by Nick Poff
“Me too,” Josh chimed in.
“Uncle Rick,” Judy whined. “Do they get to stay up too?”
Rick winked at Judy this time. “If they want to stay up, they can. Midnight’s a long way away, kids. Heck, I might be asleep by then.”
They settled in for the evening. Rick turned out to be about the most deliberately inept Battleship player ever, so while Ed faced off against Josh, Rick went to the kitchen to make popcorn. Judy had latched on to Ed’s 45 of “Dancing Queen,” and both she and Jane swayed and swooped around the room, pretending to be the girls in Abba.
“Do you have any more Abba records?” Judy asked after “Dancing Queen” had played five times.
“F5,” Ed said to Josh.
“Missed me.”
“Aw, crud. Yeah, Judy, I think ‘S.O.S.’ is in there. Do you remember that one?”
“Cool,” Judy exclaimed, going back to the record box.
Ed made a mental note to get her an Abba greatest hits LP for her upcoming birthday.
Rick returned with the popcorn. “Hey, watch it,” he said as Jane grabbed for the bowl. “Be careful. You get any butter on Ed’s records you’ll be in big trouble.”
“J10,” Josh said to Ed.
“Double crud! You just sank my sub,” Ed said in mock rage.
Josh giggled. “You’re not any better at this than Uncle Rick,” he said with a yawn.
“I’m not done yet, you little pirate. E7.”
“Rats!”
“Ha! I knew it.”
“Come on, you two,” Rick said. “Don’t you want some popcorn?” He grinned over Josh’s head at Ed.
Ed grinned back. “Not until I send his lousy fleet to the bottom of the ocean.”
Ed fought valiantly, but it was Josh who laid waste to Ed’s fleet.
“I’ll get you next time, you little creep,” Ed said, mussing Josh’s hair.
“You’ll come over and play again?” Josh asked, sleepily pulling pegs out of the game boards.
“Sure, after I bone up on my strategy.”
Rick glanced at Josh, who was yawning again, and at Jane, who was practically asleep in his lap. “I think it’s time you two hit the hay, don’t you think?”
“No, we wanna stay up for the ball,” Josh whined.
“I’ve got an idea,” Ed said. “Let’s pretend it’s midnight right now. We can do a countdown and everything. Then, anyone who’s tired can go to bed, and it’ll already be 1981, okay?”
“The official beginning of the eighties,” Judy remarked, digging through Ed’s record box again.
“Huh?” Ed asked.
“Mr. Hopkins, my teacher, said that the decade really begins with the year that ends with a one. So 1980 was the last year of the seventies, and this is the first official year of the eighties,” she said, smiling over several KC and the Sunshine Band records she had found.
“How ’bout that?” Rick said to Ed. “I guess I knew that, but I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“So we’re really starting the eighties tonight,” Ed said, thinking how wonderful it was to start a fresh, new decade with the man he loved, even if he had to share him with three kids.
They had their pretend countdown, noisemakers and all, then Rick herded Josh and Jane off to bed. Judy and Ed, with the stereo volume turned down, enjoyed “Get Down Tonight,” and “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty.”
“Angie says disco is dead,” Judy said, bouncing to the beat, “but I really like these songs. They still play disco records on Dance Fever and Solid Gold.”
“Disco isn’t dead,” Ed assured her. “It’s just not as popular as it used to be. Some Saturday, when Rick’s working, I’ll take you downtown to the Record Rack, and we’ll look at the albums that have lots of disco songs on them. Then you can listen to dance songs all you want.”
“That would be cool,” Judy said with a yawn.
Ed wondered if she would make it to midnight herself. He selfishly hoped she’d crash and burn, too, as he was looking forward to an extralong kiss at midnight with Rick.
Wide-eyed and determined, Judy was still hanging in there by eleven-thirty when Rick turned on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
“Doesn’t that guy ever get older looking?” Rick shook his head.
Ed chuckled. “I love Dick Clark. I used to watch American Bandstand after school every day, then every Saturday when they moved to California. My mom still blames him for my record habit.”
“He’s still on every Saturday,” Judy commented.
“I know. But I used to watch him in black-and-white. That’s how old I am.”
“Well, for an old guy, you have good taste in music,” she said kindly.
Ed bowed to her. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“What is it about this moment?” Rick asked, watching the bedlam in Times Square. “I can sit here and tell myself it’s no big deal, but my heart’s beating faster, and I can’t wait to see that damned ball drop.”
“I don’t know,” Ed said. “I guess we’re just trained to think it’s a big deal.”
“Okay, folks, let’s hold hands and count it down,” Rick said, when less than a minute remained. He took Judy’s hand, and Judy took hold of Ed’s.
“Five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year,” they shouted, as 1981 lit up on the television screen.
“Welcome to the official eighties,” Ed exclaimed, kissing Judy’s hand.
Judy looked pleased to be sharing what she obviously considered an adult moment. “Happy New Year,” she shouted again, giving first Ed, then Rick, a big hug.
“Shhh,” Rick hissed, looking toward the bedrooms. “Keep it down, okay? Hey!”
He cocked his head toward the front door. Someone in the neighborhood was shooting off firecrackers.
“Hope that doesn’t wake up the kids,” he said, worried.
“Oh, they sleep through everything,” Judy said with a smirk. She looked at Rick, then turned and stared at Ed for a moment. “Aren’t you two gonna kiss for the New Year?”
They looked at each other in surprise.
“Why would we do that, Judy?” Rick asked.
She gave him a disgusted look. “I know what’s going on. I’m not dumb, ya know. I watch Phil Donahue.”
Ed began to snicker. He couldn’t help it. “Phil Donahue, huh?”
Judy gave him her most superior look. “I know you guys are in love with each other, like those guys he had on his show. Besides, I overheard Mom and Grandma talking about it on the phone. Well, aren’t you gonna kiss like you’re supposed to at midnight?”
If possible, Rick was outblushing Ed for a change. “Well, okay,” he mumbled, reaching over Judy to give Ed a very brief kiss.
“That’s better,” Judy said, satisfied. “People who are in love are supposed to kiss each other.”
“Judy,” Rick said, still blushing. “You do understand that what Ed and I feel for each other is, well, a little different, right?”
“You mean you’re homosexuals,” she said solemnly. “Yeah, I understand all that.”
“So, do you also understand that a lot of people don’t really approve of it?”
“Yeah, there was this fat lady on the show screaming Bible verses at those guys. I didn’t like her. She was stupid. I mean, if you love Ed, instead of a woman, why is it her business?”
Ed looked at Rick. “You know, she’s got a point. Why is it that fat lady’s business?”
Rick scowled at both of them. “That’s not the point. Judy, I love Ed very much, and I hope someday we’ll be, well, not married, but like married to each other. The thing is, a lot of people don’t approve, and they think they have the right to say very mean things to us. They also think they have the right to hurt us for being different. Sometimes these people gang up on guys like Ed and me and beat them up, even kill them. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Judy’s eyes grew big. “You mean someone would try to kill you just for loving Ed?”
Rick sighed. “Yes. Some people think they have the right to do that. Judy, you pay a huge price in this world for being different. You might as well learn that now. So I need to ask you something important. Have you told anyone about Ed and me?”
“No. I could tell by the way Mom was talking to Grandma that it was supposed to be a secret. I know how to keep a secret. I think it’s dumb, though. You shouldn’t have to keep it a secret. I like Ed a lot.”
“Thanks, Judy,” Ed said softly. “I like you a lot, too.”
“Look, you two,” Rick said gently. “I’m glad we all like each other, but the important thing right now is that we keep this to ourselves, okay? So, Judy, that means you can enjoy having another uncle, but you don’t have to tell Angie about it.”
Judy gave him a scornful look. “Oh, I wouldn’t tell her. She can’t keep a secret for anything.” She looked at Ed. “Does that mean I can call you ‘Uncle Ed’?”
Ed smiled at her. “I’d like that, but let’s just stick to ‘Ed’ for now, like Rick says. I’m just your uncle’s best friend, really. That’s all anyone needs to know.”
Judy nodded, a huge yawn escaping her.
“Okay,” Rick said, “you made it past midnight, and it’s officially the eighties now. Think you can go to bed?”
“Yeah,” she said, hugging them both. “Good night, Uncle Rick. Good night, Uncle Ed,” she whispered, smiling.
“Good night,” Rick whispered, playfully shoving her toward her room.
Judy paused before turning the corner into the hall. “You know what’s really dumb? I bet that fat lady and those people who beat up homosexuals would think it’d be better if Dad was still here instead of you, Uncle Rick, but things have been better here than they’ve ever been since you came and since Ed starting coming over. That’s really dumb.” And with that pronouncement, Judy called it a night.
“Pretty smart for just going on twelve, isn’t she?” Ed sighed.
“Smarter than I gave her credit for, I’m ashamed to say,” Rick said, putting his arm around Ed. “Okay, now that we’re alone, how ’bout a real New Year’s kiss?”
Ed was happy to oblige. “Happy New Year, darlin’,” he whispered. “I love it that I’m starting the decade with you.”
“Me too, baby, me too.” Rick gave him another kiss, then one more for good measure. “I gotta go to bed, too. I’ve been up since five a.m. Look,” he said in a low voice. “I’ll go into Josh’s room and change my clothes. You go down the hall to Claire’s room, and I’ll met up with you there later. I don’t think it will be any big deal, and we can lock the door. All I want to do is sleep anyway, but I’ll be damned if I’ll sleep in the same house with you but in another room. Tell that to that fat lady.”
“Your handyman already checked out that lock,” Ed whispered back. “It’s solid.”
Ten minutes later Rick, clad in flannel pajamas, slipped into Claire’s bed next to Ed.
“Your jammies are wonderful.” Ed rubbed the soft flannel.
“Well, one of us needs to be dressed in case of an emergency,” he grumbled, eyeing Ed in his Jockeys and T-shirt.
“I don’t have any jammies,” Ed teased him. “This is the best I can do.”
“Well,” Rick said, pulling him close. “It’s better than having a naked handyman running around. I might lose control and get us into all kinds of trouble.” He sighed. “You were fantastic tonight, baby. Thanks for spending New Year’s with us.”
“My pleasure,” Ed said, stroking Rick’s flannel-covered body. “I really had a good time, believe it or not.”
“I believe it. I just can’t believe I have a boyfriend who would spend New Year’s this way and have a good time.”
“Well, Glen said I was different.”
“Different, and very special, baby,” Rick said with a kiss.
Ed yawned. “Rick, what about Hank? If what Judy said is true, I don’t think the kids miss him much. Do you think he’ll ever come back?”
Rick sighed. “No, they don’t miss him much. There wasn’t a lot of good for them to miss in that last year or so. And just between us, no, I don’t think he’ll be back.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Look,” Rick said. “What I’m about to tell you doesn’t go any further, okay?”
Ed nodded.
“Well, when I first moved up here, I did a little snooping around. Seems our buddy Hank was dealing a little dope on the side, in addition to all his other extracurricular activities. If my sources are right, he was about to get fired from his job, and I also think the Porterfield cops were sniffing around, too.
“Here’s the thing: I don’t think Claire is aware of any of this, and I don’t want her to be. She’s had enough to worry about. As it is, at some point she can file for divorce on grounds of desertion, and she’ll get full custody of the kids. I mean, that’ll happen without anyone even having to know about the other, as long as Hank stays gone. My hunch is that he’s out somewhere around Las Vegas. That’s where his folks moved several years ago. Hopefully he’ll just stay out there, and we can all live happily ever after.”
“Hmm, I can just imagine what he’d say if he knew you were living here, and that the two of us were in his bed right now.” Ed chuckled.
Rick full-out laughed. “Oh, yeah, he’d be pretty hot. He didn’t have much use for his fag brother-in-law, and I have to admit that’s one of the reasons I agreed to move here. I knew if he found out, he’d be good and pissed. Still though, I don’t think we have to worry about it.”
Rick turned to Ed. “Hank aside, there’s a bigger issue here. Unless Claire gets that divorce, and just happens to meet a guy who’s stepfather material, I’m probably going to be involved in the upbringing of these kids for a long time. You know that, don’t you, baby?”
“I know.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
Ed nodded. “Do you remember that night we met at Carlton’s? Hell, you told me all about the kids and why you were living here before you even told me your name. It was almost like you were telling me, or anyone you might happen to meet, how important this was to you. I understood it then, and I understand it even better now.”
“I repeat, you are very special, baby.”
Ed shrugged. “Maybe. This is just how the story is playing out for us, and I don’t have a problem playing Uncle Ed to three more kids. We’ll never have kids of our own, so between my niece and nephew, and your three, we have five we can borrow from time to time.”
Rick gazed at him fondly. “I have to admit, there’s a part of me that would love to have a little Ed to raise, but I don’t suppose that’ll ever happen.”
“Probably not. But I think we have our hands full already.”
“You’re right, baby. Five is enough. Let me see, Jane will probably graduate high school in . . . my God, 1993.” He shook his head. “I hope I’m out of this house by then.”
Ed poked him playfully. “You’d better be. I am not waiting twelve years to go to bed with you every night.”
“Oh, we’ll be together long before then, baby, I know it. I just need to know you’re ready to help me keep an eye on these three wonderful children for as long as it takes.”
Ed kissed him. “No problem. No problem at all.” He kissed Rick again, a very long kiss, filled with a great deal of love and affection. “Welcome to the official eighties, darlin’. I have a feeling you’re gonna be stuck with me for the whole decade, whether you wanna be or not.”
Rick’s return kiss was as long, loving, and affectionate. “I definitely do not have a problem with that. I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too, darlin’.”
Ed and Rick moved closer together, and they slowly drifted off to sleep, in each other’s arms, on that first official day of the 1980s.
Chapter Sixteen
One Sunday morning, deep in the heart of January, Ed and Rick lay in bed together watching a gentle snow fall over Porterfiel
d. The snow was gradually turning the limbs of the lilac bush outside Ed’s bedroom window white, and if either one of them had bothered to stand up by the window and look, they would have seen Rick’s burgundy car, sitting in the driveway, turning white as well. Ed’s truck was safely parked in his little one-car garage, a fact he always noted with gratitude on snowy mornings. Ed sighed and moved closer to Rick.
“How can something so beautiful be such a pain in the ass?” he murmured, thinking of the walks he’d no doubt be shoveling the next day, if not today.
Rick propped himself on one arm for a better view out the window. “Hey, look at that,” he said softly, pointing at a cardinal couple in the lilac bush.
Ed glanced out the window and smiled as well. “Yeah, Mr. and Mrs. Redd, I call them. They live in that hedge between my yard and the Hendricksons’. Mrs. Hendrickson has a bird feeder in their backyard. I gave her some money to help pay for the birdseed last fall, because I enjoy seeing the cardinals as much as they do. Indiana state bird, ya know. Sometimes, around dusk, all the cardinals in the neighborhood will hit their bird feeder for supper. It’s really something. Maybe one of these days you’ll be here at the right time and see it.”
The red birds suddenly flew away, knocking snow off the lilac branch.
“Probably on their way to the Hendricksons’ for Sunday brunch,” Rick commented. He stretched and groaned. “Oh, I’m hungry, too, but in no mood to leave this warm bed.” He put his arm around Ed and sighed with contentment. “It’s always so peaceful here. And safe. And warm. Right about now at home the kids would be arguing over the Sunday funnies. God love ’em, but there are times I’m glad I’m just an uncle and not a dad.”
“Yeah,” Ed said. “New Year’s was great, but I don’t want to make a habit of it.”
Rick chuckled. “Vicarious fatherhood. Yeah, I think we’ve got the parental thing well covered, probably better than a lot of guys like us.”
“Yeah, and despite what Glen said, I have no desire to move to the suburbs and buy a station wagon. I’m content just to have you here with me, just the two of us.” Ed kissed Rick to show him just how content he was.