Page 66 of Pages of My Heart
It’s early evening and they’ve settled on the porch, exhausted, but deeply satisfied.
Thomas’s arm is around Charlie, Charlie’s head resting against his shoulder as they gently sway on the porch swing.
The reception was a fantastic affair, giving them time to catch up with family and friends while also allowing them to have a first dance, a wedding cake, and the most heartfelt speeches from Evie, Jonathan, and Michael.
Thomas knows they will treasure the memories forever.
He cannot believe the cost and planning that was put into making the day so special. It makes him teary all over again.
“You’re not back to the waterworks again, are ya?” Charlie asks.
“I can’t help it! It was incredible. And we had no idea until they told us yesterday. I guess I just feel overwhelmed by all the love. The acceptance.” Thomas kisses Charlie on the top of his head. “And besides, you spent half the day in tears too.”
Charlie tilts his head up to Thomas, grinning cheekily.
They kiss, gentle and loving. “It was incredible, and I’ll never forget it.
But I can’t help but wish we could’ve had all that when we were young.
I know I shouldn’t, but sometimes I see the young ones so comfortable with who they are, and it just makes me .
. .” He trails off, but Thomas understands. “To have been denied that, ya know?”
“I know, darling. There’s been times that I’ve been down in the Castro and just stared at two young boys kissing in the street and felt the same way. But let’s not be sad today.”
“I ain’t. I couldn’t be happier. One day, two men will be able to legally marry. Things are changin’. So much already, even in our lifetime.”
Thomas slides his hand into Charlie’s. “I hope so. Today felt like a real wedding ceremony. But I still cherish the vows we said all those years ago. Before the war.”
“I remember how we sealed our vows.”
They both chuckle. “We were on each other day and night back then.”
Charlie lets go of his hand and slides it up to cup Thomas through his pants. “I was hoping we could be on each other day and night for our honeymoon.”
Thomas lays a sensual kiss on Charlie’s neck. “Mmm, I like the sound of that. I think retirement is going to suit us just fine.”
“Perhaps we should take this inside in case someone walks by.”
“I don’t think any of our neighbors would care. But maybe we should, since I plan on getting you naked really soon.”
Thomas captures Charlie’s lips as he pulls him in close, slipping his tongue inside which earns him an appreciative sounding hum.
While their sex life has understandably slowed over the years, their passion for each other has never waned, never a day going by without them sharing some type of intimacy.
Charlie pulls away first. “Come on, sweetheart. I need you.”
Within minutes, they are upstairs in their bedroom, slowly undressing each other until they stand naked, eyes yearning with desire.
Charlie is in fine shape for his age, body still strong and able.
His hair has greyed at the temples and receded a bit, but Thomas cannot find fault in his handsome husband.
Thomas kisses the palm of Charlie’s left hand, then his wedding ring. Then he presses Charlie’s hand to his chest, over his tattoo. “Feel, sweetheart. My heart still beats for you as fast as the day we met.”
Charlie melts against him as they kiss. Thomas picks him up, Charlie’s legs wrapping around his waist, and he carries him to their bed.
A little later, once they’ve recovered from their lovemaking, Charlie climbs out of bed. “Back in a sec,” he says, slipping out of their bedroom still buck naked.
“Where are you going? If you’re getting food, bring me something too!” Thomas calls out after him.
Ten minutes pass before Charlie returns carrying two sandwiches and two glasses of water perched precariously on top of a very old box.
“What do you have there?”
“Sandwiches,” Charlie teases. “Is your eyesight going already, old man?”
“Ha, ha. Just because you don’t need reading glasses . . . at least I’m not going deaf,” he throws back. “Now tell me, what’s in the box?”
Charlie sets their food and drinks down and climbs back into bed with the box.
“I was bored waitin’ on you to come home from work the other day, so I did some cleaning in the attic.
I found this and thought you might enjoy it as much as I did.
” Charlie opens the lid and Thomas gasps.
Because straight away he knows what they are—their war letters.
“Did you read them? Without me?”
“Well . . . I read a couple.” Charlie has the decency to look a little sheepish. “But I thought it might be nice if we read them to each other. Or is that stupid?”
Thomas shakes his head, eyes watering up for the hundredth time that day. “It’s not stupid at all. But . . . they won’t upset you? They don’t drag up terrible memories?”
“You know, when I first looked at them, I thought they might. But once I started readin’, it just . . . how do I explain this?”
Thomas waits patiently for Charlie to gather his thoughts.
“The letters are filled with our love. Yeah, there’s the heartache of us being separated and how we were struggling to cope with that, but it’s been thirty-four years, and now we know we made it.
What’s to cherish in these letters is our love for one another.
We were young and reckless, but our love was undeniable. ”
Thomas’s reservations are pushed aside by Charlie’s words. Maybe this is the perfect way to celebrate their 40th anniversary. “You want me to read one first?”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Pick one.” Charlie passes the box to Thomas.
He looks through them, checking dates, opening a few and reading the first few lines as he tries to decide. Finally, he settles on one. Thomas gets comfortable leaning against the headboard.
“Okay, come here.” He motions for Charlie to settle against his chest. Once Charlie is snuggled against him, he begins.
“September 3rd, 1943. To my beloved Charlie…”