Cheddars, Chapter 31
As he'd previously discussed with Adam, Parker had originally planned to celebrate Thanksgiving in Iowa City as they'd done the year before. It would have been fun to have at least one big meal with everyone in the house during their break, but everyone ended up scattered in different directions.
It turned out for the best, because first, and foremost, he needed to make the trip to Minnesota to be with his grandparents and cousin; especially the latter. He had planned to visit Dan earlier, but the one weekend in November that would have worked out for a quick trip, up and back, was the time when they got hit with nasty weather and it would have been far too dangerous to attempt. Now, Adam and he would be there most of Thanksgiving break.
With Toby and Jason visiting both sets of parents, and Darrin and Rob invited to Rob's house, everyone had a place to go. The guys all made a pact to spend at least part of their longer Christmas vacation together.
The drive to Edina was quite a bit longer than the one to the Chicago suburbs; however, the roads were clear, and they made pretty good time. Traffic was relatively heavy in places, but it seemed easier to negotiate than the constantly heavy flow of vehicles around Chicago.
With the aid of the Beemer's built-in navigation system, the guys got there easily.
The new condo wasn't as commodious and luxurious as the other homes that the Forsythe's owned, but it was in a decent, upper middle-class neighborhood within walking distance of Taylor's home, as well as the school.
There was only a two-stall garage, so Parker's car would be subject to the elements because Ken and Sally's vehicle was already parked in the second slot.
"It's so good to have you here!" Ellie hugged them both as they stepped into the foyer. "You're going to give Dan a real boost. He's adjusting well already, but he hasn't stopped talking about you guys since he knew you were coming."
"We're glad to be here. We got attached to Tay and him last spring, and our affection for them has only increased with the text messages we've exchanged."
"Let me take your coats, and I'll show you where you're sleeping." Ellie said as she pulled hangers out of the coat closet. "The rest should be home soon. Grandpa took Sally and Ken to the opening of a new wine shop that he's been dying to check out. I'm sure he'll find something good to go with every meal. The boys are at Taylor's house, and will be here within the hour. We weren't expecting that you'd make as good time as you did."
"Don't worry about that. It will give us time to visit with you and explore your new place."
After putting their bags in the basement bedroom, the guys got the tour.
"As you can see, it's all smaller than what we're used to, but it's quite practical for our current needs. I've had it all repainted, and we've redone the floors with new carpet, and some hardwood. I had the realtor over to see it, and she thinks we could list it for half again what we paid, and have people fighting for first dibs."
"It looks remarkable!" Adam exclaimed. "Did you do all of the decorating yourself?"
"Most of it. I did use the services of a decorator in a few places. He had sources, like Parker's dad does, that carry items not found in department stores."
"Tell me about the foyer," Parker said. "That painting sets the tone for the whole house!"
"Come, let's have a better look at it," Ellie offered. "There's a neat story behind it."
"This is a pastel by an up-and-coming area artist who goes by the single name, Joshua. He's the son of our local lawyer. We originally went on line to look at his things as a courtesy to the man who helped us get complete custody of Dan. But, when we saw the quality of his work, we had to purchase something. This was definitely not an `obligation' buy."
"It's certainly a fine piece," Parker agreed. "I love the subject of boys camping by a lake, and the colors work perfectly with everything in the room."
"Thanks. I did spend time with the decorator finding just the right area rug to complement it. He also supplied the other items that tie in. If you like it a lot, I'll buy one of his paintings to hang in the house you're restoring."
"We'd love a painting like this!" Parker exclaimed.
"If you send us a photograph of the wall where it would hang, I'm sure that Joshua would appreciate it so he can offer something of the right scale to work there. We did that with him, before he sent several photos of things he had in his studio which would work well in this space. We think it's perfect!"
It was, indeed, a perfect picture for the spot. It was a Minnesota landscape with woods in the background, and a lakeshore in the foreground. The focal point was a couple of teens cooking over a campfire. They were clad only in swimwear, which showed off their developing bodies but the effect wasn't overly erotic. They were simply part of the beauty of creation.
The vibrant spring colors coordinated beautifully with the rest of the foyer.
As Ellie showed them what she'd done with the rest of the house, they caught up on a number of things, mostly how well Dan was doing in school and what Ralph's fate would likely be. Parker was a bit disappointed that his uncle might get off with probation because he was a respectable businessman and didn't have a prior criminal record. He might, however, be placed on the sex-offender list for 10 years because of the nude photos he'd taken of the boys.
"I'm still horrified that my own son would treat his son with such cruelty!" Ellie shook her head. "It's inexcusable!"
"I agree," Parker nodded. "Is there any new family gossip?"
"Yes. Your Aunt Jennifer is divorcing Ralph. She thinks his religious notions of `spare the rod and spoil the child' were too extreme. It's ironic, seeing that it was she who got him involved in her weird church in the first place. Besides, she stood there and watched it happen without intervening.
"We wondered if she thought she could get Dan back by kicking Ralph out, but it's way too late for that. The law views her as an accomplice.
"Oh, there's another sad note that I learned yesterday, or maybe it's a blessing in disguise. She had a miscarriage, so you won't be having a baby cousin. The poor little thing had several abnormalities, and wouldn't have had a very pleasant life, had she lived.
"I have a bit of good news too, but it's not mine to tell."
Dan and Taylor burst through the kitchen door with the exuberance only young teen males seem to possess. They hugged Parker and Adam tightly even before removing their coats.
"Dan, my man, you're taller than you were when I last saw you," Parker noted, as he held his cousin at arm's length.
"And happier!" Dan added. "This is turning into the best year of my life! Living with Gram and Gramps is awesome!"
"I know that from experience," Parker agreed.
"I can empathize, too," Adam smiled. "This family had the same effect on me last fall."
Edgar, Sally, and Ken arrived next, and the house became livelier as it filled with more conversations.
More hugs and greetings were exchanged, interrupted by the buzz of the timer which signaled that dinner was nearly ready.
"Before we sit down, I must tell everyone the good news," Sally smiled.
"We're expecting," Ken and she announced in chorus.
"After trying for three years, we decided to adopt," Ken continued. "Then, suddenly, Sally began to have digestion problems. She was ready to see a specialist, but our family doctor had one more test to perform. It was quick and easy and the outcome was wonderful!"
"Do you know if it's a boy or girl?" Adam asked.
"It's too early to be sure, but we think it's a boy. Either way, we're thrilled!"
Sally was the only one who didn't have at least a sip of red wine to go with the prime rib, but she didn't complain. She would have given up wine for the rest of her life if necessary to have a healthy child.
The meal Ellie served was fit for royalty. She was an excellent cook, and all had been perfectly done, and beautifully presented.
They sat in the living room for a while after the kitchen had been put back in order. Parker again commented on how nice the condo looked. Edgar moaned that it had taken several grand to save it from the dreadful state it was in when they bought it. However, he admitted that they'd found a few antiques and collectibles among the things that had been left, and had recouped over half of what they'd spent by selling them on e-Bay. He might be rich, but that was no reason to miss an opportunity to make a few dollars.
"We kept a little antique chair for your house if you want it. We'll have it redone to fit in, if it's to your taste. It's in the storage area by the furnace." Edgar mentioned. "You should look it over while you're here."
The teens retreated to the basement family room after a bit. There was a large TV with a new game console hooked to it. Dan and Taylor beat the older teens in the first couple of games. Obviously, they had more leisure time to perfect their skills than serious college students did.
"I got kinda addicted to this for the first week I was here," Dan admitted. "I played constantly when I was alone, so I wouldn't have time to think."
"I remember immersing myself in work, school, and swimming last year, probably for the same reason, though I wasn't mistreated physically," Adam said.
"Yeah, getting a beating was more traumatic than I had imagined. Remember how I made a comment that listening to my father rant about religion was as bad as being whipped? I was wrong! Hearing him preach at me while I was getting the belt was more than twice as bad."
"That had to be awful, but it's behind you now. He can't do that ever again!" Parker assured him.
"He's not allowed any contact with me, or he'll violate the terms of his probation. I know that judge wouldn't hesitate to put him away. Our lawyer said he's a hard-ass.
"If my former father ever tries to hurt me again, I'll be ready. Grandpa enrolled me in a Karate class, and I'm making progress in defending myself. Tay's taking it too."
"Yup, I am. My dad insisted that I should learn some moves in case I need them. He thinks all gay kids should to be able to take care of themselves against bullies, whether it's misguided parents or haters at school.
"Actually, most of the kids at school are cool with LGBT people. It's often the parent-generation who has problems."
"It's sad we have to live in that kind of world, but it's sometimes true," Adam agreed. "Maybe it will get better in the future, when WE become the parent-generation."
The older teens were touched that Dan had given up his queen-sized bed for them. They were concerned about where Dan and Taylor would sleep. The younger boys said that the two couches in the family room became two single beds when the bolsters were removed, so there wasn't a bar across to kill their backs like in the usual pullout mechanisms.
"We can also put them together and make them up like one big bed," Dan grinned. "We're skinny enough that we won't be deprived of room as long as we snuggle together. If we want to, we can always stay at Taylor's house. It's like I have a whole other family a couple of blocks away."
When it was closer to bedtime, Adam and Parker helped with making up the bed. Dan told them that Grandma never came down unannounced, so they could sleep nude since that was their custom. Having spent all that time on the beach in Florida together, no one was self-conscious about being naked.
By 10:30 all were settled down, ready to have a good night's sleep.
The holiday meal that Ellie and Sally worked on together was bountiful and delicious. The turkey was done to a turn, but not dried out. They had tried the method of turning it upside down in the roaster to keep the breast meat moist without having to baste it frequently. As a result, the skin on the breast wasn't crisp, but that on the back was. The boys pulled it off to snack on while the bird was resting before being carved.
When Dan volunteered to offer thanks before they ate, the rest thought it uncharacteristic of the teen who had appeared almost anti-religious at times. However, when he thanked God for friends and loving relatives, as well as the food, everyone knew where he was coming from. His words might not have been as eloquent as those of a cleric, but they were from the heart. More than one tear was brushed away before they began to pass the dishes of food.
After the table had been cleared and leftovers seen to, Dan went home with Taylor for the rest of the afternoon and night. Dan's family understood that the two of them needed to be inseparable for the time being, at least. Despite his composed outward appearance, Dan was still somewhat insecure inside.
Being home with his family wasn't Tay's only motive for inviting his boyfriend to sleep over. Having Dan in his room with a lock on the door would allow them to do things that they might feel more inhibited about in the basement family room at Dan's. One might not expect them to be shy about the possibility of being caught in an intimate situation, after having messed around in the surf on a public beach, but the more their relationship grew, the more they wanted to express their love in private. They were beyond the thrill of simply getting off together.
On Friday, Dan expressed his desire to visit Lundy House where he had nearly been placed before Todd Cornell intervened. Having been on the verge of homelessness, Dan's empathy with gay teens in that predicament had grown exponentially. Not only had he made a small donation from his allowance, but, by doing so, he'd set an example for his grandparents to do something on a grander scale.
Parker agreed to be their chauffeur, so the four teens went to the central part of St. Paul, arriving a little after 10:30. Having called ahead, they were given a reserved parking space in the garage connected to the former Morrison Hotel, and were met at the front desk by a handsome young man who identified himself as Reese Payne.
"You're the guy who would have been my housefather if I'd have ended up here, right?"
"Yes, that would be me. My husband, Cameron, and I kind of split the job so we can have other private clients as well."
"You're doing something like I've considered for my career," Parker told him."
"I'm intrigued by the idea too," Adam added.
The three of them got into a short discussion about working with gay teens, and would have continued it, but realized they were probably boring Dan and Taylor, and their purpose that day was to have the tour.
The guys were all impressed by the ambitious scale of the operation. They learned that the facility housed all sorts of people who might otherwise be on the street. Dan had originally thought the building was devoted solely to young LGBT people, instead of just two and a half floors, and had wondered how there would be enough people to fill the large space.
When they were shown the "free-store" which had lots of decent clothing, Dan remarked that he had a jacket just like one that was on a rack.
"I've nearly outgrown it; I could donate it when I do, if you'd like it. It's in perfect shape."
"We're thrilled to get high-end articles like that. We'll accept about anything, but we have a couple of ladies who go through everything to make sure it's clean and serviceable. We don't want our clients to have to wear something we'd be embarrassed to be seen in," Reese said.
"That's a great attitude!" Adam nodded. "I'm going to go through my closet and see what I could bring next time we come. I'll talk to the rest of the guys in the house to encourage them to donate too."
"Are you in a frat?"
"No, I inherited the house, and there are six of us living there right now, three couples."
"A conclave of gays?"
"Something like that. Parker and I invited my brother and his boyfriend, and we're sorta adopted the other two."
"That's cool. It sounds a lot like a family I know in this area."
As it grew close to lunchtime, the guys said they should be heading out to eat, but Reese invited them to join everyone for the large group meal that would be served in the dining room.
"It's not the usual soup-kitchen fare. It may not be gourmet, it is fresh, nutritious, and it's what a number of inner city people depend on to stay well. It's all free, to boot."
"We don't want to take anything away from the hungry," Parker insisted.
"There will be plenty, but you're welcome to make a small donation if you like. There is a big box with a slit in the top near the serving line for that purpose. Several of our regulars drop in a portion of what they have to help keep the program going for themselves, and others who have less."
"We'll definitely donate then!" Adam exclaimed.
Parker and Adam each dropped in two $20 bills to cover the four of them. It was several times the amount it cost to provide their meals, but they felt that was fair.
On entering the dining room, Parker spotted a huge painting of an angel dominating one wall. Even before he got close enough to read the artist's name, he knew it was a genuine Joshua. What a perfect work of art for this setting.
Author's notes: Thanks to Ott H, Jim W, Craig S, Bill T, Douglas and Lawrence, Tony C, Steve C, Jeff M, Randy McM, Walt Sz, Joe W, Mendy D, Jeremy R, Bill K, Avid R, Tom A, Paul F, Paul R, Skip M, Frank K, John L, Zero M, Al B, Wayne, and Chandra B who emailed this past week.
Thanks to Nifty for providing this site. Please remember it in your will!
There are some things on YouTube I'd like to share.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWht6Omu-iM&feature=youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UFLdvp3ISg
I think you'll enjoy them.
David