Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 01:32:02 EDT
From: KissAndCuddleGem@aol.com
Subject: TED AND LYLE: A LOVE STORY (INSTALLMENT 9)

This story is purely a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons
living or dead, or to events that may have occurred, is purely
coincidental.

Moreover, none of the actions of the characters in this story is presented
with the intent to condone, approve, or sanction their behavior.

If it is illegal for you to read the material in this story for any reason
whatsoever, including but not limited to you not being of legal age, or, if
the content of this story is to the best of your knowledge and belief
unlawful in your particular jurisdiction, please read no further and close
the part(s) of my story that appear onscreen immediately.

The above-expressed disclaimer also does apply to any and all installments
of this story, including those preceding and following this installment.

All questions and/or comments with regard to this story, my third story and
series for Nifty, are most welcome; and, if you wish to contact me, please
feel free to email me at: KissAndCuddleGem@AOL.COM; and I will most
definitely respond to email, as appropriate.


Lyle and Ted felt as if they had somewhat miraculously pulled off a major
coup with regard to Elaine.  Ted was beginning to realize that in many ways
he simply did not fully know his own daughter.  Lyle saw things as a
breakthrough, as simply a matter of love conquerring all.  For whatever
reason, Syd asked Elaine to be his houseguest until she had other
arrangements made.  Ironically, though Elaine was fine with the
relationship between her father and his cousin as a newly engaged gay
couple, she was not okay with being physically in the same home while the
two were "at it".  Also, Elaine believed that the two needed some privacy
as they faced the future together.

Lyle, a generous soul, offered for himself to go, so that Elaine could
stay.  Yet Ted quickly put an end to that idea, explaining in private
patiently to Lyle that Elaine just needed some time to adjust to things;
and, besides, being separated from the one he would be marrying would
simply be much too painful to him to endure.  Lyle thought to himself: "How
can I have been so blessed as this to have a gent so loving and yet also so
wise in my life?"

"Let's go to bed, okay, Lyle?", Ted asked rhetorically, coming back into
the living room from the kitchen after clearing the table.

"Okay, well, I guess you know what is best."

A few minutes later, Ted was tenderly holding Lyle once again in his arms.
All he could think about was that he could not even imagine living life
without sharing it all with Lyle.  Plus he wanted their wedding to be
memorable; and was planning to talk over the details with Lyle in the morn.
Suddenly though he began to realize that although Lyle was indeed
physically there, right there safely in his arms, he was not mentally there
at all.  Mentally, he seemed to be light years away.

"What is it, Lyle?", a concerned Ted began.

"It's nothing, really, I mean, it's silly, really, I don't want to worry
you about any of this."

"What is it?  Please, just tell me, tell me, whatever it is I want to
know."

"It's just that I wanted everything to be perfect for us, I really did, I
only want for us to be happy."

"What are you saying, Lyle?  I really am not following at all."

"All right, if you insist, it's my art gallery, my pride and joy, it's in
trouble.  I might have to close for good."

"Why didn't you say something, Lyle?"

Lyle turned to face Ted and began to sob uncontrollably, his tears soaking
Ted's shoulder.

Ted, in response, began to lovingly caress Lyle's back.  In a most soothing
tone, he then said to Lyle: "We'll figure out something together in the
morning.  It pains me deeply to see you this upset.  Whatever needs to be
done, I promise you that I will help you set things right."

Lyle's chest was still heaving a bit as he succeeded in getting his sobbing
under control; and Ted, reacting to Lyle's fragile state, and caught up in
the emotional charge of the moment passionately kissed Lyle and continued
to so kiss him until Lyle's trembling had more or less completely subsided.

In the morning, Ted and Lyle went to a nice local eatery for pancakes.
Nothing fancy, just a small local diner-like establishment called "Mona's
Original".  The conversation they had there was more than a bit jumbled, as
Ted was very much focused on their making plans for their gay wedding in
San Francisco and was not really responsive as Lyle rambled on and on about
his art gallery's financial woes.

"Look, Ted, you said you would help me; and you are not even really
listening to me, I can tell.", a disgusted Lyle finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry.  Why don't you just let me write you a check?"

"I can't take your money, Ted."

"It's not my money, it's our money; and, besides, you would do the same for
me I am certain."

"All right, I will tell you something else.  But I don't want the family to
know.  You must give me your word that you will not tell any of our kin
anything."

"Okay, Lyle, you have my word, what is it?"

"Well, it happened the weekend before that romantic dinner you prepared for
us."

"Yes, go on.", Ted stated, his eyes fixed on what appeared to be a sedated
Lyle.

Lyle almost could not even look at Ted, he felt so ashamed.  He felt as if
his breathing was at a pace all its own; and, pretty much forcing the words
out, managed to relate: "I had been watching television, it was very late,
well past midnight.  I dozed off on the sofa, the television programming
changing to a foggy "blank" static screen sometime soon after I guess.
Anyway, I did not hear them come in, break in.  But the next thing I was
aware of were their hands on my shoulders rousing me from sleep.  They
trashed the place, totally trashed it, taking whatever of value they could
get their hands on.  They were just teens, babyfaced kids, I kept
screaming: 'Please don't hurt me, please don't hurt me!'  That angered one
of them, the big one; and he tried to, he tried to...."

Ted threw his arms around a crying Lyle, his heart breaking from what he
was hearing.  He quickly took care of the check and the tip; and ushered
Lyle out of the restaurant, realizing that there were definitely things
that the two had to address in private.  He knew deep inside that
regardless of what Lyle divulged to him, he was not going to abandon him.
Yet he also knew that his life partner to be had things deeply troubling
him that the two would have to contend with.  That's what love for Ted
means, taking the good with the bad and making a mutual love even stronger
in the process.  All he could think of, though still in a daze as he
automatedly drove the two of them back to his place is that he wanted Lyle
to be safely in his arms; and that he wished he could protect Lyle like
that forever.