“I know. And I need the two of you too. I need….” He paused, and Marty held his gaze.
“I know it’s hard for us to say. It certainly is for me. I’ve learned to hold my heart close and to guard it well over the years. After years in foster care, you don’t think that love can come your way, and when it does, you don’t want to believe it.” Marty paused and tried to find the words. “But Cameron was the one who showed me I was being dumb.”
“How so?”
“He called me Daddy for the first time. You heard it,” Marty said, blinking. “We talked about it, and I told him that using those kind of words was up to him. That it was okay to use whatever he was comfortable with. And today, he called me Daddy.” Grant held him tighter. “I think he’s going to use Uncle Grant with you. But I told him that was up to him too. So we’ll see what he decides.”
“I’m honored, whatever he wants to do.” Grant drew closer.
Marty rested his head against Grant’s chest. “I love you.” Who knew that those words would be so hard to say. He knew where it came from and why it was hard. In his world, loving someone often meant that they were going to leave or that you would be yanked away. So Marty usually kept those sort of things to himself. It was just safer that way.
“I know you do.” Marty pulled back, searching Grant’s gaze. “You show me how you feel every time I see you. Everyone has a love language, a way that they show someone how they feel. You, sweetheart, are a mother hen… or a father hen, if you like. Youtake care of people. You did for me, and you opened your heart to Cameron within seconds of finding out he needed you. You’ve taken care of me for weeks now. And I love you for that.”
“If that’s the case, then your love language is serving people to help make their lives better. You have for us. You helped me get Cameron, and you helped get him settled in.”
Grant snickered. “I think that was Dexter. I’m sometimes worried that Cameron is going to supplant me in my dog’s affections.” They peered out the window to where Cameron chased Dexter around the backyard, laughing as Dexter ran and jumped like a big puppy. “They’ve been good for each other.”
“So have we,” Marty said softly.
“I like to think we have,” Grant whispered, and Marty reveled in just being held. It was something that he hadn’t gotten a lot of once his parents were gone. “So what do we do now?”
“Hell if I know,” Marty said. “This is totally uncharted territory for me. I’ve dreamed of having a family of my own, and I always vowed that I would make sure they were cared for and that they knew they were loved. Especially Cameron. He deserves to know that he’ll be loved and cared for no matter what happens.”
“Not just Cameron,” Grant said softly. “I think you need the exact same thing. I’m not going anywhere. So you can stop worrying about stuff like that too. I don’t give up easily, and I stand by the people I care for. You and I are not going to agree on everything, but just because we disagree isn’t going to get me to turn my back on you.”
“I know. But for a while it seemed that way.”
“Yeah, well, you can stop worrying. And Cameron can stop watching for the bad man all the time.”
“He really is in jail?”
“Yes, and the case we have against him is huge. I found all the materials he used to make his masks and prostheses. Theywere in the kitchen. I also found the bed where Cameron was held, along with the others. It’s all there, and once we can tie the kids to that room, it will be an open and shut case.”
“And Cameron isn’t going to get drawn into this?”
“I hope not. We’re putting together the case with enough evidence that none of the boys will need to even see him again. So all of you can go on with your lives and really start to heal.” They looked out the back window to where Camerson played, and Marty closed his eyes.
“Thank god.”
“Hey. It will be okay. I don’t know how they’ll try him, but I do know that we have enough evidence to put him away for a long time. Even his father is going to be compelled to testify, or else he’ll be charged as an accomplice. So this is truly over, and we need to figure out a way to celebrate.”
“What sort of thing do you have in mind?” Marty asked.
“Well, I figured that once Cameron is asleep, you and I could have a very private, very sexy celebration of our own, just the two of us.”
Marty groaned, the room growing warmer by the second. “I really like that idea.”
“So do I.”
“But shouldn’t there be something for Cameron too?” he asked.
Grant squeezed him a little tighter, his strong hands sliding down Marty’s back to take hold of his butt. “I have something pretty special in mind for Cameron. Something he is going to love.”
“You do, huh? Should I be afraid? You know by this Christmas he is going to be asking for a puppy of his own.” He had already heard rumblings a few times that Dexter might need a friend.
“That’s fine. When the time comes, we’ll take Dexter with us so whatever dog we get will already meet with his approval. But I was thinking of something else.”
Marty groaned. “If you’re talking about getting him more Legos… I don’t think I can handle that. The floors and carpet are already Lego-bombed enough.”
