The Kids Grow Up, Trish Hanan [books you need to read .txt] 📗

And of course she refused to drink green milk before she went to bed so the next morning she woke up with the worst headache and snapped at him all morning.
Harry stayed and made sure everything was cleaned up and ready for the next day before he left. It had been a tiring day and he was exhausted and there was still a wedding to get through and he was regretting like hell that he had promised his kids that he wouldn’t run back to Mykonos to hide, that’s all he wanted to do. Instead he went to bed and stared at the ceiling for a long time before drifting off to sleep.
The next morning was the big day and everyone woke up and decided to be happy and joyous. The house was filled with people rushing back and forth and Fran and he put the final touches to the cake and the boys carried it to the center and promised not to drop it. All the girls got dressed, the boys put on their Armani tuxes and they all left for the church on time. Harry got everyone organized like a drill sergeant and moved things along quite smoothly. The caterer was at the Center with the food and drinks were being served and ice was delivered on time. There was even a beautiful ice sculpture of a swan carved by an alterian artist on display. It was perfect.
The grooms were walked down the aisle by both of their parents and Jake walked on the left side while Harry walked on the right side. Then they took seats together on the right side of the church. Violet sat on Jake’s left away from Harry and Chan who was Harry’s escort sat on his left. Jake wondered if they were dating but then the ceremony began and he was too caught up in it to wonder anymore.
Reverend Phillip did the ceremony and he beamed as he preformed the beautiful ceremony. Danny wore a white tux as his father had done before him and Martin looked splendid in black and when they exchanged the same rings that Harry and Jake had worn and they were inscribed with the same words: my heart, your heart, one heart forever, Harry couldn’t help but cry. A lot of the women in the audience got weepy along with him. Jake smiled and reached for his handkerchief and was startled as hell when Harry took one out of his pocket and took out his own to wipe his eyes. When did Harry start carrying a handkerchief? Jake was hurt and confused by it. It had always been his job to supply Harry with a hankie to wipe his eyes and now it looked as if Harry didn’t need him anymore. He glanced at his wife and Violet’s eyes were calm and clear, she hadn’t been affected by the exchange of vows at all. He sighed and watched the rest of the ceremony and wondered when in the world had his life gotten so screwed up.
After the ceremony everyone rushed to the main room for dinner and dancing. Everything was served buffet style and there were mountains of food and plenty to drink. The cake was the centerpiece on display and everyone moved around talking and chatting like they hadn’t seen each other for a long time. Jake and Violet were at the head table with the two grooms and Harry and his date along with the other parents, Synta and Joon who beamed with pride. Violet looked down her nose at the alien couple which embarrassed Jake tremendously especially when she said in a loud voice that she wanted to sit at the table with David and Gloria.
“Well, fine then, you go and sit with your friends, I’m sitting here with my son,” he told her firmly and she pouted but remained in her seat. Joon lifted her eyebrow and grinned at Jake who grinned back. Then the happy couple took to the dance floor for the first official dance as husband and husband and everyone cheered and clapped. Violet made a face.
“It’s not like they’re a real married couple,” Violet whispered to Jake who frowned at her.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean, they’re a real married couple, they just got married,” he snapped and looked like he wanted to slap her. She rolled her eyes but before she could say anything the announcer then asked for the parents of the grooms to join them on the dance floor. Everyone at the head table got up and walked to the floor. Harry’s kids rushed in and grabbed Violet and Chan.
“This dance is only for parents of the grooms and you’re not a parent,” Emma told Violet firmly and led her back to the table. Violet looked shocked as her husband took Harry into his arms. Harry laughed and looked up at Jake who laughed and looked down.
“I think our kids want us to dance together,” Harry teased as he felt those familiar arms come around him. He wanted to lean in and lay his head on Jake’s shoulder but refrained out of pride. Jake sighed and wanted to hold on as tight as he could but refrained out of pride.
“I guess they do, you look great, Harry; did you just get your hair cut?” he asked and Harry giggled.
“Yes just last week, how can you tell?” he asked. Jake smiled and spun him around, they always moved together so well, he hardly had to make any effort.
“It’s so curly, it was always so curly when you first got it cut,” he told him. Harry smiled.
“Oh, yeah, so, you’re looking good,” he lied and Jake knew it. He shook his head.
“Too many parties, not enough exercise, too much drinking, I need to start running again, maybe I’ll start taking the dogs to the beach in the mornings, you’d let me do that wouldn’t you?” he asked and Harry nodded.
“Of course, Jake, they’d love to see you, I know they miss you,” he said. Jake sighed.
“I used to watch your travel show just so I could see Gertie and Bo, they love to fly, they always had big grins,” he said and Harry laughed.
“How’s work?” he asked and Jake shrugged.
“Too much paperwork, you know my Dad, he hates to do paperwork so I end up doing his as well as my own,” he told him. Harry nodded.
“You should tell him to do his own damned paperwork,” he said firmly. Jake nodded.
“Then he wouldn’t do it and they’d shut us down,” he said sadly. Harry grinned.
“You look like you could use a vacation and you could spend it building your own Clinic, I’ve got one over in Sherwood you could have,” he teased and Jake laughed.
“Oh, Dad would love that,” he remarked. Then the song ended and Harry stepped back and out of Jake’s arms. They looked at one another.
“It was nice dancing with you, Jake Jackson, see you around,” Harry said cheerfully even though he felt like his heart was breaking and he turned around and walked back to the table. Jake felt like crying and running after him. Instead he turned around and walked to the bar. He asked for a scotch and took a big sip. Violet walked up to him.
“You and old Harry looked pretty chummy on the dance floor, what were you talking about?” she asked in a sharp tone. He shrugged.
“The dogs,” he replied. She made a face.
“You’re not bringing those filthy animals into my house, Jake Jackson, so forget about it, anyway I’m allergic, remember?” she said sweetly and he nodded. He asked for another scotch and returned to the table. For the rest of the night he drank and watched Harry dance with Chan and then with Mike and Davy, all of his sons and daughters, Kathleen, Joon and even Shelley. Jake danced with his wife once and then went outside for a long time and hated his life. His kids noticed.
“Boy, Jake seems to be having a rough time, he’s only danced with Violet once,” Ryan remarked to Sean and they both grinned.
“Did you see the look on his face when Dad stepped away from him, I bet he wishes he could go home,” Sean said. Ryan whistled.
“Wouldn’t that be a kick in the ass, he leaves Dad for thirty years and then goes back, I wonder if Dad would take him back,” he said. Sean nodded.
“Did you see his face, of course he would, he still loves him, I’d bet a million bucks on it,” he declared and Ryan sighed.
“If James ever left me I don’t know if I’d pine away for thirty years like that,” he said and Sean nodded.
“I love Georgie but I don’t know, thirty years is a long time,” he said and they went back inside to their loves.
After the cake was cut the happy couple went on their two week honeymoon to Hawaii and everyone danced and then went home. Harry stayed behind to supervise the cleanup and then paid everyone off very generously and then drove home himself avoiding Chan and his suggestion of bedroom fun. He just wasn’t up to the boy’s antics. He walked into his living room and took one look at the damned statue of the lovers on the coffee table and fell apart.
He fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around the statue and lifted it off the table and onto the floor, hugging it tight to his body and cried for hours. Gertie and Bo whined and licked his face but he didn’t feel or hear them, he was in agony. He had been in Jake’s arms for the first time in thirty years and it had been so wonderful and much too brief. He lied on the floor all night.
Adam found him there the next morning. He had come to milk his brother’s cow and noticed that his dad didn’t come to milk Bessie and thought that was strange so he milked her and carried the milk into the house. Bo and Gertie met him at the back door whining and barked for him to follow them. He eyed Harry lying on the floor; his arms still wrapped around the statue and almost cried himself. He put the milk down and helped his dad up.
“Come on, Dad, let’s get you to bed, you’ve been here all night,” he said softly and Harry shivered. He held onto his son tight and when he saw the bed so cold and different he pointed to the bathroom.
“I’m sorry, Adam, but I have to pee,” Harry whispered. Adam took him to the bathroom and helped him undress and stood by while he peed and brushed his teeth and put him to bed. He brushed the hair from his forehead with gentle hands. Tears came to Harry’s eyes.
“He’s never coming home, Adam, I’ve cried for thirty years and he’s never going to love me again, I’m so tired, I’ll be better later, I promise,” he said and closed his eyes.
“You’ll be fine, Dad,” Adam cooed. He went and feed the animals and ran the milk and put it in the fridge and went home to his love Billy and told him what he had found. The two men hugged one another and