Page 96 of Tiger Lilies and Tight Ends

“Are those what I think they are?” I point, and my eyes begin to burn.

“If by that, you think they’re chickens, then yes.”

I spin to face him.

“You got us chickens.”

“Ha. No. I got you chickens. Those feathered friends are all yours,” he declares.

Behind the house, up close to the patio and in the shade is a two-story chicken coop with the house on top, the bottom screened in so they can roam around, and then an extra screened-in section off to the side where a person can enter the coop.

“Can we even have these here?”

I’m in shock. So much shock I don’t even know where to look first.

“Well, I did check the city ordinance, and they are allowed in Hillsborough County. They’re supposed to be housed at least two hundred feet from your nearest neighbor, which obviously we are less than that, so I went on both sides up and down the block and asked the neighbors if they minded. They aren’t running free, they’re kept in a coup, so I didn’t think it would be a problem. I just don’t know how loud they will get or how smelly, but everyone was cool with it, and Jan next door asked for extra eggs if we had them.”

“So we can keep them?” I’m in awe. Never in my wildest imagination did I think he would get me chickens! I only mentioned wanting them one time and he remembered!

“Yes. If, for some reason, there’s a problem, then we’ll re-house them somewhere else. Bryan said we could take them to his house if we had to.”

“Tyler . . . How did you do this?” I turn to face him.

He rubs the back of his neck. “I may have enlisted Sophie and Camille. They told me I needed a huge grand gesture, and well, go big or go home, right?”

“You bought us feathered babies.” I squeeze his arm.

“Correction. I bought you feathered babies.” He grins. He may state that these are mine all he wants, but they are ours, and I know he’ll come to love them.

“You’re a chicken daddy!”

He groans and shakes his head.

“I’m just stunned. How many are there?” I ask as we walk closer, and I squat down to look at them. There’s a light clucking coming from inside the house, and I’m so moved, I have to swallow hard to keep the tears from coming. This is the sound that he heard as the kitchen window is right next to them.

“Three.”

Three.

“Tyler, I love them. Thank you so much.” I glance up at him.

“And I love you. I really am sorry for everything last week.”

“If I get things like chickens after we have a disagreement, then maybe we should fight more often.” I bump my hip against his.

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “I don’t ever want to feel like that again. Next time, we can skip the fight and go straight to the makeup. You name it, it’s yours.”

I grin and move to stand next to him.

“Speaking of names, can we name them?” I’m certain I look like a crazed idiot, but chickens!

“Like you did poor Dory? They’re your chickens, do what you want.”

“This is so exciting.” I bounce up and down on my toes. “Okay, that big golden one, let’s call her Henrietta. The copper-colored one, she looks like a Penny, and the brown one, her name is Nugget.”

Tyler throws his head back, and he laughs. It’s the best sound in the whole world. “Nugget. That’s terrible.”

“No, it’s not. It’s perfect. Just look at them.”