Tales from Bentonville, Chapter 43 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 Please do not publish without explicit authorization from me.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 5, 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 Tim and Tom who edit for me so that there are fewer typos!
dlee169@hotmail.com
Tales from Bentonville, Chapter 43
In the days that followed Walter Johnson's funeral, his grandsons were unusually pensive. They had not seriously thought about AIDS since they had never known anyone who had it. The fact that it could strike anyone at any time if he or she were not careful left a lasting impression on the pair. They had never seriously considered doing anything with a third or fourth party (other than maybe something like the jack-off session they had had with Trent) and now were less likely to do so. Yeah, it might be hot to get involved in group sex, but it was very scary indeed. Besides the potential of catching something, they weren't sure how it might affect their relationship. They were really happy that they had found each other so that they weren't at the mercy of whoever was out there in the gay dating scene.
Both guys did some searching on the Internet to find out more about the causes and treatments of AIDS. It was something that they felt might be important to them, or someone close to them, in the future. It might be something to have a seminar on if they got a gay/straight alliance thing going at school next year.
In the middle of the conversation about a support-group to help gay kids, Colton came up with what seemed like a real non-sequitur. It took Dane a couple of minutes to figure out where it fit in.
"Do you want to work on a project this summer to finish our qualifications for Eagle Scout?" Colt asked.
"Yeah, I guess. What brought this on?" Dane responded.
"Well, you know that we would both like to be Eagles. And, you know we are this close." He said, holding his thumb and index finger an eighth of an inch apart. "You also realize how homo-phobic the national scouting organization is. If we're going to do it, we have to do it before we come out or someone outs us..."
"Okay, I see your point. Do you think we are being honest in pursuing it knowing how the organization feels about gays?" Dane wondered.
"Well, not everyone in scouts feels that way. Besides, we live in a `don't ask; don't tell' world."
"Point made and taken. Let's call the church and see if they still need someone to organize the Vacation Bible School for August."
A quick call to the church secretary confirmed their suspicion that no one had come forward and that some things needed to be done immediately. Another call to the scoutmaster, Mr. Simmons, established the fact that this would be a worthy project that could fulfill the requirements for both the teens. He was pleased that they were going to complete their Eagles. It had been several years since anyone had gone that far in his troop and he was overjoyed at the possibility.
When Dane called back to the church, the secretary put Pastor Dan Fredrickson on the line. He was even more enthused than their scoutmaster. He had been praying that someone would step in to coordinate things. He could, and would, do it if no one else did, but he felt that there were things that the lay people should do without his having to prod them. The phone call was like an answer from above. He had some curriculum in mind, but needed someone with energy and eagerness to get people to volunteer to teach, do crafts, etc. He knew that most adults could say "no" to a minister more easily than they could turn down a couple of nice kids who were hoping to become Eagle Scouts. When he got off of the phone, he turned his eyes toward the sky and murmured: "thanks!"
The boys met with Pastor Dan the next day and got a list of people who might be willing to help if they were asked in the right way. It didn't take them long to have a full complement of workers all the way from teachers to people who would bake treats for the break times. They even lined up Alex Albers to help with the outdoor activities in the morning sessions. (He had some spare time on his hands since Joel would be in summer school that week and football practice was in the afternoon.) His presence should ensure that some of the older elementary school boys would attend without complaint. The star quarterback from the high school team was bound to be a draw. Alex's only hesitation was whether there would be some objection to his working with the kids since he had come out at school. Colton said that he thought it would be okay, but would take it up with the pastor at their next meeting.
When DJ heard about their plans, he told them not to worry about getting summer jobs. There were few available and the pay wasn't that good. He had enough work finishing off the attic and part of the basement in his house to keep them busy. They could work around their scouting activities and still make enough for spending-money. He planned to pay them well. With his recent raise in salary and the relatively low cost of living in Bentonville, he was doing pretty well financially even without Ellen's paycheck.
Organizing Bible School and working for DJ weren't the only things on their plates in June. Colton's mom, Sharon, was getting married in the middle of the month and the boys had to go get fitted for new suits since they were to participate. It wasn't going to be a really formal wedding with tuxedos, etc. since Sharon and Dwayne had both been married previously. She and Dwayne didn't want to spend a fortune on the ceremony. They were going to use some of their money to go to Hawaii on their honeymoon instead. It would still be a nice affair that they and their families would remember.
As the time grew nearer, plans firmed up. Wade and Roger were driving to Madison Wisconsin where the ceremony would be held. DJ, Ellen, Greta, Dane, Colt, and the twins would drive up in DJ's minivan. After the festivities, Dane and Colt would spend a few days with Wade and Roger who would drive them back to Bentonville. Everyone was looking forward to the trip.
DJ went out to purchase a car-top carrier to hold some of their luggage. With the babies and the extra dress clothes it was going to be a tight fit. Sharon's sister, who was going up earlier, even offered to take some of the luggage with her.
When the sale fliers came out in Friday's paper, the boys decided to go to Penney's in Cosgrove to look at suits. The prices were right. Even if the garments might not be made to last forever, it was a good deal. The guys weren't through growing, so these might not fit in another year. Greta gave them her credit card and a few pointers on what to look for and how to judge the quality of the fabric, but chose not to accompany them. It was time for them to take on responsibilities like this for themselves. Besides, they both had taste!
Saturday was a shopping adventure. It was a good thing that the suits came as "separates." That way, the boys could choose the best fitting pants and the best fitting jackets without having to have alterations. They were both active and trim. Most standard suits came with pants that were way too large in the waist in relation to the jackets.
After finding their sizes and giving the fabric Greta's wrinkle test, the guys chose colors that would look good on them. Colton settled on a blue shade that went with his eyes while Dane decided to take a tan one which showed off his nearly blond hair and coordinated with his green eyes. Since they were close in weight and height, they could actually wear either outfit. That would give them some options because both guys looked great in either shade.
The lady who helped them was impressed with their knowledge on how to choose clothing -- especially the part about grabbing a sleeve and wadding it up to see if it stayed wrinkled. They didn't tell her that their grandmother had primed them ahead of time.
After adding shirts and ties to coordinate, the boys paid the bill and headed for the food court. The shirts had had to be ordered from the catalog to get an athletic cut. The ones in the store looked baggy on their trim bodies.
They had debated about buying some special underwear, but decided to get that at Wal-Mart. John had worn some Jockey Life brand ones at the cabin that had a pouch which not only accommodated a guy's balls, but kept everything supported and nicely uplifted. That was a look that they both enjoyed.
Eventually, the departure day arrived. After checking one more time on supplies, DJ pulled out of the drive with the family (consisting of five big people and two babies) all securely in their car seats or seatbelts. With the carrier on top and the boys' bikes on a rack in back, DJ thought that they looked like they belonged in an updated version of "Grapes of Wrath."
The trip took longer than it might have ordinarily because of stopping to give the babies some time out of their confining seats. The boys took turns carrying which ever twin wasn't being nursed at the moment. They even fed the babies their supplementary bottle of formula when it was time. Ellen smiled as she thought about what great fathers they would make.
Despite the frequent stops, they still managed to reach their destination in time to have a brief rest and a snack before the boys went to the rehearsal and the dinner afterwards.
When they had made reservations, DJ had been a bit hesitant to stay in a place that was owned by some Christian organization because he assumed it would be Spartan and he didn't want to have his wife and babies inconvenienced. The price of the rooms had been too cheap.
However, it turned out to be a very pleasant place indeed. It was an old Holiday Inn "Holidome" that had been slated for destruction before the organization had purchased it. There were plenty of rooms and all of the facilities had been updated and refurbished. That included the indoor swimming pool and hot tub. The bar had been turned into a juice bar, but other than that, the place seemed like any other resort. With all of the family on both sides, plus a number of friends, staying there; Sharon and Dwayne had managed to reserve it for their exclusive use for three days and nights.
The church wasn't a long way from their accommodations. The boys went with some of the other people who were in the wedding party since their families would not be in the rehearsal. Dane wouldn't actually have been needed, but Sharon included him because he was her son's lover.
The rehearsal, itself, was well organized and didn't drag on. Therefore, they were able to eat dinner at a reasonable hour. It was a small, catered affair that was held in a little dining room in the facility where they were staying. The rest of the relatives had gone out to eat at various restaurants in the Madison area.
After their dinner had had some chance to digest, many of the wedding party donned their swimsuits and played in the pool. Dane and Colt had chosen to bring some trunks rather than their racy suits, but these were form-fitting enough not to disguise the fact that they were 100% male. A couple of girls in the pool area seemed quite aware of that.
They swam and splashed for over an hour. Finally, they sat in the whirlpool to relax before heading to their room.
Wade and Roger checked in while they boys were still relaxing. They received an enthusiastic (if somewhat wet) welcome. Their room turned out to be right next to the boys' room, so the Colt and Dane insisted on carrying the luggage up to the second level.
The next hour or so was spent catching up with the Minneapolis group and going over some of the plans for their brief vacation after the wedding. Roger had it all organized and had again rented a small camper complete with rack with Wade's and his bicycles on it.
Eventually, Colt gave an exaggerated yawn and said that he needed to get to bed soon. Roger gave a knowing smirk because he assumed that sleep might not be the main thing on his step-son's young mind.
Back in their room, Dane also smirked as he teased Colt about being so tired.
"I guess that means no fun for me tonight..."
Colton quickly disabused him of that notion by grabbing the front of his swimsuit and squeezing just enough to start the monster within to awaken.
"Colt, you'd better not be kidding around here. I'm horny as hell!"
In the shower, Colton proved that he was serious. After a quick rinse, he fell to his knees and engulfed most of the stirring beast. Dane gasped, in spite of the fact that he had felt these sensations numerous times before. It was always a thrill to have his lover swallowing his cock.
Before he got past the point of no return, Dane stopped Colt and they changed positions. Colt was so hot from stimulating his lover that he nearly didn't pull back in time. His cock twitched and threatened to spew.
The boys spent the next couple of minutes washing their bodies and then turned the water temperature down to cool their ardor for the moment.
"Just look at the waste here!" Colt exclaimed, looking around their room. "It's a shame to have paid for a place with two queen sized beds when we aren't going to use one of them."
Dane giggled as he pulled back the covers and pushed his lover onto the nearest bed. The giggles were soon replaced with moans as the boys began to make out in earnest. They spent more time than usual stimulating each other's nipples. They were very much "on the same page" in their actions. It was almost like a screen-play that had been scripted for an erotic film.
When they did get to the main event, it didn't take long to complete it. They had been on the edge for quite awhile. The experience of being deep-throated while deep-throating someone you love was a powerful aphrodisiac to say the least. Both pulled back enough to taste the others' offerings when the final, glorious moment came. Both were packing big loads that night.
Their climaxes were followed by a lot of deep kissing. Eventually, they fell asleep in each other's arms as was their custom.
Sometime in the night Colton cried out and thrashed around in the bed.
"NO! Don't kill me, dude!" He screamed.
"It's okay, Baby. You're with me. You're safe. It's just a bad dream. I'll keep you safe." Dane crooned.
Colt quieted down and fell asleep again with his head on Dane's chest. The rhythm of Dane's heartbeat seemed to relax him. Dane lay awake for several minutes. Damn! He had thought that the nightmares were over.
The phone awakened them earlier than they would have liked, although it wasn't exactly the crack of dawn. It was necessary to get up and going since the wedding was at 11:00. So, it was back into the shower - this time only to get clean. Dane showered while Colton brushed his teeth and shaved the few straggling whiskers that had appeared in recent months. Dane left the water running for Colt. When they changed places, there was a little groping, but they knew there wasn't time for anything serious.
They were dressed and looking handsome as they came down to the dining room for the breakfast buffet. Several heads turned as they entered the room. For the most part, they were unaware of the admiring looks they were receiving. Dane had gotten beyond the stage of feeling that he was an ugly ducking, but he still didn't see himself as a swan.
The bridal party might have all been dressed in less formal attire than people in some modern weddings, but that did not diminish the beauty and solemnity of the occasion. Colton had tears in his eyes as he escorted his mother down the aisle to present her to Dwayne. It wasn't like the old tradition of the father giving the bride away, but it did give him a kind of role in the new family.
When he finished with his part, he sat beside his lover in the spot where the bride's parents would normally be seated. In a way, it sent a subtle message that he and Dane were more than friends and cousins.
At the end of the ceremony, Colton and Dane were ushered out as were Dwayne's parents. It made the boys feel special, but a bit self-conscious.
The catered luncheon that followed was very nice. The new couple had chosen chicken for the entrée since it was less expensive and wouldn't be objectionable to most people. There were some vegetarian plates for their friends who were vegan.
Following the lunch, there was a dance complete with a disc jockey. Greta found it interesting that a place which served no alcohol did allow dancing.
She guessed that some of the more fundamentalist groups must have changed since she was a child. In those days, dancing was considered vertical fornication! She smiled as she thought of a joke she had once hear: "Why won't Baptists have sex in a standing position?" "Because they're afraid someone might catch them and think that they were dancing!"
"What's so funny, Mom," Wade asked of her.
"I'll tell you later," she whispered.
At a nearby table, Colton was whispering a randy suggestion into his lover's ear. He finished by flicking his tongue into it briefly. Dane turned several shades of red even though Colt had cupped his hand to Dane's ear in a way that would not allow anyone else to see the gesture.
"I'll get you for that, Stallion," Dane whispered back.
"I'm counting on it, HT," Colt smirked.
"Would you like to dance?" asked two young ladies who had had their eyes on the boys for several minutes. (They were the same pair who had been drooling over the guys in the pool the night before.)
"Sure," Colt answered as he led the pretty blond to the floor.
Dane smiled at the brunette who had his arm and they joined the others. During that dance, the girl let Dane know that she and her friend had a room to themselves and wouldn't mind having the guys come over to "visit" for awhile after dinner in the evening. Dane wasn't sure what exactly "visiting" might entail and was afraid to ask.
Most of the dances were either line-type dances or fairly fast ones. There wasn't any occasion to hold a partner close. But, toward the end, there were some slow ones with the lighting dimmed. This was a romantic gesture for the bride and groom who danced the first one alone on the floor.
Dane and Colt wished that they could dance with each other, but they were afraid that it would draw attention away from Sharon and Dwayne and onto themselves. They didn't want to spoil the day for Sharon and Dwayne.
When the bride and groom finished and others were invited to the floor, the two girls began to head toward the boys once more. The guys cringed knowing that they would have to play a role that was, for them, becoming increasingly difficult and hypocritical. They really didn't want to slow-dance with anyone but each other.
Before the girls got to the boys' table, Sharon and Dwayne took the guys by the hand and escorted them to the dance floor.
"We think that you should dance," Dwayne said.
"We have been with those girls," Dane answered.
"With each other," Sharon smiled.
"Really Mom," Colt questioned. "We don't want to mess up your celebration."
"You won't," Dwayne assured him. "If anyone doesn't like it, they can kiss my ass!"
Both boys hugged the newly-weds. Then, with tears of joy in their eyes, they began the romantic dance together. Dane allowed Colt to lead, but once the simple box-step got going, it wasn't much different than if he had been leading. It felt comfortable.
Seconds later, Wade and Roger joined them. Then a couple of other guys did too. One pair of women came out to do the same. At the end, Dane and Colt kissed publicly for the first time. It was brief and chaste, but it was symbolic in taking their relationship to a new level in front of the rest of the world. For them, they had grown a lot that day.
Author's note: I started reading a series under the college heading called: "Connection" or something like that. I think it is a sweet love story that you will like too. How about Jason in Sad Song? Do you think he is killing off his relationship with Gary? And, are you happy with Double Trouble?
Thanks to the guys who wrote this week -- Joe, Rad, Carroll, Graeme, Tom H, Frank, Carl, Scottie, Paul, Mike K, Kevin K, Jace, Jim C, Drake, David, Jim W, Russell. Some of you wrote again after a long time of silence. Did I lay a guilt trip on you last time? Another author wrote to me this week as said that an e-mail is like a cockroach. If you see one, there are hundreds more that you don't see. I don't want to imply that getting mail from you guys is like getting bugs, but you get the point to the illustration, I think.
I hope that the coming week is good for all of you.
David