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Beach Cottage 8
My eyes opened and I slowly gathered up my wits and remembered where I was. Toby was not anywhere close that I could hear. I considered jerking off but just let that pass. My head still hurt a bit but It wasn't awful. I got up made the bed took a fast shower and jerked off quick. My tan was fading fast but the ass Tan line was there. I brushed using Tobys tooth brush again. I slipped on clothes and went to the door between the apartment and the house. Tobys mom was reading the paper at the kitchen table and she smiled and said Morning Charlie. Good Morning M'am where's Toby? She said he and his Dad had to run to the shop to move some equipment. He said you needed sleep and he let you be.
Are you hungry? I surely am! She pulled a plate outa the oven and set it in the table. I scarfed down the eggs and sausage .
How's your Grandma she asked patting my arm. Lonely I said . Well take care of her .
I drove to the house and put the Buick in the garage and went inside. Granny was just sitting at the kitchen table looking exhausted.
The phone rang and I answered it . It was my Aunt, she's a tool ! Granny shook her head no when I said her name . I said she's in the bathroom. I will have her call. She used a tone with me that was always unsettling.
I went to work with the electrical place and started my apprenticeship. Granny moped mostly and seemed smaller and tired.
Me and Toby hung out all the time he didn't chase the girls either. We tinkered with cars and drank.
It was about three months after I got my journeyman's card that Granny didn't wake up. I left for work as usual but she didn't tell me have a good day. When I got home I didn't see her and I went upstairs and she was in the bed. I called over to Tobys and told his mom that I think Granny has died .
Police cars and rescue squads and crazy busy days.
After the funeral my Aunt told me I'd have to move that they were going to sell the house. The sooner the better.
Tobys dad said we could move into a small place he owned besides we both were too old to be living at home.
I'd go to the beach as much as I could sometimes I'd stay with Bob mostly with friends or me and Toby would tent camp.
I got a chunk of money in something called a Trust after Granny died . I wasn't sure what it all meant but my Aunt wasn't happy so I was cool with it !
Toby started to date this girl and it was time for me to move on. So I bought a ranch style house on 20 acres for cheap. I fixed the roof and got the furnace to work. It cleaned up ok and it gave me peace and quiet . Behind the house was a spring so with a borrowed from work backhoe I built a pond. Now I had a pool of sorts.
I was content but lonely most of the time. At work I got along with everyone well. Even went on a few set up dates now and then.
Old Bob had told me this was a tuff way to be and he was right.
I got a call from a girl I know at the beach and she said they took Old Bob to the hospital. She told me where and I headed to Portsmouth to the Navy Hospital.
I held his hand still tanned but thin and frail. He slipped away that sunny afternoon.
We spread his ashes on the beach. It was sunny and windy and his ashes swirled away.
Several weeks later a letter arrived that I had to sign for at the post office. It was from a lawyer in Florida and they wanted me to call them. When I got home I called and they offered to call me back . Long distance used to be expensive.
Seems Old Bob had what's called an Estate. The lawyer said Robert had large real estate holdings. I had been added when he got sick and the family wanted to work out a amicable agreement .
The lawyer said that there's a camp in the Everglades and several small beach houses in some place called Nags Head. Then he said the family wanted to give me a house in Nags Head if I'd relinquish claim to the other properties. I said I would call back.
I asked my boss about a lawyer and he squeezed my shoulder and asked what I did . I explained things and we went to the shop and sat with the owner. He called his lawyer and we all talked . The owner and the lawyer his buddy argued over fees .
I gave the lawyer the phone number in Florida.
A week or ten days later the owner got me off a job and we went downtown to a high rise.
The lawyer guy said that Robert's estate was an old family collection of real estate. That the family wanted to offer up a reasonable settlement. They were prepared to get nasty if necessary. The lawyer asked the boss to leave the room.
Charlie the family attorney said they will bleed you dry in lawyer fees . Then he said that your relationship with Bob may have been sexual.
I sat there quietly feeling small and vulnerable. I said what should I do ?
Take the house at the beach and a cash settlement from the family. Well you make it work out and let's do this.
A few weeks later I got a message through work to go to the lawyers office.
The lawyer Dude got it worked out with a lawyer in NC and I signed a ton of papers. The settlement cash was lumped in with the money from Granny's will.
The lawyers all got a chunk of money.
The lawyer in the high rise set me up with this investment guy and he set me up. I worked every day like always . I fixed up my place.
I bought a used tractor from a farmer with a bush hog. His son delivered it to my place and showed me how to use it.
His names Carter tall slender red headed jeans and boots guy. Probably still in high school.
The next afternoon he came back by with a tank with a hand pump. He was super polite and relaxed and well it was like he wanted to not leave. He asked why I wasn't married and I said I'm not that much interested in the ladies Carter .
It was a week or so later when I got home and the front fields were cut . I saw his truck. I had gotten a pizza on my way home.
We went inside and ate and I drank some beers Carter had a coke .
He said outa the blue I don't much like the ladies either Charlie. He says there's so much I wanna say but I don't know how to say it he says looking down.
Carter I quietly say it's a hard way to live but I'm ok with me. I touch his arm and say I'm queer Carter I like guys. Sex with guys and well it sucks a lot.
He said with more confidence than I think was possible ; me too!
We became fast friends and he was super handy with keeping things together at the house. His parents invited me over for Sunday dinner.
The tension was thick. Whilst we ate peach cobbler his momma asked me all sorts of questions . Job , electrician . Family, none that claim me to much anymore . My mother was a wild one and well I got raised up by my Grandparents. Girlfriend she asked ? That's when Carter said forcefully , Mother please! I smiled at Carter and said not currently M'am. Ain't found the right one. She relaxed a touch and got up gathering plates. Carter his Dad and I walked out back. His dad sent Carter on an errand to the barn and he turned to me and said Carter likes you a lot. I smiled and said he's been a big help and he's a super polite nice person.
His Dad said Carter's really not like most boys . I smiled and said everyone's there own person Carter's Carter!
He sighed and patted my shoulder and as we headed to the cars he said he's quite impressed with you! I'm quite impressed with him.
Carter helped me with the chores and some Saturdays I'd help them on the farm with chores. His mother never stopped encouraging us to get girls .
Carter was twenty two the first time we slept together.
That morning after I knew that I was in love with him . He moved in a few weeks later and his mom scoured at us and his pops shook my hand and asked me to keep him safe.
We lived a quiet life between our home and the beach place. He never tanned that great but he is and awesome cook just like his mother. She wanted grandkids but got grand dogs . Some folks whispered behind our backs.
Was it perfect ......hardly .....!
We lived a happy simple life working surfing farming and cooking.
Old Bob was right it's not easy but then again it wasn't all that hard !
Thanks for reading this ! I'm always happy to get feedback , sometimes my punctuation isn't perfect along with spelling. My hope is that you find a moment of happiness while reading.
Cheers