"I do!"

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife."

On Friday September 3rd, 2010, Father Tim O'Donnell declared Claire Anderson and Steve McNally to be husband and wife. It was a small ceremony in Bridgeton's Catholic Church. Claire and Steve opted for the simple and quiet ceremony, especially after John and Bobby's streamside bonanza three years prior and Brian and Justin's extravaganza earlier in the Spring. The only family in attendance was John, Bobby, Brian, Justin, Hunter and Nick, and Bill and his long time partner, Gary. Claire wore a sedate beige suit and was escorted down the aisle by John and Brian. Bill and Bobby stood up for Steve. The Labor Day weekend was upon them, so they decided to celebrate the end of summer and the wedding with a huge barbecue at the Andersons, now the Anderson-McNally farm, the next day. For now, they all piled into their cars and headed to Harrisburg for a nice dinner at one of Harrisburg's finest restaurants.

"Mother, why aren't you two going on a honeymoon? You deserve a nice getaway. You both do," John stated and the family all nodded in agreement.

"John, I intend to take your mother on a nice vacation after the holidays. I have a surprise for her," Steve said with just a touch of blush to his ruddy cheeks.

"Oh? Keeping secrets from me already?" Claire teased.

"Well, if it's not a state secret, where are you going to go?" Justin asked with a bright smile, his thoughts briefly drifting back to the wonderful time he and Brian had in Greece.

"I've booked us into the Las Vegas Hilton the second week in January. The weather is not too cold or too hot and we can do some gambling. I've always loved Blackjack. And I've always wanted to see Hoover Dam. We can even go to the Grand Canyon!" Steve announced.

"Oooo!" The family exclaimed in unison then all laughed. They all sounded like Emmett.

"Maybe you can try a little golf. There are hundreds of golf courses out there. Just be careful of the casinos. No need to come home broke," Bill warned.

"I'm not really into gambling but I wouldn't mind trying the slot machines," Claire added. "Oh Steve, I can hardly wait," Claire gushed.

"Mom, you deserve the best. You're always doing things for everyone else. You deserve a little fun in your life," John said with a sigh. He knew his mother was always looking after everyone in her family, including the family she acquired when it expanded with Brian and Justin.

"John's right, Claire. You always have time for all of us. It's only right that you should have a good time and you'll have plenty of privacy for all the nooky you and Steve will have," Brian snarked with a twinkle in his eye.

"BRIIIAN!" The family shouted at him.

"What?"

*****

Later that night, Brian pulled into the cottage's driveway.

"We better hit the hay, Sunshine. Most of Liberty Avenue will descend on the farm tomorrow. I need my beauty sleep if I'm going to be able to deal with them."

"Okay, I want to water the plants first," Justin said with a little frown as he walked to the porch. He had asked John to install a small utility sink in the corner attached to the main wall. It came in handy to clean up after painting and now he had a hose attachment so he could water all the plants. He even had an extending wand to reach the hanging baskets. Carefully, he began to water all the plants. Sensing something was not quite right with the boy, Brian joined Justin in the porch.

"Justin, what's wrong?"

"Nothing really. You'll think it's dumb."

"Tell me."

"The plants."

"What about them? You wanted them, didn't you? This is what you had in mind."

"It's exactly what I had in mind but do you think they're a little too gay. They seem to scream out, 'Queen'."

"Justin."

"See! Dumb."

"Not dumb. I admit when I first saw them I thought the same thing. Big bad Brian Kinney has plants and wicker furniture. God, when did I become so domestic. But then I took another look and I realized that this fits."

"What do you mean?"

"The loft is Brian Kinney and the rest of the cottage is soothing, calm and a bit minimalist. But here, in the porch with the sun streaming in during the day and the stars at night, the porch with the plants, reflects the natural surroundings. We haven't decided about the garden yet and you remember how stark the trees look in winter. In here it will always be Spring. When it's cold outside, we can snuggle on the bed amidst the plants. It's almost like camping out but without the bugs."

"Or the frogs," Justin giggled.

"Especially the frogs. I know we look like a page out of House Beautiful but it's grown on me. And we're very fortunate to have it. Winter can be long and drawn out up here. We'll appreciate a little greenery when everything looks so grey outside. Besides, weren't you going to paint me in all my naked glory on the bed with the palms as a backdrop? You can entitle the painting, 'Stud Amongst the Palms'," Brian said with a smirk.

Justin's giggles escalated into laughs and all was right in the world again.

"Okay, I concede your point, Brian."

"I thought you would. Why don't we sleep out here tonight, make love under the stars. It's a very clear night. You can see every star."

"Mmm, I like that idea. But aren't you afraid you'll scare the frogs?"

"It'll serve them right. Come on, Sunshine. Don't drown these poor things. Let's get ready for bed." Brian gave Justin a hug and felt his lover nod against his chest.

Brian and Justin went to sleep under the stars.

*****

"Do you have to go?" Hunter asked as Nick loaded up the family car with all the stuff he would need for another year at Penn.

"You know I'll miss you, but I have to go."

Hunter pulled Nick into a passionate kiss. The summer, short as it was, had been great. They had spent so much time together, and now they were going to be separated for weeks on end.

"I wish you were coming with me," Nick whispered.

"Me too."

Nick and his mother climbed into the car and they drove off while Hunter stood and watched them go. Hunter climbed into his truck and headed back to the farm. Claire was getting a pot roast started on the stove. It would cook all afternoon.

"Hi, Hunter," she said as he walked in and flopped down in one of the kitchen chairs. "I guess that look means that Nick has left."

"Yeah."

"And you're going to miss him." Hunter nodded. "You know, for a bright boy, you are dumb as a rock sometimes."

"Pardon," Hunter said with a frown.

"You want to do some graduate work, don't you?"

"Yeah, so?

"Why not do it at Penn?"

"But…"

"No buts, apply."

"But it's a big school and I'm coming from a community college. They'll never accept me."

"You won't know until you try. Don't forget, Hunter, you were valedictorian of your class. You're a very bright boy … about some things," Claire added with a nod of her head.

"But I've already been accepted here. I start next week."

"So start. That doesn't mean you can't transfer if you get in. Try for next semester."

Hunter studied his fingers as he thought about Claire's suggestion. Maybe he could do that and then he and Nick could be together.

Just then there was a cry from the other room. "I'll get him," Hunter said. He disappeared into the dining room. A moment later he reappeared with John and Bobby's baby in his arms. "Little Red seems to want his lunch," Hunter said kissing the baby's head. Patrick gurgled and cooed happy to be picked up. "You're such a good baby, aren't you, Patrick?" Hunter continued to talk to the little guy.

"His next bottle is in the fridge. I'll get it ready," Claire said as she went to do so. "Do you want to feed him?"

"Sure," Hunter said chucking the baby under the chin. A minute or two later Claire handed him the bottle. "Did you check it?" Hunter asked.

"All ready to go," Claire said with a smile as Hunter sat down and fed the bottle to Patrick. He began to drink greedily.

"When does he start getting real food?"

"He already gets some Pablum, and he'll be teething soon."

"They get cranky when they're teething, don't they?"

"Usually. It hurts. How come you know so much about babies?"

"Since you let me help you with the little guy. I looked some stuff up on the internet."

Claire grinned. "You'll make a good father some day."

"That will never happen since I'm HIV positive," Hunter said shaking his head.

"But Nick might have a child and you would be one of the parents."

"Geez, Nick and I aren't married or anything."

"But you love each other. Who knows?"

Hunter looked at Claire and then down at the baby. He loved Little Red. He could only imagine how much he would love a child that belonged to him and Nick.

When John arrived some time later he found the house very quiet. Claire was upstairs resting, Hunter had fallen sleep on the couch and Little Red was standing in his collapsible playpen watching the world go by.

"Hey, little one," John said picking up his son. "Everybody went to sleep and you don't have anybody to play with. Well, Daddy's here now. What do you want to do? I could teach you to play poker." Patrick gave him a puzzled look. "No? Not poker? Hmm, how about horseshoes? There's an old horseshoe pitch out by the barn. I could renovate it and we could have a game." Patrick reached up and grabbed his father's lip pulling it gently between his little fingers. "Or, I could kiss you silly?" John said making a raspberry on his son's tummy and causing the baby to giggle.

"What's up?" Hunter said coming to and hearing the sweet sound of baby laughter.

"Just playing with my son. He decided he liked kisses better than playing horseshoes."

"A man after my own heart," Hunter laughed. "Why would you want to play horseshoes anyway? What does that mean?"

"You've never played horseshoes?"

"Um … city boy here. Don't know anything about country stuff, and horseshoes sounds decidedly country."

"You've been here so long and you work so hard on the farm that I forget you're originally a city boy."

"Thanks, I think."

"We have an old horseshoe pitch out by the barn."

"What, do you see how far you can fling the horseshoes?"

"Not exactly. Come on outside and I'll show you. Little Red can get his first lesson in horseshoes too."

Hunter followed John outside. By the barn they found a wooden frame embedded in the ground. It obviously hadn't been used for a long time. It was all overgrown with weeds.

"Grandpa Aidan taught me how to play," John said staring at the frame. "I haven't played since he died."

"How long is that?"

"Too long."

Hunter chuckled and pulled some of the weeds away. "There's a metal rod in the middle of the box."

"Yeah, you try to get the horseshoe to wrap around the peg and that's how you score."

"That must be tricky."

"You want to fix these up and I'll show you how it's done?"

"Um … sure, I guess so." Hunter wasn't too sure about this but he had learned to skip stones. Maybe this was the next step in his education.

"Over there should be another frame," John said pointing in a line alongside the barn.

"Another one?"

"Yeah, you throw your horseshoes into this one and then I pitch them back to you in your box."

"Oh, I see, I think." He found the other frame just as he said that. "It looks like some of the boards on this one are rotted out."

John walked over to see. He set the baby down on the ground as he and Hunter squatted to pull weeds away and get a better look at the frame. "I could grab some boards off my construction site tomorrow, and I'll bring home a bag of sand."

"John."

"If you'll clean out the weeds…"

"John."

"What?"

John turned just in time to see Little Red take two faltering steps before falling on his face in the soft grass.

"He's fucking starting to walk," Hunter said with a big grin.

John picked up his son and pulled off the grass he had gathered in his fall. "My little man is growing up," John crowed. He smothered the baby's face in kisses. "Wait till I tell Bobby about this."