Our Boys

The Adoption

It was two days before Christmas and the Olatunji-Minters were still at the hospital, where they'd been for over a week. The congestion in Vik's chest had eased after the doctors finally managed to find the right combination of medications. His fever had gone down, but still hadn't disappeared.

Simon picked up the ringing hospital phone before it could disturb little Vik.

"Hello?" he whispered gruffly into the receiver.

"Mr. Minter or Olatunji?" A male voice asked.

"This is Mr. Minter."

"Oh, thank goodness I finally got a'hold of you. I've been trying to reach you for a couple days."

"Who is this?" Simon demanded.

"Oh, sorry. It's John Riley, your lawyer."

Simon bolted upright and motioned JJ over. "Mr. Riley, what's going on? Why did you need to get in touch so badly?"

JJ stared at Simon, frozen in shock. The two had been trying to get permanent custody of Vik for months now, and they were hoping to adopt him, if possible.

"I have some wonderful news. The courts have revoked all parental rights on Vik, so you and Mr. Olatunji's adoption of him can go through!"

Simon collapsed into the nearby chair in shock. "Are you serious? He's ours?"

"He's yours. Congratulations. Just a little more paperwork and approval by Judge Davis, and he's all yours."

"Oh, my God. Thank you. Thank you so much."

"It was my pleasure. Merry Christmas." With that, Riley hung up.

Simon stared at the phone in shock.

JJ's heart was racing; did he hear what the thought he'd just heard? "He's ours? Vik is ours?"

"Yeah, the courts finally revoked parental rights. The adoption's going through."

With two strides, JJ was at Simon's side, enveloping him in an enormous hug. "He's ours, Simon! He's really ours now!"

Simon hugged him back with joy. "Yep he is."

Pulling away, Simon took Vik's limp little hand in his. "You hear that, little man? You're all ours now. You won't go anywhere ever again."

JJ leaned down, caressing the boy's sweaty forehead. "You're our boy now, and we're never going to let you go, even if your mama does come back. We'll fight until our dying breath to keep you with us where you belong."

Simon grinned as two dark brown eyes blinked up at him and a grin appeared on flushed cheeks. "Yeah Vik, you're a Olatunji-Minter now."

JJ grinned up at his lover before placing a gentle kiss on their son's forehead.

Later that night...

Simon had gone home, he and JJ alternated staying at the hospital with Vik and returning home to be with the other boys. JJ sat in the rocking chair with a sleeping Vik cradled against his chest, softly singing his baby boy's favorite song, Molly Malone.

"In Dublin's fair city,

Where the girls are so pretty,

I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,

As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,

Through streets broad and narrow,

Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive alive oh!"..."

"Papa..." a faint voice sighed.

JJ stopped singing and glanced around. Vik was still sleeping peacefully in his arms and no one else was in the room. It must have been just a dream....