From Here to Forever - 1. Chapter 1

The bright sunlight sparkled on the waters of Hudson Bay below as Charlie Wagner stood drinking his coffee on the deck of the restaurant. The noise of the patrons as well as his own family dimmed as he felt two arms encircle him.

“So how is the sexiest guy in the place making out?” Scott Reeds asked huskily into Charlie’s ear.

Charlie turned and smiled at his boyfriend. He had learned to tease Scott and was getting pretty good at it. “I don’t know. I think the waiter is awfully cute. I mean, he is big, strong, and has all that nice hair.”

Scott’s deep blue eyes narrowed. “Don’t even think it,” he growled.

Charlie laughed and nearly spilt his coffee.

“Boys, I’m sure whatever is being said I shouldn’t be hearing,” Barbara Wagner announced as she walked over to them. “So now that Becca and Nita are safely married and on their honeymoon, are you boys coming home or what?”

Charlie laughed and shook his head. “No, Mom. Scott and I figured since we are already on the road, we might as well enjoy it. Scott wants to surprise me with a few places, but I’m hoping we can go to Boston, and take the ferry home later. We are both off for the week.”

“Yeah, Julie and Nick are watching the bookstore for me. They are enjoying the overtime.” Scott smiled, and hugged Charlie. “Besides, the last time we managed to slip away, it was to Atlantic City. I couldn’t get Charlie off the Pier.”

“Well, I won’t complain. You brought us home all that saltwater taffy.” Barbara smiled and kissed them both. “Just remember to buy postcards and send them, Charlie.” Barbara winked and headed off.

“Your family is never boring, love.” Scott shook his head as he watched the various members of the Wagner clan talk and laugh with Juanita Sanchez’s family. Rebecca and Juanita had met in college and fallen in love. Scott had met them a year ago at the Wagner Thanksgiving party. The family had accepted Scott and included him in everything they did together. So when Charlie had been made a member of the wedding party for his cousin’s wedding, Scott was his date.

“Boring is not something you can ever say about my family.”

“So what is this about postcards?” Scott asked as they walked back to their table.

“It is something we all do when we go on vacation. We send postcards so the family has ideas on where to go and what to see. If you remember, I bought a bunch when we went to Atlantic City. We have occasionally copied one another’s vacations, and sometimes if one of us finds a really good place, the whole family goes there together.”

Scott and Charlie sat down at the nearly empty table, only to have it fill moments later with various members of Charlie’s family.

“So where are you two going?” Rick Jr. asked as he straddled a chair.

"I hope you two have fun.” Wade slipped into the seat beside Rick and rested his head on his fiancé’s shoulder.

“I’m surprised you two are still here.” Scott looked at Wade. “Don’t you have practice?”

Wade laughed. “I always have practice, but the coach doesn’t expect me ‘til tomorrow morning. We are heading back after breakfast.”

“Besides, you know Grandma would have killed us if we tried to slip out early. She likes playing hostess where she can.” Rick shot a look at his grandmother, Barbara.

Barbara seemed to know they were talking about her, because she turned and waved at them.

“Charlie, how does she do that?” Rick hissed at his cousin.

“Don’t ask me.” Charlie laughed as his brother, Rick Sr., and sister-in-law, Tonya, sat down.

“I hope your wedding is as beautiful as this one,” Tonya said to her son.

“Aw, please.” Rick Jr. blushed, and Wade leaned in to kiss his cheek.

“All the kids seem to be getting married.” Rick Sr. smiled and turned to Charlie.

“Whoa. We haven’t even discussed it.” Charlie blushed and held up his hands. “When one of us asks the other, we will let you know.”

Tonya giggled and shook her head. “You two are like an old married couple already.”

Before much more could be said, Barbara and Joe were thanking everyone for coming to their granddaughter’s wedding and sharing this special time with both families.

Charlie and Scott made their way to Scott’s truck. They had their bags packed and didn’t need to return to the hotel like most of the rest of the guests. The two waved to various members of the family as they made their way back to the highway.

“Okay, so you’re hijacking me for this. You wouldn’t even let me know all the places we are heading.” Charlie shot a look at Scott.

“Because you always want to over plan everything. Besides, right now we are on our way to see my old friend Lisa. She is meeting us in town for a quick bite and to show us one of the museums near her. I hope you enjoy it.”

“Doesn’t she live in Bridgewater?”

“Yes, but we are meeting her in Danbury.” Scott smiled and turned on the radio as Charlie sat back and watched the traffic and the landscape change.

They made a stop in Fishkill to return the tuxedos they had rented for the wedding before turning onto Roadway 84. Charlie was a bit nervous because of the mountains, and the speed that everyone traveled at on the roadway, even though he knew from the signs that the speed limit was 60. Scott didn’t seem to mind as they flowed with the traffic.

“So where are we meeting Lisa?”

Scott glanced for a moment at Charlie and shook his head.

“Oh, come on now. Is it a fancy place?”

Scott laughed. “No. Not a fancy place. We are going to Stew Leonard’s.”

Charlie was silent for a moment. “Um. Who the hell is Stew Leonard?”

Scott laughed again. “You’ll see when we get there.”

Charlie turned and watched the traffic again. He could see fast moving trucks, and kids playing in the backseats of other cars. He spotted farms and roadways that they passed, and it felt like the road just kept going, but none of it seemed to bother Scott, who had once lived up here. There were times when he realized the two of them had different backgrounds, and it was nice to know he could still learn about his boyfriend after a year together.

“We’ll be there soon,” Scott commented as they passed the Welcome to Connecticut sign.

They took one of the many off-ramps to Danbury, and before Charlie knew it they drove past a Best Buy, under a bridge, and into the Stew Leonard’s parking lot.

As they entered the store, the smell of coffee and baked goods assaulted Charlie’s nose. He followed Scott, who grabbed a basket and began to load up on cookies and snacks as they walked through.

“What is all that for?” Charlie shook his head as he followed Scott around another bend in the store.

“We have a lot of driving and sightseeing to do. I figured we might as well have some snacks with us. I want to pick up some drinks and stuff while we are here.” Scott moved into the next section, and began to grab apples, oranges, and some pears.

“Um, I thought we were meeting your friend here?”

“We are, but no one said we couldn’t get a few things we needed while we are here.” Scott smiled as he passed the basket to Charlie, and grabbed a case of water. “Just want to grab a few chips, and we can pay and put these in the car. Then we’ll meet Lisa over by the hot food.”

“You mean there is more?” Charlie tried to look ahead, but the store seemed to keep wrapping back and forth, making each turn reveal a surprise.

“Come on.” Scott laughed and moved them through one of the openings and to the cashier. He grabbed a cooler that was near the checkout counter, adding it to the purchases he was making. He then paid for the goodies, all before dragging Charlie out to put their purchases into his truck.

A moment later, they reentered the store, and Scott led them over to where the hot food was. Charlie hadn’t seen anything like this. There was a section for fried chicken, poppers, and mozzarella sticks; one area for Chinese food, a section for sandwiches and things, a pizza section, and standing at the start of it all was Lisa.

"Scott, you devil. Look at you.” Lisa walked over and hugged him. “You look fantastic. What have you been up to, babe?”

“You’re still a terror, I see.” Scott smiled and shook his head. “Just good living.”

Charlie stood shyly to the side until Scott grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug. “This is my Charlie. Charlie this is Lisa.”

Lisa smiled, took Charlie’s hand, and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Nice to finally meet you. Looks like you have been taking good care of this old bear.” She nodded her head toward Scott.

“Hey, knock off the ‘old’ bit.” Scott blushed.

“I try.” Charlie smiled.

“Well, grab whatever you are hungry for. There are picnic tables outside. We can eat and catch up, and then I will take you to the museum.”

They each made up their minds to grab whatever caught their fancy. They went back to the checkout lines, paid, and headed outside to sit at one of the picnic tables. Charlie was surprised by how good everything was, but mainly stayed quiet as Lisa and Scott played catch up. It wasn’t long ‘til the food was done, and Scott followed Lisa’s car into downtown Danbury.

The museum wasn’t really one building but a collection of buildings that they roamed through, learning about the history of Danbury. From the birthplace of Charles Ives, to one of the old industries that had made Danbury famous, the Dodd Hat Shop, the museum offered a unique look at the history of the area. They wandered into the museum’s gift shop, and Charlie picked up a bunch of postcards to mail to his various family members. Eventually, they headed outside into the early afternoon sun.

“I used to live in Bethel and worked here in Danbury. I just wanted you to see what I saw daily while I lived here,” Scott told Charlie as he hugged him close.

“I donate a lot of time here and know the history of the local towns. It feels like I’ve known Scott nearly forever. We met when Scott took a course at Western Connecticut University around the corner,” Lisa piped in. “He has been there for a number of big events in my life. I’m glad to have such a great friend.”

Scott just blushed and hugged Charlie for a moment.

“It is really beautiful here.” Charlie looked at the main street of the town and, in some respects, couldn’t help but think of Patchogue, where he was from.

“I’d show you around Bethel, but other than P.T. Barnum’s house, there isn’t a lot to show you.” Scott shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, while I would love to spend more time with you, however, Dennis is due to get out of his art class soon. I need to go pick him up.” Lisa reached out and hugged Scott. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“You can come down and visit us. Dennis would love the house. It is right on the water. You know he loves to sketch.”

“I might just take you up on that offer. It was nice meeting you, Charlie.” Lisa hugged Charlie and kissed his cheek again.

"You, too.” Charlie blushed and watched as she rushed off to her car.

“Scott, um, who is Dennis?”

Scott laughed. “I’m sorry, babe. Dennis is her son. Lisa was married, but her and her husband didn’t end up making a great married couple. They found out they are better as friends. Damien is a great father to their son, but they are both much better off in separate homes.”

Charlie shook his head. He was learning a lot about Scott so far on this trip. His interests extended to history and people. Then again, Charlie felt like he shouldn’t be too surprised; after all, Scott did own a book store.

“Come on. If we get a move on, we can make the other museum I wanted to get to.”

“Do I get a hint?” Charlie asked as they moved toward the truck.

“Yeah. We are going to see the homestead of one of your parents’ favorite artists.”

Charlie stopped and looked at Scott. His parents liked a lot of artists, so that was really no help to him at all.

All Charlie could figure out was they travelled north up Route Seven. They kept losing radio stations, so eventually they just plugged in Scott’s iPod and listened to his music. Charlie was content to let Scott take him wherever he wanted to. He had long ago learned he could trust Scott to take him safely anywhere. It was nice not having to worry about every little detail for a change.

Charlie fell asleep a half hour into the drive and woke up only when Scott gently shook him awake.

“Hmm. Where are we?” Charlie opened one eye and realized it had to be late afternoon.

"We are at the Norman Rockwell Museum.” Scott smiled as he watched Charlie rub the sleep from his eyes.

“Oh. Yeah, Mom and Dad do like his paintings.” Charlie yawned. “Um, we should hurry.”

“They don’t close for two hours yet.”

“That isn’t the reason.” Charlie looked around and blushed. “I have to pee.”

Scott laughed and got out of the truck. The two men made their way over to the building, paid the entrance fee, and headed to the bathroom so they could relieve themselves after the nearly two-hour drive.

Charlie had taken some art classes as an undergraduate so he had been exposed to Rockwell’s style, but seeing the sheer number of sketches, paintings, and other work was astounding. The two men had joined a tour group, and listened as the guide explained Rockwell’s art from his earliest pieces to the nearly gritty work of his Four Freedoms.

"He painted America as it should have been,” Charlie whispered to Scott.

"He found the best of us, but he didn’t shy away from the worst of it either.” Scott pointed to a painting on the wall of a little girl walking with U.S. Marshals, bigotry painted on the wall behind her.

They stood looking at the information about the painting The Problem We All Live With. Scott teared up, and they walked away with new appreciation for the abilities of the artist.

They stopped at the gift shop on the way out, and Charlie picked up more postcards and a few gifts. Scott bought himself a tee shirt with Rockwell’s Triple Self Portrait on it. They both bought something for Barbara, and then headed out toward the truck.

“This has been great so far.” Charlie leaned over and kissed Scott. “So where to next?”

Scott opened the back of the truck, slipped their new packages in, and covered them with a large blanket. He closed up, and then looked at Charlie as they wandered toward Rockwell’s workroom, which was behind the museum.

“I want to take you to Salem and Boston, but I don’t think we will make the drive today, ’cause I’m starting to feel it.” Scott stopped and yawned as they walked through the early evening light.

They wandered around the grounds a bit, and as they started to head back toward the truck, Charlie had an idea. Scott got them into the truck, and slowly started heading east.

Charlie took out his phone and began to do some checking of his own. A few minutes later he smiled.

“You are already on Route 90, right?”

“Yeah. I think we can find a restaurant at the next exit to eat at.” Scott glanced at Charlie. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to feel really hungry, and I’m not in the mood for snacks.”

“Okay. We stop and eat, and then we are going to get a motel in Sturbridge.”

“Sturbridge? Why stop in Sturbridge?”

“Well, if we are going past it, I want to stop in Sturbridge Village. Mom and Dad took me there as a kid, and to be honest, I don’t really remember it. However, the rest of family does, and they talk about how much they love it, and I’d like to spend a bit of time there. Besides, since we don’t have a time schedule to keep, why not?”

“Why, Charlie, I do believe you are finally getting into this road trip.” Scott smiled as he continued the drive.

They never really left Route 90 as they drove on. There was a gas stop with a fast food restaurant and a deli. They got food, took time to go to the bathroom, filled up the car, and grabbed a few more snacks. They even got some ice for the cooler and packed the water bottles into it so that the water would get cold.

As they approached Sturbridge, Charlie found a motel on his phone, and soon they were checked in and settling into their room.

“They have a pool, Charlie. Come on. Let’s go swimming.”

“I’ll watch you swim. You know I am not a swimmer.” Charlie shook his head as Scott stripped quickly, opened his travel case, and dug out a pair of swim trunks.

“Charlie, I realize you don’t like to swim, but I don’t think they will let you go in naked. I mean, it is a family motel.”

Charlie shook his head as he stood there digging through his case. He hated the water, but knew Scott would have slipped a swimsuit into his case. What he found was a very small suit.

“Are you kidding? You get swim trunks, and you pack this, this string, for me to wear?” Charlie blushed to his toes as he stood there, holding the bikini Scott had packed for him.

“Like I tell you all the time, love, if you have it, flaunt it. And let’s face it, you have it.” Scott smiled and winked at him. He slipped into the bathroom and came back with a towel over his shoulder.

Charlie, meanwhile, slipped into the little suit, and once Scott came out of the bathroom he went in. He returned, wrapped in one of the largest towels he could find. He followed Scott, holding the towel tightly in one hand and the room key card in the other.

The pool had a family swimming in it and another female guest, who was floating around in it. Scott wasted no time climbing in and starting to swim laps from one side to the other. Charlie couldn’t help but watch the graceful way Scott cut through the water. He was also amazed at his boyfriend’s stamina. They had been up at five a.m., packed, and went to help his mother gather up the stuff she needed. Then they helped Barbara and Joe down to their car with the bags and luggage. The trip to the restaurant had only been a short drive, and they had been on their way down to Danbury by nine thirty that morning. It seemed they had been on the move all day, and Scott had done all the driving. It wasn’t Charlie’s favorite thing to do, but he knew Scott would need a break tomorrow, and they were heading up toward his sister’s place. anyway. Charlie watched Scott for a bit, but eventually he started to remember other trips and things Scott had taken him to.

“Hey, babe.”

Charlie realized he had been daydreaming and looked up to find Scott standing before him, drying off with his towel.

“Sorry. Was lost in thought.” Charlie smiled up at Scott and was struck again at how handsome he really was.

“Well, let’s head back to the room. Since I couldn’t seduce you into the pool, I worked out my frustrations swimming laps.” Scott paused as Charlie blushed. He winked before he spoke again. “You are so cute when you do that. Honestly, though, I need to shower to get off the smell of chlorine. Then we can hit the sack and get some sleep.”

Charlie smiled and hugged Scott. “Come on, I’ll get us back into the room.”

They walked down the hallway and Charlie slid the key through the reader. As the door opened, Scott patted Charlie’s ass and slipped past him into the bathroom.

“Cheeky devil.” Charlie laughed as he looked into the bathroom.

“Cheeky? Me?” Scott smiled and turned around, then dropped his bathing trunks and flashed Charlie his bare ass.

Charlie laughed and headed back into the room. He turned down the bed, dug out a pair of lounge pants, turned up the air conditioner, and then finally turned on the local news.

Charlie could just make out parts of the song Scott was singing in the shower. He smiled as he remembered Scott singing the same song while they had gone on a trip to London together. The trip had been a gift from Charlie’s parents, Barbara and Joe. They had a week in England but spent nearly all of it in and around London. He’d learned to be really comfortable with Scott on that trip. In fact, right after it, he finally agreed to give up his apartment and move in with Scott. It was, in his opinion, still the best decision he had ever made.

“You know you could have joined me?”

“And missed out on you singing to me?”

Scott laughed.

“Alright, I need a quick shower myself. I have the news on. Check to see what the weather is supposed to be like for tomorrow. I’ll be right back.”

Scott kissed Charlie as he went to pass.

“Yum. But, let me shower. I don’t want to go to bed feeling skuzzy, Scotty.”

Scott looked at Charlie and growled.

“That’s my bear.” Charlie laughed as he slipped off his suit and walked into the shower.

“You know I’m only letting you get away with calling me Scotty because you are so cute,” Scott called after Charlie.

Charlie turned on the hot water and enjoyed a good soak. When he was done, he took the last towel to dry off with. He walked out to Scott still drying his hair.

“What time do you want to head out tomorrow, Scott?”

Scott turned from the television to the view of his boyfriend drying his hair. “Nice view.” Scott watched as Charlie slowly blushed to his toes.

“Oh, shhh. What time should I put in for a wakeup call?”

“Well we have to be out by ten am. There is a free continental breakfast from eight to nine thirty. What time does your village open?”

Charlie put the towel around his shoulders, and walked over to the desk where he was charging his cell phone. He looked up the information and then turned to Scott.

“They open at nine thirty. So I guess since we are like ten minutes away, set the call for eight. Gives us time to shower again, pack up, and still get breakfast before we leave.” Charlie walked over to the other side of the bed, grabbed the phone, and set up the wakeup call.

“The bed isn’t the most comfortable,” Scott lamented as he pulled Charlie into his arms.

“I wouldn’t know. I always sleep on you, so barely get to feel it.”

Scott laughed.

Charlie snuggled up close to Scott and ran his fingers through the hair on his chest before turning to kiss Scott good night.

Charlie felt like he had just closed his eyes when the phone rang for their wakeup call. Scott didn’t want to get out of bed and had to be nearly dragged into the shower, which finally helped to wake him. The two packed up and made sure they had everything. They loaded up their truck and then went back in to eat and hand in their room key.

The drive to Sturbridge Village was a short one. The village was a collection of houses taken from all over and brought to the site. They had all sorts of stuff going on. They grew crops and had people in costumes who would talk about the original homes or showed everyday tasks that needed to be completed if they were to survive during that era. There were gift shops and food, and the two had a great time as they made their way around the village. Around two, they decided it was time to pack up and head out.

“So where to next?” Charlie asked as he slipped on his seat belt.

“Do me a favor. Remember to put on the sunblock. Your nose is burnt.”

“I thought I did. I’ll put some aloe on it now. Where are we bound for?”

“Salem. I figure we can do that this afternoon. We’ve been there before, but we always have fun. Then, if I know you, down toward Boston. I figure we will stop and spend the night with Maria. I told her we would be heading this way, and your sister threatened to hit me if we didn’t spend the night there.”

“Sounds like her,” chuckled Charlie. “Alright so we have a bit of a drive. Do you want me to drive for a while? You did all the driving yesterday.”

“Nah. I slept really well last night and we didn’t drive and stop, then repeat all day today like we did yesterday. So, I’m much more relaxed now.”

Scott set the GPS, and soon they were driving. Charlie clicked on the iPod, and soon the voices of the Carpenters filled the truck, and the two of them sang along.

The drive was just about an hour and half, and they pulled into Salem right around four thirty. Before Scott even got to ask Charlie what he wanted to do, Charlie just about dragged him to the Salem Witch Museum. They had done the tour before, but it was a favorite of Charlie’s. They bought tee shirts and then began to wander around. They didn’t have a set schedule of what they wanted to do, so they walked and went wherever caught their interest. They managed to get their picture taken with the statue of Samantha from Bewitched, stopped for food, and found a few new stores to pick stuff up in. Charlie checked to make sure he wasn’t forgetting anyone and that he enough postcards again.

“Are you going to give all those postcards out when we get home?” Scott stared at the large pile of postcards Charlie was shuffling into one bag.

“Nope. When we get to Maria’s I’ll write them all out. I brought stamps, though, I might have to buy more.”

“You know all their addresses?”

“Hell, no, Scott. I brought my address book with me.” Charlie lifted the little blue book and showed Scott.

“You will end up with writer’s cramp,” joked Scott.

“If I do, well, I guess I will have to rely on you to help get things done.”

Scott smiled and winked at Charlie. “Anytime, babe.”

Charlie blushed as they climbed into the truck and began to head south on US 1.

“I’ll call Maria and let her know we are coming.”

“I know she is in Chelsea, but you need to get the exact address so we don’t get lost, Charlie.”

Charlie called his sister and let her know they were about a half hour or less away. She was excited and said she would have the guest room made up.

It wasn’t long till they were pulling up outside Maria’s brownstone. She and her husband, Nate, came out to greet them when they pulled up.

“Charlie,” Maria rushed over and hugged him. “I’m so glad you two came for a visit.”

Nate walked over and helped Scott with the bags while Maria dragged Charlie inside.

“You realize how rarely she gets to see Charlie alone? You might as well come with me, ‘cause you aren’t going to get a word in edgewise.” Nate shook his head as he led Scott to the guest room.

“I think it is the same with all of the family. Once they get Charlie alone, the gab fest begins.” Scott smiled and shook his head. “I don’t mind. I love Charlie and the rest of the family.”

Nate shook his head, his dark curls bouncing, and then adjusted his glasses. “Brave man. We live far enough away where we just get tastes of the whole thing. Charlie and Barbara live in the middle. Everyone just comes to them. You know you’re going to be expected to stop and see Joan while you’re in Boston.”

“You say that like I didn’t know.” Scott smiled.

“Didn’t know what?” Charlie asked from behind them.

“That we would be stopping in to see Joan.”

“Naturally. She has a show going on. I figure we can stop in and surprise her.”

“This is some vacation you two are on. Stop in and check up on the rest of the family after the wedding.” Nate smiled. “You are just like your mother.”

“Thanks.” Charlie smiled. “Maria and I are going to have coffee. Want to join us?”

“Or you could come sit with me by the firepit in the back and have a beer.” Nate looked at Scott.

“Go and make friends. Nate, don’t let him get drunk.”

“I won’t get drunk.” Scott shot Charlie a look.

“I know, but hey, I have to keep track.” Charlie kissed Scott’s cheek and walked back to the kitchen and his sister.

“He just set you up like his mother does Joe.” Nate shook his head and led Scott back to the firepit.

Both men had a comfortable evening playing catch up and learning about different parts of the family. Around midnight, they made their goodnights and headed off to bed. Scott and Charlie grabbed quick showers and fell into bed. In moments they were asleep.

They woke to a knock on the bedroom door. “Guys, if you are awake, I’ve made breakfast. You can have pancakes and sausage, but I’d hurry before my husband eats it all.”

“Be right out, Maria.” Charlie yawned and shook Scott who, growled and pulled the pillow over his head. “Get up, lazy. Come on, we have food to eat and things to do.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“Fine. No coffee for you, then.” Charlie slid out of bed and into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Before he went to leave the bathroom, Scott crawled out of bed and stumbled toward the bathroom door.

“Mornin’” Scott slipped past Charlie and closed the bathroom door.

Charlie wandered out to the kitchen, where his sister and brother-in-law sat having coffee.

“Oh, good. I made Nate wait for you two to come out. Is Scott coming?” Marie looked at Charlie and then down the hallway.

“He had to stop in the bathroom first. Don’t wait. Let’s eat.”

“See, I told you they wouldn’t mind, Mar. Besides, I’m hungry.” Nate began spearing pancakes and sausage, filling up his plate.

“You’re always hungry.” Maria shook her head. “Coffee? I have orange juice, too.”

“Thanks. Scott and I both take it light. If you tell me where your glasses are, I’ll pour myself a glass of OJ as well.”

“Top cabinet, over the sink. Grab one for me and Scott, too, if you think he would like one.” Maria walked back to the stove and began to pour more pancakes.

“I can cook, if you want to sit and eat, sis.”

“Nah. We don’t often have guests, so it is a treat to get to cook.” Maria smiled as she watched the pancakes.

“Don’t let her stop now. I’m just starting to hit my groove.” Nate commented from the table as he speared two more pancakes.

Scott chose that moment to enter the kitchen. He paused and smelled the aroma of coffee and pancakes, then smiled. “Food.”

“Ah, the bear awakens.” Charlie laughed. “Coffee is on the table for you. I’m pouring OJ. Want some?”

“Yes, please.”

“If Nate hasn’t been a pig, there are pancakes cooked there for you, Scott. I’m making up more now.”

“I didn’t eat them all.” Nate sounded put out as he looked at his wife and sipped his coffee.

“Such a great host.” Maria shook her head and smiled. “You should get going, babe. Your article has to be into the editor in half an hour.”

“I’ll talk to you two later.” Nate stood up and hurried down the hall.

“It’s so much easier since he can work from home now. So what are your plans for today?”

“I want to take Charlie to the Aquarium; after that, well, whatever he wants to do.” Scott speared two sausages with his fork and then some pancakes. “Charlie, come sit down and eat.”

“Well, I hate to butt in; however, if you two don’t mind a late dinner, come back here and stay tonight. We can barbeque, and I’ll invite Joan over as well. That way you two can have a home cooked meal and rest. I can at least save you guys some money on a hotel or motel.”

Charlie looked at Scott.

“Thanks, Maria. We would love that.”

The three of them sat talking for a while. Maria convinced them to leave the truck there. She drove them to the train station, and they took the Newburyport/Rockland line into Boston. Then they began walking to all over. First stop was the New England Aquarium. They walked through the whole thing. Charlie loved the fish and all that was there. They picked up tee shirts, and kidded each other about their favorite things. Then they walked to Faneuil Hall and did some shopping, then over to Paul Revere’s House. While they were there in the North End, they ate at one of the many Italian restaurants and picked up some pastries for later. Eventually, they made their way south and kept going till they hit the art area south of Washington Street. Here they found the gallery where Joan had an exhibit.

“Scott? Charlie? What on earth are you two doing here?” Joan rushed over to hug them both.

“Well, we figured we would do Boston as part of our trip after the wedding. We are staying with your mother.” Charlie told her as she wrapped her arms around him.

“Ah. I see you got pastries. Did you go to Flour?”

“No. We hit one of the places up in the Italian end.” Scott told her as he took his hug.

“Well don’t you dare go back without hitting it. I swear their stuff is soooo good. I can gain pounds just smelling the stuff they make.”

Scott and Charlie took a tour of the exhibit. It was a collection of both Joan’s painted work and sculptures. It was all so beautiful.

“Your mother is having a late dinner for us. It’s just going to be a barbeque. Please come.”

“Naturally. Do you want to leave your packages with me? I have my car here so I can drop them off when I come over later.”

“Are you sure it’s not a problem?” Scott looked at the large collection of bags both he and Charlie were presently holding.

Joan laughed. “Not a problem. Besides, then you are free to buy more.”

Scott groaned as Charlie just smiled.

They followed Joan to her car and dumped the load of stuff they had been carrying. Joan kissed them both goodbye, and off they went to see some more of the city. Their first stop was Flour, where they did end up buying a bunch of stuff. They left with a huge bag and Scott just shook his head.

It was a long walk, but eventually they made their way back north and to the USS Constitution. It was their final spot of the day. They enjoyed the fresh air and the beauty of the ship itself. From the Navy yard, they made their way back to the train station, and finally back to Maria’s home.

Nate had the grill all ready, and once they walked through the door, he was prepared to cook. He had hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, and corn grilling in no time. Maria had made fresh salads. Charlie gave Maria the box from Flour, and she just smiled knowing how good the bakery was. Before the food was even halfway completed, Joan arrived with all of the stuff Scott and Charlie had bought. Charlie and Scott went out and helped to transfer it all into Scott’s truck, and then they all went in to enjoy the barbeque.

“So what else is up for you two?” Joan asked between bites of her hamburger.

“Actually, we just want to make one more stop tomorrow at the Children’s Museum and then head home. Maybe spend a day wandering around Montauk or something. We both have some time off yet.” Scott smiled, and looked at Charlie.

“Yeah, we have no set plans. Just hope to catch the ferry over from New London to Orient Point.” Charlie nodded as he took a sip of his iced tea.

“Been a long time since we took the ferry. I remember it being relaxing and a time to just unwind.” Nate smiled. “Next time we go to Long Island to see Joe and Barbara, we should take the ferry. It will cut down on our drive time, and then I don’t have to go through the city, either.”

“Hopefully it won’t be too long,” Joan piped in. “I think Rick and Wade are going to be the next ones to walk down the aisle.”

Scott just looked at Joan and winked.

It wasn’t long till they all helped clean up and headed off to go to bed. Joan kissed her uncle goodnight and said goodbye to Scott and her parents before she drove off to her apartment. Scott took a shower and headed to bed, while Charlie curled up on his side of the bed and began writing out the postcards. Scott fell asleep to the sounds of Charlie’s pen scratching out notes on the cards.

“Hey, babe. Wake up.” Scott leaned over and kissed Charlie’s cheek.

“Huh?”

“We need to get going, babe.”

“What time is it?” Charlie cracked open an eye to stare up at Scott.

“Nearly nine. I got a shower already and have a cup of coffee on the dresser for you. Maria and Nate had some shopping they had to do. They hope to be back before we go.”

“I overslept.” Charlie stretched and took his time slipping out of bed.

Scott was dressed in shorts and a tee shirt with a pair of sandals. He had already repacked his bag.

“How long were you up?”

Scott smiled. “I woke up at six. Maria let me do a load of our laundry, so everything is clean again. I packed my stuff and most of yours.”

“Alright. Let me shower real quick and dress. Then I’ll make us breakfast.”

“Not necessary. Your sister picked up bagels and Danish. Just shower and meet me in the dining room.”

Charlie stood and gave Scott a kiss on the cheek and went into the bathroom. A quick shower, a shave, and a chance to brush his teeth left him feeling brand new. He dressed similarly to Scott and packed the rest of his stuff up before joining him in the dining room.

“So, the Children’s Museum?” Charlie sat down with his coffee mug and stared at Scott over it.

“Yup. Figured you might enjoy it. Then down to New London and the trip home.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

They worked packing up all their stuff. Charlie dropped all the postcards into the mail box, and then they went about cleaning up after themselves. They had just about finished when Maria and Nate arrived home.

“You didn’t have to clean up. We would have taken care of it.” Maria shook her head as she looked at her brother and Scott.

“You know how mom trained us. Did you really expect me to leave you a mess?”

Maria laughed and hugged Charlie tight.

“It was nice having you both. Scott, drive safe,” said Nate as he shook Scott’s hand.

“Thanks for putting up with us.” Scott hugged Maria as Charlie made his goodbyes to his sister and brother-in-law.

The Boston Children’s Museum was a huge building with three floors. Charlie wandered through it, keeping his eyes on the different things going on. He was surprised that Scott had suggested it, but as they went floor by floor through the building, Charlie got a few new ideas to teach with. They stopped in the gift shop, and he ended up buying a few things for his classroom. He hadn’t realized it, but they had spent nearly two hours going through it all.

“I thought you would enjoy it.” Scott smiled as they headed back to the truck.

“Yeah, it was a lot of fun.” Charlie hugged Scott tightly.

“Well, we have a drive ahead of us. From here it is back to New London, then the ferry home.”

“You still have four days off, Scott. We don’t have to rush back.”

Scott laughed. “Not rushing back to work. Just figured we could do a few things close to home and relax a bit.”

Scott took I-95 south to New London. It was nearly a two hour trip. Charlie raided the snack container that they kept right behind the front seat, getting bottles of water and a package of the cookies they had bought from Stew Leonard’s. When they arrived at the ferry, they parked and headed in to buy tickets and go to the bathroom. It wasn’t long ‘til they were on the ferry and heading across the Long Island Sound toward home.

The ferry wasn’t very crowded, and they had the ability to sit basically anywhere they wanted.

“Come on, Charlie. Let’s go up to the deck so we can see the ocean.”

They wandered to the front of the ship, where the sea breeze could be felt.

“I feel like we should be playing the characters from Titanic.” Charlie turned and winked at Scott. “Care to hold me at the front of the boat?” Charlie turned and walked to the rail looking toward the distant coast that was his home.

“Charlie, can we talk for a moment?”

Charlie turned at the serious tone he heard in Scott’s voice.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been trying to find the right time or place for this during our trip and never did. I just don’t want this to wait.”

For a moment, fear gripped Charlie. He was afraid something was seriously wrong.

He went to step toward Scott, when the other man dropped to his knee, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a box.

“Charlie Wagner, would you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Charlie was stunned. He looked down at the man he loved and said the only thing he could.

“Yes. Now get up, you idiot, before you get hurt.”

Scott laughed. “Yes, that is the romantic man I love.”

Charlie melted into Scott’s arms. “Shut up. I just wished I’d known this was going to be such an important event. I would have dressed better.”

Scott leaned down and kissed Charlie. “Stop being so practical. You should realize by now we complement each other.”

Charlie nodded as Scott finally slipped the topaz ring on his ring finger.

“Well, I guess we are about to embark on a really long trip, Scott.”

“Oh?” Scott looked down into Charlie’s eyes; his eyebrow raised and cocked his head.

“Yeah, marriage.” He kissed Scott again then down at the ring on his finger.

The two men snuggled on the bench, watching the birds play as the ferry drew them ever closer to home.