Chapter 8

Jerome

       The head of VidGalore released the names of the vloggers who were going on the meet and greet tour across the country, and I was happy that one half of the most annoying pair in the world wasn't going. Dirk was, but Cheryl wasn't, so at least I could handle half of the annoyance.

       And I wouldn't be the only one going on the tour who had to be separated from their spouse.

       Though it was going to be a lot harder on me because I was also going to have to be separated from my son, and I was probably going to miss a few monumental moments.

       At least I didn't miss Kingsley's first smile, though he, of course, had to give his first smile to Nolan. I didn't mind at all that Kingsley clearly was more comfortable with Nolan. When we first got the call about adopting Kingsley, Nolan was a bit worried he wouldn't be a good enough dad, but seeing the way Kingsley acted around him definitely reassured him a lot.

       That, and Nolan was so attractive around kids.

       Nolan and Kingsley always napped together on the couch and it was the cutest thing ever. It made me swoon even more. I was so thankful I ended up finding and falling in love with Nolan. He definitely was the best thing that ever happened to me.

       Even though the tour wasn't going to start for another month, Alan was already staying with us. He thought it would be best if he started earlier so Nolan got used to him being here, and that would mean Nolan wouldn't have to feel such a drastic change with me gone.

       At least, that was what Alan said. It made sense, but we also knew it was because he couldn't handle being nineteen and still having to share a room with his four year old brother who, apparently, was always summoning demons and chanting incantations in his sleep.

       I didn't even mind having Alan here, especially because he loved cooking a lot and was a better cook than both me and Nolan. The only thing we didn't like was how he kept asking it Trixie could come over, even though we made it pretty clear that we didn't like her.

       "Does Nolan always sleep throughout the day?" Alan asked as he made dinner. 

       "Yeah," I said. "He rarely gets enough sleep at night, so he naps during the day. That, and Kingsley normally has to be with Nolan when he had to go down for his nap, so it's a win-win."

       "My nephew is so cute," Alan said. "I'm going to force him to say I'm his favourite uncle."

       "Of course you are," I said.

       "I still find it too weird that Nolan is already married, and he's the shyest out of us three triplets," Alan said. "And now he has a kid. It makes me want a kid...."

       "Not with Trixie."

       "And why not?"

       "Because you've barely been together. And your kids will end up homophobic."

       "Trixie isn't homophobic."

       "She's homophobic. She said gay people belong in hell."

       "She was joking."

       "She's a joke."

       Alan sighed. "I just don't understand why people don't like her. My family members are the masters of shipping and were so happy when Maeder, Jerlan, and Attichid became canon. But when I introduce them to Trixie, they all tell me it has to end."

       "It doesn't have to if you don't want it to," I said. "I mean, it should, but if you're happy, then I guess that's what matters."

       "At least someone thinks of it that way," Alan said.

       "I still don't like her."

       "And there it is. Look, can't she come over for dinner so you could get to know her better? Maybe then you could see she's actually really nice and you could convince my family that too."

       "Sorry, but Trixie stresses Nolan out, and he can't get stressed," I said. "If you want your family to like Trixie, then you have to make her likable."

       "She is likable," Alan said.

       "To you," I said. "But she doesn't even try getting along with your family, and that's the problem. You just need her to get along with at least one of your siblings, and hopefully everyone else will catch on."

       "Don't encourage him!" Nolan suddenly called from the couch. I looked over to see him sitting up, and placing Kingsley on his lap since he was awake as well.

       "Go back to sleep, Nolan," Alan said. "No one asked for your opinion."

        "Uh, this is my house, so my opinion is always valid," Nolan said. "And Jerome, please stop encouraging him with Trixie."

        "Hey, I'm just being a nice brother-in-law," I said."He likes her, he's happy, that's what matters."

       "He likes that he has a girlfriend, he's happy he has a girlfriend, it doesn't matter who it is."

       "Yeah, I'm going to need you to tone down your sass just a tiny bit," I said.

       "Don't tell me what to do."

       I ignored him and looked back at Alan. "If you want your family to like Trixie, then she has to make the effort of getting along with them. I mean, I personally will never like her, but that doesn't mean your siblings and parents won't."

       "I won't," Nolan said. "I know Orchid won't. Ryder probably won't. Tulip definitely won't because Trixie had already insulted her favourite ship."

       "Again, it was a joke," Alan said.

       "Jokes are meant to be funny," Nolan said. "And you don't joke about being gay."

       "You joke about being gay all the time," Alan said.

       "Yes, in a funny way, not a way that actually is an insult to gay people," Nolan said. "Saying gay people belong in hell isn't a joke at all."

       "Please, tone down the sass and go back to sleep."

       "Please, break up with Trixie."

       "Not happening."

       "Then I'm cranking up the sass."

       "Nice job, Alan," I said. "You created a sass monster. He's never going to stop now."

       "It's not like I won't be able to handle his sass," Alan said.

       Poor, naive Alan. Thinking he could handle Nolan's sass. I couldn't even handle it at times, and I was married to Nolan.

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Sassy Nolan, yus, let it go. Be free, my sassy Nolan. <3

I'm still mad that my food stash in my bedroom is gone, so here I am at 1:30 in the morning very hungry but unable to go downstairs to get something to eat. :/ I miss house-sitting my grandparents' house and eating ice cream and making milkshakes at three in the morning....