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Email feedback can be sent to trager2275@gmail.com. © 2015 by Eric Trager.
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CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
Tim, Sean and Billy Dean returned to the patio and the rest of the evening continued as before. Once the guests left it was close to midnight, and all felt that it was time to turn in for the evening.
Sean told Andy when they were in the kitchen putting things away about the conversation that took place earlier in the bar and that he'd invited Billy Dean to come to their room. Andy, while fine with it, asked Sean if that meant they were going to have sex, the three of them.
"No, I didn't mean that, Brown Eyes. I mean, maybe it would go there, but I really just wanna make the guy feel at home, make him feel like he's got a home. Kinda like that time back at the GM condo when you, me and Dix all took a nap..."
"Yeah, but you remember what happened..."
"Yeah, we ended up jacking off. So what? Look, I don't have eyes for your cousin, so don't worry, but I wish you coulda seen his face when we were in the bar. He was scared. And he only just got here. I think what the guy needs is some hope..."
"Well, OK then... I mean, I kinda did show him my dick when I was in Houston anyway..."
"You did?"
"Um, yeah..."
"You're bad... Actually, that's cool. You see his dick?"
"Nah, but when he came to the hotel bar right before we called you, I could tell he was commando. I think he's got a pretty good-sized tool from what I could tell..."
"Prolly nice and fat, too, like yours. I mean you ARE related..."
"I can see you're getting chubbed," Andy said.
"Well, let's get upstairs and get him out of his clothes."
"OK, I saw him go up..."
"Well, you go invite him. I said it to him in the bar, but you're his cousin so it'd be best if he knows you're OK with it."
"Will do. You go up and hop into bed I'll be there in a few..."
"OK, I'll brush my teeth and shit and jump into bed. Tell Jethro not to be scared. Like I said, I think the guy needs a break..."
"I know, I do, too... Fuckin' Uncle Dean..."
Andy padded down the hall to Billy Dean's room, knocked and cracked the door.
"Hey, cuz..." Andy said.
"Hey," Billy Dean replied.
"Getting settled in are ya?"
"Yeah, startin' to, anyhow. You talk to Sean?"
"Yeah, he's sorry he made you feel bad. So, you gonna come to our room?"
"You want me to?"
"Yes. Sean-o and me, we think you need a break. I'm really glad you're here," Andy said giving Billy Dean a soft kiss on the cheek.
"Sean, he say he's glad I'm here?"
"Yeah and he is..."
"So, you guys want me in your room so we, ya know, fuck `n'shit?"
"We really didn't plan on that, we're just gonna all three of us snuggle up and get a good night's sleep. This room only has a Queen size bed, but we have a California King. There's plenty of room..."
"That's fine, might jus' `njoy that..."
"OK, let's go then!"
Once back to Andy and Sean's room, Sean was already in the bed.
"I'm glad you're here," Sean said to Billy Dean. "You and I are gonna be friends, you know..."
"If'n you say so, Sean..."
"I do. Now strip."
Billy Jean looked horrified until he noticed that Andy already had most of his clothes off.
"We gonna sleep nekkid then I see... Woll, OK..." Billy Dean said and removed his clothes.
Sean was gob smacked at what he saw. Billy Dean's coloring was different than Andy's, but they had an identical build even down to their nice, fat cocks. While Andy was mostly smooth other than for his legs, Billy Dean had a nice dusting of hair on his stomach, chest and ass. It was the same alluring brownish color as the hair on his head. Not hard, Billy Dean's cock was just a little bit chubbed as he stood there.
So was Andy's.
"Hey, you two..." Sean said. "Stand next to each other and put your arms around your shoulders. I wanna take a pic. You two are exactly the same size, and you look like you could be brothers."
"You reckon so?" Billy Dean asked.
"I reckon so, Jethro," Sean smirked, snapping the photo. "Now let's get to bed. Billy Dean, you're in the middle."
"You gonna be callin' me Jethro from now on there, Sean? I reckon that's fine..."
"I reckon I might do it once in a while, then... C'mon, slip in right here..."
Billy Dean slipped his naked body into the bed and moved over so that he was in the middle. He was pleasantly surprised by the comfort of the mattress, yielding at the top where it met his body, but firm underneath. He could tell that the sheets were of very high quality, then the down comforter was light, yet warm. He fluffed the two down pillows provided in the middle of the bed and snuggled in. He turned on his side, facing Andy and with his back toward Sean. Scooching his ass back a little, he felt his ass cheeks touch Sean, and instinctively he began to move away.
His progress was halted when Sean put his arm around Billy Dean and pulled him back toward him just a little bit. He stroked Billy Dean's hair, and whispered to him, "this is your home now..."
Billy Dean felt comfortable in Sean's semi-embrace and his cock was clearly semi-hard by now. He felt Sean's warmth and his hairy chest and his larger, muscular yet supple body behind him.
Just then, Andy moved and scooched his ass back a little bit, too. Andy's ass crack met up with Billy Dean's semi-hard cock. "Mmmmmm," Andy murmured.
Billy Dean took a chance and wrapped his arm around Andy's shoulder. Again, Andy groaned contentedly. And Billy Dean could feel his cock expand just a little bit more and push a little bit into Andy's ass crack.
"Mmmmmm," Andy moaned softly again.
Sean took his cue from his husband's content and lowered his hand from Billy Dean's shoulder. His hand made flat glided over Billy Dean's fuzzy chest, medium sized but firm. It continued down his stomach, Sean again appreciating the feel of him. Sean's fingers nested gently in Billy Dean's bush, soft and warm. He slowly but purposefully wrapped his hand around Billy Dean's rapidly hardening cock. It pulsated in Sean's hand. Billy Dean let out a low, guttural sound. Sean took Billy Dean's cock and ran it over Andy's ass, running the head slowly and lightly up and down Andy's crack. Andy let out a moan, too.
Billy Dean was almost mortified, but pleasure overtook that and he reached for Andy's cock the same way Sean reached for his. He found his cousin's cock rock hard. And just as juicy and fat as he remembered it being in Houston.
"You guys reckon you wanna fuck me?" Billy Dean asked.
"No," Sean said. "I wanna fuck you while And's fucking me. Then we're both gonna shoot on your face. How's that sound..."
"Sounds good to me," Andy said.
Sean moved between Billy Dean's legs lifting his thighs up to present his hole in front of Sean's face. Sean licked his index finger and drew is ever so lightly down Billy Dean's crack eliciting a shiver.
At the same time, Andy got busy spreading Sean's cheeks and going to work with his tongue. Sean always went rubbery when Andy tongued him and this time was no different. His thighs went slightly wobbly as he continued to explore Billy Dean's hole. Sean leaned in to kiss Billy Dean finding his body to be like Andy's but wirier. In good shape but without Andy's extra muscle added as a result of the weight lifting he continued to do.
Andy reached around to Sean's dick scooping up a finger of precum and applying it to Billy Dean's lips which he immediately licked off. Billy Dean scoped precum off his own dick and applied it first to Sean's lips, then to Andy's.
"Feck my hole, Sean!" Billy Dean rasped. "Feck me!"
"You want it now?" Sean teased.
"Stick er in n' feck me!"
Sean turned around, kissed Andy, fondled Andy's massive hard-on, and whispered, "Stick er in n' feck me!"
Andy playfully slapped Sean's ass, fingered his hole, massaged his prostate until he could see leaking precum which he swirled over the length of Sean's shaft. Andy reached for the lube, greased himself up, applied some to Sean's hole and then Sean did the same for Billy Dean.
Sean massaged Billy Dean's prostate and jacked his cock, which he found to be an almost exact duplicate of Andy's. Nice length and thick. Sean could feel Billy Dean's cock pulsating in his hand.
"You got a nice, fat cock there Jethro..." Sean said, leaning down to kiss Billy Dean. "Are you ready for me to fuck you now?"
"Feckin' feck me!" Billy Dean hissed.
Sean turned around to Andy. "OK, I'm going in. When I'm in you stick your cock up my ass. You start fucking me to set up the rhythm."
Sean entered Billy Dean's hole, surprised at how tight it was. It was warm and gripped his cock with rhythmic pulsations. Sean was sure he couldn't last long, especially after once inside Billy Dean he felt Andy's cock impale him.
Andy set up a rhythm in turn causing Sean's cock to fuck Billy Dean. Billy Dean writhed under Sean, putting his left hand around the back of Sean's head to pull him into a passionate kiss while using his right hand to jack his cock.
Sean felt Billy Dean's hot precum on his belly and he scooped up a dollop of it which he and Billy Dean shared as they kissed. Andy fucked Sean mercilessly, in turn causing Sean's cock to impale Billy Dean. As Sean's cock slid back and forth over Billy Dean's prostate the precum continued to flow accompanied by guttural growls. Sean felt himself getting close but he didn't want to cum just yet. He found Billy Dean hot. As hot as his husband. His orgasm was building.
Sean disengaged from Billy Dean, motioning from Andy to take over fucking his cousin.
Andy agreed and proceeded to do so with abandon.
Sean was stupefied. He watched his husband fucking his hot, Texan cousin. He watched them kissing, panting, grunting and swearing. Andy plowed Billy Dean's ass with his big cock like there was no tomorrow. Billy Dean was jacking his cock so fast that his fist was a blur.
Sean moved to stand off Billy Dean's face. He was almost ready to unload himself and decided he would blow his load on Billy Dean's face.
Sean could see the sweat running off their brows, and Andy's back glistening.
After a short while Billy Dean gasped, arched his back up under Andy's thrusting proclaiming, "I'm fixin' ta cum!"
Sean almost broke out laughing at Billy Dean's texasism, but the sight in front of him of his lithe, well-muscled husband fucking the shit out of his wiry, handsome cousin was too much.
Andy blew first, arching his back upright with his ass muscles contracting with each load he shot into Billy Dean's ass. "Fuck! Shit! Unnnnngh! Fuuuuuck! I'm cumming!"
Just as Andy was about to collapse onto Billy Dean, both Sean and Billy Dean unloaded their sperm simultaneously. Billy Dean's load shot in six spurts all reaching his face, all heavy and steamy having that same rich, salty-chlorine smell that drove Sean over the edge which is exactly what happened.
"Fuck, man! Fuck!" Sean gasped as he covered Billy Dean's face with ropes and ropes of his own cum. Even though he had fucked Billy Dean to orgasm, Andy had masturbated his own cock the whole while he watched Sean and Billy Dean's jack-off dual. Seeing his cousin and his husband cum like horses drove him over the edge again resulting in his second load covering Billy Dean's chest one, two, three, four, five, six...
Sean leaned in kissing Billy Dean, tonguing him, liking the cum off his face and exchanging it with their lips.
Finally, all three guys came down from their ecstasy. Still panting, Billy Dean said, "I never been fecked like that in all my days... I reckon you two kin feck my like that anytime. Woll, if'n it's OK `n' all..."
"I think we'd like that, Whadya say, Sean-o?"
"Ohhhhh yeah... This was awesome. Wanna all three of us sleep together?"
"I reckon I would if'n it's OK with you guys...' Billy Dean said.
"Deal then!" Andy smiled. "And, cuz, we meant it when we said this is your home now..."
"I know," Billy Dean replied as he rolled over and went to sleep.
The next morning, Tim, Brett and Eric Trager showed up.
"No time to grab breakfast," Tim said. We're gonna get this guy to Madison, show him around campus and stuff so he knows where to go, and to get his registration done on Monday."
"Reckon I better follow you guys in my car so I c'n get back here then..." Billy Dean said.
"I'll ride with you," Eric said. "We're just gonna go to Tim and Brett's anyway. I can get you there. You'll need to bring your car anyway so you can get back, right?"
"'S what I's plannin' on, pardner..." Billy Dean answered.
"So, we outta here then?" Brett asked.
"Guess so," Tim replied. "Wymo, Cass, we'll be seein' you guys soon. Graduation's next week, right?"
"Yep," Andy replied.
"Let's walk them out," Sean said.
Hugs all around, Brett backed the Regal GS out of the Alamo driveway followed by Billy Dean and Eric in the Mini.
"You know where we're goin'?" Billy Dean asked.
"Yeah, but we're not gonna take I-90. We'll take Highway 14. It's a more scenic drive, and it'll bring us into Madison right on Park Street. They live just off Park. We might even get there before they do..."
"Prolly not'n is li'l shitbox," Billy Dean laughed. "Wanted a pick up, but this here's what I got. Oh, well, it's paid for n' `s mine..."
"I think it's pretty cool! Besides, I don't even have a car, so it's way better than what I got!"
"I reckon..." Billy Dean said. "You mind if'n I smoke?"
"It's your car..."
"Jes tryin' t' be nice," Billy Dean replied. Billy Dean thought Eric was handsome. Not as big as Sean, and maybe a bit less finely featured, but handsome nonetheless. He hoped he could break the ice with him.
For his part, Eric thought Billy Dean was a stud. Like Sean, he noted the similarity in looks between Billy Dean and Andy.
"Well, let me get us out of town here. They said you only just got here, so just follow my directions." Eric guided Billy Dean to Memorial Drive, across the Rock River, then heading north on Washington Street past Riverside Golf Course and out on to Highway 14 headed toward Madison.
"So, what's your back story?" Eric asked, a little scared just to out and ask, but he figured he had to start somewhere.
"You sure you wanna hear my sob story?" Billy Dean asked with a slight smile?
"Yeah. I think I do. Fair's fair, you tell me your story and I'll tell ya mine..."
"Sounds like a deal t' me, pardner. Woll, OK, guess I'll start out by tellin' ya I'm here cause I didn't have nowhere else t' go... Ya see, my old man's kind o' a dick. Reckon he had enough of me n' enough of Houston, so he packed off to Mexico and left me there with a year of school left t' go. If'n Andy warn't jes' there outta chance, I'd be screwed..."
Eric decided then and there that he would indeed like to screw Billy Dean.
"My dad's been an ass, too..." Eric said. "Anyway, go on..."
Billy Dean finished telling Eric his story. "'N' at's bout all she wrote there, Mister Eric. See, this is weird for me. All o' my life it was like I was some kinda piece on a chessboard and even though it's my life, someone else was playin' the game fer me..."
Eric digested all that he'd been told, especially how Billy Dean ended it. He liked Billy Dean. To Eric, Billy Dean was hot, sure, but he could see underneath that hick Texas veneer there was an effortless intelligence and a genuine kindness.
"Maybe you don't need someone to play for you..." Eric said.
"Don't reckon I understand..."
"Maybe you don't need someone to play the game FOR you, maybe you need someone to play the game WITH you."
"Maybe someday I c'n have that. N' I'd be mighty obliged, too... Oh, well, I got me only this year t'go fore I finish up. Guess I'll see what's what then... Now, how `bout you?"
Eric told Billy Dean his story. His father's meanness, his parents' divorce and then having to grow up after that in great poverty. He told of how it had made both he and his younger brother hard people. He said he regretted that. That at first he'd been unfriendly to Sean who from what he could see now was a great guy, how he'd had a crush on Tim but knew from the first time he knew that Tim and Brett were together that he had no chance. He knew that somehow his mother's living circumstances had improved lately but wasn't sure how and hoped it would last. Finally, he said to Billy Dean, "I'm just a Freshman. You're a Senior. And I'm nobody. But I think I like you. I'd like to see if we can't maybe go out sometime and see if we like each other's company. You think maybe we could?"
"I reckon so. `N' fer what it's worth, I ain't nobody neither..."
"Well, like I said, I think I like you. You're so kind..."
"I found out purdy quick that a smile n' a good word means a lot t' most folks, n' so I try..."
"From what I see, you do a good job. Hey, if we get done seeing campus and shit before you absolutely have to go back, you maybe wanna go grab a bite?"
"That'd be fine, Mister Eric, n' I got navi in this car, so I c'n get back to Uncle Joe's house jes' fine. N' fer what it's worth, I think I like you, too. That OK?"
"Yup," Eric smiled, secretly cursing himself for possibly falling for the lanky, wiry Texan. Eric felt as if Billy Dean made him let his guard down, and he wasn't used to that feeling. But he really did like Billy Dean. Eric would have to wrestle with his feelings. Plus, he was a Freshman and Billy Dean a Senior. Who was he kidding?
Arriving at Tim and Brett's, they got out of the car.
"You guys live here? This a fraternity?" Billy Dean asked.
"Oh, no..." Brett smiled. "Tim's dad bought the house as an investment for the time we're here. It's a tax write-off and this way we don't have to live in a dorm. It works for us. You guys wanna come in for a minute, or should we just head down to campus?
"You mind if I see a man about a horse?" Billy Dean asked.
"Huh?" Tim said.
"He wants to use the toilet, hun..." Brett said, giving Tim a playful slap on the side of the head.
"OK, Tex," Tim said. "C'mon in. We'll have a beer and then we'll take off."
Finished with their beers and their business, the four young men took off on foot toward campus.
"Billy Dean," Brett said, we're closest to the School of Engineering which is where you'll mostly be, so we'll go there first. Then we'll walk by the Van Vleck Hall where the Math Department is which'll probably be the rest of your classes and that will put us on the back side of Bascom Hill. We can go down the front side of the hill, grab a bite at Memorial Union and then we'll show you where the Registrar's office is which you should go to on Tuesday to get everything all set."
"Tuesday?" Billy Dean asked.
"Yeah, Tuesday," Tim said. "My dad's already been in contact with the Registrar on your case. Not the Registrar's office, but the Registrar himself. It's a go. But dad said the Registrar is gonna have it all finalized with the paperwork and shit on Monday. So, go in on Tuesday first thing and get your admissions papers. Don't worry, it's a done deal, dude..."
"I'm much obliged. `Special' since none o' you even know me."
"You're Cass's family," Tim said. "And Cass and Wymo are our family, not by blood, but they're family. That's how we roll."
"I blew that one by being an asshole..." Eric said, ruefully.
"It worked out," Tim said tersely, giving Eric a quick half-smile. "It did, Trages, c'mon bro..."
"I guess so, Dix." Eric replied, getting a wink from Brett.
Billy Dean, not being slow on the uptake, made a note of the foregoing exchange.
For the next three hours, Billy Dean was shown around the huge University of Wisconsin- Madison campus. He saw the School of Engineering where he would spend most of his time, as well as other sites. The boys stopped at Memorial Union making their way to the Rathskeller for a bite to eat and a couple beers on the terrace overlooking Lake Mendota and finished up by showing Billy Dean where the Registrar's office was.
Back at Tim and Brett's house, Billy Dean made ready to return to Janesville. Getting a hug from Tim and Brett, he turned to Eric. "C'n I give you a ride back t' yer place, pardner?"
"That's be nice. I gotta hit the books tonight anyway. Summer School ya know... I can't afford to live here for four years even though my mom says money is OK now, but I don't want all the student loans... Gotta finish sooner."
"OK, well, let's saddle up." Billy Dean said. "Much obliged, Tim `n' Brett. Hope I get to see you agin sometime."
"You will," Brett smiled.
Eric gave Billy Dean directions back to his dorm. Pulling into the small circular drive in front, Billy Dean stopped at the drop-off zone.
"Thanks for the ride, cowboy!" Eric smiled.
"My pleasure, Mr. Eric. You busy Tuesday morning?"
"I don't believe so, why?"
"'Cause I'm s'posed ta go to the Registrar's office n' I was thinkin' maybe after that you n' me could maybe grab a coffee, or some lunch, or something... Whadya say?"
"I think I'll say yes, cowboy. There's almost no place to park around campus, so why don't you park in the Lake Street garage and text me. I'll be at Memorial Union and I can just walk over to where you are."
"Sounds like a plan t' me."
The two exchanged contact information and said good bye. But not without Eric taking a chance and leaning over to give Billy Dean a peck on the cheek.
"See ya then! I like you, cowboy!"
With that, Eric exited the car leaving Billy Dean to wonder what altogether transpired that day.
Billy Dean set his GPS for the Alamo and headed out of Madison which to him seemed, with busy streets and a lot of traffic, to be a fair bit bigger of a town than he thought it might be as he noted earlier on his way into town, and Billy Dean as an architect was precise with measurements and numbers, that the sign said Madison's population was 233,209. Compared to Houston, though, his first impression was that while it was a pretty town, it was quaint.
Billy Dean figured he'd just see what, if anything, would or would not come of his new friendship with Eric.
JUNE 10, 2015
Just as it had been last year, Monterey Stadium was made ready for yet another graduating class. This would be the old stadium's 84th year seeing off the city's graduating Seniors. At the Alamo, Sean and Andy made ready for the ceremony. Neither one was to finish as high in their class as Tim and Brett had, but Sean had his honors chords and sash, and Andy his slightly less prestigious honor roll chords. The twins would not be attending as Sean and Andy deemed them to be too young to know what was going on, and Mrs. Cheadle didn't mind not going as, she put it, "I got me bloody `ands full with those two as it is. Little buggers are comin' along so fast ye never know what they'll be into from one day to the next."
And that was true. Already walking for a while now, the twins were running and learning how to talk. Not yet able to speak sentences, they nevertheless between them had a vocabulary of several words to the point of sometimes saying what exact food they wanted to eat. Much to Mrs. Cheadle's chagrin, the two little boys loved chopped up hot dogs that they could pick up with their fat little fingers and eat. She made sure they only got real, all-beef hot dogs from a local butcher shop that made their own. No mass-produced chicken and turkey hot dogs would do for Mrs. Cheadle's boys. Nor dogs without casings. Mrs. Cheadle specified natural casings. "They'll learn to take proper bites of their food and bloody chew properly. I'll not have `em eating mush and just swallowing without chewing as if it was porridge!"
With their curly, blonde hair, big blue eyes and long, slim builds, Joey and Lennie were angelic little boys. Rarely cranky, they could if they wished be stubborn and when one said, "No!" the other one wasn't far behind. But for the most part they were content to play with each other using colored wooden blocks among other toys. Rubber balls were replaced with nerf balls when Joey threw one at Lennie but missed him and knocked over a plant getting dirt everywhere. Earning a sharp reprimand from Mrs. Cheadle, both tykes stuck their lower lips out, pointed at Mrs. Cheadle and said "nonny!" in unison which was their rendition of "naughty!"
The graduation ceremony went off without a hitch. Coach Slater, for the last time, announced the athletic awards for the year, and to no one's surprise Kevin Masterson as quarterback of the Big Eight Champion football team won Athlete of the Year. At the end of the awards, Coach Slater, in his now gravely, aphasic voice, said a few short words announcing what everyone already knew, that he was retiring. He remarked that it had been the dream of a lifetime for him the years he put in as head football coach, but that it was time now for him to get off the stage. The memories, he said, enriched his life more than anyone could know and he thanked the school for the many kindnesses shown to him over the years. The old coach received a standing ovation, and more people than one could count whose lives he'd touched over the years wiped away tears. The old man was truly a legend and no one thought that they would see his like again anytime soon, if ever.
As surprise to Coach Slater, Sean had convinced the Student Council to have a small brass plaque made by one of the local jewelry stores and he presented it to Coach Slater. It simply stated, "In thanks for his years of service to the school and the community." And was undersigned "the Craig High School Class of 2015."
Handing the plaque to Coach Slater, Sean said to the coach and the crowd, "Please accept this on behalf of this year's class, Coach. We had a second one made, and it will be affixed to the scoreboard. You've meant more to all of us than you could ever know."
Coach Slater's eyes teared up as he took the plaque with his left hand and shook Sean's outstretched hand with his right. "Shank you Mishter Wyman," he said. "And now it really izh time for me to get off the shtage," he said and both he and Sean exited, Sean's arm around the old man's shoulder.
Sean and Andy made the rounds of the graduation parties that night, double-dating with Kevin Masterson and Scott Branson. Sean would miss those two when they went off to school in Minneapolis, but he reasoned he couldn't keep everyone he liked close at hand and was secretly wondering if it hadn't been a mistake to make thinly-disguised offers of positions to others. He needn't have worried.
Two weeks later, Eric showed up in Janesville ostensibly to visit Billy Dean over the weekend and while he was there asked for some time to talk to Sean and Andy.
"Guys," Eric began, "I think I know what you were offering when we all met down at Sweet Allyn Park. I appreciate it a lot especially since I was such a dick to you guys last year. And I kinda think I might have some clue of how come mom's finances are better now. If I'm right, then I owe you guys, I really do. You don't have to say. I'm not asking. But I think I'd rather make my own way. If it ends up being with you guys, I'm not against that, but if it doesn't, I don't want you to hold it against me. I won't say anything to anyone. And, look, we talked about loyalty that day, too. I'll be a loyal friend. You can count on that. But if it's OK I'd like to make my own future. Does that make any sense?"
Sean didn't wish to respond and nodded to Andy.
"Eric," Andy began, "look, we don't own you. And I don't know a hundred percent how your mom's situation improved, either. We can all guess, but it doesn't really matter. You decide what your future is gonna be and that's that. What about Tory?"
"Who knows what about Tory..." Eric laughed. "Maybe J.R. should talk to him. Those two are pretty, um, tight I guess you could say... He was a dick, too, but he really does appreciate you guys and he might never say so, but I know he feels bad that he was a dick before..."
"Like I said, dude, we don't own you. Now, what about you and my cousin?"
"You would have to ask... Well, I guess I might as well say that I like him. I mean, we've been out on a couple of dates now. No, we haven't had sex yet if you must know, but he's sweet. He's sincere. I like him. What do you think?"
"I think he likes you, too, Eric," Andy said. "I know he spent time picking out what to wear before he drove up to Madison to see you if that's any indication. And just between you and me, he's not shy when it comes to sex, so why don't you go for it?"
"I guess I'll have to now, won't I?" Eric smiled.
"Eric?" Sean asked.
"Yeah..."
"What about your mom's living arrangements? Is she still in that apartment over by the dump?"
"Yeah. I mean, she wants to move, but she's not very good when it comes to looking for a house. I mean, she doesn't know how to do it and then she gets all frustrated..."
"Well, I might have a solution for her."
"Whadya mean..."
"Well, a little while back I bought a house on Columbus Circle out of foreclosure. I was gonna renovate it for Dix's brother Kevin to live in, but he wants a place at the Monterey when the condo conversion is done. Which I am swearing you to secrecy as to whether or not I have anything to do with. Anyway, I was just gonna do the house on Columbus Circle over and flip it. You think your mom might be interested in it?"
"Jeez, that's a real nice area. Can we show it to her? I mean, she'd prolly be better about it if she had something to visualize..."
"Have your mom call me. And Tory can come along with her. I own the place, it's vacant and I have the keys. I haven't started any work on it yet, so it's a blank slate. It'd prolly be a good size for her, I mean it's three bedrooms, so it wouldn't be too big. We could do it over to her liking and have it done quickly. Just have her call me. I don't like the idea of your mom living in a shithole by the dump."
"I don't like it, either..." Eric said. "How much you gonna want for it?"
"Depends on what your mom would want done if she liked the place. We won't overcharge her."
"I'll tell her to give ya a holler, Sean... Thanks. I mean that. Now, is the cowboy around?"
"He should be back in a minute or two. He left a little before you got here. Maybe he's getting you a gift..." Andy said with a wink.
"I hope not, but I really do like him..."
"So tell him that," Sean said.
"I have, but maybe I need to say it a little differently."
"Why don'tcha say it with your clothes off," Andy teased.
"I just might," Eric laughed.
Just then, Billy Dean walked in with a box under his arm. "Well, I reckon I ain't gonna be able t' wrap this here box, so here ya go, Eric!"
"You got me a box?" Eric smiled.
"Look inside, pardner..."
Eric opened the box. He pulled out a pair of Pinto Ranch Black Jack cowboy boots. His jaw dropped. They were obviously hand-made and of supple black cherry dyed leather with a classic toe and hand tooling on the sides and front, just enough to be noticed, but not ostentatious. The heels were neither too high, nor too low but would likely properly accent Eric's 6'1" height.
"Don't like `em?" Billy Dean asked a little wistfully.
"Are you kidding! These hadda cost, well, they hadda cost... I mean, they hadda cost a shitload!"
"A Texas dude don't buy another dude a pair of boots fer no reason," Billy Dean replied.
"I love the boots, Cowboy!" Eric said as he jumped up to give Billy Dean a hug. "I totally love them! Guess I'll hafta get a hat how, too..."
"You c'n wait on at. How bout you try them on n' see how they fit n' we c'n see how they look on ya..."
Eric donned the boots, although so clumsily that Billy Dean snickered at his temporary predicament.
"Tell ya what, pardner, why don't we get back to Madison n' I c'n show ya how t' put em on there..."
Eric laughed and said OK. "You're gonna give me a ride back?" he asked.
"Sure. Ain't got nuthin' better t' do. You ready t' saddle up?"
"I guess so. Thanks, Sean and Andy. I'll see ya soon..."
No sooner had Eric and Billy Dean left than Andy looked at Sean with a leer. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I think so, Brown Eyes. Seems those two are gonna be an item, dunnit?"
"As if they aren't already..."
"I hear ya. Anyway, you remember that in two weeks we're completing the purchase of the Monterey. We got everyone ready to go? I'd like work to begin right away once we close. I got a lot riding on this..."
"I think we do. Rose says her brothers are ready. They have someone they want us to meet with who's done this shit before on some much larger buildings. They're from the west coast and I guess they'd fly in to meet us if we want."
"Do you think we should do that?"
"As long as it's purely on a consulting basis I don't see why not. We don't have experience. They do. We don't grant any ownership or anything so I think it's OK..."
"Sounds good. Now, you know this week at the Council meeting we're finally gonna vote on the eminent domain ordinance for downtown. Took that fucking City Attorney long enough to draw it all up I tell ya. Guy's a pain in the ass. At least you're having better luck on the School Board..."
"Well, yeah, I mean I hadda dig my feet in and say that we wouldn't be hiring a new Superintendent until we get the finances fixed up. The deep audit is almost done and then we can move forward."
"I love the way you got the Assistant Superintendent to take over in the meantime..."
"Yeah, well, when I met him out at the Country Club I just told him that he's in charge until further notice but that's in name only and I'm really the one in charge here. He's OK, but his background is a wormy little second stringer, so he'll do what I say. Who knows, it might just be worthwhile keeping him in charge at the end of the day anyhow..."
"Could be. I hadda set that Bennett asshole straight, too about who's running the City Council. It's a good thing I made peace with the City Manager. He said he was sick of having to arrange everything for the Council anyway and as long as we let him take care of budgeting issues he'd be happy to let the Council dictate policy. I've looked over his past budget submissions and they're not too bad, I mean Janesville still has low taxes and not much debt so that's good. I just don't want any interference. Anyway, I told that Bennett that he can jump on the bandwagon with everyone else here, or he'd be gone and that I'd make it happen if I had to."
"What did he say?"
"Not much, but he looked like he was gonna shit his pants. I told him I wasn't playing games. He said the same thing Bill Kennedy said to me one time, that I was a clever little asshole."
"Well, you are!" Andy chuckled. "That you are...."
"Be that as it may, I also identified five other properties that I wanna go after through the eminent domain route. See, I figure it this way: no one's ever tried this before and the first one, or two when they see how expensive it's gonna be to lose their property by that route, they'll sell it to us for fair market price anyway. And so what? I mean these are properties that haven't been kept up, they're vacant, and they're beautiful old properties..."
"How long you think it's gonna be before someone figures out that we're behind the Channel Islands company that's the name on the purchase of the Monterey?"
"I don't think they ever will because our names aren't on anything yet..."
"Whadya mean?"
"Well, I found out a little something..."
"Oh Christ!"
"No, it's really pretty cool..."
"OK, well, do I hafta fuck it outta ya, or are you gonna tell me?"
"Will you fuck me after I tell you?"
"Suuuuuuuure..." Andy eyerolled.
"OK, well you remember Pritchard, right?"
"Ginny's chauffeur? Um, yeah... So?"
Well, in the corporate paperwork for the Channel Island companies, he's listed as the CEO and Chairman of the Board. Ginny's name isn't on any of it. Also, guess what?"
"What..."
"He's not really a chauffeur. He's ex-RAF. Was a fighter pilot. And after the RAF, he served in the MI6 which is the British CIA. His family are wealthy Scottish bankers. Their business ties run back through the generations to some Dicksons who are still in Scotland. I guess the Dicksons are fairly big distillers and are distant relatives of Angus Dickson, so they're related to George and to Dix. It all kinda hangs together..."
"So that's how Angus Dickson was able to import Scotch. Family ties! It all makes sense now... But what about Ginny if her name isn't on anything?"
"She fixed that up by having the actual share ownership in the companies done by other corporations she owns. She owns 97.5% of the Channel Island companies through her other businesses and Pritchard owns the rest. There is no chance anyone will find out anything about us in this deal. None. We're not on anything. And there's something else, too... Ginny's real first name is Alexandrina. Her middle name is Virginia. And you remember that her maiden name is Jackman, right? OK, so in the UK all of her stuff is under her maiden name, Alexandrina Jackman. Apparently, her husband had it set up that way and she never took his name until sometime after that. Ginny thinks it was set up that way so in case he died first nothing could be traced back to her and she'd have time to figure it all out without other people breathing down her neck right away. She said she has no idea why he did it that way, but that's just how it was... So anyway, the name Virginia Miller never appears on any paperwork, and you see nobody's ever gonna find out..."
"How the feck did you find that out?"
"I asked Ginny for the same reason you brought it up. She said there might be another secret, or two out there but that it wasn't for now and everything was done for the purposes of maintaining secrecy if it should be desired."
"OK, if you say so..."
"Well, yeah, I mean for now..."
You think George Dickson knows about all this stuff?"
"Of course he does. He's Ginny's lawyer, and he'd the one who settled Ginny's husband's estate. Of course he knows."
"Makes sense... So, whadya think about condoing the building on Main Street?"
"Well, I think dad owns it so he'd hafta be up for it..."
"He did buy it with that in mind, though..."
"And the building next door is one I identified as one we want. We add value both ways."
"I read your mind."
"You always do..."
"Besides, I've had my eye on that building for a while now. It's a little bit bigger of a building than dad's. There are six apartments in it that can be made into condos straight away. And it's an architecturally more significant building, too..."
"Well, we're gonna be busy then, aren't we... Speaking of which, I gotta be ready for my part next week. I don't know why they do these things after graduation, but I said I'd do it, so..."
"You think you're ready?"
"Yeah, it's an easy part. Tory's been a pain in the ass in rehearsals, though. It's like I can't do anything right. Guy's still being a little dick..."
"Should we have J.R. have a little talk with him?"
"Prolly wouldn't hurt..." Sean laughed.
"Alright then, wanna go upstairs?" Andy winked.
Sean took Andy's hand, kissed him on the cheek and followed him up the stairs.
THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND
Sean walked into the backstage area of the temporary theatre set up at Monterrey Stadium. It was Sunday, the evening of the last performance.
Tory met him at the door.
"So nice that you could show up, Sean... You're fifteen minutes late!"
"Look, Tor, it's our last night. I nailed it the last two nights. I'm not the star of the show anyway..."
"Not the star? You don't have the biggest part, no, but who do you think these assholes pay their money to see out there? You're the State Championship winning quarterback, a City Councilor. Your shit doesn't stink. Everyone loves you. Yeah, you're the one they come to see... And yeah, it is the last show so this one has to be perfect. I have a lot riding on this. And you show up late. Thanks a lot, Sean..."
Tory looked sad.
"I'm sorry, Tor,' Sean said, patting Tory's shoulder. "If I made you nervous, I'm sorry. Don't worry, I'll deliver my part. You've done a helluva job and you should be proud of it. I know how important this is to you. It'll be fine..."
"OK, well, it's only a little while until we start. I looked at the stands. We've got a full house tonight just like Friday and Saturday..."
"You can thank me for that," Sean kidded. "I got the permit through for beer sales. This isn't a high-brow town you know, so having beer available definitely got a few more people in than otherwise, and the profits go to the Drama Club."
"I wonder who bought that block of 5,000 tickets to give away to the GM workers?"
"Dunno. I asked my dad about it and he said he hadn't heard of it until I told him. I have absolutely no idea who would have done that... Those guys'll buy a lot of beer, though..."
"Just what we need, half-drunk UAW guys..."
"Tor, those guys paid the taxes that built the school we go to and keep it going every year. And they pay for this stadium, too. Some of them helped build the stage for this show. Their work pays my dad's salary. And a lot of other shit around this town, too. If someone wanted to do something nice for them, to show a little appreciation, then let's give them the same show we'd give if it was for the Queen of England. They've earned it and they deserve it. Maybe you'll figure that out someday..."
"Jeez, ya didn't hafta bite my head off!"
"Well, you crawled up my ass as soon as I walked in the door, asshole..." Sean said, a bit impatiently. "Besides, I thought we settled a lot of this shit down at Sweet Allyn Park..."
"Yeah, well, we settled what you're in charge of, but I'm in charge here, not you."
"OK, so boss me around," Sean said gamely with a smirk. "Look, Tor, you've done a great job. When this is over you need to take a break for a little while and mellow out. By the way, I think your mom and Andy have the design work done for Columbus Circle. We can have you in there in two months. Whadya think about that?"
"I think my mom owes you, Sean. I'm not exactly sure of it all, but I am sure that you had something to do with it..."
"Maybe I did and maybe I didn't. I ain't gonna say any more than that and we are never going to talk about it again. Got me?"
"Alright, let's get going then. We've wasted enough time here. I've got a show to put on!"
Sean was gratified, but still a little sad that tonight's performance would be the last. He'd enjoyed being on the stage, albeit in a minor role.
The play this year was Shakespeare's As You Like It. Normally, productions of this complexity weren't attempted, but Sean had to admit that Tory had pulled it off.
By and by it was time for Sean to deliver his most important lines. And he did so flawlessly.
One last time.
All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.*
END CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
*William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII.