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Author's Chapter Notes:

At Last, after this story began more than 12 years ago, we have come to the end of the Double Trouble saga.  I hope that you have enjoyed the journey that Brian and Justin took on so long ago, as they did their best to be parents to Gus and JR, who had lost their mothers to a tragic accident while still young.  More than twenty years later, they are now enjoying the fruits of their labors, also being the proud Grandparents to Gus and JR's children.  Thank you for taking this journey with us.

 

Three Years Later:

 

 

 

Brian and Justin sat side by side in their beach chairs, looking out at the activity surrounding them.  Justin reached his hand out and Brian took it.  The couple were extremely happy this day.  Life had been good for them.  After decades together, they were still very much in love, along with totally content with how their lives had turned out.  Sometimes it was hard to believe how good life had become, especially after that first day they had become full-time parents to Gus and JR.  At that time, fear of the unknown threatened to overwhelm them, not to mention everyone’s grief over losing Mel and Lindsay.  But the one thing they had going for them during this traumatic time was their love for each other, and their love for the two young people who needed them so much after losing their mothers.

 

 

 

There had been so many ups and downs after taking over custody of the kids.  Brian, even more so than Justin, feared he would be a failure as a full-time parent.  After all, he had reckoned, he hadn’t had any kind of positive role models with his own parents.  But Justin, as always, gave him the confidence to know he would be fine.  It turned out that Justin was right, as usual.  Slowly, but surely, the couple fell comfortably into their roles as parents.  The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.  All one had to do was see what magnificent adults Gus and JR turned out to be.  They were smart, accomplished, happy folks, surrounded by love on all sides.  Both had made successful, blissful marriages with men who loved them unconditionally.  Both had made proud grandparents of Brian and Justin too. 

 

 

 

At this very moment, Brian and Justin were watching the playful antics of a couple of their four grandchildren, as they played in the sand under the watchful eye of their parents.  Close by, they witnessed the pleasure some of their older friends were having in the sand and surf of Hawaii.  Even Debbie, who had turned eighty years old such a short time ago, was obviously enjoying her time on the beach, although they suspected she was getting more pleasure out of watching the little ones playing than anything else.  The couple loved seeing their closest friends, Emmett, Ted, and Michael enjoying the beach too, along with their mates.  The whole tableau before them made Brian and Justin’s hearts happy.

 

 

 

This whole trip had been carefully planned months in advance.  Justin’s fiftieth birthday was coming up soon, and the couple wanted to do something spectacular to celebrate.  The previous three years had been such exciting ones, especially after suffering so much pain and distress in the months prior to that.  The kidnapping of AB, Gus and Jason’s son, had threatened to destroy much of the peace and happiness their family had enjoyed up to that point.  Thankfully, their suffering had only lasted a few months.  Ever since the return of the baby, life had taken on a special feeling of contentment for one and all.  Not only did the entire family find joy in life again, but everyone (especially Brian and Justin) found even more success in their various businesses during the last three years.  It was for this reason that Brian and Justin offered to pay travel costs and expenses for all their guests, so that they could all be together for Justin’s birthday. 

 

 

 

Justin suddenly started laughing, pointing his finger to the right of where they sat in their beach chairs.  Brian turned to see what had amused Justin so much.  That’s when he saw two more of their grandchildren doing their best to help two older boys capture tiny crabs at the edge of the water, as the creatures dug furiously in the wet sand trying to escape.  Close by sat the parents of the older boys, Bob and Marie Franklin.  Marie cradled her year-old daughter in her arms, laughing at the antics of her sons and the twins that she had been a part of reuniting a few years earlier.  Brian and Justin had made a point of including the Franklin family in their plans for this adventure.  It was an easy decision.  Even though the family lived some distance away in Texas, they had become a big part of their extended family for Brian and Justin.  It was something that Gus and Jason embraced wholeheartedly too, as well as their sisters, JR and Gidge.  As the couple sat on the beach, they found themselves looking back on the past, talking about how blessed they were after being a part of each other’s lives for more than thirty years. 

 

 

 

Brian let out a huge sigh.  “A penny for your thoughts,” Justin offered.

 

 

 

“Well, Sunshine, I was just thinking about the differences between the way I thought my life would be when I was still in my twenties, and the way it actually turned out to be.  I have to admit that I never imagined my life like this back then.”

 

 

 

“Any regrets?” Justin asked him.

 

 

 

Brian reached for Justin’s hand.  “Not a single one.  And to think, I could have lost it all back then by treating you as if you were just another conquest, and a notch on my bedpost.”

 

 

 

Justin laughed out loud.  “Heaven knows, you certainly did try to dismiss me as nothing more, if I remember correctly.”

 

 

 

“Nothing wrong with your memory, young man.” 

 

 

 

Brian still referred to his husband as a young man, still seeing him as being a fresh-faced kid with eyes searching for a life he wanted desperately to be a part of, despite Justin being middle-aged now.  Brian recalled how Michael once told him that he would always be young and beautiful, but for Brian, it was Justin who would always be young and beautiful.

 

 

 

“The truth is,” Brian continued, “I never stood a chance against a stubborn little brat like you.  You simply wouldn’t take ‘go away’ as a response to your persistent pursuit of me.  Not that I blame you,” Brian added, with his tongue in cheek.  “I certainly was a great catch.”

 

 

 

Justin laughed again.  “Modesty never was your strong suit.  But then again, you did have reason to think that.  I’ve never seen so many men looking for the chance to get into someone’s pants.”

 

 

 

“True!  But you were the only one who turned out to be the perfect fit for me.”

 

 

 

The couple leaned towards each other, offering one of their most tender kisses to one another.  Not far from them, their son and daughter noticed their interaction.  Gus and JR smiled.  Both silently prayed that they too would still be as affectionate with their mates when they were growing older together.  Looking at Jason and Noah, watching them playing with their children, they really had no doubts about the future.  They knew that they had been as lucky as Brian and Justin… to have found their soulmates in a world full of wrong choices.

 

 

 

The Sun was beginning to set when Brian and Justin called out to their companions, urging them to gather the children so everyone could freshen up for dinner.  The couple had made plans for a luau to be held at the private villa where they were all staying.  There would be plenty of delicious food, a bit of talented entertainment to liven up the evening, and a birthday cake for Justin, which Brian had kept secret from his husband.  It was going to be a wonderful evening for one and all.

 

 

 

********************************************************************

 

 

 

Thousands of miles away from the joyful celebrations and camaraderie on a Hawaiian island, a woman sat alone in her tiny cell, reflecting once again on what had brought her to this unhappy state.  She would soon begin her third year at the Centre County Correctional Facility for Women in Pennsylvania.  She only had another seventeen years to go, barring a successful parole hearing before that, when she could be free to restart her life.  She had learned the hard way that taking Gus and Jason’s son over State lines was the worst thing she could do.  It made her crime a federal case, which earned her a stiffer punishment than she might have gotten if it had remained a State’s case.  At least that was what her lawyer told her. 

 

 

 

Heather could still remember every moment of her trial, as if it had been only yesterday.  She still had ample funds to hire one of the best attorneys in the State, but even he couldn’t save her from her criminal actions.  He had done his best to get her off with a temporary insanity or diminished capacity plea, hoping that a stay in a mental facility for a while would be her harshest punishment.  However, the fact that she had done her best to avoid detection proved to be a mountain too high to climb.  That action alone proved that she knew right from wrong from the very beginning.   She would never forget that first day in court, when she briefly glanced at the attendees, as she walked to her seat, and saw only one familiar face that cared about her.  She had been surprised to see that her old friend, Jerry, the man she had falsely claimed was her husband, had come to show his support for her.  He had been a witness to the depths of despair she had fallen into after the death of her son, Steven. 

 

 

 

The rest of those attending were most definitely supporters of Gus and Jason, who sat in the front row alongside family members, directly behind the prosecutor’s table.  She thought about glancing over at them, but could not allow herself to make eye contact with any of them.  Guilt and shame threatened to overwhelm her.  All she could do was sit quietly, head bowed most of the time, and listen to the testimony that condemned her for the cruelty she had inflicted on those who once treated her like one of their own, and had loved her for what she had offered to do for them.  Her head hung even lower, as witness after witness described the pain they felt when she took AB away from them.  She recognized the pain they talked about… she had felt that same pain when her own son died.  It made the guilt she felt grow even stronger.  By the time the bailiff announced the guilty verdict, she had resigned herself to her fate, knowing in her heart that she deserved it.  Thus, she lived each day in the prison of her own making, and watched the years go by.  Her only hope was that someday she would be forgiven by those she had wronged so cruelly.  Maybe then, she could forgive herself.

 

 

 

*************************************************

 

 

 

Much too soon, the final night of Brian and Justin’s family and friend’s vacation in Hawaii arrived.  Before going to their separate rooms for the evening, everyone had gathered around the massive table for their final dinner together.  The table was laden with numerous regional dishes, prepared for them by the private chef the couple had hired for their stay on the island.  The chef had created one exotic masterpiece after another to tantalize the senses, but even took into consideration that there were a number of very young children to think about too.  For them, he had whipped up a number of much simpler, but also tasty treats for them to enjoy.  As dishes were passed around, each receiving oohs and aahs from impressed diners, Brian and Justin watched with overflowing hearts.  Their greatest pleasure was in seeing the happiness on the faces of their two grown children, Gus and JR.  Sitting next to them on both sides, were their husbands and children. 

 

 

 

Almost thirty-five years ago, neither man could have ever imagined being the proud grandparents of four beautiful children… two girls and two boys.  There was four-year-old Melody Linn and her two-year-old sister, Brianna Michelle, born the year after Gus and Jason’s sons were reunited.  And, of course, there were the apples of their grandfather’s eyes, AB and RB.  Brian did his best not to show favoritism with the grandchildren, but it was clear that his strongest bond was with his grandsons.  That was okay with the parents, since Justin tended to have a stronger bond with the granddaughters.  In truth, all four of the children were doted on, sometimes to the point of spoiling them.  When Gus, Jason, JR, or Noah complained about it, Brian and Justin reminded them that it was the job of grandparents to spoil the kids, and the job of parents to maintain the discipline that would keep them grounded.  And no one enjoyed the job of grandparenting more than Brian and Justin.

 

 

 

Soon, the meal was over.  Conversations between folks around the table began winding down.  One by one, couples and kids left the table, after offering their appreciation to their hosts.  Brian and Justin happily accepted the quick hugs and sloppy kisses received from each toddler, as they lined up to say good night, before following their parents out of the room.  Each hug reminded the couple of how blessed they were.  By the time they were ready to head off to their own master suite for the night, the smiles on their faces were as wide as the Pacific Ocean that washed ashore outside their villa.  With arms around each other’s waists, they entered their bedroom.  Brian gave Justin a warm kiss before walking over to their king-sized bed and settling down on it.

 

 

 

“So, Sunshine, would you call your birthday celebration a success or not?”

 

 

 

“I’d call it a roaring success, and I owe it all to you.  I hate to see it end, but I guess it’s time to get back to the real world.  But, I was thinking that there is one more thing we need to do before we end this night,” Justin said, with a wide grin on his face.

 

 

 

“And that would be?”

 

 

 

Justin walked slowly over to Brian, stopping right in front of him.  He bent over and lifted Brian’s chin.  Giving Brian a sweet kiss, he then stepped back and walked over to a nearby table.  There were several bottles of water set up there.  He reached for one and returned to stand in front of Brian.  He handed the bottle to his husband.

 

 

 

“The last thirty plus years have brought us to this point in our lives, where we have everything we could have ever wished for.  We have successful careers and the security that goes along with it.  We have family and friends who are all safe and happy in their own lives.  More than all that, we have each other.  And with any luck, all this will be true when we are celebrating the fiftieth birthdays of our kids.  I don’t know about you, but I am so excited for the future.  I look forward to watching our grandkids growing up and becoming adults, the way we did with Gus and JR.  Hopefully, they’ll feel free to come to us whenever they need to, just as their parents did.  But, as much as I look forward to the future, I don’t ever want to forget the past.  Good times, bad times… all of it has led up to where we are now.  I don’t regret a thing.  But at this moment, what I want more than anything is to relive that very first time we met.  It all started with that night.”

 

 

 

Justin stopped talking.  He looked deep into Brian’s eyes.  He saw their first night together growing in his husband’s memory.  In a move that always made Justin’s heart flutter, Brian pushed his tongue in his cheek, at the same time displaying a mischievous grin that clearly revealed his feelings about that night.  Brian knew exactly what to do next. 

 

 

 

He stood up and quickly removed his shirt.  Reaching for the bottle of water Justin had given him, he began pouring a bit of the liquid over his head.  Droplets fell over his face and down his chest.  With an almost feral look, Brian then removed his shoes, followed by his pants and jockeys.  He stood in front of Justin, still looking trim and fit, thanks to a regimen of diet and exercise he had been following his entire adult life.  Justin’s breath caught.  The decades fell away, and he again felt that thrill at seeing Brian in all his glory, just as he had that first night.  The only difference between that night and this was that he felt none of the apprehension or nervousness he had so long ago.  He knew what was coming and welcomed it with every fiber of his being.

 

 

 

Justin approached Brian slowly.  Justin also removed his shirt, one which was a lot more fashionable than the one he wore on that historic night.  They were now face to face.  Brian slowly began kissing Justin, his tongue then traveling from his cheek to the nape of his neck.  Justin’s breath quickened, as he felt Brian reach down for his pants, unsnapping and unzipping them.  Justin stood stock still as Brian lowered his pants, bringing his jockeys down with them.  Justin lifted each leg one at a time so that Brian could pull the pants away, tossing them to the side to join with Brian’s clothes.  The two lovers stood an inch apart, their manhoods starting to touch as each grew larger, quickly standing at attention as passion built.  More kisses followed, each one growing deeper, causing their bodies to flush with anticipation. 

 

 

 

Hands began moving with purpose, as both men explored well-known spots that would add to the inflammation of their desires.  With none of the fears that Justin had felt on that first night, he worked his magic on Brian with the same confidence Brian had always had.  Just as the couple began to reach a breaking point, they stepped away.  Years of lovemaking had taught them when to advance and when to retreat, enhancing the time their pleasure would last.  They now settled down on the bed, Justin laying on his back with his legs spread.  Brian took his place between Justin’s legs, leaning down to place kiss after kiss on welcoming lips and quivering flesh.  Brian lifted Justin’s legs and placed them on his shoulders so that he could proceed to rim his lover, in a way that always drove Justin mad with desire.  Sounds of passion began to fill the room.

 

 

 

Much too soon, their desire to become one became urgent, and they could no longer prolong the pleasure they were giving to each other.  Justin reached over to the side table where a tube of lube waited (they were always prepared).  Brian sat back so that Justin could slather his manhood with the lube.  They had long since stopped using condoms, once they no longer felt the need to add other men to their lovemaking.  With Brian prepared, Justin took a deep breath and waited.  With all the love and tenderness he felt for his husband, Brian took possession of Justin’s body again.  With practiced strokes, accompanied by more deep kisses, Brian brought them both to the point of no return.  Almost simultaneously, the lovers exploded in mutual ecstasy.  Amazingly, it felt just as good as it had all those years ago.  The passion they felt for each other had not waned one tiny bit.

 

 

 

Shortly after, they had cleaned up and returned to their bed.  They lay together side by side, their hands clasped between them.  They felt their bodies slowly relaxing, coming down from the incredible high they had given each other once again.  In the morning, they would join their family and friends on the trip back home.  Life would continue at its normal pace, but this special time together would be with them all forever.  For Brian and Justin, they felt there was no limit for what the future would hold.  No matter what it was like, they knew that they would be together throughout whatever time they had left on this earth.  Just as they knew their kids and grandkids would be the best part of that life.  Almost twenty years ago, they had fearfully taken on the task of raising two kids, who were in desperate need of love and a safe home, after losing their mothers in a tragic accident.  What they had originally thought would be double the trouble in their lives had turned out to be double the joy.  They would never regret their decision to become parents to Gus and JR.  They would never regret their decision to become husbands to one another.  They would never regret anything that had happened over the years.  It all had led up to this… a life worth living.

 

 

 

The End

The End.
mandagrammy is the author of 93 other stories.
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