JL
A Not-So-Empty Corner
It was barren, but it was theirs. That made it incredibly special.
He stood in the empty kitchen, wondering
how long it would be till this room and the others in the small house would be
furnished.
The apartment fire had destroyed
everything. Renter’s insurance was
covering the cost of replacing clothes and some necessary pieces of furniture
that they still needed to shop for, but it couldn’t cover the cost of
everything. Not that it mattered. They had each other, and after the trauma of
the fire, they were happy to be able to say that.
They’d talked about finding another
apartment, but it was depressing to think of once again having to start from
scratch and still share walls with strangers.
A search through the real estate section of the paper and a small bank
loan was now making it possible for them to purchase this small house. It was one floor, a tiny 800 square feet that
housed a living room, bathroom, one bedroom, and the kitchen he stood in.
He moved to the room’s window, looking out
at the miniscule backyard and thinking that the grass needed mowed. Strong arms wrapped around his waist as he
stood there.
“All right?” the deep voice questioned as
he was hugged from behind.
He nodded, but it must not have been
convincing as the arms around him pulled backwards. He found himself urged to the floor, his back
pressing against the man he’d committed his heart to and sitting with him in a
corner of the small kitchen.
“I know it’s small and empty,” the voice
behind him soothed, “but we’ll get the necessities and replace the rest as we
can.”
It was comforting to hear, but he didn’t
really need it. His head tilted slightly
as he felt a kiss dropped warmly on his neck.
He closed his eyes with contentment.
“As long as you’re here, I can wait for everything else,” he assured.
A hand lifted and cupped his cheek,
turning his head so he could see the familiar blue eyes of his husband.
“I’ll always be here. Welcome home, Love.”
Aww! I love this. All you need is each other!
ReplyDeleteThanks, KK. I wanted to show the importance of people over things. Contentment isn't in how much you have, it's in your attitude and who you share your life with :)
DeleteJL-
I don't think I've read this before, JL! I'm so glad you posted it. Out of the ashes comes a stronger relationship! I think this ficlet shows us a blessing in disguise. They truly are home now. Thank you so much for posting this!
ReplyDeleteDizzy
Thanks, Dizzy :) I wrote this awhile ago based on a picture someone shared in a group. These two men have found a home in one another more than a place, but they're glad to have four walls to just call theirs.
DeleteJL-
This is a lovely tender story. They have faced adversity with strength and love for each other.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing it.
Susan
Thank you, Susan. It's great to hear from a new reader! :) Adversity can bring people together or tear them apart. Thankfully, these two men found solace and contentment with each other :) Thanks again!
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