Tom began to relate the events of the arms smuggling investigation after reminding the kids of the tragic story they'd told them years ago. "Also because of that incident, your Mom and Dad realized they could communicate telepathically, Meggie. And then your Mom discovered that she could actually hear your Dad's thoughts even when he wasn't trying to communicate them to her!"
Brad interrupted, looking at Uncle Charles and Aunt Dee. "I've always believed that you two could communicate without words! I've watched you do it over the years. That's why I believe Meggie and I are soul mates... we can read each other's thoughts sometimes, too! I'm just glad you were never able to read my thoughts about her, Aunt Dee... I'd have been in big trouble!"
Diana looked at Brad with a sad frown. "Bradley, dear, just because you and Meggie can read each other's thoughts, it doesn't mean you're meant to be soul mates! And I've never been able to read the thoughts of any of you kids... but I wish I could've! Just let your Dad continue with the story..."
Tom smiled sadly at Diana and continued, telling them about how Donald Price and Robert Clark had past connections to them and about running into them at that Christmas party a few weeks later. "Your mother was none too pleased to see Donald and your Aunt Dee wasn't very happy to see Uncle Bob, either. And, at the time, Aunt Lisa was the wife of your mother's ex-husband, Brad, and she was not happy to see your mother. This was also the night we realized that your Uncle Bob and Aunt Lisa knew each other. But it wasn't until the end of the investigation that we learned they were more than just acquainted." Megan jumped in. "This is the story why Uncle Bob and Aunt Lisa always say they're grateful to you guys for the way things worked out for them! You all started out hating each other and now you're friends? Man... this is starting to sound like a really twisted story. I can't even imagine how it's going to end..."
The adults all glanced at each other.
Oh, Meggie... you're not going to like the ending, sweetie...
Tom continued again. "It was during this part of the preliminary investigation that your Dad received some devastating news, Meggie. Your Mom had been so upset, wondering why she hadn't been able to get pregnant, so your Dad went to the doctor to get checked out. He was told by the doctor that he was virtually sterile... most of his sperm were dead. Your Aunt Lynda and I were the only ones they told about that..."
Tom continued to tell them about the night they learned of that and about the poker party and how Aunt Dawn had recognized the last man they still hadn't identified. "It turned out he was Bradley Williams, your Aunt Dawn's uncle who was supposedly killed during World War II... and he was my commanding officer when I was a Marine Intelligence officer. We'd all thought he was dead all those years, but instead, he'd disappeared and was then a suspect in our investigation."
"Wait a minute!" Brad exclaimed as he jumped up from the couch. "Are you saying that the man you named me after was involved in the arms smuggling ring you were investigating? You named me after a criminal? Why?!!!"
Tom stood up and grasped his shoulders. "Sit back down, son. There's a lot more to the story. We've got to tell you about the investigation as it unfolded. To jump ahead would be too confusing. This is only the part where we were just starting to put things together..."
Tom's mind momentarily wandered from the story of the investigation. It had been a fun night playing cards with all their friends, despite the heartbreaking discoveries... Until Diana and Charles had wiped everyone out by cheating together! But he remembered what a good time Jon told the guys he and Barb had that night in their car on the way home... The night he found out about Jonnie...
Tom dragged his thoughts away from the irrelevant memories and continued the story, explaining how all four of them had ended up in Washington for the Christmas and New Year holidays. "It was on the way back to Washington from your Mas and Grandaddy's house in Colonial Heights that your Aunt Lynda and I realized how devastated your Mom and Dad were at the thought they'd never have children. But they tried to keep their hopes up. They told us that the doctor had said there wasn't a zero chance that your Dad would have children, just that it would take a miracle. So they said they were going to keep trying and praying for a miracle that night!"
Tom skipped the part where Meg's Mom and Dad actually fucked in the back seat of the car but Charles and Diana looked at each other.
Our kids would be shocked to hear how wild we were...and still are... sometimes...
Tom paused and looked at his son Brad and at Megan. "Four fervent prayers were heard that Christmas night. And with good intentions, we tried to aid in making a miracle happen on New Year's Eve. It turned out to be even more of a miracle than we knew... But we'll come back to that after we finish the rest of the story." He glanced around. "I need to take a break and get something to drink. Is that OK?"
The adults all nodded, but Brad and Megan looked anxious to get on with the story...
Tom fixed himself a drink and sat back down on the couch between the kids again, and told them how they had returned from Washington with confirmation of Bradley Williams' alias identity and authorization to start formal investigation of Green Worldwide Enterprises. But their investigation had been stalled until their Aunt Barbara had foolishly taken a job as Harold Green's secretary and secretly gotten them a piece of key evidence. Brad and Megan had looked at each other in surprise as they realized almost all of their parents' friends had been instrumental in helping them in that investigation.
Then Tom told them about how they'd tracked down a former army buddy of his to help try and identify who the "source" for the illegal arms was and watched as the kids faces registered their shock to hear that his old friend had turned out to be the source. Then they were further shocked to learn that his old friend, his former commanding officer Bradley Williams, and Harold Green had all conspired to have he and Charles killed. Brad and Megan were shaking their heads in disbelief when he told them that the man they'd hired to kill them was an old boyfriend of their Aunt Dawn.
Megan interrupted again. "Uncle Tom... this is a very weird and interesting story, but I still don't see how all of this has anything to do with me and Brad being in love and wanting to be together!"
Charles took his daughter's hand in his. "Megan, sweetie, I know this all sounds irrelevant, but it's not. Our group of friends was meant to meet and share our lives together for a very special reason... We all know what it means to have found our soul mates and we've tried to teach you kids how important that is... but we didn't expect it to happen between any of you kids! And for you and Brad... Sweetie... just bear with us and we'll explain everything in the end. Go ahead, Tom..." Charles nodded at his best friend.
Tom frowned as he remembered the pain he'd felt when his old army pal Gary Butler had revealed a shocking part of the story. Gary said he'd only done it for the money, but Bradley Williams had felt betrayed by him because he'd fallen in love with the woman Tom had married on Okinawa, Yakira, and he'd had no idea that it was she who'd helped Williams convince everyone he was dead.
Brad and Megan could see the pain on his face and hear it in his voice as he told them how upset he'd been to learn of his friends' betrayals, his first wife's deception and that Williams' had felt betrayed by him and Yakira and that he'd hurt Yakira terribly to get his revenge. "I was so upset to hear all of that. I came home that morning and your mother held me and comforted me. I remember it so clearly because it was the first time she felt you move inside her, Brad. She put my hand on her stomach and I felt you, too. I laid my head on her stomach and told you that we were anxiously awaiting your arrival and that I'd keep talking to you until then."
Brad rolled his eyes. "Oh, for God's sake, Dad! You've always been so damn corny! I can't believe you started it even before I was born!"
"Thomas Bradley... what a mean thing to say to your own father! I think it's very sweet, Uncle Tom. Daddy told me he did the same thing with Charlie and me before we were born!"
Tom and Charles stared at each other and Charles said quietly, "That's because Uncle Tom and I wanted to be fathers so desperately... we loved you kids even before you were born." He looked at his daughter's smiling face and reached his hand out to caress her cheek. Then he looked back at Tom. "Go on, partner, finish telling about how this case played out."
Tom told them about how the bust went down at the port docks and how Donald Price had intended to kill Uncle Bob until Aunt Lisa unexpectedly showed up to warn him. "They got into a scuffle, so that's when we moved in. Your Dad and I got Price to lower his gun, and that's when your Dad saved my life, Meggie. Bradley Williams pulled a gun on me and Charles shot him. Price raised his gun again to shoot your Dad but your Uncle Bob shot him in the shoulder and stopped him. Williams wasn't so lucky... your Dad hit him square in the chest."
