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Taking him at his word literally, Paula offered Derrick one strap of her little backpack while she held onto the other. Derrick took the one strap while giving Malcolm an uncertain look. Now they were carrying the backpack together while Malcolm grabbed the rest of their stuff.
"You wanted to help with her bag. There you go," Malcolm told him.
Downstairs, Paula got to check out the new car seat. "Thanks for getting it. That was really sweet of you," Malcolm told him.
"Anything for Paula," Derrick said with a smile and then he buckled her in.
"You're a pro," Malcolm told him and Derrick did look proud of himself for securing her in her seat without any fumbling.
"I did some practicing," Derrick admitted and that made it even sweeter.
Derrick drove them to the dock where they would board the river boat for their day cruise down the river. The air was crisp and cool, and the early morning sun cast a golden glow over the water.
"Boats are big," Paula said as they waited to board and the boat towered above her though it was hardly an ocean liner.
"You can be big too," Derrick told her and picked her up.
"I'm bigger now," she said as Derrick held her and smiled.
Once onboard, Paula was in her orange life jacket, and Derrick and Malcolm held her by the hands as they stood at the railing. They watched the scenery go by in slow motion. The water splashed where the boat cut through it and sparkled in the sunlight. The river snaked its way through the countryside with the backdrop of rolling hills. Beyond that were the mountains half hidden in the morning haze, their peaks touching the clouds.
Paula watched it all, and if she saw any people or a cows, she would point them out excitedly. When they saw horses, she was ecstatic.
Malcolm looked at Derrick, who was laughing at something Paula said. The sight filled his heart with joy, but if he let himself dwell on how happy he was to be together with both of them, his heart would burst.
He turned his eyes to the yellow fields and evergreen forests they were passing. The countryside was waiting for spring so it could come alive but it was still beautiful.
When they disembarked, Derrick found a way to make up for the sometimes stark view from the boat. They had lunch then took a train ride to a special garden.
Derrick had found a place called The Cat's Garden. It was a garden filled with stunning ceramic flowers, some of them on ceramic trees with ceramic cats scattered throughout. They followed a looping path and Paula wanted to stare at each flower and cat.
Paula was peering at a cat next to a big, bright yellow lily and then at a big, purple lily. She was enthralled by the very unreal flowers. Malcolm thought it was all kind of strange. Noticing his expression, Derrick confirmed the obvious, "Yes, this is just for Paula."
At the end of their tour, Derrick had something for Paula. "I got this for you," he said, holding out a yellow ceramic flower in a purple ceramic pot.
"Is it going to grow?" Paula asked, cradling the pot in her little hands.
"Sorry sweetie, no, it's not that kind of flower," Derrick said.
"It also won't wilt," Malcolm told her.
At the end of the day, they went to a cozy inn. They had dinner then went up to a suite because it was Paula's bedtime. Derrick and Malcolm tucked her into bed together. She said good night to them, to Mr. Cloud and to the yellow flower.
Once Paula had drifted off, Derrick and Malcolm shared a drink by the fireplace. Malcolm was having flashbacks to sex next to a roaring fire. He thought back to the room at the mountain resort, waking up with Derrick, watching the sun rise above the mountain peaks, turning the horizon rose colored.
Derrick was standing by the fireplace, staring into the dancing flames. Setting aside his drink, Malcolm stepped up behind him.Wrapping his arms around Derrick's waist, he rested his chin on his shoulder.
"Thinking about tomorrow?" Malcolm guessed.
Derrick had told him that at the end of their trip, he would be delivering his Valentine's Day card to Kyle's grave. "I was. Now I'm thinking about you and how wonderful you are. I'm glad you're here with me," Derrick said and Malcolm hugged him tighter.
In the morning, they went to the cemetery with Derrick. The air smelled of leaves burning somewhere. There was frost on the ground and Paula stopped and tried to gather it up.
"Too little," she said.
"Now your hands are cold," Malcolm said and warmed her hands in his.
Derrick's eyes were focused on a particular gravestone in the distance. When he turned to go there, Malcolm hung back with Paula. "Why don't we wait for Derrick here?"
