Jamie - The Journey Begins Ch. 24 - Disneyland and FireFighters

"Thanks, Jamie, you were a fantastic asset out there, you wanna stay permanently." Robert one of the junior officers offered, "that's of course if it's okay with the boss," as he looked at Tom.

Who had raised his hands defensively? "Fine by me, remember I've known Jamie a long time and know how good a firefighter he is."

The rest of the discussion then broke into what people were doing on the break, and how they could keep me on station, "appreciate it guys really do."

..o0o..

Before I knew it we'd finished this tour, it turned out to be quite busy I have to say, and I was loving it. Geez, I hadn't thought once about my train wreck personal life, well till now sitting out-back at Tom's place, he'd decided to throw a BBQ and welcome me, plus celebrate the end of a busy tour.

"Oh god... please don't let this party end like the last one he had..." To my surprise and that of a few there, I managed to keep myself nice, hands to myself, surprisingly well-behaved fun, hmmm... wish I could get up to some mischief with a certain Texan all the same.

"Hey there Jamie, you're all quiet tonight," Josh smirked at me as he sat down beside me. "Oh, hey Josh, great to see you. Didn't know you were coming along," To my surprise as I soon found out, he and Ryan were seeing each other, it's like I bring people together. They seemed happy as, congrats guys. Tom must have pre-warned them about Ben or my personal life because they deftly stepped around that topic all night, classy guys. Well done Jamie have to say, my skills as an accidental matchmaker are good. Can't successfully do it for myself but others ... lol, we'all have a skill I guess.

..o0o..

Kate and the kids had long gone home, and my fourth tour had finished. I was off duty for five days so decided that I'd go and see Lucas. He'd been busting my balls since arriving in the States come see him, so I jumped on a flight and headed south. I text him as I was boarding the flight, nothing like a surprise right?

It worked thought Lucas and Hailey met me at the airport. It was so good to see them again. "Hey there's my twin," a voice boomed out as I arrived at the arrivals hall. Lucas ran up to me and swept me into a hug.

"Man its so good to see you guys again," I managed to get out muffled against his shoulder. Okay, I'm just gonna come out now and say it, when we hugged it got a little emotional. We were both half crying into each other's shoulders and laughing at the same time. It was so good to see him again, I kinda needed it, to see him made me feel connected with the world if you know what I mean.

We both stepped back a little, "draw both won" we said in unison, then pulling Hailey into our hugging circle, she was just standing there with a smile on her face.

"Oh hey Jamie, you look well, more tanned than when I saw you last."

"Thank's Hailey, you look fantastic," and with that, we cocooned her in our little circle. "Lucas, I'ma telling you right now, she's a keeper! If you don't sweep her up I'm gonna."

After all the hugs and kisses were dealt with, Lucas tilted his head, "come on y'all, let's get his bags and go."

That's when I saw it, a little look between them, as the three of us hand in hand walked to the carousel, I knew instantly. "So, when's the wedding guys?"

Hailey was stunned, she stopped mid-sentence, her mouth hanging, well it was more gaping. "How did you know Jamie? he only asked me yesterday!" she looked at Lucas, questioningly "Lucas! You didn't tell me you'd told Jamie," there was a bit of a look starting, y'all know that look right. Dark clouds on the horizon and coming in fast.

"No-no, wait," I held up my hands in Lucas' defense. "He didn't say a word, I can read him," just like he does me at times.

Lucas nodded emphatically, "swear Hailey, didn't say a word."

She rolled her eyes and turned towards me. Giving me the once over to see if I was telling the truth, she soon broke into a heart-warming smile and hugged me again, I can see why he's fallen for her, damn I would. They exchanged a sweet little kiss, it was heart-warming to watch.

"So," Lucas pulled me in close as we started to walk again, looking at Hailey for a second, she smiled at him then looked at me. "wanna be my best man?"

I was stunned, and literally tripped on nothing, falling forward a little... "of course" I thought he would ask me. But to actually hear it was totally different. "Yeah, of course... I would, umm, will be, love too... Damn Lucas, I'm all tongue-tied." We all started to laugh at my inability to string a coherent sentence together, taking a breath and focusing, okay let's try again. "I'd be honored too, but what about your brothers? Aren't Aiden or Josh gonna be pissed."

"Nah..." Lucas waved his hands, "They already know that I'd always ask you. They can be my groomsmen unless you don't wanna do it?" he smiled.

"I'm in," before I could stumble any more, "yeah I'd be honored too." And there we were again hugging, if anyone had been watching us from my arrival till now we must have looked either super weird or awesome, I hope the latter.

"Have you guy's set a date yet? Where is it going to be? Come on details..."

..o0o..

We headed out of the airport and over to his truck, I threw my bags into the tub and climbed in. Hailey was going a million miles to the minute telling me about what they'd planned already. "Hey Jamie, you hungry?" she paused for a moment.

"I don't know why, but I'm starving, you guys?"

"Yeah me too lets head to Killen's BBQ."

"Hmmm yeah, Lucas." Hailey reached over and held Lucas' hand.

"Aww, that's so..." they're so cute. And no sooner had we agreed on Killen's we were stuffing ourselves. I absolutely stuffed myself on brisket, plus the three of us shared a huge serve of pork spare ribs.

"Oh my god guys this is awesome, I'm gonna have to run like five miles tonight to burn off that food, but jeez."

With a half-full mouth of food, and nodding like a bobble head, Lucas spat out, "welcome back to the south cuz, damn this is great." I seriously thought he was going to start eating two-handed, well I'd thought about it.

In between stuffing ourselves stupid, Hailey filled the space with the wedding. "Jamie, how long are you out here for?" She smiled while reloading with some of Lucas' pork ribs. He shot her a sideways.

"Don't be touching my food," she didn't care, just simply smiled and chewed down on her stolen food, these two were so much fun to watch.

"Well it's all a bit fluid at the moment, but I'll be stationed in Cali till the end of September. Then I'm taking two weeks off, then heading to El Paso from mid-October till the following April or June. That's the bit still up in the air."

"Where are you going on your break, coming here to Texas to help me? Hmmm." She smiled so sweetly.

"Ah no. If you want your wedding to be a train wreck or look like an outdoors cook up I'm your man, else you'd be better to just give me simple instructions of where and when to be somewhere and we're all good."

Lucas burst out laughing at that. "That's so true." I just shrugged my shoulders and refocused on those ribs that were awaiting me on the plate.

..o0o..

I was a fantastic break in Texas with Lucas and Hailey, I managed to catch up with the rest of the family there too. I tried to call Ben and then Daniel but I chicken out each time. The following rotation I didn't head south. It was mid-May until I was back in Texas again.

On a slightly brighter note, I'd been messaging Ben on and off. I think we both were at a point where we didn't know how to fix this, us or if we could. It felt like we were stuck in groundhog day almost, most of... well, all of my spare time was taken up with thinking about Ben, I still hoped we would fix it between us, but I could feel the light between us growing dimmer and dimmer as each day passed us by.

My feelings hadn't changed, I still loved him and hated myself for fucking it up, plus I was a total blue ball's now lol. It's been what, eight months since we'd seen each other. Eight months since I'd had sex, and your hand and porn can only do so much.

Yesterday's message from Ben told me he knew I was back in the US as Lucas told Daniel and Daniel him. I hadn't posted much on social media, other than pics of me at Disneyland with Jet and Daisy, and a few water-skiing pics I'd been pretty quiet. It wasn't planned or anything more, through omission and getting my head around work, I guess we hadn't messaged all that often of late, that realization kind of hurt.

Anyways, on this next break, I was heading back to Austin for three days, as were Uncle Reid and Aunty Ann Marie, and my parents were flying in too almost the entire family was heading to Austin for Aiden's birthday bash.

Even though I wouldn't miss it for the world, and yes, my Mom had been on my back to make sure I was coming, they were looking forward to seeing me as I was them.

Plus Hailey had wedding stuff that she wanted to run past me, why I don't know. I'm totally clueless with that stuff, not a functioning gay bone in my body to help plan a wedding, god that would be suicide if you let me organize a wedding... The good news was they'd set a date. The third week of this October, so I would have to head over after my first tour at El Paso, "shit I hope the shifts line up. That's fast right? Wonder if he's got her pregnant? Nah that was one thing Lucas was careful about? maybe."

I decided to arrive in Texas a day early so I could try and be the good son and spend a day with the rents, it worked. Plus Lucas decided to tag along, no surprises there, we ended up having dinner with mine and Lucas' parents plus Hailey. "How's work going Jamie? Please pass our regards to Tom, he's such a nice guy."

"Sure, will do, I'm living at his plate at the moment, won't let me get a rental."

"Well, you did put him up for eighteen months that time he was working metro, guess he wants to repay the favour, honey." She pursed her lips, I knew it was coming... "So, what did Ben say when you called him and said you were here for the next year?"

Everyone around the café table went quiet, she was staring at me like I was looking down the barrel of a shotgun, "well on that, I umm..." shifting uncomfortably in my chair.

"Jamie, don't you dare tell me that you haven't called the boy and told him, I raised you a whole lot better than that." Now I was copping a death stare, felt like I was going to turn into either a pillar or salt or stone any second.

"Mom I meant too, I just can't find the right words, it's hard you know." I was looking at her with my heart truly on my sleeve, "Please mom don't go on about it. I'll do something I promise I just have to... work up to it, please."

Silently she shifted her gaze away from me, that's when Hailey. From here I'ma gonna call her 'St Hailey' jumped in. "I'm sorry Ma'am between his work and Lucas and me getting Jamie to help with the wedding planning I'm probably to blame a bit for that. I promise I'll make sure he gets some time to do the right thing."

Giving my mom the sweetest southern butter won't melt in her mouth look, but it worked the conversation moved on and didn't revisit that for the rest of the night. But I have to call him, I need to grow a pair and just do it.

..o0o..

Aiden's party was huge, Josh and wife Zoe were there. Love Zoe she's so the life of the party, between dragging me onto the dance floor what felt like every five minutes, her and Amanda, even the boys were getting up and dancing too, it was a cracking night.

We're having the time of our lives, plus the girls were slamming back those champagne glasses and cocktails like it was soda. Okay I'd had a couple and was about too, well I did but Aiden's huge mitt covered my mouth as I yelled out under his hand "Boys you're in for a good night, haha."

"We know Jamie, don't fuck it up for us, you'll understand when you get married again and the sex flow gets turned down somewhat." Aiden quietly laughed in my ear. "Yuck, what was that?"

I'd licked his hand that was covering my mouth, "one sure way to get someone to let go. Learned that from years of fighting with Mason, haha Aiden."

With that he slapped my back and walked off to re-join the dancing and drinking, wiping his hand constantly down his leg as he disappeared into the crowd.

Having a look around the yard I spotted my parents, laughing and chatting like they'd been doing pretty much all night. I think when Dad finally retires they'll spend the warmer months over here, although they've got an army of friends back home, plus grandkids and hopefully a few more from Steph and Todd, but more time stateside I think is on the cards with them.

In between dancing, talking and drinking I was busy playing with all my little cousins, the kids ran to me when I arrived, seemed like I left a good impression on them from Disneyland, but wow in only a few short months they'd grown so much. By the end of the night, Lucas and I had downed a few beers, but uncle Reid and my Dad were well pretty much written off, lol.

Auntie Ann Marie and Mom just laughed at them, my dad's a blast when drunk, he tells jokes non-stop. Mostly not funny but he has fun, and it's hard not to laugh at him.

As the cool of the night came over us out in the yard, I realized how much I'd missed Austin TX, there were so many memories here good and bad, it's so much like home in so many ways, but different too. Just add my crazed family and friends and we'd have the whole block here joining in, my god can only imagine what Gav, Dave, and Mike would do here, it would be huge I'll give you that.

..o0o..

The following day, I decided to head out and do some sight-seeing before going home, I was about to leave Aiden's place, when Hailey, Zoe, Amanda cornered me.

"Jamie," Zoe gave me that sweet butter-wouldn't melt in her mouth look, "Hailey wants to go over some wedding stuff today, you free for coffee before heading back to Cali?"

"I was planning on doing some sightseeing before I left, what time do you think?" I knew just to give in, there was no escaping it. Not with all three on my case and mom in reserve.

"How about 12:30 ish? the boys need a good lunch in'em, after y'all efforts last night." The boys wanted a big lunch, more they needed it I think, they were feeling a bit rough around the edges this morning, I heard Josh puking outback earlier, praying for coffee and death in that order. Lucas and I were good, we switched to JD and Coke after a few beers so weren't so sick like those guys. Anyways I couldn't say no, well I could have and they'd just ignore me and demand my attendance.

Amanda gave me the address, they'd decided to go a lunch spot that had a nice outdoors area according to the google search id just done, I can't remember them talking about this place before so I must have been was just random "Okay guys I'll see y'all at 12:30ish," with that I did the whole goodbye and see ya thing, it took me a good twenty minutes till I made it out front and into my rental. I wasn't sure where I was going just I needed to get out and chill for a bit, I needed some downtime to think about how to un-fuck my life... maybe make a call if I could.

The few hours passed pretty quickly, I went out to the water hole and walked around, then drove about aimlessly, I was loving this Dodge Challenger rental I'd gotten. Okay, I'm a Ford guy but love a good Hemi... who doesn't right and damn this thing was some fun. Dad, Uncle Reid, Josh, Aiden, and Lucas were taking it, in turn, to drive around the block till the booze started last night. Cruzing around I stopped at a station house said hi to the guys out front, they all like the car too, lol. Before long it was time to meet up for lunch, the Satnav had me about fifteen minutes out apparently.

When I pulled up in the carpark it was pretty full, but I didn't recognize any cars parked, so just headed in, and looked around I couldn't see my family yet, the waitress greeted me.

"Og hi, do you have a booking for Spence?" I asked still looking about. "Let me check sir a moment." She looked at the list, "Yes sir a table outdoors is that okay?"

I smiled, "thanks that would be great" and followed her out to the decked area, ordering an espresso and slice while I waited. I took out my cell and sent Zoe a text, 'hey I'm here you guys far?' my cell beeped with her reply, 'almost there.' I settled back and enjoyed the sun, it was so nice out today, not too hot, just the lightest of breezes so decided to switch seats in the sunshine and waited for my coffee and family to arrive.

Eating my slice and sipping coffee, I was enjoying the entertainment being provided by two little kids playing just near me, they weren't much younger than Jet and Daisy. Making their own fun by chasing two birds around the tables, having the time of their lives... the kids were, the birds weren't so keen on it. But they knew the drill, flying off when the kids got too close. Only to land a few feet away, you know just in-case they missed out on some food. I couldn't help but laugh, it was fun watching them, "Hmm, think I'd like to be a dad someday."

The wait staff came past, "Can I get you another sir?"

"Thanks that would be great,' before I knew it she was back with my second espresso in thirty minutes ... man, I was going to be amped up when they finally arrive.

Switching back to watching the kids play, I felt someone behind me, which I assumed was one of my family members until they spoke. "That's a nice ring you're wearing there." I almost choked on my mouthful of coffee, learching forward covering my mouth with my hand for a second. I knew that voice, twisting around in my seat. My heart had sprung to life, seriously I thought it was going to beat clean out of my chest. There he was, "Ben! your standing there... smiling at me." Wow, fucking wow, he looked stunning, maybe a little less ahh nope perfect just like the last time I saw him, wow.

"Ben!" I stood up, knocking the chair over accidentally, and pulling my sunglasses off at the same time. The chair clattered away, scaring the birds back towards the kids. My eyes didn't shift from his beautiful face, I was lost for words. I didn't know how to great him, do I kiss him, hug him, shake his hand, drop to my knees and ask for forgiveness or marriage?

"Hmm, ninja skills haven't improved," he laughed. "You look great Jamie, you really do." Ben stepped forward and went to hug me. I didn't need to be invited twice and slipped into his arms pulling him close to me, I could smell him, that personal smell that makes him-him. This time it was real, not a half drunk or an exhausted mind playing tricks on me, it was him.

I slid my hands down, finding the small of his back and pulling him a little closer. His body felt much the same under my hands as it did last time I held him, my mind was in overdrive.

We broke apart a little, still holding each other. Looking into the others face, reading, seeing our own reflected emotions. "You're still wearing it Jamie, the ring."

I nodded at first unable to coherently speak, "Hasn't been off my hand since Paris."

He smiled a half smile, then it faded for a second. I guess all of what had happened to us washed back over, but I wasn't going to waste this opportunity. I gently squeezed him, "Hey Ben can I get you a coffee or cold beverage? please sit down its... it's fantastic to see you again." I so wanted to kiss him, kiss the lips clean off his face, but it felt a little awkward.

"Sure, a coffee would be great," and with that Ben sat down in the chair next to me. I couldn't take my eyes off him.

"So how did you, um. I mean what brings you to here Ben."

"Lucas told me you were in town, Aiden text me where you'd be. They're not coming today. Ben showed me Aiden's text.