Colin and Jake have just finished loving each other in the ultimate physical way that two men can. Colin was so needful, and Jake was hesitant to introduce him to it when he was so vulnerable, but Colin begged, and so he could not deny Colin, the love of his life. But as you can imagine, everything has consequences.
Your camments will be very much apprecialted. Please write "Colin" or "Colin's Story" in the subject line. thanks! Love to you all! Steve.
s4d@hotmail.com
Chapter 27
Jake and I got up and took a shower together, with all the fun that goes with that. We felt so united. More than we ever had before. We were still pretty exhausted from our emotional and physical high, so we went back and took a nap until we could hear a car come in the driveway. I popped out of bed and looked down to see Etta's car stop in her place in the carport. I watched as she walked from the car to the back door. She started to look up, and I quickly hid behind the sheer curtain. I could still see her. I don't think she saw me, but still - she had a kind of knowing look on her face. She ALWAYS has a knowing look on her face! And it seems like she always knows! Creepy!
We got up, made ourselves presentable, and headed out the door for the stairs. As I glided past the wastebasket, My eye caught something red. I looked down and there were those red boxers with black polka dots. I picked them out, and held them up.
"What are you doing?!" Jake said.
"I could ask the same question. Why were you throwing these away."
"Dude! They're thrashed! There's holes in the crotch!"
"I don't see any holes in the crotch!"
"Get it outa your nose and maybe you could!" he laughed
"Jakey, did you know that these mean a lot to me?"
"Well, yeah, I know they used to."
"They still do!"
"Good God! Are you going to keep everything that ever meant anything to you?"
"Maybe! Some things just have a sentimental attachment for me."
"I'll build an extra garage just to keep all your semi-mental crap!" I gave him "the look!
"S' okay, s' okay," he said, "I love you anyway!"
I took one last sniff of the offending boxers, and walked over to the bed and stuck them under my pillow. Jake gave me a disgusted look. I said, "For when you come to bed late and I need something to keep my OTHER hand occupied!"
Jake shook his head, "Omigod!". He walked out and down the stairs. When I arrived downstairs, Jake was sitting next to Carrie, who obviously just arrived, talking about something low.
I moved into the kitchen, and over to Etta, who was mincing some garlic. "MMmmm! Smells great! What's cookin'?"
"That goina be soo-prize, Baybee!"
"I can hardly wait!"
"He goina come roun'!"
"What?"
"You daddy! He goina come roun' you know."
"Etta, how did you ..?"
"Etta sees things, Baybee. Etta know things."
"I hope Etta is right!"
"Etta usually right, Baybee!"
I shook my head and went into the family room.
"Colin," Carrie said, "Jakey told me about the letter. I'm so sorry!"
I looked at Jake. Is nothing sacred in this family?
Shaking my head, "Is that ALL he told you?"
"Is there more to tell?" her eyes narrowed. "What?" she said.
"Nothing important. But "it goina be aw-rite"! Etta said so.
"If Etta said so," said Carrie.
"then it will be!" Said Jake
"I'm beginning to believe that."
While we were talking, both of the senior Smiths came through the door.
"You all look so pensive," Mrs. Smith said, "What's going on?"
"Colin got a letter from his mom," said Carrie
"Show it to them," said Jake.
I looked at both siblings somewhat exasperated, shook my head and then handed the letter to Mrs. Smith. She read it and her eyes got big. She had tears in her eyes by the time she finished. She then handed it to Mr. Smith. He scanned it, and then looked up.
"Would you like me to talk to him, Colin?"
"Oh, God no! Anyway, Etta says he will come around."
"Maybe Etta knows my dad would talk to him," said Carrie.
"No. Please no. Just - please let it be for now, K?"
"Anything you wish, Dear." Said Mrs. Smith.
"I have some - er - news." Said Mr. Smith.
Carrie, Jake and I in unison: "What?"
Mr. Smith looked over at his wife and smiled slightly. "We have decided to do some renovation upstairs. You boys will have to relocate for awhile."
"What?!" we both said at once. We loved our rooms. The huge bedroom, the workout room and the great bathroom! How could that be improved upon?
"Dad, We -"
"Just wait a moment, Jake. We are not going to exactly throw you out in the street." Again he smiled at his wife.
"Then what?" Jake asked incredulously.
"Calm down, Jake," said his mom, "and let your dad finish."
"Before we do the renovation, we are going to build a guest residence on the back of the property." You guys can stay there as long as you want."
"Me too?" Said Carrie, with her lower lip pushed out.
"No, Carrie, her dad told her, "Jake and Colin need some privacy."
Jake and I looked at each other in disbelief. A place of our own! Well sort of.
From the kitchen: "Dat's where I park my car, peepos!"
"We are building you your own garage, Etta!, called out Mr. Smith.
"So what are you doing with Jake and Colin's old room," Carrie said.
"We thought you might help us decide, Sweetie!" said Mrs. Smith.
Chapter 28
Demolition of the carport started the very next Tuesday. The guesthouse was promised for no longer than three months. Having money can really move things quickly, I guess. Jake graduated with a degree in accounting, and passed his state boards to be a CPA (certified public accountant). He landed a sweet job at a tax law office. On his first day of work, he got up extra early to shine himself up to a high gleam. I think he brushed his teeth twice. While he was in the shower I did something I was just waiting for an opportunity to do, hoping he never heard of it before.
When he came into the room from the bathroom, with a towel wrapped around his waist, I was lying in the bed, being very obvious about jacking off with a condom on. We never used a condom, because of our complete trust, but I went out and bought it just for this occasion. He stopped cold, and looked at me incredulously.
"WHAT are you doing, ass hole?"
"What does it look like, ass hole?"
"It looks like you are pleasuring yourself into a condom!" He exclaimed. "But why, butt hole!?!!"
"I'm packin' your lunch - butt hole!"
"You're disgusting!" He said. But at least he was smiling! And not only that, by the way his towel was tenting, I could tell it was affecting him in another way.
"Looks like you have another problem there under your towel, cute-furry-butt boy! If you come over here I can prolly help you take care of that problem!"
The towel almost magically floated to the floor, and exposed that wonderfully-bent-the-wrong-way "Mr. Bentley". He came over and mounted me, 69 style, ripped off the condom, and we celebrated his first day at work in grand style. And we were sooooooo neat about it. Didn't spill a drop! But he did have to brush his teeth again! Can't go to work you first day with your breath smelling THAT good!
I was out of school for the summer. They wanted me to go full time from my part time job at the video rental store, and I actually had already told them I prolly would. I didn't care for the job all that much, but I needed to pay for the Z-3, and added to that, my dad was now refusing to pay any more college expenses for me. So much for Etta's premonition! Then before I said yes for sure, Jake came home from his first day of work, all excited.
"What's up, Jakey"
"DUDE! They need a full time employee to be a courier where I work. I told them about you, and my boss said for you to come in tomorrow morning at 8:30 sharp. He really likes me, so I know he will like you!"
"So what's not to like?"
"Dude, we can prolly ride together and have lunch together and-"
You want me to start packin' our lunches like this morning?"
"Well, as much as I love Colin juice, I prefer it warm."
"There's always the microwave!"
"Ewww!"
Going to work with Jake was really cool. We mostly got off at the same time. Occasionally he would have a late client, or I would get back a little late from a run, but it worked out quite nicely. We got into a nice rut by midsummer. We often stopped at the beach on the way home, changed into our shorts and went for a barefoot run, after which we would go for a quick swim to cool off. Mrs. Smith always insisted we get cleaned up before dinner.
One Friday afternoon, when about half of my summer vacation was over, we got home and Mrs. Smith said, "Colin dear, You had a call - from your dad."
"From my DAD?"
"Yes, dear. It sounded important. He wants you to call back."
After dinner I called home. My dad answered the phone. He NEVER answers the phone!
"Colin, I think you better come home. You mom needs you."
"What's wrong, Dad?"
"Cancer. Breast cancer. The prognosis isn't bad, but - I just can't seem to comfort her, son. I think - I think it would be good for you to come see her. Your brother is too far away. She's at your Aunt DeEtte's right now, but she will be back tonight."
"I'm on my way!" I said. I hung up with tears in my eyes.
"What's wrong, sweetie? Why are you crying?" Jakey said to me
"It's my mom. She has cancer - breast cancer."
"Omigod. But it's not always fatal, Little One-"
"It's more than that, Jakey. The doctor actually said the prognosis is good." I could hardly speak. "Jakey, he called me "son". I collapsed in his arms and completely broke down. I felt like such an ass! I swear, I am such a damned woman sometimes! No wonder no one seems surprised I'm gay! I felt protected in the arms of my love.
"Okay, little man, when do we leave?"
I guess I looked a little stunned at that comment.
"Or maybe you would rather I did not go, this time?"
"I - I don't know. My dad - I - Fuck it! You're going! If my dad is dealing with me, he will have to deal with all of me - and that includes you!"
Jake got big tears in his eyes. "What did you just say?"
"I - I know what I said, dammit! Don't make a big deal out of it!"
"My sweet, sweet baby boy, it IS a VERY big deal to me. Is it true, or was that just your emotions talking?"
I stepped back and holding both of his arms, and looking deep into his eyes, I repeated, "All of me, Jakey. And that includes you! I love you more than I ever thought possible. I want to stay with you - forever."
"O my God!" he said. "Omigod, omigod, omigod!"
"What?! What is it? Did I say something wrong?"
"No! No - it just is such a - a - sweet surprise. I am just so - happy. I feel guilty feeling so happy, while your mom is needing you so. And your dad!"
We drove up my street, and I could see my mom's car in the driveway. Jake parked the Z-3, and looked over at me. He gave my hand a squeeze. "I love you Little One!"
Mom met us at the door. She clung to me as I entered the house. "Oh, Honey, I'm so glad to see you! And Jake! Thank you for coming. I `m afraid I need all the support and love I can get right now."
Women are so different from men! They just ask what they want. With most men, you have to drag it out of them. That's the way I am, even though I am such a woman in other ways!
"Honey, I just came back from your Aunt DeEtte's. She has dealt with this before. She has-" at those words, she choked up.
"She's had a radical mastectomy, " my dad completed her sentence, walking around the corner. What we have to decide is whether your mom wants that or just to go in and get the visible cancer." I looked perplexed. "A radical mastectomy is where they take the whole breast, whereas they often do relatively less, and just get what cancer they see."
"That's what I want, I think." Mom said.
"Problem is," my dad continued, "often they don't get it all, and it comes back." What your mom is afraid of is-"
"Dad, why don't you let Mom tell me what SHE wants?" I said it as gently as I could. I think he got that it was not directed at him.
""No, let your dad explain it, Honey. He knows me pretty well."
"What your mom is afraid of is that I won't find her as attractive." He looked at her. "How can you possibly think that? I love YOU! What if I had to have my prostate removed and I couldn't-" he stopped and looked at both Jake and me. " - any more. Would you love me any less?" The answer was obvious. "Well, it's the same with me. Sure, I wish we were both 22, and-" again he looked at Jake and me, up and down. "and were all we ever were back then, physically. But we are not and never will be again. What we have is a deeper love than we ever had then. I'd like to have every chance of preserving that."
That was more than I had ever heard my dad say in one breath. I was awestruck. Then he turned to me.
"You see, son, when caught this early, the cancer seldom ever spreads beyond the breast. If they take it all, the chances of it returning are very much reduced - almost nil."
"Mom, you know I don't often agree with dad on a lot of things, but - well - I know this is your decision, and that this radical operation has to be much more invasive and more serious than the other. But I think he's right. None of us wants to lose you." I saw my mom look from my face to Dad's and then to Jake's. Jake's head was nodding involuntarily.
"I am so happy I have three - FOUR such loving men in my life! Bobby called about an hour ago" Mom said. "I guess that makes my decision for me."
"But-"
"No, don't, Honey. I needed someone else to - help me - with this one. Have you boys eaten?"
"A long time ago, at my - our house." said Jake.
"Could you eat a sandwich, then, or some dessert, boys?" My dad said. "Honey, you look awfully tired."
"I am - I really am." My mom replied.
"Why don't you go to bed, and I will fix the guys some sandwiches." Mom said good night and headed for the back of the house.
Dad made some baloney sandwiches. That's something he was good at. I don't usually even like baloney. I know that Jake was being polite, in saying okay. After he already said he would like a sandwich, Dad said they would be baloney. There was really no trick to it, except to know what to put the right stuff on it. The right stuff was a salad dressing made by Best Foods.
It's called "Salad Dressing". Seriously! It comes in a jar like mayo. It has pickles and stuff in it, and Dad adds lots of freshly cracked pepper.
Jake wolfed it down, and when asked if he wanted more, he said "Yes Sir" with no reservation.
When we were all finished eating, I started to switch on the TV. And dad said, "Can that wait for a few, Colin? I want to discuss some thing with you - both of you." Uh-oh! Here it comes. Jake and I looked at each other.
"Colin- Jake," he started, "I - I don't exactly know where to begin. I want to say I'm sorry. I'm not sure sorry is the right word. Sigh Well, let me start at the beginning. Colin, when you were born, we knew that your mom could not have any more children. I was ecstatic to have two boys!"
"And that's what you were expecting, too, huh Dad?" I said with a mirthless smile.
"Let me finish, please Colin? This is not easy for me." I looked at Jake, who was frowning at me. "I wanted to teach you everything, Son. I wanted to teach you to play ball, to ride a bike, to - I'm sorry, Colin, but - to be a man." His voice cracked. "I am afraid I was not very good at teaching, Son. And I was not there when you needed a dad the most. I was out on the road too much. I see that now. I felt I was doing it FOR my family, while I was really - escaping - because I felt so inept at being either a husband OR a dad. I can see that now. I couldn't then."
"Dad, I-"
"Let me finish. As I said, this is very hard for me." His voice cracked again. "I don't even pretend to understand what you two feel for each other, but I can only assume it is not all that different that I felt about your mother, when we were your age. Yes, I blame myself because I was not there for you, even though some tell me it has nothing to do with that. I'm still dealing with that, but I just want to say NOW, that I am so sorry for all of it - any of it I may be responsible for, especially including the most recent - idiot I have been being." He reached into is shirt pocket. "Here's a check for what your scholarship didn't pay for, for next year, and a little extra for your grief."
"Dad, please, you-"
"No YOU please! I got a huge bonus, partly due to all those years away from you. You deserve that and more!"
I looked at the check. A little quick figuring in my head told me there was almost exactly enough extra to pay off my Z-3, plus insurance for two years - the time I had left at UCSB! "How did you-?"
"I waited until I figured you were gone, and I called Jake's dad (damned Democrat!)." He smiled at that. "He had all the figures I needed."
"I don't know what to say, Dad! I didn't think you would ever understand."
"I didn't say I understand! Or that I am completely comfortable with it! But I can see it is reality. And I don't want to lose a son over it! Besides `I haven't lost a son, I've gained a-" He threw his hands up, shook his head and said, "well, another son', I guess!" We all laughed.
By dinner Sunday night, we were back in Santa Barbara. During dinner, Etta just kept a knowing smirk on her face. Finally, I looked at her, sneered, shook my head and said, "shut up!"
Everyone laughed!
Note: I love you all! Your acceptance of my story is so overwhelming to me. I just keep getting the sweetest notes for you guys, and it makes me feel so good! Thanks! A LOT!
Oc course I am ALWAYS open for more! Please include "Colin" or "Colin's story" in the subject line
Love Steve