A Christmas Coincidence - 3. Chapter 3

The sky slowly brightened as snow gently fell on the two-story dark blue and white trimmed Cape Cod with its wraparound front porch. The black wrought iron lanterns on either side of the dark red wooden front door with a stained glass half circle at the top illuminated the five wooden steps, and matching miniature lanterns lit the curved snow-covered brick walkway that led to the mailbox.

"Dad! Dad! C'mon, Dad, get up. Uncle Brett's gonna be here."

Twenty-seven-year-old Trevor Morgan smacked his lips and blinked as the blurry sight of the overly excited thirteen-year-old boy, clad in a lightweight long-sleeved shirt, gray sweatpants, and white snowflake-decorated ankle socks started to clear. He rolled onto his side, looked at the clock, and sighed.

"Ben, it's six in the morning. Uncle Brett is probably just getting out of bed and won't be here for at least another six hours."

Three months ago, Corbin asked his dad if he could change his name to Ben because he was tired of how his first and last names rhymed. Trevor readily agreed to the change because he already called his son Ben and wondered why they didn't think of that when the adoption was finalized.

The smoky gray-eyed, dark-haired, half-African-American and half-Irish boy grinned as he pulled the covers off his dad. He quickly wrapped his arm around the older man's ankles and lightly and rapidly ran his dull fingernails along the soft, bare soles.

The nearly six-foot-one, one-hundred-sixty-five pound redhead, dressed in red and green boxer/briefs decorated with candy canes, was bursting with uninhibited laughter thick with morning rasp as his legs slid back and forth along the mattress, trying to free his feet.

"Not the tickles. It's too early."

"It's never too early for tickles. They make my dad giggly and happy."

Trevor sat up, wrapped his arms around his kid, and retaliated by tickling his stomach.

Ben released the ankles, his legs kicked, and he wildly laughed and writhed. "Uncle... I... Give," he hollered a minute or two later.

"Uncle Brett's not here yet," Trevor said, chuckling.

The playful duo calmed down, and Ben got comfortable in his dad's loving and protective embrace after the covers were pulled over them.

"I love you, Dad."

"Love you more, Ben. Now, how about closing your eyes so we can get a little more sleep, my little energizer bunny."

Ben giggled and said, "If that's a hint that you got me a pink bunny suit like Ralphie got in "A Christmas Story," you're sooo dead."

"Hey, thanks for the idea, Son. I'm sure I can find one on Amazon and get it delivered here by tomorrow."

Ben playfully growled as he tickled his dad's sides.

"Okay... Okay, no bunny suit," Trevor hollered through his laughter.

"Hey, we could get Uncle Brett a bunny suit."

"You've definitely got a death wish, kid."

"Puhlease, Uncle Brett wouldn't kill me, I'm way too cute and cuddly."

Trevor chuckled as he kissed his giggly kid and ruffled his hair.

*****

Twenty-six-year-old Julie Wakefield, dressed in a blue fluffy robe, pink bunny slippers, and her raven hair confined inside a black silk sleep cap, rested her elbows on the pink marble counter top breakfast bar of her stately three-story hundred-year-old beige with dark brown trim Victorian house, which she miraculously acquired for almost nothing as a foreclosure at a city auction, sipping coffee from a mug with "No Talking Until I Have Coffee!," written on it. Yawning, she opened the email on her tablet, and instantly, one of them grabbed her attention. The brunette was so nervous and excited that she almost dropped her mug. A shrill celebratory shriek left her mouth and echoed through the elegantly decorated and meticulously designed eat-in kitchen.

"Hot Fuckin' Damn! I can't wait to tell Trev and Ben. They'll be freakin' off the chain excited," she said to herself while lovingly gazing at the sparkling engagement ring Trevor gave her last week.

Julie met Trevor three years ago when they worked at the same real estate company. Then, Trevor was offered a position with a more prestigious company in New York. He left after six months because he didn't like the cutthroat competition or the congested city, and more importantly, he didn't like being so far from his family. When he returned, she was in the ending stages of a bad relationship. They reconnected at a New Year's Eve party last year and decided to date. However, they both felt it was best to hold off on meeting each other's family until they knew the relationship was solid and long-term. Ben was the only exception. He got introduced to Julie right away because of the impending adoption. The second she met and hugged the energetic and loving boy, she knew her heart belonged to both Morgan men. It made her smile and brought tears to her eyes when Ben started to call her Mama, Mama Julie, or Mom. When Trevor proposed, they knew it was time to meet the families and for them to start blending together.

Without caring about the time, Julie grabbed her phone, dialed her boyfriend, and gave him the news. She giggled when she had to pull the earpiece from her ear lest she go deaf from the whoops and wild hollering of excitement. After Trevor and Ben calmed down, she and the boys decided to make dinner reservations for that evening at their favorite restaurant in the city so they could tell their big brothers before the rest of the family.

*****

The snowfall was getting heavier as Brett was thankful that his destination was just a few houses away. He parked the Xterra in front of 2904 Webster Street, behind his brother's silver Twenty-Twenty-Four Chevrolet Tahoe, set the emergency brake since there was a slight incline, and stretched after getting out of the vehicle. He walked around to the passenger side to get the boxes of pies from the backseat.

"Arrgh, hey," he unmanly squealed when a freezing cold snowball smashed against the base of his neck. He yelped and jumped up and down, trying to work the icy pieces out of the back of his shirt and jacket.

"Nice shot, Dad," Ben cheered while giggling as he ran to hide between the bushes and the house.

"I'm sooo killing you if your uncle takes your snowball out on me, little boy."

Brett straightened up, turned, and glared at his giggling brother while scanning the yard for his mischievous nephew. "You're both gonna get it when I get my hands on you," he threatened.

The eldest Morgan male scooped up some snow, formed a ball, and threw it at his brother before running and tackling the slightly taller man on the snow-covered lawn. He jumped up, saw some movement in the corner of his eye, made another snowball, and threw it when he had a clear shot. He heard his nephew's high-pitched squeal and hollered, "Bullseye," with raised arms.

Trevor and Ben laughed as they hurled snowballs at their closest and favorite relative before pulling their gloves off, running full speed at the older redhead and tackling him in the snow.

Brett didn't have time to run. "Oh, crap," he hollered as they tumbled to the ground. His arms and legs thrashed under the father/son duo. He shrieked and howled with laughter because four freezing hands got under the layers of clothing, rubbing and tickling his bare stomach and sides. "Thanks for the awesome welcome. I love you two goofballs," he said when the laughter dulled. Boyish giggles floated into the air while he was pulled to his feet, and his brother and nephew gave him a double-sided bear hug and kissed his cheeks.

"Hey, I'm almost six-foot-one. You shouldn't still be able to pick me up," Trevor childishly whined when his brother grabbed his waist and tossed him over his shoulder.

Brett put his brother down, hugged and kissed him, then giggled as he reached up, ruffled his hair, and said, "I'm your big bro. It's a requirement for me to be able to pick you up until I'm no longer physically able to do so." He grabbed Ben in a choke hold, gave him a noogie, and tickled his sides.

"I'm gonna get you, Uncle," Ben squealed while laughing like crazy and trying to escape.

"Maybe one day, baby boy," Brett responded as he kissed the teenager and slung him over his shoulder.

"You two can help me carry things into the house."

Trevor smirked and said, "Say, please."

"Please," Brett said, giggling and shaking his head while putting the squirming boy back on the ground.

However, a second later, Ben jumped on him, wrapping his arms and legs around his neck and waist.

"I missed my Uncle Brett."

"Missed you more, kid," Brett said, hugging and kissing the giggly boy.

After getting everything inside, the trio shed a few of their layers, and then Brett and Ben sat on the sofa that faced the Christmas Tree.

"I'm gonna make some hot chocolate," Trevor said. "Then we can catch you up on the lives of Ben and your brother."

Brett's eyebrows arched as he asked, "Who's Ben."

"Umm, Dad, I think we forgot to tell Uncle Brett about my name change," Ben giggled and said, "I got tired of how my first and last names rhymed, and Dad and I agreed on changing it to Ben Morgan."

"I like how that sounds," Brett stated. He smirked and added, "However, I wish someone had told me because I've brought presents for Corbin. I guess I'll have to return them and get Ben some different things after Christmas."

Trevor was laughing like crazy from the kitchen, listening to his brother.

"No, you don't, Uncle Brett," Ben said.

"Why not? I don't know if Ben will like what I got for Corbin?"

Trevor laughed so hard over the exchange that he had to set the mugs down, and Brett was also having difficulty keeping a straight face.

"I'll love what you got because I'm still the same boy you bought them for," Ben responded. He giggled when his uncle pulled him onto his lap, wrapped his arms around him, and rocked them back and forth as he kissed his cheek. His phone buzzed, and he smiled after looking at the message. "Dad, I'm bailing on dinner tonight. If that's okay with you," he asked.

"What's up?"

"Scarlett's folks invited me to dinner."

"Scarlett is," Brett asked with a smirk.

"My kind of girlfriend. We haven't committed to anything yet."

"I've been there," Trevor and Brett said, laughing. "You can go. Have an awesome time, son," Trevor said when the cackling subsided.

Ben jumped up and down and hugged and kissed his dad and uncle.

"There's a change of plans, Bro."

Trevor handed his son and brother their drinks before the boy ran off.

"Julie and I are taking you and her brother out for dinner tonight. We have something to share with the two of you before we tell the rest of the family." He took a sip from the mug and asked, "When do I get to meet the guy you're dating?"

Brett's eyes lit up at the thought of Vincent and being with him again.

"Well, Vinny and I discussed that very thing last night while exchanging gifts. He got me this amazing teddy bear necklace." He paused to show off his new piece of jewelry, which the younger man thought was an adorable and unique gift. Brett took a sip and continued. "Anyway, we decided on a meet and greet in the next month or two. However, turns out he's in Newport visiting his sister. She and her boyfriend are hosting a get-together tomorrow night at her place so they can be introduced to their families in one place. We hope there's a little time to have lunch or dinner together while we're in town."

"Why don't you have him and his sister come here tomorrow for lunch?"

"That's an awesome idea, Baby Bro."

"Do you at least have a picture of your guy?"

Brett pulled his phone from his pocket and sent his brother a picture of Vincent. When Trevor saw the dark-haired man, he gasped, and his eyes widened.

"Excuse me, Bro. I've gotta go make a call from my office. I'll be back in a minute."

Trevor closed the office door and sent a text to Julie containing the picture of his brother's boyfriend, and a minute later, his phone rang.

"Hey, Julie."

"Trev, why'd you send a pic of my brother?"

"I knew it. Babe, you're never gonna believe this..."

Yes, more awesomely playful and adorable characters to fall in love with.  The name change in the story was thanks to my not paying attention to the way Corbin Morgan rhymed. I didn't like how they flowed when said together, but I'd already given Trevor's kid a name, so that was my brilliant fix. 
 
@Summerabbacat hope you enjoy getting to know Trevor and Ben (formerly Corbin) 
 
Thanks to everyone for reading, reacting, and commenting.
 
Love y'all