Love Means Courage - Andrew Grey

good, I never want to move.” Cliff did, reluctantly, and they dressed, their touches and kisses slowing their progress immensely. Eventually, they made their way back down the path to the house. As they approached, they heard laughter and splashes. “Geoff must still be in the pool.” Len laughed. “You actually think he’d get out willingly?”
    “Daddy! Wen!” Geoff saw them and climbed out of the pool, running barefoot across the grass. “I simmin.” Cliff swung him into the air. “Yes, you are, but it’s time for lunch.”
    His little hands went to his hips. “Daddy! I simmin.” As if 223
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swimming were the most important thing in the world.
    “After lunch, you can swim some more, and Len will take you riding too.” That placated him, and Cliff let him down, wrapping him in a towel before leading them inside. “Can you stay for lunch?” He looked at his sister.

    “No, I have to go to the hospital. Dan called, and Vikki’s still in labor.”

    “Should I go to the hospital with you?”

    “No. Janelle and I will both be there. We’ll call when we know more.” She hugged Geoff, who was still wrapped in the towel. “I’ll call you when we know more. Bye.”

    “Bye, Aun’ Mawi.”
    Then she hugged both Cliff and Len. Cliff went inside, and Len walked her to her car. “Take good care of him.” She looked toward the house. “Let us know if you need help moving.” Len must have looked shocked, but Mari just winked and smiled. “Intuition.” She said nothing more and got in her car, waving as she drove away.
    THAT evening, Len climbed into bed next to his naked lover. “Did you see your mother?” Len smiled and nodded. “What’d she say?” “She hugged me and told me to be happy. I was worried she’d be lonely, but she’d hear none of it and then helped me pack some of my things.” “Your mother is something else.”
“That she is.” Len kissed his lover, his life partner, and turned 224
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out the light as a faint, deep rumble could be heard in the distance.
“It wasn’t supposed to rain tonight.”
    “Tell that to the unpredictable Mother Nature.” Len slipped out from under the covers and drew on a pair of jeans, slipping into a pair of shoes. Cliff got out of bed as well. But Len said, “I’ve got this.” Hurrying to the barn and opening the pasture doors, he whistled, and soon large heads appeared. Len led the horses to their stalls. Once they were all inside, he made sure they had fresh water and hay before closing the doors and walking back to the house. Lightning lit the horizon as he crossed the yard, and the thunder sounded again, this time closer and more insistent.
    Len closed the door quietly behind him and crept up the stairs and into Cliff’s… their bedroom. He was still not used to it being “theirs.” Cliff turned on the light, sitting up, waiting for him.
“Everything okay? I checked on Geoff, and he’s sound asleep.”
    “Everything’s fine. They were all ready to come in and went right to their stalls.” Len slipped off his jeans, climbing back in bed, Cliff’s arms drawing him close. They’d both agreed to wear boxers to bed for kid reasons.

    “Mari just called. Vikki had a girl. They named her Jill.”

    “That’s great! So, Geoff has a cousin.” Cliff nodded against his skin, the beard rough and sexy. “Speaking of Geoff, do you think we’ll have company?”
    Cliff laughed as he kissed him. “We might.” He clicked off the light.
Outside, the wind picked up, and they heard rain on the roof.
Lightning flashed, and thunder clapped, and then the storm settled into a nice, steady rain. “Love you.”
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“Love you too.” Len felt Cliff draw him to him, their lips finding each others’ in the dark.
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“WHOSE crazy idea was this anyway?” Len hung a piñata shaped like a horse in one of the trees in the yard.
Cliff called, “I believe it was yours,” as he set the picnic table with the cowboy plates and cups, checking his watch.
“We still have time. Mari said she’d keep him busy until two.
His friends will start arriving at one-thirty, so don’t worry.”
    “I don’t know why you insisted on a surprise birthday party.” Len stepped down and folded the ladder. “Because, unlike most kids, he’s never asked for one, and I thought this one should be special. And besides, he can see all his friends from kindergarten.”
    “How’d you get a hold of