Second Chance, Chapter 71
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Second Chance 71
Luc picked up Garret for school on Monday very early. Garret had swim practice. Luc didn't, but still wanted to be with him on the drive. After having been at odds and making up, he didn't want to be separated more than necessary. Besides, he would use the time before classes began to catch up on a reading assignment he'd neglected over the break. The first person they ran into was Aaron who grinned at them.
"I see everything is great between you! I knew it would be."
"No thanks to you," Garret scowled. "You keep the hell away from me and my boyfriend if you know what's good for you. Don't even think of swimming on any relay team or whatever with me. I don't want to see your ass any more than I have to!"
"What's going on," asked Sam who had just come in after parking his car.
"Ask your cheating boyfriend," Garret said.
"We have an open relationship, so we're never guilty of cheating," Sam informed him. "You should too. So he jerked off with Luc, big deal. Don't be so uptight. We're too young to settle down to one guy."
"It's a big deal to us because we actually love each other. You're probably just in lust. It's dumb to play around anyway. When you both catch something or get jealous because your boyfriend thinks someone else is hotter than you, let me know how that worked out for you." Garret snarled.
"Jeez, lighten up!" Sam retorted as he headed to change.
"Don't be too hard on Aaron, Garret. It was my fault as much as his. I'm the one who needs to take responsibility for my actions. Don't pull the team down over my stupidity."
"I'll leave him alone. It's just that he's such a cocky little shit. He doesn't get it. Anyway, I love you," Garret grinned as he kissed Luc's cheek.
"Hey, if we're going to kiss publically and chance getting outed, kiss me like you mean it!" Luc responded as he put a serious lip-lock on his surprised boyfriend.
"Okay! That will keep my heart rate up so I can swim fast, except this rudder in my pants is gonna slow me down. It's bound to produce a lot of drag in the water. See you at lunch if not before, Babe."
At lunch, Garret and Luc kept whispering to each other and giggling. Some of their tablemates wanted to know what was going on.
"We have an announcement to make," Luc said loudly enough to be heard by students at several surrounding tables. "We're coming out; we're boyfriends!"
"Well duh," a girl at the next table said. "We all knew that. What's the big announcement?"
Several people in the immediate area laughed. No one seemed to care one way or the other. It would remain to be seen if everyone at school felt the same, but for the moment Luc and Garret seemed to have clear sailing.
At the conclusion of the afternoon swim practice, Coach David held back Aaron, Garret, Eric, and Josh to have a talk with them. All felt chilly as they sat in his office on plastic chairs in their skimpy damp Speedos. He buzzed the locker room on his intercom and asked the team manager, Peter, to bring four clean towels.
Peter hurried to the office and was surprised to see which of his friends were there. He hoped it was a meeting about strategies and not something dealing with a discipline problem. After he left, the coach got down to business.
"Josh and Eric as co-captains, I'd like you to show the leadership you have so far this season and get us back on track. Morning practice was off task and tense. I let it go because it's the first real practice since Thanksgiving, but this afternoon was worse. There seems to be bad blood between you and Aaron," he said to Garret. "What the heck is going on?"
"He's been hitting on my boyfriend and I can't stand the sight of him!"
"Whoa..., let me rephrase that statement. I don't want to know EVERYTHING that's going on; I do want to know how we can fix things up so team morale doesn't go down the crapper. Dylan appears to be upset with the whole mess. Sam is being protective of Aaron, which is to be expected, but that's caused a few other members to side with Garret and before long this team is going to be split down the middle. We can't act like Republicans and Democrats if we're going to have a winning season."
"I'm sorry, Coach" Aaron said. "I guess I started it by messing around with Luc while Garret was visiting relatives over Thanksgiving."
"Okay, like I indicated, I don't want details of your sex lives!" Coach David exclaimed. "If you've wronged Garret, you need to apologize to HIM, not ME."
Aaron hung his head and didn't say anything else for the moment. He couldn't seem to look Garret in the eye either.
"I've always liked Dylan and I came to like Aaron too, but this is difficult." Garret said. "Put yourself in my shoes. What if you were out of town and someone got your wife in bed. How would you react, Sir?"
"I see your point," the coach nodded. "I'd be out for blood too, but I hope that I could put it in the back of my mind long enough to help my team win."
"That's hardly realistic." Garret said bluntly.
"I guess not," Coach David replied calmly. "Any ideas from you guys - Eric, Josh?"
"Nope, but we'll work on it. Both these guys are our friends." Josh said.
When the four headed to the locker room, they found Dylan, Luc, and Sam waiting for them. They all looked grim and tense. Unbeknownst to anyone, Coach David had followed the four boys at a distance and was within earshot around the corner, ready to intervene if things got out of hand.
"I can put your head through this tile wall, Garret," Sam bragged. "You'd better leave Aaron alone. If you get him into trouble, I'll do just that."
"Lay off him," Dylan shouted. "Aaron's my bro and I love him, but he made this mess and he's the one who needs to clean it up. If you so much as touch Garret, you'll answer to me."
Everyone, including Aaron, was surprised by Dylan's outburst – especially since he seemed to be siding with Garret.
"I'm thinking of the team," Dylan continued in a quieter tone. "Garret's a strong swimmer. If he's at his best, we can win in the finals this year. That could possibly mean a scholarship for him and me. I'll bet Josh and Eric get them anyway, but we definitely need Garret in top shape, so leave him the fuck alone, Sam!"
"Hey Sam," Aaron spoke up. "My bro is right; it's my mess and I'm responsible. You're guilty too for encouraging me to play with other guys."
"Oh, so now it's my fault?" Sam snorted.
"Not a lot, but a little," Aaron insisted. "I would have stayed faithful to you if that's what you wanted."
"Let's all take a deep breath and think this over before anyone says something that will make it worse," Eric said taking command. "I want you all to consider the facts. Garret, you've forgiven Luc. You know what he and Aaron did wasn't as bad as it might have been. Luc didn't go all the way and he felt remorse immediately.
Aaron, you need to tell Luc and Garret you're sorry for coming between them – even if you didn't do it maliciously.
Sam, you're an angel of mercy at the mission. Use that same compassion toward Garret and try to see his point of view."
The locker room remained quiet for several seconds. Then Aaron got a look of determination on his face and spoke.
"Garret, I'm really sorry for thinking all gay teens were like Sam and me. I guess we're not ready to settle down, but I'm beginning to understand you guys who are. Please accept my apology and I hope you'll be able to forgive me sometime. I'll quit the team if that's what it takes."
"This is hard," Garret said. "I love Luc more than anyone. I started out like you, thinking I'd have fun with him and not get hurt if things didn't work out, but I've become really attached to him.
I'll accept your apology and forgive you. You're a really fine swimmer; I don't want to see you quit. You'll need this year and beyond if you're gonna live up to your big bro's record."
"Why don't you two shake hands?" Josh suggested. "I know it's not easy, but it's a positive first step."
When Aaron offered his hand, Garret took it and pulled him into a brief embrace as well.
"I don't hate you Aaron. I'm sorry I was so pissy this morning."
"You have nothing to be sorry about," Aaron responded. "I deserved it."
"I'm sorry I reacted like I did," Sam said to Garret. "Eric's reminder about serving at the mission brought me back to reality. Caring for others is more than feeding the poor. I'm not going to smack you around. You're a decent guy - not the enemy. I've been so worried about Aaron getting hurt after what Jake did to him last year."
"We're square," Garret said, bumping fists with Sam. "As much as you care for Aaron, I don't see how you can fuck around with other guys, but that's your business and not mine. We're not all the same."
"We'd better shower and then tell the coach we're back to being a unit again," Josh suggested. "I want everyone here five minutes early tomorrow to show him that we're eager and we can kick ass!"
Coach David had beaten a hasty retreat to his office and was pretending to go over swimming stats when the seven guys came to see him a few minutes later. He looked up smiling as he saw that the earlier tension was gone.
"I take it you have good news for me," He said.
"We've come to a truce," Garret informed him. "Aaron didn't mean any harm. I kind of over-reacted, I guess. It wasn't like if someone took your wife to bed like I said before. It was more like someone thought you had an open marriage and hit on her. I mean, I know it's not the same, but you know what I mean..."
"I get your point, Garret. I remember how dramatic my first love was and I'm not making light of yours. If it's of any interest to you, I ended up marrying the girl I went with in high school when I was a senior. There's about the same age difference between her and me as there is between Luc and you. We had a rough time when another guy hit on her and I punched him out. I got suspended from school for three days. I commend you guys for finding a better solution. By the way, the guy turned out to be a friend in the long run. He probably saved my life during Desert Storm."
"Do you think Coach made up that bit about Desert Storm?" Garret asked on the way to the parking lot. "It seems a little too idealistic or whatever."
"I doubt it," Josh said. "He's a straight shooter. I've never known him to BS about something as serious as that. Either way, he made a point. You never know when forgiving another person might come back to you in a positive way.
Progress on the remodeling of the Morrison Hotel was ahead of schedule. Chuck Mason had helped cut through the bureaucratic red tape when Ben called upon him for his expertise. As an architect, he'd had a number of dealings with the city building department in securing permits and knew the ropes.
It was now a given that the main floor, including the kitchen, would be completely refurbished and ready a few days before Christmas. In addition, the next two floors would be ready for occupancy at the same time. Several single rooms and a few small apartments with space enough for small families to live temporarily were nearing completion. Everyone connected in any way with the project was elated.
Blake contacted Tiffany Jones to do a follow-up on the noon news to show the community how their donations were being used. She agreed, but stipulated that she also wanted to get a commitment from Rob and him about doing a more extended story on their life as a gay family. Blake said he would get back to her as soon as Rob's schedule slowed down a bit more.
It was that very afternoon that Rob got a visitor after school in the form of Sylvia Proctor, a new social worker from DHS. She rang the bell impatiently and Scott hurried to answer.
"Hello, who are you and how may I help you?" he asked.
"I'm Sylvia Proctor and I'm here to check on the welfare of Robbie Larson-Brady. The person I'm filling in for has been much too lax in how she handled cases like this."
"I assure you that Robbie is thriving well in our home. As I recall, everything was legally settled about the baby's custody nearly a year ago. DHS has no further business with us."
"I've since heard that the father of this child is in a sexual relationship with a man. That sheds a whole new light on things don't you know?"
"No, I don't. Rob and his husband, Blake, are legally married and Blake shares legal custody. My husband filed the papers correctly and it's all been approved."
"That's how I found out about it! I plan to launch an appeal. If I find one single thing out of place, Robbie will be in a foster home immediately!"
"You won't find anything, try as you will. Besides, you can't come barging into our home without reason."
"Oh, do you have something to hide?"
"Certainly not, but I know my rights of privacy."
"What's going on?" Rob asked coming into the room with Robbie walking and holding his hand.
"This lady from DHS seems to think you may not be a fit parent based on your sexual orientation." Scott replied as he motioned toward Sylvia and stepped into the den to retrieve his cell phone.
"I have to determine if this baby is growing up in a suitable environment. It's my duty! Given that you're living in sin with another male, he is not!"
"I'm not sure what you mean by `living in sin'," Rob said. "Blake and I were married by a priest in Iowa and our marriage is as valid as yours or anyone else's in the eyes of God.
You can see for yourself that our son is healthy and well cared for. He has loving care-givers around the clock. My dad, Scott, watches him while I'm in school and Blake and I spend every possible minute with him. Please give me the name of your supervisor so that I may talk with him or her."
"I'm not obliged to give that information. I'll be calling you again in a few days. Then I'm coming back with a security officer to remove your child and place him in foster care unless you cooperate right now and let me check conditions in this house."
Scott returned with the phone. Ben was on the other end.
"My husband is on the line and would like to have a word with you." Scott said with a smile.
Although Scott and Rob could hear only one side of the conversation, it was obvious to them that the social worker was getting an earful of legalese and was on the defensive. After a couple of minutes, she threw the phone toward Scott and left, slamming the door behind her with enough force to rattle the beautiful cut-glass window.
"Are you still there, Ben?" Scott asked.
"Yup. I have my secretary calling social services as we speak. I'm going to get that bitch in deep doo-doo! Okay. Thanks Fran, I'll pick up the other line. Sorry Scott I've got DHS on hold. Later, Babe..."
When Eric and Josh got home after swim practice, they found Rob pacing the floor. They hadn't seen him in this kind of mood since his dispute with his biological father around a year ago.
Rob quickly brought them up to speed on the recent visit. All three of them agreed it was great to have a lawyer in the family who could straighten out problems quickly.
Ben called home a few minutes later. He had gotten hold of Mrs. Proctor's supervisor, Fred Conover, who was on his way to the house. It turned out that Sylvia had called in to report multiple health and safety violations and he was on his way to check.
About 20 minutes after Ben's call, the doorbell rang. A pleasant man who looked about 50 years of age stood waiting.
"I'm sorry to trouble you, but I have to come in to inspect. I've talked to Mr. Ben Larson-Brady who assures me that Mrs. Proctor's report is vindictive and untrue. I'm not certain why she would call on you in the first place. We have no reason to question the welfare of your child other than from her report."
"She made a moral judgment based on the fact that I'm living with another man," Rob told him. "I tried to explain that we're legally married and had our union blessed by an Episcopalian Priest, but she wouldn't listen. Please come in to see for yourself how we live."
Rob escorted Mr. Conover on a short tour of the main floor and then took him up to see Blake and his living quarters on second. He ended with the nursery where Robbie was settled down for his late afternoon nap. After seeing everything, the supervisor shook his head.
"I'm terribly sorry about this intrusion. I will see that appropriate disciplinary measures are taken. This is the third complaint we've had about Mrs. Proctor. The first two were more or less dismissed because they were made by people in a lower socio-economic bracket. I'm ashamed to say it, but often those with less means get less justice. I'm going to personally go back to interview the other people who complained. They will get a fair hearing from me. Please tell Mr. Larson-Brady that he is welcome to bring legal charges against her as well. We can't have a loose cannon determining policy. She's certainly a poor replacement for Mrs. Landis. I hope Mrs. Landis will recover from her surgery soon and be back on the job.
I have a nephew who is raising two adopted children with his partner. I know how prejudiced the system can be at times. You have my support. You and your husband seem to be doing a fine job. I'll make a note in the file that we won't need to visit again."
Needless to say, dinner conversation revolved around the big news of the day. Eric and Josh shared a little about the swim team's problems, but didn't go into detail in front of their dads because they hadn't been in on the earlier quarrel between Luc and Garret. It wasn't that the boys wouldn't discuss such subjects with their fathers; it was that they were discreet and would keep things confidential unless they had permission to tell.
They did mention that Luc and Garret had come out at school in the cafeteria of all places, so there was no need to be careful about concealing that fact anymore.
Of course the visit by the substitute social worker was the main topic. All urged Ben to pursue it if nothing was done about the woman. No one wanted to tie up the courts with a frivolous action, but felt that a suit should be undertaken if the DHS didn't take appropriate action.
As Eric and Josh were preparing to go to bed, Eric noticed that Josh seemed lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Aaron and Sam. I don't quite understand about `open' relationships. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I knew you were messing around with someone else. I guess I can, because I remember how jealous and devastated I was when I thought you were hooking up with Reese. And I know we played a little with Rob, but that was different. We were both there and we felt like he needed it. I don't want to repeat anything like that though."
"I don't either!" Eric replied. "Morning will come too early for me to show you exactly how much I want you tonight. Will you take a rain-check and just cuddle?"
"I will, but don't say just' with cuddle' because I think it's an awesome way to show love."
"Me too!"
Author's notes: Thanks to the following responders: Bill, Rutabaga, John McD, Tom A, Carroll, Paul R, Baruch, Jim We, Tim K, Damon W, Paul F, Don H, and Carroll.
Don H (Hanratty) is the guy who writes: "Beloved" that I know some of you are following. I also heard from John Gerald who is posting: "Peter's Story" under College. Both are the kinds of tales you will appreciate.