Page 11 of Something Like Forever
Ben eagerly changed thesubject. “You and I have it good, don’t we?”
“Oh absolutely,” Allisonsaid, stifling a yawn. “We have the best men imaginable, and nowthat we’ve settled down, we get to kick back and enjoy the rest ofour lives with them.”
“It’s the ‘rest’ part thatI’ve been thinking about lately.” Ben abandoned playing therapistso he could scoot onto bed with her. “We’ve both been through a lotsince we were teenagers. Now it feels like all the drama is over,and I’m asking myself what comes next. Everything feels so stable.I’m not used to that and don’t know what to do.”
“Enjoy it,” Allisonsuggested. “And speak for yourself. My life consists of dailydrama.” She sat upright. “You should adopt again! A baby this time.Could you imagine? We’ll raise our children together! How cutewould that be?”
He leaned forward to checkon Davis, who was now licking the mirror. “I’m not sure I’m ready.We’re still focused on Jason and trying to figure all of thatout.”
“Smart decision,” Allisonsaid, relaxing again. “I just wanted someone to commiserate with.We could still share the experience. How about you startbabysitting Davis overnight? That way we can compare notes, and Icould get some sleep.”
“I’m up for that,” Bensaid. “Do you want to take a nap?”
“No,” Allison said, buther eyes were closed. “Maybe just for a few minutes…”
Ben smiled and slid offthe bed. He approached Davis, who looked at him warily, like he wasready and willing to start crying without further notice. “Hey,little guy,” Ben tried, reaching for him. “How would you like to godownstairs for a pudding cup?”
The face started to crumple.
“We could share it withChinchilla,” he added, mentally apologizing to the dog. “How’s thatsound? Do you want to help me give Chinchilla a treat?”
Davis reconsidered, his face breaking outinto a gap-toothed grin. Instead of picking him up, Ben offered hishand and helped him stand. “Take a nap,” he said to Allison. “We’llbe okay.”
His friend didn’t respond.She was already softly snoring. Ben considered her fondly. Then herecorded a quick video to humiliate her with later, because that’swhat friends were for.
* * * * *
Goodbye. Tim hadn’texpected that they would need to say it so soon. Just a month afterthe honeymoon, he and Ben were at the airport, hanging back to giveJason and William their privacy. Waiting with them was Kate,William’s mother, who was already dabbing at tears. The younglovers stood in front of the security checkpoint, oblivious to thepeople impatiently swarming around them to reach theirgates.
“I should have kept makingbabies,” Kate said. “I should have made as many as this body couldhandle and home-schooled them all. If I had it to do over, I’dnever let them leave the house.”
The funny thing was, Timcould relate. He didn’t want Jason to go and was thankful that dayhadn’t yet come. William was flying ahead to Astoria to set uptheir new life. Once he had, he would send for Jason. Just the ideatugged at his heartstrings. He could only imagine how much worse itwas for Kate, who had carried a child for nine months and raisedhim every day for eighteen years and beyond. Tim was surprised howquickly a stranger had become family. He had always assumed that,if someone adopted, the child would need to be young for any sortof bond to form. This wasn’t the case. He didn’t care howridiculous anyone found it. Jason was his son.
“I was thinking aboutlocking ours in his room,” Ben confided. “Just for a few years,maybe a decade. Or two. Then we’ll let him out.”
“Kidnapping my own child!”Kate said. “Now why didn’t I think of that?”
“It’s good you didn’t,”Ben said, “or William wouldn’t have saved all those lives. You mustbe proud.”
“Prouder than I everimagined,” Kate said, eyes watery as she watched her son. “That hasmade every second of missing and worrying about him worthit.”
“He’ll be fine,” Tim said.“Good heart, good head—and man can he swim!”
The person in questionlooked in their direction, then waved them over. They walked as agroup, Tim focusing on Jason, who appeared absolutely miserable.While the other two were busy saying goodbye to William, Tim movedcloser to his son.
“You’ll be all right,” hesaid, putting an arm around Jason. “Just think of last time. Youwere facing four years of being apart! This time it’ll be…what?”
“A month, maybe two,”William said, having overheard. “I’ll get things figured out upthere, and then?” He smiled, waiting for a response.
Jason had a harder timematching his expression. “Then I’ll fly to you and we’ll betogether.”
“Exactly,” William said,coming in for a hug.
Tim started to move away,but one of those big pale arms pulled him close as well.
“The rest of you get inhere too,” William said. “We’re all family now. Or will be soon.Right?”
This was directed atJason, who laughed and clamped his mouth shut with a shake of hishead. This was a running joke between the two. Ever since Williamhad proposed, Jason had declined to give his answer until fouryears were up, wanting to be certain. William didn’t seem to mind,playfully attempting to find out sooner, despite everyone knowingwhat his answer would be. When it did happen, that would likelytake their lives in all sorts of directions. For now, things werestill simple and Tim was content to wait, preferring to bask in thesensation of them all being together while he stillcould.
