Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey

of himself as a baby and his mother standing next to a handsome man. He found some jewelry he remembered her wearing on top of a few letters. Lifting out the papers, he opened the envelopes and began to read. "These are from my father...

    my real father." He smiled and wiped away a tear. "They're love letters." Lifting out the last yellow paper, he opened the crinkled sheet. "Oh," he said as he handed it to Preston, his hands shaking.

    "We regret to inform you of the death of Brandon Miller..." Preston read out loud. "It says he died saving the lives of others. He was a hero, Stone." Preston refolded the paper. "We can look him up when we get back to the house."

    Stone nodded and placed everything back in the box just as he found it. "Thank you."

    "You're welcome, babe." They got back to work, digging through the room, getting it cleaned out. No other money or anything else of value surfaced, and Stone carried the bags out to the truck and threw them in the back, surprised at the number that were already in there.
    Working for most of the afternoon, they cleaned out almost everything. The few things Stone wanted were packed up and loaded. "What about the barn?" Geoff asked, standing by the recently emptied truck.
    "There's some tack and things that someone might use. We could take it back and give it to any of Eli's students that could use it." Geoff patted Stone on the shoulder and ambled into the barn. Stone went back in the house to finish the last of it.

    At the end of the day, the animals were gone, the house was emptied of the crap, and the rest would be sold along with the land and the house. The lawyer stopped by, and Stone signed the papers he needed to act as Stone's agent.
    "Just the funeral tomorrow and it's over," Preston said as he held him.
"Yeah." Somehow he knew it wouldn't be that easy.
    Stone walked into the small church up the road from the farm. He didn't look at the urn or the few flowers. Taking Preston's hand, he slipped into a pew and waited for the service to begin.

    People dribbled in the doors, a few offering their condolences, but most just taking a seat.

    This was a small community, and his father talked, so he figured everyone knew what had happened, or at least his old man's side of it. Not that he cared anyway. After today, he wasn't coming back.
    The minister began the service, and Stone listened absently, doing his perfunctory duty and no more. There were no tears and just a few coughs as the service wound to its conclusion. Stone was eternally grateful to be surrounded by friends, and friends who treated him more like family than his own had ever done.
A final prayer was offered by the minister, followed by an "Amen," and Stone slowly released the breath he felt like he'd been holding since he'd gotten the phone call a few days earlier.
    The minister greeted everyone solemnly at the door. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said, and Stone nodded mutely, not knowing what else to do or say. It was over.
    "Are you ready to go home?" Geoff asked, and Stone found himself smiling for the first time in days.
"Almost. There's just one last thing I have to do." Stone walked down the steps and waited.
    He'd heard the voice he was listening for behind him. Looking toward the door, he saw Uncle Pete shake hands with the minister before descending the stairs.
    "You hurt me, you bastard!" Stone gritted out between clenched teeth. "I came to you for help and you hurt me!" Pete opened his mouth, and Stone balled his fist, drew his arm back, and punched the man in the jaw with everything he had. "Stay away from me, or so help me, I'll cut your balls off," Stone growled as Pete collapsed like a rag doll into the snow, the minister looking in open-mouthed shock.
    "Now I'm ready to go home."

    PRESTON watched the lights flash by the windows. Eli snuffled from the back seat, having fallen asleep a while ago, and Stone leaned against his lover, the adrenaline from his pugilistic encounter long worn off. His eyes were closed, lips slightly parted, expression relaxed and Preston suppressed the urge to kiss him, content to hold him. Preston swore that Stone hadn't slept more than a few hours since they left for Petoskey days earlier.
    "They're both out," Geoff half whispered from the driver's seat.
"Have been for a while." Preston felt Stone burrow closer and settle again. "They both worked hard."
Geoff nodded slowly. "They always do." The truck switched lanes and passed a slower car.
"Have you given any