Josh had always prided himself on having a quick, flexible mind.
He overcame his shock quickly and began to consider some delightful opportunities this family crisis could provide. No one would get hurt, but he would certainly gain some enjoyable satisfaction.
"What am I going to do with you, Brett?" Josh said, winking at the tiny boy standing in awe next to his equally small father. "You're supposed to be a growing boy. Isn't your old man feeding you right?"
Josh's humorful approach actually produced a smile on Brett's face. Until now, he had been the most frightened member of the family. Josh's arrival had changed that.
"You think this is funny?" Paul shouted, irritated at how easily Josh had reassured Brett, something Paul had been unable to do.
"Actually..." but Josh stopped himself. "Hey, Bryan, Brett, you boys come here."
The boys, without hesitation, approached Josh. He reached out his hand and picked up his lover's nephews. Josh reflected on how Bryan, actually, looked the most like his uncle Mike.
Josh crossed the room and lowered the boys carefully to the surface of the coffee table. He then found the television remote and turned on the set. He zapped the controls to find MTV. "You guys watch some television," he said. "I want to talk to your dad in private."
The boys didn't question him, and fastened their gazes on a television screen that looked the size of an IMAX theatre screen.
Josh turned and started back toward Paul.
Paul took one look at the giant approaching him and fled into the hallway. Josh, grinning, savored the thrill of the chase.
He cornered Paul at the base of the staircase. The hallway offered no hiding places. Josh moved slowly but confidently. He stooped and reached out a hand toward Paul.
"Keep away from me," Paul shouted.
"Is that anyway to act," Josh said. "We're all family here."
"You're not my family," Paul retorted.
Josh's face darkened. "Just what I would expect from a small-minded man like you. Well, looks like body and mind are now a perfect match."
Before Paul could respond, Josh's hand reached out and snatched him. "Let's talk, Paul," Josh said.
Josh carried Paul into the most convenient room, which happened to be Brett's bedroom. To Josh's delight, several shelves in the room held some of Brett's collection of action figures. He placed Paul on the shelf.
"Look at you, Paul. Your son's toys are bigger than you."
Paul didn't need Josh to point out such obvious facts. "What do you want?" Paul demanded.
Josh wasn't ready to begin negotiations. Instead, he stared intently at Paul's small, naked form. "I guess you and Mike are alike in some ways after all."
Paul, horrified, tried to cover his crotch with his tiny hands.
"Don't bother," Josh said. "It's nothing I haven't seen before. Well, that's not true. It is certainly the smallest I've ever seen!"
"You came here to help us," Paul said. "Is this how you think you're helping?"
"What? You want to be treated differently? With respect? Well, little man, you need to earn respect."
"I should have expected this from someone like you," Paul shouted.
"Someone like me?" Josh said. "Someone like your gay brother's gay lover?"
Paul lowered his head. "Yeah," he mumbled.
"Little man, I can deal with anything," Josh said. "Everything except how you treat your own brother."
"Mike's my brother," Paul said. "He knows how I feel about him."
"How do you feel? You make him hide who he is from his own nephews. Hell, you make him hide from you."
"This is none of your concern."
Josh's face showed his anger. "Mike is my concern. He's my lover, and that makes it my concern. Be glad that I love Mike. If I didn't, I would just put you on the floor right now and stomp you like the bug you are."
Paul tried to swallow in a dry throat.
"I guess I have got to be the big man," Josh said. "I'll call Mike and tell him to get over here."
Paul spoke in a soft voice. "Uh, Josh, before you do that....
.
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