Preachers Sons

Story: Preachers' Sons

Chapter 1 Shocking!!

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

Adult Readers, Sexual Situations, Sex

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Eric meets Elias the last months 1978. They are both Baptist Ministers sons and they fall in love. Elias returns to the University he went for his degree to further his degree and takes Eric with him. They begin a new life in Hawai'i. They make new friends and become a couple.

Shocking!!

Let me introduced myself. I am Eric Mitchell. Oddball. Not because I look bizarre or anything. I am a nice-looking guy, I think. Black hair and brown eyes. I love to run. And who isn't a little vain? Every guy wants to be that buff guy everyone drools over. The stud. I had that. A little. I never went out for sports. I hate competition. I didn't want to prove to anyone I was better than they were. The running helped when I had to work things out in my mind. That rhythm, the breathing...it was almost like hypnosis. Though I can't say that with authority, as I've never been hypnotized. I could go over things I was studying in school, or even Bible verses as I ran. Why Bible verses? I was a preacher's son. It was almost like a requirement to memorize verses. I was a PK/MK. That's Preacher's Kid and Missionary's Kid. Nowhere exotic, we lived in Charleston, South Carolina. Not the most savage or primitive culture, but the Baptist Church thought there were enough reprobates to warrant a missionary. That was Dad. The Reverend Richard J Mitchell. He was a sort of Social Worker for the church. And there were a lot of people that needed him. Military families, poor, domestic abuse, battered children. Dad was the one that ministered to these people and not only saved their souls, but tried to make their lives a little better. A great guy, a big wig in the community, known by all the area Baptist Churches as he would rotate a different church each Sunday. Yep, a great guy. He was also the biggest pompous ass at times. Yes, I said it. His intentions were grand, but he sucked at being a father. A lot. He held a camp every Summer. All the underprivileged boys he would gather up in Charleston, he'd pack them up and take them to this camp every Summer, and when I got to be old enough, I went, too. Yeah! That was clearly sarcastic. I wasn't thrilled in the least, but there were times I wished I could be that kind of kid to get his attention. I had one sister. Lynn. Three years older and she was the black sheep. Did she like to torture mom and dad? Yes, she did. She started smoking and drinking in her early teens and discovered boys. That girl was a little crazy, but to the world, we looked just fine as a family. Dad had the black hair, so did I. Mom had the blonde hair, so did Lynn. We were the perfect family. Many times, Dad would take us to the churches and sometimes he filled the pulpit of preachers that needed to go to a conference or family outing. I dreaded those. I knew many of his sermons by heart by the time I was thirteen. My sister and I would lower ourselves in the pew whenever he said "there was this little boy," or "I knew a little girl." Come on, everyone knew it was us. Life changed. It was the first of November 1978. I was eighteen two weeks before. I met The one. That one person I would spend the rest of my life with. I was also odd in that I could wait for anything. For instance, presents under the tree with my name on them didn't bother me. Or presents for my birthday. I'd get it eventually, so why worry about what was in it? It drove Lynn nuts! So, when I met the one, that was the first time I wanted to unwrap this present immediately. I will warn you, I am going to put down what happened in frank terms. Using terms like dick and cock. Or even jerk off. Did I hear a gasp? Men all have dicks and we all jerk off. Get over it. I understand why we don't admit to it. In my home, we never said those things. If you did have to talk about them, it was the proper term and done softly. Penis. Sex was never, ever discussed. At all.

Dr. Elias Jonas, Jr, and his family moved to Charleston as our new preacher. He had a lovely wife named Joy and they had four sons. The youngest was Jonathan, then Steve, David, and Elias the third. The whole family was gorgeous. Dr. Jonas was a handsome man in his late fifties. Gray hair streaked his black wavy locks. Chiseled features and rugged. A masculine man. Joy also was beautiful in her mid-fifties with black hair that everyone guessed was a dye job, but very pretty. She had an issue with weight though. While not fat, she was not skinny either. You have four boys and that sort of explains it. Jonathan was a mystery. While he had the chiseled looks of the Jonas men, he was blond. Then there was Steven, my age but had dark brown hair. David was in school, later I'd meet him, he had red hair. And there was Elias, III.

Now, before I begin about any of them, let me set the stage. Dr. Elias Jonas was a missionary, also. His location had been exotic. Peru. He was the son of a missionary that had been sent there ages ago. Raised a family and Dr. Elias was the next generation of missionary to Peru. Dr. Jonas came home briefly to go to college, met his wife Joy and they had the four boys there in Peru. Being the son of a local Baptist big wig, like I was, there were politics. We had to show a good face. I'd begun my senior year of high school. I was older than some in my class because when I began, I had to start late. If you were born in October, that means you're not six by the end of September, so I had to wait until I was six, going on seven to start first grade. Now, with the Jonas family, I was encouraged to make friends with the Jonas family and hopefully become friends with the boys. So, I went over to where the Joneses lived. It was a very large house, five bedrooms and spread out in Fort Johnson Estates. That was an upper-middle-class neighborhood housing doctors, lawyers, and those types. I did my duty. I went over and was invited in. They were still unpacking, so I didn't want to be in the way, but I was told Steven was working on a project and could join him in the den. Walking through the house, I was amazed at all the crates. Some of the crates were being emptied, there were things that said Peru, from the exotic fabrics with colors and textures. The house had a smell that told of spices you don't smell locally. I was greeted by a squawk and saw the largest red parrot I'd ever seen. I'd seen parrots in zoos, but he was at least six feet from beak to the end of his tail. "Hello." The parrot said from his perch. Everywhere there were crates. A large table in the dining room was dark wood and it didn't look like anything you could get from a furniture store. Looking closer, there were scenes carved into the side and each of eight chairs had different scenes carved in the backrest of each, all unique. A china cabinet was full of fine china and crystal. Once in the den, I saw Steven looking quite busy. Papers all over and he was arranging them.

"Steven, this is Eric Mitchell." Joy introduced. "He goes to our church. His father is Director of Social Ministries for the Associated Baptist Churches in Charleston." Her tone made it sound like Dad was very, very important.

Steven looked up and instantly put a smile on that said something. It was practiced and he didn't really care. It was too perfect. On TV, his teeth would have sparkled. "Hello." He stuck his hand out and of course, I shook it.

Having been in this position before, I was often used as a pawn like this. "I just came by to welcome you. Being in a new city is hard." I looked about the house. "You've got a lot of beautiful things."

Steven's smile never faded. "This old junk?" He waved it off. "There's tons more in the garage, we can't find a place for half of it."

There was more!? The house looked cramped now and to me the house was huge. "You're busy. Can I help?"

He smiled again brighter. "Nah, until I get a job, I'm selling ad space for phonebook covers. To generate some income." He did the finger rub indicating money.

I frowned. "You just got here."

Steven didn't follow that logic. "And?"

He was ambitious. He had charisma. It went as far as you would expect from a sleazy used car salesman. It was practiced. We chatted a while and though he never said so, I was in the way. It was time for me to go. I was about to say that when we heard the car pull up and Jonathan announced at top volume. "'Lias is home!"

That made Steven drop what he was doing and headed with his brother to the kitchen door and opened it to let this other brother in. I kid you not, in stepped a man that to me that literally glowed. He was the most beautiful human being I'd ever seen. He was the tallest and thin, but muscular. Not the bulking weightlifter muscles. His muscles were toned and I instantly spotted he was a runner. He was very tan. He had short, but curly hair that was sun bronzed. Not the kind of curls that stand up, but lazy curls that were flat on his head. There was a three to five-day growth on his face of dark hair. My pants were quickly becoming uncomfortable as I was aroused like I hadn't ever been before. He was carrying a little blue box that I would find out was a pet carrier. He was hugged by both his brothers who were badgering him with questions as Joy greeted her son. Even Dr. Jonas came out to greet his son. With a handshake. My eyes couldn't stop staring at the man. My mouth was going dry, and my heart rate skyrocketed. I was forgotten. Then Joy remembered I was there first. She brought this new son over. "This is our eldest. Elias the third." She wrapped her arm around his proudly. "He's just come back from college at the University of Hawai'i." She motioned to me. "Elias, this is Eric Mitchell."

Elias smiled. Unlike his brother, his smile was the real thing. He stuck his hand out, but when our hands met. "Pop!" An electrical spark jolted both Elias and me, and there was a real spark. The smell of ozone was in the air. Both of us jumped. There was even a little screeching sound from whatever was in the carrier. "Sorry." Elias rubbed his hand on his shirt chuckling. "I must have gotten a static charge."

"It could have been me," I said. "It's nice to meet you." It was only as I said, having been here in this position before, my voice did not break. I knew how to deal with tough situations, but I needed to exit. Now! One does not have an erection having met your minister's son in his house! Right now, I needed a diversion. "Another member of the family?" I asked pointing at the carrier.

"Hum?" Elias asked it seems he was having a little trouble focusing as he was staring at me! Then he looked to where I was looking. "Oh. Yes." He reached down and opened the door of the carrier. "It's okay, Sweetpea. Come on out and say hello." He encouraged and I watched as little hands came out and what was the smallest monkey I ever saw came out on his arm. Then crawled up Elias' arm and sat on his shoulder beside his ear. "This is Pepe. She's a pigmy squirrel monkey."

Bright dark eyes looked at the new surroundings. Her brown-grey fur was dusted with white. She was little but had lived a long time. Her fondness of Elias was clear.

"She's beautiful," I said honestly.

"She's been with me eight years," Elias told me. "I found her as a baby. Her mother was killed, and I just adopted her." He scratched her back which she maneuvered so he could get her head and neck as she preferred. "She sleeps in a sock I tack on the bedpost."

I was still aroused. I had to go. Now. "Well, I should go."

"You don't have to leave." Joy said, but I got that it wasn't that sincere.

"No. I'm interrupting a family reunion." I turned to leave. "I'll see you on Sunday." I waved but headed out the door. I waited until I was clear of the house before I had my breakdown. I was sweating. The fact that I was gay was no revelation. That I knew, but to be aroused by a man I just met so strongly. I pounded the steering wheel. "Damn it!" Cussing was not something I did. Grandma always said you can choose your words. Cussing is the sign of a lack of intelligence. I'm sorry Grandma, but there are times a cuss word is only fitting. I needed to run. At home, I quickly changed into my running clothes and hit the pavement. How far I went, I don't know, I just ran. Of course, no one knew I was gay. Women and girls were pretty. They could be works of art, but I would mate with them as I would with a statue or painting. I didn't want them, but the sight of the male form made me want to touch. They were truly beautiful. I could not tell my parents or friends. So, what was I gonna do? Do I ask Elias if he ever slept with a guy? I never had, but I knew that's what I wanted. Elias' reaction would be either to say no way or belt me in the mouth. Was I willing to risk that? He had given no sign that he was gay. Not that I had much experience with anyone I knew was gay. I'd seen porn. What guy hasn't? It's everywhere. But I remember seeing porn at a friend's house. The women were nice, but the occasional pictures of the men in those got me aroused, not the women. That sparked me to find out why. I was a reader. I mean I read a lot. I had nearly a thousand books. I had a library card, but the problem with that was, I had to give the beloved book back and sometimes, I didn't want to. I used the library to read all materials dealing with homosexuality. I knew what men often did with men. Being homosexual no longer meant you were sick. I'd read the various theories and psychological ideas on the subject. There were the magazines. I had a few I hid in my personal safe, not under the mattress like many guys. Not even my mother could get in there.

Back to Elias. He was a college graduate. I was a punky kid in high school. Even if he did go for a man, he wouldn't want a teenager. He was gorgeous! The rest of the world thought so too. At least the ones that met him. By Sunday, I had it pretty well under control. I thought.

Our church was huge. We boasted over two thousand members. The Sunday morning service had a thousand to fifteen hundred attending. We had a choir that had over a hundred as members of that choir, which I was in. Not the youth choir, the adult choir. Mr. Gregory, our director, was thrilled to have someone my age that wanted to be in the adult choir. Now I should say, I didn't like Sunday School and did like the music, so it was a fair trade-off. The youth classes were...boring. There were classes, we had a large building that had classes for children, adults, couples, adult singles, college singles and recently separated. I'm walking through the hall when I see Steve approach. He was dressed like he was going to preach! The suit and the hair were perfect. No preacher could come incognito around me. I'd spot him. Well, Steve had that look down. He did the two-handed gunshot with his fingers and kept on going with a wink to me. I just stared as he passed and did so a moment, so I didn't notice the approach of someone else.

"Yeah, he's always off to do something." Elias' voice said behind me. My heart jumped again. "He's just trying to impress our Dad." I heard the little bitterness come out.

I turned with a smile. "Elias. Good to see you." While his brother and father wore suits. Elias did not. Dressed in slacks, not jeans, but a casual shirt and Docksiders. You remember those? Deck shoes? No socks if he didn't have to. He didn't feel he had to today.

He grinned. "Hello. You ran off so quickly, I didn't get to talk to you the other night."

"Yeah, well you were just coming home, and I didn't want to get in the way," I explained. How could I tell him I wanted to take him into a room and kiss the hell out him? My mind told me it was just lust. I understood that...and he smelled good. Damn it, he was arousing me again! It was a kind of musk. "We can talk now. Unless you have to be somewhere."

He grinned. "You weren't heading for a class." He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. "The classes are that way."

"Well, no. I sing in the choir. We meet a little early, so I was headed to Burger King until then."

"Let's go."

Elias was different than his brothers and definitely not like his father. The way I saw him, he was a late hippie. Take away a decade and I think he would have been right at home with the flower children of the sixties. Burger King had begun to sell salads, and he got one and a few lemons they had for tea. The big cup he filled with the soda water. Not the soda, just the fizzy water that came out with the syrup. Me, I got my cheeseburger and fries. And the Dr. Pepper. My favorite drink. "You graduated, what was your major?"

"Philosophy." But his eyes darted over to me when he said that.

"And apparently I'm supposed to say something to that," I said. "A degree in Philosophy is great. You can do just about anything with it from Law, Medicine, Science, and Religions."

He nodded with a chuckle. "I'm used to the questions as to why and what are you going to do with that." He squeezed the lemons on his salad. "So what are you majoring in?"

I just blinked. "I'm a senior in high school."

Elias' eyes widened. "Oh, I just...well. You look like a college student."

"Is there a problem with that? I plan to go into psychology. Next year." I explained.

He shook his head. "No problem, I just thought....how old are you?"

"I just turned eighteen," I said. Then I explained the age thing when I began school.

"So, you're an adult," Elias said to confirm.

I nodded. "Legally." I was wondering why that mattered. I pointed to his salad. "I get the feeling you're a vegetarian."

He chuckled. "No...not really. I do mostly eat vegetables and fish. The occasional chicken. I just don't eat red meat."

"I see."

He shook his head. "No, but if I tell you why, you'll laugh at me." He smiled.

"Why?"

He sat back. "Okay. I was ten years old. Dad went to visit this man who had a farm. There was the calf that fell in love with me."

Elias was right, I did laugh. "He could have been hungry."

"No, he followed me all over the farm. He would moo at me and look at me with such love. I swore never to eat him, his Mama, or cousins." He shook his head. "How could I? He loved me."

Everything was going great until Floyd Truluck showed up. I loved Floyd, he was a great guy, but he interrupted us. Suddenly he was in the booth asking Elias how he liked Charleston so far. I tried not to hate Floyd right then.

I liked Elias. He was funny and smart. He didn't try to appear to be anything but himself. Then it was time to gather before choir. I excused myself and hoped I could talk again with Elias after church, but as the church was over, the entire Jonas family was being taken for lunch. Bummer.

My week began again, school and my job after school. I delivered office mail at a resort on one of our barrier islands. There were a lot of offices. My advantage to my working there was I got a truck! On my way in I would pick up the mail from the post office which was just down the street from where I lived, then drove the long way to the resort, delivered their mail. Picked up outgoing mail and to that, back to the post office down the street from my house! That was a win-win! I was saving money. I mean, the occasional cheeseburger was one thing, but just spending for the album or tape. Not me. My sister was always asking for a loan, but I knew her, so the answer was always no. Both my father's grandparents were dead. His father died before I was born. His mother when I was five. Mom's mother was alive and doing fine. Her father was gone a year ago, but he invested in the bond which I got when he passed. I had nearly twenty grand in that account. I had added to it as the years passed. I was going to a university, damn it! Sorry again, grandma for cussing.

But no, my Dad was frugal. That's a nice way of saying he was cheap. "You can go free to the Baptist College here." He would tell me, but I was determined. My SAT scores were good enough. I wanted a degree I would be proud to have on the wall, a good job and get the hell away from this place. Charleston wasn't bad, but there were people all over that knew Dad and if I did anything wrong like my sister did, it would get back to them. Just like it did with Lynn. My parents were always yelling at her for the parties she went to, the drinking and the smoking. Not to mention the boys! Are you surprised I never mentioned I was gay to them? Gay guys were supposed to love drama. I don't need that. Baptists don't drink, dance or gamble. I didn't do any of those things. Not that I didn't try drinking, but it tasted disgusting. I equated beer with the piss that came out my uncle's horses. Drugs were not interesting to me. Pot? No, thank you. I applied to several universities secretly. If I got accepted, then I'd tell Dad and deal with that headache then.

It was that next Wednesday night after meeting Elias and I drove to the church. Choir practice was every Wednesday. Mr. Gregory knew I'd be late, I always was. So, when I arrived, I could hear the choir practicing a song for Sunday. Walking in you passed the sanctuary. The choir room was right behind the sanctuary. As I was going to practice, I noticed the door to the organ speaker room was open a crack. There were two big rooms up there both had the speakers for the organ on either side of the sanctuary. It was also storage for things like the puppet stage we used for our puppet ministry. Other odds and ends were up there to keep secure. It was never open. Never. That was a rule. I stopped and heard someone moving up there, I made my way up the stairs, the dim lights from the sanctuary came through the mesh that covered the room but allowed the speakers to do their job. I saw him walking back and forth.

"Elias?" I asked.

He turned startled. Then recognition, he nodded. "Yep."

"Why are you here?" I asked.

He kicked some dust on the floor. "I just needed to get away. Somewhere to think." He confessed. Then looked at me. "The truth was I hoping to see you here. Since you sing in the choir, I knew you'd be here eventually."

That was interesting. "Okay. I'm here." But you could tell something was bothering him. "What's wrong?"

He gave a sad laugh. "What's right?" Turning to me. "When I told you I had a degree in Philosophy, you understood."

I nodded. "omeone doesn't understand."

"My father," Elias said bitterly. "Neither he or my mother see why I chose that degree." Then he shook his head. "I was supposed to be a preacher, he says. I was to take on his role when he dies." He waved toward a person that wasn't there. "He has Steve, who is more than willing to step in his shoes."

I nodded. "But you are Elias Jonas, the third. You carry the name."

Elias was nodding. "Right. Because I am the eldest and carry his name, I have to be a preacher!? I don't want to be a preacher."

I walked toward him. "When we're born. Especially sons, we have expectations put on us by our fathers. In their minds, our lives are laid out. What we'll become and how we get there." I chuckled. "This has gone on since the dawn of man."

"You know why I chose to go to Hawai'i?" Elias asked. "Because I thought I could get away. They would never pursue me there."

I grinned. "I understand that." I laughed. "My father wants me to go to the Baptist College here," I explained. "The most important part of that, it's free for the children of Baptist ministers. I want a degree from a university. I long to get away."

"Are you going to?" Elias asked.

"Or die trying," I said.

Elias chuckled. "Well, don't do that." Then he looked at me. "I was offered a chance. A big chance. I am going to get my master's in philosophy, then my doctorates. I didn't ask my parents for a cent when I got my degree. I did it on my own through work studies, scholarships, and odd jobs. I will even teach."

I nodded. "That sounds great."

"Dr. Moody, she's the head of the Philosophy Department, offered me a position as an associate professor at the University of Hawai'i. I would still take my classes, and I would be making money while teaching."

He was going back. "Are you going to do it?"

He shrugged a nod. "I'm seriously thinking about it." He stepped closer. "I came here to get a job and work to earn some money to go back." Then he was shifting nervously. "Then I met you."

What the hell!? "Me!?"

"I've never done this before." He confessed. "So...what I want right now..." he inched closer and I didn't back away. "From the moment I first saw you. Was this." His face got closer. My mind was telling me this wasn't happening, but his lips touched mine gently. Tentative, as if coming at me too fast, I'd have run away. It was light, like a drop of dew landing on a flower. He backed away a little to see my reaction. No, I hadn't run, nor I wasn't angry. I have kissed three girls because that's what you did after a date. I dreamed about kissing a man, but now it has happened. He kissed me; I didn't kiss him. My response was not on a conscious level, it was, but I had wanted to do that the first day as well. I pressed my lips to his and now that he knew I was not only okay with it but wanted it. He pressed back. Arms going around me, pulling me closer in a hungry kiss as his tongue sought entrance and I practically sucked it in. Feeling that hard body next to mine was heavenly torture. Warm and getting warmer. The muscles on his back I felt. It was intoxicating! I finally understood what was meant when someone swooned. A light-headed, dizzy feeling that threatened to cause me to lose balance. This gorgeous man was kissing me! How I did it, I don't know, but I pushed him back. It was a herculean task! His face became confused. "You don't want this?"

I pulled him by the front of his shirt kissing him again. "Does that tell you I do?"

He chuckled. "I suppose, but...."

"First. I've never been with a man. Or girl, for that matter." I began. "I'm a virgin."

He smiled. "I am, too." Then he gave a shrug and nod. "More or less."

My eyes widened. "More or less," I repeated. "Isn't that like saying you're a little pregnant, more or less. Either you are or you aren't."

"Well...I did kiss one other guy, and he did suck my dick." Then he quickly added. "I didn't suck his and I didn't cum. So am I a virgin?"

"You're a virgin." I smiled. "Second, I don't think I could ever give in to casual sex."

"Who said it had to be casual?" Elias asked.

"We just met, Eli," I said. "If we did...what comes next, it would be. I want a relationship. The values I was raised with are good. If I give a part of myself to someone, I want to be a part of their life. I want that person to be a part of mine and give me what they've given no one else." I looked at his smiling face. "Does that make sense?"

"You want there to be love." Elias nodded. "So do I."

"We get to know one another first," I suggested. "We're both the sons of ministers." I looked at him. "I don't suppose your family knows you're gay."

He laughed. "No way. Yours?"

"No way." I smiled.

"So, what...we date?" Elias asked.

I nodded. "We date." Then I grinned. "You could be an asshole."

Elias laughed heartily at that. "You could be, too." Then he leaned forward again, "But I don't think so." His lips on mine again. "I really like you, Eric."

"I really like you." Then we heard voices as the choir came in the sanctuary to practice the song for Sunday with the organ. "It's about to be deafening here," I whispered and pointed to the huge speaker and took his hand and led him down. Once everyone was in the choir loft, we made a quick escape to Burger King. It was there and no need to drive anywhere.

Elias got his salad again and that water. I picked up his drink.

"Hey!" Elias grinned.

I took a sip. "You're worried about germs now?" It was disgusting, kind of bitter. I handed it back. "Yuck!"

He chuckled. "It's an acquired taste." He said mockingly smug.

"Well, I've not acquired it." I drank from my Dr. Pepper to purge the taste. "How about Friday?"

Elias grinned. "Sure." He nodded. "You're from here, so you decide." Then he looked at me more seriously. "How's this going to work? In a traditional situation, the guy pays. Since we're both guys..." He left the statement un-ended, but the train of thought was clear.

I shrugged. "I suppose whichever of us has the money and what was planned." I grinned biting the cheeseburger. "Do you like shrimp?"

"Love them." Elias nodded.

"I know the perfect place," I said confidently. We could see choir was breaking up and they were leaving. "Of course, Eli, we have to keep this quiet as possible. If any one of those or others sees us..."

Elias nodded. "I know." Then he smiled. "That's twice you called me Eli. I always hated that name."

I frowned. "Then I won't use it again."

Elias shook his head. "No, you don't understand. I hated it when others called me Eli. With you, it just fits."

We agreed we wouldn't do more than kiss until we were ready to become a couple. It was clear to me that Elias wanted the same things I did. The next few days couldn't drag on more. By Friday afternoon I was practically whistling at work.

A woman that I had become friends with smiled when I gave her the mail for her office. "Big date?" She asked and I nodded, but she stuck out her bottom lip. "And you're not telling?"

"Nope," I said and walked on.

I was allowed to use the truck, but I paid for the gas when I did. I dressed casually and put on my Gray Flannel cologne. Mom, who was part bloodhound sniffed as I passed by.

"Do you have a date?" She smiled.

"I'm going out. Yes." I kissed her on the cheek and left. Dad was thrilled I had become friends with the new pastor's family. I didn't dare tell him who and why.

I rang the bell when I arrived at the Jonases' home. Joy answered the door again.

"Hi, Eric." She greeted pleasantly. "Come in. Elias just got home. He was taking a shower. You can go on back. His room is down the hall and the last door on the right." Then she smiled. "It's a shame Steve is busy, and Jonathan has a game. They could have gone with you. Where are you two off to?"

The house was over five thousand square feet, but all on one floor...so big was enough to describe it.

"It's this really unique place. Bowen's Island. Nothing matches furniture wise. All the tables and chairs look like that came from different garage sales. The walls aren't painted. In fact, you're often asked to sign the walls."

She frowned. "Sounds revolting."

"Ah, but the man is a fisherman, that got injured and can't fish anymore. So, he started making seafood and it's the best seafood in the South as far as I'm concerned."

She laughed. "Sounds just up Elias' alley." Then she came a little closer. "As you and Elias are friends, from now on, come in the back. It'll be unlocked."

I grinned. "Thanks, Mrs. Jonas." And walked back toward Elias' room. The fact that he just took a shower, I admit, I hoped to see more of him. I dreaded it, too. Seeing more would make me want more, but wasn't that what this was about? Feeding the fire of desire? I approached his door which was cracked an inch. I knocked as I peered inside. He was pulling his jeans over his briefs. He had a muscular butt. You could see the tan line from his waist down into the jeans. He was bare-chested.

"It's open. Watch out for Pepe." Elias said.

I opened his door slowly, then saw his monkey jump up to his tall dresser. "Hi."

Elias smiled at me, came toward me, pushed the door shut and pinned me against the door with his body and both arms trapping me. He kissed me and I tasted the toothpaste he'd just used. His hair was towel dried and now his curls were everywhere. He still had that unshaven look, and the short bristles tickled my face. Again, he was warm, and his body was firm but silky to the touch. "Hi."

I chuckled. "And we haven't been on date one yet."

He shrugged. "It's best to get this sort of thing established, don't you agree?"

"I like it."

He laughed lightly. "Good." His lips caressed mine again. "I plan to do it a lot."

"I'm not stopping you." I looked at him. He was not skinny. His muscles were toned, and he had the six-pack torso most guys wanted.

"You are so beautiful," Elias said softly kissing me again.

I chuckled. "So, I'm the girl?"

Elias stood up straight. "Absolutely not. If you were, you wouldn't be in here. You attract me like no one has. To me, you are a beautiful man. That's why I asked how old you were."

"To see if I were an adult." I nodded. "I'm glad I am." He had chest hair and hair at the armpits, but he was breathtaking to me. "I am just stunned that you're gay."

He looked confused. "I was surprised you were. I couldn't help notice you staring. Day one and then the next time. I hoped you were, that's why I kissed you Wednesday."

"But you agree we should take this slow, right?" I asked.

"Of course." Elias smiled. "I look forward to it." He went back and got his brush.

As I walked past him to sit on his bed, I was a little startled when Pepe jumped on me, climbing up to my shoulder and chittered in my ear and proceeded to groom me. Elias just stared in shock, the brush over his head frozen in place.

"Hi, Pepe." I greeted and scratched her back, which she let me know, that wasn't where she liked to be scratched but maneuvered so I could get the spot she liked.

"She does not do that." Elias marveled. "She has to get know you a while before she just jumps on people." He grinned at a revelation he got from his pet. "She's a good judge of character, so I have her approval at least."

I could have kissed that monkey. "I hope so." I sat on his bed.

"It took her five months to trust Steven." Elias grinned.

"He's not that bad, I'm sure."

"Wait. You'll see." Elias chuckled as he put on a t-shirt. "He's my brother and I love him, but he can be a pain in the butt."

Dinner was fun. We talked and laughed. He ate more shrimp than I thought possible. I did, too. Mr. Bowen threw us a sharpie pen to sign the wall. Then it was a short drive to the beach and an area where there were not that many businesses, mostly houses. People out that time of night were merely distant shadows in the distance, like the man walking a dog. So, Elias and I just strolled and talked. I told him about what I wanted to do in the future, and he told me what he wanted. He minored in education, so he was interested in being a teacher. I wanted to counsel people in trouble. I said the people that needed it the most were gay men and women like us. Granted, I knew a lot less about the lesbian issues, but I knew about realizing you were gay. Elias was tall, so my arm naturally went around his waist, then into his back pocket. I was more than aware I was touching his butt. It was nice. His arm just was around me his hand caressing my chest as we walked.

"How tall are you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Six-three or four."

I nodded. "When's your birthday?"

He grinned. "I turned twenty-four on the seventh of this month."

"I missed it!" I was upset I had.

"I just got here!" Elias laughed. "Now you have a reason to stay with me, so you don't miss the next one."

"You think we will be?"

He chuckled. "I don't see why not. We get along well, I like you, we want the same things in our lives. We're already friends."

"I like that." I kissed him tenderly. "As you've never been with a man, and I haven't. Do you want to pitch or catch?"

He chuckled. "Are we doing sports metaphors?"

"Okay. You want to fuck or get fucked?"

He frowned. "That's crude. Let's stick with the metaphors." He shrugged. "I suppose I want all of it. If it's love, I can't see leaving anything out."

I nodded. "I read a lot. I know what to do, but what I'll like I won't know until we do it." I was a little anxious about that. "I will admit, when I first saw your family, I couldn't believe how attractive you all were. Then I saw you. I couldn't believe someone as gorgeous as you would like me. Not that way. I just don't want to disappoint you."

"It never dawned on me you would or could," Elias said surprise in his voice. "When we do, and I'm saying when not if...we'll be fine."

Kissing now was second nature. It was still thrilling, and it did make my head swoon, but I expected it now...and he was good at it.

We dated from then on out. There was, of course, Thanksgiving and both of our families were going separately to grandparents still alive. We went to Asheville, and they went to Florence, South Carolina. Mrs. Jonas Senior had retired a while back and now resided in a Baptist home we had there. Of course, because she was the wife of a missionary and minister, it was free. Duh.

We had the Christmas Cantata by the choir, and I had a solo. Oh, Holy Night. I sang to just one person. Do I need to say who? Then New Year's Eve. For that, there was a party planned at the church mostly to keep the young people from getting in trouble. (Like that would work.) We tried to be careful, but I was kissing the right person at midnight. No unintentional touches and definitely no kissing that anyone could see. People were beginning to talk about the closeness of the two of us. Our natural debates, often at the church where others could hear us kept most people scratching their heads in confusion and not wanting to get involved.

"...he was wrong!" Elias claimed. "Freud was wrong on so many levels. He was a drug addict!"

"Yes, he was a drug addict, but he was not wrong about the theories of the human nature which repudiate the evidence of behavior!" I argued. "Gilbert Ryle's The Concept of Mind and Adolf Grunbaum's Foundations of Psychoanalysis have debated that. There were debates on both sides."

"All psychology is the Bible concepts without God." Elias would argue. "Love yourself and others. Treating others with respect."

As I said, most heard things like that and just backed away. Others liked to push it. Especially those that were my age. There was a ski trip for the youth of the church and Elias was to chaperone. It would be the last trip I took as a youth. When we got to Beech Mountain it was joked that Elias and I should bunk together.

"Well," Dale said. "He is your boyfriend." Making his buddies laugh.

I didn't let him get to me. Guys called others fag or queer with no evidence anyway. I looked at Dale. "Awe, I didn't know you cared. Are you jealous? Did you want to be that boyfriend with me? Or maybe you want to be Elias' boyfriend and I'm in the way. I don't blame you, Elias is a great looking guy. Be my guest." I waved at Elias who was laughing behind me.

Dale's eyes widened. "No!"

"You know, there are theories about people who belittle others. Especially about sexuality. Could it be you're not so secure in yours?" I asked.

He and his friends dropped it. They had no idea how true he was. By now I knew I was in love with Elias. I was pretty sure he was feeling the same thing.

We did things together, like running. We did that every day. We lived only a few miles apart, but it was on one afternoon I got the idea what the perfect gift would be to give him on Valentine's Day which was coming up soon. Charleston was a tourist's city, a lot to see. There was a place downtown that rented skates that you could skate around downtown. We ended up at White Pointe Gardens on the Battery. For those who don't know, the battery looked out on the harbor in Charleston. Very historical. You could see Fort Sumter from there where that awful war started. Elias could skate, but not that well. There were a few spills he took that I had to help him up. He looked at some of the grand houses.

"Wow, look at that." He pointed to a house I knew.

I looked and smiled. "Yeah, that's the Battery Carriage House." Then I grinned. "You want to see inside it?"

"Can we go in!?" Elias asked amazed.

"Sure." I nodded. "I know Sharon Gaye. She and her husband bought it years ago and opened an Inn. Her little brother and I used to run all over the inside."

His eyes widened. "Really?"

"Come on." As we entered, I looked up at the gate. Charleston was famous for its rod iron gates and the art there. I remembered seeing earrings and medallions made to represent them. We walked to the office I knew Sharon worked and went inside.

A blonde woman looked up and immediately smiled. "Eric!!" She came over and hugged me.

"Hi, Sharon." I pointed to Elias. "This is Elias Jonas, he's new in town, we passed by and I thought I'd show him around inside. Is that okay?"

She nodded. "Of course, yes." Then she looked down at our skates. "I don't need to tell you to take the skates off."

I shook my head. "Nope." Then to Elias. "She had us buff those great wood floors. I am not kidding. Every floor. I don't want to do that again."

Elias laughed. "I can see why. It's huge!"

It was a grand structure. The first floor was originally on the second floor. You can't have basements in Charleston, you hit water. Now there were rooms down there, less expensive rooms. I showed Elias the dining room that was a restaurant now, the ballroom and the living room. The suites that weren't occupied then. And the three upper floors. Upstairs on the top floor, I walked to a white paneled wall.

"Tap lightly here," I instructed.

Elias did and there was a click and the wall popped open revealing a thin, narrow spiral staircase up. "Where's this lead?"

I led him up to a sealed section. Unlatching it, I pushed it open. "This is the widow's walk." I stepped out. "Careful, there's no railing now." We were on the roof. The sun made the tin roof warm through our socks. "Stephen and I had lunch up here. Feet dangling over the side." I waved around. "There's a beautiful view up here." The harbor and cityscape were breathtaking. The old Fort Sumter could clearly be seen. James Island and where we both lived. Mount Pleasant and the peninsula city and the many steeples in Charleston. "All the steeples is why it's referred to as the Holy City."

Elias nodded, peering over the side cautiously. "You had lunch up here!? It's a wonder you didn't get yourself killed!"

I chuckled. "Lucky you."

I got the perfect medallion for him. Then Valentine's Day. We mingled with the other people and there were many who had no dates, so our coming stag didn't raise any eyebrows. Little did I know, he had plans. Then he did the slight head jerk to tell me to head out. We didn't leave together the same way but met outside. He grinned and dangled some keys at me and gestured again with his head.

"Follow me."

I would. He led me into the nursery part of our church building. We had a huge nursery. It wasn't being used tonight and as soon as we were out of sight of others he took my hand and led me into the interior.

"Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see." Elias grinned. He stopped. "You were the one that curiosity didn't bother, I thought."

"Yeah, well this is different." I justified.

He took me to where the infants were kept, no windows here. He closed the door which should have made it pitch black, but the darkness was gone quickly. There were candles everywhere lighting the room. He went over and touched a boom box and soft music began playing.

"You romantic devil." I grinned.

He blushed. "Yeah, it's a weakness." Then he pulled a box out of his pocket. "Happy Valentine's Day."

I smiled taking the box and opening it. Inside was a round stone fixed on a silver chain. It was a milky white stone about the size of a half dollar coin.

"That's the symbol of Mamaquilla. She is the goddess of the moon in South American culture. She was married to Illapa, the god of the sun. You give that to the one you choose, and she will protect that union for the rest of your lives. So, I was told." Elias explained. "I've had it for years, intending to give it to the one I love. That's you. I love you, Eric Mitchell."

Boys are told don't cry and men never do. I was tearing up on that.

"As long as you wear that. We can never be torn apart."

I put the thing on. I handed him my present. "Mine doesn't have a legend or anything, it's what I made up, but that day we went to the Battery Carriage House..." I began as he opened it. Dangling the medallion. "I thought, this is a symbol of the many gates in Charleston. You've opened the gates of my heart. I love you, Eli."

Again, we did as we did often. Kissed, only there was love on both our parts from each other now and we both said it, even though it was there before we said it.

"Eli, what are we going to do? Stay here, go to Hawai'i. Either way, we have to plan." Our foreheads touching. "Kiss, okay. Don't go below the belt, but that's what I want more than anything. I can't lie to my parents. If we do it and they ask, I'll have to tell the truth. If I jerk off any more than I am thinking about you, they'll find out!" I grunted. "I want to be close to you! My desire is to touch you. That's below the belt!"

Elias chuckled. "I know what you mean." Then he shook his head. "We're not running away."

I agreed. "You know they'll try to stop us."

"So, everything has to be in place before we tell them anything." Then he grinned. "Think you can hold out until after you graduate?"

"Do I have a choice?" I muttered. "When we tell them, we do it in a public place. My father has a temper, and I don't want violence."

Elias looked a little alarmed. "Do you think he will be?"

I shrugged. "I won't put it past him."

"We do it all at once," Elias said. "Rip the band-aid right off." Then he wrapped his arms around me holding me tighter. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." The music was soft as he began to move with me.

"Are we dancing?" I grinned. "Baptists don't dance, you know."

"Who told you that crap?" He asked nuzzling my neck with his lips.

God, he smelled good!

We had a nice dinner, just he and I. He rigged up some baby bottle warmers that kept the chicken dishes they were serving warm. I got home after midnight to find both my parents still up waiting. I felt a sense of dread.

"You were at the Valentine's Day Celebration at church?" My father asked, but it was a challenge to catch me in a lie.

"I was there in the beginning, but Elias and I ducked out early. We had dinner there. It got boring." I answered.

"You spend far too much time with that man," Dad stated. "People are talking."

"You encouraged me to make friends with the Jonas boys. I do, and now I'm spending too much time with them." I argued.

"What them? You and Elias are always together." Dad was getting louder. "People are saying you two are sexually involved."

I leveled a look at them. "And you believe that? I've not had sex with anyone. I'm a virgin. When I do, you'll be the second and third people to know."

Mother looked at my father. "They're good friends, Richard."

"Why has no one seen Elias with a girl?" Dad demanded looking at her. "Or our son? Young men, their age should be dating girls."

"I've dated some girls." I defended. "I'm just focused on my future. I will be going to a university and I will get a degree I will be proud of." I walked away a little. Then turned back. "What's interesting. Dr. Jonas wanted Elias to follow in his footsteps. Elias got a degree on his own, no help at all from his family. I'm willing to do the same." Then I went to my room.

It was the following week I waited as I always did for Elias to meet me for our early morning run. When he didn't show up and I began to worry. We always ran before I had school and he had to go to work. I drove over to the house and saw his light was on, but the kitchen light was also on, so I took the chance the door would be unlocked. Opening the door, I saw Joy Jonas getting breakfast for her sons to go to school.

"Hi, Mrs. Jonas," I said quietly. "I hope Elias is okay. He didn't show up for our run."

She smiled a little sadly. "Hi, Eric. Yes, Elias is fine. His little monkey died last night. He's pretty upset."

"My God!" I pointed to the hall. "I'll go check on him." Her nod told me it was okay.

I pushed on the door, seeing Elias dressed to run, but sitting on his bed with the body of the little monkey in his hands. Elias wasn't crying, but his whole quiet demeanor told me he was very upset.

"Eli?" I asked coming in a sitting next to him.

Elias looked up sadly. "I was going to call, but it was so early..."

Putting my arm around him. "I am so sorry."

He brushed the fur gently. "She was having trouble the last couple of days. Getting in the sock and just moving. I knew it was coming."

"Knowing it and having it happen are two different things," I said quietly. "She lived a full happy life."

He shrugged. "She's just an animal."

I felt angry at that. "She was your friend and very devoted to you. You were her whole world." Then I narrowed my eyes. "You don't believe what you just said. Those aren't your words, are they?"

He shook his head. "No, they are not, but I know what Dad would say. He doesn't understand." Then he chuckled. "The vet was amazed. She told me Pepe had almost doubled her life span."

I nodded. "She had a lot to live for." I agreed. "I remember that game you played with her. The peeled white grape you would hold up in one hand, she'd climb up and you'd switch it to the other hand making her climb down and over to the other hand."

"The thing was she could have jumped easily, but she knew it was a game. I remember you getting upset saying I was teasing her." Then he shrugged a nod. "And I was, but she knew the game and loved to play it. She loved white grapes."

"She was a sweet little soul."

He looked at me. "Do you think she has a soul?"

I nodded without hesitation. "Absolutely. There's no real proof we have one. If there is a soul. Pepe had one. Any animal capable of love has a soul. I have a dog, a beagle, in heaven waiting for me now in the afterlife. I know Miss Scarlett's waiting patiently for me. Pepe is now waiting for you."

He smiled at that. "I guess I need to bury her." He looked at the clock. "Don't you have school?"

"I've never cut class before," I said firmly. "My boyfriend has suffered a loss in his family, I think I can skip a day. Is there somewhere you want to bury her? Being an adult has its advantages on when you can skip things like classes."

He shook his head. "I don't want to bury her in the yard."

I nodded. "I know just the place."

Elias had a wooden cigar box he kept things in but emptied it. We wrapped her in two of Elias' socks. Then sun was turning the morning sky brighter as I drove to a spot I knew. There were many pets buried here. Each with a roughly made tomb marker, done by children and grownups alike. Dogs, cats, hamsters, and birds were buried in love and remembered. It was an area not developed but overlooked a marsh that led to the harbor and a view of the Battery on the other side of the harbor. Under an ancient oak tree heavily laden with Spanish Moss, we dug and placed the box in and covered it. Elias put a wooden sign with Pepe's name and the date.

By the end of April, we started packing. Things would be sent ahead to be there before we arrived. I had to be careful. Books and things I wanted with me I had to be removed a few at a time. I hated sneaking around.

"Okay," Elias said as he put some of his books in a crate. "I've made reservations for our flight."

I pulled out a bank book. "I need the address and phone number for a bank there."

He looked at me. "There's Big Island Bank I have my money in."

"Well, we can add this to that." I handed him the bank book.

His eyes widened when he saw the amount. "You have that much!?" Then he shut it. "No. That's your money, for your future."

I took the bank book and swatted him on the head with it lightly. "That's what I'm doing, Dummy. Are we going to argue about my money versus your money?" I kissed him gently. "It's for our future and our money."

He grinned pulling me down next to him. "You are going to love Hilo." He stated. "It's beautiful. I called a friend and made arrangements for an apartment near the University Campus. In fact, most that live in the apartment complex are students. We'll have a lot of company."

I looked hesitantly. "Are we're living there as friends or a couple?" I asked. He looked surprised, so I held my hand up. "Just a clarification. This is the Bible Belt. The fact that both our fathers are ministers is beside the point, but it does have more impact. If we walk hand in hand down the street here, there could be accidents. People gawking, running into each other. Lives could be in jeopardy!"

He grinned, chuckling. "We won't have to hide it if that's what you mean." He sighed. "Hawai'i and most Hawai'ians don't care. They won't mind or be concerned that we are a couple or not. There were a lot of us there in the sixties. People living in sin left and right. It's not that they're more tolerant, they just don't get involved. We can be as open as we like." Then he chuckled. "The students will be on our side there. They will get involved, in our favor."

I chuckled. "They live for controversy."

"Eat it for breakfast." He laughed.

Soon, we would be able to touch and love. This thing where we were stopping when I wanted more was getting on my nerves. Kissing was great, but I was having to stop my hands from drifting down. I wanted to get as close as possible to Elias but required sex. Sex meant being naked and touching!

I did do something I risked someone finding out. I went to Funfair. It was a porn shop. I saw all the magazines with all the naked women, there were a lot of those, a lot! There was a section that had some naked men, but not nearly as many, but that wasn't why I was there. Reading about what a man did to a man was one thing. Were there things I needed to watch out for? Knowing that Elias was putting his erect penis in my butt didn't bother me, I was hoping I could do that with him, but would it hurt? Would it stink? Let's face it, the butt was used mainly for one thing and that stunk. What intrigued me was the lady at the checkout. She looked like a grandmother! For all I knew, she was a grandmother. She was very nice, even with the men that got change for going to watch porn in the booths in back putting quarter after quarter in while jerking off. Of course, she told each not to do that, but you knew they would anyway.

I walked over to her. "Excuse me."

She glanced up with a smile. "What can I help you with?"

My heart was working harder. Admitting it was an effort. "I'm planning a...rendezvous with my boyfriend."

Her expression didn't change. She was neither appalled or surprised. "Okay."

"I'm a virgin."

She nodded. "I see."

"He is, too," I explained further. "We both know it's what we want, I just....I know what we're going to do, I just...are there things I need to look for? Do I use an enema? It will stink."

She smiled patiently. "You can. Any sex stinks. Even straight sex, but I recommend this for anal sex. Women use it, too." She picked up a bottle. "It will clean you or him out, it only takes a few minutes and even smells nice." Then she looked at me. "Is he a big man? I mean, how big is his erection?"

I shrugged. "I've never seen it. Or even his penis yet."

She smiled. "But you love the man." She nodded. "Well, you need this as well." She handed me some lubrication. "It will also add a nice smell. And he loves you?"

I nodded. "Beyond the shadow of a doubt."

She tapped something else. "You may want this. It's Analease. It will loosen the muscles and make penetration easier, but it can also take away the sensation. Just take it slow and easy at first."

I smiled at her. "Thanks. I'm glad you're here. I would have a devil of a time with some tough man to explain this."

She chuckled. "Conservative upbringing?"

"Very."

"It's just sex." She said simply. "We all do it. Love and sex don't have to be the same thing. It's refreshing to see someone that wants both. Be it a man and woman or two men. I just don't understand people's attitude to something we all do. It's natural and basic. Life without sex is not a life. I hope you have a good night."

I agreed and made my purchase. The purchase I kept hidden in my safe like those magazines I had.

Then graduation. My parents were happy, though concerned with my determination to go to a university. Mom was talking about the University of South Carolina or Clemson. I just listened. The time was coming. We needed to be in Hawai'i before the end of July. I wanted to be there as soon as we were able. So, June was the month. I needed to find a job there to help financially. I transferred the funds from my bank to the Big Island Bank. That money would help with school charges, but we needed an income for living expenses. Elias' money he would earn would just be enough for his classes and some expenses, but we needed more. Then I had to pack clothes for our trip there.

Both of us were getting more nervous the closer our deadline came. I quit delivering mail for the resort and I closed the door to the house for the last time. Elias rented a car for a week that I got in.

He smiled at me. "Still okay with this?"

I nodded. "It's just harder than I imagined. I'm leaving for good." Then I smiled at him. "I'm not changing my mind if that's worrying you."

He bobbed his head. "Not worried, but...it is a big step." Then he kissed me. "But tonight. We'll be together. No more putting the brakes on."

I'd been so caught up in leaving, I hadn't worried about that. "Of course, I'm nervous about that, too."

"Me, too," Elias admitted. "I planned something special for the two of us."

I smiled. "Okay."

We had told both our parents to meet us a Chi-Chi's, an American-Mexican restaurant we all liked, but I doubted we'd eat. It was an early evening, still light outside, but the restaurant was crowded. As precious as my parents guarded their reputations and what everyone thought of them, they wouldn't make a big scene. The Mitchells didn't know the Jonases were coming, nor the other way around. We pulled in early and got a table and waited. My parents arrived first. I stood as they approached the table, Mom looked curious, but Dad looked annoyed.

"What's going on?" He demanded. "You told us to be here, that you had good news." He said to me.

I nodded. "I have news." Then to my relief, the Jonases arrived but was surprised to see Steve with them. I glanced at Elias who shrugged.

"He'll find out anyway," Elias muttered to me.

Dr. Jonas looked at my father and shook his hand. "Do you know what this is about?"

Dad growled. "I think I know."

I smiled tightly. "I doubt it. You suspect, but don't know half of it."

After they all sat. I looked at Elias. "You first?"

Elias nodded. "I've accepted the Assistant Professor's position. I'm going back to Hilo and get my masters."

"And I'm going to a university. In fact, I'm going with Elias and attending the University of Hawai'i." I said to them all.

Then Elias took my hand. "We're gay. We love each other. We're going as a couple."

Then it all broke forth, from Dad's I knew it! Dr. Jonas' What!? Joy Jonas' horror-stricken look and Mom's Oh, honey, you're sick. This all was said and done at one time.

Dad stood up pointing a finger at Elias. "I will have you arrested!"

I tightened my hold on Elias' hand. "For what?" I shook my head. "He did nothing wrong. There's been no crime!"

"He just said you were going as a couple," Dad said.

"Elias, what have you two been doing?" Dr. Jonas asked. "How long has this been going on?"

"Shortly after we met." Elias volunteered.

"All we've done sexually is kiss." I added. "I was already eighteen when I met him. Even seventeen, if I weren't it's not a crime anymore. I'm over the age of consent."

"Kissed!?" Steven balked in shock. "On the mouth!?"

Elias looked at his brother incredulously. "That is where one usually kisses, Dummy."

"You know that's a sin, Elias." Dr. Jonas said. "You can't love a man."

"Is it?" Elias asked. "Well, I do."

"Eric, come home." Mother said shakily, but calmly. "We'll get treatment for you. You're sick."

"Being gay stopped being considered a mental illness years ago, Mom," I said. "I'm not sick. I fell in love with a fantastic human being who is male, just like I am."

"But your bodies won't fit together." Mrs. Jonas objected. "A man's body is supposed to fit with a woman's body."

"Yet, we will," Elias said. "There are millions of men out there that have had and will have sex with another man. There won't be children, but many straight couples can't have children, does that mean they can't love?"

I held up my hand. "I don't lie." I looked at my mother. "You know that. I'm not coming home. We leave for Hawai'i on Friday."

Elias stood and I rose with him. "We knew how you'd react. That's why we chose a public place. Your reactions would be tempered. We are going to build a life together." Elias said.

"I would like to keep in touch, and we will be in touch. We'll write and call, but it is happening." I said firmly.

Elias smiled at me, then looked at our parents and his brother. "I'm paying for the meal..." then he caught what he'd said and squeezed my hand. "...we're paying for the meal. Eat, don't eat, it doesn't matter."

"If you do this, you're out!" Dad said to me sternly.

It hurt. "I knew you'd say that."

"We didn't raise you to do this, Elias." Dr. Jonas said.

Elias chuckled bitterly. "Of course, you didn't. But this is what's going to happen."

Steven was still reeling over the revelation. "But you can't be gay. You're my brother!"

Elias rolled his eyes. "That right, I'm your brother. Your gay brother." Elias glanced at me. "See what I said about him being a pain in the butt?"

At any other time, that would have been funny, but things were a bit tense now. The server that had been approaching had frozen in place when she'd heard the pandemonium erupting at the table. Then I noticed others in the restaurant looking, I guessed our voices carried. I noticed one group of four I knew from church. "I think we've given these nice people enough of a floor show," I said to Elias.

He looked up and where I was looking. "You're right." We stepped away from our table. "We haven't left. Whether you talk to us or not. We'll be in touch."

We left the restaurant with Elias' credit card number stating if they eat anything we were paying for it and a generous tip was included.

We drove back, but the direction was where we lived until he got to the beach highway. There was only one hotel on the beach in Charleston at that time and he pulled into it. It was the beginning of Summer, but a Tuesday. We walked through the lobby carrying our overnight bags. We rode the elevator to the top floor. He went to the end of the hall where a set of double doors were and unlocked it, throwing it open.

"Here we are." Elias smiled. "The Honeymoon Suite."

It was four times the size of any hotel room I'd stayed in. The floor was step down with a large king-sized bed in front of us. To the right was a sunken Jacuzzi tub, behind that was a glass hexagonal shower. The door behind that was obviously the bathroom. To the left was a large sliding glass door with a view of the beach and ocean beyond.

"I didn't want our first night to be in a cheap motel, so I got us this."

I put the bags down. "It's beautiful."

He stepped toward me. "You're beautiful." He shut the door behind us and locked it. "I love you, Eric."

Now my hands were sweating. "I love you."

He led me into the room, standing beside the bed. "Touch me, Eric."

All the times I wanted to before, but couldn't, now to be invited to...I reached out and touched his chest. With a quick kick, both shoes were thrown aside. I said before, he never wore socks if he didn't have to. He started to unbutton his shirt, which I stopped him. Then unbuttoned it for him, pushing it to the floor. Then reached down to his pants, seeing that he was already erect through the jeans. So was I. My hand went below the belt for the first time, gently running my hand over the growing mound. Unbuttoning his pants, I pulled the zipper down.

"We'll take it slow," Elias assured. "I want to see you." He started to do what I had done to him. Slipping my shirt off and then running a hand over my chest. Then down the back of my pants. Feeling his hand on my ass I again felt the swoon. Pushing his pants down which he stepped out of, both of us were in our briefs before each other. "You are so beautiful." He said again as he pushed my briefs down and looked at me. "So beautiful."

He was pushing the front of his briefs with an erection I released sending them to the floor.

Two men, together, naked and I loved the way he looked! I had seen guys in the locker room, they didn't have erections. I'd seen guys in the magazines that did have erections. Elias had not been short-changed. From base to tip he was at least eight to ten inches. I was about eight but couldn't believe it when his hand touched me there it seemed to grow again! No one has ever touched my penis before. It felt so good I moaned. Then I reached out and touched his, the sensations I got made me want to do it more! I gently stroked the firm, warm muscle and saw his genitals were hanging low but retracting. It was warm and he was about to shoot his cum. I knew what I wanted, pushed him gently down on the bed and took the tip of his penis in my mouth and licked the tip. His moan was immediate and his grasp on my head got stronger as his fingers pulled my head closer. I nearly choked on the first attempt but recovered and ran my tongue over his shaft and a few attempts more, I had my nose in his pubes. Deep throating was not easy, I gagged a couple of times, but I did it. The scent! It was a musky rich smell, and I pumped a few times sliding my mouth in and out and then he came with a shout, "I'm gonna cum!!" I was and wasn't ready. I'd never tasted any man's cum before, it was a salty, sweet cream that was sort of slick on my tongue. I cleaned him off, licking everything that came out of him away, swallowing all of it. Then I crawled up to him, kissing, licking and sniffing my way up his stomach, then his chest enjoying the tickle of the hair on his chest, nipping lightly a nipple with my teeth and drawn again to a smell I had never smelled before. I trapped his arms above his head and ran my nose in his armpit hairs. That made my erection grow stiff again! Then he flipped me over and sank down taking my penis in his mouth. That wet heat engulfing me sent pleasure signals straight to my head and he worked and because he nor I had done it before, I came almost as quickly as he had which he swallowed equally greedily. Then his smiling face appeared over me.

"What'd you think?" He chuckled and his grin wide. "Do we continue or just say forget it?"

I pressed my lips to his and plowed my tongue in and I couldn't get enough fast enough. "No way am I forgetting this."

He laughed. "I knew you'd say that." Then he sat up a bit. "Do we try making love?"

"Who's first?" I grinned.

"You wanna pitch to me first?" He waggled his eyebrows.

I smiled. "Well, before we toss the ball either way." I jumped up and went to my bag. I got the bottles I'd bought and squeezable applicator. "Squeeze out the air and suck some of this in it. Then stick this up..." I turned so he could see. "...your butt, wait five minutes and it will clean you out."

His eyes widened. "It must be love." He griped. "How did you learn that?"

I shrugged. "I asked."

"Who?"

"The lady at Funfair," I said. "I wanted to make sure it was pleasurable for both of us. So, I asked."

He took the items and stood up. That's when I noticed his relaxed penis. He was uncut, as in not circumcised. All the guys I'd seen in the locker room were and I was. I hadn't noticed as he had been erect since his pants came off.

"What?" Elias asked.

I grinned touching his penis between my fingers. "I just noticed you were uncut."

He looked at me and jumped back. "You are!?" Then he grinned. "Does that bother you? None of my brothers or father is cut."

I took his relaxed penis in my mouth are ran my tongue across it.

He chuckled. "I guess not."

"That's more information than I needed or expected, but it's just not usual in the United States." I grinned. "But natural. Mine is not."

Kissing me quickly he went into the bathroom. I got the room ready. It took a few more minutes than five, but when he came out, he was shaking his head.

"That was harder than you would think." He said amused. "Getting it in there was a challenge. Gravity."

"Well, I could have helped you." I smiled.

He nodded. "I guess that kind of privacy is done with us. Still, I did it. So, what's next?"

"This is where it will be better with time. We'll get better and try new positions and various applications." I began, sounding like I knew a heck of a lot more than I did. "I've read it will hurt a little at first. I'll be nice and slow. Your muscles will resist, but you will relax as we go and we'll find out what you like and go from there." I motioned to the bed where I bunched some pillows about mid-way down and placed a towel over them. "At first, let's try you on your stomach."

He nodded. "Okay. Is there a position where we face each other?"

I nodded. "Sure. Anything is possible. But for now, your first time needs to be a little less awkward. I don't want to hurt you."

He stretched out on the bed and his hips were propped up. "I'm not worried."

"I am," I confessed. "Now, I'm supposed to prep you."

He nodded. "Okay."

I've said it before. Knowledge because you've read something is not the same as practical experience. Using my finger, I gently stuck my finger in my goal after applying lubrication to the finger. He was warm and I could feel the muscles squeeze on my finger. I used the lube to get my finger in and the lady at Funfair was right, there was a nice smell. Then I went from one finger to two. Then three and I did what I read and scissored my fingers. While I was doing that, my erection was growing again.

"Well, here comes the first ball." I joked.

He chuckled. "Love baseball now. Pitch away."

A penis is much thicker than a finger, or even two. Positioning myself placing the tip of my penis on his opening and slowly moved forward. I was having sex! With a man that I loved! I saw him grit his teeth as I got about halfway in. His warmth and tightness made me want to go farther. "Are you alright?"

"Just feel...like I got to crap."

"You will relax. So, I've read." I said and moved out a little, then inserted again going a little farther. Taking it slow only made the sensation more intense for me. I wanted to move! Pump! I felt his muscles feel less strain, but the warmth and pressure was nothing short of divine. "I'm going to start," I instructed and pulled out and reinserted. Then again. Only this time he let out a little cry of surprise. I panicked and froze. "Did I hurt you?"

He shook his head. "No, no. I don't know what you just did, but it felt like I was going to cum."

I'd read that some guys did get that sensation because of the prostate. "So, keep going?"

He nodded. "Absolutely. Go."

Soon I was going carefully and quicker.

His reaction was a groan that became a steady moan of pleasure. Then he arched back. "Harder. Faster."

I wasn't arguing. I did just that. Soon he was moaning louder and pushing back, then a near shout he came in four long spurts. Seeing that and smelling it went straight to my head and I came inside him. Then collapsed on top of him in gasps. He was panting, too.

"That...was...." He said between gasps. "Was incredible."

I nodded. "It was amazing for me as well."

He chuckled. "Feel free to pitch to me any time."

We did have to recover a bit before we attempted me as the catcher. I was starting to appreciate baseball, too. I did the prep with that stuff to clean me out as I knew to do. We would make it a daily routine later to always be ready. I got ready and he did what I had done to him. It did feel like I was going to crap, just as he said. Soon he was pumping, and it felt nice, but I didn't get the intense feeling of orgasm he did. Maybe I was those other men that didn't. Not fair. Don't get me wrong, I did get an erection when he was pumping and I loved being close to Elias, it was very nice. He was not a shortchanged man when it came to his penis. Either my prostate was too deeply set, or I just didn't get that feeling. When he came I felt the load shoot inside me.

We did use the suite's Jacuzzi, relaxing together, feeling the closeness and touches.

"Any regrets?" Elias asked quietly.

"Absolutely." I quipped. "I don't love you."

His eyes grew.

Then I leaned closer, kissing him gently. "Ask a foolish question. You get the unexpected answer." The intimacy between us wasn't just from kissing, but gentle touches and our heads joined the other making contact with each other. "This has been so intense. I didn't think I could love a person as I do you. Carrying a part of you in me makes it...whole. I don't regret a second."

He grinned. "Me neither."

When the sun was making its way into the morning sky. How much we loved and how many times...I lost count. I was not believing we had that much fluid in each other, but we did. I must have dozed off, for I was awaked as I felt someone toying with my penis. Looking down, Elias was fondling me gently. "Having fun?"

He nodded. "I am." Then he threw back to covers we had pulled up to keep warm. "You want to try it?"

My hand drifted down and I did as invited. Then I flipped him over, so I was straddling him. There it was again. That smell. Pulling his arms over his head, I put my nose in the hairs under his arms. My erection grew.

"Not that I mind." Elias smiled. "What are you doing?"

"What cologne do you have on?" I asked.

"None," Elias said. "Just soap and water."

"Must be pheromones," I replied.

"Pheromones?" Elias repeated. "From me? Do we have those?"

I shrugged. "Animals do. All I know is, you have this strong scent. It's sort of musk. I've smelled it before." I kissed him. "It makes me want you more. I'd say we do have those."

He chuckled. "Knock yourself out."

"I intend to."

"You're my best friend, Eric. I love you so much. Thank you for beginning life with me." Elias said softly. "We'll have a wonderful life."

"I feel the same. You're my best friend. I'll do anything you ask. I love you, too."

He sat up. "Let's run!"

We checked out after the run, we had breakfast and checked into a less expensive motel near the airport. We called our homes, but I was hung up on by Dad. So was Elias. It was afternoon when Elias called again, and it was answered by his youngest brother.

"Hi, Jonathan," Elias said warmly. "I guess you know what happened yesterday." He listened. "Yes. Eric and I are going to Hawai'i...yes...we're gay...I know things are probably in turmoil there...well, I've decided to start a life with Eric in that life...I haven't left the family, I've just included Eric in mine...I still want to be in touch with you...we're leaving at 10:48 am Friday morning." He chuckled at something his brother said. "You're my favorite brother, Jonathan..." Then he laughed. "I love you. We'll talk again. Bye." He grinned as he looked up at me. "The truth is, he is my favorite brother."

I nodded. "He seems like a great guy."

Elias nodded. "He is." Then he shrugged. "It's probably because we're ten years apart in age. I had a lot more to do with raising him. Mom would be off doing whatever and I had to take care of him." He sat beside me. "They're good people. They've just been spoiled."

My eyebrows rose. "Spoiled?"

"Do you know why we're not in Peru?"

I shook my head.

"Because Dad didn't get everything on his Christmas List."

My eyes widened. "What?"

Elias nodded. "I tell you the truth. Every year Dad would make a list of things he needed and send it in. The churches would band together and get things off the list. One year, Dad didn't get them." He shrugged. "And we had servants."

"What?" I asked amazed.

"The house that granddaddy got was a plantation house. Tea or coffee, I don't remember. Three stories tall and huge. Of course, Mom and Dad were paid in American dollars and a few dollars a week and we had a lady that cleaned the house, washed the clothes..."

"Wow."

"I love them, but I don't respect them." Elias confessed.

It was Thursday morning when I got an answer at home.

"Hello?" My mother's voice came.

"Please, don't hang up, Mom. I didn't run away. Or die."

She sighed. "Tell me when and where to meet you."

I glanced at a clock. "One o'clock. Piccadilly's."

"Fine." And she hung up.

The first mall in Charleston was Charlestown Square. My first thought was a cafeteria we often went to. Not because it was that great, I mean the food wasn't bad, but it was cheap. My father's favorite thing.

We were there at 12:45pm. I'm never late. Elias decided my meeting with Mom should be between Mom and me, so he went to the atrium which I could see him. I watched one o'clock come, then 1:15 and by 1:30 I wondered if she'd changed her mind. At a quarter to two I watched her come in the mall. She was a Southern Belle, the dress, and gloves. She walked over.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming," I commented.

"I almost didn't." She admitted. "Is he here?"

I frowned. "Elias is over there." I pointed to Elias. "I didn't leave without telling you where and why. I don't lie. I didn't throw you out."

She shook her head. "I didn't either, but your father will never accept this." Then she looked at me. "Why Elias?"

I shrugged. "I was drawn to him when we met. I've never felt for anyone what I feel for him."

She shook her head. "I guess there's no changing your mind."

"No."

She nodded. "I don't understand it, but..." she walked to go in the direction of Elias but stopped. "I have one question."

I prepared myself for anything. "Okay."

"Doesn't his facial hair scratch you?" She asked. "If your father had a beard, I don't think I could kiss him."

My eyes grew. Was that a joke? "What?"

She walked toward Elias again. "It has to scratch you when he kisses you."

I laughed. "No, it doesn't scratch. I like it. It sort of tickles."

Elias looked surprised when she approached him. "Hello, Mrs. Mitchell."

Then she tapped him on the chest and jabbed each word. "Listen, Elias Jonas, if you hurt my son...break his heart...you'll have me to reckon with."

Elias pulled me in front of him between my mother and me for safety. For a man a full foot taller than my mother looked a little scared. "Yes, Ma'am."

Then Mom looked up at the mall. "Let's get lunch. Have you eaten?"

"No." Elias and I answered.

"Well, Piccadilly's is fine." She said simply. "I prefer a proper meal brought to the table. Let's go to Annabelle's." And she walked in that direction without looking to see if we were following.

"Ow." Elias rubbed the spot on his chest where she'd jabbed him. "That was intense."

I nodded as I followed her.

"I don't know what I'm going to tell your grandmother." Mom said.

"I wrote a letter to her, to let her know," I said quickly.

"A letter?" Mom asked. "I can imagine what she's thinking." Then she shook her head. "No, I can't. I'll need to tell her."

I shrugged. "A call would alarm her and I don't know if she'd understand. I wrote one to Lynn, too."

Mom rolled her eyes. "Your sister will love that." She lamented sarcastically. "When are you flying out?"

"Tomorrow at 10:48am," Elias answered.

"I'll be there." Mom stated.

We drove to the airport and Elias turned the rental car in. Then we checked in. Going to the gate, we saw Joy with Steve and Jonathan waiting.

"Hello, Elias." Joy smiled weakly at her son. "I didn't want you to leave with the way things were the other night."

Elias smiled. "I didn't want any of it, but it is." He looked at his two brothers. "Thanks for telling them, Jonathan."

His brother Jonathan grinned. "So, you've done it?"

Elias frowned. "Done what?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "You know. Done it..." he explained a put a finger through his fist to indicate penetration.

Elias nodded. "That would be a correct statement."

Steve looked amazed. "You put your...you know...in him?

"Boys." Joy cautioned calling her sons down in the authoritative way mom's do.

Then I saw my mother arrive, only she had a blonde woman with her with short, spiky hair. My sister. I was glad to see her, but inwardly I did a groan. She was smiling too big. She was loving that I was doing something to take the blame for, for once. I greeted my mother with a kiss on the cheek, but Lynn walked past looking at the other one with a carryon bag. She did a slow circle of Elias, her eyes going over him from head to toe.

"Is this him?" Lynn asked with a smile and nod. "Not bad."

Then I did let out a groan. "Yes, this is Elias Jonas," I answered. "And there is his mother, Joy and two of his three brothers, Steve and Jonathan." She shook hands with each.

She came back to me. "I got your letter yesterday and nearly fell out on the floor. My perfect, never does anything wrong little brother is going to Hawai'i with a man who is his lover? I had to see it for myself." Then she smiled. "He's gorgeous. Nice going."

I smirked. "So glad I have your approval."

Steve and Jonathan weren't done with us. "Come on, Mom. You have to be curious." Jonathan said logically. "Who's doing what to whom."

"Absolutely not!" Joy stated firmly. Then looked at Elias, "And no telling them."

Elias held his hands up in surrender. "I wasn't going to."

"Not even a hint?" Steve asked.

Elias grinned. "You couldn't handle it."

"Boys!!" Joy demanded.

In spite of what had happened, the humor was there. I chuckled. I turned to Mom. "I'm not going away for good."

Mom shook her head. "Yes. You are." Then she sniffed getting a handkerchief out. "I always knew this might happen. You're beginning a new life."

I nodded. "Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?"

She waved at Elias. "I just didn't expect...this."

"I know," I said.

"Eric," Joy began. "Elias is very sensitive to detergents. If you do laundry...use a baby's detergent."

"Mom!" Elias protested.

I nodded. "Okay."

They announced our flight to Atlanta. Hugs were done and tearful goodbyes and we boarded the plane. I watched from the window as we backed out to taxi to the runway. I was sad for leaving but thrilled to begin a life with Elias. We left Charleston and that life I led behind. I felt fingers on my hand. I smiled at him taking his hand in mine.

"Our lives have begun," Elias said with a smile. He chuckled. "I came to Charleston alone, but I leave with the greatest person I've ever known. I look forward to our life."

To get the best price, Elias had shopped and we, of course, had to transfer in Atlanta. Then to Salt Lake City. From Salt Lake, it was a direct flight to Hilo. We had a three-hour layover in Salt Lake. We didn't give any signs I knew of about our being a couple. No holding hands, no kissing...but I looked up at an elderly Asian woman who was smiling at me from across the aisle as we waited for our flight to Hilo. She was about sixty and Korean.

"There must have been quite a spark when the two of you touched the first time." The woman said softly.

Elias looked up surprised. "What?"

"That first touch would have been quite a spark. It probably hurt a little." The woman chuckled.

The younger Korean woman next to her put her hand on the woman's arm. "Mama." She cautioned.

I remembered when Elias and I first shook hands and the spark that stung both of us. "There was," I admitted with a smile. "It did hurt a bit."

"You are soul mates." The woman pointed to both Elias and me. "I can see it."

Elias' face frowned. "See it?"

"Very well." She said. "I see auras. When I see two such as you two, who are part of the same whole, it brings a light that...well...it's hard to describe. It's a glow of yellow-white light and the two of yours is very bright. You're soul mates. Pure."

I grinned. "And you see that."

"It's so bright but doesn't hurt to look at it. I can see it, even feel it a little." She reached out a hand touching the air. "Love is wonderful in itself. But touching of souls like yours...it's just beautiful."

Elias was now intrigued. "You see that?"

The other woman nodded. "Mama is a Sensitive. A gift she passed to me." She smiled. "I just didn't want her to open a subject you may not be comfortable talking about. Two men in this society wouldn't necessarily be comfortable talking about it in the open like this." The woman explained, "But you two are clearly connected."

I was smiling bigger. "Wow."

"Now, it will sustain you, but it's like a living thing. You must nurture it to keep it alive." The woman cautioned. "People can live their whole lives never finding that one person. You have."

"How do we nurture it?" I asked.

"Simple." She commented. "Just be together. No matter how complicated life becomes, set aside part of that day to be together. Not eating, or just being beside each other, I mean make love and let the other know how important the other is to you. My husband and I only had a fraction of what I see you two have. Just be...together."

They called our flight. I stood up. "Thank you." I stuck my hand out. "Eric Mitchell. This is....my soul mate, Elias Jonas."

Elias shook her hand, too. "Thanks for the kind words."

"Just refer to me as the Salt Lake City Messenger." The woman smiled waving her hand in the air around us. Touching something Elias and I couldn't see, but she closed her eyes enjoying the feel. "So strong. It feels...wonderful. So powerful. So pure!"

Elias nodded taking my hand. "Thank you."

Those words would be with us for the rest of our lives. We boarded the plane and took off. We were following the sun, so that day seemed to last a long, long time. It was evening when it was announced we were arriving and began to lower on the Big Island. It was a different world I departed into. The air was nice but fragrant with the smell...I don't know...green? There was the floral scents and the airport was open with walls that allowed the breeze to come through. We were both greeted by the hula girl and presented with the lei of flowers and a kiss on the cheek.

At the baggage claim, I saw another gay couple. A middle-aged man was greeted by another middle-aged man with more than a kiss on the cheek. It was passion and love from both. I felt Elias take my hand after that. I grinned at him.

"I said, we don't have to hide here," Elias said again.

The bags were gotten, and we went out to catch a taxi. Getting in one, Elias gave the address.

"Take us to Mohouli Estates," Elias instructed. "We need to stop at the office first."

The cab took us through town, my first impression was it was pretty, but reminded me of Charleston's Beach communities, like Folly Beach. It was lush with foliage and very neat. No trash. No towers or skyscrapers. The tallest building I saw was three stories. Then we pulled into a section that had short buildings like blocks. We stopped at the first building and Elias ran in quickly having let someone know before we left what time we would be there. He jingled the keys when he came back.

"4D." He said to me.

We drove past two other buildings and stopped at a third. Most of the apartments were dark as most of the tenants hadn't gotten here yet. One of the apartments did have a light on in the window and a shadow moved as that person looked to see who had arrived.

Elias took the stairs two at a time that were on the side, which I took one at a time. He went to the far apartment and stopped taking a note from the door. He shook his head. "Thao said they will deliver the furniture tomorrow."

I took the keys and opened the door and reached in turning both the porch light and interior lights on. "Well, the power's on." Then I smiled at him and put my shoulder into his gut and lifted him over my shoulder.

He let out an "ooff" as I crossed the entrance and set him back on the ground.

"I think I know, but why did you do that?" Elias grinned.

"Well, someone had to carry someone across the threshold. I sure couldn't do it the other way." I explained. "You're too heavy."

He chuckled. "I believe that you carry the bride across the threshold. Are you saying I'm the bride?"

"Definitely not." I shook my head, and the cab driver came in with two bags. "We'll help," I told the man.

The apartment was...beige. After we got the bags up, I looked around. It was a nice space, but two rooms...well, three if you count the bathroom. The entrance door was on the left side of two large glass French doors with a screen. The screen could retract to allow a person to walk out on the front metal patio in front. Which you can go down on the other side of the next apartment. The kitchen was tiny. On the left again, which made sense, all the pipes for both apartments...all four would have one access point as the other apartment was a mirror of this one. There was a door to the other room, with a wide door that slid into the wall. The back room was as large as the front, but the bathroom on the left and another set of wide French doors that let you on the small balcony. There was a wall unit in either room, that was the air conditioners, but there was always a breeze and it seldom got over 85, so it was used very little. Hardly ever would we need heat. The carpet was beige, and the walls were beige. Someone was into the earth tone phase when they built it. The walls were cinder brick on the far right in both rooms. The floor was carpeted like I said, but concrete below that. Like I said, the kitchen was tiny. There was the sink of course on the small counter to the right of the refrigerator. The fridge wasn't big either. There was a stove and range on the other side, but you couldn't open the fridge and the oven at the same time because of the narrow space. The only dishwasher was you.

"This isn't bad," I said smiling. "I like it."

Elias looked in the other room. "Hey! We did have something brought!" He pointed to the far wall. A little TV, a box of items and a thick rolled up mattress.

He was getting excited about being there and it showed. "We only have two rooms to christen." I wrapped my arms around him. "I'm glad you're home."

"Our home." Elias smiled caressing his lips to mine. "Yours and mine." Then he kissed me more passionately.

Then we heard a foot stomp. "Damn it!" Making us both look up, only Elias wasn't letting me go. At our open door was a very beautiful woman about twenty wearing shorts and a t-shirt. She had blue eyes and long flowing blonde hair cascading over her shoulders and sucked on a red tootsie-pop. She was every straight man's dream with a figure that was nothing short of killer. Playboy would love to have her as a foldout. "I see these two gorgeous guys move in next door and what do I see. You're into each other." She pouted, then grinned brightly. "Hi, I'm Brandi Weir." She said coming toward us with her hand extended. "That's Brandi with an I, not a Y." She pointed to our wall to the right. "I live next door. Me and my roommate, Sharon. Only we just live together, we're not..." she pointed with her red pop, "...but not together like you two."

I tore my right arm free and shook her hand. "Eric Mitchell, Brandi with an I. This is Elias Jonas. My soul mate."

Her eyes sparkled. "Soul mates!? That is so nice." The thing was, she meant it. "I don't want to get in the way, so I'll see you tomorrow. If you need anything..." She looked around at our empty apartment. "Really...anything. Just come by."

"Have you got a towel and shampoo?" Elias asked. "It seems my supplies won't be here until tomorrow. I could use a shower."

She brightened. "Sure. I'll be right back." She was instantly back with two towels and a bottle of shampoo and a fresh bar of soap. "Its Caress, kind of a lady's soap, but..."

I took the supplies. "We'll have soft skin." I shrugged. "Thank you. I'll return the towels laundered." I promised.

"No worries." Then she smiled. "I know where you live. Welcome." And she left.

Elias grinned. "I like her."

I chuckled. "So, do I. I can tell it'll be very interesting here." Then I pushed him back in the bedroom. Went and locked the door and went back where he waited. I unrolled the mattress and unzipped his pants. "Let's start with christening this room."

He kissed me tenderly. "I like that idea." He pulled me closer and down on top of him, then rolled us over so he could take his pants off, again, a quick kick and his shoes with no socks and he was done when his shirt came off. Then he ran his hands over me helping me out of my clothes.

Love making with him was wonderful. We had begun to experiment, and I loved it when we faced each other. I loved it when he made love to me. He loved it even more when I made love to him which I did more than he realized. I wasn't complaining. We took a shower after that. The shower was the only thing to wash in there. No tub. We showered at the same time. I loved being close to him. It's hard to describe what I felt, but it just felt...right. We belonged together. I hooked up the TV as Elias was towel drying his hair.

"I'm hungry." He told me.

I chuckled. "Well, unless you can come up with a pot and groceries..."

"I want a pizza." He went to the phone. "Trust me?"

I leveled him a look. "Remember about dumb questions? I moved to the other side of the globe to be with you. I think it's safe to assume I do."

He just dialed he knew by heart. As I turned on the TV. Naturally I found Hawaii 5-O playing. Just like I imagined they showed Dallas in Dallas, Texas. He opened the front doors and shut the screen, then opened the back doors and shut the screen. The fragrant breeze flowed in. Then he sat by me.

"I promise. I'll make you happy here." Elias said.

"Eli," I heard his heart. "I am happy. You love me. You're part of me. I'm very happy. Know that."

He smiled brighter. "I'm glad." He kissed me. "I love you."

My fingers went in his wet hair. "I adore you, Eli." He had thick hair, even messed up he was sexy to me. Even now those curls didn't stand up. We kissed a while, and we didn't hear the approach.

A throat was cleared at the door. "Your pizza."

Elias jumped up. "Oh, sorry. That was quick."

The teenager grinned. "Thirty minutes or it's free." Then he waggled his eyebrows. "You were...busy."

"For the rest of our lives!" Elias said triumphantly.

"Whatever floats your boat." The teenager chuckled. "Here's the pizza and two Dr. Peppers and one..." he looked at Elias, "soda water with no cola. I don't get that."

Elias chuckled. "Most don't." He paid him. "This..." he claimed. "Is the best pizza in the world. Ahi."

"Ahi? As in tuna?" I asked.

Elias saw my doubt and looked at me. "Trust me. You said you did."

I waved him forward. "Bring it on."

It was different, but Elias was right, it was tasty. After the pizza and a long day of traveling, we pretty much passed out. Awaken by a pounding on our door.

"Come, Elias, I know you're there." A male voice demanded and pounding again.

Elias groaned and rolled over, getting up was the problem. He staggered over to the door and opened it. A large man burst in, in his early twenties and a native of the islands grabbed Elias and spun him around.

"Good to see you, Elias!" The man shouted. He was about Elias' height, but he liked beer apparently as he had the beginnings of a beer gut, but a handsome man. "How the hell are you?"

Elias grinned and pounded the man to put him down. "A little jet lagged, but fine." Getting hugged by the man. Elias looked over at me. "Thao, this is Eric Mitchell." His eyes softened as he put his arm around my waist. "My soul mate." Then Elias looked at me. "This is Thao Hau. My former roommate and friend."

I shook the man's hand who smiled even brighter looking at me. "So, you're the man that won Elias' heart." He nodded. "It's nice to meet you. I think it's safe to say we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the next few years."

I nodded. "Sounds interesting." I grinned.

Then there were others at our door. The statuesque blonde we recognized from the night before. The other was a brunette, but pretty in an intellectual sort of way. Not that Brandi wasn't smart, though at that time we'd just met, this woman just looked smart.

The new woman looked at us. "Okay, you, I saw the day before yesterday, but don't know." She said about Thao. "You two are new, so which is Eric and which is Elias?"

I raised my hand. "I'm Eric. This is Elias."

"Sharon Brooks." The woman shook our hands. "I'm Brandi's roommate."

I pointed to Brandi. "Thao, this is Brandi, with an I."

Brandi smiled that I remembered that little bit of information. "I told you they were both gorgeous," Brandi said to Sharon.

"And gay." Sharon pointed out. "Don't forget gay. And a couple." She turned to Thao. "What about you?"

Thao grinned. "I like adults. Male and female."

Sharon nodded. "You, we need to watch out for."

I grinned at the easy conversation between people that I would come to see as friends here. Sharon was from New York City and wanted to go to school somewhere exotic. Brandi was from Iowa. Thao was from The Big Island. All that was interrupted as another person showed up. This was a red-haired man, in his twenties and...poor guy...a face with filled with acne.

"Which of you is Elias Jonas?" He asked looking at a clipboard.

Elias stepped forward. "I am."

"I have some furniture to bring up." The man reported.

Elias literally bounced. "Yes." He said triumphantly.

The furniture was a large sleeper sofa that was long enough for Elias to stretch out on without touching the sides and it was a faded green. A thick upholstered floral chair that was very comfortable but not that pretty. A large thick wooden square that was seven by seven feet, I found out was our bed on which the mattress rested. The bed could be propped up if more space was needed, some decorative cinder brick blocks painted so not to look bad on which the wood rest on. A long dresser with three shelves three across to put clothes in, a round table that could seat three, four close to each other and the four chairs, a coffee table, a tall table on which the phone would rest and the bowl that was the catchall for keys. His poor man's stereo and pots and pans. The front French doors were great as we got everything in, including that long, heavy sofa in that way and one last item. A surfboard. Elias loved to surf. Without asking, our new friends were helping us put things away. Then Thao clapped as the last piece was put down.

"I'm starving."

Elias grinned. "When aren't you?"

Thao mockingly chuckled with a shrug. "Ha, ha....I like to eat. Sue me." Then he looked at the women. "Let's go to the Breakfast/Lunch Nook. My treat."

"I'll need to get some supplies, like groceries after that," I said.

"I know he's into all those bean sprouts and shit," Thao said. "I'll take you to my Aunt Tessa' Island Apothecary. She's got it there."

Sharon brightened. "She's got coffee from around the world, I'll get some while there."

Being in Hilo, it wasn't that big, no one really drove if it was less than a few miles, so we walked. I loved the new freedom, and Elias was at home here and he was relaxing, almost to the point I'd never seen him so at ease. His hand took mine as we walked, and he didn't care. I was beginning to relax as well. From the moment we arrived, I saw a man kiss his male friend at the airport and no one blinked. The cab driver didn't either. The pizza delivery teen said whatever floats your boat and Brandi, Sharon and Thao didn't care. This was turning out to be truly a paradise. The Breakfast/Lunch Nook was a hangout, mostly college kids from the university where they could eat, socialize, and study. The ease of conversation continued between us and it was then I realized, I was the youngest there. Brandi had just turned twenty so I was the only teenager, but I didn't feel like a kid, I was part of the gang!

Then Brandi's eyes twinkled and out of the blue asked. "So, which of you is the screamer?" The way she asked, you knew she was referring to sex.

"What?" Elias asked in shock.

Then Brandi was moaning and for all intents and purposes was having a momentous orgasm.

I laughed and patted Elias' arm. "She's teasing you," I told him. "Cement and cinder bricks. Soundproof?"

Then Brandi pointed at Elias. "It's you, isn't it?" Then she smiled. "So, why are you here, guys?"

Elias seemed to recover a little. "I'm getting my master's in philosophy. I'm also taking an Associate's Professor's position."

Sharon's eyebrows rose. "Wow."

Brandi nodded. "What about you?"

"Psychology." Then I grinned. "Mostly I'll be working and helping Elias get his degree."

Elias frowned not liking what he'd heard. "Eric, I brought you with me so you can reach your goals, too."

I nodded. "You getting your goal is important to me. Eli, I came here to be with you. I think that's the more important part. I'll get my degree, but you are the important one now. I'm just glad you let me in your life."

The sound of a fork dropping on a plate and Sharon groaned, "I need to brush my teeth."

Everyone looked at her.

"That was so sweet, I'm bound to get a cavity," Sharon explained.

The Island Apothecary was just that. There were jars and elixirs in bottles that claimed to cure...well...everything. That was just part of it. What had begun as a business that had island cures for things, had spices from around the world. There were coffees and teas, also from around the world. There were fruits and vegetables locally grown and imported. All of them organic. What was more, there was a little market across the street that sold meats, mostly fish and chicken. The Apothecary had water. The sort of water Elias loved. These two stores worked in tandem. There were recipes in both stores free for the taking to try new things...using what they sold, that is. I was looking at one item that was interesting to me. I was looking at it when Thao's Aunt Tessa came over.

"You should try. It very nice. Add unique flavor." She was Japanese, so she must have married Thao's uncle. In her mid-forties and a little plump, but not really fat. Her English was better than she used, but it added to her charm.

I smiled. "What is it, exactly?"

"That Alaea. It salt from volcano. Very big here." She explained. Then she narrowed her gaze. "Thao say you look for work."

I nodded. "I will need one after we get settled."

She smiled. "You with Elias. Come when ready. I need help getting things in place. Sell things."

"I don't know a lot of these items."

She waved that off. "You learn. Job yours if want."

I smiled. "That's great. It'll be after July the 4th."

"Fine," She nodded. "Always need help here."

I'd been here a day! I had a job and three new friends. Life was pretty sweet. Purchases made and we walked back home. Elias and I began to get things together and I read the recipes and what I needed to do as Elias set the stereo up. I grinned as he put a tape in, and this music filled the room. It was not the sort of music you heard in the United States, but it was active and made you want to dance. It had a Latin feel. He was dancing and bobbing, then smiled at me and grabbed my hand.

"This is the Festejo." Elias said. "I'll teach you."

For a people that weren't supposed to dance, it didn't take long before we were in sync and moving to the music. Elias had done it many times apparently and loved it.

Dinner that night was this Chicken Stew, and I knew how to cook but I was anxious that Elias won't like it. It smelled pretty good, and I used the Alaea for the first time. He took a bite and looked like he was having shots of pleasure, but I wasn't touching him.

"This is great!" Elias claimed. "You got that from the recipe?"

I shrugged. "It wasn't hard. It's just chemistry."

He shook his head. "I could have cooked from the same recipe, and it wouldn't taste like this."

It would soon be time to begin school, but for the next few days, we enjoyed the time together. Elias loved to surf, so almost every day he and I went to the beach, he'd surf, and I'd watch. I loved to watch him, but surfing wasn't that appealing to me.

Brandi and I sat watching one day and Elias was doing pretty well. I loved to watch him. It wasn't just lust; it was the feeling I got seeing him.

"Eric!!" Brandi said louder. Apparently, she'd called me several times and I hadn't heard her.

"What!?" I said back, trying not to be annoyed she interrupted my thoughts.

She shook her head. "Oh, you have got it bad."

I'd been caught staring. I shrugged. "I do." Then I waved toward Elias. "How can I not!? And it's not just because he's gorgeous, to me he is and that would almost be enough, but he's the kindest, most loving man I've ever known." Then I chuckled. "He makes me feel like I am the most important person in his life."

Brandi smiled. "Because you are." Then she leaned closer as if to pass on a secret. "And he is to you."

I nodded. "He is."

"So, what's the story with you two?" Brandi asked.

I was confused. "What do you mean?"

"In many ways, it's like you're from two different worlds. Yet the same. I see what's in your apartment, there are a lot of posters in Spanish and when the door is open, I hear music that's clearly Latin, but both of you are American as apple pie. You two never cuss. You're too perfect. It's like living next to Boy Scouts."

I chuckled. "We're not perfect. We were never scouts. He was born and raised in a little town near Lima, Peru."

Her eyes grew. "Really? Why?"

It was bound to come out eventually. "His parents were missionaries there."

"Missionaries."

I nodded. "His father's a Baptist minister. So is mine."

She looked more curious. "Baptist? They don't know you're gay?"

"Yes, they know."

"They're okay with it?"

"They threw us both out, so I'd have to say they aren't okay with it," I said. "Our being gay didn't bother you."

She smiled. "Why would it? You both love each other. Anyone around you can see that. You love another human. Who cares how or why?"

I grinned as Elias came in from the water, board under his arm. "The surf is great! You should try it." He plopped in the sand next to me. "What's up?"

Brandi grinned. "Eric was just got lost in the great view." She waggled her eyebrows and it was clear she wasn't talking about the beach or surf.

I reached out and touched his wet hair. He was so sexy! "A boogie board is about as close to surfing as I've done. The waves in Charleston aren't like these monsters, so I never learned."

"We have to make our waves in Iowa." Brandi grimaced. "I love the water, but no one really dies lying in the sun getting a tan."

Elias shrugged. "Your loss." He grinned, kissed me slowly and lingered a moment, then went back out. "Back soon, Baby."

Brandi sighed a long romantic sigh. "Yeah, he loves you."

I grinned. "Yes, he does."

We had a cookout on July the 4th. Then it was time to let life back in and things were beginning to settle into place. Elias had to go in to meet with Dr. Moody and I started working for Aunt Tessa. I had things to do. I worked, came home and cleaned up, not that the place was big, but it took time. Laundry! Joy Jonas was right, Elias' skin was very sensitive with detergents, so I found Dreft for babies' clothes that worked. I prepared a meal for us for the end of the day and made his lunch for the next day. We ran every morning and every other day lifted weights which mostly were outside on the end of our patio. Things were nice, comfortable. Almost ended. Almost. One evening I was waiting for dinner to finish and was reading when Elias came home.

I looked up at the man I'd come to love, but he wasn't really here. He was physically, but he was very distracted, something weighed heavily on his mind.

"Eli?" I asked, but he didn't seem to hear me. "Elias!" I said stronger and louder.

He looked over at me and seemed to see me for the first time since he arrived. "Are you busy?"

Something was really upsetting him. "Just waiting for dinner to finish cooking. No."

He looked at the oven. "Can it wait?"

I got up and went to the oven turned it off and took was had a half an hour to finish out. "It can. Is something wrong?"

"I don't..." he began, then grabbed me. "I want to make love to you. Right now."

This was very odd. He never demanded sex. He never had to. "I'm yours."

Sex this time was more determined. Direct. We went right to it. Making love with Elias was always pleasant. I loved being with him and having him in contact with me. My arms willing pulling him closer and holding him tighter, but I didn't feel like he was loving me, more claiming me. He was loving me, but there was something else on his mind. When he collapsed on me, his breathing evened out and I just held him to me. Gripping him tightly to me. My lips caressing his face, temple, and listening as he caught his breath. "Are you alright?" I finally asked.

He sighed and rolled off me, which to be honest, I didn't mind his weight on me. His hand went up and he held his head like he had a headache. "I'm fine. I just...I'm not losing you."

I rolled to see his face. "Well, something happened that made you think you might."

He shook his head. "Not really, but if he thought...." Then he sighed again. "We had a meeting with the faculty. It was all nice and pleasant. Until we started introducing ourselves. I'm not ashamed of us, I told them I had a soul mate, you. Then Aaron Weinstein gave a speech about how it was a sin, we were doomed to hell that would have made your father and mine proud and he was bringing an objection to the board to have me thrown out of teaching at the university."

I sat up. "Can he do that?"

He was thinking but caught what I asked. "What? No, no...well, he can submit the objection, he has tenure. He is a department head. The board will meet to discuss it, they have to." Elias explained. Then his eyebrows met, and he grew angry. "How dare he declare that what we're doing is a sin! Based on what? He said I could continue to take classes, but my residency here would be done, and my teaching was forfeit. Who the fuck does he think he is!?"

In our times together, he's said a few damns and a couple of hells, but never used such a strong profanity. I was surprised, but I kept my face from showing it.

"So, you're still teaching."

He nodded. "Dr. Moody and a few others are objecting to the objection." He grinned. "I think it gave me more weight as a professor because we're together and Dr. Moody and the others are supporting us." Then he saw the worry in my face. "I'm sorry. When he threatened me...and then you, because we are together, I got furious. No one is threatening me or what's mine."

My eyebrows rose at that. "Is that what I am? Yours?"

He looked confused. "Of course, you are. Just like I'm yours."

I was smiling but liking what he'd said. "That's a little primitive, isn't it? Sort of a caveman stance. Maybe a little Tarzan claiming of Jane."

Elias smiled, pounding his chest and gave a pretty decent Tarzan yell. "Me Tarzan, you mine."

I chuckled rolling on top of him. "Yeah? Well, this time, Jane...or rather John will claim Tarzan. How do you feel about that?" I pulled his arms above his head and began taking in his scent.

"Claim away, Loverboy. I'm yours. Take me!" Then he looked at me. "Seriously, I'm giving you my body and soul. I love you, Eric."

I was in love with Elias in case you didn't know already. I adored this Elias. Even angry he was a delight to be around.

We ended up forgetting dinner in lieu of a marathon of lovemaking. Dinner would keep.

Aunt Tessa loved me. I came and worked. I helped her with inventory, when she saw I could handle the shipments that came in, she let me take control. It wasn't a lot of money, but she encouraged me to learn all I could, and I did learn about a lot of the spices, where they were from, what they were good in. The Island/Asian cures, I left to her. Really, I didn't want to know what was in some of the jars. If I had an idea, what I came up with, was mine. It would boost my income. I signed up for a few classes, but mostly requirements, not my electives. I was taking classes but wasn't accepted at the university. You paid; you take the class. Elias came home exhausted, he taught in the morning, took his own classes in the mid-afternoon, and taught again late in the evening. He kissed me hello, then changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Having finished prepping for dinner to cook I came and sat beside him and rubbed his back. Feeling the tension, I moved behind him and began massaging his neck which brought groans of pleasure as I worked on his knotted muscles. The man worked hard. Then he shifted around and began kissing me in earnest. Pushing me into the sofa.

Then we heard a throat clear. "Sorry to interrupt, but they came by while you were at work, and you were in school." Brandi grinned placing a pink slip on our catchall table. "You two are so cute! I wouldn't mind seeing some man-on-man action where you take more off, but I have to run." She smiled and started to leave. Then came back. "Nice ass, Elias." Then she blew a kiss and went away.

Elias looked back at himself to see just how much ass he was showing which really wasn't showing. "She likes my ass."

"I know what she means." I kissed him lightly, "And it's my ass. You gave it to me." I got up to see what Brandi had gotten the note for. Glancing at it I read. "We have a crate, from Charleston. A letter I am to sign for. I guess it's from my parents."

Elias stretched out. "We'll get it delivered. Now, how about some of that man-on-man action Brandi wanted to see?" He grinned patting the sofa.

I tossed the note aside. "Coming right up!"

I called the number, and they delivered a tall crate. Almost as tall as Elias. I signed for the letter which was thick. Elias didn't just look over my shoulder, but he was. I unfolded the papers. "It's a will." Then I read more and understood. "My name is not on it." I got the point. "I'm out of the family. Even Lynn's on here."

Elias took the will. "Oh, god, I'm so sorry."

I grinned at him. "So, I don't get part ownership of that four-bedroom house on James Island. I think I'll live. This was Dad's way of pushing just one more time to get me to see the error of my wicked ways."

Elias grimaced. "My parents don't have anything to give." He frowned. "Well...there is that table." He grinned. "You know that was crafted by one man over ten years! It tells how the Jonases arrived and how we settled. It's a real work of art." He shrugged. "They can give it to David. Or Steve or Jonathan. They rent the house." Then his eyebrows rose. "What's this?" He handed me a note. I recognized my mother's neat writing.

Hello, Eric,

This was your father's idea and last attempt to get you to see the error of your ways. Ha, ha. I may not understand it, but you do love Elias. What Reverend Mitchell says about you not being his son, well, you are and will always be my son. I sent some things you may want and appreciate. I loved the photos you've sent. I hope things are good for you and Elias. Give him my love. And tell him, my threat about what would happen if he breaks your heart still stands.

Love Always, Mother

"Send me her love? Really!?" Elias grinned. "Is she seeing things our way a bit more?"

I shrugged. "She would be the first one. Dad would never say it."

Elias looked at the crate. "Let's see what's in here." He got a crowbar and pried on the wood. Clearing some of the packing material, were books, pictures, and various objects. He picked up a couple of books I had on Psychology. "You've read these? For fun!?" He asked amazed.

I nodded. "They were very informative."

"Huh." Elias shrugged a nod. "Okay." Then he pulled a picture. It was a painting of the Battery Carriage House. "It's the house!"

I grinned looking over his shoulder at it. "I loved that house."

Elias chuckled. "When you showed me the hidden passage up to the widow's walk." He shook his head. "I still can't believe you and your friend Stephen had lunch up there. There was no railing. You could have fallen."

"Yeah, it's a miracle I survived." I slipped my arms around his shoulders from behind. "Mom still doesn't understand but is letting me make my own decisions. I chose you."

Elias grinned. "I'm glad you did."

There were more objects, symbols of Charleston and pictures of my grandparents, mother and even my sister.

"I only met your sister once. What happened with her?" Elias asked.

"Boys," I said.

"Oh." Then he grinned. "I guess they should have been worried about that with you, too. Boys."

"Wise guy." I chuckled. "She didn't like being the child of a minister. I will say this...no one was telling her what to do. Never. She married at seventeen."

"What!?" Elias balked. "She was underage!"

I nodded. "Yep, and Dad had it annulled, but when she was eighteen, she married again."

Elias nodded. "She married him again."

I shook my head. "Totally different guy, but a year later, divorced him."

Elias let out a whistle.

"She has always been the bad one. The fact that he put her in the will and not me, tells me how bad it is with us." I explained. "His twice married, once divorced daughter has risen in his esteem."

"How old is she?"

"Twenty-one...no, twenty-two now." I grinned. "She turned twenty-two on the first of August."

"Wow," Elias stated. "Twice married and once divorced and only twenty-two." He shook his head. "We can't marry, but you're all I want, but I would."

I was touched. "You'd marry me!?"

"In a flash." He snapped his fingers. For that comment I tackled him. He let out another "oof" but grinned as I began kissing him. Understand, we had opened the French doors to let the man deliver the crate and we sort of were part way out of the apartment.

"Look at that." Brandi crooned. "They sure do that a lot."

Sharon frowned. "Yeah, frankly, I'm jealous."

I looked up, not letting Elias go. "You want to come over for lunch?"

Sharon shook her head. "Thanks, but I just came to get something I forgot."

Brandi knelt down. "I'd love to, but I have a date. See ya, love ya." She kissed her finger and touched both of us on the lips.

I looked down at Elias. "We should probably take this in there."

He nodded. "And shut the door."

We got the crate emptied and Elias even suggested we use the wood of the crate to build shelves for all my books...and his. He and I, with help from Thao had it done in a day. Then put up the paintings and things out and it was starting to look like a real home.

Elias' days were busy, so I tried to make things convenient for him. He taught, went to class, and taught. He did homework and came up with a synopsis of what he taught. I took the classes I signed up for in the morning and worked at Aunt Tessa's in the afternoon. I always got home before Elias did and either I had made dinner or was finishing it when he got home.

Aunt Tessa, I found out, was married to Thao's uncle who had died five years ago. Since then, she maintained the store but cut back on a lot. She had the inventory, but as I straightened things out, I found he had wanted to not just sell the coffee but brew it and sell the beverage. I found an old coffee/espresso machine Aunt Tessa claimed didn't work anymore. I fiddled with it and checked the connections and it worked. I suggested we start selling brewed coffee and she let me do it, increasing the money I took home. There was also an old carbonation machine, to make things like Elias' water. Seeing it, I realized we could make sodas. We had fresh fruits. It could be fresh and organic. What to make? We had teas. Then I thought of a restaurant where they had flavored teas, so I thought about tea sodas. Was there such a thing? Only one way to find out. Inventory and selling what was there wasn't hard. It was just a matter of time before I found out how to do it.

Elias and I didn't make a big deal about our being gay. We didn't kiss in public...force of habit. We often met on campus to have an early lunch and before I went to work. One day as I was about to enter Elias' building where I nearly bumped into an older gentleman who was leaving. My thought about him was, he did realize he was in Hawai'i, right? He had on a tweed jacket with the patches on the sleeve elbows and tie. His hair was white, what little he had left that wisped in the breeze.

"Excuse me, young man." The man said in a friendly manner.

"Not at all," I replied. "I just came to see Mr. Jonas."

The man smiled. "Are you a student of his? I seem to remember you." He extended his hand.

"I am a student here, but not Elias'. I'm his soul mate. Eric Mitchell." I was shocked how quickly his hand went away as if he could catch the gay from a touch. The smile was instantly a furious enraged frown.

"That is ridiculous!" The man all but shouted. "I've never heard something as foolish as that. You're sick." He said it loud and where he was standing his voice echoed through the hall behind him. "You and Elias both should be in a hospital. You're both sick! Sick!!" The man shouted and stormed off. The hall behind him was active and everyone was looking to see who was being addressed and who was addressing. One of the heads that appeared around the side of the door was Elias'.

"Eric?" He said having heard, but not seen the man verbally attack me.

I entered, bothered a little, but alright. "Hey."

Elias walked toward me. "That was Dr. Weinstein."

I nodded. "I gathered."

Elias frowned putting his arm around me looking at the angered man got in his car. "I do not understand what his problem is."

I shrugged. "Some people can't understand." Then I punched him lightly in the arm. "We had several people like him that raised us."

"He's just angry about it. I don't understand." Elias shook his head. "Are we recruiting or something?"

I gave a shrug and a nod. "Some think we do."

Elias grinned. "You recruited me." Then he kissed me tenderly. "I don't care who sees it now."

"You want to grab something before I go to work, or is your class starting soon?"

Elias put his arm tighter around me. "We have time."

Was it on purpose? Sure. Did we mean it? Yes, but any pretense and coyness were gone. Elias now was no longer hiding that we were a couple from anyone. Often, we'd walk together around campus, but no one would necessarily see us other than friends. Elias took my hand as we walked this time. As we sat in the student union, he sat with me, I mean not beside me, but leaned on me. It was nice. I said it before, being with him was, to me, the most wonderful thing and to have him this close, was heaven.

Elias looked at me. "I'm not proud of who we are because it's nothing to be proud about, but I'm not ashamed of who we are, either. We simply are." He explained. "I'm growing damned tired of people telling me we're sick or shit like that." Then he grinned as my eyes widened at his irritation. "I guess it bothers me more than it should. Sorry."

I smiled at him. "You feel how you feel. Right or wrong. You have to admit we aren't the mainstream in society."

"Nor are we less than human. You and I should have the same rights as anyone." Elias stated.

"I agree," I said. "Many groups are pushing for that. For everyone."

"Because we're guys, we can't marry!?"

I leaned in and kissed him. "It's okay. We're together. The Salt Lake City Messenger saw it. Nothing can pry us apart."

His forehead pressed against mine. "No, it can't."

"Hi, guys!" Brandi said in her usual cheerfulness and sat without being asked. "What's up?"

Elias smiled. "We just had a run-in with an old codger. He said we're sick and need to be in a hospital. We're sort of making a statement."

She frowned. "Why are you sick? Just because you both have dicks doesn't mean you can't love each other." Then she grinned. "I assume you both have dicks, having not seen them myself."

I chuckled. "Yes, we do."

"Well, I say fuck him," Brandi stated. "If he can't see you two are in love, he's fucking kidding himself." Then she looked up at the wall and clock. "Oh, it's nearly eleven, gotta run."

Elias and I were kissed by Brandi again and she was gone.

"It doesn't fit," Elias said as Brandi walked away. "She looks like an angel, but cusses like a sailor."

I shrugged. "That's why she does it probably, to get people to look in her eyes." I grinned. "A guy would only see her figure until she does something so shocking, and they look at her eyes. It must work." I rose. "I have to be working soon. See you at home." I kissed him tenderly. "Our home."

He smiled and nodded. "Our home."

With the semester started officially and classes now in full swing, finding time with each other was challenging. Elias and I had homework. Elias had a lot. He had assignments to grade and lessons to prepare. I had to realize; my man was nothing short of a genius. I began experimenting with different spices and herbs as I did with the teas. One evening I was going to try some I had concocted. I placed a steaming cup in front of him as he graded papers on the couch.

"What's this?"

"It's a green tea I sort of mixed with blueberries. It is to boost concentration and focus." I explained. "If not, hopefully, I got the mix right and it tastes good."

"You came up with this? Not Aunt Tessa."

I grinned. "I'm not Aunt Tessa, but I'm smart. I came up with this myself. Just try it."

He smiled. "So, I'm your genie pig?"

"Yes, you are." I smiled. "Tell me what you think."

He sipped the steaming mug. I knew how he liked tea, so I made it according to that. Tasting tentatively, I watched his eyebrows rise. "This is pretty good." He sipped again. "Change that. It's very good."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're not saying that because you're fond of me."

He looked at me as if I were kidding. "Do I do that?"

I chuckled. "Well, ...you are biased."

He frowned, but his eyes said otherwise. "That doesn't change the fact." He grabbed me and pulled me down on the sofa with him. "If I didn't like it, I would say something like...needs more sugar or it's a little bitter. It's good!" He kissed me.

"It's that Aunt Tessa has so much inventory and this equipment. It's a shame to have it just sit there. So, she's letting me experiment."

"Really?"

"She has this Cappuccino Espresso machine I've got going and I'm going to have coffees and that sort of thing ready to go. I saw the old Carbonator, I was going to make more teas like that and make sodas." I explained. "I'll get part of the profits."

Elias looked impressed. "That sounds great!"

I shrugged. "I worked a coffee shop at sixteen, I don't think I've forgotten."

Elias nuzzled me on the neck. "Well, if it's as good as the tea, I think you'll be fine." Then he got serious a moment. "I just don't want you to lose sight of your goal. The fact that you came with me is the most exciting thing I've gotten. That you want to help me, I am so grateful. You cook and clean for me. Willingly! I appreciate that."

"I like helping you," I said. "The night we first met; I will tell you. I had never seen such a beautiful person in my life. I swear you glowed..."

His eyes widened. "I saw that, too. With you."

"Maybe we were seeing that aura the Salt Lake City Messenger said we had." I theorized. "It was more than physical, I mean you are gorgeous, I love looking at you, but there was something else. Like I could see not only what you looked like, but almost into your soul. That night when you kissed me that first time. I couldn't believe such a beautiful man was kissing me."

He smiled. "I couldn't not kiss you. It was like I had to."

"Thank me if you want. That you appreciate what I do, that is just validation to what I like to do. I love you, Eli."

"I know you do." He kissed me and then corrected me, "And I'm not fond of you. I love you."

"I know you do." Then I picked the papers he was working on. "Now back to work. We can continue this mutual love fest later." I kissed him quickly. "In bed."

He saluted and went back to grading.