Page 59 of Their Little Foursome

Standing at the big picture window of the lodge, holding Lori’s hand, Beverly had watched Gordon drape his arm around their Little boy’s shoulders as the two set off on one of their many walkabouts.

“They are good for each other, aren’t they, Mommy?”

“Yes, Li’l Bit, I believe they each recognized a part of themselves in the other. And do you know why?”

“Because they are both good people?”

A smile curled Beverly’s lips as she drew Lori closer, but her eyes remained on the pane of the window. “Yes, very good people who have an intense connection because both of themfought so hard to keep a girl they didn’t know safe. To bring her back, to let her know that good will conquer evil as long as there is love.”

Lori looked up, a tear slipping down her cheek. “And they both share a deep love for a woman who has a heart big enough to love us all.”

The two didn’t turn away from the window until the other half of their family disappeared over the rise, knowing they’d both come back a bit stronger.

The night she’d sat on the edge of Blake’s bed trying to rescue him from the dream’s hold was one she’d never thought she’d forget. But the night she sat on the edge of his bed and Blake told her he’d finally come to accept he hadn’t been a failure, not on the day he saved Lori’s life and not when he’d walked away thinking Gordon had failed him, and that he wasn’t afraid to dream because she and his Daddy would always keep him safe, she’d felt a heavy weight lift off her soul.

Lori still wore a diaper when she napped sometimes, especially if she was very tired or feel particularly Little. Though she’d sometimes insist her Little age was much too old for diapers. Blake usually scoffed at that announcement, reminding her that bigger Little sisters didn’t continue to call their big brother’s underwearpanties.Beverly and Gordon had assured her it was all good. No one had said she had to be one way or another all the time.

Both she and Gordon always made sure their Littles understood there was no favoritism in this family. Naughtiness had consequences and the bill wasn’t marked paid until bottoms were blazing. Sitting on scorched bottoms in their naughty chairs, nose to the corner followed by lots of cuddles and forgiveness had gone a long way to assure their Little ones they were equally loved by both of their Bigs.

Gordon participated in the weekly maintenance as well. It had been a bit of a fiasco the first time they’d all managed to squeeze into her shower stall. It hadn’t taken long before they discovered there was “closeness” and then there was being packed so close they all felt like sardines in a tin. Add in the fact that not a single one of them could so much as lift an arm without poking someone with an elbow, much less safely wield a razor, and they agreed taking turns was the way to go.

The following week, Gordon had suggested a change of location. Even though the bathroom in his guest suite was quite luxurious and the shower stall big enough for all of them to move about, they did decide to ask Colton to add a second bench seat to the master bath in the house they were building on the Ridge so their Littles wouldn’t have to take turns placing their mats down to be tended to.

After having their privates shorn smooth, the Littles would share the tub, taking turns squirting water and plastering mounds of suds on the other’s body, and their Bigs would share the shower.

The ensuite in Gordon’s room wasn’t the only thing that was far larger than the bathroom in the cottage. Gordon’s bed had to be at least twice the size of Beverly’s, making their most anticipated weekly event far more comfortable, and allowing for more… creativity, though she would always cherish the nights they spent in her bed, the four of them curled around each other like a litter of puppies.

After they’d all dried off, had hair combed out and brushed their teeth, there was always a moment when the four met each other’s eyes in the unspoken acknowledgment that their favorite part of Saturday night was about to begin. Depending on whose turn it was, the others would wait for the solemn presentation of a drawing. The artist of the week would use the same yellow pad as Gordon’s first doodle, and like that one, whatever was drawndepicted their opening act. With Lori’s first turn as artist, there had been a few quizzical looks as they’d tried to decipher exactly what positions her stick figures were attempting. But once she’d tapped the pencil tip against the page while adding rather explicit instructions, they’d hurried into the master bedroom and climbed onto the “stage”. All four had very enthusiastically given each drawn position their best effort. Laughter was soon followed by the sounds of delicious moans and pleas for permission to come. By the time the blankets were pulled up over very sated, very sleepy bodies, none had any doubt that they were very well-loved indeed.

EPILOGUE

Gordon

“Yay! It’s finally Halloween.”

Gordon groaned. He’d heard those words at least fifteen times since breakfast and they seemed to get louder each time. Their Littles hadn’t even gone trick-or-treating yet but were hyped up as if they’d eaten an entire crop of candy corn.

“Hurry up, Daddy, we don’t want to be late for lunch!”

Gordon shook his head as he adjusted his shirt. “Are you sure we’re supposed to be wearing costumes already? I thought the party wasn’t until this evening.”

“That’s thebarnparty. Today is Halloween and everyone celebratesall day! Isn’t it amazing?”

“But to eat lunch? Aren’t you afraid you’ll get something on your costume?”

“Nope, but we have to hurry. Hayleigh said her Daddy was making mummy dogs!”

“What, pray tell, is a mummy dog?”

The question had Lori going silent and looking over to her big brother. “Blake, do you know what a mummy dog is? Oh… they’re not… not real?—”

“No,” Blake said before she could verbalize what would most likely conjure visions neither one of them wish to consider, especially after it got dark. “They are just hot dogs wrapped in strips of phyllo dough that make them look mummy-like. They’re almost as good as dino nuggets.”

Gordon could tell his Little girl was very relieved at Blake’s explanation when she began to bounce up and down on her toes.

“Mommy, please tell Daddy…”

Before she could finish her plea, Gordon turned toward her, holding his arms out straight as boards in front of him as he began to stomp his feet, rocking from side to side as if every joint was frozen. “Arrrggghhh!”

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