“Why can’t we come to the party, Mommy?” Barb asked.

“Because it’s only for grownups.  Daddy JC normally goes somewhere fancy with his manager and all of them, but this year he’s staying here with us.  So we’re going to a party with a bunch of grownups.  You’d be bored.”

“Where’s the party?”

“It’s at someone’s house, they don’t have kids, so there wouldn’t be toys or anything.  It’ll all be grownup type food and stuff.  I’m sorry, sweetie.  Why do you wanna go?”

“So I can get all dressed up and be pretty like you,” Barb smiled.

Mikayla’s heart just about melted.  “We’ll do something special soon, ok?  Auntie’s birthday is in a few days, maybe we’ll do something special for that.  Uncle Tyler and the girls are still here, so you’ll be at Daddy JC’s house to have a party with them, ok?”

“Why can’t you come to OUR party, Mommy?”

“Because we don’t get to see these friends very often, and Daddy promised we would go.  We have to do our best to keep our promises, remember?”  Barb nodded, still looking sad.  “Hey, you get to have tons of kid food like corn dogs, mac and cheese, and to celebrate midnight you get the sparkling apple juice you love.  All without needing to get dressed up.”

“Ok, that does sound fun,” Barb said, a smile spreading across her face.

“Mommy needs to finish getting ready, Daddy will be ready any minute cuz it takes guys less time than girls. Less hair, no makeup, guys are really lucky sometimes.  Especially when they’re good looking like Daddy.”

“What do you love about Daddy?” Barb asked.

“That’s a whole conversation for another time,” Mikayla laughed lightly. “For now, I love how kind and caring he is, how funny he is, and what a good daddy he is.”

“I wanna marry someone like Daddy when I grow up,” Barb said.

“That sounds wonderful, but you’re only 4, so don’t be in a rush, ok?  Take your time.  Uncle Tyler will be here soon to get you and your brothers.  Make sure you have everything packed for the sleepover, ok?”

Barb nodded, running off to her room.  Mikayla soon heard soft footsteps behind her, looking up to see Justin in the mirror.

“She’s getting too inquisitive,” Justin laughed.  “You handled that really well, especially when she said she wanted to look pretty like you.  You look beautiful, Kay.”

“I figured give this dress another go round, since you bought it for our night at the hotel.”

“I did ask you to wear this dress again.  You wearing the lingerie you got for Christmas?” he growled in her ear.  She nodded silently with a smile on her face.  “Good girl.  I can’t wait to get you out of them later.”

“It’s only 6:00, there’s still plenty of time for that,” she laughed.  “We still have to have dinner first.”

“We aren’t just staying in the room the whole time?” Justin asked, somewhat disappointed.

“I asked you if we could do dinner out, you said yes, so I made reservations.  I’m lucky they had something available.”

“We’re going to Firefly?”

“No.  I made a reservation at a place at the hotel.  I asked JC where this something special was taking place, if it involved dinner.  Both of you have one track minds, not even thinking that we need to eat…”

“When we have a woman as beautiful as you,it’s hard to stay focused.  I swear, if you didn't feed me, I’d starve or collapse from dehydration.  All these years later and I still can't keep my hands off you or get dirty thoughts about you out of my head.”

‘I’d say the feeling is mutual, but I also have 3 kids to think about, among other things.”

“You’re a master multitasker.  I wanna watch you finish getting ready while I have a little fun…”

“Justin, no. We’ll be late for dinner cuz I’ll have to start all over.”

“I always want to go over and over with you,” he purred, running his hands along her curves as she sat at her vanity.

“You have all night, and the rest of our lives,” she smiled in reply.  She pulled him closer to kiss his cheek, rubbing off the lipstick she left behind.  “Josh is meeting us here when Tyler picks up the kids, right?”

“Yeah.  They’re just leaving now, so maybe 15-20 minutes.”

“Why do I still get butterflies when I think about seeing him?”

“Do you get them when you think about me?” Justin wondered.

“Of course.  Among other things…”

‘Pretty sure you get that thinking about JC, too,” Justin replied.

“True, but you’re the one I’m married to.”

“Until the ceremony in June, then you can’t really say that anymore.”

“Just symbolically.  I’m still legally married to you, first and foremost.”

“So JC’s just a sidepiece?” Justin laughed.

“I was thinking more brother husbands.”

“Whatever.”

“We wouldn’t still be together if I didn't love you.  I wouldn’t have married you to begin with if I didn't love you…”

“You were like 10 weeks pregnant when we got married.  You’d known for a month and we’d only been engaged for 2 weeks.”

“I still agreed to marry you, Justin.”

“What made you so sure?”

“Do we have to do this now?  I will, but Josh and Tyler will be here any minute.  I knew everything I needed to know when you proposed.  I know I was hesitant at first, to dating and getting married; but once I knew how much you loved me, the ways you proved it to me, I knew there was no looking back.”

“I was giving you security during an emotionally vulnerable time, Kay.  You might have said yes to anyone offering the same thing, with or without money.”

“Justin, I’d dreamed of becoming your wife a long time ago.  The more I got to know you, even as a friend, it gave me everything I needed to know about you as a person to decide to spend my life with you.  I hate that you and Josh keep going in circles with the same issues.  Him feeling guilty about not being there for everything, you for not feeling like you’re good enough.”

‘You’re sleeping with another man, wanting to have a symbolic wedding.  Most people would feel like that means I’m not enough for you.”

“I guess so, but this is very different, Justin.  This is giving our kids the family they need.  I still love Josh, but I also have a commitment to you, and to not split up our family with Silas.”

‘So if Silas wasn’t around…”

“Justin, stop right there.  Don’t you dare say Silas is the only thing keeping us together.”  She looked up at him, her body starting to tremble, her eyes fighting back tears.  “I love you, so much, and I try my best every day to remind you of that fact.  Maybe I’m not doing enough, not good enough…”

“Mikayla, you are perfect.”

“I’m  not, Justin. A perfect wife would leave Josh in my past, at least romantically.  Tell him he’s a dad, let him be in their life, but nothing like what has happened.  I can’t bring myself to hurt either of you, but that’s exactly what this is doing.”

“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to go this far with the conversation.  I trust that you love me like you say you do.  Every morning I wake up still married to you tells me that.  Even if you’re at his house, I see the ring on my finger and know we still belong to each other.  I’m sorry I doubt that on a regular basis.  I guess part of me  is thinking that with the wedding…”

“I’ll be committing to both of you.  Not leaving one for the other, but promising to love you both.  I know this is all so complicated, but know that I love you more every day than when we started out. Whatever I felt for you then has only grown stronger and more intensely.  Me ‘marrying’ JC doesn’t mean I love you any less.  It just means I want to give him a level of commitment, to raising our children together and giving him a little of what could have been.”

“I know, this was partially my idea, but still.  I hits me every once in a while.  You look so beautiful, and hearing you say you got butterflies knowing he was coming over…”

“Really?” JC asked, the pair jumping at his voice.  

“I’d rather not go through this again,” Mikayla sighed.  “I feel butterflies for both of you, let’s leave it at that.”

“You look beautiful, Kay,” JC said, standing in the doorway.

Mikayla stood up, looking at both men before her.  Justin was wearing a steel gray blue dress shirt and black slacks, JC a light charcoal gray dress shirt and black slacks.  Justin was wearing black sneakers, where JC was wearing black dress shoes.  They both looked effortlessly handsome, Mikayla in awe of them and feeling like it was almost unfair how much she felt she had to put in to be at their level.

“I know that look,” JC sighed.  “You’d be beautiful without the makeup and your hair done special.”

“Still not the same level as you two.  You two can just throw on just about anything, brush your hair a bit, and be ready to go.  Me, it takes a lot more to be presentable.”

“You do it for the cameras, you know we don’t care,” Justin said.  He leaned in close, her breath in her ear and fanning against her neck.  “We’d still want to fuck you into next week, makeup or not.”

“Is that what I can expect tonight?” she chuckled.

“I think you know the answer to that.”

“I never know what’s going to happen with you two…”

“I think one thing is fairly certain.  Come on, the kids are leaving any minute, let’s go say goodbye before they come up here and we’re still talking about sex,” JC suggested, heading towards the bedroom door.

They all walked downstairs, the twins grabbing a few final things to take with them.  JC chuckled, knowing he had plenty for them in their bedrooms and the playroom.  He saw things like Barb’s favorite stuffed animal, knowing that some things couldn’t be replaced.  His thoughts went to Mikayla, and how he couldn’t move on from her, no matter how hard he tried.  He was thankful he’d never have to worry about that again.  They gave goodbye hugs and kisses before Tyler and the kids got into the car.  

Now they were alone again.  Justin turned to Mikayla and JC.  “You’ll sit in the back, so you can’t be seen if cameras spot me.  That way if people see JC leave when we go to check out, they can’t put two and two together.  If anyone asks, you’re remodeling the house and need to stay somewhere for a couple nights.  I dunno, I’m probably overthinking this…”

“Probably, but it doesn’t hurt to be ready.  Kinda reminds me of the old days, sneaking out past our security to have a bit of freedom.  It’s New Year’s Eve, people expect you might be going for a party or something,” JC said. 

“The sooner we get there and have dinner, the sooner the rest of our night can start,” Justin said with a smirk. 

Mikayla rolled her eyes.  “Always sex with you…”

“When I have a wife as gorgeous as you, inside and out, you bet it is.  After all this time, still crazy about you as ever.”

They got into the Escalade, Mikayla and JC sitting in the back where they couldn’t be seen by cameras, following Justin’s plan just in case. 

“No tounging back there,” Justin teased. 

“Or what, you’ll pull the car over?” Mikayla laughed. 

“Ya know what? Go ahead, I’ll more than make up for it tonight.”

“I’ve never had reason to doubt your abilities,” Mikayla grinned. She sat next to JC, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She rested her head on his chest as Justin pulled onto the street and towards the hotel. 

Justin arrived at the hotel, JC getting out and heading to the bar within the restaurant while Justin and Mikayla checked in. Staff took their bags up to the room so they could make their dinner reservation.

They walked into the restaurant, Mikayla on Justin’s arm, Justin scanning for JC. Mikayla spotted him, gently pulling Justin through the restaurant. 

They stopped at the table he was sitting at, Justin’s eyes widening in surprise.

“Brent, Lisa, what are you doing here?” Justin asked.