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The Sweet Life	By : jai Category: Individual Celebrities > Athlete/Sports Misc Views: 8241 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the people written about in this fanfiction. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 32
- 33
- 34
June 7, 2012 Philadelphia, PA

Michael stretched languidly, yawning a little as he woke up. He was snuggled up to Ian’s backside and felt very warm and cozy. Making love last night had been a little awkward at first until they figured how to not jostle Ian’s foot but they’d managed in the end. In fact it was so good that he wondered if Ian would be up for another round.

He nuzzled Ian’s shoulder and spread his hand over Ian’s stomach, nudging Ian’s bottom with his hips. Ian moaned a little and inched back, his hand coming down to clasp Michael’s.

Michael ran his lips over Ian’s neck, rising up a little when he spotted two little eyes peeking over the edge of the mattress. Any amorous thoughts instantly vanished as his eyes flicked towards the door, expecting to see one of the adults standing there but the doorway was empty.

“Da!”

“Liam? What are you doing up?”

“Up!”

“Oh, a new word?”

“Da up!”

“Michael, what’s Liam doing in here? Is he sick?” Ian asked sleepily.

“I don’t know and he’s not sick.”

“Pa! Up up up.”

Ian opened his eyes to see Liam staring back at him.

“Pa! Pa! Up!” Liam said insistently.

Ian reached over and pulled Liam into bed, still more asleep than awake. Michael moved the baby in between them for safety’s sake, sitting up as he did so.

“Michael, what’s Liam doing in here?” Ian asked again, his eyes closing as his head fell back onto the pillow.

“He’s won the Nobel Prize for drooling.”

“Oh? That’s nice.”

Since it was only six, Michael figured it would be at least another half an hour before Ian was fully conscious unless one of the boys started crying. In order to give Ian as much rest as possible, Michael got up and pulled a pair of shorts on before slinging Liam up into his arms and heading for the nursery.

No one else seemed to be up so how did- oh crap. Michael took one look at the lowered rail on Liam’s crib and shook his head. There was no way they’d left that down last night. That was one of the things they both checked when they put the boys to bed.

“Liam, if you escaped from your crib we’re going to have a long talk.”

Liam’s only answer was an innocent look which Michael didn’t buy for a moment. He walked back into the master bedroom after making sure the other boys were still asleep and went straight into the bathroom. He desperately needed to take a leak and after a little repositioning, he took care of business under Liam’s interested gaze.

“Well, I’m up and you’re up. Want to take a bath?”

“Baf?”

“Yep. How about we take one together?” Michael asked as he turned on the shower and ducked into the bedroom to get a spare diaper. He undressed Liam, tugged his shorts off and got under the water slowly.

After they were both wet, Michael set Liam on his feet and crouched down to soap him up with Ian’s super-mild and wildly expensive body wash after checking the ingredients. Liam seemed to think it was fun to get soapy while he was standing up and kept giggling. He giggled even harder and tried to help when Michael started soaping himself up.

Michael quickly washing his own hair and rinsed while Liam amused himself by rocking in and out of the water and running his hands along the tiled wall as he babbled away.

“Okay son, we’re all done!” Michael said as he turned off the water much to Liam’s disappointment.

“Baf!”

“All done. Towel time.”

Michael wrapped them both in towels and put the diaper on Liam before getting dressed himself. He snagged an outfit for Liam and took him downstairs to dress and let out the dogs. Ten minutes later, he turned on the TV and sat down with Liam and a bottle to watch Nickelodeon.

When Chloe came down at seven, she stopped when she saw her father stretched out on the sofa with one of her brothers sprawled across his chest. Gizmo was lounging on Michael’s legs and Flannel was curled up on the back of the couch. One of the four was snoring lightly and it was just too cute. She found the camera and took several pictures before going in and getting herself some cereal.

She came back out and sat down on the floor to eat; changing the channel over to the local news and looking over her school work. She heard the basement door open and Pieter’s familiar footsteps in the kitchen.

“Goede ochtend, Chloe.” Pieter said as he stuck his head in the family room.

Chloe got up and gathered her bag and breakfast stuff. “Goede ochtend Oom Pieter. Gelieve stil te zijn. De papa en de baby slapen.”

Pieter grinned, “Kijk, hoe leuk zij zijn. Ik hoop u beelden kreeg.”

“Natuurlijk ik.”

“Goed, Ik hoop u bereid om naar school bent te gaan?” Pieter asked with a tilt of his head.

“Ik ben, dank u.”

(rough translation: Good morning Chloe. Good morning uncle Pieter. Please be quiet, Dad and the baby are sleeping. Oh look how cute. I hope you got a picture. Of course I did. Good, are you ready to go to school? Yes I am, thank you.)

&&

Ian woke up around seven thirty and stumbled into the bathroom to stand in front of the toilet for what seemed like a long time. He shook himself back awake a moment later, glad to see that he could still sleep and pee. You never knew when that kind of stuff came in handy. Oh and his foot didn’t hurt at all this morning. That was a good thing.

Ducking into the shower cubicle, he braced himself and turned on the water. Yowsa! That was cold. It wasn’t as good as a cup of coffee but sometimes he didn’t get one of those for an hour or more if the boys weren’t cooperating. A round of soap – hey, Michael used his Botanical Satin soap. That low down- well. Okay. Michael’s skin was a bit dry but he really should have asked first.

Ian shook himself awake again, rinsed off and got out only to discover his towel was not only wet but not hung up properly. Michael was in so much trouble!

Dressed and ready for the day, Ian peeked into the nursery and saw three of the boys still snoozing away. Ah, Michael must have Liam then. Wait. He’d had a weird dream involving Liam being some kind of cat burglar. Hm. Very strange. He decided to make his escape downstairs while he could, knowing he’d be back soon enough.

When he spotted his husband and child sacked out with the pets, he felt his heart do a little flip flop. God, he was just a complete sap, wasn’t he? He went into the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on while getting everything prepped for breakfast. Once the coffee was done, he grabbed his laptop and took a seat in the family room. Gadget made herself at home across his legs as he turned on the system and pulling out the weeks’ receipts to start entering them.

It may be anal retentive in the extreme to track their expenses the way he did but he’d found the data he’d gathered interesting enough to base some of their investments on them and was very pleased with the results. He ran his macros and double checked his entries. Hm. Looked like he’d need to adjust a few stocks.

He logged into their portfolio, doing a little research before initiating his transactions then switched over to Chloe’s bank account. Her balance was getting high again and he made a note to sit down with her and talk about converting it some of it into a CD or two.

“You look very cute sitting over there, squinting at the screen.”

Ian looked up and saw that Michael was awake and staring at him. “I thought you were sleeping.”

“I was and now I’m not. Where are your glasses?”

“Upstairs. Was Liam fussing this morning?”

“No. I woke up and he was peeking over the side of the bed. I think he figured out how to get out of his crib.”

“No way! He’s not really even walking yet.”

“No one else was awake and he’s got a really strong grip, he could have climbed down. I did check him over for bruises when we took a shower and there’s not a scratch on him. I know we put his rails up last night so not only did he climb down, he figured out how to get the rails to lower too.”

“Okay I believe you but what are we going to do? We can’t let him wander the halls all night.”

“I suppose we need to put a baby gate on the nursery door; maybe two of them so he can’t climb over.”

“I hate the thought of locking the boys in their room.”

“I do too but not when the alternative is having him learn to crawl over the gate on the stairs.”

“Uh no. All right, we’ll get more gates and install them today. What time are you going to the pool?”

“I’ll head out back for a couple of hours this afternoon. Um, would you mind getting Liam off me?”

“Sure.” Ian said as he got up and walked over to the couch. “Oh, he’s really got you pinned doesn’t he?”

“Stop laughing and pick him up. Be careful because I’d like to keep that nipple he’s got his little claw on.”

Ian tilted his head and knelt down to examine the situation more closely. “Wow, he really does have a strong grip.”

“Were you not listening?”

&&

“What do we need?”

“Diapers, baby gates, T-shirts, socks, light bulbs, cat food – Robbie stop kicking your brother, water, shampoo for Mum, motor oil, softener and lube.”

“Ian that’s a very bizarrely organized list.”

“This store is laid out weird. I’m all for super centers but there is no logic here.”

“Maybe the person who laid out this store has schizophrenia.” Michael commented as they started down the first aisle.

“He or she has some kind of mental condition although I’m not sure what.”

“Ian, are we still going to New York Saturday?”

“Why wouldn’t we? My foot is fine as long as I wear sandals.”

“Just checking. Is Gail going to be up to watching the boys?”

“Why wouldn’t- oh. She can’t get her hand wet which would make it difficult for her to have them all day even with Mum and Dad there. Damn.”

“So I was thinking that maybe you should go and I’ll stay home.”

“Oh. Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Your opinion of the place is more important than mine since you’ll be staying there both weeks. You’re also more familiar with the city so you’d be able to scope out the neighborhood better. We really won’t have another chance to go together before we have to cancel our other reservations.”

Ian tossed a couple of packages of diapers into the cart as he thought it over. “You’re not planning some big surprise that requires you to get me out of the house, are you?”

“Nope. I’m fresh out of surprises until after the Games. Besides, you just told Robbie not to kick Jamey and we left the kids at home. I think you need a day off.”

Stopping in his tracks, Ian shook his head. “I so did not.”

“You said, ‘light bulbs, cat food – Robbie, stop kicking your brother, water, etc.’ I heard you.”

Ian started to deny then looked down at his list. “Well I not only said it, I also wrote it down. Good heavens. Okay, I’ll go. Not that I wasn’t going to go anyway since you know I love New York but you’re right.”

“All right then. Now, what baby gates should we get?” Michael asked as he pulled out a box.

“I don’t like those. That’ll look like a jail cell.”

“Okay. Then how about- no. Liam will just climb right up these with all those little holes.”

They looked at the other two choices and didn’t like those either for various reasons.

“Okay, this isn’t good. What other store can we try?” Michael asked.

“Hm. Let’s get the rest of the list and think about this.”

As they were putting their items on the checkout belt, Ian suddenly turned to Michael. “Love, how do we keep the boys from going into the yard when the doors are open?”

“The screen – oh. That’s brilliant.”

“Yes and we could install one with a lock on the outside so when they do figure out how to open doors, they can’t get out. We could even get one with the glass panel on the bottom so they can’t break through the screening.”

&&

“This one?” Ian asked, standing next to the last door.

“It’s too heavy. One of them would get a finger smashed in that.”

“So basically, we’re right where we started. We need something but what we’re looking at won’t work.” Ian said.

“May I help you?”

Michael and Ian turned to find one of the store clerks looking at them. Michael nodded, “Yes please. We have a bit of a dilemma. We have four nine month old boys; one is an escape artist and although we have baby gates on the stairs and we’ve child-proofed the house, it’s only a matter of time before Liam teaches the other boys how to get out of their cribs.”

“I see. Hang on a second, I’ll be right back.”

Ian leaned back against the shelves along the aisle as the clerk left. “I really thought I was on to something.”

“I thought you were too but these doors are either too light or too heavy. I’m also not sure how we’d do installing one.”

“Ha! I was planning on going over to Pieter and Grant’s house and throwing myself on the mercy of their contractor.”

“That was a great plan.”

They stood for a moment, looking around when Ian finally spoke. “Are you sure it’s okay for me-“

“Yes. Ian, stop it or I’m going to start feeling like some fifties husband. You don’t need my permission you know.”

“So I could just up and leave willy nilly?” Ian asked slyly.

“No but -. Okay. You’ve got me. Neither one of us leaves without making sure of someone’s looking after the kids but I’m home until Wednesday so that part is covered.”

“Then you wouldn’t mind if I left tomorrow night and came back on Saturday?”

“Mind? No. Miss you? Yes. You’d better give Maureen a call if you want to have a nice place to stay though.”

“Hi, sorry it took so long but I couldn’t find where we moved these.” The clerk said, pushing a shopping cart that held a long narrow box. “This is a retractable mesh screen with a clear pet window insert on the bottom. The window holds up to my dogs and it’s not climbable. Well, it’s not as climbable as bars would be. It’s pretty tough and has a lot of give; it’s not a long term solution but it should work for a while.”

“Wow. Okay. How hard is it to install?” Michael asked, checking the picture on the box.

“It took me over an hour but that’s because I thought my door frame was level and didn’t bother to check. If you’re not sure you can do the installation, we can do that for you too.”

“All right. What if we try to install it and then have to call in the experts?”

The clerk laughed. “That will work too. There are a couple of tools you’ll need for this job; do you want to go over them and get any that you’re missing?”

&&

“Okay Dad, what’s next?”

Ken flipped over the instructions. “You need to plum and level the side frames before you tighten the screws.”

Ian held the level while Michael made the adjustments. “Okay, we’re level and plum and the screws are tightened.”

“Now you’re supposed to fit the upper frame into the side frames by firmly snapping it in place. Oh, be sure both sides go in at the same time or you might have to try again.”

“Chloe, can you hand up the top frame?”

“Here you go, Dad.”

“Thanks sweetie. Ian, are you ready?”

“Yes. Slow and steady.”

Pieter started clapping after the frame snapped in place. “Good show.”

Ian looked up and down the hallway where his family was gathered. His mother, Chloe, Pieter and Grant each had a boy in their lap and everyone was watching with great interest. “Thank you Pieter but may I ask when this became a family event?”

“Ian, you arrived home with tools. How could we resist seeing such a manly display?”

“We’ve used tools around the house before, Grant so I’m not buying it.”

“Enough of that! We’re working here.” Ken said, “Now, it’s time to install the interior magna-track.”

Michael and Ian looked at Ken who was sitting in a comfy chair then looked at each other. Michael mouthed ‘we?’ but Ian just shrugged. “Dad, what’s that?”

“It’s the long metal thingy near Chloe’s foot.”

“Metal thingy? Oh, I love it when you talk technical Ken.”

“Hush Margaret. Boys, you need to install the magna-track on the side you want the door to open from.” It took a minute for them to run through different scenarios before installing the track on the right side with plenty of kibitzing from their audience. “Good, now you’ll have to unroll the mesh and fit the magna-connector. Good lord, why don’t they just call it a door handle. Ah, it says you can install the connect anywhere on the mesh but stay at least one foot away from the top or bottom.”

“We’ll go high then. Chloe, how about standing up with Harry so we can see how high to go?”

“Okay Papa.”

Ian held the connector up and Chloe tested it out, getting low enough so she could open it without being so low the boys could reach it.

“Four feet two inches on the lower edge” Michael said after measuring carefully and transferring the measurement to the mesh they rolled out in the boys’ room. “What’s this bar thing on the edge of the mesh?”

“We’re in the homestretch boys. That’s the bar that holds the screen stiff as you slid it. The connector snaps over bar and you’ll have to tighten it down with a screwdriver. Once the connector is in place and tightened, you can’t reposition it so make sure you’re sure.” Ken said. “Ah, you can order the connector separately if you need to move it later.”

“Good enough. Before we do this, let’s hold it up and see if we’re really sure.”

“That’s a plan.”

They stood up holding the edges and quickly realized they had the mesh upside down. “Well, good thing we checked.” Ian said, looking a bit rueful after they turned it over.

“How does it look?” Michael asked.

“Looks good boys. Now make sure you’re laying it down right this time.”

“Got it, Ken.”

Six minutes later Ian slid the mesh across the doorway, listening to the magnets click together. “Well, it only took us thirty minutes. We did it faster than the clerk!”

Michael laughed, “I wasn’t aware we were competing. We’re only using this at night, right?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe little Liam got himself out of his crib and went on a walkabout.” Grant said as he watched Michael and Ian cleaning up their tools and debris from the installation.

“Well since no one has owned up to leaving his crib rails down or leaving him out, what else could have happened?”

“He might have teleported out.” Pieter suggested.

“Are you saying he’s weird in some way?”

“He is your child, Ian.”

&&
June 8, 2012 Philadelphia, PA

“Do you have your jammies?”

“Yes.”

“Toothbrush & paste?”

“Yes.”

“A spare change of undies?”

“Why- okay. Now I do.”

“Change to call home?”

“I have a cell phone.”

“Just in case.”

“Fine. I have two dollars and I’ll call collect.”

“Credit cards so you can buy out Manhattan?”

“Yes- wait. I have no intention of shopping.”

“Sure you don’t. Remember that there’s a limit to how much you can bring back on Amtrak.”

“Just for that, I am going to shop. Can I go already?”

“Sure. I just want to make sure you’re prepared.” Michael said as he picked up Ian’s overnight case.

“I’ve been away from home before Michael.” Ian said, rolling his eyes as they went downstairs.

“Yeah but I just want you to know that I’m going to miss you.”

“Ian! Come on or you’re going to miss the train!” Pieter yelled from the kitchen.

“God. All right Pieter!” Ian said as he hurried into the family room. “Chloe, I’m leaving you in charge.”

“Hey!” Michael protested.

“Take care of your dad and make sure he doesn’t skip any meals or stay up too late.”

“I will Papa. Love you and have a good time.”

“I love you too sweets.” Ian said giving her a big hug before giving each boy a kiss and telling them to behave.

“Ian!”

“Coming! Michael, I love you and I’ll call when I get there.”

“All right baby. Have fun. Love you too.” They exchanged quick kisses and Ian stuck his head in his parents’ suite before going out the door, Michael waving as he watched Ian get into the car and drive off with Pieter.

After shutting the door Michael went into the family room sitting down next to Chloe and putting his feet up on the coffee table.

“Dad! You’re not supposed to put your feet there!”

Michael sighed. Good god.

&&

The train sped north and Ian considered getting out his laptop to make a few notes but couldn’t find the energy. He’d only been out of the house for, he checked his watch, seventy three minutes and twenty seconds but he couldn’t help wondering what Michael and the kids were doing.

All right, he loved being a dad and being married to Michael but he certainly was not going to call home. He’d wait until he got to his hotel. He could do it. He’d won fourteen Olympic medals dammit. He was tough. He was in control. He was. Okay so maybe he could call from the train station when he got there. That’s what he told Michael he’d do after all.

&&

“Hello?”

“Hi Chloe.”

“Hi Papa. How was the train?”

“It was fine. How are you?”

“Good. Do you want to talk to Dad?”

“No, that’s okay. I was just checking in. Um, what’s your dad doing?”

“He’s washing dishes.”

“Oh. What did you have for dinner?”

“Barbeque chicken breasts with broccoli and potato salad. Where are you going for dinner?”

“I haven’t decided yet. I guess I’ll let you go. Tell Daddy I’ll call later.”

“Okay Papa. Good night.”

“Night sweetie.”

Ian hung up and sat back in the cab proud that he’d managed to make it out the station before picking up his phone. He was still resisting the urge to call back when the cab pulled up in front of the Tribeca Grand Hotel. The doorman opened his door as he paid the fare and tip, bidding the cab driver a good night.

“Good evening, sir. Checking in?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll get your bags for you.”

“No need, I’ve got them.” Ian tipped the doorman and went in, striding up to the desk.

“Good evening sir. How may I help you.”

“I have a reservation. Under Thorpe.”

“Yes Mr. Thorpe we’ve been expecting you. You’re in a studio on the third floor. If you’ll just sign the guest card?”

“Thank you.” Ian signed in and received his key card.

“Take the elevator over there and your door will be to the left about half way down. Enjoy your visit and please dial seven if you need anything.”

“Thank you again.” Ian said before he set off across the atrium enjoying the architecture. His room was just where it was supposed to be and he was pleasantly surprised at how nice the room was; not that Maureen had ever gone wrong before. Ah. He found his cell phone and keyed down until he found her number.

“Octagon Sports Management.”

“Maureen, its Ian.”

“Of course it’s you. How many Australian hunks do you think I know?”

“With you, it’s hard to tell. What are you still doing at work?”

“Finishing up a few things for the weekend. How do you like the room?”

“It’s fantastic. I know its short notice but are you free for dinner?”

There was a short silence. “Ian, I-”

“Maureen, I’m not hitting on you.”

“That was the last thing on my mind.”

“So say you’ll come and keep an old married man company. I have recent pictures of the kids.”

“Oh all right. Where are we going?”

“Do you like sushi?”

“Of course.”

“How about Next Door Nobu so we don’t have to get reservations?”

“Okay, I’ll meet you in a half hour?”

“See you then.”

Ian did a quick wash to get the train smell off and changed into a jacket, nice shirt and khaki pants before snatching up the key and his messenger bag then leaving the room. The restaurant was close enough to the hotel and Ian waved away the doorman’s offer of a cab.

The Friday night hustle was just beginning as people hurried home or out for the night. He saw the new directional signs put up for the upcoming Games and couldn’t help grinning at the large billboard featuring Michael. Despite the perceived dangers of hosting an Olympics here, the NYOC had predicted sell out crowds and with only a month and half to go, those predictions had come true.

Speedo had given Michael a block of tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies along with the swimming events so they were set for those but Ian had also purchased tickets for other venues the first week they’d gone on sale so they were set.

Team handball, badminton, show jumping and archery might not be sports everyone was interested in but Chloe had chosen those because they fit around the swimming schedule the first week so Ian was happy to oblige. The second week, they were going to table tennis, fencing, modern pentathlon, synchro swimming and a day of track and field. Michael would join them as his schedule allowed but that was before the boys had come along. Hm. He’d have to do some rearranging.

“Ian!”

Ian stopped walking and realized that Maureen was waving at him from just down the block. He waved back and hurried his step. “Hi.”

“Hi. You looked deep in thought.” Maureen remarked after he kissed her cheek in greeting.

“I was. You look fabulous by the way.” Ian said, taking in her stylish hair cut and chic business suit.

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad for an old married man.” Maureen replied with a grin. “Shall we go in?”

“After you.”

The wait was only a few minutes, since it was still early by New York standards and after they were seated, Maureen gazed at him for a minute.

“So where are the pictures?”

“Gee. No small talk first?”

“No. You throw out a bribe like that, you’d better come through.”

“Fine.” Ian reached into his bag and pulled out a small photo album. “There you go.”

Maureen took it and flipped it open, immediately smiling at the first picture which captured the boys sleeping on the family room floor in a puppy-like pile. “God, they’re so cute.”

“Thank you, we think so too.”

She was still looking through the album when their waiter arrived and seemed reluctant to put it aside. “Oh. Ian, want to try the omakase?”

“That would be perfect.”

They chatted about the pictures and the kids over the first two courses then Ian ventured to ask Maureen what she’d been up to lately expecting to hear the usual riff about work.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking seriously about taking a long vacation. This summer is going to be horrific work-wise and the city is going to be a mess of tourists.”

“Really? What areas are you looking at?”

“I have no idea. It’s funny that I make all these travel arrangements for people so nothing seems really exciting anymore.”

“Maybe I can help. What do you want to do on your vacation?”

“Um.” Maureen sat back and tapped her finger on the table. “I’m not really sure. I’m not a beach person and the idea of being cooped up on a ship with hundreds of strangers freaks me out. I just want peace and quiet without a bunch of people in my face.”

“Ah. Do you like to look at the ocean, even if you’re not on a beach?”

“Yes because I like snorkeling. Beaches are just too hot and sandy.”

Ian couldn’t help laughing. “Well that is a good description. You need to check out Saba. It’s a small island in the Caribbean. A couple of thousand people, no beaches if I remember the website correctly; there is diving and snorkeling though. Pieter and Grant are going there on their honeymoon.”

“Hm. I’ll have to check it out. So tell me something; what were you having such deep thoughts over earlier?”

“Oh. I was just wondering how we’re going to manage with the boys next month. We’re good on the swimming venues but Chloe and I had plans to see some other events and we don’t have the extra tickets.”

“Ah. Well, don’t you have a nanny? And do you really need to take four babies to a bunch of sporting events even if they are boys?”

“True. I guess it’s silly of me to think they’d have any idea what is going on and I’d probably end up leaving most of the events to deal with them.”

“It was a nice thought but you’re probably better off keeping them under wraps. Tim’s gotten a few more requests for the boys to do commercials or other work; I’m so glad you guys have turned those down.”

“He has? We have?” Ian asked, looking shocked. “When did this happen?”

Maureen put her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry I thought you knew. Tim mentioned it to Michael a few weeks after you all got back from England.”

“And Michael said?”

“That he didn’t want his kids having to live down starring in a diaper commercial.”

“Ah.”

“Are you upset?”

Ian shook his head, “No. I would have said no anyway. We didn’t have children to make money off of them.”

“Good because I didn’t mean to cause problems.” Maureen wrinkled her nose. “There were really scummy ideas too. Michael was really upset that the bottle company people wanted to cast some actress as his wife. I swear the temperature in the room dropped fifty degrees.”

“Uh, did that company think people wouldn’t remember that Michael is gay and married to a man?”

“I guess not. You guys do keep a low profile but it was sort of ridiculous.”

“And what did Michael do?”

“He sat there and stared at them for a while with this odd smile on his face. You know, I’ve always heard that Michael had a temper so I expected him to really go off; I was certainly fuming and Tim was apoplectic. I have no idea what Michael did but the baby bottle guy literally peed his pants.”

“No way!”

“Yes way. I mean we could actually hear it. Michael just leaned back and said, ‘I hope you plan on paying Tim to replace that chair and clean the carpet.’ It was fantastic! The guy’s boss actually sent a check the next day.”

“I can not believe Michael didn’t tell me about that.”

“I think Michael felt kind of bad later. The guy was really embarrassed and he probably got fired. That was the last time Tim ever mentioned taking a meeting with people interested in the boys.”

“So Tim just turns every one of them down?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t even discuss them with Michael?”

“No. Michael said if whoever it was didn’t go through David first, then he wasn’t interested. Has David mentioned anything?”

“Yes, a diaper commercial.” Ian admitted. “I turned that down.”

“Tidy-White Diaper Service?”

“How did you-?”

“They’re the ones Michael turned down too.”

&&

Michael flopped down face first on the bed and considered nominating Ian for sainthood. Of course, they weren’t Catholic but maybe Rome would make an exception. He’d get right on that after he had two or three days of sleep. He rolled over and finished toeing off his socks just as Margaret walked in.

“Hello dear. I would have knocked but the door was open. You look exhausted.”

“I am. I know it’s cliché but how does Ian do this?”

“They were only awake for four hours after Ian left.”

“But I made a total mess of things.”

“You did but nothing that isn’t fixable.”

“Margaret, that’s not very supportive of you.” Michael chided.

“I’m not here to be supportive; that comes later. This is my ‘buck it up’ speech.”

“Oh. Sorry. Please continue.” Michael apologized, lacing his fingers over his midriff.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and patted his knee, “Good. Ian has had nine months of almost twenty-four hour exposure to the boys so he knows all their little ends and outs. Tomorrow, the boys are going to wake up and they won’t remember that you didn’t know which one hates carrots or which one likes the yellow blanket. So get over it, they already have. Also, stop feeling guilty that you haven’t been here. You weren’t out boozing it up or chasing after women after all.”

Michael stared up at his mother-in-law in silence then realized she was now expecting him to reply. “Okay, I’ll try to do better tomorrow.”

“That’s all you can do.”

“You know, just when I think I’m fine something like this happens and makes me doubt my choices.”

“Having the boys?”

“Oh no. Never that. No, I wonder if I should have retired when Chloe came or after the boys were born. I would have still had school but I wouldn’t have missed so many things.”

“There’s no guarantee of that and how do you think the children would have felt about it? Here’s their very talented father giving up his dream for them. What kind of thing is that to teach your children?”

“That sometimes you have to make sacrifices and that I love them more than swimming.”

“Sure, they could see it that way or that the minute things get tough, it’s okay to quit.”

“Margaret!”

“What? I told you this was the ‘buck up’ portion of our event. Michael, you’ve made your choices and it’s too late to change things now. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Chloe and the boys are healthy and happy children.”

“Because Ian’s been here. He gave up his dreams of getting his doctorate.”

“Because Ian’s too much of a control freak to not be here.”

“That’s not fair.”

“But it’s true. Before he moved to Michigan to be with you, he always talked about going to school ‘when he had time.’ You gave him the motivation and the time to do it. He’s got a master’s degree now but has he ever spoken of putting it to use?”

“Well no.”

“If Ian announced tomorrow that he wanted to go back to school and take a few classes in say, computer repair or calligraphy; would you be surprised?”

“No. I’d just think he wanted to learn more about – okay. I get your point.”

“There you go. Ian’s right where he wants to be at this point in his life. So buck up, little camper.”

“Thanks Margaret.”

“You’re welcome, dear.” Margaret said as she leaned down and kiss him on the forehead. “Now get some sleep because you’ll be up early tomorrow.”

“Argh. Don’t remind me.” Michael said as the phone rang. He reached an arm out and snatched up the handset. “Hello?”

“Hello Michael.”

“Ian! Hi. How was the train?”

“Good. The hotel’s excellent and I had dinner with Maureen. What’s wrong?”

“What makes you think anything’s wrong?”

“You sound weird.”

“We had an awkward evening and I was feeling sorry for myself. Your mom is giving me a pep talk.”

“Ah. ‘Buck up, little camper’?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“That’s Mum’s equivalent of a smack down. How awkward was it?”

“I forgot that Robbie doesn’t like carrots and Harry likes the yellow blanket.”

“Robbie loves carrots and Harry doesn’t care.”

“God! I couldn’t even remember-”

“Michael, do you want to know what helps me when I’m dealing with the boys?”

“What?”

“Every day is going to be different. You’ve seen Harry’s blanket gambit before; why did it throw you so much tonight?”

“Because they kept expecting you to show up.”

“Oh. All right. Do you want me to come home?”

“No. This hasn’t been a barrel of monkeys. Well, yes it’s just like a barrel of monkeys but it’s a good lesson. The boys are clean, fed and in bed and no one was traumatized aside from me.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Are you having a good time?”

“Well, I miss you and the bed is very large and lonely looking.”

“Same here.”

“Is Mum still there?”

“Uh huh.”

“Okay. I’ll be home tomorrow. I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“Not possible.” Ian said before he hung up the phone.

Michael put the receiver down and turned to see Margaret smirking as she rose. “Why are you leaving now?”

“Because my work here is done. You need sleep more than you need to spend the next two hours telling Ian how much you love him. Have a good night, dear.”

&&

June 9, 2012 New York, NY

Ian woke up early and after a long shower, he got dressed and decided to explore the neighborhood around the house they’d be using during the Olympics. He was familiar with Tribeca and had spent a lot of time investigating it online but it never hurt to scout things out in person.

After a great breakfast at Bubby’s, a restaurant down the street from the hotel, Ian strolled around the area stopping at the various places he’d researched. There were two decent groceries within a block or two of the house and he stopped in the Food Emporium, picking up information about their delivery service before moving on.

Washington Market Park seemed safe enough for Chloe and the boys and as it was only nine; he flagged a cab down and gave the driver directions to an address on West 10th Street. Once there, he got out and entered the offices of Downtown Pets.

“Hi, how can I help you?”

Ian smiled at perky and seemingly young clerk. “I’ll be visiting New York for the Olympics; July twenty fourth through August fifteenth. We’re bringing both of our dogs and our cat along and I’d schedule for their care.”

“Okay. Are you staying in a hotel or house?”

“A townhouse on Reade Street in Tribeca.”

“We cover that area. We offer several different services.”

“Yes, I’ve looked around on your website. I’d like to have both dogs walked mid-morning for the hour and at five for a half hour. Whoever came in for the dogs would also need to check on the cat and we might need an early morning or late night walk once or twice but we’ll know that in advance.”

“Okay.” The clerk, whose name tag read ‘Danny’, took a form out and picked up a pen. “What are the dogs’ names, sex, breeds and ages?”

“Gizmo and Gadget. They’re brother and sister around four years old and mostly mutts. They’re both altered, well trained and will need to be walked together.”

“What about the cat?”

“Flannel’s part Burmese and about the same age as the dogs, an altered male. They were all strays so we don’t know their exact ages.”

“Your name and permanent address?”

“Ian Thorpe, 8840 Norwood Avenue, Philadelphia, PA.”

Danny dropped the pen and stared up at Ian. “Oh my god, it is you!”

Ian stepped back a bit. “Um. I never said it wasn’t.”

“No. I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. I saw you swim in Sydney and Athens.

“You don’t look old enough to-”

Danny laughed a bit, “I’m older than I look. Normally, I wouldn’t ask but can I get your autograph? My parents are big fans.”

“Uh. Sure.” Ian said. “I don’t have a-” Ian took the pen and piece of copy paper Danny held out. “What are your parents’ names?”

“Marjorie and Dale.”

Ian wrote a short message and signed the paper, passing it back to Danny. “There you go.”

“Thanks! They couldn’t make it to Beijing so they’re really excited about having the Olympics right in their backyard.” Danny said then took a deep breath. “Okay. Sorry about that. Now back to business. Will someone be at the house to let the walker in?”

“Probably not the first week but the second week will be hit or miss. I’m meeting with someone about the house today and I’ll check on the key situation.”

“Good enough. If you’ll review the information, I can put it in our database.”

“Do you require a deposit?”

“Not if I can get your credit card information. We normally bill weekly or you can pay your bill online.”

“Weekly billing works for me.” Ian said as he read the paper.

“Excellent. If you’ll sign on the bottom line?”

Ian did so and passed over the contract and his credit card. Danny quickly keyed in the info then pressed a button and waited for the printer.

“Here you go. This is your log in and temporary password to the website. You can make changes, add or cancel any service. Our phone number is down here and we’ll also provide a direct number for your walker once he or she is assigned. Any questions?”

“No, I think we’re all set. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Please tell Michael that we’re all rooting for him – uh, cheering. Not rooting.”

Ian grinned. “I’ve been here long enough so I know what you meant. Have a good day, Danny.”

“You too, Ian.”

Folding up his copy of the contract and other info, Ian checked his watch and walked over a couple of blocks to catch the red line for the subway. He was back in Tribeca with fifteen minutes to spare so he decided to walk over to Reade Street and wait for Gwen.

From the street, the townhouse looked very good but Ian knew that looks could be deceiving especially in this city. He leaned against the building and just observed the street. It was a Saturday so there was some car traffic but most of the people he saw were on foot including many children.

“Ian! Hi.”

Ian turned to see Gwen standing right next to him. “Hi. Sorry, I didn’t see you.”

“I snuck up because I wasn’t sure it was you. Love the hair.”

He ran his fingers through his short brown locks. “I stopped coloring it. Too much work with the boys around.”

“So I see. Shall we go in?”

“Lead on.”

Gwen put the key in the door and opened it, quickly ushering Ian inside and turning off the alarm. “Ha! I remembered the code. I stopped by yesterday and almost set it off. The owners left the instructions on how to change the code while you’re here.

A half hour later, as they stood on the seventh floor terrace, Ian was practically swooning at how great this house was.

“Gwen, this is fantastic.”

“I’m glad you like it. Michael was really particular about his specifications.”

“Really?” Ian asked nonchalantly.

“Oh yes. Once Mitch mentioned that we’d be providing a house for you guys, Michael said it had to be special. You have no idea how many houses I looked at last year but on the upside, I did score an awesome condo while I was on the hunt.”

“What was he looking for?”

“Something big enough for your extended family, in a great neighborhood with some style. Also, nothing in a high rise. I think what really helped is he said he wanted you to feel like you were in New York.”

“You did a great job here, Gwen.”

“Whew!” Gwen said, comically wiping her brow. “If you didn’t like it, we’d have to go to the back up and it’s no where as nice as this.”

&&

“Liam, we’re supposed to be getting pretty for Papa so please stop squirming around.”

“Pa?” Liam stopped trying to flip over and looked up at Michael.

“Yes. Papa.” Michael said as he finished snapping the pants. “Thank you.”

“Dank.” Liam repeated, putting his fist in his mouth and cooperating momentarily.

“Dad, what pants should I put on Harry? The blue ones or the other blue ones?”

“The other blue ones, they match his shirt better. Thanks, Chloe.”

“You’re welcome. Hey Harry, let’s get dressed.”

“Oops. Michael, can you-?” Grant asked as Michael reached out and stopped Jamey from escaping. “Boy, he’s sneaky.”

“He gets that from Ian.” Michael said absentmindedly as he passed Jamey back while trying to keep Liam from making a break for it.

“Oh! I’m done first! What do I get?” Pieter asked as he held Robbie up.

“My undying gratitude.” Michael answered.

“Thanks but that won’t buy our groceries. Hey, are we still sharing the shopping trips?”

Michael sat Liam up to slip on his shirt. “I don’t see why not. We’ll all still need to eat and it’s easier with all of us.”

“Not to mention it goes better when we each take a baby and split up. I knew the kids would draw a crowd but they ask such stupid questions.” Grant commented as he held Jamey up. “Jamey’s done! Yes, he is. Woogie woogie woogie.”

“Uncle Grant, no baby talk.”

“Sorry Chloe. I forgot.” Grant said, not at all contrite. “Jamey liked it though and it technically wasn’t baby talk.”

“It sounded like baby talk to me.”

“It was a movie quote.”

“Oh yeah? Which one?”

“A movie you aren’t allowed to see yet: Porky’s.”

“Dad? Is that right?”

“I haven’t seen that movie in years so I have no idea. Liam’s done. How are you doing over there, Chloe?”

“Harry and I have been done for ages. I just don’t have the male need to crow about minor accomplishments.” Chloe said as she sat down on the couch with Harry.

Michael, Pieter and Grant exchanged looks, having a silent discussion over Chloe’s statement when Pieter shrugged.

“Oh what the hell? Chloe, where did you hear that?”

“Nana said it to Granda the other day when he finished loading the dishwasher. I thought it sounded cool and I’ve been waiting to use it.”

The men’s response to that was lost when Ian stuck his head in the room. “I’m home!” It took two minutes for Ian get extricate himself from Chloe and the boys and crawl over next to Michael. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

They briefly kissed and Ian looked over at Grant and Pieter. “Hello guys. Why is everyone so dressed up?”

“We’re going out to dinner.” Michael announced.

“Tonight?” Ian asked.

“Yes, to a new place that’s very chic.”

“But I just got off the train.” Ian said, with a slight whine in his voice.

“Trust us, you’ll like this. Chloe, can you go get Nana and Granda?”

“Okay Dad!” Chloe said as she jumped up and ran to the front of the house.

“Do I need to get dressed too?” Ian asked, looking down at his khakis and red t-shirt.

“I already brought your navy sports coat down. It’s on the hall tree. Grant, Pieter do you want to grab a kid and we’ll get going?”

Ian grumbled under his breath as he went into the hall and got his jacket, returning to pick up Harry since that was the only baby left without a bearer. “Michael, I really don’t think taking the boys out is such a-”

“Ian, trust me it’ll be fine. Come on.” Michael said, nodding his head towards the kitchen.

Sighing, Ian shifted until he was holding Harry comfortably and followed Michael expecting to see the rest of family heading for the minibus but they were disappearing through a door that had been installed in the fence that ran along side their driveway.

“We’re going to Pieter and Grant’s for dinner?”

“Yep.”

“Their house is done?”

“Almost. I’ll let them tell you all about it during the tour.”

Ian knew that Pieter and Grant had many plans for their new house and had watched much of the remodeling as it progress but the backyard was certainly nice now that all the construction gear was gone. The large area now had fresh sod and plantings, the arbor area was furnished and the pool in the greenhouse-like structure sparkled in the sun throwing interesting reflections against the glass.

The interior was just as nice now that the last vestiges of the seventies were gone and Ian was very impressed with the new kitchen that had been revised to work so much better than the old one.

“Grant, Pieter this is lovely.”

“Thank you. We’re very pleased with Angela and her crew.” Pieter replied. “Now, we’re about to serve dinner so please take your seats in the dining room.”

The meal was just as wonderful as the newly stained woodwork Ian couldn’t help admiring as Pieter and Grant talked about their new home and their furnishing plans. Since they were currently gathered around a plastic picnic table and sitting in lawn chairs, everyone couldn’t help laughing.

“I hope a dining room table is one of your planned purchases.” Ken said with a grin.

“Oh no, we’re going for a shabby chic look in here. You don’t like it?” Grant asked with a perfectly straight face before laughing himself.

“Actually, we both have furniture in storage so we’ll be going through it all before we make any purchases. It’s all supposed to be delivered next week after the new garage doors are installed.” Pieter said, “We’re thinking of having a garage sale or donating the things that won’t work in here.”

“Speaking of that, we have all that furniture in your basement. Aside from our bed, we’re not going to be able to use it here.” Grant said.

“Then we’ll buy it from you.” Ian said promptly. “I like the way you furnished it.”

“Even better!” Pieter exclaimed. “If we have a garage sale, do you want to have one too?”

“Sure. We’ve got lots of stuff we were planning on donating. I suppose we could donate the proceeds.”

“Or you could let me organize it and give me a commission.” Chloe piped up. She watched as the adults exchanged looks and knew it might be possible when her parents seemed to nod at each other.

“What kind of commissions are we talking about?” Ian asked as he sat back and put on his negotiating face.

“Well, I’ll have my overhead for supplies like price tags and then there’s advertising. I’d also have to pay my crew a decent wage for cleaning and setting up stuff. I’d say fifty percent is fair.” Chloe said firmly.

“Hm. Where are you planning on staging the sale items?”

“The pool garage.”

“Well then you’ll have to rent that from us. How about ten percent?”

“Papa, don’t be silly. Garage sales are a lot of work. Forty five percent.”

“But we’re the ones who bought everything in the first place. Fifteen.”

“Some of that stuff is going to need a lot of work to get it sale ready. Forty.”

Ian stroked his chin, “That is a good point but since we’re planning on donating the proceeds, maybe we can split the difference.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“How about we give you fifty percent of the proceeds but you have to put half of your profits into your giving and savings funds.”

“Papa, you drive a hard bargain.”

“Also, you’ll have to fit your sales activity around swimming and get permission from your friends’ parents before you put any of them to work.”

Michael noticed that Chloe didn’t seem to have a problem with those conditions and in fact, it seemed to set some wheels turning in her head as she nodded and held out her hand. “Deal.”

&&

“I think our daughter is up to something.” Ian said as he took off his shirt and tossed it in the hamper.

“No really?” Michael said half-sarcastically as he kicked off his shoes and turned on the shower. “She came straight home and has been sequestered in her room ever since; she’s definitely up to something.”

“Well as long as it’s not illegal or unethical, is that really a bad thing?” Ian asked as he removed the rest of his clothes.

“Not at all.” Michael said as he finished undressing and stepped under the water.

Ian joined him and picked up the soap, “It’ll be fun to see what she comes up with.”

“As long it doesn’t involve selling us or the boys off.”

“I wouldn’t put it past her.” Ian said with a grin. “How was your day?”

“Better than yesterday night. I think the boys were testing me.” Michael said as he poured some shampoo into his hand. “Tilt your head back.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me. Oh. That feels good.” Ian said as Michael’s fingers massaged the liquid into his scalp.

“What did you think of the house?”

“It’s spectacular. Just what I always imagined living in if I lived in New York.”

“Good, I’m glad you like it.”

“Well after all the work Gwen went through to find just what you wanted, I’d better like it.” Ian smirked as Michael froze behind him.

“Uh-”

“You didn’t think I’d find out that it wasn’t just a happy coincidence?”

“Uh-”

Ian turned around and slipped his hands around Michael’s waist. “My mother was right about you.”

“She was?” Michael said looking a little confused at the subject change.

“Yes, she said you spoiled me horribly.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry. I like it. In fact, I love it. I never felt worth spoiling until you started spoiling me.” Ian said before leaning in and kissing Michael. Kissing soon led to other things until Michael felt himself sliding a little on the slick floor.

“Baby? We can’t do this in here.”

“Huh? Oh. Okay. I guess conditioner isn’t really a good substitute for lubricant.”

“No it isn’t. Let’s rinse off the soap and I’ll meet you in bed in five minutes.”

Three minutes and forty seven second later, Michael leaned over Ian and slurped along Ian’s collarbone.

“Michael!” Ian yipped, giving Michael a look. “You know I’m ticklish there.”

“What? That spot was still wet.” Michael said before setting his mouth on Ian’s and forestalling any other conversation. A little while later, and Michael wasn’t sure how it happened, he was on stomach with Ian’s cock inside of him, Ian’s arms around him and Ian’s voice murmuring in his ear.

He felt surrounded by Ian and that was always a good thing. It was even better when Ian’s large hand slid in between Michael’s hips and the pillow and started leisurely stroking Michael’s cock. Oh, that was it. He knew Ian was close to coming too because the stream of love words had turned into gasps and moans.

When they cleaned up and snuggled together later, Ian brought up the subject of the house again. “So how many places in New York did you reject?”

“Uh? Oh I don’t know. Probably twenty or so that made the final cut.”

“What was wrong with them?”

“A couple of good prospects were in Brooklyn. Closer to the venue but from your body language, I knew Brooklyn wouldn’t work.”

Ian relaxed, “Not that there’s anything wrong with Brooklyn. What about the others?”

“There was a fantastically ritzy penthouse in some historic building. Just amazing but on the seventieth floor. Great views but I’m not comfortable living that high up and I hate to mention it but especially not in that city.”

“Because of 9-11?”

“That and the fact that getting five kids and three pets out in case of an emergency would be a nightmare. Not to mention expecting the kids and the dogs to tolerate being in an elevator for seventy floors. Why? Did you want that?”

“No, your instincts were correct as always. It’s always weird to be in New York and not see the towers, even now. Okay, enough of the morbid stuff.” Ian said, shaking his head. “What about the rest and did Gwen send videos or something?”

“She sent clips by email from her phone via email. Not the best quality but I could tell enough to make choices. There was a huge loft conversion in Soho that was a real contender until Gwen got to the bedrooms. The living area was big enough for the kids to run around in but the bedrooms were tiny dark holes, even the master bedroom and there were only two bathrooms.”

“Ew. That would not have worked. Was it important to you to have everyone together?”

“Of course. You’ll all be going to the same place the first week and the more hands for keeping track of the boys, the better.”

“So it wasn’t just that you wanted family around? Pretty sneaky.”

“I figure we’re about two weeks from having toddlers; do you blame me?”

“Not one bit. You were certainly thinking ahead.”

“I wasn’t expecting to have five kids but it has all worked out. Now, how are we portioning out the rooms?”

“Good question. I was thinking that you and I can take the den with Gail in the bedroom and the boys in the rec room which are all in the basement. That’ll get us close to the kitchen and limit the boys’ stair climbing in one direction. David and Chris can flip Grant and Pieter for the master bedroom, the loser gets the bedroom on the fourth floor. The parents will share the fifth floor and Chloe and Iona get the den on the sixth. Daniel could share with them or be in with his parents.”

“Okay. How about if my parents aren’t staying with us?”

“Why wouldn’t they be?”

“Mom wants to be near Whitney so they were going to stay on the ship as originally planned. Then Dad said that he and Jackie would probably be staying on the ship too. Guess I should have mentioned the house to them earlier.”

“So we rearrange a bit. Mum and Dad in the third floor bedroom, we get the master bedroom. Everyone else is on fifth floor. Gail stays in the basement so she’ll have privacy and space when she’s off but we’ll have cribs in our room and in the rec room. Chloe, Iona and Daniel get the six floor den to play in. Are you upset about your parents?”

“Not really because I expect we’ll be seeing everyone during the second week. Besides, Mom and Dad didn’t really get a chance to get into the grandparent frenzy over the boys. They were really supportive and positive but I think they didn’t quite know what to do.”

“Hm. You could be right. They’re okay now with it, right?”

“They’ve always been okay but I think Mom was a little sad that she couldn’t do the female bonding thing. You know how she spent three years in labor before I finally decided to get born and all that.”

“She could have talked to me about it.” Ian said with a slight pout.

“Do you really want to hear about the hemorrhoids I gave her?”

“Oh. Uh. No. I guess I could skip that whole part of the bonding experience. You gave her hemorrhoids?”

“Oh yeah and swollen ankles, six months of all day sickness and an overwhelming craving for raw green beans. I don’t even want to think about eating all that fiber and having hemorrhoids.”

“Ew. Michael, that’s disgusting.”

“Too disgusting for you to roll over and let me have my way with you?”

Ian thought it over. “Well no but we’d better use condoms so we don’t have to remake the bed again.”
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The Sweet Life