by K E Osborn
“No strippers. Got it! So, it’s a go, then? Bachelor party for Mike at your place?” I question, and Aiden chuckles.
“Yep, sounds like a plan. This weekend?” he asks.
“Yep, sounds great, leave everything to me. We’ll have a barbecue dinner, then us men can head into your man cave for beer, pool, and cards. I think a night off is just what we all need,” I confess.
“Sure is… I’ll invite everyone if you want to organize the food and whatever other shit we need,” Aiden states.
“Yep, leave it all to me. You don’t have to do a thing except provide the house and invite the guys.”
“Thanks, Chris, I’m grateful you thought about this. Mike will love it,” Aiden confides.
“Nah, man! I just wanna excuse to get drunk,” I joke, and Aiden laughs.
“Right, well then, go… do something useful like planning a bachelor party or some shit,” Aiden replies.
“Will do. Catch ya Saturday night.”
“Yep,” he replies, and we end the call.
I was sure Aiden would say no, but I think this is precisely what we all need.
Sarah places Ethan and Ella in their car seats while I pack in the coolers with our supplies into the trunk. I didn’t want Aiden and Jeni to worry about anything other than providing the house. I organized for a load of beer to arrive shortly and some champagne and other drinks for the ladies.
“You all set, babe?” Sarah calls out.
“Yep, just need to put in our suitcase, and we can head off.”
I walk to the driver’s side and hop in as Sarah fusses over the kids, and we head off.
When we arrive a short time later, there are already a couple of cars parked in the driveway.
Sarah helps the kids out of the car, and we walk out on the deck, and for once, the twins aren’t crying.
“Hey, dude,” Aiden calls. I take a seat next to him while he rocks Brody on his knee.
“Hey, Brody.” I scruff his hair. He smiles up at me and waves and then continues playing on his iPad.
“No wonder Brody and Ethan are such good buds… they’re both obsessed with You Tube,” I tease. Brody looks up, sticking his tongue out at me.
“Brody Michael Christopher O’Connell, you know better than that,” Jeni calls out as she walks out holding one of the twins. I can never tell them apart.
“Sorry, Mom,” Brody drones, but he doesn’t miss one second of the video on his iPad.
“Hey, Chris,” Jeni chimes as she comes over and sits next to Callie, who has the other twin. “Thanks so much for organizing this for us. We would’ve struggled to get everything done. I know Mike will appreciate it.”
“It’s my pleasure. We’re here to help anytime. Speaking of Mike, where is he?” I ask, and Callie laughs.
“As this is a surprise for him, Aiden’s sent him all over Mornington Vale today doing odd jobs. Hopefully, when he gets back, everyone should be here, and we can surprise him.” Callie beams in her enthusiasm.
“Getting the stepfather to do all your dirty work? Nice bro, real nice.” I smirk at Aiden, and he rolls his eyes at me.
Killian and Daniel walk out onto the deck with their five-year-old, Lilly. They adopted her from a drug-addicted mother when she was two, and they’ve spoiled her rotten from day one.
“We’re just waiting on Brielle and Logan. They should be here soon,” Callie announces.
I nod, knowing that when they do finally arrive, I’ll probably spend most of the evening behind the barbecue.
Brielle and Logan arrive shortly after, and Aiden makes a phone call to Mike, telling him to finish up for the day and join them for dinner.
Within ten minutes of Aiden ending the call, Mike walks through the doors out onto the deck surprising us all—we weren’t expecting him for another half hour.
“What’s all this, then?” Mike asks with a chuckle, looking at every one individually.
“Umm, surprise!” Brielle yells, making us all laugh.
“You weren’t meant to be here for another half hour. We were all going to jump out and surprise you,” Callie tells Mike as she stands up and kisses him on the cheek.
“Well, I think the cars out the front gave it away that you’re all here. But why is this a surprise? It’s not my birthday,” Mike questions with a confused look.
“Nope, it sure isn’t. It’s your bachelor party,” I exclaim.
He looks at me with his eyes open wide and then to Aiden, who nods his head. “Really? You’re throwing me a bachelor party? At my age?”
“Who cares about age, Mike? You’ve never been married, so we wanted to give you all the traditions that go along with it. Us guys are heading into the man cave after dinner, and we’re not leaving until at least three in the morning,” Aiden states with a smirk.
“Well, thank you. This is completely unexpected, but I am honored.” He beams.
I get up and walk inside to get the food prepared for the barbecue. Daniel helps as does Logan, and we cook up a storm.
After dinner and a general chit-chat around the table, the girls head inside with the kids, putting the younger ones to bed and us men head to the man cave to really get this party started.
“Have a good time,” Callie calls out as we all head off down the hall.
Aiden has the area set up with posters of half-naked women, cars, and football teams. “Wow, does Jeni know about all these naked women?” Mike asks as he looks at a poster and laughs.
“Are you kidding me? She’s the one who picked them out. She said if you’re not having strippers, then you need something to get your heart racing…” Aiden shakes his head with a chuckle. “Her words, not mine,”
“Well, thank… you… Jeni,” I boast as I ogle at some brunette in black lace on a Harley. H.O.T!
Logan pours a round of beer from the keg. “Here’s to Mike,” Logan cheers, raising his glass.
“Here, here,” I say, and we all clink our pint glasses together and beer spills everywhere. Then we all down our beer in one go, including Mike.
“Right, poker or pool?” Aiden asks, and we all look to Mike.
It’s his night, so we do what he wants. “Um… pool, poker’s more fun when we’re wasted,” Mike declares.
The night flows with plenty of male bonding and a shitload of beer. We’ve finished the keg I had delivered, and now we’ve hit Aiden’s whisky collection. He’s brought out the old Macallan, and we’re all sipping it around the poker table. Honestly, I can hardly keep my eyes focused. I’m beyond plastered, and I know I am going to pay for it in the morning when Ella cries or Ethan jumps on the bed. Either way, I’m going to be in a world of hurt.
“Cheek,” Logan slurs as it comes to his turn.
“Don’t you mean check?” Aiden corrects.
“Cheek, check, same difference… either way, I fold, my hand’s shit,” he grumbles and turns his cards up showing three sevens.
“Dude, you had three sevens. That’s a good hand,” Killian chuckles.
Logan looks at his cards again. “Oh fuck, I thought I was seeing triple,” he rubs his face. “I’m so drunk. Dammit! I unfold,” he declares and picks his cards back up, and he stares at them with his eyes wide like he’s trying to focus on them but can’t.
It makes me laugh. Mike’s having a blast. I’ve never seen Mike drunk—he’s actually pretty funny.
“Hey, Chris… did you know my friend, Billy, is a poker player, and he lost his arm in a nasty accident. He’s now got a prosthetic replacement, and he just can’t deal with it,” Mike jokes.
For some reason, we all laugh like it’s the funniest thing we’ve ever heard. Of course, it is so lame and more like a dad joke.
“Oh, you like that one? What about this one…” He smiles. “A boy comes home from school and walks into his parents’ room where he sees his mom and dad are in bed making love. The boy asks, ‘What are you doing?’ His dad replies, ‘Playing poker. Now get out.’” Logan snickers, and it’s not even the butt
of the joke yet. “He goes to his older sister’s room to find his sister and her boyfriend in bed making love. The boy asks, ‘What are you doing?’ His sister replies, ‘Playing poker. Now get out.’ He goes to his older brother’s room and finds his brother masturbating. He asks his brother, ‘What are you doing?’ His brother replies, ‘Playing poker.’ The boy asks, ‘I thought that it takes two to play poker.’ His brother replies, ‘Not if you have a good hand.’”
Man, Mike’s jokes are killing us. We laugh and continue to play poker into the stupid hours of the morning. All the other guys have decided they’re hungry, so they’ve gone to the kitchen to eat some leftover barbecue food while Mike and I sit in the man cave smoking cigars.
“So, you having a good night?” I slur, trying to keep my eyes focused on Mike.
“Yeah, I’m having the best guys’ night out I’ve had in… well… ever! I am so glad my son has taken me in the way he has. Aiden means everything to me, so to have his approval is the best thing a father could ask for,” Mike slurs, then takes another guzzle of his whisky.
Instantly, I sober up. “You mean best thing a stepfather could ask for, right?”
“Yeah…” Mike pauses sitting taller. “Why? What did I say?” Mike asks.
“You said the best thing a father could ask for, you also called Aiden your son.”
Mike averts his eyes from me, nis nostrils flaring. “I’m drunk, I just think of him like a son, slip of the tongue… that’s all.”
“Mike, what aren’t you telling me?” I ask, and he exhales and runs his hand through his hair. He’s suddenly very pale, and a bead of sweat rolls down his temple.
“Chris, don’t push this.”
Holy Fuck!
“Mike, you don’t say shit like that unless there’s some truth behind it!”
Mike scrunches up his face, turns to look toward the door to make sure no one is coming, then faces me, a serious expression crossing his features. “Look… I’ve been holding this in for all of Aiden’s life,” Mike mutters, and then it’s like his mind drifts off.
“Mike… are you Aiden’s father? His biological father?” I ask, dreading the answer.
Mike’s eyes instantly tear up, and he throws back the rest of his whisky.
Damn!
He doesn’t need to answer me.
I already know by the look in his eyes that it’s the truth.
“He doesn’t know,” Mike defends and looks back at the door, again.
“Fuck,” I exclaim louder than I wanted to.
“You can’t tell him, Chris. It’ll kill him. He’s happy with the way things are. Aiden treats me like I’m his father anyway, so he doesn’t have to know the truth,” Mike begs while rubbing the back of his neck and looking at me intently.
I don’t know what to think.
It’s like I’ve been slapped with a fucking great big brick wall, and all the air has left my lungs.
“Shit, Mike… this is huge. Aiden deserves to know. You know that, right?” I implore.
“No!” His tone is stern. “Callie and I agreed after Niall died that our secret would go to the grave with him.”
“Did Niall know?”
Mike shakes his head.
Fucking hell, this just keeps getting better and better.
“I never meant for anyone to find out. This is exactly why I don’t drink because the truth comes out. Please, you can’t tell him. If Aiden was to find out, it should be from Callie and me. Please, Chris, I don’t normally beg, but I will in this instance. Please don’t tell him—”
“Don’t tell who? What?” Aiden asks as he walks back in with a massive bowl of chicken wings.
I look at Mike, and he’s staring at me while holding his breath. “Don’t tell you about the surprise Mike has for the wedding,” I quickly lie, pulling some shit out of my ass.
Mike instantly exhales while his body slumps. He glances up at Aiden with a look that can only be described as adoration and undeniable love. I know he’s not purposely trying to hide this massive secret from him, and I understand why Mike wants to keep it, but Aiden deserves to know because being a stepfather is majorly different to being your birth father.
“If it’s a group dance or something, count me out,” Aiden slurs, slumping back down on his chair as Logan, Killian, and Daniel walk in.
Mike and I laugh. “No, nothing like that.” Mike relaxes as he nods his head in my direction. I’m assuming in a gesture of thanks for not saying anything.
The tension between Mike and me is palpable, and I know everyone else notices, but they’re too drunk to care. We play poker for another couple of hours until I can’t take it anymore. I’m completely sober and starting to wonder what I should be doing about this whole situation. I think I should leave before I can’t help but blurt it out. I know I need to sleep on it. “Well, guys, I’m done for the night. Mike, happy bacheloring or whatever you’re supposed to say at these things. I’ll catch you all in the morning.” I slap Aiden on the back.
“You’re weak! Goodnight, pansy.” Aiden smirks at me, and I chuckle and shake my head.
“Night, Mike… think about what I said,” I whisper, and he nods.
I walk up the stairs to my room. It’s around four in the morning, but I need to talk to Sarah.
I climb into the bed, and she stirs. “Hey, babe, are you totally sloshed?” she murmurs.
I take in a deep breath and pull her to me. “No, completely stone-cold sober,” I whisper.
She slowly opens her eyes and frowns. “What’s wrong?” She rubs her eyes.
“If I tell you, you can’t say a thing. I’ve been sworn to secrecy,” I confide, and Sarah creases her eyebrows.
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
I shake my head. “Mike…”
“Yeah?” she questions.
“He’s Aiden’s dad!”
She’s silent for a moment. “What do you mean?”
“Mike is Aiden’s biological father… and to top it off… Aiden doesn’t know.”
“What the fuck?” Sarah booms louder than expected as she sits bolt upright in the bed staring at me. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly! Mike let it slip accidentally when we were alone in the room. Now I know, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
“Jesus, this is fucked… Aiden needs to know,” Sarah exclaims.
“I know. I tried to tell Mike that, but he thinks it’s better left the way it is. I don’t even know if I can face Aiden tomorrow. How am I supposed to keep something of this magnitude from him? If it were me, I’d want to know. Sure, I’d be pissed, but at least I’d know.”
Sarah caresses my cheek. “Maybe we can have a chat with Mike in the morning. See if we can knock some sense into him?”
“Yeah. That’s what I’m going to have to do because this is a secret I don’t think I can keep.”
I wake suddenly to Ethan jumping on the bed. “Daddy, get up,” he yells as he lands on my legs.
“Oww! Damn kid, you’re getting too heavy,” I grumble as I bring my hand up to my pounding head.
“Ethan, let Daddy sleep,” I hear Sarah whisper.
I turn my head to look at Sarah, and she’s smiling at me.
“I want Daddy to play with Brody and me,” Ethan whines, and Sarah giggles.
Fuck, I love that sound!
“Daddy had a big night and needs some more sleep, baby. Why don’t you go find Brody and play together? Just be careful on the stairs,” Sarah advises and lets him go.
He jumps up and runs out of the room. I exhale and place my forearm over my eyes.
“How you doing over there?” Sarah asks as I hear one of the twins start to cry.
“I feel like shit. I’m hungover, but more importantly, I’m stressed out about this whole Mike thing. I have no idea what to do,” I admit.
“We need to talk to Mike. Get everything out in the open… then you need to be there for Aiden ‘cause this is going to turn his world upside down.�
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I nod and exhale loudly.
This fucking sucks!
“Okay, well obviously, Aiden and Jeni are up ‘cause the baby has stopped crying. I’m going to go find Mike,” I say.
“Do you want me to come?” Sarah asks, as Ella gurgles and wakes.
“No, you feed Ella… I’ll talk to Mike. See you downstairs for breakfast,” I say, leaning in and kissing her forehead.
I dress and go downstairs, noticing Killian and Daniel asleep on the couch with Lilly cuddled into Killian. I walk out to the deck where Callie and Mike are in deep conversation. Mike’s sitting with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He’s a mess as Callie tries to comfort him.
I clear my throat, and they both look up at me. “Morning,” I murmur quietly.
“Morning, Chris,” Callie hums as Mike looks up.
“Mike, we need to talk,” I assert, and he pats the seat beside him.
“I know. Callie and I have been discussing it. I haven’t slept. I’m terrified Aiden’s going to resent me,” Mike admits.
“Aiden might be upset that you never told him, but he forgives easily. Plus, he loves you like a father. You need to tell him, Mike, ‘cause I don’t think I can keep your secret. It puts too much pressure on me as a friend to withhold something so significant from him. If Aiden ever found out…” I trail off.
“We know. We won’t ask you to do that. That’s why we’ve decided to tell him. But we think it’d be best if you and Sarah were there as well, to help Aiden and Jeni come to terms with what we have to tell them. I’m fairly sure they won’t want us around, and we want you to be there to help them through it,” Callie whispers.
I nod, finally feeling some relief from the anguish I’ve been feeling. I exhale and slap Mike on the back. “You’re doing the right thing. You’ve kept this from him for thirty-four years. I don’t know how you managed to keep it a secret for so long. It must’ve been killing you, Mike?”
“You have no idea how horrible it’s been. When Aiden was born, it was the worst time of my life.” Mike grimaces, and Callie wipes a tear from her cheek.
“When do you want to tell him?”
“Today. When all the kids leave, and it’s just us. I think Aiden should know before Killian and Bree, it’s only fair,” Mike declares.
