North Meets South

Story: North Meets South: When World's Collide

Chapter: 4 The Sams

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Mature Readers only due to sexual situations and graphic sexual content

Freedom of expression is precious. To do that Nifty needs help. Your donation is greatly desired. Give to http://donate.nifty.org/ or this story ends and all the others! That would be a crime!

Mitch takes Tony and Nick to visit his mother's side of the family in the Appalachian Mountains. All conversations and people are very real. I condensed some for the story. The McKenzies, The Sams, and the Delveccios are very real.

The Sams

I can only say, after the confrontation with my parents, aunts, uncles, and others, I felt this huge weight lift! We, Tony and myself, and those few cousins went to the living room. It had originally been a bedroom, all the rooms were bedrooms that stretched beyond the kitchen and living room, but now they used it as something else. Tony and I sat on the couch there. It wasn't long before my cousins were acting as they had years before as I knew them. Cutting up, ribbing each other. Ribbing Tony! They loved him. Who wouldn't?

"God, I love your accent!" Mary smiled at Tony.

Tony smiled at me. "I don't have an accent, you do." Then he looked at the other cousins and grinned. "Or should I say, ya'll do?"

Rhonda grinned at me. "He's gorgeous!" Then looked at Tony. "You're sure you're gay?"

"Would it be more believable if he were ugly?" I asked.

Tony smiled. "I was gay last night."

Mary smiled. "Mitch is good looking, too, but a cousin."

I chuckled. "Mary was runner up for Miss North Carolina," I told Tony. "If she thinks your handsome, it's true."

"Really?" Tony nodded with a growing smile. "A Southern beauty queen."

Looking at my cousins, we all shared the same grandmother and grandfather, all but Chuck had the same black hair and dark eyes. Chuck had his father's sandy colored hair. We looked more like siblings than cousins. And we were really. Then a young woman came carrying a little boy about one-year-old. She was blonde as was the baby's.

Chuck looked up and smiled at her. "Oh, Mitch, this is Pam, my wife." He got up and took the baby. "And this is Nate. Nathaniel officially. My son."

It had been a few years since I'd seen these people and I felt a pang of regret as I stood walking over to Chuck and his son. I missed their wedding and the birth of their son. I smiled at Pam. "It's nice to meet you, Pam." Then I got closer to Nate. "I'm your cousin, Mitch."

Pam smiled at me. "That was quite a speech you gave them." She grinned. "A swift kick in their complacency was needed."

"Well, we have an addition you haven't known about." Tony smiled. "Mitch is a step-father."

"Really?" Michael smiled at us.

I nodded. "Tony has a son. Nicolas."

"How old is he?" Mary asked.

"He'll be nineteen in October," Tony answered.

All my cousins' eyes widened, but David voiced his surprise. "You had him when you were ten or twelve!?"

"How old are you, Tony?" Mary asked.

"I will be thirty-eight on the eleventh of November," Tony admitted. "So, I was not much older than ten or twelve." He smiled guiltily. "I was in my first year of college. Jean was a senior in high school. Nick was conceived Valentine's Day weekend." He shrugged. "We married in the first weekend the following June."

Three of my aunts came into the living room.

"They're getting ready to serve dinner." Aunt Judy, Michael, and David's mother said.

"Mitch, what you're father said." Aunt Hilda said. "Doesn't come from all of us. We only want you happy."

I nodded. "Thanks." I turned to Tony. "This is Earl's wife, Aunt Hilda."

Then we heard a commotion in the hall.

"Richard, think." I heard a man challenge my father and two uncles came in. The man that spoke was Uncle Bernie, Aunt Judy's husband. Dad was Bernie's Irish twin. The truth was Uncle Bernie and Dad looked a lot alike even eleven months apart in age. Not like David and Michael, but damned close.

Dad wrenched his arm from his brother's hold on his arm. "I want you..." he pointed at Tony angrily, "...out of here. You're not welcome here."

"Oh, Richard." Aunt Judy said sadly looking at her brother-in-law.

The other was JC, my eldest Uncle. "Stop. This isn't helping." He said to his brother. He also had a strong resemblance to his brothers.

Tony rose holding his hand up. "That's okay. I'll go."

"Absolutely not!" I said equally angry at my father. "Let it go, Dad."

"He doesn't love you. He can't love you!" Dad said as he fumed. "He's a man!!"

"But I do," Tony said quietly. "What do you know about love, Mr. McKenzie? Have you told your family about the Aversion Therapy? Was that love?"

Dad looked a little surprised. "It was to help him. Of course, it was love."

Aunt Faye looked at her brother. "What does this Aversion Therapy do?"

"Tony," I looked at Tony quietly.

"No." Tony shook his head. "You may not want to tell them, but I will." Then he turned to everyone there. "He had someone use techniques on his son even the Geneva Convention said was inhumane on enemy prisoners. He tortured his son! His son!!"

"What?" Uncle JC looked surprised at his brother as did everyone else.

"This doctor his father authorized to treat his son, who was only sixteen at the time, attached electrodes to his body, the showed him images to bring arousal. Every time he got aroused, he was shocked. Literally electrocuted every time to recondition his son's mind."

My cousins were staring at me, and then Dad in shock.

"Oh, Uncle Richard," Michael said sadly, appalled.

"How could you?" Mary asked in disbelief.

"Richard," Faye said in almost a wail. "That was cruel."

Dad looked at all there. "It was to help him!"

"To make him become what you wanted," Tony said. "What you imagined him to be. When he said he wasn't to you, he trusted you, but you were going to make damned sure he would be. To the point you nearly killed him!" Tony pointed at me. "He was suffering headaches every day as his true nature tried to come back."

Aunt Judy was furious. "There's a knife in the kitchen that's very sharp. Maybe that will help. If that doesn't cut the gayness out of him, then at least he'll die with great less suffering!"

Dad looked for everyone to understand. "He was going to die anyway!" He waved to me. "What he is, is a living death!"

"It is not!" Tony argued. "He's alive! Since I met him, he has been with me through a really dark place. I was almost killed in the World Trade Center that September morning. I was dying. Then I meet this man." He walked to me. "His humor and his love helped me out of that place. I'm still coming out of it. He is a strong man, a brave man. He was so upset about coming here he was literally shaking. Your conditioning of him was so thorough. Yet, here he is. Facing you and telling the truth! That's brave."

That's when Chuck stepped forward. "They are staying!" He said firmly. "Or we leave, too." He said holding his son and joined by Pam.

"And us," Michael said standing with his cousin Chuck. Then David, Mary, Rhonda, Sherry, Uncles JC and Bernie standing with their sisters and wives. United against my father.

"They stay!" Uncle JC said in a tone that wasn't asking for confirmation. He was the patriarch.

Things began to blur for me. I hadn't realized how it would affect me, but I was crying. My family did really love me.

Tony walked closer to my father. "Mr. McKenzie, you raised an amazing human being. Stop worrying about what he is and find out who he is. You'll find him loyal, loving, caring and selfless. He's someone to be proud of, not ashamed of. Get to know him."

My father was in such shock, by his siblings, nieces, and nephews, he was speechless.

"Now, as I said," Judy said again. "We're serving, so everyone come to get something to eat." Then she turned to Tony. "All family needs to come, including you, Tony."

Tony smiled. "Thanks." He kissed her on the cheek. "We'll be there." He held his hand out to me which I took.

"So, when are you going to have this wedding?" Rhonda asked changing the subject drastically.

"I've never been to a gay wedding!" Sherry said happily. "I definitely want to come! I insist!"

"And you stay in touch, damn it!" Chuck growled. "I want both your numbers and emails!"

Tony laughed. "He just asked me to marry him yesterday, we haven't planned a thing."

"I'll be having one of my own in a year," Michael said happily. "Then everyone will be able to tell David and me apart."

"Yeah," David chuckled. "He'll have the ball and chain around his ankle. I won't."

After that, it was all good. Tony was a new member of the family getting kidded about his accent and ribbed mercilessly by all my cousins. Which like with Nick, Tony ate it up and gave it back!

We got to the Bed and Breakfast about midnight, collapsing on the bed.

"You left out something when you described your family," Tony moaned rubbing his stomach. "They're damned good cooks! I'll be stuffed a week!"

I rolled over looking down at him. "They are."

Tony smiled. "You were amazing. They're good people. You stood up to them bravely. You stood up to your father. That was something to be proud of."

I nodded. "It's finally over. I feel lighter now." Then I chuckled. "And since we're on the coast, we'll be having a lot of guests now." Then I grinned. "Just for the beach, of course."

"Of course the beach is the only reason they'll come to visit." Tony smiled knowing it wasn't the real reason. "You've only had me meet your part of the family. Wait until you meet the Delveccios." His eyebrows waggled.

I chuckled. "After this, no problem. You haven't met Mom's side of the family yet." I warned. "That shouldn't be as bad as this was."

"So, Thanksgiving at your Mom's family, an annual reunion with your Dad's family and Christmas with mine." Tony smiled. "We'll be busy."

"And the many trips not on any schedule, yes."

I was back at work that Tuesday. Things were definitely a lot better now. Tony started working for this Investment Firm that needed an office in Charleston. Tony was their guy. He still did the private consultant thing he did for selected clients. Alan, my boss, made me his number two. When he wasn't there I was the manager. I was before, but now it was official.

When my cousins came, not all at once, but they were wide-eyed when they came into our home.

"Boy," David marveled. "I gotta find me a rich boyfriend." He said quietly. "How big is this place? It looks huge!"

"Forty-one hundred square feet," I answered.

"For the last time, I'm not rich!!" Tony growled.

I waved Tony off. "Ignore him. He is."

Tony's eyes just rolled and gave up throwing his hands up in surrender with a tired huff.

"It helps to be gay to have a boyfriend." I grinned at David.

David shrugged. "I'll convert!"

Then the day came when I got home before Tony and was making dinner. I couldn't cook Italian meals as well as Tony, but I could cook. Americana. Roast beef, chicken, vegetables...you know.

I heard the door open and he came in with a sigh and put his briefcase on the counter. "Ciao, Luce dei Miei Occhi." He greeted me. Calling me the light of his eyes.

I grinned as he came and kissed me. "Ciao, voi stessi." I said back, saying hi, yourself.

Tony grinned. "You might learn enough Italian to weather meals with my family."

I smiled back. "That's the goal."

"You've only been learning a few months, that's great!" He said opening his briefcase.

"I'm motivated," I said watching him dig out some papers. "The Rosetta Stone language computer program wasn't kidding about learning quickly." Then I pointed to his stack of papers. "What's that?"

Tony smiled at me. "The paperwork that will tie us together." He spread them over the counter. He pointed to a piece of paper. "This is for the bank. Our accounts are joining. What's mine is yours and vice-versa." Then he pointed to another piece of paper. "This is an insurance policy, making you the beneficiary of the policy." Then he pointed to another couple of pages. "These are Durable Powers of Attorney. We will legally become each other's' next of kin."

I looked at the many papers. Then looked at Tony. "I never wanted your money, you know."

Tony nodded. "I know." He frowned. "In fact, it kept us from getting together."

I looked at him surprised. "It did not!"

"In the beginning," Tony said. "Understand. You saw the money and the things I had, and I saw you resist. It made you very uncomfortable."

I nodded. "I was, but I got over it."

He smiled. "That made me love you more." He kissed me. "I realized you loved me, not the money." He sighed. "When I was involved with Luke, he and I were attracted to each other at first, but he saw the money and that's when he moved in." He ran his fingers through my hair. "I, on the other hand, moved in with you. You didn't care." He chuckled. "In fact, you still don't. I can't stop you from shopping at Walmart for clothes."

My eyes narrowed. "And what's wrong with Walmart?"

He chuckled. "I didn't say there was anything wrong with Walmart. I've never even stepped a foot in a Walmart." He sighed. "Sign these and we will legally be like we are married."

"Without the marriage certificate." I nodded. "Fine. So, I'm protected, what about you?" Then I shrugged thinking how ludicrous that statement was. "I don't really have anything to give you."

Tony frowned. "Oh, yes you do." He brought me into an embrace. "You give me love. You give me purpose. I feel in many ways you gave me your life, your family." He looked at me. "You give me clarity. I love you."

"Fine," I said moving the papers so I could sign them. "Pen?"

Tony smiled handing me a pen.

"You don't go anywhere!" I signed all the places that were highlighted. "Understood?" I asked handing him back the pen.

"I'm not planning on it." Tony chuckled kissing me again. "What's for dinner?" He sniffed.

Nick and I had birthdays in the same month. So, we had a joint celebration in the middle. His was on the eighth, mine was on the twenty-second. We did it a weekend in between.

"What are your plans for Thanksgiving?" I asked Nick at the table in the restaurant.

He shrugged, "I was planning to spend it with you guys."

Tony smiled. "We'll be in Asheville."

"You're welcome to come. You're family," I said.

Nick looked at me uneasily. "This is the mountain family?"

I nodded, "Hayseeds and all."

"Will they welcome another Italian, Yankee Catholic? Even if I don't go to Mass now?" Nick asked cautiously.

I shrugged, "You're my step-son. Of course, they will."

Nick grinned. "Okay, but if I hear one banjo..."

"Shut up." Tony shoved his son's head lightly with a grin.

Then Tony and I celebrated his thirty-eighth birthday. This time, I made him dinner. A true Italian dinner. Boy, was I sweating that one. I made eggplant parmesan! I even made garlic bread as I had watched Tony do so many times. I had a couple of surprises for him.

As he came home that evening. I had the lights in our home dimmed, a table set formally with china, crystal, and lit candles. Our home had a delicious smell now.

Tony's face scrunched as he walked in. Then he saw me and his eyes grew.

"Mitch!!" He smiled.

I had gotten my old uniform when I was with the police cleaned and pressed. I wore it as he came in, spinning the handcuffs in my right hand. "You always wanted to see me in my old uniform. Well, here it is," I waved my hand over it as I wore it. "It's all here, except the gun."

He shook his head. "Oh, you don't need a gun." He grinned. "I'll go willingly, officer." He held his hands out to be cuffed as he came over. Then kissed me.

I smiled. "Buon Compleanno."

He chuckled. "I'll make you an Italian yet. You'll see." Then he sniffed. "Is that..."

"Your favorite. Eggplant Parmesan and a special dessert."

His face widened as he grinned. "Is desert you?"

"Okay, one of two desserts."

Dinner was great, soft music and I even had a wine for him which I shared. I still didn't get the wine's appeal, but who was I to question thousands of years that said otherwise? And I only had one glass. It tasted like I was licking a wooden board and a hint of grape.

"This may not be Italian, but..." I brought out his cake.

His eyes grew seeing the candles. "What kind of cake is that?"

"A tiramisu layer cake." I placed it in front of him. "Thirty-eight candles and I plan to be around when I can double it for you."

Tiramisu wasn't incredibly sweet and neither was this cake. It did taste like tiramisu...in a cake form. Delicious! Even if I do say so myself. Tony had two big pieces!

It was a pleasant evening, ending with me throwing him against the counter as I frisked him. "You have the right to remain silent."

Tony chuckled. "Make sure everything's clean."

My hands roamed over his body paying attention to his crotch and ass. He liked his silk boxers, which didn't offer much in protecting him from my probing fingers on his cock, or the crack of his ass.

"What are the charges, officer?" Tony asked.

"For being criminally sexy."

Tony chuckled. "I guess I'm guilty if you say I am." Then he looked at me. "You do have the keys for those, right?"

I grinned. "Do I?" Then I was a cop again. "Let's go." I escorted him in the bedroom where I unbuttoned his shirt. Pulling the tie off and laid it across the bureau. Pushing his shirt open and pulling his shirttail out, I ran my fingers in his chest hair. After all these months, my desire for Tony only increased. I unfastened his belt and slid his pants down. Then pushed him down on the bed and straddled his body. "Am I still attractive to you?" I asked as I began to unbutton my shirt.

"Oh, yes." Tony nodded, saying it in a hoarse whisper. "Feel my cock. You'll feel how much I'm attracted to you."

I smiled down at him. I did reach back, my fingers taking hold of his stiff, hard cock. My doing it made him moan. "I can feel you are. Everything that's about to happen, happens without your hands." I smiled and stroked his cock, making him moan again. I then pulled his hands up and handcuffed him to the headboard, fastening the both together, leaving him no choices. Then I pulled a long handkerchief out and covered his eyes.

"Wow." Tony grinned. "Kinky."

"Lightly kinky." I nodded, then smiled, "but no pain ever. I'd never hurt you." I kissed him.

Tony smiled. "I know. I trust you."

"I'll never betray that," I said quietly. "I love you, Tony." And brought out a feather he hadn't seen and now wouldn't see. Licking and nipping his erect nipples lightly, he took in a breath quickly. Then brought the feather across his nipples, which hardened as it went lightly. I inhaled his scent, making my erection harden. I slipped the rest of my clothes off. I felt his body temperature rise and brought out some ice from an ice bucket. As I paid oral attention to his cock, I used the ice up and down his body, circling his nipples and he was moaning more. After all this time, I knew when he was about to cum, and I would stop right before he did. I used the massage oils to increase his sensitivity. And do it again. The alternative hot body and cold were sending some interesting signals through him. The tickle of the feather increased that sensitivity. This went on for over an hour, maybe two.

"This is killing me!!" Tony moaned smiling but covered in sweat. "I wanta cum!!"

"I'll let you go soon," I promised. Keeping him on the bottom, I did it again, only this time I got him in me. "Don't move," I commanded and I did the movements. It was not much time before he was making a sound of a long grunt through gritted teeth and then he literally exploded in me. I felt him cum in a mighty way in me. Once, twice, three and four times!! I smiled as he was gasping. Then uncuffed him and uncovered his eyes.

He blinked a few times, then smiled at me. "Where...did you...learn that?" He said as he regulated his breathing.

I shrugged. "The internet's for more than looking up stock options or seeing how the market is...or looking up porn. Has no one ever done that for you before?"

He shook his head. "Never." Then he grinned at me. "What about you? You haven't cum."

I shrugged. "This was about you. I will."

Tony growled. "It's my birthday. I'm making you cum now." He rolled us over. And he did what I did to him, taking me in him and did the work. Then after I came, he smiled down at me. "I love you, Mitch. Thank you for the best birthday I've ever had." Then he kissed me in that all-consuming, hungry kiss.

"I love you, and always will," I promised wrapping my arms around him, bringing him closer.

Going to Asheville, we took Tony's car. Asheville was farther than Derby had been, but we made good time. I had emailed and mailed by snail mail what we intended to do. We were going to my grandparents. Mom's parents. I didn't want to push Mom and Dad. Especially not Dad. My parents' farm was attached to my grandparents' farm, but we'd go to my grandparents. They lived in a horseshoe valley, meaning one way in and one way out.

"You're grandparents know we're coming, right?" Nick asked still uncertain from the backseat.

"Yes," I said looking at Nick. "They know about Tony and me. They have plenty of room."

"But were they receptive?" Tony asked. "About us."

I shrugged. "They're not like the McKenzies, they're Sams. A little more educated and more aware, but we'll see. If not, there are plenty of hotels." Then grinned at Tony. "....with room service." I watched Tony's lips curl up when I said that.

"Dad," Nick grinned. "What did Mitch give you for your birthday?"

I smiled at Tony, who was blushing already. "You're too young to know."

"I'm nineteen!" Nick laughed. "It was something sexual, wasn't it?"

"If you were a hundred, you'd be too young," Tony said flatly.

"Could you walk afterward?" Nick chuckled, then sat forward more. "Come on, Dad, you give me hope! When I'm old and decrepit, I'll still have great sex!"

"Decrepit!?" Tony balked. "I am neither old nor decrepit! I'll turn this car around, don't test me!" Tony was using his fatherly authoritative tone, but I saw Tony's smile.

That only made Nick laugh harder.

Tony looked at me. "Is it too late for an abortion?"

I smiled. "Yes."

"Damn." Tony griped.

Nick sat up behind his father's seat. "I missed you, Dad."

Tony smiled at Nick in the rearview mirror. "I know. I plan to be around a while yet."

I gave directions as we got closer. At last, we were pulling up the long gravel driveway. I mean long. Weaving here and there we rounded before a large light green Victorian house.

"I should have told them to paint it light blue," I said to Tony.

"Next time," Tony shrugged.

We walked toward the back door. Company came to the front door, that wasn't us. We weren't company. As we approached, the door opened as a tiny elderly woman smiled at me. About the same size as my mother, but her hair had been black and now streaked with gray. Then she nodded to Tony.

"Welcome," She said happily. "Welcome all. Come in." She waved to us.

I hugged her and stepped back. "Grandma, this is Tony Delveccio, my fiancé. This is his son, Nick Delveccio." I motioned toward her. "Guys, this is Margret Sams, my grandmother."

Tony nodded and offered his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Ma'am." Then he looked at me. "Do I say Ma'am here? Is that okay?"

I laughed knowing anywhere else saying Ma'am was not what you did to a young woman. Many women in other places could take offense if we thought they were old. "We say Ma'am to every woman, it's a sign of respect."

Grandma shook her head. "No handshaking though." Then she smiled and hugged Tony. "If you're marrying my grandson, you're family."

Tony smiled as he hugged the little woman gently. "I wasn't sure how you'd see me." He explained.

Grandmother smiled and laughed. "Well, I admit, I don't understand it, but if my grandson loves and wants you, who am I to argue?" Then she looked at Nick. "Welcome, Nick." And hugged him, too. "You'll be my first great-grandson. It will be fine."

Nick's eyebrows rose but smiled. "Thank you."

"Whose fancy car is that?" I heard a gruff voice. My grandfather walked in. He was in his seventies now. Then he grinned. "Is that my little buddy?"

"Little buddy?" Tony asked me in a whisper.

"I was little once," I said back. "Hi, grandpa!" I introduced Tony and Nick to Theodore Sams.

"It didn't make sense when your Mom told us, but..." he shrugged. Then looked at Tony. "So, you're a Yankee, huh?"

"Well, really..." and I elbowed him lightly to stop Tony's lengthy explanation how he didn't consider himself a true Yankee as his immigrant family had come after the Civil War and Tony then smiled and nodded. "I afraid so. From New York City. And Italian."

"And Catholic," Nick added.

Grandpa shrugged again. "At least you go to church. It's the same God."

I grinned at Tony. "I told you. Southerners don't split hairs about the immigration thing, you're from the North, therefore a Yankee." I said softly to Tony.

"Mary and her husband are coming tomorrow for the day tomorrow. Earl and Pat will be over for dinner with their girls." Grandma said. "Your Mom is home cooking there. You can go over." She said hopefully.

"You have two Uncle Earls?" Nick asked.

I nodded. "Dad's youngest brother is an Earl, and Mom has a brother named Earl." Then smiled. "But they are totally different. This Earl is more sane."

Grandpa nodded. "Well, Mitch knows the place. There are several bedrooms vacant. Get unloaded and pick a couple." He waved to me.

I showed Nick where he could stay and where Tony and I would be.

"Your grandparents are pretty nice," Tony observed.

I grinned. "That's because they are nice."

Nick burst into the room as he always did. "This house is pretty sweet." He marveled. "I have a fireplace!"

I chuckled. "You do." I agreed.

Tony pointed the wall opposite the bed to the fireplace there. "We have one, too."

Nick went to the window looking over the expansive countryside. "So, this is a farm."

I shook my head at him. "I guess you've never seen one."

"On TV," Nick said. "This is a real farm!" Then he pointed out the window. "There's another one way over there."

I nodded. "That is our farm. Where I grew up." Then gave a shrugging nod. "Well, I was raised on both, but the house over there is where I grew up." I reached for Tony's hand. "I'll show you around."

"Is that your Dad?" Nick asked.

I looked over toward the other farm. "I think so." I shrugged. "One way to find out."

Nick turned. "Don't take this wrong, but you and Dad need to do this. I'll see him and your Mom later. I'll look around here. Okay, Pop?"

I was a little pleased when Nick called me that with a smile to me. "Pop. Is that going to be your name for me?"

Nick grinned. "It just makes sense." He shrugged. Then he smiled bigger. "Mio padre poco." Calling me his little papa as he crooned and hugged me. "Papa!"

I hugged him back. "E non te lo dimenticare!"

Nick stood back instantly. "That was Italian!?"

Tony shook his head. "You love to show off that college education you're getting." He muttered.

"But I understood him! Mi capisci?"

I smiled. "Naturalmente ho capito si. Sto ancora imparando, ma ho capito che." I told him I did but was still learning.

Nick grinned bigger. "You'll put Uncle Al to shame! He's been in the family for twenty years!? You've only been in the family for seven months!"

I shrugged. "I'm motivated."

Tony shook his head. "Go bother a cow or something."

Nick grinned at his father. "He wants you badly, Dad to learn so quickly." He walked out of the room, then stuck his head back in. "Cows are those big things on four legs, right?" Then disappeared.

"The ones that moo," I shouted as Nick left, then smiled at Tony. "I do want you badly."

Tony wrapped his arms around me. "I gathered." He kissed me. "I want you, too."

As walked across the field, Tony kept checking the bottom of his shoes every few steps.

"Stop that," I growled. "You'll see a cow paddy before you step in one."

"Just checking."

I rolled my eyes. "You are such a city boy."

"Yep." Then Tony sniffed. "It smells weird out here."

"Yeah, it's called fresh air," I commented.

"Oh."

The house I grew up in was maybe not the pretty house as my grandparents across the field, but it was welcoming to me. A dog woke from his nap and stood ready to bark, then saw me and began wagging his tail and walked over slowly. He was old now at about fourteen years!

"Joe!" I smiled and the black and white dog about the size of a Labrador or German Shepherd. He was a mutt of several breeds of dogs.

Tony wasn't that sure if he could trust Joe. "Yours?"

I knelt down and received a welcoming lick from the dog.

I shrugged. "Well, not officially, but he came about twelve years ago. No one knew where he came from or who he belonged to and just sort of stayed. He's really Grandpa's, Dad's, and my dog. We feed him, so I'd have to say, yes."

Tony smiled and tentatively reached for Joe. "But he's friendly." He said to confirm.

I chuckled. "Doesn't he look friendly?" Joe wagging tail told he was and Joe sniffed Tony's hand and it was done. Joe approved of him.

Inside, I heard Mom working in the kitchen as some wonderful aroma's greeted us. Opening the backdoor carefully, we stepped in. Mom looked up, then smiled at us. Her eyes held relief and gladness we were there.

"You did come." She smiled. "I wasn't sure you were."

I nodded. "I said I would be here." Then pointed to Tony. "We would be here."

She nodded with a bigger smile. "I'm glad." She walked over hugging me, then nodded to Tony. "Welcome to Morgan's Branch."

"Thank you, Ma'am." Tony nodded back

We walked in farther. Then heard the backdoor open and my father walked in. He saw us and was about to walk out again. I can only say, my heart was really hurting when he was going to do that.

"Daddy, please?" I begged, my voice breaking in the pain I felt.

His shoulders stiffened as he stopped, but his back was still turned. "Daddy?" He repeated softly. "You haven't called me that in a while." He turned to me, and I saw the pain in his eyes, too. "You were little then."

I walked toward him. "I miss you, Daddy."

I watched as tears form in his eyes. "I thought you hated me," Dad said.

That hurt even worse. "Aw, Dad. I never hated you." I explained. "I hated what you did, but how could I hate you? You're my father. At one time, you were my Daddy." I walked closer reaching out to touch him on the shoulder. "I remember how you would come in my room at night and cover me up, afraid I was cold. I would have nightmares and you would hold me. Then there were times I just wanted to be close to you and you seemed to like it when I'd crawl into your lap, and I'd go to sleep as you watched TV, the whole time stroking my back as I listened to your heartbeat." Now I was crying. "You protected me. You loved me once."

He was shaking his head, the tears now flowing. "I never stopped. You were my little boy. I would do anything to protect you." He said as his voice also broke. "I do love you, son. When you were born, I saw you, so tiny and I knew there was nothing I wouldn't do to keep you safe." He hugged me hard, his hands going over my back like he was taking me in physically. Then he pushed me back as those hands took my head, a hand on each side. "When you told me you...." he hesitated, "...had those feelings. I was so scared." He shook his head. "Not for me, but for you!" He cried. "AIDS had just begun and it was killing...people like you. I knew that people would treat you mean, even try to kill you."

I nodded as I cried with him. "I know. Believe me, I know."

"When Dr. Rollo said he could cure you," Dad explained. "I jumped at the chance it would work! I had to take the chance. If it would save your life, how could I not?"

I shook my head, "But it didn't, Dad," I said softly. "You were born with blue eyes! You can put color contacts in, fool everyone that it's some other color, but at the end of the day, those contacts have to come off. You will again have blue eyes."

He nodded. "When you married Susan, I thought it was done. You were cured, but then a little later, you said you were gay again...I didn't know what to do. I just knew you would die!"

I shook my head. "I'm not dead. I hated what you did." I confessed. "It took me a few years to see it, but I knew you were scared. That you did it to protect me. I'm not going to change. I can't change."

Dad nodded, hugging me again. "I see that now."

"I don't hate you," I said. "I am you." I grinned at him wiping the tears from my own face. "I'm you and Mom." Then I laughed. "I have this huge family. And I mean HUGE!! All those people in Derby, I'm connected to all of them because of you. All those coming tomorrow, I'm connected to because of Mom. They understand what I am, they don't like it maybe, but they accept it." I touched my father's face. "Accept me as I am. I tried to change for you, but I can't. Don't hate me. You don't like that I'm gay, fine. You don't like that I've chosen a man to love, fine. You can even hate my relationship, but don't hate me. Don't dislike Tony because he's gay too. He's a good man, Dad. He does love me. I know it beyond a shadow of a doubt. I love him, Dad. Get to know him. You have a grandson at Grandma's and Grandpa's. Tony's son. They are both part of me now." But I hugged Dad again. "I need you, too. I love you. You are my father."

Dad hugged me back as he cried some more. "I will." He sniffed. "I promise to try. Just give me more time. I'm working on it."

"I owe you my very life, Dad. And Mom. Take what time you need." Then turned back as I saw Mom was crying in her apron and Tony was wiping his own face and sniffed with a sad smile to me.

Dad nodded with a smile, wiping his face again. "I'd like to know you, Tony. You have my son's heart." Dad said walking toward Tony. "You and my son have been together since...when?"

Tony smiled. "Last April. We met in church."

Dad's eyes grew. "In church!?"

I nodded. "We go every Sunday. Well, I go every other Sunday, I work every other weekend." I smiled, pointing at Tony, "But he goes every Sunday."

Dad smiled a little more. "That's good. I saw the fancy car in the drive over there. What do you do?"

"I used to do acquisitions and mergers, then I did investments and stocks," Tony said. "I'm doing it now for a new firm that just opened in Charleston."

I smiled at Tony. "He's very good at it."

Dad nodded. "Apparently."

Dad did try to be more accepting. I helped Mom get things ready for Thanksgiving Day. Making several pies and two cakes. Pecan, apple and chocolate pies, a red velvet and coconut cakes. The coconut cake was for me. It was my favorite. Not a yellow cake with coconut frosting, now there was coconut in the cake, coconut milk, it was coconut! Even Dad and Tony tried to help but were getting in the way. The kitchen wasn't that big! In the meantime, Mom and I talked.

"I know you think I gave up my dreams to marry your father." Mom said then shrugged. "Maybe I did, but I was having doubts in the beginning. You were right, the McKenzies are a sad people I didn't want to be a part of. I don't know why they are that way. They're father never ate with the family. His wife always fed him separately. They weren't allowed to talk during meals. It was just....sad. I did love your father. I do."

I smiled at her. "I believe that."

She smiled as she thought. "He was so handsome." Then she nodded. "All of the McKenzie men are. He was kind and gentle." Then she chuckled. "He always smelled so nice."

I looked up suddenly at her. "Smelled nice?" I looked at Tony and Dad were getting some containers we would take the cakes over in. "Tony."

Tony looked up.

"What do you mean, he smelled nice?" I asked cautiously.

Mom realized she might have said too much and became embarrassed. "It's nothing." She was about to walk off for another task.

I stopped her gently. "No, what did you mean?" I pressed. "Do you mean a cologne?"

She gave a shrugging nod. "Well, yes...but he always smelled nice to me." She smiled a little guiltily. "Even if he's sweating. Which was an odd thing. Not long after, but right as it started, he gave off this..." she searched for a word. "...scent. Very strong."

Tony was walking closer to us. "A musky smell?"

Mom nodded. "That's it. A kind of musk."

Tony grinned to me. "You get it from your mother!"

Dad frowned. "What are you all talking about?"

"And..." I began, "Forgive me, but I have to ask. Is it stronger other places on Dad?"

Mom looked warily. "Yes."

I placed a hand on Tony's arm. "He does, too." I saw Mom's confusion. "I mean, I smell this musk on Tony. There's this cologne he wears that only makes it even stronger."

Mom nodded smiling at me. "You father does, too! I give him a bottle every Christmas, birthday...or just because." Then she looked closer to me. "You smell it, too?"

I nodded. "On him. Not Dad."

Dad shook his head. "Son, this is a little more personal than I'm comfortable with."

I grinned and touched my Dad's arm. "I know. I'm sorry, but it's not a bad thing, Dad!" I laughed as my father was very embarrassed. "We've made up, but I know. We don't talk about certain things. Even if I am thirty-two and probably did it."

"Mitch," Dad said gruffly.

Tony shook his head. "I know what your father means. You know how I feel when Nick teases me."

I nodded. "I know, but now we know it's not just in my head."

Tony grinned. "I never thought it was."

That's when a knock on the side door came. I looked to see Nick looking in concerned. "And speak of the devil. Come on in, Nick." Which he smiled opening the door. "Mom, Dad, this is Tony's son Nick." I introduced Nick to them.

"I was wondering if I needed to identify a body or something," Nick said with a smile. "You've been over here a few hours."

Mom's eyes grew at Nick standing by Tony. "They grow big up North."

I nodded. "They do." Then I looked outside as the sun was setting. "We can take the cakes and pies back for you, Mom."

Mom smiled. "Okay." She narrowed her eyes. "I want to see a whole coconut cake tomorrow."

"Aw, Mom," I said sadly. "It's my favorite."

She nodded. "I know. That's why I'm saying it." She pointed at me.

Tony chuckled. "I'll make sure he stays out of it."

"Thank you, Tony." Mom said handing me the red velvet cake container. Then handed the coconut cake container to Tony. "You can have two slices tomorrow." Then she said firmly. "Tomorrow." Then handed the pies, stacked to Nick. "Be careful, all of you."

"Yes, Ma'am." We all said.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you, Dad," I said sincerely hugging the man.

"I'll just have to adjust my head. My son's not a little boy anymore. See you tomorrow." Dad chuckled as we left.

The next day, Grandma got up about six to start the turkey cooking and prepare the ham. They could keep the turkey; the ham was another holiday favorite to me. We came down to help as needed, and Tony zeroed in on the coffee first thing.

I shook my head at Tony. "We need to get you in treatment. That's a serious habit you've got. Do they have rehab for coffee addictions?"

Tony shook his head inhaling the fragrance as if it was the most heavenly thing he ever smelled. I wondered what I looked like when smelling Tony. "I don't care, I won't go." He smiled, but then looked at the tree outside the kitchen window and his eyes grew, then narrowed and looked carefully. "Okay." He said. "I don't know squat about planting anything, but there's something wrong with that tree."

I grinned knowing what he was talking about. "No there's not."

Tony tilted his head, looking again. "Don't trees bear the same color fruits? Not two...three?"

Grandma chuckled coming beside Tony. "Oh, that." She nodded. "That's your grandfather's courting tree."

"His what?" Tony asked.

I came up next to Tony. "His courting tree. That's how he won Grandma. I know the story well."

Grandma nodded with a smile. "He thought he won me." She remembered. "We'd known each other since we were kids. I was eight and he was ten when we met. I was fourteen when he said he wanted to date me."

I nodded and continued the well-told story. "Great-grandpa said she couldn't until she was sixteen. She made the most wonderful apple pies, cakes, jams, apple nut bread, and applesauce."

"So, Theodore asked me what sort of apple I liked best." Grandma nodded. "I told him I liked three kinds. Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, and Green Delicious."

"Then Grandpa said if he got one tree that grew all three, she had to agree to marry him," I said proudly. "So, he took this young Red Delicious Apple tree, made a splice and grafted a Yellow Delicious branch to it. Waited a year and grafted a Green Delicious. He alternated, adding branches." Then I pointed. "He did it over a twenty year period and there it stands."

"That man could break a broomstick in half, stick the ends in the ground and have something sprout." Grandma chuckled. "When I was eighteen, he brought me here, showed me his tree and I said yes." Grandma nodded. "He kept adding the branches so I'd keep baking."

Tony nodded, then looked back at the tree and just said. "Huh." Then he shrugged. "Well, it worked." He grinned. "The romantic devil."

Grandma nodded. "It did." Then she leaned closer. "He still is a romantic devil."

"Italians don't have the monopoly on being romantic," I said softly to Tony.

He smiled back. "I never said we do. You are, but now I see it runs in the family." He said as Nick came into the kitchen to get his coffee. "Just like you get that ability to smell the musk on me when I'm not wearing any."

"Musk?" Nick said looking up at us suddenly.

I chuckled. "Your father has a scent I pick up. I call it his musk. I thought I told you. That was one of the first things I got from him that attracted me."

Nick smiled, sniffing the coffee as Tony had. "So, what do I need to do? Have all the women sniff my armpit?"

"That's not where the strongest scent is," I said and waggled my eyebrows. "At least now I know Dad likes more than the missionary position."

Tony looked at me blushing but smiling again as he did it. "See!? That's what you Dad was talking about last night!"

"Relax, Dad. I know what you guys do. I'm fine with it. I hope you do." Nick grinned. "Well, I can't have them sniff there right off, can I? I'll be arrested!" Then turned and asked no one in particular. "Does no one in the South watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?"

Then the backdoor opened. "Hi!" A woman with dark hair said walking in. Her smile was instant seeing me. "Hi, Mitch!" And Tony.

I grinned at her. "Hi, Aunt Pat. Where's..."

Then a handsome man with light brown hair walked in. "Is Mary here?"

"...Uncle Earl?" I finished my question. "No, Aunt Mary and Uncle Norm haven't gotten here yet."

Uncle Earl looked at Tony, Nick, and me. "Well, I saw a fancy car I didn't recognize. I just thought they'd gotten here early. You know how she is."

Then I did it again. Introducing them to my mother's brother, sister-in-law and their two girls. Tammy was the eldest and in college where Nick laid on the charm. Dana was her younger sister and a senior in high school. Then Nick was charming both of them. Why not? They were both pretty. I needed to watch Nick.

It didn't take long before we were all there, everyone was introduced. Mary was four years younger than Mom. Earl was the baby. Mary was considered a catch. Pretty, but she used it for attracting men. Thus, three husbands. For a while, of the four children of Theodore and Margret was the richest of the siblings and had the adoration of all the grandchildren, but me. Now was a little threatened by Tony. To be honest, it was good to see her not relying so heavily on that status. When Uncle Norm found out what Tony did and who he worked for, they were soon having conversations of their own. All about stocks and investments.

"Norm," Mary said to her husband. "Is it necessary to talk business at the table?"

Norm shrugged. "He knows what he's talking about. I just thought I'd ask."

It wasn't that Norm was ugly. He wasn't. What attracted him for Mary was his money. Everyone there knew that.

What pleased me was Dad and Tony seemed to really be hitting it off.

Now, it was one without real thought. In order to be able to function at Tony's parents we would often just speak in Italian. So, towards the end of the meal, Tony grinned at me and asked. "Ho tenuto fuori dalla torta di cocco ieri sera. Ne vuoi un po' ora?" Telling me he's kept me from my favorite cake would I like some now.

"Certo che mi piace. Sono stato bravo." I grinned back. "Due, per favore. Ho bisogno di prenderla prima lo Zio Earl ottiene la sua metà." Saying I wanted two pieces to get some before Uncle Earl got his half.

Tony chuckled, even Nick was smiling at that, but everyone at the table just stared.

Then I looked up and saw their eyes on us, then smiled. "Sorry, I'll be with Tony's family in a month," I explained.

Tony chuckled. "He wanted to be able to keep up with the conversations at the table. So, I've been helping him by occasionally talking to him in Italian." He gave a grudging nod. "I say he's well on the way to being proficient. Soon he'll be fluent."

"Presto non sarò in grado di parlare con mio padre alle spalle di Pop." Nick chuckled.

I grinned. "Non è possibile in questo momento." Then I smiled at the family. "He originally asked if I wanted cake, I said I had to get two pieces before Uncle Earl gets his half."

"Hey!" Uncle Earl objected with a grin. "Was it my fault my favorite cake became your favorite cake?"

"Then Nick said he could no longer talk about me behind my back to his father." I clarified.

Mary was shaking her head. "I thought you were from the United States, Tony."

Tony nodded. "I am. New York City. I'm the third generation here. Well, second since Dad was born in Rome. He was a baby when they got here, but my family often converses in Italian at the table. Mitch just wants to keep up."

"I have to be able to, to sit at the adult table," I chuckled.

"The past month Mitch and I carried on whole conversations in Italian," Tony nodded.

Tammy smiled. "It must be love to learn a new language."

Dad smiled. "It is." Then he winked at me! Inside I was doing a victory dance! He was finally getting it!!

We had to go back on Friday for me to work that weekend. It was the following Tuesday when I got the familiar.... "McKenzie!"

I walk into Alan's office. "Give it up, Belosik. This tough guy act doesn't work on me and you know it." I smiled.

Alan smirked. "It never did, did it?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

Alan sighed. "I try." Then brightened. "So, how'd it go with hunky and the new in-laws?"

I smiled. "You like living my life with me, don't you?"

Alan sighed again hinted that it was more than that. "If you don't have one of your own."

That bothered me. I liked Alan if you didn't know. He was a nice guy! He was good looking, for a blond man. I'm not attracted to blondes. "What happened to Mark?"

"Never mind about him." Alan griped. "Not all of us can grab the brass ring on the first try."

I sat in the chair in front of Alan's desk. "I'm sorry."

Alan nodded. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," I argued. "You loved Mark."

Alan nodded, then brightened again. "So, what happened with Dad?"

I grinned at Alan. "I tell you too much."

"No, you don't," Alan shook his head. "You don't tell enough. Did it go well?"

"It went very well," I nodded. "In fact, they're coming here for New Year's Eve."

Alan nodded happily. "That's wonderful! How are you feeling about going to New York to meet his family?"

I shrugged. "Nervous. I've won two Delveccios, I'll reel in the rest." Then I grinned. "E il mio italiano è sempre abbastanza buono!"

Alan blinked missing what I said. "What?"

I chuckled. "I said my Italian is getting pretty good."

Alan smiled, then shook his head. "I am so jealous of you. I should fire you."

I grinned at him. "Then where would you get the dirt from?"

He shrugged, relenting. "You're right."

I got up and went around his desk. "Look, Alan. I love you."

His eyes widened.

"Not like that," I smirked. "You are my boss, so no way. I like that you treat me as a friend."

Alan smiled. "I admit, I had fantasies that maybe we could...then you came out as gay, I think maybe we could. Then you came with that beautiful Italian boyfriend!!" He said in mock anger. "How dare you do that to me." Then he smiled rising. "We are friends." Then hugged me. "You're a good manager. You do good work. That way I never had to bark at you. I relaxed and we became friends." Then he shoved me lightly. "Now, go back to work."

I grinned. "I was working when you barked." But I stopped as I was leaving. "So, my time during Christmas is okay?"

Alan nodded. "You got the week. I'd never stand between a man and his new family." He smiled. "Stuart will be here and I'll be on call."

I get home and start making dinner. He had me eat his food, I was determined to get him to eat something of mine. Not the sheep's stomach stuff. British. I don't know, but I knew Shepard's pie had it all. While it was baking I checked my email. I was thrilled to see mail from my cousins. Invitations and general sharing. Then Tony came in.

"Hi, Honey, I'm home!!" He called out.

I grinned as I got up from the computer and came in the kitchen area where he'd come in. "I'm glad you are."

We, of course, greeted each other with the kiss, but as always, it was never just routine. Then he looked up and sniffed. "What's that?"

"Shepard's Pie."

His face held a question mark.

"It's from a long line of British families."

He shrugged. "I guess I can eat it." He grinned, then leaned in. "I'll confess. I'm not all Italian."

My eyes widened. "You're not?"

He shook his head. "Mama's mother was Irish. She was named after her. Kathleen."

"No!!" I pushed him back with a grin. "I thought I was married to an Italian. This could be a deal breaker, you know?" I chuckled.

Tony laughed. "I know, having bad blood, I'd understand." He looked at the condo's interior. "We're going to decorate."

"That wasn't a question. I need some decorations if we do."

Tony nodded. "Jean got the ones from the house and I didn't really decorate much when I lived downtown."

"I have a little tree." I smiled and held my hands about a foot apart.

Then Tony's eyes narrowed. "We'll go decoration shopping and no qualms about using the card I gave you, understand?"

"Bossy." I grinned. "I just don't....I feel odd using the card."

"Why?" He asked. "It's our money." Then he looked closer. "You signed the Power of Attorney and signed the bank papers. It's your money, too."

I nodded. "Listen, Tony. The fact you have and are making good money is great, but most of the fights I had with Susan were about money. That's the major sore spot in marriages."

"I'm not Susan!" Tony said loudly.

I pulled him closer. "I could never confuse you two, you're better looking." I kissed him gently.

"Okay, well..." he grinned, "...and you need clothes."

I was startled when he said that. "Why?"

He threw his arms out. "Because we're going to New York! It'll be cold." Then he kissed me again. "You need a good suit or tux for Broadway."

"Broadway!?" I pushed him away.

He grinned nodding. "I booked us a Broadway Theater show. Phantom of the Opera. It's your favorite." He smiled bigger as my jaw dropped, "And there's the Radio City Music Hall with the Rockettes." He pulled me back. "I'm going to show you New York."