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Chapter 13 The excitement that Shaw's attempted kidnapping had caused thankfully didn't reach the younger kids particularly Virgil, Daisy, and Faith. It was impossible to keep it from Al, Amy, Kyle, or Stephanie as their parents were unusually vigilant that day and the four demanded an explanation from their parents when they met up that afternoon. Gabby was the most forthcoming, explaining, "Eve and Sydney are in danger from the woman who put them in foster care. She is on the run for serious charges over what she did to the girls and their mothers. We are keeping an eye out for her in case she tries to use one of you against the girls." Stephanie calmly told them, "She thinks we are a bunch of nobodies." Al grinned and asked, "Does she know what our uncles do for a living?" Gabby cocked her head then laughed, Shaw clearly didn't know who she was messing with if she was going after the girls by less than legal means. That evening at dinner the tweens were told what happened to the girls in the past. Oscar, Riley, and Graham joined them along with Trina, Margo, and Zachary Philips. Kyle and the girls told the six newcomers about what happened and who did what causing Graham to nearly lose it with laughter. Trina was concerned for what happened but the others were all smiles, explaining that Shaw was very foolish and why she failed from the start. When Trina, Al, and Amy went downstairs to practice ballet while Stephanie, Kyle, and Oscar eagerly followed to watch them, the adults discussed the day and allay the fears of Margo and Zachary. Gabby was blunt in telling them, "We left you out because you are the most sensitive of us. She would have gotten all the information she needed from you without you even knowing it. As much as it seems like we were trying to keep something dangerous away we did it for your own sake as well as the girls'." Riley had to agree, adding, "You are good people, and you only have the best interests of the kids at heart. That's why we left you out of things, so you would not have anything to tell her in case she went to you to get at the girls. I am a professional beautician who is used to keeping secrets and Graham is a business consultant who knows how to put on a false face when dealing with people known to be lying as well as redirect people to where they need to focus and away from where they shouldn't. You are also close friends with Gabby, and the woman would not have hesitated to threaten her four kids to get you to tell her what she wanted to know. Since you didn't know, she'd have to move on and you would have told us about it and gotten her cornered. You were actually involved, but didn't know it and that was the way we needed it. It hurts but it was for the benefit of all that you were not told." Zachary smiled at that, they were genuinely concerned about them while also pulling a fast one. It wasn't necessary in the end but the fact that they knew something was going to happen and wanted to be ready for any eventuality should they occur. He felt great to be involved in something so intriguing, and asked:, "Has this happened before?" Gabby blushed and nodded, explaining, "It happened several times with Al, only these were genuine officers who were corrupt and under the employ of a dirty ADA. There was also Deborah's family coming at her, you must remember the kidnapping outside the school back in February- that was her family trying to get at her. There was also attempts on Mark and Leslie's lives as well as attempts to kidnap Iris when she was in Leslie's care before she adopted her as her daughter. Then there was Reyna the year before and Ethan last October. It happens more often we would like but we don't fear those incidents, we fear the one that we aren't prepared for." Margo's face was white at hearing that. Zachary reluctantly told his wife, "I talked with the bosses about what was happening which was why I was away most of the day. Christian had his faith in the boys, while Paul had his faith in Mike and Mick. There was no chance that the girls were in true danger and if there was any belief that they were they would be up in Endicott with Christian as his guests and that woman would not have even gotten within smelling distance of the girls without the state police having her bound and gagged." The mood quickly changed as the kids came back up after the girls finished their practice. The two boys asked, "Do we have to go on Tuesday?" The adults nodded, with Gabby adding, "It's just Avery's grandparents, it's not like it's a big deal." The two groaned and in unison added, "But he's the governor!" sending the adults laughing as the girls snickered at not telling them just who Avery's grandfather was until a few minutes before. It was the perfect thing to change the pace of discussion as the boys were told all about the things they could do up there and why it was an honor. They then added that they might want to see a proposal that everyone expected to happen getting them to see that there was no way they were getting out of going. Over at their hotel, Ophelia and Bradford talked about what happened that day. The two had heard the news from Karen and were both fearful and delighted that the kids were safe. Bradford had to think about how this was a mirror to what had happened to his own family years before, only much worse. The poor girls were traumatized but they now had family who wanted them. Ophelia sat with her husband hand embraced him, letting him know she understood. She quietly added, "We know now just what we avoided had our son not found these amazing people. I shudder to think about what he would have done had he actually succeed in killing the two of them knowing that he was going to do something to us eventually." He nodded silently, shedding a tear over all that had happened just two years before and hoping that the girls would recover fully. Ricardo spent several hours on the phone speaking with people from various agencies. He informed the South Carolina social services that he was demanding an investigation into their own operations and treatment of children with issues like the girls then seeking damages on behalf of the three girls. He was quickly cut off by the supervisor who was coordinating the damage control and threatened by him but Ricardo countered with a grinning, "So be it, it's the hard way. Your threats are empty and you can consider your job forfeit for those threats. Expect a complete inside and out federal investigation now." The next call was one that he dreaded. The FBI were seeking information from the girls. He agreed to cooperate but only with the Boston office as he knew them and trusted them. Knowing already from internal memos that he was not one to be trifled with it was agreed to and Ricardo was able to set up a meeting with the Boston office with little trouble. The final call was to Jack Hays down in Bristol, VA. Ricardo explained who he was and what he was calling for then gave the name of someone whom he could contact to verify his claims. Ricardo waited 10 minutes and received a call back from Hays, allowing the two to talk about the elephant in the room. Jack immediately inquired about the girls' well-being, to which Ricardo grinned and explained:, "They are doing well but are asking about their sister." Jack asked for a meeting to allow the kids to reconcile and allow them to settle their longstanding issues. Ricardo knew he had to do the right thing and asked to have a moment. Alex nodded, telling him, "We need to let them go. The girls need closure and they need to be together." Ricardo reluctantly agreed with his husband and was heartbroken but proud. Speaking to Jack again he asked, "If you can, please come up here. We have a place you can stay at and the kids can enjoy some of the festivities up here while getting reacquainted. It's short notice, but it's the best we can offer as Alex has to work out the mess from another case and ensure that the FBI do their job right." Jack quickly agreed, telling them his family would drive up first thing in the morning. After hanging up, Jack broke the news to the family who was happy, with Kay-Kay being ecstatic. His wife wasn't too thrilled with being in the car for 12 hours with the kids but it was important for them as a family. Kay- Kay asked if they were really living as girls to which he nodded and happily told them, "Their foster parents are good people and only want what is best for the girls, even giving them up to us to be their parents." The next morning was a bit of a rush. There were court appearances, media scrutiny, and a hearing in front of Judge Perez. The media immediately zeroed in on the story from the proper angle, with Graham and William carefully letting them know that the kids are off limits. Graham even let them know that the judge would have their heads if they broke confidentiality laws in revealing names of minors, especially federal witnesses. Shaw pleaded innocent at her hearing and Judge Matthews took great pleasure in telling her lawyer, "Your client impersonated a social services employee after being summarily terminated for her crimes in another state, is accused of kidnapping three girls, murdering two women and countless others who stood in her way, went hundreds of miles out of her way to intimidate a witness who happens to be a minor, tried to kidnap two children in this state with the intent to murder them, had a federal agent falsify information intending to convict an innocent man for her alleged crimes, and you have the gall to ask for bail? Bail is denied and Ms. Shaw is remanded to custody until trial or extradition. I expect that the federal government will be wanting a crack at your client as well as her home state." Shaw's lawyer put up a token defense but Shaw was furious about the situation, screaming, "How dare you do this to me! Those dykes deserved to die for bringing those three children into this world and letting two of them live like freaks!" Judge Matthews smirked as he reminded her, "You are in an open session of court and what you said is recorded by court record and can and will be used against you at trial. I suggest you shut your mouth before you say anything to further damage your defense." Shaw's outburst was national news as were her crimes. The South Carolina social services were on the defensive and the Columbia FBI office was under heavy scrutiny be the Department of Justice. Shaw all but assured that Ricardo's threats would be fulfilled as the sharks circled the waters down south. While Shaw's drama was playing out, Ricardo and Alex got the girls ready for their appearance in front of Judge Perez. They were joined by Katie, Valerie, Kennedy, Mike, Mick, and Alison. Judge Perez had to grin as she quietly said:, "Didn't take long for your family to appear again, and from the look of things it wasn't pleasant." Judge Perez read the information provided by the South Carolina social services then read the police reports and statement from the DCF social worker who initiated the removal in Massachusetts. All pointed to Shaw being manipulative and using the system to her advantage despite being a wanted criminal. She shook her head at the allegations against Shaw and read over the reports from the doctors in Boston regarding the systemic abuse and torture the girls suffered under her, "Care" as well as the police report from the day before. Looking down at the girls she withheld judgment of their appearance as Alison unconsciously told her, "Your honor before you make any statements about the girls' appearance, please know that they have been under care of a psychiatrist specializing in gender issues and a PTSD specialist and have the weight of federal courts on their side and we are fully prepared to utilize it to ensure the girls' well-being is considered before personal opinions on gender issues." Judge Perez was offended but realized exactly what she was getting at as she read the scathing report from South Carolina regarding the children's habit of wearing female clothes. Judge Perez added a solemn, "There will be no issue. I see that it is a major point in the removal of the girls in the first place leading to this whole chain of events. And based on the further issues that are related to their being in the care of Mr. Ramirez and Mr. Vincent I see that it is exactly as I suspected." Officially starting the hearing Judge Perez asked the DCF representative to explain the actions of the social worker two days before. He tried his best to justify their response but it was clear that the woman was outfoxed by Shaw and the young woman didn't do an adequate job of checking Shaw's background information and her identification against criminal databases before taking action. Judge Perez noted that it was due to improper training and oversight and admonished the department for their error then moved on. Katie was then asked to explain what happened with Shaw during the previous day. Katie retold the events from her perspective then sheepishly told the judge, "I assaulted one of the men as he tried to go for a gun in his pocket, he was injured by the assault and is currently residing in the hospital facing arraignment from his bedside." Judge Perez asked her to explain so Katie blurted out, "I hit him in the face with a frying pan." Judge Perez chuckled and asked what kind, getting solemn, "An aluminum one." Judge Perez grinned and added, "Good thing it wasn't a cast iron pan or he'd have had more than just a fractured cheekbone and concussion. Hopefully, that knocked some sense into him about attempting to kidnap children." The girls giggled at that while Judge Perez grinned in return, she could see that the day's events hadn't directly damaged them. She turned to Ricardo and Alex and asked, "What is this form asking for permission to transfer the girls' care to a Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hays in with the petition to retain the children? It is my understanding that you wanted to house the girls with the intent of adopting them." Alex sighed then explained, "Mr. Hays is the adoptive father of Sydney's twin sister. We believe that the girls should live with their sister and her new siblings. He has agreed in principle to house the girls with the same intent and this evening we are going to reunite the girls and discuss things further." Judge Perez looked over the form closely then asked:, "Have you done the background check on Mr. Hays?" Ricardo answered quickly by adding, "We have and he comes back clean. He has a well-paying job and a home large enough for the girls to have their own rooms. We also have an agreement that the girls will receive proper care and attention to help them get over this horrific experience up to and including necessary surgeries for the associated problems." Judge Perez cringed and asked if that was necessary to which Alison explained, "Their male anatomy is all but mutilated from the torture and abuse suffered at the hands of Shaw's family and is completely non- functional. They girls will never father children and can never achieve erections even if they took male hormones. It is nothing more than necessary cosmetic surgery at this point, and given their strong feelings about being transgender it would be needed to prevent future issues as they grow into women starting in four and six years time." Judge Perez smiled at hearing that, she was testing them to see if it was some ploy to get around the rules but they knew them well. Judge Perez grinned and proclaimed, "I would like to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Hays and if satisfied that they are indeed willing and able to house the girls and all records check out I'll grant not only the transfer I'll grant a full and expedited adoption." The gavel was pounded and the clerk led them out, with a big grin on his face as he admitted to Valerie and Kennedy, "It's always a pleasure to see her getting a thrill like that. No fight, no arguments, just facts and best interest of the kids in mind. She loves good parents and she knows that your new parents are great parents." They just grinned and nodded, knowing that she had made up her mind before they ever set foot inside the courtroom to give the girls to Ricardo and Alex. The girls were happy to have heard the news and were pleasantly surprised at the quick adoption. Valerie sat them down and explained, "Sometimes it's in the best interest of the children to forgo the wait time and allow the adoption to happen quickly especially if the people involved have been cleared by courts. Your new father and mother went through this before with your sister, Judge Perez wants to meet your new daddy so she knows that it is the right thing for you. And we believe it is, you need your sister and she needs you." Alex and Ricardo were smiling at the girls who in turn hugged them, crying and telling them, "We are sorry to leave you, you were the best daddies." Ricardo hugged them and explained, "You should never have been with us but we were happy to have you but you need to go with your family. We will make another child's life better, you are giving another boy or girl a chance to have parents." The girls then turned to Katie and Alison and asked, "Are you going to become parents too? You two are good mommies." Alison blushed while Katie explained, "We were thinking about it but we need to settle some things first. You showed us we can be mothers, we just have to wait until the time is right." The girls reluctantly agreed and went with Ricardo and Alex. Kennedy smiled and added, "You really are good with kids, you deserve to be a mother." Alison added, "And I have news for you, I set up some appointments for us at the fertility center. I know you saved your sperm, I wanted to use some of it to have our child. You can't deny it anymore, you are meant to be a mother and I want us to stop fooling ourselves and settle down. It just took something important happening to make you see it." Katie's face lit up a hearing that, she forgot all about doing that years before. Her father demanded that she do it before she started too far down the path towards her inevitable womanhood. She had several samples saved up and if they were lucky she wouldn't need all of them to ensure a successful pregnancy. Alison knew she needed a kick in the behind, well she and the girls certainly gave her one. The couple hugged then kissed. Kennedy got a big, "Thank you" mouthed from Alison who in turn nodded. Valerie just grinned widely, she had hoped that the couple would finally settle down and stop fighting their maternal instincts, well they certainly were going to now. Alison was a bit devious at times, but only if it was for someone she loved. Valerie was glad that she had done the smart thing and admitted it before she went and did it so there was no friction but it was still a shock and brought the mother in Katie out to the forefront for all to see. As they drove in Valerie asked Kennedy if she had done that for herself back when she started to transition. Kennedy didn't do that with her sperm, she knew that she wasn't into women so there was little point in her mind to do that. Amanda was the same but in her mind, it was because no man would ever love her enough to let another woman carry her baby. Nichole, Deborah, and Jaimie never got the chance to do that, and Kylie was too young to think about it but her time was coming fast. Reyna had done it but only after her uncle insisted that she do it just in case so she didn't regret not doing it later. Valerie felt bad for Jaimie and Deborah but neither seemed to care about it, they loved Patrick and Rick and were fully intent on adopting when the could with Jaimie knowing better than anyone how much a loving home can do for a child in need. At home, Valerie explained what happened to the boys and was glad to see that they took it in stride. John had to explain to Cat, JD, DJ, and TJ what was going on and why, telling them, "Sydney and Eve are going to be leaving in a few days. They are going to be adopted by a nice family who adopted Sydney's twin sister and will be happy together." Cat was silent while JD asked, "Why are they leaving? Uncle Ricardo and Uncle Alex like them. Did they do something wrong?" John smiled and explained, "They like them but sometimes you need to let someone you care about go with who can do best for them especially if they are their family. Would you like being separated from Cat? I don't think you would. They need to be with family so Alex and Ricardo are giving them that chance. Besides, this lets them give another child a chance to have a loving home." Chapter 14 The Hays family arrived earlier than expected in mid-afternoon. It was a long, hard drive but they made great time and were able to avoid being pulled over along the major highways as they went over the speed limit to cut down the travel time. Their son and daughters were quiet the whole journey, with Kay-Kay focusing on the upcoming reunion and her brother and sister trying to take in the sights. They packed light, with only a couple of changes of clothes that were needed and at the suggestion of their parents- swimsuits for the beach. Ricardo and Alex greeted them as they parked outside their home. All three exchanged identification and Alex showed his badge to verify they were who they claimed they were. Kay-Kay didn't wait for them to finish, she rushed inside and immediately hugged her sisters as soon as she spotted them. The adults entered and sat down to talk as the kids got to know one another in the other room. Eric carefully left, insisting on the adults doing this on their own without him being there. Sydney tried to get him to stay but he was able to convince her that it was better for him not to be there and that it was something private between all of them. Ricardo laid out what Judge Perez had decreed. Jack looked it over and was shocked at the order. Alex carefully explained, "She knows us and trusts us to do what is in the best interests of the girls. She is investigating you and your wife for suitability but has made it known that the girls will not be going back to South Carolina. She doesn't believe in wasting time when the obvious is right in front of her." Jack confidently asked, "Are you both absolutely sure that you want to give up the girls to us?" Alex retorted, "We would not have insisted on you coming here if we weren't. The girls need you and your family, and if you agree to continue their care and allow them to live as they need to live there is no discussion, they want to go and we feel that twins should not be separated." Mrs. Hays admitted, "We were apprehensive about allowing the girls to live as female but they are so natural." Ricardo softly admitted, "They are headstrong and know what they are inside. They have spent quite a bit of time around other girls like them and have never been noticed as anything but girls. They will be heart breakers when they are older." Mrs. Hays asked about the issues with the girls' health. Ricardo had to explain, "They are never going to become men without a lot of artificial help and even then they won't be 'functional'. But with some surgery, they could look like normal women except for being unable to menstruate. They are in no danger, but we had planned on them undergoing surgery to correct the damage done to their bodies later in the summer. It is all paid for by a close friend who himself has a daughter much like the girls and who believes that the girls' future troubles outweigh the suddenness of the surgery." Jack cringed at hearing about surgery but once Ricardo explained further he had to agree that it was best for the girls. The fact that they had to fly out to California was troublesome but a grin and quick, "We have a place for them to stay, as well as the other kids. It will be three weeks but it'll be easier for them in the long run." Alex added, "We are setting up a settlement fund for the girls, all three of them. They are going to be multi-millionaires so you won't have to worry about school issues. The two people handling this are the grandparents of our friend's daughter and have fought and won large settlements from government agencies who wronged children before especially girls like Sydney and Eve. We agree that it would not be right for your son and daughter to go to regular school while the three girls go to private school so they will receive an indirect scholarship via the three girls so all five will get a private education." The kids entered and listened to the adults talking. Ricardo added a solemn, "The girls' cousins are coming for a bit to see Kay-Kay and the girls one last time. Unfortunately, they have such horrible memories of their parents that they have renounced the Lee family name. They are proud that the girls were willing to give up living here to go with Kay-Kay even if they never get to see them again. They were the ones who made Sydney and Eve feel accepted as they are close friends with two young ladies who have gone through similar issues." The doorbell rang and Kay-Kay answered it. She immediately recognized Donald and Amy, hugging and crying at both. Donald had to lift her up to move her so they could enter with Amy following close behind. His only words were, "You haven't changed a bit, you still climb all over me." Amy added, "You should be used to girls walking all over you" to which Donald groaned and Kay-Kay giggled. Gabby entered behind them with her husband Zeke, both saying hello to the Hays as they introduced themselves. Kay-Kay led Amy to the girls' room where Kay-Kay asked her a bunch of questions most of which she had no answers for but tried to answer for her sake. Donald sat next to Ricardo and waited for Alex to explain what happened to them and why Donald and Amy swore off the Lee family name. Jack could hardly disagree, Donald boldly told him, "Kay-Kay got lucky by being put with you. Colby and Felicity would have been terrible to Kay-Kay especially if they knew what she was doing with Eve and Sydney. Those vain pieces of garbage would have made her life miserable even if she was only 5 years old at the time." The group talked for two hours while the girls got used to one another and Amy ensured that they didn't get too rambunctious or annoy Kay-Kay's sister and brother. Mrs. Hays asked about that, to which Gabby smirked and admitted, "She is used to wrangling two 7, three 9, and four 10-year-olds. She's also used to corralling infants and toddlers for her aunts, when she isn't corralling her boyfriend and his friend to do what she wants them to do." Ricardo and Alex made plans with the Hays family for the next day, intent on showing them a good time while up there. After plans were finalized they drove over to their temporary lodgings in the former Lee home, which Amy was happy to tell them, "I own this place." The three kids were more than happy to stay in a regular home and went right to sleep, with Jack and his wife happily admitting, "The girls are doing better than I thought." His wife added, "And Kay-Kay has never been so energetic and happy, I think this might be what they all needed." Emma enjoyed the spa trip two days before and relaxed with Deborah while David was at work. She was starting to enjoy spending time with her and freely admitted:, "It's nice having someone close." Deborah shot back, "It's alright to call me your sister, since we are going to be in-laws." Emma was afraid to admit that she did feel like Deborah's sister after only a few days and finding so much in common with her. She felt even more apprehension about being called Hannah and Bryan's sister. Deborah sighed and explained to her, "The sooner you realize that this isn't some fairy tale and you really are the daughter of Karen and Nigel Smith now the sooner things will feel better. It took me a few days before I accepted that I had a mother, a brother-in-law, two sisters-in-law, and a mother-in- law. I have never been happy, even if I have my moments of doubt." Hanna and Paige entered with the three James girls- Zoe, Sela, and Isobel. The ladies wanted to talk with Emma about some things and ensure that she was going to their grandfather's cookout the next day. Emma didn't really feel like being put on display but the girls insisted that she get out and try to socialize, especially as there was a lack of people their age at the event. After finally getting her to say yes to going they turned to other important things and were interested in what she was going to study at the university. Each tried to steer her towards their chosen field of study with Sela winning out with nursing as Emma finally told them that she had always intended on going into nursing once her time with the Smiths was finished. Emma smiled as Sela and she talked about what they needed to do and when getting smiles from the others as Emma opened up to her over their newfound common ground. Deborah asked if she had settled her immigration issues to which Emma grew scared. She hadn't even considered it let alone settled it. The girls realized there may a problem and called Karen to get her input and figure out a solution. Karen snorted as she listened to them. She carefully explained, "We have an appointment at the embassy when we go to London. I am to present the adoption paperwork then show Emma's immigration paperwork and her medical records to prove that she did not conceive her child after we started the immigration process. Then she is to be interviewed by one of the officials to verify her relationship with David. She has plenty of support and anyone there who denies her application will have to have an extremely good reason for doing so as Uncle Walter will have their head for summarily denying her." Emma didn't fully believe this was going to happen so easily and expected the worst. Sela tried to comfort her but in the end, they had to let Deborah console her while they made plans for the afternoon. After a bit, they both came out with tears in their eyes but Emma looked much better, Deborah mouthed, "Hormones" which the five instantly knew was all pregnancy related angst. The ladies went out for lunch and made plans for the bachelorette party for the two brides. Sheila joined them for the planning session at Patrick's friend's restaurant. The group were at a standstill over planning and couldn't agree on what to do since they were all under 21 except Sheila and none of them wanted to incur the wrath of Anne, Nigel, Karen, John, or Victoria. The owner sat with them as they planned as he was catering some of the food for the wedding reception and offered a simple solution- karaoke at an under-21 club next door and dinner. He had to laugh at the girls trying to be clever but with the spa trip already out of the way there wasn't much else to think of that could include the younger teens. It was smart and worked out best for all. The ladies ate a hearty meal and hammered out the details of the evening. The only ones not to know were the teens and they would only learn at the last minute. Patrick's friend went over the top and joked about some of the delicacies getting the girls laughing at some of the lewd ideas that were perfect for a bachelorette party and would cause their parents to cringe at seeing. Bryan and Pete were having the same kind of discussion, this time with Patrick and David as well as Sean Kelly. Like Sheila was to the girls, Sean was the designated adult for them as they had to include their platoon in the party. Pete was at a standstill and couldn't think of anything until Junior and Neil came in and asked if they could go paint balling. All three faces lit up, the boys had found the perfect thing to do for them. Neil asked if they could join them, getting a solid, "No" from Pete followed by a hearty, "The guys won't like kids being there, especially ones who prevented them from talking freely." Neil countered with an upset, "Fine, we will go on our own and beat you on the field." Sean now laughed as Bryan shook his head in disappointment. Pete had been set up by the young kids, Neil was a crack shot as was Donald. They were going to be slaughtered by kids and teens, all because of their platoon's egos. Sean carefully explained to Pete, "Neil and the others have been paint balling a few times before and clean up the place every time. He's a great shot, almost as good as me. Rick is a good tactician and Miles a good strategist. You guys are in for a good one, I hope your platoon doesn't mind being humiliated by a bunch of kids." The stage was set for them to endure the fun of being humiliated by kids. Pete realized that he was underestimating Neil but it wasn't being held against him, he was doing it from the perspective of an older brother and cousin and not something worse. Neil liked being thought of that way by Bryan and Pete but wouldn't let them know that. Sean hammered out the details and told the guys, "The girls are going to be doing something fun as well but that doesn't give you a reason to go all out and drink, party, go to a strip club, or have sex with a prostitute. Nigel and Karen wanted me by your side to prevent the others from intimidating you into doing something you would regret, and I will hold myself to that promise. I am more than happy to set those guys straight if they get out of line with your choices, I've done it before to soldiers and would do it again for your sake." Sean asked where they were planning on going for their honeymoon and got a surprised look in response. He shook his head and told them, "You need to think this over." Bryan countered with, "We have to come back for training in Georgia for two weeks." Sean again shook his head and admitted, "Then take them to Disney World. I know they haven't been there before and it would be a nice romantic getaway. And don't spend all of it in the hotel, actually get outside and enjoy the park not each other. There's plenty of time for that later fun later." Neil and Junior snickered at hearing that causing Bryan and Pete to blush deeply. Sean realized his mistake and tried to say something, Junior grabbed Neil and told him, "Come on, grandpa is talking sex so we can't hear it." Neil countered with, "But Nigel wanted a little niece or nephew!" sending Pete and Bryan gasping for breath as the boys snickered at their obvious discomfort. Sean left with the boys, telling Pete and Bryan, "Keep what I said in mind. It's your bachelor party, not theirs. You are under 21 and happily engaged to two lovely women and if they can't accept that you don't want strippers and prostitutes then they don't belong in your unit. You are men enough to stand up for yourselves, they should be men enough to accept your refusal." Neil asked if he was kidding about the strippers and prostitutes. Sean shook his head no, telling the two boys, "There is a misconception that it's not a 'good' bachelor party unless you include those. Bryan and Pete are good soldiers and good men, they don't want or need those things to prove they are good friends and can have a god time. Your cousins are going to show those soldiers a thing or two about fun and I trust that Bryan and Pete will be sore the next day but it'll be all in good fun." The boys went home smiling at getting Sean to tell them the truth. As soon as they entered the Jones home and Sarah asked what they did Neil smiled and told his mother, "We talked about strippers and prostitutes." That caused Sarah's jaw to fall as Mick burst into laughter and Neil's sister Faith to ask, "What's a prostitute?" Sean was caught between a rock and a hard place. Mick explained what one was to her to which she pretended to gag in disgust, running away to play elsewhere. Sarah demanded an explanation from Sean, getting a recap of the discussion and sending Neil rushing up to his bedroom and Junior running across the street to his house at their joke backfiring on them. Mick had to settle things, telling Sarah, "The boys are more mature than you think. It's a harmless joke that they won't make again." Sarah countered with, "He's too young to be making those kinds of jokes!" Sean sat and took his punishment from her, letting her vent while Mick stood back and waited for her to cool off. When she calmed down Mick let him tell him about the plans and details that the boys didn't know. It sounded familiar, typical aggressive types who want to have a good time while ignoring the laws and rules. He was glad that Sean was going to keep an eye on the two despite their being 19-years-old. Sarah finally asked if the boys were going to be drinking, getting a sharp, "Not if I have anything to do with it. I told them that it's their party and they are man enough to stand up to their platoonmates. If they can't accept no for an answer there is a serious problem with their own self- discipline, not with the boys' manhood." Mick laughed at that, explaining, "David, Patrick, and Ian better be with them. I don't trust those soldiers one bit. They won't take no for an answer and will put up a fight if Pete and Bryan say no." Sarah countered with, "They could just avoid all of that and give up on the party altogether." Both added, "Not happening" with Mick adding, "I think Miles and Michael should be the two who officially plan it but with you doing the work behind the scenes. That way if they complain it'll be because the two 'kids' are there and being Bryan's closest relatives of a reasonable age they have no right to deny the two being there." Sean left with that in mind. He went to Karen for her advice and got the same idea from her. They were technically the second best men to them, and with them being official the two can't get involved in anything under-21. Nigel added, "They also have an ace in the hole, the one person who can make their careers evaporate and hold their personal conduct against them. Christian is not going to tolerate Bryan and Pete being bullied by their colleagues into doing what the others want to do especially if it is because they are both following the law. I know you will know when to drop that bombshell, especially as Raul and Ian will be there for the paintball game." Ethan entered and asked what they were talking about. Sean knew that he already knew and told him bluntly, "How to punish boys who don't know when to let a bad joke drop." Ethan immediately ran off as Karen and Nigel snickered at him pulling one over on Ethan. Nichole asked about what was going on, getting a simple, "Some things that some adults are going to try to do at your brother's bachelor party." Nichole groaned, telling him, "I've seen them on TV. If it's anything like them I don't want to even think about what those guys are planning." Nigel countered with, "Exactly why we are talking about it now. You, though, are too young to go with the girls to bachelorette party so we will have Virgil, your younger cousins, and you 10 young girls and tweens do something else instead. Maybe a trip to Salem Lake Park or Six Flags?" Nichole nodded fast, smiling at that. As she left Karen let out a sigh of relief. Nigel asked, "What did you expect her to do?" Karen blurted out, "They usually put up a fight over being excluded for being too young." Nichole popped in again and retorted, "Hannah beat you to it, she said we couldn't go because it's meant for older people and you would have something much more fun than singing and dancing for us to do. She said you wouldn't want us there because of some of the food is shaped for adults, not kids and our older cousins were mature enough to laugh and let it go while we would be unable to stop laughing and unintentionally cause a problem for you." Sean snickered then laughed. Karen had been outsmarted by her own daughters. Nigel groaned at that, letting Sean know, "I swear sometimes I forget that Hannah and Nichole aren't blood relations. Those two are of one mind much of the time."Karen laughed and countered with, "If Nigel is anything close to a mixture of those two we are in for decades of trouble." Chapter 15 The next morning was a flurry of activity as the family was stretched thin across multiple locations as one large group went up to Endicott as guests of the governor, the youngest kids went to Boston to enjoy the family- friendly activities there, and another group went to the baseball game then on to view the fireworks on the Charles River from Miguel's condo. Ricardo and Alex kept themselves apart from the others as they entertained the Hays family and got the girls reacquainted with their sister and used to their new parents making for some awkward planning with Valerie, Melanie, Leslie, and Sarah but they made it work. Despite the trickery and humiliation of being told by the girls where they were going Kyle and Oscar were saved from going by their parents as Gabby and Olivia finally told them that they were joking about going. The two were going to help with the younger kids as Oscar's parents were given the day off by Valerie for helping with the Shaw mess. Oscar was simply there to be the big brother to Virgil and the three preschool boys while Kyle was there because his sister was going along with Nancy and Kylie making Oscar feel better than Kyle about being there and enduring his complaints about getting off easy. The teens naturally were split up among those who had to work, those who were off, and those who were dateless. Reyna and Rachel were going to the game and Miguel's condo for the fireworks and that meant Iris and Sam were going too. Rick, Will, Eric, George, Scott, Courtney, Jenna and Jessica were stuck working while Miles, Michael, Jaimie, and Stacy were stuck helping corral the six youngest kids for their moms while Mike helped pack up Sydney and Eve's belongings and their dads were out on patrol supplementing the regular officers as they played, "Fireworks or gunshots" all day and night. Karen had to get Ethan and Nichole up early since they would do their best to drag their feet. Nigel Jr. thankfully, was cooperative and happy to go with his aunts and uncle to Boston leaving her free to get the older kids ready. Nigel quietly commented, "Sometimes I think he's the kid and they are the toddler" causing Karen to snort and Ethan and Nichole to glare. The two were told that they would be going to the pool at the governor's home so get a bag of clothes together which only caused them to gripe again leading to laughter from their parents. Nigel Jr. tried his hardest not to laugh, but when he started they complained loudly followed by shoving clothes into their bags and making a big scene. Karen just grinned, telling Nigel warmly, "I just love it when they get all huffy over doing the simplest tasks, makes me feel like I'm really the boss." Over at the Peterson home, Lilly had the same trouble only it was Claire that was grumpy. Daisy rolled her eyes and complained about her always waiting for the last minute to get things together leading Lilly to ask if she had her bag packed causing her to run off. Lilly just shook her head in disbelief, muttering, "These girls are definitely Hannah's cousins. Lord help the boy dumb enough to upset Daisy." Lilly knew as soon as they both came out of their rooms she had to say, "You forgot your swimsuits" sending both rushing back to get them. She smiled at the two being so alike and so different, they would, of course, deny it but there are times when their sisterly bond is just too strong too strong and both think alike without realizing it. As they both come out at the same time she looked them over and added, "Good, now eat" followed by the two grumbling and more smiles from Lilly. And finally over at Patrick and David's home the two couples were in no hurry to get things together as the two guys prepared a proper breakfast for their loved ones and waited for them to wake up normally. Deborah wasn't sure if she should be impressed or insulted that they could do so well without her usual prodding. Emma felt refreshed and let Deborah do the needling of the guys to burn off her own nervous energy before thinking about herself being on display. David sat next to her and assured her that she was among people who are family to her, with members of Smith family except Nigel Jr. there and all seven Peterson family members being there for her. Then there were the four tween girls, the four James girls, and Raul and his mother Alice. That was not including Ian as well as Sheila and Avery's mother Ruth, and Sela, Zoe, and Isobel's mother Alexandra and father Paul. Patrick then added, "The big boss is there with his wife Heather. Those two won't let a fly hurt you let alone anyone saying one bad thing about you. You are like a niece to him, dad and our uncle were on good terms with him and Paul was practically brothers to them. Sheila is their goddaughter, with Ruth adopting her out of respect for them." David showed the ladies something that he was taking with him. Deborah snorted while Patrick boldly told him, "You are jumping the gun here." David just grinned and proclaimed, "As much as it pains me to say it but Donald had it right. Ian's going to ask her today in front of all of us. It's the only time we are all together and he can get Christian and Paul's approval along with mom's and Ruth's. It just makes sense. It's too bad Uncle John isn't there but he would have deferred to Paul anyway. Besides, he isn't going to steal Hannah and Paige's thunder by asking at the wedding." Emma gladly told him, "It's romantic. Asking permission before asking her to marry her is just so gentlemanly." Deborah grinned and added, "Better than asking without thinking" causing Patrick to groan and add, "You didn't say no, and you were the one that said it was a proposal when it was just a simple talk with Aunt Valerie and Aunt Victoria that you walked in on." David just shook his head as the two started to kiss which then prompted him to hug and kiss Emma so she didn't feel left out and calming her nerves a bit in case she felt like she accidentally caused a fight. The other two were so busy making out that Emma had to help David clean up then get dressed. Seeing him get into his uniform sent a spike of affection through her, he always looked handsome in it and she hugged him tight as he finished putting his equipment belt on. Deborah snorted, telling them they had better get moving which David shot back, "Who are you to complain, you were just on the verge of sex on the kitchen table!" Patrick grinned at that which David told him firmly, "You had better not have or I'm sending you packing to mom's house." Deborah and Emma both laughed as David realized he was set up, prompting him to grumble that they needed to get a move on. Ian was already up in Endicott and eagerly greeted Lilly and the others as they arrived. He directed them inside and asked David for the, "Item" getting a nod from David and sigh of relief from Ian. Christian and Heather were already seated as he entered, with Ian telling them, "We need to wait for Ms. James before we can start." Sheila drove in with her mother and Avery. She sensed something was up but none of them would say anything about it. Avery was unusually jittery as they arrived, with her instantly going for her cousins' rooms as soon as the car stopped. Sheila was told to go after her and ensure she didn't get into any trouble which Sheila reluctantly listened to, denoting a tone of annoyance but feeling like it was more meant for Avery than her. Ruth slipped inside her father's study where the others were already gathered. Ian let in a deep breath and stated, "I have been dating Sheila since February and can't get enough of her. She's the first person who has ever come close to being my best friend and who enjoys all of the things that I do. She fully understands me and overlooks my flaws and sees me for what I am not what I appear to be. I can't fight the feelings that I have towards her any longer." The others felt they knew what he was getting at but kept it to themselves, putting on blank faces especially the normally rambunctious Daisy. Ian turned to Paul and stated, "As Sheila's father is no longer with us and you are her godfather I feel it is my duty to ask your permission to marry her." Paul directed him to Ruth to which Ian cringed and apologized, asking again, "I am sorry Ms. James, I should have asked you as well." Ian composed himself before he totally lost it, asking, "I love your daughter with all my heart, will you give me your blessing to marry your daughter Sheila?" Ruth grinned, looked at the others for a second, then told him, "While I appreciate your sentiment Sheila is an adult and can make her own decisions, be that good ones or mistakes. You never needed my permission nor my blessing but seeing as you went through all of this trouble, you shall have it. Make us proud." David handed over the ring, with Patrick adding, "This will be a first." Claire snorted and told him, "We can't all have accidental proposals" getting a sneer from Patrick and laugh from Daisy. Lilly calmly told them, "We should get out of here before she thinks something bad happened" to which they all got up and left the room. Paul held Ian back, sitting him down and asking, "Are you ready for the scrutiny that this will bring?" Ian nodded, adding, "We are under the scrutiny no matter what we do, too many want to snipe at us, both literally and figuratively. I love Sheila and who her family is does not matter to me, only that I have her in my life and hopefully as the mother of our children." Outside the five James women finally noticed the others emerging from the study. Sheila expected the worst as she saw Ian emerge last. Avery just shook her head and told her to stop thinking bad things and just enjoy herself. Zoe and the others led them to the patio and in-ground pool to lounge and swim while they awaited the others to come. Gabby arrived with Amy, Al, and Trina while Alice arrived with Stephanie and Raul. The girls were happy to get out of the van once they saw that the older James girls were already at the poolside and already in their swimsuits only to be told to slow down and act civilized getting grumbles from all of them. Raul felt out of place as the only boy there but Deborah pointed out that Ethan, Bryan, and Pete were coming so he wasn't going to be alone for long. Plus Ian, Patrick, and David were just overgrown kids so he wasn't the only one of the same age mentally there. Both complained but Daisy said it was true getting laughs from all of them except Patrick and David. Bradford and Ophelia arrived next, quickly followed by Nigel and Karen, then Bryan and Pete's car with Hannah and Paige inside with them. Hannah and Paige got out and immediately went for their friends while Ethan and Nichole went for the four girls. Bryan and Pete weren't happy being there in full uniform but Christian insisted that they wear it as they were there as special guests and it was a semi-formal event, it was also explained why Ian was there in his uniform as was David although both were on duty later in the day. Bradford asked about Ian being there, getting a big grin and, "Later" from Karen and Nigel. Ophelia noticed that he kept well away from Sheila who was with the other ladies and Emma and suspected something big was happening. She kindly informed her husband, "Don't think too much about what's going on, there are some things that are about to happen that matter more." As she fiddled with her wedding ring he understood immediately what she meant, feeling a bit of guilt for thinking the worst. Soon after the Smiths arrived other guests arrived. Christian and Heather greeted them and ensured that each had a chance to get some time with him before he moved on to someone else. The kids were all but ignored, with some of the guests complaining about them being there at all. Heather grinned and proudly told them, "I am sorry that my granddaughters' youth, close friendship, and family bond offend you. Perhaps, if you would prefer, you could solve this by leaving while they enjoy themselves as children and young adults should." This firm, "Shut the hell up" and near angry sneer was enough to shut up most, but a couple of hearty and haughty people did complain to Christian directly about his wife allowing the youngsters to ruining their quiet afternoon. Christian was always one step ahead and expected this kind of stupid reaction and asked what offended them about the children playing in the pool, one that they were entitled to use as his granddaughters, as guests of his son and daughter, and who were also the guests of honor at the event. The color drained from their faces to which Christian then added, "I am sorry that the age-old belief of being seen and not heard hasn't fully died out but then again you are trying to keep alive a mistaken belief that anyone can get close to me with the right money. Now if you will excuse me I need to speak with that nice young gentleman about a matter of actual importance to me." Christian walked away and asked to speak with David alone, getting a nod from Patrick, Emma, and Deborah. He then walked inside with David and discussed Emma and David's situation. He grinned at the immediate proposal, knowing the details already but wanting to hear it from David himself. David obliged and got a grin as well as a, "Good man, she is a fine catch and you are a gentleman for doing the right thing." David reappearing with Christian caused a stir to which Christian ignored, knowing that no matter what he said the gossipers would say something else. Heather though immediately set one person straight, informing the man, "Trooper Peterson was discussing his upcoming wedding plans with my husband, as my husband is acting as one of the references for him for his fiance's immigration as well as acting as the host for the ceremony and reception. He is my eldest granddaughter's first cousin and his fiance is also a friend of our granddaughters and who is someone we are proud to call a friend and family so a private talk with him is one that was always going to happen and until this point hadn't happened due to your own insistence on trying to talk with my husband as part of the mistaken belief that being here entitles you to talk with him openly and freely." The kids eventually tired of the pool and went inside to get showered and dressed. Raul wasn't too pleased that he was the last to go inside but understood why as the girls took their time and Avery wanted to spend more time with him. Again the kids annoyed a few but a few little careful words from Zoe to the guests about leaving if they didn't like the kids being there shut them up. To the worst offenders, Zoe angrily added, "I think that you've complained enough about us and the kids already to get removed from future invites, at least that is how mom, dad, and grandma see it. My cousin sure as hell doesn't want anyone here who complains about her boyfriend's sister, her friends, or herself here and neither do I or my sisters. Seeing as the next events that are held here will be both very personal to our grandfather and are going to be just between ourselves I doubt that he will allow you to attend and when he does hold another gathering you will have been away for so long that you will have been forgotten about and of no importance to anyone anymore so enjoy the festivities while you can because you won't be back." The girls came out wearing similar dresses to the ones Sheila, Emma, Hannah, Paige, and Deborah wore which caused them to groan as they realized their mothers had coordinated behind their backs. Even Avery wore a matching dress, as did Nichole and Daisy. Ethan and Raul were spared, they were wearing slacks and a light shirt but still matching. They fought back a laugh as the girls glared at them getting off easy with Avery getting Raul to apologize for even thinking about laughing while Nichole asked Al if she still had her itching powder getting a quick apology from Ethan. As they all exited, the adults turned their heads to them and didn't say a word as Heather greeted them with warm hugs and mentioned how handsome and pretty they looked. Christian smiled and led them to a table set up for them while the adults ate at a separate table. They knew not to complain about being at a separate table, it was explained inside that they were going to spend some more time next door at Sheila's former home relaxing so they could burn off their energy while the older teens and adults talked with the other guests after the big surprise. Avery was forced to sit with her grandparents as the James family sat at the head of the large table that sat two dozen easily. Ian was a bit apprehensive about being with them but Christian assured him that he was fine being with them and he belonged there as the future husband of his eldest granddaughter. Some whispers began about why he was there to which Sela angrily told the person adjacent to her, "He is neither the bastard son nor anything else. You will have to wait and see his connection to Grandpa and why he is entitled to sit with us as part of the family." The meal was eaten mostly in silence as eyes drifted to the newcomers to the James family especially David, Patrick, Emma, and Deborah. Sheila was spared the odd looks as she was known already to most of them through seeing pictures of her but her presence was a bit unnerving to some. The only one who didn't get any second looks were Bryan, Hannah, Pete, Paige, Bradford, and Ophelia who were just outright ignored and to their relief, so were Karen and Nigel. As the meal wound down and dessert was eaten Christian called for everyone's attention. He glanced over to Ian and announced that Ian had something to say. All attention turned to the scared Ian as his large frame towered over the other seated guests by several inches and 100 pounds. He got up, walked over to Sheila, got on one knee, and asked her painfully, "Sheila Ruth Patterson I have never cared for another so much in my life. Every time I am with you I feel my heart beating faster and every time we part I feel my heart breaking. I love you deeply and after obtaining permission and the blessing of your mother, grandfather, aunt, and uncle I have to ask this important question: will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Sheila had tears in her eyes as she recognized the Peterson family ring showing that he had really asked her aunt and cousins to do this honor. He waited with one fist clenched tight and the other gripping the box to the point of almost leaving permanent impressions in the metallic frame. She tearfully blurted out, "Yes! 1,000 times yes!" She kissed him and hugged him tightly, crying into his shoulder. Ian placed the ring on her finger and sat down next to her again, letting her adjust the ring so the gemstone was out and showing just how expensive it was. Heather grinned and quickly told her, "Your grandparents really knew something, we might have to borrow that idea for your sister and cousins." Avery looked over at Raul who gulped his water a bit too fast as he realized she was looking at him with a thought of marriage in her mind. Ethan wisely told him, "That's not for another five or six years." Nichole added, "She was teasing you." Avery was laughing at the reaction, her mother Ruth shook her head, telling her, "That was dirty and mean, you almost caused him to choke. He's a good man, you are lucky to have him so don't do anything to jeopardize your relationship like making him choke." Chapter 16 The meal broke up and Christian mingled with the assembled guests. Bryan and Pete were off on the side alone trying to act inconspicuous but were cornered by the one person they did not want to get the attention of- Horace Gates, the well-connected Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard. They had managed to avoid him all afternoon thanks to the meal and keeping close to their fiances and the Smiths but it was inevitable that he was going to say something to them thanks to the looks he had been giving them since he arrived. Gates was an imposing figure who demanded high standards for training and often caused friction with the troops below him with his attitude and lack of actual experience in the field that many officers had. He was a notorious, "Armchair general" who rubbed his subordinates the wrong way and who had been close friends with previous governors thanks to his family being a longtime powerful political family. He rose up through the ranks thanks to his connections and was forced on Christian by the legislature whom he had the backing of through the former Lt. Governor. That wasn't the only issue that they had with him. The man was a raging homophobe and carefully made things miserable for anyone in either the Air or Army National Guard units suspected of being gay. It didn't matter if they were or not, he wanted them gone from, "His" state and would do whatever it took to get rid of them both administratively and through back channels. The two expected the worst. They could hear him talking to his chief of staff about the two soldiers being there, suspecting them to be gay for no apparent reason. His chief of staff didn't correct him or incite him further, he could tell that this was not going to end well and had set in motion a specific plan in case the man went too far. Pete and Bryan didn't have to wait long before they could hear him walking over, getting ready to say something to them. They looked around and saw that Christian and Paul were making their way over but wouldn't reach them before the inevitable blowup. David and Ian were ready as well, getting the attention of Christian's State Police protection officers for backup. General Gates wasted little time and demanded to know why two private first classes were at the governor's home. Pete knew that no matter what was said he was in deep trouble so he admitted the truth, "Private First Class Smith and I are here to celebrate our upcoming wedding. We are here as two of the invited guests of honor, here at the behest of Governor James and his family." General Gates looked at them oddly then boldly proclaimed, "Wedding? Are you a couple of fags who are married to each other? I see matching rings on your fingers, how dare you disgrace that uniform by proclaiming such a vile abomination! You should be locked up for what you are doing to one another. No disgraceful fag deserves to wear the uniform of a soldier in my state let alone in my Army!" Bryan could barely control his rage. He was about to say something when Christian loudly proclaimed, "Pardon me major general...sorry, make that now colonel, but you have made a huge mistake this day. These two soldiers are guests of my wife and I and are here to celebrate their upcoming nuptials to their fiances. The rings they wear are not engagement rings, they are signet rings. You must never have seen one before but they each carry the Smith family crest and were given them as gifts from Lord Bradford Smith, PFC Smith?s grandfather and PFC Orleans? future grandfather-in-law. The two gentlemen are two guests whom I have the highest respect for and unlike you, these two men happen to be two of the finest young soldiers I have ever encountered." Pete and Bryan boldly showed the rings, thrusting their fists out close to Gates' face so he could clearly see the crests embedded in them. Christian grinned and added, "Now colonel, and that is what you are now that you are hereby removed from office, why don't you go inside and have your chief of staff take over the running of the National Guard until I can appoint your replacement because you are fired as the adjutant general for violating MGL Chapter 33 Section 12, the Massachusetts National Guard anti-discrimination statute that applies to all members of the Massachusetts National Guard- especially you. I knew of your bigoted actions but nobody thus far had any hard evidence to prove your actions. When that formal handing over is completed get the hell off my property." Gates tried to proclaim that he had no right to do that. Pete and Bryan grinned as they both read the state statute regarding the appointment particularly, "At the discretion of the commander-in-chief" to which Paul added, "Dad is within his constitutional rights to exercise the removal of you from office." David stepped forward and told Gates, "You have been asked to leave, you can go willingly or you can go the hard way. Either way, you are leaving." Ian stepped forward and stood by Gates? side, towering over him by a good 10 inches. The governor protection detail entered with grins on their faces over finally seeing some action and joined David in removing Gates, who was told that he would expect a visit from the attorney general and the state's inspector general the next day. David added, "If you try to lie to the press and make the governor look bad by claiming this was political or a reprisal for refusing to follow an order the truth will come out and you will be lucky if the Department of Defense doesn't end up bringing conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman charges against you. Your family can't save you this time, not without it harming them and they value their own jobs over their family as they have shown time and again." With Gates driving away in anger Christian saw an opportunity and made a big announcement, "With that bit of unpleasantness gone I would like to formally introduce all of you to my special guests, Lord Bradford and Lady Ophelia Smith, The Marquess and Marchioness of Lincoln. They are here with their son Nigel and daughter-in-law Karen, the Earl and Countess of Boston. They have been joined by their daughter Lady Nichole Smith and their younger son Lord Ethan Smith, The Earl of Frampton. I am also proud to introduce their newest granddaughter, Lady Emma Walker and her fiance Trooper David Peterson who are awaiting the Smiths' first great- grandchild." Grinning to the two soldiers Christian announced, "It is also my happy honor to announce the upcoming nuptials of two of the finest soldiers in service to the Massachusetts Army National Guard. Mr. Peter Orleans is due to wed Lady Hannah Smith and upon their wedding in England will become the heir to the title of The Baron of Gosfield. Conversely, Lord Bryan Smith is due to wed Ms. Paige Connors and is to become the heir to the title of The Viscount of Braintree. As if a fairy tale, both young men and young women are marrying the other one's best friend." There was a loud round of applause as each bowed and curtsied before the assembled guests. Pete put his arm around Hannah and Bryan had his arm around Paige showing that the harsh words by the general were all a load of hot air. Avery herself grabbed and kissed Raul on the cheek, followed by David kissing Emma on the lips. Daisy was surprisingly quiet and not gagging at the kisses, she knew that this was something that had to be done and it was best that she shut up and let her cousins have their moment. Claire wisely told her, "It's acting like this that makes mom think you may actually be mature enough for a puppy. Just don't overdo it, you are making me look bad and I?d hate to have to start acting mature because of you." The group disbursed soon after with the four couples getting congratulations. David didn't even notice the colonel of the State Police there, getting a handshake and slap on the back from him. He grinned as he asked, "At the rate you are going you are going to be more famous than the all of us." David blushed and added, "I'm just doing my job and nothing more. Governor James being friends with my family is entirely coincidental as is all the 'fun' that happens around us. I only want to do my job and protect the people of the state. I have a vested interest now with my fiance having our first child." The colonel nodded silently, knowing full well that David was humble and one of the troopers who could be counted on to do their job right This was why David was being groomed for a detective position in the future, once he had a full year on the job and could be sent to train. He had more experience in forensics than most up for promotion which was why he was highly sought after. Once David was out of hearing range Christian admitted, "Two months and he's out for training. Six months and he should be ready for field work. Just think, in seven years we can have a top financial analyst, a top forensic accountant, a top computer analyst, a top prosecutor, and a top detective. All from the same family and all experienced at bringing down criminals." The colonel grinned and added, "Woe be to whoever pisses them off- again!" After everyone had left and it was just the James family, Lilly, Gabby, Claire, and the girls they sat down and discussed what happened. Christian was furious and immediately had his press secretary prepare a press release heading off Gates at the pass. He made sure that it stated clearly Gates was caught berating two soldiers who were innocently standing around and were special guests of his, doing so under the assumption that they were homosexual. The fact that it was because they wore a ring that was given by family is atrocious as was his belief that he could treat people the way he did. Lilly, Gabby, Ruth, and Alexandra smiled at him getting angry and on the hunt for Gates? head. Lilly suggested, "Why not let William Kelly do the initial story and you can confirm it heading him off at the pass and make his supporters come out of the woodwork and try to defend him. You know he?s going to paint you as being the one in the wrong. William is trustworthy and you know him to be not one to fiddle with the truth." Lilly's suggestion was brilliant. Christian's press secretary called William directly and gave him the story with Lilly confirming to him that it was 100% true and not spin. William, in turn, said he'd call his editor and get the story approved and if his editor refused he'd leak it to some trusted friends at the television stations and have them go with it with his editor having to explain how they lost a verified scoop. Lilly just grinned and added, "The story will get out but you at least get the credit." With that Lilly and the rest left. The girls were getting anxious and wanted to get home so they could enjoy the evening with Claire having a date with Will and Daisy wanting to play with Faith. Stephanie, Al, Amy, and Trina just wanted to go home and watch a movie while Raul kept silent knowing he was going to be stuck with whatever the girls wanted to do. In the car, Patrick asked what the talk with the colonel was all about. David just shrugged, but Deborah grinned and blurted out, "They are grooming him for a promotion. We have heard about it for months, but Christian and the colonel are intent on getting you working on something other than directing lost airline passengers. You are too valuable to not be used by the state as a detective." Emma asked if it was true to which Patrick nodded, adding, "He does a lot of things his way and looks outside the system and knows who are to be groomed for the right reasons. He said he has a job lined up for me when I get my masters, he is getting Bryan and Pete jobs when they graduate, and he has tried to hire Jaimie as an adviser for him for years even though she has said no dozens of times." The thought of Jaimie brought a grin to her face as she realized the girl had won over a powerful man enough to get him to ask for her help. She looked at Deborah who had the same reaction and added, "She is having her surgery next summer and said she can't do the work for him with school. Plus she doesn't like politics and she would gladly talk with him about anything just not politics." Back in Winnisimmet, the news had already broken about Gates being fired and the real reason was touted with multiple witnesses from the party confirming that the event happened. Lilly was pleased that William's story was the one that was retweeted, cited, and reported on by the newscasts and Christian's people were well prepared for the onslaught of questions. Gates, now permanently reduced in rank to a mere colonel, was ripped to shreds online and little sympathy was found for him. The girls and Raul were greeted by the eager faces of Kyle, Oscar, and the younger kids. Kyle freely admitted that he was glad he wasn't there, with Junior adding, "Grandpa said he would have kicked the general's butt." All eyes turned to the usually meek Junior who shrugged and admitted, "Well it's true, Grandpa said that man didn't deserve to wear the uniform and deserved a butt kicking and if he was there he would have shown him how a real soldier would react to such actions by an officer insulting his family like he did. He wasn?t happy that Pete and Bryan held back but was glad that they did." Gabby quickly changed the subject and asked about what they had done all day, getting a groan and, "Walked around Boston with the babies" from Oscar. Nancy added a soft, "He's mad that he had to perform on stage in front of hundreds people because he was dumb enough to get noticed by the band playing kids music." Faith grinned and said, "He was funny" which caused him to blush and move his face away from Amy's sight causing the others to laugh harder. Over in Boston things at the Red Sox game were different. Reyna reluctantly had to introduce Rachel to the team and front office officials as her girlfriend, much to the amusement of Lupe and Miguel. After Lupe left the girls settled in and tried to hold back laughs as Reyna had to endure the players joking about her taking so long to find a significant other and finding one that was so unique in her style especially with her now green streaked hair. Seeing a bunch of teen girls flirting and having fun with the players caused a couple of college age guys to take an interest in the girls. At first, they kept to themselves but kept observing the girls closely, almost leering at them. Reyna sensed something was up and told the others not to get up without someone with them, she didn't trust the guys nearby. After the third inning, Rachel had to use the restroom so Reyna went with her. Four guys looking for some fun with the girls followed. They were quick to close the gap, waiting outside the restroom while the girls did their business then expected to turn on their charm. Sam and Iris remained and endured two more bold guys trying to get a chance with the girls. No matter how many times they said they weren't interested the boys kept up the unwanted attention. Finally, after having enough, the girls got up to leave and were quickly being followed closely behind by the guys. The girls headed directly towards the restroom where the other two were and told them they needed to leave. There was no argument and Reyna immediately called her mother to explain the situation. Lupe sighed and told them firmly, "Don't let them corner you and if need to yell out for help." Lupe immediately phoned the Red Sox head of security and alerted her to the trouble going on and got her to take action. The girls waited while Rachel and Sam scouted for the guys, seeing them just off the restroom looking directly at it. They decided to make a break for it out of the entrance, hoping that they could get some distance before the guys saw them leaving. The plan failed from the start as the guys split up to cover the entrance. The girls were herded together and were being led to a darker part of the grandstand, away from people and muffled by the sounds of the cheering. The girls screamed for help and tried to fight back and got in some kicks and elbows but with it being six on four they were overpowered. The guys told them, "What are you, a bunch of lezzies? Why don't you get with real men." Sam spat back, "I don't see real men, I see a bunch of overgrown little boys. My little brother is more of a man than any of you." Reyna added, "The real men for us are women, we don't want men and we don't need them so leave us alone!" The guys were all over the girls, groping them all over. They were about to pull them into a closed food stand when they were grabbed by several police officers and an angry Lupe. The officers told the six that they were under arrest for sexual assault and kidnapping and were lucky that they were caught before raping of a child under 16 was added to their charges. The guys tried to struggle and claim the girls enticed them but they were caught on video loitering around the restroom and cornering the girls, there was no escaping the video nor the fact that they were witnessed by the security people and officers groping the girls as they called out for help. It was traumatic and the girls just wanted to leave but they gave their statements and left, not wanting to stay in Boston any longer than they had to. At the Toro home, the four sat down and let themselves finally relax, getting a sympathetic, "You didn't do anything wrong, those six would have hurt another girl if they didn't go after you. Never feel bad for someone doing something horrible to you." Reyna felt horrible anyway, telling her, "We are going to make Uncle Miguel look bad. He paid for the box, he invited us there, his teammates will know about what happened when they see us gone. With my luck it was probably caught on camera and the press will be harassing him about it by the end of the game and we?ll be all over the news tonight." Lupe countered with, "He knew about it immediately, the head of security informed him about what happened personally. He doesn't blame you nor will he ever be angry with you over something that wasn't your fault. He loves you unconditionally and will stand up for you no matter what happens to you. The team will stand by you or they will be in trouble for letting a potential rape happen in their ballpark. They will be forced to make changes to ensure this doesn't happen again." Miguel called them after the game to ask where they were. Lupe explained about the girls being in no mood to stay in Boston to watch the fireworks to which Miguel reluctantly agreed. The girls just sat around the TV and watched movies, joining Al, Stephanie, Trina, and Amy next door at the Samuels home while the adults gave them space. Both sets of girls had a long day and their closeness to one another gave them a bit of comfort as they enjoyed a nice evening enjoying a Star Wars marathon on TV while fireworks were sets off around the neighborhood. Lupe and Olivia were joined by Leslie, Margo, and Alice. Richard Samuels went out back with Mark, Zeke, and Zachary. The guys fired up the grill while the ladies just talked away inside. Thomas and Rebecca stopped in and ended up being stuck watching the movies with the girls while the adults were busy making a late dinner for all of them. What started out as the girls needing a break turned into a semi-formal gathering with Miguel finding his way over after the game. He was followed by James, Virgil, and Tanya. Donald and Gabby were the last to arrive with Gabby bringing drinks for the kids and adults. It didn't take long for Donald to get razzed about winning the pool with the girls jealous that he guessed correctly what Ian would do after only knowing him for a few minutes. Olivia was pleased that he had considered their personalities and other factors, with Lupe adding that he was the only one to figure out that he would want it to be big and mean something to Sheila without being over the top. The money didn't matter, the fact that he was thoughtful was. The girls complained that they had plans on spending the money. Donald grinned and pointed out, "I was going to give it to charity but you called my bluff so I guess I have to spend it on you." The adults laughed as the girls all turned red in embarrassment while the teens snickered at him getting their joking turned around on them. Al reluctantly told him, "Fine, you win" to which Donald grinned and added, "I knew you would see it my way, plus Uncle John already set it up so it was spent that way anyway. I didn't want it, someone else could use it for the greater good. And did you really expect him to let you spend it on yourself? He had no intention of letting anyone do that, everyone got conned into giving to charity by default." The evening passed all too quickly as the girls tired themselves out, the adults ate a nice dinner around the grille, and the teens settled in for some peace and comfort. Even Marcus was quiet, having slept through the evening after getting his sisters to give him some attention and drinking his evening bottle of formula. The day had been a bit rough for the family but it ended with them feeling good despite the troubles of others. Chapter 17 The following morning the six gropers who attacked the Reyna, Sam, Iris, and Rachel at the game all pleaded guilty and accepted immediate punishment from the courts. They were sentenced to four years in prison, fined $100,000, and forced to register as sex offenders. They were also expelled from their colleges and told never to return to their homes by their families due to the shame they had brought upon themselves. The team took a big hit when it was discovered that they knew about the dark blind spot in the stadium, a major reason why the food stand was originally closed and had done nothing to mitigate the problem. Paul James and Katie got directly involved and sued on the girls' behalf, getting a hefty settlement of $2 million each that saw Sam compensated tidily. Reyna, Iris, and Rachel had no need for the money, instead, they gave their settlements to charities that could use the money to help girls and women who were victims of abuse as they were. The team was also shamed into matching the girls? amounts by politicians, Christian was particularly happy to lend his weight behind the pressure against the team. The family as a whole shifted gears and got into full planning mode as the wedding's preparations needed finalizing. Everyone had input but by choice, they deferred to Jaimie who they all knew had solutions to problems they didn't think of at the time but would arise. Hannah and Paige were on the same wavelength and what Jaimie considered they agreed with fully and without question. Ophelia thought that they should have a professional hired to do it for them but Hannah refused, stating, "We tried that before and it didn't work. They underestimated the size of the family and tried to exclude people who they didn't believe should be there- including Jaimie, Nichole, Reyna, Kylie. Their vocal prejudice against them are not worth the aggravation. Sorry but this is non-negotiable." Ophelia acquiesced but informed her, "We have already hired one to handle the wedding in England. She has been at work for two months on your wedding." Hannah wasn't happy that she had gone behind her back to do that, telling her flatly, "If this wedding planner steps out of line I will not hesitate to get rid of him or her. I mean it, it's our wedding, not theirs! I don?t care one bit about what they think ?appearances? should be. If they can't listen to us they have no business being involved in our wedding. Jaimie will have final approval over all decisions, not the planner!" Karen knew to keep out of that but when Ophelia sat down next to her after the three got back to their planning she told her, "They are serious, they don't trust any of the people you have hired. She has a gut feeling that Camille will be involved but also read reviews about the planners and was not happy with how the local Lincoln and Boston planners handled the brides nor their families. If your planner does step out of line Hannah may never trust the locals again and I fear she may not want to come back to the estate again as you would not be trustworthy to her as you would have shown you didn't listen to her feelings regarding something so important to her." The planning took over much of Tuesday and Wednesday. Pete and Bryan got sent up to Endicott to put together the arch, altar, and vase arrangement at the far end of the yard. Patrick was told to oversee them with Neil, Junior, Ethan, Kyle, Oscar, Raul, Donald, and Thomas sent to act as gophers and extra muscle. Reed and the seven older guys were working or had to babysit for the adults which were a big reason the five younger boys were there helping. Heather kept an eye on all of them and had them pace themselves. She refused to let them set up the reception tent, keeping them focused on getting the arch together then having the five youngest start decorating it while the older guys did the heavy lifting. That took most of the day, as did putting down the carpet for the brides' entrance aisle. Heather had all of the planning done and was happy to see the guys trying their hardest to do as much as possible. She loved doting on them with Alexandra happily pointing out that she was doing great with the boys. She just smiled, admitting that she realized that it's only a matter of time before she became a great-grandmother and the three elder James girls were married off and within a decade Avery would leave the nest giving both a smile at time passing by. The guys took their time getting back home from setting up, stopping off to verify the bachelor party at the paintball field for both groups and being told a third had also slated themselves for their time period getting a grin from the boys. Kyle and Oscar were told that they should expect a workout, to which both grew scared as they listened to Neil explain the game and what happens when you are hit. Neil was recognized by the owners who laughed as he told them the reason for the simultaneous bookings, wishing Bryan and Pete the best of luck- they would need it. Thursday saw the Hays family in front of Judge Perez. She interviewed Jack and his wife separately and then interviewed the children individually and together to get their take on the situation. Their big connection to Amy and Donald surprised her but she also understood why they were severing ties to the family while the girls were doing the same for their old life. After what seemed like hours the family stood in front of Judge Perez and expected the worst but hoped for the best, the kids hugging tight as she announced her decision. She just smiled and announced, "I have little reason to believe that what is best for the girls is for them to remain here knowing that one of them has a twin sibling living elsewhere. Further, it is my belief that the Hays family will provide them with a loving home and chance to move on from this horrible past life. With the blessing of the girls? appointed foster fathers and the mutual agreement by all members of the Hays family, it is my decree that Stanley and Sydney Lee be adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hays and further that Stanley and Sydney be legally recognized as Eve and Sydney Hays, gender female." The girls hugged their new parents then their siblings as tears flowed from all. Both tearfully said, "Thank you" as they left the courtroom. The family packed their bags and thanked Gabby, Alex, and Ricardo for the hospitality and said their final goodbyes to Donald and Amy. They left soon after, driving straight home and to the new life for the two girls. When they arrived down in Bristol after 12 hours of driving they received a phone call from John informing them that they were booked on a plane to California for Monday where the girls would undergo their surgery. It was a shock to them but John simply brushed it off, insisting that it was due to a cancellation by one patient and another patient having to wait due to an illness. The girls' original appointments were just swapped with the unfortunate patients as their surgeon saw a way of getting all of it done at once while helping two more people who had a coincidental issue. The girls were in tears hearing that, Sydney and Eve would be getting their dream come true. Jack was in tears seeing the girls so happy and feeling complete. His wife consoled him and got him to shed those built up tears, the man was stoic but the girls' issues had been eating at him for days. Kay-Kay and the others were feeling a bit left out but Jack comforted them by explaining, "It wasn't just for your sisters, we are all going and Mr. Finn insisted that you enjoy yourselves while your sisters recuperate. They won't be doing much and your mom always wanted to go to California. He arranged for some friends to help us out there and ensure that you kids have a great time." As the Hays family drove south the Finn ladies finished their planning with fittings taking next to no time as Hannah and Paige had their dresses custom made months before and had maintained their trim yet voluptuous figures. Their cousins though had to have a few alterations to compensate for the girls' growing bodies. The younger girls didn't like having to redo their dresses but they did like that it was because they were growing, "Larger" especially the previously small Trina and Stephanie growing into a full A-cup and the late blooming Christina finally growing into a full C- cup like Paige. All 29 kids, teens, and young adults including Sheila, Deborah, and Emma wore matching dresses which made the order easier and faster and cut down on any potential conflicts over the dresses. They were countered by the navy blue tuxedos that the guys were wearing, matching up to Bryan and Pete's Class-A uniforms. Only David and Astrid wore a different color, him wearing the distinctive french blue of the state police uniform and her the distinctive dark brown of the Boston EMS uniform. Their parents wisely let them get the attention they deserved and opted for simpler tuxedos, pantsuits, and dresses, with Karen and Anne wearing matching blue suits jackets and ankle length skirts. The six police officers wore their formal jackets in a similar shade of navy blue as Bryan and Pete with gold piping along the edge of their patches, epaulets, and pocket cover. The one who stood out was Todd who had gold and blue stripes around the wrist of his sleeves and down his pant legs. To their surprise, the youngest of the kids liked getting dressed up. Nigel and Billy were all smiles trying on their suits as were Benny Herman and Jack Bollinger, all four actually letting their mothers dress them without a fight. Beth Herman figured it was due to all of the attention that they would get from the adults but the four did love to be part of the fun that the older kids were having and seeing them having to dress the same and complaining caused them to want to dress up too to so they were big boys like them. The next day, Bradford and Ophelia were invited to attend the evening's baseball game along with Karen and Nigel. They were not so sure about it as it was still a sour spot with them after the girls' incident but Miguel grinned and told them, "They are trying to entice you to get at John. They heard you were the way to get him, I don't think they have any clue about what the girls' and John's connections are. Try not to be too rough with them, but don't let them get away with insulting the girls." The group wasn't going to view the game from the box seats, they were invited to watch it from the ownership suite among front office personnel and various members of the ownership group. The gathering was a bit of a letdown as it was all business and the game didn't matter. Those who showed an interest were like Karen and Nigel, simply ignored by the others and there to enjoy the game. Bradford had never seen a baseball game before and was paying very close attention to it and started to understand the sport through some of its roots in cricket. He was pleasantly surprised at how rabid fans were and the energy of the game itself grew to be infectious. He loved it, much more so than he thought and thought about helping promote the sport in his country at a later time. The game eventually grew to be a blowout and even Bradford couldn't hold his attention after the game was well in hand. He joined his wife in talking to the assembled group and regretted it as they were the kind of people that he hated- greedy, social climbers who use you for whatever they want and disregard you when you are no long of use to them. It was hard to explain to them that they had everything tied up neatly with trusted investors and whatever wasn't tied up was kept liquid due to unforeseeable issues thus they weren't looking to invest in whatever they were pitching. Karen spent much of the evening being ignored by the gathered crowd and sticking by Nigel. She checked in with Valerie and thankfully Nigel Jr. didn't cause any problems at the amusement park and he and Billy were acting like little angels for her. In fact, he was so used to being around Billy that it was getting harder to separate them when it was time to go home. Things got interesting for them when Karen and Nigel overheard complaints about the bad publicity over the attack on the 4th of July. The ones complaining were senior executives who were responsible for renovations and upkeep and were angry that they were caught red-handed ignoring a part of the ballpark that was falling into disrepair and was a potential danger. What Karen heard upset her to the point of anger but Nigel kept her calm enough to not say something. All of that changed when things got personal for Karen and Nigel. The gentlemen openly blamed the girls for getting themselves into that situation and allowing themselves to be dragged away by the guys. The worst was insulting them, saying that they wanted it to happen and deserved it. Karen walked over to the two men and boldly told them, "I seriously hope you gentlemen are not claiming that the four 15-year-old girls who were sexually assaulted in this ballpark deserved what happened to them, are to blame for quote 'allowing it to happen' and much worse: wanted it to happen. I seriously hope that you are not ignoring the fact that these girls were in fear for their lives and are very traumatized to the point of refusing to ever return to this ballpark." Ophelia piped in with, "That is exactly what those men said about Reyna, Sam, and your nieces." The word, "Nieces" caught the men off guard. Karen told both of them, "Your own laziness to do your job properly and fix what was known to be a blind corner and utilize the space for something useful to the team as it was never going to earn any money for the team nor vendors is disgusting." Karen draws a sharp breath and firmly told them, "You two are pathetic. You dare to blame those girls for getting assaulted without justification. They neither wanted it nor asked for it. They were dragged there from the restrooms unwillingly and under overwhelming power. My nieces refused their advances and for that, they deserve to be groped and nearly raped? I seriously hope that you two never have to deal with daughters because if you had one you would never dare to blame her for having a man force himself on her- especially after refusing advances and telling them to leave them alone. And before you claim otherwise, your security witnessed the whole incident as did the police. Now if you will excuse me, I must inform my brother that any investment with this team or its owners is a bad one especially as the front office has several people who need removal for crass behavior." Nigel grinned and added, "You wanted John Finn to invest. Well Karen Smith, formerly Karen Finn, just vetoed the deal. Further, he is the uncle of Rachel and Iris Sylvester, two of the girls assaulted, and are the daughters of Leslie Sylvester, formerly Leslie Finn. And worse for you, the man who would have been in on the deal along with John's financial adviser is the father of one of the girls assaulted. And I highly doubt your players will be like that you were so horribly insulting to one of their favorite family members, as the fourth young lady is the niece of your all- star reliever." Karen was on the phone as Nigel left the room. She grinned and immediately told him, "John had no intention of ever buying into the team. He stated that he is a fan but would not waste his money on something that wouldn't make him a penny back. It would be cheaper to buy a luxury box, at least he'd get the pleasure of enjoying the games and not dealing with their harebrained schemes to relieve him of more money while profiting themselves." Bradford just chuckled as the room was a flurry of activity as the lines were drawn inside. Karen hit a nerve and those with kids were appalled while those without kids were unsure what to do. Bradford wisely kept out of it and when asked for his opinion he gladly told them, "I know all four ladies and owe one of the young ladies a great deal of gratitude for saving my family's estate and investments from unsavory characters. They are neither to blame nor deserve any derision and to do both is beyond ridiculous and shows a lack of character for that person." Bradford shook his head in shame and didn't say a word further. He was raised to no be so abrupt and rude with others but that was slowly taking a backseat to being true to himself as a father and grandfather. The few who tried to talk with him continued on as if nothing happened causing him to excuse himself and utter a few choice words about their attitudes towards women. Bradford left with a few parting words, "For people with enough wealth to throw money around in front of others you certainly don't act like you are any kind of decent human beings. To even think that you had done nothing wrong is beyond belief. To pretend that none of you weren't offended is a lie to yourselves. I hope you are satisfied with your actions because I'll guarantee none of you ever does business in my country again. Your team may conduct it but none of you as individuals will." Miguel was immediately furious with the team when word reached him. He filed multiple complaints with human resources and barely got talked out of summarily retiring by his teammates. They refused to participate in any interviews nor team functions until the men who had so thoroughly offended the Smiths and Miguel were removed. The furor built up as the truth came to light and the team faced a large backlash that built on the earlier issues. The state stepped in to investigate and what they found infuriated the veteran prosecutors and led the team to do more backtracking and attempts to cover themselves. Their internal investigation was demolished as being one-sided and influenced by others with a vested interest in making the, "Problem" go away. The state's investigation showed a far different, more infuriating picture of the situation. The two senior vice presidents were sexist and had outright stated to one another that no woman belonged as an employee of the team. This was confirmed by statements from the head of security who showed that they refused to change any arrangements at the stadium to prevent issues that were expected to happen. It wasn't a money issue, the space was unprofitable and able to be used for a huge benefit for the team's medical staff. The real issues were the fact that it was women who were vulnerable that was seen as not being an issue thus didn't need addressing until the next year if at all. Miguel led the team in demanding the men be fired and the team actually go out of their way to protect the fans. The press had already learned that it was Reyna who was among the girls assaulted but the team had carefully kept her name from being mentioned to the outside world which led the team to have to actually do something especially when the players' union inserted itself in the issue on Miguel's behalf. The team was left with little choice but to terminate multiple front office people and members of their staff while simultaneously promoting a dozen overly qualified women to positions that reflected their education and abilities. This also meant that the team had more female front office personnel than any other team, which rippled through the league as attention turned to the other 29 teams and the other four major sports teams in Boston causing a stir among the sports world as other leagues were under scrutiny to follow Boston's lead. Miguel won praise from the community for standing up for the girls and doing something to get rid of a group of sexist beasts. He was already a highly prized member of the team and an All-Star selectee that was given the weekend off to attend the wedding in England. This additional acclaim led to the uncovering of his behind the scenes charity work among the kids of Winnisimmet and other cities with Juan Alvarez being given the focus with Miguel's nudging. Chapter 18 Valerie, Tanya, Melanie, Lilly, Gabby, Margo, Leslie, Alice, Greta, and Rachel Douglas had their hands full that Friday trying to keep the girls distracted while the guys played paintball and went out for their own fun and the teens enjoyed their meal and karaoke festivities. TJ was the most excited as he was going to be with DJ all day and enjoy an amusement park, something he had seen on TV but never had the chance to see since his former mother had no money and he was, "Too young". Cat had to stop JD from saying something about his excitement which the mothers were shocked to see: for the first time in their lives, Cat acting more mature than her brother! The kids enjoyed the park and spent much of their time rushing from one ride to the next. The four 10-year-olds emulated the four 12-year-olds, following them wherever they went and in turn caused Daisy, Faith, and Virgil to follow them. Their mothers thought it was sweet that the four finally had girls to look up to the same way the seven 15-year-olds looked up to the seven 17-year-olds and those seven looked up to Hannah and Paige. Things went well until Trina, Amy, Stephanie, and Al encountered some eager boys their own age. The boys were infatuated with the four girls but didn't seem to take, "No" for an answer when the girls politely told them that they weren't looking for any fun. The girls thought they might lose them by getting in line for a ride but the boys hopped in line behind them. What seemed like a smart idea took a turn for the worse as the boys got in the raft in the seat behind them. The boys waited for the right moment then grabbed the girls' shirts and yanked them up, flashing their bare breasts for all to see. When the guys got off the ride they were stopped immediately by Cat who kicked one in the shin, punched one in the groin, kicked one in the knee, and headbutted one in the gut. All of that was done in a span of just under three seconds and before they could react to her. Cat just grinned as Valerie and the mothers gathered around the groaning boys and prevented them from leaving until park security grabbed them. JD saw another boy who had a camera and tripped him, yelling, "He took pictures of the girls" to adults. Melanie had him by the shoulder and rounded the five together while the ride operator explained to the boys, "Due to boys doing this same thing at least once a summer all actions are caught on camera. Your friend here will be in serious trouble for photographing the girls since all four are under 18. Enjoy your next few minutes at the park because you will never be allowed inside of this park again." The boys fought to get away but were held by the angry mothers. They were eventually taken away to the park's office and endured the humiliation of having their parents come to pick them up and having the park's manager explain why they were banned for life and that they were lucky to get away without charges. Their mothers weren't too happy and dragged the pleading boys away, telling them loudly, "We taught you better than that, you never put your hands on a girl especially when she told you no." Amy, Al, Trina, and Stephanie didn't take long to get themselves together and enjoy the park again, letting Cat choose to go and what to ride until they all had to take a break for lunch. The nearly 4-year-old was happy to get the attention from the girls and not do something to get punished. JD wasn't happy and felt like his sister wasn't the same person anymore, to which Virgil had to tell him, "Mommy said you two are different and when Cat starts to act like a big girl you will act like a big boy. You have to do that now, you are going to regular school not Aunt Leslie and Aunt Melanie's preschool. Cat is a girl and likes girly things, you like boy things so you will do different things now." He had to take that to heart, he didn't want to stop getting into trouble and playing their fun games but some things were different now. He looked at DJ and TJ and they were almost babies as they liked to play more with the four youngest kids than with him. He turned to Virgil and followed his lead, letting him be the guide as Cat went with the girls. His sister was still his sister but she was a girl and he was a boy and he loved her but Virgil was right, he needed to be a big boy now. Tanya was nearly in tears seeing her son talk with JD. Valerie had her arm around her and whispered, "We always knew he was special, but Virgil is wiser than we give him credit for. He's already gotten the big brother act down, and JD has someone to be his guide for the next year." Tanya silently nodded, telling her warmly, "He wants a baby brother but I don't have the heart to tell him that he got his wish. Sam wants a sister but she will have to settle for Cat, Faith, and Daisy." As the group ate lunch the eight older girls whispered to one another about Cat acting differently. None of them noticed that she was sitting alone and looking over at them with a sad face. Daisy and Faith were busy talking about something else while DJ and TJ were busy eating junk food instead of their sandwiches. JD and Virgil tried to give her space when she walked over to them causing her to have an even more forlorn look on her face. The mothers saw Cat's reaction and her depressed look. Valerie felt horrible that she didn't see the signs sooner, she was around her daughter more than anyone else and completely missed the signs. Cat's new behavior wasn't because she was she was taking after Hannah, they were because she was lonely and was jealous that everyone else had friends except her. Her daughter wasn't trying to be mature, she was trying to get the girls' attention. Leslie assured her that it wasn't her fault, it was the fact of life with twins. Bryan went through it when Hannah grew out of it at the same age, she just needed to interact with more boys and girls her own age. Being in regular school would be the best thing for her, she was bound to make at least one friend especially as she was such a good person at heart. Same went with JD, he'd make one as well. The girls were energized after their lunch and opted for more daring rides, splitting off from TJ, DJ, JD, Cat, Daisy, and Faith. They were stuck going on the kiddie rides as they were too short to go on the roller coasters and other similar rides. They spent more time riding the bumper cars, go-karts, and smaller thrill rides getting twice as many rides compared with the girls. Faith and Daisy were urged to include Cat with their fun, being told quietly, "She is getting depressed that she is the only one without any friends. You two have all but ignored her and the older girls are focused on riding the more mature rides to notice her." They saw Cat sitting down trying not to look at the older girls waiting for the next ride on the roller coaster and turned away, going back to what they were doing before and not bothering with Cat. Lilly shook her head in disappointment. The girls had been doing so well so far and blew their chance of getting the puppy that they so desperately wanted her to adopt. Leslie grabbed Cat and brought her to one of the rides the kids couldn't ride without an adult and grinned at the girls telling them firmly, "Sorry girls, but you since you were so busy talking to each other to pay any attention to Cat I thought you wanted to talk more than ride." The girls tried to plead but they were already on the ride and unable to be reached. Lilly firmly added, "You two were doing so well, but I think you were only acting mature for your own benefit. Cat needed her cousin, if you can't take care of your family what makes me think you can take care of a pet? Same goes with you Faith, your mom was going to let you have a puppy but that is on hold until you are able to show that you are grown up enough to do things for others without the benefit of earning something in return." That caused both seven-year-old girls to be sour for the rest of the day. When the older girls asked what was the matter they refused to answer with Cat and the boys not knowing what was going on either. Valerie finally explained to them when the three were out of hearing range, "They aren?t getting puppies for a while. Faith and Daisy ignored Cat like you girls have done. You have done it unintentionally and you have a good reason: you are older and have little in common with her. But they purposely ignored her after being asked to do things with Cat which showed they were only doing their good deeds for themselves and whatever progress they had made was only really for their own benefit." The girls felt bad about Cat and asked what was going on with her. Valerie sat them down and carefully explained, "She is finally starting to drift apart from her brother but doesn't have someone close to her age to talk with or play with. Daisy and Faith have each other and don't need her anymore and JD has Virgil for the time being, but she doesn't have anyone yet. She has been following the eight of you around all day and you didn't notice it but that was a big reason why she stopped the boys for you, she looks up to you and is jealous and depressed about your close bonds." The eight felt bad but Valerie assured them, "She will find someone in school. She just needs to spend some time with kids her own age and get used to how girls act with one another. I made a mistake in not sending the two of them to daycare with Melanie and Leslie full-time, I think after we get back from England she will spend the rest of summer in day care so she can at least be among kids her own age instead of being dumped in the school." As the tweens and younger kids were having fun at the amusement park, Reyna, Rachel, Iris, and Sam were happy to move on from the trauma on the 4th of July and eagerly joined in with the ladies at their bachelorette party. They didn't like that they were getting some attention from the media but that was hard to avoid with them finding out that Reyna was related to Miguel. She calmly asked them to please not follow her and if they felt that they were entitled to harass her she would inform her girlfriend's family who would ensure that they would face legal consequences. Katie, acting as the chaperone, one-upped her by issuing a cease and desist order complete with a lawsuit against their employers if they broke it making any reporter lose their job and likely their career. There was one reporter dumb enough to do so and found out just how serious she was as he ended up pleading with his boss not to terminate him, but falling on deaf ears. Katie just shook her head as he was led out of the club by security and had his press pass revoked by the Boston Police Department and Massachusetts State Police, all but ending his career as a legitimate reporter locally. Katie asked firmly, "Any more of you want to try to test the order?" getting a few harsh swears but nobody stuck around or tried to enter the club again. The ladies all but took over Patrick's friend's restaurant which was next to the club, leaving only a few tables open for those who were there on a first come, first-served basis. There were a few complaints about it but the owner proudly pointed out, "The ladies who reserved the rest of the tables are family and paid a hefty price for doing so. I would gladly lose your business to ensure that they were happy." A few left, but they were soon replaced with people who were happy to see that the ladies were being taken care of by the owner especially when they learned that Hannah had paid for their bills as a, "Thank you for not complaining about the noise" as the ladies got a little loud and joked freely. The meal took a while and was some of the chef's best work. He deconstructed some of the brides-to-bes' favorite dishes and reworked them into something they would enjoy. He ended up joining them as they regaled him with tales of the fun they had had. The ladies impressed him with their playful banter as he got to see the people as themselves, much different than the wild and crazy girls Patrick talked about whenever he visited. He got to talking with Juanita and Carmen Vega and learned that they were interested in cooking and had a knack for creating food from scratch. He took them out into the kitchen and had them show their skills, making a hearty rice and veggie dish with the few ingredients that were on hand that was not needed and were likely to get thrown out the following day. It was a nice opportunity for him, they were ripe for the picking as apprentices and would be a big help as sous chefs for any restaurateur. It was further helped when they revealed that they were going to start school soon to study culinary arts thanks to their aunt's suggestion. The chef boldly told them to do it and offered them part-time work during the summer and weekends to gain experience. The two quickly accepted, informing their aunt about the offer and getting a big grin from the others as they listened. The meal lasted two hours and was a big success as they had all eaten something that they normally wouldn't and enjoyed the atmosphere of fun that the owner had created. Their next stop was heading directly to the under-21 club that the group were eager to enjoy. Katie and Sheila, being the only two who were over 21, were given permission from the owners to be there as they were responsible for the group and they would keep out any unwanted people. It was just easier to let them enter than deal with potential legal issues from guys trying to snag dates with ladies who were either dating or were too new to the area to have serious relationships. The girls had a wonderful time setting up their own little room and when they saw the special treats that had been prepared they lost it, laughing at the, "Adult" nature of some of them. Iris and Rachel complained that they didn't want penises while Reyna giggled that she and Sam had gotten rid of theirs and they didn't need another. Poor Jaimie had to stifle a joke as the others looked at her for a smart remark but chose the high road and didn't say anything. Katie had to blush as Deborah casually mentioned that they were a bit too anatomically correct getting laughs from the others. Jenna joked about the cream on the cookies tasting better than the real deal getting snorts and, "I'm telling mom you said that" from Christina. Paige casually told her that maybe she and George needed a few months off from dating over that remark causing the others to laugh hard at the joke backfiring on her so badly. The ladies got right into the spirit as they started to belt out karaoke tunes that were classics but badly sung, mostly on purpose but a few due to the girls lacking any singing talent. Sam was actually pretty good, as was Reyna. Both sang love songs to Iris and Rachel getting, "Aw!" responses from the ladies. Katie grinned as she cued up a particular song just for Hannah and Paige. She whispered to Jaimie and Christina to sing it, getting a big grin and quick response from the two. Both belted out a cringing song that the two brides begged her not to sing, getting laughs from the others as Jenna carefully explained that it was a song they had to sing back in elementary school and both hated having to sing it and never wanted to hear anyone else sing again. Things were getting more fun and livelier as the girls got more into the swing of things. After a couple of drinks Juanita opened up to Zoe and the two started to talk and laugh. After their third drink, they were giggling and cuddling close to one another, with each telling the other, "I'm really into girls" prompting them to kiss long and hard bringing a loud, "Aw!" from the girls over seemingly coming out to one another and sharing a mutual attraction. Since it was an under-21 club the drinks were all supposed to be mock cocktails, but there was a big problem as the girls became more and more rambunctious and started to slur their speech. Katie sniffed the drinks and saw the problem: someone slipped them alcohol and it was having a reaction among the girls. She quickly cornered the server and demanded an answer, being told firmly, "I didn't do it, it was the bartender. He heard it was a bachelorette party and wanted to liven it up." Katie quickly phoned the police then called the owner to explain that their employees had made a huge mistake. She was pissed and went at them hard, ensuring that her new nieces were going to have a pound of flesh apiece and leave little left when they were through. When the police arrived the club was shut down and cited for the illegal serving of alcohol as well as enticing minors as the waiters admitted that they had set their sights on nailing a couple of the girls once the party ended. Katie had to reluctantly call for reinforcements to get the girls home, getting a response from Dan, Todd, John, and James as well as an angry response from Joseph and Evelyn Johnson- Jaimie, Claire, Stacy, and Rebecca's grandparents. The Johnsons were the most vocal of them and let slip that the city inspectors would be visiting in a few minutes to ensure that everything was up to code and inspecting the place from top to bottom trying to ensure that they paid for their actions. John grinned and added, "This won't be brushed under the rug since five of these ladies are the governor's granddaughters." The ladies were driven home in a caravan, with most of them staying at the Sylvester home for the night. They were tired from the activities and were quick to want to retire for the night forcing them to go three to a bed and take over the basement entertainment room as well as the living room. Jaimie, Sam, Francesca, Juanita, Carmen, Rebecca, and Stacy went home with Courtney and Jessie joining Jaimie at the Finn home. Katie felt horrible and blamed herself for what happened, driving home in silence and finally breaking down after closing the front door. Karen and Leslie broke her out of her crying fit as they rang her doorbell and asked to be let inside to talk. Katie knew what was happening next and prepared for their inevitable yelling and complaints but they never came. Leslie smiled brightly and hugged Katie, telling her firmly, "You saved the girls tonight. You prevented the girls from doing something horrible with guys who were nothing but predators. All of us are proud of you and we refuse to let you blame yourself for the actions of others." Karen smiled and added, "You keep thinking that we are going to push you away. Well, we won't. Certainly not after tonight. You saw an issue and took action to protect the girls. That was Katie the aunt overseeing her nieces, that was Katie the mother coming out to protect her loved ones. The girls will feel terrible tomorrow but they will thank you for everything you did for them tonight." Katie asked about Zoe and Juanita, explaining what happened between them. Leslie snorted and boldly told her, "Paul and Alexandra knew that their daughter was a lesbian for years but she kept it hidden from everyone for fear of what it might do to Christian. Juanita has been scared to death of coming out to her aunt because of how Juanita was raised by the Vega family, especially her horribly abusive father. Dorothy fully supports them as do Paul and Alexandra. They may genuinely have feelings for one another or it might have been the alcohol fueling them, but the truth is out there and they are going to have to admit it to themselves soon." The next morning the girls felt their first hangover and were fearful of what their parents would say about it. Katie was asked to come by early so the girls were assured that they weren't in any trouble but her being there and explaining what happened and why didn't allay any fears. Alexandra, Valerie, Melanie, Tanya, Dorothy, Lupe, Gabby, Lilly, Ruth, Leslie, Karen, Anne, and Greta all told them that they were not to blame and they had Katie to thank for keeping a close eye on them and stopping anyone from causing them any further problems. Zoe was in near tears as she realized what she had done the night before. Alexandra asked to speak with Zoe alone, and when the two were in Leslie's bedroom by themselves Alexandra hugged her daughter tight, telling her firmly, "We have known about your true sexual orientation since we adopted you. We saw you kissing a girl in the schoolyard when you thought you were alone.. We never made mention of it before because we wanted you to have your own privacy and come to us when you were ready." She responded, "I didn't want to make you feel ashamed of me and think that adopting me was a big mistake. I didn't want to lose my friends. I didn't want anyone to use me to hurt Grandpa." Alexandra hugged her tight, kissed her cheek, then told her, "You have done nothing to be ashamed of, do you honestly expect any of your friends or their cousins to reject you because you like women? You know full well that Rachel and Reyna as well as Sam and Iris are dating and the girls fully support them and love them. We love you and your friends will be there for you. You don't have to hide your true self anymore. Just be yourself once and for all." As they walked out Sela and Isobel hugged her tight while the others gave her space and didn't make mention of what went on. Dorothy called to ask if Alexandra and Zoe could come over getting the two plus Paul to go. The others went back to listening to their parents tell them that they weren't in any trouble and all of them were proud of the girls for being civil and not getting out of hand even while under the influence. Over at the Vega home, Zoe reluctantly sat down as Juanita sat next to her. Dorothy sat across from them and softly asked Juanita, "Was what happened last night the real you or was it a reaction to the alcohol?" Juanita tearfully admitted, "I like women. I have loved them since I was 11. Zoe is the first girl I ever kissed and she is the first girl who ever got me to admit my feelings." Dorothy swore causing Juanita to flinch. Dorothy apologized to her, carefully explaining, "You girls were raised by a man who hated anything that didn't fit his view of how the world should be. When something changed that world view, he tried to force others to believe that the changes were wrong. When that didn't work he resorted to violence and makes you think that you are wrong for going against his beliefs. That's why he is rotting in prison for kidnapping your cousin, that's why your uncles are rotting in prison for helping him. You are free from his influence and can be who you really are. He has no power over you anymore. You are your own woman- be that woman." Zoe hugged Juanita, who in turn kissed her cheek. Both girls were in tears as Dorothy hugged them, adding, "I would rather have two happy young ladies sitting here holding hands in love than a young lady who is unhappy with herself. You are yourself and if you love women then I will gladly accept your girlfriend into this home with open arms. You deserve to be yourself, no matter what."