Standard disclaimers apply: I don't own the characters, I only take them out to play with them occasionally and I don't make any money off them. A book is never really happy unless it has been read and re-read until the cover falls off and you need to buy a second copy. This is how I pay loving homage to my childhood favorites.

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My big stand is this: every child deserves a home and love. Period. ~ Dave Thomas

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Honey Belden smiled, watching her brood splashing in the pool on base at Norfolk Naval Air Station Oceana. Sixteen year old Rafael was catching his four year old sister Briana as she went down the water slide. Thirteen year old Cinderella was sunbathing and tossing her heavy black hair and sending teasing looks with her almond shaped eyes at the boys passing by. Tabor at six was busy splashing in the shallow end.

 

Honey smiled, seeing her children's shoes scattered under a sun chair. Rafe's brand new pair of Chucks and Cindy's sandals combined with the littler kids.

 

Brian was due with Jim and Trixie any minute. She was so thankful Brian was stationed here in Virginia. It made weekend visits with her family possible. Brian's orders had him stateside for at least the next year. Yep, life was pretty much perfectly perfect.

 

 

"Mohmmmmm," Cinderella cried. "Rafe is splashing me!"

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"Maybe you just need to get wet," her father said with a devilish grin. Between giggles and screams, Dr. Brian Belden scooped his oldest daughter up and jumped into deep end of the pool.

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"Hey sis," Jim said, bussing a small kiss on Honey's forehead. He turned to his wife and five year old son Peter James. "Looks like everyone else is having fun, PJ. Ready to go in?"

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Hardly waiting for his mom to take off his shirt, PJ raced for his cousins. Jim brushed a kiss across Trixie's lips before removing his own shirt and joining the three boys in the shallow end.

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Trixie sighed. "He still makes me weak in the knees, Honey." Honey rolled her eyes good naturedly and handed Trixie a bottle of iced tea.

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"Yeah well, your brother still makes my toes curl, too." The women clinked their bottles and saluted their husbands before taking deep swallows.

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Honey helped set up the travel crib and they put little Caitie Rose down to finish her nap.

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It isn't what they say about you, it's what they whisper. ~Errol Flynn

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"None of the children even look like Dr. Belden," the low voice was catty and cruel. Honey exchanged a glance with Trixie. And well heard, too.

 

Honey glanced over her shoulder. Amy Meyers, the Chief of Staff's wife at the Base Hospital. Cool, blonde and well coiffed, Amy Meyers' demeanor screamed sophisticated and glamorous and judgmental. "The oldest one looks Hispanic."

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"Oh Mom, leave Rafe alone," Casey Meyers said. "He's really nice and has been tutoring me in math. He says he can't wait to graduate so he can work with his Uncle Jim."

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"The other one is Oriental."

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Casey sighed. "Mom, she's Chinese. Or Chinese American if you must label her. She wants to be a horse trainer when she grows up and offered to take me riding this summer."

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"I'm just saying – it's obvious Dr. Belden's wife is stepping out on him. It happens a lot in military marriages."

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Sharing a shocked look with Trixie, Honey stood up and approached Amy Meyers. "Mrs. Meyers," Honey said formally. Amy Meyers was an enigma. She never let her guard down and never encouraged friendships. Ever tactful Honey refused to make introductions.

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Trixie watched the other woman, recognizing how fifteen years ago she would have been jealous of Amy Meyers' sophistication. Trixie was glad she had grown more comfortable in her skin. Thankful every day Jim loved her the way she was.

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"I couldn't help but hear you commenting about my children."

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"How many children do you have now, Mrs. Belden?" Amy's voice was cool and condescending.

"Briana is our youngest. She makes four children."

 

"I was just remarking how all the children must look like their fathers." The word was stressed and was an obvious slander at Honey's character.

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"I'm not quite sure, Mrs. Meyers. I was never lucky enough to meet Rafe's birth parents. We adopted him when he was ten."

 

Realization dawned on the other woman's face.

 

"Rafael is an amazing boy." Jim approached, backing his sister up. In his wake were PJ and Tabor.

"What about me, Unca Jim? Am I amazing, too?" Tabor asked.

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Jim brushed a kiss across his nephew's dark curls. "Absolutely, T." He held his hand up to stem the excited questions from PJ . "You, too."

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Following a cue from his son, Brian noticed Dr. Roger Meyers' wife talking to Honey. He gathered a giggling wet Briana and joined his very large family as they closed ranks around his wife of the last ten years.

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"Really, Mrs. Belden? Adopting all these kids? You aren't Brad and Angelina." Amy Meyers' voice and inflection couldn't have been clearer.

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Honey faced the woman demeaning not only her own babies but, by extension, her brother, too. "Children are a miraculous gift from God, Mrs. Meyers. No matter how one receives them. Some of us are given the ability bear them, others the ability to rear them, and a lucky few the ability to do both."

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Her eyes narrowed with passion, Brian watched as his sweet, gentle wife turned into a mamma grizzly in front of his eyes. "These are my children. Rafael loves basketball almost as much as his uncle and dad did when they were his age. Cindy is horse crazy and will make a wonderful trainer. Tabor is a joy." Honey closed the gap between them and spoke directly into Amy Meyers' shocked face. "Briana was a last minute blessing, but one I'm incredibly thankful for. Blood doesn't make family. Love makes a family."

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Cool blue eyes narrowed, Amy Meyers zeroed in on Rafael. "And you?" she asked. "Who do you think of as your real parents?"

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Brian opened his mouth to respond but was stopped by Rafe's dark hand touching his father's bicep. "I'm not quite sure what you mean," he began, his chocolate brown eyes intense. "I'm lucky enough to have two sets of 'real' parents."

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"It's a little harder when older kids are adopted," Jim said, in solidarity. "You think you don't quite belong in either home until you realize you belong fully to both." He felt Trixie slip her hand into his for support and Jim placed his other hand on his sister's warm shoulder.

 

"If you'll excuse us, Mrs. Meyers," Brian said softy, "we'll let you get back to your daughter."

With a dismissive nod, the cool blonde walked away to where Casey waited, red faced and embarrassed.