This is the concluding episode of a story about some young gay men and their families, and what they experience learning about gay life. Thanks to Tim Mead for all his help. Comments welcome to Cgard43@hotmail.com
THE OTHER BOYS OF SUMMER
-13-
Returning to college was fun. After some discussion, I decided to leave my car at home and ride with Rafe; hopefully we could get along with just the one vehicle and save a little money. So, I was with Rafe in his car and Eric was in his own. We didn't try to keep together on the highway but we did make the same lunch and pit stops. I couldn't believe as we sat at lunch that day that Eric was the same young guy I'd met at the beginning of the summer. He now seemed so happy and calm, and so in control of himself. It made me proud.
At our first stop I decided to broach a subject that had been much on my mind.
"Now, Eric," I said, "While I won't have time this year to be your tutor, I'll make you a deal. If you find yourself with a problem, or in any sort of confusing situation, Rafe or I will be there for you to talk to. But, and it's a big but, you have to work out a possible solution or approach before you come to talk to us about it. Do you understand?"
"Sure, tutor," he said, "You're going to force me to grow up and think for myself, right?" I chuckled.
"I'm sure going to try," I said with a smile. Eric grinned back at me.
"It's a deal," Eric said with a smile, "Besides, I've got Drew to help me out at home too, and that's a real bonus. What a great guy he is." Rafe and I both nodded.
Eric, as a senior, was living off campus in a very nice apartment. He'd been supposed to have a roommate, but the roommate decided to join the military over the summer and didn't return to school. So after some discussions with my parents and his Mom, Rafe and I applied to the University for an exception: to be allowed to live off campus and share the second bedroom in Eric's apartment. The way we'd figured it, it would actually save us some money which would be very welcome, and it would also be a lot more comfortable than the dorms. I wasn't sure we'd get the exception, but Rafe pushed to go for it.
"Will you just trust me on this?" he asked me in a frustrated tone one morning. I just smiled at him.
"I trust you with everything. You know that."
It turned out that Rafe had a friend in the Administrator's office and our exception was approved on the day after we filed it. Rafe grinned at me as he waved the paper in my face.
"You're wonderful, my Andy, but some of us have our contacts too," he said. I kissed him. Eric was delighted as well.
"As I see it, the only downside is that we'll probably have to go away the weekends Drew comes to visit," I said with a laugh. "They won't want to have us around."
"Oh yes we will," Eric countered. "I mean, we'll want some private time too, but we'll always want to spend time with you guys."
So things worked out very well. Rafe and I were in our toughest year scholastically, while Eric was in his easiest. He had arranged his schedule so he could duck out by noon on Fridays for his alternate weekends at home (or at Drew's place) while Rafe and I slogged away at our studies.
But we also had a lot of fun and on many a night, the three of us would sit in our living room, with the television muted, while we talked about the prior summer and all the plans we had for the years ahead.
"I think the night I'll never forget was the night you introduced me to Ted and Jim. I'd never thought before about how wonderful it would be to have a partner. That's when I knew that it was what I wanted.
"Oh, and the other night was the one before we met Drew at Starbuck's," Eric went on, "I was so excited but I was so scared." I laughed and Eric looked at me quite directly.
"You know that's what you really did for me, don't you?" Eric asked. I'm afraid I looked puzzled.
"What you really did last summer was to give me back the self worth and confidence that I'd lost. You made me know that I could do what I had to do to make my life happy and that Saturday was the start of it. I'm so grateful." I heard Rafe chuckle.
"He did that for several of us, come to think of it," he said. Our eyes met and I just smiled. That would remain our secret forever.
"Oh baloney," I said. "All I tried to do was be the opposition to those damn aversion and hate programs you'd been through. I knew you had all the right stuff underneath that." Both guys smiled at me.
A couple of weeks before Homecoming, our neighbors, another gay couple sharing an apartment mentioned that they were going to be away from campus for the big week-end and offered to let us use their apartment for a couple of guests if we wanted. We all discussed it and then we called Jim and Ted to see if they were interested.
As they were both alums, they'd gotten tickets for the big game but they couldn't find accommodations so they were going to drive home that night. They accepted with alacrity and suddenly we had a weekend long party going on!
It was great fun; Drew came that weekend of course and we all had a party on Friday evening, and then enjoyed the big game on Saturday (we won!) and then just spent a quiet evening at home afterwards with big pizzas and lots of drinks. It was great fun for all of us. Ted and Jim commented on how happy Eric and Drew seemed to be and I just smiled, hugged each of them and said thanks to each for his help early on with Eric. They understood as they talked with Rafe and me.
"What a remarkable change," Jim said, "He now seems so confident and together; you did a great job, Andy." I demurred.
"All I did was give him an opportunity to know himself and find his own talents and skills." They started to disagree, but I put up my hands. Nonetheless, we all had a great time together.
Two weeks before our Thanksgiving break, Eric went home for the weekend. He was staying with his parents, but he was going out with Drew on the Saturday evening.
Rafe and I were just about to have dinner on Sunday when Eric arrived back. He burst into the apartment like his pants were on fire or he had to pee or something.
"Wowee," he shouted. We both looked up at him and Rafe got up to get another plate and utensils for him to join us.
"What?" I asked. Eric ran over to me, pulled me up from my chair and gave me a hug that a bear might have enjoyed. Then he walked over and did the same thing to Rafe.
"What?" I asked again. Finally Eric got himself calmed down enough to talk.
"He loves me...he told me that he loves me," Eric was almost shouting. I glanced at Rafe who winked and then I got up and put my arms around Eric's shoulders.
"And that surprised you?" I asked. Suddenly, Eric kind of stopped and then he stood very still. And then he grinned.
"It was wonderful," he gushed, "I've known that I love Drew for a while, but I was afraid to say so. But this weekend he told me...he said it... that he loves me." Rafe and I cheered with him.
"And that's not the very best part," he went on, "This morning I told my parents that Drew and I are in love." I held my breath.
"And they both said that it was wonderful too," Eric went on, getting some tears in his eyes, "Just imagine that." We had quite a celebration that evening, breaking out some beers to enjoy after dinner.
When we got home for the Thanksgiving break, I got my own big surprise. My parents had both insisted that Rafe come home with me for the holiday and I thought that was very nice of them.
But, I was very surprised that in the meantime, my bedroom had been redecorated. Yes, redecorated. Not only was the room repainted in a most attractive color, but there was a queen-sized bed where my two twins used to be and there was another dresser there for Rafe. The closet had been refitted with those modern closet components so there was lots more space in there. I almost cried when I saw what my parents had done. I hugged my Mom and Dad when I went downstairs for dinner and they were happy too. When Rafe came down, my Mom hugged him and he got tears in his eyes too. Despite that, I could see the happy expression on his face.
At school, I especially enjoyed the weekends Drew came to visit just because they were so darn much fun. Typically he'd arrive at about six o'clock on Friday. Rafe and I always arranged to arrive home later than that on those days and then the four of us would go out to dinner, have a fun visit and get home and to our respective rooms fairly early. On Saturday each couple would do what they wanted (we usually went out to give them more time alone) and then we'd cook dinner together - all four of us. We took turns planning and shopping for them, but we all helped with the preparation.
The meals weren't always wonderful but by gosh, did we have fun doing them together and talking and laughing. One Saturday night, though, Drew dropped a bombshell.
"My company has offered me a transfer to California," he said very quietly. Eric immediately looked panicked.
"Relax, Eric," Drew said with a wide smile and placing his hand on Eric's thigh. "I'm never leaving you. I told them I'm not going anywhere until you get settled in your career. Then we'll talk about whether or not we are going to move anywhere together." Eric sighed so deeply we could hear it across the room. Rafe laughed
"What a shot, Drew," he said with a laugh. Then he stopped. "But were you really able to say what you did about Eric and all?"
"Sure," Drew said, "I don't have to stay there and it's against company policy to discriminate because I'm gay so why not say what I mean?"
I have to admit that made me think a lot. I looked at Rafe who was looking right back at me. Then we both looked at Eric and Drew. Drew had been sitting next to Eric on the sofa. Now they were in each other's arms kissing. I winked at Rafe and we went into our room and plopped down on the bed.
"Didn't you think it was interesting that..." Rafe kissed me and I knew better than to keep talking. We just sort of melted against each other as we began to make love.
He was right about the dildo, by the way. I didn't need one. He was more than up to the task of introducing me to that new activity. And yes, it was wonderful and it has become a regular part of our lovemaking ever since! I love that man!
So it was a great college year, and Rafe and I have one more to go. We cheered at Eric's graduation, had a drink with he and Drew and their parents afterward and later sat across the room and watched as Drew and Eric and their families celebrated the event at dinner in the best restaurant in town. I hadn't wanted to intrude on their party, but Eric had insisted that at least we dine there anyway so we ate separately.
"It's been quite an adventure, hasn't it, Andy," Rafe said as we were eating.
"Oh, you mean last summer and this year?" I asked. "Yeah, I think it helped me a lot. Of course I'm going to have to take extra courses to finish this degree now and then I'm going to have to keep going to school while you work so I can get my Masters in Psychology."
I'd thought about doing this for some time and when I was home for Christmas, I met with Reverend Robinson. He was enthusiastic and encouraged me to change my major and get going in psychology. My parents also agreed to the plan even though it meant an additional year in school. I adjusted my schedule for the next semester to build up courses in my new major, but I was going to have to take one course this summer at the local college at home to get caught up.
Typically, Rafe just smiled at me.
"Are you really sure that's what you want to do?" Rafe asked. He was so deeply into computers and their technology that the human aspect seemed somewhat complex to him. But I'd come to feel sure about my decision.
"Yes I am," I answered. "It took me a while to figure it out but helping someone like Eric really changed my view of the whole world of work. I used to think I'd hate to work in an office, but now I want to work wherever I can to help people. I doubt I can build a whole practice on helping gay guys, but I'll do what I can for anybody."
We both finished the last sip of coffee and I signaled the server for the check. She looked at me oddly and then put a piece of paper down between us.
Rafe picked it up and visibly gulped and then grinned. He handed it to me.
"Andy and Rafe -
Thanks to both of you for all you've done. We understand why
you didn't want to join our party, but maybe this makes you part
of it anyway."
It was a paid check and it was signed by both sets of parents from across the room.
"Can I keep this?" I asked the server.
"Sure."
"That's my first earnings in my new field," I said. Rafe just grinned and took my hand very gently under the table.
"You sure you can handle the summer class along with the work for your uncle?" Rafe asked with a smile.
"Yeah, I can do it," I said with an answering smile, "Assuming I don't meet someone who needs my help this summer." He laughed himself silly.
"I need your help; how about me?" I grinned at him.
"Believe me, my love, I promise I can do that. You'll always have all my help you ever need."
So we drove back home the next day. We moved our stuff into my room at the house and my Dad offered Rafe part of his den for his computer and stuff. Rafe insisted on paying my parents the rent he'd paid the prior year for his apartment. My Dad started to argue and then accepted the deal, realizing that it was important to Rafe. I just cannot be more grateful for my wonderful parents.
The owner of the business welcomed Rafe back to his summer job with open arms. Rafe was delighted of course, especially as he got a significant raise.
Eric didn't come back to my uncle's business that summer, as he started off in his new career. He'd gotten a great job and was moving in with Drew, replacing Terry who was ready to move on anyway with a boyfriend of his own. So those guys are pretty well set for now.
I replaced Eric as the foreman for three summer crews, so I got a raise too. I asked my uncle to let me have Pedro and Willie in one of my crews and he agreed, adding another young guy who spoke just a bit of Spanish.
Rafe chuckled when I told him that.
"Now don't feel that you need to..." I shut him up with a kiss.
That crew and I all went to lunch on Thursday the first week of the summer and Rafe joined us. The guys grinned at him as he walked into our favorite place. Our new guy looked like he felt out of place, but Willie said he'd help him learn more Spanish and the guy grinned at him.
At the end of lunch, the most remarkable thing happened. I thought I understood Pedro tell the other guys in Spanish that he wanted to make an announcement or something. I chuckled.
"You've got a very good thing going here, my friends," Pedro said in almost perfect English to Rafe and me. We both grinned at him and he was so proud of himself. I suspect Pedro will be graduating from the landscaping crew sometime in the near future if his English continues to improve and he continues his schooling.
So it was a fun start to the season for our group of summer boys: big smiles all around!!! As Eric says, 'Wowee.'
The End
Special thanks to Nifty for accepting and posting this story; I appreciate all the help. Thanks also to everyone who has written and commented on the story. All the feedback is very much appreciated.