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"BRIARWOOD"
aka "Whence Cometh My Help"
(The Revised Version)
A dramatic saga
by
Ritch Christopher
Literary enhancement by
Les Martin
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BOOK TWO
Chapter Sixteen
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Bruce awoke first. For just a moment, he found his surroundings strange, unfamiliar. Then he remembered---the fishing trip, the boys---he was in the RV. Then he became aware of a body next to his in the bed----Walter! He turned his head just in time to see Walt's eyes open. They looked at each other for a brief second, then instinctively wrapped their arms around each other, just basking in the knowledge that each was loved by the other. The physical contact was enough to start arousals for both, but they had other things to do. They got out of the bed over the cab of the Winnebago, dressed and walked to the far end of the RV to awaken their two sons for the planned fishing expedition. When Walter saw that the boys' bed was still made, not having been slept in at all, he became slightly worried. Had Alex and Ted gone for a late night or early morning swim and not made it back to the campsite? He was on the verge of panicking for fear one or both of the boys had drowned.
"Hey, Bruce! The boys aren't here! Looks like they didn't sleep here last night at all! Alex isn't tidy enough to make his bed while camping, but the covers and sheets are unruffled!" Walter cried out.
"Ted doesn't make his bed either, Jane does it for him at home."
"You don't suppose something's happened to them?"
"Wally, we'd better split up and go search for them!"
The two men donned running shoes and raced out of the van, Walter going left toward the dense part of the woods, while Bruce began to hunt down by the water. As the fathers called their sons' names aloud, their voices echoed across the water for a great distance. Neither heard a reply from the boys.
Walter disappeared through the high grass in front of the forest area. Bruce had to go over a long mound of rocks to get a view of the rippled stream which emptied into the huge lake. Bruce reached the edge of a slight ridge overlooking the lake and stopped short when he saw Alex and Ted lying, spooned together, Ted's back into Alex's front. Both were naked and appeared to be sleeping.
Bruce's initial reaction was to cry out at them to see if they were alive, but just then, Bruce saw Alex put his arm tighter around Ted to draw him closer. Bruce had been there, years ago with Walter. He knew what the two boys were doing or what they HAD done already, so he turned and backtracked his steps to find Walter. Bruce started to head into the woods just as Walter was coming out.
"Any luck?" Walter asked Bruce.
"Yeah, I found them!"
"Are they OK?"
"In a manner of speaking, Wally, I'd say they're more than just 'OK'."
"What do you mean?"
"Follow me...quietly!...and you can see for yourself."
Walter was puzzled by Bruce's mysterious replies and followed close behind his old buddy, anxiously. When they reached the vantage view where Bruce had stood a few minutes earlier, Bruce pointed toward the grassy knoll beside the beach. Walter took a long look, not believing what he was seeing at first. Then his mouth turned into a wide smile. "Well, I'll be damned!" Walter said.
"I knew it would happen someday, Wally. At least, I hoped it would."
"You old fart, after all these years, we STILL think alike."
"Think we should go down and roust them up?"
"What? And put Alex back into the Kimbrough ER again?"
"I guess you're right!"
"I wonder--how would we have felt if they had caught us doing the 'nasty' in the RV, last night?"
"Hah! That might have put YOUR son back into the hospital as well."
"Thank God, we were quiet...and thank God, they didn't come inside and catch us!"
"You said you wondered how they would have felt...you...uh...haven't asked I how felt."
"I don't have to. I know goddamned well how you felt! The same as I, you fool!"
"It surely felt like old times...brought back lots of happy times we once knew."
"You mean before both our mothers thought it was time for us to get married...but not to each other," Walter said.
"You and I were born a generation too soon, Wally," Bruce sighed. "If we could be our boys' ages now, lots of things would be different."
"Yes, for one thing, you wouldn't have Ted and I wouldn't have Alex and Jeff."
"Wally, did your parents ever know for sure? You know, about you and me?"
"Well, to my knowledge, they never caught us...nor did they ever give the slightest hint of suspicion. What about your folks?"
"They never said a word to me either. I felt as if Dad knew, but he wouldn't dare confront me with it."
"Why, do you suppose?"
"Don't laugh, but I always thought my dad was having an affair with his real estate partner..."
"Your dad and John Cavanaugh?"
"The same. I even thought he suspected that I knew about them and that's why he didn't say anything about you and me...IF he knew at all."
"Bruce?"
"Yeah?"
"IF we HAD been born a generation later when gays were more accepted, do you think we'd have remained a couple for all these years?"
"As far as I'm concerned, we would have."
"What makes you think so?"
"Because I knew how much I was in love with you back then. I knew that no one on earth could ever satisfy my needs the way you did."
"You mean, sexually?"
"God, YES! But not just sexually. Do you realize that you and I have never had one fight or a word of disagreement?"
"Why should we? I loved you too."
"You know we've never kept secrets all our lives, but there's one thing I've never told you."
"Oh?"
"When I married Jane, or rather when Jane's parents and MY parents arranged for us to get married, on Jane's and my honeymoon night, we didn't have sex."
"What?"
"Nope...and not the next night or the next week. It was almost two months after Jane and I married before I got my first erection and, even then, I don't think it had any connection to Jane."
"Good God, Bruce! Why? Did you have some kind of physical impairment?"
"No, it was all mental and emotional. Jane simply wasn't you! Hell, she wasn't a man! She didn't have what I wanted or needed between her legs. I was a dyed-in-the-wool, genuine, Walter Clayton-cocksucker! You were all I wanted. I had practically no feelings at all for my new bride. Back then, neither Jane or any other Christian woman would satisfy her man by giving him oral sex...and God knows, if I had tried to screw her in the ass, she'd've had me arrested for rape! So I was stuck...going to bed every night with someone I didn't love, someone who had no penis and no ass to fuck!"
"Jesus Christ, Bruce! I can hardly believe that."
"Well, it's true, Wally! ALL of it!"
"Damn! Had I known, I would have arranged to meet you some place...out of town, even...and we could have satisfied one of your basic needs anyway. Why the fuck didn't you call me?"
"Because we were 'best man' at each other's wedding and I just assumed you loved Clair and that I was out of the picture."
"As long as we're baring our souls, I...I did have sex with Clair the first night and every night thereafter for several years."
"Was SHE your first female sex?"
"You know she was. The only sex I'd ever known before that was with you."
"Then can I ask how you developed a yen for a vagina?"
"I never did!" Walter dropped his head and paused for a moment. "Now, here's something I've never told you."
"I can't wait to hear it!"
"The first two years, every time I made love to Clair, I had to have the room dark as pitch. I couldn't look at her while the two of us were having sex. I...I fantasized every night that it was you, not she."
"Oh, my God!" Bruce sighed. "Looks like we kinda fucked up our lives AND our wives."
"Not exactly, Bruce. I got two terrific sons and you have one. I guess that's our reward for our sacrifices."
"So do you think Ted and Alex are in love as we were?"
"I honestly hope so, Bruce...but you and I both know, their parents won't stand in their way as ours did."
"You got that right, buddy boy!"
"Do you think we should hide and call out to them as if we're out looking for them? After all, the four of us had planned to go fishing this morning."
"Excellent idea, Alphonse!"
"I promise not to let on that either you or I saw them or suspect anything."
"That's fine with me. We'll let them tell us what they think we should know...although, when Alex was in the hospital a few days ago, he told me about the masturbation session which brought about his guilt and led him to taking the bottle of Darvocet. He also intimated that perhaps he had a crush on Ted. So I don't have to look as surprised as you."
"Sounds good to me."
Walter and Bruce decided to walk in opposite directions around the lake until they were out of sight before beginning to call for their boys, but Bruce had one more question he had to ask Walter as long as they were hanging out old laundry.
"Wally, one more thing first?"
"What's that?"
"While we were talking just now...you kept saying how you 'used' to love me."
"So?"
"When did you stop? I mean, was it after your boys were born?"
"You know for a college graduate and a very successful real estate dealer, you can sound so dumb at times."
"What do you mean?"
"What we did in the RV last night...did it seem any different to you?"
"Hell, no! It was wonderful!"
"Well, didn't that give you the slightest clue of how I feel about you now?"
"I was hoping! I know, sure as hell, what I was feeling!"
"And what were YOU feeling?"
"That nothing had changed. I felt as if I loved you last night just as I used to, twenty years ago."
"Bruce, my wife is dead. I have no partner or companion in my life. It would take less than the flit of a hummingbird's wings to make me fall deeply in love with you...as I always did!"
"In that case, could we get together from time to time, occasionally, for old times sake?"
"Only if Jane doesn't know and only if you have no regret about cheating on her."
"Wally, it really wouldn't be cheating. When we were younger, we were close enough to be one person. You've always been a bigger part of my life than anyone... Jane, included!"
"Let's talk about this more next week and see how we feel. I don't want to think we're jumping into this after a one-night thrill we shared last night."
"Damn! That's the 'lawyer' side of you surfacing. You've always got to add a codicil to a contract."
"I didn't say no, Bruce. I said we'd talk about it next week and see what happens."
"Hold on! TRUTH OR DARE!"
"What?"
"TRUTH OR DARE! Like we used to..."
"All right then...truth."
"Good! That's what I hoped you'd choose."
"So what do you want to know."
"Walter Clayton...here and now! Do you or do you not love me as of this minute?"
"You know the answer without playing a game. Of course I love you. I always have and always will!"
"Damn it! I feel the same way! So why do we have to wait a week just to 'talk' about it?"
"I...I suppose we don't have to wait an entire week..."
"Would you seal the pact with a kiss?"
"Now?"
"NOW! Right now !!!"
"Bruce, I'd like nothing better."
The last word of that last sentence had barely left Walter's lips when they were supplanted by Bruce's lips. The two had 'nibbled-kiss' while having sex last night, but this kiss was much more---it was the passionate kind that they once shared with each other. The two men embraced passionately, each jousting with the other's tongue for oral supremacy. Time had transported them to a point in time twenty or thirty years ago. They both again became teenagers or young adults, as if time had stood still. All in all, nothing had changed the way they felt or the way they still loved one another. Only time, only the future could uncover the mystery of where or how far their reconciliation would lead.
"Wally, thank you..."
"No, Bruce, thank you..."
"About tonight?
"Yes?"
"Do you think we could...you know...?"
"Better than last night?"
"Much better!"
"We'll have to send the boys away to play..."
"I think they might like that!"
"We'll see. Now let's call out loud and wake them up!"
Bruce was ecstatic over what had just happened and he began to yell, "TEEEEEEDDDDD! ALLLLLEEEEEXXXX! CAN YOU HEAR ME?"
Walter joined the charade and joined Bruce's call for their sons.
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It was dawn's second light when Alex heard in dad's voice calling him from a distance. After a long night of sexual experimentation, both he and Ted had fallen asleep, quite happy but near exhaustion.
The cries continued, but just a bit closer.
"ALLLLLEEEEEXXXX! TEEEEEEDDDDD! WHERE ARRRRRRRREEE YOUUUU?"
"Holy shit, Ted! Wake up!" Alex said, scrambling to unlock his body from Ted's and hurriedly reaching for his clothes.
"Hmmmh?" whimpered Ted.
"I said wake up and get dressed. I heard my dad calling for us."
Once again, a long cry was heard, still closer.
"Fuck! That's MY dad's voice!" Ted exclaimed as he hopped up and grabbed his shorts and shirt.
"My God! What if they saw us?" Alex said.
"Don't worry! We heard THEM, didn't we?"
"Yeah, but they're adults and we aren't!"
"Alex, we're almost eighteen, how old IS an adult?"
"I suppose if we're old enough to do what we did all night, we're 'practically' adults."
By now, both had on their shorts and shirts and were busy trying to put on their shoes, only each of them had one of the other's shoe. "Here, that ten and a half is mine. You wear a nine and a half. Quick, let's swap!"
"I don't see them, do you?" Alex said, finally getting BOTH shoes on.
"No, I hear them and I'll bet sure as shooting they saw us! By the way--how do you feel?"
"You mean physically, mentally, or emotionally?"
"I'll go for the trifecta!"
"Well, physically, I'm a bit sore to say the least."
"Your ass or your dick?" Ted asked, halfway jesting.
"Being totally honest...BOTH! They're both raw and both could use a tube of Neosporin."
"I'm glad you said that first, because I'm sore as hell, too. I never thought something so great could leave you so sore, but so happy."
"I guess we tried too much, too soon..."
"And in too many ways..."
"Was there any way we left out?"
"Nothing I can think of! How are you mentally and emotionally?"
"Mentally? No problemo. I might be physically sore, but mentally, I have no guilt and I don't regret anything we did."
"After our last round, I stayed awake a long time for fear you might want to drown yourself in the lake."
"That thought never crossed my mind...nor did a bottle of Darvocet!"
"Thank God. That's two for two...now how do you feel emotionally?"
"Want the truth?"
"I asked, didn't I?" Ted said.
"I...I didn't think it possible to love you more than I did, but after last night...TED, I'm REALLY in love with you, heart, soul, mind, and body!"
"God, I wish you could kiss me before they find us."
"Me too."
"Sore as my dick and ass are, I'd love to make love to you one more time...RIGHT THIS MINUTE!"
"We wouldn't dare!"
"I know, but I was telling you what I'd LIKE to do!"
"You...you didn't say how you feel about me after...after having me all night long."
"Sweetheart...I hope you don't mind me calling you that...but you ARE my sweetheart. Alex, you couldn't possibly be in love with me the way I feel about you."
"Hearing you say that makes me want to risk kissing you...dads or no dads."
"We still have one more night before we go home tomorrow."
"How are we gonna work it? We can't make love in the RV with our dads listening."
"Then I guess you'll have to have my ass in the grass again tonight!"
"Do you think we can put on a front to keep them from knowing what we did?"
"You're not ashamed, are you?"
"Hell, no. But remember I don't jerk off with my dad the way you do with yours."
"Well, it's too late to start jerking off with your dad or anyone. You're mine now...mine and mine alone."
"Damn, that sounds so good and it makes me feel great! By the way! You're mine now, too! So...no more jerk offs with your dad."
"Only if you don't jerk off with Jeff."
"Oh, I can stop that pretty easily. I never wanted to do it after the first time."
"So it's just you and me?"
"You and me..."
"Forever and ever?"
"Forever and ever!"
"Alex, it's gonna be hard as hell for me to keep my hands off you at school."
"We'll just have to pretend school is like going to work and we won't do anything until work is over and we go home."
"Wanna have a sleepover every night...take turns between your house and my house?"
"Boy, that's gonna really make them suspicious. We might be alright around 'Uncle' Bruce, but if your mother caught us...shit! I don't know what I'd do or say."
"I think Mom will just have to get used to it. Whether she knows it or likes it, her son is gay and has a gay boyfriend. We're together practically all the time now."
"Yeah, but we've always played video games or watched TV. If your mother hears us fucking or sucking, I doubt if she'll allow it. She'll throw you out or ban me from your house."
"Naw! Dad won't let her!"
At that moment, Ted and Alex heard Bruce saying, "Wally, there they are! Boys, are you all right?"
"Sure, Dad!"
"Of course we are, Uncle Bruce. Ted and I went for a swim...and got out of the water to dry off before putting on our clothes...and we got to talking and...well, I suppose the swimming tired us out...and...and we just fell asleep. Dad, I'm sorry if you were worried, but you both know we're old enough to take care of ourselves..."
"Yeah, I guess you are, son," Walter replied. His words had double meanings for him and for Bruce.
"Were you looking for us for a long time?" Ted asked.
"Not too long," Bruce said. "It's just that we thought the four of us were going fishing to get an early catch before breakfast."
"Heck!" Alex said. "I forgot...I...I'm really sorry."
"No need to be. We brought all the fishing gear, we can still go!"
"Great!" Ted and Alex replied in unison with almost TOO much enthusiasm.
Alex and Ted jumped up, took their fly rods and reels, creels, nets, lures, etc. and Alex said, "Come on, Dad, Uncle Bruce, Ted and I will show you where we caught all those trout."
"Sounds exciting, doesn't it, Wally?"
"Uh...oh, yes! Yes indeed! Let's go, boys!" Walter said.
The four of them hiked to the rippled part of the stream above the lake and fished until nearly noon. Ted caught six; Alex, three; Walter, one; and Bruce, zero!
Pleased with their catch in spite of Bruce having struck out, they traipsed back to the campsite. On the trail, Alex and Ted tried to keep at least eight feet apart as they walked...just as they might have earlier yesterday.
Bruce looked at Walter, grinned and said, "Well, Wally old boy, it looks like I'm low man on the totem pole. I caught nothing and you're a close second. It would appear that we lost and will have to clean and gut the fish, cook and wash the dishes to reward the victors of the hunt!"
"Sounds all right with me," Walter replied, winking at Bruce.
"You boys can go for another swim if you like," Bruce said.
"No, Dad, I think Alex and I should stay close to the RV tonight and spend some 'quality' time with you two."
"Ted, when in hell did you EVER want to spend quality time with anyone? Do you even know what that means?"
"Sure I do! I'm your son! You think I'm an idiot who doesn't know his vocabulary?" Ted retorted.
"Still, it's your last night here...and I thought you and Alex might want to go down by the lake, build a fire, and tell ghost stories or something."
Ted rolled his eyes, "Hey, Alex, you wanna go tell GHOST stories tonight down by the lake?"
"I don't know any ghost sto..." Alex tried to say before Ted nudged him in the back with his elbow..."Ouch! What...oh yeah! GHOST STORIES! What a keen idea!"
"Good lord, Alex, where did you learn a word like, 'keen'?" Ted asked.
"On 'Leave It To Beaver'! Jeff and I watch it every night on channel eleven..."
"Bullshit!"
It was difficult for Walter and Bruce to keep their composure as they both had an urge to laugh at loud.
"I love ALL those old black and white sitcoms...'I Love Lucy', 'The Donna Reed Show'..."
"Don't forget, 'My Three Sons'," Walter added, joking.
"Yeah, that one, too. It reminds me of you, Jeff, and me, Dad!"
"There's one show you ought to watch on the Game Show Network," Walter said. "It's called, 'To Tell The Truth'! It's very educational and I think you could learn a lot by watching it!"
"I will, Dad, I promise!"
Walter and Bruce couldn't hold their laughter back any longer. Both bent over double. Alex suddenly realized that he had been the brunt of a joke and he started laughing as well. Ted thought all three of the others had gone mad and never cracked a smile.
Alex and Ted tossed a softball back and forth while Walter and Bruce cooked dinner. Ted could throw a ball faster than anyone on the school team. He really loved athletics and excelled in baseball, basketball, track, and tennis. He had no desire to play sports professionally, he wanted to write about them. His long-time goal was to become a sports journalist for some big newspaper in some big town which owned several team franchises, such as New York or Los Angeles.
Alex, on the other hand, hadn't quite made up his mind choosing a career. He knew for sure he did NOT want to become a lawyer like his father. Medicine interested him but not enough to spend seven to eleven years in school after high school. Alex loved people and loved doing volunteer work with kids with needs. Social work interested him as well, but no one could live on a social worker's salary. Ever since the session with Dr. Hughes and the ten other 'suicidal' peers, Alex wondered how he could counsel young people without having to have a doctorate...and still be able to support himself.
Alex was in seventh heaven and wished that Kyle, Josh, Bill, Virgil, and some of the others from the group session could go camping. Maybe one day, each of them could find a 'Ted' in his life and feel some of the joy he was feeling just now. He decided he would talk with Dr. Hughes to see if there was anything he could do to help other guys and girls with their problems.
For 'dessert', they all sat around the fire toasting marshmallows and making 'smores'. Walter began singing campfire songs in his off-key baritone voice, "Down By The Old Mill Stream". "On Top of Old Smoky", "My Darlin' Clementine", "Home on the Range". The other three joined in, though all were nearly as tone deaf as Walter. For the final song, Walter sang, "If You Were The Only Girl In The World", but for some reason he sang, 'Boy' instead of 'Girl'. As the lyrics continued, Alex and Ted's eyes seemed to lock as if they were alone and singing the song to each other. Bruce eyed Walter almost in the same way.
"If I were the only boy in the world (he hummed the second line). Nothing else would matter in the world today. We could go on loving in the same old way. A garden of Eden, just made for two with nothing to mar our joy. I would say such wonderful things to you. There would be such wonderful things to do. If I were the only boy in the world and you were there with me, too."
For some obvious reason, all four had tears in their eyes when the song had finished. Alex, slowly reached over to take Ted's hand in his. Then he looked at his dad and 'Uncle' Bruce.
"Dad? Uncle Bruce? I think Ted and I have something we want to share with you..."
"Oh? What is it, son?"
"You know what you and I discussed when I was in the hospital?"
"Yes. Yes, I do."
"Well, things have changed since then," Alex said. "Well, maybe nothing changed---maybe I just woke up and became aware of it. I...I hope that neither of you will get mad or angry with us. Please wait until you hear all I have to say...and then I'll let both of you talk. Ted, you can jump in anytime you want and add anything I miss."
"Go on, Alex," Walter said.
"I know that things were different when the both of you were Ted's and my age. Little boys grew up to be big boys and finally men. It was the natural thing, years ago, for a man to meet the girl of his dreams, court her, marry her, have kids and their kids have kids...and a man and his wife grew old together until it was their time to die and leave the world and their belongings to their heirs. I...I'm really sorry that you didn't get to grow old with Mom. That's the way it was supposed to be, but it...it wasn't meant to be." Alex voice broke with a tear in his throat.
"I'm sorry too, son." He wanted so badly to hold his son, to help him through this coming-of-age announcement, but he know instinctively that he mustn't.
"I don't know exactly how to say this without it coming out the wrong way, but...but, Dad, maybe it was God's plan for her to leave us...or rather leave me, so that I could meet the person of my dreams...without breaking her heart."
"You...you think you've met that person?"
"I know I have, Dad...only I didn't just meet that person. I've known and loved that person my whole life."
"Alex, don't you think I know you well enough as my son to know to whom you're referring?"
"It's me...Uncle Walter," replied Ted. "Dad, I hope you're not disappointed, but Alex and I have always loved each other like brothers. But now...we love each other more...in a different way."
"Ted, do you really think I would mind if you loved Alex and took him to be your partner for the rest of your lives?"
"I hope not, Dad."
Walter looked at Alex, "And you want to be with Ted the rest of your life?"
"Yes, Dad, I do."
"You know, if Bruce and I traveled around the world going in opposite directions, neither of us could find a better partner, lover, or whatever you want to call it, than the two of you have found. Alex, I believe Bruce and I always knew that you two were meant to be together...from the time you were in kindergarten. Bruce and I may be a generation older than you, but being that we're older, supposedly wiser, and more experienced, both of us could see the love you possessed for one another long before either of you did. There's no one in the universe I'd rather see you with than Ted."
Bruce cleared his throat and added, "I'm not a lawyer like Wally and I don't make speeches or have the flow of words that he does, but I would like to 'second' everything he just said. Alex, I feel as if I've loved you as my own son since the day you were born. Just knowing that the two of you want to become 'one', fills my heart with joy."
"Then---neither of your are mad at us or disappointed? You don't look on us as being 'queer'?" Alex asked.
"Queer?" Walter exclaimed. "Jesus, how I wish that that word could be abolished from the English language! In my day, we used the word, 'gay' because that's the way gays are meant to be...GAY! Now all of a sudden, gays want to be called, 'queer' and I don't understand it! 'Queer' means 'odd', 'unusual', 'funny', 'suspicious', 'shady', or 'peculiar' and I hate it that gays want to be those things. It's a matter of rhetoric. If a gay person wants to be accepted and not excluded from society, why would he want the straight world to think of him as being peculiar or abnormal?"
"Well, we might be gay, Dad, but Ted and I are definitely not queers!"
"And don't you ever be! Either one of you!"
"We won't."
"Dad?"
"Yes, son?" Bruce answered.
"Do you think Mom knows? I mean you and Uncle Walter did."
"Son, I married one of the smartest women in the world. If she hasn't known about the two of you for years, then I give her a lot more credit than she deserves...OF COURSE SHE DOES! When have you ever seen her being rude to Alex? Has she ever objected to your sleepovers with just the two of you?"
"No, Dad, but Alex and I hadn't 'done' anything yet."
"You mean, physically? Made love?"
"Yes, Dad! I guess you saw us by the lake. That...that was our first time."
"Good heavens! What took you so long? Why, when I was fourteen years old, Wally and I..."
"Bruce...!"
"Damn it! I'm so sorry..."
"Finish what you were going to say, Dad. When you were fourteen years old, Wally and you....what?"
"Sorry, Wally..."
"Ted, your father was going to say that when he AND I were fourteen years old, we were already in love and both of us had enjoyed every kind of sex men or boys could have with one another."
"The two of you...?" Alex eked out.
"Yes, son. The two of us!" Walter replied to his son, then he looked at Bruce. "Hell, Bruce, we might as well tell them everything. It's only fair that they know."
"Wally, Ted knows. I told him a long time ago. I suspected you, at some time, had told Alex."
"No, I've never said anything to Alex about us until now," said Walter.
"I...I guess I owe you an apology, Ted," Alex said to Ted, then turned to the two dads. "The other day when Ted and I had...well, the day I--you know, wound up in the hospital, Ted mentioned that both of you had...well, had been closer than best friends and I refused to believe him. I thought he was lying in order to...well, get me to do things with him."
"Alex, I...I suppose I should have told you long ago, but I've always reasoned that the past is past. Bruce and I did have a wonderful relationship, which included sex, before each of us married your mothers. Since then, we've remained best friends, only without the physicality. Oh, hell, that's no reason to lie now. Bruce saw the two of you together lying by the lake and I suspect that you two boys heard something more than Bruce and I shaking hands in the RV last night. I'm almost sure that that's the reason you didn't come back inside and sleep in the Baygo bed. Am I correct?"
"Caught!" Alex said, grinning. "Yeah, Dad, Ted and I came back after our hike and we did hear some wild noises...just kidding...we heard part of yours and Uncle Bruce's conversation and it was obvious that both of you needed be alone, without us. That's when Ted and I went back to the lake to skinny dip and, well, after the swim, I guess all four of us were engaged in the same action."
"That was nice of you...only I feel a bit guilty that you heard us without knowing all of Bruce's and my past history."
"So, was last night your first time since...?"
"Since we married your mothers? Yes. I...I'm sure that all of us will be discreet about such things."
"Uncle Walter, don't worry. I swear I won't say a word to Mother about it. It's just that Alex and I are so happy, it's only right that you and Dad should be happy like us. And it's like you and I are even closer now than we were before."
Bruce smiled, "Thank you, son. Actually, Wally had grave reservations about going to bed with me, but then I told him I had loved him long before I knew your mother and...oh, well, it just happened...maybe never again, but I'm just hope that Alex didn't become traumatized with this revelation."
"I'm all right, Uncle Bruce. I just can't imagine how the two of you have felt all these years without...well, you know..."
"Wally, I think our little boys have matured into big men this weekend."
"I think you're right, Bruce," Walter replied. "Son, thank you for being so understanding. I can see how this incident could have looked sordid and ugly to you."
"Dad, maybe I didn't know before, but I realize now what love is and if you and Uncle Bruce have loved each other, then I know you weren't just 'having sex'. Love makes everything all right."
"Dear God, Wally, I think your son just became a liberal Democrat."
"He'd better if he wants to honor the Clayton heritage!"
"Why a Democrat?"
"Son, we'll leave that discussion until I can talk to you and your brother, Jeff, about politics. I...I do think that there's a few things that I...and Bruce would like to talk to you about now."
"What, Dad?"
"The subject of 'safe sex'. Now that you and Ted are, well, active, sexually, there are things you should know if you don't know them already."
"Dad, we saw a film at school...and then this guy who was HIV positive talked to our class and had a 'Q and A' afterwards."
"Today, more than ever, safe sex is the single most important factor in any relationship...gay or straight. I don't want to pry into your private life, but I gather that last night was your first time."
"I'll admit it. It was, Dad."
"Then there's no reason why you shouldn't be HIV free."
"Uncle Walter, except for masturbation with another partner, (Ted would not reveal to Walter that he had had 'sessions' with his dad), last night is the first time I've done anything either."
"Well, masturbation...even mutual masturbation is considered safe sex as long as the body fluid doesn't come in contact with an open cut or sore."
"Then, I guess I'm HIV free as well," Ted replied.
"That's the best way to start your lives together. If you love one another as you say you do, there's no reason for either of you to engage into any kind of sexual activity with another person. If someone is your mate, your true love, that's all you should ever need. BUT, if one of you should ever be tempted to go astray, I would like to insist that you tell the other about it. That is to say, if you should accidentally become infected by an illicit sexual encounter, don't risk your partner's life by being dishonest. You must remain open to tell each other EVERYTHING, regardless of the consequence. Most straight couples who've divorced are the result of one or both of them cheating on the other. Even though it might cause a break up, it's best that the 'faithful' one knows about the other's indiscretion. Otherwise, they both might become infected. I...I realize I'm sounding like a lawyer giving a summation before a jury, but I'm speaking as a father to two sons. Yes, Ted, you've always been my third son; I've loved you just as I have Alex and Jeff. I cannot stress safe sex enough to either of you. It could mean the difference between life and death until a cure has been found for AIDS. For your own safety, don't wait until you're asked if you've been with someone else---tell your partner IF you really love him, even though you might lose him. You might save his life in the long run."
"Dad? Why would I want anyone else besides Ted?"
"Because you're both young. You both have college ahead of you and a career after that. You're going to meet a lot of interesting people in your lives...some you might even find yourself attracted to. That's the time when you must decide how much you love Ted or how much he loves you."
"Ted's all I've wanted my whole life, Dad. Why would I want more?"
"That's how I feel, Alex. You're all I want...for the rest of my life." Ted's voice plainly demonstrated the truth being spoken.
Walter smiled and choked back a tear. "Well, Bruce, it looks as if our families are going to become one after all."
"It sure as hell suits me!" Bruce replied.
"Dad?" Alex said.
"Yes, son...?"
"If Ted and I are a 'couple' now, could we spend more nights together?"
"As far as I'm concerned, you could spend every night together...as long as you keep up your studies and don't get angry if some of your school peers confront the two of you about your relationship. I think once Bruce has talked with Jane, we might share joint custody of both of you."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm speaking only for myself, but I don't see why you couldn't, say, spend one week at your house and the following week at Ted's."
"I'll gladly concur with that, Wally! Why make them wait to enjoy their lives together as we had to? I wouldn't care if they stayed an entire month at the other's house."
"Dad? Do you really mean that?" Ted asked excitedly.
"As long as you're quiet while you're in bed together and absolutely no running around the house in the nude. I sure as hell don't want to embarrass your mother."
"Dad?" Alex spoke to Walter. "How do you think Jeff is going to react to...to...well, this new arrangement?"
"Fine, as long as he doesn't try to make it a menagé-à-trois."
"A what?"
"A threesome!"
"Don't worry. If I see Jeff making a play for Ted, I'll menagé his trois!"
"No fighting, please...if this arrangement is to be successful."
Bruce looked at Walter, "Wally, don't you think the boys are tired and want to get some rest?"
"Huh? Oh, sure...I think that's a splendid idea."
"Do you boys want to sleep in a real bed tonight rather than on a pallet of sod?"
"No, Dad," Ted replied. "You and Uncle Walter should take the RV. Alex and I will do just fine by the lake and under the stars. After all, it's your last night together, too."
His son's perceptiveness choked him up. "Sure you don't mind?"
"No way," Alex said. "Just remember, whatever you do, do it safely."
"Thanks, DAD!" Walter said to his son.
"Come on, Ted, let's go jump in the lake."
"Race ya!"
Alex and Ted sprinted down the path toward the ridge and the lake. Walter moved closer to Bruce and put his arm around his life-long friend and the two of them watched their sons as they ran away together to enter the door of their newly-found life together.
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(To be continued in "Briarwood" Book Two-chapter-seventeen)