Chapter Fifteen

Stephen

We’d invited Felicity and Dave over for the evening. We needed to fill them in on what was going on. If Benji’s friend didn’t make the right call, we’d decided as a group to force his hand.

Clint and I fired up the grill and started prepping the meat for dinner. Meanwhile, our wives were getting the kids cleaned up and settled down. By the time they returned, we had the kids’ dinner ready. Felicity and Dave showed up shortly after.

The girls fed the kids and got them settled in the living room. Then they joined us outside under the patio, where we were getting the rest of the dinner ready. They rolled a few joints, brought one over to us, and then sat back down.

Felicity - Mia, how are you feeling? You’ve really popped in the last few weeks.

Mia - I know, right? I feel like I’m bigger now than I was with Willie at the end.

Clint - You’re not bigger, and you weren’t big then.

I couldn’t help but smirk at Clint. I totally got where he was coming from. I never understood why women didn’t see themselves as goddesses in their husbands’ eyes when they were pregnant with our children. I’ve always found my wife to be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. But as I’ve told Trinity, something changes in you as a man when you see the woman you love carrying your child.

Mia - You’re just trying to get laid when we get home. I know what you’re like.

Clint - Is it working?

Dave - Hahaha.

We finished up the cooking and brought the food over to the table. We sat down next to our girls.

Stephen - What do you want, baby?

Trinity - Just a small piece of steak, some potato bake, and the Greek salad, please.

I fixed a plate for my wife and set it down for her before getting my own. Once everyone was settled in and started eating, Felicity decided to address the elephant in the room. Honestly, I was glad she did. I wasn’t sure how to bring it up.

Felicity - So, what’s this all about? Not that we don’t love spending time with you guys.

Mia - Haha, I love how you just come straight out with it.

Felicity - It’s the easiest way to live with Dave. Otherwise, we’d never get to the point of the story, right, baby?

Clint - Hahaha.

Dave - It’s true. Haha. She makes me feel like I’m about to get in trouble with the principal or my mom sometimes.

Clint - You sure that’s not just a fantasy, mate?

Stephen - Hahahaha.

I winked at my wife. That was definitely a fantasy I could get behind. She shook her head at me, smirking.

Stephen - The situation with Grounds and Peters has escalated.

Dave - Okay.

Stephen - Benji has ramped up the investigation because he’s worried. The FBI is now involved.

Dave - Shit! What does that mean for us?

Clint - So far, there’s been no mention of any implications from what we used to do. They’re more focused on internal corruption.

Trinity - Apparently, they’ve been investigating it for some time.

Felicity - Okay, so what does the FBI need from us?

Stephen - They want us to relocate until they can finish their investigation and take it to court.

Dave - Fuck! So what does that mean for your current trial?

Trinity - We didn’t get that far. We were all a bit thrown off by the initial information.

Stephen - It’s definitely something we need to ask Lachie.

Felicity - Who’s Lachie?

Mia - The FBI agent handling it. Benji knows him well, so we trust he’s okay to listen to.

Stephen - We’re telling you all this because we made a decision.

Dave - You’re leaving? I mean, I’d be devastated to see you go, but I’d do the same for my family. You have to.

Stephen - You three are family too. We decided that unless we all go, none of us go. We stand together. That’s why we called you here. We all need to make this decision together. The six of us.

Felicity - Will we all be together, or separated?

Clint - They want us all together. I’m guessing they’re thinking safety in numbers.

Dave - Sounds like protective custody. It would be easier for them to watch us that way.

Trinity - Yeah, that makes sense.

Stephen - I’m going to get a few more blunts and a decent scotch. Clint and Mia, why don’t you use one of the guest rooms if you want to talk it out. Felicity and Dave, you can stay here. Baby, want to help me and we can have a little chat too?

We all agreed. We took the kids and put them to bed. Then Trinity and I headed up to our room to grab some more green so we could roll up. I was getting it all out while my wife put Jay in his crib and tucked the twins into their bed. I quickly went downstairs, got Willie and Belle, and put them in with the twins.

Stephen - So, how do you feel, baby?

I was chopping up while she sat behind me on our bed, hugging my back, her head on my shoulder.

Trinity - Baby, I’ll do whatever is best for all of us.

Stephen - Me too, my love.

Trinity - I feel like we got them into this in some way. Me with what I did.

Stephen - And me with the life I led them down.

Trinity - Baby, I wasn’t going to say that.

Stephen - It’s okay, sweetheart. I often wonder if I hadn’t told them about what I was doing, would we all be here now?

Trinity - It’s okay, baby. Anyway, I was just going to say that however they want to end this, I want it to be their decision. We do this for them now.

Stephen - We do this for all of us, baby. Come on.

We grabbed the couple of joints I’d rolled and a bottle of scotch and some glasses. Trin made a herbal tea for Mia, gave it to her, and gave her a kiss. I was surprised to see the four of them sitting out back when we came down. I thought they might need more time. Once everyone was settled back down, I asked the question we all wanted to know.

Stephen - So, did everyone reach a decision?

Clint - We have.

Mia - We have.

Dave - So have we.

Felicity - We have.

Trinity - We’ve decided.

Stephen - So, what are we doing?