Cheddar's, Chapter 19
Waking up in their own bed early on Monday morning was pleasant for the guys. The turmoil of the past week was lessened by the lovely summer day which included a soft breeze and the singing of birds who had built a nest in the old elaborate architectural trim outside their bedroom window.
The weather had been perfect for sleeping with the windows open, leading them to consider doing it as often as possible. Being serenaded by their feathered friends was a plus, despite the hour at which they began their chorus.
Being up early gave them plenty of time to have an unhurried breakfast.
Today, it was back to the books. Since neither had a class before 9:00, and they had plenty of time to get there, they chose to walk instead of taking their bikes. They had much of the route in common, so they spent a few more minutes together before parting ways at Old Capitol.
Adam was quite excited about his first day as a college man, and Parker took his picture with the historic first state government building as the backdrop. Since the fledgling university had been almost entirely housed in it at its inception in 1847, it had special significance. He wanted the photos as part of a pictorial scrapbook of milestones in his lover's life, much like a doting parent might.
Adam's first class was an introduction to journalism. Though it was an entry level course, few students were allowed in it without having successfully completed a couple of classes in composition and grammar. A person had to be a good writer to succeed.
He came prepared to take careful notes on his electronic tablet, but had a paper one in his messenger bag, as well, in case he needed it. He hung on the professor's every word.
At the end of the class, Dr. Denton asked if anyone had questions. No one did, so he dismissed them a minute early.
"Mr. Baxter, do you have time to speak with me for a bit?" He asked as the students were leaving.
"Yes sir; my next class isn't until 11:00."
"Please sit down then."
Adam sat, wondering what this was about."
"According to my records, this is your first college class."
"Yes sir, and I'm really excited."
"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I'm concerned about your odds of succeeding since you don't have the prerequisite courses under you belt."
"Sir, I took them as AP classes at City High and I have successfully passed the exams from the university to have them counted as college credit."
"Whom did you have as your teacher there?"
"Mr. Campbell. His classes are rigorous."
"He does have a reputation," Dr. Denton nodded, with a smile. "None of this was noted in your file. I don't suppose you have your scores on you."
"As a matter of fact, they're in my notebook. I was pretty pleased with them," Adam blushed. "I can pull them up for you to see."
With a few strokes on the keyboard, a copy of the document appeared on the screen. Dr. Denton raised his eyebrows as he perused the scores.
"I wonder why I didn't get this info."
"I suspect it's because I took the exams less than a month ago."
"That's no excuse in this age of electronic communication! They should have been available to me as soon as they were to you. Please accept my apology for doubting your level of preparedness. I think you'll do fine."
"You needn't apologize to me for a glitch over which you had no control. I appreciate that you care enough about students to make sure they can cut it before they become mired down and get discouraged."
"And I'm impressed that you are polite as well as bright. A lesser man might have taken offense."
"Thank you, Sir.
Adam left the room with a big smile on his face. What at first had appeared to be a problem, had led to good fortune. Now that the professor had interacted with him, he was more than just a name on a grade sheet. And, by keeping his cool, he had made a favorable impression to boot!
Adam's 11:00 o'clock class was one of the core history courses which fulfilled a general requirement. He loved studying the American Revolution, partly because he had several ancestors who had fought in it. He could trace his genealogy back to Henry Adams of Braintree, Massachusetts whose descendants included Samuel Adams as well as the presidents, John and John Quincey.
The young associate professor who taught the class was lively and full of facts which seemed to flow off his tongue like he'd experienced them first hand. Adam was enthralled! It didn't hurt that the teacher was as good-looking as he was eloquent.
The guys met for lunch at the student union. They had time for an unhurried meal before heading for their last class of the day. Parker listened to Adam's excited chatter, hoping that he would continue to enjoy the courses as much during the rest of the term.
Adam's afternoon class was a course in technical writing. Its purpose was to force students to write in a style that was minimalist and clean-cut, without extra adjectives and poetic language. It would help those who might write technical manuals, or advertising blurbs to get the most across to the reader while using the fewest possible words. It's often the commercials with little verbiage that make the biggest impact when aired during events like the Super Bowl. And, given the cost of 30-second spots, time is definitely money!
This course would be a challenge for Adam because, like his boyfriend, he loved the beauty of prose. Embellishing a story with descriptive words was something that had been promoted in his language arts classes in high school, and he had excelled at it. Now, he was being asked to do the reverse. Ah, well, the exercise would be good for his brain.
The week continued in like manner, and the guys were so busy that it went by in a flash. Saturday morning was suddenly upon them, and they spent time cleaning the apartment and getting the laundry done. Adam was mopping the kitchen, and Parker was in the basement moving the last load of clothes from the washer to the dryer when the downstairs doorbell rang.
Adam went to answer the door, wondering who could be calling on them at that time in the day. He wasn't expecting anyone; perhaps there had been a mix-up and it was for someone else in the house. He was surprised to find Rob Utley standing on the porch.
"Hey, Rob, it's good to see you! I don't think we've talked since the graduation parties. Parker and I have been away part of that time."
"Yes, I've been looking for you, and Darrin told me you were gone."
"Parker's mother passed away a couple of weeks ago in the Chicago area, and we've been up to our butts in classwork since summer school started."
"I envy you getting a head start. I've been putting in a bunch of hours working, but that's good because I'll need the money when I start in the fall. I don't miss the time off, except for not being in sports.
"By the way, congratulations on your state wins."
"Thanks, I should say the same to you about your wrestling season. Are you gonna wrestle in college?"
"No. I was awarded a scholarship to wrestle for Coe, but the tuition is so much higher in a private school than at the university. I could be a walk-on here, but I'm not sure I want to put my body through it unless it was for money. Look at Dan Gable, he's like a beat-up old man with arthritis and all. I don't want that in my future."
"I can empathize. Swimming doesn't take a toll; look a Michael Phelps. He's still a stud."
"Yup, and he has the cutest little kid!"
"So, come on up to our humble abode and we'll catch up. What brings you here besides nostalgia for our high school triumphs?" Adam smiled. "We'd better sit in the living room since the kitchen floor isn't quite dry. May I get you a glass of water?"
"That would be great."
They sat in silence while Rob took a sip before plunging into what he'd come to say.
"Well, this is going to be difficult to explain. Do you have a few minutes?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"First, I want you to know that I'm not planning to make any claims against the Baxter estate. But, I do need a copy of your father death certificate to collect on a life insurance policy. The company's been jerking me around for several months."
"I have no idea what this is about; so, could you please fill me in?" Adam frowned.
"Are you aware that your mother had a lot of problems when she was pregnant with you?"
"Yeah, they said that's why I ended up being an only child. I guess she was in the hospital for the last two months."
"And, before that, she had to be very careful in what she did so as not to miscarry, right?" Rob asked.
"Yeah, so what's your point?"
"My mother was young and single, but dating at the time. She was a secretary at Baxter Motors. Your father was very frustrated because he wasn't allowed to have a sexual relationship with your mother for a long time during the pregnancy. One night when my mother and he were working late, and no one else was around, they ended up on the sofa in the customer lounge in the old building. I don't think I need to draw you a picture of what they were doing. I was born about six months after you were, and we ended up in the same grade."
"So, you're saying we're half-brothers?"
"Exactly."
"Oh, my God! We DO look something alike."
Parker had come into the room in time to hear that last comment, so he stopped and looked at Adam and Rob carefully.
"Adam, have you been hiding the fact that Rob and you are cousins? You two resemble each other more than Dan and I do."
"If the story Rob has just told me is true, we might be a lot more closely related than you and Dan are."
Parker and Rob greeted each other, and then Adam asked if it would be okay for Parker to join their conversation.
"I'm fine with that," Rob agreed. "Since he's your boyfriend, I suppose you don't want to have secrets."
"Yup. We're sorta like engaged."
"Congrats! Parker, I have good evidence that you may be my brother-in-law someday. I'll continue telling what I know.
"I've discovered that Adam's father and my mother had a brief affair."
"It evidently happened when my mother couldn't fulfill her marital `duties,'" Adam said, bitterly. "The self-righteous homophobe couldn't give himself a hand-job. He had to force his dick into another woman to get his rocks off!"
"I don't think it was entirely one-sided. I gather that Mom had a crush on him, from what she confessed to me after she read his obit. She said the two of them had a little nightcap to relax them after a stressful day, and one thing led to another. Before she knew it, they were making love."
"He was dead-set against alcohol too," Adam noted.
"Perhaps his, um, moral lapse, while under the influence, caused him to give it up."
"So, is that it, or is there more to the story?"
"After Mom discovered she was pregnant, she confessed to her then boyfriend, and offered to have an abortion. He forgave her, and said he'd like to raise her baby, which turned out to be me, as his own because he'd been told he might not be able to father a child. He had a bad case of mumps at a young teenager, and that messed up his ability to produce sperm.
"They eloped quickly, so people wouldn't be as likely to guess that I was conceived out of wedlock. That was a bigger deal in those days.
"There's a bit of irony here, because he fathered two children after they'd been married a couple of years. The cool thing is that he loved me like his own. In fact, I never knew I wasn't his biological son until I needed some medical tests, and they wanted to know if my Dad had any of the same issues.
"When your, our, father found out about the pregnancy, he began sending her a $500 check each month through a blind trust fund that he disguised as a charity. He made her promise not to tell anyone while he was alive. If she did, the money would stop coming. Those checks continued until January of this year, shortly after his death. He had also taken out a $100,000 life insurance policy payable to me upon his passing. I don't know if your mother knew anything about it, or how he kept it from her, if she didn't. Mom left her job right after she got married.
"Anyway, as I said earlier, the insurance company is giving me crap about not producing proof of his death, and that's why I'm here."
"My copy is in the safe deposit box at Wells Fargo so there's nothing I can do today, but I can get a copy made Monday afternoon. Is there some place I could bring it to you?"
"I'll be washing dishes at Cheddar's that evening, my second job. If you happen to come by for dinner, you could bring it. I see you there quite a bit. But, if that's not convenient, I'll drop by here when I get off. By the way, what will I owe you for the copy?"
"We can drop it off. It would be a good excuse to eat out, and don't worry about the cost, I'm sure they'll notarize it and everything at the bank without any charge.
"Oh, and if you need me to take a DNA test to prove we're brothers, I'll be happy to do that too."
"Cool! I'd like proof for me, anyway.
"Uh, do you know of any apartments like this that will be open in the fall? Darrin and I are thinking of sharing one. We could live at home cheaper, but we'd like to be on our own. The only problem is that his parents get all weird about the idea of two guys living together."
"Yeah, I know. They're cut from the same cloth as mine were. Hypocrites at best, as you've probably figured out."
"There will likely be one available in this building," Parker joined in. "Two of the guys are scheduled to graduate at the end of summer school. Would you like us to reserve it for you?"
"That would be great unless having us living close to you would remind Adam of things he rather forget. I apologize for bringing you upsetting news," Rob said.
"Don't have any regrets. I'd love being related to you. I can hardly wait to have our DNA done to prove that you're right. I plan to rub my Grandmother Baxter's nose in it until she throws up! And, if you prove to be my bro, I'll love having you close. Besides, Darrin has been my best friend for years. We should all get along great!"
"So, do you think this is on the up and up?" Parker asked after Rob had left.
"Yes, I do. He's not a money-grubber. He started out by saying he's not going to make a claim on the estate. He seems content, even thankful, about the support money they received all those years, plus the life insurance. I want that DNA test for sure. If he IS my brother, I want to help him with college expenses, and I want the Baxter side of the family to know about it for sure! My father was such a sanctimonious bastard, and "pure" pillar of the community, and I want my grandparents to have to face the truth."
"I can believe he's your brother. He's cute, and he certainly fills out his jeans in the right places."
"Don't forget that we've also seen him in a singlet! He might be my BIG brother in one sense."
"I tried not to stare, but you're right. He's a stud, and evidently blessed with a similar dick! My money's still on you for being the bigger one."
"I wonder if Darrin is sharing that part of his anatomy. Rob really blushed when he talked about the possibility of them living together. I think it's more than a casual friendship, at least in his mind. I wonder how I can find out for sure. I'd love to see them together."
"Now, don't go playing cupid unless you know for sure that they're both gay, and actually into each other."
"Hmm... Into each other brings up several thoughts about how we should spend part of our day."
"I'm up for that! Let me go rescue our shirts from the dryer before we pursue that train of thought."
On Monday, Adam could hardly wait until his classes were over so he could get a copy of his father's death certificate for Rob. As he had anticipated, the bank employees took care of everything without any charges. Someone must have checked on the amount of money he had deposited with them, because they fawned over him. It was nice to receive premium service, but it seemed a bit cloying.
That night, he delivered the document to Rob when the guys went for dinner. It pleased Adam to no end that Rob was allowed to come into the dining area to mingle with Parker and him for a few minutes when the exchange was made. Adam couldn't get over how much friendlier the place was than it had been when Gloria was in charge.
Rob promised to notify Adam when the hospital lab could take their DNA samples. They could have dropped in separately, but Adam wanted to do it as brothers. He was convinced that the lab would verify what he knew in his heart to be true.
The following day, Adam got his car out after his last class and picked up Rob from his house for their appointment at the lab. Rob's mother, Dawn, was home at the time, but was hesitant to meet Adam when he came in. Rob explained the situation to Adam, who said he'd like to get acquainted with her. He promised he wouldn't do anything to make her uncomfortable.
When she finally did enter the room, she found a smiling young man who resembled her son in several ways.
"Adam, I'm so sorry; I don't know what to say...," Dawn faltered.
"Let ME say something, then. I apologize for my father's actions, but I'm excited about the prospect of having a brother. I hope you'll allow us to be close."
"You're adults, so I couldn't prevent that, even if I wanted to. I'll be delighted if you two want to become good friends. I understand you have a mutual best buddy, Darrin Vogel, already."
Adam watched Rob's reaction to his mother's words. Again, he noticed Rob's coloration change at the mention of Darrin's name. He was convinced that what Rob felt for Darrin was more than a friendship thing.
Author's notes: Thanks to John L, Ott H, Steve C, Bill DeW, Bill K, Barry J, John D, Walt Sz, Ray K, Bill T, Joe W, Charles G, GCD, Tom A, Skip M, Frank K, Randy McM, Jim F, Vern, TF, Paul F, Derrick M, Jeremy R, Zero M, Douglas and Lawrence, Jim W, Mendy D, Aaron C, Walt S, and Locodriver who emailed this week. Dick M also emailed, but not about the chapter.
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Thoughts and prayers for Walt S who is undergoing chemo treatments for cancer.
David