It is not my intention to offend anyone or to get you in trouble.

The author retains all rights to this original story. Please do not publish without explicit authorization from me.

Disclaimer:
This story is completely fictional. Most of the places mentioned, and none of the characters exist in real life. Some may possess physical or personality characteristics of people I know or have known. But if you see yourself in this story, your imagination is better than mine!

All best, Jon

If you like my story, drop me a line. I'd love to hear from you: seperatepiece@hotmail.com

Matt and Jon
Chapter Twelve

"City of Brotherly Love"

Part Two

That night after dinner, the boys went to the basement and shed their outer clothing and made themselves comfortable on the air mattresses. LittleTom looked around the circle.

“Are we going to play poker or what?” He asked, looking around at the serious faces.

“I’m not really in the mood, LittleTom, maybe we should just go to sleep.” Ryan said, looking around the group for conformation.

Jon and Matt regarded him questioningly, but said nothing. LittleTom would not be put off so easily.

“C’mon you guys, let’s play…I’m feeling lucky!” He piped up while Sam made an assessing glance of the boys.

“What’s up with you guys?” Sam asked with concern. “You look like someone pissed in your Cheerios. You’ve been quiet all afternoon.”

Ryan looked at his older cousin and his little brother with tears forming in his eyes.

“What’s the matter Ry? Is it mom?” LittleTom scooted across the circle and put a protective arm around his big brother.

“Kind of, but it’s dad too.” He began to sob in earnest and buried his head in the sleeping bag. It was LittleTom’s turn to comfort his brother. He hugged him from behind and rested his head between Ryan’s shoulder blades and whispered soothing comments. Sam gave Matt and Jon an inquisitive glance, but both boys remained silent. They knew that Ryan had to do this himself. When Ryan had gotten himself under control, he turned his puffy eyes to LittleTom.

“Tommy, have you started to notice girls yet…in a different way?” He asked.

LittleTom blushed. “Yeah, a little. There’s this girl in my class who’s real pretty and sometimes I…you know, get stiff when I look at her.”

The other boys bit back a laugh. There’s no way they’d embarrass their cousin.

Ryan continued. “Well, that’s what happens to me when I look at boys.”

“You mean you’re gay?” LittleTom asked earnestly. “Why didn’t you just say so. You guys always treat me like a baby! We learned about that in our health unit in science. Miss Ebbinger said it’s normal. Some people are just born that way, like having blue eyes or something.”

Ryan smiled at his little brother. “Yeah, I know, it’s just that dad…”

“Oh, I just ignore him when he says that crap.” LittleTom cut him off, and suddenly a look of horror dawned on his face.

“Oh Ryan…you must have felt like…oh God!” He threw his arms around his big brother. “He just talks that way Ry. You know he loves you.”

“Yeah,” Ryan snorted sarcastically. “He loves me now, but every day he asks me if I have a girlfriend yet, and elbows me every time we see a cute girl. How do you think he’s going to feel when he finds out? Mom knew. She was going to help me tell him, but…”

“Ry, he’s our dad, for God sake. He always says he’ll love us no matter what.”

“I don’t know, Tommy, I’m so confused. I love him too, it’s just that I feel like I’m letting him down and he doesn’t even know. What the hell am I going to do?”

Sam cleared his throat gently. “Uh, Ryan, you know we’re all behind you don’t you?”

Ryan looked up at Sam. “Thanks Sam. Jonny and Matteo already know, sort of by accident, but I had to tell Tommy first before I told you. I knew I could count on you.”

LittleTom surprised them all. He got a philosophical look on his face. “Lot’s of gay people are happy, you know. Look at Jonny and Matteo.”

They all stared at him. “You two are boyfriends, right?”

Jon and Matt looked at each other and turned back to LittleTom and nodded. “…but how…?” Jon managed.

LittleTom shrugged. “I dunno, something about the way you look at each other, I guess. You guys think I don’t understand because I’m only 12, but I notice things. You’re only two years older than me, you know.”

LittleTom had the kind of infectious personality that made it impossible to feel down around him for too long, and pretty soon he had the boys chatting away about life, love, and the future. Jon told Sam about their plan to come out to Uncle Tom to ease the way for Ryan. Sam agreed that they were wise to wait until their father could be there.

Matt and Jon shared how they came to be together, which brought a tear to Ryan’s eye. He had kept his “horrible secret” festering inside him for so long that it felt liberating to discuss the subject openly and happily with his brother, his cousins and his new friend.

“I hope I can be as lucky as you guys someday. You really make a great couple.” He said, gazing longingly at his cousin and Matt.

“Yeah! Let’s see you kiss him!” LittleTom shrieked with glee.

They all laughed and threw their pillows at LittleTom, who emerged from under the pile and started a chorus of the old schoolboy rhyme: “Jonny and Matteo sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”

Ryan tackled him while Jon began tickling him mercilessly until Shelly called down the stairs to them.

“Hey, keep it down you guys, Nanna is trying to sleep!”

“Sorry Aunt Shelley.”

“Yeah, sorry mom.”

They all flopped back on the air mattresses and caught their breath. LittleTom lay staring at the ceiling with his arm behind his head.

“I just hope that when I get a girlfriend, she’s as cool as Matteo.”

Matt was choked up with emotion at the love and acceptance radiating from LittleTom’s angelic face. He didn’t know what to say. Fortunately, he didn’t have to say anything.

Jon pulled Matt into an embrace. “You’d have to be really lucky, LittleTom. He’s one in a million.” He kissed Matt lovingly on the lips as the other boys watched. It wasn’t one of their steamy tongue fests, but it was enough to satisfy LittleTom’s curiosity.

“Hey Matteo!” LittleTom squeaked. “NOW whose horse is out of the barn!” He giggled as he pointed to where “little Matt’s” head was poking out of the waistband of his briefs. Matt reached down and adjusted his underwear and rolled over on his stomach.

“Sorry.” He mumbled, blushing furiously. “It’s just that Jon and I haven’t been…you know…alone since I got here. They all shared a friendly laugh at Matt’s predicament.

Sam stood up and stretched. “Anyone up for a game of pool?” He asked, looking at Ryan and LittleTom. “We could have a tournament. Stripes and solids. You two against me, best out of five, though it could take awhile.” He said with a wink at Jon and Matt, and headed off to the other side of the basement with Ryan and LittleTom grinning from ear to ear. He ushered his cousins into the rec room, and just before he closed the door, he looked back at the grateful boys.

“You owe me big time, little brothers.”

Jon and Matt fell into a deep embrace, as their tongues rediscovered each other’s mouths. It had only been a few days since they’d been together like this, and it felt exciting and new to them, but at the same time familiar and comfortable.

Eventually, their hands found their way to the bulges in their briefs and they fondled and caressed each other lovingly as they kissed. Jon removed his mouth from Matt’s.

“We don’t have a lot of time Matt. What do you want to do?” He asked huskily.

Matt replied by diving under the unzipped sleeping bag and positioning himself so that both of them were faced with bulging pouches. They began licking and sucking each other through the fabric. They hadn’t showered since early that morning and Jon was lost in the tantalizing scent of his horny teen lover. He was transported back to the first magic moment back in his room that day when they had first explored their love.

They tugged each other’s briefs down to their knees and began licking, sucking and kissing each other’s genitals in earnest. Jon emitted a low moan from deep in his throat as he swallowed Matt to the hilt, breathing deeply as his nose nestled into his scrotum. It didn’t take long for two fourteen year old boys who hadn’t had an orgasm in 3 days to reach the point of no return and they flooded each other’s mouths with an incredible volume of pent up semen, each determined to swallow as much of the precious nectar as they possibly could. They were reluctant to release each other from their mouths and lay there for awhile suckling at the heads of the deflating penises, licking pee slits to get the last few drops.

After the customary kiss, they re-dressed each other with the love and care of a mother dressing her child. Matt found his way back into Jon’s arms and the kiss they shared was slow and loving with none of the desperation they had felt earlier.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, and that’s the way the other three found them when they returned from the rec room. Sam fished his camera phone out of the pocket of his discarded jeans and preserved the moment, then he kneeled down and kissed each of the sleeping boys on the cheek. He stood and hugged his two cousins, and kissed them each on the top of their heads before climbing into bed. LittleTom unabashedly followed suit. When Ryan hesitated, LittleTom smiled encouragingly at him.

“Go on Ry, you know you want to.”

Ryan kneeled by the sleeping boys and lightly kissed their cheeks. The boys stirred in their sleep and smiles spread across the unconscious faces as though even in their slumber, they knew that they were a part of a circle of love that could never be broken.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On Saturday, just after lunch as they were all preparing to go to the hospital, they heard a car in the driveway. They all knew it must be Dan, and Matt and Jon leapt from the table with Sam at their heels and ran out the front door to greet him. Dan was just emerging from the car when Jon threw his arms around him.

“Dad! I’m so glad you’re here!”

Dan was a little travel weary and was totally unprepared for the unprecedented reception that he got. His oldest son was next, hugging his father.

“I missed you dad.”

Dan held him at arm’s length. “Wow, if you missed me after 3 days, it’s going to be rough when you go off to school.”

Sam blushed and shuffled his feet. Dan drew him back into an embrace.

“I missed you too son.”

With an arm around each of his son’s, they made their way to the house where they were greeted on the steps by Shelley. He hugged her tightly, and as they swayed back and forth on the steps, he said,

“Ann’s a great cook, but I missed you anyway.”

Shelley flashed him a smile as they parted. Ryan and LittleTom joined them as they came into the foyer just as Dan turned to Matt.

“Both your parents said to say they love you and miss you Matt.” Dan got a devilish grin on his face. “…Or should I say…”

“No! Please don’t.” Matt knew that Dan was about to reveal the pet name his mom had called him as a baby, and he felt the color rise to his cheeks.

“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me!” Dan reassured him

The other boys shrugged and followed Dan into the living room.

“You KNOW I’ll get it out of you!” Jon whispered into Matt’s ear.

“Or have fun trying!” Matt whispered back.

Nanna came into the living room and Dan gave her a hug and told her how worried he’d been about his father-in-law. Nanna shook her head.

“Don’t worry about the old goat. He’s stronger than he looks! Did you eat?”

Everyone laughed as Nanna made her way to the kitchen and fixed Dan a plate before she put away the leftovers. When he finished eating, they all piled in Uncle Tom’s van and headed to the hospital.

Dan went in to the I.C.U. with Shelley and Nanna, leaving all the boys with Uncle Tom in the waiting room. They mostly read and did puzzles, and there wasn’t much conversation. Dan came out and sent Tom in to see his father. As he looked through the magazines, Jon came over and sat next to him.

“Dad, we have to talk. Yesterday, Uncle Tom said some things that were…well, hurtful. I want to tell him about Matt and me. No matter what happens, I can’t be dishonest with my own family anymore.”

Dan looked around the waiting room at all the boy’s anxious faces.

“They know dad. It’s cool.” Ryan and LittleTom nodded seriously.

“Jonny, I know that Uncle Tom says things sometimes that are disrespectful to you and Matt, but he’s a good person and at very least, I don’t think he’d say anything around you if he knew. He may even, in time learn to accept differences in people. I know he loves you, so if you feel you have to tell him, I’m behind you one hundred percent. I know your mother will support you too. She loves her brother, but she never could stand that side of him.”

“Dad?” Sam asked. “How could he and mom have grown up together and think so differently? They have so much in common in other ways.”

“That’s a good question, Sam. Your mom was always involved with the artistic crowd in school, and Tom ran with the sports crowd. In those days, if you were a jock, you had to be ‘manly,’ which most people considered the opposite of homosexual back then. Also, he did a tour in the army, and there was a lot of prejudice then.”

Just then, Shelley came into the room and sent Sam in for a visit. When Dan and the boys had finished filling her in on their conversation, she looked at Jon.

“Why didn’t you come to me when this happened?” She asked in a gentle way.

“Well, we knew you’d be angry with Uncle Tom, and figured it would be better if you and dad were both here.”

Shelley laughed dryly. “You know me pretty well, don’t you.”

“Aunt Shelley?” Ryan began shyly. “Part of the reason that Jonny and Matteo want to tell dad is…is for me.”

Shelley held out her arms to her nephew as his lower lip began to quiver and a tear escaped his eye. He crossed the room and slumped into her arms. As she hugged him, LittleTom wiggled his way into the embrace. It seemed that both boys were aching for some motherly affection.

“Cindy would be so proud of both of you. You’re turning into fine young men. She loved you both so much.” Shelley said as she rocked her nephews in her arms.

When they’d had a good cry, she kissed them both on the cheek and sent them to the men’s room to wash their faces with a motherly pat on their bottoms. There were smiles on both boys faces as they trooped out of the waiting room knowing that they carried their mother’s love in their hearts wherever they went. Jon was so proud to share his mom with Ryan and LittleTom.

When everyone had had a chance to visit Grandpa, they all headed for the van. They wouldn’t be able to visit in the evening because Grandpa was scheduled for some tests. Shelley suggested that they all go out to dinner, but Nanna wouldn’t hear of it.

“It’s a sin to pay all that money for food cooked by some stranger when I have plenty of real food back at the house!”

“Mom,” Shelley protested, “you’ve been cooking for an army all week, we thought you could use a break.”

Nanna smiled at her daughter. “Concetta, you know I love to cook. I don’t have an army to cook for very often, let me have my fun!”

Matt looked at Jon with puzzlement, and Jon explained, “Concetta is mom’s real name, but everyone calls her Shelley.” Matt nodded in understanding.

Everyone relaxed around the house for awhile. The boys flipped around the channels half heartedly until Jon finally shut off the T.V. It had been awhile since any of them had been in a house without cable. Nanna and Shelley were busy in the kitchen, so it was just Dan, Tom and the boys in the living room. Jon caught his father’s eye, and the two of them nodded to each other. Dan cleared his throat.

“Tom, Jonny has something he wants to tell you.”

Tom looked up from his magazine at Jon. “Go ahead Jonny, I’m all ears.” He said with a smile.

Jon took a deep breath. “Uncle Tom, I know you never meant to hurt anyone, but when you were talking about Grampa’s nurse yesterday, it was really…uncomfortable for Matt and me. You see…we’re…well,” Matt took Jon’s hand tightly in his own, “we’re boyfriends.”

They all watched apprehensively as the smile vanished from Tom’s face. “So you’re saying you’re a..a..”

“I’m gay, Uncle Tom, the word is gay.” Jon said with a trace of defiance edging his voice. “I’m still the same person I was all along. The only difference is that now you know. I know I can’t change the way you think, and if you want us to stay out of your way we’ll understand, but I’d really appreciate it if you wouldn’t use that kind of language around us.”

Tom let out a sigh. “Jonny, come over here.” He said, patting the couch next to him. As Jon got up to join his uncle, he practically had to pry his hand loose from Matt’s grip. Tom draped an arm around Jon’s shoulders.

“I guess I’m not used to being told off by a 14 year old, but I guess I had it coming. What you just did took guts, Jonny, and I don’t want you to stay away from me. You’re family. I want you to know that I really don’t hate anybody, it’s just the way I grew up.”

“You didn’t learn that in this house!” Nanna’s voice rang out. No one noticed that she and Shelley were standing quietly in the doorway. “I always taught you to respect everyone.”

Tom felt like he was 14 years old himself. “No ma, I know, but the guys on the football team, and in the army, they all said stuff like that.” He turned back to Jon. “I apologize for hurting your feelings. I never meant to. You’re wrong about one thing, you did change the way I think. I’ve never really known anyone who’s gay before, and I guess I bought in to the stereotype.”

Nanna came into the room and sat in her rocker. “Don’t be so sure about that Tom. You remember Mr. Parker that worked with your father. He was what we called a ‘confirmed bachelor’ in those days.”

Shelley’s mind wandered back to her childhood. “Of course I remember him. You used to have him over for Sunday dinner quite often for awhile there.”

“Yes,” Nanna continued, “he loved being around you kids. He was so lonely, and he was such a good man. He would have made a great father.”

Tom chuckled. “He used to give us candy and little presents when you and dad weren’t looking.”

“Oh, we knew about it. He didn’t have a family of his own, so we let him spoil you a little.”

“Dad?” Ryan looked up at his father. He suddenly felt like he was on an Olympic high dive board about to jump off the edge.

“I’m glad you’re okay about Jonny and Matteo, he and Sam are like brothers to Tommy and me, and Matteo is one of us now.”

LittleTom scooted across the floor next to his big brother and looked at him expectantly. Ryan continued falteringly, looking for the right words. Finally he blurted it out.

“I’m…I’m gay too.”

Jon felt his uncle’s body go rigid next to him. Tom got up and crossed the living room with two strides. A second later they heard the kitchen door open and shut. Nanna and Shelley gathered both boys between them, muffling Ryan’s anguished cry.

Dan went after Tom finding him on the little patio behind the house sitting at the picnic table with his head in his hands.

“Tom, what the hell is the matter with you! He’s your son for God’s sake!”

“Dan, those boys are all I have. They’re all that keep me going sometimes. I’m just so ashamed of myself. I must have put Ry through hell with my big mouth…God, I wish Cindy was here.”

“Well pull yourself together, damn it! He’s in there right now crying his eyes out because he thinks you hate him, and LittleTom is scared out of his mind.”

A fresh look of horror spread across Tom’s face as he bolted for the house. He knelt down beside his sons and took both of them from the women’s arms and hugged them tightly.

“I love you both so much. Ryan, I don’t care about anything but that. I love you, do you understand? I just can’t bear to think that I hurt you so badly all these years and I didn’t even know it.”

When the sobs abated, Ryan looked his father in the eye.

“Let’s forget about all that, okay? I love you too dad. Mom told me that you’d still love me no matter what, and I always believed that. I should have told you sooner. I should have trusted you.”

When Nanna thought the drama had gone on long enough, she went over to Matt and took his face in her hands and kissed both of his cheeks.

“Santa Maria! Another boy!” She shook her finger at Sam. “Sammy, you and Tomasino better bring me some nice daughters-in-law, we women are out numbered!”

Once again, Nanna brought the house down. When they’d all had a much needed laugh, Sam spoke shyly,

“Nanna, I think you’re really going to like Sarah.”

Nanna hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Sarah? Doesn’t sound Italian. You bring her to me. I’ll teach her how to cook!”

Sam dug the prom picture out of his wallet and showed it around to everyone. Everyone admired his good taste in women.

“Wow, Sam, you look awesome in a tux!” Ryan said when he saw the picture.

“Matt and I helped him dress.” Jon beamed with pride. “You should have seen him BEFORE he put the suit on!”

“That’s quite enough, Jonny.” Shelley said firmly, but Jon went on anyway.

“He had on this really hot pair of…”

“Jonny!” Shelley raised her voice in a reprimanding tone and gave him her sternest “mother” look.

Sam blushed, but he laughed along with the rest of them.

Jon nudged Ryan. “I’ll tell you later.” He said with a wink.

That evening, Nanna made her famous chicken cacciatore. It was superb, and everyone ate it with relish.

“This is the way it’s supposed to taste.” Jon remarked to Matt. Matt gave him a smile that conveyed how nothing would ever supplant their anniversary dinner in his memory. Jon’s cheeks colored slightly as he smiled and looked down at his plate.

After dinner, it was decided that Shelley would stay on until after the surgery, and Dan would take the boys home with him the next day after they visited the hospital. Tom had to get back to work too, and they all vowed to have a real reunion during the Fall vacation when Grampa would be fully recovered.

The boys helped clear the table and do the dishes, and retired to their basement lair.

“Do you want us to play pool, or something?” Ryan asked Jon and Matt.

Jon gave a laugh. “Nah, we only have one night left together, and we’d rather spend it with you guys.” Matt nodded his agreement as he stripped down to his briefs and t-shirt and dove onto the mattress. When they were all comfortable, Sam dealt the cards around the circle. As they played, Ryan looked around at them all, and wondered if he ever could have told his father without their support.

“Thanks you guys.”

It didn’t seem like enough, but it was all he could think of. The others smiled at him warmly. Ryan looked at their faces and he knew that he’d never forget this moment as long as he lived. A number of thoughts rushed through his mind. His grandparents wouldn’t live forever, someday the house would be gone. Sam is starting college and eventually they’d all go off to school, make lives for themselves, and take on the commitments of adult life. But Ryan knew he’d always have this moment, frozen in time to carry with him as one of his most cherished possessions.

Hi all,

You should have known that I'm not capable of real tragedy! The cousins will be back later in the story, you can be sure. Drama is fine, but I for one like a happy ending. I appologize for the delay, but I'm out of town and things have been pretty busy for me. In my haste to bring this chapter to you, I'm not going to list all of you who wrote. You know who you are. Your emails mean a lot to me, and I'm forever in your debt for your kind words of encouragement. I've really enjoyed getting to know some of you. As always, your feedback is always welcome. The boys are going home, and school will be starting for them soon, as well as choir, so I'll be introducing some new characters. Let me know if you have any ideas.

All the very best, Jon