Part 69 (1/2)

”I have good news,” Jason called, walking in to join us.

”Our newlywed couple just got into a fight and left. It looks like your friends just got a room for the weekend.”

”It's good news that someone had a fight, Dad?”

Caroline asked.

”No, simple Simon. It's good news that we have an extra room for Morgan and Drew's friends.”

”Oh,” she smiled.

We were just sitting down to eat when Celeste, Alicia and Vincent arrived. I swear I have never seen such a cute kid in all my life. I was surprised to see Celeste in jeans. I had never seen her in anything but expensive pant suits and fancy skirts. Her girlfriend, Alicia, was just as beautiful, but with light brown hair, also in jeans. I a.s.sumed that Celeste had been the one to give birth to Vincent by the blonde hair, but he could have been adopted. I found myself curious about the couple, and wanted to ask Celeste about their relations.h.i.+p.

Vincent was shy at first, but my busy little sister didn't let that last too long. She insisted on him coming out of his sh.e.l.l. She was explaining sea gla.s.s to him, and they were both scarfing their plates, ready to head to the beach.

”Can I go now, Mom?” Vincent asked, leaving a little on his plate.

Celeste told him to let Drew eat first. Alicia told him to eat two more bites.

”Wait, which one is your mom?” nosey little Caroline asked.

”I have two moms,” he replied proudly.

”Oh,” she replied.

I just knew she was going to have a million questions with that one. I did. I had never had a gay friend.

She didn't though. I was more inquisitive about it than she was. I was under the a.s.sumption that one always played the male role. That wasn't the case at all. Alicia was just as feminine as Celeste was. Her hair was perfect, her nails were manicured, and she was just as pretty as Celeste.

”My friend, Marissa has two moms too,” Caroline explained.

”Let's go munchkins,” Drew said, probably wanting to stop the conversation, as well.

We all made our way out to the ma.s.sive deck once Drew, and Jason took off with the two little ones.

It was nice in North Carolina, not summer nice, but a lot warmer than it was when we had left Maine. We all had on thin jackets or sweats.h.i.+rts. I smiled when I watched Vincent reach up and take Drew's hand.

”Mom, come here,” I exclaimed.

I placed her hand right on the side of my belly. Her face lit up. Of course Celeste and Alicia had to feel it too.

”It seems like so long ago when Vincent was doing this,” Alicia remarked. I couldn't help it. I had to ask.

”Did you carry him?”

”No. Celeste did. Can't you tell by the blonde hair?” she added. ”She was not the most pleasant person to be around when she was pregnant. I swear I have never seen anyone cry as much as she did. I was ready to kill her.”

I laughed. I couldn't see Celeste crying over anything. She was too, strong, powerful and full of herself.

”Alicia gets to carry the next one,” Celeste a.s.sured us.

”Are you trying?” I asked a little too excited.

”We're always trying,” Celeste teased. They really were just like a normal couple.

”Shut up,” Alicia badgered back.

Celeste laughed. ”She starts her first round of in vitro the week after Thanksgiving.”

”We are still talking about that,” Alicia stated with a stern look right to her mate. ”Celeste seems to want to do nothing but work all the time now. I'm not interested in doing this alone.”

”I have a feeling my husband has something to do with that,” I confessed. ”But don't you worry, I will make sure you are spending the time with your family that you should be. You start the process Alicia. I promise she will be home more.”

”Yeah because he fired me,” Celeste said not entirely joking.

”He would never fire you. You should hear how he talks about you. He is overly impressed.”

”He is?” Celeste asked, hopeful.

”Absolutely, but I'm not going to let you neglect your family to please Drew,” I a.s.sured her.

My mom and Alicia got to talking about crocheting of all things. Before we knew it Celeste and I were alone on the deck while they were off looking at the new baby blanket that my mom was working on for the baby.

”I can't thank you enough for this, Morgan,”

Celeste said, sipping her hot tea.

”You don't have to thank me. I'm glad you're here, and I love Alicia.”

”Me too,” she smiled. ”We really did need this.”

”How long have you two been together?”

”Nine years in March. How long have you been with Drew?”

”On and off for about ten years, on again for a day,” I smiled.

”You are coming back to Vegas for good?”

I shrugged my shoulders. ”We never really talked about it, but I am sure that is his plan. I told him that I needed to live by the beach, but he went and did all the new remodeling and the baby's room and all. I hate to disappoint him now.”

Celeste laughed. ”You should have seen him trying to do all of that. I couldn't help but be amused by him. He handpicked every piece of clothing in that room.”

”He did?” I asked surprised. ”I figured he had you do all of that.”

”He had me going in every store in New York City with him, but he did all of the shopping.”

I smiled out at the four figures, searching through sand and pebbles.