Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 19:45:48 -0700
From: Richie-BlueAngel <richie-blueangel@cox.net>
Subject: Benji (Chapter 3)

Disclaimer:
This story is pure fantasy from a hopeless romantic boylover.  No part of
this story may be used without consent from the author.

Feel free to send comments to richie-blueangel@cox.net.
Make sure to include the name of the story in the subject line.

*Please remember that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you have the
opportunity to change a person's outlook....try to do it in a positive way.


Characters:
Benjamin Scott Antler: age 8
Kathy Antler: age 42
Richie (Me): age 36


Chapter 3


I woke up the next morning after sleeping in till about 8am, wondering what
the day might bring.  It was Saturday and luckily for me I was off this
weekend.  I was thinking about Benji and wondering what his mother must be
thinking, just hoping they were good thoughts.

Around 10am there was a knock at the door.  I open the door to find the boy
of my dreams standing there.  Talk about happy, my smile must have been a
mile wide.  Benji was wearing the same soccer shorts, or at least they
looked the same, and a silk like blue shirt.  I offered him some ice tea,
and while fixing it for him, he started looking through my movies.  As I
brought his drink around, he asked if we could watch a movie, I said sure,
and he asked me to show him how.  I show him how I had my system hooked up
and we popped in the DVD of "Ice Age".

Not sure his mother knew where he was (ok, sue me so it wasn't my first
thought), I asked him if she knew he was at my place.  He said no, so I
told him to call her and let her know where he was.  I told him to give her
my cell phone number and apartment number, in case she needed to get a hold
of him.  As he came back to the couch, he said it was ok with her as long
as he wasn't bothering me.  Bothering me, was she kidding, I though.  I
could have been in the middle of a thousand things, and he still wouldn't
have been bothering me.  I smiled and told him I enjoyed his company, which
got me a really big smile.

We were both enjoying the movie, which was just about over when my cell
phone rang.  I looked at the caller id, and asked Benji if he knew the
number.  He said it was his home number, so I answered the call.  His
mother said it was time for him to come home for lunch, and asked me if I
was sure he wasn't bothering me.  I assured her he wasn't and that I
enjoyed his company.  I told her we were watching "Ice Age" and it was just
about over.  I let her know Benji was welcome over anytime.  This got me
another one of his priceless smiles.  Kathy said ok, asking that I send him
home as soon as the movie was over.  I told her I would and we went back to
watching the movie.

I couldn't believe my luck, it appeared that what ever her thoughts or
feelings, she was willing to let Benji make his own decisions as to where
our relationship would go.

With the movie over I told Benji he needed to go home for lunch.  He didn't
seem to want to leave, and frankly I couldn't blame him, I was having the
time of my life.  I explained to him though that his mother was expecting
him home soon, and we didn't want to make her mad.  He understood what I
was saying and said ok, but that he would try and come back later and maybe
we could go swimming again.  I said that would be great.  He gave me
another fabulous hug, which I gladly returned.

While he was on his way back to his apartment, I called his mother to let
her know he was on his way home and reassure her he was not bothering me in
anyway and that I enjoyed his company.  She thanked me for my kindness and
said she was glad we were getting along.  She made a point of telling me
how happy he seemed and how much more outgoing he was, sense he'd met me.
I thanked her for her kindness, but assured her, it was nothing I was
doing.  Benji had just arrived home so we said our goodbyes.

It was just after 12 noon, so I decided to have lunch myself.  After a
quick sandwich, I went online to check my e-mail.

I had finished up responding to my e-mails, and was chatting online, when
Benji showed up.  I hadn't closed the door, choosing to let in some fresh
air. (Yea, I know fresh air in Az., go figure.)  Being polite he didn't
enter, but waited till I said he could come in.  He walked over asking
"What are you doing".  I explained I was checking my e-mail and chatting
with a friend.  He asked if he was bothering me, and said that his mother
had warned him about making a nuisance of himself.  I smiled and said "I'm
just finishing up, beside I enjoy your company, so no you're not bothering
me."

I signed off and turned to face him asking him what he wanted to do.  He
just looked blankly at me and said "I don't know".  It hadn't been all that
long sense lunch and figure it might still be to early to go swimming.  So
I asked him if he wanted to play a game on my computer, and told him I had
"Monopoly".  This seemed to meet with approval, because he said he liked
Monopoly.  I loaded the game, and we decided to play a four player game.
Benji, me and two computer players.

At first he just stood next to me while we played.  I would take my turn,
he would take his, and the two computer players would take theirs.  Now if
you've ever played this game you know most of the moves are done using the
mouse, I say this because I don't know exactly how it happened, but soon I
found Benji sitting on my leg and I found myself with my arms around him.
I guess it just happened because after I would take my turn, it was just
natural to put my arms around him, while he took his or we waited for the
computer players to take theirs.  Again, I found myself thinking about how
comfortable I felt with Benji and how he seemed to enjoy my company just as
much as I did.  This was made clear several times, when I found myself just
holding him close, not realizing it was my turn.  He never said anything
just waited for me to take my turn.

Almost two hours later we finish the game. (One of the computer players
won, and I still think the game cheats.)  Not knowing what to do next, I
asked Benji again what he wanted to do.  He suggested swimming, and I was
all for it.  I told him to run home and change and meet me at the pool.
After he left, I quickly changed myself and went out to the pool.

I arrived at the pool expecting to find Benji already there waiting for me,
but he was no where to be found.  I figured he would show up any minute,
but after ten minutes I decided to go find out what happened.  I had just
started drying off, when the gate to the pool opened.  I turned to see
Kathy entering the pool area and Benji following right behind her but with
a very sad forlorn look about him, that I couldn't figure out.  He was
wearing his bathing suit and had a towel, so I was sure he was allowed to
go swimming, yet still he looked so sad.  I couldn't figure out why.

I put down my towel and said to Benji "I was beginning to think you weren't
coming", he didn't reply so I said "Hello" to Kathy.  She returned the
hello, but that was it, she just went to a chair and sat down.  Now this
was beginning to worry me.  What was going on here, twenty minuets ago, all
was right with the world, Benji and I were going swimming, and now, neither
he nor his mother seemed happy.  I wanted to scream, "Why" at the top of my
lungs.

Benji came over and put his towel next to mine, but still said noting.  I
started to walk towards the pool, when he asked me quietly if we could go
sit in the Jacuzzi.  I said sure and we headed in that direction.  I turned
on the Jacuzzi, and we both got in, however he didn't sit next to me like
he had before.  I was getting even more worried, what was going on here,
both of them seemed very upset, but neither of them said anything.  What
ever was bothering Benji, I got the impression it wasn't something he
wanted to talk about, at least not now in front of his mother, and what
ever was bothering her she didn't seem to want to talk about it either.

No one said anything but fifteen minuets later his mother walks over to us
and said she needed to go back to the apartment.  She didn't say why, and
she didn't say anything about whether or not she wanted Benji to accompany
her.  She just turned around and left.  I didn't say anything to Benji, I
didn't even know what was going on, or where to start asking questions.  A
few minuets after she left though he scooted over next to me.  I put my arm
around his shoulder, and he melted into me, but still said nothing.

We sat like that for another fifteen minuets till the Jacuzzi turned itself
off, neither of us saying a word the whole time.  Finally trying to lighten
the mood, I asked Benji if he wanted to go play in the pool.  He didn't
seem all that interested, but agreed.  We got out of the Jacuzzi and walked
over to the pool.  Trying to think of a way to get him out of this funk, I
decided to push him in the pool.  I figured it couldn't hurt his mood any.
As soon as I pushed him in, I jumped in after him, and as he was coming up,
I grabbed him in a big hug.  At first I wasn't sure if I had made the right
choice, he still had a brooding look on his face, but luckily he didn't
push away from me.  After a few minuets of just holding him, I finally
asked him if he wanted to tell me what was going on.

He didn't say anything at first, so I just sat there on the steeps holding
him, I don't know how long we sat there, but finally he asked if we could
go back to the Jacuzzi, and he would tell me what happened.  Apparently
when he had gotten home and went to change, his mother stopped him saying
he was spending to much time with me, and that he was only going to end up
annoying me, by pestering me so much.  Now it was all beginning to make
sense to me.  She probably figured she would take him to the pool and I
wouldn't be there, thus proving her point, but that didn't happen.  I
unknowingly made things worse by my comment.

I explained to him that I did in fact enjoy spending time with him, no
matter what his mother tried to tell him.  I also explained to him that his
mother was just concerned, and not to worry about it, that things would
work out, while deep down inside hopping things would in fact work out.
His mother had done a 180 on me, and I didn't understand why.  What piece
to this puzzle didn't I have.  Deciding not to ruin my time with Benji
worrying over his mother's issues, I suggested we forget about what
happened, and just have fun for now.  Benji agreed, though he was slow to
return to his fun loving playful self.

We sat in the Jacuzzi for another thirty minuets, just enjoying the moment
together.  Finally I asked him if he was now ready for some fun in the
pool, and this time I got a happy boy smile.  We both jumped in the pool,
and started another one of our splashing wars.  We were both enjoying our
time together, like nothing had happened.  For about two hours Benji and I
played, splashed, and sat in the Jacuzzi.  We were back to having a good
time.

As it started getting late and dark, I knew at some point he was going to
need to go home, or Kathy would come looking for him.  Not wanting to make
things even worse, I decided to take him home.  He wasn't happy, but I
explained to him that it wouldn't help things any, if his mother had to
come get him every time we were together.  He still wasn't happy about it,
but understood.  We dried off and headed to his place.

Kathy was on the phone when we walked in the door.  I was about to leave so
as not to interrupt her, when she asked me to wait a minute.  I nodded my
ok, and waited while she got off the phone.  After getting off the phone,
she told Benji dinner would be ready in about thirty minuets and for him to
take a bath and get cleaned up while she talked with me.  I'm sure Benji
feared the worst, as did I.  He gave me a big hug, which I chastely
returned.  I was about to kiss the top of his head, when I looked up to see
her standing there, waiting to talk to me.

After waiting for Benji to enter the bathroom, Kathy asked me to sit down
at the kitchen table so we could talk.  As I sat down, she offered me a
drink, which I declined.  She sat down, and just looked at me for a moment.
I just sat there waiting to see what she was going to say.  Was she going
to tell me never to see her son again, was she going to accuse me of
something, I know not what?  I had a million thoughts running through my
mind at that moment, none of which were even close to what she said.  I
think, I was stunned at first, thinking there's no way I heard her
correctly, but she said it again.  She started out apologizing for her
earlier behavior.  I tried to make light of it, but she stopped me, by
saying she of all people should have known better.  I was lost by this last
comment, what was she talking about, and what should she have known.

Thus started what I can only describe as the most shocking 20 minuets of my
life.  Sitting before me, she started to explain to me how her brother was
a boylover, and how she should have realized I was one too, by the way
Benji and I interacted.  I just sat there, I'm sure looking about a guilty
as ever.  She proceeded to explain, that she was having a hard time dealing
with how quickly Benji took to me, and how our relationship seemed to
blossom so fast.  My lack of vocal skills, and shocked looks didn't stop
her though, she continued on.  She explain that while sitting at the pool
area watching us, and seeing how sad Benji looked, she decided to call her
brother and seek his advise.  They were just finishing up when Benji and I
showed up.

I was still shocked by this, but finding my voice, I carefully explained to
her my feelings for Benji.  I told her I wanted her to feel safe letting
Benji spend time with me, and that I would always do what was best for him.
I told her that her relationship with her son, was more important then my
relationship with him, and I didn't want to do anything that would
jeopardize it.  I went on to say that if she ever had any questions about
my feelings for Benji all she had to do was ask, and I would always be 100%
honest with her.

About this time the bathroom door opened and a very adorably cute Benji
appeared, wearing only a towel.  When I turned back to Kathy, I found her
grinning at me.  I must have blushed big time, because she just looked at
me and let out a small laugh.  Benji not knowing what was going on, came
over and leaning against me, asking his mother what was so funny.  She told
him never mind and to get dressed so he could say goodbye before I left.

While Benji was in his room, I again reassure her, I only wanted what was
best for him, and would abide by any rules she set.  She didn't come right
out and say it, but the look in her eyes made it clear to me she was
worried about something sexual happening.  I tried to calm her worries, by
saying "I will never do anything to hurt him Kathy."  She said she knew,
but he was her son, and she would always worry.  She was silent for a
moment, then finally said "Please, if you think any things going to happen
talk to me first."  It didn't take a genius to know exactly what she was
talking about, and I completely understood her fears.  I was just about to
respond when Benji came out, dressed in blue soccer shorts again. (Sigh, I
would never get tired of looking at him.)  Kathy told him to say goodbye.
As Benji gave me a big hug, I turned to her and said "You have my word on
it."

To Be Continued...