By now they could hear sirens in the distance and knew the cops were on the way. Walking the man out to the porch, Kevin grabbed the hose and started washing the man down. By the time the police got there, they had a full taped confession from the man.
Turning him over to the police, they quickly ran home to tell Tina what had happened. On the way home, Kevin called a crew to get the gas cleaned out of Tina’s house. They didn’t want a fire starting.
When they got home, after showering, they sat Tina down and showed her the video.
“Oh my God, that’s Charlie, he lives next door. He has some mental problems and I give him money to mow the yard and do the snow in the winter. He’s a wonderful baker and sometimes I pay him for some of his baked goods. I don’t think he has much money, so I try to help him out any way I can. That poor, poor man. We have to help him,” she said when she saw the video and started crying. “How could all this have happened?”
Kurt pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “Baby, I think he saw all your kindness for something else. I think things got twisted in his head. I don’t think you’re responsible for all this. Kevin will know someone who can help him and we’ll make sure he gets all the help he needs. Don’t you worry. None of this was your fault.”
Kevin hugged her from the back, pressing himself against her as tight as he could. “Don’t cry, baby, it’s almost over. We will get Charlie
all the help he needs. I’m calling the jail right now to make sure he gets the special attention he needs. They will take care of him.” He hated to see her so upset and wanted to do everything he could to help her calm down.
“I can’t believe he did all that, will you really help him after all he did? He’s really a sweet man, I feel so sorry for him.” Tina was in shock and still crying.
“Yes, angel, I know people who can help him,” Kevin told her, taking her from his brother and holding her close.
Kevin then stood and carried Tina to bed. She had spent all day cleaning, and now with the emotional upheaval of the evening she had to be exhausted.
The men cuddled with her all night holding her tight. The mystery of her house was finally over.
Chapter Twenty-One
Even though the men’s parents were due to arrive, Tina still needed to go to the office for a few hours. With everything that had happened, she really didn’t want to, but she couldn’t totally abandon her patients and needed to make arrangements for another therapist to see them. She needed time to think about her future. Now that she was marrying the men, she needed to scale back her hours. She didn’t want to totally quit work, but wanted more time with her men. Kevin was also thinking about scaling back his hours. They all wanted more time together. She didn’t even protest when Kurt insisted on staying with her at her office.
After she completed her work, they joined Kevin for lunch before hurrying home to be there when his parents arrived. Their dad, Karl, and mom, Lily, were wonderful. Tina was immediately at ease with them. Lily reminded her very much of her own mom.
Lily was immediately in control of everything around her, taking over with incredible ease. Before Tina knew it, the men had been sent on several errands, and Tina and Lily were alone in the house.
“How did you do that?” Tina asked in awe. “They never leave me alone.”
“Honey, you’re not alone, I’m here, and besides, I trained those boys and their father too. I’ll tell you my secret, but first about this wedding. Kevin and Kurt tell me you just want something small. How small? Justice of the peace small or not over one hundred people small?” Lily asked.
“One hundred people! Oh please, I was just thinking close family and a few friends. I don’t know if my brothers can make it out, and my dad doesn’t travel, and I just have a few friends and….”
“Shh, honey, slow down, it’s your wedding, I was just trying to get a feel for what you wanted. Kevin and Kurt have already threatened me with banishment if I upset you. They love you so very much, my dear, and because you’ve made my boys so happy, I love you too. I can’t wait for you to give me grandchildren…any chance you’ve started on that little project?” She asked with a giggle in her voice.
Tina blushed, and shook her head no.
“No, okay, I won’t push, but I want grandchildren while I’m young enough to spoil them. Don’t make me wait too long,” she said as she pulled Tina in for a big hug.
They spent the rest of the afternoon talking and planning the wedding and getting to know each other. When the men came home, they were sitting on the couch drinking a glass of wine, both a little tipsy.
Kevin and Kurt had been worried about leaving Tina with their mom for so long. Even though they loved their mom, she could be intimidating at times. They were both relieved to find the women laughing and enjoying themselves.
They immediately rescued Tina, by stating that she needed a nap and dragging her, laughing up the stairs.
Their dad declared the same for their mom and followed close behind them.
Epilogue
Tina and Lily decided on a very small wedding. They were married at the courthouse with Lily and Karl for witnesses two weeks later. With the short notice, Tina’s family couldn’t get away for the wedding and the men didn’t want to wait. Neither did Tina.
After the wedding they took a trip to Tina’s hometown so that she could introduce her men to her family before they took Tina to Europe for the honeymoon and showed her all the sites. She had never been before and enjoyed every minute.
They made sure they were back in time for Charlie’s trial, but he was declared unfit for trial. He would go to a hospital where he could get the help he needed.
Once Karl heard the story, he insisted on paying for Charlie’s care. Tina visited him once a week, feeling sorry for the man and often one of her husbands went with her. They all made sure Charlie had what he needed.