Well folks it is time for aother chp. Things are about to get little rougher between Will and Darren but like all things in life there are good times and bad times. It is how we handle them that matters. Write and enjoy!
Same rules apply as before
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
Two months later:
With Jacob's help, Chris got over the death of his brother, but still there were times when Chris would lock himself in his room to be alone. Tara finding herself pregnant again, decided to elope with Thomas as soon as the test results came in. They still lived in the house but tended to sit apart. Things between Darren and Will grew worse. Now whenever Darren tried to sleep with his husband Will would just get up and sleep on the floor. Darren also noticed that Will was no longer taking his medications as the level on the bottles did not seem to change, but instead of being hyper Will spent most of his time asleep. A day could not go by without an argument rising between the two. Will continued to view himself as a failure and a bad husband.
Darren had just come back from a job interview. He didn't need the money but he did need to do something just to get rid of his jitteriness. The interview went well... he would know in a week. When he arrived at the house he saw Philip's police car already there.
"Well at least there would be someone cheering for me," Darren said as he entered the main hall but when he closed the door, the loud conversation that had been coming from one of the sitting rooms came to a halt. "What's up?" Darren said when he saw all eyes on him... all eyes but Will's who was not present.
"Darren, you need to come with me." Philip said as he got up.
"What's wrong? Where's Will."
"Darren... you need to come with me. We need to see my uncle."
"Not until you tell me what's wrong!"
"Will's been arrested... drug charges."
"Drug charges?"
"Yes... he tried to buy from a undercover officer. When they searched him they found more drugs on him."
"But Will does not use drugs!"
"That's what I told him!" Jacob yelled, aiming his anger at Philip. "This is a setup!"
"And I keep on telling you Will had been seen buying from several buyers before he was caught."
"Yeah. right!"
Darren felt light headed, but he had enough of a grip of what had happened to know that it would be Philip's uncle he would have to see. "Lets go Philip."
"Alright."
When they arrived and Judge Kamp's office, Philip was immediately dismissed leaving only the two men in the room.
"Please have a seat," Mike offered to Darren. "I need to thank you... you have been real good to Philip. I have never seen him this happy."
`He's a real good person. He deserves a person who can give him all his love," Darren said as he sat.
"You are doing a good job and anyway who ever gives their whole heart to a person. You don't even do that with Will."
"Yes... but I strive for it."
"I know. I just wish it was with another person, but because of what you mean to Philip, I offered Will a deal and he accepted it," Mike said as he slapped down a jewel case on the desk.
Darren picked it up afraid he knew what was inside. He cracked open the case, let it slam shut and began to cry."
"As part of the deal he has to go to a drug treatment center in Miami. He will be basically under house arrest until he finishes the program. Then he as to spend six months in a half way house before he goes on a five-year probation. At the very least you will not see him for nearly a year. That's why he returned that wedding ring to you."
"What would he face if he did not do the deal."
"Five to six years followed by three years of probation. He could get out sooner if he behaves but no sooner then 3 years."
"Ok... so I guess I should be happy. Thank you. Is he still in jail?"
"No... he already has boarded a van to the rehab center."
"Can I have the number to it?"
"I can give it to you, but part of the program prevents him from having contact with the outside."
"How long will he be thee?"
"At least thirty days but the program director can keep him there longer. Depends on how well he progresses."
"Ok... thanks for your help," Darren said despondently as he got up and left the room. Outside he collapsed in Philip's arms and cried.
Mike hoped he would not be damned for what he had done. The "deal" that Mike had offered Will had in really been designed by Will himself. Mike had just wanted to give him probation and use it over Will's head to keep him out of Philip's way. So it turned out to be a big surprise when Will wanted the same thing. This brought to light what trouble Mike had caused by making Darren take Philip in. Two hearts had been broken making Mike certain that his own nephew would end up heart broken, he especially if the truth was ever learned. Will would spend his time in rehab and then disappear. That was better then Darren finding out that Will had purposely gotten caught just to escape love. Mike took a bullet out of his desk drawer and threw it into the trash.
Two years later:
Jacob had a warm hand wrapped around his waist playing with the short hairs around his belly button. It was good having a hubby. He and Chris had the ceremony a year ago to this day and they planed to celebrate it in style. It was also a chance for everyone to get back together. After Will did not come back from rehab, everyone slowly drifted away. The first to go was Tara and Thomas... feeling the need to set up their own household. Next was Philip, who really never lived with them but wanted to set up his own home away from his uncle. The last to leave was Darren. He and Jacob were still dear friends, but now that Jacob had Chris there was less of a need for them to turn to each other for emotional support. So right after the wedding Darren announced he was moving out. He did not go far as he moved into one of the new condos Chris had just finished building.
They really tried to keep in touch, but as they were now living in four different homes, it was hard for all of them to meet together. At first they tired to all have dinner at least three times a week at Chris's place, but as time passed it turned into once a week and then once a month. The only constant person to show up at least twice a week was Darren. He never really got over Will running off. Philip tried to be supportive but as Darren felt that his friendship with Phil had been one of the reasons for Will leaving... it was hard for him to be close to him without feeling guilty. Still, the two men would spend at least one night in each other's beds.
If Jacob could have one gift for his wedding anniversary it would be for Darren to find someone in his life, be it Philip or anyone for that matter, but Darren remained committed to finding Will. He had already spent a fortune on private investigators but still had no luck. It was as if Will had disappeared from the face of the earth.
"Morning, babe." Chris said as Jacob turned to face his lover.
"Morning."
"Ready for the big day?"
Jacob reached into the sheets and grabbed Chris's dick, massaging it. "Yes... but would you mind if I make it bigger?"
"I think you already working on that," Chris grinned.
After 30 minutes of slow lovemaking the two showered and had a breakfast of oatmeal and strawberries. Chris was ready to begin the celebrations in earnest. Chris told Jacob he wanted to show him the progress of his building projects and took him on a drive in the jeep all over the old neighborhood; except now the old neighborhood was being completely rebuilt. The once block-encompassing estates now were broken down into mixed housing and community neighborhoods with houses close together and within walking distance of the parks, restaurants, clubs, and stores that made the place a close knit community, but that was not where Chris wanted to take Jacob. Instead he took his back to his old street where Jacob's home had burned down. Chris knew that ever since the funeral Jacob had not gone back here. Houses had been built on both sides where the mansion had been but the site where it had once stood was still empty. That was where Chris parked the car.
"Why are we here?"
"So I can give you this," Chris said as he opened the glove compartment, taking out an envelope. As this was their first anniversary "paper" was the prescribed gift. Of course just paper would not do for Chris. Inside was the deed to the plot of land.
"What is this?"
"It's your home back."
"For this place?" Jacob said pointing to the empty lot.
"Yes."
"What am I suppose to do with it?"
"Whatever you want with it. You can sell it or..."
"Or..."
"Or we can build a home here... together."
"But we already have a home."
"Yeah but its not really a HOME. It just a collection of buildings that we used as a home."
"Well that may be so, but still with this much land we would still have a very large house."
"That's the other thing. I want all of us to be together... Darren... Tara... Thomas... and even Philip. Those few months we were all together were some of the best in my life, but since then I have felt all of us drifting.
"You want us all to live together?"
"Yes."
"What have the others said?"
"Have not asked them yet."
"Then how do you know this will work?"
"Think about it. Darren is so lonely... why do you think he comes by so often? Philip will go wherever Darren is. Tara does not like having to be away from John when Darren has him. Moving in with us would let her always be with him."
"You really have figured this out, but it depends a lot on Darren agreeing to moving in with us."
"No... it depends on you... if you ask him I am sure he will agree to it."
"Ok... so when do I talk to him."
"Right now... we are going to meet him at the juice bar."
Darren sipped on his wheat grass; carrot, beet, and apple shake as he waited for Jacob and Chris. On the table next to him was a brightly wrapped package holding his gift to the happy couple. What would have been his anniversary to Will turned into a weep fest as Darren tried to drink his sorrows away. It was hard for him to celebrate with Jacob but he wanted to be there for his friend.
Darren continued sucking on his straw trying to imagine it was a banana shake. He was now 30 but he worked hard to keep his college form but his eyes were already developing faint crows feet.
There was another thing on his mind. Philip, who had stayed by his side during the deepest parts of his depression, had asked again if he could move in with him. For Darren it was becoming harder and harder to say no. Had Philip become a good friend... but it was the loneliness that had become the main reason Darren wanted to end his "single hood". He had never been by himself. As soon as he left for college he had been with Will. When Will had been in the hospital Darren had had Jacob. Now he had no one. His freezer was full of half eaten food as he still did not know how to cook just for himself. When he would visit Chris and Jacob he could not help himself tidying up the house just to feel useful.
It was not his job that had given Darren his purpose, but his feeling needed, but besides his son, he did not feel that anyone really depended on him. This need had become a sore point between him and Tara as he pressed her for more and more time with his son. These thoughts continued until he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"Mr. Darren Anderson?"
"Yes... that's me."
"I'm with the private investigators who you hired."
"Which firm?" Darren said in a bland tone.
"Johnson and Becker."
"Oh... the one I hired two months ago. Do you have news?"
"Yes... unfortunately."
"Give it to me." Darren said as he took in a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"I have the sad duty to tell you that Will Fist died three months ago. I can take you to his grave if you want."
T...t...thank you," Darren was able to stammer.
Darren followed the investigator to a nearby graveyard, which surprised him. How could Will have been so close and he not know it? The gave was marked by a pink granite stone which only listed Will's name, date of birth and time of death.
When he had first saw the stone, Darren had thought he would try to talk to it but the words just would not come. Instead, he began to claw into the earth until the investigator saw a gardener and stopped him.
"How did he die?"
"Brain hemorrhage."
`The old injury?"
"Yes. It looks like it."
"Ok... can I be alone for a while."
"Yes."
The man walked off while Darren played with the small pile of dirt and grass he had dug up. After a long period of thought, Darren pulled off his wedding ring and buried it in the small hole, covering it up. He then took out another ring...Will's ring and placed it on his right hand. He then got up... kissed the grave stone and made his way slowly to his car... head hanging low. After he had driven off the investigator went to he grave and dug the ring out, putting it in his pocket.
Jacob, on not finding Darren at the juice bar drove to his apartment to find his car there. He knocked on the door and was greeted to the sight of Darren's face blotchy and wet with tears, a drink in his hands. Jacob hugged Darren, took the glass out of his hands and pulled his friend back to the living room. Darren, who was already tipsy, was easily guided to lie down on the sofa. Jacob went back to the kitchen, poured the liquor down the sink and replaced it with water. He then walked back to Darren and handed him the glass.
"Ok... now tell me what's wrong," Jacob said in a no nonsense tone.
Darren looked into Jacob's eyes but pointed to the papers on the table. Jacob picked them up and began reading. When he got to the point where the reports told of finding Will's address Jacob stopped reading.
"You mean he's this close to us? Why are you not with him?"
"Keep on reading."
"Ok."
Jacob kept on reading and did not stop until he had read the last page. His eyes were watering as he put the papers down and hugged Darren. "I'm sorry bro."
"He was so close and I did not know it," Darren blamed himself.
"It's not your fault. Will didn't want to be found. There was nothing you could do."
"Then why did he live so close to me."
"He probably needed to be able to be close to you."
"That means he wanted to be with me. I should of done more to find him."
"Darren, don't blame yourself."
"I have no idea what to tell his mother."
"You need to call her though... it should come from you."
"Ok." Darren said as he tried to get up.
"Wait... I'll get it for you. I need to make a call anyway.
"Alright. Thanks Jacob."
Jacob went to the kitchen and took the wireless phone off the charger. The first person he called was Chris... telling him to get the guest bed ready. The next number he called was Philip's cell phone. It was off as Philip was on duty but Jacob was able to leave a voice mail message.
"Here you go." Jacob said after he had finished his calls and brought the phone to Darren. "I'm going to go back your bags."
"What?"
"You're going to move in with us again... no buts."
"Alright," Darren agreed, knowing better then to argue with him when he was like this.
By the time Jacob came back with two loaded suitcases Darren was saying his final goodbyes to Mrs. Fist.
"Yes... I know he is still looking out for me. Thank you for your prayers. I wish you would come down and see his grave but I understand if you can't. Goodbye."
"How did it go?" Jacob asked Darren.
"Better then I thought. I was sure she would blame me for her son's death. Instead she thanked me for the time we were together and that Will had been stupid for running off."
"Well I think that besides you, everyone feels that what Will did was a mistake," Jacob agreed.
"Will does not make mistakes," Darren argued. "He was always deliberate in what he did."
"Yes, Darren and he chose to give you up. Why can't you?" Jacob said a little harsher then he intended and received a very forceful reply as Darren punched him in the face.
"Sorry..." Darren apologized.
"Sorry... I deserved that."
"No you didn't."
"You've been drinking... you're under a lot of stress ... and I was being a jerk."
"Ok... I take two-thirds blame."
"I can live with that," Jacob grinned triggering a chuckle from Darren. "There... don't you feel better with me as your punching bag?"
"I like you better as a comfort blanket," Darren said as he wrapped his arms around Jacob giving him a hug while he nuzzled against him.
"I'm a married man now Darren."
"I know..." Darren said sadly.
One of the things Chris had insisted on was fidelity. Jacob had at first thought that would have been a problem for him, but Darren had a long talk with the two of them and insisted that Jacob follow Chris's wish. This did not mean that Jacob and Darren did not miss each other in bed. Jacob for one sure did. Chris only had one mode of love making... hard and passionate... partly due to his inexperience. Darren had been a more flexible lover, for while he could be hard and passionate, he could also be slow and gentle and a few times comical. Jacob knew that Chris would never agree to it but he felt that he could learn a lot from Darren if he would just agree to sleep with him.
"How are things between you and Philip?" Jacob asked as he gave Darren a light kiss on the check.
"He still wants us to move in together."
"I think you should... he really cares about you... you know."
"Yes... I don't know why... I don't give him what he really wants."
"But he thinks he will... all of us think he will."
"All of who?"
"Me... Chris... Thomas... even Tara."
"Ya'll gossip about me?"
"We worry about you. So this is what we are going to do. You're coming home with me where I will give you a nice bath and shave."
"Shave?"
"Well I don't think you have been maintaining yourself ... or have you?" Jacob grinned wickedly.
"No... I guess not. But what about you and Chris?"
"Do you or I have an orgasm when I'm shaving you?"
"No... too nervous that you might cut something off."
`Then its not sex so it's legal."
"Ok..." Darren replied only half convinced.
"Then after I clean you up, you're going to the guest room and wait for Philip to come. Then... and only then will you make passionate love. But if you can't get it up with Philip just think about me and Chris getting it on because that is exactly what we will be doing."
"You like manipulating people," Darren accused.
"Hey... I have years of experience with my sister so you should not be surprised.
During the drive from his apartment to the house, Philip debated between bringing flowers, wine or a wedding ring to cheer Darren up. Flowers... well flowers would remind Darren of graves. Wine... knowing Darren by this time of day he would be pretty sloshed. A wedding ring... that would only remind him of Will and that was something Philip wanted to avoid at all cost. So in the end Philip only brought himself. It was the only thing he could offer Darren. Darren had money and friends. He just lacked a lover, which for over two years, Philip had hoped to become.
Philip found a note on the front door telling him where to go when he arrived at Chris's house. On entering the bedroom he found Darren naked and spread out asleep on the white bed sheets. Philip could see Jacob's handy work as Darren pubes were neatly trimmed.
Philip quietly undressed, not wanting to awaken Darren from his slumber, as he looked so peaceful with his eyes closed. Once he was stripped down, he joined Darren, spooning against him. Philip grinned when Darren responded with a deep sigh and snuggling back against his body. Philip kissed the back of his neck while his finger's played with the short hairs above Darren's cock.
Darren, now awake, knew whose arms were around him. He needed to be fair with Philip... the man who saved his son's life. The man who had put up with his entire mood swings. The man who still wanted to be his lover. After losing Tara, Will, and Jacob... Darren needed a lover who wanted to stay. While he did not have the same friendship with Philip as he had with Will and Jacob, Darren was beginning to accept that his lover did not have to be his best friend. They had to be good friends but not the very best friend. Before Tara, Will and Jacob, his girlfriends had not been his best friends. He just guessed that he had gotten used to having the person be one in the same when he met Jacob and Will had came out to him. Philip was willing to love and stay with him... maybe that was the most he could ask for.
Darren turned his body around to face Philip so he could finally say the words that Philip had been waiting so long for. "I love you."
At the appointed time the investigator made his way to an airport bar where his real employer waited. "Mr. Fist?"
"Kevin... is it done?"
"Yes," He replied. "Can I have some water?" He asked the bartender. As soon as he had the glass he dropped the ring he carried in it.
"He left my wedding ring?"
"Yes."
"Gosh Darren... why do you have to be so predictable?" Will grinned. He spooned the ring out of the water and examined it. "Wait a minute... this is not my ring?"
"It's the only ring he left," Kevin replied. "Do you know whose ring this is?"
"Yes... it's Darren's. I guess he wanted to leave a part of himself with me."
"Do you want me to try to get your ring back?"
"No... you would have to cut a finger off to get it."
"Well I guess that finishes our business... except payment."
"Yes... here's your check for fifty thousand... five times what Darren paid you. You will also receive ten thousand for the next five years just to keep your mouth shut."
"Thanks... can I ask you where you are going."
"No... lets just say I'm running away."
"So you are leaving the country..."
Will grinned as he tapped his nose. He was leaving the country. Over the last few months his separation from Darren had grown worse but he felt it was too late to try to fix things. How would everyone react to him popping out of nowhere after being gone for two years? In the end, Will found that he had no excuses for his behavior. Now that he was officially dead he hoped that Darren would move on with his life even though Will knew he never would himself. He had spent over half his life in love with Darren. He did not think time would change that. After saying his goodbyes to Kevin, Will made his way to his gate where he boarded a plane for the Caribbean.