Gavin’s eyes bored into Sawyer’s as though if he looked long enough, he could read the answers, or maybe he thought that would make Sawyer talk. When he lowered his hand to the table, Sawyer patted him. “Order and then we can talk, all right?”
Ford motioned the waitress over, and they all ordered. After the waitress left, Gavin glanced between Ford and Sawyer, the look in his eyes saying, “Well, she’s gone…”
Sawyer looked over at Ford and nodded. They had talked earlier about how to handle this and decided it was best to present a calm, confident front, although if Sawyer had his way, Ford would have done all the talking. He had to chuckle at that, seeing as Sawyer dealt with negotiations and difficult situations on a daily basis, yet was on edge having to talk with a ten-year-old child.
Ford squeezed his boyfriend’s thigh and whispered, “Are you sure?”
Sawyer simply nodded, so Ford rolled his shoulders, said a prayer he didn’t fuck this up, and plastered a smile on his face as he faced Gavin.
“Your brother and I just want to talk to you,” he started. “You’re not in trouble.” He was quick to reassure the boy.
Gavin frowned. “When parents say, ‘you’re not in trouble,’ then you’re usually in trouble, and”—he pointed at both of them—“the two of you have been saying it… a lot.”
Ford couldn’t help it, he laughed, and when he looked over, Sawyer had a small smile playing over his face. Ford managed not to blurt the first question that came to mind, mainly, did Gavin really see them as his parents. Instead, he pushed on. “Well, we haven’t been parents for that long, so trust us when we say you’re not in any kind of trouble, but it would be awesome if you just listened to what your brother has to say.”
Sawyer’s fingers on his thigh tightened. There would probably be a bruise, but he didn’t care.
Gavin nodded, his eyes moving to Sawyer. Ford patted his boyfriend’s hand, offering his support, hoping that gave him encouragement. As much as Sawyer had wanted Ford to speak, this had to come from him.
Did it make him evil that he loved seeing his usually confident boyfriend all nervous because of the kids?
Ford shrugged mentally. It just made him love Sawyer more.
“I hope you know how much I love you,” Sawyer started. Gavin shrugged, which broke Ford’s heart. “Well, I do... A lot. And I’m hoping in time you will come to see that”
Gavin held Sawyer’s gaze like he was trying to divine the truth in his eyes. God, Ford hoped the boy saw what he needed because he knew Sawyer loved his siblings.
“Your teacher, Mrs. Harper, called me earlier today and said she had some concerns, so Ford and I went in to meet her after school this afternoon.”
Gavin’s eyes grew as big as saucers. “Are you going to spank me? Do I have to sleep in the closet?”
“What?” Sawyer’s body jerked as though he’d been electrocuted. “What are you talking about? Did your father make you sleep in the closet?” Sawyer’s fist was clenched tight, his eye twitching.
Gavin hesitated, then shook his head. “Daddy didn’t do that, only mommy. But only when she had people over and couldn't leave us with her friends. Savie always locked us in the room when we weren’t with mommy. Sometimes she would spank us too. Daddy never spanked us. Are you going to?”
Sawyer slid closer to Gavin in the booth, putting a hand on his shoulder and holding his gaze. “No, Gavin… listen to me. I will never hit you. Ford will never hit you. That’s not how we will handle things in our family. And you won’t ever have to worry about us dropping you off with people you don’t know. Just at your grandparents’ home since they love having you around so much.”
Ford couldn’t help the squishy feeling in his belly at being included as part of the family.
“I’m sorry that you have been through so much… I didn’t know.” Sawyer put his arm around Gavin. “But listen to me, Gavin. We’re here for you.”
Ford nodded when they both looked up at him.
Sawyer continued, “And, you certainly don’t have to go in the closet… unless you’re playing hide and seek.”
Ford tried not to point out the other kind of closet, but that Gavin had to worry about that, either. At least not in the foreseeable future.
Finishing, Sawyer told him, “We’re not going anywhere. I promise.” There was certainty and conviction in his voice as he said this to Gavin.
Gavin looked between the two men, the silence drawn out as they waited for him to answer. His lips were pursed and his brows were drawn together, and it was obvious to Ford that he was mulling over all that he’d been told.
When Gavin began to nod slowly, Sawyer pulled him into his arms. Ford tried to hold back his tears as he watched the two of them embracing, releasing the lungful of air he’d been holding in now that this hurdle had been overcome.
When the waitress came back to the table with their pizza, it lightened the moment. Sawyer slid over to Ford and sought out his hand under the table, then they took a moment to just enjoy their meal.
Gavin cleared almost half the pizza as they watched him. When it looked like he was slowing down, Sawyer spoke up. “Do you like school?”
Gavin shrugged, and Ford thought that was it, but then he tilted his head to the side before finally nodding. “Most of the time, I guess.”
Sawyer chuckled. “Yeah, I get it. I only like work most of the time.”
“They give us a lot of homework, though,” Gavin added.
“Homework is the worst,” Sawyer groaned and made a face, which made Gavin laugh, but Ford elbowed him.
“I liked homework.” Ford mock pouted, folding his arms.
Sawyer rolled his eyes and looked at Gavin. “Ford’s a little weird, don’t you think?”
Gavin cackled, then nodded as he chewed.
Ford’s
