by Kit Fortier
“We’re not kickin’ you out, baby boy,” Sarah added. “But we want you to know we’d understand if you and these two wanted to go off together.”
Ben looked over at Jake, whose smile threatened to float off his face.
“Whatever you want, Big Ben. We’ll go where you go.”
Ben gave his father a look of uncontrolled excitement.
“Can we road trip to San Diego?”
*** Fox
Fox stared at his phone.
He wanted to make the call.
He didn’t want it to be true.
But he wouldn’t know unless he made the call.
And tore him up inside.
Sully said he’d killed his father—and he prayed to whoever would listen that it wasn’t so.
“Baby,” Jake said, sliding his arms over Fox’s shoulders, pressing a kiss to the back of his head, “call him. We won’t know until you do.”
“Stay with me?” Fox asked.
“Always,” Jake answered.
Fox took a deep breath and pressed “dial”.
He waited for the phone to connect. It did.
He waited for the phone to ring. It did.
He waited for someone to answer.
And waited.
And waited.
His heart chipped with every passing tone.
When the phone went to the answering machine, he heard his father’s recorded voice, and his heart broke. Jake wrapped himself around Fox trying to hold him together. The phone hung from his hand as he tried to bury his face into his knees.
A faint “Hello? Fox?” could be heard. Fox almost dropped his phone before he put it on speaker.
“Dad?”
“Son, is that you? Sorry about that—I misplaced my phone, so the machine picked up, and I tried to get it to shut off. You know me,” Martin said. “What’s on your mind, son? Do you need anything?”
“No, Dad,” Fox burst out laughing through his tears. “I wanted to check in.”
“Alright. Well, your paychecks have been on direct deposit, so keep an eye on your account.”
“Paychecks? Dad, I’m not working, remember?”
“I know, son. But I’ve passed the business on to you. Well, it’s in your name, since you have people running it. The payroll is set up and everything. All you have to do is stop in every now and then and check that they hadn’t burned the place down,” Martin said. There was a laugh in his voice.
“Thank you, Dad. That’s… That means a lot to me."
“I also transferred a chunk of my savings, buddy. I don’t need it. What I have to give, son— I’ll give it all if you need it. Make something of your life, okay, Fox? Take care of that man of yours, son, and you take care out there.”
“Will do. Love you, Dad.”
“Love you too.”
Fox stared at his phone. Jake kissed him on the temple.
“I’m happy for you, Fox,” Jake whispered into his skin.
Fox sniffled loudly.
“Why would Sully say that, Jake?”
“I can’t say I know, babe. I imagine it’s the same reason why Meredith would show me that glamour with Taylor and Sarah. It was all lies meant to hurt, to misdirect, throw us off. Get us to make rash decisions that would end up in their favor.”
Fox nodded. “I fucking hate magic users,” he growled.
“Can’t hate them all, hon. Some try to do good with the Aether, but then some go too far.”
Fox had nothing to say for some time.
“Oh shit,” Fox exclaimed. “I forgot to tell Dad about us getting married!”
Jake smiled. “We’ll do it proper when we’ve got a home. Sound good?”
Fox nodded. “Sounds perfect.” He sat in silence for a long while with Jake at his back. "Dad gave me the business."
"I heard," Jake said, nodding."
"And he said he transferred over money from his savings."
Again, Jake nodded slightly. "He said 'a chunk'."
Fox held onto his next word, knowing what he wanted to ask, though completely unable to say it. When it finally came, Jake was ready.
"Why?"
The man behind squeezed the man in front warmly. "I think he could see it in the both of us, hon. You are it for me, and I think I'm it for you."
Fox turned his head. His gaze danced from one pale, silvery eye to the next as he looked at Jake. "You don't have to think, Jake. You are." He leaned his face towards Jake's until their lips met gently. The kiss they shared was soft, undemanding, but full of unspoken promise.
Jake brought Fox to his feet and carefully undressed him. After undressing himself, the two lay in bed, the fox curled into his bear, and slept.
*** Jake
Jake tied down the brunt of Ben’s heavier things in the back of Fox’s truck, now red once more, original license plates restored. The need for camouflage was now over. Ben rested his elbow on his father’s shoulder and wiped a little sweat off his brow.
“Is that all of it, son? You can pack more if you want to,” Jake asked.
“Is Fox alright with that?”
“No worries, Ben! It can handle it,” Fox said, flipping through maps on Jake’s tablet. “Gotta make a shell for it though—it’s supposed to rain in Vegas.”
“Got any tarps inside?” Jake asked. Ben nodded.
“Be right back,” he said, and was off in a flash.
“I’ll be right here,” Jake said softly. He heard Fox chuckle.
“Something funny, handsome? Jake asked, putting his elbow over the truck door.
“Oh, nothing,” Fox grinned. “I just remember saying that the first time I met you.”
“I know. I also heard you kick yourself after. Your lodge needs thicker doors.”
Fox leaned out the door and gave Jake a quick peck. “Did you get your books?”
“Yeah. Ben put them in with his stuff.”
*** Ben
Ben stared around the garage, searching for the tarps. He knew one day he’d be leaving—he just didn’t know if his Dad would be with him. He didn’t know he’d end up exchanging one family for another.
Well, adding to his current family, at any rate. His father was eager to be a part of his life after about a decade of not being there, and Fox—
That was another matter entirely.
He kicked himself for his ridiculous attraction to the guy. But it wasn’t something he could help. Fox was gorgeous, capable…
And very, very much in love with his father. Ben sighed.
“Looking for something, big guy?” Taylor asked, peering into the garage.
“Tarps, if we have any to spare,” Ben said with his back to his surrogate father. “Something Fox and Dad could use.”
Taylor joined him at his side. Well, at his shoulder, more or less. Mr. S was a scrappy little guy.
“Well, the tarps aren’t likely to be with the paints,” Taylor offered. “Want to try the cabinet with the tents?”
Ben shook his head and landed a loud, solid punched on the garage wall. Everything hanging off the wall jostled and shook a little, until it all quickly came back to rest.
“Hey, hey, chill out, Ben,” Taylor said. “You’ve never used your karate or your wing chun in the house. Don’t start now, buddy.”
“I’m an idiot,” Ben said, his voice low. With his Dad and Fox right outside the garage door, he didn’t want to raise alarm.
“You’re far from it, kiddo,” Taylor said, taking a look at Ben’s fist. “But you did scrape up your knuckle.”
“I know,” Ben said. The mope was clear in his voice.
“Is this because of Fox?” Taylor said softly.
“How did you know?” Ben asked, his heart rate elevating.
“Buddy boy, you would not be much of a man who likes men if you looked at Fox and didn’t want any,” Taylor grinned. “Hell, he rings a lot of my bells, too. But… two things.”
“Mrs. S.”
“And?”
Ben’
s heart sank. “He’s only got eyes for Dad.”
“Yep. So, what can you do, Benj?”
Ben half-grinned at his surrogate father’s nickname for him. “Be friends.”
“Good. ‘Cause, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I think your dad’s only a wee bit possessive when it comes to his man.”
Ben snickered.
“Here,” Taylor said, tossing Ben three tarps. “See if they can make use of those.”
“Thanks, Mr. S.”
“No worries, Ben. Hey—you can leave your big stuff, you know that, right? That room is yours whenever you need. Even when we move, we’ll keep it for you.”
Ben nodded, giving Taylor a weak grin.
“Don’t cry buddy. We’ll come and visit you and your Dad and his.”
Ben’s weak grin turned into a smile, then he went back in the house.
*** Jake
Jake grinned at his man, who was staring at the numbers on his phone. For the past twenty years, the senior Foster had put away every penny he earned from the motel. After a series of solid, well-placed investments, coupled with the money from the family estate, Martin Foster grew a sizeable, honest fortune. He deposited it all in Fox’s name since his son was running around in diapers.
It was a lump sum deposit of over three million, nine-hundred thousand dollars. The older Foster called that “a chunk”.
Fox looked between his phone and Jake, who only smiled in return.
“What are you gonna do with that, baby?” Jake asked. For an innocent question, Fox burst into happy tears.
“I don’t know—we could buy a house, we could get an RV—”
“We?”
“Of course, we! We’re getting married, aren’t we?” Fox cried.
“You’re getting married?” Taylor asked, standing next to Ben. “That’s awesome! I wanna plan the bachelor party!”
“Whose, sweetheart? They’re both bachelors,” Sarah countered, hanging off Taylor’s shoulders.
Ben smiled at his Dad.
“That’s great news, Dad. When did you plan on doing the deed?”
“Um,” Jake looked back and forth at Fox, at the Samuels. “Tomorrow?”
Fox shook his head.
“Today?”
Fox nodded vigorously.
“I guess we’re getting married today,” Jake said, grinning.
“The Elmore County Recorder’s office isn’t too far from here,” Taylor said. “Do you want us to come?”
“Are you kidding?” Jake cried. He swept Taylor and Sarah up together, kissing them both on the cheek. “You’d better!”
Sarah squealed. “Put me down, you big gorilla!” Taylor just laughed.
“It’s in my GPS,” Fox called out.
“It’s in his GPS—it’s in his GPS,” Jake repeated to both of the Samuelses, his giddiness uncontrollable.
“Yes, yes, we heard,” Taylor said. “Go before you put us all into a diabetic coma with your goofy cuteness.”
“We’ll follow you,” Sarah said. “You comin’ with us, big guy?”
“If it’s okay, I’d like to go with Dad,” Ben said.
“Of course, son,” Jake replied. “Hop in!”
“We’re gonna change and freshen up. Be right back!” Sarah said, taking her husband by the arm and heading back inside.
“Before I forget,” Ben said, handing Jake the tarps. Fox hopped out of the truck.
“I’ll help you,” he said, as Jake unfolded the three black tarps, laying one of them over the other.
Fox and Jake spread the tarp over Ben’s belongings, hooking the plastic to the chain notches in the bed.
“Hey, Ben? Can you follow me across the street to the playground? I’m gonna need some sand,” Jake said. Ben furrowed his eyebrows, but shrugged and went along, with Fox not far behind. The three brought armfuls of sand each in the improvised basket of the shirt fabric at their waists. Jake poured his over the tarp, and the other two followed suit—each one brushing the dirt off their fronts.
“What are you doing?” Ben asked.
“Watch,” Fox said. Within moments, the sand on the tarps became panes of glass, and the tarps themselves bubbled up and out. Everything shifted and moved into place. Within moments, a black shell with a hinged window formed over the truck’s bed.
“It’s sealed to the truck, baby,” Jake said.
“Good, don’t want it flying off, and poor Ben’s gear getting soaked,” Fox replied.
“Dad, you gotta teach me,” Ben said, his voice a little giddy.
“Soon enough, Ben. First, we get you to California. After this. Getting married. Me! To him—”
“Dad,” Ben interrupted. “Fox is waiting for you.”
Jake turned around and saw his man having a snicker fit.
“Quiet you,” Jake growled playfully.
*** Fox
The county recorder’s office was amidst other county offices. It was only minutes away, as Taylor described. As Fox pulled up, so did the Samuelses.
Within the course of an hour, Jake and Fox had filled out the forms. They read the mandatory pamphlet on HIV and paid the cash necessary to make their union a reality. After meeting with the clerk, it was official.
Jake and Fox were the Foster-Hughes family.
Sarah and Taylor followed the new family out the door.
“Is this where we leave you?” Sarah asked.
“I’m afraid so,” Jake replied.
“Where are you three off to?” Taylor pulled his wife closer.
“We’re gonna take this guy,” Fox put a hand on Ben’s shoulder, “to Las Vegas. Gonna hang out there for a little bit, then it’s on to San Diego.”
“Oooh, the Strip! That’s fun!” Sarah smiled.
“A honeymoon in Vegas? You lucky bastards. For our honeymoon we—”
“The next thing out of your mouth better be how much you loved that trip to France, or I will definitely not be doing the finger thing for a very long time.”
Taylor struggled to keep a straight face on as he spoke. “Our honeymoon was spectacular. I loved the ark de troomph and the shams-e lisa and the loov.”
“He means the Arc de triomphe, the Champs Elysees, and the Louvre,” Ben added with accented French.
“What the big guy said,” Taylor beamed. “Show-off,” he muttered, playfully nudging his adopted son in the ribs with his elbow.
“Anyhow, this is for you, baby boy,” Sarah said, her voice wavering. She held out a thick greeting card envelope. “Your graduation present.”
Ben scooped Sarah up in a hug. “You didn’t have to do that, ma’am.”
“Oh honey, we didn’t, but we did,” Sarah wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck. “You are going to be inspiring, and I would not be surprised if you changed the world.”
Jake teared up. Fox held Jake’s hand, resting his head on Jake’s shoulder as they watched.
“Hey big guy,” Taylor said. “Save a hug for me, okay?”
Ben set Sarah down gently and stooped over to pull Taylor in.
“I’m going to miss you, Mr. S. You and the missus.” Ben sniffled. Taylor did too.
“I’d say make us proud, but you have, kiddo. Every day with you has been a blessing,” Taylor wiped his eyes. Ben stepped back and wiped his.
“Leigh,” Taylor opened his arms to his old friend. “He’s in your hands now,” Taylor gasped, unable to hold his tears.
“Thank you, Taylor,” Jake whispered, his own voice shaking. “You and Sarah.”
“God, you boys are the cryinest bunch of babies,” Sarah laughed, her own eyes wet. Jake pulled her into the embrace between friends as well. When they pulled apart, Taylor handed Jake an envelope.
Taylor ducked his head when Jake took hold of the envelope. “It’s not much.”
“Samuels, you and Sarah already gave me the best gift,” Jake said, reeling Ben in.
Sarah piped up. “We’ll see you in San Diego soon. Call us when you get to Vegas. And in your new
home in California!”
Fox wrapped his arm around Jake’s waist as Jake held his son close. “I’ll make sure he does.”
*** Ben
Ben watched the lights of Vegas fly by the window. He marveled at the decadence of it, how encompassing it could be. The three of them in Fox's little red truck adrift in a sea of lights and sound. The entire state of Idaho—with its single area code for the whole state—couldn’t compare with the city alone.
“I booked us rooms at the Bellagio,” Fox grinned.
Jake’s eyes narrowed at his new husband. “What kind of rooms?”
“Well, there’s a room with a king-sized bed for Ben…”
Fox closed his mouth and quietly hummed. Ben waited for whatever was coming next. Jake couldn’t wait.
“And for us?” Dad blurted out.
“What do you mean?”
“You know! Our room?”
“Next to Ben’s room?” Fox asked. Ben could see Fox was toying with his old man and stifled a snicker.
“Fox Foster-Hughes, I swear to god—”
“I like the way that sounds,” Fox grinned.
Jake scrubbed his face vigorously. “Fox!”
“It’s a two-bedroom penthouse suite. That overlooks the fountains.”
Jake stared at Fox. Ben snickered openly.
“What’s so funny, Big Ben?” Jake glared comically over his shoulder.
“You, Dad. Why the weird look?”
“That’s gotta cost a lot of money,” Jake groaned.
“About five thousand dollars.”
“Five thousand dollars?” Jake cried.
Fox nodded, his eyes on the road.
“Foxy—”
“Papa bear?”
“You sure?”
“It’s our honeymoon.”
“Yes, but—”
“It’s also your son’s graduation.”
“Okay, it’s just—”
“We’ve still got about three-million, nine hundred, twenty-five thousand left, baby. We’re good to go.”
Ben couldn’t get enough of the verbal tennis match in front of him. He was used to the Samuelses’ brand of sparring—this was new, and just as hilarious.
“I hope my bedroom is down the hall behind a couple doors,” Ben said. “Back home, at least they had Mr. S’s soundproof room to do their thing.”
He saw a blush creep up both Jake and Fox’s neck.
“Yeah, I bet you guys are screamers,” Ben snickered. Fox grinned, and Jake put his head in his hands.