Schoolie

Life in The Village, through the eyes of Tom Grant, the only teacher at the remote school.

This is an original work of pure fiction (just an expression of a fantasy)
by Robert A. Armstrong (a pseudonym)
(re-written from my 2013 version)

The resemblance of the characters by action, name, location or description to any real person is purely coincidental.

If it is illegal, or offensive, for you to read stories involving interactions of a sexual nature between adults and youths, then what are you doing here?

 

 

From Chapter 11

Will relaxes his full body weight onto me and cradles my head in his soft hands and practises some passionate kissing. My own hands slide down to each firmly cup and fondle his pair of muscular downy-haired butt cheeks and I experience another groundswell of pleasure as I feel them beginning slow, tight, rhythmic contractions.

OMG. Finally! Fully naked, together. `Getting lucky'.

Chapter 12 - Collecting Marty

It must be about 5:00am and I wake up to the realisation of the smell of cum and recall my first and subsequent orgasms with Will. These sheets and the towel will definitely have to be washed before we leave to pick up Marty. I am spooning Will who is still breathing heavily - sound asleep. I slowly rub his stomach and gently fondle his exhausted frankfurt back to life. Mine stiffens against his butt cheeks and nestles into his crack.

No material rule.

"Hmmm," Will moans. "Good morning, bro. Wow. Thank you. What a great birthday present! I will remember last night for the rest of my life."

He wiggles his backside as if trying to press my Weiner deeper between his muscular mounds.

I know that there is much more that I can teach him; for us to experience together. If he thought last night was good, wait until we get to the serious stuff! And I'm quite sure that we will.

I whisper into his ear, "Hey buddy, we're both a mess. Want to shower together?"

"Hell, Yeah!" he chirps back. He manoeuvres himself so that we are face to face and presses his body against mine. He kisses me then rolls out of bed and I watch his beautiful narrow hips and tight butt as he heads towards the bathroom. I'm not far behind him.

I glance down at my own chest and abdomen, the dried cum just a reminder of the fun we had body sliding against each other last night. The more we spurted and the slipperier we became, the more heightened was our pleasure.

He turns on the water, adjusts the temperature and steps in. I pause at the door and take in the vision of him, much as Marty did of me on that first morning. For all intents and purposes, Will, having grown a little in the recent past, has now become almost a clone of me.

"Hey, we sure made a mess of each other, didn't we?" he laughs.

I walk slowly across to the bath. Will is ogling me as much as I am him. "Don't suppose you've got another load left in you?" I chuckle at him.

"I do, if you do." He joyfully throws straight back at me, pointing his now-swelling cock at me and giving it a few inviting strokes. I step into the bath and we share the soap to firstly clean away the evidence from last night and then to soap each other up front and back.

"You first?" he asks, and I agree. He soaps my back and runs his left hand across my butt cheeks and a single finger up my crack, then turns me around and nestles his stiffness between my cheeks, while pulling me to him with his arm around my waist. He reaches around with his right hand and begins to sensually rub my balls and cock. Not roughly, but very gently, which is far more stimulating than a quick jack off.

At the same time, I can feel him rubbing his stiffness along my soapy crack.

After a short while he steps back a little and, releasing my stomach, uses the fingers of his left hand again to rub up and down, across and between my cheeks, deliberately pressing, every now and then, on my hole. Each time he does, my muscles contract and I shudder with pleasure.

"Always wanted to try that on someone else," he growls. "Will you do that to me too?"

His right hand continues its mission on my engorged tool. Before long I say breathily, "Will, I'm getting close." He nestles close in again and continues a steady rhythm on my steely rod. I feel the eruption building from deep down and, yet again, enjoy the pleasure of it surging its way up.

Will must be able to feel it coming. He holds his hand still and I explode - straight up, and out, wherever he points me, swivelling me around like he's watering the plants with a garden hose - mostly in the bath, but some on the floor. My knees feel very weak and begin to tremble, but I luxuriate in Will's firm grip of me. He hugs me and kisses my neck while I regain my balance.

Then he spins me around and turns his back to me. I understand what he wants. I repeat everything that he has done to me, except that my cock is not as stiff now as his was. Even so, I still position my chunky sausage vertically between his cheeks and begin to soap up his front, sliding my hand over and under his balls, and up and down his hardness. He leans right back into me, purring like a big cat.

After a few minutes I turn him again so that our fronts are together, holding him against me by the small of his back. Then I grasp and begin to massage his butt cheeks and play with his crack. I linger each time I pass his hole, rubbing gently and teasing it. "OMG that feels good, Tom. Push your finger inside me."

I whisper lustily in his ear, "Will, I'll do this for you, but just so you know, we are not going to end up fucking, OK? At least, not today."

I really want to reserve that experience for another time. I can feel his cock press against me and he starts to gyrate his hips. He squats ever so slightly, which parts his legs a little. I slowly and softly insert my soapy finger into his hole up to my first, then second, knuckle, and gently move it around. I'm nowhere near his prostate, but the sensation is enough to set him off. He grabs my butt with both hands, while he unloads between our bodies, groaning and thrusting with each spasm, his muscles squeezing my inserted finger.

Recovering his composure and equilibrium he pants, "Holy shit, that felt fantastic. I can't wait to do more, Tom."

"Patience, buddy!" I encourage. "The anticipation will make it even better when we finally get to do it." I emphasise the `when' rather than using `if'.

I'm aware of the need to have him in Big Town by eight o'clock to see Chad at the police station, so breakfast is hastily prepared and eaten, amid much fond remembrance and discussion of the events of the past nine hours.

Will does the dishes while I attend to the washing and remaking of my bed, and Marty's, with fresh sheets. And I don't forget to clean the bathroom floor!

The drive to Big Town is accompanied by two different discussions - me casually checking Will's knowledge of the road rules, and his insistence of how much better our seemingly all-night fun was than just jacking off with Jake or his grabbing games with Karl and Kurt.

I pull up outside the police station and Will turns to stare at me, with a look of fear. I have not mentioned anything to him.

Perhaps he thinks we have come to `dob in' his mother and that he will have to recount what she made him do with her.

I ease his anxiety with, "Will, you are about to receive another birthday present. Chad has offered to show you all around the police station and then let you ride around town with him in the police car. We thought that you'd like that."

The tightness on his face relaxes instantly. "Wow. How cool!" he exhales excitedly.

We go in and Chad is waiting behind the desk. "Hi William. Good to see you. Happy Birthday for yesterday!" After shaking Will's hand, he turns to me and asks, "Can you leave him with me for an hour, Tom? That should be time enough for us to check everything out." He winks.

"Sure thing Chad. Oh, by the way, Many Happy Returns yourself for Thursday." Will then obviously remembers the 10-year age gap, and echoes my sentiment.

I tell Will that I will go and check out all of the shops in town, order some groceries, including more instant pancake mix, at which he gives me the `thumbs up', and that I'll be back for him about 9:00. If you've ever seen a Disney version of `Alice in Wonderland' you'll appreciate my description of Will's face as like that of the Cheshire Cat!

I drive off and park in the middle of the main street, outside the men's emporium. I also note that there is a barber shop inside. The sign says that they will open at 8:30. Perfect. I head down to the grocery store which, to my delight, is already serving customers. I soak up some time, exchanging pleasantries with our rotund friend and together we compile a list of what I will come back later to pick up.

He asks about Marty and recounts what he's heard. News travels fast in a small town, and it seems that everybody is aware of what happened. I explain that I'm in town today to pick him up.

I still have fifteen minutes before the emporium opens so I head to the Acropolis for coffee and one of my favourite pastries. There are more expressions of best wishes for Marty from everybody I pass to whom Marty introduced me last week.

Savouring every morsel of the fresh custard tart and licking my finger to pick up every last crumb on the plate, I go over the scheme in my head. I am going to get Will a whole new wardrobe of casual clothes and some more stylish `going out' gear as well. However, I will also purchase identical clothing for myself. I will have the tailor, or sales staff, take my measurements and put aside for me one of everything that we get for Will, without his knowledge.

I have a deservingly-cruelish plan to torment Lilly, Will's mother.

And, when I take him on holidays with me, I can envisage some fun with my friends and family. To top it off, so to speak, he and I are going to get matching haircuts.

About 8:40, I head into the emporium and have a talk with Joe, the manager, younger than I expected, who tells me that he has taken over from his father, who inherited the business from his own father. Third generation.

I tell him what I want him to do and he agrees to keep my clothes separate from Will's. I suggest styles that I would like him to show Will in jeans, shirts, a good pair of casual trousers, black boots and a new hat.

He takes all my measurements and assures me that I am standard sizes top and bottom, so there will be no problem. Will is going to be very similar, if not the same. However, I do try on a pair of black boots and a camel-coloured Akubra hat, because there can be no guesswork with these.

I give him my credit card and tell him to charge everything in the one transaction at the end, so that Will would be none the wiser.

I also clue in the barber. I tell him that whatever Will wants, my haircut is to be identical, and, in case Will can't decide, I tell him what I think would look good on us both - sides trimmed short but leave just enough on top so that the curls are evident. All set.

I get back to the police station and Chad is talking to Will who, when he spots me, is bursting with excitement to say something. "Tom, you'll never guess what! Chad actually let me drive the police car! We went all around town. He even tried to catch me out with some tricky questions about the road rules, but he couldn't. I knew them all. Pretty smart, eh?"

I wink at Chad. "You let him drive the police car? And it's still in one piece?"

That receives a pouty look from Will.

Chad replies, ruffling Will's hair, "Actually, Tom, he did really well. And I couldn't fault him on the questions either."

"Good on you, buddy!" I say, giving him a light shoulder punch.

"Hey, Chad, isn't that assault?" Will pipes up, throwing a mischievous smirk at me, in attempted one-upmanship.

"I didn't see anything. What did you say happened?" Chad replies.

Will looks from Chad to me and back again, then bursts into laughter. We both join him.

"Tom, can you come back before you pick Marty up? I've got a bit of work to do, but there's something I'd like to give Will, to take home, but I don't have it ready yet. Sort of a souvenir." He smiles.

Will looks a little puzzled, but says nothing.

"Sure thing," I reply. I thank him for `looking after' Will, and we head out.

I tell Will that I've got another surprise for him. We head to the emporium and the barber's chair is vacant. "Haircut," I say. "How do you want it?"

"Like yours," Will shoots back, surprising me. I smile at the barber and he gets to work as we had previously discussed.

The barber is just about finished and I ask, "Can you clean up that dark fluff on his chin and upper lip too?" Will looks at me with some curiosity. "Will, you've become quite a young man and I think it would be good to have your first shave done by a professional. What do you think?"

Will's lips tighten, perhaps to help prevent the happy tears from falling that I see forming in the corner of his eyes. He simply nods his agreement.

"Twins, or just brothers?" The barber asks as he finishes with Will and looks at me.

"Brothers." Will and I say at almost the same time, then we smile at each other, then do our `secret' handshake as we exchange places.

Will rubs his newly-shaven skin. "Wow, Smooth," is all he utters.

"Will, go and have a look at some clothes. I'd like to buy you a new pair of jeans, a belt and some shirts. Maybe boots and a hat. Go and try on some things. The manager will help you while I'm having the works here."

"Are you serious?" he asks, wide-eyed.

"Sure thing. Happy birthday, bro!" I reply. I can tell that he would like to hug me, but he restrains himself.

The barber makes my hair identical to Will's and I afford myself the luxury of a professional shave as well.

I pay the barber in cash and give him a good tip, even though I know that it's not usual in Australia.

I stroll over to where Will is having difficulty choosing between some styles and colours, and I help out with suggestions that I know would look good on me as well. With his boots and an Akubra selected, I ask the manager to put everything into my car while Will and I visit the Acropolis. I hand him the keys.

When we return, I can tell that the manager is a smart cookie! He's put Will's things on the back seat and mine in the boot. I still can't come at calling it the `trunk' although I can understand why, given its history. The car is locked.

We go into the store and Joe runs through the list of what Will has selected. I ask him to add a battery-operated razor, which he does. I already have one.

I say "Happy Birthday" again and present the razor to Will then sign for everything.

Will cannot restrain himself any longer. He grabs me in a hug around the neck and shoulders and manages to let out a "Thanks bro. This is fantastic." The manager and barber would not have been aware of anything except some good old-fashioned brotherly love.

I look at my watch. It's just after 10 o'clock. "OK. Let's see what Chad is up to, then we can pick up the groceries and collect Marty from the hospital at 10:30," I say to Will.

I know what's coming. I wonder how Will is going to respond. I hope he doesn't embarrass us both by his reaction.

We walk into the police station. Chad gives us both a wolf whistle indicating our haircuts and clean-shaven faces. He picks up a small bundle of papers. Will blushes and I smile.

Chad says, "William, there is something I would like you to sign, that's related to me letting you drive the police car around this morning."

Will looks at Chad and shrugs then steps up to sign, taking a pen from him. When he reads the paper work, Will swings around and blurts, "What the fuck is this?" then covers his mouth as if to apologise for the obscenity.

"I'm sure that swearing at a police officer is illegal isn't it Chad?" I try to be funny and repay Will for his assault assertion.

Will turns to me and, pushing his face right up close to mine, whispers a smiling, "Not funny! Fuck off!" Then he persists, aloud, "Chad, what is this?"

Chad simply says, "William O'Brien, this morning you passed a driving test, both practical and knowledge. You now have a Provisional Driver's Licence. Congratulations. Please sign the paper work and I'll give you your licence." Will's mouth drops open and he just stares at Chad, then turns his gaze to me.

"You knew! You planned this all along, didn't you? You scheming bugger!" The words might have been offensive if they hadn't been accompanied by such a broad smile and misty eyes. "Thank you so much. Both of you. Is this for real? Me - with a driver's licence! Wow!"

He pauses momentarily then asks, "Hey Mr G., can I borrow the car? I have a hot date tonight."

We all burst into laughter.

Will signs the paperwork which Chad takes away, feeding some into a machine. A few minutes later he produces a plastic licence complete with Will's photo and signature, and says to Will, "You remember earlier when I showed you how the camera over there works? This is what we do with the photo. It comes out on your licence with your signature. And here are your `P' plates to display front and back whenever you are driving."

I stick out my hand to Will, "Congratulations buddy. Drive safely." He pulls me into a hug, then turns on Chad and gives him the same treatment.

"Now, that's assault on a police officer," Chad laughs. I join him. Seeing the humour, Will makes it a threesome.

"OK, let's pick up the groceries and then go and get Marty. You can drive," I say to Will and toss him my car keys.

While Chad and I watch Will proudly attaching his new `P' plates to my car, Chad says to me, "I've been visiting Marty every day. He's OK, but you'll find that he's lost a bit of weight and may not be 100% steady on his feet yet. Keep an eye on him, will you Tom? His body needs time to fully recover as much from the heavy medications as from the venom. I know he'll try to do too much and we don't want him back in here because he has over-taxed his immune system, or because he's tripped over and done himself a serious injury."

"Sure thing, Chad. I'll tie him down, if necessary." I continue, "So, tell me, how did William really do on the test?"

"Like I said, he was excellent. Apart from knowing all the rules perfectly, his driving couldn't have been better - far superior to many that I see in here. He'll be fine. He just needs some practice to develop his road sense in traffic."

Chad gives me directions from the police station to the hospital and I bid him farewell.

It feels strange sliding into the passenger's seat instead of behind the wheel. Will looks a little nervous, but I encourage him to just take it easy, like he did with Chad. He checks for traffic, remembers to use his indicator seeing that we're in town, and accelerates smoothly.

He eases off, turns the corner, drives to the grocery store and parks directly outside it.

I tell him to stay in the car to keep an eye on his new clothes. I don't want him to discover what has been hidden. I settle the bill with the grocer and he helps me to stow everything out of sight in the boot.

"Now, down to the left and then first right," I tell him. While Will is driving I ring Sean's number to let him know that we're heading for the hospital. He says he will meet us there. As we pull into the parking lot, lot barely a minute later, I see Sean already standing at the main entrance. Will and I head across the short distance together.

"You didn't waste any time getting here!" I say as we shake hands. Sean indicates that we should look across the road from the hospital, and I see the ambulance station. "That explains it," I smile.

Will hands me back the keys and we go inside. Sean greets the matron at the main desk and she says melodiously, "You know where he is, Sean."

`Matron' is a great description of her. She is a very homely, grandmotherly woman, perhaps in her early fifties - handsome like Di, hair colour similar to Acacia and a disposition like my own mother. The best of all three rolled into one.

She does a double take when she looks at Will and me. I'm becoming accustomed to it. It has become a source of amusement for me, moreso recently. Will has a smirk on his face as well. I hope he will also enjoy the little scenario that I have planned for his mother.

Sean leads us to Marty's room. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, flicking through a magazine, dressed ready to go home, with a bag beside him.

Sean tells me that Chad had brought him in some extra clothes, as the two of them are about the same size.

As the result of having seen Chad naked the morning after he came to tell us the news about Marty waking up from his coma, both Will and I smirk playfully at each other, taking a double meaning from his words about being the same size, although nothing would have been intended by Sean, or recognised by Marty.

Will goes up to him first and grabs him in a hug. "Hi Marty! Missed you Cuz! Glad you're coming home. The schoolie, here has been trying to poison me morning and night with the awful stuff that he cooks."

"Liar!" I smile at him, knowing that this was simply Will's way of acknowledging to Marty that he was missed.

Then addressing Marty, "The only problem with the food is that the big smartarse here has put on weight. If that's a problem, I could always cut out the pancakes," I look at Will, "And we can take all of the pancake mix that I've just bought back to the grocer before we go home."

"Whoa!" Will exclaims. "No need to go to extremes. I'm happy to work off the extra calories!" And he flashes me an O'Brien smirk.

A smile also crosses Marty's face at the light-hearted exchange between Will and me. It's great to see. I take the few steps towards him, shake his hand and hug him to me. "Marty, I never got the chance to say `thank you' for saving me from the snake. It almost cost you your own life. I will be forever grateful to you. I'll be your slave, if necessary."

"Haha, I have witnesses to that offer." he says, indicating Will and Chad. "I might need a hand with a few things, though." It's now Marty and I who see a double meaning that, I hope, the others don't.

Will looks at me to see whether I react to Marty's words. Perhaps he did pick up on it, or maybe his sexy adolescent mind is just hoping that he recognised an intent. He had previously guessed that Marty and I `did something' together during the weekend that he spent with Jake although I've never told him any details. House Rule!

I grab Marty's bag and he slowly transfers his weight to his feet. He rests his hand on my shoulder to steady himself. "I hope you don't mind me holding on to you," he says. Another suspicious glance from Will. Is that a slight hint of jealousy that I read on his face? And I think Marty is deliberately choosing his words to convey double meanings. This is becoming comical.

I unlock the car and put Marty's bag in the back, behind the passenger's seat. I open the front door for Marty and he clambers in, with very little assistance. Will and I shake hands with Sean and then both head around to the driver's side. I slip Will the keys and smile. He slides in behind the wheel and I take a back seat, moving the pile of Will's clothes across to make room.

Marty looks at both of us and says, "What the hell is going on, Will? You know that you're not allowed to drive here in town!"

Will simply takes out his new driver's licence and, with the broadest of grins, flashes the piece of plastic in Marty's face.

Marty is totally confused and begins to ask many questions that he never finishes... "When did you...?" "How the fuck...?" "Who...?"

I answer them for him, all in one, "Remember all those reading lessons from the Motor Traffic Handbook? They certainly paid off. Chad tested him this morning. Perfect Score. And he passed the driving test with flying colours." Then I add, just to stir him up, and to stroke Will's ego, "and Chad reckons he's a better driver than you."

"Bullshit!" is all that Marty can muster. Will and I laugh, and Marty can tell that we're just `pulling his leg'.

"Be kind to him." I say to Marty. And then to Will, "Home James, and be gentle with the horses!" Will laughs at my parody of his words to me all those weeks ago.

Will's provisional licence speed is limited and so the trip home takes us a little longer than usual.

A car passes us and beeps its horn, then leaves us in its dust cloud. "Hey!", Will says, "That was Mr Andersen's car, with Karl and Kurt in it.

"Eyes on the road," Marty offers as advice to the state's newest `P' plater.

Marty and I recount the incidents around the snake and share snippets of what Sean told us, what the doctors did and even what the food was like in the hospital.

As we drive into the property, Will avoids most of the bumps and hollows that Marty had deliberately found on my first Sunday morning in his truck. I comment on it. Marty replies with, "All I can say is, this car must have excellent suspension!"

Then, as we pull up to a raucous welcome from the dogs, Marty leans across to Will, lays his arm around his cousin's shoulders and says, "Great job, Cuz. You've got yourself a job as my official chauffer." Will beams at him.

Marty goes over to the dogs and does a bit of playful rough-housing with them. I pick up Marty's bag and Will gathers his clothes from the back seat. "William, can you put those on your bed and then come and help me with the stuff in the boot?" I ask.

Will takes his bundle of "goodies" indoors. Marty comes over and offers to help with whatever is in the boot. "Just some groceries and a bit of shopping from the men's emporium," I tell him as he looks everything over. He grabs most of the groceries which are packed into a single box, and heads for the door, only to be met by Will on his way out. I call, "William, could you please take those from Marty and put them away? You know where they all go. Thank you."

I give Marty his bag and leave the small sack of potatoes in the open boot. Walking straight past Will in the kitchen, I quickly take all of my clothes to the bedroom, and lay them on my bed then, pulling the door closed, I head back outside.

As I pass by the kitchen again, I turn to the two guys and say, "I think we should drop over to your Mum's place, Marty. I'm sure she and Anna are anxious to see you."

Will and Marty instantly stop what they are doing and both turn to give me a searing look of disapproval - each for his own reason; however, they know that I'm right.

Also, I can see an opportunity here to pour some oil on troubled waters. There is definitely tension between Marty and his mum and between Will and Anna. This will be a challenge, I think to myself, but well worth it for everyone, if it comes off.

"Guys, I can understand where you are both coming from," I begin. "But your Mum, Marty, and your cousin Anna, William, are both special people."

The looks of disapproval turn to regards of pity for my apparent insanity.

"I tell you what I'm going to do," I tell them. "I'm going to try to get you both off the hook with the women."

Their faces say, `what the hell...?'

I continue, "Marty, despite what you may think and feel, your Mum really loves you. I saw that very clearly while you were in hospital. But I've seen a power game between the two of you. You want to break away from her domination and you think you can do that by insulting her. Of course, that just riles her even more. She pushes you to give in which, of course, you don't. If you'll forgive the analogy in the light of recent events, it's like you playing with a snake. You have the stick, but she has the venom."

His blank stare and open but silent mouth confirm that I've got it exactly right!

I feel like an amateur psychologist.

I turn to Will. "And William, having been on the receiving end of Anna's attentions myself, I can understand why she does what she does, and why you do what you do." I don't go into details knowing that it could possibly out my gay young hunk to Marty, or reveal the illicit activities of his Aunt Lilly with his cousin, both of which I want to avoid at all costs.

Then to both of them, "I just want you guys to trust me on this. You'll thank me later, I'm sure." I had intended saying, `I'll bet my balls on it', but then neither of them would have minded me losing, would they? "Guys, I need your support in this. I think that Mum won't be hard, but Anna may be. If she starts making a move on me, either with her fluttering eyelids and flattering comments, or if she wants to get physically close to me, I just want one of you to mention my girlfriend, Karen. Can you do that?"

Will catches on straight away but Marty looks at me in absolute confusion, and I realise that he wasn't privy to my little ruse when Sean was here. I decide that the truth of the matter should stay with Will and me. I give him an `H' and he signs back. Marty either doesn't notice or recognise it.

"Karen?" Marty asks cautiously.

I nod. Now that's really confused him, especially after how he and I have played together.

He comments, "You sly dog!"

"So, this is what I'm aiming at." I watch their faces while I explain it again. "Marty, do you want your Mum to quit her controlling behaviour? And William, do you want Anna to leave you alone and stop chasing you and trying to touch you?"

They look at each other, then at me. Will pulls an `I-guess-so' face, shrugs and then nods his agreement. Marty, on the other hand, is more vocal. "It'll never work, Tom. Whatever you have in mind, she'll never change. Who do you think you are, Merlin the Magician?"

With both of them present, I resist the temptation to make reference to a `magic wand', which I might have done if there was only one of them alone with me. Each would have appreciated it in his own way.

However, as I head out to retrieve the potatoes, I just call, "We'll see. Just trust me, and play along." When I return, I ask, "So, are we all in? I don't see that either of you has anything to lose and a lot to gain. I'm the one at risk if Anna tries to hit on me. Can I count on you to back me up?"

Will says, "OK. This is gonna be good! If you can get Anna off my case, I'll be your bosom buddy for life!" He suddenly blushes a little, realising the familiarity in his choice of words, and hoping against hope that Marty sees nothing in it but his use of a cliché.

Marty joins in, "If you can get Mum to change her attitude, I'll serve you breakfast in bed for a week - whatever you want to swallow."

I suspect that Marty's clanger, on the other hand, was intentional. I look directly at Marty and he smirks, which Will, standing alongside his cousin, cannot see. However, Will's smirky expression tells me that he, too, is thinking of more than pancakes and bacon - perhaps what he would like for breakfast, a big sausage and a couple of eggs.

I ask Will to remove his `P' plates from my car, telling him that he can impress Mum and Anna later. I don't want to get side-tracked. However, I still let Will drive.

"Oh," I say to them both as we get into the car, "I want to do all of the talking. Got it?" They agree, but I think that it will be much harder for Marty to keep his mouth closed than for Will.

Their being alerted by the dogs, I can see Mum and Anna appear on the verandah as we drive up the track. I jump out first, with the other two not far behind.

"Hello Mrs O'Brien. Anna." I say.

"It looks like you were right. The snake must have died."

Mum smiles. Marty makes his way to the steps and his mother envelops him a hug. I'm sure it's the first time that this has happened in a long while. Will hangs back. Anna joins the family hug and I sense that all three of them have tears in their eyes.

I find that the scenario which I had scripted in my mind for Mum is no longer necessary. She says more than I could ever have imagined.

"Marty, dear. I thought I was going to lose you," she begins while leading him through the door, cuddling into him with one arm around his waist. "I couldn't bear the thought of you not being around. Having to mourn your dad was bad enough, but losing you would have broken my heart. I'm sure I would have died as well. You mean the world to me." Then she turns and puts both arms around his neck and kisses him, on both cheeks then his forehead and finally on the lips.

Could Marty ever insult this loving woman now? I can see his face and all of the pent-up animosity seems to have melted away. Rather, it shows the contentment of a little boy who has just been tucked into bed and kissed goodnight by his loving mummy.

I am proud of his response. "Mum, when I was lapsing in and out of consciousness, I was thinking the same thing. I couldn't stand to put you through any pain like you went through after Dad's accident. You gave me a desire to live."

Acacia pulls two handkerchiefs from her ever-present apron. Apparently, she had been anticipating a few tears. She gives one to Marty, while she makes full use of the other herself. They both go over to the settee and appear to continue some long-overdue conversation and reconciliation. I can tell from their body language, including the hugging and kissing, that some old, deep wounds have had a rapid-healing balm applied. Who would have thought it?

One down; one to go! Anna, Will and I are left alone. "Can the three of us go outside and talk?" I ask. Anna looks puzzled. Will looks anxious.

I lead the way. Will is right behind me and Anna follows.

The end-of-summer sun has lost its sting although the temperature is very warm, probably still `hot' by city standards. But, without the coastal humidity here, it is bearable.

We seat ourselves at the round table in a kind of open triangular pattern but so that we are all still able to take in the view. I can see that the chicken coop is still as solid as the day that Marty, Will and I built it.

In the distant background are the tops of the river gums, and, somewhere over towards them, behind the scrub and brush, is Marty's place.

I contemplate that the summer drone of flies and beetles appears to have abated but there are still bird noises from the trees. I'm sure they are parrots of some description from their raucous calls. Discerning one bird from the next is another lesson for me, the Schoolie, to learn while I'm here.

There is momentary silence and after taking a deep breath, I begin. "Anna, I think I owe you an apology."

She looks at me strangely and so does Will.

Gaining confidence in my self-assigned task I continue, "In fact, so does William."

Anna looks from me to Will. Will stares at me and starts to shift in his seat. I can tell that, with no idea of where this is heading, he is feeling very uncomfortable.

I launch right in. "Anna, from the day that I met you, you have been wonderful to me; the breakfast that you prepared after Marty and William fixed your Mum's door, the morning tea and refreshments the day we built the chicken coop, and you even saved my butt from the hard chair at school. For all of that, I thank you most sincerely."

She smiles. Will doesn't.

"And you are very attractive," I add. Should I even be saying this in front of Will, let alone Anna?

She smiles. Will grimaces.

"I really haven't expressed my appreciation, so I apologise for that. If there was no `Karen' in my life, I think that I could easily settle down here." I deliberately omit to say, `...with you...', and I think of the other attractions.

Will smiles. She doesn't. I'm sure that Will knows by now that he represents the true `Karen' in my life, not to mention Marty, Karl and Kurt.

Hey. This conversation is not supposed to be about me - its purpose is to win Will his freedom from her!

I continue, "And I hope that William won't mind me telling you this, because he won't say anything himself, but he thinks that you are pretty hot, too. He told me so."

She smiles. Will doesn't. Instead, after he closes his gaping mouth, he gives me the filthiest of side glances. "But...," here it comes - my best pitch, "...he's afraid if he ever gave in to a moment of passion, that he could easily ruin a girl's life, the way that his father ruined your Aunt Lilly's. And he doesn't want to do that - especially to you. He avoids you, not because he doesn't like you, but because you excite him so much, especially when you touch him."

Will knows that me painting us both as hormone-susceptible straight guys who would love to `get it on' with Anna is a lie, but that doesn't stop him from turning red, like sunburn.

At least I'm trying to deflect any potential thoughts in Anna's mind that might arise about Will and me, the two of us together.

Anna sees Will's embarrassment and appears to interpret it as a sign of the truthfulness of my revelation about his feelings for her. At least, that's what I read on her face.

"So, Anna, I apologise for how I might have appeared to be rude to you. It certainly wasn't intentional." Then I dump Will right into it, and hope that he can muster the right words to follow up, as he has demonstrated his capability previously.

I look at him and simply say, "William...?" The upward inflexion is his cue to say something. He looks stunned. Embarrassed. Upset.

He manages to choke out, "Yeah, Anna. Me too."

Anna looks at me and then at Will with almost a repentant countenance. Will, on the other hand, begins to return to an almost-normal colour and it becomes more obvious that he is breathing again.

"William," Anna almost pleads, "I am so sorry. I always thought that you were just locked away in a boyish shell and were just scared of girls, which only made me more determined than ever to show you reasons why you shouldn't be. That's why I kept coming on to you, to try to help you relax and be comfortable. I didn't know that you were thinking of me every time you pulled away or hid from me."

Her apparent lustful passion for Will seems to have changed rapidly into an attitude of respect.

Anna continues, "Anyway, Mr Grant has just said that he finds me very attractive, didn't he? It looks like he and I might still have a bit of fun." Then she looks sideways at me and adds, "Couldn't we... Tom?" Then she giggles at her use of my first name. Or is it at the thought of the type of fun that she has in mind?

Hello! How stupid am I? My mouth has done it again, running away before seeking consent from my brain! I ponder my conundrum and turn slowly to look from Anna's excited eyes to Will. I try to make an `H' nonchalantly to remind him of his pledge. I think that it's going to take more than a shovel to dig me out of this one - perhaps a bulldozer might be required.

Will smiles an evil and disconcerting smile, and remains silent.

Whatever is he thinking about? If he doesn't say something soon, he's gonna have sore nuts tonight!

 

(to be continued)

 

There is a parallel version to this story, told through the eyes of Kurt.
Find it at https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/kurt-series/

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