Chapter 24 - The Best Life

Where would I be if everything in my life was neat, tidy, under control and going EXACTLY as I'd always planned?

I sure as fuck wouldn't be where I am now, that's for sure.

I wouldn't have discovered that I like being loved. I like having my family around me. I like having my own personal BB at my side. Not to mention my pet Midget or my Squirt. I sure as fuck wouldn't own a dog.

So, every time I catch myself railing at the unexpected knocks life occasionally sends my way, I stop, take a deep breath, and then thank my lucky stars that my life has taken all these unexpected, and thoroughly wonderful turns . . .

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Gus and Sunshine had woken up in the big bedroom that his Daddy Jussin had told him was going to be all his. He loved the idea of having his own room here. He wasn't sure about all the pictures on the walls though, and was really glad that his Daddy Jussin had told him they were going to redo it all together. That sounded fun. He'd never got to do a room before. But, then again, almost everything that had happened since he'd come to live with his Daddy B'ine had been fun. Not like the bad times back when his Mommy and that mean man had made everything sad.

Gus didn't get a long time to lay around and contemplate his fun new life though, since Sunshine was getting pretty insistent that it was now long past time for them to get up. After peeing, washing his hands, and brushing his teeth, Gus had headed downstairs with Sunshine gamboling at his heels. He was really glad about the nifty new collar the dog was wearing, so that he could just open up the cabin door and let her out on her own. That really was cool - his Daddy Jussin was so smart.

While he was waiting for Sunshine to come back, he looked around the big main room of the cabin. He was really hungry. He wondered when the dads would get up and make breakfast. He looked up at the clock over the kitchen sink but wasn't really good at telling time yet - he knew that the big hand pointing one way and the little hand pointing another meant something, but he had forgotten which one was in charge so he couldn't tell if that meant it was two o'clock or six o'clock - so that didn't help him much. It was still really quiet in the house though, and not all the way light outside, so he didn't think it mattered what the clock said. His daddies probably wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

Just then Gus heard some scratching at the door and ran over to let Sunshine back in. Her fur was damp from running through the dewy grass, but she was smiling and panting up at him, looking like she'd had a good time. Gus patted her head, thinking again how happy he was that B'ine had gotten him a puppy. Daddy B'ine was such a nice daddy. Sunshine yipped a happy bark at him, apparently agreeing that she liked B'ine too.

Or maybe it was that Sunshine was hungry too and also wanted her breakfast? At least that's what Gus surmised when his tummy growled at about the same time. Together, the two of them padded off to the kitchen to see what could be done about this problem.

Looking around the empty kitchen, Gus sighed. He opened the fridge and gratefully saw some leftover chicken from dinner the night before. Gus pulled out the container of chicken and set it on the counter. Sunshine looked up at him expectantly; Molly usually fed her, but not even Molly was up yet this morning. Gus pulled a chair over, climbed up it so he could get onto the counter and then, standing on the marble top, he rutted around in the cupboard till he found a can of dog food. Unfortunately, that didn't help much because he soon realized he didn't know how to use the big, scary, electric can opener sitting on the counter.

Gus looked at the chicken, which had been drenched in a really yummy tomato sauce before it had been grilled. He remembered that Justin said that dogs shouldn't eat tomatoes though, so Gus grabbed one of the three remaining chicken breasts, clambered back down to the tile floor, pushed his chair over to the sink, climbed back up, and then carefully rinsed all the sauce off the chicken. Then he tore the meat up and put it into Sunshine's doggy dish. Sunshine looked and sniffed, finally deciding this was an acceptable breakfast and gobbled up the offering with doggy enthusiasm.

Deciding that he didn't want to try and reach the dishes, and too hungry to be upset that the food was cold, Gus sat down next to Sunshine in front of the open refrigerator, with the container of messy, cold, saucy chicken breasts between his legs, and ate with his hands. As far as Gus was concerned it was a wonderful breakfast. He was also pretty proud that he'd managed to fend for himself so well. It sort of inspired him to see what else he could do on his own. So, without bothering to wipe off his sauce-stained hands, the boy got to his feet and began to putter around the kitchen some more.

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Brian woke up to a knock on the bedroom door. Climbing out of bed with a yawn and pulling on his shorts, he made sure his favorite bedmate was covered then opened the door to see Gus standing there, dressed only in pajama bottoms, with two half filled cups of coffee, a face, torso and hands smeared with red sauce and a big grin on his cherubic face. Justin, who had woken up when Brian left the bed, was sitting up by then and staring at the sight before them with astonishment equal to Brian's.

"I makeded you's guys some coffee. I putted sugar in yours and milk in Daddy Jussin's, jus like you do," Gus announced with a big, proud, smile on his face.

Brian was a little leery. He didn't remember setting up the coffee pot before going to bed the night before. But he wasn't going to voice his concerns and ruin the boy's moment of glory. He took the cups from his Midget, ignoring the fact that they were both liberally coated with more of the saucy glop, and looked into the two cups as he made his way back to the bed. One definitely had milk in it, but was still very dark. After handing Justin that cup, Brian took a tentative sip from the other, and noted unhappily that it was barely warm. It was also barely drinkable. Before Justin could get his cup to his lips, Brian shook his head frantically at the blond.

"Midget, could you go get a napkin for Daddy Justin? You know how messy he is," Brian suggested diplomatically.

"Sure, Daddy B'ine. I be right back," Gus answered, hurrying from the room.

As soon as Brian saw Gus was gone he grabbed both cups and headed into the bathroom, dumping them down the sink.

"What was that all about Brian?"

"Believe me, BB, I just saved you from needing to re-enamel your teeth. I don't know what he did, but I'm pretty sure turpentine is less caustic."

When Gus came back with a napkin he looked at both men, who acted like they had just finished their coffee.

"You's drinked it awready? I'll go make you's s'more," Gus answered, turning to head out of the room.

"NO!" both men yelled, a little too loudly, before Gus could even get a foot down the hall. "That's okay, Midget," Brian continued. "We'll get more in a minute. Just out of curiosity, though, why did you decide to make us coffee today?" Brian asked.

"Well, I was hopin' that if I makeded coffee, den Daddy Jussin would make pand cakes fer breakfast. I was really hungry ‘afore, but you's guys weren't awake yet, so's I ated some of the chicken from last night, but I'm still not filled up yet." The boy patted his round tummy to demonstrate that he still had room for more, while innocently batting his long lashes Justin's way.

"Of course I'll make you some pancakes Gus. Just give us a minute to get dressed, okay," Justin suggested while he started to roll tiredly out of bed. "And, please don't touch anything on the way, kiddo. At least not till we get you cleaned up. Daddy Brian and I will be right out."

"Okay, Daddy Jussin."

The pair quickly dressed and headed to the kitchen, hopefully before Gus decided to do anything else ‘helpful'. When they got to the kitchen, though, they both came to a dead halt, blinking around them at the destruction visible at every turn. Their coffee mugs were not the only thing covered in red sauce. Gus - who seemed to have decided on one more piece of chicken while he was waiting for his ‘pand cakes' was sitting on the floor by the fridge, covered to the waist in splatters of orangey-red. There were also droplets of red all over the counters, the floor, the refrigerator door, the coffee maker, the cabinets, the sink and faucets, and, for some reason, one of the kitchen chairs.

"Midget . . . What the hell happened here?" Brian grumbled, trying to rein in his annoyance, but really struggling because it was far too early to be hit with something this catastrophic, especially when he hadn't yet had real coffee.

"I tolded you, Daddy B'ine. Sunshine and me gotted hungry so I washed the chicken off for her - cause puppies can't have tomatoes, right, Daddy Jussin? - an then we both eated the chicken togedder."

"Okaaaayyyy . . ." Brian turned to his gobsmacked partner, looking for some guidance and not finding much. "I'm sorry about your kitchen, BB. So, do you want to clean the orange Midget and I'll get started on the rest of this mess?"

The only thing that registered through Justin's shocked and still sleepy mind was the quip about an orange midget. That got him laughing, which helped to wake him up more completely. The kitchen really was a disaster area. He made a mental note to plan on having some less messy, more Midget appropriate breakfast foods on hand for the future, so that he and Brian could sleep in without fear of their home being destroyed.

Not wanting the befouled preschooler to touch anything, Justin picked Gus up, holding him out at arm's length, and carried the boy down the hall to the master bath shower, which just happened to be closest. Setting the temperature and the jets, he stripped the child and opened the shower for him, handing him a washcloth and a bar of soap. While Gus was busy, Justin relieved himself, washed his hands and brushed his teeth, then grabbed a towel and waited for the shower to be finished.

"Daddy Jussin, I likes yur shower, it's like a car wash for people," Gus commented as he finally emerged from under the water sprays.

Justin reached in and shut off the jets, handing Gus the towel. Then, making sure he was fluffed and thoroughly dried, Justin shooed the boy off to his own room with directions to get himself dressed and NOT to make any more of a mess until at least after lunch. With that taken care of, Justin went to see how much mess there still was in the kitchen.  

Brian was just then coming back into the room with the mop and pail. It had taken him a while to locate the cleaning supplies, since he wasn't familiar with the cabin, so he really hadn't gotten far on the clean up. Justin walked into the kitchen to see the open chicken container on the floor by the open fridge, surrounded by glops of sauce, and the dog's dish next to it, with little pieces of chicken still visible at the bottom.

Brian came to stand beside him, staring around at the mess as if he didn't know where to begin. Justin chuckled - both at the shambles of his kitchen and at the dismayed look on Brian's face - and walked over to pick up the now empty chicken container from the floor. Then he retrieved a sponge and the spray bottle of kitchen cleaner from under the sink, handed them off to Brian, took the mop and set to work on the floor.

Gus came in about halfway through the proceedings, clean and dressed, and sat at the kitchen table.

"Midget, I appreciate that you were hungry and all, but why didn't you just wake us up?" Brian asked, trying not to be angry, but feeling like this was a point that really needed to be made.

"Cause it was a lot early and I was tryina be good," Gus explained, looking a little guilty and worried that his Daddy B'ine wasn't happy with him.

Brian couldn't argue with that logic, so he just went back to his scrubbing of the counters, fuming a little, quietly, under his breath all the while. A few minutes later, he'd finally finished cleaning the sink and faucets, and was halfway down the counter when he came across a jar of instant coffee. It was open, with a wet, sauce-covered spoon still stuck in it. Well, that explained the coffee at least.

Brian picked up the jar and noted that it was almost empty. "Midget, how much coffee did you put in when you made it?" Brian asked.

"Five scoops, just like Molly showeded me when she makes coffee for you's guys in the coffee pot at home."

Justin, who had already finished his mopping and now had his head in the fridge, pulling out the ingredients he'd need for the ‘pand cakes', made a mental note to give Brian several blow jobs as a thank you for saving him from drinking what Gus had made.

"How did you get the hot water?" Justin asked, curious, since there hadn't been any mess at all on either the stove or the microwave, and relieved at the same time that the boy hadn't attempted either of those options.

"I turneded on the water in the sink and waited for the smoke to come, then I putted it on the coffee and stirrded it," Gus answered with a shrug as if the answer should have been obvious to the silly grown up.

"Well, Midget," Brian spoke up, finally finishing with the last spot of red on the counter. "How about, after breakfast, I show you how to make coffee in the coffee pot? It's not that hard and your Daddy Jussin likes that kind better than this instant stuff." Gus cheered from his seat at the table. "You just have to make sure you always come and tell us before you do it though," Brian cautioned, "because, when you use the big coffee maker, it will be too hot for you to carry around, okay."

"Okay, Daddy B'ine. That would be really great, and I pwomise to be really careful," Gus responded immediately, crossing his heart to seal the promise.

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After breakfast, Molly and Gus dressed in long pants and took sticks tied with ribbons so that they could carefully look for poison ivy and put the sticks near the plants to mark the spots. Sunshine would stay in the house for the time being, since they needed to find something for her feet before she got near any poison ivy without the adults around to watch her. Justin had called a local landscaper who would come out the next day and get rid of the plants, which should take care of their poison ivy problem for at least the rest of this season.

Meanwhile, Brian and Justin sat on the porch, watching their intrepid ivy hunters, talking about the house they wanted and deciding on which features each of them were looking for. Between the two of them, the plans they were coming up with were getting quite elaborate. It was sounding more and more like they'd need to build this fantasy home from scratch, since there was no way they'd find something ready-built that would fit all their many and varied needs. Brian was okay with that though - it sounded like a lot of fun to design their new house together.

At one point in the discussion, Justin commented that they'd need to make sure and ask the kids for their input as well. Justin was particularly insistent that Gus be allowed some say. When Brian asked why he was so concerned about Gus, Justin explained that he was worried the boy would feel left out and maybe a little insecure - after all the changes the tyke had already been through in the recent past, something like moving into yet another new house might be a bit traumatic.

Brian was embarrassed that he hadn't thought of that possibility himself. It wasn't that he didn't care about the Midget's feelings. He just didn't have the right instincts to know that the boy might need that kind of input in order to feel secure about the changes they'd been discussing. It hadn't even occurred to him. Justin was so much better at this stuff than he was.

This parenting crap just seemed to come naturally for his BB, while Brian felt like he was constantly struggling with it. Take that morning and the sauce disaster, for instance. Brian had been on the verge of getting frustrated and angry, but Justin seemed to just flow with the punches so easily. Seeing Justin there, so calm and sure and non-judgmental about everything, had helped to steady Brian as well. Justin was simply, hands down, a great parent. And Brian really loved the thought that Justin would be there to guide and help him through all the difficult parts that he knew would inevitably be coming. Even more importantly, he was glad for Gus that he'd have a father like that.

With this revelation in mind, Brian looked at Justin and asked him something that he had been mulling over ever since finding out Gus was his.

"Justin, I need to ask you something."

Justin looked up immediately, a little uneasy since Brian hardly ever used his given name anymore.

"What is it, Brian?"

"Would you be willing to adopt Gus? I know it's soon, but if anything were to happen to me . . . well, I really want to be sure that he's got someone like you there for him no matter what happens," Brian confessed, reaching out to hold Justin's hand while he spoke so as to help convey his sincerity through his touch. "And, even more importantly, I don't want Lindsay to be able to get him back. I know she gave up custody, but, well . . . I'm just worried that, if something happened to me, she might try to get him back," Brian blurted out, not sure if what he was saying made any sense or not, but sure that he wanted this for his son.

"Brian, when I agreed to be his other daddy, I meant it with all my heart. I would love to adopt him. I didn't ask because I didn't want to push you if it wasn't something you were ready for, but I probably would have said something eventually. I'm so happy that you were thinking the same thing."

Brian stood up and grabbed Justin out of his chair. "You are the most amazing man I know," he said before crushing his lips down on the blond's.

A minute later, Justin pulled back and looked shyly up at Brian. "I do have one request . . . But I'll understand if you say no."

"What is it?" Brian asked, curious, although he couldn't think of anything Justin might ask that he would refuse.

"Well, I'd like to change my last name to Kinney. I think it would be good for Gus if both his fathers had the same last name, and I truly hate having Craig's name."

Brian smiled and hugged his blond, "I think that's doable, BB. We'll talk to my lawyer as soon as we get back to Pittsburgh. That way we can just do all this legal stuff at the same time."

Justin's answering smile warmed Brian's heart. All the pieces of this strange new relationship - this family - seemed to be falling into place perfectly. Brian couldn't believe his luck or the fact that he was so comfortable with everything the way it was working out. And to think he'd fought this for so long. When he thought about it though, maybe it wasn't that he was fighting it, maybe he was just waiting for the right man and the right time.

But before they could make any further plans, they heard the kids coming back, loudly announcing they were done and all the ivy had been staked out. The whole family went inside together and, once Justin had settled them around the table with some restorative snacks, the adults talked to them about Gus' adoption and their idea about building a new, bigger place for all of them to live. Both kids were excited that they would get to help choose what kind of house they wanted. There were a few limits put on them though. Gus had wanted to have a big yard where they could have their own zoo and Molly wanted to know, since she was the only girl, if she could have her own small house built in the yard so she didn't have to be with the ‘males' if she didn't want to. Neither of which ideas were acceptable to the adults. Finally, both of the kids agreed to a small clubhouse in the yard and playground equipment, without the addition of any more animals. Both of the kids seemed happy about the adoption of Gus though.

Since it had started to rain while they were having their family meeting, they decided to spend the rest of the afternoon watching movies. Justin had made Irish stew for dinner because he knew it would be a stormy night and he loved when his mom had made Irish stew when it rained. Luckily, the next few days were supposed to be sunny and warm, so they would be able to go back to the swimming hole and play some outdoor games for the rest of their long weekend getaway. But, for that night, they were all happy to snuggle together on the couch and enjoy each other's quiet company.

Even Brian Kinney, the former Stud of Liberty Avenue.

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Molly and Gus had been in the bedroom for a while when Justin and Brian decided to go check on them. Molly had been rather quiet the last few days and didn't seem to want to talk about what was bothering her. She had seemed thrilled when Brian and Justin told her that they would be building a house that had more room, that they would all be living together permanently, and that Justin would be adopting Gus, so they didn't think that could be what was bothering the girl. Still, something was definitely wrong.

Justin was about to knock on her door, ready to confront his sister about whatever it was, when they heard her talking to Gus.

"You are so lucky Gus. You get to have two fathers that love you."

"They loves you too Molly. And I loves you, and so does Sunshine. You's gots lots of loves."

"I know. But Justin's my brother, not my father. I don't actually have any parents and you're going to have two."

"Why don't you have parents?" Gus asked, screwing up his face. He was pretty sure that everyone had to have parents.

"My father was a really bad man and he made my mother go away forever. So now I have no one. And you, your father, and Justin are all going to be ‘Kinneys', but I'm still going to be Molly Taylor. I won't be like all the rest of you. I'll still have the name of someone hateful. It's not fair."

"I's sowwy Molly."

"It's not your fault Gus. I'm glad that Justin wants to adopt you. You deserve that. And Justin loves you and your dad. You guys are going to be a great family."

"We all loves you too Molly. You should be in our family too. Maybe Daddy B'ine and Daddy Jussin could ‘dopt you too."

"Justin is my brother, I don't think he can adopt me, and Brian already has you, he doesn't need another kid."

Justin had tears in his eyes and Brian could see the first one already escaping to run down his stricken face. Before his blond started sobbing loudly, Brian grabbed him up and quickly took him off to their room.

"Oh, Brian . . . I feel horrible, she must think I don't want her. I really thought she was okay with me adopting Gus. But I didn't think what it would mean to her for me to take your name too. What am I going to do?" Justin barely got the words out between sobs as Brian held him.

"What WE are going to do is call my lawyer and see if it would be possible for you to adopt her. And if it is okay with you, I'd like to adopt her too."

Justin just stared at Brian, "You want to adopt Molly?"

Brian took Justin's hands in his as he looked into the empathic blue eyes. "BB, if I'd known that she wanted it, I would have suggested that I do it when I asked you to adopt Gus. I love my little Squirt. And it only makes sense. If we're really going to do this family thing, we ALL need to be equally part of it."

"You know, Stud, you are the best thing that ever happened to us. I love you."

"Me too, BB. Me too," Brian whispered the heartfelt words, not even stuttering as he said them despite himself. "I think, maybe I should go talk to my newest kid, now. You know . . . just to make sure she agrees."

Justin nodded his agreement with that plan and quickly dried his tears. Then the two of them traipsed back down the hall together. Knocking on Molly's door, they heard the kids whispering inside before Molly spoke up and told them to come in. Sitting down in the big armchair, Brian looked at Molly's tear-stained face and asked if she was okay. With a quick warning look to Gus, Molly answered,

"I'm fine. Must have just gotten something in my eye."

"Okay. But, could you come over here for a sec." Brian patted his lap so she'd know what he was asking. "I'd like to talk to you about something."

With a shrug, Molly got up and walked over to the chair and Brian pulled her onto his lap.

"You know how we told you that Justin and I are going to build a house so there's more room for everyone, right? That we're all going to be a family and that Justin's going to adopt Gus?" At Molly's nod Brian continued. "Well, we were also thinking that it would be a lot less trouble if everyone living in the house had the same last name - you know, like for when we get mail and deliveries." Now Molly began to look suspicious. "So, Justin and I were thinking - and this is totally up to you - but we were thinking that, if I adopted you, well, your name would be the same as ours. So, how about it, Squirt? Would you like to be my kid and become a Kinney too?" Brian asked the now stunned little girl sitting on his lap with tears streaming down her face.

Before she could even answer him Gus piped up. "See Molly! I tolded you that Daddy B'ine loves you."

"Of course I do, Squirt," Brian quickly agreed.

"I'd love to be your kid, Pops!" Molly squealed, wrapping her arms tightly around Brian's neck as she kissed his cheek.

"Yay! Now Molly can be my big sister!" Gus announced as he started crying. "I think I gots more of do's ‘happy tears', Daddy B'ine . . . Hey, maybe you should ‘dopt Daddy Jussin too, cuz he's already Molly's brother, den we'd all be ‘dopted."

"No, Gus, I not going to adopt Justin. But I think I'm going to marry him," Brian announced shyly, looking at the blond, who was now standing there beaming down at his man with such a bright smile it was almost blinding.

Molly got up from Brian's lap and it was quickly filled by Justin who was busy kissing his stud happily for the next several minutes.

"If you's guys need ta practice your kissing s'more, you should go to yer room now," Gus asserted, reaching down to pull at the two men's hands in order to get them moving. "Me and my big sister are gonna go have popcorn and watch movies. Right, Molly?" Gus piped up, making everyone laugh at his knowing comment.

Brian let himself be pushed out of the room, pulling his blond with him. He thought the Midget's idea of more kissing practice was a wonderful idea. Maybe they could even go a little further . . . take off their ‘special pants', let their big pokey dicks out to play and see what mischief they could get up to in that expansive shower? Justin seemed to be thinking the exact same thing, since he was already halfway undressed by the time they made it back to their room. To Brian, it seemed a fitting way to end this remarkable day.

When all the kissing practice, and associated other fun stuff, was over, the two men reemerged from their room, got the kids into their beds, the dog walked and the cabin shut up for the night, then climbed back into bed themselves. It was a nice, simple routine that Brian was beginning to get used to, and even enjoy. The settling in. The making sure his little family was all tucked safely away. The feeling like he and all those he cared about were exactly where they should be.

And, as his BB snuggled up to him, curled around his side with that mop of blond situated in the cup of Brian's shoulder, a feeling of utter calm and peace washed over him that was so welcomed and familiar now that it sort of shocked the former Stud back to full wakefulness.

"Hmmm," Brian murmured to himself, his words so low that the sound barely disturbed the night at all. "So this is what my life is going to be like? Shit! I never saw THIS coming."

Justin, responding to the sound of Brian's quiet voice even in his sleep, took that moment to sigh and squirm even closer to his big warm bed companion before drifting back off into quiet snores. His BB's reaction caused Brian to smile and shake his head. Sometimes he still couldn't believe the detour his life had taken. It was a fucking miracle almost. That he - Brian Fucking Kinney - would be here, sleeping next to the man he'd just proposed to, with their two kids safely tucked into bed somewhere down the hall along with their fucking dog . . . Well, the entire idea would have been inconceivable just a few months earlier.

Not that Brian was complaining, mind you.

Not at all. He had never been happier or more content in his entire life. And he owed it all to the arrival, one late night, of an Unexpected Midget, who turned up on his doorstep and promptly changed the entire world.

As he finally started to drift off into sleep himself, satisfied with the thought that this really was his life now, Brian found himself amused by the veracity of an old adage his mother used to repeat . . .

‘Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.'

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EPILOGUE: One Year Later

The wedding and adoptions were completed and the whole Kinney family was happy and healthy.

The wedding was small. It had been held at the end of summer before the kids started back to school. They had decided to do it so soon because the kids, especially Molly, wanted to start fifth grade as a Kinney and she wanted to be able to say that they were an official family.

The ceremony was held at the zoo, in the African Birds Aviary, where they'd had their first meal together. The kids had suggested it because they said that was the place where they first started to become a family.

Gus stood up for his father as his best man and Molly stood up for her brother as his ‘best lady', saying she was not and never would be any kind of ‘maid'. Deb and Emmett had done the decorating, and had somehow managed to keep it tasteful. The guest list was small, only consisting of people they considered their extended family; Deb and Carl, Emmett and Drew, Ted and Blake, Daphne, and Cynthia. Even Michael was invited and, for the most part, seemed to have resigned himself to Brian's new life.

The ceremony was short and ended with them lighting a unity candle with the kids. Their rings were platinum, engraved with the infinity symbol, and each contained an emerald and a sapphire. They'd written their own vows and Brian was rather proud of himself that he'd managed that much emotion without even batting an eye.

And, from there, the Kinney family headed off into the rest of their lives.

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By the time of their first anniversary, their beautiful house was finally completed and they were moving in. The first floor had a living room, dining room, family/media room, artist's studio, an office for Brian, a gourmet kitchen, and an extra large powder room. One side of the second floor had Gus and Molly's bedrooms, both with their own attached sitting rooms and bathrooms.

Gus had asked his Daddy Justin to paint a zoo mural on his wall, "so's I can always ‘amember how we gots to be a family".

His curtains and linens had a traditional jungle theme, despite Emmett trying to get him to go with purple and lime green. Gus had told the flamboyant man that he would only use those colors if Emmett could find ‘real aminals' with those colors. Aunty Em had proceeded to have Justin add a few lime green tree frogs and a couple purple starfish in the lagoon, so that they were both happy in the end.

Molly had decided on a seventies theme; she had black light posters, tie dye curtains and bedspread, lava lamps, a beaded canopy around her bed, and even a shag rug. She felt quite happy with the grown up feeling of her new space. Brian thought it a bit kitschy, but it was Molly's room not his, so he didn't complain.

There were two additional bedrooms for guests, each with their own bathrooms. The master suite was a little more traditional. Brian and Justin had decided on modern furniture and Brian had even gone with Justin's wish for jewel tones for the curtains and linens. Justin had chosen to use mostly sapphire and emerald, with accents of gold and silver, to reflect the colors of their eyes.

As promised, Justin had designed a magnificent bathroom for them. The walls were stone with accents of sapphire and emerald glass tiles. The huge shower had a rectangular rain shower showerhead in the ceiling and remote controlled jets on three sides. The extra deep jetted tub gave them plenty of room to have lots of fun in the tub. There was a double sink vanity with plenty of storage. The room even had two separate water closets off to the side, this gave the illusion of the room being a beautiful spa.

The basement had a pool table, dart board, wet bar and even old style video game machines. Outside, the men had decided to put up two separate clubhouses for the kids, that way they would each have their own to decorate. In between these was an elaborate playground. A gated swimming pool area was off to one side of the house, complete with a storage shed. Sunshine had a raised dog house, for when she wanted peace and quiet from her favorite boy. And Brian had even added a surprise for his BB - an outdoor kitchen, complete with a huge grill, refrigerator, and a brick pizza oven. Brian had added all that to the plans when he'd seen the blond's eyes light up when he saw one on a design show they were watching. It was a huge hit when it was finally revealed to the master chef of the family.

The whole Kinney clan loved their new home, but on long weekends, or when they needed a break away from everything, they would go to their happy cabin in the woods, which continued to be just as magical of a place as it had been that first time Brian had visited.

And that was their life. It was a very good life, too. An unexpectedly good life, for Brian Kinney, but that's how life was, right?