The Forever Man

"Do you suppose he would mind if I left my presents at his grave, though? I never knew Martell."

"And yet you brought these for Martell—continuing the tradition if no one else did."

"Yes, but it was because of the Forever Man—and you. Not because of Martell, really. I thought someone should."

Corey knelt and placed his roses and bottle of cognac on Martell's grave and then turned expectantly to Allen, gesturing that Allen could do the same with his at the other grave.

"Perhaps you could do it?" Allen said in a quiet voice. "If I come closer to the grave, I might see his name, and I made a promise once to someone who means a great deal to me not to seek his name out."

Corey took the presents from Allen and placed them on the Forever Man's grave. Then he turned and gave Allen a sardonic look, crowned with a slight smile. "Someone has been chalking 'Forever' on the paths of Sydney. Would that be—?"

"Yes. I felt that needed to be done . . . I missed them when they didn't reappear after the rains. I hope it wasn't—"

"No, not at all. He was still with us when you started. He was delighted to find them there. I think it relieved him of a burden he was having difficulty shouldering."

"The traditions are worthwhile, don't you think?" Allen said "They remind us all of something very important to preserve."

"Yes, I quite agree," Corey answered in a low, throaty voice.

Allen looked away with his eyes, not wanting to embarrass the younger man by seeing the tears forming. But he, himself, was not embarrassed in the least at his own flowing tears. He cleared his throat, trying to form just the right words to say now, hesitant at the risk he was taking, fearful of that final, irrevocable rejection.

"Still, it's two traditions and requires a lot of effort. Something better for two than for one."

Allen looked back into Corey's face, surprised. These were the words he was trying to form, but it had been Corey who said them. "Yes, yes, definitely a job for two," he answered.

"I think I would like to go home now—with you," Corey then said simply. "I mean if that would be all right with you. If there's no one else—"

"How does forever sound to you?" Allen whispered.