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Dedication:  To you, the readers of this story.

If you would like to e-mail, my address is JETjt@aol.com. I would enjoy hearing from you.  

RON AND MATT

Chapter Three

The young men had hurried home after work with a stop in transit at the bank where Pete had deposited his modest check after standing in line with the normal large crowd of Friday afternoon depositors. As soon as they arrived at Pete’s modest place, Cody had showered while Pete shaved and laid out some clothing for the evening. Fortunately Cody was big for his age and Pete had some clothes that he thought would fit the young teenager. After Cody came out in a towel, Pete showed him the clothing that the younger guy then tried on. It was not a perfect fit, but it was far better than his worn but serviceable clothing.  

At 6:30 the faded silver min-pickup pulled to the gate speaker and stopped. Peter rolled down the driver window and reached for the button, when a voice came out of the little metal box, “Welcome, gentlemen. Please proceed up the main drive to the entry bridge.”

The large iron gates swung open and Peter put the pickup into gear and began driving up the wide paved road. On either side of the pavement stately palm trees and planters with blooming flowers separated the drive from the sparse desert beyond.  The asphalt wound in graceful curves up the slope and in moments the main house, perched among huge red rocks, came into view.

“Wow!” Cody said in amazement. “Is that Ron’s house?  It looks like a hotel!”

“You’re guess is as good as mine,” Pete answered. “I’ve never been here before.”

“It’s kinda scary. I hope our clothes are O.K.”

“Yeah, I hope jeans are ‘casual’. I’m not used to hobnobbing with the rich folks.  Besides, you got the invitation, so maybe it would have been a good idea for you to ask.”

“Hey!  I’m not use to this stuff either,” Cody said defensively. “I’m not really sure why we got invited.”

“Well, I guess we’ll find out soon.”

The truck pulled up onto the entry bridge that crossed over the small lake at the base of a rocky outcropping on top of which the residence nestled. Peter stopped the small pickup at an intersecting pedestrian bridge that spanned the entryway toward a pair of 10’ high doors that indicated the main entry. The guys climbed out of the vehicle, straightened their clothing, swiped fingers through their hair, and then stepped toward the imposing entry. Reaching the door, Cody pushed the door chime button. In mere seconds, the door opened and an older man dressed in a black bow tie, white shirt and black trousers appeared.  

“Good evening gentlemen. My name is Parker. If you’ll follow me I’ll escort you to Mr. Turner and Mr. Davidson.

“Nice to meet you Parker.” Peter said. ”My name is Pete and this is Cody,” as he extended his hand. Parker looked down at the offered hand, smiled, and returned the grasp. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both, sirs.” Parker said as he next shook Cody’s offered hand. Closing the door, he turned and stepped into the glass elevator with the boys following. Once everyone was in, Parker pressed the button, the doors closed, and the elevator ascended to the main floor.

“Right this way gentlemen,” Parker said with a wave of his hand. He led the pair of visitors along a raised hallway that was open on one side overlooking the huge living room. The lights of Las Vegas were in panoramic view from the glass living room wall overlooking the desert valley.

“Wow,” Cody said. “I had no idea Las Vegas was so big.”

“Heck, it’s small compared to Los Angeles,” Peter commented. “There it’s just one city right after another. It never seems to end.”

“I’d be lost for sure,” Cody said.

Stepping into the family room, Parker stopped and announced their arrival.

“Mr. Sigler and Mr. Desmond.”

“Welcome guys,” Ron said as he approached and Parker departed. “Come in.” Shaking their hands, he escorted the youths to an arrangement of sofas and chairs where several other guys stood as they approached.

“ I’d like you to meet our new arrivals, Pete and Cody.  Pete, Cody, you know my partner Matt and Tony, from work of course.”

“Nice to see you both, and welcome to our house, ” Matt replied as he offered his hand. Cody and Pete followed Matt’s lead. The two and Tony exchanged greetings also.

“Next guys, this is my brother, Tyler. He works in Los Angeles but spends weekends with us here, and this handsome guy is his guest, Dan Barnes, from New York.”

“Delighted to meet you both,” Tyler said as he and Dan greeted the new guests, exchanging handshakes.

“The two disreputable guys holding hands over there are our friends from New York, Bryan Adams and Alan Kent.  These New Yorkers just got in a short while ago.”  

Bryan and Alan offered their handshakes and their smiles in greeting.

“Finally, I’d like to introduce you to Jeffery King, our young friend who works with us here. We thought a fourth younger guy would round out the group, in case you guys wanted to try out the game room later.  Since it’s Friday night, no one has to get up early for work tomorrow so there’s no hurry to leave.”

With introductions completed, Matt asked, “What can I get you to drink? We have most kinds of popular soft drinks, juice, iced tea or bottled water.”

“A coke would be fine for me thanks,” Cody answered.

“I’ll have the same,” Pete said in agreement.

Matt stepped to the bar and began preparing the drinks.

“Would you like Jeff and me to give Pete and Cody the ‘grand tour’?” Tony asked.

“That would be great Tony,” Ron replied. “Get their drinks and show them around. I think dinner will be in about a half hour, so you can take your time.”

“Come on guys,” Tony said as he headed for the bar where Matt had just finished filling the glasses and placing them on the bar top. “One ‘grand tour’ coming right up.”

The four younger guys quickly disappeared.  Matt returned to the seating area where the other five guys had returned to their seats.

“How’s the construction work going, Matt?” Tyler asked.

“It’s a lot more tiring than I thought it would be, Tyler. Terry, the superintendent, works us pretty hard and I’m really glad to get finished in the afternoon. I thought I was in better shape.”

“I can sympathize,” Tyler said. “I have to continually work out, or I can feel myself getting flabby in a hurry. The office work I do is very interesting, but it doesn’t do much to keep me in shape.”

“When we finish the project, I’ll have to start exercising regularly.” Matt agreed. “Every day gets a bit easier as I get used to it, but the project will be completed in a couple of weeks, then I’ll be doing more office type work.”

“How are the plans going to get into operation?” Alan asked.

“We hired a Director two weeks ago,” Ron answered.  “His name is Leonard Johnson. He has great credentials and a wonderful personality. He’ll be starting on Monday. Matt will work for Turner Construction for only one more week, then he’ll be joining the staff there as a counselor. The first couple has been hired as our house parents and we have two more ‘probables’. We hope that Cody, who you just met, will be our first resident. The social agencies have all been alerted and we expect the campus to go into operation in two weeks. We will have the recreation building, the admitting/ administration building, and at least two of the houses finished by then. The other three houses should be ready a week later. Our capacity for this first phase is 30 boys. We have enough land to double that number if the demand is there.”

“That sounds great,” Alan said smiling. “We hope we can see it while we’re here. I’m pleased that Matt has gotten so involved. I’m sure that he will find the work challenging.”

“How are thing’s going at Construction Leasing, Dan?” Ron asked.

“It’s going great, Ron,” Dan answered. “I really like working there. Richard Adams is a great boss and is always coming up with new challenges. I’m not saying that just because Bryan is sitting here either. Being his assistant is very rewarding and I’m learning a lot about the business. I must admit, sometimes it’s scary when he asks me to do something that I haven’t done before. I’m afraid that I might make a mistake, but that doesn’t seem to bother him. I’m surprised at how much he trusts me.”

“Being someone’s assistant can be very difficult,” Ron agreed. “You often have to work around ‘line’ people who have their own jobs to worry about without being interrupted by the boss’s assistant.”

“Yes, I tread lightly around busy people and try not to disturb them any more than necessary. If what I’m doing is very important to Richard or if he’s in a great hurry for some information, he paves the way for me by calling whomever I need to disturb. He’s very thoughtful that way.”

“What do you think of him as a manager?” Ron asked. “Bryan close your ears!” he said laughing.

“Fortunately, I can say in all honesty, that I think he’s great.”

“Why do you say ‘fortunately?” Ron asked.

“If he left a lot to be desired,” Dan answered, “I’d be torn between telling the truth and being disloyal. Fortunately, I don’t have to make that choice. I truly am lucky to have him for a boss.”

“I’m pleased. For a while he had problems accepting people who were different.”

“Are you talking about Richard? Richard Adams?”

“The same,” Ron replied. “I’m glad that it surprises you.”

“Wow, that blows me away!  Knowing Bryan and Alan, it’s hard to imagine. His love for Bryan is so obvious, that it really shocks me. Wow! Bryan I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

“That’s all in the past, thank God,” Bryan said. And with no small thanks to Ron.”
 
“There’s nothing to be gained by revisiting past grief.” Ron interjected. “What’s past is past. Only the future is important. I was only wondering how he is currently perceived.  Your reaction and comments have told me a great deal.”

“You can count on me to not say anything to him or anyone else.” Dan said.  “I sure don’t want to cause any problems for him.”

“Thanks. What do you guys have planned for the weekend, Tyler?”

“Nothing, much,” Tyler answered. “Tomorrow we thought we might take Bryan and Alan for a horseback ride up on Mt. Charleston, if the day is nice. We’re all kinda city slickers, but I’m sure we’ll do okay. I asked Gerry to get us gentle mounts. I’m not too adventurous when it comes to horseback riding.”

“That’s good,” said Matt, who had freshened everyone’s drinks and returned to the group. “If you’re going in the late morning, you might ask Mary to make you a lunch. About an hour’s ride up is a very pretty spot called Table Rock. It’s a great place for a picnic.  It’s right at the tree line, and the view is spectacular.”

“Great,” Dan said. “Is the place hard to find?”

“Not really,” Ron told them. “We’ll point it out to you at breakfast. You can see it from the house. Just follow the main trail taking the most traveled path at any forks you come to. It’s my favorite place to go, if there is enough time.  Some of you may have been there before and will recognize the paths.”

“I like it too,” added Matt, “And it’s about as far as you want to go unless you’re an experienced rider. Even then your backside will remind you for about a day that you’ve been on horseback. I know from experience.” He rubbed his butt as if to demonstrate his point.

            *        *        *

Jeff and Tony had completed the tour of the house leaving Cody and Pete agog at the luxury of the mansion.

“Maybe you guys would like to try out the game room,” Jeff suggested as they returned from the outside portion of their sojourn. “We can go swimming later if you’d like. The pool is heated, and if the air temperature is a bit nippy, the hot tub is wonderful.”

“Sounds good to me,” Pete responded. “We didn’t bring any suits though.”

“Not a problem,” Tony said. “Parker loves to shop, and always has more extra ones around than we could ever wear out.”

“Great,” Cody responded, grinning. “I’m kinda anxious to see both you guys in Speedos.”

“Who said we were gonna wear suits?” Tony replied quickly.

The startled look on the two guests’ faces was a perfect ‘gotcha’.

        *        *        *

“Have you thought about living at Thornton?” Ron asked Cody as they relaxed after dinner with Matt on three easy chairs in the library away from their other guests.

“Pete and I talked about it after work. Is it really true that I can leave whenever I want?”

“Yes, it’s true,” Ron responded. “All we ask is that you give it a fair shot. We plan on making an investment in your future from day one. It would be unfair to throw that away without giving it a real chance.”

“Yeah, I can understand that. How long do you mean by a ‘fair shot’?”

“We’ve made special arrangements to enroll our boys in school. It’s partway through the spring semester now, so I’d say that you should at least give it until school is out. What grade were you in at home?”

“I was a freshman in high school, Ron. So far I’ve only missed two weeks of school, so I think I could continue on ok.”

“So what do you think?” Matt asked.

“Honestly, I’d rather stay with Pete, but that’s not possible without a job. He can’t afford to support us both, and it’s unfair to even ask him since we only met yesterday.  I guess I don’t have much choice.”

“It’s rare when a person really has no choice,” Matt answered. “Most of the time it’s a matter of making the best choice, even if none of the choices is exactly what you want. You often have to make the choice that’s best for you in the long run, even if it’s not what you want to do now. Your best choice, if it were available, is to go home.”

“You know that’s not a choice for me,” Cody said. “My dad made it clear that I was no longer his son.”

“Assuming that that is still true, your second choice is to stay with Pete. You said that’s what you want to do. Even if it were possible, is that your best choice? What kind of future does it offer you?”

“I see where you’re going, Matt. You think that the Center is the best place for me.”

“What we think is not important, Cody,” Ron said. “You’ve been thrust into the adult world and even though you’re an adult in size, your young age and inexperience bring with them many drawbacks to your being successful in it. Thornton would give you time and help to get prepared to face the world on your own. Nevertheless, it’s your choice. If you can’t commit to making the Thornton experience a successful one, then I’d suggest that you turn the offer down.

“You want me to say no? You don’t want me?

“On the contrary, I think you’d be a real asset to the campus,” Ron answered. “As you know, you would be our first family member at Thornton. We feel personally responsible to see that our first son’s experience is successful. You know that Matt will be on the staff as a counselor. We intend to see to it that our youths are happy and have a good experience with us there. It’s a new operation and everything is not going to work perfectly at first. We need input from our guys and you in particular, to make the Thornton Center a truly great place to be.”

“If you need more time to make up your mind,” Matt added, you could take the weekend to think about it.”

“I’ve thought all day about it already. Another day or two won’t change anything. I’ll accept your offer,” Cody said with a grim smile.

“That’s great! Congratulations!” Ron said enthusiastically. “I think you’ve made the right choice.”

“I couldn’t agree with Ron more,” Matt added. “I really look forward to working with you to make Thornton a really great place to live.”

“Thanks guys,” I feel a lot better knowing that you’ll be there, Matt.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. One that I have yet to earn,” Matt said in return. “You can be sure that I intend to honor your confidence in me.”

“Now that the decision has been made,” Ron said. “I think it’s time to call your parents.”

“Why?  I don’t want to talk to them. I hate my father!” Cody said in an outburst, verging on tears.

“I wasn’t suggesting that you make the call, unless you want to,” Ron replied. “They are your parents, though. It looks like they’ve done a good job of raising you so far. They at least deserve to know that you’re ok!”

“As long as I don’t have to talk to them, it’s alright,” Cody said after regaining his composure.

Ron wrote down the number as Cody recited it from memory, then picked up the phone and dialed. After a moment’s pause, he began to speak.

“Hello, Mrs. Desmond? You don’t know me, but my name is Ron. I’m calling about your son, Cody”…. “Yes,” Ron replied after a pause, “he’s safe and fine. That’s what I called to tell you.”….  “I’d rather not say right now. He’s in another state, a little worse for the wear, but he’s fine. I’m involved in social work and he’s being cared for. That’s all I can say right now. He said that he was thrown out by his father for being gay. I wanted to know if he’s still unwelcome at home?”…. “He said what?”…. “Well, his story and Cody’s are somewhat different, but that’s between the two of you. I’m willing to send Cody back if he’s welcome, or put him in school here if he isn’t. If he can’t be accepted at home, I will need to get papers signed by you for his guardianship. At this point I have problems acting on his behalf since he’s a minor.”…. “Yes, I can understand that you need to discuss it. “….”Oh, he’s not home?  I’m sorry I missed him. Would it be alright to call back tomorrow?”…. “Good! What time would be convenient?”…. “Fine, I’ll call back at noon then. Thank you for speaking with me”…. “Good Night.”

“What did she say?” Cody asked after Ron hung up the phone.

“She said that your father told her that the two of you got into a fight, and that you ran away.”

“He’s a lying sack of shit!” Cody yelled. “He threw me away and said that I was no longer his son. He threatened to have me arrested if I came back.”

Cody burst into tears. Matt went to the chair where Cody was sitting and pulled the youth up to his waiting embrace. Ron joined his partner and wrapped his arms around them both.

“Why couldn’t they love me?” he sobbed.

“Be strong and be patient. Your folks may come around. You know, finding out that your son is gay can be quite a shock for parents. Maybe all they need is time. Ron and I both felt rejection by our parents when they found out we were gay. We do understand how you feel.  You have love here, Cody, I know it’s not the same, but it will have to be enough for now. You must know that you’re not alone; Ron and I care for you and are glad to have you in our lives.”

“You guys had trouble with your parents too?” Cody asked.

“Yes,” Ron answered. “Matt’s father was so homophobic that he didn’t dare reveal his feelings, and he left home as soon as he was able to support himself. Mine threatened my college lover’s family to the point that he ultimately killed himself.”

“How awful!” Cody said in shock.

“Yes, I almost destroyed myself in my grief. Only a couple of older guys, like Matt and me, saved me from completely screwing up my life. Now we want to help others like you. We know what rejection can do to the heart of a young man.”

“I’m sorry, I was so negative,” Cody said apologetically. “I see all that you have here and
I assumed that you were just a couple of gay do-gooders, who had nothing better to do with your time and money.”

“It’s ok, friend. No harm done.” Matt replied. “Just know that you’re not alone. We’ll be here for you.”

“Thanks guys. And I mean it sincerely.”

“You’re welcome, Cody. Hey, I think it’s time to rejoin the other guys. I’m sure that you youngsters are ready for a little swim or some time in the hot tub or both.”

After Cody thanked Ron and Matt again, the three young men headed for the library door. Cody led the way and after exiting the room, walked rapidly toward the game room where Pete, Tony and Jeff waited for their new friend. Matt and Ron moved slower and finally stopped when Cody disappeared around a corner.

“Did I ever tell you I love you?” Matt asked as he pulled Ron to him, wrapping his arms around his lover.

“Yeah, but tell me again. Kids aren’t the only ones who need to feel wanted,” Ron replied smiling.  

Matt didn’t use words. He leaned into his lover and kissed him tenderly.

“Mmmm, that was wonderful Babe,” Ron said, a smile reflecting his pleasure. “Maybe we could do this some more when our guests leave and we’re alone.”

“That was just the appetizer Babe. I’ve got a full course in mind, along with some dessert!”

“Yum, that’s what I love, a gourmet!” Ron said grinning. “I can hardly wait.”

“Come on, silly,” Matt replied with a wink. “We do still have guests.”

Taking Ron’s hand he led his lover toward the area where their company was entertaining themselves.

            *        *        *

Four young men watched as the warm vapors rose into the air above the hot tub where they were immersed. They had all agreed to swim naked after Tony turned off the lights flooding the pool deck. Only the underwater pool lights and a light in the hot tub remained on. What light was available was enough that Pete got a good peek at Cody’s sizable 6” soft dick.

‘Wow,’ Pete thought to himself, “He’s as big as me soft. When I saw him getting into bed, I thought 7”, but if there’s any growth in that thing when he gets hard, that puppy might be as large as mine, and I’m 9” hard. He may be a kid in age, but he’s got man-size equipment. Damn, it’s too bad he’s so young.”

Ron had taken Pete aside after his conversation with Cody, and asked if Pete would allow Cody to stay with him until the Thornton facility could be completed and had offered to cover the new “family member’s” living expenses. After Pete agreed, he asked Pete to bring Cody to the estate on the following morning so that Parker could take their newest addition shopping for clothing. He told him that he could accompany the pair or go do his own thing and Parker would return Cody to Pete’s later in the day. Finally Ron gave Pete 3 $100 bills to compensate for his ‘inconvenience.’ Pete tried to refuse, stating that he enjoyed the younger guy’s company, but Ron wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, aware of the young man’s financial situation.

Pete, who was no slouch in the looks department, assessed his hot tub companions as he lay back in the steaming water. There wasn’t a bad apple in this barrel, he concluded. Tony, who obviously felt at home here, was younger than he, probably about 16, but well filled out not only in his body but also in equipment. His looks were not spectacular, but he had a cute face, with tossed light brown hair and sparkling hazel eyes. He had a lean but muscled build from working on the farm, with wisps of hair on his chest and light hair on his arms and legs. At about 5’ 9” tall, he still carried a country twang in his speech that belied his roots, but he was not difficult to understand unless he got excited and talked too fast. At those times the ‘country’ would appear in some of his words. It was obvious that his normal conversation was carried on with some effort to minimize a country image.
    
Jeffery was a knockout! He had short black hair, piercing blue eyes and was perhaps 5’11” tall. He was slim too, but had a more urban smooth look that would appear spectacular in an Armani outfit. His sexual equipment appeared about average in its soft state. His chest was smooth and his armpit hair and pubes were dark accent spots on a nearly hairless body. He looked like a model, sleek, polished, but not muscle bound. Unfortunately, Jeffery was ‘attached’ to another guy by the name of Robert, who he obviously adored. He was very friendly but made it pretty clear very early on that he was ‘took.’

The four youths formed an easy friendship over the course of the evening, fully enjoying each other, their surroundings, and each other’s companionship. There was no pressure to be anything but yourself, which Cody found very comforting. He hoped that his stay at the Thornton Center would not mean an end to the camaraderie that he felt with these guys. He particularly felt attracted, both emotionally and physically to Pete, his benefactor.  Cody saw that Pete had been startled by his age, and had seemed to pull away from physical contact when Cody had been truthful. He now almost wished that he had lied. He hoped that somehow, some way, during his stay with Pete that he could coax the older youth into teaching him the more intimate sexual acts of gay men. A plan began to form in the youth’s mind. He gave his new roommate his best ‘come on’ smile. Pete returned the smile, with the hint of longing tied to frustration.

‘Oh, if you only knew what I have planned for you, my friend,’ Cody thought as his dick began to respond to this thoughts.

        *    *    *    *    *

(Grin)  JET