Cheddars, Chapter 26
In the days that followed, the rest of the guys got better acquainted with Toby. The more they were around him, the more they enjoyed his company. He seemed shy, initially, but he possessed a great sense of humor, and an easy manner once he came out of his shell.
With his blond hair, innocent blue eyes, fresh face, and skinny jeans, he was rather attractive. The gay guys in the house all admitted that they would be tempted to hit on him if they were single, and he was gay.
Everything went well for everyone in the house during the first week of the new term. Parker found that his classes were easier than they'd first appeared. That didn't cause him to slough off. He was bound to have an excellent GPA all four years.
His industriousness rubbed off on Adam, not that the latter was lazy. However, he might have been more easily distracted had not his boyfriend been so self-disciplined. Being 18 and horny, he could have let his desires lead him to bed with his lover when other things needed doing!
Toby didn't seem to be overwhelmed by keeping up his studies and still working part-time. He didn't have much spare minutes during the week, but took advantage of the rec center facilities when he did. He may have been slim and trim, but he had strength for his size. The deconstruction labor at the house was helping with muscle definition. At the rec center, he occasionally climbed the rock wall, but mostly swam or relaxed in the spa or steam room.
On Friday after classes, Adam and Parker put on old clothes and went over to help with the tearing out of a downstairs wall. Toby was elated to have the company. The other two guys, who'd been hired for the task, had skipped working on Wednesday, and John had fired them.
"John said I can work this weekend to keep us on schedule, till he finds replacements for those two lazy bums, and I don't mind having the extra hours if you trust me here alone."
"Of course, we trust you! If you were a thief, you could've robbed us blind at the house. In this place, there's nothing to take but the tools," Parker said. "However, I'm not sure I'd want you here alone late at night. You never know what creeps are around these days. If you plan to be here late, one, or both, of us should be with you."
"That would be cool, but I don't want to inconvenience anyone else. It's nice to have you here now for company."
"Speaking of stealing reminds me of something I'd like to do at the house," Adam said.
"You want to turn it into a den of thieves?" Parker joked.
"Nope, I'd like to put up cameras, front and back. I know we have the security system, but I'd like to be able to have surveillance when we have cars parked in the drive. There are fewer now, but I still worry about vandals. I wonder how difficult they'd be to install."
"I helped my dad with ours at home, and I know I could do it!" Toby enthused.
"I'd gladly pay you instead of someone else?" Adam offered.
"Nope, it will be a way for me to do some payback for living with you guys."
The three guys made quite a bit of progress before dinner time. It was Rob and Darrin's night for kitchen duty, so they could stay right up until 6:00 if they desired.
Toby enjoyed the role of "supervisor," as he showed the other two how to tear things out with little damage to the areas that they were preserving. He taught them to use a small board to protect surfaces from being scarred by the wrecking bar. John had emphasized being careful, even in the tearing out phase, so that there would be less repair to do in the finishing process.
Parker loved being a part of uncovering the original staircase. His smile grew as the stairs widened. It would truly be a grand entrance when finished. He could imagine two grooms on the landing, repeating their vows.
He took a couple of photos to continue documenting the progress.
Darrin and Rob had thought at first of ordering in pizza for supper. However, Rob had found that pork tenderloin roasts were on sale at the grocery, and had looked on line for recipes. He settled on a pair of medium-sized ones which didn't look too fatty. He roasted them in the oven surrounded by potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery, with herbs on top. The recipe also called for a can of beef broth to keep it moist. He knew it wasn't exactly summer-time fare, but it would be filling and more nutritious than pizza, and cost a lot less. Both Darrin and he were better off financially than they'd originally feared, yet they were still thrifty. If Adam and Parker, with their wealth, watched their pennies, there was no shame in doing likewise! Besides, there might be leftovers for lunch or even another dinner.
When the three laborers came in the kitchen door, the aroma reminded them of how hungry they were.
Time was in short supply, as the meal would come out of the oven soon. Toby suggested that they could all use the downstairs shower to save on tracking dirt through the house. He offered to go last, assuming his companions would shower together.
Adam and Parker made quick work of it so they wouldn't hold Toby up. To save time, they left the water running for him. When they came out, they saw that he had striped and was ready. After handing them their towels, he got in to clean up too.
The guys thought it was cool that he was comfortable enough to be naked in their presence. In private later, they remarked about what an attractive body he had.
On Saturday morning, Parker, Adam, and Toby spent time on homework. They hadn't wanted to face it on Friday night, and didn't want to put it off until Sunday night.
The house was quiet because Rob and Darrin were at their jobs, and the other two had gone home for the weekend. There was nothing to create a distraction, and the guys got caught up by 11:30.
They had an early lunch before changing back into their grubbies and driving over to the house in Adam's car. Since first bringing Toby home after work, Adam had kept an old pair of twin-sized sheets in it to protect the seats. It may have been a "company car" that he didn't need to baby, but there was no reason not to keep it clean.
When they had uncovered the last part of the stairway, Parker had to take another photo to document the progress. Adam teased him that he was taking more pictures than a new parent, but it didn't deter him from the practice.
"I'm sending this to my dads so they can keep up with the project. It looks so much better already!"
"It certainly does," said Manuel who had quietly popped in to see what had been done over the week.
"I see it's moving along more quickly than I'd anticipated. Those two ne'er-do-wells that I hired didn't pan out at all!"
"Toby's been very faithful," Parker noted.
"Yes, John informed me of that. Toby, I'm considering keeping you on and teaching you to do finish work, if you're willing," he said to the young man in question. "You'll get a raise too.
"I see you've enlisted the owners to help too."
"They volunteered to keep me company. It's really cool! Did you know I'm living with them?"
"I assumed that from something John mentioned. I'm glad it's working out for everyone."
While Manuel walked around inspecting details, Parker's phone chimed, and he answered it.
"Hey Dad, what's up? Really, they didn't tell me... Oh, I see... They don't want to do that, do they? Oh, good! Yeah, Adam says I'm fussing over it like it's a new baby...
"Hmm, do you think they're pissed over losing the bid? Yeah, I had noticed the places they touted hadn't been done recently... That probably explains a lot of things...
"Okay, love you too... I will. Give our love to Bart. Bye."
"So, what did Dad want?" Adam asked.
"He's really pleased to see what we've uncovered. He told me that Carson Construction contacted him to talk about selling the property to them. Don tried to convince the grand `rents that they could make a tidy profit from it. He wants to demolish the house and build a high-rise apartment building with garages below."
"They're not going for it, are they?"
"Absolutely not! Dad did some serious checking on the company. It seems to have changed in recent years. When Don's father, Jakob, owned it, it had an excellent reputation. Since taking it over, Don's been churning out a lot more jobs while using inferior materials and doing shoddy workmanship. All the glowing recommendations, and beautiful examples, are at least four years old. That's before he inherited the business."
"Wow, I'm glad he turned you off with his xenophobic statements."
"Manuel," Parker called, "Did you know that Carson Construction wasn't doing quality work anymore?"
"I had heard rumors."
"But you didn't say anything to us when you bid the job."
"I feel it's bad business to promote your company by spreading rumors about the competition. People who use those methods often find themselves hurt by them in the long run."
"Yes, Carson did hurt his own cause. Do you know that he uses racial slurs to promote his business?"
"I have been told that," Manuel admitted. "I'm used to it. That's why my brother named his son John' instead of Juan' after our grandfather. He didn't want him to sound like a wet-back. Our family has lived here legally for 60 years, but you know how it can be these days."
Parker thought he'd heard the last of Carson Construction until the following week when there was a notice on the door of the house that it wasn't to be entered again until a safety inspection had been made.
John had notified him about it when his workers weren't able to get in.
Parker called the Housing Authority number to find out what the problem was. He was informed that a "concerned citizen" had reported there was structural damage to the house that made it unsafe for anyone to work in. Their agency was currently swamped, and it might be weeks before someone could inspect the property.
Parker asked for the identity of the person who had made the call, but was told that information was confidential because of the whistle-blower law.
"I'm going to proceed on the assumption that the report was made by Don Carson whose company didn't get the contract to restore it. I'll be contacting my lawyer to bring a claim against him if the house isn't inspected within the next 24 hours. If I suspect there's any collusion between Carson and your agency, I will bring suit against you as well!
"Good afternoon."
The following day, the house was approved as safe, and the sign was removed. Work continued.
Adam talked to Carl Novotny a couple of days later, and learned that Carl had informally investigated some of the good-old-boy connections in town. It turned out that Don Carson was the brother-in-law of the man who headed the city's Housing Authority. There was a good probability that some dirty dealing had been going on, but it might not be worth the expense of suing because it would be difficult to prove. Either way, Carl assured him that the gossip mill would disseminate the information after he "let it slip" within earshot of one of his clients.
Carl had a second good-news item for Adam. Despite not being able to locate proof that his grandparents had given part of the down-payment for his parents' house as a gift, and not a loan, the elder Baxters had dropped their claim against it.
"It seems they had a change of heart after Parker told them about your brother's existence. I think they plan to leave their entire estate to him, but won't be hiring me as the lawyer, of course."
"That would be really cool! I hope they go through with it. He deserves to get what he can."
The third thing Adam learned from Carl was that his maternal grandparents had donated $500 in his honor to the Johnson County food bank, and another $500 to the local LGBT organization. Adam was touched. He felt that they had at last shown good faith by their actions. He decided to have the no-contact order against them rescinded. However, the one for the Baxters would remain in place for the foreseeable future.
"Guess what!" Rob grinned when he saw Adam at dinner.
"Um, the Baxters are making you their heir, but they don't want to officially claim you as kin," Adam raised his left eyebrow.
"How did you know? Are there no secrets in this town?"
"Very few. My favorite lawyer made some conjectures after talking to our `beloved' grandmother."
"If he said they want to leave most of their worldly possessions to me, he's correct. In addition, they're going to give me $10,000 if I don't reveal I'm their grandson."
"That sounds like a devoted family attitude! So, did you agree?"
"Not exactly. I said I wouldn't intentionally tell anyone, but that I wouldn't lie if I were asked outright. I pointed out that there was DNA evidence which I couldn't deny. I also said I couldn't be responsible for what you or someone else might reveal. That seemed to be good enough, and they gave me a check after I signed a paper agreeing to that."
"I hope you put it in the bank before they have a change of heart."
"It's in my account as we speak!"
"You're a smart kid, Bro!" Adam bumped his fist. "Get what you can before they figure out that you're gay too!
When Adam called Grandma Arlo to tell her that he would like to see them again, she cried. It took her several seconds to gain control enough to continue their conversation. He suggested that Parker and he might meet them at First Presbyterian the coming Sunday, and all go out for lunch following the main service. It would be his treat, but they should pick the place. To his amazement, and amusement, Arlo picked Cheddar's because she knew they'd get a good lunch that wouldn't be overpriced. He told her that cost was no object, but she still wanted to go there. He certainly didn't object!
The service at First Presbyterian had a little less ritual than Grace Episcopal, but the general tone of the church was similar. On the back of the bulletin was a short statement of belief which declared that all of God's children were welcome to join them in worship, whatever their ethnicity or orientation.
Adam was convinced that it was more than lip-service when he spotted Paul Cox and Jim Barger in the choir. He introduced them to his grandparents when they all met in the fellowship hall after the service.
Arlo and Fred didn't bat an eye when the young men mentioned that they were boyfriends. That, in Adam's estimation, was the acid test of their change of heart.
Cheddar's was busy, but they didn't have to wait long. Unfortunately, Jason wasn't working that Sunday; however, they still received excellent service from Sara who had also worked with Adam in the past.
Rob had known they were coming, and spotted them from the kitchen. However, he didn't try to make contact because he was very busy. Also, he didn't know if they were aware of his role in the soap opera of their daughter's life. He didn't want to do anything that would remind them of their son-in-law's infidelity, and cause them distress.
Over lunch, Adam and Parker visited easily with Adam's grandparents. They appeared to be completely different in attitude from what they'd been a few months before. The change seemed to be genuine, because they asked nothing of their grandson other than to be family again.
"We now understand more about how you were made," Arlo spoke for them both. "We're pleased that you've found a very nice young man as your boyfriend. We hope you'll have a good life together."
"I'm really pleased that you accept us!" Adam exclaimed. "I feel like we're a part of a larger family now, and a person can never have too many loving relatives."
"Thanks for letting us be a part of your family again," Fred smiled, blinking back the tears.
Outside, they exchanged hugs before going their separate ways.
When the rest of Manuel's crew was free to start working on the house, he had them begin on the exterior while the weather was still warm. They hired a subcontractor to power-wash the whole building to rid the brick of years of grit and grime. The process removed loose paint from the trim as well.
Two of Manuel's men worked on replacing broken moldings and other trim, while another subcontractor installed new custom-built windows from a company Parker's dad had worked with in the past. The replacements looked like duplicates of the originals, but with mullions sandwiched between sheets of glass to replicate the original panes. These would seal much tighter than the old ones, be easier to clean, and would never need painting.
The process began in the front so that the boarded-up second floor window would be replaced first. That improved the façade immediately. As the trim was repaired and repainted, the house began to resemble the old photos of its glory days. One window on each floor in the back was left to be replaced later so that material being torn out could be pitched down chutes into a large dumpster.
Other improvements were made to the exterior at the same time. The rusty fire escapes, which were necessary when it had been converted into apartments, were removed. The one for the garret quarters would be turned into a small balcony with an attached escape ladder.
The second floor would meet code without them since the balcony over the front porch was being rebuilt as well as the back stairs which had long since been removed. It all came about rather rapidly because of engaging subcontractors who did quality work. Several of those companies used to work with Carson Construction, but weren't employed by them after Don's greed took precedence over quality.
A reporter from Channel 9 stopped by with a cameraman to update the story they had done at the time of the fire. It happened right after the front porch had also been restored and repainted. She took time to interview Parker and Adam whom she assumed were simply workmen. They answered her questions without letting her know that they were soon to be the owners.
I've heard from the following this week: Steve C, Peter, Paul R, Tim, GCD, Wayne, Ott H, John M, Charles G, Jim F, Tony C, John L, Walt Sz, Joe W, Skip M, Bill K, Randy McM, Geoff S, Frank K, Jim W, Max P, Zero M, Tom A, Peter M, Jude P, Vern, Mendy D, and Jeremy R.
I'm pleased to learn that some of you make contributions to Nifty to help fund this site. Thanks!
A big thanks to Tom and David for editing. They do this regularly, reducing he number of mistakes I make. Their help in invaluable.
I keep forgetting to remind you that May is Masturbation Month. I'm not sure whether or not this time was chosen by mutual consent, but I think everyone should celebrate appropriately. Consider giving a friend a helping hand.
David