"Take it off."
"Love sees no color."
"Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't."
"Go with the flow."
"Time heals all wounds."
"Be good or be good at it!"
“Maybe I’ll feel better if I eat.”
or use: shoes, red hat, ring
or have a laptop crash
or feature a character winning something
or use: tile, hammer, dog
or have a laptop crash
or feature a character winning something
or use: tile, hammer, dog
· "Is glitter edible?"
· "Let me get this straight. You found a unicorn, and your first response was to kill and cook it?"
· "Just because you can add food coloring to something, that doesn’t mean you should."
Home Coming by Lily Sawyer
“Honey, can you come here for a minute?”
Tom heard his life partner calling out to him from their
bedroom. He’d been looking for Skippy for several minutes now. He knew it was a
ridiculous name to give a turtle, but that’s the best Tom could come up with, and
even a turtle deserved a name.
“Ben, what is it? I’m kind of busy looking for Skippy.”
“Look.” Ben pointed
to his collection of shoes in the walk-in closet. There, sticking his head from between a pair
of oxfords, was the missing amphibian.
“Skippy! How in the world did you get in there?” Tom knelt
down and gently picked him up.
“Tom, when is Skippy’s owner coming to get him?” Ben asked
as he finished dressing. It was their
day off so both men went toward the casual look. Ben wore a fleece shirt and
jeans. He put on a pair of comfy
slippers to flip flop around the house with.
“You don’t want him around?” It had only been a week since
Tom rescued the turtle from a burning building. The family had been out of town
visiting family when their house caught fire, so the only one at home was
Skippy.
“The family was on their way home when the snow storm hit. You
know all the flights were cancelled. I told them I’d keep their turtle until
they get home. But if you don’t like him being here, I can just…mm.”
Ben cut off Tom’s chatter with a kiss. “Of course I don’t mind him being here. He’s
quiet and Love doesn’t mind him being here either.”
Their kitty had checked Skippy out the first night he’d
arrived and pawed and sniffed at him.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure the little boy will be anxious to get
him back.”
The next day was Valentine’s Day. Tom gave Ben a bouquet of
flowers and Ben gave Tom some of his favorite Godiva dark chocolates. Tom loved dark chocolate. They got dressed up and went to their
favorite bistro and went to a play at the community theater. Some of the plays they did were so well done
it was like being on Broadway.
In honor of Valentine’s Day they were putting on “Love
Letters” by A.R. Gurney.
“Wasn’t that so romantic?”
Ben sighed as he and Tom made their way back to their car. They held hands and walked with their
shoulders touching.
“Yeah, but you know what is more romantic?” Tom asked
“No what?”
“What I’ve got planned for when we get home.”
Ben fought hard to keep to the speed limit on the drive home
but it was very hard when all he kept thinking about was what Tom had planned
for them.
Tom lit the gas fireplace, turned down the lights, and the
two of them cuddled in front of the fire, sipping their favorite merlot, soft
music playing from their stereo system.
“I love you.I know I say it plenty of times, but I just
can’t stop saying it,” Tom said between
kisses.
“I feel the same way, Tom.
I love you more and more each day.”
Their kisses and embraces became more and more intense; they
moved their activities to the bedroom.
Soft moans filled the room as they made love.
A few days later, Tom got a phone call. “Yes, yes I do have your turtle. Yes, huh?
You don’t, but…” Tom paused as he listened to the caller on the other
end. “But I thought you’d want him
back. Uh huh, I see. Okay, bye.”
Tom turned his cell phone off.
“Tom? Was that
Skippy’s owner?” Ben had been in the
kitchen washing the dishes; they’d just finished dinner when Tom’s cell phone
rang.
“Yeah, it was. Turns out that ‘little’ boy is a teenager,
and he’s decided he doesn’t have time for the turtle and he told me I could
keep him.”
“Oh, that is sad. It’s heartbreaking when some kids get
tired of the animals that came into their lives.”
“I’ll call the pet shops and see if anyone will take
Skippy.” Tom hadn’t meant to get
attached to the turtle, but he had. He
was preparing himself for when he’d have to return him to his rightful owner,
but he figured Ben wouldn’t want him in the house.
“Why do you want to do that?”
“What do you mean? You want to keep Skippy?” Tom had gone to the tank and taken Skippy
out.
“Do you think I could look you or Skippy in the eye and tell
you he has to leave?”
“Oh Ben.” Tom kissed
him. “I thank you, and so does Skippy.”
It was hard to tell what Skippy thought of this, but if a
turtle could smile, than he had a huge one on his face right now. He’d found a new home, a forever home.
TBC
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