The Inheritance

This is the first part of a Trilogy.

Co-written by: Mel and LJ


It was Saturday morning. Todd had left to work at the dental clinic for a few hours and Hayden had just settled at his desk to reply to some overdue emails when the door bell rang. Any thoughts he’d had about getting back to his work were driven from his mind the moment he opened the door and saw a face he never thought he’d see again. Though her hair was streaked with gray and she had some lines of maturity on her face, she was still as lovely as she’d been the day they’d met thirty years earlier.

“Hello, Hayden,” she said when he didn’t speak. “Don’t you recognize me?”

Hayden recovered his senses at the sound of her voice. “Marie, I’m sorry. I’m just so surprised to see you.”

“I’m sorry to just show up like this, but I need to talk with you. May I come in?”

“Oh, of course.” He opened the door wider, stepping out of the way to allow his visitor inside. “Please come in. May I take your coat?”

He took the long, camel-coloured coat and hung it in the front hall closet before showing her to the living room. She was tall and regal-looking in a tan pant suit with print blouse. Though she had always been slender, Hayden thought she looked almost too thin. “Please sit and make yourself comfortable.” He indicated the sofa by the fireplace.

Marie could see the tension in Hayden’s face and knew her presence had shocked him. ‘Well,’ she thought, ‘who can blame him when I show up out of the blue after nearly thirty years.’ She walked over towards the couch but didn’t sit right away.

“Hayden, I know this is a shock having me just show up, but please be assured I am not here to disrupt anyone’s life. I’d just like to ... well...talk to you about something.” Marie moved to the mantle over the fireplace and gently touched one of the photos. “He’s grown into a very handsome man; the spitting image of you.” She looked back to meet Hayden’s eyes. “Thank you for the photographs you sent every year. It’s been wonderful to see him grow up, even if it was just in pictures.”

Hayden smiled indulgently. “He has your eyes you know, the same spark in them that you have. He’s a good man, Marie. You’d be proud of him. Actually he just got married last month to a wonderful young man and they’re very happy.”

Marie grinned. “He’s gay then? Well I guess that was sort of inevitable, wasn’t it; given his parentage and all.” She turned away from the pictures and took a seat on the sofa. “Is Todd home?”

Hayden sat in the chair opposite of his visitor. “No, I’m sorry. He just left a short while ago and won’t be home for a few hours.”

“Well, perhaps that’s for the better. I know he was always a bit nervous around me since Zack’s birth,” she replied with a sad smile.

“He was very grateful to you; we both were. What you gave us was a gift we could never begin to repay.”

“I’m glad you were happy, and you were also more than generous. The education you and Todd paid for gave me a better life than I could ever have managed on my own. Though I’m far from rich, I did begin my own business and have made a good living. I never married, just never seemed to find the time or the right woman.”

She drew in a deep breath and fought to remember the words she’d practiced say so many times during her trip to Jade Heights. “Hayden, the reason I’m here today is that I’m dying; I have cancer. I’ve been told I have no more than a few weeks left.”

“Oh Lord, Marie, I’m so sorry. What can I do to...” Hayden began.

Marie held up her hand. “No please, Hayden, it’s all right. I’ve had this for more than three years. I’ve fought the good fight but there is nothing more they can do. I really have come to terms with it and I didn’t come here looking for help or sympathy. I’ve come because I need a lawyer to write up my Will and be the executor when I’m gone and I’d like that to be you. I don’t have any family beyond a couple of distant cousins. And when I look back over my life, I can say in all honesty the best thing I ever did was to bring Zackary into the world. Even if I was never a part of his life, he is still a part of me and I want him to be my beneficiary. I have a modest home and I sold my business last year when my cancer spread, so I have the assets from that and some small investments. When I’m gone, I’d like you to sell the house and investments, pay whatever taxes are due and ensure that Zachary gets whatever is left.”

Hayden was staggered and saddened by this news and also a bit unsure as to what Zack’s reaction would be, or Todd’s for that matter. “Marie, I know that our agreement was that you’d not be a part of his life. But Zack is an adult now. If you’d like to, I’m sure he’d...”

“No, no, Hayden, I won’t do that to him. I will not suddenly appear in his life asking him to acknowledge a mother who is dying, leaving him to feel some sort of obligation to me. It is better things remain as they have always been. I only want to leave this to him. He’s the best thing I ever did and all I have left should go to him.”

They continued discussing her wishes. Marie had brought all her financial statements and Hayden began to draft the will. She explained that she wanted whatever personal effects she had left, sold or given to charity. She’d already given things to any of her friends that she’d felt appropriate. The only personal stipulation was a gold pocket watch which she handed to Hayden. “I want Zackary to have this. It belonged to my grandfather and my father after him. Since I was his only child, it came to me but I’d like it to go on to Zackary.

She was adamant in her insistence that Zack not be informed of any of this prior to her passing, she went so far as to invoke client/solicitor privilege so that Hayden was in the position that he could not say anything even if he wanted to go against her wishes.

After two hours Marie had grown fatigued. The signs of her illness had now become apparent. “I’m sorry, Hayden, I have to rest now. My friend Lily came with me from Vancouver. I’ll call her now to pick me up. We are going to stay tonight at the Inn and drive back to Kelowna tomorrow for our flight to Vancouver. I was wondering if you would bring the final draft of the Will over to the Inn this evening so that I can sign it. Lily will be the witness and can attest to the fact that this was all my own idea in case there is any question.”

“Of course, I’ll bring it over tonight about seven. It’s fairly straight forward and won’t take long to get things finished up.” Hayden walked Marie to the door when her friend arrived. “Marie, I know I told you this before, but thank you for the gift of bearing Zack for us. He’s has been the joy of our lives; a joy Todd and I would never have known without you.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Six weeks later, Hayden received a call from the Main Street Hospice that Marie VanDinther had passed away peacefully that morning. Her friend Lily was at her side and a photo of Zack in her hand.

Hayden had done some rough figuring on the value of Marie’s house and assets. Even after all the taxes were paid, the proceeds would easily pay off Zack’s business loans on the pharmacy as well as buy Zack and Rene a nice house in Jade Heights. There should even be a bit left as a nest egg for them. Now all he had to do was explain this to Todd and Zack, and hope they could forgive him for keeping silent all this time.

He knew that his husband would not be best pleased with him when he found out about Marie’s visit and bequest to their son. Todd had always been nervous that she could interfere with his relationship with Zack. Try though as he might, Hayden could never quite take away Todd’s fear. Zack was Hayden’s biological child and even though Todd was as much a parent as Hayden right from the day of Zack’s birth, Todd still feared that the biological mother could somehow steal his place in Zack’s heart.

Though it had been many years since Todd voiced those fears, Hayden knew his husband well enough to know they still existed in some hidden spot of Todd’s psyche. Todd’s love for their son was as deep and rich as any parent could have and Hayden knew for a fact that Zack adored his Papa. There was a special tenderness in their relationship that Hayden had secretly envied. It was not that Hayden and Zack didn’t have a wonderful relationship, but Todd had a way with the little boy that Zack had been, a way that had given the two a special level of closeness.

Now Hayden could see that the adult Zack had taken on more than the role of beloved son; Zack was also Todd’s defender and protector. The strength and toppy nature that Zack had inherited from Hayden had come into play in Zack’s relationship with his Papa, for which Hayden was grateful. It made him feel better knowing that if anything were to happen to him, Zack would be there to care for his Papa. If he were anything less than totally secure in his own relationships with his husband and son, this could have caused Hayden a certain amount of jealousy. However, Hayden knew his place in the family was secure so he felt nothing but happiness and pride in the relationship that Zack and Todd shared.

Now he had only to ensure that Todd felt just as secure. After taking the call notifying him of Marie’s passing, Hayden was finally at liberty to inform Todd of the circumstances. He found his husband in the kitchen fixing lunch.

“Looks and smells wonderful, love,” Hayden commented as he took in the meal of hearty homemade soup and fresh bread. He wrapped his arms around Todd’s slim waist and kissed him. “I’ll set the table.”

Todd would rather have had more kisses but settled for going after more when lunch was over and they had extra time on their hands. Setting the food on the table, he took his seat and animatedly began engaging Hayden in a conversation of nothing in particular. He smiled contentedly when his husband showed his appreciation for the meal by consuming a good-sized portion of it.

Hayden waited until Todd was finished eating before he broached the subject. “Sweetheart, that phone call I got just before lunch was one to inform me of some sad news. Marie VanDinther passed away this morning.”

Todd’s jaw dropped and he felt like he had been hit in the stomach. While it was true, that up until a few years ago, he’d lived with the fear of Marie someday trying to get back into their lives; he was now very saddened to hear of her passing. His eyes filled, but he blinked back his tears before croaking out, “How did she die and who called you? Who even knew to call you?”

Hayden had prepared himself for these questions and hoped that his oft-times reactionary husband would hear him out before allowing his emotions to get the better of him. “She had breast cancer, love; had been fighting it for several years but it had metastasized to her lungs and liver. She knew that the end was near and lived out her last days in the Main Street Hospice in Vancouver. They are the ones who called me.”

“But what I want to know is how did they know to contact you? It’s not as if you were family. You could hardly even be considered a close friend.” Todd was uncomfortable with the topic if disease and death. He was also getting impatient.

Hayden reached out and took Todd’s hands into his. “Sweetheart, if you’ll just listen to me for a moment I’m going to explain it all to you.” Seeing his husband settle in to hear him out, Hayden continued. “I hadn’t heard anything from Marie since we sent the last tuition payment to the University for her, back in the eighties. You know I sent her a picture of Zack once each year on his birthday. But as per our agreement, there was never any correspondence from her other than a couple of change of address cards so I knew where to send them. That is up until six weeks ago when she appeared at our front door.”

Todd’s mouth opened and Hayden knew he was about to get an earful. He quickly put his hand up to silence the tirade before it could begin. “Todd, please listen before you start reacting.” Hayden practically shivered from the icy glare he received from his beloved. “Being a dental practitioner, you know full well the ramifications of client privilege. Marie asked me to write and execute her Last Will and Testament. That made her my client and I was forced to abide by her request that our dealings remain confidential until her death. I’m very sorry, my love, but I had no choice but to keep this from you until now.”

Todd had made an effort to stay calm and hear his husband out. He didn’t want to think mean thoughts of the dead, but the idea of Marie being here still bothered him. “Of course I understand client/patient confidentiality, Hayden, but there are numerous lawyers in Vancouver competent enough to have handled this. I don’t see why she had to come all the way up here. Didn’t she know you are retired?”

“Well, there is a very good reason she asked me to handle her estate. Marie had no family and it was her wish to leave all she had to Zack. She said giving birth to him was the best thing she had ever done and that she wanted him to benefit from what she had gained during her lifetime. Todd, I don’t think we could have picked a finer woman to bear our son for us. She told me that she’d owned a small business which she sold once her cancer had spread and that she wanted the profits she had from that and from the sale of her home to go to Zack.”

“Are you saying that Zack is Marie’s sole beneficiary?” Todd softly inquired; a note of wonder in his voice. He was slowly accepting his husband’s explanation and beginning to believe that it was all meant to be.

“Yes, love, that is what I am saying. However, what Marie didn’t tell me, I found out when I did a little investigating of my own. The business that she’d owned was M. Van D’s Imports. She imported hand-woven textiles from small villages scattered all over Peru. She paid the women who made these textiles wages comparable to Canadian unionized workers, allowing them to support themselves and their extended families and improve their standard of living by leaps and bounds. Marie then turned around and sold those textiles to high-end boutiques here at a reasonable profit. When she sold the business, she ensured the new owner would keep up her practice of paying the makers equitably for the textiles.

I also discovered that she donated half of the money she made on the sale of her company to the children’s hospital where she’d been a volunteer for over twenty years. So even though Zack is the only one named in her Will, there were a lot of people who were beneficiaries of Marie during her life; including you and I when she gave us our beautiful son.”

“She really was a marvelous lady, wasn’t she? Kind and generous with good business sense to boot; I think Zack will be proud to learn about her, don’t you? Marie has left our son a beautiful legacy of her life.” Todd felt humbled at their having had Marie touch their lives. He also felt a sense of peace as any negatives feeling he had been harbouring dissipated.

“Yes, love, she was a wonderful lady. I just hope that Zack is going to be okay with all of this. You know he’s never expressed much interest to me in his birth mother. I thought we explained it all very well to him when he was a kid. At first he seemed so curious but very quickly seemed to lose interest. I can’t remember the last time the subject came up at all.” Hayden sighed. “Well, we’re going to have to tell him and the sooner the better. I’ll give him a call at the pharmacy and see if he can pop over for a while. Hopefully his assistant is in and can manage the store for him.”

“Yes, he’ll have to be told,” Todd agreed distractedly as he got up to put the kettle on while straightening up the kitchen. He was trying to think if he had ever inadvertently said something to cause Zack to stop asking about his mother. Todd would be the first to admit that he had often verbalized his concerns of Marie trying to get involved in their son’s life, but he had always exercised care to avoid doing so unless he and Hayden were alone.

Although Todd could not remember having ever voiced his insecurities in Zack’s presence, it didn’t mean the boy hadn’t picked-up on his Papa’s feelings. Todd would never forgive himself if he was in any way responsible for his son’s less than positive view of his mother, providing such was the case.

Todd sadly accepted that he did not have a true understanding of what Zack felt towards his biological mother. So caught up was he in his thoughts, Todd hadn’t heard his husband ending the call with their son and coming up behind him.

“Hey, it’s only me, love.” Hayden soothed his husband as he jumped, startled in his arms. “You were a million miles away.” He kissed the side of Todd’s neck. “Zack is on his way over. I’m afraid he’s worried there is a problem by my asking him to come and see us in the middle of the day.” When Todd barely acknowledged him, Hayden turned him around in his arms to look at his face. “You okay, sweetheart?”

Todd wrapped his arms around Hayden’s waist and nuzzled into his neck. Unable to put his fragmented thoughts into words, he settled for mumbling. “I’m fine, nothing’s wrong.” He crossed his fingers in hope of his husband not pushing the matter any further.

They stayed cuddling for a short time, only separating when Zack walked through the back door.
“Hi there,” Zack greeted his parents. “I got here as quickly as I could.” He glanced from one older man to the other and immediately recognized the expression of uncertainty on Todd’s face. It only heightened his unease that something problematical had occurred.

Hayden greeted his son with a hug. “Thanks for coming so soon. Sorry we dragged you away from the shop, but as I said on the phone, we have something important we need to discuss with you.” He pointed to the kitchen table. “Why don’t we sit down? Todd, would you get us all some coffee? I just need to get something from the office.”

When he returned to the kitchen carrying a thick envelope, Zack and Todd were seated at the table with mugs of steaming coffee and a plate of cookies. Hayden could see the anxious look on Zack’s face and knew he’d better get on with the explanation. He took a seat next to Todd so he could look across the table at their son’s face while he spoke.

“Zack, I received a call today notifying me that your birth mother, Marie VanDinther, passed away this morning.”

To say Zack was surprised would be an understatement. He sent a brief glance Todd’s way before returning his full attention to Hayden. He was somewhat uncomfortable, suspecting the subject matter to be rather upsetting for his Papa.

“I see,” he quietly uttered. Unsure of what was expected from him, it was all he could think to say. Besides, he felt it might be best for all concerned to get through this as quickly as possible.

“What I have to discuss with you now is not so much as you father, but as Marie’s attorney and executor of her estate. Though I had not seen Marie since shortly after your birth, she came to visit me about six weeks ago and asked if I would draft her Will for her. She had cancer and knew that she did not have much time left.” Hayden studied Zack carefully as he spoke. The younger man was expressionless and stiff as though guarding his emotions. “I offered at the time to inform you. However, she was quite adamantly against that. She said that she would not suddenly appear in your life, expecting you to acknowledge a dying mother and end up having you feel like you should owe her some sort of obligation. She did however think a great deal about you, which is why she came to see me about drafting her Will. Marie never married and had no living relatives. She was a successful businesswoman and homeowner.”

Hayden paused for a second but when Zack said nothing, he went on. “Son, she told me that giving birth to you was the best thing she had ever done and she has named you as the sole beneficiary of her estate.”

Zack was totally unprepared for that bit of news. He sat staring at his parents as a multitude of emotions threatened to overwhelm him, not the least of which was anger.

“I’m going to need time to get my mind around this, Dad.” He shook his head as if to clear it of cobwebs, but was still unable to think straight. “Are there provisions made, should I decide to reject this bequest?” he softly inquired.

Hayden was startled by Zack’s question. “I...no, Zack; Marie had made donations to charities and gifts of certain possessions to friends prior to her passing. This left her estate very straight forward. She requested that her house in Vancouver be sold and all taxes and creditors paid, leaving all remaining funds from the sale of the house, as wellas her accounts and investments and life insurance, to you. She also left a single personal item in my care.” Hayden pulled the gold pocket watch from the envelope and handed it across the table to his son. “She said it had been her grandfather’s and she wanted you to have it.”

It was a large old-fashioned pocket watch attached to a heavy gold chain. The cover was engraved with an intricate ring of flowers which circled very stylized initials reading H.V.D. The back had an enameled blue and white inlay picture of an old-fashioned clipper ship. For several minutes, Zack quietly studied the watch as he slowly turned it in his hand, appreciating the workmanship that had obviously gone into the piece. He rubbed his thumb on the smooth surface as he worked on overcoming his feeling of anger, but the hurt remained.

“It’s beautiful,” he softly acknowledged. “I will comply with Marie’s last wishes, Dad.”

It was a statement that definitely had a ‘but’ hanging on the end of it. However, Zack didn’t continue. He merely went on to say, “Guess I have a lot of news to tell Rene over supper tonight.”

Todd glanced worriedly at Hayden as he reached across the table and rested his hand lightly on their son’s arm. “Piglet,” he gently beseeched. “Is there anything you want to talk about? Would you like to learn more about your mother; how she ended up having so much to leave you and why? She was a wonderful woman, Zack; someone you can be proud of.”

“Not right now, Papa.” Zack sighed and slipped the watch into his pocket. “Dad, would I be permitted to read the Will?”

“Of course, son.” Hayden pulled a blue-covered folder from the envelope and slid it across the table. “This copy is for you. I have attached a financial statement so you’ll have an idea as to the estimated value before and after taxes and expenditures. It’s a fairly sizable amount of money; enough that you’ll be able to pay off the pharmacy free and clear as well a purchase a house if that’s what you and Rene would like.”

Zack opened the folder and glanced at the statement summary on the first page; his eyes opened wide when he took in the bottom line.

“Zack, I know this is something of a shock to you, and certainly a lot for you to take in all at once. But your Papa and I want you to know we’re here for you whenever you’d like to talk. And of course I’m ready at anytime to answer questions you might have about the estate from a legal stand point.”

Zack softly whistled and shook his head in disbelief before placing the papers on the table. The numbers he had quickly scanned had blown him away.

“Thanks, Dad. I’d like to talk things over with Rene before making any decisions. Although maybe this,” Zack indicated the folder, “will help me convince my young husband that he should replace that old car he drives. I’d like to invest some but with the markets the way they are……guess I’ll need some advice from you there.”

He forced a smile as he got to his feet. “I better get back to the store. I’ll ah…see you both in a day or two.” He picked up the folder and with a final wave, he was out the door.

With so many feelings vying for attention, Zack chose to put the whole matter on hold until he had some private time to think things through. All and all, he had found the news somewhat disturbing and as a result was likely not as pleased as he would normally have been.

“I don’t think that went over too well,” Todd mused quietly after his son had left. “I realized we were not actually expecting him to be delighted, but at the same time, neither were we anticipating him to be this upset. Although he did try hard not to let it show.” He turned sad eyes up to Hayden. “I’m wondering what’s going to happen next and I hate waiting.”

Hayden shook his head slowly. “You’re right; I have to admit to Zack’s reaction surprising me. I swear to you, Todd, I caught a flash of anger in his eyes and that was something I did not expect. Our son does not anger easily, but something about this is bringing out stronger emotions than I anticipated.”

Hayden noticed the worried expression on his husband’s face and immediately wanted to comfort him. “It will be okay, my love; it’s just going to take a bit of time for Zack to work through his feelings. Believe me I won’t let this get out of hand. I’ll give him some space for a day or two, but then we will talk and sort it out.”

Even though he had faith in his husband being able to smooth things over, Todd still could not help but feel he was in some way responsible for their son’s negative response to the wonderful gift he had been given. He let out a deep sigh and nodded. “Yes, I guess there is nothing else either of us can do at the moment,” he reluctantly admitted before getting up and taking the empty coffee cups to the kitchen sink.

“I do hope this doesn’t take too long to clear up or I might become a nervous wreck.” For some reason, Todd still seemed to feel it was necessary to warn his husband of thirty-five years. Nothing could be further from the truth.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zack finished up all that required his attention at the pharmacy and went upstairs to the apartment he shared with his husband. Out of habit, he would usually have changed his clothing into something more casual and started supper, but he had too much on his mind to follow his normal routine.

He sat down on the sofa in the living room and carefully perused the documents his father had given him earlier. When he’d read it through, he leaned back and closed his eyes in an effort to make some sense of it all as the sun slowly waned. He was still in the exact same spot an hour later; sitting in the now darkened room. This was where Rene found him.

Rene looked at his watch and picked up his pace. He had lost track of time again while doing the planning and preparation for the next day’s art class.He had expanded his time at the day care centre and was now teaching art three days a week to the older children who came after school. It wasn’t that he didn’t finish class in time to get home, but he wanted to ensure he was giving the children his best and giving the parents their money’s worth. Zack had talked to him a couple of times now about planning his time better and not worrying so much. He’d also made it clear that he expected Rene home on time in the future.

Rene was slightly out of breath as he ran up the stairs just two minutes past his expected time. He flung open the door and was about to call out that he was home, but was startled to find the apartment in darkness. He was even more startled when he flipped on the entryway light and saw his husband sitting on the sofa.“Zack?” he spoke softly as he made his way over to sit beside him. “Zack, are you okay?”

Zack blinked and looked up at the younger man sitting beside him. “Ah, yes, yes, I’m fine,” he answered quietly as he worked on getting his bearings. He reached up and turned on the lamp next to the sofa. “Sorry, love, I didn’t hear you come in. I was lost in thought and didn’t realize it was getting so late.”

Getting to his feet, he drew his husband into his arms and kissed him. “You smell of fresh air with a touch of paint,” he teased. “I have something important to talk over with you, but first we better get supper on the table. We can just heat up the leftovers in the fridge, if you like. It shouldn’t take long with the two of us doing it together.”

Zack picked up the papers from the coffee table where he had dropped them some time ago, and headed into the kitchen and placed them on the table. He planned to show them to Rene later. He washed his hands and then began pulling various containers from the refrigerator. “Let’s see what we have here; some rice, a couple of chicken breasts, veggies….hmm, just enough to make chicken fried rice for two. What do you say, sweetheart?”

“Uh...sure, chicken fried rice sounds fine,” Rene replied. He took the veggies Zack had taken out and began methodically chopping them into smaller bite-size pieces.He had watched as Zack placed papers into a folder and carry them through to the kitchen. Rene remembered clearly what the copy of his grandfather’s Will had looked like. It had the same funny, little, coloured paper corner holding the sheets together and in a fancy looking legal-sized folder just like this one. Rene felt frightened by the sight. It seemed to him that having a Will sitting out was never a good sign. That, along with Zack saying he had something important to discuss, suddenly made Rene’s heart climb into his throat. He wanted desperately to ask but was equally dreading the answer.He was thinking so much about the papers that he wasn’t watching what he was chopping until the edge of the knife came down on his thumb.

“Shit!” he yelped as he dropped the knife and stuck the injured digit into his mouth.Zack was by Rene’s side in a second.

“Let me see it, love,” he requested and gently pulled Rene’s hand down from his face. After making sure the injury was thoroughly cleaned, he applied an antiseptic cream and a bandage. Gazing tenderly into his lover’s eyes, Zack softly admonished, “You must exercise greater care, my love.” He smiled and kissed the palm of the hand he was holding.

“How about you setting the table while I finish up here?” he suggested. “And, Rene, it is going to be okay. There is nothing to be nervous of; the Will does not belong to anyone you know. I’ll tell you all about it when we sit down to supper.”

Zack cleared off the counter where Rene had been working and threw out the now unusable veggies. He finely chopped a fresh onion and cooked it up in the frying pan before adding the rice and meat. A few dashes of soya sauce, some spices and it was soon ready to put on the table.

Sitting down and looking across at his husband, Zack began his explanation as promised. “I went to see my dads earlier today. It was at their request. My biological mother passed away this morning. Dad is the executor of her estate and according to her Will, I am the main beneficiary. The inheritance is substantial, to say the least.” He had been watching Rene’s face and wondering what the younger man’s take on this turn of events would be. He was pleased to see the worried expression being replaced by one of relief.

Rene was both relieved and sad. He wasn’t even sure how to offer his condolences in the circumstances. He reached over the table and placed his bandaged hand on top of Zack’s. “I’m sorry to hear about your mother. But...well, you told me before that you’d never met her and yet she made you her beneficiary? I think she must have loved youeven if she didn’t really know you.”

Zack smiled somewhat sadly and turned over his hand to give Rene’s an appreciative squeeze. “That’s possible,” the older man answered noncommittally. He had his doubts about Rene’s comment but didn’t want to discuss it until he had resolved some rather negative feelings of his own.

They ate in silence for another minute or two before Zack ventured to ask, “Any ideas of what we should do with this unexpected windfall?”

Rene was never comfortable with money discussions and didn’t know what to suggest. “It was left to you, Zack. You should do something you want with it.”

“Rene love, I know the Will doesn’t have your name on it, but I have a marriage certificate that does. In my books, that makes the money as much yours as mine. Now, Dad suggested I pay off my business loans. He also thought we might like to purchase a home of our own.” Zack leaned closer to his husband. “And it would certainly put my mind at ease knowing you were driving around in a new car as opposed to that old beater you use.” He grinned at the look of surprise on his lover’s face. “So what do you have to say about any of those ideas?”

Rene returned Zack’s grin. He had been feeling that Zack was upset about this Will, but seeing him smile made him feel a lot better. “I think your Dad is right about paying off the business. I know you’d feel better owning the pharmacy free and clear. And enough for a house too, huh?” he looked at Zack who nodded in confirmation. “Well, I love the apartment and I am very happy here. But yeah, a little house would be nice, especially if we could get something nearby so you wouldn’t have too far to get to the shop and I could get to the daycare too.”

Rene chewed on Zack’s other suggestion for a moment. “Zack, my car is okay for my needs. It’s not like I’m living out of it anymore and most times I walk to the daycare, so it would be silly to waste money on that. You should have something special for yourself, something you’ve always wanted.”

“Neither of us have need of a car very often here in town as everything is so handy. However, due to our somewhat harsher weather conditions during the winter months and your need to travel to Kelowna now and again for your supplies, puts me in the position of insisting you get a more reliable vehicle. Your safety is my paramount concern, my love.” Zack finished his meal and sat back. “But all this can be put on hold, as there is no hurry to make any decisions right now.”

Getting a nod of agreement from his husband, Zack got up from the table and began the clean-up. After the kitchen had been put to rights, they spent a quiet evening watching one of Rene’s favourite movies. While it held the younger man’s attention, Zack found his thoughts wandering until the closing credits interrupted them and Rene announced it was time for bed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Two o’clock in the morning and unable to sleep, Zack slipped out of bed without disturbing his lover and headed to the kitchen to get something to drink. Settling for a mug of hot chocolate, he took it into the living room and plunked himself down at the small desk in the corner.

After booting up the computer, he typed ‘Marie VanDinther’ into the search engine and waited to see what would turn up. A couple of sites later, he had not only learned about some of this woman’s business success and generosity to others, he had also found out when and where her funeral was being held. The fact that the event was not open to the public didn’t deter him from making plans to attend, although he was at a loss as to why he felt the unexpected compulsion to do so.

He shut down the computer and returned to the warmth of his bed, where he spooned around his husband.

Several hours later he let Rene in on his plans, explaining it was just something he felt he had to do by himself and that he would be home sometime this evening. He would very much have liked to expand on his reasons for going, but so unsure was he as to why, it was impossible for him to explain further.

“I love you, baby; take care and stay safe until I get back.” Zack kissed his lover goodbye and was soon on his way to Vancouver.

Rene stood at the window of the apartment and watched as Zack’s car pulled out of the parking lot. He found himself feeling alone and unsure. He could feel deep inside that there was more to the death of Zack’s birth mother than his husband was letting on.

One thing he deeply valued from his relationship with Zack was the man’s steady certainty. No matter which of Rene’s personal demons arose to cause him grief, Zack always tackled them with openness and a calm, level attitude. He would help Rene through whatever was bothering him with a firm and loving hand, and guide them back to a happy place.

Up until yesterday Rene would have sworn that Zack had no personal demons to fight. He’d grown up in a warm and loving home with two dads who adored him and raised him to be a compassionate, responsible and generous member of society. The man was openly and proudly gay; yet had no difficulty working within society’s structures. He was a respected professional and businessman in a town of his own choosing. Though Rene knew Zack was just as human and just as capable of error as anyone, he also believed that Zack was one of those lucky people who had it all together, who knew what he was, what he wanted and he worked hard to accomplish it.

Now Rene wondered if the issue of Zack’s birth mother wasn’t a demon that had been awaiting a catalyst to set it off. Mostly now he wished he had the same kind of strength and ability to help Zack with his issues like Zack had to help Rene with his. But he wasn’t Zachary Pierce; he didn’t have it all together. He’d said it to Kadyn on the afternoon before the wedding and this just proved it to be true. He was not as good for Zack as Zack was for him.

He sadly turned from the window and went to the kitchen where he tossed the remainder of his breakfast in the trash, finished off the coffee and then went to get ready for work.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Todd had steadily worked himself into a dither and no matter how much Hayden tried to calm him; he couldn’t stop how he was feeling or how he was reacting to those feelings.

Last evening had ended with him arguing with his husband after having spent a greater part of the afternoon insisting they call Zack. Hayden had been just as insistent that they give their son the space he needed to think things through. It was Todd sneaking into the kitchen to place the call and being caught in the act that not only brought the situation to a head but also resulted in him being on the receiving end of several well-placed, painful swats. Hayden had prevailed and no phone calls had been made, but he ended up going to bed with a rather tearful companion.

Hayden had lain in bed with a weepy Brat in his arms and his Top alarm going off loudly in his mind. Todd was more worried about Zack’s reaction to Marie’s death than seemed warranted. It felt like Todd knew something about Zack’s feelings that he wasn’t sharing. He had spent most the day trying to get Todd to explain why he was so concerned but got nowhere. Todd just kept insisting that he needed to talk to Zack and be there for him.

Though Hayden was also concerned about their son, he also felt that it was prudent to let him have some space to work though his feelings. He knew Zack was mature and not given to over-reacting to situations. Even as a boy, Zack handled himself well during difficult times. Hayden had learned that if he gave his son time and room to consider a problem, the boy usually came up with the right way of handling it. And for those times when Zack didn’t deal with a problem in the right way, he accepted his errors and any consequences he earned and he learned from them. It was a rare thing indeed for Zack to repeat a mistake that had caused him trouble.

Todd though was another story. Although his husband was one of the most loving, kind, and intelligent men he knew, Todd followed his heart and his passions to the detriment of his own well-being. Todd simply felt things too deeply and worried too much about the people he loved. Hayden had to keep him reined in for his own good and the good of those around them.

He’d hated swatting his beloved earlier but he wasn’t going to allow him to get worked up beyond reason. They would talk to Zack tomorrow and go from there.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This morning, after a very restless night, Todd had risen early and padded down to the kitchen in hopes of speaking to his son. Learning from his son-in-law of Zack’s impromptu trip only added to Todd’s mixed feelings of anxiety and guilt.

He turned at the sound of approaching footsteps and glared angrily at his husband. “Zack has gone to Marie’s funeral. He didn’t even call to see if we would accompany him; said he wanted to go alone. I knew we should have called him last night. I told you so, but you wouldn’t let me. Now he’s gone off by himself and who knows what state of mind he’s in.”

Todd’s voice was steadily rising as his arms flailed wildly about. “We’ve got to hurry, Hayden. He’s got quite a head start on us and it’s going to be hard enough catching up to him without our wasting any more time discussing it.” He made to push his way past the slightly bigger man but found his exit solidly blocked.

Hayden wrapped his arms around his husband and pulled the slim body tightly against his own broader one. “You don’t need to worry about wasting time, my love, because we are not going anywhere. Zack is a grown man and if he felt the need to do this then we have to trust he knows what he’s doing. We’ll talk with him when he gets home from Vancouver.”

He guided his protesting husband to the living room. Sitting down on the sofa, he pulled Todd onto his lap and began to rub gentle circles over the agitated man’s back. “Now you, my love, are going to sit here with me until you calm down and tell my why this is bothering you so much.”

Todd huffed out his frustration and grudgingly leaned heavily against Hayden’s chest with his head on the older man’s shoulder. “Remember when you mentioned how Zack suddenly stopped asking questions about his mother when he was a kid?” he softly inquired and got an affirmative ‘hmm’ in response. “We must have missed something, Hayden, but I can’t for the life of me figure out what it is.” Todd mused as he absently played with the button on his husband’s shirt.

“After all, everything was explained to him, right? We didn’t hold anything back, did we? I mean, we were very open about discussing his birth and how much it meant to us to have him as our child, weren’t we?”

Hayden continued stroking Todd’s back as he considered the questions his husband had brought forth. “I have no doubt that we missed things along the way, sweetheart. No parent catches every little thing with their child. However, I do know that we gave Zack a very honest, full explanation of where he came from and how much he was loved andwanted. When we first sat down with him to explain things he was very curious and had a thousand questions which we did our best to answer as fully and honestly as possible." Hayden kissed the side of Todd’s face. “He was always a very inquisitive little boy and in hindsight I think we might have been more pro-active when he stopped asking about Marie. But we’re human, love; we let it pass and I’m not going to start second guessing things at this point in the game. But I’m thinking more importantly that you do not need to start second guessing yourself. You’ve been a wonderful father to Zack from the moment of his birth and he loves you very much. He is a strong capable adult, but I think this has come as a shock to him and he needs to work out his feelings on the matter. The best that you and I can do is to be here for him and answer any new questions that might arise from this situation. Now, how about we go and get some breakfast? I don’t know about you but I’m starving.”

“Breakfast sounds good,” Todd murmured even though he made no attempt to get off his husband’s lap. Most of Hayden’s answers had a soothing effect on Todd, but there was still a small part of him that remained unsure.

“Damn!” Todd muttered as the button he had been toying with came off in his figures. He stood up and scowled at the small item in his hand. “Guess I better get my mending kit out. Give me your shirt, darling, and I’ll sew this back on while you get breakfast, okay?”

Todd tried to push away the last lingering thought, but was unable to completely eliminate his fear that their son had somehow picked up and misinterpreted some unspoken message; a message that he had at some time unintentionally conveyed. Deciding that staying busy would help to keep unsettling feelings at bay, he began mentally listing all the possible chores to be done before the day was over.

Hayden waited until Todd had climbed from his lap. Then he stood up, removed the shirt and handed it over to his spouse. “I’ll whip us up an omelet, while you sew.” He kissed Todd’s cheek as he headed to the kitchen. “It’s a good thing you learned how to handle a needle in dental school. Can you imagine all the money we’ve saved with the repairs you’ve made on our clothing over the years? Patching the knees of Zack’s pants alone must have paid for half our retirement fund. I never saw a child tear out the knees on a pair of new pants faster than that boy did.

Todd fetched his sewing basket and sat down at the kitchen table. The two men worked companionably while engaging in small talk and by the time breakfast was ready to be served, Hayden was being handed his shirt to put back on.

Todd enjoyed the meal placed in front of him; sometimes food tasted better, when prepared by someone you loved and who loved you.

“I was hoping that if I made out a list of staples we are running out of, you wouldn’t mind doing a bit of shopping while I get some housecleaning done.” Picking up on his husband’s indecision, Todd set about persuading him. “I actually have a lot I’d like to accomplish today, sweetheart, and you could really do with some fresh air.”

When Hayden returned from his shopping trip, Todd had assured him that he’d eaten while Hayden was out. So he got himself a sandwich and took on some outdoor chores of his own, having long since learned to stay out of Todd’s way while he was on one of his cleaning sprees.

The difference in weather between Vancouver and Jade Heights was significant. Hayden wasn’t used to dealing with so much snow. He cleared it away from the front and side walkways and after hiring one of the neighbourhood boys to deal with the driveway, he went back into the house chilled but invigorated by fresh crisp temperatures.

Late afternoon found Todd vigorously polishing the silverware while waiting for the final coat of wax to dry on the kitchen floor. Not that it needed doing so much as he needed something to do. After writing out a rather lengthy list for Hayden and sending the man out to run a number of errands, Todd had spent the day working around the house. Every room in the house had been dusted; carpets had been vacuumed and floors mopped; two and a half bathrooms had been scrubbed down, one of which hadn’t even been used since the last time it was cleaned; all bedding had been changed and several loads of laundry done. He should have been exhausted but was still pushing himself to keep busy even though Hayden had arrived home some time ago.

When asked earlier if he had eaten anything since breakfast, he assured his husband that he had and wasn’t hungry. Okay, so maybe he hadn’t actually had a sit-down meal, but he had nibbled more that enough to make up for it.

Hayden frowned when he saw Todd sitting at the table polishing silver. His husband looked pale and a sheen of sweat covered his face. He grabbed Todd’s glucometer from the drawer and brought it to the table.

Todd glanced up when the dreaded testing supplies landed with a soft thud on the table next to his arm.

“Now please,” Hayden ordered when Todd looked up at him. He watched as his husband begrudgingly did the test and was not at all impressed with the results. Though Todd’s blood sugar was not dangerously low, it was below his healthy range.

“Todd, when I asked you if you had eaten, you knew full-well that I meant a proper meal. I do not inquire as to whether you nibbled at some small snack. Now I want to know right now; did you eat a proper lunch that would fall within the guidelines that your dietitian gave you?”

Todd failed to meet Hayden’s eyes. He just looked down at the table and shook his head.

“You have been working yourself into a frenzy since yesterday and I can see that talking to you about this has had no effect whatsoever! So I am left with little choice but to do something that does have a proven effect on your behaviour. Stand up please.” Hayden dragged out the chair Todd had been seated on and sat down on it himself. He pulled his Brat to him and quickly undid his trousers and pushed them along with his boxers, down below his knees.“I’m not at all happy about this, Todd,” Hayden said has he guided his husband over his lap.

Todd was forced to grab the chair leg to balance himself while Hayden wasted no time and set to delivering a sharp spanking that quickly turned Todd’s backside a fiery shade of red and his face tear-stained. It was not a particularly long or harsh spanking but it was sufficient to ensure a message was delivered.

Once he was finished, Hayden guided Todd back up and pulled him onto his lap, ensuring the sore part of the bottom was not making contact. He gently rubbed Todd’s back as his lover cried. “I love you, Todd William Pierce, and I won’t allow you to get in such a state you’ll make yourself ill. Is that understood?”

Todd nodded and wiped his face with the handkerchief his husband had placed in his hand. “I’m sorry, Hayden. I had so much to do and didn’t want to stop long enough to prepare a meal,” he murmured with a voice still raspy from crying. “I love you too, you know.”

He looked up to see his lover’s expression and gave him a self-conscious grin before dropping his head onto Hayden’s broad shoulder. After yawning loudly, he softly pleaded, “I’m not really hungry, but I am feeling sleepy. If I have something to eat, will you lie down with me? We can wait to hear from Zack together, okay?”

Todd was grateful for his beloved’s understanding smile and nod of concurrence. He knew all had been forgiven and that they were back on track.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“May I help you, sir?” a lowered voice inquired.

Zack turned his head and glanced at the man who had silently come up beside him. “I am here to attend Marie VanDinther’s funeral,” he intoned just as softly.

“I am sorry, sir, but that service is being held privately; family and close friends only.”

“I am Ms. VanDinther’s son.”

The Funeral Director professionally hid his surprise as he stepped back to indicate the room Zack was looking for. “Of course; I am so sorry for your loss. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.”

Zack quietly opened one of the large doors and slipped into a seat at the back of the room. He sat listening to the numerous people who got up to share their thoughts about the friend they were saying goodbye to. He still hadn’t determined the reason for having come here, but in his heart he knew it had been the right thing to do. He found comfort as the stories he was hearing of Marie’s life painted a picture of the wonderful woman she had been.

A short time later, the group of mourners slowly filed out and Zack, believing he was allow, walked up to the casket. It was closed in accordance with the decease’s request. Marie had not wanted her friends’ last memory of her to be how she looked after being ravaged by the illness that had taken her life.

Zack ran his fingers lightly across the smooth mahogany surface as he gazed at the portrait placed next to the casket. He found himself looking into blue eyes that could have been his own, and a lovely face that show the love and passion this woman had had for life.

“She was a very special person,” a tearful voice near his side murmured, “and she was my dearest friend.”

Zack looked at the petite lady standing close to him. “I’m sorry,” he sincerely offered his condolences. He saw the light of recognition in her eyes and briefly wondered why, as they had never met before.

Clearing his throat, he ventured to ask, “Do you know who painted the portrait.”

“I did; several years ago for Marie’s fiftieth birthday.”

“It’s beautiful.” Zack felt a stab of disappointment. “I guess you wouldn’t consider selling it then.”

“No. It isn’t mine to sell.” Lily gently laid her hand on his arm and gazed into his eyes. “It belongs to you. You are Marie’s son, are you not?”

Zack blinked his surprise but before he could comment, she continued. “Marie often talked of you; especially on a certain day in June when she celebrated the date of your birth. She never lost the feeling of joy she had in being able to gift your fathers with a child.”

Zack felt his eyes fill and his chest tighten as the words found their way into his heart. He reached out and gently touched the cheek of the woman in the portrait. He now knew why he had come here. He turned to see that his mother’s friend had soundlessly left him to his own thoughts.

An hour later, Zack was on his way back to Jade Heights. The portrait protectively wrapped in soft leather and carefully placed in the seat behind him. He had so much to tell Rene about.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

For the first time ever, Rene was glad that he suffered from cold feet and often slept with his socks on. Zack had teased him a few times about waking up to icy toes pressing against him. If he could keep his foot out of Zack’s sight for a few days, the bruising and swelling of his big toe would hopefully fade away.

He’d been feeling angry, frustrated and selfish, and now he was paying the price. Of all days for his car not to start, right after he and Zack had discussed replacing it, and then to be so stupid as to take out his anger by kicking the tire rim. Well, he was not going to give Zack any more grief than he was already suffering from; the toe would heal and he would be there for his husband.

Rene had been feeling sorry for himself, thinking he was useless to Zack. However, a call to his sister soon had him realizing the error of his ways. Trust a sister to tell you to get over yourself, put an end to your pity party and think of what you’re partner is suffering. Dorothy was right. Zack was having a hard time and he needed Rene to be understanding of his feelings and supportive of him while he worked through the death of his biological mother. Now, that was exactly what he was going to do. It was nearly time for Zack to be home so he pulled the ice pack off his foot, replaced it to its’ spot in the freezer and gingerly put on the heavy wool sock. He’d just sat down to watch some T.V. when he heard his husband coming through the door.

Zack had time to hang up his coat before his husband had made his way into his arms. He briefly wondered what had Rene moving somewhat slower than usual, but decided to put any questions on hold.

“It’s so good to be home, sweetheart,” he murmured into Rene’s ear after soundly kissing him. “It was a long trip without you next to me, but it was something I had to do on my own.”

Rene forgot about the throbbing of his toe when Zack kissed him. He was just happy to have his husband back home.

Picking up the covered picture he had leaned against the wall, Zack took his lover’s hand and led him back to the living room to sit down together on the sofa and get each other caught up on their day.

Carefully removing the leather covering, Zack held up the portrait. “What do you think of her, love? Does she have a place in our hearts and our home?”

Rene settled on the sofa and studied the portrait held up for his inspection. “Zack, she’s beautiful; but how could your mother be otherwise. We’ll have to find a special place of honour to hang it.”

He snuggled into Zack’s side, craving the physical contact of his lover while keeping his injured toe carefully out of the way. “I am curious though. How did you come into possession of such a wonderful painting? Although I wouldn’t know your mother’s face, whoever the artist is, they captured her eyes perfectly. I know that because those are your eyes looking back at me.”

Zack smiled as he tightened his arms around Rene and drew him closer to kiss him once again.

“My dads have often mentioned that very same thing,” he softly chuckled. “As for the painting, it was on a stand next to Marie’s coffin. A very pleasant woman told me she had painted it as a gift for Marie’s fiftieth birthday and informed me it now belonged to me. There is an inscription on the back which reads, ‘With love to my dearest friend, from Lily’. That is all I know, sweetheart, of the portrait’s history. Today’s trip answered several old questions but may also have raised new ones. However, all that can wait for the time being.”

Zack nuzzled his face into Rene’s soft hair, deeply breathing in the clean scent. “Right now, I’d like to hear about your day, love,” he murmured.

“Not a lot to hear really. Day care was good. The kids started the clay projects. I was going to go and see Mrs. Kensey about the painting she wants done of her grandkids, but my damn car wouldn’t start. I called her and postponed until next week. I’ll see if Billy Fleming can look at the car on Monday. That’s about all the excitement here,” Rene replied, carefully leaving out is impromptu response to his car not starting.

“Hmmm,” Zack softly mused. His Brat’s body language had the older man wondering if something was being left unsaid. Deciding to wait it out for the moment, he went on to suggest, “Maybe you should forget about sinking more money into that old car, Rene, and start searching for a new one. You can use mine in the meantime.”

Winking at his husband, he requested, “Any chance of you making this weary traveler a cup of your favourite hot beverage?”

The thought of coffee put a smile on Rene’s face. “Of course I’d be happy to get you some coffee. I’ll bring some of that lemon loaf too.”

He stood and was quite pleased when he made his way to the kitchen walking pretty steadily. He’d perfected walking with his weight on the side of his foot while keeping the sore toe slightly raised above the floor. He filled the coffee maker with freshly ground beans and turned to fill the pot with water when he grazed his injured toe against the leg of a chair that hadn’t been pushed fully under the table.

“Shit!” he yelped loudly.

“What happened?” Zack inquired as he came into the kitchen to find out what was going on. He had not missed the way his husband had walked out of the living room and was more certain than ever that Rene was keeping something from him.

He stood in the doorway, patiently waiting for an explanation and wondering if Rene would continue to avoid whatever it was he didn’t seem inclined to talk about.

Rene was cursing his clumsiness as the pain from his toe caused him to grimace and bite down on his lip. However, he wanted this evening to be all about Zack and not about Zack having to fuss over a bruised-up toe he’d caused by his own little temper fit. He wanted so much to be the kind of partner Zack could count on to support him and not just a needy wimp who had so little to offer.

“Just stubbed my toe on the chair leg,” he answered, trying to sound perfectly calm. “Go sit down and I’ll bring you your coffee as soon as it’s ready.” Rene felt proud of his reply. After all, it hadn’t been a lie; he had stubbed his toe on the chair. He simply wasn’t adding that it was so painful, he wanted to scream.

Normally Zack would have accepted that at face value, but not along with the other signs he was picking up on. He didn’t say a word as he walked over, placed his hands on Rene’s waist and lifted him just enough to plunk him down on the kitchen counter.

Next, he gently peeled off his husband’s sock and carefully examined the injured toe. Setting a hand on each side of the man sitting in front of him, Zack looked into slightly tearing blue eyes and firmly stated, “This is the result of more than just hitting it on a chair, Rene. I don’t know what information you are withholding, but all that’s important right now is having this seen to. Put your sock back on while I fetch our jackets. We are going to the ER.” He held up his hand to forestall any pending arguments. “Not a word, young man.”

After helping his husband down to the car and getting him settled, Zack took the shortest route to the hospital. Fortunately, not only was the waiting areas almost empty but as luck would have it, their family doctor was available. It wasn’t long before they were being lead down the hall to an examining room.

Rene had quietly obeyed Zack’s directives, knowing that arguing would only get him into further hot water. He cringed when Dr. Patrick Dean asked him how he’d hurt his toe and what time it had happened. The answers he gave did nothing to improve the stern look on Zack’s face.

X-rays were taken and while they awaited the results, Rene tried to talk to Zack about why he hadn’t said anything but Zack gently insisted that they would discuss it later at home. Instead, the older man just held his hand and talked to him about his trip to Vancouver and the sites he’d seen along the way, easily distracting Rene from his nervousness. The doctor returned and showed them the x-rays. A fracture of the bone in Rene’s big toe was clearly visible. It was explained that it was a non-displaced fracture and would be immobilized by buddy-taping it to the toe beside it.

Rene was not at all happy when he was told he’d have to keep off his foot as much as possible for the next couple of weeks, keep it elevated and iced several times a day. As they were leaving, Patrick emphasized the need for rest and humorously added that Rene should avoid kicking cars in the future.

When they pulled out of the hospital parking lot, Rene turned and looked sadly at his husband. “I’m sorry, Zack. You didn’t need to have to deal with this on the day of your mother’s funeral.”

Zack glanced into remorseful blue eyes and felt the tugging of his heart strings. What a sensitive soul his husband had. Even so, Zack still smiled patiently and shook his head. Taking Rene’s hand in his, he gently kissed the back of it. “We’ll talk soon enough, love. Everything will be fine.”
Home and seated once again in the comfort of their own living room, Zack gathered Rene into his arms and spent several minutes tenderly holding him before clearing his throat to speak. “There is no one in the world more important to me than you are, sweetheart. At our wedding two months ago, I promised to always put you first whenever humanly possible and that has not changed. You are all I want and need for my life’s partner. I am truly thankful for all the gifts you bring into our relationship. I want you to know how much I appreciate you listening to me talk through my feelings about Marie both last night and this morning, no matter how perplexing they were at the time. Your quiet strength and support was exactly what I needed.”

Zack felt some of the tension leave his husband’s body. He kissed Rene’s cheek and moved back enough to look at him directly, making note of the conflicting expressions passing over the younger man’s handsome face. It had been a long day and it was beginning to take its’ toll. Zack would very much prefer not having to chastise his partner, but acknowledged that postponing the inevitable would prove detrimental to both of them. The repeated problem of withholding information had to be taken care of before bedtime.

Taking a deep breath to strengthen his resolve, Zack calmly inquired, “Right now, we need to deal with that unacceptable decision of yours to break one of our main rules, do we not?”

“But I...” Rene shook his head sadly. He’d thought for a moment that Zack might let it go, given his broken toe and all, but he knew in his heart that this was an issue his husband was not about to simply forget. Deep inside, he honestly didn’t want him to forget about it. Knowing Zack cared enough about their relationship to deal with this even after the rough day he’d just had, spoke volumes to Rene. “Zack, I’m glad that you felt good about me being here for you to talk to. I only wish I hadn’t added to your hard day by you having to take me to the ER. It was my own fault. My own temper that caused this and I’m so very sorry. You deserved better than this.”

“I have all and more than I deserve, Rene. I didn’t mind taking you to the hospital, love. It was not a problem regardless of the type of day I’ve had. True, your injury is a result of not controlling your temper, but neither of those has earned you chastisement. Now, I expect you to tell me exactly why I am going to spank you.”

Rene sighed. He just wanted Zack to get it over with. Having to discuss why he was about to be spanked seemed worse than the spanking itself. But he knew his husband well enough to know that Zack didn’t do things that way. Zack always made sure he knew exactly where he was coming from and that he felt loved and understood before any punishment was meted out. “Because I didn’t tell you I was hurt and I’m not supposed to keep things like that from you.”

“Right on the money, sweetheart.” Zack gently tugged until Rene was face down over his lap. He reached under his husband to undo the man’s jeans and pulled them along with the underwear down to mid-thigh. “Hopefully the day will soon come when you realize it is better to talk to me before you find yourself in this position, Rene.”

Zack’s hand began to rise and fall with the first resounding smack landing on his Brat’s right cheek, the second one on his left. The spanking that followed was neither harsher nor longer than the others that had been administered for this particular infraction, nor would it ever be; it was no more than a reminder of expectations.

When done, Zack lovingly lifted Rene unto his lap while taking care that nothing jarred either the sore foot or the sore bottom. As he murmured out words of love and assurance that all was forgiven and the slate cleaned, he removed most of Rene’s clothing.

It took several minutes for Rene to calm down enough to enable Zack to help him into their bedroom, where the older man got him settled under the blankets in their bed. Zack left his husband long enough to fetch a glass of water and a warm, wet washcloth. Sitting on Rene’s side of the bed, the older man waited patiently as the water was gulped down and then he gently cleaned Rene’s face, pushed the sweaty bangs aside and kissed his forehead.

“I’ll be right back, love,” Zack softly promised in response to the questioning look he got as he stood up. He quickly stripped and stretched out on his side of the bed to pull his Brat into his arms to cuddle.

It took Rene a long while to get his thoughts in order enough to speak. He’d been feeling terribly guilty about his behaviour, but Zack’s calm reassurance and firm chastisement absolved him of those negative feelings. Now he felt warm, loved and centered again. Nothing was nicer than being cuddled up, naked in bed with his husband. If it weren’t for his throbbing butt and toe, he’d have tried to instigate a little loving. But now, just cuddling was enough.“I love you, Zack. Thank you for taking care of me. I just hope I help you even half as much as you help me,” he whispered sleepily and slowly drifted off to dreamland, safe in his Top’s embrace and with his head on the older man’s chest.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zack hung up the phone and turned around to tidy his work station. He smiled at the man he saw standing on the other side of the counter.

“Hello, Papa. To what do I own this pleasure?”

Todd’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. He really felt completely unable to make small talk and so came right to the point of his popping in unexpectedly. “We have to talk, Piglet. Something has been bothering me and I need to get it out in the open.” He relaxed somewhat when his son nodded in the direction of his small office. It was a good indication that the younger man was willing to take the time out of his busy day to visit with his Papa.

“You’ve made a few changes in here,” Todd commented as he looked around and took in the two-seater sofa taking up one wall. The desk had been moved to the far corner and the boxes of inventory that had often cluttered up the room had disappeared.

Zack sat down beside his father. “I thought I’d make it a little more encouraging for you to stop by more often. Now what has been playing on your mind that Dad has not been able to fully appease?” He was beginning to realize just how troubled the older man was when he saw Todd perched awkwardly on the edge of the sofa and unconsciously wringing his hands.

Placing his hand on top of Todd’s in an attempt to quell the nervous action, Zack softly intoned, “It’s going to be fine, Papa. Whatever it is, we’ll work it out.”

Take a deep breath, Todd blurted out the questions that had been plaguing him for two days. “What did Hayden and I miss when you were a child, in reference to your biological mother that is? Was there something I said or did that caused you to stop talking about her? Why were you so angry when your Dad told you about the Will?”

Todd searched his son’s face in hope that Zack’s expressions would give some clue as to what the young man was thinking or feeling. He was disheartened by the frown that appeared and though it quickly vanished, he was unaware of its’ passing due to him having bowed his head.

Zack sat back and gave his father’s uncertainties serious consideration before answering. He wanted to figure out how best to clarify this without causing the other man further anguish. “I thought those discussions upset you, Papa. Then at some point in time, I managed to convince myself that you and Dad were keeping something from me. I don’t even know how it happened, but somehow I began to believe that my birth mother had rejected me. That misconception was the reason behind my initial anger when I learned of her leaving so much to me. I wondered if maybe she was trying to soothe a guilty conscious.”

Todd leaned forwarded and rested his elbows on his knees with his face in his hands. His worse fears had been confirmed; he was responsible for his son’s misapprehension.

He turned towards Zack, glanced up and sadly shook his head. “Marie has always loved you, Piglet. But it was mutually decided right from the start, when Marie first came to us and offered to carry our child, she would not be involved in your upbringing. Looking back, I can see where that decision was necessary mainly because of my insecurities concerning her usurping my place in your affections. Although I also believe she may have felt it would be easier for her to maintain a distance, knowing she was never going to be taking on the role of mother. I am so sorry for denying you her love.” Todd’s voice cracked as he uttered his heartfelt apology, even knowing it would not make things right.

“Oh, Papa,” Zack whispered as he wrapped his arm around his father’s shaking shoulders and drew him closer. “All erroneous beliefs are of my own making, Papa. I should have at least talked it over with Dad. You have never denied me anything. There is not another soul on earth who could ever take your place. There is no one who would have made a better ‘mother’ for me than you. You and Dad are the perfect parents. I can only hope and pray that if Rene and I are ever blessed with a child, we can be half the parents you and Dad are.”

Picking up on the calming effect his words were having on the other man, Zack continued. “You know, when I was growing up my friends and I often compared parents. They all had a dad and mom, but I was so much luckier because I had a Dad and a Papa. Believe it or not, some of my chums even admitted being jealous of me. Most thought you were really cool.”

Zack chuckled. He was happy to see Todd’s eyes light up and a grin spread across on his handsome face.

Todd punched his son lightly on the arm in an effort to hide his blush of pleasure. “I seem to remember occasions when my somewhat unique mannerisms caused you a bit of discomfort, my Piglet.” He laughed when it appeared he had turned the table and had his son blushing.

“Hmm, possibly,” Zack reluctantly admitted, pleased with the conversation having taken on a happier connotation. “But I also remember you always being there for me. You took the time to accompany me to daycare on regular bases. I still recall the time I spilled yellow finger paint all over your good suit. Man, I thought you’d be angry. But surprisingly, you just laughed it off. Even then I seemed aware of how fastidious you were about your appearance.”

Zack turned serious again. He felt the need to further explain his actions of the last day or so. “Papa, I want you to know beyond a doubt that I am at peace with Marie’s role in my life. Attending her funeral yesterday was a great eye-opener. I am eternally grateful for all she has done for us and what she sacrificed so we could be the family we are. I truly appreciate her beauty; it was apparent in every aspect of her life. This morning I was able to talk it all out with Rene. He is a marvelous listener and I am extremely blessed to have him as my husband.”

“Good!” Todd enthusiastically agreed as he landed a firm pat on his son’s knee. “I am proud that you realize what a special man you’re married to. And speaking of your young love, what’s he up to today?”

“Not too much, actually; he’s resting his injured foot.” Zack smirked at Todd’s raised eyebrow. “He and that old clunker of his had a bit of a confrontation and I am afraid Rene is a little the worse for wear because of it. I’ll let him tell you all about it this evening when you and Dad come over. That is, if Rene is inclined to do so. And I have a surprise for you both. It’s something I brought home from Vancouver.”

Zack held up his hand to forestall the question he knew Todd was dying to ask. “No, I am not going to tell you now. You’ll just have to curb that curiosity of yours and wait.” He laughed at his father’s groan of vexation and got to his feet.

Todd stood up and embraced his son. “I’ll try to be patient,” he promised with little hope of that being true. “Thank you, Piglet. I love you.” He kissed the younger man’s cheek and then with a lighthearted wave and a ‘see you later’, he was gone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Todd was flying high as a result of day’s events. His conversation with Zack had lifted a weight off his shoulders and he had spent most of the afternoon recounting the tête-à-tête with Hayden.
“Did I mention Zack having a surprise for us this evening, Hayden?” Todd finished straightening his tie and smiled in the mirror at the reflection of the handsome man standing next him. The two of them were in their bedroom getting dressed for an evening out. They were having supper at the apartment with their son and son-in-law.

Hayden grinned tolerantly. “Yes, love, I think you’ve told me that at least three times now.”

He was relieved to see his husband feeling happy once again. He didn’t like to see Todd in the state he’d been in the last couple of days. From the day Zack had been born, anytime the boy was in pain either physically or emotionally, Todd suffered with him, usually suffered more than him. Todd simply couldn’t abide their son being anything less than happy. It was a source of many difficult times during Zack’s growing up years. Anytime Hayden had to discipline the young boy, Todd would become far more upset than Zack ever was. It would absolutely tear out Todd’s heart anytime he had been forced to chastise the boy himself. It was fortunate that Zack had been a fairly easy-going, good-natured child; not getting into any serious trouble beyond the normal mischief that an active healthy boy would.

Hayden pulled on his sports jacket and laughed at the face Todd made at his choice of clothing. “We’re going to our son’s for a casual supper. Just because you choose to wear shirt and tie doesn’t mean that I have to.” He gave the pouting lips a kiss. “You know, I did suggest they come here tonight but Zack wouldn’t hear of taking Rene out. I felt so badly when he told me about the poor boy’s toe. Oh and Todd, promise me that you won’t fuss too much over Rene. I’m sure Zack is taking good care of him and we don’t want to make him feel self-conscious.”

Todd rolled his eyes at the suggestion that he had a tendency to fuss over people. “As if I would,” he huffed and finally satisfied with his appearance, turned from the mirror.

Hayden glanced at his watch. “We’d better get going. I promised Zack we’d pick up the Chinese food on our way over, since he’s been busy in the store and with Rene.”

“We also have to stop and purchase some vanilla ice cream to go with the apple pie I baked this afternoon,” Todd reminded his husband as he followed him down the stairs. “I hope the Piglets don’t mind that I used Splenda instead of sugar. See? I can be good, sometimes.” He smirked at Hayden, grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

Meanwhile, Rene was ensconced on the recliner with his injured foot carefully resting on a pillow. He frowned as he watched Zack setting the table, his right butt cheek still stinging from the swat he’d received moments earlier.

“I’m sorry Zack,” he called. “I just wanted to help out. I’ve been stuck in the apartment all day. It’s not like I’ve broken my leg you know, and setting the table isn’t strenuous.”

Zack smiled and shook his head at the slight whine he picked up in his Brat’s voice. “I know it’s not strenuous. I also know it will only take me a moment or two to do it.”

“There, all done,” he announced, coming back into the living room and planting a kiss on his husband’s head. Taking a seat on the sofa, he looked over at the other man and teasingly inquired. “So you really expect me to believe you’ve stayed off that foot all day?” He laughed when Rene sighed dramatically; both men knew it was a rhetorical question.

“I guess it might be only fair to warn you so you’re prepared for Papa fussing over you. It’s his nature and although I am sure Dad told him not to do it, he won’t be able to help himself.”

“I’m glad your dads are coming over tonight and I’ll even let your papa fuss over me a bit.” He looked thoughtfully at his husband before adding. “Zack, I’m sorry I was being difficult. It was lonely stuck in the apartment today while you worked. I can go to work on Monday, can’t I?”

“You were not being difficult, love,” Zack assured the other man as he got to his feet and moved over to the recliner. He helped his husband up, sat down in the big chair and gently tugged Rene down onto his lap. “I can just imagine how lonely you must have been, sweetheart.” He held his lover closer and kissed him. “As for next week; if you promise to stay off that foot as much as possible, you should be able to spend afternoons at the daycare and be back to full time by the following Monday. I’ll provide transportation for the first few days. How does that sound?”

Rene cuddled into his husband’s arms and smiled. Zack’s solution was better than he’d expected. “Thanks, Zack; that sounds great. And I do promise to stay off my foot as much as I can.”

He was just thinking about how pleasant it was to be sitting here on his husband’s lap and that maybe it was a shame that company was expected so soon, when the door bell rang. Chuckling to himself, he climbed off his cosy perch. “I’ll get it.” He hobbled to the door and opened it to the sight of his two fathers-in-law standing there with arms loaded down with food. “Hi, come in,” he invited, standing back to allow their guests entry. “That sure smells good.”

“Hello, Rene. How’s the foot?” Todd inquired as he stepped into the apartment.

“It’s okay,” Rene replied, “not as sore as yesterday.”

Todd would have asked the young man why he was up and walking around, but Hayden’s raised eyebrow had him biting his tongue. He glanced about, looking for Zack and spotting Marie’s portrait instead.

“Oooh, is this your surprise, Piglet?” Todd asked, his voice almost a whisper. Moving closer, he stood gazing up in awe at the beautiful woman in the painting. His eyes filled as he remembered with overwhelming gratitude and affection, all this exceptional lady had given them.

“Yes, Papa, it is.” Zack stepped up behind his father and placed his hand gently on the older man’s shoulder. They stood staring at the portrait in silence for a few moments, each man dealing with a rush of emotion.

Zack softly disturbed the mutual contemplation by clearing his throat and offering to take the items out of his father’s hands and to hang up the man’s coat. He turned to see that Hayden had already put his parcels down and was coming over to look at the portrait.

Hayden looked at the painting and felt a tear rise in his eye. “She was a lovely woman.” He put his arm around Zack’s shoulders and gave him a squeeze. “And she gave us the most precious gift imaginable.”

It came natural for Zack to lean into his father’s hug. He’d never been uncomfortable with his parents’ demonstrative ways. Such displays of affection were the way of the Pierce family and something which he perpetuated within his own marriage.

Hayden studied the signature at the bottom of the picture. “Lily Teasdale; she’s the same lady who brought Marie up to Jade Heights when she came to see me about the Will.”

Rene limped over to stand with the others. “Lily Teasdale?” He let out a soft gasp. “I was so caught up with my toe last night that I didn’t even look at the artist’s name, which is really unacceptable.” He shook his head in dismay of himself.

“Haven’t any of you ever heard of her? Lilly Teasdale is quite a well-known artist and she’s also a professor of art at Simon Fraser University. She was one of my professors when I was there. I learned a lot about composition and colour from her. I saw right away the portrait was of outstanding quality, but a Lily Teasdale original makes this a very valuable piece.”

“I can’t say that I’ve heard of her, love. I really haven’t been all that interested in the arts; that is, not before meeting you.” Zack smiled as he began gently pushing his husband towards the kitchen. “Go sit down while I get supper on the table before it gets cold.” Glancing over his shoulder at his parents, he whispered, “Dad and Papa will join us shortly.”

Hayden had moved from hugging his son, to wrapping his arms around his husband as they admired the portrait. “Are you okay, my love?” he whispered. “Our son is going to be fine you know. He’s a strong man who loves us both; though he has a terrible soft spot for his papa. I personally think it’s the homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies you’ve been bribing him with all his life; the boy has my sweet tooth.”

“I know Zack will be fine. You are right and have been all along, my darling.” Todd gazed up at his husband, his oft-times feelings of hero-worship shining from his blue eyes. He stretched to place a loving kiss on Hayden’s cheek. “As for the cookies, you figured out my secret, huh?” The question was teasing and rhetorical. “We best follow the boys if we plan to eat with them. That aroma coming from the kitchen is enticing and making me hungry.”

Sometime later, Zack pushed back from the table and rubbed his stomach. “That was delicious, Dad. Thanks for treating us. I may have to wait awhile before digging into that pie you brought over, Papa. Good thing about Chinese food, it doesn’t keep you full for long.”

The four men had enjoyed a delicious meal and an interesting conversation; one that would continue as the evening progressed. There were plans to be made.

Getting to his feet, Zack began clearing the table. “If you guys want to go get comfortable in the living room, I’ll take care of these and get the coffee on.”

Rene climbed to his feet and followed his husband in gathering the dirty dishes and leftover food containers. “I’ll help you, Zack.”

“Oh no, you won’t, young man.” Todd took the plate and cutlery out of Rene’s hands and set the items back on the table. Placing his arm round the slightly shorter man’s shoulders, he began firmly steering him towards the living room. “If I am not mistaken, you are to stay off that foot as much as possible, right? And no need to turn those puppy-dog eyes to Zack because he can’t help you,” he teased as he cajoled the unwilling man out of the room.

He waited until they were out of earshot. “If we’re lucky, they might serve us our dessert and coffee.” Todd threw out the incentive, fully aware of Rene penchant for the drink.

Zack smiled his understanding and winked at his husband as the young man was lead from the room. “Looks like Papa has gone into ‘mother-hen’ mode,” he commented to his father with a soft chuckle.

Hayden took over from what Rene had been doing once their son-in-law and Todd had headed into the living room. “I believe it was yours and my turn to do the dishes at this meal since Papa and Rene did them the last time.”

They quickly got all the food put away, the dirty dishes scraped and ready for washing. “Son, I’m glad for this chance to talk with you in private. I’ve been concerned about you since this whole business with Marie came to light. I feel perhaps Papa and I could have done a better job of explaining our arrangement with Marie. I’d like to take a bit of time now to tell you some of what went on at that time if you’re willing to listen.”

“Like I told Papa earlier, there is no need for either of you to beat yourselves up over what was or wasn’t said back then, Dad. Both of you were wonderful parents and no kid would hope for more. That being said, I’m always interested in anything you have to say.” Zack grinned at his father, noticing a vague express of doubt in regards to his last statement.

Hayden talked while meticulously drying the dishes that Zack washed. “Though things still aren’t easy, being the late seventies it was a lot harder for a gay couple to gain acceptance and next to impossible for them to have a family of their own. But both Papa and I longed to have a child of our own. We both wanted that real sense of family and joy that only a child can bring. Adoption laws were such that we could never expect to get a child that way. Then I happened to read about a couple in England who had found a woman willing to become surrogate for them. At that time I’d never even heard of surrogate mothers but the more I thought about it, the more the idea appealed to me.

When I proposed the idea to Papa, he thought it was wonderful. However, he did insist that I be the biological father. I know you’ve heard Papa talk about his sister who had cystic fibrosis and died as a child. He never wanted to take the chance that he might carry the gene and pass it on. He couldn’t have survived losing someone else to that horrible disease.

So once we had a plan in place; we had only to find a woman willing to help us, which of course was another matter all together. Marie was the receptionist at the firm I worked for at the time. She assisted me with a little off the record litigation I worked on and during that time she learned about our desire for a child. She later came to me and offered to be a surrogate, asking for nothing in return while giving us a gift for which we could never repay her. You should understand, Zack; that Marie never set out to become a mother. Her intention right from the first was born of a generosity of spirit to give a child to a couple who could never have one on their own. She had a heart of gold and a beautiful spirit, which I have seen reflected so many times in her son.”

Zack stopped what he was doing and gazed solemnly at the man beside him for several moments before softly speaking. “Everyone who spoke at Marie’s funeral highly praised those exact virtues, Dad. I came away with a feeling of comfort and peace…..but also with an almost overpowering sense of pride. As a wonderful human being, Marie certainly complimented you and Papa.”

Hayden felt immensely relieved. “Well, my son, I know this situation was hard for you at first, but you’ve handled it with grace and I’m very proud of you. I also want to thank you for how you comforted Papa. He was very stressed over it and you made him feel a lot better.”

“Only too happy to set his mind at ease, Dad; I really hate to see him fretting.” Zack rinsed out the sink and dried his hands. “That didn’t take long, did it? I’ll get the coffee on and cut Papa’s pie. Then we can join our husbands.”

In the living room, Rene patiently tolerated Todd’s fussing as he was seated back in the recliner with his foot once again elevated and resting on a pillow. “Thank you, Papa, that’s very comfortable now. And thank you too for bringing the Chinese food. It is one of my favourite meals.”

“You are more than welcome, Rene.” Todd lowered himself into one corner of the sofa and after putting the daily newspaper on the end of the coffee table, place his feet on top of it. “So, my boy, care to share how you got yourself in this predicament?” He looked pointedly at the injured foot.

Rene let out a soft sigh. “I don’t supposed you’d believe me if I told you an elephant stepped on my foot, huh?” He gave a small laugh when Todd raised his eyebrows at that. “Okay, well it was worth a try. What I really did was have a bit of a temper fit with my car. I had to take a bunch of supplies to the day care and decided to drive over. But my car wouldn’t start again and I was running late, so I kicked the tire rim as I was walking past it with my arms loaded down. You’d be amazed just how hard those rims are. I fractured my big toe. It hurt like a son of a ‘B’.” Rene held back on his language, not being entirely comfortable swearing in front of his father-in-law.

“Hmmm, a temper tantrum, huh? I can just imagine where you were coming from, having lost my own temper a time or two.” Todd chuckled at the thought and then squirmed when he remembered Hayden’s reactions to those uncontrolled bouts. “Well, I hope it will heal quickly for you as it isn’t very pleasant having your activities curtailed. And I am speaking from personal experience.”

“No, it sure isn’t. I hate not being able to put in my regular time at the day care, but Zack is insisting that I only go in half days this week with him driving me to and from. I also have a commission I should start, but that requires me to go out to a farm on the twelfth concession to do my sketches. I had to call the lady who asked me to do it and postpone for a couple of weeks. So all in all, it was costly temper tantrum.” Rene shook his head at himself.

His mood brightened when the smell of freshly brewed coffee reached him. “Mmmm, I think we’re about to get that coffee and dessert.”

Hayden carried a tray with streaming mugs of coffee through to the living room while Zack followed him with the slices of Todd’s homemade pie.

“Here’s coffee and dessert for everyone. Hope you haven’t missed us too much while we slaved over the dishes,” Hayden teased. The men enjoyed their treat and all praised Todd on his spectacular pie.

Hayden felt it was a good a time as any to bring up the subject of Marie’s house. “Zack, I’ve been in contact with Dwayne Henley, the real estate agent that Papa and I used to sell the house in Vancouver, and he has agreed to handle the sale of Marie’s house. But first we need to go down and get the rest of Marie’s things sorted out and removed. According to the instructions Marie left with me, her friend Lily will have the keys and would have taken care of most of her personal items. However, there would still be furniture and such to decide upon. I was thinking of going down three weekends from now. Would you be available then? Perhaps Papa and Rene might be interested in accompanying us.” He glanced at the other men.

“I would most certainly look forward to going with you, Dad. You never know what treasures we’ll discover. Rene’s toe will be well on the mend by then and it will give me plenty of time to arrange for someone to fill in for me at the pharmacy, so the timing could not be better.”

“Humph, I’d like to see you go without me.” Todd turned a feigned put-out expression his husband’s way. “The way I look at it, if it has nothing to do with business, then I get to tag along. Besides, Zack’s right. The trip just might hold some surprises.

Hayden laughed at his husband’s remarks. “All right then, gentlemen, I’d say we have a date. I’ll book us a couple of rooms at the Delta, which is near to Marie’s address. We can head down Friday afternoon and stay through to Sunday. That should give us enough time to take care of everything.”

The End