by J P Barnaby
“I don’t understand. You can’t sleep together on the night before the wedding. It’s tradition.”
“Yeah, when have Spencer and I ever done anything because of tradition? I’m not going to be separated from him the night before our wedding. We need each other’s support.” Aaron left no room for argument. He signed it to Spencer, who nodded.
“Okay. Then Anthony and Bren can take Anthony’s old room, and Patrick and his girlfriend can take Allen’s old room. Better?” Michelle stabbed a piece of garlic toast. Aaron jerked when the fork banged against the platter.
“Yep, that’s fine with us.” Patrick backed away from the table a few inches and glanced sideways at Aaron. His girlfriend moved her hand over Patrick’s under the table.
“Do we have to do laundry while we’re down there?” Anthony asked from the other room. A slight whine tinged his words.
“You never did laundry while you were here,” Aaron shot at him.
“Hey, I do laundry now. Just thought I’d ask.”
“You do laundry only after you’ve gone without underwear for a few days,” Bren commented.
“I didn’t need to know that,” their mother sighed.
“Want to get started on the dishes?” Aaron signed to Spencer, who nodded rapidly and grabbed his plate. It looked like he couldn’t wait to get away from the conversation. They stacked up the dishes from the table and wandered into the kitchen. They couldn’t talk with their hands occupied, but every once in a while, Spencer would bump Aaron’s hip with his or kiss the back of his neck. They spent a lot of affection in that kitchen as they loaded the dishwasher to capacity and hand-washed the rest.
The living room seemed to be just as full as the dishwasher when they went in, a while later. People sat on the couch, the chairs, and the floor while the kids played near the toys in the corner. Sophie and Tony rolled a ball back and forth while Bren tried to catch it. They giggled when he missed.
“Looks like someone else may want kids,” Aaron told Patrick, who stood behind a chair with his hands on Patricia’s shoulders.
“I don’t know. It’s possible.”
“Well, he’s got at least one now,” Aaron laughed, but Patrick just turned to look at him.
“Anthony isn’t a kid anymore. He’s working and going to school. He takes care of my brother and the house. He takes care of the store. There’s a lot more to him than people in this house seem to see.”
“I didn’t mean anything by it. He’ll always be my kid brother, Patrick. Don’t you see Bren as yours?”
Patrick’s shoulders loosened. “Sometimes, I guess. There’s not much of that kid left in him, though.”
“Yeah, I know that feeling.”
“Sophie., Baby.. Come. On.. It. Is. Time. For. Bed.,” Spencer called over the rumblings of the room. She glanced up and him and then rolled the ball again.
“I can take her for tonight like tomorrow night while you’re at the hotel,” Aaron’s mother suggested. “Give you guys some time alone.”
Spencer looked over at Aaron, and he shrugged in a “works for me” kind of way. Aaron nodded back.
“That’s fine with us, Mom. Just bring her in if she needs us.” Aaron took Spencer’s hand and led him upstairs.
“Do we have to go to a hotel tomorrow night?” he signed to Spencer before pulling pajamas out of their bag.
“No. If you do not feel comfortable, we can go home and let your mom keep Sophie. I thought it would be nice to get away from the chaos for a while.” Spencer cupped his cheek.
“It is fine. We can go. You are right. It is a special thing.” Aaron leaned forward and kissed Spencer with a slow, lingering tenderness.
“We should wait until tomorrow, right?” Spencer asked with a smile.
“I think that is what tradition dictates.”
“Fuck tradition.” Spencer laughed and kissed Aaron with a quick smack on the lips. “But we do have a long day tomorrow, so we should probably sleep.”
“Then come lie down with me,” Aaron said and climbed between the sheets. He patted the bed next to him.
“For the rest of our lives.”
“ANTHONY, DON’T let her play in the sandbox in that dress!”
And so it began. Aaron, dressed in the new button-down his mother made him buy, walked over to the sandbox and scooped up Sophie before his mother actually had a coronary. He shook her over the big green turtle and got most of the sand out from the ruffles of her dress. Instead of finding her a toy, he handed her the dark blue-and-green tie he’d have to put on in a bit. Spencer came out of the house with his already fastened around his neck. Of course, working in corporate America, Spencer was more used to the noose. Aaron, still in the world of academia, lived in T-shirts and jeans.
If only he’d gotten to wear them right now.
Instead of his beloved jeans, Aaron wore black dress pants, black socks, black shoes, and a black outlook toward his clothes. Thankfully, once the ceremony finished, he’d be able to make his escape with Spencer, and they could sit naked in the hotel room eating the chocolate-covered strawberries that came with their wedding package. He just didn’t care.
“Is she filthy?” his mother asked, coming at them with a washrag. Sophie started to squirm before she could make it across the yard.
“Mom, she’s fine. Is the justice guy here yet?” he asked, trying to distract her from freaking out.
“Yes, he’s just arrived. We should be ready in a few minutes.”
Aaron switched Sophie to his other hip, and his mother gasped.
“What?” He scanned the yard to see what catastrophe had hit.
“Why aren’t you wearing your tie?” Her horrified voice shot up another octave.
“Give. Sophie. To. Me.,” Spencer said, coming up behind them.
Aaron handed Sophie off and held up the tie for his mother to see. She went off to find her next source of stress.
“She is going to make me crazy before the day is over. Well, crazier,” Aaron muttered as he threw the tie around the back of his neck. He knew what to do, in theory, but he’d never really put that into practice. Spencer set Sophie down away from the sandbox and near her big-girl bike. He then took the tie from Aaron and put it around his own neck. With practiced hands, he tied it loosely and then pulled it over his head. Then he put it around Aaron’s neck but didn’t tighten it, which Aaron appreciated.
Aaron touched a hand to his chin in thanks.
“I cannot believe we are here,” Spencer signed and watched Aaron tighten the tie just enough for it to stay on. He couldn’t stand anything tight around his neck. They’d have to live with it.
“You remember ice-skating behind your house?”
“It was the first time I saw you relax and have fun.” Spencer brushed a bit of overgrown hair back from Aaron’s eyes.
Aaron took Spencer’s hand and leaned forward to kiss his neck.
“You. Look. Amazing.,” Spencer murmured against his ear.
“And you and Sophie are my whole world,” he said, backing up to make sure Spencer could see his lips.
“It’s almost time to start,” his mother called from the back deck loudly enough that birds sought shelter in the skies. Aaron and Spencer each took one of Sophie’s hands and led her to the porch where she would wait with Allen, Melanie, and Tony. Tony would be their flower boy, and Sophie would carry their rings tied on a pillow. She’d made that decision herself by grabbing the pillow and not letting go of it. Tony would be happy he got to throw things.
Fuck tradition.
They handed off the kids and stood near the back door. Spencer nearly vibrated with the shaking of his limbs. Aaron didn’t think he’d ever seen Spencer so nervous, even when he’d graduated from college—both times. He took Spencer’s hands in his. Spencer glanced up and gave him a nervous smile. Aaron dropped his hands for a moment so he could sign.
“You ready?”
“Nope.” Spencer grinned, his face a little green.
&nb
sp; “Me either.”
“Let’s. Do. This..”
Aaron kissed him lightly as they waited for the signal that they should head to their separate locations. His mother wanted them to walk in from the sides and meet in the middle near the justice guy. It didn’t matter to Aaron how it happened, as long as he ended up next to Spencer.
Forever.
He glanced up to see his mother watching him. It took a minute for him to discern her expression, but then he realized it was pride. She’d seen the scared, miserable boy he’d been turn into a man, into a parent, and now, into a husband. The justice, whom they’d met with earlier that day, made his way to his spot under the tree. He had thinning brown hair and filled out every spare inch of his suit, but he had been kind to them. Aaron respected the man for not staring at his scars.
They didn’t have any music. It didn’t seem fair to Aaron for him to have the experience if Spencer couldn’t share it. So they waited in silence for the justice to wave them on. Their family took their seats, all except for Dr. Thomas, who waited near the justice so he could translate their signs.
Tony stood with Aaron while Sophie waited near Spencer. They’d each take a child with them down the aisle, letting the kids have the experience of participating in the wedding without letting them run amok. Aaron’s shoes were already littered with flower petals, and they hadn’t even started moving yet. He just let Tony play, because it was a day of joy not rules.
The justice, dressed similarly to Aaron and Spencer but with a flamboyant pink-and-purple tie, waved them forward, and Aaron nudged Tony. The little boy toddled in front of him, throwing the flowers on the ground with glee. At one point he tried to eat a handful, but Aaron shook out his hand and let the spit-covered flowers splatter on the grass. One step after another, he walked toward the man he’d spend his life with. Nothing seemed real until that moment.
He was about to become Spencer’s husband.
They met in the middle, and Melanie corralled the kids. Tony sat on her lap while Sophie tried to escape Allen’s grasp. Their mother took the little girl, and she settled against her grandmother just as the justice began.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. We have gathered here with our friends Aaron and Spencer to celebrate a love that has been cultivating for years.” His eyes darted to the side where Dr. Thomas signed for Spencer. “They wish to honor that love by committing themselves here, in front of their family and friends, to a life together.”
Aaron reached down to squeeze Spencer’s hand.
“Aaron, repeat after me, please,” the justice said, and Aaron waited with his hands slightly raised, to repeat in sign language what the man would recite aloud.
“I, Aaron Downing, take you, Spencer Thomas, to be my constant friend, my partner in life, and my one true love.” A tear ran down Aaron’s damaged cheek as he signed the words. “I will cherish our marriage and love you more each day than I did the day before. As I have since the moment we met. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully, through good times and bad, regardless of any obstacle we face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love from this day forward and as long as we both shall live.” Each word he signed etched itself into his heart. He didn’t think the emotion in him could well any higher. It spilled out across his cheeks, as did Spencer’s.
“I, Spencer Thomas, take you, my Aaron, to be my constant friend, my partner in life, and my one true love.” He sniffled as he signed, not bothering to wipe away the tears. “I will cherish our marriage and love you more each day than I did the day before. As I have since the moment we met. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully, through good times and bad, regardless of any obstacle we face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love from this day forward and as long as we both shall live.”
“Aaron and Spencer have a few words they would like to say to one another as part of their commitment. Spencer, would you start?” the justice said and waited for Spencer’s father to sign the words.
“Aaron, I have never known sound, but you have shown me a new world of color and light. You blew into my life like a hurricane and nothing has been the same. I never want it to be the same again. I waited my entire life for you to walk into it. Thank you for showing me what love is.” Spencer took Aaron’s hand and pressed it to his cheek and then kissed his palm.
Aaron spoke aloud because he didn’t want to lose the connection of Spencer’s touch.
“You walked into my life at a time when I stumbled, frightened and broken in the dark. You showed me that there could be light, that I could have hope. With your kindness and your endless patience, you saved me. In those quiet moments just holding hands in the rec room, you made me see that I could have a future—a future with you. Thank you for picking me up where I lay broken on the ground. I love you more than I thought it could be possible to love someone. You and Sophie are my world.”
“Aaron,” called a little voice as Sophie finally succeeded in worming her way from her grandmother’s hold. She sprinted for them, and Aaron held up a hand to ward off Allen. He bent down and caught Sophie as she reached them. They both kissed her gently and looked to the justice.
“You have the rings?”
Spencer took the rings from the pillow Sophie clutched in her tiny hands. He handed the larger one to Aaron and held the smaller one himself. Aaron shifted Sophie to his other side and held out a hand. Spencer’s hand trembled as he slid the ring onto Aaron’s third finger. Then he took that hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing the ring and Aaron’s finger.
Aaron took the larger ring and placed it on Spencer’s hand without fanfare or impromptu kisses. Sophie stayed complaisant in his arms, but she’d grown pretty damn solid over the last few months. He couldn’t maneuver very well with her quiet weight on his hip.
“Aaron and Spencer, you have committed yourself in the eyes of the state of Illinois. You may go forth into the world as married men.”
“I. Love. You.,” Spencer said as he wrapped his arms around Aaron, cradling Sophie between them.
A family.
Chapter 13
“MR. DOWNING, this is Don Reznick. I just wanted to let you know that we pulled a short court date to resolve the custody issue with Ms. Davies. It should be an easy session, maybe half a day at most. I don’t know the judge, but I’ll check his history to see if he has a pattern in his judgments. Please tell Mr. Thomas not to worry. He is what is in Sophie’s best interest. The court will see that.”
Aaron signed the words to him as they played on voice mail.
“I hate that he does not sound more confident.”
Jane wasn’t even related to Sophie. They couldn’t side with her. They wouldn’t take her from her Spenna. As the early morning sunlight brought Aaron’s face into relief, his angry scar set off by its unforgiving rays, Spencer was forcibly reminded that life isn’t always fair.
“Is. She. Still. Asleep.?” He rubbed the sleep off his face against Aaron’s chest. God, he loved the way Aaron smelled—clean and spicy, like sunshine over skin. That spot, right on Aaron’s chest, had become Spencer’s happy place years before. Spencer loved to fall asleep there, with Aaron’s arms around him, his lips against Spencer’s temple. It was as close to heaven as Spencer had ever been.
He felt Aaron nod against his forehead and slid up in bed, level with Aaron.
“I. Am. Scared..”
“Me too.” Aaron used delicate fingers to touch the side of Spencer’s face, his eyes full of wonder, as if Spencer were a marvel. He smiled and put a hand over Aaron’s, pressing it to his face.
“I love you,” Aaron said before leaning in and murmuring something against Spencer’s lips. The words didn’t matter. He could feel the love, the want in the vibrations.
Aaron’s kisses were like moonlight on water—calm and reassuring with bright pinpoints of light and joy. It still amazed him how hard he c
ould get just by kissing Aaron.
“Make. Love. To. Me., Husband.,” Spencer said against Aaron’s lips. “Before. She. Wakes. Up..”
With one last gentle kiss, Aaron crawled off the bed, crossed the few feet to the door, and locked it. They would close on the house in just a few weeks, but until then, they were still in a tiny apartment with thin walls. Sophie slept in her big-girl bed in the kid-proofed living room. Very soon she’d have her own bedroom with everything she could ever want.
Aaron grabbed lube from the side-table drawer and tossed it on top, next to his phone and wallet. Then he took his clothes off slowly, carefully, as Spencer watched. The scars never mattered to Spencer. He had thought Aaron beautiful since the moment they met. Now, after all this time, he called Aaron his husband. It still blew his mind.
Spencer settled gentle arms around Aaron, low against his hips. Aaron slid an arm under Spencer’s head, cradling him like a treasure. They kissed for a long time—hot and tender but unhurried. There was no need for words. Spencer simply reached down and stroked Aaron’s cock, which was hard against his thigh. Aaron’s breathing grew sharper, more ragged with each stroke. Spencer moved his hand faster, pumping Aaron, priming him.
Aaron slid his hand between them and rubbed Spencer’s dick too, but Spencer was already ready to go. The stress and worry and heat of Aaron’s body made him desperate for release, for that moment of sheer bliss before the world intruded again. Aaron seemed to understand. He stayed on top of Spencer, who waited, open and needy. It didn’t take long for Aaron to get him ready while he pleaded wordlessly.
Their mouths came together in another long kiss as Aaron took his cock in his hand and slid gently into Spencer’s body. That immediate stretch and friction took Spencer’s breath away, and he drew one in so deep that Aaron paused. When Spencer wrapped his long legs around his hips, however, Aaron pushed deeper. Love and longing and need swirled around them, twisting the sheets and making Spencer’s body sing.
Aaron cradled Spencer’s face with one hand as they made love, his own face buried in the hollow of Spencer’s throat. It transcended mere sex, the emotion and their connection making it so much more than mechanics and orgasm. They became one soul.
