Epilogue – Beau

It turned out heaven was in Texas and looked remarkably like sunset at an RV park on the edge of the Gulf.

“You think this is heaven?” Connor asked. He sat in front of the campfire they had built, his back to one of the tree trunks forming a rough circle around the fire pit.

“It was before you stopped petting me,” Beau whined. In a manly way, of course.

“Yes, you’re very butch,” Connor said with a laugh that made his stomach go up and down.

Considering Beau was currently laying on his stomach and using Connor’s lap as a pillow, that was an inconvenience for Beau. But given that it was only a mild one, and Connor had resumed running his fingers through Beau’s hair, he would let it slide.

“You looked like a mermaid in the water today,” Connor said, letting Beau’s hair slither through his fingers.

“Mermaid?”

“Merman? Whatever. When you came into the shop for the first time,” Connor said, “your hair made me think of mermaids.”

“Is that a good thing?” Beau mumbled into Connor’s thigh.

“It’s a good thing. And so is this.” Connor ran his hand down Beau’s naked back from the nape of his neck, between his shoulder blades, and down the valley of his spine to the swell of his ass.

“Keep going,” Beau said.

Instead of fondling Beau’s ass like he was supposed to, Connor reversed direction, dragging his fingertips lightly back up Beau’s body. It gave Beau goosebumps despite the warm evening and the heat from the fire.

“It’s nice to see you without bruises for a change.”

It felt odd for Beau. Since he’d started playing hockey at twelve, he’d always had at least a couple of bruises on his body somewhere. Sometimes alarmingly large ones.

“I love your freckles,” Connor said as he traced patterns in the freckles like he was making constellations on Beau’s skin just for them.

Oh, yeah. This was definitely heaven. Except for one thing. “I have a problem,” Beau said.

“Oh? And what might that be?”

“I finished my beer.” He reached forward lazily to shake the bottle to show it was, indeed, empty. “I have none left.”

“That is a tragedy.”

“It is,” Beau said sadly. “Without more beer how are you going to accomplish your dastardly plan of getting me drunk and taking advantage of me?”

Connor laughed harder, almost rolling Beau off his lap and into the grass. “That’s not going to happen.”

“Why not? I think it’s an excellent plan.”

Connor pointed to the giant RV about ten feet away from their small patch of grass. “I don’t think the neighbors would appreciate it as much as you would. I know the kids wouldn’t appreciate it at all.”

“But they’re not here right now, are they?” Aha! Point to Beau.

“True. But I’m comfortable.”

Beau turned onto his back and stared at Connor, aghast. “You would turn down sex because you’re comfortable? We have been in this quasi-retirement community entirely too long. Come on, call the kids. We’re headed for Cabo. We’ll drop them off with Peggy and Val.”

“I like Peggy and Val,” Sean said stepping over the log to sit on it. “But if you’re going to Cabo, I’m coming with.”

“You can’t. You’re grounded. Connor, tell him he’s grounded,” Beau said.

Connor smiled at Beau, and it took his breath away. He still couldn’t quite believe the love in those dark eyes was all for him. He reached up and pulled Connor’s head down for a kiss.

Connor went gladly, still smiling as their mouths touched. His hand slid up and down Beau’s side in a move that was PG enough for the public location but gave Beau decidedly X-rated ideas.

“You guys are gross. Can’t you stop for five minutes?” Sean picked a piece of bark off the tree trunk and tossed it into the fire.

Connor and Beau smiled against each other’s mouths, their teeth clacking together. Connor sat up, stretching his arms back behind his head. “I bet you wouldn’t think it was gross if it were you and Calvin,” he said, elbowing Sean lightly side.

Beau chuckled at the blush creeping up Sean’s cheeks.

“You know Calvin, right Beau? Sat in front of Sean for math last quarter?”

“Oh, yeah. I heard he has the thickest dark red hair and gorgeous green eyes.” Beau clasped his hands together and batted his eyelashes.

“I heard he’s captain of the basketball team, and he helps old ladies cross the street, and makes soup for the homeless.”

“Shouldn’t you make soup for the soupless?” Beau asked.

“Shut up,” Sean said. He scowled, but Beau saw him trying not to grin before he turned his head away.

Connor’s relationship with the kids occupied this strange space between big brother and father-figure. Nowhere was it more evident than in his interactions with Sean. This exchange landed squarely in the big brother category.

Connor knocked his shoulder against Sean’s leg. “Hey, you know we’re just teasing, right?”

“Yeah, I know.” He turned back to them. “Do I really talk about him that much?”

Connor and Beau exchanged glances. “Yes,” Beau said. Connor laughed again. “Yeah, you really do. But I think it’s great. Bring him around for dinner one day, okay?”

Sean looked horrified at the suggestion, and Connor laughed harder.

Connor’s happy laughter was the best sound Beau had ever heard. Connor had laughed more this last week than in all the months they’d been together. Beau would do anything to keep hearing it.

Except, apparently ask Connor to marry him. He had planned to do it this week. He had the ring with him and everything. He was pretty sure Connor would say yes. The kids were pretty sure Connor would say yes.

Beau had asked them first, formally asking for their brother’s hand in marriage. They had giggled, but it was important to Beau that they be one hundred percent behind it.

If they were against Connor and Beau getting married so soon, Beau would wait until they were ready.

But they had jumped up and down enthusiastically. All four of them were supposedly in on Beau’s plan to get Connor into the perfect romantic spot and pop the question.

Supposedly being the operative word. But every time he’d thought he’d found the perfect time and place, one of the kids would come running over with some kind of emergency.

He’d almost asked last night. He and Connor had been sitting alone on the edge of the small fishing dock, watching the pelicans swooping low while the sun set over the water. It was gorgeous. The perfect place and the perfect time.

Beau had actually turned to Connor when they heard feet pounding down the dock. Micah ran towards them, an expression of alarm on her face.

Connor jumped up. “What’s wrong?”

Micah came to a stop, breathing hard and resting her hands on her knees. She turned to look behind her. Fiona was hurrying down the path as well.

“Micah? Are you okay?” Connor asked again. He grabbed her shoulder.

Micah looked at her brother. “I, uh. Um,” she looked back over her shoulder. Fiona was still a bit away. “I, um, got my period!” Micah blurted out.

Beau manfully resisted the urge to slip off the end of the dock and swim away.

“Oh,” Connor said, straightening up. “Oh. Well, um, congratulations? Do you, ah, need anything? Need to go to the store?”

Fiona’s heavy stride shook the dock as she ran up to them. “Hey,” she said between panting breaths. “What’s up?”

“Micah got her period,” Connor announced liked he was trying to get used to the idea.

Fiona gave her a sister a hard look Beau couldn’t interpret. Micah raised her hands and shrugged apologetically. Fiona rolled her eyes, then patted Micah enthusiastically on the back. “Well, you’re a woman now. Welcome to the world of cramps and ruined underwear.”

“Fee!” Connor said.

She ignored him. “Let’s go back to the trailer and celebrate. Benji wants to play a game anyway. Apples to Apples. You guys in?”

There was only one answer to that. Beau stifled a sigh and contented himself with holding Connor’s hand the whole way back to their camp spot.

Aside from that frustration, it had been a great week. The kids had been right; the Gulf was a ton of fun. They were barely two hours from home, and yet they might as well be in a different world.

Connor had been surprised at the ease with which Beau maneuvered the long truck and trailer combination.

“Grew up on a ranch, remember?” Beau said, expertly backing the trailer between the trees flanking their cement pad. “I’ve been driving since I was twelve, and backing up horse trailers almost as long.”

The only downside to the trailer was the complete lack of privacy. Beau hadn’t been this sexually frustrated in a long time. He couldn’t wait to get back home. They’d finally finished the master bedroom, turning it into their sanctuary. A private sanctuary with plush bedding, a door that locked, and as much soundproofing as they could manage.

This was their last night of vacation. It was now or never. Beau was going to ask Connor to marry him if he had to do it in the middle of a crowd.

The sun had almost set completely, nothing remaining but a thin line of orange on the horizon. Stars twinkled in the dark sky. “Fire’s dying,” Connor said. He gently rolled Beau off of him and placed two more logs on the fire. Beau watched the sparks fly upwards between the branches of the oak trees and then fade away.

Just as he was beginning to wonder where they were, the other three kids came tearing down the road on their bicycles. They skidded to a stop, spraying dirt from the wheels. Jumping off, they let the bikes fall to the ground where they stood.

“Took you long enough,” Sean said.

“Pick up your bikes and put them away safely,’ Connor said, firmly in dad-mode.

“Do you know how hard it is to find popcorn here?” Fiona said, waving a box of microwave popcorn at Sean. “We had to go to seven different places. Finally, that couple with the three dogs that bark all night gave us some.”

“It’s the least they can do,” Connor said.

“Where have you guys been?” Beau asked. Not that it really mattered, part of the appeal of the place was how safe and family-friendly it was.

The kids had the run of the park, and they spent their days biking like maniacs around the trails with the swarm of other children, eating everyone’s food, fishing, swimming at the beach, and generally running wild. They were all constantly dirty, sunburned, tired, and very happy.

If they like this, Beau thought idly, they were going to love what he had planned for a family engagement present. That is if they ever got engaged.

“You ready?” Sean asked Fiona.

“We are ready!” Benji said firmly.

“Ready for what?” Beau asked, not lifting his head from Connor’s lap.

They ignored him and ran into the trailer. A disturbing amount of laughing and rattling and slamming of doors followed their exit.

Some of the kids’ friends drifted up to their campfire, either walking or riding bicycles or on skateboards.

“Hey,” Beau greeted them. He hadn’t bothered learning most of their names as it seemed to be a revolving cast of characters. Except for the twins, Jean and Jane, that Micah swore would be her best friends for eternity from now on. They had spent hours making matching friendship bracelets and decorating T-shirts with puff paint.

The kids came out of the trailer carrying a bizarre assortment of things, including a large piece of cardboard.

Where had they been hiding that?

Fiona had a notebook and a bulging plastic bag she carried as if it weighed nothing at all.

Maria and Rosemary, the lesbian couple with three young children, arrived carrying a foldable picnic table. Their kids followed silently behind them. Beau had spent some time trying to coax the shy children out of their shells. When the youngest waved to him, Beau counted that as a success.

Rosemary set up the table on the far side of the fire.

“Hey,” Connor said sounding puzzled. “What’s going on?”

Beau shrugged but pushed himself up to a sitting position.

Benji came over and plopped himself down in Beau’s lap. Beau would never get tired of that simple gesture. The casual physical and verbal affection between the siblings was something Beau had never experienced, and he loved it.

Then Benji said the phrase Beau had learned to dread over the past months. “We’re doing a skit!”

Beau groaned silently and heard Connor’s quiet chuckle. They’d spent some painful hours watching Benji and his friends ‘performing’ ‘skits’ that mostly consisted of stuffed animals and puppets being flung around the room to the sound of six-year-olds laughing hysterically.

Sean came out of the trailer with a giant bowl popcorn and a sleeve of small paper cups. “Help me out, buddy?”

“Yes sir,” Benji said bouncing off of Beau’s lap. He was more keyed up than usual. Grinning ear to ear, he scooped out a cup of popcorn and handed it to Connor.

The boys passed out little cups of popcorn to the crowd that had grown measurably to Beau’s surprise. There had to be fifteen people standing in a loose circle around their fire. He leaned over to whisper to Connor. “Do you know what’s going on?”

“Have no idea,” Connor answered with a frown.

“I didn’t get any popcorn,” Beau complained.

Connor held up a piece of popcorn between his finger and thumb and mimed throwing it. Beau opened his mouth, and Connor tossed the kernel at him. It hit him on the chin and then bounced to the ground. “Nice aim,” Beau said. “Try again.”

It took five of Connor’s crappy throws with Beau darting his head like a goalie watching a puck battle in front of the net for him to realize that Connor was aiming badly on purpose. “You idiot,” Beau said grabbing Connor’s hand as Connor laughed hysterically.

Beau grabbed Connor’s hand and pulled it to his mouth, sucking the kernel of popcorn from between his fingers. “Tasty,” he said, licking the salty butter off of Connor’s fingertips.

Connor’s dark eyes flashed at him, and he pressed his fingers down on Beau’s tongue. Of course, that was when Sean chose to drop down on the log next to them with a groan.

“Can’t you guys keep it in your pants for five minutes?” Sean sighed. He smacked his older brother on the arm. “Come on, pay attention. The show’s about to start.”

They had turned the folding table and piece of cardboard into a passable puppet theater. A red checked tablecloth was taped around the edges of the table to hide the performers, and a red velvet curtain hung in front of the stage. Beau could hear Benji and Micah giggling to each other from behind the cardboard. Fiona stood to one side of the stage, holding her opened notebook.

Beau looked around at the strangers who had become friends—even if just for the week—surrounding them. Happy families, a campfire, the man he loved next to him, and the children he loved putting on a show—his heart clenched at the simple joy of it all. He squeezed Connor’s hand, hoping his touch would say everything that he couldn’t.

Sean pulled out his cell phone, pointed it at the stage, and nodded at Fiona.

“Welcome, everybody,” Fiona said loudly. “This show is called The Prince and the Knight. I hope you like it.” She waited. Nothing happened. It was so quiet Beau could hear the crackling of the fire and the music coming from a few campsites down.

Fiona cleared her throat and gave someone to her left a small kick.

“Oh,” Micah said. Her hand reached over the top of the cardboard and flipped the curtain back to reveal a half-finished construction-paper castle and a dark-haired man with a crown and a red robe. He danced around the stage at the end of a popsicle stick. Four smaller puppets bobbed up and down next to him.

“Once upon a time,” Fiona read, “there was a sad, but very handsome prince who lived far away from home. After the king and queen were slain by a vicious dragon, Prince Connorette was forced to come back home and look after his royal siblings. Who were wonderful children and the joy of the land. The dragon had also destroyed the whole castle, and the prince and his subjects were on their own.”

“Connorette?” Beau whispered.

“Shh.” All of Connor’s attention was fixed on the stage.

The puppet children jumped up and down, and muffled giggles drifted out from behind the screen.

“Prince Connorette had spent so long being angsty and serious and fighting in a war far away that nobody in the whole land of Texlandia ever saw him smile.”

The prince disappeared, then reappeared with a paper hammer taped to his hand. He bopped over to the castle and slammed his hammer against the walls.

“The prince worked very hard to fix the castle and keep all the—” She turned and frowned.

“Do it,” Benji hissed loudly. “You said we could.”

Fiona sighed heavily. “And keep all the mighty war-pigs healthy,” she said with an eye roll.

The crowd laughed as the kids produced photos of Mac and Cheese, each taped to their own popsicle stick. Decked out in saddles cut from some horse magazine, the piggies towered over the prince and his family, almost reaching the top of the castle.

“Then one day,” Fiona said loudly with a glare at the giggling crowd, “a knight in shining armor appeared at the doors of the palace.”

Up popped a puppet with bright blue hair.

“Hello, I am Beaumeo,” Fiona read, making her voice as deep as she could.

Benji waved the blue-haired puppet around.

“I am a handsome knight with beefy arms who has come to save the day. But alas! My mighty war pig is injured.”

A third giant guinea pig popped up. This one had a band-aid on its leg.

“Oh, my stars,” Fiona said in a high-pitched voice. Apparently, she was doing all the voices.

“I never say ‘oh my stars’,” Connor whispered into Beau’s ear.

“Shh,” Beau said. “I like this Beaumeo guy.”

“You’re just in time for the Duke and Duchess Furrington’s wedding,” Benji shouted over whatever Fiona had been trying to say.

“What?” she said.

Mac and Cheese disappeared and reappeared a second later wearing tuxes. “Then the prince and knight attended the best wedding of all time ever thrown ever in the universe,” Benji said in one quick breath before Fiona could stop him.

Sean shook with silent laughter.

Fiona kicked sideways again, then cleared her throat and resumed reading. “All the people loved the brave knight Beaumeo. Seeing that the people needed him, he moved into the castle and helped revive it to its old glory.”

The old castle disappeared and a new one was slapped up in its place. This one had triangular pennants flying from its turrets and more glitter than Beau though was normal for a castle.

“After the mighty war-pig was healed, Prince Connorette and his subjects were granted the high honor of seeing Beaumeo ride his war pig in the jousting tournament.”

The third guinea pig returned with a hockey stick taped to its side. A fourth guinea pig with a hockey stick and spikes taped to its side popped up and they started battling viciously. The battle continued until the fourth piggie was brutally ripped from its popsicle stick.

“The sad prince started smiling again. Everything in the castle was calm. But, then tragedy struck again! Sir Beaumeo got called to joust in a tournament far away in another land and he had to leave right away.”

A paper Beaumeo carrying a suitcase appeared from behind the castle. He was frowning and had crayon tears on his face. He walked behind his war-pig and both puppets walked mournfully off the stage.

The crowd was silent.

Connor squeezed Beau’s hand and leaned against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Beau said for the millionth time.

Connor shook his head and gave a small a smile. “Nothing to be sorry for. Now hush. I want to see how it ends.”

Fiona’s face had grown very serious. “Prince Connorette stopped smiling, and all the subjects were worried the castle would never be happy again.” A frowning Connorette looked over the top of the castle, and the four kid puppets milled about murmuring sadly to themselves.

“Instead something amazing happened!”

Puppet Connorette flew backward. He returned wearing a cowboy hat and carrying a suitcase.

“The prince decided not to be a big baby for once in his life and hopped on his noble steed and raced after the knight.”

Connorette was plastered to the back of puppet-Cheese and they flew wildly back and forth across the stage.

“Beaumeo! Beaumeo! Wherefore art thou Beaumeo?” Fiona trilled.

After a sufficiently dramatic time had passed, and Connorette’s hat had flown away, Beaumeo appeared from stage left.

The two puppets flew into each other’s construction paper arm accompanied by wet kissing sounds.

“The two were reunited, and all was good again in Texlandia.” Fiona was silent.

One person in the crowd started clapping. “Is it over?” a tiny voice asked.

“But that wasn’t the end!” Fiona yelled, pointing at the crowd. Sean stood up, walking around to the side to film from a different angle.

“Unbeknownst to each other, the prince and the knight had both hatched a plan with the royal siblings. So one night, they gathered all their subjects and went on vacation.”

All the war-pigs and puppets marched across the stage.

Beau wanted to look at Connor, but he was frozen. He squeezed Connor’s hand so tightly, he was surprised Connor didn’t complain.

The curtain went down, there was a rustling from behind it, and it was lifted again. The castle was gone, and a paper sun shined over Beaumeo and Connerette as they sat by a paper beach.

“On a beautiful beach at sunset, each knight got down on one knee and offered a ring to the other. Beaumeo said yes to the prince, the prince said yes to Beaumeo, the subjects cheered, and the new grooms kissed.”

“They do that a lot,” Benji said sincerely from behind the sun. “Like, a lot.”

All the adults laughed, and Connor hid his hands in his face.

Fiona slapped her notebook shut. “And they all lived happily ever after.”

Benji and Micah came out from behind the stage. The crowd started to cheer and applaud, but Sean held his hand up for silence.

With one hand, he pointed the phone at Connor and Beau. With the other, he dug through the pocket of his shorts. “Connor,” he called. “Catch.”

“Sean, wait—” Connor said, holding out his hands as a small box passed closely over the top of the fire. He caught it before it hit the ground.

Grinning with anticipation, Beau turned to Sean.

“Ready?” Sean asked. Beau nodded, and Sean tossed a second small box to him. It landed neatly in his palm. As he’d suspected, it was the ring box he had thought was safely hidden in his suitcase.

Connor clutched his box tightly as he stared at Beau.

“We’re so smooth,” Beau said, smiling so hard his cheeks hurt.

“Jesus, what are you waiting for?” Fiona yelled.

Connor glared at her. “Fee! Language!”

“Oh, for god's sake.”

“Do it!” A man’s voice called from the crowd. “My ice is melting, and the champagne’s gonna get warm!”

“I thought you got that new Yeti cooler,” a second man said. “Supposed to keep ice for like three days.”

Beau snickered and slid forward on the log until his knees touched Connor’s. Awareness of the crowd faded away until there was only him and Connor. “What d’you say, Cowboy? Will you marry me?”

“I guess that depends, Beaumeo. Will you marry me?” Connor reached for Beau’s hand.

“I guess I have to now. That’s how the story ended.”

“Then, yes, I would love to marry you.” The tears in Connor’s eyes reflected the firelight, adding an orange glow to the warm brown that Beau loved so much.

With shaky hands, Beau opened the ring box. It was a simple gold ring that suited Connor perfectly. When they did get married, Beau would have it engraved. He held it out. “Ready?”

Connor nodded. Beau held his breath as he slipped the ring onto Connor’s finger. “Holy shit,” Connor whispered, looking at it. His curled his hand into a fist and opened it again, watching the ring glinting in the firelight.

The crowd clapped and cheered.

“Connor?” Sean asked.

“Oh, yeah. Right.” He opened his box and pulled out an identical band. “I didn’t know what to get. Fiona helped me pick it out.”

Beau grinned. “She helped me, too.”

“Ready?” Connor asked.

“I was born ready for this,” Beau answered.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Connor slipped the ring on Beau’s finger, and Beau pulled him in for a long, hard kiss.

Much later, after the champagne had been drunk, and the kids dispersed for sleepovers at their friends’ trailers, Beau and Connor lay naked and mostly sated in their bed in the back of the trailer. The real celebration was going to have to wait until they were someplace more soundproof.

Beau’s head rested on Connor’s shoulder, and his hand was splayed across Connor’s chest. Connor rubbed the ring with his thumb. Then he placed his hand on top of Beau’s so their rings were side by side. “Unbelievable.”

“What?” Beau asked. “That you agreed to marry me? I’m pretty shocked, too.”

Connor lifted Beau’s hand to his mouth and kissed the palm gently. “All of it. Everything.” He laid Beau’s hand on his cheek and nuzzled against it. “I miss my mom,” he said quietly. “I wish she had met you. She would have loved you.”

Beau turned Connor’s head and kissed him gently. “And I would have loved her. I know she must have been an amazing parent. Her and Brent both. Look at how their kids turned out.”

Connor nodded, a few tears trickling from the corner of his eyes. “Do you think we can do it?” he asked. “Live happily ever after?”

Beau pushed himself up on his elbow to look Connor right in the eye. “Baby, we already are.”