Best Friends Ch. 02

I waved her inside. "Jason I am begging you please put away your anger. Chris needs you he is broken he hasn't been to work, he sits at home all day. I am begging you I will do anything to make things right, but please talk to him."

"I am sorry Marie but he ruined my life and maybe that's the penance he has to pay, he will get over it."

"I cannot believe it, Chris talks about this wonderful friend he had and all I see is a cruel mean malicious prick, you are a nasty piece of work Jason you really are."

When I didn't respond she snarled. "He did the wrong thing but hasn't he paid his dues, he is suffering."

She jumped back in her car and sped off. Me I spent the rest of the week thinking. I had nothing else to do, Cass wasn't talking to me and the house was cold.... Icy cold.

Seeing Chris that way had affected me, it hurt more than I cared to admit, I hated him and yet we were brothers, we nearly drowned in an upturned dingy at the river mouth hanging on for hours before we were rescued. Yes we shared a lot, but I wasn't sure I could get past it.

Over the years I read plenty about being the bigger man and forgiveness, fuck I had forgiven Cassie and now things were OK between us..... That night when I got home I told Cass. "Invite Marie and dickhead over for lunch Saturday."

The look on her face changed from the icy cold stare to a warm loving smile and that night in bed she repaid me passionately... Several times in fact.

Saturday rolled around quickly Chris and Marie strolled in with their arms full of bags and parcels, gifts for the kids and bags of food. Chris and I stood staring each other down like gunfighters until he opened his arms and sucked me in to an all-encompassing bear hug.

"Jay I love you man, you are my brother whether you like it or not and I am sorry." He gripped me even tighter. "Mate, I fucked up and I know it but I will do anything to fix this, brother you name it and I will do it. I need you both back in my life."

I wanted to hit him, smash him to the ground, but all I could do was stand there as he held me in that fucking bear hug. He burst into tears again his wet cheeks resting on my shoulder. I felt my shoulder getting wet where he was crying and that just got mine going. We stood there arms wrapped around each other bawling our eyes out.

Cassie jumped up and kissed me. "Jay, take Chris and go and sit outside I will bring a drink out."

We sat in the sun and quietly drank our beer, surrounded by a deep eerie silence. Mum brought the kids home and Jaycee came running out and climbed onto my lap. She wanted to play with her new dolls and kept annoying me until I gave in and played with her.

Chris laughed. "Bro, she has you wrapped around her little finger." It sort of broke the ice a little and Jaycee asked him if he wanted to play dolls to?

So there we were two grown men drinking beer and playing dolls with Jaycee. Cass brought James out and put him down beside us and all four of us played and wrestled. Cass sneakily kept the beers flowing until lunchtime.

Marie and Cass brought out a big lunch and we all sat around eating and drinking. It was still tense, I could see Marie wanted to talk to me but I had been keeping her at arm's length, Cassie noticing Marie's uncertainty, chatted and gossiped with her as only women can. Chris and I slowly started to grow more comfortable giving each other shit like old times.

As the day progressed Cassie called out. "Jay, Marie and I are going to the supermarket to get stuff for a barbeque."

"What.....Why?"

"Because I said so." She snapped and disappeared.

Chris helped me drag the cover off the barbeque and give it a clean, as we worked, we talked and all the emotion, and animosity, seemed to dissipate. Jaycee ran around like a mad thing, climbing all over me until I lifted her onto my shoulders making me carry her around like a queen. James cried until Chris picked him up and gave him a ride as well. As he held him I could see his eyes tearing up. "Jay, you are a lucky bastard. This is exactly what I want for Marie and me. I want a family so bad."

The food was great and it turned into a pleasant day. Cassie seemed happy and after the kids went to bed Cass put on some music and we sat out under the stars drinking.

Chris grabbed me and hugged me. "Jay I'm so sorry mate I deserved it all, I don't know what I was thinking. It wasn't your fault it was mine I am sorry man." Tears rolled down his cheeks and he held me tight. "I have missed you Jay, my life has been so empty without you guys. It was like a huge hole swallowed me. I love you both so much."

Cassie came over and slipped her arms around me, and we shared a little kiss, her eyes sparkled as she held me. I sensed that she wanted to hug Chris as well, but she seemed a little nervous. I reached out and pulled Chris into our hug, which turned into Cassie and Chris hugging. Marie who looked more anxious than anyone stood staring uncertain and nervous until I opened my arm and invited her in for a hug, it was a huge moment for us. It was the closest we had ever got and the smile on her face expressed joy at being included.

When we all sat down Marie sat beside me pushing our new found intimacy and testing my boundaries.

That Saturday grew into what would become a fairly regular weekend thing. That is if Chris could drag himself away from his golfing buddies at the country club, he was still drinking way too much. It became apparent as time drifted by that they were stressed, one day, Cassie and Marie were buried in a deep whispered conversation.

I looked at Chris and he shook his head. "Don't ask mate, I don't want to talk about it."

Cass and I tried to mediate and get them talking but the rift seemed to be too wide.

After they left Cass explained they were arguing because Marie wants to try IVF but Chris doesn't want some stranger's kid.

The following Saturday turned out to be a very strange day. Chris and Marie turned up and thankfully things seemed to be more relaxed between them. It was after the kids went to bed and we had been sitting around having a few beers they sprang it on us.

Marie spoke, speaking to both Cassie and I.

"Guys you know that Chris and I have been arguing a lot lately and I know it's no secret why, Jason I want children. We love coming around and being part of your family but we want our own. We have decided to try In Vitro Fertilisation." Cass and I nodded in silent agreement.

Marie sucked in a deep breath. "What you guys don't know is what's behind the reason for our recent arguments. Chris is adamant that he doesn't want to use an unknown sperm donor."

She reached out and picked up Cassie's hand and then reached over for mine. She looked nervously at both Cassie and I. "Jason we want you to be the donor."

Cassie laughed, and they hugged. "Of course darling, oh my god that will be awesome." I watched as they hugged and giggled, that is until they both looked at me.

I was shocked, I couldn't speak, and my tongue was numb and seemed to be huge in my mouth. I shook my head. "Um.... I don't know that's such a good idea"

Cassie jumped on me before I could continue. "Jason! Don't be an arse. They need our help so suck it up buttercup."

She left no room for argument as far as she was concerned it was a done deal.

Despite my misgivings a week later after blood tests I went down and donated my sperm.

This was the early days for invitro and failures were common, this was no different. In the end they tried twice but each time failed.

Marie was beside herself with sadness. She spent days crying on Cassie's shoulder.

Cassie tried to lighten the mood, "I guess you will just have to keep trying. Don't worry about Jay, beating off is his favourite pastime."

Marie got a bit sad. She shook her head. "No Cassie it's not that simple, it's the cost." She moaned, we have already spent $30,000 trying. We had to take money we were going to use for the house."

"House?" Cassie squealed with a big grin on her face.

Marie cried. "Yes we found a house we like."

"Oh my god that's awesome." It turns out the house is just around the corner from ours, we were going to be neighbours.

Marie sighed. "Yes but we have been dipping into our savings for the IVF. We can't afford to have another failure. We don't know what to do."

So although we did get together occasionally, after that things were tense between Chris and Marie. They were obviously feeling the pinch and slowly the visits dwindled down.

It was funny, Chris was so adamant he needed us back in his life but he started going back to his buddies golfing and drinking. Marie again started spending more time at our place and she really doted on our children. Her desire to be a mother and the hope that IVF had brought fuelled her need.

I overheard enough conversations to know that Marie had been on at Chris to adopt but he refused he was adamant he wanted his own family.

Weeks later Chris and Marie turned up on Saturday for a barbeque and drinks. The moment they turned up Chris asked if I would go for a walk with him.