COMPASSION
Chapter 12
The Double M became a second home for Andy during the next couple of years, with the open encouragement of his parents. Doug admitted to John one day that he had never expected his son to grow up so self assured. After the beating he was worried that the boy would withdraw into his shell and become almost invisible to everyone.
"I don't know how academic Andy is Doug, but he would sure make a great cowboy. He rides better than most of my hands, and I've watched him rope a cow better than most of them as well. He's still too small for me to allow him to down and tie them for branding, but apart from that the boy is something special."
They thought he was so special that for his fifteenth birthday John and Sheila, Jack and Darren, bought him his own saddle and a pair of hand tooled cowboy boots, (two sizes too big for him), with some extra thick socks to allow him to grow a little more before they became too small for him.
Doug and his wife were the ones in tears when the presents were presented to their son. Andy was just too stupefied to do anything except splutter out a thank you before throwing himself into Darren's arms to say thank you, then Jack, and then more sedately John and Sheila.
Darren turned to Jack and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
"I think it's great having a little brother Jack, don't you?"
That was when the dam burst and Andy dissolved in tears of pure happiness that these two men that he worshipped thought of him as their brother.
In bed that night John unloaded his thoughts on Sheila.
"I think I may be assisting another family to put their son through college Hun. If Andy expresses a wish to be involved with ranching I can justify it to Doug by signing Andy to a five year contract as a trainee manager to pay for his college funding. Jack will never be able to manage this place by himself and run his veterinary practice."
Another year elapsed before John sat Doug and Andy down one Sunday after Doug had come out to the ranch to pick up his son. Andy had made it clear that ranching was where his heart lay. He had watched, listened and learned from the cowboys, and from Jack and John so that he was a capable hand at most tasks. His only set back was that he had remained small.
"The only thing that needs to be big to manage this place Andy is your heart, and I know that is."
John had told him that in discussion with the boy before talking to Doug as well.
"Doug, if Andy wants to do ranch management after college, I'll fund his college expenses if he signs a contract with me for five years after that. Jack will need a manager when I bow out, while he runs the veterinary practice and Gavin will almost certainly retire when I do. After his five years he can leave or discuss a new contract with Jack."
Father and son were blown away, but it didn't sound like largesse on John's part, just a plain business deal, sponsored scholarships were common so that's what this looked like.
"I don't know how to thank you John. We would have struggled to give Andy a good college education. This looks like it solves a problem for both of us."
"There is one more thing I'd like to do Doug. Andy comes out here almost every weekend and works like a cowhand. I know he does it because he loves the ranch, but I don't pay him. Now I would like to by buying him a Jeep to travel by himself after he has his driver permit."
Father and son looked at each other in shock.
"That's too generous Mr. Hancock. I should be paying you for what you've done for me since my beating."
"No boy, it's what you did for yourself. I bet 99% of boys wouldn't have recovered from what you went through. It was your big heart that drove you to where you are today. That's what I'm buying, and I reckon I'm getting the best part of this deal if you go for it."
A handshake sealed that deal.
The next piece of fun on the Double M was Jack and Darren taking Andy to town after he got his driver permit and helping him select a Jeep Wrangler to his own spec. Of course, the selection of a Wrangler had nothing to do with the fact that both Jack and Darren still drove Wrangler's the same as they had since they were sixteen!
With his new mobility and his self assured attitude Andy thought he could broach the subject of his sexuality to Darren, and ask for his advice. He wanted a boyfriend, and he didn't have a clue how to find one. Problem for Darren, he didn't either. Finding Jack had been a stroke of luck that he never stopped thanking God for.
"I belong to the LGBT group at school Darren, and a lot of people think I'm gay, but I don't get any hassle and I don't get hit on by other gays, so I don't know who is, or might be boyfriend material."
"I would probably have been the same as you Andy if I hadn't been really lucky. Jack found me. We were partnered in science projects after I had been bullied and Jack came forward as my protector. I guess you are going to have to look among the ranch hands for a kindred spirit."
Both men laughed at that because Andy and Darren thought that cowboys were such a macho bunch. That conversation did give Andy food for thought though. Most of the ranch hands were too old for him to want as a partner, but there were a few younger ones. He started to pay more attention to the ones he worked with. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, mannerisms, the odd words that might be inappropriate for a straight man to use, a look, anything. There didn't appear to be any likely candidates among the guys he worked with at weekends. That state of affairs continued until the summer break before starting his final year at school.
"Andy, I've talked to your dad and he's okayed my suggestion. If you come out to the ranch to live like a hired hand this summer, and next, I'll pay you the going rate for a ranch hand. That will serve two purposes. You'll build quite a substantial pot of money for college and you'll see how the cowboys live, that will be good for when you come back to manage them."
"Gosh, thank you Mr. Hancock, I'd like to do that very much."
That was how it worked. John told the ranch foreman that he wasn't to show any favouritism to Andy.
"You treat him like any other new boy Jake, move him round so that he gets a good grounding in all aspects of working the ranch. You know he's not very big so just be a little careful with some of the jobs, make sure he sees how they are done but I don't want the boy hurt."
"I understand Boss, but I'm not sure there is very much more we can teach him about the manual side of ranching, he is one verysmart kid. He'll make a good boss one day, I reckon."
"I do too, that's why I'm going to hang on to him after college."
Andy moved into the bunkhouse and loved it from day 1. Some of the younger hands were a little wary of him to start with knowing that he was a special guy, who had been living at the big house when he worked at weekends. That reticence didn't last long. Jake allocated work to him without showing any favouritism and he settled in without any airs or graces.
About halfway through the summer John took on a new hand. He was straight out of high school and had been brought up on a farm. Parents couldn't afford to pay him so he had looked for work as a ranch hand. He could ride, but that was about all that he was useful at for a rancher. Jake thought it would be good to link him with Andy for everything except branding, Andy still wasn't allowed the final bit of that operation and would not therefore be allowed to teach it.
"Andy, this is Raul, I'm puting him in your charge, teach him as much as you can. He's a good ole farm boy so he shouldn't be too difficult."
Raul blushed at that comment and Andy had a good look at this boy who was only a year older than him. The two became good friends, living and working together they lost most of their inhibitions around each other. In the bunkhouse nude cowboys going to and fro from the bathroom were a natural sight. Andy had been careful about scoping out his fellow workers but had garnered a good idea of everyone's tackle. He and Darren had laughed at some of the stories he had recounted.
"Lucky boy, almost as good as the locker room at school."
"Oh, much better Darren, the cocks are bigger."
Both men were laughing their asses off.
What Andy hadn't told his friend and mentor was that Raul looked as though he had quite a good sized piece of man meat, and that the friendship was causing him problems because a good deal of lust was creeping into his thinking. He knew, from seeing Jack in tight jeans with chaps, that he had a substantial package. So, could he ask Darren how he handled it, particularly for anal. Summoning the courage he did. He then had to tell him why.
"The new hand, Raul, has become a real friend and I want more from our relationship. I don't know if he is gay, but if he is I'm worried about the cock between his legs."
Darren realised Andy was serious so he stifled the laugh that wanted to come out.
"Don't worry about his size Andy. As long as he opens you up properly you'll be able to take anything he has."
That problem out of the way, the next thing was to try to find out if they were of like minds. There were quite a few days when that became possible. Riding the fences kept them out on the range all day, so they stopped for lunch in the shade of some trees. Andy's self confidence came to the fore now. He felt brave enough to question Raul about himself.
"How come you picked a ranch so far from home Raul?"
The boy blushed and stuttered out a reply.
"I just wanted to get away from all the guys I went to school with."
"Oh, weren't there any friends you wanted to stay in touch with?"
Raul shook his head and looked sad.
"Well I'm glad you came here. The only real friends I have are Jack and Darren, and they are so much older than me."
"They're a pair of faggots aren't they?"
"That's a horrible word Raul, yes they're gay, and the two nicest people I know. Darren saved my life when I was twelve, he and Jack are responsible for me not being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life."
"Oh, what happened?"
"I was nearly beaten to death by a gang that thought I was gay. My dad took me to Darren before the hospital because he thought I was too badly damaged for the long drive. He was right, and Darren stayed with me until I regained consciousness after six hours in surgery. Him and Jack made me their project after that, got me off a ventilator and out of my wheelchair. Darren was pretty brutal with me, but as you can see, it worked."
"Are you gay then Andy?"
Andy looked down and mumbled. "I can't tell you that."
"You just have."
"What do you mean?"
"If you weren't gay you would have said no."
"Please Raul, don't tell anyone else, I can handle it but I don't want to."
"That's ok. You see the reason I came so far from home was because I was caught having sex with another boy and was pretty well ostracized by my school mates. I wanted the chance to start over. I've tried not to think about gay sex but it's been awfully difficult being around you so much."
"Wow, are you attracted to me then?"
Raul looked at Andy, blushed a deep crimson and after biting his lower lip for a while replied in a very unsure voice, "Yes Andy, I think you are so sexy. I've wanted to kiss you and make love to you almost from the first time I saw you."
Andy wanted to scream his pleasure to the heavens, instead he jumped on Raul, pushing him flat to the ground before planting a serious kiss on his lips. When he came up for air he was grinning like a Lune.
"Mmm, ditto big boy."
That was the start of a longer than planned lunch break. No messing for these boys, Andy started undressing Raul. When he was naked he sat back in awe. Raul was beautiful to his eyes, the cock wasn't as frightening as he suspected, which made him happy.
"Oh Raul, I think you are the most beautiful man I have ever seen."
Raul laughed and replied, "But you see me naked nearly every day."
Stroking Raul's very hard cock, Andy laughed and said, "Yes, but not like this."
"Well I'm going to find out if you are the same," and with no more to do Raul stripped Andy naked.
"Oh gosh, I love that cock. Can I eat it?"
"You can do anything you like with it, as long as I can do the same to you."
Raul had some experience and led the following action. He swivelled round and took Andy in his mouth. Andy did the same, and for the next little while tried to do the same to Raul, as Raul was doing to him. It was magic for Andy. All the pent up feelings since he was twelve came out and were channelled into satisfying Raul. By the time they had both taken a mouthful of love juice they wanted nothing more than to snuggle for a while. The snuggles went on too long and to make up for lost time they continued working until it was nearly dark. ******************************************************************************* The normal problems of life continue at the Double M Ranch