Chapter Twenty-two
Doc’s house appeared unchanged, as though Daire could go inside and hear the familiar greeting, sit with his mentor, and watch game shows. Never again. His heart constricted.
He let out a massive sigh after bringing in another parcel of boxes, determined to face the task of Doc’s home at last. Where could he even start? Wait! What happened to the dining room table and chairs? And the lamp from the end table? Had someone broken in?
Daire deposited the boxes on the floor. Time to do something he’d put off long enough.
The envelope the lawyer had given him weighed heavily on his mind.
He pulled the envelope from his back pocket.
Neat print on the front in Doc’s nearly illegible scrawl said, “Don’t read until you’re at my house. ”
He sat in the chair he’d considered his, opened the envelope, and pulled out a handwritten note, also in Doc’s handwriting. He studied the page for several moments, sight going blurry, before making out the words.
My dearest Griffin,
You came into my life when I’d given up on living. If not for you, I’d have ended things on my own terms long ago, not wanting to continue without my Nate. Then, to find out his grandson died. In my grief, I couldn’t imagine going on.
You gave me a new purpose. For that, I thank you.
I know how difficult it will be for you to clean out this house. I couldn’t ask you to do that alone. You’ll find several boxes in my bedroom of items I want you to have.
I sold many of my things, knowing I’d no longer need them, and you wouldn’t want them, and I’m sure my attorney told you I sold the house and most of its contents.
Here is the buyer's number, a doctor I once worked with. I will ask you to help him transition to his new home. Make sure he properly respects my roses or I’ll come back to haunt him.
The attorney has all this information, but if you’re like me, you might have put off handling legal matters.
Nate told me you cannot take material items with you, so I’ve set up a bank account in the name of Griffin Hodges. If you’ll remember, I had you added to my other accounts years ago. You are a wealthy man should you choose to remain local. If you don’t, do with it what you will.
Daire couldn’t help but notice the coded language intended for him, but safe if someone else read the words.
I’m sorry to have to leave you. I’d love to see where life takes you. Thank you for making an old man’s last days more pleasant and allowing me to talk openly about Nate. I hope soon you’ll find a love like ours.
I love you like a son.
Doc
Hot tears stung Daire’s eyes. A little over three years ago, he’d not even personally known any humans. Now he mourned one. Two, if he counted Griffin. Maybe he mourned Nate a little too. He remained in the chair until a knock sounded on the door.
“Come in,” Daire called, not even caring who came. If they were vultures, he’d take out his frustrations on them and send them packing.
“Darlin’?”
Daire closed his eyes, sighing in relief. “Back here.”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway, slowly approaching. Jimryr took one look at Daire’s face and sank to his knees by the chair, wrapping Daire in his arms. “What’s wrong?”
Daire gave a loud sniff, holding out the paper.
Jimryr’s eyes shifted back and forth as he read. “Seems like Doc is still looking out for you.”
“He is.”
“Would you like to see what’s in the boxes he left you?”
Not really, but soon time would run out. Daire needed to take care of business first. “Sure.”
Jimryr took Daire’s hand, leading him into the bedroom. Four boxes sat on the bed, two the size of shoe boxes, and two larger. Daire sat on the edge of the mattress, where he’d sat before when visiting Doc, and opened the first small box.
Stacks and stacks of photos. Some of Doc, some of Nate, some of them together, stretching forty years together.
Photos taken in the rose garden, beneath trees full of fall leaves, on what must have been vacations, with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
He found rough diagrams of the house Doc and Nate planned to build.
At the very bottom, he found boxes containing two golden wedding bands inlaid with sapphires. Never worn. Daire’s heart ached anew.
The second box held what appeared to be family mementos: a gold pocket watch, an ivory brooch, various chains, rings, and a silver cuff carved with what appeared to be runes. His inner dragon declared, Mine! Mine! Mine!
“Jimryr? Look at this.”
Jimryr took the bracelet. “This couldn’t have come from our realm, but it’s the seal of the Desert Dunes Court. Maybe Nate had it made after he came here.” He turned the bracelet over. “Corentin of Desert Dunes Court.”
Daire returned the jewelry to the box. “Corentin.” He shook his head. “He’ll always be Nate in my mind.” Maybe he could find family to tell of Nate’s life here.
He moved on to the larger boxes. More photos, and smaller boxes of coins, all antiques. Daire knew little about old coins, but if Doc went to the trouble of packing them away, they must’ve been valuable.
His dragon simply admired the silver and gold. Was this treasure part of Nate's, or rather, Corentin's hoard?
The last box held an old shirt, pants, and shoes too large for Doc.
Daire didn’t need to hold them to his nose to smell Nate’s unique scent.
Doc had saved these as a reminder of his lover.
An old Bible listed Doc’s name, and three generations before him.
All gone now, but if Daire returned to the human realm one day, he might study Doc’s family history.
There were pictures of Nate with a young boy. The son he’d adopted? More pictures showed the boy growing into adulthood, alone, with Nate, and sometimes with Nate and Doc.
He found a copy of Griffin Hodges’s birth certificate, and photos of Griff. Daire really did resemble the guy. He’d have loved to have met him under better circumstances. He’d kept his unspoken promise, keeping the man’s memory alive.
There were various family records for both Doc and Nate.
He found a framed sheet of handwritten paper at the bottom of the box.
To my darling Anton,
I’ve loved you since the first moment I laid eyes on you and want nothing more than to see your beloved face every day for the rest of my life. Time will not diminish my love for you. May the Goddess bless our union.
Corentin
Doc had lied about knowing Nate’s dragon name. Why? And why let Daire know now? Wait. Was this a mating declaration?
“They were married,” Daire mumbled, “in a way. These words are similar to the ones dragons say during formal ceremonies.” Formal ceremonies weren't necessary. Daire and Jimryr were as mated as any other dragon couple.
More knocking came at the front door. Daire dashed away tears and returned everything to the boxes. Taking Jimryr’s hand, he led the way to the front door.
Sheila and Keith stood in the doorway. “I saw your truck here, so I called Keith to see if you needed us,” Sheila said, giving Daire a hug.
Jimryr, Sheila, and Keith were here. Daire wasn’t alone. He had these three wonderful souls and his brothers waiting somewhere. All he needed.
Once Sheila released her death grip, Daire waved them into the living room. “Come in.” He disappeared into the kitchen for the beer Doc kept on hand.
He returned to find Keith and Sheila on the couch, and Jimryr in the chair Daire had occupied earlier, likely since he could smell Doc’s scent on the recliner.
Daire distributed the beers, then pulled another chair closer to Jimryr’s. “Sheila, Keith, I’d like you to meet Jimr…Jim. Jim, you might remember Keith and Sheila from the bar.”
All three nodded to each other. Keith focused on Jimryr. “I take it you went to see Griff the night you came in.”
“I did.” Jimryr answered. “Pretty much been here ever since.”
“’Bout time you found someone, Griff,” Sheila said, lifting her beer in a toast.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Daire had wondered how best to do this.
“Doc has already made arrangements for this place, or I would welcome your help. Thanks so much for coming. I’ll be going away with Jim for a while.
” If only he could tell them he might not be back.
“Please keep an eye on the cabin for me, okay?”
Sheila eyed Daire, then Jimryr. “Is everything okay?”
On no. Sheila had read and misinterpreted Daire’s sudden mood. “Oh, yeah.” He tried to relax. “Jim’s taking me home to meet the family.”
Sheila smiled. “Oh! Going to meet the family. Sounds serious.”
Jimryr returned her smile. “About as serious as you can get.”
“I’ll swing by there a couple of times a week on my way to work,” Keith promised.
“Good.” Daire stood, hugging first one friend, then the other. Later today, he’d visit Doc’s attorney again. If he didn’t return from the dragon realm, he’d make sure all the things he owned here and no longer needed went to his friends.
When Keith and Sheila left, Daire might never see them again. “Thank you for being there for me,” he said, taking them each into his arms for a hug, clinging tightly, breathing in their scents. His eyes burned when he let go.
He and Jimryr stood on the front porch, watching them leave.
“You’re going to miss them,” Jimryr said, a statement, not a question.
“Yes, I will. I hadn’t known how much they cared until recently.”
Jimryr laughed. “Keith threatened me the night I met you. Something about if I did you wrong, no one would ever find the body.”
Daire chuckled. “Soon we’ll both be gone….”
They finished together, “And no one will find our bodies.”
Jimryr sobered. “I'd like to come back with you if you ever return.”
Daire repeated the words Nate had written for Doc: “Time will not diminish my love for you. May the Goddess bless our union.”