My Little Brother, T.J.

I heard from “Mrs. Button”, the case worker at Child Services concerning my half-brother yesterday.  She was very happy to tell me that I had been approved to become Tommy’s legal guardian and I made arrangements with her to pick him up this morning. 

I got to the Child Services offices a little early because I was nervous about meeting him.  It felt worse than the time I first met Ian’s parents.  I didn’t know what to expect from him.  I was pretty sure that he had been told about me, but I didn’t know how much.  I waited in the moving van I had rented for about half an hour sipping the gas station battery-acid in my paper coffee cup before going into the building were the offices were located. 

Inside, I found the right office and “Mrs. Button” showed me to a small conference room and told me to wait; then she left.  A few minutes later she came back and she had my half-brother with her.

I had seen a picture of him before, when “Mr. Norman” told me about my father’s death and the fact that he had another son, but it had looked a little like a mug shot you see on T.V.  I was not prepared for the actuality of meeting this kid, my little brother.  I saw some of my father in him, not all that surprising after all, and a little of me.  But what struck me was how scared and kind of sad he looked.  There he was, a couple of inches shorter than me, sandy-brown hair a little long and scruffy, a peach-fuzz stubble and a bit of a mustache, a faded Green Lantern tee-shirt straining against his chest, arms pumped and solid, like he could snap a tree in two and he was scared; of me!

I came from around the table, extended my hand and said “Hello Thomas.  I’m your brother, Garth.”

He took my hand, pulled me in to him and buried his face in my shoulder.  “You look so much like Dad,” he sobbed into my shirt.

I was taken aback for a second then I patted him on the back and told him it was going to be alright; that he was my brother and nothing would come between us.  “Mrs. Button” excused herself and left us alone to become acquainted.  I found out that only his teachers called him “Thomas”; everyone else called him “T.J.” (for Thomas Jacob).  He also told me that he’s into weight-training, comic books, and playing his guitar.

After about fifteen minutes, she returned with some paperwork and when that was finished, I was allowed to leave with my brother. 

We got in the moving van I rented and drove to the house that T.J. grew up in.  On the way there, T.J. and I spoke a little.  I told him about Ian and that I was gay and that they would meet when we got back to my, our house in New York.

The house T.J. grew up in was really nice and had a pool in the backyard.  Once inside, T.J. went to his room to pack his clothes and get whatever he wanted together so we could take it with us when we left.  I asked him if he wanted his furniture or if he wanted new things for his new room, and except for his mattress and the night table his dad made, he said he was ready for a change.  After about two and a half hours, the van was filled with everything he wanted to take – his bed (just the box spring and mattress) and pillows, the night table, a lamp, his T.V., stereo and computer (and all the stuff that went with it), his guitar, some knickknacks and photos from around the house, several boxes of comics, a couple boxes of books, some bed linens (I reminded him of those), a teddy bear in a Hackensack High School jersey and his clothes.

While T.J. had been getting his things together, I cleaned out the fridge of all the leftovers that had gone bad, had a beer, washed, dried and put away the dishes that were still in the sink and took out the garbage.  Since there was still some stuff in the freezer, I scrounged around in the basement for a cooler for about twenty minutes before T.J. told me they kept it in the garage.  I made some frozen pizza and chicken tenders for lunch, packed up the rest of the frozen food and most of the boxed and canned foods and after one last check, we left for Queens.

When we got home, Ian was watching T.V.  I introduced T.J. to Ian but T.J. was quiet and reserved.  Even though we had spoken a little more about my relationship with Ian on the drive back to Queens, I guess it was still a little too much for T.J. to take in all at once.  Ian helped us unpack the van.  That was about an hour and a half ago.  T.J.’s in his new room, unpacking and getting settled.  I called for some Chinese delivery and that should be here soon.  There’s still a whole lot that has to be decided – first and foremost, where T.J.’s going to go to school; one of the Catholic high schools in the area or one of the public schools.  I guess we’ve got some research to do tonight.  I’ll let you know what we decide once he’s settled and registered.  I just hope the rest of the school year will be a good one for him.