Chapter Eight

Two cheese cheeseburger macaroni–with broccoli. Drew tossed and mixed the vegetable in the dish and their daughter still gabbled it down, and even asked for another scoop. Broccoli was Rick's most hated food and cheeseburger macaroni was his favorite dish. If he picked the vegetable from his plate Sky would ask why she had to eat the green vegetable and he didn't.

Therefore he would have to eat it. He gave Drew a dirty look while at the stove.

"It won't kill you," Drew teased.

"No. But I'll get you back," Rick said.

When Sky left the table Rick got seconds, and picked out the ingredient he hated.

"You're such a wuss," Drew said.

"As I recall, you knew that when we met," Rick grinned. "And you still fell in love with me."

"You seduced me. Just the two of the shower stall wasn't fair," Drew smiled.

"If I was gonna take my best shot I was going to use my best asset," Rick said walking over and kissing Drew.

Okay, this was not how the two fell in love, just what happened soon nearly every time after while in basic training. Before that Drew had no clue how he controlled himself–and his body when he was around Rick, especially in the shower.

"I saw the way Ginnie looked at you yesterday, by the way," Drew said, kissing his husband back. "She wanted to take ya home to be her boy toy."

Rick laughed.

"You saw that, too? I think she'd be the first customer if I was to rent myself out. She'd devour me."

Devouring Rick was only in the dreams of other people, male or female. He left Drew do that tonight. Zach was all right in his crib in his room for while. He was sleeping for longer periods of time now. As long as they remembered to lock the bedroom door getting interrupted by Skylar wasn't a problem either. Little sleep was worth the wonderful sensations among other things. The master bedroom had a full bath. After the two cleaned up more making out ensued. Rick said he was one lucky man that night; Drew said he might be, but he was luckier.

The resort cabins (or what they called cabins) had all the amenities, cable television and full kitchen, living room and laundry facilities, even a hot tub on the back deck (with a privacy fence). Sky and Zach would have to share a bedroom but the family was going on a mini-vacation in the country. The playground on the resort had everything a child from one to seventeen could want. There was first aid station on-site (though Rick knew his husband would be bringing his own supply.) The kids would be going on their first hike; two carriers in tow in case they needed a break. A Walgreen's was five minutes away if groceries or diapers were required. But those too were stocked up in the SUV. Everyone thought Rick and Drew were insane for taking such young children on a trip that involved hitching and nature. But children those days didn't experience that often and it was a shame. It wasn't like the children were going to be day-long walks, like their parents would do without kids. Skylar was excited going into the woods and maybe seeing some real animals. Drew told her there were deer and rabbit in the woods where no hunting was permitted.

Skylar thought she might meet Bambi and Thumper.

Topher and Janet Zia envied how easy it was for the Lincoln-Alisters to plan a family vacation, granted, it was because their kids were so little. A nature vacation wasn't going to cut in a few years so the two better enjoy it now. From the pictures Drew sent, Skylar looked to be enjoying herself. Her and Rick had gone fishing by the lake there and she had caught a fish. She threw it back, Her daddy didn't catch anything. This was followed by s'mores and hotdogs in the fire pit behind their cabin before bath time. Zach looked to be enjoying the sights he had never seen up-close before, like squirrels and birds. There were ducks by the lake Drew was attempting to show his son how to feed, Zach was excited by the animals and kept trying to reach for them.

"They're not like quackers," Drew smiled, referring to his favorite stuffed animal, a duck. "You can't give 'em a hug."

The dads enjoyed the hot tub after the little ones were in bed. The resort wasn't busy this time of year since it didn't allow spring break college groups. There was a few couples were around. No young children were around but Drew had sen a few young teens playing tennis. There was an older couple who stared at the family for a while, while Skylar and Rick were fishing and Drew and Zach were playing just feet away. Skylar didn't notice, Rick and Drew did but tried to ignore them. Then the man came up to them and d\said their children were very lucky to have parents who made time to make memories like this with them in today's world. The two dads "thing?"

"Irrelevant," said the old man.