Part Two: Wine Country [Spring 2013]

My Dearest Phillip,

I am so looking forward to this weekend. We finally get to go and see the infamous winery of Arthur and John's. I am also glad for the good weather. I love riding the bike going to places like this, maybe it is just I like holding on to you.

I would feel guilty about asking the Allan's to take care of Feebi for the weekend, but they both enjoy spoiling her when we take trips like this. Ms. Nussbaum said she would also look in on her so I know she will eat good. Even though she has to use her cane all of the time she still gets around real good.

As for you my dear I have been thinking that there is something wrong. It takes you three of four times to find what book you are looking for on the shelf. You have also handed me the wrong thing when I have asked you to get something out of the pantry. Your headaches have also become more frequent. When we get back I am going to make you go to the doctor.

Taye is in a good mood, he thinks he aced the audition, but he has not heard back yet and he is ready to climb the walls. Marty has been busy enough at work that when he gets home all he wants to do is be with Taye and distract the both of them.

Ken is also on the edge. Once more he did not get any shoots this week. Micheal has been taking up the slack with rent, but at least that is what I have been telling Ken and Micheal. I have been taking care of Ken's part and taking what Micheal gives to me and I have been putting it away for a rainy day for Ken.

Next weekend Jason and Becky are taking Arthur to look over the house figuring he is enough of a handyman and painter he can really help them with the renovation.

Your Loving, Douglas

Doug held onto PJ tightly. The husky was not driving as fast as he normally does. He even missed a few turns and got lost once. This is not like him at all Doug was thinking. When he asked PJ about it he just said he must be tired.

It was close to dark when they got to the winery, about 2 hours later than was planned for. PJ did seem a little fatigued so Doug took charge of things. Once in the room PJ told Doug he was just going to take a shower, then undressed and got in it. After putting a few things away Doug joined PJ in the shower. When he got in the shower PJ was standing under the water rubbing the top of his nose.

"You ok dear." Doug asked PJ putting his hand on his lover's forehead.

"Yea, I just have a headache that's all." PJ said looking at Doug.

"Are you sure?" Doug sounded concerned. "You have been having a lot of those recently."

PJ just nodded. "Now that you say that, I think I have been."

"When we get back you are going to go see the doctor." Doug insisted.

"You are right I should love." said PJ quietly.

"Now I know there is something wrong with you, you hate going to the doctor." Doug just put his arms around PJ. "I just worry about you dear."

"I know love." PJ put his arms around Doug and pulled him closer. "I also have not told you everything. The reason I have not been bringing you the paper is for some reason I keep grabbing the Spanish version."

Doug just looked up at PJ. "What no Russian language paper?"

PJ let out a chuckle. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up.?"

"Is it working?" Doug asked as he put his head against PJ's chest.

"A little bit." PJ thought. "How would you feel about driving the bike back home?"

"I am not sure." Doug thought for a moment. "I have only taken it to the store and back. We could have Ken bring up my car and let him take the bike back."

PJ nodded. "That sounds good, all of a sudden I don't feel safe riding it."

"We could cut things short dear." Doug said looking up.

"No love." PJ said with a smile. "We have planned this for way to long."

"Good." Doug said as he gave PJ a light kiss. "Besides what I have planned for you to ride next is much safer."

"You would take advantage of me while I am at a disadvantage love." PJ said now grinning.

"Of course it is the best way dear." said Doug with a grin back.

The next morning they enjoyed breakfast in bed before calling Ken to come and pick up the bike. While they waited the both of them enjoyed wandering around the old winery. They spent the morning just walking through the grape vines and a small olive orchard.

Ken and Micheal showed up about noon so Doug treated them to lunch. He also gave Micheal some money to pay for gas on the way back. When Ken asked why the change of transportation Doug just told him that they might pick up a case of wine and they could not carry it on the bike. After they left Doug looked at PJ.

"So it looks like we are buying some wine." Doug said with a raised eyebrow.

PJ just nodded smirking. "That is an excuse if I ever heard one."

"Hey an excuse is an excuse." Doug said with a giggle.

"So I think we need to try some to see what we want." PJ said with a chuckle.

"Talk about an excuse?" Doug said giving him a light shove on the arm.

"Hey, you are the wine drinker." PJ said pushing back. "I am a beer drinker myself, though I like a good ale...can we go to the Sam Addams brewery next time?"

"You know you don't swallow you spit it out when you are doing tasting right." said Doug with a grin.

"Do you know how dirty that just sounded?" said PJ with another chuckle.

Doug just gave PJ a hard look. "Pervert, you have such a dirty mind at times."

"And when has that been a problem?" PJ said back teasing.

"I did not say it was a problem." Doug said with a grin. "I was just pointing something out."

As they both laughed over there conversation PJ saw a lady get out of her car as her small dog got out and started to run to the grape vines near where the two were standing.

"I got it." said PJ as he headed after the dog and its dragging leash.

Doug watched PJ chase the dog for a few moments with a giggle before he saw the husky all of a sudden do a mid air flip and landing on his back looking stunned. PJ grabbed his side and let out a moan as the dog came over and licked his face. When PJ did not get up right away Doug ran over to PJ to see that his shirt was getting bloody as PJ had cut himself on a barbed-wire fence.

"SOMEONE CALL 911!" Doug yelled as he put his hands over the bleeding wound. "How the hell did you do that."

"Sorry love." said PJ sounding in pain. "I did not see it."

PJ was laying in the bed in the ER just looking up at the ceiling with wide eyes.

"What is wrong with him?" Doug asked the Doctor.

"From what I can tell it is some sort of reaction to being here in the trauma center. I saw he has dog tags, was he a veteran?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes he was Air Sea Rescue." Doug replied as he took PJ's hand.

The Doctor nodded. "Well it might be from some form of PTSD, I saw his old surgery scars, I take it he was wounded in action?"

"Yes." Doug let out a gulp. "He almost died from his wounds."

The Doctor looked around. "The ER might have been set off a flashback or something. Nurse let's see if a normal room will help."

A little later PJ was in a normal room and seemed to have regained himself as he looked at Doug and smiled. "Well that was...new."

Doug squeezed his hand. "At least you are feeling better."

The Doctor entered the room. "Well as far as your wound goes, we ended up giving you about a dozen staples and a tetanus shot. However I noticed something else while checking your visual responses." The Doctor held up a pamphlet. "Tell me what you can read."

"Safe Sex and You." PJ squinted. "And that is about it."

"I thought so...have you been having headaches and such?" The Doctor asked to which PJ Nodded. "I want to perform a few test."

The Doctor entered the room after the test. "Everything looks good, no tumors or anything. You just seem to be having a vision impairment."

"Can it be fixed?" PJ asked

"Yes with contacts or corrective lenses." The Doctor said.

"That is it?" said PJ "I have just been needing glasses."

"Yes." said the Doctor. "It might come from all of the altitude changes you went though or just from getting older. You may be in your30s, but your body is in its 40s. You have had a hard life from what it looks like."

My Dearest Phillip,

It has been a long time since I have been that scared. When they put you in the MRI I thought I was going to lose it.

Now to find out you just need glasses. I have never been so happy to see glasses in a long time.

I caught you looking in the mirror with a pair of Paulie's old glasses when we got home. They looked dignified on you, but not your style.

I know you told me not to tell anyone, but everyone knows something is up. I know you don't want them, but you need them. The Optometrist should have them ready in a week or so. I am going to insist that you have someone drive you until then.

I think that is going to be a good thing about Ken's not working problem.

Your Loving, Douglas

Feebi was giving another try at making breakfast for her Papa once they got back home from the trip and hospital. Like last time she waited for Dougy to get up before she started. After last time, though not a disaster the two of them figured out everything in the kitchen was just a little to big for her to use safely. So Dougy had gotten her some of her own utensils and a small electric skillet.

After showing Feebi how to mix up the pancake batter with her own set of bowls and whisk she put some large cookie cutters on the hot griddle and poured the batter in each using a watering can she picked up just for the trick she saw on Sunshine Forest Friends with Ranger Bob.

PJ looked at his pancakes that looked like eggs, bunnies and duckies shaped from the Easter themed cookie cutters and let out a smirk. The duckies and bunnies even had little blueberry eye that Feebi had placed before flipping them and let out a snicker. "These almost look to good to eat."

Feebi let out a giggle as she sat down at her plate full followed by Dougy. "Well you should before they get cold..." She looked at hers for a moment and then at the berry jam. "I can't roll them up, they are just two small." The little fox girl just shrugged and covered her in butter like her Papa and then jam before folding them making them into little sandwiches and ate them that way.

Dougy snickered this time as he thought about something. "You know Feebi this will get you that badge you were looking for to go from the Brownies to the Juniors with the Girl Scouts."

"Really!" Said the now more excited Feebi. "Though I should stay a Brownie all my life with the amount I have eaten."

Both PJ and Dougy let out laughs.