With Or Without You (Completed)

Epilogue

Evan scratched his head and deadpanned, "I don't understand."

Oliver smiled at the two. "How would you? Your wives are not Elli," he said it like it explained everything. "By the way, she'd taken away for some checkups and the baby, our August, is in the nursery at the moment, the little guy's going to stay there for a while. And, where are your respective other halves and all the minions?"

"August? Hmmm... that's a nice poetic name there, also matches the month he's born in," Brandan nodded and then said, "And you know it takes time gathering the said minions of ours, getting them and their things that must be carried wherever they goes," Brandan said walking closer.

Evan put the mini gift packets and flower bouquets in his hands on the bedside table and turned to Oliver. "So the women hounded us out to reach the hospital first while they get it all under control. It's gotten worse these days, you see, with Julius learning to run we've a toddler always chasing Sarah and Sammy, both of whom by the way enjoying it very much, and running into things he shouldn't."

"How long are you going to stay in the city?" Oliver asked Evan. "Aren't you yet tired of New York?"

Evan thinned his lips in irritation. "You're purposefully straying us away from the main topic here," he pointed out.

Brandan leaned forward coolly and rested his spread hands' palms on the edge of Oliver's hospital bed. "Which is explaining how you ended up this way. You better start, my friend."

Oliver groaned, which sounded more like a painful creak. "It is because of the entire birthing process, my friends."

"How so?" Evan's brows almost hit his hairline.

"My mind was kind of boggled up when Elli's labor pain began—"

"And so, you got into a car accident and took all the brunt of it while taking her to the hospital," Brandan said, he was looking a lot worried now, even Evan was looking the same.

"Nah," Oliver dismissed that. "Let me complete my sentence, or I'll kick you with my good foot." When the other two men now remained silent, Oliver began again, "So my mind was boggled up, and I tried putting on Elli's shoe instead of mine. When Elli came huffing like a madwoman, got over another of her contractions, and pointed out what I was doing," Oliver paused to gulp painfully. "My mind boggled up more because of the embarrassment. My foot was halfway inside that little pink converse, now my foot wouldn't come out, I slipped when it did and stumbled straight out the door. My ankle twisted while rolling down the stairs. By the way, Elli's shoe is completely destroyed."

Two seconds of stagnant silence.

Evan and Brandan burst out laughing. They almost rolled to the floor wiping their eyes.

"You laugh at my tragedy, you bloody bastards," Oliver glowered.

The two men at last calmed down after a good five minutes.

"But that still doesn't explain the injuries on your neck and hand," Brandan spoke between heavy breaths.

"I guess your tragedy didn't end there," Evan said, his hands on his hips. Oliver wondered if the scoundrel was having stitches in his sides from laughing too much.

"After the way you laughed at me, do you think I'm going to tell you more?" Oliver snapped.

Brandan cleared throat. "We promise we're not going laugh again. Right, Evan?" he nudged Evan with his elbow.

"Yes—" Evan corrected quickly, "I mean, no. Please accept our apologies. We truly understand what you went through. No jokes about the labor pain."