback. Perhaps she wanted the Mother's Day gifts after all. "I haven't been. You just haven't called. You haven't wanted contact. You said you never wanted to see them again."

The tone of the conversation suddenly changed and Gareth suspected this was the real reason for the call. "YOU haven't been paying your bills, Gareth. Your credit rating is going to be fucked. I need money to cover your expenses," Leeann stated. Gareth's eyes rolled to the ceiling, so did Linda's, not that she was listening.

"No Leeann, they're your bills. I don't live there anymore, and neither do the kids. Therefore I don't pay things for that address," he calmly asserted.

"But you said you'd take care of me." She had a nasally whine to her voice now.

"I said I'd take care of our family. When you kicked us all out, and injured Gabe, I might add, you forfeited any money that I would pay to support that household. I am still supporting the household, just at a different location and without you in it." Gareth felt it was a good and logical explanation.

"Where are you living, you asshole? I want to come and take my kids." After what she was saying, Gareth was fairly sure she didn't actually want the kids. She could have shown up at their school to take them if that was the case--thankfully she hadn't done so, and the school probably would have called if she'd shown. But it was definitely the money that was her motivation, not any last ditch parenting attempts.

"Leeann, there is a proper channel for you to have visitation if you want it, and this isn't the way to go about it. Please don't contact me at school again." Gareth's voice was strained, but he tried to keep it level and civil. He was at his place of work after all.

"You'll regret this you faggot!" Leeann yelled into the phone before hanging up, her voice clearly audible to the secretary and other teacher in the main office, both of whom flinched.

Linda, who had fielded calls from Leeann in the past, couldn't help but overhear, heck the entire room couldn't help but overhear. "Gareth, you're doing the right thing. You know that don't you?" She took the receiver from him and placed it back in the cradle on her desk.

Gareth slowly nodded his head in agreement, still too stunned to say anything.

"You need to get a lawyer, honey," Linda patted his arm. "And soon."

Again, he nodded. "I know."

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The two men sat in the living room, having their nightly tea after the kids went to bed. It was originally Phillip's nightly routine, but now it belonged to them jointly. Both men relishing the time together more than each of them realized.

"What are you going to do?" Phillip asked carefully, the idea of Leeann taking away Gareth's happiness, and somewhat selfishly, his own too, terrifying. He gripped his mug of tea harder than intended and brought the steaming beverage to his lips before letting it cool, almost scalding his mouth.

"Abby's fiancee is a lawyer, not family law, but someone in his practice is and he can recommend them. Abby's going to talk to him about it tonight," Gareth answered. He could tell Phillip was very concerned, almost as concerned as he was, and it was touching? Sweet? Amazing really. Gareth reached his hand across and placed it on Phillip's knee, squeezing gently. "It will be okay."

"You won't have to move, will you? I mean, uh, having you here," Phillip flushed, then clarified, "all of you here...it's just been good, you know? And we have Gabe's birthday party next week, and I...I don't know." He bit his lip awkwardly and looked down at Gareth's hand, willing it to stay on his knee instead of pulling away. Willing Gareth to stay. It didn't.

Instead, Gareth moved his hand to lightly caress Phillip's fingers that were resting on the table next to the tea. "Honestly, Phillip, it's been fantastic for us, me, too."

Phillip froze, unsure what to do, but sure that his fingers were singed, burnt, on fire, from Gareth's touch. "Just don't leave. Please," Phillip managed to blurt out before he fled to his bedroom where, behind his door, he laid on his bed and tried to control his racing heart. As fearful of these feelings as he was, other parts of him needed calming, too, and his dreams of his attractive tenant were far from innocent that night.

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"I don't want to leave, you know? I like your house," Daisy explained to Phillip on their way home from the library, Wednesday evening. It had become their thing, and Gareth stayed home with Franny and Gabe, working on the loot bags for Saturday's soiree. Daisy and Phillip really hit it off over books, and they both had some to return and new ones they checked out. The library wasn't busy and the serene atmosphere thoroughly appealed to them both. Once again, they were lost in the fantasy section for an hour or so, comparing books they'd read and Phillip suggesting series that Daisy might want to start.

"I'm not planning on you all leaving, even if I make pots of money at my business. And it's really your home now, too." Phillip peeked back at Daisy through the rear view mirror. She was clutching her bag of books like they were precious, like she might lose everything.

"Yeah, but I'm not Daddy's. I heard you two talking, I know Mommy's after him for money." Her voice was shaky but sure. Apparently sometimes she was listening and observing rather than reading, which was a very good cover; Phillip often did the same thing.

Phillip was surprised by how upfront Daisy was being, but really, the two of them shared a bond, able to speak easily to one another. "Don't think like that Daisy, he loves you just as much as your siblings. You are his daughter, too."

"I know that. I just mean that she'll try to get me if she can't get what she wants from him, I'm the easiest for her to get because I'm her blood and not daddy's. Then he'll have to pay." Sadly, Daisy was aware of just how predatory her mother could be. "I mean she didn't care enough to talk to us on Mother's Day, and you can be sure that she isn't going to call for Gabe's birthday, but bills are probably piling up and she's not good with money. Daddy has a good job with regular pay. That's probably why she got pregnant with Gabe by him in the first place."

Phillip considered Daisy's words. She most likely wasn't far off how Gareth got entangled with Leeann--it's not like he could see Gareth actively pursuing her. "You can be sure, Daisy, that your father will do whatever he can to keep you with him. He's told me that, and I don't think he lies."

"No, he doesn't. He's really great," Daisy said softly.

"Yeah." Phillip's voice might have contained just a little bit of longing as he thought of Gareth.

She may have noticed. "He likes you a lot, you know," Daisy continued.

"I like him, too."

"No, I mean he like-likes you," she clarified in her ten year old terminology. "I can tell."

"Oh." Phillip wasn't sure how to respond, but his heart surged and a blush tinged his face. Daisy was pleased she had done her job and pointedly opened her novel, reading by the streetlights all the way home.

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Saturday's party was great. Gabe had six friends over and they watched a Star Wars movie in the basement, played a few games, made some crafts, and ate pizza and cake. He had a small pile of presents and was really happy because he really had a great time with his friends. Mel and Vernon were fantastic helps, too. Mel buzzed around taking care of the kids and her energy was infectious, getting all the kids involved in the games she'd planned. It seemed like such a shame that someone like Mel apparently couldn't have a child without divine intervention, where Leeann, who didn't even care about hers, had no trouble getting knocked up.

"Gabe, we have a present for you," Mel called from the kitchen.

"I thought the cake was my present. It was awesome." Vernon had actually made a chocolate cake with grey icing in the shape of the Millennium Falcon, and the kids all thought it was the best thing ever.

"Nope." She was struggling with a big box she'd brought in from their car and plopped it on the table.

"Really, Mel, Vernon, you didn't need to get him anything. We're just so thankful for your help," Gareth said, overwhelmed by their generosity.

"Nonsense." Mel waved Gareth's protest away. "Now open it, birthday boy."

Gareth watched as Gabe tore into the wrapping, and was honestly a bit jealous of the large Lego Star Wars set that he'd received, but he was also touched. Who knew people were so generous? Especially the couple they'd really just met.

"Wow!! Thanks Mel! Thanks Vernon!" Gabe ran around hugging the adults in the room, then dragged the box to play with his new set with his sisters while the adults stayed in the kitchen eating some leftover cake.

"Honestly, you guys, this is just too much. You've all been so incredibly kind to me and my family." Gareth looked at each person at the table, trying not to tear up. Mel and Vernon smiled warmly, while Phillip looked down at his plate.

"Did Gabe hear from his mom at all?" Mel inquired, blowing across the top of her hot cup of coffee. Even she needed the caffeine after running around with seven boys for a few hours.

"No. My parents called and sent money, but there wasn't anything from Leeann. I don't think any of us were expecting it, really, but Gabe's probably still a little disappointed," Gareth said with a sigh. "I suppose it's probably better this way. After all, I don't think I've ever seen the kids so....relaxed." He snuck a peek across at Phillip who was still engrossed with his plate, so Gareth gently nudged him with his knee, hoping to convey some feeling to the man. A small grin played across Phillip's face and his ears turned pink, Mel noted with satisfaction. As far as she was concerned, Gareth and his family were just what Phillip needed.

"Have you spoken to a lawyer yet?" Vernon asked as he licked some icing off his spoon.

"No, but I have an appointment after school on Thursday. You're still okay to watch the kids, Phillip?"

This time Phillip lifted his shining dark eyes to meet Gareth's, "Of course, they're great." And Gareth's heart beat just a bit faster under Phillip's shy gaze. The gardener couldn't help but to think back to Daisy's assertion in the car that Gareth liked him, and looking at him now, he could maybe, just maybe, believe it to be true.

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"So did your friends enjoy your party?" Phillip asked as Gabe wandered into the kitchen after school on Monday. His sisters were watching tv in the living room and Phillip was drinking a glass of water next to the sink. He'd been out for a few hours at a client and was a bit dehydrated from the mid-afternoon sun. Next time he'd have to remember a water bottle.

"Yep! They LOVED it!" Gabe spun around, arms outstretched, to demonstrate his excitement. He stopped a abruptly as something occurred to him. "But Phillip?"

"Yes?" Phillip took a big sip awaiting Gabe's question.

"What's a faggot?" Gabe's eyes scrunched in confusion.

Phillip very nearly choked and ended up spitting a mouthful of water into the sink, barely able to set the glass safely back on the counter. "Where did you hear that?"

"At school today," Gabe explained. "Mitchell said his dad thought that you and Daddy are faggots. I know Mommy said Daddy is. She used to call him one all the time."

Phillip was at a loss as to what to say. He was, he was pretty sure, most definitely gay, but he had no clue how to address this with a newly turned seven year old. And sexuality wasn't cut and dried, there were a ton of different titles that confused the heck out of him. He had never discussed this with anyone; come out to anyone. To be fair, there never was anyone worth coming out for before, no one that held his interest quite the way Gareth did. In the end, Phillip went with the least confusing answer. "It's when two men like each other."

Gabe cocked his head slightly and considered what he'd been told. "I like Paul, does that make me a faggot?"

Shoot. Obviously Phillip's explanation wasn't very good. He chewed on the inside of his cheek for a second. "Umm, you know, that's not really a nice word to use. Gay is probably the more acceptable term." He took a deep breath, then continued, "Do you want to kiss Paul?"

Gabe screwed his face up, crinkling his nose. "No, I don't want to kiss anyone."

"Well, gay men or gay women, for that matter, want to kiss people that are the same gender as them that they are attracted to."

"Oh..., but what...."

Phillip really didn't want to continue the conversation in-depth, so he reached into an upper cupboard and pulled out a Kit-Kat, handing it to Gabe, staving off any other awkward questions. "Here, go eat this in your room, quick, before your sisters see."

"Thanks!" Gabe hid the bar up his sleeve and ran from the room. Phillip gripped the sink and took a deep breath; thank god for emergency candy stashes. And where was Gareth for all of this?

Thank goodness he came home twenty minutes later. Phillip took the opportunity to hide in his bedroom, avoiding any other possible questions until everyone was very definitely preoccupied. The only good that came from the whole exchange was that he was pretty sure Gareth was indeed gay, and the supposed liking that Daisy had referred to was very definitely not one sided.

A/N: Hello all. This is definitely a few minutes early, but it's a busy day in JJ's household. Almost as busy in Gareth and Phillip's. Wouldn't it be nice if Leann would just go away? Sadly, we haven't seen the last of her. I'm going to try to do three updates, so the next one will be on Friday! Thanks for all the reads, comments, and votes!

<3 JJ