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Finally it was Friday afternoon again, the time when kids felt liberated from the prison that is school. All they could think of now was staying up late, watching movies there parents probably didn't approve of, sleeping in Saturday and Sunday morning and spending time with their closest friends. That was certainly true for Sandy Evans and Robbie Atkins, who had just said goodbye to their friend Ethan as he was dropped off by the school lubs.

"Your Mom bringing your bass over?" Robbie asked Sandy.

"Yeah, little later, and the amp" said Sandy. "I didn't want to haul that thing around all day or try to stuff it in my locker."

"Doubt it would fit in there," said Robbie. "That thing's pretty big. What's it called again?"

"Fender Jazz Bass," said Robbie. "That was super cool of Ethan's Dad to let me borrow it until my parents buy me one of my own."

"Yeah," said Robbie. "Pretty cool that Alan let me borrow an old drum set of his so I could practice at home."

"Bet your mom and dad love that," said Sandy, grinning.

"My Dad said he's gonna get a bunch of old mattresses to put along the walls of the basement so he can't hear me practicing," said Robbie, rolling his eyes.

"Guess I'm lucky that my parents don't complain," said Sandy. "Then again, that practice amp has a headphone jack so all they'd hear is my paws slapping the strings."

"How long you think it's gonna be before we're able to start a band with Ethan?" asked Robbie.

"Don't know," said Sandy. "Randy said I'm really progressing with the bass and that he can tell that I practice a lot everyday."

"Alan said the same thing about me," said Robbie, seeing that his house was fast approaching. "Ah good, now we can get started on the weekend."

The bus ground to a halt. Sandy and Robbie grabbed their book bags and exited the bus, hearing the diesel engine laboring away as it drove off. Robbie noticed that there was an unfamiliar car parked in the driveway.

"Your mom and dad expecting company?" asked Sandy as they walked towards the front door.

"Just you," said Robbie. "Wonder who it is?"

The raccoon opened the door to his house and the two of them walked into the living room. Sandy saw a tall raccoon who looked like an older version of Robbie sitting on the living room sofa. He looked over at his friend and saw a look of pure joy overcome him. Throwing his bag off from his shoulders, Robbie ran over and tackled the tall raccoon.

"Ricky!" he yelled, hugging the raccoon, his eyes bright and shiny. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, buddy," said Ricky. "How's my favorite brother?"

"I'm your only brother," said Robbie, giving his brother a punch on the shoulder. "Not like there's a contest to see who's favorite."

"Good point," said Ricky. "Hey, is that your friend Sandy?"

Sandy walked up and shook Ricky's paw. Ricky had a strong grip, but it didn't bother the squirrel. "Hi," said Sandy. "I'm Sandy. You must be Ricky, Robbie's older brother."

"Oh wow," said Robbie. "Good work figuring that out, Lt. Columbo."

"Shut up, asshole," said Sandy, shoving the raccoon.

Ricky laughed at their antics. "I sure am, Sandy," said Ricky. "Robbie told me that your family moved here over the summer and that you're his best friend in the world."

"Uh huh," said Sandy. "Though most days I wonder why."

"Douche bag," said Robbie, shoving the squirrel and turning his attention to his older brother. "You never told me what you're doing here. You on leave?"

"Nope," said Ricky.

"You go AWOL?" asked Robbie.

"No," said Ricky, shaking his head. "I resigned my commission."

Robbie's jaw dropped. "You mean you're not in the Marines anymore?"

"That's right," said Ricky. "As of two days ago I'm officially a civilian."

"Do Mom and Dad know?" asked Robbie.

"Nope," was hoping to surprise them. "I got a big announcement for everybody."

The toilet down the hall flushed. Robbie and Sandy looked at each other. As far as they knew, they and Ricky were the only ones there. Robbie's parents wouldn't be home for another half an hour, so they looked in the direction of the bathroom and saw a female raccoon walking over to Ricky. She kissed him and put her arm around him.

"Robbie, Sandy, this is Jessica," said Ricky.

"Hi, Robbie. Hi, Sandy," said the female raccoon.

"We're getting married," said Ricky.

"Wow," said Robbie. "Really?"

"Really," said Ricky. "Jessica was in the Marines with me and we started dating a year ago. We really hit it off, so last week I proposed to her."

"Congratulations," said Sandy to the newly engaged couple.

"Thank you, Sandy," said Jessica. "Ricky kept talking about how he really missed seeing his family, so I suggested to him that we move back to his hometown."

"You're going to be living back here?" said Robbie, the excitement again evident in his voice. "That' awesome, but what are you going to do for a job?"

"Jessica and I have both been accepted by the police department here," said Ricky. "We're going to start training in a few weeks and once we get through that, we'll be police officers."

"Wow," said Ricky. "That's cool. Hey, Sandy, just think, once we're old enough to drive we'll be able to get away with speeding and probably underage drinking . . ."

Ricky reached forward and grabbed his little brother by the ear. "I don't think so, you little brat." Ricky let go of his brother's ear. Robbie scowled, rubbing the injured area.

"I was just joking," said Robbie.

"Glad someone else around here will be able to help me keep him in line," said Sandy.

"He is a pawful," said Ricky.

"Yeah, yeah," growled Robbie. "Fuck you, Sandy and fuck you, Ricky."

"Boys, boys," said Jessica. "Let's all settle down, okay?"

The three males all took Jessica's advice. Sitting down together, Robbie and Sandy told the engaged couple all about what they did for fun, how they had been creating comic books that they hoped to get published one day. Robbie told his brother that he'd been learning to play the drums and that Sandy had taken up bass guitar. They talked about their friend Ethan who had also moved to the area over the summer, how he had a rich dad who had been a successful touring musician and was now a record producer.

"I've never seen you so happy before," said Ricky. "Good to hear that you've got some great things going on in your life."

"You mentioned that your friend Ethan plays guitar," said Jessica.

"Yeah," said Robbie. "He's really good at it too."

"Been playing since he was four," said Sandy.

"You guys gonna form a band?" asked Jessica.

"We're hoping too," said Robbie. "But Ethan's way ahead of us in skill level. Hope he's willing to wait on us to get up to par."

The four beasts heard the front door open. All of them stood up,ready for Robbie's parents to see the big surprise.

"Robbie," yelled Rachael, Robbie's mother. "Who is parked out . . ."

She entered the living room and saw her oldest son standing there smiling at her. "Hi, Mom," said Ricky.

Rachael ran forward, throwing her arms around her elder son. Richard, Robbie's father came in and joined his wife in hugging the former Marine. Rachael couldn't help but cry.

"Oh, Ricky," she said, wiping the tears form her eyes. "It's so good to see you again."

"Good to be back home," said Ricky.

Rachael realized that there was a female raccoon standing next to Ricky that she had completely ignored. "Oh," she said. "Who might you be, dear?"

"Mom, Dad," said Ricky. "This is Jessica, my fiance."

"Hello, Mr. Atkins, Mrs. Atkins," said Jessica.

The water works of Richard and Rachael started up again at the mention of their son's upcoming nuptials. Ricky told his parents that he was also out of the Marines, was moving back home and that he and Jessica would be police officers in the local department.

"That's great, son," said Richard. "I know we've all missed you around here, especially your little brother."

"I've missed having him around, too," said Ricky. "Robbie was only three when I graduated and went to Annapolis for officer training."

"I'm gonna love having you around again," said Robbie, giving his brother a great big hug.

The doorbell rang, interrupting the emotional family reunion. Richard pointed at the front door. "Robbie, that's probably Sandy's parents. Tell them to come in here and meet the rest of the family."

Robbie went to the door and escorted Simon and Sonya Evans in. Simon had both Sandy's bass guitar and his amp in his paws and sat them down on the floor next to his son. Richard, looking ever the proud father, put his arm around Ricky as he introduced his son and future daughter-in-law.

"Simon, Sonya," said Richard. "I'd like you meet my older son, Richard John Atkins Jr."

"Ricky," said the raccoon, extending his paw for Simon and Sonya.

"And this is his fiance, Jessica. Jessica, these are Sandy's parents, Simon and Sonya Evans."

"Very nice meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Evans," said the female raccoon.

The three couples and Sandy and Robbie all sat down in the living and chatted. Ricky again explained how he and Jessica were out of the Marines and that they were moving back here to become police officers. Everyone was having a great time when Richard made a suggestion.

"Simon, Sonya, you have any plans this evening?"

"Not that I know of," said the squirrel. "Why you ask?"

"Well, I know it's kind of short notice, but how would you and Sonya like to join all of us for dinner?"

"I'm not sure I have enough food here to cook for eight people, Richard," said Rachael.

"Then we'll order pizza," said Richard. "Won't even have to leave the house, we'll just have ti delivered."

"Sounds good to me," said Sonya. "What do you think, Simon?"

"I'd love to," said the squirrel. "Sandy, you gonna be upset if your mother and I are here for the evening?"

"No," said Sandy. "As long as you promise to leave afterward."

"Yes, we'll leave," said Simon. "Wouldn't want to interfere with your time with Robbie."

"That's right," said Robbie. "I am very important."

"You're also very full of shit," said Sandy, forgetting his parents were present.

"Sandy," said Sonya, scolding him. "You watch your mouth or you can just forget about spending the night here."

"Sorry," said Sandy, embarrassed that he had let his tongue slip. Robbie gave his friend a smug look, happy that the squirrel had gotten into trouble in front of everyone.

"Sorry about my son's language, Richard, Rachael," said Simon.

"That's quite alright," said Richard. "Robbie really is full of shit."

The living room erupted with laughter and suddenly it was Sandy with the smug look and Robbie with the embarrassed expression. Sandy would never let the raccoon live that one down.

Pizza arrived and Richard and Ricky argued over who would pay the bill. Ricky insisted that he would be treating everyone since he and Jessica would again be living at home until they found a place of their own. Richard shook his head, telling his older boy that his was on him in celebration of him getting married soon and becoming a police officer. Ricky relented, letting his father pay the bill. The dining room table wasn't big enough to accommodate everyone present, so the eight beasts just ate out in the living room.

"I have to be honest," said Rachael. "I'm glad that you're out of the Marines now, Ricky. I always worried that something was going to happen, that I'd be here at home and a Naval chaplain would ring the doorbell and have a letter and a folded American flag to give me."

"Good grief," said Richard. "Don't be so morbid, Rachael."

"I couldn't help it," said his wife. "I think every mother who has a son or daughter in the military probably feels the same way."

"I know I'd feel like that if Sandy was in the military," said Sonya. "Especially since he's the only child Simon and I have."

Simon put his pizza covered paper plate down on the coffee table. "Weren't we going to make an announcement about that, dear?"

"You think now's the time?" said Sonya.

"Why not?" said Simon. "Our best friends Richard and Rachael are here, so I think it's a wonderful time."

"What's going on?" asked Sandy putting his plate down too.

"Come over here, son," said Simon. Sandy got up off the floor and sat down next to his mother and father. "Sandy, we were wondering when would be the appropriate time to tell you, but now's just as good as any other."

"What?" asked Sandy, wondering what in the world his father was talking about.

"Your mother had been getting sick in the morning, so she went to the doctor to find out what was wrong. They did some tests and well . . . your mother is pregnant, son."

"Really?" said Sandy. "You're . . . you're serious about this?"

"Sure am," said Simon. "And you mother and I left school for a few hours today to get the result of another test. We wanted to find out what we're having and it looks like you're going to have two little brothers to play with."

"Whoa," said Sandy, looking over at his mother. "Mom, you're having twins?"

"Yes I am," said Sonya. "If you wondered why I wasn't showing it was because I'd been wearing baggier clothes to hide it. I was just so worried that something might happen."

"Years ago your mother was pregnant and she had a miscarriage. It was pretty crushing to her, so we wanted to make sure that the baby, or rather, babies would be alright before we said anything to you."

Sandy was overjoyed. Grabbing both his parents, he hugged them tightly. Everyone applauded at the happy news. Sandy couldn't believe that he was going to have not one, but two little brothers. He'd always wanted siblings, and it had been hard at times to play by himself, especially the times he didn't have a friend to his name.

"Congratulations, Simon," said Richard, shaking his friends paw. "Guess you're quite the virile guy, huh?"

"Richard," said Rachael, aghast at her husband's words. "Don't be so vulgar."

"Yes, ma'am," said the raccoon, rolling his eyes.

"Guess you'll get to find out what it's like to be a big brother soon, huh Sandy?" said Ricky.

"I'm really looking forward to it," said Sandy. He was so excited he could feel himself shake.

"Hopefully they'll be better behaved than Robbie is," said Ricky, giving his little brother a smirk.

"Eat shit, Ricky," said Robbie with a scowl.

"Robbie," said Richard, glowering at his young boy.

"What?" said the offended raccoon. "If Sandy can say shit and not get punished, why can't I say shit? It's just a word. Shit, shit, shit . . ."

"Robert Dennis Atkins," yelled Rachael. "You say that word one more time and I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap and blister your backside with a paddle. I swear, between you and your father I feel like I have two sailors living in this house."

"Hey," said Ricky. "Ain't a sailor alive who can out cuss a Marine, Mom."

Rachael shook her paw at her older son. "Don't you start either, Ricky. You're not too big to have your mouth washed out with soap, or get hit with the paddle."

Jessica was overwhelmed by the scene around her. Dropping her pizza on the floor, she couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, Ricky," she said, trying not to fall over. "You told me your family was funny, but this is absolutely hilarious."

"Glad you like how dysfunctional we are," said Ricky. He took hold of Jessica, preventing her from falling off the couch.

"Well," said Simon who along with his wife was trying not to laugh at the scene he had just witnessed. "Looks like this has been the day of big announcements, hasn't it?"

"Yeah," said Richard. "New wife for Ricky, new jobs for him and Jessica back here at home, and you and Sonya are having twin boys. Been quite the day of good news."

Robbie thought about what Sandy's father had said, about how it had been the day of big announcements. The raccoon looked over at Sandy and whispered to his friend.

"Sandy?" said Robbie.

"Yeah?" said Sandy.

"Can . . . can I talk to you in my room really quick?" said Robbie. Sandy turned and looked at the raccoon and saw that he obviously wanted to talk about something serious. He stood up.

"Excuse us," said Sandy. "Robbie and I have to go talk about something."

"Okay," said Richard.

Sandy and Robbie went upstairs into the raccoon's bedroom. Robbie shut the door behind him and locked. Sandy was at a loss for what was going on.

"Okay," said the squirrel. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Sandy," said Robbie. "I want us to come now."

"What?" said Sandy. "You mean tell our parents that we're gay."

"Yeah," said Robbie, still looking serious. "I don't want to hide from who I am anymore. You really want to spend the next five and a half years sneaking around, hoping that our parents don't catch us in the act?"

"This is a lot to deal with, Robbie," said Sandy. "I mean, what if they freak out?"

"I don't think they will," said Robbie. "Thank about Ethan's dad and his boyfriend."

"What about them?"

"Your mom and dad think of Randy and Alan as friends, and I know my parents do too. How fucking hypocritical would it be of them to have gay friends but not accept that their sons are gay? Does that make even an ounce of sense to you?"

Sandy paced around the room. This was indeed a lot to deal with. Robbie was adamant that they come out together now, but Sandy didn't think he was as brave as his boyfriend.

"Sandy," said Robbie. "Your mom and dad moved over a thousand miles away from your last home after what happened to you; after that asshole kid at school told everyone that you wore diapers. Do you think they'd quit their jobs, move to some place they'd never been before if they didn't love you? You think that parents who would go to all that trouble to make their only son is happy would turn right around and disown him for being gay?"

Sandy let the weight of what Robbie was saying sink in. He tried to find some flaw, some error in the raccoon's logic, but couldn't. He stopped pacing and stood in front of Robbie. He breathed in deeply through his nose, letting the air come out in one long sigh.

"Okay," he said, nodding his head. "Let's do it."

Robbie took hold of Sandy's paw and squeezed it. They went back downstairs where Simon and Sonya were getting ready to leave. Standing in front of the television, they addressed everyone.

"Mom, Dad?" said Sandy.

"Yes?" said Simon.

"Before you and Mom leave, could you stay for awhile? Robbie and I have something we need to tell all of you."

"Okay," said Simon. He had no idea what the big announcement was going to be. "Go ahead."

Sandy waited until his parents had sat back down. Summoning up all the courage he could, he went ahead with his big announcement of the evening. "Mom, Dad, I remember how miserable I was when we were moving, how I thought that I'd hate this place like I hated Atlanta, but the very day we move here I see Robbie riding his bike across our new house. He stops and I go over to say hello. We get to talking and I feel like I've known him my entire life. That night, he invites me to sleep over and I find out he's an artist and he finds out that I'm a writer, so we work on comic books together. I never, ever thought I'd be able to make a friend again after what happened in Atlanta, but Robbie's been the greatest friend I've ever had, but it's more than just that."

"Okay," said Simon, still unsure of where this was going.

"Mom, Dad," said Robbie. "You know how I was usually a loner who just sat up in my room and drew pictures, but once I met Sandy, I felt like things in my life were so much better, like I had someone in my life I could tell anything, someone I could always go to if I was having trouble. Sandy and I are best friends, but like he said, it's more than that?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Richard.

Robbie and Sandy looked at each other, nodded and looked back at their parents and Ricky and Jessica and said in unison. "Mom, Dad . . . we're gay."

There was dead silence throughout the room. Sandy and Robbie could feel their hearts fluttering like hummingbirds. Had they made the wrong choice? Was somebody going to freak out right now?"

"Okay, Sandy," said Simon. "I'm fine with that."

Sandy wondered if he had heard correctly. "You are?"

"Sure," said Simon, walking forward to his son. "You think you're mother and I wouldn't accept you for being gay? We love you more than anything."

Sonya joined her husband. "Sandy, we moved clear across the country, had to get new jobs, a new house after what happened in Atlanta so you could get a fresh start. Besides, Randy and Alan are gay and they're great friends of ours. How horrible would it be for them to be our friends, but reject you for being gay?"

Sandy turned and looked at Robbie. The raccoon had been spot on with what he had said.

"Robbie," said Richard. "You're mother and I feel just like Sandy's parents. We love you no matter what, and we're perfectly fine with you being gay."

"Your father's right," said Rachael.

"I'll always love you, little brother," said Ricky, joining the parents.

"Me too," said Jessica, joining the rest of the group.

Everyone hugged Sandy and Robbie, who both felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted off them. All the sneaking around, all the worrying about what they're parents would think if they learned the truth was all for naught. All of them watched as Sandy and Robbie hugged each other. No longer were they simply best friends, they were boyfriends.

"So," said Richard. "You and Sandy gonna have sex tonight, Robbie?"

Rachael grabbed hold of her husband. "Ricky, help me get your father to the kitchen. I'm washing his mouth out and paddling his butt until it's bright red."

Sandy looked at Robbie, both of them broke out in hysterics. It had definitely been the day of big announcements.