Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 15:27:43 -0800 (PST)
From: rimpigfl <rimpigfl@yahoo.com>
Subject: MY BROTHER'S MARINE BUDDY

DISCLAIMER: This is just a fantasy. It didn't happen to me or anyone I
know. This is for all of you who like you're stories RAUNCHY. I have to
admit, I like them that way myself. If you aren't allowed to read stories
like this, then don't. Or, just tell whoever says you can't read it to
"Fuck off!" and read it anyway!

No Marines were hurt in the production of this story, but several had
complete changes of view towards certain activities with other males.

MY BROTHER'S MARINE BUDDY
Part VI
by RimPig   2003

We woke early the next morning to frantic pounding on our door. We sat up
in bed and I called out, "Come in!" not even thinking that here Rick and I
were, naked and in the same bed together.  Well, whoever it was, they were
going to get a real eyeful.

It was Dad and I'd never seen him like this, so frantic.

"He's gone!" Dad exclaimed. "Cal is gone! He's going to kill himself!"

"What..when... why?!" I babbled.

"How do you know that?" Rick asked at the same time.

"I came up to check on him and he was gone. Then I looked on the bed and
he'd left a note!" Dad said, holding up a piece of paper he'd had in his
hand that I didn't notice before.

"Let me see it, Dad." I said.

The note, like Cal's usual communication, was short and to the point. It
read:

- I can't take all this crap! The Corps is shit! This place is shit! Life
is shit! I'm out of here! I can't take it no more! -

"Oh, my God! Dad! I think you're right! But where would he go?!" I asked
desperately.

"I think I know." Rick said, who'd read the note over my shoulder.

"Where?!" Dad and I asked at the same time.

"The Thompson-Carver bridge." Rick said.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Because he used to talk about it when he got drunk. One of his jock
buddies had thrown himself off it." Rick said.

"Ted Mosconi! I remember! That was in Cal's senior year!" I said.

"Yeah. Seems that he was one of Cal's 'special' buddies." Rick said,
raising his eyebrow at me to let me know that this was one of Cal's sex
partners.

"Oh, fuck! Do you really think so?" Dad asked.

"I'd bet money on it." I said, looking at Rick and nodding.

"We've got to stop him! Oh, God! Cal! My boy!" Dad wailed.

Despite our nudity, which I doubt that Dad even noticed in his overwrought
condition, Rick and I hopped out of bed and started to frantically pull our
clothes on. We were dressed quicker than we had undressed the night before,
and that's saying something!

"We'll find him and bring him back, Dad. It's only just light. He couldn't
have gone very long ago." I said, hoping against hope that I was right.

"I want to go with you!" Dad wailed.

"Dad, you're not in any condition to go. Stay here with Mom. She's going to
need you when you tell her." I said.

"Tell me what?"

It was Mom's voice from the doorway of the room. She must have heard all
the commotion and come to investigate.

"Cal's gone, Marian! He's gone to kill himself!" Dad wailed.

Mom rushed into the room, putting her arms around Dad and pulling him to
her.

"Take it easy, honey." Mom said. "Tell me what happened."

But Dad was now sobbing against Mom so I spoke up.

"Dad came to check on Cal and found that note there on the bed.  We've got
to get going. Rick knows where he's going - the Thompson-Carver bridge." I
said.

"Why there?" Mom asked.

"Remember Ted Marconi, the kid who killed himself Cal's senior year? Well,
that's where he did it. He was one of Cal's buddies and he used to talk to
Rick about it when he'd get drunk." I told her.

"Oh, my God! Yes! You go on. You've got to stop him! The brainless idiot!"
Mom fumed. "Take my car. The keys are on the wall hook by the back door."

Rick and I dashed downstairs. I grabbed the keys to Mom's car while Rick
grabbed our coats. We jumped in the car and I was soon speeding us towards
the bridge.

"Do you think he walked?" Rick asked.

"I'd bet on it. How else would he get there? Both cars were still at
home. This is the most direct route so keep an eye out for him. Maybe he
hasn't had time to get there yet" I said.

But we didn't see him before we reached the bridge. The bridge is a high
one. The drop to the river more than 100 feet below. It would be very
difficult to survive at any time, but in winter, if the impact with the
water didn't kill you, hypothermia soon would!

We finally saw him when we had reached about the middle of the bridge. He
was standing there, looking over the railing at the water. We stopped the
car right on the bridge and hopped out.  Luckily it was very early, the sun
was just beginning to rise, so there was no traffic on the bridge at that
hour.

"CAL!" Rick called out.

Cal turned and looked, seeing Rick and I coming towards him.

"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER! I'LL JUMP! I SWEAR I WILL!" Cal screamed.

We immediately ground to a halt.

"Buddy, you don't want to do that." Rick said, his voice surprisingly calm,
given the situation.

"The fuck I don't!" Cal yelled. "Everything's gone to fuckin' shit! My best
buddy leaves the Corps to go suck my fag brother's dick and I'm left with a
bunch of spics and niggers! Why, Rick?! Why'd you do it, man?! Why'd you go
an turn into a fag?!"

"Cal, I didn't turn into a fag. I've always been gay." Rick said.

"The fuck you were! We fucked pussy together! I seen ya!" Cal screamed out.

"Yeah, and we also sucked each other's cocks and I let you fuck me up the
ass." Rick said.

Cal's face blanched white. He looked from Rick to me and then back again.

"THAT'S A FUCKIN' LIE!" Cal screamed out.

"No it isn't and you know it!" Rick said. "You tried to act like you were
drunk as an excuse, but that was the lie, wasn't it, Cal? I've watched you
get stinking drunk and it took WAY more than it did the nights we had sex!
Besides that, drunks have trouble getting it up and getting off! You never
had any trouble at all!"

"YOU'RE LYING!!! YOU WANNA MAKE ME A FAG BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE!!!" Cal
screamed.

"No, buddy! I just want you to cut out all the shit and finally admit what
you are!" Rick said.

"I AIN'T NO QUEER! I HATE QUEERS! HATED THEM ALL MY LIFE! HAD TO LIVE WITH
THE FACT THAT MY OWN BROTHER IS ONE! I CAN'T BE QUEER! I JUST CAN'T!!!" Cal
screamed out and then broke down sobbing.

Rick moved forward and took Cal in his arms. Cal clung to him like a life
raft in a storm tossed sea.

"I can't be queer! I just can't!" Cal mumbled in between sobs as Rick held
him.

"I know, buddy. I know. I ain't easy." Rick said to him.

"I'd rather die than be a queer!" Cal moaned.

"Then why'd you leave the note, Cal?" I spoke up finally.

"Huh?" he asked, looking at me as if he'd only just realized I was there.

"Don't play dumb. Though I'll admit this is about the dumbest thing you've
ever done! If you really wanted to die, why'd you leave the note? You could
have just left and nobody would have been the wiser! No one would have
known what you were going to do until it was too late. No!  You don't want
to die. You don't want to be gay - but you don't want to die." I said.

I knew, from my studies, that most suicide attempts are actually desperate
cries for help. And if there was anyone who needed help, it was Cal!

Cal looked at me, his face full of consternation and then he broke down
crying again. I looked at Rick and motioned towards the car. Rick nodded
and started walking Cal away from the railing of the bridge and towards the
car. When we got there, we put Cal in the back seat and Rick climbed back
there with him. I got into the driver's seat and started driving.

"Where should we go? Should we take him home?" Rick asked me.

"NO! I don't wanna go home!" Cal exclaimed.

"Okay, buddy. We won't go home. Calm down." Rick said.

"I don't know about you guys, but I need coffee. I'll stop at a 7-11 and
get us some." I said, trying to make this sound as normal as possible for
the moment.

Cal didn't seem to have any objection to that, so I drove to the nearest
7-11 and went in to get us coffee. While I was in the store, I quickly used
the pay phone to call home and let my parents know that we had found Cal
and that he was with us. My Mom answered the phone.

"Oh, thank God! That stupid shithead! What did he think killing himself was
going to solve?!"  Mom's voice fumed through the phone.

"Mom, suicide is not a rational act. He wasn't thinking. He was
feeling. And all he was feeling was pain and loss. Every bit of his support
was gone. Rick had left the Marine Corps and now you and Dad were on his
case as well. You weren't buying his bullshit anymore, so he had no one
that was telling him he was right anymore." I told her.

"I'm sorry we didn't do this years ago! Before it got to this stage!" Mom
said.

"I know. That's where your anger is coming from. Your more angry at
yourself than at Cal." I said soothingly. "That's understandable. But, when
we bring Cal home, you can't be angry with him. You can't confront him. He
needs help right now, not condemnation." I said.

"I understand. I can't believe that after all he's done to you in your
life, you can still be this compassionate towards him! You're a much better
brother than he deserves and a much better son than we deserve." Mom said.

"I don't see it that way, Mom. I love you and Dad. I know that you love
me. The way you've opened your hearts and our family to Rick proved that to
me beyond the shadow of a doubt! I keep wondering what I ever did to
deserve two parents like you." I said quietly.

"I've got to go tell your father that Cal's all right before I end up
crying and give him the wrong idea. Bring him home when you can. And,
Kevin...thank you." Mom said, and I could hear her voice beginning to
break.

"Don't thank me, Mom. That's what being family is all about." I said.

She didn't answer. I figure should couldn't. I just heard the click of the
connection being broken.  I hung up the pay-phone, picked up the three
coffees and headed out to the car.

When I got back to the car, Rick and Cal were talking quietly in the back
seat. Cal had his head down, not looking at Rick. Rick had his arm around
my brother's hunched over shoulders. I got in the car and handed the two
coffee's back to Rick, putting mine in a cup holder in the console. I
started the car and headed out again.

I couldn't think of anyplace to go at first, and then an idea came into my
head. I don't know why, but I headed towards Dingle Park. It was a small
county park with a kids playground that Mom used to bring Cal and me to
when we were little kids. I was only about a mile away from the house. I
drove there quickly, there still not being any traffic on the road.

When we got there, Rick turned to Cal.

"Buddy, let's take a walk and talk, okay?" he asked gently.

Cal didn't say anything. He just nodded his head.

"I think it would be best if you stayed here in the car." my lover said to
me.

I nodded in agreement. I understood that whatever they were going to talk
about, it was going to have to be between Cal and Rick. Cal still hated me
so my presence would only confuse things.  I'm surprised that Cal had
tolerated me being there at all!

I watched them walking around the playground, talking. I had no way of
knowing for sure what they were saying to each other but I had a pretty
good idea of what it might be. From what I figured, somewhere along the
line in their discussion, the fact that Cal was in love with Rick was bound
to come out. I had already figured that this was the real reason for Cal's
suicide attempt - the other reasons he gave being a smoke screen. No, Cal
didn't want to be 'queer' but his obvious feelings for Rick made it
impossible for him to hide it from himself anymore.

I wondered how I could have been so blind! Of course, I didn't know until
last night that Rick and Cal had sex with each other. Once I knew that,
however, I don't know why I didn't put 2 and 2 together! That was the
reason that Cal was so upset about Rick leaving the Marine Corps! It wasn't
because he was left with 'a bunch of spics and niggers', as he
protested. It was because he was left broken hearted by the desertion of a
man that he loved. Probably the only man he had ever loved. The man that
forced him to face, maybe for the first time, that he was gay.

I also wondered if Rick had figured out what Cal's feeling for him were or
how he was going to deal with them if it came out in their talk? I wasn't
jealous or concerned about Rick and my relationship. I certainly knew that
there was no way that Rick was going to leave me for Cal! I knew that Rick
cared for Cal as a friend and, I guessed now as a 'fuck-buddy', but I knew,
deep down in my heart, that's all it was.

Strangely enough, I found myself feeling very sorry for Cal. I loved Rick,
too. I loved him more than life itself and felt myself so incredibly
blessed that he felt the same way about me. I knew the heartache that Cal
must have been going through - especially when he found out that Rick had
someone else that he loved - and that someone was me! The one person Cal
seemed to hate worst in the world.

I began to understand the reason that he hated me - and hated all
'queers'. I was the personification of everything that Cal feared about
himself. I represented everything he wanted but told himself he couldn't
have. Cal wanted desperately to be 'normal'. He desperately wanted to hold
onto the 'perks' of being a white, straight male in a white, straight male
dominated society. That's where his hatred of minorities came from as
well. Those minorities were making it increasingly difficult for white
males to continue their dominance in society. And Cal knew, that if he were
'queer', then even heterosexual minority males would have a more favored
place in society than he would! The loss of status would be too
overwhelming for him to take. The high school jock hero would be remembered
as a 'sissy'!

Rick and Cal talked for a very long time. I just sat there in the car with
the engine running to keep the heat on. I finally decided to listen to the
radio but every station I tuned to was playing Christmas music which I was
not in any mood to listen to! I finally tuned to the local classical
station and sat listening to a recording of the Shoshtakovich Second
Symphony performed by The New York Philharmonic Orchestra led by Leonard
Bernstein. It was a stirring performance and I found myself getting lost in
the music - forgetting, for a while, the monumental problem that my brother
had become!

Not that he hadn't always been one for me! But this time it was
different. This time it was me who was 'dealing from strength' and not
reacting to Cal. Cal's entire fantasy world had collapsed around him and he
was lost. And to find his way back, he was going to have to rely on Rick -
and me. Things were going to have to change between us and I wondered what
that change was going to be like? I got an inkling when Cal and Rick came
back to the car.

Rick got into the front seat with me and Cal got back into the backseat. I
saw Rick give Cal a significant look as I put the car in gear and began to
pull out of the parking lot of the little park.  Then I heard Cal's voice
from behind me.

"Uh...Kevin....ahh...thanks for coming to find me." Cal said, hesitantly
and quietly.

I nearly wrecked the car, I was so startled! This was the very first time I
could ever remember Cal thanking me for anything! In fact, I don't remember
him ever speaking this nicely to me! I almost didn't answer, immediately
readying a nasty comeback instead - out of force of habit. When I finally
did speak, it was as hesitantly as Cal had spoken.

"Uhh...you're welcome...ahh...Cal." I stuttered.

Rick reached over and put his hand on my thigh, smiling at me as he did. He
let me know how pleased he was in my reaction to things. I also saw him
smile back at Cal. In the rear-view mirror, I could see Cal smile
sheepishly back at Rick. I had never seen my brother behave this way! It
was like this was a whole different person in the seat behind me! A person
who looked like my brother Cal, sounded like my brother Cal but bore no
other resemblance to the 'Cal' I had known all my life!

There was no other discussion on the short drive back home. I hadn't asked
where we were going, I just naturally headed there. When we pulled up in
the driveway, Dad and Mom both came out. Cal was a bit hesitant about
getting out of the car. I'm sure he expected both Mom and Dad to give him
hell for what he'd done. Instead, they both rushed to him and hugged him
and he ended up crying again, this time on my father's shoulder, who was
crying right along with him.

My Mom came over to me and hugged me, and then hugged Rick, expressing
again her gratitude to us for what we had done.

"It wasn't me, Mom. I just basically drove the car. The person that you
need to thank is Rick.  He's the one who dealt with Cal. You know Cal -
he'd never let me. In fact, if I'd gone there without Rick, Cal would have
probably thrown me in the river before he jumped!" I grinned at Mom who
nodded her head in agreement.

"We owe you more than we can ever repay!" Mom said to Rick.

"No, ma'am, you don't. You made me a part of this family and that's what
family is supposed to do for each other. Cal's my friend. I love him and I
don't want to see him come to any harm. He's hurting right now, but I think
he's going to be okay eventually. It's going to take some time and a lot of
effort on his part, though. He's told me he's willing to make the
effort. Now it's just a matter of seeing if he does." Rick said.

I looked at my lover questioningly. I was wondering what he and Cal had
talked about and what this 'effort' was that Cal was willing to make. Rick
just winked at me, telling me that he would talk to me later.

We went inside the house, and like a typical mother, Mom immediately asked
if we were all hungry. While none of us was that enthusiastic about it, we
all did admit that we were - even Cal.  Mom immediately set about making
breakfast for all of us. I envied her having something to do to bridge the
awkwardness of the situation. For a while, Dad, Cal, Rick and I just sat
there, more or less just looking at each other. Finally, it was Cal who
'broke the ice'.

"I'm really sorry to have put you guys through this." Cal said quietly.

Dad, as usual didn't know what to say and it was Mom who answered for both
of them.

"Cal, I'm sorry that you felt that we didn't love you. We do,
Cal. Everybody sitting in the room loves you." Mom said.

"Even you?" Cal said, looking right at me, startling me!

Everyone turned to see what I would answer.

"Yes, Cal, even me. You're my brother and I love you. I will be honest and
tell you that I don't like you very much but, I do love you." I said, being
as honest as I could be.

"I don't blame you at all. I wouldn't like me if I were you. In fact, I'd
hate me if I were you." Cal said. "But I want you to know, I don't hate
you. I thought I did. But Rick made me see that it was just...uhh...what
did you call it, Rick?" he asked.

"Projection." My lover said.

"Yeah! Projection! I was projecting my own self-hatred onto you." Cal said,
and smiled like he's passed some kind of test in school.

I was shocked! How had Rick managed this? And, better still - the use of
the word 'projection'.  That had to come from his helping me to study, as
well! I was definitely beginning to believe that it was the wrong one of us
who was preparing to become a psychologist! Rick had some kind of native
ability to deal with hurting and confused people - at least the ones that
he cared about!  How, in the time he and Cal had talked at the park, he had
managed to help Cal reach these insights about himself, I just didn't know!
It would be my estimation that, in a classical therapeutic setting, it
would have taken Cal a number of sessions to have reached this level of
insight! But Rick had managed it in the matter of about an hour! I was
amazed and in awe of my lover!

I had no time to muse on this, however, as Cal seemed to be expecting some
kind of reply from me.

"Cal," I began. "I'm not going to lie to you. I did hate you for a very
long time. The only reason that I was able to stop is because of Rick."

At this point, both Cal and I looked over and smiled at my lover who smiled
back at us.

"He's the one who gave me enough love - so much love, in fact - that there
was just no room in my heart for hatred and no room in my head for
resentments. I always wished we had been real brothers - real friends. I
guess we were just so different that we had nothing to build a friendship
on. I hope that changes." I said, giving Cal a smile.

"I guess we're not as different as I always thought we were." Cal said
quietly.

I understood what he was trying to tell me. Perhaps he would have admitted
that he was gay to me but not with Mom and Dad in the room.

"I understand, Cal. I'll make a deal with you. I'm willing to try and
forget the past and start over right here and now if you are willing to
change your ideas about me so that we can become friends. Are you?" I asked
him.

He looked at me in shock! I don't think he expected me to go this far!

"Yeah! I'm willing! I don't think I deserve a second chance like that but,
I'll take it if that's what you're offering!" he smiled.

"That's what I'm offering." I assured him.

Then things got very awkward between us. We had not idea how to react to
each other without hostility! In any other situation, I would want to give
the person a hug, to show my forgiveness of them. But, I found I couldn't
do this with Cal. It wasn't that I didn't want to, but I didn't know how
Cal would react if I did. And Cal seemed as unsure of things as I
did. Rick, God bless him, stepped into the midst of this confusion.

"I really think that you two ought to do something that you should have
done a long time ago. I think you two should shake hands over this." Rick
said.

Leave it to my brilliant lover to come up with the right compromise! We
didn't have to hug, which would have been very uncomfortable for both Cal
and me. But we could still make a physical sign of our new bond. Cal and I
reached out and shook each other's hand. I made sure that my handshake was
firm - no more than Cal's, but no less. We ended up grinning at each other
like idiots but I didn't feel idiotic and I don't think Cal did either!

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Mom exclaimed. "I finally have the Christmas
present I've always wanted. My two sons at peace with each other!"

Mom had breakfast ready and served us all. We ate like we were starved
which, as a matter of fact, we were! Cal more than any of us because he'd
had no dinner the night before. During breakfast, the discussion turned to
family matters. Mom said that they really needed to go see great Aunt Bess
and that Cal needed to come along because he was always her favorite and,
since he was home, she was sure that she would want to see Cal. Mom said
that she would understand, though, if Cal didn't feel up to it.

I immediately thought back to the year before and what had happened between
Rick and I while Mom, Dad and Cal were visiting great Aunt Bess. I secretly
hoped that Cal would go with them so that Rick and I could spend some time
alone but realized that this was selfish and not realistic.  Cal had really
been through a lot in the last 24 hours and I don't think he was 'up' to
seeing anybody.

"Mom, as much as I love Aunt Bess, I'm really tired. I think I'd like to
get some sleep. I didn't get any last night." Cal said, apologetically.

"That's okay, Cal." Mom said. "I understand. I just won't tell Aunt Bess
that you came home for Christmas."

"But won't she be here on Christmas Day?" Cal asked.

"Well...yes she will be, but you weren't supposed to get here until
today. I'll just tell her that your plane is arriving later. How's that?"
Mom asked.

"That's okay." Cal said. "I'll just see her tomorrow."

I guess Mom figured that Rick and I wanted some time to ourselves as well
because she never even brought up the idea of one or both of us
accompanying her and Dad to great Aunt Bess's house. After breakfast, Cal
went upstairs to lay down and I helped Mom put the breakfast dishes in the
dishwasher while Dad went to get ready and Rick excused himself to go up to
'our' room.  It was strange to think now of the room that I had grown up in
as 'our' room!  As we cleared away the breakfast things, Mom and I talked.

"You seem to have found yourself quite a brilliant young man." Mom said.

"Yes, I'm just beginning to figure that out! I'm beginning to think the
wrong one of us is in school studying to be a psychologist!" I told her.

"No, I don't think so. You are a very talented person as well. And I don't
think that Rick would be happy doing what you want to do. I think he's
perfectly happy in what he does and in being with you. I think one
psychologist in ANY family is enough!" Mom chuckled.

"Maybe one too many!" I laughed.

I went upstairs after Mom and I finished straightening up the kitchen and
she went to get ready to go to Aunt Bess's. I found Rick lying on the bed,
fully clothed, his hands locked behind his head, staring at the ceiling,
apparently deep in thought. He smiled at me when I walked in and shut the
door. I walked over to the bed and kicked off my shoes. I lay down on the
bed next to Rick and he moved over to put is arm around my shoulder. I
moved over and lay my head on his chest.

"So, whatcha thinking about?" I asked.

"A lot of things." he said quietly. "You know, even though this crisis is
avoided for the time being, Cal has a lot of difficulties ahead. Remaking
yourself isn't easy - or quick." he said.

"Yes, I know. And he doesn't have you to help him." I said. "It's hard to
be without the man you're in love with."

I felt Rick tense.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Isn't it obvious? Cal is in love with you. That's why you leaving the
Marine Corps sent him into such a tailspin! And then finding out that you
and I were lovers was just more than he could bear." I said calmly.

"No! You're way off base! Cal isn't in love with me!" he said, but it was
said very defensively.

"Are you sure?" I asked quietly.

There was silence from Rick.

"Rick, I'm not jealous or anything. But I saw how Cal looks at you. He's in
love with you. That's what's making things so hard on him. Loving you made
him have to face the fact that he's gay and he's really fucked because now,
he's gay -but he doesn't have you, the one man he wanted!" I insisted.

"Fuck!" Rick exclaimed. "Okay. I guess I see it, too! But what the fuck can
I do about it? I don't love him - not that way! He's my friend. It's you I
love!"

"I know that. I wish we could find someone for Cal but he's just going to
have to do that for himself, when he's ready." I said.

"Yeah. That's for sure. I wish I could help him find a lover, though. After
all, he helped me find mine!" he said, giving me a squeeze with his arm.

"Yeah, I guess I owe him one for that as well!" I said, raising up and
looking at Rick, leaned down and kissed him.

Our mouths began to devour each other, however, in the middle of it, Rick
suddenly yawned!

"I'm sorry, babe!" He said, his face blushing in embarrassment.

"That's okay. I'm tired as well. Let's get some sleep and then we can play
after we wake up." I said.

"Deal!" Rick said.

We got up and took our clothes off, not daring to touch each other as we
did. It was hard, even when we were this tired to keep our hands off each
other, but neither of us was really in shape to finish whatever would get
started.

We slid into bed and I turned so that my back was to Rick. He slid behind
me, spooning to me and putting his arm around me. This is how we always
slept. With that, we quickly drifted off into sleep.

I awoke several hours later. At first, I couldn't tell what woke me, but
came a gentle tapping on the bedroom door. Evidently that is what had woken
me. Rick woke then and looked at me. I shrugged my shoulders and said,
"Come in."

Cal's head poked around the door.

"Hey, I'm sorry, guys! I didn't realize you were sleeping. I'll come back
later." he said, apologetically.

"No. That's okay."Rick said.

"Yeah. We're awake now. Come on in." I said.

"Thanks, bro." Cal said.

That was yet another shock in a whole day of them! Cal had not only
acknowledged me as his brother but called me 'bro' - a term he had never
used before. And, from the smile on his face as he said it, he meant it!

Cal came in and sat at the foot of the bed as Rick and I sat up and leaned
our backs against the headboard, keeping the covers over our laps to keep
some kind of decorum.

"I've made a decision." Cal said.

"Yeah? What?" Rick asked.

"I'm gonna get out of the Corps." Cal said.

"Cal, you don't have to do that." Rick said.

"Yeah, Rick, I do. How can I stay now that I know about myself? I know all
too well what the Corps does to gays." Cal said.

"Only if you tell somebody or do something." Rick said. "They're never
going to suspect you."

"Even if they didn't suspect me, I couldn't live with the lying and
hiding. I've done enough of that in my life and I need to stop it. But I
need both of your help." Cal said, pleadingly, looking at me.

"What do you need...uhh..., bro?" I asked.

Fuck! Was that awkward! I guess I'd get used to it - get used to having a
brother that didn't hate me - but it wasn't going to be easy. I could see
that.

"I want to come to San Francisco when I get out and stay with your guys -
just until I get a job and can get a place of my own." he said.

"Why not come back here?" Rick asked. "This is your home."

"No. It would be too hard for me to come out here." Cal said.

"I understand, Cal, and I agree with you. It would be very hard here. Rick,
I think that we should let him come and stay with us." I said to my lover.

"Well, if you think it's a good idea, I'm fine with it." Rick answered.

Cal beamed at both of us.

"I don't know how to thank you guys! I promise I won't be any trouble!" Cal
said.

"You're welcome, Cal. But don't go making promises you can't keep!" I
laughed.

"No! I'm serious! I don't want to interfere in your life together! I can
see how much you love each other. Plus, I owe you both a lot!" Cal said
earnestly.

"Cal, remember, we're really family now. That's what family is for. If you
need help, we'll always be there for you." I said, and found that I truly
meant it.

"And I will do anything for you, too, bro!" Cal said.

And that's when he did something I wasn't expecting at all! He stood up and
moved up beside the bed until he reached me. He then leaned down and put
his arms around me, hugging me! I couldn't have been more shocked if I
tried! But, at the same time, I was so incredibly moved that tears started
to fall from my eyes. I put my arms around Cal, hugging him for the first
time that I could remember and, when we finally pulled back from each
other, I could see that his face was wet as well.

"Well, it looks like you two really are brother's after all!" Rick
chuckled. "At least I know, for sure, that you two had the same mother!"

We had to explain this to Cal who, once he understood, laughed as well!

The End of Part VI of MY BROTHER'S MARINE BUDDY

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