Chapter Twelve

Rings, New Friends, and Talks


February 7th 2003


“Hey D, wait up!”  Yelled Marshall almost sprinting down the sidewalk after his friend.

Howie stopped and turned around to wait for Marshall.  “I didn’t see you coming, other wise I would have slowed down.”  He laughed at the tired look on Marshall’s face. 

“I saw you before you turned the corner and I need your advice on something.”  Said Marshall now walking in time with Howie.

Howie was slightly taken back.  To say him and Marshall never met eye to eye would be an understatement.  They never fought or anything, just didn’t have much in common.  “You wanted my advice?”

Marshall laughed hearing the confused tone in Howie’s voice.  “Yeah, I wanted YOUR advice.  I think you would be good with this kind of thing.”

“And what would this kind of thing be?”

Marshall stopped when he saw the store he was looking for.  “I need help with something in there.”  He said pointing across the street to the small store.

Howie followed Marshall’s finger and eyes.  “You want me to help you pick out jewelry?”

Marshall nodded.  “Well, first I wanted to get your opinion on the idea first.”

“What’s the idea?”

“Should I get AJ and engagement ring or not.  I mean you are supposed to do that when you ask a woman to marry you, but I don’t know if AJ would get the wrong idea and think that I’m calling him a woman or something.”  Rambled Marshall, not noticing the look of humor on Howie’s face.

Howie tried hard not to laugh.  “You mean you haven’t gotten him one yet?  Didn’t you propose to him like at the beginning of December?”

All of a sudden the dirty spot on his shoes looked very interesting to Marshall.  “Yeah.”

Howie grabbed Marshall’s hand and pulled him across the street.  “Come on, I know for a fact that AJ would want a ring.”

*****@*****
Once inside the jewelry store Marshall looked around at the cases in awe.  There were so many rings to choose from, but nothing like something he needed.

“You ever notice there isn’t such thing as an engagement ring for guys. And there is no way I’m buying AJ that.”  Said Marshall pointing to a very frilly diamond ring in the case.

Howie laughed.  If the whole world knew this side of Marshall Mathers they would be in for a treat.  Even after they became public about all the relationships going on in between Backstreet and Nsync, their careers didn’t seem to change much.  Ticket sales for the various tours had gone down a bit, but nothing that would be considered bad enough to close up on the groups all together.  And Marshall, he seemed to have gotten more fans in the process.  He was still able to keep his bad boy image, but yet everybody knew he was a devote family man too.  Now here he was trying to pick out an engagement ring, which secretly made Howie sad because it reminded him yet again that he was the only member of BSB not getting marred or at least dating somebody.  Looking back to Marshall he sighed.  “You know Marsh, we can always ask the jeweler what he would suggest.  It’s not like the world doesn’t know about this anyway.” 

Marshall turned to Howie and smiled.  “Yeah you’re right.  I keep forgetting sometimes that everybody knows.  I guess it’s hard to change a 2 year habit of having to sneak around all the time.”

Howie patted Marshall on the back.  “Come on let’s go talk to that guy over there.”

Both men walked over to the elderly man who was sitting behind one of the counters.

Marshall cleared his throat.  “Excuse me.”

The man looked up and smiled.  “How may I help you?”

Marshall shifted from one foot to the other. He still wasn’t good at going up to people and pretty much shouting. ‘Hey everybody look I’m gay!’

Howie noticed his friends discomfort and decided to help a little.  “My friend is looking for a kind of special ring for his partner.”  He said trying to accent the word partner at the end so the older man would get the drift.

Thankfully the older man did understand, and only smiled.  “Well, what kind of ring do you have in mind?”

Marshall could feel his confidence returning.  “Well, I was thinking it’s going to be kind of like a part valentines part engagement present.”

“Well, I will admit I don’t have many engagement rings for men in my store, but I think I have an idea that will work for you.”  Suggested the man as he walked over to one of the other cases.  “Does he like yellow or white gold?”

Marshall thought about this for a moment.  Him and AJ had always talked about getting matching rings, even at the very beginning of their relationship.  Just one of those random thing you think about while lying in bed.  Marshall knew for himself he would want a white gold ring because it fit his style better, but would AJ who was wilder then him in what he wears want yellow?  Turning to Howie.  “What do you think?”

“I think he would like white gold better.  AJ wouldn’t really wear a yellow ring

Marshall nodded.  “ White gold then.” 

Marshall watched the man rummage around in the case for a few moments before he came walking back over to them carrying at least five different jewelry boxes.

“These are five of our stores best men’s wedding bands.  I know you wanted something for engagement, but like I sad before we don’t really carry them.”  Said the man opening each of the boxes so Howie and Marshall could look at them.

Marshall looked at the very manly plan white gold rings.  They were great, but he still wasn’t sure how it would work for an engagement ring.  “You said something about a plan.”

The man nodded and picked up one of the rings.  “I was thinking that I could cut one of these rings horizontally making it into two different skinny rings.  You give one to him now as an engagement ring, and the other you keep until the wedding. Then after the wedding or sometime close to that time you can bring the bands back to me and I will put them back together.  Yes, I know that will put a line in the ring, but that would give it a loved feel to it.”

Howie watched as a huge smile began to form on Marshall’s face.  Just by his expression he knew Marshall was going to go for the idea.  Which he personally thought was a great one.

“That’s perfect, I’ll do it!”  Exclaimed Marshall trying his hardest not to jump over the counter and hug the man.

The man smiled at the look on the younger man’s face.  “All of these rings here I should be able to do it with, so which one do you want?”

Marshall looked back down at the rings.  He didn’t know which one to choose.  “Which would you suggest?”

The man picked two from the group.  “I would pick this one if I was on a budget.  Still a great ring, but not a huge price tag.”  He said pointing at one of the rings.  “And this one if money wasn’t really an object.”

Marshall picked up the second ring and handed it to the man.  “Go ahead, cut her.”

*****@*****

Later that afternoon Marshall and Howie pulled up into the Mathers-McLean driveway.  They had spent the whole morning and afternoon just talking and enjoying finally being able to talk to each other.  They found that they really did have a lot in common after all.

“I don’t see Jay’s car I wonder where he is.” Said Marshall as they walked up to the door.

“Maybe he had to take Hailie some where.  Was her indoor soccer practices starting yet?” 

“No, not until next month.  Believe me I whished it was this month, that girl is driving me crazy asking when its time for her to start playing.”  Laughed Marshall as he and Howie walked into the house.

“Is anybody home?”  He called, just making sure that something wasn’t wrong with the car or something and AJ really was home.

“In here daddy!”  Called Hailie from the kitchen.

“I wonder what’s going on.”  Said Marshall more to himself then to Howie as they walked into the kitchen.

Hailie was sitting at the kitchen table with what Howie thought had to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.  She has the prettiest chocolate colored skin, and darkest hair he had ever seen.  Not to mention her eyes.

“Daddy, Uncle Howie, I want you to meet Vanessa.  She’s been helping out in my class at school.  And then she said she would come over and help me with my reading.”  Said the little girl happily.

Marshall smiled and kissed Hailie on the head before turning to the young woman.  “Thanks, things have been so crazy around here the last few months I feel I’ve been neglecting Hailie by not helping her with her school work.”

Vanessa smiled.  “Its no problem Mr. Mathers, Hailie is a sweet girl.”

Marshall looked around the kitchen.  “Where’s papa?”

Hailie thought for a second and shrugged her shoulders.  “I forgot.”

“I think Mr. McLean mentioned that he was going to the store to pick something he needed up for dinner.”  Said Vanessa picking her backpack up off the floor.  “But, now that you are home I think its time for me to say goodbye.”

“Don’t go yet!  Can’t she stay for dinner daddy?”  Asked Hailie putting on her best puppy face.

Marshall looked at Vanessa.  “If she wants to stay I suppose that’s alright, Uncle Howie is staying.”

Vanessa looked over to Howie who still hadn’t moved from his spot in the doorway.  She knew the way he was looking at her, and to say it made her uncomfortable would be an understatement.  She wasn’t exactly thrilled about spending the evening with him.  She bent down so she was at Hailie’s level.  “I would love to stay Hailie, and I’m sure your papa is a very good cook, but I have to get home.  My mom said she was making a special dinner and if I’m remembering correctly my sister and nephew are coming over too.”

Hailie sighed.  “Oh alright, but you gota come over sometime and have dinner with us.  Maybe you can come over when all the rest of the guys are here.”  She said happily.

Vanessa smiled.  Hailie was a very cute little girl. But the thought of meeting all the Backstreet boys, and whoever else ‘the rest of the guys’ was, was enough to make her more then slightly nervous.  ‘This is what you get for agreeing to work with a little girl you know has famous parents’ She thought to herself as she walked to the door.

Marshall followed the young woman out of the kitchen and towards the door.  “Thanks again for Helping Hai.  Sad to say she gets along a lot better with grown-ups then she does kids her own age and most of the time her only friends are all the rest of the guys.  So I’m really glad she has somebody else that’s not connected to everything to talk to.”

Vanessa smiled again for what was probably the umpteenth time since she entered the Mather’s household.  The feeling in the air was just a happy one.  “You are welcome, and like I said before Hailie is a sweetheart, and I like working with her.”  With that she walked out of the door.

Once he was back into the kitchen it was only a matter of seconds before AJ came shuffling into the house.  “Hey can somebody give me a hand here.”  He called from behind a stack of bags.

“Jesus Alex, what in Gods name are you trying to do.”  Exclaimed Marshall literally running to get the bags from AJ’s hands.

AJ sighed a sigh of relief, once all the bags were out of his aching arms.  “What did it look like I was doing, I was carrying in the groceries.”

Marshall glared at AJ.  “You know you aren’t supposed to be carrying all of that stuff, in your condition.”

“I’m pregnant Marshall, not dying. I CAN do things by myself ya know.”  Responded AJ with the same glare Marshall had given him.

This had been an on going problem in the Mathers-McLean house the last few weeks.  Marshall was trying his hardest not to smother AJ, but failing miserably.  AJ was getting extremely annoyed of this over protective stage Marshall was going through.

Hailie watched her fathers silently fighting.  Yeah, no mean words were coming from their mouths, but she could feel the tension in the room.  Sighing she jumped from the chair and walked up to her bedroom.  Sometimes she was greatful when it was her turn to be at her mommy’s house. Yeah, things weren’t much better there with mommy’s new boyfriend Charlie. He was an ok guy, even liked to play Barbie’s with her and really actually seemed interested in getting to know her mommy really well.  Not like some of the other guys who seemed to want only one thing.  Whatever that meant, she just heard her daddy saying it all the time.  Sighing she sat down on the pink carpet in her room and picked up her Kelly doll.

“Kelly, why does daddy and papa fight.  I know they love each other.  They told me so.  They even said they are getting married and that’s why I should call AJ, papa now.  I was just going to start calling him daddy too, but daddy said that would bet to confusing, so I should say papa instead.  Vanessa says papa means daddy in Spanish, so I guess that makes sense.”  Sniffing she whipped a tear from her little eyes.  “Daddy and papa say that papa is pregnant, but I don’t understand that.  But I don’t know how to ask them.”

*****@*****

Howie walked past Hailie’s bedroom on the way back from the bathroom.  Thankfully things in the kitchen had cooled off and Marshall and AJ were happily cooking whatever it was they were cooking.  Quietly humming to himself he was about to go down the stairs when he heard Hailie talking and what almost sounded like crying coming from her room.  Walking over to the door he put his ear to the door just in time to hear Hailie’s heartfelt conversation with Kelly.  Howie could feel tears coming to his own eyes when he heard how confused the poor little girl was.  It hadn’t occurred to him how much the little girl would both understand and not understand about the whole situation.  Walking back down the stairs and into the kitchen he sighed.

“Guys, I think we have a problem.”  He said causing AJ and Marshall to turn around and look at him.

“What kind of a problem?”  Asked Marshall.

Howie wasn’t sure how to bring this up, but he knew he had to.  “I just walked past Hailie’s room and I heard her talking to one of her dolls…”

AJ laughed.  “She does that all the time, you don’t need to worry about that D.”

Howie shook his head.  “You didn’t let me finish what I was trying to say.”  Taking a deep breath he tried again.  “What she said made me believe that she doesn’t really understand yours and AJ’s relationship.”  He said pointing at Marshall.

Marshall swallowed.  “What do you mean?”

“I mean, have you guys really sat down and explained to her what all this means?  I heard that she’s calling you papa now AJ, but does she really know why?”  He saw blank looks on AJ and Marshall’s faces and sighed.  “She knows AJ is pregnant but even in her little mind she knows that doesn’t seem possible.  We’ve been to busy worrying about what the rest of the world is going to think about everything, and you haven’t even tried to see how much your own daughter knows.” Howie walked over to AJ and Marshall patting them both on the back.  “I love both of you and I don’t mean to sound like I’m bad mouthing your parenting skills or anything because believe me I have no idea about that kind of stuff.  I just wanted to make sure you knew what she’s feeling.”

Marshall could feel tears coming to his eyes. Had he really been neglecting Hailie that much in the last few months?  He hadn’t thought so, but now he wasn’t so sure. “Um, D can you watch the sauce for us while we go and try to talk to my daughter.”

Howie nodded and watched both Marshall and AJ head for the stairs.

*****@*****

AJ took Marshall’s hand as they stood in front of Hailie’s closed door.  Looking at each other for a second before Marshall knocked. “Hailie it’s dad and AJ can we come in?”

“Sure daddy.”

AJ and Marshall walked into the room.  It was defiantly a girl’s room.  Everything was pink and purple, but that was how Hailie wanted it.  Finding a clean spot on the rug both men sat down next to the little girl.

Hailie looked at them in confusion.  “Did I do something wrong daddy?”

Marshall couldn’t believe what she said.  “Oh God no baby.”  He said pulling her onto his lap.  “I’m the one that has done something wrong.”

“What did you do daddy?”

“I haven’t been around much to explain what’s been going on around here much have I?”

Hailie shook her head.

“Uncle Howie heard what you said to Kelly, and it got me and AJ thinking that we need to explain some things to you a little bit better.”  Said Marshall.

Hailie looked from Marshall to AJ and back to Marshall again.  “You’re not mad about what I said?”

AJ scooted closer so he was sitting Indian style with his knee touching Marshall’s.  “We are far from mad at you Hai bear.  Like you’re daddy said we are mad at ourselves for not thinking to answer you’re questions.  So, that’s what we are here to do.  You ask us any questions you might have.”

Marshall nodded.  “Anything Hai, and we will try and answer them the best we can.”  Marshall knew he was probably getting himself in some hot water with leaving the conversation so open, but he thought it was the least he could do.

Hailie thought about this for a moment.  What a boy in her class said that morning really had got her thinking and upset.  “What’s a fagot?”

Marshall swallowed hard.  “Where have you heard a word like that?”

Hailie looked down at a dirty spot on the carpet.  “This little boy Gary said that when I told the class that you and uncle AJ were getting married.”

Marshall felt anger boiling in his blood at the mean words.  What bothered him so much was that a little first grade boy would even know what such a mean word meant.  He didn’t blame the boy because he didn’t understand, but those parents should never have taught him that word.  “Honey, that’s a mean word that some people use when they don’t understand people like me and AJ.”  Taking a breath he knew he had to ask and answer his next question before the young girl would understand.  “Do you know what it means to be gay?”

Hailie thought about this for a moment.  She had heard the word a lot, and had heard people on the TV use the word when talking about her daddy and Uncle AJ, but she never did understand what it meant.  “No.”

AJ turned to Marshall trying to tell him that he would answer this question.  Seeing Marshall giving him the go ahead.  He took a deep breath.  “You know how your mommy is dating Charlie?”

Hailie nodded.

“Charlie’s a man, and you’re mommy is a woman right?”

Hailie nodded again.

“Well, to the world that’s how things are supposed to be. A man is supposed to marry a woman.”

Hailie looked up at AJ.  “Gay means when two men love each other?”

Marshall and AJ looked at Hailie with big smiles. 

“That’s exactly right Hai.”  The said at the same time.

“And the reason Gary called you the bed name was because his family thinks that things are supposed to be the other way?”  Asked Hailie trying to make sure she was understanding.

Again Marshall and AJ nodded each kissing Hailie on the head.

“So that means, Uncle Nick and Uncle Justin are gay too?”

“That’s right baby.”  Said Marshall.  “Now, do you have any other questions?”

Hailie thought for a second.  “How is papa pregnant?  Auntie Kristen is pregnant, and so was Auntie Leighanne, but they are girls they are supposed to have babies. Are guys supposed to have babies too?”

Marshall could hear the confusion in the little girls voice.  “You are right baby, it’s not normal for men like papa and Uncle Justin to be getting pregnant.  It’s a special thing that has happened.”

Hailie scrunched her face up.  “How?”

AJ reached into his pants and pulled out his travel pills case.  That way he would always have his pills with him if he was out when it was time to take them.  “You see these pills?”

Hailie nodded.

“These pills are what have made is possible for Uncle Justin and I to get pregnant.  It’s given guys who aren’t married to woman the chance to have babies too.”

Hailie thought about this and smiled.  Giving AJ a huge hug.  “I’m glad you are able to have a family too, even though you are weird.”

This caused everybody to laugh.

“Why don’t we go down stars and see if Uncle Howie has dinner ready?”  Said Marshall getting up off the ground.

“Yippy! I’m starving.” Screeched Hailie as she ran out of the room.

Marshall was just about to leave to when he heard AJ clearing his throat behind him.  Turning around he couldn’t help but bust up laughing.

AJ glared at him.  “Don’t just stand there and laugh, help me get up.”

Marshall bent down and kissed AJ hard and passionately on the lips.  After kissing for a long few seconds they pulled away breathless.

AJ smiled.  “I wanted help getting up off the floor, not getting another part of my body up.”

Marshall laughed and stood up again, this time giving AJ his hand and helped him up.  “Come on Mr. Horny toad, lets got have dinner with our new very knowledgeable daughter.”