Adult-FanFiction.org : Celebrity

All of the Above	By : jai Category: Individual Celebrities > Athlete/Sports Misc Views: 3261 -:- 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.

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AN: This chapter would not have been possible without the valiant editing efforts of Dana, Jamie, Christina, Preciosa, and Kat. Ladies, thank you for your efforts!

This is a work of fiction; the characters, events and locations contained are not who/what you think they are and should not be mistaken for anything but fictional characters. This story and all connected chapters is intended for entertainment only.

December 21, 2016 Couran Cove Resort, Queensland, Australia

Michael wiggled his toes in the warm sand and sighed with perfect happiness. The breeze coming off the ocean was just right, there was a frosty drink at his fingertips, and the best part of the afternoon was currently standing hip deep in the water, thirty yards away. Ian might not be as buff as he had been at twenty two, but he was still quite a bit of eye candy in his blue trunks.

“Grant, Michael’s drooling,” Pieter said.

“Give him a napkin then,” Grant replied lazily as he turned over to bake his front.

Oh, right. *They* were here too, dammit.

The combined tribe had arrived in Sydney on December tenth, minus Grant who had remained in Philly to finish out the semester. They’d delivered Chloe into Tracey Menzies’ capable hands for swim camp, then had driven slowly up the coast checking out properties and enjoying the beaches, before arriving in Brisbane two days ago. The road trip had been fun, but traveling in a group of thirty-three people, seventeen of them aged five or less, had left Michael feeling a little frazzled.

He’d been glad when the grandparents, who were leaving tomorrow for a nineteen day trip around Australia, had asked to have the kids for the day. They’d admitted to feeling a little guilty about missing Christmas with their grandkids, and Michael had been all set to enjoy his time alone with Ian.

He’d expected Grant, who had joined them yesterday, and Pieter to want spend some time on their own, too. After all, they’d been separated for almost two weeks. But no! The pesky twosome had appeared on the beach a half hour ago and were showing no signs of leaving.

“Shut up. I’m merely keeping an eye on Ian for safety purposes.”

Grant snorted and lifted a leg. “Go ahead, pull the other one. You were drooling and don’t bother to deny it.”

“Fine, I won’t. I thought you two were going to hang out at the pool today,” Michael said, pointedly.

“Pieter, I think Michael’s trying to tell us to take a hike,” Grant said, too relaxed to manage the huffy tone he was trying for.

“I think you’re right, Grant, which is why we should stay right here.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Michael considered dropping a couple of ice cubes on Heckle and Jeckle, but Ian was striding across the sand, water beading on that broad chest and those long legs flexing. The current conversation went right out of his head.

“Love, the water’s fantastic! We should try surfing later. Are you game?” Ian asked with enthusiasm as he started drying off.

“Sure, babe,” Michael answered, distracted by his sudden urge to be a towel, or more specifically, the towel Ian was currently using. Tingles shot through him at the memory of their romp through the sheets that morning and the way Ian’s hands had felt on his skin.

“Are you feeling okay?” Ian asked with concern when he noticed Michael’s apparent lack of attention and what looked like a shiver.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m fine,” Michael replied, suddenly aware that they were on a public beach and that his own trunks were feeling a little tight. He smiled brightly and casually moved his book to shield the evidence of just what he’d been thinking about.

Pieter and Grant laughed as they saw that move, and Ian quirked a brow at them. “What? Do I have kelp on me?”

“No, mate. We’re just laughing at ga-ga boy over there.”

Ian gave them all a suspicious look and looked at Michael again before the penny dropped. A very pleased expression crossed his face as he sat down in the lounge chair next to Michael. “Are you ga-ga over me, Michael?”

“Yep,” Michael said promptly, causing Ian to smile. “We’ve been married seven years, we have ten children, and we’ve lived through a major renovation. I think it’s a positive thing that I’m even more in love with you now than I was the day we first kissed.”

While their companions made fake gagging sounds, Ian ignored them and stole a quick kiss.

“And people wonder how you two ended up with all those rug rats.”

“That from a man with eight? Really, Grant! You’re going to have to do better. Has the sun boiled your brain?”

“At least, I had a brain to begin with.”

Michael half listened as Ian and Grant exchanged their usual insults for the next few minutes, while he pulled out the sunscreen and applied it. He had a good base tan started, but it never hurt to be careful. With that thought in mind, he passed the tube to Ian.

“Thank you, Michael. So, are we ready to discuss our housing options, or are we putting it off for another day?”

“We should just get it over with,” Pieter replied, ignoring Grant’s groan. “We’ve had two days to recover and think about it. Stop it, Grant. You didn’t have the dubious pleasure of seeing the interiors of some of those places.”

“True, but I was all alone with only Miles and Anna for company,” Grant retorted, putting a rather pathetic look on his face.

Pieter visibly struggled against feeling sorry, then gave in. “Sorry, beminde. The children and I missed you horribly.”

Ian looked at Michael. “And they have some nerve giving us aggro over kissing. Look at them sucking face like that.”

Pulling his lips away from Grant’s, Pieter smirked. “You’re just upset because Grant kisses better than you do.”

“Ha! Like hell he does!”

“That’s not all he-.”

“Hey! Don’t start with that stuff,” Michael said loudly, cutting Pieter off. “We don’t need to go there today.”

Pieter and Ian exchanged embarrassed glances, knowing they’d been about to cross a line. Their sexual history was not a secret, but it really shouldn’t be fodder for their bickering.

“Sorry, Michael,” Pieter said quietly. “Ian, I apologize.”

“Thank you, Pieter,” Ian said, equally quiet. “I apologize too. Ahem, to get back to business; did anyone have a particular favorite? I brought copies of the listings along to refresh our memories.”

Ian passed over the papers and then applied sunscreen while the others looked them through the packets.

Grant sat up and adjusted his lounge, suddenly serious. “Did you really visit all these? There must thirty of them.”

“Twenty six, and we skipped two of them: the one in Coffs Harbour with only two baths and the house in Bundall on the water.”

“That’s the one we drove by and didn’t stop at on the last day,” Pieter explained.

“Oh, the one scary one you told me about? All right then. Do we have any criteria?”

“Aside from price, location and size?” Ian asked facetiously.

“Oh shut it, Ian. No, I mean, did we ever decide if we were going to find a place in between Brisbane and Sydney or go closer to one or the other?”

“We decided that it didn’t matter,” Michael reminded him before Ian could jump in. “Since there are airports up and down the coast, we can go anywhere. I think it’s more important to find something close to modern conveniences and the water. I know we all talked about getting a place with some privacy, but we’re going to have teenagers in a few years.”

“And?” Pieter asked.

“Do you want to spend your vacation listening to ‘Dad, there’s nothing to do here’ or ‘Dad can you drive us to the beach?’” He looked over at Ian and then turned to Grant and Pieter. “Lenora won’t have a license for twelve years, you know.”

“Good point, Michael,” Ian said as he pulled out a pen. “That would eliminate several properties like the four hundred acre farm stay at Limeburners Creek and the more urban apartment buildings.”

“Not necessarily,” Grant retorted. “You all liked the place in Edgecliff, and it’s right on the bus line to the beach. Wait, I guess that does eliminate it because it’s not like we’re going to just let them hare off alone.”

“We wouldn’t let them hare off alone, even if we were right on the beach,” Pieter said. “It would be easier to just walk down a block or two, however.”

“Then let’s start with Caringbah,” Ian said. For the next fifteen minutes, they discussed the pros and cons of each property, narrowing down it down to eight likely suspects. Then revising it down to four: a nine bedroom in Carrara, a six bedroom on two acres in Lennox Head, a twenty cabin motel in Coffs Harbour, and a twelve bedroom backpacker in Evans Bay.

“I’ll bet we can get in to see the house in Carrara after Christmas, and we’ll visit the others on the trip south. I’ll call Ned on Tuesday.” Ian made a final note in his organizer then stowed it and all the papers away in his bag. “Now that the dirty work is over, I think it’s time for another dip in the ocean. Michael, want to join me?”

Michael rose to his feet and tossed his book on the chaise. “Sure, I could stand to cool off a bit.”

Grant watched them walk across the sand and wasn’t surprised when he felt Pieter’s hand land on his thigh. He dropped his own to cover Pieter’s and lounged back with a sigh. “I can’t believe I was ankle deep in snow and exams just a few days ago.”

“Oh, you poor thing. Was it really horrible?” Pieter asked, leaning in closer.

Grant inched over and laid his head on Pieter’s shoulder. “Yes, very. I’m still exhausted grading all those papers.”

“Then I will have to give you a neck rub later. Although, since I know you have three grad students, I don’t believe you actually did much work.”

Laughing, Grant sat up and shrugged. “Well, it was worth a shot.”

Grinning at him, Pieter nodded. “Shall we continue working on our tans, or are you up for a swim?

Grant, spotting Michael and Ian standing suspiciously close together just past the break point, said, “Let’s give those two a few more minutes to finish whatever it is that they’re up to.”

“Are you feeling ill?” Pieter asked, putting his hand to Grant’s forehead. “I can’t believe you’re actually going to be nice to Ian.”

“Hey, it happens every once in a while, but don’t tell him. Wouldn’t want him thinking I liked him or anything.”

&&

December 25, 2016 Couran Cove Resort, Queensland

“Pops, do you have any extra batteries?” Chloe asked from the doorway of the bathroom.

Ian, in the middle of giving Beatrix a quick clean up, looked up at her. “What size, how many and what for?”

“For my CD player; I need four C size. The older kids really want to play the dancing game, and I told them I’d play with them.”

“That was nice of you.”

“So I missed the ankle biters,” Chloe said with a shrug. “It was weird being down in Sydney without everyone.”

“For the record, we missed you too. I have a couple of packages of batteries in our luggage; the big black bag I think.”

”Can you bring them down? I don’t think I’m old enough to go through your luggage.”

Laughing, Ian shook his head and couldn’t resist teasing her as he turned off the water and wrapped a towel around the toddler. “What was so upsetting about it the last time?”

“I wasn’t upset, but Dad may never get over the trauma. Although you never did tell me why you need five different kinds of lube,” Chloe shot back quickly with an innocent expression.

“I’ll explain when your father is a little older,” Ian said, resisting the urge to blush. “Miss Beatrix, I don’t know what you did to get milk down your back, but it’s all gone now.”

“Gart,” Beatrix garbled, looking up at him with Pieter’s eyes, half her hand stuffed in her mouth.

Ian correctly translated that as ‘Garret spilled milk on me, Uncle Ian’ and carried her into the bedroom once Chloe stepped back. “Then we’ll have to have a chat with Garret. I’ll bring the batteries down in a minute.”

“Thanks Pops.”

After re-diapering and redressing Beatrix, he detoured into his bedroom to retrieve a package of batteries and went downstairs to reenter the chaos that was the Thorpe-Phelps-Hackett-van den Hoogenband Christmas morning. They’d wisely limited the gifts to one per person from ‘Santa,’ but with eighteen children and seven adults, there was still plenty of debris spread all over the room. He set Beatrix down next to Sabrina, gave the batteries to Chloe and waded through piles of discarded gift wrap, landing a free spot on the couch to watch the mayhem.

The youngest ones didn’t quite understand how to play the game, so Grant, Pieter and Michael were helping them along and participating in the fun. Watching three very tall men amongst the ankle biters was also quite enjoyable especially when they were required to dance in turn. Sheila, Gail and Koos were trying very hard not to laugh, but they were losing the battle.

Across the room, Michael displayed his dancing skills and shot a quick grin at Ian. He knew how silly he must look but didn’t care. Even after twelve years, Ian still woke up some mornings and couldn’t believe he’d lucked into this wonderful life. He had no idea how an almost kiss on the pool deck in Athens had led to this room filled with children and friends, but he had no regrets.

Almost two years ago, they found out that their third surrogate pregnancy was going to be triplets. They’d spent several weeks in shock, and then Michael had made an announcement that was almost more shocking: he’d decided to quit his job at the hospital to stay home with the family. Ian was, at first, unsure; Michael had worked so hard for his degree and loved working with his patients.

Then had Michael pointed out that the children would only be small for a short time and he already missed some important milestones, like Garret’s first step and Callum’s first word. That had been enough for Ian, and it worked very well for them.

Pieter had also opted for the stay-at-home dad route, but his road had been a bit rockier. Grant and Pieter had not intended to have eight children, let alone have all of them so close in age but when, Diane, Grant’s sister-in-law, offered to be their surrogate, they had no choice but to seriously consider it.

They weren’t getting any younger, and they did want more children ‘eventually’. So they’d talked it over and decided that it would be better to do it sooner rather than later. Diane hadn’t put a time limit on her offer, but as it had taken two implantation attempts for Lenora and three for the triplets, their specialists had advised that they start trying as soon as possible, using just one embryo.

The procedure had been done while Craig, Diane and their three children were on a short visit to Philadelphia, and no one really expected it to work the first time, but Mother Nature had had other plans. They’d been ecstatic when Diane called a month later with the news. Three months later, that ecstasy turned to trepidation when they found out they were having quadruplets. Once the panic receded, Grant and Pieter had taken a quick trip to Brisbane, and after a long weekend of discussion, escorted Diane and her kids back to the States.

Chris’s pregnancy with the Thorpe-Phelps boys had been unusual for its lack of complications. Her general good health had helped, but she was also a tall woman and had carried quads with few problems. Diane was just as healthy, but at only five feet, four inches tall, carrying quadruplets was not going to be easy, according to Pieter and their doctors.

As her pregnancy progressed, Pieter’s fears had been realized when she’d been ordered to bed during early in the fifth month. Craig had taken a leave of absence from his job at that point, which had done wonders for Diane’s disposition, but she’d had a very hard time. Halfway through her sixth month, Diane had been admitted to Chestnut Hill Hospital, and a month later, had gone into labor.

It had been a frightening experience to watch the tiny babies struggle to survive, but the girls were fighters and had been released from the hospital one week shy of their original due date with clean bills of health. They were still small for their age, and Ian sometimes questioned (never aloud) how Pieter had managed to spawn the dainty little imps dancing around the room.

The music changed to something that sounded vaguely like a tango, and Grant immediately grabbed Pieter up into an exaggerated parody of the dance, complete with several deep dips. Ian couldn’t help laughing along with the rest of the family, as Grant stopped and leered down Pieter’s shirt in a very comical manner.

“Come, my petite mouffette, let us dance into the night.”

Pieter threw his head back, and managed to look down his nose at his taller mate. “Mouffette? Are you suggesting that I stink?”

Grant grinned and ran his hand through Pieter’s hair. “I was talking about this.”

Ooh! Ian smirked when Pieter’s eyes narrowed. He’d learned the hard way not to mention Pieter’s graying locks, but apparently, Grant hadn’t.

“Now you’re suggesting that I’m old? Do you want me to dye it?” Pieter said, as he drew back further, looking offended.

Grant pulled him closer. “Of course not, pookie. Actually, on you, it’s rather sexy.”

Pieter grinned with satisfaction and then yelped when Grant nipped him on the neck. “Grant! Not in front of the children!”

“Children, hide your eyes! Daddy’s going to- oof!” Grant looked up where Pieter had not so gently dropped him onto the floor. “Darling, that was hardly-.”

“Get him, kids!”

Jamey, Tristan, Lenora, Robbie, Declan and Garret attacked and quickly subdued Grant, pinning his arms and legs down as Pieter dropped to the floor next to them. Sabrina, Nick and Callum piled on a minute later, and while Grant could have easily shaken off all eight giggling children, he only struggled lightly so they’d think that he couldn’t get up.

“So, who can tell me what ‘mouffette’ means?” Pieter asked, as he reached a finger out and lightly poked Grant in the ribs, right in his most ticklish spot. Grant involuntarily jumped, causing the children to squeal with delight.

“It means ‘skunk,’ Papa!” Lenora said. “Why would Daddy call you a skunk?”

“I don’t know and he’s a tough one, so he probably won’t tell us. We’ll probably have to torture it out of him,” Pieter replied, with an evil grin.

“No fair! It’s nine against one!” Grant protested.

“Oh, he has a point,” Chloe said, having turned off the CD player and taken a spot near Grant’s vulnerable bare feet. “Unfortunately, it’s on his head. I say we poke him until he pleads for mercy!”

“Noo!” Grant shrieked, in a rather girlish manner, as the kids commenced with the poking. Grant twitched around like a fish on land for several minutes, then finally cried ‘uncle.’

Declan jumped up and raised his arms in victory. “We gots him!”

As the children celebrated, Grant rose up and snagged several of them with his long arms. “Ah hah! Revenge!”

The kids scattered, screaming and yelling, as they tried to evade the marauder. Pieter tried to help them escape, but Grant retaliated by tackling him. That caused the kids to coming rushing back to save their co-conspirator, and it quickly turned into a free-for-all when Pieter switched sides and the rest of the children threw themselves into the fray.

A laughing Michael collapsed next to Ian on the couch, then scooted over and hauled Xander and Mirabel up to sit in between them. Mirabel immediately oozed into Ian’s lap while Xan flopped onto Michael’s with his eyes closed.

“Are you tired, Xan?” Ian asked.

“Yep.”

Michael winked at Ian and looked down at their son, “I guess that means you want a nap?”

Xander’s eyes snapped open as he sat up and tried to look alert. “No nap!”

Michael chuckled as he put his arms around the little boy and then had to reach down and help Marah onto the couch. “Are you sure you don’t want to sleep? Just for a few minutes?”

Their son shook his head so vehemently that he almost toppled onto the floor. “Not seepy. I hungry.”

Ian checked the time and realized they only had forty-five minutes until their reservation. “Oh. Then I suppose we should all get ready to go to lunch. Guys, we need to get a move on, if we don’t want to be late.”

If there was one thing that could get all their kids motivated, it was the mention of food, and thus they were on the main pathway heading towards the restaurant twenty minutes later. They decided to walk, giving the kids a chance to work off more of their seemingly boundless energy.

As they walked, Ian couldn’t help feeling very fortunate that Grant and Pieter had chosen to live right next door. He and Grant might have their moments of rivalry and picked on each other constantly, but Grant was truly the brother he’d never had. He had a similar relationship with Pieter, although Pieter had more or less adopted Michael as his younger brother and acted accordingly. Their combined families might seem odd to outsiders but Ian thought they made a great all-around team. Not only did they have similar views on how to raise the children, their individual strengths and weaknesses meshed well together.

As long as he was thinking about it, they’d been also been graced by having Sheila, Gail and now Koos in their family. Gail with her years of experience with young children, could keep her cool under the most trying experiences. That was an invaluable trait for four parents who didn’t always know what they were doing. Sheila, who spent fifteen years teaching primary school, kept the toddlers in check and was good at identifying potential trouble spots.

Koos, the now twenty two year old genius son of one of Cees and Astrid’s neighbors, had a bachelor’s in mathematics from Eindhoven University. After graduation, he’d come to the States to investigate grad schools and had stayed with Grant and Pieter for a couple of weeks. Koos spoke English well enough, but he’d worried about his writing skills, and he was not comfortable communicating solely in English or living on his own in the States. Although several universities wanted him, including MIT and Drexel, he’d returned to Eindhoven without making a decision, and feeling a bit depressed.

Because they’d all liked the shy young man, it was Grant who suggested having Koos stay with them for a year or two to ‘help out’ while acclimatizing to the country and the language. After everyone agreed with the idea, Koos returned to live in Pieter and Grant’s garage apartment and did whatever needed doing, including teaching the children French and Dutch for room, board and a small salary. The arrangement was mutually beneficial to the point that Koos would remain on with them even after he started at Drexel in the fall.

Then there were the children. Sure, some people thought they were out of their minds, having eighteen children. Sometimes Ian agreed with them, but really, what kid could they do without? The answer to that stupid question was: none of them. They were all part of the whole, every last stubborn one of them.

Chloe at fourteen was self-sufficient, motivated and focused. Going from the only child amongst four doting males to one of eighteen wasn’t always easy for her, but as she got older and more independent, she seemed to have new appreciation for being the oldest sibling.

The Thorpe-Phelps quads, the next in age, were active and rambunctious five year olds. Jamey was assertive, full of life and loved trying to tell jokes (he wasn’t good at remembering the punch lines yet). Robbie was analytical; he always tried to figure out how things worked and why things happened. Liam always asked questions, had an active imagination and looked at every day as a new adventure. Harry, who could usually be found with a crayon in hand and his head in the clouds, was the family artist.

Pieter called Lenora their changeling child: half a tomboy, half a princess and all competitor. Two years younger than the quads, she didn’t let that stop her from trying to do what ‘dem boys’ were doing, even if she wasn’t physically capable. She usually led the ‘Gang of Seven,’ as Gail had dubbed them, through the sheer force of her will and personality.

The youngest in the Gang of Seven were the only set of twins, Callum and Garret. Callum was outgoing, curious and loved animals. His main goal in life right now was to convince his parents that he needed a puppy (or a kitten – he wasn’t fussy). Garret was more cautious and reserved, but he already had Michael’s shy boy appeal. On the plane to Sydney, he’d silently flirted with their flight attendant, scoring not only a visit to the cockpit, but also three extra bags of peanuts. Frankly, Ian feared for the rest of the world once Garret got old enough to purposely use his wiles.

Kian was the first of the van den Hoogenband triplets; born an hour before his two brothers, he had inherited a full load of Grant’s speed demon genes. He’d run before he could properly walk and hadn’t seemed to stop since. In contrast, Tristan was so easy going that his family nickname was ‘Pokey’ because he always ambled along, taking his time. He wasn’t slow mentally; he was just living in his own time zone. Then there was Declan, who had Grant’s crooked grin and quirky sense of humor. If there was trouble brewing, Declan was usually behind it.

The next in age were Marah, Nick and Xander, the youngest Thorpe-Phelpses. They were typical toddlers but dealt with the frustrations of life in very different ways. Marah was ready for independence and expressed that by changing her mind with the wind, just because she could. Xander was stubbornly singled minded about his likes, dislikes and activities; he preferred having a set routine, and woe be it to the person who mucked it up. Nick was more placid and able to go with the flow, but took a long time to warm up to new things and new people.

Then there were the van den Hoogenband quads. They were led by Maribel, the livewire. She had all of Pieter’s charm, and at seventeen months, was already testing her protective papas’ boundaries. Beatrix, the most verbal sister, was also the most sociable. She always wanted in with the older kids, no matter what they were doing. Shy and sweet Sabrina loved being held and cuddled, but her ready smile held a hint of mischief. Finally there was Isabeau, quiet and more timid than her sisters, not really sure about life yet. Grant had nicknamed her ‘Shadow’, as she could most often be found right behind Pieter, although she’d recently started venturing out into the toddler world.

“You’ve been quiet today,” Michael said, coming up beside him, carrying Marah. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Yes. A little tired,” Ian said, giving Michael a fond grin and slipping his hand into his mate’s. “But it was a good morning, especially the part before the children woke up.”

“Yes, it was,” Michael replied, squeezing Ian’s hand. He moved a bit closer and lowered his voice, “Uh, are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”

“Of course not, love. We might not be that athletic on a regular basis, but not only can I take it, I’m rather looking forward to returning the favor tonight,” Ian said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Smiling at that thought, Michael quickly nuzzled Ian’s cheek. “Oh, really?”

Before Ian could continue that thought, they arrived at the restaurant. They were a little early, so they led the herd out to the boardwalk. The older children immediately initiated a game of tag, while the younger ones were more interested in watching the waves and trying to convince someone to take them to the water. Sheila and Pieter held off any complaints of hunger by handing out some crackers and fruit to any takers.

“Michael, I don’t think those crackers were for you,” Grant said as he walked with Isabeau and Sabrina.

Michael smiled around his chewing and shrugged. “I’m ohngry.”

“No, you’re a bottomless pit. It’s a wonder that you don’t weigh ten tons by now with how much you eat.”

“Ian manages to work it off me somehow,” Michael quipped, then turned to keep Callum from climbing over the rails. “Hey, the first kid who touches sand is getting gruel for Christmas dinner, and I’m eating whatever Papa ordered for you.”

Jamey quickly climbed down from the railing on the other side and hurried up to Ian. “Papa, you wouldn’t let him do that, would you?”

“I don’t know. Would you stand between your father and food?”

Giving Michael a suspicious look, Jamey very carefully stepped into the middle of the boardwalk, a move that was mirrored by Lenora and Robbie. The restaurant’s hostess came out to wave at them a minute later, and the group moved inside, before anyone lost their meal privileges.

While they were getting settled, Ian was happy to see their beverages already in place – if there was one thing he’d learned it was to not wait for the kids to get through the menu choices while they were at the table. They tried to eat out every other week – if only so the children got used to being in public – and one way to ruin the experience was to sit for an hour while little palates tried to decide between chicken fingers or hot dogs.

The only option was to get the menu beforehand and place their order prior to arriving. It was less work for the wait staff, and the children didn’t get stressed by trying to make a decision under pressure. Since they’d eaten here on previous days, their waitresses also knew to bring out the food as it was ready and not wait until all twenty five entrees were done.

Sometimes, having a large family was all about planning ahead, Ian thought as the appetizers and salads were brought to the table. The children dug in as if they hadn’t been fed for weeks, but as long as they didn’t act like complete animals, Ian wasn’t going to complain.

After dessert and trips to the bathroom, they left the restaurant and took a short walk on the beach, letting the kids run and explore.

“Guys, we need to review this housing situation,” Pieter said as he strolled along with a sleepy Isabeau on his hip.

“Why?” Ian asked as he gathered up several pairs of discarded sandals.

“Because I’ve been thinking it over and we’re looking at this from the wrong angle. Imagine if you will this scenario: we land in Sydney after a twenty or more hour journey, and we get on yet another plane.”

Michael stopped, “Oh, we’d just be asking for tantrums, wouldn’t we?”

“Yes, I think we would be, and it wouldn’t be their fault either. It would be a difficult trip even when the children are older, not to mention the wear and tear on us.”

“So we should just ditch the idea?” Grant asked, pausing for a moment to help Tristan over a piece of driftwood.

“Not necessarily. Look, we started on this because we all want to have a place here in Australia. Not only for Grant and Ian, but also for the children. This country is an important part of their heritage.”

“So is the Netherlands, at least for our kids.”

“And I appreciate that sentiment, beminde, but I think our future is either here or in the States. Do you want to live in Eindhoven? Raise our children there? What about Amsterdam?”

“Uh. Well, it isn’t outside the realm of possibility,” Grant said uneasily.

Pieter chuckled and slung his free arm around Grant’s waist. “Don’t worry, I’m not offended by the fact that you find Holland much too small for your liking. So let’s return to our original question: why are we buying a property here?”

“So we have a place to stay when we visit,” Ian answered.

“And?”

“And what? Pieter, what are you getting at?”

“Weren’t you and Michael discussing eventually splitting your time between here and Philadelphia? All the places we were looking at are nice enough, but could you live there for three months? How about six months?”

“Well,” Ian said slowly. “I guess I could. Uh, Michael?”

“I think we’d miss the city especially in the winter,” Michael said slowly, tapping his lip. “Those smaller towns are great in the summer, but if they’re anything like the beach towns in the States, things are different in the off season.”

“You don’t think we could handle it?”

“Once all the kids are in school, our best travel time is going to be June through August. How much swimming would be possible during those months? Does it snow?”

“Snow? No, but the weather is definitely cooler with rain,” Ian answered. “Hell, we’ll be spending all day in the house with the kids.”

Pieter shook his head. “Unless we were close to or in a city to take advantage of the conveniences and entertainment options. We could always day trip to the coast or even explore other parts of the country.”

“A vacation from our vacation?” Grant asked.

“If that’s what you want to call it. Personally, I’d love to see Perth, Fraser Island, Uluru – there’s a whole lot of country out there. Do you really want your children only knowing one part of it?”

“You’ve made your point, Pieter,” Grant said. “Do you have a plan?”

“Yes, I –.” Pieter started only to be interrupted by the sound of pounding feet.

“Dads! Dads!” Jamey shouted as he ran up with Lenora and Liam hot on his heels, “There’s dolphins! See?”

The dads looked in the direction Jamey was pointing to discover that there was indeed a large pod of dolphins breaching off shore.

“Hey, good eyes there Jamey,” Grant complimented as Lenora wrapped her arms around his legs. “Lenora, how many dolphins do you think there are?”

“Millions! Daddy, can we go swimming with them?”

Grant struggled to not give in to his daughter’s pleading eyes. “No, sweetie, I’m afraid you can’t. The dolphins probably wouldn’t be very happy about it.”

“But I’d bet we could see them better from the boardwalk,” Pieter said coming to his husband’s rescue and giving them a good excuse to get off the beach. “Shall we find out?”

Jamey, Lenora and Liam took off before Pieter could finish speaking, many of the other kids and Koos following behind although the youngest struggled a bit in the sand. Michael caught up with Xander, who had already fallen and scooped him up, Ian and Grant doing the same for Sabrina and Marah.

“As I was saying,” Pieter continued, “I do have a plan. I did a little research the other day, and there are a few properties I want us to take a look at. The first is an apartment complex in Mermaid Beach.”

“Which one?” Grant asked suspiciously.

“Shaz Mansions. It has eighteen one bedroom apartments, a pool, security gates, and it’s little more than a block from the beach. It’s on offer for six million Australian.”

“It is a nice place,” Grant admitted. “I thought you were going to suggest one of those shabby backpackers. Where are the other properties?”

“In the Sydney suburbs. The second one is a backpacker in Coogee Beach. Several blocks from the ocean, on Coogee Bay Road with twenty bedrooms, several kitchens and twenty baths. I’m not sure of the price or the condition of place, but it could work.”

“That’s a lot of rooms,” Michael commented, and they finally made it up to the boardwalk. “It wouldn’t hurt to look. Hey Liam, what did I tell you about getting on the railing?”

“But that was before we ate!” Liam protested with a child’s logic.

“The rule still applies, and there’s more than one meal in a day. Did you guys see the dolphins?”

“Just for a minute,” Koos said as he picked up a drooping Mirabel. “But it was a very exciting minute.”

“Good, let’s head for the train then,” Pieter said much to the kids’ dismay. “Don’t worry, we’ll go to the pool once we get the living room cleaned up and everything put away.”

Two hours later, the men resumed their conversation while they sat on the edge of the resort’s kid’s pool, their feet dangling in the water.

“Didn’t you two stay in Coogee a couple of years ago? Grant asked.

“We did, and we almost bought the house we rented. Michael, why didn’t we do that?”

“Because you didn’t like the pool, and there wasn’t much room to improve on it.”

Grant opened his mouth then snapped it shut. “No, that one’s just too easy. Where’s the other house, Pieter?”

“It’s in Rose Bay. Five apartments on three levels. Four bedrooms on the ground and first floors with three bedrooms on the second floor. It has two garages, an additional parking space and a small pool in the back garden. Closest swimming beach is a ten or fifteen minute walk, but it has a great view and a good location.”

“Another nice area.” Ian said. “Harbor views?”

“Yes, or so it appears from the pictures. Look, I’m not saying that we couldn’t make one of the other places work but could you all at least consider these?”

“Of course, we’ll consider them. I think you’re on to something here,” Ian said. “But then I also thought we’d talked this all out prior to starting this venture. Pieter, why didn’t you mention this before?”

“Because all those places were only names to me until we saw them,” Pieter said with a shrug.

“Fair enough,” Grant said. “You know, we might be better off buying a property in a location we can all live with, demolishing it and building a house. Oh, don’t look at me like that, Michael. There aren’t many homes that can handle eighteen children, ten adults and guests. We’re going to have to renovate anything we find anyway.”

“We’ve talked about that before,” Michael said stubbornly. “I’m still leery about having a house built while we’re on the other side of the planet. Why don’t we look at the places Pieter’s found before we make that decision?

“Grant, Ian?” Pieter asked.

“We were putting more emphasis on the vacation part and not enough on the home half,” Ian said as Grant nodded.

“You are right; we should still take a second look at the houses going back to Sydney if only to see if your first impressions were accurate. But perhaps not all four of them.”

“Sounds fine,” Michael said, spotting Kian, Declan and Nick trying to climb out of the pool. “Better see what those three are up to.”

Pieter also stood and pressed a kiss to Grant’s nose. “Sabrina’s got that look on her face again; I’ll go check her diaper.”

***
As a special treat after swimming and a light dinner, the children were allowed to watch ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ followed by ‘Rudolph’ and ‘Frosty’ with Chloe while Koos, Sheila and Gail took off for the evening. The dads stationed themselves on the screened-in deck, and after declaring a moratorium on all real estate talk, relaxed over other conversation.

“It’s been a good year,” Michael remarked as he opened a bottle of wine to go with their cheese, fruit and crackers.

“Yes, it has. Our little girls had their first birthday; I can’t believe it’s been over a year already,” Grant said, looking a little sentimental. “Our boys turned two, and best of all, Lenora is potty trained!”

“That is a significant achievement,” Michael said. “I think I cried when Robbie used his potty the first time.”

“I’ll cry when Xander, Nick and Marah are out of diapers, followed by a happy dance at the market the first time we go shopping and don’t have to buy diapers,” Ian added.

“You two had a big year; it’s not every day you become the parent of an Olympian,” Pieter noted. “Then again, Chloe’s year was even bigger. She did a good job keeping her head in the race. I hope our kids handle that kind of pressure as well as she has.”

Ian smirked. “Already planning their athletic careers, are you?”

“Not in the least. They will do as they will, and we will be their supportive flexible parents. Although I will admit, in a tiny corner of my heart, that I would love to see Isabeau, Maribel, Sabrina and Beatrix swim the relay for Holland. That would be something to see.”

“Pieter! I’m hurt!” Grant exclaimed, “Why can’t they swim for Australia?”

“Because I said so?” Pieter said, and then slumped over dramatically, casting his eyes up in the most pathetic manner possible. “Why wouldn’t they swim for the Netherlands? Isn’t it enough that I’ve given up my beloved country for your heathen Outback ways? Do you have to have the children too?”

Michael snickered appreciatively, as Grant at first looked alarmed and then realized he was being taken for a ride. “You know, if there was such a thing as co-ed water polo, you already have a team plus a reserve.”

“Or between our kids, we have both a men’s and women’s team.” Ian commented thoughtfully. “Maybe we could convince Iona to join Team Thorpe as a reserve.”

“Team Thorpe? Hello, who has five of the seven girls? They’ll be Team Hackett, thank you.” Grant said, adding with a wave of his hand, “The boys can be Team Thorpe.”

Michael leaned over towards Pieter and said not so quietly, “Notice how we’ve both gotten shafted here?”

“Oh please! Our children are van den Hoogenbands, and you have more gold medals. I’m actually the one who needs the airtime,” Grant declared.

Chloe leaned around the doorway and gave them ‘the look’. “I know you’re only joking, but will you keep it down? I’ve almost got all the kids asleep, *and* I can’t hear the movie.” She ducked back into the living room without waiting for any of them to reply.

“The kids are almost asleep?” Ian asked softly, checking his watch. “It’s only six thirty.”

“And it was after ten before they got to sleep last night, so this is a good thing,” Pieter said. “Let’s give them another half hour and start getting them into their beds.”

“I don’t see what my medals have to do with anything.”

“Give it up, Michael, or she’ll be back out here,” Grant warned, grinning widely. “She’ll make you go to bed without ice cream if you don’t.”
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