Acceptable Behavior (22 page)

“Okay, but sometimes a guy needs to be asked the question. Such as, ‘do you want to raise a newborn baby, Sam?’ Because if you recall, you go to work every day, Dr. Nelson. That leaves me and the kiddo here all alone. Diapers, formula, spit up, colic, teething, diaper rash…”

Travis grinned. “Doesn’t that sound amazing?”

Sam groaned. “And naps. There’d better be a fucking large number of naps.”

Mel smiled. “Babies usually nap, Sammy, but you can’t count on it.”

“I’m not talking about the baby. The naps will be for me.”

“You can have all the naps you want, love.” Travis kissed his temple. “And how about a nanny for the hours you’re working each day? Or we can take the baby to daycare, but a nanny would be more convenient and easier to supervise.”

Mel chuckled. “I pity that nanny already. She’ll need a high grade security clearance before you’ll leave your child alone with her, won’t she?”

“Damn straight,” Travis agreed. He wiggled Sam’s shoulders. “What do you say, babe?”

“I don’t know. Both of the kid’s parents were drug users. Isn’t that asking for trouble right from the get-go?”

“Look at it this way. The mother has been clean since the moment the child was conceived. She’ll get the best prenatal care possible. We’ll be there for her every step of the way. I think it’ll be amazing to watch her progress as she grows and changes.”

Mel nodded. “You’ve actually got me excited about it. An hour ago I felt lost and alone. Now, thanks to you, I feel like I’m part of something terrific.”

“You are!” Travis squeezed her hand. “Sam, the baby’s going to have your DNA, just like Levi. I don’t think we could ask for a better gift.”

“Babies smell so good,” Mel teased.

“Not all the time,” Sam reminded. “Okay, what the hell? I’m still not so sure, but I guess you two have nine months to convince me this is a great idea.”

Mel touched her stomach. “Well, eight months. Seven and a half, really.”

Sam groaned and closed his eyes.

* * * *

Travis and Sam made arrangements for a beach wedding at a posh resort on the shores of Lake Michigan. They chose early September over the long Labor Day weekend for the Saturday evening service. The minister was a woman recommended to them by Colt Crawford, who they’d finally gotten together with for dinner. His partner Rod was a nice guy, and they’d all enjoyed their time together. They’d had Colt and Rod to their house a couple times after, and Levi got a kick out of seeing his teacher again.

Travis and Sam had reserved a room at the resort for their honeymoon night, and they dressed there before the ceremony.

“You’re sure about the ‘no tie’ thing?” Kim asked as she straightened the collar of Travis’ white, button down shirt.

Dave added, “I brought a couple in case you changed your minds.”

Travis looked at Sam, gorgeous in his black slacks with the white shirt hanging loose over it. “Nope. We’re good. We plan to lose our shoes once we’re on the beach, too.”

“No shoes!” Levi hopped up and down. He started to take his off.

“Not yet,” Sam corralled him. “You need to wear them down to the beach. We’ll take them off when we get there.”

“Boutonniere time.” Kim pulled out a box of flowers and pinned a single red rose bud to each of the men’s shirts, Levi included. “Father of the groom.” She pinned one to Dave’s similar white shirt. “Where’s Alex? He should be here.”

“I’m here!” Travis’ friend came out of the bathroom. “Trying to do something with my hair. It’s windy out there.”

She pinned the rose bud on his white shirt.

Travis ran a hand through Alex’s thick brown locks. “If it’s windy, then you don’t need to worry about it anyway. But you look fine.”

His handsome friend smiled. “So do you! Damn, now I’m wondering why I ever let you go.”

“Because you were headed to law school and I went to med school in a different state, remember? We could never have managed a long distance relationship. The college fling had to end.”

“Yet we both ended up back here at home.”

“But time marches on, and that other ship had sailed. We’re better as friends than we ever were as”—he glanced down at Levi—“anything else. Thanks for being my best man, Alex.” Travis straightened his friend’s boutonniere and stepped back.

Sam wrapped his arms around Travis from behind. “Yeah, thanks, Alex. For not going to med school, mainly.” He grinned.

Alex laughed. “You’re welcome. I may be the best man, but you’re obviously the
best man
.” He winked.

Travis spun around to face him. “Yes, you are.” He placed a light kiss on Sam’s mouth.

“This one is marked ‘minister’,” Kim pulled out another flower arrangement.

Dragging himself away from his groom, Travis looked in the box. There were three wrist corsages left. “Yes, that’s for Cheyanne. This one is for you, Mom.” He fastened the red and white flowers around her wrist and kissed her cheek. “This last one is for Mel.”

“Mommy!” Levi called.

“Be right out,” Mel hollered back. She entered from another adjoining bathroom. “I have to pee, like, every five minutes.”

Kim put the corsage on her wrist and straightened Mel’s tight, white dress. “Oh my. Have you gained a little since we picked this out?”

“Mother!” Travis teased. The news wasn’t out yet, and he didn’t want anything to spoil his after-ceremony surprise.

She tugged at the top of Mel’s low cut, strapless dress. “I’m just sayin’. I don’t remember your chest being this big when we bought this dress.”

Mel grinned and let Kim fawn over her. “Must be all that good halfway house food.”

“Must be,” Kim mused thoughtfully.

Dave looked around. “Are we ready? It’s nice and cool in here, but your guests are probably baking out there in the sun.”

Travis looked at Sam. “I’m ready. How about you?”

“Way past ready.” He grinned, and glanced down at Levi. “You ready, son?”

“I don’t have the rings!” Levi panicked.

“I have them.” Travis patted his chest pocket. “I’ll give them to you right before we start.”

“I can hold them now,” he insisted.

“It’s a long way from here down to the beach. I don’t plan on retracing our steps looking for them. No thanks, my way is fine.”

Sam smiled at Levi. “Something to keep in mind for future reference, kiddo. Daddy Travis’ way is usually the best way.”

Travis slipped a finger through one of Sam’s belt loops. “Don’t knock my choices, babe. You’re one of them.” He winked.

“Let’s go!” Dave ushered them out.

Travis and Sam each took one of Levi’s hands, and they all walked down to the beach. When they reached the sand, everyone kicked off their shoes and lined them up with all the guests’. Travis tucked the wedding rings into Levi’s pants pocket.

Kim gave the last wrist corsage to the smiling black minister in a flowing purple dress. The woman took her place at the front of the crowd of one hundred people or so. The rows of white chairs were divided by a center aisle.

Dave turned on the CD player, and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of
Over the Rainbow
began playing. The guests rose and faced the back.

Mel and Alex walked down the aisle together.

Sam and Travis followed, still holding Levi’s hands as he walked between them. Travis smiled at his friends as he passed them, his nurses, a couple of the doctors in his practice, Eddie, Colt and Rod. They reached the front and Mel stepped in to take Levi’s hand. She led him off to the side.

Travis closed ranks with Sam and they gazed at each other lovingly.

Dave paused the music.

Cheyanne began, “Welcome, friends, to the wedding of Sam Madison and Travis Nelson. To begin, the grooms have chosen a passage called
Apache Wedding Blessing, an Indian Marriage Prayer
.”

She gazed at each of the grooms. “Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth for the other. Now there is no more loneliness. Now you are two persons but there is only one life before you. May your days together be good and long upon the Earth.”

She instructed, “Travis and Sam, please face each other, join hands, and say the vows you’ve chosen.”

Travis turned to his handsome groom and his heart swelled with love. He reached for Sam’s hand and held it. “I, Travis, take you, Sam, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”

Eyes glowing, Sam repeated the vows. “I, Sam, take you, Travis, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”

Cheyanne asked, “Do we have the rings?”

Levi stepped forward and handed her the two bands.

She smiled and nodded to him. “The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond that unites two hearts in love. It is a seal of the vows Travis and Sam have made to one another. Bless these rings, that Sam and Travis, who give them, and who wear them, may ever abide in peace. Living together in unity, love and happiness for the rest of their lives.” She held her hand out.

Travis took Sam’s ring and slipped it on his lover’s finger. “Sam, I give you this ring to wear with love and joy. As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my husband this day.”

Sam took Travis’ ring from the minister and slid it on Trav’s finger. “This ring I give you as a token of my abiding love and true devotion. With my heart I pledge to you all that I am. And with this ring I marry you to join my life to yours.”

Cheyanne said, “Nourished by understanding, warmed by friends, fed by loved ones, matured by wisdom. Tempered by tears, made holy by caring and sharing. Be blessed always. Go forth in peace! But first, you may kiss your groom.”

Smiling, Travis and Sam shared a tender kiss.

The crowd cheered, and Levi tugged at each of their pant legs as he hopped up and down.

“I now pronounce you, husband and husband!” Cheyanne waved her hands over them.

Dave hit the CD player again, and Bobby McFerrin’s
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
started playing. Travis, Sam and Levi walked back down the aisle as the guests blew bubbles in their direction.

The reception flew by like a blur in Travis’ mind. They cut the cake and sipped champagne on the beach. Music played, people danced, and drinks flowed. By the time darkness fell and the bamboo torches were lit, there were just a few close friends and family left celebrating.

Travis chose that time to make his announcement. With him and Sam flanking Mel, and holding Levi in his other arm, he said, “We’d like you to share in our good news. Most of you know that we’ll be filing papers this week to begin the formal adoption process with Levi. Thanks, Alex.” He nodded to his friend who was handling the details. “But you probably
don’t
know that Melanie hasn’t just been eating too much good food.” He glanced at Levi then placed a hand on her stomach. “Mommy’s going to have a baby. And next March, when he or she is born, Sam and I and Levi will welcome the new baby into our family.”

Gasps of surprised ran through the crowd. Kim nodded knowingly and hugged her husband. Levi stared back and forth from his dads to his mom. “A baby?”

“Isn’t that exciting?” Sam prompted.

“Cool!” Levi shouted, and scooted out of Travis’ arms to hug his mother.

The photographer took hundreds of shots, but none more precious to Travis than the image of Levi kissing his mother’s little baby bump. He squeezed Sam’s hand and the two of them joined Levi to kiss her stomach, too.

* * * *

Late that night, as he lay in his husband’s arms, Travis mused about their perfect day. “The wind simply stopped blowing, like that was the plan all along.”

“The temperature was perfect. September was a great choice,” Sam agreed.

“
You
were a great choice.” Travis kissed his neck. “The champagne, maybe not so much. For a while there I was afraid it might knock me on my ass.”

“You rebounded.” Sam patted the aforementioned body part. “And rebounded again.”

Travis stretched. “I’m fixing to rebound again. I wanna make love to you all night long. We can sleep when we’re dead. Tonight is about you and me, sharing our love.”

“Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth for the other,” Sam repeated a line from their ceremony.

Travis rubbed their noses together. “Living together in unity, love and happiness for the rest of our lives.”

“Oh yeah.” Sam reached for his husband’s shaft and squeezed it. “Starting with right now.” Their kiss became passion-fueled and soon they were joined and rocking together again.

In a white-hot frenzy, Travis climaxed again and again as they kept going through the night. He remembered looking at the clock somewhere around five a.m. Sam had just dozed off. Satisfied that he’d fulfilled his promise, Travis smiled and closed his eyes.

* * * *

Travis was seeing patients a few weeks later when he received a call from Alex on his cell. “Hey, buddy, I just have a couple of minutes. The office is packed with sick little’uns.”

“Travis, who is James Fielding?”

He searched his brain but couldn’t come up with the name. “No idea. Why?”

“I told you we had to publish the legal notice of intent to adopt in the newspaper three times.”

“Sure.” For some reason, a feeling of dread oozed through his system.

“Apparently, Mr. Fielding saw it.”

“Lots of people probably saw it. I doubt most of them cared.”

“Most of them probably didn’t. Fielding evidently cared. He and his wife Marianne have filed a petition to block the adoption.”

Travis’ heart leaped into his throat. “They what?”

“They’re suing for custody of Levi.”

Chapter Twelve

Sam fidgeted uncomfortably in the overstuffed chair in Alex West’s law office. When he’d phoned Mel he’d known it would take her an hour to get there. He and Travis had each arrived within thirty minutes, and the wait after that was tense.