Thicker Than Water - 8. Chapter 8

Bryan was still crying when Diego came home. When Caleb saw their dad enter the room, he got up and gave the man a hug. Diego returned the hug but his eyes were on his eldest child. Bryan rarely cried, so to see his son that upset hurt his heart. He sent Caleb from the room, climbed onto the bed and pulled Bryan into him. Bryan didn't even try to protest.

“It's okay, Chico.” Diego whispered. He kissed his son's forehead and rubbed the boy's back, as Bryan cried into his dad's chest. Despite having grown taller than his father since 6^th grade, Bryan felt like the little boy he was when he figured out that his birth father was never coming back. Diego didn't need to know what had happened, at least not yet. He knew it had to do with Kenny, and he figured someone got rejected.

Steve made dinner. Diego was actually impressed with his man's cooking skills, but Bryan wasn't ready to eat anything nor was he pushed to do so. Diego left Bryan in his room and made no more fuss about it. That evening, Caleb slept with Bryan, so his big brother wouldn't be alone. Diego was so proud of his boys. Not many parents, especially adopted ones, could boast about the natural closeness between their children. Diego remembered his own brothers and sisters fighting all the time, with only rare moments of peace.

“Bryan?” Caleb whispered.

“Yeah,” Bryan asked, also in a whisper.

“Are you okay?”

Bryan, who had been spooning Caleb, hugged his little brother tighter, and said, “I will be.”

“Can I be mad at Kenny?”

“No. He didn't do anything wrong.”

“Then why did he make you cry?”

“He didn't make me cry. I made myself cry.”

Caleb was very perplexed. “Why did you make yourself cry?”

“Monstruo,” Bryan said, which was his playful nickname for his little brother, “it's very hard to explain.”

“Are you guys not friends anymore?”

Bryan felt tears as the pain in his stomach perked up. He didn't want to think about life without Kenny in it. “I don't know, Caleb.”

“I can be your friend,” Caleb offered.

Bryan gave a weak smile and said, “You can't be my friend, Monstruo.”

“Why? Because we're brothers?”

“No,” Bryan hugged Caleb and kissed the back of his brother's head. “You mean more to me than that.”

“I love you, Bryan.”

“I love you, too, Caleb. Now get some sleep. Tomorrow isn't going to be a fun day at all, okay?”

The drive to Hamilton was very long. They took Steve's car, since it had better gas mileage. Bryan sat behind his dad, while Caleb, who was still pretty short, sat behind Steve. They left on Friday just before sunrise. They pulled over a few hours later at a diner that a friend had recommended. It was an old style greasy spoon that smelled of coffee and cooking bacon. The boys were starving, especially Bryan who was feeling a little better.

An older looking waitress seated the family. She looked at the men and asked, “Can I get you started with some coffee?”

“Yes, please,” Bryan said, flipping over the mug in front of him.

Diego reached over and covered his son's cup, looked at the waitress and said, “We'll have some coffee, and my sons will have orange juice.”

“Man, why can't I have some coffee?”

“You know why, Chico.”

The waitress smiled at Bryan and said, “Coffee stunts your growth and puts hair on your chest.”

“Really?” Caleb asked, causing everyone to laugh.

“Yes, Mijo,” Diego said. “Although, if you're like your brother, maybe we should get you a cup.” Diego winked at Caleb, before asking the waitress for a few minutes.

The food was typical of an American diner, but still good, nonetheless. There was some small talk about their plans for the weekend. They'd have plenty of time to look around once they got to Hamilton, since the service wasn't until Saturday afternoon. After doing a quick Google search, Steve and Diego couldn't really find anything of note. It was a small logging town that had fallen on hard times. The best they could do was go fishing, but they didn't bring any gear with them. There was a women's prison nearby, however, but that wasn't an option.

“I'm sure we'll find something,” Steve said, not feeling very confident. It was his first trip with Diego and the boys and wished it had been under different circumstances.

“When are you two getting married?” Caleb asked, between bites of pancake.

Bryan nearly did a spit take with his orange juice seeing the look of shock and fear on the adults' faces.

“Mijo, where did this come from?”

“Steve's at the house almost all the time. You stay the night at his place sometimes, too. He's here now, even though he doesn't have to be.”

“There's more to marriage than just being around each other all the time, Mijo,” Diego said. Bryan got the impression that Diego didn't want to make eye contact with Steve, since his dad didn't turn his gaze away from Caleb.

“Well, yeah, but—" Bryan started to say.

“Don't you start, too, Chico!”

“Guys,” Steve said calmly. “Your dad and I like each other a lot. We haven't even said that we love each other yet, so I think we can take marriage off the table for now, okay? I'm happy with your dad, and it has been great getting to know you two. Your dad and I just want to take things slow and see where we end up.”

Hearing Steve talk about Diego like that made Bryan remember his conversation with Kenny the day before. His stomach hurt and he lost his appetite.

“So I can't call Steve 'dad' then?” Caleb asked.

Steve and Diego looked at each other for the first time during the conversation. Neither looked very certain. However, it was Steve who answered the question. “Buddy, as much as I would be honored, I really don't think that would be appropriate until your dad and I actually talk about our relationship. I don't think it would be fair to you and your brother for you guys to think of me as your co-parent in case things don't work out between us. Do you understand what I mean?”

Bryan replied, “Yeah. We've already lost one dad, and we don't want to go through that again.” Bryan couldn't hide the bitterness he felt. He wasn't mad at Steve, though the look he got from his dad, gave Bryan the impression that his words were misinterpreted. “What I mean is that losing a parent hurts, and you guys want to spare us that pain in case you two break up.”

“Yeah,” Steve said with a weak grin. “We don't intend to break up, but things could happen that we can't control.”

“I have to look out for the two of you,” Diego clarified. “You're my priority in life. You have been since I took you in before Calvin even left, and you always will be. Some guys don't like that, but that comes with being a parent.”

“And I accept that,” Steve echoed. “I know what I would be getting into, which means I also have to make you guys a priority. Your feelings will also be considered before our own.”

“Then I'm okay with you getting married,” Caleb said, still focusing on his food.

“Bro, I think he should move in first before they go down that road,” Bryan said, while picking at his plate.

“Um,” Diego said, “actually, we've been talking about that.”

Both kids looked up at their father. Bryan had been mostly joking.

“How would you feel if Steve moved in?”

Caleb replied, “I already said I didn't care.”

Diego was actually speaking more to Bryan. “What do you say, Chico?”

“I don't care. Like Caleb said, he's over all the time anyway.”

“Are you sure?” Steve didn't sound convinced.

Bryan looked at the man, well, more like looked up at the man. He considered his options in the conversation. If he said no, there was a chance Diego would end things with Steve. Steve made his father happy, and though they hadn't said it yet, Bryan was sure they loved each other. “Yes, I'm sure.”

Steve and Diego looked very happy with the decision. The rest of the breakfast conversation was light and moderately cheerful.

The rest of the drive to Hamilton was still long but not as boring. Steve and Diego playfully argued over what Steve could bring to the house and what he absolutely had to get rid of. Steve agreed to get rid of his flat screen TV, since Diego's was bigger, but refused to get rid of his old Dungeons & Dragons books.

“I had a lot of fun playing that game as a kid,” he protested. “In fact, if it wasn't for D&D, you and I wouldn't have met.”

“You're such a nerd,” Diego teased.

“A nerd that has a better jump shot.”

“That's because you're a giant! You don't need to jump.”

“It's not my fault you're a little person.”

This went on for the rest of the way to their destination. The hotel they booked was a little roadside motel. There were about 30 rooms and had two stories. It was the type of place that Hollywood would've depicted in a horror film or one could find in a bad porn. Unfortunately, it was the only place available.

Steve went to the office and got the keys. He and Diego were going to share a room, while the boys had one to themselves with separate beds. The manager gave him an odd expression as Diego and the boys got out of the car; however, Steve's size usually didn't invite trouble, even from the most resolute bigots. Steve thanked the man and went out to the car. He gave Diego a heads up about the innkeeper, then grabbed Diego's ass and kissed his boyfriend right on the lips.

Bryan and Caleb burst out in laughter, while Diego leaned into the PDA. The best way to defeat a homophobe was to show that you weren't scared of them, Diego taught his kids. After the brief make out session, everyone grabbed their belongings and went to their rooms.

Bryan could tell that they were rarely used. The room smelled like mildew and bleach. He wondered if there were bedbugs, too, which he quickly shook out of his mind. It was only two nights, after all, He thought. How bad could it be?