JAIDEN – CHAPTER 5 Gregory A. Patrick
As stated before, the disclaimer mentioned in Chapters 1 through 3 apply to Chapter 5 as well. All rights reserved.
Gregory A.
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It had been a long day of classes and when I got back to the apartment it sounded like all hell had broken lose between Charley and Dale. One thing was for sure, I had no intention of putting up with the vehement threats being tossed about and the volume with which the threats were flying. I walked over and knocked hard on their door so they would hear me. Suddenly it got very quiet. Dale answered my knock and his face was as red as his hair. "Sorry," he said, "I didn't mean for you to hear our argument." I said "and I didn't want to hear it either." Will you two guys come into the living room, please, I would like to talk this out with the both of you." Dale made the mistake of saying it was none of my business. I let him know very quickly that when it occurs in the apartment where I live, and when it is so loud that I could hear the argument outside the apartment, it damned well is my business and if he didn't want to talk to me about it then he could talk to the Housing Director (who just happens to be my aunt) or the Dean of Men who just happens to be the husband of the Housing Director, yeah, my aunts husband.
Dale and Charley, very quickly at that point, came into the living room and sat down. I said, "Look, I don't know what the argument was about and I don't know if I want to know, but you both need to understand that the language you were using and the threats you were tossing about won't be tolerated. When Jaiden gets back, I am going to tell him about all this so he won't walk into your violence the way I did." "Now, to get to the bottom of this: there is no doubt that the two of you are gay and that you are sleeping together. That I could not care less about; however, what I will make my business is the fierceness with which you were fighting. When I first met the two of you, it was obvious you were in love with each other. So, what happened between the day we met and today?"
Charley kind of teared up and told me that he had met another guy at a gay frat house and they had gotten it on together. That admission infuriated me because if there is one thing I cannot stand and will not tolerate, it's infidelity. "Charley, what were you thinking? Did you talk with Dale and tell him someone was interested in you and that you had an urge to check things out?" "No, Peyton, I didn't because I didn't want him to get angry with me." "So, you thought it would be ok to cheat on Dale and expect him not to find out about it or you thought you could explain an affair and he would be ok with it?" "Not exactly, Peyton." "Then what did you expect him to say or even how he would feel, Charley? "I don't really know, Peyton, I really don't know." "Well, you pretty much crushed him emotionally and that damned sure wasn't fair on your part, now was it?" "No, I guess it wasn't." "You guess? YOU GUESS!" "Do you love Dale, and I mean honestly love him?" "Truthfully, Peyton, yes, I do and if I could take back what I have done and prevent the damage I caused to our relationship, I would. Right now, I feel so badly I wish I could crawl into a hole and die." "And I am sure, right now, that Dale probably wishes you would"
"Listen, both of you. Your relationship can be repaired and your love can be restored, but Charley, you owe Dale a sincere apology, not just an apology crafted to get your ass out of trouble. Here is what I am proposing you do to keep me from reporting your fight to the Direrctor of Housing AND to the Dean of Men: You both will make an appointment at the counseling center and you will keep it! Understood? Both Charley and Dale said, "Understood." Good, and one last thing you will do is give the counselor you're assigned to permission for him or her to just let me know you are keeping your counseling appointment and that you are making progress in your relationship. Nothing more, nothing less. Agreed?" "Dale," "yes." "Charley?" "Yes." "Good. Jaiden will be back at the apartment at 2 pm and we are going jogging at 4. I expect you both to join us to work off your anger. Be ready at 4. We'll go to dinner together after the jog and a shower."
I don't know when I have been so angry at two people. I went in my room, stripped down and crashed on the bed. Jaiden came in right on time, walked into the bedroom, looked at me and said, "you look like hell, love, what happened?" I explained everything to him and all he could say was "damn." Then he stripped down and crawled into bed, gave me a kiss on the tip of my nose and just held me." "Peyton, I love you to the moon and back, so let me assure you right now that I will NEVER do something like that to you. I am pledged to you and to you only. Do you understand that?" "Yes, I do, Jaiden, and thank you. I love you to the moon and back as well and I won't do it to you either.
We both got up at 3:30 and got ready to go jogging. When we walked into the living room, Dale and Charley were ready and waiting on us. Dale asked how far Jaiden and I intended to run and I asked him if he jogged at all. Dale said "not really, but I need to...and so does Charley" "Ok, Jaiden and I usually run about 4 miles every day, but since you aren't used to it, we'll do a slow two today and walk part of it if we have to so we can get you both through the run. Jaiden and I can finish our run an hour or so after dinner." "Let's go."
We ran and partly walked 5 laps around Sweetheart Circle. I think it was a good thing because Charley and Dale were able to see other gay couples walking hand-in-hand and jogging together with smiles on their faces. Therapeutic, you bet. The seed was planted and I could see the gears turning in their minds. We went back to the apartment and got ready for dinner and walked over to the Williams Center this time so we could get some light sandwiches and Propel to drink. We sat there for about an hour after eating so we could finish our run without getting sick. We went back to the dorm to get into our jogging clothes and Charley and Dale were waiting on us. "Do you mind if we tag along? You and Jaiden can run at your pace and Dale and I will do the best we can, if we have to walk part of the way to finish the distance we will and will meet you two back at the apartment."
I got a call from the school counselor the next day to let me know Charley and Dale had made their appointment on time and that they were scheduled for counseling twice a week. The counselor, a woman, seemed very optimistic for them. I walked over to their door and knocked lightly. They both answered the door, and when they did, I hugged each of them and let them know I was extremely proud of them for standing up to our agreement. And by the way, every day after that, they were waiting on Jaiden and I to go jogging with us. It definitely was helping make an inroad toward getting their stresses down. The counselor was happy and supportive of Jaiden's and my efforts to help.
Dale and Charley were deeply in love with each other, that was evident and I was going to do everything I could to make damned sure they stayed that way.
We got through the rest of the week and Friday night Dale and Charley decided to go somewhere together for the weekend to spend some quality time together. That meant Jaiden and I also had the weekend alone in the apartment.
We went to dinner at Jersey Mike's and had the best roast beef sandwich ever: cold roast beef, lettuce, tomato, pepper, vinegar dressing and Sobee water. We walked back to campus, Jared with his arm around my shoulder and my arm around his waist. A couple of wolf-whistles and a few smiles later, we were back at the dorm. I didn't want sex tonight; I just wanted some quiet time with Jaiden cuddling in bed on the silk sheets just talking to each other and listening to some soft jazz music. Before I realized it, it was 9 am Saturday morning when we woke up, the music still playing. We both took a shower and then walked over to the main cafeteria for some breakfast. The rest of the day was spent just cuddling with a bit caressing and soft, sensual kisses. It was the best day at the university since the semester started.
Jaiden's mom called since he had not called her this week and she kind of got him told for not calling. But she also said that him not calling meant one of two things: he was exceptionally miserable or he found somebody to love and was extremely happy and content. Jaiden told her that it was the latter and that he had never been as happy as he now was. That got the wheels turning in his mom's head and she wanted to know all about the person who was making her son so happy. I heard Jaiden say, "Mom. Sit down, I need to tell you something. I would rather tell you face-to-face, but since you brought it up and asked, I'll just explain everything right now. The person with whom I have fallen so deeply in love, his name is Peyton. His Dad sent us plane tickets to fly down to Mobile a few weekends ago and I agreed to go with him. Mom, outside of you, I have never felt so loved and so accepted by someone I really didn't know. I met his parents who gave me bear hugs, a kiss each on my forehead and welcomed me into their family. His mom said it had been years since she and Dr. Riley had seen their son so happy, so content. Mrs. Riley said she had intended to cook dinner for us but that the occasion called for a celebratory dinner, so we all piled into the car and went to a place called Ed's Seafood and Steak House. Mom said "I have eaten there and it is extremely good, I hope you enjoyed yourself." "Mom, I did. When we got to the restaurant, Peyton's four grandparents were there waiting on us and when we walked over to greet them, his mom's mother walked up to me and gave me a big hug and said she was Grandma Jenny and her husband was Pawpaw and they expected me to call them that. Grandma Jenny gave me a kiss on the forehead and Pawpaw shook my hand and pulled me into a bear hug, and told me he loved me and was proud to have me as a part of their family. His Dad's mom introduced herself as Granny and her husband as Papa and said I was to call them that and asked if I understood. I looked at her and said, yes, Mam. Granny. Her husband shot me a glance and I understood it and said, yes sir, Papa. Then Dr. Riley said our table was ready and called for us to go in and chow down...his treat.
Before we went to dinner, Dr. Riley had come up to the bedroom I was in and spoke rather gruffly to me which I misunderstood. He was just trying to make me tremble in my boots which he succeeded at doing. Then he walked over to me and drew me into the tightest bear hug I've ever had and thanked me for making Peyton happier than they had seen him in years. Then he kissed me on the forehead. It has to be a family thing because his parents did the same thing at the restaurant. Mrs. Riley came in the room like Dr. Riley did and gave me another bear hug with a kiss on the forehead and said basically the same thing her husband had said. Mom, all I can say is that it was so awesome to be loved and accepted that way."
"Jaiden, I have always known you were gay, I was just waiting on you to be comfortable enough to let me know on your terms. I am sitting here wiping tears from my eyes because I was hoping you would find someone to love, someone who would love you back, who would love you with all their heart. Seems to me you have found that and I am so proud of you for recognizing it. I am not at all upset that you are telling me you are gay; you are my son and I will always love you no matter what and I am sure that if your Dad were still with us, he would feel the same. You know our home is only two hours from the school, so when you have the time, I would love for you to bring Peyton home so I can meet him. When I can get a weekend off, I will come to see the two of you and we can sit down and just talk, go out to eat and have some fun together." Mom, you really mean that?" "Yes, son, I do." "Jaiden are you crying?" I couldn't say anything. All mother could hear was my guttural cry. "Jaiden, honey, everything is ok, now calm down. You can't help Peyton with anything when you are so emotional." "Thanks, Mom, I love you." Jaiden, calm down and get some rest, I'll call you in the middle of the week.
Peyton came in and saw my swollen red eyes and said "sweetheart, what has gotten you so upset?" I told him mother had called. "Jaiden, was it that bad?" "No, love, it was that good, just like meeting your folks and your grandparents. Mom wants me to bring you home one weekend when we have time, and she said she would be trying to get down here to see us when she could get a weekend off." "Jaid, what does you mom do that she would have trouble getting a weekend off?" "She is an emergency room physician, a Doctor of Osteopathy. She got her degree at the Philadelphia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Dad went to the University of Virginia Medical School and was a Pediatric Oncologist at the St. Jude Medical Center before he was killed in a jet crash in Africa. He was working with Mercy Med taking a sabbatical to help sick children in Zimbabwe. Now you understand why I am so intent on going to medical school." "Jaiden, you just helped me to make up my mind to go to medical school to be a Pediatric Orthopedist specializing in foot problems of children. I didn't tell you, but I have been looking for a college where we could go to school together and there is a University in a medium sized central Georgia city called Macon. It is Mercer University School of Medicine and they have a mechanical engineering course you can take, and if you make a B or above in the course, they wave the MCATS. Ask your mom about it." "Now, will you stop crying so I can?" When I talk to Dad this weekend, I'll let him know what is going on and see what he and Mom have to say.
I got Jaiden in bed and got in bed with him and just held him as lovingly as I could. Everything is going to be ok. How thankful I am that both our parents are so loving and accepting. It should be that way for everybody.