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On Friday they have climbing, they are now an official college club 'climbing and clubbing' and get the discounts they wanted for the wall and can advertise on campus. They haven't organized that yet and as yet more people show up this week they don't feel the need. Lots of people from the other club show up, some deflecting, others wanting an extra group session.
"Well we know it was lies about you being the reason numbers are down." Laura a committee member from the other club says to Dylan.
"Yeah, I know why my friend don't go any more and a few of the girls but I think numbers are just down as we didn't have enough freshmen joining to replace last years seniors." Dylan says.
"Agreed we failed on recruitment this year and this club has a new angle that people like. You're not trying to bring us down." Laura says.
"I can't say that this isn't partially revenge. But we've not actively recruited anyone other than the girls we knew were unhappy. Us failing to clean up the club was a failure on all of us." Dylan says.
"Yeah, you and John never took it seriously. You have changed and not just because you're out now." Laura says.
"I take things far less personally now. I'm a lot more open to change and improvement." Dylan says.
"It shows." Laura says with a smile.
Robin has Bea join them at the club, Blue and Deke keep out her way but it's too loud for an interrogation anyway. Dylan and Deke enjoy dancing together, a night away from DeShawn who is away for a game, they are having a lot of fun together.
Robin goes back with Bea for a change as all her roommates are away and she doesn't like being alone.
"Why do you have a photo of Clara? Who is that with her?" Robin asks looking at the pictures on Bea's desk.
"Please don't freak out." Bea says.
"Is she your aunt or something? Did you target me?" Robin asks.
"No I didn't target you but I may have put up with your non-committal ways to keep a connection to Blue." Bea admits.
"So what's the big secret? You and Blue are family, that's clear." Robin says.
"I need to talk to Kit. If I tell you everything you can't tell Blue and I know you'll tell him." Bea says.
"You're not allowed to tell Blue? If he gets told something bad happens to you? Will someone hurt you? I can keep you safe." Robin asks.
"School is paid for on the condition Kit and I don't tell Blue." Bea says.
"So you can tell me but not him?" Robin clarifies. Bea shrugs.
"Please let me talk to Kit. I want Blue to know everything more than I want a degree. Believe me, Kit is happy to wait until we graduate." Bea says.
"I'm meeting my girlfriend and her brother at the all night coffee shop. The brother's boyfriend, my roommate and my oldest friend will be there too. If we don't notice and they happen to overhear my girlfriend telling me all about her family while introducing me to her brother...." Robin tails off.
"Okay. Fuck it. Will you be able to get them there and shouldn't it just be Blue?" Bea asks.
"Gervais needs to know as he's dating Chris and he'll be having the same questions as I do. Andy is family to Blue and it sounds like telling everyone at once and answering all questions will be best. Will Chris, Kit, whatever he's called come?" Robin asks.
"Yeah we might not be that close but he'll always be there if I ask." Bea says.
Blue, Andy and Gervais walk over to the coffee place together a little confused.
"What do you think he wants?" Blue asks.
"Do you think Chris is cheating on me?" Gervais asks.
"Wouldn't need me for that." Andy says.
"Do you think he's okay? Maybe he's seen the guys that jumped him last year." Blue says.
"Much as I'd love them to get what they're due I hoped all that gay bashing stuff was long over." Gervais says.
Andy and Gervais grab a table and extra chairs while Blue orders hot chocolate for everyone. Robin, Bea and Chris come in just as Blue is carrying over the drinks.
"Holy shit you could be twins." Andy says what everyone is thinking.
Gervais feels utterly creeped out seeing his boyfriend and his ex side by side.
"Can I say I am totally against this happening. I don't want to stress about my tuition being paid. Bea has some scholarship money and could probably get by but I don't." Chris says.
"What do you mean?" Blue asks starring at this stranger who is his skinny double.
"We get college paid for if we don't tell you." Bea says.
"Well between us we can cover that if it comes to it." Andy says.
"How can you just say that to strangers?" Chris asks.
"Because clearly Blue needs to know what is going on. Deserves to know and a few grand in tuition isn't that important." Gervais says looking from his boyfriend to his ex and back.
"It's more than a few grand." Chris says.
"We know what it costs to go here and we can cover it." Andy says knowing Katelyn would never object if he used some of her money this way, and if he can't Spence or Gervais can.
"You're Robin right? Who are you?" Chris asks Andy.
"Andy." Andy says.
"I'm Kit, Beas brother, Gervais boyfriend." Kit says.
"Why call yourself Chris to me?" Gervais asks.
"I was trying it out for college." Kit says.
"Can we deal with that after? Tell us everything from the beginning. Don't just drop the bombshell else we'll not hear the whole story, though I think we can all see we're in some parent trap like nightmare." Robin says.
"In college Clara and our Mom, Lena were roommates. Lena had an ectopic pregnancy but thought was bad cramps and delaying going to the hospital which meant it ruptured and complications lead to her having a full hysterectomy. She and Clara were best friends and Clara was with her every step of the way." Kit begins.
"Mom always wanted kids, she was utterly devastated that she would never be able to carry her own. Clara talked to her about adoption and made her a promise that if she really wanted that she would be a surrogate for her." Bea continues.
"Mom met Dad junior year and they married right after graduation. People thought it was a shotgun wedding but of course it couldn't be. Dad was totally against adoption. He wanted kids of his own, Married, out of college and in starter jobs mom was still unsettled and was desperate for babies so asked Clara if they could start trying. Clara was reluctant because she hadn't had her own yet, and wasn't planning to for a while, she and her boyfriend were nowhere near marriage." Kit says.
"How do you know what momma was thinking?" Blue asks.
"We can only go on what our parents have told us and our mom wouldn't lie to us." Kit says.
"Let them tell us everything, we can ask questions after." Robin says.
"Surrogates are meant to have had their own children to minimize complications of them wanting to keep the baby. Mom fell deeper into depression and dad was standing his ground about adoption and I doubt mom would have passed the checks at that point. Clara and her boyfriend split up and she agreed to do it. There was the issue of money, they couldn't afford to do anything officially. It was going to have to be diy insemination." Bea says.
"They got some of those meds to boost egg production, I think Clara had a friend who had been taking it or maybe they went to Mexico I don't know. The meds give an increased chance of conception and an increased chance of multiples and multiples lead to complications. So Clara drew up the contract and it stated if multiple children were born she would get to keep one." Kit says starring at Blue.
"So much temperature taking, ovulation predicting and turkey basters and the miracle occurs Clara conceives. Luckily she has good health insurance through her job and we three are born safely. Twin boys and me the fraternal triplet." Bea says.
"Clara does her best to nurse us all and take care of us alongside our mom while we are in the hospital for the first few weeks of our lives and while work is done on the adoption of us by our mom and dad severing parental rights to you." Kit says, the least emotional person there he suddenly stops, realizing just what that might mean to Blue.
"Sometime around then, we don't know if it was before we were born or after Clara came into some money. We don't know how. We know she swore mom to secrecy but somehow dad found out." Bea says.
"Dad was dealing with all the legal issues, Clara was in no state to as she was recovering from the birth and looking after you and mom was exhausted looking after us. There was a row when mom felt Clara was doing too much and she told her to back off to let her bond with us alone. Clara moved away and only left a po box for contact." Kit says.
"Dad got his termination of parental rights over you done but dropped the adoption proceedings without telling mom." Bea says sighing clearly finding it hard.
"And without telling mom he petitioned Clara for child support. Which she agreed until we turned 18. Dad lost a ton of money with his business when we were seniors in high school and college wasn't looking possible, that's when I deferred and planned my year out. Bea had scholarships that couldn't be deferred and Mom asked our grandparents for help but they refused, never having really accepted us as theirs, so she asked Clara for help. On hearing where we were planning to go here she agreed to pay tuition and housing as long as we didn't tell you who we were." Kit says.
"Last year I kept away. I didn't want to get to know you without Kit having the same chance. I mean I saw you in the paper, and around school a few times. I asked a couple of friends about you who were in your classes but I stayed away, I couldn't risk Kit losing his chance to go to college at all." Bea says.
"We didn't plan on dating your friends but we took the opportunity, Gervais I do love you, my feelings are completely real." Kit says.
"But you never asked about Blue. How did you know I even dated him?" Gervais asks.
"Oh because that's what's important." Andy says sarcastically.
"I saw you with him in the club and overheard your friends talking about your breakup. I was attracted to you anyway, I would have danced with you anyway." Kit says.
"So what now?" Blue asks.
"You either fuck up our lives or you keep quiet." Kit says looking at Blue with disdain.
"Our views differ. I really want to meet Clara to get to know her." Bea says.
"And I don't want to upset our parents or lose our tuition." Kit says.
"She wouldn't do that. We're freaking mirror images of each other, bar 20 pounds we're identical. We were bound to run into each other." Blue says.
"Twenty pounds and a foreskin." Gervais laughs and Blue looks at him for a second and grins back.
"Ahh so that's something else you got to keep, a mother, the money and your whole dick." Kit says not laughing.
"You got 2 parents, a sister and an extended family. These guys will tell you whilst money was never an issue I've lead a frugal life and have worked for most of it." Blue says.
Gervais looks at Blue and it hits him how big a deal this will be, how much he missed out on. That Blue also had a dad that didn't give a fuck is a huge shock.
"What will you do?" Bea asks.
"You can't pressure him yet, he needs time. You've known about him your whole life he's known five minutes." Robin says.
"Why didn't your mom push for the adoption when she found out it hadn't happened? I mean did she not have any legal standing with you guys. I don't see my mom leaving your dad with the upper hand like that. She did this for your mom." Blue says.
"The money." Kit says simply. Bea looks at Blue and
"So Clara does your parents just about the biggest favor a woman can and instead of them covering her costs and kissing her feet they charged her for it for the next 18 years, 22 years by the time you're done with school? What shits." Gervais says.
"She could afford it." Kit shrugs.
"Seriously? A single mom shouldn't have to prop up a two parent family. That's gross. I hope she does cut off your tuition." Andy says.
"It wasn't their fault." Blue says firmly and Andy pipes down but remains cross.
"No, but they cannot compare your allowance, which you work fucking hard for, with what you didn't have. I love Clara and I think she's amazing and however hard on you she is, she has made you amazing. But you spent much of your childhood just as alone as I was. These two have no idea what it is like to not have a parent around. Their mom stayed home while yours was out working. They are now happy for you to lose the relationship you have with your mom, because god knows you can't talk to her without her immediately knowing that you know, so they don't have to take out loans." Gervais says far angrier than Andy.
"I'm not trying to hold anything over you and I'm not complaining or comparing my life. I just need some time to process everything. My head is spinning. Let me sleep on it." Blue says quietly and calmly.
"Thanks Blue. We do understand that you need answers from your mom. But were you never curious about your dad?" Bea asks.
"My mom didn't lie to me. She got pregnant by sperm donor. I don't have a dad, okay she knew who donated the biological matter but that doesn't make any difference to me." Blue says.
"And us?" Bea asks.
"I'm glad you told me the story." Blue says.
"That's it, you don't want to get to know us?" Bea asks.
"I don't think so no. And its clear that that's mutual with Kit." Blue says.
"Why not?" Bea asks.
"I don't like you and Kit doesn't like me." Blue says simply.
"You barely know my sister." Kit says gruffly not denying that he can't stand Blue.
"I know she's a liar. She lied about knowing Dylan. She lied to every one of my friends, to Robin, she pumped my friends for information about me and mom and was aggressive and rude. I know her enough." Blue says and Bea gasps.
"Blue don't be hasty." Andy says.
"I'm sorry. It's late we've had a crazy night followed by all of this and I just don't know what to think." Blue says.
"Get my number from Gervais and call me when you decide." Kit says and gets up to leave.
"Robin will you walk me back?" Bea asks.
"Go with Kit." Robin says.
"Such a gentleman leaving your girlfriend when she needs you." Kit glares.
"I need some time to think." Robin says.
"You pushed her in to this." Kit says.
"She knows I know Clara, having a picture of her in her room was like waving a flag." Robin says.
"Are you fucking insane?" Kit shouts at Bea.
"You coming Gervais?" Chris asks.
Gervais gets up and follows Chris outside.
"I need to be with Blue tonight." Gervais says.
"He has those other guys. I need you." Chris says.
"We need some time apart. We both have a lot to think about and he needs me a lot more than you do. He has been there for me through so much, I owe him." Gervais says.
"I guess I need to talk to Bea anyway. Call me tomorrow." Chris says.
"I know you've been hostile tonight and I get it but do you think you'll want to get to know Blue? When things calm down?" Gervais asks.
"I don't know. I'm nothing like as curious as Bea." Chris says.
"Come to dinner at the suite on Sunday. You won't have to talk to him but after this I kind of feel I have to introduce you to the others." Gervais says.
"I'll think about it." Chris says and kisses Gervais goodnight.
Gervais goes back inside and sits back down next to Blue and grabs his hand.
"Their dad must be a real asshole." Andy says.
"Makes mine look like a prince of men." Gervais says.
"I think I was the lucky one." Blue says.
"Agreed. Your momma might have treated you harshly at times but she has also been an amazing role model and you turned out great." Gervais says.
"I imagine their mom has had a rough ride. If she divorced her husband she'd lose the kids. It must have been one hell of a falling out because I cannot imagine Clara leaving another woman in that position. That she stayed away and paid child support rather than swooping in and rescuing the kids and their mom speaks volumes." Andy says and the others nod.
"Let's go to bed. Tomorrow I'm going to talk to Cheryl. I bet she knows momma's side of the story." Blue says.
"That sounds a great idea. I know I'm dating Chris but I am here for you and will be to the end. If you need me to come with you to see your momma then I'm there. Just let us all know what you need, don't even think about trying to handle this yourself." Gervais says.
"There isn't a lot to handle. Yes it's a shock and that you are dating my twin is fucking weird. But I don't really consider them family and I don't see why my life needs to change." Blue says and the others exchange a worried look.
"You need to sleep on it." Andy says.
"I do, lets go." Blue says.
They walk out Andy slipping his arm round Blue's waist. Andy has no clue what this means for their family. For someone so open Clara keeping this a secret is a huge surprise to Andy. He understands, by telling Blue he didn't have a dad he never went looking for a man who was going to disappoint him and if even though he'd have found his dad lacking Blue might have wanted to live with his siblings and that would have crushed Clara.
Letting Blue go to school here and running the risk of him finding out is the part of the mystery Andy hasn't figured out yet.
"Do you want to come in with me?" Robin asks when they get back.
"No I'm okay. Uh can you guys keep this secret for now, not tell Spence or George or the others?" Blue asks.
"It's not our secret to tell." Robin says.
"Thanks." Blue says. He pauses outside his room and waits for Robin and Andy to go into theirs before turning and following Gervais. They undress and get into bed together without saying a word, neither surprised at the action.
Gervais throws his arm across Blue's chest and waits for the sobs to begin. He wipes Blue's tears and strokes his hair while whispering that its all going to be okay.