KACE. “When they come over, you forget Jessie even exists,” Ripp grunted from the grill.

“I don’t forget she exists, Ripp. Jesus. Grill the chicken you big dummy,” Vee laughed as she shook her head lightly and held Casey over her head.

Shane, Ripp, Vee and I were gathered at Ripp and Vee’s house for a grilled chicken dinner. So far, although we were having fun, the grilling wasn’t going all too well. I sat alone on a lounge chair beside Vee, Shane sat on the other side of the deck, and a very frustrated Ripp was across the deck trying unsuccessfully to cook his sacred chicken on his sacred chicken grill. Vee was playing with Casey, Shane was playing with Jessie, and I was staring at Ripp as he cussed and threw utensils.

“How’s my little bitty baby boy today?” Vee said in her best baby voice.

I sat and watched as Vee tried to get Casey to smile. Eventually, he began to coo and giggle. His smile was infectious. When he smiled, everyone smiled. As soon as he did, Vee followed with an ear to ear grin.

“I love this little guy,” she said as she leaned her lips toward his belly.

“Don’t blow on his belly, it makes him pee,” Shane warned.

Vee immediately blew her wet lips against his stomach, making the most awful farting sound. Immediately, Casey began to squirm and smile.

“He’s just so lovable and perfect. I want one,” Vee smiled.

“Well, we’re gonna get back to fuckin’ like rabbits as soon as the doctor says it’s okay. I’ll give you a little boy, don’t worry,” Ripp said as he closed the grill.

“I don’t want a little boy. I want this little boy. He’s fucking adorable,” Vee said.

Shane had bought Casey a small hoodie initially as a joke, and he wore it everywhere he went. Shane’s pride of his son was immense, and I loved seeing it. Vee couldn’t keep her hands off of Casey, and whenever we were all together as a group, she often challenged Alec for possession - who was normally inseparable from Casey. Vee insisted she have Casey whenever possible. Oddly, either she or Ripp called almost every night offering to baby sit so Shane and I could leave the house alone or go on a date. It was cute. I liked it when she held Casey, because normally it allowed me hold Jessie.

Normally.

Shane sat in the lounge chair with Jessie lying in his forearms. As he rocked back and forth I watched her eyes open and close slowly. Eventually, he would rock her to sleep, his specialty. Something about Shane was comforting to the babies, and he always found a way to get them to go to sleep. Maybe it was the fact he didn’t talk much or that he talked softly and in a soothing voice.

“This motherfucker is about out of gas. The flame is so low this chicken is never gonna cook,” Ripp shouted as he rubbed his hand over the top of the grill.

And then there was Ripp.

Loud all of the time. Always shouting, yelling, or talking loud and cussing. Jessie would definitely have the foulest mouth of any girl on the planet; that was for sure. Ripp was Ripp, and no amount of babies would change that. He had softened up a lot and he was a caring father, but he was still Ripp.

“Cocksucker,” he shouted as he opened the grill and poked the chicken with his fork.

“Give it time,” I laughed.

“Fuck, Shorty. I’m god damned hungry. Look at me. I’m shriveling down to skin and fuckin’ bones,” he complained as he waved his hand in front of his torso.

One thing Ripp would never be was skin or bones. He spent more time at the gym or on his equipment at home than a professional bodybuilder, I was sure. He was always huge and always covered in muscle. It was part of who he was.

“You look awful,” I shouted over the deck.

“Kace, shhhh,” Shane whispered.

“You really think so?” Ripp asked.

I shook my head. Ripp turned to face Vee, looking for a second opinion. Without looking up from Casey, Vee shook her head. Ripp turned toward Shane and shrugged. Shane shrugged his shoulders as he held Jessie in his arms.

“You’re a beast, Ripp,” Shane whispered.

Ripp turned to the grille and opened it again. As he poked the chicken, I turned to face Vee. She looked up and smiled as she pulled Casey to her shoulder.

“He’s almost asleep,” she whispered.

I smiled at the thought of Casey relaxing. Something about watching him sleep was so peaceful. So innocent. So perfect. There wasn’t much Casey did that I didn’t enjoy seeing him do. Sleeping, however, was my favorite thing to see. When he slept, I knew he was off in baby land dreaming baby thoughts and growing. Those thoughts made me smile.

“What do you think babies dream about?” I asked openly.

Vee and Shane looked toward me and remained speechless.

“Fuckin’” Ripp responded over his shoulder.

“Michael Allen!” Vee shouted.

Ripp slowly turned to face us and shrugged, “Well, you know they do. Their little baby minds think about fuckin other babies. That and eatin’. Probably all they think about is fuckin’ and eatin’.”

“You’re an idiot sometimes,” Shane half whispered.

Without turning around, Ripp shrugged again.

I shook my head and turned toward Vee. She smiled and shook her head as she mouthed the word, sorry. I shrugged my shoulders again and smiled. Ripp was Ripp. No sugar coating and no bullshit - just the simple truth. I chuckled at what he had said. After a moment of silence, the thought of babies fucking or dreaming about fucking began to creep me out.

“Thanks for that thought, Ripp. That’s gross,” I said.

As Ripp turned the chicken over, he shrugged his shoulders and began to speak.

“Well, they got to…” he began.

“Not another word, Michael,” Vee insisted.

“It looks like we’re going to be late eating. Can we keep Casey for the night?” Vee asked.

“What does being here late have to do with keeping him?” I laughed.

Vee shrugged, “Sounded good.”

“So?” she whispered.

I shrugged and stood from my chair. Quietly, I walked to where Shane was sitting with Jessie. As he looked up, I bent over and kissed his cheek.

“Do you care if they keep Casey for the night?” I asked.

“She wants to keep him every time we come over here, Kace. He’s here more than he’s home,” Shane sighed.

I pointed at Jessie and smiled. Shane smiled. I felt it would be nice to have a little girl for a night. Actually, I wanted to take them both home. I turned toward Vee and tried to make a deal.

“Here’s my best offer, counselor. You can either agree to allow us to take both of the babies home, or you can trade for a night. Jessie for Casey. This is a one-time offer, and it expires when I get back to my chair. Yes or no, counselor?” I smiled as I began to walk to my chair.

Vee smiled and shrugged. Casey was asleep on her shoulder.

“Michael?” she whispered.

“I heard. I ain’t looking to give up both of ‘em, so we’ll do a swap. Jessie for Casey. I like having two cocks in this house. Makes me feel like we’re in charge, you know more men than women. Done deal,’ Ripp said over his shoulder.

“Casey does not have a cock, you big dummy,” I snapped.

“The hell he doesn’t,” Shane said as he stood from his lounge chair.

“Gross. That’s gross, just stop,” I said as I held my hand in the air.

“Hung like his fucking daddy,” Ripp laughed over his shoulder.

“Babies have a penis. Men have cocks,” I said.

“Some men have cocks,” Vee said as she raised her index finger in the air and twirled it in a circle.

“Some men,” I agreed.

I laughed at the thought of a baby having a cock. Ripp could be so repulsive sometimes and not even know it.

Eventually we ate the chicken, traded car seats, and Shane and I drove home. As I lowered Jessie into the crib, Shane stood over me and smiled. As I covered her with the blanket, Shane kissed me on the neck. The thought of Vee loving Casey as much as she did made me feel warm inside. As close knit of a family as we all had become, I really felt as if Jessie was some form of daughter to me. I suspected Vee felt the same about Casey. As Shane’s lifted his lips from my neck, I turned to face him. He pointed into the crib and smiled.

“I want one of those,” he grinned.

“I do too,” I smiled.

And I truly did. I wanted an entire house full of children. Unlike Ripp, I didn’t necessarily want a house full of cocks, though.

But having one more little pussy would be a blessing.