DAVID & TRISTAN-BOYS IN SCHOOL is a continuation of the story, Boys on the Farm, about David and Tristan. It is a story of discovery...what the boys learn about life, about themselves, and what it means to be gay. If sex between male teenagers is offensive to you or if you are underage then you should move on to something else. DAVID & TRISTAN-BOYS IN SCHOOL is a work of pure fiction -- the characters and the events do not represent any person or situation. Copyright (c)2000 by D.Z., all rights reserved. You may contact me by emailing ndman72@yahoo.com.
PREFACE:
Writing a series like this one about David & Tristan takes a lot of time. I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy writing, but the real payback comes when I receive emails from readers who tell me how my story has touched something within them. And another reward that can't be measured in dollars are the friends I've made as a result of writing my story. I've made so many friends that it is impossible for me to list all of them in every preface so I've resorted to picking one or two of them to mention in each chapter. One of those friends, John from Kentucky, is also a contributing author to the Nifty Archives at the age of 23. He writes the series under the adult relationships heading named "James" and we have had a great time discussing each other's stories. In fact, this chapter includes some of his ideas and so I want to acknowledge him as a very welcome friend whose input is always valued.
Before we get started with chapter 9, I have to include one "little" email message I received from a guy who lives near Detroit. It is a true personal story about how a gay person can succeed and live a fulfilling life in today's society despite the adversities he's encountered. Here's what Rick had to say...
"I've just finished the latest chapter of Boys in School. You have a superb style and have developed these characters quite well. So little gay literature deals with relationships (other than sexual).
I'm a 41 year old RN and grew up in rural West Tennessee in the buckle of the Bible belt. I had the benefit of college and moved to the Detroit area 20 years ago, but have not forgotten the awful feeling that I was the only boy in the world who wanted to explore another male body. There were no gay resources available and the only gay people I "knew" or had any exposure too was Billy Crystal's character, Jody, on Soap! I realized during college what "gay" was, but also realized that I needed to educate myself about the whole thing or live a really miserable life. I set about to read everything gay I could lay my hands on. There was little non sexual writing available then, but happened upon A Disturbed Peace by Brian McNaught. That book set me on the right path and I've never looked back.
My Significant Other, Glynn, and I celebrated our third anniversary together yesterday. My first S.O., of 11 years, died of HIV complications four years ago. I remain HIV negative. In addition to educating myself about being gay, I also made it my business to educate myself about AIDS in the mid-80's and served as the Director of the Public Speakers Bureau for Wellness Networks, Inc., the only AIDS education organization in the state of Michigan during that time period.
I've been a registered nurse in Critical Care and Emergency for 20 years. When I made the decision to become a nurse, at age 19, I realized that I was a gay man going into a female dominated profession and had the set the bar very high for myself to be successful. Twenty years later, I can honestly say that I achieved that goal. Interestingly enough, I've become the gay poster boy at the small community hospital where I work as a house administrator. Being the only "out" gay man in the facility, everyone who has a gay kid or needs advice about how to handle a gay family member seeks me out or is sent to me by their confidante. I've given out many copies of A Disturbed Peace and the rewrite, On Being Gay, over the years. The majority of my close friends are straight. I've been involved with them, their lives and their kid's lives for many years.
Please, keep up the good work!--Rick"
See what I mean? Rick has let nothing stop him from achieving his goals and living a life of service of others - first as a RN and then in service to young people. I admire him greatly and want to say that it has been a real pleasure getting to know him. And I want to tell him to keep up his good work too!
OK, enough of my babbling. Here's what you've been waiting for--the latest update on the lives of David and Tristan!
CHAPTER 9. IS THERE A SUPER GLUE FOR BROKEN HEARTS?
David laid there curled up in on his bed, his head pounding and the sour taste of his vomit lingering in his mouth. The supper he had eaten didn't stay with him more than 10 minutes after he left the table. It was a dirty shame too because he had only picked at one of his favorite meals, scalloped potatoes and sausage. "My life is such a mess..." David thought in silent anguish, the tears leaking from his closed eyelids. "I've lost my Tris and nobody except Jason and Chris would understand how I feel. I didn't want to be gay....God, why did you make me gay?"
Those thoughts and similar ones swirled through his brain as the evening shadows outside lengthened, throwing David's room into dimness. The ordinary sounds of life inside his home were mere background noise as David tried to hide his acute distress and it's cause from his family behind the locked door of his bedroom. Lost in the crushing feelings of grief and loneliness resulting from Tristan's rejection of him the passage of time was meaningless to David. He just laid there silently suffering in the evening's dimness.
"David, telephone," called his mother from outside his bedroom door.
"Who is it?" Finding his voice somehow David called back with hope fluttering behind his breast bone. Maybe it was Tristan wanting to talk to him after he came to his senses from that devastating emotional flare-up.
"It's Jason," his mother answered.
After the initial flash of intense disappointment burned through him David clutched at another straw. Maybe then Jason had talked to Tristan and had was able to talk some sense into Tristan's head! David slid off of his bed with a thud and went to answer the phone. "Got it," he announced and waited for the click of the other phone being hung up before he asked breathlessly, "Hey Jase, did you talk to Tristan?"
"No Davie, he's not answering his phone. I've called his house a hundred times and he won't answer. I'm getting kinda worried about him. I was thinking maybe we should go over there and knock on the door until he answers or something."
David's heart fell to his shoes. "What is he doing? Where could Tristan be?" David wondered. His feelings of loss and loneliness intensified tenfold in that instant and David's eyes teared up once more.
"Davie, talk to me!" Jason demanded since there was no response forthcoming from David. After another pause Jason asked, "You want me to come and get you so we can go over there or what?"
"Yeah...I guess so," David barely managed to force out in a choked up whisper. It was a moment before he could continue. "I'm so worried about him, Jase. This whole thing is tearing me apart." Then his nose was running and he sniffed to no avail before wiping up the wetness there with a quick swipe of his fingers.
The sound of David's ragged voice and his words gave Jason the clues he needed to tell how deeply David was hurting. "You hang in there Davie. I'll be right over and then we'll both go talk some sense into that head of his!" Jason directed gently. "Don't worry, everything'll fine," came out in a worried rush of words as Jason concluded his phone call. "I'll be there in 15 minutes max so you just hang in there. I'm coming."
With obvious surprise David said, "How are you getting here so fast? It takes you longer than that usually."
"Oh, didn't I tell you? I got my driver's license last Friday so I get to use my mom's Jeep when she doesn't need it."
"Kewl. Wish I had my driver's license," David said wistfully.
"Well, your birthday is in November so it won't be much longer there Davie. I'm on my way so see you in a little bit. Bye," Jason said in his more usual hyper way.
"Yeah, OK. I'll be waiting for you in my room. Just come on in when you get here. Bye," David said forlornly and hung up the phone. He went in his room, closing the door behind him but not locking it this time, and flopped back on his bed to wait for Jason.
Meanwhile Tristan was taking a badly needed nap in the sheltering arms of Craig Thompson, the Dean of Men at the university. The two of them, Tristan and Craig, had discovered an unforeseen affinity between them and a friendship was germinating despite the difference in their ages. Tristan had zoned out after the toll of the physically and emotionally exhausting day thus far and Craig was only too glad to have Tristan stay a bit longer.
Craig had been studying Tristan's features, noting the youthful masculinity and vibrant health of the younger man snuggled up and sleeping against him. It felt so good to be holding Tristan and to be able to care for someone. Craig's repressed sexuality was like a desert cactus waiting for rain. A miracle of miracles had happened and this beautiful (and gay) young man had literally run into him late that afternoon. To Craig it was as if the heavens opened up and rain was pouring out on a parched and love starved landscape. His gay inner self, walled off from outside detection for countless years by a thick outer skin and prickly thorns, had begun to push out a shoot of vivid pastel colors and was blossoming quickly and unexpectedly.
The sight of Tristan's tumescent cockhead peeking from under his boxers coupled with the aroma of healthy male was like an aphrodisiac for Craig. He could hardly remember when he had last been so sexually aroused as he was at that moment. His normally slumbering manhood was now wide awake and talking to him in no uncertain terms. Secretly, Craig wondered what it would feel like to have that phallic pole of Tristan's invading his inner recesses or to wrap his lips around it and see how much he of it he could inhale. By this time Craig's erection had become so intense it was becoming painful and his balls were trapped uncomfortably.
His fingers moved as he reached to rearrange his male parts into a more comfortable position. The motion of his body disturbed Tristan somewhat, and the young man shifted his weight so that Tristan's boxers draped themselves to hide the treasure contained within once more. Despite the raging temptation that his rampant libido was luring him into, Craig was a man of high moral standards and solid Christian beliefs. "Get down Satan," Craig commanded mentally to his one-eyed crotch-demon. "You won't tempt me into molesting this beautiful boy....he means more to me than a furtive fondling. He trusts me and I won't abuse him or his trust." Craig had fought his attraction to men his entire life and had viewed his body's response to the allure men held for him as Satan's temptation. Over the years he had gotten into the habit of calling his penis Satan as it betrayed his true feelings whenever attractive males were present.
Even as he was habitually fighting another battle in his war against temptation, he couldn't help but relish the feel of holding another male in his arms. It was absolutely wonderful! More so than any other time in his life he felt complete and at peace with his sexuality. His senses were marvelously alive and he could detect the warmth and life and sensuality contained within Tristan. Here within his arms was what he had been missing his entire adult life. A tidal wave of regret washed through Craig that he had denied himself the feelings of completeness and harmony with his sexuality as he was feeling right then.
Not even as a young teen had Craig felt this way. Back then he had experimented with others his age when they all were discovering the new pleasures their bodies were capable of. But despite the excitement and unforgettable aspects of those potent times, there were also feelings of confusion, shame, and self doubt mixed in that detracted from those experiences. As he mused he wondered whatever became of his friend Ted, the redheaded boy he had sucked off one night getting his only taste of man juice so many years ago. And then there was his best friend, Tom, and the few times they masturbated each other until Tom become uncomfortable with doing "that gay stuff". Craig would have done anything and gone anywhere with Tom if only things had only gone differently.
At that very moment in his later adult years while holding a teen boy, Craig came to an irrefutable understanding and acceptance of his own sexuality. There was a part of his basic self that was undeniably and irrevocably born gay and it was high time he accepted that fact. And if he hadn't grown out of it and his prayers of deliverance had gone unanswered for all of these years, why should he fight it and continue to deny that very basic facet of himself? He mused about these things for the space of an hour or so, appearing to doze.
It was growing late in the day and the sun was setting. It was time for Tristan to be heading for home Craig reluctantly decided. He disturbed Tristan by stretching his stiffening muscles and joints after sitting still for so long. "I'd best be getting you home Tristan, it's getting late and your dad will be wondering where you are," Craig said gently to the sleeping teen.
Tristan inhaled a big breath of air, then stretched fluidly, his muscles rippling under his tanned skin. Sleepily he asked, "What time is it?"
"Going on 9:00 o'clock. What time does your dad get home?" Craig inquired.
"Nine or so....it just depends on how the how things went for him at work," Tristan managed to enunciate despite the huge yawn that inserted itself into his speech. It was at this moment Tristan realized just how tented out his boxers were and that he had a tremendous urge to relieve the pressure on his bladder and prostrate. Rather bashfully he asked, "Ummmmm, could you tell me where the bathroom is? I gotta go."
Craig's lips twitched with the beginnings of a smile and it was all he could do not to laugh at Tristan's obvious statement. There was no hiding the dimensions of that solid mass of teen manmeat standing out in Tristan's boxers! During his musings while watching Tristan sleep, Craig had mentally measured it to be somewhere in the range of 7-8 inches in length and its thickness was unlike anything he'd ever seen, maybe approaching 2 inches in diameter! Certainly Tristan's love tool was decidedly larger than what Craig could claim. With an undercurrent of suppressed mirth and incredulous admiration, Craig told him, "It's down the hall there and to the left."
Tristan clambered to his feet, his rampant maleness bobbing and pointing the entire way to the bathroom. He found the bathroom, closed the door, and dropped his boxers thus freeing his monster and aimed it towards the toilet. His pent- up stream was slow to start, but once it did the sound of the healthy flow he released was audible even through the closed door. Although it was a relief to be jetting the contents of his bladder through his hose, Tristan was entirely all too aware of his built up need for some seminal release. His balls were full to overflowing with teencum and he was reminded once more of the day's missed opportunity of getting his rocks off with David. Oh how he missed his David! Tristan stood there, thinking while he shook the last drops out. Which was the greater hurt? Was it missing the boy he loved or the stabbing pain of David's betrayal?
Craig stood up and stretched, working out the kinks in his body, aware of the wetness that had accumulated in his groin. He grimaced to himself and checked to see if the wet spot was visible on the front of his dark blue jeans. Thankfully, he noted that it was barely visible and he doubted that it would be noticeable. The sound of the toilet flushing told Craig that Tristan would soon be out so Craig gathered up Tristan's torn and blood-stained pants. As Tristan appeared, Craig held them out and asked, "Here are your pants. Did you want to put them on for the trip home or not?"
Tristan's butt was sore and the tape holding the bandage on was pulling on his skin as he walked - adding more discomfort to his present condition was not appealing to Tristan. "Uh, if you don't mind, I'll leave them off," he said apologetically to Craig.
"No, I don't mind one bit. Are you ready to go then?"
"Yup, I guess," was the immediate response.
"OK, I have my keys so I'll take you home like I promised," Craig said as he followed Tristan out the door onto the secluded patio. "You'll have to come back again when you've healed up and try out my hot tub, especially if you are sore from playing football. It does wonders for sore muscles," Craig remarked.
"You mean it's OK if I come and see you again?" Tristan asked diffidently.
Craig smiled and said warmly, "Sure, anytime I'm home you're welcome to come in and visit."
Tristan flashed Craig the kind of smile that literally took Craig's breath away for all the radiance and trust contained within it. "Sweet," was the only verbal response Tristan made, but it was clear that Craig's offer of hospitality was being enthusiastically accepted.
By this time they were climbing into Craig's pickup truck, and Craig started the engine after buckling his seat belt. "Where do you live?" Craig asked as he backed out of the driveway.
"I live at 1409 Stonewall Lane - you know where that is?"
"I think so - it's off Eighth Avenue near the park and Lincoln School, isn't it?" Craig focused his attention on the road and began driving. He had a pretty clear idea where Tristan lived - it was in an older section of town not too far away.
"Yup, you've got it." The silence between the two of them lasted for a couple of blocks before Tristan spoke once more. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure Tristan, you can ask me anything, anytime." Craig wondered what was going to come out of Tristan's mouth next. Had he guessed Craig's secret?
"Do you always wear your seat belt, even in town?"
Craig blinked his eyes a few times in surprise - it was not the kind of question he was expecting! "Yeah, I guess I do. You never know when something might go wrong and I believe it's better to be safe than sorry. Don't you?"
"Well, when you put it that way I do. My dad has this hangup against the law making adults use seat belts. He thinks it's stupid to have a law making people use them so he stubbornly won't use his. He says it's his right of civil disobedience to a government that is getting more intrusive in people's private lives."
"Really?" Craig commented neutrally, making a left turn onto Eighth Avenue.
"Yeah, he has this thing about people taking responsibility for themselves and their actions. You don't ever want to get him started on it cuz he gets all worked up over it."
"Oh, he does? Where does your dad work, Tristan?"
"He works at Clark Manufacturing. He's done that ever since I can remember."
"I hear those are pretty good jobs. I've been told that Clark pays good and has decent benefits. So what does your dad do there?"
"Ummmm, he's a shift foreman or some such thing. He works under the plant manager and is in charge of the assembly floor. There's my street up ahead - turn right at that blue house on the corner."
"OK, I see it. So what shift does your dad work? That's a twenty-four hour a day operation as I recall."
"He usually works the day shift, but today they are setting up some new equipment and his shift was moved back 4 hours to overlap the day and evening shifts."
"Oh. Otherwise he's usually home when you are?" Craig inquired.
"Yeah, since he became the senior shift foreman he's worked days mostly. That was about four years ago or so. Here we are, my house is the beige one with the Bronco in front. Dad's home already. I wonder whose Jeep that is parked here," Tristan remarked about the Jeep parked on the street in front of his house.
Craig drove up into the driveway and parked behind Randy's Bronco, shutting off the engine. He turned to Tristan and said, "I think I should meet your dad and help you tell him what happened to you - would you mind if I did that?"
"Actually I was kinda hoping you would." And Tristan smiled another one of those heart-stopping smiles at Craig, before jumping out of the truck.
Craig popped his seat belt buckle and climbed a bit more slowly out from his truck. He looked up to see a more mature and worried appearing version of Tristan coming from the house. He busied himself lifting Tristan's damaged bicycle out of the back of his truck.
Randy was approaching fast and Tristan knew from past experience that usually meant trouble. Not only that, but following in his wake were David and Jason. Now Tristan knew where the Jeep came from, it was Jason's Jeep. "There you are! I was worried about you since no one knew where you were. Why aren't you wearing your pants and why is this man bringing you home?" As he talked Randy's voice displayed the emotions building rapidly within him - the more time he had to absorb what he was seeing, the more agitated he became!
Tristan heard the unmistakable undertone of incipient parental trouble and quickly tried to defuse it. "Dad, I had a little accident on my way home from the swimming pool and Craig, I mean Mr. Thompson, here helped me. It's nothing serious, really. I got scraped up and my pants were wrecked and so I didn't want to put them on. Craig put bandages over my scrapes and so I didn't want those pants rubbing on those sore spots, that's all."
Craig stepped in at this point and diverted Randy's attention away from his son at that point. "Hi, it's been a pleasure getting to know your son, Mr. Cochran. Tristan and I did meet 'accidentally' as a result of a spill he took on his bike that I witnessed. I hope you don't mind that I took him to my home and patched him up some. While he was there I found out what a fine son you have."
Randy stood there for a moment absorbing that information and the self assurance of the man in front of him. He looked Craig over, up and down. It was obvious by Craig's self assurance and his educated speech pattern that this man was a cut above the ordinary. "I'm sorry about my lack of manners. My name is Randy Cochran and I owe you a thanks for helping my son," Randy said as he collected himself and stepped forward to shake Craig's hand.
Craig grasped Randy's hand and looked into Randy's eyes, trying to read as much as he could about Tristan's father in that instant. He noted the return handclasp was strong, although slightly hesitant, another indicator Randy was slightly off balance in this situation. Craig looked deep into Randy's eyes, wondering if Tristan was as much of a chip off of the old block as outward appearances indicated. One thing for sure Craig had noticed and that was that Tristan also took after his father in the way of genital endowments as Randy sported a very full package in those work jeans of his. "I'm very glad to make your acquaintance," Craig said sincerely.
Randy couldn't help but notice the searching look he was given by Craig. He was drawn to the warm friendliness this man exuded and there was something else he couldn't quite place, but whatever it was it he had the distinct feeling that this was more than a casual meeting. He replied in his customary way whenever he shook hands with someone, "Pleased to meet ya." There was a moment of awkward silence before Randy asked the question he needed the answer to. "So how did Tristan manage to wreck his bike wheel and get you to bring him home?"
Craig launched into a fairly accurate explanation of how he and Tristan came to meet, his taking Tristan home and patching up Tristan's scraped-up body, and then their sharing a meal together and watching over him afterwards. Inserted into the explanation were words intended to reassure Randy that Craig was no sex predator with the intention of taking sexual liberties with his son. He included in that information the fact that he was Dean of Men at the local university and was accustomed to looking after the welfare of thousands of young men in the course of his career.
Meanwhile, Tristan had stood there, a forgotten bystander to the mutual sizing up process and explanation the two older men were engaged in. Tristan had been ignoring the presence of David and Jason so at this point they pushed their way in and confronted Tristan, saying, "We gotta talk."
Tristan finally looked at them directly and bit off a curt answer, "In the garage then."
The two other boys followed Tristan into the garage so they could talk privately. As soon as they were inside David demanded, "Where have you been Tris? Jase and I have been looking all over for you? Right Jase?"
"Yeah, we've cruised all over town tonight looking for you since you wouldn't answer your phone."
"Well duh! I wasn't home to answer my phone, was I? And now my two 'best' buds are worried about me. You didn't seem to be too worried about me when I was out of town."
"That's not true!" David fired back. "You have no idea how worried I was about you and how much I missed you when you were gone."
"I sure think you have a funny way you have of showing it!" Tristan said sarcastically. "And here the two of you are together again - isn't that so sweet?"
David's body flinched as if Tristan had physically hit him before protesting, "Tris, I have too been worried about you. I couldn't eat supper because of all this and now you weren't home and I didn't know where you were or what you were doing. You just ran off and disappeared. Why shouldn't I be worried?"
Incredulously Tristan responded saying, "I don't see that my whereabouts is your problem anymore David. You abandoned any need for concern over my welfare and say in my whereabouts when you cheated on me."
David's face crumpled in acute hurt, and he resorted to pleading, "Let me explain, please".
"I don't think I want to hear it," Tristan said flatly.
Jason grabbed Tristan's arm and said, "Tristan, you should listen...it isn't what you think it was."
Tristan shook his hand off and now it was Jason's turn to face Tristan's ire. "Did you guys do anything or not? Did you fool around or not?"
Jason could withstand Tristan's intense gaze for a only second before he looked at the floor and said, "Yeah, we did, just a little though."
"Right...so how is that not what I think it is?" Tristan continued to make his point abundantly clear.
David was getting very desperate. He implored, "Tristan... Tris-dude... come on, please listen to me. I was so upset I hadn't heard from you..."
Tristan interrupted, "So, you went ahead and fooled around with our formerly best friend?"
David said, "Tris-dude,"
Immediately Tristan yelled, "STOP CALLING ME THAT!"
David and Jason both actually stepped back in shock. It was so unlike the usually easy-going Tristan to see him be so aggressive. They shot uncertain glances at each other.
"I DON'T EVER WANT TO HEAR THAT COME FROM YOU AGAIN, YOU BASTARD! THAT WAS A NAME THAT MEANT LOVE TO ME, AND RESPECT, AND TRUST! YOU BETRAYED ME, AND YOU BETRAYED EVERYTHING THERE WAS BETWEEN US!"
"Tris-d...Tristan...please! I didn't mean anything by it! It just happened!"
Tristan's mouth tightened even more. "Sure, it did, David. Sure it did. It just happened that you fooled around and didn't bother to tell me...that you betrayed me. I can't stand the sight of you, man. I never want to see you again." He turned away only to see his dad and Craig watching them through the open doorway, Randy holding onto the smashed up bike.
Every cruel word Tristan said was like a dagger stabbing repeatedly into David's heart. He felt like his life was pouring out of those invisible stab wounds and he could only blink away his tears of the anguish that penetrated to his very core as he looked down at his feet. His Tristan was rejecting him and it was all a huge mistake! And it was painfully obvious that Tristan's ears and mind and heart were closed to any explanation or attempt at working out this heart- rending misunderstanding.
"Tristan, did you forget what we talked about?" Craig asked gently.
"I DON'T CARE!" Tristan shouted angrily.
"Tristan, that's enough! Go inside the house right now!" Randy commanded his son.
Tristan knew that look he got from his dad - it was the look that meant do as I say or else! Knowing he had no further choice, Tristan spun around on his heel and left swiftly. It was over. Everything about David and Jason was over. At that moment Tristan was sure that his life was over as well. All he wanted to do was to get away from everyone and everything--to find some way to make that pain that was ripping his heart out go away.
Randy took the opportunity to do a little parental detective work. It was obvious that something seriously wrong had happened today and Randy could tell that Tristan's emotions were strained past the breaking point. He had to deal with whatever had happened and hopefully get it fixed. "Fellows, what's going on here? First Craig tells me Tristan had an accident because he wasn't watching where he was going this afternoon and now he's angrier at you than I've ever seen him...so what happened?"
David couldn't look up at Randy, not when the tears were dripping out his eyes. The sunshine in his life was gone and he absolutely had no words within him. His sole response was to despondently shake his head 'no'. Jason, usually at no loss for words, for once wasn't sure what he should say. His eyes opened wide and breathing hard from the adrenalin flooding his body. Jason knew he was the one who had to answer when David remained silent. The seconds were passing so slowly they felt like minutes while Jason cast around for what to say. Finally he nervously cleared his throat and took the plunge. "Well, uh, it was like this Randy. We were swimming today and we started giving each other a bad time and ummmmm, you see Tristan took it the wrong way. He...ummmm...well, he thinks David cheated on him with me."
"Cheated on him? Like how?" Randy was squeamish about finding out more than he wanted to know, but how else was he to understand exactly what the problem was?
"Ummmm, ahhhh, well, we - David and I - slept together in David's bed because David was missing Tristan so much and then we showered together when you guys were in Lubbock and Tristan found out about it today," Jason said in a rush once he got his words started.
"That doesn't exactly sound like cheating to me," Randy said grimacing. "Unless by 'sleeping' together you meant to say you guys were having sex. Is that it?"
"Ummm, no, not exactly," Jason replied hesitantly.
"Not exactly? What in the hell does that mean?" Randy was running out of patience with this 20 questions routine and he wanted an answer.
Shooting an apologetic look over at David, Jason decided he had no choice but to come out and spill the beans. It was either that or blatantly lie to Randy and keeping secrets was what had put them in this incredibly awkward and uncomfortable state. Another rush of words came tumbling out of Jason's mouth. "I dunno what to call it. David touched my privates when we were sleeping together because he was missing Tristan while he was asleep and thought I was Tristan until I woke him up and stopped him."
"Oh, I see. Does Tristan know all of this?" Randy asked pointedly.
"No, he wouldn't listen. He got all upset and took off just as soon as he found out David touched me there and refused to let us tell him the whole story," Jason said breathlessly. His heart was hammering away in his chest. He was sooo scared to be telling this stuff to an adult and his body was reacting in response to the primal fight or flee option for self preservation.
"David, is there anything else you want to say about this?" Randy demanded.
It was then that David looked up so Randy could see the tears that were pooling in his eyes and dripping out slowly to run down his cheeks. "No," was David's choked up reply. "I just wish he would listen to me so I could tell him the whole truth of it."
"Look, I'm really sorry you guys are having this trouble but I doubt that he'll be in the mood to listen tonight by the looks of things. Let's give him some time to calm down and I'll talk to him a little, OK? Maybe tomorrow you guys will have your chance to tell him what you want to say," Randy recommended.
"Well, we'd like to get this settled now if we could," Jason countered. He knew how this was tearing David up inside and how much he needed it to be resolved.
Randy shook his head. "Nope, it isn't the right time. Tristan's too upset and it would only be another ugly scene. You guys go home and try to get some sleep. Give Tristan some time to settle down so he is able to listen. He's always been that way boys, trust me."
Still choked up and speechless, David looked at Randy, nodded his head 'yes' once and headed out the door. Jason looked back at Randy as he followed David out saying, "Bye, but tell Tristan that he's gotta listen to us." And they climbed into Jason's Jeep and drove off.
As the other two boys drove off Randy looked over at Craig, who stood there watching silently through this entire drama, and apologized, "I'm sorry you had to get dragged into this mess."
"It's OK Randy. I've seen people having problems many, many times before and will see many more before they put me out to pasture," Craig assured Randy. "I want to tell you that I am impressed by the way you've handled this so far. Obviously you know what works for your son and what doesn't. The beauty and the problem with young people is that their emotions are so vivid but then there's also the fact that they haven't learned how to deal with those intense emotions much of the time."
"Yeah, that's Tristan all right. Sometimes I wonder if that son of mine has PMS the way his moods can fluctuate and this stuff with David has been the biggest roller coaster ride you can ever imagine."
"Yes, from what I've seen I would agree that there's a serious attachment there, or there was." Craig stood there with his hands in his pockets, waiting for a cue from Randy as to what he should do next. He decided to test the water and asked, "How do you feel about this 'stuff' between Tristan and David?"
"Tristan told you about him and David being boyfriends?"
"Yes, more or less. He told he was gay, that he had a very bad day today and I've seen the very strong emotions between those two boys now. It's pretty easy to add it all up and get the correct answer."
Randy rubbed his eyes before answering Craig's question. "I don't know. Part of me wants Tristan to be happy with who and what he is, and another part of me wants grandchildren, you know what I mean?"
"Yes, I think I do. I know I would feel the same way if I had a son who told me that he was gay." Craig responded empathetically.
"You have any kids?" Randy asked.
Craig smiled at being asked about his family. "Yes, two daughters, both married and moved away to urban areas. Alyssa is in Chicago and Jennifer lives in Denver. So I know very well about the mood swings that teens can go through. When my daughters would come to visit me their moods could be entirely different every day even when though they tried not to show it."
Randy lifted his head once in silent acknowledgement before voicing his next thought. "I take it you're divorced then?"
"Have been since the oldest was 5. Tristan told me you were divorced too."
"Yeah. You guys really did a lot of talking by the sounds of it," Randy observed.
"Hey, I know what you're thinking. Every parent wishes their kids would open up and talk to them like they will to others. It's normal. They need validation from someone outside the family and I happened to be the person there listening at that moment."
Randy could see why Tristan would open up to Craig. The guy sure knew how the say the right things at the right times. He just could tell instinctively that Craig Thompson was a genuinely warm and caring man. "You sure do seem to have that counseling stuff down pat," Randy observed. "Would you mind sticking around and helping me get Tristan settled down and listening with both ears again?"
Craig spread his hands apart in an open gesture of acceptance as he said, "I wouldn't mind at all, that is if you are sure you want me to stay involved."
"Hell yes! I might need some help in there with him. This goes way beyond my experience," Randy exclaimed. "Let's go inside and have us a little talk with that son of mine." Craig followed Randy into the house, glad of the opportunity to closely look over the rear view of this more mature version of Tristan. No doubt about it, he liked what he was seeing! There wasn't the usual middle-aged roll of fat over Randy's hips - instead Randy appeared to take good care of himself. He was height and weight proportionate, Craig guessed about 185 pounds or so on his 6 foot frame and Randy still had a full head of dark hair cut short.
Randy led the way through the house and stopped at a closed bedroom door. He knocked sharply three times and said, "Tristan, open up. We need to talk." No answer. Again came the parental command, "Tristan, I mean it. Open the door!"
Tristan's distraught voice inside answered finally, "Just leave me alone, Dad! I don't wanna talk."
"Tristan, you have some explaining to do and I want to talk about it now so open up! Or how long do you want to be grounded?" Randy resorted to the carrot and the stick approach....grounding or allowance curtailment being the only parental sticks he had left to wield.
After a short delay footsteps hit the floor within the room and there was a click at the door indicating the lock being released, but the door didn't open. Gesturing with his head, Randy indicating to Craig to come in Tristan's room with him. Randy opened the door and stepped in.
Craig followed Randy in and gazed about at a fairly typical teenaged boy's room with off white paint and a high window running across the far wall. There was a single unmade bed with blue sheets in one corner, a desk in another, and a 5- drawer dresser standing against another wall. The closet door was open displaying an array of shirts hanging within. Scattered across the floor were a couple of days worth of dirty clothes including towels, socks and underwear. Tristan's interests and personality were depicted in his choice of wall adornments. Grouped in one area were athletic ribbons and trophies Tristan had evidently won in his earlier school years. There also was a poster of a current hit rock band - all pretty good looking guys and posing with no shirts. Scattered about the floor were many sketches of David that looked like they had been previously on the wall. There were still some torn corners pinned to the walls and it looked like a couple of the sketches were badly crumpled and torn.
Tristan was sitting on his bed, feet on the floor and his face buried in his hands. "What?" Tristan spoke through his hands.
"I think we should talk about what has you fighting like this with your boyfriends."
"They're not my boyfriends." Tristan spat out angrily from between his hands.
"Huh. OK. It sure has looked to me over the past month or so like David is your boyfriend...and Jason has been a best friend of yours since you guys started school together."
"Well, they're not anymore!"
"So it seems. They don't want it to be that way though. Especially David. He looked to be very upset and unhappy about it out there in the garage. He told me you won't listen to him so the two of you could work out the problem you guys are having." Randy sat down on the corner of the bed and gestured for Craig to take the desk chair. As Craig pulled the chair around and sat on it backwards so his arms were leaning on the top of the backrest, Tristan whipped his hands away from his face and stared at him in consternation.
"Dad! Why did you bring him in here!" Tristan wailed. "I didn't want him to see me like this!" and he buried his face in his hands again.
Craig picked up the sketch of David that was laying closest to him and looked at it. It was a very well done drawing of David standing shiftless while wearing a medallion around his neck before saying gently, "I'm here because your dad is very concerned about you and he knows that you and I have already talked about some of this. Did you draw this picture of David?"
Tristan nodded his head "yes" hesitantly, his hands still covering his face.
"It's a very good drawing and I can tell how much love you put into this drawing. It looks so real I almost feel like I'm holding a photograph of David in my hands," Craig praised Tristan.
Tristan didn't reply but only looked up with his eyes all puffy and dripping tears before wiping his nose with the back of his hand.
"You loved him a lot, didn't you?" Craig asked.
Tristan nodded weakly - almost too lightly to discern.
"Tristan, I can tell that you've been deeply hurt. I also know that it really really hurts bad because you love David so much, and those who we open our heart to can hurt us more easily and more deeply than anyone else. Sometimes things happen and sometimes the things that happen are misunderstood. Are you sure you have all the facts about what happened?"
Tristan's response was to shrug one shoulder.
Craig continued, "It looked like David very badly wanted to talk to you and maybe explain himself to you. I know you've been very hurt by this and probably don't want to open yourself up to the possibility of being hurt even more, but what if you've drawn the wrong conclusion based on too few facts? Have you made up your mind too soon about what David's intentions really were?"
"He cheated on me! How is that going to change?" Tristan fired back.
"Well, let's look it at this way. Would your feelings for David change so quickly that you would go out and deliberately betray David's trust?" Craig questioned.
Tristan looked up again with a frown on his face. "No. Course not. I totally loved him until he cheated on me."
"So why would it be any different for him? Do you really think he is like a Jekyll and Hyde where he would love you one day and the next day not love you?"
"I dunno. It seems like he doesn't love me the same way I loved him - maybe I was just a way for him to have sex. I really don't understand....," Tristan's voice trailed off as fresh tears began running down his face.
"Tristan, you can't be sure about that until you talk to him and hear what he wants to say," Craig gently reminded.
"I can't. It hurts too much." Tristan whispered as he looked down at the floor. His shoulders shook with repressed sobs as he continued to hide his face in his hands.
"Just let it out Tristan, it's OK," Randy said as he wrapped an arm around his son and motioned Craig to come over with his head. Craig moved from the chair over to Tristan's other side, the two men supporting the heartbroken teen between them.
So that was where and when Tristan let all the pain and heartbreak that he had been trying to hold in come pouring out. He cried in a way he hadn't since his mother left as he cried and sobbed with great shuddering breaths. Randy rubbed Tristan's shoulders while Craig held him around his hips, both of them silently letting Tristan know they were there for him. Despite the fact that Tristan was sandwiched between the two of them, each of them was all too aware of the nearness of the other man. It was as if the two of them were powerful magnets in close proximity to each other with their magnetic fields interacting and striving to close the gap.
Finally after several minutes Tristan's sobs died away and Craig chose that time to renew their discussion. "You really loved David a lot, didn't you?" Craig asked.
"Yeah," Tristan said brokenly. ®MDNM¯ "Do you really want to give up on the love you and David had? Just like that?" and Craig dramatically snapped his fingers. "Would you want David to do that if it were him that was upset by something you did and he wouldn't allow you to explain yourself and the chance to fix whatever it was?" Craig questioned. He continued, "If you keep shutting David out that is what you risk - losing David forever."
Tristan could only look over at Craig with anguish written all over his face. It was clear that Tristan was considering what Craig had just said to him. After a few minutes of silence Tristan said softly, "Yeah, I guess you are right - but it's gonna be so hard to do. Why did this have to happen to me, I thought everything was so perfect!" he grieved.
"You'll never know the answer to that unless you talk to David," Craig reinforced, "and find out for yourself what his intentions and feelings really are concerning you."
Randy jumped into the conversation once more as he pulled Tristan into a one arm hug. "Tristan, there are times in everyone's life where you do what you have to do, no matter how afraid you are of the result. This is one of those times for you and you need to do it. Otherwise, you'll might regret not doing it for the rest of your life. So talk to David, really talk to him. Don't accuse, just let him talk and you listen. Give him a chance to explain himself, he deserves that much from you."
Tristan heaved a big sigh. "Yeah, I suppose he does. I might as well get it over with. Can I go call him now?"
Randy gave Tristan a small smile, "I think that's a good idea. Go get this taken care of....and Tris, remember no matter what, you're still my son and I love you just the same."
"I know Dad. Thanks. Can I use the phone in your bedroom?"
"Sure."
Tristan got up and left then, moving slowly like a condemned man might as he was going to his execution.
The two men stood up together as Tristan left. "Thank you for all the help you've given us today," Randy said gratefully to Craig and stuck out his hand to shake Craig's while saying, "I had no idea how to go about getting Tristan to realize the things you said to him."
Craig took the proferred handshake and there was an unmistakable tingle of electricity as their hands touched, perhaps a subconscious tightening of Randy's grasp? That tingle in his hand flew up his arm and down his torso to rest in his groin as his dick woke up and stirred for the second time that day. Reluctantly Craig released the handclasp. "I didn't either until we got started," Craig confessed. "This is one of those times I have to go with the flow and use whatever openings present themselves. You put the clincher to it with what you said. It is so important for children to know that they are loved even when things aren't going well for them at a given moment. You have good parenting instincts."
Randy smiled at the compliment. "Can I offer you something to drink?" as he led the way out of Tristan's bedroom.
"No, I really should be going. I have a big meeting tomorrow I need to go get ready for."
There was a barely detectable trace of disappointment in Randy's voice as he replied, "Yeah, I can understand that."
By this time they were outside and Craig made up his mind about something that he had been sub-consciously considering. "I would like to have you and Tristan over for supper on Friday or Saturday. Would you be able to come over for steaks and maybe a beer or two then?"
"Yeah, that would be nice. How about Saturday? Can I bring the beer or anything else?"
/I mostly want you/ Craig thought as he said, "Saturday it is then! Bringing the beer would be more than plenty - and Tristan too, of course. David is invited also if he and Tristan have patched up their differences by then. And if you need any help in the meantime with handling their problem, just call me anytime, OK?"
"Sure thing. And thanks again for all of the help you gave us today," Randy said sincerely as he smiled a more mature version of that heart-stopping smile his son flashed earlier.
That did it! He cock sprang to full hardness as Randy became the embodiment of perfect masculinity to Craig. His libido threatening to get out of control, Craig needed to leave. With a deprecatory wave of his hand Craig said, "No problem, Randy. See you on Saturday then," and he jammed the other hand in his pocket and fished for his keys to hide the fact of his arousal.
"Yeah, see you on Saturday," Randy said with a hint of a wicked grin. He suspected Craig had the hots for him - first there were the downwards glances he noticed from Craig and also he thought there was an extra something pushing out the front of Craig's pants.
Craig climbed into his truck and the two men waved to each other briefly one last time as he backed down the driveway and then drove away.
Randy stood there for a minute sorting out his feelings. Why did he feel like a teenaged boy again who just gotten his first date? There were those same feelings of excitement and nervousness he recognized from long ago. Was it just his imagination that made him think Craig's interest in him was more than casual? And even if Craig was a bit older than Randy, he sure was a handsome man. And not only that, but he was kind, and gentle, and obviously well educated. "What would a guy like Craig want with someone like me?" Randy wondered as he turned to go back into his house and see what was happening with Tristan.
"Hey David, do you want to go with Chris and me to get some pizza and maybe a movie so we can hang out tonight since your parents are letting you stay over?" Jason asked.
David slowly looked up from his spot on the sectional couch in Chris' family room where he was sitting with his knees tucked under his chin. "No, he said quietly, "I don't feel like going anywhere or doing much. You guys go ahead."
"You sure you don't want to come along? We don't want to leave you here all by yourself, so I guess I'll just stay and Jason can go get the goodies," Chris chimed in.
"No, you guys go ahead without me. I won't be any fun...I'll never have fun again without Tris..." and David sighed one of those hiccupy sighs as his eyes teared up for the umpteenth time since they left Tristan's garage where Tristan rejected him again and ripped his heart out. He had no idea something could hurt that much without dying. And to be honest, watching Jason and Chris together as a couple just made his loss all the more distinct. "God, I feel like such a wuss, sitting here crying like some kind of girl," David thought to himself.
Jason looked around needing inspiration for what to do. It was looking like he lost one of his best friends today and he for sure didn't want to lose another one tonight. Yet he and Chris were hungry and they both hoped they could find some funny video that would help cheer David up. "I know!" Jason quipped as his face lit up with one of his usual sudden inspirations, "PJ is home and he can be here and keep you company while we're gone! Chris, would you go get him - you know how he likes to hang out around us. Is that OK with you David?"
"Whatever, Jason," David said dully.
Jason gestured with his head at Chris to get "the Peej" as they affectionately called PJ. He had been watching his favorite movie, "Star Wars" for at least the hundredth time upstairs when they all came in a bit earlier. Chris bounded up the stairs taking them two at time with all the pent-up nervous energy this tense and unhappy time was creating in him. He found PJ watching the closing scenes of the movie and said, "Peej, we need you to keep David company while Jason and I go get some pizza and a video we haven't watched a hundred times before."
"Up yours Chris!" PJ flung back right at him with a smile and a giggle. "So what if I like to watch my Star Wars movie! So why do I need to keep David company anyways? Why isn't he going with you guys?"
"Cause he's really down and doesn't want to come with us and he needs to have someone keep an eye on him. But don't tell him that I told you that..." Chris warned PJ.
"I need to babysit David? Whoa, that's different!" PJ breathed incredulously with wide open eyes.
"Yeah, you could say that. In fact, don't leave him alone for a minute while we're gone, you got that?" Chris instructed.
"Not even if he goes to the bathroom?" PJ shook his head as if to clear away his utter astonishment.
"Especially if he goes to the bathroom. Don't let him lock the door or stay in there by himself for any length of time at all....just be your normal cheerful self and pester the shit out of him if he tries."
"Okely Dokely, that's easy!" PJ giggled and then turned serious as he asked, "But why? What's wrong with him?"
"OK, I guess I have to tell ya. He and Tristan had this huge fight today and he's really sad and depressed about it right now so we're kinda watching over him and we need your help for a bit. Will you do that?"
"Sure thing, Chrissy. You know I like David too."
"Watch your mouth Peej!" Chris warned. Calling him Chrissy was an automatic invitation for Chris to inflict a semi-playful butt kicking around their house. The two of them went downstairs to the family room, PJ following Chris.
"Hiya David!" PJ chirped brightly, "I'm gonna keep ya company while Chrissy and Jason are gone." PJ made a face at Chris as he gave his brother another verbal jab, daring Chris to come after him so he could call on David for help like he usually did.
It didn't work. Chris just glowered at PJ for a moment while David only looked up and gave PJ a half-hearted wave.
"We're going now to get the goodies, David," Chris said. "You need anything before we leave?"
David shook his head 'no' and went back to staring morosely at the far wall.
"OK, let's go Jason," Chris prompted Jason who was usually the most vocal one in their group. Jason was being uncharacteristically silent since he was feeling an immense load of guilt over causing the boatload of trouble between David and Tristan. It wasn't looking like it was going to be a fun evening at all.....first David, now Jason was turning into a depressed zombie. "Crap," Chris thought, "probably won't get any loving from my man tonight now." And he had been really looking forward to relieving some of the boy juice that he had saved up over the past couple of days...especially after having caught a good view of Tristan's whopper earlier that day! "Woo Hoo! Was that boy hung or what? And how in the world is David able to take that massive thing anyway?" Chris thought to himself once more as he left with Jason, his hands on Jason's butt while pushing him up the stairs.
"So you wanna do something David?" PJ asked, standing in front of David with his hands on his hips.
"Nuh uh," David grunted in a monotone.
"Ahhh, come on, let's go throw a baseball around...or maybe you could help me with my football throw?" he asked hopefully.
"Nah, don't feel like doing anything at all tonight," David half moaned.
PJ cocked his head way over to one side and asked, "What's wrong, David? I can always count on you wanting to do stuff with me. Are you mad at me or something?"
David let out a big sigh before answering while looking down at his hands, "No way Peej, I'm not mad at you or anyone else. I'm just sad, really really sad."
"Awwwwwww, that's the pits, David," and PJ plopped right down next to David on the sectional couch. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked. "It always helps me when I can talk about stuff that is bothering me."
"What do you know about stuff?" David asked brusquely.
PJ jerked up in indignation. "Just because I'm only 11 doesn't mean I don't know about stuff," he said. "And remember, I've had my share of bad times too when my mom didn't want me anymore and my dad had to come and get me....after all the years I didn't know who he was even."
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," David admitted with an apologetic glance over at PJ. "Sorry."
"That's OK, David. So spill it David! Just tell me and maybe I can help ya," PJ put his most winsome face on and smiled up at David.
David sighed a huge sigh again. How could this twirpy brother of Chris' help him with his problem with Tristan? Maybe he would just tell PJ a little bit so as not to hurt his feelings and then maybe PJ would quit bugging him. "Well, OK, maybe just a little then. Ummmmmm, Tristan and I had this fight today and he said some really mean things to me. I don't think we're friends anymore."
"Awwwwwww, that's really too bad," PJ commiserated. "you guys were really good friends, weren't ya?"
"Yeah, we were," David admitted sadly.
"You and Tristan were boyfriends like Chris and Jason, weren't ya?" PJ persisted.
David shot up as if PJ had goosed him in the ribs and stared at PJ. "What made you say that?"
"Easy. I could see how you guys acted like you were in love just like Chrissy and Jason do. Heck, Chris even admitted to me that he and Jason are in love."
"He did? And you could see that with me and Tris?" David asked incredulously.
"Of course! It was easy to see once I knew what to look for," PJ said confidently.
"Like what?"
"Ummmmm, like the way you would look at each other, or sit together, or even lay on the floor together. It's like....ummmmm....you guys didn't keep that invisible space between yourselves like other guys do."
David could only sit there and slightly shake his head in wonder before asking, "And that kind of stuff doesn't bother you?"
"Why should it? If Chris can be in love with another guy, I guess then you and Tristan can be too."
"But you don't think its wrong or gross or anything like that?" David asked before his brain caught up to the fact he was virtually admitting things to this 11 year old. And then he began to blush....he could feel his face turn red clear up into his hair.
"Well, I dunno," PJ said innocently. "Love is love, isn't it? And what two guys do together besides kiss is something I have never seen, so how can I say anything about that? If you ask me, any kind of sex, even with girls, sounds gross." PJ giggled at that thought.
"It won't be too long before you change your mind, I bet," David assured PJ and gave him a very small smile with one corner of his mouth. "Just wait until your hormones kick in big time, and then sex is the only thing you can think of."
"I think I can wait, thank you very much," PJ said with a grimace of distaste for all that 'gross' sex stuff.
He couldn't help it, he had to laugh even if it was just a tiny bit mixed in with a snort. David cracked a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he jostled PJ next to him, "Just you wait. Pretty soon your little head will be doing all your thinking for you when it gets starts getting all big and hard at anytime during the day and night!"
PJ's answer to haul off and sock David in the shoulder. "We weren't supposed to be talking about me, you dork...now what are you going to do about Tristan?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? You're going to do nothing?" PJ asked in surprise.
"Yeah, he's the one who wants to break up, not me. What am I supposed to do about it, Mr. Know-It-All?"
"I can't believe you are giving up just like that!" PJ said as he snapped his fingers together of his right hand. It was sooo cute how he did it too! David didn't answer but instead shrugged his shoulder. "Let me ask ya this teensy eensy little question then to help ya make up your mind," PJ continued as if he was this little dog that had a tasty bone in his teeth and wasn't giving it up. "Are you ready for it? And you promise you'll give me an honest answer cuz I'll kick your ass if you don't!" he threatened the older and much larger David.
Again David just had to laugh! It was so ludicrous that PJ could follow through on his threats! But David figured 'what the hell' and shook his head 'yes' and said, "OK Peej, I promise! Just don't beat me up, please!" as he folded his hands together in mock supplication.
"That's better!" PJ declared. "Now here's my question...and don't forget you promised to give me your honest answer. Before you and Tristan had this fight today, didn't you really love him more than anyone else in the whole world? And when you were with him you were all happy and when you were apart you missed him big bunches the whole time? Isn't it true that's the way it was for you?"
That question stunned David. He never expected anything remotely like that coming from PJ, especially the way it was like a huge searchlight that PJ had turned on which cut through the fog of his battered emotions. "Yeah, it's all true," David whispered almost to himself. And then David turned to face PJ and asked with an uncomprehending frown on his face, "How do you know this stuff? You are so smart for someone your age!"
"Awwwww, it's easy," PJ said with a smirk. "Chrissy and I had this talk last week about how he loves Jason and like I told ya, you and Tristan have it just as bad if not worse than those two!" And then PJ laughed his cute giggle as he bounced around next to David.
"Come here you little squirt!" David grabbed the bouncing PJ and hugged him and held him close before asking, "So what do you think I should do with the numbskull boyfriend of mine who won't listen to me and has gotten things all wrong?"
"Make him listen," was PJ's simple answer. "Keep calling him or write him a letter or get someone he'll listen to talk to him for you. If you really love him you won't let a single lover's spat break you up." And then PJ made a little pouty face before breaking out in a beaming smile.
David's emotions burst their dam once more. The Peej made everything so clear and was so accepting of the love he felt for Tristan that the tears began to fall in an odd mixture of sorrow, relief, and joy. It felt so good to be able to talk honestly and openly about his feelings for Tristan with PJ and now he knew what to do! What a relief it was and David just held PJ close and let the tears run. "Thanks, Peej, you are one pretty smart little dude," David whispered into his ear.
"You can talk to me about your stuff anytime, David. Heck, I won't even charge ya for it!" PJ teased and then giggled again. "You can let my 'little' head do the thinking for ya instead of your little head, OK?"
"Yeah, I might just do that," David answered with a short laugh and then hugged PJ to him once more. It felt sooo good to have someone to snuggle innocently with together as David wiped the tears away from his face.
The telephone downstairs rang its annoying brrrriiing several times, interrupting their moment of closeness. That hug and the innocent wisdom of PJ's helped David feel better than he had since Tristan went off the deep end that afternoon. PJ squirmed out of David's arms, jumped up and ran to answer the phone while making a scrunched up look with his nose that was soooo cute! "Hello," he answered with the o sound going up in pitch and then listened for a moment. "It's for you David," PJ announced excitedly and then he whispered loudly, "It's Tristan. He wants to know if you will talk to him?" while he gestured wildly with his free arm to come and talk.
David slowly heaved himself up out of the sectional couch and walked to the phone. His stomach was twisting into tighter and tighter knots. What did Tristan want to say to him this time? Would his words be as damaging to their relationship as the last barbed words he shot into David's heart? David took a deliberate breath and took the phone from PJ. "Hello," he answered with trepidation. He didn't dare say anything else....not 'what do you want', or 'have you changed your mind', or 'this fighting is killing me'....he didn't dare say anything more to the boy he had loved so much and only this very day realized how deeply that the love they had shared had sunk into the core of his being.
"Ummmmmm, David," Tristan started out nervously, "ahhhh, I'm like really sorry I didn't want to listen to you before. Ummmm, this is really hard for me to say....are you still there?" Tristan asked since he wasn't hearing anything back from David.
"Yeah," David said quietly, "I'm still here. So what is so hard for you to say? Say whatever you have to say, Tristan, cuz I can't stand much more bad stuff so let's just get it over with." Fresh tears began to run down David's face as he mentally prepared himself for the worst.
Those words of hurt coming from deep inside David choked Tristan up to where he could hardly talk. The silence grew heavy on the phone as Tristan tried to force out what he had called to say. He tried to clear his throat and swallowed before hoarsely whispering, "My dad and Craig said I owed it to you to listen to what you wanted to tell me, so I'm like ready to listen to whatever it is you wanted to tell me." And then he waited for David's answer.
Tristan could hear the tears in David's voice as he answered, "I can't tell you that stuff over the phone Tristan....you know I can't. I can only tell it to you when you are with me and the longer you wait the less I'll have to say to you," and his voice trailed off into silence at the end.
Tristan's eyes filled with tears as he could tell that David was nearing the point of throwing in the towel...that he too had been hurt so bad and was barely hanging on to the tattered shreds their relationship had become in a matter of hours. Sobbing, Tristan answered, "David, I can't wait. Can we talk tonight just as soon as we can?"
"Yeah, so where?" was David's short reply. David could hear Tristan losing it on the other end of the phone and it was tearing him up inside something fierce!
"At our place in the park?" Tristan asked hopefully through his sobs.
"Well....," David thought for a moment while gathering his composure so he could talk after hearing Tristan's sobs, "it will take me a little time to get there...and it depends if I can get Jason to give me a ride. Will you be waiting there for me?"
"Yes, I'll wait all night if I have to," Tristan promised.
"Then I'll be there as soon as I can, even if I have to walk all the way across town but first I have to wait for Jason to get back - he should be here any minute," David replied matter-of-factly.
"OK, see you there. I'll be waiting for you. Bye then," and Tristan waited for David's answer before hanging up.
"Yeah, see you there. Bye." Click. That was it, no see ya Tris-dude nor their earlier drawn-out goodbyes that told each other how important they were to each other. Hanging up the phone just like that was the old David he knew from the days before the farm, a practical and to the point David who never-ever showed any deep feelings. How quickly their relationship had regressed! Tears dripping from his eyes, Tristan hung up the phone and went to prepare himself to head over to the park and wait for David to show up.
He stood there in his room for a moment considering what he should wear. "It might get chilly out there in the park," he thought, "and probably the mosquitoes could be pesky too." So he decided to gingerly pull his navy blue sweat pants over his boxers and his bandaged scrapes and he grabbed his matching hooded sweatshirt as extra insurance against the chill of the night. He put on his dark atheletic shoes and he was set to go, except for telling his dad where he was going. "Should he tell him or not?" Tristan mentally wondered. "Yeah, I suppose I should cuz I don't know how long this will take and I don't want him freaking out on me," Tristan concluded.
Leaving his bedroom Tristan yelled for his dad, "DAD, I'M GOING TO THE PARK TO MEET DAVID. I FOUND HIM OVER AT CHRIS' HOUSE AND HE'S GOING TO MEET ME AT THE PARK!"
That produced immediate results! The recliner in the front room banged down and Randy intercepted Tristan by the outside door. "I guess I can't tell you no you can't go now, can I?" he asked with a grimace. "It's almost dark out and it's late you know," he added.
"I know, but I gotta do this now Dad. You even told me I should, so I'm going."
"Yeah, but I didn't think it would be in the middle of the night you would choose to do this," Randy complained. "Go have your talk, but please, please promise you won't do anything stupid. Whichever way it works out, come home and wake me if I'm sleeping and we'll go from there, OK? You promise?" Randy had this worried look written all over his face as he laid down his conditions for letting Tristan go.
"Yeah, OK. I promise. Can I go now Dad?"
"Yeah, but one more thing...if things don't go good, don't stay there or let him beat you up, OK? Just leave and come home...got that? And don't go anyplace else without telling me."
"Kay, Dad....I'm not a kindergartner anymore you know. This is something I gotta do, so let me do it. Bye." And with those words Tristan slipped out the door and took off walking somewhat stiffly and headed to the park in the dim light of twilight. It was one of those warm, calm late summer evenings and the robins chirped their evening chirps as they settled into their nests for the night. In the distance the sounds of traffic could be heard but otherwise all was quiet. As Tristan walked towards the park he noticed that the street lights began to flicker on and yet he walked with a purpose without any concern for his safety for he lived in a place and a time where drugs and acts of random violence were confined to the inner cities.
After five minutes of brisk walking Tristan was there at the park and angling towards his and David's "secret" spot. No one else was at the park since it was officially closed at dark and was patrolled by an occasional police car. But, as David and Tristan knew, if they didn't see you they couldn't kick you out now could they? Choosing a spot in the shadows, Tristan sat on a low rock wall and waited, arms clasped around his left knee. Time lost its meaning as Tristan waited there nervously. The sky was clear and Tristan watched the moon come up over the horizon, full and round and yellow.
A car pulled into the park and as Tristan watched it approach he saw it was the police and so he slipped back into the bushes as it made its patrol through the park. Tristan wasn't worried about being caught and kicked out since he had done this numerous times before when he and David were out roaming around at night . There were the many times had they done it when they were supposed to be asleep in their backyards as they camped outside in previous summers. Those had been some fun and adventurous times he and David had!
"How could he live without his David?" Tristan thought while still sitting in the bushes, "there wasn't an important time in his life that he could remember when David wasn't a part of it. And how was this latest and biggest fight they ever had going to work out?" Sure, they had a few fights over their years of friendship, but nothing that seriously threatened to end it. Until now.
Minutes seemed like hours while Tristan anxiously waited for David to get there. "Was he walking all the way from Chris' house or was he getting a ride from Jason?" Tristan wondered over and over. Finally a second car, a Jeep this time, pulled into the park and drove slowly through the branching trails until it pulled up with three guys inside. The back door opened and David climbed out. "I don't see him, so would ya mind waiting for a little bit?" Tristan heard David talking to the driver which had to be Jason.
"I thought he said he would be here," Jason said with some disgust evident in his voice.
"Oh man, Jase, now what do I do?" David could be heard saying plaintively. "This whole day just gets worse and worse! What if he doesn't come and I've lost him for good? And for nothing! Nothing!" There was some anger there - David always did have a temper that he kept hidden most of the time.
"Yeah....I sure wish I had kept my big mouth shut!" Jason admitted for the umpteenth time and apologized once more, "I'm so so sorry David."
"Hey, I know...but I don't know what I would have done tonight without you being with me. I feel so alone and lost without Tristan. If only I could have gotten him to listen for one minute so I could have told him that I was dreaming and thinking only of him when it happened! And that I was only thinking of him the whole time he was in Lubbock and how sick I was with that whole tornado thing...it makes me so sad to know that nothing really happened between you and me and he doesn't even give me the chance to tell him." And then David started to cry.
"Awwwww, Davie, don't cry again," Jason reached out and patted his best friend's arm, "we'll get Tristan to listen to ya one way or another. You want to try driving over towards his house and see if we can spot him?"
Tristan was crying himself now as he realized how wrong he had been about the depth of David's love for him and how badly he had hurt David by refusing to listen to him. Not to mention how mistaken he had been by jumping to the rapid conclusion he had and letting his emotions carry him away without giving David the chance David deserved to explain. "You don't have to cuz I'm right here," Tristan forced out in a choked-up voice as he stood up walked from the bushes to stand in front of David. Both boys stood there looking at the other one, tears running down their faces. "You were really dreaming of me when you touched Jason down there?" Tristan asked David.
"Yeah, I was, really," David answered as he caught his left wrist with his right hand and held his arms to his middle as he sought to hold in his pain and anxiety.
"Oh Davie, I'm soooooooo sorry," Tristan sobbed and in the next second the boys were in each other's arms crying now with relief and cleansing away the heartbreak they had been feeling. Over and over Tristan whispered to David how sorry he was as they held each other tight. And David would tell him it was OK now, and was shushing him while he ran the fingers of his hand through Tristan's dark curly hair as Tristan's head rested on David's shoulder.
Finally David had enough of hearing how sorry Tristan was and lifted Tristan's face up and kept Tristan from saying anything more by pressing his lips firmly over Tristan's in a fervent kiss. Yup, that did the trick! And David made doubly sure that no more talking would be done by inserting his tongue into Tristan's mouth to show how competely he forgave him.
"Woo Hoo! Chris would you look at those two boys kiss!" Jason cheered. "I guess that means they aren't fighting anymore, wouldn't you say so?"
"Yup, I would certainly say so!" Chris agreed. "Does that give you any ideas Jase?" Things were looking a whole lot better here - it now looked to be quite possible that Chris was gonna get some serious loving in with his boyfriend tonight too! Yay!
"Yeah. Slide over here babe and I'll show you how it's done," Jason cackled. And as soon as the words left Jason's lips Chris slid right over and they shared their own kiss of love and relief that all was right with their world once more.
"Ahem," came the sound of David's voice interrupting their moment. "If you two wouldn't mind, we'd like to talk with you for a minute here."
Jason and Chris pulled apart and found Tristan and David standing directly outside the Jeep with wide grins on their faces watching them. David was standing behind Tristan and holding Tristan around the waist, David's hands clasping his own wrists. "Don't you think they look really cute when they do that?" Tristan asked David.
"Nah, I was just wondering when Chris was gonna choke to death on Jason's tongue," David teased.
"You two should talk!" Jason retorted. "Especially right now since you felt you to interrupt us," as he smiled over at Chris and made sure Chris's free hand was still cupped over his full package then patted it gently.
"Hey Jason, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about what I said to you earlier," Tristan said sheepishly. "Instead of being mad at you I should tell you thanks for taking care of my Davie while I was gone."
"Hehe, I'll take care of him any time you need me too," Jason wisecracked and received a sharp poke in the ribs from Chris immediately.
"Don't worry Tristan, I'll make sure Jason stays in line," Chris promised.
Tristan only smiled in reply with a slightly distracted look on his face. Even though it was dark out Jason could see what was distracting Tristan. David's hands had slipped inside Tristan's waist band and were checking out the condition of Tristan's parts.
"Is he missing anything?" Jason asked brightly.
"What?" Tristan and David asked simultaneously in a surprised tone of voice.
"Is he missing anything?" Jason repeated. "I can see where your hands are David," Jason explained and burst into his characteristic giggle.
"Ummmmmm," David said as he exaggerated his motions down there before replying, "Nope, he still has all his parts, but this one here in particular seems to be getting bigger," and then he pushed Tristan's sweat pants out in front obscenely.
Everyone except Tristan laughed uproariously.
Tristan had to laugh some himself and by this time Tristan was squirming inside David's surrounding arms and complained, "Hey you guys! I can't help it you're jealous and David misses it." He pointedly continued, "We were going to tell ya that David will be staying here me tonight so you guys can go whenever you want."
"OH HO! You guys got plans for making up or making out?" Jason quipped.
"Both," David and Tristan answered in synch once again.
"So are you staying here or do you want a ride someplace?"
"Uhh, David, I promised my dad I would let him know what happened cuz he was pretty worried when I left," Tristan said as he leaned his head back next to David's face.
"Kay, we can go to your house. I hope your dad won't want to talk our ears off."
"Huh. No chance cuz I won't let him, babe. I got other plans."
"Yeah, me too dude!" And the two of them shared another kiss to seal the bargain.
"You guys just gonna stand there and smooch all night or can we get going here? Chris and I have things to do ourselves," Jason laughed as he threw a wink at Chris.
That was all it took to get David and Tristan to jump into the Jeep. Finally things were back to normal. It was just like before as the four boys were laughing and teasing and enjoying the feeling of being two gay couples in love.
Whew! I've been pushing myself pretty hard to get this done in time for the holidays...it's my gift to all of you! Don't worry, this isn't the end of the story as I have at least four more chapters in my head waiting to be put down into words. One more thing I would like to say is that the most important gift you can give to anyone you care about is the priceless gift of love. So please do that this holiday season - be sure and let the people you love, whether it's a significant other or family members or friends, know how much they mean to you. The great thing about love is the more you give away, the more you receive in return. Finally, my wish for you is that each of you have a very happy holiday season and an even better year in 2001!