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“Alright, that settles the initial paperwork. Your background checks came through clear, congratulations. Are you gentlemen ready to meet the kids?” The woman behind the desk tapped the stack of papers against the desk into a neat pile and tucked them into a manila file folder that strained to hold them all. “Remind me again what age you’re aiming for?”
Patton clapped his hands with excitement, “do you have any babies?”
Logan turned sharply, “that is not what we discussed. We said toddler or older, Patton.”
“Thankfully, our nursery is currently empty. We do have a service where we pair expectant mothers with adopters, however, I do believe everyone is currently matched. We could put you on a list-”
Logan shook his head, “no. We have been preparing for a child, not an infant. Patton, I’m sure your sister will have another baby before we know it. We need to stick to the plan.”
Patton pouted and crossed his arms, “I just wanted to see the babies. I know we’re adopting a kid.”
Logan chuckled softly and gently took Patton’s hand, “let’s not waste Miss Parker’s time, okay? Maybe their next sibling will be an infant, okay?”
“Right, okay. How many kids do you have here?” Patton asked, turning to Miss Parker.
She sighed, “even one is too many. We’ve got about twenty currently waiting for parents, ages ranging from 18 months to 17 years. Let’s start off in the playroom.” She stood and ushered for the pair to follow her.
Patton and Logan both stood and Patton wrapped an arm around Logan as they left the tiny office over-crammed with file cabinets and group pictures of children going back decades. They followed her down a hall lined with more framed photos of various children playing together, and a few very sweet ones where kids were being held and loved on by their brand new parents. Everything was clean and warm and almost deceptively peaceful.
The peaceful illusion was shattered as soon as Miss Parker opened the door to the playroom. About a dozen kids were running about the room shouting, laughing, and bickering amongst themselves over coveted toys.
Patton was a bit overwhelmed by the cacophony of children’s voices, watching the chaos with quiet wonder. His heart ached that they couldn’t take them all home right this instant, because it was too many kids to be left without dedicated families.
“Do they often miss their friends after getting adopted?” Logan asked, just barely heard over the noise.
“Well, that does depend on the child. Some of the older ones just want out of the foster care system. We do our best to discipline any bullying, but naturally some children try to develop hierarchies amongst themselves. We have had a couple adoptees ask to have play dates with their friends and that’s always been an interesting experience. It really does depend on the child,” Miss Parker explained. She smiled and bent down to scoop up a young boy who had come running over upon seeing her, “why, hello! Is everyone playing nicely today, Roman?”
Roman hugged close to her, “Re tried to hit me!” he complained loudly, noticing the two strangers and looking confused, “where are the mommies?”
Patton grinned and waved at the little kid, already ready to scoop him up and take him home.
Miss Parker chuckled, “Mr. and Mr. Ellery are going to be two daddies together. They’re visiting to meet you all. Is that okay?”
Roman nodded and stuck his hand out to Logan very formally, “hello!”
Patton absolutely gushed as Logan took the tiny hand and shook it gently. Roman giggled and tried to shake back harder.
“Oh, he’s so precious! How old are you, Roman?” Patton asked. Roman thought very hard for a moment before holding up three fingers.
“Wow! Such a big boy!” Patton cooed, offering his own hand to the kid. Roman took it and shook in his goofy over-exaggerated way.
“Alright, Roman. Can you please ask your brother to come over here?” Miss Parker asked, setting Roman back down. He nodded and scurried off into the throng of children. “Roman is a very extroverted boy, but he does have a twin. We’re not willing to separate them into different families,” she warned softly, “and Remus is…. A handful. Even at just 3 years old.”
“I see. Perhaps we should meet other children-” Logan started.
“I want to meet Remus. Maybe he just needs a bit of one on one attention,” Patton interrupted quickly.
“Patton, you promised we’d choose one child together,” Logan warned, “I know this isn’t easy, but we can’t bring home every child who smiles at us.”
Patton opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a shriek coming from the play area. All the adults in the room turned immediately to the commotion. A crying boy was soon picked up and carried over to Miss Parker.
“Remus didn’t want to come over and tried to hit Roman with a toy,” the older boy carrying the squirming child reported. He glanced at the pair of potential adoptive parents, sizing them up, “do you think they can handle the twins?”
“Don’t worry, Janus,” Miss Parker replied soothingly, taking Remus from him, “they haven’t decided on anyone yet. I’ll handle it. Thank you.”
“Does he work here?” Patton asks, watching as the much older Janus returned to the group of kids.
“No, Janus is our oldest resident. He’s just under a year from aging out,” Miss Parker replied sadly, “he’s very good with the twins. They’re quite attached to him. Now, Remus, why are you hitting today? I thought we talked about this yesterday.”
Remus whined and tried to scramble down to the floor, “Ro said that aliens aren’t real!”
“Actually, the likelihood of life on another planet is very high,” Logan offered, “we may never meet an alien, but they almost certainly exist.”
Remus stopped squirming and beamed, “I knew it! I gotta tell him he’s being a dummypants!”
“You will not. We don’t call anyone names, Remus,” Miss Parker scolded, “I think you need a few minutes in time out for your behavior today.”
“Noooo please! It smells like baby dukey!” Remus whined, struggling now to escape her iron grip.
“Maybe think about that next time before you try to hit your brother or friends,” Miss Parker replied. She gestured to one of the other adults watching the kids who came over to escort Remus to his temporary punishment. “So, anyone you’d like to meet one on one?”
“Can we take a moment to talk it over?” Patton asked, gripping Logan’s arm tight.
Miss Parker nodded and led them back out to the hallway, “we’ll be in here. Remember, nothing today has to be a final decision. We want to make sure it’s a good fit between you and your kid.”
Logan nodded, turning to Patton as the door to the room closed, “okay, what are you going to say to upset me this time?”
Patton took a deep breath and squeezed Logan’s hand, “darling, what if we… talk to the twins… and Janus?”
Logan’s eye twitched, “you want.. To debate between taking home a teenager verses two toddlers?”
“No, I want to take all three home,” Patton corrected.
“All three?!” Logan gasped, “we prepared for one.”
“But we have the guest room, which is a lot better suited for a teen. He’s practically an adult and who knows how long he’s been in the system. We can help him get ready for the real world, and if it’s not a good fit he’ll be legally able to be out on his own in a few months.” Patton pleaded, “I know we can make it work! I just... he feels just like me.”
“I know. He is similar. I also knew you’d do something like this.. But all three?? Why the twins?” Logan asks.
“Because they’re cute…”
“You are not taking this seriously.”
“I am! They made a strong first impression! Let’s at least talk with them and then talk about it? Please?” Patton asks.
Logan looked into his husband’s pleading puppy eyes and gave an exasperated sigh, “alright. We’ll talk to them. But no promises.”
“Thank you, darling!” Patton beamed, tiptoeing up to kiss his cheek.
—
The twin whispered between themselves as they sat waiting in the visitor's room.
“You gotta be quiet and let me talk!” Roman admonished.
“Heck no! I want them to pick me!” Remus growled, “you don’t get to claim a mommy and daddy ’fore me.”
Roman huffed, “but they’ll like me better!”
“You don’t know that, dummy!”
“I am not a dummy, dummy!”
“Shut up!” Remus squawked, reaching to claw at Roman.
“Nooo!!” Roman scrambled away from him, “stop! My pretty face!”
“Boys, please sit down,” both froze in place as Miss Parker opened the door, “I’d like you two to meet Mr. and Mr. Ellery.”
“Huh? No mom-?” Remus asked, worried.
Roman nodded, “yeah, two daddies. Be nice!” he hissed, earning himself a pinch from Remus, “ow-”
“Boys-” Miss Parker warned as Logan and Patton entered the room.
“Hi!” Roman immediately beamed, giving them a little bow.
Remus rolled his eyes, “don’t listen to the baby- I’m the older one so I’m more ‘sponsible.”
“Nuh-uh!” Roman protested.
“Am too!” Remus cackled as Roman tried to push him out of the way.
“Oh dear,” Patton sighed softly.
Logan chuckled, “they are lively. Is it alright to sit with them?”
“Of course, go ahead. We just ask that they consent before you try to touch or pick them up. We never force contact,” Miss Parker nodded.
Logan nodded once in agreement and sat down cross legged on the edge of the colorful rug. Patton knelt beside him and the two waited for the twins to decide to make a move.
Roman stares, “what are you doing?”
“Just hanging out,” Patton replies, “we want to talk with you two.”
“You can’t take Ro without me-” Remus interjects, trying to push Roman out of the way, “don’t forget me!”
Logan smiles, “we wouldn’t forget you, Remus. We just want to get to know you both a little bit. What’s your favorite color?”
Remus tilted his head, “uh.. Green.”
“Mine is red!” Roman interjected.
“Oh, how lovely! I see you’ve even each got shoes with your favorites!” Patton grins.
“Mhm. It’s how Miss P tells us apart,” Roman explains helpfully.
“Sometimes we switch and no one can tell,” Remus snickers.
Miss Parker grinned and shook her head as the two were easy to tell apart from their mannerisms.
“That sounds like such a fun game!” Patton grinned, “what’s your favorite game?”
They continued their back and forth for a while until Roman unbidden sat in Logan’s lap to explain his latest epic made up story. Patton watched softly, gesturing that Remus could come over to sit if he wanted to as well, but the other kept his distance to show off a silly dance.
Patton rested his head on Logan’s shoulder, his heart filling as the kids kept opening up to them.
After a half hour, Miss Parker smiled, “okay, I think it’s almost nap time. Please say goodbye and thank the Ellery’s for their time, boys.”
The twins both said their goodbyes, Remus now yawning loudly, as they got up to follow her back to the room with everyone else.
“Please come back for us,” Roman asks softly, “we’ll be good kids.”
“They need to make their own decision, Roman,” Miss Parker replied. She reached to open the door only for it to fall open with Janus stumbling into the room.
“Oh- I, um, wasn’t listening or anything,” Janus stammered, “I was just looking for the twins-”
“It’s okay, Janus, I’ll be right back,” Miss Parker smiled, leaving with the twins.
Logan turned to the newcomer, “hello there. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Why?” Janus asked with an air of suspicion.
Patton smiled, “because we wanted to meet you too, Janus. You seem like a very responsible and caring young person.”
“I’m not that young. I’m practically an adult,” Janus huffed, “I’m just looking out for those two so the others don’t pick on them. No one picks on my friends.”
“Exactly, responsible and caring,” Patton nodded.
“How long have you been here?” Logan asked, curious.
Janus bit his lip, “not that long.. Years..”
“Oh my..”
“I- my mom was just stupid. She got me taken away and never came back for me,” Janus looked away, not meeting their eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” Patton murmured.
“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I just wanted to say goodbye to the twins before you took them home,” Janus snapped.
“Don’t be saying goodbye too soon,” Logan cautioned.
“You are going to take them home, right?” Janus asks, worried written all across his face.
“Nothing has been decided for sure yet,” Patton advised, “just don’t get worked up. We’re looking to adopt, we just want to make sure anyone we take home will be happy with us.”
“Yeah, that’s what they all say, but then you’re too much and sent right back,” Janus huffed.
“Have you been to a lot of foster families?” Patton asked. Janus refused to answer, just staring at the ground. “Yeah, I remember how that felt. But I met my family eventually,” Patton offered softly, “you have to stay open to finding them.”
“Wait, really?” Janus asked, “and you’re happy now?”
“So happy,” Patton nodded, “sometimes it just takes time to find the right fit.”
“Alright, Janus, are you doing okay here?” Miss Parker asked as she returned.
“Yes, ma’am,” Janus nodded.
She smiled back at him, “And what do you think of the Ellerys?”
Janus looked at the two men and shrugged, “they’re alright, I guess. Can I go now?”
“Of course. Do you have school work to complete?”
Janus groaned and made his way out of the office.
Miss Parker turned her attention back to the couple, “so? Thoughts?”
—
Once the decision had been made, it only took a week for the paperwork to process. Patton and Logan visited daily, and were excited to break the news.
“Are you ready to go home?” Patton asked, “because we’re ready to take you home.”
Roman looked to Miss Parker for confirmation and she nodded. Remus was bouncing in his seat, ready to go grab all his favorite things to bring with him.
Janus just looked confused.
“Yes, we want to adopt all three of you. While we do have experience with fostering many ages, we do want all of you as ours,” Logan explained, “if you agree, of course.”
“Yes Yes YES!” Remus crowed, jumping out of his chair to rush and hug his new dads. Roman followed soon after, not wanting to miss out on any affection.
Janus swallowed hard and bit his lip, trying to subtly wake himself up.
Patton smiled at him, “what do you say? Do you want to be adopted, Janus?”
Janus took another moment before nodding, wiping what definitely wasn’t a tear from his cheek and rushing forward to hug his new dads. The first of many family hugs.