This story contains some explicit scenes of erotic love between males. If you are under age, or live in an area where reading stories that include sex between males is illegal, or if you're not into this type of story, please leave. The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at NJMcMick@yahoo.com.
The story is set in the fictional city of Trenton, New Jersey. Yes, there is a real city by that name, but other than being a state capital on the Delaware River, it bears little resemblance to the city in this story. While a few of the places mentioned may exist in reality, all of the characters and events are fictitious.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The next morning I awoke in almost exactly the same position, cuddled up against Marcus' left side, my head on his chest, an arm draped over him and my left leg wrapped around his. And of course my morning woodie was pressed against his hip. It all felt so right, so perfect I didn't want to ever get up. I lightly rubbed my face against his skin, enjoying the warmth and texture.
"G'mornin', Miah, sleep well?" His voice was no more than a whisper but it rumbled and vibrated my head.
"I slept great. I hope I didn't interfere with your sleep, keeping you pinned down like this." I lifted my head and looked up into his eyes.
"I could be pinned down like this for the rest of my life and I wouldn't mind. Except I've got to get up for a minute before my bladder explodes."
I realized I was feeling a bit of pressure in that area as well so I rolled off him and let him up. As he sat up I couldn't take my eyes off his smooth brown body, looking so much darker than usual against the white sheets. I got up and followed him into the bathroom.
"I've gotta go, too. I hope you're not pee-shy."
"In case you forgot, you're the shy one, Miah."
We stood side by side over the bowl and drained our bladders. It took me a minute to get started, partly because I had a harder than usual stiffie, partly because Marcus was right; I was a little pee-shy. As I finished up he grabbed the little bottle of mouthwash the hotel had thoughtfully left for us, twisted off the cap and took a swig. He handed it to me and I did the same. Then we were finally able to embrace and share a morning kiss. Marcus led me back to the bed where I returned his favor of the night before and made love to him.
We were dressed and ready to go when Chipper knocked on the door just before nine. He took us to Denny's as promised where he and Marcus pigged out on their Grand Slam breakfasts. I was a little nervous about the upcoming day and didn't have much of an appetite. I only ordered scrambled eggs and bacon and ended up pushing the eggs around the plate for the most part while the guys scarfed down their food as they talked a mile a minute, getting to know each other a bit.
Chipper and Marcus continued talking all the way to the dealership, while I sat quietly immersed in my thoughts. I was excited about the car, of course. I'd never even dared to dream of owning a car so soon, especially such a hot one. But I was concerned about meeting my grandparents again as well. While I didn't dislike them as I had earlier, I hadn't exactly warmed up to them at Aunt Aggie's funeral. And then there was more family to meet - my mother's sister, her husband and their kids.
I was looking all over for a dark red Mustang convertible as we pulled into the lot. I couldn't hide my disappointment at not seeing it.
"It's probably in the service department, Co-, er, Jerry. You know they're going to make sure everything's ready to go with it."
"I suppose. Let's go find my grandfather."
The three of us walked into the showroom and a chunky middle-aged man in a suit came toward us.
"Good morning, boys, what can I do for you today?"
"I'd like to see Mr. Walton, please. I'm here to pick up my Mustang."
He looked puzzled. "I'm sorry, if you bought a car from us you should see the salesman you dealt with, not Mr. Walton, but I wasn't aware of any sale we were completing this morning."
"No, I didn't buy the car. I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself." I was a little nervous and getting everything backwards. "I'm Jeremiah Walton. Mr. Walton's my grandfather so I don't have to buy a car here to get one."
He smiled a little condescendingly. "Now I don't know what you're trying to put over but I know Mr. Walton's three grandchildren and you're definitely not one of them."
"What's going on here, Jim?" Another middle-aged man in a suit approached us and smiled.
"These boys are running some kind of scam, maybe a fraternity prank of some kind. This one says he's the boss's grandson and he's here for a free car." He pointed at me. "He's sure as heck not one of your kids."
"No he's not, but the old man's expecting him anyhow." He turned to me and smiled. "You must be Jeremiah. I'm Peter Atkins."
"Yes, I'm Jeremiah. I'm glad someone was expecting me. I didn't see the car out front and then this guy didn't know who I was, not that I made it very clear, so I was getting a little worried. Nice to meet you, Mr. Atkins." I shook the hand he held out to me.
"It's Uncle Pete, to you. My wife Kathy was your mother's sister."
"You mean he really is the boss's grandkid? I never heard anything about there being another one."
"Yeah, Jim, not only is he family but he owns half this place, so he's your boss as well. Better be nicer to strangers who come in the door from now on. You never know who they might be."
'Uncle Pete' put his arm around my shoulder and led me toward the offices behind the showroom. Marcus and Chipper trailed along. My grandfather got up from his desk as we walked into his office. He was dressed in a dark suit like the one he had on at the funeral and looked every bit as stiff and serious as he had then.
"Jeremiah! It's good to see you got in all right." I sensed a bit of a rebuke in his voice.
"Yeah, the trip went okay but by the time we got to the hotel it was after ten so I thought that was too late to call. I suppose I should have called this morning but I knew we were coming here right after breakfast."
"Who are your friends?" My grandfather was eying Chipper more that Marcus. He had said he knew my father so he must have caught the family resemblance.
"This is my friend, Marcus Williams. I told you about him on the phone. And this is my brother, Chipper Johnson. I think you know his family."
"Yes, I do. We do quite a bit of business with their bank." He gave me a curious look and I realized that I hadn't told him I'd met Chipper or my father. Not that there had been much opportunity. Patrick had made all the arrangements for the car and I'd only called once to confirm my travel plans. It had been a short conversation as my grandfather wasn't the easiest man to talk to. "Well, I suppose you're eager to see your car."
"That's why I'm here." Oops, as soon as I said that I realized it was rude. It wasn't totally true either. Sure, the whole point of the trip was to pick up the car, but I really wanted to try to get to know both of my families as well.
My grandfather didn't seem to take offense at my comment and led us all down a hall to the service department. As soon as we stepped into the cavernous room I spotted a red convertible parked in a service bay next to the garage door. My uncle made a bit of a show, sweeping his arm in the direction of the car. I raced over to it with the guys close on my heels. For the next fifteen minutes my grandfather and uncle went over the car with us, showing us every detail, explaining how everything worked. I knew I'd never remember it all but Marcus was paying as much attention as I was so between us we wouldn't have a problem. Besides, basically it was just a car. How hard to understand is that? It had leather interior, which I hadn't asked for but loved, and an even better sound system than I'd wanted, so I was happy. Uncle Pete put the top down and showed us how the cover went on.
"I'll bet you're tired of the lesson and just want to get behind the wheel and drive."
"You're right, Mr., er, Uncle Pete. I didn't want to be rude but I'm dying to try it out."
"Then by all means, take her away, Jeremiah. Your uncle and I have a business to run, anyway. We'll see you for dinner at the house at six?"
"Oh yes, we'll be there."
"All three of you?" My grandfather was looking at Chipper again.
"No, just Marcus and me. I knew you weren't expecting Chipper and I'm sure he has other plans anyway."
"You have the directions?"
"Yes, I showed them to Chipper and he knows where it is. He said he'd show me while we were out driving today so I shouldn't have any problems finding the house."
"Then enjoy your day. I FedEx'd the paperwork for the car to your attorney, but here's the registration, insurance card and a copy of the title." He handed me an envelope.
"Thanks, Grandfather. The car is a beauty. Thank you so much."
"Nothing to thank me for, son. You paid for it out of your share of the profits."
I noticed Uncle Pete frown at that and wondered if maybe he resented that I was half-owner of the business. Grandfather turned and walked back toward his office. Uncle Pete opened the garage door as I got behind the wheel. Marcus sat next to me and Chipper jumped into the back. Uncle Pete smiled and waved as I very carefully steered the car out into the parking lot. Whatever had been bothering him had passed. Chipper told me to turn onto the highway heading away from the city and I drove for over an hour, following his directions through the countryside. I finally gave in to their begging and let both Marcus and Chipper take a turn driving.
I was behind the wheel again when our stomachs told us it was past time for lunch. Chipper directed me back into town. I was a little more nervous driving in city traffic, but I knew I had to get used to it. After all, I lived in a city and that's where most of my driving would be. We went all the way into downtown and Chipper had me park in a lot near the visitor's center at an area called Riverwalk.
"Lunch is on me, guys. This is one of my favorite places." Chipper led us into a quaint Irish pub. The hostess was leading us to a table when we both noticed our father at the same time, sitting with a good-looking woman at a table across the room. Chipper tapped the hostess on the shoulder and told her we'd get back to her, then led us over.
"Mom! What are you doing downtown?"
"I'm allowed to have lunch with my husband now and then, aren't I?" She smiled warmly and looked at Marcus and me, her eyes narrowing a bit as they lingered on me. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends, although I suppose there's no doubt who this one is?"
"Yeah, we can't hide that, can we?" Chipper laughed. "This is the infamous Jeremiah Walton, whom you've heard so much about lately. And his friend, Marcus Williams."
"I'm please to meet you both. And I'm not just being polite. I really am glad to finally meet you. I've been dying of curiosity and I was afraid I'd miss out on meeting you."
I must have looked somewhat the way I felt, which was petrified. While I knew that Marcus and I were going to get together with my father while we were in town, I hadn't expected to meet his wife. She was the one person in Augusta who had the most right to resent not only my presence in town, but my entire existence as well.
"We just ordered drinks, boys, and have barely looked at our menus. Why don't we see if we can switch to a larger table and then we can all eat together?" I couldn't believe my father would make such suggestion. How was I going to eat when I couldn't swallow?
"Don't look so scared, Jerry. I told you before, my mom's not mad at you."
"That's right, Jerry. I knew about Robby's affair with your mother years ago, and while it took some time I understood and forgave. And Robby was just as shocked as I was to find out about you, so we've managed to adjust to that together."
My father got the hostess's attention and in no time we were all seated at a larger table. In spite of my initial misgivings, lunch turned out to be a pleasant meal. Mrs. Johnson (she wanted me to call her Carolyn but I wasn't quite comfortable with that) was a warm and friendly person, full of laughter, and made us all feel at ease. She actually reminded me a bit of Mom. By the end of the meal we had all agreed to have dinner the next night at the Johnson's house. Chipper and I had originally planned on a dinner out with our father, thinking that would be less awkward, but there didn't seem to be any need for that now.
After lunch, Chipper gave us a guided tour of the city, making sure to show us where my grandparent's house was and how to get to it from the hotel. Toward the end of the afternoon, we stopped back at the dealership so he could pick up his car, but we didn't go in. Chipper had to work the next day but he'd showed us lots of places to go and things to do to keep busy.
"I'm sure you guys won't be bored. And I know you'll find some indoor activities to your liking as well."
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Chipper."
"Don't play coy with me, Jerry, even if it is your name. We all know you better than that."
He hugged us both and left. I managed to find our way back to the hotel, where Marcus and I had time for a nap before we had to get ready for dinner. We did take a few minutes to tire ourselves out a little more first, though.
My grandfather had said the dinner would be casual, which was a good thing since we hadn't brought anything special to wear. We both wore polo shirts and khakis. We also made sure that we were out of the hotel in plenty of time to get to the house before six. I had the feeling that my grandfather was a stickler for punctuality, among other things.
I parked the car on the street in front of a huge old house that could have been right out of Gone With The Wind. After double-checking to make sure the car was locked and the alarm set, Marcus and I walked up the sidewalk toward the front door.
"I know you keep saying you're not rich, but look at this place, babe. If you and your grandfather each own half the business and he lives like this, you've got to have big bucks in that trust fund."
"I don't think so. Patrick says that Aunt Aggie had an arrangement with him. Since he ran the business, he got a big salary for doing that. Then they split what was left after that. We have the same arrangement. I think he probably lives this way based on his salary, not his share of the profits."
We hesitated on the porch and looked around. The wraparound porch had flower gardens all along it, but also had planters and hanging baskets with flowers. There were chairs and tables and a classic old porch swing. It was just amazing. I took a deep breath and rang the bell. In seconds the door was opened by an elderly black man in a suit. I felt a mixture of relief that Marcus wouldn't be the only black person there and nervousness that we were underdressed.
"Hi, I'm Jeremiah Walton and this is Marcus Williams." I held out my hand but he didn't offer to shake it. He just nodded.
"You're expected. Please follow me." He turned sharply and led the way across a large front hall to an open doorway where he stepped to one side. "Mr. Jeremiah Walton, Mr. Marcus Williams," he announced. I realized at that point that he wasn't one of the guests, that apparently he worked for my grandparents.
My grandfather got up and nodded to him. "Thank you, Sam." The man turned and was gone in two seconds. I took a look around the room as my grandfather approached us. It was a large formal living room with a couple of small couches and several chairs. My grandmother was sitting on one couch with a much younger woman. There were two teenage girls on the other couch facing them. Uncle Pete was standing in front of a fireplace and a boy about twelve was sitting on a chair next to the one my grandfather had just vacated. Everyone was better dressed than Marcus and I, but not as formal as the man called Sam.
"Jeremiah, Marcus, nice of you to be so prompt." My grandfather shook both our hands and seemed looser than any time I'd seen him before, which still wasn't saying much. "Would you like some iced tea?"
I looked around and saw two glasses on the coffee table in front of my grandmother and the other woman but no one else seemed to be drinking anything. "No thanks, I think we're fine."
Grandfather led us around the room and made the introductions. The younger woman on the couch was my mother's sister, my Aunt Kathryn. Her face resembled my mother's although her hair was lighter and she probably weighed thirty pounds more. The girls were my cousins Emily and Rose and the boy my cousin Richard. We were shown to chairs at the end of the coffee table somewhat in between the couches so it felt like we were on display, which I guess we were.
I was asked lots of questions about my life in Chester and Trenton. I tried not to go into much detail on anything and glossed over the more unpleasant times. I didn't get into much about Mom's illness or Aunt Aggie's mostly because I didn't want to relive those sad times. The conversation was polite but very reserved. Uncle Pete seemed the friendliest, most relaxed person. Aunt Kathryn wasn't bad but she was pretty restrained. My grandparents were stiff and formal as ever and my cousins barely said a word. After what seemed like an eternity but was probably less than half an hour, Sam reappeared.
"Dinner is served."
We all rose at once and followed my grandparents across the front hall to a large dining room. Emily, who appeared to be about my age, whispered as we walked. "Grandmother believes children are to be seen and not heard, as the old saying goes. We're usually excused to another room after dinner but since you're the guest of honor I suppose we'll be forced to stay and be quiet."
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to ruin your evening."
"No, that's okay, we've all been curious about you and want to get to know you. I just wish it didn't have to be in this mausoleum."
My grandparents took seats at either end of a long table. Uncle Pete sat on one side at the end by my grandmother. Aunt Kathryn was on the other side at the other end. The rest of us were spread out on either side, alternating boy-girl, except for Richard who was between his mother and me. Dinner was served by Sam and an elderly black woman named Clara, who turned out to be his wife. The food was a lot better than the conversation, which was even less relaxed than before. I would have liked to find out a little about my cousins, but I was the main topic and my grandparents were directing the conversation.
"I don't see why you've decided to live in Trenton, Jeremiah. I could understand Chester since that's where you grew up, but if you were going to move to another place and start over, Augusta would be a good choice."
"I didn't decide on Trenton, Grandmother. I think Trenton decided on me. I just ended up there and I've managed to build a life that I like. Augusta seems like a very nice city from what I've seen, but I don't know anyone here."
"You know us now and we're your family. You have a history here."
"Maybe I do, but I don't know any of it. And I've created a family of sorts for myself in Trenton."
"I know you said you were starting community college in the fall, but perhaps you could finish your education at the University of Georgia," my grandfather suggested. "Your Uncle Coy went there and your cousin Emily is going to be a sophomore there this year. Athens isn't so far away that you couldn't spend weekends here and get to know the family and the city. Maybe by the time you graduated you'd want to stay."
"I haven't really thought that far ahead, but there are plenty of good four-year colleges around home. I have friends, like Marcus and my brother Chipper, who go to them."
"I was surprised to see you with the Johnson boy at the dealership this morning, Jeremiah." Grandfather looked a little stern. "I knew Robby Johnson was asking about you but I wasn't aware you'd had any contact with that family. I hope you're not upsetting them. We have a good business relationship with their bank and I wouldn't want the scandal of your background to interfere with that."
"Scandal? Is that what you think I am?"
"I'm sorry, son. I suppose I phrased that badly. I just meant that I wouldn't want your presence here to cause any trouble between Robby and Carolyn."
"I assure you the Johnsons don't have any problem with me. In fact, Marcus and I had lunch with my father and his wife today. They're both very nice people."
"Yes, I'm sure they are, dear, and I'm pleased you get along with them. That would make it even easier for you if you chose to live here." Grandmother was back on her one note.
"I'm sorry, Grandmother, I don't think that's going to happen."
"But living on your own the way you are, how are you going to meet the right people? You'll never find a proper wife on your own."
"Wife? Grandmother, I'm only seventeen." While I had no intention of hiding the fact that I was gay, Marcus and I had discussed the matter and decided to keep quiet about it unless it came up. As far as anyone had to know, we were just friends.
"Of course you are, dear. I know that's far too young to get married but it's not too soon to be thinking about your prospects. If you lived here Kathryn and I could make sure you met girls from the right families. I'm sure Emily and Rose have friends who would love to meet you."
I looked across the table at the girls who were sitting on either side of Marcus. Emily made a face and rolled her eyes. I was getting really tired of the conversation. I just couldn't understand why these people who had never tried to find out anything about me my whole life now wanted to take charge of me and run my life.
"That's right, you've already missed out on so many social opportunities for teenagers here." Oh God, even Aunt Kathryn was jumping on the bandwagon. "Rose just had her coming out party this past May."
At the term 'coming out' I looked across at Marcus and we both grinned. Then Grandfather joined in the conversation.
"It's so important that you make the right connections, Jeremiah. Look at that Farrell fellow that Agatha ended up with. She had to leave town in disgrace."
"It seems to me from what you said she tried it your way and it didn't work out. The disgrace came from your attitude, not her actions." Grandfather seemed to bristle at that. "And from all I ever heard Aunt Aggie and 'that Farrell fellow' were very much in love and very happy."
"You don't understand, son. Some things are just not done. Look at the mess your mother made of her life."
I almost rose out of my chair at that.
"Don't you dare criticize my mother. She was a loving woman who had a rough life because this family turned it's back on her."
"I didn't mean to criticize Jessica. We loved her very much. All I was trying to say is that if you are introduced to the proper potential mates under adult supervision, your life can be much better."
I'd had it with the conversation and the family.
"Well, I appreciate your concern about my love life, but you don't have to worry about it. You see, I'm gay, and Marcus and I aren't just friends, we're lovers."
There was a long moment of silence. I looked across the table at Marcus for support and he smiled reassuringly. I was surprised when the silence was broken by my grandmother.
"You're far too young to know something like that for sure. And you should refrain from acting on these base impulses when you don't really know what you're doing. You could do irreversible damage to your reputation."
"You see, that's what happens when you grow up without a firm, guiding hand. You've had no father's influence, no one to put you on the right track," my grandfather sternly added.
"I know exactly who I am and what I want. I've known for years. And it's not a base impulse."
"It most certainly is. This is what I meant about the wild streak in this family and the need to control urges. Agatha and your mother were unable to exercise any self-restraint and look where it got them. You just have to say no to yourself sometimes. With determination, prayer and moral guidance you can be normal just like anyone else."
"Normal is different for different people, grandfather. What's normal for me is being gay. I could try to act straight but that wouldn't change who I was." I looked at Marcus again and saw he was nodding. "Being gay isn't what I do, it's what I am."
"Nonsense. People change all the time. There are even organizations that help people become normal."
"All they do is encourage people to live a lie, to lie to everyone they love including themselves. I don't know what causes homosexuality, I don't think anyone does, but from what I've read it's probably genetic or hormonal and it isn't something you can change."
"Well, if it's genetic I'm sure it's something you picked up from that Johnson family," my grandmother sniffed. "They may have more money and social standing than the Waltons, but I've heard a whisper or two about them."
"You talk as if it's some kind of contagious disease. Like I said, I have no idea where it begins, but it's just as likely it runs in our family. After all, Uncle Coy was gay."
There was a brief silence and then my grandfather exploded. "How dare you say something so despicable about a decent young man you never even knew."
"There's nothing despicable about being gay." I was starting to feel a little desperate. I wasn't good at defending myself and I seemed to be digging myself deeper into this mess. "Obviously I didn't know my uncle, but my father did. They were best friends all through growing up and Uncle Coy told him he was gay."
"If Robby Johnson is spreading lies about my son I'll see him in court, business or no business."
"Why would my father lie about something like that? He only told me because we were talking about his attitude toward me being gay." I figured it was best not to mention Uncle Coy had come out to him on the last night of his life.
Just then my grandmother gasped and drooped to one side. Sam came rushing from his position by the door to the kitchen and held her up.
"I think Miss Sarah should lie down. Would you ask Clara to help her upstairs, Sam?" Grandfather got up and went around the table to take Sam's place at Grandmother's side while he went to get his wife. When Clara came in, she and Aunt Kathryn helped Grandmother to her feet and out of the room.
Grandfather went back to his chair but didn't sit down. He glared down at me.
"We welcome you into our family and this is how you repay us, with lies and talk of depravity?"
"I certainly didn't mean to get Grandmother so upset but I don't see why this should cause so much uproar. I'm a decent guy who just happens to be gay. It shouldn't be such a big deal."
"You obviously have no understanding of morals at all. I think you and your friend should leave now, before you cause any more damage." He looked at my cousins. "I'm sorry you children had to be exposed to this kind of talk."
I was about to respond when I glanced at Uncle Pete and saw him smile slightly and shake his head just a tiny bit. I looked at Marcus and he nodded. We got up and left without another word.
Once we were on the front porch with the door closed behind us, I began to tremble. It was a miracle I hadn't fallen apart at the table but I couldn't hold it together any longer. Marcus took me in his arms and held me tight.
"It's okay, Miah, it's over."
He just stood there and held me for a couple of minutes until I got myself under control, then we walked down the sidewalk to the street. We were almost at the car when I heard a rustling behind me. It was Clara.
"Mr. Jeremiah, I just wanted to tell you how sorry Sam and I were to hear about your mother. Miss Jessica was a lovely girl and we both cared for her so much."
"Thank you." It struck me as odd that this was the first kind, compassionate thing I'd heard about my mother all evening.
"Your grandparents aren't all bad, you know. Deep down they do care. It's just that they can be so rigid in their beliefs."
"I'll take your word for it, but I think my mother had the right idea, staying a thousand miles away from them. That's what I intend to do from now on."
Clara nodded. "You take care of yourself, y'hear?" She gave me a quick hug and turned and hurried back toward the house. Again, I thought it strange that that hug was the only sign of affection I'd been shown the whole night.
Marcus offered to drive and I turned the keys over to him. We rode back to the hotel in silence. When we were in our room he took me in his arms again.
"Well, I really fucked that up."
"You did no such thing. Those folks are just nasty prigs. Maybe you could have been a little more tactful, but you weren't rude like they were."
"But I've lost any chance I had with them."
"You didn't lose anything. You never needed them before and you don't need them now. With their attitude toward everything I don't see how they could have added anything positive to your life."
Later when we were undressed and in bed I snuggled up against Marcus.
"Do you mind if we don't make love tonight? I hate to waste a night with you but I'm not really in the mood."
"I don't mind at all, and it isn't a waste. Any time with you is wonderful to me. There's more to making love than sex, you know."
I looked into his warm dark eyes and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I know, Marcus. I feel like you're making love to me every minute I'm with you."
To be continued.