Another Damn Happy Ending (3 Years Later)

I really hate our apartment complex. I'm just saying that because I walk from one end of it to the other at least three times a day, and it's a pain in the ass. I've done the calculations.

From the Twin's place to Helen and Charlotte's it's at least a football field. Not that wouldn't be as much of a problem if I didn't have to go around the pool, and two buildings to get there. Nikki and Maria's place makes a nice little triangle, which means I have to go just as far to get there. Only it's easier to get there from The Twin's than from Helen and Charlotte's. I've been threatening to get my own place, just to get away from all the estrogen. Helen of course says that I'd miss out on sleeping with a woman every night, and I must admit... that's pretty true. In every sense of the word.

I could go into all the grimy technical details of how Helen and Charlotte ended up in our complex, but that's really an unpleasant story. The Short version is that the next morning, Kaila had already collected her sister Carla from wherever she had stashed her. Apparantly, she'd left in the middle of the night, and gone to the Inn. Carla had insisted that Kaila turn right around and deal with the problem, and had gone so far as to check out of the Inn to make the point. The two of them had come completely clean, including making a very nice breakfast, straight from whatever bakery was on the way.

That was when Charlotte and Helen had suggested they return the favor of letting them stay with us, by letting me stay with them for a while. It would have gone great, except some things happened to the apartment. I feel bad even mentioning it, because I felt kinda sick seeing what had happened. People suck. But there are some people I really like. It's complicated, I guess.

Which was how through a bunch of shenanigans which involved practically begging the landlord and doing way too much free maintenance to get an apartment "Ready", I ended up in a spanking new IKEA showroom apartment with a lesbian couple, both of whom seemed to like having their own room. I was kinda surprised, but the way Helen explained it to me was that once in a while another woman will drive you insane. Even if you're in love with her. Way too much work putting the stuff together, and If I never see an Allen wrench again, it will be too soon.

Maria and Nikki ended up hooking up permanently. Despite her protestations, Maria seemed to be anything but straight the next morning, practically crushing on Nikki before racing out of the door with hurried apologies and promises to call. When she ended up with two pink lines a couple months later, she and Nikki had already been dating for long enough that their hurried wedding and claims of artificial insemination were more than enough to get her folks off her back. The fact that Nikki was also pregnant may have led to that choice as well.

Kaila got better. It was funny. When she got pregnant and her sister didn't, the twin games were pretty much over anyway. When Carla got the flame tattoo sleeve, it just cemented the fact, and she embraced it by getting a Feather sleeve. What's funny is that they still seem to be able to play the twin games, even with the differing tattoos. I was kinda shocked, but it really does seem to come down to more than just appearance. For a moment, I'll think I am talking to Kaila, then look at her arm, and know that Carla is just being a little more aggressive than usual. I don't think that anybody who didn't know them well would be able to tell. Maybe that's the point.

Kaila had a healthy baby boy we ended up naming Daniel. He's a good kid, and his mom has been doing nothing but parenting classes constantly. She found out in therapy that she didn't really have a great childhood. Neither of them did, really. So, she's trying to make up for it by doing things "By the book". Fortunately, Carla's been able to be around to talk her down from most excesses, and while she isn't a perfect mom by any means, she at least loves him. And I think she loves me. She says she does anyway, and I still see her from time to time. I just think Kaila likes her own space too much to really be a full time live in wife.

Carla's been pretty clear that she likes me as a friend, and while the nights together we've had were great, she doesn't want it to be more than that. Carla likes being single, without kids, and free. She's come over a few times to spend time with Charlotte or Helen, as has Kaila, but it seems to be more of a fling for them than a full time thing. Carla's been free to concentrate on her work a bit more since she no longer has to clean up after her sister as well, and has been steadily climbing the ranks in the academic racket. She likes her job, and seems that her students like her. She's invited me along for a few of the more wild times, as apparently I'm a "Safe" guy. Works for me.

Charlotte and Helen both had beautiful girls, within a day of each other. Ceto and Pallas actually look a bit like both of their mothers, at least to my eye. At least when a little blonde terror rips around the house before pointing at me and affecting a sassy southern accent, I know I can blame both of the women for it. It's almost as cute as when the little brown haired girl does it, except she likes to do it on a big wheel in the front yard.

Nikki sticking around was a surprise to me. Apparently while she and Maria were making love that night, a text from her husband had come in. She's actually responded by sending him a picture of the two of them kissing with a fuck you attached. Apparently he hadn't texted until he needed something, and she was beyond sick of it. Nikki isn't wealthy, but she's got what's known as "Connections". Within a couple weeks another apartment had opened up in our complex, and luckily it had three bedroom, just enough for Maria, Nikki and Sofia to each have a bedroom. Which was handy when Miguel and Katerina came around.

Nikki's family are really stand up folks. Straight up. Never seen people so willing to pitch in and help. We've had aunts, grand-aunts, cousins, second cousins and more visiting, and they always want to see every kid. Even Kaila and Carla are happy when they show up, because hey, free child care. They're great folks, if a little religious, but every family's got their quirks. Maria actually got converted because apparently it was the ultimate way to get back at her mom. (Yes, she has issues. She acknowledges them. Doesn't hurt that it also ingratiated her to her new wife's family.)

So there I am. Two little boys and three little girls. I finally have quit my job, because as it turns out, I'm actually a fairly decent dad. At least I think I am. It's exhausting, don't get me wrong. For the first couple years I thought I was going to die, and I never appreciated having family support so much in my life.

I don't know how long this will last, but it seems good for now. I'm happy. Not perfect, but happy. I'm learning a new language, and raising some decent kids. At least I hope they're decent kids. But I've got at least fifteen more years of this. Course, the girls have been talking about house hunting again.