Luke was just over halfway through his lesson. Charlie had him practice some more-advanced aerobatics and precision flying.

"Okay, Luke, I want you to do a climbing turn to the left to about 6000 feet."

Luke began the procedure but within several seconds he felt the plane slow and begin to sink. The red Stall Warning indicator on the instrument panel flashed frenetically, accompanied by a loud alarm. The propeller was spinning at an idle and the cockpit was suddenly very, very quiet.

THE INN -- Chapter 27

Luke immediately aborted the turn and stabilized the plane, getting it into a controlled glide. The warning light extinguished and the alarm silenced.

"Very good, Luke! The first thing you do if you lose power is get control of the aircraft. What's next?"

Luke was already looking out the window, scanning the ground. "Look for a place to land." They were too far from the airport to make it back there.

"And what do you see?"

There was a cornfield that had been harvested to their left. "That cornfield at 9 o'clock looks like it wouldn't do too much damage. I'd try to land there."

Charlie nodded and Luke continued gliding past the field, then banked left and lined up with the field. He extended the flaps and went through the rest of the landing checklist.

"If you have enough time and altitude, you'd try to get the engine going again. But I happen to know that wouldn't work right now."

"I know," said Luke, "that's why I didn't try. I had a feeling it wouldn't."

"Textbook perfect!" said Charlie. "Let's take 'er back up--we don't want to actually land here, the towing charges are outrageous!"

Luke eased the throttle in and retracted the flaps; the engine resumed its reassuring drone as Luke began climbing back to a comfortable altitude.

"Did I scare you?"

"Just for a second," admitted Luke. "I knew you'd spring that one on me one of these days. Have you ever had a student freak out?"

"Only once. He was the nervous type anyway and I don't even know why he flew; he didn't seem to like it much. I never saw him again, which is probably just as well."

"Have you ever had an engine failure?"

"Nope, it's extremely rare. I don't even know anyone personally who has had it happen. But it's one of those things you want to be prepared for and know what to do."

Luke went home and when he opened the door Rocky ran up to him, rubbed against his ankles, and trotted into the kitchen. Luke wondered why he didn't wait for him to pick him up like he usually did. He followed Rocky into the other room and kissed Jon, noticing the kitten was at Jon's feet, staring at him expectantly.

"What are you making?"

"Lasagna. I've been giving Rocky a little ground beef, and he's discovered a whole new taste sensation. He's old enough to start eating some solid food."

"I guess that's why he only gave me a cursory greeting."

"How was your lesson?"

"It was interesting--especially when the engine died."

"What?!"

"Charlie killed the engine to simulate an engine failure. I was expecting it at some time, but not necessarily today. Anyway, I did okay and he was happy with how I handled it. It was fun."

"I'll take your word for it. What do you feel like doing tonight?"

"I thought about going to Boystown, but we're supposed to get 4-6 inches of snow later. If you want, we can go to The Inn and see what's going on."

"I heard there's a good band tonight, I forget who they are. Wanna a beer?"

"Sure. I'm flying again tomorrow, so I'll just have a couple here. I'm thinking of starting to work out with Joe while I'm off work. I gained five pounds last time I was laid off when I just sat around."

"You did? I didn't notice. Are you going to hit the iron as hard as he does?"

"No, I think three days a week maybe. I just want to stay in shape."

"If you get in any better shape, I won't be able to control myself."

After they ate, they sat on the couch and watched TV, Luke with his hand inside Jon's shirt, idly stroking his chest.

"Your nipples are hard."

"That's not the only thing," smiled Jon as he stood and pulled Luke to himself. They had their arms around each other and kissed, at the same time making their way to the bedroom. Once there they undressed one another and Luke fell into the bed, smiling at Jon.

"It would be a shame to not fully utilize that beautiful cock of yours," said Luke as he pulled his legs up. Jon lay on top of Luke and kissed him, then slid down and knelt before him. He reached for the lube and smoothed a generous amount on himself and Luke.

Jon was becoming more and more into being a "pitcher" than he had ever been. Since their wedding night, it had evolved into almost a 50-50 arrangement. Luke was comfortable being the bottom when that was the mood they were in. Doing that made him feel like their love was complete; they were on an equal plane in some way. Not that he felt he used to be dominant over Jon, but he now felt like they shared everything in an intimate way. Sex just kept getting better for both of them as they explored its variety.

Jon let out a yell as he thrust deeply and froze, his body quivering and his eyes closed. Luke noticed a drop of sweat fall from Jon's nose onto his chest. The sight of Jon's rapture caused Luke to erupt, spewing onto his own chin, chest and belly. His contractions milked the last of Jon's cum into him as Jon fell forward onto his chest. They kissed passionately, each at the same time trying to regain their breaths. After several minutes they separated and took a leisurely shower together, bathing one another and then caressing until the water cooled. They spent another five minutes sensuously drying each other.

Luke asked, "Do you still want to go to The Inn, or not?"

"I'm up for it if you are, it's not that late. We don't have to stay all night, but I'd like to see what the band's like. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, we can sleep in tomorrow. Let's check it out."

When they arrived the band had just started their first set. There was a good crowd and Luke saw Paul sitting at a four-top by himself. That was unusual. Luke pointed and they walked over to Paul's table.

"Someone sitting here?" asked Luke.

"Just you guys. Have a seat."

"You look like you're lost, Paul," said Jon. "Where's your date?"

"I'm going stag tonight."

"Jeez, this sounds serious," said Luke. "I don't remember seeing you without at least one gal on your arm."

"Well, the gal--the lady--I want on my arm wasn't free tonight, so I'm just hangin' out."

"Who is it? Have we met her?" asked Jon.

"No, not yet. I play golf with her brother sometimes, and he introduced us."

"Gee," said Luke, "what'd she do to piss him off?" Jon gave Luke a look.

"I've just been thinking about her a lot," continued Paul, "and I don't feel like I want to be with anyone else right now. It's kinda weird."

"No, it isn't," said Jon. "I know just what you mean. I felt the same way about Luke. I mean I still feel the same way."

"I'm glad you clarified that," joked Luke as he turned to Paul. "What's her name? When are we going to meet her? We have to watch out for you, you know."

"Her name's Annie, and she's a lot of fun. She makes me laugh all the time. She has a great sense of humor."

The three guys stayed and enjoyed the band, eventually deciding to head back.

Jon and Luke slept late on Sunday, had breakfast and relaxed until Luke left for the airport. Jon decided he'd do some Christmas shopping. He hadn't decided what to get Luke, but he thought something would come to mind if he browsed. He drove into town and window-shopped for a while, then drove to the next town. He found himself in front of a Williams Sonoma store and recalled Luke had sometimes complained he needed to invest in a good set of knives. Jon knew knives were essential to a chef, and he wondered why Luke didn't own a good set. After looking over what they had and talking with the salesperson, he decided on a 7-piece set of cutlery. Jon chuckled to himself as he realized he had spent less on his car, but the clerk assured him anyone would be very happy with his choice and it would last a lifetime.

When Jon got home Monday night he found Rocky sound asleep on his blanket in the corner of the couch. Luke was in the kitchen with an aeronautical chart spread out on the table.

"What are you doing?" asked Jon.

"I'm planning my cross-country flight tomorrow."

"Where are you going? When will you be back?"

"It's not as far as it sounds. It's a trip I need to do that's over 150 miles with certain stops along the way. I'll be back tomorrow night."

"Oh, that's good. I didn't think you'd take off for a day or two without telling me. Why's Rocky so out of it? He didn't even wake up when I came in."

"He played in the snow half the afternoon. He climbed a tree in the courtyard and was proud of himself when he reached a limb about six feet up. But then he didn't know how to get back down and it took some work to teach him he couldn't go head-first. He kept wanting me to pick him up, but he got the hang of it after some coaching. I didn't know cats can't get down as easily as they climb up."

"That's why you hear about cats stuck in trees."

"I made him do it a few times until he got the idea, but he was getting tired and cold, so we came back inside and I dried him off and fed him. He's been asleep ever since."

"I hope he doesn't wake up at midnight all full of piss and vinegar."

When they went to bed, Luke quickly fell into a deep sleep. Jon found himself watching him as he slept with Rocky curled up between Luke's arm and side. Jon still couldn't understand the bond between the two, especially since Luke had never had a pet before. Luke treated Rocky almost like a child--he just expected Rocky to do as he was told, and usually Rocky did. Luke looked so peaceful and relaxed, and Jon smiled as he looked at the kitten, who was almost dwarfed by Luke's arm. "We're both lucky guys, aren't we, Rocky?"

For the next couple of weeks Luke immersed himself in flying, logging an impressive number of hours of both dual and solo flight. It began to look as if he might be able to achieve his goal of getting his private pilot certificate by the end of the year. Most days he was worn out by evening after working out with Joe in the mornings and spending most of the day flying. Joe was a good weight-training coach and convinced Luke to join him each weekday. After the first week, Luke was getting used to it and appreciated Joe's guidance. Joe was a lot more into it than Luke realized, and found himself working a lot harder than he had anticipated.

Jon was beginning to get excited about Christmas. He would be in Rockford with Luke and his parents, and he could hardly wait. They had decided they would go the day before Christmas Eve so they would have time to relax and get settled, and then return home the day after Christmas. Jon asked what they were going to do with Rocky and Luke looked at him like he was crazy.

"He's coming with us--I'm not leaving him alone on Christmas. That reminds me, I have to wrap his presents."

Jon rolled his eyes and smiled, shaking his head. But he wasn't at all surprised Luke had bought presents for Rocky and planned to wrap them.

"If you bought catnip, don't be disappointed if he doesn't get off on it--he's probably still too young."

"What, does he have to be legal age or something?"

"Kittens don't react to it, and some cats never do, but it won't hurt him. I just wanted to warn you if he doesn't get into it."

Luke continued with his flying lessons, both with Charlie and solo. He'd completed most of the mandatory exercises and at this point he was trying to hone his skills and put in the hours he needed to get his Private Pilot certificate. After Luke's last lesson before the holiday Charlie talked with him.

"I know you're pushing to get your license before the end of the year, and I have the examiner scheduled for you on New Year's Eve. But I don't want you to get too uptight about it. I know this guy, and he's a hard-ass, especially with guys like you."

"Waddaya mean, 'guys like me'?"

"Guys who are going for it with the minimum hours. He's gonna put you through the mill, and I know you can do it. But if he doesn't sign off on you, don't let it get you down. He's good, he's fair, and he'll tell you exactly what the story is. You're a very good pilot, Luke, and I know you're up to it. But if it doesn't happen this time, it's not the end of the world."

"Did you pass your first time?"

"Yeah, but I had a lot more hours under my belt by the time I was old enough to take the test. If you don't pass, he'll tell you what you need to work on and I'll help you with it. I can't think of anything you need to improve that won't come with experience. I'm confident you're ready but you never know what the examiner is thinking."

Luke was thinking about what Charlie said while he drove home. The possibility that he might not pass his test hadn't really occurred to him; he knew it could happen, but until Charlie actually said it, it wasn't something Luke was overly concerned about. Luke decided he'd forget about it for now--they were leaving for Rockford tomorrow and there was no reason to worry until he got back.

The next morning they packed Jon's car with the presents and a suitcase with their clothes. Jon wasn't wild about taking his car because Luke's was a lot more comfortable and fun to drive, but Luke claimed his car needed an oil change and an alignment. They headed off to Rockford just after breakfast and figured they'd be at Jon's parents' around noon. Rocky watched the scenery for the first half-hour, then snuggled against Luke and slept the rest of the way. When they arrived, Jon pulled the car into the yard and they noticed a medium-sized Christmas tree propped beside the door on the porch. The porch railing was festooned with pine boughs and decorated with tiny colored lights. Jon laughed as he said, "It looks like a card from Currier & Ives."

"I think it's beautiful," said Luke. "It looks like home--maybe not my home, but somebody's."

They walked up to the door, Jon with the suitcase and Luke carrying Rocky and his blanket. Jon rapped a couple of times on the door, then opened it and they went inside. The door was never locked when someone was home. "Mom, dad? yelled Jon.

"Merry Christmas!" said Peg as she hugged Jon and then Luke. "It's so good to see you. Come on in and sit down. How was your drive?"

"It was nice," said Luke, "we made good time."

"What about Rocky? Is he good in the car?"

Jon chuckled. "As long as Luke is close by, Rocky is happy. I can't believe how attached these two are. Where is he, anyway?"

"He's exploring," said Luke. "This must be like an expedition for him. Don't worry, Peg, he doesn't usually get into things he shouldn't."

"Where's dad?" asked Jon.

"He went into town to get some more lights for the Christmas tree. I don't know why, we have all kinds of them. But he likes a lot of lights."

"I do, too," said Jon. "It looks more festive. I remember decorating the tree when I was a kid, and it was always exciting to bring out the ornaments for it. It was like seeing old friends again."

"My mother always had to have the tree decorated to within an inch of its life," said Luke. "It had to be perfectly decorated. But my sister and I were able to do some popcorn on string a couple of times," said Luke. "My sister liked to do that, and I kept eating the popcorn. She kept hitting me but it was fun."

"Our tree always looks like it's a refugee," said Peg. "We just do whatever we feel like, and it always looks beautiful."

Jon laughed. "My mom picks the tree that looks like it needs a home. But they always seem to wind up looking nice."

Jon's father walked in carrying several boxes of lights. Peg took them and when Luke stood, Bill hugged him and wished him a merry Christmas. He then hugged Jon and they all sat down.

"What did you do?" asked Peg, "buy stock in the electric company?"

"You can never have too many Christmas lights," answered Bill. "We'll use them. Oh, Luke, congratulations on soloing! I'm proud of you, son--I've been telling everyone my son-in-law is going to be a pilot. You should be proud of yourself."

"I'll bet that raised some eyebrows with your friends, dad," said Jon.

"A couple, but I am proud of both of you and everyone knows it. Do you know when you'll get your license?"

"I'm hoping I can do it next week, before the end of the year. It's just a personal goal, there's no other reason. I'm taking my test on New Year's Eve. I'd love to start the year by taking Jon for a ride."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," said Peg. "Are you two hungry? I have pot roast for lunch and I thought we'd have a lighter dinner later."

"Great!" exclaimed Jon. "Wait until you taste my mom's pot roast, Luke. I've tried, but it never comes out like hers does."

Rocky trotted into the room holding his head up, trying not to trip on a set of plastic measuring spoons he had in his mouth. He went up to Luke with his treasure.

"Take that to mom," said Luke as he pointed to Peg.

Peg looked at Rocky. "I haven't seen those in ages. I was wondering what happened to them. I can't imagine where he found them." Peg picked Rocky up and thanked him for his find. Rocky had a feeling he had done something good and sat with Peg.

"Have you guys fed him?"

"He had breakfast," said Luke, "but he's probably ready for lunch now."

"I'll go into town and get something for him," said Jon.

"Don't worry," said Peg, "I thought you'd bring him, and I have plenty for him. After all the animals Jon's brought home over the years, my pantry is well-stocked with whatever he'll need."

Bill stood. "Luke, can you give me a hand out in the barn?"

"Sure."

The two walked to the barn where the Corvair that Bill had been working on all summer was. Luke was impressed.

"Wow! It looks like it just came off the showroom!" said Luke.

"Thanks," said Bill. "I've done every detail from the engine to the upholstery."

"It's beautiful! Someone is going to be very proud to own this car."

"That's why I asked for your help. I want to put a big bow on it. It's Jon's Christmas present, and you guys are going to be driving it home."

"Oh, jeez, Jon's gonna flip! I've been wanting him to get a new car, but I never dreamed of anything like this! He'll love driving around in it. I know how much work you've put into it. What made you decide to give Jon this car?"

"He needs something better than that heap he's had for years. Jon's not so much into cars, but I think he'll like this one."

"I know he will, especially knowing you built it. He's going to be thrilled, and I know he'll treasure it. So this is why you wanted us to drive Jon's car here. I had to come up with an excuse, but he doesn't have a clue. Neither did I."

"Well, help me get the bow on it. I can hardly wait to see the look on his face when he sees this."

After they ate they sat and talked, then decided it was time to bring in the tree and decorate it. That took a while, but when they were done the tree looked much fuller and happier than it had before. Peg's penchant for wayward trees always seemed to work out. When they were done decorating the tree they all sat and enjoyed the peaceful evening. Luke liked the very casual atmosphere in Jon's parents' home. Luke's parents were so much more formal and structured. Jon's were very down-home and casual. The four had a glass of wine as they sat and enjoyed the Christmas tree and decorations. Rocky seemed right at home, claiming his space between Jon and Luke. Eventually they decided to retire and headed for the bedroom. Jon and Luke fell into the bed and embraced, both ready for sex. Rocky realized this wasn't sleep time, and he resumed exploring the house. Luke was now more comfortable having sex in Jon's parents' house, because they were in the other end and also because Jon and Luke were married. That didn't make it a hundred percent okay with him, but he felt more comfortable about it. It was still a little weird. Afterwards Jon cuddled against Luke and was soon snoring softly. Luke held him and gently pulled him against himself. Luke loved the feeling of Jon's body against him and kissed him several times on his arm and shoulder. A short while later Rocky struggled into the bed, nuzzled Luke's face a couple of times, and settled himself under the covers between the two men as he purred himself to sleep.

Luke awoke before Jon and decided he'd get up and see if he could help with breakfast. After showering and dressing he went back to the bedroom and picked up Rocky, then they found Peg in the kitchen. She already had a dish of food for the kitten. Luke kissed her good morning and asked what he could do to help.

"We're going to need eggs, so can you go next door to Lillian and Calvin's and get a couple dozen? Here, take these empty egg cartons."

"Sure," said Luke. He thought of taking Rocky, but he was still eating and besides, the snow was a lot deeper here than it was at home. Luke grabbed his jacket and walked the block or so to the neighbors. When he got there, he stomped the snow off his feet and knocked on the door. An older woman opened the door and smiled at him, and he was slightly surprised that she was black.

"Merry Christmas, I'm Luke. Peg asked me to come by and get some eggs."

"Well come on in! I could have guessed who you are--Peg has told me all about you. Here, sit down and have a cup of coffee. How is Jon?"

"He's great, we're both doing fine."

"Oh, good! I've known Jon since he was in the first grade. He was always such a nice, polite young man. Never a lick of trouble. He used to help Calvin and me with chores but he never wanted us to pay him. We gave the money he earned to Bill to keep for him. By the time he went off to college he had a tidy sum he didn't even know about."

Luke smiled. "That sounds like Jon."

"Oh, Lord, he'd come around all the time. He liked to hear stories about me when I was a little girl on our farm in Mississippi. My daddy had a big old farm, and that was unusual for colored folks down there in those days. I'd tell Jon about how when our parents went into town, we'd bring the goat into the house. Or the time we put some duck eggs in with the chickens. When they hatched, the hens didn't seem to notice, but when the ducklings saw the pond, they jumped right in." Lillian let out a hearty laugh. "The chickens squawked and ran up and down along the edge of the pond, certain their brood was going to drown."

Luke laughed along with her. "It sounds like you had quite a mischievous childhood."

"I had four brothers and three sisters. We were always finding trouble to get into. But we never got into serious trouble. I should let you get back; how many eggs does Peg want?"

"I think two dozen."

"I have them right here, I just collected them. They're still warm and fresh."

Luke finished his coffee and thanked Lillian. "How much do I owe you?"

"On Christmas Eve? Nonsense. Tell Bill and Peg it's our present to them. And tell Jon he better not leave without stopping by. I miss that boy."

"Thank you, and I'll be sure to tell Jon to stop by. It was a pleasure meeting you."

By the time Luke returned, everyone was up and having coffee. Peg thanked him for getting the eggs.

"Lillian said they're a Christmas present. She's quite a character," said Luke. "And Jon, she wants you to stop by before we leave."

"I will, I haven't seen her in a couple of years. They were almost my grandparents when I was growing up. I used to help them out, and they would make sure I ate enough. They always thought I was too skinny."

"Did they have kids you played with?" asked Luke.

"No, they're a lot older than you'd think. They did have a son when they lived down south, but he disappeared."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you about it later. Let's eat breakfast and then maybe we can go into town and see what's happened since the last time I was here. Need help with breakfast, mom?"

"No, I'm fine. You guys relax."

After eating, Jon decided to take Luke for a hike around the property. This time Luke brought Rocky and figured if the going got too difficult he'd just carry him. Jon showed Luke all his "secret" places he'd had when he was growing up, even pointing out the place by the pond where he and Michael had sex. Luke wasn't intimidated by that revelation; he was glad Jon was secure enough in their relationship to confide in him.

"That's something we've never done--had sex outside," said Luke. "We'll have to do that this summer. We'll find our own secret place. Maybe on that little island in the lake at home."

"That might be a tad risky."

"That's what makes it exciting," said Luke as he kissed Jon.

They made their way back to the house, Rocky bravely struggling to keep up through the snow. It was starting to cling to his belly and his paws were beginning to get iced up. Luke picked him up and tucked him into his jacket.

Jon looked at Luke. "We're going to have to get the hair dryer out for him. He's not used to so much snow."

When they got back to the house, Luke got most of the snow and ice off Rocky and wrapped him in a blanket, then put him in his lap as he sat next to Jon in the living room. They all spent the afternoon chatting and sometimes paying attention to a football game on TV, had a light dinner and decided to call it a night. Jon and Luke retired to their bedroom.

"I love being here with you, Jon. It's so peaceful. I never realized how much different it is to be in a rural area."

"I like it, too. I'm a country boy at heart, and I love this area. I can't see how I'd ever be able to move back here, and I don't know if I'd want to. I've been very lucky as far as my job goes, and I'm happy where we are. Especially now, since we're together."

"I'd be happy anywhere with you. Hey, do you think your parents are asleep? We should set up the computer for them."

"Okay, I'd like to know if the DSL is working. But keep it down."

Luke got the computer out of the car while Jon found a phone outlet and cleared off the desk in the small room off the living room. Luke unpacked the computer and monitor and Jon plugged in the router. He watched as the lights went through their routine and was amazed when they all turned a steady green.

"I didn't expect things to go so well. It looks like it's all working."

They spent the next hour getting the computer configured along with setting up email accounts for Bill and Peg. Jon entered his and Luke's email addresses into the computer along with Luke's parents'. After creating some shortcuts and bookmarks they turned everything off and went back to the bedroom.

"Do you think they'll like the computer?" asked Luke.

"They'll complain at first, but once they start using it I know they'll love it. It's not like they've never used one, they just never had their own. When my mom discovers email, I won't get any rest. She doesn't like to call on the phone that much, but I have a feeling email is going to be her contact of choice."

Luke snuggled with Jon and kissed his ear. "Hey, Merry Christmas--it's past midnight. This is our first Christmas together."

Jon put his arms around Luke and kissed him for a long moment. "And it's the best Christmas I've ever had. Being with you and my parents is the best present I could ask for."

When Jon and Luke walked into the living room the next morning Jon smiled as he looked at the tree. "It looks like Santa Claus was here last night."

There was a neat pile of gaily-wrapped presents piled under the tree. Bill and Peg walked into the room in their robes and wished them a Merry Christmas as Peg kissed each of them. Jon and Luke volunteered to make breakfast and went into the kitchen.

Luke was looking in the refrigerator. "Where'd all those eggs go?"

"Right over there, on the counter," replied Jon. "We never refrigerated eggs. I do it at home because we don't always use them right away. They really don't need it, though. Scramble one for Rocky and see if he likes it."

"Raw?" asked Luke.

"Sure, he'll probably love it. I wouldn't do it with store-bought, but I know where these came from."

After breakfast they all gathered around the tree. There was a pile of little wrapped items in front of Bill. Peg had bought him a complete set of Craftsman metric socket wrenches, each individually wrapped. Most of his were English since all the cars he'd worked on to now were older American models, but he was starting to work on newer and imported cars. Bill handed Luke a box containing a pair of Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses with gold frames and mirrored lenses. Peg handed him a box containing a hand-made Irish cable knit sweater.

"You should keep that with you when you fly," said Peg. "You never know when you might need something warm."

"Oh, Jon, we didn't forget you," said Bill as he handed him a small box. Jon opened it and found a key fob with a Corvair insignia and two keys on it.

"You've got to be kidding!" exclaimed Jon.

"Merry Christmas, son."

Jon got up and hugged his father, then his mother. Then he reached under the tree for a box, which he handed to Luke. Luke was surprised when he saw the chef's knives.

"These are professional knives, one of the best made! How did you know?"

"I just talked to the salesman and thought they looked good. It's kind of a 'catcher's mitt' gift--I know you'll be using them to make incredible meals. And here, one more thing I got at the last minute."

Jon reached under the tree for an envelope which he handed to Luke. "I was trying to think of something you'd really like and have fun with. So I decided on 20 hours of private, one-on-one time with a man I know you'll love. He's an expert."

Peg and Bill gave Jon a surprised look, and Luke smiled and shook his head. He knew it wasn't what it sounded like, but he had no idea what it was. He opened the card and read the hand-written gift certificate for time with Charlie, his flight instructor. Luke laughed.

"You're right, he's the only guy I'd spend private time with other than you, babe. Thanks. And here, this is for you."

Jon opened the box Luke had handed him. Inside was a beautiful leather attache. "I don't want to see you bringing home work, but if you have to, it shouldn't be in a manila folder. And if you do bring home work, here's something to take you away from it."

Luke handed Jon another box. When Jon opened it he laughed. "Star Trek! The complete original series! It's been so long since I've seen it, it'll be like watching for the first time!"

Jon thanked and kissed Luke, then told his parents they'd have to get up to see their present. They walked into the next room where the computer was set up, displaying a candid picture of Bill and Peg from the wedding.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" said Peg. "You two spent way too much on us. Whatever are we going to do with it?"

Jon and Luke showed them how they could email and they Googled "corvair." Bill became excited when he saw all the sites devoted to it. Peg was impressed she could contact Jon anytime without worrying he might be busy. They returned to the living room and relaxed for a while until Bill announced it was time to start dinner.

"I have a prime rib roast and I always take care of that. Luke, let's let Peg and Jon sit while we see what kind of mess we can make in the kitchen."

"You and Luke shouldn't have bought that computer. That's too expensive."

"Don't worry, mom, we wanted to do it. It wasn't that expensive."

"Still, you boys should be saving your money."

"We do save, we both make a good living. And Rocky hasn't expressed an interest in college, so I don't think we need to worry about tuition. But if he did, we could handle it."

Peg laughed and hugged Jon. "I'm so glad you and Luke are together. I know how much you love each other, and I feel better that you're with him. I know he watches out for you."

"Yeah, he does--and I keep an eye on him. It drives him nuts sometimes, but I don't care. He is my life."

"You know, Jon, I used to worry about you. I was afraid you'd wind up alone with no one in your life. Now I see how committed you and Luke are, and I'm more at ease. Luke's a little more reserved, I guess, as far as his emotions. But I know he loves you, and that's all I care about."

"He does love me, mom, and I love him. I realize it's hard for you and dad to understand, but I know he's the one I'm spending the rest of my life with. Every time I see him, I get a little excited. He is a little more reserved, but that's because of the way he was raised, and the kind of work he does. But lately he's more comfortable, and since we've been married he seems a lot more at ease. We've both never been happier."

The next morning after breakfast Jon decided he'd head over to Lillian and Calvin's and he was looking forward to seeing them again. Jon knocked on the door, then let himself in as he always had done. Lillian hugged him and stood back.

"Oh, ooh! You sure are grown up! What happened to that little boy I used to take care of?"

"I guess I got older."

"I know, but I still think of you as a sweet little boy. You are still sweet, and that boyfriend of yours is a very nice young man, too."

"He's my husband, Lillian. We got married last fall."

"I know, I just didn't know what to say."

Jon spent the next two hours talking to Lillian and Calvin, telling them about all that was new since he had seen them last. As Jon walked back he realized just how much had happened in his life the past couple of years. He saw Luke in the yard, with the car doors open.

Jon asked what he was doing. "I'm getting all your stuff out of this car and into the Corvair. I already put all the presents and other stuff in it."

"Oh, great, thanks. I wonder what my dad is going to do with this car?"

"I wouldn't get my hopes up about him restoring it. It's not exactly a classic."

Jon had a rueful smile. "I know, but it's been a good car. It was always reliable."

"I think it's time to retire the old nag. 176-grand miles is a ripe old age. Don't forget to give your dad the keys."

Jon and Luke had lunch with Jon's parents, then got ready to start heading home. They hugged each other and promised they'd come by more often. Peg loaded them up with food and finally they were on their way.

"This is so strange," said Jon as he settled into the driver's seat. "Even though this car is probably 40 years old, it's like new."

"Your father is a good mechanic. This car will last you a long time; just make sure you take it back to him for maintenance."

"I think that's what he had in mind. It's probably his way of making sure we visit more often."

"We will, with or without the car. We can fly up here any time we want pretty soon. It's a good trip, and the Rockford airport is easy and not that far from them."

Luke and Jon settled in for the drive home. It was still light out and Jon enjoyed getting the feel of the Corvair. It even smelled like a new car with the interior Jon's father had installed.

They were nearing home when Jon put his hand on Luke's thigh.

"Luke, we need to talk about something with Rocky."

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