The following is a work of fiction which contains consensual sexual acts between adult males. If you are offended by this, or if it is illegal where you are please do not read any further. All copyrights are held by the author. Please to not duplicate, print, distribute or re-submit this story without permission from the author. All characters portrayed are fictitious, any similarities to persons dead are alive are coincidental.
I wish to extend my thanks to my friend who has once again assisted in editing and proofreading.
Please contact me for comments at jakeadams@verizon.net
Welcome to the Family
by JT Adams
Chapter 9
The following day was a typical Monday for everybody involved. Jeff was up early and at his mundane job at a nearby poultry processing plant. It wasn't that grand of an occupation; it paid just barely above minimum wage and the conditions were deplorable. It was hot inside the plant and that made the already bad stench even worse. He basically kept to himself while at work, doing his assigned job and minding his own business. While he did know a few of the people there from school or around town it was nobody he preferred to socialize with. So he decided he would rather have a reputation as a loner than to be pulled into their little cliques. A good number of his co-workers were either migrant workers or young people like Jeff and this was their first `real' job. Nobody worked there because they wanted to and few people stayed on very long unless they had to. Jeff loathed it. But, the bright side was that since many people would habitually call in, or just not show up, overtime was frequently offered to cover the many shorthanded shifts. Jeff was the person who volunteered for as much overtime as he could get. It wasn't his first choice as a way to pass time but it got him out of the house. And the hard work kept his mind off Damon. Plus he figured this way he was making money rather than spending it. He was well aware that even though he had money stashed away in a savings account that he was going to need plenty more to cover everyday expenditures once school began, that is if he were accepted.
This was a Monday; he opted not to work overtime. He went home just long enough to kiss his mother, take a shower and head to the local library. He was on a mission and knew he didn't have much time.
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Damon had barely walked in the door when one of his frat brothers called out to him.
"DJ, PHONE,"
"Thanks Brian," Damon said taking the receiver, "Hello."
"D... Damon, this is Jen," She caught herself before she referred to him by the nickname she now knew he hated.
"Hi Jen, recovered from the trip yet?" He heard a light chuckle from the other end of the line.
"I wish, hey what are you doing; have you had dinner yet?"
"No, in fact I was just heading over to Subway for a bite. Then I need to go to the library and download some files before they close."
"OK, I'll meet you there, we need to talk." Damon wondered what this could be about as he disconnected the call and returned the phone to its cradle. He quickly grabbed his backpack and dropped a couple books in it along with his laptop computer and headed out. The Subway was just across the street from the fraternity house so Damon was able to make it there in a matter of minutes. He had always liked the small compact campus where you could easily get around by foot. As he approached the door to the restaurant he turned and saw Jen crossing the street. He stopped and waited, then smiled as he held the door open for her; she gave him a half smile in return. He immediately noticed that she was not her normal chipper self that he was used to and was immediately concerned about what could be the problem. He ordered his usual 6" Subway Melt on Garlic with a package of Baked Lays. He was cordial and offered to buy Jen's, however she declined. He paid the cashier and then filled his cup with Dr. Pepper before sitting in what was his regular seat.
He had just removed his backpack and sat it on the bench seat when Jen arrived with her own tray. They unwrapped their sandwiches and ate in silence. Damon was wondering why she had called him and what was so important that she wanted to discuss it with him right away. He had already intended on having a chat with her before school was out. Even though he knew what he needed to say to her he really wasn't quite sure how he wanted to word it. If there was any chance of he and Jeff having a relationship she would be there somewhere. He really liked Jen and wanted to still be on friendly terms with her. But also didn't want to use the old corny break up line about `let's still be friends.' He knew this was going to be a delicate situation in the very least.
Jennifer was also deep in thought considering what would be the right words to say. This was not something she really wanted to do either but it needed to be said and the sooner she got it off her chest the better. "You and Bubby sure hit it off over the weekend." She finally said. It was not the subject she wanted to bring up but it was better than sitting there in silence.
Damon gave her a questioning look, at first wondering who she was talking about. Then he realized who the nickname belonged to and just shook his head `yes' as he finished chewing and swallowing his bite of sandwich. "Jeff, yeah, your brother. He's pretty cool; I like him."
This brings a real smile to her face for the first time that evening. "Somehow I had a feeling you two would hit it off. You... well... at times remind me of him." Damon wasn't sure how to take that last statement and was now really wondering where this conversation was headed.
"Damon, first I apologize for calling you DJ all that time."
"Not necessary; that's how you were introduced to me. It's my fault for never speaking up."
Jen disregarded his remark and continued. "I also want to apologize for the way you were treated this past weekend." She was silent for a few moments while she collected her thoughts. Damon took another bite of his sandwich as he continued to listen. "This was the first time I was actually involved in the wedding party and didn't know how busy I would be." Another pause, "If I had, I wouldn't have invited you."
`Invited?' Damon thought, `you practically demanded I went.'
She finally bit into her own sandwich and took her time to slowly chew as she looked out the window. After she swallowed she grabbed her drink and took a long suck on the straw before sitting the cup back on the table. Damon noticed she was avoiding making eye contact with him. He continued to eat his sub and waited for her to continue.
"Damon," she finally says just as he takes his last bite. She had still barely touched her own. "I'm just going to be blunt about this. School will be over next week and I think we should cool it over the summer." Damon gave her a look of surprise that she mistook for disappointment.
"I just think that with us being separated over the summer that it wouldn't be fair. I mean if you meet a girl back home I wouldn't want you to pass her up because of me." Damon was dumbfounded; she was breaking up with him? Could this have worked out better? "If we still feel the same way about each other in the fall maybe we can pick back up. What do ya say?" He could honestly detect some hurt in her voice as she said this.
Damon decided to play along and pretend to be hurt. "Well I don't know Jen; I mean I wasn't planning on meeting someone else."
"Well neither was I," she said, neither of them realizing the slip of her saying `was' instead of `am'. "But it could happen. So since we're not going to be together I think it's just best."
Damon glanced at his watch for lack of anything else to say or do.
"I'm sorry; you wanted to study didn't you? Why don't you head on over, no need for you to hang out here on my account."
Damon decided to take the opportunity to escape. Without looking at Jen he grabbed his backpack before refilling his Dr. Pepper. He looked to her with his best sad puppy look as he said "see ya `round" then headed out the door.
Jen took another bite of her sandwich as she watched Damon slowly cross the parking lot, then run back across the busy street to campus. She really was upset about the situation and the way everything had turned out. She really liked Damon but knew there was just no chemistry between them. She only took a couple more bites before she threw away the half eaten sandwich and the package of chips that had barely been touched. She walked over to the payphone by the exit, lifted the receiver and deposited a quarter before dialing a local number. She heard one, two and then three rings. `Oh please be there.' she says to herself. Finally on the fourth ring the phone was answered and she heard a familiar voice. "Hi babe," she said with a big smile on her face, "I did it."
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The rest of the week was busy for everybody. Damon spent every waking moment that he wasn't in class in the library while Jeff worked twelve to sixteen hour days. The only reason Jeff hated the long hours was the anticipation; he wished he had time to go to the library or anywhere else to check his email for good news. In this small town it was the only public access internet available. But he had to be at work at 7:00 am, and worked until 10:00 pm or later so had little time to hit the library. It would be too soon for snail mail to reach him, and while his mother left several notes of messages taped to his door, the one he was waiting for was never one of them. He only worked a few hours on Saturday and was off on Sunday but the library would be closed then. Finally on Wednesday of the following week the message he was waiting for was taped to his doorframe. "Yes!" He screamed in excitement hoping it was not loud enough to wake his parents. He immediately pulled out his own calling card that he had bought the previous Monday, the day after Damon left, at the local Walgreen's. He went to the kitchen where the only phone in the house hung on the wall. These were country folk and didn't believe in the necessity of multiple or cordless phones, something Jeff hoped to rectify in the coming weeks. He took the slip of paper out of his billfold that he had carefully hid away so it wouldn't be damaged, then dialed the number.
"Hello," It was answered on the second ring.
"Hi, is Damon there?"
"Who?" The voice asked sounding confused.
"Uh, DJ," Jeff responded thinking fast.
"Hold on," he could hear the muffled sound of the microphone end of the receiver being covered. "Nah, he ain't here."
"Thanks," Jeff responded. Before he could leave a message the connection was terminated at the other end.
Thursday during his lunch hour Jeff called the number his mother had written on the note to receive the confirmation he had been waiting for. He decided not to work overtime that day and quickly headed to the library after work. There were already several high school age kids using the public access internet terminals. He signed his name at the bottom of the waiting list, then grabbed a magazine to kill time until one of the terminals became available. He kept an eye open for an open terminal and noticed the kids basically goofing off and didn't appear to be doing anything in particular. After a while he complained to the librarian but she basically told him to wait his turn and to mind his own business. Mrs. Dunkelman was an old spinster who had worked there for years. Jeff assumed she remembered him and the trouble he and his buddies caused in that very same library when he'd been these kids's age. Either that or she smelled the remains of his work on him and his clothes. She gave him an evil smirk as he once again took a seat. `I guess paybacks really are hell!' he thought.
Finally the kids started leaving and he was able to jump onto one of the terminals. About that time Mrs. Dunkelman walked over to him, pointed to her antique wristwatch and said "It's five o-clock; we're closing."
"I'll only be a minute; I'm just checking email." She gave him a smirk as she walked away and did whatever it was she had to do before she left. Luckily the library was on a fast connection and he was able to access his email in no time. He quickly deleted the spam and found what he was looking for. "Yes!" he said as he hit the print button.
"We are closed; you're going to have to leave." She said, this time taking off her glasses and letting then hang around her neck on a chain as she glared at him directly with her own eyes. Jeff could have sworn he saw her turn red with frustration as she noticed the printer had kicked in. Less than a minute later he was digging through his pocket for change. The library charged ten cents a sheet for print outs and he wanted to be ready. He handed her the ninety cents for nine pages he had printed. "I've already closed the drawer, don't worry about it." He knew the translation was she was too lazy to redo her paperwork but played along with it.
"Thanks Mrs. Dunkelman; it was nice seeing you again." He smiled as he walked past her to the exit. He wished he could have seen her face; that's probably the first time in history he has said anything nice to her. She was probably wondering what he was up to.
Jeff rushed home from the library and straight upstairs to take a shower. Once the smell of chicken guts had been washed down the drain he dressed and ran down the stairs to where he found his mother busy in the kitchen. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and grabbed a Dr. Pepper from the refrigerator. "Bubby, we're going to leave early Saturday morning to drive over and pick up Sissy."
"NO!" he said, probably a little too emotionally. His mother just gave him a look, wondering what was wrong.
"Tomorrow is her last class so she's coming home for the summer, I would have thought you would have been a little more excited."
"I am Mom, I'm sorry, what I mean is there's no need for you and Dad to have to go. I'll go get her."
"You don't have to do that honey!"
"No, it's no problem. I'll be happy to."
"Well, I'm sure your father would appreciate that. He doesn't like making that trip anyway so I'm sure he won't have any objections."
"Awesome! I'll call her later. I'll be back before dinner, got something I need to do." He took a swig from the soft drink as he turned and headed out the door.
"Oh, Bubby," his mother called after him. He stopped just as the old wooden storm door was slamming shut and turned to look back at his mother. "You had a package delivered today; its there just inside the living room."
Jeff looked and found the package she was referring to and couldn't hold his excitement. "All right! I wasn't expecting this until tomorrow!" He grabbed the box and took it to his room, sitting it on the bed. Skittles immediately jumped up and sniffed the new item then quickly meowed her approval. As much as he wanted to open it and check it out, he needed to make a phone call that he couldn't make from home. He headed into town to a pay phone he knew about in an out of the way place. He wanted to try again reaching Damon but wasn't about to make the call from the house with his parents not only home but up. But his call to the frat house went about the same as the one did the night before. He ended up heading home disappointed.
By the time he drove back to the farmhouse his father was home and dinner was almost ready. During dinner Jeff's mother gave his father the news that Jeff was willing to drive to town to pick up his sister. And as expected his father offered no argument but told Jeff he would need to put the camper shell on the pickup and take it. Jeff had a hard time believing his Jeep wouldn't be big enough. His parents both laughed and said he would be surprised at how much stuff she took back and forth every year. Since Jeff hadn't been home much lately due to the overtime he had been working, dinner conversation centered on him. His parents wanted to know how the job was going and what his plans were. Jeff knew the translation was that he needed to be supporting himself. He told them what he knew they wanted to hear. While he could afford to move out and support himself, he wanted to remain at home for the summer. After helping his mother clear dishes, he called Jen. They only spoke a few minutes after he opened by asking her if Sunday would be alright. She was more then excited and said that would be fine, that she had some things to do Saturday anyhow. He wanted to ask if she had seen Damon but decided against it. There would be too many possible questions which he wasn't ready to answer. That night after his parents went to sleep he once again tried to call Damon. And once again he was told Damon wasn't there. He went to sleep wondering where his friend could be and hoping he could get hold of Damon before Saturday.
Twice more on Friday Jeff attempted to contact Damon, first during his lunch hour and then again in the evening after work. He had hoped on making definite plans for Saturday night for the two of them to get together. But it looked like he would just show up and hope for the best.
Jeff woke up early hoping to get an early start. He knew his father was always an early riser and would be able to give him a hand attaching the camper shell to the ten-year-old Dodge Ram. But his plans were changed when his mother insisted that he eat breakfast. He tried to say he would grab a sandwich at the mini-mart but she would have nothing of it. Before he could say no she already had the makings out for a full country breakfast. After breakfast he was ready to head out. He made sure he left the keys to the Jeep in case anybody needed it but both his parents said they doubted they would use it.
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Once again thanks to all that have written in support of, and asking me to continue this series. There is still more left to Damon and Jeff's story.
Jacob