Lawn Boy, Chapter 10
The headline emblazoned across the local newspaper on Monday read, "PASTOR OF LOCAL GOSPEL TABERNACLE RESIGNS AMID CONTROVERSY." The front-page story went on to say that the church was distancing itself from Peter Prichard who had publicly defended the actions of Elder Theodore Bachmann who was now an ex-member in disgrace. The article also mentioned allegations that Prichard had lived a lavish life-style, like Houston minister, Joel Osteen, while his followers scrimped to send him their tithes and offerings.
The axe had fallen.
Perrin's reaction to the news was what might be expected. It didn't affect him directly because he was on his own. He also knew his father had enough money stashed away that the family wouldn't be destitute, so he didn't have to worry about his mother and his siblings either. Mostly, he hoped that his name wouldn't be associated with that of his father.
After several days had passed, and no one had said anything to him, Perrin assumed that his classmates either hadn't made the connection, or didn't hold him responsible for his father's actions.
Within a week, Perrin got a text from Max that there was a lot of news about the family which would best be shared face to face. They agreed to meet at a Culver's situated about six blocks from the family home, making it easy for Max to ride there on his bike.
Perrin drove to it, taking Liam with him.
The two brothers exchanged hugs, and Max embraced Liam too.
"You'll never believe this, but after all these years, Mom's finally grown a spine! There was a loud argument, and she ended up telling him to get out because she wanted a divorce. He told her it was against God's will for them to separate. That's when she revealed that she'd already contacted a lawyer who's in practice with that Dudley guy who got you the settlement from Bachmann."
"Wow!" Perrin exclaimed. "So, where is our dear father now?"
"He's out in Pasadena from what I've heard. There's some group of alt-right crazies out there who're looking for a charismatic leader, and he might be getting a mega church."
"I would think they wouldn't want him if he's divorced!"
"I'm sure he'll find a way to put a spin on it. He'll probably say that Mom isn't a true believer and that they were `unequally yoked together,' so it's God's will that he left her. Of course, the truth is that she threw him out, but you know how he is about making every problem somebody else's fault. Some people can't recognize the truth even if it jumps up and bites them on the ass!"
"For sure. You guys aren't gonna suffer financially, are you?"
"Mom says we'll have to tighten our belts some until the divorce is all settled. So, I suggested that Pennie and I should transfer to public school, which is what we've wanted for a long time, and she agreed that it would save a lot of money. So, next term, Sis and I will be going to a real school! Oh, how I'll miss all the bible verse memorization!"
"I can only imagine," Perrin rolled his eyes. "You might get to study real science and find that the world is more than 5,000 years old and isn't flat."
"Yeah, I already knew that," Max snickered. "Before the Internet, it was a lot easier for parents to control what their kids were exposed to. Now, it's all out there."
"After you get into public school, you might let Mom know that Dad has money stashed away that she probably doesn't know about. I stumbled upon the account numbers my senior year while doing research on his office computer when our home wi-fi was down. I emailed them to myself and I'll be happy to send a copy to her lawyer."
"Cool! Do that, but please wait until I'm officially enrolled someplace other than the academy. If she knew about the extra money, she might have a change of heart."
"She might not when she finds out how quickly some of her former `friends' can turn on her over what Dad did with their hard-earned money. I'll bet she gets shunned."
Thanksgiving break was welcomed by almost everyone, but it would pose awkward situations for some. Guys like Clay and Perrin wouldn't be celebrating the holiday with family.
Perrin would stay with Liam and was automatically included in the plans his parents were making for Thanksgiving dinner. He hoped to see Grandma Flo during the break, and texted his siblings about his tentative schedule so his mother would hear it in a roundabout way. There was still no direct communication between the two of them.
Madeline hadn't made any kind of overture toward accepting him back into the family, and he hadn't extended an olive branch either. From his point of view, the ball was in her court. He couldn't change his nature, nor did he have any desire to do so. If they were going to interact on a friendly basis again, it would be on his terms.
Clay's stepfather had planned a trip to New England for the holiday which didn't include him. There was some reenactment of the mythical first Thanksgiving that he claimed he'd always wanted to be a part of. His actual motive was to avoid having Clay around for the week.
Clay wasn't unhappy about not spending time with his mother's spouse, but his exclusion led to a feeling of being alienated from family. His mother had tried to gloss it over by saying that they'd all go somewhere special for Christmas. That didn't alleviate Clay's feeling of rejection.
The minute Garth had heard about the situation, he invited Clay to go home with him. Bill and Melissa Watson were eager to meet the boy who was the main subject of their son's texts and emails. They were pleased that Garth's transition to college life had been far smoother than they'd anticipated. He seemed to have made a lot of new friends. Chief among those was Clay. In a non-judgmental way, they speculated that Clay might be a "special" someone.
Garth was kind of antsy about the upcoming time at home. He had made up his mind to officially come out as gay, and he wanted Clay with him when he did. He assumed his parents had guessed his orientation, and would be open to it, but he would remain at least a little anxious until it was done.
He was thankful that his parents had brought his car to campus for him earlier in the fall during parents' weekend. At least, he had transportation to go somewhere else if things didn't turn out well. He had no idea where that would be, but he trusted that Liam would take them in if there were no other option.
The moment the guys entered the kitchen of Garth's home late on Friday afternoon, both were hugged by his parents. That bolstered his courage to seize the moment and find out the lay of the land for sure.
"Mom and Dad, this is my boyfriend, Clay. I hope you'll accept both of us."
"Of course, we will!" Melissa Watson said. "Why wouldn't we?"
"Well, I know you've always been nice to friends who're gay, but sometimes it's easier when they aren't your own flesh and blood."
"That would be a hypocritical attitude on our part if we did! What must you think of us?"
"Oh, Mom, I didn't mean to doubt you!"
"It's perfectly understandable," Garth's father interjected. "You've always been a sensitive kid, and I'm sure you fret over things more than some others do. Besides, there have been a number of horror stories on the Internet about kids who come out to their families and get rejected."
"Clay, thanks for being here to support Garth," Melissa said. "I'm sure we'll all love you as much as he does, um, in a different way, no doubt," she smiled, giving him another hug.
"M-o-o-o-m!"
"Now don't get your undies in a bunch, Garth; I didn't mean anything naughty!"
Clay laughed at the playful banter between Garth and his mother. It was a real pleasure to find such a loving adult, and one who had a sense of humor to boot. He felt a lot more comfortable in this home than he did in his own.
Melissa's lasagna tasted like gourmet fare to college freshmen who hadn't had a home-cooked meal in a while. She insisted that it wasn't anything special, but to them it was. Even Garth's younger brother, Evan, paid their mother high compliments. Perhaps he was being polite in the company of their guest, but his words sounded sincere.
After supper, they retired to the family room to catch up on how the freshman year was going for the guys. They already knew a lot because of frequent texts, but it was better face to face.
Garth learned more about his brother's school year too. Evan was pleased to have an audience to regale about his successes in fall track.
Later, when the college boys retrieved their things from the car, they received an unexpected perk.
"I hope you're okay with sharing the queen-sized bed in the guest room. I changed all the beds today, and I can put Evan in there if you'd rather use the twin beds in the boys' room," Melissa said.
"We can use the guest room," Garth agreed, trying to hide his excitement. "That way we wouldn't be displacing Evan, and we don't get the chance to snuggle as much as we'd like."
"Eew!" Evan said.
"Evan, we've discussed this," Bill reminded his younger son.
"Sorry. But I'll bet you wouldn't let me bring a girlfriend home to share the guest room," he whined.
"Probably not. There are a couple of differences. First, they're of age; and second, neither of them can get pregnant."
Evan rolled his eyes, but figured it was prudent to let the matter drop.
"Wow!" Garth exclaimed as he closed, and locked, the bedroom door. "I knew my parents were pretty liberal, but letting us sleep in the same bed, and even mentioning that pregnancy bit – it's really over the top!"
"Yeah, it was kind of an admission that they assume we're having sex. I think my mom would be okay with that too, but I'm sure Richard would make some nasty comment. Your dad was way cool!"
"Given their open attitude, I'd hate to disappoint them by not taking advantage of it," Garth grinned, as he pulled Clay's pants and underwear down to kiss the tip of his rising cock.
"You're right, we shouldn't pass up the opportunity. Besides, it seems kinda sexy doing it in your home when your family suspects that's what we're doing."
The week passed quickly because of all the fun times they had. Thanksgiving dinner was awesome, and they all ate more than they'd intended. The whole time the guys were at Garth's house, the atmosphere was warm and loving. Even Evan, who had expressed his distaste about two guys cuddling, seemed to be fine with having Clay around. He couldn't help noticing that they cared for each other, but they didn't act campy or anything, so he kind of forgot that they were gay.
Loren and Cindy were hosting a traditional Thanksgiving dinner which included both sets of Liam's grandparents. In her invitation to them, she had mentioned it would be a good time to meet Liam's boyfriend. Since everyone knew about his orientation already, no one was surprised, and they all seemed eager to make Perrin's acquaintance.
The grandparents had a long way to drive and would be staying overnight Wednesday and Thursday, so some adjustments needed to be made in sleeping arrangements. Liam and Perrin would vacate their bedroom for Dan and Carol Callahan, while Loren and Cindy would sleep in the guest room so William and Margaret Neuhaus could have theirs. In doing so, the senior generation would have their own separate bathrooms. The guys all said they could use the shower in the basement to give Cindy and Loren more access to the main bathroom.
Loren brought a rollaway bed into Kellan's room, and suggested the guys flip a coin to see who would use it. Perrin insisted that he should since he was the odd-man out. Kellan said he'd take it because Perrin was a guest. Liam insisted that his boyfriend was part of the family, and not a guest, but should have a comfortable bed, being the eldest. It was funny watching them all attempt to outdo each other in being accommodating. Finally, Liam said he would push the cot up close to the twin bed which Perrin and he would share, and it could be there to catch whoever fell out of the twin bed.
The grandparents didn't arrive until after dinner on Wednesday. They had agreed among themselves that their children had enough to do in preparing for Thursday and Friday without having to make an extra meal. They did, however, welcome the snacks Cindy put out later in the evening as they visited.
Perrin was very pleased with the reception he received. They all seemed to have the same attitude as Grandma Flo. He wished his parents could have been like them.
When bedtime on Wednesday night arrived, Liam and Perrin wondered if they dared to sleep nude in Kellan's room. They knew he was very open, but they didn't want to make him uncomfortable. He turned out to be the one who resolved the issue.
"Um, how do you feel about not wearing anything to bed," Kellan asked.
"It's you room; your call," Perrin answered.
"Okay, then I say it's skins," Kellan grinned as he shucked his underwear and climbed quickly into bed to hide his growing erection.
His temporary roommates happily followed suit. Liam turned out the light on the table beside his bed.
"How are you two gonna fit on that twin bed?" Kellan giggled.
"We're both lean, and we like to snuggle," Liam responded.
"And, we can stay connected all night," Perrin added.
"I thought you guys weren't doing THAT yet!"
"We're not, but it's fun to get your reaction."
"I'm not objecting if that's what you want to do. I just think I'd be hurtin' if I had either of those big things up my butt!"
"Jeez!" Liam exclaimed. "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with my innocent little bro!"
"Hey, I'm not that little or that innocent anymore."
"Yeah, I know. You're big and horny!"
"You guys are welcome to fool around in the dark if you want to," Kellan said, hoping he might hear some sounds that would help fire-up his lustful feelings. "I won't be offended, and I'm not gonna tell anyone. Besides, I can't think of anyone who would be even mildly surprised at the news."
"Thanks, but I think we can remain celibate for one night."
"But tomorrow will be day number two, so you might take me up on it yet."
"We might have to go check on something in Perrin's room tomorrow for a little while, if the building's open," Liam suggested.
"Sorry to rain on your parade, Babe, but the dorm's locked up," Perrin said. "There's a guesthouse open for foreign students or anyone who couldn't travel home, but the main halls are all closed."
The lovers drifted off to sleep soon after, with Liam's dick nestled in the crack of Perrin's butt. Kellan quietly worked up a nice load which took several tissues to absorb.
On Thursday, the teens slept in later than they would have on a school day. It felt good to be a little lazy. After breakfast, they took turns in the basement shower. Liam and Perrin shared, making use of the opportunity to rub their soapy bodies together until they achieved a satisfying climax.
Kellan playfully teased them about how long it had taken them to get cleaned up. They just grinned, confirming his suspicions.
Dinner was quite festive, and everyone pitched in to help where they could. The males, except for Loren who was in the kitchen, set the table under the direction of Cindy's mother. Grandpa William saw to the wine, and poured a small glass for everyone. Kellan was pleased to be included.
The young men ate in moderation, chewing slowly and not pigging out. They were planning to go for a run with Max around 5:00 PM and didn't want to feel stuffed when they did.
The adults seemed to take their cue from the health-conscious young `uns, and felt better for so doing.
Late in the afternoon, the guys piled into Liam's pickup to get Max. When they got there, Max insisted they come in for a few minutes to see Grandma Flo. She hugged all of them, including Kellan whom she was meeting for the first time. He responded to her embrace as he would have with his own grandmothers.
Madeline wasn't effusive in her welcome, but she wasn't cold either. Perrin felt a ray of hope that she might, in time, accept him and his relationship with Liam. Pennie acted almost like her grandmother, giving each guy a brief hug. Kellan blushed when it was his turn.
While they hated to rush off, they wanted to run a few miles before it got too dark. Being back on standard time meant that they didn't have a large window of opportunity.
By the time they'd run about three miles, they decided to turn around and head for the parking lot. A couple of sisters, whom Kellan knew from school, flagged them down as they were about halfway there.
"Oh Kellan, I'm so glad to see you! Can you guys help us change a tire on Alicia's car? It's suddenly gone flat, and we don't like being out here alone in the dark. There's some creepy guy who offered to help us, but we told him we were meeting up with you. I had seen you earlier, and I'm glad you were coming back this way so we didn't have to run much farther."
"Hey Anna. I'm sure we can help. This is my brother Liam and his friend Perrin. And this dude is Perrin's brother, Max. He'll be going to school with us next term."
"It's nice to meet you all. This is my sister, Alicia. It's her car. We can't understand how she got a flat. Everything was fine when they rotated the tires a couple of days ago."
"You might have picked up a nail in the meantime," Perrin suggested. "You can't predict when such things will happen. Are the tires getting thin?"
"No, they have only 5,000 miles on them," Alicia shook her head. "They should be tough enough not to get punctured too easily. Everything was fine when we left home!"
Assuming the girls were tired and stressed, the guys let them set the pace for the rest of the way to the parking lot. Max was impressed that the girls didn't slow them down. He was even more impressed that Anna was his age and seemed to be very friendly. Hmm, public school might have even more benefits than he'd thought.
The young men all pitched in to put the spare on quickly. When they were finished, they offered to follow the girls home to make sure the spare held up okay.
The sisters' father came out to the driveway when they arrived. He offered to pay the guys for their services, but they turned him down.
"I'll bet you've done that for others, Mr. Porter." Kellan said.
"Well, yes, but..."
"They say what goes around comes around, and this is coming around as a reward for what you've already done," he insisted. "Some of us are in classes together, so we have to look out for each other."
As the guys were driving away from the Porter's house, Kellan texted their parents so they wouldn't worry about their delay in getting home. Cindy answered immediately saying that they should bring Max with them for turkey soup and sandwiches, if he could get permission.
Max quickly called his mother to let her know about the invitation. He told her where he was going, more than asking if he could go. Perrin was surprised at how easily he'd accomplished it.
"Wow, I never could have done that!" he said with a touch of envy.
"That's because you were a goodie-goodie who always obeyed without question. Mom's afraid that if she keeps me on too short a leash I'm likely to run off. We have a kind of understanding that she needs to give me breathing room – especially after Dad beat on me back when."
"I'm pleased for you," Perrin said. "You're a good kid."
"I don't know what would have happened to me if my brother hadn't stood up for me."
"But I really didn't do that much," Perrin demurred.
"Yes, you did! I know it was you who turned Dad in to the child welfare agency when he whipped me. And I know you threatened to do it again not so long ago. He took away my phone, but he didn't dare lay a hand on me!"
During supper, Liam's grandparents practically adopted Max as one of their own. His out-going personality and quick wit made him an instant hit. He, in turn, enjoyed their company immensely. The world outside of his father's sphere of influence continued to look better in his eyes. These people reminded him of Grandma Flo.
After finishing up with a small slice of pecan pie, and another of chocolate meringue, the guys got ready to take Max home. Just before they left, Kellan got a call from Anna letting them know what her father discovered. There was no nail in the tire, the valve core had been removed. It made him suspicious that the creepy man the girls had encountered might have done it. That frightened him about what might have happened to his daughters, and he was even more thankful for the young men who had come to their aid.
Everyone in Liam's family had a great time during their short stay, and all too soon the elder generation left on Friday after lunch. With their departure, sleeping arrangements went back to normal. They would be missed, but Liam and Perrin would welcome sharing their bed in private.
Author's notes: Thanks to all who took time during this busy holiday season to email. The list includes: Jeremy R, Michael E, Steve C, Charles G, Jim W, Tyler W, Bill T, John L, Mendy D, Jim M, Joe W, Jacob C, Graeme T, Bill K, Skip M, Tom A, Gordon, Jim S, Randy McC, Harry T, Chris P, Ernest H, Tim T, Owain M, Vern, Paul R, and Ken M.
Hey Jacob C, I responded to your email, but it bounced back.
Thanks to David who edited this chapter. Tom is awaiting eye surgery, and will hopefully be able to edit in February. Please include him in your thoughts and prayers.
Thanks to Nifty for making this free site available.
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I will be traveling during the last two weeks of January. I'll be off-line, so I may get David to post the chapters for me. In that case, there won't be any "author's notes' during that time period.
Happy New Year to all,
David