Epilogue 2
Jay
“Baby, can you grab the platter on the counter for me?” Aiden calls out from the back deck. “The hamburgers and hot dogs are almost ready.”
I step out through the sliding glass door, handing him the large plate, where our family is gathered for our annual summer kickoff barbecue. The afternoon sun feels warm in Astoria.
A year after we got married, we settled into our two-story Colonial-style house on the outskirts of our small city. Our apartment didn’t have enough space for us once our family grew.
We didn’t plan to have kids since neither of us knew much about babies, but then we met Alex while volunteering at our local youth center.
He was sixteen and had been kicked out by his father, who understood nothing about sexuality—Alex being ace—who thought he was gay because he showed no interest in girls.
His home life growing up was toxic, and he was relieved to escape it.
With Heather’s help, Alex was emancipated from his parents and moved in with us to finish high school. This fall, he’ll be a sophomore at my alma mater in Corvallis. We couldn’t be prouder of him.
That led us to become foster parents. Crystal and Chase’s biological parents were drug addicts and had been squatting on state land. They disappeared, leaving the kids to roam the hills alone until the state intervened.
They came to live with us three years ago, when they were ten and twelve.
After facing numerous obstacles, we finalized their adoption last year.
Aiden and I never thought we’d be dads, but here we are, with three young minds relying on us for guidance and wisdom.
It’s scary some days, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Just as we serve the food, Alex gets home from his summer lifeguard job at the aquatic center.
“Hey, Pops,” he teases Aiden, poking him in the ribs as he walks by.
Even though we didn’t adopt Alex, he calls us Pops and Dad, and Crystal and Chase started calling us that, too.
He grabs a beer and sits next to my mom and her boyfriend.
That’s a recent development that Aiden and I are still trying to wrap our heads around.
A few months ago, Susan and my mom started dating brothers Troy and Steven.
After what they experienced with our fathers, we’re happy they’ve found men who treat them so well.
At the other end of the table, Lucy—James and Shelly’s fiercely independent three-year-old — climbs onto Crystal’s lap.
“I want hot dog, Chrissy,” she demands, reaching for the platter in the center of the table.
Crystal patiently helps her put mustard and ketchup on the bun, which will make for a messy cleanup later.
Shelly strokes her hand over Lucy’s curly hair while rubbing her other hand over her prominent pregnant belly.
“Sweetie, why don’t you take your plate to Daddy so he can help you eat?” she suggests.
Crystal shakes her head. “It’s fine if she stays with me. I don’t mind.”
At thirteen, she’s mature beyond her years, often babysitting her cousin and other neighborhood kids, while staying close to home and reading everything she can get her hands on. We were worried about raising a girl, but she makes it easy for us.
Chase, on the other hand, has a chip on his shoulder a mile wide.
He’s small for his age and hit puberty later than most, so he’s faced a lot of teasing at school.
To make matters worse, he has a sharp mind and a habit of correcting everyone, which often comes across as condescending, even to his teachers.
We’ve been called to the principal’s office more than once.
“So, what are everyone’s plans for the summer?” Susan asks as she passes the bowl of potato salad around the table.
Aiden grins. “After endless family debate, we’ve finally decided on a road trip in July,” he replies.
“We’re renting an RV and driving along the Oregon and California coasts.
We’ll stop for a few days at Redwood National Park, then spend a week at Yosemite.
It ticks off a few items on our bucket list, and it helps Crystal with her goal to visit every national park. ”
Traveling and exploring are our favorite family pastimes.
Combining our bucket lists with the kids’ has made it a bit overwhelming.
The first thing we checked off our list after getting married was our honeymoon, when Aiden surprised me with the Alaskan cruise I’d always wanted to take. It’s one of my all-time favorite trips.
“What about the trip for your anniversary?” my mom asks. “I thought you were going to New York to visit Luke?”
“We are,” I reply, “but we’re waiting on him to confirm the dates.”
The conversation continues as the rest of the family shares their summer plans, while plenty of food is consumed.
We’re expecting some friends, but they texted that they’re running late, so I wrap up a few hamburgers and hot dogs so they’ll have warm food when they arrive.
Just as we start to clean up, Ryan and Justin appear at the back door, Ryan carrying a large platter of watermelon.
“Hey, sorry we’re so late,” Ryan says as he opens the screen door for his husband, Justin. “There was a bad accident on the Youngs Bay Bridge. Traffic was backed up for miles.”
Lauren brings up the rear with a plate of cookies, and the kids quickly swarm her to pilfer their dessert.
“Sweetheart, I’ll take that so you can get some food. I’m sure you’re starving,” Ryan says, taking the plate from her, freeing her from the stampede of kids.
It’s bittersweet every time I see them. Just before we got married, Matt and Lauren moved just across the river on the Washington side. I bonded with Matt, and he became like a father to me.
Sadly, he was killed in a car accident less than a year later. His death devastated all of us, but Lauren most of all. They had been married for almost 25 years, and her grief led her to make some reckless decisions. Aiden struggled to see his friend suffer so much.
We met Ryan and Justin at a charity event not long after we got engaged. They also worked in real estate in Seattle but wanted to leave the city and buy more property along the Oregon coast. They’ve partnered with Aiden on a few ventures, and we quickly became friends.
We’d wrongfully assumed they were gay. We later found out they’re both bisexual and had been in a throuple with their first wife, who’s the mother of their three kids. She died several years ago of cancer.
Their relationship with Lauren unfolded unexpectedly after they met at a party we hosted a couple of years after Matt died. They live together in Cannon Beach.
After hours of backyard games and lively conversation, the day winds down, and our guests head home.
Alex left to go to a party with some friends, while Crystal and Chase retreated to their rooms for the night. I’m sure Crystal has her nose in a book with Maisy and Daisy curled around her, and Chase is playing some online strategy game with kids from Japan or something.
I load the last plate in the dishwasher when Aiden slips behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist. He kisses the back of my neck, hitting my favorite spot that always makes me shiver.
“It was a fun day,” he murmurs in my ear, holding me close.
“It was a really fun day,” I reply, turning into his arms to kiss him. “But I’ll admit, I’m liking the quiet.”
He nods and smiles. “I got a text from Luke earlier. He said the dates we wanted in November work with their schedule. Shelly said it’s perfect timing for them to take the kids. The baby will be a few months old by then, and they can help her with Lucy.”
“Perfect,” I say. “I’ll book our flights tomorrow.”
It’ll be our second visit to the retreat. The first was for Luke’s wedding two years ago, after he finally broke free from their father’s influence and fell in love with the partner none of us ever expected. But that’s their story to tell.
Aiden squeezes me tighter, his voice dropping low, as his hands travel south. “I can’t wait. An entire week, just us in a secluded cabin in the woods…and lots and lots of sex.”
My pants get tight as his fingers stroke me through the fabric of my shorts.
“Mmm, that sounds like my kind of vacation,” I murmur. “Maybe you can give me a preview.”
He grins. “I can do that.”
Taking my hand, he leads me to our bedroom on the first floor, well out of earshot of the kids’ rooms upstairs. They leave us alone when our door is closed, but we still lock it, just in case.
My husband naturally knows what I want after a busy day. Slow lovemaking and gentle words are softly spoken as we both tip over the edge.
When we’re cleaned up and holding each other, Aiden whispers in my ear, “I love you, baby.”
And because I’m me, and I can’t help myself, I reply, “I love you, too, Cuddle Bug.”
That earns me a poke in the ribs and a groan for the thousandth time about my struggle to find a pet name for him. I’ll probably never settle on one, since calling him names that make his eyes roll is just too much fun. I know deep down he loves it.
As Aiden drifts off to sleep, I gaze at the silhouette of his beautiful face, lit by moonlight, and feel overwhelmed by how deeply I love and adore him. He means everything to me, and I’ll be by his side for the rest of my life.
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