Adventures of Cliff

A merry Christmas to all at Nifty.

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF CLIFF & DEREK Part 15 (Life After School) Please note this story contains boy to boy sexual activity and if you don't enjoy this kind of story read no further. This story is also based on actual events but all the names and locations have been changed to protect those involved.

This story may not be published or reprinted without the express permission of the author.

So my fathers trial is at last underway and as I told you before it would be a couple of days before we would need to go to Worcester for the trial. I will tell you about mine and Derek's involvement in the trial and leave Michael to explain is bit in his story.

Bob my agent rang on the Tuesday to tell me that my Oliver contract had been extended for a further two months making eight months in total, while Derek's job looked like being secure for a few years to come. Eventually when the play did finish it was the longest running play in the history of the theatre anywhere in the world.

We settled into a steady routine and as the week progressed we still had not heard from our solicitor regarding the trial, plus the press just said jury selection and legal matters were being discussed.

Late Wednesday Derek had just got home before me in time to answer the phone with John Davis our solicitor saying that I was wanted in court the next day at 10 am. We had arranged for a driver and car to take us to and from, very expensive but needed.

When I got home and Derek told me I must admit I came out in a cold sweat because this would be the first time I had faced my father since he tried to have me killed. Admittedly we came close when I was in pantomime in Leeds and he came up illegally but we never actually sighted him, just felt his evil presence. What love or affection I had for my father had gone a long time ago and I had no desire to see or talk to him ever again.

I phoned my mother getting her out of bed to tell her the news and she said she had also been called as a prosecution witness. Of course the phone call woke up my adopted son, Peter who insisted on talking to me. I told him what was happening before telling him to let me know if any more nasty comments were made about him at school, because I certainly was not going to have him upset by those sort of comments.

Before ringing off I told him Derek and I loved him and he said,

"I love the both of you as well dad, don't let them upset you."

I assured him they wouldn't before saying goodnight, God Bless.

After ordering the car for early in the morning we headed for bed and as we lay together in each others arms Derek whispered in my ear,

"Don't worry my darling just remember he can't hurt you were he is."

I kissed him gently on the lips telling him I loved him so much.

A few more kisses and we both fell asleep.

Next Morning the car arrived on time and off we set. The press were out in force when we arrived but John our solicitor was waiting and hustled us into the building before too many questions could be fired at us.

He took us to a quite room were we would remain until called. John kept emphasising that we both had to keep our cool while in the witness box.

"try not to look at your father." was the advice he kept telling me He left us alone because the judge was about to come in and the days proceedings would be getting under way.

Derek and I sat quietly holding hands not saying much at all in fact I don't mind admitting that I was shit scared. Performing on stage with thousands of people watching didn't worry me too much but this was freaking me out.

After what seemed like hours John came in to say it was lunch time so we trooped out to a nearby café. Neither Derek or I ate very much and John explained that the prosecution barrister is making sure that the trial drags on putting all kinds of objections and obstacles in the way.

"He is one of the top guys in his field but so is our man, in fact here he comes now."

Bustling up to our table was a short stout gentleman who John introduced us as Benjamin Joiner.

"Good day gentlemen, well I think we are going along quite well, one word of warning my opponent is sly and shrewd and will try a lot of tricks especially when he gets people like you and Derek in the box. He will keep on and on about your homosexuality I'm sure of that so please stay cool calm and collected."

After those words he changed the subject and we chatted about this and that while enjoying lunch.

Soon it was time to head back to the courtroom and to our dingy little waiting room.

We sat there all afternoon bored silly until at about four am John came back to apologise and tell us that we won't be needed till tomorrow know because the judge as called it a day.

I was pretty pissed off having sat around all day doing nothing and now had to rush back to London and work.

John explained that the defence had done this on purpose just to annoy us and make sure that we would be that little bit more tired next day.

We both stormed out of the court house into our car for a fast journey back to London and straight into the theatre.

By the time we arrived home that night we were both buggered and after a quick shower crawled into bed and sleep. The alarm went off all too soon and off we went again to Worcester arriving just before nine. At least this time I was heralded in to the court room after just thirty minutes wait leaving my darling lover alone and worried in the waiting room.

The Clerk of the court came up to me with a bible in his hand which he gave to me while holding up a card for me to recite that I would tell the truth the whole truth and so on.

The prosecution asked me my name and all that sort of rigmarole. That done he asked me outright if I was Homosexual. I replied that I was he then asked if I was in a relationship with another homosexual and I said I was. He then wanted to know when our relationship began and I told him during our final years at high school.

We then covered my achievements including my acting and singing ability at school.

"What reaction did your parents have when they found out that you were a homosexual?"

"My mother accepted that I was what I was and hoped that I would be careful and safe, while my father who was always rather nasty to me could not accept the fact at all."

"So, your saying that he was totally anti homosexual?"

"yes sir,"

"Would you say that your father was faithful to his family and to his wife."

"No, it was reported at school that he was having sex with an underage girl and this was causing me to be ridiculed and bullied at school."

This remark brought the defence lawyer to his feet shouting objection and pointing out that all this was hearsay on my part.

Benjamin (the prosecution) replied that if need be they would produce the young lady in question who would back up what I had said.

The judge agreed with Benjamin and the questioning continued.

He then took me step by step through the calendar of events which finally culminated with my father and Michaels father holding a teacher hostage at the school before being arrested.

I was feeling totally drained and exhausted and before the defence had a chance to ask questions the judge announced a break for lunch.

John Davis congratulated me on doing so well and took me off to lunch telling me that I couldn't have lunch with Derek because I might brief him on what I had said in court.

That really pissed me off especially because he had to do with a packet of sandwiches and a cup of coffee in that miserable little room.

Back in court after lunch I had to face the defence barrister, all this time I had avoided looking at my father but I cast a glance in his direction and the look of hatred on his face demonstrated that he had not changed his attitude or his mind about me.

His barrister started off slowly being nice and pleasant, he congratulated me on my acting and singing ability before pausing to look at his notes for what I thought was a considerable length of time.

Suddenly he lifted his head looked straight at me and said.

"So you're a poofter."

Benjamin jumped up and protested immediately at the use of that word and the judge warned the defence about using such derogatory words.

"My apologies my lord but I didn't think I was doing anything wrong by using a more modern term for Mr Steele's preference for a male rather than a female."

Again there was a protest and this time the judge pointed out that I was the actor and a very good one and his attempt was a poor copy. This brought roars of laughter from the court and I noticed a few jurors also smiling.

He then tried a different approach this time asking me if I loved my mother and I answered, `Yes, I love her dearly."

"And your two sisters?"

Again I answered in the affirmative.

"Your father, your own flesh and blood the man who planted the seed that created you, do you love him?"

I paused thinking that deep down because we were flesh and blood I did have some feelings for him but after what he did to me Derek and other people around us I hated him for that.

"The court is waiting to hear your answer Mr Steele."

"After what he did to me, my LOVER and my friends, I no longer look upon that man over there as my father."

This brought a few cheers and applause from the public gallery causing the judge to call for order.

"So you are turning your back and scorning your own flesh and blood."

I quick as a shot replied,

"He is the one who turned on his own flesh and blood not me."

Once again cheers and applause form the gallery, but this time the judge turned on me.

"Mr Steele I would like to remind you that you are in a court of law and not your not performing to a west end theatre audience."

The defence barrister started up again,

"Did you not stop and realise that your father might have been trying to turn you into a normal human being who liked girls and would some day find the right one and marry her?"

"No sir all he wanted was to get rid of his own flesh and blood as you so aptly put it."

I continued,

"He gathered around him people with similar thoughts and ideals working and scheming in an attempt to do away with me, my Lover, my lover's parents and any one else who stood in his way, all he wanted was to get rid of me and anyone else who got in his way."

The defence barrister tried to stop me but I raised my voice over his.

"He could not accept the fact that I was an homosexual, which I cannot be cured of, it is the way I am and always will be. While my partner and I in the eyes of the law, as it stands today should not be preforming certain acts and if caught would be punished, we can't help it that is what we are we certainly do not go round having sex with underage girls or boys as my father did."

All the time I was gradually raising my voice and every time he tried to interrupt me I got louder ad louder and the gallery also got louder cheering me on encouraging me until the judge called order threatening to clear the gallery. I could see my father and his defence were fuming about my outburst and for that matter so was the judge.

I noticed the prosecution team all had smiles on their faces.

The judge spoke up when everyone became quite

"If there are any more outburst in the court like the last one I shall clear the court is that understood, members of the jury you are to disregard Mr Steele's comments, and I think this would be a good time to adjourn proceedings for today."

I raced out of the court room into the side room to Derek who was sitting there looking really miserable. I kissed him saying come on let's go.

We rushed out down the steps into our car before the media or anyone could catch us.

I laid back with my eyes closed slowly coming down to earth, when I opened them I saw Derek looking at me with a worried look on his face.

"What on earth happened in there, I heard shouting and applause."

I laughed before saying,

"I think I just did the performance of my life."

I laid in his arms and slept almost all of the way back to London.

Next day we once again headed off early for another day at my fathers trial. This time we dozed in the back of the car, both of us being very tired and worn out after performing all night and being in court all day. I said to my lover,

"I don't think I can keep this up much longer."

Derek smiled squeezing my hand replied,

"Don't worry baby it will all be over soon."

"You have such a calming effect on me my darling I don't know what I would without you."

Slowly he leaned across to gently kiss me putting his arm around my neck drawing me closer and closer to him.

There was a mass of media hanging around waiting for us to arrive, along with John Davis who once again acted as a shield hustling us into the court precinct. Because we had been together all night and read the newspapers account of what had happened on the previous day it was pointless for Derek and I to be segregated, but once again he was not allowed into the courtroom and was banished to that miserable dingy room.

I went back into the witness box and was reminded that I was still under oath. Then the defence barrister announced that he had no further question but reserved the right to recall me later. John motioned me to sit next to him and Derek was called.

Looked terribly nervous I blew him a gentle kiss hoping no one noticed and he smiled slightly. Once again he had to go through the same preliminaries that I did and the prosecutor asked more of less the same questions as he had with me. All too soon it was lunch time and we trooped out to a local café once again. Over lunch we sat close to each at the table holding hands underneath it.

John and Benjamin appeared to be happy with the way things were going although I had my doubts.

Just then a group of youths dressed scruffily walked into the café and sat at the table next to ours. I looked sideways at Derek thinking that their faces were familiar. They began talking in loud voices about poofters and how they would eventually get their just desserts and end up with a bit of luck at the undertakers.

It was then that the penny dropped a couple of them were Michael's brothers and the others obviously part of their gang. I whispered this to John who got on the phone and within minutes a squad of police men arrived moving them on under protest . They could not be arrested because legally they had not done anything wrong, but Derek looked very worried and was shaking when they finally left.

When we returned to the court room Benjamin asked if the jury could be excused and leave the room because he had a very worrying point to raise with the judge.

Once the jury had gone he explained to the judge what happened in the café pointing out that these people were members of the gang who took part in the attempts to take mine & Derek's along with several others lives.

Immediately the defence barrister demanded a retrial, but the judge was having none of that. I thought at the time maybe the defence did that on purpose to get a mistrial. Finally the judge requested the presence of the police involved and after a short delay they came into the court and the judge ordered them to arrest and hold without bail the perpetrators.

Once this was done Derek was called to the stand. He was still shaken up from the lunch time events. The judge spoke to Derek apologizing for what happened assuring him that extra care would be taken to make sure that did not happen again. Derek thanked him and looked a little bit better.

The defence barrister put on a big show of apologizing and hoping he was not too traumatized, asking if he wanted a glass of water and so on.

Finally he said to Derek,

"Do you think that if you had not gone into the greenhouse at school on that one particular day and seduced Mr Steele would any of this happened."

I thought Derek was going to collapse and our barrister jumped up protesting loudly that it was irrelevant and impossible to assume that Derek's actions would have brought this about.

The judge agreed and once again warned the defence about its tactics.

He stared down at his papers for a long time until finally the judge asked if he had any more questions. He looked up pretending to be surprised that Derek was still there and said,

"Oh I have no more questions of this witness."

At that the judge called it a day .

We left shattered and exhausted and as soon as we got in the car we fell asleep in each others arms and the driver had trouble waking us when we got back to London.

We decided that we would go to Worcester next morning just in case my mother or other friends and relatives were called, this also included Derek's parents.

Once again the media were out in force but once we got into the courthouse we could relax.

I was right in my assumption as the next witness was my mother, who more or less backed up what Derek and I had said. The defence barrister got up and immediately asked my mother if she loved my father.

My mother replied.

"I did but how could I continue to love a man who committed adultery with an underage girl and then tried to have his own flesh and blood done away with."

The barrister continued.

"Those are your thoughts at the moment because of what you have heard, but surely you loved him before and after your marriage ?"

"Of course I did he was a charming young man, who also went to war defending his country, but once his son declared that he was different the hatred in his heart was indescribable

, plus I think by now he was getting tired of being married because he was unfaithful, began drinking to excess and was no longer the man I married."

During this tirade from my mother the defence barrister tried to stop her but like me she continued talking as if he wasn't there. I was very proud of my mother for standing up against the barrister. I looked at my father and if he could have got his hands on my mother I'm sure he would have strangled her.

Quite frankly, and I expressed my thoughts to Derek later I didn't think his barrister was much good he was obviously asking the wrong questions and getting unhappy by the minute at the answers he was getting.

Not long after that the judge announced a lunch break and we took mum to lunch along with John and our barrister.

I noticed a couple of policemen on duty at the entrance to the café making sure that the incident yesterday with those thugs was not repeated.

I told mum I was proud of her and hoped it would soon be over.

Being Friday mum told me that Peter and Steve were hoping they could stay with us over the weekend.

We ordered our driver to take us to the boys school pick them up take us all home to mum's and then go like mad back to London otherwise we would be late for our shows.

Peter and Steve both realized that we were dead tired and sat quietly holding hands saying very little. When we arrived home I asked who would they like to go the theatre with tonight and was quite surprised when they said me. This was the first time Peter had been in the theatre since the artful dodger episode, but the minute he walked through the stage door several of the boys gathered round him asking if he was ok and this relaxed him and me for that matter.

Him and Steve spent quite a long time talking with the boys feeling quite at home surrounded by young actors.

Once we had finished our curtain calls I headed for my dressing room to find Peter and Steve waiting for me.

Peter spoke first,

"Dad, those boys are so much happier now that the horrible man as gone,"

I agreed then Steve spoke.

"Peter and I wouldn't mind being onstage acting like you do."

Whoa, that shocked me to the core because neither had shown any interest in the theatre except for what Derek and I did.

"I thought you both wanted to go on to University and get degrees and stuff."

"Yes we do but we wouldn't mind part time acting jobs and if we did we would be closer to you." Peter said.

"I'm not sure if that would work out alright because acting is very demanding and stressful and I can't imagine you two performing and studying at the same time."

Peter got that cheeky grin of his on his face and I thought, here we go.

"I suppose your worried that we might upstage you." and both of them burst out laughing.

Just then Cameron the shows producer knocked on the door and came in .

"I'm glad you a bit happier than you were Peter."

Peter nodded but didn't say anything.

"Cliff," he continued, "The Royal command performance is coming up at the London Palladium in a months time and we have been invited to perform a short excerpt from Oliver, would you be interested in doing your spot with Oliver and the boys?"

"Would I," I replied

"is the Pope catholic? Of course I would, it would be a great honour."

I should explain each year the entertainment profession got together on a Sunday evening to perform for charity usually in front of her majesty and to be invited to take part was quite an honour.

"Good, I'll set the wheels in motion for it to happen." Cameron said before bidding us goodnight.

Peter came up and hugged me saying well done dad that's a great honour.

Once we got home the boys rushed in to tell Derek the news who was smiling like a Cheshire cat because he had been invited to assist with the artistic side of the evenings performance.

Later that night as we lay side by side in bed he whispered in my ear how happy and proud he was that I had been chosen for the show.

We kissed reminding each other how much we loved them before dropping off to sleep.

Next Morning being a Saturday I had my recording for Radio Luxemburg to do so Derek kept the boys entertained till I got back and we took them out to lunch.

Both of the young un's were quite during lunch and I thought, there's something cooking here and true to form while we were having a coffee Peter said,

"Dad, I love your mum very much and enjoy going to your old school, but I miss you and daddy Derek so much ." He paused took a deep breath before continuing.

"Would it be possible for me to live with you and go to school in London."

Well I don't think either of us saw that coming and I didn't know what to say at first.

"Peter I dearly would like you to stay on at my old school, plus if you lived with me what about Steve you'd only see him on the weekend and maybe not always then."

"Well, we have had a lot of talks about that and Steve spoke to his mum and dad and they want to see you and talk it over with you."

"Talk what over Peter, what have you two been cooking up?"

"Well, dad if you agree it might just be possible for Steve to go to school with me in London and perhaps stay here and live with us."

I could feel myself losing control of this situation because obviously a lot of talk and thinking had already taken place

"Derek and I are going to have to think carefully about this son, what if I get a job away, and so does Derek both of us in different parts of Britain, it could happen.

"Then we'd have to think about it all over again wouldn't we."

"It's almost time for us to go to work so lets leave it for now and I'll discuss it with Derek, your parents Steve and also with mum, she needs to have some input too."

We left it at that. The boys decided to go with Derek tonight so I headed off on my own thinking about what I would have to do with these two young studs.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget the trial is no were near finished yet and what to do about the boys proposal. I had no idea.

Once again your comments and thoughts are welcome and I will try and answer all your mail.

Trevorvj@optusnet.com.au