Second Chance, Chapter 85
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Second Chance, Chapter 85
Within 24 hours of the Channel 10 spot about the haven for gay kids, two dirty, ragged young guys came into the lobby of Lundy House seeking aid. Mr. Worthington met them and took them into his office.
"We aren't quite set up with our house parents, but I can give you a clean place to stay and food to eat."
"Thank you Sir," Beckett Braun said with tears in his eyes. "D'Anthony and I are about starved and we need to get cleaned up, as you can see. I know I smell bad."
"You do, and so do I," D'Anthony agreed.
"Well, we'll take care of first things first. Our cook is making chicken soup for lunch. Let's go see if it's ready."
The two boys both began to weep silently at the prospect of getting something to eat that hadn't been scrounged from a garbage can.
As Herb was escorting the new arrivals to the dining room, Reese and Cam arrived with their signed contracts in hand.
"It took us some time to read through the forms, but we didn't have to take any time to make up our minds. There was never a doubt," Reese smiled.
"Great! You're just in time to meet our first guests. This is Beckett Braun and D'Anthony... I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, son."
"Dix, D'Anthony Dix. I think I might like to be called "Tony" because D'Anthony sounds so Black."
"Uh, you are Black in case you didn't notice," Beckett grinned. "That's part of what attracted me to you. I love your full lips and dark eyes."
"So you don't think changing my name will help me blend in?" D'Anthony said with a mischievous look.
"I don't want you to change anything!" Beckett insisted. "I love you like you are."
"Okay, you love birds. Break this up or you'll never get fed!" Herb teased. "Come on. Food first and then we can show you where to shower and provide you with a few changes of clean clothes."
"We'll be happy to get them settled. Would you like us to stay here tonight?" Cam asked Herb when the two boys were out of ear-shot eating an early lunch.
"I can't ask you to do this on short notice," Herb answered. "Besides, they're really grubby and from the way Beckett is scratching his head, I suspect he has lice. This won't be a pleasant duty."
"You didn't ask us; we're making the offer," Reese reminded him, "And we didn't sign on expecting all our tasks to be easy. We can bring a couple of changes of clothes and toiletries and hang out with them tonight. Maybe you could put them in the room just down the hall or in the connecting one for the night if you want. We'll check for head lice."
"I really appreciate this and you do as you please about where you put them. We don't know if they're thieves who would steal your valuables or sweet, honest kids, so you might not want them in the connecting bedroom. It's the next room that has a bed in it anyway, so that's where I'd suggest they stay. Here are keys for your apartment and the room next to your spare room. Also, you'll need these for the clothing room to get them outfitted. I cannot thank you enough for taking this on today. I could do it, but it would be much better for them to bond with you since you're closer in age and will be their house parents."
"Thanks for giving us the opportunity," Cam replied. "We'll be back in classes on Monday, but I think we can spend most, if not all, of our nights here when school starts up again. And, it's only about a month until we graduate and can move it permanently."
After lunch, Cam and Reese took the boys to choose clothes first, and then to the showers by the pool. They picked up towels, soap, and special shampoo as well.
Beckett looked at the shampoo bottle.
"You think it's lice?" he asked.
"Possibly, we need to make sure you don't spread them if it is."
"It's too late," D'Anthony said. "My head itches like crazy too. I'm sure we picked `em up at the same time from that mattress in the alley last week. What's the best way to get rid of them?"
"Shaving your head is the surest." Cam recommended. "But you may not want to do that."
"If you've got clippers for us, we'll shave it all off." D'Anthony stated positively.
"Let me see about a hair trimmer so we can shear off most of it and then you can use a razor for the rest if you want. I don't think you need to shave your heads bald, but it's up to you. Some guys do it because they think it's macho."
When he returned with clippers and newspaper to catch their hair, he found them naked waiting.
"They insisted on washing off their bodies first," Reese told him. "I cautioned them about flashing so much skin in front of a gay man, but they wouldn't listen."
"Are you trying to tempt my fiancé?" Cam teased.
"We aren't interested in old men!" Beckett teased back.
Cam and Reese stepped out of the room to give the boys the privacy that they evidently didn't need. Beckett and D'Anthony cut each other's hair close with the clippers. Then Beckett got a big grin on his face.
"Let me do your pubes too and you do mine. We can pretend we're little boys."
"That sounds hot! Then can we shave them completely?"
"Yeah, we'll be hairless as 10-year-olds!"
It wasn't long before they'd achieved their goal of shaving top and bottom, and showering a second time to get rid of the clippings and any remaining bugs. Both looked very young and vulnerable when they checked their reflections.
"Thanks for sticking with me, Babe," D'Anthony sighed as he hugged his lover. "My dad would have killed me if you hadn't stopped him, and if you hadn't you wouldn't have been found out."
"You know I had to do it. I couldn't live without my little chocolate drop. I have a feeling our lives are going to change for the better."
"Hey, what's with this `chocolate drop' shit? Are you dissin' me? I'm more of a Mr. Goodbar, chocolaty with nuts!" D'Anthony snickered, grabbing his dick to emphasize his point.
"I know that Babe, and I plan to taste that thick bar tonight and chew on those big nuts. It's been too long since we've had anything but a quickie in a men's room."
"I hear that, but will we get the chance? Do you think they'll split us up here?"
"I don't think they can – at least not for the moment. I overheard the head man say they had only one extra bed on that floor. Our house parents are going to be in their apartment in the same bed, I'll bet."
"Yeah, if they're fiancés they will."
"If they're together and they know we are, I can't imagine them not letting us get some too!"
"Yeah, I hope you're right."
When Reese and Cam came back in with a plastic garbage bag for their old clothes and the newspaper, they were met by two bald, smiling teens dressed in clean clothes and grinning from ear to ear.
With everything else going on, Josh had a difficult time fitting in another sitting with everyone. He decided he'd better concentrate on Dane and Colt because he could always get his dads to pose again later if necessary.
The following day, Dane and Colt came over to the guys' apartment. They sat on the futon posed similarly to how they had been on the park bench. Josh was able to make a lot of progress because the two could hold the seated pose comfortably.
Eric was sitting across from them writing a mildly erotic story which made the crotch in his shorts fill out. Noticing his package swell, Colt and Dane grinned and began to plump up in empathy. Josh couldn't miss what was going on and he captured their look of red-blooded lustiness without making it pornographic, just as he had done with Scott and Ben.
When it got close to noon, Eric made sandwiches and brought out a couple of deli salads and chips to go with them. They sat at the small kitchen table visiting over lunch about what they'd like to do during summer vacation. All agreed that some canoeing and camping on the weekends was a must.
Troy had chosen to go with Rob to Lundy House to check on its progress while Josh was painting Dane and Colt. He was eager to see the building and perhaps meet the two teens who had recently come there to stay.
Rob had explained to him that they would eat there because it was a good bonding experience with those who used the facility. Troy was fine with that. Having grown up in a middle class neighborhood, he'd had very little experience with people who were poor. He felt it was about time he got acquainted with the other side of life – a life he might be living now had he not been rescued by his new family.
Sam Bradbury beamed broadly at the sight of Rob and Robbie. He offered his hand to Troy and greeted him like an old friend.
"Are you in charge of this place?" Troy asked.
"Oh my no, son," Sam laughed. "I'm one of the people who's lucky enough to live here. I was a down and out bum on the streets. Rob had a lot to do with my rehabilitation. He and I once lived under the same bridge, but for different reasons – I was a drunk, he'd been thrown out. I still can't understand how his father could disown him!"
"I can't either, but my parents did the same thing to me."
"I find that just as difficult to believe. You appear to be a good lad unless you're a secret serial killer of something."
"I'm not a murderer, but I have the fatal flaw of being gay." Troy said softly, hanging his head in shame.
"Ben and Scott are more or less adopting Troy like they did me," Rob informed Sam as he put an arm around Troy's shoulder. "You know how soft-hearted they are. Can you believe they've taken in Jay, Isaac, and Troy all since Christmas Eve?"
"I'm not surprised," Sam said wiping a stray tear. "They are angels like you are.
Oh look, there's the new Lundy residents coming in with Cam. Over here, guys!"
Introductions were made all around. Sam had previously met the guys from 7th floor. Beckett and D'Anthony already treated him like a grandfather, listening to his stories and fetching things for him when they could.
"Growing up, I never knew anyone who was gay," Sam confessed. "If you boys are typical of gay teenagers, I can't understand why anyone wouldn't be pleased with how you're turning out. Never feel ashamed for how God made you."
"There are gay guys who aren't nice," Beckett said, thinking of some encounters he'd had. "It's like any other segment of the population; there are all kinds of people, murderers, thieves, rapists, who prey on the most vulnerable, and what have you. There are also angels and saints."
"Not to change the subject, but where's Reese?" Rob asked.
"He's meeting with a social worker over the lunch hour. He's becoming quite a crusader already – one of the angels. I mean, he's always been interested in rescuing kids, but our new position has built a fire under him!"
Troy had grown rather withdrawn and quiet after hearing Beckett's list which included "rapists." His mind went back to the abuse he'd suffered. It made him want to scream out in rage, but he held it in.
Cam noticed the look in Troy's eyes and knew that there must be an unhappy story behind it. He decided to create a diversion.
"I have the pass card for the pool area. Any of you guys want to take a dip?"
"I don't have a suit," Troy mentioned.
"It'll be quite private if I put the do not disturb' sign on the door, so we can go skinny if you want, or I can find something in the clothes closet' to loan everyone."
"Let's go nekkid!" D'Anthony enthused.
"You just want to show off your junk, Mr. Goodbar," Beckett accused.
"So? I ain't braggin', but I ain't ashamed either."
"D'Anthony, you're embarrassing me," Beckett laughed. "These other guys might not want to hang with us naked."
"That's not a problem," Rob assured him.
"What about your little boy? Do you want him around a bunch of bare-butt guys?"
"Being nude in the water is natural. Robbie sees the rest of us like that swimming at lakes when we're in a place that's private enough to do it. We're going to raise him not to be ashamed of his body either, just like D'Anthony."
"Have fun, boys," Sam said. "See you later. I have to go work on a grant request to help fund our new program."
About 1:00 a.m., Eric and Josh were jolted awake by sounds of screaming coming from their living room. They dashed out of bed, oblivious of their nakedness, and rushed to see what was happening.
Troy's eyes were open, but it was obvious that he wasn't awake. He thrashed around as if he were wrestling with a demon. In his nightmare, he was tied to a bed being repeatedly raped.
"Easy Troy, it's okay. You're safe. It's just a bad dream," Josh said softly.
"We're here," Eric added. "No one is going to harm you."
Troy settled down, closed his eyes for a few seconds and opened them again.
"My God, it was so real. I even felt the pain."
"How soon do you get to see the therapist?" Eric asked.
"Scott's taking me next week. It was the first slot available."
Eric and Josh exchanged a spousal look, nodded, and then Josh spoke.
"We want you to come and sleep with us for the rest of the night. Don't panic, we'll put on boxers. You need to be with people who care about you."
"How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Both of you decided that you were inviting me to sleep with you without talking it over."
"It comes from being on the same wave-length. Husbands begin to finish each other's sentences..."
"after living together awhile." Eric completed the thought.
"You knew what he was going to say?" Troy said looking at Eric in amazement.
"Yeah. I knew because I know how he thinks and it was what I was going to suggest too."
"Wow! I hope I find a husband like you guys someday."
"Put your boxers on and follow us," Eric smiled. "You'll find a guy when the time is right. At the moment, you need the love of friends."
It was then that Troy realized he'd been giving as big a show as his hosts. He quickly pulled on his sleep shorts and went with them.
The grand finale of spring break was the celebration of Eric's 18th birthday. The party would be on Saturday night even though he'd not officially become an adult until after midnight. There was no doubt that everyone would still be up to congratulate him.
This one was not going to be a surprise party, but all the guys from his last party were invited. The new guys in the house would be there too. The place was going to be overflowing, so Rob made a suggestion to Scott.
"I'm going to talk to Herb about using the 7th floor of Lundy. Everyone can bring sleeping bags because there aren't beds in most of the rooms yet. But they all have brand new carpeting. I'm sure we can find a comfortable bed for you and Ben, however.
If it works out, we could have swimming and games in the pool area. We can have pizza, cake, and whatever there too. It would also give all the guys a look at what's available if any of their friends get desperate for a place to crash."
"I like the idea," Scott exclaimed. "I was going to reserve a room at the country club, but this will be nicer because they can sleep over. We'll make a donation in the amount that we would have spent at the club."
Mr. Worthington was very happy to accommodate Rob. The extra income would be welcome too. It got him to thinking that the center might do well to rent out their facilities for other functions at times, as long as it didn't interfere with the residents having access.
It goes without saying that the party was a smashing success. The new guys meshed well with the old gang. D'Anthony was pleased to find there were another African-American, an Amerind, and an Amerasian in the crowd. It made him feel that Beckett wasn't the only one in the place who was totally accepting of their racial differences.
Reese was pleased to feel more like a part of the extended clan again. Isaac and Jay were happy to be making a number of new friends too.
Eric and Josh had brought their stash of swimwear to share with guys who either didn't have their own or had forgotten to pack them. They wouldn't have minded a skinny dipping party, but felt some of the guys might not feel comfortable with strangers and adults present. Then too, if anyone ignored the "do not disturb sign' and came in unexpectedly, the sight of a bunch of teens cavorting naked might hurt the center's reputation.
Plenty of food was consumed over the evening while several different Monopoly games were going on. Damian was the champion at his table just like he'd been the year before.
Eric, the birthday boy, managed to win at the table where he was playing this time around. He knew that win or lose, he was a winner with all the friends he had present.
One table of guys played "reverse strip poker" which meant that losers had to put on an article of clothing each time they lost. The one who remained in his Speedo's was the winner. There were lots of laughs at that table.
At the stroke of midnight, Scott and Ben came into the pool area carrying a very large chocolate cake with 18 candles on top. Eric suspected that Josh was involved with its decoration when he blew out the candles only to have them relight again. He was laughing so hard that he could barely find the breath to make another try. This time, he did succeed in extinguishing several, but gave up and doused the rest in a glass of water.
He thanked everyone for making his 18th birthday special. He said that he was the luckiest man in the world having a loving husband, an awesome extended family, and a host of the greatest friends anyone could hope to find. Inside his mind, he was also breathing a sigh of relief that his estranged mother could not attempt to have any legal claim over him again.
When it came to sleeping arrangements, all the younger set slept on the floor. Scott and Ben had brought extra sleeping bags to loan to Beckett and D'Anthony so that they wouldn't feel left out. In return, those boys had made up their bed with fresh sheets for Scott and Ben to use. It all worked out for everyone.
The guys shared just a few of the rooms on 7th floor. That led to more camaraderie and saved on the amount of bathrooms that would need cleaning the next day.
D'Anthony and Beckett shared a two-room suite with Damian, Dylan, Aaron, Sam, Peter, and Troy. They had wanted to get to know Damian and Dylan better, assuming incorrectly that the pair of buddies were boyfriends. It came as a shock when they found out differently.
D'Anthony was embarrassed after he made some allusion to finally meeting another mixed couple like them. Neither Damian nor Dylan was upset and laughed about the mistake.
"I guess my "straight-dar" isn't very well developed," D'Anthony grinned.
"What the hell is `straight-dar,' Bro?" Damian asked.
"It's like `gaydar' in reverse," D'Anthony giggled. "I don't seem to be able to pick a straight guy out of a crowd of regular gay ones."
Everyone in the room laughed hysterically.
Troy had chosen to be with this bunch rather than with his housemates because he hoped to get better acquainted with Peter. Peter was an absolute walking wet dream to his way of thinking. But during the brief conversations the guys had before turning in, he got the distinct feeling that he was out of luck. Peter seemed to be as straight as an arrow.
Luc, Garret, Rob, Blake, and Robbie shared accommodations. Blake felt a bit old to be sleeping on the floor with the younger guys, but they treated him as one of the boys. Luc and Garret had their sleeping bags zipped together like a queen sized bed, so he and Rob did the same thing. Of course they couldn't do any messing around with Robbie between them, as he suspected the younger couple probably would do once the lights were out.
Colt, Dane, Jay, and Isaac shared a room with Eric and Josh. It was a good chance for Jay and Isaac to be around another happily married gay couple who seemed normal and well-adjusted. It reinforced their hope of turning out the same way.
There wasn't a lot of congestion in the bathrooms in the morning because the guys awakened in waves. Dane and Colt arose earlier than most since they had the drive back to Ames ahead of them. Eric and Josh got up at the same time, but gave them first shot at the shower.
Ben and Scott were already up making breakfast in Cam and Reese's kitchenette. All had been prearranged and there were waffles, an egg casserole (Scott's usual solution to feeding a crowd in the morning), as well as bacon, sausage and a variety of cold cereals and juices.
The aroma of food and coffee brought several more guys to a state of consciousness. Within an hour, all were up and fed.
There was lots of hugging when Dane and Colt left. They wouldn't be back until their finals were over, but that was only about a month away. In the mean time, they'd keep in touch through emails and texts.
After a couple of hours, it was only Josh, Eric, Troy, Ben, and Scott who were there with the four residents of 7th floor.
"It was a great party," Reese said. "I'm really happy to be accepted as part of this group again. Blake actually hugged me before he left and said that we make better friends than lovers. I'm relieved he wants to be a friend."
"I'm relieved all the kids pitched in to clean everything up," Cam smiled. "These two are keepers," he said, putting an arm around the shoulders of both D'Anthony and Beckett. "You did an excellent job cleaning the bathrooms. They're sparkling and sanitary and ready for new residents."
"Hey, we wanted to pay back a little for what we're receiving," Beckett said blushing at Cam's effusive compliments. "Besides it could be a career for the likes of us."
"We've got to get you guys into community college classes so you can have a brighter future. There's nothing wrong with being a janitor, but I think you're capable of a lot more." Reese added.
A few minutes later, the remaining guys from the Larson-Brady household took their leave.
Author's notes: Wow, Prop 8 has been declared unconstitutional. I'm sure that will raise a few hackles. Let's hope that reason prevails.
Thanks to all who wrote since last posting: Paul L, Roger L, John McD, Rutabaga, Bill K, Jian, Bill H, Al McC, Edward D, Jim W, Steve, Jim C, Paul R, Paul L, Ray, Walt S, and Karserus.
Tom is home safely after his visit here. It was great to meet him face to face.
David