Happy Easter, Mr. Monk

Adrian nervously rubbed his sweaty palms against his gray pants as he mentally debated once more on whether he should knock or not.

It was Easter Sunday and Leland had invited him over to celebrate with him and his child. The child, or should that be teenager? that Adrian hardly knew.

Hell, he didn't even know the child's first name let alone how old he was.

"I know it started with an M," he mumbled under his breath as he nervously bent down to pick up the Easter basket and raised his hand once more. "Mickey, Mike, Michael!" he softly exclaimed as he took the courage to knock on the door.

'Knowing his luck,' Adrian thought as he waited for Leland to answer, 'The child was still angry over the divorce between Leland and his mom. Or still angry at his Dad for falling in love with a Man instead of a woman. Let alone, a man that was a few bricks short of a wall.' He gulped when the door opened and there stood in front of him the young angry teen-aged version of what Leland might have looked like when he was fourteen years-old.

"Hello, Michael," Adrian said as he raised his hand to shake hands.

Michael didn't raise his hand or greet Adrian. Instead, the young man looked from the hand to the face and then to the basket that Adrian brought for him. He angrily glared at Adrian before turning around and walking back to the living room leaving the door open.

Adrian turned to look at Leland just as he heard Leland let out a frustrated sigh. Leland then took Adrian's hand in his and brought it to his lips for a light and reassuring kiss. "I'm sorry, Love. I've tried to talk to him, to help him understand about the divorce, our love and his place with us. But he refuses to understand." He said as placed his arm around Adrian's waist and pulled him closer. Leland let out another sigh as he placed a kiss on Adrian's neck. "Let's talk of this no more. It is Easter and I have made you something special for dinner."

Adrian nodded and left the basket at the door to the living room and followed his lover to the kitchen.

Later on that day, after the dinner was over. Adrian entered the living room looking for Michael. It had been a quiet dinner. The silence and the tension between Leland and his son were unnerving, to say the least.

Adrian watched as Michael played some video games. Softly, he entered the room and took a seat next to Michael on the couch.

"I'm sorry," Adrian said after a while as he watched Michael play the game. "I'm sorry that you can't hate me for causing the divorce between your Mom and Dad. I'm sorry that your parents got divorced. I'm sorry that your dad fell in love with a man instead of a woman. And, I am sorry that you can't accept our relationship," he paused as he turned to look at Michael who still refused to look at him. "But what I am not sorry for is loving your father."

Adrian swallowed the knot that suddenly formed in his throat so he could continue to speak, "Three years ago, when Trudy was suddenly taken away from me, I thought I could never love again. That I was not meant to love again as punishment for not protecting my wife. Little did I know, that I would learn to love again and it was through your father that I was able to learn it once more."

"In this new lesson of love, I have learned that it is all right to love more then one person. That your heart is big enough to love more people. When I realized this, I realized that I could still love Trudy and that I could start to love Leland. I know that you love your mother and father and even though they are now divorced that doesn't mean that they have stopped loving you. Trudy may be gone, but I haven't stopped loving her, even though Leland is in my life and I love him more then I ever thought possible. He knows that I still and will always love Trudy, as well. I know that you can't love me. I know that you are unable to accept my presence in your father's life, but I do hope that you love your dad enough to look upon me as a friend. Not as an enemy or a person to separate you from your dad. Just look upon me as a friend who loves your Father very much and is amazed every day that he is in love with me, too."

Silence fell between while he watched and waited for Michael's reaction to Adrian's speech. Michael let out a soft sigh as he looked from Adrian to the basket of Easter goodies that was still sitting on the floor next to the door,Micheal softly asked, "So, is that basket meant for me?"

Adrian smiled as he got up to get it and bring it to him. As he handed the basket to teenager, Michael softly asked as he looked into the basket, "What do you except me to call you? I can't really call you Dad or Mr. Monk."

Adrian let out a soft sigh of relief at this first of many shaky steps to a beginning friendship between him and his lover's son, "Adrian, would be nice," he said as he sat back and watched Michael begin to look through the basket of goodies. He looked up over Michael's head and caught the beautiful look of love in Leland's eyes as he stood leaning against the door post of the hall way.

"I love you, Lee," Adrian mouthed the words to his lover as he once more thanked his lover for taking the time out of his live to teach him to love again. Leland smiled back at his lover and whispered his reply, "I love you, too, Adrian."