You And I: Family Time

Troye IV

As it turned out, we didn't have to wait as long as we'd expected. We used the same adoption agency where we'd gotten Aiden so they had most of our details already on file but they still had to do a Home Study, to make sure everything was still okay. At one point they even sat down with Aiden to ask him questions. The interview was so cute to watch, as he eagerly told the Social Worker everything she wanted to know.

"So, Aiden, do you like having Troye and Connor as your daddies?" She asked him kindly, sitting on the couch with him. Connor and I were in the kitchen but we could still just see them.

"Yes. I love my daddy and papa very much." He said earnestly.

"That's good. Now, I need you to be very honest with me. I need you to tell me the truth, can you do that?" She paused, waiting for his nod of approval before continuing. "Okay, if you've been naughty, what happens?"

"I have to go to time-out until daddy or papa says I can play again. Sometimes they take things away from me."

"Like what?"

"Like my dinosaurs. They're my favourite toys so if I've been naughty, I don't get to play with them."

"Okay. And do they ever hit you?"

"No. They tickle me sometimes when I wake them up."

"That's okay. And what about when you've been really good and helped, what happens then?" Aiden bit his lip as he thought.

"Sometimes I get to go to the park or I get a lollipop. I like lollipops."

"So do I." She smiled at him and continued. "When your daddies go to work, where do you go?"

"Well, daddy doesn't go to work, so he looks after me when papa is at work. But when daddy went on holiday, I stayed with my friends Rachel and Harry when papa went to work." In the kitchen, Connor and I stifled our laughter at Aiden's saying I didn't work. But the social worker knew about my job so I wasn't worried.

"And do you know how old Rachel and Harry are?"

"Rachel is four like me. But Harry is six." Aiden admitted. "Oh, and sometimes I stay with Auntie Zoe and Uncle Alfie."

"Are they Troye's brother or sister or Connor's?"

"Um..."

"Friends from high school. Practically family." Connor called out quickly.

"Thank you." The social worker called back. "Okay, Aiden, you've been very helpful. Thank you very much."

"That's okay."

--------------------

After that, we just had to wait. We'd been matched with a birth mother who was close to her due date so Connor and I had to rush to make sure we had everything we'd need for a new baby.

We were just putting the final touches on the baby's room when we got the call to say the birth mother had gone into labour. It was Connor who got the call while I was in Aiden's room, reading him a bedtime story.

"Troye!" He yelled excitedly, bursting through the door. "Troye, it's happening."

"What?"

"She's having the baby. Now."

"Oh my..." I quickly shut the book I'd been reading, putting it to the side. Aiden looked up at me excitedly.

"Daddy, do I get my new brother or sister today?" His question kind of brought down my immediate excitement. The plan was that Connor and I would go to the hospital to meet the baby, and if it had been during the day Aiden could come with us but since it was night-time, we had to find someone to look after him.

"Not just yet, sweetie." Connor said. "Daddy and I are going to the hospital for a little bit but you have to stay here and go to sleep, okay?"

"But..."

"No buts." Connor looked at me. "I'm going to call Zoe and see if she or Alfie can come over."

"Okay. I'll get the bag ready." Over the last few weeks, we'd put together a bag of things we'd need when we picked up the baby; blankets, adoption papers etc.

Connor rushed out of the room and I could hear him talking on the phone to Zoe. I made sure Aiden was tucked in, kissing him on the forehead.

"You'll get to come and see your baby brother or sister in the morning, okay? I promise."

"Okay daddy." He sighed, his tired eyes already fighting to stay closed. I hadn't even closed the door before he was snoring quietly.

"Connor?" I called to the seemingly empty apartment.

"Kitchen." He called back. I quickly grabbed the bag from our room on my way to the kitchen where I found him pacing anxiously.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just eager to get going."

"When is Zoe coming?"

"She's not. Alfie's coming instead. Something about Charlotte not sleeping well. He'll be here in ten minutes."

"Okay." I dropped the bag to the floor and went over to him, wrapping my arms tightly around him. "Con, we're about to become parents again." 

"I know." He was excited, I could see it in his eyes just before he kissed me. "It all feels so surreal."

"No kidding. I know I wanted this but I wasn't expecting it to happen this fast."

"Me either. But I guess it's good that there's not as much time so the baby won't be too much younger than Aiden."

"That's true." We stood together in our kitchen, just holding each other while we waited for Alfie to arrive. Everything seemed to be going perfectly for us right now and we couldn't be happier.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, the buzzer rang out and Connor dashed over to the elevator to let Alfie up.

"Hey guys." He greeted us when our elevator doors slid open.

"Hi Alfie. Thanks so much for looking after him." I said, picking up the bag from where I'd dropped it. "He's already asleep so he shouldn't be too much bother unless he wakes up for some reason."

"Okay. I'll just watch the TV or something."

"Go ahead. We'll probably be a while. We'll keep you updated, though." Connor said.

"Sure. Just make sure you focus on your baby, okay? Congratulations guys." We both smiled and waved before hurrying into the elevator.

"Let's do this." I said quietly on the way down.

"Let's grow our family." Connor replied.