Anthony intended to walk into the manor, find his Papa Doug, and sneak up on the man to surprise him. However, he was the one who got the surprise. As soon as he reached the front porch, the door opened to reveal Doug smiling with open arms. Instantly, he was transported back to being a young boy as tears filled his eyes.

"Welcome back home, my sweet boy," Doug said with much love and pride. The remaining blended family's patriarch stepped forth, wrapped his arms around his second son's trembling body, and gave him a bear hug that lifted the musician off the flooring.

Although they weren't related, Doug and Bob looked like biological brothers. Anthony was almost a carbon copy of his dad. "I'd forgotten how much you look like Dad/Bob," the men said in unison.

Anthony wrapped his arms and legs around Doug, kissed his cheek, and laid his head on his papa's shoulder. He was still too emotional to say anything, so he let his actions and tears speak for him.

Doug softly chuckled as he lowered Anthony to the floor but held the younger man in a cocoon-like embrace. "I know what you're feeling, Son. I've missed Bob every day since his body left us. Just remember that his spirit and love are always present. He's guiding and protecting us until we can be with him again." He paused and let his tears fall on Anthony's neck. "I've missed my Anthony too," he said as the pair separated but stood with their hands on each other's arms.

"I love you and missed you too, Papa," Anthony was finally able to articulate verbally.

"Gee, I never would've guessed that."

Anthony giggled as Doug chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Hey," he whined, "I just fixed my hair." He very maturely blew a raspberry at his papa, which caused the older man's laughter to echo through the foyer. He slipped his shoes off and followed his second dad into the family room. Anthony didn't pick his feet up high enough, and his bare soles were tickled when they brushed against the carpet.

Doug grinned at the ticklish reaction as fun memories of him and Bob having tickle fights with their boys played in his head. The fact he was the father of two grown men and a grandfather reminded the homeowner of his age, even though he didn't look, act, or feel any of the years of experience under his belt. "Would you like a drink?" he asked.

"Yes, please, and thank you, Daddy-Doug." Anthony smiled and stood behind the taller man, with his arms around his neck. "Other than Tim, and Hunter, you and Dad always made me feel safe and loved," he said. "When I saw you in the doorway just now, it was like I was a little kid again. I was so happy to feel the love coming from your heart."

Anthony's words and the sentiment behind them brought tears to Doug's eyes. He turned, embraced his youngest son, and kissed the top of his head. "You and Hunter will always be our little boys, no matter how old you or your children get. Elaine, Bob, Dottie, and I will always be your parents." He smiled, released the younger man, went to the bar to fix them both a White Russian, and handed one to his son.

Anthony smiled and licked his lips after taking a sip. He set the glass on a coaster, then sat beside Doug on the tan suede sofa. His back rested against the armrest. He grinned, laid his legs across his dad's lap, and wiggled his bare toes.

Doug giggled, ran his fingers through his soft hair, and looked at the grinning musician. "You do remember whenever you or Hunter would do that, you boys got your feet tickled, don't you," he asked.

Anthony's eyes narrowed, one foot covered the other, and he giggled. "Good thing I'm not ticklish anymore," he said.

Doug threw his head back and laughed as the younger man continued giggling and then looked to his left. "Hmm, not ticklish anymore, huh," he stated. "You do know that every time you lied or tried to lie, you'd start giggling and looking to the left."  He chuckled and wrapped his arm around his boy's ankles. Lightly he stroked his fingertips up and down the length of Anthony's vulnerable soles, across the balls of his feet, and finally along the bases of his captive's toes.

Instantly, Anthony's giggles filled the room, his eyes squeezed shut, and his legs pumped back and forth as he tried to pull free. "Eheeheek! Nohohot thehehehe tohohoes, Dahahahaddy," he squealed.

Hunter could hear Anthony's tickle-induced giggles from the foyer. He chuckled and leaned against the door watching the playful interaction between the two men. "Daddy and Papa Bob always gave the best tickles." He walked over and hugged and kissed his guys. Hunter yelped as Anthony and Doug pulled him down onto their laps, he boisterously laughed and squirmed when they tickled him into hysterical oblivion.

*****

"How was your trip, Elaine?" Tim asked as he hugged his former employer and friend.

"It was wonderful, but it's nice to be back here for the summer."

"Uncle Tim," Xander excitedly called before wrapping his arms around the older man. Even though he wasn't Tim's nephew, he always considered him his uncle, and in turn, Tim claimed him as his nephew.

Tim smiled and tickled Xander's sides before bear-hugging the excited teen. "Damn, did you get taller on me?"

Xander squealed and giggled from the tickles and squirmed in the strong embrace. "Nope, you're shrinking," he replied.

Tim loaded the bags into his trunk, then once he, Elaine, and Xander were in the car, he pulled away from the curb and joined the flowing traffic. On the way to the manor, Elaine and Xander told Tim about Brent and his increasingly troubling advances toward Anthony. During the conversation, Tim was mentally kicking himself for stepping back from his duty of protecting his boys. He'd started working for Bob and Elaine when Anthony was three, and about two weeks later, he worked for Dottie and Doug too. From the first day he'd met Hunter and Anthony, Tim considered them his boys, so knowing this guy got so close to either of them was extremely disturbing.

"Elaine, I'm gonna talk with Doug and Dottie, then I'll sit down with Anthony, Hunter, and you three boys, and we'll discuss my returning as head of everyone's security. I see now that I was wrong to step back and only oversee the elder Bryants. I'm appalled that this guy's been able to get so close to my kids."

"Kids?" Elaine asked.

"Before I left the manor, I saw today's video feed from the salon. Brent had words with and tried to assault Hunter. Hunter dodged the swing and retaliated, which ended the attack. While Brent was parked in Hunter's spot, I had a tow truck remove his vehicle."

"I knew your semi-retirement wouldn't last, Tim. You never could let yourself rely on anyone else to watch our boys," Elaine said.

"I do admit, I've become complacent, but that's ending as of just before now. I also discovered the guys I had watching Elliot and Julian let a peeper get onto the beach. I'm totally pissed and take full responsibility for the infraction. I'm also working to find out his identity. I'll be damned if anyone's gonna hurt any of my boys while I'm breathing."

"It's good to have the old Tim back. I know I'll sleep better, and so will Dottie and Doug knowing you're in control again."

"Xander, I'll work with you, Elliot, and Julian and teach you boys some self-defense skills. Just in case something happens and I or my guys aren't around to intervene."

"Thanks, Uncle Tim," Xander said.

Tim pulled into the seven-car garage, turned off the engine, and everyone exited the car. He brought the luggage inside, then returned and retrieved some things from the trunk of his Dodge Charger, walked over to Anthony's Corvette, and attached the items to the vehicle.

"Xander, why don't you go into the guest house, find your brothers, and then the three of you join us in the main house," Elaine suggested as she hugged him.

"Sure thing, Grandma," Xander replied. He turned and walked down the gravel walkway that led to the smaller house.

Elliot was at the front door, wearing a light purple polo shirt and dark grey shorts. "Are you ready, babe?" The raven-haired teen slipped a pair of white boat shoes onto his bare feet.

"Sure am, Eli," Julian replied. He came down the stairs in a yellow polo shirt, white shorts, and light tan leather sandals on his feet.

The teens took a second to appraise each other's appearance. "You're cute," they said in unison and giggled. After they shared a kiss, Elliot opened the door. "Xander," the pair joyously squealed in sync.

The brunet gasped, then excitedly looked left to right as he turned around in a circle. "Xander, where?" he said before giggling and bear-hugging the other boys.

To be continued...

Posted: 08/11/2023