Chapter 9
Jon
“Do you really think Mike will be okay?” Jon asked. They were seated in the first class lounge at LAX, waiting for their nonstop flight back to DC.
“I think so. He’s always had this inner strength. I know Dad will check up on him, and I’ll call him tomorrow too.” Kyle paused a moment.
“What?” Jon quickly picked up on his boyfriend’s mood.
“I’m almost more worried about Wyatt.”
Upon hearing his name, Wyatt, who was sitting on Jon’s knee, looked up at Kyle and smiled.
Kyle whispered, “Is it me, or does it seem like he hasn’t really noticed that Mike and Becky aren’t around?” A few random times, Wyatt had said “Ma” or “Da,” but one of them had given him a hug and distracted him somehow, and within a few minutes, all had been well.
“I think part of it is that we were all with him not that long ago. God, was it really just a few months ago that we were all together on the cruise?” Jon was astonished. “Anyway, I think Wyatt got used to being around us, and so a lot of this seems kinda normal to him.”
“You’re probably right.” Kyle sighed. “I wonder what’s gonna happen when he finally realizes they’re not coming back.”
“Hey, babe.” Jon reached for Kyle’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “We’ll get through this. Whatever it takes.”
“Thanks, sweetheart. I don’t think I could do this without you.”
A few moments later, their flight was called, and they gathered their belongings and schlepped to the gate for boarding. Wyatt fussed a bit when the plane first took off, but he finally settled down and slept for a good part of the trip.
Jon looked across the aisle at Kyle. He looked worried, as if the weight of the world sat on his shoulders.
“I can see the wheels turning,” he said to Kyle. “What’s got you all in a twist now?”
“I just feel so unprepared for all of this,” Kyle replied.
“You and Uncle Mike seemed to know exactly what to do. Last night after we ate, you took Wyatt and got him washed up, changed his diaper, and got him ready for bed. I wouldn’t have known where to start.
” Kyle sounded forlorn, and it shook Jon to his core.
“Relax, will you?” Jon told him. “Your uncle Mike has been through this before. He raised your cousin Mike, right? And he’s taken care of Wyatt too.
I had the pleasure of helping care for Bernie’s kids, so it all sort of came back to me.
I will teach you everything you need to know once we’re home and settled.
Until then, I’ll just swoop in and do what needs to be done.
Like I said before, we’re in this together, right? ”
Kyle nodded and closed his eyes. “Thank you,” he murmured as he drifted off to sleep.
Jon’s own brain started working. He thought back to Christmas, when he had asked for permission to marry Kyle. It would soon be Valentine’s Day. Yeah, that could work.
Wyatt cried when they landed. Jon was sure it had to do with the changing pressure affecting Wyatt’s ears, so he tried to distract him by making funny faces, and eventually, Wyatt started to giggle, forgetting all about the discomfort.
They’d had to check a couple of pieces of luggage on this flight, and while they waited in baggage claim, Kyle’s phone buzzed.
“It’s Neil,” he told Jon. “He’s waiting for us in the cell phone lot. I’ll text him back once we get our stuff.”
It was early evening as they made their way from the airport to Kyle and Jon’s townhouse condo.
While they’d eaten on the plane, they were ready for another meal by the time they got home.
Since they’d only been gone for a couple of days, there was plenty of food in the fridge, and Jon found the makings for sausage, vegetable, and cheese omelets and got to work cooking breakfast for dinner while Kyle and Neil got caught up.
“I set up the furniture as best I could, so you should be good to go. Cheryl says you can keep it for as long as you need it since she isn’t planning on having more kids.” Neil smiled.
“Thanks, Neil. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate this.”
“No problem. Like I told you before, we’re family. And if you and Jon need a babysitter some night, I’m available. After all, I’ve helped Cheryl out with her three, so I can change a diaper with the best of ’em.”
“I’ll remember that, Uncle Neil.” Kyle chuckled. “Hopefully, we won’t need the furniture for too long. Uncle Mike is going to get Wyatt’s stuff all packed up and shipped to us pretty quickly. I think it will help Wyatt to have more familiar surroundings.”
“Dinner’s just about ready,” Jon called out.
“You’re staying, right, Neil?” Kyle asked.
“I don’t want to be in the way.”
“Nonsense, you’re family, remember?”
Neil helped Kyle set the table, and they soon sat down to the meal that Jon had prepared, with Wyatt in a highchair between Kyle and Jon.
Wyatt ate happily, occasionally looking around and saying “Ma” or “Da.” Kyle would get a pained look on his face, and it broke Jon’s heart to see him hurting. He placed his hand over Kyle’s. “It’s gonna be okay, sweetheart,” he said gently. “It’s just gonna take a little time.”
“I hope you’re right,” Kyle replied.
“I am. You’re gonna be the best damned Da to that boy. Just you wait and see.”
When they finished dinner, Neil insisted on cleaning up the kitchen while Kyle and Jon got Wyatt ready for bed.
“And that,” Jon said, “is all there is to putting a diaper on a child.” They’d gotten Wyatt cleaned up, and after putting on the fresh diaper, had dressed Wyatt in a pair of footie pajamas. Jon had insisted that Kyle do it all but offered words of instruction and encouragement along the way.
“Good night, sweet boy,” Kyle whispered, kissing Wyatt on the forehead and setting him down in his crib. Wyatt raised his hand to touch Kyle’s cheek and mumbled something akin to “Un-ka.”
Kyle and Jon found Neil sitting in the living room. “How did it go?” he asked.
“Okay.” Jon smiled. “He’ll be a diaper-and-bath expert before he knows it.”
“So what happens now?” Neil looked at Kyle expectantly.
“I’m gonna call Aunt Ellen tomorrow and see how she’s doing.
Ask if she wants to see Wyatt,” Kyle replied.
“And I’m thinking of talking to Fred about the possibility of working from home a couple days a week.
I guess we’ll need to start looking at day care for Wyatt for at least part of the week.
” He shook his head. “Phew, it’s so much to think about. ”
“I can check with work too. Maybe I can do some remote work as well,” Jon added. “I think the more time Wyatt is around familiar faces, the easier this will all be on him.”
“Clearly you have your work cut out for you,” Neil said. “And on that note, I should go home. You guys need your rest. But remember, I’m here if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Neil,” Jon said. “We both appreciate everything you’ve done.”
After Neil had departed, Jon put his arm around Kyle’s shoulders and hugged him tightly. He’d do whatever he needed to help Kyle get through this. After all, his family had just grown by one, and he vowed to make it all work.