Paper Roses

Justin looked up from the computer as Brian entered the loft late one afternoon. "You said not to get dinner ready, so I didn't," he told Brian. "Are we going to McDonald's?" Then he took a second look. "Bri, who are those flowers for?" he asked. "Nobody died."

"They're for you, Baby," Brian smiled at him. "I just decided to bring you flowers. Can't a guy bring his guy flowers every once in a while?"

"Oh yeah," Justin laughed, "But when the guy bringing the flowers is you, Sweetheart, it is a cause for a certain amount of suspicion." Justin took the flowers. "They are beautiful, Bri," he continued. "They look good enough to be artificial. In fact they are artificial."

"Maybe you don't remember the last time I brought you flowers?" Brian defended himself.

"Well maybe I don't," Justin grinned. "It must have been a very very long time ago."

"Sometimes I do wonder why I'm so nice to you, Kiddo," Brian complained good-naturedly. "The nicer I am, the more you make fun of me. Maybe I should have brought real flowers. Last time you sneezed all day."

"And all night too," Justin remembered. "Even after we took them out of the loft. I recall that you weren't too happy about that."

"Didn't sleep a wink," Brian recalled.

"Yeah," Justin continued, "And you old guys need your sleep. I try to remember that. But what made you decide to bring flowers today. I really would like to know."

"There has to be a reason, eh? So maybe because it's one of our anniversaries," Brian suggested, "One of our many many anniversaries."

"Yeah," Justin reflected doubt, "One of those anniversaries that I observe and you don't even know about."

"There are just too many anniversaries to remember," Brian declared. "How many are there? I'll bet there are a hundred."

"No there aren't a hundred at all," Justin declared back at him. "There are 72 - no, 73 with the one I added last month."

"We did something last month that's going to be an annual celebration?" Brian seemed confused, "That's going to have an anniversary?"

"Yep," Justin confirmed, "And I'll bet you never even noticed."

"Well I did ask you to post all the dates of our anniversaries onto my computer calendar so I could get reminded," Brian said, "But you won't do it."

"Some of the romance of the anniversary is lost if you have to be reminded by your computer, Bri," Justin informed him. "I'd rather just celebrate them myself. Then I can enjoy them and still not get picked on by you."

"Well I always remember one anniversary," Brian maintained.

"Because it's also Gus' birthday, Sweetheart," Justin retorted. "Otherwise you'd forget that too."

"Guess there's no use of me trying to remember any anniversaries then," Brian concluded. "I don't get credit for the one I do remember. But anyhow those flowers are for whatever anniversary is today. I'll bet today is an anniversary."

"Yeah, it is, " Justin admitted, "Lucky guess. But you don't have any idea what it's the anniversary of."

"Nevertheless we're going to celebrate it, whatever it is," Brian insisted. "You already got the flowers and now I'm taking you to Gino's for dinner. Go get dressed but don't wear a tie. If I have to tie it, I might just be tempted to tighten it a little more than necessary."

Justin did as instructed but called out to Brian from the bedroom, "This is a bad night to go to Gino's, Bri. It's not 'All you can eat night.'"

"It is for you," Brian told him. "Gino knows you're coming and he promised to prepare extra food. It will be 'All you can eat night' for you. I think of everything when I'm celebrating an anniversary."

"Even if you have no idea of what the anniversary is," Justin laughed as he came out and hugged Brian. "You're really romantic, Bri, just that you're romantic in your own way."

"That's me," Brian mused, "Brian Kinney, the incurable romantic," as they departed from the loft on the way to Mount Washington.

They had their usual good meal at Gino's. Justin had his usual three refills on the spaghetti to Brian's wonderment, and after walking up and down Grandview Avenue for a while, they returned to the loft.

Justin lit the fireplace and within ten minutes the guys were comfortably ensconced, watching the flames flicker.

Justin began the discussion after a short period of silence. "Aren't you ever going to tell me why the flowers and the dinner?" he asked Brian.

"Do I have to have a reason for bringing you flowers and taking you out to dinner?" Brian questioned back. "Can't I just do it because I love you and I want to let you know? And of course, it was an anniversary we were celebrating too. Baby, I will learn all the anniversaries if you want me to."

"No," Justin replied. "Let's just let things as they are. I'll remind you about all the really big anniversaries if you really want me to."

"OK," Brian agreed. "And you didn't mind that the flowers were artificial?" Brian continued. "I was only thinking of you."

"Like you always do," Justin responded cuddling closer to a not unwilling Brian. "And I'm not sneezing so we can both get a full night's sleep."

"I'm not tired though," Brian told him.

"Me neither," Justin agreed. "I'm so excited I could stay up all night. This was such a great evening." Another period of silence ensued. Eventually, Justin's head fell onto Brian's shoulder. The kid was asleep.

Brian looked at him. He loved having the twink fall asleep in his arms and on his shoulder. He loved just looking at the kid. Brian gazed down on the sleeping Justin. He remembered clearly the first time that had ever happened. And he would never forget. But Brian didn't remember the date so he made a mental note to ask the kid when he woke up. It was an anniversary Brian wanted to observe.

Return to Fireside Chats