Love after Five

Chapter 20

"Hey, are you okay?" Tul asked Max over the top of a cardboard box he was taping up, taking a marker from behind his ear and marking the box Bright-toys.
Was he okay? The question was plaguing Max a little. On one hand, he was currently helping the man he loved pack boxes to move into his house- something he'd dreamed about basically since he'd first met Tul. On the other hand the past week at work had been a bit of a slog.
The rumour of him seducing a married parent had made its way around the school visiting itself to parent and teachers alike- the rumoured parent being also a man had just added to the salacious nature of the rumour.
He'd had several parents send him rather nasty emails and threaten to take their children out of school, and a few even come into the office worried about his morality.
He'd assured them that he had not seduced a married parent, and had never thought to date any married person ever, and that the rumour was just that- a rumour. It was very frustrating because he'd just come out to his family, and now some ridiculous rumour was outing him at school. It wasn't that he was ashamed of being gay- but to be honest it was easier to keep his personal life very separate from his professional life as people tended to believe old prejudices about the gay community, especially gay teachers. He wasn't some sort of predator, he just wanted to work with kids, and he also wanted to be loved in his private life, was that such a crime?
"Nothing to worry about babes." He said instead, pasting a smile on his face. "Just bullshit work politics."
"Hey, you said a bad word!" Bright declared, choosing that moment to wander by.
"Whoops! Sorry!" Max said, pulling her in for a hug. "Shouldn't you be packing up your clean clothing into the suitcase I gave you?" He asked.
"Why do we have to move? Can't you live here?" She asked, frowning.
"Well honey, anywhere with you would be home enough, but my house is bigger, so there's more room for all of us, and more room for you to play and have friends over. And there's lots of other families who live on my street so you'll have friends." He said. She didn't look particularly convinced so he continued. "Also, you aren't allowed to have pets here, and a little bird told me that you've always wanted a cat, and maybe we can get a kitty?" He tried. The little bird had been his sister, who'd been babysitting Bright quite often that week while they dealt with packing and moving.
"Really?" Bright squealed, hugging him around he neck. "Can we get a fluffy white one and name her Peach?" She asked.
"I don't see why not. Now go keep packing your clothes honey."
"Okay!" She said, letting go of the hug and skipping off. Tul shook his head with a little smile on his face.
"You're going to spoil her rotten." He said.
"I plan on spoiling both of you." Max replied, sitting up on his knees and leaning over the box to kiss Tul on the lips, running his hand over the back of his head.
"Ewww! Kissing is gross!" Bright yelled with a laugh.
"I guess you don't like my kisses either!" Max yelled, getting up and chasing her playfully around the room, swinging her up into his arms and kissing her cheeks. She squeal giggled in happiness, ceasing her struggle and planting a kiss on his nose.
"I love you Uncle Max." She said, hugging his neck.
"I love you too peanut." He replied, hugging her back.

To Tul, Bright saying she loved Max was a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand he was happy that they were becoming a loving family, and he wouldn't have it any other way. However she never acted loving and affectionate with him. Hugs and kisses had ceased when he'd told her that her parents had died. Before then Bright had been very open with her affections, like she was with Max. While he knew that she did love him, and he loved her more than life itself, something fundamental had altered between them and he wasn't sure if she'd ever be as easy with her affections to him as she was with Max.
He sighed, standing up and picking up the box to the add to the pile of boxes beginning to tower at the front door of the apartment.
Suddenly small hands were around his neck and Bright had him in a koala hold. Max hugged him from behind too, sandwiching Bright between them.
"We love Uncle Tul a whole bunch too Don't we?" Max asked, and Tul felt Bright nodding emphatically.
"Yup! He always gets me the best curry and helps me with my homework." She said.
"He gives pretty good hugs too." Max said, and Tul turned to grin at them.
"I try." He replied.
"No you don't, that's why I love you." Max said, kissing his cheek. "How about we go see the Curry Auntie and get some dinner? I'm starving from packing all these boxes. And we can talk about what colour you want to paint your bedroom." He said, detaching Bright from Tul's back, leaving Tul with a bittersweet sense of loss as he turned to watch Max chase Bright around to get her shoes on.
He felt like he was on the brink of greatness, like his life was leading to some sort of purpose that he hadn't known he was building to.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he fished it out. There was an email notification, from a sender he didn't recognize but the subject line confused him.
Re: Bright.
Anyone who had anything to do with Bright wouldn't bother emailing him, they'd just text or call. Perhaps it was another parent? He unlocked his phone and began to read it.

Max had finally gotten Bright into her shoes when he heard a bang of something dropping in the main room.
"Hey, are you okay?" He called, sticking his head out of the door. Tul was standing in the entryway, a shocked expression on his face, his phone on the floor at his feet. "Hey, love, whats the matter?" Max asked, crossing the apartment and picking up the phone, open to an email. He began to read it.
Hello Mr. Thanasrivanitchai,
We've never met, but my name is James Adams, my son was Mark Adams, Bright's father. We heard about Mark and his wife's untimely demise, and found out that you'd been granted custody of our Granddaughter.
        I personally find this to be unacceptable, and am writing to let you know that we will be planning to fight for custody of the child. A single man is not an appropriate guardian for a little girl, and we are rather well off and would provide a much more suitable home for a child here in America. 
      I apologize if this is hard to understand, I had it professionally translated, but you never know with these things. We will be travelling to Thailand in two months time to begin the proceedings to take custody of the girl. I think we can all agree it will be for the best.
        Sincerely,
        James Adams.

     Max looked back at Tul, who turned and gripped his forearm, fear lacing his eyes, panic clearly building.
       "They can't do this." He said, his voice trembling. "Mark told me he hated his parents and never wanted Bright anywhere near them. They can't take her from me." He said, his eyes beginning to water with tears.
        Max pulled him into a hug, his heart pounding with worry as Tul gripped the back of his shirt.
      "They won't take her from us. We won't let them." Max whispered, stroking his hair. "Shh, we can't let Bright know anything is wrong. We have two months to prepare to beat them." He pulled back, reaching up to wipe off some tears that were sliding down Tul's face.
       "We can't let them take our daughter." Tul whispered. "She's ours."
       "She's going to always be ours, don't worry." Max said. "Now go wash your face so Bright doesn't know anything is wrong." He whispered, and Tul nodded, practically running into the bathroom and shutting the door loudly behind him.
      I won't let anyone take either of you from me. Max thought, his fist clenching the phone. Bright came out of her room and he relaxed his grip, putting a smile back on his face.
      "Ready for dinner? Uncle Tul is just using the washroom." He said brightly, putting the phone on the entryway table. "Let me fix your hair before we go."
     "Okay!" Bright said, humming as she skipped around the living room.
       No one will take my family from me. Max told himself, a rage building in his chest that he pushed down, along with the taste of bile in his throat.