Oliver was sorely tempted by what Melissa was saying, but a memory of his own mommy--mother filled his mind. His own mother who'd loved him unfailing and accepted him when he'd come out to her when Dad had gone distant. While Melissa might resemble her a tiny bit--she was not his mother, she never could be. And it was this realization which snapped him out of the trance.
Pulling away from Melissa, but not completely withdrawing, he said, "Hold on a sec, Melissa... this isn't going to work."
"I think it'd work just fine. You always said you wanted to have some little brothers to play with growing up--now you can have that."
"You just said that you and your husband have trouble enough taking care of two kids. What makes you think adding a third one is going to make that any easier?" he argued.
Melissa, seeing that he wasn't as enchanted by the argument as Connor or Jackson had, sighed, withdrew for the moment and attempted to redirect.
"Having a third kid would be harder--but then you're not completely a child."
He spoke with more emotion in his voice than "No, I'm not. I'm your brother--and you of all people should know better than to try and replace our mom."
"You don't want me to be mom? Fine. Easy enough for me. You can call yourself their cousin for all I care."
"That's just it, you don't care. You just want an easy solution to the mess you and your husband are making! And that's not fair to either Connor or Jackson."
Melissa glared at her brother, squeezing the ring that she'd pulled off of Connor. She was almost considering tossing it down the toilet.
Seeing her anger, Oliver knew he had to back pedal somewhat, "Look, I agree with you, they need someone to look after them in their lives and be the kind of role model you want for them. That's where I can be of help--as their Uncle--not a brother. Connor didn't respect me at this age--how do you think he got the ring away from me in the first place? But as his Uncle. Besides, if you went through with the plan and you're going to try passing this whole event off as just a dream to Connor--how are you going to suddenly explain me to him? Older brothers don't just appear overnight."
He had a point... one she couldn't regularly counter, and so with a sigh she admitted defeat and said, "You're right... it's just... nobody ever tells you how hard it is to be a parent. Some things come easy--natural even. I love my boys more than anything in the world--I'd do anything to protect them. I know that... without question. From the moment that I held them in my arms in the hospital to just now getting Conner back. Other things... well, I feel like I'm fucking up all the god damn time."
Oliver didn't know what to say to that, but he could tell his sister needed some kind of comforting, so he hugged her as best as his small frame could allow. Melissa accepted the hug and for a moment they bonded as only brother and sister could.
"Look, you and Nevin need to sort your issues out first. I could look after Connor and Jackson for you for a few weeks until you do," offered Oliver.
"I think it'll take more than a few weeks," muttered Melissa.
He renegotiated, "Well, at least until you two come to some kind of agreement."
She nodded her head, and then dropping the ring into Oliver's hand, she said, "Deal."
Oliver took a great sigh of relief and immediately went out to grab his clothes that Connor had worn during his time as a grownup from Jackson, who was sitting on the couch flipping through the TV stations. Oliver grabbed his clothes and then scurried to the bathroom down the hall to change back--stripping off the clothes he'd borrowed from Justin and his little boy briefs from his own childhood before slipping on the ring and his shirt. When he had finished the adrenaline rush that was his second puberty, he took a moment to appreciate his return to adulthood--his muscles, his dick, his beard, and even his body hair. With a smile, Oliver ran his hands over his body and looked into the mirror and said to himself "good to have you back." He laughed and then finished getting dressed and left the bathroom.