Cheddar's, Chapter 20
Adam immersed himself in his studies all week as usual. Although he kept his mind occupied, he was antsy in anticipation of the DNA test results. On Thursday, he received a call from Rob as he was walking back home from his last class of the day.
"Well, did you get your copy of our test?" Rob asked, excitedly.
"Um, no. I haven't been home to get the mail yet."
"Haven't you checked your email? That's how mine was delivered a few minutes ago."
"Hang on; I'll take a look," Adam said, as he sat down on the steps of the public library building.
Adam's hands shook as he quickly opened the email from the university. Then, a big smile spread across his face.
"Awesome! We need to celebrate! I'd like to take Darrin, Parker, and you out to dinner soon. Can we do it tomorrow night, or do you have to work?"
"We're both free."
"Cool! Do you want to go to Cheddar's or is that a bad idea given that you see a lot of dirty dishes there?"
"No, that's fine. They have that great-looking rib dinner that I'm dying to try. It's a little pricier than other things on the menu, so I'll pay for my own."
"No way, dude! Our dad left me well fixed, so please allow me to treat. It's the least I can do."
"You don't owe me. It's not your fault that I'm the bastard son."
"It's not yours either, and I don't consider you that. In my way of thinking, there are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents!"
"Thanks; I love you, bro!"
"I love you too."
"Hey, Parker, the DNA results are back," Adam called as he entered the apartment.
"Based on the size of the grin on your face, I'm gonna make a wild guess that the tests proved Rob's your brother."
"YES! I'm so excited. I just found out a few minutes ago, when Rob contacted me."
"Congrats! Are we going out to celebrate?"
"I told him we'd go tomorrow night, unless you have something that's come up since I last checked your schedule. The four of us will have dinner together."
"Ah, so is it two couples now? Are they boyfriends?"
"No one's said anything like that, but when I asked Rob if he was free tomorrow night, he said they both were. He didn't even hesitate. That sounds to me like people who are closer than casual buds."
"I wonder if they've admitted that to each other."
"Who knows? If Darrin's gay, like I assume he is, and in love with Rob like I hope, you'd think I'd be the first to know, after his boyfriend, of course."
"I agree that he's likely to confide in you, but you've heard the old saying Grandpa always quotes, `Loose lips sink ships,' so he could be keeping extra quiet lest he suffer the same fate you did."
"You're right about being careful, but I'll bet he'll tell me sooner or later if that's the case. I hope it's true, and I hope it's sooner!"
"And you, my love, are full of hope today. I'm excited for you."
"I also hope you haven't forgotten that I'm taking you out for your birthday tonight," Adam grinned."
"I remembered, and my homework is all caught up. I'm yours for the whole evening."
"Cool! Since we're going to Cheddar's tomorrow night, I thought we might do Mexican or Italian. What's your preference?"
"Mexican sounds great to me, but my birthday isn't a special event this year. Turning 19 isn't like 13, 16, or 18. I remember what a big deal it was to become a teenager. Then getting my driver's license was awesome. Having the right to vote was another milestone, but from now on, birthdays aren't as important until I get old and can be on Medicare."
"Um, what about 21, so we could legally have a drink with dinner?"
"Yeah, I suppose. My family has been so casual about me having a drink now and then, so it's not like I'll be getting plowed when I turn 21!"
"Hmm, that probably depends on how you're using the term."
"Ooh, do I detect a little sexual innuendo?"
"I'll admit that sex is on my mind. While you're eating dinner, I want you to think about what you'd like me to do to please you on your special day. I was thinking of bathing your balls with my tongue, but that might be more for my pleasure than yours."
"It sounds great to me! There's nothing that says we can't both enjoy your gift to me! Let's shave first."
After the guys returned from dinner, they carefully shaved each other's ball sacs, checking for stubble with their tongues as usual. Then they entered the shower to get one another squeaky clean, because Adam had something very intimate in mind. He knelt behind Parker and pulled his buns apart. Then he used his tongue there as well.
"Oh, my God; that's good!" Parker cried. "I'd love to feel something else pressed against there."
"I'm happy to oblige!"
Adam stood, and rubbed his hot, engorged cock across Parker's sphincter, making him gasp with lust. Parker reached down and pressed it more firmly against his rosebud.
"Go ahead and hump as if you were fucking me!"
Adam didn't need further encouragement. I wasn't long before he began to whimper, saying he would have to stop or he was going to explode.
"Go ahead; come for me!"
Adam did. He came, and came, and came, nearly collapsing from the intensity.
"Would you like to reverse roles?" he asked as his strength returned.
"Yes, please, if I may."
"Of course, you may. It's your birthday!"
Adam pulled his legs together as tightly as possible after Parker slipped his erection between them. He too, held his lover's cock in place with one hand. Then Parker began to make slow, pumping motions, gyrating his hips to increase the sensuality. In very short order, he grunted and froze in place as he unloaded thick globs of cum which ran down the insides of Adam's legs. By now the shower floor was slippery, despite the water cascading over it in a steady flow.
They rinsed off, toweled each other dry, and scampered to their bed, never going soft in the process. They kissed and cuddled for several minutes, feeling their sap rising again.
Neither of them said anything as Parker turned the other way in the bed. Obviously, he was up for round two. Adam was with him. Slowly but surely, they nursed each other to another mind-blowing climax.
"I take it all back! Turning 19 is the best birthday ever!"
"Just wait until next year," Adam grinned.
On Friday night for dinner, Parker drove them in his car to Rob's house to pick Darrin and him. Darrin wasn't taking any chances of his parents finding out that he was socializing with Adam, so they had agreed to all meet there. Darrin's folks were still suspicious that Adam might try to turn their son gay, and didn't want them to have any contact.
"Hi guys," Rob bubbled as he and Darrin got into the back seat. "It's an awesome day in every way. Not only am I getting to eat out with my friends and my bro, but I received the life insurance check and it's deposited in my savings account. I can cut down to just one part-time job and my schooling is all set! On top of that, when Darrin and I went to the business office to make the first installment on our tuition for the fall term, we were told that the payments had already been made. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Adam?"
"Hmm... There must be a good fairy in the neighborhood," Adam answered, frowning as if he were mystified.
"Well, if you happen to run into a fairy with both the generous spirit, and the means to do such a kind deed, please thank him."
"Will do," Adam grinned. "What makes you think the fairy is male? In all the kids' books and movies, they're female."
"I'm just assuming it's a he, and he has a boyfriend," Rob chuckled. "When we get parked, could we stay in the car a couple of minutes because we have something to tell that we don't want anyone to overhear."
"I see an empty spot; go ahead and tell us," Parker said.
"Okay, guys," Adam commented, as his boyfriend shut off the engine. "Is this the big news I've been hoping for?"
"Um, well, I don't think you saw this one coming," Rob grinned. "Darrin and I are boyfriends."
"Wow, you could have knocked me over with a brickbat; it would take a lot more than a feather!" Adam joked. "Who could have predicted it?"
"I told you he had us figured out," Darrin squeezed the back of Rob's neck. "You should have let me confide in him and break it gradually."
"It wouldn't have mattered," Adam insisted. "I watched Rob blush every time your name was mentioned. Parker noticed it too. You guys will never make good poker players."
"Let's not forget to congratulate them!" Parker said. "We're thrilled that our predictions were on the money."
"Seriously, we're very happy for you. We can all be related someday when Parker and I get married and you two do. Rob and I are bros, so you and Parker will be brothers-in-law!"
"I hadn't thought of that," Darrin admitted. "My bestie will be related to me by marriage! How's that for a happily-ever-after moment?"
"We're not exactly at the altar stage yet," Rob blushed. "Are you guys?"
"We don't know when we'll take that step, but we know we don't want to wait until we graduate. Even though we haven't been together for a year yet, we know we're serious."
"Cool! Now let's go eat. I'm starving and my brother's footing the bill!"
At Adam's insistence, Rob ordered the ribs. The rest had steak or the steak and shrimp combo. It was all delicious, and the service was impeccable, since they had Jason as their waiter. Needless to say, Adam would leave a generous tip.
"Are you celebrating a special occasion?" Jason inquired. "You all look so happy."
"Yup, I've found my long-lost brother."
"Um, would that be Rob? He looks the most like you."
"That's correct!" Adam smiled. "He and I are half-brothers, and we've been acquaintances for years, but now we plan to forge a new relationship. We got the DNA results recently, so this is our celebration!"
"Excuse me, I'll be back in a minute," Jason left abruptly.
"Hmm, I wonder what that was about," Adam frowned. "He didn't even ask what we wanted for dessert."
About five minutes later, the guys found out. Jason returned with a tray bearing four Hot Fudge Cake Sundaes. Since it was one of the most popular items on the menu, the manager figured all the guys would like them, especially if dessert was on the house.
"Wow!" they all exclaimed.
"You get special treatment since Mr. Gordon appreciates his regular customers, and his best dishwasher. He also knows about Adam's run-in with Gloria, and that he probably wouldn't have this job if someone hadn't stood up to her," Jason cocked on eye brow.
"I understand that a lowly dishwasher wouldn't have been allowed to mingle with this esteemed assembly back when she was in charge," Rob said.
"True dat!" Parker agreed. "I wish you could have seen how cool your brother was when she confronted him for having dinner with me."
"That's my big bro!" Rob grinned.
The guys went back to Parker and Adam's apartment after dinner. Now that Darrin and Rob were out of the closet and admitting their budding relationship, they loved being in the company of another same-sex couple where they could hold hands openly and speak freely.
"So, how do you plan to keep your parents in the dark, Darrin?" Adam asked. "You guys are positively glowing!"
"I don't think I can. I know I may have to take out student loans, but I can't live a lie for the next four years. Besides, I don't want keep Rob hidden."
"Do you have anyone in the family who might help you out?" Parker wondered.
"My grandpa Vogel probably will. He thinks my parents are way too narrow. In fact, he's threatened to give his money to charity when he dies and cut them out completely."
"Then, I think you should come out to him soon, and see how things go. Take Rob with you, so he can see what a great guy you've fallen for. And don't worry about housing while you're in school because Adam and I have already decided that you and Rob will live here rent-free. That's the deal if you don't refer to us as `good fairies' because we consider that a homophobic slur!"
Parker's delivery had been completely dead-pan, and the rest of his companions almost fell on the floor laughing over the ending. When they finally got back under control, Rob realized the content of what Parker had said.
"Man, you can't be serious! Do you know how much that will cost?"
"It doesn't matter. My grandparents own the building. They've been paying a commission to a real estate agency to manage it. I've convinced them to sever ties with the company and let us take care of renting the apartments and hiring snow removal and such.
"Can you smell the aroma of weed drifting up from the apartment below? Those two punks they rented to recently wouldn't be living here if I'd been in charge! With the money we save by managing it ourselves, we can easily afford to let you live here."
"We'll accept, but only if you'll let us help with maintenance, like clearing the walks in winter and mowing the lawn in the summer."
"Okay, it's a deal then," Parker said. "Adam and I are considering buying the house from my grandparents if we decide to stay here after we graduate. I could set up a counselling service on the first floor, and Adam could work out of the house if he goes into advertising. It's all a dream at the moment, but it could work out."
At 9:30, Rob said that Darrin and he should probably go home. Parker grabbed his keys, but the new couple said they would walk.
"It's only six blocks to my home, and we'd like to take a leisurely stroll. We can hold hands on the way!"
"You could stay here longer, holding hands and making out, and we could drive you there."
"Nah, we should go. Before we do, we need to thank you again for dinner. It was really fun."
"The pleasure was all mine," Adam insisted.
"Um, one other thing," Rob said. "Parker, would you allow me to kiss my brother before we go?"
"I don't control what he does with his body."
"But, you're his lover."
"Yes, and I trust him completely, so I won't be jealous even if he plants a big sloppy one on your lips. If you'd have grown up together, you'd probably have done a lot of intimate things than that with one another over the years."
"Yeah, we might have," Adam admitted. "Darrin and I came very close to jacking with each other. He was the closest of anyone to being my brother."
"We probably feared we would carry the guilt to our grave, if we had." Darrin grinned. "We missed several opportunities because of how we were raised."
"That's for sure!" Adam agreed.
Rob kissed Adam on the cheek, rather than the lips, but held him very close as they hugged. Adam returned the gesture with as much passion as his brother did. It felt perfectly natural. He decided in that moment that he would share his inheritance more equally. If Rob turned out to be the kind of guy he seemed, Adam would get his lawyer to put Rob's name on the dealership as a partner sometime in the future when he gained full control. This guy was family!
"I think Darrin has always had a crush on you," Parker noted, after their guests had left.
"You're right. I felt the same way about him when we were kids. Does that bother you?"
"No, it makes me thankful that my soulmate is honest. Those two are so sweet, and cute, that I can imagine most gay guys would find them attractive. I certainly do, and I'm not going to make a move on either of them. I have my man."
The observance of Independence Day would occur before the middle of the term. The time off from classes amounted to a four-day weekend, but Parker and Adam needed some of it to work on their courses, so they politely declined Grandma's invitation to come to the suburbs. Though she would have loved to have seen them, she understood. She would still host a gathering that included Sally and Ken, and Jonathan and Bart. Her invitation to Ralph and family had been turned down. That didn't exactly break her heart, but she would have enjoyed having Dan there. From the texts he'd sent, she learned he'd be spending the time with Taylor and family at a cabin on a lake. At least he'd be away from his overbearing father!
The guys were going to invite Rob and Darrin to do something together, but Rob's parents asked them to their house before they managed to make firm plans. Adam hadn't met Robert, sr. before, and he hoped that his presence wouldn't make the man uncomfortable. Obviously, Dawn was okay with it or she wouldn't have issued the invitation.
When Rob introduced Adam to his stepfather, all stress dissolved in the moment Robert took Adam's hand and then embraced him.
"I'm so pleased to have another son; that is, if you'll let me claim you."
"Awesome," Adam responded, through a couple of tears he tried unsuccessfully to hide.
"I'd like you to consider me as `Mom' too," Dawn added. "I understand both of you have lost your mothers. So, if you need emotional support from a mother, I'll be here."
"Thanks!" Adam exclaimed as he hugged her too.
Parker followed suit.
"Mom will be there to advise you on your every move if you let her," Rob's 15-year-old brother Kirk smirked.
"For sure!" his twin, Kristin echoed.
"Now that you've met the whole family, you may want to reconsider accepting my offer," Robert laughed. "This pair can be a handful."
"Their attitude reminds me a little of my cousin who's about their age. It must be a teen trait," Parker commented.
"Hey, you're not a lot older than I am!" Kirk protested.
"Ah, but those are important formative years!" Rob interjected.
Dawn served a delicious picnic lunch out on the deck, after which, they all drove to the park to play disc golf. Parker was delighted to find that the parental generation didn't have any problem keeping up with the kids. It made him think of his father and Bart, neither of whom acted their age. It also made him remember the fun he'd had with his mother the night before she died. He guessed that life would always be a mixture of happy and sad. He was determined to dwell on the former.
Robert grilled burgers for supper. They went well with the salads Dawn had made. The watermelon was at its perfect point of ripeness. Everything was delicious.
From their backyard, the family could view some of the fireworks the city provided. It might not have been the best spot in town, but it beat fighting traffic to get closer.
Around 9:00, Adam and Parker thanked their hosts again, and started for Adam's car to head home.
"Darrin and Rob, you're welcome to come home with us if you like." Adam offered. "I'm sorry we don't have a spare bedroom to offer. Then we could have a sleepover like we did as kids."
"It would be fun," Darrin agreed. "But, I must be at work early tomorrow, so I'd better call it a night too."
"I don't want to rush you off, but I'll be happy to drive you home," Rob said.
"Then they can park somewhere on the way and make out!" Kirk giggled.
"Kids!" Rob exclaimed, in feigned exasperation.
Adam was just as happy that their friends hadn't accepted the invitation to hang out for a while. The look in Parker's eyes made him certain that they would be making a few fireworks of their own before the night was over. He was right.
"Hey, you want me to light your fuse?" his lover chuckled.
"Sure, if you let me prime your cannon."
"Why don't you join me in the shower, and we'll see where it leads."
It led exactly where you're thinking it did. And yes, they did set off a couple of Roman candles.
The following day, Parker began writing a story in the style of a news-release detailing how his boyfriend had come to discover the brother he hadn't known existed. They had once talked about giving it to the university newspaper for publication as a human-interest story. That would have been sweet revenge for Adam. However, after meeting the Utley family, they didn't want to do anything to embarrass them. Parker thought it still might have value as something Adam could use as leverage to get the elder Baxters to drop their claim on any of his assets. He wouldn't be exactly blackmailing his paternal grandparents, but the prospect that it could become public knowledge might be enough to push them into backing off.
Using spare minutes here and there, he managed to finish a rough draft before midterm exams. Putting it aside would allow him to look at it with a fresh eye before writing the final copy.
Given the amount of work they had to do between midterms and finals, it was pretty much pushed out of their conscious thinking.
Author's notes: Thanks to Geoff S, Harvey C, Walt Sz, Steve P, Randy McM, Wayne, Jim M, Jae B, Bill T, GCD, Douglas and Lawrence, Walt S, Ott H, Steve C, Jeremy R, Bill K, Tom A, Paul R, Harry T, John L, Mendy D, Jim M (#2), Frank K, JLF, and Jim W who emailed about the story this week. Notice that I have a LOT of Jims. I'm not complaining!!!
Please remember Nifty in your will.
Have a good Easter, Passover, or whatever holiday you choose to observe or not observe.
Hugs,
David