A/N: I would like to thank everyone who has been reading and reviewing this s/l. I would also like to iterate that I am not trying to be political in this story. I am simply setting a tone, and drawing on my own beliefs in order to create a story and develop the characters in a way that makes sense to me. Thank you for your patience and thank you , again, for reading.
On Sunday morning Sonny and Will got up at their usual time, which was rather early. They woke up when Little Ari did, as they had trained themselves to do. This time they both got up and shared the morning routine. Arianna Grace was changed, fed and burped, and then clothed in an adorable little outfit . Then they took turns holding and playing with their daughter.
They went downstairs at around 7:30 a.m. to have breakfast with the family. Sami and Marlena, Mrs. Hernandez, Maggie and Adienne were all there, along with Victor, Dario and Justin. As everyone was passing the ham, eggs, sausage and hash-browned potatoes around, Arianna was also passed around from person to person, without much of a fuss. She was getting used to all the attention.
The women, with Maggie as spokesperson, asked yet again if Sonny and Will wanted the women to go with them to church this morning. And as Sonny and Will had decided, Sonny spoke for the couple. They knew that at least one of the group was going to bring the subject up again.
"Ladies, Will and I haven't changed our minds. We really do appreciate the offer, and we would still like Dario to come along, but if this is going to be a test of whether we would fit in, then perhaps not having too many people along would be a good thing."
Will chimed in by stating that if they decided to continue to go to the church, perhaps some of them come accompany Will, Sonny and Arianna at a later date. That was a good enough compromise for the women. Although they now started arguing about who would be accompanying the boys first.
After breakfast, and just before they were to head out with Dario, Victor asked the boys if they were available to accompany him somewhere after church. They asked Victor where they would be going but Victor simply smiled and said: "You'll see"
Dario, Sonny, Will, and Little Ari (asleep in her bassinet) stepped into the main entrance of St-John the Elder Salem. The outside of the church was white-washed planks. The steeple was long and narrow. There was a plaque at the entrance stating that this was the second incarnation of St-John the Elder; the first church was too small for a growing congregation and so they tore it down and rebuilt a much bigger one.
The interior was not pretentious. It was very 'old church' but also rather modern in its feel. There were stained-glass windows, some in traditional biblical scenes and some in geometrical patterns.
As the three men walked in with baby in bassinet, there were two greeters at the door. They must have been given descriptions and advance notice that the boys were coming because they knew who Sonny and Will were; they knew about Little Ari and they asked who their friend was.
The lady greeter, Nancy, then took them upstairs to the balcony. At the very back of the balcony were glass doors. She opened them and showed the group a rather large room with a bathroom on one side and a large changing-table room on the other. The center of the room was filled with toys for babies and toddlers. This was the less-than-two year-old room. If the baby or the toddler had a meltdown then the rooms were pretty sound-proofed. Nancy indicated that they certainly did not have to stay up here, but it was available if they needed it.
Since Arianna was still asleep they went downstairs and sat in the middle aisle near the center. The organist came into view, and started playing a Bach prelude, rather beautifully. Then an announcer stood up and welcomed everyone. She invited everyone downstairs for refreshments after the service. The opening hymn was announced and everyone stood up.
A procession started. More than two dozen people in red robes singing the hymns; the choir began to walk by in centre aisle. Then several others and at the end was Father Fitz in his white robes. This had a very Roman Catholic feel to it. Dario even remarked on it: "This feels very familiar…"
The opening prayers were very similar to the Catholic ones, even the readings were basically the same. The psalms were chanted in a modernized version of a very old tradition. Then came father Fitz's sermon.
Father Fitz stood up and talked about what it meant to be Christian. He mentioned that Jesus had asked us to love our neighbours: "But what is a neighbour? Is it only someone with whom we live nearby? Someone that only has a similar colour to us? Our own political beliefs? Likes the same movies? What if they were gay? Or they actually liked broccoli? What then? Where do we draw the line?"
Father Fitz explained loving someone who you don't agree with, or who does things that you think are wrong, might be the hardest thing to do, but that is actually what Jesus wanted us to do. At least that is what Father Fitz thought.
Dario, Will and Sonny were each very surprised when Father Fitz actually invited his congregation to read the passages he had quoted and to think on it. They looked around and saw people nodding. He must do this kind of thing all the time. It was refreshing to actually be invited to think instead of being told what to think.
Little Ari had started to stir and so Sonny took her up to the change rooms. When he arrived there were quite a few toddlers busying away, chilling out with their toys and each other while their parents tried to pay attention to the service. Sonny changed Little Ari's diaper and started to coo at her when another parent walked in and introduced herself.
She asked if Sonny was new here and if he had come with anyone. He said that he had. That he and his fiancé, the baby's father, were here with the baby's to check the place out. He had said it that way deliberately. He wanted to judge people's true reaction. And her's was a rather typical reaction for that place:
"Oh! You and her father are getting married?! That's wonderful!" She then asked what their plans were and then went on to gush about Little Ari, once Little Ari started to giggle.
Sonny had come back down, with a now rather alert Arianna Grace, wriggling in her bassinet. Father Fitz was at the point of consecrating the bread and the wine. At the end he stated:
"This is not just an Episcopal table, this is God's Table. Everyone is welcome at God's table."
Dario decided to remain where he was, as did Sonny, but Will decided to take communion. He brought Little Ari. And when it was their turn, Father Fitz gave Will his wafer and bent down to bless Little Ari, saying:
"Lord, bless this child. She will grow up surrounded by love. Let her be able to understand it, and give it. Let her truly understand the example of her parents."
When the mass was over and everyone had gathered downstairs for coffee and treats, Sonny and Will and Dario were bombarded by questions and welcoming greetings from a variety of parishioners. They were interested in Little Ari and in why the group had decided to come. When Dario said he was there as moral support for the two fathers who were looking for a welcoming parish to possibly baptise their daughter, lots of people fawned praise over him.
A few members of the choir came up to Will and praised his singing. Will had been unaware that he had been singing loud enough for anyone to hear. When Father Fitz asked if they enjoyed themselves, they all nodded. And it was agreed that they would all be back next week, even Dario.
When they arrived back at the Kiriakis mansion they could not help but praise their experience as they talked about it to those that were gathered. The gatherers were the same people that were at breakfast, plus Kate Roberts who had now joined the group. They had lunch and then Victor asked everyone to hop in their cars and follow his limo. He wanted to show Will and Sonny something. Victor asked Sonny and Will to accompany him in the limo.
A convoy of cars left the Kiriakis mansion and proceeded to carve its way through several neighborhoods of Salem. They ended up in a rather old part of town. Will Horton recognized this neighborhood. His cousin Abigail's house was nearby.
The convoy came to a halt. Victor got out of the limo and directed Will and Sonny to a rather nice looking three story house, painted white with red trimming. There was a nice front garden, with flowers and bushes and rather large trees.
Victor waited for Kate and the others to congregate around the outside of the front door. Victor then said that this house had been recently renovated. It had four bedrooms, three bathrooms with several other living spaces and a rather large kitchen.
When Will and Sonny entered the house they were surprised to see and rather overwhelmed that the house had been at least partially furnished. In what seemed to be the parlour, there were several antique chairs and tables and a wall that had Brady, Horton, and Kiriakis framed family photos; some were old and some quite new.
The kitchen was spectacular, with a large island in the middle and a small breakfast table in a corner. The appliances were all new and state-of-the-art. In another room that Kate called the family room there was a sofa and lounge chair set that happened to be the one that Sonny and Will had been eyeing for weeks, along with a flat screen television and an X-box system.
On the second floor there were two large bedrooms. One was an exact replica of Little Ari's room at the Kiriakis mansion. And on the other was the master bedroom. It was beautiful. It was very masculine and reflected Will and Sonny's taste almost perfectly. There was a large balcony overlooking the backyard, which not surprising was also beautifully landscaped and had a fenced in pool.
Will and Sonny had tears in their eyes. They looked at one another and both leaned into each other and kissed one another passionately. When they had recovered significantly enough to speak, Will took the reins this time:
"This is perfect, but it's so large. There's still a third floor, what are we going to do with all this space? And…you must really think we would go for this, since you've already decorated…"
Apparently Victor had been designated as spokesperson for this, since he laughed and said:
"We thought you both would like it. There is some money designated for furnishings and entertainment systems. "
Kate interjected and explained that they had gotten the property rather cheaply and if the boys really didn't like it, the property would sell rather well, or so she was told:
"The condo shopping the other day had simply been an exercise in creating options"
This remark had been met with a rather dark look from Victor:
"We haven't actually come to the part that will probably sweeten the deal, at least for you Will…"
When Will and Sonny both looked at the group with rather intrigued looks Victor smiled and continued:
"This house was once owned by the Grayson, in fact we believe that a certain Alice Grayson Horton was born here, in this house…"
Will couldn't believe what he was hearing: "Great Grandma Alice was born in this house?"
The look that Will gave Sonny when Will realized the historical significance to his family, was enough for Sonny to say: "We'll take it"
Justin, who had been waiting patiently for this very reaction came forward and said: "That's great news. Sign here" as he presented papers that would make Will and Sonny co-homeowners.
The sweet sound of Little Ari making sleep noises were heard from the baby monitor that was next to Will and Sonny as they spent their first late evening in their new house, in front of the TV watching a DVD. Sonny and Will were both cuddled together on the couch. When Will felt Sonny yawn, he stood up and presented a hand towards his fiancé who took it happily. Will led Sonny up the stairs to their bedroom.
Will undressed Sonny and then himself. He then prepared to curl himself inside of Sonny as he normally would. Sonny however had other ideas:
"I'm not tired anymore", he said while grinning from ear to ear. Will, himself smiling, said: "I didn't think you'd stay tired for long."
They spent quite a bit of their first night in their new home, exploring each other; making sure that each knew that their love for the other was stronger than ever.