Part 32

"Lance!" Stacey exclaimed, throwing herself into her brother's arms. "Oh sweetie, you look so good! How are you feeling?"

Lance, surprised by her display, hugged her back. "I'm fine, Stace. How are you?"

"Oh I'm good," she said, a twinkle in her eye. "It's so good to see you."

"You too," Lance said, turning to greet his brother-in-law, while Stacey greeted JC.

"He's doing ok," JC assured her. "I mean, it's only been a few days, and of course we haven't seen any results yet. But he's all right."

Stacey breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God." Then she smiled, slyly. "So, is everything set for Sunday?"

JC quickly glanced at his lover to make sure he did not hear the question. Satisfied that Lance was paying no attention, he turned his attention back to Stacey. "Yeah," he said, smiling broadly. "All set."

"You know," Stacey said, "I was hoping that my present would upstage yours this year. No such luck, huh?"

"Yeah, but that was necessity. Oh, I wish we didn't have to leave on Sunday morning. You're gonna have to call me afterwards and tell me how it went."

"Well, I'll call you on Monday. I'm hoping I'll be too busy to call you afterwards," he said with a wink.

Stacey rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Josh," she said. "That's exactly the image of my brother that I want in my head. JC laughed, drawing a look from Lance.

"You two are the worst liars," Lance said, shaking his head. "So, is about my birthday."

"Oh please," JC said, with mock anger. "After you just called me a liar? I'm not telling you anything."

"Yeah," JC said, his smile growing. "I am. But you love me anyway."

Lance moaned softly as he felt a pair of lips against his ear, whispering to him, pulling him to consciousness.

Lance opened his eyes to JC's smiling face. "'Morning, Josh," he said.

"Good morning, baby," JC replied, kissing Lance, and wrapping his arms around him. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," Lance said, smiling. It was a happy birthday. Almost three weeks ago, he wasn't even sure he would see twenty-three. Now he was lying here in JC's arms, on the road to recovery, with a new appreciation for life. He was just so grateful. "I want to go to church tomorrow," he said, suddenly. He looked at JC, apprehensively.

"Thanks Josh," Lance said, smiling again. "Um, you will go with me, right?"

"Well, I've never actually gone to church with you before. I thought maybe..." JC trailed off.

"Maybe you didn't want me there with you. Maybe church was still too personal to you."

"No," Lance said, turning so he was looking in JC's eyes. "It's not too personal. Nothing is too personal with us."

"It's silly, I guess," JC said. "I wasn't sure that I'd be welcome."

"I want you there," Lance said, his voice sincere. "I want you everywhere I am. No matter what."

"Then I'll be there," JC assured him. He didn't just mean at church.

"Thank you," Lance said. He understood his lover's meaning. Sighing happily he settled into JC's arms.

"No problem," JC said, kissing the top of his head. "Tomorrow is gonna be a great day."

"Why? All we're doing is going to church. The party's today, right?"

"Um, yeah," JC said, trying to think of a cover, "but tomorrow will be great too, right? Cause everyday is great when we're together."

Lance rolled his eyes, and lightly slapped JC's arm. "That is so corny, Josh. And such a cliché."

"It isn't a cliché when it's true," JC said, kissing him again. "And after everything that's happened, it's especially true now."

Lance nodded against his chest. "Yeah," he said softly. "I guess you're right."


	Inner Reflection \| home back to But Faith Part 32 ~No one will ever take your place; I am lost in you ~ "Lance!" Stacey exclaimed, throwing herself into her brother's arms. "Oh sweetie, you look so good! How are you feeling?" Lance, surprised by her display, hugged her back. "I'm fine, Stace. How are you?" "Oh I'm good," she said, a twinkle in her eye. "It's so good to see you." "You too," Lance said, turning to greet his brother-in-law, while Stacey greeted JC. "How is he, Josh?" she said, after hugging him. "Really?" "He's doing ok," JC assured her. "I mean, it's only been a few days, and of course we haven't seen any results yet. But he's all right." Stacey breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God." Then she smiled, slyly. "So, is everything set for Sunday?" JC quickly glanced at his lover to make sure he did not hear the question. Satisfied that Lance was paying no attention, he turned his attention back to Stacey. "Yeah," he said, smiling broadly. "All set." "You know," Stacey said, "I was hoping that my present would upstage yours this year. No such luck, huh?" "I guess not. So what are you giving him?" "Uh uh. You'll have to wait 'til tomorrow." "Come on! You know about my present." "Yeah, but that was necessity. Oh, I wish we didn't have to leave on Sunday morning. You're gonna have to call me afterwards and tell me how it went." "Well, I'll call you on Monday. I'm hoping I'll be too busy to call you afterwards," he said with a wink. Stacey rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Josh," she said. "That's exactly the image of my brother that I want in my head. JC laughed, drawing a look from Lance. "What's so funny?" he asked. "Nothing, baby," JC said. Lance looked at him, doubtfully. "Stace?" "He's right, Lance." She looked back at JC. "Nothing is funny." "You two are the worst liars," Lance said, shaking his head. "So, is about my birthday." "Oh please," JC said, with mock anger. "After you just called me a liar? I'm not telling you anything." "Josh!" Lance exclaimed. "You can't wait until tomorrow?" JC smiled. "No." "Tough." Lance threw him a scowl. "You're mean, Josh," he said. "Yeah," JC said, his smile growing. "I am. But you love me anyway." "Yeah," Lance said, returning the smile. "I guess I do." *** "Happy birthday to you..." Lance moaned softly as he felt a pair of lips against his ear, whispering to him, pulling him to consciousness. "Happy birthday to you..." The lips moved down along his jaw. "Happy birthday dear Lance..." And found their way to his mouth. "Happy birthday to you," they murmured against his lips. Lance opened his eyes to JC's smiling face. "'Morning, Josh," he said. "Good morning, baby," JC replied, kissing Lance, and wrapping his arms around him. "Happy birthday." "Thanks," Lance said, smiling. It was a happy birthday. Almost three weeks ago, he wasn't even sure he would see twenty-three. Now he was lying here in JC's arms, on the road to recovery, with a new appreciation for life. He was just so grateful. "I want to go to church tomorrow," he said, suddenly. He looked at JC, apprehensively. "OK," JC said. "It's your weekend." "Thanks Josh," Lance said, smiling again. "Um, you will go with me, right?" "You want me to go?" JC said, surprise in his voice "Yeah, of course." "Well, I've never actually gone to church with you before. I thought maybe..." JC trailed off. "Maybe what?" "Maybe you didn't want me there with you. Maybe church was still too personal to you." "No," Lance said, turning so he was looking in JC's eyes. "It's not too personal. Nothing is too personal with us." "It's silly, I guess," JC said. "I wasn't sure that I'd be welcome." "I want you there," Lance said, his voice sincere. "I want you everywhere I am. No matter what." "Then I'll be there," JC assured him. He didn't just mean at church. "Thank you," Lance said. He understood his lover's meaning. Sighing happily he settled into JC's arms. "No problem," JC said, kissing the top of his head. "Tomorrow is gonna be a great day." "Why? All we're doing is going to church. The party's today, right?" "Um, yeah," JC said, trying to think of a cover, "but tomorrow will be great too, right? Cause everyday is great when we're together." Lance rolled his eyes, and lightly slapped JC's arm. "That is so corny, Josh. And such a cliché." "It isn't a cliché when it's true," JC said, kissing him again. "And after everything that's happened, it's especially true now." Lance nodded against his chest. "Yeah," he said softly. "I guess you're right."