All rights reserved. Copyright held by the author. If you are underage or are offended by gay fiction, containing graphic sex and explicit language, please exit now.
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"BRIARWOOD"
Copyright Ritchris, 2005
aka "Whence Cometh My Help"
Copyright Ritchris, 2003
Revised Version
A dramatic saga
by
Ritch Christopher
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BOOK EIGHT
"UNTO THE HILLS"
Chapter-Eighty-four
"It's not that easy being green,
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves,
When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that.
It's not easy being green.
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're
Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars in the sky.
But green's the color of Spring,
And green can be cool and friendly-like
And green can be big like an ocean, or important
Like a mountain, or tall like a tree.
When green is all there is to be,
It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why
Wonder? I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
And I think it's what I want to be."
copyright 1970 Jonico Music, Inc.
"IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN"
(Lyrics : Joe Raposo)
(sung by Kermit of "The Muppets")
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Jeff felt that if anything more than just friendship had developed between Kyle and Hal in a mere four hours, maybe he should feel guilty and somewhat ashamed of himself. Granted, Jeff and his dad, Walter, had schemed a tiny plot to perhaps get Kyle to ask Hal to accompany him and the kids on their tour. The plot seemed innocent enough, each knowing that Hal was straight and his relationship with Kyle would never go beyond being close friends. But when Jeff walked into Hal's bedroom unexpectedly and saw Hal and Kyle locked in an embrace, Jeff thought he had opened Pandora's box.
Ryan's grave was only a couple hours old and Kyle had jumped into the first pair of open arms he'd seen? Jeff was not one to judge, especially in light of his chosen profession, a priest. Jeff had committed many sins when he was an adolescent teen. He'd had sex with his own brother, Alex, and had let his father demonstrate the positions of anal sex with a partner right before his and Alex's eyes, so Jeff was not one to call the kettle black, but he couldn't understand Kyle betraying Ryan so quickly after Ryan's death. Besides, there were Kyle and Ryan's two sons to consider. What if Petey and Danny had entered Hal's bedroom at the same time Jeff had? Jesus! The entire town of Briarwood would have lit up red from the glow of embarrassment on everyone's faces!
There was no way that Jeff could ignore what he had seen, nor could he hide from Kyle for the rest of his life. Kyle would have to come up with some explanation even if neither of them mentioned the subject--it would always be there. What had happened had happened and Jeff wished he'd never entered that room and had never seen anything! He couldn't decide if he should leave quietly and miss saying goodbye to Kyle AND to Hal, go to his dad's house, pick up his bag, and fly back to Mackintosh ASAP. However, taking this cowardly approach would drive a wedge between Kyle and him.
Jeff felt safe in knowing that whatever had happened upstairs was something Kyle would not talk about in front of the kids, so his best bet was to go into the kitchen and get Danny and Petey a snack of ice cream or something and then either take them outside to play or go into the den to watch a video. He went to the freezer and got a quart of chocolate swirl ice milk and dished out two bowls, topping them with nuts, whipped cream, and cherries. Then he took the boys into the den and put a Harry Potter DVD into the player and sat down on the leather couch with one boy along each side of him.
The opening credits of the movie had just finished when Kyle came into the den to join them. Kyle gave the appearance that nothing was wrong or out of the ordinary, considering he had just buried his lover of ten years and now assumed his role as a widower. He spoke calmly to Jeff.
"Jeff, Hal is packing his bags and gear into his car if you want to go say goodbye to him?"
Kyle's remark threw a curve at Jeff's thoughts. "What do you mean he's packing his bags?"
"He's leaving, Jeff."
"Leaving? Where? Where's he going?"
"You'll have to ask him," Kyle said, sitting on the sofa next to Danny.
Jeff stood up and ran out the door to the driveway. Hal was standing beside the open trunk of his car and arranging two suitcases to fit behind his spare tire.
"Hal!" Jeff cried out. "Hold on! Where are you going?"
Hal didn't look Jeff into his eyes, he focused on the luggage. "I just don't think it's a good idea for me to stick around and help Kyle. There are plenty of other guys who can do what I was going to do and a lot cheaper than Kyle was gonna pay me."
"But where? I mean, why, for God's sake?"
"It's not for God's sake as much as it's for Kyle's."
"Look, Hal, I don't know what I saw! I mean, I know what I saw, but I don't know the reason behind it...and it's none of my business! I mean, I'm sure there's a very innocent explanation..."
"That's the point!" Hal said. "It was totally innocent!"
"So, I'll ask again...WHY?"
"Jeff, I didn't know how lonely I actually was or just how much I miss Noah. I guess Kyle was feeling the same way about Ryan...and well, I guess we were both lonely and just needed to hug or somethin'. Things just sorta got out of hand and we let our emotions run away with us."
"Jesus Christ, I'm married with two kids and I gave you a hug the other night, didn't I? Do you think that I was being unfaithful to Johnny?"
"You didn't seem to be. I mean it was just a hug. It didn't go no further..."
"Well, isn't that just what happened upstairs with Kyle?"
"I guess."
"So why the hell are you running away? I'm sure you're going to need lots of hugs and so is Kyle. There's nothing wrong with that! Just because I walked in on you and you believed I thought something more serious was going on between the two of you, doesn't make it so. I hugged you innocently, so why shouldn't I believe that yours and Kyle's hug was equally innocent?"
"Jeff, since I'm leavin' and probably won't ever see you again, there's somethin' I ought to say to you."
"Then I'll listen as your friend, not as a priest. What do you have to tell me?"
"I've been drivin' here and yon, ever since Carolyn and I broke up. I drove around from state to state, goin' whichever way the steerin' wheel was pointed. I didn't know about Noah's death then. I kept reliving that night we spent together in Atlanta, the night before I took him back to school for the last time."
"And?"
"Somethin' happened that night between us...somethin' I never dreamed of happenin' all the years I raised him."
"What happened, Hal?"
"We...we had sex for the first and only time of our lives."
"You know, Hal, something seemed to tell me that..."
"We didn't go all the way through with it, but...but I did hold him like I would Carolyn or... or a woman."
"I presume you'd never done anything like this before...?"
"Never...not once! I swear!"
"So?"
"Jeff, in one week before I left Hawthorne, I found out my best straight buddy was a homo...you know, Steve, at your house?...and he suddenly had a boyfriend...Wade. It was strange enough to find out that Noah was gay, but at the start of the summer, Steve started to put the make on Noah...then Noah didn't go to bed with Steve, but he DID go to bed with Wade and yet, it was Steve who wound up with Wade...and neither one of them with Noah."
"Wow, you almost need a road map to follow that relationship," Jeff said, trying to lighten the situation.
"Wait Jeff, there's more!" Hal was getting started and couldn't stop. "There were five of us who ran around together in Hawthorne, kinda like the Briarwood Boys. There was me, Steve, Wade, when his mother would let him, Randy, and Tyler. As we grew up, we did everything together...shot pool, worked on cars, played basketball, went skinny-dippin' in the ponds and creeks. We double-dated, tripled, and quadrupled-dated. Hell, we even took turns gangbanging the same girls. I mean, EVERYTHING you could think of. Then when summer came, we let Noah shoot pool with us at Smiley's back home. So that made six in all. I already knew about Noah, you know--being gay, then next I learned about Steve...and then Wade! Shoot! That was half of us and I didn't know anything about it! Then came the straw that broke MY back, not the mule's. When Noah and I met for that last time, he told me that Randy and Tyler had been carryin' on like sweethearts for years. I mean, they'd been having sex and none of us knew about it! All of a sudden I was the only one left. I mean, five out of six! How's that for statistics? Then Carolyn ran off and left me and the next night my own brother tried to go down on me! Shit! All I could think of was 'why not'? It was like the whole world had suddenly gone gay and I was the only one who hadn't tried it."
"Well, at least you had an idea of what it was like, I mean with Noah," Jeff interjected.
"While I drove from place to place, I kept thinkin' about Noah, and I'm gonna admit somethin' I thought I'd never say. That little bit that Noah did to me felt better than all the hundreds of girls and women I've fucked! I have a lot of guilt feelin's about that!"
"So now you're afraid that you're gonna turn out like your other friends and Noah?"
"Afraid, Jeff? I'm scared shitless! Sure, I decided that I wanted to try it again, but not with Kyle. Jesus! I DO have some morals. I realize that Kyle and I only hugged, but almost instantly, I got a boner while we held each other. I felt sure you'd seen the risin' in the crotch of my jeans. I also was scared that Kyle had been aware of it too...and that's why I've got to leave. I can't stay here and get in the way. I can't let Kyle feel anything for me."
"Hal, do you think you could feel something for Kyle?"
"If I was gonna pick out a guy to feel somethin' for, he'd be my choice. I mean, he's young, he's handsome, got a good muscular build on him. In no way is he a sissy or ladylike. Shit! He's got more money than God...not that that matters, but in a year or two, he's gonna find someone new...someone who has more education than I...someone with a whole lot more to offer him than I ever could..."
"Hal, why don't you stick around and let Kyle be the judge? He's been my adopted brother for over ten years. He's his own man and not even Ryan could sway him from his ways. He's strong and makes up his own mind in his life and personal matters."
"He...Kyle makes me frightened of myself...and I was always the strongest in our gang in Hawthorne."
"Hal, I wanted Kyle to tell you this...but do you know the real reason he wanted you to come stay with him and the kids?"
"To pack up boxes and store them."
"Oh, no. That's what he said on the surface, but the real reason was that he wanted to get to know you better and let you and the kids get better acquainted. You see, before Ryan became sick so suddenly, the four of them had planned an extensive trip to places all around the world. The boys even got special permission from their schools to be gone for a year and get special tutoring. Then Ryan died and that looked like the end of the boys' hopes for taking the trip. Kyle wanted to see if you would be a substitute companion and go with them. I mean, the boys lost their father, and now to lose the idea of the trip is a bit too disappointing for kids their age."
"A trip? Me? You're kidding?"
"My dad was the first to see your 'plus' attributes and it was really his idea, your going with Kyle and the kids. Then I agreed with my dad...and the two of us sorta arranged your meeting with Kyle this afternoon...and well, I guess Kyle saw the same things in you that Dad and I did, because in just a couple of hours, he'd asked you to move in with him for a couple of weeks. Neither Dad nor I had anything to do with Kyle's asking you. As I said, Kyle makes up his own mind about everything."
"So I guess one innocent hug fucked everything up...for the kids, for Kyle, and for myself."
"Only if YOU want it fucked up! Look, Hal, whether you believe it or not, Kyle needs you. He chose you. I mean, you're straight--you might never become lovers or even boyfriends, but if everything turns out as Kyle hopes, and if you think you'd like to make the trip with them, you'd all be doing each other a favor...and I'll add this. If you DO go, then after the trip you can decide whether or not you'd like to stay on. I think it would be good for Ryan...AND for the kids You'll certainly have MY blessing and my dad's and all the other Briarwood Boys' to boot!"
Hal laughed, almost to himself. "Wouldn't Steve shit his pants if he knew...?"
"If you like, I'll tell him as soon as I get home...that is, if you change your mind about leaving."
"I'm still straddlin' the fence."
"Where are your car keys?"
"Right here."
"Give them to me!"
"Why?"
"Because I want to go into the house and have a talk with Kyle, just as I did with you, and I want to make sure you don't drive away while I'm inside."
A brief moment of hesitation. "Here, take 'em." Hal said, giving his keys to Jeff, who took them and headed back toward the house to act as a go-between.
As he went in to see Kyle, Jeff began to feel the pressure that had accumulated in his mind and emotions since coming back for Ryan's funeral. It seemed that his whole trip had been one long counseling session. He couldn't wait to get back to Mackintosh and listen to the ordinary confessions he had to sit through weekly. His immediate family and friends in Briarwood were killing him. Jeez! Whatever happened with good old-fashioned sin? At least the kind you could excuse with a dozen 'Hail, Mary's' and 'Our Father's'?
Jeff took his time explaining to Kyle Hal's reason for wanting to leave. Kyle was empathetic toward the way Hal had reacted to the 'hug' and totally understood how it might have put unnecessary strain or pressure on Hal. Kyle expressed to Jeff, just as Hal had to Jeff, how innocent the embrace actually was. Jeff wanted to hurry and solve this problem which had blossomed between his two friends. He did tell Kyle about mentioning the trip to Hal. Jeff wanted everything out in the open as he had done since he was a child. He didn't like secrets. That's why sometimes when he was in the confessional in Mackintosh, he wondered why he had chosen to become a priest where he learned EVERYONE'S secrets.
Nearly a half hour later, Jeff, being the 'go-between', was exhausted, as Kyle walked out of the house to talk with Hal, who was still standing by his car in the driveway.
"Hey, buddy!" Kyle spoke softly to Hal.
"Hi..." Hal replied, timidly.
"I suppose you got the same 'Father Jeff sermon' that I just received in the kitchen?"
"He certainly has the power of persuasion."
"He was even worse when he was a young teenager."
"God, his dad and his brother, Alex, must've had it pretty hard at their house, then."
"Oh, they survived...the same as I will...and you...if you'll change your mind and stay," Kyle said, kindly.
"I don't know, Kyle. We, or rather I, might be gettin' myself into somethin' I'm not ready for...or somethin' I'm not so sure that I want."
"I won't pretend that Jeff didn't tell me about your friends and what happened between you and Noah in Atlanta. I understand now how awkward you might feel, sharing a home with a homosexual. I can see how it might become a temptation for you...and who knows? Me, as well."
"What do YOU think I should do...knowing what you know now?"
"Well, I have certain rules which Petey and Danny have to abide by. I suppose you and I could set ground rules limiting our discussions or 'hugs' for that matter...and we could abide by them as well."
"Kyle, about this gay business...I don't know that much about it. I don't know my own feelings. I don't know how you feel about me, I mean, it's too early to even think about starting any kind of relationship between us, only if it's...what's that word?...platonic! Yeah, that's it."
"Hal, if you were Rupert Everett or Brad Pitt, any kind of relationship I might have with you will be strictly platonic."
"And, listen, about my goin' on that trip with you and your kids...I'm sure you can find someone better than me to go with. Hell, I got a high school diploma barely by the skin of my ass at Hawthorne High School. I'm not smart or educated like you. Hell, half of the places you plan to go, I've never even heard of."
"That's why I think you could see the places through Petey and Danny's eyes. They don't know about them either! It would all be new and exciting to you. The trip that Ryan and I planned was primarily for us to be together as long as we could, but it was also to educate the boys about how life is lived in other parts of the world. That was the trip's main purpose."
"You don't think of me as being a kid like them, do you?"
"Hal, you put yourself down too much. You've never taken the time to build your own self-esteem. In spite of what you think of yourself, I find you quite smart and intelligent. The way you spoke about Noah showed me how loving and caring you are. You know you're handsome--God, think of all the women and young girls who were attracted to you in Hawthorne. Hal, I'm not looking for a quick replacement for Ryan, No one will ever take his place in my life. I'm not one to believe in horoscopes, but I'm a Gemini, and the biggest trait Gemini's are supposed to possess is the ability to care for more than one person at the same time. I'm not hitting on you, nor am I hinting that I love you. but I would like you to be my friend and travel companion...mine and the kids...if you're willing,"
"I still believe you could do better..."
"Why not give it a try? Stay the couple of weeks we talked about and then after that, if you still want to leave, we'll discuss it further."
"Are you sure that's what you want, Kyle?"
"I always know what I want before I ask for it or get it...so yes, that's what I want!"
"Okay, IF you're sure...but remember you can always kick me out whenever you want."
"I will, only please don't leave until the two weeks are up!"
Hal looked directly into Kyle's eyes for a moment. "All right."
"Come on, let's put your bags and your things back in your room. Then you can sit with the kids and pick out a DVD for all three of you to watch while I make dinner."
They unpacked his car and then he and Kyle went back into the house.
As they walked up the driveway, Kyle said, "I guess Jeff has prayed himself into a quandary by now."
Hal smiled a semi-grin and said, "Kyle...what's a quandary, a place where they dig up rocks?"
Kyle laughed as they entered the house.
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Billy was in his room, surfing the web on his computer. Cliff and Roger were downstairs, alone at last, after Ryan's funeral.
"I hope Ryan's the last of our boys we lose while I'm still alive," Roger said. "I know it's part of your ministry, but I DO hate funerals."
"Funerals are never easy, especially when they hit so close to home."
"Oh, before I forget it, on a lighter note, one of the nurses at Cole brought in a new diet at work the other day."
"What now? The Northern Plains diet as opposed to the South Beach diet?"
"No, no, this was called the 'Democrats No Carb Diet!" No 'C'heney, no, 'A'shcroft, no 'R'umsfeld, no, 'B'ush...and definitely no Rice! I was almost afraid to tell you about it for fear you would recommend it in your next Sunday's sermon."
"It IS tempting!" Cliff laughed. "Sweetheart, as long as we're changing subjects." Cliff said, "there IS something else we need to talk about."
"Oh, God!" Roger snarled. "What now?"
"It's about Billy..."
"You mean he's had more trouble at school?"
"No, but it might be potential trouble unless we discuss it as his parents."
"Do I need a drink before you tell me?"
"You can make us both one," Cliff replied.
"Uh oh, this sounds serious," Roger said, reaching for two glasses.
"You remember Sammy, Billy's friend?"
"Of course."
"Well, Billy wants to invite him over Friday night for a sleepover."
"Wow! He's fifteen and I know where your conversation is headed. Billy's planning on having sex with Sammy. Is that it?"
"Bingo! You just said it yourself, he is fifteen. I think he's still a virgin but kids are starting to have sex at eleven and twelve now."
"Don't you think I know it? I've got kids in the HIV and advanced AIDS sections at Cole who are twelve and thirteen, not to mention the usual STD's."
"That's why I think we should have a 'birds and bees' talk with him to see how much he knows. I don't know Sammy that well and IF they should decide to do what fifteen year old kids do privately, we'd better set a few rules or give him whatever information he needs. There's no way we can stop him from experimenting...and you could set him straight on the medical details and I could ease his mind toward any social or religious problems which might confront him."
"Jesus! I never thought my first child would be a fifteen year old, who's decided he's gay. I...I didn't come out of the closet until I met you."
"Well, your being a the head of a medical facility made you well educated on the subject, but I'm afraid with Billy's parents being so super strict with him, he might need a little fatherly advice."
"You've proved your point! Do you think we should talk with him and Sammy at the same time?"
"It might curtail a risk."
"You know, I think it might be better to talk with Billy first. I wouldn't want to embarrass him in front of his friend...and too, we both might be rushing to judgment. They might be having an innocent sleepover with nothing but video games, DVD's, and popcorn."
"You wish...!" Cliff joked.
"Then why don't you do the talking? I'm so glad I married an orator. At Cole, I let my staff do my talking for me."
"Now all I have to do is to find a way of bringing the subject up, delicately."
"You're the master, babe...and from what as we've always known, Jeff is following in your exact footsteps."
"I'll have to thank Walt. I consider that a compliment!"
Roger laughed at Cliff's faux pomposity. "God, how I love you, Cliff."
"I love you, too, Rog...and we both love Billy and we both want to make sure he's well-versed in safe sex."
"Make sure who's well-versed in safe sex?" Billy asked as he entered the room.
"Hey, big guy!", Cliff said, trying to cover his last remark. "Are you getting hungry?"
"Heck no!" I ate some of Uncle Jay's yellow cake and drowned it with that yellow punch and I don't feel so well."
Roger looked at Billy closely and asked, "Son, how much of that punch did you drink?"
"I don't know...six or seven glasses."
"Good heavens! Jay made that mostly out of Grand Marnier. It was about ninety-percent liqueur and ten-percent orange juice," Roger said. "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you wake up in the morning with your first hangover!"
"Wow! You really mean it?" Billy replied, somewhat excited.
"Well, it's nothing to be proud of, youngster. But you're not to blame. Your Uncle Jay has got to learn we have a young teenager living with us now."
"I'm fifteen! That's not a young teenager!"
"You're still not old enough to drink. We said you could have some wine with your evening meal, but six or seven glasses of almost pure alcohol in the afternoon...that's altogether a different story!"
"Billy, that's what you get for choosing a medical administrator to be one of your new parents," Cliff said, wryly, trying not to smile.
"Well, just so long as I don't get a lecture from my priest father."
"Billy, I'll save my lectures for you for the pulpit, but at home, I will give you some advice from time to time."
"Is THIS one of THOSE times?"
"It might be. Why don't you sit down and let your Daddy Roger and me chat with you about your sleepover..."
"Oh, boy..." Billy replied with a downward inflection.
"Billy," Cliff began, "The three of us have already discussed how Roger and I want you to accept this as your new home...YOUR new home. You're free to have guests over any time you wish. You're old enough to act responsibly and make decisions about who you want as your friends. We want them to feel welcome here as well...and then, there's the matter of privacy...what you do in your room is your business, not ours, as long as it doesn't break any rules."
"What kind of rules?"
"Things like smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, pot, drugs of any kind..."
"What about...what about sex?"
"We expect you to be in line with your peers. I'm sure a lot of kids your age are already experimenting with sex. That's normal, I suppose, for kids in this decade. In the seventies, the days of the 'hippie' generation, all the young people had a mantra, 'if it feels good, do it!'. That stayed in fashion until the mid-eighties when the first case of HIV and AIDS was discovered in San Francisco. In a few days, four more cases were found, each having pneumonia-like symptoms. We could have probably contained the disease then and there if we could have gotten the people in Washington to acknowledge its existence. We had a President back then that wouldn't even say the word, 'AIDS'. It was referred to as gay cancer, but now money has been appropriated to find a cure. It took nearly another decade for the world to accept that, 'if it feels good, do it, BUT DO IT, SAFELY!"
"'Safe sex'? That's what you and Daddy Roger were talking about before I came in, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Billy."
"And you were talking about me, I suppose?"
"Yes. Neither Roger nor I has ever spoken to you about it and I can only assume with your real dad's strictness on you, you never talked with him about it either."
"Shoot, no! Even thinking about sex was taboo around him and Mom, both."
"Then can the three of us open up and be honest with one another? We're your new dads and we want you to trust us and be able to tell us anything you want--at any time."
"I'll try."
"I don't want to embarrass you and, if I do, please tell me honestly, as son to dad."
"Okay!"
"I suppose you already are well educated in the masturbation department. I'm sure there are several ways of doing it that I don't know about, but I'll bet your Daddy Roger does."
"You mean there are more ways than one?", his eyes suddenly filled with questions.
"There are dozens. There are books and books filled with variations."
"Are you serious? I mean, you just 'do it', you--well, you get off, you clean up, and that's it!"
"Some day I'll tell you about a porn movie I watched when I was about your age, about three young men with a watermelon in a barn."
Roger chuckled, thinking back on his youth.
"A watermelon?"
"Watermelons, cantaloupes, large juicy apples, not to mention artificial devices."
"Good gosh!"
"As I said, there are dozens and dozens of ways to do it, by yourself... or with a partner."
Cliff's saying the word, 'partner' caused Billy to blush, slightly.
Cliff continued, "You've told your Daddy Roger and me that you're gay. That's fine! You know that we are, as well. We don't try to hide it, nor do your Uncle Jay or Uncle Troy. I guess what I'm trying to say is there are many ways to feel good SAFELY! Things that don't involve oral or anal sex, BUT if you want to try either or both of those, DON'T--unless it IS safe."
"You're talking about condoms and things, aren't you?"
"Yes. There is a DVD in our collection that I refer to, quite often, in my sermons at St. Genesius...a movie I try to insist that every parent must let his teenage son or daughter watch. If I had my way, the movie would be on the required viewing list of every high school in the world."
"What's the movie?"
"It's called, "Kids". It's about a group of high school students who play around and have sex from partner to partner...only this one boy has AIDS and is totally unaware he has it. He has sex with lots of girls at his school, both orally and having intercourse. Then there's this pretty girl, very popular, who goes to her doctor and he discovers that she's positive after waiting for two weeks for her HIV test to come back from the lab. She has no idea she's been infected either. So she has sex with another boy who, in turn, has sex with a different girl and in just a matter of a few weeks, everyone in the high school has HIV...and not ONE of them knows it!"
"Jeez!"
"Young people think because we have AIDS and HIV treatments and medications now, the eminent danger is gone, but it's not. Entire nations, such as India, Africa, and most recently, China, are discovering cases numbering in the millions. In a matter of years, a whole continent could be infected. It's a very serious problem and our government is not doing enough to prevent it from happening. The rest of the world looks to the United States as a leader in disease cures and prevention, but nowadays, we've seem to be hiding under an apple barrel and failing to do our job."
Billy's face became very serious looking.
"Billy, the world cannot exist without straight people procreating. Abolishing sex will never happen, nor should it! I don't know that there are any HIV cases at Briarwood High. I hope and pray there's not...but there's always a chance. It just takes one person to infect hundreds or thousands in blind ignorance."
"Daddy Cliff, I had no idea..."
"I know you didn't, but I want you to. I want you to have sex and enjoy it as all of us do. I just want you to have it the safe way!" Cliff cleared his throat, pausing before he gently approached his next subject. "Now, I know that you are planning for Sammy to spend the night with you this weekend...and if the two of you want to fool around or whatever, you want to keep secret from your Daddy Roger and me. We'll give you our qualified approval so long as you do it safely."
"If I want 'em, are you gonna buy me some condoms?"
"Today, if you like. You can practice how to put them on...how strong they are. I suppose you know they come in different colors, although I've never learned the purpose for that...and in many flavors."
"Flavors?"
"Sure! Orange, grape, cherry, even chocolate and butterscotch!"
"Don't try the peppermint, Son, it burns!" Roger mused.
"Now, I only use them if...if I ever want to have anal sex? Is that right?"
"Not really. If a person has oral sex and he's just brushed his teeth or has a tiny cut on his lip or gums, he can become infected the same way...assuming his partner has HIV or AIDS...but there's no way of being sure without a laboratory test...and in a moment of heated passion, no one wants to wait two weeks!"
Cliff's last remark made Billy and Roger both laugh.
"So you use condoms for oral sex as well?" Billy asked.
"I'll admit that the sensation is somewhat hindered, but it's better to be safe..."
"..than sorry!" Billy concluded.
"I know that we've only talked about the BIG disease, but the others, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, are still running rampant as they have for centuries. These are mostly curable, but there's still one deadly disease I haven't mentioned."
"What?"
"Hepatitis C."
"Oh, my whole class had to get a hepatitis vaccination in junior high."
"That was for hepatitis A and B. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. It's a slow creepy crawler disease that doesn't manifest itself for several years after you've come in contact with it."
"How do you get infected?"
"Many ways...kissing, perhaps, using a contaminated drinking glass or toothbrush, but medical science has just completed a study on Hep C and found out it's most widely spread by another sexual act."
"Another?"
"There's a common phrase for it. I'm sure you've heard it, so don't be embarrassed. It's called 'rimming' or oral/anal sex."
"I could never do that! I'd never put my mouth where a person goes to the bathroom. Yuck!"
"Well, again, according to the old phrase, 'if it feels good...'. A lot of cases of hepatitis A and B are transmitted this same way. Hepatitis is a disease of the liver and the germ spreads down through the lower intestine into the bowels and just kinda stays there until the anus has been cleansed."
"You don't have to tell me about that because I won't be doing that, EVER!"
"Still, it's part of our discussion and your education. You might want to pass this on to other classmates who like doing it."
"Can it be done safely, too?"
"Doctors are suggesting now that people who practice oral/anal sex should use a thin sheet of plastic or rubber called a dental dam. Lesbians use them for oral sex. If a dental dam is not handy, then it's suggested a person should cut off the top portion of a condom to protect his tongue."
Billy imitated gagging and Roger spoke up, "Good heavens, Cliff, I think maybe we should change professions. You seem to know more about the medical aspect of safe sex than I do...and so far as me becoming a priest once again, I'm an expert sinner with lots of experience."
"Billy, that's all I think I want to tell you right now. If you have any questions today, next week, next year, or whenever, please, please, please, ask your Daddy Roger or me...just for your safety, You are very important to both of us. We love you very, very much and want us all to be together as a family for a long, long time. OK?"
"Yep!" Billy jumped from his chair to give Cliff a hug and then hopped over to Roger and gave him one as well.
It was time for dinner and Jay stuck his head in through the doorway to announce it. He gave a close glance at Billy, who was still a bit tipsy from Jay's punch and said, "Hey, Tiger! I hear you're having a guest over this weekend. Would you like me to fix you some special snacks?"
Billy thought for a moment and replied, "Yeah, Uncle Jay, when you go shopping, get me a watermelon?...a whole one!"
Jay looked puzzled as Cliff and Roger burst into laughter.
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Neither Lee nor Jake had had any more trouble at Briarwood High since Lee had defended Billy so well. The two brothers were settling in nicely with Tom and Mike. Tom had seen to it that Lee kept an extra supply of medication from Cole to fight off any future afflictions.
Mike was enthralled with his new house. He had become an avid interior decorator, but sans lisp. He chose one room at a time to give it the 'right touch'. Tom gave Mike the freedom plus the money to do anything he wished, within reason...no purple and black walls, or hanging psychedelic chandeliers circa 1970. But with each room, Mike developed a more conservative and adult taste for furniture and accessories. Tom was impressed with Mike's choices and even commented to Mike about having a special talent for decorating. This pleased Mike to no end.
Many of the rooms took on an appearance of being different types of game rooms. There was one with a pool and snooker table, and another with professional sized video games. There was a small room at the end of the hallway leading out to the swimming pool which Mike had painted pink and white. He called it, 'the soda fountain' room, complete with counter and stools, and freezer boxes filled with ice cream and, of course, an old fashioned soda fountain with a pink and white fluted canopy above it. This was one of Mike and Jake's favorite rooms to hang out and they visited it often, usually after Jake and Lee returned home from school in the afternoon.
In the large den with the video equipment, Mike had a wall size aquarium installed with tropical fish. This became Mike's passion, adding imported fish and plants from various parts of the world. There were hundreds of different species which Mike could identify from memory and insisted he had names for each fish. Seeing his love for animal life, Tom surprised Mike with two new yellow Labrador puppies which Mike named, George and Jane, after 'the Jetsons'.
Mike was one year older than Lee and three years older than Jake, but since Jake and Mike had come close to having sex in the Winnebago when it was parked outside Jake and Lee's house in Texas, the two of them had bonded in spite of their age difference. Neither had any intention of pursuing what had almost happened, for Mike was very much in love with Tom and vowed to remain faithful to him.
Tom and Mike only assumed that the two brothers were indulging in sexual stimulation nightly, which met with their acceptance, although they had no actual proof of what was going on in Jake and Lee's bedroom, nor did they want to know.
Tom was four years older than Mike and the two brothers looked up to Tom as a fatherhead, seeking guidance whenever necessary. Tom didn't want to act older. He wanted to be one of the 'gang'. but he took pride in being a father figure to two teenage boys...not that Mike was all that grown up either.
The four guys and two puppies got along famously. Each couple respected the other's privacy but none was ashamed to go skinny-dipping in the pool or walk around the house in the nude. The puppies, like most Labrador Retrievers, took to the pool instantly and loved to play with any or all of their human companions. It wasn't uncommon for any of the four to apply sun tan lotion to the other or give back massages around the pool or in one of the game rooms. Neither member of either couple was ever tempted sexually by the other.
Mike could simply not get enough sex from Tom. Each night was like the first night they had spent together. During the day, Mike surfed the dirty sites on his computer to find different positions or new things to do...some even shocked Tom, but he always relented and let Mike do whatever he wanted, so long as pain was not involved. No chains! No whips! No leather gear, whatsoever!
In secret, Jake and Lee WERE having sex. Everything they tried had to be totally safe to be sure that there were no HIV viruses left in Lee's body to infect Jake. In their private moments, alone or apart, the two brothers wondered how long each would be able to satisfy the other without being allured by another partner. For now, they felt they were in love with each other, and that was enough. Their lovemaking was more tender and gentle than the wild things Mike planned for Tom during the day. Sometimes the brothers would get by with mutual masturbation accompanied by a few hugs and kisses. Other energetic moments brought forth oral and anal intercourse. They were happy to have each other and to have a nice new place to live with two fun guys.
Tom was supporting all four of them with the large stash of cash his father had left him. Mike had his own credit cards and checking account which Tom kept amply supplied with money. He was reluctant to give Jake and Lee a weekly allowance for fear they might resent him. So Tom gave the two brothers a list of chores which they had to complete once they were through with their nightly high school homework and on weekends. In other words, they would earn their keep, cleaning the pool, tending to the lawn, doing dishes, and occasionally the laundry. Often when they had caught up on their list of work detail, Tom would simply ask them to walk George and Jane or take them for a swim. The work gave Jake and Lee pride, plus it put fifty bucks each in their pockets every week.
Lee had never mentioned whether he wanted to go to college the following year, but if he should, Tom was willing to foot the bill. God knows, he hadn't been able to spend a dime on Mike's college education. Mike was free as a bird and still wanted no part of higher learning. Perhaps Mike had the right idea. His lover, Tom, had literally millions in the bank which was accumulating interest every day, so why should he destroy his freedom with lots of books, studies, and exams?
Tom, on the other hand, had his college diploma and even though he was filthy rich, he wanted to do something with his life. He didn't know what, but sitting around the house created a sense of boredom, since he had always been busy studying...studying for what? To get a job and make more money, which he didn't need?
Kyle, Ryan before he became sick, and Troy all worked, helping Roger at Cole. Tom knew that Roger would always find something for him to do as well, but he didn't know how that would 'sit' with Mike, being gone part or most of the day.
So, on the Monday, following Ryan's funeral, Tom drove to Cole to talk with Roger. When he entered the main building, he ran into Troy, who greeted him cheerfully and gave him a nice Briarwood brotherly hug. Tom told Troy he was there to see Roger for a potential job. He wasn't really looking to make a salary, he just wanted to seem useful and take a vacation from heaven and create a new purpose or meaning to his life.
Troy knew exactly how Tom felt. Troy and Jay both had money that Roger had given them. Money that neither of them would ever need or use. It was just that Jay tended to all of Cliff and Roger's household duties and affairs and Troy had gone to work at Cole for the same reason that brought Tom here. Tom asked Troy if he would give him a brief tour of Cole. Troy was more than glad to comply.
Troy began Tom's tour in a hospital wing for AIDS and HIV patients who were ready to be discharged back to their homes or their community. The two of them visited several rooms and Tom saw guys and girls who looked healthy and natural. They were cheerful and glad to meet Tom and were looking forward to going back to leading normal lives. Tom was pleased with what he saw. The miracles he had heard that happened daily at Cole were manifested before his eyes. Cole DID work miracles! The facts were evident.
The next building Troy and Tom entered housed sicker patients. Most of the patients' bodies had lost weight and appeared rather gaunt, pale, and much weaker. The hospital was void of all odors, but Tom, in his mind, could almost smell death. His own legs became weak when he observed IV lines pumping chemotherapy into veins; monitors beeping, sometimes drowned out with an occasional groan from a faraway hospital room down the hall. Tom thought that Mike would be pleased with the decor which tried to appear cheery in spite of the situations it was housing.
This hospital wing was heavily staffed with a nurse assigned to every three private rooms to care for. The hospital equipment was high-tech, new and shiny. Each room had a wide-screen high-definition TV for the patient to watch. Each bed had earphones with a dial to listen to an assortment of stereo music. Every patient's needs were met and the quality assurance was impeccable. Tom thought, at least if they died, they would go out as happily as possible. Cole saw to every detail with nothing lacking.
Tom was glad when he and Troy left that section. He was a bit depressed, but he was not ready to see what Troy was about to show him in the next building...The Children's Ward.
At the entrance, one would think he was entering a wonderland or amusement park. There were life size statues of circus animals around the big recreation room, tables filled with poster board, crayons, paints, and brushes, assorted games and toys. The nurses and staff didn't wear uniforms. They wore dressy street clothes with bright colors to make everyone appear sunny and happy for the kids. But then there were the kids themselves, ranging from a year old to twelve years. These were the truly innocent victims. They had done nothing wrong, nothing to bring this affliction upon them. They had never had to cope with safe sex or dating or socializing. They had been infected by their parents who had carried the virus or perhaps a contaminated needle while getting a vaccination or transfusion. Tom wanted to cry and suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He wanted to cry out, "God damn it, people! Can't you see what's happening in the world? Wasn't it worth the price of ONE condom to keep your child healthy? Did you HAVE to drink that extra drink and go to bed carelessly with the wrong person?" Tom was furious! He wanted to lash out at these kids' parents.
Troy eyed Tom and saw that he was upset, so he shortened the tour and took Tom back to the main lobby.
Troy was almost afraid to ask, but he said to Tom, "Well, Tom, what do you think? Think this is where you want to work?"
"I...I'm not so sure now, Troy. Those faces! Those kids' faces! I'll never get the image of them out of my mind. Why, for Christ's sake? Why did it have to happen to them?"
Troy leaned forward and hugged Tom, letting Tom's head rest on Troy's shoulder. "I'm sorry--I showed you too much. I should've ended the tour with the first building."
"No, Troy, I'm glad you showed me what you did. At least I got a truer picture of what AIDS and HIV is doing to the world. I guess I'm like most of the population who think that AIDS is raging in other countries, not in the United States! My God! Why doesn't "60 Minutes" or one of those news shows photograph the kids and let everyone see what's going on?"
"We would like to, Tom, but, in the wave of conservative government in which we are currently living, we have to respect patients' confidentiality ...and even if we COULD show pictures on TV, people, like yourself wouldn't believe what they saw. Cole is more advanced than any AIDS treatment center in the world. We actually CURE the disease here in many cases, but more could be cured if the goddamned Congress would override the President's veto for stem cell research! Some pious bastard insists that we're killing babies when we take one tiny egg from a woman and fertilize it with a minute drop of sperm. That's all it is--eggs and sperm...not BABIES, for Chrissakes! Jesus! These holier than thou right-wingers are keeping medical science from finding cures for AIDS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Hodgkin's...and all for what? It's wrong in their ignorant minds...'we're killing children'. Yet, these same assholes won't support gun control to keep school children from being killed like those at Columbine. They claim that human life is sacred, yet these people are the first ones to send a human being to the gas chamber or have a poisonous needle stuck into a vein. They lie about wars which take hundreds of innocent American lives, not to mention the thousands of lives we take from the enemy in retaliation! They say human life is sacred? That's bullshit, Tom, PHONY CHRISTIAN BULLSHIT!"
"Why can't they see things the way we do at Father Cliff's church?"
"That's an enigma. The people who need help should be able to turn to their church and to God as a sanctuary but instead they are shunned, cast aside like lepers. We're tagged as being liberals. If anyone of them had an ounce of sense, he'd know that Jesus Christ was the original liberal! Would Christ take food out of children's mouths? Would He have voted against a free prescription plan for the elderly or poor? Would He have closed down mental health and rehab facilities from Maine to Alaska? Closed schools? Cut both Medicare and Medicaid benefits? Or would he have proposed a bill to cut Veterans' Benefits twenty-five billion dollars during the next ten years and use the same money to pay for a war which right-wingers are getting rich from? Hell, no! He'd clean out Washington the way he drove the tax collectors out of the temple! They're are so filled with bigotry and hatred and claim to be doing the Lord's work! I say, 'fuck all of them'!"
Troy realized he had been preaching to Tom, who had come there seeking a way to make his life better and he calmed down.
"Tom, I'm sorry I got so riled up. I know why you came here and I'm afraid I've done nothing but confuse you and mess up your intention."
"It's all right, Troy. You've said things to me that never occurred to me before; things I wish the whole country could hear, but won't."
"Do you still want to go talk with Roger or have I discouraged you too much?"
"No, Troy, I...I still want to talk with him. In whatever way I can, I want to help..."
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(To be continued "Briarwood"---BOOK EIGHT---Chapter--eighty-five)
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