The Barnstable Chronicles: Vic Greenley Comes Home - 15. Moving Forward & Epilogue

Journal Entry - 12/28

December 28. One year ago, I lost Hayden. It’s been a fucked up year, to say the least.

When we found out just how sick Hayden was, it was way too late to do anything. The cancer had spread to his lungs, kidneys, and pretty much everything else you could name. The doctors decided to follow a pain control treatment to make Hayden’s last weeks as comfortable as possible.

We were lucky that they would be able to take care of Hayden at home. Mrs. Oglethorpe was amazing, telling me to take all the time I needed. She would use my office to do her work and keep an eye on things.

Hunter and Perry had moved in next door and helped me take care of Hayden—but the most significant thing they did was help take care of me. They made sure I ate, and Hunter would drag my ass out of the house two or three times a week and make me run. The strange thing is that it wasn’t the running that did me any good—it was the crying—the full-out, balls-to-the-wall crying that Hunter let me do. I couldn’t—or wouldn’t—cry around Hayden. He didn’t need to see that.

Hayden’s parents came to the house several times. They were able to talk through and work out a lot of their differences—or I should say INdifferences. Having that taken care of was a huge help for Hayden in his final days.

The funeral was too much. Hayden always claimed that he didn’t have many friends, but the church was packed, and there were many people I didn’t know. Hayden’s sister and his boss spoke, but I couldn’t tell you a word they said. I think the one thing I will never forget came from one of our trips to New York. We had just seen “Wicked,” and he casually mentioned that he wanted ‘For Good’ sung at his funeral when he died. It was just a passing comment, but I remembered it at the last minute while we were planning his funeral.

Cam and Ian sang it. Oh my God, it was beautiful. I don’t remember the whole song, but I’ll never forget the first verse and the chorus:

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
Because I knew you
I have been changed for good.

I’ll be right back.

 

Journal Entry - 5/17

Okay, so I didn’t come right back. It’s fucking May now!

It’s funny when I think back on my life with Hayden. It sometimes makes me laugh. I mean, we were two guys who were total opposites. He was the consummate nerd. Me? Total jock. I think that’s one of the reasons we clicked so well—there was just so much for us to learn about and show each other. Every day we were together, it seemed like there was something new to discover. My love for Hayden grew exponentially every day.

His last Christmas was tough. I had bought a ring and had planned to propose to him after opening presents with the family. I still gave him the ring, and he never took it off, even though it was too large for his thinning fingers. After giving him his ring, he told me to dig through the bottom of his t-shirt drawer.

Yes, Hayden had also planned to propose to me on Christmas Day. And yes, I still wear his ring. The only thing was that before he gave me the ring, he made me promise that I would move on—that I would open my heart to someone again. He gave me his blessing and made me promise that I would share my life with an amazing man when he came into my life.

So yes, every time I look at that beautiful ring, I hear his words—“Promise me, dammit! I will come back and haunt the shit out of you if you don’t let yourself love again!”

About a week after school started again, I called Mrs. Oglethorpe and told her I was ready to go back to work. She thought it was too soon, but I had to get out of the fucking house. And you know something? I was able to give 110% to my job and was a fucking awesome principal. It was just going home that sucked. It seemed like I was living some kind of double life for the rest of the school year. Awesome at work, sad and lonely at home.

It was during Spring Break when Hunter, Perry, Vic, and Jack Fletcher (one of my first hires) came to the house and dragged me out to dinner. It was actually a really nice time, but I remember feeling a little weirded out when I would catch Jack just staring at me and smiling.

When school started back up, I would find Jack standing next to me when I would watch over the kids in the cafeteria. When there was a fire to put out, he would be there with me. It was strange, but he was a big help.

Then, about once a week, he would ask me if I would like to go to dinner or a movie. I would just sigh and tell him I wasn’t ready for anything like that yet. He would say, “Okay,” and walk away.

The shit hit the fan the other day. I went into my office and opened my email account. There was a letter from Jack—a letter of resignation. What the fuck? He was one of my best teachers! About thirty minutes before the first bell, my door flew open, and Vic Stallings stormed into my office.

She locked the door and stood there staring at me—damn, she was pissed!

“Come here, stand in front of me and look me in the eye, Greenley!”

“What are you doing?”

“What are YOU doing? Now get your principal ass over here. NOW!”

I got up and stood in front of my best friend, and she proceeded to call me a major ass and slapped me across the face.

I was stunned. What the fuck was that about? Well, of course, she told me!

“My OTHER best friend at this fucking school just told me he turned in his letter of resignation. Do you know WHY he’s leaving?”

“No. I’m going to talk to him about it later today.”

“Jesus Vic! He’s leaving because he’s in love with you! Why? I have no idea because you’ve turned into the most UNlovable piece of shit.”

She then grabbed my left hand and held it in front of my face.

“See this ring? You told me Hayden made you promise to let yourself love again—well, every time you pushed Jack away, you dishonored Hayden, his memory, and your fucking promise!”

I couldn’t help it. I just started sobbing in the middle of my office.

“If you let Jack leave, you’re going to lose me, too. I can’t stand seeing you like this—especially when you don’t have to be. Goddammit, Vic! You promised Hayden you would live your life again.

“It’s time. Talk to Jack. Open your fucking eyes and let him in. Jack Fletcher loves you, Vic. I don’t know why the fuck he does—but it’s time to live again. At least give him a shot!”

I stopped crying, and we just held each other. I think I apologized a hundred times. I knew she was right. And I promised her I would make things right before the end of the day.

I sent a message to Jack and asked him to see me in my office during his free period. Oh my God! I was so nervous—and was like a kid again—and it kinda felt good.

Jack came into my office at the beginning of fourth period. The first thing he did was apologize.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Jack.”

“Yeah, I definitely do. When I told Vic about the email I sent you, I didn’t think she would come in here and beat the shit out of you!”

“She didn’t beat the shit out of me! She just—slapped me—hard. Real hard!”

“Oh God! I’m so sorry, Greenley!”

“No! No! I think I actually needed that. Now, what do I need to do to get you to stay? I don’t want to lose you.”

“I don’t know—it’s just been a hard semester for me. I know it’s been hard for you, too—but I’m just burned out.”

“And for that, I apologize. I’m so sorry to have pushed you away like I did. I didn’t even give you the courtesy of an explanation.”

“No, I understand. It’s been terrible for you, and I pushed too hard—too soon. I’ll find something else—it’ll be good.”

“Like Hell, you will!”

I don’t know what came over me, but I walked over to Jack and kissed him—no—kissed the hell out of him. And then I panicked.

“Oh, God! I’m so sorry, Jack! I just soooo sexually harassed the fuck out of you! I’m so sorry, it just happened!”

“Fine. Harass me one more time, and I will have to rescind my resignation and ask you to join me Friday night at my father’s suite at Fenway for the Red Sox-Yankees game.”

So I kissed him again—a little gentler this time.

“Wait a minute? A Suite? At Fenway? Who are you?”

Jack chuckled and told me it belonged to his father’s company, Fletcher Construction. Holy Shit! They’ve built most of the new high-rises in Boston over the last twenty years!

So it’s Friday, and Jack will be here in about ten minutes. But it was the bizarre dream I had last night that has actually got me excited about this. Hayden came to me in my dreams—only this time, it was like he was there—sitting at the foot of my bed.

He told me to get over it. He told me Jack was amazing and there were great things in store for us—but only if I’d let it happen. He told me he loved me and that he was in a good place. And then he told me I would see him again—and he would help me get my shit together. And then I woke up—I woke up to the brightest, sunniest day I’ve seen in years.

I gotta go now. Jack is at the door. Here goes nothing!

Vic was more than a little nervous on the way to Boston. He hadn’t been on a date in years, and knowing how Jack felt about him didn’t exactly calm him down. But things started looking up when Jack hooked up his phone and went to his playlist. Vic grinned when Journey came blasting through the speakers.

“I hope you’re okay with Eighties rock. It’s kinda my only addiction.”

“Oh, we’re going to get along just fine—‘cause you know they stopped writing good music in 1990.”

Jack pulled the car into the VIP parking lot, and the two made their way to the elevator and into the suite. Vic was surprised at the suite's size, and it only seemed larger because it was just the two of them.

There was a kitchen at one end of the suite with a food warmer and dishes of salads and snacks on ice. Jack opened the lid to the warm food and smiled. “Thanks, Pop! This is awesome!”

Vic walked over, and his jaw dropped at the sight of the filet mignon and lobster tails. The other warmer held what looked like Parmigiano-crusted asparagus and buttered corn-on-the-cob.

“Jesus, Jack, there’s like a week’s worth of food here!”

“And it’s all ours. There are thousands of people in this stadium, and we’re all alone—100% privacy. We can eat, watch the game, sit and talk. At this point, I really don’t care. I feel like I’m alone in the world with Vic Greenley. I can now die a happy man—oh—sorry—I didn’t mean—”

“Stop—stop—I know this is new territory for both of us, but please—promise me you won’t walk on eggshells or be afraid to say something on account of how I might take it. And I’m going to promise you that there may be times I get a little emotional—but I promise to let you help me get through them. Deal?”

“Hell yeah, Vic. Whatever you need, whatever you want, anything. I’m here for you!”

As it happened, during one of the most highly-attended games of the season, Jack and Vic sat on the white leather sofa, enjoying their dinner, talking, and glancing down to the field whenever the crowd noise seeped into the suite.

Vic particularly enjoyed learning about Jack. There were, however, a few things that completely surprised him. Jack attended the Episcopalian Church in Barnstable on a fairly regular basis. He didn’t quite understand why that surprised him, but he did like the smile on Jack’s face when he asked if he would like company at church on Sunday.

He was even more surprised to learn that Jack had never had a boyfriend—well, a serious boyfriend. He said he had had a couple of semi-almost-boyfriends, but things just never worked out.

“So here I am—twenty-nine years old—and a virgin.”

That totally surprised—no—shocked Vic. Jack was an incredibly handsome man. The kind of handsome that could probably hand-pick any man for any need.

Vic was a bit embarrassed to tell Jack his history. Jack was super cool, though. He loved hearing about his exploits with Hunter (only after Jack promised not to let Hunter know he knew some stuff about him), and he thought Vic’s story about Andy was one of the most romantic things he’d heard in forever.

When Vic started to tell his story with Hayden, Jack stopped him and told him he didn’t have to do that.

“No, I want to. I want us to start with a clean slate. And that means I need to tell you about Hayden—unless you don’t want to hear about him.”

“No, no, no—you tell me what you want to tell me.”

Vic took a deep breath and prepared himself to tell a long story. He spoke about meeting Hayden as a student newspaper editor in his first year at the high school. He told Jack about Hayden’s slouch in the front row, showing off his hardness every morning.

Jack heard about the hospital and the surprise kisses. He heard about the dinner date and ride back to the Cape from the hospital. Both Vic and Jack laughed at the teacher-student fantasy that played out, although Vic didn’t share the more intimate parts.

Vic became a bit nostalgic as he talked about how their love grew and how they kept surprising each other. He told Jack about their last Christmas, and the rings both had bought for each other. And yes, Vic told Jack about the promise he made to Hayden about allowing his heart to open and moving on with life.

There were some tears—from both Vic and Jack. Jack pulled Vic into his arms. The first thing Vic noticed was how nice it was to be enveloped by another man. He and Jack were similar in build, with Jack being slightly bulkier.

“Vic, Hayden was an incredibly lucky man to have you in his life like he did.”

“No, we were both lucky, I think.”

“Do you know how lucky you are to have had two fucking beautiful relationships in your life? I hope to meet Andy someday and thank him for helping you become the compassionate and caring man you are today. I won’t get to meet Hayden, but I will mention him in my prayers and probably light a shitload of candles at church—just to thank him for making you the fun-loving, big-hearted, beautiful man that I’m getting to know.”

The crowd outside the suite went crazy again as the Red Sox pulled ahead at the bottom of the ninth and took down the Yankees.

“So Mr. Fletcher, you sure do put together one helluva first date! But you may have ruined yourself. This is a pretty high bar you’ve set for any future dates!”

“So you’re interested in future dates, Mr. Greenley?”

“You’ve helped open a door that I thought was sealed shut. Hell, I think I’d be a total idiot not to want more of this.”

Summer vacation flew by. Hunter took over the lifeguard program at the community pool, which left Vic with more time to enjoy his own pool—along with Jack—nearly every morning.

Vic found himself getting closer and closer to Jack but still was conflicted with the lingering feelings he had for Hayden. At the family Fourth of July picnic, he and Jack were able to sit in the living room and talk about it.

“Jack, I can’t tell you how much it has meant to me to be spending time with you. It’s been a miracle that you’ve been able to help me see into the future—and it’s a future with you.”

“I like it, too. Vic, I’m so glad you didn’t call my bluff with that letter of resignation back in the Spring. I don’t know what I would have done if you had accepted it.”

“You mean? You weren’t going to—”

Jack leaned in and kissed Vic. “Are you kidding? Even with you frustrating the Hell outta me, that was better than not having you in my life at all.”

“Hehe—I kinda like that risk-taking, wild side of Jack Fletcher. Keeps an element of surprise into the mix! But—the reason I asked you inside was I have made a decision, and it’s only fair that I share it with you, especially since it involves you indirectly, anyway.”

“Is this bad news?”

“You know, I’m tired of bad news. No—I’ve decided to see a therapist to help me get past these last lingering feelings for Hayden. I mean, things are so much better now—but I know I’m ready to move things to the next level with you, but I need to be able to do that without thinking about Hayden—or what Hayden would think.

“Don’t get me wrong. You know as well as anyone that Hayden will always have a place in my heart. But I also hope you know that you’ve shown me this unique ability the heart has to grow and allow another amazing and wonderful and beautiful and—hot—man in.

“I just wanted you to know that I’m doing this, and I wanted you to know that it’s so I can move on and be what you—no, we—need me to be.”

Jack sat on the sofa, smiling and looking at Vic with tears glistening in his eyes. “Damn you, Vic! Just when I think I couldn’t fall in love with you more, you come up with something that completely sends me over the edge.”

Jack and Vic had a wonderful and relatively relaxing summer. Vic only needed a few sessions with Dr. Hargrove. She was a therapist that Ginny, his next-door neighbor, recommended. It didn’t take him long to get back on track with the “you-have-to-take-care-of-yourself-first” thing before you can even begin to help take care of the others in your life. And although it took a couple of extra sessions, he finally did realize that there was probably something to the “visits” he kept getting from Hayden.

When Vic finally listened to Hayden and let himself fall in love with Jack Fletcher, the “visits” ended—just like Hayden said they would.

July 22nd –four days before Jack’s birthday—the landline in Vic’s house rang. It was Vic’s experience that if the landline rang in the middle of the morning, it was usually bad news.

“H-Hello?”

“Is this Vic Greenley?”

“Who may I ask is calling?”

“Oh! This is Sheila Fletcher—Jack’s mother.”

“Oh! Hello, Mrs. Fletcher.”

“Please call me Sheila. But the reason I’m calling is you probably know Jack’s birthday is in just a few days, and it’s the big 3-0! Dear God, how did I ever get old enough to have three children all in their thirties?”

“Jack has shown me your picture. You look more like a sister than their mother if you ask me.”

“Oh my! My son has good taste in men!”

“Why, thank you!”

“So dear, the reason I’m calling is while I asked Jack to spend the week with us so we could celebrate his birthday properly, I’m afraid I have a young man who is beside himself seeing that a certain brilliant and handsome principal is nowhere around.”

“Oh, I’ll definitely give him a call tonight. He needs to be happy. This is a special week!”

“Exactly! Please tell me you can be available Friday for the big dinner and can stay the weekend with us?”

“Oh my! Really? Does Jack know about this?”

“Absolutely not! It would be a wonderful surprise, and I know Jack’s brothers and sister would love to meet you as well.”

“Oh boy! No pressure there—nope! None at all!”

“You have absolutely nothing to worry about. And trust me, none of us have ever seen Jack happier—well, except for the little mopey-butt running around here the last two days.”

“Well, I would love to come—and I’m guessing this will be a surprise for Jack!”

“Most definitely! We all get to see just how much he loves you when you show up out of the blue! Oh! I just had another brilliant idea! Yes, it’s obvious Jack gets it from his mother!”

Vic chuckled into the phone, “You crack me up!”

“Well, I will have one of Jackson’s drivers pick you up late Friday afternoon and drive you directly to the restaurant. Then at the end of the weekend, the two of you can ride back to the Cape together.

“You don’t have to do that, Sheila.”

“Of course I don’t. I choose to—because you are such an important part of my son’s life—and that makes you an important part of our family’s life. Now give me your cell number, and I’ll text you all the information you need. This is going to be so much fun!”

“I’m really looking forward to it, Sheila. And I promise—not a word to Jack when I talk to him tonight.”

Vic waited for about an hour and made his call to Jack. It made him feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy to hear how much Jack missed him. It made Jack feel wonderful to hear Vic tell him the same thing. Jack asked Vic to try and come to his birthday dinner, and Vic had to lie and tell him he had a family thing that he just couldn’t get out of.

Four days later, Jack’s birthday had arrived. Vic was feeling great in that he finished his final session with his therapist. Vic received a text that morning from Sheila saying that the event was a coat & tie affair, and they had a private dining room booked at the Ritz-Carlton.

The car would be at his house at 5:30. They would be arriving at the hotel at 6:30, and dinner would be served at 7:00. They would be expecting him to arrive between 6:30 and 6:45. She wanted him to try and walk up behind Jack, wrap his arms around him and whisper, “Happy Birthday.” She would do everything she could to make sure Jack’s back was to the door when he arrived. No gifts!

When Vic realized the dinner was at one of the most beautiful hotels in the country, he knew he needed to up his wardrobe game. He made a quick call to Cam to see if they had any suits on the rack that might fit him. Fortunately, the shop had a couple that would work, and between him and his assistant Charlie, they would be able to get him hooked up in time for his trip to the city.

Vic made it to the tailor shop and walked in. When he heard the bell, Eli looked up from the back room and ran out, screaming, “Unca Vic! Unca Vic!”

Cam semi-scolded his three-year-old, “Eli, you know you’re not supposed to run out into the shop. You need to stay in the back room with me or Uncle Charlie.”

Eli grabbed onto Vic’s leg and whined, “But it Unca Vic. I wuv Unca Vic, and he miss me!”

“God, it was so much easier before he learned to talk! How are you, Vic? What’s the big event tonight?”

“Jack’s family is throwing a big thirtieth birthday party for him at the Ritz-Carlton, and my principal suits just won’t cut it.”

Cam walked over to the rack to find something that might work for Vic. “Speaking of Jack—how are things on that front?”

“Cam—it’s wonderful—even better than Jack knows. That’s going to be his birthday present!”

“Nice! I’m so happy for you! Ian will be, too!

Cam found two suits that looked like they would fit Vic. One was a deep burgundy silk suit, and the other was a deep-blue suit that was a silk-wool blend. Vic really liked the blue suit, especially with the flashes of black that would appear as the fabric moved.

Vic went into the dressing room and put on the suit, which fit almost perfectly. He needed the jacket sleeves and the pants hemmed, and Cam wanted to take in the back of the jacket a bit to show off Vic’s narrow waist.

Cam had Vic stand on the block by the dressing room, and he began to pin the hems and the back of the jacket. Vic went back into the dressing room and took off the suit. Before taking Vic into the back, he stuck his head in to make sure Eli wasn’t going to wreak havoc again. Charlie was reading a book to the little guy, who was about ten seconds from falling into his afternoon nap.

The hemming and tucking took less than thirty minutes. Vic paid for the suit and headed back home to shower and get ready. Right on time, the car pulled into Vic’s driveway, and he was relieved that it wasn’t a stretch limo. It was, however, a stretch sedan, and Vic certainly enjoyed the ride into Boston.

By the time they reached the Ritz-Carlton, Vic was practically bouncing with excitement. The driver said he would text Mrs. Fletcher to let her know Vic was on the way up. He gave Vic directions to the private dining room, and Vic grabbed his overnight bag. Vic was off to the festivities.

He opened the door slowly, trying not to attract any attention. He caught Sheila’s eye, and she smiled and nodded in Jack’s direction. He was talking to his sister as Vic quietly slid behind him, wrapped his arms around him, and whispered into his ear, “Happy birthday, Jack. I was in the neighborhood and had to stop by and tell you I’m ready.”

“Oh my God!” Jack and his sister both gasped as their eyes widened. Jack turned around with glistening eyes. “Are you sure? You are?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, and yes, I really am completely ready to begin this long, long journey with you.”

Jack’s lip began to quiver, and he looked into Vic’s eyes, “Damn you! I told Mom there were to be no presents, and here you go giving me the most amazing birthday gift I’ve ever received.”

Jack ran his finger along the side of Vic’s face, hooked it under his chin, and pulled him in for what would be the most chaste kiss of the night.

“I love you, Jack. Let’s go tell your parents.”

“Seriously? Is this for real?”

“Hell yeah, big boy. Careful what you ask for—you might just get it!”

Everyone was thrilled to see Jack so happy. Dinner was magnificent with a jumbo shrimp cocktail appetizer, a delicious chilled cauliflower soup, and imported Icelandic lobster with baked potato and asparagus.

Vic found himself sitting between Jack and his sister. After the dishes were cleared away, Jessica leaned in to whisper to Vic. “Vic, I need to let you know that the kids have planned a little play to tease Jack. It’s a mock funeral. It’s adorable as hell, but if it’s something you’re not ready for, we all would understand if you needed to slip out for about ten minutes.”

“No, Jessica. It’s all fine. It sounds hilarious, actually. Don’t worry about me, I’m good.”

Jaxon, Jack’s thirteen-year-old nephew and clicked a water glass. “Ladies & Gentlemen. We have gathered here this evening to pay tribute to our dear Uncle Jack. The sudden loss of our late Uncle has left us—well, them—speechless.”

Solemn music began playing over the sound system as four kids carried in a wooden box with the sixth nephew, Jarod, lying in it with his arms folded over his chest. He was dressed in football gear and trying very hard not to smile or giggle.

Everyone at the table was howling with laughter when Jack suddenly panicked. He leaned forward to Vic and asked, “Oh my God. Are you okay? Do you want to leave?”

Vic turned around, laughing and smiling. “I’m great! This is hilarious! You should be enjoying it!”

The “pallbearers” set the coffin on the floor, and Jacob hopped up and started to sing one of Vic’s favorite songs from the musical Spamalot.

I am not dead yet
I can dance and I can sing
I am not dead yet
I can do the highland fling
I am not dead yet
No need to go to bed
No need to call the doctor
'Cos I'm not yet dead

“But Uncle Jack—You’re Thirty!”

Well, now he’s dead

You played games with his head

Sure now he's dead
It makes me just see red
You are such a brute
To murder that old coot

At the end of the song, the kids all took a bow. Vic was the one leading the cheers and the standing ovation. Jack spun him around and hugged him.

“Who the Hell are you, and what did you do with the hot principal I’ve been going out with the last several months?”

“I don’t know, but if he doesn’t show up soon, I’m going to steal away the sexiest man in this room!”

Just then, a two-tiered cake, loaded with sparklers, was rolled in, and everyone sang a rousing “Happy Birthday” to a happy and teary-eyed Jack. As the cake was eaten, the kids who performed the skit came up to Jack for hugs and congratulations. Danilyn, Jack’s ten-year-old niece, broke away from the crowd and went to Vic.

“Can I sit on your lap?”

“You sure can—”

“Danilyn—I’m Uncle Jack’s favorite niece.”

“I’m sure you are!”

She climbed onto Vic’s lap and leaned into him so only he could hear. “You’re Uncle Jack’s boyfriend, aren’t you?”

“I think I might just be. I hope so, anyway.”

“Good, cause you make him real happy. Will you make me a promise?”

“I’ll try my best.”

“Please don’t go away. It would make Uncle Jack so sad. And that would make all of us sad, too.”

“Oh, you sweet, sweet girl. The last thing in the world I would want to do is make your Uncle Jack sad.”

“Do you love him?”

“More than anything in the world, Danilyn.”

The pretty, young girl leaned up and kissed Vic on the cheek. “I think I’ll call you Uncle Vic now.” She then hopped off his lap, gathered the rest of the nieces and nephews around, and led them away. As they were walking to the other end of the table, Vic and Jack heard her tell the others, “Oh yeah, he’s going to stay!”

A smiling Jack mouthed ‘I love you’ to Vic the same time Vic mouthed the same to Jack. It was soon time to call it a night. Jack wiggled his eyebrows as he asked Vic if he could return to the Cape with him instead of going home with his parents.

“Believe it or not, your mother sent one of your dad’s drivers to pick me up and told me to plan on staying until Sunday.”

“And I told her no birthday presents!”

The entire family piled into their cars with Jack and Vic riding with Sheila and Jackson. Vic was blown away by the rambling house situated on over an acre of land. Everyone made their way to their rooms to change, leaving Vic in the foyer with Jack.

“Well, I’m guessing since visiting family occupies every spare room, my sneaky mother is expecting you to share my room. Is that okay with you?”

“I feel like it’s my birthday now!”

Vic followed Jack upstairs to his bedroom, and Jack shut and locked the door behind them. As soon as the door was closed, Vic reached into his bag and pulled out a small, square box.

“I know you said no gifts, but this is for something way beyond your birthday.” Vic gave the box to Jack, and he opened it. He found a stunning solid silver bracelet with the word “Ready” engraved. On the inside of the bracelet were the words, “I love you, Jack. 7/26”

Jack put the bracelet on his left wrist and pulled Vic into his arms for a deep, long, and passionate kiss.

“You do know we’re making love tonight. We’ve waited long enough!”

“In your parent’s house? Isn’t that a little scandalous?”

“Look at all the kids and siblings running around this house. It’s seen more than enough scandal, I assure you!”

“But we need to make nice and visit with the family a bit. We’ve waited this long. Another hour or two won’t kill us.”

“Jesus Christ, Vic—it’s been killing me for months!”

The adults sat out on the patio with some cocktails while the kids settled in the great room with the latest Marvel movie. The conversation was light, fun, and there was only a minimal amount of teasing Jack about the big 3-0.

About an hour later, Jack told Vic he wanted to show him the pool. It was a long, rectangular lap pool with three lanes and an infinity effect at the far end. They took off their shoes and socks and sat on the edge with their feet dangling in the water.

“So can I ask what brought all this on tonight? Not that I’m complaining or anything!”

“I had my last scheduled therapy session on Tuesday, and I really didn’t expect it to be my last session. But she was firing questions at me so fast. There were questions about me, questions about you, about the school, about Hayden—and the funniest thing happened. I stopped her, and it was like I could see a light bulb go off.

“This wasn’t about holding on to memories of Hayden. I didn’t have to hold on to anything. They were a part of me already. It wasn’t about my fear of letting myself get involved in another relationship. I was already in another relationship. When I stopped her, it was apparent that I was the one holding everyone in my life either back or away.

“I had to do nothing but do what I’ve done all my life—let go of all the bullshit and live in the moment, carpe diam, seize the day!”

“And you still want to give this a go?”

“Shit, I can’t believe you waited this long!”

“Really? Really?? I’m a thirty-year-old virgin—by choice, mind you. Waiting has never been an issue for me!”

“Hi, boys. Mind if I join you?”

“Hi, Dad. Of course, you can. And hey—thanks again for an amazing birthday dinner.”

Jackson took off his shoes and rolled up his pants legs, wedging himself between Vic and Jack.

“Hehe—yeah, just call me the old man cock-blocker!”

“Dad!”

“Aw hell, we all have one, and I’m not a prude by any means. But I don’t get a chance to sit and just talk to my boy—one-on-one—”

“Oh, hey, I’m sorry—let me head on back to the patio and leave you two alone.”

“Stay right here, Vic. I want to include you in on this little chit-chat.”

“Oooooookay—”

“I just want to say—first and foremost—I don’t think a father could be any more proud of a son than I am of you, Jack. I have so many colleagues and friends in similar positions as I—and their sons do what they think they have to do and go into the family business.

“But tell me, Vic. Is there anything you noticed about our family tonight?”

“Everyone is happy. Truly, genuinely happy.”

“Exactly. And I’ll tell you why that’s the most essential thing in the world. I would sell my business tomorrow morning if I thought it brought one ounce of regret or remorse to any member of my family. I have told every one of my children that all I wanted for them in life was to find their passion and then find a way to make a living doing it.

“Jack’s passion is teaching young people—not just his favorite subject—which for the life of me, I still can’t figure how History filled that bill—but he has a passion for teaching young people about the way the world works. He loves teaching them life lessons that they can carry with them for the rest of their young lives.

“Vic, you and Jack are cut from the same cloth. I can’t tell you how my heart swelled tonight when I saw my granddaughter sitting in your lap and talking with you. I bet you didn’t know that the only other person she is that comfortable with is Jack. That’s how I can tell the two of you are living and working your passion. Kids pick up on that and are instantly comfortable with it.

“Now, I don’t know—well, none of us actually knows—where this journey you two boys have embarked on is going to lead. But I want you to know—both of you—you have the support and blessing of Sheila and me—as well as Jack’s sister and brothers.

“Jack, your mother and I could not be happier than when we see the way you two look at each other. You are kind to each other, you respect each other, and you both have that rare and unique look that is only meant for one other person in this world.

“That’s all. I’m done—we’ll see you boys in the morning. It’s a rare day for the two of you—take advantage of the freedom to sleep in tomorrow. We’ll hold breakfast for you.”

Jackson pulled himself out of the pool and bent down to kiss Jack on the top of his head. He then did the same thing to Vic. He turned to walk away and then stopped and went back to the boys.

“Everybody knows you’ll be sleeping together. The kids think it’s nothing more than a fun sleepover. We adults know better—and we’re totally okay with it. All I ask is that you keep the noise down, so the kids don’t get any weird ideas for their next sleepover.”

And with a pat on the shoulders, Jackson turned around and chuckled as he returned to the patio.

The boys did make love that night—several times. But the best part for both was sleeping a full night in each other’s arms for the first time.

November 24—Jack and Vic were driving to Vermont to spend the Thanksgiving weekend at the Fletcher vacation cabin. Vic was expecting a small wooden house on a hill, perhaps overlooking a small lake.

Vic should have known the Fletchers don’t do small. The “cabin” was a sprawling five-bedroom log home on the banks of Sadawga Lake in Southern Vermont. Once again, the entire family had gathered for the holiday weekend, and Vic found himself a little shadow named Danilyn.

The dinner was magnificent. Sheila and Jessica had prepared the vast majority of the dinner with the assistance of Jack and Vic.

On Friday, Jack, Vic, and Jessica drove into Brattleboro for some time away from the kids—and to enjoy a nice lunch together. The truth of the matter is that Vic and Jessica had a plan all along.

After lunch, the three went for a brisk stroll in a park close to the restaurant. Jessica had her cell phone ready when Vic stopped and turned to face Jack.

“Jack, I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’ve let me be a part of your family. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure all this is real. In fact—”

Vic pinched himself on the arm. “Yep! This is real—and so is this.”

Vic then reached into his pocket and got on one knee. He opened the small box as he said, “Jack, please make this even more real and marry me?”

Jack stood and stared at Vic with a look of shock on his face. Jessica could barely hold the phone still for the combination of crying and laughing—for you see, she also knew what was coming up.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Really? Oh my—what the—”

Jack then pulled an almost identical small box out of his pocket, lowered to one knee as he opened his box and said, “Only if you’ll marry me, too!”

“Of course I will! No fucking way, we both planned the same surprise!”

“Guys, c’mon—watch the language. We can never show this to the kids!”

Both yelled out, “Sorry, kids!” and then kissed after they put the rings on each other’s fingers.

When the three got back to the cabin, everyone was thrilled at the news. Jessica ran upstairs to edit the obscenities out of the video and, in a short time, came down and shared it with the rest of the family.

Of course, Jaxon, now fourteen, announced, “I know what you said, Uncle Jack and Uncle Vic. Not very romantic, is it?”

As soon as he returned to Barnstable, Vic made the call he was not looking forward to. He had to tell Mrs. Oglethorpe what was happening directly, so she didn’t hear things through the gossip mill.

“Mrs. Oglethorpe? This is Vic Greenley.”

“Ohhhh—I get the Mrs. thing—must be official business.”

“Well, in a way, I guess it is. I just wanted to be the one to tell you directly. I’m engaged to be married.”

“Oh, Vic! That’s the most wonderful thing I’ve heard all year! Who is the lucky man?”

“Well, I am. And that’s because I’m going to be marrying Jack Fletcher. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“I don’t see why that would be a problem, Vic. We have several married couples working together throughout the school system. I trust your judgment, and I know you won’t be doing anything that would cause the school any kind of embarrassment. And as our handbook says, no couple is to show any PDA’s while on school grounds. If you look, you’ll see it says absolutely nothing about the make-up of the couple.”

“Well, I’m glad I called you. There is one other thing.”

“If you tell me you’re leaving, I’m going to come to your house and torment you until you call off the wedding!”

“No. No. No. Nothing like that. Jack and I would love for you to do one of the readings for the service. It’s going to take place the afternoon of New Year’s Eve at the Episcopal church.”

“Oh my! I would be honored to be a part of your celebration! And Vic?”

“Yes, Mrs. Ogl—Helen?”

“I am so very happy for you and Jack. I can’t think of two young men more deserving of each other. Will you need time off for a honeymoon?”

“No. We talked about that and have decided that we will take our honeymoon during Spring Break. Probably make a trip to London.”

“How lovely! Oh! I just can’t believe how happy this makes me!”

“You have no idea how happy it makes me, Helen.”

Happy—a word that, not so long ago, Vic never thought he would be able to relate to ever again. Happy—two families were overflowing with the emotion on that cold New Year’s Eve afternoon as Jack Fletcher and Vic Greenley looked into each other’s eyes and vowed to share and spend their lives together.

 

EPILOGUE

Although he was offered several times, Vic decided not to accept the position of Superintendent. He kept hearing Jackson Fletcher’s words about passion and finding something to do that involved your personal passion.

For Vic and Jack—their passion was the kids whose lives they touched on a daily basis.

Vic and Jack were married on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. Vic had initially chosen Ian to be his best man, but Ian insisted that he pick Hunter. Ian, Perry, and Cam stood in as Ushers. Jack had his brother James stand in as his best man with Jacob and his nephew Jaxon as ushers. Eli was the ring bearer and stole the hearts of pretty much everyone in attendance.

Helen Oglethorpe gave the reading for the wedding and insisted that it be from First Corinthians and the often-used verses about love. She felt that it was even more appropriate for Jack and Vic.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts,

always hopes, always perseveres.

She continued, “I would like to say something that wasn’t part of this afternoon’s script. I have known Vic Greenley since he returned home from college. Many of you know Vic as the athlete—the record holder—the coach—but I am one of the fortunate ones that got to know Vic as a remarkable young man. The hero who saved his cousin’s life. The teacher who insisted that every student have a place of respect in their school. Vic is a man whose passion is only exceeded by his drive to make it the foundation of his life.

“And then Jack Fletcher came into his life. Who, in their wildest dreams, could have imagined that Jack and Vic were cut from the same cloth. They love the kids they teach. They want nothing more than to show each of the students in their school that they matter—that they count. Well, I am here to say that Vic and Jack matter. They count. I am proud to call them associates—and even prouder to call them friends.”

Jack was the first to give his vows, “The very first day I walked into your scary office to interview for your old job, I knew I was in trouble. I saw the twinkle in your eye. I saw the truth behind your smile. I heard the sincerity in your words. What even you don’t know is that that was the moment I hoped I would somehow be standing here—with you—getting married.

“When tragedy came into your life. I knew I needed patience. That’s that ‘Love is patient’ part Helen was talking about. But through it all, I saw the loving, caring, compassionate, and—sometimes—funny man that I choose to spend my life with. We’ve already seen the better and the worse. And we have so many adventures ahead of us. You are the man I choose. You are my best friend, my lover, my confidante, and before we know it, my husband.”

Then it was Vic’s turn for his vows, “Wow. Why did I ever agree to let you go first? Oh yeah, because I owed you one. Well, to be honest, I owe you so much more than just one. When I was at my lowest, you hung in there, never giving up on me. You let me find my way back to the world of the living. Every day, I thank God that the man that particular world revolves around is Jack—my Jack—my sweet, dear, Jack Fletcher.

“Thank you for letting me into that world. Thank you for letting me find my way there. Thank you for saying ‘yes’ when I proposed to you. I love you, Jack. Standing next to you for the rest of my life is something I didn’t think could ever happen. I love you, Jack—now, until the end of time.”

The dinner and reception were both hits with the guests, ending with watching the ball drop in Times Square. By 1:00 a.m., all the guests and caterers had left the house, and Jack took Vic to their bedroom to consummate their new life as a married couple

After the wedding, Vic moved into jack’s much larger (surprise) house located on the beach. He was thrilled that he didn’t have to hassle with selling his house as Ian and Cam needed the extra space since Eli was now four, and basement living just wasn’t working for their family.

The only thing that needed to be changed was a child-safety fence that was put around the pool, and a childproof cover was added to the hot tub.

Vic did miss his pool, but both he and Jack became avid beach runners. For their wedding present, Jackson and Sheila gave them a new lap pool for their backyard. Jackson had his own crew put it in, and it was ready to go by summertime.

During the summer of the pool, Jack and Vic began to take the required coursework to become foster parents. They were done with their coursework, and in just three weeks, they took in a young seven-year-old boy while his parents were investigated for various situations, including physical abuse. Marco was scared, quiet, and cried quite a bit, but after three weeks in the Greenley-Fletcher home, he was allowed to be reunited with his mother.

Then, in December, as Vic and Jack were nearing their second anniversary, they got a call from their pastor. There was a set of twins—girls—from Boston that the state wanted to get out of the city. The father was deeply involved in the underground drug scene. The father had murdered his wife when she threatened to turn him in. The father’s parental rights had been rescinded, and he was sitting in prison. There were no other relatives where the girls could be placed.

A meeting was set up with the girls at the house. Cassidy and Caroline were nine years old and, in Vic’s mind, the two most beautiful girls he had ever laid eyes on. Their late mother was Asian, while their father was Caucasian.

Halfway through the initial meeting, the girls became quite comfortable around Jack and Vic and were moved in that very day. Of course, losing their mother in such a violent way had a lasting impression on the girls, and it took them a while to move through their processes. But by the time Spring Break rolled around—and the surprise trip to Disneyworld, the girls were fully invested in their new family and their Dad (Vic) and Daddy (Jack).

At the Greenley Fourth of July family picnic, Vic realized just how remarkable his life was. The girls were doting on their cousin Eli. Along with Cam and Ian and their friends Charlie and his husband, Vic and Jack sat around a table, talking about life’s joys and trials as gay couples raising children.

Helen Oglethorpe, who insisted that she be Cassidy and Caroline’s surrogate grandmother, was having a wonderful time with Cam’s mother and Claire. After the picnic, the plan was to move the gathering to Jack and Vic’s and watch the fireworks from the beach behind their home.

Three days later, Sam contacted Vic and Jack to tell them all the paperwork had been completed, and they were approved for the girls' adoption. And for the best birthday present of Jack’s life, July 26 was also the court date for the adoption. Jack’s entire family was in attendance, as well as Vic’s.

At the end of the proceedings, the judge commented on how wonderful it was to see that the girls would have such a huge family to provide them with the love and support everyone should have throughout their life.

There was a large family portrait with Cassidy and Caroline standing front and center, holding up their adoption certificates. That portrait now hangs over the fireplace in the Greenley-Fletcher home.

As the picture was being taken, Vic smiled as he thought about the judge’s words. The love he felt from his family and husband was one of the most extraordinary things he’s ever felt. But it’s the support he gets from every member of his family that completes the picture.

And if you look closely at the portrait, you will see the light reflecting off a single tear coming down the smiling faces of both Vic and Jack.