24.

A short distance away from the church, Danny StClair knelt on the grass at his parents’ graves, arranging fresh flowers and talking to himself quietly. He lifted a small bunch of dead roses, watching leaves flutter to the ground, and placed them beside the tombstone, reaching for the yellow flowers he had brought with him.

“I really miss you, Daddy,” he whispered, threading the flowers together gently. “I almost wish this last year had never happened.”

The sun felt warm on his back, and he thought about taking off his shirt. But it was a cemetery, that was inappropriate. He would wait until he got home to sunbathe. Just like last year, summer seemed to have come early. This time last year, his father would still be alive, and he wouldn’t know Julian existed. He smiled as he thought of his lover. He knew he wouldn’t have recovered as quickly if Julian hadn’t been by his side.

His father’s estate had been empty for the last few weeks. Most of the furniture was covered by thick white sheets, and anything personal to Danny now resided in Julian’s house. He didn’t remember too much before falling out with Julian in hospital, months ago. What he did recall was that no matter how much abuse and cursing Julian received after that, he was always there by Danny’s side, trying to help him in any way he could. At first, the blonde was spiteful and malicious towards him, but in truth he was only taking his frustrations out on the nearest person. He remembered lying awake one night and turning to Julian in the darkness.

“Why don’t you just go home?” he had asked, more out of curiosity than anything else. The older man had smiled sadly and taken Danny’s hand.

“Because it’s my fault you’re here, isn’t it? I can’t – and won’t – just leave you. You mean too much to me. I love you, baby.”

Danny had responded to those words by kissing Julian, and asking if he could be held that night. And that was pretty much that. The fight was over, and now Danny concentrated all his energy on getting out of hospital and back into Julian’s arms.

He sat back on the grass, watching the wind poke through the leaves of an ancient weeping willow, and thought back to the day he had taken his first steps since being hospitalised. He had been shaking and on the verge of tears, and had clung to Julian like a lifebelt. There had been little pain, only the sensation that he was too weak to do it. After almost twenty minutes of coaxing from Julian and one of the doctors whom he was now very close to, he managed only a couple of steps, but that was enough. Julian kissed him for what felt like forever, called him brave and strong, and Danny had never felt so proud of himself. Now, walking wasn’t exactly easy, and he was still supposed to use crutches, but when Julian was around he was all too happy to support Danny in every way possible.

Just as he placed the last few flowers into the small vase, the chiming of the church bells rang out across the cemetery. He looked up to see people pouring from the small building, led by a man in a suit and a lady in a flowing white dress. Alyssa and her new husband. He searched the crowed briefly for Julian, but couldn’t see him.

He turned back to the graves, gathering up the dead flowers and giving one last look over both tombstones.

“I miss you both,” he whispered, noticing one man break away from the throng of people and begin to walk over to him. “I’ll come back soon, promise.”

Julian came up behind him, running a hand slowly through Danny’s blonde hair. He leant down and kissed him, smiling.

“Hi baby.”

“Hey, you.” Julian’s arm came around his waist, and he was helped to his feet, a little unsteadily. The lawyer’s arm stayed in place around him, and Danny felt comforted. “How was the ceremony?”

Julian smiled. “I haven’t a clue. I couldn’t think about anything but you.” Danny laughed. “It sounds silly, but I really missed you.”

“I was only out here!”

“I know, but still.” Julian kissed him, feeling Danny smile against his lips. “I felt so awkward, I felt like everyone was staring at me.”

“They weren’t.”

“I know.” They kissed again.

“Julian?” A voice drifted from behind them, and they broke apart guiltlessly. Alyssa stood behind them, looking beautiful in a white corset dress, veil embroidered with sparkling thread, and her hair in ringlets. After a moment’s hesitation, she embraced the lawyer, who hugged her back tightly.

Everyone had thought she had been on the rebound after Julian had cancelled their wedding, but he hadn’t been convinced. They had loved each other, but it hadn’t been the passionate, all-consuming love he felt for Danny. He hoped she would be happier with her new husband than she had ever been with him.

“I’m glad you came.”

“So am I. I wanted to tell you that I’m really pleased for you. You deserve to be happy.”

“I am happy. I don’t think you and I would have worked, Jules.” Neither of them noticed Danny frown. ‘Jules’ was his pet name. “Besides, you seem happier now anyway.”

They smiled at each other.

“Good luck darling,” Julian said, hugging her again. “You should get back to them. They’re missing you already.” He pointed and she laughed.

“You’re right. Bye Julian. Goodbye Danny.”

As the wedding party got into their various cars to go to the reception, Julian hugged Danny close to him.

“I love you,” he whispered into his hair.

Danny smiled up at him, allowing himself to be led to a bench outside the church. They sat and held each other for a while, watching as the last people left the cemetery, saying nothing. Julian knew he should ask Danny the question that had been on his mind for the past few weeks; this was the perfect time. He couldn’t bring himself to break the comfortable silence that had settled upon them.

“Jules?”

“Yes?”

“Love you.”

This was it. Julian untangled himself from Danny’s embrace and got to his feet. Confused blue eyes met with his, and he took both Danny’s hands in his. He wanted Danny to stand up, but he still found it difficult, so it wouldn’t be fair.

“You know I love you, Danny, don’t you?” A nod in response.

“Jules, what…”

“Baby, let me get this out. I love you more than life itself. I never knew I could be so happy, that we could be so happy. Especially after the shaky start we had.” Danny smiled. “I love how we’ve grown so close, and I know that my feelings for you aren’t ever going to change. Do you think yours will?”

“Never,” Danny swore.

“Honestly? Promise me, baby.”

“Jules, I promise. What’s going on?”

“Danny,” The younger man’s eyes grew round and his lips parted in shock as Julian got to one knee in front of him. “Will you marry me?”

The blonde stood slowly, pulling Julian up to stand with him. They embraced in silence for a long time. He could feel Julian’s heart beating at twice its usual rate, and realised how anxious he must be about the forthcoming answer.

“Danny?”

He looked up into his lover’s eyes, a slow smile spreading helplessly across his face.

“What took you so long to ask?”

Julian lifted Danny into his arms and they kissed for a long time. When they finally parted, Julian took something from his pocket and slid a gold ring onto Danny’s finger. The blonde stared at it numbly.

“Where did you get this?”

“That’s a secret. You do know who it belonged to, don’t you?”

Danny nodded, tears sparkling in his eyes. He was now wearing the ring his father had used when he proposed to his mother, years ago. The story came flooding back to him, and he realised that Julian had chosen the exact same spot where his father had asked the same question. Julian lifted him up again, spinning him around as Danny clung to him, overwhelmed.

As they began to walk slowly back to the car, arms and hands entwined, Danny turned to look back once more to the cemetery. He wasn’t sure, but for one fleeting moment he could see two figures sitting on the bench they had just left, a man and a woman, dressed in clothes of thirty years ago, kissing and embracing the way a newly engaged couple would. He blinked, and the vision was gone.

“Baby?”

“It’s nothing.” Danny smiled at him. “I just … I know how happy my parents would be if they could be here today.”

Julian smiled and hugged Danny closely, walking him to the cemetery gates and closing them behind him, not noticing that the young man and his fiancée were once more sitting on the bench, now watching as their son walked away, content in the arms of the man he loved.

End.