Date: Sun, 9 May 2021 21:27:02 +0000 (UTC)
From: Albert Collins <albert.c87@yahoo.com>
Subject: You were there - part 43

Disclaimer: This is a romantic love story about love between young
adolescent boys. There are some explicit sex scenes in the story but they
are not the main focus of the story.

So if you are looking for a story with a lot of explicit sex action, you
are in the wrong place.

If you like to read a sappy romantic tory with occasional kinky sex
scenes, then please sit back and enjoy!

Thanks again to all those who wrote with comments, encouragement and
feedback!

Of course, as usual, comments and constructive criticism are welcome!
albert.c87@yahoo.com

*********************

You were there - Part 43

A couple more weeks passed and the weather was gradually turning cooler.
Diego and Luke were beginning to settle in their role as seventh graders.
One afternoon, on the way back from school to Green Oaks, after they
dropped off Archie at his house, Luke decided to broach a subject that
had been worrying him for a while.

"Diego," he asked, holding Diego's hand. "There is something that I've
been meaning to ask you."

"Yeah, Luke, what is it?" Diego squeezed Luke's hand back.

"First off, Diego, babe, I am really psyched that things are going so
well for you at school," Luke continued.  "All the kids here seem to like
you, and no stupid moron has even tried to bully you! So luckily I didn't
even have to do anything to protect your skinny little butt!"

"He-he, yeah, we've been lucky," Diego replied. "And of course we both
know just what exactly you like to do with my skinny little butt!"

They both laughed merrily.

"Yeah, right," Luke continued, blushing slightly. "Anyway, I also noticed
that you've kinda been holding yourself back at school."

"Oh," Diego pulled away his hand and looked down guiltily.

"I mean, you do pretty good in all your classes,"  Luke explained with a
half-nervous smile, "but man, we both know how smart you really are! Like
with all that stuff you know about the stars and planets and
constellations! I bet my ass you know way more than all of our math and
physics and astronomy teachers put together! Or take that singing and
music stuff!"

Luke clapped his hands and punched Diego's shoulder excitedly.

"Now, I have gone to this school for three years now and I have seen what
their music club and their choir can do," he added. "They are okay, but,
dude, they are pure cow-shit compared to you, not even in the same
league. I bet if you asked to join the school choir, or the music club,
and if they heard you sing even once, they would fucking lose their
minds, I guarantee it!! So why haven't you done that? Why haven't you
talked to them??"

There was a long pause, but eventually Diego spoke.

"Luke, yeah, you're right, I sorta been holding back," Diego admitted at
last. "It's kind of hard to explain why but I'll try ..."

Diego stopped and sat down on a curb. Luke sat next to him.

"First off, although that's the smaller reason," Diego started speaking,
"I hate it, you know, whenever a kid is really good at something, the
adults tend to make this huge deal out of it. You just start liking to do
something and, before you blink, you've gotten schedules and competitions
and coaches and your pictures in the paper, and then more competitions,
and more pressure and more and more and more."

Diego paused and stared into the pavement while Luke nodded silently.

"I mean, look at Yasha and how it was with chess for him, right?" Diego
continued. "And that's sorta kind of how it was with me and piano at the
end, before ..."

Luke took Diego's hand and squeezed in gently. Diego smiled at him
gratefully.

"Anyway, I love singing, I love music," Diego continued, "I love playing
piano and guitar, but I just want to be able to do it for fun, you know.
At least for a little while, before it becomes this giant big crushing
thing again. I am not ready for all that pressure now, I don't think I
can handle it yet... Do you get what I am trying to say?"

Luke, realizing that Diego was not finished yet, nodded wordlessly again.

"Then there is another thing, harder to explain," Diego carried on with a
small sigh. "It's what Mr Wade said the last time he was here."

"Oh," Luke interjected. "Shit, I was kinda afraid it might be something
to do with that."

"Yeah," Diego admitted. "He said I still gotta keep 'a low profile'. No
big concerts, no pictures in the papers, no stories on local TV about a
boy who sings like a freaking angel who can stop time, none of that. I
hate thinking about it but still ... I figure I just need to keep my head
down for a bit, probably for a couple of years. And then it'll be okay."
Diego looked at Luke pleadingly.

"Anyway, with luck, by the time I really hit puberty, my voice will
break, and the problem will go away by itself, right?" Diego concluded
with a joke.

It was Luke's turn to take a long pause before replying.

"Diego, babe, yeah, sure, I get what you're saying," Luke held Diego's
hand and stroked his fingers lightly. "Of course, you should only do as
much of that stuff as you can handle and only when you are ready. And
I'll be here to back you up, all the way, you know that, right?!"

Luke gazed Diego in the eyes intently.

"But I do wanna say one thing," Luke continued earnestly but with a warm
smile. "I love you and I want you to be safe. It would kill me if
anything were to happen to you. And I would gladly take a bullet for you
and I would kick those guys' sorry asses if they tried to come after you!
But more than that, I want you to be happy, and I know that singing makes
you happy."

Luke kissed Diego on the cheek softly as Diego's eyes were getting moist.

"But listen, Diego, living a life on the run, constantly in fear is no
fucking kind of life," Luke spoke with conviction and sincerity. "Trust
me, I know, I been there.  Whatever Mr Wade says, you gotta start taking
some chances. Not dumb or stupid stuff, but do something cool, something
that you love, something that makes you feel fucking alive! Do you get
what I am saying, Diego?"

Diego laughed gently, embraced Luke and planted a tender long kiss on
Luke's lips. "Yeah, I do get you, my barnyard Socrates boyfriend! When,
oh when did you get to be so wise?!" He kissed Luke again.

"Yeah, man, I am a deep pool," Luke answered laughing and kissing Diego
back.

"Okay, I guess I'll start thinking about doing something that makes me
feel fucking alive," Diego quipped cheekily.

"Yeah," Luke concurred. "But, you know, don't overdo it, of course!"

"Look who is sounding like Mr Wade now!" Diego ribbed him as they got
up.
"You know, Mr Wade's gonna be really unhappy when he finds out," Diego
added in a more serious tone.

"Mr Wade doesn't run your life," Luke parried. "Anyway, that's why it's
so handy that your boyfriend happens to be a demigod and a love
superhero, right?"

"Right," Diego elbowed Luke lightly.

The boys continued on their way back, still holding hands.

-

On Sunday at the end of that week Diego was at church, as became his
regular custom. And, as also became his custom, he snuck out about 15
minutes before the end of the service and made his way to the side
garden.

To Diego's surprise, the garden wasn't empty. A young woman in a brown
nun's tunic and a black habit was sitting on the stone bench in front of
the wall fountain and looking intently at the gargoyle's face. She
appeared to be in her late twenties. The tunic was tied with a white rope
around her waist.

Diego shifted from one foot to another uncertainly next to the entrance.

"It's okay, you can come in," the woman spoke quietly without turning her
head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," Diego replied apologetically as he
approached the bench and slowly sat next to the woman. "It's just that
this is my favorite place. And nobody else ever comes here. So I was
surprised ..."

"That's all right, I didn't mean to take your spot," the woman finally
turned her head towards Diego and smiled warmly.

Diego saw that she was indeed young, maybe even younger than he
originally thought, and quite pretty. But behind the friendly smile, her
eyes betrayed a hint of a heavy burden.

"What do you think of our laughing stone friend over here?" she pointed
at the gargoyle.

"Ah, so you think he's laughing too!" Diego exclaimed excitedly. "I
thought I was the only one. The others said he was trying to be scary."

"Well, he might be doing both," the woman remarked with a chuckle. "My
name is Sister Margaret."

"I am Diego," Diego introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Sister. I
haven't seen you here before."

"I'm visiting for just a little while," Margaret explained. "I am based
in Boston. But my work takes me many places."

"Your work?" Diego wondered.

"I'm Franciscan," Margaret replied somewhat enigmatically.

"Oh," Diego responded in kind.

"So, Diego, I see you left the service early," Margaret smiled mildly.

"Yeah, sorry," Diego admitted guiltily. "It's just that I really like
coming here. This garden, I mean. And this fountain. It's so peaceful."

"You don't have to apologize," Margaret chuckled. "I understand
perfectly."

They both looked at the stone gargoyle again.

"There's something about the sound of running water," she continued
pensively. "Both here and in nature. It's very ..."

"Soothing," Diego finished her thought.

"Yes, exactly," Margaret turned to Diego and scanned him more
attentively. "It soothes the soul. Even heals some old wounds."

They gazed at the fountain in silence for about a minute again. A small
strained sigh escaped Margaret's lips.

"Umm, Sister," Diego wondered uncertainly. "Are you okay? Is there
something wrong?"

"You look like a smart boy, Diego," Margaret sighed more openly. "Is
anyone ever really completely okay, even if they say so?"

"Yeah, but this seems more than that," Diego gently pushed further.

"I lost someone," Margaret exhaled looking away. "Someone very dear to
me. Who also liked the sound of running water."

"What was her name?" Diego asked softly.

"Wait, how did you ...?" Margaret looked up at him sharply in shock.

"I lost someone too. We are alike," Diego volunteered simply.

"Yes, I see ...," Margaret turned back to Diego. "Her name was Sarah. She
was the light of my life. She was more precious to me than anything. Much
more than I realized at the time."

Diego nodded and smiled gently.

"I just remembered something," he clarified quickly, "something my dad
used to say to my mom all the time. 'Honey,' he said, 'your price is far
above rubies.' And she'd always laugh."

"It's from the Bible," Margaret commented, nodding in return.

"It is? I had no idea," Diego gestured in surprise.

"The Book of Proverbs," Margaret explained. "'A worthy woman who can
find? For her price is far above rubies.'"

"I never really understood what dad meant, though," Diego admitted.

"He meant that your mom's affection could not be bought with money and
presents," Margaret replied. "But only with true love and friendship."

"Oh," Diego considered for a moment.

"My Sarah was like that too," Margaret sighed as a smile slowly spread
across her face. "Her price was far above rubies. And I loved her."

"And she loved you back?" Diego looked up at Margaret hopefully.

"Oh, yes, she did," Margaret smiled wider and shook her head. "I still
have no idea why."

"And you were together, right?" Diego inquired gently.

"Oh, yes," Margaret confirmed. "For a while, at least. We met in college.
We were both nineteen. She was so beautiful. So sweet, kind and alive. I
still don't know how I even managed to introduce myself. But I did. We
fell madly in love. And we were so happy. For a little while."

Margaret emitted a slow pained sigh.

"So, if you loved each other and made each other happy," Diego frowned a
little, "then ... what happened?"

"I was a coward," Margaret turned away and her face hardened. "I was a
good Catholic girl. Could not accept being a lesbian. Was too terrified
of it. Too ashamed. Pushed my sweet and beautiful Sarah away."

"I'm sorry," Diego whispered softly.

Margaret didn't respond for a while as she stared blankly in front of
her.

"It really broke her heart. And my Sarah took her own life," Margaret
added in strained low changed voice. "I was the one who found her that
terrible morning ..."

She covered her face with her hands and swayed slowly.

"I'm so sorry," Diego repeated and gently touched Margaret's shoulder.

"I know," Margaret exhaled heavily. "Thank you, Diego, sweetheart. I have
no idea why I told you. I should not have burdened you with this awful
knowledge."

"I asked you, remember?" Diego parried.

"Still," Margaret sat up straighter. "You're a child. I shouldn't have
troubled you with my shame. I'm sorry."

"I am glad you told me," Diego insisted. "But I still don't get it. After
... what happened, why did you become a nun? That's just ..."

"Doesn't make any sense, does it?" Margaret chuckled.

Diego nodded silently.

"Of course it does," she asserted. "I had to pay for what I've done. I
had to atone."

"Atone?" Diego repeated questioningly.

"Yes," Margaret confirmed. "You do know that in our faith before
absolution and forgiveness one has to atone."

"Yeah, but ...," Diego tried to interject.

"And there's no greater sin than what I have done," Margaret continued
firmly. "Against the Lord and against my love. I have to pay the price
for that."

"But you are ...," Diego stammered. "I mean how could you, you know,
after what happened ... Sorry, I don't understand."

"You mean it doesn't make sense because I'm gay?" Margaret followed up
and Diego nodded shyly.

"I don't blame the Church, Diego, I really don't," Margaret clasped her
hands. "No, the fault was mine. I was the one who pushed Sarah away, who
rejected her, who denied our love. The Church didn't make me do it. That
sin was mine. And it's up to me to pay for it now."

"Yeah, but still, becoming a nun?" Diego wondered.

"I knew that I to remove myself from the world," Margaret continued.
"From its temptations and distractions. This was the way."

"But you are so young," Diego noted sadly. "You're not much older than
me, are you?"

"I could probably be your mom," Margaret smiled affectionately.

"More like my sister, Sister," Diego smiled back.

"Well, you might be right about that," Margaret conceded. "I'm 26. But
age doesn't matter. My heart told me what I had to do."

"So what do you do now?" Diego queried, "I mean as a nun?"

"I counsel," Margaret explained quietly. "At-risk kids, Diego, most of
whom are about your age or not much older than you. Kids who are
homeless. Kids who are poor. Kids who do drugs and have had problems with
the law. Mostly I just listen. It turned out that that's the gift the
Lord gave me."

"You listen?" Diego pondered. "That's how you atone?"

"It is what I have to give," Margaret explained and paused. "It's
strange, though ..."

"Sorry, what is?" Diego asked again.

"I've never talked so much about myself," Margaret clarified. "Not even
in confession. Certainly not to a child I just met. I really shouldn't
have distressed you with my troubles, Diego. I don't understand it. I'm
sorry."

"I'm not," Diego assured. "I told you, we're alike.  Maybe I'm a good
listener too? And I think it's good that we're talking. Doesn't it feel
good?"

"Perhaps," Margaret admitted with a mild smile. "But also a little
disorienting. I'm usually so certain of things. But not when I'm talking
to you, Diego. Who are you, again?"

"My name is Diego Torres," Diego explained patiently. "We've just met."

"Well, it is very nice to meet you, Diego Torres," Margaret looked at
Diego keenly. "You are a very sweet and unusual boy."

"Thank you, Sister," Diego replied politely. " But still, somehow, I
don't think you're doing it right. I mean this atonement thing."

"Oh, how so?" Margaret pursed her lips slightly.

"It's like ... You trapped yourself in this really bad place that you
can't escape," Diego spoke slowly. "You gotta be able to forgive yourself
someday."

"I don't deserve forgiveness, Diego," Margaret's voice sounded colder.

"I thought that everyone does," Diego pushed back.

"There might be an exception in my case," Margaret shook her head.

"Whadaya mean? Father Dominique says that everybody deserves
forgiveness," Diego persisted. "There are no exceptions."

"You don't understand, Diego," Margaret spoke with bitterness. "It's not
just that Sarah is dead because of me. She took her own life. Do you know
what that means? Suicide is a mortal sin. The church refused to bury
suicides on consecrated ground until a little while ago. And said that
they could not go to heaven."

"Sorry, but I just don't believe it," Diego asserted forcefully.

"What?" Margaret queried.

"That the suicides can't go to heaven," Diego clarified earnestly.

"It's an ancient church teaching," Margaret countered. "My grandma always
told me it was true."

"I don't care how ancient it is," Diego expounded. "It just can't be
right."

"Oh, I don't know, Diego, I'm so afraid," Margaret sighed heavily. "I
have to try to atone, not just for myself, but for my Sarah too."

A few moments of silence followed.

"See, for a long time I was trapped in a really bad place too," Diego
continued. "And blamed myself also. Could not forgive myself either."

"Forgive yourself for what, dear?" Margaret shook her head.

"Didn't I mention it?" Diego explained quietly. "I lost my entire family
in a car crash. My mom, dad and my little sister. I was the only one who
made it alive."

"Oh, Good Lord, Diego, honey, I'm so sorry!" Margaret exclaimed in horror
and hugged Diego around the shoulders. "But you never had anything to
reproach yourself for. What happened was a terrible tragedy. But you are
an innocent child. Nothing you should feel guilty about."

"I know that now. But I still did." Diego added pensively. "You see, I
survived. I still don't know why. It felt like I left them. And so I
sorta kept going back. Back to that dark place. But then I escaped."

"And how did you manage to do that?" Margaret inquired with a note of
doubt in her voice.

"I met someone special," Diego stated sincerely. "Someone totally amazing
who made my life worth living again."

"What's his name?" Margaret inquired with a slight smile.

"Wait, how did you ...?" Diego reacted in shock.

"Remember, you said it yourself, we're alike," Margaret smiled wider. "In
quite a few ways, it seems."

"Yes, you're right," Diego admitted. "His name is Luke. I love him so
much it hurts sometimes. Luke saved me. And he loves me. He is my life
now."

"Luke sounds like a really special boy," Margaret commented. "Do you have
a picture?"

Diego pulled out a phone and showed Margaret a few photos of him and Luke
together.

"He's very handsome," Margaret complimented as Diego blushed lightly.
"And I hope you don't mind me saying so, Diego, dear, but the two of you
look absolutely adorable together!"

"Thanks," Diego replied bashfully. "This one is from where we visited
Trigger."

"Trigger?" Margaret frowned. "What a strange name. Who's that?"

"Trigger's friend," Diego stammered awkwardly. "I mean, he's a dog who is
our friend. But he's got a really mean owner. He just wants Trigger to
bark at everybody. Doesn't want us to be nice to Trigger, or pet him or
play with him. But of course we still do. We try to talk to him every
time on the way back from school."

"That's nice, dear," Margaret nodded her head and smiled warmly. "Did you
know that St Francis talked to the animals too? Preached to them even."

"Umm, no, I didn't," Diego admitted. "I don't wanna preach to Trigger or
anything. But he's a really nice dog and I want him to feel like a nice
dog, at least some of the time. And to be treated nice too."

"Yes, that is exactly the point, dear," Margaret smiled again. "Animals
are Lord's creatures and they deserve our love and respect. Especially
the domestic animals who live with us. I'm glad you and Luke are helping
Trigger and I'm sure St Francis would approve. A pity about Trigger's
name, though. His owner really does have a nasty mind."

"Yeah, yeah, I thought so too," Diego seconded. "But we can't change the
name. Not while he's in that house."

"The names are important but they don't define who we are," Margaret
noted.

"I donno ...," Diego suddenly sounded unsure.

"You said it yourself, Trigger is a nice dog," Margaret commented. "He
will still be a nice dog if his name is changed to Buddy or Cuddles or
Milo. The only thing that would change is how other people react to him."

"Yeah, but it's different with people, right?" Diego followed up.

"I'm not sure," Margaret considered. "People change their names all the
time. When they get married, for example. Doesn't really change who they
are."

"Why, Diego, dear, are you thinking of changing your name?" she added
with a chuckle. "I think you're a little young for that. And 'Diego' is a
lovely name."

"No, sorry, forget it, it doesn't matter," Diego tried to change the
subject. "But I do like 'Milo' as a new name for Trigger. I'll talk it
over with Luke and Archie. That's our other friend from school who is
usually with us when we visit Trigger. He took the picture of me and Luke
that I showed you."

"You and Luke really make a good team," Margaret gave Diego a friendly
pat on the shoulder.

"Yeah," Diego agreed. "And you see, if in my mind I still go to that bad
place, I always think of Luke. His face, his voice, his smell. And he
always brings me back."

"So you still go there sometimes?" Margaret inquired softly.

"Sometimes," Diego admitted. "Much less often than before. And I know
what to do now. So it's not as scary."

"Does Luke know? That it still happens to you?" she probed further.

"I don't want him to worry," Diego turned away and shook his head. "He's
done so much for me already. And I so want him to be happy."

"He'd probably want to know," Margaret shook her head slowly.
"Particularly if something does happen. Ignorance is not bliss, Diego,
especially when it comes to love."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Diego allowed. "It's just that I love Luke
so much, it's crazy. I can't always think straight."

"I can see that you do," Margaret chuckled gently. "Your eyes light up
like bright stars when you talk about him. It's wonderful."

Diego blushed and looked down.

"Thank you," he added, looking up again. "And you know, it was right
here, in this garden, that I first managed to talk to my family, you know
after ... I think this funny gargoyle helped me."

"Oh?" Margaret raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, it was like ... a really hard knot inside me got untied or
something," Diego expounded earnestly. "I told them about Luke and me and
everything. It was good."

"It sounds wonderful, Diego, dear." Margaret touched Diego's hand
lightly.

"Yeah, it kinda was," Diego affirmed. "Did you ever tried to talk to
Sarah? You know, when you pray?"

Margaret turned away and her expression hardened again.

"I can't," she replied in a low hoarse voice. "I pray to the Lord. Even
though I know I'm unworthy. But call to Sarah? I am too ashamed. Anyway,
she's beyond my reach now."

"You don't know that," Diego countered. "And she might tell you that it's
all right. I mean for you to move on. That's what my parents told me when
I talked to them here."

"I don't know, Diego, honey, it's not the same," Margaret shook her head.
"You were an innocent victim. A child. You had nothing to feel guilty
about."

"It didn't matter, I still did," Diego parried. "Still do sometimes. And
I think you should try to talk to Sarah. See what she says. Maybe this
laughing gargoyle will help you too. You're stuck in a bad place now like
I was. Not good for you. You shouldn't stay there."

"Maybe, maybe ...," Margaret slowly wiped her eyes and turned back to
Diego with a warmer smile. "You're a really unusual boy, Diego. I still
don't understand what just happened here. But thank you."

-

After saying goodbye to Sister Margaret, as Diego was climbing into the
church van for the ride back to Green Oaks, an idea began forming in his
mind.

"Yes," Diego thought to himself. "I should do this for Luke. He'll be so
happy!" Diego smiled silently. "But how to pull it off? Maybe I should
talk to Mr Frank ... No, no, this is something I should do myself. Just
gotta figure out how ..."

When the van got back and Diego disembarked, he saw Luke standing by the
curbside waiting for him.

Diego run up to Luke and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Whoa, whoa, easy there, tiger, we're making a scene," Luke laughed as he
stroked the back of Diego's head.

"I don't care," Diego breathed in Luke's shoulder.

"Okay, sounds good to me!" Luke separated from Diego and grinned at him
brightly. "What's up, Diego, babe? What were they serving at church
today? Must have been really something!"

"I haven't seen you for almost entire day," Diego run his fingers through
Luke's short brown hair. "I missed you!"

"Okay!" Luke repeated, still grinning. "Still don't know what this is
really all about, but I'm not gonna argue. Come on, Diego, before Mr
Frank ropes us in for another lecture about 'proper' behavior!"

Luke giggled and pulled Diego away.

"So, Diego, dude, what happened in church today, really?" Luke queried as
they were walking towards the clubhouse. "It must have been quite some
sermon you heard, ha?"

"No, the service way okay but nothing special," Diego explained. "But I
met this girl, Sister Margaret ..."

"What?" Luke stopped and stared at Diego blankly.

"Well, not a girl, actually, she's 26," Diego hurried to clarify. "She's
a Franciscan nun. She was in the garden, watching my gargoyle."

"Wow," Luke considered. "Only 26 and already a nun? And she liked your
ugly-eared gargoyle?"

"Yeah," Diego confirmed. "Anyway, we talked. It was pretty cool. I showed
her a picture of you and me. You know, the one that Archie took. ... She
said we looked adorable together."

"Really?" Luke snickered.

"Yeah," Diego repeated. "She's a lesbian."

"What?!" Luke exclaimed in disbelief. "Diego, babe, you're shitting me,
right? A lesbian nun?"

"It's true," Diego insisted. "And it's a really sad story. The girl she
was in love with killed herself. And Margaret became a nun after."

"Wow," Luke reflected pensively. "Yeah, that is really sad ... Hey,
Diego, I just noticed something."

"Yeah, and what's that?" Diego asked.

"Your most interesting church experiences, they don't happen in church,"
Luke noted. "They happen outside, in that garden, by that water-spitting
gargoyle. Think it means something?"

"They happen where they happen," Diego shrugged. "You wanna meet him
sometime?"

"Who?" Luke queried.

"My ugly-eared water-spitting gargoyle," Diego quipped back.

"I donno, Diego, I'll think about it," Luke responded as they resumed
walking. "Maybe if you promise that he'll be really really nice."

Luke winked at Diego playfully.

-

In the evening, as they were getting ready for bed, Luke was still
feeling a little restless. He suggested that they go outside for a short
walk, and the boys headed to the basketball court. Once there, they went
to the obstacle course area and nestled together in the climbing net,
using it almost like a hammock.

"This is nice," Diego commented, his face pressed against Luke's ear.
"Although I'm not sure I could sleep here."

"We could always give it a try," Luke suggested with a giggle.

They saw a light in the dorms area and in a little while Toby's familiar
crocs slippers appeared in view. Toby was accompanied by Yasha on his
crutches.

"Toby, Yasha, what are you guys doing here?" Luke called out. "It's
pretty late, you should be in bed."

"Luke, Diego, is that you?" Yasha replied, getting closer. "We didn't
wanna sleep yet. Wanted to go for a walk."

Diego elbowed Luke lightly.

"Come here, come here, guys, sit with us!" Diego invited the younger
kids.

Luke moved and sat on one of the tires and Toby settled in his lap.

Diego and Yasha sat on the grass in front of him.

"Are you cold, Toby, little dude," Luke checked as Toby cuddled closer to
him.

"I'm good, thanks, Luke," Toby assured.

The boys sat in silence for a few moments as Luke gently stroked Toby's
back.

"Hey, Luke?" Toby spoke again.

"Yeah, Toby, buddy?" Luke replied.

"Would you be my dad?" Toby asked softly.

Luke's eyes bugged out a bit and he exchanged quick surprised glances
with Diego.

"I don't think they'd let me do that," Luke chuckled gently. "Not for
quite a few years yet. You gotta be at least 18 or something, right,
Diego? And even then you gotta have a job and a house and stuff."

"I think you'd be good at it, though," Toby continued quietly. "You
always make me feel good."

"Thank you, buddy," Luke stroked Toby's hair lightly.

Luke and Diego exchanged smiling glances again.

"And you always feel so warm," Toby complimented, nestling tighter in
Luke's lap.

Diego sneezed loudly and suppressed a laugh.

"What?" Toby lifted his head.

"Nothin', Toby, buddy, nothing," Luke shot Diego an evil stare.

"Toby's right, though," Yasha chimed in.  "You guys can be good dads."

Luke and Diego smiled at each other awkwardly.

"Luke, tell us a story!" Toby requested suddenly.

"Yeah, Luke, tell us a story, please!" Yasha joined in.

Diego raised his palms with a grin.

"Okay, okay, but you might know this one," Luke conceded.

"It's okay, tell us anyway," Toby pleaded as he sat up in Luke's lap.

"All right, here it goes," Luke started. "In medieval England, like a
thousand years ago, there lived this knight, his name was Ivanhoe. He had
a bad fight with his dad and he went away with King Richard for the
Crusade. And Ivanhoe was in love with this princess called Rowena ..."

Diego, with his chin resting on his wrist, observed affectionately as
Luke continued telling Toby and Yasha the story.
His mind went back to the idea he had earlier in the day on the ride back
from church.

"Yeah, I should definitely do it," Diego reflected mentally as he
continued listening to Luke and watching his face. "Just need to figure
out how."

---

He was standing on a brightly lit beach in front of a peaceful ocean
extending far beyond the horizon. Crispy blue sand, brilliantly sparkling
with a myriad bright colors, spread in both directions along the winding
shoreline. The purple waves were slowly rising and falling, with the
sunlight dancing on the ocean's breathing surface. He raised up his gaze.
For above him in the eastern sky the giant blue disk of the sun was
shining brightly at at beach and the ocean below. And a little lower, in
the western sky, a smaller red disk of the second sun was sending its
softer and warmer rays to meet the blue light of its mate in a glorious
symphony. He flicked the end of his long tail and took a deep breath
through the top row of his nostrils. It felt so good, so exhilarating ...


************************