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Lennon didn’t know what to say. His eyes ached with tears at how Frey was right, the universe found a way of giving you things when you needed them.

“I…” He swallowed back the sob trying to steal his ability to speak. Lennon took a second to breathe deeply, registering the bitterly cold air as it filled his chest. “I spent the day fretting about how small my apartment is. How you hate the smell of diapers and how close the crib would be to our bed. I couldn’t find a way to make it different… but you did. How can I be mad at that?”

His vision blurred as Kodi scooped him up off the porch and peppered his face with kisses in between I love yous.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Alphahole

Jupiter: Can you hear that? It’s the final brother hitting the relationship hurdle and falling over it. Meeting the parents… how brave, Kodi.

Booker: I knew you couldn’t do math, Jup! There is most definitely one brother left. YOU.

Silas: WTF! Kodi, what alien captured you and told you to do that?

Kodi: Fuck you!

Kari: Silas, at least he wasn’t shagging in the office and pretending not to be.

Booker: No, he was busy getting his ass spanked.

Kodi: You fucker! You promised me.

Booker: That was before you confessed to Popi and Dad about Lennon and brought him to the house when none of us were around to give you a little payback, so all bets are off now.

Dad: Booker, I could have gone my whole life without that image in my head!

Booker: Same for seeing you chasing Popi down the stairs, naked… yeah that has left me traumatized for life.

Taylin: When did that happen?

Booker: Which one? Dad was yesterday. I think I need therapy.

Silas: Frey’s heats, that’s all I’m gonna say big bear!

Kari: I gotta admit, I don’t miss living at home.

Laken: I’m with you on that.

Rue: Hell yeah, distance most definitely has its benefits.

Taylin: Monty is back next weekend, are you coming with him?

Rue: No, Kendrick hasn’t got the vacation time. We’re planning to come for a few days around Christmas which is a couple of weeks later. It’s all too close together to manage it.

Jupiter: That means we won’t get our boys night out before Christmas this year?

Rue: Can you sort the jet for Monty, please Silas? Jup, we will. I’ll make sure of it, even if it’s Christmas eve, though I ain’t going to any place you suggest this time!

Silas: Will do. And you’re right Rue, Jup does not get to pick this year.

Jupiter: What? You didn’t enjoy the evening life painting class we did?

Booker: I can hear you sniggering from my bedroom, Jup! We didn’t know that we were what they’d be painting!

Jupiter: I’m sure that woman, what was her name? Exaggerated your bits.

Taylin: Her name was Thelma, and she was definitely enamoured with Booker’s bits.