The Crew Chapter Thirteen
On Friday morning, Brian and Tuck got up very early. They showered and got ready for work. They packed their suitcases including all their toiletries. Paul and Doug were awake but reluctant to get out of bed.
Tuck said, "It's a beautiful day guys. We're going to have breakfast and then walk to our client. We should be there for about two hours. Please get yourselves ready to start back for home. I'm leaving the car keys on the dresser. Pack the car, make sure the room is cleared out and we'll meet you in the lobby in about two and a half hours. As soon as we check out, we'll be on our way."
The moment Brian and Tuck left, Paul and Doug rolled toward each other and started kissing. Their morning woodies ground hard against each other. Paul pulled away. "We'll have a lifetime together, my dear friend. Next time we make love, let it be in our' bed in our' house." Doug smiled but his eyes filled with tears. He took Paul's hand and they went to shower together.
After they packed the car and made sure nothing had been left in the room, they went to the coffee shop in the hotel. They took their time and lingered in the shop until Paul felt that Brian and Tuck would be arriving any minute. They took a seat on the sofa in the lobby where they had first talked and fallen in love. It was uncomfortable for Doug because his ex-boss was behind the counter. He was the very same manager who had called Doug a fucker.
After a few uncomfortable minutes, Larry, the manager, called Doug over to the desk. He extended his hand to Doug and said, `Look Doug, I'm sorry for what I said. I was just so upset at losing such a good worker. To tell the truth, I knew it was bound to happen. You're just way too good for this job." Then he reached under the desk and found an envelope which he gave to Doug. "I was afraid I wouldn't see you, and if you didn't contact me after what I said, I wouldn't know where to send your final pay and your W-2 at the end of the year. Anyhow, here's your final pay check."
"Gee thanks," Doug said. "Actually I am so excited about my new job I forgot all about it. I swear, Larry, it happened so suddenly, I just couldn't give you more notice." He called Paul over and asked Paul to please give the manager his home address and telephone number so he could forward his mail. Paul was thrilled to do it and Larry thanked them both. He was shaking Doug's hand and wishing him well when Brian and Tuck came in.
"Tuck said, "I see the car is right out front ready to go so let's get this show on the road." He settled the bill with his company credit card and then they piled in the van and headed to Lake Henry.
"What time do you estimate we'll get home?" Paul asked Tuck who was driving.
"Well, with a stop for lunch and a couple of pit stops, I figure between 4:30 and 5 PM. Why do you ask?"
"I want to make sure Dan and Warren are home when you drop us off. I want them to be the first to meet Doug, and I need their advice on how to handle my coming out party. I also think that we should celebrate tonight at our favorite celebration spot, Joey's." Then he added, "It's my treat, of course. You guys should have dinner before you head back to Phoenix any way." Brian and Tuck agreed immediately.
Paul called Dan on his cell phone. He asked if he and Warren could be home by 4:30 and asked him to make a reservation for six at 5:30 at Joey's. He told Dan he would explain when they got there.
Then Brian and Tucker left messages for their wives, who were at work, to expect them home about 9:30 PM, give or take a half hour.
The van pulled up at Dan's and Warren's at about 4:40 PM. Dan and Warren were looking for them and came out to greet them. Everybody helped transfer Paul's and Doug's gear to Paul's car, and then went inside.
Dan spoke first. "Who's this hunk here, Paul? And just what are we celebrating."
"This specimen of perfect manhood is Douglas Jones. I've already established no relationship, Warren." Then he pointed at Dan and Warren and introduced them to Doug. They all sat down in the living room and Paul related the story about how they met and how desperately Doug needed to start a new life away from Flagstaff. He told about his call to Randy and the fact that Doug was going to start working for Randy on Monday morning. He explained to Doug that Warren was Randy's uncle. He told Warren and Dan that he was going to take Doug over to Michelle's and Randy's tomorrow to meet them.
Warren got up and went to the fridge. He took out a big bottle of champagne as Dan went for some fluted drinking glasses. "I figured that if we were going to Joey's you might have something to celebrate so I thought why not start the celebration right here." Dan poured the champagne and everyone drank to Paul and Doug, who broke into tears. They all hugged and kissed the newly united couple and urged them to stow the tears. After all, this is a celebration not a funeral.
As they piled into Tuck's van and started out for Joey's Place, Jeff's van was just pulling up in front of the Fishers. This weekend she wouldn't take no for an answer. She had already made dinner for all of them, "before they holed themselves up in their house for the weekend." Those were her very words.
After dinner at Joey's, Tucker dropped his passengers off at Dan's and Warren's, and he and Brian headed for Phoenix. Paul told Dan and Warren that he wanted to discuss something with them before he and Doug went home. They all gathered in the living room again. Warren asked if anybody wanted an after dinner drink or coffee or something, and everyone declined.
Paul started, "I need to tell my congregants that Doug and I are life partners but I just don't know how to do it. Any advice?" he asked.
Warren spoke first. "Yeah, keep it simple. After the service, Doug, when Paul goes to the back of the church to greet the people as they either go home or to the social hall, you stand beside him. That will give him the opportunity to introduce you and tell them who you are."
"I agree," Dan said, but I would do one more thing. Paul, when you ask everyone to join in the social hour, why don't you announce that you are today's sponsor in honor of your new union with Doug. I'll bet everyone will come to the social hall after that statement. Remember you said a few weeks ago that Jerry was sponsoring the social in honor of his baptism."
Everyone agreed that their plan was the way to go. Doug looked very uncomfortable. He was beginning to think he had lost a little control of his life and the best thing to do was to just ride the crest of the wave until he reached solid ground again.
At long last, Paul and Doug reached Paul's house. Doug was trembling as they approached the front door, and Paul was crying. "If you weren't heavier than I, and if our arms weren't full of suitcases and tools, I'd carry you over the threshold," Paul quipped.
"Even if you don't," Doug told Paul, "I won't mind a bit if you demand your spousal rights."
"Fear not. I will"
When he entered his house, Paul felt overwhelmed and nearly swooned. "What's wrong, Paul?" Doug needed to know.
"Nothing, nothing is wrong. I was just thinking how lonely this place has been for three years and now it's just become my Garden of Eden. I'm just so full of emotion."
Doug grabbed Paul in his arms and started to laugh. "Funny, I don't look like Eve," he joked, and he covered Paul's lips with his.
They put Doug's tools in a storage shed in the back yard, and then went in to the master bedroom to make room for Doug's clothes. The closet was big enough to house Paul's meager wardrobe, and Doug's even more meager one, with room to spare. The same went for the dresser drawers. Paul actually had two drawers that were empty and easily took Doug's socks, underwear and a few shirts. Paul thought that both of them probably should buy some new clothes.
When they were totally settled in, they sat together on the sofa in the living room to watch the evening news. Unfortunately, it became impossible to watch TV. They began making out, kissing, smooching, groping and just hugging one another. So they secured the house for the night, showered together and crawled into Paul's bed, make that, their bed.
"Please fuck me," Doug begged.
"Only if you fuck me first," Paul answered as he dove down on Doug's cock and started sucking at it wildly. As he did, he distinctly felt Patrick's kiss on his cheek and he heard Patrick say, "I love you."
Doug heard Patrick also, and thinking it was Paul, he said, "I love you too."
As Doug and Paul were beginning their first night together alone and as a couple, the crew was unlocking the front door of their house. Almost everything they needed for the weekend was always kept in the house now. The Fishers would not be opening the store for a few more weeks so they did bring some provisions which they brought in and refrigerated. As soon as the house was sufficiently warmed up, they congregated nude in the living room where they began to demonstrate their love for one another in a most physical manner. Not until each one of them expressed their love to every other one of them, and not until everyone had been allowed to spew their juices in some one's mouth or ass, did they retire as couples to their bedrooms. The doors here were always left open.
In the morning, Paul gave Doug a tour of the kitchen. He explained that between March and October they could buy groceries at Fishers General Store, but in the winter they had to buy their groceries at a Walmart which was up the road near the hospital. "In fact," he said, "we practically have nothing in the house so let's go shopping and we'll eat breakfast out."
They got in the car and stopped first at Rosie's for breakfast. This was a great opportunity to test thing out. He introduced Doug to Rosie as his partner. Rosie didn't seem shocked at all. She gave out a stifled scream, grabbed Paul in a bear hug and told him how happy she was for him. Then she did the same to Doug and welcomed him to Lake Henry. Breakfast was on Rosie that morning. Paul could only hope that Sunday went as well.
They did their shopping and returned home. Paul's fridge had always been close to empty. Now they had to rearrange the shelves several times before they had room for everything. Once everything was in place, he called Randy and was pleased to learn that Michelle was not on duty this morning. He asked if he could come over with Doug to introduce him.
"Absolutely," Randy said. Paul figured that Randy thought that they were coming over so that Randy could meet his new employee, but he was determined to be candid with him and Michelle as well. He wasn't sure how much Liz would understand. He did know she was fond of all the crew, and accepted their relationships without question. She considered every one of them to be an uncle.
Doug was unprepared for the sheer size of Randy. "Somebody should have warned me," he said as he shook Randy's hand and looked up into his eyes. Paul had just said, "This is Doug," when he came in. Now he said, "Michelle, Randy, Doug is my life partner. He's living with me now."
Michelle broke out laughing. "Did you think we didn't know? Uncle Warren and Dan called last night. They didn't say anything at first, but I could tell they were dying to tell us something so I wheedled it out of them. I'm so happy for you Paul, and I know the crew is going to be delighted." She gave Paul a kiss on the cheek, and then she embraced Doug and kissed him too.
Michelle was now doing Randy's bookkeeping so she took all of Doug's information that she needed for payroll purposes. Randy told Doug that he would pick him up Monday morning but that they would not always be working at the same site, and suggested he buy some sort of wheels at the earliest possible opportunity. Michelle offered them coffee, but they declined.
When they got back in the car, Paul said he would like to make one more stop. Doug already knew all about the crew and he knew that Jeff and Jim were the sons of Brian and Tucker, that Michael and Jerry were Michelle's brothers, and that Ron and Foster were the sons of the Fishers whom he would meet on Sunday, the next day.
"I don't want to call them," Paul said. "I'd rather drop in unannounced. This way they'll all be naked and you will see the most beautiful six bodies in the world, except for yours of course," he added laughing. "They might even be having sex. I should say they'll probably be having sex."
Not so. The crew had all slept very late. They had just now finished showering and were in the kitchen preparing a brunch. They were indeed naked.
Paul knocked on the front door which sent them all scurrying. Jeff looked out and when he saw it was Paul with some good looking guy, he told everyone that the coast was clear and he let Paul and Doug in.
"I feel so over dressed," Paul said when he saw the naked bodies.
"Then strip already," Jerry retorted.
Instead he put his arm around Doug, kissed him on the cheek and told the guys that they were now partnered. Everyone jumped and shrieked for joy and began hugging and kissing the `newlyweds' who were bombarded with hard cocks all over their bodies.
"Will you stay for brunch?" Ron asked after all the introductions were made.
They declined, but Ron said, "Well just have a cup of coffee with us and you can tell us all the dirt." That was acceptable. There was not enough room in the kitchen so they opened up some snack tables and ate in the living room.
When Paul told every one how Brian and Tuck had invited him to spend a few days with them in Flagstaff, nobody said anything, but they were all surprised that Brian and Tuck were out to Paul. Jeff determined to ask Paul about that, but he was anxious to hear how they met, so he held his question.
Jim spoke first. "Everyone here has a story to tell that is literally a case of love at first sight." He raised his coffee mug, "Here's to love."
"Here's to love," the others echoed.
"Sometime I'd love to hear those stories," Doug said. I've already heard about Brian and Tuck.
"At the moment," Jeff said, "I'm more interested in hearing how you came to be invited to a sexual outing with my fathers."
Paul turned beet red, but he told how the fathers had stopped at the Fishers to pick up the key to the country house and he, Warren and Dan were all there for breakfast. Josie insisted, of course, that Brian and Tuck stay for breakfast also. I think your wonderful fathers sensed how lonely I was (glancing at Jeff) and invited me to dinner that night. When I got there I told them about myself and when I told them that I was a widower they expressed condolences at the loss of my wife. That's when I explained to them that everyone assumed that I had lost my wife, but it was my beloved Patrick whom I had lost. I determined then and there to be honest with myself and my community and I'm coming out to everyone tomorrow at services."
Jerry, who already knew, was so proud of Paul. He jumped up and enveloped Paul with his naked body and hugged him tightly. Jerry's prick got harder and Paul's started to erect. It was perfectly noticeable and they all broke out laughing.
"Does this allow Doug and me to come to your nude swim parties this summer," Paul wanted to know.
"Absolutely!" the crew said in one voice.
"Look guys," Paul said as he stood to leave. "I'd like to take Doug to Dave's to look at used cars. He's going to need one for work. So please excuse us." He then looked at them very sternly and in his best ministerial demeanor he said, "And I expect to see every one of you in church tomorrow morning." Then in a very meek and pleading voice he said, "Besides I'll need your support when I come out tomorrow."
"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Michael spoke for them all.
Everyone kissed goodbye and it was such a tangled mess some people got two kisses.
Back in the car, on the way to the used car dealer, Paul could see that Doug was disturbed. "What's wrong, babe?" he asked.
"I've got some money saved," Doug said, "but definitely not enough for a car."
"Doug," Paul said, "listen to me very carefully. I haven't spent any money on myself at all since I came to Lake Henry. I've saved enough for both of us to get new cars, but one will be enough. Just consider it a wedding present. Not only that, but I need a couple of new suits for church and I know you could use some work clothes as well as a Sunday suit. We don't have to spend a fortune. Walmart is open until 10:00 PM. We'll go there after we buy you a car. Please don't fight me on this. I want to do it for us. It's not like you aren't working, and I know you'll do your share when it comes to the household expenses."
Doug leaned over and kissed Paul on the cheek. "How did I get so lucky?" he said to no one in particular. They both distinctly heard someone laugh and Paul knew it was Patrick.
Dave had about fifty used cars on his lot. When he saw that it was his minister getting out of the car, he told himself he'd better give him a very honest deal. If nothing else, Dave was superstitious. Paul introduced Doug to Dave as his partner, and Dave was the first one to express any shock. He didn't say anything but his jaw fell down.
"Are you catching flies," Paul asked him.
"Gee I'm sorry Pastor. I gotta admit you just threw me a fast one. But hey, I love you, so I guess I love Doug here too. All I can say is congrats, and a long and healthy life to both of you. Now what can I do for you?"
They ended up with a three year old Honda Civic. Paul said that they might not be able to pick the car up today and asked how late he was open on Sundays. "We're here until 9 PM today and 6 PM tomorrow," Dave said.
"Please have all the paper work ready as soon as possible. We have some shopping to do at Walmart, and if we can, we'll be back today. If we can't make it, we'll come in tomorrow afternoon."
Dave shook their hands and said the car would be ready for pickup in about two hours. As a special favor to Paul, he said he wanted to service it fully before it left the lot.
Late that evening, Paul and Doug returned home in two separate cars, and fell exhausted on the living room couch. After they recovered, they removed all the tags on their new clothes and hung them away or put them in drawers.
"Too bad the suits needed altering," Paul said. "It would have been nice to have worn them to church tomorrow." Neither was hungry even though they hadn't eaten in hours. Paul made some hot chocolate, which they drank with a couple of slices of toast, and they went to bed. They cuddled for a while and then fell fast asleep, totally exhausted.
To be continued...