Love that Dare Not Speak its Name, Chapter 2
"So, what do you think about our new friends?" Cy asked, after the guys had settled on their futon watching the tiny TV sitting on Beau's bureau.
"They seem nice enough. It appears that we have a lot in common."
"I'm wondering if we have more in common than they're letting on. Did you notice the way Chet looks at his roommate? I think he's got the hots for him."
"Yeah, he likes to touch a lot too. It could be one-sided, I suppose."
"Or..., maybe Derek is scared shitless about what would happen if they were discovered."
"Well, we're not exactly advertising our relationship. We're only out to our families, and you know how your mother took the news. Molly's right about how the psychiatric community views same-sex attractions, but society at large has a lot of catching up to do."
"Mmm... How interested are you in this show?"
"Not very much. Did you have something else in mind?"
With a goofy grin on his face, Cy got up and shut off the TV. When he came back, he nudged Beau down on the futon. Their lips met in a passionate kiss.
The guys ended up christening their new digs.
Across the hall another, similar, conversation was taking place.
"I think we can trust them," Chet said. "They appear to be open and honest."
"We've known them for what, four or five hours? How do you know they won't be like Max was with Ben and Matt? Man, he really sold them down the river!"
"I never did trust Max," Chet insisted.
"We have to be careful. We can't afford to be discovered and lose the money from our parents. We'd never make it on our own," Derek shook his head.
"You're right. I'll be careful. But I hope we don't have to go another four years without being able to trust someone. It's killing me!"
"Come on, let me relieve some of your tension. I know these beds are narrow, but we're not exactly huge either."
"Part of you is!" Chet grinned.
Their kisses effectively put an end to that conversation.
In the morning, Derek tapped on the door of the room across the hall to see if their new friends were going down for breakfast. Cy answered the knock and invited him in.
"Yeah, we're about ready. We thought we might check out the Presbyterian church. It's within walking distance for young studs like us and we heard it's a welcoming place."
"Cool! Could we join you? Our parents insisted that we should keep going to church. I'm not sure they'd be happy with us attending a mainline one, but I'm not about to go to one that's as narrow as the one our parents belong to."
"Me neither! I've been going to a Presbyterian one at home since I moved in with Beau. Dad is what he terms a `recovering Methodist,' but my mother goes to one of those holy-roller places. I can empathize with you."
Derek wondered what Cy meant by "moving in" with Beau. It was said in an off-handed manner and he didn't feel he should inquire deeper. However, there might be a reason to keep his ears open.
The breakfast offerings turned out to be plentiful. If they weren't careful, the guys could put on the "freshman 15" from all the carbs and calories which were readily available. The four of them discussed how they would need to fill up on protein, when possible, to stay in shape.
All of them were used to engaging in enough physical labor to burn off whatever they ate. Since they wouldn't be doing chores, they would have to hit the gym as well as push back from the table.
Derek was amazed, but not displeased, to find that the associate pastor of the church was female. In the congregation he grew up in, women weren't allowed to be in positions of authority over men. It was against God's will! Eve had given Adam the forbidden fruit and therefor females were considered suspect and needed to be subjugated to the will of their husbands. He'd better be vague about the makeup of the clergy in this church unless he wanted to incur the wrath of his parents.
It was the head pastor, Dr. Brent Samuels who gave the sermon, so Derek could emphasize that and maybe get by without any problems. He'd better not mention the "Doctor" part because ministers with too much education weren't prized by his parent's denomination either.
The topic of the sermon was loving one's neighbor and the pastor pointed out that the scriptures didn't say that neighbors needed to be of the same race, religion, or orientation to be the beneficiaries of one's love. That point struck a chord with all of the boys because it gave a kind of tacit approval to people who weren't necessarily straight. Of course, they wouldn't point that out in any discussion about the place.
After church, the foursome ate lunch together and agreed to go to the recreation center for some exercise and relaxation. They should do something to burn off the calories they'd consumed.
The facility was like a big, fancy health club with a climbing wall, a large pool, a weight room with an aerobics deck, and steam rooms, and saunas. Those latter amenities were attached to the locker rooms so people could use them nude if they wished. There were two coed hot tubs in the pool area.
Beau and Cy had brought along a combination lock so they could keep their possessions safe while they worked out. The other two hadn't remembered to do that. So, they stuffed all their valuables and street clothes into one locker.
Being forced into close quarters by circumstances, they all got a good look at each other with few or no clothes on. In the process, their jockstraps bulged a bit more than usual.
Beau was even more certain that his developing gaydar hadn't let him down.
After warming up on the stationary bikes, the guys spent about 45 minutes using machines and free-weights. They'd taken the kind of gym classes in high school which had taught them how to lift correctly, so they weren't at all self-conscious about working out. However, none of them had tried scaling a wall and they didn't want to make fools of themselves. So, instead of attempting it in front of a large audience, they decided to come back sometime when the place was less crowded. They did sit on the floor and watch what others were doing. Some guys went up easily; while others struggled and lost their grip, relying on the harness ropes to keep them from hitting the floor.
Before showering, they all went to the steam room to relax their muscles. It was a very efficient one with an atmosphere as thick as a proverbial London fog. Hanging their workout clothes on pegs, they went in nude.
After showering and dressing, they walked back to their dorm. The late August day was hot and humid. A nap sounded like a good idea.
On Monday, Classes started off with a bang. Since Beau and Cy had taken honors courses in high school, their assignments weren't anything more than they could handle. Neither was a stranger to studying hard. However, it seemed like the pressure in college never let up. After a few weeks of this, it would be good to have a break.
Both guys knew it would be a hardship for their fathers to come for parent's weekend. Larry had several building projects to complete before cold weather. Some of Len's crops were ready to be harvested. However, both men would try to put in extra time during the week so as not to disappoint their sons.
Cy and Beau chose to relieve their minds by emailing that they would come home for that weekend and help out where they could. Their offer took a load off of both families -- Cy's especially.
On hearing their plans, Chet and Derek wished they had the means to get away from campus instead of being alone that weekend.
"If we had a car here, we could probably go home and help our dads even though we'd spend a long time on the road," Chet shook his head sadly. "It would be great to get out and do some farm work! They're gonna be too busy to send someone to get us."
Cy emailed his dad with a plan he thought might benefit everyone. In corresponding back and forth, Len asked if their dormmates might be willing to hire on to help with the harvest. He was having a difficult time getting additional workers because everyone's crops were coming in at the same time.
Chet and Derek were thrilled at the prospect of making some money as well as doing the kind of work they loved.
"This is an awesome pickup," Derek exclaimed. "I have a little rusty Ford at home and I don't think it would be comfortable to ride a hundred miles in the back seat. This is as roomy as an SUV!"
"It was a little bigger than I wanted at the time, but the deal was too good to pass up," Cy said. "The old farmer down the road died without any children to leave it to and his wife just wanted to dump everything and move into town. Dad bought their farm and we got a lot of additional perks."
"You're lucky!"
"This countryside is a lot more rolling than the plains we live on," Chet observed. "I'll bet it's hard to farm.
"Yeah, this area is referred to as the `Bohemian Alps' because it's so hilly and there were a lot of Czech people who settled here," Beau laughed. "Some of them were probably related to Cy. The area we live in doesn't have these steep grades. It's more like the gentle hills you see in a Grant Wood painting. He actually sketched out in the country near where we live."
"We know about him because we saw his "American Gothic" at the Art Institute on a field trip," Derek chimed in. He's your most famous artist, I think.
By prior arrangement, the guys would be staying with Beau's family. Cy's mother, Janice, would be off to the Chicago area again where her brother, Robert and Aunt Clara lived.
Len was pissed that his wife was running off again when her presence was needed. Molly would have come home to play hostess if she hadn't been in the throes of researching for a major study she was doing in grad school.
Jen said she would be fine with feeding the boys, and Lenard too, for that matter. In return for her help, he brought over a lot of meat from his freezer to use for their meals.
Larry and Jen welcomed their son's friends like they were extended family. The Illinois kids felt at home immediately.
"Beau will show you your choices for sleeping and then you guys might want to check out Cy's farm to see what you'll be doing tomorrow. I've set some snacks out because dinner will be late - after Len feels he's done as much as he can while it's still light outside."
"Okay, Mom, we're on it," Beau grinned as he hugged her.
"Cy and I will be sleeping in this room, but you have the choice of two others. The first one has twin beds if you have an aversion to sleeping with someone else. The next one has a queen like ours. The advantage with sharing is that it's less laundry for Mom, but I'm not trying to pressure you. I'm sure she doesn't mind making up the twin beds.
Chet looked hopefully at Derek who shrugged his shoulders. "I think we should spare Beau's mom the extra work."
Cy pinched Beau's butt very lightly to show he knew that his boyfriend was playing matchmaker. He suspected that Chet was overjoyed.
"Here's the bathroom we'll share. Mom and Dad have their own attached to their bedroom downstairs. We won't be embarrassed about being half naked because Mom won't be up here at all. The blue towels are for guests. Cy and I use the brown ones. It might be best to shower tonight so we have less to do in the morning, anyhow you know we'll be grubby at the end of the day."
After a quick snack, the guys rode over to the Stepanek farm to get an idea of what they'd be doing the following day.
Over dinner, Len got better acquainted with his weekend harvest help. He was pleased to have laborers who knew how to operate farm machinery and who appeared to be willing workers. He offered them the wages he was paying others who were temporary employees. It would be in cash to avoid the paperwork. They were thrilled!
The only fly in the ointment for Cy and Beau was that they would be separated for several hours each day. Beau would be doing construction with his father instead of working in the fields. Ah, but they would have a comfortable bed to cuddle in. That would be their reward.
"You're a sneaky guy," Cy giggled as they climbed naked into Beau's bed."
"How so?"
"You know what I'm talking about."
"So, was I at all believable when I nudged them into sleeping together?"
"Somewhat. I don't think Chet cared whether you were being realistic or not. He was thinking with his glands. I saw the bulge in his shorts swell at the prospect of sharing a big bed with his buddy."
"You always look there for evidence," Beau nuzzled Cy's neck.
"Yup! And the evidence I'm feeling right now tells me you're thinking like he was."
Their conversation ended shortly after their lips met.
"I'll bet the farm they know about us," Derek whispered.
"So, what if they do? It's obvious they're gonna be sharing a bed too."
"You didn't even hesitate."
"I looked at you and you shrugged, so I thought you agreed. Let's not worry about it. Let's make the most of the opportunity!"
They did.
The boys arose early, having set alarms in their watches. They were used to it; so no one looked particularly sleepy at breakfast. Jen fed them well before sending them on their way.
Cy drove Derek and Chet the short distance to his family's farm in his pickup. Chet chose the shotgun position because he wanted to make conversation.
"It's too bad your mother got called away just before you came home."
"That's nothing unusual," Cy snorted. "She goes off to help poor old Aunt Clara anytime there's something going on that involves me. That way, she doesn't have to pretend to care."
"Whoa!" Chet exclaimed. "Sorry I brought it up."
"That's okay. We had a big blowup back last spring when I stood up for myself and didn't let her run my life anymore. It had been going on for years. She pushed me into dating a girl I had no interest in and suggested that I get married and stay on the farm instead of going to college. That was just the beginning. Anyway, Dad let me make my own decision about the university and she's been pissed at him ever since. There's more to it, but we don't have time right now. I'll tell you later."
Once the guys began their tasks, there was no chance for a long conversation because they were usually operating different machinery.
At noon, Jen brought over a substantial lunch for all the harvesting hands. Beau wasn't with her because his dad and he grabbed a quick bite in town where they were working on enlarging a building for a local car dealer. Larry was pressed for time in getting the roof completed so it would be weather-tight before the rains and snows of autumn closed in. He was thankful to have his son to help speed things up.
All the men worked a long shift which made for another late dinner. The college guys showered soon after and would retire early. They would work only half the next day because they needed to travel back to the university and didn't want to be too tired to face the coming week.
Before settling down for the night, Cy emailed his Uncle Bob to inquire about Aunt Clara's health and to see if he had any news about his mother. He got a reply, almost immediately, telling him that Clara had died in June, and he was mystified that Cy hadn't been told. Bob also said that he hadn't seen Janice since then.
Cy wondered what was going on. He would have to check in with his dad in the morning. Something wasn't right!
Beau agreed with him. However, he reminded Cy that whatever it was, it wasn't their problem. Despite the long hours they'd worked, they found the energy to make each other feel good.
Down the hall, their dormmates were also enjoying another night of sleeping together.
"Do you think Beau set us up to be able to do this," Derek asked as they were coming down from the high of their latest shared orgasm.
"I plead ignorance and apathy; I don't know and I don't care!" Chet joked, just before kissing him again.
"It's difficult to tell if they're lovers and they're probably not gonna admit it if they are. Things may be more open than they were back in the 70's but people can still lose a lot if they're found out to be gay."
"Maybe after we graduate things will improve. Maybe we can dare to live our lives like we were meant to."
"Once we have our education, it will be easier!" Chet assured him.
Len was as surprised by the news of Clara's passing as Cy had been. He took a break mid-morning to call his brother-in-law to confirm what Cy had told him. It wasn't that he doubted his son; he wanted to hear it directly from the source.
Len and Bob had been boyhood friends and had remained on good terms through the years. Bob said he wouldn't say anything to Janice about their conversation when he saw her again, and he would be a witness on Len's side if he decided to get a divorce. He felt like his sister was trying to pull something. He suspected she might be having an affair.
It wasn't until the drive back to Ames that Chet heard the rest of what Cy had begun to tell him on Saturday. Cy started the conversation.
"Let's see, I think I only got to the part about my mother and me having a disagreement when I broke up with Sarah. Dad suggested that I spend the rest of spring break with Beau so Mom and I could have a cooling off period. The two of us camped out in the Airstream you saw back at the edge of their timber.
"After Beau's birthday, I moved in there for the rest of the time up to when we came to Iowa State. A little while before school started, my mother told me Sarah, the girl I had dated, was pregnant and I had to marry her."
"So, you're a daddy? Wow, I don't know how I could have dealt with that news?" Chet sympathized.
"No, I'm not a daddy. The kid wasn't mine. We never consummated our relationship. I think that's the polite was of saying I didn't fuck her," Cy laughed.
"My mother and her parents were sure it was mine and were making a stink. Again, Dad believed me, and the paternity test proved it. So, no, it wasn't too bad that my mother wasn't there when I came home. I think Dad's gonna divorce her. I really hope he does!"
Chet could understand why Cy might be off girls for a while after his recent experience. At the same time, he thought the bond between Cy and Beau might be deeper than it appeared on the surface. It wouldn't be socially acceptable for him to probe deeper. He would have to wait to find out.
Author's notes: Thanks for reading this story. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to contact me a dlee169@hotmail.com and let me know. Your emails are the only reward I receive for writing. Please put the story title in the subject line in case your email goes into the spam folder.
Special thanks to those who responded to the last chapter. The list includes: Ott H, GC D, Geoff S, Geoff (2), Tony C, Jim W, Wayne M, Bert C, Mendy D, Andy R, Joe W (2), Frank K, Gordon S, Paul F, John L, Bill T, Chandra B, Ken McC, and Hotrod.
Thanks to David S for editing. He finds the typos and missing words! He also makes valuable suggestions.
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David