*New Year’s Eve 2002*
“I think you should bring it up with him, Bri.” Mikayla said as she stretched out on her bed in the guestroom, folding her hands behind her head. “The only downside to it is that he’d be changing doctors. But I’m sure she can recommend a few really good doctors no matter where you go.”
Sitting on the foot of her bed, Brian fiddled with the edge of the quilt they’d put in there. “I don’t know. I’m not sure if he’d like that. Not the different place part, but the different doctor. He’s been with Dr. Shannon for years now. He likes her.” He pointed out.
The two had been sitting and talking for a short while, ever since AJ had gone to lay down a bit. His days were so much better than they’d once been. The medication that Dr. Shannon had him on seemed to be working wonders for him. She said that his viral load was down and his CD4 count had risen a bit and steadied. That was the best they would be able to hope for. Now that he’d been in good health for a few months, his quality of life was improving. He was more active and a lot more playful like he had once been. It made Brian happy to watch.
But today he’d been a little tired from their morning grocery shopping trip, so he’d gone to stretch out in bed for a while. Brian had followed Mikayla to the guestroom she was using, the one she labeled as hers, and he’d ended up sitting on the bed with her and talking. Somehow they’d managed to get on to the topic of moving. It was a thought Brian had entertained every now and again. Mikayla was all for it.
She gave him a sunny smile and closed her eyes. “Well, sure, he’ll be a little off about a new doctor. But there’s nothing in Cali that really holds him here. Especially since his mom went mega bitch on him. A new place, a new home, I think it would do him good. Give him something new to look forward to and enjoy. You have a particular state in mind or you just going to be random about it?”
“Well…” Brian hesitated, feeling a little embarrassed at how much thought he’d put into it without ever talking to his partner. “There are a few restrictions on where I’d go, so it narrows it down some. Plus, I kind of want somewhere that snows in the winter.”
“Miss the snow, Kentucky boy?”
The teasing was warm and natural between them. He was well used to her brand of humor. Smiling, he shook his head. “That’s not it, though I do miss it some. It’s just, well.” Brian cut himself off when he felt the flush spread up his face. He looked away again. That only intrigued Mikayla. She sat up, propping herself up on one arm to grin at him. “Oh, you got my interest now. What is it?” she demanded cheerfully.
He felt his blush grow a little. “It’s just, AJ told me once or twice that he wants to be somewhere he can have a white Christmas before he…before he goes.”
The room was quiet for a minute. Then Mikayla reached over and cupped his cheek, bringing him around to look at her. There was love and kindness written all over her. “That is sweet. You’re a good husband, Brian.”
He flushed again but still managed to smile at her. “I try.”
“So, anywhere in particular yet? Or still browsing?” Just like that, Mikayla laid back down and put her hands back behind her head again. Brian smiled and shook his head at this woman who reminded him so much of AJ sometimes. “I thought of a few, but I kept circling back to one. When we’d tour, AJ and I both always loved being in Denver, Colorado.”
“That’s a bit of a ways from everyone.”
“I know.” Brian sighed out. His mood deflated a little. “That’s why I haven’t ever brought it up. There is something that holds us both here and it’s not his doctor. First off, we wouldn’t want to leave you. Not at this time in his life. Add on that we’re trying to have a kid with you and well, leaving isn’t really smart.”
Mikayla pulled a hand out from behind her head. “Oh, that’s easy.” She said with a wave. “I’ll move with you two. Duh.”
“What?” Brian asked in surprise. He stopped fiddling with the quilt and looked right at her. She didn’t even open her eyes up. “Well, duh, Brian. I was meaning to talk to you guys about moving in anyways. Once this baby stuff takes off, I plan on leaving my job.”
With every word out of her mouth Brian found himself more and more surprised. “You’re going to quit? But you love your job!”
“I love you guys more. No job is worth losing however long we have left with him.” Her voice turned serious and she opened her eyes again to look at him. “You and I are almost the only ones who really seem to understand and accept that our time with him is limited. You spend every moment possible with him. Would you begrudge me the same thing?”
When she put it like that, all his worries about her leaving her job vanished. She had it exactly right. They didn’t know how long AJ had. A year? Ten? She couldn’t put her life on hold for ten years. But looking into her eyes, Brian could see that her mind was made up. This wasn’t something she was going to be deterred from. “You could lose out on years’ worth of experience. That might look bad when you decide to go back to work.”
“Then I’ll become his at home nurse. Please, Brian, I want to do this.”
How could he deny her this? He couldn’t. It was that simple. “So long as AJ doesn’t mind, I’d love to have you with us.” He told her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. Mikayla gave him a beautiful smile and tugged him down on the bed next to her, making him laugh.
The both of them a little more content now, they lay together with their hands behind their heads, staring up at the ceiling. Apparently Mikayla wasn’t done with the topic though. “I’ve always wanted to live somewhere new. Denver’s really nice, then?” she asked him.
Brian smiled up at the ceiling. “I’ve just toyed with the idea, Kay. I don’t know if it would be the right thing or even if it’s something he wants.”
“Well, the least you can do is ask him. You won’t know unless you ask. Who knows, AJ will probably surprise you.”
“Surprise him with what?” A raspy voice said from the doorway, laced with amusement.
The two on the bed turned their heads to find AJ leaning against the doorframe, smiling at them. He stepped into the room and didn’t hesitate before climbing onto the bed, overtop of Brian. Braced on his hands, he looked down into his husband’s eyes. As always, Brian felt that warmth run through him. “Hello, husband.” AJ said huskily before he kissed him. Smiling, Brian kissed him back. “Hello, husband.” He echoed.
With a chuckle, AJ dropped down to snuggle up against Brian’s side. He rested his elbow on the bed, though, and propped his head up in his hand. “So, what is this that I’m going to surprise you with, Bri?”
Well, hell, it looked like he was going to talk about this whether he wanted to or not. Out of the corner of his eye Brian could see Mikayla’s smug look and he just barely resisted reaching out to poke at her. Little brat. She’d probably seen AJ by the door and had said that on purpose! If that’s what she was going for, he’d show her. “Mikayla was telling me she’s going to quit her job so she can move in with us.” He said with a hint of smugness.
Mikayla glared at him. AJ just sighed. “I wondered how long before you’d want to do that, brat.” He said wryly. “Any talking you out of it?”
“Nope.” She answered pertly.
Shrugging, AJ smiled. “Welcome home then, I guess.”
“Wait a second.” Brian said, looking from one to the other. “Not even a token protest here, Alex?” He’d only mentioned it to wipe that smug look off Mikayla’s face and now she looked even more smug than before!
AJ let his smile grow as he shook his head. “Wouldn’t do any good. Girl’s almost as stubborn as I am. Plus, like I said, I figured she’d decide it.”
The little minx poked at Brian’s side, making him jump a little. When he turned to glare at her, she smiled back as pretty as possible, fluttering her lashes. “Coward.” She teased him. Brian’s mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me, Brian Littrell.”
When he would have rolled over to get her, AJ stuck a hand between them, preventing any battle. “What’s all this about?” He demanded to know. He looked from one to the other as he waited for his answer.
Mikayla took control of the situation by sticking her tongue out at Brian before announcing “We were discussing moving. I guess Bri here’s been wanting to move somewhere other than Cali.”
Instead of being frustrated with her, Brian found he could only be amused and exasperated at the same time. She was one in a million, this girl who had become one of his best friends. Blunt and outspoken, just like AJ, with a carefree kind of attitude. She also had absolutely no concept of Brian’s sometimes slow way of doing things.
AJ, on the other hand, understood that about him. He didn’t jump into things like Mikayla apparently had thought he would. Instead he just turned his head so that he and Brian were eye to eye. For a moment they simply stared at one another. Without words, quite a bit passed between them. Finally, AJ’s face softened with that familiar look that he gave only to Brian. One that was full of love, like the sun shining down on him. “Any place in particular?”
“Where in the US would you go if you could?” Brian countered. The whole point of moving, in his mind, was to give AJ a few things that he wanted to do before he was gone. If there was somewhere that AJ wanted to go then Brian would be willing to accommodate.
It stunned Brian, and Mikayla as well, when AJ thought for a moment and then said “Denver. You and I always liked it there.”
Mikayla sat up a little to give them a disgusted look. “You two are so weird sometimes.” She grumbled at them. When AJ gave her a curious look she rolled her eyes and gestured at them. “That’s exactly what Brian said to me when I asked him where he’d go.”
The two gave her almost identical grins. With a loud sigh she dropped back down onto the bed. They ignored her to look at one another again. Brian felt his heart fill with love for this man. He couldn’t resist bringing a hand up and running his knuckles down AJ’s cheek. AJ caught his hand and held it there, turning to kiss it. “We can start looking around if you want.” AJ said softly. His eyes were twinkling. “It should be fun. We’ll have to make sure we’re near a doctor for me, as well as a hospital, though.” The light on AJ’s face dimmed just a little at that. It always did when he stopped to think about his disease.
From her spot on the bed, Mikayla added in “Don’t want to take too long looking around, though.”
“No, not too long.” Brian agreed. He was thinking about AJ’s wish for a white Christmas. “Sometime before the year is out, I think. Probably shorter, but no longer than that.”
“I was thinking in like, no more than eight months.” Mikayla suggested.
AJ and Brian turned to look at her. “Eight months?” AJ asked. “Why that time frame?”
Opening her eyes, Mikayla looked at them and smiled. “You’ll want to have the nursery ready for when the baby comes. It’ll take at least a month after getting the house to get the nursery stocked and ready. So, no more than eight months.”
Her words took a minute to settle in. When they did, Brian felt his mouth drop and his heart start to pound. AJ sat straight up in bed. “Kay, are you saying…” AJ couldn’t finish his sentence. The words clogged in his throat. One look at her face told them the answer. Love and joy exploded inside of Brian even before she answered “Congratulations, daddies. I saw my doctor before I came over. I was officially five days late, so I got tested. We did it.”
“You’re pregnant.” AJ breathed out softly.
Mikayla nodded. The next thing she knew, AJ was launching over at her, wrapping her in his arms and laughing even as he cried. Brian joined the hug and the three of them practically rolled around the bed, hugging and laughing. Brian couldn’t believe it. This whole thing had worked! It worked! They were going to have a baby. A little AJ to love and care for and raise.
His smile stretched across his face and tears streamed down his cheeks. This was the greatest gift he’d ever received.
Without a word the three settled down in the bed, clinging to one another, each of them feeling their own joy in that moment. They were going to be a family. An unorthodox family, yes, but a family. What a hell of a way to end the year!