DJ Pt. 15

Jamie, clearing his throat, "EVERYONE, I have an announcement to make. On behalf of my boyfriend and myself, I'd like to tell the world that we have been gifted with the most incredible parents in the world. Dad, Dad, Mom and Dad, we thank you for this most awesome and thoughtful gift, this vacation to Disney World. Honestly, words cannot convey our feelings, Thank you, from the bottoms of our hearts, and we love you, all four of you!"

"Earth to Jamie, Earth to DJ," Carl called out, "If you guys can chill down a little, I have something to say. I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty to make your reservations, I wanted to make sure we got them in time. You're leaving on New Years Day, the 1st, and returning on Friday night, the 5th."

"I think that works fine for both of us," DJ replied. They both gave a thumbs up.

* * * * * *

There was a knock at the door. Joe glanced at the clock, 2:55 PM, Mike was probably here to pick him up. Joe headed to the back kitchen door, and told Mike to come in, and he'd be out in just a minute.

He came back into the living room, told everyone 'Merry Christmas' kissed me goodbye and left to start his shift. Mike handed him his weapons, and he put them on, then both cops headed out to the SUV.

Mike, about five minutes down the road, "Joe, what is so freaking funny? You've been grinning ever since we left."

"Mike, I told you what we were giving the boys for Christmas, didn't I?"

"The Disney Vacation?"

"Yep, Mike, you missed the show, I wish you could have been there a few minutes earlier. I've never seen two young men so excited about anything. They were hopping around like little kids, and both had tears running down their faces at the same time. It was priceless, I sure wish I could have video taped it."

"When are they going?"

"They're leaving New Years Day, and returning Friday night."

"I know they're going to have a blast. They both seem like really nice young men."

"They are a real joy to be around, and to have around. The nights they spend at Jamie's home, makes our home feel kind of empty. It's incredible how two old geezers like Doug and me could become so attached to a couple young dudes like them. But we're family and Doug and I wouldn't want it any other way."

* * * * * *

After Joe left, Carl continued to hand out the few presents under the tree, and handed the first one to DJ. DJ opened it, and held up the very sexy swim trunks from Jamie. Val and Karen both let out wolf whistles.

"DJ," Valerie suggested, "I think you should model them for us." DJ was feeling the red color ascending to his cheeks.

"He can model them for me," Jamie commented, "when we get to Florida, next week."

"They're pretty, baby, but I thought we agreed to not exchange gifts, now I'm feeling bad, 'cause I didn't get anything for you."

"It's OK, DJ I ordered those for you before we made that agreement, and you'll need them next week, anyway."

Carl distributed the few remaining gifts, and it was now 3:15. Whenever DJ sat down on the sofa, he immediately had two rug rats on his lap. For whatever reason, it seemed that both Abby and David loved to be close to DJ.

"DJ," Abby asked, "will you help us make a snowman?"

DJ, looking to Jamie for some help, "I don't know, I've never made one, Jamie, can you help us?"

Jamie, standing up, "I guess so, DJ we need to put our long johns and boots back on, Uncle Steve, can you get their snowsuits on, so we can go outside?" Steve nodded.

Steve, talking to the kids, "Abby, David, it would be a good idea if you both go to the bathroom and pee-pee before we put your snowsuits on. Sometimes, when you're out in the cold, you suddenly have to go, and there is no place to go, and you don't want to have an accident, do you?"

Steve ushered the children to the bathroom, while DJ and Jamie slipped back into their bedroom and put the long johns back on, along with the sweatshirts they had worn earlier.

DJ, snickering, "Uncle Steve is right, I think I'd better go pee-pee before we go out, too. I wonder why it's always so much more urgent, when you're out in the cold?"

When Steve and the kids came out of the bathroom, both boys entered, and shared a pee-pee so they wouldn't get caught short. DJ and Jamie then went to the kitchen and put their boots back on, as well as their gloves, hats and jackets. Steve brought the youngsters out, they were all ready to go out and play in the snow.

"Wait a minute," Jamie said, "we need some materials. A snowman need more than just snow. DJ, see if there is a carrot in the fridge?"

Jamie went to the nut bowl and retrieved two walnuts and two brazil nuts, then used a magic marker to make the walnuts blue, then grabbed and old baseball cap off the hall tree and put the other items, including the carrot in the hat.

"Now, we're ready," Jamie stated, and the four walked out the back door.

Abby is trudging in the snow, singing a tune "We're going to build a snow man, we're going to build a snow man!"

"So, Jamie, I've never done this, how do we make the big snowballs for the body?"

"DJ, you have to learn this, in case we have children of our own some day. We start with a biggish snowball like this, and roll it in the snow, gradually turning it, and it gets bigger, and bigger and..."

"Jamie, how could we ever have children, we're both guys?"

"The same way you became your Dad's son, adoption! Now start another snowball, make it a little smaller and roll it up to this one."

DJ complied. The two boys lifted it up, and set it on top of the first. The youngsters were mesmerized, and excited. Jamie started one more ball, even smaller, and placed it on top.

"DJ hold these things, I need the cap first."

Jamie put the cap on backwards, then gave 'frosty' a carrot nose, two blue walnut eyes, and two brown brazil nut ears. Now just a couple more touches. Jamie walked to the edge of the yard and broke some small branches from some shrubbery, and carried them back to 'frosty'. He broke off a curved piece, and placed it under the nose, to make a mouth, then pushed two branches into the sides of his body to make arms.

"There, how does he look?"

DJ, chuckling, "Jamie, he looks like Matt! Speaking of Matt, have you heard from him lately?"

"No, I haven't baby, not since we went on winter break, we probably need to give him a holler. It's going to be dark in less than an hour, but I have an idea, lets go to the garage."

Once in the garage, Jamie pointed up to the joists, at a toboggan that was stashed up there.

"What is that, Jamie?" DJ asked.

"It's a toboggan, kind of like a sled. We could play horse and take the little ones on a toboggan ride." DJ smiled.

DJ instinctively opened the stepladder and climbed up it, raising one end of the toboggan and lowering it down where Jamie could get a hold on it. They took it outside, and hauled it up to where the youngsters were still admiring the snowman.

"Hey kids, wanna go for a ride?" Jamie asked.

"Sure," Abby replied, excitement in her voice."

Jamie sat the children on the toboggan, and told them that DJ was their horse, and to just tell the horse to 'giddy up'.

"Okay, horsy, giddy up!" Abby commanded.

DJ started pulling the toboggan around the perimeter of the yard, the kids were laughing and giggling. Every time DJ paused for a few seconds, there was another command to giddy up. They had attracted an audience, all the adults were standing on the back porch watching, and smiling. Twice around the yard and DJ needed a break. He pulled the toboggan up by 'frosty'.

"Your turn, baby, this horse needs a break!" Jamie took the rope.

"Our kids are having a blast," Steve commented.

"That's an understatement," Carl responded, "I think all four of the 'kids' are having a blast! It's so good to see DJ having fun, he never had much, during his growing up years! I need to put my boots on, I have to get a couple photos of that most unusual snow man, and the horses and sleigh."

Shortly after Carl got the photos, Jamie stated that it was getting dark, and we all needed to go into the house. Jamie returned the toboggan to the garage, while DJ started to walk the kids toward the house.

"DJ," David asked, "Can you give me a piggy back ride to the house?"

"I guess," DJ replied, "let me lift you up onto my shoulders, and you hold on to my head so you don't fall, OK?"

DJ picked David up, and placed him on his shoulders, then asked Abby to open the door, which she did, very willingly. DJ stooped down as they went through the doorway, so David wouldn't hit his head. Steve walked over, smiling, and removed the little burden off DJ's shoulders.

"Thanks, DJ," David said, "that was fun!"

"DJ," Steve remarked, "I think you've been adopted, again."

"Speaking of adoption, Uncle Steve, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, DJ, what is it?"

"Have you ever done a childhood adoption, for a same sex couple?"

"Not yet, DJ, are you thinking along those lines?"

"Well, not now, but maybe a few years down the road, I think marriage should be the first step, and we're not even ready for that, yet."

"I would definitely not be adverse to that, actually, I'd be delighted to help some same sex parents complete their family. If you and Jamie ever get to that point, I think you guys would make some awesome daddies."

"Thanks, Uncle Steve, I was just kind of—testing the water."

Karen announced that dessert was about to be served, and we were all looking forward to some of Karen's homemade pumpkin pie. Karen was whipping real cream to top it with.

By the time we finished with the pie, it was nearly 7:00 PM. Steve and Val were gathering up the youngsters and their toys, getting ready to go home. Jamie and DJ were sitting on the sofa.

Suddenly, Abby, jumping up on DJ's lap, "I love you, DJ!" and she planted a kiss directly on DJ's lips, catching him completely off guard, "Can you come home with us?"

"I love you too, Abby," DJ answered, "but I have a job, and school, and I need to be at my home to take care of stuff." DJ kissed her lovingly, on her cheek, and hugged her. She then slid over to Jamie's lap, and kissed him goodbye.

David, standing in front of DJ, "Do I get a goodbye hug?"

"Of course you do, David," DJ responded, sliding off the sofa onto his knees, and wrapping his arms around David and giving him a warm hug. "Be a good boy for Mommy and Daddy, ok?"

"I'm going to miss you, DJ, I had a lot of fun today!"

"I'm glad you did, David, so did I." DJ kissed David on the cheek.

Karen and Valerie were chatting in the kitchen.

"Karen," Val commented, "I've only met DJ once, the night of his adoption party, and our kids have never seen him before today. I can't believe how Abby and David latched on to DJ today. They are usually quite shy around those they don't know. DJ does seem to be a rather outstanding young man, and he is very likeable."

"He does have a way of capturing hearts, Val, he has grabbed his share of both Carl's and my hearts. We don't even think of him as Jamie's friend, we regard him as our second son. We love him, almost as much as our own son."

"Karen, today was beautiful, and I'm so glad we were all together as a family. I'm looking forward to more family get together's in the future, complete with Doug and Joe. Thanks for including us today."

"Thank you for coming, I think we all had a very enjoyable day."

Steve and Valerie got the kids loaded into the Cherokee, and headed toward home.

* * * * * *

Shortly after Steve and Val got on the road home.

"Daddy," Abby asked, "why do DJ and Jamie call each other baby?"

"Uh oh," Val said, "I think someone just opened a can of worms."

"Hold on, baby, it might not be that bad. Abby, did you hear what I just called your Mommy?"

"Yeah, you just called her baby."

"You're right, Abby, I did. Abby, baby is just one of those affectionate terms that people that love each other sometimes call each other, like dear, or sweetheart, or honey. Does that help?"

"So, Daddy, are you saying that Jamie and DJ love each other?"

"Yes, I think they probably do, does that answer your question?"

"Yes Daddy, I think so, thanks, I love DJ too, and I wish we could take him home with us. He's fun."

"Maybe, just maybe, if he's available, some times when we need a babysitter, we might just get DJ to sit with you and David, would you like that?"

"Oh, yes, I know he'd be a cool kid sitter, I'm not a baby anymore, I don't need a babysitter."

* * * * * *

It was pushing toward 8:00 PM, and DJ was getting a little antsy to head toward home. It's on his mind that he may need to make a trip out into the country to pick up Gloria in the morning, and they are both scheduled to open the store at 10:00 AM.

"Dad, Jamie, it's almost 8:00, do you think we could head on home? I might need to leave early and pick up Gloria, out in the country, and we'd have to be back at the store by 10:00 AM"

"Yes, DJ, we probably should start moving. I'll bet my car is buried under snow in that parking lot. I was hoping this might melt off today, and I would have been able to drive it home tonight."

"Jamie and I can probably clean it off on the way home, and you can still drive it home tonight. The streets are plowed, and I can cut a path in toward the carport, back out and you can drive right into the carport, and I'll pull in behind you. Do you have snow shovels at home?"

"I think I have one, in the shed." I answered.

"Dad's got two," Jamie stated, "and I think they're both right out side the door, on the porch. I'll borrow one of them. I need to get my car shoveled out in the morning too."

DJ put his boots back on and went out and started the Tracker, to let it warm up, and returned. While the Tracker was warming up, we were getting ready to say our good-byes. Karen placed a slice of pie in a plastic container for us to take back for Joe, when he gets home tonight.

Jamie and DJ put both of their now nearly dry sneakers in a plastic bag and set them by the door. Jamie told Carl that we were stealing one of his shovels and he nodded in approval. Jamie and DJ both were still dressed in the long johns, and still wearing the sweatshirts.

After Jamie put his boots back on, and we all did our final goodbye hugs, we headed to the Tracker, Jamie grabbing a shovel on the way. Dad carried the slice of pie and DJ grabbed the bag with the sneakers. Jamie insisted that Dad ride in front with DJ, and he took the back seat, along with the shovel.

DJ wanted to go by the store anyway, to see if, by chance, Jerry had brought Gloria down to get her car. The streets were not to bad, and most were well plowed. What DJ feared was that Gloria's car would still be in the parking lot, and it was, right next to mine, and both cars were covered with snow.

As we arrived, the snowplow was starting to plow out the parking lot. DJ pulled the Tracker next to my car and he and Jamie both got out. The boys used the brush and scraper, and their hands, to clean off my car. Jamie shoveled an area by my driver's door. I unlocked the door, climbed in and started the car, then retreated to the Tracker to stay warm until my car was putting out some heat.

We finally decided to make that last leg of the trip, from the store to our house. DJ pulled to just this side of the driveway and parked, and I stopped behind him. The boys took turns shoveling the pile of snow that the snowplow had gifted us with across the entrance of the driveway. They told me to just stay in the car and stay warm.

DJ, at my car window, "Dad, I'm going to break a track down the driveway to the shed, and then back out. After I'm back in the street, you just follow that path and pull under the carport, and I'll pull back in and park behind you."

While DJ and I were parking the cars, Jamie proceeded to shovel the snow away from the back door, and shoveled the back porch off. DJ and I waded through the snow, to the back porch and into the kitchen. I wished I had taken my boots, as my shoes, socks and the cuffs of my pants were well saturated.

DJ reached up and picked the shed key off from the hook, grabbed the flashlight, and headed to the shed to find the shovel I had stored in the shed. He retrieved the shovel, brought the key and flashlight back to the house, and headed back out to shovel a path from his car, and the carport, toward our back porch. Jamie shoveled from the house out toward the carport, and they met each other somewhere in between.

Jamie leaned both shovels against the back of the house, and DJ went back to the Tracker and retrieved the slice of pie, and both boys came in the back door. I went to the front room and picked up a doormat and brought it back to the back entrance, laying it by the back door. I told the boys they could put their boots on it to dry off, and they did.

I had already removed my wet shoes and socks, and was wearing my slippers, at least they were dry and warm. It was a little past 10:00 PM by the time we were all inside. DJ's phone rang, he looked at it, and it was Gloria.

"Hi Gloria," DJ answered, apprehensively.

"Hi Sweetie, I've got bad news and good news. The bad news is that Jerry's boss called, a little earlier, and told him that he didn't need to come to work tomorrow or Wednesday, as they weren't working because of the bad weather. He works construction, so he will lose a couple of days pay."

"So Gloria, what's the good news?"

"Since Jerry is not working tomorrow, he will be able to bring me to work, so you won't need to come and pick me up. Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Oh, Gloria, I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, but my Christmas was the most wonderful Christmas imaginable. How was yours?"

"It couldn't have been any better! DJ, I can't wait to show you what Jerry gave me for Christmas! I'll see you at 10:00 tomorrow morning, OK?"

"I'll be there, and, by the way, your car is snow covered, but they were starting to plow the parking lot earlier, when we picked up Dad's car, about 8:30. See you tomorrow, and have a good night."

"Dad, Jamie, that was Gloria. Jerry's boss called and said they weren't working the next two days, because of the weather, so Jerry is bringing Gloria in, so I won't need to make the trip out there to pick her up. I still have to be at work at 10:00 AM."

"Baby, I don't think it's too late to call Matt. We haven't heard a word from him since school closed for break, I hope he's OK."

Jamie placed the call to Matt, and got the recording 'The party you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time, please leave a message after the beep."

"Matt, this is Jamie. Neither DJ nor I have heard anything from you since school closed for break. We're hoping you are OK and had a nice Christmas. We're concerned, and really need to hear from you."

About five minutes later, Jamie received a text from Matt. 'Sorry guys I had my Larynx surgery Dec 13th and cannot talk right now. Doc says I need about 15 days to heal b4 I should even try to talk and if I push too soon could cause damage. I miss u guys terribly.'

Jamie handed his phone to DJ so he could read the text.

"I forgot all about his surgery," DJ remarked, "I wonder if he can have visitors?"

Jamie texted back 'Are you home, and can you have company? We'd love to see you.'

Jamie received another text 'I am home, and I can have visitors. Please don't make me laugh. I can't talk, but I can whisper. I really want to see you both. When can you come?'

"Jamie, I'm open to close tomorrow, 10-9, what's your schedule?"

"4 to 9. Maybe we could go out after work tomorrow night. I wonder if he can have pizza?"

"That would be nice," DJ said, "Ask him how that would work?"

Jamie texted 'Can you eat pizza?'

Matt texted back, 'I can eat anything.'

Jamie texted back, 'We both work until 9:00 PM tomorrow, suppose we come out after work, and bring pizza 2 share with u and ur Mom?'