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by
“I tell you, Blair. It was totally awesome!”
Cordless phone jammed between ear and shoulder, Blair Sandburg danced around the small kitchen as though performing a bizarre ritual. He waved his hands in front of his face to fan hot steam away as he lifted a lid and peered down into a pot of boiling water.
“Kelly Ryan, you found an Internet porn site with your name, and that’s awesome?” Blair gently teased his student assistant. While Cascade wasn’t the largest city in the world, in comparison to hersmall town in west Texas, it was a giant metropolis. The perky 18-year old found everything “awesome”.
“Hey, all I did was type my name into a search engine, and it popped up.” Kelly’s happy laughter caused Blair to grin. “Imagine…www.kelly.com. And the pictures were…were…”
“Awesome?” Blair chuckled as he added oregano to the pot and stirred.
“Yeah,” Kelly snickered. “I’m just not sure some of them were physically possible. You know?”
“Not really, but I’ll take your word for it.” Blair replaced the lid on the pot and opened the oven door. “Look, do you have tomorrow’s classes covered?”
“All taken care of,” Kelly assured him. “I think it’s really sweet of you to take the day off for your roommate’s birthday.”
Blair’s grin widened. “Well, he doesn’t do birthdays all that well,” he admitted. “But turning 38…that’s a milestone.” //Especially when you consider Jim and everything he’s gone through.’//
“It’s still sweet,” Kelly repeated. “Anyway, don’t worry about tomorrow. Just have fun.”
Blair closed the oven door and adjusted the temperature. “I will,” he assured her. “Thanks a lot, Kelly.”
“Not a problem,” the young student assured him. “But listen…you gotta try this. Just type your name and see if there’s a site with your name on it. Unless you already have a website.”
“Nah,” Blair laughed. “Don’t have time for one.” He glanced at the clock and flinched. “Gotta run, Kelly. Jim’ll be home soon.”
“Toodles.”
Blair chuckled as he replaced the phone. He was by no means old and, if truth were known, never thought of himself as his chronological age. But Kelly’s bubbling enthusiasm would make anyone feel older by comparison.
Assuredt he food simmering on the stove and the oven didn’t need his immediate attention, Blair quickly showered, shaved, and changed into clean clothing. Jim had made it very clear he didn’t want a big production for his birthday. To make sure the point had gotten across, the words had been issued in a very cold voice.
As Blair pulled the clean burgundy sweater over his head, he remembered Stephen Ellison’s joking phone call earlier in the week. He'd been on his way to the airport for a business trip to Japan and had called his older brother to deliver his condolences on Jim’s upcoming birthday. Blair wondered if Stephen would have taken the teasing as far as he had if he’d been there to see Jim’s expression. //Probably not. Stephen doesn’t seem to have a death wish.’//
Conforming to Jim’s snarled demand for no party…especially a surprise party…Blair had quickly cancelled the reservation at Jim’s favorite Italian restaurant. With Simon’s help, the quiet word had gone out that the party had been cancelled. All Jim had requested for his birthday was a quiet day off.
Still, Blair couldn’t let the occasion pass without some sort of celebration. So he'd spent the better part of the day putting together a special meal for dinner. Special because it was food Jim liked but wasn’t healthy for him. Blair reminded himself to not say one work about clogged arteries, indigestion, or anything else that would ruin the mood.
He’d planned the dinner for the evening before Jim’s birthday so his partner could sleep in on his birthday and not have to do anything or even get dressed if he didn’t want. Blair had arranged with Kelly to cover classes so the anthropologist could screen phone calls and any other interruptions.
Finding the brightly wrapped package from under his bed, Blair laid it on the futon. '//Wonder what Jim would say ifI wrapped myself as a present for him?' // Shoving that thought back into his personal fantasy closet, he checked the clock. He had time to check his email then he’d move the laptop into his room to get it out of Jim’s way. A quiet evening watching the Jags road game against Portland and maybe one of the rented action adventure movies Jim loved meant no laptop could be in sight to tempt him.
Blair quickly signed on and scanned the accumulated emails. Finding nothing that couldn’t wait until later or even the next day, Blair started to sign off then hesitated. //Aw…what could it hurt? It’ll be interesting.’//
Accessing a search engine, Blair quickly started typing. Foot tapping to the music swirling in his head, he waited with one eye on the screen and one on the nearby clock. Then his eyes widened as he saw the response on the computer screen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jim Ellison sighed with relief as he parked his truck in its usual spot across the street from the loft. Glancing at the box of gag gifts from his fellow detectives, he decided those were immediately going into the storage area of the basement. There was no way he was letting his partner see any of them…especially the walking cane presented to him by Brian Rafe who’s immediately taken shelter behind Simon. Jim had half-smiled and casually mentioned Rafe’s birthday the following month. At that point, Henri Brown had loudly advised his partner he was on his own.
//Thirty-eight. I’ll be thirty-eight tomorrow.’ Shaking his head, he lifted the box from the front seat and locked the truck. He wondered why this birthday was bothering him. //Maybe because for a while you didn’t think you’d live to see thirty-five let alone thirty-eight.’ // Glancing upward to the windows of the loft, Jim headed for the storage basement. He knew a large part of actually seeing this birthday was due to his partner. And not only because of the help Blair gave him for his enhanced senses. While that had been a lifesaver…not only in keeping him sane but several times in actually keeping him alive…Blair had also made Jim’s life easier.
While Blair could be irritating with his choice of music, enthusiastic chattering on any given subject under the sun, and his constant testing of Jim’s Sentinel abilities…Jim also found he slept better with Blair living with him. He’d always prided himself on being able to take care of himself and being alone. Yet, Blair’s presence seemed to make his world…brighter?
Jim found himself chuckling as he buried the box of gag gifts under several layers of Christmas decorations and camping equipment. //‘Might as well admit it, Ellison. You started out needing the kid. Then you started liking Sandburg. Then you called Chief your partner and best friend. Now you’re in love with Blair.’ // Standing with a sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck. //‘Happy Birthday, Ellison. The Cascade phone book is smaller than Sandburg’s so-called little black book. Why in the hell would he be interested in you?’//
Having witnessed the near constant parade of women in his partner’s life, Jim had been surprised to accidentally discover Blair was also interested in men. He’d been out with Simon one evening for drinks and spotted Blair and another man in a full-body clutch-and-grab-and-suck-the-other-person’s-tonsils-out-of-their-throat clinch. Fortunately, Blair and his date had been sitting in a parked car in a dark corner of the parking lot. If it hadn’t been for Jim’s acute Sentinel senses in automatically identifying his partner, Jim would never have known. He’d respected Blair’s privacy and nearly shoved Simon into the bar before some freak twist of fate with the parking lot lighting allowed Simon to identify the lovers.
As the Sentinel climbed the stairs to the third floor, he silently wondered if his bad mood was because of this upcoming birthday or his realization that he couldn’t do one damn thing about his attraction to Blair. Now without screwing up the best friendship he’d ever had. Blair had shown no sexual interest in him, and he wasn’t going to jeopardize their friendship by bringing it up. He’d lost more than one friendship with a woman that way by misreading signals. And Blair’s recent chattering about his student assistant, Kelly, only pointed out how different the two men were in their tastes in music, art, literature…life in general. There was enough between them for a fantastic friendship…but not enough for a love affair.
Rubbing his forehead to try and ease the sudden headache, he guiltily recalled overhearing Henri and Rafe bemoaning the cancellation of Blair’s surprise party for Jim. //‘He doesn’t have a lot of money, and he decides to spend what he has throwing you a party. And you stomp all over it. Happy Birthday, Ellison.’//
Scowling,J im reminded himself he hadn’t asked for a party. Then he stopped, his sense of smell scenting the odors of cooked food. He slowly shook his head. //'Can’tbe coming from the loft. Sandburg would bodily dismember the oven first.’//
Quietly unlocking the door, he slowly opened it and glanced towards the kitchen. One quick sniff confirmed the enticing odors WERE were coming from that part of the loft. “Chief?” he questioned as he closed and locked the door.
“Hey, Jim!” Blair grinned as he emerged from his room. Reaching back, he gently shut the door. “Right on time.”
“For what?” Jim tossed his keys to join Blair’s in the basket. He couldn’t help from deeply sniffing the air as he hung his jacket on the peg next to the door.
“You’ve got maybe 15 minutes to shower and change,” Blair advised. Grinning, he opened the oven door and motioned for his partner to look inside.
Curious, Jim leaned down. His eyes closed as he savored the scent. “Roast beef,” he murmured with a smile. “Dressing…cornbread dressing…and…” He glanced at his partner. “Carrots and potatoes?”
“Very good,” Blair nodded. He gently shoved Jim to one side and closed the oven door. “I’m going to warm up some bread. The pasta will be done soon. Dessert is chilling in the freezer.” He caught Jim’s arm as the cop turned towards the refrigerator. “And, no, you can’t see what it is. Now go shower and change.”
Grinning, Jim took the steps to his bedroom two at a time. Quickly finding comfortable jeans and a t-shirt that wasn’t too junky, he grabbed some clean underwear and started back down. Frowning, he stopped on the last step and took a good look around the living room.
No Sandburg clutter. No Sandburg papers. No Sandburg laptop. Approaching the dining room, he saw two place settings. Hanging his clothes over his left arm, he folded his arms across his chest and turned to his partner.
Feeling the scrutiny, Blair glanced over his shoulder. “What?” he asked.
Slowly Jim shook his head. “When does Rod Serling show up?” Seeing the confused look on his friend’s face, the Sentinel grinned. “You know…Tonight. For your consideration. An ordinary dinnerand quiet evening. Ordinary, that is…for the Twilight Zone.”
“I thought it was the Sandburg Zone,” Blair chuckled, turning back to the counter.
“That’s more cluttered,” Jim muttered, looking back at the living room.
“Such a comedian,” Blair grunted. “Shower. Now.”
tbc
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