PROLOGUE: Well, gentle readers, we're here. The marriage of Mark Reilly, Top and Dom, and Jack Robson, bottom and sub. It took a while - I started this story just before we began the age of Covid: March 12 is the day I submitted the first chapter. And now, here we are. Thanks for sticking around. Thanks for your comments, your suggestions, and everything else. I hope you noticed if and when one of your comments flavored a subsequent chapter. And I hope you enjoyed it. These characters are lovable, maddening, frustrating, heartening, and ultimately, I hope you felt they were HUMAN. There is a Mark. There is also a Jack. They are not a couple but they should be. The rest are amalgams of people I've met on my course. Ok, enough of this. We have a story to tell. Again, thank you. Get a beverage, adult or otherwise. You're gonna be here a bit. And anyone who wants to pick the story up, and do a "what happened AFTER they were married, have at it. I'll read it.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx
Monday weddings are unusual. In fact, according to some statistics , it's the least popular day of the week for a wedding. Have our boys ever paid attention to what they were "supposed" to do? Why change now? So, here we are on Monday afternoon, with folks having run to the hotel across the street from the theater, to get ready.
There have been practices, run throughs, dance lessons, cake tastings, all of it. And now, it's four hours away, at best. Pits in stomach time. "Do I remember what I'm supposed to say" time. "Do these shoes fit" time. "Does Jamie have the rings" time (he does).
Let's go back just a little, to focus on some of the highlights of the week leading up to this. We'll start with Felix and Carlos - we never do, do we? Felix is trying to pick out what shirt he's going to wear: he's standing for Jack, with Jamie. He's spoken to Jamie over and over: same or different (different). Contrasting or same hue (contrasting). Dark or light (dark for Jamie: midnight blue, light for Felix: sea green). And he's in the store with Carlos, looking at the sea green shirts, and not deciding.
"CONO, Carlos, how many different green shirts are there? How the fuck am I gonna decide?" Carlos comes over. He looks at one of the and points to it. "THAT ONE." "THAT ONE?" Carlos, it's too expensive. I'll never wear it again?" "Yeah, you will. At least once more, I hope?" Felix looks at Carlos face, and he begins to figure it out. "Carlos... you're not. You're not..." As Carlos gets to his knee, in the store, and holds out a box. "Marry me Felix. Be my husband. Por favor. Forever." Of course, however busy a store is, something like this is going to get attention . And it did. After the crowd gathered, the chant: 'SAY YES/SAY YES/SAY YES" started. Felix was in tears. He had thought about this, he wanted it, he had dreams about his wedding... "OH, CARLOS. YES. YES A MILLION TIMES." He pulled Carlos up and kissed him. Their embrace made the cover of the local paper.
And now let's move to Jamie and Cooper. Every time Jamie did something about the wedding: organizing the bachelor party, checking to make sure the rings were still where they should be, picking his shirt (he went to Aldo to have it made), he began to cry. Cooper came home one day, and found him sobbing on the bed. "Jamie bird. What's wrong. Did the puppy..." "No love. No. It's just... well, I can't believe it's happening. I'm... I'm losing Jack." Cooper held his hand. "No you're not Jamie. Jack found his man. You found yours... " And he pulled out a box. "This is not when I planned to ask you, but... marry me, Jamie. Make me the happiest man in the world." Jamie sat up. He had stopped crying , for a minute. "REALLY? I thought.. well, you had always talked about this as not really being your kind of thing, and..." "You're my kinda thing Jamie. And I don't want you to get away. EVER." "I won't . I promise. Not ever. Yes. OH GOD YES." So their engagement was a little more private than Felix and Carlos, but the cascade continued.
And we can't forget about "the meeting" with Laurie. Catholics will remember the days of pre-Cana conferences with the priests. Do they do them anymore? Probably. Laurie wasn't Catholic, (remember Moloney was her married name), but she thought that the idea of discussing the motivations for the grooms, was a good idea (Laurie only did same sex marriages). So, after she had talked with Mark, and with Jack, she was talking to them together. There on her sofa set, Mark had his arm around Jack, and he was holding his hand , tight. Laurie sat adjacent to them. Smiling, as she always was, she asked "Is there anything that you want to say to the other about anything you regret?" There's a lot of tears in this episode folks, just to warn you. Go get another handkerchief if you want. Mark burst into tears. "Hey. Marko , what happened? What's wrong?" He was inconsolable. He held onto Jack, but he cried deeply. Laurie gave Jack a signal "let him cry it out. He'll speak then" And he did. "Laurie. I need to fess up. Back when we were in school, I beat Jack up. For no reason other than jealousy. I HIT that beautiful face. I smacked him. I knocked him down and I kicked him too . I called him a slut. I called him ungrateful. Oh, I really don't want to go on. I was so mean. " Now he began to sob again. "I'm so sorry. I don't deserve you. I don't. If you wanted to call things off , I would.." And this time he let go of Jack and buried his face in his hands.
Laurie was a little dumbfounded. THIS had never happened. "Laurie, is it ok for me to speak?" Jack asked. "Of course Jack. I think it would be good if you did." Jack took a deep breath and when Mark wouldn't give him his hand, he grabbed it anyway. Mark didn't have Jack's nipples in his fingers, so Jack had all his strength, and Mark was no match for that. "Mark. Mark. Listen to me love. Jack's eyes were staring directly at where Mark's face would have been, had he been looking up. "That's right, you did that. You hurt me. You hurt me physically, and psychologically. I don't know about the psych part, but I'll tell you write now, if you ever try to hurt me physically, I'll kick the shit out of you." He looked up. "Sorry Laurie. I shouldn't have used that language." "I'm familiar with the word, Jack. Please go on. If you have more to say." "I do ma'am. Mark Reilly, you did those things. But you know what else you did? You took a young man who really wasn't all that book smart, who didn't know about the things you did, who didn't have many friends, and who really was far from the cutest guy at school... And you loved him . You went after me. Remember that Mark Reilly? You remember picking me up in that theater when I was covered with dust, sweating, in a ripped shirt that showed off my belly fat ?" Mark began to laugh. "OH GOD we were young." "Yeah, we were. And you took care of me . You weren't ashamed to be seen with me. You took me to shows. You taught me things. You might have taught me how to be gay - I'm not sure about that, I think I might have known. But you know what? Twenty years later, you came looking for me. Not to finish the job, but to give it one more chance. You had no idea I still loved you, you had no idea if I were spoken for, but you came looking. And you found me. And you made clear, you were not taking no for an answer." Now Jack paused and he began to cry. "And you're still defending me. You're still teaching me. And you're still loving me even when I come out of that damn dungeon covered with garbage and sweat and disposable diaper muck. You're still there. Six months later, you're still here, in spite of my bad manners, my lack of knowing movies more complicated than Rambo. I don't understand why, but you're here. And NO, you are NOT calling things off. You are marrying me. You deserve me. You deserve a BETTER me. And I promise: that's what you're gonna get." Then he hugged Mark.
Laurie smiled. "Jack, I think you may have written your vows." "Really? Oh, wow. But I didn't write them down. I won't remember them." "I will" she and Mark answered together. "I'm so lucky to have smart people in my life." Jack smiled "To repeat, I'm not letting you out of this Mark Reilly. You're good with ropes, but know what?" and he smiled. "So am I. And if I have to hogtie you, and throw you over my shoulder like L'il Abner, I. AM. MARRYING . YOU.
Did anyone ever say that marriages aren't stressful?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx
On Sunday night, Mark didn't instigate sex, and that was a good thing, because Jack would have pushed him away. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts about what they were about to do. For Mark, it was almost a puffing out of his chest. Jack wasn't the first man he had slept with, but he was the first man he had serious feelings about. He couldn't justify it, but the beating he had given to Jack many years ago, was out of jealousy, and he and Jack knew it: people didn't want Mark, they wanted Jack. And that had pissed him off. Now, it made him proud. This beautiful, sweet, desirable man, had chosen him. His mother's words - the last ones he heard her say "you're a no good worthless FAGGOT Mark. Who the hell would want you?" stung, but now, he knew mom wasn't always right. He smiled, and pulled Jack in closer to him. They were sleeping sort of face to face, Jack's head on Mark's chest. He kissed him very, very lightly, because he didn't want to wake him up, and he whispered "I love you Jack Robson."
Jack dreamt of his mom too. He recalled all the songs she had sung to him, all the songs they had sung together. She had kept that secret about her career and her reputation from him. He wondered why: did she put it all aside because his father was jealous? If that were true, he never saw it. Was it from belief she held that she had to put herself behind her husband? In many ways, his mom was ridiculously traditional: they ate the same dinner ever Monday, every Tuesday, etc. She wore a different apron every day. And he remembered, and almost laughed in his sleep - she polished her metronome when she played piano - every single time. He and she had never discussed Jack's sexuality. She probably knew: her big strapping son never asked for money to take a girl to the movies, or to get hair pomade, or anything like that. He buried himself in car repair, in carpentry, and the kind of thing that distressed his father - his father whom he outgrew by the time he was 13. "It's the good German stock" his mother would say, and his father would smile. Jack knew there was a secret there, something they never would tell him, and he would, perhaps, never know . Or maybe he would. When he slept, Jack figured things out. And he was close: he was SO close - and he closed down: he didn't want to know. He returned Mark's embrace, and HE whispered "don't ever let me go Mark. Please be my rock."
So they slept. Well? Not well? Who knows. They woke up excited. "You're gonna be my husband in less than 12 hours, stud" Mark was smiling ear to ear. "I know. I'm surprised you bought the cow when the milk was free."
Mark just laughed so hard when Jack said that, and he rolled on top of him. "I kinda think of you like a steer. Only your ring is here:'" He pulled at Jack's nip just a bit. "Not in your nose." "It's your ring Sir. Taken freely. My top, my Dom, my husband." Mark kissed him. "Don't say that during the ceremony sweetie. " Jack laughed. "You know, I'm not DOCTOR Robson, but I'm not dumb. " Mark kissed him again. "We gotta get ready. Don't we have the spa day in the morning." "We do." It was a gift that Rebecca and Gloria had given them. So, after showers, they were off to the spa.
Now, Jack had never been to a spa before, and he was completely befuddled. "OUCH" "STOP" he yelled, when the attendant started pulling nose hairs. Where was Mark? Did he know what this evil woman was doing to him?" When it was over, Mark smiled as he took his hand. "You're even better looking than you were." "She pulled out my nose hairs Mark. Don't you ever do that." "ha hahahahaha. Tell you what? I'll show you how to trim them. "
They had just enough time to get back home and get their stuff. They had rented rooms in a hotel right up the street from the theater, for the party to change and get ready. Mark was done first. Cooper and Tom had come over, and they left with him. Before they left, Tom held out his hand to Jack. "I'll see you on the altar big Jack. I gotta say. When my bud told me he found 'the one' I thought 'yeah yeah. The one what'? I was wrong. He DID find the one. And if he's ever mean to you, well, you just call on Tom. " Jack smiled, and he couldn't help himself. He hugged Tom. "I think you're the last gentleman on the face of the earth Tom. Thank you." Tom laughed during the hug. "Well, you better ask brian about the gentleman part. Sure as shit not true in bed." "TOM. COME ON . WE'RE GONNA BE LATE." It was Cooper. The three of them left, leaving Jamie and Jack.
"Jack-o, come on. You've never been late in your life. You gonna be late for your own wedding? "Come sit next to me Jamie. Hold me. Hold me please." Jamie saw the look on Jack's face. "Are you getting cold feet, boo? " Jack began to cry. "Not exactly. I'm... I'm sorry for abandoning you. I just left you there. You had to fend for yourself. " He cried some more. "So many things could have happened differently." Jamie began to speak. "You know, when you left, I cried for about three days. Cora sat me down. I think she may have been the wisest woman on the face of the earth. She said to me 'Now Jamie, yes, things could have been different. Different isn't good. Different is different. What should happen, will happen. So just hold up your head, young man, point out that chest, and tell the world to FUCK ITSELF" Jack looked up "CORA dropped the F bomb?" "She did. She told me she went to church 9 times after that before she felt forgiven. "HOLY... HOLY SOMETHING. " He squeezed Jamie's hand. "Do you regret..." Jamie stopped him. "If you live with regret Jackie, you may as well put your head in the oven. We're gonna be living together, just like we were. It's gonna be great. And...." He showed Jack his engagement ring. It started a new flood . "OH BOY. OH WOW. I'm gonna make SURE you catch the garter, Jamie bird. " Jamie held him quietly "You said it once Jackie. What we have, no one will ever have. EVER. And there's so much of it, we'll have it until, well, we meet Cora. Now get yourself up, let me get you looking pretty, and become Mr. Robson Reilly. " Jack gave Jamie another big hug. "I left the key for Felix. He's running late, but he'll be there. He and Carlos. So don't worry that we're not waiting for him." What Jack didn't know is that Jamie had a few surprises in store for him at this wedding. One of them was a certain canine who was going to be in attendance. And Felix and Carlos were coming by to get her. Felix had walked Magnolia a few times. She liked him, she LOVED Carlos and, as Felix said once, mysteriously "Carlos knows how to work a leash."
So they headed off, Jamie pushing Jack into a cab when he started heading to the subway. "GEEZ JACK. It's your wedding day. Spend a little money." Jack blushed. "I can't help it. I worry about traffic jams and being late." "Uh, Jack, it's your wedding. They'll wait for you. " As the car went downtown, Felix let himself and Carlos in the apartment. "C'mon Magnolia. You're gonna be the bitch of honor today," Magnolia got up. The pups would be ok for a while, for sure. Carlos thought it would be better to get them in a room so they didn't destroy the apartment, so he moved everything into a bathroom. Then, he took the leash, snapped his fingers, and Magnolia got there before Felix did. Carlos laughed. "Later baby." And as that was happening, a server named Bonnie was sitting at Phoebe's taking a break from set up, and smiling over who would be eating there tonight. Her heart was filled to breaking, as her mother would've said. She had a gift for Jack and Mark, too.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx
So everyone got to the hotel to get ready, as guests began to gather at the theater. As Jack was getting dressed, he noticed that his shirt was tighter than at the fitting. "Jamie, did I gain THAT much weight? I can barely close these buttons." Jamie smiled. "First, Jackie, if it doesn't billow on you like a sail, it doesn't mean it's tight. But yeah, Mark thought you'd look handsomer in a tighter shirt. So he spoke to Aldo. " "And you didn't tell me?" Jamie looked at him. "Do I have to remind you, AGAIN, sub boi? " Jack laughed. "You're right. I wanna look good for my husband. But now.. DAMN. Can you help me with this fucking bow tie? Why the hell did I pick bow ties." Jamie came over. "Because you look good in them sweetheart." He fixed Jack's tie, and then, he began tearing up. "My big brother. My protector. He's getting married. And I am too. OH SHIT JACKIE. Cora was right. She said we'd be ok." "Jamie bird, we're MORE than ok. We're great. " Jack slipped into his jacket and put on the straw hat. "Now, let's go get me hitched."
Jack came out of the hotel room just as Mark left his. They stopped, and essentially cruised each other. "Damn. I'd fuck you you fine man" Mark joked. "I think that horse got out of the stable Sir." Mark laughed. "There's a horse in the stable... For now... Ready to RIDE later tonight." Jack blushed. "People are gonna hear. OH WHO CARES. " They walked, hand in hand to the theater. Mark was subdued, but Jack was like a kid who had had too much candy. 'HEY EVERYBODY. GUESS WHO'S GETTING MARRIED. THIS GUY. AND THIS GUY. " Now it was Mark's turn to redden, as people pulled up their photo and took snaps. One very brave woman came up. "Excuse me, but can I get a picture of the two of you kissing?" "Twist my arm, sis," answered Mark. He grabbed Jack and planted one on him. It became a cover a few days later, in one of the acting rags "Up and coming director Mark Riley marries his sweetheart of 20 years" was the heading.
As they came into the theater, Mark felt as if his stomach had fallen out of him. "OH GOD. THIS IS IT. " He thought. "Can I be a good husband?" He must have spoken it out loud because Jack whispered "Yes, you can. " He took Mark's hand and, as the music changed, they walked down the middle aisle. Gloria and Rebecca were singing a duet, and Laurie was standing there, smiling. Cooper, Jamie, Felix and Tom were all there too at her sides. As they walked down the aisle, Magnolia couldn't help herself, and ran out to get a pet from Jack. He bent down of course, and took the slurp on his face. "Hey girl. " He whispered. "Your pop is getting married. Yeah. Ain't that cool? Thanks for coming girl. It wouldn't have been the same without you."
The actual ceremony happened very fast. Jamie held out the rings . There was an exchange of vows, of rings, of kisses. And then the applause, and the singing. And the mad rush to the bar at Phoebe's.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx
Mark and Jack had decided NOT to change for the reception, and when the Master of Ceremonies (Connor), announced them, in they walked. Neither one had ever smiled that much in his life. There was a photo taken at that dinner, shared among many, of the two of them, hats off, foreheads meeting, and smiling. The geometry was like a heart. Laurie used it as the cover of their photo album, in that shape.
The speeches. Everyone laughed when Jamie stood up and said "I have to let all of you know: Jack and I are sluts, because we've slept with the most people at this table." Perhaps no one spoke more tenderly, and sweetly, than Felix, who talked about all that Jack had taught him - at work, and for his life, and how he was thrilled that Jack and Mark had walked down the aisle first, he was sad that he and Jack wouldn't be working together soon. The audience was filled with people from the building, and after the mandatory hitting of glasses with their forks, there was a collective "JACK DON'T GO/JACK DON'T GO" chant.
"Hey sailor. Remember me?" Jack looked up as Bonnie was pouring wine. "BONNIE. I thought Monday was your day off. WAIT. DID YOU.. BECAUSE OF ME? " "Yup. Now sit down and drink. Oh, first, I wanted to give you something for the wedding. Don't open it now. Save it for later. " "Bonnie... are they going to allow you to dance with us?" She smiled. "if that's your way of asking a girl to dance, Jack, the answer is yes. Who gives a shit if they don't want me to."
And then, the dancing began. "I hope I remember the steps." Jack muttered. "Brian is on the end of his table. He'll call it out for you." Ultimately though, we watch the married couple dance, just to see them kiss at the end. No one was disappointed. Nor were they disappointed when Tom and brian took to the floor in a dance so slow, they didn't move. Except for Tom's hands. Yes, Tom's hands moved up and down brian's ass, and everyone noticed. And everyone approved.
Cooper and Jamie had planned a jitter bug, and they took to the floor. Then Felix and Carlos samba'd , and called out everyone to do a conga line. Jack went over to Bonnie. He turned to the DJ. "Do you have "the band played on?" "I DO. Shall I?" Bonnie looked at him: that's the one about the strawberry blond isn't it Jack?" "Yup, it is. " As they danced, she whispered "please come and see me. I know you're moving uptown. Don't forget Bonnie." He looked at her. "Don't tell Magnolia this, but you're my number one girl. "
Then the singing. And then, there were more surprises. Of course, Rebecca and Gloria held court, and brought down the house with their duet on "Perfect Friendship," and then "Together" from Gypsy. Mark didn't know that Jack had a surprise for him, although he expected that Jack WOULD sing at some point.
"Thank you all for coming. I know all of you, and I hope I know all of you for a long time. Now, this song, is off season, but, well..." Jack sang "My Funny Valentine" looking at Mark. Mark smiled, threw Jack a kiss, and cried again. And when Jack finished, to a standing ovation, and Mark came over and hugged him , he whispered "now it's my turn."
Now, Mark wasn't a singer. He was clear on this. But he was singing? And Jamie came over to Jack: this is a gift from Mark and I. Come to the dance floor bro."
Mark was a good public speaker, but he was having trouble holding it together as he said. "Now, I don't know if you know this song Jack. Jamie told me that the two of you used to sing it together when you were in the Boarding House. so..." Jack looked at Jamie. "You remembered." "HOW COULD I FORGET? NOW HOLD ME CLOSE AND DANCE. SLOW." Mark then got through "My eyes adored you." When Jack closed his eyes, during the dance, he saw his life with Jamie, and his life with Mark, in front of him. And now, they were both in his life.
As the party was ending, and Jack and Mark were thanking everyone, Jack was holding onto Magnolia's leash. "FEEL. Thanks for bringing the lady . GOD. There were so many surprises tonight..." Bonnie heard him and smiled. Her gift was going to be one more. One of their gifts was a two night stay at the honeymoon suite at the hotel where they changed. Off they went.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx
They kissed madly in the elevator, and when they saw no one in the hallway, moreso outside of the suite. They got in. It was HUGE. "OH WOW. This is bigger than some of the theaters I worked in." Mark pulled off his jacket. So did Jack. "I gotta take off my shoes, babe. All that dancing and standing." Jack sat down on the bed, and loosened his necktie. "Sneak. Getting my shirt altered. " Mark laughed as he sat down next to him. "You looked so damn sexy." He kissed Jack. "Congratulations you married man." Gently, ever so gently he pushed Jack back on the bed. "Remember I told you about that horse in the stall? It's an enraged stallion."
"Better let him out then." "One thing first, though. I have a little gift for you Jack. " Mark reached into his overnight bag. He pulled out another slave necklace. A bigger one, with a bigger lock on it. "This is for home Jack. It's too heavy to wear to work, but... I want you to wear it at home. When you're with me." "Oh, of course I will Sir. Always." "Now look at the back." Jack turned over the lock. It was inscribed "Mark's Man." "You're not a boy anymore Jack. You're a man. My man." "But.. but .. my hats. " "Taken care of sweetpea. Now... I'm gonna take care of you. " "FUCK YES." Jack exhaled. Mark found space in his shirt to circle his navel with his finger. It tickled, and Jack tried to fight it, but of course... Mark knew how to handle him. And since his nipples pointed out of the tight shirt as an easy target, it wasn't long before that "stallion" found a new stall, and moved back and forth, as Mark moaned. "OH YEAH. FUCK ME HUBBY. FUCK YOUR HUSBAND. FUCK ME STUD FUCK ME GOOD." Mark did. And later, he did it again. And in the middle of the night, when he woke up, and Jack kissed him, he did it again. They slept late.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx
In the morning, as they were getting ready for breakfast, Jack said to Mark "Hey, how about a walk? I wanna introduce my ducks to my new husband." "You wanna walk ALL the way up to the park?" Jack smiled. "I wanna walk all the way back home, holding your hand, and I wanna show everyone how the no account dumb kid got married to the greatest guy in the world." "Let's stick to the park first." On the way, Jack stopped and bought bread to feed the ducks. "You're gonna feed them too hubby." "Now, Jack, come on. You know how I feel about animals." "Get used to it hubby. You may be the boss in bed, but the new house is closer to my ducks. We're gonna see them a lot. " At the pond, Jack gave Mark big hunks of bread. "Just toss it out in the air. They won't fly. They'll follow it. None of them are gonna hurt you." Mark did , and it was almost like the one time he got to fly a kite when he was a kid. 'HEY DUCKS. MY HUSBAND IS FEEDING YOU. THAT'S RIGHT. NOT MY FRIEND, NOT MY LOVER BUT MY HUSBAND. MY NEW HUSBAND!!!!!" Mark could only laugh at that enthusiasm. When the bread was done, and they were sitting on a bench in the park, Jack put his arm around Mark's shoulders. "You're thinking of your mom, aren't you?" Mark sniffled. "You know me too well. I wonder how nasty she'd be about this." Jack held him tighter. "You know, last night, when we weren't , well..., I had a dream about my mother. She asked about her two sons. So I guess you can have part of my mom if you like." Mark just started crying. "That may be the best gift I ever get." They sat on the park bench until the sun began to drop. "you know , Mark, something my mom told me once: there have been hundreds, and thousands of sunsets, and no two of them are the same. Ever. " He looked at Mark. "let's try to see as many sunsets together as we can." "That's a deal babe. That's a solid deal." He kissed Jack , and then Jack felt a small packet in his slacks. "OH. This is a gift that Bonnie gave me. Let's open it." He did. It was a locket. When he opened it, Jack's mouth dropped. "Mark... This is my mom. In the center. That's me at the side. And the girl.. That young girl... That's Bonnie."
EPILOGUE
So, that's where we are folks. Lots of material for you writers to maybe pick up on. Let's jump forward, first 3 months, and then 6 months, and then a year.
In 3 months, Jack's job as the superintendent ended, and he, Mark, Jamie and Cooper, all moved into the brownstone. Felix and Carlos moved in, and the six of them gave a joint party. Lots of drinking, lots of food, lots of dancing. And lots of sex afterward.
Six months later, the business was going great for Jamie, Cooper and Jack, and Mark had settled into his job. He was home most of the time, and he and Jack made full use of the playroom. So did Jamie and Cooper.
What you should know is, at one point, Jamie and Cooper approached Jack. They wanted to know if, when Mark was on a business trip, if Jack wanted to fulfill his fantasy and top Cooper. He declined. And for the rest of their lives together, Jack never topped anyone again.
Jamie and Cooper got married six months after they moved into the new house. Felix and Carlos beat them to it by two weeks, but there were lots of wedding ceremonies going on during this time. And shortly after they got married, Felix and Carlos adopted a little girl . Her name is Jasmine, but everyone calls her Jazz.
It may surprise some of you, but the next one to pop the question.... was brian. He wasn't going to wait for Tom to do it, so he did it. And Tom said yes. They're planning their wedding now. Brian DID move on to become a dance instructor at that academy. His classes are always overbooked. And he's in great demand as a wedding dance instructor.
Laurie actually found herself a boyfriend. Let's not faint folks. The "non binary " movement had caught up Aldo, and he moved in with Laurie. They and Magnolia's pup have never been happier.
Gloria and Connor had their first child. They named him Jackson Marcus. And Rebecca is now the leading lady of Broadway in her new show.
Magnolia and her two daughters keep guard over the brownstone. Or at least the daughters do. Magnolia settled into a sedate middle age after she had "the procedure. " She still adores Tom when he comes to visit , tolerates Mark, and loves when Jamie plays with her.
And let's not forget Bonnie. Well, she and Jack DID talk to each other , more than once. What did they talk about? Well, that's for someone else to pick up. As this author says, so frequently "our revels now have ended."
I hope that this story has helped everyone get through this COVID crisis. I didn't even realize I had started writing it just before quarantine began. Be well, everyone. Stay safe. And make a donation to Nifty. Make it in the name of your favorite character. Or make it in the name of someone the story brings to mind. I have other stories. You can find them easily on this site. For now, farewell, and BE well. Ropingtop