CHAPTER 9

Later that night, Brian walked into Justin's apartment to find the younger man staring at the blank tv screen with tears in his eyes. Crossing over to him, Brian gathered the blond into his arms. It had been such an emotional day for both of them. Brian still couldn't wrap his brain around the depths of depravity to which Lindsay had sunk. The woman he formerly regarded as ‘Wendy' was truly gone.

And although he said he didn't give a shit about her anymore, it still hurt him that she had deliberately done this. He would have loved to blame this entire situation on Melanie. They were never really friends, so he would have expected her to strike out at him in some way. But deep within himself, Brian knew better than to believe that of her. There were just some lines he couldn't see her crossing without an enormous amount of pressure placed on her by the partner with whom she lived.

Well, now he could only hope that his life would return to some semblance of normalcy, with Michael and Lindsay no longer being a part of it. But right now, he had other more important matters to attend to, namely the upset blond currently snuggling into his arms.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

"I'm a father,"

"And is there something particularly wrong with that?" He felt Justin shrug, the action bumping into his ribs.

"Not so much that it's wrong, but... I'm a father, Brian. I never thought about being one; never even allowed myself to think about having a child, let alone two of them. What the hell am I supposed to do with them?"

Brian pulled Justin into him even further, hoping to ease the younger man's discomfiture. "Admittedly, our experiences with fathers are tainted, and limited to the extreme. So my instinct would be to do the opposite of what our fathers did, and show them all the love we can,"

"Craig was a good father, for the most part... well a good provider anyway. He would have occasional temper flare-ups, but that was considered ‘normal' within our set sometimes. The occasional smack or tossing of furniture never resulted in the police needing to be called, and Craig took it upon himself to enroll in anger management classes when he felt himself getting too out of control. It wasn't until I found out about his affair and he found out that I'm gay that things took a turn for the worse and everything went to hell,"

"Then follow the good examples and disregard the rest," Brian said. "We'll do fine, Justin; I have every faith that we'll do fine,"

"You're really going to stick around for this?" Justin asked, looking up into the hazel eyes he'd come to love. He didn't want Brian to feel trapped by what he was still trying to come to terms with. It would be a big adjustment to how they were used to living their lives. He didn't want Brian to come to resent him or the children later on. It was better to just cut his losses and move on now if this wasn't where Irish wanted to be. And Justin loved the man too much to let him shortchange his life based on some misguided notion of loyalty.

"As long as you want me, there isn't anywhere else I would rather be, Justin. You... and the babies, are mine to enjoy and protect. I'm not about to give you or them up based on those bitches and their schemes to entrap me. So you can just get all those notions of abandonment and entrapment out of that little blond head of yours right now. Instead, there are a few other things I would really like to speak with you about,"

Justin smiled at the man. All the while he had been sitting there thinking about what he was going to do. When Brian had dropped him off earlier, he wasn't really sure what to think. He had never let himself assume that Brian was in this for the long haul. Sure, things were great between them. Brian was relaxed around him, and he knew that the older man had feelings for him, just as he had them for Brian. Although they were always together, they had decided early on that if one of them thought this relationship- for lack of a better term- wasn't for them, they would split up without any hard feelings, while maintaining a solid friendship. But this was different.

Having children literally thrown into the mix, made everything different. The idea that those two bitches were prepared to toss his children away because they weren't Brian's hurt as much as it rankled. The babies didn't ask to be conceived. They didn't deserve such callous treatment from anyone! And Justin would see that they never received it either.

"Okay, so what do you want to talk to me about?"

Brian laughed. "Well first, names for them. We can't keep referring to the babies as ‘Boy' Taylor and ‘Girl' Taylor, so I was thinking..."

"What? YOU want to name them?"

"If that's not a problem for you. I mean, I know they're your children..."

"Stop that, Brian. You just said that they are yours, too. So that means they are not my children unless we're in an argument, and I'm trying to make a point," They both snickered at that, knowing already that there will be times when that it happens. Justin continued, "They are OURS. In fact, I think we should have the papers drawn up immediately to make them legally as much yours as they are mine, so that this particular conversation doesn't have to happen again,"

Brian nodded, giving Justin one of his brightest smiles. That was one of the things he had wanted to discuss with Justin. After calling his lawyer, he had gone to see him after dropping Justin back home. He had detailed for him everything that had happened at the hospital, letting the lawyer hear- in person- the conversation with Lindsay about how the babies were conceived, which Adam Donaldson had gotten transcribed by his secretary. Brian had also asked that certain changes be made to his personal effects, in case of his death. When it came time to add the children's names, that's when Brian realized that Justin hadn't picked out any.

"Actually, I already had the papers drawn up in case you felt that way, along with some other papers I signed for them, as well as for you,"

"Oh? So tell me what names you have picked out,"

"If you don't like them we can always change them, but..."

"Will you just spit it out already. I'm sure that I will love them. You are a great ad man, after all," Justin finished with a smile, noticing Brian's eyes sparkling.

"I had college funds set up for Tiffany Carolina Taylor and Christian Armani Taylor..."

Justin laughed. "I should have known that you would name our children after your favorite designers,"

"We can change them if you want," Brian answered, concerned that Justin thought he was being too presumptuous, naming the children without asking him.

Justin looked over at the uncertain countenance of the man he had been considering his partner for a while now. There was no doubt in his mind anymore that he was in love with Brian Kinney, from the top of his head to the soles of his feet and his mighty big heart in between. There was nothing about Brian that turned Justin off: from the sparkle in his eyes, to the passion with which he lived his life, to the way he thought, or the ferocious temper he displayed when a situation called for it. He loved his wicked and wry senses of humor in equal measure; the fact that Brian just ‘got him' without even trying; the way he thought things through and then followed through with his promises to clients and the people in his life, alike. Most of all, Justin just loved Brian with everything he had- not because of what the man had done for, and given him- but because throughout it all, Brian was real. He was a man with purpose and courage; a man that Justin was proud to call his lover and friend, and now, the other father to his children.

"I love the names, Brian. Precious, rare, and expensive. All the things our children will be. You've done extremely well, and I already predict that their names will suit their personalities. But I would like to make one tiny little change, if I may?"

"Okay," Brian answered, not sure what Justin wanted to change.

"I think that we should talk to the attorney about making a minor addition to their last names. Since we've already agreed that we're in this together, come what may, I propose adding their other father's last name behind ‘Taylor.' Besides the fact is that they may look like me, but they already have your demanding temperament. I mean, did you hear Tiffany yell when I had to switch her around to continue feeding her?"

Brian laughed. "Or Christian's protests when we were getting ready to leave? Yeah, I suppose he does have my lung capacity to get people to do what he wants already. We sure marched our asses back over there fast,"

"Yeah, we did," Justin smiled in humor and amazement. "This is some adventure we're embarking on, isn't it?"

"It is, but that brings me to the next thing I wanted to talk to you about. I think it's time to look for a house,"

"Irish..."

"No. Hear me out, Azure. Please," At Justin's nod for him to continue, Brian said, "I don't want our children to grow up this close to the city. I did and... well, it wasn't something that I was proud to do. I know that you grew up in the suburbs. I want our children to have the opportunity for the best schools, and a good neighborhood. Although with the new mayor, crime is at a low, I still don't want them exposed to it anymore than they have to be. I just want them to be safe and happy children, for as long as they can be. We can still keep this building, since we own it and it will still save on the hotel fees when we have clients visiting from out of town.

"I also asked Ted for specs to begin a daycare at Kinnetik, so that we won't have to sacrifice much time with the babies as they grow up. I didn't tell them about Tiffany and Christian yet, but I wanted to know how we should proceed with the idea. From what Cynthia tells me, it would be a welcome change among the staff too, as many of the parents are working flex shifts, so that they can spend time with their kids after school before coming back into the office at about seven in the evenings to meet deadlines and such. If we open up the daycare, parents who work for us won't have to choose between being at work and being at home, especially the single parents. It's a win-win for everyone,"

"I can see you've thought this through. How long have you been thinking about this?"

"The daycare idea, I've been toying with for a while now. Seeing you with Tiffany and Christian just solidified the idea. As for the house, I've been thinking about it since last night. I knew as soon as Lindsay told me that she had gotten the sample from the loft upstairs, that they were your children. I haven't topped you up there yet,"

Justin detangled himself from Brian and stood up. Reaching down, he pulled the taller man up, pressing his body firmly to Brian's in the process. During their conversation about Tiffany and Christian and all the steps Brian had taken just this afternoon to protect and nurture them all, Justin felt himself falling deeper and deeper in love with the enigmatic brunet- the man who ruled Kinnetik with an iron fist in a velvet glove most of the time, but allowed Justin to be his true self all of the time. It was time Justin showed Brian just how much he loved and trusted him, in the place where their new adventure together truly began.

"I think it is time we rectify that lapse, Irish, don't you?" Leading Brian to the loft upstairs, Justin made sure that Brian topped him over and over again, until they both collapsed in an exhausted heap, ready to face whatever challenges their new life would bring.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Leaving the loft in a great mood the next morning, Brian and Justin are confronted by a still irate Melanie, standing there with her arms crossed, still fuming from the revelation the day before at the hospital. Glancing at each other, they turned their attention to the brunette lawyer, who had apparently been waiting for them.

"It's about fucking damned time you came out, Asshole! You are going to be so sorry that you did this. You intentionally tricked us, and you are not going to get away with it! I will make sure you pay for what you have done!" Melanie shouted at Brian.

"What exactly did I do? And how did I trick you? Your wife entered OUR LOFT, under false pretenses, I might add; stole something that clearly and in no possible way belonged to her, and used it to knock the two of you up so that you could bleed me dry. So how exactly do you plan on making me pay? Do you plan on suing me because I got fucked without your permission?" Brian asked caustically.

"You're going to be so fucking sorry! Everyone is going to know that you are a fucking hustler's bottom boy! Just wait until everyone on Liberty hears that ‘Brian Kinney, Ultimate Top' rolls over for a fucking rent boy! Your reputation will be shit!" Melanie shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Not that it's any of your fucking business, but my fiance and I are monogamous, so my prior reputation really doesn't matter. In fact, you were lucky you got the condoms when you did. If you had waited another couple of weeks, there wouldn't have been any. So you can go and tell anyone you want. I really don't give a flying fuck," Brian answered, pulling Justin to him and kissing the soft pink lips.

"Oh Melanie, just in case either you or your wife have any thoughts about having anything to do with our-  as in mine and Brian's- OUR children, you had better think again. Neither of you will have anything to do with them; we have already taken care of that. Both of you were willing to just throw them away when you found out that they wouldn't be the paychecks you were expecting them to be, so you are not going to get a chance now. As for the rest of your insinuations, accusations, and attempts of extortion, I think I can honestly speak for Brian as well as myself when I say, go fuck yourself on a diseased dildo. Have a nice day," Justin told the still fuming Melanie, wide smile pasted upon his face.

Turning away from Melanie, Brian and Justin got into the Jeep and headed to the hospital to feed their children before heading to Kinnetik. Once they were on their way Justin spoke, "Irish, when we get home tonight, I think we have a few things that we need to discuss,"

"Azure, I..."

"Not until we get home," Justin said, in a voice he knew would be obeyed.

"Yes, Sir," Brian uttered as he smirked, not taking umbrage with Justin's forceful tone. He figured that Justin was still annoyed with the confrontation they had just left back at the loft.

Melanie had balls to think that she could just show up and issue a couple of measly threats to cover up her and Lindsay's misdeeds. He couldn't help the mental snicker he had when viewing the shock which registered on Mel's face when he told her that he and Justin were only doing each other. No doubt she would run back and tell Lindsay, ensuring that another of Lindsay's powder-puff and fluff dreams of heteronormalcy will finally have been doused with a healthy and unalterable dose of reality.  

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meanwhile, Melanie was still fuming as she got into her car and headed home. Once there, she slammed into the house. "Lindsay, where the fuck are you?!" she yelled, wanting to take out her frustrations.

Hurrying into the livingroom, Lindsay looked into the furious face of her wife. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you what the fuck happened. You and your stupid fucking ideas! Not only does your ‘perfect' Brian have the children, he is monogamous and he and that fucking hustler are getting married! And I wouldn't put it past either of them to try and sue us for support of those bastard kids! What the hell, they, or more precisely that fucking hustler, is already suing Michael, why not just add on another suit?!" Melanie continued with her rant. "We just had to have ‘Brian' and now because of some fucking fluke and misinformation, we're going to pay through the nose to support that fucking hustler's kids!"

"Wait, Mel... let's think about this rationally for a moment, Love. Remember, we signed our rights away when we decided to give the children up for adoption. Isn't there usually some waiting period before that's fully legal?"

"And there's the problem right there, Lindsay. We're past the three day period to regain our rights, without having to go to court to request they be reinstated. Add to that the fact we were in the presence of the doctor and nurse who advised us of the DNA findings, and asked us if we were positive we didn't want to retain our rights. We can't plead coercion, of any kind. In fact, if we try to take this further, Brian and Justin have grounds to have you arrested for breaking and entering, along with stealing the sperm- although that issue is still debatable in court.

"It doesn't help that the maid is a witness to the lie you told in order to gain entry to a building which no longer uses a key. How did you get in if you didn't know the code? That is just an example of what you'll be asked, if we try to fuck with them on this. Maybe the fact that we signed our rights away will keep them from asking for child support from us, but if we push it, it won't be what stops them from pressing charges against both of us," Mel told Lindsay, flopping down on the couch in exhaustion.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm excited about seeing them this morning, Irish. Now that they have names and we are making plans that include them, it just seems more real," Justin announced smiling at Brian.

"I know what you mean. I always knew that if I had kids, I would want to be the one to raise them. I want to make sure they always know they are loved and wanted. This certainly isn't the way I would have picked to have my own children. But now that they are here, I can't wait until we can bring them home," Brian answered, with a smile of his own. Justin reached over and laced their fingers together, happy that he and Brian were together in this.

When they got home from Kinnetik that afternoon, having decided to take the afternoon off to visit with their children, Justin ushered Brian into his apartment. Brian went straight to the big chair, knowing that was the best place to talk. All morning he had been trying to figure out how to say what he was feeling, knowing exactly what Justin was referring to when he said they needed to talk. He had been hoping that Justin wasn't listening too closely, when he made that comment to Mel. Not that he was sorry he said it, but he had wanted to ask Justin first, not just blurt it out in front of that bitch, Melanie.

Taking off his jacket, tie, and shoes, Brian sat in the chair and waited for Justin to join him. Justin went over to the fridge, and taking out two waters he set them on the counter. Then he turned back to the appliance, looking inside and deciding on dinner. He knew Brian was nervous, sitting in the chair and waiting. Finally after having stalled as long as he could, Justin took off his jacket, tie, and shoes, and joined his lover in the chair.

"Well Irish, I suppose you were hoping that I missed that comment you made to Melanie this morning. I didn't,"

"Azure, I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that. I really did want to ask you first," Brian answered, lowering his eyes.

"What was it you wanted to ask me? Because if that was your idea of a proposal, I have to tell you, it really sucked,"

"First, I wanted to tell you that I love you; I have for a long time. And well, I wanted to ask you, if you would do me the honor of marrying me. I think our children deserve to have parents who are married," Brian answered, biting his bottom lip in a way he knew drove Justin crazy.

Smiling a blinding smile, Justin replied with tears misting his eyes, "I love you too, Irish, and yes I would love to be your husband," Justin buried his face in Brian's chest, practically sobbing against him. This was the life he wanted; the life he wanted with Brian, and for Brian. Never in his wildest dreams could he remember ever thinking this feeling was even possible.

"Azure, what is it? What's wrong?" Brian was getting very concerned, he couldn't understand why Justin seemed so upset.

"I'm sorry, Irish. All day long I've been thinking about how, a year ago, I was homeless and starving. And now I'm a father of two, who is going to be married to the man who saved my life in so many ways, more than just the physical, and who I love more than anything. It just doesn't seem real.  

"Well it is real. We are in love, we have our children and we're going to be married. You should be smiling and happy, and calling Daphne and your mom and telling them,"

"OH SHIT, my mom! We need to go and tell her about the babies, before she finds out some other way," Justin said, climbing out of the chair and pulling on Brian's hand to get him up.

"So call her and tell her,"

"Brian, this is not something I can just call her and tell her. We have to go over there and tell her,"

"We? Why we? They are your babies," Brian smirked, thinking back to Justin's comment last night about proving points to each other. He almost laughed aloud at the incredulous look on Justin's face.

"First of all, Irish, they are OUR babies. Second, those bitches were trying to have YOUR babies, not mine. Third, we are engaged. Therefore, you are coming with me,"

"Can we at least get changed before we go?" Brian asked, stalling for time.

"Hurry up! I want to get over there, and then go say goodnight to the babies and tell them that their daddies are going to be married," Justin said with a smile, making Brian just as excited to get going and spread the good news, even though he was a little worried how Jen would take the news about being an instant grandmother.

In the Jeep heading to Jen's, it was decided that they would start off with the news about being engaged and then they would inform her that she was the grandmother of two. Once they were parked outside Jen's condo Brian asked again if Justin was sure that he needed to be there.

"Irish, we are together, in everything. You know my mother loves you. What are you so worried about?"

"I don't know, Azure. I just don't want her to be upset by all of this. She has been so great about everything; I just hate to disappoint her,"

"Irish, it's not like you knocked up your teenage girlfriend. She is getting grandchildren. Isn't that supposed to make women happy?"

Brian's phone rings and he answers without looking at who is calling. "Kinney,"

"I put on a pot of coffee when I saw you two pull up. Are you coming in or should I bring it out to you?"

Brian started laughing and hung up the phone. "Well, Azure, I guess we'd better get inside. That was your mom; the coffee is ready,"

Walking around to Justin's door, Brian took his hand and threaded their fingers together. As they made the short trek up the walkway, Jennifer was standing and waiting with a huge smile on her face. Taking a seat on the sofa, they both reached for coffee that was now waiting on the coffee table.

"Not that I'm not thrilled to see the two of you, but it looks like you are here for a reason. Would you please tell me already? The nervous looks on your faces are getting me worried,"

"Well, Mom, Brian asked me to marry him,"

"That's wonderful, Honey... Isn't it?"

"Yes, Mom, that part is wonderful,"

"Okay, then what's wrong? You're scaring me, Justin. You two are okay, right?"

"Oh God, Mom, I'm sorry. Yes. YES, we're both fine. It's not that, it's... well..." Justin started, not really knowing how to get to the point. He looked at Brian, hoping he had an idea of how to broach the subject.

"Jen, how do you feel about being a grandmother?" Brian asked directly, figuring it was better to just get it out in the open.

"Huh... um... how?" was the only response from Jen, who was looking back and forth between the two men, totally confused by the question.

Justin just looked at Brian, and shook his head. "Mom, I'll explain. Just let me get through this before you say anything, okay?" Jen just nodded, more confused than anything else. "Lindsay and Melanie wanted Brian to father children for them. He refused many times; telling them that if he ever had children, he would be the one to raise them. Finally they seemed to drop the idea, or at least we thought they did, because they stopped asking. We saw that they were both pregnant, and assumed that they had done as he suggested, and went to a sperm bank. One of the reasons they had given for wanting him to be the father, was that they wanted the children to be related. He told them they could do that at a sperm bank, too. So the babies were born two days ago.

Lindsay called Brian to come to the hospital and when he got there, she told him that the babies were his. He demanded a paternity test. It showed that the babies were not Brian's. Well, he had called me down to the hospital when he saw the babies, and without telling Lindsay and Melanie, I was also tested. They're mine. So, in short, you are the grandmother of two beautiful babies," Justin told his mother, looking at her from underneath his lashes.

"But... I don't understand. How did this happen? You didn't go to a sperm bank, did you, Justin?" Jen asked, possibly even more confused than she had been before.

"NO, of course I didn't," Justin answered, looking at Brian, silently asking for help.

"Jen, this is how it happened, according to Lindsay..." Brian then proceeded to give Jen the details of how Lindsay went to the loft, and stole the sperm to impregnate the two of them.

"Oh my God! And now those two bitches are going to raise my grandchildren?!" Jenn was incandescent with rage. Justin didn't think he'd ever seen his mother so angry.

"No, Mom," Justin was quick to reassure her. "In fact, when they found out that Brian wasn't the father, they signed papers giving up all rights to the babies. They wanted to put them up for adoption, since Brian wasn't going to provide financial support for children that are not his. Mel and Lindsay found out, after they signed the papers, that they are my children. So Brian and I are going to raise them,"

"I have so many questions; I don't know where to start. Where are they? What are their names? How big are they? When can I see them?" Jen rapidly fired off her questions to them, already fidgeting in anxiousness and excitement. She was still pissed, but she wanted to see her grandchildren more.

"Still at the hospital. Tiffany Carolina Taylor-Kinney and Christian Armani Taylor-Kinney. Six pounds ten ounces, nineteen inches and seven pounds six ounces, twenty inches. Whenever you want to. Anything else?" Brian asked.

"I love the names, especially the last names. When are they coming home?"

"Tomorrow night. Which means we need to go get everything we need for them tomorrow, because we have nothing. And another thing, Mom. We want to get a house and need you to check and see if you have any listings. We have made a list of what we want in a house, and really want to start looking right away. We don't want to wait until they are moving around, and then have to rush to find something suitable," Justin explained, handing Jen a list of specs for the kind of house they were looking for.

"Don't you two need to work tomorrow?" Jen asked.

"We took the day off, since telling you was paramount to our continued survival upon earth," Brian said wryly.

"Will you let me do this for you? I'm off tomorrow and I would love to get Christian and Tiffany's things for you,"

Justin and Brian looked at each other, communicating with their eyes. "Okay, we do have some things we need to do so that we can stay home for a couple of days with the babies," Brian told her, handing her his credit card, the code for the loft building, and a master key to the apartments. "If you have any problems using the card, have them call Ted,"

Jen took the card, code, and key, not wanting to argue, even though she didn't plan on using the card. "Well, for now I think we all need to get going with all that needs to be done. I'll meet you two tomorrow at your place. I have more questions but they will wait. But just so you know, I'm thrilled to be a grandmother," Jennifer told them, kissing them both goodbye.

As they left Jen's house, they heard her on the phone. "Harriet, you're never going to believe what's happening. I'M A GRANDMOTHER OF TWO! Oh my God, I have to get shopping! Are you free for the day tomorrow?"

Brian and Justin smiled at each other as they closed the door behind their departure. "Well, Azure, that went a lot better than I expected. But, I have no doubt that between Harriet and Jen, we'll be flat broke by tomorrow night,"

Justin laughed. "Me too. I hope you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, because if I remember my mom's shopping habits, that's all we'll be able to afford for awhile. I just wonder what else she wants to ask us. Well, we better get whatever we can done tomorrow, so that maybe we can take off the next couple of days and get used to being parents,"

Brian noticed that Justin was looking nervous on the way to Kinnetik the next morning and reached over to take his hand. Justin smiled and squeezed his fiance's hand. "Not to make you any more nervous, Azure, but we need to tell Cynthia and Daphne as soon as we get there. And we need to get Ted to put Tiffany and Christian on the insurance. Also, what do you think about having Ted and Cynthia and Emmett and Daphne as Godparents for them?"

Smiling, Justin answered, "I think that is perfect and also the safest thing to do, because it will keep them from bitching too much about not being told before now. I know that Deb is on a day-cation with Carl but if Vic's around, he should be told today too,"

"That's what I was thinking, too. So we'll invite them all to the office. There's a lot of plans to be made, starting with the daycare,"

As expected, Vic, Cynthia, Daphne, and Emmett were thrilled. Ted nearly passed out at the news, and was no less pissed at the Muncher Faction- as he'd taken to calling them- but extremely happy for Brian and Justin. Tiffany and Christian would probably be the closest thing he would get to having a family of his own, so his heart was filled with gratitude that Brian would honor him this way. He would make sure that the Taylor-Kinney family had every financial advantage he could find for them. Brian told him and Cynthia to start work on the day care for the Kinnetik staff immediately. He wanted highly qualified staff, including teachers- both general education and special needs- a social worker and a school nurse. Brian had always believed that it was never too early to start learning, and if he applied that theory to his children, his staff would be afforded the same opportunities.

Emmett would provide lunches and snacks for the entire Kinnetik staff as well as meals the children would love. He would oversee that personally, until such time as he and Vic could find suitable staff to take over those duties. In the meantime, they would hire outside help for the store. Ted had looked into the budget and Kinnetik was more than able to accommodate all of Brian and Justin's stringent requirements. The talk had turned to possibly making Kinnetik into a corporation since Vic and Emmett would be hiring staff of their own and would need to extend benefits to their full-time employees. The unique philosophy of Kinnetik was that not only full-time employees had full benefits including medical, vision, and dental, but part-time employees did as well. So teaming up and growing their respective businesses in the process was a win-win for everyone involved.  

Around seven that evening, in the company of a newly-crowned Grandmom Jen, honorary Grandmothers, Deb and Harriet, and Auntie Molly, they all arrived at the hospital. Deb, Carl, and Ben, along with Ben's new beau, joined them after being filled in on all of the events of the past few days. It took Carl and Ben to keep Debbie from marching over to Mel and Lindsay's house, to use one bitch to beat the other bitch- her exact words! As always, Deb's colorful words and euphemisms were both a delight and educational for Harriet, Jen, and Molly, who laughed hysterically at Deb's threats of bodily harm to the Muncher Faction.

Brian and Justin went into the nursery to hold them up to the windows for their family to see, and to tell the babies that their fathers were going to be married. Tiffany and Christian didn't seem to care, but the nurses had tears in their eyes and were happily congratulating the new daddies, who had become favorites amongst the hospital staff within a relatively short time. The family continued to laud about the new era within their dynamic for them all with exuberance. Their love, respect, and commitment to preserving and protecting each other was renewed, and with Molly, Jen, and Harriet gained. Deb had officially embraced the three ladies as ‘one of them.'

So, whereas the family had lost three members in Mel, Michael, and Lindsay, they still felt no lack among them. And no one was more pleased about it than the two men whose lives were most changed by the advent of two little blond bundles. Brian and Justin kissed over their children's heads, wishing that the peace and contentment they now felt would last for a lifetime.