Timothy M.

PS I'm dying with curiosity about what was in the telegram Sven got at the beginning of the story.

I haven't come across that one in the stories I edit or read. I mostly get break / brake, there / their / they're and things like that.

Some authors do.

@Bucket1

Tillykke ! Hope your daughter-in-law is doing well, too.

As far as I recall the only swear words CJ uses are fuck and asshole, and perhaps a shit here and there. I was looking for something milder.

I loved the official harassment ploy. And the ending was perfectly just.

Thanks, Carlos. Yeah, I know bloody hell is British, but I thought it had gotten around more. Please teach me some US swear words.

I thought you were supposed to take it easy and rest your shoulder ?

I like most of David's stories, and this one is no exception.

It was a surprise that people in the community knew about Nels, but I guess it's hard to keep secret. He was brave to pursue what he wanted, both the farming and being with Sven. Gus was a decent and compassionate man, who learned from his friendship with gay guys and from the unrequited love of his best friend. He was also clever to use the Bible to stomp on the brewing trouble from his parishioners. A wonderful story, Cole.

Now they just need to make Chris return to Tad, and they can all be together. I'm glad Nate was honest about being with Chris. Tad is awesome, and I hope they have years together before the end. He deserves to be loved by two devoted guys, and to know they'll have each other for comfort when he gets sick, and when he's gone.

I think Chris and Nate should both be there for Tad as long as he lives, and they can stay a couple afterwards. Threesomes are great, and even better if the guys love each other.

I hope Heath appreciates his friend's efforts and asks him to be best man, eventually. And YAY for Aidan finally standing up to his boss.

Modern life sometimes seems to be all about realizing who you are and following your dreams. Nothing wrong with that, but sometimes you can be so focused on those far-away, greener pastures, you forget to appreciate what you have, and you're blind to the wishes of those who care about you. On the other hand, sometimes your love for someone will make you suppress your own wants and needs in order to make them happy. It may work for a while, but the mental price can be high, and maybe one day you snap and escape, leaving behind hurt and bewildered people. The main protagonist of this story has his life up-ended due to the issues described above and has to reevaluate his life and his dreams. The outcome is not what he expected, and he learns to view the people closest to him, himself and his past in a slightly different light. This may sound very philosophical and maybe even boring, but the story isn't the least bit dull. It has a great blend of drama, heartbreak, romance, nature, fun, home comfort, and family love, spiced up with a touch of magic. It's only later, as the story simmers in the back of your mind, that you start considering all the unspoken lessons to learn. In other words, another wonderful tale from Gary. I heartily recommend it.

Thanks, B. Yeah, I miss my grandmother too, but I feel lucky I had her for many years. You're right about Hugh, he's had luck in his family, his job and now his love life.

We never got to hear who his owner ended up sharing a bed with.

Yeah, who could have guessed taking part in @Cia's household item challenge could lead to this. But my fire series wouldn't have been a success without your help, Gary, and especially with this part where the romance came to the foreground. You always know what'll work and what has to be changed. So thank you again for your help. I'm glad the fire extinguisher antics made you laugh in the midst of your painful recovery from shoulder surgery. And you certainly made my day with both a comment and a review, so no need to apologize. Thank you for the special mention of my grandma, she was important to me and to Hugh. Those of us who are lucky to have had loving and supportive grandparents (whether instead of or as well as as well as parents) should treasure their memories. And I loved the coincidence of both our stories having special grandmother being pivotal. To sjæle, en tanke.

You're welcome, even if Hugh is perhaps more muscular than you prefer. NO more story mixing, LOL. Although, I guess Hugh and Dean could run into a certain toll both operator and his police detective friend.

Well, his boss was tolerant and most of the younger firefighters. For those who were still living in the last century with the Victorian mindset Hugh had plenty of witty replies to make them look foolish. But you're probably right about the macho world and this is certainly a major factor for Dean being in the closet. I love your blaze imagery, that's just perfect to describe those two. They're probably eager to make up for lost time. Good thing they have a fire extinguisher handy.

LOL, yes the suggestion from his grandmother was quite useful. Hugh's patience paid off too when Dean finally admitted his attraction. I'm very happy my story made you smile, and your comment did the same for me.

Thank you very much, Jeff ! As said to @Parker Owens I had my doubts about the viability of the story. Even though my editor @Headstall assured me it was great and his suggestions for improvement made a huge difference, I still thought it was long-winded and a little tame. But at least it might satisfy the hungry birds who had been cheeping at me to know more about Dean. Or so I thought until I got to the part where you ask for more. I'm gonna borrow a gif from @Myr But otherwise I'm lapping up the praise with huge smile on my face and a grateful heart, and I'm particularly happy you liked my grandmother.

Thank you very much, Parker. Your praise means more than you can guess. I had so many doubts about this story, was it too boring (no major drama), too long, impossibly positive, too fragmented, etc. Knowing it gave you a warm feeling has me smiling and feeling utterly content.

Thank you !!

@ColumbusGuy No, you're not slow. I didn't intend for the story to be too clearly connected to my two fire extinguisher stories, because anthology contributions have to be stand-alone. Knowing those stories would simply be an extra bonus for some readers - and I did get at least one reader who tracked them down afterwards and left likes. YAY ! I'm glad you think the fire fighter training programs are a valid concept. I'm delighted you enjoyed the story. Tak, min ven.