Barbra Kowalski stood outside her son's apartment. She was holding a pizza box and a shopping bag full of old issues of Ring World. Stanley's door was open a crack and strains of jazz music could be heard.

She pushed the door open and walked into Stanley's apartment. She let out a gasp in surprise Stanley and Constable Fraser were on the couch. The Constable was laying on the couch and Stanley was laying on top of him, his lips were on Constable Fraser's neck and Constable Fraser had his eyes closed and was smiling.

Stanley must have hear the gasp because he looked in Barbara's direction. Stanley's eyes went wide and he flung himself away from Constable Fraser and stood up.

'Mom? What you doing here?'

'I thought you might be hungry so I brought you your favourite double cheese pizza. What are you doing?'

'Um... Would you believe Fraser was teaching me to buddy breath?'

Barbra sat the pizza and shopping bag on Stanley's kitchen counter. 'I wish you wouldn't lie, everyone knows that buddy breathing is mouth to nose not mouth to neck.'

'Sorry, I... Wait a minute, buddy breathing is mouth to nose?'

'Of course it is everyone knows that.'

Stanley ran his fingers through his hair and Constable Fraser stood up and grabbed Stanley's free hand.

'Has this relationship been going for awhile?' Barbara asked.

Ray lowed his head and looked like he had been caught with his hand in the chocolate jar. 'Yep.'

'Why didn't you say anything?'

'I'm sorry. I... I guess I was scared that you and dad wouldn't understand.'

Barbara went up to Stanley and brushed her hand against his cheek. He lifted his head and looked at her with fear in his eyes. She said the only thing she could, the truth. 'Oh, Stanley. I just want you to be happy and if Constable Fraser makes you happy than I'm happy.'

'Thanks, mom. So you really don't care that I'm with Fraser?'

'Of course not, now let's eat this pizza before it gets cold.'

'Cool.' Stanley walked over to the pizza and opened the shopping bag on top of it. His eyes lit up and Barbara was reminded of when Stanley had been a little boy on Christmas morning. 'You brought me Ring Worlds? Coolski.'

Barbara turned her attention to Constable Fraser. He was standing stiff with his arms at his side. He looked so uncomfortable that Barbara had to do something. She went up to him and took his hand in hers. 'Welcome to the family.'

It must have been the right thing to say because Constable Fraser relaxed, and a small smile played on his lips.

'Thank you, kindly, Mrs. Kowalski.'

'Please, call me Barbara.'

'You better do what she says, Fraser. She's pretty tough, who do you think taught me to box,' Stanley said from the kitchen.

'Of course, Barbara. Please feel free to call me Benton.'

Barbara smiled and squeezed Benton's hands.

'What do we do about dad?' Stanley said as he walked back to the couch and sat down.

'You're going to have to tell him.'

'I know. I know. I... I just couldn't take it if he cuts me off again.'

Benton released Barbara's hands and sat down on the couch, Barbara sat down on the other side of Stanley. She didn't know what to say. She didn't think she could stand it if Damien cut Stanley off either and as much as she loved her husband that was always a possibility. She did know that no matter what happened she would support her son.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Barbara was in Stanley's apartment, she was elbows deep in a sink full of soapy water and dirty dishes. Every so often she would look at Stanley's black cat clock and wish her son and husband would come back to the apartment. Stanley had promised he would tell his father about his and Benton's relationship while they worked on Stanley's car.

Suddenly the front door opened and Stanley and Damien walked into the apartment. Stanley came up to Barbara and kissed her cheek.

'Did you tell your father?'

'I did.'

Barbara turned around and looked at her son. There was a grease smudge on his forehead and he was grinning.

'I take it it went well?'

'Oh, yeah. We put a changed the oil in The Goat.'

'Stanley. You know that's not what I meant.'

'What? That's what happened. I told him about me and Fraser and he said 'that's goodness' and we put new oil in the car.'

Stanley danced out of the room and Barbara went back to the dirty dishes. As she scrubbed a coffee mug that was more old coffee than ceramic she thought about the Kowalski men and their inability to talk about their feelings. It least Stanley seemed happy and that was all that mattered.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Barbara was laying on her bed. The tailer home bed was a little too small for her and Damien, but it always reminded her of their first apartment; the apartment would have had to have been a hundred feet bigger to be tiny. On the wall across from her she had taped up pictures of Stanley. Every night as she would go to sleep she would see Stanley's smiling face. Her new favourite picture was one of Stanley and Benton; they were standing outside the Consulate looking at each other grinning and for some reason Stanley was wearing Benton's hat.

Dief was laying next to her and she was rubbing his soft fur. Damien walked in and sat down on the bed.

'Whatcha doing,' he asked.

'Just taking it easy and spending time with my Dief-buddy.'

Dief barked and Barbara thought he sounded happy.

'You like baby sitting him don't you?'

'Yep. He reminds me of the mutt I had as a girl.'

Damien turned around and looked at Barbara. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but instead he kissed her. She breathed deeply and revelled in the scent of his aftershave and cologne. Even after all the years they had been together that smell really turned her crank. Now, if only she could get him to pick up his dirty socks.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Barbara was sitting outside her trailer home reading the sequel to Swords of Desire, Cups of Passion. She had just gotten to the part where Dean the duke told Cassie the milkmaid that he desired her when Damien walked up to her.

She looked up at her husband he was holding a cardboard box in front of him.

She put her book down. 'What you got there?'

'Um... I know how much you like spending time with Dief so... here.' He sat the box on her lap.

Barbara pulled up the flaps and looked inside. A black puppy with big brown eyes stared up at her. She picked it up and cuddled it. She laughed when the puppy licked her face.

'I know he's not white, but I hoped you liked him.'

She stood up and kissed her husband on the cheek. 'I love him, thank you. I can't wait to show him to Stanley.'

'Maybe we should invite him and Fraser to dinner.'

Barbara grinned. 'That's a wonderful idea! I'll make those turkey meatballs that Benton likes.'

As Barbara walked into her trailer home with her new dog she thought Damien might not talk about his feelings, but sometimes actions really did speak louder than words.