They had been on the road for about an hour when Jon's phone rang.

"Hello?" It was Jon's mother.

"Hi, Jon. Thank heavens I got you; I just had a disturbing thought."

"What's that, mom?"

"Is Luke Jewish?"

THE INN - Chapter 19

"No, he's not. Why?"

"Is he Catholic?"

"No. Mom, what are you talking about?"

"Oh, that's a relief. I have a beautiful baked ham for dinner but then I thought if Luke's Jewish that wouldn't work. And some Catholics don't eat meat on Friday."

"The ham will be fine, mom. We both eat everything. We're on the road right now so we'll see you tonight."

"Okay, dear. Drive carefully and I'll see you soon. Bye."

Jon closed his phone and laughed. "My mother was starting to go into panic mode. She has a baked ham for tonight, but then she freaked because she didn't know if you're Jewish."

Luke laughed and Cathy said, "Aw, that's thoughtful of her. It sounds like she's as nervous as you are, Luke."

"I doubt it, but that is kind of funny. I'm starting to like her already."

After another hour they had passed the town of Freeport. Jon said, "You'll enjoy this last stretch, Cathy. Lots of curves and hills, and the scenery is beautiful."

Cathy loved driving on the winding and scenic highway. Most of it was only a single lane in each direction and a lot of people drove well under the speed limit; it could be an intimidating road in places. But when Cathy got to a passing zone, she loved to downshift and roar past the slower drivers. As they approached the Mississippi the highway widened to four lanes and the terrain leveled off. They were soon crossing a bridge over the river.

"Here we are in Iowa," said Luke. "We're not second-class citizens now."

"Do you guys feel that way?"

"Sometimes," said Luke. "When there are things we can't do that everybody else takes for granted, you feel it."

Luke got the map out he had printed before he left and directed Cathy to the county buildings. They followed the signs to the Recorder's office and went in. There were about four couples ahead of them, so they took a number, sat and waited.

"Isn't this exciting?" asked Cathy.

Jon and Luke smiled but didn't speak. They were both somewhat nervous, even though they knew they shouldn't be. Their number was called and they went to the counter, Luke standing in the middle.

"We'd like to get a marriage license," said Luke.

The woman reached under the counter, withdrew a form and placed it in front of Cathy and Luke. Luke slid the paper in front of himself and Jon.

"It's for us. She's our witness."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You'd think I'd know better than to assume by now. Step aside and fill out this form, but don't sign it yet. When you're ready, bring it back here and I'll notarize it."

Luke filled in his name, address, and date and place of birth. He checked the box next to "Male" even though it was optional. There were three more choices for "Bride," "Groom," or "Spouse," which were also optional.

"What do you think?" asked Luke. "Groom, Spouse, or leave it blank."

"Let's both use 'Groom.' I don't care much for 'Spouse'."

Luke finished and slid the form to Jon. "Here ya go--sign your life away."

Jon filled out the form and they took it back to the clerk.

"Okay, everything looks fine. I need to see your IDs, then sign in front of me."

When they were done the clerk countersigned the document, turned it over and placed it in front of Cathy. She signed the paper and handed it back.

"All I need now is $35 and you're all set."

As they were leaving the building Cathy put her arm on Jon's. "Wait, you guys stay here. I want to get some pictures."

Jon and Luke stood with their arms behind each other's backs while Cathy took several shots.

"Okay, now a little more romance."

Jon turned to Luke and smiled as they put their arms around one another and kissed. Cathy was able to get several good pictures before the guys separated.

"We should eat a light lunch," suggested Jon. "I don't know where to go around here, so let's go back to Galena. I know a couple of good diners and then we can walk around town for a while before hitting the road."

Cathy again drove and they were in the middle of Galena in the early afternoon. They stopped at a small deli and Cathy had a Chef's Salad; the men decided to share a Club Sandwich. They spent the next hour or so window shopping, and Cathy saw a small shop that featured hand-crafted jewelry. They went inside and looked at the displays. The owner was busy working with a torch and some type of ring. He was concentrating on his work and didn't acknowledge their presence until he apparently reached a point where he was able to pause.

"Is there anything in particular you're interested in?" asked the shop owner.

"I'm just browsing, you have some very nice pieces. But these guys might be interested in rings."

Jon and Luke hadn't discussed rings, but they both knew they wanted bands. Jon asked, "Do you make wedding bands? We're getting married this fall."

Jon surprised himself with his candor, but he was caught-up in the romantic aspects of the day. Luke put his arm around Jon.

"Congratulations," said the jeweler. "I'm Jake; I've been in business here for over 20 years. I like being able to do what I want to do, being creative and eclectic."

Jake brought out a photo album. "I don't do a lot of wedding bands, but I have done some I'm proud of. See if there's anything here that catches your eye. Have you thought of what type of material? Gold, platinum, silver?"

Jon said, "I saw a platinum ring that had thin gold edges. The gold had lines, I don't know what you call it, but there were parallel diagonal lines in the gold all around it."

The jeweler flipped a few pages. "Something like this?"

"Exactly! Do you like it, Luke?"

"Yeah, I do. It's very distinctive. I think a ring like that would look great on you, Jon."

"Me too," said Jon. "How much would that be?"

"Depending on the price of the material, roughly $750 each. That's one of my favorite wedding bands. It would take me two or three weeks to craft them, but if you can give me a 50% deposit to cover the materials, I can have them for you by the end of the month."

"What do you think, Luke?"

"I love the design, I've never seen anything quite like it. Let's do it."

Jake carefully measured their fingers and wrote the specifications down. Jon pulled out his credit card.

"I'm sorry," said the jeweler. "I don't take plastic. Call me old fashioned. A check will be fine."

Jon looked in his wallet and found a check he kept for emergencies. He so seldom wrote one he never carried his checkbook with him. Jake picked up one of his business cards and hand-wrote a receipt on the back of it.

The three did some more walking and window shopping, then decided it was about time to head back to Rockford. Cathy again wanted to drive, and once they were getting close, Jon directed her to his parents' place which was north of the city, just on the outskirts. They drove for about a mile, then Jon told Cathy to take the next left. Cathy turned onto a gravel driveway lined with trees. Within less than a block they came upon a large, ranch-style house with a sizeable porch and surrounded by flowers of every imaginable color.

"Just pull onto the grass and park," Jon told Cathy. "Let's leave our stuff in the car; we can get it later."

They got out of the car and stretched. As they did, the front door opened and a tall, very attractive blonde with medium-length hair trotted out. She was wearing a denim skirt and a white cotton blouse.

"Oh, damn," thought Luke. "I thought it was just going to be his parents. Am I going to have to meet all the cousins, too?"

"Jon!" the woman shouted as she trotted over and hugged him. "I'm so glad you came."

She kissed Jon on the cheek, then gave Cathy a hug. "It's so good to see you again."

"Mom," said Jon, "This is Luke."

Luke extended his hand and said, "I'm happy to meet you, Mrs. Addison."

She brushed Luke's hand aside and put her arms around him. "That's the last time I want you to call me that. I'm Peg."

Luke took a breath and held it, bracing himself against her embrace. But she didn't squeeze him, just warmly held him for a moment.

"Mom, be careful--Luke's ribs are still tender."

"I know, dear. I remember. Let's go inside and get comfortable. I have some iced tea."

Luke was taken aback by Jon's mother. In his mind he was expecting her to be a grandmotherly-type country woman. But Peg could pass for Jon's sister. She had a lean and toned body like Jon and Luke was sure she must have played some kind of sports or maybe still did. She seemed very cheerful and outgoing, and Luke felt more at ease. Cathy and Peg went to the kitchen to get the iced tea.

Luke whispered to Jon, "You never told me your mom is a babe."

"Hey, watch it!" laughed Jon. "That's my mother you're talking about. But she does look pretty good."

Cathy and Peg came back with the iced tea.

"Where's dad?"

"Oh, he's in town chasing down some car parts. He should be back soon. What brings you three all the way out here?"

"We had some business to take care of in Dubuque. I'll tell you about it later when dad's here."

"Luke, Jon told me you had some kind of accident. How did you break your ribs?"

"I didn't, some guys did it for me. It was late one night and these guys surprised me and knocked me unconscious. The next thing I knew I was in the hospital and I felt like I had been run over by a truck."

"It was a gay hate crime, mom. Luke never even saw the guys."

"Were you there, Jon?"

"No, but some of our friends saw it, and they were able to stop the attack and grab one of the jerks. They're all in custody now, and it'll be interesting to see what happens at their trial."

Peg went into another room and soon appeared with an overstuffed pillow.

"Here, Luke, sit up for a sec." Peg propped the pillow behind him in the corner of the couch. "Scoot down and lean back. You'll be more comfortable."

Luke thanked her and realized he did feel a lot more comfortable, especially after being in the car most of the day. There was the sound of the front door opening and a tall man entered the room.

Jon stood. "Hi, dad."

Jon's father hugged him. If Luke was surprised at Jon's mother's appearance, he was stunned when he saw his father. They were almost carbon-copies of one another. Jon's father had the same lean build and a surprisingly youthful face. If Luke didn't know better, he'd have thought he was only several years older than Jon. Luke smiled to himself. "I guess I can look forward to this being Jon in 20 or so years."

Luke rose and extended his hand. "I'm Luke, Mr. Addison. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Call me Bill, Luke. Please sit. I see Peg is already spoiling you."

Bill went to kiss his wife, then Cathy. Peg brought him a glass of iced tea.

"And what brings you kids out here? Not that you need a reason, Peg and I are always glad to see you. You should come here more often."

"I know, dad, we should. It's just that the time seems to fly by. We'll try to make it a point to visit more often. I have a feeling we might be doing that. But you and mom should come and visit us. We'd love to show you around and maybe take you for a night in Chicago."

"We should plan on that," said Luke.

"What type of work do you do, Luke?" asked Bill.

"I'm in construction. I'm a crew chief and right now we're building a hotel a few miles from where Jon and I live."

"Are you from the Chicago area?"

"Yes, I grew up not far from where we are now. I did live in Chicago for five years, then decided to move back. As it turns out, it was a very smart decision."

"And do you have family close by?"

"My parents still live in the house where I grew up, it's not far from us. I don't see too much of my family."

"That's too bad."

Luke wanted to change the subject. "Bill, Jon said you're restoring a car. What kind is it?"

"Yes, it's a '63 Corvair Monza Spyder. I'm finishing up the engine and then I'll get into the body work."

"Is it the turbocharged version?" asked Luke.

"Yes, it is. You should see all the chrome under the hood--or the trunk, depending on how you look at it."

"That's right," said Luke. "It has the engine in the rear. Is yours a convertible?"

"Yeah. Come on out back and I'll show it to you."

Luke and Bill excused themselves and fairly trotted outside. Peg rolled her eyes and looked at Cathy and Jon.

"We won't be seeing those two for a while. Let's sit on the porch. I'll get some ice cream."

Peg went to the kitchen and began dishing vanilla ice cream into bowls and decorating them with raspberries she'd picked earlier. She handed two bowls to Jon.

"Take these out to Luke and your father, Jon."

Jon headed out back toward the barn. They called it the "garage," but it was nothing like what anyone would think. At one time it had been a barn, and it had enough room for four cars and was immaculate. Luke was sitting on an overturned milk crate next to the car, ready to hand Bill the next tool he would need.

"We didn't want to leave you guys out," said Jon as he offered a bowl to Luke. Bill scooted out from under the car on his creeper board.

"Oh, thanks! Tell your mother we'll be back in a few minutes."

Jon smiled and winked at Luke. He could tell his father and Luke had hit it off, and he was proud. He walked back to the house and sat with Peg and Cathy.

"Dad said they'll be back in a few minutes. I'd give them an hour or so at least."

"Tell me about it," said Peg. "But at least I know where he is and what he's doing. Luke seems like a very nice young man. How long have you known him?"

"Going on two years. He is a nice guy, he's the most wonderful guy I've ever known. I knew you and dad would like him."

"Don't worry, Peg," said Cathy. "I keep these guys in line. I wouldn't let anyone near Jon who I didn't approve. Luke is a great guy, and I'd trust my life with him."

"I'm not trying to pry. He does seem to be a very nice man. And I have to say, Jon, he certainly is handsome."

They finished their ice cream and Jon took the dishes to the kitchen and rinsed them in the sink. He was very happy that it seemed both his parents liked Luke. He was sure they would, but he was a little nervous about how they would feel once he and Luke announced their plans. He wasn't sure when or how he would broach the subject.

Bill finished what he was doing under the car and pushed himself from under it.

"I think that's enough for today."

Bill sat on the creeper board and looked at Luke. "So I gather you and your parents aren't real close."

Luke sighed. "No, we're not. They pretty much disowned me years ago. But Jon has taught me a lot, and made me realize I'm a worthwhile person."

"You know, Luke, when Jon came out to Peg and me, we thought it was the end of the world. All the hopes and dreams you have for your kid seemed like they were gone. We were devastated and worried for him. But it wasn't the end of the world, and we still love Jon. It just took us a while to come to terms with adjusting our thinking. Attitudes are changing, and I hope life will be better for gays than it was 20 or 30 years ago. It certainly seems like it's going that way."

"I hope so," said Luke. "But it does take a long time for society to change its ideas. I'm just grateful you and Peg are so accepting of Jon. He's a terrific man and you have every right to be very proud of him."

"We are. Come on, son. Let's see what's up at the house. I'm starting to get hungry."

Jon returned to the living room and the three talked for another half-hour.

"Mom, I know you know I really like Luke. Over the past year or so, I've realized how much he means to me. He's a part of me. When he was in the hospital and I wasn't sure what would happen, I understood just how much a part of me he was."

Peg smiled at her son. "Believe it or not, Jon, when your father and I were in college, we felt the same way about each other. We were hopelessly in love, and we still are. I know you don't want to hear that, but your generation didn't invent love, you know."

They heard voices and Bill and Luke walked in and joined them. They were still talking about the car as they sat. They all continued to talk, about their jobs, the news and other miscellaneous information. Jon noticed Luke was fidgeting and he wondered what was on his mind.

"Peg and Bill," Luke began, "if I don't do this now, I'm going to explode. I love Jon more than I can imagine. There is nothing I wouldn't do to make him happy. I would like your permission to marry your son."

Luke gulped. He noticed Jon and Cathy had tears in their eyes. Time seemed to have stopped and Luke felt as if the momentary silence would never end. Bill and Peg rose and Luke got to his feet. Bill took Luke's hand in both of his.

"Luke, Peg and I would be proud to welcome you into our family."

Peg kissed Luke on the cheek and Jon and Cathy did the same. Cathy brought out her camera and took pictures. Luke was so relieved, he felt drained. Jon was both surprised at what Luke had done and proud. He knew it must have been a very difficult thing for Luke to do. They all sat again.

"Jon," asked Peg, "is this what this was all about?"

"I didn't know Luke was going to be so formal about it, but yes. We went to Dubuque today to get our marriage license. Then we stopped in a little jewelry shop in Galena and ordered rings. I thought I was going to have to break the news to both of you, but Luke beat me to it."

"Were you nervous about telling us?" asked Bill.

"I sure was," answered Luke. "Other than asking Jon to marry me, it was probably the scariest thing I've ever done."

"Come on, Luke. You weren't afraid to ask me. What did you think I'd say?"

"I knew what you'd say, that wasn't it. It was the whole commitment thing. Devoting the rest of my life to you. I don't have any doubts, but it's a big thing. I know we are making the right decision, though."

Peg stood. "As long as you boys are happy, that's all that matters. When are you planning to get married?"

"We're not sure yet," answered Jon. "Sometime this fall, probably in Dubuque. That's about as close as we can get to everyone."

"And what about your family, Luke?" asked Peg.

"I haven't said anything to them yet. They're not as open-minded as you and Bill are. We've hardly spoken in years."

"Come on, Luke," said Jon. "They did come to see you last weekend."

"That's only because they felt they had to. They didn't do it for my sake, they did it to ease their conscience. But let's not get into that."

"Parents never stop loving their children," said Peg. "They may not like some of the things they do, or the choices they make, but they never stop loving them."

"Mom, being gay isn't a choice."

"You know that's not what I meant, Jon. Luke knows what I mean."

Peg headed for the kitchen, and Luke stood and followed her. He wanted to help with dinner. Peg told him he could make the mashed potatoes, and Luke began peeling and cutting them. Peg was impressed with how quickly Luke worked.

"I can see you're no stranger to the kitchen, Luke."

"I enjoy cooking. It's creative, and it gives me a sense of satisfaction. Since Jon and I have been together I'm doing a lot more of it. It's no fun for me to cook just for myself."

After dinner, Cathy and Jon did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. When they were done they rejoined everyone in the living room.

Peg said, "I thought Cathy could sleep in your old room, Jon, and you and Luke can use the guest bedroom. It has a king-size bed."

"That would be great, mom. Luke wasn't sure we'd be sleeping in the same room."

"Why not?" asked Bill. "I assume you sleep together at home, so why not here?"

Luke was a little embarrassed by what Jon had said, but he was happy that Jon's parents were so open and accepting. The contrast between his parents and Jon's was like night and day. He was happy for Jon, because he felt Jon deserved nothing less.

They all continued to talk for a while longer, then decided it was time for bed. Jon went to the car to get their bags and they headed to the bedrooms. Luke was relieved to learn the master bedroom was at one end of the house and the other rooms were at the opposite end. Jon showed Cathy to her room and gave her a quick goodnight kiss, then went to the guest room. Luke had undressed down to his boxer shorts and was about to get in bed.

"Hey!" said Jon. "I want you to make love to me tonight."

"Jon, no! I can't do that in your parents' house with them here."

"They'll never know. Even if they did, they wouldn't care. I want to celebrate getting our marriage license."

"No! I can't do it. It's just too weird. Can't you wait until tomorrow?"

After a few minutes of discussion, they settled on 69ing. Luke was okay with that; it wouldn't be as messy, and he figured with his dick in Jon's mouth, Jon wouldn't be as vocal as he usually was.

Afterwards Jon stared at the ceiling, too excited to sleep. Luke had taken a sleeping pill and was dozing quietly. Jon decided to get up and sit on the porch for a while to see if he could relax. He was surprised to find Cathy sitting on the bench in her robe. He sat beside her.

"What are you doing out here?" Jon whispered.

"I couldn't sleep. I just wanted to look at the stars for a while."

They sat and listened to the crickets and frogs, each in their own thoughts. The night was warm and clear with a million stars in the sky.

Jon pointed at the sky. "What do you suppose the people who live there are thinking right now?"

"Probably two of them are wondering the same thing about us."

"I hope so."

Jon put his arm around Cathy and she nestled her head against his shoulder.

"Jon, did you know that when I first met you, I was sure I was going to marry you? I was totally in love with you."

Jon smiled and squeezed her. "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't lead you on. I don't think I did."

"No, you were up-front pretty quickly. But I was pissed--as they say, all the good men are taken or gay. It sure seems that way sometimes. I can't get over how cool your parents are about you and Luke. It seems like it's no big deal to either of them."

"Yeah, they are real good about it. I'm sure it bothers them a little on some level, but I know they love me and want me to be happy. When I came out to them, it's not like they welcomed the news with open arms. It took a while, but they realized no one could change the facts, and they had a choice: Either accept me as I am, or lose their son. I love and respect them for that, I know it was hard for them. That's why I feel so bad for Luke. I can't imagine what I'd do without my parents."

"I can tell your folks really like Luke. Maybe he'll come to look at them as the parents he never had."

"I hope so. Luke says I'm all the family he needs. That's not true, and I'm sure he'd like to have a better relationship with his parents. But he's so bitter toward them that I can't see how it could ever happen."

"He's got you, and now he has your parents, too. How long do you think it'll be before he calls them 'mom and dad'?"

Jon chuckled. "I never thought about that. I think it'll take him some time. Hey, I'm going back to bed. You coming, or are you going to stay a while?"

"I'm getting tired, so I think I'll turn in."

Jon walked her to the bedroom and gave her a hug before returning to the guest bedroom. Luke was still sound asleep on his back. Jon slid as close to him as he could and rested his hand on Luke's chest, then picked up Luke's hand and placed it on top of his own. Even though Luke barely stirred, Jon felt him gently squeeze his hand. That barely-perceptible, unconscious gesture meant more to Jon than a thousand kisses. He kissed Luke's shoulder, closed his eyes and drifted off to a wonderfully peaceful sleep.

Luke woke up just after six feeling refreshed. He went to the bathroom and showered and shaved, then threw on his robe. As he opened the door, Cathy was coming out of her room.

"Morning," she said.

"Morning. I was thinking of starting breakfast. Wanna help me?"

"Sure. Everyone should be getting up soon. Let me take a quick shower and I'll meet you in the kitchen."

Luke quickly dressed and headed for the kitchen. He found what he needed to start the coffee, then looked in the refrigerator. There were a dozen eggs, a lot of leftover ham, and two pounds of bacon. Cathy walked in a few minutes later.

"I was thinking omelets," said Luke. "But that would use all the eggs. We should go into town and get some more for Peg."

"Don't worry, Peg gets them from the next door neighbor--they have chickens. You do the eggs and I'll dice potatoes for hash browns."

Luke decided to make two large omelets, one with bacon and one with ham. He diced the meat and cracked the eggs into two bowls. They heard some stirring and water running, so Cathy started the potatoes as Luke got ready to put the eggs on.

"I'm surprised we're not tripping over each other," said Cathy. "I like to work alone in the kitchen."

"I'm used to a busy kitchen. You learn to have eyes in the back of your head. If you don't, you won't last long."

Peg came into the kitchen. "You two are amazing! What can I help you with?"

"Not a thing," answered Luke. "Just have a seat at the table and I'll bring some coffee."

Peg smiled, shrugged her shoulders and sat at the table in the dining room. Bill came in and sat next to her.

"What's this? You look like royalty sitting here."

"I almost feel like it. Luke and Cathy are making breakfast and won't let me in there."

Luke walked up to the table with a pot of coffee. He had a towel draped over his arm and looked like a country version of a French waiter.

"Good morning," said Luke. "Breakfast will be served momentarily--as soon as I can rouse your son."

Luke hurried to the bedroom. Jon was already in the bathroom and Luke knocked on the door. "Hurry up in there, breakfast is ready and everyone is waiting."

Jon had just finished drying himself off. He dropped the towel and opened the door, wearing nothing more than a smile.

"Oh, damn!" said Luke as he pushed Jon back into the bathroom and shut the door. He put his arms around Jon and kissed him deeply. Reluctantly he broke off the kiss.

"Hurry up and get dressed, we're all waiting for you. We'll continue this later."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," said Jon as he gave Luke a quick kiss.

Luke returned to the kitchen and put the omelets on. He found two platters and when everything was ready he took the food to the dining room. Jon had just taken his place at the table and Luke went back to get the toast and start another pot of coffee.

Bill smiled at Jon. "He doesn't do this every morning, does he?"

"Not every morning, but he cooks a lot of times on the weekends. I cook sometimes, but I'm nowhere near in his league."

Luke returned and they all began to eat. Once again Jon was almost overwhelmed with pride. He knew Luke was trying very hard to make a good impression, and even Jon thought he seemed comfortable and natural.

The rest of the morning Jon felt a little lost. Luke and Bill were back in the barn working on the car, and Peg and Cathy were chatting together. Jon decided to go for a walk. He used to love walking in the woods along the stream and it brought him back to when he was a teenager and life was so much simpler. At least it seemed simpler in retrospect, but life wasn't any easier then when he thought about it. He and Michael had walked this same path once. They had splashed in the creek and had sex in the field. Jon remembered Michael's face when they laid next to each other. Jon sat on a boulder and put his head in his hands.

"Oh, Michael, you meant so much to me. I owe you so much. I wouldn't be the person I am today without you. I hope you don't resent Luke. I know you don't, but if it weren't for you, I probably would never have had the courage to find him. He's a great guy, and I know you'd like him. I'll always love you, Michael. I'll never forget you."

Jon was surprised at how these feelings had suddenly surfaced. He hadn't thought about Michael in some time. In some ways Michael was part of Jon's distant past, but in other ways he was right there. Being in his childhood surroundings, Jon was taken back to years ago when he was in college. Michael had been a stepping stone for Jon. He was his awakening to his life as a gay man. Jon had loved Michael so much that nothing else mattered at the time. It was because of Michael that he had the courage to come out to his parents and his life took on an entirely new focus. He had loved Michael, and then that love was taken from him. Jon couldn't help but worry it might happen again. That thought bordered on paranoia, but Jon couldn't help himself. He didn't know why he so often felt as if the Sword of Damocles was over his head. Jon didn't remember worrying before then, but people that age don't generally worry about those types of things. Michael's death had had a profound effect on Jon; it was a transition in his life. He continued to think and reminisce for a while, then stood and slowly walked back toward the house. As he passed the barn, Luke walked out.

"What's the matter?" asked Luke. He could see something in Jon's face, but he couldn't gauge what it was.

"Nothing, just thinking about old times. I'm okay."

Luke put his arm around Jon. "We should be thinking about our future. Hey, have you thought about our names?"

"What do you mean?"

"When we get married. What name are we going to use? Will I be Luke Addison, or will you be Jon Sorensen, or should I be Luke Sorensen-Addison?"

"Gee, I don't know. But I'm not too crazy about hyphenated names and it sounds a little awkward. I guess it's something to think about but we don't really have to change our names at all if we don't want to. Let's give it some thought. Do you want to head back home soon?"

"Whenever you want. I'd like to get back before dark."

Jon decided they should start getting ready to leave. Even though Luke seemed to be handling everything well, Jon knew the whole experience was stressful for him. It would be nice to get back home and spend a quiet evening together. They walked into the house and went to the guest room to straighten up and throw their clothes into their bag. Jon noticed Cathy had all her stuff ready to go. Jon picked up the bags and put them in the car. Peg and Cathy were loading up containers of food and stowing them with the bags.

"Mom, where did all this food come from?"

"It's not that much. Some Swedish meatballs, a chicken and a pot roast. You men will finish it in no time."

Jon kissed his mother. "Thanks, we're going to have to start hitting the gym if we keep eating like this. I don't want my husband getting out of shape."

"I don't think you need to worry about that, from the looks of you two. It's not that often I get the chance to spoil you any more, Jon."

Cathy, Luke and Jon piled into the car with Luke driving. Cathy rode in back so the guys would have more room.

"How did you manage back here, Jon? Even I have to scooch a little."

"I was okay, I'm flexible."

Jon and Luke dropped Cathy off at her place, then went home. Jon got the bag out of the car and Luke carried in the food Peg had given them and put it in the fridge. They both sprawled on the couch and Luke rested his head on Jon's lap.

"I really liked your parents. I felt like I was part of your family."

"You are, as far as I'm concerned and I know my folks feel the same way. They love you and I know they're happy I have someone like you in my life. I think they were starting to worry I'd wind up a spinster. I know they're happy they're getting another son. I think they always wanted more kids, but for some reason it never happened."

"I don't know if your dad realized it or not, but he did call me 'son' one time. It's funny, but I think that's the first time anyone called me that in that way and it was nice. It made me feel good. Have your parents always been so easy-going? Nothing seems to phase them."

"Well, I probably didn't think so when I was a teenager, but yeah, they've gone through a lot with me and the gay thing. We worked through it together, and we're close. I could tell them anything."

Luke sighed. "I can't imagine being like that with my parents. I couldn't even bring up the subject, not that I would have considered it. All I ever heard was that homosexuals were sinners and would burn in Hell. Can you imagine what that meant to me when I realized I was gay?"

"How old were you when you knew?"

"I think I was 12 or 13. It just hit me one day. For some reason I was thinking about what the word meant, and Bam! I recognized myself. From that day forward, I was scared to death. I prayed it was a phase, that I'd outgrow it. If anyone had told me then that I'd one day be in love with a man and totally happy, I'da said they were crazy."

Jon kissed Luke's forehead. "I wish I had been there for you."

"You couldn't have helped then, no one could. Look how long it took us even after we first met. It just took me a lot longer than most guys to come to terms with being gay. If I hadn't met you, I'd probably still be a closet case. You don't even know how much that means to me, and how much you mean to me. I owe you my life."

"You've given my your life, and I've given you mine. We're already united, the wedding is just a formality."

Luke looked up at Jon. "I know, but I think it's an important one. Are you having second thoughts about it?"

"No! Not at all. I just mean I couldn't be more devoted to you than I am right now."

"Me too. Hey, are you hungry?"

"A little bit. Want me to heat up some of my mother's meatballs?"

"Yeah, that would hit the spot.

Jon and Luke collapsed into bed. It had been a long couple of days, and both were relieved to be home. Jon leaned over and kissed Luke.

"Thank you," said Jon.

"For what?"

"For being there. For the way you were so good with my parents."

"Your parents were great. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I had a nice time."

"I know you were nervous and it was an effort for you, and I appreciate it."

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, babe. I really had a good time and I'm glad I got to know your parents. It meant a lot to me."

Luke arrived at work on Monday ready to get back into his usual routine. Donny was in the office and Luke stopped in to show him how he had set up the progress report on the computer. Donny was skeptical at first, but then realized how much faster it would be.

"So I don't have to fax this or anything? Everyone knows how to get it?"

"Yep, it's working fine, and everyone is comfortable with it. You can just update it during the day as things happen, and you won't have to do it all at the end of the day. Plus, it's all more timely. I think once you get used to it, you'll like it."

"Seems like it's a good idea. I was just getting used to the fax machine! I might be yelling for you to bail me out in the beginning."

"Any time, Donny. But you won't have any trouble."

Luke left the trailer and was walking across the site. George trotted up to him.

"Hey, Luke, how's it going?"

"Okay, George. How 'bout you?"

"Fine. Are you going somewhere for lunch today? I forgot my lunch at home."

"Probably. I didn't bring anything today."

"Is it okay if I go with you? I'll drive."

"Sure. Wherever you want to go. Let me know when you're ready."

"Great! See ya later."

George found Luke a little before noon. "Is Burger King okay with you, Luke? I have some coupons for there."

"That's fine. You all ready?"

"Yeah, my car's right over there. The black Corolla. Not much to look at, but it's in good mechanical shape and it always gets me where I'm going."

George and Luke got in the car and headed toward the nearest Burger King. George tended to drive fast as most guys his age do, but he wasn't reckless. As they rode, George explained he did all the maintenance and repairs on the car himself. He talked almost non-stop about the car until they got to the restaurant. As they walked in, George pulled a handful of coupons out of his pocked.

"I always save coupons," said George. "It's amazing how much you can get with them."

George coached Luke about what he should order based on the coupons, and Luke went along with him out of courtesy. Luke had his preferences which didn't usually jive with the specials. As they sat and ate, George kept up a steady banter.

"I'm working on my GED. Construction is okay, and the money's good, but I want to do something different. I'm not sure what, yet. What about you? You've been in this a lot longer than I have."

"I don't know," said Luke. "I like the physical part of it, but I'm getting older. Maybe I should start thinking about something else."

"You're not old, Luke. You sure as hell can run circles around everyone. Do you have a girlfriend?"

That was an abrupt change of topics, and Luke was taken aback. He wasn't sure how to respond. He hated not being able to talk openly about his life, but he also knew that in his position being gay wasn't exactly welcomed. If his sexuality became known among his co-workers, he would most likely lose his job--or it would become so hostile, he'd want to quit.

"I'm engaged," answered Luke.

"Oh," said George. "I didn't know that. When are you getting married?"

"Sometime this Fall. We're not sure yet."

"Oh."

George was more quiet as they finished their lunch. They got into the car and drove back to the site. As Luke got out of the car, he noticed George's lunchbox on the back seat.

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