In response, Ross sighed and reached out to rub Boomer between the ears. He said, “I’m glad you seem a whole lot happier than I am. I’ll do my best to try to smile.”
Alan reached out to put an arm around Diego’s waist and buried his face in Diego’s shoulder.
Ross looked up at Alan and Diego. “Can I take Boomer for a walk? I know it’s dark out, but the exercise might be good for both of us.”
Diego shrugged. “I don’t see why not. I’m sure we can figure out something to do while you’re gone.”
Ross laughed. “I’m sure you can.” He grabbed the leash from its hook by the kitchen door. Boomer paced back and forth eager to go for a walk. “You know what this is, don’t you, Boomer? Maybe we’ll see some cats or raccoons out there in the dark.”
Alan said, “Hold on tight. He can run faster than you think when he’s motivated.”
The neighborhood was quiet. Ross turned north along the crest of the river bluff. He said, “Dogs have such an easy life. You either love a person, or you don’t. It’s as simple as that.”
Boomer bolted to the edge of the sidewalk to sniff at an unknown target in the dim light. Ross asked, “What would do in my situation?”
Boomer gave up on the target of his sniffing and took approximately ten steps straight ahead. Then he bolted to the opposite side of the sidewalk. “You don’t have an answer for me, Boomer?”
Boomer began his prancing walk straight ahead again. At the next sniff stop, Ross squatted down until he was nearly as close to the ground as the dog.
Boomer turned back gently panting and approached with his long tongue hanging out of his mouth. Ross asked, “Will it all have a happy ending?”
Boomer bounded with his front feet onto Ross’s knees again. He gave Ross a big, wet, sloppy kiss. Finally, Ross smiled, and said, “I’ll take that to be a big fat yes.”
24
Painting
Two days later, Ross was able to return to active painting. He got home from work at approximately 5:30 p.m. He ate a peanut butter sandwich and then dove into the painting process. He quickly lost track of time.
The painting, intended for Alan and Diego’s living room, was an abstraction of their house with long, thick brushstrokes of brick red, eggshell white, and forest green to represent their lawn. The sky interested Ross the most. Inspired by Diego’s colorful Mexican background and the fiery violence that accompanied the couples’ first meeting, Ross decided to add bright streaks of red, yellow, and orange in the sky. At first he thought he would focus on sunrise colors, but instead, he opted for a dramatic sunset behind the peak of the roof. In the upper right corner of the painting, Ross added a figure that could either looked like a flower or a sunburst.
Something about the time spent with Alan and Diego had a healing impact. Alan always seemed to have that effect on Ross. Even when Ross hit on him after their initial meeting, Alan’s kindness helped Ross take emotional steps forward to settle into his new hometown.
Ross thought about his employer, Diego’s company M-Trak, and he added lines of horizontal movement at the base of the painting that represented the trucks moving across highways in an ever-expanding network throughout the upper Midwest.
When Diego first moved the company to its new headquarters in Zephyr, 90% of their trucking business took place in the states of Minnesota and Iowa. Now, they covered expansive territories in Wisconsin, Illinois, and were beginning to reach into northern Missouri. Diego was brilliant at growing M-Trak, but Rhea and Ross both knew they would need additional help in the office soon.
Ross took a step back to view the overall impact of the painting. He loved how the vibrant colors bled into each other with seamless transitions. The only item that truly popped and stood apart from its surroundings was the flower in the upper right, and Ross intended to leave it that way.
Ross closed his eyes and entertained daydreams about dropping his job at M-Trak and working forty hours a week as an artist. He thought about packing up paintings for gallery shows and representation in New York City. The dreams brought a smile to his face. He still hid them from the general public, but Ross was no longer hiding them from himself. Auntie Erin would be proud.
Unfortunately, Ross was far from having the financial nest egg that he thought was necessary to provide a cushion for down periods in sales of his art. Still, the commission from Auntie Erin was a starting point. He needed to increase his rate of production if he wanted to consider an art career. Nothing good in the world came easily.
Ross looked at his phone, and it was already 8:00 p.m. His stomach was starting to rumble. He was hungry. On most days, he would have eaten almost two hours earlier, but active work on his painting absorbed his entire attention.
He found his way to the refrigerator in search of something quick and easy to eat. He found two containers of yogurt and the last crust from a loaf of bread. His fridge was usually well-stocked enough that Ross could accommodate unexpected visitors for dinner. Breaking up with Puck left him unprepared to face any unexpected surprises in life.
As he pulled out a slice of cheese and jar of mayonnaise along with the crust of bread, Ross’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and nearly dropped it in the floor when he read the screen. It was Puck. Ross felt his heart leap in his chest. He was nervous about what he might say, but he wanted to hear Puck’s voice.
Puck said, “Hi. I’m not sure you want to hear from me, but I wanted to call. I understand if you don’t want to talk. Tell me if that’s true before I get started. I’m agitated, and I might start to ramble.”
Many ideas raced through Ross’s mind. Finally, he asked, “How are you?”
“Do you want me to be honest?”
“Of course I do, and how is Addie? I hope she’s doing okay.”
Ross heard an audible sigh through the phone. Puck said, “She’s fine. In fact, I think she’s doing a lot better than me. Dak thinks she’ll be crawling soon, and I’ll barely be able to keep up with her. With the warmer weather, there’s even more to remember. I have to make sure I slather her with sunscreen.”
Ross smiled. Puck sounded like Puck. His voice wasn’t flat. It rose and fell with the intensity of his thoughts. Ross missed the sound of Puck’s voice. It was deep and resonant with a slight scratchiness underlying some words. Ross asked, “And how are you? Not as well as Addie can cover a lot of territory.”
“I guess I’m hanging in there. I did have a reason why I called. I had another visit from Miranda’s parents. Ellen was almost gleeful when I told her you weren’t around. The last thing I would do is hit anyone, but I stood there clenching and unclenching my fists. They are still thinking about fighting me for custody of Addie. They told me about an expensive school in St. Paul they could send her to. They don’t even want to keep her at home. They want to ship her off to a boarding school when she’s old enough.”
Ross asked,”Do you have a lawyer? You need a lawyer to fight this.”
“I don’t yet, but I will get one somehow. If you have any advice on that, let me know.” Puck paused. Then his voiced sound almost like a cross between a wail and a strangled croak. “God, I miss you, Ross. I still miss Miranda, too. I go to bed at night not knowing which of you I’m going to dream about. Then I wake up at 3:00 a.m. wanting to roll over and hug somebody, and there’s nobody there. I hate it. I hate it so much.”
Ross wanted to cry. He didn’t know how to respond in words. He said, “I can stay over. Does it really make any difference? It sounds like they’re going to start a legal fight whether I’m involved or not. They will never take Addie away from you. That can’t happen.”
Puck’s voice settled into an even tone. He said, “Let’s hold out for a little while longer. What I need right now is help with this legal stuff. I don’t have much that I can pay, but I’m not sure I should depend on what I can get from the government. If you know anybody that could help out, please tell them my story. Maybe they’ll have some sympathy. I can set up a p
ayment plan.”
As the conversation wound down and Ross knew it was close to time to say goodnight, he didn’t know what to say. He wanted to tell Puck that he loved him. That much was obvious. Despite his frustration at being kept apart, the fire was still there. It sizzled through the phone and cut through any other emotional debris. Finally, he said, “Puck, I’m not going to forget about you. I think about you every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed.”
“It’s the same here. Hang on for me, please. We’re forever. This is only temporary.”
As he hung up the phone, the light bulb turned on in Ross’s head. He knew who he should speak with about Puck’s legal predicament. He turned back to the painting with renewed enthusiasm. Before turning his attention to the last unfinished portions of his composition, he made the reddish-orange flower even brighter until it looked like it was on fire.
Just before sticking his phone back into his pocket, Ross held it up and searched through his photos. He quickly found what he was looking for. It was a selfie he took on the couch in Puck’s living room. Puck was cuddled up next to Ross holding Addie in his arms. Ross whispered to the empty air, “That’s my family someday. It’s inevitable.”
He returned to his painting, and by the time he was ready to go to bed at 10:30, the painting was essentially complete. He knew that he needed to look at it again after all of the paint dried, and he needed to consider the entirety of the picture, but he was proud of his work.
Lying in bed, Ross thought about the nights spent with Puck. He smiled about the ways in which they learned about sex from each other. Puck loved to have Miranda go for rides on his cock, and Ross found out that he loved it, too.
Ross taught Puck the fine art of sucking, and they alternated sharing each end of that pleasure. Before falling asleep, Ross reached down beneath the blankets and touched himself. He closed his eyes thinking about Puck’s body and Puck’s voice. He saw the dark, black trail down the center of his abs and called to mind the sensation of Puck’s thick cock deep in his gut. It didn’t take long. Soon, Ross erupted and fought to catch his breath.
Just before he fell asleep, Ross whispered out loud again. This time he said simply, “I love you, Puck, and I’m here. No one will ever take Addie away, and no one will ever separate us for good.”
25
Plan
Puck didn’t expect the broadside of criticism. It took him completely by surprise. He stopped at Dak and Brody’s house to pick up Addie after work. The assault was almost comical, but the intent was deadly serious.
Dak answered the door. He had Penny on his arm clinging to his neck. Dak asked, “Are you sure you want to come inside? I’ve been trying to keep him calm, but I don’t think I’ve been very successful. It might be dangerous in here.”
Puck asked, “Who?”
“Who do you think?”
Brody appeared at Dak’s shoulder, and Puck saw fire in his eyes. He started reaching around Dak while Dak pushed back against him taking slow, measured steps backward into the living room. Brody growled, “Let me at him. I need to teach him a lesson. I’ve got a longer reach than he does. I can take him.” He pulled at Dak’s shoulder to try and drag him out of the way.
Puck’s forehead furrowed in confusion. “Is he nuts? I’d pound you to a pulp, Brody. What’s this all about?”
Brody growled again, “You’re an asshole. That’s what this is about. I’m ready to knock some sense into you. You need someone to teach you a lesson.”
Dak shook his head and continued to maintain his position between the two. Penny giggled and snuggled her face into Dak’s neck. He said, “Shut the door. It’s warm out there, and we’ve got the air conditioning on. Don’t make me get involved in this. The two of you can sit down and talk like reasonable human beings.”
Puck said, “Yeah, I think we can sit and talk.” He edged his way across the room keeping a wary eye on Brody and found Addie on the floor playing with blocks at the edge of the sofa. Puck sat and lifted Addie into his lap. He knew that Brody wouldn’t attack with a baby in the way. She reached her arms upward and eagerly wrapped them around Puck’s neck. He asked, “What’s this all about? Will somebody tell me what’s going on?”
Brody sat in a chair and pulled it dangerously close to the sofa. He leaned forward and said, “I’m going to avoid the bad language because we’ve got little girls around, but what are you doing to Ross? What possessed you to cut him off entirely? He’s miserable just like you. Can’t you at least give him a call?”
Puck asked, “Is that what this is all about? I talked to him last night.”
“Wait…what?”
“I called him and talked to him.”
Brody sighed and pulled back. “Well, hell, I guess that takes a little of the wind out of my sails.”
Dak responded with a grin and blew in Brody’s direction like he was trying to create a new breeze for his husband’s boat. He said, “I think it’s hopeless. You’re running aground.”
Brody asked, “Did you say you were sorry?”
“I didn’t have to. I think we’re both sorry. I don’t think it’s permanent either, but I’ve got a fight on my hands. Addie has to come first.”
“Oh, about that. I’ve got a plan. Are the evil grandparents planning to ride their brooms into town again?”
Puck nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. They said they would be back next Wednesday.”
Brody grinned. “That’s perfect.”
Puck pointed at Brody and turned to Dak with questions in his eyes. “Is he okay? Did Brody fall out of bed in the night and knock something loose? He’s starting to worry me.”
“Last I checked, I think he’s sane. Are you okay, Brody?”
“I’m fine. In fact, I’m better than fine. I think my idea will work. If everything unfolds like my plan, you won’t have to worry about the grandparents. They will be overwhelmed. It will be like a steamroller flattening all of their arguments. They won’t dare bring anything to a judge.”
Puck asked, “Do you mind telling me what on earth you have planned? Ross said he might be able to help out with legal stuff.”
“Can you stick around for awhile this evening. How about sharing a pizza with Puck and me? Then we can talk about plans. The girls are happy. Unless you need to get home to Ross.”
Puck shook his head. “No, we’re still spending most nights apart until we get this sorted out. I can stick around, and I’m crazy curious about your ideas.”
“Just call it a little help from your friends.”
For the first time since the last visit of Miranda’s parents, Puck felt hungry. He ate nearly half of the large pizza himself. Dak asked, “Are you stuffing a spare leg? How does a skinny guy like you put away so much pizza?”
Puck laughed. “Guys, I’ve been so miserable. I haven’t felt like eating. Now, I’m starving.”
After Brody explained his scheme, he asked, “So do you think the plan’s gonna work?”
Puck said, “It’s the best one I’ve heard so far.” He looked at Dak and then back at Brody. “Do you guys mind if I eat that last piece of the pizza?”
Dak chuckled. “Go right ahead. We’ve got plenty of food in the fridge if Brody wakes up at midnight.”
“Me?”
Dak nodded. “Yeah, you. I bet you thought I didn’t wake up last night when you ambled downstairs. Your breath smelled like peanut butter when you got back in bed.”
Puck laughed. He said, “I think I’d like that better in the middle of the night than pizza.”
“Hey! It was just a quick snack.”.
Dak said, “I’m not worried. You never gain weight anyway.”
Brody asked Puck, “Have you seen Addie roll over? We noticed that for the first time yesterday. She’s moving right along. Pretty soon you’ll be chasing her around the place.”
Puck smiled. “Yeah, I was sitting down on the floor with her with the TV on last night, and I saw her do that. I grinned, and I was so pro
ud. I looked all around the room and wanted to tell somebody about it. I guess I was hoping somebody would applaud.”
Dak reached out and ruffled Puck’s hair. “Aww, you’re a good dad. I’m sure Addie can’t wait until Dad #2 comes back. Oh, by the way, I have an invitation for you and Addie.”
“An invitation?”
“Yup. I ran it past Brody, and I decided that in a few months at the end of summer, I want to rent a pontoon boat and go floating around on the river. I really miss it sometimes, but I don’t miss the backbreaking work on the barge. I want to be close to the water.”
Puck smiled. “Oh, definitely. Who all do you want to bring?”
“Just a small group of some of our very best friends.”
26
Family Gathering
Puck couldn’t remember any time that he’d been more nervous. All of the proper blocks seemed stacked in place for success, but he still feared that something would go wrong. Ross arrived nearly two hours before Ellen and Myron were scheduled to show up. He brought along an unexpected guest.
When Puck opened the front door, he reached out to hug Ross and immediately noticed the man standing inches behind. He was tall, a good two or three inches taller than Ross, and he had a dark complexion with a head full of wooly salt and pepper hair. He was handsome, and he wore an elegant, expensive charcoal gray suit. His tie was bright purple.
Puck offered to shake the man’s hand and asked, “Who is this?”
“Can we come inside?”
“Oh, yeah, of course!” Puck stood to the side while the two men stepped into the living room.
Ross said, “Puck, I want to introduce you to Andrew Olson. He’s the attorney I mentioned. I know it would have been good to tell you earlier, but Andrew didn’t know for sure that he could be here until this morning.
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