FRIDAY, MAY 29

"Welcome to the Majestic."

The crowd erupted. The boys could have sworn they felt a breeze from the audience's breath. The excitement from the European crowd was just what they needed to fuel their performance.

Lukas launched right into the drum riff before Matthew joined in on guitar. With the funky guitar, the lights came up flooding the arena and Michael yelled out to the crowd, "Guten abend, Hamburg!" Simon and Zach joined in and the band was rocking.

Michael danced around the stage engaging the audience. His light blue stretch chinos gave him full range of motion. "Get up off your seats. I don't think you'll be sitting until you go home tonight." He pointed out to the crowd and shook his hips to the left and right with the music. The crowd cheered. The stage was already getting warm. Michael unbuttoned another button at the top of his blue and purple paisley shirt. He walked across the stage clapping his hands above his head to encourage the crowd to join in. Reaching down, he slapped hands with some of the audience members. When his cue came by again, this time he joined his brothers. "There is Superstition..."

The crowd remained on their feet while the boys blew through "Superstition", "Ban All the Music", and "Come on Over". Getting each boy, Michael, Matthew, and Simon, a chance on lead vocals helped pacify any nerves and get them locked into their performances.

The boys took a breather and changed instruments and Michael stepped up to his mic in the middle of the stage. He planned to talk to the audience while his brothers prepared for the next string of songs.

"What's up Hamburg?" The crowd cheered loudly. Each of the band members turned to look at the audience in disbelief. The concertgoers' enthusiasm made the band feel like headliners. When the crowd began to quiet down, Michael added, "We are...At the Majestic." The crowd roared even louder.

Michael turned away from the audience and laughed, making eye contact with the guys. Smiling brightly, he turned back to the audience and said, "Shit. This is fucking amazing. Okay. Quiz Time! This is where I usually introduce the band, but I have a sneaking suspicion you already know. On my right, over there with his orange Fender bass and the Nirvana t-shirt we have..."

The crowd shouted, "Simon!"

"And our big brother over there with in his baseball jersey?"

"Matthew!" Matthew also drew a lot of catcalls with his bare chest showing through is unbuttoned jersey and low hanging jeans.

He pointed to Zach and the before he could even ask, they shouted, "Zach!"

Throwing his thumb over his shoulder they yelled, "Lukas!" There were pockets of the crowd that continued to cheer for Lukas and Michael waited patiently, giving Lukas his moment. The blond drummer stood behind his kit in his white tank top, bowed flamboyantly, and waved.

"Thank you," said Michael from the heart. The crowd started shouting Michael's name and he stepped back from the mic and bowed. Back up to the mic, he continued, "I guess introductions aren't necessary any longer."

The audience laughed and cheered. Some voices from the balcony started chanting "A-T-M" that picked up steam. The chanting grew louder and louder.

Michael raised his hand to get the audience to quiet down. "We appreciate your support! Being here is a surprise to us. We arrived in Europe on Tuesday to visit family up in Herning. Got a call about filling in on this tour on Wednesday. Arrived here to practice yesterday and here we are tonight!" The crowd shouted their support.

"Thank you! We weren't sure what to expect surprising you like this. Because this wasn't planned, we're gonna play a lot of covers for you tonight. But we do have some of our originals on the lineup for tonight. This was our first single, 'Betrayal'!"

Lukas counted off and he and Simon tore into the intro before the guitars entered. Some of the crowd knew the song and shouted "Betrayed" during the first chorus. The rest of the crowd caught on and started to drown out the band when they shouted. When the song ended Lukas immediately kicked into the identifiable John Bonham drum intro to "Rock and Roll" by Led Zeppelin. The difference between the original and At the Majestic's version was Lukas playing the intro twice before giving a scream before the guitars and bass joined in. Simon, while playing bass, gave a vocal performance Robert Plant would have been proud of. Matthew took over vocals on the next song, a new original they'd been working on. "He's the One for Me" was a sassy alt rock song that the crowd ate up. That led right into Michael leading the band through their rendition of "Hash Pipe".

The boys stepped aside and stowed their instruments as the roadies brought out their mini acoustic stage, similar to what they used in Santa Monica. The lights went down to a single spotlight on Michael standing alone with his ukulele. He began strumming out "House of Gold". Just like they performed when they opened for Khalid, each boy joined during the song until the entire band was playing the song. Unlike Santa Monica, most of the concertgoers knew the song and sang along.

After "House of Gold", Michael switched to his acoustic guitar. "This is our latest single. It comes out this coming Tuesday. This is 'Lost and Found'." Debuting the song, the boys didn't know what to expect. Perhaps it was Michael's joy when he sang it. Perhaps it was the infectious melody and retro sound. Regardless, they quickly learned they'd written an earworm. The audience caught on to the song quickly and joined in on the chorus. The melody and lyrics would stick with the concertgoers long after the show ended.

When they finished the song, Michael signaled he needed water and Christian ran out on stage to hand it to him. He brought bottles for the other boys too. Before he could leave the stage, Michael grabbed Christian's sleeve to stop him from leaving. Taking Christian by the hand, he held tightly and stepped back up to the mic. "Hope you liked that song." They audience cheered. "So, I wrote that song about my brother Lukas and my boyfriend." Members of the audience called out Christian's name causing the blond to blush and act shy. Michael was going off script. All the band and support teams could do was wait for him to return to the set list.

Expecting Michael to set up the next song, they were curious when he went in a different direction. Instead, Michael pulled over a stool and asked Christian to have a seat right next to him and the microphone. To the audience, Michael asked, "Would you help me sing?"

Michael turned to face Christian playing the opening chords. The audience immediately recognized "Thinking Out Loud". Christian recognized it too. It was the song Michael used to profess his love. Tonight, he renewed that pledge of love with over 20,000 people joining him in song. The crowd and bandmates joined in and sang loudly serenading Christian. At the end of the song, Michael took off the guitar and kissed an emotional Christian. The crowd erupted again in support of the young lovers.

Michael leaned in close and whispered in Christian's ear, "Help me get the crowd going." Christian looked at Michael like he was crazy. All the blond wanted was to get off stage. Michael's smile reassured him. "Just do what I tell the crowd to do when I tell them to do it so they can follow along. You've seen us do this before." Matthew motioned for Christian to follow his lead and the boys moved down to the front of the stage about 20 feet apart. They slapped high-fives with some of their fans before taking their positions.

"I'm going to need your help again," said Michael to the crowd. When I count to three, I need you to scream "yeah, yeah, yeah". The boys taught them the "yeah, yeah, yeah" and the band played "We Don't Believe What's On TV". Christian was still on stage when the band started and wasn't sure what to do. Hanging out by Michael, he helped lead the crowd's shouts. Losing himself in the moment, Christian shuffled and enjoyed himself while yelling with the crowd and pumping his fist. He got lost in the fun and music. It was like he was with Michael at the theater, and they were dancing around to loud music and having a good time. When the song ended, Michael gave Christian a thumbs up. Christian waved to the band and audience and ran off the stage.

Next, the boys transitioned to the last part of their set. The small stage was moved, and the band grabbed different instruments. They led off with three original songs sung by Matthew--"On the Outside Looking In", "Miss You", and "April Showers". They followed those songs with two covers. First, Simon's sexy rendition of "Body Talks" with the music video playing on the screen behind the band. Next was Matthew with "Neon Brother". Unlike previous performances, Matthew played the rhythm guitar and sang, allowing Michael and Zach to join in during the song's climax. The extra guitar made the song even more powerful. Vocals were turned back over to Simon for the next song. It was another unreleased At the Majestic original titled "iwannapieceofthat". They ended their set with their seven-minute-long version of Queens of the Stone Age's "No One Knows" that featured a drum solo by Lukas and dueling guitar solos by Michael and Matthew.

The power and energy of their final song ignited the audience. Shouts of "zugabe" and "blutrache" turned to chants when the boys walked off stage and the lights went down. They had no idea what "zugabe" and "blutrache" meant, but they had a pretty good idea. They were happy they'd planned for an encore.

The boys rehydrated and cooled off before going back on stage for their encore. As their custom, the boys opened their encore with Lukas taking the mic for "Feel It Still". The song began before the lights came up and the crowd cheered with the first notes of the song. The crowd roared when the lights came up and it was Lukas singing. The boys all switched back to more familiar instruments with Michael at the piano. He sang one of his favorite songs "Cruel to be Kind" by Spacehog before he grabbed his guitar. They played "Kickstart My Heart" next. Simon's vocals and Michael's guitar solo excited the concertgoers. The building shook with the audience jumping and screaming their approval.

No At the Majestic show would be complete without the boys ending with "My Blood". The boys held the audience's emotions in the palm of their hands. The German concertgoers connected with the love the boys felt for each other and joined them in celebrating it. They sang with the boys and continued to sing long after the boys exited the stage.

When their family made it backstage from their reserved seats, Isaac was the first to the boys. He gave each a huge hug as he prattled away about the show in Dutch. The boys didn't know what he was saying, he was using vocabulary even Lukas didn't know, but from the look on Isaac's face they knew he must be pretty happy.

Zach was surprised when Isaac pulled him into a hug. He and Isaac hadn't gotten a chance to get to know each other the way Zach had with Lore. It wasn't that he thought Isaac didn't like him, but Isaac had been spending so much time with the boys the opportunity hadn't presented itself. "Zach," said Isaac pulling back to look at the young man before him, "I couldn't be happier for my Lars to have found a man like you. I hope my boys make you as happy as you make them. I will be proud to call you my son-in-law someday." It was the most Isaac had said to him since they arrived, and it meant the world to Zach.

The boys hung around backstage until they were called out for one last curtain call by Brandon during Panic's set. He made the introduction early in his show so the boys could get on the road for the next show.

All the boys were wound as they prepared to board the tour busses for the trip to Rotterdam. While the band changed back into their street clothes and organized the things they needed to take with them on the tour bus, the adrenaline started to wear off. Checking her watch as the boys boarded the busses, Carol had second thoughts about the schedule. She agreed to have the buses take them to Rotterdam overnight. But even getting on the road early, they weren't going to get to the hotel until nearly 3:00 am. Now she wondered if they'd spent the night here in Hamburg and drove to Rotterdam in the morning, if they would be more rested. It would really come down to how much sleep they could get on the bus, and she had chosen busses for daytime travel, not sleeping busses. If resting on the bus was a bust, they could rest all the way up to the soundcheck the next day if necessary. After Rotterdam, they would have two days off before the next show to recover.

Lars was thinking along similar lines as Carol and organized the night's travel arrangements accordingly. Seeing sleep starting to overtake Michael, Lars put the older boys, Matthew, Simon, Lukas, Scott, and Christian, on one bus so they wouldn't keep the others awake, particularly Isaac and Lore. The other bus would transport those who would be catching some z's on the road, Michael and the adults.

On the adult bus, Isaac carried Michael to the rear of the bus and put the boy to bed. He and Lore would join him in a bit to get a few hours sleep. Lars and Zach made do with the couch in the entertainment area. It wasn't the first time the two men spent the night on a couch. At least this time they would be certain not to get caught in the buff. The bus's table folded up along the wall of the bus and the benches reclined making a small sleeping area for Carol. By the time the bus was well on its way to the Netherlands, everyone was relaxed and on their way to dreamland.

As expected, the teen bus was more rambunctious. The boys were still hyped from the show. When everyone in the other bus was asleep, or close to getting there, the teens settled into the entertainment area of the bus to watch a movie and mess around on their phones.

Christian's version of "messing around" on his phone usually entailed engaging on the band's social media accounts. If the boy's joining the tour hadn't sparked enough media hype about the band, tonight's show certainly had. The local Hamburg news covered the show, including filming the boys' performance and it had already been picked up by the BBC. He was also finding fans posting videos they recorded on their phones during the show. He noted the show looked even better from the audience. Christian was certain that this would be picked up on the evening news back home and their friends would be calling and texting. Afterall, it was still early afternoon in East Harbor.

Christian posted some of the videos and photos taken during the show and backstage and watched the number of views, likes, and shares immediately begin to climb. For Christian, it felt surreal. These were his friends. The guys he had lunch with at school every day. The boys he played lacrosse with. Yet, here was the evidence plain as day. His friends were an internationally known rock band and their popularity on social media was exploding. And if the preorders for "Lost and Found" were any indication, the boys were about to chart a single. That was sure to get them national radio airplay and more requests for shows and... It was making Christian's head spin.

"I'm going to go lie down," said Christian. "I'll see you later." He headed to the bed in the back of the bus. Once his phone was plugged in to charge, he took his shoes off and crawled under the covers.

Matthew chose the dining area when he bowed out for the evening. He closed the curtain blocking off the back of the bus from the front and set about constructing a makeshift bed. Piling some pillows in a corner, he propped himself up and stretched his legs. He turned the lights down and relaxed to some music in his ear buds when his phone rang. It was a Facetime call from April. She'd seen the social media posts and caught a segment on the BBC. It seemed everyone back home was talking about the local band making it big in Europe.

"Well, I think that is kind of an exaggerations," laughed Matthew. "We've only played one show."

"Whatever's happening," pointed out April, "the reality for everyone is the story they are being told. If you don't listen to the news stories closely, it almost sounds like you are headlining the tour, not just filling in for the opening act to close out the tour."

One thing Matthew was good about was not buying into the hype. Not even when it came to his baseball prowess. He enjoyed April's excitement, but soon tried to change the topic of conversation as he settled in for the ride to Rotterdam.

Scott was next to run out of energy. "I'm getting sleepy. What are you two going to do?"

"I think we're going to stay up for a while and watch TV," said Lukas. "You can crash in bed with Christian. We'll sleep out here on the sofa." Scott yawned and slipped into the bedroom.

"That leaves us alone," said Lukas. He wiggled back into Simon to emphasize his intention. Reaching under the sofa, he grabbed one of the blankets from storage and covered the last two teens in the entertainment area. Simon was no fool. He knew what Lukas wanted and what he needed. The two lovers were still jazzed up from the show. Performing was their favorite aphrodisiac and there was only one way to spend their excess energy. Simon slipped his shorts and underwear down to his knees while Lukas took his off. Tonight, there would be no preliminaries. Simon spit on his hand and reached below. Entry was quick and painless. Both boys moaned out loud.

"What is it?" asked April. She kept seeing Matthew look away distracted.

The rhythmic slapping of body on body led Matthew to turn up the volume on his ear buds to drown out any distractions. "It's just the horn dogs going at it again."

April laughed and continued their conversation.

The moaning and groaning from the entertainment area also permeated the bedroom. Not quite asleep, Scott was sprawled out across the covers when he heard the first sounds of Lukas and Simon's love making. It flooded his mind with images of the times the three of them had been together. Opening his eyes didn't help at all. It just made the sounds coming through the curtain partition sound closer.

Christian rolled over in his sleep, his left arm falling onto Scott. In the dark, Scott wasn't certain if Christian was asleep or awake. "Christian?" he whispered. There was no response. Reaching across with his right hand, he shook Christian's bicep to see if the boy was awake. In doing so, he moved Christian's arm. The blonde's hand now rested on top of Scott's uncomfortably erect manhood. He groaned at the contact of Christian's hand resting on his tented shorts. The heat from the palm of Christian's hand stoked Scott's need for release.

Scott slipped off the bed and dropped his shorts to the floor. Then he joined Christian under the covers. Using the covers to lift Christian's arm, he slipped closer to Christian then wiggled right up against the front of the sleeping boy. Scott slithered his bottom arm under the pillow and rested his top hand on Christian's hip. When the boy didn't wake, he slid his hand up from the hip to under Christian's shirt. The blonde's soft, smooth skin felt like flames kissing Scott's fingers.

"Christian?" whispered Scott again caressing the skin on the teen's lower back. He pulled Christian closer pressing their bodies together.

In his sleep, Christian felt the body in front of his and responded as he always did when spending the night with Michael. He pulled the body tighter and tilted his head forward. Scott took that as Christian being awake. He tilted his head and kissed the sleeping boy on the lips.

Christian responded, kissing back until it clicked in his brain that this wasn't Michael. "Hey," said Christian. The tone of his reaction wasn't evident. Scott couldn't decipher if the "hey" meant Christian was annoyed or offended, if he was simply waking up, or maybe even flirting with Scott.

Scott's libido was in overdrive, so he threw caution to the wind. He slipped his hand down the back of Christian's shorts and asked, "Is this okay?"

"Scott?"

"Yeah. Sorry to wake you but when you hugged me, I thought you were already awake." Christian hadn't rebuffed his advances, so Scott took it to another level. Moving his hand around to the front, he clutched Christian's erection and said, "Lukas and Simon were fucking on the couch, and it made me super horny." He started to slowly stroke Christian. "I thought maybe we could have some fun too." He rubbed his thumb on the arrow of the underside of Christian's glans causing the blond to moan. Moving his thumb up, he felt the slippery tip of Christian's glans poking out of his foreskin, the leaking precum allowing him to frictionlessly glide his thumb around the sensitive crown as if it were melting ice.

Christian shuddered and decided to just go with it. He slipped his shorts and underwear down his legs and kicked them off then reached for Scott's finding his friend still in his boxers. Giving the boxers a tug, Scott lifted his hips and helped Christian remove the garment.

Dick to dick, the boys ground their bodies together. Scott leaned in searching for Christian's lips with his own. They kissed passionately until Scott came up for air. Sitting up, Scott removed his shirt and reached for Christian's, helping to pull the t-shirt over the blonde's head. Wearing only a pair of socks, the two boys attacked each other in lust.

Scott dominated Christian. Rolling his friend onto his back, Scott found his way between Christian's knees and pinned the boy to the bed. As the boys swapped spit, Scott rubbed his engorged cock against Christian's equally rigid pole. Instinctively, Christian pulled his knees back and locked his ankles behind Scott's back as the two boys rode their way toward a galactic explosion.

But before they reached their destination, Scott rose to his knees breaking contact. He felt around for the switch above the bed and turned on the reading light. Below him was Christian lying fully exposed, his cheeks and chest flushed red in exertion and lust. Looking lower, past Christian's defined pecs and developing six-pack, Scott admired Christian's huge pale cock with its candy-pink glans peeking out of his foreskin. If not for the size and the fact that Christian was leaking like a faucet, the blonde's equipment could have passed for a boy much younger.

Christian took this opportunity to really get a look at Scott, too. He'd seen Scott naked many times in the hot tub and swimming pool. As the school year wore on, Scott spent more and more time at the Mejiers' house and the two had become closer friends as a result. But having a horny, naked Scott kneeling between your knees gave Christian a whole new perspective on Scott Schulz. He felt he had a better understanding of what Lukas saw (and enjoyed) in his friendship with Scott.

First to grow tired of showing instead of playing was Christian. He sat up and put his arms around Scott's neck. Scott had other plans. Taking Christian by the shoulders, he steered the blonde's body sideways across the bed. Christian watched as Scott threw his leg over Christian's body and backed up leaving a wet trail from his chest up across his neck as Scott's leaking appendage dragged across Christian's body. The blonde wasted no time in guiding Scott's cock to his watering mouth. Distracted by getting his first taste of Scott's precum, Christian about jumped out of his skin when he felt Scott aggressively pull back his foreskin and attack his cock. The intense sensations sent shivers up and down his body. All Christian could do was give his body over to Scott as the teen on top fucked his mouth and devoured his sensitive dick.

Christian grabbed Scott's ass and held on as he suffered one of the most intense orgasms of his life. His abs contracted and his back arched in an attempt to feed Scott more of his discharge. The exertion caused Christian to snort through his nostrils as he tried to breathe with Scott's cock filling his mouth. In turn, Scott gave a muffled grunt between swallows as he unloaded into Christian's mouth.

When their orgasms subsided, Scott fell to his side next to Christian. Their chests heaved attempting to replenish the oxygen their bodies craved. They looked up when the bed shook. Two naked teens crawled up on the bed to join them.

"That was one of the hottest things I've ever seen," said Simon leading the way. He tossed the washcloth he used to wash off his dick into the corner of the room. It was clean, hard, and ready for the next round.

Scott watched as Simon approached his face, swollen dick in hand. Averting his eyes to see what Lukas was doing, the blonde was sucking one of his fingers and moving up next to Simon.

Back home, Simon witnessed Scott attacking Oliver's cock and now Christian's. Tonight, he wanted to see just how cum hungry Scott really was. He pulled back his foreskin and tapped the head of his cock on Scott's lips. The teen opened to let him in. Simon leaned over Scott who simply closed his eyes and concentrated on Simon's thrusting cock.

Even with his eyes closed, Scott knew Lukas' touch when the blond grabbed his balls gently and tugged. Scott opened his legs to give Lukas a place to lie between them. Instead of feeling Lukas administer his masterful oral skills, he felt his knees pulled back and a finger quickly shoved up his ass. Scott moaned around Simon's cock and his dick jerked pumping pre-cum into his navel.

Christian watched the scene unfold. Still shocked how easily he had accepted (and enjoyed) Scott's advances, he now watched the straight boy taking a substantial slab of meat in his mouth and moan from the ass play.

Lukas waved his hand to get Christian's attention. It took a bit of effort on Lukas' part to break Christian away from his thoughts. He gave Christian an evil grin. Taking a finger from his unoccupied hand, he mimed to Christian to suck one of his fingers and do the same thing to Simon that he was doing to Scott. When Simon moved to straddle Scott's chest, the opportunity presented itself for Christian to plug the hole.

Simon's fucking of Scott's mouth stopped when he felt a wet finger circling his beige pucker. The tip wiggled and twisted gently at his opening causing it to slightly relax and open. When the tip of his finger made entry, Christian slid it home in one, gentle motion. The sensation of Christian's finger grazing his prostate caused Simon to give a little grunt. His cock jerked and spewed a glob of precum for Scott to swallow.

Christian looked to Lukas for further instructions. Lukas simply replied with a twinkle in his eyes, "Sound check isn't until 5:00."

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SATURDAY, MAY 30

Michael woke refreshed and ready for the day. He showered and dressed, but other than Matthew, he didn't see any of the other boys.

When he asked, Carol admonished him to not worry about his brothers and led him to the restaurant to wait for the rest of the family. On the first floor of the Millennium Tower of the Marriott Rotterdam, was the The Millèn Breakfast Room. There Michael found Lore and Isaac enjoying their morning coffee while waiting for the others to join. Michael ran to join his farfar and farmor taking the seat next to Isaac. Lore noticed Michael's choice and looked at Carol who was also surprised by the choice.

Matthew, Lars, and Zach joined the group before they ordered their meals. "Where's Christian and the others?" asked Michael.

"I think they stayed up too late last night," said Lars. "We're going to let them sleep in, so everyone's rested for tonight's show."

Michael thought it was weird, but Isaac and Lore distracted him with ideas on what they could do that day. Before long, Michael had put the older boys out of his mind and was excited about spending the day with his grandparents.

When the meal was over, Carol and Matthew decided to hang back at the hotel to wait for the other boys to wake up. Zach and Lars decided on a walk around the city. Michael met his grandparents in the hallway, and they headed to the lobby to get a cab. Their first stop, the Chabot Museum.

What attracted them to this museum wasn't the art of Hendrikus Chabot, but the villa in which the museum was housed. The all-white, modernist-style home designed in 1938 excited Isaac and Michael. The Chabot did not disappoint. The well-manicured lawn hosted some of the artist's expressionist sculptures.

One in particular caught Michael's eye. It was "Die hand", the rough, solid-black sculpture of a wrist and hand rested on a white, rectangular block. Michael marveled at the piece and gently ran his hand across the piece of art feeling the intentionally unfinished texture created by Chabot. Isaac approached, curious about the boy's interest in the piece.

"Farfar, Matthew's sculptures are much better than this," boasted Michael.

"Oh really?" asked Isaac, humored by Michael's frank comparison.

"Yes," said Michael emphatically. He pulled out his phone and looked for a photo to show his grandparents. "Matthew's sculptures look like they're alive." Pointing to the work by Chabot, Michael added, "This looks like I made it."

Isaac laughed heartily at Michael's assessment. "Yes, Michael, I agree. This doesn't look very realistic."

Lore joined them as Michel held up his phone. "Here it is," he said pointing to the image on the phone. "That's the sculpture he made of me."

Isaac took the phone from Michael to get a better view of the sculpture of Michael escaping his demons. Lore looked over his arm before taking the phone for herself. Since the moment they'd met their oldest grandchild, they knew there was something deeper, more spiritual about Matthew. This photo was evidence they were correct. The teen saw the world with a keen eye and felt deeply. It was his artwork that allowed him to express it.

Lore handed the phone back to Michael. "Thank you for showing us, Michael. Let's go inside and look at the other artwork."

"And the architecture," added Isaac. "I can't wait to see if the inside is as stunning as the outside." He took Michael's hand, and they approached the museum's entrance.

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Stepping outside the Millennium Tower, the building that housed the Marriott Rotterdam, Lars and Zach turned left toward Kruisplein.

Zach laughed. There were rows of bicycles parked along the street for at least a block. "Looks like bike riding is a way of life here."

Lars chuckled at Zach's observation. "Yeah, in many northern European cities cycling is the main mode of transportation. That or some form of public transportation."

Looking around, Zach noticed that the streets weren't as busy with traffic as he would expect. Just then, across the street the local train whizzed by. The electric tram was so quiet, Zach hardly heard it coming.

"Let's walk this way. I don't think we are too far from the river." Lars reached out his hand to Zach. Smiling at the man he adored, butterflies filled Zach's stomach. He took Lars' hand, and they strolled down the street.

"There are bikes as far as I can see," laughed Zach. In some areas, there were three rows of bikes, neatly lined up to allow two wide lanes of foot and bicycle traffic along the sidewalk. He turned abruptly when Lars stopped and drew him back.

"Look," said Lars nodding with his head.

By the curb were two "Go" electric scooters. The bright green scooters had smaller wheels than the Vespas parked next to them but looked just as fun and inviting.

Zach smirked and asked slyly, "Should we?"

Lars squeezed Zach's hand. "As much as I want to walk around town holding your hand, I think this would be a hell of a lot of fun."

"When in Rome?" asked Zach.

They downloaded the app and set up accounts before hopping on the scooters. Almost fully charged, the couple smiled at each other before dropping off the curb and onto the street. Lars led the way since the road signs and traffic paths were a little foreign to Zach.

Since Kruisplein was one way, they rode north to the corner in front of the hotel and turned right onto Weena. Then they took the next right onto Karel Doormanstraat so they were heading south towards the river. About two blocks down the street, it turned into a bicycle and scooter only roadway. That made Zach happy. No longer sharing the pavement with cars and trucks reduced the risk of death while Zach was busy enjoying the modern architecture of Rotterdam.

Once they passed through a neighborhood filled with cafés, coffee shops, and boutique retail establishments, they reached an intersection where they would merge with auto traffic. Stopping at the sign, Zach mentioned the interesting architecture and city scaping.

"Well," said Lars thinking back to his modern history classes he took in Denmark, "it's much like Hamburg. Before World War II, Rotterdam looked very much like the historical areas of Amsterdam. Then early in the war, the Germans bombed Rotterdam and flattened nearly the entire city. In the city center, there were only a few buildings left standing. If I remember, there was a medieval church called the Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk, and the Witte Huis, a 10-story art nouveau building from 1898. I think there were a few other buildings that could be saved, but that was it. To rebuild the city, they decided to rebuild with interesting, engaging modern architecture to represent the resiliency of its residents."

"How do you know so much about this?" asked Zach.

"I was a history major until it all became too depressing. That's why I switched to psychology. I wanted to do something to make a difference." Lars turned left onto the one-way street and Zach followed.

They followed Aert van Nesstraat to Coolsingel and turned south again towards the water. Coolsingel turned into Schiedamsedijk which curved along one of the artificial harbors downtown. They weren't aware that they were heading towards the Erasmusbrug, or in English, the Erasmus Bridge. Approaching the span, they marveled at the asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge.

On the south bank of the river, they turned left down Brielselaan, the street that ran parallel to Maashaven, a large berth for barges. Breilselaan turns and runs parallel to the entrance to the tunnel that passed under the river north to downtown.

Aimlessly buzzing around the south side of Rotterdam, Lars and Zach happened upon Zuiderpark. Acres and acres of sports fields, hiking trails, bicycle paths, woods and waterways, inspired the couple to explore. Navigating the driveways and parking lots, they decided to ditch the scooters and head out on foot. The footpath eventually came out onto the Zuiderparkweg. Leaving the park, they followed the sidewalk north towards downtown.

"I'm really enjoying our time together," said Lars. He switched from holding Zach's hand to putting his arm around Zach's waist. "We don't get to do this enough."

Taking in the sights as they walked along the tree lined boulevard, the men were surprised when the trees broke revealing a large modern complex.

"Wait, is this?" asked Zach. The black and white building looked like layered sedimentary rock. Overhead in bold yellow and white lettering it said, "Rotterdam Ahoy".

Walking a bit farther around the building, the sign over the door indicated it was the entrance to the RTM Stage where that night's show would take place. Walking around the complex, they discovered the Ahoy was a complex that included a convention center, performance stage, and night clubs and restaurants. With a check of the time, they discovered it was about time to head back. They requested an Uber for the ride back to the hotel and headed to the pickup site.

Zach sat on the barrier next to the entrance to the Ahoy to wait for the Uber. Lars joined him, pulling his younger partner into a one-arm hug. "You seem to be taking this all with ease," said Lars.

Zach rested his head on Lars' shoulder. He knew it was more of a question than a statement. He answered, "Yeah, I'm doing okay."

They sat quietly enjoying the closeness of the other's body. When the Uber arrived, they slipped into the back seat and headed back to the Millennial Tower.

Lars took Zach's hand. "This isn't what you expected in terms of rest and relaxation from your studies and clinicals." Lars examined Zach's face for any story behind the words spoken.

Zach looked at Lars and squeezed the hand holding his as the Uber zoomed through the tunnel heading back to downtown. "Would you believe me if I told you being on stage feels like quality time with the boys?"

"No. Not completely."

"Well, it is. Just like when we're back on the stage at the Majestic. It's special for us to play music together," stated Zach. After a short pause, he confessed, "But I guess I have to admit that this is living a dream, too. When I was back in LA after graduation, I put a lot of time into music. I also put a lot of time into imagining what it would be like to make it big and do world tours." He and Lars laughed at Zach's dramatic delivery. "But seriously, I'm looking at this as a gift."

"Oh?" Lars was always impressed by how wise Zach was for his age.

"Like many musicians, when they go on those early tours, having to be on the road to make some money and leverage their popularity, there is a lot of stress. Pressure from the record label and the strain on the musicians being away from family often destroys their relationships. That's one of the reasons why I didn't spend much time chasing after relationships back then. I didn't want to leave someone behind if the band went on tour." Zach turned in his seat to face Lars. "When you look at this tour from our perspective, me and the boys, this is the perfect storm. We're all together. The only pressure is to perform. We don't have a record label or anyone counting the pennies or standing by with their hands out. The boys are having the experience of a lifetime. Your parents and Carol are along for the ride. I get to experience performing on big stages and traveling the world and I'm doing this all with you. I'm living a dream and I didn't have to compromise a thing."

Zach's perspective helped Lars understand that the gift the boys had received wasn't really the opportunity to do the tour, it was the conditions in which they get to experience the tour. It also confirmed to Lars that his gift was Zach himself.

The Uber pulled up to the hotel in time for Lars and Zach to join Carol and the older boys for lunch. Walking up to the table, they heard Lukas tease, "Who's going to get the smoked salmon club sandwich?"

"Eeewwww!" said Scott. He found the sandwich on the menu. "And they put boiled egg on it too? Gross!"

Matthew added, "What's a 'rocket'? It says 'and rocket' in the ingredients."

Carol laughed out loud. "Rocket is what we call arugula in the States." The boys all laughed. When Lars and Zach took their seats, Carol commented, "You two look wind-blown. Is it windy outside?"

Scooting in their chairs, Lars replied, "Yeah, well, our walk turned into a scooter ride around town."

The four teens voiced their disappointment that they didn't get to ride scooters around town.

"And you won't," said Lars. "We have to keep you in one piece and out of police custody until after the shows in London." Groans came from the same four boys as they went back to the menu.

The waiter arrived and there were no takers for the Club Sandwich Smoked Salmon, not even without the boiled egg. The adults tended to choose the Club Sandwich Chicken which included bacon, fried egg, and a pesto-mayonnaise. The boys across the board ordered the Rotterdam Burger with pickled onion, cheddar, and lettuce with French fries.

When the waiter left with their orders, Lars got down to business. "When the busses get here today, you boys have an apology to make to the bus driver from last night. And unless he cleaned the bus against my request, you'll be cleaning up your mess from last night before we head to the Ahoy."

They finished lunch closer to 2:00 and one bus arrived shortly thereafter. The hotel arranged for the bus to park out front without interrupting the pickup and drop off area for other guests. After cleaning up their mess and apologizing to the driver, Christian, Simon, Scott, and Lukas joined the others at the hotel's pool before they needed to get ready for the night's show.

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Lore and Isaac took Michael to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, an art museum established in the 1930s featuring Dutch and European masterpieces from the early Middle Ages to the present. However, before they began their tour, they had lunch at one of the museum's restaurants, the Restaurant Renilde.

They ordered soup and sandwiches. Michael and his grandmother played it safe with the chicken club, while Isaac was more adventurous. When Isaac offered to let Michael try his sandwich, even Michael turned his nose up at the oyster mushroom shawarma pita. Even after Isaac went on and on about how much he liked it.

For Michael, the food wasn't the main attraction. The restaurant sat in a room of glass walls giving him a grand view of Rotterdam from the roof of the museum. He also found the design interesting. Everything was simple: glass walls with steel framework, concrete floors and solid wood tables. Angular, geometric, orderly, clean, simple, and minimalist, all aesthetics Michael appreciated.

Of the two main buildings that made up the museum, they started their visit in the building that housed the restaurant where they ate. Looking like a mirrored cup, the new museum building offered a one-of-a-kind experience offering a look behind the scenes at the museum. Patrons are allowed to go into the Depot, the vaults where they store the artwork that is not on exhibit. Before entering, Michael downloaded the app to assist in their visit. Almost as interesting as the artwork was watching museum photographers working to capture the artwork digitally and the restorers cleaning and repairing paintings.

It was only a 15-minute walk back to the hotel from the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and Michael chatted away the entire time, much to the delight of Lore and Isaac. Holding one hand each, Michael walked between his grandparents as if he'd known them his entire life yet had a lifetime of catching up to do.

They arrived at the hotel from the south, coming around the corner of the building to the main entrance. Surprisingly, they ran into a small crowd that had gathered outside the doors. Leaving the tour bus out front that afternoon exposed the boys' whereabouts and word spread. The hotel's security set up barriers to mark the area where the crowd was allowed to congregate and wait for a glimpse of the band. Michael looked at the ground in hopes no one would recognize him by himself with Lore and Isaac. It worked for the most part, but as they neared the doors and the crowd, someone called out, "Is dat Michaël?"

All heads turned to where the teen girl was pointing. Michael glanced over and saw the look of recognition on the faces in the crowd before shouts for autographs and pictures assaulted the trio. Michael waved politely as Isaac hurried both his grandson and wife into the hotel and to the elevators.

When they reached their floor, Michael ran to Carol's room to tell her about his day. Carol gave him a huge hug and rejoiced in the boy's excitement. "Michael," she said, "it's almost time for us to leave for the Ahoy. Why don't you tell us about it on the way. Let's get the others and get ready to go."

"And sign autographs," added Michael.

"What do you mean?" asked Carol.

Michael walked down the hallway knocking on doors and told Carol nonchalantly, "There's already a crowd outside waiting on us."

When Michael knocked on Lore and Isaac's door, he waited for his farmor or farfar to answer.

"Michael!" said Isaac when he opened the door and saw his little grandson. "It's so good to see you!"

Michael rolled his eyes and scolded, "Farfar."

Isaac and Lore laughed and joined Michael in the hallway so they could wish the boys a great show. With such a small venue, family and friends would have to enjoy the show from backstage and the oldest generation decided to hang back for this show.

While Michael spoke to his grandparents, the others filtered into the hallway as they were ready. Carol was there to direct them to make sure they had what they were going to wear for the show and prepare to load the bus. The boys took care of their business and visited with Isaac and Lore. A porter was called to take their things to the bus so the boys would have their hands free to sign autographs and shake hands with their fans.

The boys stopped in the lobby to gather themselves before heading out to face the crowd calling for them. They agreed to have Lukas and Simon lead the way with Michael following. Matthew and Zach would follow behind and keep an eye on things. As the boys engaged with their fans, Lars, Carol and the other two boys shadowed them and watched. They weren't certain what they were looking for but felt it necessary to be there just in case.

Satisfying the requests from the crowd, they boarded the bus and headed to the Ahoy. Michael sat with Carol, Lars, Zach and Christian at the table and told them about his day while the other boys chatted excitedly about the signing of autographs, selfies with fans, and the hands grabbing at them.

The bus slowed at the gate to the RTM Stage parking area. The boys heard shouting outside the bus and opened the windows to look outside. Both sides of the bus were crowded with fans and concert goers welcoming the boys to the show. The boys waved and reached out the windows to bump fists and exchange high-fives.

Security kept the crowd from entering when the gate opened allowing the tour bus to slowly creep into the lot. The last thing anyone wanted was for someone to get run over or injured.

They entered the stage doors carrying their clothes bags and things. Thomas was right there to greet them. "Hey guys! Good to see you. So, from here on out when you arrive, we'll hit the stage and do your sound check, then you'll have time for dinner and preparing for the show. Let me show you to your dressing room to drop off your things. And just as an FYI, in the future, the roadies can unload the bus and bring your things in for you."

The boys entered the dressing room and Thomas gave them 15 minutes until the sound check.

Michael turned to Lars and said, "I wish farfar and farmor would have come tonight."

"I'm sorry, Michael," explained Lars, "but you know they couldn't comp us any tickets tonight. The show is sold out. Besides, I think they will enjoy an evening to themselves." Lars laughed when Michael's expression changed as he understood what Lars meant. He'd never thought of his grandparents that way and it wasn't something Michael was ready to envision.

"Michael!" called out Matthew as the others walked out onto the stage. Michael gave his father a hug and followed.

The sound check went smoothly. The boys carried instruments off stage with them to continue to warm up before the show. Tony had packed some practice pads for Lukas to use when he couldn't be at his kit. When it was time to eat, they stored the instruments in the guitar racks backstage and headed for the buffet.

Scott and Christian had already gone through the line and were starting to dig in when the band members joined them.

"Man, the food tonight is really good," said Scott.

"Yeah," agreed Christian. "It all looks familiar, but it isn't. It's like mashed potatoes, but not. And this is like potato salad, but not really."

What they later learned was the stamppot, was a potato, carrot, and onion mash mixed with sauerkraut. It's typically served like mashed potatoes, on the side with meat. The meat on the buffet was different types of Dutch sausages. The huzarensalade that Christian mentioned, could be described as a Dutch take on a Russian style of potato salad. Boiled eggs, potatoes, and pickles with vinegar and mayonnaise, served cold like they do in the States. The boys knew not to overeat, a spread would be available throughout the evening so they could fill up after their show.

Brandon and the rest of Panic! joined them after their soundcheck. The two bands talked and got to know each other.

"You know," offered Brandon, "I was thinking you guys should come out and join us during our encore for a song. Maybe we could work it out for the Paris and London shows. I've got this mashup of two of my songs, 'High Hopes' and 'Hey Look Ma, I Made It'. You guys could come on and we could perform it together. Maybe we could close the show with it?" He sent them a recording from one of Panic!'s performances of the mashup so the boys could learn the song.

As show time approached, the boys warmed up their fingers and listened to the Dutch crowd's growing anticipation for their show.

----------------------     

Tonight, however, the boys would not perform with Panic! during their encore, but Brandon did bring them out onstage for another curtain call. He gave the boys a hug on stage and encouraged the audience to give them one more ovation before they headed off for the evening. The bus was already loaded and idling when they arrived backstage. Changing and anything else they needed to take care of would wait until they got back to the hotel. Unlike the night before, Lars and Carol encouraged the boys to burn off their energy before getting on the bus. They hoped the boys would get to sleep earlier tonight so they could spend some time seeing Rotterdam before making the hour or so drive to Antwerp and checking into their hotel in Belgium.

It worked for the most part. However, the boys still ended up in one hotel room hanging out and listening to the mashup Brandon had given them.

Matthew wandered off to the room he was sharing with Christian and Michael to get some quiet time and chat with April. Once Matthew left, Michael asked the question he was dying to have answered. "So, what happened last night? Mom and dad have been kinda bossy today and you guys are acting guilty about something.

The older boys got quiet before Lukas spoke up. "Well, we kinda got a little wild on the bus last night and mom and dad made us clean the bus up this afternoon and apologize to the bus driver."

That didn't sound like any of them. Michael knew there was more to this story. "So," he inquired, "you partied like rock stars last night?"

Scott laughed, "I guess you could say that."

The shocked look on Michael's face prompted Simon to jump in and qualify. "No, not like that. We didn't get drunk and tear the place up or anything like that."

"We just kinda...well...I guess we left a mess behind," clarified Scott. Which of course provided no clarification at all for Michael. It seemed to him they were all just being cryptic.

"Look," said Lukas, "Simon and I were messing around on the sofa of the bus when we heard something going on in the back where we thought Scott and Christian were sleeping. When we realized they were...uh...well...they weren't sleeping, we joined them. Between the sheets and blankets and sofa, we um...left evidence of what we did."

Lukas was still being evasive, but Michael knew exactly what he was saying. He let the news settle into his head before looking at Christian sitting next to him. The Norwegian boy's fair skin was fiery red with shame and embarrassment. Glancing over at Scott, their friend's darker completion didn't hide his embarrassment.

"Wait. So, you two..." started Michael. Looking at Scott, he started, "I thought you only..." Turning to Christian, "You had like, 'just-for-fun-sex'?" He used the term he and Christian coined for sex as opposed to "making love". Christian nodded his confirmation.

Everyone in the room was on pins and needles waiting for Michael's reaction. With an adjustment of his stiff member, Michael said, "That's so fucking hot!"

The tension broke and everyone relaxed. "So, Christian," said Michael, turning on the couch to face his boyfriend, "did you enjoy just having sex for fun?"

"Yeah," said Christian, "you were right." That was all he was willing to say publicly, but the discomfort he was feeling in the front of his shorts filled in the rest of the story.

"And Scott," said Michael enjoying himself while putting the older boys under the spotlight, "I thought you were straight except for Lukas?"

"Hey, yeah," said Lukas wondering for himself. "The other night you go after Oliver's dick like a starving man and then you put the moves on Christian while he was sleeping."

Michael's ears perked up at all this new information. "Oh really?" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"Well..." Scott didn't know how to explain it. "Just like you've said before. I don't have to explain it or put a label on it. It just is what it is."

Lukas and Simon laughed. "You should have been there," said Simon, "Scott had Christian pinned to the bed in a sixty-nine..."

*knock* *knock* *knock*

They recognized the knock on the door as Carol's. The boys had hoped this conversation would lead to something else but now feared their fun was ending. Michael got up and opened the door.

Carol stepped in and laid down the law. "You boys get to your rooms and get some sleep. We're having breakfast at 8:00 sharp and checking out so we can enjoy the city before leaving. Don't be late," she said sternly. She held the door for Michael and Christian. They got the hint. They said their goodbyes and went to their room next door. Carol looked back to the other three. "Don't stay up too late. We aren't waiting for you tomorrow." Carol shut the door on her way out.

"Your mom's still pretty bent out of shape, isn't she?" asked Scott.

"You could say that," replied Simon, upset that he'd disappointed his mother so much. She'd been looking forward to seeing Rotterdam and missed out when she felt it necessary to stay back to allow the boys to sleep in. "Let's put on a movie and get to bed."

Christian understood Carol's stern rules had been earned. It wasn't their sexual behavior that upset her, it was the brazenness of their behavior and their lack of concern over the evidence. Michael, on the other hand, lacked clarity into the conditions the bus had been left. To him, Carol's attitude seemed harsh. He felt he was being punished and he hadn't done anything wrong. But he knew it all came from a place of love. They entered the hotel room deep in thought.

With the door out of Matthew's line of sight, he didn't see the younger boys walk in. With his ear buds in, he didn't hear them either. He was lying on top of his bed's comforter naked while Facetiming April.

Matthew's habit of using his ear buds when speaking to April once again kept others from hearing April's side of the conversation. It didn't matter, from what they could see, Christian and Michael had a really good idea of what was going on. Matthew's erection pulsed and drooled onto his abs just above his navel. Christian stood transfixed by the older teen's chiseled body and abundant manhood. When Michael couldn't get his attention, he grabbed Christian's wrist and dragged the blonde off to the bathroom to conduct their nightly business. The bathroom light caught Matthew's attention. The teen struggled to find something to cover himself with, finally sliding to the floor to hide his nakedness behind the bed itself. Christian smiled at Matthew as he closed the bathroom door.

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SUNDAY, MAY 31

Carol was pleased that everyone was packed and to breakfast on time Sunday morning. After breakfast, they headed to Schiedam, a small town west of Rotterdam that offered Carol the opportunity to enjoy historic Dutch neighborhoods and the boys the change to visit Animation Nation, a museum on cartoon animation.

They stopped on their way out of Rotterdam to pick up lunch to eat along the way. Before they got back on the road, Carol told everyone they would need to be in swimwear when they arrived at their next destination. When they arrived in Drimmelen, the boys were confused. Everyone got off the busses and gathered around Lars and Carol to find out what was next.

"What are we doing here?" asked Lukas.

"Well," answered Carol, "across the Amer River is Nationaal Park De Biesbosch. The park is a nature preserve for bird watching and other wildlife. It also has different waterways to explore. I've rented a boat to take out to explore and bird watch if you'd like."

Getting out on the water and taking a boat ride sounded like fun. The boys' excitement spilled over into joshing and shoving as they headed down the dock to the boat and boarded.

The Rhine River starts high in the Alps of southern Switzerland. Coming down from the mountains, if forms the border between Switzerland and Liechtenstein before filling the scenic Obersee Lake between Switzerland and Germany. The lake spills its water back into the Rhine River at Stein am Rhein. The majestic river turns north forming part of the border between France and Germany. The river makes a sharp turn to the northwest at Wiesbaden and Mainz passing through Bonn, Cologne, and Düsseldorf. The Netherlands, meaning "the lowlands", is the delta of the Rhine River. From Switzerland to the German border with the Netherlands, tributaries feed the mighty Rhine. Once the Rhine reaches its delta region, the river breaks down into distributaries that create a spider's web of smaller rivers that split and merge across the southern provinces of North Brabant, Zeeland, and South Holland.

When settled, residents built dikes to hold back the river's flood waters as well as tidal waters from the North Sea. In the farming region of Grote Hollandse Waard, where regional politics and a lack of understanding of how unstable the wetlands and damp peat were, unstable dikes were constructed to protect upwards of nearly 100 villages and a population in the thousands. During the St. Elizabeth flood of 1421, the dikes failed and the region that is now the De Biesbosch National Park was backfilled with water wiping out the villages and killing the residents.

These distributaries and waterways allowed boats to navigate through the delta region without being locked into the path of a single river. Visitors can wander from river to river and circle back to where they started.

On this trip, Michael and Christian used their phones to identify the wildlife they spotted with the binoculars available aboard the boat. Matthew and Zach sat by the boat's stern basking in the sun and enjoying the great weather. Carol, Lars, Isaac, and Lore found a cozy seating area near the bow of the boat. They visited quietly and watched the beautiful scenery pass. Scott, Simon, and Lukas joked around about everywhere else on the boat. Their energy hadn't waned once the trip got underway. They were still joshing and shoving each other as they bounced from one place to another when something caught their eye.

At one point, the boat dropped the group off at a trailhead. Those that wanted to followed the trail to a pickup point on the next river over to continue the boat ride. Coming around a bend into the Gat van de Vloeien, the boat slowed to navigate the narrow waterway and to reduce the noise and wake so they wouldn't disturb the wildlife.

When the motor cut back, Michael overheard Lukas and Simon conspiring against Scott. He whispered in Christian's ear and the blonde nodded his agreement. They set their binoculars and phones in a safe place and waited.

"I wonder if we can go swimming?" asked Lukas, snickering behind Scott's back.

"Yeah," said Simon. "I wonder how cold the water is." They got the captain to cut the engine so they could check the water temperature. The only way they could touch the water was out the back on the decking across the stern of the boat just above the water.

"Scott, climb down there and dip your toe in to see if it is too cold to swim," suggested Lukas.

"Why me?" asked Scott.

"'Cause you're the one that isn't wearing any shoes," said Simon pointing to Scott's toes.

Scott looked to where Simon pointed and agreed. "Okay," said Scott, getting antsy and excited, "but I'm not going down there by myself. You guys come too."

Simon nodded to Lukas and the three boys climbed down onto the decking with Scott in the middle. Reaching over with his toe, Scott couldn't quite reach the water as the boat rocked. Waiting until the boat settled into a trough, he crouched to get his toes wet.

"Now!" shouted Lukas. Simon and Lukas grabbed Scott and shoved. Scott managed to scream "no" before plunging into the water.

Lukas and Simon waved their arms to keep their balance laughing at their prank. That is, until they each felt a single hand on their back. With a slight push from the younger boys, Lukas and Simon lost their balance and joined Scott in the water.

"IT'S COLD!!!" yelled Scott once he came to the surface! Lukas and Simon concurred as the three raced to get to the boat's ladder.

In May, the Rhine's surface temperature is only in the mid- to lower-50s Fahrenheit. Not life threatening, but pretty damn cold for swimming. Zach and Matthew helped the three wet teens back into the boat and protected Michael and Christian from suffering similar fates. Thoughts of revenge faded as they warmed and watched beavers, deer, and various waterfowl go about their day-to-day business.

When they arrived back at the busses, everyone had had a great time and were ready to get on the road to their next destination. All the way there, they relived the boat ride and Simon, Lukas, and Scott's swim.

----------------------     

Arriving in Antwerp an hour later, the group checked into the Hotel Rubens in the historic downtown district. Cleaned up and dressed nicely, they walked a couple doors down the Oude Beurs to have dinner at Marlú Ristorante Italiano. To order dinner, the problem wasn't not knowing what they would be eating or avoiding interesting ingredients. They were all plenty familiar with Italian cuisine. No, the challenge was trying to order their favorite Italian dishes in Dutch. Everyone, including the staff and other patrons, took the earnest attempts to speak their language in stride and good humor.

The atmosphere was warm and inviting putting everyone at ease from the stress and chaos of the tour. The group was seated at three tables on the main floor of the restaurant. Lukas and Simon sat with Isaac and Lore, Lars and Carol were joined by Michael and Christian, and the third table is where Matthew sat with Zach and Scott.

"Scott," Matthew said, "don't get so self-conscious. You're as much a part of this family as Zach."

Scott replied defensively. "I'm not."

Zach took a drink of water to hide his smile. He and Matthew had spoken about Scott's insecurities about not having the money the other boys had and the money being spent on him for this trip. Matthew admitted he'd seen Scott looking for Zach's approval at times during the trip, even tonight when he was trying to decide what to order.

"Look at everyone here," said Matthew. Scott followed Matthew's eyes and looked at the other two tables. "You are part of this family. Everyone accepts that without reservation, even our grandparents. The only person that sees you as a guest on this trip is you."

Scott looked down at his plate in thought. He wasn't even aware of the fork he was dragging around in his spaghetti as Matthew's words found their places in his head. He realized Matthew was right. It might take a while to get used to it, but he needed to start making an effort to get his head around it. He smiled up at Matthew. "Thanks, Matthew."

Matthew's eyes darted to Zach who smiled and mouthed "thank you". Matthew returned the smiles and added, "No problem, bro."

"That's Uncle Scott, to you!"

The laughter at the third table interrupted the conversation at the other two. "Looks like they're getting along well," said Isaac of the Matthew, Zach, and Scott trio.

"You seem surprised," said Lore.

"I guess I'm just used to seeing Scott with Lukas and Simon," added Isaac. He turned his attention to the boys across from him. "You three seem very close."

Lukas could tell by the look in his grandfather's eyes that the man understood far more about how close Scott was to them, far more than Isaac said. "Yeah farfar, he's really special to me. But not like Simon." Lukas took Simon's hand in his and smiled at his love.

"I'm glad you two finally made it official," said Lore with a smile.

"Oh!" exclaimed Lukas digging under the collar of his shirt. He pulled Stephen's ring from under his shirt. "Here's the ring I told you about. It was Simon's father's wedding band. I'll wear it on the chain until we are officially engaged. See?" He stood and leaned over so he could hold the ring closer for his grandparents' inspection. "Oh shit!" Lukas' elbow knocked over his water glass.

Simon, Lore, and Isaac grabbed napkins to mop up the water. Lukas scrambled to right the glass and collect the spilled ice apologizing profusely. Michael and Christian provided extra napkins and helped until the waiter arrived with a fresh glass of water and towels to clean the table.

The youngest of the boys returned to the table with Lars and Carol. Lukas spilling his glass of water gave Lars and Carol a short reprieve from Christian and Michael's garrulous chatter about what they saw at the nature preserve, the sights they'd seen so far, and anything else that came to mind. Sometimes the mental gymnastics required to keep up with those two intellectually was exhausting. But the boys had a warmth and charm that wouldn't allow you to end the conversation and walk away. Part of that charm was the rapport the two had with each other. Lars and Carol agreed. No matter how much they thought Simon and Lukas were absolutely made for each other, Christian and Michael seemed to be an even better match. The love the two shared filled any room they were in and drew others to them.

Returning to their seats, Michael and Christian continued the discussion on European democracies and World War II history, things they learned while researching their honors project. Lars and Carol smiled with the love they felt in their hearts.

After dinner, the family stepped out of the restaurant and were enchanted by the streetlamps lighting the historic buildings. Too late to go do something and too early to retire for the evening, they decided to take a walk. Christian pulled out his phone to check to see if there was anything of interest to see. Heading down the Oude Beurs, the narrow cobblestone and brick street was otherworldly. Because of the lack of space, no cars were parked along the streets. Everyone either had garages or used their feet or a bicycle to get to their destination. The absence of modern vehicles added to the feeling of being transported back in time.

They walked towards the Scheldt River. When the road turned, they followed a walkway between the buildings and came out on Kuipersstraat.

"This way!" called out Christian as he headed to the right. Just past a building on the corner stood a late-Gothic building. The old Butcher Guild Hall, called the Vleeshuis, was built between 1501 and 1504.

"Oh, wow!" said Isaac.

"This is so cool!" Michael agreed. He ran up to the building and laid his hands on the cool stones that had stood for over 500 years. Christian joined him and marveled at the age of the building and its ornate stonework.

The family took the long way around the building ending up on Vleeshuisstraat behind the buildings that lined Ernest Van Dijckkaai, the street that ran along the Scheldt River. When they reached the corner, they found a treasure Christian had kept to himself. Across the street sitting on the river's bank was the oldest building in Antwerp, the Het Steen.

The Het Steen was the medieval fortress that functioned as the gateway to Antwerp Castle. Though the main castle was demolished in the 1800s, the Het Steen, built between 1200 and 1225, remained standing. They crossed the street and marveled at the building.

"This is definitely not something we could see back home," joked Scott.

"Can we come back tomorrow and go inside?" asked Michael. The vote was unanimous. A tour of the Het Steen was on the next day's agenda.

"That's open!" said Lukas pointing south. The others turned and saw The View Antwerp, an 18-story Ferris wheel.

The rest of their evening was filled with photo and video ops, walking along the river, riding the Ferris wheel, and enjoying each other. It had been a special day for the family, but it was time for rest.

Returning to the hotel, everyone retired to their rooms. With only rooms with one bed, the group occupied six rooms in the hotel. It worked well that Scott chose to sleep with Lukas and Simon instead of sharing a room with Matthew giving the older teen his privacy.

Michael and Christian were also happy to have a room to themselves. They were quick about their nightly routine and hopped into the comfy hotel bed as naked as the day they were born.

"This all doesn't seem real," said Michael snuggling into his pillow facing Christian.

"What doesn't?" asked Christian.

"Seeing the castle and these old buildings. Going to museums and seeing the work of famous painters. Meeting all my family in Denmark. And getting to do it all with you. I'm so lucky."

"And you deserve it all," said Christian adding a loving kiss at the end.

Michael propped his head up on his bent arm and cut right to the chase. "How did you like being dominated by Scott?"

"Uh...What?" Christian blushed.

"From what Lukas and Simon described, it sounded like Scott sort of manhandled you. And it seems to me that you would have either loved it or gotten free from Scott." Michael studied the look on Christian's face. "Don't be embarrassed. I love being dominated." He gave a cheeky grin and Christian smiled back.

Christian's speed surprised Michael. He'd planned to put up a little bit of a fight, for good show and all, but before he had a chance, Christian was on top of him with his wrists pinned above his head. To get a bit more comfortable, Michael spread his knees and gave himself over to Christian.

When Michael pulled his knees out, Christian felt his body drop fully onto Michael's, his boyfriend's stiff spike poking into his pelvis before relinquishing itself, bowing to its larger, more manly, and equally stiff, master.

The question didn't even need to be asked. Michael's pulse raced and his body vibrated with excitement. But being true to his role, Christian said, "So little boy, you like being dominated? You want other boys and men with big dicks to use you as they please?"

The younger boy's body shivered and on reflex, his knees drew back a few inches. Michael didn't know where Christian had come up with this script, but it was pushing all the right buttons. The blonde's time with Scott had opened his eyes to sex for fun and pleasure and Michael was witnessing Christian's exploration of this side of things. He stretched Michael's arm until he pressed his wrists against the padded headboard. Gathering as much saliva as he could, Christian leaned down and licked Michael from his collar bone, up to his left ear. After slathering the ear with his wet tongue, Christian dug his tongue into the opening of his partner's ear canal.

Michael's body shook and shuddered. His breathing increased as he neared eruption. He liked this Christian. He liked this Christian A LOT. Pulling his knees back farther, Michael locked his ankles behind Christian's back.

Taking both of Michael's wrists into one hand, Christian was able to balance himself as he adjusted his position, moving onto his knees which forced Michael's hips into the air exposing the boy for penetration. He switched to the other side of Michael's neck, chewing and sucking on the tendons and muscles beneath the thin skin. With his free hand, he toyed with the boy's opening, teasing it open and adding his natural lubricant for the urgent task ahead.

The groaning and needy whimpering grew louder and louder until Christian lined up and thrust forward. Michael cried out and his body tensed as he shook and moaned through the first incredibly satisfying orgasm of the evening.

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MONDAY, JUNE 1

The Het Steen was everything they'd hoped it would be. Though it didn't have the historical pieces they'd expected. Instead of being furnished with historical pieces, the castle's interior had been completely modernized to house the current museum installation. But for the family, the building's architecture was enough to transport them back to a time of kings and queens, a time of knights and their steeds.

There were so many things to see in the old downtown, they spent most of the day on foot or taking public transportation. Inevitably, no matter where they went, someone would recognize them. It might be a greeting shouted from across the street, people wanting a selfie, or even a request for an autograph, the boys and their family were proving to be popular.

"This doesn't help," noted Christian. "They're using our own social media sites to post and track sightings of the band. I don't think we are running into these people by accident." The boys thought that was funny, but Lars and Carol were leery of the public tracking the boys' movements.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 2

It was show day in Antwerp and the boys were restless. Since leaving the farm, they hadn't gotten the opportunity to get out and get some exercise. Used to hitting the gym in the mornings and some sort of sports nearly every day, they felt couped up and full of nervous energy.

Lars and Zach organized the boys after breakfast for a run in the park. They took a nice 20-minute walk southeast of the hotel to Stradspark. Surrounded by historical buildings and filled with lush, green vegetation and running trails, it was the perfect place to get their heart rates up, get a workout in, and burn off some of that nervous energy.

One of the busses came by to pick them up after lunch. They'd been asked to join Brandon for an interview with the local rock station sponsoring the nights show. It was pretty routine. Much of the interview being with the headlining act, but it was fun none the less.

The DJ did his best to act like a hard-nosed journalist. When it came to interviewing At the Majestic, instead of getting to know the band and asking questions their fans would want answers to, the DJ asked, "Matthew, from the band's social media, we gather that you are the only straight member of the band."

The boys giggled and Matthew leaned towards the mic and answered, "Yeah, that's right."

"So, we're curious. You've been playing an original song in your shows called 'He's the One for Me' but you are singing it. Why?"

The other boys stopped joking around and looked to Matthew for his answer. Matthew was certain the DJ was trying to stir up something, and Matthew tried not play into that game. "Why what?"

"If the band is going to write a song about a boy wanting a boy, why wouldn't one of the gay members of the band sing it?"

"It's true that our gay male and female performers don't have a wide selection of songs allowing them to express themselves authentically. You could totally look at this like a straight guy is taking another opportunity away from a gay singer. When Lukas brought this song to the band, we tried to get him to sing it, but he wanted on playing drums on the song. By the way, when you hear the drum part he wrote, it was absolutely the right choice. Parts of the song are pretty high, and the other guys weren't comfortable with the higher parts of the song. That's how I ended up with lead vocals. Even though the song is written about a guy wanting a guy, there was no way I was going to change the song from the way it was intended. It's Lukas' song to Simon and that is the way I intended it to stay when we perform it. It's simply a way I can love and honor my brothers' relationship."

Brandon jumped in before the DJ had a chance to follow up. "That's why I'm so proud and honored that At the Majestic has joined our tour. These boys are not only phenomenal performers, they write excellent, smart, thoughtful songs and stay true to their identity. They aren't just role models for teens around the world, they are role models for all of us."

The DJ shifted his questions back to Brandon at that point and finished the interview promoting the show. Having had two days off, the boys headed to their soundcheck early to warm up and get in the right frame of mind for their performance.

Scott took pictures and Christian used his laptop and iPad to edit and upload posts from the day. He also took a moment to reply to some of their fans. It probably wasn't fair that he and the band had their favorites, but they always enjoyed corresponding with their self-proclaimed number one fan, @mj_stix.11. He'd sent the boys a new video of him singing and asked for their opinion. Christian saved it to show the band after the night's show.

It was only the third show, but the boys felt right at home with the routine. The Sportpaleis was the smallest venue on the tour, only about 8,300 fans would be in attendance and as it turned out, another performance their grandparents would not attend.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

After the trip to Rotterdam, Carol made the executive decision to spend one last night in Antwerp and drive to Paris in the morning. The busses pulled up at 7:30 am to take the boys and their entourage to Paris. Breakfast was catered aboard the busses, so they didn't have to rush to stay on schedule.

Carol coordinated with the drivers to give them a tour of Paris when they arrived. Coming in from the north, the busses drove past the Sacré-Cœur, then the Palais Garnier opera house. At the Place de la Concorde, the bus turned down the Champs-Élysées directly towards the Arc De Triomphe. Completing nearly a full 360 around the Arc, the busses turned and headed toward the Seine River. The boys watched as the Eiffel Tower drew closer. Crossing the Pont d'léna, the busses crossed from the left to right banks of the Seine to the base of the tower. The busses made their way around the south side of the tower then turned down the Rue Desaix to pass through the park to get a better view. On Rive Gauche (the Right Bank), they drove by the Louis XIV 17th Century commissioned Les Invalides, the home built for disabled soldiers and site of Napoleon's tomb. A quick drive through the Université Paris-Sorbonne and a drive by of the Place du Pantheon allowed the drivers to turn onto the Rue des Bernardins. The one-way street led them to the Quai de la Tournelle and back to the Seine River.

When the light turned green, the busses drove through the intersection and onto the Pont de l'Archevêché, the bridge over to the L'ile de la Cité, an island in the Seine River.

"Hey!" said Lukas, calling Scott, Simon, and his grandparent's attention. "Isn't that Notre-Dame?" Of course, in the other bus, Michael and Christian were navigating the city on an iPad and were pointing out the sights like professional tour guides. But everyone in each bus was in awe of this historic cathedral. The bus turned down the Rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame and so the occupants could study the famous building up close. Farther down the island, they passed the front gates of the Palais de Justice de Paris, the home of France's judicial system since the 13th century. Crossing the historic Pont Neuf to the Left Bank, the busses headed up and turned left on the Rue de Rivoli. They passed by the Musée du Louvre on their left and then the Jardin des Tuileries gardens.

The busses pulled over and stopped across from the gardens. The boys stepped out in front of an elegant 19th century building. Hungry and antsy from the excitement from being in "gay Paris", Carol herded them together. "Boys, Isaac and Lore, this is my gift to everyone. Since we aren't going to have too much time to explore Paris, I thought it would be great to stay in this history hotel in the heart of the city." She didn't tell them that it was a five-star hotel with rooms costing over a thousand dollars a night. "All I'm asking is that you appreciate this opportunity and respect the other guests." Porters arrived to assist with the luggage and the group entered the hotel. Check in was quick and efficient. Carol gave directions to the porters on which room gets which luggage then guided everyone back out onto the sidewalk.

"Since we aren't dressed for the hotel's dining room, I thought we'd go somewhere less formal. There's a French restaurant just down this way. Or La Castiglione is just around the corner. It's bistro style food."

"What's that?" asked Scott.

"Burgers," answered Matthew. Scott nodded in understanding.

Carol also offered other options. "Also close are an Asian and eastern Mediterranean restaurant."

With a quick vote, Scott was outnumbered on every front. The other three options got more votes than the bistro Scott was hoping for. Instead, his worst nightmare was selected, the French restaurant, L'Impérial Rivoli. All he knew about French cuisine was that the French eat snails and that was all he needed to know to stay away from French restaurants (though this was the first opportunity he'd ever had to experience French cooking).

Being in the midst of the higher-end hotels, L'Impérial Rivoli's menu was created to please tourists, not those expecting fine dining. The restaurant was posh. Navy and leopard print side-chairs at every table and black and white ornate French wall embellishments gave the establishment a trendy yet distinctly French feel.

Menus in hand, Scott's attitude changed. "Yes!" he cheered. He might not read French, but he was pretty sure he understood "Le Cheeseburger / frites" to be something he would like to order.

While they waited for their food, Carol filled them in on the plans for the afternoon and evening. "After we eat, you'll have a couple of hours to burn. Enjoy the gardens, visit the Louvre, or enjoy the neighborhood. All we ask is that you have an adult chaperone. Be back by 6:00. We are having a special dinner at seven. No jeans and you'll need to wear sports coats."

The boys looked at each other guiltily before Simon spoke up. "We didn't pack our jackets."

"Then I guess I know what you boys are doing after lunch," stated Carol. She wasn't upset. She didn't recall ever telling the boys to pack their suits and she doubted they would have thought to do that on their own. Especially since they were packing to spend time on the farm.

There were a number of places to buy sports coats and the boys wanted to choose a place close by so they had more time to do something fun. After stopping into some of the stores and seeing a $5,600 jacket, they quickly agreed to extend their walk to IKKS. The clothing was designed for a younger crowd and so were the prices. In the end, the boys walked out with coordinated chinos, sports coats, and shirts. Scott and Matthew went with nice t-shirts and the other four with button-down collars.

On the way back, the boys took a more direct path down the Rue de la Paix.

"What's that up ahead?" asked Lukas. There was a tall patina-colored column with a statue on top right in the middle of the road. Christian was itching to pull out his phone and look it up, but everyone had their hands full.

As they approached, the roadway opened into a square with the monument in the center. Each side of the square was framed by large, matching buildings created a fantastic symmetry. Michael, if no one else, certainly appreciated it.

They crossed the Place Vendôme to read the inscription on the monument. From what they could make of the writing on the plaque, it was clear the statue on top of the Colonne Vendôme was Napoleon Bonaparte.

Le Meurice was just a few blocks farther. With their new clothes in hand, they texted Carol to come get them. She met them by the elevators and took them up to the Belle Etoile Penthouse Suite with Terrace. To the boys, they only saw that Carol inserted the room card into the slot in the elevator and selected the button with labeled with the number seven. What awaited the boys was beyond their imagination. The Belle Etoile was a four-bedroom suite built on the roof of the hotel. The suite had living and dining rooms as well as an office. Each bedroom featured an all-marble bathroom and views of the city. Most impressive was the landscaped terrace that encompassed the suite featured seating areas, a dining area, and a 360-degree view of the city.

When the elevator opened, the boys stepped out and thought they were in a lobby. It didn't register that the elevators would open directly into the suite itself.

Carol chose to ignore their confusion and took the boys into the living room. "Let me see what you boys purchased." The boys each opened their bags and sought approval from Carol. When they weren't sharing what they'd selected, the boys looked around trying to figure out what this place was. When they finished, Lukas finally asked, "What is this place?"

"This boys," smiled Carol, spreading her arms to indicate the entire suite, "is your suite for the next two nights. Your father and Zach have the master bedroom down this way, and the other three bedrooms are down this hallway." The boys followed. "Matthew, this room is for you. Lukas, you boys have the next room. And Michael and Christian are on the end."

Unlike the rest of the hotel, the penthouse wasn't sporting a décor from the 19th century. The penthouse had a modern design with features that subtly connected its design to the rest of the property. Each room was also lined with windows giving the boys views of the gardens and city from their rooms.

While the boys ran from spot to spot taking in the views of the city and the luxurious amenities, Carol gave them further directions. "Listen up. Your new clothes need to be ironed before you can wear them tonight. Lore and I will teach you how to iron and you will be responsible for getting yourselves and each other ready." She didn't know if the other boys were listening, but Matthew had heard everything. "Thank you," she told him. "Lore and I will be back in 30 minutes. They should be cleaned up and ready to dress for dinner when we come back up."

Carol headed back to the elevator. She'd booked the two suites below the penthouse that faced the gardens for herself and Lars' parents. She assumed, correctly, that Lore and Isaac would appreciate the privacy and quiet. As for herself, she preferred the historic décor in the rest of the hotel.

Before the elevator doors shut, the boys were out on the terrace running from view to view getting the lay of the land and checking to see which of Paris' landmarks they could see. Matthew wrangled them in. "There will be plenty of time to look at the sights later. Remember, Paris is known as the 'City of Light'. Until then, we need to be showered and cleaned up in 30 minutes. Then mom and grandma will be here to show us how to iron our clothes. So, when you aren't showering, take the tags off your new clothes and get everything ready to iron. Come on." He herded the boys into the house to make quick work of getting ready for dinner.

When Lore and Carol returned to the Belle Etoile, Lars and Zach were helping Matthew organize the younger boys who were goofing off, most still in their underwear.

"We got this," said Carol entering the middle bedroom with the suite's ironing board and iron. Lore carried the set from her suite. Looking at Zach and Lars, she added, "You two need to go get ready yourselves. The caterers will be here shortly to begin setting up."

The boys were quick learners, but it didn't make ironing any more fun or less frustrating. Matthew supervised and made sure there were no glaring mistakes. When the boys had their heads in the game, they worked well as a team. Simon was better at ironing pants and ended up manning one ironing board while Christian, who wasn't a novice at ironing his own clothes, did most of the shirt ironing.

Commotion down the hallway kept the boys peeking to see the caterers coming in and out of the suite. Once each of the boys was dressed and looking their finest, they headed out to the terrace to see what was going on.

The Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse was catering a full French dinner on the terrace dining area. White tablecloths, their finest China and crystal, and candles. It was spectacular.

"You boys look nice," said Lars. He and Zach joined them on the terrace. He ushered them to a lookout so they could share the sights and watch the colors of the sky warm from soft blues to fiery oranges as the sun began to set.

A set of arms slipped over Michael's shoulders while he leaned back into his farmor. Isaac stood between Lukas and Simon putting an arm around each boy.

"Er det ikke smuk farfar? (Isn't it beautiful grandpa?)" whispered Lukas.

"Ja, Lukas," agreed Isaac, "but what makes this a truly beautiful moment is we are sharing it with the ones we love so dearly."

Carol was the last to join the group. Taking Lars' other arm and leaning on his shoulder, she sighed and gazed out at the Eiffel Tower to the west and the beautiful gardens below that led to the Louvre to the east.

The magical moment was broken when the maître d' approached Carol and said, "Madame, nous sommes prêts pour le service. Voulez-vous vous asseoir s'il vous plait. (Madame, we are ready for service. Will you please be seated.)"

Carol, Zach, and Lars took the end of the table facing west and Lore and Isaac sat at the other end. The boys filled in the rest of the seats. The boys felt a bit out of place with waiters standing at attention to fulfill their needs. A waiter presented a bottle to Lars who checked the label and nodded asking him to pour a glass for everyone. A second bottle was opened so two waiters could share in the duties.

Carol stood and held her glass up. "Paris, the city of love, holds a very special place in my heart. Simon, I don't think I've ever told you this, but your father and I saved every penny we could so we could come here on our honeymoon. We had a simple wedding and could only afford to stay in a hostel once we arrived, but our time here was magical. The perfect start to our marriage. Our dream was to come back here and experience Paris in luxury." Carol held her glass up and looked to the sky. "Stephen, we made it. I know you're here with us. I feel you every day. I hope you are as proud of our son as I am." She paused to take in the moment. "Tonight, I want to celebrate love. I mean, after all, we are in Paris. Lore and Isaac, it was your love that brought Lars into our lives. Without him, I would have never made it after Stephen's death. He's been my best friend and my rock, and he's been the best surrogate father I could have imagined for Simon. Lars, I thank you. To our boys--love brought you together and the love you share is a beacon to the world. We, the adults who are honored to look after you, cherish you as individuals and hold sacred your loving relationships. This tour is a new beginning for you. With family, with each other, you are learning to find your places in the world and the world is learning who you are. Just remember it is the little things in life that mean the most. Cherish moments like this. To the love we share." She lifted her glass and the others followed. Then they sipped the sparkling grape juice.

Carol sat and Lars whispered to her, "How am I to top that?"

"You will," she assured him. Lars placed his glass on the table before standing and pushing in his chair. He reached his hand out to Zach and the younger man joined him.

"Carol, Zach and I want to thank you for this experience. This hotel is like nothing I could have ever imagined. A dinner on a terrace overlooking Paris...this is simply breathtaking." Zach stood silently but nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"Mom, dad, it makes my heart swell with gratitude the way you've accepted me for who I am, the boys for who they are, and my family, no matter how crazy and mish-mashed we are. We all love you so much and I'm so happy you are on the road with us, sharing this crazy experience. Boys, and I do mean all of you, we are so proud of you. When we say this is one big family, that does include Scott and Christian. You two are as integral and important as any other member of this family. That's what this is all about tonight, family. As one smart little boy taught me one time, your biological family is important, but your logical family, those you choose to surround yourself with, is even more important." Michael beamed with pride.

"To show you my commitment to this family and everyone in it," Lars reached into his pocket, "Zach, would you wear this ring as a symbol of our commitment to someday join our lives in marriage?"

Zach stared at the ring in disbelief. A proposal was something he expected to happen one day, but not this soon. They'd agreed there was no hurry.

Lars continued, "I know this is faster than we discussed, but how could I let a moment like this go by? Look at this. Paris at sunset. A city-wide view. Our family. The only thing that can make this evening any more special is to take the next step to make things official."

Zach was still overwhelmed by the moment, but Scott shook him out of the haze. "Christ Zach, say 'yes'!"

Everyone laughed and Zach gave a resounding, "YES!"

The ring in place on Zach's hand, everyone rushed around the table to hug and congratulate them.

Carol got everyone seated and stated, "Boys, we have many dishes coming out. They will be small portions, so you won't fill up on any one thing. Don't worry if you don't like something, there will be other things to eat, but I hope you will at least try everything."

Over the next two hours, the waitstaff brought out course after course starting with hors d'œuvres. Smoked salmon canapes, socca, Alsatian cheese and onion tarts, Lyonnaise salad, onion galette, fromage fort, coquilles St. Jacques, and other assorted finger foods were brought for the family to try. Scott, just like the others, tried some of the dishes that seemed less than appetizing and found he didn't mind or even liked them.

Next each member of the dinner party was served a cup of French onion soup with thin slides of toasted baguette. The final appetizer was escargot. The boys didn't mind until Michael and Christian reminded the others that escargot was French for snail. Carol had arranged that this would be served solo so everyone could try this French delicacy together. Everyone laughed when the slipper snail shells skidded off plates and across the table. The maître d' allowed this to go on for a few minutes before giving them a lesson on how to successfully extract the snail from its shell. On the count of three, as Lukas counted, everyone plopped the snail in their mouth. The texture was chewy and a bit foreign to those who hadn't explored the culinary world, but the taste was delicious. The hotel's chef had perfected his butter sauce and had cooked the snails perfectly. The escargot picked up the flavor of the sauce deliciously. Even Scott approved and surprised everyone by going in for a second.

Under the table, Michael reached for Christian's hand. Christian turned and smiled at Michael, squeezing his hand tightly. The sun had settled below the horizon and the stars emerged from the black, velvety darkness of the night sky. To Michael, they shone as brightly as the stars on the terrace. The stars created by the candlelight striking the silverware and crystal glassware. The stars created by the twinkle of the candlelight in the eyes of his family members. It was a magical evening. One he would remember forever. He turned back to Christian and kissed his love gently and sweetly on the lips.