Hello there. So, recently I've been getting tense about tenses. I'm don't know the nuances of telling a story in past tense while still using present tense to depict action. Does anyone out there know the rules? I'd be super pleased to consult with someone who can make me less tense about my tenses.
As to the story...Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!!
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Crown Vic to a Parallel World: From Whence I Came The second installment of the ongoing adventures of Church Philips
6
Observations and Judgements
I barely got the words out when Andy burst through the front door with Shawn behind him. Both of them were burdened under the weight of bulging shopping bags. "Wait till you see!" Andy shouted. They dropped the bags behind the sofa and closed the door.
I didn't want Andy's enthusiasm to wake Bem but it seemed both fruitless and cruel to ask Andy to quiet his joy. I sealed the entrance to the downstairs family room with a panel of magic to block the noise. Andy disappeared behind the couch to dig through the bags. Matching outfits launched, propelled by an unseen force, over the back of the sofa preceded by the name of the person they were intended for.
"Uncle Church," Andy announced as an athletic cut pink polo and a pair of tan shorts appeared. "And Shawn," white t-shirt, red-patterned buttoned-down, black shorts. "And Dad," conservative white linen buttoned-down and brown shorts with a webbed belt. "And Bem," yellow short-sleeve buttoned-down with two wide navy-blue stripes at the outside extremes of the shirtfront, and navy-blue shorts. "And me," charcoal grey shorts, red and white t-shirt, pink buttoned-down overshirt with a loud pattern.
"You got clothes for me?" Joe asked in a voice that sounded incredulous and ungrateful. Joe's tone sounded like he planned to refuse the purchase. I turned toward him, smacked his shoulder, put an exaggerated smile on my face, and pointed to my mouth. He took the hint. "That's great!" Joe enthused. His mood change was obviously forced, but Andy was too excited to notice.
Andy sprang into view from behind the sofa. "We got so much stuff. I kept telling Shawn to stop me if I got carried away. He said I should get as carried away as I wanted." A qualm crossed the young man's face. He turned his worry toward me and his father. "I hope that's OK."
I jumped in before Joe had a chance to say something stupid. "It's perfect. I can't wait to see it all. You'll have to pair everything up for me, I don't know the first thing about fashion. Quick, give me something to try on."
Andy resumed being super excited as he matched up everyone's outfits and piled them for each person. I took one from my stack and ran upstairs to the bathroom to change. When I came down, I was dressed in the pink polo and tan shorts. I was dubious about wearing pink on Earth, but both Shawn and Andy shouted down my concerns. Shawn went next, then Andy. Joe tried to resist being part of the fashion show, but I didn't give him a choice. I used my telekinesis to carry him and an outfit to the bathroom. I threatened to forcibly dress him with my magic if he refused to do it for himself.
Andy was thrilled to have all of us dressed in his selections. His enthusiasm was contagious to the point where we stopped running up and down the steps to change. Instead, we ducked into and out of the kitchen to swap shirts and shorts. That worked until one awkward moment when Shawn took a shirt to the kitchen that wasn't his. He'd accidentally grabbed one of mine. When he realized the error, he came back to Andy to get the correct one without putting anything on.
The sight of Shawn's impressive physique, even from the waist up, was enough to short-circuit boy's brain for far longer than I was comfortable with. Andy stared, openmouthed, until I hurried over. "Shawn," I admonished, "anyone can see that shirt is too big for you. Andy, which is the right one?"
The boy's brain restarted, and he realized how blatantly he'd been appraising Shawn. He blushed a furious shade of red and rushed to hand over the correct shirt.
Oh shit,' I thought, might have to make some time to talk to this young man.'
The rest of the fashion show went by without incident. Andy's only disappointment was that Bem wasn't awake to try his clothes on. Everything that had been purchased for Shawn and me fit fine and looked great. "We even ordered a suit for Shawn." Andy announced as we handed all the clothes back to him. "I picked something out for Uncle Church, but he'll have to go to the store so they can fit him."
Andy set to work on removing the tags and sorting things for the wash. Shawn and I went to the kitchen to see about dinner. We found enough ingredients to cobble together spaghetti with marinara and some improvised garlic bread. I seasoned and browned two pounds of ground beef so the carnivores could have meat sauce if they wanted. Shawn woke Bem a few minutes ahead of the meal, so he could wash his face before he sat down. Andy took the opportunity of Bem being awake to use the laundry room that was accessed through the family room. He loaded the washer with a portion of the day's purchases.
We had a nice dinner. Joe said grace and thanked God for our presence in his home. We ate quietly. Afterwards, Andy went downstairs to work on the wash. Shawn and I cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher. We returned, with after-dinner coffee, to sit around the table with Joe and Bem. Joe was at the head, I was on his left, with Shawn next to me. Andy had been on Joe's right, with Bem one down from him.
Joe opened the conversation. He looked along the table at Shawn. "Shawn, I was wondering if you and Church..." The rest of the question never got asked because Bem interjected.
"Sometimes all three of us do." Bem announced and looked very proud of himself.
Joe froze for a second. He stared at Bem with wide, surprised eyes.
I dropped my head in my hands. "Fuck." I muttered to my palms.
A pregnant silence drew out. In my mind, I pictured Joe as he turned from one of us to the other and tried to read our expressions to see if what Bem said was true or teasing. "Church...Church," Joe poked my upper arm with an insistent finger, "is he telling the truth?"
I dropped my hands. The look on Joe's face was so twisted, it didn't take me any effort to read the disgust behind it. I already knew from his reaction earlier that the idea of my relationship with Shawn bothered him. If we added to that the fact that my relationship with Shawn was an open one, at least as far as Bem was concerned, then, as far as Joe was concerned, I may as well book my subway seat for my trip to hell. Shawn put a reinforcing hand on my shoulder. I mentally prepared to answer Joe and braced for the explosion I expected to follow.
"Yes, Joe, it's true. Bem has shared our bed both before and since we've been married. Open relationships on Solum are the norm, not the exception. In fact, Shawn and I are considered prudish because Bem is the only third we've ever added." I had a flash of a memory of just one time when I'd attempted to rent the services of a prostitute for an evening of fun with Shawn and me. That hadn't turned out the way I'd intended, and it had no bearing on the discussion I was having with Joe, so I left the memory inside my head as opposed to mentioning it.
Joe's twisted expression scrunched to a judgmental frown. "How can you claim to be married if you're not exclusive?" He demanded. I could almost hear Joe's high-horse whinny and snort as he disapproved of us.
I refused to humble myself in front of my brother. I faced him squarely with the absolute truth of the situation. "I think it makes us stronger. The decision to invite Bem into a physical relationship with us was mutual. All of us wanted it. I am secure in the fact that no matter how much pleasure he could bring to either one of us, we, Shawn and me, will always choose each other over him. I also know that Bem wouldn't have it any other way. He is free to enjoy us without the risk of a messy romantic attachment."
Joe straightened to sit taller in his chair. "It's a sin." He decreed from his position of moral superiority.
I gritted my teeth and forced my hands into my pants pockets. I put my hands away because the real sin would be if I lost control and punched my disabled brother's smug face. Instead of resorting to physical action, I tried to explain how I saw things. "Joe, I'm a homosexual. I'm married to a man. I have extra-marital sex with another man. Your black book says all of that is a sin, but I love my husband and I love my friend. I don't see how showing them that I love them could be a bad thing, no matter how I choose to do it."
Footsteps on the stairs warned us that Andy was on his way up from the laundry room. "This conversation isn't over." Joe insisted.
Andy came into the dining room and climbed into the chair that was next to his father and opposite me. I didn't let the boy's presence stop me from having the last word on the previous discussion. "I advise you not to push me." I growled at Joe. "You're my brother and I love you, but I won't let you pass judgement on the way I live my life. I got enough of that nonsense when mom and dad were alive. You can either keep your opinions to yourself, or we're willing to leave."
Joe's tone changed immediately, from condescending to pleading. "No, don't leave. You're right. I guess I thought I was Mary there for a minute."
"It's fine." I conceded and let my tone shift back to my normal speech. "You," I pointed at Bem, "for the duration of our visit here, you will keep anything that could offend my brother's delicate sensibilities to yourself. You will also remember the person sitting next to you is fifteen years old. I don't care how innocent he really is or isn't, you will not swear or talk about anything off-color in his presence."
Bem stuck his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. I didn't think it would be a big deal."
Andy looked between all of us. He knew something was off but hadn't heard enough of the discussion to know what it was. I mentally thanked the god I didn't believe in for the noise mechanical items make on Earth. I assumed the only thing that kept Andy from hearing about our unique (for Earth) relationship was the racket of the washer and dryer.
"Is something wrong?" The perceptive boy asked.
I jumped ahead of Joe with an answer. "There was, but there isn't now."
"Good," Andy said, "I was worried."
I took the break in conversation as a good opportunity to see how Bem was feeling. He said he was starting to feel better and was OK being awake for a while. I suggested that he and Andy get together to explore the clothes waiting for him. Andy dragged Bem downstairs fast enough for it to be comical.
When we were alone again, I tried to make Joe see how it was. "This isn't my home anymore. I don't have to live the way you think I'm supposed to. My new life is perfectly acceptable in my new home. That's the beginning and the end of it. OK, Joe?"
Joe said a reluctant, "I'll try."
I didn't believe him, but I had to accept his answer because I didn't have any other practical options. Two sets of footsteps on the stairs brought a welcome end to that discussion. The footsteps preceded Bem and Andy's return to the dining room and the start of a one-man fashion show with Bem as the star. Andy made Bem model every piece of clothing in his new two-week wardrobe and praised the lean, fine-boned man over how well he wore the clothes. Bem's habitual neatness seemed to be returning with his energy and I took that as a good sign.
Bem also reveled in the attention the fashion show focused on him while Andy glowed with the praise we heaped on his selections. When the show was over, Bem changed back into his fatigues and he and Andy rejoined us at the dining room table for small talk. That lasted a little while until Joe yawned like a bored lion at the zoo. "I guess that's my limit for one day. Church, help me upstairs."
I got my brother out of his chair and let him lean on me until we reached the foot of the steps. I magically floated him to the top without warning him first. He protested, but not much. "Why did you move back in here when you got sick?" I asked as I looked around Joe's childhood room. The white walls were still adorned with a crucifix from when Joe was confirmed and a single poster of a menacingly black Lamborghini Murcielago. Everything looked just like it had when Joe was growing up. "I don't see the benefit."
Joe seemed uncomfortable with the question. He hemmed and hawed, then answered like I'd wheedled it out of him. "The master bedroom is soundproof. I actually had it done with some of your money. I also bought all new bedroom furniture. I had visions of being able to date and of occasionally bringing someone home. I never used it though. Between raising Andy and working my way up in the firm, there never seemed to be time for romance. Anyway, as it got tougher and tougher to move around, I needed to make sure Andy could hear me if something went wrong. I either had to leave the door open all the time, or use another room, so I moved back in here."
I was tempted to enjoy Joe's discomfort at the sensitive admission of his `best laid plans,' but it was my turn to be uncomfortable. I rubbed my neck as Joe settled in bed. "Uh...this is gonna sound weird after what you just told me, but will it bother you if the three of us sleep together? Me, Shawn, and Bem, I mean."
Joe's face creased into a scowl of disapproval. I put my hand up to keep him quiet while I explained. "This is not about sex. Bem's magic is very low. Because of the way I make my power, I always have more than enough to share with anyone near me. The closer he is to me, the more quickly he'll recover. I know you're uncomfortable with men sleeping together, but all we'll be doing is sleeping."
Joe pulled his covers up with a sigh. A shake of his head turned into a silly-looking head roll across his pillow. "Why can't you just give him some power, like you did for me?"
"I already did. Shawn tried to explain it to me before. He said it's like physical exhaustion. You don't just have one good night's sleep and recover. It takes time to build yourself back up."
"Does that mean I'd benefit from sleeping with you?"
"As I understand it, yes. You'll pick up my power from being under the same roof, but the closer together, the more you'll pick up. Do you want to sleep with us to?"
"I'll pass." Joe waved a dismissive hand in the air at my offer. "I want to say no to you all sleeping together, but I can't think of a good reason to. How could I deny someone else what they need to feel better? I don't really understand, and you know I don't approve, but those reasons don't seem quite good enough. Go ahead."
"Thanks, Joe. Good night."
I left Joe and went downstairs to find Shawn in the middle of unloading the dishwasher while Bem and Andy watched television from the living room sofa. I offered to help Shawn, but he refused me as he was almost finished anyway. I leaned on the counter and chatted with him about plans for the next day. We didn't decide on anything except that we would take a day or so for ourselves before seeing to Ars' business.
When Shawn was done with the dishes, we decided it was time for bed. We stopped in the living room to collect Bem on the way upstairs. Andy and Bem were seated very close together. They were talking in low, confidential tones. I wasn't sure what they were doing, but they both had conspiratorial looks on their faces. In another minute, they laughed; Bem's familiar leering cackle rose above Andy's sniggering. I guessed they had shared a dirty joke or silly story. I hoped it wasn't too dirty. It made me feel good that they seemed to enjoy each other. Even though Bem was old enough to be Andy's grandfather, he was young enough at heart to be his friend.
"Come on, Bem." I called. "I hate to break up your fun, but it's late and we've all had a long day."
"If I have to." Bem sighed and got up reluctantly.
Andy eyed the three of us as Bem moved to the bottom of the steps where Shawn and I waited for him. I suspected the boy was curious about the arrangement between us. I hoped that curiosity didn't extend to the point of imagining, but figured that it did, at least as far as Shawn and Bem were concerned. Andy hadn't been there for the reveal of the details of our relationship, but the boy was not stupid. Anyone with eyes would eventually catch onto the idea that Bem was more than our friend. I tried to ignore my suspicions but assumed I'd have to address them sooner than later.
We wished Andy `good night' and went upstairs to bed.
Shawn was in the bathroom and Bem and I were getting changed for bed when Bem asked a question that had apparently been on his mind for many hours. "What's with your sister? Why did she yell at you for being with Shawn?"
I slid a t-shirt over my head and fidgeted with my bracelet before I answered him. "She's a religious fanatic." I paused again. I knew that answer made no sense to Bem, but I was uncertain how to explain. I tried a different approach.
"I was raised a Catholic, in the Catholic faith. They, Catholics that is, they believe in God and a book called The Bible.' The religion is guided by The Pope' who is its head. He's the highest official of the leadership of the church. That leadership interprets `The Bible' and provides direction on how to live within the faith and what is acceptable and what isn't. The faith views same sex relationships as a sin against God, so Mary sees Shawn and me as a pair of sinners. If she knew you shared our bed and enjoyed sex with men, she would look at you the same way. That's the same reason why Joe got upset earlier. See?"
Shawn came out of the bathroom in time to hear Bem's follow-up question. "But if she believes it's wrong, and you don't, why does she care?"
I always wondered the same thing, but I also knew the answer. "She believes in heaven and hell, the two possible places for people to go when they die. Everyone who lives by the teachings of `The Bible' as interpreted by the church, gets to go to heaven and live forever in love and peace. Everyone who doesn't is a sinner and goes to hell where they spend eternity in fire and torment as punishment for their misdeeds on Earth. Every member of the faith is required to spread the religion to others and to save as many souls as possible by showing them the right way to live. Mary was telling me how to live."
Shawn interjected his thoughts with a voice full of uncharacteristic bitterness. "She needs to take a good look in the mirror before she starts in on anyone else." His comment attracted my attention and my concern. It wasn't like him to talk like that. "I'm sorry." He said to my worried gaze. "She made me mad when she was yelling at you. I'm glad Joe stepped in, or I would have said something. She has no right to judge us."
"I agree." I reached out and took Shawn's hand to lead him to bed. "Try not to be too hard on her. My parents were just like that. She doesn't know any other way."
"You're not that way." Bem observed and was obviously confused.
"It's a matter of degrees." I explained. "Joe believes completely, but he's practical enough to understand that the world will never be perfectly aligned with the faith. He doesn't want to fight all the time, so he accepts what comes, either without comment or with limited comment. I rebelled against it when I was a teenager and never looked back. My faith is dead to the point of indifference unless I'm confronted. If someone acts like Mary did today, I get actively hostile against the faith. Mary believes completely and is actively hostile to anything that isn't perfectly aligned with her faith. She's a fanatic. It's really a sad shame because she makes herself and everyone around her miserable."
"Why are you two complete opposites?" Bem asked.
"Different coping mechanism, I think. The faith was always more important to my parents than anything else. Growing up in this house was difficult. Everyone wants their parents to love them, to reinforce them. My folks never did. I hated them for that, and I hated the thing they loved the most. Mary embraced the religion, I guess so she could be loved indirectly. Joe was pragmatic. He bought the religion so it would be easy to live here but didn't become a fanatic because that would make living in the world harder." I climbed in bed and turned onto my side to be the big spoon.
"I don't think I'm gonna like it here." Bem slid under the covers and pressed his back to my front. "It's too confusing."
"We'll settle uncle's business and go home." Shawn relaxed into the small spoon position. Bem was the smallest of the three of us and practically disappeared between Shawn and me. Under normal circumstances, he would have been the smallest spoon and nested into Shawn's medium spoon. Shawn had put Bem in the middle because he reasoned that contact with me would help him the most. Having Shawn on his other side was an added bonus because Shawn has a largish magic capacity and he's always charged up from being around me.
I'd just closed my eyes when I remembered something I wanted to say. "Guys, I think Andy is into men. He's been watching Shawn pretty intensely."
Shawn agreed with me. "I noticed him looking at me several times when we were shopping. I think his eyes followed me more closely than yours."
"So, you're saying Andy has good taste." Bem teased and licked the back of Shawn's neck with the flat of his tongue. Shawn reacted with a shiver and a chuckle.
I wanted to be miffed at Bem for finding humor in everything, but I couldn't. What he said was funny and I assumed that if he was joking, he was feeling better. I chuckled and went back to what I was saying. "Anyway...it's a difficult thing to be that way in this world and especially in this family. It's also a difficult time in any kid's life, being fifteen is rough without being gay. Try to watch out for him. If he's anything like I was at that age, he's a confused young man with a secret."
"He's a great kid. I like him and wouldn't hurt him for anything." Bem replied.
Shawn agreed. "We had a great time at the mall today. I'll look out for him."
"Thank you. Good night, everyone." I snuggled around and settled to sleep.