Page 25 of Semper Fi

Watching Cal with the children, Jim felt a fresh swell of affection. He’d always thought Cal would be a wonderful father, but now he knew why he hadn’t married. All these years he’d been ignorant of Cal’s true desires, and Jim couldn’t help but feel foolish. He supposed Cal had hidden it well.

There was no hiding now. They stole moments together whenever they could, far out in the orchard, on the ground, or up against trees.

Yesterday they’d come together in the dark recesses of the barn, kissing frantically as they stroked each other.

It was always furtive and rushed, even when Jim knew there was no one about.

They’d made a rule to never touch in the house, and obviously never when the children were present.

“Daddy, Daddy!” Sophie came around out of the trees, screeching as Cal swung her up into his arms and tickled her. Adam toddled along behind them clapping in delight, and Finnigan barked in the distance as he raced over.

“Daddy can’t save you now! The monster caught you!” Cal roared.

Shaking off his thoughts, Jim put down his hammer and ran over to join in the fun as his children’s laughter filled the air.

***

“Was this thing even built in this century?” Cal eyed the tractor critically from the doorway of the barn.

Jim patted the rusty Fordson. “Nineteen-eighteen, I think.”

“How much horsepower?”

“Twenty.”

Cal climbed up on the seat. “Feels sturdy enough, I suppose.”

The two back wheels were much larger and wider than the front, providing a secure base. “Of course it is. It works just fine.”

“You know, I could buy a new one. It wouldn’t cost much. ”

Jim snorted. “We have differing opinions on the relative value of ‘much.’”

Cal smiled as he hopped down. “Fair enough. All right, I’ll get the sprayer ready.”

Jim sat on the tractor and started the engine, which belched to life. “See? Runs like a dream.” He couldn’t help but cough as a plume of smoke rose.

“Uh-huh.” Cal passed him the jug of pesticide attached to a hose. “You know, it occurs to me that there were gas masks for this kind of stuff in the war. You sure we should be spraying this on the trees?”

“They say it’s a different formula, and it’s safe. Everyone’s starting to use it, and I can’t afford a plague of insects.”

“All right. I’ll go to town and pick up those other supplies we need and meet you out there in a couple of hours.”

“I’m starting at the far end and I’ll make my way back.

” Jim drove off through the sun-dappled orchard, going a few miles per hour.

The spraying was straightforward enough, and he’d done three quarters of the trees by the time he spotted Cal walking toward him in the distance with a lunch basket in hand.

Jim left his pesticide supplies and drove away from where he’d been spraying.

Cal stood against a tree, waiting for him with his legs crossed at the ankle.

It was almost the end of June, and they both wore simple white T-shirts and jeans for work every day.

Cal’s trousers hugged his slim hips and lean thighs, the cotton of his T-shirt stretching across his firm chest.

When he’d arrived at Clover Grove after sitting behind a desk for a few years, he was still in good shape, but the manual labor and time in the sun made him look just as Jim remembered him in the Marines, save for the haircut. Cal smiled slyly as Jim turned off the tractor and hopped down.

“Like what you see?”

Jim flushed. “Was I that obvious?”

“Mm-hmm. But hey, I’m not complaining.” Cal reached out and tugged Jim against him, kissing him soundly. “Not complaining at all.” He nuzzled Jim’s neck, finding the spot under his ear that never failed to make Jim’s knees weak.

Sighing, Jim ran his palms up Cal’s sides. “We shouldn’t. We’re too close to the house.”

“Mrs. O’Brien’s busy polishing the silver and keeping Adam occupied.” Cal reached down and rubbed Jim’s cock through the rough denim. “Besides, I’m hungry.”

“Did you bring sandwiches?” Jim shivered, leaning into Cal’s touch.

Grinning wickedly, Cal ran his tongue across Jim’s bottom lip and whispered, “I’m hungry for you .”

Jim groaned, his cock twitching at the thought of the things Cal could do with his mouth. He hadn’t had the nerve to do it to Cal yet, but Cal seemed to love sucking him, and it was irresistible. “I can’t get enough of you,” Jim muttered.

Cal murmured in Jim’s ear hotly, “I’m all yours.”

Jim steeled himself and stepped back. “Later this afternoon. We’ll go check on the young fruit. No one will come out that far.”

“I suppose you’re worth waiting for.” Cal kissed him softly.

They ate their sandwiches in easy silence, listening to the birds chirp. When it was time to get back to work, Cal clambered onto the tractor. “My turn to have a go. It’s not often you get the chance to use an antique.” He winked.

Chuckling to himself, Jim turned away to pack up the basket.

Suddenly his ears rang with an explosion, the air sucked from his lungs as he flattened himself on the ground, arms over his head.

The sunlight disappeared and it was the black of night, mud beneath him, cries all around as the fire and flesh rained down.

There was blood in his mouth, and Cal was there, saying something Jim couldn’t understand, his hands on Jim. He breathed in acrid smoke, his lungs seizing, the burning filling his senses. His heart was going to burst, his blood pumping in his veins too hard, and oh God, oh God, oh God —

“ Jim! ”

He squirmed away, the mud squelching beneath him, getting into his mouth and mixing with the coppery blood, choking him as more explosions rent the air.

There were cries all around, his own throat hoarse, and he realized he was screaming too.

Then he was rolled over with a forceful push, and he held his hands out, waiting for a bayonet to end him—for a blade to carve into him.

“Open your eyes!”

Blinking, Jim saw snatches of sunlight and blue sky. Branches with green leaves. Cal’s pale face. Cal— Cal’s all right, thank God —was saying something again, and Jim shook his head, trying to clear the rushing in his ears. He gasped as his burning lungs expanded.

“It’s okay. You’re okay. Just breathe. Breathe.” Cal brushed back Jim’s hair. “You’re all right. You’re home in the orchard. It’s over. You’re home.”

Taking a shuddering breath, Jim swallowed thickly. Home. He felt the grass beneath his back. No mud. No bodies. No bombs or gunfire. Just the trees and fresh air. He focused on Cal’s pinched face. I’m okay. He’s here.

Jim panted, sweating and tingling as the panic subsided. “She was…she…I couldn’t…” He closed his eyes, trying to banish the memory.

“Shh. It’s over.” Cal caressed Jim’s cheek and kissed his forehead. “It’s over. You’re here. You’re safe.” He held Jim close, lying beside him and touching him gently.

“I’m sorry.” Tears prickled Jim’s eyes, and he screwed them shut.

“The tractor backfired. Scared me too. It’s okay.”

Jim breathed deeply. In and out. In and out. “It’s like I was there somehow. It was all happening again.”

“We’re never going back. It’s over. I promise.”

Jim clung to him, praying he was right. After a few more minutes of soothing caresses and whispered words of comfort, Cal grabbed his canteen and Jim sat up to drink with Cal’s arm solid around his back.

Jim gulped down the water and swiped the back of his hand over his mouth.

“Thanks. I’m fine. We should get back to work. ”

“Work can wait. Let’s rest for a few more minutes. Come on.”

Cal scooted over and leaned against the nearest tree, tugging Jim along. Jim didn’t argue and stretched out perpendicular on his back, resting his head on Cal’s thigh. Cal ran his fingers lightly through Jim’s hair.

“Now will you let me buy a new tractor?” he asked, smiling softly.

Jim had to laugh. “I guess it’s something to consider.”

The breeze stirred the leaves overhead, and Jim closed his eyes. “Sometimes I can’t believe we’re really here. Both in one piece.”

“There were times I thought it was impossible.” Cal paused. “And I never thought I’d be here with you like this.” He rested his palm on Jim’s chest.

Eyes still shut, Jim reached up and covered Cal’s hand with his own. “I’m so glad you’re here.” He wanted to say more but wasn’t sure how to put his feelings into words.

Before Cal could reply, a cry rose on the wind. “Hello!”

It was Mrs. O’Brien’s Irish lilt, and Jim shot up, he and Cal both on their feet in seconds. Jim peered around but couldn’t see her anywhere. A moment later she and Adam appeared at the top of a gentle hill, coming from the direction of the house. She waved, and Adam charged forward.

Jim and Cal exhaled in unison. “It’s all right. She didn’t see anything,” Cal said.

Jim nodded, his heart still racing. Everything’s fine.

I’m okay. I’m okay. Opening his arms wide, he put on a smile and swept up Adam.

Mrs. O’Brien chatted with Cal as Adam babbled on to Jim, telling him something about carrots that Jim didn’t quite understand.

He caught Cal’s gaze for a moment, and Cal smiled.

They were okay.