The Bandini Affair 23
Draginacht@aol.com (AKA Jeff)
Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. The story contains graphic descriptions of sex between men. Anyone who is forbidden by law to read such material must stop now. This story is being posted to the Nifty Archive solely for the enjoyment of its readers.
From Chapter 22
Throughout the day Matt had plenty of time to think about later that evening and consider the best way to introduce Leo to his family. He would love to gather the whole family in Dave's great room and make a proud, public announcement. But that would be exactly the wrong thing to do. Instead, he settled on quietly introducing Leo to one or two people at a time and casually, and proudly mentioning they were partners.
From time to time Leo kept Matt informed through quick phone calls and text messages. He got home just after Matt and they shared a few hugs and kisses just for the fun of it. Following a quick shower and change of clothes they were ready to leave for Dave and Tony's house.
Chapter 23
Before we get too deep into this chapter, this is probably the best time to introduce the multitude of family members and friends in order of appearance. You are already acquainted with Dave and Tony, and the others are:
Georgia - Dave's housekeeper. Paul David Baker, Dave's son, AKA "PD" John David Close, AKA "JD," Matt's younger brother, med student Bridget - JD's girlfriend. Shannon McGregor, AKA "Shan," Captain, USAF, longtime friend of the Close boys. Erin - Sean's fiance. John and Kate Close - Matt's parents. Susan - Matt's sister. Sophia and Sean McGregor - Tony's sister and brother-in-law, close friends of Dave, John and Kate.
Matt drove while Leo told about his interview with Mark, which provided several chuckles for both of them. This time when Matt drove into Dave's driveway he parked on the side of the house near the garages and they noticed they must be the first to arrive. Matt led Leo through the garage and into the house via the back door, his customary entrance. Upon entering the kitchen they ran into Georgia, Dave's housekeeper and Matt got a big hug. Georgia gave him a knowing grin of approval when he introduced Leo as his partner. After surviving Georgia's hug, Leo got a quick story of how she had taken care of Matt and his brothers over the years. As Georgia turned to check the oven, Tony walked into the kitchen.
"Matt, Leo, glad you're here!" Tony exclaimed as he walked up and embraced both men in one hug. He gave Matt the customary brief kiss on the lips and when he turned to kiss Leo forehead, Leo tilted his head back like he wanted equal treatment. It was a great moment! The gesture spoke volumes and it gave Matt the perfect opportunity for his announcement.
"Leo and I are partners..." Matt began with a smile, which quickly turned into a huge grin.
"Oh, wow, congratulations!" It was all Tony could think of saying at that moment then he gave each of them another hug and kiss. "That was quick!"
"Matt got on his knees and proposed last night... at least I think that's the way it happened." Leo chuckled then he blushed at the possible inference his statement might make.
"So it's official? We can tell everyone?" Tony asked.
"Well..." Matt hesitated. "I thought we'd just tell everyone individually, rather than make a big announcement. Don't you think that's a good idea?" Tony quickly read the "go with me on this" look on Matt's face and realized he was asking a rhetorical question.
"That's an excellent idea," Tony grinned. "And I'm honored to be the first to know."
Matt placed his arm around Leo's shoulder. "Actually, you're the second Ð we just told Georgia." He and Leo were all smiles.
"And as it should be! Georgia's the most important person around here."
"I'm glad to hear you think so," Georgia replied. She couldn't exactly avoid overhearing the conversation. "Now y'all shoo out my kitchen fore I forget somethin'," she said jokingly.
"No, let me get Dave first..." Tony suggested. "He should at least be third in line, but we won't tell him where he placed." He turned and quickly exited the kitchen. Matt and Leo turned and smiled at each other. Leo was smiling to let Matt know he was comfortable with how things were progressing and Matt was smiling just because he was happy to be looking at his partner and trying to grasp the reality of the situation.
"Tony says you have something to tell me..." Dave said with a serious look on his face as he preceded Tony into the kitchen.
"Uh, yeah..." Matt began.
"We're partners." Leo interrupted and then smiled up at Matt. He decided there was no reason Matt should have all the fun.
"Wonderful! Congratulations!" Dave appeared ecstatic. He quickly wrapped his arms around his two guests and gave them a hug and a kiss. "This is really exciting. Who else knows?"
"Just you, Tony and Georgia," Matt replied.
"And of course my family knows..." Leo smiled. "Except my brother, who lives in England."
"Well, we'll have to get together soon so you can tell us all about it." Dave suggested. "I'm so excited, Babe," Dave said as he felt Tony's arm rest affectionately around his shoulders.
"Absolutely!" Tony added. "Maybe next weekend. We're going to have too many people around today to give it enough time." The comment triggered Dave's memory about Leo's shyness and he agreed.
"Right. Let's all go into the great room and get out of Georgia's way." Dave took hold of Tony's hand and led them out of the kitchen. "You're the first ones to arrive." Dave continued. "Except PD, he's up in his room changing and will be down soon. Oh, there he is now..." Dave said as he looked up and saw his son at the top of the stairs.
"Hey Matt!" PD exclaimed, hurrying down the stairs to embrace his cousin. "It's great you could come tonight." The five men were standing at the end of the entry hallway, near the bottom of the stairway and close to the steps down into the great room.
"Yeah, PD, we're all glad you could make it home for the big weekend," Matt replied. "Hey, I want to introduce you to my partner, Leo Carlsen. Leo, this is my cousin Paul David Baker, Uncle David's son, AKA in the family as PD.
"Whoa, that's terrific!" PD exclaimed. "That deserves a hug." And he pulled Leo into a warm embrace. "I am so happy for you, both of you. When did all this happen?"
"Oh, yesterday..." Matt began but was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.
Before anyone could react, JD and his girlfriend Bridget let themselves in the front door. Brothers Matt and JD embraced first; they hadn't seen each other for several months. JD followed with hugs for Dave, Tony and PD. JD introduced his companion then Matt introduced his. Leo instantly observed how positively everyone seemed to accept that Matt would have a same-sex partner. It just wasn't a big deal. Once again the doorbell interrupted the conversation and in walked Shannon McGregor and his fiance Erin; the greetings and introductions grew even more complicated.
Eventually things calmed down and Dave was able to shepherd everyone into the great room where they stood around talking non-stop.
"How long will you be in town?" Shan asked PD.
"I'll be leaving Monday morning; I'm hosting some of my frat brothers for a week at the Vail condo. Then we'll be going back to school."
"OH!" JD exclaimed. "I remember our first trip out there. Remember, Matt, how we were in the hot tub naked and those girls we met on the slopes were watching us from the balcony above?" Matt, Shan, and JD burst out in laughter.
"Oh, tell me more," Erin urged with more than passing interest.
"Who's bright idea was that, anyway?" PD asked. He'd heard the story but never who the instigator was.
"As I recall," Matt began, "Shan started it."
"Don't look at me!" Shan exclaimed. "It was Mark's idea!" All eyes turned his way and there was a moment's hesitation as the others considered his vehement denials.
"Yeah, I'll bet!" PD laughed. "You're taking advantage of Mark because he isn't here to defend himself. I know how that game's played; it's been played on me often enough. We'll see what Mark has to say tomorrow night." Laughter filled the room. The crowd began to brake into groups as the friends tried to catch up on each other's lives.
Leo was amazed at the warm, friendly greeting he received; it was very similar to that of Dave's Platoon just two days earlier. Watching interaction between Matt, JD, PD, and Shannon reminded him of his youth when he watched his brother Phillip and his friends. The love and strong bond that existed between them was obvious. And they made Leo feel like he was a member of the group. Further, nobody had batted an eye about Matt and him being partners. Everyone seemed pleased, like they expected that to happen. Why shouldn't Matt have a partner just like everyone else? Whatever anxiety Leo might have felt earlier in the evening was rapidly dissolving, and he began to feel proud of himself.
Leo was engaged in conversation with PD while Matt was talking with Sean and his fiance. He didn't notice Matt move across the room to talk to his uncle.
"Dave, when Mother and Dad arrive, you think you could manage to get them into your library before they have a chance to talk to anyone else?"
"Sure, Matt." Dave looked at Matt with a puzzled expression. He'd just heard his nephew address him as 'Dave' for the first time instead of 'Uncle David'... it shocked him momentarily. Then he grinned with affection, reached out and squeezed Matt's firm bicep. Dave wondered if Matt having a partner of his own was what caused the change.
"I kinda want to introduce Leo before they find out from someone else." Matt was remembering what Mark had told Leo, that his mother already suspected he might have a special friend.
"Ah, I understand. That's a good idea; I'll alert Tony and we'll signal you when they arrive." Dave went on to explain that Angela, Mark's wife and Trace and Kirk, their twin boys had spent the day with Matt's parents, and they would all be arriving very soon, along with Matt's sister, Susan.
Dave left to find his spouse while Matt crossed the room and placed his arm around Leo's shoulder. Without being obvious, others in the room smiled at the subtle display of affection and went on with their conversations. About fifteen minutes later Matt looked up to see Dave approaching him.
"Your mother just called; they just exited the Interstate. That means they should be here in about ten minutes. If we go into the library now we'll be able to see them when they arrive and I can catch them at the front door."
"Great! That'll work." Matt replied as he looked down at Leo. "Let's go with Dave and I'll tell you what's happening." Leo looked up with a questioning smile.
"Nervous?" Dave asked after hearing Matt take a deep breath and exhale loudly. The three of them were in the library looking out the window at the circular driveway.
"A little," Matt sighed quietly. "This is a new experience for me. I never thought about surprising Mother and Dad like this. I mean, it's kinda sudden; I've never talked about Leo; they don't even know he exists.
"Oh, don't worry about it; it'll be just fine." Dave added encouragingly. He had a more adult understanding of his sister than Matt had of his mother.
At that moment headlights briefly illuminated the library as a car swung around the driveway and stopped in front of the house. Leo had his arm around Matt's waist and felt him stiffen slightly. There was no question that Matt was nervous and for the first time, Leo felt calm and relaxed. He tightened his arm around his partner and looked up. They smiled at each other.
"Don't move, I'll send your parents right in." Dave turned and exited the library.
"I have a good feeling about this," Leo smiled encouragement. Since meeting Dave, Tony and the Platoon last Thursday and meeting other family members this evening, Leo felt strengthened by what he'd learned. He reviewed the facts: Matt's uncle was gay and lived with his partner in this large house; every family member he'd met so far seemed totally unconcerned with the ÔgayÕ issue, both about Dave and about Matt. Obviously. All of this was well known to Matt's parents so they were probably crucial to that prevailing attitude. After all, parents who could produce such a well-grounded man as Matt had to be people Leo would be happy to meet.
"I'm glad YOU do," Matt replied and gave Leo a reassuring squeeze. Just then they watched the door handle turn and the door begin to open. John Close pushed the door open and held it as Kate to entered the room.
"Hi, Mother, Matt said as he took three steps forward and took his mother into an embrace. They held each other for several seconds and kissed on the cheek before parting. Without a saying a word, Matt shifted and embraced his father. As Leo watched Matt and his father hug, he observed how Kate turned and looked at him, a smile forming on her lips. She was a beautiful woman who exuded confidence and class. He returned her smile and quickly observed how much Matt resembled his mother. Having also seen Mark earlier, Leo could also see how he took after his father.
Matt and his father parted and Matt returned to stand to Leo's left with his right hand resting on his partner's right shoulder.
"Mother, Dad, I'd like you to meet Leo Carlsen." The radiant smile on Matt's face demonstrated how happy he was. "Leo is Mom and Pop Carlsen's son; he came home when Pop had his mini-stroke and he's been working at Bandini since then." Matt smiled with satisfaction, pleased that he'd managed to describe an almost complete picture without leaving anything out or saying too much.
Kate was the first to react. Mothers have a special intuition that allows them to sense their children's moods. This was the first time her son had ever introduced any friend so formally and with so much emotion and her feminine instincts told her this was a special occasion.
"Hello, Leo, I'm so happy to meet you." Kate stepped forward and offered her hand boldly and sincerely; Leo knew she meant it.
When Leo reached out and grasped Kate's hand she placed her left hand on top of his, reinforcing her statement. Leo could feel Kate's warmth and he smiled. Some instinct told him she knew why he was being introduced.
"Thank you, Mrs. Close, it's a pleasure to meet you too." Leo was practically grinning by now.
"Please, call me Kate," she requested with a smile and stepped aside so Matt's father could be introduced. Leo just nodded.
"Hi, Leo," John said as he held Leo's hand in a firm, masculine grip. It too was warm and friendly. "And call me John, please," he added. The two men released their grip, stepped back and stood beside their respective partners.
"Uh, Mother... Dad... I know I should have called you sooner but... uh... everything happened so fast that, uh... well, uh... I mean..." Matt paused briefly, pulled himself together then continued. "Mother, Dad, last Tuesday, Leo moved in with me and yesterday we agreed to be partners." There, he'd said it. In spite of his nerves, he grinned with great pride and happiness. Once the words came out of his mouth, Matt realized the scene wasn't as difficult as he's feared. Plus, the smiles on his parents' faces reassured him that he was in a good place.
"Congratulations!" Kate exclaimed confidently as she stepped forwarded, wrapped her arms around a startled Leo and kissed his cheek. "I'm so happy for you, Honey. How did all this happen?"
"Kate," John tried to interrupt.
"And you must come visit so we can get acquainted." She continued.
"Kate," John interrupted again. "I'm sure Matt and Leo will come see us soon; but for now we really need to get out to the great room; I think Georgia's probably waiting for us to appear so she can serve dinner." John was smiling so everyone knew he wasn't angry.
"Oh, yes, of course. We should go. Are the others here?"
"Yes, Mother. PD, JD and Bridget, and Shannon and Erin are already here."
"Wonderful!" Kate exclaimed then looked at Matt and Leo. "Do they already know? I mean about you two?"
"Yes Mother, they do." Matt replied sheepishly. He was beginning to wonder is he handled this correctly.
"Good. I'm glad you took care of that. Now, what about the McGregors - Sophia and Sean? Are they here yet?"
"I haven't seen them but they could have arrived while we've been in here," Matt said.
"Okay, Leo, you come with me." Kate exclaimed as she slipped her hand under Leo's arm and escorted him out of the library and toward the great room. John slipped his arm around Matt's shoulders, gave him a fatherly squeeze and the two of them followed.
The rest of the evening was a blur for Leo. Matt made sure he met the rest of his family and guests. Leo was astonished at the size of the gathering but at no time did he ever feel intimidated or uncomfortable. Everybody offered his and her congratulations in a fittingly subdued manner. The dinner was very informal with the overflow eating in the kitchen.
Leo learned many things that evening, most through observation. For one, he was seeing a different side of Matt than he'd ever seen before. In this family-type setting Matt smiled a lot, talked more, and laughed a lot more, too. Here he needed no defenses. Another thing he observed was just how different families can be. While both Leo and Matt's families were loving and cared for each other, Leo's family wasn't very demonstrative. Matt's family members, on the other hand, were constantly touching each other. It was like they received strength through physical contact. There would be a hand on a shoulder or completely around the back but only briefly. Hands would touch an arm or pat the top of a head, all in a friendly way. It was not unlike what he'd witnessed with Dave's Platoon. At first it made Leo feel a little uncomfortable when someone touched him but he quickly adapted.
Leo had a great evening listening to some of the boys' youthful escapades and by the time he and Matt left for home, he felt like he understood Matt more deeply than ever before. During the drive home, the two men shared a few chuckles over some of the evening's events.
"You were a hit; everyone loves you." Matt smiled. "Especially me."
"They said that?"
"Yeah, and Bridget thinks you're cute."
"Hmm..." Leo mused. "I don't think anyone's ever called me cute before. Do you think I'm cute?"
"I'd prefer to call you adorable." Matt was grinning. "Are you okay with that?"
"Hmm, 'Cute' versus 'adorable.' I'll have to think about that for a while."
Matt could almost feel that Leo was more relaxed than heÕs ever seen him and could tell by the tone of his voice that he was having fun with the idea. Matt couldn't let it rest. He extended his right hand across the cab and poked his index finger into Leo's ribs. That provoked Leo to shriek, turn sideways with his back against the door and grab Matt's hand.
"Please, I'm really ticklish." Leo pleaded but he was still chuckling.
"Okay, I'm sorry." Matt chuckled, not sorry at all. "Can I have my hand back now?"
"I may keep it for a few minutes." Leo said as he held it with both hands. His right thumb softly stroked Matt's palm, then he kissed it with just a little tongue. That set off an erotic reaction in Matt's brain, which fired a signal directly to his groin. Continuing to drive with his left hand, Matt felt his right middle finger being enveloped by Leo's warm, moist mouth.
"Uh... Leo... we'd better save that for later unless you want me to have an accident."
"Okay, you can have your hand back now." Leo chuckled. He had plans for the very near future.
After securing the house, turning out the lights, and brushing their teeth they got into bed. That's when Matt discovered a new Leo, a man he wasnÕt accustomed to. Thus far in their relationship Matt had been the aggressor and Leo had been the passive one. Tonight however, after they snuggled and played kissy-face, Leo pushed Matt onto his back and became much more assertive. Last night Leo had accomplished something he'd been interested in doing, getting Matt's tool into his throat. Tonight he intended to complete the task and swallow Matt completely. Without being insensitive to what Matt might want, Leo wasted no time. He was just more committed to accomplishing his objective and was confident Matt would wait - willingly.
Building on last night's success, Leo soon had Matt deep in his throat, his nose pressed gently against Matt's scrotum. Inhaling Matt's strong masculine scent through his nose was a bonus Leo hadn't anticipated, and it only enhanced his arousal. He was vaguely aware of his leg being lifted over Matt's head so he was now perched on top of his partner in the sixty-nine position, but it didn't interfere with his activity. However, Leo almost pulled off Matt's member when he felt Matt's tongue against his pucker. Leo returned to his target, well aware that his dick was secure in one of Matt's hands while his back door was under assault by Matt's tongue.
Matt exploded first. Leo took the first shot deep in his throat but pulled back to capture as much of Matt's nectar in his mouth as he could. Matt's orgasm subsided and he quickly rolled Leo on his back, engulfed his pole and brought him to a roaring climax. Almost in a stupor, the lovers repositioned and were soon mixing and sharing their liquids in a passionate kiss.
"Wow!" Matt exclaimed softly when they separated from their kiss. "I don't know what that was all about but it sure was terrific!"
"I love you and I wanted to show you how much."
"I love you too." Matt said as he nuzzled his nose under Leo's chin and licked his neck causing Leo to giggle. Sleep came quickly.
Sunday Morning the men awoke early to the soothing sound of rainwater running down the gutters. They snuggled closer - if that was possible. Leo rolled on top of Matt and immediately wondered about the resurgence of his sex drive. Yes, he now had an active sex drive, maybe even a demanding one. The sensations caused by physical contact with MattÕs hard, hot flesh were far more stimulating and erotic than any experience touching his former wife.
Twenty minutes later, kissing and panting after enjoying the rewards of frottage, Leo lifted his head and looked down at Matt.
"Can we go to that church this morning, the one down on the corner?" Leo asked.
"Sure," Matt replied and pressed his lips gently to Leo's. "You think we need absolution for what we just did?" He smiled playfully and Leo chuckled.
"I didn't know we needed absolution for that."
"Ha-ha, we don't; they don't take confession but if they did, Father Tim would probably give us a blessing and tell us to do it again... many times." Matt kissed Leo's forehead.
"Father Tim? Is it a Catholic Church?"
"Ho-ho, not likely; it's a non-denominational church that serves this gay community. Tim Fields is our pastor but everyone calls him Father Tim. HeÕs gay and has a partner, too. Now, you ready for a shower?"
They had plenty of time to catch the 10:00 AM service and were joined by Mike, Todd, Dan and Berk. A teenager came with Mike and Todd and after the service was introduced as Trace, their adopted son.
To be continued.