Love Is Everything - 3. Chapter 3

Tyler's eyes sparkled with joy as he cuddled against Joey and lay his head on the older man's shoulder. "I love you, too, Uncle," he softly said.

Since his arms were full, holding his nephew, Joey let the tears stream down his slightly pink cheeks. He gently put the boy down, leaned against the wall, pulled his boots off, and wiped his eyes. James sent the video to his parents, and Keith then toed off his sneakers.

Joey winked at Tyler and did his interpretation of Scrappy-Doo from Scooby-Doo, "Puhuppy Power," just before he tackled his older brother to the floor.

James yelped as Joey's hundred-and-eighty-five-pound body pinned him to the floor. Tyler cackled and watched the scene with great interest. The two men rolled around on the floor as they tried to get the best of each other. Joey managed to climb on top of his slightly shorter brother. He playfully licked his cheeks and kissed his nose while barking. Finally, James' fingers latched onto his younger brother's sides and squeezed. Instantly, the room filled with Joey's hyena-like laughter. He rolled onto his stomach, his body wriggled, and sock-clad feet kicked the floor as his brother straddled his butt and continued the ticklish assault.

“Ya give, baby bro?" James asked as he reached back and caught his brother's left leg.

"Shit, not my feet, bro. Yes, I give." Joey hollered while still giggling.

James got off his giggly brother, pulled him to his feet, and into a loving embrace. "I love ya, Joey."

Joey smiled and sighed as he returned the love he was shown. "I love ya more, big bro."

Tyler giggled as he shook his head. "It's a shame that the ten-year-old boy's the only mature one in the house."

James and Joey looked at each other, then glared at the giggling boy on the couch.

"Uh-oh," Tyler squealed.

Before the boy could escape, his dad pinned him to the sofa. His uncle playfully assaulted the giggly mass of squirmy limbs with a pillow, then ended the attack with an exaggerated raspberry, blown to the blonde's stomach. The joy coming from the two men and boy filled the house with warmth and the feeling of unconditional love. A delighted Tyler stretched, yawned, then closed his eyes as he lay his head in his uncle's lap.

Tears filled Joey's eyes as he lightly stroked his peacefully resting nephew's hair. "Is this overwhelming feeling that I'm gonna love this boy for the rest of my days and would die to protect him what being a dad feels like, bro?" Joey softly asked as he wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"Yep! Scary, isn't it?" James smiled and snapped a few pictures of Joey and Tyler before leaning over and kissing the foreheads of his brother and son.

"I'm so proud of you and Keith for stepping up and agreeing to raise Ty."

James wiped his tears and smiled. "It's one of those no-brainer decisions we'd make again and again, baby bro," he paused, then lovingly ruffled Joey's hair. "I'm gonna get dinner ready."

"Thanks, bro." Joey gazed at the napping angel he held, then closed his eyes and sighed. "As long as I'm alive, I'm always gonna love you and be here for you, little one," he softly but firmly vowed.

As he fixed dinner, James's memories flooded his conscious state of mind and brought a smile to his face. Images of growing up with his brother flashed and played like a movie. The brunet was happy that his brother never lost the child-like side of himself. That quality endeared Joey to people, as did his big-heartedness.

After plating the food, James placed the plates in the warmer, then went to get his boys. As he got to the living room, the sound of Joey's soft and light tenor voice singing "Not While I'm Around" made him stop. The love and emotion Joey put into his simple rendition of the ballad brought James to tears. Also, it confirmed the decision he and Keith made to put in their Wills that should anything happen to them, Joey was to be Tyler's guardian was a sound one.

"You've got an amazing voice, Uncle Joey," Tyler said as he buried his face in the man's muscular chest.

Joey smiled and smoothed his nephew's hair. "So, what ya wanna do tomorrow?"

Tyler thought for a moment, then smiled. "Can we go sledding at the park? Then will you take me shopping for my dad's Christmas gifts?"

Joey nodded and embraced the blonde youngster. "That sounds like a great afternoon."

James smiled and said a silent thank you to the higher powers that his son and brother were already forming what he hoped would be an unbreakable bond. "Hey, guys, time to eat," the brunet said with a slight chuckle.

After dinner, the brothers roughhoused a little more with their boy. Then, James carried Tyler to his bed, and he and Joey tucked the innocent sleepy angelic being in his bed. They kissed him, turned out the light, softly closed the door, and went back downstairs to spend some brotherly bonding time together.

James got Joey and himself a beer, then sat beside the younger brunet. He smiled as Joey sipped his drink, then relaxed with his head on his lap.

Joey smiled and sighed when he felt his older bro's fingers lightly play with his hair. "Ya know, you've always made me feel protected and loved. I live for these moments with my family."

James wiped his eyes and lightly kissed Joey's forehead. "I loved you since Mom and Dad told me I was getting a younger brother," he paused. "Joseph, I need to tell you something."

In an instant, the younger brunet sat up and stared into his brother's eyes. He knew this was going to be serious because James called him Joseph. "What's going on, James?"

James took a breath. "Since adopting Tyler, Keith and I have changed our Wills to include guardianship for our son, should anything happen to us. You're the person we've chosen, and then if you can't care for Ty, it'll be Mom and Dad." James quickly embraced his younger brother and kissed his tear-stained cheek. "Don't worry, Joey. Nothing's wrong with either Keith or me. This is just in case something happens before Ty's eighteen. Because Keith's parents died in the house fire, then Travis and Brandi went to jail, we felt we needed a backup plan." James smiled and looked into Joey's eyes. "Bro, you're the perfect person."

Joey's tears welled in his light brown eyes. "I'm honored and promise to do the best I can if the time comes." After a few moments of comfortable silence, Joey laid his head in his brother's lap again, "James, can I sleep with you, like when I was a kid? I miss you holding me," he asked with a blush.

James wiped his tears, "Of course, you can, baby bro," he said, then smirked. "Now, let's see if I can make you smile." The brunet's fingers wiggled along his brother's stomach, and his other five fingers explored the armpit hollows.

Joey immediately started giggling and squirming, "Don't you..." his threat was cut short, and his boyish laughter replaced the words.

A short while later, James cradled his passed-out brother in his arms and carried him upstairs to bed. He undressed Joey down to his briefs and wrapped his arms around the slumbering man as they both took a trip to dreamland.

As the household slept, a Nineteen-Eighty-Eight, light blue four-door Chevrolet Caprice was parked behind Joey's Mustang. The attractive red-haired driver watched the house as she continued to wrestle with the decision she'd been forced to make before time ran out. With an exasperated sigh, she wiped the tears from her eyes, started the car, and drove back to her house in Boston to do more thinking and planning.