The Dump Dude, Chapter 3 -- Meeting the Kids
The couple of days turned into a couple of weeks, and then several weeks, and more weeks. It's funny how quickly you get used to someone being in your life. Someone next to you in bed at night, someone to share coffee with in the morning. Someone to cuddle up with in the evenings. Rick stopped by his house to get more of his stuff. Clothes, tools, camping gear, odds and ends. Slowly but surely Rick was moving in with me, and I was fine with that. We were happy together, and I was happy I had decided to give love another chance in my life.
One afternoon when I got home from work there was an SUV in the driveway in addition to Rick's pickup. I opened the front door and called out, wary who might else be there. "In here, in the kitchen" Rick yelled out. I walked into the kitchen, Rick was busy cooking. I could hear the TV in the next room, and saw two kids around 12 or 13 watching TV. "I hope you don't mind, but I invited the kids over for dinner?" Rick said. "I stopped by Ellen's and she suggested it, she said she needed a night off. I think she had a dinner date, I'm hoping so. So, Steve drove the SUV out. He's out on the back porch grillin' meat. Come on, let me introduce you to Paul and Sarah. Kids? This is my friend Dave". The girl immediately stood up to shake my hand. "Hi, my name Sarah, nice to meet you". "And nice to meet you" I told her. The boy stood up and stuck his hand out. "I'm Paul, nice to meet you". "What are you guys watching?" I asked. "Oh, I found Sonic The Hedgehog" Paul answered. "Ah, you figured out my Roku player?" Paul gave me a look that clearly said `Duh?'. "Paul is really good with electronics" Rick said. "Dinner is almost ready, you guys can watch the rest of the movie after dinner". A tall, nice looking young man walked in from the back porch; I immediately noticed the resemblance to Rick. He walked over to me, his hand outstretched. "Hi! You must Dave? Glad to meet you". We shook hands. He appeared to study my face, turned to look at his father, and then back to me. He had a curious smile on his face. "Um, do you have some white wine? I'm sautéing some onions to go with the bratwurst". I nodded toward the refrigerator. "In the fridge, top shelf".
I fixed myself a glass of wine and walked out to the back porch to talk with Steve. He smiled "Real nice place you have here". "Thanks." I watched as he stirred the pan of sliced onions, and then carefully turned the sausages over and then reached for a spray bottle and misted them with water. The coals on the gas grill hissed with steam and Steve quickly closed the cover to trap in the moisture. `Wow, you really seem to know what you're doing". Steve shrugged. "Yeah, I like to cook. When I get out of high school I'm hoping to move to Tucson and get an apprenticeship at a good restaurant and learn how to be a Chef". I nodded. "That's good work if you enjoy cooking". Rick nodded, and tended to the onions. "Say, Dave," he began, "do you mind if I ask you a question?" I shrugged. "Sure, anything. Shoot". Steve looked at me squarely in the eyes. "Well, I was kinda curious -- are you bangin' my old man?"
I spit out the sip of wine I had taken as I choked, and stared blankly at him, at a loss for words. Steve started to chuckle. "Well, if two `regular' guys are sharing a house together it'd kinda make sense they'd be staying in two different bedrooms. So, when I went to take a leak I checked the back bedrooms. The beds were neatly made, no one has obviously slept in them for a while. And no clothes in the closet. So, when dad was busy in the kitchen I checked out your room. Yep, dad's clothes are in the closet with yours, and the bed looks well used. So, I put two and two together. Actually, it was more like putting one and one together -- Holy Shit, dad's gone gay on us!".
I put on my most serious face. "Yes, your father and I are sleeping with each other. Your father is, um, experimenting around with his sexuality with me". Steve looked at me with an incredulous expression. "Experimenting with his sexuality??? You don't get it? You don't see the way he looks at you?". "Get what?" I said curtly. "Get that my father is hopelessly in love with you". I looked away, and then back at Steve. "Perhaps. And how do you feel about that?". Steve smiled "I think it's really cool, I think it's great! I didn't think the old man had it in him, to try playing on the other team. Mom can be a real bitch sometimes, especially with dad. Dad has been pussy-whipped for years. I'm glad he finally had the balls to stand up to her. And I can see dad is the happiest I've seen him in years. I'm really happy he found you, and the two of you are happy together". He turned back to the grill. "Well, I think the sausages are ready". He reached for the tongs and began to put them on a platter. "But, one thing, Dave?". "Yeah?". "Dad has always been a really good father to me, to all three of us. He has always been there for me when I needed him. So please, always be there for him when he needs you. It's not going to be easy for him when it starts getting around that he's gone over to the gay side of things, folks can be such narrow-minded assholes. He's going to need you to cover his back for him. So, please, be there for him". I put my hand on his shoulder. "I will, you can count on me, your dad can count on me. But, what we just talked about stays between us for now, Ok?" Steve drew a line across his lips with his finger. "My lips are sealed. But, when dad finally breaks the news to mom I'd love to be a fly on the wall, that's going to be really, really good!"
We enjoyed dinner, and Paul and Sarah went back to finish the movie. I fixed a small glass of brandy for Rick and I. Steve pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Ok if I smoke?" "Don't start smoking!" Rick said sharply. "I smoked for 15 years, and it's harder than hell to quit". Steve shrugged. "Yeah whatever". I turned towards Rick. "Your boy is a chip off the old block; he even looks a lot like you. He's gotta figure out things on his own, just like you always do. I'll find an ashtray".
Steve took a long draw on his cigarette. "So, I'm really happy for you guys, you seem really happy together". Rick looked sharply at me. "Steve figured things out. I told you we should have put some of your clothes and things in one of the back bedrooms". Rick turned to Steve. "And you're Ok with that?" "Absolutely. You look the happiest I've seen you in years. And no offense, but things are alot more peaceful in the house since you moved out. And mom is even happy, I'm pretty sure Carl, that guy that works at the hardware store, is bangin' her". "Steve! Don't talk about your mother that way!" Steve gave his father a look of annoyance. "So, Dave? You got a real nice place here. It is Ok if I bring my girlfriend out sometime and we stay the night?" "Only if it's Ok with your father". "But it's your place". "As long as Rick and I are together it's our place, and your father makes all the decisions about you kids". Steve looked at Rick. "So?" "Are you still seeing that girl, Kathy?". Steve nodded. "You two haven't . . . done anything . . together yet, have you?" "Dad!" Steve hissed "Do have any protection?" Steve looked confused. "Condoms. Rubbers. I was young and stupid and got your mother pregnant with you when we were still in high school, and look at how we ended up. I'll buy you a box of condoms and leave it in your room. Under your pillow, so your mother won't find them. But use them, respect Kathy that way. And as for you and Kathy spending the night here, only if her parents know about it and are Ok with it."
The kids left to be home by 9. Rick and I settled in on the sofa and I broke out the pot Rick had hidden in the end table drawer so the kids wouldn't find it. "You know, I've never been much for being around kids but they're a nice bunch, they're welcome any time". Thanks, I appreciate that, they're important to me". "And they love you, I can see that". Rick nodded. "You had a pretty long talk with Steve out on the back porch". "Yeah. He confronted me that we were sleeping together". "Wait, he confronted you?" "Well, maybe `confront' is the wrong word. He's a really smart kid. He told me he checked the back bedrooms and saw that no one was using them. And then when you were in the kitchen he checked my room, um, our room, saw your stuff in there with mine, and put two and two together". Rick chuckled. "Yeah, he's sharp as a tack, you don't get much past him". "And do you know what he told me?" Rick looked at me questioningly. "He told me that you're a really good father, and that you've always been there for him when he needed you. And he asked me to always be there for you". I could see Rick was moved. "Yeah? And what did you tell him?". I punched Rick lightly on the shoulder. "What do you think? C'mon, let's get high".