Notice:

The contents of this story is purely fictional. The content matter of this story concerns love and may include sex between consenting males teenagers. If this is not what you like reading or it is illegal for you to read this material because of age or laws go somewhere else. This story is copyrighted by it's owner and may not be copied or published elsewhere without the owners permission.

Author's note:

Hey! Here is chapter 7. Thanks again to David my editor. Here's a link to his stories: David's stories.

Well, I took a week off to visit Kalamazoo. I got snowed in...It was a week of doing nothing except maybe a little studying.

Let me hear from you.

Sam Lakes

SamLakes dot writer at Gmail dot com

The Greatest Gift

by Sam Lakes

Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved

Chapter 7

<Ethan Lewis>

Our new house was huge - four bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. The living room, dining room, kitchen, and a library were huge.

There was also a monstrous basement that Dan called the ‘family’ room.  It was an empty shell right now but Dan and Emily told me it was going to be divided into a theater room with comfortable seats and a big screen TV and an awesome sound system. The other part of the basement was going to be where we could relax as a family and also entertain our guests.

Across the street was the house where I would be staying for the next four weeks. Jorge and Tony’s house was similar to ours, but they had a pool table and exercise equipment in their basement. They also had a maid, Esther, who came in every weekday to clean and cook for them.

Saturday, after we dropped off Emily and Dan at the airport, Jorge took me shopping. In all my years alone, I had never been to a mall to shop, mostly because I knew I could never have afforded anything in a mall. It was always thrift shops. I never wore used socks or underwear – yuck! No tellin’ what nasties hide there, so I went to Wal-Mart to buy socks and underwear.

The first store we went to was Abercrombie & Fitch --mostly because they had these big posters in their windows of really hot looking guys. I spent a whole hour in there trying on different clothes. I think I was as close to heaven as I could get considering that I was alive and not dead.

When we got to the checkout the total was $498.56. I thought Jorge would tell me to put it all back but he didn’t.

“I think I should put most of it back,” I said to the clerk, “I didn’t think it was going to be that much - I sorta got carried away.”

“Absolutely not!” said Jorge as he handed the clerk his credit card.

“It’s way too much, Jorge. I’m fine getting just one or two things. Really, I am,” I said.

“Ethan, Dad has more money than he knows what to do with. He told me to take you shopping. He told me the sky’s the limit and to ignore any arguments from you. Dad and Emily love you. Let them show you their love.”

“But…” I started to argue.

“No buts – now shush!”

I shut up, not because he told me to but because I knew that any second now I’d starting bawling my eyes out. So, I concentrated on holding back my tears.

The rest of my shopping spree was the same. I think Jorge had almost as much fun as I did. When I tried on something that I thought looked really good on me I got all giggly and happy. Jorge would say things like, “Ethan you are so gay and I love it! Tony hates shopping with me cuz I’m like you. I love to shop.”

Tony was home. I had to show him all the things I had. Of course, I had to model everything for him. I was so happy but I was also exhausted. After dinner I went to bed.

On Sunday afternoon, I asked Tony if I could borrow his bike. I had an old bike that I found and repaired, but it was back at the apartment.

“You like biking?” he asked.

“I love it! My old bike’s still at the apartment,” I replied.

“Sure, you can borrow it. Where are you going?” he asked.

“Just around,” I told him because I didn’t want him to think I was nuts. I was going to go see Billy Lancaster. Even after all this time, I visited Billy and talked to him.”

“Okay, but use my helmet, and be carful,” he said.

When I got to the cemetery, I paid my respects to Maddie and then went to see Billy. I sat down cross-legged by his grave.

“Hey ,Billy! No problems this time. It’s all good news. Yep. First, Dan and Emily are married and are my legal guardians. No more being scared that the police are going to arrest me. Tony said it was never the case, you know, being wanted by the police about Mr. Harkins.  Ken said he got placed with a really nice family who loves him. They are paying for his college. Ken’s got a boyfriend…oh yeah! I start high school on Monday. I have to get tested to see what grade I’m in. Emily says she knows the principal of that school and it’s a very good school.”

I sat in silence for a few minutes thinking.

“Billy I want you to know that even with all the problems I’ve had, I’m glad I ran away because I would have never found Dan and Emily and all the people here that I love. And Billy, although most of the gifts you gave me are worn out or don’t fit any more, I will never forget what you and the boy who loved you did for me…you brought me happiness and hope…hope that someday I might meet your friend…hope that he and I might become friends…hope that he might love me like he loved you…I have to go now because I don’t want Tony and Jorge worrying about me. Oh, yeah, I brought you a flower - a yellow rose. The florist gave me three; one for Maddie, one for you and one for – I have no idea, but I’m sure I’ll find someone to give it to. Bye for now.”

I stood up and stretched, and then put the yellow rose on Billy’s grave. I had at least an hour’s ride back to Tony and Jorge’s place, so I jumped on the bike and took off. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing, so the next thing I knew the bar gate across the road that blocked cars from driving on the road was right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes, which caused me to fly over the handlebars and land on my back on the other side of the gate.

I checked to see if the bike was okay. It was as far as I could tell. I was okay, too. The third rose had landed beside me. I picked it up, put it on my chest, and closed my eyes, pretending I was dead, when somebody interrupted my pretense.

“Excuse me, are you all right?”

I opened my eyes. “Yes, I’m okay. I think."

“I’ve seen you before…except you were on roller blades and wearing a motorcycle helmet,” the man said. He was quite handsome; and he was smiling.

“Oh yes, you stopped to see how I was. You know, we really should stop meeting like this.” I laughed, and stood up.

“Yes, I agree.”

“Do you have a wife?” I asked.

“Yes, I do.”

I gave the rose to him. “Please give this to her. The florist gave me three, but I only needed two – one for each of my friends. I think the spare one is for your wife.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have a girlfriend to give it to?” he said.

"No, I don’t have anyone to love or to share my life.” I looked at my watch, and used that as an excuse to leave. “I hope I’ll see you again, someday. I hope it will be under better circumstances. However, if I don’t get home soon, I’m going to be in trouble.”

I hopped on the bike and rode off.

<Justin Washburn>

I had gone to visit Billy’s grave often over the past four years. Nearly every time I found a yellow rose lying by the headstone. Sometimes the rose was fresh other times, withered and dead. For the first three years’, I figured it was Billy’s dad; but, this last year I knew it wasn’t him. He’d moved to California. It could have been anyone of his friends; so, I didn’t put any significance on it--until today.

Dad’s been staying late at the office, catching up on some work. He called Mom to let her know he’d be late, tonight. So, Mom and I sat down to dinner.

Dad got home just as we were finished. He gave Mom a kiss, and a beautiful yellow rose.

“My word, uh is there something I should know about, dear?” She smiled.

“Can’t a husband give his wife a flower without it raising her suspicions” he laughed. “Actually,” Dad looked at me with a smile, “it was given to me by a very cute boy that I’d seen before…except…this time he wasn’t wearing a motorcycle helmet.”

That got my attention.

“He told me to give it to my wife. So, what’s for dinner?”

“I made you a plate and put it in the microwave. That was a very nice gesture dear,” Mom said as she took the rose and put it in a vase.

I sat in silence. I was dying to know more, and Dad knew it. He was sitting there, looking at me with a smile on his face, waiting for me to ask for more details. He is so juvenile sometimes!

Finally, after several minutes I couldn’t stand it. “Well?”

“Well, what?” he said faking innocence.

I pushed away from the table, “Oh, grow up!” I said angrily and left the table.

“Fred! Justin doesn’t need to be teased…” I heard mom say as I went to my room.

I threw myself face down on my bed, toed-off my shoes and waited for Dad to knock on my door. A few minutes later he did. I knew he would.

“I’m sorry Justin…forgive me?”

“Yeah.”

“You want to know what happened?”

I nodded.

“Well, I saw him riding his bike. Apparently, he didn’t see the gate that goes across the service road in the cemetery until it was too late. He slammed on his brakes and flew over the handle bars, landing on his back. I thought for sure that he was hurt so I ran over to see if I could help.

“Luckily, he wasn’t hurt but, that’s when I recognized him. I’m not trying to tease you, okay, but he is one very handsome boy. He told me he had three roses and that he had given two to a couple of friends he’d visited and then gave me the third one to give to your mom. Then he left.”

“Did you get his name?” I asked.

“No, he took off before I had a chance to ask him, but I do know who he visited.”

“Who?”

“Billy.”

“My Billy?”

“Yeah.”

I knew Dad knew all my and Billy’s friends. “Then he must be the person who got all the gifts. He must be the one who always left a rose… I’ve hoped I’d get to meet him someday.”

“He seems like a really nice kid. Sorry, I was surprised to see him again and he was gone before I thought to ask his name…the next time I promise, I will get his name.”

Dad left.

I closed my eyes. ”Please Billy, let me meet him, please. I’m so lonely…”

Comments welcomed - So what do you think? Love to get feedback from you.

sam lakes