times are changing

Nico was there when Derrick and Rossie came to the hospital. Actually, he'd witnessed the birth of their baby and hadn't mentioned it yet to Mitch.

It felt odd to bring it up. There was a numbness Nico carried with him too. Life was so much faster for Derrick. So much happening. He had a family. In spite of what he'd done to Mitch. What had they accomplished in all these months?

Well, they had managed to go down to sign up for a marriage license. Of course, it was rather iffy if it would actually happen or not. And neither had anything to do with it. It was the state that was keeping them on hold.

It just wasn't fair. Mitch was depressed about it. So Nico didn't even want to bring up Derrick.

"I think we need a vacation." Nico smiled as if that would be the ticket. Somewhere tropical. Perhaps the beach. After all, it had been a cold winter and spring had been quite chilly at times.

"Not a cruise. No way, a cruise." Mitch told him all about some morning show segment about the germs on a cruise, and of course all the other ugly things that could happen on a cruise.

"Well, then..we'll fly." Nico could afford that. "We just need to get away." He leaned his arms on the back of the kitchen chair where Mitch set at the table with the newspaper. Nico quaintly rested his chin for a moment on the top of Mitch's auburn head.

There it was, a little tidbit in the paper about Derrick's baby girl Aasha.

Nico drew a breath and went to warm his coffee.

"Did you know?" Mitch turned to him.

"Know what?" Nico sipped his hot creamed coffee.

"You know." Mitch wouldn't even breathe his name.

Nico nodded.

He thought Mitch might crumble. Mitch nursed his bottom lip as if it pained him to know this news about Derrick and the baby.

Nico went to him and put his arms around him.

"Maybe..maybe we..just need to leave..this old town."

"But, my parents are here. My job." Mitch blinked tears.

"We wouldn't  have to go that far. We could be happy in Iowa." He was tired of waiting for things to change in Nebraska. June would come and the Supreme Court would probably decide nothing on same sex marriage. It was time to move on. It was time to have a real life, somewhere else.