Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2001 21:50:41 EDT
From: Justin69SK@aol.com
Subject: Justin's Story Chapt 24

April 9, 2001

Justin's Story
Part V
Chapter 24

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Justin and Tony's Story
Chapter 2 - Our Beginnings

Written By:  Justin Case

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Disclaimer: The story you are about to read contains sexually explicit
material, it is placed here for your enjoyment and educational purposes.
It is the author's semi-autobiography; all the names have been changed to
protect the innocent.  This material is protected under the copyright laws
of the United States of America.  You must be of legal age to view this
material.

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SoapBox-- Hello, my faithful, my dear friends.  It's good to be here once
again.  I want to thank the many of you that go to my web site.  I also
want to thank the many who write and IM me. I love hearing from you all, I
really do.  What's new in your lives?  How have you all been?  I miss some
of my readers, they haven't written me in a while.  Please, let me know how
you're doing; I do worry.  I won't mention any names, but there are some
that used to write that I haven't heard from in a few months.
Unfortunately, I've lost my mail files to that virus and have no way to
check in on you.  I don't keep a mail list, but I did save all your
letters, until the virus took them.  My addresses haven't changed,
Justin69SK@aol gets you to my mail box and IM's, I'm on ICQ for those of
you that have that; you'll find me in the white pages, and my web site addy
is http://Justinscorner.homestead.com You can sign my guest book.  Thanks.
Love to you all - Just, Justin.

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I finally decided to get out of bed and begin taking on the day's tasks.  I
had so many things to do, and you know the old saying, 'So much to do, so
little time.'  It was a gorgeous winter day in New England.  I stood in the
kitchen over my sink, gazing into the back yard.  A bed of fresh fallen
snow had covered the ground, pure and white.  The bright sun caused it to
sparkle and glitter.  I looked at the thermometer mounted on the outside
sash of the window, it read 32 degrees.  I am always amazed at the beauty
of the snow resting upon the branches in the trees the day after it falls
from the heavens above.  The branches were bending in the breeze; I could
tell the wind was from the East.  I remained steadfast in my stance as I
took in the entire marvel and glory from the creation before me.  A 'Great
Architect of the Universe' must truly exist, I thought silently to myself.

I was thinking about all the things that had happened in my life.  I had
inherited the family home.  I had inherited some money, but it wasn't
enough to keep me forever.  I still had to finish school.  I felt alone.  I
knew that Tony was only in the shower, but the alone I felt wasn't for
companionship.  I felt alone in my life.  I had no idea how to take care of
myself, or how to proceed.  I couldn't just exist, I had to survive.  I
wondered how I would manage all this.  I didn't have the faintest clue.  I
didn't want to call my parents and the rest of the family was too jealous
to help.  I didn't want to go it alone either; I liked the idea of Tony
being with me.  I really needed someone.

"RING, ring."  The wall-mounted phone rang.

Startled from my mental reservations, I answered it.

"Hello?" I plainly said into the receiver.

"Justin?  It's me, Sarah.  Are you busy?"  Her sweet familiar voice brought
a comfort to me.

"No.  Just getting ready to cook breakfast.  What are you up to?"

"Nothing, really.  I was wondering if I could come by?  I wanted to talk to
you.  I missed you so much when you were gone.  I was hoping we could
become close, like a brother and sister should be."

"What time?"  I was surprised by Sarah's candor.  I had never heard her
talk like that before.

"I could come now."

"That would be great.  Tony's here.  You remember him, don't you?"

"Yes, he seems like a good person.  I was glad he was there for you at the
funeral."

"Hey, Sarah, do you know what I have to do to get into school?"  I hoped
she could help me.

"Yeah, you need to call the guidance department here in Enfield and make
arrangements.  Are you going to finish here or in Bolton?"

"I don't really know.  I just know I have to finish; I need my diploma."

As I was getting ready to hang the phone up, I saw my lover coming up the
hall.  I realized how lucky I was to have him in my life.  Tony walked up
the hallway dressed in a nice pair of khakis and a great sweater.  I love
looking at him, his dark medium length hair and eyes.  I am really drawn to
his puppy dog eyes with the long lashes.  He is a thing of beauty.  I
remember thinking for a brief second or two about JT, and felt a slight
remorse.

"Are you there, Justin?"  I heard my older sister's voice in my ear.  I
tend to space out at times.

"Yeah, I'm sorry.  What were you saying?"

"I'll be over in about an hour.  I'll just talk to you then."

"OK. Bye-bye," I said and hung the phone up.

Tony gave me a quick peck on the cheek, as he walked into the kitchen.  He
immediately went to the refrigerator and opened the door to look inside.  I
watched this magnificent creature's every move, it was more like I was
studying him.  He had gotten so tall since we were kids; his face had taken
on that sweet innocent look of a sixteen-year-old.  Tony moves with
graceful gestures, not animated.  Of all my loves, he is the finest looking
one.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

"Mmm, yep.  Just don't know what I want."

"I'll make some omelets."  I love to cook; I learned a lot from Tommy in
New Orleans, when I stayed with him and Miss Violet.

"Sounds good, I'll make some toast and coffee," he offered.

We spent the next half-hour working together in the kitchen.  It was like
we had done it a thousand times before, even though we had never worked
together.  I was amazed how we both seemed so organized in the kitchen.  I
smiled as we moved about like a couple of professionals.

Tony had gotten this very serious look on his face.  His lips pursed, his
eyes intent, his movements with purpose as he prepared the coffee and
toast.  I couldn't get over how serious he took it.  I only imagined he
wanted to make sure what he did would make me happy.

I prepared the eggs with all the love and affection I could put into them.
I was totally engrossed in making the best omelet I had ever made.  I beat
six eggs in a stainless bowl that I had watched my grandmother use so many
times.  I added some water and continued to quickly stroke at the contents
in the metal container.  The water would make the eggs fluffy.  I put the
large, heavy, blackened cast iron frying pan on the stove.  I whacked a
hunk of butter off the stick I keep on the counter so it will stay soft and
tossed it into the pan.  I adjusted the burner heat to a low temperature.

While I was tending to the frying pan, Tony got out an onion and knife; he
set them on the island counter behind me.  I turned to begin slicing and
dicing the onion, I peeled it first.  Tony then returned to the fridge and
took out some sliced cheese and ham and began cutting them while I worked
on the onion.  I finished my onion and tossed it in with the butter and
began to sauté the small pieces.  I love the smell of fried onions; when
they were clear looking I scooped them out of the pan.  Tony had finished
with the ham and cheese and started to mix the onions with them.  I poured
the beaten eggs into the pan and covered it. Yes, we worked like a
well-oiled machine.

"Hey, you want some fruit?  We got some cantaloupe in the fridge," I
suggested.

"Yeah, I love melon."

Tony got the large melon out and began cutting it, as I worked diligently
on the omelet.  When I had folded and flipped the eggs, the toast had
popped so I buttered it with the softened stick and placed it on a plate.
We worked side by side at the island, me on the toast and Tony on the
cantaloupe.  We both finished about the same time, I returned to the stove
and he put the fruit and toast on the table.  As I put the eggs on a
platter, Tony put out a couple of dishes and utensils on the table.

We ate our gourmet feast in silence; the only sounds that I could hear were
our mouths as they chomped on the food.  We both sat at the table smiling
back and forth while we ate.  I remember thinking how easy this could be,
living together.  I reveled in the thought.  I remember thinking how long
it takes to make the food and how quickly it is gone.

"What you want to do today, Justin?"  Tony finally broke the silence.

"Well, Sarah was coming by.  I thought after, we should take a ride to your
house and talk to your mom."

"Yeah, I'll pack my clothes and stuff too.  I mean it is OK, you do want me
to stay with you, don't you?"  He looked to me with those big brown eyes,
batting his lashes.  How could I resist?

"Yes, I do.  I want you to move in with me, but I want to make sure it's
all right with your mom," I told him, as I reached for his hand on the
table.

"I'll get a job to help with the bills and stuff."  He defended himself and
his decision.

"I need one too, but I also have to finish school," I explained.

"Me too.  I got to get back in.  Did I tell you I got expelled last year?"

"No, what happened?"

"I threatened Mrs. Humphries. I punched her too.  I don't know why.  I
forget."

I couldn't believe it, she was my favorite teacher, she taught me English.
I wondered where the anger came from to make Tony do such a thing.  I
couldn't think of either him or her doing something so drastic.

"Wow, she was one of my best teachers."  I let the conversation drop.

I figured I better take my shower.  So I got up from the table, leaving him
to clean the dishes. I guess I know my priorities, Hehe.  I walked slowly
to my bedroom to get some clean clothes.  I was still a little troubled
about what he had just told me.  I hoped it was a one-time type of thing
and Tony had learned from it.  I realized how I would have to really get to
know him all over; so many years had passed since we were little.  I guess
he'd have to get to know me too.

By the time I finished dressing for the day it was almost eleven o'clock in
the morning, Sarah was due anytime.  I found Tony in the living room
watching television when I emerged from the bathroom.  He was sitting on
the couch, I laugh about that, here I call it a couch, not a davenport.  My
mind flashed back to 'What's his Name' and his bullshit.  I would never
have to put up with his abuse again, for that I was thankful.  I felt sorry
for my mother though.  I stood in the entranceway to the living room
keeping my eye on Tony and occasionally looking out the front door at the
driveway for my sister.

The house is one story; it has an 'L' shape.  You walk in the front door
into the beginning of the hall; on your right is the dining room and on
your left the living room.  I stood near the living room side.  I felt so
content.

I saw her car coming up the three-hundred-foot gravel driveway.  In the
winter, all the leaves were down, so you could see the road.  In the spring
the house was completely secluded by the woods that surrounded the four
sides of the yard.  My grandfather purposely built the house away from the
street; he liked his privacy.  She pulled her car up just beside the front
porch that is covered only with a roof, that is held up with six inch
wooden columns mounted on the concrete porch.  The back porch is enclosed
but not heated, so we don't use that entrance in the wintertime.

I was glad Tedfords had plowed, they were a family that had lived down the
road from us and took care of the driveway in the winter.  When I was
little, before my mom married 'What's his name', I used to swim in their
pond, we named it Tedford's Pond.  Mr. Tedford had built it, when he built
their home.  I thought to myself, I'd have to send over a check.  I didn't
even have a checking account, so I added that to the list of tasks I had to
do that day.

Sarah sashayed from her car to the door; when she came in she hugged me.  I
was glad to see her. She had little Phil bundled up in her right arm with a
diaper bag strung over the shoulder, and hugged me with her left.  The baby
was so cute, my nephew, I couldn't get over the fact she had had a baby.
She took Phil's snowsuit off him and pulled a small blanket out of the
diaper bag, she placed him on the blanket in the middle of the living room.
Then she took her own coat off, and hung it in the front hall closet.  She
and I went into the dining room; we left the baby with Tony.

"Justin, you have to tell me everything.  All about your trip," Sarah
gushed.

"Oh, where do I begin?  It's such a long story.  Could I tell you some
other time?  How 'bout you tell me what you been up too?" I asked.

"Not much to tell.  I got pregnant, got married, and now divorced.  End of
story."  She bit the words off.

"I'm sorry, I really am.  It must be horrible to raise a baby on your own,"
I sympathized.

"You have no idea.  I hate living in that house."

I immediately knew exactly what she meant.  The years of abuse came
flooding back to me.  I wondered how Jeremy and Jonathan were getting
treated.  Then I feared for the baby.  I remember thinking that 'What's his
name' wouldn't treat my two half brothers like he did her and me; after all
they were HIS, we were adopted.

Sarah confirmed my suspicions, she told me that he didn't beat her anymore,
but was verbally abusive.  She also told me that he didn't beat the two
boys, but she feared for little Phillip.  He wouldn't always be a baby, she
reasoned her fear.  I had the same dreaded thoughts.

"Sarah, why don't you move in here with me?" I blurted out.

"Really, you mean it?  I got a part time job.  I could help with the
expenses.  I need a sitter though when I work," she sighed.

"Well, between the three of us, we can work something out."

"Three of us?"  She looked at me with curiously.

"Yep, Tony is going to move in too."

"Oh, Justin, that would be great.  Do you really mean it?"

"I have never been more serious," I said with conviction.  I thought about
how good it would be, after all, Sarah was older than me and had run a
household, she had more experience than I did.

"When?" she asked with glee.

"Well, I need to go to the bank.  I got to see Attorney Fiore and find out
about probate.  I got to take Tony to his mother's to get his stuff, and I
want to stop by Enfield High.  I don't want to do it on the phone, so I can
find out what I need to do to finish school," I reported to my sister.

"Wow, you have a busy schedule," she chuckled.

"Why don't you and the baby come with us?  We'll pick your things up on the
way back from the school.  That way you'll have some moral support.
Otherwise we could wait until he goes to work."  I laughed as I thought to
myself how ritualistic 'What's His Name' and my mother's life was.  You
could almost set a clock to their daily routine.

"Yeah, by the time we get done with your other errands he'll probably be
gone anyways."

I looked at my sister sitting there at the table with me, and for the first
time I noticed she was a woman.  I wondered where the little girl had gone.
I thought about how fucked up our lives had been.  I was suddenly saddened
by the events that had gotten us where we were.  The tears began to run
down my face, as I thought of my grandparents.

I got up from the table, without letting my sister know I was crying.  I
walked down the carpeted hallway to the bathroom.  I decided I needed a few
moments to pull myself together.  I caught a glimpse of myself in the
mirror, as I stood in the bathroom, I didn't recognize the person staring
back at me.  I wondered who he was.  I thought to myself, he's the guy on
this journey, everything was going to be all right.

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Well, there you have it.  I have been thinking of ending the story.  When I
first set out with Justin's Story it was with a goal to offer up hope to
struggling teens.  I feel like I have strayed from the purpose I originally
had.  I enjoy letting you all into my life, but need to know how you feel.
If you like the story and want me to continue let me know.  I know many do,
but I don't know if you just say that so you don't hurt my feelings.  I can
take it.  Let me know what your desires are.  The address is still
Justin69SK@aol.com and I love hearing from you all.

Thanks, Ed, for the editing.

Just,
Justin
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