All rights reserved. Copyright held by the author. If you are underage or are offended by gay fiction, containing graphic sex and explicit language, please exit now.
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"THE PASSION OF MATTHEW"
Copyright Ritchris 2005
A story by
Ritch Christopher
Literary enhancement by
Les Martin
Chapter Eleven
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After listening to the hilarity coming from the back of the house, one might have thought a party was in full swing. The truth? Matt and Jim were in the kitchen preparing dinner and were singing at the top of their voices, "Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money...".
Matt pointed to Jim to sing by himself, "Maybe we're ragged and funny." Then Matt shushed Jim and sang solo, "But we'll travel along, singing' a song." Jim put his arm around Matt's shoulder and together they sang, "Side by side."
In the living room, Bob and John were sitting on the couch looking amazed at the singing coming from the kitchen.
"Do you believe that?" Bob asked, sitting straight up.
"Is that MATT? Singing?" John asked.
"Who ELSE could it be? 'Course it's Matt!"
"I'm speechless!" John said, "You suppose Matt's doctor put him on a new antidepressant?"
"Could be, John! You saw how he was acting at the table at lunch. I mean, he actually joined in our conversation! THAT was a first...and now he's singing a duet with Jim in the kitchen! Dear Lord! Mike's not going to believe any of this when he gets home with Art."
"Yeah, and Art's in for a big surprise as well."
"John, you don't suppose that Matt and Jim were canoodling in Matt's bedroom, do you?"
"No way, Bob...besides, Jim's straight, and even if he weren't, Matt would be the last person Jim would canoodle with."
"Well, they say opposites attract..."
"Yes, well, but not THAT opposite!"
During Bob and John's conversation, Matt and Jim had continued singing their song. When they finished, Jim clapped loudly and Matt slapped his thigh with his good hand.
"God, that was fun, Jim!" Matt exclaimed.
"It's so good to see you laughing and singing and...well, Matt, it's so good to see you alive!"
"If I'm changed at all, you're the reason why..."
"Oh? And what did I do to make you blame me for your being happy?"
"You know..."
"I know what?"
"You know what you did to me in the bedroom...TWICE!"
"Oh? You mean THIS?" Jim leaned forward to quickly kiss Matt on the lips.
"Yes, THAT!"
"Matt, buddy boy, there are plenty more where they came from and I'm going to see that you get your share of them!"
"Jim, why are you doing this to me?"
"I'll let you figure that out by yourself."
"I mean after I got out of the hospital in Germany, people wouldn't touch me or let me touch them. They thought that their skin would look like mine if we even touched."
"Look at MY lips, Matt. Do you see any difference in them since I kissed you?"
"No. But you're not like most people, Jim."
"That's their loss and my gain."
"You know, I'm so happy I could bust!"
"You'd better not! I'd have to clean up the mess you'd make and we need all that time to prepare supper."
"That stuffing you put into the chicken smelled great!"
"Thank you, sir...and your mashed potatoes don't look so bad either!" Jim replied. "You realize that your Uncle Mike is not going to understand the sudden change in you."
"Do you think he'll like it?"
"He'll love it, Matt. Mike loves you so much and him seeing you like I'm seeing you now, it's going to thrill him beyond words."
"It's funny, not feeling depressed."
"It's not funny. It's the way I want you to feel from now on."
"Think I should stop taking my medication?"
"Only when the doctor says you can and not before!"
"OK."
"Matt, I want to get serious for just a moment."
"What?"
"This happy feeling you're feeling now?...Do you think you'll continue to have it when Hank returns from his weekend?"
"Who's Hank?"
"Does that mean you no longer have a crush on Hank?"
"Why should I? I suddenly have somebody in my life who cares for me the way I care about him."
"I hope so, Matt."
"I do, Jim."
Jim grabbed Matt's hand and the two of them looked deeply into the other's eyes and held the pose for several seconds. Then Jim broke the mood by saying, "Do you think we should attempt to make Mike's biscuit recipe?"
"Sure, let's live life on the edge for a while. GO FOR IT!"
"Spoken like a true Marine!"
Jim went to get Mike's private handwritten recipe book and began reading. "Matt, do we have baking powder?"
"A fresh can of Clabber Girl in the cupboard."
"How about buttermilk?"
"Yep!"
"Flour, salt, baking soda, shortening...looks like we have everything we need. Let's make biscuits while the sun shines!"
After mixing the ingredients, they started getting them ready for the oven. Matt greased the baking sheet while Jim rolled up little balls of dough, put them on the baking sheet, flattened them with his hand, sprinkled fresh flour on top of them and slid them into the oven.
"Looks like we did a pretty good job, Jim!"
"Not bad for a first-time try. You know, Matt, I'll bet you and I can do just about anything we want if we set our minds to it!"
"Jim, there are so many things I used to do that I thought I'd never get a chance to do again."
"Why don't you write a list of those things and we'll tackle 'em one by one?"
"OK! I will!"
Bob and John heard Art's car drive up and stop out front and Mike and Art came into the house.
"My God, what do I smell? Biscuits?" Mike asked upon entering the living room. "John, did you and Bob cook supper?"
"No, Mike," John replied.
"Then is Hank back home?"
"No, Mike," Bob echoed. His voice held a warm grin trapped, just waiting to bust out.
"Then...who...?"
"Hold on to your shorts, Mike, you're not going to believe this!" John said to Mike and Art. "Take a peek in the kitchen."
"I will, dammit. You two are acting mighty strange," Art said.
"What you're about to see is MORE than strange, Art. It's a miracle!" Bob replied.
Mike and Art walked into the kitchen, followed closely by Bob and John. Mike saw Matt stirring a pot of green peas on the stove and Jim was opening a jar of cold applesauce.
"What the...?" Mike said, stunned.
"Surprise, Uncle Mike!" Matt said, loudly.
"Good God, let me sit down before I fall down!" Mike said.
"Wait, Mike, and I'll join you," Art added.
"Matt, I won't ask how you feel, that would be senseless. I SEE for myself how you feel."
"Jim said he'd help me cook supper and so we did."
Mike gave a puzzling look toward Jim, who just stood there smiling and nodding his head for Mike to say something more to Matt.
"Matt, this is thrilling. Dear God, it's like an answered prayer. I've wanted to see you like this since you came home, and now...it's happening. What happened, Matt? Why the sudden change?" Mike said.
"Ask Jim," Matt replied.
"Jim?"
"Mike, Matt and I had a long talk all the way home. Bob and John fixed our lunch and then Matt and I went into his room and talked some more. I'm not sure...well, actually, I AM sure that you're going to see a different 'Matt' from now on..."
"I don't know what the hell you two talked about, but all I can say is, 'Praise God!'."
"Mike, I know how busy you are with the site because we are ALL busy. I think Matt started 'opening up' to Hank. I believe that that's when Matt discovered he needed a friend. Well, with Hank gone for the weekend, I thought I'd do what I could and offer Matt MY friendship," Jim explained.
"Matt, is that true?" Mike asked.
"Mostly. I mean Hank is my friend or at least I HOPE he is, but Jim is my SPECIAL friend."
"I can see that in both your eyes and Jim's, and, Jim, I'm eternally grateful to you."
"Oh, we're not completely out of the woods yet," Jim added. "We just started."
"Jim, if you'd like to take some time off each day to be with Matt, I think I can arrange it."
Matt looked at Jim and said, "That'd be great, Uncle Mike!"
"GOOD HEAVENS! The biscuits!" Jim shouted. "We got to talking and I nearly forgot about them."
"Let 'em burn! I just want to sit here and take another look at my nephew!"
Jim ran to the oven, opened the door, and with a pot holder he removed the sheet of biscuits. They were beautiful, not burned at all.
"Good God, Jim, yours and Matt's biscuits look better than mine!" Mike said.
"They look wonderful, Matt," Art added.
"Wait until y'all try our chicken!" Matt said with excitement.
"This is almost too much to fathom in one afternoon, boys," Mike said.
"Is everything ready?" Bob asked.
"Yep!" Matt replied.
"Then let's eat!" Bob said. "John and I have already set the table. Everyone grab a dish and bring it to the table."
"Uncle Mike, Bob and John asked Jim and me to play Texas Hold 'em after supper."
Mike had to turn away to hide his tears. Art was doing the same thing. Before their eyes on this day in June, they had experienced a miracle, just as Bob said.
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Matt's and Jim's supper was a knock-out success. Mike, Art, Bob, and John raved over what a good job Matt had done and that only made Matt feel more elated. Today surely was the best day of his life since he had returned home from the war. He felt loved and he allowed others to love him. He even accepted their compliments and words of praise, knowing it was sincerely meant, containing no pity. Jim told Matt to go rest while the others washed the dishes and cookware before the poker game could begin. Art passed on the card game and opted to watch TV as there was some adult movie playing on cable, and Art, in spite of his age, still liked to look at women's naked boobs.
While Jim, John, and Bob were doing the dishes in the kitchen, Mike cleared off the table and wiped it clean. He got two decks of cards and a large rack of poker chips from the side bar drawer and placed them onto the table. As he started separating the chips into stacks of blue, red, and white, his phone rang. Perhaps it was Hank calling and Mike couldn't wait to tell Hank about the miraculous change in Matt.
"Hello?" Mike answered.
"Mike?"
"Yes?"
"This is Martin."
"Hey, good buddy! How you doing?"
"Fine, thank you. I was wondering if you would mind calling Hank to the phone?"
"Of course I wouldn't mind, Martin, if Hank was here..."
"He's not there? Where is he, Mike?"
"Oh...it seems some friend of his from your town came to visit him for the weekend."
"Oh? Mike did Hank happen to mention his friend's name?"
"No, Martin, I don't believe he did."
"Did Hank say he'd be back tonight?"
"He was gone all last night, Martin, and it's after six o'clock here and he's already missed supper. So I probably won't see him again until some time late tomorrow."
"God damn it!"
"What's wrong, Martin? What did I say to piss you off?"
"It was nothing you said, Mike. It's just that I need to get in touch with my son very soon!"
"Is there something seriously wrong? I mean, are you sick? Did someone die? Did your house catch on fire?"
"No, no, Mike, none of those things. I just need to talk to Hank as soon as possible."
"Well, since I don't know exactly how to contact him, I'll, or rather WE'LL, just have to wait until he gets here."
"I suppose you're right, but, Mike, if Hank SHOULD come back to your place tonight, would you have him call me immediately. If it's tomorrow, the same thing still applies. I want to talk with Hank ASAP!"
"I'll tell him, Martin...but are you sure everything is all right with you?"
"I'm fine, Mike. I just had a complete physical examination at my doctor's, the day before yesterday and he gave me a clean bill of health."
"That's good to hear, Martin."
"By the way, Mike, tell me how Hank has been doing with the surveying for your project."
"Oh, he's doing a tremendous job at his work," Mike said, stretching the real truth. "No one has ever been as helpful to me as Hank has. He's a bright young man, Martin! You should be very proud of him! I wish he'd stay longer and work with me in the fall on another job."
"That's nice of you to say that, Mike, but his plans are set for college."
"I know, but when he graduates and starts looking for a job, I hope he'll keep me in mind."
"I'll tell him, Mike, when and IF he graduates."
"Oh, Hank's smart, Martin. You won't waste your money when you pay his tuition. I wish I had a son like him."
"Well, there's no reason to keep running up my telephone bill, so I'll just say it was nice talking to you, Mike, and PLEASE have Hank call the very MINUTE he gets back to your place!"
"I will, Martin. Good night."
"Good night, Mike."
They both hung up their phones.
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Although the game was slow at the beginning, by the time the third hand was dealt, Matt was convinced that 'Texas Hold 'em' was designed for one-handed card players to play. There were only two cards dealt, face down, to each player and the other five were dealt face up in the center of the table for everyone use to play off his two hold 'em cards. This made it easy for Matt to watch his hidden cards and still place his own chips in the pot when he was ready to bet. This was Matt's first try at 'Texas Hold 'em' and he was quickly getting the knack of the game since he was able to read through the expressions of the other guys while, due to his burned face, he could remain expressionless. Matt was laughing inside about the advantage he had with his handicap. He won the first four hands without the other guys showing any pity toward him. When he won the next hand, the other players started watching their bets more closely because Matt had suddenly become a whiz 'Texas Hold 'em' player.
Art, while watching TV, kept hearing the sound of Matt cheering every time he won, so Art left the TV to watch from the living room door. Art peered over the shoulders of Bob, John, and Mike and saw that they were showing no sympathy for Matt while playing the game, Matt was just outright beating everyone at the table. Art chuckled when Matt won the next hand. Mike gave Art a look of pleasure in his eyes, Art winked and nodded back to Mike and went back to his television program.
As Matt continued winning at least two of the next three hands dealt, Bob became a bit frustrated and asked it Mike had any cold beer in the cooler.
"Sure, there should be a whole case of Coor's Lite there," Mike said.
"Would anyone else like one?" Bob asked, getting up from the table."
"Count me, in!" John replied.
"Mike?"
"Yeah, I could use a tall one."
"Jim?"
"Oh, maybe just one."
"Coming right up!" Bob said.
"Wait, what about me?" Matt cried out.
"Sorry, Matt, I just thought with all the medication and all..."
"One won't hurt, will it, Uncle Mike?"
"Mike, the way you've looked all night, I couldn't deny you anything! BOB! Bring my nephew a beer back with you, will you?"
"Thanks, Uncle Mike."
"Matt, are you pulling our legs?" John asked. "Are you sure you've never played 'Texas Hold 'em' before?"
"Never, John, I swear."
"I've been playing this stupid card game for years and watching the professionals play it on TV for the past two years, and I've NEVER seen ANYONE have the run of luck you're having tonight," John answered.
"I WOULD'VE played it with you guys, earlier, if I had known what fun it is!"
"You're really happy, aren't you, Matt?" Jim inquired quietly. The simple sincerity in his voice choked Mike up.
"More than you'll ever know, Jim...MUCH MORE..."
Mike and John exchanged glances when they saw Matt and Jim looking at one another. Whatever was going on between Matt and Jim, IF anything was, it was all right with Mike and John.
Bob came out of the kitchen with six cans of Coor's, giving the first one to Art in the living room, then back to the dining area to distribute the other five cans around the table. Before anyone could set his can of beer down, Bob handed each of them a cardboard coaster.
"My, are we getting fancy-shmancy!" John remarked.
"Guys, not to say anything bad about Mike's cooking, but for the past two weeks, this table's been a place for feasting. So to honor the table, we'll protect it with coasters from now on. All right?" Bob inquired.
"Hear, hear!" Mike said, raising his beer can.
"Boys, I think we should propose a toast to the new Matt!" John said.
"I'll second that!" Jim added, quickly.
"Ah, you guys..." Matt said, dropping his head a bit embarrassed.
"TO MATT!" John said.
"TO MATT" Everyone echoed, including Art from the living room.
"Now, if we can just get Matt a little bit tipsy, perhaps we can win some of our money back from him," Bob joked.
"How much have you won, son?" Mike asked.
"Well, at a penny for each white chip, a nickel for each red chip, and a dime for each blue one...I'd say I'm up about...let's see...four dollars and forty-two cents. If I keep on winning I'll buy a Corvette or a Chrysler Sebring Convertible like Bob Barker gives away on 'The Price Is Right'," Matt replied.
"In that case, it looks like we'll be playing 'Texas Hold 'em' till January!" John said.
"January? Of which year, twenty-O-ten?" Bob added.
"Shut up and start dealing the cards!" John responded.
The five men played poker until eleven o'clock when Mike thought it was time for everyone to stop and go to bed. There was no working at the site on Sunday and everyone could sleep late. Art had already gone to bed at ten o'clock. By evening's end, Matt was the winner with seven-dollars-and-thirty eight cents. He grinned as he put his winnings into his jeans pocket.
"Thank you, gentlemen! It's been a pleasure!" Matt said, smugly.
"Matt, do you need help going to bed?" Mike asked.
"Uh..."
"I'll help him, Mike," Jim said before anyone had the chance to speak.
"Yeah, Uncle Mike, Jim can help me!" Matt said.
"Yes, Matt, I believe Jim CAN help you. I've seen what he's done for you in the last six or eight hours and, I must say, I'm quite impressed," Mike replied.
"I'll clean up the table and throw away the beer cans," Bob said.
"Thanks, Bob," Mike replied. "I'm gonna stay up just a little longer and watch the news on TV before I go to bed. Good night, you guys."
"Good night, Mike," Jim, Bob, and John replied.
"Good night, Uncle Mike!"
"Good night, Matt. Sleep well. We'll have a good day tomorrow!"
"I'm sure of it!" Matt said as he went down the hall to his bedroom, followed closely by Jim. Bob and John headed for their bedroom.
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Hank did a lot of thinking after he left Lance at the motel. He headed toward Mike's place at seven o'clock after he'd first driven to the hospital, only to discover there that Matt had been discharged and had gone home with Mike. Hank's mind was troubled with his many thoughts. He decided he'd done the right thing by leaving Lance and ending their relationship. But without Lance, Hank's life was left with a void...an empty space in his heart and life. Sure, he had loved Lance and, for the longest time, he'd believed Lance would be his way out from under his dad's clutches.
But Hank felt lonely. Ever since his mother's death, he'd felt that Martin Lazarus had no love for him, his own son. Now, without Lance, Hank had NO ONE in his life. Still there was Matt, who said he loved Hank. Was being loved by a cripple better than not being loved at all? Even IF he and Matt got together, Hank had to finish college and what would Matt do while Hank took classes every day? Sure, Matt was getting a veteran's pension. Matt wouldn't need Hank to support him financially but Hank would have to work a part-time job to share expenses if he and Matt were to live together.
Hank wondered if he could love Matt the way he'd loved Lance. He and Matt had not had sex, but there was nothing wrong with Matt's genitalia and they COULD have sex. But would 'sex' be the only thing he and Matt had in common? They both loved movies, but could Hank stand people staring if he took Matt to a movie theater? Would people suspect that he and Matt were a couple? Could he fend off the embarrassment? What if Matt got REALLY sick with his bad lungs? What then? Take Matt back home to live, or maybe die, with his Uncle Mike?
Hank suddenly stopped his jeep and pounded the steering wheel with his fists. "Jesus Christ! What's wrong with me? I DON'T love Matt! Why the fuck am I thinking like this?" Hank shouted out loud. "Have I gone insane?"
He thought about not going back to Mike's at all, just turning his Jeep around and heading home. What would he tell his dad? Martin was expecting his son to earn tuition money at Mike's for the rest of the summer. How could Hank explain his going home so suddenly without letting Mike know why?
Hank couldn't go back to Mike's just yet. He'd wait until everyone had gone to sleep and slip into his room which was also occupied by Bob and John. Tomorrow was Sunday--Hank would get a chance to talk with Mike and explain part of his predicament... everything except about Matt's being in love with him AND about Hank himself being gay.
So Hank drove through the town of Philemon and went almost halfway to Atlanta. His gas was running low and he stopped at an Amoco station to fill his tank. It was almost ten-thirty when he decided it was late enough to head back to Mike's. He arrived there around eleven-twenty. When he pulled up his Jeep in front of the house, he saw through the window that the living room lights were still on. He peeked through the glass and saw no one except Mike, sitting on the couch watching TV. He knew it was impossible to sneak into his bedroom without Mike seeing him, so he decided to go in anyway and try to say a quick 'good night' to Mike without having to chat, without having to explain where he'd been. As quietly as possible, Hank opened the front door which Mike hadn't locked just yet.
The sound still registered with Mike, and he looked up. "Well, hello, Hank!"
"Hello, Mike."
"We didn't expect you tonight."
"Oh, my friend got a call from home and his mother needed him, so he left."
"Did you have a good time meeting up with him?"
"Yes, Mike, I had quite a time!"
"I'm glad, son. I knew you had been stressed out over the past couple of days and I thought a change of scenery or meeting up with a pal from home might do you good."
"Thanks, Mike, I did sorta clear my head out over something that's been bothering me."
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After Matt left the poker game and went into his room with Jim. Jim walked up behind Matt and placed his arms around Matt's chest and torso.
"God, that feels nice," Matt said, putting his head back, letting it rest on Jim's shoulder. The peace it gave him welled up inside Matt.
Jim kissed the side of Matt's neck. "I was so proud of you tonight...WAIT, let me correct that! I was so proud of you ALL day AND all night, tonight."
"Jim, you make me feel like a real person again."
"Matt, you ARE a real person!" Jim lowered his hands and moved them downward, sliding underneath Matt's trousers until he had a firm grip on Matt's private section and Matt gasped. "Can you feel that, Matt?"
"Christ, yes! I'm not paralyzed. Ooh, watch out, you're getting me hard."
"That's what I'm trying to do!"
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah, I wanted to show you just how REAL you are."
"You keep that up and you're gonna find out how REAL it works!"
"Would you like to show me?"
"Would you really like to see it?"
"I don't have to see it, I can sure feel it! Can you unbuckle your pants by yourself?"
"I've been doing it ever since I got home!"
"Then why don't you lower your trousers and let my hand feel how everything works down there.
"Jim, are you sure you wanna DO this?"
"I'm positive, Marine! Show me what a man you are!"
As awkward as it was, Matt managed to unbuckle his belt, unbutton his pants and let them fall to the floor, all the while looking at Jim. Matt wasn't wearing underwear.
While Jim continued to kiss Matt's neck, he also began pumping Matt's penis very slowly. With his free hand, Jim cupped Matt's scrotum. Jim was slightly amazed how smooth Matt's skin was from the waist down. Matt was totally normal in his midsection. Jim could feel Matt's scrotum retracting and he knew Matt was ready to reach a climax and Jim hastened the speed of his right hand until Matt exploded...straight forward and down to the floor, getting all over his trousers while Matt's body wrenched in pleasured pain.
"OH! OH! GOD!" Matt uttered under his breath.
"Let it go, little guy! Let it go for me!" Jim whispered into Matt's ear.
"Oh, Jesus! Jim! I LOVE YOU!" Matt said in a loud whisper.
"I love you, too, Matt," Jim replied.
Matt's organ suddenly became flaccid again. He turned around to face Jim. "Did you mean what you just said?"
"Matt, I swear I'll never lie to you. I haven't in the past. I won't in the future...and I didn't just now."
"But why? Have you gone mad? Have you lost your eyesight? Can't you see? Don't you know who you're talking to?"
"I see all that I need to see. I've seen beyond your scars and burns. I've seen the real YOU inside and in just one day, I've fallen madly in love with you."
"Jim, if you ARE lying, please don't ever let me know differently."
"I'm not lying. I'll look you straight in the eyes and say it to your face. Matthew Sawyer, I, Jim Cummings, love you!"
"Would you spend the night with me?"
"No, we'll have to build up to that. I think we should let everyone in the house adjust to our relationship bit by bit before we announce some kind of engagement. If I spent the night with you tonight, I don't think either of us could find the words to explain the reason to Mike, Art, Bob, or John in the morning."
"I know you're right. But I want so badly to feel you and touch you as you touched me."
"In time, Matt. Tonight is not the last night of our lives, only the first. We have a whole future ahead of us."
"I...I can't believe what I'm hearing, Jim. This is the greatest night of my life!"
"OH? Well, just wait until you see ME naked and then we'll see which is the greatest night of your life. You MIGHT change your mind."
"Can I kiss you?"
"Do you have to ask? I'm yours, buddy boy, you can kiss me, bite me, or hit me, anything you want to do to me!"
Matt put his good arm around Jim's neck and pulled his head forward to be able to kiss Jim on the lips. For the first time, Jim slipped his tongue into Matt's mouth and Matt started sucking Jim's tongue as if it were an all-day lollipop. When the kiss ended, Jim said, "Now I know it's going to be difficult for either one of us to get to sleep, but I want you to go to bed now and get your rest. We have all day tomorrow to find things to do, so why don't you start the list we talked about?"
"I will! It's just I don't want you to go..."
"Restrain yourself, Marine!"
"Yes, sir."
"Have a nice sleep, my love, and I'll see you at breakfast in the morning." Jim gave Matt another quick kiss and left the room. Matt was too dumbstruck to step out of his trousers. He walked with them around his ankles all the way to the bed.
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"Hank?"
"Yes, Mike?"
"Before you go to bed, you should call your dad..."
"Oh?"
"He called earlier and wanted to speak with you. I told him you were out with a friend from your home town and I didn't expect you back until tomorrow. I knew the name of the motel where you were staying, but I didn't want Martin to disturb you there."
"Thanks, Mike, I appreciate that!"
"I told him that if you SHOULD come back tonight, I'd have you call him."
"Did he sound like it was something important?"
"Hank, you know you father better than I do. To Martin Lazarus, EVERYTHING is important...the weather, the corn crop in Alaska, the doggie do-do in Delaware."
Hank laughed. "Thanks, Mike. I'll call him now."
"Why don't you use the phone in the kitchen to call him? I'm going to bed, so I'll leave it to you to lock the doors and turn out the lights."
"I will, Mike."
Mike turned off the TV and went to his room while Hank walked into the kitchen to phone his dad.
Martin's phone rang six times before he answered it.
"Hello?"
"Dad?"
"Hank! I'm glad you called. Are you with Mike now?"
"I'm AT Mike's, Everyone has gone to bed except me."
"Good! That means you can talk to me freely without anyone listening to you?"
"What's up, Dad? Why did you want me to call so late at night?"
"Hank, I received a telephone call from a young man this evening. He didn't identify himself to me, but he said he knew you quite well...."
"What did he have to say, Dad?"
"He told me something that upset me quite a bit and I wanted to run it by you and see what you had to say."
"What was it?"
"Hank? Do you know a young businessman by the name of Lance Langley?"
"Uh, no, Dad. Who is he?"
"I thought you'd be able to tell me."
"Well, no! Why should I know some businessman and what does he have to do with the phone call from your anonymous caller?"
"The caller said that you've been meeting with this Lance fellow every Wednesday for the past few months."
"That's ridiculous, Dad. Why should I meet up with AMYONE every Wednesday on a regular basis?"
"To have HO-MO-SEX-U-AL sex with him!"
Hank got so weak he thought he was going to faint.
"Dad, how could you believe such bullshit!"
"Watch your language, Hank. I thought we could discuss this rationally."
"Yeah, but I'm being accused of something I didn't do."
"The caller said you'd probably deny it, but he said he had a videotape of you and Lance Langley meeting at the Motor Inn Motel."
"Do you mean he's got a phony tape he's trying to blackmail you with?"
"No, Hank, he didn't ask for money or make a threat. He said he just thought I should know that my son was a queer."
Hank was so angry now that he burst into tears.
"That's not fair, Dad! Why should you believe some anonymous stranger when you won't believe your own son?"
"Hank, I think I should tell you that if any part of what the caller said to me is true, then you are no longer my son."
"GOD DAMN IT, DAD! WHY WON'T YOU BELIEVE ME?"
"Hank, if you use the Lord's name in vain again, I'll hang up and don't you bother coming home."
"OK, so if I AM gay, Dad, is that a crime?"
"It's a crime against nature, Hank, and it's a crime against the way your mother and I raised you."
"Dad, you didn't raise me. Mom did. You never wanted me in your life. I had no male role model...no man I could talk with while I was growing up. If you MUST know, then YES, I SLEPT WITH LANCE LANGLEY. I SUCKED HIS COCK AND HE SUCKED MINE, THEN WE FUCKED EACH OTHER FOR AN HOUR EVERY WEDNESDAY!"
"I'm thankful that you're man enough to admit it. Goodbye, Hank. I don't want to see you again. If either of us should die, I hope neither of us is notified about the other's death!"
Martin placed the receiver down on his phone and went back to bed. Hank sank to the floor and began to cry. EVERYTHING was lost now for him. He had no one and no place to go. He had no future and he might as well be dead. Hank remained on the kitchen floor until his crying subsided and then he felt a rush of anger running with his blood stream and he wanted to bust his fist into the kitchen wall. Who the fuck called his dad? Who would want to hurt him? Only one person came to Hank's mind.
Hank jumped up and ran down the hall to Matt's room. He opened Matt's door. The room was dark, but Hank shut the door behind him as he ran over to Matt's bed. As soon as Hank's knee touched the bed, Matt sat up.
"Hank, is that you?"
Hank didn't reply. He took his fist and slammed it into Matt's face, hitting him over and over...again and again...all over Matt's body. Hank was pounding both fists on Matt's chest while he began screaming, "YOU GODDAMNED CRIPPLED FREAK! YOU DESTROYED MY LIFE AND NOW I'M GONNA TAKE YOURS! YOU WANTED ME TO JERK YOU OFF, WELL HERE'S MY FIST! JERK OFF INTO IT, YOU GODDAMNED PIECE OF FRIED SHIT MEAT! WHAT GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO CALL MY DAD AND RUIN THE REST OF MY LIFE! GOD! I WANT TO KILL YOU!"
Hank was hitting Matt's groin, his solar plexus, pounding his chest, and Matt began choking for air. He couldn't inhale enough air to yell for help and he realized he was just moments away from dying. Hank was giving Matt what he had wanted for years...to meet death...but not now! Not since Jim! Not...
Knowing that he could no longer resist Hank's blows to his body, Matt surrendered all resistance and collapsed. He couldn't breathe. He gasped one last time before falling backward onto the bed. Matt lay there still not moving.
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(To be concluded in "The Passion of Matthew" chapter twelve.)