Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2004 21:53:18 +0100 From: Drew Hunt Subject: The House On The Hill 19 This work is copyright. I have given permission for a copy of this story to be placed on the Nifty Archives under the terms of their submission agreement. But This work may not be copied or archived onto any other website or newsgroup without the prior written permission of the author. This story is fiction, it didn't happen, to the best of the author's knowledge no one in the story exists in real life. If you have a problem with reading stories of a homosexual nature, then bugger off. Also you shouldn't read on if you are below the age of consent, or you have the misfortune to reside in an area where reading and downloading this kind of material is against the law. A big round of applause for Lars and Tom W for helping out once again. Chapter 19 Before anyone knew it, the weeks had sped by and the half term holidays were almost upon the students of St Winifred's High School. Ben had been looking forward to the break, as he'd been invited to spend the week with his mother and stepfather. "Hey Josh?" Ben asked as Robbie was driving them to Josh's house. "Why don't you ask your mum and dad if you can come down to Hereford with me?" "You better check with your mum before you start inviting people to stay at her house," Robbie said, denting Ben's exuberance a little. "Okay, Dad Rob, I'll ring her tonight." In his excited state, Ben had dropped his usual guard about not revealing his and Robbie's true relationship. Josh looked curiously at Ben. "Well, I often kid Uncle Rob that he's my second dad." Ben had said the first thing that had come into his head. "Oh, right." Josh accepted Ben's explanation. It sounded a bit weird to him, but he paid the comment no more attention. Once Josh had got out of the car at his house, Ben climbed into the front seat. As Robbie drove away, Ben let out a breath. "Shit, that was close." "Language, young man," Robbie said, squeezing Ben's knee. "Sorry, Dad Rob. It's just so hard sometimes, you know?" "Well, me and your dad have talked about it, and if you think you can trust Josh, then we don't mind if he knows about us. Our only concern is your comfort, love. Some of the other kids at school would tease you," 'or worse', Robbie thought, "if it got out that your dad was gay." "I'm as sure as I can be that Josh would be alright about it. He's never said anything bad about gay people. He's kind of a minority himself." "Yeah, that's true. Do you want to invite him up to the house, maybe tomorrow afternoon?" "Yeah, thanks." * * * * * Josh had been up to the house a couple of times before; he'd really liked the big rooms and the huge staircase in the hall. So when Ben had rung him up later that Thursday afternoon, he'd leapt at the chance. "Thanks, it'll be good to be out of the house, 'cause I bet dad'll be in a bad mood tomorrow night." "Why's that?" Ben asked. "He goes for a promotion tomorrow, but he doesn't think he'll get it." "Why not?" "Well, he thinks that because he's black, he gets kind of overlooked." "That doesn't sound right," Ben said, not being aware of the less obvious ways that racism persisted throughout some workplaces. "It's not the first time he's asked to be made up to supervisor. But someone else, with less work experience, always seems to get it. Dad said he's gonna think about moving if he doesn't get the job this time." Ben feared that if Josh moved away, he'd lose his best friend. An idea began to form in his mind. "Oh, by the way, I've just rung mum, too. She said you'd be welcome to spend half term in Hereford with me." "Cool," Josh said. "I'd have been stuck with one of my Aunties looking after me, with mum and dad working most of the time. I'll ask them tonight, while dad's still in a good mood, but I don't think they'd mind." "Great," Ben said, excited that he wouldn't be without his best friend over the holiday. "I'll let you know what they've said tomorrow at school," Josh said before hanging up. Ben put down the phone's receiver and went to seek out Robbie. "Erm, have you got a minute, Dad Rob?" "Okay, I can tell you're after something," Robbie said, smiling up from his keyboard. "Well, yeah, but not for me. Well, kind of for me, but mainly for Josh, well, no, not really him . . . " "I think you ought to sit down and start at the beginning. Don't you?" "Erm, yeah, right, sorry." Ben pulled up a chair. Robbie, sensing that this could take some time, saved the work he was doing and turned his full attention to his son. "How much do you have to do with the hiring of people at the glassworks?" Robbie was momentarily surprised by the question. "Very little. Bill Simmons, the factory manager, and Dottie Braithwaite in personnel deal with those sorts of things. I have meetings with Bill about once a month or so, but I don't get involved, really." Ben's face fell. "Why the sudden interest in the glassworks, anyway?" "Well, Josh's dad, Jamie, he works there. He's going for promotion or something tomorrow. He's been for it before, but hasn't ever got the job." "Well, maybe other people who are more qualified came along," Robbie said. "Yeah, maybe, but Josh says that his dad says that the people who get it haven't worked there for as long as him, and don't have the same skills that he does. He thinks that he hasn't been given promotion because he's black." "Oh." Robbie sat looking at his son. "So you want me to pull a few strings and arrange for Jamie to get the job?" "Well, erm, well, yeah. Josh said that his dad was on about moving away if he didn't get it. Dad Rob, I've never had a friend like Josh before. I wouldn't want to lose him. What would you have thought if dad had moved away when you two were at school together?" "I was in love with your dad. So it's not quite the same." "Yeah." Ben squirmed in his chair. Robbie sensed something. He began to realise the heavy responsibilities that parenthood carried, and he wasn't sure if he was up to it. "Ben." Robbie put a hand on his son's shoulder. "You know that I love you very much, don't you?" Ben couldn't meet Robbie's eyes. He nodded. "Okay." Robbie had an idea. "Would it help if I made you a promise, that whatever you tell me next, I won't tell anyone? Not even Carl." "Yes, thank you." Ben began to shake a little. In a very soft and understanding voice, Robbie asked. "Ben, do you have feelings for Josh?" Robbie hoped he'd couched the question in sufficiently loving tones. "I don't know," Ben said, looking very uncomfortable. Robbie patted his knee; Ben sprang onto it. Robbie began to make circular rubbing motions on Ben's back. "It's perfectly understandable that you'd have very strong feelings for Josh. He's your friend; you are to some extent disabled, though you do very well even though your back doesn't bend like it should. What I'm trying to say here is that you might look upon Josh as kind of a protector for you. He's bigger than you, he's shown you a lot of kindness, too." "Yeah, he's great." "Now you're still very young, so I don't want you to be worried about the feelings you have for Josh. They might change." "I think, dad, I think I love him." Ben buried his head in Robbie's shoulder and began to cry. He'd had pretty strong feelings for Josh ever since the pair had met up. He honestly didn't know if he was gay. He'd seen his two dads kiss; at first he was embarrassed to see it, but lately he'd begun to think how nice it might be to kiss another boy, one who was bigger than him, maybe older, certainly stronger, one who would be able to look after him. A boy who would be like his dad. That thought terrified Ben more than he was comfortable about admitting. He'd worshiped his father for as long as he could remember. He revelled in his dad's strength, his masculinity; he loved how hairy Carl was, his strong but pleasant man smell. Ben had realised some time ago that he was head-over-heels in love with his father. He knew that he couldn't ever say any of this out loud, because although he was convinced his dad wouldn't reject him, Ben knew that Carl would have difficulty accepting such love. This had been one of the reasons why Ben had pushed so hard for his father and Robbie to get together. Ben knew he could never have Carl for himself, so he wanted his dad to have someone who would be good and kind to him. Ben wasn't able to verbalise his feelings, he didn't fully understand them himself. "It's okay. Believe me, Ben, I understand about how you feel towards Josh." "But I don't know what Josh thinks about me." "Well, you said yourself that you aren't totally sure, so I imagine that he is equally unsure of his feelings towards you." "Yeah. I wish I knew for definite, you know?" "Life doesn't come with such certainties, sweetheart." "No, I know." "I still remember all those times when I loved your dad from afar. Even though it was all very painful at the time, I'm glad things worked out as they did, because if Carl hadn't gone and married your mum, well, you wouldn't have been born, and I wouldn't have a wonderful son to love, would I?" "Thanks, Dad Rob." The two sat together for a few more minutes while Ben calmed down. "I promise I'll make some enquiries in the morning about Josh's dad. If what you say is true, then, well, let's see what tomorrow brings." Ben's face brightened. "Thanks, Dad Rob." "As for your feelings towards Josh, do you think you can just stay best friends with him for a bit? You know, until your feelings kind of settle?" "It's not easy." "I know it isn't, sweetheart. Believe me, I've been there, done that and bought the T shirt." Ben giggled. "I still want him to know about you and dad. If he gets nasty about you two, then at least I'll know that he isn't the sort of friend I want to have." Carl walked into the room then. He'd finished up his contract in Boroughton some weeks earlier and had got a few jobs locally, so he was able to get home at an earlier time. The fact that he had a reliable van also helped. He'd put up a protest when Robbie had insisted he get a van with every modern gadget, including satellite navigation, but Robbie had stuck to his guns, and Carl soon acquiesced. "You okay?" Carl said, seeing Ben in Robbie's lap. "Sure. We just felt like a dad and son cuddle. Didn't we?" Ben smiled at Robbie for keeping to his promise and not revealing what they'd talked about. "Okay, but if there's anything wrong, Ben, you know you can always come to me, too." "Yeah, I know, dad. I'm really lucky. I know that Josh doesn't feel like he can talk to his own dad like I can." "That's a shame," Carl said. He was all too aware of the still fairly strained relations with his own father. Although Carl had to admit Stan had come a long way. His mum and dad had come up to the house a couple of times for Sunday lunch, and things had gone off fairly well. "Ben's been telling me about how Jamie, Josh's dad, thinks he's been discriminated against at work, because of his colour." "Oh, right." "But I'm gonna investigate," Robbie said, putting a determined look on his face. "Why, what can you do about it?" "He's employed up at the glassworks." "Oh," Carl said. "I hope you haven't been asking Rob to pull some strings for your mate's parents." "No Car, he hasn't. Anyway, love," Robbie said to Ben, "do you want to go and see what Sarah's got for our tea?" "Yeah, Dad Rob, thanks for, you know." Robbie smiled. Once Ben had left the room, Carl asked if everything was all right. "Yeah, love, it's fine. I think it's great how me and Ben are bonding so well together." "You'd tell me if there was anything wrong, wouldn't you?" "Car, if there was anything you really needed to know, I'd tell you." "Okay, yeah." "Ben's invited Josh to Hereford with him. Maureen says it's okay." "Oh, right, they'll enjoy it down there." "Yeah. He wants Josh to know about you and me. He slipped up in the car this afternoon when he called me 'Dad Rob.'" "Hope it goes off okay, then. I know he's close to Josh. I hope telling him about us won't ruin their friendship. Sometimes I wonder if Ben and Josh are like a replay of you and me." Robbie had to turn away to hide the surprise on his face. "Rob?" Robbie looked up at Carl. "You don't think it is, do you?" "Ben's only twelve." This didn't answer the question, and Carl knew it. "How old were you when you realised that you preferred boys to girls?" "It varies from person to person. I guess I was about Ben's age." Robbie put up his hand. "But you only knew a couple of months ago." "Heck, you don't think . . . " "I don't know, Car. But if, and I stress, if Ben feels for Josh what I felt for you, we must tread very carefully with him. You don't need me to tell you that he's a sensitive boy." "Shit, I hope he isn't," Carl went on quickly "It'd be a whole lot easier for him if he were straight." "Yeah. Anyway all this is for the future." Robbie got out of his seat. "And I haven't had an afternoon kiss from my hunky lover since he got home this afternoon." * * * * * "Okay, boys, are you glad that you've survived your first half a term at Stalag Penguin?" Robbie said as Josh and Ben clambered into the back seat of his Trooper on Friday afternoon. They giggled at the name which they hadn't heard before. "Yeah, it hasn't been as bad as I'd thought it would be," Ben admitted. "No, me neither," Josh echoed. "Uncle Rob." Ben remembered the more acceptable form of address this time, "Josh's mum said it'd be okay for him to go to Hereford with me." "Oh, that's great. You'll like it there Josh. Maureen and Bill have a big house, and there are loads of nice walks and things in the area. You might get roped into helping out with the harvest on some of the local small-holdings, too." "Sounds great," Josh said, though he didn't sound all that enthusiastic. Robbie questioned his reticence. "Oh, I'm worried about my dad, he's gone for an interview today, and I'm worried that he didn't get it, the job, I mean." "Oh, you can use the phone from the house if you like when we get back." Robbie knew that Jamie had got the job. He'd gone up to the glassworks that morning and created a stir, much to the displeasure of Miss Dottie Braithwaite, the twin set and pearled old dame whose fiefdom was the personnel department. After reading all the application forms, Robbie asked why Jamie Pearson hadn't been given promotion years earlier. "Oh, well, he's a bit of a disruptive influence." "Oh? Let's have a look at his disciplinary record." Dottie tried to back-peddle. "Well, I wouldn't say he was that much of a disruption, not anything bad enough to go on his record." "But obviously bad enough for him to have been held over for promotion on," Robbie looked at the figures, "three occasions in the past five years." "Well, it might give the others the wrong idea if he gets a supervisor's job." "Wrong idea?" Robbie managed to keep his cool. "Well, you know." "No, I don't." "He's one of them." "Miss Braithwaite, I'm not following this conversation. What are you trying to say?" "Well, he's black." "So? Haven't you heard of racial discrimination? You cannot, this company cannot deny a person promotion purely on the grounds of their skin colour." "Yes, but . . . " "But nothing. James Pearson is by far and away the best and most qualified candidate for this post." Robbie threw Jamie's application form on the desk in front of him and fixed Dottie with his hardest stare. "He will get this job, Miss Braithwaite." "This is highly irregular," she began to bluster. "This wouldn't have happened in your father's day." "I am not my father. And I'm sure if he'd have known about the ignorance and prejudice that was being perpetuated by some of the small, closed and narrow-minded bigots who made such decisions, he would have considered long and hard about continuing the employment of those people. You understand what I'm saying, Miss Braithwaite?" "It's Ms Braithwaite." She wasn't able to hold Robbie's intense gaze, she dropped her eyes to her desk. "Well, I'll bid you good morning, Miss Braithwaite," Robbie said, emphasising the 'Miss'. * * * * * Ben smiled at Robbie's words in the car. He'd read the meaning behind them, and gave out a silent cheer. "Thanks, I hope we don't have to move. I quite like the school, and I've got a best friend now," Josh said, looking over at Ben who was trying to stifle a grin. * * * * * "Oh dad, that's great. I bet you're really happy. So that means we don't have to move, then?" Josh was speaking to his father on the telephone from Robbie's house. "We're stopping where we are son. That's for sure. I'd convinced myself I wasn't gonna get it, the snotty-nosed woman who interviewed me only asked a few questions, I wasn't in there more than ten minutes. But she called me back into her office a couple of hours later and told me that I'd got the job." "Oh, dad, great!" "Yeah, I thought you'd be pleased, with you making new friends and everything at the school. Listen, your mum wants a quick word." "Okay, dad." "Son, is Robbie about?" Nancy asked once Jamie was out of earshot. "Erm, yeah, why?" "Would you get him, please?" "Erm, okay." Josh went to find Robbie who was in his study. Robbie picked up the extension and shooed Josh out of the room, he was fairly certain what Nancy was going to say. "Robert Foster, I know I've got you to thank for this." "I'm sure I don't know what on Earth you're talking about," Robbie tried to pretend ignorance. "Listen, Jamie's only in the next room, so I can't stay on for long. But I bet you pulled a few strings up at the glassworks, didn't you?" "Was Jamie the best man for the job?" "Well yeah, but that's never been . . . Oh, it was good of Maureen to let our Josh come up for the holidays, we'd have had to pack him off to one of my sisters for the week." "I take it Jamie has just come into the room?" "Yes, that's right." "Okay, well as you can't say anything, and I've nothing to say, we might as well say goodbye then." Nancy laughed. "Just you wait." * * * * * Robbie, Carl, Ben and Josh began to tuck into their tea. Robbie had warned Sarah of his intention of announcing his and Carl's relationship to Josh. Sarah had said that she'd eat in her own rooms. Robbie had protested that Sarah was as much a part of the family as they were. But Sarah had prevailed, as usual. "Josh," Robbie said, not wanting to drag it out any longer. "You remember in the car yesterday when Ben called me 'Dad Rob'?" "Yes, I remember," Josh said after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Well, I'm going to tell you something, and I hope you are grown up enough not to say anything about it to anyone outside these four walls, because it could hurt Ben, and I'm sure you'd never want that to happen." "Erm, no, I wouldn't." Josh grew a bit frightened at Robbie's serious tone. He put down his knife and fork and gave his full attention to Robbie. "Well, the reason why Ben calls me Dad Rob is because, well, I am a legal guardian to him. Carl is his real dad, and as you know, Ben's mum lives in Hereford with her second husband, she's divorced from Carl." "Yes, I know." Josh grew ever more uneasy at the seriousness of the conversation. "Well, some men, and some women too, well, they prefer to live with someone of their own sex. They're called homosexuals or gays. And, well, Carl and I live together like that." "Oh," Josh said. He wasn't sure what else to say, he was glad it was nothing too serious. He'd expected Robbie to come out with some really bad news. "I hope that it won't make a difference to you being my friend," Ben said after Josh hadn't said anything for a full minute. "Because you're my best friend, I thought you ought to know." "Right, thanks. It's a bit, well, a bit unusual." "Not as uncommon as you might think," Robbie said. "No, guess not." Josh thought for a minute. "No, well it's okay, I mean, I don't mind, I mean, well, it doesn't make any difference, well, erm, it does, but not in a bad way. Oh heck, you know what I mean?" "We do, and thanks for understanding," Carl said. "We thought about it for a long time before deciding to tell you. We're asking you not to say anything to the people at school, because Ben could get picked on if anyone found out." "Yes, I understand. I promise Ben, I won't say anything." "Thanks." Ben let out a breath. "I'm glad you know now." "Yeah, thanks for trusting me." * * * * * "Hi, mum," Ben said as he alighted from Carl's van on Saturday morning. "Hello, son. Josh, glad you could come to visit." "Thanks Mrs, erm, Gordon. Thanks for letting me come." "Oh, it's a pleasure. Although we've got plenty of bedrooms, we're still lacking a few beds. Would it be okay if you and Ben shared a double bed? I could see if I could dig out an old camp bed if you like?" "Oh, it's fine," Josh said. "Hope you don't snore, though," he said to a blushing Ben. "No, I don't." "That's alright, then," Josh giggled. Carl was delighted that Josh offered to carry Ben's case up for him, telling Ben that it might be too heavy for him to manage with his back trouble. Ben just smiled and thanked Josh for being so kind. "So, Mo, you okay?" "Yeah, love." Maureen smiled up at her ex-husband. "We've really settled in now, William and Tamsyn like their new school, Bill's gotten everything at work just the way he likes it, and I've managed to work out how the solid fuel cooker works, much to the family's relief." Carl laughed. "You don't fancy getting a job yourself?" "Maybe in a few years when the kids are older, but I like being at home for them when they come back from school, and the holidays of course." "Yeah." Carl realised that he would never have made enough money to allow Maureen to make such a decision. If they'd have stayed together, Maureen would have had to go out to work. "You okay?" Maureen said, bringing Carl out of his thoughts. "Oh yeah, fine. Just a long drive, I guess. Rob's gone off to London for the weekend to take care of business down there." "Oh yes, he used to work in London, didn't he?" "Yeah, but after his dad died, he realised he wanted to make his home back in Greenville. He wanted to spruce up his house though, which was where I came in, and well . . . " "You two seemed really happy when you came up last month." "Oh, we are, very happy. Though we almost lost one another." "Your accident?" "Yeah. I was too proud and stupid to let Rob buy me this van," Carl said, patting the side of the Ford Transit. "But he told me as I was still recovering in my sick bed that I was going to get a new van, and I had no say in it." Maureen smiled. "I'm glad he's looking after you, then." "He is; I'm really happy, Mo." Maureen gave Carl a squeeze. "I'm glad, Carl, I honestly am." * * * * * "Well, I didn't think you'd be able to tear yourself away from that hunky husband of yours," Martin Harris said when he opened the door of his flat in London to admit Robbie. "It was a struggle, but he's gone down to visit his ex-wife this weekend to drop his son off there for half term." "Oh, the ex-wife," Martin grimaced. "No, actually Maureen's great. Anyway, aren't you going to invite me in?" Robbie was still standing on the threshold. "Sorry, mate." "You know, you could have just come down tomorrow night, the board meeting's not till 10 o'clock on Monday," Martin observed once the pair had spent a couple of hours catching up on all their old news. "I know, but as Carl's not around, I thought I'd take an extra day and spend it with my best friend from my London days." Martin looked quizzically at Robbie. "Whilst I'm flattered by what you just said, there's something else, isn't there?" Robbie blushed. "I never could put anything past you could I?" Robbie said, looking fondly at his rather portly 40-year-old black-haired friend. "Nope," Martin said simply. "I had a dream a few weeks back, Patrick was in it." "Oh, so what's unusual about that? After all, you were together for nearly four years, a real Mr and Mr monogamy you two were." "Yes, and that's just how we wanted it. You know I've always been a one man's man." "Yeah, I don't mind them one at a time, myself." "Yes, but you go with one whilst you're still with the other," Robbie said. If there was one thing which he and Martin disagreed on, it was fidelity. "Well, I'm still searching for Mr Right. We can't all be as lucky as you, you know." "I know," Robbie said quietly. "I thank God everyday for sending Carl back to me, and also for the time I had with Patrick, too." "Oh yeah, the dream. So what's so important about it?" Robbie relayed the conversation he'd had with Patrick about looking after Carl whilst the latter was unconscious. "What does Carl have to say about it?" Martin enquired once Robbie had finished his tale. "I don't think he really believes me." "Well, you have to admit, it is a bit screwy." "Yeah, I know. It's just, when Patrick was dying in that hospital room, his last words to me were that he'd try and look out for me. And that's what he did by keeping Carl safe until I managed to find him." "Right," Martin said. He, too, thought Robbie was making rather a lot of it. "So why have you come up to town a day early?" "To visit Patrick's grave. I'd feel closest to him there." "Oh." Martin gave an involuntary shudder. "But if he's, well kind of upstairs," Martin pointed heavenwards, "Well, it doesn't matter where you talk to him, does it?" "No guess not, but, oh, I don't know, I thought it'd be worth a try." "And I guess you want me to go with you, huh?" "Would you mind?" Martin shook his head. "This has to count as one of your less sensible ideas, but yes, love, of course I will." Robbie leant forward and gave Martin a kiss on his cheek. "You're a star." "Give over, you'll have me regretting that me and you never made it together." Martin went a little red in the face. "It's a pity we never did get it on." "Well, the bedroom's just off the hall." Robbie shook his head. "Nope, you know my feelings about cheating on partners." "I know, sweetheart. I was just testing. I think you've got the right idea. I've done some growing up recently, and if I'm ever lucky enough to find the right guy, then it'll be him and only him." "He's out there somewhere." Martin let out a breath. "I hope so." Looking over at the clock and wanting to change the subject, Martin said, "We might as well get off to the cemetery now, I think, before they close the gates." "What, you don't fancy shinning over the wall and visiting the place by moonlight?" Robbie said, grinning widely. "Put your coat on," Martin replied. As the pair stood up, Robbie's mobile phone began to ring. Martin recognised the tune, it was the theme from 'Love Story'. His eyebrows rose. "Hi Rob, just letting you know we got here okay." "Hi sweetheart, that's good. I take it Ben didn't pick up any more strays off the motorway?" "No, thankfully. Though he gave Lady a tight squeeze when we travelled past the bit where we picked her up." Robbie smiled. "Ben and Josh all settled in?" "Yeah, but Mo's having to put them in the same bed." "Oh, right." Robbie wondered if this would be a good or a bad thing for Ben. "I thought the house had a few rooms?" "Well there is one free room, but no bed in it. I'm sleeping on the couch as it is." "Poor baby. I told you to get a room in that guesthouse we stayed in last time." "They're expensive," Carl defended. "Okay, love." Robbie had brought up the subject of him paying for a room, but he hadn't pressed the point as it wasn't that important. Robbie understood that Carl felt uncomfortable when he spent his money on him. "Well, if you get a stiff neck from sleeping on the couch, you'll have to wait until Monday night before I can rub it better." "I plan on having you rub something else of mine that'll be stiff." Robbie reddened. Martin had a pretty good idea where the conversation was heading. "Oh heck, I'm not sure I can last until Monday, now." "Well, we'll have to have phone sex tonight then, won't we?" Carl said in his gruffest voice. He knew that taking such a tone always got Robbie going. "Well, now I've got you all fired up, I better be off." "Bastard!" "But you still love me." Carl disconnected the call. "More than you'll ever know, my love," Robbie said quietly. "Lucky sod," Martin observed. * * * * * "Look, um, I'll sit over there on that bench," Martin said. Graveyards always gave him the willies. "You and Patrick need to be alone for a bit." On the way to the cemetery, the pair had stopped off at a florists to get a large bunch of Chrysanthemums to put on Patrick's grave. As he arranged them in the stone vase, Robbie began to speak out loud. "Thanks, love. You know, for looking after Carl back there. He's, well, I love him so much. Patrick, I promise I loved you, too. I know I loved Carl first, but, well, I never thought I'd get a chance with him. I'd be lying if I said I never thought of him when I was with you, but I promise with all my heart that I loved you very much. I still do." Robbie was a little disturbed to see how untidy the grave was. Clearly no one from Patrick's family ever visited. Although Patrick's family had a hard time accepting his sexuality and an even harder time coming to terms with his HIV status, Robbie thought that they could have set aside their prejudices now that he was dead. "I got you a nice bunch of Chrysanths, I know you always liked them. I'll try and arrange something with the cemetery authorities to look after your grave a bit better. Your mum and dad still won't have anything to do with you, I take it? Well, it's their loss. They turned their backs on a truly loving, genuine and warm person." Robbie felt the beginnings of tears in his eyes. "I miss you so much, love. Over the past few years, I've lost count of the number of times I've thought to myself, 'Oh, I must tell Patrick that when I get home.' Then of course I realise that you're not at home. "Did you know I kept on buying jars of pickle for you for a month after you died? I hate the stuff, but it was just a habit I'd gotten into. Though one week when I'd put the jar in the supermarket trolley, I looked down at it, and it just hit me so hard then that you weren't there anymore to eat it. I cried so hard right there, slap bang in the middle of Safeway. I couldn't help myself." Robbie sniffed back his tears. "I guess that was when I realised that you'd gone forever, love. "Patrick, it was really you, wasn't it? In my dream, I mean? Everyone seems to think I imagined it. But we know different, don't we?" As he finished arranging the flowers, Robbie felt a slight warming breeze around him. He would never be sure, but he felt as though it was some kind of signal from Patrick that he'd heard, understood and appreciated Robbie's words. Getting to his feet, Robbie dusted the dirt from his trousers. "I'll try and not leave it so long next time." He wiped a few tears from his eyes, before walking back to the bench where Martin sat waiting. "Okay, love?" Martin said, seeing Robbie's reddened eyes. Ignoring the fact that they were in public, Martin gave Robbie a brotherly hug of comfort, which helped to bolster his friends mood. * * * * * "Well, I think it's almost your bedtime, son," Carl said, looking at his watch. He'd been rather afraid that there would be an atmosphere between him and Bill, but he needn't have worried. They seemed to get on okay. "Yeah, guess so," Ben said, getting up reluctantly. Normally, Carl went up to tuck him in, but Ben realised that Carl wasn't going to make the offer because there were other people around. He concluded that he ought really to grow up. 'Do fathers of other twelve year olds still tuck their son's in?' Ben wondered. After he'd kissed his mum goodnight, and treated a rather surprised Bill to a hug, Ben made his way upstairs with Josh following along behind, and Lady bringing up the rear. Bill had raised a slight objection to Lady being allowed upstairs, but he had soon been persuaded that she normally slept on a blanket at the foot of Ben's bed, so it wouldn't be fair to break her routine. The two boys cleaned their teeth and as is typical with pre-teens, did the minimum amount of face and hand washing. There was a little awkwardness at first about the pair of them deciding what they'd sleep in. Each, unknown to the other, had been given a talking-to by one of their parents about the need to wear pyjamas whilst they were staying in someone else's house. As soon as the two had reached the very grown up rank of attending high school, they'd cast off their sleepwear thinking it only suitable for little boys. However in order to keep the peace, both had packed their pyjamas, but were very reluctant to sleep in them. "Um, Josh, I think I'll sleep in my, um, undies," Ben said, not daring to look at his friend because his face was rather red. Josh let out a breath. He too was wondering what he would wear. "Yeah, mate, I'll do the same." The pair decided which side of the bed they'd sleep in, and got in, leaving a large gap of empty bed in the middle. A knock sounded at the door; it was Carl. He'd told Maureen and Bill that he was just 'nipping to the bathroom', but secretly he missed the tucking-in ritual with Ben. Though Carl knew he'd have to be circumspect, because he remembered all too clearly how boys thought that there was no more heinous a crime than being shown up by your parents in front of your friends. "Come in?" Ben said. Carl poked his head round the door. He noticed immediately that Ben wasn't wearing the pyjamas that Robbie had insisted he take with him. "You two okay?" "Yeah. Dad?" "Yes, son?" Carl came into the room. "Um, nothing, um, you'll be alright on the couch tonight?" Ben really wanted Carl to tuck him in, but didn't want to appear to be acting like a baby in front of Josh. "Yeah, I'll be fine." Ben looked up at his dad, hoping to silently project his thoughts to him. Carl got the message and smiled slightly. "Well, I know you're a bit old, really, but please forgive this overly doting parent for wanting to tuck his son into bed." Ben beamed. "Oh, well, um, I guess it'd be alright, especially as you won't be able to do it next week." "That's true," Carl observed as he moved towards Ben's side of the bed and straightened out the quilt. Ben looked up at his father again, and got his silent wish for a kiss on the cheek granted. "Well, as I'm acting in loco parentis for you, Josh, would you mind if I tucked you in, too?" Josh blushed hugely. He couldn't think of anything nicer, but he knew that he would never have had the courage to ask. Jamie, though a great dad, wasn't all that demonstrative with his son, much to Josh's dismay. Josh really liked Ben's dad, and he was over-the-moon that Carl had offered. He just nodded. "Okay, then," Carl smiled. Robbie had clued Carl in as to Josh's crush on him. At first Carl had just laughed it off, but Robbie managed to convince him that he was right. Carl bent down and softly kissed Josh's cheek, which was still burning red. "Night-night, boys. Try not to stop up too long talking." "We won't, dad," Ben said. Carl left the room, and Josh sighed. "You okay?" Ben asked. "Oh yeah." Josh couldn't prevent a grin from spreading onto his face. "Your dad's really cool. Well, both of them are." Ben giggled. "Yeah, it took me years to train him, but he's kinda special, isn't he?" Josh also giggled. "Wish my dad was more like him." "Oh? Your dad seems okay." "Yeah, I love him, and I know he loves me, but, oh well, I dunno, he doesn't go in for hugs and stuff like your dads do." "Well, I'm sure either of my dads will give you a hug whenever you want one." "Really? Oh well, um, I'd be too embarrassed to ever ask." "Oh, don't be daft. They're great guys, really. I know I'm really lucky to have them." As the two boys continued to talk, the slight tension between them lessened, as did the physical gap between them. "Is your back hurting at all?" Josh asked. "Shit, I forgot to pack my tablets," Ben admitted. "Do you need to take them all the time?" "No, only when the pain gets bad, but it's okay at the minute." "Well, tell me if it starts to hurt. I dunno what I can do to help, maybe give you a back rub or something?" "Thanks, mate. That'd help. I'll let you know." Ben wasn't sure if he could cope with Josh touching him so intimately. He'd been getting erections at the most inconvenient times as it was; he'd throw a woody for sure if Josh started rubbing his back. Ben hoped his arthritis would behave. Though on the other hand, it'd be great if Josh massaged him. Ben was in two minds. "Well, better go to sleep, I think," Ben said. "Yeah," Josh said sleepily. "Night, then." Josh turned over in the bed and tried to settle to sleep. It wasn't easy. The bed was a bit softer than the one he slept in at home. He wasn't used to sleeping in a bed with anyone else, either. Ben was having difficulty sleeping, too. He'd been at first elated that he was to share a bed with Josh. He'd never had a best friend like him before, so hadn't ever been able to have someone sleep over. Josh turned over in the bed then and Ben felt a slight contact between their arms. It didn't last but a second, but the point where their skin had touched seemed to radiate a special warmth, which soon spread throughout Ben's body. Ben very gingerly edged himself closer to Josh, stopping when their upper arms made contact. The warm feelings returned, sending Ben off into a pleasant round of dreams. The 'accidental' skin contact seemed to have a calming effect on Josh, too. He really liked Ben. It made him happy inside when he did small things to help his weaker friend. He'd been upset to know that Ben might be in pain because he'd forgotten to pack his pills. Josh had always enjoyed good health, he didn't know how he'd cope if he couldn't move about as freely as he did. Whenever their paths crossed, Josh always felt a desire to protect Ben, who was somewhat smaller than him. He couldn't put into words why he wanted to do it. Maybe Ben was like a little brother? Josh didn't know, and he was too sleepy to give it much thought. * * * * * Maureen and Bill's couch wasn't long enough to allow Carl to stretch out fully. Carl was beginning to think he should have allowed Robbie to pay for a room in a guesthouse for him. He realised his stubborn pride had got in the way again. He vowed not to be so pig-headed in the future. Looking at the luminous dial on his watch, Carl saw that it was just before midnight. As well as being uncomfortable, Carl was horny. He wondered if it was too late to give his lover a ring. * * * * * In London, Robbie was still awake. Martin's spare bed was narrow, and although he was hugging a pillow to his chest, it was no substitute for Carl. He had forgotten what it was like to have the constant drone of traffic going past the window. When he'd first moved back to Greenville, Robbie found the almost total silence at night kept him awake. Now he realised that he missed the silence. He also missed Carl. His mobile phone began to ring. Robbie's phone had a different ring tone for each of his stored numbers, so once he heard the familiar strains from 'Love Story', he knew it was Carl. "Hi," Robbie said sleepily. "I didn't wake you, did I?" "No, love. I couldn't sleep." Robbie went on to tell Carl why. "Want to play a little?" Carl asked, adopting his gruff voice. Robbie's manhood began to stiffen. "Yeah." "What are you wearing?" "Nothing," Robbie replied. "Well, I've got on a tight pair of leather chaps, and I'm running my fingers between the straps of my body harness," Carl growled. "Car, you don't own a pair of chaps, let alone a harness." "It's meant to be pretend. Stop being so awkward," Carl said in his normal voice, slipping out of character. "Sorry, hunky one. You're running your hands along your stunningly wide upper chest. But they're my hands, they're worshiping the man-god that you are." "Yeah." Carl's rock hard dick was leaking pre-cum. He was enjoying this. "My, sorry, your fingers are twisting the hairs on my chest. You've always liked my furry body, haven't you?" "Oh, God, yeah, you're a fucking stud, Car. I'm running my hands across your six-pack abs. My fingers are tracing down the ridges caused by those stunningly hard ab muscles of yours." "I'm now stroking your smooth chest, Rob. I like it that you aren't as buff as me. I love your soft body when it moulds against mine. I love that I can knead your flesh. Now I'm reaching for your aching rod, it's dripping loads of pre-cum, Rob, 'cause it just loves to be handled by me, doesn't it?" "Yeah, Car, my cock loves it when you grasp it. I'm snapping off the codpiece, which is holding your huge log prisoner. It leaps up and hits your abs slapping a wad of pre-cum on them. Your cock head is exposed 'cause you're so hard 'cause you love me playing with your prick. It's so stiff that it almost rides up against your belly, and it's so fucking long that it goes past your navel." "Yeah, Rob, stroke my meat, get it ready to fire. 'Cause I'm flogging your beautiful poker, too. I love how silky smooth and perfect-looking it is. Just like the rest of your stunning body." Carl was amazing himself at how much he was getting into the scene. "Yeah, Car, I'm rubbing my thumb on your really wide mushroom, smearing the jizz across it. Can you feel it, Car?" "Yeah, Rob, you know that really turns me on. I'm using my other hand to gently squeeze your hairy balls, Rob, 'cause I know how much you love 'em played with." "Yeah, gimme all you got, you fucking gorgeous stud," Robbie cried out as his orgasm approached. ##Martin couldn't sleep either. He was bitterly regretting the fact that he hadn't snapped Robbie up when he'd had the chance. He'd grown tired of the bar scene, with it's endless stream of one-nighters. Although the sex was often good, it was beginning to make the whole thing rather empty. He was getting a bit too old for the nightclub scene, too. Martin had heard Robbie's phone ringing. The wall that separated the two bedrooms was rather thin. Though he knew he shouldn't be doing it, Martin pressed his ear to the wall and could hear Robbie's lustful language. He soon became erect, stroking along with Robbie; he was getting really turned on by the dirty talk. "Yeah, Rob, babe," Carl said over the phone. I'm getting really close now. I'm gonna squirt my cream all over your smooth chest, here it comes, baby." Carl ejaculated all over his own chest. "Me too, stud. I'm gonna spray you and mark you as my own," Robbie said before he, too, erupted, sending large quantities of scalding hot spooge up into the air, only to have it land on his chest. Each could hear the other's heavy breathing as they recovered. "I'm spreading your love juice into my harness," Carl said. "Yeah, babe, I'm rubbing your milk into my chest, it'll make me grow and be as muscular and strong as my Adonis." Martin had come at pretty much the same time as Robbie. He wasn't sure whose cum he was pretending was on his chest. He'd seen a picture of Carl, which Robbie had proudly shown him. He had to conclude that Robbie was a lucky bastard to hook someone as good-looking as Carl. With a sob, Martin came to the unhappy realisation that it was just his own cum on his chest, as it always was when he wanked alone. He reached down to the floor for his discarded boxer shorts and mopped up the mess. Martin then punched his pillow and drifted off to sleep, his tears of loneliness drying on his cheeks. "Feeling better now, baby?" Carl said to Robbie over the phone "Carl, I love you so damn much. I'm counting the minutes until I'm back in your arms on Monday night." "Me too, sweetheart. I promise I'll dream about you." "I promise I'll dream about you, too. Ring me when you get back to the house tomorrow?" "Course I will." The two then spent a couple of minutes making kissing noises down the phone to one another. They both felt somehow closer to the other through their electronic bond, neither one wanting to break the connection. Carl eventually said that he had a long drive the next day and he had to go. "I know, sweetheart. You promise to drive safely?" "I will." "Say you promise, Car." "I promise you, my very own special lover of mine, that I will obey the speed limit, and stay safe just for you." "Thanks, sweetheart. Sorry, I know I fuss too much, but, well, you know," Robbie said, remembering the time when Carl's van had broken down. "I understand, I'll go and put this phone on charge now, just to be safe." "Thanks, Car. I love you." "Love you too." Carl pressed the off button and sighed. 'Love you, Rob, more than you'll ever know," he said to the now silent phone. To be continued.