Friends or What

Friends or What?-Chapter V AUTHOR: Barry Mattison

WEBSITE/EMAIL: http://storiesbybm.webs.com stories@barrymattison.com

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INTRODUCTION:

This is a fictional story about how two young guys grew up as friends since 3rd grade and are now in their Junior year ready to end the year, planning summer vacation. One likes the other and has had a crush on him for some time, but doesn't really know what that means, the other has a girlfriend and doesn't really see anything beyond his childhood friend other than their friendship. The characters in "Friends or What?" are all fictional and any semblance to real persons--living or deceased--is purely coincidental.

DISCLAIMER (VERY IMPORTANT-PLEASE READ):

This fictional story and others written and published by this author are written for the gay reader in particular and describe scenes of male nudity and sexual acts between two or more guys that some readers may find inappropriate and/or unsuitable for their reading. Please do not read any further if you find such reading offensive or if it may become property of anyone under the age of 21. "Friends or What?" is copyrighted by Barry Mattison under the Registered Trademark Foxstories® and published as StoriesByBm© with exclusive permission to publish given to the Nifty Alliance Archive only. Anyone wishing to use any stories published under either copyright may go to the web site listed above and read the information posted there for legal limitations. Copying, distribution or re-publication of this writing in any other web site, private or otherwise, without written permission of the author is a violation of local, national and international copyright laws and will be pursued to the fullest extent allowable by applicable laws governing that country.

Chapter V

"Hi, this is Jason. I wanted to take a moment and catch you up from the last chapter."

"In the last chapter Linda showed up to 'reclaim' her property – me – and planned to stay for the summer, but I'd already figured out that I was gay, had decided to come out to Todd, and found that my heart was in love with him. But that put me in a bit of a pinch you might say, until my buddy came up with this idea about the pictures he'd taken at the last kegger we had before our Junior year ended. Seems as though not only everyone already knew what trash she was, but Todd had managed to take a bunch of pictures at the party. So it all blew up when she threatened to spread the word about us. Todd pulled a fast one on her with all guns blazing. Boy he's a jealous boy! Anyway, I don't think we'll have to worry about her again. I did want to say one thing about the girls back at school, and that is that there are a lot of really nice girls there, many are good friends of mine. I hope that when we get back for Senior year things go well when they learn that Todd and I are lovers. I have to trust that some will stay friends, and some won't, just as some of the guys will and won't. But anyway, let's get back to the story." "You okay babe?"

"Uh huh. Let's get on with it then."

As we were saying before heading into the house for some grub after Linda left..."

"What time is dinner granny?" Jason asked.

"Just a little late tonight dear. You boys want to clean those fish out and have Jessica cook them up the ol' fashioned way."

"Okay. C'mon Todd, let's get this taken care of. I'm tired after all this fussing around today and I want to talk after we take a shower and crawl into bed."

"Right behind 'ya. I've got the fish and...and...I just had a great idea. You know what would be real neat. These fish made me think of this. There's this great big lake right on the property, full of big fish and great for swimming,and nobody gets to use it. I'll have to ask granny if grandpa ever had any plans for it, but I think it would make a great summer camp for kids that never had a chance to go camping, ones that come from foster homes or who have no home, something like that. There could be a camp for girls and a camp for boys, and one closest to the house for teenagers who are struggling with their self-image and sexuality, and even places specially fixed for kids with disabilities. The horses could be used for the disabled kids for therapy and the self-image camp could be staffed by counselors to help teenagers understand all those feelings that have scared us and held us in fear. At least it would provide a safe place for them to discover themselves."

"That sounds like a great bunch of ideas, and I'm totally behind 'ya, but I hope you aren't thinking of starting this tomorrow."

"No, of course not, but maybe it would make a good thesis or project idea for our Senior year. What about that idea?"

"That sounds great. We could work on it together. But for now we've got these fish to finish cleaning and get to Jessica to cook for dinner."

Later, after dinner and cleanup, we showered and hopped into bed, naked of course, but with a new understanding of our relationship after the episode with Linda that day.

"Jason, thanks for standing up to her today and standing beside me. That meant so much to me that you would do that with the determination you did. You're so handsome and I'm the luckiest guy in the world to be with you."

Jason pulled me closer to him in our usual sleeping position.

"I've been thinking this week since I came out and committed to you. I've had this feeling for some time now that there was something different, something special about you that I wanted to be close to, but I couldn't figure it out. But now I know that not only are you gentle and kind, but you really listen to what people say from their heart, not just their mouth. I used to be mostly mouth; it's a defensive reaction that I use to protect myself, but you've changed that in me by slowly letting me watch your actions. You speak little, yet your actions speak volumes to my heart. When I finally did open up to that fact, that's when I realized how much I loved you and want it to be forever. I don't know what the future is going to bring, but wherever you go, I'll be with you. I don't expect that we'll always agree on everything, or not argue now and then, but I'll never walk away from you without making sure that we're one again because it would break my heart if I ever hurt you like I have in the past." "Is that how you really feel Jason? Because if you do it was beautiful babe. I feel the same way, and I'm glad to hear you say that we can work to resolve any problems because you know how easy it is for me to run away from some of my them; although I think those days are over now because I'm always running towards you."

Jason rolled my head over and leaned over me at the same time so we could kiss. I in turn rolled all the way over so we could look into each others eyes. There's something about eyes, actually eyes and hands that always attracts me. While still staring at Jason I reached down between us and pulled up both his hands between my smaller ones. Carefully looking them over as if they were breakable I touched the long, slender fingers on each hand and his narrow palms with the life lines running through them. I followed one of them with my fingertip until it ended where I planted a kiss. His fingers looked so delicate for such a strong guy. The backs of his hands were also just as beautiful with the blue veins showing lightly through the translucent tissue of his now sun tanned skin. I closed both of his hands again between mine and looked into his eyes, misting up with tears.

"You see what I mean, you said so much with your hands and eyes, yet you never spoke a word. I felt so connected to you as you were doing that that my soul melded with yours and I could feel my heartbeat in sync with yours."

I wiped the tears of love from his cheeks and tasted their saltiness.

"We are going to have such a good life together. Thank you for making me feel so secure in myself and in your love. I know that we'll have bumpy roads ahead now and then, but I'm used to boulders always falling in front of me, so I think that a few bumps here and there can be dealt with."

"I don't know if I'm used to a lot of major issues, until now, but after learning so much more about myself, plus the inward changes that have slowly moved me to a different direction lead me to believe that together we can and will be just fine. I think that just 'being in love' doesn't solve every problem, but with that love for each other in our hearts, then that's how we'll get through the obstacles."

"Sometimes you come out with the perfect thing to say at the perfect time. Come here you angel."

We kissed for some time, again and again until Jason looked at me and said, "shall we try something different, maybe experiment with something new?"

"Sure. I think we should always experiment as long as it isn't hurting one another."

"Cool, 'cause I want to get to know your body so well that I know it better than you do."

"And the same to you."

"I want to feel you inside me. I want you to fuck me."

"I want to feel that experience too, but before that happens, I think it would be wise for us to get checked out for AIDS and STD's first to protect ourselves. It's not a matter of trust, it's a matter of safety. I want to live a long, disease free life with you. The tests are anonymous so we don't have to give our names and it only takes a few minutes. What do you think?"

"I agree with you. I know we're both still young, but I don't want to ever have sex with anyone else except you."

"Me either."

"I also know that you're thinking about the dates I've been on at school and that I could have caught something from one of the girls there."

"What's that called when you commit to only one person?"

"I don't know, there is a word for it...hang on, there always used to be a dictionary around...just a sec...here it is, in my drawer. How do we find it though?"

"I don't know. Look under sex first...okay...ummmmmmmm......here's a reference to mono-something under related terms. Monogamous-being married to one person at a time. Yes! That's what I want with us. I don't want to share you with anyone, ever."

"Me either. Let's make a promise to each other that we will always be monogamous. I promise to always love you and you only and will never have sex with anyone else. Do you promise the same?"

"I do,," I said. "I now pronounce us monogamous since we can't get married, yet. You may now kiss your husband."

"Can I do anything else until we have that test?"

"We can play around and stuff, as long as we don't swallow any more until we get the tests back. Once those are done, then we are free to do whatever we want."

"Let's get those done as soon as we can, okay?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"First thing. I think we need to ask granny where a clinic is and tell her what we're doing. We should be honest with her, even about this, don't you agree?"

"Yes," said Jason. "I think it's best. Then granny knows we're doing things the right way and she won't worry about us."

"We can still fool around can't we my dear husband?"

We both started laughing because I had said husband. Then I remembered that Jason was ticklish. I quickly jumped up on top of him and started tickling him on his sides. I may be smaller, but I was wiry. In seconds he was rolling around, squealing with laughter. Tears were streaming down his cheeks he was laughing so hard, but he wouldn't give up this time. Mustering all the strength he could he flipped me off him and turned the tables, sitting on top of me and tickling me. The only problem is that I'd never thought to tell him was that I wasn't ticklish, never had been. Maybe it was because I had no muscles or something, but he finally gave up. It was a win-win for me.

"There's only one time when you can catch me in a ticklish place."

"Oh yeah, where or when's that?"

"You'll just have to find out for yourself, but you will before too long, I'm sure."

"C'mon, that's not fair. I'd tell you."

"Uh huh. I bet you would reveal your secret kryptonite."

"I would to you. Remember, no secrets."

"Okay...here it is, the one and only time that I am ticklish. Lean over here and let me tell you. Psssssssst,.......and psssssst...and then if you...pssssssstt while I am ..pssssst, you just keep going and ...psssssst......and once that happens then .....pspsssssspsspppspssppspspspspspsspspps.."

"YOU'RE KIDDING!"

"Nope"

"When can I try that?" After we get the test results back?"

"Uh huh, well, maybe."

"One thing at a time. We should get the okay from granny, although I think we're old enough to get them without parental permission. Next we have to find out where, then we have to get there. I'll talk to granny first thing in the morning about it."

We curled up under the covers in our usual position for the night. We'd already worked out that sex, while we considered it a very big part of our relationship, was not the basis of it. We had been doing some reading about gay relationships lately and were learning that solid relationships were built on honesty and trust, plus a lot of other things that we hadn't even experienced yet. A lot of it we didn't understand, but figured we would someday. For now, everything revolved around us, granny and the farm, and having as much fun as possible. We lay there talking for a while. This became a nightly routine that we carried on into our later years and proved to be the saving grace on many occasion. The combination of learning how to talk out problems while securely holding onto each other seemed to lessen the severity of the problem and increase our love for each other.

"So what do you want to do tomorrow for fun?" Jason whispered into my ear."

"How about some fishing at the lake. We can take a canoe and have a picnic at another favorite fishing spot of mine?

"How can I say no to an invitation like that?"

"Okay then, but we have to get up early to get the best fishing in, so I better put a few clothes on and go down and see if granny is still up to see if it's okay. I'll be right back."

"I'll be right here keeping the bed warm for you hot stuff," Jason said.

I threw on some boxers and a t-shirt and went down to see if granny was still up. Fortunately she was still up and just getting ready to go out to her bedroom. I told her what our plan was and that we would be leaving real early to try and beat the fish. We could make our own breakfast and throw together some sandwiches for a lunch. I also told her where we'd be on the lake. I figured I'd kill "two birds with one stone", so I told her what Jason and I had talked about with the testing and why we decided to. Not because either of us was worried because we were so young and just coming out, or that we were so promiscuous about town, but that we had sworn to each other that we would remain faithful to each other and we wanted the confidence that neither of us had gotten anything prior to becoming boyfriends. We just felt it was the right thing to do. I also asked her what she thought about it. "Well, it seems as though you boys have thought this out very well. I think that it's a very mature subject at your age to be so responsible about. If you need any help in getting the to the place to have the tests done I'll be glad to support you boys. Thank you for trusting me enough to ask me for my opinion. I really love both of you as my own."

I gave her a hug and a kiss goodnight and said, "see you tomorrow with some big fish to cook for dinner. Goodnight granny, love you."

"Goodnight Todd and tell Jason the same. I'll be in town for the morning anyway so this will all work out well. Mr. Jenkins will be around and I'll be speaking with him anyway as to where you'll be."

"Okay, g'nite."

When I got back upstairs to the bedroom Jason was almost asleep. I stripped and slid into bed and under his barely raised arm just as he konked out. Turning my head a little I kissed him on the forehead, then snuggled in and fell asleep.

Next morning the sun wasn't even up when I woke up and tried to open my crusty eyes. Through half-opened slits I could see that it was only five-thirty. Perfect time to get up for fishing. I tried to roust Jason, but all he did was groan and roll over. Once again, I shook his shoulder to try and get him going...no luck. Being a sneaky one occasionally, or let's say, an inventive soul, I went into the bathroom, lubed up my index finger with a lot of lotion, very cold lotion, then climbed back into bed and slowly started to aim that cold finger for the hole in Jason's butt. I must have hit the right place because there was a yelp, the covers flew off the bed, and a startled Jason was standing beside the bed looking like he'd been shot at.

"What the hell was THAT?" All the time he had his hand at his rear end, feeling the slippery lotion and wondering what the hell had happened.

I couldn't stop laughing. And just when I almost got things under control, the thought of him flying out of bed and the look on his face started me laughing all over again until the tears were rolling down my cheeks. Even then, when I finally managed to stop, the thought of him jumping up so quick and that look on his face made me smirk and blow raspberries all morning every time I thought about it. But right now my sides hurt so bad from laughing I fell on the bed, unable to move.

"Smart ass, paybacks are a bitch you know. Wait 'till we get those tests done. Now we have to take a shower before we head out fishing and you, my sneaky little bunny, are going to wash every inch of my body from top to bottom as punishment...AND...jerk me off so I feel relaxed this morning."

"Them's mighty tall orders, but I'd love to do your bidding Sir. Shall I draw your shower now?"

"Get a move on, I'll be right in. I expect you to be in the shower testing the water while I take a dump."

"Oooooooooh...too much info. I've heard that's when you know you're really married. I go now Sir."

After accomplishing my assigned duties and taking a shower together we dressed for a cool, foggy morning on the water. Jason made us a quick breakfast while I made lunch and filled the backpack with snacks. We each brought along a towel for swimming or laying on the beach for comfortable fishing, plus a whole can of insect repellent. I also left a reminder for granny about where we were going. Once outside we grabbed the paddle, life jackets and crawlers from the shed and headed towards the lake. By now Jason knew the path and took off ahead of me, leaping and bounding in the air like a frog.

"Jeez, you're in a good mood today."

"Yup," Jason said. "Looking forward to canoeing, fishing, and another of your secret spots. Just love those secret spots. I never used to get too excited, but I sure do now!"

It took about half an hour with all our stuff to get to the shed with the canoes. We pulled out one of the best, and my favorite, the green fiberglass one with the birch crossbeams, woven seats, and plenty of other extras. Plus it was a little longer than usual for lake fishing and holding lots of rods and equipment.

"Have you ever paddled a canoe before Mr. popular student stud?"

"Nope. I thought you just splashed your way out and let the guy in the back do all the work...silly."

"That's the way it usually works. You got that right," I replied.

"Okay, front or back?"

"Front. Better fishing. I'll catch all the big ones and scare all the little ones back to you."

"You think so huh? And how many times have you fished here? I think I'll show you how it's done."

"So how about a little wager? I win, you give me a hand job. You win and you get one. Best we can do until we do that testing thing."

Jason's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree with the thought of winning the wager.

"Agreed," I said." Oh by the way, when I asked granny about the testing, she totally agreed and said she thought it was very mature of us to get tested and was very proud we were being so responsible about things like that. She really loves us equally you know and thinks of us as a couple already."

"I know. I'm pretty lucky all the way around. I just wished this summer would last forever."

"It won't even get going if we don't get this canoe down to the lake and get started. Over the head and carry it on our shoulders to the dock. March, one, two, three, four."

"Be quiet back there, I can't concentrate. This things awkward to carry."

"Okay, we're here. Let's flip it over and set it down, then slide it into the water. I'll get the gear if you put the backpacks and towels 'n stuff in. Here's your paddle. Ready to go?"

"Aye Aye Captain."

"Okay, head towards that little island on the left side, then keep between the island and the shore when we get there. If you want to, you can set up your rig with a lure, probably a spinner on it and let it trail behind us. Some of these spots are eight or nine feet deep and there are some good pike, bass, even some large trout in here. You just never know what you might catch."

"Okay, give me a few seconds and then I'll be ready to get going."

"We can get started. You work on your gear and I'll get us out there. I've been around this lake so many times alone for so many years I know it by heart."

"That sounds like such a lonely experience. Nobody ever came up here with you for the summer?"

"No, remember, I wasn't allowed to go anywhere, see anyone, all that stuff without permission. Plus, nobody in school really likes me anyway, except you of course. So It's been a very lonely life until you came along. Put I'm happy now and plan to stay that way."

"So what did you do when you were here alone? It must have been a little crazy thinking about being alone while everyone else was off doing something for the summer."

"Those things come to my mind sometimes, but really, granny and I would play games, sit and talk on the porch where she would tell me about lots of things about the past. Things like what it was like to live around the farm and ranch when it was big and grand with lots of activity all the time. She has a way of telling things like you are right there. You can almost visualize what she's talking about. Then there was always the horses, which I love to be around. That's how I got to be such a good rider and instructor. I was instructing when I was pretty young. It was funny to see these grownups come for riding lessons and I come out to get them started. They look at me and want to know where their instructor is...until I jump on a horse bareback and run circles around them a few times before they realize that I'm their guy. After that they listen."

"That must be a funny sight. You're not very big now. I can imagine seeing you come out at four feet eight and tell me at almost six feet that you're my instructor. The thing is, now that I really know you, I'd believe you. I think that anything you set your mind to you can accomplish. Watch out on the right, I'm going to drop this spinner and let it drag out behind us as we paddle along."

"Okay, I'll speed up just a little so that it won't sink to the bottom."

"Thanks. I'll let you know when my line's far enough out."

"Say when."

"Okay...hmmmmmmmm...when."

Jason set his rod down facing outwards and backwards where he could grab it, but where it was out of the way of my paddle. That's why I liked this canoe for fishing. It was a beautiful, sunny day as the morning fog lifted off the lake and the perfect time for fishing. We were slowly paddling along close to the edge when Jason's drag started making a loud racket. We both instantly stopped paddling and Jason reached for his rod before it went overboard. I ducked down to avoid the line zinging over and around my head.

"Can you swing him out into the deeper part of the pond a little bit?", I asked so I could sit up and control the canoe.

"I'll try, he feels like a pretty big fish. I hope it's a Lake Trout for dinner tonight."

I maneuvered the canoe around so that Jason could keep fighting the fish without getting tangled up in the weeds or sticks on the bottom. After fifteen or twenty minutes the fish started to tire and Jason brought him close enough to the right side of the canoe near me so that I could grab the line and fish.

As it got closer and I could see it in the clear water beneath us I could tell it was a pretty big fish, and it was a trout alright.

"It's a Lake Trout bro, a big one too! Maybe twenty, twenty two inches.! Keep it steady and go slow 'cause we don't have a net. I'll grab the leader and tail as soon as it comes alongside. Just let him tire out first."

It took another ten minutes before I could grab the tail and leader and lift the huge fish on board safely without losing it.

"Let me see it, let me see it!," Jason was yelling. "WOW, that's a huge one. That'll feed all of us tonight with just one fish. Granny will be so proud of us."

"Us?, you caught it, good job. Is that the biggest one you've ever caught?"

"It's the only one I ever caught."

"This is the first time you've been fishing huh? Pretty cool...and you catch the first and the biggest fish."

"It's flopping all around. Is that normal?"

"I'm going to put it on a stringer and keep it alive until we get close to home. Then we'll clean whatever we have. That keeps them fresh. We have to show granny what you caught before it's all torn apart."

"Sure do. Show me how to put it on the stringer, please?"

I showed him how to remove the hook, then run the stringer hook through the gill and loop back and hook onto the canoe. We continued onto our destination as Jason let his line out again after washing it and his hands off while I paddled again to set the line.

In about fifteen minutes I could see the first white colors of the beach where we were headed. It was still another fifteen or twenty minutes away as we were going slow to watch the rod for another fish. Nothing else bit as we ran the bow up onto the sandy beach. I had Jason quickly pickup the rod and keep reeling it in, just in case there was something following it. Sure enough, there was. A little six inch Small Mouth Bass.

"If you want to take that little thing off the hook, then let it hit, otherwise reel faster," I said. This one's yours."

Jason started reeling like crazy so the little fish couldn't keep up and soon had the spinner in his hand.

"So, what do you think of my other secret spot?"

Jason put the rod down and took a look around. The beach was quite large, maybe one hundred or so feet long and nice and sandy. It extended back towards the forest another fifty or sixty feet, all clear with no growth, sticks or anything. Where the water met the beach, the sand extended out into the clear water about another forty feet where it was about twenty feet deep. I had dragged another raft all the way over here to lay on nude for sun bathing years ago. It was still there, floating high.

"This is perfect. You have the neatest secret places, and yet you've never had anyone to share them with. That keeps sticking in my mind for some reason. It hurts my heart to think that you have been so alone for all this time, even though we've been friends for so long. I just never saw you as you really are. Certainly I never saw me as I really am."

"I think that everything worked out just right. Come here and kiss me. I've missed that all day."

We spread the towels, ate some lunch...in the nude of course...and then went for a swim out to the float to get some sun.

"So Jason, you know a lot about me, what about you. I mean I know your parents and everything, and that they travel a lot. Are they rich?"

"You could say so. I've never had to really ask for anything. In fact I'm pretty spoiled. But I paid a price for that because they are always trying to buy me with presents. What I mean is that instead of spending time with me, they'll take off on a trip and and drag me along to someplace I never wanted to go to, or they would leave someone to watch me, then send a very expensive present from some exotic place as if to make up for not being there. I've gotten so I almost hate them. I might work up the courage to tell them that someday, if I ever get to see them. I know my bodyguard, in English that means babysitter, better. He's more of a father to me than my own is."

"That sucks. That's almost as bad as what I've been through. 'cept I've had about six or seven fathers who didn't even want me. I guess that's about the same thing. Maybe we were meant to be together because we understand each other. But what about all the girls at school and stuff?"

"I guess I just never had a real father figure, or mother for that matter to talk to about sex and all those things that teenagers need to know. So I learned from the guys at school. Of course, most of them are straight, although I suspect a few of them are questionable. I've seen a couple guys on the Soccer team staying after to watch guys in the shower, which I thought was unusual. So it was normal to hang out with the guys and check out the chicks, whistling cat calls, all kinds of nasty things that little macho guys do when they're in a gang and think they're hot stuff."

"I bet I could pick them out with little problem this year. Sometime before the summer ends we need to figure out how we're going to appear during our Senior year. But that's for later, not now. Right now I need to turn over and burn a little on the butt. My dick is getting brown already. That's going to take some explaining in the shower at school. Actually, it'll be fun because the rest of them 'll have their little white dicks and ours will be nice and brown. Let 'em drool. Maybe I'll get another growth spurt this summer and add a few more inches too. " "You're too funny bro. But I love you so much. I don't even feel like school or talking about it today. What I feel like is this..."

With a swift movement he stuck his index finger he'd been sucking on right into my butt hole, leaving me no where to go. Instantly I got a hard-on as he moved it in and out. At first it was painful, but the more he did it, the more pleasurable it became. I soon started moaning with pleasure as he added another finger, twirling then, then pushing in and pulling out, teasing my hole. As he kept doing that it only took me about a minute to cum all over the float boards with a huge load of my teenage jizz. Jason kept up his motion as my ass rose to meet him and the cum kept spurting out. Finally it slowed and stopped, and so did he. I was exhausted and fell into the cum I had just deposited on the float. After catching my breath I slowly rolled over as Jason rolled onto me, picking up my jizz and spreading it all over our bodies. We slid back and forth, cock to cock as Jason worked himself into a frenzy with my hand using my cum as a lubricant on his dick and my other hand on his balls, rolling them around and tickling the area between them and his hole. In just a few seconds he let go with several ropey spurts that landed up near my face. The other four or five spurts landed on my chest with some more dribbling out of his cock as I kept pumping to get all of it.

"Grab hold of my cock while it's still hard with some cum and slide your hand around the tip and over the tip, but I'm not responsible for my actions," I said.

He did and as soon as he started the twirling thing on the tip of my hard, expended dick it was like the heavens exploded and my tickle bone(r) went into overdrive. Doing this instantly forces me into a fetal position as I try to get away, all the while almost choking while I laugh so hard, then I just go nuts. That's the part where I'm not responsible.

Splash! We were both in the lake now and I was slowly sinking because I couldn't breath from laughing too hard I started to panic, causing the last of my breath to be expelled from my lungs. I could see in the clear water, but felt a calmness come over me as I sank down. Suddenly this hand grabbed me by the hair and pulled me towards the surface. I don't remember if I was alive or dead, but I do remember waking up lying flat on the float with Jason leaning over me, calling my name. Apparently When he got me to the top I was coughing up water and grabbing him, thinking I was drowning, which I really was. I was so scared until I realized that Jason had me in his arms and that I was lying on the float, safe in his arms.

"Jeez babe, I've never seen anything like that!. Are you okay now? You weren't breathing for a moment there. I gave you mouth-to-mouth for a few minutes and turned your head to the side so the water could run out. You came right out of it though. That was a close one. I thought I lost you for a moment."

Jason was crying big tears, which in turn started me crying.

"Thank you babe for saving my life. I was drowning. I remember thinking how peaceful it was as I sank down, but I was thinking of losing you at the same time and suddenly you appeared, I'm okay now thanks to you. Well, now you know what happens when you do that. I won't tickle you anymore if you don't do that again."

"Okay, you could have died. I thought I lost you for a few minutes there until you coughed up that water."

"I knew you wouldn't let me drown, somebody's got to lug that monster you caught home, help clean it and make a big deal of it so you look like a big hero schmuck. But, thank you, it really did scare me. I love you. Thank you...you deserve a big kiss for that and a lot more."

"You already give me more than I need. I hope I never lose you for any reason. For a moment there I watched you sinking and I was scared. Even though I knew what to do, it still scared me. Let's swim back to shore and head home. I don't think I can eat after that episode."

"Sounds good to me. A no clothes canoe ride and fish for dinner. Thanks again babe, I don't want to be without you around me for a while. That really scared me. Probably have all sorts of nightmares now."

"I'll be there for you honey. Just relax and enjoy the ride back. Why don't you fish and I'll paddle us back."

When we got back I told granny about what happened, leaving out the cause of the accident. She wanted me to get checked out by the doctor, but I told her I was alright thanks to Jason and we were both hungry now because we didn't eat our lunch. She suggested that we go upstairs and lie down for a while until dinner was ready. She'd call us when it was. I went up while Jason cleaned the trout, He joined me in a little while, but I was already asleep.

Well...things are starting to take some twists and turns. Wait until the next few chapters. Remember to join up on the web site. Members are always one chapter ahead of the rest of the public readers.

Thanks for your support.. Barry