‹ Prequel: Beautiful Remains
Status: And let the ending begin
To Be Strong
Dean
We got to the diner, standing behind two other couples to get in. "It's been a while since we've been here," Chase said, looking around. "Last time we were here was when Geoff and Shaun were in town before they flew back to Ireland." I nodded, my hand sliding easily around Chase's waist. "I miss them. I miss everyone. Whatever happened to the happy-go-lucky group of people we have come to cherish?"
"Life," I said simply, as if that explained everything. "Life happens." I looked around, hoping to see a handful of young adults with their better half, two teenagers, and five kids running around, causing chaos. I was hoping to see a mess, and hear laughter, and see a food fight break out at any time. For the first time in years, I felt my heart break at the thought that our once giant family has turned into barely anything.
"Dean, what's wrong?" Chase asked, pulling me aside and letting the couples behind us go ahead. "You're shaking, and you're crying."
"I need them back," I said, clasping my hands together so tightly my knuckles and fingertips turned white. "I need everyone home. Now." I walked out of the building, trying to calm myself from this overwhelming sadness. Pulling my cellphone out, I called everyone who I could get in immediate contact with. Once everyone was on the line, I simply said, "Everyone pack your bags and get to the ledge."
Hanging up, I held out my hand for Chase, who grabbed it almost immediately. "What's going on?" he asked, looking up at me with those beautiful green eyes of his.
"I'm calling a family reunion," I said, walking over to the car. Once we were both sitting comfortably, I looked over at Chase. "The last few years seem to be a blur. Geoff and Shaun headed back to Ireland, Hunter and Michael didn't make it, Fred and Jackson got married without any witnesses, and Will and Keegan went to Spain. Both sets of twins are living in California, and all we have left of all of that, is each other and the triplets."
"We can't expect everyone to stay with us," Chase said, rubbing my back as I leaned forward, resting my head on the steering wheel. "The years were amazing when everyone was together, hands down. But we can't force everyone to drop their lives to live with us, you know that, Dean."
"I know, Chase," I said, smiling at him. "It's just been taking a toll on me these last few weeks. Everyone seemed so ... relaxed when we were all together. Knowing that all of your friends, your family was within slapping distance just made things work."
"I do miss Freddie and Michael. They were my only friends from school that I could depend on," Chase said, remembering the two. "As insane as they are, they've put up with my idiocy and didn't leave when they heard I was dating you, or when they found out were were parents of so many kids." We laughed at that, really laughed.
"I was fine with adopting two or three kids, but somehow, you talked me into getting seven," I said, once the laughing subsided. "I'm glad you did, though. It would have been too weird without all of them."
"Indeed." Looking at Chase, I remembered the seventeen year old boy with the innocent face. The basketball playing, straight-A student with the overpowering smile. I remembered kissing him for the first time in the gym, both of us nervous, but both of us wanting nothing more than the other.
Now, here I am, sitting next to that same boy, ten years later, as his husband. When he looked at me, I saw the ghost of the boy who stole my heart, who went through so much shit with his family because of me. The boy who forgave me every single time I screwed up. "I'm so sorry, Chase," I whispered, my eyes watering. "You put up with all the bullshit I threw at you, and you never once gave up on me."
"You've made mistakes, and I know that. That doesn't make me love that man who rescued me from my own home, the man who gave me a true family," he replied. "And for the record, Geoff, Shaun and their kids will be hear in three days. So let's get going."
Smiling, I started the car. I pulled out, and once we were heading home, I grabbed onto Chase's hand. "We're in for one hell of a ride," I said, my eyes smiling at the thought of getting the whole gang back together, even if it was for one last ride.
"Life," I said simply, as if that explained everything. "Life happens." I looked around, hoping to see a handful of young adults with their better half, two teenagers, and five kids running around, causing chaos. I was hoping to see a mess, and hear laughter, and see a food fight break out at any time. For the first time in years, I felt my heart break at the thought that our once giant family has turned into barely anything.
"Dean, what's wrong?" Chase asked, pulling me aside and letting the couples behind us go ahead. "You're shaking, and you're crying."
"I need them back," I said, clasping my hands together so tightly my knuckles and fingertips turned white. "I need everyone home. Now." I walked out of the building, trying to calm myself from this overwhelming sadness. Pulling my cellphone out, I called everyone who I could get in immediate contact with. Once everyone was on the line, I simply said, "Everyone pack your bags and get to the ledge."
Hanging up, I held out my hand for Chase, who grabbed it almost immediately. "What's going on?" he asked, looking up at me with those beautiful green eyes of his.
"I'm calling a family reunion," I said, walking over to the car. Once we were both sitting comfortably, I looked over at Chase. "The last few years seem to be a blur. Geoff and Shaun headed back to Ireland, Hunter and Michael didn't make it, Fred and Jackson got married without any witnesses, and Will and Keegan went to Spain. Both sets of twins are living in California, and all we have left of all of that, is each other and the triplets."
"We can't expect everyone to stay with us," Chase said, rubbing my back as I leaned forward, resting my head on the steering wheel. "The years were amazing when everyone was together, hands down. But we can't force everyone to drop their lives to live with us, you know that, Dean."
"I know, Chase," I said, smiling at him. "It's just been taking a toll on me these last few weeks. Everyone seemed so ... relaxed when we were all together. Knowing that all of your friends, your family was within slapping distance just made things work."
"I do miss Freddie and Michael. They were my only friends from school that I could depend on," Chase said, remembering the two. "As insane as they are, they've put up with my idiocy and didn't leave when they heard I was dating you, or when they found out were were parents of so many kids." We laughed at that, really laughed.
"I was fine with adopting two or three kids, but somehow, you talked me into getting seven," I said, once the laughing subsided. "I'm glad you did, though. It would have been too weird without all of them."
"Indeed." Looking at Chase, I remembered the seventeen year old boy with the innocent face. The basketball playing, straight-A student with the overpowering smile. I remembered kissing him for the first time in the gym, both of us nervous, but both of us wanting nothing more than the other.
Now, here I am, sitting next to that same boy, ten years later, as his husband. When he looked at me, I saw the ghost of the boy who stole my heart, who went through so much shit with his family because of me. The boy who forgave me every single time I screwed up. "I'm so sorry, Chase," I whispered, my eyes watering. "You put up with all the bullshit I threw at you, and you never once gave up on me."
"You've made mistakes, and I know that. That doesn't make me love that man who rescued me from my own home, the man who gave me a true family," he replied. "And for the record, Geoff, Shaun and their kids will be hear in three days. So let's get going."
Smiling, I started the car. I pulled out, and once we were heading home, I grabbed onto Chase's hand. "We're in for one hell of a ride," I said, my eyes smiling at the thought of getting the whole gang back together, even if it was for one last ride.