Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2020 18:49:27 +0000 From: Max Dowling Subject: Ask Me 80 Ask Me 80 We sat for ages and I helped her put some things together, then she wanted my opinion on some taps and showerheads. So we did that for the next couple of hours. The needles don't hurt and mostly I can't feel them. When Di loaded me up with Botox I sat quietly just watching Hope and Brent have their naps on the floor. "There you're done, and good to go for another six months." She kissed my head, it was nice. "Thank you, honey now I must away and feed these little ones they must be hungry." "Okay, I am going to have a dinner party soon, just you and Adam and Rob, maybe Phil and Dave but I will let you know closer to the time." She smiled, I kissed her then walked back home. I warmed up some milk and put the boys on the floor with pillows, then I secured the bottles into their mouths and watched their little hands hold them while they drank up. It was a trick Di had shown me last week and it worked a treat. I made a sandwich and as soon as I popped it in my mouth John and Ray came home. I could hear them pottering around then the place went quiet; I guess they are at it. After the kids were burped and changed John opened the doors and came in to fix something for the park. I will go today it's been a while since we went to cheer Ted on. Conner rang and said he was only twenty minutes away which is good, we both can pick our boy up. I kind of liked John and Ray being around all the time, it just stops Con and I having sex on the sofa but now we are old daddies it's probably time to restrict our playfulness to the bedroom. I looked through the mail and pulled an official-looking one out and opened it. It was the boy's adoption papers, Con and I had to sign them and return part of it to our solicitor's office. I showed Ray, who looked it over then gave it the nod of approval, we will have their names changed to Richards when everything settles down a bit. I did another small feed then we packed up the babies and headed for Ted's school. Ted was waiting with Bubs this time, and Fran pulled up the same time as me. He kissed me, then his brothers and I strapped him in the back seat. "How was your day Teddy?" "Good dad, we had to do a fire drill." "A very important thing to do Ted, did you do what the teacher told you to do?" "Yes daddy, can I be a fireman?" "Of course you can, anybody that's strong and clever can be one." He had that smile on his face again. Conner was at the park when we got there, he was talking to Ray and John so Ted ran over to them to hug them, so I grabbed the carry baskets and rolled up behind him with the kids. Andy was early, he and Shaun were having a sandwich and as soon as Bubs got there he collared Ray to show him some papers he had in his backpack. Ray took his phone out and started adding things up and Bubs must have done well again because Ray was smiling as he double-checked the figures. "Well done Mr. Bubby, this is awesome, you have done very well." He smiled at Bubs whose smile got bigger. "Daryl's opened an account for him to look after too, he reckons the boys have too much money and he wants a piece of the action." Fran laughed. "That's awesome Fran, bubs will do very well for him." "What's this one Bubs?" Ray asked him. "That's a speculation one, I'm just trying it out. It's a new mining company and from what I read it's going places." He grinned. "We had better buy some too Brent, we can't let the kids have more money than us." "How much do they have Ray?" Conner asked. "Around fifty thousand." "Fantastic, Bubs great work." Conner was smiling at him. It was time to move onto better things as Shaun got the footy out and they joined the other kids. "Oh and Conner?" "Yes, Ray." "That's each." He laughed his head off. Conner was a bit stunned I think, Bubbies a natural, like Ray. There were babies to be held and kissed, footy players to be cheered on and Cons ass to attend to as we took our leave and started running around the park. We did the short track this time, he had to get back to his sons. That night he had another song to play to me, it was slow and loving. I knew he had written it for the boys because it was full of love and joy. I almost teared up but pulled myself together for Ted's sake, he had been laying on the floor with the babies looking at the chandelier. We have to go to Marty's tomorrow night for dinner with Adam and Rob, it will be good to see them, and Di's house will be overcrowded again with babies. I know she doesn't mind and if I was to be honest, tomorrow night's dinner is just an excuse to see the boys again. While I caught up with Rob, Adam absconded with the boys and sat on Di's sofa with one in each arm, he was totally in love with them. "How's work coming along?" "Great Brent, we are flat chat at the moment the next shipment is fully loaded." "Good, did the engine get repaired?" "Yes and it's ready to go, we already have a full ship for the return journey boss, it's a winner for sure. I can see Daryl buying a couple more maybe next year." "That good, when are you and Adam getting married?" He went red in the face and then he smiled. "Has he been talking to you about it?" "No, he did say he would think about it in passing though." "I am going to ask him, just have to find the right time. I can't imagine my life without him and I want to make it more permanent, do you think he wants kids?" I looked over at Adam and then back at Rob and said. "Yes." Then I giggled and said. "But he can't have mine." "You are so lucky, what an amazing gift for you both." "They are, and they adore Teddy he's going to be an awesome big brother." I looked over at my son, he was playing dollies with Hope. When it came to seating arrangements I got stuck beside Con and Adam, he smirked at me I smirked back. "They are beautiful Brent, I hope they aren't giving you a hard time." "Not at all Adam, they are perfectly well behaved, you would expect that from my children though." Another smirk. "Well when they realize what a bully you are they will change their minds." A slight smile. "When are you going to work for Di's company full time Adam?" "When hell freezes over Brent." "That maybe sooner than you think." "And you say that why?" "Because you're about to be fired, so you will be forced to work for her, or be a partner." He stared at me and nodded. "Bitch." "Trollop." "Am not." "Are so." "Stop it both of you, dinners nearly ready and Adam say grace." Di laughed at Adams shocked face. "We were just discussing Adams new partnership in your business Di." "Oh that, then go right ahead those hundreds of apartments coming up aren't going to style themselves, he already knows there's a partnership on offer Brent. But feel free to badger him into it." "Your fired Adam," Conner said out of nowhere. "What, you can't fire me I do a great job and my boys will miss me." "No we won't, we would like a less frigid flight attendant around, us pilots got to have some fun up in the sky." "What?" Adam was spitting the dummy. "Well, we like to play when we are flying." Phil laughed, Dave didn't. "You no-good bitch Phil, I didn't know that otherwise, I would have helped you and Dave out." "Leave me out of this Adam, and Phil, be quiet," Dave said. "Will you at least marry me then?" I think Rob found his perfect moment. "WHAT? have you all gone crazy tonight, Di what did you put in these drinks?" Poor Adam, he's getting the lot tonight. Rob got down on one knee and offered Adam an opened box with a sparkly ring in it. "Will you marry me, yes or no?" Adam was dumbfounded and his tears arrived, when he picked the ring out of the box he said. "You got to put it on my finger first." Rob did what he was told, Adam held it up to the light then nodded. "Yes, and it's about time." He threw his arms around Rob's neck and kissed him forever. "Well it looks like I had better take up your offer Di, I can't leave this hunk at home by himself now can I. And you will help me plan our wedding won't you?" She was too busy laughing into her tissues. Her dinner party was awesome, I got to talk to Phil and Dave and Adam swanned around looking at his gorgeous ring, my babies had dropped off to sleep, all three of them. Ted was put in with Hope and either I or Con will carry him home soon. Grant was very quiet during the night, and once or twice I saw him smile but it wasn't a genuine one. I hadn't thought about the impact all this would have on him, he probably feels like the odd one out. He spent much of the night talking to Phil and I got the feeling he was looking for a shoulder to cry on. With everything that's been happening, I thought Grant was okay with the split up, but now I'm not so sure. Conner carried Teddy home, and Grant and I had the twins. John and Ray went straight to bed and Con and I settled our family into theirs then went to shower. I was getting quite fruity by the time we finished, so Conner dried me off then steered me to the bed. He administered his loving tongue all over my body then I had his legs apart and was giving him all I had. "When are we going to do the name changes?" "Soon, Con the lawyer is getting onto that next." It's going to be awesome Brent, we have to do something to celebrate it." "I will think upon it Con, go to sleep." He didn't do what I told him he wanted some more of me instead. There was no sign of Grant in the morning, he must have left early because there was a cup and plate on the drying board. I want to have a word with him today about his plans, maybe a trip up to Mary's will do him the world of good. I placed the boys on the floor and they immediately started to try and roll around. Teddy was helping them and the TV was all forgotten. I took one of the boys and changed him then John came in to start breakfast after he said good morning to his grandkids. "Teddy, we will have pancakes today, can you help me measure them out?" "Sure Grandad, how many cups of flour was it, I forget?" "Two and a half grandson." Ted was climbing up onto the chair so he could be closer to the counter, and con came out scratching his balls again. He kissed me then Teddy then lay on the floor with the babies giving them their morning kisses. "Do you know where Grant went?" "No baby, I think I heard him leave early though," Conner replied. I wasn't worried about him, sometimes he goes for a morning run, sometimes he's just working. Ray sat at the table and was looking at his laptop as usual, and Teddy and John cooked up a storm in the kitchen. Pancakes were placed on the table with honey and jam so Conner jumped up and sat grabbing a few. "Thank you, Teddy, they look wonderful you did a good job." John made my boy feel special. "What's on today Con?" "I have to go into the studio again, I want to start putting down some tracks." "New album Conner?" Ray asked. "Yes, the one that will be released when the movie is." "Good," I said. Some of Conner's songs for that movie were awesome and I can't wait to hear them in the final cut. He seemed to be in two minds about even doing it today and I think I know what is bothering him. "We can come with you if you like." His eyes lit up and he smiled. "You always know what I'm thinking Brent, that would be awesome." I thought we could take the kids and show them where their daddy worked, unfortunately, Ted has school otherwise he would be going too. "What time are we going, Conner?" I wanted to start preparing for the trip. "Around ten, the bookings for ten-thirty." "Okay, we will start leaving at quarter to, just in case there are any mishaps." I looked at the kids playing on the floor, Curtis has managed to get himself onto his tummy and was looking out to the backyard and giggling. John went over and took him for a walkout there just to show him where everything was, but Jack happily played with his rattle. I heard him start crying he had hit himself on the head with it, poor little fella he has no idea about pain, and I mean to keep it that way. I commiserated with him for a moment then he smiled his big gummy smile and I wondered what he would look like with teeth. We bathed the boys and said our goodbyes to Teddy who was off to school. After dressing the boys in their best clothes we then dressed and Conner grabbed his work backpack. Placing the kids in the car I spied our security van and went over to ask the guy if he had seen Grant. He told me he had something to do today and was having the day off. I hope he's back to umpire Teds game, if not Conner can do it. The guys in the recording studio played with the kids for a while and then we were seated in the sound booth to watch Con do his thing. As his voice one again caressed me I noticed the boy's eyes were everywhere trying to see their daddy. I picked them both up and sat them on my knees, they had a better view of him now and I'm sure I heard Curtis singing along to the tune. He put three tracks down then his time was up. He said he will listen to them again and weed out the faults but at the moment he was pretty happy with them. "We have to go shopping Con, but I'm warning you before we start don't go overboard please." I smiled. "I won't Brent, what do they need?" "Clothes Con, going out clothes and more jumpsuits and I need to get Teddy some new shorts." "He sure does go through them, Brent." "It's the footy, he's quite rough on his shorts, he keeps the club ones for when they play for real." "When does the season start?" "In a month Con, he's training like mad apparently." I laughed and thought of my eldest son and a warm feeling came over me. In the department store, I grabbed a trolley and we began looking in the babies wear department. Cons eyes were everywhere as we swanned up and down the aisles. I grabbed ten jumpsuits then went looking for some overalls and t-shirts and some good stuff. Conner was chucking everything he thought they would need into my trolley, and I was checking sizes and putting back the things we didn't need, like sailor suits and bright pink overalls, really Conner I should have come here alone. "Do we need anything else Brent, maybe we had better look over there at the toys." I could hear him giggling. "No, that's it, Conner Richards." "Okay." He looked disappointed and stood there with Curtis and I felt sorry for him. "Okay, just some soft ones in case they bop their head with them." He ran off to the kid's toy department. I paid for our purchases then moved over to him. He had snaffled another trolley and was filling it up. "But they need these and these, and I got four of these because little Brenton and Hope will like them too." He blushed. "Go pay for them Conner I will meet you at the coffee shop." "Okay." He stood there waiting for me to go, but I knew he wasn't finished shopping just yet. I seemed to wait for ages for him to appear, in the meantime, I had ordered my coffee and a small cream cake and was giving the kids a little of the icing on their dummies, their arms went berserk when they heard his voice. "Sorry I got waylaid with some selfie hunters, did you order my coffee?" "Yes, Con." I looked over at the waitress and indicated that my coffee partner had arrived so she proceeded to so his. "Did we get everything baby?" "Yes, Con," I smirked because I knew what was coming next. "What about Ted, he needs some toys too?" "Yes he does Con, maybe we will call into the big toy shop on the way out." "Good, because he might feel left out." Our coffee was okay, I'm not a fan of big shopping center coffee it always tastes the same and always was lukewarm. We looked in the big toy shop and he found another model toy, it was a plane this time, five thousand parts, my boy is going to be busy again although he loved doing the ship one. He also got a new footy and boots. I didn't know what else was in that big trolley but if I know Conner there will be something for me too. He helped me carry it all into the house and surprise Grant was sitting at the table having something to eat. "You left early this morning Grant, we missed you at breakfast." He stared at me. "Had some things to attend to Brent." "Okay, will you be umpiring or will I get Con to do it today?" "I will be on board mate, just got to eat first I forgot to grab something." It was an odd conversation but I shrugged it off because John was giving me some funny looks. I unpacked our shopping and John oohed and ahead through the little outfits, in Grant's big hands they were tiny but he did look through them. Teddys was put aside and they couldn't help themselves. "That's an old Lancaster bomber Conner, I had one when I was small it was awesome hanging from my ceiling." Grant was remembering boyhood things. "So did I and now Ted has one, we can help him put it together." That was it as I saw Conner finger the sticky tape that held the box together. I swished it away and placed it in the special cupboard. "No starting without him you hear." "Oh okay, daddy." Conner giggled. "How did the recording session go son?' John was changing the subject. "Good, I got three tracks down but will have to listen to them again, I have booked more time for next week it helped with the boys and Brent being there too." "Well, I will pencil next week in my diary too." "Good." He kissed me then pushed something into my hand. "That's your thank you for coming with me present." "Conner, I thought I told you enough is enough. No more presents." "Just something small baby didn't cost much." I opened the paper bag and pulled out a pink thong, at first I thought it was a ladies one but he assured me it was for men. I was starting to rise for the occasion but didn't have time to do anything about it, John was ready with the picnic basket. We checked the boys and I will give Con his new black jockstrap tonight when we are alone. We drove to the park John and Grant drove to the school to do the pick-up. Fran and Andy were already there with Shaun and Bubby, they said Ted was in with Mrs. Green telling her all about his brothers. They didn't think he was in any trouble she just wanted to know that's all. I was worried she would give him homework or something but shook that off when a happy go lucky little boy ran up to us for his afternoon cuddles. The babies were getting restless so we took them out and they watched their brother kick the footy around, now and then they would fall back and laugh, I think they are proud of him. Grant had his tight shorts on again and John and I were both staring at him when Con jabbed me in the ribs to get my attention. "Are we running today?" "No Con, we are having the day off, have a sandwich." I unwrapped a packet and offered him one. He grinned and looked down, I had the biggest horn ever poking out of my shorts. "That's what you do to me Con." "Yes Baby, I believe you NOT!" I blushed and went onto eating my delicious afternoon tea. "Did you read the write up in New Idea this week Brent?" Fran was asking me. "No, I never look at any of those magazines they're full of bull shit, no offense Fran but they are." "None taken my friend, it's just it was pretty harsh on Conner this month, you ought to sue them." I sat and wondered if we could, but the hassle of taking them to court isn't worth it. "What was it about?" "The boys being adopted, Conner buying them from their father and you being Conner's husband, which is always in the news anyway." I was fuming, they can do what they like about me, but leave Con and my boys out of it. "Oh well, they will always try and get a reaction out of us doesn't matter what they print our friends know the truth." She smiled and went on to playing with Curtis. I secretly wanted to read the write-up but didn't want to put myself through it again, in the end, it doesn't matter and the less you react the less the readers will believe. I know Fran doesn't buy those magazines, she had told me one day that she reads them in the doctor's surgery when she's there. "So what did the doctor say?" She burst out laughing. "I can't get anything by you can I? I thought you might remember our conversation." "No." "The test came back negative, Daryl will be disappointed but we will keep trying." I knew she was trying to get pregnant again and I hope they both have fun trying. Teddy was buggered again and wanting to sit with his brothers for a while. The other boys started filtering off home and I had the opportunity to talk to my eldest son. "What did Mrs. Green want son?" "She just wanted to hear all about Jack and Curtis, I told her everything I knew and I even gave her a photograph. I think she likes them, dad can we go home now I have to rest a bit." "Okay, and you have to stop trying so hard on the oval, have some fun too, it's not always about training." "I know dad, but as Bubby says no pain no gain." He smiled at me then fell forward for a cuddle. "Well I'm so proud of you and I know you do your best, but I also want you to have some fun too." He didn't answer me he was watching Jack kick away and laugh. We got him home and in front of the TV the babies were placed on the floor next to him and whenever I looked at them they were watching the cartoons. I unpacked his lunch box and started finding stuff to start getting it ready for tomorrow, I turned my back for just a moment and as it was magic three Kit Kats appeared in the box. The famous Rick Conner's was at it again. John and Ray fussed about as Grant had a shower and changed into his jeans that held his package up perfectly. Con took my hand and we both went upstairs he wanted me to put that g-string on, so I did and gave him his jockstrap to wear. We both felt so sexy we couldn't stop rubbing our goods together. In the end, we didn't want to stay up there for ages, people will talk, so went back down again. "That was quick." Grant smiled. "It was wasn't it, my man has a short fuse." He laughed at Conner's red face. "Teddy I have something for you," Conner said as he went to the treasure cabinet and took out the box. "What is it, dad?" "Come and see." "Wow!" I think he was happy with it because instead of taking the sticky tape off of it he ripped the top and started pulling out the hundreds of bits. "We can both do it, dad." "Yes, we can and maybe uncle Grant and the granddads can help a bit, okay?" "Yes dad, Jack, and Curtis are too small to do it with me, but one day they might want to help." "Yes they will and you can buy them their first one too." "Dad, can you lend some money?" He looked at me. "Not yet, they need at least another four years to even attempt to get one of these things together." "I know that dad, I was thinking if you give me some now I can collect interest on it, and I can get Bubby to open a trading account for them." He giggled. "Very clever son, here you go there's a hundred." "And here's a hundred from us," Ray said. "Here's fifty Teddy, that's all I got in my pocket." Grant held out the money. "Wow!, look daddy they got plenty of money now." He lifted it to show me. "If I ever wanted to do a whip around I will get my son to do it, that's a lot of money." "Well, they will need uniforms and things to dad." "Yes, they will now clear the table and get started on this thing." He started me thinking about the boys and money, I guess Ray has it all in hand but I had better ask him later. Conner leaned over and whispered in my ear. "I got this." "Got what Con?" "Boys money, shares, bank accounts and all that. Just waiting for their name changes." "Can I help?" "If you want Brent, but there's no need." "They are my sons to Con." "One day we had better sit with Ray and go through our accounts baby, we can go shares with the boys. It's just I have a lot more than you I should be the one shelling out the money." "I agree with you Con, but I want to contribute something too." "Done then, we will discuss it later on when big ears isn't around." "Whose big ears daddy?" "Uncle Grant son, he's got big ears." I looked at Grant he checked his ears so I laughed as I took some bits of the puzzle and started breaking them off their hangers. John made us clear the table so Conner pushed everything to one end then dinner was served. "Any luck with a house Grant?" I was making small talk. "No, Brent there's nothing in this area for sale yet." "Why don't you buy one of the shops and live at the back, then you can collect rent as a sideline." I mused. "Good idea, but the shops will be dearer than a house, maybe I will look at apartments instead." He smiled. Con and I locked up the boys had been put to bed earlier and were lightly snoring their little snores, we couldn't wait to get into bed, Conner had a special surprise for me and I took up his invitation to take him for a ride. His jocks survived beautifully but my flimsy underwear was lying in pieces on the floor. "Brent, we will get with Ray tomorrow sometime, I want to hear his ideas on how we are going to handle the boy's money. I don't want them to have any more than Ted does, I want them to be equal." "Me too Conner, just in case money for them all." "Yes." He sighed. "What's up Con, I know that sigh." "I'm so happy Brent, I could burst at the seams." "Good, so am I, and excited to watch our kids grow up too Con. They are going to be awesome adults, I'm sure of it." "They will, like you." He snuggled into me as I pushed my arm under his neck and kissed his head. "What are we going to do about Grant?" "I don't know baby, Ray and John have a lot of properties around here, but they also have good tenants and don't want to evict anyone." "Maybe an apartment I think." He didn't answer me because he had fallen asleep. Three in the morning I heard one little one cry so I jumped out of bed and went to warm up a bottle. Jack slept on surprisingly but Curtis was hungry or was that just cuddles he wanted in the end. He went back to sleep after I burped him then I kissed them both and went back to my man. No sooner was my head on that pillow when Jack started. It was five-thirty when I finally got some sleep and Ted had me up at seven. I checked on the twins then I followed him downstairs to make his toast, then I sat on the sofa with him and went back to sleep. When I woke the house was quiet, Conner was working on the plane and when he noticed me stir he came and sat with me. "I think you should go back to bed." "No, I think I've had enough sleep, where's Teddy?" "At school, don't worry he was very gentle when he kissed you goodbye." "Good, the boys had me up for a couple of hours, I don't think they were hungry because they didn't drink much. I think they were just unsettled." "Maybe we should take them up to Marys today, just to get them checked out." "We will do that later Con, when did they leave for drop off?" "Fifteen minutes ago why?" I pulled my shorts down and grabbed Conner by the neck, he stifled a giggle as he got a mouth full of Brent. We showered then got the kids ready for a big trip up the corner. Mary played with them for a while then her nurse checked them out, she weighed them and measured them. Everything was deemed okay then we sat and had coffee. "You should be taking them to the doctor, get them used to be poked and prodded boys." "Next time, I think they are nearly ready to get a booster shot anyway." "There's no way of telling if they have been vaccinated Brent we couldn't find anything that said they were. A doctor will fix that, that's if you want to go down that path." "I think we will, I don't want them suffering from whooping cough or measles Mary." "Good point, so do you know any kids doctors?" "Not at the moment Mary, any suggestions?" "Yes." She giggled. "What's so funny?" Conner asked. "Well up the street in that new practice is a very handsome hunky pediatrician doctor around twenty-seven, who would be ideal for you and the boys." "Why do you say that?" "Just my suspicions that's all. I was in on a meeting the three partners had for the local social workers. He came across as being very professional. But I also saw a little of you boys in him too. He covers it up very well." "So you're saying he's gay, what's his name he sounds ideal for our family." "Doctor Michael Breen, Conner, I think I grabbed a card hang on." She rifled through her bag and passed a business card to Conner. "We will give him a call today, I need to know about the boy's immunizations and what to expect," I said. "They are painless today, the needles are smaller and feel like a scratch so don't get yourself all worked up about it. He will guide you through the process." She smiled. Conner rang as soon as we got in and an appointment was set up for the next day.