Chapter Six #2
“Good. My complaint department is closed and won’t be opening until Monday morning,” Cliff retorted. “So, if you have any, you’ll need to get in line behind my mother, who makes complaining a world-class sport.” He closed his eyes and sighed, not wanting to move, yet he knew he had to.
Thankfully, Dade was the first to excuse himself and skittered off into the bathroom. Cliff took care of the detritus of their love-making and even straightened the bedding before Dade returned and slipped under the covers. “What do you have to do tomorrow?”
Dade smiled next to him. “Nothing. I have a few papers to grade, but other than that, I’m pretty much up to date.
It’s still raining, and it’s supposed to continue well into tomorrow, but who knows.
We’ll see what happens.” He sighed and snuggled closer.
“Of course, next weekend is trick-or-treating, and I’m going to need to be here to give out candy. ”
“Do the kids come to each apartment?”
“No,” Dade told him. “They have a gathering of some kind out on the lawn, and all the kids can get their candy there. Not everyone participates, but every year some of the kids from my class come by, and it’s nice to see them all dressed up and out with their parents.
Besides, I’m a teacher, so I want to see the kids happy.
I already bought my candy bars when they went on sale last week.
I have them in a box in the closet so I don’t see them.
” He laughed softly. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
“Does that really work?” Cliff asked.
“It has so far. I haven’t been in there to get the candy, so I’m pretty proud of myself right now.
I usually end up eating at least one round of Halloween candy before the kids get it, and then I pay for it with a chocolate-induced migraine.
This year, it’s still there. We should go to sleep.
” His words became softer, and it wasn’t long before Dade’s breathing evened out.
But for Cliff, it took longer before he could fall asleep.
After all, he had Dade in his arms, and he wanted to make the most of that happy situation.
Cliff woke to the enticing scent of bacon.
The bed was chilly, and he pulled up the covers and snuggled more deeply into them.
The rumbling of his stomach was the only reason he managed to get himself out of bed.
A robe had been placed over the end of the bed, and he pulled it on before following the scent to the kitchen.
“I was hoping this would get you up.”
“The bed was cold, and I rolled over to find that the furnace was no longer there.” He tugged Dade into his arms and held him close, his warmth staving off the morning chill.
“I was hungry,” Dade told him. “I mean, you wore me out last night, and I woke up hungry. So, I got up and figured I’d make you breakfast.” Cliff slipped his hands under Dade’s robe, and he shivered. “You’re cold.”
“And you’re so warm.” He snuggled closer, loving the warmth that radiated off him. “I’d say that we should go back to bed and work up an appetite….”
“But breakfast is almost ready, and you have plenty of appetite. Besides, we’ll have more energy after we eat.
” He quivered as Cliff plucked at one of Dade’s nipples.
“You need to stop that or else I’ll burn the eggs, and neither of us wants that.
” He pulled his robe closed. “No, you need to be good for the next few minutes.” He got the plates and made up both of them before taking them to the table, where places had already been set.
Cliff sat down and ate, his appetite returning with a vengeance as soon as he took the first amazing bite. “This is really good.”
“It’s pretty simple. There isn’t anything fancy.” Dade took his first bite of eggs and a bite of bacon. “Did you sleep okay?”
“I did. At one point my mind began going over what I needed to do, but I shut that down and just went to sleep.” He rolled his eyes. “Like I’m going to forget something. I have everything written down, and there’s nothing for me to worry about.”
“It’s the mantle of responsibility,” Dade told him.
“It makes you extra careful. I’m that way with my kids.
I want to give them all the opportunities that I can.
And I do that by being the very best teacher that I can.
” Dade finished his breakfast and took his dishes to the sink.
Cliff hadn’t finished eating when Dade stood behind him, leaning over his shoulders, sliding his hands down his chest. They were warm, and Cliff closed his eyes, letting the sensation wash over him.
A knock on the door made Dade groan, and he pulled his hands away before going out front.
“What is it you want now?” Dade asked, and Cliff stood, peering into the other room to where Dade stood in front of his father.
“I like the job I have, and I’m not interested in moving. ” He sounded so sure of himself.
“Fine. I get you an amazing opportunity, and you just throw it away.” He sounded almost like a petulant child.
It was clear that General Saracina didn’t understand that his family was different.
That they weren’t something for him to command.
Cliff cleared his throat, and the general stopped midrant.
“You have someone here at this time of day?”
Dade sighed. “You’ve met Cliff already. He and I were enjoying our morning coffee. I’d offer you some, but I didn’t know you were coming, and I don’t have any more brewed. So, I’ll ask again, what is it you wanted?”
“I don’t understand you. I keep trying to help you, and….”
“Maybe he doesn’t want your help,” Cliff interjected, and came out, pulling his robe tight around him. “Dade is more than capable of making his own decisions. He doesn’t need them made by you, me, or anyone else.”
The general looked him up and down. “Yes, I know who you are, Major Rogers.” He held Cliff’s gaze and then turned to Dade. “Why didn’t you properly introduce us when we met?”
Dade sighed loudly. “Because I didn’t want to have this conversation with you. First thing, you’re retired, and second thing, I will not have my date saluting my father. That seems rather squicky to me. I like Cliff, and he and I are seeing each other.”
“The major here is—”
“No! This is Cliff.” He whirled on his father like a hurricane.
“I will not have any of your military crap invading my life and my relationships. I grew up with all of that, and I’ve had enough of it.
Do you understand? You dragged us all over the world with no concern for any of it.
I grew up with my father the major, then it got worse with my father the colonel, and finally it became nearly unbearable as my father the general.
Do you get that? I was so happy to go to college and get away from you. ”
“It was my job and what I loved.”
Dade put his hands on his hips. “I know. You loved that more than anything else. Well, I’ll have you know that you should have loved me, and Mom, and Maria, more than you loved being the goddamned general.
But you didn’t. Everything was about what you wanted.
Maria and I grew up alone because of you.
Any friends we had were left behind, again and again.
Well, I have friends now and people I care about.
And you don’t get to rip me away from them anymore.
” He held out his hand. “His job is on post, but when we’re together, he’s Cliff. Period. And that’s what I need.”
The general cleared his throat, and it seemed everything Dade said, all the sadness that he’d poured out, just seemed to fall on deaf ears.
“You know it doesn’t work that way. The army is part of who he is, and sooner or later, it will demand that he make decisions, and it will pull him away from here.
” In that moment, Cliff wanted to knock the general’s teeth in.
“Sooner or later, it will take him away from you.” The general turned and left the apartment.
Dade grabbed the door, and the slam echoed through the apartment like a shot. The worst thing was that Cliff knew the general was right, and from his expression, Dade knew it too.