Enjoying Life Together

First Anniversary

Justin was getting dressed. Brian had ordered him to get dressed up because they were going out to dinner. He hadn't said more but in the several deliriously happy weeks since their reconciliation, Justin was happy to oblige Brian when he wanted something, just as Brian seemed eager to satisfy Justin. Justin had decided to wear the clothes he had worn on his birthday to go to Ethan's concert. Brian called that outfit his "second best birthday suit." The tie Justin liked to wear with that ensemble was kind of stiff. Justin could have easily tied it for himself but he always called on Brian to tie it for him. It presented another opportunity to have Brian's arms around his neck. Brian knew very well that Justin could tie the tie himself but was glad to help because it gave him another chance to get his arms around Justin.

"Where are we going?" Justin asked.

"Gino's," Brian replied.

Gino's was a small Italian restaurant atop Mt. Washington. Pittsburgh is one of the few cities in the world to have a mountain just across the river from its downtown area. Mt. Washington provides splendid views of the city, and a series of restaurants is perched at the top taking advantage of the view. Gino's was neither the largest nor the most prestigious of the restaurants but Gino was a friend of Brian's, and had agreed to certain arrangements that Brian had requested.

"Why are we going?" Justin asked.

"To eat," Brian responded. Justin figured he might as well just wait to see what was going on.

The setting sun sent golden streaks along all of the three rivers as Brian and Justin sat down at a window table overlooking all that the city had to offer. Justin ordered spaghetti, which was his favorite, and Brian ordered something fancy sounding. Justin did not know what it was even after he saw it. They occupied themselves with small talk. It was "all you can eat spaghetti" night at Gino's and Justin was finishing his second plate when Brian said, "You're going to get fat, and you're going to be banned from here on 'all you can eat' night if you don't soon quit."

"I won't gain an ounce," Justin bragged. "You can check me out later to see if any fat has been added."

Brian grinned. "I'll know," he said.

"I know you'll know," Justin responded. They were both very happy young men.

"Mr. Justin Taylor," a voice spoke up from the doorway to the dining room. It was an old guy carrying flowers. Justin was pointed out by one of the waiters and the delivery man brought the flowers over to Justin. They were magnificent red roses.

"What is this, Brian?" Justin demanded. "What's going on?"

Brian looked Justin in the eye, replying, "These must be the flowers I sent you on your birthday. They finally caught up with you."

"They look pretty fresh to me," Justin remarked.

"Well I think maybe you were a bit disappointed on your birthday and I'm trying to make up for it," Brian said, "And today is our anniversary. It's been one month today since we got back together, and it has been a great month."

"I thought you only celebrated achievement, Mr. Kinney," Justin wondered, and Brian broke out into a wide smile. "You've gone a whole month without creating a scene, Mr. Taylor, and that has to be an achievement."

Justin was smiling as broadly as Brian when he said, "Oh, I think I, or would it be we, have created quite a few scenes this month, only nobody saw them."

"You could be right," Brian admitted.

But it wasn't over yet. It was Brian's turn to be nervous. The part he had been practicing was just ahead and he didn't want to screw it up. Justin's head was already spinning, and his eyes were locked on Brian's. It couldn't get better. It just couldn't. Then Brian leaned over toward Justin and slowly spoke the magic words. "I love you, Justin," he said, and he kissed him.

It was a good thing Justin was between plates of spaghetti or he would have surely choked. He sat quite still for a few moments. Brian had wondered how he would react and what he would say. Nevertheless he was surprised when Justin finally said, "Say it again."

Brian faked a pout and replied," It took me two years to say it once and you want me to say it again. Believe me the first time. I promise I'll let you know if I change my mind."

"I think I'm going to explode," Justin whimpered. In a monument to bad timing, his third bowl of spaghetti was served just at that moment.

"From food, little Justin," Brian grinned, "not love."

"You'll see", Justin insisted, "You promised to check later to see if I had gained any fat, didn't you?"

"I'm looking forward to it," Brian leered.

Brian passed on dessert but Justin ordered the pecan ball with hot fudge sauce. They had been silent for a while when Justin finally broke the silence: "Brian, this is the best.."

but Brian didn't let him finish. "Not another best night of your life," Brian broke in, "They seem to be coming along pretty often."

"They are," Justin answered, "and all because of you. I was just thinking that this is the very best night of my life but I was afraid to say it because you would make fun of me. So I'm glad you brought it up. I was going to say that this was the best pecan ball I've had in a long time." They both laughed. It was a great night for them both.

After the meal, Justin and Brian came out onto Grandview Avenue, which snaked along the top of the mount with little viewing platforms jutting out and affording spectacular views of the city. People walked up and down Grandview Avenue all day and all night to enjoy the view. Justin said to Brian, "I wish this night could go on forever. I've never been so happy."

"It will have to end, Sunshine," Brian responded, "but not yet. We'll walk up and down a couple of times and maybe you'll walk off some of that spaghetti." He took Justin's hand into his and Justin thought he would like to walk to London, just like that.

After a couple of passes up and down Grandview, they came upon an unoccupied outlook. They went out onto it and sat down on the bench there. Justin snuggled up to Brian and put his head on Brian's shoulder. They just sat there for a while before Brian reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. He handed it to Justin and told him, "This is for you. One more birthday-anniversary gift to the greatest kid in the world." Justin was thrilled. This whole evening was getting to be too much for him. "Can you read in this light?" Brian asked.

"I'm still young; Of course I can read in this light," Justin gurgled. He opened the envelope and pulled out a paper. It was a gift certificate "Oh, Brian," he cried and there was no way for him to hold back the tears that streamed down his cheeks. "It's a gift certificate for a week of snow-boarding in Vermont, good for any available week next season." He stopped reading and started kissing Brian ferociously.

Brian pulled back a bit and ordered: "Read it all."

Justin reluctantly stopped what he was doing and turned back to the paper. The look on his face changed from ecstatic to puzzled to dismayed. He looked at Brian and gasped, "This certificate is for one person, single occupancy."

Brian's face lit up and Justin suddenly knew that everything was okay. "Yeah, that's what it says. In case you liked going up there by yourself. However, I bought myself one just like that. And if we can get our schedules worked out, we could go up together. I could get a 20% discount for double occupancy. A penny saved is a penny earned."

Justin couldn't speak but he crawled up onto Brian, partly sitting on his lap and partly circling him like a boa constrictor. Brian was as happy as Justin was. They stayed wrapped up like that for a good while before Justin's eyes closed and his breathing got heavy. Brian remembered another time when Justin went to sleep on him and he smiled at the memory. He had not smiled when it happened. Brian did not want the evening to end either so he sat there thinking how lucky he was. He looked out over the beauty of the city, and then down on the beauty of his Justin, who, for Brian, was the most wonderful thing in that city. He spoke softly into Justin's ear, "I love you, little Justin. This is the best night of my life."

Brian did not see the smile that erupted on Justin's face. Justin was not asleep. "Thanks for sharing that, Brian," he whispered back.

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