Chapter One
Sage was crawling. Early, too, which made his two fathers anxiety-ridden messes, despite the immense pride. Suddenly all the baby proofing they’d done didn’t seem good enough, and having Christmas decorations seemed like a good way to send them to the hospital with their beloved child three times a week.
Not only that, but Herb was taking to the books, trying to make the profits they were indeed seeing, stretch as far as they could.
Basil was even busier. He was handling most of the farming and still taking shifts in town at the store. He insisted on being there for Sage’s bath time, and he spent at least an hour each night making organic baby food for their child’s meals.
They had a lot of help, if they wanted it, from all the family members that begged for more time with the little one, but neither of them could tear themselves away from their son. They loved seeing each and every smile. And Basil didn’t trust anyone to stay on routine with Sage.
What that had done, however, was to keep them from time alone. Basil mentioned it now and then, though Herb knew he was thinking about it as much as Herb himself was. He’d thought about it so much that he had grand fantasies about it. The only problem was, however, when to do it.
He knew Christmas was the perfect time. If they could get just one perfect evening alone, just the two of them, it would last them for months. And of course, he wanted it to be a surprise. Basil loved surprises and spontaneity, so it was a must.
Herb pulled Lila aside the month before Christmas, after they finished their huge Thanksgiving meal. As the family all chattered away over their slices of pumpkin and apple pie, he asked, “Lila, can you please help me get a special night together for Basil next month? I want to surprise him on Christmas Eve.” He thought about it for a second and said, “Maybe the night before that. I mean, is Christmas Eve important for kids?”
Lila’s usual gruffness wasn’t absent as she drawled, “Oh, yeah, Sage has been talking nonstop about all the traditions he’s looking forward to. He even wants a little extra nog in his eggnog.”
He smirked at her sarcasm. “Funny. He’s not allowed eggnog, Lila.”
“That’s what you got out of that? Man, you do need a break. Fine, I’ll give you some advice to help you out. And yeah, Christmas Eve is not the night, but Christmas night, that’s your sweet spot.”
He hadn’t even considered that. “Why Christmas night?”
“Well, the presents are all opened, and the ham’s been eaten. Most folks, including kids, fall asleep early from all the stress, play, food, and work. Just…stay up a little later.”
That was actually brilliant, but, as usual, it wasn’t his brilliance. Lila seemed to know everything, and it was annoying, at times. “Okay, but…I wanted to get him something special for the night.”
“Is there a gun to your head to put it under the tree?”
He felt like he’d lost at least seventy points off his IQ since he’d become a father. Everyone seemed to know more than he did about…everything.
“Right. God, I feel so inadequate. Fine, Christmas night. Now…how?”
“Good lord Herb, how did you get that man in the first place?”
“To be completely honest, I don’t know.”
She cackled and said, “Come by the house tomorrow and we’ll do us some plannin’. Bring that baby.”
“If Basil lets either of us out of his sight.”
The following day, he kissed his husband goodbye as Basil went to work with the farmhands, then headed to town. Herb volunteered to watch Sage for the day, taking him to their store that afternoon when it was his turn to watch over it.
In the front carrier, Sage babbled his spit-laden noises, allowing his daddy to look furiously for his keys. “Where did I put them? I just had the damn things!”
He realized he’d broken the cardinal rule in the house. No cursing in front of the baby. “Sorry, Sage. Please forget that so your other daddy never finds out, or I’ll be looking for a couch to sleep on for the night.”
The tiny giggle sounded in perfect time for Herb to once again wonder if his son understood everything that was said around him, but he forgot all about that as he found his keys in the last place he thought they’d be.
On the key hook by the back door. “Basil. I should have known.”
He rushed to get to Lila’s, who promptly took Sage from him the second he got in the door. “How’s the handsome boy? Did Daddy remember your formula and diapers this time?”
Herb’s entire body slumped. “I cannot believe my brain.”
“Don’t worry, I planned for this. There’re formula and diapers in the hall cabinet. Now, this little one is going on a blanket in the kitchen while we drink some coffee and plan your romantic evening.”
As they all went into the kitchen, Herb said, “No offense, Lil, but you still don’t strike me as the romantic type. Tell me we will not end up plowing a field in the moonlight or something.”
