C. J. - Stories

A Friday night conversation over pizza.

With a wedding on the horizon, CJ Abelló and Owen Liston are determined to make it a celebration their guests will not soon forget. The months leading up to it are full of emotional events and travel. Come join them as they share their journey with friends and family.

CJ has spent his first few months in Washington, D.C. living with his father and surrounded by a group of gay men who have become his mentors.

As he begins his sophomore year in high school at School Without Walls, the traumatic events at the end of summer linger. And over the next few months, he begins to explore his new life with visits to Chicago, Miami, and New York City.

Geoff and Pam Liston, Owen’s parents, fly to Washington for a visit. It’s the first time they see their son and granddaughter since the fiasco in December 2020 when Pam wanted to baptize Liebe behind CJ’s back. Although therapy and drugs have helped her deal with anxiety and depression, the girl’s kidnapping in Mexico has negatively affected her behavior.

A little over a year after graduating from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, the State department posts CJ Abelló to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. CJ, his husband Owen Liston, and their daughter, Elizabeth Liston Abelló, immediately make themselves at home south of the Rio Grande.
Until disaster strikes and their lives are forever altered.

Returning to Washington, D.C. after the Mexican ordeal and time off in South Florida, CJ, Owen, and Liebe must adapt to their new reality. They are all celebrities and must navigate a sea of friends, well-wishers, and reporters. A meeting with President Biden in the White House could set the stage for CJ reentering the political arena.

César asks for family time as a birthday present, so Brett charters the sailing mega yacht Flying Circus for a vacation. Cruising the Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain, César celebrates his 50th, and Owen his 35th. While the adults enjoy the white-glove service, Liebe, Roosevelt, and Jefferson Abelló keep them on their toes.

CJ Abelló and Owen Liston return from their honeymoon ready to tackle married life. CJ's last two years at Georgetown University are filled with family, friends, and adventure. The events carry the couple to new heights of happiness and depths of sadness. Their lives will never be the same afterward.

CJ Abelló returns to Georgetown in the fall of 2022 for an advanced degree. During the two years back on the Hilltop, his education is not limited to the classroom; his analytical mind and his ability to articulate complex matters in a way his audience could assimilate the matter helped. He was asked to write articles for professional journals, attend seminars by both liberal and conservative think tanks, and speak at schools and conferences.

The long-awaited conclusion to the CJ Series.