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Ostara ritual." He repeated it twice, not finding it as calming as he should have.
He wanted another Valium. He wanted something to take the stark edges off his memory.
He tried breathing calmly, meditating as the priestess opened the circle. It wasn't working.
The nightmares would be bad.
He hoped he could handle the bus ride home. The worshippers made their way back to
the shelter house, some bundled deep in thick cloaks and some wearing down jackets. They
unpacked coolers full of hot food. Sean grinned at the irony.
Gabe rolled through the crowd and added their cookies to the dessert end of the table. A
couple of the taller men hung tapestries on the north side of the shelter to cut the wind a
little.
Sean met Gabe in the line for food. "It's all right if I eat, isn't it? I just couldn't handle
being around too many people."
"It had better be. You made the cookies."
"And good cookies they are," called the priestess from the dessert section. She held up
one with a bite out of it.
"Cookies?" rippled through the line. Sean concentrated more on the thick beef stew and
the ham and beans from the crock pots that lined the entrée end of the table.
Gabe got them a seat at a table a little away from the others. "Are you holding out all
right? You look pale."
"I had a flashback." Sean soaked some cornbread in the bean juices. "I'll be okay. We need
to get home soon, though."
"Just as soon as we're done eating," Gabe promised.
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The priest and priestess came and sat with them to eat, their three-year-old climbing on
and off the bench, barely lighting to eat a few bites before hurrying off to look at something
else.
"Hi. I'm Susan," the priestess said. "My husband, Bill." She looked in exasperation where
the child had headed for the playground. "Oh, Bill chase the little terror down, would you?"
"Sean Dempsey." Sean offered his hand and shook, smiling in amusement at the ordinary
names. "Aren't you supposed to be MoonPrincess RavenDark and her consort, Stands-Tall-
Mountain-Lion?" he asked, teasing.
"Sean!" Gabe feigned outrage and smacked him on the arm, very lightly.
Susan just laughed. "You've had him reading Starhawk, haven't you, Gabe?"
"Not really," Sean said. "I'm sorry I couldn't cope with the Circle. I..."
"He's a vet. Crowds get to him sometimes," Gabe supplied.
"It's fine," Susan said. "Pleased to meet you. Are you thinking of coming to Beltaine?"
"Wouldn't miss it," Gabe said with a wicked smile.
"Yes, I hope to," Sean said, finishing his chicken casserole.
Susan kissed Gabe's cheek as she picked up their plates and headed for where Bill had
corralled the boy. "I'm so pleased you found someone. His majesty beckons." She rolled her
eyes and sighed, before leaving.
Gabe ate quietly and Sean finished his hot cider. Smart people, finding a way to keep hot
food hot and providing hot drinks on a chilly March day.
"If it had been a nice day, that'd be tea," Gabe said."I wish it had been. Blustery old March
isn't my favorite."
"It's all right. They're nice," Sean said nodding to the priest and priestess.
"Most of us are." Gabe finished his food. "Are we ready?"
"Long past, lover. Did you get to say hello to everyone you wanted to?"
Gabe nodded. "You bundle up the dishes and I'll make my goodbyes."
Sean tucked the dishes into a plastic bag for washing at home, added them to the picnic
basket they carried and claimed the empty bag in which they d brought the cookies from the
dessert table. Seven crumbs and half a chocolate chip still lurked in the bottom. He'd wash the
bag, too.
The ride home was very quiet. Gabe held his hand, despite dirty looks from the old lady
on the seat across from them.
~* * *~
On the first day of spring, a warm day, when the temperature hit nearly eighty, Gabe
threw open the window over the fire escape. Sean caught the papers on his desk before they
could blow away in the breeze and smiled as his lover breathed deeply of the warm air.
 Mmm, almost time to plant tomatoes, Gabe said.  Maybe we can do them upside down
this year, since you can hang them from the bottom of the fire-escape. He stole a kiss of
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Sean's neck.  I love spring. Check the moon phases so we can get them going right. Ooo, and
what could you do with fresh herbs, lover?
 Where are we going to get all this stuff in the middle of the city? Sean gave him an
indulgent smile, but his mouth watered at the idea of a real tomato, hot from the garden, wet
from being washed off, bursting over his tongue.
 Online!
Gabe scooted around the apartment, for a few minutes, and then announced he was
taking the skateboard down to the lobby to get his mail. He came back waving a white
envelope that bore the name of Sean's publisher.
Sean beamed at him. "I was waiting for that. And I have news! They picked up the
gunslinger." He took the envelope and opened the statement. His hand shook. "Babe." He
handed it to Gabe without a word.
"Four digits, in front of the decimal point even. Most impressive." Gabe nodded.
Sean checked his account online. "It deposited last night. I hadn't checked today, because
I didn't expect it for a week." He stood up, testing his legs. The warmth seemed to help and
today was a low pain day. "Gabe, want to go on an adventure?"
Gabe bounced, tipping the skateboard precariously. "Yes!"
Sean put his shoes on and got the chair. "Sorry, still not up for the pack."
"That's okay. We can cuddle when we get back. Where are we going?"
Sean opened the door for him to wheel out. "If I told you that, it wouldn't be an
adventure now, would it?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]