Story: Makarovia! Sure, I Know Where That Is
Chapter 4 Aftermath/Sessions with Milo and Bren
Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)
Adult Readers, Sexual Situations, Sex
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After the attack in Boston, things become more normal. The therapy sessions with Milo and Bren are listened to and the words from Milo and Bren are revealed. This more pleasant that what's to come.
Aftermath/Sessions with Milo and Bren
Yuri heard Boris' comment and rushed back to his husband and pulled him to himself kissing Boris quickly and then did a quick physical assessment and smiled at Boris.
Peter was looking uncertain, but seeing it was over for now as he looked at me as I did him. No blood, no bruises forming...he chuckled in relief and hugged me.
"Is everyone alright?" Yuri asked visually checking on all of us.
I helped my grandmother up and then Mom. Olek got up doing the same as Boris had, brushing his clothing to get rid of the debris of bits of crystal, china, and particles of food that exploded. Peter had been hugging Mom, saw his brother and grinned as he hugged Olek.
Boris walked over to his cake and frowned at what the few bullets had ripped apart. He looked at me. "I will bake another cake, I promise."
Olek smiled not too unhappy, more pleased with what hadn't happened. "We'll have the whole thing again."
Then I grinned at them both. "Are you kidding me!?" I waved at the house. "This has got to be the most thrilling birthday I have ever had!!! We all are alive and well...and this was...very exciting!! What can you possibly do to outdo this next year?"
What was really good, we had no deaths! Okay, some of the bad guys died, but no one else! Inside or outside. Opening the front door, we saw four of our American Security hold guns to two remaining men with faces covered in black makeup to attempt to conceal themselves at night. They were from this consortium leaning against an SUV they had driven in with. There were two SUVs and they were leaning on them and had "spread `em" as instructed. I saw one of the American Security rub his chest. "Are you okay?" I asked him.
The guard looked at me, nodded with a laugh. "Me? I'll be fine." He opened his suit jacket where I saw there was an impact of something, but a little hole or tear. "Kevlar," he rubbed the underlying white vest, "it stopped the bullet." He indicated the mark over what would have been his heart. "The impact...I know I'll have a nasty bruise in the morning." He looked at me puzzled. "Am I supposed to bow to you or something?"
I chuckled as I shook my head. "Oh, please don't."
Olek went to the first man, pulling his hair jerking the man's head back. Olek was again a little upset. "Talk." He demanded in English. That got no response, he went to Ukrainian. "Đ"ОвОŃиŃи." Then Russian, "ĐОгОвОŃиŃŃ."
Yuri came up behind Olek. "You're Majesty..." he began softly and then switched remembering. "Olek..." he pulled Olek back gently. "They won't be ready to talk now. We'll handle it. Please. I'll try." He looked back at the two men. "Đ'ОСПОМнО, наП ĐżŃидоŃŃŃ Đ˛ĐľŃĐ˝ŃŃŃ ŃŃĐ°ŃŃĐľ ŃŃŃŃкио ĐżŃŃи."
We all spoke some Russian. Yuri's comment about bringing the old Russian ways back did cause one of these men to react. He spoke Russian, that was a start. By now, the sounds of sirens could be heard coming.
Yuri watched as a few cars stopped, coming in the gates that were now open. The officers were getting out with hands on the butts of guns that were in place in holsters. "Now, the police. I'll handle them." He reached in his pocket and pulled his identification out and walked over to the officers that were...demanding to know what happened.
Peter came to Olek and put his arm around his brother's shoulders. "You need to relax."
Olek looked at Peter surprised. "That's sort of difficult right now."
I nodded as I came over to Olek's other side. "Let's make a promise. Right now."
Olek looked at me puzzled. "What kind of promise?"
"You do everything possible to give us forty or fifty years more," I said.
Olek chuckled. "I will promise to do my best, but I'll be ninety-three!?"
Peter nodded. "It is possible. We want you here that long."
That was a looonng night. The endless questions. There were the United States' government people here now. There were arguments about jurisdiction. The problem was we...Makarovians were foreign. The house was an embassy, sort of. It was a house that Peter and I resided in to go to school. There were no politicians here, no policies being laid out, no ambassador. There was a king, queen, and prince, but I was an American; an Earl of Stryia, Makarovia, but a politician. Yeah, I wasn't really surprised at that. Yet it was Makarovia, inside. The attackers were...foreign, but the deaths were in Makarovia. That Olek had made the laws of Makarovia were obeyed. Even as that was the case, we were still in the United States. Meaning this crime needed to be investigated. It was the police of Boston that came. It was the coroner from Boston that came. The law in Massachusetts didn't mention sovereignty. A group, the invaders entered unlawfully, they knew we'd be home, they were armed which anyone could see watching the recordings. If Olek did kill Ms. Baldwin, they might question it. They might have even charged Olek, but he didn't and Ms. Baldwin was in enough trouble in Great Britain to make a complaint about what Olek might have done. The two drivers were taken to be questioned. Now came the removal of the dead from the foyer. I didn't want to look, but...there wasn't a lot left of the dead to see. Not of their faces anyway. Boris in his ever-present dark suit pants, vest over a white shirt was...just standing scratching the back of his black and grey head of hair. He was out of the way but was looking at everything as photos were taken and the scene was assessed. When Yuri was leading these...men through explaining what and where...he passed close to Boris and his face got a look of understanding sympathy for his husband. He didn't care if those men saw it, he pulled Boris close, kissed him...and I mean...not a deep kiss, but a tender, heartfelt kiss and buried his face in Boris' neck and said something to him, caressing Boris' face I heard him say in Makarovian. "It will be fine."
Boris nodded, smiled, and waved at the bodies. "Yes, but there's such a mess!" Making Yuri chuckle and kissed him again lightly.
The sun was coming up as the bodies were taken away and questions for now stopped, I looked around.
"Where's Olek?" I asked Peter who also looked and became puzzled. I asked Boris who told us he'd gone toward the kitchen a few minutes ago.
Looking, he wasn't there, but we saw the light was on for going downstairs. Going down we saw Olek removing his trousers and underwear. His shoes, socks, and shirt tossed to the side. Nudity was never a problem with Olek. Most Eastern Europeans...Europeans, in general, have a wide tolerance toward nudity. Olek just wasn't bothered at all and Olek was beautiful! He looked back at us.
"Hi!" He greeted smiling. "We got kind of busy, so I didn't get to see this and well...I wanted to see." He shrugged. "I'm going in."
"We could have been Mom or our grandmother," I chuckled.
Olek looked amused. "They've both seen a naked man before...you're both here." He shrugged. "I could have gone for a suit like you promised me, but..."
I grinned and pulled my shirt out and kicked my shoes off. "Can we join you?"
Olek spread his arms. "I insist!"
The pool was warm and it did relax us. I was happy to see Olek was now, more like Olek. Only once did he look seriously at us.
"This isn't over," Olek said as we tread water.
Peter nodded. "We figured that out. Do you think we should move?"
Olek smiled at the pool room. "I don't see why." He shrugged. "The house is perfect. Yuri's on top of things and I can't think of a place more suited for our needs." He looked at us cautiously. "You need a press secretary. For what she did..." he frowned as he didn't want to think about it, "but she did a good job. I'll find someone else."
"Olek, I'm sure there's another," I said. "We'll be fine."
We heard footsteps as Yuri came in saw our clothes on the ground and grinned at us chuckling. "I'm pleased you're all doing well."
Olek nodded. "Is everything okay? Am I needed?"
"Are you needed?" Yuri asked. "Definitely, but not right now. I was just coming to tell you there are Agents ready to take Ms. Baldwin and hand her and Nelson Carter over to British Authorities." He turned to leave. "Just I thought you should know."
"Will you finish soon?" Olek asked.
Yuri turned smiling. "I'm pretty much done after this."
"You and Boris should join us," Olek suggested. "It will help relax you."
Yuri smiled. "I might." He nodded. "The idea of swimming with my king...that's fine...but..."
"We're friends, Yuri," Olek said simply. "Family. Remember? So? We all men."
"I just don't want anyone excited." Yuri smiled now more.
"You won't excite us, Yuri," I said smiling. "And what's wrong if we you or we were?"
Yuri shook his head grinning more. "Not you three, me." He pointed at Olek. "And not by you, but me by Boris!" He chuckled and had this...dreamy look as he thought of his husband. "He always gets me excited and has for almost twenty years." He said, sighed, and walked upstairs.
Olek nodded laughing with us. "That's why they're married!"
It was Sunday night when we tried again to celebrate my birthday. Boris, Yuri, (which we insisted they sit at the table with us) Mom, Olek, and my grandmother were there. Boris had help this night and he and the other help cleaned the place pretty well. Of course, there were bullet holes and the broken china, the china that had been cleared away but would have to be replaced. Bullet holes were in the dining room table and chairs. We were all sitting when the doorbell rang! I'd never heard it! Yeah, it wasn't just ding-dong, but a soft melodic chime.
"They were allowed to the door!?" Mom asked as Yuri went to answer it.
"They wouldn't just let someone drop by," Yuri said logically.
He came back grinning. "I think it's for you, Olek." He brought this person in.
"Olek!!" Helga cried rushing to him who was standing surprised. "Ich war so besorgt, ich nahm den ersten Flug konnte ich!" She said hugging him tightly, pulling their bodies closer as her hands ran over him to feel he was there and well. She then kissed him more than a simple hello. Olek didn't mind at all but returned it equally with as much feeling.
Peter chuckled as he translated to me. "She was worried. She took the first flight."
"I thought it was along those lines." I grinned as she kissed Olek again at her relief in seeing him again.
"I thought you had things you couldn't get out of," Olek said to her.
"Who cares about that?" Helga said. Was she crying now!? "You're more important than those things." She turned to the rest of us. "Sorry, but I had to see him." She said as Olek was too pleased with her being there. His mouth rested on her forehead.
Mom smiled. "It means a lot that you did."
"You told me what happened and...I had to see you." She said to Olek. "I hope you don't mind me just coming."
Olek just smiled more, running fingers in her hair as he shook his head. "No."
Then I realized something. She was speaking Makarovian! "You speak Makarovian now?"
She chuckled. "I could sort of speak some before." She nodded. "I insisted he teach me and uses it with me. I'm getting better." She smiled at me. "Happy Birthday."
"Thank you." I nodded. I liked what I saw. The beginnings of real love between them.
Peter had opted to take a shower, so I heard it start as we didn't close the door. I had one earlier, but...what the hell? I laid my textbook down and began stripping walking in and joined him in the shower. He grinned as my arms went around him and kissed him gently.
"I think it's serious with Olek and Helga," Peter said wrapping his arms around me under the spray.
"I really hope so." I said sincerely. "Her flying here at a moment's notice tells me it could be for her. I know it is for Olek." Then I thought. "Will she have to go through the proposal, too?"
Peter looked surprised. "Yes. Of course."
"It will be Olek's first marriage, but her second."
"So?"
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not rushing them, but...there is the whole heir thing."
"She's thirty-eight! There's time."
I nodded. "It will take the pressure off us!" I grinned pulling in kissing him deeper. "Try as I might, I can't get you pregnant."
Peter chuckled. "No more than I can you." He kissed me on the neck again. "Let's keep trying, though."
Classes began again, but Olek, Helga, Mom and Grandmother remained there. There were still questions from...a lot of agencies and people. Yuri and Olek answered all the questions that they were given to them. The recordings made available of the attack and all was revealed. No crime on our parts, but clearly those men were the aggressors.
Then the news speculative coverage came. Peter and I sat together in our room to study. Exams? Resting in our preferred positions, as he and I read; he was relaxing against me. His back against my chest and the couch was more a love seat, not that big. He was tall, but a leg was thrown over the arm and side, slouching with his head just below my chin on my chest. We liked being close and my arm was thrown over him I had access to his head, absently kissing his head of hair. We just continued our touches and both enjoyed each other's company as there was a fire now in the fireplace crackling in the background. He looked up at the screen as pictures of the house and then of Peter and me appeared as we were together at school...I don't know when that was taken, but we were talking about something in the shot. We had on with the low volume to study. He hit the remote to turn the volume up.
"...after an attack on the royal residence of Prince Petro Ivanov of Makarovia and his American FiancĂŠ Eric Richards, who is now the Earl of Stryia. This is the first same-sex marriage to involve a member of any royal family. It was said that King Olek Ivanov of Makarovia and Queen Alla Ivanov of Makarovia were also present during the attack. None of the family was hurt, but reports of foreign attackers are being blamed. Who the attackers are is still being investigated..."
Peter hit the mute.
"I wonder who this consortium is?" I said to Peter.
"The bad guys," Peter suggested with a shrug from his position against my chest.
I chucked kissed him on the head gently. "The man I love is also the master of stating the obvious."
"That's what they are!"
I nodded. "Yes, but from where!?"
"Why ask me? I don't know any more than you do."
"I'm not asking you, I'm just asking," I said to him simply.
"Oh."
That's when I heard my phone let me know of an incoming call. I looked and frowned. "Drew," I said to Peter with a sigh. "He's a reporter." I opened the phone. "Hi, Drew."
"Are you okay?" Drew's voice came softly and not his usual vibrancy.
I smiled, he was a reporter, but he called as a friend. "We're fine."
"Peter is good, too."
I chuckled. "We're all fine, Drew."
"Good." He said with a sigh.
"Thank you for asking that first." I grinned to the man that couldn't see that.
Drew chuckled. "There is that part of me dying to ask about it, but..." I could see him shrug...in my mind, "we make our priorities. You two are a story, but first, you're my friends." I heard Wayne's voice object. "Sorry, you're our friends."
"Thanks for making us the priority."
I could see his grin; I mean I could almost see it in my mind. "Do I have to ask?"
"Some group that calls themselves the Consortium was responsible. They stormed in to get to Olek, or one of us."
"The Consortium?" He said puzzled. "They might as well call themselves the Organization, or Union or even Syndicate."
"They are good at kidnapping and other things said. Yuri told us they were responsible for the kidnapping of a Saudi princess that took less than four minutes."
"Wait," Drew said quickly. "Consortium or K.U.R.T.Z.I.R.T.M?"
"Kurtzirtm?" I asked. "That's not even a word...in any language, I know of. There is a difference?"
"Oh, there certainly is, no one really knows what those letters mean, but it's said they are a group of people from many countries. Consortium was easier to say...whose goal is...making a lot of money." Drew said. "Laws aren't even considered with them."
"Nelson Carter?" I asked.
"Who? Never heard of him." Drew said.
"Penelope Baldwin?" I asked.
"Sorry." Drew now had another tone. "This kurtzirtm or consortium took that Saudi princess and demanded a billion for her return...in Euros. When her father didn't pay at first...they sent part of her to him."
"Part of her?" I asked.
"Her left hand," Drew said. "Not a finger...but the whole hand. He paid. At least they sent it on ice or nitrogen or something, thinking the hand could be reattached. Very nice of them. It was reattached, but it doesn't work as well as it did as it had begun having damage in the length of time of her return."
"Jesus," I said.
"Yep," Drew said sadly.
"Do they ever fail?" I asked.
"When the target dies."
I rolled my eyes. "This has just been a lovely conversation," I said sarcastically making Peter look at me questioning.
"I won't lie to you, Eric," Drew said. "If it was really them...they deal in billions, not millions."
"All because of the uranium," I said a little distressed. "There's more than one country involved!"
"And a little country in charge...Makarovia is a little country...that's not...that well known. Hit it quick and fast to get it before the other countries become more involved. There is a king that has never been tried against an enemy like this and has been victimized in the past. He could bend! They need to find out."
"So, this was more than some woman that wanted to be queen."
"What!?" Drew asked and he blew an exasperated breath. "Either tell me or don't speculate out loud. Some woman wanted to be queen!?"
I told him about what Penelope and Nelson Carter did without saying their names. As I was explaining I knew Drew giving the nods and heard the slight uh huhs. "That sounds right. That's what this consortium does. It is said, they find people in key positions to ferret out targets. They will even fund training to get the person in place. They see it as an investment for their future. Even if she had tricked Olek into marrying her, she would have been used to get to the money and the uranium...for them...not her. It would be a continuous cash cow!"
"How do you know all this?" I asked.
"I work for the BBC?" Drew reminded. "The big news broadcasts? I know you've heard the BBC." He said sounding like himself now. "Wait, you were just here a few weeks ago!"
"Shut up, Drew." I chuckled. "I got that, but you do all that fay, fag and fairy shit, remember?"
"News happens," Drew said simply. "We catch it. I hear about it."
"I'm sure Yuri knows this," I said more to myself. "I'll...just mention it."
"Yuri?" Drew asked. "I've never met him. He sounds Russian."
"Most of Makarovia is Russian or Ukrainian descent," I said. "Olek, Peter, and Mom are pretty much all Russian."
"And this German," Drew said pointedly.
"Give my love to Wayne. We do hope you come soon." I said not taking any bait. I grinned. "I have Russian and Ukrainian in me. Grandmother's mother was from Russia."
"Not even a hint?" Drew asked and I heard Wayne call his name. "I had to ask!" He said off the phone to his husband. "Cassie is returning next week. I have some audio clips done; I'll send those with translations in English. Give Peter our love. We'll be in touch. We love you two."
"Peter and I love you and Wayne. Talk soon." I closed the phone. Peter looked up at me.
"I heard," Peter said quietly.
"Which part?" I smiled putting my phone down. "About the consortium?"
Peter nodded. "This will be a problem in the future."
I nodded. "It could, but I think Yuri and Olek showed what they are capable of repelling an attack. The next time will be more involved." I looked at where he was in his textbook as I closed it. I pulled it out of his hands. "There were other instructions from Drew. I think I'll do it." I said pulling him down in front of the fireplace.
Peter grinned. "I heard that, too." He smiled as I kissed him deeply. "We have exams coming."
"We can use a study break." I got some pillows off the sofa. "I always wanted a warm, cozy fire and a beautiful man to love in front of one of these," I said kissing him gently, again delving in his moist mouth, pulling his shirt over his head. My hands coming down bringing him close to me as we kissed. "I do love you, Peter."
He smiled. "I know you do." He pulled me out of my shirt and his hand came across my chest. "I love you so." He said as his voice was a little hoarse with emotion and the love in his grey-green eyes.
I nodded. "Yes," I said kissing him even deeper and more. "You do."
We again started to get things back to some sort of normalcy. Peter and I loved having family with us. Olek and Helga seemed to really be solidifying as a couple. At the table in the kitchen, Grandmother was talking with Peter and me, to me about retiring.
"You love that school!" I said not wanting to acknowledge the truth. "You're still healthy and active. Why?"
"Because I'm in my seventies." Grandmother said smiling. "I am still healthy and active." She reached over and patted my hand. "Right now, there is only one thing I want to be around for. To see you happily married to someone you care deeply about and he does you. I will see you receive a crown." She shrugged. "After that...I'm pretty much done." She smiled as she saw my eyes grow. "I will die." She said simply. "It's the cycle of life. I was married for decades to a very special person. We had a daughter who gave birth to you. The life you and Peter will have will be nothing but spectacular." She smiled again. "I miss your grandfather. To be honest, I don't know what's beyond this life. I hope so much there is something, but I will find out soon. I look forward to seeing him. Or I simply won't be. There is no choice. I choose to think there is."
I grimaced. "This is a lousy setup."
She laughed. "How do you know? It might be wonderful!" She moved closer to me. "Think about it. We are not just self-aware chemical reactions and we are self-aware. We learn about our place in this universe. We understand what we learn. A dog or cat is somewhat self-aware as are other creatures, but do they look up and see the sun? Do they even think about that huge ball of gases? Do they wonder what is or have the desire and ability to find out? Do they understand anything beyond their needs? They never ask questions. They are capable of love, but are they really? We are. That which is in us, look out and see the world and we want there to be more. Does that ever happen in any other creature? I don't know. I will find out soon." She patted my hand. "Now, the truth is..." she pointed at Peter, "one of you will die before the other if you aren't killed together. Cherish what time you have. Enjoy your time together. It's a gift. I think you know that."
I smiled at her and hugged her. "I do and I will."
"And" she chuckled, "I'll be doing the old lady thing soon. I will sell the house and move somewhere warm." She rubbed her arms like she was cold. "I can't tolerate the cold like I used to." She shrugged. "A nice, single bedroom condo would be much easier. I'm glad you're marrying in the spring. I won't be coming to Makarovia in the winter."
"So, Christmas is out?" I asked. "I will be in Makarovia then and at New Year's."
She nodded. "I won't do it in Makarovia. Your place is with these people...your new family. We'll be in touch as well. I have only one request."
I nodded.
"I have it written in my will, but...when the time comes. I want to be beside your grandfather."
Her saying that it just hit me in that place in my heart as a tear came.
She saw my expression and smiled at me, patting my hand. "You will hurt. I know that." She said softly. "I had a very good life. I regret nothing. Know that. It was a good, good life." She said bringing me in and kissing my cheek right below the eye a little longer than just a peck. "I will always love you, Eric. I could last another ten or twenty years. I'll be around as long as possible."
Peter smiled and chuckled. "Eric and I did discuss it, but...we're being cremated."
Grandma didn't seem alarmed. "Oh?"
I chuckled. "My husband wants our ashes put in the same urn and mixed together." I grinned at him. "He thinks it will be the ultimate sexual experience."
Grandmother laughed. "I guess it would be. I won't mind if they buried me in your grandfather's casket, but..."
It was later that day when I checked my email and as promised. There were some audio clips sent by Drew. The message he wrote was simple.
"It's not all pleasant, but you know that. We cleaned up the recordings and you will hear Milo's voice or Bren's voice. There is an overlay of interpretive English to understand. Love, Drew."
I saw Peter walk in our room, stop, and look back in our study. "Milo?"
I nodded. "I thought I would listen. Do you want to hear it?"
Peter came in nodding. Once again, we shared the same chair. It was barely wide enough, but being close to each other was not a problem.
I downloaded the clips and started the first one.
"This is the recording of Milo Weir." A female voice said and gave the time and date.
Then a voice came over the speakers, in Makarovian. "What do I do?" I couldn't help but smile. He had a nice voice. It was male. It had a pitch that was between a bass and a tenor. It was pleasant sounding.
"Start wherever you want to," The woman said. "I prefer it to be in your native language, just to make sure it's all...correct."
He chuckled. "Ich erinnere mich noch, wie." Then a second male voice came. "I still remember how." Not obtrusive with the recording.
Hearing both was a little...difficult at first, but I got used to it.
"Why not start telling about your meeting Bren?" The woman asked.
Milo chuckled. "That's easy. We were both barely teenagers at the time. I was being persuaded to join this group of future Nazis. As far as I was concerned, they were nothing but street thugs. Bullies. They were given power and just ran with it. I said I'd think about it. Father always said think of my future and said to make friends with the people of this party, but...I wasn't so sure."
I smiled and pulled up the picture of Milo and Bren together when they were in their fifties. Now, I saw Milo and could hear him. I felt like he was talking to me. He was!
"Then Bren came up as these thugs were getting a little physical with me. Not hitting, but shoving and pushing me. He didn't do this sort of thing. He was quiet and really shy, but he spoke up to them! I'll just say, he looked pretty good before, but with the black eye he was sexy!" Then his voice became quieter like he was telling a secret. "I was in love from that moment." He chuckled again. "He is sooo beautiful."
The woman must have spoken German because she said as she chuckled that was interpreted by the other voice. "I think he is, too. What's important, is you think so."
"I do," Milo said happily. "Things were pretty hard then...a lot of people were becoming unwanted. Particularly those who were Jewish. The gold stars were showing up more and more. I knew there would be trouble if I told anyone I was homosexual, but..." he sighed, "I knew I liked to look at men." He said simply. "A beautiful woman was nice, but...it was the male form that made me want to touch and get nearer them. When Bren and I grew up more...I was helpless to stop it. I was in love with Bren!" His words and tone said he was helpless not to. Then I heard him laugh more. "That first night..." he qualified quickly, "I mean the first kiss. We were so young we were seventeen, but he was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. We'd had a good night together...as friends. We had already told each other we were best friends. In those long moments of comfortable silence between us...my heart was pounding, because...I knew...I knew this was an important night, but I didn't want to scare him. We both knew it. In the garden attached to his house...we were just enjoying the night and each other's company. He was looking at me and...he did this. I say again because he's not that brave, but when I looked back...he just leaned in and lightly and softly touched his lips to mine and..." you could hear his intake of breath, "I was kissed by an angel! Or God Himself!! It wasn't long, but he saw my eyes, smiled and said: I love you, Milo." Milo said relishing the memory. "Then he got up and walked away before I could say anything." He chuckled again. "Needless to say, I couldn't wait to see him the next day. I told him: I love you, Bren. We kissed again. I knew I was never letting go of him."
The woman laughed. "And you didn't."
"I didn't," Milo readily agreed. "We had such hopes...foolish, I think. We were young with a future...until..." I heard his breath catch and then his voice broke as he began crying. Hearing the sound of fabric, I could see in my mind as someone moved over next to him.
"It's over. You don't have to do this all at once." The woman said.
"Why am I doing this at all?" Milo asked mournfully through his tears.
"I know it's difficult." The woman said. "I have found that once someone talks after such a horrible event. You two were violated in the worst possible way! Talking and Bren will begin to heal." She said compassionately. "You and Bren need to heal."
"You want Bren to do this!?" Milo asked. "He can't!"
"Then he will remain as he is." She said simply. "It doesn't have to be all at once. We'll ease him into it. I promise." The sound of someone being patted, probably on the shoulder or arm. "Why don't you tell about the first pleasant memory with Bren? Something before the camps?"
I heard him sniff. "We would meet in secret." He chuckled. "Places we could be together unseen and time just disappeared when we found it." He sniffed again and then chuckled. "We didn't know what the hell we were doing. We just knew we were what each other wanted. I'd heard about what to do. So, had Bren. Knowing it and doing it...that really isn't the same." He said and I could almost see the reluctant shrug and nod, "but I knew what I wanted, that was Bren. There was no one to ask. Those with those awful triangles were there..." and he snorted in anger. "What business is it of everyone else what we do with another human being? We both wanted it. Those men that wore those triangles wanted it, but those men began to disappear. It was dangerous so we would seek places that were...empty. Get together and..." again, it was my imagination, but the tone said he was smiling, "he was an angel. Fire burned in me. I wanted to touch him. It was at his house we finally got the chance. He was eighteen and so was I. What choice did we have? We were safe in his house. If his parents didn't know. It was the night after his party and I stayed that first night. It was not...as nice as it could have been. We couldn't just let go; his parents were in the other room. We did it, though. Neither of us were satisfied with it and decided to go somewhere to do that...let go. We knew we'd get in trouble, but didn't realize how bad it would get. We pooled our money and booked a weekend at the hotel in France on the beach. We traveled there and..." he was chuckling again, "it was amazing. There were obstacles to overcome, mostly having to do with our lack of knowledge about what to do, but we figured it out!" He sighed again. "Oh, what a weekend. I didn't consider Bren my boyfriend. He was part of my life! It was so...nice there. I felt we really connected that weekend. Then when we..." then he stopped and again began crying. "I can't." He said. "I can't." He began sobbing.
The woman apparently hugged him saying in Makarovian. "That's okay, that is perfectly understandable. I don't know the pain, but I can hear it in your voice. I think that's enough for today. Shhh," she comforted and we heard a pat she must have given Milo on the back, "you're doing great, Milo. We'll take up from there another day." This was also on the tape. "Now, you go home to that wonderful person in your life. A person that you married here in Makarovia. Love him. It will be fine. We can't undo what happened, but we can make things better. I promise." She said the date and time again and the clip ended.
"These aren't just recordings," I said shaking my head. "These are sessions. She was doing therapy sessions."
Peter nodded. "How many of those tapes did you find?"
"Over a dozen or more," I said waving at the computer and the many audio file clips there. "This is all from Milo's tape! There was another for Bren's."
Peter shook his head moaning as he rubbed his face in frustration. "I can't see why!" He said angrily and pounded the desk in that anger. "It doesn't make any goddamned sense to me. I may be innocent and naĂŻve, but what's so wrong with what we do!? What harm can come with Milo loving Bren? Or me loving you?"
"There is nothing wrong with it. That's the whole point we need to get across. We're human, it's what we do. We have sex! Homosexual numbers worldwide are in the hundreds of millions. There are many more that...attracted to both, but gave up one to be accepted by the others that don't get it." I smiled. "Think about it. To these people, if God wanted us to do this, he would have given us natural lubrication. We make ours to have sex artificially."
He stood up and went to the window and looked out. "We don't exactly have to. There are primates that do it with...all in the group, male, female, young and old!"
I nodded. "Bonobos."
Peter snapped his fingers and pointed at me triumphantly that I knew that. "That's it," Peter said nodding. "They don't use easy glide or ecstasy lubrication! Is it wrong that we came up with something that smells nice and eases the job or makes it better!?" He came back to me. "I can't love you because we use things like that?"
I shrugged. "We aren't the only ones using those. You've seen all the ads for gels and lotions...there are products by KY that have gels and lubricants for him and her to make things explosive! They do it, too."
"So, help me get it. Where is our crime?" Peter asked leaning over the desk at me.
I grinned rising from the chair and came closer to him. "There is no crime. Your mother sees the truth; your brother sees the truth...all of Makarovia sees the truth. We need everyone to see the truth. Sex is a powerful thing. If you can control that, you have control of almost everything. There are cultures that only allow sex for procreation. There are groups that do it through a hole in the sheets. Some restrict how and when. Get the people to believe something, promise the rewards if they comply and punishments when they don't! That's power!" I put my arms around him pulled him closer. "I even heard a story...and I don't know if it's true, but...supposedly, the king had to grant a couple the right to have a child."
Peter's eyes grew. "What!?"
I nodded. "Again, I can't verify this...I think it's more of a myth, but in English history, they would have to post a note on the door. Fornicating Under Consent of King; to have a child." I said that last sentence in English. It was the only way he'd get it.
Peter looked confused as he thought and then he nodded. "Oh, the word," and he said it in English, "fuck!"
I nodded smiling at him. "That's right."
Peter gave a wavering nod and shrug. "Of all the dumb, stupid..."
I chuckled bringing him in for a kiss. This wasn't a peck, but a soft and then building harder more probing kiss, which Peter didn't stop, but returned with equal passion as his breath caught and his arms tightened around me, going up my back and down my side. "I love you, Peter."
Pressing his cheek against mine he spoke quietly in my ear. "I know you do, baby. I have never doubted that." He said as emotion was in his voice. "I love you so much."
I nodded not moving but was enjoying the contact with him. "I know you do. That is the greatest gift you've ever given to anyone. Thank you for saving it for me." I smiled as my hands went over his warm body. "Sex is more than a means to an end. It isn't just to have children. They are gotten through sex, but...I can't think of a better way for two separate individuals to get any closer, connect and bond. I'm bound to you, Peter. I belong...to you."
Peter smiled. "So, do you feel like reconnecting? Maybe bond some more?"
"Drop your pants and let's go."
Peter chuckled. "I think we should move to the bed? Make it more...comfortable."
I nodded. "That's what it was designed to do; it was made to accommodate two for just that reason. A more comfortable place to have sex."
Peter nodded. "I can see that." He kissed me again deeply. "I belong to you. We're going to be together the rest of our lives."
"Yes, we will," I said as he got us to the bed and began lowering us on it. "Now, less talking...more bonding." He chuckled kissing me deeply and lovingly.
Coming out of our room after a few hours of...bonding. We'd showered and changed. We headed to the back staircase as Helga came from down the hall fixing a button on her sleeve she was wearing. I smiled at her. She had really changed. Don't misunderstand, she was still Helga, beautiful, but...she was taking time to...look more attractive...to Olek. She was concentrating more on her hair and wore makeup! She looked up and instantly smiled at us. She was about to greet us but stopped. "Okay, do I use the titles..."
"No!" I said quickly stopping her as we all stopped in the hall. "Please don't."
Peter chuckled hugging me to him from behind. "It is a sore spot with Eric." He said in a hushed voice to her like it was a secret.
"They are hard to keep up with! The proper one and when...I was demoting Olek for weeks!" I said simply. "You're Majesty versus Your Highness..."
I felt Peter put his hand on my head and shake it lightly. "And yet, your head's still on your shoulders." He brought me in kissing me on my neck from behind where I could have lost my head at one time...in the past of course. "Think, considering you just came from the bedroom Olek is sharing with you...Peter and Eric would be preferable."
"And Olek's the king!" I pointed out. "You're on a first name basis with him. So, us, too!"
She nodded with a laugh. "Yes, I struggled with that one, too." She shook her head. "We had really just met and you came here to continue with school and I wasn't sure."
"No protocols with me," I said smiling. "I had to make it a royal command at the palace in Stryia. No, Lordships or anything."
"I take it things are working well with you and my brother?" Peter said hopefully.
She smiled at that nodding and a feeling or memory. "He's an amazing man." She put her hand on my arm. "It took a while to separate Olek from his position as king. You're telling me to be with Olek and not the king was pretty...insightful. It helped a lot."
I nodded. "He is an amazing man. I care a lot about and who I want happy. I want you happy, as well."
Helga smiled nodding. "I am." She said as we started down the stairs. "Now, Peter's mother..."
Peter laughed at hearing that. "Olek himself couldn't call her anything but Your Majesty or Queen Alla for years after she married Dad. Even when he was crowned king he couldn't call her anything else."
"I will never call her Alla." I said firmly. "I am marrying her son, so...Mom is fine for me."
We entered the kitchen area where I smiled at what I saw. Mom, Queen Alla, was talking with my grandma. Boris was speaking with the others that were helping to get dinner together. Olek and Yuri were standing, but there speaking together about...whatever. They were all my family. The sense I got was...I was home. I always felt at home with Peter. This was just...so much more. Even Helga was doing well and I didn't doubt she would feel that way soon, too. I smiled as Olek saw her and gave her a smile he didn't give to anyone else. She meant something to him. Were they in love? The beginnings of love, that was certain. He stopped her and gave her a kiss that was pretty nice, unashamed, and heartfelt, which she returned. Stopping his conversation which told her she was more important to him than whatever business he and Yuri were discussing.
"You're doing it again," Peter said to my ear but looked where I was looking.
I looked at him and chuckled. "I know." I waved at them. "This is nice."
He pulled me in a hug. "It is pretty nice with the family here. I know you. I can read you. I knew what you were thinking."
"That's what partners in life do. That's what you and I are."
Events were again calming to some kind of normalcy. Grandmother went back to Asheville but promised to keep me up to what she was doing. We even arranged for her to link up and call us on the computer so we could see each other. She was closing down the school she thought, or sell it to one of the other women that helped her if they wanted it. Her plans were to find a place warm but wasn't looking to move to Florida as many her age did. Olek, Helga, and Mom were also going back.
On our last night, Peter put his fork down and faced our mother. "Okay, Mom. I've been patient, but when are you telling us about...this mystery him." He grinned at his mother. "I'd like to meet this man. He means something to you." He shrugged. "I'm curious." He said helplessly.
She nodded and smiled. "You'll find out New Year's." She said. "I invited him to the palace to bring in the New Year. His name is Mario Basso. He's a very successful businessman." She smiled. "He's fifty-seven, a widow and has two adult children with his wife. He's a good man."
I smiled. "He'd have to be if he attracted you."
She nodded but looked at Peter little uncertain. "I kept him to myself a while because of issues with me as well as you, Peter. I was having guilt." She shrugged. "This...is different." She tried to explain. "I loved your father very much. I miss him every day. That was my issue." She chuckled. "He was having those issues, too. He loved his wife. Just like Olek the First is gone, his wife is gone. We both felt we were cheating. We had to deal with that. We talked about it and there was you, Peter. I was uncomfortable telling you for the same reason. I didn't want you to ever think I was replacing your father with someone else."
Peter was shaking his head to deny it but realized he had felt that and his expression softened. "I understand."
Mom nodded. "He'll be arriving two days before New Year's Eve." She said. "He'll be staying with me." She said pointedly.
Peter nodded and shrugged. "Well, Eric stays with me. That's just what we do." But I heard his tone. He was saying more to himself to accept it. "Naturally, he would." He then grinned at Mom. "Of course, he knows he'll be facing the gauntlet of Ivanov men."
She laughed. "Of course, he does."
I patted Peter's hand. "That tells a lot. She means enough to him to face you, Peter!"
"And you!" Peter said mockingly indignant. "You are protective of everyone, me, Helga, Mom, Grandmother, and Olek!"
"Don't forget Boris and Yuri," I said nodding.
"How could I forget them? Them, too."
After they left, I was...well, it was a big house! I missed the many people. Then we resumed our schedules.
There were more clips sent from Drew. I listened to Milo tell the things about what happened, things I already knew about. It was just more personal hearing him talk about it. I felt we were getting to know him. One afternoon, I saw more clips. This one group of clips caught my attention. Bren Shultz's sessions.
"Peter!" I called out a little urgently.
Hearing the toilet flush. "What?" He called back quickly.
Me, being who I am, I slipped into the wiseass mode. "Oh, nothing, I just felt like calling your name," I said mockingly sour. "The idea of come here is usually inferred when I do that," I said the obvious.
He came in with a sardonic look. "You just try to bother me, don't you?"
"It's a goal in my life now." I smiled. "I'd say from the look on your face, I do a good job." I waved at the computer. "There is a clip that's Bren's!"
"Oooh!" He was instantly in motion as he came over and planted himself in the chair again with me. "Let's hear it."
"That's why I called you." I grinned. "Still bothered by me?"
Peter grinned. "You always know how to do it. No one does a better job. I even like it." He said kissing me as he rubbed his forehead against mine and then waved at the computer. "Let's hear it!"
I clicked on the first clip file.
"This is Bren Schultz." The same woman that was working with Milo said. She again gave the date and time. This was shortly after Bren and Milo had been married a few years. 1954. They arrived in Makarovia in the winter 1938. They were in their thirties. The recording was overlaid with English translation. "Are you alright, Bren?" She asked.
I looked at Peter. "How do I..." I looked at the screen and saw the icon that would turn the audio on and off. "I'll turn it back on when they start speaking German."
"I'm alright." A voice sounded softly. "I don't understand. This can't undo what happened." It was good voice...actually a little lower than Milo's voice. What it didn't have was confidence. He wasn't forceful or bold. He sounded afraid if he would say something that would offend. After what happened, it was a miracle he was even alive.
"No, it won't." The woman said sympathetically. "Milo came here and began telling what happened to the two of you. In order to get past that, it is important you talk about it and deal with it."
"I don't want to remember," Bren said as his voice shook in a little terror. "I've tried so hard to forget what happened. I don't see how talking will help."
"Milo said you have these...periods...you go into a state...like a fugue state where you disconnect from the world. He's very worried about you."
"He always worries about me." He chuckled sadly. "I do have these periods, but I can't help it," Bren said. "I just start remembering and..." he stopped, "but Milo can bring me out of them."
"Of course, he can." She said as I heard the smile in her voice. "He's your husband. He loves you, you know that, and you love him."
I heard the chuckle, but his time it was assertive. "Yes, he does. He's saved my life many times."
"As I understand from what he's told me." She said pleasantly. "And he's right out in there if you need him. Why don't we start with something pleasant? Tell me about the first time you met Milo. Remember, I want you to use the language you're used to have a clear record. Speak in German."
"Sure."
I clicked the audio for the translation.
"Milo lived a few streets from me. I'd see him occasionally, we were in the same grade at school, but never assigned to the same class the school educated many from that part of Berlin, so we had three classrooms that were the same grade." As Bren spoke of Milo, the softer hesitant speech became more assertive, speeding up and bolder. "He always strikes me as...sunlight. Not just because of his blond hair, but his whole personality is bright, cheerful, and so positive. I wanted many times to speak to him, but...I saw him almost every day. The day we became friends. There was a rise in the political group. Those Nazis." He paused as he took a deep breath.
"It's okay." She said to Bren. "Do I need to get Milo?"
"No." He said softer. "This is about Milo." He said and took a breath and went on. "He was popular with quite a few people. However, when I saw this group...they were part of the new Youth Program for the Nazis Party. My heart sank. I didn't want him to join them, but he was blond, good looking and athletic, bold. If he joined them, I knew any friendship would probably not happen. He was popular enough and I'd never get him to be friends with me. I wasn't like he was. I wasn't popular or even attracting people to want to be friends. Then I watched as he was walking away from them...he told them no? I watched as the three guys and the single girl got...pushy and with him...I don't know how I did it. He said no! How is say no so hard to understand? Was shoving and insulting him going to make him say yes? What sort of friendship is that? Without my head even telling me to, I told them to stop! My heart was pounding. I knew I was in deep trouble. I couldn't understand it, there were other people there...supposedly his friends...they didn't speak up. I did. One of those four began questioning me about my heritage and whether, because of my dark hair if I were Jewish! I simply said there were many Jews with blond hair and said it didn't matter. It was stupid to assume things not in evidence. Then Milo came over to stand between these...future thugs and me. I spoke up to protect him! Now he was protecting me?" He chuckled. "Well, he tried to...the guys started swinging and I ended up getting the punch in the eye." He chuckled again. "My mother was so upset because I fought, but my father was actually proud of me. Milo and I hung out that day as friends. He had come home with me and told my parents I'd gotten the black eye protecting him. That's when my father started smiling and said, "to protect someone, you're willing to take a punch. That's something to be proud of." Then he asked. Did we win? Mom never liked me to fight, but she was proud, too. What really surprised me was Milo! The next day, I came into the schoolyard as always. He was with some other friends and he came to me! He was waiting on me, he sought me out! Every day after that he would come over to me and just hang around, suggest things we could do and I realized...he wanted me as a friend. I had a few I called friends, but he was like nothing I'd ever been friends with. I even asked him about that. He looked at me and said: That's what people do when they're friends. They do things together. We are friends, right? From that moment on, not hardly a single day passed without Milo there with me. I love him. Milo was smart. He'd take us to exhibits at the museum, the art gallery or just to the parks and feed the ducks! We had a great time. We liked spending time together. He knew all this science stuff and was trying to decide whether he should be a doctor or scientist. I told him he could be both. It was that love of science that saved my life after..." that's when he stopped...there was a grunt and then...
"Bren?" The doctor said. "Bren, it's okay." She said to him more urgently.
The sound of footsteps and the opening of a door.
"Milo, he's doing it again." She said.
The sound of rapid footsteps and then Milo's voice as he sat with Bren. "It's okay, baby. It's okay." He said soothingly, but the voice was somewhat subdued as it was probably right against Bren's head and into his ear. I could see Milo wrapping his arms around Bren and rocking, most likely. You could hear little kisses he gave Bren as he continued. "It's okay. It's over. Those bad people aren't here. I love you, Bren. I'm here. Come back to me."
"We were talking about how you met, about how he thought you were smart and liked science and then he was telling me how you used it to save him after...and then he just went here." The doctor explained frustrated.
Milo continued to talk to Bren. "It's okay. I'll protect you. No one's going to hurt you. I won't let them. I love you, Bren." The sounds of his soothing voice and the continued light kisses and the sound of something rubbing of fabric. Milo was rubbing Bren's back probably. "Come on, you can do it. It's okay, Bren. I love you. Come back to me, Bren."
Then we heard someone stirring as he was coming out of that state, then the sobbing began as Bren was coming out of it more and he was hugging Milo more. "I can't do this, Milo." He cried. "It's too hard!"
"Then you won't," Milo said simply, we could hear another kiss, but this one was more than a simple kiss. "If it's too much, you don't have to."
"Then he'll be this way for the rest of his life." The doctor said simply with a sigh. "I wish there were medications to take this away, but there isn't. Bren, you have to deal with this. Milo loves you. You love Milo. He even promised to protect you just a few seconds ago. He won't have to if you deal with this." She sat down, you know the sound of a woman smoothing her skirt to sit and not wrinkle the skirt of a dress. "I can't understand what the pain is you're feeling. I won't even know it all if you don't talk about it. If you do talk about it...things for you and Milo will get better. You depend on each other so much and I don't want that to stop, but depend on each other for some other reason. Your marriage is legal here in Makarovia. You two are married! I don't care what paper you have; you are married. This was accepted by everyone here. The king knows you're married and even welcomed you both. What happened was horrible, but you must voice it. Get it out. Your very good marriage will get even better. I promise you."
"Let's go home," Milo said softly to Bren. "It's okay. If you want to do this, fine. If you don't, fine. I want you happy. You're more important to me than anything. What happened is continuing to make you unhappy. That's what I want to help with. I'm not going away. I am your husband. Whatever you decide. I will be with you." Bren made a sound that Milo understood. "We'll go home. Besides, it's your turn to cook." Then Milo's humor came out. "If you don't feel like cooking, I can always make my famous Rouladen." (German Skirt Steak Rolls. For those that wondered.)
"You don't put enough horseradish in your Rouladen!" Bren said irritated. He had no problem speaking to Milo. He sounded...normal. "I don't know if we have beef anyway. We were having Chicken Plov. (Makarovian-Ukrainian Chicken and Rice Pilaf) I have that ready to cook."
"There he is," Milo said happily with the smile in his voice. "There's my Bren. Whatever you say. I love you, Bren."
The sound of them coming closer. "I love you, Milo. I know you worry. I don't want to make you worry."
"I'm fine, Bren," Milo said. "It's up to you if you come back. I'll be here beside you the whole way." His voice was louder, so he must have turned to the doctor. "I'll be back. We'll let you know about Bren." He said and they must have gone home. The next voice was the doctor who the time and date again and stopped the recording.
I sat back in the chair rubbing Peter's back. "Wow."
Peter sat back, too, bringing his arm around me squeezing me closer, as if we weren't already close in the chair as it was. "Yes. Wow. That microphone picked up everything."
"Drew said they'd clean it up," I said simply. "The sounds were there, but...this was a whole session with this doctor. I need to find out who she was. She's good." I brought my hand up his chest to hold him better. "I think we are just fine."
"We are fine," Peter said. "Why do you say that?"
"Milo and Bren were together a long time. They knew each other so well. Milo knew what he needed to do to get Bren out of that state but also knew how to bother Bren enough to get him back to himself. Bren trusted Milo. Just like I do with you."
Peter grinned. "I don't bother you."
"Sure, you do!" I brought him in to kiss him. "You do it all the time and you know you're doing it. You bother me when you want sex and don't have to say a word! You bother me when we're studying and you just...do it to bother me! Looks from you at the table no one else knows what's going on in your mind! Those little things tell me you love me and I don't ever want you to stop."
"I won't," Peter chuckled.
"I'm glad you let me in to get to know you. I love you, Peter."
Peter smiled kissing me tenderly adding pressure slowly. "I know you do. I love you."
"I know."
13