The Journey---Chapter Seventeen
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Chapter 17
So, it was over and life goes on. That’s what the books say. To heal you need to put “it” behind you, whatever the HELL “it” is. But it isn’t that easy. Or is it? Everybody has something traumatic, whether it be physically or emotionally, that they need to overcome to be able to continue putting one foot in front of the other. And that’s exactly what the “refugees” were doing.
When the smoke cleared after Nick’s murder/suicide, everyone thought that things would go back to a new normal…Reid would return to his job at Memorial, Luke would go back to The City Times and the twins would go back to Holden. But the boys weren’t ready to let go on the land and the people they had come to love over the past six months, not to mention that they weren’t ready to return the twins to their rightful guardian. So they stayed on to the delight of Joseph and Hannah and became further integrated in the community around them.
The reservation was a beautiful place to live with wide open plains and the small hills that jutted up ever so slightly to the east and the west funneling a soft, cool breeze through. Luke’s evenings, after the twins were in bed and Joseph and Hannah were off doing whatever it is those two love-birds do and Reid was off reading a medical journal, were spent staring of into the night and thinking about the course of his life. On one such evening, he felt strong yet comforting arms come around him from behind. Gone were the days when such an action would make him jump. He now knew, instinctively, that it was Reid…always Reid.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
“Indeed it is,” Reid replied, Luke oblivious to the fact that it was he that was the recipient of such a compliment and not the landscape.
“I want to stay here, Reid. I know you have to go back to your life and your job but I just can’t. Life here is hard, I know, but this is where I belong. I can just feel it. And I’m sorry that I’m essentially putting an end to whatever this is between us and I know I’m hurting you but don’t you feel it? The energy…”
Reid wasn’t surprised in the least by Luke’s desire to stay considering he’d had the same thoughts himself. “We can talk to Joseph in the morning to see if he knows of any rentals nearby. I hate to keep imposing on them and it’ll just be temporary until we can get a solid income coming in, then we can look for something to invest in.”
“Reid, what are you talking about?”
Reid ignored Luke’s question and continued on. “And maybe…maybe Holden will let us keep the twins for a little longer, at least until we’re ready to say goodbye. I mean, I don’t know about you, but those slobber monsters have weaseled their way into the heart I didn’t know I had. I’m not quite ready to give them up. We’ll need to get a car eventually since the closest hospital is nearly two hours away but we’ll figure that out later too.”
“Reid, STOP!!! What are talking about?”
“What? You don’t honestly think I’d go back to my stagnant life in Oakdale, did you? You don’t honestly believe I could just walk away from you without a glance behind me after everything we’ve been through together? You’re insane, Mr. Snyder. Since coming here, I’ve not had one panic attack. Get that? Not one. My headaches have been few and of less severity and when was the last time you saw me walking with my cane? There’s something in the air here. Now I’m not talking about anything metaphysical, I’m a science guy after all, but maybe it’s something about the lower level of particulate matter in the air. Maybe it’s the same reason that some pulmonologist recommend COPD or patients with severe asthma move to Arizona or New Mexico. You know…better air quality. I can’t be sure just yet but it’s something I’d like to look further into. And your aphasia is all but gone along with your balance and coordination problems. The twins are thriving here and they absolutely LOVE Joseph and Hannah and Joseph and Hannah absolutely LOVE the twins.”
Reid stopped and looked over at Luke who was sitting there absolutely flabbergasted. “You’re not saying anything.”
“Well, it’s kind of difficult when you haven’t shut up for the last five minutes.” They sat in silence, the night quiet with just the sounds of a prairie wolf off in the distance and the song of the American Redstart drifting softly through the air.
The boys had no way of knowing that Joseph had been listening in on their conversation. He quietly stepped away from the patio door and retrieved his cell phone from his dresser. Dialing, he waiting for the other person to answer… “I need a favor.”
While Joseph was finishing up his phone conversation, the boys were continuing theirs on the patio.
“I meant it when I said I loved you, Luke Snyder.”
“I love you too, Reid.”
“Then tell me what has those gerbils working overtime in that head of yours.”
“It’s just…you’ve already done so much for me and given up SO much. I can’t ask you to just walk away from your life in Oakdale.”
“You didn’t ask me to give up anything, Luke, it was my idea. I want to do this. Do you remember when I talked about all the things that have gotten better for me…the headaches…the limp?”
“How could I possibly not remember seeing as it was just two minutes ago?”
“Watch it, Snyder. Cute will only get you so far.”
“You think I’m cute?” Luke asked bashfully.
Reid reached out to caress Luke’s face. “I think you are absolutely beautiful and I would be honored…” Reid pulled Luke’s face up so he could see in those deep chocolate eyes that Luke was hearing him, “…I would be honored if you would agree to spend the rest of your life with me.”
Luke wasn’t sure what was happening. He stared into crystal blue eyes that have lost the forlorn look they had when Luke first looked into them so many moons ago. He saw the truth in them and he began to cry.
“Don’t cry, mo ghra. It’s always been you. Science may be able to explain the changes in my physical condition but it’s love that took my nightmares away…your love. Will you marry me?”
Luke threw his arms around Reid’s neck. “Yes,” he whispered, “yes I’ll marry you.”
Over the next couple of days, the boys both were sporting grins from ear to ear. They borrowed Joseph’s car and took a day trip in Waco to pick out some rings but they had yet to broach the subject of them staying on permanently with Joseph and Hannah.
Another week past and they still hadn’t shared their news with anyone.
“I don’t know why it is so hard to just come right out and tell them. They seem so happy to have us here. I doubt they’ll look at this decision as a bad thing.”
Luke was pacing around their bedroom while Reid sat on the bed letting him talk. He was grateful when Hannah called to them from downstairs.
“Luke? Reid? There’s a package down here for you.”
Thinking that is was their rings, though subconsciously knowing better since they had to special order them, the boys both raced down the stair only to be confused when Hannah handed them an envelope the size of a manila folder. Luke took it from Hannah and looked to Reid who simply shrugged as if to say, “I have no fucking clue.”
Once Luke had the contents of the envelope open, he pulled out the documents inside and quickly scanned the first few paragraphs to figure out what they were for. Suddenly, he could barely breathe. Reaching out, he grasped one of Reid’s hands in his.
“Oh…My…God!!! Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!!! REID!!”
“What is it, Luke. What the HELL is going on.”
“They’re…they’re…Oh..My…God…they’re adoption papers for the twins. Dad is giving us the twins!!”
A/N 1: Particulates-- also known as particulate matter, suspended particulate matter, fine particles, and soot - are tiny subdivisions of solid matter suspended in a gas or liquid. In contrast, aerosol refers to particles and/or liquid droplets and the gas together. Sources of particulate matter can be man-made or natural. Air pollution and water pollution can take the form of solid particulate matter, or be dissolved. Salt is an example of a dissolved contaminant in water, while sand is generally a solid particulate.
A/N 2: The coyote, also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada. It occurs as far north as Alaska and all but the northernmost portions of Canada.
A/N 3: American Redstart--Medium, active warbler with black upperparts and hood, distinctive orange-red patches on wings, sides, and long, fanned tail, and white under-parts. Bill, legs, and feet are black. It frequently flashes its colorful wings and tail to flush insects from foliage.
Epilogue: http://amydambly.livejournal.com/6842.html#cutid1