Gabriel (Rewritten Version) - LGBT, manXman

29

Gabriel finished fastening the baby car seat into Jordan's car, and slid into the passenger seat to wait for Jordan and his solicitor to finish in the courtroom.

It had taken much longer than either of them had expected, but Jordan and Ellen had finally been able to finalise everything.

The paternity test had proven Jordan was the biological father, so he automatically gained parental rights. Jordan had filed for a Child Arrangement Order, asking for the baby to live with him permanently, which Ellen had not contested.

It had been agreed upon that Ellen would have no contact with him until he was fourteen. After the boy was fourteen, the courts couldn't order him to spend time with Ellen if he didn't want to. Neither could Ellen demand to see him before he was fourteen without first re-working the newly signed agreements in the courts.

Gabriel waited for half an hour for Jordan to appear. He spoke for a few moments with his solicitor, before getting into the car and leaning across to kiss Gabriel.

"All sorted?" Gabe asked as Jordan started the engine.

"Yes, everything's signed. Ellen basically has no rights to access or say in any decisions that are made until he's fourteen, and after that it's only with my agreement until he's eighteen. Then it's completely up to him."

"So we can take him home?" Gabriel asked, grinning.

"Yep. Social services are with the foster family now, waiting for us."

"So, does he have a name?" Gabe asked. "Or did everyone in court just call him 'the baby'?"

"Ellen did give him a name." Jordan grimaced suddenly, making Gabe laugh. "I've been thinking about changing it though."

"Oh? What is it? Something really bad?"

"Jordan Junior," Jordan said stiffly.

"Well... that's not so bad," Gabe said fairly, hiding his own grimace.

Junior. How American.

Jordan lifted an eyebrow.

"We could call him JJ for short," Gabe continued quickly. "Or Jay, perhaps."

"I'll think about it."

They pulled up outside the foster family's house, and climbed out of the car. They were greeted at the front door by twin girls, who looked six or seven year's old, with angelic blonde hair and blue eyes.

The foster mother, Chloe, ushered them inside, supplied them with tea and copious quantities of home-made biscuits, and scurried upstairs to finish packing the baby's things while they talked to the social worker.

Jordan had been left with a little bit of a question mark as to how Gabriel would be able to make decisions about and for the baby, but his solicitor had advised the obtaining parental rights as a civil partner or married spouse would be a fairly easy process, if their relationship progressed that far.

Chloe re-appeared carrying the baby. She transferred him gently to Jordan's arms where he settled immediately, looking half-asleep.

"He had his feed ten minutes before you arrived, so he'll probably fall asleep in the car. He's ever so good. He didn't fuss much, and he's a quiet little thing. He sleeps well during the night too, and with Colin and I sharing the night feeds, he really hasn't been any trouble."

"Thank you for taking such good care of him," Jordan said.

Gabriel leaned in and peered over Jordan's shoulder to get his first good look at the baby. He could see immediately that he was Jordan's. He had a mop of black fuzz on the top of his head, his smooth skin was a golden-olive colour, and his wide eyes were near-black, like Jordan's.