Tales from Bentonville, Chapter 108
By David Lee
Warning:
This story contains scenes of love and sexual interaction. Much of this involves males with other males. If the reading or possessing of such material as this is illegal in your country, state, province, county, municipality, etc., please leave this site immediately and do not proceed further. If you are under the legal age to read this, please do not do so. It is not my intention to offend anyone or to get you in trouble.
The author retains all rights to this original story. Please do not publish without explicit authorization from me.
Disclaimer:
This story is completely fictional. Most of the places mentioned, and none of the characters exist in real life. Some may possess physical or personality characteristics of people I know or have known. But if you see yourself in this story, your imagination is better than mine!
"Tales from Bentonville" is a romantic story centering on the lives of high school kids. Lovers of other ages may appear, but not normally in a cross-generational sense. References to sex with under-age kids may be made for the sake of the story line. However, I feel that child molestation is a crime and should not be glorified or tolerated.
This is my fifth attempt at writing fiction. My other stories on Nifty include: "Zeke" (August 29, 2005), "Always and Forever" (March 25, 2004) under High School, "Brad and Alan's Canoe Trip" (April 23, 2004) under Camping, and "Jacob and Jacques" (May 30, 2004) under High School. Some characters from previous stories may have cameo roles in this one. However, you need not read them first.
Our only reward for contributing to Nifty is your e-mails. Please write if you like the story. Please include the name of the story in the title of your e-mail. I get a lot of spam!
Finally, thanks and hugs to Tom and David who edit for me so that there are fewer mistakes! They not only proof-read, but make other valuable suggestions.
dlee169@hotmail.com
Tales from Bentonville, Chapter 108
After the nasty ice storm of later February, it was remarkable that March came in like a proverbial lamb. The weather turned pleasant and reasonably warm for that time of year. The crocuses popped through the hard ground and the patches of snow that remained in some places.
When the weather permitted, the guys who lived at Greta's house worked on cleaning up the downed limbs, cutting them into firewood with JD's chainsaw. Greta smiled wistfully as she watched them from the kitchen window. After having four surrogate sons for the past couple of years, the house would be sadly quiet when they went off to college. Perhaps she'd find another boy or two to stay in the guest room or the room where Dave and Dustin slept. She could do that, but she didn't think that she could let anyone live in Dane and Colt's room until the two had graduated from college and set up housekeeping permanently somewhere else. There were too many memories.
The sap rising in the trees seems to coincide with an onset of spring fever. Students begin to think about warm weather activities like track, baseball, canoeing, and getting laid in the woods.
The other craze that hits the Midwest at that time of year is basketball fever. Bentonville High was caught up in that infection as well – and for good reason. The boys' team was nearly unbeatable in their division. Dan and Cory had grown somewhat in height and weight from the year before. Their muscles were harder, but it was more than that. They had matured greatly in their technique.
Like wrestling finals, state basketball tournaments are held in the capitol city. After soundly trouncing their rivals in regional playoffs, the Bentonville boys were headed to Des Moines.
On tournament days, school ran on a revised schedule with early dismissal so that students could ride pep busses or drive their own cars for the two-hour trip to support the team. Greta gave her grandsons the keys to her SUV so that they could take others with them in comfort. Dustin, Dave, Brent, and Mike accompanied them.
Bentonville's team hadn't even been rated by sports casters in the fall because no one expected them to become a force to be reckoned with. They were called "the Cinderella Team" by the time they got to the state tournament. Of course, most of those newsmen didn't expect to see them last long against larger schools.
When Bentonville (a class AA school) beat Cosgrove (a class AAA school), everyone in the state was talking about this phenomenal team. They were suddenly the darlings of the media.
The final game was held on a Saturday. About half of the citizens of Bentonville were there to support their team. A number of the kids had stayed over in order to be "rested up" for the big event. Of course for many of them it was an excuse to give their parents so that they could stay up half the night in motel rooms with their friends. Probably a lot of their folks knew the truth, having engaged in similar rites of passage when they were in school.
Former students, like Joel, Alex, and Allen made the short drive from Ames to cheer for the team. Abby had an important paper to write, so she told Allen that it would be fine for them to make a boys' party out of the trip. She could get her work done more easily that day without any distractions and she knew that watching sports tended to increase his testosterone or something. She was sure that he'd be especially horny when he came home. If her work was all done, she could relax and take care of his needs!
The game to determine the state champion was a hard fought one. Bentonville was up against a school with a very deep bench. When two of Thurston's first string players fouled out in the last quarter, there were two or three backup guys who were nearly as good. When Cory fouled out with 10 minutes to go, there was no one of his caliber to replace him. A sophomore named Chris Carter went in for him. Some of the fans groaned because they felt he was third string at best. Coach Kelly took a calculated risk in putting him in the game.
Dan was in a tight position because he had accumulated four fouls by the middle of the fourth quarter. Knowing that he dare not get one more, he probably played less aggressively than he might have otherwise.
Coach Kelly called a time-out to talk to his players.
"Dan, we may not have the chance of a snowball in hell to beat these guys if you foul out. But, I want you to give it your all. If you're out of the game before it's over, that's life. Go out fighting!"
The Bentonville guys came back out on the floor with new determination. With 11 seconds on the clock, Bentonville was behind two points. Dan threw a shot from the three-point range which bounced around the rim and finally fell through. It wasn't pretty, but it counted. The Bentonville fans went ballistic!
A player named Patrick Klein (jersey number 21) from the other team went sprawling on the floor and the ref called a foul against Dan who was closest to him. Dan looked incredulous. He hadn't touched the kid. He wondered if the ref was playing favorites or needed glasses. The Bentonville crowd was on their feet protesting and the officials threatened to impose a technical foul if they didn't settle down. The kid smirked at Dan knowing that his little act could determine the championship.
Patrick, the "victim" of the foul went to the free-throw line with the one and one. He made the first shot, so he had the chance to try for another point. If he made the second, the game would go into overtime with Bentonville at a decided disadvantage having lost two of their best players. Fortunately, he missed. But his coach called their last time-out to stop the clock. The plan was to intentionally foul a Bentonville player who was a weak shooter so that Thurston could get possession of the ball for one last shot before the buzzer.
Chris Carter was not the best free-throw shooter on Bentonville's team, so he drew the foul. Since it was an intentional one, he was allowed two shots. The pressure on him must have been enough to make him sweat blood. He certainly looked nervous.
"Be cool, Dude, you can do it!" Cory shouted.
Chris rolled his shoulders back, bounced the ball a couple of times, breathed deeply, and sent the ball aloft. It went through the hoop touching nothing but net. Of course the crowd erupted. His second shot was not as clean, but went through. The score was now 93 to 90. It would be almost impossible for Thurston to win unless they made a three-pointer and sent the game into overtime.
Thurston got possession and their center hurled a "Hail Mary" pass that bounced off the backboard as the buzzer sounded. Cinderella had not only made it to the big dance, but had earned the right to live happily ever after. Well, for this season at least!
Chris was carried off the court on the shoulders of Dan and Cory. When they finally put him down, he hugged both of them. Then the rest of the team nearly squeezed the breath out of him as everyone embraced him and pounded on his back. Coach Kelly's gamble had paid off. Chris Carter had gained the self-confidence he needed to become an excellent athlete.
Bentonville residents probably dropped a few thousand dollars among them on celebrations that night. All of the area eating establishments were filled with the revelers. Chris, Cory, and Dan didn't have to buy anything because there were fans practically fighting over the privilege of picking up the tabs on anything that the team wanted to eat or drink.
Patrick and a few of the opposing team members were waiting in the parking lot when the team came out. Most of the Thurston team had accepted their defeat with the grace that good sportsmanship dictates. However, number 21 and three of his buddies were there yelling insults. From their false bravado, it was evident that they'd been "in the sauce" or had some other substances that they shouldn't have had.
"Bentonville guys are real ball-handlers," one of them jeered.
"That's because they handle each other's balls all the time!" Patrick taunted.
"You can kiss mine if your wash your mouth first," Chris yelled back.
Well, it isn't wise to insult a group of athletes and their charged up fans when you're outnumbered about 20 to one. Fists started to fly, and in seconds, the opposing players figured that out. Coach Kelly blew the whistle that he always seemed to carry and ordered his players to board the bus.
Someone called the police, but the instigators fled the scene before they got there. After asking a few questions, the authorities allowed the Bentonville team bus leave, and the fans to get on their way too. No one admitted to taking part in the short melee and it would be impossible to sort it all out.
A few minutes later, a state patrol office pulled the four Thurston guys over and charged the driver, Patrick, with OMVI (operating a motor vehicle intoxicated) and his passengers with public intoxication and possession of a controlled substance as well as drug paraphernalia. When the story made the papers the next morning, Cory would exclaim to Dan: "There really is a God!"
But what was most meaningful for Dan was that the referee, who had made the final foul call that put him out of the game, phoned the school on Monday to talk to him. The man actually apologized for making a bad call. He had seen video footage that a fan had taken which proved that Dan hadn't touched Patrick. It was a rare thing for an official to admit being wrong. Dan felt vindicated.
April turned a bit warmer, but with the rise in temperatures came an inordinate amount of rain. Farmers worried about whether the fields would dry out enough for spring planting. People in towns like Cosgrove that straddled rivers were concerned about possible flooding.
The students at Bentonville High were more concerned about not being able to train for track and field events. They ran laps in the gym and ran outside on days when it was only sprinkling. It wasn't ideal, but at least they were no worse off than teams in other counties because the whole state seemed to be living under a gigantic rain cloud.
Spring break did not do much to raise the spirits of anyone who wasn't going away to someplace warm and dry. Hardly anyone was doing that this year. Dane and Colt felt that they didn't have the money to do so, but they were getting out of town. Sharon and Dwayne had invited them to come to Wisconsin and Wade and Roger wanted them to come to Minnesota. So, the guys decided to make a big loop and stay a few days at each place. Colton was eager to see his little brother, Aidan, and also his foster brother, Ethan.
Both boys wanted to have a talk with Roger and Wade about anal sex. It would be embarrassing, but they wanted to make sure that they were ready for their "wedding night". They also wanted to run some ideas past the men about a commitment ceremony and see when the men's schedules would allow them to attend.
The drive to Madison was a pleasant one. With the new four-lane highway completed, it was an easy trip. The boys stopped for a leisurely lunch en route and still made it to Dwayne and Sharon's house a few minutes ahead of MapQuest's estimated time.
The boys couldn't get over how quickly Aidan was growing up. Since Christmas, he seemed to have gone from being a baby to being a little boy. He was saying a few words and walking if someone held his hands. He'd likely be running around the house before his first birthday.
Sharon and Dwayne may have been happy to see the guys from Bentonville, but it was Aidan who couldn't leave them alone. He spent every waking hour wanting the boys to play with him. Of course they loved showering him with attention. Whatever he wanted to do, they were available to do it with him. His parents could see that Colt and Dane would make good fathers. They hoped that someday it would be possible.
The three days spent with Sharon and Dwayne were pretty laid back. The boys enjoyed simply hanging around with the family and catching up on each other's lives.
The boys discussed their plans for a commitment ceremony and Dwayne and Sharon said that they would keep the tentative dates open. Since it would be on a Saturday, they could take Friday off so there wouldn't be any problem about making the drive.
Dane loved it that Madison is located in Dane County. He tried, unsuccessfully, to convince Colt that the county was named for him and that Colt should bow down to him. Of course, Colt did kneel to worship one night while they were there.
The time with little Aidan was all too short, but the boys were eager to see Wade, Roger, and Ethan too. The got up early on the 4th day so that they could get to the Twin Cities in the afternoon.
Roger and Ethan were home when they arrived. Ethan practically attacked his "big brothers" as he called them. He remembered the guys and nearly everything about the wrestling tournament. It was obvious that he had a sharp little mind.
Roger was able to work from home on the computer and phone, with only occasional days when he needed to be away for meetings. At those times, an older lady who lived nearby was hired to stay with Ethan. Roger and Wade had considered having a live-in nanny, but decided against it because they wanted to bond with the little guy rather than to have too many strangers in his environment. He needed security and stability in his life.
Wade came home around 5:30 hugging his foster son, son, and nephew as soon as he came through the door. Roger may have been last in line, but he got a big kiss to make up for it.
It wasn't long before Roger pulled out his famous low-carb meatloaf from the oven. The guys all helped set the table and put out the rest of the food. It was a highly nutritious meal that everyone could indulge in without feeling like they were going to gain weight. Although the boys weren't in training, they still wanted to eat sensibly.
Ethan was excited about going places with the big boys. One day when Roger had meetings to attend, Colton and Dane took him to a children's museum which had many hands-on things to play with. The guys went along with all of Ethan's imaginative play.
In the "grocery store" he filled his cart with all kinds of plastic replicas of vegetables which he named as he put them in. It was amazing to the guys to see that he could identify so many things. They found out later that Roger and Wade talked to Ethan constantly when they were doing shopping or other activities. They had read that little kids' minds were like sponges at that age and could learn rapidly if adults paid attention to them. It was the best way for kids to gain knowledge, especially boys.
Roger had watched a spot on the "Today" show one morning when the book "The Trouble with Boys" was being discussed. Roger went out to buy it that very afternoon. He was bound and determined that his son was going to have the best chance of becoming a successful student.
On the second evening, after Ethan was asleep, the teens talked to the men about their upcoming plans for a commitment ceremony and the subsequent consummation of their union. The boys were a bit squeamish about bringing up the subject of anal sex, but Wade and Roger handled it as if they were discussing something as ordinary as a recipe for a particular dessert.
The men promised to keep the dates free that the boys had picked out for their commitment ceremony. They liked all of the ideas that the guys had for the event and added a couple more for them to think about.
"Wade and I are hoping to be married sometime in July or August in Massachusetts." Roger said. "Of course, we'd love to have as many of our extended family members come as possible. We can adjust the date to accommodate people's schedules. I was wondering if you'd like to get legally married there as well."
"That would be cool, Dad, except that they don't let cousins get married do they?" Colt responded.
"Well, I looked up the law. It forbids a man from marrying certain female relatives, but it doesn't say that he can't marry a male relative. I printed if off so you could see it:"
CERTAIN MARRIAGES PROHIBITED
Chapter 207: Section 1. Marriage of man to certain relatives
Section 1. No man shall marry his mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, stepmother, grandfather's wife, grandson's wife, wife's mother, wife's grandmother, wife's daughter, wife's granddaughter, brother's daughter, sister's daughter, father's sister or mother's sister.
"I can't see that cousins are in there either way," Colt smiled as he and Dane read the paper. "I'm in, are you, Babe?"
"Yeah! It might not hold any legal status in Iowa, but who says we'll live there all of our lives? Wow! We could be legally wed!"
The discussion went for several minutes and it was too late to call everyone by the time they got done. However, they knew that Greta would still be up watching Leno, so they broke the news to her first. She seemed nearly as excited as the guys on the other end of the line.
The third evening, when Wade came home from work, he gave the boys a plain brown sack that contained a booklet and several new toys and supplies that they might need in preparation for their special night. He had given them a few things a couple of summers ago, but felt that they needed these too. After peeking inside, the boys blushed as they thanked him for his thoughtfulness.
"Dad, I'm so glad you're cool about this. You and Roger have made us feel particularly accepted." Colt exclaimed.
"Same here," Dane added. "I could talk to my dad about some things. If I were marrying a girl, I wouldn't feel as funny about asking him how to make sure I didn't hurt her the first time, but you know..."
"Yeah, I know," Wade smiled. "Roger and I both remember how hard it was growing up without role models to turn to and we vowed that we'd make a difference in someone's life if we could. We're really pleased that it could be yours."
The guys left after breakfast on Saturday because it would be at least a six hour drive home. They wanted to have Sunday to rest up before resuming school.
Author's notes: Remember Matthew Shepard this month. It's been 10 years since his tragic death. May God bless his family and friends as they remember him.
Thanks to all who wrote recently: Paul R, Vann, Tim E, Jim C, Michael D (Paul – love you, man), Mark H (David), James D, Chea, Rad (my other son), Polar, Craig, and of course David and Tom. Love all of you guys!
It looks like chapter 110 will be the final one. I'm leaning toward posting a story called: "Second Chance" when I finish this one and have a few minutes to breathe. I have several chapters written, but don't want to post until I have an idea of where it's going. "Tales" was written too much week by week and that scares me!
Don't forget to vote next month!