Page 38 of Just A Little Love

By unspoken but mutual agreement, we dropped the subject of Anders’s love life. We spent the rest of lunch stuffing our faces with more food than our stomachs could handle at one time. To work it off, we took a walk along the waterfront. The wind was biting off the water, and it kept us moving at a fast clip. I kept Rory’s hand firmly snug in my own. Every once in a while, I’d stop to tug the lapels of his coat closer together. Rory would laugh at my overly protective antics, and Anders snorted his pretend disgust at our cuteness. Rory never pushed me away or told me to stop hovering. My boy enjoyed being taken care of, and it didn’t matter who was around when it happened. The daddy in me fucking gloated.

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Domesticity had never been my thing, notwithstanding my few attempts over the years. The closest I'd come was Justin, and that ended in a dumpster fire of angst. And, yet, here I sat on a couch updating client files with notes for Nico while a beautiful red-haired boy played on the carpet. Rory explained to his new babies how he built the intricate block tower. I saw his diapered bottom in his footie pajamas from where I was standing and caught a hint of the sweet powder I had applied when I got him dressed. Next to Rory was a divided snack plate of sliced apples, diced cheese, and a handful of pretzels. His water was in a matching sippy cup that he shared with his babies.

After brunch with Anders and the walk on the sea wall, we’d stopped by my apartment to get a change of clothes and the toys I’d purchased for Rory. Maybe I went overboard because it was a couple of totes worth when I grabbed some extra little items I’d ordered too. It seemed so natural and easy to pack an overnight bag and return to the house. Neither one of us considered staying at my place for more than a minute or two. There was no reason I couldn't do my work from Rory's house. Thank you, internet Gods.

Rory had commented on the lack of life at the high rise when he’d stayed over, and it was depressingly true. The most alive parts of the place were now gone again with the removal of Rory’s little items and toys. My place might as well have been a furniture showroom for all the personality housed there. Hiring Owen to redo it was an option. Did I want to invest money in the place? As a glorified hotel room, it served its purpose well enough.

With a brief break in the winter rain, he’d given me a quick tour of the property. Since the sun set by five, we had spent almost no time there. This time of year, his yard wasn’t much to look at, however, like the house, with some planning and work it could be a showstopper. With a triple lot, it was huge for the city. He had firs that provided dappled light for the ferns growing under them. Rory mentioned that his uncle had planted tons of bulbs that would come up in spring and looked wonderful against the deep green backdrop.

A once significant kitchen garden now sits empty and unused off to the side. Surrounded by a white picket fence, it looked every bit the old-fashioned Victorian garden waiting to be revitalized. Large groves of dormant rose bushes grew near the flagstone pathways around the back of the house. Most of the beds in the garden had become overgrown and neglected, although remnants of the previous garden plans were still somewhat visible.

The reason developers were itching to get Rory to sell was tucked away at the very back of the property. There was a full, unobstructed view of the South Sound. In the distance, was a jaw-dropping view of the ferry to Almstead Island, along with a few other islands. You could also see ships and barges coming into the port area of the harbor. There was private access down to a small beach via a staircase cut into the bluffs. Someone had constructed a platform shored with railroad ties, where sturdy chairs and a picnic table were safe from high tide water.

Rory lacked cash, but he was sitting on a house fortune.

After the tour, we’d retreated to the warmth of the house. Rory had been a little chilly, so I’d suggested he take a bath. I had forgotten to grab the bubble bath from my cabinet, and Rory didn’t have any, so it had been the boring kind without bubbles. He hadn’t seemed to mind it too much, as he played with plastic bowls and measuring cups. Most of the game involved pouring from one to the other while trying to guess how long it would take. He allowed me to wash his hair and scrub him down. When finished, Rory shyly asked me to diaper him and put him in one of his new, footed pajamas. He’d gone for dinosaurs. He laid across the bed and allowed me to dust power, tighten the surrounding cloth, and then zip him up.

It amazed me how he’d fallen into being a little like he’d been doing it for years. Whatever reservations I had, and there were plenty about my ability to sustain a relationship, I never questioned whether I could be happy in the long run with Rory. He was a ray of sunshine, and I happily basked in his shadow. What I loved was his willingness to throw himself into a plan wholeheartedly. I couldn’t help but admire that in him.

I was so lost in thought that I almost didn’t register the ping of my phone.

Reed:Hey old man

Gabriel: Aren’t we the same age?

Reed:Details. Are you and Rory busy on Saturday? Jakob was hoping you two could come over for dinner,and they could do some planning for Valentine's Day. I think he was hoping for a play date too.

Gabriel: I think a group chat is in order.

I created the chat, and I went searching for Rory’s phone so he could respond. He gave me a quizzical look when I handed it to him on the phone.

Jakob: Hi Rory!

Bunny:Jakob! I’m super-duper happy I get to plan a party with you!!!!!!

Jakob:Whoop! Whoop! I’m excited about it too!!! Can you come over on Saturday? We can have dinner and think about the party and have a play date.

Bunny:My friend Anders and I have a standing date for Saturday night. He’s had a really hard time lately, so I would be a rotten friend if I canceled. It’s kinda sad ‘cause he loves planning stuff.

Jakob:Is he a little like us?

Bunny:I don’t think so. He knows Daddy is my daddy and knows I am. He doesn’t worry about stuff like that.

Jakob:Is he nice?

Bunny:Anders is the nicest, bestest friend ever.

Jakob:Aww Do you think he might wanna come? I can be big and we could have dinner, but I won’t let myself get little. We don’t have to have a play date or say it’s a little party.

Jakob:I kinda sorta wanna hang out. I think it's cool if you were my friend. Anders could be too. I mean, if he wanted to be.

Jakob:And if you wanna share him.

Bunny:Bet he says yes, but I’ll ask him.

Gabriel: I think we will see you on Saturday

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