Lawn Boy, Chapter 16
Liam and Perrin gave sighs of relief knowing their friends were safe. Now they wouldn't be worrying throughout the concert. The whole day looked brighter because of it.
They did a little window shopping and had lunch at one of the food places near the skywalk. Then, they went back to their room to take a nap. They did sleep for about half an hour, after they made love.
The guys splurged on dinner in the hotel's steakhouse. It was expensive, but it was excellent, and the portions were huge. They asked to have their leftovers wrapped up to put in the little fridge in their room. That might be their supper on Sunday night when they got home.
The concert lived up to the hype about it. It started with We Are the Night, followed by Walking, Soakin' Wet, and Better Off. The highlight of the show, was All-American Boy, which brought down the house. There were many more, including Next to Me, the haunting Say You Love Me, and All I Want for Christmas is You. The audience wouldn't let him go until he'd sung several encores, each followed by a standing ovation. Eventually, the lights came up, and the crowd began to disperse.
The guys bought several CD's on the way out. They were really pumped!
Back in their room, they brought up photos of Steve Grand on Perrin's laptop. There were quite a few of him modeling underwear and skimpy swimsuits. The one that they found most erotic was of him in a shower, wearing what looked like a soaking wet jockstrap. It left little to the imagination.
Putting on the jocks from their earlier workout, they got into the shower to act out their own version the picture. Of course, they didn't keep them on too long after they began to rub their bodies together.
Next, they took turns on their knees, licking each other's balls.
When both were standing again, Perrin lubed his hand with shower gel and held their cocks in his fist, pointing upward, with the underside of their shafts touching. That caused their sensitive frenula to make contact, creating extremely pleasant sensations. They began to rotate their hips just enough to heighten the pleasure. Their open-mouthed kisses added to the effect.
It took only a few minutes of this action to send them over the edge. By then, both of Perrin's hands were covered in jizz. The only downside was that the gel would make it taste soapy.
They rinsed thoroughly, and then took turns milking a few remaining drops out of their spent cocks for each other to savor.
After toweling off, they tumbled into bed and continued kissing. It was obvious that their desire hadn't been satiated yet. Half an hour later, following a lot of heavy petting, they moved into a position in which they could enjoy a session of mutual fellatio. That didn't last long at all before they exploded into each other's mouth.
The guys enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on Sunday morning before checking out. With last night's leftovers packed in ice, they drove south to the Mall of the Americas in Bloomington, MN. They had seen the layout on the `net and read the reviews. But those didn't prepare them for the vast scope of the place.
They didn't have any serious shopping to do, so they decided to buy passes that allowed them unlimited rides in the Nickelodeon Universe theme park which occupies the center of the complex. While it wasn't Disney Land, it did provide fun entertainment. Someday, they'd have to bring some of their buds to spend a day or two there.
After lunch, they headed back to Iowa. It had been a good break, but it was time to hit the books again. On the way, Liam composed a thank-you note to send to Perrin's mother. Perrin would hand-write it and mail it with a card. Madeline had come so far in accepting them, that they felt their response should be more formal than an email.
On Monday afternoon, Liam drew Perrin's attention to an article from Sunday's business section of the Gazette because he was sure Perrin would find it of interest. The former Gospel Tabernacle was destined to become a medium-sized secular venue for events smaller than those held in the university's Hancher Auditorium, but larger than the capacity of the Englert Theater. The developer was listed as Baxter-Grim Enterprises.
Upon further reading, he found that the men behind the business were a married couple who had started a shelter and were also connected with Baxter Motors.
"Those have to be the guys Dr. Forman recommended we contact. We should make an appointment before they get too busy to see us," Liam suggested.
"I agree. It would be killing two birds with one stone. We can use their guidance in setting career goals, and I'd love to hear about their plans to repurpose the Gospel Tabernacle."
It was Thursday before the four young men could coordinate their schedules to get together. Parker Grim suggested meeting over lunch at Cheddar's since everyone needed to eat anyway, and the restaurant wasn't very far from the facility they used as both a shelter and office space for counseling.
Wanting to make a good first impression, Perrin and Liam were dressed in khakis and sweaters instead of the jeans they often wore to classes. They were pleased to see that they fit in with what the other two were wearing.
After ordering, the older two began the conversation.
"I understand that you're considering going into the same field we're in and would like our input." Adam said. "Dr. Forman seems to be impressed with both of you."
"He recommended that we seek you out, because his wife, Abby Lynch works for you," Perrin explained.
"That she does," Parker nodded. "We couldn't have had the success we've had without her. However, she's planning to leave us in another year when he retires from the university. They're moving to a warmer locale because of his arthritis and other health issues.
"The good news is that I'll be licensed to do what she does by then, and Adam will complete his master's a year after that. Then we may open a second branch in another city, not too far away, someplace within easy commuting distance."
"We've recently decided to go into the same profession, and are hoping you can help us in our decisions," Liam said. "We're not planning to become competition."
"There's plenty of work to go around," Adam insisted. "We'll be glad to help if we can. Sometimes it's a good idea to keep your competition close at hand."
"In that regard, I think we might have a way for you to get your feet wet before you get further into your majors," Parker suggested. "It would be rather like what practicum students do on their road to becoming teachers. What would you say if we offered you the job of houseparents in our shelter? Dr. Forman highly recommended you, Perrin, and he said Liam is also an excellent person, though he doesn't know him as well. This isn't a spur of the moment offer. We've checked you both out in the last few days.
"I'm not going to pressure you for an immediate answer because I don't think that would be fair. But, let me explain why we could use your services. Our lovely couple, Roberto and Juanita Acosta will be leaving us because they're opening an authentic Mexican restaurant nearby. Getting it operational will demand many hours, and they won't be able to be houseparents at the same time.
"The job comes with a small salary, but also a nice little apartment. You would have to be available for the kids, kinda like the job Perrin's been doing as an RA in the dorm, but with fewer of them. They're less mature than college freshmen. Some of them will need a lot of emotional support because of having been tossed out by their parents. I know that can be taxing, but it's also rewarding."
"I'll have empathy with them, having been cast aside by my father," Perrin sighed. "In my case, my mother's come around pretty much, and I've always had a lot of love from Liam's parents and my grandmother. At least I was of age when the rift occurred.
"Perhaps you've heard of Peter Prichard who had the TV gospel show. He's my father, though it pains me to admit it."
"Ah, we were aware of that because of vetting you. I assume you've read the newspaper article about our purchase of the Tabernacle. As you know, it's set on a nice park-like plot of land with plenty of parking, comfortable seating, and a state-of-the-art sound-system. It will be an excellent venue for all sorts of medium-sized events, as well as conferences," Adam smiled. "I'm curious how you feel about that."
"I'll be thrilled to see is put to good use. I'm sure not everyone in town will be as pleased."
"Probably not," Parker admitted.
"Not to change the subject, but we'd better settle the bill and give you a tour of our facility before we waste your whole afternoon. Let me get Mike's attention. I insist on buying since it was my idea to come here."
Within a few seconds, Mike Acosta came with the check.
"Here you are, gentlemen. I hope my service was satisfactory."
"Mike, you know us better than that. How can us use the term "gentlemen" in reference to guys you live with?"
"I have to put on my best manners to keep our customers happy." Mike grinned.
"Guys, this is the youngest of the Acosta family I was telling you about. Cheddar's will be losing a great waiter when he goes to work for his parents."
"Haven't I seen you on campus, Mike?" Liam asked.
"Maybe. I'm majoring in business, so I can help with the family operation," he replied.
"He may be their son, but he's our little brother," Parker insisted, as he put an arm around the young man's shoulder.
"Yup, they're my big bros," Mike beamed.
Perrin and Liam were impressed by the scope of what Parker and Adam were doing for kids who had been homeless for whatever reason. The facility was clean and bright, and the atmosphere was more like that of a residential cottage than a shelter.
They left feeling that they might very well want to become a part of it.
Perrin's comment that not everyone would be pleased over the sale of the Gospel Tabernacle for a secular purpose became obvious in letters to the editor in the Sunday edition of the Gazette the following week. However, there was a balanced selection of opinions.
Peter Prichard had the audacity to put in his two-cents worth, as those who knew him well, might expect. He railed about the evils of turning a house of God into a common place of entertainment. It was, in his opinion, one more example of the devil's handiwork and, no doubt, resulted from the liberal laws which allowed same-sex couples to wed. He was certain that outside money had poured in to finance this homosexual couple's venture.
A few members of his former congregation wrote that they would miss the church, but that since it had been bankrupted by their former pastor, they had no choice but to get out from under the financial burden that it presented. With the money from the sale, a few of the elders were purchasing a smaller church which had become available. To them, it seemed like a good deal, and would allow them to continue preaching their version of the gospel on a reduced budget.
Another letter expressed joy in seeing a bastion of LGBT bashing turned into a place that could be an asset to the community instead of an embarrassment.
Thanksgiving break was on the horizon again. This would be a far less stressful one for some of the boys, especially Clay. Garth's parents invited Clay's mother to join them for the holiday. Since they were certain, by now, that the relationship between their sons was more than puppy-love, it seemed appropriate for the families to get to know each other better.
Jen McBride (she had taken back Clay's father's name) was delighted to get better acquainted with the Watson family. She found them to be as lovely as Clay had led her to believe.
Everyone had a good time, and the guys were thrilled with how their parents got along.
Liam's grandparents were visiting their other children this year, so there wouldn't be anyone to entertain, and there would be no bedroom-roulette as in the previous year.
However, Kellan wanted Max to sleep over for a couple of nights since his parents were having the Prichard family over for dinner.
Cindy Neuhaus was aware that Madeline had been ostracized by many of her former "friends" following the ouster of her husband as their minister. While she couldn't be responsible for her husband's action, she was paying the price socially.
Of course, Grandma Flo was invited as well. In fact, Perrin and Liam were going to bring her from her home because they didn't want her out on the road alone when the weather might turn dicey. Flo would serve as a tempering influence if Madeline were to revert to her old ways. Perrin was still a bit wary of what his mother might do, despite the progress she'd made.
As it turned out, everything was good, and Perrin needn't have worried.
In mid-December, Perrin and Liam gave Parker the answer he'd been hoping for. They would become the new houseparents at the shelter when the Acosta family gave the position up. Parker was eager to meet with them again to discuss the arrangement in more detail.
This time, he invited the guys to the house he shared with Adam and some others. The two of them would cook the meal.
Adam's brother, Rob, and his husband, Darrin, were present for the dinner, but excused themselves when it was time for the other guys to have a serious meeting about the shelter.
Perrin found that the expectations really were rather like those of an RA. He felt that his current job had prepared him well. Since Liam was with him through all those experiences, he could slip into the position easily too. Of course, their classes in psychology would be of value in dealing with the kids.
It was all good because they would hit the ground running at the end of the school year.
During their discussion, Perrin brought up the fact that Liam and he would like to take on the job as a married couple. They thought it might be a better example for the kids they would be working with. They were considering having their ceremony during spring break.
Parker assured them that their marital status wasn't an issue, but that if they wanted to tie the knot, he'd gladly let them use Stone Manor, rent-free for their wedding, and honeymoon, if they desired to stay there for a few nights. The house was rarely booked during that time because the campus was essentially dead.
Although it would have been the ultimate statement for Perrin to be married in the Gospel Tabernacle, he decided it would bring more publicity than he was ready to deal with. He didn't want a group of reporters spoiling their special day. Therefore, having their ceremony at Stone Manor was his first choice. The more intimate space would hold their guests nicely, and it was an elegant setting.
He would still have the satisfaction of participating in a rally in support of same-sex marriage, and LGBT folks in general, after the Tabernacle was converted. The campus Gay/Straight Alliance was planning a big event for fall which would have nationally-know speakers and draw hundreds of people from across the country.
Becoming a houseparent would have an impact on Liam's time, and he thought he might have to give up his mowing business. He mulled it over in his mind before going to sleep one night.
When he woke up in the morning, he had one of those "aha" moments. His brain had evidently worked on the problem while he slept. The solution he came up with was to expand the business rather than give it up. It could provide jobs for their younger brothers and the kids living in the shelter if they wanted a way to get ahead. By purchasing a few pieces of snow-removal equipment, it could provide employment during the winter as well.
He checked with Parker and Adam to see if his plan would meet their approval. They were thrilled at the possibility of having another job source for the kids living in the shelter.
Now that both Max and Kellan had driver's licenses, they could be enlisted to haul equipment and supervise the younger kids. That would provide them a source of income too.
Adam offered to design a tasteful sign and have the body shop guys at Baxter Motors paint it on Liam's pickup. They changed the name of his business from "Lawn Boy" to "Lawn Guys." That would get around any copyright infringement, since "Lawn Boy" is the name of a brand of mowers. Liam registered his company's new name so that no on could copy it either.
The result was a kind of logo: LAWN GUYS (in and arched form on top)
MOW
OR BLOW SNOW (curved up at the ends like a smile)
First semester was nearly over, and Christmas break would follow closely behind. It had been a good term for Perrin and Liam. Not only had they aced their coursework, but they had a clearer idea of their future careers.
As soon as finals were over, and the guys in Perrin's wing of the dorm were gone, the pair headed for Liam's home. They were looking forward to a time of rest and relaxation.
Two days later, a snowstorm, which had been predicted for southern Minnesota, veered farther to the south, dumping six to eight inches on Iowa City. Liam and Perrin had the dubious pleasure of trying out the new snow blower they'd purchased for Lawn Guys. Everything went well, and they cleared the Neuhaus drive and walks in short order.
They had barely gotten out of their heavy winter attire when Liam received a call from Adam Baxter.
"Hey, we have a problem that you might be able to help with. The company that Baxter Motors contracted with for snow removal had a fire in their garage last night, damaging their equipment and we need to clear a few tons of snow. We have one pickup with a blade, but there are a lot of walks to do, as well as the spaces between cars. If you have a couple of machines and a few shovels, I can provide more manpower. Perhaps, I should say boy-power because I have two teens from the shelter who would love earning extra money for Christmas. They're both 16, so it's not like it would be child labor."
"We can do it," Liam said. "I can use Dad's snow blower as well as my new ones. We'll load them in the back of the truck instead of taking a trailer. The streets are pretty bad, but the four-wheel drive should get us through."
"Great! Can you pick up Brady and Mitch at the shelter on the way? I have heavy winter apparel here for them because I doubt they have such things."
Liam's mother, Cindy, packed a bag of snacks to share with the boys that would be helping. She knew they'd all burn a lot of calories being out in the cold weather. In her experience, young men were always hungry.
Kellan was disappointed that he couldn't go, but with the cold he had, Cindy didn't want him out in the elements. Interestingly, Max was suffering from the same problem. Perrin suspected that they shared the germs along with a number of other things.
When they arrived, Juanita Acosta met them in the lounge area. Mitch and Brady weren't quite ready, so she spent a few minutes visiting with them.
"I'm so pleased to see you again. I know you'll do well with our boys, but I'll miss them terribly. I will have way too much on my plate to continue here. It wouldn't be fair to them."
"We'll be in school, so we may not have the time to devote to them that we should. However, I'll be taking a mostly morning schedule, and Liam will have predominately afternoon classes," Perrin said.
"Since they're all in school during those hours, they won't miss you like they would us. Restaurant business is primarily done in the evening."
At that point, Brady and Mitch arrived, dressed in coats, hats, and gloves.
"You boys might need warmer pants," Juanita despaired. "Do you have long underwear?"
"No, we don't have that much," Mitch shook his head. "We'll be okay."
"Not to worry," Perrin smiled. "Adam has ski gear at the dealership to keep you warm."
"I should have known he'd provide," Juanita nodded. "Those men are on top of it.
"Ah, forgive my lapse of manners. Boys this is Mr. Prichard and Mr. Neuhaus. They'll be your houseparents next year. Gentlemen, this is Mitch Donner and Brady Martin."
Instead of shaking hands, the young men offered their fists to bump, much to the delight of the teens.
Once in the pickup, Perrin told the boys that they were welcome to address them by their first names.
"Mrs. Acosta is right to teach you proper manners, but we're not all that much older than you are, and we will treat you like peers as much as possible."
"That's cool," Mitch enthused. "Juanita isn't aloof or anything. She's a lot like a mother to us."
"She's better than my mother," Brady added.
"I feel for you," Perrin said. "My mother has only recently come around. My father was worse."
"I hear you, dude. I'm happy to hear that your mother is changing. I'm sure mine never will."
"In the long run, we have to make our own kind of family," Perrin suggested. Friends can be more important. Things do get better."
"Yeah, I know. I've watched some of those videos, and I already have a friend who's like a brother, only closer," Brady grinned, as he put an arm around Mitch's shoulder.
Author's notes: I said I would wrap this story up with chapter 16, but I was wrong. It will take another chapter to reach some sort of resolution.
Thanks to the following who emailed since last posting: Walter Sz, Derrick M, Tony C, Jim M, Steve C, Fi C, Charles G, Tom A, Jim S, Geoff S, John L, Hotrod, Wayne, Bill K, Gordon, Tim T, Tom S, Mendy D, Bill T, Douglas and Lawrence, Jim W, Ott H, Avid, Frank K, and JLF.
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My best,
David