A Day in June, Chapter 14
The university's spring term ended ahead of the public schools. Jade had all of his work completed to graduate, but Devon wasn't as lucky. He had another week and a half to teach.
For Jade, it was fortunate that he was all done because his mind was distracted by the prospect of having a son of his own. It wasn't that he didn't love Jayden like a son, but there was something slightly different about having his own flesh and blood to rear. He felt quite sure it was the right thing to do. As he had told Dyani and Devon, he needed to save this child from suffering for their father's misdeeds. This was an innocent infant who deserved to have a real chance in life.
Despite the paperwork and red tape that would prevent having custody of the baby until sometime after Saturday's graduation ceremony, Jade decided to go to see him. He packed a small suitcase and drove to the hospital in the town near the reservation, hoping to spend time with his "son" and to meet with the social worker in charge of the case. He figured this could go a long way in speeding up the process.
Having left in the convertible very early in the morning, he was able to get to the hospital before noon. He immediately identified himself to the staff as a relative who hoped to adopt the infant. After verifying his identification and checking him out with the sheriff's office, the hospital personnel allowed him access to the neonatal unit.
"It's lucky that your background has been thoroughly scrutinized for working with children," the charge nurse said. "That should help a lot in making things go smoothly. Sheriff Burns also vouched for you.
Now that you're here to sign a release, we can go ahead with the DNA test to make a positive identification of this child's ancestry. When you see him, you'll probably want to adopt him whether or not you're related. He's adorable, though somewhat underweight. We've checked him from stem to stern and he has no signs of disease. From the notes his mother left, she evidently didn't use drugs or alcohol while she was carrying him. I suspect that she may not have had as good a diet as she might have. However, given her circumstances of being on the run, I think she did well by him."
Jade scrubbed his hands and put on the gown he was given before going into the room where the more fragile newborns were being monitored. The moment he saw the tiny boy, he fell in love with him. He was startled at how much the infant resembled the pictures of him as a newborn. This child could easily pass for his own son. A couple of the nurses commented on the resemblance.
The baby wasn't technically a preemie in the sense of a shortened gestation period, but because of his low birth weight, he was treated like one for the time being.
"You may handle him in the incubator," the nurse told him. "Children who experience human touch tend to thrive better than those who don't. In fact, we can wrap him in a blanket and you may sit in the rocking chair to hold him if you like."
Jade's eyes glistened as the child was placed in his arms. He bit his lower lip in an attempt to control his emotions as he held the baby near to his heart as he often did Jayden.
"It's about time for him to be fed. Would you like to do the honors? We're a little short-handed this time of day. Do you need any instructions on how to proceed?"
"I don't think so. My partner and I have a son who's only about five months older and I've been intimately involved in his care."
"Great! I'll make sure his bottle is at body temperature and let you take over."
The nurse kept an eye on the pair from a distance, but didn't interfere. She could tell that Jade knew what he was doing. She was impressed that he got the baby to burp and that he asked for a new diaper after making the "sniff" test.
Jade handled the change quickly and efficiently.
"I'm pleased to see that he's intact," he commented.
"Intact?"
"Yes, that his foreskin hasn't been removed."
"Oh, of course, I'm sorry to be so dense. These days, members of the medical profession tend to give parents a conscious choice instead of assuming they want it done."
"I definitely DON'T want him circumcised. I suppose I'm making assumptions when I'm not yet his parent, but I'm hoping my wishes will be considered."
"If you are his closest relative, other than the mother who has voluntarily given him up, I'm sure we'll abide by your decision."
"Cool!"
After Jade had placed the sleeping infant back in the incubator, he went to the cafeteria to get a bite of lunch. He had been so excited that he'd forgotten to eat when he arrived. Now his stomach reminded him that he was past due for a feeding.
Sitting at a table after eating most of his big salad and sandwich, sent a text to Devon to tell him how the day had gone so far. He also sent a picture of the baby, which he had taken with his phone, and said that he was going to stay at least another day or two.
Devon wrote back that while he would be missed, he should take all the time he needed. It was never too early to begin bonding.
Jade responded that he was thinking of an appropriate name for their new son. He asked what Devon thought of "Dakota" for the first name and "Devon" for his middle name. That way there would be one son with the first initial of "D" like one dad as well as one with "J" like the other.
Devon liked the idea. He said he thought "Dakota" would be good as a Native American first name even though it was from a different nation. He would be honored to have Dakota bear his name as well.
Since he had a few minutes without kids, he switched over to phoning directly.
"You should do what you think is best. I appreciate being in on the decision, but it should be your choice first and foremost. As I said, I like the name for a boy. It sounds kind of rough and tumble."
"I still want you to be involved. We ARE a team, after all."
"We have been from the first day."
Jade ended up staying three days. Even though the baby's DNA test was requested ASAP, the results weren't available within 24 hours. Therefore Jade felt he should stay until there was scientific proof.
When it was finally proven that "Dakota" was Jade's brother, Jade set up an appointment with Ms. Callahan, the social worker, to discuss adoption procedures. The interview started out bleak from Jade's viewpoint.
"Well young man, you have established kinship, but you will have to be thoroughly checked out before I'll allow you to have custody of this infant. There are cases of children being sold on the black market and that's not going to happen on my watch!"
"My interest is in giving my little brother the kind of chance in life that I didn't have. I'm not saying I had it as hard as many kids do, but it wasn't easy."
"What makes you think you can provide a good life for the child? There are many established couples who would love to provide him with everything. I take it that you're single, and you appear to be about 18."
"I'm not sure what my apparent age has to do with anything, but I can prove that I'm 22, a college graduate with a double major in business and psychology, and that my fiancé and I plan to get married next month. We will be able to provide a stable home and give him the kind of love that will be, in my opinion, unmatched by strangers. I don't see a lot of people lining up to adopt mixed-race children. We half-breeds don't always fit in."
"Well then, she will have to be thoroughly vetted as well." Ms. Callahan went on, ignoring Jade's comment. "What is her name and what kind of combined income do you have?"
"His name is Devon Cook, and since he's a public school teacher, he's had a complete background check already. He makes a pretty good salary because he has his master's. I receive a monthly income from the casino revenues, and I have an assistantship set for next fall which will not only pay me a stipend but also allow me take my courses tuition-free. I have all of our finances listed here to submit," Jade said as he handed her the statement.
"Wait a minute, you said `he' in talking about your fiancee."
"Yes, we are a same-sex couple. Since the terms for male and female lovers are pronounced the same, you couldn't have known. Now that you do, may we continue?"
"This puts things into an entirely different perspective!"
"How so?"
"Obviously you're not capable of providing a nurturing atmosphere with both a mother and a father to help the baby to thrive."
"Gay couples are eligible to adopt in this state. My fiancé is raising his son, and I am helping. My grandmother acts as our nanny and provides a feminine touch. My tribe is content with the arrangement. I've already talked to the elders."
"I'm not sure that matters."
"Look, I didn't come here to argue with you or have you throw roadblocks in my way. Here is my lawyer's card. Expect to hear from him shortly," Jade smiled tightly as he got up to leave.
"We don't have to make a federal case out of it and take it to court."
"That choice is entirely up to you. I will leave all of the pertinent information. You're welcome to use it to fill out the forms and complete the procedure. I will return next week with my legal counsel to sign the papers, or you may fax them to his office. His fax number is on the card.
Good afternoon, Ms. Callahan!"
Jade left the welfare office with adrenalin surging through his body. He had kept his temper in check, but he was seething inside. He sat on a bench in front of the facility to cool off a few minutes before he hit the unlock button on the key fob and opened the door. However, a gentleman stopped him as he was about to enter it.
"I'm Howard Price, the supervisor of this unit. Ms. Callahan just came into my office saying that she'd had an encounter with a client and feared there would be a lawsuit. I'd like to hear your side of the discussion if you have a minute."
"I'll be happy to fill you in," Jade smiled.
About 45 minutes later, Jade left Mr. Price's office with a relaxed look on his face. All of the necessary paperwork had been completed except for Devon's signature on the adoption papers, and he would be able to pick up Dakota on the following Monday.
The baby's name would appear on the birth certificate as Jade had requested it, and the hospital would receive a notarized reminder that NO circumcision would be performed. He had asked for that just to be doubly sure his wishes were carried out.
Jade was welcome to have everything reviewed by his lawyer and he could fax the signed forms back to the welfare office in order to expedite the process.
He pulled out his phone and quickly texted Devon to give him the good news. Then he went back to the hospital. It was kind of late to be heading home, and he wanted to spend more time bonding.
He arrived just in time to give Dakota another bottle.
Jade's graduation ceremony would always be a bit of a blur in his mind. He appreciated that his diploma was a symbol of the hard work he'd put in, and the support he'd received from Devon and Grandma, but he kept seeing a tiny boy in his mind's eye. A week ago, he hadn't known this child existed. Now he could focus on little else.
Devon took their little family out to dinner to celebrate Jade's accomplishment. He splurged a bit when he chose a good steak house. It was a first-rate place, reminiscent of the roadhouses of days gone by.
He was especially pleased that the hostess didn't bat an eye when she saw that a baby was part of the group. In fact, she offered to have his food warmed immediately so that he could eat while the adults were deciding on their entrees.
Devon had asked for menus that didn't show the prices because he wanted Jade and Dyani to choose their food on the basis of what they liked rather than on the cost of the items. Both of them stayed away from the lobster which they assumed was the most expensive dinner in the restaurant.
Everyone had a glass of wine with their appetizers and used it to toast Jade several times.
When the waitress discovered that this was a graduation celebration, she told them that their desserts were on the house. That made it seem that they were getting a lot for the final total of $100+ tip.
That night, Devon was determined to have a very private and intimate celebration with Jade in their bed. He hoped that Jayden would sleep through the night so that they wouldn't be interrupted.
Dyani assumed that her boys might like to share their bodies, and offered to keep the baby monitor in her room in case someone had to get up. She phrased it in such a way so that it sounded like she was concerned about them having a good night's sleep. The guys figured out her true motive and were thankful for her thoughtfulness.
Devon very much wanted to do whatever Jade would love to have done to him. It was his night. He had earned it.
However, Jade expressed the desire to have it be a mutual commemoration.
"Without you, this day might never have come because I might not have lived to see it. It certainly wouldn't have happened this spring. I'd have dropped out to pay off my bills from rehabilitation, and I'd have missed all the hours I earned in summer school. This accomplishment has as much to do with you as it does with me."
"I didn't do all that much! It's your intelligence and drive that have earned you your degree."
"Smarts and perseverance are fine, but without opportunity they have no chance to flourish. You provided that. This is OUR accomplishment."
"We do make a good team. So what do you want to do tonight to celebrate?"
"I'd like to reenact what we did after I'd lived with you for about a month and we hadn't had sex together yet. You know; when I could use only my mouth to bring you pleasure. I want to get you off using only my lips and tongue. Well, I might do some full-body rubbing too."
"I'm all for it if you'll let me do the same to you in return. It'll be even better since I don't have to interrupt our fun to hunt for condoms. I plan to feast on all that high-quality protein you've been storing up."
They didn't talk much from that point on, other than for Jade to instruct Devon about removing articles of clothing from both of their bodies. By this time in their relationship, they were so aware of which erogenous zones turned each other on, that they had a difficult time not coming prematurely. It became a kind of challenge to see how close they could bring each other to the edge without going over.
When they finally could take no more of that exquisite torture, they came together with moans and gasps expressing the extreme pleasure they experienced.
In the afterglow, they kissed and cuddled for several minutes before sleep overtook them. All of their dreams were filled with sunlight and love.
The public school term ran about a week and a half later than the university. Devon had to go back to do his best to engage his students as spring fever and the desire to be free for the summer were at their peak.
Jade left very early on Monday morning with a sense of restlessness too. He wanted to have Dakota home with them as soon as possible. He must have checked a dozen times the night before to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything that he'd need.
After his experience with the social worker the week before, he was amazed at how quickly everything was taken care of. He was actually back on the road before lunch. He had hoped it would work out that way so that he could stop for a bite at Edna's Cafe where Devon and he had eaten a snack on the way home from the hearing where Jayden had become theirs.
Edna recognized him and immediately came to seat him at a table near the kitchen where she would have more chance to chat as she came and went with customers' orders.
"And who is this young man?" she asked.
"This is Dakota. He's our new son. He's blood kin to me, and we're going to raise him."
"He does look like you. I wish Milo would drop in to see this little doll. I know he'd say all the appropriate things. He's become a lot nicer since taking the sensitivity training."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"You're taking lunch a bit late. I think you held off eating so you could stop and show off your son."
"I'll plead guilty to that charge, Aunt Edna! I had to share my special day with you. Devon would have come too, but he couldn't miss work. The university is out for the summer, but the high school isn't."
"So, you're a college student I take it."
"I graduated on Saturday and I'll start my master's in the fall."
"That's wonderful! I'm so pleased. Are you two married?"
"We will be in the middle of June."
"Well, congratulations on both events. I guess I should say on all three. You have a college degree, a new son, and a husband all in the matter of a few weeks. I'd say that's a very big deal."
Just as Jade's lunch order arrived, Dakota woke up and loudly demanded to be fed as well.
"May I impose upon you to warm his bottle? Then, if you could wrap up my lunch, I'll eat it later on the road. I can feed him in the car so he won't bother the customers."
"You'll do no such thing! Everybody in the place either has or is raising kids. They aren't going to be offended by a little crying. I'm about ready for a break, and I'll feed him while you eat. I'm good at it and I love to hold these little ones."
True to her word, Edna took over the duties so that Jade could enjoy his meal without being stressed. Several of the regular patrons came by to have a look at Dakota. All of them commented on how adorable he was and what a lucky daddy Jade was.
When Jade asked for his bill, Edna said it had already been paid.
"You can't keep doing that!" Jade exclaimed.
"I didn't. Do you remember the elderly couple who sat in the corner booth? They insisted on doing it. They also left a very generous tip."
"I don't know what to say."
"Just say `thanks' and I'll relay that to them when they come in next time. I do have something for you to take home. There are three pieces of my famous pecan pie left. As I recall, your grandmother is living with you as well as your man. This can be your dessert tonight, and it IS my treat!"
"Please let that couple know how much I appreciate their kindness, and please accept my thanks for the pie. That's probably our favorite."
Once his tummy was full and his diaper changed, Dakota fell into a sound sleep, allowing Jade to concentrate on driving without any distractions. Traffic was light and the miles clicked by steadily.
Jade did have to take another short feeding and diapering break before he arrived at home about 6:30. Since he had called Grandma during his last stop, she had timed dinner to be ready when he got home.
Dakota slept through dinner, but there were three adults who would have jumped up immediately if he had needed anything at all.
After dinner, Devon cleaned up the kitchen, allowing Dyani the time to spend with her new grandson. She was mesmerized by him, saying that he was far cuter than the pictures had portrayed him.
She held both boys for a short time. Jayden seemed to be trying to communicate with his new brother by making sounds and waving his arms. Dakota looked his direction, but didn't respond. Dyani was sure that Jayden would probably speed Dakota's development along. She thought they might become as close as twins.
When the after dinner chores were finished, Devon handed Jade a small package which he said was Dakota's first gift.
"What is it?" Jade asked.
"It's small and soft and it has two brothers who already live here," Devon grinned.
"Is it a sock monkey?"
"Open it and see."
"It is! That's awesome. How did you think of it?"
"I'm merely following your example from Christmas. I think all boys should have a sock monkey to share their joys and sorrows. I stopped by the hospital gift shop on the way home today. The same lady is still making them."
"Thanks! Then the monkeys really are brothers. Have I told you how much I love you?"
Dakota cried in the wee hours and Jade jumped up quickly to tend to him. He didn't want Devon to awaken because he had to go to school in the morning. Luckily, Jayden didn't wake up too. Jade breathed a sigh of relief when he was finally able to crawl back in bed with his love.
Author's notes:
I heard from the following readers this week: Wayne, Joe W, Ott H, Gary P, Mike D, Jim W, Darell R, Tony W, Tom A, Paul R, Bill K, Douglas and Lawrence, Walt S, William J, Andrew C, Trish R, Mendy D, Michael C, Jeremy R, Jim M. I appreciate your words of encouragement and hope I didn't leave anyone off the list! I need to thank by faithful editors, Tom H and David S for their suggestions and corrections. They are an integral part of this team.
Please remember to support this free website if you are able. David