Date: Thu, 2 May 2013 11:39:28 -0400
From: preecherdave@gmail.com
Subject: Introspection 5

Introspection 5

If you like this story or any that you have read on Nifty, a reminder from
Nifty that it needs your donations to keep these stories being
published. All donations will help.

http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html

This document contains homosexual themes and acts. If you are underage or
don't like the subject, then don't read it.

The story is not autobiographical and is a product of the writer's fertile
imagination.


Comments welcomed                    preecherdave@gmail.com


Dave's Note

Paul, Andrew and I have to take a trip out of town so possibly there will
be no publication next week. There are 3 more chapters in various states of
readiness. If you enjoy the story, there is more to come. Stay tuned


Previously

We arrived back at the condo in the early evening. In a call to Rob, he had
told me that it was ready and there were basic supplies in the kitchen
... and the bedroom. Tony was beginning to really rub off on him. I had
chuckled for minutes after the call.

I opened the the door with some trepidation. I had spent a bundle; did we
get it right? I gasped. Somehow Rob and Tony had had our new furniture
delivered and they had arranged it exactly as we had planned. The colours
in the room were exquisite, exactly what we had envisioned. Andrew had been
the mastermind, especially the colours and furniture arrangement. The
kitchen was incredible, especially with the floor. I almost broke down when
I looked into the bedroom. The new bed was there with a beautiful duvet
cover with a big note wishing us the best; it was a gift from Rob and
Tony. There was an empty bottle of bubbly on the side table with another
note that the said that real stuff was in the refrigerator. Beside the
bottle was a box of condoms and bottle of lube. We both broke out into
laughter and pulled each other close.

On the way home, I had had time to think about the time with the Taylors,
my first encounter with Phil, the chats with Jack, the warmth that Janice
gave to me, even our time with Phil in the last two days and our wonderful
time at the cottage by ourselves. I was beginning to really realize just
how much this guy meant to me. I felt so close and we seemed to enjoy each
other in so many ways. It had been a wonderful time. It hit me as we stood
in the bedroom holding each other comfortably close that we were home. Our
home.

Present

We celebrated appropriately both that night and next morning. I was a
little tired at work that day. Must have been the tree cutting. Right!

For once, I told my colleagues of my adventures at Andrew's home and the
renovation. They laughed at my tree cutting and the family dynamics and
congratulated me on a successful renovation. It felt good to be a little
more involved with them. I was surprised when one of the guys, Keith, came
up to me at coffee break in the afternoon. He was in his mid 20s and had
only been in his job for a year. He wanted to chat. From his demeanour, I
suspected that there was another motive. He looked around at one point and
asked if I could keep a secret and could he ask some questions. I knew what
the conversation was going to be about. I had done the same thing myself in
my first year university.

Short version was that he suspected that he was gay but was afraid to take
the first step. He asked me a lot about my relationships and particularly
about Andrew. By the time we were finished I had invited him to go to the
club with the group. I emphasized that he could do what he wanted and he
should go at the speed that he was comfortable with. I stressed too that at
the club that he could just say he was me or one of the group to get out of
an uncomfortable situation. Andrew agreed that it was great thing to do.

We sat down after supper that night to plan the rest of our summer. We
decided on a trip to Andrew's family in two weeks to help with chores and
make certain that Janice had backup with Jack. Then, the discussion about
Labour Day. It was an interesting discussion. It seemed a given by both of
us that we would spend it together. It was a tradition for both of us to
spend it at our parent's cottage. I had decided that I wanted to change
that tradition with my parents. If I went to their cottage, I wanted Andrew
to be included and not just as friend. He was definitely part of my life in
a way that no one else had ever been. I decided to start with a call to my
sister, Anne.

She was pleased when I called. We chatted about what she was doing and her
life with Jason. They were not married but had been living together for 2
years. I really got on well with both of them. I told her about Andrew and
our experiences at his place last week week. We had some good laughs. The
conversation changed when I brought up Labour Day. She explained that Mom
and Dad were active in their local parish and a new priest had come who was
quite conservative. I explained that Andrew was now the same for me as
Jason was to her. She laughed and told me that, for her and me, it was the
same but not for Mom and Dad. She understood why I wanted to push the
issue. We discussed strategies. Anne offered to phone first and I vetoed
that idea but said that I would tell them that we had talked and she had no
problems. She wished me good luck. It appeared that my apprehensions were
correct.

I debated in my mind when to phone and how to handle the call. I must admit
that I procrastinated for a couple of days. I realized that it was
upsetting me so I decided on Wednesday evening that Thursday was the
time. It was getting closer to Labour Day and I hadn't phoned home for a
few weeks with the renovations and the trip home with Andrew.

Thursday evening I told Andrew what I was going to do. So for privacy I
went into the bedroom and stretched out on the bed and called.

"Hi Mom. It has been a while. Yes, it has been busy. I renovated my condo
and moved into it. Yes I was living with some friends while the work was
done. That was the number I gave you. Peter? No Peter and I had a parting
of the ways back in May. Long story but I moved out. Yes, it
happens. Labour Day, funny that you should mention it. That is one of the
reasons I phoned. I would like to make some plans. Well, yes I would like
to come but I want to bring a friend with me." There was silence on the
other end of the phone. "Mom are you still there?"

"Paul, you have taken me by surprise. Who is he? Why now? You have never
suggested this before."

"I guess I have never wanted to do it before. I think that you will like
Andrew. He is very special. He is an accountant and financial officer in a
local company. We have visited his family, a great bunch. We are heading up
there next weekend as his father broke his leg and they need some help."

"So they have accepted you?"

"I feet that I have become one of the family. Thanks to all my training by
Dad, I taught Andrew and his brother, Phil, how to take down a big tree and
cut it up for firewood. We had a great time. I guess that is one of the
reasons that I want to bring Andrew along for Labour Day."

"Paul, I think that you know that your father and I have religious
reservations to this kind of relationship."

"Actually, Mom you have never really said that. I thought that you had
accepted my orientation. It has never been an issue. I feel that Andrew and
I have much the same relationship as Anne and Jason."

There was another pause of silence. "I think that you are comparing apples
and oranges."

An interesting way to put it but it still boiled down to 'that is
different'. "By the law of Canada, I am comparing two things that are
exactly the same."

"Maybe, the law is wrong."

"The law is the law and we have a fundamental separation of church and
state. Mom, I guess we have never had this conversation. I am not sure what
you are saying. If you don't want to invite Andrew, he and I can find
something to do on the Labour Day weekend."

"You mean you would reject your family for this man?"

"No, I am not rejecting my family. We have planned to spend Labour Day
together and we wanted to do it with my family.  If anything, to be frank,
I would say that you are rejecting me for your religious beliefs. Mom, if
grandma and grandpa had refused to have Dad with them, what would you have
done?"

"That would never have happened."

"Well it appears that it has now with Andrew and me. Mom at this point in
my life, he is my partner just as Jason is Anne's partner. By the way, Anne
and I have talked and she has no problem with this at all."

  "Well I guess your father and I shall have to talk about this. This is
not the conversation that I expected."

"Not what I expected either. Talk to you soon." I guess it was the
conversation that I had expected but best not to admit that. Let her think
that this was a surprise to me.

Andrew could see that I was upset when I joined him in the living room. He
quickly came over and embraced me, holding me tight. I explained and we
talked it through.

"I am sorry that I am the cause of this."

"Remember what you said when I told you that I would leave if your father
asked me to." He looked as if he didn't remember. "I can quote exactly. 'If
you go, I go with you! This ends here, now.' Do you realize how much that
meant to me? Well, this goes double back to you."

He held me even tighter.

"Andrew, this is not settled. I expect a call from my mother or father
tonight or tomorrow. They will want to settle this. I don't know how it
will go but I do know my position."

Sure enough the phone rang at 9. I suggested that Andrew answer it to add a
little reality to the situation. "Hello. Yes, this is Andrew. Hello
Mr. Watson. Yes, I shall give you over to Paul."

I took the phone. "Hi, Dad." I paused listening to his torrent of words and
emotions. "No I didn't think of it as a bombshell. I just told Mom that I
wanted to bring a friend to the cottage on Labour Day. She was the one who
brought up the question of why I would invite him. I actually thought that
I was rather subdued and logical."

"Sounds to us like an ultimatum!"

"Dad, you would never question whether Jason should come to the
cottage. They aren't married but they live together, plan their life
together. That is exactly what Andrew and I do. I am not going to change my
orientation. You have known about it for almost a decade and I assure you
that I am not attracted to women. That is not going to change. So Andrew
and I were planning our summer, fall and Labour Day. I really do want to
spend it with him and with you, Mom, Anne and Jason, my family."

I stopped because I had two emotions playing in my thoughts, anger and a
sadness that was close to tears. I didn't want to become embroiled in an
emotional debate. I was trying to keep it subdued and logical. I thought I
was doing a good job. I could see Andrew hovering in the kitchen with a
knowing but very sympathetic look on his face.

"What about our feelings on this question?"

"Dad that is your decision. Maybe I wasn't elegant but that is what I said
to Mom, that if you don't want to invite Andrew that is your prerogative. I
simply told her what I would do in that case. Perhaps I reacted to her
saying that I was rejecting my family for this man, a bit starkly for her."
I paused to make sure that I used the softest most conciliatory voice that
I could muster.  "Dad, I am going to be honest and speak plainly. Andrew
and I are spending Labour Day weekend together. We hope that it is with
you. Anne frankly hopes for the same thing." I just had to play the Anne
card.

"So we have no choice."

"Put another way, Dad, the choice is yours." There was a long pause and I
decided to remain silent so as not to give him anything to react to do
except to make a decision.

"Can I be blunt?

"Yes but I can be in return."

"Are you going to be sleeping in the same room?"

Ah, my trump card, I could keep it less confrontational. "Are Anne and
Jason going to be sharing the same room?"

"You should have been a lawyer."

With a little chuckle, "Not sure if that is a compliment or an insult."

I could almost hear as suppressed chuckle from his end. "When will you be
arriving?" It was said with a sigh but no noticeable reluctance.

"Not sure. It may have to be Saturday morning. It is a bit of drive and we
are not sure of our schedules." Oh, Paul, nice touch, 'our
schedules'. "Will be in contact in the next little while when we know the
details. Thanks Dad and I really mean it."

Andrew came out of the kitchen with a look a puzzled look on his face. "So
we live together and plan our life together just like you sister and her
PARTNER. Does that mean that you think of me in the same way? Now that is a
bombshell. I don't think that I have been consulted on this one."

I tried to make face that said that what I said was nothing. "I, I, I was
trying to make a logical argument so that my loser roommate wouldn't have
to spend his Labour Day weekend alone. The proof is that I got him an
invitation."

We had moved towards each other as we spoke. When we were in reaching
distance, I grabbed him turned him around and smacked his ass. "Smart ass!"

He turned his head and we kissed. A very high octane kiss. "If I'm a smart
ass, you should put me over your knee and do what you did in the Suites."
He raised his eyebrows. In 30 seconds, I had him naked from the waist
down. I moved us to chair in the living room and forced him over my
knees. He didn't really need any forcing but it was part of the act. His
ass was turning red as I rained down light smacks. I could feel that he was
rock hard and he was moaning with pleasure.

"You kinky bugger." I stopped and put a wet finger into him. With his
reaction, he almost tossed himself off my knees. We stood and I stripped
him totally. He went and sat on the couch.

"Do a strip tease for me. I guess this is kinky night." I did the best one
I knew how. I turned and ended up turned backwards to him as I bared my
ass.

"Walk backwards to me!" I did and he smacked my ass several times. Pain and
pleasure, boy did that get the blood flowing everywhere. I was rock hard. I
understood why he enjoyed it. He turned me around and swallowed my cock. My
eyes opened wide. My breathing sped up but was shallow. I was in total
lust.

We had been tested a couple of weeks before so I told him to hold those
thoughts and came back with just the lube. I sat on the couch beside him
and handed him the lube, pointing to my cock. When he was finished, "OK
smart ass, sit on it."

"With the greatest pleasure." A hundred watt smile on his face

I let him set the pace as he went in and held and then slowly sank down
until there was no more. The look of absolute pleasure radiated on both our
faces. "Andrew, so tight and hot. Oh shit, do it again, I can feel the
contractions. Oh shiiiit!"

"Paul, I feel so full and connected with you. I'll be your smart ass any
day you want. Oh, yes, move inside me. Feels so erotic. Fuck, fuck fuck."

"Is that a request or an expletive?"

"Both, dumb ass. Fuck me!"

I pulled him close and started one of our gentle, erotic kisses. It just
turned me on even more, something that seemed almost impossible. As we
kissed, he was moving, contracting around me and I was forcing myself in
and out of him. I finally put my hand on his shoulders to stop him. I was
too close. We kissed and fondled each other until we were calmer. When we
started again, I knew that we would not last long. I murmured to him to
finish when he wanted. Suddenly, I saw his eyes close, his face screw up
and his body went rigid as his hand flew up and down on himself. I started
to go in and out fast and hard. I felt his contractions grip and release me
in a rhythm. Half a minute after he blasted my chest and neck with his
semen, I yelled his name as I sent shot after shot into him. I lost track
at five or six. I was lost in mist of shocks to my nervous system that were
incredible. While I was still in my stage of passion and lust, I had
scooped up his semen and put it in my mouth. I shared it with him as we
kissed.

I looked at him with moist eyes, "Partner, it seems to get better and
better."

"Lover, you mean so much to me that it is scary. You said so many wonderful
things to your father."

As the body will have it, I came out of him as we stayed almost glued
together. We remained for a few more minutes of kisses and fondling and
made our way into bed where we fell asleep, my arms around him, nestled
together. My last thoughts were thank you Peter for getting me to see our
relationship clearly and thank you Jack and thank you Dad for accepting
Andrew and me together. Little did I know that the thanks to Dad (and Mom)
would take a lot more work.

We went to Andrew's parents' place and had a great time. His father was
doing very well accepting his limitations. He loved ordering everyone round
as he supervised. A monster had been created. I gave him as good as he
gave, in return; he took it from me. We noticed a change in Phil. It was
hard to pin it down but he was doing more around the house and with the
business. He seemed almost friendly to both Andrew and me. We were actually
introduced to Julie at Sunday lunch before we left. Phil had good taste in
women; I almost regretted my words to Phil about her during my first
encounter with him. She was a keeper. I hoped that Phil felt the same.

The trip home was enjoyable as we discussed the great weekend that we had
had. We organized our next couple of weeks that would end with our trip to
Mom and Dad's cottage for the Labour Day weekend.  I was so looking forward
to seeing Anne and Jason and introducing Andrew to my family.

The weeks passed quickly and we were in the car on Saturday morning heading
for the cottage. I think that we had bought up half the city for the
lunches that I told Mom that we would supply. Dad would work his BBQ magic
for the evening meals. The day was a beautiful end of summer day with the
sun shining with only a few fluffy white clouds in the sky and the
temperature in the mid 20s celsius. it would be great for some fishing and
swimming in the afternoon. We arrived by 11 o'clock. The greeting was as
chaotic as usual since Anne had arrived the night before. Mom seemed a bit
reserved in her greeting of both Andrew and me but I assumed that she just
didn't want to add to the chaos.

After a great lunch that we had brought, Dad said that they needed some
things in town and that maybe he and Andrew could go in. It was clear at
lunch that Jason and Anne had taken to Andrew immediately. I figured it was
Dad's way to get to know him better. We could go fishing and swimming when
they got back.

Jason and Anne went down to the beach to do a little clean up. Mom and I
had volunteered to do the clean up after lunch. We made idle chit chat but
I sensed that there was something on Mom's mind. I decided that I might be
wrong but if there was something, I would just let her broach it. It did
not take long.

"Paul, I am upset by the situation that we find ourselves in." I looked at
her with a questioning look on my face. "I told you on our last telephone
call that I was not comfortable with your relationship."

My relationship, my god given orientation? Ok Paul, stay reasonable and low
key. "I talked to Dad and I am certain that we had reached an
understanding."

"Well, I wasn't part of that conversation and he and I have had some deep
discussions on the topic."

"Unfortunately, not with me. Several weeks have gone by and Andrew is here
with me for the weekend. I assumed that everything was alright."

"Well, I guess that your assumptions are not quite the way things are."

"What exactly are you saying?"

"Well, I cannot have two men sleeping in the same room together."

"But you can have an unmarried male and female sleeping in the same room
together?" I could feel my anger rising.

"That is different!"

Control the anger. I did but just barely. "Not in my book. Is this an
ultimatum?"

"It is the way I want it in my house."

"Mom, I can only say that this was not the way to do this. I certainly hope
that Dad is not having a variation of this talk with Andrew. To be as blunt
as you have been, you have made a choice. I shall now have to make my
choice."

"I don't see that you have one."

I stood up looking sadly at her. "There are always choices, Mom." I stared
at her surprised look.

Undaunted or just willfully oblivious, "Father Sebastian says that there is
a very good priest and program in the city for you, to help deal with your
situation."

I said in a quiet, authoritative voice.  "There will never ... be a priest
or a program for me and my god given 'situation' or for my genetic makeup,
given to me by Dad and you." I left the cottage before anything further
could be said by either of us.

I was angry and humiliated. Angry at the comparison of the welcome to me by
Andrew's parents and his welcome by mine. Humiliated that they had let us
arrive with no warning of the change in my agreement with Dad. I suspected
that Mom had laid down her law and belief to Dad and he must have thought
that I would react as he had done. Acceptance.  He didn't know me! I went
for a walk on the beach listening for the car to return. I needed
desperately to see if Dad had spoken to Andrew and explain the situation to
Andrew. Luckily Anne and Jason had gone for a walk and were not in sight. I
stewed and finally decided on my course of action but I would have to talk
to Andrew first.

I heard the car arrive.  Dad got out first. "Get everything that you
needed? Need any help?" There was a look of relief on his face. So he did
know what Mom was going to do in their absence. He shook his head saying
that no help needed. Little did he realize that his relief would be
temporary. My mother liked to get her way, exactly the way that she wanted
it.  I looked at Andrew. He looked calm but upset. I motioned with my head
to come to the beach with me.

I put my arm over his shoulder and gave him a smile. "Had an interesting
session with my mother. From the look on your face, you had an interesting
time with Dad?"

"Apparently, my coming has put a lot of stress on the family."

"No stress as long as we obey mother's strict guide of contact for single
males sleeping together. Actually, they can't sleep together in her house."
That got the first smile from Andrew. "I told my mother that I would have
to make a choice. She told me that she didn't see that I had any choices. I
told her that there were always choices."  I looked at Andrew and
grinned. "Remember your words that this stops here, now. It is her home. I
can't accept her choices, her rules. I know a good hotel not too far from
here where we can have a great Labour Day together on equality terms with
my unmarried sister and Jason. By the way, I love and respect my sister."

"Right, you just want to get me into bed."

"Amongst other things." I wiggled my eyebrows. By this time, we were both
laughing. "We never packed our things. It is going to be awkward but the
rest of the weekend will be even more so, if we stay; that, I can
guarantee."

We stopped on the beach and I found the hotel number using my phone and
made a reservation for two nights and for supper on Sunday night. I knew a
little local restaurant for tonight. We went back to the cottage and went
straight to the bedroom without saying a word to Mom or Dad. Only my
suitcase was there. We found Andrew's in the small bedroom at the back. I
shook my head at the nerve of my mother. We carried them out to the living
room. My father's look of surprise was only surpassed by my mother's look
of triumph turing to anger as she registered my choice.

"What do you think that you are doing?"

"I told you mother that there are always choices."

"So you would ruin the weekend over this matter!"

"You have managed to do that all by yourself."

My mother's eyes opened wide, her nose flared. "Paul!" My father warned.

"OK, Dad. You are right. That is one of the reasons that we are leaving."

I heard footsteps on the deck. It was going to become more awkward. Anne
came in first and stopped short. "What's going on?"

"I think that you had better ask Mom." I picked up our cases. "Bye Sis,
Jason. Shall be in touch."

As we left the deck, all we heard was Anne's raised voice. "Mom that is the
stupidest thing that I have ever heard. How could you do that to your own
son? I was so glad that he has found someone he wants to bring to the
cottage to meets us."

I gave Andrew a hug and a kiss; he too had heard Anne's outburst. We packed
the car and as I got in, I saw Dad stride out of the cottage."Son, wait,
please." He reached the car. I was very angry at mother and at him.

"Dad maybe we can figure this out another day. You have told my partner
that his presence has caused stress in our family. That was impolite and
uncalled for. My mother not only forbade her 31 year old son to sleep in
the same room with his partner in her house but she also moved Andrew's
suitcase while I was out. Then she told me that I needed to see a priest
and get into a program to deal with my sexuality. Not exactly her words but
that is what it meant to me. We all need time to cool off and think before
more nonsense is spoken by me or her. This was not the way to deal with
this. We came to spend time with my family and we have been ambushed."

"Where are you going?" I told him. He had the good grace to look upset and
guilty. "Sorry, son, I guess I share a lot of the blame. Just hold a
minute." He moved around the car to Andrew's window. "Andrew please accept
my apologies. I'll do what I can to settle this properly." I felt only
slightly better as we drove off. Definitely not the weekend that I had
anticipated.

We were up early the next morning, after a very romantic evening, to
explore the area and have brunch in a diner that had a lot of memories for
me as well as some good food.  We came back to find a note left for us.

Hi Paul and Andrew, Would love to spend some time with you. How about a
drink in the bar at 2? Really want to see you.  Love Anne (Jason too)


We were sitting in the bar when they arrived. Anne and especially Jason had
fled a rather poisoned atmosphere, created by Dad and me of course. Mom was
in a funk over my words and my departure. How dare I! She was the paragon
of the helpful, caring mother. Dad was angry mostly at himself, Anne
suspected. With our update on the situation behind us, we had a lot of
fun. Andrew and Jason talked non stop about sports and business. Anne and I
just enjoyed each other. The time flew by quickly. Finally, Anne groaned
that it was time to get back for Dad's sake.

"You wouldn't consider coming back for supper for my sake and Jason's?" She
gave me a wicked but ironic smile.

"Don't place any bets on that! Can't you see the look of triumph on Mom's
face. I come crawling back and we didn't sleep together in her house. Win
win for mother. Not bloody likely." I spoke dramatically like a sports
announcer at a hockey game and had everyone laughing. "By the way, why
don't you and Jason plan a weekend at our place. We have a spare bed in the
study."

"Let's look at our calendars and email. Oh, we could escape Thanksgiving?"

"Sorry, Sis but our plan was Labour Day with my loving family and
Thanksgiving with Andrew's, arrangement already made." I paused. "Thank
god! Sorry, present company definitely excepted."

Our goodbyes were really bittersweet. We had a good supper and a romantic
walk by the lake. It certainly put me in the mood for an early bedtime. We
had entered our room and I must have telegraphed my feelings. His kiss
startled every nerve in my body. We were soon in bed in each others
arms. We kissed, touched, and spoke intimate things to each other. Light
touches, kisses on the neck, shoulder and nipples. Then little nips and
bites in the same spots. I almost lost it when his finger caressed the tip
of my cock with feather like touches which turned to feather like stroking
up and down the length. When I did the same to him, he moaned my name.

With my eyes staring into his, "Andrew, love, take me but I want to watch."
We stood caressing each other as we looked in mirror on the cupboard
door. Andrew looked as if he was in a dream world. I lubed him and then I
positioned myself to watch. I was in a haze of passion as he positioned
himself behind me. Beautiful lithe body, cock almost red purple he was so
inflamed, eyes wide and shining and the most loving look I had ever seen on
a lover's face, my Andrew. I felt him move his head to my waiting
opening. Incredible pleasure as he slowly popped in staying still and
fondled my balls and more feather like strokes to my cock. I gasped in
pleasure as he moved all the way in.

What followed was the most intense love making I had ever had. My body was
racked by pleasure and pleasure pain as he stoked me, pinched and bit
me. When he finally reached his finish, he yelled my name asking for a
kiss. As we kissed, his body went rigid and he thrust in and held. His face
was a mask of pleasure and after two pulses he start to stroke in and out
moaning and muttering my name. He pulled out, positioning me so I could see
and he slowly swallowed me. I lasted less than a minute.

"Andrew, lover. You mean so much to me." The rest was incomprehensible as
he took me to a height that I had seldom reached and I shuddered as I
tensed and shot, shot after shot.  I pulled him up and we kissed and
shared. We licked each other clean.

We drove back to the city after breakfast. Before we left, I had had a call
from Anne calling me a coward for not coming back for supper. Apparently,
she let it slip to her father where they had been and had been overheard by
mother. She was displeased by the disloyalty of her daughter. Anne too had
left after breakfast after a rather loud argument with their mother over
her actions over the weekend. I started to feel guilty until I reviewed the
entire weekend and really felt that it did have to stop, now. I promised
myself to phone father at work on Tuesday or Wednesday.

When we arrived back home, we found a message from Phil asking Andrew to
phone when he got the chance. Our first and only thought was that something
had happened to Jack. Andrew phoned right after lunch. I heard snippets of
the conversation and could not really believe that I could be hearing it
correctly. It turned out that I had heard it accurately. Phil wanted to
come to our place to discuss some things with us and he wanted to bring
Julie. I began to feel that my entire world was turning upside down, the
weekend at my parent's cottage and now this. Andrew had put the phone on
mute using the excuse that he had to check the calendar. I shrugged and
said of course but I wanted to talk to him. Andrew looked at me
suspiciously but handed me the phone.

"Hey, Phil glad to hear that you are coming. Ever lived in a condo?"

Guarded tone, "No. Anything special I should know?"

"Well, it is sort of like a cottage." I could see that Andrew was beginning
to clue in, to my direction. He was shaking his head. I would have to get
it out fast. "Noise travels easily, especially at night. Your brother will
get so charged up I will never get any sleep."

I put him on speaker phone so that Andrew could hear the chuckles from
Phil. He was still chuckling as he said, "Tell you what, we'll make exactly
as much noise as you and brother dear." There was a pause. "You really are
a piece of work. I am beginning to see what he sees in you."

"Ouch, I am being abused by your brother. Hold on. I have to defend
myself." We struggled until we were laughing so hard it hurt.

Andrew grabbed the phone. "See what I have to put up with?"

"It is your choice brother. You deserve what you get."

"I often do!" He started to grope me. I laughed swatting his hand. I
mouthed later, horny bugger. I handed the phone back.

"Phil, see you and Julie this weekend. Looking forward to it. Say hello to
Mum and Dad. I'll send the address and directions by email."

We looked at each other. Something had changed for both of us. Little did
my parents know that the weekend at the cottage had bonded us closer
together. I knew that I still had my sister behind me and possibly Dad
although I knew that he was in a very difficult position. We had a very
passionate night. I had never known before how close I could feel to
another person.

I knew that I had to act first. My anger had dissipated, especially towards
Dad. I phoned him in the late afternoon at the office hoping that his day
would be finishing and we could have some time just talking. I sort of
planned what I wanted to say but I was hoping that I could at least start
to build a bridge with him and I would try to listen to him and his point
of view. I didn't want apologies or recriminations. I wanted resolution and
healing.

He ended up surprising me with his first words. "Thanks for phoning. I
honestly didn't know where to start. I had my two children leave the
cottage angry this weekend and I don't know what to do."

"Well, let's just talk and maybe find a way to go where we want to
go. There are two main problem, Mom and I. Dad do you think that Mom will
ever accept me and my partner?"

"That is a difficult one to answer. You may have to accept half measures to
start. I know, what is that? Maybe some visits by both of you for dinner
and you stay at Anne's place. Perhaps, you visit Anne and we come for
dinner."

"I would have to talk that over with Andrew. I don't like it but .... Dad,
please make sure that there is no talk of visits to a priest and programs
to get me to see the error of my ways. Mom will never have a straight
son. She must treat Andrew as my partner and with respect. I know that
things will be cool, perhaps frigid for a while but this is between Mom and
me, not Andrew."

We talked amicably for a while tossing around a few more ideas. It was a
good start. I had to explain Thanksgiving to him. He was disappointed but
understood that we really were partners and that I now had commitments to
another family. I had the impression that it had finally hit home for
him. I felt encouraged.

It was my day for surprises. Andrew listened to my recounting of my talk
with Dad. He looked at me with a lovely smile. "You know sometimes you
don't win the war in one battle. Sometimes you have to win a few skirmishes
first."

"When did you become so wise?"

"Maybe I always have been?" He winked at me. "Actually, it is your father
who is being a good tactician. Your laying down the basic ground rules was
also smart. Thank you for your comments about me and my family." He got a
great big kiss. It was going to take a long time.

We had been on holidays and the first week back was very busy for both of
us. It was a scramble at work and we split the tasks of getting ready for
our first house guests. We planned to take them to a mixed, gay friendly
dance club on Friday after a quick supper at home.

Julie was a delight. Over supper, I warned Phil that he might get hit on by
a guy or even fondled. I told him not to punch the guy out but to take it
as a compliment. Julie told him that she would protect his virginity. She
had us guffawing when she muttered that shouldn't be a problem as there
wasn't any left to protect. We had a great time at the club. Phil and Tony
hit it off right away. Phil asked me why Tony hadn't brought his
girlfriend. I told him why. He just looked at Rob and then Tony and then
laughed that another preconception was gone. Phil was fondled and asked to
dance by several really hot guys. He joked that he might convert. Julie
socked him on the arm. The final thing happened as they said goodnight at
home. Julie turned to Phil as they left us to go to bed and she very
pointedly put her fingers to her lips indicating silence. Phil theatrically
sighed his displeasure.

There were surprises and more surprises. I took Julie out to sight see and
shop, well shop mostly. As she said there were slim pickings back
home. Back at our place, Phil outlined his thoughts about returning to
school and community college. Andrew was delighted as many of his thoughts
had been triggered by his new view of his brother and his partner. Oh and
he and Julie were getting very close and she would want more than he could
give with his present jobs and education. It was agreed that he would
return after Thanksgiving to explore our community college. We would get
material for him to look through in the next couple of weeks.

We all pitched in to prepare supper. Tony and Rob were the first invited.
We asked one straight couple that Andrew knew. We included Keith and a
friend he had met. So there would be 10 for supper. It was great. We drank
too much, ate too much, talked and laughed a lot and we had a riotous time.

We felt real regret when Phil and Julie left. Luckily, my sister wasn't
arriving for 2 weeks and then it was Thanksgiving with the Taylors. I
realized how different my life was from this time last year. I now knew
that I could have deep emotional attachments. I couldn't even imagine my
life without Andrew. I loved it.


Author's Note

There is another chapter being written.  I hope to publish next Thursday or
Friday.

Let me know your thoughts on this chapter       preecherdave@gmail.com


If you liked this story, you might want to read the others that I have
published on Nifty. In particular, Unexpected Change which has had the most
positive comments and one of my favourites, Getting My Act Together.

Unexpected Change, Nifty, College, April 16, 2011
Friendship, Nifty, Adult Friends, May 20, 2011
Surprising Last Year at University, Nifty, College, June 9, 2011
Murder Changed My Life, Nifty, Beginnings, July 8, 2011
What is Love?, Nifty, Beginnings, August 31, 2011
Getting My Act Together, Nifty, Adult-Friends, November 10, 2011
Surprised, Nifty, Adult-Friends, January 14, 2012
Surprised Eric and Dave, Beginnings, February 10, 2012
Surprised Graham and Robert, Nifty, Adult-Friends, March 22, 2012
What a Difference a Year Makes, Nifty, Adult-Friends, September 13, 2012
Discoveries, Nifty, Beginnings, November 1, 2012
Introspection, Nifty, April, 2013