"The Honeymoon"  Copyright 1998 by Mathis B. Rogers

This is a Gay Adult Story.  It was written by me in 1998. 
If you are not of age in your country, then it is against
the law for you to read this story.  This is pure fiction,
and none of the characters or places are real.  Any
resemblance of such is purely coincidental.  Any comments or
constructive criticism is welcome.  Send them via email to
Mathis B. Rogers <mathis@mathisbrogers.com>


                          The Honeymoon
                               By
                        Mathis B. Rogers
                        Copyright 6/25/98

    "Thank you for calling, sir," I said.  "If you have any more
problems with it, be sure to call us back.  I have updated your
record, so anyone who answers will be able to help you with the
reference number I gave you."  He thanked me and
hung up.  I closed out his file and set myself back to available
for calls.
    "Are you off the phone?" my cube mate asked, taking
off his headphones.
    "Yes," I replied, pushing my mouth piece up out of the
way. 
    "Good.  Come here, I want you to see this."      
    Unhooking my headphones, I got up and crossed to his
desk.  The cubical was small enough that there wasn't much
room for both our desks, but his desk had been placed facing the
door and the end of mine was facing the end of his so no one who
walked in could sneak up on us, nor could they see what we were
doing on our computers.
    We worked for ICC - International Computer Company - as 
telephone technical support technicians.  When customers had
problems with the computer software that they purchased from us, 
they would call an eight-hundred number and be
transferred to the appropriate technician.  If level one or two
could not help them, then they would be passed on to me or several
other technicians on tier three.  Although I had been in level
three tech support for almost four years, my cube mate, Jason, had
just moved up from level two a few months previously.
    "Have you been watching the news lately about Cliff Richmond?"
he asked.
    "Yeah.  I think it's a crock," I said as he clicked on his web
browser.  "I haven't been paying attention to it on TV," I
admitted, "but I've heard a lot about it on the radio.  I wish
they'd just leave him alone."
    "So do I," he replied.  "I just bought his second single
yesterday.  Luckily the folks here in Jefferson aren't
homophobic and the stores are selling his new single like
hotcakes.
    "Here's a photo of his lover, Preston Townsen," he added as the
screen came up.
    "Wow," I whistled.  I noticed Jason had brought up the
homepage for Stallion Studios, the studio that Preston Townsen was
a nude model for.  The photo was of Preston sitting on a white
stallion.  The horse was rearing on his hind legs and Preston hung
on to his mane with one hand and had the other in the air.  Preston
was wearing nothing but a white Stetson cowboy hat and a major
hardon.  I figured by the photo he had to be at least nine inches
long, pretty thick and he was very hairy.
     "How'd you like to have that up your ass?" Jason asked,
softly.      
    I grinned.  "If I wasn't married I'd go for it."
     I glanced down at Jason.  We hadn't discussed his sexuality,
but he had asked me if I was gay a few days after he had moved into
the cubical.  I hadn't lied to him and it seemed to bring us closer
as work friends since he knew.
     "What about you?" I asked.
     He grinned.  "I don't think so.  My ass has a sign on it that
says, 'exit only'.  Besides, I prefer pussy." 
    "What are you doing looking at this web site, then?" I asked. 
    He grinned.  "Just curious.  I also found this other site," he
said, clicking on his bookmarks.
     "You know," I said, "you really shouldn't be bringing up sites
like this.  You could get fired."
     "I know," he admitted.  "But I wanted to show you this.  I
found it at home.  I will delete it when we're done."      
    "Don't forget to clear out your cache," I said as a photo of
Cliff Richmond came on the screen.     
    "I won't.  This is Cliff and his band," he said.  "This web 
site is at Geocities.  Someone out there likes his music enough
that they dedicated a web site to him."      
    "That was nice of them," I said as my phone rang.  I turned to
go back to my desk, but did a double-take.  "Save that photo and 
zoom in on the guy at the keyboard for me," I said and rushed over
to my desk and plugged the headphones back in.  It was my personal
line.     
    "ICC, this is Kris," I said, answering it.      
    "Hey, how's my little brother?"
    A warm feeling swept through my body at the sound of my
brother's deep voice.  I hadn't seen him since Christmas.  He was
in the Navy and was stationed in Houston, Texas so he didn't get
home often.
    "Benny," I said, taking myself off of available on my business
line, "what a surprise.  I'm doing fine.  What are you doing
calling in the middle of the day?  Is everything okay?" 
    "Stop worrying," he said with a chuckle.  "I just wanted to 
know if you would mind swinging by the airport after you get off 
work and pick me up.  My flight's supposed to get there about
5:22."
    "That's great!" I exclaimed.  "But why didn't you call and let
us know you're coming?"
    "I talked to Mom and Dad Sunday.  Didn't they tell you?"      
    "No.  But Brad and I haven't spent much time with them
this week.  The weather's been pretty bad so Brad and I have just
been staying in when we get home and sitting in front of the
fireplace.  We haven't even called anyone, either."      
    "Mm, must be nice," he replied.
    "Very," I admitted.
    "I'll be staying with Mom and Dad, but I wanted you to pick me
up.  Brad won't mind, will he?"
    "No.  He'll be glad to see you, too," I replied.  "He likes
you."
    "Good.  I like him, too.  Look, Kris," he added, "I know that 
you two are connected at the heart and other places, but I'd like
to spend some time alone with you this week.  We haven't had a
chance to be alone together since you two got together.  Do you
think it might be possible for us to get away on Saturday?  Maybe
Brad could go over to his folks house or something."      
    "I'd like that," I admitted.   "I'll talk to him about it."   
    "Thanks.  I'll be on Continental flight 247.  I'd better hurry
if I'm going to get there in time to board.  I love you and I'll
see you a little after five."      
    "I love you, too, Benny," I said and hung up.      
    By the time I got off the phone with Benny, Jason had
a phone call, so I couldn't go back to his desk to look at the
photo.  I was excited about seeing Benny again, but as I
waited for the phone to ring again, my mind wandered back to the
photo of country artist, Cliff Richmond.  I couldn't believe how
the public in Timber Creek, Oklahoma was treating him just because
he was gay.  I smiled as I realized how lucky I was that the people
of Jefferson never seemed to care that Brad and I were lovers.  I
had often worried about how we would be treated since my father was
a captain and flew a rescue helicopter for the Coast Guard, but all
of the employees of the base always treated Brad and me with the
same respect they did any of the other officers' offspring and
their spouses.
    My computer notified me that I had new e-mail so I clicked on
my e-mail program and smiled as I noticed it was from Jason.  He
had attached the photo to a message for me.      
    Loading the picture into my image viewer, I zoomed in on the
keyboardist.  Even though he wore a black cowboy hat, I could tell
he had black hair and was very attractive.  He was smiling broadly
at Cliff's back.  I couldn't believe it!  I took myself off
available again and used my personal line to call my mother at her
work.
     "Hi, Mom," I said when she answered.  "I'm surprised you
didn't take off so you could get ready for Benny."      
    "Benny insisted that we not go to any trouble for him.  Are you
going to be able to pick him up?  He really wants you to."
    "Yes.  I'll have to let Brad know I'll be late, but he'll
survive without me for a few minutes."
    "I won't tell him you said that," she retorted.  "I know
better."      
    "Please don't tell him that I'm the one who really misses him
when he's not around, it might go to his head."     
    "Okay, I won't," she promised.
    "Anyway," I said, changing the subject, "the reason I called,
have you heard from Aunt Shari lately?"      
    "As a matter of fact," she replied, "it has been a few
weeks.  Why?"
    "Jason, my new cube mate, just found a web site for Cliff
Richmond, the singer who's been having all the trouble lately
because he's gay.  Either Gary, or someone who looks just like him,
is his keyboardist."      
    "Oh, yes, I knew that.  He's had that job for about a year. He
and his roommate from college, Bryan Perkins, are in the band.  I
saw an interview on CNTV a few weeks ago with both Gary and Bryan. 
I meant to tell you about it, but you and Brad had just taken off
to Kilgore Island on your second anniversary and when you got back,
I kept forgetting to mention it."     
    "Wow, I hope nothing bad happens to them."      
    "So do I," she replied. 
    "The last I heard, Gary owned a garage or something.  Did he
sell it?"
     "No, he's still got the garage," she replied.  "But he's got
a manager for it.  If his job with Richmond doesn't work out, then
he'll at least have something good to fall back on."     
    "That's good," I replied.
    "Listen, honey, I'd love to sit and chat, but I've got to get
to work and I'm sure that you've got to get back to work, too. 
Thanks again for picking up Benny.  Just bring him over from the
airport.  Have Bradley meet you at the house and you two can stay
for dinner."     
    "Okay, Mom.  Do I need to bring anything?"      
    "No.  Just Benny.  I actually have everything ready, I
just need to stick it in the oven when I get home."      
    After hanging up with Mother, I sat and stared at the
photo of Gary.  I couldn't get over the fact that my straight hunk
of a cousin was backing up a gay singer on keyboard.   
    "So what's going on?" Jason's deep voice interrupted my
thoughts as he stepped around beside me.  "Who is he?"     
    "Gary, the keyboardist," I said, absently.  "Gary Jones.  He's
my cousin."
    "You're shitting me?" he said, more of a statement than a
question.     
    I glanced up at Jason.  "No," I replied.  "I haven't seen him
in a long time, but I recognized him the moment I saw his smile." 
    Jason knelt beside me.  "He's cute.  You ever screw around with
him?" he asked, softly.
     I glanced down at Jason.  "No.  Not that I wouldn't have, but
sex never came up when we were growing up.  He grew up in Oklahoma
City; I grew up here.  We only saw each other around Thanksgiving
and Christmas when his parents brought him to see Grandpa and
Grandma.  I've never even seen him nude.  The last time I saw him
was at his sister's wedding three years ago.  We went to Oklahoma
City for the wedding."
     I grinned at Jason and added, "You sure are getting into this
gay thing.  Are you sure you're not wanting to start swinging the
other way?"
     He stood up.  "No.  I was just curious."       
    I watched him return to his desk.  He was a very good-looking
guy.  His eyes met mine as he sat back down and put himself back on
available.  "What?" he asked, grinning at me. 
    "I just wonder, that's all," I replied, pressing the button to
return my status to available.
    "I told you, my ass has a sign on it that says, 'exit only'." 
    I grinned.  "Brad's did, too, until our second anniversary," I
replied as my phone rang.
     Brad had taken me out to Kilgore Island for our
anniversary.  We had pitched a tent on the sand by the lagoon near
the water fall.  Everyone else who had visited the island that
weekend had stayed out on the beach and left us alone next to the
lagoon.  We had made love in the tent.  It had been my first time
to ever fuck him.  I was a designated bottom, as I called myself,
and I didn't fuck.  Even though we both had enjoyed that time
tremendously and I had had the best orgasm I'd ever experienced, I
had not fucked him again since then.  We had talked about it once
the day we returned from the island and, even though I had rimmed
him several times since then, I had not fucked him again, nor had
we mentioned it. 
     "ICC.  This is Kris," I said, answering the phone and
closing the picture viewer.
     It was almost 4:30 by the time I finished the call I was on. 
I glanced over at Jason when I hung up.  He was on a call of his
own.  I started to dial Brad's work number, but my computer
informed me I had e-mail.
     I clicked on the mail icon and grinned.  "I'm going to pick
you up at work and take you to The Wharf for dinner," the
message read.  "When we're done eating, I'm going to take
you dancing at The Cactus Cocktail Cavern.  I have already
called Jack and told him we'd be there and for him to play our
song.  Then we're going home and I'm going to make love to you ALL
night long.  I love you, Kris.  B."
     I sighed.  Our song.  Alabama's "When We Make Love". 
Jack was our favorite DJ at The Cavern, as we called it.  Brad
always just signed B. when he sent me e-mail.  I hadn't realized
until then that Jack had also been the name of the guy Brad worked
with at the bank who had brought us our meals while we were on the
island.      
    How I wanted Brad's plans to come together that night.  I loved
him so much.  I couldn't believe that we had been together for two
years.  Time had flown by so fast, but my brother was coming in
from Houston and I couldn't leave him at the airport.  I loved him,
too.  He was counting on me and it had been almost a year since I'd
seen him.  It had only been a few hours since I had seen Brad - a
few hours too long.
    I couldn't risk Brad not getting my reply to his e-mail, so I
had to call him, but the phone rang just as I started to take
myself off of available.
    Because of the tier of support that Jason and I were on, the
calls we got were serious and usually took quite a while.  It was
times like these when I was looking forward to moving up to tier
four because the technicians there never got phone calls.  If there
was a customer we couldn't handle on tier three, we would send
their PMR number and phone number to tier four and the technicians
would research everything we had in the PMR, then call the customer
with their solutions.  If tier four couldn't fix the problem, it
was turned over to the programmers.  To my knowledge, there weren't
many problems that had arisen that tier four couldn't handle.     
     It was a minute before five when I finally hung up from my
customer.  Jason had already shut his computer down and was pulling
on his coat.
    "Do you have a hot date tonight?" I asked, dialing Brad's work
number.
    "I wish.  I gotta go pick up my sister's kid at the nursery by
five-thirty and it's snowing again.  I don't want to take any
chances."     
    "Good luck.  Be careful," I said as the bank's operator
answered the phone.  "See you Monday.  Hi, Thelma," I said
into the instrument.  "Has Brad left yet?"
    "Yes.  You just missed him, Kris.  Did you get his e-mail?"   
    "Yes and I can't wait for him.  Oh, well, I'll call him on his
cellular."
    Bidding Thelma a happy weekend, I hung up and shut down my
computer and used my cell-phone to dial his cell-phone.   
    "Yo!" he said on the first ring.
    "Hey, sexy," I said, seductively, as I headed down the
corridor to the parking garage.
    "Mm, you keep talking like that we'll forget dinner and dancing
and we'll go right home and make love all night long." 
    "I like that idea," I said.  "But I'm not going to be able to
keep our date.  I'm sorry I couldn't reply to your message, but I
had a guy with his computer down that I had to help right as I got
your message.  I've got to get to the airport and get Benny.  Mom
wants us to come over for dinner."
    "Oh, shit," he said with a sigh.  "Okay.  Stay put, babe, I'll
be there in a few minutes and we can go get your brother.  You
don't need to be driving in this snow anyway.  It hasn't started
sticking yet, but I know how nervous you get driving in bad
weather."
    I unlocked the door to my blue Lexus.  "Okay, I'm on the second
landing as usual," I told him.
    "I just turned into the garage," he replied.  "I'll be right
there."     
    "Okay.  I love you."
    "I love you, too, babe.  I'm glad your brother's coming but I
wish he'd wait until tomorrow."
    "If the weather's not too bad after dinner we might get Mom and
Dad and him to go with us to the club."      
    "There's a thought," he agreed.  I glanced up as his little red
mustang convertible came around the corner.  I was surprised that
our cell phones hadn't lost their signal in the garage, some people
complained theirs did.  Brad had the top up this time.  My heart
melted at the sight of him.  He wore his heavy black jacket and
he'd already loosened his tie.  He never took it all the way off
until he got home, but he always loosened it and he looked so sexy
that way.  He smiled at me and a warm feeling swept over me as he
pulled into the parking space beside my car.      
    He hung up and hopped out of the car.  I got out of mine and he
pulled me into his warm strong arms and kissed me right on the
lips.  Neither of us cared if anyone was around to witness the
kiss.  We hadn't seen each other since lunch.  It seemed like an
eternity.
     Reluctantly, I pulled away from him and said, "He's
supposed to get here at 5:22."
     I had already started my car to warm it up.  I got in and slid
across the seat to the passenger side and Brad took his place
behind the wheel.
     "I guess my car will be okay here until we get back," he said,
steering my Lexus out of the parking garage.     
    "Actually better here than at home," I replied.  "Since we have
a 24-hour staff, they keep security guards patrolling the garage
after five.  They are thinking about making it a key-
entry garage, but they haven't decided to yet.  If they do, I'll
have to get them to give you a key since you're always coming over
to pick me up."
    "Yeah, I'd hate to have to get you at the front door.  I'm not
sure how well they'd take it with us kissing when I drop you off
and pick you up, there."
    I took his warm strong hand in mine after we got on the freeway
and were heading toward the airport and smiled.  "I don't care what
anyone thinks," I said, "I'll kiss you anywhere anytime and no one
can stop me."
    He grinned at me and kissed my hand.  "I love you, too, Kris." 
Brad placed my hand on his leg.  It was the way we always went
anywhere, no matter which one of us was driving, we'd be holding
hands.
    He looked out the windshield and a faint smile crossed his
luscious lips.  "What?" I asked, squeezing his hand.      
    He looked over at me and smiled.  "I was just thinking about
when we met," he said.  I grinned.  "I still can't believe you
didn't slap the shit out of me when I told you I wanted to take you
home and fuck you."
    I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.  "I haven't
regretted letting you, either," I said.     
    It had been a warm, mid-October evening when I had been at a
party at my friend Dan's house.  Brad had shown up about half an
hour late.  A group of guys flocked to him, as he liked to say,
"Like flies on shit," when he walked in.  He'd been wearing a black
leather jacket, which he had left open to reveal his smooth,
bronzed, muscular body.  He also wore a tight pair of black shorts
and a pair of black leather dress shoes with white socks.  He was
a hunk.  I saw right through him, though.  He was an asshole.  He
had smiled at me and I rolled my eyes and sighed as I looked away. 
    I hadn't been having a good time since I wasn't into parties
and I really didn't know anyone there but Dan.  I was waiting for
the bartender to refresh my Sprite, when someone tried to grope
Brad and he dodged their advance, bumping into me.  Luckily, the
bartender had just set my drink on the bar and I hadn't picked it
up yet.     
    "I'm so sorry," Brad had said, grabbing me by the arm to keep
his balance and to keep me from falling down.  "Are you okay?"  Was
that true concern in those beautiful brown eyes?
    He had led me outside and we sat on a bench in the back yard
and talked while watching the sun set.  He was so easy to talk to. 
I realized right away that my first impression of him was wrong. 
He really was a nice guy.
    After it grew dark, Brad had led me back into the living room
and asked me if I wanted to dance, as another song
began.  We dirty danced for a while, then he turned me around and
shoved me up against the wall.  "You can slap the shit out of me if
you want and I promise I won't hit you," he whispered with his face
next to mine,  "but I want to take you home and fuck you."       
    Then he grinned and added, "But you'll have to drive, because
I've had too much to drink."  That grin was all it took.  I was
hooked.  Since that night, anytime Brad wanted me to do anything,
all he had to do was grin that grin and I melted.  I had slid my
arms underneath his jacket and pulled him against me, kissing him
full on the lips.
    I'd taken him to my apartment that evening.  I had never let
myself be picked up that quick, before.  I wasn't into one night
stands.  If I wasn't in love with the man I was having sex with, I
didn't care to even have sex.  However, the next weekend
Brad had moved in with me.  It had been a little over two years
since that evening.  This had been the longest one-night stand I'd
ever had.      
    I smiled at Brad as he steered my car into the short-term
parking area at the Jefferson Airport.  "It's funny," he said,
softly, "I talked to Tony at work this afternoon after I called
Jack at home and told him that we'd be at the club around
seven - don't worry, babe, Tony is still in love with me, but I'm
not interested in him and you know it."      
    "Yes, I do," I replied.  It was such a good feeling to
know that Brad would never cheat on me.  Even though I had
been attracted to Jason since he joined me in my cubical, I
couldn't imagine cheating on Brad, either.
     "Anyway," Brad continued, as he parked the car, "Tony
said that he doesn't know anyone in the gay community here in town
who are still together from the time you and I got together, except
for us."
     Brad got out of the car and I slid across the seat and got out
on the driver side.  "Actually, there's. . ." I paused as Brad
closed and locked the door.  "No, they broke up last year," I said. 
    "I'm sure that there has to be someone out there besides us,"
I added as he put his arm around me and we headed toward the
entrance.      
    "Just because we don't know them doesn't mean there aren't
any," Brad agreed.  "Anyway, he said that it was really interesting
that we are still together.  I've noticed how he watches me
sometimes.  Especially when I'm ordering flowers or something for
you, or when you've sent me something.  Thelma just about went
bonkers the other day when you sent me that teddy bear holding the
heart-shaped balloon that had 'I love you' written on it.  It was
definitely the talk of the bank."      
    I smiled as he opened the door for me.  "I'm glad."     
    "Teresa in accounting wanted to know what she could do to get
her husband to do stuff like that.  I told her to try sending him
something like that to his work and see if he'd reciprocate."  
    "What'd she say?" I asked as we reached the gate Benny was due
to arrive at.
    "She said he'd kill her.  He's a construction foreman."    
    "Oh, that's real macho.  I'm sure that if she'd send him
something, that he'd enjoy it."
    "I've actually got the address of his office," Brad said,
sitting down in a chair beside the window that faced out over the
run way.       
    There were several people waiting for the plane to arrive.  I
could tell that some were waiting for friends and relatives and
others were waiting for the plane so they could board and go to the
next stop, which would be San Francisco, according to the sign
above the gate.  There was only one chair available and an elderly
couple were seated in the two chairs next to the one Brad had
chosen.  Ignoring them, Brad reached up and pulled me down into his
lap.
    "I'm tempted to go ahead and order something for him and send
it with her name on it," he continued.
    I noticed a strange look between the couple as Brad put his
left hand on my bottom and took my hand in his right hand, but
neither said anything.  "You'd better not," I said.  "I don't want
to get a call at work to come visit you in the hospital because
some big guy beat you up for sending him roses at work.  Even if
you do sign his wife's name to them."
    He chuckled.  "But they need some romance in their life, babe,"
he said.  "Like we've got."
    "Then let her do it," I said.
     He glanced at the lady and smiled at her.  "How are you?" he
asked.      
    "Fine," she replied with a weak smile.  She fidgeted in her
seat.      
    "How long have you two been married?" Brad asked, glancing at
her husband.
    "Fifty-nine years," she replied.
    "And did you ever send your husband anything like roses or
candies or something to his work, just to tell him you love him?" 
Brad asked.        
    I loved the way that Brad could talk to anyone.  I wished at
times that I could be that open with people.      
    "Well, no," she admitted.  "But I baked him cookies to take to
work with him," she defended herself.
    The gentleman leaned forward a little and took a deep breath,
resting his elbows on the arms of his seat, but didn't say
anything.
    "Did he ever send you flowers to your work?" Brad asked.     
    "No, but I didn't work," she replied.  "I stayed home and
raised the kids.  People don't do that anymore.  Of course," she
admitted, "the cost of living now doesn't allow that."      
    She ran  her green eyes over me and added, "And in my day,
men married women and raised families."
    "Yes, ma'am, they did," Brad replied with a smile.  "And also
in your day, parents were allowed to discipline their kids so they
would grow up to be fine people, not snotty-nosed brats like run
around all over the place tearing up things, these days.  I'm
thankful that God created me to be gay and gave me Kris here to
share my life and love with and we don't have to worry about having
any kids that other people try to tell us how to raise."      
    The lady started to say something, but closed her mouth and
slumped back in her seat as a small child ran toward the window and
his mother grabbed him by the arm and dragged him screaming back to
the seat where she and his father were waiting for the plane.     
    "I rest my case," Brad said, softly.      
    She didn't say another word and I was relieved when a male
voice came over the loud speaker announcing the arrival of
Continental flight 247.
    "Benny wants you to go visit your parents or something
tomorrow," I said, pushing myself up off Brad's lap.      
    He took my hand and followed me toward the front of
the off-ramp.  "Well, okay," he said, sadly.  "I know you want to
spend some time with him.  Any idea what you're going to do?"
    "No," I admitted.  "I really don't want you to go, but I do
want to spend some time alone with him, too."      
    "I guess you could go over to your parent's house and
visit with him there, then I could stay home and do laundry," Brad
offered as the gate attendant moved the rope and opened the double
doors.
     "Yeah, right," I replied with a chuckle.  "When was the last
time you did laundry?"
     Brad grinned and shrugged sheepishly.  He was so cute
when he did that.  "I think I did it once back before I met you,"
he said.  "But my life before I met you seems kind of vague and
I've forgotten most of it."
     I smiled.  "I love you, too, babe," I said and squeezed his
hand tenderly as the first passengers came out the door.     
    Somehow, Benny had managed to be one of the first off the
plane.  Even though it had not been quite a year since I'd seen my
brother, I stopped and stared at him as he stepped through the
double doors.  I couldn't believe how much he looked like our
father.  Had he always resembled Dad that much, or had he changed
that much in a year?      
    Benny had turned twenty-six that year.  Brad, whose birthday
was three days before mine, and I were twenty-four.  I was thankful
that Benny had been named Benjamin Junior instead of me.  I looked
more like Mom than Dad.
    Benny had a look of hope on his face as he searched the crowd
for me.  Our eyes met and his handsome face lit up.  I stayed where
I was and he rushed up to greet me.  He hugged me and said, "Thanks
for coming, Kris.  When they said it was snowing here, I didn't
know if you were going to make it.  I know you hate driving in it." 
    "Actually, I didn't drive," I admitted, letting go of him.  I
was thankful that his smile didn't fade when he saw Brad.   
    "Hey, buddy," Benny said, hugging Brad.  "Thanks for
bringing Kris."
    "Well, I'll let you have him to yourself tomorrow," Brad said
as we started toward Baggage Claim, "but you're stuck with both of
us tonight.  Katherine gave Kris explicit instructions for me to
come to dinner with you tonight."
    Benny grinned and looked at me.  "Okay, I can deal with that,
I guess.  Whatever Mom wants, Mom's going to get."   
    "If that's the case, when are you moving back to Jefferson?" I
teased.  Mom and Dad were proud of Benny.  So was I, actually.  He
was a Lieutenant in the Navy, but we missed him.  We wished that
Benny had joined the Coast Guard and stayed in Jefferson, but he
had followed the footsteps of our grandfather on our dad's side of
the family instead of in Dad's footsteps.  Dad had met Mom at a
Coast Guard dance because her father, Grandpa, was an Admiral in
the Coast Guard.
    Benny chuckled.  "That's not going to happen, Kris," he
admitted as we reached Baggage Claim.  "But, I do have good news
for everyone.  I was going to wait until after dinner tonight to
break it, but I am so excited that I just can't hold it in." 
    "You're pregnant?" Brad asked, holding a serious expression.  
    Benny rolled his eyes at him.  "No.  The only Brown that could
be pregnant is Kris here," he replied.
    "You're getting married?" I asked, timidly, ignoring both their
comments.  Benny had never mentioned anyone special when we talked
on the phone.  I loved my brother and wanted him to be as happy as
Brad had made me, but I really wasn't ready for a sister-in-law. 
I was still getting used to a brother-in-law who knew that I was
his brother-in-law.  Brad hadn't come out to his family until that
summer and even though Chad, Brad's identical twin brother, had
pretty much accepted the fact that his brother was gay, there were
times that I got the feeling that Chad and their father were still
uncomfortable when Brad and I kissed or held each other while they
were around.      
    "No," Benny said with a smile.  "I put in for a transfer to
Winchester.  I'm off until the sixth of January.  I report to
Commander Daniel Rios at oh-eight hundred hours on the sixth."    
    "That's fantastic!" I exclaimed and hugged him.  
    Winchester was only 200 miles from Jefferson.  If he lived
there, not only could he come home at least once a month, but we
would be able to go visit him, too.
    "Yes, I thought you'd like that," Benny said.  "But please let
me tell Mom and Dad."
    "Okay," I promised.
    "Does this mean that we need to take some time off and drive to
Texas and help you move?" Brad asked.      
    "No. I've been living in the barracks all this time," he said.
"I've got most of my stuff with me here.  What I couldn't bring, I
mailed yesterday.  It should get here either tomorrow or Monday. 
I knew that I could stay with Mom and Dad until Saturday the
fourth, then someone would be glad to take me or I'll just buy a
car here and go by myself."     
    "What happened to your car?" I asked.      
    "I sold it.  I was having problems with the carburetor anyway,
so I needed a new one," he admitted as the carrousel began to
circulate, indicating that the luggage from the flight would be
dispensed soon.  "And, on top of that, I was basically walking
everywhere I went and if I needed to go anywhere, I usually had a
staff car available to me, so I didn't need it anyway.  I'll need
one when I get to Winchester so I can come home occasionally on the
weekends.      
    "I also got a brochure from an apartment locator service," he
continued as luggage began coming out of the opening of the
carrousel.  "I figured if I was going to be this close to home,
that I should rent an apartment so you and Brad could come visit
occasionally.  Don't worry, I'll get a two-bedroom so you two will
have your own room when you come."
     "Thanks, Benny," I said, "but we would be able to make it
through one night on a sleeper sofa in the living room.  I'd hate
for you to have to pay extra just for us to visit occasionally."  
    "Don't worry about it, Kris," he said.  "You aren't the only
ones I'm thinking about.  There are Mom and Dad, Grandpa and
Grandma," he added, referring to Mother's parents.  "And Gramps and
Grams still travel pretty frequently.  They're living in Florida
now, but I talked to Grams yesterday and she said they were
thinking about moving back up here somewhere, because Dad and Aunt
Heather are too far away for them to come visit very often.  If
they do come back to Jefferson, then they'll come visit me, too." 
    "I hope they move back," I admitted.  "I haven't been able to
get time off to go see them since they moved out there."
    "Of course, you and I got together right after they moved,"
Brad spoke up, "and I know that I've kept you from going out to see
them."
    I wrapped my arm around him and smiled.  "True, but I'm not
blaming you."
    Benny cleared his throat.  "There's one of my bags," he said,
stepping toward the carrousel.
    I grinned and winked at Brad.  "Does it bother him for us to
hug in public?" Brad asked, soft enough that no one around us could
hear him.      
    I shrugged.  "Except for Jeff, I've never had a boyfriend when
he was around, and we never did anything when he was around, so I
really couldn't say," I whispered.
    Brad grabbed one of Benny's suitcases and Benny the other and
we headed out to the parking lot.  The snow had gotten thicker and
the flakes were large and wet.  Being careful not to slip and fall
on the sidewalk, we rushed out to my blue Lexus.  I sighed.  It was
almost covered in snow.  I used the remote on the key chain to
unlock the trunk and the doors and climbed in the passenger door
while the guys stored Benny's luggage in the spacious trunk.      
    I was thankful that I had decided to get the bigger car, even
though it was more expensive.  I'd only had it for a little over a
year.  Brad had actually talked me into buying it.  He'd had his
red Mustang convertible since before we had met and he had no plans
of getting rid of it, but we did enjoy having the bigger car at
times like these.      
    Brad skillfully managed to avoid any traffic fatalities, but he
also, to my disappointment, kept both hands on the wheel.  I didn't
blame him because our safety was more important than us holding
hands, but I did miss the feeling of his warm hand in mine on his
leg.  He didn't say anything, but he did let me rest my hand on his
thigh.      
    The sun had been blocked by clouds since before I got off work,
but it was starting to grow dark when Brad pulled into my parent's
circular driveway and parked behind Grandpa's Lincoln Towne Car.
    The front door opened when we got out of the car and Mom and
Dad rushed out to greet us.  Grandpa and Grandma stood in the
doorway waiting for us to get into the house.      
    I helped Mother and Grandma set the dining room table while
Dad, Brad, Benny and Grandpa sat at the breakfast counter talking
about things Benny had been doing for the past year.  Since Grandma
had arthritis in her knees, and it was difficult for her to walk,
I tried to get her to sit down and rest while Mother and I got
dinner ready, but she was stubborn and insisted that she could at
least get the ice for the glasses. 
    Brad and I were both surprised that Benny didn't mention his
transfer, but I thought he was going to when Grandpa said, "So,
Benny, you haven't mentioned any young ladies since you got to
Houston.  I figured that some Texas Filly would have snatched you
up by now."      
    "There have been a few that I've been interested in," Benny
admitted, looking at me, "but none that I would want to spend the
rest of my life with.
    "I'm like you and Dad, Grandpa," he added, grinning at them, 
"I want to find the woman I can settle down and live happily ever
after with."
    "That's a wise decision, son," Dad said, grinning at Mom.     
    "That's good," Grandpa said, giving me a cold look.  "I'm glad
to hear that you haven't given up on women."     
    Grandpa had found out that I was gay when I was in high school. 
One afternoon I'd brought a friend of mine home to study with me
and we were lying on my bed, fooling around more than studying. 
Grandma and Grandpa had come over for dinner and Grandpa had
volunteered to come to my room and get us.  Jeff and I hadn't
planned on going all the way or doing anything other than kiss, so
I hadn't closed the door.  When Grandpa came in he just said dinner
was ready.  He had never said anything about the kiss, but I got
the feeling he didn't approve.  He had kept his eyes on Jeff and me
all through supper.  I noticed he still looked at me the same way
when Brad and I were together.
    "Now, Papa, don't start that," Grandma chided.  "Just think, if
Kris hadn't caught Brad here, we would have never met him and he's
such a nice boy.  No telling how sad and lonely Kris would be if he
hadn't met Brad."
    Grandpa cleared his throat but didn't say anything.      
    "That reminds me," Dad spoke up, more to change the subject
than anything else, "didn't we get a card from Shari and Stan the
other day, hon?" he asked Mom.
    "No," she replied.  "We got a card from Stephanie.  Stephanie
is Shari and Stan's daughter, Brad," she explained.  He hadn't met
them before, but we had received photos from them and he knew who
they were.  "She is pregnant again."
    "That'll make two won't it, Mom?" Benny asked.     
    "Three," Mom replied.  "Turns out she's carrying twins this
time."      
    "We don't have any twins on our side," Benny said.  "Must be on
Uncle Stan's side."
    "No, her husband, Blake's.  His grandad is a twin," Grandma
spoke up as Mother motioned everyone to the table.
    "I've invited Shari, Stan, Gary, Stephanie and Blake and
Bridgette, their daughter, here for Thanksgiving," Grandma added. 
"Shari said they would be here but she didn't know if Gary would be
able to or not.  With this controversy over Cliff Richmond being
gay, Gary doesn't know if they're going to have any work.  If they
don't, he can get away for the week.  They'll all be staying with
us.  If the weather holds up, they should get here Sunday evening." 
    "Now, Mom," Mother protested as we sat down around the dining
room table, "you can't handle that many people here for a week. 
Why didn't you tell me?  I had already planned on you and Dad
coming over here for Thanksgiving."
    "I thought I told you," Grandma replied.  "Oh, dear, I guess my
memory is starting to go, too."
    Mother had already invited Brad and me over for Thanksgiving
dinner.  We would be spending Christmas at his parent's house with
Chad.
    "You never mentioned it to me," Mother replied.      
    "I didn't hear anything about it, either," Dad spoke up.     
    "Maybe Kris and I should go to my parent's for Thanksgiving,
since there are going to be so many here," Brad suggested.     
    "No, that's okay, Bradley," Mother said.  "Luckily, Kris likes
to help out in the kitchen.  The only bad thing, Mom, is that you
don't have room for that many people at your house.  Remember,
Shari and I used to share a room?"
    "We have a sleeper sofa in the living room now," Grandpa
retorted.
    "Okay, Shari and Stan can sleep on the couch and Stephanie and
Blake can sleep in our old room, with Bridgette on a pallet on the
floor, but where are you going to put Gary if he comes?  You can't
expect him to sleep on the floor in the kitchen."
     Grandpa and Grandma had an older house.  It was small.  They
had raised two daughters in that house and had survived having
relatives come in and just throw pallets on the floor in the living
room for them to sleep on.  No one had ever complained back then,
but these were the nineties.  People didn't do that anymore.      
    "We'll just have Shari, Stan and Gary stay here," Dad
said.  "Shari and Stan can sleep in Kris' old room and Gary can
sleep on the couch in the den.  That will leave the couch in the
living room open if Mom and Dad come.  They thought they might make
it when I talked to Mom Wednesday."
     I smiled.  It was times like these that I was thankful that
Mom and Dad had bought a three-bedroom home before Benny was born. 
It sat on a corner lot and there was plenty of room for family get-
togethers.  I had hated it when I was growing up because there was
so much space outside and Benny and I had to take care of the yard.
I had sworn that I would always live in an apartment when I grew
up, so I wouldn't have to mess with the yard work.      
    Benny, on the other hand, had enjoyed working out in the yard,
so he hadn't complained to Dad when I sneaked into the house to fix
us tea or lemonade and not helped him when I returned with the
refreshments.
    However, I had never minded helping Mom keep the large house
clean.  The only thing I hadn't cared for doing was mopping the two
bathroom floors and the kitchen, so Mother always let me sweep,
then she'd mop.
    "I hope they can make it," Mom said.
    Dad said grace and we began serving ourselves, passing the
dishes of food Mother had made. "Now, Mother," Mom added sternly as
Dad passed Benny the mashed potatoes, "We are going to have
Thanksgiving dinner here." 
     Grandma nodded sadly and Mother grinned at her.  "But don't
think you're going to get out of cooking," Mother said.  "You
simply must make your cornbread dressing, because I still can't
figure out how to get it right."
     Grandma's tired face lit up and the sparkle returned to her
blue eyes.  She had taken good care of her family while Mom and her
sister were growing up and had raised them well.  She knew that Mom
and Aunt Shari wanted to let her rest now that she was older and
had arthritis in her knees.  Her daughters would do anything for
her and she knew it, but it put the sparkle back in her eyes
knowing that they still needed her, even if it was just to make her
fabulous cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving dinner.      
    "I think she should make her pecan pie, too," Grandpa spoke up. 
"Katherine hasn't gotten the hang of it yet, either."      
    "No, but Kris has," Mom replied.  "But if you want to make one
that will be fine."
    "If we're going to have that many people here, it won't hurt
for us both to make a couple," Grandma said.
    "Now, wait a minute," I protested, "I don't think I want to get
into a cooking contest with Grandma.  I'd lose hands down."       
    Brad put his hand on my thigh and gently squeezed.  "Yeah, but
it would be a close call," he said, tenderly.          
    Grandpa cleared his throat, as he always did when Brad and I
were showing each other affection.  "I think we should leave the
dinner arrangements to the women folk after Shari and Stephanie get
here," he said.
    "Actually," Grandma said with a sly twinkle in her eye, "we
women folk have been taking care of the cooking in this family for
as long as I can remember.  Maybe this year the men folk should do
the cooking."      
    Benny and I grinned at each other.  Grandma was the only one in
the entire family who would stand up to Grandpa and she always
seemed to right when everyone wanted to.
    "Luckily you love to cook, Kris," Dad said.  "Otherwise, I have
a feeling we'd be having pizza for lunch."      
    "Well, Kris only lets me in the kitchen to keep him company
while he cooks," Brad said, "but I will be glad to make the tea and
set the table."
    I noticed he didn't say "help set the table."  He knew as well
as I did that Grandpa wouldn't lift a finger to do that.  However,
I did know for a fact that Grandpa did help Grandma out in the
kitchen more than he let on.  He just didn't want anyone to know he
did.
    "I haven't set foot in the kitchen since high school, except to
do dishes in the mess hall," Benny said, "but I'll help Brad set
the table and help with the dishes afterwards."      
    "Kris will have to make the pies," Dad said, "but I can stuff
the turkey and get it going.  However, without Grandma's fabulous
cornbread dressing, it won't be near as good."     
    "Okay, okay," Grandpa conceded, throwing his hands in the air.
"You've made your point.  The men can do the cooking.  But I think
I'd rather let the women folk do it because nobody can top Mama's
cornbread dressing or pecan pies.  And besides, it's tradition for
the guys to watch football while the women gossip in the kitchen
while they're doing the cooking."     
    Of course, that had been the way it had been done in our family
for generations.  I had been scolded by both my grandfathers all my
life about wanting to be in the kitchen helping out instead of
watching football with the others.  Thankfully, Dad had always
intervened and let me go to the kitchen, telling my grandfathers
that maybe one day I would become a great chef.  Although that
wasn't going to happen, everyone did agree that I was a good cook
and no one seemed too upset about my cooking abilities when I
invited everyone over for a meal, but I had never invited either
set of my grandparents over since Brad and I got together.      
    Seeing an opening, Grandma jumped in.  "That's a good idea,
Papa," she said.  "You watch your precious games while we cook,
then we'll watch our soap operas while the men do the dishes."    
      I was thankful that Brad really didn't care for sports
either.  He put his hand on my thigh again and said, "That will be
fine.  I'll wash and Kris can dry while Ben, Benny and Martin clear
the table and clean up the kitchen."
     Grandpa glared at Brad and started to retort, but Grandma put
her hand on Grandpa's arm and smiled.  "Thank you for the offer,
Bradley," she said.  "I am sure that you and Kristopher will need
more help than they can supply, though.  I think we'll just let
them watch their games while we clean up the kitchen.  If you and
Kris want to do the dishes, we will appreciate your help."   
    "Good, that's settled," Benny spoke up.  "Now, to change the
subject, I have some good news."
    "Oh?" Dad asked, looking at my older brother with not only a
look of curiosity, but noticeable relief for the change of subject. 
    "Yes," he replied and explained about his transfer and that he
would be staying with Mom and Dad for the next few months.  "Of
course," he added when he was through, "if you don't want me around
that long, I can go ahead and get an apartment in Winchester after
Thanksgiving and get settled in and stay there." 
    Mother jumped up and ran around the table to hug him.  "I'm so
glad that you are finally moving back closer to home," she said.  
    "Of course you will stay here, son," Dad said, leaning over and
squeezing Benny's arm.  "But you will probably want to find an
apartment and get moved in before the weekend before the sixth, so
you won't be rushed."
    "Kris and I will be glad to help you look for an apartment,
Benny," Brad said.
     "Thanks, buddy," Benny replied, grinning over at Brad.  Again,
I was thankful that they liked each other.

     Snow had blanketed Jefferson by the time Brad and I had
finished the dishes that night.  We had insisted that Grandma and
Mother go sit in the den with the others and visit while we did the
dishes.
    "I wonder if it's a good idea for us to try to go home," I said
as Brad and I stepped into the den.  "Everything is covered out
there now."
    Dad switched on the scanner to listen to the Coast Guard's
weather report.  Since nothing was being reported but snow, he
switched it over to the police band and we listened to the police
reports for a while.  All reports were bad.  There had been several
wrecks due to slick roads around the city.  Travel was not advised. 
    Grandpa took a deep breath.  I knew he didn't want to spend the
night in his daughter's house, even though there would be plenty of
room for him and Grandma and Brad and me to spend the weekend if we
had to.  I also knew that Grandma's medicine was at their house and
she would need it to be able to get a good night's rest.
     "Brad, maybe we should take Grandma and Grandpa home in my
car," I suggested.  "Their house is on our way home.  I don't think
it's a good idea for us all to try to drive in this mess."
    "I think you should all just stay here," Mom said.         
    "That would be the best idea," I agreed, "but Grandma needs her
medicine."
    Grandpa looked from Brad to his wife.  "That's true, too," he
said.  
    To my surprise, he asked, "Would you mind dropping us off at
our house on your way home, Brad?  I'm still pretty good at the
wheel in good weather, but not when it gets slick.  Reflexes aren't
what they used to be."
    Brad glanced at me.  I could tell he really didn't want to
drive in it either, but he knew he had to.  "Sure," he replied. 
    Mom hugged us all and told Grandma and me to be sure and call
her when we got home.
    Grandma had no trouble getting into the back seat.  I was again
thankful that I had gotten the bigger car.  Brad and I did have to
scrape the snow off my car before we were able to leave, but Benny
and Dad came out to help us.  We were all thankful that it hadn't
snowed enough that we had to clear the driveway before Brad could
back out and head toward home. 
    To keep Brad's attention on the road, I didn't even attempt to
place my hand on his leg while he drove.  The road was slick in
spots, mostly at the intersections, but Brad was a good driver and
managed to slow down enough that he didn't slide too much.  Because
it was almost 7:30 on a Friday evening, most people were already
home or where they were going to spend the night, so we didn't see
much traffic. 
    Brad and I helped Grandpa and Grandma into their house when we
arrived.  It was snowing even harder by then.      
    Grandma hugged me and said, "Call me when you get home." 
    "I will," I promised.  
    I hugged Grandpa at the door and he turned to Brad.  "Thank you
for bringing us home, Brad," he said.  "Take good care of my little
boy."
    I grinned.  I loved it when he called me that, but not when
other people were around.  Now that he was calling me that in front
of my lover, it was a good feeling.
    "I will, sir," Brad replied and shook Grandpa's hand.     
    Brad and I got into the car and he took a deep breath.  "That's
a relief to get them home," he said.  "I would have rather spent
the night at your parent's than drive in this mess.  I'm going to
need a drink when we get home."      
    "Okay, get us home and I'll give you a good massage, too."  
    He grinned at me as he started the car.  "I might even pass on
the drink for that."
    I leaned over and kissed him on the lips, but didn't say
anything.  We rode in silence on the way to our apartment.  I was
thankful that we had left his Mustang at my office.  It would have
been covered in snow by now had we not.  I wished that we had
covered parking at the complex.
    Brad skillfully managed to regain control of the car as we slid
into the parking lot of our complex.  He pulled into the parking
spot where I always parked and breathed a sigh of relief as he
turned off the ignition.
     "Remind me to check your tread when we can get out again,
babe," he said.  "I don't think we'll be spending tomorrow with our
brothers like Benny wanted us to."
     I hadn't had any tire trouble since I got the car, but had
only had it for a year.  "Surely the tread wouldn't be bare in a
year, would it?"  I asked.
     He shrugged and opened the door.  The flakes were coming down
faster now and they were bigger.  "I'll check them anyway."
    "Okay," I agreed.  What I knew about cars would fit on the head
of a pin with a lot of room left over, so I always let Brad service
my car.  The only thing I ever did to it was fill it up with gas.
     Brad and I took our shoes off at the door and put them on a
paper sack I had left in the kitchen so the carpet wouldn't get
dirty from the snow and mud.  "I'm sorry we didn't get to go to the
club and dance to our song," I said as Brad hung our coats in the
closet.
     Brad shrugged and closed the door.  "It's okay, babe, at least
we were together.  That's all that matters to me."      
    "Me, too," I replied and kissed him.      

    Snow blanketed the courtyard.  I sighed and looked out the
patio doors.  I couldn't even tell that there was a swimming pool
underneath the layer of snow.  The sky was a brilliant blue and
clear.  I hoped that meant that it would warm up and the snow would
melt.
    Brad's warm arms wrapped around me and he nuzzled my neck. 
"Morning," he whispered.  "What are you doing up so early?"
    I turned around in his arms.  He was nude.  He had not gone
back into the bedroom to get his robe or shorts when he noticed I
had the drapes open.  "I wanted to see what the weather was doing
in case I could go see Benny," I replied.  "Why didn't you put your
robe on?"
     He grinned the grin that had made me fall in love with him and
made a pass at me.  Bradley Peterson could make me do anything with
that grin.  The blood rushed to the center of my body.  "I wanted
to make love to you before you got up,"  he replied.  "I figured
this way you'd have to come back to bed." 
    "You know I'd go back to bed with you without you showing off
to the neighbors," I tried to scold, but couldn't help smiling at
his handsome face.
     He smiled and pushed me closer to the window, keeping
his arms around me and holding me between him and the view
of anyone who might happen to be spying on us.  He closed the
drapes and kissed me on the lips.  "I love you, Kristopher," he
whispered.  "I wanna make love to you."
    "Okay," I replied.  I loved the way he looked in the
mornings.  His tousled brown hair and his puppy-dog brown
eyes drove me crazy.  His day's growth of beard and mustache added
a ruggedness to his good-looks.  After his twin brother, Chad, had
gotten a tan, I had tried to get Brad to grow a mustache, but he
didn't care for wearing one.  I was thankful that I could tell them
apart just by the way Brad looked at me, but I did have the mole
that was on the outside edge of Brad's pubic hair to tell them
apart by.  Chad didn't have a mole there.  Not that I would go
around pulling their pants down in public to tell which was which,
but if I needed to, I could use that as a means of distinguishing
the two.           
    Brad picked me up and carried me back into our bedroom.  He
laid me down on our king-sized bed and slipped off my robe.  He
guided himself over me and kissed me on the lips, pressing our
rigid organs together as he let his hot tongue explore my anxious
mouth.      
    "I love you," he whispered against my lips.
    "I love you, too, Brad," I replied.  He kissed his way slowly
down my neck and slender chest, pausing only briefly to flick his
tongue over my erect nipples.  My five-inch cock was screaming for
attention by the time that hot tongue licked the back of it.  He
slowly took me all the way into his warm moist mouth and I pressed
my hips up, pressing my blonde bush against his nose.
     Placing my hands on his head, I wiggled my bottom as he sucked
my aching cock.  
     Brad grinned up at me as he let my rod fall out of his mouth. 
He took it in his hand and slowly stroked it, making his fingers
wet with spittle and my pre-cum.  Without uttering a word, he
raised me up a little and pressed his now wet fingers into my
waiting love hole.       
    "Mm," I moaned.  "I love it when you do that, Brad."
    He pressed another finger in and took my waiting cock back into
his mouth.  Probing my ass with his fingers and his mouth on my
cock, he was driving me wild with ecstasy.
     My balls were burning with desire and I knew I was getting
close.  He smiled at me and let go of my cock again.      
    "No, don't stop," I gasped.
    He reached over to the night stand and removed a condom and
ripped it open.  "I wanna cum with you," he whispered.  
    I rubbed his cock for a few moments while he pulled out the
condom, then I helped him slip it on. 
    Brad was a pre-mature ejaculator.  It only took him a few
minutes to come the first time, but a few minutes later he would be
boned again and he could last up to an hour.      
    Brad spread my legs and took hold of his cock.  He guided it
into my waiting and ready love hole.  We had been together long
enough that we didn't have to use a condom, but Brad always blasted
such a large load, that it had an enema effect on me if he didn't
use one.  I had let him fuck me without one a few times and,
although we both enjoyed it more without it, we both regretted it
later.  There was always more of a mess to clean up.      
    Pulling my hips up a little, Brad pushed his cock all the way
inside me up to his brown bush.  After we found our rhythm, he
reached down and took my cock in his hand.  I wiggled underneath
him and he plowed my ass with his big cock and pumped my swollen
rod at the same time.  I knew that if he kept it up, I wouldn't be
able to hold out until he came.     
    "Oh, Kristopher," he gasped, "your little ass is so tight this
morning.  I love fucking your tight ass, babe."      
    I flinched my ass muscles together, grabbing his hard rod with
all my might.  "I'm cumming," I gasped.      
    He grinned and I melted.  "Cum on, babe," he whispered.  "I'm
cumming, too.  Blast with me.  Shoot me in the face."     
    I was breathing heavily.  I tried to keep my eyes open so I
could see his handsome face as I came, but my eyes rolled back in
their sockets, forcing the lids closed.  I gasped as my balls
continued to burn.  His hard rod was pounding in and out of my hole
and the bed was shaking.  I could feel his rod expand.  That's all
I needed.  My own cock swelled in his hot hand and I blasted up
into his face.  He smiled and opened his mouth as my cream
splattered his face and he caught some of it on his tongue.  I had
been impressed how he had stopped screaming when he came, after our
next door neighbor had told him that he could hear him through the
wall every night when he came.      
    I could feel his own organ squirt deep into the condom inside
me.  I often wondered how he managed to keep from blasting a hole
in it.
    He collapsed on top of me and kissed me on the lips.  I licked
my cream off his face.  "I love you," he whispered.    
    "I know," I replied with a smile.  "I love you, too."
    We kissed for a few more minutes, then he rolled off and yanked
off the condom.  He tied the end of it and tossed it in the trash
can that we kept beside the bed, then he pulled me over against him
and I nestled my face against his neck and we drifted off to sleep. 
    
     Sometime later I awoke to the ringing of the phone.  I yawned
and reached across Brad and picked up the instrument.  The cordless
had a Caller-id display on it, so I could tell it was my parent's
number, but I didn't know who might be calling from their house. 
"Hello?" I asked, sleepily as Brad moaned, rubbed my back and
stretched.
     I glanced at the clock as Benny said, "You still in bed?  It's
ten hundred hours."
     "Ten hundred?" I asked.  I had been raised on military time,
but I still couldn't get used to it.  "No, it's only been fourteen
hours since I talked to you last."  
    I had called Grandma and Grandpa after we got home the night
before, then I called Mom and Dad and talked to Benny for a few
minutes before Brad and I took a shower and went to bed.
     "Silly, you know what I mean," Benny replied with a deep
chuckle that sent a warm feeling through my body.  I was so glad
that he was home and wouldn't be so far away when he moved to
Winchester.      
    "I did get up at about seven," I admitted as Brad opened his
eyes, "but Brad carried me back to bed."      
    I grinned at Brad as Benny said, "No wonder you don't want to
come over and spend any time with me."
    "I do, too," I protested.  "It's just that I can't get out
because of the snow."
    "I know," he replied, sadly.  "I really did want to spend the
day with you."
    "Hopefully it will clear up some this afternoon," I replied.  
    "Even if it doesn't they'll plow the roads," Brad said, pushing
me over onto my back as he rolled over on top of me.  He kissed me
on the neck and said, "Morning, Benny," loud enough that Benny
could hear him.      
    "Good morning sleepy head," Benny replied.      
    Kissing me on the lips, Brad pushed himself up and rolled off
the bed and headed for the bathroom.  I watched him go, forgetting
that my brother was on the phone.  I loved the way Brad walked on
the balls of his feet, making his ass cheeks flinch together.  My
mind went back to the month before when Brad had taken me out to
Kilgore Island for our second anniversary.  We had been in a pup-
tent together.  We were alone out beside the lagoon.  I had rimmed
that little puckered hole of his several times in the past two
years, but I had only fucked it that one time we were by the
lagoon.  He had told me after we had returned home that weekend
that he wouldn't tell me never to do it again, but he hadn't  told
me I could either.  As I watched him walk nude toward the hall door
on his way to the bathroom, my cock swelled to full erection
thinking about that weekend.  The sound of the water fall, the feel
of Brad's ass muscles squeezing around my dick, the feel of his
large organ growing inside my ass as we lay in the edge of the
water.  The following weekend we had returned to the island to
discover that all of my sea shells were still there as we had left
them, spelling out 'I love you, Kris'.  We had gathered all 300 of
them up and brought them home with us.  I had put five of
them around the apartment, but the rest of them we had had to store
in my parent's attic.
     Brad had disappeared into the hallway and I could hear his
urine hitting the water in the toilet, but it was my brother's
voice calling me from a distance that brought me back to
reality. "Kris?  Hey, are you still there?  Kris?"      
    "Oh, I'm sorry," I said, trying to clear the image of that
perfect, special weekend from my mind.  "I got lost in thought
about something," I admitted.
    "Brad's not doing you while I'm on the phone with you, is he?"
Benny asked, timidly.
    "No, no," I replied, sitting up and adjusting my pillow.  "He's
in the shower," I informed him as I heard Brad turn on the water. 
    "So, if the road crew can get the roads clear, what do you want
to do today?"  Benny asked.
    "You could come over and spend the day here," I said.  "I can
get Brad to go over to his parent's or brother's.  I've got to do
laundry, so you can sit and talk to me while I do that." 
    "I didn't really want to spend the day doing laundry," he
admitted.  "You've got to work all next week, don't you?" he asked. 
    "No, I have Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving.  Brad's
off also.  We do have to work Monday through Wednesday, though."  
    "Grandma said that everyone will be here tomorrow evening, so
I'd like to spend as much time as I can with you before they get
here.  We might not see much of each other until after they're
gone, otherwise."
    "That's true," I agreed as I heard my parent's doorbell ring in
the background.
    "Oh, good, that's Paul," Benny said.  Lieutenant Paul Duncan
had been Dad's co-pilot for almost a year.  He and his wife, Beth,
spent a lot of time over at my parent's house.      
    "Good, that means they've got the roads cleared," I said. 
"Paul wouldn't get out on bad roads unless he had to make a
rescue."
    "That's true," Benny agreed.  He had only met Paul once, the
past Christmas, but they had seemed to hit it off pretty good.    
    "I'll double-check the road conditions," he continued, "then I
will take Grandpa his car and have him drop me off at your place. 
How does that sound?"
    "Okay.  That will work," I replied.
    "Great.  I'll call you before I leave."
    After hanging up with Benny I got up and went into the
bathroom.  I was thankful that I had lost my erection while talking
to him.  
     After relieving myself, I went into the kitchen, washed my
hands and started coffee.  I knew that Brad would be hungry since
it was so late.  Even on normal weekends we were usually up and
around by nine.  Because it had been snowing when we got home the
night before, we hadn't gone out to the workout room.  However, on
the nights we went out dancing, we didn't workout when we got home
anyway - at least not in the workout room.
    I started cooking the sausage and then returned to the
bedroom, made the bed and slipped my robe on.  I was just
returning to the kitchen when the phone rang.  "Hello?" I
asked, picking up the instrument underneath the cabinet on the wall
in the kitchen.  This phone didn't have a Caller-id box, so I
didn't know who it was.
     "Okay, Kris," Benny said.  "Grandpa said he'd take me
over there if I brought him the car.  Luckily, he left the key with
Dad last night.  I'll go get him and we'll be there in about half
an hour."      
    "Okay.  I'm making breakfast but I'm sure you've already
eaten."      
    "Yes, we had breakfast about eight," Benny replied.  "Felt
really odd being able to sleep in late.  I'm usually up by five. 
Six on weekends.  Wasn't really sure how to handle sleeping in
until seven."     
    "Brad and I wake up about six every morning," I informed him as
I heard Brad turn the water off in the shower.  "I get breakfast
made and we have time to enjoy it before we have to be at work at
eight.  We usually leave about seven-forty."     
    "That's good," he replied.  "Okay, I'll get outta here and
we'll see you in a little while."
    "Be careful," I said.
    I hung up and poured Brad a cup of coffee and carried it into
the bathroom.  He had dried off and was standing in front of the
sink shaving when I stepped into the bathroom.      
    "Thanks, hon," he said.  
    Since his face was covered with shaving cream, I didn't attempt
to kiss him and he didn't take a sip of coffee.  "Benny said Paul
showed up a little bit ago.  The roads have been plowed.  He's
going to run Grandpa's car over to him and Grandpa will drop him
off here in about half an hour.
    "Breakfast is ready," I added.
    "Great.  I'm starving.  So, what do you want to do with Benny
today?" he asked and bent over to wash the remaining cream off his
face.     
    "We can't really go anywhere," I said.  "You need to take my
car so you can go visit your parents or brother.  So, I guess we'll
stay here and he can watch me do laundry."     
    Brad smiled and leaned over and kissed me.  "Honey, I think I'm
the only person in this world who doesn't mind watching you do
laundry."
    Brad had wrapped the towel around his muscular waist.  He
picked up the cup I had set on the counter for him and carried it
with him as we went back to the dining room.  He set the cup on the
table and, while I put breakfast on the table, he got out the
dishes and set the table.      
    "I'm afraid you're right," I agreed as we worked.
    "Of course, if I were going to spend the day with you," he
said, "I'd gladly watch you do laundry, then I'd take you out to
the boardwalk.  I'm sure that the lake is probably frozen and it
would be so pretty with the snow surrounding it.  It would be
fantastic to hold hands and watch the others ice skate."     
    "Brad, you know that lake's never frozen solid enough
to ice skate on," I reminded him.  I had been born and raised in
Jefferson.  Brad's family hadn't moved there until after he and
Chad had graduated high school.  Brad had gone to the same college
I had, but I hadn't met him.  I had actually graduated the same day
as Brad, but he had graduated in the morning and I in the
afternoon.
    "Yeah, I guess you're right.  But I do think it'd be fun to go
out and hold hands while we walk along the boardwalk."  
    "I agree with you there," I replied.  "Maybe Benny and
I should do that.  He hasn't been to the boardwalk since high
school.  He used to like to go roller skating with his friends
there."      
    "Now, Kristopher," Brad said, placing his napkin in his lap as
we sat down at the table, "I know you love your brother, but I
don't want you doing anything kinky with him while he's here. 
Especially not holding hands out on the boardwalk."
    I couldn't help grinning.  "Don't worry, darling," I replied. 
"I'm not into that.  The most we ever did together when we were
growing up was he taught me how to masturbate.  After that, since
he had his room and I had mine, we never even did that together
again."
    "That's good," he replied and took a bite of sausage.         
    I smiled and asked, "What about you and Chad?"     
    "You know how bashful Chad is," he replied.  "We never did
anything together.  I was really surprised when he actually
stripped in front of you that time and showed you that I have the
mole and he doesn't.
     "Actually," Brad admitted, "I don't even know if he jerks off.
We shared a room together, but I always did it in the shower and I
never caught him doing it."
     "Who taught you?" I asked.
     He grinned at me.  "You really don't want to know," he said. 
    "Yes I do," I replied.  "I want to know everything there is to
know about you."
     "My first lover.  He was a little older than me.  He taught me
how to jerk off, then he sucked me off, then he got me to fuck him.
We were together for about a month before he discovered girls.  We
were both in Junior High then."
    "But a girl can't fuck you up the ass," I protested.          
    He grinned.  "I know.  I found it really strange that he did
like to be fucked, but after he got his first pussy, he didn't want
me anymore."      
    "Why didn't you ever try girls?" I asked, timidly.  "'Specially
since you don't like it up the ass."
    He shrugged.  "I don't know.  Just never got horny looking at
a girl.  But I can look at you and get a boner in a heartbeat."   
    "I guess we'd better change the subject," I said, getting up to
get another glass of milk.  "Grandpa might want to come in with
Benny for a while."
    Brad chuckled.  "I sure do wish he'd go ahead and take the
plunge," he said.
    "What do you mean?" I asked, frowning at him as I sat back
down.
    "I know that he doesn't approve of you being gay," he
explained, "but the last few times that I've been around him, he's
always left saying, 'you'd better take good care of my little boy'.
I must be growing on him or something.  I just wish he'd realize
that I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are
happy and accept that I'm not going to hurt you or leave you,
either."      
    I smiled.  "I've never been happier, either," I replied.  I
reached over and took his left hand in mine.  I smiled tenderly as
I ran my finger over the gold ring with a row of diamonds on the
top of it that he wore on his left hand.  It hadn't been removed
since I had slipped it on that finger the day of our second
anniversary.  Even though we hadn't had an official wedding
ceremony, it was proof that he was mine.
    I glanced up into those beautiful brown eyes and melted as he
smiled at me.  "I love you, Kristopher Martin Brown," he whispered. 
    "I love you, too, Bradley Allen Peterson," I replied. 
We leaned across the table and kissed gently on the lips.         
    "I hate to say this, babe," he said, leaning back as we broke
the kiss, "but I wish they weren't coming."
    I grinned and let go of his warm hand.  "So do I," I admitted
and got up and began clearing the table.      
    "Go get your shower, babe," Brad said, taking the plate from
me.  "I'll get this.  You need to be ready when they get here."   
    "Thank you."  I kissed him and went into the bathroom.

     Snuggling into my warm heavy coat, I squinted against the
sun's bright rays as they reflected off the winter wonderland.  My
dark sunglasses didn't block out enough of the brightness.  The
wind wasn't blowing; that I was thankful for.  Benny stood next to
me as we looked out over the lake.  The tide was out and the water
was calm.  It was beautiful, but I wished that he had let Brad come
with us.  This was a sight to share with your husband or lover, not
something you really wanted to share with your big brother.
    "I'm glad Brad suggested this," Benny said softly,
putting his arm around me.  "I know you'd rather be with Brad right
now, but I really am glad that you're spending this time alone with
me."     
    I smiled up at his handsome face.  Again, I couldn't believe
how much he looked like Dad.  Resting my head on his broad
shoulder, I replied, "I'm glad that you're here, Benny.  I am
really thankful that you're going to be moving to Winchester, too." 
    "I'd like to see if you could take a few days off the first
week of December and go with me to Winchester to check out
apartments.  You're the one with taste and I would like to get your
opinion on the apartment before I commit to one."      
    I smiled.  "I don't know if I could stand to be away from Brad
for that long," I admitted.  "We haven't spent a night away from
each other in the two years we've been together."
    "You're kidding?" he asked, brushing the snow off a park bench
with his glove-clad hand so we could sit down.         
    "Nope," I replied.  We sat down on the bench and watched a
couple of guys go by on roller-blades.
    "Even Mom and Dad spent some time apart after they got
married," he reminded me.
    "True, but that was only because Grandpa had that award
ceremony in Washington when he got promoted to Admiral and Dad had
to work the full weekend.  He also had a few weeks after I was born
when he had to go to San Diego to get his license for flying the
chopper.  Therefore, he and Mom have had a lot of nights they
weren't able to spend together.  Brad and I haven't had any."     
    "Maybe it's time you did," Benny said.  "They say absence makes
the heart grow fonder.  A few days away from each other and you
might actually realize that you could live without him."
    I frowned at him.  He had never been down on my sexuality
before and he had always told me that he was glad I had someone so
special as Brad.  I sensed a setup.  "Grandpa put you up to this,
didn't he?"
    Even though he, too, was wearing dark sunglasses, I could tell
he looked away.  I was furious!  I jumped up.  "He did, didn't he?"
I demanded.  He turned his head as a couple of girls our age,
walked by talking and laughing.  One of them smiled at him.  He
returned her smile, basically ignoring me.  I knew then that
Grandpa had put him up to separating Brad and me.  He wasn't
ignoring me just because he didn't want to make a scene in front of
the girls.  
     Benny had never lived by himself before.  He had joined the
Navy right out of high school and had lived in the barracks for the
past eight years.  I had no doubt that he would be able to live by
himself because he had been trained to take care of the barracks
and the mess hall and he could learn to cook.  At first I had been
honored that he wanted me to help him find an apartment, but now I
was furious that he'd help Grandpa try to split Brad and me up.   
    The girls walked on, then the second girl looked back at us. 
"Benjamin?" she asked, grabbing the other girl by the shoulder to
stop her.  
    "Benjamin Brown?  Is that you?"
    He frowned and stood up.  I realized he didn't recognize her. 
She looked familiar to me, but I didn't recall her name, either. 
    "Yes?" he replied.
     She removed her sunglasses and grabbed and hugged him.  He
didn't stop her.  He returned the hug, even though I could tell he
still didn't recognize her.  "It's been a coon's age," she said
letting go of him and smiling up at him.  "You don't
remember me?  I'm Tiffany Sutton.  We graduated high school
together."     
    "Oh, yes," Benny replied, smiling at her.  "Now I remember
you."  I did too, at that point.  She had been his date to the
Senior Prom.  She had changed a little, but not much, plus, with
the white coat that had a hood on it that she was wearing, all we
could really see was her face.  She was also the sister of Jeff,
the first guy I'd had sex with - the guy I'd been with when Grandpa
caught us kissing.  I wondered what happened to him and if he had
ever found the man of his dreams the way I had.  He and I had split
up after being together for one semester, but had remained friends
through high school.  He had graduated the year before me and went
to college in another town and hadn't kept in touch.
     Benny kept his arm around Tiffany.  "How have you been?" he
asked.
     "Great!  I'm getting married in June.  Oh, I want you to meet
my future sister-in-law.  Sylvia Franklin, this is Benjamin Brown,
Junior.  He was my date at the Senior Prom."     
    Again Sylvia looked at him approvingly.  "Nice to meet you." 
    "Likewise," he replied.  He let go of Tiffany and turned to me. 
I was still standing.  "You might not remember my brother,
Kristopher," Benny said.
    We exchanged formalities and Tiffany smiled at me.  "Yes, I do
remember you.  Jeff still talks about you occasionally."  
    "How is he?" I asked.
    "He's doing great.  After he graduated from UCLA, he got a job
in Denver.  He still hasn't found his soul mate, but he's still
looking."
    "I'm glad he's doing well," I replied.
    "You can tell him that Kris has found his soul mate," Benny
informed her.
     "Congratulations," she said, smiling at me.  "So, what are you
doing these days, Benny?" she asked, returning her gaze to him.   
     "I'm a Lieutenant in the Navy," he informed her.  "I've been
stationed in Houston, Texas for quite a while and am now
transferring to Winchester."
     "Neat.  Glad to hear that you'll be back in the neighborhood,
so to speak," she said.  "Do you think you could make it to the
wedding?" she asked.
     "I really don't know what I'll be up against," he replied,
"but send me an invitation to my parent's house and I'll see if I
can get away."
     "Great.  We'd love to have you.
     "Well, it was great seeing both of you again," Tiffany said,
smiling politely at me.  I returned the smile and she hugged Benny
again.
     As they walked away, I heard Sylvia say, "What'd you let him
go for?  He's much better looking than Harold."      
    "I can't believe that I couldn't remember her name," Benny
said, sitting back down on the bench.  "I was actually considering
marrying her myself, back before I joined the Navy."     
    "Good thing you didn't," I replied, sitting down beside him. 
"No telling what would have happened after you ran off to Houston." 
    "That's true," Benny agreed.  "But you know as well as I do
that I didn't have a choice on where I was going after I joined. 
This time I'm lucky that they have a position open for me in
Winchester, or I wouldn't be going there now, either." 
    "I like ICC," I said.  I was still mad at him and was
tempted to walk off and leave him sitting on the bench alone.  "I'm
glad that Brad loves his job at Jefferson Bank and Trust, too.    
    "Brad mentioned wanting to take a vacation sometime next
month," I said, more to let him know that Brad and I weren't going
to be breaking up and that we had future plans together, than
anything else.  "We both have two weeks coming that we haven't
taken yet, but we want to just take one week in December and then
the other sometime in the spring after everything turns green. 
We're not sure what we want to do in the spring, but we are
planning on going to a bed and breakfast somewhere next month and
just enjoy the view of the snow-covered wilderness around the bed
and breakfast.  
     "We're not sure which one to go to," I continued. "We've got
it narrowed down to two.  One's in Pennsylvania and the other is in
Wyoming.  Of course, Wyoming is closer, but we both really like the
one in Pennsylvania.  There are pine trees around it and it's kind
of secluded.  It'll be real romantic.  There are fireplaces in each
of the rooms and if we get a room on the second floor, we'll have
a private balcony that looks out over the wilderness."      
    Benny sighed and stood up.  He walked across the boardwalk and
placed his hands on the guardrail that separated the boardwalk from
the rocky terrain below.  If someone tried to climb over the
guardrail and go down to the water's edge, they could get trapped
when the high tide came in.  Kilgore Lake was four hundred miles
wide and six hundred miles long.  It could be a place to have fun,
but when the weather was bad, the raging water could be deadly. 
Jefferson was only one small town on the edge of the lake.  We had
lived there all of our lives.  Since Dad was in Search and Rescue
for the Coast Guard, we knew how important that guardrail was.    
    Reluctantly, I got up and crossed the Boardwalk.  Benny looked
at me a second before he said, "I'm sorry, Kris.  I told Grandpa
that it wouldn't work, but he wanted me to try anyway.      
    "I hate to say this, Kris," he added, pulling me into his arms,
"but I really am jealous of what you and Brad have.  I wish that I
could find someone to hold the way he holds you.  Someone who'd
look at me the way he looks at you."      
    I smiled and snuggled a little closer to him.  My anger towards
him evaporated and I hugged him tighter.  "I love you, Benny," I
said, softly.  "I'm glad you didn't really want to separate us. 
I'll be glad to take a weekend and go to Winchester with you next
month to help you find an apartment.  Brad will be okay for two
days.  I'll have him go spend the weekend with his parents."
     "No you won't," he replied.  "You and he can come along and he
can help us look for an apartment for me.  We can rent a couple of
rooms at a hotel so you won't have to spend the night away from
each other.  I'm not going to try to break you up again, Kris.  I
love you too much to have you mad at me like that again."      
    "Thank you," I replied.
    "You know what?" I asked as we slowly started back to the car. 
    "No, what?" he asked.
    "When you get your own apartment, it will be easier for you to
find someone special when you're not on the base all the time."   
    "That's probably true," he agreed.  "It's kind of hard to find
a woman when all you hang around with are guys."
    "Mm, maybe I should have joined the Navy," I said with a
chuckle.
    "No, then you wouldn't have met Brad," he replied, smiling down
at me.  "And no matter what Grandpa or anyone else says, Kris, you
hang on to him.  Nobody is ever going to love you as much as he
does."
     "Thanks, Benny," I said, softly.  "I plan on keeping him."
   
     Brad added another log to the fire in the hearth in the living
room of my parent's house.  "Damn," he said, softly, "I wish they'd
hurry up and get here."
     "So do I," I replied as he got up and sat down on the
couch beside me.
     It was Sunday evening.  Mom was in the den getting things
ready for the arrival of Aunt Shari, Uncle Stan and Gary.  I had
offered to help her, but she had insisted that Brad and I sit in
the living room and watch for their arrival.  Dad and Benny had
gone over to Grandma and Grandpa's to help them get ready for
Stephanie, Blake and Bridgette.        
    I looked at the clock on the mantle.  "It's seven-thirty," I
said.  "Grandma said they should have been here by six.  I hope
they didn't have any trouble."
    "So do I," Brad said.  
    "Maybe they stopped by Grandma and Grandpa's first," I
suggested.
    "Maybe.  Hey, Kris?" he asked softly as he nuzzled my
neck.
    "Yes?"
    "Do you know how much I love you?"      
    "Well, even though it's been a good fifteen minutes since you
told me, I do know," I replied, grinning at him.
    He smiled and kissed me on the lips.  "I love you, too," I said
when we broke the kiss.
    "Wait here," he said.  Getting up, Brad headed into the
hallway.  I heard him open the closet door and close it.  I figured
he was getting something out of his coat pocket.  A moment later he
returned with something in his hand, but he held it so that I
couldn't see what it was.
    Brad sat back down next to me and put his arm around me.  He
kissed me gently on the lips.  "This might not be the best time to
do this," he said, softly.  "But I think that it's better to do
this now than to try to do it later when everyone is here.  It
might be awkward then."      
    I looked worriedly at Brad.  In the two years we'd been
together I had never considered the possibility of him leaving me,
nor of me leaving him.  Had he gotten tired of Grandpa trying to
split us up and gone to get the key to our apartment out of his
coat pocket?  Was he getting ready to tell me that he was leaving
me now?  As fear gripped at my chest, he pulled back a little and
smiled at me.  "Kristopher, you have made me the happiest man on
this earth," he said, not noticing my fear.  He looked down at his
hand and opened it.  There was a small black velvet box in his
hand.  I breathed a noticeable sigh of relief.     
    He looked up at me and smiled.  "I love you, Kris," he
said, still speaking softly.  "I couldn't believe it when you gave
me this ring," he said, indicating the ring on his left ring
finger.  "It has been proof to the world that I belong to you. 
Now, it's time that you have proof to the world that you belong to
me."      
    He opened the small black box.  Inside was a smaller version of
the same ring that he wore.  I gasped as I stared at it.  I
couldn't believe that he actually found one that matched his.     
    Brad took the ring out of its resting place and set the box on
the coffee table.  Then he picked up my hand in his and gently
placed the ring on my finger.  "With this ring, I thee wed," he
said and leaned over and kissed me on the lips.  "Maybe your
Grandpa will leave us alone now that we have proof we belong to
each other."
    Tears blurred his handsome face and streamed down my cheeks as
I cried.  "I can't believe you did this," I sobbed.  "I love you so
much.  Thank you so much." 
    "I love you, too, baby," he whispered.  "You're mine now."  He
kissed me gently on the lips and I melted into his arms.
    "I'll always be yours, Brad," I whispered.
    He pulled back a few minutes later and grinned at me. 
    "Now when we go to either Wyoming or Pennsylvania, we'll be on
our official honeymoon."
    "I like that idea," I replied as he brushed the tears from my
cheeks and Mother walked in from the hallway.     
    "Kristopher, are you crying?" Mother asked, worriedly.     
    "Yes," I replied with a smile.  I got up and held my hand out
for her to see.  "Look what Brad did."
    "Oh, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed.  She hugged me then she
hugged Brad, who had gotten up to join us.
    "Now I'm an official member of the family," Brad said, putting
our hands together so she could see both rings.      
    Mother had made breakfast for us on the day of our anniversary
the month before, before we had gone out to Kilgore Island.  That
had been the day I had given him his ring, but I hadn't thought to
do it as our wedding ceremony.
    "I'm glad that you could find one that matched," Mom said.
    "So am I," he replied.  "I drug Chad all over town yesterday
looking for this one."  Brad put his hand on my hip and looked into
my eyes.  "Yesterday morning when you sat across from me and ran
your finger over my ring, at breakfast," he explained, "I liked
that feeling and I wanted to do it to you, too.  But I hadn't given
you a ring, so I couldn't.  That's when I decided that since you
were going to be out with Benny all day and I wasn't going to be
with you, that would be the only chance I'd get to find one.  Since
this wasn't a wedding band, it was difficult to find a mate to it. 
I was afraid I was going to have to have one custom made, but
Zale's had one just like mine.  They did have to cut it down to fit
you, though.  Luckily, even though you don't wear your Senior Class
ring very often, I knew that it still fits, so I was able to get
the size from it."
     I feigned anger as I said, "What?  That sales lady told me
that was a one-of-a-kind and there wasn't a mate to it or
another one like it.  I ought to sue them for false advertising." 
    Brad wrapped his arm around me and pulled me against
him.  "No, baby, I'm glad that I could get one just like it.  I
wanted our rings to match, just like we do."
     I pressed my body against his and kissed him on the lips.  "I
am glad that she didn't know there was another one, too," I said,
softly.
    "Well, I am very happy for both of you," Mother said.  She
hugged us both again, then added, "And as far as Ben and I have
been concerned, Brad, you have always been a member of this family. 
We've never seen Kris as happy as he is when you're around.  No
matter what Grandpa says, Grandma, Benny, Ben and I want you two to
stay together."
     "I'm not going anywhere," Brad said, leading me back over to
the sofa.
    "Neither am I," I replied as we sat back down.      
    "I'm wondering if maybe Stephanie, Blake and Bridgette should
stay here instead of at Mom and Dad's," Mom said, changing the
subject as she sat down in an easy chair and looked worriedly out
the large picture window at the circular driveway.
    "I think Grandma is really looking forward to having company,"
I replied, taking Brad's hand in mine.  Our rings were together so
we could see both of them.  They really were a perfect match, just
like we were.
    "No, I mean let Shari, Stan and Gary stay over there and they
stay here.  I don't think Mom is up to having a two-year old in the
house."      
    "No, Katherine," Brad said, "I think she's looking forward to
having her there.  I knew the way she looked when you told her that
some of them need to stay over here, Friday night, that she really
wants them all to stay over there.  I think having a youngster in
the house will do her good."
    "Maybe you're right, Brad," Mom said.
    "I agree with him," I said.
     Brad put his arm around me and smiled as he said, "Just as
long as she's not staying with us, I don't care where she stays." 
    "Maybe we should go to your parent's for Thanksgiving," I said. 
"There won't be any children there."      
    "Nah, I think I can handle it for one day," Brad said as we saw
Grandpa's car pull into the driveway.
    Mom jumped up and rushed to the front door.  Brad and I got up
and followed as we heard the garage door open.  Although we hadn't
seen Dad's car, we knew that he and Benny were back.
    As Mother opened the front door to look out, we saw a black
mini-van pull in the circular drive behind Grandpa's Towne car. 
Grandpa had parked behind my car.
     We grabbed our coats from the closet and ran outside to help
Grandma out of the car and to see who was in the mini-van.  Uncle
Stan was out of the van before Brad and I reached Grandpa's car. 
Mother rushed to great Aunt Shari as she got out of the front seat. 
Even though they were still close, they hadn't seen each other
since Stephanie and Blake's wedding three years before.
     Brad opened the car door for Grandma and she took my
hand and stepped out of the car.  Balancing herself against Brad,
she held onto my hand and looked at it.  "My memory might not be as
good as it used to be, Kristopher," she said, "but I do know that
this ring wasn't there Friday night."
    "No, he just gave it to me," I replied.
    "Good.  I've always thought you belong together," she said and
kissed Brad on the cheek.
    Even though we lived only about ten minutes apart when the
roads were good, Brad hadn't met my grandparents until that summer
when we had gotten shipwrecked on Kilgore Island in his parent's
new houseboat.  Grandma had taken to Brad instantly and was happy
for us.
     As we guided Grandma toward the house, the others had finally
gotten out of the mini-van and headed inside.  I was happy to see
that everyone was there.  After I greeted everyone, I took a deep
breath and stepped over next to Brad; he was standing in the
doorway to the living room looking kind of like a lost puppy since
he didn't know any of the newcomers.
    Poor Bridgette had been asleep when they arrived.  Now she was
waking up in a new place and wasn't sure if she was excited because
it was a new place, or scared because she didn't know anyone there,
but she wasn't awake enough to really know what was going on.     
    Stephanie sat down on the couch and Blake handed Bridgette to
her.  Stephanie appeared to be around six months pregnant, so she
had no business carrying their daughter at that stage.  She pulled
the little blond that looked so much like her into her lap and
Bridgette lay her head on her mother's shoulder and stuck her thumb
in her mouth as she dozed off.      
    I had never hidden my sexuality from my family, but I hadn't
flaunted it either.  I had never had a boyfriend when this part of
the family had visited.  I didn't know what they knew.  "Everyone,"
I said.  "I'd like for you to meet my roommate, Brad Peterson.    
    "Brad, this is my uncle, Stan Jones," I said, introducing him
to the tall slender man with graying black hair, who stood next to
the fireplace. 
    "Nice to meet you, sir," Brad said, shaking his hand.  I
noticed it was a strong, firm handshake.      
    "Nice meeting you," Uncle Stan said.  "We haven't heard much
about you.  Just that you and Kris are roommates."      
    "Oh?" Brad asked, glancing at me.  "Well, there's not much to
tell.  I work at Jefferson Bank and Trust here in town.  I take
care of the computers."
    "I see," Uncle Stan said.  "This is my son, Gary," he added,
turning to the young man who stood beside him.
    "Glad you were able to make it, Gary," Brad said, shaking his
hand.  "I hear that you are the keyboardist for Cliff Richmond. 
That must be fun."
    Gary smiled.  He was thirty now and in great shape.  It was
hard for me to believe that I hadn't seen him since the wedding. 
He had just bought the garage then.  His straight-white teeth
glistened in the light of the fire.  "Yeah, it's been something
else, that's for sure," he said.
    "We've been watching the news," Dad spoke up.  "I hope there's
not another incident like the fires at those grocery stores.  Have
they heard anything else about who started them or who threw the
bomb into your manager's office building?" 
    "No.  If they do know anything, they're keeping it hush-hush,"
Gary replied.  "Cliff's just about ready to give up.  We're trying
to get him to at least hold off making that decision until after
New Years."
    "My cube mate at ICC - International Computer Company, where I
work - said that he just bought your last single.  He's got your
album, too.  So do we, actually."
    "Oh?" Gary asked, surprised.  "I didn't think they were selling
it anywhere."
    "Jason said they were selling like hot-cakes when he was there
to get his copy," I informed him.
    "That's good news," Gary replied.
    "Tell him that his fans here in Jefferson want to see him make
it to the top," Brad said.
    "I will.  Thanks," Gary said, shaking his hand again.  He
smiled at me and gave me a knowing wink, but didn't say
anything.      
    I went on to Aunt Shari.  She had sat down in a chair that Dad
had brought in from the dining room.  She was a year younger than
Mother and it was obvious they were sisters.  They both had blond
hair and blue eyes and the same nose.  Dad, Benny and Brad always
teased me that I had mother's nose, but I always denied it. 
Secretly, I was glad I did.      
    "This is Aunt Shari," I told Brad.  He shook her hand and then
I turned to the short stout man with brown hair and piercing blue
eyes, who stood next to her.  He didn't seem to fit in the room
with all the tall slender handsome men, but he belonged there as
much as Brad did.
    "This is Blake Walker," I said.  I hadn't seen him since the
wedding.
    "Nice meeting you," Brad said, shaking his hand.
    "Likewise," Blake replied.
    "And this is Stephanie Walker," I said, turning to the pregnant
lady who held the sleeping little girl as she sat on the couch.   
    "And this sleeping beauty must be Bridgette."  We had both seen
the pictures that Aunt Shari had sent to Mother, but none of us had
met her.   
    "Yeah, she does appear to be a doll," Brad said.  He smiled at
Stephanie and added, "I hear you're carrying twins this time.  I'm
a twin.  You might get to meet my brother while you're here."     
    "Oh, you are?" Stephanie asked, surprised.
    I realized then that Mom might have told Aunt Shari about Brad
and me, but Aunt Shari hadn't informed the rest of the family, thus
the reason for Uncle Stan's earlier comment.  I also knew that Gary
had only known because he was working close enough with Cliff
Richmond that he was able to tell that Brad and I were lovers.    
    "Yes, I'd like that," Stephanie continued.  "We won't go into
anything right now, but I'd like to talk to you about how you and
your brother were treated growing up, how you handled it - you are
identical, right?"
    "Yes."
    "Good.  I do want to talk to you about how you handled that,
too.  I don't know if ours are boys or girls, or if they will be
identical, but I would like to know how you felt and if you ever
felt like you weren't an individual because of your brother."   
    "I'd be glad to talk to you and answer any questions you might
have," Brad replied.  "But I have always been an individual. 
Sometimes I think that Chad might have resented me.  I think he was
mistaken for me more than I was for him.  We'll have to do lunch
sometime this week and have him join us.  That way you can find out
his side, too."      
    "I'd like that," Stephanie replied.
    "Great, I'll check with Chad in the morning and see if we can
get together Tuesday for lunch," Brad said.
    "Did you have any trouble getting here?" I heard Grandpa ask
Uncle Stan.
    "I'm looking forward to it," Stephanie said.
    "There was some ice in places, but not too bad," Uncle
Stan replied.  "The reason we were late is because there was a semi
jackknifed just this side of Denver and we had to wait about an
hour before they could get it out of the way.  Luckily, no one was
injured."      
    "That's good," Grandma said.
    "Did you drive straight through, or stop somewhere?"
Grandpa asked.
    Brad motioned for me to sit down on a dining room chair beside
the armchair that Grandma had taken, then he sat down on the floor
next to me.
    "We spent the night in Denver," Aunt Shari replied.  "Stephanie
didn't need to be on the road that long.  We'll stop there on our
way back, too."
     Benny got up and went into the dining room and returned with
another chair.  "Here you go, buddy," he said.  "No need for you to
sit on the floor."
    "Thanks, Benny," Brad replied.  "You didn't have to do
that."      
    "No problem," Benny said and sat back down in the chair next to
Grandpa.
    As everyone relaxed and began to talk in small groups, Grandma
reached across my lap and took my left hand.  She turned it over
and looked at the ring.  I could see a twinkle of happiness in her
tired blue eyes.  "You're very lucky, Kristopher," she said,
softly.  "You keep him.  Don't let anything that anyone, including
Papa, says or does, break you two up."
    "Thanks, Grandma," I replied.  I leaned over and hugged her. 
As I pulled back, I caught Gary watching me from across the room. 
He smiled and I got up and asked, "Would anyone like any coffee or
tea?"      
    I got a few yes responses, so I headed into the kitchen.  I was
actually surprised that Mother hadn't offered earlier, but she had
been so overjoyed at seeing her sister again that she must have
forgotten.      
    I picked up the coffee decanter and turned around to get water
and bumped into Brad.  "Need some help, babe?" he asked, softly.  
    "I think I can manage.  Thanks, though," I replied.  He kissed
me and I pulled back just as Gary walked into the room. 
    "I thought so," Gary said.  I blushed as I started filling up
the decanter.  "How long have you two been together?" Gary asked,
sitting down on a bar stool at the breakfast bar.      
    "A little over two years," Brad replied, opening the coffee
canister that Mother kept on the counter beside the flour, sugar
and tea canisters, for me.
    "We celebrated our second anniversary the seventeenth of
October," I informed him.
    "Mom said that Aunt Katherine told her you had a roommate, but
she didn't elaborate.  She also said that you would switch off
going to Brad's parents place and here for Thanksgiving and
Christmas.  I always thought that was odd if you were just
roommates, but now I can see why.  I often wondered about you,
Kris."
     "Actually, this is just a one-night-stand that has lasted two-
years," I said with a grin.
     Brad put his arm around me and took my left hand in his left
hand and placed both our hands on the counter for Gary to see. 
"And it's never going to be morning, either," he said.   
    Gary smiled at our rings.  "Congratulations," he said. 
    "Thanks," I replied.  I pulled out of Brad's warm embrace and
opened the refrigerator door.  I was thankful that Mother had made
sun tea earlier, so I didn't have to brew it on the stove. The sun
had already set.
     Gary watched quietly while Brad got a few glasses out of the
cabinet and I filled them up with ice and he filled them with tea
from the gallon jug.  Gary smiled and said, "You two make a good
team.  Just like watching Cliff and Rex in the kitchen."      
    I frowned.  "Rex?  Who's he?"
    "Yeah, I thought Cliff's lover was Preston Townsen," Brad said. 
"Or is that just a cover up for his real lover, since Preston can
obviously take care of himself and Cliff if he has to?"      
    "Whoops.  I forgot.  I'm not supposed to say it, but I
guess I can trust you.  Preston Townsen is just his stage name. 
His real name is Rex Edwards.  He's a computer programmer for a
major software company there in Timber Creek.  No clients ever see
him there, all of his customer contact is on the phone, so no one
except for fellow employees will ever suspect anything and, so far,
no one has, or they are so intimidated by his size - he really is
six-three and weighs two-ten of pure muscle - they don't dare."  
    "Wow, I wouldn't want to mess with him, either," I said.
    "His secret is safe with us," Brad promised.
    "Thanks.  And yours is safe with me," he replied.  "But then,
I guess everyone knows except for Mom, Dad, Stephanie and Blake?" 
    "I'm not too sure about your mom," I admitted.  "I don't know
what Mother told her.  Grandpa is the only one who's not happy with
it."
    "Well, I won't tell my family.  You can do that or let them
find out when you're ready."
    "Thanks," Brad said as I took Mother's silver service out of
the cabinet where she kept it.
    "Are you sure she wants you to use the good stuff, babe?" Brad
asked.
    "She'd kill me if I used the good stuff," I replied.  "That's
the china over there in the dining room in the china cabinet."    
    I poured the coffee into the silver coffee pot then put the
iced tea on a serving tray.  Brad carried the coffee while I
carried the iced tea glasses and Gary followed us back into the
living room.
    "I'm surprised you let them get the coffee, Katherine," Uncle
Stan said as we walked into the room.
    "Why shouldn't they?" Grandma asked.  "They're stronger than we
are and it's easier for them to carry those heavy trays. 
    "Thank you, dear," Grandma added, taking a cup of coffee off
the silver tray that Brad offered.
     "You're welcome, Grandma," he replied and kissed her on the
cheek.
    As I let Stephanie take a glass of iced tea off my tray, I
noticed Blake and Uncle Stan exchange frowns.  I knew they wondered
why Brad, my roommate, would be calling my grandmother, Grandma
instead of either Mrs. Collins or Beatrice.  Blake even called her
Mrs. Collins.
    "Would you like for me to put her down in the den?" I asked
Stephanie, indicating Bridgette.
    "It would be more comfortable for me," she agreed.      
    In a flash Blake was on his feet.  "I'll take her," he offered.
    "Thanks," I said.  "The den is just around the corner to the
left.

    Twinkling stars and a harvest moon reflected brightly off
Kilgore Lake, making the night sky almost as bright as day.  I
shivered and Brad wrapped his warm, strong arms around me and held
me closer.        
    "Thanks for agreeing to come out here, Kris," he whispered
against my cheek.
     "Thank you for suggesting it," I replied as the tide began to
come in.  
     We had spent a fairly nice evening with my family and, after
Blake had gathered up Bridgette, who had slept all evening, and
Stephanie, the three of them went with Grandma and Grandpa back to
my grandparent's house in Grandpa's car, leaving Uncle Stan's mini-
van and Uncle Stan, Aunt Shari, and Gary at my parent's house. 
Brad and I said goodnight and headed home ourselves, promising to
return the next evening for dinner.  Mother and Dad had taken the
entire week off since they were going to have company, but Brad and
I still had to work.
     On the way home, Brad had suggested we stop by the boardwalk
for a short walk.  I never passed up an opportunity to spend time
alone with him, doing things that he enjoyed doing.  I knew that it
would be cold on the boardwalk, but I didn't care since I knew that
he would be glad to hold me and keep me warm.
     Glancing at my watch I took a deep breath of the fresh crisp
air.  "I wish that we didn't have to go to work in the morning," I
said.      
    "Me, too," Brad replied.  "But we want to go somewhere in
December and I don't want to give up my spring vacation either.
    "Just think," he continued, "next year we'll have three weeks
for vacation.  Then we can take a week off in the spring, a week
for our anniversary and a week off for Christmas."    
    "Do you think we might get tired of spending so much time
together if we do?" I asked.
    He chuckled, a deep sexy chuckle that drove me crazy.  "Not on
your life, babe," he whispered.  "I can't get enough of you and you
know it."     
    "Double ditto for me, too," I replied, tenderly.
    Turning me around to face him, Brad kissed me on the lips.  No
one was around.  It was just a little past ten on a Sunday night
and it was very cold.  The temperature was in the tens and the wind
chill had to be well below zero.
     We kissed for a few minutes then he pulled me closer and held
me, nuzzling my neck.  "I love you, Kristopher," he whispered. 
"I'm glad that your family is here, but I really didn't care for
spending so much time with them."
     "I know," I replied.  "I'm surprised Aunt Shari didn't tell
them about you.  I figured we'd be the gossip of the family." 
    Brad chuckled again and pulled away from me.  Turning me
around, he took my hand in his and we started walking down the
boardwalk.  No matter what time of day or season, we always enjoyed
the boardwalk.  I always preferred going out to Kilgore Island in
the summer or warm weather, but the boardwalk was the next best
thing.
    "I found a place on the Internet this morning while you were
getting ready for church," Brad said, changing the subject as we
walked, "it's got a few pictures of The Walnut Inn.  It's the one
we've been looking at in Wyoming."
    "Oh?  Did you bookmark it?" I asked, hopefully.     
    "Yeah.  It's got a shit-load of stuff to do, but I don't really
want to do anything while we're there.  I just want to hold you and
watch it snow or watch the fire in the hearth."
    I didn't mention that we could do that at home and save our
money.  "That's all I want, too," I admitted.     
    "However, I did find another place, this one is just north of
Jackson, Wyoming in Redwood.  It's called Misty Mountain Lodge. 
Tanya Fitzgerald and her husband, Rob, are the owners."      
    "Were there any pictures?" I asked.
    "No, but there's an e-mail address.  I think the web site was
still under construction.  I wrote to them to see what they had to
offer.  Mainly I asked for the view and the fireplace in a private
suite.  I hope that I get an answer by the time we get home,
because I really do want to go ahead and get this planned out. 
December is sneaking up on us."
    "Yes, it is," I agreed.  "And I have to make arrangements to
take off so that we won't be short-handed."      
    "I do, too.  I'm just hoping we haven't waited too long to make
up our minds where to go," he said, leading me back toward my car. 
    "So do I," I admitted.
    Brad opened the passenger door for me and I got in.  I wasn't
really ready to go home, but we both had to be at work at eight
o'clock the next morning.  I wished that we hadn't promised to have
dinner at my parent's house the next day.   
  
    "I want to check our e-mail," Brad said, kicking off his shoes
as we walked into the apartment.  "You go ahead and get ready for
bed.  I'll be there in a few minutes."
    "I hope they replied," I said.   I set up the coffee maker to
start brewing at six-thirty the next morning.  We always set the
alarm for six, but we usually didn't get out of bed before six-
thirty.  If I had the coffee maker start at six-thirty, coffee
would be ready by the time Brad finished his shower.  I didn't
drink coffee, but Brad enjoyed three cups each morning before going
to work.
    After setting up the coffee maker, I went into the bedroom and
removed my clothes.  
    "All right!" Brad exclaimed from the living room.  "Come here,
babe!"
    I grabbed my robe and rushed into the living room.  I had set
my computer up in the corner next to the outside wall when I had
moved into our apartment.  Brad had his own computer when we met,
but it was more out-dated than mine, so, since we really didn't
need two computers, he sold his.  Since we both were trouble-
shooters for computers at work - me for technical support for
customers who called in, and he, technical support for the
computers in the bank he worked for, we didn't spend a lot of time
on mine.  We even shared an e-mail account.
    Brad was grinning at the screen when I rushed into the room. 
"Look at this," he said, pushing the chair away from the desk.  He
pulled me onto his lap and we both read the e-mail message.
    "Thank you for your inquiry about Misty Mountain Lodge, Mr.
Peterson," the message read.  "We would love to have you as our
guest.  However, December is our busy season.  The ski trails open
at Thanksgiving and people plan their winter vacations this time of
year.  We only have five rooms and we are filling up for the month
of December, fast.  While you may make your reservations on-line,
I would advise you to call with your plans as soon as possible to
see if we have availability.
     "You mentioned in your e-mail that you wanted a suite with a
fireplace in the sitting area and a balcony view of either trees or
mountains.  We have just what you are looking for in Aunt Pearl's
Chambers.  We call it that because it is Rob's Aunt Pearl's
favorite suite.
     "I am attaching a photo of the sitting room and one of the
bedroom.  In your e-mail you did mention that you were able to
receive and view photos.
     "This suite rents for $189.00 per night with a two-night
minimum.  We do have a few other suites that are less expensive,
but I think that you will agree that this is exactly what you are
looking for.  It is very romantic and I seriously believe that your
wife will find it simply delightful."
    "Did you tell them I was your wife?" I asked.      
    "No," Brad replied.  "I just said I was looking for something
romantic.  She jumped to that conclusion herself."      
    "Hmm, that makes me wonder if they won't let you stay if you're
not married," I said, thoughtfully.      
    Brad wrapped his arms around me a little tighter and said,
"I've got the ring to prove I'm yours and you have the ring to
prove you're mine."
    I smiled and rubbed his arm.  "I'm glad.  I hope they don't
freak out when we show up."
    "So do I," he admitted.
    "As for amenities," the message continued, "there are several
fun things to do here.  The ski trails are just down the road from
us.  There is hiking and biking available, even in the winter.  A
small river runs through our property and you can even take a long
leisurely romantic walk down beside it."      
    "That sounds like fun," I said.
    "Mmm hmm," Brad replied, still reading.      
    "If you are not an outdoorsy couple, during the winter I gather
together anyone who wants to join in and we have a quilting bee. 
If you do not finish a quilt that you are working on while here,
the next set of guests will work on it.  We have the best time
sitting around in front of the fire and chatting with visitors
while we create warm quilts and sip hot mulled cider.  All quilts
that are made here will be sold in the gift shop, but the guests
who make them have first dibs on purchasing them."
    "I don't think I'd want to do that," I said.  "If I make a
quilt, I want to bring it home with me without paying for it." 
    "Yeah, but it might be fun to work on one for a while, anyway. 
We won't make any decisions until we get there," Brad replied.    
    "Everyone says that Rob makes simply the best Raspberry muffins
for breakfast every morning," the message continued.  "You will
have to be the judge for yourself, I'm in love with him and I have
to agree.  Rob and I serve a home-style breakfast in the dining
room as the sun comes over the horizon and splashes its warmth into
the room.  There's nothing better than a warm home-cooked breakfast
while watching the sun rise.
    "Lunch and dinner are also served in the dining room, family-
style.  While we do not require that anyone set foot out of their
suite while they are here, all meals are served at set hours in the
dining room, except in the spring and summer when picnic baskets
are made available for guests who wish to eat down by the river.  
   "There are plenty of fun things to do while in Redwood, Mr.
Peterson.  Please feel free to call us at your earliest convenience
to make your reservations.  Rob and I look forward to having you
and your spouse as our guests.
    "Thank you,
    "Tanya Fitzgerald, Misty Mountain Lodge, Redwood, Wyoming."   
    "Wow," I said.
    "Want to try it?" Brad asked. 
    "Let's look at the photos first," I replied.      
    Brad reached around me and, using the mouse, clicked on the
first of the two photos that Mrs. Fitzgerald had attached.      
    "I think that was a canned message," Brad said as we watched
the picture load, "but she edited it quite a bit."      
    "I think so, too," I replied.  "Ooo, I like that," I added as
the screen filled with a shot of a sitting room.  The furniture
appeared to be Victorian and was ivory-colored.      
    Brad closed the photo and opened the next one.  It was a nice
ivory Victorian bedroom.
    "What do you think, babe?" Brad asked, softly.  I could tell by
his tone he wasn't impressed. 
    "I like it, but am disappointed that she didn't send any shots
of the view."
    "I think it's a little too much ivory, myself," Brad admitted. 
Brad preferred reds and blacks to anything ivory or pearl or peach. 
His favorite color was red.
    I turned a little in his lap so I could face him.  "I don't
care what it looks like, as long as I'm with you," I replied,
softly.      
    He smiled and kissed me on the lips.  "I love you, Kris," he
said.  "I want this to be a special week for us."      
    I frowned.  "At a hundred and eighty-nine dollars a night, are
we going to stay a full week?"
    "Don't forget airfare and auto rental," he reminded me.  "No,
I think the two-night minimum is enough, but I want it to be a
memorable two nights, for both of us."
    I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his broad
shoulder.  "I'd just as soon crawl into bed with you and stay
here," I said.
    He chuckled as he rubbed my back.  "I know, babe," he said. 
"But I want to take you somewhere special like this.  I will even
tolerate the ivory for you."
    "We could have her send pictures of another room," I replied. 
    "Nah, let's just take this one.  I trust her judgement on the
view."     
    "Okay.  It's up to you," I replied.      
    He patted my bottom.  "Good, then it's settled.  I'll make the
reservation via e-mail because it's too late to call now, and you
go get a shower."
    I kissed him on the lips and said, "Thank you."      

    Standing at the front door of ICC, I watched expectantly for
Mother's white, four-door Toyota Camry.  Benny had borrowed Mom's
car so he could pick me up and take me to lunch.  Brad and Chad
were having lunch with Stephanie and Blake, so they could discuss
what they went through growing up.  I had wanted to join them, but
Benny saw this as the perfect opportunity for us to spend some time
alone together.  Something we hadn't done since the Saturday after
he arrived.
     "What are you planning to do for the holidays, Kris?" I heard
someone behind me ask.
     I turned around and smiled at the lady who had spoken.  It was
Mrs. Carter, my supervisor.  "Some of my family is here from
Oklahoma and my brother is here.  He's supposed to pick me up, but
he's running late, it looks like."
     "Don't worry about it," Mrs. Carter said.  "It's a dead day
anyway.  They say today is the day more people travel than any
other."
     "Yes, Ma'am, I've always heard that, too," I replied, opening
the door for her.
     "Well, you have a good time and don't worry if you're a little
late getting back from lunch.  I'm not coming back until Monday, so
you have a great weekend.  We're going to Seattle to see my
daughter."      
    "Great," I said, smiling at her.  "I hope you have a wonderful
trip and a happy Thanksgiving."
     "Thanks.  And happy Thanksgiving to you," she said as a
burgundy Chevy Blazer pulled up to the curb out front.        
    Mrs. Carter nodded to the driver and walked over to where she
had parked her car.  I glanced back at the new Blazer and did a
double take when I realized that Benny was the driver and he was
motioning me to come get in.      
    I rushed out and opened the passenger door.  "I was beginning
to think you didn't recognize me," Benny said.      
    "I didn't," I admitted.  "Wow, when did you get this?" I asked. 
I knew he didn't have it the night before when we had dinner at
Grandma and Grandpa's.
    "This morning," he replied, pulling out into the street. 
"Uncle Stan and Dad went with me to get it.  What do you think?"  
    "I love it," I replied.
    "Mom thought it might be too big for me, but it gets great gas
milage and if I'm going to be coming home on the weekends, I need
good gas milage."
     "That's a good idea," I agreed.
     "Sorry I'm late," he said, "I had to go back to the car lot to
drop off some papers that I had forgotten to take and the salesman
was on the phone."
     "That's okay," I replied.  "That was Mrs. Carter that just
left.  She said that I didn't have to rush back to work this
afternoon.  We're pretty slow since everyone's traveling today."  
    "I imagine," Benny agreed.
    "Where do you want to go for lunch?"  I asked.      
    "It's been a long time since I've been here.  Anything
new in town that's good?"
    I knew that Brad was having lunch at a nice restaurant
downtown, but I also knew that Benny would be mad at me if we
"accidently" ran into them.
    "The Wharf is good," I replied.  "It's on the boardwalk."    
    "Great, we'll try it out.  Good seafood?"      
    "Yes.  The best."
    "I'm sorry, Kris," he said, softly as he headed toward the
boardwalk.  "I know that you really want to be with him, but I'm
sure that everything that they're talking about you already know. 
Besides, they don't know about you two, do they?"    
    "I don't think so," I admitted.  "Gary said that Aunt Shari
hasn't told them and she'd be the one to do it, I think."      
    "Are you going to bring anything for lunch tomorrow, or fix it
at the house?" he asked, changing the subject.      
    "I'm making a couple of pecan pies," I replied as he turned
into the parking lot of The Wharf.  "Grandma is going to make one. 
She's also bringing a fruit salad."
     "Grams called last night after you and Brad left," Benny said,
getting out of the car.
     I met him in front of his new Blazer and we headed into The
Wharf.  It was the day before Thanksgiving so there were hardly any
customers there.  We didn't have to wait to be seated.      
    "What did Grams say?" I asked as the waitress left to get our
drink orders.
    "They're not going to be able to make it for Thanksgiving, but
they will be here for Christmas."
    "That's good," I replied.  "Sorry they won't get to see
everyone, though."
    "It would have been nice for them to see them."      
    "Yes, it would have," I agreed.  "But they are Dad's
side of the family and don't really know them, so it's just as
well, I guess."
    "That's true," Benny agreed.
    "The skating rink is going to be open Friday," he continued,
changing the subject.  "I talked to Blake and Gary; they think it'd
be a good idea for us all to go skating Friday night.  Stephanie
said that Bridgette loves to skate.  Would you like to join us?"  
    "That does sound like fun," I agreed.  "I'll see if Brad wants
to bring Chad and maybe their parents."
    "That would be a good idea," Benny agreed, to my surprise.  He
hadn't met Chad nor their parents.
    "I'll let you know tonight," I told him.       
    "Okay.  You are coming over for dinner tonight, aren't you?"  
    "Yes," I replied as the waitress arrived with our drinks.     
    I ordered the stuffed flounder and Benny ordered a shrimp
platter.  After the waitress left, I said, "I wanted to have
everyone over for dinner one day this week, but since I had to
work, Mother wouldn't let me."
    "Probably just as well," Benny said, stirring sugar into his
tea.  "You're apartment isn't big enough for all of us."     
    "You're right, thirteen would be a tight squeeze," I agreed. 
"Our dining room table only holds six."
    "Maybe after everyone leaves you can have Mom, Dad and me
over," he suggested.  "I don't know if Grandpa would want to or
not." 
     "I didn't even bother introducing them to Brad until they came
out to the island to get us back in the summer."      
    "I heard about that time," Benny said, with a chuckle.  "Both
from you and Grandpa.  Of course, your version of it is a lot
better than Grandpa's version."
     "I'm sure," I replied.  "I'm surprised we didn't ever go out
there while we were growing up," I added.      
    "I think it was because you and Mom burn too easily." 
    "Brad keeps me covered in lotion," I said.  "Plus I've been
laying out with him at the apartment complex and keep a pretty nice
tan.  I haven't burned since I've been with him."      
    "That's good," Benny said.
    The waitress brought our food and we began to eat.  "This is a
nice restaurant," Benny said, looking out the window over the lake. 
"Do you and Brad come here often?"
    I shook my head and swallowed the bite of flounder I had taken. 
"No, we don't eat out much.  No one has ever said anything about us
being out together, but we kind of keep to ourselves, just in case. 
In June we were at HQ waiting for Dad.  Brad was sitting on the
hood of Dad's car and I had my head on his shoulder.  A Major
Kramer showed up and just about threw a fit because he was sitting
on the car, but I think it was more because we were holding each
other.  I explained that we were waiting on Dad."      
    "A Major?" Benny asked, frowning.  "What was a Major doing at
Coast Guard HQ?  Major in the Coast Guard would be a Lieutenant
Commander."
    I shrugged.  "I don't know.  Dad even called her Major Kramer,
so I didn't get the insignia wrong.  She's at HQ in Winchester.  I
got the feeling that she's over Dad, even though he's a Captain." 
    "Hmm, maybe she's on consignment from the Army or something,"
he suggested, dipping a shrimp into the shrimp sauce.  "That's the
only Major I know of that would be over Captain, but she wouldn't
be over Dad because Captain in the Coast Guard is equivalent to
Colonel in the Army, which means he still out-ranks her."     
    "Maybe so, but she had the power to put an infra-red sonar
tracking device on his helicopter.  Luckily he hasn't needed it
yet, but it's there when he does."
    "That's good," he replied.  "I'll ask Dad about her when I get
home."
    "Actually, she was wearing a blue uniform.  Yes, it was Air
Force, now that I think about it.
    "When do you want to go apartment hunting in Winchester?" I
asked, changing the subject.
    Benny shrugged.  "Whenever you want to take off."      
    "Brad made reservations Monday night for the fourteenth and
fifteenth of December.  That's a Friday and Saturday night, for
Misty Mountain Lodge in Redwood, Wyoming.  They confirmed our
reservations yesterday and the airlines are supposed to deliver our
tickets to our apartment Friday.  Brad wants to take from Thursday
to Wednesday off so we can be home one day, then come back on
Sunday and not have to be back to work for three more days.  He
might be willing to take one or two of those three days to go
apartment hunting with us."
    Benny grinned and shook his head.  "No, Kris, I'm sure he's got
something planned for the two of you for the full week.  I think
we'll plan on going one weekend.        
    "To be honest with you," he continued, "I think I found the
place in the brochure that I want.  We just have to look at it and
hope they have one available."
    "Oh?  Well, that's good," I said.
    "We'll look at it after everyone is gone and we can relax a
bit.  All the family being here is taking its toll on Grandma and
Grandpa, whether they will admit it or not.  Mom's doing her best
to keep everyone over at our place, but that's making Grandma want
to be there, too.  I think Mom's going to be ready for everyone to
leave before Saturday." 
    "I guess it's a good thing that Brad took Stephanie, Blake and
Bridgette to lunch, then, huh?"
    "Yes, that was a real good idea.  Dad made Grandpa and Grandma
stay home and rest this morning while he took everyone to the mall. 
We had a good time and I think it helped Mom relax a little bit,
not having to worry about Grandma.
    "After we got back," he continued, "I told Dad I wanted him to
take me to look for a car, so he and Uncle Stan took me around to
a few places.  Now's the best time to buy because they're trying to
make room for the new cars.  This is last years."      
    "That was nice.  I do like the Blazer," I said.      
    After we finished eating, Benny dropped me off at work and I
told him I'd see him at supper.
    Jason was on a call when I returned to our cubical, but he
smiled at me when I walked in. 
    "Did you enjoy lunch?" he asked as he disconnected from the 
caller when he was through.
    "Yes.  Benny and I went to The Wharf.  He'd never eaten there." 
    "So, when are you going to let me meet this famous cousin of
yours?" he asked.
    "He's not famous, yet," I replied.  "We're going roller skating
Friday night.  If you just happened to be at the roller rink when
we get there at seven, there wouldn't be any reason that I can
think of for me not to introduce you to him.  Of course, you would
meet Brad, too, if you do come."
    "I guess that wouldn't be too bad," Jason replied.  "After all,
you have a photo of him on your desk and you have a photo of him as
your wallpaper on your computer.  And as often as you talk about
him, I almost know him anyway, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to meet
him, finally."
    I chuckled as my computer informed me that I had e-mail.  I
clicked on the e-mail program and smiled.  "This is from Brad," I
said.  "He's back from lunch, too."
    "I think this is going to be a long afternoon," Jason said as
I opened up Brad's e-mail.
    "So do I," I replied.
    "Hi, babe," the message began.  "Chad and I had a great lunch
with your cousins, but I sure did miss you.  Hope you had a good
lunch with Benny.  I was kind of hoping that you'd show up and
'accidently' run into us, but I knew that would probably piss him
off and you wouldn't want to do that.
    "Chad and Kim are doing great," the message continued.  I
smiled.  I was glad that they were getting along so well.  Kim
worked at ICC, too.  She had been my cube mate for about two years
before she switched to a different shift.  One evening the past
summer, Brad and I had taken Chad to The Cactus Cocktail Cavern and
she had been there.  I had introduced them and they had been dating
ever since.
    "They're going to Mom and Dad's for lunch tomorrow," the
message continued.  "Chad's nervous because he's never taken a
girlfriend home for a meal before.  I told him it wouldn't be near
as bad as me taking my boyfriend out on the lake, when they didn't
know you were my boyfriend.  He agreed.
    "Well, babe, I'd better close and get to work.  I need to make
a backup of the mainframe before I get off tonight in case
something happens over the long weekend.
    "Love you,
    "B."  
    I grinned and clicked "Reply" and my phone rang.  Minimizing
the e-mail program, I answered the phone.  "ICC, this is Kris
Brown," I said.
    "Hey, Kris, this is Troy in Sales.  You ready for a big
weekend, or are you working?"
    "No, I'm off at five and am not coming back until Monday," I
said.  I had no idea who Troy was, but he sounded cute.  "Sales is
going to be closed, isn't it?"
    "Just tomorrow.  We're gearing up for Friday.  The biggest
shopping day of the year and I have to be here," he added,
sarcastically.
    "Sorry to hear that."
    "Yeah.  Anyway, I've got a customer on the phone behind me. 
He's got a PMR number, but we don't have access to those.  He wants
to know if he buys ICC-Image Mate Express if it will work with his
Sony camcorder."
    "That's a question that pre-sales could have answered," I said. 
"I'm on level three.  How'd you get here?  And how'd he get a PMR
number?"
    "Cindy at level one dropped me off.  She said she didn't want
to do a cold transfer but she had to go to the rest room.  Anyway,
here's the PMR number, you tell me what you think.  She was pretty
confused by what it said."
    "Okay," I said, writing down the number he gave me.      
    I typed in the number he gave me and frowned as the screen
came up.  "This is really strange," I said.
    "What does it say?  Cindy wouldn't tell me, she had to
go."
    "What's the guy's name that is on the phone?"  I asked,
ignoring his question.
    "Hank Melton," he replied.
    "That's the name I have on here," I said.  "It turns out that
Mr. Melton must be trying to pull something.  This PMR has been
closed for some time and it has nothing to do with Image Mate
Express.  However, it does say at the bottom, 'if Mr.
Melton calls again regarding this problem, refer to tier three.' 
That's probably why Cindy didn't stick around to talk about it,
along with needing to go to the bathroom."
    "Great," Troy said with an aggravated sigh.  "What should I do
with him?"
    "Normally I'd send you to pre-sales, but since the only thing
I have to do is write an e-mail to my roommate, I'll talk to him. 
I can look up the same stuff pre-sales can."      
    "Thanks, Kris," Troy said with a sigh of relief.  I was looking
forward to my long weekend with my family and Brad, but I got the
feeling that Troy needed the time off worse than I did.     
    "You're welcome.  Have a happy Thanksgiving if you can."     
    "Thanks, and you, too," he said.
    "Mr. Melton?" Troy said after pressing a button.     
    "Yes?"  a gruff voice replied.
    "Thank you for waiting.  I have Kris Brown here and he'll see
what he can do for you."
    "Thanks," Mr. Melton replied.
    "Hi, Mr. Melton," I said when I noticed that Troy had
disconnected.  "I see here that you're having a problem getting
ICC-OS0 to recognize your Toshiba CD ROM.  We now have
an ICC-OS1 that has corrected that problem.  I can send it to you
via e-mail over the Internet if you like.  I have your e-mail
address here."
    "No, no, no.  That's not my problem.  I want to know if I buy
your Image Mate Express if it will work with this Sony cam corder? 
I told Troy that."
    "Then you're not having a problem at all with your CD
ROM?"      
    "Hell, no."
    "Okay, fine.  Let me do one thing here," I said.   I opened the
program and typed at the bottom,  "This problem is solved.  If Mr.
Melton calls again, open new PMR - Warranty expired.  Will need to
pay for new call.  KB. Level 3." and my extension number.
    "Okay, now you can throw that PMR number away, I just closed it
for it good.  Now, your question is a pre-sales question, but
you've been on hold long enough, so I'll go ahead and answer it for
you."
    "Thank you," he said.
    I did a search on his question and got one PMR back.  I looked
at it and said, "No one has called to report any problems with any
camcorders.  I did find one where one person needed help getting it
to work on his notebook, but we were able to solve that problem at
level one."
    "Great.  Glad to hear that," he said.      
    "Would you like for me to transfer you back to Sales so you can
order it?" I offered.
    "No, thanks.  I think they're going on sale Friday so I'll wait
until then."
    "Okay, that will be fine," I replied, maximizing my e-mail
program so I could get back to writing Brad.      
    "Thanks, again," he said.
    "Thank you for calling ICC, Mr. Melton."      
    He hung up and I glanced over at Jason.  He was leaning back in
his chair staring up at the ceiling.
    "If you at least do some research or surf the web, the
time won't go by so slow," I said.
    He looked over at me and grinned.  "But you said I shouldn't
surf the web, I might get fired."
    "Silly, only if you go to the good places."      
    "Well, what's left?" he asked, grinning back at me as he sat
up.      
    "Go to a file site and check out some programs," I replied. 
"They don't mind you downloading stuff as long as you run virus
scan on it first, and it's built in so it will check it when you
get it."
    "Good idea," he replied as I started writing to Brad.
"Either that or read through the old PMRs so you can be ready for
calls when they come in."
    "I'll probably forget everything by the time they call," he
said.  "You're lucky you're off Friday.  I've got to work so all of
you long-termers can have off."
    "We appreciate you doing that, too," I replied.  "Don't feel
bad, I've had to work after holidays, too.  At least we're closed
tomorrow."      
    "That's true," he agreed as I got back to writing Brad and
Jason started looking for files to download.      
    Basically, I just told Brad that Benny and I had gone to The
Wharf and had a good lunch; Benny had bought a new car and, yes, I
had considered 'bumping' into them at The Olive Garden and
concluded with I had missed him and I loved him, too.      

    The early morning sun cascaded in through the window
above the sink in Mother's kitchen, but it wasn't the sun that sent
the warmth through the room, adding a cozy feeling, it was the
warmth of the oven and the people who were sitting around the
breakfast counter.  I set the box with the two pies I had baked the
night before on the counter and removed my coat.  Brad took it and
carried it into the hallway and hung both our coats in the closet. 
    "Good morning," I said, hugging Mother.  "Surely you don't have
the turkey in the oven already?  It's only eight o'clock."
    "As a matter of fact, I do," she replied.  "Grandma made her
fabulous cornbread dressing last night after you and Brad left.  We
let it set in the refrigerator overnight and it was ready to stuff
into the turkey this morning.  I put it in at six when I got up
this morning.  We want to have it ready by noon."
    "That's a good idea," I agreed.
    "Would you like some coffee?" Aunt Shari offered, getting up. 
    "Sure," Brad replied, returning to the kitchen.
    "No, thank you," I replied.  She should have known by now that
I didn't drink coffee, so I didn't bother reminding her.  I sat
down on a stool and glanced at Uncle Stan and Gary.  I decided to
let Aunt Shari get Brad his coffee.
    "I'm glad that Grandma made the dressing last night," I said. 
"That way she doesn't have to get up so early this morning."
    "Oh, she's already up," Mother said, moving my pies from the
breakfast counter to the top of the refrigerator.  "She called
about seven to see if we were and to see if I was sure that one
pecan pie would be enough.  I told her that you were bringing two,
but I wouldn't be surprised if she brings two, also."
    "Well, I'm sure they'll be eaten," Gary said.  "We're not
leaving until Saturday."
    "I think I should have made pumpkin," I said.  "I really don't
want to be in a cooking contest with Grandma."
    "No," Aunt Shari said, setting a cup of coffee on the counter
beside me as Brad sat down next to me, "I made two pumpkin pies. 
We'll have more than enough dessert."
    "Thanks," Brad said and took a sip of coffee.        
    I got up and got a glass out of the cabinet and opened the
refrigerator to get the jug of milk.
    "So, Kris, have you and Brad decided whether you're going to
Wyoming or Pennsylvania?" Dad asked, to my horror.      
    I glanced nervously at Brad and he shrugged.  I knew there was
no avoiding the subject at that point.  "Yes," I replied, replacing
the jug.  "We're going to Wyoming.  Redwood.  We'll be going on the
fourteenth and fifteenth of December."
    "Redwood's just north of Jackson Hole," Uncle Stan said.  "They
have great skiing there.  You two going skiing, huh?" 
    "They mentioned hiking and biking was available, too, and we
might do that, but I don't think we'll do any skiing," Brad
replied.  "We might make a quilt, though."      
    Gary grinned and Uncle Stan frowned.      
    "You simply must stay at the Emerald Springs Hotel there," Aunt
Shari said before Uncle Stan could say anything.  "Our neighbor
went there last year and she said it was fabulous.  She said she
went skiing and the spa was out of this world.  I think she spent
more time in the spa than on the slopes, actually."
    "We've already made our reservations," Brad admitted. 
    "I thought you were going to stay at The Walnut Inn,"
Mother said.
    "We were, but we liked the Misty Mountain Lodge better."     
    "They e-mailed us a couple of pictures of one of the suites,"
I said.
    "I might have to take my bedspread, though," Brad said.  "The
suite is called 'Aunt Pearl's Chambers' and it's all done in ivory.
Mother gave me a red and purple satin bedspread for my first
apartment; I'm still using it.  I might need to take it for some
color."
    I noticed that Uncle Stan was frowning again, but this time he
was looking at my hand.  I glanced at Brad, he was holding his
coffee cup with both hands and Uncle Stan could see his ring, too. 
    "Where's Benny?" I asked, changing the subject before Uncle
Stan asked any embarrassing questions.
    "He's being lazy," Dad replied.  "He hasn't gotten up yet."  
    "He's going to be here for over a month," I said.  "It might
not be wise to let him sleep so late."
    "Why not?" Benny asked, walking into the kitchen.  I turned and
smiled at him.  He was already dressed.  "I have almost eight years
of sleeping late to catch up on."
    "Then what are you doing up so early?" Brad asked.   
    "I didn't want to be accused of being a lazy bum," Benny
replied hugging Mom.  "Morning, Mom.  Happy Thanksgiving.  Coffee
smells good.  Did you make it?"
    "Yes, I did," she replied.  She got a cup out of the cabinet
for him and he poured himself some coffee.      
    "Thanks.  I love your coffee, Mom.  I'm not really sure what
that stuff is they call coffee in the mess hall.  That's one thing
I'm looking forward to in living on my own: I'll get to cook for
myself."        
    He grinned at me and added, "Of course, Brad, I might have to
steal Kris for a few weeks so he can teach me how to cook."     
    "In your dreams, buddy," Brad replied.  "I don't think anyone
could teach you how to cook."
    "Now, children," I intervened, "no fighting.  Martha told me
that you were helpless in the kitchen, too, Brad.  And we had this
discussion Friday at supper.  So, let's just drop it."  
    "Good idea," Dad agreed. 
    "Oh, that reminds me," Benny said, sitting down on the stool
Mother offered him.  "Discussions at meals, is what reminded me,
actually.  Dad, who's Major Kramer?"
    "She's an Air Force Major.  She's in charge of new technology
testing certain military aircraft.  She's on TDY at Coast Guard HQ
in Winchester.  She's supervising the testing of the Infra-red
Sonar Detectors on Coast Guard choppers.  These devices will help
us in Search and Rescue to not only see capsized boats and find
victims in the dark, but also sense wreckage under the water,
possibly even people who have passed out and have sunk to the
bottom, since their lungs are full of water."
    "Wow, that sounds like a good idea," Gary said.     
    "Luckily, I haven't had to use it, but Paul and I have flown
out over the water looking for things.  We've found some wreckage
we didn't know was down there, but we haven't been able to test
finding humans, thank God."
     "When you use that, do you have to have a boat, too?"
Uncle Stan asked.
     "Yes, that's what is going to make it bad.  Currently, when
we're out there, either Paul or I will man the helicopter and the
other will toss the rope down and pull people up.  If it is a real
bad situation, which sometimes we know about in advance by the
radio call we receive, we take extra people on board with us so
they can go down there and help them out.  But in this case, we're
going to have a boat with divers following along behind us and if
the people they find are still alive, then we will have to haul
them aboard to get them to the hospital as fast as possible.  The
chopper's not going to be able to hold enough divers and medical
personnel to do it all, so the boat has to be there."     
    "Luckily that doesn't happen often," I said.      
    "No, it doesn't, Kris," Dad replied.  "But even once is too
often."      
    "That's true," Mom said, pouring Uncle Stan another cup of
coffee.  "That's why I'm thankful that you have this job, Ben.  I
don't like for you to have to go out at night to make rescues, but
I'm glad that you are able to save people when you do."
    "Well, as long as we're going to start saying what we're
thankful for, since it is Thanksgiving," Brad said.  "I'm thankful
for the friendship I have with Kris and his family.  I've had a few
friends in my life, but none so dear to me as you guys.  I really
love you all."      
    I fought the urge to lean over and kiss him since my aunt and
uncle were watching, but I did slip off my stool and put my arm
around him.  He stood up and hugged me.  "We love you, too, Brad,"
I said.
     Mom came around the counter and hugged him.  "Thank you. 
We're thankful that you are able to take good care of our little
boy," she said, using Grandpa's nickname for me.  "And we love you,
too."
     Dad got up and came over for his hug.  "Yes, Kris might be
able to do wonders in the kitchen and on the computer, but when it
comes to other things that need to be done, he's worthless.  Thank
you for being there for him."
     "Well, I haven't spent much time around you," Benny said,
taking his turn to hug Brad, "but I know that Kris has never been
happier.  I'm thankful to have you for a brother-in-law," he said,
to Brad's and my horror.
    Gary grinned and slapped his dad on the back as Uncle Stan
choked on his coffee.  "You okay, Dad?" he asked.          
    Aunt Shari turned beet red and grabbed the dishrag and cleaned
up the coffee Uncle Stan had spilt.
    "Whoops," Benny said, softly.  "Sorry." 
    I was thankful that Grandpa wasn't there.      
    "Yeah, I'm fine," Uncle Stan gasped.  "Brother-in-law?" he
asked as he regained control of his breath.      
    "You mean you didn't tell him, Shari?" Mother asked,
surprised.  "I told you that Kris had a boyfriend that moved in
with him."
     Aunt Shari turned to the sink to wash out the dishrag, turning
her back on us.  "Well, I did mention that Kris had a friend move
in with him," she admitted, "but I didn't elaborate."
    "Oh.  Well, they celebrated their second anniversary on October
the seventeenth," Mother said.       
    "And this upcoming trip to Wyoming is going to be our first
honeymoon," Brad informed them, hugging me again.     
    "I was thinking something was going on here," Uncle Stan
admitted.  "The rings you are wearing.  The fact that 'Aunt Pearl's
Chambers' is a two-room suite, but there is only one bed and this
particular Bed and Breakfast doesn't have roll-a-ways nor does it
have a sofa bed in the sitting rooms.  I remembered that because my
brother and his wife were going to stay there one year and would
have had that same suite, but they had the kids with them and
that's when they found out that they couldn't have that room.  They 
wound up staying in the family suite that they call 'Grandma's
Corner'."
     "Oh?  When did they do that?" I asked.  "They don't allow
children now."
     "Well, let's see," Uncle Stan said, thoughtfully.  "The kids
weren't in junior high yet, and Gary's thirty now, so that would
have been about twenty-some-odd years ago."     
    "Could be new owners by now," Mom suggested.      
    "No.  Mrs. Fitzgerald said it was her husband's Aunt
Pearl's favorite room," I protested.
    "Mm, that's right.  The couple who owned it then were
older.  I think Dale, my brother, did mention there was a boy
running around named Ron or Rob or something like that."   
  "Mrs. Fitzgerald called her husband, Rob, in the message we got,"
Brad said.
     "The owners would be retired by now, I'm sure.  This
would be their son who owns it now, then," Uncle Stan said.
    "More than likely," Brad agreed as the doorbell rang.      
    "That must be the others," Mom said, heading toward the
hallway.

     The remainder of the day went by with little difficulty.  Brad
and I managed to avoid contact with Uncle Stan, but I did catch him
looking thoughtfully at us a few times at the dinner table.      
    Gary managed to keep the others away from us and stayed with us
as much as possible.  "Kris," he said as we sat down on the couch
in the den after Brad and I had helped Mom clean up the kitchen. 
The others were watching the football games in the living room. 
"Would you and Brad like to come to a concert if Cliff decides not
to drop out of the business?"
    "Would we?" Brad jumped at the chance.  "Of course we would. 
We'd love to."
    "If we're going to do that, though," I asked, "should we
postpone our December vacation?"
    "What for?  We still have our spring vacation."      
    "I know, but even if Gary gets us tickets, it's going to cost
money to get wherever the concert is," I replied.      
    "I'm sure that it won't be before spring," Gary replied.     
    "I think we can make it and go to Wyoming," Brad said,
rubbing my arm.  "Unless you don't want to go to Wyoming."      
    We were sitting on the couch, Gary was in a recliner.  "No, I
want to go to Wyoming," I said.  "I just thought it would be better
to save that money for the trip to wherever the concert is."      
    "I'd rather do both," he replied.  He looked at me with those
puppy dog brown eyes and made a pass me.  "Please?"
he asked, softly.
     "Okay," I conceded.
     Gary grinned and said, "Good.  I'm glad.  Cliff and Rex will
enjoy meeting you.  So will Bryan."
     "We're looking forward to meeting them, too," I said, leaning
back a little.  Brad wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to his
chest.  We hadn't been alone together since we arrived that morning
and hadn't had a chance to hug each other since right before Uncle
Stan discovered we were lovers.  Now we were alone with Gary and he
knew, so we could relax a little.
     I kissed Brad gently on the lips, then rested my head on his
shoulder.
     "You know, it's funny," Gary said, watching us sit there
together.  "I've known Bryan for a little over ten years and I
never even suspected that he is Bi.  It surprised me when I found
out that not only is he Bi, but he's also in love with Cliff."    
    "Oh?" Brad asked.  "Does Cliff know?"      
    "Yeah.  Actually, Cliff's one of those big-hearted guys.  He's
really in love with all of us.  I have a feeling he'd sleep with
Bryan, Michael - our agent - and me if he weren't already committed
to Rex.  I know he won't cheat on him, that's for sure, but I also
think he has feelings for all of us.  But then, we all love him,
too."
    "Somebody mentioned to me the other day how much you look like
Cliff, babe," Brad said.  "I don't see it though."      
    "Just because he has the blond hair and blue eyes.  He is the
same build, I've noticed," Gary said.  "Cliff doesn't have a tan,
though.  I see Kris does."
    Brad frowned.  "He has a tan on the album we have," he said.  
   "No.  It's just a doctor-job.  In reality, that picture doesn't
look much like him at all.  Before we were almost gang-bashed in
Portland, we stopped by a restaurant in Clear Lake and we were so
afraid that the waitress was going to recognize him, but even
though she talked to Cliff about him, she never noticed that it was
him.  She even said that she'd jump his bones in a heartbeat if he
showed up.  I was really impressed how Cliff handled that
situation.  I don't think he's ever been with a girl before and he
damn sure didn't want her to be the first."
    Brad and I chuckled.  "I don't blame him," I said.  "I haven't
been with one either and I have no desire to.  I have all I need
right here next to me."
    Brad grinned and replied.  "I feel the same way."      
    "Well, I have to admit," Gary said, "I have no desire to be
with a guy, but if I were ever going to, it would have to be
Cliff."
    "Don't let your dad hear you say that," Brad said, softly.  "I
caught him looking at us a few times through lunch and if he and
Grandpa get to talking, Kris and I might get beat up."    
    Gary laughed.  "Don't worry about that, Brad," he said.
"Grandpa's bark is worse than his bite.  He's never laid a hand on
any of the grandkids except when he hugged us.  He always let our
parents do the disciplining."
    "That's good," Brad agreed.
    "You know, I find it interesting that you call Grandpa and
Grandma that instead of Mr. and Mrs. Collins or Marty and
Beatrice.  Even Blake calls them Mr. and Mrs. Collins."         
    "Actually," I spoke up, "he calls Grandpa Sir in front of him,
but he calls him Grandpa the rest of the time."      
    "Well, both sets of my grandparents live in Phoenix and we
don't get to see them very often.  That's where we lived before we
moved here.  Beatrice has taken to me so well that I feel she's
just like a grandmother to me and she smiles when I call her that,
so I guess she doesn't mind.  Grandpa hasn't shown any bad reaction
to it, either."      
    Gary leaned forward and outstretched his hand.  Brad leaned
forward and took it.  "Welcome to the family, cuz," Gary said,
shaking Brad's hand.
    "Thanks, cuz.  I appreciate that," Brad replied.      
    "Oh, there you are," Benny said, stepping into the den
as Brad let go of Gary's hand and leaned back.
    "It was getting kind of loud in there," I replied as laughter
floated in through the door behind Benny.  "We thought we could
talk a little more privately in here."
    "That's true," Benny agreed, sitting down in the over-stuffed
chair that matched the sofa.
    "Your pecan pie sure was good, Kris," Gary said, stretching. 
"I think you and Grandma might have tied on that one."     
    "Thank you," I replied.  "I still can't believe she actually
only made one."
    "I'm just glad that three with Aunt Shari's two pumpkin pies
were enough," Benny said.
    "I think I'm ready for a nap after all that food," Brad
admitted, putting his arm behind me.
    "Me, too," Benny agreed.  "I don't know how they would take it
if we all went to sleep, though."
    I glanced at my watch.  "It's three-o'clock," I said, placing
my hand on Brad's leg.  "They've got another game to watch.  I
would like to run over to your parent's for a few minutes.  We
could see them then go home and take a nap, if you want to.  That
way Gary can lie down here on the couch and take a nap and Benny
can go to his room."
     Brad shrugged.  "Sure.  Sounds like a good idea to me."
    We got up and went into the living room where the others were
watching TV.  Another football game was just starting. 
    "Thanks for a great lunch, Mom," I said, leaning down to kiss
her on the cheek.  "Brad and I are going to run over and visit his
parents for a while, then we're going to go home and take a nap. 
We'll be over tomorrow for lunch and help get rid of the left
overs."
     "If they're not all gone by supper tonight, that is," Brad
replied with a grin.
     "They might be," Gary said.  "You ought to come over for
supper tonight."
     "I think we'll have plenty," Mother replied, knowing that Brad
and I did want to spend some time alone for Thanksgiving.
    We said our goodbyes and, with Brad at the wheel of
my Lexus, we headed toward his parent's house.  "Are you
sure that you don't want to just go home, babe?" he asked as I lay
my head on the headrest and closed my eyes.
     "No, I do want to see Martha and Frank.  And Chad and
Kim if they're still there."
     I placed my hand on his leg and his warm strong hand
closed over it.  "I didn't realize how tiring being with so many
people could be," I said, softly.
     "Especially when you can't be yourself," Brad replied.     
    "Mm hum.  I can't tell you how many times I wanted to hug
you or kiss you."
     "I know.  I got so jealous when Blake sat down on the
couch and Stephanie sat next to him and rested her head on his
shoulder.  I wanted to sit that way with you so bad.  I was
thankful when you suggested we go sit in the den after we got done
with the dishes, but I was still limited to how I could hold you in
case someone came in besides the ones who know.
    "Do you realize this is the first time we've had to act like
just friends since before my parents found out?" he asked.     
    "Yes.  And I'm almost afraid to go to Wyoming because of it,
too," I admitted.  "I don't want to have to pretend to be just
friends with you on our honeymoon."
    He gently squeezed my hand.  "I understand.  We can cancel if
you want.  The airline tickets won't be here until tomorrow.  We
have time."
     "That's what I like about going out to Kilgore Island," I
said.  "We can find a spot to be totally alone and don't have to
worry about anyone bothering us."
     "I know.  I really would like to go out there instead, but
it's too cold for that right now."
     "What about your grandparents?" I asked.  "Have you told them
that you're gay?"
     "No.  As you know, I've talked to them a few times since Mom
and Dad found out, but I haven't told them.  I don't know if Mom
and Dad have or not, though.  I don't think so.  Why?  Did you want
to go to Phoenix instead?"
     "No.  Let's just go ahead and go to Redwood.  I like it and
want to.  I was just thinking that you haven't seen your
grandparents since we got together and it might be nice to take a
trip out there one of these days."
     "We've already planned on spending Christmas with Mom
and Dad," he said, turning the car into his parent's driveway and
pulling to a stop next to Chad's silver Trans Am.  "Do you want to
maybe go to Phoenix instead?"
     "Since it's costing so much to go to Wyoming," I replied,
"maybe we'd better plan on another time."      
    "You're right about that," he agreed.      
    "Uncle Stan said that they might not get to come back
for Christmas after all," I said, unbuckling my seat belt.  "But
since Grams and Gramps are going to be here, Aunt Heather is having
everyone over to her house for Christmas.  We can stop by and see
them after lunch like we are your parents."   
    "I'm glad that Katherine isn't having to play hostess for
Christmas," Brad said, opening the door for me.        
    I got out and he put his arm around me and led me up
the steps to the front door.  "So am I," I replied.  "I know that
she will help Aunt Heather as much as possible, though."      
    "What are your Aunt Heather and Uncle Roy doing today?"
Brad asked, ringing the doorbell.
     "They went to Uncle Roy's parents'.  They live in
Winchester.  Chester and Candice went with them," I replied,
referring to my cousins.
     Brad had met my father's sister and her family a few
months after we had met.  They lived in town and so did their son
and daughter, who were a few years older than Benny and me, but we
didn't see each other very often. 
     The door to Brad's parents' house opened and a mirror
image of Brad stood there.  "Hey, bro.  How's it going?"     
    "Great," Brad replied.
    "Hi, Kris," Chad said as he stepped back so I could enter.    
    "Hi.  Happy Thanksgiving, Chad."
    "Happy Thanksgiving to you, too."
    "Happy turkey day, turkey," Brad said, hugging his brother as
he stepped into the foyer.
    "Since you're my mirror image," Chad said as I removed
my coat, "whatever you say reflects off of me and back to you,
little brother."
     I smiled.  Chad was only three minutes older than Brad, but I
always felt that Brad was the older of the two because he was more
out-going.
     "Oh, that's a good come back," Brad replied, removing his
coat.  "And just think, Kris, it only took him twenty-four years to
come up with it."
     "Are you two bickering already?" Martha asked, entering from
the living room.  "They just got here and are already at it."
     "Hi, Mom.  Happy Thanksgiving," Brad said, handing his coat to
Chad and hugging his mother.
     I hugged Martha, too and followed her into the living
room.        
    I was happy to see Kim sitting on the couch.  She
jumped up and hugged me.  "Glad to see you made it," she
said.  "I was afraid  you wouldn't."
    "We hadn't planned on it," I admitted, "but I thought it'd be
a good idea for us to stop by."
    I shook Frank's hand and wished him a happy Thanksgiving.    
    "We still have some pie left over if you'd like some,"
Martha offered as Brad and I found a place to sit on the floor in
front of the fireplace.
    Brad leaned back a little.  "Ugh," he said, unbuttoning the top
button of his jeans.  "I couldn't eat another bite.  I had to
suffer through eating a piece of Kris' pecan pie, a piece of
Beatrice's pecan pie and a piece of Shari's pumpkin pie, all with
a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of them.  And that was after
two helpings of turkey and Beatrice's fabulous cornbread dressing.
Now I know why the Browns always call it fabulous.  I might not
need to eat anything again until lunch tomorrow, when we're
supposed to go back and finish off the leftovers."
    "Nobody forced you to eat that second helping of turkey and
dressing and you didn't have to compare my pecan pie to Grandma's,"
I reminded him.
    "I'll agree with you on the first part," he replied, rubbing my
arm, "but I had to compare so that I could verify that you're the
best cook."
    "Well?" Kim asked.  "Did he win or not?"      
    Brad took a deep breath and smiled at me.  "I must say that no
matter what, I love Kris with all my heart.  But, unfortunately, I
cannot tell a lie.  Kris' Grandma's pie beat his by a little.  I
think I'd have to say that her crust was a little flakier than his
was.  Please don't kill me," he added with a pleading look.     
    I grinned.  "I won't kill you.  I agree.  Grandma has seventy
some odd years of making crust over me.  I never did get the hang
of it, so I used a store-bought one.  Aunt Shari made hers, too." 
    "Crusts do take a skill," Martha agreed.      
    "Oh, Brad," I said, changing the subject, "did you invite
everyone to the skating rink tomorrow night?"
    "Yes," he replied, stretching.  I could tell he was about to
fall asleep.
    "And we'll be there," Chad added.
    "So will we," Martha said.
    "I'm looking forward to meeting your famous cousin, Kris," Kim
said.     
    "He's not famous yet," I protested as Brad yawned.         
    "Actually, they're getting more publicity and that is what is
making him famous," Frank said.  "I think that what Timber Creek is
trying to do is backfiring on them.  They're trying to get rid of
Richmond and it's just making him more popular and the public is
wanting to know more about him and has started buying his albums." 
    "That's good, then," Chad said.
    "Yes, it is," I agreed.
    "Well, I hate to be a party-pooper," Brad said, pushing himself
up.  "But I think Kris and I need to go home and get a nap.  We're
stuffed and I'm having a hard time staying awake."      
    "Maybe I'd better drive," I suggested getting to my feet as
Brad rebuttoned the top button on his jeans.      
    "Nah, I'll be okay," he replied.
    "We'll see you tomorrow evening about seven," I said, hugging
Kim.  
    "Thanks.  We're looking forward to it," she replied.
    "Kris and I have our reservations for Redwood, Wyoming on
the fourteenth of December," Brad said as we all headed
toward the front door.  "We're going to stay at the Misty
Mountain Lodge.  It'll be our first honeymoon.  Chad, would you
mind taking us to the airport?"
    "Be glad to, bro," Chad replied.
    "Thanks.  I'll let you know the time when we get the
tickets tomorrow."
     
    It was almost four-thirty when we arrived home.  I noticed that
our next door neighbor's, the Perrys, car was gone so they weren't
home.  We hadn't talked to them very often, but we
saw him occasionally when we were coming home or leaving. 
We had only met his wife once.
    Brad slipped his coat off and hung it up in the closet, then
slipped his shirt off over his head.  I took a deep breath as his
muscles flinched.  He was so good-looking that no matter how tired
I was I couldn't get enough of him.  Luckily for me, he was tired
too so he was more in the mood to sleep than to make love.  Which,
at this point, was fine with me.  I just wanted to snuggle up in
his arms and go to sleep, too.
    I followed him into the bedroom and slipped out of my
clothes while he removed the rest of his.  "Hurry, honey," he said,
crawling into our king-sized bed.  "I need to hold you." 
    I got into bed next to him and lay down mostly on top of him. 
His warm muscular body felt so good against mine.  I kissed him on
the lips and whispered, "Happy Thanksgiving, darling.  I love you." 
    "I love you, too, Kris," he replied.
    He kissed me again and pulled me down next to him, resting my
head on his broad shoulder.  "Get some sleep, babe, we'll make love
when we wake up."
    "Okay," I replied.  Snuggling a little closer to him, I drifted
off to sleep in the arms of the man I loved.

    Multi-colored lights swirled around the large room, making the
room spin.  I had to concentrate to keep from getting dizzy. 
Friday night was cold and there was a threat of snow, but it hadn't
snowed for a few weeks, so the roads were clear.  We hoped it
wouldn't until after the Joneses got back to Oklahoma City safely. 
    Several families were celebrating the day after Thanksgiving at
the roller rink.  I was happy to see that Jason had made it.  I had
introduced him to the family and he and his sister, Karen, and her
husband, Bob, along with their little girl, Mary, were skating with
us.  Mary and Bridgette were the same age and they hit it off very
well.
    I was also glad to see Paul and Beth Duncan.  I hadn't seen
Beth in quite a while.  I introduced them to everyone, also.   
    The music changed from fast to slower, marking that it was time
for the lovers to join hands and skate around the rink while the
others sat out for a break.  Chad and Kim headed out onto the floor
as did Karen and Bob.  Mom and Dad, Uncle Stan and Aunt Shari, Paul
and Beth along with Martha and Frank, all skated out onto the rink. 
Jason took Mary's hand and guided her over to the seats and Blake
picked Bridgette up and carried her over and sat down next to
Stephanie, who wasn't skating because she was pregnant.  Gary sat
down next to Jason so they could chat while they waited for the
lovers to finish dancing.  I could tell Jason was excited about
that.
     "All lovers join hands and get out on the floor," the
announcer said over the loud speaker.
     Brad took my hand in his and pulled me out on the floor as the
lights grew darker.  The disco ball seemed to slow down a little as
we sped around the rink.  We seemed to be one with the music and
the multi-colored lights as the wind blew our hair back from our
faces.  Uncle Stan and Aunt Shari were ahead of us.  Blake and
Stephanie were sitting in the darkness and couldn't see us. 
Grandma and Grandpa weren't there.  They had decided to stay home
because of the forecast and Mother thought it would be a good
chance for Grandma to get some rest while we all skated.  During
lunch that day, I had noticed the strain that having company for
the past week had put on Grandma.  I was thankful that most of the
meals had been made and served at Mom and Dad's house.  Although I
had enjoyed my family being there for the week, I had to admit that
I would be glad when they went back to Oklahoma.  I hated to admit
it, but I also wished that Benny would go on to W(%
* 'and get settled in there so that Brad and I could get back to
our normal routine of staying home and working out in the evenings
and only seeing his parents and mine on the weekends.
    As we rounded a curve, Brad grabbed my right arm with
his right hand and pulled me closer to him and put his left arm
around me, holding me tightly against him.  He leaned over a little
and kissed me on the cheek.  "I love you, Kris," he whispered
loudly against the swish of the wind we were creating.
    "I love you, too," I replied.
    We made one more round before he guided me off of the
rink and led me toward the concession stand.  "I figured if we quit
a little early and get something to drink, Stephanie and Blake
won't realize we were skating," he said. 
    "Good idea," I agreed.  "Besides, I'm dying of thirst."   
    "Me, too."
    We managed to get some sodas and back to our seats before the
lights came back up. 
    "That's a good idea," Blake said, noticing our sodas.  "I'll be
right back."  
    He went off to get some refreshments and Brad slumped back in
his seat.  "You want to stop by the boardwalk on the way home?" he
asked, softly.
    "If you want to," I replied, "but to be honest, I'd rather just
go home and fall into bed."
    "After tonight, that might not be a bad idea," he agreed as Mom
and Dad headed our way.
    "Oh, I'm exhausted," Mother said, trying to catch her breath. 
I offered her my soda and she took a sip.  "Thanks, hon.  Ben, if
you have the energy, would you mind going to get us something to
drink?"
    Benny stood up.  "I have a better idea," he said.  "Dad, you
and Mom sit down and I'll go get you something."
    "Thanks.  I think we're getting too old for this," Dad said.
    "Nonsense," Brad said.  "You're just now in your prime. 
    "Excuse me, I think I'd better go get something for my parents,
they're looking kind of peaked, too," Brad said, standing up. "I'll
be right back."
    He and Benny headed off to the concession stand as Martha and
Frank collapsed in two chairs next to Mom and Dad. 
    "Brad went to get you something to drink," I told them.
    "That's good," Martha said.  "I'm ready for it."      
    "How many rounds did you make?" Chad asked, skating to a stop
in front of us.  He had his arm around Kim.           
    "It felt like fifty, but I wasn't counting," Frank admitted.  
    "Neither were we," Dad said as Blake arrived with two sodas and
handed one to Stephanie.
    Families and other people who were together that weren't lovers
joined together out on the floor.  I sat and waited for Brad and
Benny to return with sodas for our parents.
    Jason let Karen sit and rest while Bob went to get them
something to drink and he took Mary back out on the floor because
she was ready to skate again.  Bridgette didn't like sitting still
while her new friend skated, so she dragged Blake out onto the
floor.      
    "Did you have a good Thanksgiving, Paul?" I asked.   
    "Yes, we did.  We went to my parents' for Thanksgiving dinner
Wednesday night, then to Beth's parents' for Thanksgiving lunch
yesterday.  I think I've had enough turkey and dressing to last
until Christmas."
    "So have we," I admitted.
    "This was a great idea," Beth said, getting to her feet.  "I
was wondering how we were going to work off all that food." 
    Paul chuckled as he stood up and put his arm around his wife. 
She didn't have an ounce of fat on her.  Paul was solid muscle,
himself.  I knew that they both spent a lot of time in the weight
room at the gym at Coast Guard HQ.  Brad and I could work out
there, also, but we always preferred to work out at the apartment
complex.  It was less of a hassle to use it than drive over to HQ
and back every evening.
     "I'm sure that we would think of something," Paul replied,
winking at me.  
     I always got the feeling that Paul was Bi by the way he looked
at me.  I also thought that if he and Beth weren't together and
Brad and I weren't together, that he and I might get together,
which would be just fine with me.  He was a very attractive guy. 
However, I wasn't going to cheat on Brad and Paul wasn't going to
cheat on Beth, that I could tell for sure. 
    After returning with his parent's drinks, Brad pulled me to my
feet as the Duncans headed back out onto the floor.  "Let's get out
of here, babe," he whispered so that Stephanie, who was still
sitting close by, wouldn't hear him.
    "Okay," I replied.
    We said our goodbyes and, promising to be over for
breakfast the next morning so that we could say goodbye to the
Walkers and the Joneses before they left for Oklahoma, we headed
out the door to my car.
    "Looks like it might start snowing any minute," Brad observed
as he opened the passenger door of my car for me.      
    "Yes, it does.  I hope it doesn't snow until after they get
home," I said.
    "Good thing they're spending the night in Denver," Brad said,
starting the car.
    "Yes.  That's a long trip.  It would take us a little over
eight hours to drive to Wyoming, too.  I'm glad that we're flying." 
    "So am I."
    "It might be fun to drive to Phoenix for one of our vacations,
though," I admitted, placing my hand on his leg as he pulled out
into the street.
    Brad placed his hand over mine.  "You really do want me to go
see my grandparents, don't you?"
    "Don't you want to go see them?" I asked.      
    "Sure.  We could rent a room somewhere, I guess.  That way we
wouldn't have to let on."
    "And we wouldn't have to choose which grandparents to stay with
and worry about hurting the others' feelings," I stated.
    "Well, that, too," he agreed.
    "Since we'll have three weeks next year, maybe we can plan that
trip around our anniversary."
    "I like that idea.  I've never been to Phoenix," I admitted as
Brad pulled into a parking place next to the boardwalk.
    "That also brings up another question," Brad said.  "Our
anniversary has always been the seventeenth of October, are we
going to change it now that I said, 'With this ring, I thee wed,' 
the other day when I gave you your ring?"
    I smiled at him and shook my head.  "No, honey.  I think that
we should stick to the seventeenth."
    "Good," he replied with a grin.  "I didn't want to change it,
either."
    I squeezed his hand and rested my head on the headrest as he
drove.  "Neither did I."
    "We don't have to do this if you don't want to, sweetheart," he
said, turning off the ignition.  "We can go home and make out,
instead."
    "Oh, Bradley," I chided.  "Don't make me make such difficult
decisions this late in the day."
    Brad unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over and kissed me. 
"Or we could make out right here," he said, softly.     
    "I don't think we'd better do that," I replied, but returned
the kiss instead of pushing him away.
    "We'd better go for a walk before we get into trouble," I
gasped, breaking the kiss.
     "Okay," Brad replied.  He got out and came around to open my
door for me.  He loved opening doors for me and I never stopped him
from doing so.
     Brad took my hand in his and we walked along the boardwalk. 
It was about nine-fifteen and was already dark.  The lights along
the boardwalk were the only thing that lit up the area.  The moon
and stars were hiding behind clouds. 
     Brad wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer as we
walked.  The tide was in.  The wind was cold.  There were a few
brave people besides us wandering around, but not many.  I couldn't
see any vessels out on the water, for which I was thankful.  If the
wind were to get up, it could be a bad storm and I didn't want Dad
and Paul to be called out during the night.
    "I think this was a bad idea," Brad said as a couple ran by on
their way to their car.
    "Let's go over there for just a few minutes," I said, pointing
to the outlook post.  "I want to confirm that there is no one out
on the lake."
    "Okay, but not too long," he replied, hugging me closer as we
walked.  I grinned as I noticed he slipped his left hand in my left
coat pocket.  We should have worn gloves, but we had left them in
the car.      
    When we arrived at the outlook post, I maneuvered the telescope
so that I could look out over the lake.  It was pitch black as far
as I could see.  For that, I was thankful.      
    "Anything?" Brad asked.
    "Nothing."
    "That's good."
    "Well, we hope so anyway," I replied.  "Let's go."      
    Large, lazy snowflakes began to fall as we held each other and
started walking back toward my car. 
    "So much for wishful thinking," Brad said with a sigh.        
    "I know.  Maybe it won't snow much," I replied.      
    After we got home, I took a shower and crawled into bed while
Brad took his shower.
    He came out of the bathroom and slipped into bed.  "I wish we
hadn't promised to go over for breakfast in the morning," he said
as I pulled him into my arms.
    "I know.  But if it's not snowing too bad, they're going to
leave around ten and, except for Benny being here, we can get back
to our regular routine."
    "I like that idea," he replied, placing his warm hand on my
bare hip.
    "Mmm, so do I," I moaned as he leaned down to kiss me.  Our
lips touched.  I parted my lips a little and his warm tongue
slipped into my mouth.  He tasted so good.  I wrapped my arms
around him and he continued to rub my hip as he pressed his
hardening rod against mine and we continued to kiss passionately. 
I was already erect.
     We kissed for a few moments, then I pushed him over onto his
back.  Continuing to kiss him, I took his hard rod in my hand and
slowly stroked it.
     Kissing my way down his warm hard, smooth chest, I paused to
flick my tongue over his erect nipples.  I took his dick into my
mouth as far as it would go.  He was pretty thick and since I had
a small mouth, I couldn't take him all the way in when he was fully
erect.  I flicked my tongue over the ridge at the base of the head
and he moaned, pressing his hips up against me.           
    After a few minutes of sucking him this way, I took him as far
into my mouth as I could and he moaned again, running his warm hand
through my hair.  "I'm cumming, baby," he gasped.  I felt his hard
rod expand and I tried to stuff even more of his meat into my
mouth.  He blasted his hot load of jism down my throat.     
    After he came, I raised up and kissed him on the lips.  "I love
you, Brad," I whispered.
    "I love you, Kris," he replied.
    Brad rolled me over onto my back and took my hard cock in his
hand.  Slowly, he began to stroke it.  He leaned down and took it
in his hot mouth.  With his free hand, he reached underneath me and
began playing with my rosebud.  I knew that I was going to get
fucked before we went to sleep that night.           
    I wasn't disappointed.  After a few moments, I was wiggling
under his touch.  He had two fingers inside me and was still
sucking my rod.
    Before I could warn him, I blasted my load into his mouth, then
he smiled and moved down a little.  He kissed my balls then started
licking my love-hole, filling it with the jism that he hadn't
swallowed.      
    After a few moments of sending me into orbit with a great rim-
job, he raised up and started kissing his way up my slender, smooth
body.
    He spread my legs and pressed his lips against mine.  "I'm
gonna fuck you now," he whispered.  
    Without another word, he pressed his cock into my waiting
asshole.  He hadn't put on a condom, but I didn't stop him.   
    His hard rod prodded into me and he slid it all the way in.  My
sphincter was loose and ready for him.  Brad pushed his cock all
the way in to the hilt, then he pulled all the way out to the tip,
before slowly pressing back into me.
     He wasn't fucking me, though, he was making love to me.  I
wiggled my bottom and placed my hands on his firm buttocks.  He
smiled and kissed me.  "I love it when you do that," he said.     
    "I love it when you make love to me this way," I replied.     
    He kissed me again and we found our rhythm.  Brad continued
with his long slow strokes, even though I was pressing up to greet
each plunge.  We were lost in our kissing and love making.  Nothing
could disturb us now.
    After what only seemed like a few minutes, but was actually
closer to an hour, he started to speed up.  I could sense that he
was getting close.
    He pushed his cock deeper into me and kissed me hard on the
lips.  "Oh, baby," he gasped.  "I'm gonna squirt."
    "Fill me up, baby," I whispered.
    But he didn't.  He pushed himself up and pulled out.  I was
erect again also, so he pressed our rods together and started
pumping them with his hand.
    "Cum with me baby," he breathed.
    With him pumping our rods together and me wiggling my
bottom, I soon felt the familiar burning sensation deep within.  It
didn't take but a few moments before I gasped, "I'm cumming,
honey."     
    "Good," he replied.  He didn't slow down, but we both shot our
loads, hitting me right in the face.  We both left a trail of white
cream across my smooth, slender chest and stomach. 
    Brad giggled and leaned down and kissed me on the lips, though
I placed my hands on his sides, he didn't let his body touch mine. 
    "Looks like we made a mess," he said, softly.   
    He leaned back and gently kissed his way down my chest, licking
up the mess as he went.  I laughed and flinched when he stuck his
tongue in my belly button.  "That tickles," I gasped.           
    He smiled up at me and made his way back up my chest.  He
kissed me on the lips and let his body press against mine as he
laid down on top of me.  I wrapped my arms around his strong smooth
body and held him tightly as we continued to kiss.

     Saturday morning had dawned bright.  The sky was a brilliant
blue.  The freshly fallen snow had blanketed the earth during the
night.  I had been thankful that the road crew had been out early
and cleared the roads.  
    "I wonder where everyone is," I said.  "Uncle Stan's van isn't
here."
    "Maybe he went to get the others," Brad suggested, opening the
door of my parent's house for me.  We stepped into the entrance
hallway.  We took our coats off and hung them in the closet.      
    "Anyone up yet?" I called, walking into the warm kitchen. 
    "Just us chickens," Gary replied with a smile.
    "Morning," I said.  He and Benny were sitting at the breakfast
counter drinking coffee.
    "Morning, little brother," Benny said.
    "Where is everyone?" I asked, pouring Brad a cup of
coffee.      
    "Dad and Uncle Ben went to get the others," Gary explained. 
"Mom and Aunt Katherine are in the guest room getting everything
packed up."
    "Mom said that she'd wait until everyone got here to start
breakfast," Benny added.
    "I think she's done enough cooking for this week," I said,
washing my hands at the kitchen sink.  "I'll just go ahead and do
it for her."     
    "Mm, I wouldn't do that if I were you, Kris," Gary said.      
    "Why not?" I asked.
    "I think her idea is to hold out until the others get here,
then we'll all decide to let her rest and go out for breakfast."  
    "Oh?  No.  Surely not.  Mom's not that sneaky."      
    "No, but Mother is," Aunt Shari said as she and Mom walked into
the room.  "It was Grandma's idea."
    "But it's always so crowded in restaurants and there are so
many of us that we might not get a table big enough to be
together," I protested.  "Why can't I just make breakfast instead?" 
    Mother hugged me.  "Thank you for your concern, but Grandma has
already talked Grandpa into buying us all breakfast at the
International House of Pancakes and we have already called ahead
for the largest table they have.  They're expecting all fifteen of
us at nine o'clock."
    "Fifteen?" Brad asked, frowning.  "There are only thirteen of
us."      
    "Beth and Paul are joining us," Mom replied.
    Brad grinned and put his arm around me.  "So, sit down and
relax, babe, they've already got this planned."
    "Looks that way, doesn't it?" I replied.      

    We had a wonderful breakfast at the local IHOP.  I was
able to sit next to Brad and we enjoyed chatting with Gary, Paul
and Beth, who sat next to us.
    After breakfast we loaded up my car and the mini-van and
returned to my parent's house to say goodbye to the Walkers and the
Joneses.      
    As they were leaving, I hugged Gary and told him that I was
looking forward to attending the next concert.  "I've got your
number," he said, "I'll let you know when it is and will save you
both a seat on the front row with backstage passes."
    "You'd better," I replied.

    As the days turned toward December, Brad and I were able to get
back on schedule a little.  Occasionally, Benny would come over for
supper after Brad and I got off work and then we'd all three head
down to the workout room together sometime later.
    The first weekend in December, Benny decided he was ready to go
to Winchester to look at an apartment.  He called to see if the one
he wanted was available before we left.  It wasn't, but it would be
by the first of January, so Benny decided not to go look at it.  I
tried to talk him into going to at least look at the complex, but
he didn't want to until he could see the apartment.
    "Then make an appointment to see it Wednesday," Brad said. 
"We'll go with you since we'll be off."      
    "But it'll be your vacation," Benny protested.  "I don't want
to take you away from whatever you've got planned."   
    "Look, Benny," Brad said, hotly.  "The only thing that we've
got planned is to stay in bed and screw around all day.  We can do
that Thursday and Monday and Tuesday.  You need to look at that
apartment before you get yourself into it and find out that you
don't like it.  We will go with you Wednesday to look at that
apartment.  We need you to be happy so that you can take us to the
airport Friday morning.  Okay?"     
    "Okay, okay," Benny conceded.  Brad handed him the cordless. 
"Thank you."
    "You're welcome," Brad replied.  "Don't worry about the
charges.  Your bill will go through the roof calling us and your
parents anyway, since you will be new in town and not know anyone
there."
    "I thought Chad was going to take us to the Airport," I said
while Benny dialed the number.
    "He can't get off," Brad replied.  "But he'll pick us up Sunday
afternoon."
     
    Wednesday morning Brad and I got up at the same time we always
did even though it was the first day of our vacation.  After
breakfast, Benny came by and picked us up in his new Blazer and we
headed toward Winchester.  It was a little over a three-hour drive
to Winchester, but the roads were good and we didn't have any
trouble.  Most of the snow we had received the day the Walkers and
Joneses had left had melted and we hadn't received any more since.
    Reluctantly, I sat in the front seat with Benny and Brad sat in
the back seat, but leaned forward and rested his right arm on the
back of my seat and his left hand on my arm.  Benny smiled, but
didn't say anything.
    "Gary called Monday," I said as Benny drove.  "He said that
Cliff was still keeping a low profile.  Michael, their manager,
wants him to stay low until after the first of the year, then
they'll decide what to do.  Cliff and Preston spent Thanksgiving
with Cliff's parents."
    "I'm glad they didn't have to hide out for the holiday," Benny
said.
    "Because of the publicity, they're basically having to just
stay home," I said.  "I know that Preston is still working, but no
one seems to be bothering him."
    "That's good," Benny said.
    "Oh, honey," Brad said, rubbing my arm as he changed the
subject, "I went over to Chad's at noon yesterday.  There was a
major wreck on the freeway, so I had to cut across the Tipton
district.  There's a house at the corner of Crestview and
fifteenth, that's for sale.  It is so cute.  I just know you'd love
it."
    "Oh?" I asked.  We had never discussed wanting to buy a house
and I had thought that he was happy with my apartment.  I was.
    "Yeah.  It's stone and has a white picket fence.  It's like
something out of a children's fairy tale."
    Benny nodded.  "You remember that house, Kris," Benny said. 
"My friend Marc lived there when we were in high school.  I used to
go over and visit him all the time.  I think you went over once
before you and Jeff got together."
    "Oh, yeah, I remember it now," I agreed.  "But I don't remember
the picket fence."
    "It didn't have one then," he admitted.
    "I don't really remember the full layout, though," I said.
    "It has two bedrooms and a two-car garage.  It would be perfect
for you two.  You could use one room for your computer and the
guest room.  There's a huge back yard with a privacy fence and lots
of trees.  You could lay out nude if you wanted to.  Marc and I did
a few times when his parents were at work."
    "Would you like to go look at it when we get back?" Brad asked,
softly.
    I glanced back at him and he gave me that look that I couldn't
refuse.
    "I don't know if we can afford it right now," I admitted.
    He smiled and said, "I didn't say anything about buying it.  I
just wanted to look at it with you."
    "But why look if you're not going to consider buying?" Benny
asked.
    "Good point," Brad agreed.
    "Okay, if you want to," I conceded.
    
    Winchester was a large city that sat on the edge of the south
coast of Kilgore Lake.  The apartment complex that Benny had
selected sat on the edge of a ridge overlooking the lake.  It was
in a very nice part of town.
    "This looks nice," Brad commented as Benny steered the Blazer
in through the gates of the complex. 
    "It sure does.  Are you sure you'll be able to afford a two-
bedroom here?" I asked.
    "It's not too bad, really," Benny replied, parking in the
Visitor parking space closest to the office door.      
    Winchester was further south than Jefferson and Miss
Wilson, the lady who showed us the grounds on the way to the plush
apartment, informed us that it didn't snow there.  There were even
tropical plants around the courtyard and the lawn was a plush
green.  We didn't even need our coats; it was a balmy seventy-five
degrees.  Miss Wilson explained that it stayed between seventy-five
and eighty throughout the winter, but did get up into the nineties
in the summer.      
    Although no one was swimming in the Olympic-sized pool, there
were several people lounging beside it, soaking in the warm early
afternoon sun.
    "Maybe we should move here, babe," Brad whispered as we stepped
into the elevator that would take us up to the fourth floor
apartment Benny wanted to look at.
    "I know that ICC doesn't have an office here," I replied.  "And
I seriously doubt that Jefferson Bank and Trust does, either."    
    "That's true," he conceded. 
    "And if we quit to move here, we wouldn't get our three week
vacations next year."
    "I think I'd rather stay in Jefferson, after all," he said.   
    "Me, too," I agreed.
    "We can look at that house, though.  I think you'd really like
it.  There's a lot more privacy than the apartment has and I will
even take care of the yard."
    "Okay, we'll look," I said.  "But no promises."
    The ride to the top floor was so smooth that we didn't
realize that we were moving.  I almost asked if the elevator was
stuck until I looked up and saw the numbers on the lights above the
door changing.  There wasn't even any indication that we stopped
before the doors slid quietly open.
    Miss Wilson stepped out and led us down the hallway to the end
apartment.  She pressed the doorbell and waited.  "The couple who
live here now are in the Navy, also," she informed us.  "They
wouldn't be moving, but she is pregnant and due at the end of the
month.  This is an adult complex.  We do not allow children in any
shape or form.  They knew that when they signed the lease, but she
still got pregnant."      
    The door finally opened.  The man who stood there was the same
height as Brad and Benny at an even six foot.  He was dressed in
his tan Naval uniform.  It fit him better than Benny's fit Benny. 
Even though he didn't look a thing like Paul, the way he filled out
his uniform reminded me of him.  No wonder his wife got pregnant;
he was a hunk.  She probably couldn't get enough of him and ran out
of condoms but couldn't refuse him.
    He smiled at me and I melted into those slate blue eyes.      
"Hello, Miss Wilson," he said, looking at her.      
    "Hello," she replied.  "Lieutenant Heath Carpenter, this is
Lieutenant Benjamin Brown, Junior," she said, indicating my
brother.  "He wants to look at your apartment."
    "Nice to meet you, sir," Benny said.
    "Nice to meet you, sir," Lieutenant Carpenter replied.  "Won't
you come in?"
    "Thank you," Miss Wilson said.
    I frowned as I stepped into the apartment.  The insignia that
Lieutenant Carpenter was wearing was different than the one Benny
wore.  I couldn't understand why.
    "Lieutenant Commander Carpenter," Benny said, answering my
unspoken question, which told me that Carpenter out-ranked Benny,
"I'd like for you to meet my brother, Kris, and his roommate, Brad
Peterson."
    "Nice to meet you," I said, shaking his hand.  It was a strong
warm grip.  I had been afraid to shake his hand for fear of him
crushing mine, but he didn't.
    After shaking hands with Brad, Carpenter asked, "So, Brown,
you're going to be moving to Winchester, huh?"
    "Yes, sir," Benny replied.  "I report to Commander Rios on the
fourth."
    "Oh, you'll like him.  He's my boss, too.  Just don't believe
a word he says.  He's a natural-born liar, but he's got a great
sense of humor.  Everyone who works under him loves him."         
    "That's good," Benny replied. 
    "Well, let's get this show on the road, I've got to get back to
work," Carpenter said.  
    "Thank you," Miss Wilson said.  "Of course this furniture comes
with the apartment," she began, leading us around the apartment. 
"If you don't like it, there are a couple of other suites to choose
from."
    I looked around and smiled.  It was nice.  The carpet was a
plush burgundy.  The over-stuffed couch that sat facing the sliding
glass doors that opened out onto the balcony was cream-colored with
burgundy throw pillows.  There were two rose-colored swivel rockers
at each end of the couch.  The way the Carpenters had this room set
up, it was intended for entertaining, not to be lived in.      
    I could tell the balcony had green outdoor carpet on it and
white patio furniture.  The balcony looked out over the lake.  It
was a great view.  I knew that the evening sun would shine on the
patio, making it really hot in the summer.      
    The carpet in the master bedroom was a plush blue and had
matching drapes and bedspread.  Carpenter explained that the
bedspread was theirs, but they had bought it for the apartment,
since the drapes were already there, and would be willing to sell
it to Benny for a reasonable price.
    The guest room had a rich brown carpet with brown drapes.  Mrs.
Carpenter had supplied a cream-colored bedspread for the queen-
sized bed in it.  This, I knew, would be Brad's and my room when we
came to visit.  Even though I didn't care for the colors, it would
make a good color for a guest room, so I didn't comment.
    There were also two bathrooms.  One in the hallway for
guests that also had a door into the guest room.  The master bath
was inside the master bedroom.
    The kitchen was next to the front door and was done in almond. 
A window above the sink looked out over the courtyard, giving
anyone who was doing the dishes a fantastic view.
    "What do you think, Kris?" Benny asked, looking hopefully at
me.  I knew he liked it and wanted it.  I did, too.  
    Brad gave me a pleading look and I knew that he wanted me to
say yes.  "I only have one question," I said.
    "What's that?" Benny asked.
    "How much is it?"
    "Four-twenty-five a month plus a two-hundred dollar deposit,"
Miss Wilson replied.
    "That's all?" I asked.  Brad and I were paying three-seventy-
five for our one-bedroom apartment in Jefferson.          
    "That's all," she replied.
    "One year lease?" I asked.
    "Six month lease," she replied.  "But the rent usually just
goes up in June.  We won't raise it again before summer."    
    "When can he move in?" I asked.
    "January first," she replied.
    "Go for it," I said.
    "Thanks, Kris," Benny said, hugging me.

    The flight was almost full.  I sat next to the window and
looked out as we left the ground behind.  I was nervous about this
trip.  We hadn't called or e-mailed the Fitzgeralds to let them
know we were a gay couple.  We didn't know what would happen when
we arrived at Misty Mountain Lodge for our official honeymoon.    
    Brad was sitting in the middle seat.  Someone we didn't know
had the aisle seat.
    "Are you going skiing in Jackson?" the gentleman asked as the
plane leveled off.
    "No," Brad replied.  "We're going to Redwood.  We're
not going to go skiing, though."
    "Too bad, I hear the skiing is great this year.  I'm meeting my
girlfriend there.  She and her parents drove up this past weekend,
but I couldn't get away until today.  They have a two-bedroom cabin
there, but I'll be sleeping on the couch in the living room," he
said, sadly.
    "We've got reservations at the Misty Mountain Lodge," Brad
informed him.  "Neither of us are planning on sleeping on the
couch, though."
    "That's a Bed and Breakfast," he said.  "You'll like it.  I've
known the Fitzgeralds for a long time.  I can guarantee you won't
be sleeping on the couch, they don't allow it except for a nap,
maybe.  But there is so much to do there that you won't have time
for that.  My brother and I got The Wilderness View suite when we
stayed there a few years ago.  It's a two-bedroom suite that looks
out over some trees and the river.  It's real nice.  Is that the
one you're getting?"
    "No, we're getting Aunt Pearl's Chambers," Brad replied before
I could stop him.
    He frowned.  "That's a one-bedroom suite," he said. 
"They don't have roll-a-ways.  Did they not tell you?  Or did you
forget to request two beds?"
    From where I sat, I couldn't see the look Brad gave him as Brad
placed his hand over mine, but I was under the impression that he
just grinned.  The gentleman glanced down at our hands and then
back up at Brad's face.  He then pulled out a magazine and started
reading it.  Brad held my hand and leaned over to look out the
window and we rode the rest of the way to Jackson in silence.     
    I glanced over at the gentleman on the end once and he looked
at me then back at the magazine.  I hoped that he wasn't going to
make trouble for us.  Since he had stated that he knew the
Fitzgeralds, I had a feeling he would.
    When the plane came to a stop, the gentleman stood up and 
pulled his carry-on bag out of the over-head bin and hurried off
the plane.  We were in the third row from the front, so we
didn't have to wait for a lot of people before we were able to
deplane.
    "I don't think you should have told him which room we
were going to get," I said as Brad and I started toward the gate. 
"I get the feeling he's going to call the lodge and let the
Fitzgeralds know."
    Brad was carrying our carry-on bag, but he put his free arm
around me and pulled me against him as we walked.  "I don't care,
babe," he said softly.  "This is our honeymoon and we're not going
to let any homophobes spoil it.  There was nothing at all mentioned
on the web site or in their e-mail that stated that couples had to
be married or opposite sex.  If they give us any shit, then we'll
sue them for discrimination and make their lives miserable."      
    I knew better than to try to argue with Brad when he got this
way.  I just nodded and said, "Okay."
    It had been only an hour flight.  Our rental car was ready for
us when we arrived at the desk.  We had already picked up our two
suitcases, so when the attendant handed Brad the keys, we headed
directly to the car.
    It was a beautiful drive.  I reached over and placed my hand on
Brad's leg, just like we always rode when we went anywhere.  He
placed his warm hand over mine and smiled.  "It's going to be okay,
sweetheart, you'll see."
    "As long as we're together, I don't care," I replied.         
    It was a little after one o'clock Wyoming time, which was an
hour later than our time.  We had eaten an early lunch at Mom and
Dad's before Benny took us to the airport, so we weren't hungry and
wouldn't need to eat until the evening meal at the Bed and
Breakfast.     
    Tall evergreen trees that I didn't know the name of reached for
the sky.  It had snowed the night before, so there would be plenty
of fresh snow for the skiers.  Even though we didn't ski, I knew
that the fresh snow would add to the lovely scenery around the Bed
and Breakfast.      
    The town of Redwood had already decorated for Christmas.  The
light poles were decorated with green and red garland.  Artificial
snowmen and Santas stood in the doorways and windows of the shops. 
I had not yet gotten in the mood for Christmas, so we hadn't
decorated our apartment, yet, but as Brad drove down the main
street toward the outskirts of town, the warm feeling of the spirit
of Christmas engulfed me.    
    I smiled and Brad asked, "What?" 
    "The spirit of Christmas," I replied, watching some people
bundled in warm, multi-colored ski suits rush from store to store. 
I knew that they were shopping for Christmas souvenirs to take home
with them.
    "I get the feeling we should be singing Silver Bells
watching everyone," I added.
    "Okay, we can do that," Brad replied, squeezing my hand
tenderly.  "City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday
style.  In the air it's beginning to look like Christmas."  
    He stopped singing and frowned at me.  "What's wrong?" he
asked.  "You're not singing."
     I grinned.  "I just love hearing your deep sexy voice," I
replied.  He was a good bass singer.  "But I have to tell you, it's
'In the air there's a feeling of Christmas'."      
    "Well, I love hearing your soft sexy voice," he replied.  I
sang tenor.  "And I want to hear it mixed with mine while we sing. 
So come on, let's sing."
     He started again. This time I joined in.  I never had any
doubt that we would never make it big, like we hoped Cliff Richmond
would, but we still enjoyed singing together occasionally.  I had
sung in the church choir since high school and Brad and I had done
a few duets since we'd been together.
     Brad steered the car into the parking lot of the Misty
Mountain Lodge just as we finished "Silver Bells."      
    "Wow," I breathed.     
    "Really, huh?"
    The Misty Mountain Lodge appeared to be a quaint little two-
story log cabin, nestled in a clump of evergreens at the base of
Misty Mountain.  Fresh snow piled on the roof and the tips of the
tree branches gave any on-looker the feeling they had stepped into
a Christmas card.
    Red and white ribbon swirled around the posts on the front
porch, making them look like candy canes.  The windows had been
sprayed with canned snow and we could see a Christmas tree framed
in one of the oval holes.
    Brad pulled the rented Chrysler Le Baron into a space
marked "Guest Parking" and took a deep breath.  "This is it, babe,"
he said.  "No matter what happens, remember, I love you."         
    "And I love you," I replied.
    Brad got out and walked around the car.  I noticed him looking
worriedly at the lodge, but I don't think he noticed that I did.  
    He opened the door and I got out.  "We might as well take our
luggage in with us," he said.  "It'll be harder for them to kick us
out that way."
    "Why do I get the feeling that all of a sudden you're getting
worried?" I asked.
    "Because I am," he replied with a sheepish grin.      
    "So am I," I admitted.
    I carried our carry-on bag and Brad carried our two suitcases. 
There was no one in the lobby when we walked in, but we could hear
laughter from the den in the back.  A tiny bell tinkled when I
opened the door for Brad.  
     I closed the door and looked around.  A tall Christmas tree
that almost touched the eight-foot ceiling stood in front of the
window across from the desk.  There were several presents wrapped
in different red, green and gold paper underneath the tree.  I had
a feeling they were just empty boxes placed there for decoration. 
    A cozy fireplace stood along the outside wall next to the tree. 
Several stockings hung from the mantle.  An old bentwood rocker
stood on the other side of the fireplace.  It would be nice to sit
there and watch the flickering fire and the twinkling lights on the
tree while crocheting or knitting.     
    "This is nice," Brad said, looking around approvingly.      
    "It sure is," I agreed.
    "Excuse me," a ladies' voice came through the open
doorway.  "I think I heard the bell."
    "I did, too," another lady said.
    I stepped over closer to the fireplace to look at the Manger
Scene on the mantle.  It appeared to be hand-carved.
    "Oh, hi," the first lady said.  "I'm Tanya Fitzgerald.  You
must be Mr. Peterson?"
    "Yes.  Brad Peterson," he replied.      
    "And you must be Mrs..." she stopped in mid-sentence as I
turned around.  The smile on her face fell and turned into
embarrassment.  "I'm sorry."  She regained her composure and the
smile returned to her plump rosy cheeks.  "Let me get Mr. Peterson
checked in and I'll be with you in a moment," she said.      
    Brad and I knew then that the gentleman on the airplane had not
called her.
    "That's okay, Mrs. Fitzgerald," Brad said.  "This is Kris
Brown.  He's with me."
    I gathered that Mrs. Fitzgerald was about five-two and weighed
almost two-hundred pounds.  I could tell that she was very jolly
and a happy-go-lucky type of woman at times.      
    However, her smile fell again and worry clouded her pretty,
plump face.  "I'm so sorry, Mr. Peterson," she said, glancing at
me.  "I wasn't expecting anyone else.  You did not indicate that
you needed more than one room when you made your reservation.  We
are full for the weekend and we do not have accommodations for him
and he cannot share Aunt Pearl's Chambers with you and your wife." 
    Brad smiled and shook his head.  He stepped over next to me and
put his arm around me, pulling me against him.  "No, Ma'am, you
don't understand.  Kris is my spouse," he added with an emphasis on
is.  "We're here to celebrate our honeymoon."
    Mrs. Fitzgerald's large blue eyes grew larger.  The color
drained from her plump cheeks.  I thought she was going to pass
out.  She did stop breathing for a moment.
    Brad removed his wallet from his inside coat pocket and took
out his credit card.  "Do we need to sign the guest register?" he
asked.
    "Ma'am?" he asked.
    Mrs. Fitzgerald gasped for air and tried to recompose herself
as the front door opened and a tall, chubby, man stepped into the
room.  He was wearing jeans and a red-plaid shirt under a sheep-
skin jacket.  He reminded me of a mountain man from out of a Field
and Stream magazine. 
    "Tanya, is everything okay?" he asked, worriedly.      
    "Yes," she gasped again.  "Mr. Peterson," she said, stepping
behind the counter, "this is my husband, Rob Fitzgerald.  Rob, this
is Brad Peterson and Kris Brown.  They're getting Aunt Pearl's
Chambers."
     "Yes, we're looking forward to staying here," Brad said,
smiling at him.  I noticed that Brad tried not to be intimidated by
Mr. Fitzgerald's size.  He was about five inches taller than Brad's
even six-feet.
    Mr. Fitzgerald frowned at me and took a deep breath. 
"Did you explain to Mr. Peterson that we do not have roll-a-ways?"
he asked.
    "Yes, I did," she replied, reaching for Brad's credit card.
"They don't need one.  They're on their honeymoon."       
    Mr. Fitzgerald's eyebrows shot up.  "Oh, really?" he
asked, showing his surprise.
    "Yes, sir," Brad replied, putting his arm around me as I
stepped over closer to him.  "We've been together for a little over
two years, but we haven't had a chance to take an official
honeymoon."      
    Mr. Fitzgerald opened his mouth to say something, but Brad
quickly added, "Since your web site didn't say that same-sex
couples weren't allowed, we knew that this would be a great place
for our honeymoon.  And we have our rings to prove that we belong
together," he said as we showed them our rings.     
    Mr. Fitzgerald cleared his throat and glanced at his wife. 
"Very well.  Welcome to Misty Mountain Lodge.  On behalf of my wife
and I, we hope you enjoy your stay," he said. 
    "Excuse me, I've got to go get some more firewood for the
den.  Tanya will show you to your room."
    "Thank you," Brad replied.
    After Mrs. Fitzgerald checked us in, she led us up the
staircase to our room.  I noticed she didn't mention the quilting
bee in the den.      
    "Dinner will be served promptly at six in the dining room," she
said, unlocking the door to our room.  "Breakfast is at seven and
lunch at noon.  But since you're on your honeymoon, I will be glad
to bring your meals up here for you."      
    I knew then that she was trying to keep us away from the other
guests.
    The sitting room was everything the photo she had emailed us
showed it to be and more.   Although there really wasn't much color
in the room, it was nice and I could tell by Brad's expression that
the room would be perfect.
    "Thank you," Brad said, carrying our suitcases over to the
bedroom.  "But that won't be necessary.  Your letter said you
didn't do that, so we prepared ourselves to eat in the dining room
on your schedule."
    I noticed a disappointed look on her plump face, but she didn't
protest.  When Brad returned from the bedroom, she handed him the
key and turned to go.  "If you need anything, please feel free to
let me know," she said.
    "Thank you," Brad replied, closing the door behind her.      
    "That was quick-thinking," I said, wrapping my arms
around him.
    He grinned.  "Thank you.  I felt if I didn't mention the web
site not stating the rules, he was going to say something." 
    "How much do you want to bet that there will be a 'no
gays' policy on the web site by the time we get home?" I
asked.
    "I wouldn't take that bet," he replied.  "I know there will
be."      
    Brad hugged me and kissed me on the lips.  "But for now, we're
here and there is nothing they can do about it," he whispered.  "I
love you, Kristopher Brown." 
    "I love you, too, Brad," I replied. Then I grinned up at his
handsome face.  
    "You know," I said, slyly, "if I'm going to be your wife, maybe
I should change my name to Kristopher Peterson."
    He grinned down at me and asked, "You'd do that for me,
wouldn't you?"
    "Of course," I replied.  "I love you.  I'll do anything for
you, Brad."
    "I love you, too."  
    He kissed me again and then added, "That's why I can't let you
change your name for me.  I'd love it if you did, but your
grandfather would kill me, or you, or both of us, for sure if you
did.  You stay Kristopher Martin Brown, but we know that you belong
to me."
    "And you belong to me," I replied.
    Brad and I kissed for a few minutes, then he pulled back and
led me over to the French doors.  The drapes had been left open and
we held each other as we looked out over the back yard of the
lodge.  There was a tiny stream running through the property. 
Misty Mountain loomed over us in the distance. 
    "Wow," Brad breathed.  "She was right about the view,
wasn't she?"
    "Mm, hum," I replied.
    "Do you want to take a nap until dinner time, or do you want to
go downstairs and ruin their quilting bee?"     
    Wrapping my arms around him again, I looked up into his
beautiful brown eyes and grinned.  "I wish you'd stop making me
make tough decisions," I replied.
    He bent down and kissed me again.  "I'll make the decision,
then," he replied, softly.  He picked me up and carried me into the
bedroom and lay me down on the double bed.

    I moaned and rolled over.  The clock by the bed read five-
thirty.  Trying to get up, I shook Brad and said, "Wake up, honey,
we need to get ready for dinner."
    I stretched and the pain shot through my back.  "Ouch," I
gasped.      
    Brad sat up quickly.  "Are you okay, babe?" he asked,
worriedly.
     "This bed isn't very comfortable," I replied.  "My back hurts,
now."
     "I know what you mean," he replied.  "Luckily, my back doesn't
hurt, though.
     "Lie down, babe, I'll give you a massage," he instructed.    
I moved the pillow and laid down on my stomach.  Brad's warm strong
hands began to massage my aching back.     
    "Lying in the sand on Kilgore Island was more comfortable than
this," I said.
     "Yeah.  We'll have to spend some time in the hot tub when we
get home," Brad replied.  "You'll have to sleep on your stomach
tonight and tomorrow night."
     After a few minutes of massaging my back, the pain went away. 
I went to the bathroom and took a shower, then Brad took one while
I got dressed and waited for him to finish.      
    It was a few minutes before six when we walked down the
stairs and found our way into the lavish dining room.     
    There was a tall Christmas tree in front of the French doors.
There were four other couples already in the dining room when we
walked in.  Some were seated and others were standing
beside the fireplace and the Christmas tree.  Everyone was
talking and seemed to be having a good time.
     Brad put his arm around me and guided me over to the
table.  There were no name tags, so we figured we could sit
anywhere we wanted to.
     "Hello," Brad said as everyone turned to look at us.        I
was surprised that the couples were so young.  I had expected the
guests to be elderly.  Although most of them were in their mid-
thirties, one couple was in their late forties.  It was obvious
that we were the youngest couple there.      
   "Ah, we were wondering if you were going to ever
come out of your room," one gentlemen, who had been
standing beside the Christmas tree, said, stepping over next to us. 
    "We were kind of tired from our trip," Brad admitted.
    "Jerry Carson," the gentleman said, extending his hand
to Brad.
    "Brad Peterson," he replied.  "This is Kris Brown."         
    "Nice meeting you.  This is my wife, Sally Ann," Jerry
said, indicating a young blonde who had already taken her
place at the table.
     She smiled and we exchanged pleasantries.  We then
proceeded to introduce ourselves to the Ropers, Chandlers and the
Phillips'.  The Phillips' were the older couple.  
    "Are you going to be doing any skiing?" Mr. Chandler
asked, sitting down beside his wife.
    "No," Brad replied, holding out a chair for me.      
    I thanked him and sat down.  No one said anything, but
a few did exchange glances.
    "We might be interested in tackling a quilt, though," Brad
added, sitting down next to me.
    Before anyone could comment, the kitchen door opened and Mrs.
Fitzgerald entered the room, pushing a cart laden with large dishes
of piping hot food.      
    She smiled warmly as she walked in, but I noticed that she
didn't look at Brad nor me.
    "Mm, that smells good," Mr. Phillips said, rubbing his hands
together.
    Dinner was good.  Mrs. Fitzgerald served baked chicken, baked
potatoes, fresh asparagus and homemade rolls that were fresh from
the oven.
     Mr. Fitzgerald sat at the head of the table and Mrs.
Fitzgerald at the foot.  We all made small-talk while we ate.  No
one bothered to ask what suite Brad and I were in, nor did anyone
ask what suite anyone else was in.  That, I was thankful for.     
    After we were done eating, Mrs. Fitzgerald got up and
went into the kitchen.  She returned a moment later with
another cart which supported small plates of hot apple pies, a
large carton of homemade vanilla ice cream and a pot of coffee with
several cups and saucers.
    "Anyone for desert and coffee?" she asked.      
    Everyone agreed, but I declined the coffee.  "I would
like some more iced tea, though," I said.
     Mrs. Fitzgerald gave me an aggravated look, but said,
"Certainly."
     After dinner, Mr. Phillips pushed his pie plate back and said,
"Oh, that was fantastic, Tanya.  You really out-did yourself this
time."
    Everyone agreed that it was marvelous and Mrs. Roper
added, "I think we should move into the den so Tanya can clear the
table."
    "Good idea," Mr. Carson agreed.
    We got up and Brad took me by the arm.  "Let's go for a walk,"
he said, softly.
    "Okay," I replied.
    We went upstairs and got our coats then headed out the back
door into the back yard.
    The sun was just starting to set when we made our way
outside. "You're not regretting eating in the dining room, are you,
babe?" Brad asked as we walked.
    "No," I replied.  "But for almost two hundred dollars a night,
she could be a little nicer, I think.  Did you see the way she
looked at me when I asked for more tea instead of coffee?"   
    "Yeah, I did," he admitted.  "I almost said something,
but decided not to make a scene.  I will probably make a scene
before the weekend is over though," he said.
    "Well, let's not let them ruin our honeymoon," I said, leaning
my head on his shoulder as we walked.
     He put his arm around me and we made our way down to
the tiny stream.
     The setting sun sent rays of gold and pink across the cold
December sky.  The tiny stream trickled by and the birds made their
noises as Brad held me in the cold mountain air.      
    "As long as we're together," I whispered against his lips as we
started to kiss, "nothing can ruin our honeymoon."     
    "Not even an uncomfortable bed?" he asked, grinning at me. 
    "I'll just sleep on top of you."
    "Okay," he replied and kissed me on the lips.
    We found a large rock close to the small stream that the snow
had either melted from or someone had brushed off.  Brad leaned up
against it and turned me around with my back to him and wrapped his
arms around me.  Nuzzling my neck, he said, "You know, I really
think we'll enjoy that house."
    "I do, too," I agreed.  "But only if you're with me, I wouldn't
want to live there by myself."
    "I'm never leaving you, babe," he replied.  "You know that."
    "I do," I replied, rubbing his hand.

    After we had gone to see the apartment that Benny wanted to
rent in Winchester, we had returned to Jefferson the same afternoon
and Benny had swung by the house at Crestview and fifteenth.  It
was a beautiful house, as Benny and Brad had said, and I had
finally remembered, but there had been a lot of work done to it
since Benny and I had seen it last. 
    It had been almost seven o'clock when we went by the house so
we had been unable to get in and there were blinds on the windows,
so we couldn't see in, either.  However, the next day Brad had
called the real estate office and he and I went to look at it.
    After some major discussion and a lot of pleading looks and
irresistible passes from Brad, I had given in to his desire to buy
the house.
    I had forgotten about it until the real estate agent had lead
us out onto patio, but Benny had told me that one of the times that
he and Marc were lying out in the back yard nude, was when Marc had
taught him how to masturbate.  That had been the night that Benny
had taught me how. 

    "I talked to Mr. Horton the other day," Brad reminded me as we
continued to lean against the rock and watch the stream rush by.  
"I hope that he can get our loan approved before the first.  It
would be great if we could get moved in before next year.  What a
great Christmas present that would be to each other.  Our own
house."
    Letting my forehead rest against Brad's cheek, I smiled and
replied, "It could be a card-board box as long as we're together."
    He chuckled and kissed me on the forehead.  "I know, but I
don't want my lover to have to live in a card-board box.  And
especially not for that price."
    I grinned.  "Well, darling, buying it will raise our payment up
to five-fifty a month, but as long as we've been at our jobs, the
only thing that will really hurt is the down payment, but that will
be covered by the loan."
    "That's true," he agreed.

    Darkness blanketed the area by the time Brad and I had returned
to the lodge.  I was thankful that they hadn't locked the back
door.
    We heard laughter coming from the den.  I leaned my head
against Brad's shoulder and whispered, "I don't want to go in
there.  Let's just go to our room."
     "That's fine with me," he replied, softly.

     The sun hadn't come up yet, but it had already grown light
outside when I awoke the next morning.
     I stretched against Brad's warm body.  I wasn't lying on top
of him, but against him the way I always did, with my head on his
shoulder.  I raised up and looked at the clock; it was a little
before seven.  I sighed.  There was no way that we could make it
downstairs in time for breakfast unless we just got up, threw our
robes or clothes on and went.  And, since there would be other
people there, I didn't want to do that.  However, I was hungry and
I knew Brad would be, too and the only way to get breakfast after
seven would be to go into town and buy something.           
    "Honey, wake up," I said, shaking him.  "We're going to miss
breakfast."
     I got up and was surprised that my back didn't hurt.  I dashed
into the bathroom, relieved myself, then splashed water on my face
and combed my hair.
     Brad walked sleepily into the bathroom supporting a major
hardon.  I took a deep breath and sighed as he urinated.  How I
would have loved to make love to him before going down to
breakfast.  Luckily, we had made love for an hour the night before.
Even though we had been together for a little over two years, we
still couldn't get enough of each other.          
    "Hurry, honey," I said and rushed into the bedroom.   
    I pulled on a pair of jeans and a turtleneck sweater, then
slipped on my tennis shoes, not worrying about underwear or socks. 
    Grabbing a pair of jeans for Brad, I took them to the bathroom. 
He was washing his face and had just reached for the shaving cream
when I stepped in.
    "You'll have to shave later," I said.  "We don't have time."  
    "Are you sure?" he asked.
    "She said seven sharp.  We have two minutes."      
    "Okay," he replied, putting the shave cream back on the
counter.      
    I handed him his jeans and he slipped them on.  I watched him
adjust himself in them, without underwear, and button them up.    
    "I love you," I whispered and kissed him as I handed him a
shirt.
    "I love you, too," he replied.
    He held me for a moment then put on his shirt, slipped on his
tennis shoes and we headed downstairs.
    "How's your back this morning?" he asked, opening the
dining room door for me.
    "Fine, actually.  I'm surprised it's not hurting," I replied. 
    Everyone was already in the dining room, but I was relieved to
see that Mr. Carson had not shaved and everyone was wearing their
robes and pajamas.  Since Brad and I didn't wear pajamas, I was
thankful that I had opted to wear jeans and shirts, instead of just
our robes.
    "Good morning," Mrs. Phillips said.  I noticed she had her make
up on already.
    "Morning," we replied in unison.
    "We were beginning to think you were going to skip
breakfast," Mrs. Carson said.  "I'd hate to think you'd miss these
fabulous Raspberry muffins."
    "I would have over-slept had it not been for Kris, here," Brad
admitted.  "I'm always the one who wants to sleep late, but he's
always waking me up early," he added, grinning at me.      
    I smiled back and him and fought the urge to lean over and kiss
him.
    The kitchen door opened and Mrs. Fitzgerald entered the room,
pushing the serving cart.  "Oh, good.  Everyone is here, dear," she
called over her shoulder.
    The cart was laden with scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage,
bacon and country ham, along with the "wonderful" Raspberry muffins
that Mr. Fitzgerald had made.
    Everything was delicious.  Brad pulled a muffin apart and
spread butter on it.  "You'd better get this recipe," he said,
softly.  "I like these."
    "I saw it on the web site," I replied.  "I'll get it when we
get home."
    I was surprised that Mrs. Fitzgerald didn't complain when I
asked for milk instead of coffee.
    "We're going skiing after breakfast," Mr. Chandler informed us. 
"Are you sure you don't want to join us?"          
    Brad glanced at Mrs. Fitzgerald before answering.  "No, thank
you.  I think there's a quilt being worked on in the den.  Kris and
I want to work on it this morning.  We might go hiking after
lunch."
    "That sounds like a good idea," Mrs. Roper spoke up.  "It will
probably be warmer this afternoon.  Be sure to take the east trail
from here.  It is simply gorgeous this time of year.  Carl and I
went hiking on it yesterday afternoon," she added, referring to her
husband.      
    "Be sure to bundle up, though," Mr. Roper said, "we just about
froze our asses off."
    Brad grinned at me and said, "Thanks for the warning."     
    "I'll be taking the men skeet shooting after breakfast," Mr.
Fitzgerald said, with emphasis on men.
    "We're not into hunting," Brad retorted.  "And, although we
have never been skiing, we might decide to on another trip. But on
this trip we aren't interested in learning how.     
    "However," he continued, "if it were summer, we might go water
skiing somewhere."
    After breakfast, Brad and I went back to our suite and he
shaved while I took a shower.  As the warm water cascaded over my
body, I smiled.  Brad and I had spent a lot of time on the
boardwalk and, after his parents' house boat had been shipwrecked
on Kilgore Island back in the summer, we had spent a lot of time on
the island, but we had never gone water skiing.  Because of my fair
skin, I had not done any water skiing while growing up, either, and
didn't know how.
    When Brad finished his shower, we went back downstairs to the
den.  We were surprised that no one was there.  The quilt that was
stretched across the frame was already pretty large.     
    "I guess we won't get to work on it this morning," Brad said. 
I got the feeling that he was more disappointed than me. 
    "Do you want to go for the hike now, then work on it this
afternoon?" I asked, remembering that there were some people
working on it when we arrived the afternoon before.
    "It is only eight-thirty," Brad observed as the large
Grandfather clock in the corner, chimed the half-hour, "maybe they
don't start on it until later."
    "Why didn't anyone mention that when we said what we wanted to
do, then?" I wanted to know.
    Brad shrugged and walked over to the fireplace.  The fire was
almost out, so he added another log.
    "Thanks, but you didn't have to do that, Mr. Peterson," Mrs.
Fitzgerald said, entering the room.  "Rob would have in a few
minutes."      
    "That's okay," Brad replied.  "I didn't want it to burn out. 
It's pretty cold outside."
    "Yes, but we do have central heat and air.  The fireplace is
more of a novelty than anything else.        
    "I just heard on the radio that it's supposed to snow this
afternoon," she continued.  "You might want to take your hike this
morning, instead.  But if you prefer to work on the quilt, Mrs.
Roper, Carson and Phillips, will be joining us shortly," she
informed us.      
    Brad put his arm around me and replied, "I think we'll stay
here and work on the quilt."
    Mrs. Fitzgerald took a deep breath.  "Very well," she said. 
"You and Mr. Brown can sit in these two chairs so you can see the
fireplace," she suggested.  I was surprised that she didn't try to
separate us.      
    "Brad isn't very good at sewing," I said, "so I might have to
redo everything he does, but you won't have to worry, I'll make
sure we do a good job."
    "Thank you," Mrs. Fitzgerald said as Brad and I sat down in the
chairs that she had indicated.
    Mrs. Fitzgerald handed me a wicker basket that had several
squares of different-colored material in it.  "This is the material
you will use," she said.  "Have either of you ever done this
before?"      
    "No, ma'am," I replied.
    "All you have to do is sew a square here," she indicate where
another square had been finished.  "Then put another one after it
and continue to the next one.  One of the ladies will be putting
the stuffing in it and topping it off with another piece of cloth,
later."      
    "Okay.  I think I can handle that," Brad said as the others
joined us in the den.
    "Ladies, please go ahead and take your seats and get started,"
Mrs. Fitzgerald said.  "I'm going to run get us some hot mulled
cider."
    "Oh, that sounds wonderful," Mrs. Phillips said.  Mrs.
Fitzgerald left the room.  
    "Our husbands might get jealous," Mrs. Roper said, sitting down
across from me. "Here we are with these two cute guys quilting
while they're out hunting skeet."
    "They're not hunting skeet, dear," Mrs. Phillips said.  "That's
when they go up on a platform out in the back and Mr. Fitzgerald
will pull that thingy that throws the clay skeet into the air, then
they take turns shooting at it.  Nothing gets killed that way, but
it does seem like a waste of time to me."
    "As long as they don't bring anything back that I have to
clean, I don't mind," Mrs. Roper replied.
    "I agree," Mrs. Carson said.  "And as for them having to be
jealous of these two, I'm sure they realize that they don't need to
be.  I overheard you tell Mrs. Fitzgerald yesterday when you
arrived that you were here on your honeymoon," she said, to our
surprise.  We had not realized that anyone in the den could hear
us.  "I do hope that you are enjoying your honeymoon."
    "So far, we have," Brad replied, glancing at me.  "The bed in
Aunt Pearl's Chambers isn't very comfortable, though.  We took a
nap yesterday afternoon and Kris woke up with a backache, but he
slept good last night and had no problems this morning."      
    Mrs. Phillips shook her head and waved a hand at us. 
"Don't bother complaining about it," she said.  "All of these beds
are that way.  I have told Tanya a million times to get rid of
those mattresses, but they won't do it.  Herman and I come out here
at least once a year, so we started bringing an egg crate to put on
the mattress' to keep from getting backaches.  I think we've been
in just about every room they have here, they're all the same."   
    "Jerry loves the firm mattresses," Mrs. Carson spoke up.  "It
doesn't bother him one bit.  But I was in pain this morning,
myself."
    "I'm glad that you mentioned that," Mrs. Roper spoke up, not
noticing Mrs. Fitzgerald walk into the room with a tray of hot
mulled cider.  "I thought it was just our room.  Carl woke up with
a terrible backache this morning.  This is the first time we've
ever stayed here, but I don't think we will again if all the
mattresses are as bad as the one in The Wilderness View." 
    "They really should be replaced," Mrs. Carson said, "especially
at these prices."
    "Is something wrong?" Mrs. Fitzgerald asked, but Brad and I
could tell she knew what the ladies were talking about.      
    "Just the mattresses, Tanya," Mrs. Phillips replied as Mrs.
Roper blushed.  "You should be ashamed of yourself for not changing
them out like Herman and I have told you to.  You've got this young 
couple here on their honeymoon and you gave them the hardest
mattress you have."
     Mrs. Fitzgerald blushed, but she squinted her eyes in anger as
she looked at Brad and me.  She didn't reply.
    "I have to admit, though," Mrs. Phillips continued, "I
am surprised that you let them stay here.  I know that the last
time a gay couple tried to stay here, you ran them off."     
    "Brad was kind of persuasive," I said.  "He took his
credit card out of his wallet."
     Mrs. Roper laughed.  "Money does talk, doesn't it?" she said. 
     Mrs. Fitzgerald set the tray down on a table beside us.  "If
you would like anything else," she said, coldly, "please feel free
to call me.  I have some bookkeeping to do.  I'll be in the lobby." 
    "Comfortable beds would be nice," Mrs. Phillips retorted.     
    Mrs. Fitzgerald didn't pause as she headed out the door into
the lobby.  She closed the door behind her.
    "They did start to run us off," Brad admitted softly as I got
up to pour us a cup of cider, "but before Mr. Fitzgerald could say
anything, I informed him that it didn't mention that we were not
allowed here on their web site.  Kris and I are sure that it will
be there by the time we get home."
     "More than likely," Mrs. Phillips agreed.  "The Fitzgeralds
really are nice people.  They just have a few things they need to
work on."      
     Sipping hot mulled cider and working on the quilt, Brad and I
made small talk with the ladies for a few hours.  Mrs. Fitzgerald
didn't come back to check on us.  I had gotten the impression that
her feelings had been hurt by Mrs. Phillips' comments.  I was sorry
that had happened, but after what Mrs. Phillips had said about the
mattresses and about them running the other gay couple off, I
couldn't really feel sorry for her.  That made me feel even worse. 
    
    The Grandfather clock in the corner chimed eleven-thirty and I
stretched.  I couldn't believe that we'd actually made some
progress on the quilt and Brad was doing a terrific job of making
tight stitches, so I didn't have to re-do them.  It had been nice
to sit and talk to the ladies, and since they knew about Brad and
me, we were able to relax and be ourselves while we worked.      
    "Tanya will have lunch ready in about half an hour," Mrs.
Phillips said, putting down her quilting needle.  "It might be a
good idea for us to go freshen up for lunch."      
    "I agree," I said, standing up.

    Mrs. Fitzgerald served our lunch as she had every other meal. 
She was back to her jolly self and didn't seem to have any hard
feelings toward Mrs. Phillips for what she had said about the
mattresses.      
    It was a non-eventful meal.  Afterwards, Brad and I headed back
to our room.
    "Do you want to take a walk or a nap, babe?" he asked, closing
the door behind him.
    "I'd like to take a nap," I replied, "but I'm afraid that I
might get a backache if I do."
    Brad leaned over and kissed me on the lips.  "I tell you what,"
he whispered, "you lie on your stomach, I'll lie on your back with
my dick up your ass, then you won't have to worry about it
hurting."      
    I grinned and wrapped my arms around his neck.  "But I'd rather
lie on my back and have you lie on top of me, you know that."
    Brad kissed me gently on the lips.  "I love you, Kris," he
whispered.  
    The maid had already made up the bed but Brad picked me up and
gently placed me on the top of the white embroidered bedspread.  
He continued to kiss me as he laid down on top of me.

    The afternoon sun had already disappeared behind Misty Mountain
by the time I stepped out on the back porch of the lodge.  Brad and
I had slept good for a couple of hours.  We decided to go for a
walk before dinner.  I had left him in the bathroom, telling him
that I would meet him on the back porch when he was finished.
    The crisp December air nipped at my nose, but I knew that Brad
would warm me up as soon as he arrived.  I stepped off the porch
and looked around the lovely back yard of the lodge. 
    Snow blanketed the area except where Mr. Fitzgerald had
shoveled the snow off the sidewalk that ran the length of the yard.
The path exited at the back gate, where guests could continue on
through the snow, down to the little stream if they wanted to. 
That is what Brad and I had planned on doing, as we had the evening
before.
    "Looks like it might snow some tonight." A deep rich voice
startled me from behind.
     I turned around.  Mr. Carson was leaning against the rail of
the porch.  He took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one, using the
lighter that he pulled out of the pocket of his tight jeans.    
    "Yes, it does," I replied.  "It was supposed to this afternoon,
but didn't."
    "You going for a walk?" he asked.
    "Yes," I replied.
    He glanced at the back door of the lodge and stood up. 
"Where's your boyfriend?" he asked, softly.      
    "He's getting ready," I replied.  "He'll be here in a few
minutes."      
    Mr. Carson nodded and flicked ashes into the styrofoam cup he
held in his left hand.  "So, you two ever screw around with anyone
but each other?" 
    I frowned.  Why was he asking?  I took a deep breath and
replied, "No, we're married."
    He shrugged.  "Sally Ann and I are married, too," he said, "but
she doesn't like to suck my dick, so she lets me find guys who like
to.  Her only stipulation is that she gets to watch."  
    Mr. Carson set the cup on the rail he had been sitting on and
reached down and rubbed his crotch.  "I bet you could do a fine job
on my cock," he said, softly.
    I smiled.  He wasn't bad looking, but I wasn't going to cheat
on Brad, I knew that for sure.  "I guess we'll never know, will
we?" I replied as the door opened and Brad came out.      
    I wrapped my arm around Brad and kissed him on the lips.  "You
ready now?"
    "Yeah," he replied, glancing nervously at Mr. Carson. 
    "This is a non-smoking lodge, Mr. Carson," Brad said. 
    "Call me Jerry," he replied.  "I know.  They don't mind me
smoking out here, though, as long as I keep the ashes and butts in
a cup."        
    He glanced at me and took a deep puff.  "So, what do you say,
Kris?" he asked, exhaling smoke.  "Wanna get together later?  Lover
boy here could join us."
    I still had my arm around Brad.  I felt him tense up as he
frowned at me.  "No thanks," I replied, quickly.  "I have all I
need right here.  Good luck."
    Jerry shrugged and picked up his cup and flicked ashes into it. 
"Enjoy your walk," he said.
    I led Brad down the sidewalk to the back gate, keeping my arm
around him.  "What the fuck was that all about?" he demanded,
softly.      
    I pushed Brad up against the trunk of a tree, out of view of
the house.  I kissed him on the lips and said, "I love you, Brad. 
I don't want you to get mad or in a fight."   I took a deep breath
and quickly explained what Jerry had wanted.     
    Brad looked at me in disbelief for a moment, then his luscious
lips curled into a grin.  The grin that drove me crazy.  "And you
told him that you wouldn't cheat on me?"
    "More or less," I replied with a shrug.  "But he said it'd be
okay for you to watch, since Sally Ann would be watching." 
    It was the first time that anyone had made a play for me since
Brad and I had become lovers.  Brad pulled me against him and
kissed me passionately on the lips.  "You don't know how happy it
makes me to know that you turned him down," he gasped.
     "I love you, Bradley Allen Peterson," I whispered.  "I'll
never even look at another man."
     He grinned again.  "What about Paul?" he asked.  "I've seen
the way you look at him."
     "Well, he doesn't count," I replied, blushing.  "He's like a
big brother to me."
     "Yeah, right.  I bet you'd sleep with him in a heartbeat if he
weren't married."
     He'd caught me, but I wasn't going to let it ruin our
relationship.  I shrugged.  "But only if I weren't married, too. 
I'd never cheat on you, Brad.  I love you so much."      
    He smiled at me for a moment, then pulled me closer to him and
we kissed again.  "I love you, too, Kristopher Martin Brown," he
whispered.  "I'd never cheat on you, either."     
    We stood there kissing under the tree until the wind began to
get up and darkness blanketed the area.
    "We'd better get back before they lock the back door,"
I whispered.
    Brad put his arm around me and we made our way back to the
lodge.  We hadn't gotten in our walk, but we had spent the entire
evening standing under the tree, holding each other and kissing.  
   
    Brad tossed a log on the fire in our suite and sat down on the
floor beside me in front of the Victorian sofa.  The chairs and
couch were very uncomfortable.  The floor was much better, plus we
had a better view of the fire and we could look out the French
doors in the sitting room.
    It was snowing by the time I had gotten out of the shower.  We
were afraid that our flight might be canceled the next day, but we
had one more night at the Misty Mountain Lodge.  We didn't want to
spend it worrying about the weather.  We had other things to do.  
    Brad had removed the heavy blankets from the bed, but had left
the crocheted bedspread in the bedroom.  He had spread one of the
blankets on the floor in front of the hearth.  I laid down on the
soft blanket and he pulled the other one up over us.  We were both
lying on the blanket nude, but we had the pillows from the bed to
rest our heads on.  However, I was resting my head on his strong
shoulder instead of the pillow.
    "It's been a while since we've made love on the floor in front
of a fireplace," Brad said, softly.  "Wanna spend the night in
here?"  
    I smiled and kissed him as I ran my hand over his smooth hard
chest and stomach.  He was brick hard by the time I closed my hand
around his organ.  "Mm, hum," I replied, not breaking the kiss.   
    After a few minutes of stroking his organ and kissing him, he
broke the kiss.  "Oh, baby," he gasped, "I'm gonna cum if you keep
stroking it, but I wanna cum in your mouth."      
    Without replying, I stopped stroking his cock and cupped his
balls in my hand and gently massaged them.  He moaned as I kissed
his warm luscious lips then moved slowly downward, kissing his
neck, then his chest.  I stopped only a moment to flick my tongue
into his belly button, then I licked the base of the head of his
throbbing organ.
     Running my tongue down to the base of his cock, I continued to
gently rub his sack.
    "Suck it, baby, like only you can," he crooned.      
    Taking as much of his rod in my mouth as I could, I ran my
fingers along the ridge that went from the bottom of his sack down
to his rosebud.  He moaned as I continued to flick my tongue across
the ridge at the base of the head, and he wiggled his hips a
little, pressing my index finger into his love hole.
    I felt him expand as he pressed upward with his hips and placed
his hands on my head.  "I'm here, baby," he gasped and blasted a
stream of hot cream into my mouth.  As best I could, I tried to
keep from swallowing it, but there was almost more than I could
hold.  Without saying a word, I raised up a little and kissed my
way down the ridge to where his little puckered hole was.  He
grinned as I continued, but didn't seem to notice that I hadn't
swallowed his seed.
     Sensing that I was going to eat his luscious ass, he spread
his legs a little more and I scooted down on the blanket, pushing
the top blanket out of the way.  
     I started licking his hot hole and pressing my cum-covered
tongue in as far as I could.
    "Oh, yeah, that's great," he gasped.      
    After I coated his hole with most of his seed, I pressed a
couple of fingers in and noted that his cock had already
grown erect again without me even touching it.      
    Raising up a little, I kissed it, then, kissing my way up to
his luscious lips, I pushed his legs further apart.       
    Brad didn't stop me when I kissed him and then pressed my hard
rod against his puckered hole.  He gasped as I pressed it in, but
it was too short for me to lie down on top of him and kiss him on
the lips the way he did me.  The best I could do was to suckle on
his hard nipples while I pressed as deep into him as I could.
    "Oh, yea, baby, fuck my ass," he moaned as I started pumping
slowly in and out of his rosebud.
    I didn't say anything, but continued to pump my cock in and out
of him and suckle his nipples.  First the left one, then the right,
kissing his hard smooth chest as I went from one to the other.
    After a while I was so horny for him that I knew I wasn't going
to hold back much longer.  I stopped sucking his nipples and pushed
myself up.  I had intended to pull out, but he wrapped his legs
around my hips and bucked against me, pulling me even deeper into
his tight, almost-virgin, hole.
    I tried to pull out, but every time I did, he'd use his strong
legs to pull me back in.  "I'm gonna cum, babe," I gasped.  "Let me
out."      
    I couldn't believe it.  The only other time I had fucked him
had been doggy-style and I had enjoyed it immensely.  Now he was on
his back with his legs around my bottom and I was enjoying him even
more.  I could tell by his facial expressions that he was enjoying
this fuck as much as I was.
    "Go ahead and blast up my ass," he whispered.  "You enjoy it
when I blast in yours, now it's time for me to feel your hot wad
splash into me."
    I gave him a doubtful look, but I knew I wasn't going to be
able to hold it for long.  He grinned that special grin and made a
pass at me as I pulled back and pressed in for the last time.  I
felt as though my balls had contracted up into my stomach and I
shot my load deep into his hot ass.  My body trembled and I shot
another load.  I knew that I had never had such an intense orgasm. 
    Brad pulled me deeper into his ass and I shot some more. 
"Shit, Kris," he gasped.  "I can feel that.  How much you going to
shoot?"
    I couldn't talk.  I couldn't move.  My body was writhing as my
organ unloaded all the pent-up love juice that I didn't even know
where it had been stored.  Brad had made me come twice earlier that
day, so I was just as surprised as he that I shot so much.      
    Finally spent, I collapsed on top of him and he pulled
me up a little.  My sack empty, my organ deflated as the blood
returned to its normal track.  Breathing heavily, I tried to catch
my breath as he pulled my chin up and kissed me gently on the lips. 
"I love you, Kris," he whispered.
    "I love you, Brad," I gasped.
    He rolled me over onto my back and maneuvered himself on top of
me as he continued kissing me.  "You can do that anytime you want
to, sweetheart," he said, softly.
    "Are you sure?" I asked, worriedly.      
    He grinned.  "Yeah.  I'm sure, babe," he replied and spread my
legs as he leaned down to kiss me again.     
    Without another word, he continued to kiss me on the lips and
reached between us and guided his still hard rod right up into my
asshole.  I moaned as his hard cock broke through my tight
sphincter, but he was so gentle, and I was so weak from my own
orgasm, that I was relaxed enough that my ass didn't need anything
but the precum he was leaking to lube it up.  
     Running my hands along his strong warm sides, I moaned and
tried to get enough strength to squeeze his cock with my ass
muscles, but I was just too weak.
     "Don't move, babe," he whispered as he kissed my cheek and
nuzzled my neck.  "I love you.  I'll do all the work this time."  
    My response was to kiss his warm lips again and run my hands up
his sides, then wrap my arms around his strong body and run my
hands through his brown hair.
    I was surprised that I didn't fall asleep on him, but how could
I?  I loved him so much and he was making love to me the way I
needed him to.  Again, I couldn't believe that we had been together
for over two years.  I was exhausted, but I still couldn't get
enough of him.
    Pressing my hips up a little, I pushed him deeper in me.  No
words were needed now.  We were showing each other how we felt.  I
had regained enough strength to tighten my ass muscles around his
rod and squeeze gently as he pressed in deeper.          
    Next to us the fire crackled.  Somewhere in the distance,
probably downstairs in the den, a Grandfather clock chimed eleven
o'clock.  A hoot owl outside queried something that we couldn't
hear or see, but in Aunt Pearl's Chambers on the blanket on the
floor in front of the fireplace, we were oblivious to the sounds of
the night.  Brad's warm lips stayed on mine as his hard rod
continued to plunge ever so deep into my longing love-hole and his
hot tongue explored my anxious mouth.  My energy had returned while
we were making love and I was now able to move my hips up to meet
his strokes.
    "I love you, Kristopher," he whispered against my mouth.      
    "I love you, Brad," I replied.
    Time seemed to stand still as Brad continued to pump his long
hard rod deep inside me.  This night would go down in history as
the best love-making we had done in our time together.  It would
take a lot to top it, but I wasn't worried about that now.      
    The Grandfather clock chimed again, marking the half-hour. 
Brad pulled out as far as he could without exiting, then plunged
back in as deep as he could.  I felt his hard rod expand.  I felt
the sweat from our bodies lubricating us even more.  I felt his
warm soft bush against my bottom as he went all the way in again. 
We were lost in the moment.  I felt his muscular body tremble.  He 
leaned back a little, pressing his hard rod deeper inside me. 
Before I could stop him, his eyes rolled back in his head and his
eyelids closed.  Deep from inside his gut the cry I hadn't heard
for several months, came barrelling out, "ARRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
and I felt his jism squirt deep inside my bowels.
    I cringed.  Not that I minded him screaming that way, but I
didn't want everyone in the bed and breakfast pounding on our door
to see what was wrong.
    Brad collapsed on top of me and gasped for air.  "Oh, shit,
babe, that was the best."
    I pulled him closer to me and kissed him, praying that no one
would come investigate the incident, but dreading facing everyone
at breakfast the following morning.
    "I love you, Brad," I whispered softly, not mentioning the
scream.      
    Brad nuzzled my neck and continued to lie on top of me for a
few more minutes, holding his softening rod inside me.  The semen
and the sweat finally forced him out with a pop and he giggled,
rolling over onto his back as he pulled me into his arms. 
     I rested my head on his broad shoulder and we drifted off to
sleep as the fire continued to crackle in the fireplace.

-- The End