This is a work of pure fiction, based on the author's feelings, beliefs, and in some cases, experience. There may be graphic sexual encounters at times between men, so if this offends you, you are invited to retreat. If you are too young or it is otherwise illegal for you to be reading this kind if story, shame on you for reading it - - please stop here. If not, - - ENJOY!
Cast of Characters:
Cole Alexander Stephanson IV -- Our hero
Jazz -- (Jack Zachary) Coles oldest brother
Diane -- Jazz's wife
Rod -- Coles middle brother
Igor (Iggy) -- Cole's Tutoring Pupil
Cole Alexander Stephanson III -- Coles Dad
Ethyl Stephanson -- Cole's mom
Rex Remlin-- Rod's best friend
Gus Hartwin -- Cole's Boyfriend
Michelle -- Cole's old girlfriend.
Dexter -- Iggy's boyfriend
Ed -- Paramedic
Manolo -- Paramedic
Steve -- Manolo's boyfriend
Randy -- Found Boy
Curtis -- Found boy's brother
Kian Willis -- Friend in Vancouver
Nicolas Poole -- Friend in Vancouver
Howard Poole -- Nicolas's Father
Christian -- the pool guy
Boyd -- the pilot
Spike -- Cop and former classmate
From Chapter 27
"Mom," I started. I gasped for air, as I took a sobbing breath. "Oh, Mom, How can I say all I feel? You have been the best mother in the world. I know that your youngest -- before the twins -- has given you a lot of challenges, disappointments and problems. I hope that you have been as happy in the end as you seemed to be lately. Thank you so much for accepting my way of life into your own. I know that must not have been easy, but your love superseded everything, Mom. I love you so much."
I gave her a long hug, crying and almost climbing on top of her. When I left her embrace, it almost seemed she clung to me a little.
After me were Gus and then Randy. Randy sobbed the most. He couldn't talk, but his emotions were enough. Then it was Dad's turn.
Chapter 28
"My dear Eppie., Dad started, "I was supposed to die first, you know!" He chuckled. "Well, we never really discussed the possibility of one of us going this early. You have given me more love than most men get in a life time with their wives. So I can't complain. Your love will be the only thing that will keep me -- keep US -- going for awhile. I know that each of us will deepen our love for one another, as we feel your presence with us." I know Dad said that for our benefit.
"Ep, I hope that I never gave you any reason to doubt my love for you. I feel it most clearly now than ever. And, my darling,- - it hurts! Oh my darling, Can you hear me?" He cried. "Do you even know who I am?"
"Of course I do! You're my husband!" she responded. Dad jumped up. So did the rest of us. We rushed to the bed. "You look tired." She said to my dad, looking at him through weak eyes. I ran out to the nurse's desk.
Within five minutes three nurses were there, and two doctors. We were carrying on a lively conversation with Mom. We didn't want her to go back to sleep! She had heard everything we had said. She said she wasn't ready to go. She talked to someone -- she said it was a relative, or an angel or something, she couldn't remember which. She said she was told that they were ready to receive her and teach her about the new place she was in. She begged to come back. That's all she knew when she heard us talking to her.
"Sorry, folks," the Doctor said, "but she needs to sleep. I know you are afraid to let her go back to sleep, but somehow here vitals all check out normal. Some miracle has brought her back. We see this happen occasionally. There is no medical explanation -- except that it seems God was not ready to take her."
"Or I wasn't ready to go!" Mom said weakly.
We all said goodbye to her and went straight down to the nursery. They had our boys right at the front next to the window. They looked so tiny compared to the other babies! But everything looked perfect. "They look just like you looked, Cole. Like little clones!" Dad said "Only maybe even cuter! Why is it that each child seems to get cuter?"
"HRMPH!" said my brothers in unison. We all laughed.
"You and Mom need to think of some names." Gus said.
"Huh?" Dad was in another world, staring at those two little angels. "Oh, yeah, I suppose. No hurry. We have up to two weeks. You know what I think we should do?"
"What's that?" I asked.
"I think that we should all go down and give a pint of blood. They gave your mom quite a few of them. Hopefully ours will go to save someone else's life."
We all agreed. "Can I do it too?" Randy asked. "I'll be sixteen at the end of the summer."
"Dunno." Dad said. "We'll ask."
We asked the volunteer where to go. She sent us to the lab. "We would like to give 6 pints of blood."
"I'm Tom". He looked directly at Randy and said in his best Dracula accent, "Ve'd luf to tek you blood! Blah!" We all laughed. "Ages?" Tom asked.
"Age is a concern?" Dad asked.
"The donor must be at least 17."
"I'll be 16 at the end of summer!"
"Sorry, the only way that we can do that is if it is for a relative."
"Randy's mother just received several pints."
"Oh! Well, maybe we can put it toward her account. What's her name?"
"Ethyl Stephanson". Dad answered.
"Oh yeah, that was just this afternoon. He has to be at least 15 to even do this."
"I said, I'll be 16 the end of summer!" Randy said again.
"I'm sorry, but you look - - so young."
Randy looked like he had been slapped. But then he came back with, "But it doesn't count what I look like! Can I be first?"
Tom gave an apologetic look at my dad, and then invited Randy to lie on a table. "Don't worry, Randy. I looked like I was 12 until I was about 22!" He prepped him and got ready to put this huge needle in his arm inside his elbow. Randy panicked a moment then closed his eyes in a grimace.
"There! Perfect!" Said Tom. Randy squinted open and peeked at his arm. The needle was in and blood was flowing into a jar.
"Wow! I didn't even feel it! Well, maybe like a little pinch. That's cool!" Randy said, as he watched the bottle fill with the dark red substance.
"Okay, that's all for you." Said Tom. Randy started to get up. "Oh no! Don't get up for a few minutes. Just relax while I suck up the rest of your family's blood! Blah!" Randy giggled.
"Who's next?" asked Tom. I noticed Gus hanging back in another part of the lab waiting room. Dad was next to give blood, and I went to Gus.
"What's up, Gus?" I said quietly.
"I hate needles."
"You don't have to do it, Sweetie."
"I nearly passed out when I had to go for the STD testing. Shit! I nearly passed out when I saw Randy's bottle fill up!"
"You DON'T have to do it!" I said it emphatically, but not loud.
"I want to. Maybe you can hold my -- NO! I'm gonna do this!" His eyes filled with tears. "Damn!" He laughed thru his tears. "I hate being a wimp!"
"You're no wimp! Everyone has some kind of phobia. LOTS of people have THIS one! If you wanna do it, just close your eyes -- like Randy did at first -- or look the other way."
"Okay! Who's next?" Said Tom.
"ME!" Gus retorted. I know he didn't want to watch everyone else first. He went to another table and laid down, and bared his left arm. Tom went to him, and Gus looked to the right -- directly at me. I smiled and winked at him. He smiles back, but his lip was quivering. He grimaced when the needle went in, but then he relaxed. As he lay there, his eyes closed, and he looked completely relaxed.
"Done!" Said Tom. Gus opened his eyes, then shook his head. He had fallen asleep. He tried to get up, but before Tom could stop him, he was flat on his face on the floor. We all rushed to pick him up.
"No!" Tom said. "Better if he stays there a moment until the blood pressure gets back up in his head."
"That was stupid!" Gus said to the floor. He sat up. Tom offered him his hand.
"Get up slowly, Gus." He warned. He helped Gus lay back down on the table.
Dad took us all out to dinner. I could tell that Gus wanted to say something. I asked him after dinner. "I don't quite know. I guess it just feels so good to feel like I'm part of this family. Even Jazz -- I thought he hated me at first -- seems to accept me as a brother."
"Jazzy's okay. Sometimes he comes off as judgmental, and I suppose he is, but his heart's in the right place."
After dinner we went back to see if Mom was awake. When we came in to the room, she had both the boys in with her. They were trying to nurse, one on each tit. She said they weren't getting much, but the nurse said that was not unusual for a small baby. On the bedside table there was a book of names for boys.
Both Jazz and Rod needed to get back to their families, so that left Dad, Randy, Gus and I. "Why don't you take Randy home, Cole." She said to my dad. "He has school in the morning. And I want to talk to these other two a minute after you go."
"Oh! Okay." Dad said, and winked at her.
When we were alone with Mom, she picked up the book. "I want -- WE want -- you two to help us name the twins."
"Oh!" I said. "Why us?"
"I know that Jazz meant well, when he `offered' to take them. But you were the only two who almost insisted that you and your dad could do it. That's what I wanted. But I couldn't tell you."
"Yeah you were out cold, Weren't you?" Gus said.
"My body might have been, Gus. But my spirit left my body just as yours did, Cole. As I said, I couldn't tell who it was -- or most probably can't remember now. It's strange. I was dealing with the man on the other side, and yet I heard everything that you guys were saying. I trusted him, for whatever reason. I begged to come back. He seemed to -- OH! Now I remember. No, not who he was, but - - he seemed to somehow communicate my plea with someone and almost immediately I was answering your dad's question."
"That's pretty heavy, Mom." Exclaimed Gus. "I guess I have no excuse about not believing in life after death. Both of the people I love the most have been there and told me about it."
"Anyway, both your father and I want you two to pick the names."
"Omigosh!" I exclaimed. "How can we do that?"
"Same as anyone else. But there will be some rules. No obviously twin names -- like Jimmie and Jamie or even William and Harry! We want them to have completely separate identities. If they are close and want to link their identities in their own ways, that's okay, but we will not be doing it for them."
"And we have to choose names before they leave the hospital, right?"
"That's right. Make it a week, just in case. Oh! And your dad and I get veto power!"
"Of course!" I said.
We kissed Mom goodbye and when we were in the car, "I'm glad we're not going to school at the moment. I don't think I could think of anything else!" I said.
"I know!"
"Let's each think of one name!" I said.
"Okay."
We were both pretty quiet all evening. Well, until we went to bed! Then things started to pick up for me, at least. I think I dreamed all night. I dreamed mom died. I dreamed we both died and were talking to an angel. The angel said that the twins were a gift. I understood it to mean a gift to Gus and me. I think Mom understood the same thing. She smiled and seemed to speak without moving her mouth: "That's why I wanted you to name them."
"Remember, it is I who will name them." said the Angel. He started to leave and I called after him.
"What are the names?"
"You will know." Was all he said. And he was right. I did know. But I couldn't say it in my dream, and couldn't remember it when I woke up. I was so frustrated, I went to the roof of the house to think. Then I realized - - I was still dreaming.
I looked up and the angel was there, only far, far away. I arose and lifted off from the roof. I started to fly as fast as I knew how, but was not getting any closer. Then a little voice inside me whispered, don't fly. Just be. I understood this to be the angel. I thought about what he said. I wished I was with him. And I was there! He smiled.
"I knew the name, and then I didn't." I said.
"It's so easy." He smiled bigger. It's - "
I stared at the unlit light fixture in the middle of my room. I had woke up for real this time. I tried to remember the name. I felt frustrated, but fell back asleep. I dreamed that I couldn't dream. I tried to make myself dream, so maybe I could see the angel again. I had known in past many times that I was in a dream. But this time I knew I was NOT in a dream, but wanted to be! I moaned. I heard Gus moan in return. He must have been struggling too.
When we woke up, I was telling Gus about my frustrating dream. "Dude! I hardly ever dream!" Gus said. "But I dreamed last night. In my dream, you came to me from the sky. You told me your name."
"Cole?" I asked, clueless.
"No, silly! The name you chose for the baby."
"HRMPH! I wish I could remember it!"
"Is it Marcus?"
"Fuck me!" I exclaimed.
"Cole!!!" Gus said. "It was just a dream!"
"NOOO! Sorry, but -- geez -- That was the name!"
"Marcus - - really?"
"YES! The angel told me I'd know, and that was the name. And you say, I told it to you?"
"Yeah, but -- heh -- not exactly in a dream."
"Huh?"
"I woke up and you were moaning. But I could hear Marcus very distinctively."
"Oh." I was disappointed, actually. "Well, anyway, that was the name."
"Don't you want to hear mine?" He said.
"Just like that? You don't dream, but you just come up with it from the top of your head?"
"Who told you I didn't dream it? I had just found out in my dream when I heard you moaning."
"Okay -- well?"
"It's not very original, I'm afraid. But it means the world to me."
"What is it?"
"You're gonna laugh."
"No I'm not! I wouldn't do that to you. What is it."
"I don't know."
"What? First you know and then you don't?"
"No. I know. But I'm not sure it's the name I want -- er -- I want it, but I think its just -- well, too - "
"Just tell me, Dude!" I said exasperated.
"Alexander."
"That's -- that's -- my name -- my middle name."
He turned away. "I knew you wouldn't like it."
"No! That's not true. I have always loved my middle name. For a time, in 7thy grade, I tried to get people to call me it! I didn't like Cole. It was nobody else's name. I LOVE Alexander."
"Then your gonna hate what I say next."
"I promise I won't."
"I wanna call him Lex."
"THAT'S exactly what I tried to get the kids to call me! It's perfect!" I attacked him. I kissed him and noogied him and tickled him. He attacked back in a different way. He pinned me and started grinding with his groin.
It was the middle of the night, so we "finished" pretty quietly, and went to sleep wet, sticky, in each others arms.
I heard Dad get Randy up for school. Randy was not an early riser. Mom had to always trick him and bribe him. Dad wasn't so patient.
"Not FAIR! THEY don't have to get up!" I heard Randy complain.
I had to pee anyway, so I threw on my sleep shorts and went across the hall. "Oh! Morning squirt!" I said as I looked into Randy's room, him scowling up at my dad.
"You're up!?" he said accusingly."
"Yeah -- so - -? It's time to get up."
"Where's Gus?" He asked. Still challenging.
"Getting dressed." I lied, straight-faced. I stared him down. "Which is what I have to do now!"
I met Dad and Randy in the kitchen. Randy was all cleaned up and ready for school. "Where's Gus?" He asked as we started to eat.
"In bed." I said.
"You said he was getting dressed!" He accused.
"I lied." I said matter-of-factly. Randy scowled. Dad laughed.
"Cole, take me to school!" He said. "Pleeeeeease?"
"Naw! Takes too much gas in my monster. Besides the bus comes right to the corner."
"AWWW! No fair. You get to stay home and I hafta go to school."
"Well, it's not as if I'll be doing nothing here at home!"
"What're you gonna do?"
"Well, first thing is -- I have some serious sleep to catch up on!" My dad was stifling a laugh so much he almost threw up his coffee thru his nose!
"Not fair!"
Yup, Randy has become a regular member of the family. "Life's not always fair, Randy." Dad said. But when Cole and Gus were your age, they had to get up early too."
"And some days, at UCLA, we STILL get up early. But not all days. We tried to plan out classes so none were before 10:00. But that's not always possible. We have one class -- together -- two days a week -- we have to be there at 8:00 AM. And I have a chem. Lab that lasts until 5:30!" Randy started to say something but I cut him off. "and then most nights I am studying until midnight -- at least! Don't tell ME about `fair'! I wrote the book!"
"Still," he said pouting, "Today I'm the only one who has to go early."
"I have to go early too, Randy." Dad said. "Matter of fact -- I'll take you to school, if you can get your teeth brushed and your hair combed in five minutes."
"Cool!" Randy hollered as he ran down the hall.
"We have the names." I told Dad.
"Oh! Wow! So soon?" He said. "What are they?"
"I think I want to wait to tell you and Mom together."
"Okay. Don't forget, you need middle names too."
" `Course!" I said as if I had actually given it some thought.
Dad smiled knowingly and said, "C'mon Randy, your bus is leaving!"
Randy ran out and he and dad left. I locked the door behind them and went to our bedroom, savoring some more sleep. As I turned into the door from the hall, I almost ran into Gus -- standing spread eagle, his hands on his naked hips. "Alone at last!" He said. "Oooo! You stink! I think we better get you into the shower ASAP!
We played and loved for the next hour or so, and THEN went back to bed. Oops! I mean back to sleep! We woke up and the sun was no longer coming in the window. I looked and it was 10:05 AM. Gus was still sleeping, so I lay there for another 25 minutes, when I heard the chimes in the living room clock.
"Is that 8:30, Babe?" Gus said as he yawned.
"In your dreams!" I said. "Try 10:30. Dad says we need middle names too."
"I know!"
"You know? You know what?"
"I know we need middle names."
"Oh!? And what is yours?"
"The Great."
"What?" I asked.
"The Great. Alexander the Great!"
"Can you do that?" I asked astounded.
"Duh! We could call him Colonel Klink if we wanted to. Doubt your folks would go for that though. What is Marcus's middle name?"
"Well, I didn't know until a moment ago."
"What is it?"
"Well, your name inspired it, actually."
"Always happy to help! What is it?"
"Aurelius."
"What - - oh cool! Alexander the Great and Marcus Aurelius. Two of the greatest emperors of all time!"
"Now where did a jock like you learn about Greek and Roman history?" I joked.
"Same place you did! In the dictionary of hot gay studs!"
"Actually I learned it in my Western Civilization, two years ago at Cerritos."
"Oh that's right, While I was studying the history of hot Greeks, you were studying GEEK history!"
"You are SO dead!" I said and I attacked him again. Somehow that lead to another shower!
"So," Mom started, "What are these little boys going to be called?" We made her wait until Dad was there.
"Marcus Aurelius - " I said.
" - and Alexander the Great." Said Gus.
"Wow! That's a lot to live up to!" exclaimed my dad.
"Well, when they're young, we can call then Marc and Lex." I said, triumphantly.
"We'll take it under advisement." Dad said.
"You SAID we could name them!" I cried.
"We also said we have veto power. We may want to name them Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum!"
"Nope! Mom said no `twins' names!"
"I like Lex and Marc." Mom inserted.
"Well, that's all I need!" averred Dad. "Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum it is!"
"Seriously, I hope it doesn't make Jazz and Roddy feel bad that we got to name the twins." I said.
"They had their turns."
"What?" I was confused.
"Jazz helped us name Rod -- when he was 6. Rod helped name you -- when he was 3"
"Yeah, like you let them really have any say in the names! You mean you let them THINK they were part of the process - - right? A 6-year-old and 3-year-old can't - "
"You'd be surprised. It was actually Roddy who thought you should be named after his favorite person." Mom said.
"Favorite MALE person." Dad said. "His favorite was Mommy. But she's right. We weren't going to name any of our kids after us -- or anyone else in the family. But Roddy, and then a few others looked at you and said, `This one's a little Cole'. So that's how you got your name."
"I heard that story before, but not that Rod had anything to do with it. Cool!"
"When do you get to come home?" Gus asked.
"I'm in no hurry! I don't really want to until the babies can come with me. Why, do you miss me?"
I giggled a little and Gus nearly choked! "Of course we do!" He coughed out. "Sorry choked on something."
"Well, I'll be back soon enough! And I'll expect some help with these little boys!" We both beamed our approval.
"You'll be lucky if you get to hold them any more than just to nurse them!" Gus joked.
My cell phone buzzed. I looked and it was Chris from Vancouver. Cell phones were not allowed in the hospital, so I went outside and called him back.
"Dude! When are you comin' back, eh?"
"Well, I think sometime before the fall semester."
"I have met with Boyd twice so far. He is soo kewl!"
"Oh?"
"Yup. He and I are kind of learning together about this stuff. I told him maybe we could do some kind of 4-some or something, like we did your last night here."
"Hey! I just noticed! No stuttering! Cool!"
"Yeah, I been goin' to the cemetery like you said, and also looking forward to when I see Boyd. It's been great. I really want to do it with you guys, though."
"Chris. We will be coming, but we have decided, no more of that 3-some/4-some stuff for us."
"Awwww! We were really hoping - "
"We had a scare a few weeks back and we can't justify that any more. Maybe Kian and Nick - "
"Not a chance. Kian would, but Nick says no way. Personally after that last night with you, I think he MIGHT do it with you guys."
"So you've seen Nick and Kian?"
"Oh yeah. They like to talk to me. No one else to talk to."
"How about Boyd? Can't they talk to him?
"Nooo! He doesn't want them to know yet. He's kinda paranoid how Nick's dad would take it. But if I can arrange a 4-some, he says he might come out to them at that time."
"Well, anyway, we just had to make a decision to be exclusive. And I think we both feel more love for and from each other when we do this. You will understand when you are in love someday."
"I feel in love already." He purred.
"I know. Sex can make you feel that way. But please be careful, Dude. We learned a lot through this scare we had."
"Really? What happened?"
"Tell you about it when we come up there! Hey! I have two twin baby brothers as of just the other day!"
"Really? Cool!"
"Yeah. Well, as I said, be careful. Oh! So -- -- Boyd has decided he likes guy sex the best now? You said you thought you were in love. I got that Boyd was bi. Do you think he feels that attracted to you too?"
"I -- uh -- dunno. I just know I really like him."
"Well, don't set yourself up for a crashing fall, Chris. Really. This is your first romance -- of sorts. Though, two dates can't really be called a romance."
"Yeah, I know. I guess I'm dreaming. Nothing that good could ever happen to me."
"SHUT -- UP! Listen I gotta go dude. I'm glad you called. I'm excited to get back up there to see you guys now."
"Good! And maybe you'll change your mind by then."
"No, we're coming!"
"I meant about the 4-some! Or make that 6-way!"
"Don't get your hopes up, Christian. I really -- we just -- it's not even an issue with us any more. See yah! Love yah!"
"Bye."
"Who was that?" Gus asked, appearing behind me.
"Chris -- up in Vancouver. He's a happy boy!"
"Oh! Been playing with Nick and Kian?" He giggled.
"No! Boyd!"
"Boyd?" he looked confused. "Oh! BOYD! The pilot! Wow! They hit it off then, huh?"
"I guess. At least Chris thinks so."
"Whaddaya mean?"
"They've only had two dates."
"Oh. Any sex yet?"
"Yup! He was really pressing me for a party like we had the night before we left. I told him no way."
"Really? How come?"
"Gus! You're kidding! After our scare and you -- what the - "
"I -- well, it's not as if -- I mean -- we don't have to touch anyone else! It was so hot doing it in the same room and at the same time as the other guys were doing it!"
"Yeah, it was. And we got so carried away, we let Chris join us."
"No. YOU let him. He was sucking YOU, not me." He smirked.
"Yeah, and if it was you, you woulda stopped him! Righhht!"
"I just think if we set the rules in the beginning, it could work."
"Dang, Dude!"
"What?!! You really don't think it would be fun - - and hot?"
"No. That's just it. I know you're right. But - - I told him no way! I feel now like I'm so wishy-washy!"
"Haha! You'll get over it!"
"We don't have to decide now!" I pouted.
"Nope! We don't" he smiled, looked around and kissed me.
Notes: Well, anyone else relieved? I soooo didn't wanna lose Cole's mom! So, if you want, I love your letters! Stevethomas535@hotmail.com.
Thanks and love, Steve