Rob's Assignment ©2021
By David Lee
A duty that was dropped on the chairman of the social studies department turned out to be a life-changing event for him and for several others.
To say the least, Rob Moran wasn't thrilled when Principal William Johnson asked him to add to his busy schedule by being a resource person for the new teacher hired in his department. If he'd been given the official title of "mentor," he would have been eligible for monetary compensation, but since "resource person" wasn't a formal position, he'd be doing it for free. He understood that the district ran on a tight budget, and he wasn't desperate for the money. However, a little extra never hurt.
Rob was already assistant coach for the football team, as well as chairman of the social studies department. That was enough. However, knowing what a hard-ass Johnson was, it could be detrimental to his teaching career if he refused. So, he smiled, agreeing to take on the extra responsibility.
Sheri would probably fuss at him for not standing up for himself when she found out. Perhaps it would be best not to mention it. After only two years of marriage, she was beginning to treat him like an adolescent who couldn't run his own life without her interference.
She often complained that he didn't spend enough time with her. By now, she should realize that a high school teacher's job involved many hours. It didn't run from 8:00 to 4:00 five days a week. After all, she was a teacher herself.
Despite her fussing at him for "neglecting" her, she was often indifferent when they were together. She spent a lot of time on her phone and laptop, texting and reading news stories instead of communicating. It was like she was sending two different messages.
Acting as an unpaid facilitator could have been a lot worse. The new hire, Brody Michaels, seemed to be a bright young man and had interviewed well. With chestnut colored hair, blue eyes, and a ready smile, he wasn't exactly hard on the eyes. His muscles weren't bulging like a body-builder's, but he was fit and energetic. Rob had to admit that helping him learn the ropes wouldn't be an onerous task.
A few days before the beginning of fall term, the two men sat down in the tiny department office to review some of the things he should know in order to be successful at Lincoln High. The rules which students were expected to follow were very important at this particular school.
"I'm sorry to be adding to your schedule," Brody said. "Thanks for being willing to take me under your wing so I don't screw up."
"You're welcome. I wish someone had done it for me when I first arrived a few years ago, so I could have avoided a few pitfalls.
"As you might expect from meeting him, Dr. Johnson is the type who runs a tight ship. The board won't let him require uniforms, so he does what he thinks is the next best thing by having a strict dress-code. He wants us to enforce the rules against baseball caps, sagging pants, shirts with suggestive messages, and bare midriffs. No doubt, you've seen the total list in the handbook. Don't slack off about making sure students follow it like I did at first.
"As Lincoln High School teachers, we're expected to make sure the rules are followed to the letter. If a student refuses to obey, we have to write up a disciplinary form and the principals will meet with him or her and call in a parent if necessary."
"That all sounds about like what I would expect," Brody nodded. "I'm glad to hear that the administration will at least carry through and support us. In my last job, we had to be the bad guys and the powers-that-be caved in when parents didn't want their little darlings to be held accountable."
"There could be another problem for anyone who looks as good as you do," Rob said. "Girls, and sometimes boys, are going to develop crushes on you. You need to be proactive about protecting your reputation. A principal in one of the other high schools in the district was forced to resign after a scandal involving a female substitute who was getting it on with a senior boy. He was 18, and possibly made the first move, but that didn't matter since she was in a position of authority over him. You get the picture."
"Yeah, I know what you're saying. We almost had a similar situation at my last school.
"Um, not to change the subject, but since I'm taking up some of your time, is there anything I can do to help with football? I have a coaching endorsement and I'd be happy to volunteer as an unpaid assistant."
"Wow! That would be great. I think I might even be able to get you a little compensation for it with a quarter-time Schedule-C contract."
To Rob's delight, Brody turned out to be an asset rather than another obligation. He was an energetic and creative teacher who was happy to share ideas and study guides for the courses they taught in common. By working together, the men saved a lot of time and effort in coming up with activities which held their students' interest.
Brody also took care of various details that fell on the shoulders of assistant coaches. Rob's fall term started with less stress than usual.
Because of working together on a regular basis, they became close friends in a short time. They had a lot in common. Neither had had a life-long buddy in school because of being military brats who had relocated numerous times in their growing up years. Now, having someone with similar likes and dislikes meant that they began to confide in one another.
When Rob mentioned that his wife was jealous of his job, Brody could empathize. Bernadette had a similar attitude. Since both women were elementary teachers, it seemed absurd that they couldn't understand.
Brody mentioned that he sometimes felt mother-smothered by her as well. Perhaps they'd married too young. Maybe things would change when they began to raise a family, giving his wife someone else to mother. He certainly hoped so.
As the men buried themselves in their jobs, in part to avoid the disagreements at home, their wives felt more neglected which led to more clashes which caused the guys to spend more time at school activities. It spiraled into a self-feeding cycle.
When the football season ended, Rob and Brody volunteered to help with wrestling. A lot of what they did was to support a couple of boys, Grant Anderson and Dennis Purdy, who didn't have dads at their matches. One kid's father had been a war casualty and the other's dad had apparently deserted the family and was rarely around. In both cases, single mothers were working extra jobs to keep a roof overhead and food on the table. Therefore, it was often impossible for them to be at their sons' sporting events.
The boys appreciated the support.
Dr. Johnson wanted his school to be in a leadership position in the district, pioneering new techniques and ideas. It was for the sake of his own reputation as much as for the benefit of his students. Therefore, he urged Rob to attend the social studies conference which would be held in Chicago in March and try to take along at least one other member of the department. The district would pay all their expenses.
When Rob put the request on the agenda for the departmental meeting in January, it seemed like none of the veteran teachers were interested. Most had spring sports commitments. March meant basketball tournaments and the beginning of training for track and field. For some of them, those activities took precedence over scholastics.
A few teachers had younger children whom they didn't want to leave for several days in a row. Others complained that the conference was too close to spring break. Brody volunteered to go if no one with seniority wanted to. Rob was elated at how things turned out! Not only would he have a few days away from home, but he would be spending them with someone who was compatible.
During the month of February, school instruction and activities kept the men busy enough to distract their minds from the tensions in their marriages. They continued to lean on one another for support.
The district's financial provisions for the conference included four nights at the Palmer House and a reasonable reimbursement for meals. However, the participants would be making a four-hour drive to Chicago instead of a short flight. Money was always an issue.
At an early hour, Brody picked up Rob and the two of them met the district social studies facilitator, Dan Carmichael and Washington High teacher, Joel Miller who would be traveling with them. Dan had signed out a school vehicle which accommodated the men and their luggage quite comfortably.
An hour into their journey, they stopped for breakfast which helped break up the trip. They arrived in time to settle into their rooms and attend several meetings in the afternoon.
They went their separate ways for dinner, Rob and Brody walking to the Italian Village and the other men meeting up with old friends.
Brody had found Rob uncharacteristically quiet during the day and through dinner. He thought his colleague was mulling over something important. Of course, he could have been projecting his own emotional state. He was soon to find out.
Since their room was rather warm, the two had stripped down to their underwear and hung up their dress clothes shortly after entering. Each was sprawled on his own bed. They discussed the meetings they'd attended for a bit, but their conversation was somewhat stilted.
Finally, Rob sat up and drew a long breath before saying what was on his mind.
"I finally grew a pair and did what I should have done long ago. I moved into the guestroom last night after telling Sheri I wanted a trial separation. You can do that in Iowa without changing your residence. I handed her a prepared statement which I had also emailed to my lawyer and I recorded her response, which wasn't exactly fit for polite company. I sent a copy of that to him as well. I'm probably paranoid, but I pushed the bureau in front of the door before I went to sleep. I'm not saying she would kill me in the night, but I feel like I really don't know her anymore."
"Wow! We really ARE alike! I had a similar discussion with Bernadette recently. However, ours was quite civilized. She's okay with us parting ways. She said there'll be no contest as long as we split things down the middle. I'm guessing she's not any happier than I am."
"I'm pleased for you," Rob said. "Um, I have something else to say, and I hope I'm not going to sabotage our friendship," he continued, as he got up and stood between their beds.
Rising to face Rob, Brody assured him that nothing could come between them. The two stood gazing into each other's eyes for a couple of minutes.
"What I want to propose can only happen by mutual consent. If you say `no' I hope you'll keep it as a secret between us."
Then, he put his arms around Brody, drawing their bodies and their lips together.
Writers of romantic fiction use all kinds of metaphors for what ensued. Some say that the dam burst. Others liken it to a match dropped into a can of gasoline, or a raging storm that forever alters the landscape. It was so powerful that neither could find adequate words to describe it.
They fell onto Brody's bed, still kissing and hugging. They writhed like two animals in heat. They licked and nibbled one another's ears and neck while thrusting their groins together.
After several minutes of intense frottage, Rob gave a lustful moan and filled the pouch of his briefs with a several-day-load. Brody gasped and followed suit before Rob was done.
In the afterglow, they kissed tenderly.
"I remember how I felt the first time I jacked off, and I can't forget my first encounter with another person, but those pale in comparison to this," Brody sighed. "I also felt guilty back then."
"You said almost exactly what I was thinking," Rob replied. "Even our emotions seem to be in synch. I take it you don't feel guilty now."
"No, I don't. I might have if I hadn't already disconnected with Bernadette and asked for a divorce. Now, I feel nothing but euphoria! Is it too early to think about the future? Is this just a one-time thing?"
"Not in my mind, it isn't. I'm ready to settle down with you and I've only taken my first step toward freedom. When I say freedom, it doesn't mean being by myself. It means the liberty to live as I was meant to with someone who's like me."
"After we hose our bodies off, would you sleep with me," Brody asked.
"Yes! I think we should use my bed because there are a few wet spots in yours."
"Sounds like a plan!"
The next morning, the two arose early feeling great as they dressed for the conference. When they went down for breakfast, only Joel joined them. He said that Dan wasn't feeling well.
"Our illustrious leader was out on the town with his old college buddy, and I think they tried to relive their misspent youth. He came back three sheets to the wind. Fortunately, they took a cab. I suspect his "illness" is a nasty hangover. Sharing a room with him wasn't exactly a treat when he was up hugging the ceramic punchbowl several times. Thank God these converted rooms have two bathrooms!"
"Ouch! That's got to be nasty. For your sake, I hope he doesn't repeat it," Rob sympathized. "Are you taking the shuttle to the Hilton for the conference? If not, you're welcome to walk over with us. It's not very many blocks and we could use the exercise."
"Thanks, but I think I'll ride. I'm a little short on sleep!"
"It was nice of you to invite Joel even though he chose not to walk," Brody said as they were headed down Michigan Avenue. I feel for him, but I don't think we should have him move in with us despite having the extra bed when we share."
"Right! I have no intention of inviting him. Ultimately, I guess I don't care who knows we're sleeping together, but it would cut into our quality time!"
"We probably should keep a low profile for the time being. I'd rather not give our wives additional information that they might use against us," Brody agreed.
The next several days were magical for Rob and Brody. The new level of their relationship was awesome, but they didn't let it interfere with the purpose of their trip. By day, they attended all the sessions they were signed up for as well as taking advantage of other perks, including a gala reception sponsored by one of the textbook publishers and held at the Field Museum on the evening of the second full day.
There were lots of heavy hors d'oeuvres and a never-ending supply of wine to go with them. Many of the attendees made this their evening meal, saving their expense accounts for another night.
Rob, Brody, and Joel were careful in their consumption, especially the alcohol. They didn't want to end up like Dan had the night before.
Dan, on the other hand, indulged pretty heavily. However, he was still walking pretty straight when they boarded the shuttle back to the Palmer House later in the evening.
The convention had been almost like a honeymoon for the two teachers. They were sad to see it come to an end, but after the morning session on Saturday, the four men drove back home.
It was a different scene for Rob and Brody when they entered their houses. Rob wasn't surprised that Sheri wasn't home because her car hadn't been in the garage. However, he didn't expect to see her house keys and security -alarm fob on the kitchen table along with a note.
"I've decided not to contest the divorce. In fact, it can't happen quickly enough. I've hooked up with a fantastic guy I went to high school with whose employment brought him here last year. I won't have to leave my job because I'm moving in with him. I've taken my half out of our savings account and I want half of what we've put into the house. Then, you'll just be married to your job."
Given how quickly Sheri seemed to be rebounding, Rob suspected she must have been planning to leave him already. While she was bitching at him for being away so much, she was evidently looking for someone else. She had intentionally pushed him away; probably so she would have an excuse to split. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Mostly, he was relieved that he might not be taken to the cleaners in a settlement as he had feared.
Brody came home to find that Bernadette had contacted a realtor and was already prepping for an open house to show their condo. Since they hadn't lived in it very long, they hadn't accumulated a lot of possessions which would make it look cluttered.
She was taking everything in stride and planning to move into an apartment until she decided if she wanted to stay in town or move back where she'd grown up. Given the market for places like theirs, Brody would likely be without a home before the term was over.
Rob texted Brody to bring him up to date. He said he didn't feel like cooking and asked his buddy if he'd like to catch dinner somewhere. Brody said Bernadette hated cooking and was giving it up for the rest of their time together. He'd be over in 10 minutes to drive them to Cheddars.
Since spring break began on Monday, Rob was free to contact a realtor to find out the current market value of his home. It was slightly lower than he'd anticipated, which was fortunate. He could buy Sheri out and keep up the payments on his salary. They had stayed well within their budget when they purchased it, assuming that she might suspend working when they had children.
That evening, Rob invited Brody over for a homecooked meal. He suggested bringing an overnight bag so he could stay.
"That was a fine meal, Rob. You're gonna make someone a great wife!"
"I'm not fem! Don't be a smart-ass or I'll develop a headache."
"You're beginning to sound like my soon-to-be ex," Brody laughed. "I know you're not fem. Do you think it will work out for two macho studs in a relationship?"
"I can be versatile if you can," Rob promised.
"Versatility can be a positive thing," Brody agreed.
Brody helped clear the table and put the kitchen in order before the men retired to the great room to watch TV for a while. They ended up cuddling on the sofa with an afghan spread over them. The domestic scene felt quite natural.
"I'm glad your house is free for us to be together in," Brody said. "We couldn't be at my place because Bernadette isn't going anywhere for break. She wants to be around to let the realtor show the condo."
"Will it go quickly?"
"We've had two serious inquiries and neither party has tried to negotiate for a lower price. I doubt it will be on the market long."
"Well, if it goes before school's out, just move in with me."
Spring break was even more like a honeymoon than the conference had been. Neither man had a lot to occupy his time, other than a few meetings with lawyers. Brody's condo did sell in the middle of the week, and Rob helped him move all of his possessions into his house. They filled the closet in one of the empty bedrooms with his things, but he never slept there. It was for appearance's sake, in case one of their wives questioned their relationship.
They went back to school the following week refreshed and eager to teach.
Rob bought Sheri out, and she signed all the papers to release him from any further financial obligations. Their divorce would still not be final for a few months because of the obligatory waiting period.
Brody was free earlier, since Bernadette went to Nevada and established residency there for a quickie divorce. She also resigned her contract so she could apply for a job nearer her parents.
School wound down at the end of May. On the last day, two happy boys, Grant and Dennis came into the social studies office before they left campus. They would both be working at HyVee fulltime for the summer. It was a chance to earn some serious money and they wanted to tell their two favorite teachers the good news.
Rob texted Brody so he could come to share in their happiness. The boys hugged the men before they departed, thanking them for all the support they'd received during their junior year. They would be back in Rob's government class in the fall term.
"There's a couple of good kids," Brody commented, after the boys had left. I hope we can have some like that someday."
"Yup. We need to have someone to dote on besides each other. Um, not that I'm tired of doting on you."
"If we get our rooms packed up soon, we'll have tomorrow afternoon to start doing that."
"What's wrong with tonight?"
"Nothing!"
The men didn't waste their whole summer doing nothing. Both of them took a few hours of graduate work to move up on the salary schedule. If this was to be their career, they were going to make the most of it. Having two incomes, and no more overhead than when they were married, their future should be bright.
They signed up for only the first session of summer school knowing that their activity responsibilities would begin in advance of fall term. Then too, they were being paid by the district to do some rewriting of the social studies curriculum -- tweaking it to reflect new methods they'd learned at the convention in Chicago.
Just ahead of late summer football practice, they rented a cabin in Minnesota on a small lake. The place came with several perks, including water skis and a boat. They figured they could probably find someone who would be a spotter in exchange for some turns around the lake. It would be a relaxing time.
When the new term began in late August, the men found themselves quite busy again. This fall, there were no problems about being out late for some of the games because they didn't have spouses to answer to and they were involved in the activities together.
On the Friday before Halloween, Grant seemed rather preoccupied in government class. It was Grant's last class and Rob had prep time next period, so he asked the boy to stay a few minutes.
"What's going on? You know the 21st amendment backward and forward but you didn't volunteer any answers. Are you feeling ill?"
"No. Tomorrow is my 18th birthday and that's got me down."
"Down? I remember being elated to become an adult so I could vote," Rob said.
"I'll bet you didn't get thrown out of your house on that day."
"Is that happening to you?"
"Yup. And I don't know what I'm gonna do. Den would take me in, but his mother doesn't think we'd be a good influence on his little brother and sister if we were sharing his bed.
"Um, I guess I've just outed us. I hope you'll keep it secret. My sister caught us in bed at my house. We weren't doing anything, but she ratted us out and my mom used it as an excuse to get rid of me. She's been getting child-support from my dad, which she kept secret, so she didn't really need to work two jobs. She's been saving it up to move to Illinois where my grandma lives."
"Would your grandmother take you in?"
"Yup, but I don't want to move away in my senior year. Besides, there are strings. If I went to live with Grandma, I'd have to go to a bootcamp to get cured."
"I thought Illinois made a law against that."
"Yeah, you can't force a minor to go, but an adult can `voluntarily' go and, as of tomorrow, I'm an adult. Grandma would push me to if I want to live with her. So, you see why I've been out of it."
"I do. Let me text someone to see if I can help."
"If it's my counselor, she's already tried."
"Nope."
A few minutes later, Rob smiled as he read Brody's reply.
"Mr. Michaels agrees that we need to intervene. How soon do you have to go to work?"
"Den and I are on at 4:30."
"Is that enough time to pack up your belongings and move them into my garage?"
"Yeah, my stuff is already in some bags and boxes."
"Well, here's a key to the front door," Rob said, slipping it off his ring. "You'll find the button for the garage door just outside of the kitchen door. If you have a bike, there's a hook in the garage near ours. Plan to come home right after work so we can get you settled into your room.
"Do you think Dennis would be able to come for a sleepover tomorrow night to celebrate your birthday?"
"Are you serious?"
"I love to tease, but you know I wouldn't do that in a case like this."
"Wow! Awesome!"
"You'd better get going, and I need to be out on the field in a little bit for warmups before tonight's game."
When Rob had a few free minutes that evening, he contacted Dennis's mother to make sure it was okay for the boy to stay overnight. She assured him that she was okay with it. She told him that her son would turn 18 in January and she was certain that the boys were already in some sort of "relationship" which was okay with her as long as it didn't take place under her roof. He asked her if she'd be willing to sign a paper to that effect. She said she would and would send it with Dennis on Saturday. He was welcome to be at Rob's house as long as Rob could stand having the kid underfoot.
Rob smiled at her response.
Since Lincoln had lost the varsity game, there was no celebration to keep the men out late. They arrived a few minutes before Grant did. When he came in, he was accompanied by Dennis.
"Oh, hi, Mr. Michaels. I didn't know you'd be here," Grant said.
"I guess Rob neglected to tell you that we're living together.
"Since we'll all be in the same house, I think you should call us by our first names when we're home. I mean, we're way too young to be your dads!"
"Is it okay if I stay over?" Den asked.
"Did you clear it with your mom?"
"Yup. Here's the note she signed. She even got our neighbor who's a notary to witness it so you'd be covered. Um, you don't have to feed me or anything because we can buy some rolls at the store for breakfast."
"Dennis, we'll feed you breakfast," Brody insisted. "You shouldn't be eating stuff that's not good for you with wrestling season coming up."
"Thanks, but we've decided to drop out of wrestling. We need to make as much money as we can if we're gonna get any education after high school."
"I hate to see you give up a sport you're so good at," Rob shook his head. "Perhaps we can figure out some way to help with college funds. I'll talk to your counselor."
"We already have," Grant said. "We might get a `needs scholarship' because we're poor, but there's not a lot out there right now. All the schools are hurting for money."
"That's true. However, we shouldn't give up hope."
For Grant's party, it was just the four of them. However, Brody had baked a cake and put 18 candles on it. The men also gave him a gift certificate to Kohl's so he could buy something he could use. They chose a clothing store because they were afraid he'd buy food to share with them if they'd purchased one for HyVee.
Grant felt all warm inside when he saw their expression of love for him. He'd been on the verge of giving up on life a couple of days ago. Now, he had hope. On top of that, Den was going to give his something special later. He had gotten onto an adult site and watched a video of a guy licking his boyfriend's perineum and nads. The visual effect had been so intense that Den had experienced a dry orgasm from simply viewing it. He could scarcely wait to try it on Grant.
Life was looking up!
At Thanksgiving time, there was an unexpected visitor at the men's door in the afternoon. Brody opened it to a stranger who looked vaguely familiar.
"Hi, my name is Drew Decker. I'm sorry to intrude on your holiday but I'm in town for a short time and I heard that my son might be staying here."
"Um, I don't know anyone by the name of Decker. Perhaps you have the wrong address."
"Oh, that's right. Gina never let Grant use my surname. I'm not sure it's even on his birth certificate."
"Come on in, Mr. Decker. I suspect Grant will be eager to see you."
"Grant, you have a visitor," Brock called as he ushered the man into the great room.
"Dad!" Grant exclaimed as he ran to embrace his father.
"Maybe `eager' wasn't a strong enough word," Brody laughed.
Seeing father and son together, Brody realized why Drew had looked familiar. Grant was almost his clone.
Den and Rob came to see what the excitement was and were soon introduced.
"Are you in town to visit Uncle Ralph, or are you moving back?" Grant asked.
"I'm just visiting. I went to your old house and no one was there. A neighbor said your mother had gone but she thought you were still in town. She called a friend who had a son at Lincoln and he thought you were here. I would have called ahead but I didn't have any contact info."
"Let me take your coat," Brody said. "Can you stay for leftovers later? It would be good if you can visit for a while."
Once he felt comfortable, Drew opened up, sharing all the things he'd kept bottled up inside. As a result, he ended up staying longer than he'd planned. The men of the house found him to be a pleasant guy and Dennis took to him immediately. In their conversations, everyone learned a lot about Drew's estrangement from the family.
Grant had been conceived as the result of a short-term relationship between Drew and Gina. They had never married because Drew had come out of the closet and Gina didn't want anything to do with him, even though he promised to be celibate where other men were concerned. Despite being cast aside, he had sent $500 per month all those years to help raise his son. Gina had allowed him only very short, supervised visits. He had tried to gain partial custody without success.
Gina had played the system by collecting aid for the children from welfare and not declaring the money she was getting from her ex. Drew had been afraid to turn her in lest she keep him from ever seeing his son.
"So, Mia is only my half-sister?" Grant said. I didn't know that until now. Mom lied a lot!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to make you dislike your mother."
"You don't have to apologize. She did a good job turning me against her all on her own.
"Learning that you're gay too, Dad, makes a lot more of the pieces fit together. I didn't pick up on what she meant when she said I was just like you."
"I guess I've passed the `gay gene' on to you. I certainly didn't mean to."
"Being gay isn't something to be ashamed of," Rob smiled. "Nobody in this house would wish to be any different than we are."
Drew had been planning to drive back to Des Moines that night, but the guys all convinced him to stay over. No one had any obligations the following day and they didn't want to see him out on the road so late.
"We have a spare room because these two don't seem to mind sharing," Rob teased. "We'd love to have you."
"Yeah, Dad! We need to get better acquainted."
Grant's enthusiasm broke down any shred of resistance Drew might have had.
Before he left the following afternoon, he promised to stay in touch and to help the boys fund their post-high school educational pursuits. He also gave his son a check for $250 as a birthday present.
Because of the financial aid Grant's father promised, the boys decided to cut back on their hours of working at the supermarket and go out for wrestling after all. It was a decision which Rob and Brody applauded. They felt the kids should enjoy their senior year.
When Dennis turned 18 early in January, the men had a party similar to the one they'd provided for Grant. The main difference was that Drew attended this one and gave a check to Den for the same amount he'd given his son. He felt bad that he'd missed Grant's actual day and was attempting to make up for it.
Den was surprised to receive as much as Grant had. However, he didn't turn it down, saying it would be deposited in their joint account for future needs.
It's likely that the gift Den appreciated the most was the invitation to move in with his boyfriend. Rob and Brody felt it would be good for both boys, and it turned out to be just that.
The boys did their share of chores, and the addition of one more person didn't add to their utility bills. Their food budget was another matter. However, the store allowed the boys special prices on some grocery items, and they took advantage of those to help keep costs down.
To stay within budget, the men did more cooking at home and rarely ate out. They searched the `net for slow-cooker recipes which were healthy and appropriate for the wrestlers' diets. Neither boy minded carrying a sack lunch to school. In fact, they could better control their intake of carbs and empty calories by doing so.
So, in the long run, Den's presence didn't become a financial drain.
February was a busy month in the lives of the men and boys of the household. Wrestling tournaments were in full swing. Between Rob and Brody, there was always someone at their matches to support them. Drew managed to be present at the major ones. Even Den's mother made an effort to attend a couple.
At the same time, the men were polishing the presentation they had been invited to give at the annual social studies convention in March, this one in the nation's capital. Their spot on the program had come about because of how they'd incorporated the new techniques they'd learned at the previous conference.
They had created a whole system of study guides and activities which went along with the text, being careful to copywrite each segment. When they showed a sample to the publisher, the company offered them a tidy sum to buy them out and market the stuff as a companion to the text. In addition, they would receive royalties. The deal was too good to pass up!
The textbook company was so pleased with what they'd done that it was covering the expense of flying them to DC. All that the district had to come up with was paying for their hotel accommodations and meals. Naturally, Dr. Johnson was delighted to have them participate. It would bring more recognition to his school.
Wrestling finals in February had an effect the boys hadn't anticipated. Because of their wins, they received several scholarship offers. If they chose to use one of those, they might be able to go directly to a four-year institution instead of the junior college route. This was awesome!
Rob and Brody helped counsel them as they made their decision.
"The best offer seems to be right here in town," Brody said. "I know Coe is more expensive than The University of Iowa, but if they're giving you a full tuition grant, it would balance out. You'd be assured of being together and you'd be able to participate more since it's a smaller program."
"And," Rob added, "you could continue to live at home if you wanted to. We'd love to have you stay here. Of course, I know there are benefits to living on campus too."
"You'd really let us live with you guys?" Grant asked.
"Certainly!"
"Wow! I feel loved."
"You should," Rob insisted. "Since you've moved in, it's like we're all family.
"In fact, we're hoping that you'll be our witnesses when we go to the courthouse to get married next month."
"That would be awesome!" Den exclaimed. "Um, would it be okay if we got hitched at the same time?"
"Are you sure you're not rushing into it?" Brody asked.
"We're sure," Grant said. "We've been like best buds since we were 10 and we've never had a serious argument. We have a lot more history than you guys do."
"So, we should be looking to you for advice in our relationship?" Rob cocked an eyebrow.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend!" Grant exclaimed.
"You didn't; I'm teasing," Rob grinned.
In early March, the four of them went to the courthouse to apply for marriage licenses. There was a judge available to perform the short ceremony, so the two couples were married the same day and were witnesses for each other.
They celebrated by going out for dinner at Red Lobster. The men insisted on picking up the tab. Neither of the young men had eaten lobster before. Both love it. They felt like their lives had change a lot for the better since living with their teachers.
For Rob and Brody, the conference in DC would be akin to a honeymoon. They wished their "little brothers" could enjoy time away from school to celebrate their new status as husbands. However, time and circumstances wouldn't allow for that. Of course, spring break would be following closely. This year, there would be a full week between the end of the convention and beginning of vacation. Perhaps they could arrange to spend a few days out of town so the boys would feel that they had a honeymoon too.
Grant and Den thought that would be fun but said they would be having a kind of honeymoon while the men were gone.
"We can run around the house half-dressed for several days," Grant grinned.
"We all run around in our underwear anyway," Brody responded. "You'd better set your sights higher and go buck naked!"
The younger guys blushed, making Brody assume that they probably would.
Grant and Dennis saw their housemates off early on Wednesday morning. They had driven them to the airport to avoid having one of their cars parked out at the airport. It would probably be quite safe in the brightly-lit lot, but there had been a rash of thefts of catalytic converters in recent weeks. One had happened in the college parking lot in broad daylight. So far, the thief hadn't been apprehended.
The men had an uneventful flight with a change of planes at O'Hare. They arrived in Washington in plenty of time to get settled and go out for dinner. The convention wouldn't begin until the next day. However, they wanted to have a good night's rest because they were presenting right after the opening activities. From the amount of attendees who had preregistered for their session, it looked like they would have a large audience. That was, of course, what the publisher was anticipating.
As they had hoped, their presentation was well received. They had to speak in general terms, showing only one lesson in detail. That was controlled by the publisher who had paid them well for the rights to their work.
Several people stayed after the presentation ended, asking questions. One young man invited them to lunch to learn more.
Once finished with their part, Rob and Brody could kick back and enjoy the rest of their time in the city. Of course, they attended several sessions that featured big-name experts in the field, but they also had time to visit historical sites and museums.
Nighttime was another matter. Part of the trip was like a honeymoon in many ways.
Back home, the newly-married teens were having a celebratory time of their own. They had classes and work to occupy a lot of their time. However, since wrestling was over, they had more freedom to play house. The boys cooked meals, cleaned, and did laundry together, much of it stark naked. Naturally, distractions arose and had to be dealt with.
A highlight for them was playing Jedi warriors using their erections as light-sabers. Their "jousting" turned into frottage and the ended up making love on the floor in front of the fireplace. They did it a couple of evenings in a row. It was obviously something which they couldn't do when anyone else was around. The "forbidden" quality of it heightened the experience. The second time, they fell asleep for an hour in the afterglow. It was something they would always treasure.
Rob and Brody were happy to find their house in shipshape condition when they were brought home from the airport. Their faith in the boys had been validated. It had been a fun trip, but it was good to be back in their own little nest with their "family."
Originally, the teens had planned to work full days for the entirety of spring break. However, Rob convinced them to take a long weekend off - from Friday afternoon through Monday night. He said that with the windfall Brody and he had received from their book deal, they could afford to give the guys more money toward college and they wanted them to have fun.
"I know this might seem a bit unusual, but we did get married together and we can spend a short honeymoon together. Um, that doesn't sound quite right -- I didn't mean to imply we'd be having a joint celebration in bed. We'll rent a suite with two bedrooms so we all have privacy.
"St. Louis isn't a bad drive on the "Avenue of the Saints." It will be full spring there and we can count on being warm. Six Flags is the largest amusement park in the state of Missouri. We can spend as much time there as you like.
"It would be fun to go up in the arch and we might drag you to some museums, depending on what you'd like to see."
"Awesome!" the guys expressed as one.
"I've never been to an amusement park," Dennis confided. "There was one trip from school, but it was the week my dad died."
"I went to that one at Adventure Land and it was okay, I guess. I kinda felt guilty because Den couldn't go." Grant said. "But I've heard the roller coasters at Six Flags are way better. "I think there's even a tower you can drop down from at 60 miles an hour."
"That's true," Brody agreed. "You'd better get on the Internet to see what all is available."
Spending the extra money on the teens was well worth it. They had the time of their lives experiencing the many thrilling rides at Six Flags. It was like Christmas and a bunch of birthdays rolled into one. The men enjoyed the experience too, but mainly because of how their housemates reacted.
They spent most of Saturday and Sunday at the park, expending a lot of energy. Of course, being young, they still had the vitality to enjoy their husbands in bed at night. This would be the honeymoon they'd always remember.
On Monday, they went up in the arch and toured the Transportation Museum before starting their drive home. Rob and Brody did the driving. Like many teens would, Den and Grant caught up on their sleep.
The remainder of the term flew by. Soon, it was graduation time. Of course, the men provided a party for their two special grads. They invited Den's mother and siblings as well as Grant's father. The boys gave invitations to the members of the wrestling squad and a few other friends, teachers, and coaches from school. Almost everyone who had been invited showed up and brought cards or gifts.
It was a good celebration.
As the four of them reminisced after the party, they realized that the past year and a half had included some of the best times of their lives. They had become a family and planned to remain close forever. As someone wisely said, "Sometimes the family you choose is better than the one you were born into."
----------------------------End-------------------------------
Thanks to David (Boxerdude) for editing this short story.
Thanks to Nifty for providing the free venue.
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