Cheddar's, Chapter 14
Ellie enjoyed having the extra teen in the house. Taylor did, indeed, help amuse her younger grandson. The boy was well-mannered and considerate, so he fit in easily with everyone.
After breakfast, the guys all vacated the condo while the housekeeper changed the beds and took care of other chores which needed doing before Parker's father and boyfriend arrived.
They spent most of that time playing in the condo association's pool or lying beside it in the sun. Since no one else had ventured out in the morning, they didn't have to worry about upsetting some resident who might not appreciate having teens splashing around. However, they were never boisterous enough to be offensive.
Shortly after lunch, Parker needed to take Taylor back to his hotel, and go immediately to meet Jon and Bart's flight. There wouldn't be time to come back to the condo between dropping Taylor and continuing to the airport. If Dan went along, there would be five people, plus luggage, in the car after picking up Jon and Bart. Parker wasn't sure they could accommodate everyone, and their luggage comfortably.
"I guess I can stay home," Dan said, studying the floor. "I kinda wanted to say goodbye to Taylor."
Ellie came up behind her grandson and placed a hand on each of his thighs. She raised her hands in the air, maintaining the distance between them.
"This is the width of Dan's little butt," she laughed. "If there isn't room enough for that in the back seat along with two other passengers, I'll have to trade the Mercedes in for a bigger one! When I bought it, it was supposed to be a full-sized car."
"You're right, Grandma," Parker agreed. "I was thinking of the back seat of the Chevy. If Bart and Dad feel crowded, one of them can drive and Adam and I will sit with Danny."
"Cool!" Dan said, as he gave his cousin a side-hug.
Soon, they were off to the Disney hotel with Dan and Taylor grinning in the back seat.
Since midday traffic was light; it wasn't a bad drive. They pulled into the far end of the parking lot a few minutes earlier than they had anticipated.
"You guys had better have your parting kiss pretty soon, because we don't have a lot of extra time," Parker teased.
"You're embarrassing our guest!" Dan tried to sound offended. "You're suggesting that we're carrying on like boyfriends!"
"You wanna?" Taylor grinned.
"Wanna what?"
"Wanna kiss your boyfriend?"
"Better make it quick," Adam advised. "I think I see Todd waiting near the main entrance, but he's checking his phone. Parker can only stall so long before we pull up, and he sees us."
It may have been a short one, but the kiss they shared in the presence of the other guys was exhilarating for both kids. If they were indeed gay, they might be out of the closet sooner than they'd planned, unless they could learn to keep their hands off each other.
Parker drove up to the unloading area by the curb and popped the trunk lid. Taylor and Dan jumped out to retrieve Taylor's overnight bag. Then, they publicly hugged before parting. Todd gave Danny a hug too. The boys took that as a tacit blessing on their budding friendship.
"I think my son has made a very close buddy," Todd teased, as the car pulled away from them.
"Yeah, I have," Taylor sighed, without a trace of embarrassment.
"Be careful with your heart, Tay. He's a very nice boy, but you're both young."
"Does that mean you wouldn't have a problem if we, um, got REALLY close?"
"If you're trying to test the waters in case you want to come out to me, the answer is, no, I wouldn't. I'll love you whatever your future holds."
"Thanks! I love you, Dad!"
The conversation in the car ran along similar lines.
"So, it's gone from not being sure of your orientation to `boyfriends' in the matter of a couple of days," Parker chuckled.
"Um, I was as surprised as you about the `boyfriend' thing, but I'm not objecting. As I said before, he and I are really on the same wave-length."
"If you want my advice, I'd say to take it slowly. If you don't want my advice, I'd still suggest you proceed with caution."
"I'll keep that in mind, and try not to rush any faster than you and Adam have," Dan smirked.
"Not only are we four years older, but we're still riding in the slow-lane," Adam maintained. "In fact, we lived together for a while before we even admitted we had feelings for one another."
"Ah, you old guys are way too conservative!" Danny giggled.
"Jeez, I'm gonna ask Grandma to ground your skinny little butt for the rest of the week!" Parker laughed.
At the airport, Parker pulled into the cell-phone waiting area until he got a text from his dad saying they had claimed their luggage and were headed toward the exit. Then, he made his way to the designated meeting place, just as the men were coming out to the curb. It took them less than two minutes to put their bags in the trunk, and get in the back seat on each side of Dan.
Parker offered to let someone else drive from the airport if the men felt crowded in the back seat, but they said they had room and they'd rather that he stayed behind the wheel since he already knew where he was going.
"Whoa, is this my nephew Daniel all grown up?" Jon exclaimed. "You were just a tiny thing the last time I saw you."
"Yup, it's me. I've only seen pictures of you, Uncle Jon, and that was at Grandma's. I'm glad to be able to meet you at long last."
"I can't believe your father allowed you to come to our wedding, given his views on gays."
"He didn't," Danny smiled. "He had to get someone to babysit me while he took Mom to Rome on a second honeymoon to screw her silly, and Grandma let him think he was talking her into the job. She wanted me to be here when Chip and Adam came, but she likes to mess with his head."
"If I'd have known in advance, I would have given you a role in the ceremony. There must be a spot where we could include you."
"He could be your flower-girl," Parker snickered.
"We COULD have someone strewing rose petals on our path," Jon said with a straight face.
"I could do that, I guess," Dan swallowed, looking slightly uncomfortable.
"I'm teasing," Jon confessed, "but it's great to know you'd consider doing it for us."
"I would if you really wanted me to, but I'd better not be in any pictures that end up on Facebook where the `rents might see them and know what I'd been up to."
"That IS a consideration," Parker agreed. "We can't get Danny boy in trouble with his dad, just when he's met a new kid from his hometown who hopes to hang around with him in school. It's best not to make waves."
"His name is Taylor, and he wants us to be boyfriends," Dan giggled.
"If that's for real, I hope you don't get into BIG trouble with your father. I remember how Ralph acted toward me when I came out. He was downright hateful!"
"He hasn't improved," Dan sighed. "I know we'll have to really watch what we do."
Ellie welcomed Jon and Bart with open arms. A casual observer might have thought they were her biological sons. Edgar mixed drinks for the adults, and offered sodas to the younger set. However, the teens chose iced tea instead, avoiding the sugar and artificial sweeteners. For the travelers, a little something to take the edge off their day was welcome despite the calories.
After their guests had rested, Ellie and Edgar took them all out to a Greek restaurant. (The adults went in the Mercedes and the teens followed in the Chevy.) It was a pleasant place where Jon could have his beloved pastitsio and the boys could enjoy gyros, or whatever they wanted. Several in the group tried the combo dinners which included a choice of two of their favorites plus a horiatiki salad.
At the end, they each had a taste of baklava and galaktoboureko. They shared two orders of each among the seven of them, since all were too full to eat a whole serving on their own. Well, Dan might have been able to put that much away.
Everyone went away satisfied, and the bill was surprisingly moderate. Jon and Bart tried to pick up the tab, but weren't successful. Ellie reminded them that they were taking everyone out after their wedding ceremony on Wednesday morning.
"That's quite enough for you to do. I invited you to stay with us, and I intend to provide meals as well as lodging. I know I can't make up for how Jon's been treated by my son in the past, but please let me try to make amends."
"There's no need for you to do that, but I appreciate the thought," Jon smiled. "When we're all back in the suburbs, we'll have you over for a meal. I certainly want to continue to be part of the extended family. You've done so much for my son."
"Me too," Bart chimed in. "You've made me feel very welcome!"
"Indeed, you ARE welcome," Edgar added.
The following day, Bart and Jon wanted to personally check out the setting for their ceremony ahead of time. Edgar offered the Mercedes, and Parker did the driving. All three of the teens went along.
Bart came up with a way to make Dan part of their important day. He had brought a video camera, hoping to record at least part of their wedding. It would be awkward to have anyone else in the family do it, and trusting a stranger with his expensive equipment wasn't a good option either. Thus, two problems were solved at once. After he gave the boy a few pointers on how to use the camera, Dan practiced by taking some footage of the two grooms deciding on the exact location they wanted to use. They hoped that section of beach would be as sparsely populated the following day.
From there, they had an appointment with the young priest who would perform the rite. He was genuinely friendly and personable. His demeanor made them wonder if he too were gay, but they didn't ask, and he didn't tell.
After that, they went to an outlet mall to have lunch and to buy clothes for the boys to wear for the affair.
Despite the informal setting, the marriage between Jon and Bart was a solemn and emotional experience. All the people in attendance were dressed in shorts, Hawaiian shirts, and sandals - including Ellie and Edgar. Jon and Bart had matching outfits and their attendants had coordinating ones. They had bought a shirt for Dan too. Everyone looked casual and colorful. Knowing their plans, Father Glen had dressed in white shorts and a white shirt, but wore a rainbow stole which must have been custom made. It was more beautiful and complex than the simple one offered in the Cokesbury catalog.
Father Glen began the rite by sprinkling a little consecrated water, and proclaiming that the place was holy ground.
"Like the site where Moses saw the burning bush, this is a holy one, so I remove my sandals to honor that."
The participants all removed their footwear as well. Dan slipped out of his flip-flops while recording the scene.
"Everywhere God is, is hallowed ground. Since the scriptures tell us we are the temples of the Living God, we are a part of that sacredness also. With this in mind, let us witness the uniting of two of God's children in holy matrimony."
From that point on, he used the traditional Episcopal liturgy which has been a staple in Protestant weddings for centuries. The grooms answered "I do" or "I will" to all the questions concerning their intentions and commitment.
Then, the priest blessed the rings, reminding those present of the symbolism of eternity found in the circle.
"Like Almighty God, these bands have no beginning and no ending. May the love they represent also be everlasting."
After the men place them on each other's finger, Father Glen asked everyone to join him in reciting the Lord's Prayer, and chanting the benediction to the tune of a simple plainsong: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, Amen." The melody was familiar to all of them, except Dan, and he stayed quiet so his voice wouldn't be picked up by the video camera.
"I now pronounce you to be husbands together. What God has joined, let not humans put asunder."
As the men kissed, there was a round of applause, not only from the family members, but from bystanders on the beach who had silently watched the rite taking place.
Everyone in the extended family hugged the newlyweds, including Dan, who handed off the camera to his cousin for the moment. Then Parker and Adam signed the marriage certificate as witnesses.
Several beach-goers stayed a few minutes to congratulate Jon and Bart, and wish them many years of happiness. That was a cool aspect that hadn't been planned. Dan recorded all of it.
The grooms had reserved a small dining room in a casual, but elegant restaurant near the beach. Lunch was like a full-course meal and included salad, soup, a main entrée, and choice of desserts. Fortunately, the portions were moderate in size, so no one was uncomfortably stuffed.
When it was over, they bade adieu to Father Glen, and Edgar and Ellie drove home in the Chevy, while the boys took Jon and Bart, with their luggage, to Port Canaveral to board the cruise ship for their honeymoon. It had been a truly memorable occasion.
"That was the most beautiful wedding I've ever seen," Dan enthused on the way back to the condo. "I hope I'll be able to have something like that someday."
"Me too," Adam and Parker said in chorus.
"Wow, do you guys get inside each other's heads a lot?" Dan asked.
"Yup," they both said at the same time.
Then everyone laughed at how true it was.
"Have you heard anything from your boyfriend since we dropped him off?" Adam wondered.
"Yup! We've texted a lot. He wants to know if we could pick him up and go back to the beach tomorrow. Could we?"
"That's fine with me, Cousin. Is it okay with his parents?"
"He cleared it easily with his dad since he was with you a lot on Sunday, and his dad talked to his mom, so she's fine with it. Grandma made a good impression on her and the girls. His mom's sure we're all part of a fine family. She still has reservations about my father, but that's a good thing!"
"Well, let's plan on it then. Adam and I would like to be in the sun a few more times too. I think we should go early, but we should take the umbrella for sure so we don't overdo it."
"Yay! I'm gonna text Tay right away."
Ellie and Edgar were fine with the plans too. Edgar had a mid-morning tee time, and Ellie had errands to run as well. They could do their own thing, and wouldn't have to worry about feeding and entertaining the teens.
Edgar's golfing buddy was going to drive to the course, so there wouldn't be any problem with the boys taking the Chevy.
So, early the following morning, the guys picked up Taylor and headed back to the north end of Playa Linda with an ample supply of food, water, and sunscreen.
Because of their arrival time, they had a lot more choices of parking places. They took the one closest to the pedestrian overpass.
There weren't a lot of people sunning at that time of the morning on a Thursday, so the guys got their pick of spots. They walked north of the entrance by a couple of hundred yards, hoping it would remain less crowded. Today, Dan and Taylor weren't as interested in how many naked bodies they could ogle. They mostly had eyes for each other. They went down to play in the water without inviting the older teens along. What they hoped for was a chance to get off together, in the true sense of the word.
As Adam and Parker lay in the sun, a beach-patrol officer came by to talk with them.
"You're lucky to be here early. By noon this place will be swarming with college students on break. Many of them will be drinking and carrying on. That's why some of us are stationed here today, to prevent a lot of boozing and indecent exposure."
"Are you trying to tell us nicely to put on clothes?" Adam asked, hoping for a negative answer.
"Nope. If I were your age and had your bodies, I'd be naked too. I'm only here to keep the lid on those who would party too much and who might do something considered obscene. We had a complaint last week about a couple `doing it' on the beach in front of God and everyone, and some older ladies were highly offended."
"Does `obscene' include getting erections?" Parker wanted to know.
"That's kind of a judgment call. If it's some adult stroking his wiener, that's a no-no. If it's a middle-school kid feeling horny, that's another situation. Take those two down in the water playing grab-ass. I'll bet they're hard as a rock from the fun of playing around. So, what? Most kids that age can pop a boner just thinking about it. No one at this end of the beach is going to be offended. If they were on the south end, upsetting a bunch of old ladies, I'd have to tell them to put something on for medical reasons."
"Medical reasons?" Parker questioned.
"Yeah, I wouldn't want a bunch of senior citizens having heart attacks!"
They all laughed at the man's sense of humor.
The younger boys sat down by each other in the water soon after ending their game of `grab-ass' that the officer had witnessed. With the small waves disguising their activities, they jacked each other to very satisfying orgasms. Then they rinsed off and walked up to where the older guys were still lying in the sun.
"We'll watch the stuff if you want to play in the water," Danny offered.
"Okay, but how can we leave the foxes in charge of the chicken coop?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"You'd better not WATCH all of our food as it goes into your mouths!"
"Could we each have an apple for a snack?" Dan asked.
"Certainly, I don't want you to go hungry; just don't eat more than your share!"
"We won't. Besides, we have the stuff Taylor's mom sent along too."
"It's still pretty deserted up here, and the officer has gone south, so to speak. Do you want to get off in the waves like I'm sure Dan and Taylor did?" Parker grinned.
"I think that would be a lot of fun," Adam agreed. "Let's just make sure we don't end up being arrested playing with our wieners!"
"They got away with it!"
"Yeah, but they're kids, and we're adults."
"We don't have to if you don't want to."
"No, I'm in. Who knows when we'll get another chance to mess around on a beach?"
They went out further into the water, but kept an eye out for waves that might be strong enough to pull them away from the shore. After several minutes of surreptitious fondling, they were close to the edge, sexually. Parker took a deep breath, and ducked under the water, taking Adam's cock into his mouth, and sucking until he ran out of air and had to resurface.
"Are you close?"
"Yup! I nearly came."
"Let me stroke you a few times and I'll go down again when you give me the signal."
It wasn't long before Adam's breath became ragged and he nodded. Parker engulfed his throbbing appendage in the nick of time. Coming up again, he dared to share part of the load in a kiss, after glancing around to see if anyone was looking their way.
Adam was bound to return the favor, and within a couple of minutes he was on the receiving end. He too shared a portion of Parker's offering.
"That was fuckin' hot!" he exclaimed. "Sneaky sex in a public place is a real turn-on!"
"Maybe we should join the mile-high club on the return trip," Parker suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.
On this day, the guys ate lunch a little earlier. The beach was getting so busy that they didn't know how long they would enjoy it.
"We might not want to stay as long as we did last time," Parker thought aloud.
"Let's not go too soon," Dan pouted. "Spring won't come to Minnesota for another six weeks!"
"Okay, we won't rush it. Are you sure it's only the sun that you're interested in, and not the time with your boyfriend?"
"Can't it be both?" Dan grinned, impishly.
"Yeah, it can be both, but if you're not careful, you'll get too much sun. We could go back and check that outlet mall where we went Tuesday with Dad and Bart."
"That would be cool too," Taylor spoke up. "I'd like to look for a few new clothes for spring."
So, they spent another hour on the beach before rinsing off in the water and putting on their shorts. The younger teens remembered to get their suits wet, in the off chance that someone might wonder what they'd been up to if they came back with them completely dry.
Author's notes: Thanks to all who've emailed about my stories since last posting. The list includes: Paul R, Douglas and Lawrence, Walt Sz, Jude P, Nala, Charles G, Larry S, Larry and Bradley, Bill K, Joe W, Jim W, Jim F, Geoff S, Randy McC, Bill T, John L, Peter A, Zero M, Ray K, Tom A, Dick M, Steve C, Walt S, Jerry H, and JJ P. If you sent one after Wednesday morning, I'll recognize you at the end of the next chapter.
David