The Office

Thirty-Five

--Scott--

"You packed up everything?" I asked Mitch as I started loading boxes into a U-Haul.

"Yes I did. I just finished Andrew's room."

"Good. I'm almost done with the living room stuff so have the guys bring out kitchen."

"Yessir." I placed a kiss on his lips before watching him walk back into the house.

I finished loading the U-Haul and walked into the box filled house, "Mitch?" I walked around the house trying to find him. I found Andrew taping a box in his room, "Andrew. Where's daddy?"

He looked up from the box, "I saw him go to his room." He smiled at me before ripping off a new piece of tape. I walked out and towards Mitch's room. I heard sobs coming from inside so I knocked.

"Mitch? Are you okay?" I knocked lightly again.

I heard a sob and sniffle before, "Yeah. Come in." I opened the door and saw Mitch on the floor between boxes. He had a phone to his ear, "I understand." He said into it. He dropped the phone onto his lap and covered his face with his hands.

"What's wrong Mitch?" I walked over to him and sat down, holding him in my arms as he let out a sob, "What happened hun?"

He set his hands in his lap and looked up at me, "Joel. He's dead."

"Dead? How the hell?"

"He was out with friends at a club. The last time his friend saw him was when he got into a guy's car. He had been dancing with that guy all night and apparently he asked him to go back to his place."

"And he killed him?" He nodded, "Oh my god." I set my head on Mitch's shoulder and kissed it lightly before looking at him again.

"Don't hate me for crying about it, okay? I'm sorry." I shook my head.

"No no. I completely understand that you're upset Mitch. He's the father of your child, your first love, and you didn't really get a good closing with him. You have every right to be upset."

"I'm so worried for Andrew."

"He'll be okay. It'll all be okay." I shushed him as he cried and rocked in my arms. I kissed his forehead as he wrapped his arms around my neck.

"I love you Scotty."

"I love you too Mitchy."

"I'm not telling Andrew yet. I want him to enjoy moving into the new house and his first night there before I tell him at least."

"I get it. I won't say a thing."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, let's go move into our pretty, new home. Okay?"

"Okay." He smiled at me before I helped him off the floor.

-

"It's so nice Scott. I love it."

"Me too. What about you Andrew?"

"I love it so much."

"Good. Who wants to order pizza?"

"Me!" Andrew shouted and jumped up and down.

"I'll call." Mitch said, walking over to the dining room.

"Wanna watch some Spongebob?" I asked Andrew as I picked him up.

"Yes I do. Especially with you. And daddy too but he's busy a lot."

"It'll be different now Andrew. We all have each other. Your daddy was struggling when it was only him."

"And now we have you."

"Always."

"You'll never leave us? Like my real father did."

"Your real father?"

"Joe, or Joel. He left daddy and me. That's not a father."

"So you only have daddy now?"

"No. I have you. Why do you and daddy think it's weird that I call you dad? Do you not like it?"

"I love it. But you have a father."

"No I don't. Well, yeah I do. You. You're my dad."

"You think so?"

"I know so. You're my dad like daddy is."

"So what does that mean for us, huh?"

"You can say I'm your son when people ask. And I can call you dad instead of Scott or Scotty. And you can kiss me goodnight with daddy. Just be like daddy with me and we'll be good."

"Will we?"

"Absolutely."

We ate our pizza and watched a movie before we all got tired. I picked Andrew up and carried him to his room, "Look at him. He's an amazing kid." I said to Mitch.

"He really is."

"He gets that from you." He giggled and walked over to Andrew's bed next to me.

"What were you two talking about when I ordered pizza?" He asked, looking at Andrew sleeping.

"He told me that I'm his dad. Not Joel."

"Did he?"

"Yeah. He did, Mitch. You have to tell him."

"I know. He has you so he should take it better than I thought."

"He'll always have me. So will you. We'll always have each other."

"I hope so."

"You don't have to hope. Unless I die, I'm not going anywhere. And I'm invincible, Mitch."

"I bet you are." Andrew stirred in his sleep, then opened his eyes.

"Hi." He whispered.

"Hi baby." Mitch said, smiling at him.

"Bedtime?" Andrew asked, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Indeed it is bud." I covered him up and kissed his forehead.

"Goodnight Andrew. Daddy loves you." Mitch said, kissing his forehead.

"Andrew loves daddy too." He giggled and looked up at me, "Andrew loves dad."

"Dad loves Andrew." I kissed his forehead again before wrapping my arm around Mitch's waist and shutting off Andrew's light.

We climbed into bed and I leaned over to kiss Mitch, "First night in a new house. Sleeping with my amazing fiancé who I love very much." I kissed him before removing my clothes under the blanket.

"I love you too fiancé." He slid off his clothes too, then looked over at me. We propped our heads up with our elbows and stared at each other for a minute before Mitch spoke up, "I'm so happy Scott. The happiest I've ever been in my entire life. All thanks to you giving me that job." We chuckled and I leaned forward to place a kiss on his lips.

"I'm so happy I gave you that job Mitch. One of the best things I've ever done. Besides ask you to be my boyfriend, and then to marry me. But that's obvious. And that wouldn't have happened if I didn't give you that job. I'm so glad."

"Me too Scott. We have our own little family. No one left to bother us or split us apart if they wanted. We can be happy. I know I'm happy. So happy. And Andrew is too. He loves his daddies."

"That's for sure. I love him too. So much." I wiped a tear from Mitch's cheek and then placed a kiss on it, "And I love you. So much."

"We love you as well, Scotty. So much."