Love Means Courage - Andrew Grey

wrapped box from his bag. She smiled and tore off the wrapping. Inside were a small blue sweater and some smooth wooden alphabet blocks.

    “My mother knitted the sweater, and I made the blocks.” Ruby hugged him tightly, looking like she was going to cry. Then she turned and packed everything away.
    “I’ll talk to you soon,” Ruby said as she turned to Janelle.
They exchanged air kisses, and then she was gone, putting a blanket over the carrier before heading outside.
    Len and Janelle sat together talking until it was time for his next class. “Weren’t you in my public speaking class last semester?” She smiled and nodded. “I think I was. You gave the talk on insomnia.”

    “And you gave a speech about the rise of computers.” They laughed and wondered aloud how they’d never met before. She’d finished her lunch, and since they were heading to the same building, they walked together.
    LEN graduated and got a job working in the business office of a car dealership, handling paperwork and helping with the books. It wasn’t his ideal job, but it was full-time and came with benefits. He would occasionally have lunch with Ruby, but his schedule was now more regimented. However, they did talk more often, and he heard all about how Geoff was growing.
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    Len had been working at the dealership for almost a year, when having lunch in the employee lounge one day, he glanced at a newspaper someone had left on the table. Flipping it open, he began to read the headlines. About a paragraph into the story, he gasped and dropped his fork. Ruby had been riding with her father-in-law, and he’d taken a curve too sharply. The car had spun out of control and hit a tree. Neither of them had survived.
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    Love Means Courage
A KNOCK on his door woke him from a sound sleep. “Len, you’ll be late for work.”
“Shit!” He glanced at the clock and breathed a sigh of relief.
He still had time. “Thanks, Ma.”
    “You’re welcome, hon.” He heard her footsteps recede as he threw back the covers and got himself out of bed, pulled on his pants, and headed to the bathroom down the hall.

    “Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes,” she called.

    “Thanks.” He cleaned up quickly and finished dressing before heading to the kitchen. Coffee was already poured, and the toast popped up just as he sat down. A few minutes later, two plates appeared on the table, and his mother sat down across from him.
    “You okay, Len? You’ve been so quiet for so long.” A sigh escaped before he could stop it. “I still miss Ruby 30
Andrew Grey
    sometimes.” He really did. She had been the one person he could talk to about anything. Oh, his mom had been supportive and tried her best to understand, but it was tough for her, and Len knew that.

    He also knew that she was disappointed that he wouldn’t get married and that she wouldn’t have grandchildren. But he missed the easy conversation he’d had with his best friend.

    “I know you do, but Janelle seems nice.” His mother knew he was gay, but sometimes, she just couldn’t help hoping. Len didn’t fault her for that. He couldn’t, because there were times that he hoped as well—hoped he could be normal, like everyone else.

    Len shrugged and sipped his coffee. “She’s very nice, and we have fun, but she’s not like Ruby.” No one was like Ruby. He sometimes thought that if he was ever going to marry a woman, it would be Ruby, except for the sex part.

    “I know. It’s hard when you lose your best friend. Imagine how hard it’s been for Cliff, losing his wife. Have you seen him since the funeral?” She began eating.

    “A few times in town. I saw him last week with Geoff. He’s the spitting image of his mother, and he’s walking now. It was so cute seeing him walking along, holding his dad’s hand.” He finished his breakfast and put the dishes in the sink. “Today’s payday, and I thought I’d take you to dinner.” “Don’t you have plans with Janelle?”
    “God, yes, I’d completely forgotten.” He raced back to his bedroom and got his things for work. “I’ll see you later.” He heard a muffled reply from his mother’s room as he closed the door and headed out to his car. It took him about ten minutes to drive to work, WKLA providing the morning news and weather. He arrived a few minutes later than usual and parked in his regular spot, entering the dealership through the service entrance and turning on 31
    Love Means