Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:04:35 -0800 (PST) From: T. Chase McPhee Subject: OLuFsEN & SONs 13 The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, in towns, cities, countries, nor governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then you should not read this story. Additionally, if you are under 18 years of age, in most state and countries, you are not allowed to read this story, by law. Check with your local laws regarding such. % Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection. % OLuFsEN & SONs 13 wriTten by T. Chase McPhee % Dropping off Terron at the mailroom, Dario proceeded to the stairs. "Part of your work out?" Jay asked as they started ascending. "Part," Dario replied, "the other part is I don't feel like getting embarrassed with a hardon from our `hot' elevator boy!" "Robert `is' quite a dish," Jay agreed on the elevator employee, whom pushed all the right buttons to get them where they are. "Tell me Dario. Who else do you think is like in the top ten?" They paused in the stairway like Dario had to stop to think. "Let me see.. um," he thought like the wheels were turning in his brain, churning away, processing knowledge. "I'd have to say," and he turned to Jay, "you!" He was flattered, said it, "I'm flattered, but before you met me?" "What about you?" Dario slammed the question back. They started walking, Jay smiling, then saying, "Well, before I met you I thought Jaime Finsterwalder kind of nice." "Jaime Finsterwalder? He's like a geek!" "Isn't that being a little `-phobic', Dario?" "I have nothing against geeks." Then to make amends, "I betcha under that shirt there's a hot bod waiting for some hot guy to come along." "What if he's not gay?" "Okay," Dario rethinks it, "A hot girl to come along?" It left Jay giggling, but instead of going on to the other nine he asks, "What about you now?" "Hottest guy, huh? I think I'd have to say....does Terron count?" Rather than dispute it, Jay responds, "I think I could love Terron as much as I love you." "Love?" Dario says. "We've only known each other less than two whole days, Jay." "But you like me even a little don't you?" Jay asks, slipping his hand behind Dario's blue dress shirt, rubbing his back. "Sure I like you. Maybe even a little... love." "You don't have to rush it Dario. Just because for me it was love at first sight, doesn't mean it has to be for both of us and...." he paused, "if it ever comes to this, if you have doubts about `us', I want you to be honest. Just because I felt something doesn't mean you have to feel the same way." Dario whips back with, "You're very honest and open, but I don't think I'm going to change my mind anytime soon... or ever!" Macy caught the two embracing, breaking it up with a discharge of an `ahem'. They both promised not to let it happen again. Macy smiled and said, "It better not!" % "I'll pick you up at three?" Nick said as he let Gef out. "Three it is," Gef replied, bending over, back into the car to give his lover a farewell kiss. Walking into the main entrance of Goldwater Creek Community College, he looked up at the sign. Seeing the admissions office off to the right he proceeded to the registrar's office. "Hey Gef, got a few moments?" Came the voice from one of the offices he just passed. "Sure. What's up?" he asked Drew Hashwani, a Pakistani man in his mid-30's. "The wife's gone home to visit her family and I wonder if we could get together at my place?" It was tough for Gef to say no, after the first time Hashwani's wife decided to take a trip back to their native land. It just came about or, as Gef wondered, a set up, the registar sitting on the edge of his desk as he chatted, teasing Gef into more than registering for a nutrition course. "Well you see Mr. Hashwani..." "Drew." "Yeah, well you see.. I kind of have this steady boyfriend right now and...." Resuming his perch on the desk ledge, Hashwani was ready to make a point, saying, "I don't know if you realize it Gef, the finagling I had to do to arrange for you last semester, to take the nutrition class, which may I remind you was `closed'?" There was enough of a hint to suggest Hashwani had to go out of his way to arrange the spot in the class for Gef. He rambles on, "You don't know it, but the professor teaching the course would not allow another student?" "No. I didn't know that. You didn't..." "And did you know I had to bump another student out of the class so you could be placed in it?" He didn't go into detail, telling of what he had to do to get the bumped student into another class. "No." "It took much time and trouble on my part and I thought maybe the least you could do is...." "Look, I realize the effort it took for you to get me into the nutrition class Mr. Hashwani, but I have something good going and..." "And I'm sure you will want the same cordiality extended to you this semester? As I see it," he looks at Gef's file on the computer, "you may need to go an extra semester, since one of the courses you `need' to graduate seems to be full!" Gef didn't like what he was hearing, especially when Hashwani seemed to hold all the cards. "What do you want me to do?" "Nothing different than the last time. Tomorrow afternoon instead of going back to your place, you go home with me." He wasn't sure of all this, but didn't want to be bogged down with another semester for one course. "Okay. But you'll arrange it so I get into all my classes?" "I'll arrange it after you leave my home." Gef didn't see any reason to thank him, so didn't as he left. "Oh Gef?" "What?" he replied in not so pleasing a tone. "Remember, no briefs?" "I remember," Gef replied. As he walked the grounds towards the campus bookstore he wondered how he was going to get out of sleeping away and not at home with Nick. He hated like hell the deception, but figured it would be the last time he would have to sleep with another guy, then he would be scotfree to spend the rest of his life with the man he loved. % "Look Zack," the teacher was honest with him, "you may not like me, but it's no reason to not do your work to the fullest of your ability." "I don't not like you Miss Underwood." She skipped over the personal and put it in Zack's ball park, "You know you are very talented at drawing?" "No," he replied. "You do very well at drawing Spiderman, but there is so much more out there which you can draw?" "I like Spiderman. So does my brother." "Regardless of what you think of me and I don't have to be your friend. I'm your teacher and it's my job to teach you. I would not be doing my job if I allowed you to draw the same thing over and over for another half year. So," she went to her lunch bag and pulled out an apple and a banana, "I want you to draw these?" "Fruit?" Zack replied. "Yes and," monopolizing most of the class time, Miss Underwood explained the ins and outs of drawing every inch of the banana and apple. "And when you have completed the drawings of the two fruits I want you to use your imagination to draw around the fruit, perhaps a background with a bowl in it or wallpaper? Think of your kitchen at home." "As guess I can do it," he slowly gave in. Before she left him, she said, "I'm not your enemy Zack. You need to open up, broaden your perspectives. I hope you understand." That's one of the things about Miss Underwood; why did she have to use so many big words? % Tapping on Erik's door, his personal secretary admitted himself. "Excuse me, Erik, but Cort just rang me. He's waiting for you down in the lobby?" "Damn it!" Erik shouted out loud. Closing a folder shut on his desk, he rose up and headed for the door. Chad's hand was on the knob, all ready to open the door. Only, his hand didn't move as he stood there, staring, a boyish smile coursing his face. "Um, Cort? You said he called for me?" Erik said suggestively, like when was Chad going to open the door? As he turned the doorknob very slowly, Chad reminds, "You haven't forgotten what I said about maybe us going out sometime?" Not his top priority at the moment, Erik says, "I said I'd think about it, okay?" And then as he passed out the door, "But don't get your hopes up yet, Chad?" "Oh I haven't Erik," Chad replied. However behind Erik's door, closing himself in Chad felt very hurt by the manner in which Erik shot down his idea. There was no cause for him, but at this moment he was breathing hard and had a sick feeling in his stomach. Meanwhile, descending the flights via the elevator, Robert got to talking, saying, "By the way Erik, I wonder if you knew Chad Dennet was gay?" Right away Erik put two and two together. "Tell me Robert, are you and Chad good friends?" "I guess you can say so." And since Robert was upfront, Erik asked in return, "Are you gay Robert?" Punching the red button, the one which halted the elevator in mid-flight, Robert says in reply, "You know, I had this feeling about you Erik." "And how would that go Robert?" Erik asks, arms folded across his middle. "About having a sixth sense?" Knowing where the question was headed, Erik cuts to the chase, "Gaydar you mean?" Robert smiled. "While we're being out in the open here Robert, what's holding you back?" "For?" "To come out. You put on a manly enough act, but at times I've sensed a breakdown in that macho facade." Then Robert condemns himself, "Really? And I've tried so hard." "What I hear from many a gay man who is still in the closet. You know it would mean less stress in your life if you came out?" "That's what Chad told me... I mean." "So who else besides Chad have you told?" "You," Robert replies. The he elaborated, "When I told Chad he was great about it. Gave me some pointers." Then, strolling off topic, "Did you know Chad has a son?" "No I didn't," Erik replied, filing it in the back of his mind for future reference. "Well I.." he pulled out the red button which set them back on course, "got a lot out of talking with Chad. I've told him he's in the wrong field... missed his calling and should have pursued psychiatry. "Evan.. that's his son, has got to be a lucky kid, having an understanding father like Chad." As the elevator door parted, Erik says, "Well thank you for sharing this with me Robert." "It's okay Erik. Um, you don't mind me calling you by your first name? I mean if you think it's disrespectful or something I could..." "It'll be fine Robert. Have a nice afternoon." As he walked towards the front of the lobby, Erik's employees passing him, greeted him, but his mind being on one subject, he said a quick `hello' back, adding a smile, both without feeling. Right now, the only person on his mind was his twenty-six year old secretary, Chad Dennet. "Uh, Erik?" "Oh! Cort!" Erik said, doing an about face upon hearing his name, having passed right by him as if he wasn't there. "Did you forget about our lunch?" "Yes," and then meant to be comical, "but remembered as soon as my secretary reminded me!" Cort smiled, telling Erik he had a fine restaurant picked out. Walking through the revolving door of Erik-Gef Industries, the new human resources manager talked Erik's ear off about the fabulous menu. % "You're free to go, Satyen," Nick said as he entered the house. "Hey, look what Satyen taught us," Zack exclaims, he and Jase sitting down on the floor, arranging their legs in a `pretzel' shape, their arms on their thighs, hands outstretched. Then together, they took in deep breaths, closed their eyes and let it out. Then, back on their feet, Jase tells them, "Satyen is teaching us Yoga." "Yeah and we're controlling our minds!" Zack reveals. "Oh really?" Nick replies. Then, turning to Satyen he asks, "Um, can you hypnotize them into putting their dirty clothes in the hamper and not back into their draws?" Satyen Patel was a good humored fifty-eight year old Erik had hired to sit with Jase and Zack until he got home from work. The father of one of his employees, he was looking for something part time to balance out his early retirement, forced on by an accident at his former job as a construction worker. No one would believe Satyen was fifty-eight, more like forty-eight to look at him and except for the small limp, would not realize he was on permanent disability. In rather a risque choice of words, Satyen replies, "I could teach you some things if you have the time?" "Time for what?" Gef asks, after his delayed entrance, sorting through the mail. Playing along, Nick says, "Satyen wants to show us some Yoga moves." "Yeah. Okay. Could be good I guess." "Um, excuse me Satyen," Nick said as he followed Gef towards the den. "Okay, so what's up?" he asks, sensing something in disarray with his lover. "Nothing. Why?" Gef replied, doing a faulty job of keeping up his upbeat charade. "Well first, when I picked you up today I didn't get anything from you but a cool hello?" "Sorry," Gef said, realizing he did forget the affectionate kiss he gave him everytime they were apart and saw each other again. Rising up from the table, he tossed the mail he wasn't paying much attention to, gave Nick a quick kiss and then sat down again. "So, you going to tell me?" Gef sat there, staring off into space, muddling over his little problem. "Is this about another guy?" Still Gef was silent. "So?" Nick digs deeper, "Who is he?" Placing his hands over his face, Gef pressed them into his face, saying, "I can't believe I could be so stupid!" All this time Nick had hovered over Gef from behind, viewing the gestures his bod made. Now that he was getting someplace he took a seat on Gef's right. Reaching over, he took one hand from Gef's face. "You know this is what got us into trouble the last time? The reason we broke up?" "I know," Gef said, a frustrated look on his face. "You know, throughtout our lifetime together we're going to have problems. Don't you think it's time we started working out our first one together?" Nick was being so sweet, so compassionate, so understanding. How could Gef not unload his thoughts. "I went to register today. No wait. This starts way back to before registering. Do you remember when I said I needed this one course for graduation and they were only offering it in the summer catalog?" Nick remembered, "Nutrition for the Gourmet Chef?" "Right. Well when I went to register, the course was closed." "But," Nick thought a few seconds, "you got in, didn't you?" Digging himself deeper into the current problem, Gef responded, "I wasn't supposed to. I mean... I cheated to get in." "Cheated? How could you..." "Well it wasn't exactly all my doing. Drew Hashwani? The registrar?" "Don't know him. I have a different one." "I know. Believe me if you knew him, you wouldn't want to know him." Nick was being patient. "Y'see, the class was closed, but he made it possible for me fit in. I hadn't realised it until today Hashwani had bumped another student out in order to fit me in." "Oh, so this is why you're so depressed? Well that was the summer and this is now." "But wait. There's more. Hashwani didn't do it from the bottom of his heart." Seeing where this was heading, Nick was bold to say, "Let me guess...." But Gef didn't let him assume, rather told him out straight, "Hashwani's wife was out of the country for a month. He made it plain that I wouldn't get into the class unless I slept with him. One night turned into two and then soon I was..." "So! It was that fuckin' bastard who broke us up!" "I didn't have a choice, Nick." Sitting back, Nick gathered the same thing was re-ocurring. "And now he gave you another cock'n'bull story about not getting into a class? Tell me, is his wife out of town again?" "How'd you guess?" Not caring about that tiny facet, Nick goes right to the heart of the problem, shooting off questions, "How did you know the class was full? Did Hashwani tell you or show you?" "Told me." "You should have demanded he show you on his computer. If my counselor can do it, so can he." "You can see it?" Silence prevailed as Nick thought over the whole situation. Fortunately Nick was on better terms with the registrar's office. When he registered for courses last summer, breathing over the counselor's shoulder as he gazed at the computer monitor, he couldn't help himself when the rookie counselor looked up to ask him a question. But it wasn't only Nick, who at the time, his fashion statement was the preppy look. Of course he had no inhibitions as Adam Metcalfe pulled on his necktie, joining their lips together. It amounted to a few evenings together, but Adam walked out of the short-term relationship at least knowing `who' he was. All summer Adam was grateful to Nick, who knew more about computers than he did, amazed at how he manueovered about the college course database. "I think Adam can help us." "How so?" Gef asks. "Leave it to me." Getting up, Nick flicked open his cellphone. But he got an answering service, leaving his number. "If I don't do what Hashwani wants, I'm not graduating this spring." "You're graduating!" Nick assured him. Meanwhile, in the kitchen the Olufsen boys were doing some mental work. "I can't draw when you move the banana around all the time, Jase?" "Sorry," Jase said. "I'm just trying to get a perspective." Since Miss Underwood used the term, it's been batting back and forth between the two. "Me too," Zack smiled at his brother before going back to work on his drawing. % "Oh, will you look at the time!" Erik said, staring at four o'clock on his watch. "Some lunch this turned out to be," Cort said, reaching for his wallet. "Oh no. First lunch you have with the boss is on `the boss'!" Erik said, putting his hand on Cort's hand, the one holding his wallet. "Alright, this time. But the next I've got it." Paying, they walked out the front door of Tideman's, the anchor restaurant at the base of the Shalamar Hotel, a lux building sitting on a few acres of timberland. Built according to strict environmental codes, it rose only two stories high, but was spread out along the base of the hillside. "I wonder where the limo driver is?" Cort asks, as he looks far and wide, from east to west, down one side of the curved drive, then the other. Erik tells, "I've never seen this driver before." Then glancing to Erik, Cort confesses, "That's because he's a new hiree. Possibly my first botch up job!" Being coy Erik helped Cort out, mentioning a subject they ran out of time for, "So, how's that new kid working out in the mailroom?" Knowing exacting who Erik talked of, Cort sidetracks his thoughts for, "Terron Cupertino," he names the person Erik is thinking of, "is working out very well and he's come up with some good strategies to keep the mail flowing throughout the building. He's a bright lad." "Hmmm... maybe we should move him up?" Cort liked Terron. He was a good soul. It wasn't his fault some marbles were left out when he was being put together. Yet, he didn't want to lead Erik astray. "Erik, Terron has some mental handicaps. Where he excells at some things, in other ways he fails." "Oh really?" "At first when his brother, Terron's twin, Dario approached me I was reluctant. But then again after Terron started working here I saw a side of me I didn't like." Erik couldn't miss the chance for a joke, "Your ass?" Cort smiled. Even though this was the first day he's met Erik, he felt comfortable in countering his stab at humor, "No, but anytime you want a closer look let me know!" He felt nervy, containing himself, but cracked a smile when he saw he was in the clear. "Touche!" Eric batted back into Cort's dugout. "One never knows do they?" Leaving the subject upended, the two went back to searching for a way back, from the Shalamar to the Erik-Gef building. "Oh, here he comes," Cort finally said. >From the curb, a valet appeared, opening the door for the two. Seated, Cort was about to blast the driver, but before he could, the window opened, allowing the driver to speak directly to the back seated `suits'. "I am so, so sorry I'm late...." Erik's first words were whispered to Cort, "Is he of drinking age?" "Looks young, doesn't he?" Cort responded. "Has he graduated from high school?" Neither heard much as the baseball-capped limo driver sped down the road, the two talking among themselves. Until they heard, "So, do I still have a job?" Cort caught bits and pieces of Juan's storytelling, remarking, "We'll talk about it back at the office." The closing window atop the front seat sealed off their conversation. "So how young did you say Jose was?" "Juan." "Oh, that's what I meant," Erik made quick amends. "I know he's a little rough around the edges, but after hearing his bad luck story...." "You believed it?" Cort giggled, "Some of it. Doesn't matter. I'm rarely wrong when I have a feeling a guy is going turn out a valued employee." "Well I hope he works out." Then shutting out his original feelings, "He `is' kind of cute." "Oh so you like the young boys, Erik?" "A little too young for me. But then again I'm not into older guys." Being a year younger, Cort knowing Erik was one year older than himself after being priveledged to access the executive database, he says, "Well that puts me in the clear!" In the vast filing cabinet of Erik's brain he retrieves the information regarding Cort's way with computer files, "You're in a good position to know certain facts, aren't you?" Cort had mixed feelings. Either Erik was being facetious or he was saying to the effect he was using the employee's computer database falsely. He decided on the humble approach, "Look Erik. I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have shut out your data when I..." "No," Eric sat back, placing his hands behind his head to relax. Then flinging one arm down, around Cort's shoulder, "I think we both `should' get to know each other better!" He had to admit, when he first laid eyes on Erik, he found him to be many times more handsome than his database stats described him. Even though Cort had his eyes set on some other male employee at Erik-Gef Industries, he didn't pass by the opportunity since it was being presented to him. Without reservation he sank to his right, allowing Erik to scoop him up in arms. Their lips met for a brief moment, Erik's bare face touching Cort's short-cropped beard. "Hmmm." "What?" Cort asked when their lips parted company. "First time for everything I guess." Then lifting and dropping his shoulders, "First time I've ever kissed a man with facial hair." "Really? And how different would that make it?" Not knowing exactly what Cort was driving at, Erik chose a general response, "Nice," even though he didn't seem to get much charge out of the kiss. Cort felt likewise, but didn't let on either, saying, "Yes it was nice." It seemed they were on the same page, both `getting it', neither saying it but experiencing no `biggie' in regards to the kiss which was an unspoken test to see if they clicked. Instead of pursuing, the subject changed entirely to what was on the agenda for tomorrow, today being shot. "Macy spoke to me about the new Forrester-Karibe account and how our business cannot handle the volume, so I will need to hire another team. That will probably take all day, considering the amount of applications I have received." Erik searched his brain, but couldn't make a reference. "Forrester-Karibe? Doesn't ring a bell." "Michael Forrester?" Cort didn't wait for Erik to make a connection, "Worldwide distributor of swimming pool equipment?" "Nope. Sorry." "No problem," Cort giggled, "I didn't either and Macy made me feel like an idiot when I didn't recognize the name!" The two had a good laugh out of it. Erik then probed, "And the other half?" "You make it sound like they are partners." "In what sense?" Erik questioned Cort back. "Never mind," Cort replied, not wanting to get into why he was thinking of `sexual' partners and then knowing Erik would play stupid. Instead he drove on, "Jalan Karibe and he met quite accidentally in Bermuda where a wealthy client envisioned a series of pools, interlocking with streams of water connecting, for his rather elegant hotel. This is where Karibe came in, chosen to design the concept envisioned, yet he had to have Michael Forrester there by his side as Forrester had the know how for the water aqueducts." "And so what it `our' part in all of this?" Cort tells him straight, "In three months time we need to have the fittings on the drawing board all ready for a presentation." "Fittings?" Erik questions. Regarding the product Erik-Gef Industries produces, he questions, "Sounds like we're talking more than nuts and bolts here." "Maybe we should Macy in on this," Cort went to the phone and dialed her up. Erik wondered why Macy didn't clue him in on the new venture, yet he rather enjoyed his freedom of catching up on things with Chad Dennet to worry about business, a view of pleasure in front of him for two hours. Then, off on one his mind provoking tangents, he thought about things which silently ran through his mind this morning, how he had to sit there at his desk and bear the unbearable, stare at the gorgeous blond before him, sitting there tall in the saddle, rambling off notes while Erik tried keeping his composure even though he pretended to undress Chad. Still on his mind, as Cort chatted, Erik had Chad's tie undone and his fingers in imaginary pose, unbuttoning each... "Erik, I'm very sorry I didn't make you aware of the Forrester-Karibe account, as I was virtually tied up in the details surrounding their patronage..." As Erik got his thoughts together, first he wondered how Macy slipped in the room without a trace of noise, then quickly gathered himself back into the reality of the moment. "No problem Macy. I think I established with you a matter of trust years ago?" "Thank you," she merely replied, cutting off any other explanation. And without further ado, after Cort opened up the forum, Macy filled Erik in on all the particulars. % Copyright 2009 T. Chase McPhee This story may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author. The more you stretch, the more you can fit in... 'spread' happiness! TCMcP.....