An End an A Beginning

At the sound of Lloyd’s name Troy stiffened a bit. Prince had actually been Lloyd’s dog. Troy hadn’t known that for nearly a year after he’d seen Prince for the first time. It had always been Julien who had brought Prince in. And only Julien long enough for Troy to have developed an interest of his own in Julien. And then he’d learned that there was a Lloyd in the picture. And that Prince had been Lloyd’s dog before he and Julien had hooked up. But Lloyd was dead now. Gone for nearly a year. He’d been older and had had a heart condition. Julien hadn’t taken it well. He didn’t accept the inevitability of it. He wasn’t taking this well either.

Well, if it weren’t for his professional obligations—and knowing what Prince wanted, needed, Troy wouldn’t be taking this any better than Julien was.

“So, you’ve decided… you’re giving permission…”

“I’ll stay… I won’t leave him until it’s over.”

When it was over, Julien sank to the floor beside the table, in tears.