The More the Merrier

by Sean Michael

  “You’re more than unemployed. You’re raising our babies.”

  “Yeah, but it sounded more dramatic the way I said it.”

  Logan nodded. “True, but you can’t denigrate yourself in front of our babies.”

  He cupped Logan’s cheek, rubbing it with his thumb. “You make me feel like a million dollars.”

  “You two are basking. Come man the grill, man, and make burgers.” Zack was all smiles.

  “You do it,” Dirk suggested. “I’ll sit on the sidelines and admire your grilling prowess.”

  “Excellent idea. Admire my butt too.”

  “I always admire that.” Dirk walked around Logan, nodding. “Yep. Always.”

  Zack threw up his hands. “Basking.”

  “Aren’t we supposed to?” Logan asked. “It seems like the right thing to do.”

  “Yeah, I think it’s in the handbook,” Logan noted.

  “And he’s the lawyer—he knows about rules.” Dirk smirked and admired his man.

  “Absolutely. It’s in section 5, clause 59. Basking is always allowed, but definitely during engagement parties.”

  Zack laughed and Dirk simply grinned. God, he loved Dirk.

  Suzy began to fuss, catching his attention. “Someone needs her bottle.”

  “I’ve got her,” Zack offered, taking her from his arms just like that. “You help that one get food going before we all starve to death.”

  Like there weren’t eight million bowls and plates of munchies on the tables.

  “On it.” Logan bounced over the deck, beaming all the way.

  Dirk found himself watching and grinning. Yeah, he was basking. He thought that was a really good thing.

  Chapter Nineteen

  LOGAN sat in the kitchen, snacking on leftovers and reliving their day. The house was full of kids and friends, food and laughter.

  It was perfect.

  His husband-to-be was on the couch, head against the back cushion, snoring as he held Seb and Sam against his chest. Suzy was in her swing, eyes open, watching everything.

  Aiden came and sat next to him. “Hey, old friend.”

  “Hey, buddy. How’re you?”

  “I’m actually really good. It makes my heart glad to see the two of you so happy.” Aiden leaned over to hug him. “Who knew Dirk would be the one for you? Although I have to admit, I did think he was mooning over you from when he first started coming to the group.”

  Logan blinked. Really? How cool. “I didn’t notice. I just loved how he was with Melly.”

  “Yeah, you can tell a lot about a man by how he treats kids—his own and other people’s. Dirk’s one of the good ones. Oh, and thanks for having Linds over tonight. She’s pretty excited about having her first big-girls’ sleepover without either of her daddies. Of course, I may be making a trip back here at midnight if she suddenly decides that being here overnight without either of her daddies is scary.”

  “Are you sure you two don’t want to stay in the blue room? You know you and the babies are welcome.”

  “That’s so tempting. I’ll talk to Dev. I imagine we’ll take you up on that, if you’re sure you want all the extra people after having a full day of guests.”

  “We’ll make waffles in the morning, hmm? Have a lazy Sunday.” He loved having a group of people around.

  “That’s sounds awesome. We’re in.” Aiden laughed and gave him a hug.

  “Do you want the Pack ’n Play for your little ones?”

  “That’d be perfect. We can keep them in the room with us and not worry about our babies waking your babies and vice versa.” Aiden waved Dev over. “Hey, babe, we’re all staying over. Logan has promised us waffles in the morning even.”

  Dev’s smile widened. “That’s awesome. I’ve already fielded a couple of questions from Linds that made me think she wasn’t going to make it the whole night on her own, so this’ll save one of us having to come back for her.” Dev sat on the other side of Logan. “How can there be three of us sitting here with five babies between us and yet none of us is holding a single one of them?”

  Aiden shook his head. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, babe.”

  “I’m not—it seems weird is all.”

  “If you need one, Suzy is happy to be picked up.” He winked, playing with them. “Seriously, there’s tons of room, and God knows we have enough food.”

  “Yeah, it’s like you shopped for an army.”

  “There are a lot of young girls here,” Dev noted. “Who from what I can see have never-ending bellies. So I think that equals an army.”

  “Right? They’ve already been down for snacks three times.”

  “Linds eats like a fiend every time she has a growth spurt,” Aiden noted, Dev vigorously nodding his agreement.

  “And there’s a bunch of tweens trying to become young ladies.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m going to have to buy stock in Doritos.”

  They were all laughing as Dirk came in, carrying all three triplets like it was the easiest thing in the world. “This looks like the fun room.”

  Logan held his arms out, Seb reaching for him. He took his little boy, snuggling him and laughing as he squealed.

  “They’re getting so big,” Dev noted. “It’s amazing how fast it happens.”

  Dev took Suzy, and Aiden took Sam. “You notice they didn’t squeal for us like they did for Logan.”

  “Well, he’s their daddy,” Dirk said. “Aside from peekaboo, they love him best.”

  Logan thought maybe it was Melly who held that honor, but he wasn’t going to argue the point. “I am.” Being a daddy, it was what he was made for. He knew that now.

  Dirk sat on the floor, grinning at the three of them on the couch. “I should find your camera, Dev. This is a great picture.”

  “Daddy? Can we have another snack?”

  He looked to Dirk to take the baby, but Dirk hopped up and headed back to the kitchen to help the girls.

  “What do you think they’re feeding up there?” Dev asked as Sarah followed after Dirk.

  “The monster under the bed,” Aiden suggested.

  “There’s also the closet,” Dev said.

  “Oh God no. Have you seen that thing? No monsters would dare.”

  Returning from the kitchen, Dirk chuckled. “You forget that I know what your closet looks like, love. The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree.”

  “She’s a gorgeous little messy apple, though….”

  “Gorgeous and smart and a great big sister. And she and her friends got a big bottle of Orange Crush and three bags of chips. They are going to be up until Tuesday.” Dirk laughed.

  “Either that or they’ll crash like lead balloons in the morning.”

  “I see the party is in here,” noted Zack. “And most of the babies. Did you guys lose Bee and Dylan?”

  “They’re snuggled up together in that pile of blankets. Are your girls with Melly?”

  “They are. They’re watching Coco for the five millionth time.”

  “It’ll be Moana next,” Dirk noted. “Luckily I like them both as I can pretty much quote the entire movies verbatim.”

  “Would you like to give us a performance?” Aiden asked.

  “No.”

  Logan began to chuckle. “At least it’s not Tangled. Sarah watched that a thousand times.”

  “I’ve never seen that one.” Dirk said it like it was a badge of honor. It probably was. If nothing else it proved that Dirk’s girl was younger than his.

  “That’s a lucky break,” Logan noted.

  “Or a lucky braid,” Zack teased.

  Logan groaned. “That was very bad.”

  “I aim to please.” Zack looked utterly unrepentant.

  If Zack hadn’t been holding one of the triplets, Logan would have thrown a pillow or something at him.

  The others were all laughing, except for Dirk. “Am I missing a joke?”

  “Yeah, baby, you are. A bad one. Just be grateful you don’t get it.”r />
  “Okay.” Dirk came and pushed between him and Aiden to lean against him. Seb wiggled and cooed, drawing Dirk’s attention. “Hello, son. Are you enjoying daddy time? Are you?” Dirk made all sorts of faces, making Seb laugh.

  He looked at the guys. “No one makes them laugh like Dirk.”

  “That’s ’cause I make the best idiotic faces.”

  “Totally.” He leaned to get a kiss. “Never change.”

  “I’ll try not to.” Dirk closed the distance between their lips, and they lingered together.

  Dev and Aiden “awwed” in unison.

  “Save some for the wedding,” teased Zack.

  “Have you picked a date yet?” Dev asked.

  “We’re going to go get the license Monday. We’re not doing a big church wedding or anything.”

  “You have to invite us! Otherwise you won’t get babysitters for your honeymoon night.” Aiden was a butthead.

  “When’s the next Teddy Bear Club day?” Dirk asked.

  “You mean Tuesday?”

  “Yeah. How about that?”

  Logan smiled. It would be a lovely place for a wedding.

  “We were going to ask Zack to marry us, anyway, right? You could take Sarah out of school for the day so she can be there too.” Dirk smiled at him.

  “It’s perfect. We’ll have a ceremony with our best friends and all the kids.” He couldn’t think of anything better.

  “That works for me.” Dirk beamed at him.

  And if they had it the coming Tuesday, there wouldn’t be a chance for any of the crazy wedding accoutrements that turned people into groomzillas and cost a fortune.

  They didn’t need the tuxes, the several hundred people, the pomp and circumstance. They didn’t even need a city hall wedding. They needed exactly what this would be. A Teddy Bear Club wedding.

  “Zack?” he asked. “How does that work for you?”

  “I’ll have to make sure I have someone to cover the cash register for me for the rest of the day, but yeah, that works for me. I’ll be honored to both host and officiate.”

  “Perfect. Let’s do it, then. Tuesday it is.”

  Aiden and Dev cheered. Dirk just beamed at him, looking so pleased.

  “Shortest engagement in history.”

  “We’re too busy for a long engagement,” Dirk suggested.

  “You know it.” He grabbed Dirk in his free arm and kissed him, hard.

  Groaning, Dirk matched his passion. “I do love you.”

  “Eww, Daddy!” Sarah stared at him wide-eyed. “No kissing! Ice cream?”

  “More food?” Hadn’t Dirk just sent her back with a couple bags of chips?

  “We’re hungry!”

  “Okay, okay.” He passed Seb over to his husband-to-be, stole another kiss, and stood. He grabbed his daughter’s hand and let her lead him to the kitchen. “So you want cones or sundaes?”

  “Milkshakes, Daddy? Please? You make the best ones.”

  “You got it, honey.” He grabbed the ice cream and the milk and set them on the counter by the blender. “Are you and your friends having a good time?”

  “Uh-huh. They picked a scary movie to watch.”

  Was that why she kept coming down for food? “Are you okay with that?” Hell, were the rest of them okay with that—a bunch of nine- and ten-year-old girls might not all want to watch something scary, but if one suggested it, the rest might feel the need to do it even if they didn’t want to. He might not be a kid anymore, but he could remember what peer pressure was like.

  She shook her head, but she said, “I guess so?”

  “Did everyone want to watch the scary movie?” Did he need to go up and make sure they were okay? He was pretty sure he did. He’d help Sarah carry the milkshakes up to her room and suss out the situation.

  “I-I guess so?”

  “Let’s go upstairs, okay? I’ll help get the shakes up there.” He thought maybe they needed to talk about what daddies thought scary was.

  He got them made, and up they went, Sarah with two of the milkshakes, and he had the other three.

  “Are you having a good party, Daddy?” She took the stairs a little slowly, and he could tell she was stretching out her trip.

  “I am. It’s a happy occasion. What about you, honey? Are you having a good party with your posse?” He deliberately used a word that had earned him laughter the day before.

  “Yeah. It’s been fun to run around.”

  “I’m glad, honey.” It was the first big sleepover he’d hosted for her ever, and he did want it to go well.

  “I just… ghosts… do you think Mommy is a ghost?”

  Oh, crap, what were they watching? “No, Sarah. I believe your mother went to heaven.”

  “Me too. I don’t want her to be a ghost.” There were tears right under the surface.

  “She’s not a ghost, honey, she’s an angel, and she’s looking out for you, okay?” He needed to change the channel on whatever they were watching. “Come on, these milkshakes are melting.”

  “Right. Daddy?” She caught his eyes. “Please don’t let them know I’m scared.”

  “Your secret is safe with me, sweetie.” He was going to tell them scary movies were for older girls. He could totally pretend he’d just come up with the milkshakes and was completely surprised by what they were watching.

  They went into Sarah’s room.

  Poltergeist was on the screen, one of the girls hiding under a blanket, another with tears on her cheeks.

  “Holy Fu-udgsicles. What are you girls watching?” He went over to the TV and turned it off, figuring that would be quicker than trying to find the remote. “Whose idea was it to watch this?”

  “It’s PG-13! It said so, Mr. Bartram. I promise!” Belinda looked at him, wide-eyed.

  “Well, the last time I looked, at least, none of you is thirteen yet. And this one is very scary. I’m not comfortable with you watching it.” He turned the overhead light on and set his tray of milkshakes on the table. “Does anyone need a hug?” Even Belinda didn’t look like she’d been happy watching the movie.

  The girls all came to him, getting a hug and a milkshake, one at a time.

  Sarah was last, and she threw her arms around his neck. “You’re the best daddy,” she whispered.

  “I love you too, baby girl. How about The Incredibles?”

  A chorus of “yays” went up, and Logan found the remote and cued up the movie.

  “This is one of my favorites—do you mind if I watch a bit of it with you?” Logan wasn’t going to walk out and let the girls have trouble again.

  They all agreed he could, and he sat on one side of the bed, his back against the headboard. “You gonna share your milkshake, Miss Sarah?”

  “Yeah, Daddy.” He doubted Sarah was hungry at all.

  “Thank you.” He had a few mouthfuls. It was good if he did say so himself. Then he focused on the movie. This was one that he enjoyed, and hopefully it would turn things around for the girls. At least it was early in the evening and not the middle of the night that they’d gone for the scary movie. By the time it was really late, he hoped the happy stuff would have overcome the scary.

  When Dirk came up to check on him, the girls had played beauty shop with him, the little girls giggling happily as they painted his nails and lips.

  Dirk smirked, and Logan was pretty sure Dirk was trying hard not to laugh. “Wow. You are looking very pretty.” He whipped his phone out. “In fact, this should be shared.”

  Logan’s eyes went wide, and he shook his head. Oh no. There was no reason to record this for posterity.

  Dirk took five or six photos. “Oh yeah.”

  “Girls. I think Dirk needs a makeover. Don’t you?”

  Dirk took a step back. “I don’t know about that.”

  The girls knew, though, swarming Dirk.

  He leaned back and let his nails dry, knowing that Dirk didn’t know about all of this. Yet.

  “You sit here, Uncle Dirk.” Sarah showed
Dirk to the “salon” chair.

  “Okay.” Dirk shot him a look but then gave the girls a smile. “So what do I need to do?”

  “You just sit there,” Belinda informed him. “We do all the work.”

  Logan fought the urge to laugh. Instead, he texted the guys. Beauty makeover time. Will be down soonish.

  pictures!

  Logan shook his head. Oh, he was taking pictures of Dirk, but that was for the two of them and Sarah and Mel. He knew Dirk wouldn’t share the ones he’d taken of Logan if he didn’t share the ones he was about to take of Dirk.

  This was for them to look back on and laugh, all seven of them.

  Dirk was a good sport, making fishy faces and closing his eyes when told to.

  By the time they were done, none of them could possibly keep their laughter in.

  Mel, Linds, and Zack’s girls had come up to join in the fun, too, the room a gaggle of happy girls. He was pretty sure the scary movie incident had passed, and everyone was happy to come down to the media center and snuggle in the big chairs to watch Beauty and the Beast on the big screen.

  Once they had them all set up and watching, he and Dirk were able to finally head back to their guests. Which turned out to be just Zack, Aiden, and Dev, everyone else having made their way home.

  They all plopped down, the five infants all on blankets on the floor.

  “You guys both look very, uh… beautiful?”

  “You should have seen us before we washed our faces.” Dirk shook his head. “The girls had such fun doing it.”

  “There is a lot of laughing going on,” Aiden said. “Are they all watching cartoons now?”

  “They are. Sarah’s got Linds and Mel in her chair.”

  “I’m glad you guys stayed.” Dirk headed toward the kitchen. “Can I get anyone anything?”

  “Can I have a Coke, love?”

  “You can have anything you want.”

  “I already do.”

  Dirk’s expression went soft, and the guys all went “aww.”

  Yeah, it was a sappy moment—sue them.

  They deserved a little sap, just because.

  “Anybody else want anything?” Dirk asked. “Just so you know, food and drink are all I’m offering the rest of you hooligans.”