Disclaimer:
The following story contains sexual content and deals with homosexual relationships. It is not for people under the legal age. If you are offended by the contents of this story, or it is illegal in your location to view this type of material, leave now. This story is fiction and is not intended to imply anything about the true sexuality of the celebrities mentioned or any personal knowledge about their private lives.
This story is not to be copied or posted elsewhere without permission from the author.
Any comments can be send to gridlinked@gmail.com
I would like to thank Rich, for making me plunge deeper in the life of Andrew Archer.
Chapter 10
Nick was on a lounge chair by his pool. The plane ride the day before had been OK. The only thing bothering him now was the fact that he was away from the guy he knew he loved. Love. There was a frighting concept. He was afraid that Tommy might not feel the same way, but then again he knew that that was a common concern for those who love. Before leaving the young man's house, they had kissed enough so both of them could bare the time apart. One week. It seemed like eternity. He was always filled with a warming feeling every time he thought of Tommy, it was a feeling of safety and friendship beyond anything he had ever experienced. He recalled the the night in Paris, and now he did so smiling. There were no tears left to fall for that chapter in his life, Tommy had been there. All had been good. He still hadn't seen the guys. He was taking a bit of time just to be alone, think about his life and the decisions he was about to make. He hadn't discussed these decisions with Tommy, but he had time.
Andrew came to mind. The man that had came to their life just a month ago and that was now such an important part of it. He knew that Kevin liked the young man, he could see it by the way that his friend looked at him. So now it was only a matter of time to see if it would work out. Nick thought about Kevin's history, before Kirsten he had never settled down, he was always better alone than with someone, however Nick knew that if someone could get Kevin to be happy, it was someone like Andrew. His almost always calm appearance and the sense of togetherness he emitted was a fresh change to the always chaotic group.
Then there was Alicia. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen without a doubt. She was perfect. And it seemed he wasn't the only one that thought so. Obviously Andrew had thought the same thing when he was with her, and he did get Rick who was the perfect guy, but Nick had noticed one more person giving Alicia his full attention, Howie. More than once Nick had seen his friend just staring at her, unable to break contact. He couldn't blame him. Now he wondered if there would be anything between the two, but he knew that who ever got Alicia, had to know how to keep her.
He was missing Ben, it was amazing how the young Archer had become so important to him, it was partly Tommy's influence. The way he was always talking about his cousin, almost like he was the father. Nick just felt like wanting to be with Ben all the time too. There was a lot to discuss with Tommy, he knew. Mostly about Tommy's family. Standing there watching his lover be attacked by his father hadn't been fun, specially when Tommy said to him, to not get involved. Nick wanted to help, after all he had been out to his friends for awhile now, he wanted to explain to the Archers that they had nothing to worry about, they would have a good life, and they would have all the things a straight couple would normally have. But Tommy didn't want help. He had wanted his folks to understand him, and they didn't. Mathew had been the worse. At one point Linda had just given up, and sat down on the couch in Alicia's living room. Mathew continued screaming, blaming Andrew for turning his son queer. Tommy conveniently left that part out when he told his uncle what had happened, days later. At one point Alicia couldn't take it anymore and came into her own living room and told everyone to shut up.
She was pissed. Nick couldn't believe how the angelic beauty could ever look like she was looking at the time. Mathew actually stopped yelling and just stared at her and at his son. The blame that was falling on Andrew was too much for Alicia and she felt like she had to stop it. Nick remembered how she had put a hand in his shoulder and another on Tommy's, how she had looked into Mathew's eyes and said: i didn't know you hated your brother. Nick saw the change in Mathew instantly. He looked depressed and sad. The look in his eyes, showed them the surprise that Alicia's comment had brought. Nick didn't believe that Mathew hated Andrew. Who could hate Andrew? The man had two EXs that loved him, that got along together like friends because of him, he could even get Kevin to like Rick. No, he didn't believe anyone could hate Andrew. Now he was just wondering if Andrew knew that. Tommy had told him of the phone call that Mathew had made to Andrew before they had gone to Paris. Alicia had told Tommy after his father had spent half a day yelling. Tommy couldn't believe it.
One of the things Nick would have to decide was living arrangements. He had thought about it constantly since he realized that he loved Tommy. He couldn't be away from him, it was only one day and already he couldn't take it. He knew that Tommy was in college and that he wanted to finish it in New York. He had 4 years to go. It was a lot of time. Nick respected that, it was after all his lover´s future and despite everything else, his parents were working hard to put their son through college. So Nick knew what he had to do, it was just a matter of telling everyone else, and Tommy of course.
He heard his cellphone ringing and he searched for it with his hand on the floor beside the lounge chair. "Hello" he said after pressing the talk button.
"Hey Nicky, whats up? You could have called you know?" he heard Brian say.
"He Bry, yeah i know, sorry i was just resting, so whats up with you guys?"
"Well that's why I'm calling, we wanted to know if you want to come to A.J.s, we are having a small party, just us, and we though it would help you cope with being away from your other half."
"Hum, yeah that sounds good, give me an hour and I'll be at A.J.s OK?"
"Yeah" Brian sounded happy "Can you bring something?"
"Like what?"
"We could use food Nicky, A.J. and Howie haven't got out much except to buy diapers and milk, can you bring like some stakes and you know the basics for a barbecue?"
"OK, so you're inviting me to a party and I'll have to buy every item?" Nick asked amused.
"Well, yeah. Come on Nick we're already here, you still have to come, i don't want to leave again." Brian said wining,
"OK OK, you know you sound like me sometimes, and you're lazy, what does Leighanne say when you get like this?"
Brian didn't speak for a few seconds. "She knows me" he said in a quiet voice "Anyway can you do it?"
"Sure, I'll be there in an hour, bye." Nick said hanging up the phone. 'What the hell is wrong Brian?'
"Hey ma." Andrew said when his mother picked up the phone.
"Jazz, how are you?"
"Good ma, look I'm just calling to tell you that Kevin and I should be there tomorrow night, we're catching a late plane."
"OK, Jazz, Mathew is having dinner with us, will you two join us?" he could sense his mother was nervous about asking him.
"Yeah ma no problem, we'll be there." Andrew knew they had to talk.
"OK, well do you want to talk to your father?"
"No ma, i have to go, I'll see you tomorrow, i love you."
"I love you too Jazz."
Andrew hung up his cellphone and sighed. It would be difficult to face Mathew, they hadn't really talked since the phone call, and he knew he they had to, at least for Tommy.
"So? How's everything?" He heard Kevin asking. Kevin was seating next to him on one of A.J.s living room couches. A.J. and Howie were changing Niko and Alicia was with Brian playing with Ben on the floor next to them.
"Well they we'll be expecting us for dinner, Mathew will be there, so you have a chance to bail out now." Andrew said smiling.
"I'm not afraid of a little confrontation besides, it might go well."
"Right..." Andrew said not believing that "Anyway thanks for going with me it means a lot."
"Hey" Kevin started saying putting an arm around Andrew "Its you, and its about Sarah, of course I'm going."
"Alright, well, then we do have to pack tonight when we get back to your house."
"Our house baby, our house." Kevin corrected him and kissed him on the lips lightly.
"Thanks Kev." Andrew said after kissing his man. It was still new to him, the idea that they were actually a couple. Now came the feelings of remorse. Since he had phoned Rick he had never been able to shake the feeling that something was wrong. He had thought of calling him, but knowing what he had done had prevented that. Now his resolve was getting weaker. He was worried. And then there was Sven. He knew that he had done something terrible to Sarah and she had asked him in the letter to keep her son away from him. He intended to do so. Alicia had called her firm, and the lawyers working for the foundation. One of them, Carter, was going to help them.
Kevin had told Andrew that they could also talk to their lawyers but A.J. had been apprehensive by the suggestion. He was worried that the story of him having a son would leak before he would want it to be public knowledge. He wanted the baby to have some peace. At least a few months. Niko seemed fine though, he loved A.J. and of course A.J. was walking on air with his son.
He heard the doorbell quickly followed by Brian's saying "I'll get it."
After a few seconds Nick came in to the living room. "Hey guys, look" he said raising his arms so that the couple on the couch could see the shopping bags in his hands "I brought food, just so you know, I'm not cooking."
"Awww, why not, go with it Nicky, you'll need to practice, Tommy doesn't know how to cook anything." Andrew said smirking.
"Well then we'll order or starve."
"You do need to lose weight." Kevin told him smiling.
"What?" Nick said immediately looking at his stomach "Really, you think so?"
"Chill Nick, he was just messing with you, you look fine, and i mean really fine." Andrew said in a playful tone.
"Careful." Kevin said giving him a push.
"What? Are you jealous?"
"Me? No, but Tommy could kick your ass." Kevin smirked.
"OK, can we move on from ogling me, i know I'm hot, now, will anyone go and cook?" Nick said impatiently.
"OK OK, I'll go" Andrew said standing up "Just call the others, i need Brian to help me."
"What? Cant i help?" Kevin asked pouting.
"Kevin we talked about the pouting, besides, you cant cook." Andrew said smiling at his boyfriend.
"How do you know?" Kevin asked indignantly.
"I do talk to Brian" He said and then turned to Nick "I'll take the shopping bags. Just go get Brian, he can play with Ben later." Nick gave him the bags and went to get his friend. Andrew turned with the bags to look at Kevin still seating on the couch. "You're not going to help me carry these?"
"Why don't you ask Brian?"
"OH OK fine, you can make the salad." Andrew relented.
"Really? OK, i can do salad."
As they were going to the Kitchen Andrew was just imagining how dry cooked over burned soaked in oil salad would taste.
The plane ride had been fine, but most plane rides are somewhat pleasant when you travel in first class. Kevin and Andrew had been talking for most of the flight, getting to know more about each other. They got to L.A. at about 7 pm. There was no need to go to the luggage belt since they had only one carry on bag with their clothes for the night. They would catch the last plane the day after, back to Florida. The cab drive to his parents home was taxing. Andrew spent all the way there obsessing in his own mind about the encounter he was about to have with his older brother. Kevin was just looking at him, saying nothing, giving him the space he needed.
They got to the house 20 minutes later and paid the cab driver. The house was a standard suburban home. A little bigger perhaps, but not to big. He approached the front door and rang the bell. Seconds later he was being hugged by his mother.
"Hey, ahhh i missed you." his mother said still hugging him.
"I missed you to ma."
"OK, come on, come in, put your bag in the hall and come to the dinning room, we were just waiting for you two so we could start eating." She said as she pulled Andrew with her, leaving Kevin to close the door.
As soon as Andrew got to the dinning room he saw Mathew, talking to his father. Linda was already seating at the table. He nodded to his sister in law and went to greet his dad. "Hi pops." he said as he shook his hand.
"Hey son, how are you? Hi Kevin." He said seeing the singer coming behind his son.
"Hello Mr Archer, how are you?" Kevin asked politely as he shook his boyfriend's father's hand.
"Well, young man, I'm well, and you?"
"I'm good sir, thanks."
Andrew then decided to make nice and so he turned to Mathew. "So Matt, how are you?" But before his brother could answer Andrew saw it. Sarah's necklace, the one he had given her when she turned 18, hanging around Mathew's neck. "What are you doing with the necklace?"
Kevin immediately knew something was up, and moved to stand next to Andrew.
Before Mathew could say anything, his mother spoke. "Jazz, i told him he could wear it. to remember his sister."
Andrew looked surprised at his mother. "Well he cant." and then he turned back to Mathew. "Take it off."
"What? No!" Mathew said fiercely.
"Take it of NOW!" Andrew was getting angry fast and Kevin started shifting feet not knowing what to do.
"I wont take it off, she was my sister too you know? Stop the Gandhi act."
"WHAT? Gandhi? Hardly, but i was there for her, where were you? Oh wait i know, if i recall your own words: i don't care what she does as long as she doesn't embarrass mom and dad. Wau, heartwarming stuff."
"Oh cut the sarcasm, you wanted the necklace you could have been here days ago, instead you chose to go play with the Boy Band."
Andrew was losing restraint "First of all i gave her that necklace, second of all i have a son, no no wait, i have two because apparently Tommy is now mine."
"OH don't start, don't talk to me about my own son." Mathew said angrily coming closer to Andrew.
"Boys please." their mother tried.
"You know what, if you don't give me the necklaced I'll just take it from you." Andrew said ignoring his mother.
"Yeah right, please try, i would like to see that."
"GIVE ME THE FUCKING NECKLACE MATHEW!" Andrew suddenly screamed, leaving everyone, including his brother, looking at him with open mouths. "I am telling you to give it to me now! Who are you to come here and go through my sister's stuff and pick something for you? HUM, WHO ARE YOU? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN SHE NEEDED HELP? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED HELP? HUM? WHERE MATHEW? I'LL TELL YOU, YOU WERE RAISING A BABY THAT TURNS OUT MIGHT END UP HATING YOU MORE THAN I DO RIGHT NOW."
"THAT'S ENOUGH ANDREW!" His father said suddenly.
"NO ITS NOT, he needs to hear this." Andrew told his father and turned once more to face his brother. "You were never there, you took things for granted, you thought that we would always look up to you, but you were wrong. And when things didn't go your way you just stopped caring, because suddenly having relationships with people that didn't think like you was taxing. And then there was Tommy, and suddenly you were a father, YOU of all people, a father. You don't know how lucky you are. You have a woman who loves you and a son that adores you and you risk losing that because you might end up facing what separated you from me. That's right" Andrew said at a surprised Mathew, "I know it wasn't Tommy, you stopped supporting me and Sarah because she was always with me and i was a fag."
"NO, that's not true." Mathew contradicted.
"Yes it is." Andrew said calmly. "Now take the necklace off, now."
They stood there in silence for a few moments until Mathew started to take the silver necklace off his neck and gave it to Andrew. He then looked at his wife and they started for the door, and were soon out of the house. Andrew stood there, with Kevin's hands on his shoulders, looking at his sisters necklace, until his father spoke.
"I don't care what you think, you don't scream in my house."
"I'm sorry dad i..."
"NO! NOW YOU LISTEN, he is your brother, he loves you and he knows how to show more love to his family then you. Or do you forget who moved to New York..." his father never got to finish, because Andrew started screaming again.
"WHAT? NO! I'M SORRY IF I THOUGHT THIS WAS MY HOUSE TOO, MY MISTAKE." Andrew could tell Kevin was nervous behind him.
"I TOLD YOU TO QUIET DOWN. This is our house yes, and that means that its your brother's too, and you might not believe it but he loves you, and you are not to tell him how to raise his son. He's been a parent longer than you. If he wants something to remember Sarah he can have it. Give me the necklaced."
"No." Andrew said calmly.
"Andrew i am telling you..."
"No" he said again "i wont give you anything. As the matter of fact, i am going to take everything i can take of Sarah's with me to New York. I have been a father much longer than Mathew, you know why? Because it was me, ME, i took care of Sarah, not Mathew, not you, ME. Where were you dad? Hum? You were always looking the other way, every time she did something you disapproved of you would ignore the fact that she was there. You couldn't stand the fact that your little girl was so different from you, and then, of course came the shock. Your little boy like other boys. I saw your face, i saw the disappointment, Sarah was right, you take me for granted, and i should know better by now. you think Mathew shows more love for this family? Oh how misguided you are. I love you dad, and Mathew loves you I'm sure, but no one loved you more than Sarah, and all her life all she saw of you was your back. I am taking the necklace and i am taking everything else of hers. She gave me her life, ME, and that should tell you enough, but as always you only see what you want to see, and that is Mathew. Well good luck with your son, you are a really a good father to him, just make sure that he doesn't make the same mistakes you did, because this time, dad" Andrew pause wile he looked his father in the eyes "I'm putting my foot down and i wont let anyone hurt Tommy."
Andrew turned from his father and started for the door. When he was about to pass his mother he stopped. "I'm sorry ma" he could see the tears in her eyes as she smiled faintly at him "We are leaving." After kissing her he went upstairs, to retrieve his sister's things, followed by Kevin who was by now very uncomfortable.
Andrew was in the plane going back to Orlando. Kevin was asleep. They had spent the day cruising L.A. burning time until they had to be at the airport. He was now remembering how Kevin had been once they had reached the Hotel room the night before. Andrew had been exhausted, so he just got into bed without even taking off his clothes. Kevin had climbed in and spooned him. Just before Andrew fell asleep, he heard his man proclaiming his love for him. He slept soundly.
'Yeah Sarah' he thought as he looked through the plane window and fidgeted with the necklace around his neck 'all in all, it could have been worse. Give my regards to Jesus will you, oh and kudos to Buddha, not bad.'
Ok, chapter 10, done. Hope you liked it.
All the best
Mike