When the boys reached their home that evening they unlocked the front door and went in calling "Dad, we're home." When no answer came, they checked the kitchen, he wasn't there but he had put supper on in the crock pot and had some fresh cinnamon buns on the counter. Next to the plate of buns was a note saying, Gone to check out the business that my father left me, be home in time for supper, have a bun and do your homework. Love ya, Dad. The boys smiled grabbed a bun each and started up the stairs to start on their homework. When they reached the top of the stairs, the red headed twin turned to his brother and said "Ok, what were you going to tell me when we got home?"
The raven haired boy looked up at his father's door and saw that it was open, "It will be easier to show you." Saying that he walked into his father's bedroom and picked up a picture from the desk. "You remember I told you about asking Dad if he had a boyfriend in high-school. Well, we have found him. Mr. Vincent was daddy's special friend."
"How you figure that, he said he knew dad in high school. He didn't say they were special friends."
"Here's the picture of his boy friend, notice any similarity to Mr. Vincent?"
'Damn, That is Mr. Vincent, you think we ought to try to get them together."
"Couldn't hurt to try. It might cheer Daddy up."
Double Dee walked into his apartment and placed his bag on the coffee table. He sat on the couch and pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa. It was the blanket that he had gotten from the junk yard, that Nazz had told him was Kevin's favorite blanket. Now when he felt he need reassurance he usually wrapped the blanket around himself. In his mind he felt that when he did that Kevin came and wrapped him up in a warm hug and told him that everything would be alright. As Dee sat there wrapped up in the blanket his mind slowly stopped racing. 'Do you want to see Kevin again? Yes!, If he wants you back in his life are you willing to be there on his terms? Whatever it takes. Do you mind that he has sons to take care of and may not want to be in a relationship with you? Do you still love him with your whole heart? Yes!
When Double Dee's mind cleared and settled on the final answer, he thought to himself that he was hungry and would make supper. He though about what to make and decided on a recipe that Kevin had taught him. Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta ala Kevin, yum, but he needed ingredients. He hadn't made that in awhile. Grabbing his keys he headed out to the local supermarket.
Dee walked down the aisle pushing his shopping cart mumbling out his list of ingredients to himself. "Chicken Breast, onions, celery and spices."
Just as he was reaching for the chicken breast he heard a voice say, "If you are making what I think you are, don't forget the bell pepper. You gotta have the holy trinity in Cajun cooking" Dee recognized the voice and turned around to face Kevin.
Neither man could speak, both opened their mouth to say something but nothing came out. Finally Kevin said, "are you about done, I got what I came in for. If so let's checkout and go somewhere and talk. Please."
After checking out they walked out to the parked minivan, neither had spoken a word. As they were putting the bags into Kevin's car their eyes met. Emerald Green and icy blue eyes locked on to each other. Finally Kevin spoke, "Edd, I don't know, what or how to even say it, but I'm willing to patch up our friendship if you are willing. I know I ruined your life back then and I am truly sorry."
"No, Kevin you didn't ruin my life, if anything I ruined yours."
"No Dee, never think that, you were the brightest part of my life, and will always be. So never think that."
"Tell you what, let's grab a coffee and take a stroll through the park. That's a good neutral spot for a first conversation."
After getting their coffee and walking along for a few moments Kevin said "Dee why didn't you ever contact me, I was in the sports news for awhile. I figured that you didn't contact me because you had found someone new and just didn't want me anymore."
"I still love you Kevin, I always will. I thought since you got married and had a child on the way you didn't want me in the way. I wanted you to be happy and not reminded of the past."
"No, you love the Kevin I once was, star athlete, handsome popular, confident jock. My confidence is long gone, I had it beaten out of me over the years. It's one reason that I came back to Peach Creek. I want to reconnect with my former self and get my self confidence back. I know I can't be the boy I once was, but I want to become the man that boy would have become if all hadn't gone terribly wrong. And don't for the life of you think you were the wrong part. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. I want to become the man, I would have been with you by my side. If you would like to try to rekindle what we once had, I would like that, but if you don't I can understand. At least I have my two boys to love. But if I could get my dork back in my life then everything would be complete."
"I still love you Kevin. You being the handsome over achieving confident sexy jock, was a bonus, but I fell in love with, your warm caring heart, your sense of humor and those sexy green eyes. Why don't you give me one of those sexy grins you used to do."
"I seem to have lost them along the way, won't you help me get them back Dee? Help me become Kevin again."
"What are you going to do for a job here in Peach Creek? There is a coaching position open at our school you could apply for. I know you have the credits to become a coach. I did keep up with your achievements and always rooted for you while you were playing. I even went to all of your games while you were in the NFL."
"I wish I had known you were in the bleachers rooting for me. It would have made the game better for me if I had known you were there."
They walked back to the parked cars. Along the way Kevin had reached over and took Edd's hand in his. They walked along silently, each lost in their own thoughts. When they reached Edd's car Kevin asked, "Would you like to go out with me Friday night?"
"I already have plans for Friday night. I..."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't want to upset your plans."
"Wait Kevin, you didn't let me finish. I was going to say I am going to the Peach Creek football game Friday evening and was going to ask if you would like to accompany me, and then we could go do what ever you wanted to do."
"Choice! We'll go to the game, and afterwards I'll take you out for dinner." Grinned Kevin, a sparkle coming into his eyes.
"hmmm, it looks like the lost Kevin isn't so lost after all."
"See ya Friday, Dee." Kevin said as he started to get into his car.
"Wait, Kevin," Dee said as he leaned in and kissed the redhead on the cheek.
The emerald eyed man smiled mischievously and said. "Is that all an old flame gets is an old granny's kiss on the cheek.?" Saying that he grabbed Dee in a hug and placed his lips full on the raven haired man's lips. Swiping his tongue across Dee's bottom lip asking for entrance. The mouth opened and their tongues wrestled around a bit.
They broke the kiss to breathe, "I wouldn't want anybody gossiping about the school marm, so we better stop right now. Here's my number call me Dee. I still love you, Babe." Kevin said jumping into the minivan.
"Kevin, you want to come over to my apartment for a little while?" Dee asked hesitantly.
"I would love to, but I better be getting home to the boys, no telling what they may get up to alone in the cul-de-sac by themselves. Just imagine if there had been two of me back in the day."
"They're not that bad, I have them both in my Chemistry class, and they both seemed to be well behaved and courteous. Tho the red haired one seems to have your temperament. I noticed him looking at someone with that warning glance you used to give people. You know the one that said "Don't fuck with me.'"
"Yeah, that sounds like Kevie. He does take after me a great bit. Edd is more laid back, but he can give back as good as he gets, if not better. I taught both my boys to be able to defend themselves, and any others they feel they need to protect."
"You and your wife did a great job of raising the boys." Dee smiled, then frowned as he saw a dark look come into the emerald eyes.
"She never really liked the boys, from their birth she refused to have anything to do with them. I named them, I cared for them. All she wanted was my fame after she got that she didn't even want me. In fact the only time we ever had sex was when the boys were conceived. And to tell you the truth, I've been basically true to you since then. It felt so wrong with anybody else after you."
Dee blushed and looked up at Kevin. "You are the only one I've ever been with. I tried, while in college but never found anyone that measured up to you."
"Oh, come on Dee, I may be big but I ain't that big." Kevin laughed wagging his eyebrows at Dee.
"I didn't meant THAT way, I meant no one could compare with you."
"I knew what meant Dee, I just had to tease you, I could always get a rise out of ya, that's for sure. I'll have to have you over and cook supper for you one night. Call or text me later, Dee."
Double Dee waved as Kevin backed out of the parking space, and slowly walked back to his car. OK, Dee, we'll take it slow and see where it goes from here. I do still love him, but don't want to get hurt like that again.
As Kevin was pulling into his driveway he noticed an older lady standing by the mailbox cross the street. She was leaning on a walker watching him as he unloaded the bags from the car. She raised one arm and waved him to come over to her.
The red head walked over and asked, "May I help you, Mrs. Vincent?"
"I was just wondering if that was you Kevin, and now I see that it is, I want to apologize for helping to perpetrate that horrible tragedy that was foisted upon you boys. I have since come to terms of how wrong I was. Eddward said you love him and that he loved you."
"It's in the past now, and can't be undone, but no use crying over that now. The past cannot be changed, but I will forgive you for Dee's sake. And to let you know I do still love him and hope to get him back into my life if it is at all possible."
The lady smiled, "You boys deserve a happy ending, for having to go through such a horrible start. I hope you and Eddward can get back together. I guess I better go back inside, I'm getting a bit chilly. No I don't need any help." She slowly made her way back into the house and closed the door.
When he walked into the house, it was eerily quite, he thought to himself, hmmm, what are the boys up too? They are never this quite. He walked into the living room and there sat the boys, watching him. "What's up boys?"
"Dad, we need to talk. You always tell us that we can tell you anything. We want you to feel that you can tell us anything as well." The dark haired teen spoke up.
Kevin looked at the boy, "And just what do you want to talk about?"
"This." Said the raven haired boy pulling the picture of Double Dee from behind his back. "We met Mr. Vincent at school today, he is our chemistry teacher. And he seems to be a really nice person."
At that moment there came a knock at the front door. Thankful for a bit of interruption Kevin walked over to answer the door. As he pulled the door open he saw the object of their conversation standing there.
Double Dee smiled showing the gap in his teeth. "Hi, Kevin I seem to have placed my groceries in your car while we were at the store."
Kevin smiled and invited Edd in. "Come in Dee, You know you wanted to come over and see me again." laughed the emerald eyed man.
"Well it does seem as if I made a Freudian slip, didn't I." He walked into the room and looked at the twins who were sitting on the couch. The dark haired boy had a picture in his hand. Dee noticed that it was a picture of himself. "Oh, my am I interrupting something? Should I go?"
"No, Dee, I may need your help with this one." Kevin grinned at Dee. "They seem to have found your picture in my room and I had told Eddie that you were a special friend that I had lost track of."
"I see, what do you boys want to know. I can't answer for your father, but I can answer for me as long as it's not too personal."