The Three Musketeers

From the start we were like the Three Musketeers, one for all and all for one. Then, sometimes we were more like the Three Stooges. Whichever we were; we were inseparable. The world considered us to be cousins. We were almost.

Andi and Sandy were true cousins. I am Patrick. My mother married into the family after my father died in combat.

Dad was a US Marine, and a damn good one according to the records. Toward the end of the war in Vietnam his platoon was on maneuvers out in the jungle somewhere. They were ambushed; I was 4 years old at the time. The entire group was eventually air lifted out of there, after about 2 days of fierce fighting and an insertion of the rest of their company to fight off the Viet Cong. They were alive when they left the battleground, but 3 guys succumbed to their wounds later on. Dad lived for a week and then his body gave out. He had time to dictate a couple of letters each to Mom and me. He did the best he could to sign them.

We received the first set the day before the men came to the door looking for Mom. The second set arrived 3 days later. Both sets are family treasures.

The originals started to wear so badly from the many times they were read, so we made a number of copies and put the originals away for special occasions. My first letter stated that when he came home there was a good chance he would never walk again.

In my second letter he told me I was going to have to be the man in the family; I could not tarnish the family name, had to respect and support Mom and do as much as I could to help her. He told me I needed to finish school and most importantly needed to be a gentleman. A true gentleman always treated everybody with respect, especially women. He also said that I should always be strong and not let anyone walk all over us, but to be fair in all I do.

Ron was Dad's best friend; he did what he could to make our lives easier. He had been the best man at their wedding, and had promised to look after us while Dad was gone.

His 2 sisters were Maid of Honor and bridesmaid in the wedding. Dad's brother was the other groomsman. All 6 of them grew up on the same block; my grandma said "They were as thick as thieves."

Andi was the daughter of Aunt Sue. She had strawberry red hair and the bluest eyes.

Sandy was Aunt Bea's daughter. She had the lightest blond hair you ever saw, it was almost white. Andi, Sandy and I were all born in the same week. We grew up together and went through school together. About the only class I did not have with them was Gym. People learned very quickly that if you messed with one of us, you had to deal with all 3.

I remember the day that Ron took me for a ride to the ice cream parlor, leaving Mom at home. As we ate our banana splits, it was my first; he told me how much he and Mom were in love. He realized that he could never replace Dad in our lives, but he cared for me like a son and would love to be in our lives. Ron then asked me for my permission to ask Mom to marry him.

As much as I loved both of my parents, I was old enough to know Dad would not be back. I knew that Mom and I needed Ron in our lives. I told him he could ask her.

The next thing he said almost floored me, "Would you do me the honor of being my best man?"

I nodded yes.

This was an awesome responsibility for a 9 year old boy.

It was 4 months later that I became cousins with my best friends. Mom asked her mother to give her away like she did in her first wedding. Grandma said that she and I, both, gave her away. At the reception I was asked to speak as best man, I told how Mom, Ron and I missed my father very much. Ron had already been a father to me since Dad died, and he was welcome into our family. I was going to be glad to be a son and child again; Ron could be the man of the house. I got a standing ovation; later everyone told me that I made all 3 of my parents proud.

Earlier I told you the how we 3 cousins were inseparable. We all tried dating other people but nothing seemed right when we did. It was while we were in high school that we figured we were all meant for each other. We started to date; sometimes there were 2 of us but most times all 3 went out. None of us thought it was strange; it was just the way it was.

The first time we had sex they decided I should go out with Andi on Friday evening and Sandy on Saturday. Both of the girls got together during that week and had fun. The next weekend all 3 of us were together. We have since been together in as many combinations as you can imagine. We have never, ever needed anyone else.

After graduation I wanted to go into the Marines, they both wanted to go to college. Andi was going into nursing; Sandy would be a physical therapist. I was going to work on electronics while in the Service.

I graduated from basic training at the top of my company. The entire family came down for graduation. You should have seen the looks I got with those 2 beauties, one on each arm, after the ceremony. When I got back from liberty that evening the guys gave me all kinds of hell for not sharing. No, I was not sorry.

After basic I was sent to electronics school, again I graduated top in my class. The next assignment was to Quantico, to start working on radios, computers and all kinds of electronics.

One of the basic rules of being a Marine is that everybody is an infantryman first and everything else comes second. With that in mind our battalion was given notice that we were going to deploy to combat. We all got a chance to take leave if we wanted before deployment. I got to go home at the end of July. The Three Musketeers were together again for 20 days. We did everything together. At the end of our time we all cried when I had to leave.

After we deployed I got letters every other day from Andi and Sandy, and a care package each week with so much stuff that I had to give most of it away.

I wrote or emailed almost every day, one of them per day. They always shared the news with each other and some of it with the rest of the family. There were things they had to keep private. What can I tell you?

About 5 months after we deployed we were on patrol, we walked into an ambush. I was in the middle of the squad. I would like to be able to say I was a hero that day, but I was taught not to lie. The first shot fired was an RPG, it hit the wall above and beside me and large chunks of what passes as masonry fell on me; putting me out of action. I have been told we were attacked by15 of them. Between the guys on the ground and the helicopter gunships they were all sent home to see their maker.

I was knocked out and my left leg was broken in 3 spots. I woke up at the battalion medical tent. I was going to go home alive.

It was a good thing that Mom was out of the house when the notification arrived. Ron found out all the information he could and called a family meeting to tell everyone at the same time.

Wisely, the first thing he said was that I was going to live. Mom still fainted. When she was settled down he read all the information he had to them. At that time he knew more than I did.

Ron told how I was bruised and battered and had a broken leg. I was being transferred to Germany and would be sent home within the week. I was going to be in the hospital at Quantico.

After I settled in; Ron and Mom were allowed to see me. We had an hour to talk before I fell asleep on them. When I woke 4 hours later I heard Andi and Sandy talking to them in the hall. When they realized I was awake and Ron and Mom came back in to see me again. I asked why my loves had not come in; Ron said he needed to talk to me about them first.

"Is there something wrong?" I almost screamed.

Ron assured me they were fine, that they still loved only me and there was no real cause for concern other than my condition.

Now, I was really confused. He and Mom moved together and the girls walked in behind them, all I could see was their heads and shoulders. Finally the girls walked around them and I saw all of them. My head swam as I saw them for the first time in almost 8 months. They were still the most beautiful women in the world.

Then I saw what the secret was; their bellies were sticking out almost a foot. They were both pregnant. I could not speak, so Mom answered the question in my eyes.

Yes, they are yours. We have known for 3 months, but had not told you because we wanted you to be able to concentrate on the tasks you had to do. They are both 8 months pregnant.

Then Ron said he and Mom were going for a walk so the three of us could talk.

Sandy was the first to speak; they were both on the pill. However, the batch the local pharmacy received was bad; they had been on the same batch for 2 months. Somehow the manufacturer put a wrong pill into the packaging, they were all placebos. The good news was that the pills should not have any effect on the babies. She had been for an ultrasound and Patrick Jr. was doing just fine.

Andi spoke next. She said "You need to sit down"

I told her I was already lying down as she giggled. What could possibly be that funny?

She told me she was having twins, both were girls. Both were healthy and ready to come out any day. She calmly reached over and pushed my mouth closed.

As usual they already had a plan for the 3 of us, make that 6 soon. Since Andi was due to deliver twins she would be the first to marry me. After 6 months she and I would divorce. When the divorce was final, Sandy and I would get married. At the end of another 6 months we would divorce. Then we would all have the same last name and would live together as one family. If other people did not like their plan, that was tough.

My thought was "Who can argue with that kind of logic."

Later that evening the Chaplain came around to see me. We talked about how life happens and that you can not help who you love. He told me in the eyes of a church what happened was wrong, but considering the enormity of the situation he did not have a better plan. He could set up the first marriage for 4 days later if I was agreeable.

The ceremony was beautiful; Andi and Sandy pushed my wheelchair back down the aisle when it was over. Ron was my best man; Sandy was the Maid of Honor. Aunt Sue and her husband gave their daughter away over the phone. We all had dinner in my room.

The next morning Andi started labor at about 10:30; Sandy started about noon. Patrick Jr. was born at 11:00 that evening. He had the blondest hair I have ever seen.

At about 1 the next morning little Nora Emma was born, she was named after my mother and grandmother. 45 minutes later little Susan Beatrice was born. They both had strawberry blond hair and blue eyes.

I had to stay in the hospital for another 3 weeks until my leg healed enough that I could put weight on it. Then I was allowed to move off base for 4 months until I was finished rehabilitation.

I would not be able to return to combat, so I was medically discharged at 50% disability. To this day I have a slight limp, it is worse in rainy cold weather.

The pharmaceutical company paid the government back for all the birth costs and gave us a nice monetary settlement. We were able to put away most of the money to put our children through college when they are ready. The rest was spent as a down payment on a house on the next block from all the parents.

I found a job with a local electronic repair company fixing almost anything that comes in the door. When the owner retires in 5 years I will take it over.

Andi and Sandy finished college and work at the local hospital in their respective fields.

Each morning we dress the children up and hold a small parade down to the next block to the house of the grandparents that have duty that week.

Andi wants to have 2 more children; Sandy would like at least 3 more. We are trying to do just that.

I dearly love and cherish both of my lovers, and they love each other too. We do not say wives that could open a big can of worms. Hardly a night goes by that someone is not calling to the almighty in pleasure.

It already looks like we have a new set of Three Musketeers ready to unleash on the town. There are some days you could argue they are more like the Three Stooges.