Eighteen Years Later

Chapter 25 - Time Jump and Recap

2 and a half months later...

Third Person/ No POV

A lot has happened to our favorite queer family over the last few months. It was now late September.

Relationships bloomed and families met together. The Nelson family as always has pushed through, finding their way through the challenges they faced over the last while.

Charlie sat at his work desk, thinking furiously about the last few months. He was supposed to be editing a chapter for an author he was working with but he couldn't seem to stay focused. He was thinking about how much he and his family have grown and evolved.

Recently Charlie's mental health has improved so much, the closer and bonded he felt with his family, the better he was. He realized that was always the case since he was 15. Nick was the solution to many of his mental health struggles and now it was his family that saved him in his dark days.

Charlie had recently gotten quite a large promotion at his Editing house. He works with bigger authors, is paid more and has better hours that he can choose. The lack of stress and more freedom really opened Charlie up and made him feel more connected.

Nick and Charlie had recently met up with the old Paris gang one night and it was just like they were school kids again. Laughing, smiling, joking as if nothing changed. Like they weren't adults with kids, careers and their own separate lives.

Tara and Darcy's boys, Mason and Hugo are still rowdy and slightly feral as ever, just like their Mama Darcy. Tao and Elle's teen daughter Madison is so mature and grown up, and Aled and Sahar have both gone down the no children path, both happy with their relationships.

Charlie also started to think about his son, Alec. The little boy had gone through so much in the last couple months he hated to think what would have happened if Declan and Lucia weren't around.

Unfortunately, Alec had a terrible football injury not too long ago. Declan had taken him to the local football ground to kick and ball around and practice some football but that turned sour very quickly when Alec tripped near the goal and slipped and slammed right into the goal post, fracturing his ankle and lower shin. Declan was an angel sent from heaven that day, consoling the sobbing boy while on the phone to paramedics and Alec's parents.

Alec was crushed by his injury, it took him out of playing sport for the rest of the season. He was in a cast and crutches and felt weak and not strong enough. Declan was always quick to remind him how strong and brave he was. Alec loved having older siblings, it made it so he didn't always have to be the big brother. It was a truly heartwarming brother moment.

Declan and Lucia have been spending much more time with the Nelsons, earning trust. They have babysitted and been home alone with the kids, taken them out and brought them to their house. They see each other at least 3 times a week and are as close as siblings who were always raised together.

Lucia had even taken Millie on her very first girls day. Millie, living in an only boys house, had never been on one so Lucia was quick to teach her the ways. They got nails done, Lucia had french tips done while Millie got Frozen Disney patterns on her nails.

They had lunch at a tea party and had a self care girly night, face masks and all. They even talked about boys! Lucia told Millie about her biology partner and how he's sweet, handsome and the time he held her hair back during some chemical mixing when she forgot to tie it up. Millie didn't quite understand but told Lucia about a boy in her daycare who gave her a Scooby Doo scratch and sniff sticker one time during free play.

Lucia and Millie love girly time.

Alec and Sophia are still together, their relationship growing everyday. They still had their hangouts weekly round each other's houses. They have gained their parents' trust over the months and have much more independence.

So they go to the park and local shops together and are young and in love. They are still kids but are so happy together. Charlie and Nick know that they will probably eventually break up but that's a future problem. They have grown to realize how much joy and happiness Sophia brings to Alec and regret ever doubting them.

Declan had quite recently introduced both the Hale family and Nelson family to a very special someone of his. Their name was Casey Reed. They were non binary, with short faded blue hair. Casey was an only child to supportive, queer ally parents and the lucky partner to Declan.

Casey was introduced to Declan's parents for dinner one night and despite their old age and sometimes old-fashioned behaviors, Debra-Jo and Warren Hale were more than supportive of their son's relationship. Declan had always said gender didn't matter to him so they knew what could happen.

Casey wasn't supposed to meet the Nelsons as soon as they did. Declan had Casey over at his house one day after school, when it was just them at home. Being teenagers, they were making out on the couch when all of a sudden, Lucia walks in, holding the hands of a stunned Millie and Alec. Turns out, Declan and Lucia were baby sitting that afternoon but Declan forgot and had Casey over.

Casey was embarrassed, they were just walked in on by their boyfriends little siblings, who they hadn't met properly before that. So Declan arranged a formal dinner meeting with Charlie and Nick to apologize for their mistakes.

Somehow that little dinner had evolved into a large Nelson-Hale dinner party. Nick invited his mum Sarah, All the kids were there including Charlie's little brother Oliver, Declan had Casey over and despite their awkwardness and nerves got along quite well with everyone and lastly Debra-Jo and Warren were also there.

Debra-Jo and Sarah Nelson got into lovely conversation and were chatting up a storm together, gossiping about old lady topics together. Turns out they went to the same university back in the day and were even in the same dorm. Crazy coincidences.

"Earth to Charlie!" A voice snapped, breaking Charlie from his thoughts of his family of the last few months.

"Ahh, yes?" He says, blinking and looking up at the figure standing above him, his boss. The head of the Editing house.

"Have you started on those pages I sent out?" His boss asked

"Ahh, yes! Just having a look now." Charlie says, shuffling the papers on his desk.

"Alright, stay on task." His boss said before walking away.

Charlie let out a sigh before picking up his pen and bucking down to work on the papers his boss issued. He smiles, the thought of everything his family has done over the last few months. His family is growing and expanding and he couldn't be more happy.

1279 words

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Hey my loves!!! ❤️

Here is ur update for the 29th of March, slightly early as i was late on the last update.

I loved this chapter and wrote it in like an hour lol. its different but i think its cool, there were so many topics i wanted to write about so i figured let's put them all in one as a long recap!

Hope u enjoyed it! Please vote, send requests as always

tysm for reading

Stay happy, healthy and hydrated

thefruity1 🥰