Creeper or Roses

What's Next?

“Promise me you’ll behave yourself.” Gavin spoke as he knelt on one knee and spoke to the small body standing in front of him.

“I will.” The little girl said innocently with a smile.

Gavin smiled warmly back at her and brushed off some dirt on her pink Minnie Mouse shirt. “Okay, Rita. We’ll be right here after school.” Gavin hugged her tightly and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She released him and he stood up and stood next to me.

The little girl stood in front of me now, so I bent down on my knee and embraced her. She hugged back and her dirty blonde hair tickled my nose and I chuckled. “Bye, Rita. We’ll see you later, okay?” We broke our hug and she smiled at Gavin and me before turning and trotting into her classroom.

I smiled over at Gavin who was discreetly wiping a tear from his eye. I chuckled and reached down for his hand. I intertwined our fingers and he smiled back at me. “Gav, she’ll be fine.” I spoke sweetly.

“Oh, I know. It’s just, who am I gonna finger paint with today?” Gavin joked.

“Wow.” I exhaled with a grin. We made our way back to our car in the parking-lot of the school, our hands together. Once we entered the car, I in the driver’s seat, Gavin in the passenger’s seat I took a moment to think about how far we have come.

 Gavin and I are married men with a daughter starting her first day of Kindergarten. Only 2 years after meeting in that Achievement Hunter office, Gavin and I got engaged. I popped the question to him while we were on vacation in Paris. Standing on top of the Eiffel Tower at night looking over the city was romantic and thought it was a perfect spot for a proposal. The part where he jumped into my arms, nearly making me fall off of the tower was NOT perfect. But hey, I was happy he said yes.

We got married in London a few months later. It was more convenient for Gavin’s family to attend that way. Ray insisted he be my best man, so he was. Everything between us is good and I’m glad we still remained close friends. The wedding was not too fancy, but it was perfect. Free-Jones was our legal married name. Our honeymoon was to tour the rest of Europe for two months. It was amazing.

In other news, Ray and Stephanie are recently married and are expecting twin boys. That is too much to handle for Gavin and I. This is why Gavin and I adopted one little girl. A year after our marriage, Gavin and I decided to go to England and adopt a little girl. Gavin claimed he wanted a little British girl around so he could hear her accent, so we went the orphanage in Gavin’s hometown and found a 3 year old girl named Rita—complete with British accent. She was excited to travel to America to live with her new dads and grow up in the city of Austin, Texas.

Gavin and I bought a townhouse in early July that was only a few minutes from the Elementary school and a short drive from the Rooster Teeth office. We had a month to adjust our live to having a toddler around the house. I would be playing Minecraft in the living room with Rita and Gavin sitting on floor watching me play while they finger painted together. Rita loved finger-painting…almost as much as Gavin loved it.

One thing we love to do as a family is cuddle up on the sofa and watch Disney movies. Rita liked the princess movies but enjoyed the classics more. Winnie the Pooh was Gavin’s favorite and mine was The Lion King. We would watch a different movie every day, it was our family time. My arm around Gavin as Rita sat between us. I am absolutely in love with my life.

* * *

Gavin and I both went to work this day since Rita joined the family; one of us had to stay home with Rita. She was starting school, which meant he and I could both go to work.

Geoff welcomed us back with a firm hand shake and we resumed our positions at our respective desks. It felt odd not having Ray next to me, but I knew he was having a good time with Stephanie. My mind started to remember the crazy shit that had happened between Gavin, Ray, and Stephanie again. I just grinned because I could not be any happier.   

It was a few hours into our work day when Gavin became noticeably quieter. “Hey, love?” Gavin nudged my arm to get my attention.

“Yeah, Gav?”

“I already miss her loads. I miss our movies, Michael…” Gavin whimpered and slouched in his chair.

I chuckled and placed my hand on his back, “I do too…but hey, we’re parents now. Movies and finger-painting will be on weekends now.”

Gavin grinned and smiled, “I love you, Michael.”

“I love you too, Gavin.”

* * *

“Daddy! Father!” Rita giggled as she raced towards Gavin and me once school let out. “I learned so much today! We learned colors and shapes!” Rita jumped into Gavin’s arms and he swung her around once.

“That is amazing, Rita!” He held her close “Daddy missed you so much!” Gavin swung her on his back and made horse noises as he trotted to the parking lot, Rita laughing her head off.

I was admiring Gavin play with Rita and started to follow them when there was a tap on my shoulder, “Um, excuse me, sir.” The voice was soft and sweet. I turned around to see a tall, blonde woman with a kind smile, “Hello, I’m Mrs. Patty, the kindergarten teacher. Are you Rita’s father?”

I stuttered for a moment. “Yes…I am her father, Michael…and,” I pointed to Gavin with Rita on his back, “that’s her dad, Gavin. We are her parents.” I was worried; Gavin and I were fortunate enough to not have much hate or discrimination, but living in Austin, in a state where gay marriage was not yet legal, I started to feel insecure.

“Oh my, you must be such good parents! Rita is so well behaved and friendly. She is excited to learn and is very comfortable around all these kids. I am so lucky to have her in my class.” Mrs. Patty smiled.

“Oh…oh, uh, thank you! Gavin and I worked hard at her manners. That means a lot, thank you.” I said to the teacher.

She gave a small laugh, “Well, I’ll let you take your little one home, can’t wait until tomorrow for the next day of school!” She beamed and held out a hand for me to shake. “Pleasure meeting you, Mr…” Her voice trailed off as she tried to remember our last name.

“Mr. Free-Jones.” I shook her hand and smiled back at her. I turned and made my way to the car with Gavin already strapping Rita in her Sleeping Beauty car seat.

* * *

We were home for a while; I was on my computer in the kitchen when I overheard Rita in the living room. I walked over and stood in the door way and watched my husband and daughter:

“Daddy? Can you play Minecraft, please? I wanna see the cow again.” Rita begged at Gavin. He smiled and placed ‘MINECRAFT’ in our Xbox and sat back down on the couch, Rita snuggling up against him.

Once the game loaded, I watched Gavin put on creative mode and got a ‘cow egg’ and spawned a cow for Rita. She busted into a fit of giggles. Gavin opened the creative menu again and something caught Rita’s eye.

“Daddy? What are those green ones for?” She pointed at the green and black speckled egg.

“Oh! Those are the dangerous Creepers! They are a type of monster…” Gavin spawned a Creeper and Rita watched it roam around the flat land with one cow.

Rita studied the Creeper, “I don’t think he’s a monster…he looks lonely…I think he just wants to find someone…he wants to find love.”

Gavin looked over at me standing in the door way and smiled from ear to ear. “I know he’ll find someone. Even the silliest of Creepers find someone.” Gavin blew a kiss to me.

I blew a kiss back and smiled.

I love my life and I love my Creeper.