Trusting The Triplets - 1. Trusting The Triplets

July 30, 2022

Kieran Hawkins and his brothers, Oliver and Dustin, the oldest triplet, were eating spaghetti at their favorite table in the cafeteria. “Ugh, this place sucks.” Dustin groaned. “Food’s not bad though.” He shoved a forkful of noodles into his mouth.

“Think of it like summer camp,” Kieran said. “An extended summer camp before someone else in our family decides to take us in.” Kieran paused. “Yeah, you’re right this does kinda suck.” The middle triplet sighed.

“We’re only here because Mom is dead.” Oliver pouted. He picked at his food with his fork.

“Bro, eat up, okay? We can’t have you starving yourself again.” Dustin patted Oliver’s shoulders. They didn’t like discussing it much outside of therapy, but the death of Kelsey Hawkins, their mom, had been really hard on the thirteen-year-old triplets. She was the only family they had. Their father, Chris, had left when they were little. Oliver began to eat, as he realized he was pretty hungry after playing soccer most of the afternoon.

When the triplets cleaned their plates, they left to go to their bunk room. Room number 307. That’s when Miss Rachel, a staff member, stopped them. “Dustin, Kieran, Oliver. Would you mind meeting in my office please? It’s important.” Kieran cringed at the woman mispronouncing his first name. She called him “kai ran” instead of “key air an”. He didn’t bother correcting her after having mentioned it several times before in their five weeks living at the San Felix County Children’s Center. The three boys nodded at her request and followed her to an office after Dustin used the bathroom.

The trio sat on the couch while Rachel sat at a desk. “Why are we here?” Dustin asked bluntly.

“Are we in trouble again?” Oliver asked sheepishly.

“No, boys.” She pulled out some papers. “I have some wonderful news for you. This afternoon, your father has agreed to take custody of you boys.” The three of them smiled immediately. “He lives all the way in Pennsylvania, however. You leave to go live with him in five days, and he’ll be visiting this weekend.” Tears began welling up in Oliver’s purple eyes. “Aw, I know. I’m happy for you boys too.”

Dustin and Kieran hugged their other triplet.

Meanwhile, in Dorchester, Pennsylvania

Chris Hawkins lay down in his bed next to Ross, his husband. Both gentlemen were 40 years old. Chris’s hair was a dirty blond like his triplet sons had. “I can’t believe I took custody of those boys today,” he said as Ross kissed him.

“I feel so bad for leaving them and their mom ten years ago.”

“That was the past, babe. Now, you’re making things right again,” the brunet man reasoned.

“How am I going to tell them I have a husband? That I left them because I wasn’t interested in women— their mother— at all….”

“Try not to worry about it,” Ross said. “They’re from California. They’ll hopefully understand. I’m sure we’ll be good dads.”

“I hope you’re right.” Chris ran his fingers through his hair. “We’re taking a leap of faith here.”

Kieran tossed and turned in his bed. He was too excited to sleep. He slept in a single twin-sized bed, while his brothers had a bunk bed on the other side of the room. Kieran checked his pear phone. Midnight. He had been unsuccessfully trying to sleep for two hours now. He got out of bed and quietly stepped on the creaky wood floor, heading to the bathroom for some water. After getting a drink, he was startled by Oliver coming into the bathroom. “Shit… you scared me,” Kieran muttered groggily.

“Can’t sleep either?” Oliver asked, swooping the bangs out of his face. Kieran nodded in response.

Both boys exited the bathroom.

“I guess we’re all up, huh?” Dustin asked in a soft voice before climbing down the ladder from his top bunk.

“Yeah, bro.” Kieran stuffed his hands in the pockets of his gray shorts. “Too excited after that news.”

“It’s weird because we haven’t seen dad in ten years,” Dustin explained. “He still cares about us at least.”

“I can’t really remember what he looks like.” Oliver shook his head.

Kieran hummed in agreement. “We were, like, three when he and Mom divorced.”

“He probably has a new wife by now. And maybe other kids.” Dustin shrugged.

“At least we’ll get to live in a house again instead of here.” Kieran sat down on his bed. He and his brothers continued speculating about their mysterious father until sleep finally overtook the three boys.

5 days later

Kieran dribbled the basketball before attempting a 3-point shot. It was another warm summer day, and he decided to play outside in the courtyard to enjoy the nice weather. His brother Dustin was reading a book on a lounge chair, and Oliver was playing soccer on the lawn with some friends. The day was like any other day, except the boys would be meeting their father. Hardly a normal day for them, in fact. A staff member came outside to get the triplets when Chris and Ross arrived. “Dad!” The three of them ran up to Chris and hugged him.

“Boys, this is Ross. He’s my… best friend.” Ross rolled his eyes. “I have dinner reservations in an hour, so go get ready.” The three excitedly left to change into some nicer clothes for dinner.

“You’re gonna have to tell them eventually.” Ross sighed, holding his husband’s hand. Chris nodded.

After dinner at a local seafood restaurant, and a visit to an ice cream shop, Chris and Ross brought the boys back to the youth home. The three were so excited, partially from a sugar rush, but mostly because their dad was back in their life. The next day they’d be leaving to go to Pennsylvania to live with Chris and Ross.

“Thanks, Dad. Today was so awesome.” Dustin smiled and hugged the middle-aged man.

“We should probably finish packing because we leave tomorrow,” Oliver mentioned.

“Yes, we’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Ross smiled.

“Um, Dad, I have to know. Why did you leave?” Kieran asked.

“Dude! Don’t ask that!” Dustin blushed. “That’s, like, a personal question! And we just met him today.” Oliver stayed quiet.

“No, Kieran is right. I’m your dad, so you three deserve to know the truth about me… and Ross.” The five males sat down in the quiet lobby area. The boys only had ten minutes before curfew, when they had to be in their room.

“The reason your mother and I had divorced ten years ago is that…” Chris looked at Ross for reassurance. “I’m gay. Your mother initiated the divorce when I came out. And, now, Ross is my husband, who I married seven years ago.”

“What?!” Oliver’s jaw dropped.

“It’s true.” Ross held Chris’s hand. “I’m married to your father.”

“Leaving you boys was the hardest part,” Chris explained. “But your mom and I came to an agreement. However, when she died, I felt obligated to take care of you three.”

“I don’t care if you’re gay,” Dustin said bluntly. “But why did you marry Mom and have kids if you’re not even into women?”

“I grew up in a family where being gay was seen as a bad thing. I thought I was sick. I thought that getting into a relationship with a woman would cure me. And that I would be normal.”

“Are you guys okay with all this? I understand it’s a lot to take in,” Ross said.

“We’re happy for you,” Kieran said. “But I wish I had known sooner.”

“Thank you for choosing to take us in,.” Oliver hugged his new parental figures. “It probably wasn’t a super easy decision.”

“It was pretty easy,.” Chris chuckled. “The hard part was figuring out how to tell you guys. It’s not easy coming out to family sometimes.”

Later that night, Kieran tucked himself into bed. He and his brothers had finished packing up their stuff to move across the country.

“I’m excited. How about you guys?” Oliver asked, a little restless in his bunk bed.

“It’ll be a new experience for sure, having two dads,” Dustin said as he finished brushing his teeth.

“Better than our current situation in these tiny dorms with random people taking care of us.”

“I’m excited too,” Kieran spoke. “Dad’s super cool. And Ross seems nice too. We’re also going to Pennsylvania, so we’ll actually get to see snow!”

Dustin turned off the light and climbed up the ladder to his bed. “Night, guys.” The oldest triplet plopped into his bed with a slight bounce on the mattress. “We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”