Jon took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah, me too. But I've come to terms with it. I'll never forget him, and sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if he were still alive."

"We probably wouldn't be here together."

"Hard to say. And scary. But I know one thing for sure. Now I know what it means to be in love, and you're the reason for that."

"Me too," said Luke and they drifted off to sleep.

The Inn - Chapter 10

Sunday morning Luke and Jon slept until 9:30, then got up and headed for the bathroom. They stepped into the shower and lathered each other up. Luke turned Jon around and hugged him from behind. His dick was lodged in Jon's crack. He rotated his hips a couple of times. Jon leaned slightly forward and pressed his butt into Luke, his hands braced against the wall. Luke took advantage of the lather, repositioned his cock and gently entered Jon. They both climaxed just as the hot water began to run out.

After dressing they went into the kitchen. Luke opened the refrigerator and proceeded to load the counter with eggs and vegetables. He put four sausage links in a pan on the stove and began dicing the green pepper and onion. Jon was amazed at how expertly and quickly Luke used a knife. It was like watching one of those chefs on TV. Luke cut up the sausages and cracked the eggs into a bowl with one hand. He whisked the eggs with a little milk. Five minutes later they were enjoying the best omelet Jon had ever eaten.

"Did you ever work in a restaurant?" asked Jon.

"When I was a teenager I worked in the cafeteria at a local college. We were always trying to outdo one another, either with our technique or the dishes we came up with. I liked it, and so did the students and staff. Our cafeteria was the most popular on campus."

"I can see why."

Luke smiled. "I love cooking for you--it makes me happy. Hey, I'm going to run to the Panty and get the Sunday paper. You want anything?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Okay, I'll be right back." He kissed Jon and left.

Jon found his cell phone and called Cathy. He wanted to check in with her and find out how she was.

"Hi, Jon."

"Hey, how are you doing?"

"I'm okay. I'm taking my mother to the doctor tomorrow. She didn't want me to, but I insisted. She shouldn't go through that crap alone."

"You're right. That's good of you."

"Did you spend the night at Luke's? I know you weren't home--again."

"Yeah, we went downtown and had a great time. I met some of his friends, we danced and it was wonderful. Cathy, I've never felt like this. I didn't know I could feel like this. He's the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I know he is, hon. He's a super good guy, and you deserve nothing less."

"I hope so. Anyway, call me tomorrow and let me know how your mom is. I'm worried for both of you."

"I will. I probably won't get back until the end of the afternoon. I'll probably go to The Inn--I don't think I'll want to be alone."

"Don't worry, you won't be. We're all here for you, don't forget that."

"I know. You guys are the best. I'll let you go, say hi to Luke for me."

"I will. Love you."

As he folded his phone Luke returned with the Sunday Tribune. They sat on the patio and read the paper, trading sections. When Jon got to the Magazine section he went inside to get a pen.

Luke looked over to Jon. "Do you always do the crossword?"

"I've been doing them for years. Michael and I used to buy two papers so we could each do it. Then we'd compare and critique the puzzles. You wouldn't believe some of the words they use. We called them 'crossword words'--a form of a word you wouldn't normally hear. I can't think of an example, but I'll probably find at least one in here."

"Do you finish the whole puzzle? And you do it in pen?"

"I almost always finish it. Sometimes I cheat a little and use Google. I used to do it in pencil, but a few years ago they changed the kind of paper they use and it's too hard to read pencil on this paper, and who cares if you mess it up a little? I just throw it away when I'm done anyway."

Jon worked on the puzzle and Luke continued reading the paper. Later Joe stopped by and the three talked and joked together. As evening approached, Jon decided he should get home. He had let his laundry pile up and wanted to get that taken care of. Luke gave him a hug and kissed him as he left.

"See you tomorrow," Luke said.

"I'll meet you at The Inn after work. Cathy said she'd be there. She's taking her mom to the doctor tomorrow."

"Yeah, I know. I sure hope she's okay."

"So do I. See ya tomorrow."

Luke and Joe settled back down to watch the Cubs game. Luke's place had become a sort of common meeting ground for everyone, probably because it was the most centrally located. Luke had a steady stream of people stopping by, and he enjoyed it. It made him feel needed and appreciated. Of course Jon made him feel that way, but it was just nice to have friends who liked him for who he was. Luke was a street-smart guy, and not too many guys would want to tangle with him. But he had his insecurities and valued the company of his friends.

"Luke, how did you and Jon get together? I mean, you guys seem like you've been together forever."

"I know. There are times when I can't believe it myself. I guess it was meant to be. I don't know what I did to deserve a man like Jon."

"So, do you guys consider yourselves married?"

"Yes. We wouldn't see anyone else. And even though we can't be legally married, we've already taken steps to cement our relationship."

"Like what?"

"We both have healthcare power-of-attorney for each other, and we're going to make out wills. We know we're in this together for the long haul, so we figured we shouldn't wait. The scare with Cathy's mother got us thinking about it and we realized neither of us has close family to make medical decisions for us if we couldn't do it. And my cousin is an attorney, so it was easy."

"That's cool. But would they hold up?"

"Probably. But nothing's certain. It's weird, isn't it? I could pick up a whore and marry her tomorrow. She'd immediately have total control if something happened to me. She'd be considered next of kin. But Jon and I, even though we've clearly stated our wishes, don't have that guarantee. Legally we're considered strangers."

"That sucks. I never thought about that."

"Neither did I, until recently. Don't tell Jon this, but I've been thinking maybe we should take a trip. To Massachusetts, maybe, or now even Iowa, to get married. It would be mostly symbolic, it wouldn't have legal status here in Illinois, but it would be ammunition in the event anything happened. Anyway, it's just something I've thought about, and I haven't said anything to Jon."

"I envy you guys. It's so obvious you are devoted to each other and love each other. I'd love to find a gal I could be half as happy with."

"You will, Joe. You've got everything going for you. You're smart, you're good looking, and you have a great personality. Look how long it took me."

"I don't have a great personality. I'm just so damn shy. Whenever I'm around a woman I like, I clam up. I just can't think of anything to say. I get nervous and come off as a nerd."

"A lot of women like the shy type. You just need to learn to relax a little and not be so self-conscious. You really are a hunk with a lot to give. Believe me, I know a hunk when I see one, and you're a hunk."

"Maybe I should turn gay and find someone like you or Jon."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but it doesn't work like that."

Joe smiled. "I know, I was kidding. It's just that I admire the relationship you guys have."

"Thanks, Joe. You don't know how much that means to me."

"Have you guys ever even had an argument? I can't remember there ever being any tension between you two."

"No, not to speak of. But I'm not so naive as to think it'll never happen. Something will come up. It's inevitable, but when it does, we'll get through it. Life would be awfully boring if we always agreed on everything."

"You're right. I dated a girl in college and she would never disagree with me. When I asked her what she wanted to do, she'd always say, 'Whatever you want to do.' I could do no wrong. She never gave an opinion and always agreed with me. It drove me nuts."

Luke laughed. "I'd venture to say there are a lot of men out there who would kill for a woman like that."

"Yeah, but I'm not one of them. I couldn't respect her. Anyway, it's getting late. I had a good time talking with you. Are you going to be at The Inn tomorrow after work? Cathy is supposed to be there and I think Paul and Jon will be there for her, too."

"I planned on it. Even though she probably won't know anything yet, she'll need our support."

Joe got up and headed toward the door. "Yeah, I know. She's such a great gal. I hope everything's all right. Thanks again, Luke. I'll see you tomorrow."

Monday night Joe and Jon were sitting at a table in The Inn.

"How late did you stay at Luke's last night?"

"I'm not sure, maybe an hour or two after you left. We watched the Cubs."

"Did they win?"

"Yep, 6 to 5 in the tenth. They're doing pretty good so far, and Ryan Theriot is on a tear. Maybe this is the year."

"Uh huh."

"Hey! Where's your spirit? It has to happen one of these years."

"I should live so long."

Paul walked in and joined them. "Is Cathy here yet?"

"No," said Jon, "I don't know when she'll get here, but it shouldn't be too long."

"I finally called Paula last night."

Jon smiled. "And?"

"Well, it was a little embarrassing to tell the truth, but this'll stoke you, Jon. She wanted to know if I was the blonde with the buzzed hair. After I described myself she remembered and didn't seem too disappointed. And evidently Cindy has been talking about Joe. God only knows what's going through that girl's head. Oh, sorry Joe--I forgot you were here."

Joe gave him a look. He was used to Paul's humor.

"Just kidding, Joe. Maybe you and I can go into the city next weekend and hook up with them. It might be fun."

"I don't know..."

"Aw, come on. Waddaya got to lose? Except maybe your virginity."

"Ha, ha. All right, I'll go. Do you have Cindy's number?"

"No, but I got the impression they're roommates. In any case, I'll set it up."

Luke joined them a few minutes later. He had stopped at home after work to shower and change clothes. He gave Jon a quick hug as he sat down.

"Did I miss anything?"

"Yeah," replied Paul. "Joe's gonna lose his cherry next weekend."

"Huh?"

"Don't pay any attention," said Joe. "He's just being an asshole, as usual."

"Hey, this asshole got you a date. And I'm gonna do my damnedest to see that you get laid."

Cathy walked into the bar and over to the guys. She plopped her purse on a vacant chair and sat down. "Jesus, the traffic on that expressway is unbelievable. I thought I'd never get here."

"Where'd you have to go?" asked Paul.

"Loyola. It's not that far, but that 'Hillside Strangler' section of the Eisenhower Expressway is a nightmare."

"I know," said Jon. "But how'd it go? Is your mom okay?"

"She's fine. Those people at Loyola are wonderful. We just have to wait for the results from the biopsy. It'll take a couple of days. Probably Wednesday. Where's the damn waitress?"

Paul looked around and spotted the server. He raised his beer bottle and pointed to it. He turned back to Cathy.

"Well, you can't do much better than Loyola. It's one of the best hospitals around."

"I know," said Cathy. "That place is huge! It goes on for blocks. You need a map to figure out which building to go into. They actually give you a map when you park. But as I said, they're all very nice, even the security people. They put you at ease and you feel like you're special. I know that sounds crazy, but they really do."

"So how's mom doing?" asked Joe.

"Better than I am. She's always had sort of a 'Que será, será' outlook on things. I think she's more worried about me worrying about her.

It turned out Cathy's mother's test was negative--no cancer.

Paul and Joe went on their date with Paula and Cindy. They went clubbing most of the evening and found themselves back at the girls' apartment. Cindy said she wanted to show Joe something in the other room. Paul and Paula were kissing and necking a little. Paul heard muffled sounds and whispering from the next room. Paul smiled to himself. "Mission accomplished."

Paul drove home with Joe sleeping in the passenger seat. "I can't believe Joe got lucky and I didn't. What's wrong with this picture?" He wasn't jealous or even that disappointed. He was just struck by the irony.

The days went by, with the two men spending their nights together more often than not. Sometimes at Jon's, sometimes Luke's. Their wardrobes became mixed to the point it no longer mattered who wore what. Memorial Day weekend arrived and the swimming pools opened. Canoes dotted the lake and Jon brought the Weber out of retirement for the first time since Thanksgiving. The weekly barbeques resumed with a few neighbors joining in at first, then each week the crowd got bigger.

Jon and Luke got into the habit of going into Chicago most Saturday nights. Once in a while Luke would go by himself if Jon had something he needed to do, but that was rare. Jon liked the excitement and Luke enjoyed seeing his old friends. They always had a good time and Jon felt like one of the group. He'd become very fond of Luke's friends--their friends.

Jon and Luke went to Chicago's Gay Pride Parade at the end of June. It was the first time for Jon, and he was in awe of how many people there were and the gamut of costumes. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny summer day. They stood on the sidewalk on Broadway, watching the parade. Luke asked, "You want a beer?"

"Sure. I'm getting thirsty."

"I'll be back in a minute." Luke went into a bar less than half a block away. He ordered two beers and while he waited he saw Jerry, an old friend. They talked for a few minutes until the bartender handed Luke two plastic cups of beer. Luke and Jerry left the bar together, and Jerry said he had to get back to his contingent in the parade.

Luke handed a cup to Jon and they continued to watch the parade. At one point a rather good looking and very large man who was in the parade walked over to the sidewalk in front of Jon. He was dressed in very little leather. At first Jon thought the man was looking at Luke, but then he looked at Jon. Jon noticed Luke's arm was no longer on his shoulder. The man sneered and roughly pulled Jon onto the street by the arm, rejoining the group he had been marching with, holding Jon firmly at his side. Another large guy was on Jon's opposite side, restraining his other arm. "What the fuck?" Jon yelled at the guy. He had no choice but to walk with them.

It all happened so fast, Jon never had time to think or react. He was starting to get scared. He swung his head around to find Luke. He spotted him walking on the sidewalk at the same pace as the parade, about twenty feet behind Jon. When Luke saw the look on Jon's face he felt a twinge of guilt. He tried, but he couldn't keep the charade up any longer. His face broke into a huge grin and Jon could tell he was laughing. Jon wondered what the hell was so funny. Luke began to trot and caught up to Jon, putting his arm over his shoulder. He kissed him quickly on the cheek.

"You were great, Jerry," Luke said to the man in leather. "But I think we better stop before Jon shits his pants."

Jerry released Jon. They continued walking in the parade, and Jerry and Luke were laughing like crazy. Jon did not find it amusing.

"Jerry, this my partner Jon. And Jon, this is Jerry. He's not as dangerous as he looks. God, you should have seen the look on your face! I wish I had a camera. It was a real Kodak moment!"

Jon continued walking, staring straight ahead. He was beginning to see the humor, but he was still a little ticked off. Luke had never done anything like this. "Well," thought Jon, "two can play this game."

"You aren't pissed, are you babe?" asked Luke.

Jon didn't answer, he just stared straight ahead as he walked.

"Oh, come on. We were just having some fun."

"I sure hope you had fun. Wait 'til we get home and see how much fun you have."

Luke was taken aback. Maybe he had gone too far. Jon did look like he was panicking for a minute there. Jerry looked at Luke and raised an eyebrow. Luke put his arm around Jon's shoulder. Jon shrugged it off brusquely. Luke was stunned--Jon had never done that.

"Jon, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you--well, maybe just a little. If I knew you'd be this upset, I would never have done it. Come on, babe, please? You know I'd never let anything happen to you."

Jon subtly maneuvered so he was behind Luke. He looked at Jerry, smiled and winked. Then Jon put his right hand on Luke's nape and at the same time grabbed his left arm and yanked it behind Luke's back. Jon propelled him to the sidewalk and roughly swung Luke around to face him. Jon had a stony expression Luke had never seen before. He was afraid Jon might take a swing at him. Jon again put his hand on the back of Luke's neck. Luke tensed. Jon pulled him toward himself and pressed his lips to Luke's. He gave him a long kiss.

Jon pulled back and smiled. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"

"You asshole. But I guess I had it coming. I really am sorry I scared you."

"Yeah, you guys sure did. But I think we're even now."

"If it makes you feel any better, you totally freaked me out. I felt like shit. I didn't know you were such a good actor."

Jon laughed. "It wasn't all an act. At first I really was mad. The more I thought about it, it was kinda funny. I just decided to give you a taste of your own medicine."

"Touché. Did you mean what you said about when we get home?"

Jon looked him in the eye. "I haven't decided." After a few seconds he smiled. "Oh, what the hell. There's no reason I should have to suffer."

The parade was beginning to wind down, so Jon and Luke walked until they found themselves at a club on Broadway. They went inside and enjoyed the relative quite and darker atmosphere. They'd both had enough sun. Luke got a beer and a vodka tonic for Jon. Even though Jon drank beer, vodka was his preferred drink.

The two men sat and relaxed. Jon noticed a heavyset guy walking in their direction.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't the elusive Luke!"

Luke looked up. "Hi, Pat."

"And where have you been? I thought you died."

"I moved. I don't get around here too much any more."

Pat looked at Jon but didn't say anything to him. "I see the untouchable Luke can be had after all."

Jon felt uncomfortable. Luke hadn't introduced him, and he found that odd. Apparently this guy was not a friend.

"So what brings you to town, Luke? Looking for something?"

"No, we just came for the parade."

Pat rested his hand on Luke's shoulder. "You sure? If there's anything I can do, you know where to find me." He winked at Luke.

"I'm sure. We're getting ready to go."

After he left Jon turned to Luke. "Who the hell was that?"

"Nobody. He's a scumbag. You don't want to know him."

"I got that feeling. What did he mean, 'Are you looking for something'?"

"He's a pusher."

"Fuck! You bought from him?"

"No! He deals in crack and heroin and coke. I never did that shit."

"You once told me you did more than pot."

"Well not that crap. I'm not an idiot. I've done some recreational drugs, but never anything like that."

"I didn't think so, but that guy gave me the creeps. I'm glad he's not another of your friends."

"No, I can't stand him. And he's not too crazy about me. He wanted me to have sex with him and when he didn't get anywhere with that, he tried to turn me on to crack. I wouldn't have anything to do with it, so he's just been an asshole ever since."

"You know, out of all the guys I've met that you know, and it must be over a hundred, he's the first one that weirded me out."

"Let's hope it stays that way. Hey, you want to go to The Rocks and walk on the beach?"

Jon asked, "What's that? A bar?"

"No, the Belmont Rocks. It's a section of the beach a few blocks from here. It would be fun to just walk along the lake with you."

"I think I'd like that. Let's go."

Luke and Jon walked south to Belmont Avenue and headed east toward Lake Michigan. They took the underpass under Lake Shore Drive and walked to the beach, then headed south on the beach right at the water's edge. Luke had his arm around Jon's waist and Jon had his arm over Luke's shoulder.

"Luke, do you keep in touch with your family? You never talk about them."

"Not much. They live five miles from us, but I haven't seen my parents in two years."

"Why not?"

Luke didn't answer right away. They continued walking along the lake and Jon looked at the yachts and sailboats on the water. He hoped he hadn't touched on a sensitive issue.

"I think it's a mutual understanding. They must have suspected I'm gay when I was a teenager. We never talked about it, but they became more and more distant. When I moved here I think they were convinced. They quit calling me, and if I called them they were always in the middle of something and couldn't talk. After a while I quit trying."

Jon held Luke a little tighter. "I'm sorry, Luke. I didn't mean to bring up painful memories for you."

"It's okay. I've resigned myself to it. They don't mean much to me any more. You're all the family I need." Luke leaned over and they kissed.

Jon said, "One of these days I'm going to have to see my parents. I think I told you they live in Rockford. We'll both go. I want you to meet them."

"Do they know about me?"

"No, not really. I did tell them I met a guy I liked a lot. But they knew Michael. After the initial shock they came to accept the fact that their son is gay. It took some time, but eventually they were comfortable with it. They even got to like Michael, and after he died they were all over me, wanting me to move back with them because they were so worried about me."

"It must be nice to have parents like that."

"It is. I know I'm fortunate to have them as my parents. And it pains me that you don't have that kind of relationship with yours. I wish I could change that."

"It will never change. But it doesn't matter, because now I have you and you're the most important person in my life. Let's head back. I just realized how far we've walked--we're at Fullerton."

They headed back north. Jon felt bad--he couldn't imagine what it would be like to have parents who treated him like Luke's did. How could they turn their backs on their own son? Jon realized that essentially Luke has been on his own since he was a teen. Luke craved attention and support. That's part of the reason he had so many friends. It's a wonder he never got taken advantage of. That said something about his character and intelligence. Jon admired that. He made a vow to himself. He would do whatever it took to make Luke feel happy and secure. There was nothing he wouldn't do.

They walked the rest of the way to the car in silence and headed home. They were both exhausted.

"What about dinner?" asked Jon.

"I don't know. I'm not really hungry, but we should eat something. You're a little red from the sun--you should put on some lotion. Your shoulders are really red." They'd had their shirts off most of the afternoon.

"I will when we get home. Let's just stop at Wendy's and get something."

They arrived at Luke's and Jon went into the bathroom. He found some moisturizing lotion and spread it on his shoulders and face. He was beginning to feel the tightness of his skin. He washed his hands and returned to the kitchen. Luke was arranging their food on two dinner plates and had silverware on the table.

"Luke, why can't you just eat from the wrappers like everyone else?"

"It's tacky. We're not having lunch at some construction site. When I'm home, I like things to be nice."

Jon took a step and kissed Luke. "Well it is nice. A little anal, but nice."

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