Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2002 13:55:33 -0800 (PST) From: rimpigfl Subject: MY DAUGHTER'S EX BOYFRIEND 25 Disclaimer: Usual stuff. This is fiction. Didn't happen to my knowledge. Some of the parts I hope never does. This story is dedicated to several people: My friend Bob in Illinois who's constant love and support over the last few years has seen me through some very rough times. Thank you, Bob, for always being there. My friend Geoff in England who's love and concern saw me through some of the very rough patches I went through writing this. My friend Joshua, wherever you are. I promise, Joshua, that I will never forget. And last, but NEVER least - to all Gay and Bi-Sexual members of the United States Marine Corps who continue to serve with bravery and distinction despite the persecution that they risk. To me, they are the true Heros. MY DAUGHTER'S EX BOYFRIEND - ERIC'S STORY 9 Part 25 The Narrator of the story is now Marine Master Sergeant Eric Meadows - Troy's father. By RimPig (c) 2002 Brian took me home that night, and many nights thereafter. I met Mick, his big Irish lover. Mick stood about 6'4" and was probably one of the biggest, most muscular men I'd ever seen. He owned a gym and worked out religiously. Said it kept him out of trouble and helped him live up to Brian's sexual demands! His laugh was big and infectious and even Brian laughed at that one. Mick had dark red hair, green eyes with freckles sprinkled across his nose which gave away his ancestory even if the rest didn't. He wore a big red mustache and it would tickle my cheek when he would kiss me. He and Brian hugged and kissed everybody - but mostly each other. I never saw two guys more openly affectionate with each other. Now, Matt and I had been very affectionate with each other but only when we were alone. Brian and Mick didn't care who was around! And as big as they both were (Brian was about 6'2" and no slacker in the muscle department either!) I guess they didn't worry much about what people thought. I did manage, though it was really rough at times, to stay sober. The night I picked up my 'red chip' for 90 days, I felt like I'd won the Congressional Medal of Honor! Now I understood why everybody in the meeting applauded. To celebrate my achievement, I wanted to go up to the cabin for the weekend. But I knew I didn't dare face those memories alone. I asked Brian and Mick to come with me and they agreed. They instantly fell in love with the place. I put them up in the loft that Matt and I once shared and I took the room that Troy always slept in. I couldn't face sober that bed that held too many memories of Matt for me. But when we went to go to bed that night, I got a very shocking experience. I guess I'd never bothered to change the sheets in the lower bedroom. I'd always been too drunk when I was up at the cabin after Matt died. I climbed into the bed and put my face on the pillow and suddenly I was smelling Troy's scent. The loss of my son hit me - hard! I guess it was something that I kept buried deep inside me. But his scent brought it all back. I know I started crying and I must have been really sobbing because the next thing I knew, Brian and Mick were in the bed with me, holding me while I cried. I was finally able to calm down and then I got really embarrassed. Brian and Mick just held me tighter. "What is it, Eric? What happened?" Brian finally asked. "No, you'll just think its stupid!" I said. "Nothing that could make you cry like this is stupid, Eric! You can't keep your feelings pushed down like this or you'll end up drinking again! I know. I've seen it happen to too many guys!" he said. "I laid down and I could smell Troy's scent on the sheets and all of it - the divorce, losing him, it all came back to me." I said. "Fuck. man, he was your son! He was what you wanted all your life! Of course that hurts!" Brian said. "But, you don't understand! I beat him! I saw the bruises! According to Janet during the divorce I slammed my fucking fist into him! My own son!" I said, breaking down into tears again. "Eric, alcohol makes monsters of us all! You were in a blackout. You didn't know what you were doing. You were hurting so bad inside you lashed out at everyone and everything that got in your path. In the condition you were in - you would probably have slugged Matt." he said. I looked at him in shock! Slug Matt? Could I have done that? Then, realizing what I had done, I sheepishly admitted to myself that Brian was probably right. I probably would have. "Yeah, I guess you're right." I said, calming down. "But he would have slugged me back! And Matt had a mean right hook!" I said, smiling in memory of the one time that Matt did hit me. "And how do you know that?" Mick asked. I told them about the night that Matt came back from Moscow and found out that I'd gotten married. It was the only time that Matt ever hit me, and I always felt that I deserved it. "Well, I don't know about that." Brian said. "But I guess you two had your own way of dealing with things." "Please, don't get me wrong! Matt was not a violent person. Even when he'd had a few. I had torn him apart by what I'd done. He thought I had rejected him entirely and was trying to go 'straight'. He didn't know what had really happened." I explained. "Well, enough of memories. I think it's time we all got some sleep." Brian said, and I saw him look over at Mick. Without saying a word, the two of them took my by the arms and marched me upstairs to the loft where they put me between them. Mick was behind me with his big arms around me and Brian was in front of me and my arms around him. Sandwiched between them, I fell into a dreamless sleep - probably the most rest I'd gotten since I got sober. I woke up the next morning between them. I slipped out of bed and downstairs where I took a piss and then started coffee. I could hear some groaning floating down from upstairs so I decided to give the two of them privacy. I walked out onto the deck and sat down, watching the sun shining on the lake. I started to remember the happy times that Matt, Troy and I had here. I knew that I would never see Matt again, but I made a vow to myself right then that I would find Troy and somehow gain his love back. I didn't care how long it took or what I had to do! He was my son and I still loved him. After a while, Brian joined me out on the deck. "A penny for your thoughts?" he said. "I was thinking about Matt and Troy. How much fun we used to have up here. And I was thinking about what I was going to have to do to find Troy and get him to love me again." I said. "What makes you think he doesn't?" Brian asked. "After what I did to him?!" I exclaimed. "Yes, even after what you did to him. Let me tell you something. My Dad was an alcoholic. You think that would have taught me, but it didn't. He used to beat the living shit out of my mother and then start in on my brothers and me. I was the youngest. My oldest brother, when he was 16, finally beat the shit out of the old man one night and then took off. We never heard from him again. But that must have shocked my Dad into reality because within a week, he'd joined AA and got sober. And he stayed that way. He died last year. He got to see me make 5 years sobriety. He was at the meeting and handed me my medallion. Despite all he'd done, I never stopped loving him. Of course, it was a lot easier to love him sober, but no matter what, he was still my Dad and I loved him. I'm sure Troy feels the same way about you." Brian said. "God! I hope so! So if you saw all of that, why'd you become a drunk?" I asked. "They think there's a genetic weakness towards alcoholism in families. It certainly true for mine. I had two brothers. One, like I said, we don't know where he is. The other is in AA as well. Just like Dad. And I'll bet my oldest brother is either in the Program, drunk or dead." Brian said, shaking his head. "Then there's a chance that Troy could end up that way, too!" I said, the fear and dread sounding in my voice. "Maybe not. But that's all the more reason you've got to find him! He needs his sober Dad to show him that he doesn't have to go that way." Brian said to me. "But you gotta stay sober and change your own life so that you'll be the kind of Dad he'll love and listen to." "Do you really think I can be that?" I asked. "Yes, Eric, I really do. Since you've gotten sober, I've seen amazing changes in you. Last night was a big breakthrough. You've finally started to let yourself feel. And though it hurts right now, trust me - it's all going to be good eventually. I promise." Brian said. "And I owe it all to you - and to Mick." I said, reaching over and taking his hand. "You owe it to the program of Alcoholic's Anonymous and your Higher Power. I'm just doing what I need to do so that I stay sober. That's how this Program works. We take what's been freely given to us and we pass it on. Someday, you'll do the same." he smiled at me. "It's hard to believe that I'll ever have anything to give anybody!" I said. "You're too fucking hard on yourself, buddy! Why, you've got a lot to give already. Do you remember that first night? You hadn't stayed sober two days in a row in a very long time. Do you think you'd have been impressed with another Jarhead that had managed to stay sober for 90 days that night?" he asked. "Yes, I guess I would." I admitted. "And that's what you've got now. Every one of us who's stayed sober for more than a day is a fucking miracle! It's a miracle when any alcoholic doesn't drink - because that's what alcoholics do - they drink! The longer we stay sober, the bigger the miracle and the better our lives become. But we have to change. Otherwise, the men we used to be will go out and get drunk again. Just remember, Eric - You don't have to drink if you don't want to and you don't have to drink, even if you DO want to!" Brian said. "I'll remember." I promised. That weekend, even with all the memories it brought back, was one of the best weekends I ever remember. Brian and Mick showed in so many ways that they loved me and cared about me. Sex was never an issue. They had a permanent, exclusive relationship and I respected that. In fact, the strangest thing of all is that, since I'd gotten sober, I wasn't all that much interested in sex at all. When I reached a year of sobriety and Brian handed me my first medallion, I remember I talked to him about that very issue. "I don't know what the fuck is going on, Brian. I just seem to have lost all interest in sex. Fuck! I hardly even jack-off anymore!" I told him. "Eric, this isn't unusual. You've been going through a lot this last year. I want you to think back on the sex you'd been having before you got sober. Was that the kind of sex you wanted? The violence, the sadism?" he asked. "You know it isn't." I said. "I think what you want is what you had with Matt. That wasn't sex, Eric. That was making love. You loved Matt more than anyone in the world. Whether you know it or not, whether you admit it or not, you need to feel that kind of love for someone again. Then you'll rediscover your sex- drive. Probably with a vengeance!" he smiled. "But that's never going to happen! I'm never going to love someone the way I loved Matt!" I said. "Never say 'never'. You don't know what God has in store for you. I bet a year ago, you would have said you'd never get sober and stay sober a year, did you?" he asked. I thought about that. He was right. But I just couldn't believe I would ever be able to love someone again. "You're right. But...I don't know..." I stumbled. "You're not ready to love anyone else right now. You still have not come to terms with losing Matt. You're still grieving. That's normal. Eventually you'll come to terms with it. I want you to think about something. Do you think Matt would have wanted you to never love someone again? Would Matt want you to be alone with no one to love you? Do you think that's what he would have wanted. No. Don't answer now. You think about it." he said. And so I didn't answer. And I did think about it. When I'd been sober three years, I did something I swore that I could never do. I flew back to South Carolina and went and visited Matt's family. They welcomed me like a long-lost son. I think they knew how I felt about Matt and more importantly, how Matt had felt about me. They took me to the little country church yard where Matt was buried. They sat in the car while I went and found Matt's grave. I knelt down and started crying. And then I found myself talking to him. "Matt, I still love you. I'll always love you. I've screwed up my life so bad without you! I've lost Troy. I've lost you. I lost everything I ever wanted. I became an awful drunk. I even beat Janet and Troy! That's why they left. Oh, God! I wish you were still here with me! I need you so bad!" I cried. After a while, I got up and walked away from the grave. I couldn't take any more. I knew that day, in my heart, that Matt was truly gone, and with him, every chance I thought I ever had for happiness in my life. It was the closest I ever came to getting drunk again. Yeah! I was sober! So what! I'd lost Matt. I'd lost Troy. I didn't think I'd ever get either one of them back. But even new habits die hard. I no more had the thought of drinking again and I was on the phone, collect, to Brian telling him what I was feeling. He talked to me a long time and made me understand that now that I had truly accepted the fact that Matt was gone, I could start healing. It was painful, but that it was a good thing. I flew home the next day, back to Pendelton. Brian and Mick met me at the airport. They drove me back to their house and we talked on the way about what I was going to do now. "The way I see it, I'm going to have to find Troy. He won't come looking for me, even though he's eighteen now and could, if he wanted to. I figure I'm going to have to be the one to reach out to him, but I don't know where to start." I told Brian. "Eric, I've got to be honest with you. The place to start may not be finding Troy." he said. "What do you mean?" I asked, confused. "Look, you've got three years sober. And that's nothing to sneeze at. But you've still got a lot of issues that you haven't dealt with yet. Don't you think it would be better to deal with some of the past and put it behind you before you go trying to re-establish a relationship with Troy?" Brian asked. "What kind of issues?" I asked, somewhat taken aback. I'd thought I was dealing with things pretty well. "Eric, how often do the nightmares come?" Brian asked quietly. That stopped me. I was still having them. Still waking up in the middle of the night. Still seeing Matt lying dead on the floor of that basement at my feet. The dreams didn't come as often now, maybe only once or twice a week but they still came. Brian was right about that. "Once or twice a week." I said, my voice low. "Then it's time you dealt with those, don't you think? You're a really strong guy. You've been through more than would destroy most men. But you're not invincible. Sometimes even Marines need help dealing with their feelings." Brian said, putting his hand on my shoulder. I looked into his deep blue eyes. I saw a lot of love and concern for me there. I knew he was right but I was afraid to go through it. Afraid to dreg up all those memories and have to relive that horror all over again. "I'm scared, Brian. I'm scared to let all that out again. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it and I'll start drinking again." I told him. "Eric, I understand that you're afraid. But your fear is what is hurting you. It's keeping you from finally getting rid of all that pain you've bottled up inside you for so long. And it's not like you have to go through this alone, you know. Mick and I will be there for you. And I have this friend who's a therapist. He's Gay and he's in the Program. He can help you as well. Why don't you give it a try?" he asked. And that's how I ended up sitting in a darkened office, relaxed in a recliner and slowly undergoing hypno-therapy with Dr. Rick Ballentine. Rick explained to me that hypnosis was simply a way of relaxing the barriers to the subconscious mind so that you could revisit past events and gradually expose them so that the pain in them could be healed. I could go back to those horrible events that lead to Matt's death without fear because I wasn't alone. Rick was right there with me, leading me on, helping me to clearly see that there was nothing there that could hurt me now. I was able to remember everything that happened. I could also begin to understand my feelings about it. One of the things I found out was that I had been blaming myself this whole time for Matt's death. Somehow I had decided that it was my responsibility to save him and I hadn't done my job. I thought that I was a coward who whimped out and allowed my lover to die. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. We had both undergone tremendous torture - a lot of it delivered through electrical connectors attached to sensitive areas of our bodies - our tits, our balls, our cocks - even inside our anuses. The torturers were masters of their craft. They knew just how to extract the maximum level of pain without causing you to pass out or die. And while they seemed to want certain information about our operation which we wouldn't give them, it became clear through the hypnosis that they were much more interested in inflicting torture for their own enjoyment than any information that Matt and I could possibly have. I had begged and pleaded with them, the day they killed Matt to take me instead - let me die in his place. They had only laughed and said that they were going to kill me next anyway. As Matt and I looked at each other for the last time, I could now clearly remember him silently mouthing to me, "I love you" before one of the bastards grabbed his head, pulled it back and slit his throat. All I could remember after that was that I screamed and then there was darkness. I guessed I passed out. When I came to, the rest of our Recon force was cutting me down from the pipe over which they had tied my hands and arms, leaving me to hang. They had two of the torturers still alive. One was the guy who had killed Matt. Without thinking, I went berserk! I grabbed a knife from the sheath on the leg of one of the other Marines and went at the guy. I was told I stabbed the guy over 30 times before they could pull me off him. They said that I bit out his throat with my own teeth first. Until the therapy, I didn't remember any of it. It took many months for me to gain all of this back and, worse, to deal with it. But I finally stopped blaming myself for Matt's death. And I finally came to understand that I had nothing to be ashamed of in terms of my conduct during the incident. I had a lot to be ashamed of for what came after but Dr. Rick finally got it through my thick head that I was trying to respond to an impossible load of pain and guilt inside me. As he put it - "it went in violently, it's only natural that's the way it would come out.". I was coming up on five years sober by the time that Dr. Rick decided that he'd done as much for me as he could. I was also facing the decision whether to re-enlist or not. While at one time I had wanted to make the Marine Corps my career, I was changing and my need for military life was no where near as strong as it once was. My own acceptance of my being Gay and knowing what a risk I ran in the Corps, was making it harder and harder to re-enlist. "So what would happen if you left? Would that be so bad?" Brian asked me one day while we were talking. "But what would I do? There isn't a lot of call for a 'sniper' out in society - unless I wanted to take up work as an assassin." I told him. "I don't think that would be the right career move for you." Brian laughed. "So what the fuck could I do?" I asked. "Why don't you come an help me, you brainless Jarhead! I'm overwhelmed with business and need somebody I can trust!" Mick's voice came from the kitchen where he was cooking dinner. "What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked. Mick came out of the kitchen. I almost fell off my chair laughing. Here was this 6'4" Irish bodybuilder with a bright pink apron that said 'Kitchen Fairy' on it and was trimmed in lace! "Hey! Don't laugh! This came from that idiot ex-Marine you call a 'sponsor', bud!" Mick said. I looked at Brian and we both were laughing so hard we could hardly get our breath. Even Mick was laughing now. Once we calmed down, I asked Mick again what he was talking about. "The Gym has really taken off. It seems like every sissy in San Diego wants to work out there. It's runnin' me ragged. I need help, but can't find anybody that I can trust to really keep an eye on things and run the business." Mick explained. "But I don't know anything about running a gym!" I protested. "Everything you'd need to know I can teach you in a day. The rest you can learn as you go along. And I know you'd be a hit with the customers. You are already." Mick smiled a sly grin at me. "What the fuck are you talking about?" I was totally confused by this statement. "Haven't you seen the way they drool over you when you work out?" Mick asked. "Shit! I've got guys who claim to be the biggest Tops in California who would lay down on the floor of the weight room on their backs and beg you to fuck them if they thought it would do any good!" "You're kidding?" I asked, aghast at what Mick was telling me. "Do you need glasses, boy?" Mick answered. "You're sitting there telling me that you don't see all those guys cruising you every second that you're in there? Fuck! You ought to be able to feel holes being bored through you with their stares! Whether you know it or not, Marine, you are one fucking hunk and those boys would do anything to get their hands on you." "Mick, I really hadn't noticed. I guess I'm not looking for sex. I'm certainly not looking to be the next notch on somebody's weight-belt. It just doesn't interest me." I said. "That's ok. In fact, that's best! Most of these guys only drool over you because you're so unattainable. If you ever took them up on the offers they'd like to make to you - they'd just see you as a slut. Come to think of it, you would be a slut!" Mick laughed. "In fact, you might not live through it!" "Oh, come on, Mick! Stop it. Can't you see you're embarrassing Eric?" Brian spoke up. In fact I was blushing because I could feel my face heating up. I had no idea that anyone had been cruising me. What I told Mick, however, was the truth. I wasn't interested. Brian had been right. I had too many of my own issues to deal with before I could think about anything else. And, even though I'd dealt with Matt's memory, I still missed him something awful. I knew that if I was ever going to be happy with another man, it was going to have to be with a man like Matt and it was going to have to be a relationship. I wanted it all or nothing! And I just didn't feel like I was ready to fall in love again right then. "I'm sorry, Eric. But my offer still stands. You'd be great and I know that I could trust you." Mick said. "Besides, I'll let you in on a little secret. If things continue going so well and I find the right guy to run it, I'm seriously thinking of opening a second gym. I would love you to be the one to manage it." I was overwhelmed. I thanked Mick for his offer and told him I would seriously think about it. And I did. I thought about it long and hard. I had another ten months before my enlistment was up but I finally told Mick that I was not going to re-enlist and would accept his offer to help manage the gym once I had been discharged. He was delighted and I was nervous. I'd never worked out in civilian life. I hoped that my skills were up to it. A couple of months later Brian, Mick and I were up at the cabin again and Brian showed me a brochure. It was for the annual California State AA Convention and was being held in San Diego for the first time since I got sober. Brian was particularly interested in going because he wanted to hear one of the speakers. "His name is Fr. Bobby G. He's a priest and he works with people who have HIV/AIDS and also people in recovery. What they're not saying in this brochure, however is that he's HIV+ and he's Gay. And he's very out about both. I've heard about him and his work from friends of mine back east. I'll bet he's got a hell of a story to tell." Brian said. "So why don't we go?" I asked. "I'd hoped you'd say that! I've made reservations at the hotel for all three of us. Mick and I are going to use it kind of like a vacation. It's so hard for him to get away, but he's got a friend who's going to take care of the gym for the week." "What's one of these conventions like?" I asked. "It's thousands of alcoholics from all over the state. There are continual meetings, seminars, dinners, dances all kinds of things! It's a chance for people to learn more about sobriety and to celebrate their own sobriety. I think you'll really like it." Brian said. So, a couple of months later, I found myself surrounded by thousands of sober people in a huge auditorium. It was Saturday night and the featured speaker of the Convention, the priest that Brian had wanted to hear was on stage. His story was a very moving one. How he had spent his life drinking and hating himself for being Gay and how he believed that God hated him for being Gay as well. How he had gotten sober and still couldn't accept himself or God. And how he had begun working with AIDS patients very early in the epidemic. He also told how he been lost in depression and yet unaware of it when he set out to purposely get himself infected with the virus. It was particularly moving in that through this all, he didn't drink but managed to hang onto his sobriety. Finally, he found that help that he needed through helping others and learned that God had loved him all along. It was then he was ordained and started to truly minister to people. All of this he credited to his Higher Power and the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous. He was now almost 21 years sober and healthy. He ministry to others was growing both in the recovery community and in the AIDS community, among both Gay and straight. His closing words were particularly moving for me: "God created each and every one of us. God loves each and every one of us. What Father could not love all his children? What father could forget any of his children? Just like the Father of the Prodigal Son, all he waits for is for each of us to come home to his love." I thought about Troy. All I wanted was for him to come home to my love. But he was 20 now. It had been two years. I had not been able to find him and he had never tried to find me. I was starting to give up any hope of ever seeing him again. After the meeting, Brian took us through the throng of people to meet the priest. I don't know what it was, but in all that crowd of people trying to congratulate and thank him, the priest looked right at me. "I want to talk with you. Alone. Is that all right with you?" He asked point blank. "Uhh...sure." I said, not knowing how else to answer. The priest made fast work of accepting the greetings of all the people who wanted to talk to him and then walked over to me. "Let's go up to my room. We can be alone there for a while. I promise I won't rape you." he smiled. I laughed. It was particularly funny because at 6'2" I towered over him. I found out later he was only 5'5" tall. Not only this, but he had at least 20 years on me. We went up to his suite and sat down in the living room. He had rung room service on the way up and there was a pot of coffee waiting for us. He poured two cups and we faced each other. "So tell me your name, Marine." he asked. "I'm Eric, and how did you know I'm a Marine?" I asked. He laughed. "Son, the 'Marine walk' is a dead give away, not to mention the 'high and tight'. You even sit like you're at attention. And besides, I've known a lot of Marines in my life!" he grinned, his eyes twinkling. "I take it that you mean that in the 'biblical' sense, Father?" I joked. "I take the 5th on that one! And it's Bobby. Please, don't stand on ceremony with me, Eric." he said. "So why did you want to talk to me?" I asked. "Well, perhaps because I wanted to be alone with just about the handsomest man I've seen in a long time. And that in itself is true." he said and I blushed. "But more out of curiosity. You are beautiful. You have beautiful eyes and a beautiful smile. But even when you're smiling, your eyes are just about the saddest eyes I've even seen. Why?" he asked. "Are you sure you want to know? It's not a very pretty story." I said. "None of our stories are pretty, Eric. That story I told on stage tonight was cleaned up to emphasize the message of hope and love. There are many more horrors I could have told them." he said. "Ok, but just remember, you asked!" I said. And I told him. I told him everything. All about my life. About Matt, Janet and Troy. About Matt's murder and my subsequent descent into the depths of alcoholism. I especially talked about how much I loved and missed my son and how I had almost give up hope of ever finding him. The priest listened to all of it, only interrupting to ask questions to clarify something. I don't know exactly how long we talked but it was hours. When we were done, however, I had a feeling like I had finally come clean about everything. Like somehow I was as "washed clean in the blood of the Lamb" like they used to preach all the time in the church I grew up in. I told Fr. Bobby that and he laughed. "It's true. If you had been raised in some part of the Catholic faith, I'd give you absolution right now because it was a true 'confession' for you." he told me. "So why don't you?" I asked quietly. "Why don't I what?" he asked, confused. "Why don't you give me absolution. Maybe that what I finally need. Someone to tell me that God really does forgive me for all the wrong I did. Maybe then I can finally put the past behind me." I told him. "Eric, if that's what you want, I would be glad to give you absolution. You have been baptized, haven't you?" he asked. "Oh, yeah!" I laughed. "I nearly drowned the minister kept me down so long!" "Then, my son, for these and all your other transgressions, spoken or unsaid, known or not known to you, I forgive you your sins, absolve and pardon you of all of them, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." his voice intoned. As he did this, he traced the sign of a cross on my forehead and laid both his hands on my head. I don't know what it was. Maybe just my imagination, but it felt like a tremendous load had been lifted off me. I smiled at him and he smiled back. A beautiful, almost angelic smile. Without thinking, I leaned over and took him in my arms and gave him a hug. Then I pulled back. "Oh, I'm sorry. I don't know whether that's allowed." I said. "Oh, yes! Hugs are perfectly acceptable!" he laughed and we hugged again. I talked to Fr. Bobby several more times during the convention and I gave him my phone numbers and how to reach me. He did the same. It was sad parting with him after the convention. I wished he lived in San Diego so that I could have spent more time with him. I got the feeling that there was a lot I could learn from him. The convention was a real high and I went back to the last of my military duties feeling so much better about myself. Now I was down to the last few months. I actually had enough accumulated leave that by the last three months of my enlistment, I could go on what was called 'terminal leave', meaning that I would be on leave and automatically discharged at the end of it. It must have been about a week after the convention. I was up at the cabin with Brian and Mick. They had taken a walk in the woods and I was sitting on the deck enjoying the sunset when my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the phone number or name. "Hello." I said. "Dad...Dad this is Troy." I almost dropped the phone! "Yes! Troy! It's me!" I all but screamed over the phone. I couldn't believe this - after all this time! Troy! "Dad...I don't know what to say...how are you?" his voice was hesitant. "I'm fine, son! Fucking great now that I'm talking to you! How are you?" I said. "I'm good, Dad. Really good...Dad, I'm married." Troy said, hesitantly. "That's good, son! What's she like?" I asked. Oh, shit! I guess I should have figured he'd turn out straight! "Dad...it's not a she. I'm married to a guy." Troy said quietly. Fuck! All right! That makes things a lot easier! "That's ok, Troy! Anything as long as you're happy!" I said. "I am, Dad. I'm very happy. Mike and I have been together about 3 years now. I really love him, Dad... as much as you loved Uncle Matt." Troy said. I was stunned. I didn't think he would know, that he would remember. "I...I...hope you're as happy as we were, son. I didn't realize that you knew." I said. "I didn't, really. I only figured it out tonight. Aren't you wondering how I got your phone number?" he asked. "I thought you went through the base personnel locator." I said. "No, Dad. I said that I was 'married'. I meant with a ceremony and everything. Mike and I were married by Fr. Robert Gray. Does that name mean anything to you?" Troy asked. "Yes! I met Fr. Gray last week! Fuck! You mean he knew you! Why didn't he tell me?" I asked. "From what he told my lover, Mike, he wanted to make sure that I wanted contact with you before he said anything. He was only trying to protect me. We've become very close friends." Troy explained. "Ok, I understand that. Troy...I don't know if you can accept this now...but I'm sorry. I truly am sorry for the way I treated you. I've lived through hell, knowing that you hated me." I said, tears starting to fall from my eyes. "Dad. I forgive you. I understand now why things happened the way they did. I love you, Daddy." Troy's voice broke over the phone and I could hear him sobbing. "Troy! Son! Please don't cry! This was all my fault! I love you so much! Can I please come an see you?" I begged. "Oh! I would love that more than anything, Daddy! I want you to meet Mike. I want you two to get to know each other. But there's some things I really need to explain first." he said. "There's nothing you need to explain, Troy." I said. "Yes, there is. Please listen. Mike is older than I am. He's 35 almost 36 now. I met him when I was dating his daughter. That was just for cover because I didn't want anyone to know I was Gay." Troy explained. "I know about that, as you well know. Look, Troy, if you love him and he loves you, I've got no problem with that." I said. "Ok, but I think I'd better tell you about Randy as well." Troy said. "Randy?" I asked. "Randy is Mike's first lover. This is kind of complicated to explain. They knew each other since they were little kids but lost each other when Mike got his daughter's mother pregnant when they were 17. Randy came back into our lives a couple of years ago. He had a lover named Jamie. The night of my 18th birthday, Jamie was hit by a drunk driver and died a few days later. Randy went completely to pieces and Mike and I took him in and we've made him our lover. He's still getting over Jamie's death, but he's doing a lot better. We know he won't be with us forever, but we both love him very much. I know this is complicated, but I want you to understand what you're going to witness when you get here." Troy said. "Troy, I've changed. Since I've gotten sober, I've developed a very open mind about a lot of things. If this relationship works for you and you're happy - believe me, Son, that's all that matters to me. You could be fucking Siberian Tigers for all I care! I just want to see you - to hold you in my arms again!" I said. "That's what I want, too, Daddy! How soon can you get here?" Troy asked. "If you call me back in 30 minutes, I'll have the time of the arrival for what plane I'll be on. And I promise, it will be either tomorrow or the next day. Is that soon enough for you?" I asked. "No. I want you here now! But tomorrow or the next day will have to do!" he said, excitement in his voice. "Just call me back in half an hour. I'll call the airlines right now." I said. "Ok. Daddy, I love you. I thought I didn't for a long time but Mike made me realize that I never stopped loving you." Troy said. "I love your lover already!" I laughed. "Now, let me call the airlines and then call me back. I love you, too, Troy! You don't know how much!" "I'll talk to you in 30 minutes!" Troy said and broke the connection. I quickly called the airlines. I could get a seat on a flight arriving at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow. It was cutting it close, but I could make it! I started yelling for Brian and Mick. They came running out of the wood, convinced, I'm sure, that the cabin was on fire the way I was yelling. "Eric! What's wrong?!" Brian yelled as they ran towards the deck. "I just talked to Troy!!!" I screamed. Brian and Mick stopped dead in their tracks, looked at each other and then started yelling and running towards me, the joy on their faces almost equal to mine! They grabbed me and the three of us hugged and danced around the deck like five year olds. "What the fuck happened? How did he find you?" Brian finally asked. "It was the fucking Convention! Fr. Bobby? He performed Troy's wedding!" I said. "Oh, shit! Your son is straight." Mick said. "Fuck, no! Troy's as Gay as I am! He has a lover named Mike and Fr. Bobby married them! He knew the whole time I was talking to him who I was talking about. He couldn't tell me until he talked to Troy about it." I said. "So what now?" Brian asked. "I just booked a flight. I get there at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow. I'm waiting now for Troy to call me back so I can tell him what flight I'll be on." I told them. "Well, the Marines were always a very mobile fighting force!" Mick laughed. "You move fast." "I can't help it! I lost Troy, I thought forever. This is everything I've prayed for. If I can't have Matt back, at least I can have Troy back." I said. "We understand." Brian smiled. "So we'll drive you back to the base so that you can pack and then we'll drive you to the airport." "No. We'll stay here tonight. We can swing by the base tomorrow. I want you and Mick to take care of the cabin while I'm gone. And I mean that I want the two of you to use it! You got that?" I said. "Sir! Yes, Sir!" Brian and Mick barked together. We all broke up laughing. "Now I'm serious. I want you two to enjoy yourself up here while I'm gone." I told them. "How long to you expect to be gone?" Mick asked. "I don't know. I'm going to play it by ear." I said. "Well, we'll be here waiting until you get back." Brian said. "And you know you can call if you need me." I leaned over and hugged him. "Whether you admit it or not, I owe my life to you, Chris. There's no way I can ever thank you for what you did for me." I said. "Yes, there is. Pass it on." Chris said. At that point, my cell phone rang and I looked at the number. "It's Troy!" I said, turning to answer. The End of Part 25 of MY DAUGHTER'S EX BOYFRIEND - ERIC'S STORY 9 I hope you enjoyed the story so far. If you did, write me at rimpigfl@yahoo.com. I love to hear from my readers. Also, if you'd like a listing of all my stories on the Nifty Archive, I'll be glad to send you one if you request it. Please don't send plot suggestions. By the time you read this, the entire story is already written. RimPig