Love Is Everything - 6. Chapter 6

The mood around the table was very festive because, for the moment, the joy of everyone being together outweighed Pam's diagnosis. Everyone noticed the brightness of Keith's smile and sheer happiness at having his late mother's sister back home. After lunch, family elders were given a tour of the Victorian manor. For Pat and Art, it was their first visit since Tyler's adoption, and for Pam, it was her first time seeing the property since she sold it to Keith five years ago.

The veteran singer/Broadway actress couldn't keep up with the tears as they trailed down her cheeks. "Keith, James, you have made Mom's house look amazing.”

"Thanks, Auntie," the young men responded in unison.

After the tour, everyone relaxed in the living room and waited for Tyler and Joey to return.

"So, who's this "Uncle Joey," my nephew's with?" Pam asked as she sipped her decaf coffee.

"Oh, that's right, you've never met our youngest boy, Joey," Art said with a chuckle.

James smirked. "Umm, I guess I'm not your only nephew-in-law, and you're gonna have to stop playing favorites, Auntie."

"I've got a great idea of how to surprise Joey when they get here," Keith said as his eyes sparkled with mischief. "He loves you, Auntie, and is gonna freak that you're his new Auntie."

"Your son, my new nephew, sounds wonderful," Pam said with a smile.

"He is, Auntie. Joey's taken to being a new uncle as quickly and easily as you did to singing," Keith said. He pulled out his phone and showed her the recording James sent him of Joey's introduction to Tyler.

Pam laughed so hard at the imaginative greeting that she had tears in her eyes.

James grasped his aunt's hands. "Keith and I have put it in our Wills that Joey's to be Tyler's guardian if anything happens to us before Ty's eighteen. When I told him last night, he accepted without batting an eye. You would have loved his rendition of "Not While I'm Around. It was so emotional and loving that I was tearing up when I heard it.

"Well, it sounds like I've got some competition. As you know, that's a big ballad for me," Pam exclaimed with a smirk. "I can't wait to meet my new nephew. I'm impressed already."

The time passed quickly, with Pam getting filled in on everyone's endeavors. When Keith heard someone at the front door, he quickly got up and ushered Pam out of sight. Before returning to the living room, he told her about Joey's singing telegram greeting.

Later that night, Keith tossed and turned in bed till finally, he gave up on trying to sleep. Quietly, the redhead stepped into his slippers, slipped on his bathrobe, and went downstairs. He made himself a cup of hot chocolate and stretched out on the couch when Art came in from the spare bedroom. The two men smiled, and Keith giggled as the older man ruffled his red locks on his way to the kitchen and made himself a cup of hot chocolate.

"Alright, kiddo, move your legs and let an old man sit down," Art said with a smirk.

Feeling playful, Keith shook his head no and giggled after blowing a raspberry at the other man.

Art put his cup on the coffee table beside Keith's and crossed his arms over his chest. "Betcha, I can make ya move in five seconds," he stated.

"Nuh-uh," Keith responded.

Before his childlike son-in-law could do anything, Art's fingers kneaded just above Keith's knees. He chuckled when the younger man started cackling, and his legs retracted closer to his body.

"See, told ya I could make ya move," Art said as he sat beside his still giggling son.

"You sooo cheated, Daddy-Art," Keith boyishly protested.

"Hey, it's not my fault all my boys share the same weakness," Art said with a chuckle. He pulled Keith's legs onto his lap and massaged the twenty-eight-year-old man's bare feet.

Keith sighed in contentment, and his soft giggles filled the living space when Art's fingers threw in the occasional ticklish stroke.

"So, what's got my son up this late?" Art asked as he motioned for Keith to lay his head in his lap.

Keith changed positions and wrapped his arms around Art's waist with his head in the older man's lap. "I'm scared, Dad, scared of losing Auntie Pam." Tears fell onto his father-in-law's robe.

Art lightly stroked Keith's hair, leaned down, and kissed the emotional man's forehead. "Shh, it's okay, baby boy, let it all out."

Keith did as instructed and let his fears and sadness flow as Art's love filled him. "Then, it made me fear losing you and Mom."

Hearing Keith calling him Dad and Pat, Mom meant more to Art than he ever thought it would. However, he wasn't the only one affected. Out of sight, Pat, Joey, and James were watching the scene with tears in their eyes, like it was a Hallmark movie.

"Keith, look at me, Son," Art gently said. He paused while his red-haired kid opened his eyes and did as he was asked. "Mom and I aren't going anywhere for a long time. I know it's scary being faced with the prospect of possibly losing another loved one, especially a loved one as connected to you as Pam is to you. Baby boy, you've got Mom, James, Joey, Tyler, and me to help you through anything life throws at ya." Art paused, embraced Keith, and kissed the redhead's cheek. "You belong to us and have since the day we met you."

"I love you, Dad," Keith said as he returned the affection.

“Love ya too, kiddo,” Art said as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

The two men finished their hot chocolate, then the pair settled down and fell asleep on the sofa, with Keith cradled in Art's arms. The next day, Joey, Tyler, and Art were spending some quality play time together.

"Get 'em! Puhuppy Power!" Joey shouted as he tackled his Dad to the floor.

The six-foot-two ex-FBI director loved roughhousing with his boys because it kept him young and in shape. Art chuckled as he wrestled with his boy, got him pinned face down, straddled his waist, and tickled him into hysterical oblivion. Joey's squeals and boisterous cackles rang through the house as his Dad's ten fingers kneaded between his ribs and along his sides. The twenty-two-year-old male's legs kicked, and his fists pounded the floor. Tyler let out a battle cry and jumped on his Grandpa's back, but within a few seconds, the youth was in the same predicament as his Uncle. In a matter of minutes, he and Joey were hollering their tickle-induced surrender.

Tyler panted and giggled as he looked at Joey. "Hey, Uncle Joey," he said.

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"Umm, maybe that'll work better when puppy power grows up to be grown doggie power.”

Joey and Art shook their heads and chuckled at the boy's statement.

"Nah, that'll never happen, baby boy," Joey said as he wrapped the blonde boy in his arms and kissed his cheek.

"Why not?" Tyler asked between his giggling.

"Cause, you 'n' me, we're the puppy power squad. We're never gonna grow up." Joey proudly stated with a big smile.

Art was still cracking up at his son and grandson's antics. "Ain't that the truth."

Later in the afternoon, Joey and Tyler were building a replica of Frosty The Snowman, complete with his top hat, including the pink flower, pipe, and broom. At the same time, James and Keith were engaged in a snowball battle with each other, while Art and Pat sat on the front porch and watched their boys playing in the snow and loving the family time. That evening, Pam called Pat and Art and asked if they'd go with her to the appointment for her second opinion the following afternoon. Of course, the couple eagerly agreed.