Love Means No Boundaries - Andrew Grey

table. But this time, instead of making him happy, he was filled with loss, knowing Joey was going to leave.
    The boat continued its journey along the river, and Joey cajoled him back onto the deck. This was a day he’d remember for a long time: the scent of the water, the movement of the boat, and Joey’s light touch against his arm. Slowly, Robbie felt the funk he’d allowed himself to drift into start to lift, and as the ride ended, he found himself smiling again. He could never remain sad when Joey was around; it just wasn’t possible.
    “Where to next?” Robbie asked as Joey guided him off the boat and back onto dry land.
“I thought we’d go to Windsor.”
Robbie found himself smiling broadly. “Cool!”
“What’s Windsor?” Joey asked.
    “It’s the ruins of a huge mansion. You’ve got to see it,” Robbie answered excitedly. “I can remember it from when I was a kid. It’s one of my favorite places.” Robbie found himself hurrying back to the car in his excitement and soon they were riding again. He knew immediately when they’d arrived.
“Holy cow!” Joey exclaimed as the car stopped.
     
“It’s pretty amazing isn’t it?” Arie beamed from the front seat.
     
“The house was built in the 1800s and was the largest house in the antebellum south. It was destroyed by fire in 1890 and only the columns and a few railings remain.”
    The car doors opened and Joey helped him get out. Robbie stood outside the car and let Joey lead the way. “I love it here.” “Why?” Joey whispered as they walked. “I mean it’s beautiful to see, but….”
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Love Means … NO Boundaries
“Just wait.” Robbie smiled. “Lead me inside.” The ground under his feet became uneven as they stepped onto the grass.
    “Okay, you’re in the center. What are we waiting for?” Robbie slipped on his sunglasses and felt the sun on his skin. It was hot and humid, but as he waited a breeze came up, the wind rustling the trees. “Listen.” The wind wound its way through tall pillars, whistling and moaning in the bits of railing that still joined some of the columns together. As the wind built, the pitch changed and moved, the sound moving as the wind died again. “It plays music.” He felt Joey grow still next to him. The wind came up again and the columns began to play, this time from multiple places at different pitches —a harmony. “This is a place where the building plays music.”
    “It’s beautiful, Robbie.” He felt Joey touch his arm. “Thank you both for bringing me here.” People came and went around them, visiting the ruins and marveling at the scope of what was left, but Robbie stood quietly, his friend and his lover on either side of him as he listened to the columns play their music.
    165
    Andrew Grey
THE last few days y had
a bee
e n
e fu
f n, an
a d he’d
’ go
g tten wh
w at
a he’
e d
’ co
c me
fo
f r:
r time
e spen
e t wi
w th
h Robbie.
e Du
D ri
r ng
g the
e day,
y they
y did things
g
toge
g t
e her.
r Somet
e imes
e it was
a just sitting g in one
e of
f the
e house’
e s
’ opulen
e t
ro
r oms re
r a
e d
a ing
g to ea
e ch
c other
e
r or
r Joey
y sitting
g quiet
e ly
y as Robbie e playe
y d
e
for him. A
A fe
f w
e
w times
e he’
e d
’ star
a t
r ed
e to fe
f e
e l
e very
y re
r s
e tles
e s, but he e
re
r m
e inded
e himsel e f
f that
a he
e wa
w s
a n’t
’ at
a the
e far
a m
r .
Ye
Ys
e ter
e d
r ay,
y at
a one
e point wh w ile
e Robbie e wa
w s
a re
r hea
e r
a s
r ing,
g he
snea
e k
a ed
e off
f
f to the
e kitch
c en
e an
a d hel
e ped
e Ad
A el
e le as
a she
e mad
a e
e her
e
r
fa
f m
a ous fr
f i
r ed
e ch
c ick
c en
e . When
e Joey
y as
a ked if she’d show him how, she’
e d
’ shut the
e door
r an
a d swo
w rn
r him to sec e r
c e
r c
e y
y befo
f re
r
e let
e ting
g him in
on how
w she
e mad
a e
e her
e
r chick
c en
e . When
e they
y wer
e e
r done,
e Robbie
e had
a
just fi
f nished
e re
r h
e ear
a s
r ing,
g an
a d the
e two
w of
f them
e had
a an
a ab
a solute fe
f as
a t.
Yes, he was having a good time. Joey
y sat
a in the
e kitch
c en
e , listen
e ing
g as
a Robbie’
e s
’ violin music
c
drifted through the house.
“T
“ h
T at
a boy
y is go
g nna
a miss yo
y u somet
e hing
g aw
a f
w u
f l when
e yo
y u go
g .”
Ad
A el
e le
e co
c ntinued
e wo
w rk
r ing,
g but Joey
y co
c uld hear
a
r the
e co
c ncer
e n
r in her
r
voice.
166
Love Means … NO Boundaries
    “I know.” He did, very acutely. He was going to miss him just as much. The last