This is a based on the author's feelings, beliefs, and in some cases, experience. But it is work of pure fiction. Come to think of it ... some of it might not be all that pure! There may be graphic sexual encounters at times between males, so if this offends you, you are invited to retreat. If you are too young or it is otherwise illegal for you to be reading this kind if story, shame on you for reading it - - please stop here. If not, - -ENJOY!
Cast of characters:
Eugene Hathaway -- Yeah, that'd be me. I'm 35.
Aaron Williamson -- my partner. He's 55.
Larry -- my step dad.
Gerry -- my mom
Myra -- Larry's sister
Mrya's husband and Aarons brother.
From Chapter 1:
"Mind if I join you?" He said.
"YES YES YES!" I wanted to say. But I kept that to myself. I wanted nothing more than for him to stay and talk to me awhile. I was almost vibrating with both excitement - that he wanted to talk and fear - that I had no idea what we should talk about.
What he did next put me over the top. He wasn't talking about staying to talk! Just as I was going to get out of the hammock ... He climbed into the hammock WITH me! Chapter 2 I lay seemingly frozen next to my dream dad in the hammock. I didn't have to will myself not to get hard. I was way too mortified to bone up at this time. What was I supposed to do now? Did he expect me to do anything? I felt his curly arm hair on my arm. I swallowed hard.
"So, you-you-you-Gene, your mother tells me that you are pretty good at sports."
"Um -- I like to play ... um -- you can call me Gene."
"Actually, I kind of liked that I had my own special name for you. But if you'd prefer, that's fine ... Gene. So, you're entering what -- you senior year in high school?"
"Yeah." I replied wishing I could think of something intelligent to say.
"And I suppose you're playing football. Let me guess, you are a long receiver ... right?"
"Uh huh. Sometimes I receive the hike and sneak a jump over the centers head. It's really the only play the coach will let me do in that position."
"I can understand why. You'd get creamed if you stood back for any time."
"Oh, I can hold my own." I said, gaining confidence. "Our regular QB is a lot smaller than I am, but heh, he's quicker in the back than I am too."
"I never was much good at sports." Said Aaron. "But I like to watch a good high school game."
"You could come see me any time!" I exuded, then back pedaled, embarrassed that I might be assuming something. "But ... um ... I mean ... if you, um, wanted. I mean ... um ... you're prob'ly pretty busy, and - "
"I'd like that. Just let me know when and where."
"We're having a practice scrimmage next Thursday up at El Dorado!" I said, again much more excitedly than I wished I had.
"Cool, I -- oh! I can't come that night. Actually, I am involved with a play at present ... a musical. We have a torturous rehearsal schedule. When you find out your game schedule, maybe you can send it to me -- I'll give you my email. I'd like to come see you play sometime."
"Uh huh." I replied. I all of a sudden felt as lame as Larry! What could I possibly say that would interest this guy.
"Do you have any plans after high school?"
"Well, of course to get a job at first. My grades aren't bad, but I need to make some money to go to Sac State. Mom is - " I was stuck! I felt like I might betray something intimate about my mom. Her financial state was no ones business. I felt every hair on me stand on end.
"It's okay, Gene. I was just wondering. Do you go to church?"
"Do you want me to?" I thought. "Um -- sometimes." I said. The truth was, I stopped going when I was 16 -- and able to make that decision for myself. But - I liked my bishop ... a lot!
And the bishop before him is now the stake president. I used to have a major crush on him! He was so nice to me! He was a new bishop when my dad left and was released right after he went to prison. He talked to my mom a lot during those years. She was a mess when she decided to kick Dad out. I have two brothers and two sisters.
My older brother and sister didn't want Mom to kick him out. But ... it was my older sister that turned him in for molesting that little neighbor girl. By that time, all of us knew that Mom had done the right thing.
"I just think it's a good place to see good people." He said.
"Huh?" I said, suddenly yanked back to the conversation. "Oh -- church! Yeah, I guess."
In the moon light, I could see the heavy shadow of his beard on his face. It took everything in me to NOT reach up and stroke it. I was getting pretty comfortable in this position by the time he decided he better get back to the adults ... which meant that I was at full staff, and was sticking straight up from the hammock. I almost died as he got out and offered to help me up.
It really was too dark for him to see much ... down there. I said I'd just stay here awhile longer. "Thanks for -- um - " SHIT! What could I thank him for ... for lying on the hammock with me ... for giving me nice dreams for the next year? Again I was sweating bullets!
"No, thank YOU! I felt like a fifth wheel in there with my brother and your mom and all." He said. "I'm glad they are getting married, if for no other reason than ... I met you. See you soon, I hope ... Gene -- O! Hopefully we're gonna be great friends!"
I got all tingly when he called me that! I wanted so much to be his "great friend"! I felt my eyes ache, I was so nervous that he might know what I was thinking.
"Oh, maybe you don't want to be called that! Sorry. See you next time, Gene."
"Yeah -- um -- okay -- bye." I said. "You can call me Gino if you want." I wanted to say, but couldn't. He had found a pet name for me already and then I let him take it back!
I looked over and my Aaron was asleep on the chair next to my bed. I reached out to touch him. I was surprised what an effort it was to just do that. My hand fell in his lap.
"Huh! What?!" He said, jarring awake.
"I didn't mean to scare you, Aaron." I said.
"What, sweetheart? Did you say something?" He reached across me and pushed the call button over my head.
Immediately the nurse was in the door, and Aaron was hovering in my face. "Did he come to?" She said.
"Um -- think -- I dunno. I think -- I mean -- he seemed to mumble something. His hand dropped in my lap." He looked into my eyes. "His eyes are open. Can you hear me, Gino?" I nodded -- or so I thought. "No response. Oh God, Jenny, how long is it going to take?" Said my sweet Aaron. He looked more exhausted than I'd ever seen him.
"I don't want to discourage you, but I've seen cases where this took up to three months to just get out of the hospital."
"FUCK!" Said Aaron. "Oh, gosh! I'm sorry, Jenny! It's just -- he's too young to -- to -- be going through this.
"If he were much older ... or if he was not in such great shape to start ... he might NOT have had to go through it."
If only she could know how close I come to "escaping" all this! I could hear everything they said. I could remember everything that happened when I met Grandfather Jeremiah. Seeing what this has done to my sweetheart, I almost wish I had gone with Grandfather. But I had chosen to come back.
"How long have you known Gene, Mr. Williamson?"
"Please call me Aaron, Jenny. We met when he was seventeen." Her eyebrows shot up. "But we didn't really get together until he was in his early twenties. He's my brother's nephew." Again her brows went up. Both Aaron and I were used to that. A lot of people were somewhat put off by that fact.
"That was eighteen years ago." She calculated. "Was he always this good looking?"
"When I met him, he was just growing into his looks. We have pictures of him when he was young and he was a very cute kid, but as most do, he hit an awkward stage. He was always a looker, but since becoming a man, he just keeps getting more handsome as the years grow on him."
I wanted to tell Aaron the same thing about him. I tried.
"Sounds like he's having some pain." Do you think he needs some meds?" Said Aaron.
"No, the doctor doesn't want that unless he is in severe pain."
"It just kills me to see him hurt."
"I'm not hurting." I tried to say. He leaned close again and said, looking deeply into my eyes, "Oh Sweetheart, I wish I could make it feel better."
"You could touch me." I thought. I decided not to try any more talking. It only hurt my sweet Aaron.
After the nurse left, Aaron stroked my head. He knew I liked that ... well ... almost any time. Mom used to do it when I got my headaches.
"Does that feel better, Baby?" Said Mom.
"It always feels good when you do that, Mommy." I said. I still called her Mommy when she was doing things like this for me.
"But ... does your head feel any better."
"It does while you're rubbing it."
"You seem to really like Byron's brother."
"He's nice to me."
"Why not? You're a nice boy!"
"He might come watch one of my games."
"That'd be nice." Said my mom.
"It'd be more than my real dad ever did!"
"It would be hard to do from Pris - "
"He wasn't in prison when I was in junior high! He went to some of Rusty's games!"
"You said your real dad. Do you think of Byron's brother ... what's his name?"
"Aaron, mom ... AARON!"
"Oh yeah, do you sometimes think of him as - "
"Yeah, I do. I even told Barry and Joey that he was. They know he's not, but they know I want him to be!"
"Did you know that he's having troubles with his wife?"
"What?! He has a wife?" I said a little too emotionally.
"He didn't mention her?"
"I only talked to him once."
"When is he coming to your game?"
"I dunno. I have to send him the schedule."
I never sent him that schedule until it was too late and he was doing that play he was rehearsing earlier. That took up every weekend night for the rest of football season.
"Sorry, Gene. I wished I'd known. I'd loved to have seen you play." He said. I only had myself to blame. I procrastinated. "But we really should get together sometime -- just the two of us."
"I'd hate to take you away from your family." I bated him.
"Oh! Well, there's only my wife now ... the kids have all left the nest."
"Well, then I don't want to get in the way of you and your wife."
"She'll understand."
"She will?"
"She'll have to!"
"What? What did you say, Sweetheart? She'll have to what?" Said Aaron, flying to my bed.
"Did you understand me that time?"
He reached up and pushed the call button again as he excitedly said, "Yes! Yes! I understood! Oh Babe! You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say something ... anything!"
"Don't I? Aaron, I have been awake all this time -- ever since I came back. And - "
"Came back -- from where?"
I smiled slightly and pointed at the ceiling. "Actually I never went any further than up there." I explained my interview with Grandfather Jeremiah. He got tears in his eyes.
"Oh, Gino! Oh, thank God your back."
"Sorry, I was with another patient. I guess our boy is back with the living huh?" Said the nurse.
This one was more interesting than Jenny. Daniel was tall and cute ... about the age I was when I asked Aaron to move in with me.
"You really should go see his play, Eugene! It's really good and he's really good. He plays the lead, you know!"
"If it wasn't for that play, he could have come to see me play ... football!" I said stubbornly.
"If I recall -- Eugene -- that wasn't HIS fault! This Friday is the last night of this third showing. I really think you'll like it!"
"I'll see if Angela wants to go." I said. His play was apparently such a success that they were persuaded to put it on in two different places in the valley. Football season was far past and it was early spring. Angela said she would go.
"That's the guy you want to be your dad?" Said Angela. She understood because her dad was absent too. "You're right about one thing: He's very good looking! He's an old fox!"
As it turned out, his acting wasn't half bad either and his singing even better. He had both Angela and me crying a couple times.
We were way up in the back of the balcony ... because I'd waited so long to decide to go. We were in some overflow seats. When the play was over, we made our way down to the stage. It took forever because everyone wanted to -- well, get his autograph and shake his hand ... and HUG him! What was I missing here! When finally Angela and I made it to him, as if he wasn't already smiling ear to ear, he brightened up even more!
"You came!" He said. In the excitement he gave me a hug too. And once in each others' embrace -- time stood still -- at least for me! When we broke our hug, Angela gave me a strange look. He again said, "We still haven't gotten together!"
"I know." I thought grimly.
As Angela and I left the theater, a girl we knew from school waved excitedly: "Eugene! Eugene!"
Angela gave her a dirty look and said, "He's with me, Sandy ... and he wouldn't be interested in you. He's gay!"
Sandy didn't hear her remarks, but I did. "Wha -- at?" I said.
"Oh -- you are SO gay! I've known for a long time and ... I saw how you were hugging your `daddy'!"
I took Angela home and didn't even kiss her ... as I usually do. I dropped her off at her driveway and didn't speak to her for several weeks.
"Are you back?"
I looked up into my sweetheart's eyes. "I guess I am. How long this time?"
"Only a few hours."
"Are you ready to tell me what happened?" I asked.
"You came home during a home invasion."
"Oh ... yeah. Um - How long ago ... I mean -- how long have I been in the hospital?"
"It's been about six weeks so far."
"All this from a little bump on the head?" I said.
"Is that what you thought? Can't you feel your chest?"
I put my hand to my sternum. "AHHH!" I wailed. "What the - "
"That last time you fell, you fell on a shard of glass. It went through your ribs and punctured your aorta. You nearly bled to death!"
I could do nothing more than shrug. "Are you okay, Sweet Aaron?" I asked. "I worry about you! Like that nurse said a couple days ago, you -- you were drinking too many energy drinks as I remembered."
"That was at least a month ago. I've switched to Pepsi."
"Yeah that's good for you!" I said dryly. "And -- every time I have been awake you've been here. How can you do that?"
"I took a leave of absence."
"Aaron, you're 55! You need to rest!"
"You make me young babe!" He smiled, sleepily. "I want to be here every moment. I don't want to miss anything."
"Aaron -- Sweetie -- I know what you're worried about. I'm NOT going to die."
"Did they tell you that?"
"Not in so many words, but I just know. Go home and get some rest!"
"If you promise not to leave me again."
"I can't promise that, but I WILL promise that I'll always come back. Go home and sleep! I want YOU to be with me a long time once I am strong again!"
Aaron reluctantly left. I was so tired from the front I put up for him, that I immediately sunk back into my own escape.
"I think my dad actually came to my graduation!" Said Angela. Once I got over what she had said, we were closer than ever. It was never mentioned again but something was understood between us. She actually was the one who taught me how to kiss. But I improved on it ... of course!
Angela and I were seated about half way back on the stage of the civic auditorium. "I think my dad is right there about half way up the middle section," Angela said. From where we were sitting, on the stage in this huge auditorium, it was difficult to see even the first row, let alone the second section up. "I won't have to worry about that. My dad never shows up for anything," I retorted. "But my mom and Lame-O Larry will be here, and maybe my sister. It would take more than a high school graduation to get my dad to leave his TV ... if he could even get out of the slammer!" I was looking all around, and about half way up I spotted what I thought was probably my family. I wondered who the blond guy was sitting between his mom and Larry ...if that was indeed them. Our school was not so big that we had to use a rented auditorium. But in these "inner city" schools, experience dictated that if the graduations were held at the school, the school got trashed, if not by rivals then by the graduating seniors themselves. After my dad "left" (which was a relief for the whole family) and we had to move from the foothills, and acreage, to the "gated" condo community, I was glad in a very tangible way that my brothers had taught me to fight and be tough. This was a very mixed culture, and I was about as white as they come. And in the minority. As it worked out, as soon as I garnered some respect among the variousraces represented, I made some good friends, mostly white, but a few black. No Chicanos or Asians, though. They tended to keep to themselves. As each name was called to come up to receive their diploma, a variety of cheers and whistles were heard in varying degrees. I was an okay student, but was not up for any awards, and I was certain that my family was not going to hoot and holler. That just wasn't their style. When my name was called, a small uproar went up in the area that I thought my folks were. What a surprise. I was pleased, and didn't quite know what to think. When it was all over, the spectators made their way to meet their prized celebrities of the moment. When they got closer, I recognized the blond guy. It was Aaron. He had actually bleached his hair! This time the hug was close and long, after which I asked, "So, what'swith the hair?" I got a "what the hell do YOU care?" look from his wife -- Edie I think she's called. Aaron was slightly embarrassed, but not too much. He responded that hissomewhat graying hair was dyed dark for the play, close to his formerly natural hue. When the play was over, he decided that if it was going to be light, then he would choose what shade of light. It took some getting used to, but I decided I liked it. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot," I said, "It just looks different. I guess you were responsible for the cheer when my name was called. My family would never do that in a million years." Aaron just smiled, and I know he was thinking, "Yeah and it was like trying to pull teeth." Aaron invited everyone in the family to dinner at a local restaurant. Which was a considerable gesture, since one of my sisters, her husband, and 3 kids were all there, as well as one of my brothers. My insides were churning. I had promised my friends that immediately after the ceremonies we would all meet and eat together. I suddenly felt I wanted to be with my "family", now, and would have if he could have gotten word to my friends. He was very genuine as he expressed his regret. Aaron then said, "That's okay. We'll just have to go out to dinner ourselves sometime -- soon". I thought, "Yeah, right!" Aaron said, "Call me". * * * "I'm so sorry I didn't answer your call, Sweetheart. I thought I'd get some paperwork done. How are you feeling today?"
I wasn't too sure I liked that Aaron had decided to take my advice and go back to work. But I was to come home soon enough and then he would be my main caretaker and ... well ... I just would have to get back up to speed soon, so I didn't kill my sweet Aaron!
"It's okay Daddy. You'll make it up to me when I am home next week."
"Now that's the boy I love to love! You haven't called me that since you've been in the hospital!"
In reality, I didn't call him that when anyone was around any more. I usually was careful not to anyway. But I loved thinking of him as my dad -- even now! "You didn't used to like it." I said.
"Heh! I felt like somewhat of a pervert when you were 19!"
"You were only 39." I said
"My point exactly! People don't think anything of a 35 year old and a 55 year old."
"But you're such a sexy ... YOUNG 55-year-old!"
"Can you hold that thought?" Aaron said. He put down the phone and I heard rustling about. Then he came back. Okay, keep talking!" He said.
"Talking about a pervert!" I said. You're jackin' off, aren't you?"
"Hey, I'm doing it with my babe!"
"Hey yourself! I'm not doing it! I can't do it here! Someone might walk in!"
"Oh just shut up and talk to me, Babe. Hey maybe you can get Daniel to help you out!"
"I can wait for you, Daddy. Besides, I tried it last night. Still not enough blood pressure to make it work!"
"Tell me what you did last night?"
I told him how I waited until after dinner and after the change of shift. Daniel came in to say g'bye.
"Was he cute" Asked Aaron.
"Oh you know ... a days worth of beard on his face and he had already changed into his shorts and ribbed tee." Can you imagine him in that?"
"Oh-oh-oh yeah-ah --ah" Said my sweet Aaron as he got close to his climax.
I continued. "Then Daniel came over and put his hand on my forehead. His underarm hair was curly and dark, as he was lifting his arm. I could smell his days work. I thought my dick was gonna get hard ... but then his other hand went to the bottom of his tee, as he pushed it up and I could see his smooth, washboard abs and his dark treasure trail heading south."
"Im almost there, Dude! Oh yeah. Oh YEAHHH! OHHHH YEAHHHH! Ahh -- ahh -- ahh -- ahh -- ohh -- ohh -- ohh ... HO!" He breathed hard for several seconds, then said, breathlessly, "Sweetheart, Oh I can't wait til you get home! Maybe you or Daniel can't coax something out of you ... but I can!"
"Wha -- at?" I said, "Daniel wasn't trying!"
"Why would he come and stroke your head and do those sexy things?"
"He didn't actually do any of that, Silly!" I said. "He DID come say g'bye ... in his hospital scrubs!"
"What? You -- you - "
"I gave you what you wanted ... didn't I?"
"Yes and I love you so much, Sweetheart!" Aaron told me before we hung up.
"And I loved doing that for you! Good bye my sweet Aaron. Good bye Daddy."
"Bye Gino. I love you."
"I know ... it's what keeps me going!"
Notes: This is new for me ... the flash back thing. I hope it doesn't confuse too much. If you haven't gotten the * * * thing, it means the beginning or end of a flask-back. Comments are always welcome ... to Steve at stevethomas535@hotmail.com. Thanks for your encouragement and ... love, Steve