by J. M. Dabney
“Hi, Camden.” Layla stopped beside him.
“Hey, glad you could make it. You look beautiful.” He couldn’t get over the likeness of mother and sons. The same blond hair and delicate features. The only difference was Layla’s dark brown eyes that appeared almost black, and Eric and Ellison had clear, pale blues ones.
“Camel ride and six transports, but I wouldn’t miss my boys getting married for anything. I just wanted to say thank you.”
“For what?”
“I’ve never been the greatest mother. They had more addresses before they were three than most people have in a lifetime. Yeah, I made their life fun, but it wasn’t stable, and I know my sons craved something normal. You gave them that. You love them. It took you a while to realize it, but you did.”
“I do love them. If you hadn’t made them the young men they are, they sure as hell wouldn’t have the skills to save me.”
“I didn’t say they weren’t capable and a little addicted to adrenaline. When I lost their dad, he really was the love of my life, and I lost myself. I brought them up with a don’t worry about tomorrow because it wasn’t guaranteed attitude.”
“I think that works for me. My job isn’t the safest.”
“Well, you know my sons can take care of you.”
“And I’ll take care of them.”
“I’m going to go find them. It’s almost show time.”
She gave him a quick, awkward hug and hurried off toward the house.
“You ready for this, man? We can get you out of here fast,” Liv asked from behind him, and he turned to find the entire Trenton Crew smirking at him.
“I’m not running. I got them, and I ain’t giving them up.”
“You got some great boys there. If they didn’t belong to you, I’d be snatching them for myself. Beautiful and a little crazy, that’s damn near perfect.”
He didn’t take offense. Liv avoided men at all costs. The man was severely scarred but still handsome, but the scars overshadowed his looks. Liv backed away when men came up to get a chance with the badass Trenton Team. He felt a bit sorry for him.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“We just wanted to say good luck and congratulations.” Gage held out his hand.
He shook it and looked at Little who was hiding something behind his back. It didn’t seem the man realized he could smell it.
“Little, take a walk.”
“Good deal, congrats, man.” Little smirked and ran off, straight for Lily.
“We’re going to go find our seats. I think Scary’s waiting for you.” Linus pointed passed his shoulder.
He turned his head to find Scary looking uncomfortable as fuck in a nice suit. He crossed the short expanse between them.
“Thank you for doing this, man.”
“Don’t thank me. To be honest, like you said a few months ago, we’re the only blood we got. Look at them.”
He let his gaze scan the yard and all the people seated or wandering around. Couples, triads, kids running around and babies in slings.
“This is what we got. Family is what we make it. It ain’t always perfect. Some you want or may need to arrest, but we’re here. Nothing says we have to be related by blood and they sure as shit don’t require family to be normal. Here and now, you don’t gotta be anything you ain’t. You can be fucked-up, and we’re still there when the phone rings.”
“She didn’t even return my calls after I sent the invite.”
“This ain’t about her or him. This is about you and your boys. None of that depressed shit today. Enough time for all that later, but again, these people in this yard, the ones that showed up…this is your family. Now game face, man, it’s show time.”
Scary pointed toward the house, and he looked up to find Eric and Ellison arm and arm with their mother. They wanted her to walk them down the aisle. Ernie was in the front row—the proud Dad position.
His boys were dressed in hippie style white linen shirts provided by Lucky and black jackets. Ellison had on a little extra makeup, and Eric had a new pink streak in his light blond hair. They were gorgeous. In the days leading up to the wedding, he’d lived in terror they’d come to their senses. It hadn’t happened, and he’d gotten a call that morning making sure he hadn’t changed his mind. That wasn’t going to happen.
“You did good, Camden, really good,” Lily whispered in his ear from behind him where she was positioned in the gazebo. The night was chilly, but they had heaters set up everywhere. There were just too many people to have performed the ceremony inside.
He held his hands out to Eric and Ellison. He tried not to notice that Layla held a little tighter before she let them go. He led them to stand at the base of the three steps, but never took his eyes off his boys.
“Before we start, Peaches and I want to take a minute to make an announcement. Camden, we’re always honored when our boys come to us and tell us they found their person or persons. It’s a parents’ proudest moment to know that their kids found love and acceptance. No matter the shape, shade or gender, love is what we all want. And today, Peaches and I, get to witness the joining of you, Eric, and Ellison. Our boys have all found their persons. You’ve all given us daughters, sons, granddaughters, and grandsons. You’ve gifted us with miracles that no higher power could ever dream to bestow. Camden Pelter, you’re a sometimes snobby, too lawful for your own good, asshole, but we love you and welcome to the family, son.”
Lily and Peaches were on either side of him, their lips pressed against his cheeks, and he closed his eyes.
“You’re accepted and loved. You were ours the minute you brought your oversized ass to us.”
“Thank you both.”
“Now that that bullshit is out of the way, let’s get these three married because I need a smoke.”
“Lily,” he warned, and she smirked at him.
“You see nothing, Sheriff, remember that.”
His boys chuckled, and he turned to look down at them. “I love you both, and I will do everything in my power to always make you happy.”
“We know, you already do,” Eric and Ellison spoke in unison.
Lily began the ceremony, even though it wouldn’t be all legal. He and Ellison had the marriage license, but this would join him with them both. He didn’t need some piece of paper to tell him they belonged to him and he was theirs. He’d waited a lifetime for a family of his own, his boys were that, but so were everyone else sitting in his yard. He’d come home when he’d accepted this job, and he’d found everything he wanted in a small Georgia town—far more than he expected.
Epilogue
Lou Was A Badass!
Oh, fuck, they’d done that to Lou, and she was going to kill them in their sleep. That was one of the nicest threats they’d received over the last twelve hours since she’d gone into labor. His boys had rubbed her legs, feet, back, and catered to her every need the past nine months. They’d even moved her into the house so that he and his boys wouldn’t miss a kick or an appointment.
He was sorry she was about to push out a ten-pound baby. He’d already apologized so many times. He cringed as she let out another scream and a steady stream of curses followed. Lou stood beside the bed, rocking her hips from side to side.
“Lou, come on, you have to breathe.” Carmen, the maternity nurse, smiled and spooned more ice chips between Lou’s lips.
He kind of figured something might be going on between those two, but Lou grumbled and said they were only friends.
“I don’t want to breathe and why didn’t I get a fucking C-section?”
“Because if I remember correctly, someone wanted the fathers to experience the miracle of birth.”
“Horror, horror of—”
Another scream cut off what she was going to say. He rushed to the bed as Dr. Hampton strolled in with a smile on his face.
“Are we about ready to push?”
“I’m ready for drugs.” Lou collapsed onto her forearms on the bed, her
dirty blonde hair stuck to her face.
“Let’s get you checked…the baby is doing great.”
As much as they wanted to know what they were having, they’d decided against it. Apparently, Lou knew but respected their wishes.
“Come on and lie down on the bed.”
“Could you hold me, Camden?” Lou asked, looking miserable.
“Of course.” He crawled onto the bed and leaned back, then helped Lou sit between his thighs. She rested against his chest.
He’d do anything for Lou. She was about to give them the best gift ever. He held her and massaged the sides of her belly. Eric and Ellison wrapped their hands around her knees as the doctor lifted her gown. His beautiful husbands watched Lou with such love and awe on their faces. They’d thanked Lou every day.
“Fully dilated, Lou, you know what that means.”
“When I feel like pushing, push.”
“You’ve done this before. You’re a pro.”
“You’re a badass, Lou. You got this,” he whispered in her ear and felt her small nod.
Suddenly, time was measured in heavy panting breaths, screams, and softly whispered encouragement from him and his boys. Minutes could’ve passed or hours, it didn’t matter. Eric and Ellison held her legs as she pushed, he rubbed the tensed muscles of her stomach.
“Come on, Lou, I see black hair, you’re almost there, on the next contraction bear down and push.”
The time came, she curled her upper body forward and groaned through the longest push.
“Another one, the head is out.”
He held his breath as she screamed, and then she collapsed. It seemed like forever before they heard the baby cry. He lifted his gaze to see a head of black hair as the doctor worked.
“Gentlemen, you have a gorgeous baby girl.”
“Elisabeth, her name’s Elisabeth.” Ellison seemed to be barely breathing as he watched his husband stare.
“Camden,” Lou’s voice was small and broken with emotion. “Could I hold her for a minute?”
“You can hold her as long as you want.”
By silent agreement, Lou sobbed as Dr. Hampton placed Elisabeth on her chest. They ignored what the doctor and nurses were doing—this was their moment.
“This doesn’t get easier. I thought it would after Matty. I understood with Ricky, but it doesn’t.”
“Lou, no matter what happens, you’re her aunt, and when the time comes, she’ll know that you gave me and my boys the greatest gift in the fucking world.”
“She’s beautiful, Lou, thank you,” Eric and Ellison said in unison as they leaned into her kissing her cheeks.
The four of them stared down at the slowly calming little girl.
“You never have to say goodbye, but we agreed to your wishes that you wouldn’t be around for a while.”
“I just need time. I did good, huh?”
He kissed her sweat-dampened hair and held her a little tighter.
“You make some beautiful babies, Lou. You made three families complete, and I won’t ever say that I understand the sacrifice you made, but know it’s appreciated.”
The moment drew out with Lou whispering soft goodbyes and then Carmen came and took Elisabeth away to get her cleaned. Another room was set up for them and Elisabeth. They’d go there and wait for their daughter to come back from the nursery.
“Y’all go on and spend time with your daughter. I need some time alone.”
They respected her wishes. He eased from behind her, and he led his husbands out of the room. He glanced back in time to see her break, and when he started to go back to the bed, Carmen was already there. She smiled and shooed them away.
“Will she be okay,” Eric asked, his blue eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sure she will, it’ll just take time.”
“If we’d known—”
“She’ll be fine, but she did something extraordinary today and painful. She made a sacrifice, and we’ll make sure she always knows she appreciated and welcomed into Elisabeth’s life. Let’s go to our room and wait for our little girl.”
The moment was bittersweet, joy tempered by the misery of another. He was overjoyed about their daughter, but heartbroken by the pain Lou would deal with. She’d kept Elisabeth safe and warm for months, felt every kick and nurtured a life that in the end, she knew she was going to give up. That was an act braver than he’d ever be strong enough to do.
“Eric, Ellison,” he said as they stepped into the room and the door closed behind them. They turned to him. “I love you both more than I will ever be able to say.”
“You don’t have to say it.”
“You show us every day.”
He kissed his boys while they waited, curled up on the too small bed, and talked about the future and plans. They’d saved his life in more ways than they’d ever understand. They were his everything, and he’d make sure they never regretted being his.
A sweet-faced nurse walked into the room with a beaming smile pulling a bassinet behind her. “Gentlemen, you ready to spend some alone time with your daughter?”
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THE END
About the Author
J.M. Dabney is a multi-genre author who writes mainly LGBT romance and fiction. She lives with a constant diverse cast of characters in her head. No matter their size, shape, race, etc. she lives for one purpose alone, and that’s to make sure she does them justice and give them the happily ever after they deserve. J.M. is dysfunction at its finest and she makes sure her characters are a beautiful kaleidoscope of crazy. There is nothing more she wants from telling her stories than to show that no matter the package the characters come in or the damage their pasts have done, that love is love. That normal is never normal and sometimes the so-called broken can still be amazing.
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Where to find J.M:
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