Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:08:17 +1030
From: Marcus McNally <marcusis32@live.com.au>
Subject: Love On The Rocks 40 - Finale

Love On The Rocks -- 40

This story contains sexual situations between males. If material of this
nature offends you then you should not read this story.  If you are under
18 years of age you are probably not legally allowed to read this story.
This story is purely a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons
living or dead, or to events that may have occurred, is purely
coincidental. The author claims all copyrights in this story and no
duplication or publication of this story is allowed (except by the web
sites to which it has been posted) without the consent of the author.

*************

There was a good deal of excitement in the air as we boys congratulated
Steve in the time-honoured Aussie tradition, slapping him on the back,
messing up his hair and plying him with alcohol.  Fran disappeared into a
huddle with Ellie and Dot to marvel at her diamond and to discuss dates,
times, venues, and dress fabric.

Both parties and their support teams eventually came together and we were
filled in on some of the details.  No, Fran and Ellie's mother Lou and
their sister Annie had not yet been told the good news.  The wedding would
be later in the year and it would be a simple affair.  The couple would
likely marry in Sydney which was a good central spot for both families to
reach.

Yes, Fran would be a bride, but they didn't want a full scale Church
wedding.  Given the time of year they had in mind, they were leaning toward
a beach wedding and a party.  What they didn't have to spend on unnecessary
wedding trimmings would be put toward a luxury honeymoon in Europe.

Steve and Fran would continue to live at Sugarloaf Road until the
renovations were finished and would then consider their options.  Their
current thinking was they would return and settle in Sydney, once Steve had
found work.

A lively discussion ensued, in which time Steve and Fran were bombarded
with everyone's opinion on weddings until they were almost at their wits'
end.  Frank called a halt when he announced it was bedtime for him and Dot,
and before long, things wound up.

Behind closed bedroom doors, I brushed my teeth and as Ty emptied his
bladder into the toilet, he started to giggle.

"What?" I asked as I washed my face.

"Our families!" he chuckled.  "Scott handed me you on a plate, now he's
shacking up with a guy you found for him, Lachie married a girl you
introduced him to, and her sister is going to marry your brother.  It's a
movie!"

We climbed into bed and I laid on my back waiting for Ty to settle, but he
had other ideas.  He propped himself up and for a while we talked about the
amazing connection between our families.

Then he talked about his tour.  I knew only a little of how his show was
shaping up so I pushed him for more details.

"It's gonna be fantastic, Mike!" he enthused.  "I'm doing a few things I've
never been game enough to do before and it all feels good.  I think the
show will surprise people.  I think for the first time I feel like an
artist rather than a `rock star'.  That's what's been missing for me."

I cocked my eyebrow.  "Tell me more?"

"I decided I wouldn't," Ty smiled apologetically.  "I mean, I want to tell
you everything, but I also want it to be a surprise for you."

"I know most of it, don't I?" I asked.  "We've talked about the order of
the hits."

"Yeah, but that's only part of it.  I want you to see the rest and be
impressed!"

I kissed his lips.  "You've always impressed me mate!" I chuckled.  "Come
on, you can trust me - I'm a lawyer!"

"Yeah, right!" Ty laughed as he rolled his eyes.  "I really think I want it
to be a surprise."  As an afterthought he added, "That means not reading
reviews or reading about the show online once the fans start doing the
whole chat thing."

"Damn!" I laughed.

"You OK with not knowing?"

"Yeah, of course," I assured him, and I was.  It was a joy to see him so
enthusiastic about getting out on tour again and entertaining people and it
was feeling like he might have found a way to combine his `rock star'
persona with his true musical self.  I was looking forward to being
surprised.

For the next half hour, Ty talked about the music school in Palm Beach and
what we could do to help the musos who were trying to run it and the
disadvantaged kids who could benefit so much from experiencing the wonder
of making music.

Ty came up with several good ideas which showed me he'd been giving this a
lot of thought.  He smirked when he had to give away one element of his
upcoming show; he would be playing a grand piano on stage in every venue.
He said that one of the tour costs was hiring the pianos from Yamaha, but
that Vince had negotiated a good deal by including an ad for them in the
tour programme.  Ty wondered whether there might be a way of getting a
piano or two out of them for the music school.

I laid on my back and thought about it for a couple of minutes.  "I reckon
we could go to them with an `endorsement' package," I mused.

"What's that?"

"We go to them and remind them that you're playing their piano on tour
nationally, being seen by more than 100,000 people.  At the end of the tour
we'll suggest you do an ad campaign for them, be their Yamaha pin-up boy
for the music magazines.  We could ..."

"I don't want my music used in ads!" he injected.

"It wouldn't have to be your music, it would just be some `Tyson Hill'
branding," I assured him.  "They could have you in white tails and a top
hat, sitting down to play a grand piano on a white set.  Something
ridiculous, something not `Tyson Hill' at all."

"You think they'd go for that?"

"I can't see why not.  We could ask $150,000, then bargain it down to a fee
of $100,000 and wholesale musical instruments to the value of $50,000.  Of
course, it would help if you could somehow slip `Yamaha' into your stage
patter once or twice every show, that wouldn't hurt."

"I never thought I'd do ads," Ty pondered.  "Do you think it's selling
out?"

"It's selling out if you're just putting yourself `out there' to flog
anything that has a pay cheque attached to it," I said.  "On the other
hand, if you believe in the product and you actually use the product, I
don't see what's wrong with being paid to tell people about it."

"I love Yamaha!" Ty enthused.  "It would be awesome to get some top class
instruments for the school.  You're a genius mate!"

"Yeah, "I chuckled.  "That's why I make the big bucks!"

Ty was about to launch into another discussion about the music school when
I leaned in and kissed him.  He blinked.  "I've gotta get some sleep mate!"
I smiled.  "Let's get comfy."

Ty leaned down and rested his head on my chest, and I enjoyed the feel of
his hand tickling my tummy as I slipped into sleep ...

**********

Neither of us mentioned it, but Ty and I were both aware that this weekend
was all the time we had left together before Ty's `Greatest Hits' tour
kicked off.  The rest of the family seemed to be consciously keeping
themselves busy so that Ty and I had time to ourselves.

We all ate together at mealtimes, but between times Ty and I lay in bed and
talked, walked along the beach, and discussed "our project".  If we found
ourselves completely alone, we'd kiss and feel each other up.

A couple of times, Ty stole away to the music room to play the piano and
sing and I found myself drawn by his voice to just lie on the couch and
listen to him.  The beauty of Ty's voice had always thrilled me, but there
was something even more stunning about it when he changed his diet before a
tour.  His voice was as powerful and pitch-perfect as usual, but eating
non-mucous forming foods gave it a bell-like quality that was
spine-chilling.  Even when he was singing scales, the hair on the back of
my neck stood on end.

Late on Sunday afternoon, before dinner, he was back at the piano in full
rehearsal mode, testing his range.  I was lying on the couch as he randomly
sang excerpts of songs that challenged him; everything from "Music of the
Night" from `Phantom' and "Power of the Dream", to "Three Blind Mice".  It
was when he'd finished his exercises and simply for pleasure belted out
"Hallelujah" that family members started gravitating to the music room.  By
the end of the song everyone in the house had gathered and was listening,
even Scruffy.  He was, as always, at Ty's feet, while Floppy prowled the
room looking for pats.

When Ty had finished, Lachlan asked, "How come your voice sounds so much
stronger?"

Ty shrugged.  "It isn't.  It's just that when I don't eat starch or fat,
it's clearer."

"I like that song Tyson," Dot smiled, "even though I have no idea what the
lyrics mean!"

"Yeah, it's a bit esoteric, Mama," Ty grinned, "but it's a gorgeous
melody."

Ty played a few chords before turning to us and saying, "I'm off tomorrow
and I won't see you until we hit Sydney.  I've got a song I remember from
when I was a kid.  I've been singing it in my head for a while and I want
to sing it for Mike."

Scott flopped down beside me on the couch as Ty started to play.  As he
tinkled he looked at me and said, "This is for you mate, and believe it or
not it's called `For You*'!"

"Just to look in your eyes again, just to lay in your arms, just to be the
first one always there for you ..."

Ty had never been shy about saying "I love you", but any time he wanted to
express more he always used a song lyric, be it his own or someone else's.
I was so touched that he picked such a poignant song to let me -- and his
family -- know how he felt about me.

"For you for the rest of my life, for you all the best of my life, for you
alone, only for you ...".

As the song built, so too did my feeling that tears were on their way.
That feeling dissipated when Scott leaned in and kissed me on the cheek as
his big brother glided into the final chorus.  By the time the song ended,
the majesty of Ty's voice reverberated around the room.

As we all clapped, Ty stood and did a quick exaggerated bow and then
excused himself by saying "gotta pee!"  The room started to empty as people
returned to what they were doing, giving me the thumbs-up or a smile as
they did so.

Scott was still with me on the couch and Lachlan and Ellie were opposite
us.

"Crikey!" Ellie beamed.  "I had no idea!"

"No idea of what?" Lachlan asked, puzzled.

"I knew he was good!" she replied.  "I mean, I've heard his songs on the
radio, but I had no idea he could just sit there and sing like that.  His
voice is like a powerhouse!"

"That's m'boy!" I laughed.

"His voice sounds great," Lachlan nodded.  "I mean, he always sings well,
but it's just belting out of him at the moment!"

Ty came back and joined us and had only just flopped on the music room
couch when George loomed large in the doorway, hands on his hips.

"O-oh," I exclaimed.  "It's Scary George!"

"Sorry to interrupt you all in your hour of worship," George apologised.
"But somebody's leaving in the morning for almost three weeks and I can
only assume he'll need some things to take with him?"

"Yeah, that'd be me George!" Ty smirked.

"Yes sir, of course it is," George rolled his eyes.  "Regrettably, your
suitcases won't pack themselves and while your faithful old packhorse is
ready and willing to help you, he can't make wardrobe decisions all by
himself!"

"Are you trying to say I should get off my lazy ass and help you pack for
me?" Ty sighed.

"As galling as that is, I'm afraid the answer is yes, sir," George replied.

Ty got up and trotted after George, knowing he was about to be put to work.
Lachlan and I retired to the lounge to watch the TV news while Ellie went
to check on the boys.  Dorothy appeared with some cheese, biscuits and
sliced fruit on a tray.  We all laughed when suddenly Scott, Simon, and
Steve appeared, their radar alerting them to more food.

Conversation halted temporarily as the challenge was set to empty the
platter in record time.  Ellie returned with two wide awake baby boys, one
of whom was handed to Steve and the other to Fran.  It was a new experience
for me to see Steve holding a baby, but he was making a better fist of
amusing his charge than Fran was making of keeping her's happy.

As Steve happily rocked a cooing Matt, Fran was getting more exasperated as
Roddy's grizzling turned to crying and then wailing.  Ty suddenly appeared
from the bedroom, walked up to Fran and took Roddy from her.  He cradled
the toddler, rubbed his back, and smooched him, and within seconds, he
handed a gurgling, happy baby back to Fran.  "You gotta have the touch!" he
winked as he headed back to join his taskmaster in the bedroom.

I left it to Steve and Fran to get in some valuable baby practice while I
started making preparations for dinner.  I poked around in the fridge and
pantry to see what was available.  I settled on a chicken and pasta bake
with sides of rosemary baked potatoes, wilted Asian greens and a radicchio,
brown pear, walnut and parmesan salad.  For Ty, of course, I just prepared
a big plate of steamed green vegetables.

I got the bake and vegetables ready for George to heat, covered the salad
with cling wrap, and put new supplies of beer and wine in the fridge to
chill.  I'd just finished when George walked in and I was happy to note the
look of surprise and appreciation on his face.

"Thank you sir," he smiled.  "I suspected that because Mr. Hill's packing
took so long, I'd have run out of time to do anything other than pizza."

"It's all sorted, George!" I grinned.  "My pleasure."

I could hear Ty singing softly and when I walked back into the lounge, I
found him sprawled on the couch with his legs on the coffee table, and a
baby perched safely on each thigh.  They were looking at him closely as he
sang "Six Little Ducks" to them and they giggled whenever he make the
"quack quack" sounds.

I sat down next to Ty and he immediately handed me a baby.  "How ya doin',
Roddy?" I asked as he snuggled into the crook of my arm.

Ty chuckled.  "That's Matty, mate!"

"Damn!"

"Remember, Matty's got that little mark on his forehead!"

Both babies were asleep when George walked into the lounge and placed
glasses of white wine in front of us.  "Dinner's about 45 minutes away," he
informed us.

"Thanks George," said Ty.  "And thanks for helping me get packed for the
tour."

"My pleasure," George deadpanned.  "It's what I live for."

Dropping two clean nappies and some Baby Wipes on the coffee table he
added, "The partners-in-poop both need changing!"

I looked at Ty in shock.  "I don't think I've ever changed a nappy," I
said.  "You'll have to do them both."

"Nah, nothing to it," Ty shrugged.  "Just watch.  He gently put Roddy on
the couch, unpinned his nappy, and opened it.  He didn't flinch when
confronted with what looked like a jar of spilt mustard.  He lifted Roddy's
legs, wiped his bottom with a Baby Wipe and then whipped the soiled nappy
from under him and folded it before sliding the clean nappy under him.  He
laid Roddy down again and almost before I could blink he'd folded it a
couple of different ways and pinned it in place.

"See, easy!" he grinned.

"Yeah, easy for you.  I don't think I'd be very good with poo.  You'd
better do it."

"Nah, I've done my duty!  I'll talk you through it.  Put him on his back
and undo the pin on his nappy."

As I grappled with the world's biggest safety pin, Lachlan and Ellie walked
into the room and stood behind Ty with their arms around each other, trying
not to laugh as they watched me.

I finally got the pin undone and then opened the nappy, gagging and dry
retching when its contents were revealed.

"OK, now lift his legs up and wipe his arse!" Ty laughed.

"God, the smell's AWFUL!" I choked.  "What's this kid been eating?"

Ty was guffawing.  "Mate, the look on your face!" he cackled.  "Now make
sure his bum's clean and fold the dirty nappy up.  That's right.  Now,
position the clean nappy under him and then put his legs down."

By now Dot and Frank had turned up and they stood next to Lachlan and Ellie
watching just as bemusedly.

"Fold one corner in between his legs Michael," Dot instructed.  "Then fold
both the corners in and fold back the top of the bit that's between his
legs.  That's right dear.  Now do up the pin so that everything's held in
place before you pull the outside pants up."

"But what if I stick the pin in him" I asked, bewildered.

"You won't!" Lachlan encouraged.

"I think I will!" I whined.  "Or else I'll stick it through my finger."

Ellie walked over and took the pin from me, securing the nappy in a couple
of seconds.  "There!" she smiled.  "Well done, Michael!  There's another
person I can add to the team!"

Ty grinned as I looked at my hands and announced, "I need to go and wash!"

Lachlan snickered.  "Great farm boy you got yourself there, Ty.  Can't wait
to see him help birth a calf!"

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen!" I exclaimed.  "I'll be in the kitchen
making celebration Calf Cakes!"

"How about you, Georgy Boy?" Ty laughed.  "Have you ever seen the birth of
a cow?"

George didn't miss a beat.  "I don't suppose being present at the birth of
my sister counts?" he sighed.  "Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes.
Somebody needs to let Steven and Francis know.  They're in their room,
banging like bunnies again."

"George!" exclaimed Dot.

"Sorry Dorothy," George responded.  "I meant to say they're going at it
like rabbits!"

***********

Dinner was a joy, with lots of laughing and kidding.  The pasta bake was a
hit and the side dishes disappeared within seconds of them reaching the
table.  George had organised dessert and as a nod to Ty it was a simple
trio of ice cream scoops with a sauce of melted Mars Bars.

The boys got stuck into the wine and the girls made us all drink water
before we went to bed.  The start of the new week was just a sleep away;
tomorrow, Ty was off on tour, I was going back to work and, surprisingly,
Steve and Fran were driving Frank back to Stanthorpe just so he could be
reassured that the farm's hired help were packing the fruit correctly and
everything was "business as usual".

Naturally, Ellie didn't want to pack the babies up for such a long drive,
Lachlan didn't want to spend a minute away from his sons in case he missed
some aspect of their growing up, and Dot was staying at Point Piper because
"Ellie needs me."

Thankfully, there were no sly glances, no raised, knowing eyebrows when Ty
and I announced we were turning in for the night at 10.00p.m.  It was
reasonable that we needed a good sleep, with Ty flying across the country
in the morning and me heading back to the office for the first time in
several weeks.

We were able to just slip away.  Behind our closed doors we showered --
and washed each other -- and then jumped into bed and let nature and our
own animal instincts show each other how we felt.

It was a passionate night.  Instead of having sex we made love, and we
ended the night bathed in sweat and clinging to each other.  Exhausted we
fell asleep and as always, when I woke early in the morning, Ty had
maneuvered himself so that he slept with his head on my chest.  Eventually
I moved him slightly so that he rolled on his side and I immediately
spooned him.  I loved the simple act of holding Ty in my arms; he was
cuddly and masculine at the same time, warm and peaceful.  It was in these
quiet moments - often late at night or early in the morning - that I felt
truly loved.  Any moments of doubt I might have had about our relationship
always disappeared in moments like these and I knew what we'd found
together was truly special.

These were moments I didn't ever want to end.  Part of me wanted to lie in
bed forever, holding Boy Wonder as he slept, and when he woke I wanted to
spend the rest of the morning kissing him and telling him how much I loved
him.  That wasn't going to happen, so I cherished the short time I had to
just wrap myself around him and feel ... happy.

Soon enough though, George was knocking at the door.  Ty was still asleep
as I called quietly, "Come in."

"I'm sorry sir," George apologised as he looked almost wistfully at the
sight before him.  "Mr. Cometti will be here in about an hour, so I'll be
bringing your breakfast in 10 minutes.  Allowing 20 minutes to eat it,
Mr. Hill will have half an hour to be showered, shaved, and dressed."

In the 10 minutes before breakfast was served, the two younger Hill
brothers appeared, bleary-eyed, and crawled into bed with us.  I got up to
take a leak and returned to find Scott spooning Ty, Lachlan spooning Scott,
and at least two of them were asleep.  I crawled in on the side of the bed
with precious little room to get comfortable.

I was about to complain when George walked in with a breakfast tray for Ty
and me. "Good God!" he exclaimed as he set the tray down on the bed.
"They've multiplied."

"Two more breakfasts if you don't mind George," I sighed.  "We have
unexpected company."

"Can I have extra bacon, George?" a sleepy Scott asked.

"Of course Scott," George nodded as he left the room.  "Scruffy didn't
finish all of his ..."

We all ate and joked for a while and it touched me to see how affectionate
Scott was being with his oldest brother.  He teased him and made fun of him
as he always did, but at the same time he squeezed him and kissed his cheek
a few times.  Theirs was a bond I had always aspired to with Steve and
thanks to the Hill family we were well on our way.

George appeared to tell Ty his 20 minutes was up and it was time to get up
and get going.  Ty sighed, threw back the doona cover, and started plodding
to the bathroom.

"Lachlan did a low whistle.  "You know, Ty's arse is pretty damn amazing,
eh Scotty?"

"Nah," Scott giggled.  "He's over 30 now and it's gone all flabby."

Ty turned around, grabbed his junk, and shook it at them. "Look at my arse
and weep, boys!" he beamed.  "According to `Seventeen' magazine, it's `The
Rock `n Roll Butt Of The Year'!"

"Who were you competing against?" Scott snickered.  "Cliff Richard?"

"Arsehole!" Ty retorted as he stomped into the bathroom and closed the
door.

Within 30 minutes, Ty was showered, dressed, and gorgeous.  Vince arrived
early and agreed to a quick coffee, as long as George used "the good
beans!"

Ty took the time to work his way around his family, saying adieu with a hug
for everyone.

Momentarily, Vince cornered me and whispered, "About time you came back,
asshole! I don't know whether to punch you in the head or kiss you."

"What do you want to do, mate?" I asked.

Vince's shoulders slumped.  "It's weird, but I want to kiss you!" he
smiled.

 "You're such a faggot, Vince!" I laughed.

A roomful of people meant Ty had a moment to drag me aside just before he
had to leave.  "Gotta go, mate," he said.  "Don't wanna get too soppy, but
I want you to know that I love you. I really love you.  Thank you for
giving us another chance."

I refused to cry, even though my inner baby was turning to blubber.  "I
love you too Ty.  We'll get there.  Kill `em with the concerts!"

"Ty, we gotta go!" Vince yelled.  "Kiss ya boyfriend then get your pretty
arse into the car!"

"Vincent!" exclaimed Dot.

"Sorry Mrs. Hill!"

**********

I didn't have any time to muse about the fact Ty would be gone for almost
three weeks.  I was cornered by Scott and Simon assuring me that if I felt
lonely without Ty, I was welcome to visit them in their apartment.

"Yeah, and maybe George could come too?" Scott enthused.  "He could even
bring the meal if he wanted."

I smacked Scott lightly on the back of the head before pulling them both in
for a hug.  They scurried off to get ready after I offered to drop them at
the apartment on my way to the office.

My first day back in a suit and sitting at a desk was a shock, but
fortunately the hours flew by as I reactivated my involvement in several
ongoing cases.  Some of them were rudimentary; copyright infringement,
dubious royalty accounting, and chain of entitlement claims.

My interest was piqued in a restriction of trade action being brought by
members of a group whose singer wouldn't re-form with them for an
anniversary tour unless the partnership terms were amended to give him 40
percent and the other four members an equal share of 60 percent.

Best of all, a breach of contract suit being filed against a rock trio by
their record company, which just happened to be the same company Ty was
with.  From the case notes, it appeared the company was trying to insist
that the trio deliver a second album just like their highly successful
debut, and the trio was citing creative interference in its defence.  That
had a familiar ring to it!

Best of all, this case pitted me against Eddie Zaitman, who was once again
representing the contracting party.  I'd nailed him when I went in to bat
for Ty and finally I had him on a back foot.  Zaitman was an arrogant man
and I knew how much it went against the grain for him to have to concede
defeat to someone like me, whom he saw as a law firm-nurtured `yuppie'.

Over the course of a week, I had several terse telephone exchanges with
Zaitman, all of which I enjoyed. The little rock band we were representing
had certain leverage because their first album had sold well, but without
the string of chart-topping singles Ty had under his belt, a little more
compromise was required.  Still, they were entitled to creative expression
and it was not the record company's place to dictate what that expression
should be.

Several hours that first week were devoted to meeting with the four
musicians who were fighting residential opposition to the music school they
had started for disadvantaged kids.  After our first meeting, they took me
to the house in Palm Beach and despite its dilapidated appearance it was of
sound build and mostly met all statutory body requirements to operate as a
volunteer facility.

Other days, we discussed strategies for getting the house renovated and I
helped them register as a charity so that they could lodge an application
for funding from the Lord Mayor's Foundation and the state government.

I made sure I was home to have dinner at Point Piper with whoever was
around each evening and I always looked forward to the phone call I got
every night from Ty.  If it was a concert night, he would call me from his
dressing room before the show and if it was a night off, he would call me
from his hotel room while he was eating his green vegetables.

He sounded ecstatic at the way the concerts were being received and said he
had been really enjoying himself.  "I feel this natural high when I come
off stage," he enthused.  "I've never felt that before.  I used to feel
exhausted, but this time it's different.  It's like I feel after sex with
you!"

"Really?"

"Well, maybe not quite that good!  But close."

He wouldn't discuss the show with me and I assured him I hadn't read
reviews.  He always moved on from talking about the shows to asking for a
progress report on the music school.

"I've made sure I've mentioned Yamaha in every concert!" he said proudly,
"just like you said!"

"Good man!" I chuckled.  "Make sure you get someone to film a few mentions
on their camera or phone, and we'll put it on youtube.  That'll impress
them!"

Each day while I was at work, Ty somehow found time to touch base with Dot
and Frank, Lachlan and Ellie, Scott and Simon, and Steve and Fran.  Every
couple of days he would ring George and either tell him how much he was
missing his cooking, or to ask his advice about which shirt and jacket to
wear for his after show `meet and greet' or for a TV news cross.

Ty's Sydney concerts were Saturday and Sunday night and by Friday, I was
desperate to see him. My days had been filled with absorbing work
commitments and my evenings had been spent with his wonderful family, yet
every time I closed my bedroom door and climbed into bed, I was conscious
of my empty arms and missing the familiar feeling of Ty's head on my chest.
I couldn't wait to see him perform and I couldn't wait to feel his lips
against mine.

At the end of the work week there was the regular staff get-together,
drinks in the boardroom at 5:00pm, known to us all as "beer o'clock".  I
strolled in and worked the room with a Crown Lager in my hand, catching up
with colleagues, and hearing about holidays that had just finished or were
just about to begin, newborn babies, and engagements.  At 6:30, as I was
about to leave, Max cornered me to ask how I was getting along while Ty was
on the road.

"I'm good," I smiled.  "I've had plenty happening here to keep me
distracted!  I'm looking forward to the concerts at the weekend, though!"

"Yeah, me too," Max smirked.

"You're going?" I asked, taken aback.

"I bought tickets to the Sunday night show."

"Mate, it never occurred to me you'd want to see Ty's concert," I said
apologetically.  "I'd have organised comp seats for you ..."

"Nah, I was happy to buy them.  I wanna see what all the fuss is about!"

"Make sure you hang around after the concert and I'll take you back to say
hi."

"Yeah, I'd like that Mike.  It's always good to schmooze the clients!"

On my way home I realised I hadn't thought outside the family when
complimentary seats were up for grabs.  I called Janet from the car and she
was very enthusiastic about seeing Ty on stage.  I mentioned it to Ty when
he called later in the evening and he assured me two tickets in her name
would be waiting at the box office, along with a souvenir tour program and
a copy of the most recent DVD.  I also suggested he do the same for Ellie
and Fran's mother Lou and a guest, and before I got home I rang Ellie and
had her make arrangements for her Mum to have a fun night out.

Friday night at Point Piper was a full house.  Frank and Steve had returned
from Stanthorpe and Scott and Simon had found another excuse to drop by at
meal time, so George made gourmet pizza and salad and we all sat on the
balcony eating, drinking, and laughing.

By the time I hit the sack I was tired, but sleep took its time because I
was excited at the thought of seeing Boy Wonder again.  I was just about
out for the count when I thought of a funny sight gag ...

**********

Breakfast was bedlam.  Everyone descended on the kitchen at once and George
was faced with nine hungry adults.  He served pancakes and French toast as
fast as he made them, but no sooner did he put down a full plate than it
was emptied and that was before anyone who wasn't a Hill male even got a
look-in.

Eventually we all got fed and plates were cleared by the boys.  Dot made
bacon and eggs on toast for George, insisting he sit down and have a proper
breakfast, just as she'd done for so many years for her husband and sons
before they started their day.

Scott and Simon left not long after breakfast.  They'd both been seconded
for `runner' duties for Ty's Sydney concerts and it seemed they couldn't
wait.  Surprisingly, Lachlan also disappeared mid-morning, vague about his
absence.

The decision had been made that George would mind the twins while everyone
went to the concert tonight, and Lou would spend a night alone with her
grandsons while George saw the second concert on Sunday night.

The day was bound to drag, so I proposed an early dinner at a pub in
Homebush, only a short distance from the venue.  After much fuss over the
babies by Dot and much reassurance from George that they would survive the
evening in his care, we were on our way.

As always when we were in the relaxed environs of a pub, everyone started
to chill and we all enjoyed variations on traditional Aussie pub fare, from
chicken parmagiana and salad to beef stew with mashed potatoes.  For Dot
and Frank, of course, it was roast and three vegetables.

Scott and Lachlan joined us briefly, although they were elusive about what
they'd been doing with Ty all day.  They declined a main course because
they'd grazed all day on Ty's backstage rider, but they didn't pass up the
opportunity for ice cream and chocolate sauce.

We drove, in convoy, to the arena and thanks to Vince we were able to park
in the crew car park, close to the stage door.  Once inside we lingered in
the foyer, watching Ty's fans swarm over the merchandise stalls and snap up
concert programmes.

When the bells started to ring, we abandoned our plan to get through the
throng at the bar and have a pre- show beer.  Instead we made our way to
our seats.  Soon enough, the auditorium lights were killed and the
excitement that was building was tangible.  The darkness of the venue made
me aware of the dim lights on stage and I could make out Ty's musicians,
who were already in place.

A few seconds went by before the suspended big screen suddenly lit up with
silent Super 8 movie footage.  I wasn't sure what it was at first, but once
the shakiness stopped, I realised it was very old footage of Ty in his
bedroom at the farm, when he was an early teenager.  He was sitting on his
bed playing his guitar, so young and so unknowingly handsome.

As he tried to find the chords he wanted, the camera focussed on another
young boy who seemed to be bouncing around the room vying for attention.
It was Lachlan, aged about nine or 10!

Ty started to sing a Jackson Browne song I couldn't immediately place, even
though it was a staple of the FM stations that played the best of the `70s
and `80s.  His voice was still that of a young boy, yet his pitch was
perfect.

The camera panned back and there on the floor at Ty's feet was baby Scott
in his nappy, absentmindedly playing with a toy truck as he watched his
brothers in awe.

As the teenaged Ty on the screen hit the chorus, his band on stage started
to strum in synch and suddenly the stage lights went on and the musicians
kicked into the opening riffs.  The joint was rocking as the band played
`till-ready' until the spotlight suddenly found Ty as he strolled on from
the wings to thunderous applause.

"I can't keep up with what's been going on, I think my heart must just be
slowing down; Among the human beings in their designer jeans, am I the only
one who hears the screams ..."

I smiled to myself.  It was "Lawyers in Love".  Ty delivered his vocal very
tongue-in-cheek, grinning at the audience as they rocked along.  He brought
the song to a crescendo which saw his fans on their feet and screaming.

He waited for the applause to die down before he spoke.

"Hey Sydney, it's great to be back!" he called, giving the arena the thumbs
up.  "What's say we lift the roof off this joint tonight?"

More applause and cheering as the audience geared up for a blitzkrieg.

Once the noise levels dropped, Ty asked, "you wanna know a secret?" and got
a thunderous "Yeah!" back from 12,000 people.

"I'm in love with a lawyer!" he whispered loudly, to sustained applause.
"He's out there somewhere tonight.  Look around and when you spot the
cutest guy in the arena, that'll be him!"

To Ty's amusement, the audience starting looking around.  Ridiculously, I
felt self-conscious even though nobody was going to pick me.

"Now `Lawyers in Love' is not one of my `greatest hits'!" he laughed.  "But
it's one of my favourite songs from my childhood, when I was first learning
to play the guitar.  I listened to so many bands and singers, trying to
learn from them.  Jackson Browne, Scott Walker, Cold Chisel, Leonard Cohen
... and all these years later they're still my heroes.

"You'll be getting all the songs of mine that you helped make hits and
you're gonna get a few of the songs that have been part of my musical
journey."

Ty picked up his guitar and got comfortable on his stool set off centre on
the side of the stage. "Speaking of my lawyer," he grinned, "here's a
number from Hill Songs that I wrote for him!"

With only guitar accompaniment he sang a stunning version of "Until You
Came Along".  Then, for the next 40 minutes, he gave his audience what
they'd come for.  He sang hit after hit, belted out with his band or
stripped back and performed acoustically.  Screams of delight greeted all
of them, "Game Of Chance", "To The Outside World", "Deep Inside Of Me",
"Open Letter To You" ...

At the end of his blistering set, Ty momentarily left the stage to his
band, enabling his talented bass player Christian to showcase his skills
with a magnificent guitar solo.  While the band did its thing towards the
front of the stage, something was happening at the darkened back of the
stage.  I noticed shadowy figures filing on to the stage and assumed it was
a choir to back Ty as he closed the first half of the concert with "Angels
on High".  But no.

As Christian finished his solo and took his bows, the rear stage lights
gradually came up revealing a chamber orchestra.  Immaculately dressed and
straight-faced, they picked up their instruments and began to play a
staccato introduction just as Ty made his entrance literally sliding
sideways across the stage to the microphone.

The audience went crazy when they saw him, decked out in a mid-60s `suit'
of matching grey; ultra tight stovepipe trousers and high-lapelled tailored
jacket, covering a formal white shirt with ruffles down the front.

"And if one day I should become, a singer with a Spanish bum, who sings for
women of great virtue; I'd sing to them with a guitar, I borrowed from a
coffee bar, well, what you don't know doesn't hurt you ... "

I couldn't place the song***, but the lyric sounded vaguely like it could
be based on Jacques Brel, whose works Ty held in high esteem.

It was a fast song and Ty powered through it, showing off a different voice
than the `rock' vocal we all knew and loved.  This was a deep, controlled
theatrical voice; rich, powerful and expressive.  As it came to an abrupt
end, Ty did a theatrical finale with his arms and then bowed in the manner
of the triumphant tenor.

He acknowledged the orchestra and then stood at the microphone and started
to take his jacket off, to wolf whistles from both sexes in the audience.
He hammed it up by doing a mock strip tease and threw the jacket across the
stage.

"It's a bit hot in that clobber under the lights!" he laughed.  "Not too
keen on this shirt either ..."

He paused for the inevitable `take it off' calls from the audience and blow
me down, he did!  He pulled off the shirt, showing off a magnificent six
pack and the nicely muscled arms he'd always had.  The audience went wild
and as they cheered, Scott ran on from the wings, took Ty's white shirt and
handed him a black satin shirt with white embroidery which looked great
with his grey pants.  Once he was buttoned up he stood in the spotlight and
stretched out his arms, seeking the audience's approval.  Naturally, he got
it.

"Are the pants OK, do you think?" he whispered, waving his hands in the
general direction of his bulging crotch.

From somewhere backstage we heard Scott on mike, impersonating his Mother.
"Those pants are far too tight, Tyson Hill.  Goodness me, what will people
think?"

It brought the house down and when I leaned in and looked along the row of
seats I could see Dot and Frank laughing.  They were obviously enjoying
watching their first child doing what he was born to do.

"That song was called `Jackie'", Ty told the audience.  "It was written by
the great Jacques Brel and the version that became a hit was by Scott
Walker, who to me is one of the greatest singers of all time.  I discovered
him by accident when I was in my early teens, flicking through the second
hand record bins at the local fetes and Op shops.  We still had a record
player at home when everyone else had CD players, so I was able to get
vinyl records dirt cheap.

"I went through a stage of buying singles from the 70s.  All the big ones
of the day," he said, before launching into a quick `a cappella' medley of
"Maggie May", "American Pie", "My Sharona" and "Stayin' Alive."

"I loved all of those songs, but there was just one song from that era that
I always come back to.  I want to sing it tonight because it gives me the
chance to play this beautiful Yamaha grand piano along with these
incredibly talented ladies and gentlemen from the Sydney Symphony
Orchestra."

As the audience applauded, Ty walked to the piano and sat.  After a moment,
he started to play an instantly recognisable piano introduction, before
starting to sing****.

"When you're down and out, when you're on the street, when evening falls so
hard, I will comfort you ..."

Again, it was a sensational performance, almost operatic and completely
unexpected.  Ty was revealing for the first time a musical side of him that
he'd been suppressing; the all-round, complete performer.

The finale of "Bridge over Troubled Water" brought us to our feet and Ty
again thanked the orchestra, who stood, took a bow and walked off stage.
As Ty stood up from the piano, a stage hand quickly placed another stool
next to Ty's.

When he was back seated on his stool, he said "I loved the music of the
`60s and the `70s, but I was born at the start of the `80s and even though
I was very young, I can still remember the mighty Chisel!"

A roar of approval went up from the crowd in appreciation of the legendary
Australian rock band Cold Chisel, whose lead singer Jimmy Barnes was one of
Ty's idols.

"Once I could play guitar properly, I started learning all their stuff.
Check this out," he grinned as he gestured to the screen.  Again there was
grainy Super 8 footage of Ty in his bedroom playing his guitar.  This time,
a very young and cheeky looking Lachlan was sitting on the bed next to him
and together they sang a Chisel classic, with Lachlan singing excellent
harmony vocals.

When the footage stopped, Ty announced, "That was my little brother Lachie
and he's here with me tonight.  Would you welcome please ... Lachlan Hill?"

The audience went crazy as Ty's handsome brother strode on from side stage,
arms outstretched.  We all started to laugh when we realised he was wearing
Ty's discarded white ruffled `60s shirt over his Levi jeans.

As he sat on his stool he leaned into the mike and said to Ty, "I found
this backstage!  Cool, eh?"

Ty rolled his eyes and kissed his brother's cheek.  "You reckon we can
still do this?" he asked.

"One way to find out!" Lachlan grinned back, as Ty started to pluck the
opening chords of "When the War Is Over"*****

We were all mesmerised by the sheer power of Ty's voice as the ballad built
to its climax, with Lachlan's beautifully tuneful and understated harmony
as its backdrop.

As the audience again rose to its feet, the two brothers stood, an arm
around each other's shoulder, and bowed before walking into the wings.  The
sustained applause was in vain.  The house lights went up and the audience
was buzzing excitedly.  We all waited for a few minutes, for the first
surge of people to vacate the auditorium, before we made our way to the
foyer for a quick beer ahead of the second half.

Steve and I looked on with great amusement as Ellie and Fran enthused about
Lachlan's performance and expressed their huge surprise that `live', Ty was
"so amazing".

"He's extraordinary!" Fran gushed.  "I had no idea ..."

Dorothy smiled tolerantly.  "He's always been a very good singer dear," she
said kindly.

"Oh," said Fran apologetically.  "I didn't mean I didn't ever think he was
good.  It's just that I didn't realise how good he is!"

"We know what you meant," Frank nodded knowingly.

Just as the bells started to ring, Scott came bounding into view, excited
like a puppy.  "Man!" he enthused.  "This concert rocks!  Ty wants me to
find out what you think so far?"

Fran and Ellie went through their "never imagined" routine and Dot and
Frank passed on their assurance that Ty was doing a great job of
entertaining the crowd.  Steve waited until Dot was distracted before
leaning close to Scott's ear and whispering "tell him from me he's a
fuckin' legend!"

We started to make our way back into the auditorium and before he darted
off backstage, Scott asked me, "He especially wants to know what you
think?"

I grinned.  "Tell him I've had a boner since the moment he walked on
stage!" I whispered.  "And tell him I love him with all my heart."

Scott blinked and then leaned forward and stuck his fingers down his
throat, making an exaggerated gagging sound.  Before he scampered away, I
slapped him across the back of the head.  "Fuck off," I laughed.

Seated again, we were greeted by a dimly lit stage that appeared to have a
set put together to resemble a teenage boy's bedroom, like Ty's in the
footage that was screened earlier.

The chatter died down as the house lights dimmed and in the darkness, a
figure crossed to the bed and sat with a guitar.  I was wondering what Ty
was going to sing next when the stage lights came up to reveal Daniel
Keneally.  He needed no introduction; the audience knew who he was.  There
was enthusiastic applause as Daniel started to strum his guitar and then he
started to sing Ty's "Love on the Rocks', making a great fist of it.

He smiled as the audience clapped and waited until the noise had died down
before saying, "I was 14 when I first heard that song and I desperately
wanted to be Tyson Hill!  It was the same age that Tyson was when he was
learning the guitar and wanting to be Jimmy Barnes.  At a benefit concert
last year, Tyson finally got to sing with Jimmy Barnes and this year I
finally get to sing with Tyson Hill!"

The audience went off as Ty strolled on in jeans and an embroidered silk
shirt, walked behind Daniel, and hugged him.  "This kid is amazing!" Ty
told us.  "He's way better than I was at his age.  I reckon, that in years
to come, it'll be me saying `how good was it that I got to sing with Danny
Keneally?' rather than the other way round!"

They both moved to the stools and Ty sat empty handed as Daniel started to
strum "All You've Got to Give".  Ty sang the lead vocal as Daniel played
the tune and sang a beautiful melody line.  As the song ended and the
audience erupted, Ty leaned in and hugged Daniel again and then held his
arm out as Daniel left the stage.

"As you leave the arena tonight," Ty said to the audience, "you'll see some
good people collecting for the Leukemia Foundation.  Anything you can
spare, even the smallest coin, will help kids like Daniel Keneally who live
with cancer."  Punching the air he added, "You can do it, Sydney!"

Putting his guitar and stool aside, Ty spent the next 45 minutes blitzing
the remainder of his `greatest hits' repertoire, belting out his chart
successes and playing the role of Rock God to the hilt.

He ended the concert with "At The Close Of The Day" and left the stage to a
feverish standing ovation that quickly led to slow clapping and chants of
"more".  After a few moments, he returned and took several bows, prowled
the edge of the stage shaking hands, and accepting small gifts and roses
from fans who'd barged their way to the front.

He managed to quiet the crowd before launching into a sizzling,
high-powered version of "Angels on High" which saw many audience members
dancing in the aisles.

When it was clear the audience was not going to let him leave, Ty called
for quiet and then shrugged.  He looked at his band and scratched his head.
"That's all there is, eh fellas?" he asked them and they nodded.

The audience let out a collective groan, but Ty grinned.  "Well I guess
this gives me one more chance to play this amazing Yamaha piano!"

He sat on the piano stool and said, "You probably noticed in the first lot
of teenage footage, there was a baby boy on the floor?  That was Lachie's
and my little brother Scotty!  Of course, he's all grown up now and he's
been my backstage assistant for these Sydney dates.  Here's something I
used to sing to him when he was a baby!"

To the great amusement of the audience, he sat up straight, cracked his
fingers, put on a very serious face, and started to vamp ...

"If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise; If you
go down to the woods today you'd better go in disguise, For every bear that
ever there was will gather there for certain because, today's the day the
teddy bears have their picnic ..."

Somehow Ty managed to get the entire arena singing along with the classic
turn-of-the-century two-step children's song!  When he'd finished, he
stood, took several bows, and called out as he waved and left the stage,
"It's time for you lot to go home!"

**********

The family gathered in the foyer as the crowd made its exit and we listened
to the excited chatter among Ty's fans.  I smiled as I heard variations on
"fuck, he's gorgeous" and "Jesus, what a waste" and chuckled out loud when
I heard one gay guy tell another, "I just wanna wrap him up in a blanket
and take him home!"

Dot and Frank stood to one side, looking every bit the proud parents, while
Ellie and Fran checked out the merchandise stalls and then returned to my
side.

"How come we don't have Tyson Hill coffee mugs at home?" Ellie giggled.

"I've never known Ty to keep any of his own merchandise," I laughed.  "I
had a Tyson Hill tee-shirt early on, but Ty used it to clean up an oil
spill under his car and that was the end of that!  Now, I just get Vince to
organise one of everything so that Dot can keep it all safe!"

As the crowd thinned out, it was sweet to see Ellie's face light up when
her husband strolled through the foyer from the backstage area and swept
her up in his arms.

"You were fantastic Lachie!" she beamed proudly, kissing him on the lips.

"Well, of course!" Lachlan grinned as he preened himself.  "You've got
yourself your own private rock star!  I'm hoping I've got myself my own
dirty little groupie!"

"Lachlan Hill!"

"Sorry Mum!"

Scott suddenly darted into the foyer and beckoned us.  "Mr. Hill will see
you now!" he said tongue-in-cheek.  "Remember, no screaming, no crying, and
no grabbing!"

It was Frank who delivered the slap to the back of his head as Scott led us
through the maze to Ty's dressing room.  The door was closed and Scott
turned to me and said, "You wanna go in first and get the smooching over
with?"

I smirked.  "Don't mind if I do!"  I knocked and then entered, closing the
door behind me.

Sitting in front of his make-up mirror wearing a dressing gown, Ty was
midway through a plate of steamed zucchini and beans which he put down the
moment he saw my face in his mirror.  "Mate," he gasped as he leapt to his
feet, "what did you think?"

Holding my arms out, Ty sank into my embrace as I reassured him the show
was awesome. "You gob smacked me, mate!" I enthused.  "Talk about stepping
it up a notch!  I can't believe how much thought and hard work you've put
into the show."

"Mike," he said as he squeezed me.  "I really think I've found the happy
medium!  It's a way to keep the fans and the record company happy and at
the same time for me to feel like a real artist rather than just some
cardboard cutout of a rock star.  I felt so at home on that stage tonight."

"Well I can tell you the audience really dug it," I grinned.  "You saw the
reaction at the end!"

"It's been the same at every show so far.  They've been so accepting of me
doing my own thing!  I feel so ...  pumped!"

I couldn't resist slipping my hand between the folds of his dressing gown
and grabbing the front of his boxers.  "Ya don't feel all the pumped to
me!" I laughed.

A knock on the door distracted Ty.  "Just a minute," he called and then
turned to me and beamed.  "You wanna see pumped?  Just wait til later back
at the hotel!"

I hesitated.  "I wasn't planning on staying at the hotel," I said.

"You've gotta stay with me, tonight and tomorrow night," he whispered,
sounding shocked.  "Please?"

"Sure, it's just we never discussed it."

"I just assumed you'd stay with me in Sydney.  I've been hangin' out for a
bit of lawyer lovin'!  I fly out early Monday so you can just go to work
from the hotel?"

That agreed to, Ty opened the door to the onslaught.  First, it was his
extended family congratulating him and then we were joined by Ellie's Mum,
Lou and her date.  Finally, a very happy Vince cornered me to tell me that
the tour was all but sold-out and that merchandise sales had been through
the roof.

"Fuck, if I'd known this was gonna happen, I'd have encouraged him to come
out sooner!" he marvelled.

"You really think his coming out played a part in this?" I asked.

"Sure I do," Vince nodded.  "I think he's tapped into a large part of the
gay market that didn't take any notice of him before."

Ty and I got to talk briefly with Janet and her friend and she told Ty she
hadn't enjoyed a concert so much for years.  When Lachlan joined us, Janet
told him that for her, the highlights of the concert were his performance
with Ty and Ty's piano piece for Scott.  "You've found new ways of showing
your love for your brothers," she smiled.

Monique appeared in the room to gently round everyone up so they could be
ushered out.  She reminded us that Ty still had to do a `meet and greet'
with radio competition winners and also needed to deal with the swarm of
fans waiting outside the stage door for autographs.

Ty groaned.  "It's the show after the show!"

As we made to leave, Ty grabbed my arm.  "You," he ordered. "Stay!"

When Dot and Frank turned and looked questioningly at their son, he said
simply "Mike's staying with me tonight at the Intercontinental."

"But he doesn't have any other clothes with him!" Dot mentioned
practically.

"All sorted, Mama," Ty replied.  "Scotty's gonna pick Mike's stuff up and
drop it off at the hotel first thing in the morning.  You and Dad can go
back to the house with Lachie and Ellie."

I said my goodbyes quickly and left Ty to see everyone out while I ducked
into his bathroom and closed the door.  I quickly removed all my clothes
and waited until I heard Ty's dressing room door close.  "You OK in there?"
he called out.

I opened the door and walked back into his dressing room wearing the Batman
costume I had been wearing under my suit since we all left home for our pub
meal.  Ty was holding a bowl of steamed broccoli when I stood before him
and he started to giggle.

Holding the bowl up, he said in Boy Wonder voice, the line he so often
quoted, "I'm a little hungry, Batman!"

"Of course you are, Robin. Even crime-fighters must eat. Especially
you. You're a growing boy and you need your nutrition."

Ty was about to reply when Monique opened the door and poked her head in,
most likely to give Ty a `hurry- up'.  She took in the sight of me and
shook her head.  "I'm not even going to ask!" she groaned.  "Ty, you need
to be in the Green Room in five minutes!"

I went back to the bathroom to get dressed and when I walked out, Vince had
joined us.  Vince was all smiles, but tapping his foot on the floor.  "Come
on mate," he said to Ty, who was checking himself in the mirror.  "You look
pretty enough!  Let's do the meet and greet and then we can get outta
here."

Ty lead the way to the Green Room where fans, who'd won radio competitions
for tickets and the chance to meet their idol, were waiting.  As Ty walked
into the room, there were gasps and squeals as everyone surged forward,
almost surrounding him.  I watched, fascinated, as girls touched him and
hugged him and cried.  Ty took it all in his stride, smiling throughout and
giving the impression that he was as pleased to be there as they were.  He
patiently signed autographs, posed for photos, and every girl who wanted a
picture of herself being kissed on the cheek by Ty was obliged.

He gave them plenty of time and made sure he'd spoken to every one of them
before he let Monique escort him from the room with us in tow.  In the
corridor, Ty stopped and yawned loudly.

"Let's go mate," Vince urged.  "Do some signings at the stage door and
we'll get you out of here."

Monique paused.  "Ty, there's a couple in one of the waiting rooms who have
a disabled daughter in a wheelchair.  They brought her tonight because the
one thing that seems to keep her happy and calm is watching your DVDs over
and over.  They asked if you might spare a moment just to say hello to the
little girl ... but you don't have to.  I can say I tried to find you, but
you'd already left and I'll give her a signed tour poster."

"Of course I'll meet her," Ty said, shocked.  "What's her name?"

"Amber."

"How old?"

"14."

"The parents?"

"Dallas and Prue."

"And what's Amber living with?"

"Cerebral palsy."

"Sorry guys," Ty said to us.  "I've gotta do this.  You can go if you like,
Vince.  Mike's got his car so you can go with the driver and we'll just get
to the hotel ourselves when I'm done here."

"You sure?" Vince asked hopefully.

"I know you've got Miss-I-Can-Sing-Like A-Bird waiting in your room," Ty
grinned.  "Go get `er, Tiger!"

The two embraced and as Vince strolled off he called back, "You two guys
are the best.  You know ... for faggots!"

I followed Ty and Monique through the corridors until we reached a small
dressing room.  Ty opened the door and strode in confidently.  "Hello
Dallas, hi Prue, I'm Tyson Hill," he said as he held out his hand and
greeted them.  They both looked awestruck.

Ty spun on his heel towards the little girl in the wheelchair, who was
excited beyond belief, and pointed at her with a big grin on his face. "And
I know who this is!" he smiled.  "This is Amber!"

The girl did her best to communicate and said slowly "how do you know
that?"

Ty shrugged.  "I make a point of finding out the names of the prettiest
girls in the audience!"

Amber giggled.

Ty crouched down on the floor to be more level with his new friend.  "I
hope you enjoyed the show!" Ty grinned at her.

"You're the best!" she squealed.  "Just the best!"

"Tell me what song you liked the most?"

"I love them all!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Ty kidded.  "But I need to know which one you liked best
tonight?"

"Um, I liked the song you sang with your brother.  He's cute."

"Lachie?" Ty asked.  "You think Lachie's cute?"

"Yeah, but not as cute as you!"

"Thank goodness for that!" Ty laughed.  "Now tell me a little bit about
you?"

Monique encouraged the girl's parents to take some photos of their daughter
with Ty.  While that was happening, she dashed back to the production
office and returned with a show bag of Tyson Hill "goodies"; a tee shirt, a
baseball cap, a DVD, tour programme and poster, all of which Ty happily
signed for her.

"What do you want me to sign on the tee-shirt?" he asked.

"You could say I'm your girlfriend!" Amber suggested hopefully.

"Yeah, that's kewl!" Ty laughed.  "Is that OK with your Mum and Dad?"

Dallas and Prue, overwhelmed, simply nodded.  Ty signed the shirt, stood
up, and then bent to give Amber a hug and a kiss.

"Thank you for coming to see me," Amber said with some difficulty.

"No, thank you for coming to see me," Ty replied.  "And next time I'm doing
a concert, get your Mum and Dad to call Monique.  Her card is in your bag.
She'll arrange for you to watch it from the wings and you'll be able to see
what a concert is like from the other side of the stage!"

Amber's mother thanked Ty profusely and started to pack up her daughter's
things.  Before we left the room Ty was approached by Amber's father, who
had tears in his eyes.  "Thank you so much for doing this," he said, trying
not to let his voice break.  "You have no idea what this means to Amber."

Ty gave the father a hug and said, "This has been a privilege, sir.  She's
a beautiful girl."

Out in the corridor, Ty took a deep breath as the backstage security doors
opened and he was suddenly surrounded by more fans, who wanted him to sign
things.  He did what he could, with Monique playing `bad cop' and getting
him through it as quickly as possible.

In the loading bay we parted ways with Monique.  "Thanks mate!" Ty enthused
as he hugged her tight.  "I couldn't do this without you!"

"Go!" Monique laughed, "You've got your guy, so go make believe it's that
night on Bedarra!"

As we started walking towards to my car, I turned to Monique and mouthed,
"You knew?"

"Of course!" Monique shrugged.  "The whole next morning you couldn't keep
your eyes off one another!"

As we walked through the lobby of the hotel, Ty was waylaid by a group of
fans who were having drinks after the concert.  He happily chatted and
posed for some photographs while I picked up the room key and went ahead to
the suite.  In the lift to the 32nd floor, I realised this was the first
time we'd actually walked into a hotel as a couple.

Ty's room looked like a bomb had gone off.  Open suitcases were strewn
around the lounge room floor and clothes were draped over every available
surface.  The bathroom was just as bad.  I undressed and slipped on a hotel
bathrobe before putting my clothes in the wardrobe.

I lined up the suitcases on the floor and was folding clothes when Ty
walked through the door.  He looked sheepish when he saw me trying to sort
out his mess.

"You're hopeless!" I sighed.

"Yeah, but that's Scotty's job in the morning," he replied.

"What, cleaning up your mess?"

"I got him the job as a runner in Sydney and there's really not a lot of
`running' that needs doing," Ty explained.  "So to justify the bucks he's
being paid, I had to find something for him to do.  So he'll pack for me
tomorrow morning."

"You want me to just leave this?"

"Yeah," Ty smirked. "Let's get into bed and cuddle!"

I watched as Ty stripped and slid under the covers, immediately sinking
under my outstretched arm and resting his head on my chest.  He was still
on a post-concert high and started to talk about the show, but his
excitement was peppered with yawns.  I let him talk as I stroked his curly
hair and when he stopped talking mid-sentence, I knew he was asleep.  I
continued to gently stroke his head until I too let sleep claim me.

**********

It felt exhilarating to wake in the morning with Ty, who was still fast
asleep with his head on my chest.  I slowly maneuvered him so that he
rolled on his side and I could spoon with him; my arm draped around his
chest, my cock resting in the warm crevice of his ass cheeks.

With my face resting in the crook of his neck, my nose registered the faint
aroma of sweat and Hugo Boss `Baldessarini'.  I was almost asleep again
when we were both woken by Ty's mobile.  Groggily, he reached for it and
looked at the caller ID before accepting the call.

"Yeah Mon?" he yawned and then listened as she rattled off the schedule for
the day.

"No media?" he asked.  "I don't have to be at the venue until 3:00 for
sound check?  That's great!  Nah, I'm just gonna hang at the hotel with
Mike, maybe have some lunch.  Thanks Mon!"

Ty disconnected the call, jumped out of bed, used the bathroom, and then
climbed back into bed, grabbing me and kissing me in the process.  "Morning
mate!" he grinned.  "You feel pretty good!"

I returned the kiss as Ty's hand moved sensually down my chest and over my
stomach before wrapping itself around Mr. Morning Wood.

"I haven't sucked a dick for a while," he smirked.

"I'm pleased to hear it!"

"I might be out of practice!"

"Nah, it'll come back to you," I assured him as I gently pushed his head
towards the cock he was offering to suck.  Naturally the skills all came
flooding back to him.  I showed my appreciation by letting fly with a
string of invective that would have made Dorothy faint, before flooding his
mouth with several days worth of stored-up man batter.

I'd stopped panting, we'd kissed, and I was about to return to favour when
the doorbell rang.

"Shit! Ty exclaimed.  "Were we expecting anyone?"

"Don't think so," I replied.  "Can you see who it is?  My legs are still
jelly!"

Ty jumped out of bed and stomped naked into the adjoining room, his
beautifully sculptured ass flexing as he strode.  Standing with his body
hidden, he opened and stuck his head around the door.  "Yes?" he snapped.
"Oh, it's you!  Why are you here so fucking early?"

I heard Scott laugh.  "It's 10 o'clock, you loser!  Let me in."

Ty opened the door and Scott walked in.  He looked at Ty and giggled.
"You've got a boner!" he cackled.

"Not for much longer I suppose," Ty grumbled.  "Jesus, every time I'm about
to get my rocks off, one of you guys turns up."

"I brought your stuff," Scott said, grinning at me and holding up a zipped
bag of clothes and a wet pack.

"Thanks mate," I smiled.

Ty climbed back into bed as Scott kicked his shoes off.  "Think I need to
lie down for a minute," he said hopefully.  "Can I get in?"

I rolled my eyes and held back the doona cover.  Before Scott could move,
Ty grizzled, "haven't you got something else you need to be doing?
Something that doesn't involve you being here?"

"Thanks Mike," Scott smirked as he walked around to the other side of the
bed, "but I actually want to get into bed with my big brother, because I
love him so much and I'm so proud of him after last night's kickass concert
..."

"You fuckin' asshole," Ty groaned as he held back his side of the doona.
Scott jumped in, kissed his brother, leaned over and kissed me, and then
asked, "Can we order breakfast.  I'm starving!"

As the brothers bickered and smacked each other around, I ordered food and
within half an hour we were tucking into a carefully chosen breakfast.
Scott then set about putting things in Ty's suitcases, proving he was much
better at packing than his brother.  At 11:30 Ty, still desperate to
unburden his balls, was just seeing Scott out when the lift doors opened
and Lachlan walked towards our suite, a bassinet in each hand carrying a
wide awake baby boy.

"Hey, Ty!" Lachlan enthused.  "Ellie and I thought we'd bring Mum and Dad
in for a late brekkie at the buffet downstairs.  I thought seeing you're
here, maybe I'd leave the boys with you for a couple of hours, so Ellie can
actually relax and enjoy her meal?"

"Yeah sure mate," Ty nodded.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Lachlan asked.

"Nah, just having a late start today.  That's why I'm not dressed."

Scott snickered.  "He's been trying to get his dick sucked since like, 10
o'clock, when I turned up!" he laughed.

Lachlan grinned.  "You'll have to wait a bit longer then!" he cackled as he
handed his sons over to their uncle.  "They've slept, they've eaten, and
they've been changed.  Ellie says you can play with them, but don't get
them too worked up!"

Ty came back to the bedroom with two bassinets.  He put them on the floor,
took out one nephew and then the other, and placed them in the bed between
us.  Before he settled, he unwrapped their blankets and let them lie and
kick in their nappies and singlets.

I enjoyed watching Ty's reaction to the babies.  He talked to them and blew
raspberries on their tummies.  He made them giggle and he sang to them, all
the while touching their faces and stroking their arms.  He was so good
with them, so caring and loving.

"Aren't they ace, Mike?" he asked.

"Yes mate, they are.  Lachlan and Ellie are fantastic parents, Ty."

"Just like Mum and Dad," Ty nodded.

Ty continued to play with the boys until they started to yawn and we
watched them as they both just slipped off to sleep.  Ty turned his
attention to me and after a long, dreamy kiss, he got a bit more intimate.

"We can't!" I laughed.  "Not with the babies on the bed!"

Ty sighed as he stood up and carefully placed each baby back in his
bassinet.  He jumped back into bed and we started the mating dance.  It was
more of a quickstep really.  I had his boxers around his ankles and was
just about to swallow him when the doorbell rang again.

"Jesus!" he seethed.  "I just need 10 minutes!  Is that too much to ask?"

I squeezed his rampant dick.  "Two minutes is all I reckon you need!" I
laughed.

"Who is it?" Ty yelled, the annoyance evident in his voice.

"It's your Mother, Tyson," was the reply.

"I'll get it," I assured him as I leapt out of bed, pulled on some jeans
and a tee shirt, and opened the door to the suite.

"Hello Michael dear," Dot said.  "I was just downstairs and I thought maybe
I should just make sure that Rodney and Matthew are alright and to see
whether you and Tyson need any help."

I assured her everything was fine as she walked into the room, looking left
at Ty sitting up in bed.  "Have I come at a bad time?" she asked
innocently.  "Tyson's not sick is he?"

"Not at all Dot," I assured her.  "The babies are asleep and Ty thought
he'd take the opportunity to have a nap too.  I've just been reading."

"I didn't wake you did I, dear?" Dot asked her son.

"No Mum," Ty sighed.  "Come in and check the boys for yourself.  They're
both asleep down there," he said, pointing to the bassinets.

Dot walked in and fussed around her grandsons, making sure their blankets
were tight and their temperatures were normal.

"They seem to be alright," Dot announced.

"They're fine Mama," Ty said.  "They'll sleep for a while yet.  You
shouldn't be worrying about them while you're supposed to be enjoying
breakfast."

"Well, breakfast is over now, son," Dot replied.  "I saw Vincent downstairs
and he'll be waiting for you in the hotel foyer in just a few minutes.
Your sound check, is that what they call it?  It's now earlier."

"Shit!" said Ty.

"Tyson!" said Dot.

"Sorry Mum.  I need to get dressed."

Ty disappeared into the bathroom to shower and shave.  I saw Dot to the
door and checked on the babies one more time.  While Ty got dressed, I
threw together everything he needed to take to the venue before taking a
call from Vince, making me promise to have Ty out the door and in the foyer
within five minutes.

"You gotta go," I said.

"I've got a Top 5 album and a sold out tour, and I can't even get a blow
job!" Ty grumbled.

I kissed him.  "You'll get a blowjob," I promised him.  "Later."

He kissed me back.  "I love you," he smiled.

"Go!" I said, as I pushed him out the door.  "I'll see you before the
show!"

I closed the door and immediately opened it again, knowing that Ty would
still be standing there with his hand luggage, looking cute but bewildered.

"Yeah, I love you too!" I smirked.  "Now go and make the girls squeal!"

Only minutes had gone by before both babies woke together and started to
make baby sounds.  Simultaneously the doorbell rang and their parents
arrived to whisk them home.

The suite was suddenly quiet and I enjoyed a cup of coffee gazing at the
harbour, before shaving, showering, and dressing.  It was some hours before
the second show and most of the family had things they needed to do so I
took advantage of some free time to call Steve and had him meet me for a
leisurely Sunday lunch at Circular Quay.

We shared a seafood platter, a bottle of wine, and chatted freely about
where we were in our lives.  Towards the end of the bottle I asked
cautiously, "So you're really ready to tie the knot, mate?"

Steve smiled.  "I know!  Who'd have thought?" he chuckled.  "But Mike,
she's the most awesome chick.  I just wanna be with her every day.  She
gets me, I get her.  As for the sex, mate, let me tell you ..."

I held up a hand.  "Spare me the details!" I laughed.

"You and Tyson?" Steve asked, eyebrows raised.  "You're OK?"

"Yeah," I nodded.  "We're OK.  He's everything I could ever want.  Well, OK
... I wasn't expecting my perfect guy to be a rock star, but that came with
the package."

"Did you just mention his package?  That's just wrong!"

"I wasn't talking about that package, but now that you mention it ..."

**********

I arrived at the arena earlier than the family did.  They were coming from
Point Piper and I was just a leisurely train ride away.  I knew that at
4:30 Ty had a one hour snooze in his dressing room, so I timed my arrival
for 4:20.  My backstage pass gained me access and I quickly said hello to
some of the crew and a couple of his band members, who were sitting around
the loading dock eating pizza. It occurred to me that maybe they now knew I
was Ty's partner, although nothing was ever said.

In the final corridor I bumped into Vince who was tiptoeing past Ty's
dressing room.

"You're early," he whispered.  "Come to the Green Room with me while Romeo
sleeps and we can have some beer!"

"Give me 15 minutes, mate," I smiled.  "I need to talk to Ty but I'll catch
you at about a quarter to five?"

"If you wake him, he'll be grumpy!" Vince warned.

"Trust me; he won't be grumpy after he hears what I have to say!" I
laughed, licking my lips in an exaggerated way.

"I don't wanna know!" Vince groaned as he walked away.  "Come have beer
when you're ready."

I ignored the `Do Not Disturb' sign on Ty's dressing room door and opened
it quietly.  Sure enough he was sound asleep on his couch is his dressing
gown, his legs conveniently spread.

I let myself into the room, moved quietly to the floor in front of Ty, and
started to lightly lick his penis.  He squirmed once or twice, sighed, and
as his manhood started to swell he sat upright and gasped "WHAT THE FUCK?"

I grinned as he focussed on my face and after a moment of alarm, he
relaxed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm helping you relax before your concert!" I grinned as I engulfed his
dick and started working my magic.  He squirmed and groaned some more, then
he moaned, then he panted, and then he came.  I knew it had been a couple
of days but really?  That much?

"Mate!" he sighed, as he came down to earth.  "Jesus ..."

"I owed you one!" I laughed as I stood.  "You've still got more than half
an hour to have a sleep.  I'll be in the Green Room with Vince."  As I let
myself out of the dressing room, the last thing I saw was Ty's goofy grin
as he closed his eyes again.

I had some beer with Vince, had a quick bite to eat with Monique, and met
the family in the foyer before the start of the concert.  We all had time
for a drink in the bar and it was nice to see George so obviously looking
forward to the show.

Seated, I looked around at the expectant faces of the audience as they
waited for the house lights to dim.  I spotted Monique and her friends
nearby and waved to Max and his daughter Mia, two rows behind us.

As the house lights went down and Ty's band took their places, George
leaned across to me.  "I heard someone say Lachlan is singing tonight too?"
he asked expectantly.

"I'm not going to spoil it for you George," I whispered back.  "It's a
great show.  You'll love it!"

And love it he did.  I hadn't seen George so enthralled before.  He enjoyed
the early footage and was the first to stand when Lachlan and Ty closed the
second half with "When the War is Over".

During intermission I had a moment to introduce Max and his daughter to
Ty's family.  I knew they were curious to meet the man who answered my
mobile phone all those times while Ty and I were living apart.  I smiled at
the way Dot and Frank spoke so highly of me to Max, probably thinking their
kind words would curry me some favour with "the boss".  As we made our way
back to our seats, Max winked at me and said, "See you after the show."

I could tell how impressed George was to see and hear Daniel in action.  "I
wouldn't have thought he was up to the pace of a national tour, sir," he
whispered during the applause.

"He's not, George," I answered.  "It's a special appearance, just for
Sydney."

The concert continued and Ty's performance was every bit as polished as the
previous evening.  He seemed even more relaxed and happy as he strutted the
stage, giving his fans all they had hoped for and more.

The standing ovation that greeted Ty's encore performance of "Angels on
High" was thunderous and tonight he just stood in the spotlight with his
hands in a prayer pose, milking the moment.  He left the stage, but was
finally brought back after an enthusiastic round of slow clapping.

Again, he made a great show of seemingly being ready to play a serious
classical piano piece before launching into "Teddy Bear's Picnic", the
audience lapping it up once more.  By the song's end, the entire arena was
on its feet singing or fudging along.

While the family stayed seated waiting for the crowd to thin, I slipped out
to the foyer and met Max and Mia, who were both full of praise for Ty.

"That was a different concert than what I expected," Max reflected.

"What were you expecting?"

"I don't know," Max replied, scratching his chin.  "I thought it would just
be the normal rock concert, lots of hits and really loud noise.  That was a
real show, and man, he can really sing!"

"Dad!" said Mia, rolling her eyes.  "You're so out of touch!"  Turning to
me, she kissed me lightly on the cheek.  "Good to see you again Mike," she
smiled.  "That's the best concert I've been to in years!  He's fantastic!"

I guided them back through the backstage area, past security, and tapped on
Ty's door.  "Hello?" Ty called.

"Just me, mate!" I called back.  "I have Max and Mia with me."

"Hang on while I put some trousers on!" Ty chuckled and a few moments later
he opened the door and welcomed us inside.  I introduced Max and Mia and I
could tell straight away that Ty liked Max.  They all shook hands and Ty
accepted their plaudits with his customary humility.

While Mia and I poured glasses of wine, Ty and Max engaged in conversation
and I heard Ty say, "Thanks for everything you did for Mike when we were
... you know ... going through a rough patch."

"He's a valuable employee, son," Max replied.  "I know I don't have to say
this, but I will anyway.  You've got yourself a damn good man there.  Hang
on to him!"

"Don't you worry about that, mate!" Ty grinned.  "I'm keeping him for
good!"

We just managed a quick toast when the door flew open and everyone filed
in.  There was enough time for everyone to have a quick drink before
Monique arrived to round up the herd.  Ty made a point of thanking Max and
Mia for coming to the concert and without prompting invited them and Mia's
sister Hannah to join us for dinner at Point Piper when the tour was over.

One by one, each member of Ty's family and their respective partners were
kissed and hugged by both of us and eventually we were alone. Scott had
already packed up Ty's dressing room bags and they were loaded on to the
truck which would drive through the night to Canberra for the next concert,
ahead of Ty's flight the following day.

Tonight, there was no meet-and-greet with sponsors or competition winners,
just the stage door swarm to get through and we would be back in Ty's hotel
suite to spend our last night together until early the following week.

I opened the door to leave but Ty reached over and closed it again.  He
pushed me up against it, leaned in, and kissed me hard, holding the back of
my head.

"What was that for?" I gasped when he finally let me take a breath.

"That was because I love you," he grinned, "and instead of thinking it, I'm
going to tell you I love you whenever it crosses my mind.  You fuckin' rock
my world."

I touched my boy's face tenderly as I looked into those dazzling eyes and
drank in the love I could see in them.  I kissed him lightly.  "For some
people the heavens can get it so right!"

He giggled.

"What?" I asked.  "I meant it!"

"Yeah, and you nicked if from Tina Arena's `Now I Can Dance'!" he laughed,
slapping his forehead with his palm.  "My lawyer is learning to quote
lyrics!"

Ty grabbed my arm.  "Let's go, lawyer boy.  I need some urgent
out-of-session lovin' in my chambers and I need it right now!"

**********

It seemed to take forever for Ty to get through the crowd waiting at the
stage door but as always he was gracious and generous with his time.
Monique did her best to move him through the pack while I waited patiently
in the Tarago with Ty's driver.

It was just past midnight when he finally emerged from the lift and, after
kissing Monique goodnight, he made a sprint for the car, jumped in next to
me and said to his driver "let's go!"  We were dropped off in the hotel
basement and caught the lift from there to avoid any fans waiting in the
hotel lobby and a few minutes later Ty slipped his key into the door of his
suite.

As he switched the lights on we looked at each other and smiled.  Scott had
obviously dropped into the hotel on his way home to pack Ty's luggage for
his early flight the next day.  Order had been restored to the bomb site
that had been Ty's rooms earlier in the day and he sighed with gratitude
knowing he didn't have to worry about his quick exit.

"He's a good boy!" Ty grinned at me.

"He's left a note," I chuckled, as I picked up a sheet of hotel stationary
with Scott's familiar scrawl on it.

"What does it say?"

"Men!" I read aloud.  "Scotty the Marvellous has done all the packing so
there's nothing for you two to do except go to bed and play with each
other's man parts!  Stage outfits have been steamed and pressed and they're
in Bag 1.  Other clothes and undies and socks have been laundered and
they're in Bag 2 with all your bathroom stuff.  Flight check-in details are
at the top of the hand luggage along with ID.  I booked you a reminder call
for 8:00am.  I ordered breakfast for two for 8:30 and Justin (the driver)
will pick you up at 9:30.  Don't be late.  Flight is at 11:00. Love Scott.
P.S.  Love you Ty!  Love you Mikey!"

"Man, he's turning into a regular little George!" Ty laughed.

"I don't think George would be leaving us notes telling us to play with
each other's man parts!" I smirked.  "Great idea though!"

"Hold that thought!" Ty suggested as he started to strip.  "Just gonna have
a quick shower and then I'm all yours!"

As Ty showered and sang through the verses of `Jackie', I undressed and
slipped into bed to wait for him.  He strolled into the room toweling
himself dry.

"I stuffed up `Jackie' tonight," he sighed.  "Did you notice?"

"No mate, I didn't," I said truthfully.  "I don't know the lyrics though."

"Yeah, I did half of the second verse and then ended it with the second
half of the third verse. It threw me for a moment."

"It didn't show!"

Ty dropped his towel and slid in next to me under the sheets.  I reached
for him and drew him close to me, kissing his neck.  He was still
absent-mindedly running through the lyric ... "When my angelic work was
through, the angels and the Devil too would sing my childhood song to me,
about the time they called me 'Jackie' ..."

To get his attention, I slid my hand down his chest, over his belly, and
cupped his danglers.  "The court is now in session!" I announced.  "Order
in the court!"

Ty stopped singing and grinned.  "I'm guilty, Your Honour!" he laughed.  "I
am at the mercy of the court."

I rolled Ty on his back, rolled on top of him, and as his legs wrapped
around my waist I showed him no mercy for the next 24 minutes and 17
seconds.  Thereafter, we spent a further 10 or so minutes holding each
other tight and savoring our shared intimacy.

As we repositioned ourselves for slumber, the last thing I heard in my ear
before sleep overtook me was Ty's whispered "I love you, mate."

**********

All too soon daylight came and the new day was underway.  We shared
breakfast together in our suite and I smiled at the incongruity; here I was
dressed in my designer suit for another day of legal upheavals, while Ty
was decked out in rock star clobber.  I was clean shaven with perfectly
combed hair, Ty was unshaven, and his head was a mass of unruly curls.
While I carried a black leather Armani briefcase, Ty had a black canvas bag
slung across his shoulder and carried a half-full bottle of water in his
hand.

Yet as he strode ahead of me to the lifts, my eyes ignored our differences
in presentation.  They were fixed on his spectacular ass.

As we headed for the foyer and Ty's waiting driver, we kissed all the way
from the 32nd floor to the 10th when we were suddenly interrupted by a
young Asian couple who looked at us strangely as they stepped into the
lift.  Perhaps men who love each other don't kiss in lifts in Japan?

We exchanged a manly hug in the foyer before Ty made his way to the Tarago,
followed by a porter with his luggage.  He stopped for a couple of
autographs in front of the hotel and then he was gone.  Off to Canberra,
then on to Newcastle, the Gold Coast, and Brisbane before he would return
to the happiness of our shared world.

I sighed as I started to walk to work, smiling to myself as I went over in
my mind the exquisite night we'd enjoyed making love.  Ty and I were
somehow finding our way back to where we were before things started to
unravel, no small thanks to our counsellor Janet and Ty's loving family,
and I had a real sense that this time, we weren't going to look back.

Busy as I was, I smiled on and off throughout the day, every time I thought
of my curly-headed Boy Wonder with the beautiful smile and the marshmallow
lips.  More than once I lingered in my office behind my desk, aware that
tailored Hugo Boss trousers look great, but do little to disguise a boner.

Following an early afternoon meeting between the junior and senior
partners, Max walked me back to my office and sat down opposite me.

"It's nice to see you smiling again, son," he offered.

"I'm happy, Max," I said simply.

"I'm glad," he smiled.  "I get it now, what you see in him."

"You didn't before?"

"I only ever saw his public face.  Seeing you together, it's a palpable
thing.  He adores you and I know how much you love him.  It's nice to see.
If there are two guys who can make it work, it's you two."

"Thanks Max!" I grinned.  "That's the plan!"

"And you'll both make it work.  But remember it won't be a piece of cake,
Mike.  He's a very famous man and he's living in a fishbowl.  You have to
make some allowances for that.  When you get up and go to work every
morning, you can walk around the city and be anonymous.  Tyson can't.  He
leaves the house every morning and he's recognised and approached.  He's
`Tyson Hill' the minute he steps outside his safe little world with you. I
think he deals with it because he knows he's got you to come home to."

My body slumped. "I should have let you race me off all those years ago!" I
laughed.  "You're the nicest guy, Max!"

"Yeah," Max grinned back.  "It would have been a disaster though."

"Why's that?"

"Cleopatra hates you."

**********

Life at Point Piper chugged along as usual while Ty was on tour.  I somehow
managed to convince his family to stay around until the tour ended so they
could see him before they headed back to their lives in Stanthorpe.  It
took some convincing.  Dot and Frank were concerned they'd been away from
the farm for too long.  It took an offer from Steve and Fran to drive back
to Stanthorpe to check all was running as it should for them to agree to
kick back in Sydney for a few extra days.

Fortunately, Steve loved the freedom of Australia's long, open roads, his
pretty girlfriend by his side as they cruised through the states with music
blaring, stopping late at night at roadside motels where they could indulge
their sexual fantasies before hitting the road again the following morning.

Work kept me busy and focussed for eight or nine hours a day and I came
home to a routine established by Dot and George.  Everything was always
spotlessly clean, dinner was always underway, and the newest members of the
Hill family were always centre stage, gurgling in their bouncenettes as
their father kept them entertained, his sense of fatherly pride growing day
by day.

Scott and Simon were working long hours in their part-time jobs and
juggling their university commitments, but they often turned up at Worseley
Road at meal times and several nights a week they slept over.  I suspected
it was because Scott enjoyed having his family close and he and Simon both
enjoyed keeping Roddy and Matty fed and amused.

We always shared an evening meal even when two or more of our houseguests
had something else to do in the evenings.  It worked well for me, giving me
some one-on-one time with these people who were now so much a part of my
life.

I spent a nice night with Ellie when everybody else went out and we were
able to share our different plans for the future.  Ellie confided how much
she truly loved her strapping husband and in turn, how much she felt loved
by him.  Her simplest joy was watching the look of wonder and delight on
Lachlan's face when she rose each morning and brought their baby sons back
to bed for a cuddle.

One evening, I sat in the lounge with Frank and was able to explain to him
for the first time, in simple terms, how the financial side of Ty's career
worked; royalty advances and recoupment, tour guarantees and profits,
record royalties and publishing advances, mechanical royalties and
performance royalties.  Frank's eyes glazed over once or twice, but by the
time I'd finished explaining, he had a loose grip on where his first son's
income streams derived.

Another night, when Scott was working late and Ellie and Lachlan took Frank
and Dot out for dinner, I was able to have an evening alone with Simon.  I
was able to listen to his version of how his relationship with Scott was
travelling.  While George and I regurgitated the same old cautions and
rules, the conversation gave me a much better idea of who Simon Miller was.
Time well spent.

With Steve and Fran finally back from their Stanthorpe run, the whole
family spent Saturday together having a picnic on the beach.  The weather
was fine and sunny and all of us -- Scruffy included -- feasted on food
that had been prepared and packed by Dot and George.  It was just a little
too cool for a dip in the ocean so instead we boys played beach volleyball
until Scott's cheating resulted in a free-for-all of roughhousing and an
all-male `stacks on the mill'.

I was aware that Ty would be flying home from Brisbane quite early the next
morning, to rest a while after his arduous 12-date tour, and mindful I
should be having an early night, but we were all having so much fun in the
sand that afternoon suddenly turned to evening.  Lachlan and Scott built a
small bonfire in the sand using driftwood and branches and despite their
mother's protests that beach fires were highly illegal and we were all
destined for prison, we sat around the crackling fire and talked and sang
until George appeared with pizzas he'd ordered back at the house.

It was only when Simon stood and reminded us that he was working a late
shift at the supermarket that things began to wind up.  Our hot water
system was sorely tested with so many showers needed, though naturally it
was Lachlan who offered to save water by showering with his wife.  Steve
saw wisdom in that thinking and he and Fran shared a shower too.

"I'm glad you boys are so energy conscious!" Frank smirked.  "So whaddaya
think Dorothy?  Maybe we should share a shower?"

Dot giggled.  "I don't think so Frank!" she smiled.  "The last time we did
that, Scott arrived nine months later!"

Scott recoiled.  "Ewwwww, Mum!" he gasped, "that's gross!"

"Nah, that's cool Scott!" I chuckled.  "Some kids born before you were
`flower children'.  You're one of the `shower children'!"

I showered last, helped George clean up, and said my goodnights.  I'd just
settled in bed and was about to turn the lights off when my door opened and
a forlorn-looking Scott appeared in the doorway in his Army boxers and
singlet.

"I'm scared of the dark!" he whispered, albeit it with a grin.

I rolled my eyes and lifted up the doona as Ty's younger mirror image
darted across the carpet and slid in next to me.

"Just so you know, Dutch ovens will not be tolerated," I yawned as I closed
my eyes ...

**********

I was snug and warm when I started to wake in the morning.  I knew I should
be getting the day underway and preparing for Ty's imminent arrival, but
the dream I'd been having about him was too good to surrender straight
away.

I was vaguely aware of Scott's gentle breathing on the other side of the
bed, and of the bedroom door opening and then closing a few seconds later.
It was probably George, kindly allowing me a few more minutes to snooze
before he served breakfast.

A short time later I heard the door open again and suddenly I was shocked
awake by what sounded like a police raid.  Confused, I sat up as I heard an
amplified voice bark instructions: "The curly-haired boy needs to step away
from the bed!" it began.

Scott also sat bolt upright, rubbing his eyes in disbelief as we both
stared at a grinning Ty walking around the bed and talking into a megaphone
he'd obviously found somewhere in one of his many road cases.

"I'll say it again.  The curly-haired boy will rise and step away from the
bed.  He does not belong in this room.  The cute lawyer is already spoken
for.  He can stay.  The curly-haired boy will vacate the room immediately."

Scott started to giggle before he leapt from the bed and jumped on his
brother, who hugged him so hard I thought his young ribs might break.

The sudden commotion brought people hurrying from all over the house and
our bedroom quickly filled with family, all delighted to see Ty and amused
by his novel way of waking us up.

Everyone was talking at once until George clapped his hands loud enough to
catch our attention and then spoke into the megaphone: "You all need to go
and get ready for breakfast," he announced sternly.  "Please be on the
balcony 40 minutes from now."

Two by two our bedroom visitors filed out and headed for bathrooms in other
parts of the house.  Alone with me, Ty kicked the bedroom door closed and
stretched out on the bed next to me.

"Hey handsome!" he grinned, before drawing me into a long, languid kiss.
"I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, mate!" I smiled.  I added, "By the way, the reason
Scott was in bed with ...", but Ty put his finger on my lips to stop me
continuing.

"No explanation needed mate," he assured me.  "My brothers love you and
that's all that's important to me.  They can get into bed with you any time
they like!"

"Really?"

"Really!" he smirked.  "Of course, they've gotta keep their hand to
themselves.  I've already warned them, `no touching'!"

We smooched some more and before being tempted to tear Ty's clothes off, I
stopped and dragged myself out of bed.  "Gotta shower," I told him.
"Otherwise we'll be late for breakfast and it's not a good idea to piss off
the old bloke!"

Ty followed me into the en suite and as I shaved, he filled me in on a
meeting he'd had in Brisbane with two of the directors of the Yamaha
Australia.

"You were right!" Ty enthused.  "They'd heard about me playing the piano in
the concerts and saw some footage on YouTube.  They asked me if I'd
consider an endorsement and I told them all about the music school in Palm
Beach."

"What did they say?"

"They thought it was a good PR angle for them, especially if I was
involved," he said.  "I gave them your card and told them to ring you and
talk about it.  I told them the dream would be to get a baby grand for the
school, even a secondhand one, and they hinted that they might give us a
baby grand and a couple of uprights.  That would be so ace, Mike!"

"Leave it to me, mate" I replied as I let my towel drop and stepped into
the shower, aware of Ty's eyes roaming hungrily over my body.

He groaned as I rubbed my soapy hands all over my body seductively, but
composed himself when he heard his father in the bedroom.

Frank knocked on the bathroom door.  "You boys nearly ready?" he called
out.

"Yeah Dad!" Ty called back.  "Come on in.  Mike's just finishing his
shower."

Frank walked in and handed me a towel as I turned off the taps.  As I dried
myself, Frank took a moment to congratulate Ty on his concerts.

"Your Mother and I are very proud of you, son," he said.  "We sat there
thinking we're the parents of a really big star!"

"Thanks Dad!" Ty said sincerely, pulling his father into a hug.  "I'd never
have been able to do it without the help and encouragement you and Mum gave
me, so you two deserve most of the credit!"

"Come on boys, let's eat," Frank grinned, steering us out of our room
towards the balcony.

Over another of George's sumptuous weekend breakfast buffets, everyone
chattered excitedly about Ty's tour and gave him the feedback he craved
about how the different elements of his show worked.  He made it known he
was as keen for criticism as he was for compliments, but nobody reported
anything they didn't like.

Long after the breakfast dishes were cleared away, we all stayed on the
balcony and talked, discussing our immediate plans.  Our families all faced
an afternoon of packing for their return to Stanthorpe the following day.

Ty's only plan was to have a long afternoon `nap' with me ahead of a
slap-up family dinner in the evening, but first, he called for wine and
proposed some toasts.

The first was to his Mother and Father, whom he thanked for all they'd done
for him and his brothers.  The second was to Lachlan and Scott, whom he
thanked for always being his best mates and for sticking by him through
everything.  Next was a toast to his extended family, which had accepted
him and his "crazy career" and had brought new happiness to the Hill clan.

He proposed a quick toast to "scary George, for everything he does for us,"
and to "my two little mates in rompers, may they grow up to be as close as
brothers as me, Lach, and Scotty have and always will be."

All eyes were on Matty and Roddy as they were jiggled on the knees of
Lachlan and Scott.  Ty raised his glass again.  "Just one more," he said
and suddenly I felt all eyes on me.

"This one's to my guy here, my handsome lawyer and my soul mate ..."

He momentarily stumbled for words.  "Mate," he said, his eyes suddenly
filled with tears.  "I didn't deserve a second chance, but you've given me
one.  I got you back and I promise you this, I will never ever let you go
again."

In danger of shedding tears myself, I leaned in and hugged Ty to the crook
my neck, rubbing his back as I smooched his cheek.

He suddenly composed himself and said brightly, "Hey!  Guess what I did
while I was on the road?"

"Hey!  Let me guess!" Lachlan laughed.  "You wrote another song for Mike?"

Ty looked surprised.  "How did you know?"

"Oh, just a wild hunch mate!" Lachlan chuckled, as he punched his older
brother on the arm.  "Let's hear it!"

"Well, it's nowhere near finished," Ty said, clearing his throat, "but the
chorus goes like this: `I look at my life now so truly blessed, just be
here, just love me, I'll do the rest ..."

Ellie suddenly put down her wine glass and clasped her hand over her lower
face.  For a moment I thought she was crying but she suddenly lurched from
her seat, ran to the edge of the balcony rail, and threw up over the
railing.

Ty was truly startled.  "It wasn't that bad, was it?" he asked, half
seriously.

"Are you OK sweetheart?" Lachlan asked as he sprang to his feet.

Ellie turned and faced us all and with a look halfway between a grin and a
grimace, she confessed, "I'm pregnant!"

The three Hill boys were in various stages of racing to her side when Dot
gasped and exclaimed quite loudly, "Oh shit!"

Now this was a moment the three brothers just couldn't let pass.  They all
stopped in their tracks, turned to Dorothy and in unison they cried,
"Dorothy Hill!"

Embarrassed beyond belief, their Mother flushed and quickly said, "Sorry
boys!" ...


* finit *


More than a year and a half later, this is -- for now -- the final
installment of `Love On The Rocks'.  Thanks to all of you who've taken the
time to share the journey with me, and with Ty, Mike and all the gang.

I say `for now' because once I've had a good break from the steady pressure
of writing I would like to revisit these characters who have become so much
a part of all of our lives, and bring you an `Epilogue' -- `Love On The
Rocks -- Five Years On'.

As always, you can hear other versions of songs referenced in this chapter
via the following links:

* "For You" by John Denver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a9mJzy5cY0

** "Lawyers in Love" by Jackson Browne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMW7xcUl8-Q

*** "Jackie" by Scott Walker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GiuYupoWzc

**** "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Mark Vincent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3iFXhVbTGA

***** "When the War is Over" by Cosima De Vito
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eluDQ7y0TRo