“Let’s go get married, beautiful girl.”
“Ready when you are.” The golf cart ride is short, and seeing his family, now my family, all waiting for us is overwhelming for a minute. I take deep, controlled breaths, and he stands by me, not crowding me or trying to calm me. He is allowing me to do this on my own, like he understands how important it is to me.
I control myself, and look at him. “Forever.”
“Forever,” he says back to me.
The walk down the aisle is short, and we reach the minister before I realize it. Starting with our traditional vows, we recite them back to each other and move on to our own. Neither of us prepared anything, we are just speaking from the heart.
He turns to me, “Teryn, from the moment I saw you, I knew you were special. I learned just how special you were through time, and you became my world. We haven’t had an easy road, but in the end I think that makes us better prepared to face this world, together. You have shown me patience, faith, friendship, intimacy, and love. I promise you, forever. When I envision our future, the only thing I am sure of is that you will be by my side through it all, and for that I am the luckiest man alive. I love you with all that I am, and I will never let you forget that.”
Chapter 35
Dustin
July 11, 2020
Seeing her standing in the middle of the room waiting on me was a sight I would never forget. Not just her beauty, but also the realization that after everything, we were going to make it. Not just survive, but soar through obstacles and life moments together. There is truly nothing I can’t do with her by my side. She is not only etched in my skin, but she is seared in my heart.
She turns to me and begins, “Dustin, you came into my life when I had no hope, and gave it to me. I hoped and dreamed we would someday be here, and today you have made every dream and fantasy I have had, come true. The reality is so much better than what I ever thought it would be, and for that I thank you. I know we have failed each other at one time or another, but what matters is that in the end we overcame the failures and now will become one. My heart beats for you, my soul calls out your name, and with every breath I take, I will tell you I love you. You saved me, and in return I give you all of me, forever.”
We are announced husband and wife, and I kiss her like she is the oxygen keeping me alive. That isn’t that far from the truth. Sure, I was alive without her, but I wasn’t living, and now each day forward is a day I will cherish and live to the fullest because she will be with me. “I love you,” I whisper against her lips.
The reception is so low key because it is just family. Of course Amelia, Mitch, and Max’s parents, and Colby’s parents are here, and after everyone congratulates us and the reception begins, I take it all in and again count each one of these people amongst us a blessing. Ready for the first dance, I nod to Brielle.
I reach for Teryn and pull her with me to the make-shift dance floor. I have no clue what Brielle is going to sing, but I know she won’t let me down. “I want to say congratulations Dustin and Teryn, may your future bring you everything you wish for. Here is your song, ‘Love Never Fails’ by Brandon Heath.
Holding her in my arms, surrounded by family, right now I feel like I finally found the peace and calming nature my sisters are always talking about. The safety in someone else’s arms becomes your home. You don’t have to wonder about life and where it will take you, but enjoy the ride with your best friend. In this moment I feel like I am someone my grandparents can be proud of, and it is all because of the girl in my arms who made me the man I am today. When I found her I was floundering, unsure of who I wanted to be; up until that point I had always been the only boy in the family, the baby. I had everyone do everything for me, and I was a douche, no other word to describe my behavior.
The day I saw Brent threaten my family, a light went off in me, and I became a man, who decided that instead of causing problems for my sisters, I was going to fix them. I was in over my head, full of resentment and bitterness at being kept in the dark from what really happened with our parents, but most of all I was scared. Then I broke in a house one day, and my world changed. I was no longer afraid of what came next. I just wanted to take each step with Teryn by my side. I wanted to be the safe haven she needed. It took us two years and many hurdles we had to jump, and sometimes we weren’t on the same page, but now there is no stronger team.
“Want to get out of here, beautiful girl?”
“Can we leave our own reception?”
“We can do whatever we want, as long as it is together. Remember that.” She nods, and I catch Tyler’s eyes and tilt my head to let him know we are heading out. He gives me a knowing smile and wave.
Chapter 36
Tyler
I catch Dustin’s drift. Even if it wasn’t his wedding night, I don’t blame him for stealing her away from everybody. Those two have been through hell and back, but ended up right where they needed to be. I have seen him emerge from a toddler, to teen, on to a young man, and tonight he became the man I always knew he was destined to be. It wasn’t always easy for him, and he made mistakes along the way, but don’t we all? Our past choices and decisions should never be used against us. I consider them stepping-stones along the journey of life. Nobody ever gets it right all the time, but your true character shows when your life and love are on the line. He proved that by wasting no time getting hitched.
Addison walks up behind me and wraps her arms around me. “What are you doing over here by yourself?”
“Just thinking, having a proud moment as I watch D.”
“Yeah, we did good. Some days I seriously doubted it with that boy, but when it mattered he pulled through.”
“He sure as hell did. Addy, would you ever do anything different if you could? Change things?”
She is quiet for a moment. “Maybe. What about you?”
“I don’t think so. Sure, there were times that sucked, and I never want either of us to feel the pain we caused one another at some points, but I also don’t know if we would be where we are without those times. As I was watching Dustin today I got to thinking. None of us would be who we are without each other by our sides. I would never be the husband or father I am without you. But to get you, to deserve you and know it was forever. I had to do some pretty stupid things along the way. Do I ever want to see you in pain? No, but if you weren’t would you ever be as sure of us as you are? I think sometimes people have to truly lose someone and feel that pain to know that it is real and there is no other. Do you get what I am saying?”
“Yes, I do. Sometimes you have to fall apart with each other to come back together again?”
“Exactly, Lil’ Bit. I would fall with you any day of the week. I love you.”
“And, I you. Can you believe all of our “first” kids are married and on their own? It is a bittersweet moment for me.”
“I know. I am afraid to turn around for one second because as much as I hate to admit it this is going to be Shiloh and Cheyenne one day. That is why I try to cherish the moments we have.”
“Agreed. Why don’t we cherish this moment and go and defile Brielle’s basement?”
“I like the way you think, Addison James.”
“There are lots of things I like about you, Tyler James, but thinking isn’t one of them.” I smack her ass, and we make our way into Brielle’s house. Knowing I will have one upped Brielle’s ass by having sex in her house, makes it all the better.
Chapter 37
Max
December 3, 2020
I am a father. Cambree gave birth to a beautiful baby girl today. She has her mother’s beautiful eyes. The whole fucking crew has invaded the hospital room, and if one more of them hold my daughter I may arrest them all. Like she knows what I am thinking she clears her throat to get my attention. Shaking her head no, she is silently reminding me this is how our family does shit, not normal.
“We want the name, now,” Addy speaks up. Teryn is right next to her holding
my baby girl and is swollen with a bundle of joy herself. Dustin wasted no time knocking her up. Cambree jokes that they are the only ones that put a ring on it first.
“Ariel Hope, after all of our sisters,” Cambree exclaims. When we found out we were having a girl, there was no question in the name; she threw it out there, and I agreed because nothing was more perfect. The two women who helped raise her and make her the strong and wonderful woman she is deserve to have a namesake, and I am thrilled Cambree could give that to them. Hope will live on in our memories, and we will tell our daughter about her aunt in heaven when she is old enough.
Mitch has been quiet, and I notice Kayleigh is leaning on him, like she is tired. “Everything okay, Mitch?” I ask. Thinking back, Kayleigh has been sick the last few gatherings we have had.
He looks to her and she rolls her eyes. “Kayleigh is pregnant, with twins. That is why she is so sick.”
There are cheers and yells that wake my baby up, and she is crying, so I order every one out. That is some bullshit right there, don’t they have common sense?
“Max, you know she is going to cry. It is okay.”
“Hush. There is no reason for her to cry when I can make sure nothing upsets her enough to warrant tears.”
“Holy shit, I married an over-bearing, delusional man. You have to let her cry, her lungs have to develop.”
“As long as she is breathing, her lungs are fine. Quit handing me stupid ass wives’ tales you have read about.”
“Do you know what I just realized? There are going to be four kids under the age of one in the next seven months. We need to move.”
“Camy, you realize one of those babies is ours, right?”
“Yeah, it isn’t like we won’t visit.” She winks at me. Infuriating woman. I wouldn’t change a single thing about her.
Chapter 38
Addison
August 2023
All the girls get to go out tonight because the men have some super-secret meeting. That is fine with us, Teryn is pregnant, again, so we have a built-in designated driver, but of course our guys will show up at some point.
Cambree hollers, “Come on, I have to pee, hurry up in the bathroom.”
“C, you realize there is more than one bathroom in this house, right? You did live here the majority of your life.”
“Everyone is using the bathrooms getting ready. Brielle and Kayleigh are in my old one, and Teryn is in D’s old one. Oh, never mind one just opened up.”
I open the door to holler at her when I see Brielle and Kayleigh get shoved to the side so Cambree can run in. A few minutes later we are ready to go when I remember I need my lipstick, actual lipstick this time. I move to get it from the bathroom and see a fucking pregnancy test in the trashcan.
“Everyone, here, now.” I can’t even form a sentence.
They all crowd around the door, and I pick up the trash can. “Care to explain?” I shove it towards all at them, wanting the guilty culprit to speak up.
“First of all Addison, it isn’t mine, but you do realize we are all married with kids? It is okay if one of us is preggo. We aren’t going to have to call MTV in to film. So it isn’t mine, and it isn’t Teryn’s because we all know her ass is never not pregnant, so come on, who has a bun in the oven?” Thank God, Brielle reminded me. For a minute, I was living back in the time when Cambree was sixteen, and I almost freaked the fuck out.
“Oh, nope not mine. This baby factory is out of business. Mitch had a vasectomy, so I would have some serious explaining to do.” We all turn to Cambree.
“For fuck’s sake, I am pregnant, knocked up, bun in the oven, whatever you want to call it. Max’s super sperm met my fertile ovary. Geez,” Cambree spits at us. Damn pregnancy hormones. We all back away slowly.
On the way to the bar, Brielle says, “I am going to start using y’all’s initials. Addison you will be A.J., Kayleigh you will be K.B. . . . hey that is kind of cool, that is some toy store isn’t it. Although that is more fitting for A.J.” Sometimes I wonder where the hell she comes up with these ideas. Who in the hell sits around and thinks this shit up?
“Cambree is C.B. like the radio, and Teryn is T.J. That has some street cred to it.” All of a sudden, Teryn almost kills us when Brielle screams, “WHAT THE FUCK?”
“What the fuck what, B? You gave us a damn heart attack!” I holler at her.
“None of you bitches told me my initials were B.J. For nine fucking years I have had the initials of sucking dick.”
“If the dick fits . . . But seriously, Brielle, how did you not know those were your initials? Wait until I tell Tyler, you will be the one stuck on stupid.” She flips me off and just like that the initial game portion of the night is over.
Chapter 39
Cambree
Watching our men walk into the bar with all the sexiness and swagger they have, I am surprised the building doesn’t go up in smoke. Max reaches me and pulls me off the dance floor, and I protest, “Hey, we were dancing.”
“I see that, and as much as I like watching, I don’t like others watching. Besides, we need to go home, I have two spots I need filled up with names.”
“What in the world are you smoking? What spots?”
He looks at the other guys, and they all turn around and lift their shirts. Good lord, it is like a regular Chippendales show here. I am about to ask Addison if she brought extra lipstick. I look around and see most of the female population just stopped to stare. Yeah, eat your heart out, he is mine.
Dragging my gaze back to Max, I see his back and the tattoo he now has across it. It is a Celtic cross, and in the circle “Camy” and “Ariel” are placed leaving two empty spots on the bottom of the circle. I get it now. I walk from guy to guy and notice my sisters doing the same. Mitch has Kayleigh and Lucas on the top and Haley and Heather on the bottom, Colby has Belle and 381 on the top and CJ and Riley on the bottom, Tyler has Addison and Lil’ Bit on the top and Shiloh and Cheyenne on the bottom. I reach Dustin and I laugh because at the rate he and Teryn are going he is going to need another tattoo. He has Teryn and Ainsley on the top, with Krista and an empty space on the bottom. “How’s that going to work?” We all know Teryn is pregnant with twins . . . girls again.
“There is always room for more ink. As long as she keeps having them, I will make space.” He has grown into such an amazing man. All of us laugh at Teryn’s reaction. She keeps telling him no more but then ends up pregnant.
Right then ‘Play It Again’ by Luke Bryan comes on the sound system, and we all pull our men on the floor. Max isn’t one for dancing, except horizontally on the bed, but for me he makes an attempt. “What do you say about those two spots, Camy?”
“How about one more, and then we can have our initials all intertwined in the last spot?” I am hoping he agrees to this because pregnancy and I do not mix well.
He just laughs, “Whatever you want.” And I know he is full of shit, he will have his two spots filled up, and I will gladly do it while bitching the whole time.
Colby hollers over the crowd, “Can you fuckers still having babies, please have some boys. CJ and Lukas are going to have to work their asses off keeping the hell raisers we have now in line. We can’t have any more.” Ain’t that the truth . . . CJ and Lukas are mild compared to the girls, mine included, but that is par for the course, look at the girls in this crew.
“We will try,” Max and Dustin reply. Max loves his girl, and she has him so wrapped it isn’t funny. I keep telling him to wait for it, and he keeps telling me he has guns.
“Let’s go home and practice,” he whispers in my ear.
“No practice necessary, Superman. You hit it out of the park every time, Daddy.” I wink at him.
“Are you saying . . .?”
“Yes, I just found out today. That was fun.” He doesn’t give me a chance to explain as he yells bye to everyone and drags me out of the bar to our bed. Me being pregnant turns him into an animal, and I can’t say I mind. He doesn’t even get my
pants all the way down before he is thrusting into me, and in this moment I would stay pregnant forever.
The next day at breakfast he announces to everyone that I am pregnant, but he should have known the girls already knew. He never gave me a chance to explain. He reverts back to his normal phrase, “Not even kind of normal,” when I tell him about Brielle yesterday.
Epilogue -- 2025
Colby
The last few years have been challenging juggling everyday life with kids and a crazy as hell wife. CJ will be ten in a month. Riley just turned nine and is Brielle’s clone. I miss the days when she was sweet, but that has passed. Shiloh and Cheyenne are now eight, and Tyler is fit to be tied half the time. Those two girls are beautiful and all girl. They are Addison’s clones with Cambree’s attitude. Max and Cambree didn’t fill his two spots, but had another little beautiful girl, Caroline, who is two and Ariel will be five, but somehow they are total tomboys and daddy’s girls. Cambree can’t control them to save her life, but he walks in the room and those spawns turn to angels in the blink of an eye. Mitch and Kayleigh’s clan is done growing. Lukas will be seven and Haley and Heather just turned four. I can’t keep up with Dustin and Teryn, they have Ainsley who is four, Krista is three, Harley and Lauryn are two, and she is pregnant again.
We now have date nights in our homes. The kids can do their thing, and we can do the adult stuff. Right now, Addison and Brielle are in a heated debate about sex toys, and Brielle’s being a prude. If they only knew my woman in the bed, prude is not in her vocabulary. When Riley asks, “Mommy, what is a honey pot, and why did Aunt Addison say hers is filled with sweet nectar from Uncle Tyler?” I think my wife is going to explode.
Parker Sibling Series Box Set Page 70