Later that evening, after Leo and Keith were installed in our guest bedroom, we had already divided in groups. Just like I’d suspected.

Leo was in the kitchen with Justin, helping him with dinner.

Keith had Kira on his lap, sitting next to me on the couch, as we talked. As much as I didn’t want to turn into a marshmallow, I couldn’t keep a straight face to her baby mumbling, mixed with a few words we understood, and a lot of squealing and pulling at their dog’s fur. The poor animal had taken refuge in the sun-room.

During our conversation, I learned that Leo was a photographer, which explained why he could be Justin’s BFF; while Keith reluctantly told me about his business. He thought I’d consider him crazy when he admitted to own a nightclub.

“Me too, aside from Kinnetik.”

“You own a nightclub?”

“Yeah. I bought it at the beginning of the year.”

“Wow. It’s so… is there a word for how much we are alike? Justin is a painter, Leo is a photographer—both, art lovers. We both own our business.”

“And don’t forget about this.” I pointed to Munchkin. “Did Kira train for becoming a ballerina too? I have no clue what the fuck he’s doing, but I’m getting tired of having my insides punched every few seconds.”

Keith cleared his throat. “Could you refrain from cussing, please? As for your question, yes. She was pretty agitated toward the end.”

“I don’t think I can do this for ten more weeks. It feels like an eternity. And my back is killing me. My sight is shit, and I really don’t want to end up with glasses. That’s one of the things I’m dreading in life. And on top of everything, as much calcium as I get, I’ve become a weekly visitor to the dentist.”

“Chipped teeth? I had one. All I did was close my mouth and a piece of my canine flew out. That was pretty scary,” he admitted.

“Yeah.” I rubbed a hand against my temple. “As much as I’d like to ask you more on this, I’d rather we talk about anything else. Heck, even sports. Anything that wouldn’t make me feel like a fucking woman.”

“Ah, been there too. Leo couldn’t make me stop crying with anything he said for hours.”

“Don’t get me started on crying. I never cry. I think I caught up for all the moments I didn’t cry in my life during these past few months.”

“You want to do something else? Well, come upstairs to watch the process of changing a diaper. We need a new one.” Keith got up, holding Kira against his chest. “Come on,” he urged me.

“Oh, okay.” I followed him upstairs, reluctantly.

I wanted to know how to do it, but the idea of seeing it freaked me out.

“You can use the changing table in Munchkin’s room,” I offered.

“Oh, that will help. Thanks. Hold her for one minute, while I bring her things.”

Before I could object, I ended up with his kid in my arms. I had no idea who looked more freaked at the sudden connection.

Sure, I’d held Gus, but it was different. And I could bet it would be different when I’d have Munchkin in my arms.

“Briiaaaan! Where are you?” Justin stood rooted in the doorway of Munchkin’s room. “Well…this is…”

“Keith’s gonna show me how to change a diaper. Ow. Ooow.” I bent my head toward Kira when she grabbed a fistful of my hair. “A little help? Stop laughing, you twat! Ow.”

“Kira, no!” Keith appeared behind Justin. “No pulling anyone’s hair.”

She answered in her baby language, wailing loudly when Keith tried prying her from my arms.

“I guess she likes you.” He laughed. “Here. Put her on the changing table.”

Once she was on her back on the table, I went to Justin. “Did you want something?”

“Oh, yeah. You distracted me.” He chuckled. “I’m going to the loft to grab a few things, including your guava juice.”

“I can live without it.”

“You rushed me earlier. I didn’t get anything with me,” he hissed, keeping his eyes on Keith. “Not the cake, not the presents, not your stupid juice that you’ll want, and your pillow.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“Nah. I’ll be fine. I’ll take the ‘vette.” He rubbed my arm.

“Keys are in your stupid bowl by the door.”

“Be back soon. Oh, I left Leo to finish our food. I trust him with it. I’m so happy we found them, Brian. They’re great.”

“They are.” I kissed his head. “Now go. Be careful.”

When I turned to Keith, I found him smiling. “I haven’t seen two people so much in love in my life.”

My first instinct was to scoff and dismiss his comment, but I’ve changed my vision on life and love too much in the past few months. I stopped taking Justin for granted—not like I didn’t already have a wake-up call when he’d left to that fucking fiddler and then he'd gone to fucking Hollywood.

“Yes, well… We’ve been through a lot together.” Ain’t that the truth?

“It’s refreshing to see so much love at two queers, really. I used to be quite the…player, back in the day before I met Leo.” He said the word player as if it was something bad.

“You don’t say?” I snorted. I’d smelled him from the first second I saw him on his blog. I knew we were alike.

“Yeah. I used to think it was me against the world and if I didn’t go through as many holes as I could, I’d disappear.”

“Really?” I couldn’t conceal my amusement.

“But Leo changed me,” he said vehemently. “It took him a while, but he tamed me.”

I masked another snort with a cough.

“Is there anything funny?” Keith demanded, dumping the dirty diaper in the trash under the table.

“No, not at all.”

“I’m sure it sounds insane, but I know you better than that.”

“Don’t you get it? We’re so much alike it’s freaky!” I exclaimed, watching as he extracted a few wipes and cleaned Kira’s girly bits.

Thank God we were having a boy. I’d have no idea what to do with girly bits.

Keith caught my eye. “You mean you’re not a saint yourself?”

“That’s hardly a word I’d use to describe myself,” I admitted.

He openly gaped at me, forgetting altogether about Kira’s cleaning. She caught her foot in her hands, sucking on her toes.

“I have to give it to her. She’s bendy,” I joked.

His eyes moved to her. “Kira!” He extracted her foot from her mouth, chiding her lightly, before grabbing a fresh diaper. “Watch carefully. You unfold it, put it under her, powder her up, the close the diaper.”

“Looks easy.” I shrugged.

“You’re doing it next time.”

“Uh, Keith. I know how to do it. I mean, I’ve done it…a handful of time.”

“On these plastic babies in high school?”

“On my son, Gus. I didn’t mention him, did I?” When Keith gave me a confused look, I delved into explaining to him about Gus.

With Kira changed, we went to see if Leo needed any help in the kitchen.

“There you are!” He rushed to Keith as if he hadn’t seen him in forever.

I vaguely wondered how Emmett was in a relationship and if he was anything like Leo, who’d put up with him. Keith didn’t seem to mind the enthusiastic greeting.

“I finished the paella,” Leo told us. “Justin is a sweetheart! You’re so lucky, Brian!”

To my horror, I felt a blush rising to my cheeks. Could this pregnancy end already? I was so over everything it made me feel and do.

“I know,” I said, grinning.

My phone ringing from the living room saved me from more relationship talk. I wasn’t that comfortable with talking about my feelings. Heck, until a short while ago, I hadn’t even told Justin the words he’d wanted to hear for years.

I’m coming, stop buzzing! I glowered at the phone dancing on the coffee table.

“Mikey,” I muttered.

“What took you so long?”

“I walk at snail pace, remember? What do you want?”

“What are you doing tonight?”

What kind of question is that? “Uh, staying in.” I cringed the second the words left my mouth.

“What about Babylon?”

“I’m not up to it. Ask Ted. I had a day from hell at work.” Before he could continue with the questions, I cut him off, “Listen, Mikey. I’m tired. I’m at Britin with Justin. We’re staying here for the weekend.”

“Britin? Oh, the new house. Okay. Well, get some rest.”

“Yes, mother. Have fun if you go out with Ben.”

“We might go. Well, say hi to Justin.”

“Will do. Bye, Mikey.”

I hung up, turning around to find our guests in the doorway. “Come in. Sit.” I waved around.

Leo’s eyes fell on the bean bag and sparkled in excitement. “I’ve always wanted one of these. See, babe? People still have these in the house!” He said accusatory to Keith.

“That’s Justin’s,” I defended its presence. “It fucks with the aesthetics of the room, but if the artist himself wanted it…”

“Leo, we’re not buying something that ugly. No offense, Brian, but it’s…” Keith shuddered.

“None taken.” I patted his shoulder. “I feel your pain every time I look at it.”

Leo fell on the bean bag, testing it, while Keith sat once again next to me, letting Kira on the floor. She wobbled to Leo, falling only once. I was surprised to jerk in her direction when she fell, just like her daddies. We all breathed in relief when she got up without crying.

“As much as I wanted her to start walking, now I’m freaking out she’s going to fall and crack her head open.”

“I bet.” I kept my eyes on Leo playing with Kira, and had a vision of Justin with Munchkin. I rubbed my eyes in an attempt to rid myself of the fucking unwanted tears. “Say, if I beg your dog to rip the bean bag, you think he’ll do it?” I whispered to Keith.

“Don’t say it unless you mean it. She chews and claws and pees on everything. Shit. Puffy!” He called loudly. “I apologize in advance if she’s done any damage.”

Their dog rushed into the room, looking around, his small, beady eyes landing on me.

Okay, I don’t like you either but don’t start barking.

When he advanced my way, I glanced at Keith. “Keep him away.”

“She doesn’t bite. Don’t worry. Let her smell you to become friends,” he explained softly.

I don’t want to be friends. “Stay away,” I said through gritted teeth.

Surprisingly, the dog stopped a foot in front of me, watching. Then she (as they kept referring to the dog) laid down, sighing.

“Huh.” Keith chuckled. “That’s new.”

“I’m not an animal person.”

“You’re having a baby. You’ll be an animal person sooner or later.”

“Don’t tell me Kira demanded a dog already,” I joked.

“Puffy was mine,” Leo explained. “It took a lot of convincing to bring her in Keith’s condo.”

“What can I say? You do good convincing with your mouth.” Keith smirked.

“Another thing he has in common with Justin,” I said, amused.

We kept talking, and when Leo gave Kira her dinner before disappearing upstairs to put her to bed, I realized about two hours passed since Justin had left.

“Why don’t you go say goodnight too? I’ll call Justin to see if he was abducted by aliens.”

With Keith gone, I dialed Justin’s number, biting on my thumb until he answered. I pushed away all bad scenarios from my head.

“Hey!” There was a loud bang followed by a stream of curses. “Brian? Can you hear me?”

“Yeah. You okay?”

“Yeah. I dropped the phone.” Twat.

“Are you on your way back home?” I wondered, relaxing at hearing he was fine.

“Yup. Sorry it took ages. I ran into Mrs. Norman.”

“Who?”

“Your neighbor from the second floor. She’s this old lady who kept complaining. I made the mistake to tell her I’m your boyfriend. I had no idea your neighbors loved you so much.”

Oh, that old bitch. “Just ignore her the next time you see her. I do.”

“No shit? She even vividly described to me how you shoved her out of your way down the stairs.”

“Did I mention she’s a lying bitch?”

“Anyway, she kept me talking. I managed to escape a few minutes ago. I’m in the car now.”

“Talking and driving, Sunshine?”

“You called. If I didn’t answer, you’d have freaked.”

“True. I’ll let you drive.”