Gary left church that day feeling more confused than he had felt when he first arrived. He really had no idea what to think about anything anymore. At first he had been dreading the trip to Ohio. Then, he thought that it might not be so bad. That it might actually be the time he needed to clear his head and really think about where his life was going. But now that his cousin was trying to blackmail him, he didn't know what to do. Should he even stay?
Gary's internal thought process was suddenly interrupted when his cousin leaned over and whispered to him, "So, have you given any thought to my proposal?"
Gary looked up in the front seat to see if either his aunt or his other cousin were paying attention before responding. Both of them were too engrossed in the radio, which was unusually loud considering it was just gospel music.
"Listen to me. You have no idea why I'm here. Things are very complicated.
I don't know what you think you know but let me assure you, you have no clue."
"I don't need to have any insight into your life," Marcus replied, "If you want us to be friends and you want to talk about things, that's fine. But that doesn't change anything. You need me to keep quiet and I need relief," he said as he looked down at his slightly tented khakis.
Gary looked down at his cousins' crotch and felt himself actually getting aroused. It had been awhile since he had a cock buried in his throat and he actually found himself missing it. But this was still his cousin - adopted or not - it just didn't seem right.
"That's it," he said, "take a good look at it. I know you want it."
"Look. We're not going to talk about this right now."
"Fine. But you will be sucking on it later." Gary turned his head and looked out the window as the scenery of Ohio flew past him. His internal struggle was only getting worse, not better.
When the car rolled to a stop in Aunt Mary's driveway, Gary quickly unbuckled his seat belt, got out of the car and started to walk down the street.
"Gary, where are you going?" Mary asked.
"I just need some more air. I'm still not feeling very well."
"Well," Marc chimed in, "we wouldn't want you getting lost. I'll show you around," and he ran after Gary.
"No, really," Gary replied, "it's okay. I'm sure I can find my way."
"Leave him be, Marcus." Mary was getting annoyed by her son between his disappearing act at the church and his constant clinging to Gary.
"But, Mom. I really think he should see the sights. There are some great trails I could take him down," he said devilishly. "I insist."
Gary turned to look at his cousin whom was smiling at him in such a way to indicate that it might be in Gary's best interest to let him come along.
"Fine," Gary said in defeat.
"Just don't be gone too long," Mary shouted as they continued down the street. "I'm going to be making a nice big dinner."
After Marcus was sure they were out of earshot of his mother and sister, he turned to Gary and noticed that his cousin was visibly upset.
"So, what's wrong?"
"Like you care."
"I do. Honest. I'm just a horny teenager with an eye for opportunity but that doesn't make me heartless."
"So, does that mean your not going to blackmail me."
"We'll see. But first, spill the beans."
Gary sighed. He wasn't sure he wanted to tell his cousin everything. But, at the same time, he hadn't really talked to anyone about what was going on.
'Maybe this will actually help,' he thought to himself.
"Okay, here's the long and short of it. I've been dating a girl for several years now."
"Confused already but go ahead," he interjected.
"A few weeks ago, I slept with one of her roommates."
"A guy?"
"Yeah."
"Your first?"
"No."
"Okay...?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I have to back up a little bit, don't I?"
"Apparently."
"In high school I fell in love with this guy named Mike. We dated for awhile but I insisted that we keep it quiet. I couldn't risk having anyone find out we were dating. It would have destroyed my life."
"But you guys would have had each other."
"I don't think that would have been enough."
"Interesting."
"Will you let me finish?"
"Yeah, sorry."
"I ended up breaking up with him because he told his parents."
"Jesus you're harsh."
"MARCUS," Gary said sternly, "do you want to hear this or not?"
"Okay, I'm done. I'm done."
"So, I broke up with him, started dating Karen and that takes us up to a few weeks ago when I slept with Andrew," he paused. Just mentioning Karen and Andrew's name in the same sentence was difficult. "Well, Karen found out and then proceeded to tell my Mom. Now, my Mom is about ready to tell my Dad if I don't 'straighten out', as she put it. And that's why I'm here."
"I have a funny feeling you left a LOT of stuff out but at least I have the general idea."
"Exactly. It would take hours to tell you everything."
Marcus pointed to a trail that lead into the woods and they headed towards it. It was a remarkably beautiful day and a perfect day for a walk.
"So, are you gay? Bi? What?"
"I don't know. That's the question I've been trying to answer. I mean, I guess technically I'm bi. I'm attracted to both sexes."
"One more than the other?"
"I don't know. I guess I'm a little more attracted to guys than girls."
"So. Where's the dilemma?"
"I love Karen."
"And how do you feel about this Andrew character?"
"I love him too."
"Interesting."
"And what about that other guy?"
"Who?"
"The guy from high school."
"Mike?"
"Yeah. Do you still talk to him?"
"Not exactly," Gary said with a very sarcastic tone.
"What does that mean?"
"We talked not too long ago and it wasn't pretty."
"Cat fight?" Marcus laughed.
"No. But let's just say that he was less than nice."
"Ahhh," he paused for a moment. "So, how do you feel about him?"
"Who, Mike?"
"Yeah."
"Well, at first it was nice to see him again but it got ugly very quickly."
"That's not what I asked you."
"Mike's not even an option, so why does that matter?"
"Just asking."
"Well don't."
"Touchy, touchy," Marcus starts to walk off the path and through a thick section of bushes. Gary wasn't 100% sure he wanted to follow but also felt like he was left with little choice. "Okay," Marc continued, "So, you're trying to figure out which one you love more. Andrew or Karen, right?"
"I guess so."
"You're very cryptic, you know that, right?"
"I'm not trying to be. It's just a very difficult situation. I love both of them but can't possibly compare the two. I don't think I'll ever be able to get Karen back and I don't know if I can live the life of a gay guy and be with Drew."
"So, are you hiding behind Karen because you're gay and you can't deal with it or are you genuinely bi?"
"I love Karen."
"Once again, not what I asked you."
"I wouldn't say that I'm hiding behind her, no. But it is a much more socially accepted relationship."
"Who gives a fuck?"
"I do."
"Why?"
"Because I need a roof over my head and I need my family in my life."
"I can respect that," Marc said. "For all the shit that my Mom puts me through, I can't imagine life without her. She took me in and has taken very good care of my sister and I."
They walked in silence for a moment. Gary was thinking about Marcus's last question. Had he been partially using Karen this whole time? She was, after all, the one he ran to after Mike. Maybe he really was gay and he just happened to fall in love with Karen. Just because he was capable of having sex with girls didn't necessarily mean that's what he wanted.
"So," Marc said, interrupting Gary's thought, "are you close with your parents?"
"Fuck no."
"So, why are you so insistant on staying connected with them."
Gary paused.
"Ya know somethin'. For a teenager, you're full of awfully good questions."
"I try. Besides, you don't go through the foster care system without learning a lot. It forces you to grow up pretty quickly in some aspects."
"I can imagine."
Gary and Marcus had only been walked away from the path for a few minutes when they came to a small clearing. It was beautiful. It looked like a small piece of paradise in the middle of what was otherwise a fairly dense forest. There was a single tree in the middle that provided a small area of shade. Marcus walked over to the tree and Gary followed. They both sat down in the shade of the tree and Gary looked around in awe of how gorgeous it was in this one spot.
"How did you find this?" Gary asked in awe.
"Just walkin' around one day." Marcus picked up a stick and started breaking it into small pieces. "It's a little off the beaten path so I don't think that many people really know about it."
"Somebody must. The grass almost looks like it's maintained on a regular basis."
"I've come out here enough times to know that this grass doesn't get trimmed. It just seems to stay at a relatively reasonable length all season long."
"Weird."
"Yeah, but it's cool. And it gives it a little bit of mystery, ya know?"
"Hmmm."
Marcus leaned over towards Gary and rested his head on his cousins shoulder.
"So, what's your story," Gary asked. "I mean, seriously. Horny or not, most guys do not want to get head from another guy."
"I don't know. I guess I'm a little curious," he replied, picking his head up and turning to look at Gary. He noticed his prominent facial features and looked down to survey his cousins body. The definition of his modest musculature aroused him more than he expected. Although he was willing to blackmail his cousin, it more out of a desire to sleep with him than anything else. And he knew that even if Gary said no, he would never actually rat him out. Gary suspected the same thing after their chat.
Marcus reached his hand out and with the back of his hand, stroked gently down the side of Gary's face.
"Dude, I..." Gary attempted to form words but was slightly flustered by his young cousin. He was very attractive. He wasn't buff or even really toned but Gary could tell that he definitely took care of his body. Being he was only 17 probably helped as well.
"It's okay. We don't have to do anything. I just wanted to touch you," Marc said, lowering his hand. "You really are very handsome." He was incredibly nervous and could feel his heart pounding out of his chest. He wanted to lean forward and kiss Gary but was too nervous to follow through on his impulse. He had never been with another guy before but had been hit on by a gay kid at school. Part of him wanted to explore that option but he knew that, like his cousin, he just couldn't risk having anyone in school accuse him of being gay.
"You look pretty good too. You're turning out to be a very nice looking young man."
"Don't you want to kiss me?"
"I can't," Gary replied even though his crotch was telling him otherwise.
"Can't or won't."
"Marc, please. I'm confused enough already."
"I'm not looking for any kind of relationship or anything like that. Nothing complicated. No strings."
"Marcus!" Gary's heart was starting to race. Once again, he was beginning to think with the wrong head despite his best efforts to do otherwise. Marc noticed that Gary was starting to weaken and it gave him enough strength to lean in and kiss his cousin.
The kiss was forceful and rough. Marc wanted one thing and one thing only. This wasn't about romance. This was about fucking. Gary couldn't resist the urge to kiss him back. The two of them sat under the tree kissing each other passionately for a few minutes before Marc finally got up the nerve to reach his hand down and grope Gary through his pants.
"Stop." Gary broke the kiss.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't do this. I just can't."
"You don't have to do anything. Just let me suck your cock." Marc's hormones were raging and his inhibitions were gone.
"What? I thought you were the one who wanted the blowjob."
"Forget about that! I want to know what it feels like to have a cock in my mouth."
"Marcus!" But before Gary could finish his thought, he had repositioned himself so that his head was in Gary's lap and he was biting at Gary's dick through his jeans.
Gary stood up to try and walk away but Marcus was determined and he grabbed at the waistline to Gary's jeans. He pulled Gary close to him and quickly unbuttoned and unzipped him. Gary was getting so hard that his cock poked out the instant his jeans were yanked to the ground. Gary grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to push him away but not hard enough to actually move him. Marcus didn't wantto waste any more time so he pulled Gary's boxers resulting in having Gary's dick pointing right at his mouth.
He opened his mouth without any hesitation and impaled himself on Gary's dick. Gary groaned and instantly stopped resisting. Marc must have been paying attention when Julie had given him the blowjobs that he told Gary about because he sucked cock like a pro. He wasted no time either. He was pumping Gary's dick like a piston. It was probably one of the roughest blowjobs Gary had even been given but it felt so good that he didn't want it to end.
Marcus was moaning and slobbering all over Gary's cock like a whore. He was in absolute heaven. He had no idea how good he would feel pleasuring his "cousin" but he was so glad that he had finally gotten the balls to do it. He continued to increase his pace as he reached down and started to stroke himself through his khakis.
He could feel himself getting close to cumming so he unbuttoned his khakis, unzipped and pulled them down along with his underwear so that he could get a good grip on his meat. Gary looked down to see him stroking his 6", solid cock. It wasn't terribly long but it was incredibly thick. The sight of him stroking himself sent Gary over the edge and he started to shoot in Marc's mouth without any warning. He choked on the first shot but didn't stop pumping Gary's dick or his own. He could feel the cum hitting the back of his throat and it was turning him on so much.
When Gary had finished, Marcus buried Gary's cock down his throat and started stroking himself even faster. When he started cumming, his moaning sent vibrations though Gary's dick. The cum was flying onto the ground and Marcus couldn't stop moaning and whimpering.
He slowly pulled himself off of Gary's cock and Gary twitched as he did. When he stood up, he started passionately kissing Gary again. The two of them stood there, making out, with their pants around their ankles. Their beautiful asses faced out into the meadow from underneath the shade of the tree. As Gary's erection started to go down, his brain started to kick back in and the reality of what he had just done began to settle.
"What the fuck did we just do?" Gary said as he broke the kiss.
"Tell me you didn't like it," Marcus said with a smile.
"That is so irrelevant."
"So you did like it?"
"You're a fucking natural. But we should not have done that?"
"Why?" Marc asked. He bent down pulled his boxers and pants back up and looked Gary in the eye. "What's the big deal? It's just sex."
"I just don't need any more complications in my life." Gary followed suit and pulled his own pants up.
"You didn't exactly try too hard to stop me."
"I know. I'm an idiot. I think with my penis."
"No wonder why you're in so much trouble."
"You're not exactly one to talk! Apparently you do the same thing."
"I'm not hurting anyone in the process."
"Thanks."
"I didn't mean it as a dig." Marcus smiled, leaned in and kissed Gary on the nose. "Now let's head back before Mom starts to freak."
They started to walk out of the clearing and back towards the trail.
"So," Gary asked with a grin, "looks like you've developed a taste for cock."
"That was fuckin' hot."
"Yeah it was." Gary said in defeat. Although he still wasn't proud of his actions, Marcus was right. It felt damned good.
"So, when can we do it again?"
"I don't think we'll be doing that again."
"Yeah, right. All I'm gonna have to do is get down on my knees in front of you and you'll change your tune."
Gary held his arm out and held his cousin back from continuing forward another step.
"What? You wanna go again right now?"
"Ssshhh." Gary was gazing intently into the edge of the woods.
"What?"
"Someone's there."
"Bullshit! It's probably just some animal or something."
"I'm telling you, I saw a person."
"So, how'd it go?"
"It went," Karen said unenthusiastically.
"I'm sorry, sweetie," Stacey walked to Karen and put her arm around her. Karen immediately started to cry and turned her body into Stacey's. "Jesus!
Are you okay?" Stacey wrapped her other arm around Karen and hugger her tightly.
"No," she sobbed. "That fucking bastard!"
"Who? Your therapist or Gary?"
"Gary! I can't get the fucker out of my head. I hate him. I fuckin' hate him." The tears were streaming down her face. "That's all we talked about in therapy and all I did was cry. I spent a fucking hour crying and complaining about how awful I feel."
"Well, you probably needed it. You needed to let it all out."
"I know but I just can't do this! Every time I close my eyes I see him. It's killing me. Part of me wants to call him and tell him to come home. Another part of me wants to hunt the bastard down and murder him. I just don't know what to do." Her sobs continued to get heavier and her breathing was shallow.
Stacey held her tighter and started to stroke her hair gently. "It'll be okay, sweetie. I'm here for you."
"The shrink said this was just part of the process. That I had to mourn the relationship."
"That makes sense."
"I know," she said, pulling herself away and sniffling. She was trying desperately to calm herself down as she walked into the bathroom to get a tissue. Stacey followed her in.
"It's gonna take some time but you will get through this."
"I know. I just can't believe how much this hurts. I really did love him. Despite all of his shit."
"I know you did."
"But I have decided one thing."
"What's that?"
"Although I may be hurting on the inside, I will NEVER let him see it. And I will NEVER take him back. Now matter how confused and conflicted I feel, I just can't do that to myself. Thinking about it is one thing but acting on it would just be stupidity."
"Good for you."
"I can just see him trying to come crawling back to me and I won't do it." Karen's tears had stopped and her face reflected a look of resolve. She had made up her mind. She would never forgive him for what he had done to her and she meant it. Nothing he could say or do would ever change how she was feeling.
"Seems like you're already making progress."
"I do feel a little bit better. Despite my sloppy appearance," she chuckled. She looked into the mirror and saw her red, puffy eyes staring back at her. "Jesus. I wasn't kidding. I do look sloppy."
Stacey opened the linen cabinet, pulled out a face cloth and handed it to Karen. "Wipe your face with some cold water, you'll feel better."
"Thanks hun."
"Anytime."
Karen washed her face and did, in fact, feel a little bit better. Both of them walked out of the bathroom and into the living room where they sat down next to each other.
"I talked to him about Andrew, too," Karen said.
"Really? And?"
"He said I have no reason to forgive him either."
"Well, as much as I don't like that answer, I do agree. I just hate the fact that the three of us will never be able to hang out together anymore."
"I know. We always had so much fun."
"Yep."
"And who is gonna help me pick out all of my clothes? My fashion sense is AWFUL! I looked so damned good once he started dressing me!" She laughed.
"Do ya' think you could ever forgive him? I mean, you two do kinda have something in common now."
"What?"
"Well, Gary stomped on both of your hearts."
"Why, Gary told him to go screw?"
"He just keeps fucking with his head."
"Yeah, that does seem to be his M.O. these days, doesn't it?"
"Yep."
"But Drew screwed me over pretty hard. It's not like he was some innocent bystander that didn't know about Gary and I. He totally knew that I was head over heals for him."
"That's true."
"In his own way, he broke my heart as well. He violated my trust. I don't see how I could ever let him near any of my boyfriends ever again."
"He does feel bad about it."
"Yeah, and so does Gary but I'm not about to forgive him either."
"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to push you to forgive him."
"I know. And I know how difficult this is for you. You're trapped in the middle."
"And, unfortunately, you guys will probably have to at least be civil to each other at some point. I can't possibly be friends with both of you without you guys running into each other now and then."
"I know. And, eventually, I'm sure I'll be able to. Who knows? Maybe someday down the road I will get over all of this but it's not going to be anytime soon."
"And, in the meantime, I shall do my best to keep the two of you away from each other."
"Speaking of which. Did you think about the housing situation any more?"
"I actually talked to Andrew about that today."
"How'd that go over?"
"Not well. But we're gonna talk about it some more later."
"What's there to talk about?"
"Well, right now his parents are paying his portion of the rent so I can't just toss his stuff out on the lawn."
"That's fine. But I'm willing to pick up his third until we can find someone else. So, whenever he or his parents stop paying, just let me know.
Eventually, he's going to want all of his stuff."
"Yeah, I just can't think about all of that right now."
"And for now, you don't have to." Karen put her arm around Stacey. "So, what are your plans for the evening?"
"Well, my man is gonna take me out to dinner. You're welcome to join us if you so desire."
"Nah. I'm not much into the whole third-wheel thing."
"You wouldn't be!"
"I know you guys wouldn't do anything to make me feel that way. I'd end up doing it myself. Don't worry about it."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
"Alrighty, I'm gonna go get ready then."
Stacey stood up, bent over and kissed Karen on the forehead.
"Cheer up, hun," she said. "Everything will get better."
"Thanks."
Stacey turned and walked down the hall to her bedroom. Karen was, once again, left alone with nothing but her own thoughts. After sitting on the couch for a few minutes staring at the wall, she decided that she would go out and do some shopping. Spending money always made her feel better. 'Andrew's therapy', she thought to herself before getting up and yelling down the hall. "I'm gonna go out, Stace."
"Where ya' goin'," Stacey yelled from behind her door.
"Just to the mall."
"Sure you don't want to come with us?"
"Positive, thanks though."
"Alrighty. Have fun!"
"I shall try."
Karen grabbed her keys and walked out to her car. When she turned the key, her radio immediately came on and it was tuned to her favorite country station. When she heard the song that was playing, she froze. It was their song. Not just their song but the song they always said they would use as their wedding song. "When I Said I Do" by Clint and Lisa Hartman Black. She could feel herself getting emotional again and snapped herself out of it. She reached over and changed the station. Eminem was on the local top 40 station. She hated Eminem but anything was better than that song in her mind.
"Can you pass the potatoes, Mom," I was STARVING. It had been a fun day. My Dad had stayed home with me all day and we played video games. I was getting to know my father and he was getting to know me. I felt like a part of my life that had been missing was finally being filled in.
"Sure thing." Mom passed the potatoes across the table and Dad started to laugh. "What's so funny?"
"I was just thinking about that game that Drew and I were playing today."
"Which one, Dad?"
"Mario Golf."
"Oh!" I laughed.
"Okay, wanna clue me in?" Mom said with a smile. She was so happy to see the two of us laughing and talking together.
"There are these comment buttons that you can push when the other person is trying to putt and I didn't tell Dad about them. He was convinced that I had picked a rude character."
"Yeah," Dad interrupted, "until I saw him pushing the buttons. It was saying things like 'hurry up, already' while I was trying to line up my shot."
We both laughed.
"Well, you WERE being a little slow about it."
"I don't play video games very often."
"I know. And, all things considered, you did a pretty damned good job!"
"It was fun, regardless."
"Well, I'm glad you boys had a good time today while I slaved away at the office."
"Awww. Sorry, Mom."
"No, no. I'm just teasing. It's nice to see you two hanging out together again."
"It WAS nice," I said with a smile to my Dad. "I hope we can do it again sometime soon."
"Me too."
The phone rang and my Mom excused herself to answer it.
"Hello? ..... Oh hi, sweetheart! ..... How are you? ..... Definitely! ..... Hang on one second." She handed the phone over to me. "It's Derek."
I smiled and took the phone from her.
"Hello."
"Hey Drew!"
"Hi! I didn't expect to hear from you again today."
"I'm not bothering you, am I?"
"Nah. We're just finishing up with dinner."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll let you go."
"No, no. It's fine. What's goin' on?"
"I can't talk long either but I just had to call and say good night."
"Awww. That's sweet of you."
"I try."
"You succeed."
"And I have a piece of good news for you?"
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I'm gonna be coming home late tomorrow. I'll be getting in very early the following day."
"Really? That's awesome!"
"I'm psyched! Angela and I hammered out all of the details and then she's going to be coming stateside next week to see our offices."
"That's so cool!"
"Well, it's kinda late here so I'm gonna get going. I just wanted to give you a quick call."
"What time IS it?"
"It's like 12:30."
"Oy! There's that whole 6 hours difference thing at work!"
"Yeah."
"Well, go to bed, young man."
"Yessir!"
"I'll see you when you get home."
"I miss you." Derek said softly.
"I miss you too."
"Alright, I'm gonna go."
"Talk to you soon."
"Love you."
"I love you, too," I said.
"Bye."
"Sweet dreams."
When I hung up the phone, I looked up and noticed that both of my parents had stopped eating and were watching me intently.
"What?" I laughed.
Mom was all teary-eyed.
"I'm sorry. We didn't mean to eavesdrop but you just sounded so happy."
"I am, Mom. I'm starting to consider things I had never thought about before. I mean, he's my best friend!"
"And that's the best part," my Dad said. "I know I married mine." He reached over and put his hand on my Mom's.
Now I was getting teary-eyed.
"I hope this doesn't change," I said.
"What's that, kiddo?"
"We've become a totally different family over the past few weeks. I've never felt closer to you guys."
"It's just a shame that it took us almost losing you for it to happen," my Dad said.
"I'm fine and something good came out of it. That's all that matters."
I went to bed that night feeling happier than I can recall feeling in a very long time. Everything seemed like it was coming together. Granted, my housing situation was exactly perfect but, for now, I was kinda enjoying being with my parents. And then there was Derek. I never imagined just how happy he could make me. But, just the sound of his voice and the knowledge that he would be home in about 36 hours put me on cloud nine. Things were only looking up and the possibilities seemed endless.
As Gary and Marcus stood there, a figure stepped out from the shadows. It was Julie.
"Wow," she said. "That was quite the show."
"Jules," Marcus said, turning slightly pale.
"Fuckin' great," Gary chuckled. "Can anything else possibly go wrong?"
"You're not gonna tell Mom, are you?"
"Tell her what? That you're a cocksucker? Why would I do that? It's one of my favorite past-times. Who am I to criticize? Besides it's not like you don't have something on me."
"So, what? You were just sitting there watching?" Gary asked.
"And touching myself. Yeah. One of the best orgasms I've had in a long time. Thanks!"
"You guys really are sick out here."
"It's not a very bustling area, Gary. We have to entertain ourselves somehow. It's either drugs or sex. And, frankly, Marc is suck a good cunt licker that drugs just don't seem like an option."
"That's great, Julie."
"So, how is he at giving head?"
"We are not discussing this!"
"Why not? Now is not the time to be shy. I've seen you naked now, remember?"
"I'd rather not think about it."
"What about a threesome?" Marcus asked.
"HELL NO!" Gary yelled. "Things have gone far enough!"
"Fine, fine," Julie said, "just let me know if you're going to do it again so I can watch. I'll bring my vibrator next time."
"Fuckin' A." Gary rolled his eyes.
"Loosen up, G."
"Sorry. I don't think that's an option. I've got a lot on my mind and now I've got two cousins that have seen me naked and one that has given me a blowjob."
"We CAN make that two," Julie said with a devilish grin.
"Julie!"
"Wow. You ARE uptight. You just have to stop thinking of us as cousins. We aren't related, remember?"
"I know that but it still doesn't seem right."
"Oh get OVER yourself," Julie said as she turned to walk back towards the house. "Besides," she yelled behind her, "it's a little late to be questioning things. Marc's already had a Gary protein shake."
Gary wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. It was funny but it still seemed kinda wrong.
"Let's just go home and have dinner, please." Gary said.
"You having me for dessert, Marc? Or are you done with pussy now?"
"Of course I'm having you for dessert. Just because I've tasted cock doesn't mean I'm gonna neglect my sweet sister."
"See. That's where I get skeeved out. When you talk about eating your SISTERS pussy. NASTY!"
"Oh, it's fun. It's just a game."
"Whatever."
Julie and Marcus spent the rest of the walk back trying to make Gary as uncomfortable as possible. He wasn't sure whether to laugh, be turned on or be completely repulsed. As usual, he was confused.
When they got back to the house, Aunt Mary had set the table and the house was full of wonderful smells. She had been cooking a ham since before they left for church and it smelled so good. When they all sat down to eat, Julie and Marc spent most of dinner throwing around sexual innuendo that their mother was apparently oblivious too. Now Gary was amused.
"So, Gary, how are you feeling now," Aunt Mary asked.
"I'm feeling much better. And this dinner is awesome!"
"Well, thank you, dear. I try."
"So, I hear you met Mr. Thompson?"
"Mr. Thompson?"
"Yes. I was talking to him about you and he said you must have been the one he met on the steps."
Gary gulped. "Oh, yeah, him."
"Isn't he such a sweet man? Oh - and such a good father too. He just loves his little girls."
"We didn't talk for very long."
"Oh, he's great. You'd love him."
Marcus stifled his laughter. Gary simply didn't respond to his Aunt after that.
"You missed a good sermon, Gary," his Uncle Frank added. Uncle Frank was older than Aunt Mary but you never would have guessed. He was in excellent physical condition and looked like he was Gary's age. He and Marcus went running together every morning and with all the church activities that Frank did, he kept himself quite busy.
"I'm sure it was. I just wasn't feeling well at all." Gary knew that the sermon was not something he wanted to be a part of but he wasn't about to let his Aunt and Uncle know that.
"It's a topic that really needs to be addressed. The gays are taking over our society."
"What do you mean taking over?" Gary couldn't resist engaging his Uncle in a little conversation. He would be careful with his words but he was interested in his Uncle's backwards opinion.
"They're on TV. They're holding parades. They have equal protection under the law. And now they want marriage rights. That's like saying I should have the right to go marry my dog if I want to."
"So, you're comparing two human beings to a human being and a dog?"
"It's just as wrong."
"Says who?"
"Jesus."
"And, what does Jesus have to do with governmental regulations? We live in a country that supposedly separates affairs of church and state." Gary's Uncle looked at him strangely and Gary realized that perhaps he was getting too involved in the conversation. "I'm just playing devil's advocate, that's all." Marcus was looking at Gary as though he had lost his mind.
"Devil, indeed. That's the only explanation for this gay nonsense."
"But you didn't answer my question."
"Now, now," Mary chimed in, "is this really dinner conversation?"
"It's okay, Mary. The boy wants a conversation and apparently needs an education."
"Excuse me?" Gary replied.
"Well, I think you're a little confused on the issue. You see, religion needs to step in when government starts to fail our society. And, up until President Bush, it had been failing us miserably."
"I disagree. I believe that everyone deserves to fall in love with the PERSON of their choice and have that love recognized the same as anyone else."
"You live too close to the city. It has clouded your mind and curropted your thoughts."
"Open-mindedness will appear that way to people that don't have it."
Gary's Uncle slammed his fork down onto the table and looked sternly across the table at Gary. Everyone else had stopped eating and was just staring at Gary.
"Now you listen here, young man," his Uncle said. "I will not be insulted in my own house and especially not at my own dinner table under the grace of God."
"I live by a philosophy, Uncle Frank. Treat people the way you want to be treated. You started insulting my and I returned the favor. I assumed that was the way you wanted me to react to you since that was how you were reacting to me. You're correct. You shouldn't be insulted in your own house. But, then again, you shouldn't be insulting people and expect them to sit there and take it."
"I wasn't insulting you at all. Just trying to educate you."
"Saying that I obviously needed an education was insulting. And the only reason to resort to insults is when you're incapable of having a calm and friendly debate. A debate requires open-mindedness and a willingness to examine ALL the facts. Not just the ones you believe in. So, in actuality, I wasn't insulting you at all. Just stating the facts."
"Alright, boy," he said with a grin. "Why don't you educate me then?"
"Gladly," Gary said. Now Gary was getting pissed off. He had studied some parts of the Bible during his relationship with Mike. He had been questioning whether or not Jesus really did hate homosexuality and he had studied the very verses that Mr. Thompson had made reference to earlier.
"Let's start with one of the bible verses that I'm SURE was quoted today in the sermon. Leviticus 20:13. It basically says that if a man lies with a man the way he lies with a woman that both have committed a sin and shall be put to death, correct?"
"Absolutely. And, you're right, the pastor did cite that passage today."
"Did he cite some of the passages that come before that? Leviticus 19:27 condemns haircuts and shaving stating in the exact same words that it is equally sinful." His Uncles face fell. "Leviticus 19:19 condemns wearing clothes of more than one type of fabric. Also a sin."
"It can't possibly treat them as equal sins."
"Why not? Who's to differentiate? It's not differentiated in the Bible. So, is it up to you or the pastor to determine which is worse?"
"These are questions that you should bring to the pastor."
"Why? He's going to claim that one is worse than the other. He won't acknowledge that according to the same verse he uses to condemn homosexuality with, would also condemn him for cutting his hair and shaving."
"I'm not sure what to say but I'm sure there's an explanation."
"There isn't. And, by the way, you look freshly shaven today. And, is that a poly/cotton blend shirt you're wearing. Looks like you've committed double the sin of a homosexual."
"And, why is it that you know this so well and that you defend homosexuality?"
"I have gay friends," Gary said without hesitation. "And they're not sex-crazed maniacs that abuse little boys like most people think. They love one another. They are perfectly normal people."
"I had no idea you were so well versed in the Bible."
"I have learned how to combat the attempt to use the Bible for hatred and justification of discrimination against anyone. If you want some websites that quote more verses, I will gladly give them to you."
"I'm not sure I like this conversation."
"I didn't think you would."
"You're excused, Gary," Aunt Mary said loudly.
"I'm not finished with my dinner."
"You are now."
Gary stood up to leave the table and the squeak of his chair against the hardwood floor was quickly followed by another. Gary looked up to see Marcus standing.
"And just where do you think you're going, young man?"
"Gary has a valid point. And you're both just brushing it off. You're not willing to look at the Bible verses that disagree with what has been pushed down your throats for years and years. I wasn't raised to not look at all of the facts. You both raised me to ask questions and to keep an open mind.
I don't that you're practicing what you preach, so to speak."
"That doesn't excuse you from the table, nor does it give you the right to talk to us like this," Uncle Frank said as he tried to remain calm.
Julie's chair was the next to be pushed out. Aunt Mary pulled her napkin off her lap and threw it on the table.
"This is ridiculous! Look at what you have done, Gary. You've turned our own children against us," she said, choking back tears. "I hope you're happy."
"I'm not happy that they're choosing to defy you. But I am happy that you've taught them to be analytical and logical. You should be proud of that." Gary turned away from the table and started to walk away.
"Gary," his Uncle said calmly. Gary turned to look at him. "I still don't agree with your position on the gays but that's no reason for us to argue. Nor is it a reason for us to break up this fine meal. Come back and sit. That goes for you two as well."
Julie and Marcus sat reluctantly and Gary started to walk back towards the table.
"So," Gary said, "what about the Bible verses?"
"Perhaps I should study them a little further and bring it up to the pastor."
Gary sat down at the table. He knew that even if he hadn't completely opened his Uncle's mind, he at least got him to acknowledge that maybe he didn't know everything there was to know about the book he believed in so heavily.
The rest of the meal was finished in silence.
The next morning I could barely contain my excitement. Derek was going to be home in just 24 hours and my cast was going to be removed in 6 more days.
I was just getting more and more excited. Suddenly, my housing situation ceased to matter. In fact, I was giving some honest consideration to hanging around with my parents for awhile. They had even offered to convert the large loft in the garage into an apartment. I felt just like Mike from that old show, "Growing Pains". Seriously though, things were really looking up.
I decided that I was going to get out of the house today. Even if all I did was hobble out to the back yard and sit in the swing, it was better than sitting indoors. It was a beautiful day and I was determined to make the most of it. I grabbed my composition notebook, put it into my messenger bag and then got myself out to the swing.
I took a deep breath and just enjoyed all the smells that being outside had to offer. It was heavenly. Sunny days always seem to be better and brighter when things in your life are going well.
I turned my attention to my composition book. As I thumbed through it, I was reminded of all the pieces that I had been working on. I had so many unfinished projects. But I wasn't interested in revisiting the past. I had woken up with a tune in my head and it was begging to be written down. Derek had inspired me to write again.
The notes flowed from my hand as if they controlled it. Before I knew it, the page was decorated with clefs, notes and rests. It was only a framework but at least I had gotten it out. And, although it wasn't being played aloud, I could hear it in my head and I was getting goosebumps. The melody had unlimited potential and I could already hear the harmonies in the background. This was going to be one of the biggest undertakings I had ever attempted. This was going to be more than a simple string quartet or solo piano piece. I had to think bigger.
I turned the page and began writing for a flute. I knew that I wasn't properly notating because I had never written for a flute. But there was time for that later. For now, it only had to make sense to me. I would get it all into the computer as soon as I was able to make my way into the basement. I had neglected the mini-studio in the basement of my parents' house since moving into Stacey's but, as soon as I could, I would change that.
Page after page flowed from my soul. It seemed as though it was almost writing itself. I wasn't 100% sure how well it would all sound together but I had already written the melody for a violin and harmonies for the rest of the string section and woodwinds. There were still days of work ahead of me but I had made a good dent in it before my stomach demanded that I go back inside and get something to eat. Four hours had passed and it only felt like 20 minutes - tops.
I was still having a hard time negotiating my way around the house with my bulky cast but Mom had done her best to make things more accessible. I opened the fridge and found a note from her on top of a Tupperware container. 'I packed up the leftovers from last night. Have a good day. Love - Mom'. It made me smile. 'She's so cute,' I said out loud.
"So, that's two tablets of the Amoxicillin, twice daily. She's gonna be just fine."
"Thanks, Karen. Both you and Dr. Madesko have been great. We weren't sure what to expect when she was diagnosed with Lyme Disease but my little Tilly seems like she's going to be okay now."
Tilly was a 4-year old Border Collie with beautiful markings. She had come in the day before and was admitted to the hospital for treatment, antibiotics and fluids. She was slightly dehydrated and very lethargic when she came in but was already doing much better.
"Yeah, the tricky part is going to be keeping her quiet. She seems like quite the little spitfire."
"Oh, that's my girl."
"And, not the easiest dog to get pills into either. She somehow manages to eat around them when we put it in her food. Unfortunately, you'll have to open her mouth and do it the old-fashioned way."
"I've never had to do that before."
"Oh, it's easy. I can show you."
Karen stepped around behind Tilly and got into a position where she could easily hold her with her legs and still have easy access to her mouth. Tilly's owner was trying to pay attention to Karen's demonstration but was paying more attention to Karen than Tilly. He was about Karen's height with a modest build. He had short, spikey hair and glasses. He was very much the studious type and Karen had learned that he was a professor at one of the local community colleges. His name was Mr. Aldo but he had insisted that Karen call him Justin.
Although he was looking at Karen's face and listening to the words coming out of her mouth, he found himself transfixed more on her beautiful face than the explanation of how to pill his dog. There was something about sending patients home that always made Karen's face light up. She smiled. She talked to the pets. And she really enjoyed educating the owner on everything they would need to do when they got home.
"So, it really isn't that difficult at all. Wanna try it?"
"Huh?" Justin snapped back to reality but wasn't quite sure what Karen had just said.
"Do you want to try it while you're here?"
"Oh, uhm, nah, I think I can handle it."
"Okay, well, if you have any problems, you can always bring her by and I can show you again."
"Sounds great!"
"Alright, Til. We'll see you back in a few weeks for a recheck, sweetie," Karen said as she bent down to pet the dog.
"Thanks again," Justin said as he turned and headed towards the door. He took about four steps before turning back around. "Hey, Karen."
"Yes?"
"I don't usually do this but, uhm, I was just wondering what you're doing for dinner tonight."
"Oh!" Karen was floored. She was not expecting to get hit on at work and it caught her off guard. It wasn't as if she looked her best. She was in medical scrubs and had her hair tied up to keep it out of her face (and to keep young kittens from batting at it while she worked on them). "I, uhm. Nothing."
"Would you be interested in going out?"
"I, uhh," part of her wanted to say 'yes' but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. "I can't. I'm sorry."
"Oh, no, that's fine." Justin tried to hide his disappointment and figured that she must have a boyfriend already. Why wouldn't she? She was gorgeous! "I didn't mean to.."
"No, no. You didn't. It's okay." Karen was nervous. Not only had she never been hit on at work but it had been years since anyone had hit on her at all.
"Well, thanks again." Justin turned back around to avoid any more awkward conversation and started to walk out.
"Uhm, Justin," Karen called after him.
"Yeah?"
"Maybe some other night?"
Justin smiled. "I'd like that. Should I call you?"
"I have your number here. I'll call you."
"I look forward to it." Justin's disappointment had been quickly replaced by feelings of anticipation and happiness.
Karen raised her hand and waived to him. Justin waived back, turned around and walked right into the door. "OW! Shit!" He rubbed his head. Karen put her hand over her mouth and stifled a laugh. She walked over to him.
"You alright?"
"Nothing bruised but my ego," he chuckled as he opened the door.
"Okay," Karen chuckled back.
"I'll talk to you later."
He waived to her and walked to the car. "C'mon Tills. We're goin' home."
Karen smiled and went back inside. The receptionist looked up at her with a huge grin.
"So! Going out with the dashing Mr. Aldo?"
"Maybe. I don't know. I don't think I'm really ready but I didn't want to just blow him off either."
"Oh, nonsense. Nothing says you have to go out and marry the guy. Just go out, tell him the truth and have a good time. You deserve it!"
"I guess you're right. We'll see."
Karen walked into the back of the hospital with a little more of a spring in her step than she had before.
Gary's mother had just gotten home from work when she heard a knock at the door.
"God dammit. Can't even get in the fuckin' door and get settled without someone wanting something. Probably some god damned salesman." She angrily made her way towards the door and flung it open. "Oh my God! What the fuck are you doing here?"
"What?"
"You heard me."
"I was ... just ... looking for Gary."
"Yeah, well, he's not here. And, frankly, you shouldn't be."
"I don't understand."
"Look. Just get the fuck out."
She slammed the door on Mike's face.