From: dmcintoshtx@yahoo.com   
      
   ONE YEAR LATER   
      
   "Do you think we have enough rolls?  What about pies?  I could make up   
   a couple more apple pies; everyone likes apple pies."   
      
   "Calm down, Alex, we have plenty of everything.  Besides, I know for a   
   fact, Rachel's bringing food and so is Eleanor.  We've got enough food   
   here for an army."   
      
   "This is the first time we've had them all here at once.  I want to   
   make sure there's plenty of everything.  What about ice?  Did you   
   check the ice maker to make sure it's full?"   
      
   "It's full.  C'mon in here a few minutes before they all get here.  I   
   want to give you something; a gift."   
      
   "Walter, it's not Christmas yet!"   
      
   "Humor me, will you?"   
      
   Alex allowed himself to be taken in hand and led into the living room   
   stacked high with presents.  Walter pulled a small package out of his   
   pocket and handed it to him.   
      
   "What is it?"  Alex looked at the small box in awe.   
      
   "Open it and find out."   
      
   "Should I wait until the others get here and everyone is opening their   
   presents?  Isn't this cheating opening one early?"   
      
   "No.  This is a special gift.  It's private."   
      
   Alex undid the gold ribbon and the shiny paper and lifted the lid off   
   the brown velvet jewelry box.  Two gold rings were nestled into the   
   satin interior.     
      
   "I know we're not married, Alex, but I feel like we are.  We've been   
   together a year now and it's been the best year of my life.  We said   
   we'd see how things would work out for us.  We bought this old house   
   and fixed it up; I know there's still a lot more it needs, but I was   
   thinking; well, maybe we could agree to make this a permanent   
   arrangement.  I don't want it to ever end, Alex.  I want to make the   
   commitment; I want the world to know that you belong to me and I   
   belong to you.  What do you think?  Are you ready to make a   
   commitment?  Will you wear my ring?"   
      
   Alex leaned his forehead against Walter's chest; clutching the ring   
   box tightly.  It took several moments before he found his voice.   
      
   "Can I put it on now?"  He raised his head and blinked back the tears.   
      
   "Absolutely.  I had them engraved inside.  This one is mine.  See?"   
      
   Alex read the tiny engraving inside the plain gold band.  "I belong to   
   Alex".  He grinned and looked inside his ring.  It said, "I belong to   
   Walter".  He started to put it on but Walter stopped him.   
      
   "Uh uh.  I get to do that."  He took Alex's ring and slid it on the   
   third finger of his left hand.  "I love you, Alex, and nothing in this   
   world will ever change that."   
      
   Alex took Walter's ring and slid it on to his finger.  "I'll love you   
   till I take my last breath; and then, I'll love you even more."   
      
   They kissed and clung to each other, swaying back and forth a little   
   in front of their first Christmas tree, neither having words to   
   express their feelings so they just stood there staring into each   
   other's eyes and hugging.   
      
   Soon the room was filled with the whomp, whomp, whomp, whomp, of a   
   helicopter rotor overhead.    
       
   "Looks like the General and Eleanor are here.  They headed out into   
   the hall, past the huge wrapped crates and grabbed their coats off the   
   coat rack by the front door. Out on the front lawn the General was   
   unloading box after box and stacking them in the snow.  Bruce and   
   Chuck were helping to unload while Eleanor and Chuck's wife Alexis   
   carried packages of food towards the house.   
      
      
   "I just can't believe what you've done with the place!  Your lights   
   and decorations are just beautiful!"  Eleanor was saying as Walter and   
   Alex helped them with their packages.   
      
   They carried their bundles inside and went back outside for another load.   
      
   "More gifts?"  Walter asked the General?  "We're not going to have   
   room for much more.  The living room is already loaded, and the hall   
   is filling up as well."   
      
   "Well good!  It's Christmas.  There's gonna be a lot of us here and we   
   need a lot of stuff!"  The General answered blowing puffs of vapor   
   smoke out with every word.   
      
   "Tony and Rachel didn't come with you?"     
      
   "They were running late and Tommy had business in Syracuse so they   
   decided to drive in from there.  They'll be along in a couple of   
   hours."  They removed their boots and coats and hung them in the hall   
   and gathered by the fire.     
      
   "Oh this is nice!  Your tree is beautiful!"  Alexis exclaimed.  "This   
   is going to be so much fun!"  She went on into the kitchen where   
   Eleanor was unloading the food.   
      
   "Just because the others aren't here yet, don't mean we can't start   
   the party!"  The General headed for the bar set up in the library   
   across the hall from the living room.  He stopped and caressed the   
   molding in the doorway.  "I can't believe you two did such a great job   
   stripping and refinishing all this molding.  You two ever decide you   
   want to work for me, let me know.  I got people calling all the time   
   wanting to redo these old houses."   
      
   "We got enough work left to do with this one for the next several   
   years.  I don't think we'll be out looking for work any time soon."    
   Walter assured him.  "We've been mostly working on the downstairs; we   
   still have the upstairs hallway and all that molding to do and then   
   the wall paper.  We did get all the floors upstairs as well as down,   
   refinished though and the plumbers you sent over got all four   
   bathrooms upstairs finished now.   They did a great job."   
      
   "They always do; I trained them!"  The General smiled and lifted his   
   glass in a toast.   
      
   Walter joined him with a drink of his own, "Cheers".     
      
   Feet were running up and down the stairs and Alexis was squealing.    
   Bruce had grabbed her and had her over his shoulder, "I tell you,   
   you're mine!  I just won you in a bet!"   
      
   "Now hold on there a minute, Cowboy," Chuck was laughing, "I bet you a   
   week's home cooking by Alexis.  That don't mean you get to take her   
   home; it just means you have to eat her cooking and if you've ever   
   tasted it; you'll realize you actually lost the bet in the long run."   
      
   "Hey, I resent that," Alexis was swinging at Chuck and Bruce decided   
   he'd give her back.  He tossed her into Chuck's arms and headed for   
   the bar.  Chuck slapped her on the butt and said, "In the kitchen,   
   woman!  I need food!"  She responded by grabbing him by the ear and   
   dragging him into the kitchen with her, laughing at his, "Ow, ow, ow"   
   all the way.    
      
   Walter caught Alex's eye and they huddled in the hallway.  "Having   
   fun?"  Walter asked caressing Alex's shoulder.   
      
   "I love it!"   
      
   "Good.  The General was telling me there's another storm headed this   
   way.  We could be snowed in.  Like last year."   
      
   "This is not like last year."  Alex shook his head, "bigger tree this   
   year."  They shared a private grin.   
      
   "Yeah; it's a lot nosier too.  I'm glad we decided to make the master   
   bedroom downstairs and all the guest rooms' upstairs."   
      
   "Me too.  I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."   
      
   "It will be; but it'll be fun; I promise you.  I can hardly wait for   
   you to see what I got you!"   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)