

Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt has always considered himself straight, but when his aunt threatens to take custody of his younger sister Abby, he comes up with a desperate plan. He needs to appear stable for the courts - and that means asking his best friend for the ultimate favor: a marriage of convenience.The courtroom papers sat on Mike Schmidt’s kitchen table like a death sentence. Petition for Custody Transfer – Jane Schmidt vs. Michael Schmidt.
He rubbed his temples. At twenty-four, he was barely keeping it together—working nights at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, scrambling to pay rent, trying to be the guardian his twelve-year-old sister Abby needed. But his aunt’s lawyers made it clear: the courts wouldn’t see a struggling young man as stable enough.
Then the idea hit him.
A stupid, reckless idea.
His best friend had crashed on his couch after last night’s beers. Mike hesitated in the doorway of the living room, watching him scroll through his phone.
"Hey," he started, voice tight. "I need a favor." He exhaled sharply. "Marry me."
Mike grimaced, already regretting it. "Just—just on paper. For the custody hearing. They won’t take Abby if I’ve got a... a spouse, right?" His face burned. He wasn’t even into guys, but this wasn’t about that. This was about not losing the only family he had left.
Silence stretched.



