“I studied Drift One and Two in college.”
“C’mon, baby. Don’t be pissy. I was making a point.”
“About the marauding killer clown.”
“Precisely. I am ever vigilant and on the job.”
Joshua turned and peered down at him, his face twisted in a dubious grimace. Colin made a fake scary face and clawed at Joshua with curved fingers.
“Grrrrrrrrrr! Beware the killer clown of Killarney!”
Joshua tried to suppress his laughter but failed and collapsed against Colin’s chest, shaking with mirth.
“You and Danny need to take a chill pill,” Colin said, nuzzling against Joshua’s hair. “I have no interest in running the Acme Rent-a-Hero Agency.”
Joshua snuggled against him, still chuckling. “No. You’re too busy doing battle with killer clowns.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
FAREWELL TO KILLARNEY
On Friday, the travelers and Aileen drove to Limerick to meet with Randy, Cory, and their families. Together, they drove to Ireland’s western coastline, where they spent several hours walking along the unforgettable Cliffs of Moher.
Joshua strolled next to Colin on the side furthest from the cliff face, fearful of its abrupt edge and seven-hundred-foot vertical drop. “My god, Colin,” he told his husband, his voice filled with wonder. “This is the most beautiful place on earth.”
Colin held out his hand. “Come with me?”
Joshua placed his hand in Colin’s and walked beside him, past all the tourists standing at the guardrails, past the official boundary of the Cliffs of Moher Park, and finally onto the sprawling grass of a neighboring farm. There, the protective barricades were gone. Nothing separated the spectators from the cliffs’ plunging brink, and Joshua hesitated as Colin tugged him toward the precipice.
But Colin turned and looked at him again. “Come with me.”
Joshua drew in a shaky breath and moved forward with Colin, who stopped just a yard shy of the sheer drop-off. He sank to the ground, drawing Joshua down beside him. “Scared?”
Joshua met his husband’s eyes, then swallowed hard and nodded.
Colin turned and pointed past the drop-off to the magnificent beauty beyond. “No guardrails to obstruct your view.” He tightened his hold on Joshua’s hand and drew him closer. “I wouldneverlet you fall.”
Joshua met his eyes for a long moment, then got to his feet. As Colin rose with him, Joshua drew in and exhaled a deep breath, then walked to the very edge of the cliff and gazed out at the most breathtaking vista he had ever beheld. Far below, he could hear the thunderous pounding of the surf against the rocky shoreline. Everything about this ancient place resonated with power and majesty. He felt Colin’s hand rest on his shoulder, but his eyes remained fixed on the spellbinding beauty of his husband’s ancestral home, spread before him like a sacred offering.
The hand on Joshua’s shoulder tightened. “For you, my darling.”
“Thank you, myYedid,” he whispered, then turned and met Colin’s eyes. He caressed his husband’s cheek and leaned so close that his breath warmed Colin’s ear. “Can wepleaseback up now?”
Colin tilted his head back and laughed, then took Joshua’s arm and moved them away from the cliff edge and down the trail that led to the park. As they once again strolled along the paved path next to high, secure guardrails, Joshua spotted Nate sprinting toward them with David and Aileen walking some steps behind.
“Colin! My god, this is sobeautiful!” Nate exclaimed, grabbing his arm. “Where did you guys go?”
“I took Josh for a little walk around the park. You guys enjoying the Cliffs?”
“Colin, this place…” David said, indicating his surroundings with a wave. “It’s just spectacular.” He wrapped an arm around Nate’s shoulders. “This trip had been a blessing in my life. I’ve never seen such incredible beauty.”
After a three-hour visit with a picnic lunch fixed by Erin and Cory’s wife, Coleen, they returned to the parking lot to say goodbye.
Colin walked a short distance away with his two male cousins, and the three of them stood for some time in deep conversation. Then, all three men embraced as one, holding each other for a long time before they stepped back, wiping tears from their eyes. The cousins hugged Aileen, Joshua, David, and Nate, then climbed into the van to drive back to Limerick.
David took over the driving duties for the travelers’ return to Killarney, and by the time they arrived at Aileen’s house, the sun was setting. “Shall I fix a wee dinner for everyone?” Aileen asked as the four exhausted men collapsed onto various chairs and couches.
“Oh, no, Ahn-tee,” Colin muttered, waving away her suggestion. “They’ve got a Domino’s in Killarney, and those bad boysdeliver! We’re ordering pizza. We’re orderinglotsof pizza.”
