Chapter 8

Time eventually passed us, and life was becoming just a tad more boring. So it seemed. Winnifred came into the living room one day, handing Courage and I reservation passes. "This looks nice". "Where shall we depart to?". I asked, with a glance up at Winnifred. "This is for you and Courage". "I've noticed you both need some pampering, and some time together". Winnifred said, gently. "It's only for a few nights, sugarplum".

"Thank you". I said, as I glanced down at a sullen Courage. "He needs some time away, more than anything right now".

"Courage would love time with you, you understand him, you've been there for him, he needs you to be his advocate". Winnifred said, as he petted Courage's head, kindly. "He does, and he at least knows someone loves him". I said, pursing my lips a bit. "He needs someone, if anything".

"Courage". I said, gently. Courage glanced up from his nap. "Yes?". Courage asked. "Would you like to accompany me on a trip?". "I have a getaway just for us, where we could share a smoothie, have some sandwiches, we'll swim in the pool, it'll be just for us". I said, kindly. "I love something that's just for us". "I think we'll benefit from it".

"Really?". "We're going on a trip?". Courage asked, as he glanced upwards. "Yes, we are". I said, kindly. "To the Enteca of Kansas". "It's a nice resort on the panhandle, we can eat, we can drink, we can lay out by the sun, it will be a nice time". "Just us, no one else". I smiled a gentle smile, consoling Courage. "Ok". Courage said, as he glanced up at me. "I love you very much, my Courage". I said, gently. "You're someone I truly do admire, so".

"Thank you". Courage said. "It'll be us, and the nice view of a farm, and some lakes". I said, gently. "We need it, a nice vacation for you and I". I petted my Courage's head, kissing him on the cheek. "I know". Courage said. Courage looked up at me, with a look of being well-assuaged. "You and I need some sort of getaway". "We've been handed the tumultuousness of atrocity". I said, gently. I smiled a gentle smile. "Not to worry, we'll be in a good place soon enough". "My Courage". I reassured, petting my Courage on the head, kindly. We were both due for a slight getaway.

One morning, we decided to do it. We decided to pack our things, readying ourselves to go on our vacation. The pickup truck, Eustace's pickup truck was filled to the brim with things.

Courage sat on the other side, glancing about as he drank from his sippy cup. He seemed very shy, and small from his endeavor alluding to drinking. He only glanced up every once in a while.

"Is everything ok, my Courage?". I asked, gently. "You seem sort of shy as of now". "You haven't talked in quite a bit, I'm a bit worried you're saddened by something".

"Kind of". Courage said, as he glanced around. "What's troubling you, honey?". I asked, gently. "I kind of miss Eustace….or…dad". Courage said. "I kind of feel like you might be replacing him with Winifred". "I don't know….that's just something that I was curious about".

"I understand, honey". I said, gently. "Know that Winifred would never be there to replace Eustace". "Winifred is only there because I love him, deeply". "I love him, but I will always love you more". I smiled a gentle smile. "You are my best friend…and my hope for a better tomorrow".

"I know". Courage said. "I am trying my best…I'm doing the best I can".

"You've done so many amazing things". "I will always be proud of you, my Courage". I said, gently. "You are my Courage, and you always will be". "Know that what we have is special, and what I love most about you, is how brave, strong, and kind you are". "You are doing more than necessary, I love that about you". "You're someone with so much love, and wonder about you". "I will always be proud of that".

"Thank you". Courage said. "I appreciate it".

"You know how much I love you". I said, gently. "I would never do anything to hurt you, or change what we have". "I'm so inspired by you, immensely".

"I know". Courage said. "I'm happy I am making a difference….and making you happy".

"You make me happy all of the time, my Courage". I said, gently. "You're someone I'm proud to have as my own". "I love having you".

"Thank you". Courage replied. We rode for a bit of time as Courage laid his head down on the seat. "Courage". I said, gently. Courage glanced up at me. "What are you thinking about?". I asked, kindly. "You seem to be deep in thought".

"Nothing". Courage said. "I guess I was just thinking about if I am really helpful to you…I guess I kind of feel like you have to go out of your way to help me, and kind of…be there for me, and it's a lot for you to do". "I don't want you to have to do it because you have to….because I'm taking away from you, or sucking things out of you". "I want to do it on my own….I don't know". "I don't want to be selfish".

"Courage, sweetie, you're not selfish". I said, gently. "Don't say that, and don't think that way". "You are someone I adore, and that I love having beside me". "I adopted you, and cared for you distinctly because I loved you from the moment I saw you". "I knew we had a connection from the beginning". "When you and I first saw one another, I knew that I saw a bit of me, in you". "I saw someone that had tenacity, love, patience, and kindness, all of the things that I myself possess". "I may have "liked" my Eustace, but I loved you most". "You are my favorite one I have ever had, and I have ever seen". "I will be with you until the day we part". "That day won't come for a long, long time". "I will always stay beside you, Courage". "A part of me belongs to you, and a part of you belongs to me".

I smiled as I said this, leading my Courage to happiness. "Thank you". Courage said. "Do you feel insecure about needing a bit more help?". "Is it something you find to be too much for you?". I asked, kindly. "Kind of". Courage said. "I just….I think…I just kind of think that I'm not doing enough….and that you have to do it all".

"You're being wise, my Courage". "Know that you and I are a team, we can do anything we wish when we put our minds at ease". "We have love, and kindness in our bed, and we are capable of anything…always and forever". I said, gently. "Thank you". Courage said. Courage looked up at the car window. "Know that you are persevering, you're being amazing each day we're together". "I'm always in love with you, Courage". I smiled a gentle smile, petting his forehead. "I know what happened at the beginning, was something that was traumatizing, something that was hard, but I know we'll get through it". "You were born, and even though your birth mother and father passed, you were still so special to us". "You were our boy, my inspiration for love, and success". "You were our joy, and pride". "I will always love you, and I will always be beside you". "You are my Courage". "My boy". I smiled a gentle smile, "I know". Courage said.

"I love you so much". I said, gently. Courage nodded, as he laid his head down. "Don't feel insecure about a past that happened, and my love for you". I said, kindly. "We are copesthetic, in every single way". "We work well together, and we can do anything".

"I'm not insecure". Courage said. "I just want to help, and contribute….that's all".

"You've done more than what was necessary". "I'm always proud of you because of it". "I will continue to be here for you, even in the most impossible of times". "I love you so much". I said, gently. "Thanks". Courage said. We drove for a bit, as I glanced over at Courage while he relaxed his head a bit. "What was life like when you were little?". Courage asked, as he glanced upwards. "Oh, well that is a good question, my Courage". I said, gently with kindness. "When I was a young girl, life was much simpler in its essence". "We had dolls that opened and shut her eyes, we had penny phone booths, we had bread, and water, war bonds". "It was something simple, yet war was a complex thing" "war was difficult, but we got through it, in the best way we could". "That, and in the 1930's, there was the depression". "My generation learned to keep our heads down, stay loyal and trusting to everyone, and be the best we could be". "We only did what we could to survive, and keep our loyalty towards the ones we cared about the most". I concentrated on my driving, as I took a deep breath.

"I lost my mother and father when I was in my 20's, and it was very traumatic for me…but I proved to be alright". "I married Eustace the year after my mother and father passed". I said, gently. "Eustace was someone who comforted me a lot after my parents passed". "He was always a good man, in his efforts".

"Ok". Courage said. Courage glanced upwards. "What did your mother and father pass away from?". Courage asked. "They passed away from polio when they were in their 60's". "But they were wonderful parents". "My mother was a seamstress, my father worked at a mill, they were immigrants from Scotland, they loved one another very much, but they were kindhearted". I explained, kindly. "They cared deeply about me, and Gertrude, they were loving towards us in every way". "I appreciated having them as parents". "They were parents who cared the most about love, kindness, and appreciation". "In essence, they were wonderful parents". "I loved having my parents beside me". I smiled a kind smile.

"I miss them, generally". "Sometimes, things are a bit difficult, but I know when my time comes, I'll see my dear ma and pa again". "They'll be right beside me". I said, gently.

"I've always loved my Eustace, though". "We may have our disagreements, but we've always managed to work through them, and find the common meaning". "Marriage is something that may have its strengths and weaknesses, but it is something I've always loved, and appreciated being a part of". "Marriage isn't an easy thing to come by, however". "It takes compromise, love, hope, and faith". "It takes someone who's willing to be there, and give their time, and truth in order to make the relationship work". "Eustace was never perfect, but he was nice to be around, and I was ok with him". "I loved being married, and even though it seems I'm in love and about to be committing to someone else, I still remember Eustace, and I know that we still have love for one another". "He will always be my husband". I said, gently. "I know". Courage said.

"Do you hope to be married to your significant other one day?". I asked, gently. "One day". Courage said. "I think you'll be great for someone". "If you're in love, you'll feel comfortable". I replied, gently. "Things will work out well for you".

"I hope". Courage said. "I know the girl I like will be there, and I'll be ok". "I know it".

"There is truth in your statement". I said, gently. "One day, the woman you love, will come to you, and you will find her in your essence". "You are chivalrous, loving, and kind". "Things will work out for you, and you will find kindness". "Kindness gives us love, and passion, and you have just that". "You have all you need, you now can believe". I smiled a gentle smile, as my Courage smiled as well. "I will always love you, my Courage".

Courage nodded, as he put his head back down. "My Courage will be in love one day". I said, kindly. "I hope". Courage said, as he glanced around. "Yes, I loved being a wife, it had a lot of perks". "I miss it, truly". "But I know Eustace is always beside me, in his own special way". "Being in a relationship is a special thing". "When I dated Eustace, we would go out, we would go to the dances, we would go to the theaters, we had so much fun". "We loved one another, and dating was a magical time, we eventually married, and we were together for 72 years". "We were so close in every way". "I miss him a lot, and I wish he was still here". "Even so". I said, gently. "I miss him, too". Courage said. "I know you do, sweetie". I said, kindly. "He loved you deeply, even if he was a bit difficult at times". "He told you many times, and he truly did mean it".

"Eustace and I were married for much time for many years". I said, kindly. "We were married, we found one another, we were very close, but even so, it has been a journey". "We've had our difficult times, we've had our moments of doubt, he has been mean at times….but he's been the perfect husband".

"When I was young, I had a man I was interested in….his name was Gerald Penterson". "He and I dated for some time, and we went to the sock hop, we went to the drive in, we did a lot of things". "But Eustace was interested in me, and we married soon afterwards". I said, kindly. "I loved Eustace….I remember we would go to the drive ins, we'd go different places…we had so much fun". "He and I were copesthetic….very much so".

Courage nodded, as he licked his bone. "Eustace was kinda hard on me, sometimes". Courage said. "Yes, he did have his moments, but he meant well". "He was someone with a lot of dignity…and yes, even though we had our difficulties, we were ok with one another….I loved him very much". I said, gently.

Courage glanced up at me, as he continued licking his bone. His eyes fell as he licked his bone. "You look sleepy, my Courage". I said, gently with kindness. Courage nodded. "You will love our vacation spot". "They have a pool, there is a hot tub, and there is a buffet for us…so we don't have any cooking to do". I said, kindly.

"That's nice". Courage said, as he licked more of his bone before falling asleep. I reached over, petting my Courage, as he slept. Smiling a gentle smile, I drove until we saw the nice resort. It was warm out, and there was a lone pool, as well as a hot tub near the resort.

I smiled a gentle smile, pulling into the parking lot, as I softly petted Courage's fuzz. "Time to wake up, dear". I said, kindly. Courage nodded as he got up, walking inside the resort.

We unpacked our things, as Courage found a place to sleep on the couch. He yawned, stretching out his paws, as a wide yawn escaped him. "Let's relax for a bit, my darling". "My amazing Courage". I said, gently as I sat down on the couch. Courage came to my lap, laying his head down, as he licked my hand. "I love you, my Courage". I said, gently in a calm whisper as I petted his fuzzy head. Courage laid his head down, smelling and sniffing around my pocket. I smiled, taking out a butternut cream cookie. Yes, reader, it had vinegar in it. Courage calmly ate the cookie, eyes falling as he looked at my pocket. His eyes seemed to be closing as he laid his head down on my lap.

"I know it was a long trip, huh?". "It seems as if it always is". "Let's relax for a bit…we deserve it it seems". I said, kindly.

Courage's eyes closed, as he fell asleep in my lap. I smiled a kind smile, petting Courage's head, as he slept. While the television was on, I watched some of it…seeing that the evening news was on. We watched television….both of us falling asleep, as I held Courage close, kissing his forehead. We snuggled together, feeling the essence of love…the essence of relaxation….most importantly…the essence of sleep. That was all the more loving.