NOTE: This is the fictional coming of age story of Jake Grimke as he matures through high school, into college and eventually into adulthood in the Baltimore, Maryland region. It contains and embraces accurate representations of life in Baltimore and its suburbs; Maryland's traditional sport of lacrosse and the career path a firefighter might follow in his profession. All of the characters in this story are fictional and resemblance to any one person whether dead or alive is purely coincidental. If you liked this installment, please send me some feed back; I got a rough idea where this is headed but I am always open to some suggestions. Needless to say, if you are offended by handsome athletic young men growing up gay and the obstacles they will encounter as well their personal triumphs, you should use the BACK button on your browser forthwith.
A few days after Jose was reunited with Jake from the Grimke Outer Banks family vacation, it was time for John and Emma to return home themselves and prepare to pack up and drop off their son for his freshman year at the University of Virginia. Of course, Jose and Jake spent practically every waking moment in each other's company before it was time for Jose to head back to Baltimore as a sophomore and chair the fall rush committee of his beloved Phi Gamma Delta chapter at Johns Hopkins University.
After dropping Captain Grimke off for the night shift on Rescue 1 at Baltimore's famed Super House, Jake spent the last full August Friday afternoon before his departure to Charlottesville with Jose. Jake was introduced to some of the other members of Phi Gamma Delta by Jose before they enjoyed an off-campus dinner at a small bistro in the Homewood section of Baltimore. As the summer sun set, they walked the campus of Hopkins talking about their future and what they wanted from each other while they were apart; Jose hoping that the rest of the FIJI brothers would either be out partying or asleep by the time he and Jake slipped into Jose's room for the night.
Jake and Jose made love practically all night long, only napping in between their passionate sessions. Neither tired of performing their rituals of affection, love and sharing in the deepest sense, but, making promises that they would find difficult to keep in the intervening weeks and months for any number of reasons. In between their frenzied physical conjugations, they talked and relived the start of their romance and the promise it held and continued to hold.
Even before 8:00 am on a Saturday morning, there were stirrings at FIJI house, and not from Jose's summer single room. Jake stirred when he heard his iPhone chirp with a text message from his father signaling he was ready to be picked up. Jose watched with half a smile as his beloved Jake slipped from the bed and slid commando into his khaki shorts and pulled on a Severn lacrosse tee shirt.
"I promise not to let a day go by that I don't or won't or can't find a way to talk to you, tell you I miss you and tell you I love you, Jose," Jake started his good bye, "I promise that to you, you will be with me always."
"Jake, I love you," Jose said, his eyes welling up, "just go, please just go, I can't stand a long good bye."
Jake nodded, leaned in to Jose and kissed him hard and full, "I love you too, Jose."
And when the kiss ended, Jake bounded out the back of Phi Gamma Delta to his Saab and headed downtown to pick up John Grimke, Junior for the trip back to their home in Severn, Maryland just outside of Annapolis; stopping first for a father and son pancake breakfast before their traditional weekend haircuts at the barber shop where Jake had oogled at shirtless athletes as he thumbed through the Sports Illustrated magazines so many years ago.
The shop's owner, Ed Mayhew; had been their barber for as long as Jake could remember. And Jake usually let his hair grow out over the summer since there wasn't a need for his hair to be short for practice or school in general. After John's haircut, Ed asked, "Usual for you today Jake, just a trim?"
"No sir," Jake boomed out, "high and tight please!"
"Oh, what's the occasion?" Ed wondered.
"Going to see Ev today, got to look the part," Jake said just kind of staring ahead out the window as Mr. Mayhew fixed the apron over Jake.
"That's right, your buddy is at the Naval Academy; my eldest graduated from there," the barber continued.
Jake's bleached strawberry blonde locks fell down the apron and on to the floor as they were shorn off. And with a touch of pomade, the remaining short hairs stood at attention,
After cautiously running his fingers over the half-soft half-stiff fuzzy top, Jake proclaimed out loud, "AWESOME!" before tipping the barber with his own money in addition to his father paying the usual price for two haircuts.
By the time the Saab pulled into the Grimke driveway, Annie Harmes was already there, having picked up Evan's girlfriend Jackie Pence for Family Day at the Naval Academy when the plebes finally get a reprieve from their intense summer drills before the entire brigade returns to form up for the new school year. After greeting the guests who probably spent almost as much time at the Grimke home as their own, Jake excused himself for a quick shower to wash off any itchy hairs that may have gotten under his collar from the haircut and the last of the sex with Jose from the night before.
Jake had been organizing and packing most of the week to get his clothing and other stuff ready for his departure to the University of Virginia tomorrow to start his freshman year there. He reached into his closet and found a pair of khaki pants that he slid on over his favorite Under Armour boxer briefs before matching it up with one of the polo shirts he bought earlier in the year on his trip to New York City with Jose.
Annie drove everybody to the Naval Academy in her Lexus, the City of Annapolis a parking nightmare as thousands of parents descended on the tiny metropolis for Family Day. John Grimke saved the day by suggesting they pull up to a local fire station where he went in, found the ranking officer who gave him permission to park the car at the station while they all went to visit Evan Harmes.
Jackie and Jake led the way to where the family members were designated to wait. Immediately after the morning parade, the plebes were dismissed by their upper class detailers to meet their families, some sprinting across the parade ground. Jake studied hard at the sea of white sailors heading his way, looking for Evan but they almost all looked the same, except for glasses or darker hair. It was almost impossible for Jake to find his wingman in the thousands that were streaming toward him until he saw one, walking like Evan, unhurried, very disciplined and almost humble.
"There he is," Jake said, tapping Jackie on her shoulder and pointing.
"Where, which one?" Jackie replied.
"That one, walking a little slower than the rest, with the not-so-big smile," Jake said, studying the wingman.
"Oh yeah, that's him," Jackie replied, "EVAN!!!! EVAN!!!!"
Instinctively, Jake turned around, found Annie and made sure she was in front with Jackie for Evan to see. And that was all it took to for Evan to step it up and move a little faster, smile a little bigger, the three most important people in his life; his mom, Jackie and of course, Jake Grimke.
Evan Harmes saved the last hug for Jake; which maybe to the dismay of Jackie, might have been the longest of the first three. After the hug ended, Evan ran his fingers through Jake's haircut stating, "you are just crazy!"
In his arms, Jake could feel that Evan was just a little leaner and a little stronger from all the conditioning that occurred during the Plebe Summer, "Missed you bro but we are all living our dream."
"Always and forever bro, always and forever," Evan stated excitedly, like he didn't have a chance to share that with anybody all summer and ending it with a fist bump.
The reunion was too short, only a few hours before Evan had to report back to his dorm room at Bancroft Hall. Jake had wisely suggested eating at the same restaurant they all went to before the Valentine's Dance earlier in the year which turned out to be much less crowded than those closer to the Naval Academy. All took turns telling stories about their summer adventures.
Back at the Academy gate, Jake gave Evan a long hug before surrendering Evan over to Jackie and his mom and taking a few steps back to his own parents so Evan could have the necessary private words he wanted to share with the women in his life. The walk back to the car was quiet at first until Jackie broke the silence, asking out loud, "why did I choose Brandeis so far away?"
"We are all going to be far away soon, Jackie" Jake started, but we are always going to be connected. I see great things ahead, for all of us. I can picture a big wedding at the chapel here with you and Evan."
"Really?" Jackie asked, "will you be the best man?"
"I'd be honored," Jake replied, "I would do that for both of you."
"What about you and Jose?" Jackie continued, "big wedding for you guys?"
"Who knows, Jackie, who knows." Jake said as they piled into the Lexus for the ride home.