Surprise Me
March 2024
"What are you doing?" Justin asked as he entered the sun porch. Brian was
standing by the windows and staring into the backyard.
"Nothing much."
"Why are you
standing there?"
"Thinking."
"About what?"
"I was planning
the gardens."
"Planning the
gardens?"
"I believe that's
what I said."
"I didn't know you
spent time thinking about the gardens," Justin said in surprise.
"What? You think
they just spring up of their own volition?"
"Plants are known
to do that," Justin said quickly.
Brian gave him the
patented glare. "Did you want something?" he asked sarcastically.
"You."
"For what
purpose?" Brian asked, eliciting a chuckle from his husband.
"Wellllll, there's
always one purpose we seem to both enjoy," Justin said batting his eyes at
Brian.
"True, but I have
a suspicion that you didn't come out here for that reason," Brian said with a
lift of the Kinney eyebrow.
"I came to see if
you wanted fish or beef for dinner," Justin admitted.
"I see."
"So which do you
want?"
"Surprise me."
"You're no help at
all."
"That's my
mantra."
Justin shook his
head. Sometimes his husband was a pain in the butt, but most of the time he was
just plain wonderful. "Okay, I'll surprise you," Justin said.
"Nothing too
exotic," Brian cautioned.
"You said to
surprise you, so you'll get what I choose, and you'll like it."
The corners of
Brian's mouth tilted into a smile. His husband knew him so well. They had a
really good relationship, Brian thought to himself. Who would have thought that
Brian Kinney could ever say that, even to himself?
"I trust you
implicitly," Brian stated with as sincere a voice as he could muster.
"Right answer,"
Justin replied with a chuckle as he went back to the kitchen.
Brian continued to
stare out at the gardens which were full of winter kill. It would soon be time
to start cleaning them out and planting whatever he decided on that would go
with the perennials.
"Dada?" a little
voice said.
Brian turned to
see Bree standing a little way behind him. "What is it, squirt?"
"Can we plant some
new roses this time?" Bree asked.
Brian's face
couldn't hide his surprise. "I ... I kind of thought you might not want to plant
the gardens with me ... now that you're a young lady," he said hesitantly.
"I'll always want
to do gar-gar with you, Dada," Bree declared.
Brian opened his
arms and Bree ran into them, being enveloped by a warm hug. "You want roses?"
Brian asked after a minute when he had recovered enough to make his voice sound
almost normal.
Bree nodded her
head against his chest. "Yes, Dada."
"Let's go look
online and see what new kinds of roses we can find," Brian suggested.
"Love you, Dada."
"Love you too,
squirt."
"Let's make the
gardens really beautiful this year," Bree said as she took Brian's hand and they
headed to the stairs leading up to the office.
Brian knew his
gardens would be extra special this year. He would make it so. How much longer
Bree would want to do gar-gar with him was a whole other matter, but he'd enjoy
it while he could.
-end-
*****
Clover
March 2024
“What are they doing?” Bobby leaned into Justin to whisper into his ear. They
were standing just inside the doorway to the sun porch. John and Brian appeared
to resemble a pair of bookends staring out the glass walls toward opposite ends
of the garden. Bobby had just come home from work finding this strange tableau.
“Brooding and driving me crazy,” Justin answered curtly.
“How long have they been at it?”
“The whole fucking day. I’ve been trying to WORK HERE!” Justin shouted out the
last two words. The Brothers Grimm ignored him.
“You’re serious,” Bobby stated.
“Yes. This winter is dragging on for too long. Brian wants to garden and John is
ready to tackle the new cottage. But they can’t, it’s still too cold. I’ve been
trying to figure out how I insulted Mother Nature.”
“What?” Bobby did a double take giving his brother-in-law an incredulous look.
“I must have done something bad so she’s punishing me. They won’t leave and I
can’t get any work done,” Justin scowled.
“Leave them to me,” Bobby said with confidence. He handed Justin his briefcase,
cracked his knuckles and strode into the porch like he owned the place.
“Okay, boys, let’s give the other half a chance,” Bobby announced loudly as he
grabbed arms and dragged the brothers into his end of the conjoined cottages.
Bobby sat the brothers in the kitchen, opened a few beers and placed them on the
table.
“Now spill. Tell Uncle Bobby all about it. What’s got your knickers in a bind?”
Bobby asked as he gave each man a poignant look.
“Fucking Winter!” the brothers growled out. They stared at each other for a
moment, took a slug of beer then sighed.
“Ah, I get it now,” Bobby commented as he loosened his tie and took a pull at
his own beer. “Someone’s missing gar-gar and the other is aching to strap on the
old tool belt. Well, boys, you’re just going to have to get over it and wait
until the land is ready for you. In the meantime there’s nothing stopping you
from planning and buying all the supplies you’ll need,” Bobby stated logically.
Brunet heads turned toward Bobby as two sets of hazel eyes stared.
“John, review the plans with your crew, buy what you’ll need then set up a
tentative schedule. We have plenty of space to store your materials. Brian,
you’re a silent partner in a garden center; Todd won’t mind if you pick his
brains. You can pick out the plants you want and either keep them at the garden
center or store them in the greenhouse. Then when the ground is ready you boys
can go into attack mode,” Bobby stated smugly.
John and Brian blushed at their moment of stupidity then regained their
composure. Bobby could feel the atmosphere lighten considerably.
“Excuse me, I want to get out of this suit,” Bobby said as he took one last pull
at his beer then disappeared into his bedroom. When he reappeared dressed in a
pair of comfortable jeans and a warm flannel shirt, the boys were calmly going
over their Spring plans.
“I’ve seen the plans for the new cottage. I keep expecting Miss Marple to take
up residence,” Bobby teased. John nodded.
“I want to try a cottage with a genuine thatched roof. I’ve already contacted an
expert. We’re just waiting for the right time,” John said with a broad smile.
“And you?” Bobby asked Brian.
“Bree wants roses.”
“And?” Bobby knew there was more to it.
“Sunflowers out in the meadow and clover surrounding the new cottage,” Brian
explained.
“Clover? As in four-leaf?” Bobby asked. He never thought of using clover instead
of grass.
“Clover
makes excellent ground cover, it’s a perennial, stays low to the ground so it
doesn’t have to be mowed and honeybees love it.”
“You thinking of becoming a beekeeper?’ John asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
“No but there are a few beekeepers in town. Bees will fly a significant distance
to get the pollen they want. It’ll be good for our land and good for the bees,”
Brian quietly stated.
“Then clover it is. I think it’ll go well with the cottage,” John said with a
smile.
“So there we have it. By Summer the lane will have an English cottage complete
with a thatched roof surrounded by clover, sunflowers and roses. Sounds
perfect,” Bobby exclaimed.
“Now we just need someone to live in it,” Justin said as he stood in the
doorway. Brian stood to be at Justin’s side. They kissed then turned to leave.
John called out an apology to Justin, receiving an understanding smile in
return.
“Clover?” Justin asked as they entered their own kitchen.
“Dumb idea?” Brian asked as he started dinner.
“Not at all, I can’t wait to paint it,” Justin replied as he circled his arms
around his spouse. “It’ll be Spring soon,” Justin murmured into Brian’s back. “I
promise.”
Brian turned in Justin’s arms to properly kiss his spouse then turned to his
cooking. All was right again in his world as long as he had his Sunshine to
brighten it.
-end-