Love Means Courage - Andrew Grey

looked at Len, his eyes questioning. “I was thinking that Geoff needs a P-O-O-L for the summer.” Geoff looked from Len to Cliff and back to Len, trying to puzzle out what they were talking about. “Oh, he does, does he?” A tummy was tickled lightly. “Well, only if he’s good.” All three of them laughed as Geoff tried to squirm away from his dad’s tickling fingers. “Let’s go, shall we?” Len carried Geoff down the stairs, blowing a raspberry on his 192
    Andrew Grey
tummy, to the boy’s delight, as they reached the bottom.
    Through the house and out the back door, they walked and bounced to Geoff’s delight until they reached the truck. Cliff buckled him in the seat as a car pulled into the drive. “Aun’ Mawi,” Geoff squealed, and he tried to get out of his seat, but he was already buckled in, so he had to wait impatiently until she leaned in the truck for a hug.
    “Hi, Mari, what brings you by?”
“I was just driving past and saw you outside, so I thought I’d stop.”
“We goin for bwench bwies.” Geoff’s little legs kept kicking the front of his seat.
    “You are, huh? Then I better not keep you.” Len got in the truck while Cliff walked his sister back to her car. He knew they were probably talking about Janelle, but he didn’t want to interrupt.
    They appeared to finish quickly, and Mari waved to them as she got in her car and drove away.
“Daddy, wet’s go. Bwench bwies.” His little legs were swinging to beat the band.
“Okay, we’re going.” Cliff got in and buckled up before starting the truck and heading to town.
    THE three of them did their shopping and then drove to the Dairy Barn for dinner. The purchases, including a kiddie pool and floaty toys, were tied down in the back of the truck.
    The restaurant was busy, but there were a few empty tables, 193
Love Means Courage
    and they sat down and waited for their server. When no one showed up right away, Cliff glanced around the restaurant. “Why’s everyone looking at us?”

    Len shrugged and glanced at the people around them. It was true, they weren’t trying to be too obvious, but they were obviously the objects of attention. “I think word may have gotten around town.”
    “Hi, I’m Steve,” he looked around the table, his smile remaining genuine. “Does he need a booster seat?”
“That’d be great.” He left and brought a plastic booster for Geoff. Cliff ordered for him and Geoff, but Len couldn’t help glancing around the room.
    Their server must have noticed. “They’re just nosy.” He said a little loudly, and everyone went back to their food. “Seems you’re the latest bit of gossip.” He rolled his eyes and lowered his voice.

    “You’d think they had nothing better to do than nose around in other people’s lives.”

    Len placed his order and did his best to ignore the other diners, who for the most part had returned to their own conversations. Steve hustled away to get their order in and bring the drinks. “Well, at least we know what Janelle’s been doing.”

    “I think so.” Cliff appeared uncomfortable, and Len didn’t exactly like being the center of attention himself. “I should have expected something like this.”
    “Let’s not dwell on it and just enjoy our meal, okay?” Cliff said he’d try and talked while they waited for their food.
“Here you go, guys.” Steve brought the food and put the plates in front of them. “You aren’t hiring by any chance, are you?” Cliff 194 Andrew Grey
    looked at Len in surprise. “I’m trying to get money together for college, and I could use another part-time job for the summer. I can’t get enough hours here.”
    “Stop out after the holiday, and we’ll talk,” Len said. Steve refilled the water glasses and then left.
“Well, what do you know?” Len commented.
    They started eating and were about halfway through their meal when the couple in the next booth got up to leave. They had to be in their seventies. Len saw the husband walk to the register, but the woman planted herself at the end of their table. “You boys should be ashamed of yourself.”
    Cliff looked up from his meal. “Excuse me?”
“I said—” self-righteousness flowing from her like a river, “—
    you should be ashamed of yourselves behaving that way.” Cliff was rendered speechless and sat gaping up at her. Len on the other hand, had had his fill of people like her. “I don’t think so.
    You, on the other hand, should be ashamed of your