Three Lovers on the Grift - 30

Page let out a long breath, laying her head against the back of the sofa. "Now what?" she asked, not looking at the others.

"We take care of the immediate problem first," Nigel said, picking up Brian. "Change diapers."

Vaughn rolled his eyes as he went to get Marcia who was half asleep on the sofa next to Page. "We'll be right back."

They were, five minutes later. Page took the twins to nurse and when everyone was settled again she repeated her question, "Now what?"

"What do the two of you think of his idea?" Vaughn countered.

"It could be—interesting," Nigel said. "He's right about the fact that we've got the skills. And if it keeps us out of jail—"

"Which, according to him, is on our horizon in spades right now."

"Do you think he's got the pull to arrange this?" Page asked.

Vaughn nodded. "I don't think he'd have suggested it if he didn't."

She looked down at the twins with a worried frown. "It will be dangerous."

"True, and before you say it, we won't cut you out of it, but we will make certain that only two of the three of us go off on a job at any one time. That way, just in case of trouble, Brian and Marcia will still have one parent."

"That's a rather morbid thought," Nigel said, "but realistic, I guess."

"We have to face the fact this is not going to be just grifts. We'll be dealing with hardened criminals who have no intention of being caught."

"If this all happens," Page said quietly, "I want us to pick guardians for Marcia and Brian. Or rather, make it official that if, worst case scenario, something happens to one or two of us, whoever's left has no problems about having the right to keep them."

"I agree," Vaughn replied. "And I think we should take it one step further. Now don't shoot me, but Silas and Lyman came here to warn us because of the twins, which to my mind could make them possible secondary guardians."

Nigel looked at him in surprise. "We hardly know them."

"True, but there's no one else I'd even consider. Certainly no one in any of our families."

"For damned sure," Page muttered.

"Okay, before we make a decision on that, let's see if Lyman can work his magic and make the whole deal with the cops happen." Nigel looked at his lovers. "That is, if we're all willing."

"I am," Page stated emphatically. "I want this to be our home, no more running. If that's what it takes then we do it."

"I agree," Vaughn said firmly as he walked across to the sofa. He gently stroked the babies’ heads, then kissed Page and Nigel as if to seal the deal. "I'll get them back up here and we'll let them know our decision."