Cards on the Table - 28. Chapter 28 Putting Together a Good Hand

Cards on the Table

Chapter 28

Kendall was once again buried in a pile of paperwork, and while normally he thrived on the challenge, today was different. He wasn’t able to shut out the world and lose himself in the satisfaction of creating order out of chaos. He still methodically made headway through the pile of reports and requests from the previous shifts, but the usual balm it provided wasn’t present on such a day as this. He hadn’t wanted to leave Michael this morning, and it had nothing to do with the intimate sharing of their body fluids. He would almost swear he could still taste his partner’s quick and frantic explosion, even after brushing his teeth. Michael was different this morning, more driven in his urgency, and Kendall understood his need to get out of his head.

There was fast becoming a lot at stake, and they were both affected… maybe even consumed by it. He was aware of the anxious turmoil simmering beneath the surface when he kissed Michael a temporary goodbye. Kendall had the same mess of feelings ping-ponging through him. In Michael’s presence, he was confident they could handle anything Candy threw at them… but away from him, like now, he felt doubt and fear creep in, and those emotions served to put him on high alert. Kendall could already feel the attachment building for a baby whose existence he’d only just learned of. It was astonishing… the intensity of it.

There were so many variables that could impede their goal, and such a situation as this one was unsettling to a man who thrived on orderly progression. That thought made him inwardly chuckle, because there had been nothing orderly about his progression with Michael. Kendall was intuitive enough to know this was often the way of love. But, in his mind, there could be nothing left to chance when it came to their baby; this part of Michael that already occupied a huge part of Kendall’s heart.

They needed to cover every base before they took on Candace Kilroy. He had no doubt she would be formidable, driven by her hatred to keep her child away from two people she saw as enemies, and pariahs of her religious beliefs. Kendall mentally shuddered at facing such illogical hatred, but it only made him more determined they would be prepared. Lanny had provided a lot of information, but more was needed, and Janine was the next step.

Michael had called him twice already, the first time to tell him Janine was very co-operative when he got in touch with her. She’d agreed to his proposal they come by her place at four o’clock that afternoon, since it was a day off for her. Kendall was surprised when Michael told him Janine lived in the same building as Lanny, two floors directly above him. He had been curious as to how they knew each other in the first place, and now it all made sense. Kendall found himself wondering if Lanny had indeed made good on his promise to get his badly hungover ass into work that morning. There was no telling with a guy like Lanny. Kendall would be pleased if he only stuck to the part of the deal where he agreed to not share information with Candy. The last thing they needed was for Candy to be tipped off about their knowledge of her supposed secret.

The second time Michael had called, Kendall could feel his thinly veiled agitation and impatience through the phone line. He was checking to ensure that Kendall would be home in time for them to meet with Janine, something very out of character for a usually laid-back Michael. Kendall stopped himself from rolling his eyes because he completely understood his partner’s state of mind. He was sitting at home with nothing to do but speculate and worry, while Kendall at least, had work to occupy him. He gave Michael his reassurance he wouldn’t be late, and decided to make sure he arrived home an hour early just to help Michael calm down. He smiled to himself as he pictured him and Michael joined by a string that stretched for miles… it seemed like he could always tell what was going on in Michael’s head, and wondered if Michael experienced the same sort of connection with him.

Glancing at the clock for the umpteenth time, Kendall, eager to get home to his man, conceded it was a prudent time to call it a day. His partner needed him. He had hoped to get out on a patrol to help clear his mind, but it wasn’t to be. Maybe tomorrow. He did though, catch up on a lot of work, and was satisfied with his productivity overall, despite the struggle to concentrate. At one point he was online, reading up on three-month-old fetuses, and getting caught up in the fascinating pictures.

When Jeremy had brought them both a lunch from Kendall’s favorite deli before his 1pm shift began, he’d told him about Chet and Arron and the trick they’d pulled. Jeremy thought it was hilarious, and as far as Kendall could tell, wasn’t disappointed that his ‘maybe’ fix-up was a definite no-go. Kendall found Jere was becoming more at ease with him, and he could see them developing a solid friendship. He had a wicked sense of humor Kendall could see jiving with Michael’s. They were going to try fitting in a workout the following week. His second-in-command was being shadowed for the day by a promising candidate for a floating shift-supervisor position, so Kendall decided to forego calling him before heading home. He left Jere a detailed note instead, and then took off out the door, spurred on by a strong need to wrap his arms around Michael.

“Honey, I’m home,” Kendall called out as he entered the apartment. He heard the click of the cane coming down the hall from the bedroom just before he saw his partner’s beaming face.

“You’re way early, Babe. Is everything okay?” Michael met Kendall at the entrance to the living room and was pulled into a big hug by Kendall.

“Everything’s great. I just missed you is all. How are you doing?” He questioned, after sharing a sweet kiss with the man he loved.

Michael smirked knowingly, and the inquisitive look on his face softened, “I knew it!” he chuckled.

“Knew what? What are you talking about?”

“I knew when I called you the second time, earlier, you were worried about me, about how I was handling all this stuff… and that’s why you’re home an hour early, isn’t it?”

“No… I just figured I should… oh, hell… yes, that’s why I came home early, smart-ass. It would appear we both know what the other is feeling, even when we’re not together.”

“That’s cause we were meant to be. We’re always connected."

“Yeah, that’s my conclusion too. So how are you doing?”

“I’m kind of driving myself crazy, you know? I’ve been tempted since you left this morning, to track down Candy and have it out with her,” he admitted as he ran his hands up the back of Kendall's shirt.

“That wouldn’t be the right thing to do though, would it? We’re not ready for that yet… and we have a chance to find out more about what Candy might do, from Janine.”

“I know all that, and it’s why I haven’t done it, but being patient is really, really hard."

“I know. It hasn’t been easy for me either, and I had work to keep me busy. We’ve got an hour to kill… have you eaten since breakfast?”

“Yes, Mom,” Michael teased. “I had a grilled cheese, and some of that left-over coleslaw, so I’m good. What about you?”

“I’m good too. Jeremy called before he came in for his shift and asked if I wanted anything from the deli, so I had a ham and Swiss cheese sandwich.”

Michael rolled his eyes at the mention of Jeremy, and Kendall laughed. “And no, he didn’t stare at my ass because I was sitting down the whole time.”

Michael blushed a little to go with his slightly guilty smile. “Good,” was all he said.

Even though it was less than a ten minute walk to Janine’s, they took the truck to protect Michael’s knee from possible overexertion. Arriving on the tenth floor, Kendall felt his anticipation rise when Michael gripped his hand almost painfully. Kendall needed to keep in mind he was probably the calmer of the two at this point, and had to approach this get together as a chance to determine how they should handle Candy. They needed to find out everything they could without offending or upsetting her long-time friend. He hoped things wouldn’t become adversarial.

The door was opened by a dark-haired, willowy young woman, with a natural freshness about her that translated into its own unique beauty. She was someone you may not notice at first, but once you did, you’d recognize the gentle prettiness of her. There was a time when Kendall might have been attracted to such a woman. The flashy ones had never appealed to him. She put the two men at ease right away… her slight shyness was endearing. Her apartment was much like how Kendall saw Janine… warm and charming. There was nothing pretentious here. Entering a living room that was beautifully lit by the late afternoon sun, and a few lamps, she directed them to the somewhat small couch, while she took the even smaller loveseat across from them. Kendall noticed her glance at their clasped hands, and smile.

“I want to thank you, Michael, for what you did for Lanny. It shows you have a big heart. He really isn’t as bad as he comes across.” The pinkness that appeared on her cheeks convinced Kendall there was some depth to her feelings for the big brawny guy.

“Everyone deserves a second chance, although Lanny may be on his third.” Michael said with a chuckle. “I want to thank you, Janine, for seeing us like this. Our world has been turned upside down since we learned last night about becoming fathers.”

Kendall took in the pleased expression on her face at Michael’s mention of the word 'fathers.'

“Yes, Lanny does push the limits, but when he called me this morning, he sounded better than he has in a long time, despite his self-inflicted pain. There’s been a lot weighing him down. He couldn’t believe how understanding you two were. And Michael, you have no idea what it meant for you to say you forgave him for the injury he caused you. Doing that to you really screwed him up. He also said you opened his eyes to some things, Kendall... stuff he said he needed to hear.”

“Damn, he actually listened to me?” Kendall’s joking made them all laugh.

“Yes, it surprised me too.” Janine giggled, and the ice was broken. After that, they talked like old friends. Michael and she reminisced about a few get-togethers they’d been at when he was dating Candy, and she remembered seeing Kendall on a few occasions.

Kendall learned that Lanny had gotten into work early, and was working quite late that night. He’d called Janine again to ask her to feed his cat. That information had Michael and Kendall exchanging looks before they finally burst out laughing.

“Lanny has a cat! I never would have guessed that one in a million years.” Kendall gasped for breath, and was relieved that Janine saw the same humor in it he and Michael did.

“I told you he wasn’t like everyone thought,” Janine spoke through a little sequence of giggles that highlighted the laughter of the men.

They eventually calmed down until Janine informed them, “Mr. Snuffles is a very sweet cat.” Even she couldn’t hold back the laughter as the men exploded again in fits of hysterics.

“Oh my God, Janine, thank you for that little tidbit. I can’t wait to ask Lanny how Mr. Snuffles is doing.” Michael was beside himself with glee at the thought.

Kendall saw her playful side when she replied with, “It’s the least I can do. Lanny needs to learn to laugh at himself more.” The laughter tears on the three all dried up as it became apparent it was time for them to enter a more serious realm of conversation. Kendall decided to let Michael take the lead for now.

Michael looked at his partner beside him, and received an encouraging nod. “Janine, I know Candy is your best friend, and I… we, don’t want to put you in any kind of awkward situation with her….” Michael’s words were stopped when Janine held up her hand in a gesture of objection. The pleasant expression on her face had turned grim.

Janine looked from Michael, to Kendall, and back again before speaking. “Let’s get something straight so we have no misconceptions here. I have been friends, best friends, with Candace since grade eight, but she has crossed a bunch of lines lately, and quite frankly, I can’t justify being friends with her anymore. I’ve overlooked a lot of BS she pulled in the past, when she’s done things like steal other friends’ boyfriends, just to prove she can, or to lie about ridiculous things in order to get people in trouble, or pay them back for some perceived slight; but that was all high-school-type garbage I chose to look past. What she’s been doing lately, though, I can’t excuse away. It’s like she’s lost her moral compass… I don’t understand it, and I’ve talked to her about it over and over, but it’s like she doesn’t even hear me. So just so we’re clear, Candy’s and my situation is already awkward… I don’t see my old friend anymore when I look at her. I see this stranger I really dislike. It makes me sad, but it makes me angry, more. And what kills me is she acts like she doesn’t care how I feel.” Tears, and not the happy kind, welled up in Janine’s eyes.

“What she did to Lanny was despicable. She played him right from the beginning, but he was too blinded by how she looks to see it.” Her words held a bitterness Kendall heard loud and clear. “She took great pleasure in winding him up and sending him after you, Michael, because you’re the first guy who ever told her to get lost. You ruined all her plans. She was going to take you home as her husband and parade you around to her family… she is so jealous of her two sisters, and you would have given her some ammunition against them as the big handsome cop. Her dad would have loved you being on the police force, and she was banking on that. She was getting ready to tell you, but she wanted to make sure the fetus was viable first… that’s the way she said it.” Janine’s face showed her distaste.

“It was the biggest slap in the face when she realized you were gay, and cared more about Kendall than her. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. She talked to me about trapping you, but I didn’t think she’d go through with it, and then when she told me she was already doing it, I wanted to warn you, but I….”

“Hey, please don’t… I understand the position you were in, and you don’t have to apologize for what Candy did. I was played just like Lanny was, maybe even worse. I should have been on guard, and I wasn’t. I think I pretty much figured out what happened, but could you just verify it for me? She sabotaged the condoms, didn’t she?” Michael was asking for confirmation, and Kendall waited with bated breath for the answer.

Janine had gotten her emotions back under control, and now appeared both determined and stronger as she looked into Michael’s eyes. “Yes, sometimes, but she did more than that. Candy leaves nothing to chance… when she took the condoms off you, she’d go straight to the bathroom while you were, um, recuperating, and take the condom with her.” Janine’s words startled both men, and they stared at each other in disbelief.

Before Kendall could stop himself, he ranted, “You’re fucking kidding me!” He had to get up and pace, the anger clear on his face.

Michael was looking stunned, and Janine was looking embarrassed.

“I wish I was, Kendall. She bought condoms with no spermicide in them, and put them in a different box in case Michael ever looked at them. She bragged she tired Michael out so well, he never paid any attention, and that she always put them on, and took them off.” Janine and Michael were both blushing while Kendall was fighting back rage.

“So she impregnated herself in the bathroom, with what was left in the condom?” Kendall’s tone was incredulous.

“Yes,” Janine said softly. “She didn’t know if putting pinholes in the condoms would be good enough, and she wanted to get pregnant in a hurry, because your track record was to move on pretty quickly, Michael. She thought the only chance she had to hook you was with a baby.”

Michael had been quiet as he digested the lengths Candy went to in order to trap him, and Kendall watched a look of shame spread across his face. Kendall didn’t need to be a mind-reader to know Michael was embarrassed because he felt like he’d been duped. He sat back down at his side again.

“We’re going to turn this into a blessing,” Kendall soothed his partner. “It doesn’t really matter how it happened, except maybe this information could help in court. I can’t imagine a judge looking favorably at this kind of entrapment, in a custody case where they look at the fitness of a parent. There’s no way she could get away with saying a condom broke.” He had a strong hold on Michael's hand.

“You guys are going after custody? For sure?” Janine looked curious, but in no way displeased.

“Yes,” they both said at the same time. “Maybe we didn’t plan it, but that’s our child Candy is carrying, and there is no way in hell she’s keeping it from us." Kendall had planned to sit back, but he found himself taking charge, as Michael appeared to have been shaken by the deviousness of Candy’s actions. "We need your help, Janine."

The fact it was Kendall who spoke, seemed to impress Janine, and she didn’t hide the admiration she felt.“You don’t have to ask, Kendall. What can I do?” Janine had leaned forward, an earnest look on her face, and Kendall knew without a doubt he liked this girl.

“Well, I guess information is what we need most, right now. Lanny said Candy was against abortion. Is he right?” Kendall knew this was the most important question for both of them. They didn’t want to force her into having one in order to keep the baby away from them.

“Candy has changed a lot, but her stance against abortion is one thing I can’t see ever changing. She was raised in a pro-life family; her dad’s the minister of his own church, with a huge congregation, and her feelings about it are ingrained in her. It’s not something Candy would ever consider. I’d almost stake my life on it.” The relief flooded both their faces at her statement, and Janine smiled.

Michael seemed almost back to normal as he flashed him a huge smile and squeezed his hand. “Did she really plan on keeping this from us, and giving the baby up for adoption, just because we’re gay?”

“Yeah, that was, and I think still is her plan, but you guys being gay is only one of the reasons. She does have this stupid, bigoted attitude about gay people, and that’s a factor, but I’d say her family is an even bigger one. You would be an unknown quantity she couldn’t control, and she wants no chance of her family finding out about her pregnancy. She would never live it down. I don’t know for sure how serious she was about keeping the baby, and going home with Lanny as the father. Lanny being a welder wouldn’t have impressed her family the way she wanted, and that’s very important to her. I think he was more of a panic move, and a way to strike out at you. He gave her some cover… at least she could hide the fact that you were the father, or so she thought, but Lanny found out the baby couldn’t be his, and that threw her off balance. She sure as hell didn’t want him to know it wasn’t him, at least not yet. Do you know she threatened Lanny if he told you anything… she’d ruin his reputation?”

Michael nodded before Kendall interjected, as something pinged in his mind. “What do you mean, about her not wanting Lanny to know ‘yet’? Why would she want him to know eventually… was that to explain why, if she adopted the baby out… so he would accept it?”

“I’m not sure what she planned in that regard, to be honest, but that would make sense. Like I said, I think Lanny was a panic move at first. No, what I was referring to is something different. Candy has a new plan now, so at some point she would have had to tell Lanny something. She’s found another option, and he is already history in her mind. She told him the father was a one night stand, and even though it’s obvious he suspects the baby is Michael’s, she thinks he’ll keep his mouth shut. She was wrong, eh?" she said with a grin. “She'll be so pissed you two have found out because she has even more to lose now.”

“I’m not following,” a confused Michael said. “What’s the new plan you’re referring to?”

Janine hesitated, and Kendall worried she was having second thoughts about disclosing too much. Finally, she spoke. “I’m the only one that knows this, so telling you will completely end my friendship with Candy, but as her father always says… you reap what you sow....” Janine took a deep breath and let it out before continuing. “Candy has been reconnecting with her old boyfriend from high school and the first year of college. I don’t know when it started, Michael, but I’m sure Candy initiated it, most likely after she saw her plans for you fall apart. They were pretty serious until he joined the armed forces. She was furious when he did that, so she ended them. That pissed her dad off, and she moved down here to get away from his anger. At some point, she and her ex started emailing, and now Candy says they’re getting back together when he gets back from overseas, and gets his discharge next August… she told me that on Tuesday.” Janine almost sneered as she revealed that to the two attentive men. “I haven’t had the heart to tell Lanny yet.” Janine exhaled, looking a little lost.

“Lionel, that’s his name, Lionel Davenport… he doesn’t know about the baby and there’s no way she’s going to tell him. He’s a cool guy, but he’s pretty straight-laced, or at least he was when I knew him. He would never approve in a million years… he’s always put her on a pedestal, and he was devastated when she dumped him. He thought she would stick by him. Lionel was a member of her father’s congregation from the time he was a kid, and his family is very well respected. Candy says they are talking about getting married, and going on a church-sponsored mission to Africa for two years, before settling down, so I think she’s been talking to him for quite a while. That would make her father very happy, and would one-up her sisters, who’ve never served as missionaries, despite pressure from their dad. Candy would come up smelling like a rose again. Her dad always thought a lot of Lionel, and had a lot of respect for his decision to enlist. Mr. Kilroy thinks highly of people who serve in the armed forces and the police force. That’s why you’d have been a good choice for daddy’s little girl.” She gave an ironic smirk at that disclosure.

“Jesus, she’s a calculating bitch,” Kendall blurted out. “I’m sorry, Janine, but she’s a real piece of work, and there’s no way in hell we’re going to let her get away with this. We’re going to beat her at her own game, and if we get custody of our baby, we’ll have you to thank for it. This guy, Lionel, sounds like another one of her pawns.” Kendall looked thoroughly revolted.

“That’s the thing, though. I think she actually loves Lionel. She told me a few times she missed him, and thought she’d made a mistake when she told him they were done. But she’s always been too proud for her own good.” They were all quiet for the next minute or so.

Michael ended up breaking the silence. “How is she going to keep the pregnancy from her family? I remember her saying she always goes home for Christmas, and won’t she be showing by then?”

“She’s showing a little bit now… at least I can see it, so yeah, by Christmas she wouldn’t be able to hide it. She won’t have to worry about that, though, because her parents leave on a pilgrimage on December 14^th for... I think they’re gone for four months, but I could be wrong about the length of time. So, no family Christmas this year. Her parents have their quirks, and some extreme beliefs, but they are decent people. They give a lot of themselves and their time to help others. I don’t know what happened to Candy… I mean she was always self-centered, but never as bad as she’s been lately.”

Again, a quiet settled over the room as they all took the time to absorb the realities. Everything was going to change from here on in. Janine had drawn a line in the sand, and as Kendall saw it, had chosen Lanny over Candy. For his and Michael’s part, he saw avenues of possibilities that would help them achieve their goal. Candy had a lot to lose if it came down to a battle over their rights to custody. They knew for certain she didn’t want custody for herself, and wanting to adopt her baby out wasn’t going to fly, now that they were aware of her once-secret plans.

Michael, as the biological father, had his own rights, and Kendall knew a DNA test could be demanded. Janine had given them some ammunition… they just had to figure out the best way to use it. As much as he wanted to prevail, he knew going in half-cocked, and backing a bitch like Candy into a corner was not a good idea. He would expect her to be unpredictable, no matter how straight-forward the situation might seem. One step at a time was probably the best approach. Not show too much of their hand at first, and just react to what Candy threw at them. Looking over at the perfect man beside him, he could tell he was lost in thought, but this was one time he had no idea what he was thinking. He was giving off a vibe of being a little freaked out, and Kendall wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was just because this thing was so big as to be overwhelming. Kendall put his worry aside for the time being.

“I promise you we'll try to keep your name out of our dealings with Candy as much as possible.” Kendall’s statement brought the pretty woman out of her own reverie.

“Don’t worry about it… I don’t intend to hide anything from her… say whatever you want to her, and if she comes and asks me what I’ve told you, I’ll be honest with her. And if you need me to back you up, I’ll do it. It’s clear to me you both want this child, and she has no right to keep it from you, since she has no intention of being a mother, herself. You’re kind of like innocent bystanders in this whole fiasco, but I can see how much you care about the baby already. I’m willing to burn all my bridges with her over this… you’re good guys who will make great dads, and I’m here if you need me, okay?”

Michael spoke up this time. “You're an amazing person, and you’ve really helped us. I’m glad Lanny has a friend like you, and we can’t thank you enough for how open you’ve been, and the support you’ve given. This can’t be easy for you.”

“Actually it’s easier than you think. This helps a lot with the guilt I’ve been feeling.” Her smile was genuine. “I just hope you don’t desert Lanny. I believe he needs friends right now, and I think he finally realizes that. What you guys did last night and this morning has already had a big impact. If you just check in with him once in a while, I’m sure it would help him get through this whole ordeal, and I know it would make him a better person… the kind he is with me.” When she spoke about Lanny, her face softened and her voice changed.

“You like him a lot, don’t you?” Kendall coaxed her.

Janine spoke shyly, and the pink appeared on her cheeks again. “Yes, I’m afraid I do. And Candy knew how I felt when she set her sights on him. Nobody knows this, but he saved me from three guys down in our parking lot. They were just being smart-asses, but I was so frightened, and Lanny came along and scared them all away. He got hit a couple of times, but he handled them all, and he was so sweet. He brought me upstairs here, and sat with me for an hour, until I calmed down. The man even made me tea. He tried to get me to call the police, but I didn’t want to. Now he insists I call him if I’m out in the parking lot in the dark, and he comes out and escorts me in. If he’s not here, I park on the road and come in the front entrance. When he gets home, he moves my car into the back with the spare keys I gave him. He’s trying to get me an underground spot, but they are so limited for this building. He's always looking after me." Her little testament to Lanny’s chivalry ended, and Kendall found himself blown away by this new knowledge. When he looked at Michael, he could see he’d been astounded as well.

“Boy, Lanny’s just full of surprises… Mr. Snuffles, and now this,” Michael joked, and they all had a much needed laugh.

“We should be going now… thank you for everything, and I hope we can count you as our friend. I don’t want to overstep, but I think you should consider telling Prince Charming how you feel,” Kendall suggested. He remembered Lanny’s face that morning when he learned of Janine’s phone-calls, and her worry for him. “Something tells me he’d like to hear that from you.” He smiled with encouragement. “Maybe we can all get together sometime. We are neighbors after all.”

“I’d like that,” Janine replied. The pinkness had returned to her cheeks.

Their drive home was quick and quiet. Kendall felt the need to be back in their own little world, before they talked about their visit with Janine. It was easy to tell something was bothering Michael. When the door closed on their apartment, Michael wrapped his arms around his partner, and Kendall could feel him shiver a bit, as if he was cold.

“Are you okay?” Kendall was concerned. He thought Michael would be pleased with what they’d learned.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just hold me for a bit, please.”

Kendall wasn’t sure what was going on, but it didn’t matter. Holding Michael was the easiest job in the world, so that’s just what he did. There were no more shivers, but Kendall held on till he felt Michael relax.

“Some of that was kind of hard to hear.” Michael’s soft admission was spoken into Kendall’s ear, causing him to shiver a bit.

“Do you mean ‘Mr. Snuffles’?” He chuckled, and Michael started to shake again, this time with laughter.

“Yeah, that was definitely hard to take.” The laughter slowly died away. “I was pretty fucking stupid, wasn’t I? I’m a cop for God’s sake, and I let the little bitch play me. She came pretty damn close to getting her hooks in me, and it hit me today that you might have been right when you said she could have caused us problems. I gotta tell you the thought she might have been able to keep you away from me for even a little while scares the living daylights out of me. I said we were meant to be, and I meant it, but Candy could have given us a rough ride. It terrifies me to think if you’d found out about the baby, you might not have given me a chance at all. You were a tough enough nut to crack as it was.” Another shiver went through Michael.

“Oh fuck, that didn’t happen though, did it? You’re mine, and I’m yours, and nothing or no one is ever going to come between us. Everything fell into place, like it was supposed to, because we were meant to be. Fate is on our side, remember? And now fate brought us Janine, and a few steps closer to having a family of our very own. We have each other, and we’re going to win against the evil one.” He was trying to lighten Michael’s mood, and he pulled back to look him in the eye. “Michael, you were not stupid, and you need to accept this for what it was. Candy is a conniving little bitch nobody would have seen coming. I heard the whole thing from Janine and Lanny, and I still find it hard to believe someone can be so fucking manipulating and callous. I told you we would turn this into a blessing and I have faith in that. You believe me, don’t you?”

“How could I not believe you? We’re a team, and you are the best partner I could ever hope for.” The kiss that followed reaffirmed it didn’t matter how they got here… just that they were here. “Kendall?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re going to have to feed me, if you expect to use me for sex tonight.”

Kendall chuckled as Michael’s one-track mind reasserted itself. “I see you’ve figured out my evil plan.”

“You’re pretty transparent.”

“Seriously! I’m transparent?”

“Yup, you are.”

“I give up,” Kendall groaned.

“See, I knew you’d give it up… you’re so transparent.” He gloated smugly.

“Careful, I could decide to have a headache,” Kendall challenged with his own smirk.

“Hey, you can’t tease me like that. I was just kidding. I take it back… you’re not transparent.” His voice had become a child-like whine. “So am I forgiven?”

“We’ll see,” Kendall couldn’t help but laugh at his partner's expression.

“Yeah, you forgive me, I can tell,” he was back to being cocky as Kendall headed to the kitchen to rustle up some grub for his man. Under his breath, Michael uttered, “So transparent.”

“What was that, Ace?”

“Nothing, Babe.”