At 5 after I asked Mom, Dad, Jason and Lisa to come into the house for the video conference call. I told our other guest we would be back out in a few minutes. The rest of the girls followed us in as we had planned. Getting everyone positioned to be in the screen was as challenging as taking still family pictures. We finally got our Mom’s and Dad’s into the places we wanted them.

5 PM here was 7 AM in Japan where Jake and Mindy lived. We had moved the big screen monitor and video camera into the living room. Jake picked up the video call on the first notification.

Jake and Mindy knew everyone but Jason and Lisa so the introductions were quick. We had Jason, Lisa, Dad and Mom sitting on the same couch. Jenny and I sat on the floor on front them with Marcy, Lorrie, Vicky and Ching Lee tight around us with our arms holding each other.

“Moms, Dads,” I was speaking to both sets of parents.

“You know that all of us are more than friends and business partners. We are family and we love each other more than can be put in words. No family is complete without children. Jenny and I and all of us want children for all to love and to hold and for the grandparents to spoil and send home.” I hesitated then continued.

“You know that I can never have children; it was one of the fates that life deals out. With modern medicine and technology and help from my big brother I can experience the miracle of childbirth and children through my mates and we will become a complete family,” I said.

“What BJ and I are trying to tell you is I am pregnant and you are going to be grandparents,” Jenny said. “I’m having twin boys.”

I was holding Jenny tight and the other girls were holding both of us just as tight. We were waiting for a reaction, any reaction.

From the video monitor Jake broke the quiet and said, “Congratulations BJ and Jenny. Uncle Jake and Aunt Mindy – we will have to get used to that. Dad, is it going to be Grandpa and Grandma or Pop-Pop and Mom-Mom?” Jake asked Mom and Dad.

Jenny pulled the copy of the last sonogram out of her pocket and handed it to her Mom and she shared it with Jason who broke into a smile, the first reaction from them. “I think maybe Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop,” Jason said. “But then most children come up with something they can easily say.”

Jason looked at the sonogram for a minute then handed it to my Mom and Dad.

“Grandpa and Grandma Jones, I never thought it was going to happen and never this way and twin boys to boot!” my Mom replied. “I can’t wait to tell all my friends. I will finally be able to talk about my grandchildren with them.”

“But we have a little problem, we can teach them all about business and how to defend themselves, fly planes and to shoot, but the grandpas are going to have to teach them about baseball, football, fishing and hunting and how to pee on the tree trunk.” I waited until the laughter and giggling died down to add, “So you two guys are going to have plenty to do in your spare time.”

“Mindy and I will be back in time to help you with some of that,” Jake said, “Mindy and I want to be there when they are born, so give us some notice,” he added.

The fear was over! Everyone seemed to be happy and we were relieved. We chatted with Jake for a few more minutes. Jenny proudly showed them her little growing baby bump.

As we walked back to the garage to the food and friends, Dad pulled my arm to stop me. He gave me a big hug – the first in a long time. “Did I understand right, that Jake gave the DNA to make this happen?” he whispered in my ear. “Yes” I replied. “The boys are your true grandchildren and Jake and I are still very close,” as I returned the hug.

It was time for us to go make six other girls happy. Marcy had put the keys and the gas card in a gift box with a bow and a card explaining the requirement to maintain a B or better grade average.

We had them all come up and gave them the gift boxes as a group. There were six very happy girls who promised the grades would be better than we expected.

We also told them we were going to continue the health insurance for them and their families, even with their part-time work schedule.

The dessert followed the meal along with lots of laughter, good times and fellowship. Then we began the task of clean up; so much plastic and paper products were used made it a breeze. Most of the food was gone and what was left went home with several of the guests. The Judge and Dad split the half bushel of crabs that were left over.

Thirty minutes later the tables were folded up and stacked against the wall and the chairs stacked in the corner. The only thing left in the garage was a mixed cooler of beer and soda.

With the cars back in the garage, all the guests gone and only Moms and Dads still here, we retreated to the living room and spent the evening talking about family, babies, baby showers, and what we were going to do for a nursery. Each of our parents still had the cradles and cribs that had been ours and were pleased that we were willing to use them again.

Marcy, Lorrie, Vicky and Ching Lee were as active in the conversations as anyone with the planning. I was concerned that they would be hurt with all the attention going to Jenny and I was greatly relieved.

The final discussion of the evening was the possible events of the trial Jenny was prosecuting starting tomorrow.

Edit by Alfmeister