Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:34:30 +0000 (UTC) From: Jonathan Subject: I'm The Captain - Chapter Thirteen Paul and Lucas's circle of friends goes through some big changes, having a profound effect on them both. This is a fictional tale of sexual relationship between a young man and a teenage boy. You must be eighteen to read this story. If it is against the law where you are to read stories like this you are kindly requested to leave and not read this story. It is only a fictional story for your reading pleasure and not for distribution to any other site or resource. While some of the geographic names and place may be real, none of the names or characters are real or based on anyone real. I grew up on the water and have a familiarity with sailing and boats but no means am I an expert so please forgive any references or nomenclature that are not factually accurate. I appreciate any comments or feedback, good or bad. Send to tryitlikeit27@yahoo.com. I try to reply to as many as possible. I have had some very pleasant interactions with some of my readers so please do not hesitate to write. If you enjoy my story, you can do an Author Search on my name ("Jonathan Perkins") to find some of my other stories posted here. I'm The Captain by Jonathan Perkins Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved Remember to donate to Nifty to keep these stories available for all our enjoyment. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html I'm The Captain Chapter Thirteen As Lucas and Todd were bonding and becoming closer, I was growing concerned about Lucas's aloofness lately. Not so much as a kiss or a hug when I leave for work or when I returned. Has Todd taken my place in Lucas's life and I'm left on my own? No, no, no! I've stopped this jealous bullshit on the voyage down here on the boat. I know our relationship is solid. Perhaps my ego has trumped all, causing my self important in this project to take precedent over all else, a much more likely scenario. All afternoon at work I was making stupid mistakes, using the wrong calculations or using the correct formulas but making simple dumb math errors. Irving noticed my lack of concentration and asked what was bothering me. "Lucas has been a little distant and I think the long hours are having a negative impact on our relationship. He has always been concerned that I would abandon him like so many others in this life have. I promised I never would. But that is precisely what I have done," I lamented. "No you haven't. You and he are still together and you're with him every night," Irving countered. "Physically we're sleeping in the same room, but I fear he feels emotionally abandoned. I have to figure out a way to fix this and soon." "Your mind is so far away from here that you're not doing any of us any good. Today we're going to knock off early and you can get home and spend some quality time with Lucas," Irving offered. "Oh my god, that would be awesome. Do you think Mr. Bishop will be pissed?" I asked with a modicum of concern. "He gets pissed if there isn't enough jelly on his toast in the morning so I wouldn't worry about him," Irving advised. My mind was at ease temporarily so I could pay attention to my work again. I got so involved I didn't notice it was 6:00 when Irving asked if we were still going home early. Six o'clock is not exactly what I had in mind when he said early, but it was better than the 9:00 or later that we had been working until. As we pulled into the driveway at home I noticed Lucas's car was gone. I didn't think much of it as he was probably at the marina or at the beach with Todd. I hadn't let him know I was coming home early and wanted to surprise him. Marilyn was shocked to see us home early. She made small talk for a few minutes and then told Irving she had something important to show him in the bedroom. She grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hallway as he looked over his shoulder and winked. I have a pretty good what she wanted to show him. Ugh! I took a shower and grabbed a quick snack. Lucas wasn't home yet so I called his cell phone. It went right to voice mail. I left a message for him to call me. Thirty minutes went by and no call back. I sent a text message for him to call. Thirty minutes more and no reply. I called again, right to voicemail again. Now my anxiety level is going crazy. Why is he refusing my calls? Is he hurt and in the emergency room? Did he and Todd drown while surfboarding and no one noticed. Todd! Is he off somewhere shacking up with Todd and doesn't want to be interrupted by yesterday's lover? Dam it, Paul, get off the jealousy bullshit. Another thirty minutes and still no reply to repeated calls and texts. Irving and Marilyn came down the hall, both of them disheveled and smiling. I guess they liked what she showed him. "Still no Lucas?" Irving asked. "No. And no replies from his phone yet. I think I'm going to take a run down to the marina and see if he is working late," I told them both. "I'm sure he's fine. You know how teenagers are. They get carried away with what they're doing and loose all track of time. Besides, he had no idea you were coming home early." That's what was beginning to worry me. They had gotten carried away with what they were doing with or to each other. I drove to the marina but Lucas's car was not in the parking lot. I went to find Gary and ask if they had just left. He told me they finished early and left three or four hours ago. Three or four hours ago?!? It only takes fifteen minutes for two horny teenagers to have sex so they had enough time for multiple go-rounds. Although Lucas did like to cuddle and savor the after glow of sex, definitely not fours hours worth. I left the marina, my heart pounding in my chest, my mind running through all kinds of torrid scenes of the two of them together, ravaging each other's hot naked bodies. Covered in sweat and cum, getting ready for the next round of debauchery. I drove to the Dairy Queen, knowing it was one of Lucas's favorite spots. He loved his ice cream. Maybe they got some to go and then smeared it all over each other and licked themselves clean? Damn, shut the fuck up Paul! I drove down by the beach parking lot where I was told the best surfing could be found. I wasn't sure if it was the one he and Todd went to but it was worth a pass by to see if I could see his car. It was starting to get dark and the parking lot was thinning out but Lucas car was not among the stragglers. It was almost 9:00 so I decided to just go home and wait for Lucas to show up. As I approached Irving's house I could see Lucas's car in the driveway in it's usual spot. I parked and ran in the house and right to our bedroom. "Lucas, where have you been?" I blurted out, not thinking how abrupt it sounded. "What's it to you? You don't get home until now anyway," he snarled at me and then got up to head to the bathroom. I grabbed him and hugged him tight as he tried to pass me. "I came home early to spend some time with you and I panicked when I couldn't reach you on your phone. I though something horrible had happened," I explained. "My battery went dead and I didn't have the car charger with me. Wait, you came home early? You left your precious project alone?" he quipped sarcastically. "Ok, I had that one coming. I realized today how much I neglected you for the project. I'm so, so sorry. That is going to change as of right now," I promised. "I've told you how I throw myself into my work when problems arise in my personal life," I started but was quickly interrupted. "So I'm a problem in your life?" Lucas asked with hurt in his eyes. "Hell no, never. But our boat being damaged and out of our lives for a few months, living with Irving and his wife and not feeling totally comfortable being here. And then the pressure of being asked to take on so much responsibility at work. It all buried me emotionally so I put on my preverbal blinkers and dove in head first. I hadn't realized the trade off I made until today," I tried to put things in perspective. "I enjoy my work and I'm proud of what I do. But you and I both know we don't need the money. What I do need, more than anything else, is you. I don't want to loose you to someone else because of my job. I'll quit tomorrow if that's what it takes," I asserted. "Don't quit your job, just get some balance. Work your project during a normal day and then come home and work me," Lucas said with a smile. We lunged at each other, holding each other so tight we knew if we let go the other one would drift away into thin air. Just then Lucas pulled his head away from me, still holding me. "Loose me to someone else? I know how you think. You're thinking Todd and I are going to be a couple and I'd leave you for him," he accused me. "Where would you ever get such a crazy idea. The thought never entered my head," I lied. "Bull shit! Dwayne all over again," Lucas laughed. "Todd is my friend, my best friend right now. We enjoy each other's company a great deal and have a lot of fun together, but he is still only a friend, not a lover. Not even a quick sex partner. You're my lover, my boyfriend, may partner in life. We're 'Us" and that's not going to change, especially not over some torrid affair you're having with your project at work." "Fine, guilty as charged," I laughed, "when you weren't home and I couldn't get a hold of you tonight my mind went berserk and became irrational. You know me better than I know myself." "And I know what you like. So let's go to bed and you can give me what I've missed," Lucas said to me. "I want your stiff cock up my ass." "Okay, but I get your cock first. If I fuck you you'll cum while I'm in you and I want you to cum in me. So you fuck me first and I'll be able to save my load for you," I instructed him. So that's exactly what we did. We got naked, got in bed and made out, holding off fucking for as long as we could. Finally I got the lube and used it on Lucas and myself. I lay on my stomach, my favorite position, and pulled my cheeks apart for Lucas to have easy access to my hole. He slid in slowly, inch by inch, overjoyed at the increasing feeling of fullness his cock was giving me. As his abdomen rested against my ass cheeks, we lay still, coupled, as we should be. He started slowly, fearing an imminent orgasm if he became too animated in his movements. I started to move under him with the intentions of heightening his pleasure as well as my own. My movements became an involuntary twitching and shuddering of my entire body, reacting on its own to Lucas's cock slowly going in and out, hitting all the right spots. I was afraid I would be the one to cum too soon when I felt Lucas make a hard thrust and his body stiffen on top of me. His cock was pulsing as he dumped his load, eight powerful shots of his personal juices up inside my intestines. Once he had gained his composure, he slid off to the side of me, smearing lube and ass juices mixed with a little cum all over my left cheek and hips as he did. But I didn't mind at all. We hugged and made out some more until Lucas demanded that I get down to business and put my boner where it belonged. Lube smeared on his ass and my cock and we were ready for round two. He wanted to be on his back so I could watch him shoot his second load, confident that I was going to give him an awesome fuck and we'd both ended up cumming. I moved in between his legs and got closer to his hole. He lifted his legs and put his feet up on my shoulders to support him. My cock was so slick it kept sliding up his ass crack and not staying aimed at his portal of pleasure. "Get your mind off work and pay attention to the business at hand," Lucas teased me. "I'll show you where my mind is," as I grabbed my cock with my hand, aimed it at my target and threw my hips forward, slamming inside him with one forceful thrust. "Is that better?" I asked him as he moaned in delight not bothering to answer in words. After a few minutes of rhythmic fucking, Lucas raised his ass up higher to give me a better attach angle, hitting his sweet spot. It also moved him away from me slightly so every few strokes my cock would slid out. I grabbed my cock and shoved it back in as hard and as deep as I could. He dropped his legs behind my shoulders and used them to pull me closer to him. As much as he liked the forceful re-entry, he wanted me inside doing what I do best, fucking him to an orgasm. He reached down and grabbed his cock and squeezed it, hoping to forestall the inevitable. But it was too late. His second load of cum blasted all over his stomach and his chest. His throbbing sphincter gave my cock just the nudge it need and I was pushing my load out and depositing it where it belonged. We cuddled for a half-hour, coming down from an orgasmic high that reached almost to the moon. I looked over at Lucas and smiled. "Tomorrow I'm going in to work and quit my job so we can spend all day like this," I cooed. "The fuck you are!" Lucas shouted. "If you're home all day, my cock will be worn down to a nub and my asshole with be stretched open enough that a Mack truck could park in there," he claimed. "Ok, then I'll work half days and then we spend the rest of the day in bed. I'll leave you with at least a 3" cock nub and a hole only stretched enough to park a Ford pick up truck," I laughed. "Or how about you just get your ass home at a normal time and then we can play around like normal gay lovers," he offered with a chuckle. "Fine! If that's the way you want it," I answered with a smirk. Neither one of us wanted to be the first one to move to go wash up so we fell asleep gooey and smelling of lube and cum. We did get up early the next morning to take long hot showers to scrub off the dried encrusted remains of last night's long awaited sex. On the way to work the next morning, Irving was smiling and whistling. "In a good mood, I see," I said to him. "Yes, glad to see you and Lucas had some special time together last night." "Oh damn, we're we making too much noise?" my face turning red. "Marilyn and I were in the den and the noises from your room were getting her randy again. I'm only good for once a night so we went out and sat on the patio for a while before I had to disappoint her," he laughed out loud. "I did finally give in to her desires and got on my knees between her legs." "TOO MUCH INFORMATION!! Don't do that to me," I laughed. "Maybe it's time we moved out and found our own place. You've been more than generous letting us stay as long as we have." "Nonsense. We won't here of it. You and Lucas are making Marilyn and I feel young again. And the best sex we've had in years," again with the laugh. "After talking with Lucas last night, we're going to have to make some changes in our work schedule. We can discuss it when we meet with Mr. Bishop this morning. I just wanted to give you a heads up." "What ever you want, you know I'll go along with it." Mr. Bishop was waiting for us when we arrived, waiting for our daily update. We spent an hour going over what we had accomplished and where we were headed. He was pleased with our work so far but impressed on us the importance of keeping it moving. That was my cue to speak up. "Mr. Bishop, I know the importance of this project to you and the company. But there will have to be some changes to our work schedule. These long hours are taking a toll on my home life, something that can't continue," I started in. "Oh really, Mr. Benson?" he asked with his head cocked to one side. He never called me by my last name so I knew he wasn't happy. Better he not be happy than Lucas, so I continued. "I'm going to have to cut back to a normal workweek and not these early starts and late nights," I told him. "So now you're going to dictate your working conditions to me? Do you think you can still get enough work done in shortened hours?" he asked "Probably not. But I will do my best," I replied honestly. "Then maybe I should fire your ass and get someone in here that can," he shot back. "You fire him and I quit!" Irving jumped in forcefully. "Don't get your balls in a twist Irving. Let's hear him out before I do anything," Mr. Bishop spoke directly to Irving. "If that is not good enough for you then it maybe it is time for me to leave your employment and let you find someone else to take my place. I love this job, the work I do here and you are the best boss a person could ask for. Working side by side with Irving is an experience I will never be able to duplicate again. But as you well know, I don't need the money so the personal satisfaction is what I treasure most about working with you and Irving and the rest of the engineering staff," I finished up. "So, how do you feel about this development, Irving?" he turned to him. "I'll go along with whatever Paul decides. But know full well, if he leaves you'll never be able to replace him with anyone nearly as talented and qualified so I'll be leaving as well," Irving spoke directly to Mr. Bishop. "From the first day we met, Paul, I knew I'd like you. You're honest, fair, and tell it like it is. You called me out and forbade me to fire Irving when you first met him. So I guess I have to add a good judge of character to your list of attributes. But understand this. I won the company, I'm filthy rich and I can do anything I want. The only exceptions are paying taxes and dying. A sharp accountant and a healthy life style can even put those things off for a while. Considering the progress the two of you have made, I'm going to cut your hours back and increase your pay so you don't loose the extra money you've been making on overtime. I'm going to bring down some of my best engineers from New England to put on your team and help keep things moving. Is that acceptable to you, Mr. Benson?" still looking stone faced. "If it's agreeable to Irving," I laughed while looking over at him. "I think we're all in agreement," was his short answer. "Good. Just so you know, this was my plan when I came to this meting this morning. Some Chinese company pulled a fast one and we lost the contract for the wind farm off Cape Cod. I have extra people up north and needed somewhere to put them," he smiled. "I didn't want to let you think I was going to be pushed around," then shook our hands as he headed for the door with a hearty belly laugh. "Good luck, Irving, you're going to need it to keep putting up with this head strong SOB!" "You ballsy mother fucker!" Irving said shaking his head. "How the hell do you keep getting away with telling the boss what he's going to do and how to do it? I've heard tell of someone being born with a silver spoon in their mouth but never someone being born with a hand grenade in their mouth, just waiting to be thrown at someone when you get the urge." "Just you remember that the next time you yell at me to get out of bed in the morning," I laughed and left the room. I immediately texted Lucas to tell him I'd be home early tonight, and every night there after. He just texted back an emoji of fireworks going off. I showed it to Irving. "See, he uses hand grenades too," I laughed. The rest of the day flew by, things going smoother than ever knowing we wouldn't be putting in so many hours. We Irving and I pulled in the driveway, Lucas and Marilyn were sitting in the lawn chairs on the front lawn. "Looks like we have a welcoming committee," I chuckled. "More like a posse waiting to ambush us," Irving shot back to me. Irving and Marilyn went inside to clean up and then go out to eat, their first time in a long time. As soon as Lucas and I entered our room and closed the door, he turned around and attacked me. He pushed me against the door and kissed me full on while grabbing my crotch and groping me. "Hey, slow down. Let me at least get a shower and then we can get busy," I told him pushing him back. "The hell with a shower, I want to smell your manly odor, not some flowery soap smell," as he pulled my pants down and got on his knees to suck my cock. "Then let's at least get naked and on the bed so we can both enjoy a mouthful of cock." Lucas managed to contain himself long enough to do as I suggested. Once on the bed, facing in opposite directions, he swallowed me to the hilt, quickly and totally. I, on the other hand, took his cock in my hand and gently and lovingly caressed it and squeezed it, enjoying the texture and the look of it so close in front of me. He did have a beautiful cock. It had been a while since we did this so I was determined to make it last longer than Lucas was going for. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he popped me out of his mouth to ask. "If you're chugging a cheap beer, you get it done as quick as possible. If you're gulping down a box wine, there is no finesse involved, just consumption. But when you have a $5,000 bottle of fine aged Kentucky bourbon whiskey in your hand, you savor every moment. The smell, the texture, to color and finally the taste." "I'm not very aged yet but if you don't get with it, I'll be older than you before I nut," he complained. I just laughed him off and continued my slow methodical approach to making the most of his hard cock. The tip was wet with precum, forming a drop that slowly got bigger until it broke free and ran down the side of his shaft. I stuck out my tongue and caught it before it got lost in his pubic hair. I licked back up to get is all causing him to twitch and his cock to jump. He moaned a begging noise while I just laughed at his impatience. I slowly stroked him pulling the skin on his shaft up tight to almost cover the gland. He was circumcised but still had ample skin on such a stiff boner to pull it up and then back down. Lucas started to hump my hand, trying to increase the stimulation but I alternated my rhythm to match his movements, negating any longer stroke. All the while I could feel the effect his mouth was having on me and felt it wouldn't be too much longer before I came in his mouth. I finally increased my strokes as I grew closer, wanting to get him off with my hand and watch his cum fountain shoot high in the air. The sight of copious amounts of cum shooting out of the piss slit of a cock is something I've always enjoyed watching. You don't get that when you suck someone off or fuck him and cum inside him. My timing was perfect. I unloaded my balls into Lucas's mouth at the same time he stiffened up and fired his cum, all over my hand, his chest and the bed. After a brief recovery, he realigned to face each other and kissed. As we lay cuddled together, Lucas asked me how I managed to get off early tonight. "Are you kidding me? You have to ask?" I said incredulously. "My cock in your mouth was what got me off early," I giggled. Lucas slapped me and smiled. "Fucking wise guy! You know what I mean. Get home early." "We met with Mr Bishop this morning and I told him I couldn't keep working these hours. It was affecting my relationship with you and that was not acceptable. Either the hours go back to normal or I would quit." "No way! You didn't actually say that did you?" Lucas asked in amazement. "Damn sure did. And the funny part was that Irving threatened to quit if I did. But it all worked out for everyone involved." "Great. Before I forget, Todd's dad invited you and I to a Christmas party / barbecue this Saturday. He wants to meet you and I told him I thought we would be able to go. Can we?" he asked tentatively. "Of course. I'd love to make some friends down here. I'm getting tired of spending all my time hanging around with you," I joked. That earned me another slap from Lucas. The weekend came and we headed over to Todd's house. He had insisted that we didn't need to bring anything but manners dictated we didn't come empty handed. I had no idea what his father or mother would drink, if anything, so I bought a wine basket with a selection of different wines, something bound to appeal to them. I also stopped at a fruit stand and got a fruit basket filled with native fruits in case they didn't drink at all. We walked up to the house and Todd met us, taking us around back to the party. It was a large brick house in a very substantial neighborhood. Todd's father, Donald, greeted us and called his wife Sylvia over. "Dad, I'd like you to meet Paul and Lucas. I work with Lucas at the marina," Todd began the introductions. I shook both their hands and presented my house warming gifts. "A very nice selection," Donald commented as he looked over the wine basket. "I'm sure we'll enjoy the fruit as well," as he handed the fruit basket to his wife. "Firing on all cylinders, Paul," he laughed. "Todd, you have good taste in your friends." We were taken around and introduced to the rest of the guests. One of them owned a marine supply chain. "You'll get along great with Scott here, considering you're both boat guys," Donald said as he left us to chat. "You have a boat, do you?" Scott asked. "Yes, a sail boat. We summer on the Cape and then sailed down here for the winter. My first time sailing the coast," I told him. "I used to have a customer who did that. Haven't seen him yet this year, though. Ben or Burt or something like that. Wonderful man, full of stories. He would come in for something small and we would sit and talk for hours," Scott wistfully recalled. "You don't mean 'Bart' do you?" I asked with no surprise in my voice at all. "Bart! Yes, that was his name. Hell of a guy. Hope I see him again this year." "That was my uncle. He passed this spring and he left me his boat. I also inherited Lucas along with the boat," I laughed. Lucas just grinned. "I decided to keep both of them." "I'm sorry to hear of his death but I'm glad his boat will stay in the family and continue to sail the open seas." As we walked away, I turned to Lucas, "Still a perfect score." "What do you mean?" he asked "No matter where we go or who we meet, they all knew Uncle Bart and have a Bart story to tell. We have damn big galoshes to fill." I replied. After the food was served, Donald and I were talking. I told him about my job and how it brought me to Florida. He told me he was in real estate. I found that odd after Lucas told me that Todd's father was a shy person and not good expressing himself to people. "I don't work directly with clients, I'm more of a behind the scenes guy," he explained. "Somebody has to do the paperwork to keep things running smoothly," I reasoned. "Not paperwork, client profiling. You see the population of Florida stays fairly consistent, up a fraction of a point one-year, down a fraction the next year. But there is an 8% - 12% turnover of residents every year. A lot of older people come here to retire and eventually pass on. Some of the people get too old to care for themselves and move back to where their children are living and move in with them. So there is a constant turnover in the housing market. I developed a program to help those moving down here to find the right house in the right market. I have a forty-page questionnaire that will give me a complete profile of the person or persons and find the perfect fit for them," he proudly told me. "Wow! Forty pages? That sound like a lot of work." "Not really. I'm a computer nerd and I have developed the algorithms that sort through all the data and give several appropriate choices in less than ten minutes. Give me a data set, a desired result and I'll write you an algorithm to accomplish it," he beamed. "That's amazing." "Our marketing affiliates are responsible for over 65% of the home sales in Florida last year. I don't get the same commission as an agent, but I'm making low seven figures consistently for the past five years, not to brag." "No brag, just fact," I laughed. "If you're that good, you deserve all the success you have coming to you." "And yet, I can't even talk to my own son," he said as he hung his head. "Teenagers can be difficult to talk to, I know," I admitted. "It's not him, it's me. Every time I try to start a conversation about something I think is bothering him, he says he's fine and I just let it go at that and clam up. I know it's a lot to ask but I was hoping you and Lucas could help me with him." "Be glad to help in any way we can. Is he having a problem?" I asked. "I'm not sure. He talks about Lucas non-stop, about how great he is and how much fun they have together. When he came home from surfing the other day, he relived every wave, every wipe out and every move they made on the board. Todd has never dated girls that I know of or been so infatuated with anyone the way he is with Lucas. I think he may be gay which is fine. I have no problem if he is. But it's something he shouldn't be facing alone and he needs someone to help him discover who he really is," he continued. "The teenage years can be tough enough without having to deal with something like this on his own," I agreed. "So how can we help?" as if I didn't have a pretty good idea of where he was going. "I don't mean to be forward, but I don't know any other way. I assume you and Lucas are both gay and living as a couple." "We are. We're not ashamed of it nor do we feel we have to advertise it. It's just who we are," I told him straightforward. "I was wondering if either one of you could counsel Todd and maybe give him some insight into what being gay is all about, what ever assistance you could offer." He stopped short. "Damn, that was an awkward way to say that. I hope I didn't offend you. That's what I mean about not having any people skills. If you would just help Todd discover who he is I'd be forever in your debt." "No worries. I don't know your son that well but he and Lucas are best friends. I'll speak to Lucas and share your concerns with him. Maybe he can find a way to initiate an open conversation between the three of you," I told him. "That's fine. What ever you can do to help him become a well adjusted adult, straight, bi or gay. I just want him to be happy." He shook my hand and walked back to the party. He was a little unstable on his feet which made me wonder if he strange conversation was attributable to his personality or the liquor. On the way home I told Lucas about my conversation with Todd's father. "Todd already kind of told me he thinks he might be gay so that's already out there," Lucas told me. "I'm just afraid if I get into the subject much deeper he will think that I want to hook up with him. You'll have to rescue me if it get to that point," Lucas smirked. "Try and steer the conversation towards having an open discussion with his father. That will keep him from making any moves on you," I advised. "I'll see what I can do, but no promises." "I didn't make any to his father either. Just like you, I told him we'd try and help. On a different subject, I talked to Randy yesterday and he is anxious for us to fly up and spend Christmas with everyone back home. I thought we'd fly up three days before Christmas, spend a week or so and fly back down here after New Year's Day. Sound okay with you?" "Sounds friggin awesome. I can't wait to see everyone again. Do you think Mike and Dwayne will be around?" he asked. "Randy told me he is planning Christmas Day at Edgar's. Edgar is planning a feast like has never been seen on the Cape before for all of us." "It won't be the same without the boat, but I can't think of a better way to spend Christmas," he exclaimed as he bounced up and down in the seat. Lucas was flying high for the next few days. He told me he talked to Todd and it turns out he already had his eye on a classmate at school. Todd had been afraid to discuss this with his father, thinking his father would throw him out of the house or something just as drastic. Irving was making preparations for his children to arrive for the holidays. Marilyn was preparing a Christmas day menu that would feed a small army. Christmas music was the order of the day, everyday, morning, noon and night. But I always feared when things are going too good, something bad has to happen. Randy called while I was at work. I knew it couldn't be good. He told me the local police had been called to do a wellness check on Lucas's parents. No one had seen or heard from them in a few days. They were both found dead in their trailer. They had been dead for a few days and no cause has yet been determined. The authorities needed to contact Lucas to make arrangements for their funeral. I left work early to get home and give the news to Lucas. He was at the marina working with Todd. He was surprised to see me but could see the look of concern on my face. ""What has happened, Paul?" he asked as soon as I got near him. I didn't answer but pulled him in for a very tight and prolonged hug. I sure he could feel the sorrow in my body as we just stood there in each other's arms. "It isn't the boat, is it? Has something terribly wrong happened to the boat?" he asked. "No, the boat is fine. I hate to tell you this but I got a call from Randy this morning," I started. "Shit! Was there a fire at the marina?" he asked getting agitated at not knowing the news I had for him. "No, the marina is fine, and so is Randy. It's your parents. The police went to check on them and found them both dead in their trailer," my eyes tearing up as I told him. "That would figure," he said very unemotional. "They were always more pissed off at life than usual around the holidays, seeing everyone around them enjoying themselves. If they had finished a rehab stint, this is the time of year when they went right back to the booze and the drugs. Merry fucking Christmas, Mom and Dad." "The police want you to contact them to make arrangements for their funeral. Randy gave me a contact name and number." "Can we just send two contractor size trash bags and throw them in the trash where they belong?" Lucas asked sarcastically. "You know you don't mean that. Until your father had his accident and his addiction began, your parents loved you, you loved both your parents and you all had a nice life together," I reminded him. "Yes, but that was so long ago, like a different life time. I will call and send some money for the funeral so at least the last thing for them on this earth is a decent burial. I guess I owe them that much," Lucas conceded. "Let me know what you work out and I will change our plane reservations to get up north for the funeral." "You don't get it, do you? I want to remember them as they used to be before all the crap started. That's when they died as far as I'm concerned. I'll pay for a funeral, but I'm not going to attend and taint what good memories I do have. I have to get back to work. I'll see you at home later," and off he walked. I was stunned. How much hurt and hate can a boy of eighteen have for his parents when he hears of their death and just wants to send a check to bury them and then goes back to work? His attitude gives me a little more insight into why he fears being abandoned. As much as he plays the hard ass, I know he's hurting inside and just won't admit it. He's not ready to forgive his parents yet. Maybe in a few years. I know how he feels. If my father died right after I found about his gay affair and the aftermath, I would had attended his funeral, but only to spit on his casket. This could be why Lucas and I have bonded so tightly in such a short time. We have similar situations with our parents. I called Randy and told him we'd be sending money to cover the funeral. I also asked him if he could handle the arrangements for us. I asked that he plan the funeral to coincide with our visit up north, hoping Lucas would change his mind and get some closure from attending the service. Randy was glad to help and would send me the details once everything was arranged. Lucas was very quiet that evening at supper. Marilyn noticed and asked if everything was okay. Lucas just shrugged his shoulders so I spoke up, "Lucas got some bad news today," but before I could go any further, Lucas turned and glared at me with such anger like I never seen before. I knew better than to tell them about his parents. "Yes, the repairs to the boat are taking a little longer than expected. He misses the boat just as much as I do." "Don't you worry, Lucas," Marilyn tried to console him, "Good things sometimes take longer than we expect." "Truer words were never spoken," Lucas said thinking about how long it took for his parents to finally be out of his life forever. In bed Lucas cuddled up to me and held me tight. After a long while he spoke with his head nuzzled against my neck. "Can we just stay like this and not make love tonight?" he whispered. "Of course. I'm happy to be with you no matter what we do. As long as it's 'Us' it's all good." I comforted him. He wouldn't admit it, but his parent's death was having an impact on him. "Can you get home early from work tomorrow?" he asked. "Of course I can. What do you have in mind?" "I want to go up and see the boat. I want to make sure it's being worked on and will be ready to come back to us as soon as possible," he told me. "I think that is a great idea. Why don't we take the day off and make a day of it. I'll call Mr. Ferguson in the morning and let him know we're coming up," I confirmed. "That would be awesome, thanks," Lucas whispered as he hugged me and held me tight. When he had fallen asleep, I slipped out of bed and went to tell Irving and Marilyn about Lucas's parents. They wanted to comfort him but I told them how he feels about everything. I also told him I was taking the day off tomorrow to take Lucas to see the boat. The next day we pulled into the boat yard and Lucas sat looking across at our boat, sitting high and dry on boat drayage. He slowly got out of the car and walked over to the boat. I expected him to be more animated in his movements but he was very subdued. I followed behind him. Half way to the boat, he stopped and turned towards me, waiting for me to catch up with him. He reached out and took my hand then slowly continued his walk to the boat. We stopped about twenty feet from the boat, Lucas still holding my hand and just staring at the boat. His breathing was slow and shallow, letting out a loud sigh. "I was afraid it wouldn't be here. Or at the very least, still with a huge hole in her," he said softly. Mr. Ferguson walked over to meet us. "So, what do you think Lucas? We have the hole patched just as good as new." "It's not stained yet? Why isn't anyone working on it? The yard looks empty of any workers," Lucas asked impatiently. "My best shipwrights are on vacation and won't be back until after the New Year. The repair needs to acclimate and settle with the ship. They will be working on refinishing the hull when they return. But we're still pretty much on schedule." "Oh, that's good," Lucas said softly, again very subdued. "You're doing a great job, Victor. We can't wait to get her back in the water and back where she belongs," I told him. "Can we go aboard?" Lucas asked. "Of course. Just watch your step. There are tools and materials all over the decks," Victor cautioned. He turned and walked back to his office. Lucas walked slowly up the temporary stairs that were constructed to get up on the main deck. On the top landing he hesitated and looked from the stern to the bow, assessing everything in sight. He gently stepped onto the deck and stopped. He faced me and smiled. "This is where I belong, right here on this deck," he proclaimed softly. "And you belong here with me, us, together now and forever," as he reached out to take my hand again. I had never seen Lucas this reverent. I think his parent's death was affecting him more than he wanted to let on, whether he knew it or not. I stepped on the deck and stood beside him, holding him in a shoulder hug, one hand on his shoulder and the other holding his hand. "Us, together now and forever," I repeated. After standing there like statues for at least ten minutes, Lucas said he wanted to look around. He went below deck and then called out to me. "Hey Paul, come see what I found in the master berth!" I went below deck and when I got to the door to our room, Lucas was on the bed, naked with a boner sticking straight up in the air. "Look what I found. Any idea what we should do with it?" he smirked. The old Lucas was back just that quick. The aggressive horndog leading the way in our sexual escapades was once again ready to play. "Are you crazy? Someone might come on board and catch us. Besides, we took all the lube and things we'd need when we picked up our personal belongings," I warned him. "Not crazy, just horny to screw around here, our place. Not a motel room, not Irving's guestroom. It's our boat and what we do is our business. Besides, what else do we need besides your mouth and my stiff cock?" "We need your mouth and my stiff cock," as I saw the logic in his reasoning and shed my clothes as fast as I could. I climbed on the bed next to him, on top of him actually. We kissed and rolled around, savoring the touch of our naked skin against one another. "Your cock is dribbling precum all over my legs. I better clean that up for you," Lucas offered as he swung around and went for my cock with this mouth. He licked the tip, holding the shaft like an ice cream cone, licking all around the edges and then the tip again. He squeezed the shaft and moved his hand up, essentially milking more precum out of me. Once he had it all, he slid down and took me deep in his mouth. I didn't take my time going for precum and just swallowed him, pushing the precum down with my mouth to lube his dick. We both lay quiet, our cocks in each other's mouths. "This is where we both belong," Lucas mumbled with a mouth full of my meat. "I couldn't agree more," I mumbled back to him. There are basically three ways two guys can have sex and satisfy each other. Mutual masturbation, oral sex and anal sex, which I assume anyone reading this full well knows and has probably enjoyed all three at one time or another. Mutual masturbation is great for two guys watching a ball game and need some relief, or two guys new to male/male interaction, or just a way to shoot cum with little effort. Oral sex can be very intimate, taking another man's stiff cock in your mouth and working it until he has his orgasm. Anal sex is very personal but the satisfaction level varies depending on who is on top and who is on the bottom. While the bottom may get some enjoyment from being penetrated, it is the top that benefits most I believe. They can flip fuck but it is still limited to how well they perform. To me the most intimate activity between two guys is mutual sucking. Both are being satisfied and both are giving pleasure at the same time. In a sense, it's like sucking your own cock. As my thoughts on mutual cock sucking ran through my mind, Lucas and I were motionless, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's cocks in our mouths. But the quiet was not to last. Lucas began to swirl his tongue around my cock, licking the head inside his mouth, holding the shaft with his hand. As he swirled and sucked he would squeeze then let go of me, making my cock pulse in his mouth. I returned the favor and did the same to him. His other hand reached around and grabbed my ass cheeks, pulling into him as he tried to deep throat me. When he gagged, he pulled back almost completely and then dove down again. I was trying to duplicate his movements but he was much more talented than I was. Just as well. His expertise managed to get me to the tipping point just as he did, being more virile than myself. I felt my cock pump his mouth full as he spasmed in my mouth, giving me his sweet salty cum. We rolled over on our backs and savored the taste of each other still lingering in our mouths. I ran my hands over his legs and looked up at his face. "Is everything right in your world now?" I asked him. "Not totally, but it's pretty damn good," he smiled. Just then we heard footsteps on the deck. We both scrambled to get dressed as we heard Victor call out to us. "Hey are you guys in here? Everything all right?" he shouted. "Everything is fucking wonderful!" Lucas shouted back. Victor must have caught on to what we were doing. "I'll see you back down on the ground," as he walked towards the stairs. "Wait, we'll go with you," I said as I hurried to catch up with him. "Just checking the plumbing to make sure it is still working okay," Lucas threw in as he ran up behind me. "And is it okay, or do we have to repair that while the boat is here?" he asked with a smirk. "Nope, working just fine," Lucas quickly answered. Lucas was in much better spirits on the way home. I was glad I brought him to the boat today but I still wasn't looking forward to him having to say his final goodbye to his parents. I know he didn't want to but I felt it was necessary for closure, if there is such a thing. A couple more days of romping, stomping sex and we were headed to the airport to fly up north for Christmas. Before we left we gave Irving and Marilyn their present, a blown up picture of their house with all the Christmas decorations. It brought tears to Irving's eyes. We arrived at Logan International Airport and rented a car to drive to our hotel. After we were settled in we went to the marina to meet up with Randy. We walked around the marina, a cold and barren place in the winter, not nearly as inviting as the warm days of summer. Wisps of snow along the walkways and decks left from the last storm. Most of the slips were empty, barring a few who left their boats in year round and install 'bubblers' to keep the water moving and prevent it from freezing around their hulls. We returned to the warmth of Randy's office and talked about the plans for the improvements that were planned. We laid out a tentative schedule before Randy announced we had discussed business long enough. He suggested we go the Coast Guard Base and say hi to Mike and Dwayne. He wanted to invite them to Christmas at Edgar's. Mike and Dwayne were on duty but were able to get away for a little while and meet us at the gate. Plans were made for Christmas day and we headed back to the marina to drop off Randy. We had some last minute shopping to do and pick up some gifts I had ordered by phone. We stopped at one of the few a fine restaurants that stayed open all winter and had a delicious meal before returning to our motel, full and tired from a long day. We got naked and curled up in bed, too tired for anything more than some kissing and cuddling. The next morning I was awoken by the sound of Lucas clearing his throat several times until I opened my eyes. "Hey remember that thing I found on the boat? It followed us here," he giggled as he jerked his hips back and forth causing his hard cock to flip up and down. "I think I better teach it a lesson so it will behave," I said as I rolled over and brought my mouth to it. I opened my mouth and bared my teeth, giving his boner a gentle bite. "Fuck man, don't hurt it!" Lucas shouted. "Just trying to show it who is in control." "It behaves better if your nice to it," Lucas smirked, then stroked it a few times to bring some precum to his piss slit. I covered my teeth and gave several bobs on it, in and out of my mouth. "That's better. Now it's willing to give you a prostrate massage if you're up for it." "I can see you certainly are 'up' for it," as I removed his cock from my mouth and rolled onto my stomach. "Wake me when you're doe," I laughed. "You go to sleep now and I can guarantee you'll have a wet dream before you wake up," he promised. "Mmmm, sounds good to me." I crossed my hands under my head and waited. But not for long. Lucas had gotten some lube and gently worked it in my ass crack and up my hole. He lubed his cock and then wiped his hands before climbing up on my thighs. He put his hands up on my shoulders and massaged them, moving slowly down my back. It felt so relaxing I thought I might actually fall back to sleep. Then I felt his stiff cock sliding up and down my ass crack. Pushing against me with more pressure as Lucas leaned his body forward over mine. I raised my hips slightly to give him better access to my ass. Expertly he found the spot without using his hand to guide himself. With little movements back and forth he slowly opened me up and penetrated my sphincter, ever so slowly going deeper and deeper until I absorbed his full length. When he bottomed out he stopped for a few seconds and then began to rhythmically fuck me. Slow and deep strokes, going full in every time. Every time he bottomed out I could feel him hitting my sweet spot. He was definitely prolonging his orgasm with his even pace, making sure I was going to have my 'wet dream' before he came. By now his full weight was on top of me, his hands and arms wrapped around my upper body. I started undulating underneath him to push against his thrusts. He still had not increased his pace but his cock was doing its job. I was getting so close I began moaning and pushing my ass up to meet him harder and higher. I should have gotten a towel to put under me but it was too late to think of that. I exploded and shot my cum all over the sheets, making a gooey mess of the bed. Lucas felt my sphincter tighten as I climaxed signaling Lucas it was his turn. His started to power fuck me, slamming into me hard and fast. It didn't take long and Lucas was pumping me full of his teenage nectar. We lay together until we caught out breath. "Wow, that was the best 'wet dream' ever!" I managed to get out. "It was pretty damn good awake as well," Lucas replied. "Time for a shower." We both got up to go the bathroom and shower. "Who gets the first shower, you or me?" I innocently asked. "How about 'Us' taking the first shower?" Lucas replied with an evil grin. "I suppose we couldn't do much harm now as long as we're just washing up. Let's go." We got the water hot and got in. Lucas grabbed the soap and started washing my back. I put my hands against the shower wall to steady myself as he washed me from top to bottom. Oh yeah, did I say bottom. He slipped a soapy finger in my ass when he got close. "Hey, we're just washing up, remember?" I scolded him. "I know, I know. But you don't want all that yucky cum left in your ass do you?" as he pushed two fingers in me. "It's not yucky and it's fine just where it is," I replied as my cock was beginning to chub up. "Sorry. Let me put it back where it belongs," as he pressed up against me and pushed his cock back in my ass again. I knew I wasn't ready for seconds but the stamina of youth proved that Lucas was indeed ready. This time was for him so right away he began to pump me forcefully. I spread my legs to the sides of the tub for support and bend over slightly more than I was. My cock was stiff by now and flopping around as Lucas pounded away. One last thrust and he once again filled my insides. "Now its back where it belongs," he giggled. "Thanks," I mumbled. Some of his cum did leaked out when he withdrew, however. "Oh no, some leaked out. Shall I put more back in?" he laughed. "There's still enough up there, thanks." We finished washing and dried off. Walking naked back to the bed, Lucas pushed me from behind causing me to drop face first on the bed. He grabbed my hips and turned me over. "You've had a double shot and I haven't had any yet," as he dropped between my legs and took my semi hard cock in his mouth. It was only semi hard for a few more seconds as it quickly responded to his mouth. He worked his magic and had me getting close to a second cumming in now time. He knew I was close so he pulled off me and looked up at me. "I'm sorry, I should have asked permission first. Is it okay of I suck you cock?" he said with a straight face. "And if I said 'no'?" I asked him. "Then I'd tell you too bad, I'm going to any way," and back he went down on my cock. His delay tactic worked for a little while but soon I was bucking up shoving my cock deep in his mouth, depositing a spurt of hot cum every time. When I was done, he withdrew his mouth and licked my cock clean. Then he got a towel and wiped me dry. We got dressed and headed over to the marina. Randy was laying out a campfire outside his office, a Christmas Ever tradition with him. "Ruby and I would have a fire every Christmas Eve and sit and watch as the embers flew up in the air. Ruby said it was like so many stars lighting the way up to Heaven. I know its silly to keep doing this but it warms my heart and my body to do it." He explained. "You're both welcome to join me tonight if you'd like." "We'd love too. It sounds like a perfect way to spend Christmas Eve," I replied. After the fire pit was prepared we all went over to Edgar's to see if he needed any help getting things ready for Christmas dinner tomorrow. He didn't need any help but gladly accepted anyway. That evening Randy, Edgar and his wife and Lucas and I all sat around the fire. Edgar told some stories about how he and his wife met, Randy talked about Ruby and Lucas and I just held hands and enjoyed the love and fellowship around the fire. As we were driving back to the motel, Lucas had been quiet. "Did you enjoy tonight?" I asked. "It was great. I've never felt so connected to people like that," he said quietly. "That's because they were remembering the good times with people who were important in their lives. Its something we all should do," I said, hinting at Lucas's feeling towards his parents. Catching my not so subtle point, he responded, "That's if you have good times." "Sometimes you have to look for them, but they are there." We rode on in silence. Back at the motel, we were getting ready for bed when Lucas threw me a package that contained a pair of men's pajamas. He also had a pair for himself. "What's this? Aren't we going to sleep naked like always?" I asked not sure what he was up to. "Not tonight. It's Christmas Eve," he explained. "So?" "Just humor me, okay?" he replied with no other explanation. So we both donned pajama tops and bottoms and climbed into bed. I was waiting for something to happen but Lucas just cuddled up and kissed me good night. The next morning I awoke to find Lucas staring at me with a goof y grin on his face. "Merry Christmas, Paul." "Merry Christmas, Lucas." We kissed and hugged then Lucas jumped out of bed, pulling the covers off both of us as he went. "Time for me to unwrap my present," he announced. He sat on the bed next to me and started to slowly unbutton my pajama top. So this is what he had in mind. I think I like it. He pulled my top open when the last button was undone. Laying his hands on my chest he began to rub me all over, giving special attention to my nipples. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his warm hands. He pushed the top back off my shoulders but left it draped over my arms. Massaging my shoulders, he bent down and licked my nipples, one and then the other. A little licking, a little kissing and a little nibbling on them. They were standing stiff and pert from his attention. Also standing stiff was my cock, straining to tent my pajama bottoms. I placed my hands on Lucas but couldn't touch bare skin. He was still wearing his pajamas, all buttoned up to his neck. His hands moved to the snaps on the waistband of my bottoms. He undid the top of three snaps. Running his fingers underneath the elastic band and around my waist. His arm touched the tent and made my cock twitch. "Get on with it, will you?" I encouraged him. "Be patient. Christmas only comes once a year." "I hope I get to cum more than once a year," I snickered. "You won't even get that if you don't be quiet and let this elf do its job." He undid the second snap, almost opening the bottoms enough to release my cock. He pushed his hand down inside the opening and ran his hands along the inside of the thighs, making sure not to touch my cock. The third time he brought his hand back up my crotch, he cupped my balls and squeezed them gently. I moaned loudly but knew better than to try and hurry him along. He removed his hands and took a hold of my cock wrapped in the pajama material. He stroked it a few times as I made a wet spot on the fabric. Finally he undid the last snap and set my aching cock free. Me moved down to sit at my feet and gently slid the bottoms down my legs. He picked up one foot to get the pajamas off that leg and massaged my foot once it was naked. Then he did the other leg and the other foot. Now I was completely naked, totally stiff and the suspense of what was going to happen next had me so aroused he could have simply said 'Cum' and I would have shot my load without any physical touch a t all. "Is that what people mean when they talk about the 'Yule Log'?" as he grabbed my cock with his hand. "Yes, and it burning right now, burning with desire!" I shouted. He began to stroke my cock and he should have known his little scheme would have put me on edge. Thirty seconds of stroking and he didn't have time to do any more as I shot a huge load of cum, nine strong volleys, straight up in the air, covering his hand, my cock and balls and eventually being shot on my chest. "That's the kind of white Christmas I was looking for!" Lucas exclaimed. As he went to move off the bed, I gave him a devilish look. "Now it's my turn," as I grabbed him and threw him down on the bed. I was still horned up and was in no mood for the dragged out approach Lucas had used on me. I grabbed his pajama top and literally ripped it off his body, sending the buttons flying everywhere. Lucas was giggling at me. "A little anxious are we?" he snickered. I didn't take the time to reply and grabbed the pajama legs at his feet and yanked them off so hard it slid him down the bed a foot or so. I dove forward and engulfed his cock in one quick move, immediately starting to suck and bob on him. He grabbed the back of my head and began to face fuck me. Lucas managed to hold out a bit longer than I had but not much. He rewarded my aggressiveness with a mouthful of Christmas cheer, white creamy and salty. We kissed and exchanged cum then went for a quick shower, one at a time so we could get to Randy's for breakfast. We had a light breakfast and then headed over to Edgar's to open presents, real ones this time, and prepare for dinner. Mike and Dwayne were going to meet us there. I always tried to get presents that meant something to someone, not just a gift card or a pair of socks, something trivial just to say you gave them something. Not that I minded getting those things, but it meant more to me to give a gift with meaning. We sat around and exchanged gifts, Randy preferring to wait until last. We gave Mike and Dwayne Gortex long underwear and heated socks for the cold Cape Cod winters. (I checked with the base commander to see if they could wear non-regulation underwear and he said he would overlook it as long as he got a pair as well, kidding of course. He got a pair.) To Edgar and his wife, we gave a copy I had made of the photo album Randy gave to us. To Randy we gave a blown up aerial photo of the marina I had taken last summer when the slips were all full. Mike and Dwayne gave Lucas and I monogrammed three season Coast Guard turnout jackets. Edgar somehow managed to get a copy of the video of Uncle Bart running the canal at full sail and presented us with that as well as a still photo taken from the video. Finally it was Randy's turn. He gave me a large folder and told me it was for both of us. I opened in and inside was the agreement to purchase our share of the marina. But instead of the 20% share we discussed, it was for a full 50% ownership of the marina. I was floored. "Randy, this isn't what we agreed to. This is too much," I complained. "No it's not. It's the right amount for the best partners I could ever hope for. I'm looking forward to a bright future for us and the marina." "Randy, are you sure?" I asked him seriously. "I haven't had a partner since Ruby passed. You two are my new Ruby," he said as his eyes watered. Lucas and I both got up and hugged him. Edgar knew what was coming and had champagne ready. "To a long and fruitful partnership," he declared as he raised his glass for a toast. "I'll file those papers with my lawyer and he can register the deal as soon as he reopens after the New Year," Randy said. "Now let's eat, I'm starved. After a hearty meal, Lucas and Randy sat around talking about the marina. Lucas he was so excited he wanted to go back and start on something today. It was great to see his smile and enthusiasm back. Mike and Dwayne were on duty New Year's Eve at the base and invited all of us over for their traditional New Year's Eve party. The only dark cloud hovering over all this holiday cheer was the funeral for Lucas's parents. It was planned for two days from now and I hadn't told Lucas about it yet. The morning of the funeral arrived and I had still chickened out and not told Lucas yet. I just told him we were going for a ride to visit some old friends. When we pulled into the parking lot for the funeral home, Lucas's eyes grew wide and he glared at me. "What the fuck is this?" he snarled. "It's something you have to do, trust me," I said softly. "I don't have to do a fucking thing for those assholes!" "Not for them but for you. Come on, we're going in," I urged him. Grudgingly he followed me into the funeral home. I had planned a private viewing for just he and I. I put my hand on his back and coaxed him along until we stood in front of the caskets. He just stood there silently, glaring at the caskets with contempt. "Can we go now?" he asked. "No, not until you acknowledge that the people in these caskets are you mother and father, the ones who brought you into this world and loved and cared for you until the curse of addiction took a hold of them and took them away from you." "There just two worthless scum who didn't care about anything else except their next high," he growled. "They've been dead to me for years." "You're exactly right. Someone once told me an addict was actually a dead body with a heart beat. Their lives as you knew them died the day the drugs and alcohol took control of them. How many times did they go into rehab?" I asked. "At least seven times that I know of and they never stuck with it," he replied. "But they tried seven times to get clean. Seven times they went through the hell of rehab to try and straighten out and become the parents they used to be. Seven times they proved they still cared for you." "I could have helped them. Why didn't they let me help them?" "Only an addict can help themselves. It takes a lot of strength and courage to stay straight and unfortunately they couldn't do it." "I hate being here, can we leave?" he implored me. "Once you say good bye to the parents you loved, not the addicts you hate. Remember how emotional you got when Marilyn served meatloaf? Those are the memories you have to keep in your heart. You father providing for his family, his dumb jokes and always making sure you had a least one present from your wish list for Christmas. That's who is in front of you now." Lucas broke down and wailed like a baby. His knees were giving out on him and I had to grab him before he fell to the floor. I hugged him and held him tight as he let his emotions take control of him. After ten minutes he stood up and walked over to each casket, putting his head down on it and his arms over it, saying goodbye to his mother and his father. He looked back at me and thanked me for bringing him here. It was a quiet ride home and for the next few days. I took him shopping but that didn't do the trick. Then I had an idea. Ice Cream! His go to mood fixer. We found one of the few Newport Creamery ice cream stores still open on the Cape and spent an hour eating as much ice cream as we could. His smile was returning slowly. "I wonder how Christmas was for Todd? Sometimes I worry about him. He's so confused right now about who he is. I hope he figures things out soon," Lucas lamented. "That's where you come in. Support him and stand by him and help him. That's what friends do for one another." "I know. I just don't want to get in the middle of a love triangle," he replied. "I have confidence you can work it out without things getting messy." I brought up the party on the base in a few days and that helped bring Lucas back to his old self. "I'm really looking forward to seeing all the guys we met at the training on the base," Lucas said with excitement. "I'm glad they invited Randy and Edgar, even if Edgar won't go." "Edgar and his wife prefer to spend a quiet evening reminiscing about the year past and making plans for the New Year ahead." New Year's Eve arrived and Lucas and I were heading over to the base for the party. I called Randy to see if he wanted a ride but got no answer. I assumed he was in the shower or otherwise occupied. The party was in full swing when we got there. Mike came over to greet us and yelled, "Hey everyone, the wanna be Coasties have arrived," to the clapping and jeers of the group. "When Dwayne and I sailed south with them, Paul wanted to motor all the way. He was too afraid to hoist a sheet," he laugher heartily. "Not hardly, not Bart Benson's nephew. We don't believe that for a second," someone from the back of the room hollered. We made the rounds, greeting old friends and being introduced to new ones. When it was getting close to midnight, I noticed Randy hadn't shown up yet. I called him again but still no answer. Lucas was getting worried but I told him he probably fell asleep. The holidays are always tough when you've lost a wife, no matter how many years have passed. The next morning we were all going to Edgar's for breakfast. I stopped by to pick up Randy. I knocked but got no answer. Lucas went around to the side of the house and peered in the window. "He's asleep on the couch, Paul. Should we wake him?" Lucas asked. I had an uneasy feeling about this. I tried the door and it was unlocked. I went into the living room and found Randy lying on the couch with his photo album of Ruby open on his stomach. His face looked pale and lifeless. I felt for a pulse but couldn't find any sign of life. Randy had passed quietly the evening before of natural causes. "Son of a bitch!" Lucas yelled. "Is everyone in my life going to die?" as the tears came. "It's not fair!" "It's not fair, but Randy is at peace with Ruby now," I said quietly. I called Edgar to give him the bad news. "I've been expecting something like this. The death of Lucas's parents gave him a wakeup call. He had me witness his will just before Christmas. I'm supposed to take it to the lawyer's office with the purchase agreement. He gave me the name of the funeral home to call. He had made all his own arrangements. I'll call them now. Could you and Lucas wait for them to show up and get Randy?" "Of course, no problem," I assured him. We only had to wait about twenty minutes for the hearse to show up. I showed them where Randy was and then Lucas and I left and went to Edgar's diner. None of us really felt like eating but we didn't want to be alone. I called Mike and told him, then I called Irving in Florida and informed him that Lucas and I would be staying longer and why. Randy didn't have any other family so I didn't have anyone else I thought that I should call. The service was simple one but the turn out was surprising. Randy was to laid to rest in the local cemetery right next to Ruby. Turns out Randy had been in the military so the Navy sent an honor guard to the graveside service. Between that and the Coast Guard personnel and friends and boat owners, there must have been at least one hundred people show up. It was a very moving tribute for such a humble and low-key man such as Randy. Our joyous Christmas up north didn't turn out so joyous in the end. We flew back to Florida, holding hands and sleeping on each other's shoulder most of the way. We were feeling a great sense of loss, but the bond between Lucas and myself was stronger than ever. We had lost people close to us but we still had each other. And always will. We were getting back into our usual routine, Lucas doing his school Zoom meetings in the morning and working at the marina in the afternoon and I was back at work. I got a call from the lawyer handling Randy's affairs. His was being contested because a long lost cousin of Ruby's showed up and filled an objection, claiming she is the rightful heir to Randy estate. It seems Randy had left Lucas and I full ownership of the marina in the event of his death. There was also some question of the validity of our purchase agreement as Randy was not available to confirm it. He would keep us informed of any developments as they came about. "Randy left us the marina and this bitch says it's hers?" Lucas griped. "When there is a sizable inheritance, relatives can come out of the woodwork if they think the will isn't ironclad and they can claim part of the estate," I explained. "We'll just have to let the lawyers hash it out." Todd came by to see Lucas the minute we got back. "Lucas, good news! I followed your advice and had a talk with my dad. He's okay with me being gay!" Todd gushed. "That's great. So, you've accepted the fact that you're gay?" Lucas asked. "That's why I couldn't wait for you to get home. We're going to have to find out. You've helped me so much so far, I hope you don't back out now," Todd implored Lucas. "Yeah, sure, glad to help," Lucas answered tentatively not entirely sure what Todd had in mind. Is this going somewhere Lucas doesn't want it to go?