The Next Stage - 36. Growing Families

Jasper’s lust filled eyes gaze at Ryan, his mouth hanging open as he moans Leo’s name. It’s torture to watch. Each movement of their bodies, every gasp and moan, the way they are both acting like Ryan’s not even there. Jealousy courses through Ryan, making him feel physically sick. He wants to pull Jasper away from Leo, but he also doesn’t know if he can stand the thought of Jasper touching him ever again now. Every touch would just be a reminder of his betrayal. The betrayal Ryan sat back and let happen, instead of admitting he wasn’t comfortable with. This was never the agreement, but obviously Jasper didn’t care enough to know this is killing things between them.

As if careless to the pain, or purposefully trying to inflict more, Leo grabs Jasper’s face and kisses him with needy passion as he brings them both to climax.

Ryan gasps, sitting up in bed and staring at the empty bed beside him. He rakes his fingers through his hair and sighs heavily as he falls back among the sheets, grabbing his phone and checking the time.

“Good morning.” Jasper’s voice is laced with sweet affection.

“After what you did last night, you’re just gonna hit me with ‘good morning’?” Ryan asks in a bitter tone as he pulls himself from the bed and takes a moment to enjoy the view of the morning tide.

“What?”

“You know what you did.” He replies.

“I’m a million hours away. How can I have possibly upset you?” Jasper asks, amusement in his tone by this whole conversation.

“You and Leo. Again.”

Jasper laughs and Ryan can’t help but crack a smile. “It’s not my fault you keep having paranoid sex dreams about us. Was I at least in the middle this time?”

“No. It’s always you two and me watching.”

“Kinky.”

“No. Not kinky.”

“That’s your mind getting revenge on you for making me sit through the two of you.”

“It’s nowhere near the same thing. We didn’t touch each other.”

“And what did I do the whole time? Sat back with my full attention on the orgy on screen. I behaved myself impeccably, considering the temptation. May I remind you the whole thing was your idea? You invited him over to watch porn. You set it up in our room and invited him to sit on our bed. You got off with him...”

“And yet, you keep fucking him in my dreams.”

“Oh, I’m fucking him, am I? Interesting.” Jasper says with a tone of consideration.

Ryan sighs, regretting this. “Lets change the topic.”

“No, please. Do keep telling me exactly how this fantasy played out.” Jasper teases.

Ryan sighs heavily and heads downstairs to poke his head into Jasmyn’s room and finds her playing quietly with her doll. “How are Luke and Fi going?”

“They’re going well. They’ve not made a decision or anything yet. It’s only day two of us being here. But They are spending a lot of time with all the kids and just letting the natural bonds form. How’s Beth?”

Ryan gets started on organizing breakfast. “Remember when she said she’s not moving in?” he asks.

“She’s living there?”

“Poor thing can barely leave the bathroom. She hit 8 weeks pregnant and cannot stop throwing up. All she can manage to get down is cubes of ice and sour candy. I don’t know what to do to help her.” Ryan sighs. “This is, weirdly enough, the first pregnant person I’ve actually seen during this stage.”

“Yeah, we kinda missed all of that with Grace. Oh! I’ll text Grace and ask her what helps with morning sickness.”

“I miss you.” Ryan sighs. “It’s really weird being alone in our house.”

“I miss you too. Can I call you back a little later? My dad is having a very boisterous argument with someone, so I should probably check what’s happening.” Jasper says, answering someone in the room with “is everything alright?”

“Oh god. Did I just call you at work to complain about my sex dream?” Ryan asks, mortified.

“Yep.” Jasper laughs, no doubt grinning about it, too. “I love you. Stop having sex dreams about me and Leo, or at least join in the next one.”

Even without seeing him, Ryan can picture the smirk and wink perfectly, and it makes him smile. “Love you too.”

“Give Jazzy a cuddle for me. Talk to you later.”

The phone clicks as Jasper hangs up and leaves Ryan alone to hear the dry heaving from behind the spare room and the suspicious silence for Jasmyn’s room. Normally, she’d hear him on the phone and come out. He checks on her again, only to find that she’s somehow gotten a tub of nappy cream open and is smearing it all over the walls.

“Oh Jazzy, no.” Ryan rushes in to put a stop to her fun.

**** 

“Leo, what’s going on? Did you sleep with someone else you shouldn’t have?” Jasper asks with dry sarcasm as he walks over, interrupting the argument going on between Leo and his dad.

“Why you insist on bringing your image down constantly by associating yourself with this man is beyond me, Jasper,” his dad scoffs.

“Is this a personal issue or a professional one? Because I truly doubt you’d say anything bad about him if it were a professional one.” Jasper crosses his arms.

“Ha.” Jasper’s dad gives a condescending laugh. “I’d be surprised if he were capable of being professional.”

Jasper rolls his eyes. “What is this about?”

“A man that teaches teenagers about sex should not be allowed around these children. This is an orphanage, not a frat house. I just caught him discussing condoms with a thirteen-year-old girl.”

Jasper gives Leo a look.

“A thirteen-year-old girl that I found making out with one of the boys a year or so older than her. Don’t be naïve. Do you really want someone giving birth in here? At her age?”

“You shouldn’t be encouraging children to engage in adult behaviours.”

“I’m not. I’m encouraging them to be responsible with their bodies. You go and tell those hormonal kids not to have sex and watch her end up pregnant. It happens. It's human nature.”

“They are children.”

“Yeah, children who are able to accidentally reproduce. Children shouldn’t be having children.”

“They shouldn’t be having sex either.”

“I agree. But how are you going to stop them? Hm? Gonna split this into a boys’ and girls' facility?” Leo asks.

Jasper’s dad pauses and gives a stiff nod. “That’s not a bad idea, Jasper. Maybe you should consider building a second place so the genders can be split.”

“Sure, I'll just build another orphanage. I’ve got that kind of money lying around," Jasper says sarcastically.

“If you didn’t build a beach-front mansion...”

“If my family didn’t have a home, I could afford to build more homes for everyone else. Honestly, dad, Ry and I have put so much into funding housing for others. Can you not just let us have our own place without making me feel like it’s selfish of me to want a home?” Jasper snaps.

Jasper’s dad gives a heavy sigh and shrugs. “I am proud of everything you’ve done. Both of you. I just see so much more than can be done.”

“I see it too. But I can’t fix the entire world. Especially not at the detriment of my own child, who I’m sacrificing time with once again, to be here with these kids.” Jasper says, crossing his arms. He felt passionate about this place, but his heart ached to be home, helping Ryan and Jasmyn make their home feel like theirs. Everything was done, but it was just a house with their stuff in it. First thing he wanted to do when he got home, was find somewhere he can etch Jasmyn’s height into and mark it continuously. He wanted to hammer nails into the perfect, fresh new walls and hang photos that over the years will leave scratch marks in the paint. He wants a stain in the carpet from Jasmyn spilling a drink or getting into something she shouldn’t. Heck, he spent a decent fortune on this house and he wants to start ruining it with memories, but instead he’s across the globe getting a lecture about money from his dad.

His attention is stolen as a scream comes from the kids' activity room. He leaves his dad and Leo and walks into the room just in time to see the young girl who’d been nursing a newborn last time he was here, is crying as she runs across the room to a man who has dropped to his knees and has his arms out wide to embrace her. The reunion is beautiful to see. The two of them crying as they hold each other tight.

It’s so heartwarming, Jasper realises it’s the first time he’s seen this moment play out. He’d seen family members say goodbye to their children. He’d seen the devastation left behind so many times, but this is what he set out to create. An environment where the children were safe and able to find their family, old or new.

**** 

“Thank you so much for coming over, Grace. Beth hasn’t been able to stop vomiting and I’m worried about her and the baby.” Ryan says as he wraps his arms around his sister-in-law.

“I’ve got a basket of remedies, don’t you worry.” Grace laughs.

“You’re a lifesaver. I’m sure she’ll be grateful.” Ryan leads through to Beth’s spare room, knocking on it before opening the door. “Hey beautiful, I’ve got someone here to help.” he calls over to Beth who is sitting on the floor crying beside the toilet.

“Hey~” Grace’s sympathetic mom voice is adorable as she pushes past Ryan and heads over, crouching and rubbing Beth’s back soothingly. “Put these travel sickness bands on your wrists. Ryan, can you get a cup of ice for her, please?” Grace asks.

Ryan’s pretty sure he’s only being given the task for something to do, but he’s glad to feel like he’s helping in some way. Feeling useless while Beth is in tears, struggling so much, has been stressful.

In the two minutes that Ryan was distracted, Jasmyn has pulled out everything she can reach in the kitchen cabinets.

“Having fun there?” Ryan asks, stepping over a pot.

Jasmyn holds up a spatula and smiles at him like she’s done nothing wrong.

“You’re a menace.” Ryan laughs, taking out his phone so he can send Jasper a photo.

‘Your daughter booby trapped the kitchen.’

He gets the glass of ice and returns to the girls, finding that Beth is now sitting on her bed, eating sour candy.

“You feeling better?” Ryan asks as he walks over and places the glass on her bedside table.

“Somewhat. It’s weird that sour candy is helping, but I swear it really is.” Beth says with a smile.

Ryan takes out his phone as he feels it vibrate with a message.

‘What a menace!’

‘That’s what I said!’

‘Maybe we need those kid lock things on the cabinets.’

“No, we aren’t still using the safety latches, and yes, you can have them.” Graces says, looking down at her phone. “Jasper just texted.” She smiles over at Ryan.

“Oh.” Ryan pockets his phone.

“I take it Jasmyn has gotten into something she shouldn’t have?”

“Just everything she can reach in the kitchen.” Ryan sighs.

“I’ll tidy it up. You better get going or you’ll be late for your audition. You’re alright for a minute, aren’t you, Beth?” Grace asks.

“Yes, thank you so much.” Beth nods before popping an ice-cube in her mouth.

“You can leave it all. Jazzy can’t break anything, anyway. I’ll clean up after her when I get back. Which will be as soon as possible.”

“Ryan, I am a parent of a moody child, a toddler who I can already tell is gonna have ADHD and his psychopath sister. Looking after your singular child is not a hassle. Now go and get your ass on Broadway.” Grace orders.

**** 

“How’s it going?” Jasper asks as he takes a seat with Luke and Fi at dinner time.

“Good. I think it’s going well.” Luke says, looking to Fi who grins back. “You’ve done well with this, Jasper. You should be so proud of everything you’ve done here.”

“Thanks, Luke. After the lecture from my dad, it’s nice to know someone is proud of me.” Jasper gives an exaggerated roll of his eyes.

“We’ve made our decision.” Fi announces, unable to contain herself.

Jasper’s hand covers his mouth in shock. “You have? Who?”

“Down the end of that table, the little boy in the blue pajamas. We think he’ll get along really well with Zak.” Fi says, already giving a proud motherly smile as she gazes at the boy they are planning to take home.

“Lucky kid. Does he know yet?” Jasper asks.

“No. We thought it might be hard for the other children if he gets to spend the whole night telling people he’s going home tomorrow, you know?” Luke says, rubbing Fi’s back.

“We genuinely wish we could take more, and who knows? Maybe if Xavier and Zak get along well?” Fi shrugs, not needing to finish the sentence.

“There’s plenty of room for more in our hearts, but we’ve got to have enough room for more in our house.” Luke smiles.

“Well, hopefully after we release some new music, you might have the money to build your own ostentatious ocean side mansion.” Jasper jokes.

Luke laughs. “I don’t want to be anywhere near the ocean, thanks. You can keep that nightmare to yourself.”

Jasper’s attention wanders as he hears a crying baby. “Hold on. I’ll be back,” he says as he walks over to talk to the staff member, trying to soothe the crying baby. His heart sinks as he realizes this baby was left behind. The man had come, taken his little sister home, and they had left her baby behind.

As if knowing what Jasper is thinking, the staff member gives him a sad smile and a shrug. “People tend not to want to take trauma with them. I don’t blame her. Do you?”

“No. She deserves to get to be a child, not a mother.” Jasper sighs, his heart broken as the baby screams with abandonment.

Hours later, Jasper returns to his hotel room, where Leo is hanging out.

“There you are. Ready for episode two?” Leo grins, patting the bed beside himself. Jasper kicks off his shoes and accepts a glass of wine a he settles on the bed beside Leo.

“Alright, start it.” Jasper grins.

“Disclaimer, this show contains lots of scenes with dubious consent, but bitch, we’re acting!”

“And some of us have non-consensual-consent kinks.” Kevin interrupts.

“Exactly. And even those kinks are discussed and agreed to off camera. But out in the real world, remember arousal isn’t consent.”

“And consent to one thing isn’t consent to all things.”

“And stop or no means stop and no.”

“Unless it’s been agreed to prior.”

“In which case, always use and respect the use of a safe word.”

“Lets get on with the show!” Kevin gins. He and the other actor stand up, undo their pants and just as they drop them, the show's intro plays along with some theme music.

“Kevin, what brings you to the diary room?” The ‘Big Brother’ voice asks.

The adorable man slumps into the seat, looking into the camera, his eyes lying that he’s innocent.

“We’ve been in here for a week and already, these guys are fighting over me. It’s absurd.” Kevin rolls his eyes.

The video pauses, and a buffering ring starts turning. Jasper and Leo both let out frustrated groans. A moment later, the video starts playing again, but pauses to buffer every few seconds and with no patience, Leo turns it off.

“I’m not having it pause like that during a sex scene,” he complains.

Jasper laughs and sips at his wine. “That’s fair. Especially since it sounds like Kevin's about to be the focus of this episode. We’ll watch it when we get back home.”

“I doubt Ryan’s gonna let me watch it in your bedroom again.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I got a vibe.”

“What kind of vibe?”

“It’s hard to explain, but I’m just familiar with that particular vibe. It’s not a bad thing. I just don’t think I’m going to be invited over for a porn date in your bed again. That was a one off to torment you. Speaking of, how are you doing mentally?”

“A smooth Segway from porn to my mental health.”

“It’s the vibe. Impulsive surgery sounds like a manic symptom. Am I right?” Leo asks. Jasper sighs and sips at his wine again before handing Leo the glass.

“I’m fine. I should probably go to bed, though. Luke and Fi have agreed on a child to adopt, so tomorrow will probably be a big day and I’m pretty sure we’ll all be going home. I miss my own baby.” Jasper climbs off Leo’s bed and gets into his own.

“Kevin has bipolar too.” Leo announces.

“Nice. He and I should start a club. The unhinged crushes of Leo.”

“I don’t have a crush on you.”

“Tell that to my husband.”

“I have. Multiple times. He just doesn’t believe me because he’s so into you he cannot imagine another person not being.” Leo laughs.

“Well, I am a catch.” Jasper smiles. “It’s insane of you not to want me.”

“You’re a catch, but you’ve been caught and your husband isn’t the sharing type.”

**** 

“How much have you missed me, my love?” Jasper’s voice is playful and just what Ryan needs to wake up to.

“So much. When are you coming home?” Ryan smiles as he reaches across to Jasper’s side of the bed, looking forward to his husband being back.

“I’m coming home tomorrow. And I’m bringing a cute boy home with me.”

“Excuse me?” Ryan asks with a laugh. “Bold of you to assume I’m gonna allow you into my home with another man.”

“I’m sending you a photo.”

“If you send me a photo of Leo, I swear to god...” Ryan looks down at his phone as the picture comes through, and his whole world freezes. Jasper is smiling at the camera, with a sleeping little baby in his arms. “Jas.” Ryan’s eyes fill with tears. “Do not be lying to me. Are you seriously bringing him home? Are we having another baby?”

“It might not be permanent.”

Ryan is barely listening. His heart is pounding as he pictures his family with another baby. Him, Jasper, their daughter, and a son.

“...but Elijah needs a home. And I happen to know one with plenty of room for one more.”

“I’ll have the home ready for him.” Ryan grins, looking at the photo again through the blurring of tears in his eyes and feeling a swell in his heart as Jasmyn crawls in the room. “Jazzy, guess what? You’re gonna be a big sister!”