Published: 29 May 2025

Chapter 1 – The Return Home

After we returned from finding the treasure in a cave in the Ozarks, we spent a couple of days regaling Ma and Pa about our exploits. We also opened the bags and showed them some of the coins that were inside.

“That’s very impressive,” Pa stated after seeing the various coins. “How do you think they ended up in the cave?”

“After talking it over with Gramps and Pops, we’ve decided that three Confederate soldiers were probably involved in stealing the bags as the Confederate treasury was being moved at the end of the war. The Confederate president must have decided the Union army was getting too close to the Confederate capital in Richmond, Virginia, so they moved everything they had stored there away from the capital. They did it in hopes that the Union Army wouldn’t be able to find it.”

“And you said there were also two mummified bodies in the cave,” Ma stated. “Does that mean you think those were two of the three men that had stolen the money?”

“Yes, we believe that one of the three shot the other two so he wouldn’t have to share the money with them.”

“It’s been said that there’s no honor among thieves, so it makes sense,” she concurred.

After we used zip ties to secure each bag, we placed them back into the gym bags and agreed to take everything over to Gramps house to be stored in the attic. We decided that once the bags were there, Gramps and Pops could utilize their talents to get the coins ready to be listed in a brochure or put up for auction.

In order to do that, they’ll first grade each coin’s quality into one of seven groups (Extremely Fine, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, or Poor). Each coin would then be placed in a rectangular coin slab holder that is either acrylic or plastic, to protect the coin from further damage. The holder would also contain sponge-like material that will keep the coin from moving around within the slab. There will also be a labeling area above each coin listing the vital information about the coin, such as country of origin, which in our case would be U.S. or Confederate States of America. It will also contain other details, such as the coin’s denomination, issue date, and mint letter, if one is available, along with the coin’s quality.

As they do this with each coin, they’d also keep a detailed inventory of what they’d unpacked, which would allow them to determine a minimum value for each coin or paper note before we put it up for sale. This, in turn, will give us a rough idea about how much the entire value of our “treasure” was worth.

While they are doing this with each coin, they would also take two photos of it, front and back while in the holder, and the photos would be used to create a catalogue to send out to prospective buyers. A buyer could then send in their bid for each item he wishes to obtain, and then the coin would go to the highest bidder.

Since the four of us had returned earlier than expected from the Ozarks, we had a chance to work with Gramps and Pops as they did this. First, they went out and purchased two sturdy tables, four comfortable folding chairs, and a box of neoprene gloves that we took up to Gramps attic. They also placed an order for more rectangular coin slab holders to be used as they catalogued each coin. They had a couple dozen slab holders already, which hadn’t been used previously when coins had either been found or purchased from owners wishing to sell them. Once everything was in place, we gloved up and got started.

Devin worked with Gramps and they started with the bag containing the $20 coin pieces. I sat down to help Pops and he selected the bag containing a large collection of silver dollars that had obviously been in circulation, so their quality ranged from fair to very good. It also demonstrated to Devin and me what a slow and time-consuming process it was and how long it might take to catalogue everything that was in the three bags.

We don’t even know for certain exactly what’s contained in those three bags yet, only which coins were at the top of each bag. That suggested what the bag would contain, and since the bags measured 18 inches by 12 inches (46 x 30.5 cm), it was easy to see that there might be a lot coins in each bag.

Devin and I alternated with whom we worked each day so we could get to see if there were different types of coins in each bag. We would maintain a master list with the date, mint letter on each coin, along with the denomination. Gramps was thrilled with the condition of the $20 gold pieces, since most of the coins he’d evaluated were rated as very good, fine, or very fine. There were also a couple that were rated as extremely fine, and those should garner the highest bids and bring in the most money.

Eventually, however, it was time for us to head to my house for the Fourth of July celebration, so Devin and I gathered up the things we’d taken with us to the Ozarks. We packed them in our duffle bags, loaded them into Pa’s SUV, and got ready to ride with Ma and Pa to celebrate the Fourth with my parents.

We decided to ride together, rather than taking both SUVs, since we planned on returning with Ma and Pa so we could spend a little more time with them before we returned to campus. We arrived at the house just after my parents returned home from work on July 3^rd, and this had only been possible because Ma wasn’t currently working. School was currently out for summer vacation, and Pa left work at noon so we could leave shortly after he returned to the cabin.

After we arrived at my house and the adults had finished exchanging pleasantries, Pa offered to take us all out to eat, but my dad made a counter proposal. “Aaron, I agree it’s a good idea for us to go out to eat tonight, but I insist on splitting the bill with you.”

“I appreciate your offer, but I want to do this,” Pa replied. “Besides, I’m sure you’ve already spent a great deal of money purchasing the food that we’ll be eating tomorrow, so please don’t argue with me about this.”

My dad eventually relented and we went out to the same restaurant that we always patronize whenever the two families go out for a meal together. We talked about various subjects, including what my parents had planned for tomorrow, and we had a wonderful time while enjoying our meals.

As soon as we returned home, our parents went out to the kitchen to have coffee, so Devin and I grabbed a drink out of the refrigerator and headed into the living room to see what was on TV. After quickly checking the cable guide, we noticed there was a special about the Founding Fathers on one of the channels and decided to watch it.

About twenty minutes later, our dads came in to join us, but our moms stayed in the kitchen so they could continue chatting. At one point I got up to use the downstairs toilet. When I finished up and was heading back to the living room, I overheard Ma asking my mom a question.

“So, what do you think about what you and Mike learned about my husband’s family secret.”

“When we first witnessed the unexpected demonstration of what the boys are capable of doing and learned about your husband’s family secret, we were totally amazed and confused. We were also completely dumbstruck and unable to utter a word, let alone think clearly.”

“And how did that make you feel?”

“At first, Mike and I began to wonder if the boys had been replaced by aliens or humans that possessed this strange ability of being able to change into different creatures, possibly even other humans. But once we were alone in our motel room, we spent a long time talking it over and finally realized that the boys hadn’t changed and were the same as they’d always been. The only difference was this new ability that they possessed, and even though we don’t understand it, we decided that we still loved them, even if they can do those sorts of things now. Other than that, I don’t know what more I can say.”

“So, you’re totally ok with this now?”

“We’re still overwhelmed by what they’re capable of doing, but we love them and trust that they’ll be careful about how they use this new ability. I’m also looking forward to having grandchildren, so yes, we are ok with it now. Aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am, but it wasn’t always that way. For a long time, I was resentful that they could do those things, because they would go off and do them together, even if it was just going out for a run, which they preferred to do as animals. They’d also go off and leave me all alone whenever a situation arose where their talents were required, although it was never doing anything official, like with the F.B.I. or a police department. Instead, they’d investigate things that baffled the authorities or when they thought someone had gotten away with committing a serious crime. That’s when I’d be left by myself for a few days, or possibly even longer.”

“Aren’t the two men that the boys call Gramps and Pops married?”

“Yes, they are?”

“Then couldn’t you have hung out with their wives, so you weren’t alone?”

“Yes, and Faith and Hope invited me to do that, but they’re older and they seem to have a special relationship and have bonded with each other, so I always felt like I’d be intruding and didn’t choose to join them.”

“Well, if any of those things happen now, then you can always come here and join me and Mike for however long they’re gone.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me, and I’d be happy to join you, since we’ve been friends for a long time.”

I figured that I’d eavesdropped for long enough, so I went back to join Devin and our dads in the living room. “What took you so long?” Devin asked in a whisper as I sat down.

“I’ll tell you when we go upstairs to get ready for bed later,” I replied, also in a whisper, and he merely nodded his head in understanding and focused on the TV again.

Later, before we turned in, I told him what I’d heard our moms talking about on the way back from using the toilet, and he was pleased that his mom had done that. “I’m surprised that they didn’t talk about it while they were together.”

“Maybe they did and Ma just wanted to ask my mom more about it when it was just the two of them.”

“Either way, it should help both my mom and your parents if they talk about it more whenever they’re together,” he responded, and then we cuddled as we slowly drifted off to sleep.

Celebrating the holiday together was now an annual event for us and we definitely enjoyed our time together. We had a cookout for both lunch and supper the next day, although we had different items for each meal. We ate hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch, along with corn on the cob and baked beans, and then we went out for an ice cream cone afterward. We had strip steak and BBQ chicken breasts for supper, along with macaroni and potato salads, and we followed that up with a slice of watermelon for dessert. And then after it got dark, we went to the park to watch the fireworks display, and when we returned home after the finale, we had agreed to have another slice of watermelon before turning in.

The following day, once the holiday was over, Devin and I returned to the cabin with Ma and Pa, since my parents would be working most of the time. Devin’s SUV was also back at the cabin and we’d need it to return to CSU, so we’d drive it back to my house when it was time for us to go on another trip with my parents.

We spent some time hiking the trails and playing games with Ma and Pa, we also spent some more time working with Gramps and Pops with the coins. Gramps told us that while we were gone, he’d discovered some $10 eagle gold coins as well, so the bag wasn’t full of $20 double eagle gold pieces like we first thought. During that same period, Pops also found some gold dollar pieces in with the silver dollars, so this was getting more interesting all the time and there seemed to be more than just one type of item in each bag.

The day before we were to return to my house, I helped Devin pack up his SUV with the things he was taking with him when we returned to Fort Collins. I also helped him pack up the items he would need for the next trip we’d be taking with my parents as well. When those things had been taken care of, we said goodbye to Ma and Pa and headed off to spend more time with my mom and dad before we left for Fort Collins.

After making a quick stop along the way, we arrived at the house by midafternoon. My mom and dad were still at work, so Devin and I were able to relax and enjoy a little alone time together, as well as preparing supper prior to my parents getting here.

“Well, this is certainly a nice surprise,” my mom said as she entered the house. “We didn’t expect you to arrive until Friday.”

“I know, but we decided to come back a couple of days early, since we’ll be leaving for Fort Collins shortly after we get back from the trip.”

“And what is that wonderful smell?” Dad asked while sniffing the air.

“We also prepared supper and we’ll be having something we hope will make both of you happy. It’s a low-calorie meal and we’ll start with a salad of Romaine lettuce, tomato wedges, sliced cucumber, and black olives with an oil and vinegar dressing. The main course is grilled salmon and oven roasted vegetables coated with a lemon Dijon sauce, and we also purchased Clio’s Mini-Greek Yogurt Bars for dessert. They’re described as being ‘something for those craving cheesecake – but without all the extra calories’.”

“Sounds great!” Mom agreed, and I could tell she was thrilled that we had prepared a low-calorie meal, while Dad looked skeptical about it until I mentioned there would also be dessert.

“And I’m glad you got something sweet too,” Dad chimed in, “even if it is only a yogurt bar.”

“And they’re only 70 calories,” I replied.

“Then maybe I’ll be able to have two,” Dad quickly countered, and then he and Mom went to freshen up while Devin and I were finishing up the preparations and putting things on the table.

As soon as my parents returned, we sat down to eat, and I watched Dad as he ate the salad and took his first bite of the salmon and roasted vegetables. I was relieved when he appeared to be pleased.

“This is actually quite good,” Dad said after he’d tasted the salmon and roasted vegetables. That was actually high praise coming from him.

“Yes, it’s very tasty,” Mom agreed, “and it goes to show that meals can still taste good and be low on calories.”

“As long as you can prepare low-calorie meals that taste this good, then I’ll go along with what you want to do,” Dad agreed. “I just want to see if the low-cal dessert tastes as good.”

I decided that I should change the subject before things got carried away and they started arguing, so I asked a question. “Where are we going on this trip?”

“We’ll be heading slightly north of where we were on the other trip,” Dad responded. “In fact, one of the places we’ll be stopping at is a location that we’d planned on visiting before the other vacation ended prematurely. It’s our way of apologizing for reacting so badly back then.”

“I’m sure it will be wonderful, and we don’t blame you for how you reacted. You wouldn’t have been placed in that situation and reacted like that if I had been honest with you in the first place, or even if I’d come clean since then. It was more my fault than yours.”

“I think we can all bear some of the blame,” Dad offered, showing he was willing to compromise. “We’ll also be trying some activities that we haven’t done in the past, but I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy them. We’ll be spending the majority of our time at Glenwood Springs, but we’ll also be spending some additional time in Snowmass Village and Aspen as well, since those places are all fairly close together. Alright, I know what you’re thinking, but those places aren’t only geared toward winter activities and there are a lot of other things we can do there at this time of year.”

“Ok, it sounds good,” I agreed.

“It will take approximately five hours for us to drive there, and that’s not counting a stop for breakfast along the way, which we’ll do about an hour after we get started.” 

“So, should we just pack the same types of things as we would for a normal vacation?” Devin asked.

“That reminds me,” Mom stated before Dad could answer. “There’s a box on the dryer in the laundry room that contains some things that I ordered for you online. In the box you’ll find eight pairs of shorts, eight shirts, and eight pairs of nylon sweatpants that we bought for you boys to take with you on this vacation.”

“Wow, we didn’t expect you to do anything like that!” I responded.

“I know, but we wanted to make sure you had everything you’ll need for this trip, but we’ll leave it up to the two of you to decide who gets which items, since you both wear the same size clothes. Just try them on to make sure they fit properly, and if you’re satisfied with them, then you can run them through the washer tomorrow and hang them out on the clothesline. When they’re dry, you can pack them with the other things you’re taking with you, so you’ll be all ready to go this weekend.”

“Thank you, because we really appreciate that you did this,” I said.

“Yeah, thanks a lot,” Devin added.

“They’re just some items we thought you could use on this trip,” Dad explained, “and besides packing those items, don’t forget to add your swimsuits and two pairs of shoes. One pair should be comfortable for doing a lot of walking and the other should be either a pair of sandals or athletic shoes that have good traction on wet surfaces. And pack a windbreaker as well, because the temperature can dip into the low 40s (5 to 7 C) at night. Devin, do you have a windbreaker with you?”

“No, I left my windbreaker and light jacket at the house in Fort Collins when we returned for summer break.”

“Never mind, because I have two windbreakers,” I offered. “I have a blue windbreaker and a green one that Mom bought for me because she thought it would bring out the green and gold specks in my hazel eyes when I wore it.”

“Super, then you can wear the green windbreaker and loan me the blue one.”

“Not a problem and this trip is sounding more interesting every second. That’s probably because Dad shared more information than he usually does. In fact, I believe he’s given us a few subtle hints about what we might be doing.”

“Yeah, but I still wish he’d told us even more,” Devin added as he looked hopefully at my dad.

“I’d rather wait and see the expressions on your faces once we get there.”

“Ok, I guess we can give you some leeway, since you’ve given us more of an idea about what we might be doing than you usually do.”

“Yeah, I agree with Devin and I can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned. When will we be leaving?”

“Since your mother and I have to work on Friday, we want to get a good night’s sleep first, so we’ll start out around 7:00 on Saturday morning.”

“Ok, because at least now I know that we’ll be here two days alone before we leave,” I agreed, and Devin nodded in confirmation

“And when you’re looking for something to have for lunch over the next couple of days,” Mom added, “try to use up whatever you find in the refrigerator first, before you go out to buy something. I don’t want to leave anything in there that might get moldy before we return from the trip.”

“Ok, we can do that,” I agreed, and then Devin and I washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen before we went to the living room to join my parents.

“We waited for you before starting the movie we’d selected,” Mom explained as soon as Devin and I sat down.

“Thanks, what are we going to watch?”

“We thought you’d enjoy watching “Batman Begins” tonight, “The Dark Knight” tomorrow night, and “The Dark Knight Rises” on Friday night, after we take you out to eat.”

“Awesome,” we responded simultaneously as Dad hit ‘play’ on the remote.

Devin and I had seen all three movies before, but they were all worth watching again, so we settled in and focused on the screen. The movie was just as entertaining as the first time we saw it, but this time we spotted a few details that we had missed previously.

When the movie ended, my parents said goodnight and went up to their bedroom, but Devin and I remained downstairs for a while longer. “What do you think. Should we go grocery shopping again tomorrow, so we can prepare another meal for my parents?” I asked.

“Yes, that’s a great idea. Do you know what you’re going to prepare?”

“No, but I’ll look online to get a few ideas and then I’ll make up my mind as to which one I think will go over best. I remember seeing some other meals online when we were over at Gramps’ house and I was looking for what I wanted to prepare for tonight. I just have to make a list of the things I’ll need to buy this time to pull it off.”

“Ok, it sounds good to me.”

My parents let us sleep in the next morning, and after we woke up and had a quick breakfast, we headed out to do some shopping. As soon as we picked up the items we needed, we headed back to the house. I quickly made the marinade that I would use on the chicken breasts, and then I placed them in the refrigerator until later.

Once that was taken care of, Devin and I decided to see what things were in the box that my mom told us about yesterday. All of the shirts and shorts were solid colors, which was fine, because at least they weren’t hideous colors that would look outrageous on us. After we decided how to divide them up, we took them downstairs to wash. We did the first load with the things Devin had selected, and then while Devin was hanging those out on the clothesline, I put my clothes in the washer.

When that load ended, I took my clothes outside and hung them with Devin’s things, and then when I came inside, we decided to make love. It wouldn’t be some hurried rush to orgasm, it would be slow and sweet. It was extremely sensual, with a great deal of touching, hugging, and erotic massages, and there would also be plenty of kissing and oral exploration as well.

We received a great deal of satisfaction from giving each other as much pleasure as humanly possible, and by the time we finished we were physically exhausted and emotionally drained. We took a brief nap cuddled in each other’s arms. When we woke up, we took a quick shower before heading downstairs and fixing lunch.

After we finished eating, we washed the dishes we’d used and wiped down the table and counters, and then we set the table for supper, so it would be ready for when Mom and Dad arrived home from work. Seeing it wouldn’t take long to fix the meal and we’d be able to do it while my parents were freshening up, we’d be able to sit down to eat as soon as they returned.

When we heard the SUV pull into the driveway, Devin and I hurried out to the kitchen and started setting things into motion. We only paused briefly when my parents entered the house.

“Go freshen up and supper will be ready by the time you return,” I told them, and then Devin and I gave my mom a quick kiss.

“I hope this meal is as good as the one you fixed last night,” Dad said before he headed toward the stairs.

“We think it will be,” I added as they were leaving.

Devin spent his time preparing four bowls of salad and applying the dressing, while I grilled the chicken and Portobello mushrooms. When my parents returned, Devin carried the salads into the dining room, while I took out the plates with everything else.

“It smells wonderful,” Dad said as he was taking his seat. “What have you prepared for us tonight?”

“We’re having a green salad with cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes in an oil and vinegar dressing, along with grilled lime chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, and grilled Portobello mushrooms.”

“And will there be any dessert after we finish the main course?” Dad quickly followed.

“Yes, we purchased Yasso mint chocolate chip frozen Greek yogurt bars that are only 100 calories each.”

“I hope they taste as good as last night’s dessert.”

“I believe you’ll find them just as tasty,” I assured him as we all began to eat.

“Mickey, this chicken is wonderful,” Mom gushed. “Did you marinate it first.”

“Yes, the chicken breasts were marinated in a mixture that I had to prepare myself using lime juice, oil, green onions, minced garlic, fresh dill, and pepper.”

“You did an excellent job! This chicken is simply scrumptious.”

“I agree,” Dad chimed in, “everything here is delicious and there’s plenty of it, so it’s hard to believe that it’s also low-calorie.”

After we finished eating those items, Devin and I carried the dirty dishes out to the kitchen, and then we each returned to the dining room with two of the yogurt bars. I gave one to Mom, while Devin handed one to Dad, and then we sat down so we could enjoy them together.

“Well, it looks good, so now I’ll see how it tastes,” Dad said before taking a bite. “Not bad. You did a great job with everything, and you might yet convince me that eating low-calorie meals won’t be that bad after all.”

“Thank you, honey, for proving to your father that eating healthy can still taste good,” Mom stated. “Now, you just have to show me where you found these wonderful recipes that you served us the last two days.”

“I’d be happy to, and I’ll show you the low-calorie desserts as well.”

“And many of the meals don’t take all that long to prepare either. Like with tonight’s meal, the thing that took the longest was making the marinate and soaking the chicken breasts in it, but you can do that part the night before.”

“That’s good to know, and thank you for doing this for us.”

“Yes, thank you very much,” Dad added, “and tomorrow I’ll take us all out to eat, so be dressed and ready to leave by the time we get home from work.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be ready.”

As soon as we finished dessert, Devin and I went out to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen, and then we grabbed the laundry basket and headed outside to get our things off the clothesline. Once we folded everything and placed them back into the laundry basket, we joined my parents in the living room to watch the “Dark Knight” on TV.

Just like last night, we enjoyed viewing the movie again, but we also picked up on a few more things that we hadn’t noticed the first time we saw the movie. It’s amazing how you can miss so much on the large screen and then spot it on the small screen.

When the movie ended, Mom and Dad said goodnight and headed upstairs to get ready for bed, but Devin and I stayed up a little longer. “Do you want to get your laptop and look up what types of things there are to do at Glenwood Springs, Snowmass Village, and Aspen during July?” Devin asked.

“No, let’s not do that. Dad wants to see our reaction when we get there, and since he’s paying for everything, that’s the least we can do to pay him back.”

“Ok, you’re right and I can wait to find out what we’re going to do.”

After watching “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”, we called it a night as well and headed up to bed. After going through our nightly ritual, I spooned up behind Devin, wrapped my arm across his chest, and that’s the way we fell asleep.

Once again, my parents allowed us to sleep in the next morning, and when we woke up, we fixed breakfast. After we finished eating, we packed our new clothes in with the other things for the trip, and then we thought about what we were going to do until my parents arrived home from work and took us out to eat.

“You haven’t practiced transitioning into any birds in a long time, so we can always do that today,” Devin suggested. “We can start out as a gray jay first and transition into a crow next, and then we can fly to a remote area where we can transition into a Great Horned Owl, followed by a Peregrin Falcon.”

“That’s not a bad idea, but I think you forgot a couple of things. First of all, did you forget that the gray jay’s name was changed to the Canada Jay?”

“Oh yeah, I did, because I’ve been calling them gray jays since I was four or five years old. What else did I forget, since you said there were a couple of things.”

“Yeah, and the other is the most important one. You won’t be able to do this with me, because you aren’t able to transition into anything with bones as small as a bird has.”

“Fuck, I did let that slip my mind again and I’m going to have to do something about it when I get back to Fort Collins.”

“Such as?”

“I’m going to call the doctor and tell him I want the hardware removed. I’ll tell him I’ve been feeling a burning sensation in that area and all that I can think of is that those things must be causing it.”

“But he might not want to operate on you again if he doesn’t see a problem.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure the muscles, ligaments, and tendons are all inflamed around those items so he’ll have to operate.”

“Good luck with convincing him.”

“I have to, because I can’t go on not being able to transition into the smaller animals. But for now, you’ll have to transition on your own and you won’t be able to go very far. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for other predators.”

“Ok, I will, and I’ll start by transitioning into a Canada jay and fly around for a while first. Then I’ll land in that tree over there and transition into a crow next. Do you think I should transition into a Great Horned Owl and a Peregrin Falcon after that, or will it be too risky.”

“You know this area better than I do, so what do you think?”

“I think maybe you should walk out front and check if you can see or hear anything from the neighbors’ houses. I’m not sure if anyone is around, but I know the couple in your old house has kids, so make sure to check that area out for me.”

“Ok, but you can practice as a Canada jay and a crow until I get back. Just be careful and be ready to transition into something bigger if you get attacked.”

I nodded that I understood and began to undress, and then Devin and I exited through the back door. After he went to do as I asked, I transitioned into a Canada jay. I hadn’t done this in a while, so it felt a little strange, but after I flew around for a short time, I felt fine. Eventually, I flew toward the tree that I’d told Devin about and landed on a large branch so I could transition into a crow, and then I flew around the area for a while, without going too far away from the house.

As soon as I saw Devin return, I landed on the ground near the same tree, and Devin walked toward me to inform me about what he’d discovered.

“You’re fine and I didn’t see or hear a thing. I even walked down to the road and looked in both directions to see if anyone was around, but I didn’t see a soul. The neighbor kids are either still inside or they’ve gone somewhere else.”

Since it sounded as if we were alone, I transitioned into a Great Horned Owl, launched myself into the air, and began flapping my wings. I flew around for several minutes and then landed on a large branch in the same tree. After looking around and checking out the area from my lofty perch to make certain we were still alone, I transitioned into a Peregrin Falcon.

As soon as I felt comfortable, I took flight and flew high into the sky, and then I glided around on the air currents for about twenty minutes before I drifted down and landed in the same tree. I then transitioned back into a Canada jay again and flew down and landed in front of the backdoor. After looking around quickly to make sure that no one was watching, I transitioned back into myself and quickly re-entered the house.

“That was not only good practice, but it was exhilarating as well,” I confessed as soon as Devin rejoined me.

“Yeah, and you looked good doing it as well. It seems you haven’t lost the ability to form feathers or forgotten how to fly.”

Now that I’d gotten a little exercise, I got dressed again and then we fixed something to eat. As soon as we’d filled our stomachs, we went into the living room and turned on the TV, and then we watched a show called “Ancient Aliens” on the “HISTORY Channel” until an hour before we expected my parents to arrive home. We then went upstairs, took a hot shower, and got dressed. We were ready and waiting in the living room when my mom and dad arrived home from work.

“We just need to use the toilet first,” Dad stated as Mom went to use the bathroom first, “and then we’ll head to the steakhouse for supper. I hope you’re both hungry.”

“Don’t worry, we’re starving.”

“Then start thinking about what you’re going to order, because you should both know what’s on the menu by now. I’m telling you this because your mother and I are both hungry as well and we don’t want to waste a lot of time looking at the menus before we order.”

“It’s not a problem,” we agreed, and then Dad went off to use the toilet as well.

As soon as they’d both returned, we got in the SUV, and Dad drove us to the Texas Roadhouse. It appeared that we’d arrived at the steakhouse just as it was starting to get busy, but we had beaten enough of the crowd that we were led to a table fairly quickly. When the server came to the table and asked what we wanted to drink, my dad responded.

“We’ll give you our drink, appetizer, and meal orders all at the same time, and we’ll start with a Cactus Blossom. I’ll also have the Dallas Fillet rare, with a house salad and sauteed mushroom for my sides, and you can also bring me a gin and tonic.”

“I’ll have the Grilled BBQ Chicken,” Mom stated, “with a Caesar salad and green beans for my sides. And I’d like a Strawberry Daiquiri.”

“I’ll have the Dallas Fillet as well, but I want mine medium rare,” Devin ordered, “with the Caesar salad and steak fries, and I’ll have a Coke to drink.”

“I’ll also have the Dallas Fillet medium rare, but I want mine with a baked potato and mac and cheese, and I want a 7-Up to drink.”

Devin and I were limited to sodas, because I didn’t turn 21 until the last day of August and Devin wouldn’t turn 21 until September 16^th. We haven’t been home to celebrate our birthdays since we’d started college, so we always selected a slice of cake at the dining hall on each other’s birthday, but we would celebrate back at the house. As soon as we returned from eating, we’d retrieve the birthday present that we’d bought during our shopping trips to purchase new clothes for school with our parents. We’d then wish the other one Happy Birthday and watch him open the present, followed by some kissing and hugging first. It was a low-key celebration, but we were satisfied, and then we’d make love before cuddling together and drifting off to sleep.

“I’m glad to see that you’re trying to eat healthy,” I told Dad. “You ordered the house salad and sauteed mushrooms for your sides.”

“That’s just part of it,” Dad responded, “because I’d normally order the filet & ribs combo meal, instead of just the filet, along with a loaded baked potato and the Texas red chili.”

“And since you’re being so good, you’ll have your choice of either two mini strawberry Greek yogurt bars or a mint chocolate chip yogurt bar when we get home,” I offered.

Shortly after the server returned with our drinks, she came back with the Cactus Blossom, which was a huge onion sliced like a blooming flower and then battered and deep fried. It also came with a Cajun dipping sauce.

“I’ll have a few of the blossoms, but then the three of you can share the rest,” Dad announced once the platter was placed on the table.

“You can have more than just a few blossoms, dear,” Mom stated, “since you’re being so good about what else you ordered.”

Dad nodded and smiled as he tore off his first blossom and dipped it into the Cajun sauce. Mom later explained to Devin and me that she’d made the decision to let Dad eat more of the Cactus Blossom after she realized that the three of us wouldn’t be able to eat all of it. She also said that she’d rather see Dad eat a little more of it than having it thrown away, so it went to Dad’s waist instead.

When the entrees came, not only did they smell wonderful, but they tasted delicious as well. It was a fantastic meal, and Dad, Devin, and I ordered a second drink before we finished eating, and then we went out to get into the SUV for the ride home.

“Dad, do you want me to drive, since you had two drinks with dinner?”

“No, I’m fine and my blood alcohol level won’t be high enough to be considered a DWAI (Driving With Ability Impaired) in Colorado,” he replied, so I got in the back with Devin.

When we arrived at the house, Dad pulled into the driveway, but he didn’t turn off the engine right away. Instead, he turned around in his seat, looked at Devin, and spoke.

“I’m going to have you pull your SUV into the garage so we can lock it up while we’re gone. I know you’ve probably got some things in there that you’ll be taking back to Fort Collins with you, which means it will be safer in the garage.”

“Thanks, and it will work out great for me. I had a feeling you’d let me do that, since we’ve done it before.”

One the vehicles were positioned, we headed out to the kitchen and agreed to each have a mini strawberry Greek yogurt bar for dessert. It was a nice way to top off the fantastic meal, and then we headed into the living room to watch “The Dark Knight Rises” before we turned in.

As soon as the movie ended, and while we were saying goodnight to one another, my mom made a comment. “Set the alarm for 6:30, so I won’t have to walk over to wake you up, because your father and I will be packing the last few items in our suitcases before we leave.”

“Ok, I can do that,” I agreed, and then we all headed to our rooms. To tell the truth, I was kind of excited as I was falling asleep, with Devin spooned up behind me, and I’m pretty sure he was excited as well.

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