I Won't Give Up

The next day, I watched as Dawson and Ameila laughed and played in the front yard. Junior was currently drinking his bottle, watching some show on the TV, giggling every now and again. Walking over to the front door to get a better look at my better half and our daughter, their smiles lighting up their faces, I couldn't help but feel relief for once.

Looking around, I noticed someone coming up the street. His hair flew in the wind, his eyes had that stern expression, and when he was in better view, I nearly choked on my own spit. "Daddy!" I heard Ameila yell, running for the man.

"Amy!" Dawson said, running after her, grabbing her before she came too close to the man. "That's not ... daddy," he said, looking up at the man, who had stopped in his tracks to look at the two of them. "Greg?" I heard Dawson ask, looking at the man I haven't seen or heard from in nine years.

"Greggie, get out here!" the man said, looking at the house, directly at where I was standing. "Greg!" he called, storming for the house. Making my way over to Junior, I picked him up and he dropped his now empty bottle. Walking outside, I met Angel halfway up the sidewalk, both of us still and silent. After a very long five minutes of a stare down, he said, "You, twin, are one hell of a person to track down, Gregory."

"Greg, who is this man? And why does he look so much like you?" Dawson asked, taking Junior out of my arms. I broke eye contact with Angel and stared down at Dawson with a look of sadness. Trying to smile, I finally replied.

"This is Angel, by twin brother," I said, causing Dawson to gasp. "After what had happened nearly nine years ago, we split ways and haven't heard or seen each other since. I never mentioned him because it was painful."

"We can't change the past, Greg," Angel said, causing me to look back at him. "Our adoptive parents wouldn't have liked what had happened to us."

"I know, Angel. I know," I said, tears welling in my eyes. Closing the space between us, I wrapped my arms around my twin brother and held him close, a wave of comfort flooding me that hasn't been there since our last day together. "I'm so sorry," I whispered, my hand raising up and bunching in his hair. "I'm so, so sorry."

"We have a lot of catching up to do," he said when we finally broke apart. He looked at Dawson who was watching us carefully. Ameila and Junior were also watching us. "Like, who are these people?"

"Baby brother, I want you to meet my fiancee, Dawson, and our wonderful miracles, Ameila, and Junior. Named after me, of course," I said, pointing at them when I said their names. "Dawson, Ameila, Junior," I said, looking at Angel with a grin, "this is my baby twin brother Angel."

"It's nice to meet you," Dawson said, adjusting Junior on his hip and sticking his hand out towards Angel, who shook it.

"Pleasure to meet you as well," he said, smiling. "Now, Gregory Valeno, I must inspect your fridge. I'm starved," and at that, he walked into the house as if he owned the place.

"Valeno?" Dawson asked, looking at me. I grinned sheepishly.

"That was the last name of our adoptive parents, and we took it," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "I changed it in hope that I'd forget every bad thing that had happened up until the day me and Angel split ways for the first time since we were teens."

"Let's go make sure he doesn't wreck the place," Dawson said, looking exhausted. "I thought one of you was work, now I get two of you and two kids."

"Oh, Dawson. This is nothing compared to what our parents had to deal with. There was me and Angel, Anna and Aurianna -- another set of twins, Kassie, Krystal, and Jasper -- triplets, as well as Michael, Jackson, Fred, Shaun, Geoff, Keegan, Hunter, and Will. And there was also Quintin for a while, but he passed away due to brain cancer."

"How in the hell did they do it?" Dawson asked as I opened the door to allow him to go through with the kids.

"Well, seeing how Angel and I were fifteen when we were adopted, and 2/3 of the others were adults, they made it work," I replied, watching as Dawson set Junior on his play mat. "You know, Dean and Chase -- our adoptive parents -- met the same way we did. Dean was Chase's teacher, and it went from there."

"You had gay adoptive parents?" Dawson asked, causing me to nod.

Leaning down, I whispered, "They scheduled orgies at least once a month." Dawson snorted. "I'm seriously. Scared the crap out of me and Angel when we found out. Didn't it?" Angel nodded as he came in with a bowl of last night's dinner in his hands.

"It was always fantastic. The pool, the ledge, the lodge, the house. There wasn't a spot where one didn't take place."

I laughed as I walked over to him and bumped his hip before going into the kitchen. "Chase was a firecracker, though. He was everyone at once it seemed like. No one could cook because it was his kitchen. I adopted Dean's anger, though. Oh, boy, did I ever," I said, grabbing a chilled bottle of water.

"Then there was Fred and Micheal, who were just as bad when it came to things," Angel said with a mouth full.

"Hey, there are impressionable children here. Watch what you do," I said, pointing at Angel, who only smiled. "I wonder if the lodge is still up," I said, more to myself than anyone.

"It is. I moved there. Had to spruce it up a bit, but it's still holding up, strong as ever." Angel plopped down on the floor, continuing to stuff his face. "Oh, I gave up trying to be a vegan. I missed burgers," he said, making me laugh.

"On;y you would try and give up burgers," I said, plopping down next to him. Resting my head against his shoulder, I looked up at Dawson and smiled, feeling as if my home was more like a home.