TONIGHT WE'RE GOLD

FIFTY

'Happy anniversary,' Gerard says when he wakes up to Frank next to him.

'Three years.'

'Who would have thought?'

Frank gets closer and kisses him. 'The best three years of my life.' They keep cuddling, reminiscing those days when Frank was sure Gerard wouldn't like him, and Gerard thought he was so obvious but Frank wouldn't get a hint, until they hear the twins crying, and it's time to get back to reality.

This is the best way to celebrate their life together. After everything they went through in the last couple years, just being together and happy, and their kids, and the pets, it's all they need.

Without saying anything, they start their daily morning routine. While Frank gets the twins changed and ready, Gerard goes downstairs and starts coffee and makes breakfast for everyone. Frank tries to change Dylan but he's too distracted with Lotion, who doesn't leave his side, and then does Emi's hair. 'You want the pink bow, princess?' he asks, but puts it on anyway. He still remembers the day they were born as if it was yesterday, but now she's huge, and knows a few words already. 'Dada!' she calls him, pointing to Lotion, who's already in one of the cribs, getting comfortable.

This is exactly the life Frank dreamed.

He lets them play with him, and poke his face, and listens to them, even though he doesn't understand what they're babbling about. But this is where he belongs.

He somehow manages to get them downstairs, and in their chairs. Gerard serves them oatmeal and juice, and Frank can smell the coffee, but first, he helps to feed them.

Gerard loves to cook, and especially, he loves to spoil Frank, so now he's used to having scrambled eggs, or avocado toast, or some hippie breakfast sandwich he found online. But today, there's none of that.

And he doesn't want to ask him, because he doesn't want him to think that Frank's expecting him to cook for him.

But Gerard can read his mind. 'Don't worry,' he tells him as he gets Dylan more juice. 'I got it.'

Once they twins are done eating, Gerard wipes off their faces and gets them down from the chairs. 'Let's go outside and play with Soup!'

Ever since they started walking, Gerard decided to put a fence around their front lawn so they had a safe space to go and play. Frank carries Emi and follows him outside, and as soon as he steps out on the porch, he sees something waiting for them on the steps.

A pink box of donuts and two Starbucks cups.

Just like that first date three years ago.

'Happy anniversary, my love,' Gerard says with a smile.

'Happy anniversary.'

They sit on the steps, just like that day, and take one donut each. Except the view is a much different now. Starting with their kids playing, throwing grass at Soup and laughing when she tries to catch it.

'Three years, huh?' Frank asks, thoughtful, taking a sip from his vanilla latte.

Gerard smiles at him. 'It feels like a fucking lifetime.'

'Right?! All the shit that happened, it can't be three years.' He turns to him with a smile. 'And we're still sitting here, but we got kids now, and we're happy, despite everything.'

'Really happy.'

Frank leans in for a kiss, and they don't say anything for a while. It feels nice, just sitting in the same spot years later, and seeing their kids laugh and be happy. It was all worth it, Frank thinks.