Story Prompts, Articles, and Ramblings - 2. Anniversary

"It's not that I didn't like the gift..."

"You don't," Ron interrupted while he flipped through a magazine.

"Right, but he doesn't have to know that."

"He will figure it out when you never wear it again and it goes the way the rest of his gifts have gone," Ron stated as he gestured towards the hall closet.

"It's our fifth year anniversary, that deserves something more romantic than a brown coat and an even plainer brown scarf," Daniel exclaimed as he pushed his hair from his forehead.

"It could have been worse you know."

"Really, how?"

"Remember the animal print top he bought you two years ago," Ron said as he put the magazine down on his lap. "What kind of animal was that again?"

"Zebra."

"Right, that would have been much worse, a zebra printed coat with matching scarf."

"Sometimes I wonder if he is even gay," Daniel exclaimed.

"I doubt that," Ron said with a grin as he busied himself with his magazine. "I see how you walk into the kitchen the morning after date night."

"That's what I mean," Daniel stood up angrily. "You shouldn't be privy to our love making sessions."

"And you shouldn't be calling it 'our love making sessions' either."

"We use to stay out all night just talking. We'd go out for long walks on the beach under the moonlight. We'd hold hands and make out until the sun came up over the city."

"And I remember when you thought turtle necks hid your tremendously long neck."

Daniel ignored his brother and continued, "Now I cook dinner, he opens a bottle of wine. We snuggle on the couch while watching Alien Encounters before shuffling off to our bed promptly at nine pm, where our love making sessions begin and then end by nine-thirty."

"Sounds like a pretty horrible life to me," Ron said as he stood up and looked at his watch. "You have a man that not only puts up with all your crazy insecurities, your family baggage, and still loves you so much there are times I get physically ill being in the same room with you two. It's real horrible."

"You know what I mean," Daniel said as he threw up his hands in frustration. "What if it's over?"

Ron rolled his eyes. He loved his brother more than anything but there were times it was exhausting listening to his insecurities. "Come on drama queen, we have to go if we are going to make that seven o'clock showing."

"I can't believe he has to work late on our anniversary."

"Damn," Ron stated as he looked down at his shoe. "I think I have a broken shoelace. Why don't you go get the car and I"ll change shoes and meet you down in a minute."

"Okay."

The moment the door closed behind Daniel, Ron pulled out his phone and waited for the connection.

"Is it set?" The voice on the other end asked.

"My crazy brother is walking down as we speak."

"How mad is he?"

"You know my brother, he doesn't even know how he feels moment to moment."

"Thanks again for watching the house this weekend. You are by far my favorite brother in law."

"I'm your only brother in law weirdo," Ron said with a laugh. "Have fun in Bermuda."

Ron returned his phone in his pocket and kicked off his shoes. He sat down on the sofa and put his hands behind his head and sighed loudly, "Finally, some peace and quiet."