*****040:

We didn't go straight home after picking the boys up. We went down to the pier in Huntington Beach and walked out all the way to the end. Aubrey had spent a lot of time out here as a kid--- her Uncle owned the snack bar at Life Guard Station 5, and she'd taken Junior Lifeguard classes in her teens, and had to jump off the end of the pier and swim all the way around it. Not an easy thing. This is the longest pier off the coast of California, and there have been known to be sharks sighted out here too.

We looked for sharks.

Felicity allowed Rein to ride in her stroller, and she alternately pulled Virgil over to either side of the railings to look over. He was protective, but tried to act sullen--- and somewhat pouty--- but he was interested. At the end of the pier, Aubrey had arranged for a friend of hers to bring fishing poles and bait. So we learned about fishing, the tides, the waves, the swells, the aquatic life. It was a very breezy afternoon--- but it was non-threatening, and no one, not even Rein got upset. We spent almost three hours on the pier--- an unprecedented amount of time--- and were photographed by ourselves and by others the whole time. This drove our new bodyguards, native Hawaiian: Kodey Cory, Irishman: Boyd Preston, and from the UK: Royle Stewart--- crazy.

I was thankful for the security. Today wasn't a day I wanted to spend signing autographs, or looking over my shoulder. Aubrey--- so used to bodyguards from her youth travels with her famous parents-- basically included them in everything we did. It was like having three very stoic and solemn big little brothers on board.

Reinaldo--- affectionately called Rein--- sat in the stroller and ate fruit bits and baby puffs that Aubrey put in his tray. He wore a cute little puffy diaper cover that didn't expose his rash, but kept it open to air out. She changed him frequently, and he let her. She had a medicated cream and an essential oil she used to help his pain. She kept him slathered in sunscreen, and it seemed to be her goal in life to get him to smile or talk, but they'd told her he was non-verbal.

For my part, I enjoyed the freaking sun and surf--- it was different than living on shore, being out here on top of it, with the seagulls soaring and screeching, and seeing everything from the eyes of children who'd never seen anything like it before.

Their delight was my delight. Their discoveries were mine. I followed them, or led them--- bounding ahead, or running behind, in crazy circles. Felicity was completely at ease and not likely to throw a tantrum now that she felt secure--- and she wasn't tired. We noticed that when she got tired or bored she also got annoying and more prone to whine and pitch fits.

Virgil kept Rein in his sights at all times, but he was enthralled with Felicity, and sometimes let his guard down when she dashed off to one or the other side to see something. I would often grab her and fling her around for kisses and tickles, and she would squeal and kiss me back. I wanted to show Virgil that we truly loved Felicity and would also love him.

After awhile, the wind picked up, and the sun began to fade into the west. We cleaned up our fishing mess, and headed back to the car. This was when Virgil started asking those pertinent questions we'd been waiting for.

"How far away is your home?"

I was ready, "Sixty-three point four miles."

"How long will it take us?"

"One hour and thirty-six minutes."

"When are you and Aubrey going out?"

"We're not. Tonight is a family night. Tomorrow is a special holiday called Thanksgiving and we are going to our family's house to celebrate."

"I don't want to go." He stated bluntly. "Rein can't go either."

Aubrey was nearby, pushing the stroller. "I have Rein's medicine for his bum, and I have the fresh diapers to change him when he poops. I think it would be a good thing if he stayed close to me for awhile. Not that you can't help out."

Virgil scowled at her, but didn't say anything.

We got to the car. "Did your foster parents take pretty good care of Rein's bum?" I asked him.

Virgil was silent, but finally shook his head. "No. Rein cried all the time with the pain. This is the first time he hasn't cried."

"So, Aubrey is taking pretty good care of him, wouldn't you say?"

He tossed his long hair out of his eyes, but wouldn't look at me. In fact, he looked all the way to the farthest side of the window, away from me.

"Aubrey is a doctor, Virgil, a baby doctor, she knows how to take care of kids and babies. She's really, really good at it." I left it at that, not wanting to overwhelm him.

I could see by his expression in the rearview mirror that he didn't even know for sure what a doctor was.

I thought we might need some of those little kid books about different professions. This is a fireman--- he puts out fires, this is a doctor--- he helps people.

Felicity wanted music on the way home, so we listened. I wasn't sure how much Virgil understood, and it was obvious Rein had not been in a car that much. He chaffed at the car seat restraint, and eventually cried himself to sleep. His crying caused Virgil much agitation.

"He doesn't like it. Let him out!" He tried but could not get the restraints open alone. He didn't know how, and they were too hard for him. This made him very upset.

Rein thrashed his head and sobbed. He didn't scream like Felicity.

Aubrey tried to reason with Virgil, looking over her shoulder till she felt car sick. It didn't help. He was convinced Rein did not need to be in a car seat. Felicity was between them, and Virgil initially tried to get away--- but he couldn't get out of his own booster seat and restraint. Felicity did her best to explain the car seat rule, but she was too young and too inexperienced. Virgil was manipulative and twisted words. Plus, sometimes he was hard to understand. He might even need language therapy. I told Aubrey this and she agreed.

It was a long ride home.

And I was pretty convinced that Virgil would try to take off once he got out of the car.

I saw him eyeing the front gates, saw him taking in the garage door opening, and the other vehicle there. It meant nothing to him--- he had a deep longing to get Rein and himself away--- maybe back to the room that had been their only home. Where he was the one in charge in the absence of his mother the drug addict.

"There's not a party meeting us here is there?" I was suddenly very concerned that if Virgil tried to run and I had to catch him, it might not be a good time for a lot of people around.

"Oh, heck no!" Aubrey smiled. "I didn't figure this would be a perfectly easy homecoming."

I was relieved, but still recalled her words from earlier, about there needing to be a welcoming committee or some such.

We pulled in and Felicity struggled to get out, but she couldn't push the restraints by herself--- she could get buckled by herself, but not out. This was good. I wanted to keep all three contained till we had explored the house and introduced the boys to Tiffy.

Both of us worked together to get the boys undone, and Aubrey carried Rein--- while Felicity climbed over Virgil and took his hand to pull him into the house. He resisted her at first, but seeing as he couldn't get out--- as the garage door closed behind us--- he had no choice but to find some other way out. I could see it in his eyes.

Felicity was tugging him to the stairs, eager to show him their bedroom. Virgil looked speculatively at the patio doors through the hallway and kitchen area.

"I'm gonna change him. Why don't you supervise upstairs?" Aubrey said to me anxiously as the two children disappeared up the stairs. I gave her the okay sign. It was up to me to introduce him to the Laker's anyway, right?

Virgil had watched intently as Aubrey laid Rein on the floor in the living room to change him--- I guess this met with his approval, so he followed Felicity up the stairs.

There was no expression on his pinched little face as he surveyed the bedrooms--- his own, Felicity's, mine. His eyes were observant, yet vacant--- and I guessed he'd not been in a house like this one before. Felicity showed him the bathroom and the new toothbrushes Aubrey had put there. I knew he would need to see a dentist fairly soon. How would that go over?

I didn't talk much. Explaining the Laker's was pointless. He had no frame of reference.

I just watched him, thinking. My insides were quivering.

We heard voices downstairs and Virgil perked up--- his natural protective instincts kicking in.

Felicity heard the voices too--- one, in particular, calling her name. "Felicity! My best cousin, best friend! Where are you? It's me, Celestine! Where are you?"

Felicity looked like an electric poker hit her. She straightened, dropped Virgil's hand and her eyes got wide as her lips split into a giant grin. She covered her mouth with both hands, and hunched over in excitement. "It's my best cousin, Celestine!" She dashed out of Virgil's room and raced down the stairs.

Alarm was written all over Virgil's face--- either being alone upstairs with me, or wondering if Rein was in some kind of danger. He raced off down the stairs too, and I followed quickly. I was just in time to see Felicity and Celestine grab each other in a huge hug, kissing each other's cheeks happily. They held hands as Celestine took Felicity to meet her brothers, two boys who were standing with their father just inside the front entry way. I saw Aubrey finishing up changing Rein who was still hiccupping and still splotchy from crying. She lifted him as she stood and patted his back reassuringly. I could see the crying didn't bother her at least on the outside. She whispered crooning words gently.

Virgil's assessment of the situation was the same as mine.

Celestine's voice was her usually loud, happy, excited, exuberant.... Voice.

"This is my brother Frazier, and my other brother, Flinn. You have to love them, they're your cousins too. But they are boys. Dad brought them to play with your brothers. I am so happy you have brothers now too. We are all the same. You have two brothers and I have two brothers. I actually have more brothers, but dad said only Frazier and Flinn could come meet your new brothers."

Celestine's Spanish was flawless--- she must have a knack for pronunciation and language.

Both boys leaned down to hug Felicity, but their eyes were on Virgil standing at the bottom of the stairs. Felicity grabbed the oldest boy, who had to be about the same age as Virgil and pulled him over to meet him. I managed to squeeze by them and shake Marshall's hand.

"Good to see you, man." I said with as much enthusiasm as I could. I wasn't sure what Virgil would do, and kept myself turned to face them in case he had a meltdown.

"Congratulations, again!" Marshall announced. "We are all so happy for you. I hope you don't mind I brought my sons. Aubrey said swimming and snack for about an hour. Is that all right with you?"

"Oh, sure, of course, longer if you want. I don't know about swimming. It's November."

"They brought their trunks. At least they can splash around." Marshall followed me through the entry way.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as Felicity and Celestine engaged Virgil, Flinn and Frazier. I had no idea which was which. Virgil seemed wary, and didn't talk at all, but this didn't put either Felicity or Celestine off. The boys were a little more shy.

Aubrey came and deposited Rein in my arms. It was the first time I'd held him. He wasn't very big--- for a three-year-old, and I felt the fragility of his limbs and was appalled. She went on into the kitchen and began retrieving plates of treats--- all kinds of appetizing, but healthy foods that she took outside to the patio, and encouraged the kids and the adults to come out as well. It was afternoon--- there was a breeze and the sky was cloudy off in the distance, but on the patio was fine. She brought me a blanket for Rein, as Marshall started asking questions about the Laker's game, setting me at ease quickly.

In a few more minutes, Aubrey brought Lance and Darnel and their kids, Will, Kaye and Jordan out. Felicity was very excited to see Kaye again, and introduced her with lots of hugs and kisses to her best cousin Celestine. Soon they were all three best cousins. Aubrey set out more food, lots of it, and then showed the kids where the towels were kept in a trunk on the patio, she told them they could change into swimming suits, and gently showed Virgil where his was. Because they were all changing, Virgil did as well. I thought it would be good if I did, so I went upstairs with them, and Rein who had settled in to my shoulder with a semblance of confidence. He simply took it all in, looked around. He must have decided that as long as he was being held and fed--- and he did have a bottle with formula or something in it in his hands—he was okay.

I felt a presence behind me and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, as I envisioned Virgil with a knife or something. I whirled around, and about had a heart attack as I realized the presence was Aubrey, and I'd been scared out of my mind for no reason.

"I'm going to change too. Marshall isn't, so he's watching them right now. Lance is changing too." She was peeling off her cute sweater top, leaving the form fitting whites and her lacy bra. I took a deep breath, determined not to tell her that I'd almost just died, and now was having an even more embarrassing reaction.

I laid Rein on our bed. He started to draw breath to cry and Aubrey stripped out of her jeans. The way those whites hugged her slender curves made me swallow hard.

"Aubrey." I choked, and kicked the door closed, ripping off the top button on my own jeans, and kicking off my tennis shoes.

She looked over. "Oh." She saw Rein and covered herself with her pants, but that wasn't what I was referring to. He was three---- I didn't care what he saw.

I slid the jeans off, ripped the shirt off , with the white undershirt. It was all I could do to take her pants out of her hands. "Aubrey."

"Rafe?" She jerked her head in the direction of the three-year-old laying on my pillow drinking his bottle, staring at us with solemn dark eyes now that he realized we were both still there in the room.

I wrapped her in my arms, flinging the pants on the floor.

"Rafe!" She realized where my thoughts had gone.

"Aubrey..." I started kissing her neck, gripping her sides, rubbing against her.

"Rafe!!" I was holding her, tickling her, and she stumbled, twirling slightly so her back was to the bed and Rein was laying there watching me.

That was a little awkward.

Not to mention all the people downstairs.

I rolled my eyes and blew out my breath. "Aub-er-ey...." There was a sense of desperation and longing in my tone. "I need you."

She returned my kisses, full on, not distracted for about thirty seconds, and then---- yeah--- she twirled out of my hands and shut the bathroom door. I wanted to follow her, but--- what about the kid? Did you just leave the strange kid on the bed while you took your wife in the bathroom?

I knew you didn't.

So I pulled my swimming trunks out of the dresser drawer, and put them on, picking up the complacent bottle sucker, and let out a moaning howl for good measure. She came out of the bathroom, dressed in a new bathing suit---- and I about growled.

******