Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 08:48:53 -0400 From: Jeff Allen Subject: "Love of a Lifetime" Part 19 This is a fictional story dealing with love and consensual sexual activities between males. If you are not of legal age, reside in an area where viewing such material is illegal, or are offended by homosexuality and/or homosexual themes, leave this site now. The author retains all rights to this story. No reproductions or links to other sites are allowed without the permission of the author. Note: I owe a special thanks to Robb for doing the final proofreading and catching all those silly little errors that I missed. LOVE OF A LIFETIME PART 19 There wasn't as much impact of the publicity about my attack and the reason for it over the next couple of weeks as I thought there might be. Only a couple of guys on the hall and a few people in my classes acted any differently toward me. Doc Griffith and Dr. Williams asked how I was doing a couple of times. I asked Coach Kensington to let me talk to the entire track team about what had happened. None of the guys seemed to be bothered by knowing I was gay, in fact, two other guys chose to publically announce their gayness as well. Like they say...strength in numbers. I started running with the team and working in the kitchen at breakfast. I just made sure to keep the cast covered with a big yellow rubber glove whenever I was working near water or in the shower. The glove earned me the temporary nickname of "Goldfinger." Brad Miller was his usual nasty self. That didn't bother me. Jason avoided looking me in the eyes, and that really bothered me. Justin and I had showered together most every morning before my 'bashing' encounter because I woke him up when I came back from working at breakfast and we would get ready for classes together. Now he started making certain he was in the shower whenever I was, and that included the times I took a shower in the evening. He never said anything about it, but I knew he was trying to protect me. I started attending the campus Gay and Lesbian Alliance (GALA) meetings. I figured I was already about as "out" as I could be so opening the closet door some more wouldn't hurt a bit. There were some really nice people there. A couple of the guys tried to hit on me the first meeting or so, but they backed off when I made it plain that I wasn't interested. I also discovered that I was a bit of a celebrity among the gay community on campus because I'd had the balls or been mad enough to go ahead with the hate crime thing although the investigation since then had stalled with no likely suspects being identified. Andy and Larsen came for a weekend visit in the middle of February. We took Doc and Matt up on their invitation to stay at their house. They were wonderful hosts. That was the first time I'd met Matt Stevenson. He was every bit as sexy looking as Andy had described. He and Doc made a terrific looking couple, and it was obvious from watching them that they were very much in love. Andy and I were tickled to meet another gay couple. I'd been a little apprehensive about interacting with Doc Griffith in a purely social situation. I shouldn't have worried. The four of us being together as friends seemed completely natural before the end of the first evening. Doc cooked a really delicious meal on Saturday night and then the four of us soaked in their hot tub and drank wine for a couple of hours. It seemed odd to be sitting in a warm hot tub outside in the middle of February. We were all a little buzzed by the time we got out. The combination of wine and hot tub put Andy and me in an especially romantic mood. Our love making that night was slow and gentle but very intense at the same time as if both of us wanted to moment to last forever. When I finally slipped into Andy nothing else existed but our two souls merging into one. My cast came off the day before Spring Break. To say I was relieved would be a serious understatement. The cast had gotten awfully dirty looking, and the skin under the darn thing itched so much that I was constantly poking a pencil or ruler down in the cast to relieve the itching. The first part of the break I spent in Carterville sleeping late, playing with Larsen, and cooking special dinners for Andy. He took Thursday and Friday off from the bank, and we left to meet Justin and his brother David, who was also on break from N.C. State, at their beach house for a long weekend. We drove both cars to Adams and left mine in the lot at school. Andy, Larsen, and I drove the rest of the way to Sunset Beach in Andy's truck. Larsen took up much more than his share of the room in the truck. We had a great time at the beach. The weather was still cool but a heck of a lot warmer than it had been in the mountains. David and Justin hit the clubs in Myrtle Beach on Friday and Saturday nights. Andy and I went with them on Friday but stayed at the beach house on Saturday enjoying a last night alone before I went back to school and Andy went back to Carterville. ********** Andy helped carry my stuff back into the dorm. I dropped the bag I was carrying, stuck the key in the lock and opened the door. Andy carried his load into the room as I held the door open for him. I bent down to pick up my bag as Andy fumbled for the light switch in the darkened room. "Holy shit!" Andy stood frozen just inside the room. I looked past him. The room had been ransacked! Numbly I walked in and looked around. All of Justin's and my clothes had been pulled out of the closet and drawers and were strewn around the room. I bent down to pick up a pair of jeans and discovered that they had been slashed with a knife or razor. A quick inspection showed us that every piece of clothing was ruined. The damage extended to everything in the room. Books were torn, CD's were smashed, the CD player was broken, the TV screen was cracked, Jason's computer and printer had some dark fluid poured all over them, and the cover of my printer was smashed. Luckily I'd taken my laptop with me over break or it would have been destroyed also. I think I went into shock. I just stood and stared at the wreckage. Even the blankets on our beds were ripped. I felt Andy pull me by my arm out of the room. He stood me against the wall in the hallway and told me to stay there. He disappeared for a minute or so and then returned with Shawn Greene, the RA. They led me down to Shawn's room and sat me down on the couch. The next couple of hours or so moved like a dream. I remember Ron Kestler, the campus security officer, arriving and talking to Andy and Shawn. Kestler tried to talk to me, but I don't think I was very responsive. I think Kestler knelt down in front of me as he asked questions. I have the distinct impression of him rubbing my arm as he talked with me. Justin arrived. I think he was in basically the same state as me. We sat side by side on the couch in Shawn's room as people drifted in and out of the room. We heard their voices but didn't pay any attention to their words. Trooper McMillan arrived. He and Officer Kestler seemed to talk for a long time. Andy made a couple of phone calls before talking with McMillan and Kestler. I saw Kestler shake Andy's hand before he left. It struck me as odd when he placed a hand on Andy's shoulder. Andy led Justin and me out to the truck. It was a tight squeeze with the three of us plus Larsen. The next thing I knew, Justin and I were sitting in Doc Griffith's living room. Doc gave Justin and me glasses with some amber liquid in them and told us to drink. The scotch burned its way down to my stomach but brought me back from my mental vacation at the same time. When Justin was coherent again, he called his folks to tell them about the destruction in our room. They talked for a long time. While Justin was on the phone with his parents, Andy and I talked things over with Doc and Matt. Andy had a critical meeting with one of the civic leaders in Carterville the next morning. It was already late, and he still had a two hour drive ahead of him. He needed to leave for home soon. I was all ready to go back to Carterville with him, but Andy said, "Listen, lover. You can't let these bastards drive you away. You leave and they win." Matt joined in. "He's right, C.Z. You have to stay. The way to fight back is to stay here. You and Justin aren't alone in this. Gary and I are here for you guys. Kevin and Kathy Williams are here for you. Coach Kensington's here for you. You've got a lot of support. We can help get you through this." "I know I can count on all of you. I just wish I knew who was doing all this. It would be so much easier to fight if I knew who or what I was fighting." "C.Z., Andy and Matt are right." It was Doc speaking this time. "All of your friends are here to support you and Justin in this thing. We'll do whatever we need to do to help." I turned to Justin. "Are you going to stay?" "Yes. If one of us leaves school because of this, then the son of a bitch has won, and he'll just do it to someone else." "Okay. I'll stay, but I don't think I can go back to the dorm." Doc replied, "I've got an idea about that. You guys can stay here until we get some things sorted out." The discussion ended. Andy left for Carterville. Doc and Matt settled Justin and me into the upstairs bedroom. There was only a double bed in the room, but we told them we didn't mind sharing. Actually, we needed the sharing. When Justin and I climbed into bed that night we both moved toward the middle of the bed. Justin rolled over facing away from me and moved his naked body on the bed until we were in contact. I spooned up against him and drew my arm over his shoulder. We slept like that the whole night; both of us seeking the comfort of another human body against ours. ********** Justin and I came down for breakfast in the morning and were surprised to find both Matt and Doc sitting at the table stark naked and drinking coffee. Doc must have seen the look on my face because he quickly explained that he and Matt didn't wear clothes around the house very much and that they were usually naked outside in the warmer months as well. Andy and I weren't really shy around one another, but we generally had something on when we were in the house. Justin just smiled and said, "Hey, that works for me," as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He showed up naked as a jaybird at breakfast the next morning. I felt a little out of place in my skivvies but I kept them on. As I've said before, I think Justin and his brothers were closet nudists. After breakfast Justin called his folks again. His dad promised to make a few phone calls on our behalf. Justin remarked that he wouldn't want to be in the university president's shoes when his dad got hold of him. We rode into school with Doc. It's amazing how quickly word can travel even on a moderately large campus. Several fellow students gave us their sympathies for the damage to our room and belongings. Many offered to lend or give us clothes to replace the ones that had been ruined. Each offer warmed our hearts a little more. After freshman lit class, Kevin Williams asked to see Justin and me in his office. We showed up at his office door and were surprised to see Kathy Williams already in the office. She greeted Justin and me with a hug and words of sympathy. Kevin cleared his throat. "Guys, Gary Griffith called us this morning to tell us about what happened to your room. He said you guys don't want to go back to the dorm." We nodded. "Then Kathy and I have a proposition for you. We have a two bedroom apartment over our garage. It's mostly furnished, and we've been renting it just to grad students. The last tenant finished her degree in December so the place is vacant right now. I know you both have practice this afternoon so why don't you come over after practice for some of Kathy's lasagna and take a look at the place." I swallowed hard. "That sounds really great. About the dinner and all. How much is the apartment? I don't know what I can afford it if I'm still paying for the dorm room and food service." Kevin looked over at his wife who answered, "Let's talk about that after you've seen the place." ********** Justin and I arrived at the Williams' just before dinner time. They lived in a big Victorian house a couple of blocks from campus. The house was actually closer to most of the classroom buildings than the dorm. The three car garage, more like a carriage house, was off to the side and a little behind the main house. Doc Kevin took us to look at the apartment while Doc Kathy finished getting the dinner ready. The stairs leading up to the apartment were on the side of the garage away from the house. There was a big living room containing a couple of chairs and an couch. The separate kitchen and dining area had plenty of cupboard and counter space and a drop leaf table that could seat four comfortably. The two bedrooms were on the side of the apartment toward the house, but since the garage was actually placed somewhat behind the house you couldn't see into the house from the bedroom windows or vice versa. The front bedroom had a double bed, dresser, and small desk. The other bedroom was empty. Doc Kevin explained that the last tenant had used that room as her office while she was writing her thesis. The bathroom was off the hallway between the two bedrooms. It was completely tiled and had a huge old fashioned claw foot tub that could have been mistaken for a small swimming pool. Justin and I really liked the place, but I still couldn't see how I could afford to move out of the dorm. The Williamses had three children. Heather was 10, Allison 8, and Gary was 5. Doc Kevin told us later that they named the youngest after Gary Griffith because he had been conceived after an evening spent out in Doc Griffith's hot tub. The kids were well behaved and every bit as good looking as their parents confirming my suspicion about the power of genetics. Doc Kathy's lasagna was delicious. Justin and I made pigs our of ourselves by asking for thirds. Doc Kathy beamed. After dinner the girls were excused to work on their homework. Little Gary sat in Doc Kevin's lap. I cleared my throat. "We like the apartment, but I'm on a very tight budget. I don't see how I could afford it." Doc Kathy looked over at her husband and then at me. "We don't charge what most apartments go for around here. We'd rather charge lower rent and be able to select our neighbors. We think you two would be great to have in there. The rent is $300 a month plus utilities." Justin and I exchanged glances. We both knew that other apartments like that would rent for two or three times as much. I thought the Williamses were cutting us a sweet deal. Justin smiled. "I'd like to say 'yes' right away, but I need to talk to my folks. Can we let you know in a couple of days?" Doc Kevin stroked little Gary's dark hair. "Take all the time you need. We aren't going to be offering the place to anyone else." "Ah...I have a 'friend' who comes to visit about one weekend a month. We...I mean he has a dog. Would that be a problem?" Doc Kathy smiled at me. "By 'friend', do you mean Andy? C.Z., I think Andy is much more than a 'friend', and Gary and Matt have already told us about Larsen. We've been friends with Gary Griffith since we came to Adams State. They're two of our closest friends. I have a brother who's gay. We aren't going to have any problem with Andy coming to visit. Larsen's welcome also. I've been trying to talk the gorilla here (she indicated her husband) into a dog for the kids. Maybe if he sees your dog, I'll have a better chance of wearing him down." "Not a chance. We'll just treat Larsen like a rent-a-dog. Comes for short weekend visits and then goes home. Sounds ideal to me." Doc Kevin winked at his wife. "I'm going to get Gary here ready for bed. You guys think about it and let us know." Justin and I made our excuses and left the Williamses shortly afterward. We talked about the apartment all the way out to Doc's and Matt's house. Both of us really wanted to move in, but I didn't see how I could swing it financially. I knew the money wouldn't be a problem for Justin. Justin talked with his parents after we got out to Doc's. They told him they were coming up to check things out for themselves the next morning. They wanted to meet Justin and me for lunch right after our bio lab. I talked with Andy about the apartment. He told me to take it and he would help with the finances. I told him I'd think about it. I really wanted to move out of the dorm, and the apartment was wonderful, but I felt that Andy was already doing too much for me to have him contribute even more. Justin and I slept cuddled together again that night. Justin got a lot more sleep than I did. I kept trying to figure out how to afford the apartment. ********** We met up with Justin's parents as planned the next day. I'd never met his folks before so I was a little nervous. There wasn't any need in being nervous. Both his folks were warm and friendly. Robert Barnes looked like he was in his early to mid fifties with a full head of once light brown hair that was now mostly gray. He had hazel eyes, and it was clear that the Barnes brothers I knew had gotten their facial features mostly from their father. Even though he had obviously gained weight as he'd aged he carried it well. He was dressed in gray slacks, blue dress shirt, and a camel colored jacket that looked very expensive. Janice Barnes had given the boys her dark hair and eyes. She looked to be a little younger than her husband. She was an extremely attractive woman with a figure that would have been the envy of half of the coeds on campus. She wore a maroon pant suit outfit that clearly had come from one of the better clothing stores in Charlotte. After lunch Justin's mom and dad went with us to the dorm room to survey the damage. We spent a few minutes going through the mess trying to find some salvageable articles. I found a couple of CD's that had escaped being cracked, but that was all. Mr. Barnes checked his watch and told us that we all had an appointment in a few minutes with the university President and the Vice President for Student Life. We went over to the administration building and up the elevator to the President's Office. One of the secretaries ushered us into the President's private office and brought coffee in for Mr. And Mrs. Barnes. I was totally awestruck. What was I doing here in the President's office? The University president, Dr. William Shopman, and the greasy meatball of a vice president for student affairs that Andy and I had spoken to earlier, Dr. Glenn House, came in from another room and introduced themselves to all of us. It was clear from his reaction that Dr. House didn't remember talking with Andy and me before. Dr. Shopman asked what he could do for us even though he had to know the reason for our visit. Mr. Barnes took over the conversation. He detailed the incidents of harassment, vandalism, and my physical attack in the shower that led up to the trashing of our room. The President and Vice President Meatball...I mean Dr. House...made sympathetic motions with their heads while Justin's father was talking. Finally Dr. Shopman said, "I can assure you that we are doing everything we can to find the person or persons responsible for these deplorable incidents." "So far that hasn't protected either Justin or C.Z. from repeated attacks." Justin's mom spoke for the first time. "Please, Mrs. Barnes," it was the greasy meatball talking, "We are cooperating with the state police in the investigation. I'm sure your son and Mr. Johnstone will be perfectly safe in the residence hall." Justin's dad swung into action, "I don't believe that, Dr. House. There is a pattern of abuse that the university has been unable or unwilling to prevent. I don't think either boy will be safe in the dorm." "What do you propose to do? You certainly don't want to withdraw Justin from the university?" "The boys have found an apartment near campus. The apartment is next to the house of a sympathetic faculty member, and I think the boys will be safer there than in the dorm." "But freshmen are required to live in the dormitories." "Surely, Dr. House, in this case you can make an exception." "I don't see how we could do that, Mr. Barnes." "President Shopman, do you agree with Dr. House?" Shopman looked first to House before replying. "I think I have to back Dr. House's decision in this matter. Perhaps we could move the boys into another dormitory. Would that be suitable?" "No. I don't want the boys back in the dorm." Justin's mother spoke up again. House tried to smile, but it came off more like a sneer. "I don't think there's any choice in the matter, Mrs. Barnes." "I disagree." Justin's dad reached into his sport coat pocket, retrieved a business card, and placed it on the president's desk. Shopman looked at the card and passed it to House. His eyebrows shot up. "I came here as a concerned parent, Dr. Shopman. I assumed that the university would be as upset as I am about the situation. C.Z. has been harassed. His car has been damaged twice. He has been physically attacked, and all of his possessions have been ruined because someone does not like gay people. My son has been smeared with the same brush because he is C.Z.'s friend and roommate. "Janice and I have six children, Dr. Shopman. Two of those children are gay. As a family we do not put up with homophobic attitudes and behavior. You see from my business card that I work for a bank that has been a leader in workplace diversity issues. My employer has also been a large contributor to your last capital campaign and annual fund drive." He stood up and reached for the phone on the president's desk. "Dr. Shopman, I'm putting this call on my calling card, but I have someone who would like to speak with you." As Mr. Barnes dialed the phone, Justin and I exchanged puzzled looks. His mother simply smiled at Dr. House who suddenly looked slightly ill. "Hello, Hugh? Robert here. Janice and I are up at Adams State dealing with the problem I told you about yesterday. We've run into some difficulty, and I thought President Shopman would like to speak with you for a moment. Thank you." Mr. Barnes handed the phone to Shopman. "This is President Shopman." "Why, hello, Hugh. It's nice to talk with you..." He listened for a minute or so. "Now, Hugh. There's no need for that sort of action. I assure you that Adams State will work diligently to solve these hate crimes, and we'll do whatever's necessary to safeguard our students." "Yes...yes, I'm glad we agree. It's been nice talking to you, Hugh. Please give my best to Margaret." Shopman hung up the phone his mouth set in a thin line. House looked even more ill. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes just sat calmly looking like a pair of statues of Buddah or Cheshire cats while Justin and I tried to figure out what had just happened. Finally Shopman broke the silence. "Dr. House, I think these two young men should be exempted from the regulation that freshmen must live in the dorms. In this instance where the university, through no fault of its own, has been unable to safeguard their personal possessions, I think it would be best if they lived off campus. I also think they should receive a full refund of their housing fees for this semester." "But the last date for return of fees was last month," stammered House. "I'm well aware of that, Dr. House, but I think the university needs to show our good faith in this matter by doing as much as possible to ease the burden on these two students. Don't you agree?" It really wasn't a question. "Y...yes, sir. I'll take care of it." We ended the meeting with handshakes all around. Justin's folks turned and we followed them out of the President's office and into the elevator. When the elevator doors closed, Justin turned to his dad. "Can you tell me what just happened in there?" His dad broke into a huge smile. "I thought there might be some trouble convincing the university so I talked with Hugh McAndrews, the CEO of the bank, before mom and I came up here. He said to call if we had any trouble. The bank has contributed a million dollars to the university in the past two years, and Hugh McAndrews has given nearly that much personally as well. I suspect he told Shopman that he and his bank were serious about gay rights issues and that the bank and he didn't give money to institutions that permitted discrimination against gays." My jaw dropped. Justin and his dad exchanged high fives. "Way to go, Dad!" We moved into the apartment the next day. The move didn't take long since most of our stuff had been destroyed when the room was trashed. (To be continued)