DISCLAIMER:
M/M, m/m, M/m
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This story contains descriptions of explicit sexual acts of boys and men discovering their sexuality. It contains graphic scenes of sex between consenting underage boys, consenting adult males and boys with adult males (eventually). If this type of content offends you or you are under the age of 18, do not read it.
If it is illegal to read such material where you live or if you find the topic distasteful, then please stop reading now. You have been warned.
This story is the property of the author. It can be downloaded for personal reading pleasure or sending to a friend, but if you wish to re-post them at your own site, please contact the author for permission.
Copyright 2016 WSC, all rights reserved.
A copy of the story has been assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of its submission agreement. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to enderwiggin61@outlook.com
All flames will be politely ignored.
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Author's Note:
I started writing this story, never intending it to grow into what it has become. It seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hope you enjoy.
Also, if you are enjoying this story, my first story can be found here:
https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/moments
Saturday morning began around eight when I unceremoniously received several sharp jabs in the ribs. Untangling myself from the lithe young form of Eric who was snoring lightly between Tom and me, I rolled over to find Josh and Joey standing there, eyes wide with surprise.
"Can I help you?" I muttered as I wiped the sleep from my eyes.
"What's my brother doin' in here?" Josh asked with curiosity.
"Sleepin', ya' goober."
"Not anymore, I'm not," Eric moaned as he rolled over behind me, stiff cock settling neatly in my rear cleft as he did so. "Get outta' here, bro. We'll be out in a few minutes."
"Not `til you tell me why you're in here and not out in the living room where you're supposed to be," Josh demanded.
"The couch sucked, dude. Simple as that. Max and Tom let me sleep with them after I begged."
"Yeah, I'll bet that's not all that sucked last night," Joey giggled. "I know I did," he added with a smirk.
"So did I," Josh readily agreed with a giggle and a glorious smile gracing his face.
"You know, we're fine with you boys having sex, but we don't need to hear the details of your escapades."
"You want details, Dad, we'll be happy to share, maybe give you and Pops some ideas for yourselves," Joey grinned.
"I said we don't want to hear them. Go clean your ears out."
"So, you on a first name basis with them now?" Josh quizzed his brother.
"They said I could, now get outta here so we can get up."
"Ooh, afraid you'll scare the little kids with your big morning wood?" Joey teased the older boy.
Eric threw the covers off and got to his knees behind me. "There, that what you want to see you little horndogs?"
"Yeah, not bad, Eric," Joey commented with an appreciative smile and nod. "Love the little hairs you're sportin' down there. Okay, we can go now," he added glibly. As the two turned to leave, I heard Joey say to Josh, "You were right, he does have a nice one when it's hard."
"Told ya' dude," Josh replied with a smile.
"I didn't really look at him last night, I was too busy lookin' at you," Joey giggled.
As Josh pulled the door closed behind them, Eric curled back up behind me and muttered, "God damn it. I can't hardly move without Josh watchin' me. I know he's gay and likes dick, but I wish he'd quit gawkin' at me all the time. I mean, dad's naked all the time, too, why doesn't he stare at him once in a while." As he vented his frustration, Eric was wiggling back into his previous position with his hardness slipping smoothly back into position.
"Maybe that'll change now that he and Joey seem to be involved."
"God, I hope so or I'm gonna start wearin' shorts at home again," Eric replied.
"Mmmm," I purred in delight as Eric wiggled a little more. "Hold that thought for later, young man, we have to get moving." I forced my body away from the tumescent teen and padded across the bedroom to the bathroom. "Why don't you see if you can get Tom up while I take care of business in here?" I asked as I closed the bathroom door. After stepping over to the stool, I realized I wasn't going to be able to pee, not with the hardon I had. Waking up and having a thirteen-year-old slip his hard cock in your crack is not conducive to draining your bladder, no matter how full it might be.
I resorted to leaning against the wall with one hand while jacking off with the other as images from last night's fucking of Eric's tight ass floated across my synapses. After unceremoniously dropping a load into the toilet, I was finally deflated enough to actually go. The growing pain in my bladder eased when the flow finally started. That task handled, I stepped to the sink and, after wetting a washcloth, washed my face and then my groin to remove any hint of what I'd just done. When I felt I was respectable enough to be seen by others, I returned to the bedroom to make sure everyone was moving in the right direction. I found two people moving in there, all right, but I don't think their movements were quite the direction I was looking for.
"All right you two, break it up. We got places to go, things to do and people to kill. We don't have time for dillydallying this morning."
"Hey," Eric protested innocently as he lifted his head from Tom's crotch, "You said to get Tom up, but you didn't specify how. Not my fault if I didn't understand your instructions."
After lifting Eric's body from where he was straddling Tom's head and moving the young man aside, Tom added, "Yeah, don't blame the kid if you weren't clear with your intentions. Besides, I'm up, see?" he added, waving to his crotch.
"People at the top of the Willis Tower can see you're up, smartass. Eric, bathroom, then go put the couch back together and get dressed. Check on the others and make sure everybody's moving and dressed. Please and thank you." The young lad slipped off the bed and proudly strutted to the bathroom, thankfully making no attempt to conceal his beautiful body as he did so. As he passed by me, I gave him a light swat on his bare behind, causing him to jump the last few feet to the bathroom door. As he closed the door behind him, I sat on the edge of bed and gazed lustfully at the man who still occupied the space.
Faking a serious tone, I said, "C'mon, Tom, we're supposed to be setting an example for these boys this weekend. Molesting the guests first thing in the morning isn't quite the example I had in mind."
"Hey, I was just educating Eric on the finer art of waking up any future boyfriend or girlfriend he may have. Consider it a public service."
"Looked more like a pubic service to me."
"Public, pubic, whatever. Those two have always confused me," he cracked with an evil grin.
"I'm surprised you're not sitting in jail right now, `cause I'm pretty sure exposing your pubic to the public is against the law."
"Just been lucky, what can I say," he laughed. "What's takin' him so long in there?" he asked with a grumble.
"Probably doing the same thing I just did so he can pee," I laughed.
"You, Maxwill Sanders, are a bad, bad man, a horrible influence on the kids," Tom lamented solemnly while shaking his head.
"Who, innocent little old me?" I asked demurely. "Not a chance. I'm as pure as the driven snow. Okay, as pure as the dust on the mantle at home. Oh, who the hell am I kiddin', I'm as dirty as a freakin' mudslide. And I'm lovin' every second of it."
Tom grabbed my arm and pulled me into a bearhug. "And yet, I still love you, mud and all."
"That's a good thing, hon."
Eric finally exited the bathroom and crowed, "All right, dillydally time! Pile on!" He leapt the few feet to the bed, jumped on my back, and squished Tom in the process since he was on the bottom of the pile.
"Oomph, y'all better get the hell off me or you're gonna have to change the sheets today," he grunted. A laughing Eric rolled off us to the left and I rolled to the right. Once we were no longer blocking him in, Tom scooted to the end of the bed and hustled to the now empty bathroom to take care of matters of necessity.
"Eric, sit up for a minute, please," I asked the still giggling boy. "I want to talk to you for a minute before you go get ready for the day." I waited patiently as the young man pushed himself into a sitting position facing me, legs crossed in front of him, before continuing. "I want you to know that while Tom and I both enjoyed our, um, activities last night, we don't make a habit of allowing young boys into our bed. I'm hoping you don't think we took advantage of you."
"Are you freakin' kiddin' me?" Eric asked incredulously. "I was literally in heaven, Max, and I loved every second of what we did together. And you didn't force me to do anything I didn't want to do, which I knew you wouldn't. Besides, it was me who took advantage of you two. Look, you guys were obviously horned up after saying goodnight to the others, and god knows I was, too. Especially after Stella. Damn, she was hot. Anyway, listening to the others screw around didn't help me out at all. And I really didn't want to just jerkoff by myself. I figured you wouldn't say no to me joining you last night since you were both horny and you'd already jerked me off. I think you enjoyed that as much as I did."
I blushed lightly at being so transparent but carried on. "Be that as it may, you need to know what happened between us last night is not normal for us and you shouldn't expect something like that to happen every time we get together."
"No worries, Max, I'm not your typical stupid kid. But I am thirteen, gonna be fourteen in a few months, and I'm always looking for new and fun ways to get off. And I've discovered quite a few since the night we were at your house, thanks to you and Tom talking to our dad, so we're cool. And before you say it, I know not to say nothin' to nobody. Except for Dad, maybe. I think he deserves to know what I've been up to." Eric grinned slyly at his own innuendo, as did I.
"Then I guess we're all on the same page. I just don't want there to be any misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Between us and you. Or your dad."
"Don't worry `bout Dad, I'll make sure he knows the score and that I climbed into your bed on my own accord. He won't be a problem. And just to warn ya', I'm really lookin' forward to tonight," Eric added with a wink.
"Ha! I just bet you are. One more thing I want to ask you. Are you willing to help us keep an eye on the younger boys these next two days? I think we're gonna have our hands full."
"You bet. I'm glad you trust me enough to help you guys."
"Of course, we do. You're practically family. Now, scoot on outta here and carry on. We need to be on the way in a little bit."
"I'ma scootin', Max." As Eric crawled off the bed, he stopped and we shared a hug before he moved on. Just before opening the bedroom door, he stopped, turned back around and asked in a serious tone of voice, "Is it gonna be okay if I still call you guys Max and Tom in front of the others? I've kinda gotten used to it and it makes me feel all grown up."
"Sure thing, Eric. And thanks for your help with the others." I got up and started to get dressed for the day ahead as Eric left the room, closing the door behind him. Tom finally emerged from the bathroom looking refreshed and ready to roll. Well, ready except for the technicality of his not being dressed. "C'mon, big guy, get a move on or we'll be late for our tour."
"I'm movin' as fast as I can, boss. That damn kid had me so close to poppin', I had to take care of a little extra business this morning. Fuck, he really knows how to suck dick for a straight kid."
"Don't try to tell me you didn't enjoy your wake-up call," I laughed as he started pulling on his clothes.
"Oh, I ain't sayin' that, not at all. In fact, I can't think of a better way to wake up. Too bad you can't arrange for service like that every day."
"Don't hold your breath, bucko. He is a sexy little fucker, though, isn't he?"
"Without a doubt. Not gonna be little for much longer, I'd guess, not with the way he's developin', already. He should be proud."
"Oh, he is, believe me. I sometimes wonder if I'd started growin' more than hair at his age if I'd be bigger now."
"Babe, I've told you, you're absolutely perfect just the way you are. Would you quit obsessin' about that?"
"I'll try," I acquiesced. "Well, you ready to get this show on the road? We got nine wild monkeys to feed before we leave."
"As ready as I'll ever be. I hope they thought to get some cereal and milk last night. I wasn't payin' much attention at the store."
As we headed to join the boys, I added, "By the way, I asked Eric to help us rein in the herd these next couple days. I figured we might need it."
"Good thinkin'. He's should be a great help."
We left the bedroom finally and after a quick search, found the boys in the kitchen. Apparently, we had been taking too long to get ready and they'd decided to feed themselves. Not only had they thought about cereal and milk, but there were some boxes of powdered and chocolate doughnuts, also. All nine of the boys already had something to eat and they seemed to be making short work of it as they were anxious to get moving. Tom and I had just enough time to brew some coffee and scarf down a doughnut or two before we were being shoved out the door.
Out on the front porch and after looking for the limo, Joey asked, "Where's Tony?"
"Tony's not meeting us until eleven."
"Then why are we out here so early?" Alex asked.
"Our first stop is just a few blocks away and I thought we'd walk there this morning. Before we leave the porch, though, there's a few rules you all need to know while we're up here. First, when we need to cross the street, we wait until we're all together and we have a walk signal before anyone goes. People up here drive like idiots and I don't want to take any chances on somebody getting run over. Second, stay on the sidewalks and don't walk through people's yards. Third, if we ask you or tell you to do something, do it, no arguments. Got it?" After receiving quick nods of agreement from all, I turned to Tom and asked, "Did I miss anything important?"
"Yeah, Eric's agreed to help us keep an eye on you guys so, what he says goes. You need to treat him with respect just like you do us. Understood?" Again, nods from all despite a few frowns from the older boys. Eric, on the other hand, was pleased as punch to be included as an adult with Tom and me and puffed his chest out in accordance with his new stature among the herd. Tom promptly knocked him down a rung on the ladder when he added, "Don't let it go to your head, young man. We can still overrule you, though I don't think we'll need to."
"Okay, I think we're ready to move. Who wants to lead the parade?" Andy was the first to raise his hand, so I continued, "Okay, Andy and Mike in front, T.J. and Logan next, Alex, Brent go third, leaving Joey and Josh at the rear. Eric, you can float among the others while Tom and I bring up the rear. I'll call out turns as we go. Let's move out!"
Andy and Mike headed down the sidewalk towards the street and I called out `left' about halfway there. When they reached the main sidewalk, Andy started to turn to the right and I corrected him with, "No, your other left, Andy!" With a hop and a skip, the leaders changed tacks and we were headed in the correct direction. We noticed during our walk that Josh and Joey were holding hands while Brent and Alex weren't. I was wondering if there was any real significance to that, but, if there was, it was lost on me at the moment. Eric, true to his word, was dutifully mingling among the other eight and keeping a very close watch over all of them. Ten minutes later and a few more turns, we were standing in front of our destination.
"What's this place, Dad?" T.J. asked.
"Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio," I answered. "Do any of you know who Wright was?"
"I do, Max," Eric beamed proudly. "My class went on a field trip to the Dana-Thomas house in Springfield last fall. It was really cool, especially the bowling alley in the basement. And all the stained glass he designed for the home blew my mind."
"Yes, the Dana-Thomas house was also one of Wright's projects, though it's been years since I've been there. Frank Lloyd Wright was a very important and renowned architect who believed in and developed a design philosophy he called organic architecture. He wanted the building to blend in with nature as much as possible. His most famous project that exemplified his philosophy is a home in Pennsylvania called Fallingwater. But this is where he lived and worked for part of his career. Would you like to go see the inside?"
The answer to my question became evident as Andy and Mike promptly started up the sidewalk to the front porch. After all of us had gathered on the porch, I said, "This is the type of place where we only touch things with our eyes and not our hands, understood?" With acceptance nods from all, I opened the door and led the group inside.
"Good morning and welcome to Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and Studio," the docent greeted us. "Thanks for stopping in this beautiful day. My name is Emily. How can I help you?"
"Good morning, my name is Max Sanders and I've arranged for a tour this morning," I replied.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Sanders. I have you right at the top of our list of guests for today. Is this a school group you're bringing with you today?"
"No, these are our sons and a few of their friends," I answered, waving a hand over the boys surrounding us. "We're in Chicago for the weekend and since my place is just a few blocks away, I thought we'd start our day here."
"And such a fine-looking group of young men you have. Welcome, boys, we hope you enjoy the tour. Your guide will be here shortly. Feel free to wander and look around a bit while you wait, all we ask is ..."
"Yeah, we know, no touching," Joey completed her thought. "Dad already told us."
"Good for you, Dad," Emily replied with a smile. "Many of the items in the home are irreplaceable. Ah, here's your guide now. Scott, this is Mr. Sanders and his family. Please take good care of them."
"You know I will Emily. Good morning, Mr. Sanders, thanks for stopping in this morning," Scott greeted me while shaking my hand. "Who all do we have here?"
"Well, this is my partner, Tom, and these are our sons and some of their friends." I went around the group, introducing them all to Scott and they politely shook his hand as each one was called out.
"Quite the group you've got here. Well, let's get moving. There's a lot to see." Scott took the lead and the boys fell in behind him as we dove deeper into the house. We spent the next hour being led through the home and studio with Scott providing descriptions, history and functions of each space we visited. He also took the time to patiently answer every question the boys asked. And there were more than I thought there would be, most especially from Eric, who seemed to be more interested in the experience than you would normally expect from your average thirteen-year-old.
Not too surprisingly, the boys were most impressed with the enormous children's playroom with its high arched stained-glass ceiling and wide-open floor area. I could just imagine the antics, and trouble, the boys would get into in a space that size. The most heard comment from them about the room was that we needed a room like this in our new home. Tom and I weren't in a position to argue the point with them since we agreed with them completely.
At the end of the tour, Scott asked, "So do any of you have any other questions or comments?"
Eric raised his hand and responded, "Yeah, I do. What do you have to do to become an architect? I think I'd like that kind of job."
"Well, I'm not really sure, young man. In all the years I've worked here, I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before, so I've never taken the time to find the answer. My best recommendation for you would be to talk to your school's guidance counselor. They would be in a much better position to know and I'm sure he or she would be more than happy to help you realize your dream."
"Okay, thanks. I'll check into it next week."
"Any other questions?" Scott asked.
T.J. piped up, "Did any of Mr. Wright's kids follow their father and become architects?"
"Now that one, I do know the answer. Wright had seven children and also adopted one of his wife's daughter's. His son, Frank Lloyd Wright, Jr., became a well-known architect in Los Angeles and his son, Eric Lloyd Wright, is an architect in Malibu. Another son, John Lloyd Wright, became an architect, practicing in San Diego, and is also known for inventing the Lincoln Logs toys in 1918. His daughter, Elizabeth practiced architecture in Colorado Springs and she has two daughters who also carry on the Wright legacy, one as an interior designer and the other as a professor of architecture. Those are just a few who followed Wright into the art of architecture and design."
"Cool," T.J. enthused. "Maybe we could get one of them to design our new house."
"I don't know, T.J.," I responded. "It doesn't sound like any of them are in the area. That might make it difficult to get them involved."
"But you could try," he retorted.
"Yes, all right, we'll try," I acquiesced.
"Anything else," Scott asked. With no takers, he added, "Well, on behalf of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, I'd like to thank you for visiting the site today. You were a great group to have and I hope you enjoyed the tour. Please, take a moment and visit the museum's gift shop out back. All proceeds from the sales there go to support the preservation of this and other Wright designed properties." After a quick glance at his watch, Scott added, "Whoops, my next group starts in ten minutes. Just enough time to wet my whistle. Thanks again and have a great day."
After shaking hands with Tom and me and receiving hugs or handshakes from all the boys, Scott disappeared around the corner and left us to our own devices. We ambled outside and headed for the shop to see what items they had available while we waited for Tony to arrive. The boys were on their best behavior as they browsed with only their eyes and we were very impressed with the way they comported themselves. The time was winding down towards eleven and our meeting up with Tony, so we started to round up the herd and head for the exit. As I laid a hand on Eric's shoulder to help guide him through the other customers, he looked up at me with the saddest eyes I'd seen so far on this trip.
"What's up, Eric?"
"They've got a stained glass hanging I'd love to get for my room, but I don't have enough money. Dad could only give us twenty bucks each for the weekend and the piece I want to get is almost a hundred."
"Well, I'd be willing to help you get what you want. We just need to figure out some way for you to pay me back. Would that work for you?
"Really!? You'd do that?"
"Like I said earlier, Eric, you're practically family. Of course, I'd do that."
"Oh, man, you're the greatest, Max!" he gushed as he hugged me. "Thanks."
"Let me tell Tom we'll be out in a minute, be right back." I stepped outside and relayed the news to Tom, then returned inside to pay for Eric's item. In dealing with the clerk, I asked, "Can you tell if they stock this item at the Dana-Thomas home in Springfield? We're flying back home tomorrow afternoon and I don't want to take a chance on it being broken."
"Sure thing, one moment, sir." After a quick check on her computer, she came back with, "No, I'm sorry, they don't stock that particular piece. What I can do, though, is pack it and ship it with another load of merchandise going down there next week. Then, you'd be able to pick it up there whenever it's convenient."
"That would be perfect. Thank you very much."
"No problem sir. The truck is scheduled to go down on Wednesday and you should be able to pick it up Thursday. Is that satisfactory?"
"Very much so." I handed over my credit card to pay for the hanging and shipping, and once the transaction was completed, she handed my card and receipt back to me. "Thanks for your help today."
"And thank you for visiting. Hope you guys have a great day."
Eric and I left the store and after a quick look around, found Tom standing by a gate at the end of the drive. He waved us over and Eric took off running to join the others. I continued to stroll across the parking lot at a normal pace and by the time I reached Tom, Eric had already climbed into the waiting limo with the rest of the boys.
As I closed the distance myself, Tom asked, "Mission successful?"
"Yep. We can pick his item up at the Dana-Thomas home late next week."
"I figured as much. He looked pretty happy as he flew by me."
"Now, we just need to come up with a way for him to pay us back. Maybe some mowing or something this spring."
"I can think of much nicer ways, but yeah, mowing will work, too."
"C'mon, Tom, get your mind out of the bedroom."
"I'm tryin', but it's hard."
I stopped and pulled him into a quick hug, snaking a hand between us to feel his crotch while I did. "Well, no, but it's got potential."
"What're you doin'," he sputtered.
"Just seein' if it was hard like you said."
"Damn it, Max, you can't do shit like that in public."
"Why not, you think other engaged couples hold back?"
"Well, no, I suppose they don't."
"Then why should we?" I grinned. Tom just shook his head in disbelief.
We finally reached Tony and the limo and Tom climbed in while I chatted with Tony for a moment about our destination, the Field Museum of Natural History with a stop for lunch on the way. He assured me he had planned for the day and knew the perfect place to take us for a quick but yummy meal that the boys were sure to enjoy. That handled, I climbed inside the tank and took my place next to Tom on the back seat. As soon as Tony closed the door, I was assaulted by the exuberant and ecstatic Eric.
Eric crawled in my lap and squeezed the stuffing out of me while squealing, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Max. I was really bummed when I saw how much they wanted for that piece."
"Happy to help, buddy," I replied after he released me.
"I swear I'll pay you back, I don't know how, but we'll figure something out," he offered.
"I'm sure we'll come up with something, too. I was thinking maybe some mowing this spring or something along those lines."
"Yeah, I guess that would work," he started with a frown, "but I was thinking maybe something else might be better," he retorted while wiggling his eyebrows.
"What is it with you two?" I asked with a chuckle. "Tom was thinking the same thing."
"Great minds think alike, Max," Tom replied.
"Yeah? Well, so do horny ones," I laughed. "You better hop back in your seat, Eric. I don't think riding in my lap will be safe."
"Oh, I don't know, I'm pretty comfy," he answered while wiggling his beautiful ass in my lap.
"Move it now, bucko," I insisted.
"Party pooper," he grumped as he crawled back to his own seat.
Twenty minutes later, Tony was pulling the limo into the parking lot of pizza place where you can buy it by the slice. And considering the reputation that Chicago deep dish pizza has, it was probably a good idea as I figured each of us could only handle one slice since we'd recently had breakfast. After opening the door, the boys clambered out first, followed by Tom and me. Tom led the group into the building and as he did so, I felt a tug on my jacket sleeve.
I looked down to find T.J. next to me and asked, "What's up, T.J.?"
"Um, I need to talk to you `bout somethin'," he muttered nervously.
"Okay, you wanna do it while we eat?"
"Pro'lly as good a time as any," he admitted.
"Then we'll sit apart from the others, okay?" With a quick nod, we followed the others inside. Once everyone had picked out what they wanted, and I paid for our meals, we found some tables to use, T.J.'s and mine deeper in the restaurant so we could have our talk.
"Holy crap, this pizza's thick!" T.J. commented as we took our chairs.
"Yep, that's Chicago style," I agreed as I took my first bite and reveled at the deliciousness of it. "Now, what's so important."
"You remember when I said I wouldn't tell Andy and Mike about how much you and Pops really love us?" he whispered conspiratorially.
I blanched at his boldness and where I knew this conversation was going. "Yes, I remember. Please tell me you didn't."
"Well, yes and no," the boy muttered.
"Care to explain that a little better?" I asked.
"Okay, last night when Andy came back from showing you his, uh, you know, he asked why Eric was in bed with you and Pops, okay. He thought it was kinda weird, but he also said it was hot. Mike said he thought Eric was just horny like the rest of us were after that first movie."
"Go on," I prompted.
"Well, I said somethin' stupid like `I bet it's more than that'. When Mike and Andy asked what I was talkin' `bout, I told `em I couldn't say no more or you two would get really mad. That's when Logan said he thought you and Pops liked boys." I hung my head in shame that Logan had managed to figure us out so easily. "I told him to shut up, but Andy grabbed me by the you-know-whats and forced it outta me. I swear, Dad, I didn't want to say nothin', but then, when he squeezed `em, it hurt so bad I thought I was gonna die."
"So, you told them the truth about Pops and me to keep from being hurt?"
"Yeah, but that ain't all that happened. After the cat was outta the bag, I told `em `bout what we'd done together that one night and what you might do with them, too, if they asked for it. But I also told `em that you guys would never do anything to hurt us. I don't think Mike and Andy really believed you'd be doing that kinda stuff with Eric, and Andy said he wanted to see for himself. Mike and Logan agreed with him and joined Andy at the bedroom door. I told `em all we shouldn't do it or we'd all get in big trouble, but they insisted they were goin', so I went along with them."
"Oh, Jesus, T.J. That's why our bedroom door was open this morning, wasn't it? I thought Andy closed it when he went back to bed and was confused when we got up."
"Well, yeah, I guess so. After Andy pushed your door open and we saw the three of you doin' what you was doin', we just went back to our room. I'm really sorry, Dad. I know we shouldn't have been snoopin', but I couldn't stop `em. I mean, it was three against one. I think they woulda beat the shit outta me if I'da stood in their way."
"That's not the way I wanted Mike and Andy to find out the truth, but what's done is done."
"I know, Dad, and again, I'm really sorry. I know you're pro'lly madder than hell right now and whatever punishment you give, I'll accept it. We screwed up, big time. But I gotta say that Andy was right. What we saw the three of you doin' together was hotter than hell."
"I'm not so much mad, T.J., but I am really disappointed. In all of you. But, it took a lot of guts for you to tell me what happened, and I can respect that. I can see we need to have a serious talk tomorrow night after we get home."
"You ain't gonna do it tonight?"
"No, I don't want to ruin our weekend over this. It can wait for us to be at home. Geez, I need to talk to Tom, too." I put my head in my hands and fought the headache I could feel coming on. I sat there for probably a minute, wallowing in self-pity and confusion, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to find T.J. had quietly disappeared and Tom was sitting next to me.
"You okay, babe?" he asked with concern.
"Yeah, just a headache, thanks."
"T.J.'s really worried about you. You wanna talk about it?"
"Later, okay? I can't deal with it right now without ruining the day, and I'm not doing that."
"Okay, if that's what you wanna do. But I'm gonna hold you to it. Deal?"
"Deal. Thanks. Well, we better get rollin'. Round `em up and let's move out."
We stood and aimed ourselves for the tables where the boys waited for us. After getting them up and moving, we headed back out into the day's bright sun and walked to the limo. After letting us inside and closing the door, Tony got us moving in the right direction. Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the museum and Tony dropped us at the door before moving the limo to the bus parking area. After getting everyone inside and paying our admission fees, we first found a pair of African bull elephants locked in battle.
But looming over and behind the two elephants was the museum's latest dinosaur addition, a Titanosaur, and the boys were all craning their necks to get a better view. The Titanosaur is a cast from a find in Argentina, over 120 feet in length and it garnered the attention of all the boys. Tom and I dutifully followed behind the herd as they made their way past the boring elephants and began to wander under and around the humongous skeleton. As they made the rounds of the display, they stopped at each information stand and Eric would read aloud what the placard had printed on it.
"Wow, this thing was a real monster," Andy commented.
"Yeah, good thing it ate plants ...," Joey began.
"... or we'd be his after-dinner snacks," Alex added as he concluded the thought.
"And if he did, he'd be just like you guys, hungry again ten minutes later," Tom cracked. After receiving daggers from our boys but laughs from the others, it was time to move on. We headed for the Evolving Planet exhibit which was up the stairs, just above the Titanosaur. My main reason for going there next was, after witnessing the boys' excitement over one dinosaur, I thought they might like to see one of the most famous dinosaur fossils ever discovered.
As we weaved our way through the area, dodging other museum visitors, we finally turned a corner and came face to face with Sue, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Andy and Mike shrank back into Tom and me after seeing the mean-looking behemoth as the others moved in closer to get a better look.
"Boys, meet Sue, the most complete, largest and best-preserved T-Rex fossil ever found. Ninety percent of what you see are her actual fossilized bones."
"WOW!," crowed T.J., "she's cool."
"Yes, she is. She'd also be happy to eat all of you for dinner since she's a meat eater," I commented.
"I don't think we'd stand a chance against her," Eric mused.
"No, probably not," Tom agreed. I poked Tom in the ribs and made a quick suggestion for a picture I wanted to take, and he was on board in a heartbeat. As I got my phone ready, he snuck up behind T.J. and grabbed him by the legs and shoulders. He then lifted the surprised lad up so it would appear he was about to be devoured by the beast. T.J. squealed loudly as his nose came within an inch of Sue's, and that's when I snapped the shot.
"Put me down!" T.J. cried. Tom slowly lowered T.J. back to the floor and when he had feet under him again, Tom released him. "Don't you ever do that to me again," T.J. fumed. "That wasn't funny." Then he turned to me and said, "Let me see the picture, did it come out good?" We all laughed at the swift change of attitude and I happily showed him the picture. "Damn, that's pretty funny. It really looks like I'm about to get eaten alive." He turned back to Tom and added, "Sorry, Pops, you just surprised me."
"It's okay, T.J., sorry if I scared you."
After the others had also seen the picture, it turned out they all wanted their pictures taken in a similar pose. So, we had them line up and, as Tom hoisted each boy in the air and they struck their pose, I took their picture. The only one who was a bit of a challenge for Tom to manhandle was Eric, but with a little help from Josh, even Eric got to join in the fun and had his picture.
After Tom set the thirteen-year-old on the floor again, he turned to Tom and commented, "Damn, man, I knew you were built, but you're stronger than you look. I weigh 105 pounds and you picked me up like I was nothin'."
"Lot's of weight training and exercise, Eric. Part of the job I used to have. I'm startin' to lose some of my strength, though, since I've quit workin' out. But exercisin' without a partner isn't much fun."
"I wouldn't mind workin' with ya' sometime. God knows I could use it."
"Well, when I have somewhere to do it, I'll let you know, see what we can do."
"Cool. Oops, looks like they're movin' on, we better catch up." Tom and Eric quickly caught up to the rest of the group as we continued meandering through the gallery. On leaving the exhibit, they all wanted to visit the Sue store, a small shop dedicated to all things Sue, so we made what I thought would be a quick stop. As it turns out, that was wishful thinking on my part as they all insisted on getting a Sue t-shirt before we could move on. After digging through the selection to find nine different shirts in the correct sizes, we finally left the little tourist trap and continued our journey through time.
We made our way around the remainder of the upper level before returning to the main floor to continue our exploration of the past. As we weaved through the displays of stuffed animals in a re-creation of their natural habitats, the boys were amazed at the wide variety of wildlife that existed on the planet. As you would expect, each display included a placard of information on the animal displayed within and a map of the world showing where it lived. Eric took it upon himself to read every card at every display out loud while the rest gawked at the display. After completing that side of the first floor and heading for the opposite side, Tom felt a tug on his sleeve.
"Yes, Andy, what's up?" he asked.
"I need to pee, Pops," he discretely whispered. "Can we find a bathroom?"
"Good thinking, Andy, I could use a bathroom, also." Tom caught our attention and quietly announced, "There's at least two of us who could use a bathroom break. Any other takers on a brief pitstop?" With everyone raising their hands in agreement, he said, "Okay, let's go."
"Can we get somethin' to drink, too?" Logan asked. "I'm gettin' thirsty."
"Sounds like we should head downstairs," I commented. "They have a snack bar down there. We can all use the bathroom, then get a drink and a snack." The boys all cheered with their acceptance of my plan, so we turned and made our way to the stairs that led to the lower level. As soon as we spotted the bathroom in the corner, the boys took off at a dead run. Apparently, their need was more desperate than they'd let on upstairs. Tom and I entered the facilities just as Eric and Josh were stepping to the sinks to wash their hands. "Do you mind corralling everybody while we take our turn?" I asked Eric as we passed behind him.
"Not a problem, Max. We'll be just outside the door."
"And remember, shake it more than three times and you're playing with it," Josh volunteered with a giggle.
"Thank you for that, Josh," Tom laughed as he messed up his hair. As we stood side by side to relieve ourselves, he commented, "My old man used to tell me the same damn thing."
"Mine, too," I chuckled. "Nice to know that no matter how much some things change, others stay the same."
With our hands washed, we headed out of the bathroom and rejoined the group impatiently waiting for us just outside the door. Our next stop was the snack bar for a drink and a munchie before continuing our tour. Since there were several smaller exhibits on the lower lever, we took advantage of that and made short work of them. The most interesting to the boys, of course, was `Inside Ancient Egypt', which was comprised of a re-creation of an ancient tomb and Egyptian market. What really caught their eyes were the more than twenty mummies on display. After finishing with the lower level, we returned upstairs to finish the other half of that level. Exhibits on that side of the museum dealt with the cultures of the ancient Americas, including the Native Americans, Aztecs, Mayans and others from North, Central and South America.
With our trip through the past completed, it was time to head outside and to the Shedd Aquarium. Since the aquarium was just across the park, we bypassed the limo and walked the short distance. After paying our admission fees, our first stop was the Caribbean Reef exhibit. We were just lucky enough to arrive at the monstrous exhibit to witness an aquarium employee dive in to feed the fish within. The boys were captivated by her interactions with the various species of aquatic critters. They were especially interested in her feeding of the shark and, a few minutes later, her enticing of the moray eel from its hideaway by dangling its meal just a foot outside the entrance.
"Wow, that'd be a cool job," Josh enthused. "Swim with the fishes and feed `em."
"Hell, I'd pay them if they'd let me do it," Joey laughed.
"Did you see the way she rubbed the shark's belly?" T.J. asked.
"It's like she thought it was a dog," Mike giggled.
We were finally able to pry the boys away from the display, but not until they had walked all the way around the outside of the large circular tank. We then perused the galleries of tanks holding a wide variety of fish and amphibians with Eric, again, volunteering to read every information placard at each display. After completing the round of the main level, we reached an elevator leading to a newer display named Wild Reef. The older boys grabbed Tom and me by the arms and as Andy and Mike led the way, we were unceremoniously dragged inside where Alex punched the button for us to go down.
What we found when the elevator doors opened was a tank even larger than the Caribbean Reef with more sharks, stingrays, and live corals, along with many other types of fish. Eric continued his volunteer task of reading every informational sign to the boys as we circled the enormous salt-water tank. The sheer variety of life within boggled the mind but paled in comparison when you considered how much other life made its home in our oceans and seas. When we'd at last circled around the entire display, it was time to re-board the elevator and head back up. Exiting the elevator, we made a turn that would take us to a part of the aquarium we'd bypassed so far in our ramblings.
After Tom and I led the boys down several flights of stairs and a few ramps, we finally exited the dark narrow confines of the area into the Abbott Oceanarium, a bright and sunny replica of the Pacific Northwest, complete with trees, boulders and an abundance of wildlife. The entire north end of the area is a glass wall that overlooks Lake Michigan and the Adler Planetarium and most of the ceiling was comprised of glass panels, also. Again, all the boys took off at a dead run as they zipped to the glass railing overlooking the huge tanks of water that held beluga whales, dolphins and sea lions.
We continued our stroll through the enclosed wilds, following another set of stairs down another level. At this depth, we could look through thick plexiglass walls at all the animals as they swam in lazy circles inside their tanks, occasionally surfacing for a breath of fresh air. Also down on this level was a rather cold corner that held a display of penguins with a replica of a rocky shoreline with a good-sized tank in which they could swim. The item that received the most attention in the Polar Play Zone was the penguin suit you could slip into to find out just what it was like to be a penguin. Another round of pictures ensued as each lad insisted they would be the best penguin. Unfortunately, the suit was just a bit too small for Josh and Eric and they had to settle for their picture being taken with them standing beside one of the others in the suit.
We continued our stroll around the lower level, watching the dolphins, sea lions and belugas continue to amuse us and everyone else. As we reached the far end of the Oceanarium, we made our way up a stairway where we found a tide pool housing sea urchins and other smallish creatures, and a separate tank of Alaska Sea otters. While the boys had enjoyed all the other animals we'd seen so far, they immediately fell in love with the otters and their playfulness.
"Oh, man, it'd be so cool to have one of those guys at home," Alex gushed.
"Yeah, he'd be right at home in your pool, wouldn't he?" Brent asked with a chuckle.
"For sure, dude."
Continuing up the stairs through a stand of trees, we found ourselves at a conveniently located food court. As soon as the boys saw it, they were all over us, begging for another drink, snack and bathroom break. Since Tom and I were both starting to feel a decline in our energy reserves, we gave in and soon enough, we had commandeered two tables to enjoy a brief respite from our wanderings. After finishing our snack and drink, it was time for everyone to visit the restroom.
Temporarily recharged and ready to move on, we left the food court in search of our next adventure. Our uncanny timing had us exiting the food court just as a show was about to begin in the amphitheater next door, so we quickly found seats close to where we thought the majority of the action would be and settled in to watch the dolphins perform their tricks and learn more about the amazing animals. At one point during the show, the trainer asked for a couple of volunteers to help him feed the dolphins and, amazingly, out of all the kids in attendance at the late afternoon show, Mike and Andy were the two selected.
Both boys were over the moon at being picked and they thoroughly enjoyed the task they were given. Andy, for his part, didn't much like holding onto a dead fish, but he squealed with glee when one of the dolphins gently took it from his hand and swallowed it whole, chattering as it did so. Mike, on the other hand, had absolutely no problem dealing with the dolphin's snack as he extended the hand holding the smelly dolphin delicacy about four feet above the water. In no time at all, one of the other dolphins leapt out of the water, snagging the fish in its mouth as it reached its peak, then splashed back into the large pool, soaking both Mike and Andy. Both boys were laughing hysterically at getting wet.
Before the show ended, the trainer had them lie down on their backs on a platform just a foot above the water's surface. As the trainer slapped the water, the three dolphins in the show swam a big circle around the tank, gathering speed, before aiming directly for the platform. As they approached the platform supporting the supine lads, they dove down deep and next thing you knew all three leapt from the water and flew over the boys before gracefully arcing back into the water. For their last trick, the trainer had Mike and Andy roll over on their bellies and hang their heads over the end of the platform. The three dolphins swam underneath the platform before slowly rising out of the water beneath them to `kiss' the boys.
When the show was over, the trainer thanked the boys for their help, gave them some wipes to clean the smell of dead fish from their hands and then sent them back to rejoin us. Two very wet but extremely happy young lads skipped their way back to us, laughing all the way. As they finally reached us, they were surrounded by the others, all asking questions about their experience.
The one that stood out came from Joey. "So, what's it like to get kissed by a dolphin?" he asked.
"Wet! But pretty cool," gushed Mike. "About like gettin' kissed by you," he added with a laugh.
"Probably better," Brent commented, earning a laugh from all of us.
"Oh yeah, what do you know about my kissing?" Joey retorted.
"Oh, I got my sources," Brent answered with a grin aimed at Alex.
"Well, let's see how you like this." Joey stepped over, wrapped Brent in a hug and proceeded to plant a huge kiss on the surprised boy's lips. When they finally separated, Joey asked, "So?"
"Not bad, grasshopper," Brent replied. "A bit more practice and you'll be as good as your brother." Brent's mediocre response caused a sad and pathetic frown to form on Joey's face.
Josh stepped in between the two, pulled Joey into a hug and promptly kissed him. I think it was mostly just to get Joey to shut his mouth, but there was some passion flowing in there, too. When they broke their lip lock, Josh countered with, "You're supposed to be kissin' me, dude, not him. Besides, don't listen to Brent `cause he don't know shit. You're a great kisser." With that affirmation, the smile returned to Joey's face and he stuck his tongue out at Brent and blew him a raspberry amid laughter from the entire crew.
Their antics had started to attract the attention of other families in the vicinity, parents frowning in disgust at the displays of affection, so I decided it was time to corral the herd and move along. As we climbed the steps leading from the amphitheater, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and found a couple of those frown-faced adults standing on the step below me. Despite being one step down, the man was still a couple of inches taller than I was. I quickly reached behind me and grabbed Tom's arm. When he turned and saw the situation, he told Eric to take the boys on up and wait for us by the fountain at the head of the stairs.
He then rejoined me as I asked the couple, "May I help you?"
"Are them boys with you?" the man growled.
"Of course, they are. While the aquarium is generally a pretty safe place, we're not going to allow our sons and their friends to come here by themselves. Not at their ages, anyway. Why?"
"What's the big idea of them kissin' each other like they was? That shit's disgutin'."
"Well, I don't think that's any of your business, is it?" I replied coldly.
"When they're doin' sick shit like that in front of my kid, it becomes my business."
"And which one of the many children around here is yours?" Tom asked
"He's right over there with his girlfriend," the man answered as he pointed in their direction while keeping his eyes focused on the two us.
Tom and I both followed his finger until our eyes settled on a boy and girl about fifteen years old. "Do you mean those two sittin' over by the trees?" I asked. "The ones who are kissing each other right now and lookin' like they're one step away from takin' their clothes off and havin' sex? I find what they're doing way more offensive than our boys just kissing each other."
The man whipped his head in the direction of his son and girlfriend and came unglued. "Maureen, get your ass over there and smack the shit outta that horny little bastard."
"Yes, Hank," she uttered with resignation.
"Don't you dare do it," Tom growled.
"And what do you think you're gonna do if she does?"
"Arrest her for assault and child abuse, that's what."
"Yeah, and what makes you think you can do that?" the man growled back, indignant at being spoken to in the tone of voice Tom was using.
"The simple fact I'm a cop," Tom answered calmly as he pulled out his wallet and displayed his badge.
"That ain't a Chicago badge, asshole. You can't touch me or my old lady."
"I have no doubt you've seen more than your fair share of Chicago badges, but do you really want to test that theory?"
"Tell you what, Hank, you take care of your son and we'll take care of ours," I offered. "Now, get the hell outta my face." The two walked away, whispering angrily to each other as they did. We watched as they drew closer to their son and his girlfriend, who had yet to separate. When they finally reached the amorous young couple, we were horrified to witness the man smack his son so hard on the back of his head, the boy rolled down several rows of the amphitheater seating.
"That's it!" Tom barked in disgust. "Go get some help while I put a muzzle on that motherfucker." I ran up the stairs, flew by the boys who were wide-eyed in surprise at the events unfolding before them, and hightailed it to the food court to get security to help Tom deal with the prick.
As I drew closer to the enraged man, I called out, "I warned you, asshole."
"Oooh, big bad cop gonna hurt me?" the man taunted.
"No, sir, I'm just going to keep you here for aquarium security to deal with."
"Yeah, you and what fuckin' army?"
"I don't need anyone else. Now, sit your ass down while I check on your son." I turned in the direction of the sad heap of humanity three rows below and, as I did, the furious father took a few steps towards me and swung his fist at my face. Having anticipated the assault, I smoothly side-stepped the blow, grabbed his wrist, then pulled it behind his back and shoved it up between his shoulder blades. As the man howled in pain, I swept his feet out from under him and planted him, face first, into the concrete seats, blood flowing freely from his newly broken nose. Having him in the position I wanted, I add further insult to his injury by kneeling in the middle of his back, happily grinding my knee as deeply as I could, just above his tailbone.
With the asshole immobilized and under control, I turned to a stunned Maureen and calmly said, "Please, ma'am, go check on your son and his friend. Make sure they're not seriously hurt. We may need to call an ambulance."
She promptly turned and stepped down the three rows to where her son had landed and the girlfriend was holding him. He was holding the back of his head and moaning in pain as he rocked on his knees. I looked up to the top of the stairs and saw Max coming back. As he passed the group of nine shocked boys who had been waiting for us, he called out, "Security's on the way!"
When I got back to the action, it appeared Tom had the man well under control, so I passed him by and went to check on the boy, his friend and Maureen. As I knelt next to him, I asked, "Are you okay?"
"No!" the young man screamed. "That bastard tried to split my skull open. Again."
"He's done this before?" I asked in surprise.
"You're goddam right he has. And she won't call the fuckin' cops on him."
"Well, the cops are dealin' with him right now. What's your name?" I asked.
"Harry," he muttered. "And this is Angela."
"Nice to meet you, Angela. Are you hurting anywhere besides your head, Harry?"
"I don't think so. Not too bad, anyway. I banged my leg on somethin' when I rolled and it's achin' like a bitch. But other than that, I think I'm okay."
"Can I help you up? Do you want to sit while we wait for help?"
"I guess so," he answered as he extended a hand.
"Let's take it slow and easy." I gently helped the young man into a sitting position then sat beside him while Angela sat on his other side. Maureen stood in front of us, shifting here gaze from Harry to Hank. "Are you Harry's mother and is that jerk his dad?"
"Yes," she mumbled in reply.
"Well, it looks like it's time for you to make a decision as to who's more important to you, your son or his abuser."
She looked at me in surprise and whined, "Hank's not an abuser. He only hits us when we done somethin' he don't like."
"That, Maureen, is the textbook definition of an abuser. You need to get rid of him before he kills you or your son." I looked to Harry's girlfriend and finally asked her, "Are you okay, Angela? He didn't hit you, too, did he?"
"No, I'm fine. That son-of-a-bitch knows if he ever hurts me, he's gonna have to deal with my dad who's even bigger. Hank ain't gonna do nothin' that would set my dad on him."
"Who the hell are you two dudes, anyway, mister," Harry asked.
"Oh, sorry. I'm Max and the other guy is Tom."
"Well, nice to meet ya', I guess," Harry replied with a weak smile. "And thanks for helpin', too. You didn't have to get in the middle of this shit."
"One of my failings, Harry," I responded. "We're not gonna stand by, watch a kid being hurt and not do something about it."
Security finally arrived and after a quick chat with Tom, relieved him of his burden. After they slipped cuffs on the man, they led him away and Tom joined me.
"Is he okay, does he need an ambulance?" Tom asked as he drew closer.
"He just needs aspirin and an ice pack when we get home," Maureen volunteered.
"The people at the food court said they'd call for an ambulance right after they called security," I interjected. "They should be here soon."
As we sat together to wait for help to arrive, I heard a quiet voice behind me ask, "Is he gonna be okay, Dads?" I turned around and found our boys standing there, concerned looks on all their faces.
"I think so. Why don't you guys have a seat? We're gonna wait with Harry until the ambulance gets here just to make sure." Once our boys had seated themselves surrounding us, I said, "Harry, meet our sons."
He took a quick look around the group and when he spotted Joey, Josh and Brent on the other side of his girlfriend, he pointed his finger at the trio and hissed, "You! You three are the reason that bastard hit me."
Brent and Josh shied away, but Joey, being himself and in true Joey style, leaned in closer, looked Harry straight in the eyes and said, "Hey! Don't you dare try to blame us for your old man bein' an asshole."
"But it was you guys kissin' that pissed him off!"
"So?" Josh asked, leaning back in to reengage. "You were kissin' your girlfriend, weren't you? Why can't I kiss my boyfriend?"
"Well, you just shouldn't," Harry muttered. "Not in public, anyway. Save that sick shit for when you're at home, would ya'?"
"Well, if I can't kiss my boyfriend in public, then you can't kiss your girlfriend," Joey retorted in his best Vulcan logic.
"Well, no, I guess I can't," Harry chuckled lightly. "Sorry dudes, I know it's not your fault my dad's a prick."
"That's okay, Harry, I know all about gettin' beat by a dad for no reason," Logan said.
"Yeah, me, too," Andy added quietly while looking down at the empty seat next to him.
"Three," Mike solemnly added. Alex, Joey and T.J. immediately leaned over and pulled their youngest brothers into a comforting hug. At that moment, two EMTs came around the corner above us, pulling a gurney with them. Leaving the gurney at the top of the amphitheater, they jumped down the seats to where we sat.
"Okay folks, who needs our help?" one of the two asked when they'd reached us. After Harry weakly raised a hand, the man added, "We need everyone to move back so we can check him out, please." As he knelt in front of Harry, he asked, "What's your name, son?"
"Harry."
"Do you know what day it is?"
"Yeah, Saturday."
"What about the year?"
"2025, duh. Geez, what is it with all the questions?" Harry asked.
"Just a quick check to see if you've suffered a concussion. Can you tell me what happened?"
"Yeah, my old man smacked me in the back of the head and I rolled down here from up there," Harry answered, pointing to where he and Angela had been sitting.
"Listen, my name's Dom and my partner is Steve. We're gonna check you out and, if needed, take you to the hospital. You okay with that?"
"Whatever, man." With that approval, the two got to work. As they did their jobs, Harry suddenly complained of nausea and blurry vision. Dom laid him down on his side and said, "Get the board, Steve. We gotta roll, now." As Steve followed his instructions, Larry turned to Maureen and added, "Ma'am, we need to get Harry to the hospital. He may have a skull fracture and possibly a brain hemorrhage. Go get your car and you can follow us."
"He's fine, just let us go home," Maureen argued. The words had barely passed through her lips when Harry vomited all over Maureen's legs and feet.
"Move it, Steve!" Dom yelled before turning his attention back to Maureen. "He is not fine. Fuck your car, you're ridin' with us. We can't waste any time waitin' for ya'."
"But what about me?" Angela cried.
"We'll take you to the security office, Angela, and they'll make sure you get home safely," Tom answered.
"But I want to go with Harry," she wailed in despair.
"Not gonna happen, Miss," Dom replied as Steve returned with the board. "No room in the ambulance for ya'. Sorry." Dom and Steve made short work of getting Harry strapped to the board and then the two lifted him up, carried him to the gurney where they used even more straps to hold him in place. They wasted no more time as they started wheeling him through the aquarium, Maureen hustling to keep up.
At the top of the stairs leaving the amphitheater, there is a temporary exhibit space that currently housed insects and arachnids from around the world. And, with the boys being who they are, we weren't going to be allowed to bypass it, despite their concern for Harry. True to his word, Tom volunteered to take Angela to the security office while the boys and I headed into the exhibit.
As we wiggled and weaved our way through the crowded space, Eric, again, took it upon himself to read the information cards to everyone as we goggled at the wide variety of creatures within. Tom had finally returned from his errand and rejoined us about halfway through. As a temporary display, we were quite impressed with the wide assortment of creepie-crawlies with which we shared our planet. We were also thankful that we didn't have to share our house with any of them, though.
As we left the exhibit, I noticed that Mike and Andy had pretty well dried out and they didn't smell too bad, despite being kissed by the dolphins. "Well, guys, I think we've seen everything here. And way more than we expected to see today. You ready for our next stop?"
"Yeah!" they all screamed.
"Then, let's get outta here," I replied as we headed for the exit. I called Tony to let him know we were leaving the aquarium and he gave me directions on where to find him, along with his assurance he'd keep an eye out for us. It was just after five when we finally stepped out into the cool and windy March afternoon. The sun had started to settle in the west, but I figured we'd have plenty of light for our intended destination. As we walked across the park back towards the parking lot, we could see Tony expertly maneuvering the limo through the crowded space to pick us up. As we drew closer, he stopped the vehicle and hopped out to open the door for us.
As the boys clambered inside and took their seats, Tony asked them, "You guys havin' fun so far?" The poor guy was practically knocked off his feet as a loud chorus of `yeahs', `you bets' and `the best' exploded from inside the vehicle. "Well, okay then," he muttered to himself as he stuck his fingers in ears and wiggled them around.
"Sorry, Tony," Tom commented as he began to climb in. "They're just a bit excited."
"No kiddin', man. Ya' coulda fooled me," Tony laughed in reply. He then turned to me and asked, "Where' to next, Mr. Sanders?"
"I was thinkin' we'd go see the Bean."
"Oh, I loved to take ya' there, but the only nearby parking is underground, and I can't fit this beast in there. If I'd known you wanted to see that, I'd have brought a different vehicle today."
"Don't worry about it, Tony. I should have said something last night. Okay, I guess we'll skip the Bean this trip, then, and head for the Willis Tower. Is there parking there you can put this monster in?"
"You bet. Climb on in and I'll get us rollin'."
I joined Tom in the back seat and Tony closed the door. We were immediately mugged by Mike and Andy as they climbed in our laps.
"What's up, boys," Tom asked.
"We hope you're not mad at us for gettin' wet," Andy whined.
"Yeah, we didn't know that was gonna happen," Mike added.
"Are you kiddin' us," Tom asked. "It's not every day you can get kissed by a fish."
"Mammal, Tom," Eric corrected. "Dolphins are mammals, just like us. They give birth to live young, nurse them and they breathe oxygen. Didn't you learn anything in there?" he added with a giggle while shaking his head.
"I sit corrected, Eric. And, while they might be mammals, they're not just like us. I don't have fins, flippers or a blowhole in the top of my head."
"Thank god for that or your snoring at night would be even worse than it is," I laughed. Turning back to Mike and Andy I added, "You guys are fine. And you only smell a little bit fishy from the experience. I hope you enjoyed it."
"Oh, we did, Dad," Mike enthused. "This has been the best day of my life."
"Ours, too, munchkin." We gave both lads a hug and a kiss on the top of their heads before shooing them back to their own seats. I leaned closer to Eric and whispered, "We really want to thank you for your help today, buddy. It was really nice of you to read all those information cards to everyone."
"Well, after seeing the first few at the Titanosaur, I could see Mike, Andy and T.J. were having problems with some of the bigger words. I figured if I read them out loud, then they wouldn't have to struggle with it. I also thought they could spend more time looking at whatever it was, too."
"You did great, young man, and we can't thank you enough."
Joey interrupted our conversation when he asked, "What's gonna happen to Harry, Dads? Is he gonna be okay?" Serious concern for the boy was evident in Joey's tone of voice.
"I don't know Joey, they're takin' him to the hospital where he can be taken care of."
"Did his dad really hit him just because we kissed each other," Brent asked.
"It seems so," Tom answered. "I only hope Maureen presses charges against the asshole," he seethed. "If she doesn't, sooner or later, that guy's gonna kill one of them. Or both."
"That ain't right," Alex vented.
"No, it isn't, son," I agreed.
"By the way," Tom interrupted, "Before I left her with security, I gave Angela one of my cards with my cell number on the back. I asked her to let us know how Harry is when she hears something."
"Good. I'd like to know," I responded.
"Yeah, we do, too," Joey agreed.
"Where we goin' next, Dads?" Alex asked.
"You'll see soon enough," I answered cryptically. "I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." Hoping to put the unpleasantness behind us and continue with our fun, we sat back in our seats as Tony wheeled the leviathan through Chicago's Saturday late afternoon traffic crush. The boys were still gazing out the windows and commenting on the buildings they could see along with the people filling the sidewalks. As we drew closer to our destination, they kept getting louder and louder until Tom finally asked them to calm it down a bit. When we reached the tower, Tony pulled the limo into a parking lot and promptly filled up four spaces with the vehicle. After the door was opened, the boys climbed out and waited for Tom and me to join them.
"Holy crap, Dad, what is this place?" Joey asked.
"It's called the Willis Tower, now, but was originally named the Sears Tower since they had it built as their headquarters back in the early 70s."
"Is that where we're goin'?" Josh asked.
"Yep. You guys ready?" With agreement from all, we headed across the parking lot and down the street to the corner where we could safely cross. With Mike and Andy still leading the parade, we crossed the street and aimed for the entrance to the Skydeck on the 103rd floor. After paying for our tickets, we got in line for the elevator. When it was getting close to our turn, I counted how many people were taken up on each trip, then counted people in line, only to discover our group would probably get split up. I talked to a couple of folks in line behind us and allowed them to go ahead of us, so we could all ride up together.
When it finally became our turn, the boys flew into the elevator as if their shoes had wings. As soon as Tom and I stepped into the tiny cabin, the operator closed the door and punched the button to begin our sixty second ride to the 103rd floor of the 110-story building, 1,353 feet above the mean streets of Chicago. When the cabin door re-opened, we stepped out to begin our tour.
Upon reaching the northeast corner of the building, we paused as I explained to the boys that from this spot you could actually see part of Wisconsin to the north, Indiana to the east and Michigan to the Northeast, all while standing in one spot in Illinois.
"That's cool," Logan chimed. "I ain't never seen another state. Hell, we barely even get out of New Berlin or Springfield, what with the farm and all."
"Hang with us, Logan, and you'll get to see a lot more of this country," I offered.
"Thanks, man. I'm sure Dad'll let me go with you sometimes."
As we moved on around the building, we finally reached one of the newer features added to the Skydeck about eight years ago, a group of glass blocks jutting out from the tower called the Ledge. These are glass enclosed structures that extend out past the regular glass walls of the building. When you look down through the glass floor, it seems as if you are floating high above the city. Eight of the nine boys just had to experience the thrill of looking straight down and quickly staked their claim to one of the Ledges as soon as it emptied of other visitors. Eric opted to stay with Tom and me as we watched the others giggle incessantly and I snapped pictures of them hovering over the Chicago skyline. After making the complete round of the floor and checking out all the displays detailing the history and construction of the building, we aimed for the elevator and our trip back down to streel level.
Our ears popped several times as we rapidly descended and when we finally stopped moving, the cabin door opened, and we headed for the exit to the great outdoors. We returned to the parking lot where we found Tony patiently waiting with the limo. As usual, he opened the door for us and we climbed inside and got comfortable.
"Where to, Mr. Sanders?" he asked before closing us in.
"I think we'll head back home, Tony. We're pretty tired after all the walking we've done today."
"You want to stop for food along the way?"
"No, I think we'll go to the family-style restaurant around the corner from the condo for supper, so if you just drop us in front, we'll be all set for the night."
"You got it, sir. Kick back, relax, and enjoy the ride." He closed the door and we were soon on our way.
As we started the trip back out to Oak Park and home, I asked, "So, did everyone have fun today?" With boisterous agreement from all, I next added, "Starting with Mike at the far end, I want each of you tell me what your favorite part of the day was."
Mike looked at Andy and they chimed, "Gettin' kissed by a dolphin. That was so-o-o cool."
T.J. was next with, "Sue was my favorite, definitely, despite the fact Pops tried to feed me to her."
"Gettin' the hell away from Mom and Dad," Brent laughed.
"All those mummies in the museum," Alex offered.
"Watchin' that diver feed all the fish. I'd really like to do that," Joey opined.
"All them freakin' bugs. I never knew that many different kinds existed," Josh offered.
"Seein' four states from one spot," Logan said.
"Wright's Home and Studio," Eric volunteered. "It was inspiring."
"I'm glad to hear that, Eric, and I think Wright would like it, too." I turned to my seatmate and asked, "What about you Tom, what's your highlight of the day?"
"Goin' home. My feet are killin' me," he moaned, which caused everyone to laugh hysterically.
"Aw, poor baby," I said in consolation as I patted his cheek. "Not much more walking tonight, I promise."
Tony pulled up in front of the condo about twenty minutes later and let us out. Before he pulled away, I asked him to pick us up at nine-thirty in the morning, so we could go to the Museum of Science and Industry. With his assurance he'd be here, I gathered the group together and we headed for our supper around the corner and a block away. Upon reaching the parking lot, we discovered it was just well we'd walked over as there wasn't an empty parking spot to be had. As we walked into the place, we were greeted by the owner and a friend of mine, Reed Willis.
"Max!" he greeted after the door closed behind me. "How the hell are ya', man? We haven't seen you in quite a while." He stepped around the counter and gave me a hug.
"Not too, bad, Reed," I answered while returning the hug. "How `bout yourself?"
"Busier than hell, but I ain't complainin'. All these kids with you?"
"Yep, you got a table big enough for all of us?"
"Not yet, I don't. Give us two minutes, will ya'?"
"As long as you need. We're not goin' anywhere." Reed disappeared into the kitchen and returned shortly with a busboy in trail. They quickly pushed three tables together to get enough room for the eleven of us to sit together. With the furniture rearranged, he waved us over to take our seats. We gratefully sat in the wheeled chairs and pulled ourselves closer to the table.
Reed took the empty chair next to me and said, "So, who've you brought with you this evening? You always come in by yourself when you're in town."
"The big guy is my fiancé, Tom Wright, and the boys are our sons and a few of their friends. Boys say hi to Reed and introduce yourselves." The boys greeted Reed, giving him their names and whether they were a son or a friend.
"Congratulations, man. I'm happy for you. You, too, Tom. `Bout time this guy pulled his head outta his ass and got his shit together." The boys thought that was hilarious and laughed uncontrollably for a bit before calming back down.
"Wait a second, Reed. You knew I was gay?" I asked in surprise.
"Oh, c'mon, Max, get real, will ya'? I think the only person who didn't know was you. Besides, my gaydar is a finely-honed tool, I always know. But since you were still in denial, I wasn't gonna burst your little bubble."
"Geez, so much for keepin' it hidden," I muttered in response.
"So, what do y'all want for dinner?" Reed asked.
"Why don't you just hook us up with the special, Reed?" I asked. "That's probably gonna be the easiest to deal with with this group of eating machines. And don't forget the honey like you did last time I was here, okay?"
"You got it. I'll have the kitchen get dishin' it up and brought out to ya'. Enjoy." With that, Reed disappeared into the kitchen.
"What's the special, Dad," T.J. asked.
"On Saturday nights, it's usually roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans and rolls."
"Oh, god, that sounds good after the day we've had," Tom groaned in delight.
A group of servers soon descended on the table, bearing a large platter of beef, a huge bowl of potatoes along with the other items to complete our meal. The last items to hit the table were a bowl of butter and a syrup dispenser filled with honey. A couple of the servers hung around to help the younger boys fill their plates with what they wanted while the older ones, Tom and I dished up our own meals.
"This is almost like eatin' at home," Logan giggled. "Except the chairs are much cooler."
"That's the idea, Logan," Tom replied. "To make you feel at home."
"Oh, man, this is some good grub," Eric moaned with pleasure between bites. "I can see why he's busy. I'd eat here every night if I lived up here," he added with a chuckle.
"I'm sure Reed would appreciate the compliment."
As we dug into our meal, the boys finally quieted down to a dull roar. One thing I noticed as we enjoyed our supper was how Mike and Andy were able to put honey on their rolls without struggling, thanks to it being in a syrup dispenser like you'd find at IHOP. I almost smacked myself in the head at the obvious solution to our continuing problem and I made a mental note to ask Reed where I might be able to get a few of them for home to make our lives a bit easier there. As our meal progressed, the guys kept up a constant but quiet chatter of all the highlights they'd seen today and how much fun they all had. Several made comments similar to Mike's about it being the best day they'd ever had, and I silently resolved to myself to ensure today wasn't the last of them.
"A penny for your thoughts, babe," Tom whispered as he leaned in close.
"I'm just happy they had fun today. Despite the incident at the aquarium."
"I did, too, ya' know. Even though my feet hurt like hell, I've had a blast. And seeing all of them this happy is priceless."
"Too, true, hon. I'm glad you survived the flight and were with us to enjoy the day, also."
"I love you, Max. I'll go anywhere if it means I can be with you. Even on a plane."
"I love you, too, Tom." We leaned a bit closer and shared a kiss.
The boys hooted their support while Joey commented, "Looks like we need to get them back home before they start doin' it on the table," causing the others to continue their laughter in earnest.
Reed had strolled over to see the cause of the ruckus and joined the boys in their noisemaking on catching the two of us still joined at the lips. We finally separated and found the other diners gawking at us in disbelief. I guess they've never seen two people express their love for each other in public before.
Reed knelt behind us and whispered, "You two look good together and it's obvious that you belong to each other. I want to wish you all every happiness you can find in the future."
"Thanks, Reed," Tom replied. "And thanks for the delicious meal. It was just what we all needed."
"Happy to take care of you, Tom." Reed turned to me and added, "The meal's on me tonight, Max."
"Oh, no it isn't, Reed. I can't ask you to do that."
"You didn't ask, I volunteered. Consider it an early wedding present to you and your wonderful family since I know I won't be able to attend your ceremony, whenever it is. If I'm gone from here for a day, everything just falls apart."
"Well, thank you for that, then. We gladly accept your gift. Now, can you tell me where you get your honey and syrup dispensers? I need to get a couple for home."
Reed laughed at my question, but answered with a very serious tone of voice, "I have a secret supplier for those, Max. If I tell you, will you promise to keep it a secret?"
"Of course."
"Amazon," Reed laughed hysterically while lightly punching my shoulder. "Think you can handle that?"
"Gee, I don't know. The crowds can get pretty rough there," I laughed. "I'll check it out when we get back home. Thanks for sharing your secret." I turned back to the table and asked, "Everyone ready to go? I'm sure Reed would like to have his tables back." With nods from all, we stood as one and allowed Reed to lead us to the door. As I brought up the rear, I pulled a couple of hundreds from my wallet and surreptitiously left them on the table as a tip for our servers who'd taken such good care of us. As we passed the counter at the door, all the boys thanked Reed for a tasty supper and they also shook his hand or gave him a hug as they moved by.
When it came to Tom and myself, Reed gave us both a hug and another congratulations on our upcoming nuptials. With a promise to come back for a meal on our next trip to the Windy City, we finally stepped outside into the darkening night for Mike and Andy to lead us back home. During the short walk back to the condo, we noticed Josh and Joey were still holding hands, as they had done all day, and Brent and Alex were now doing the same. Of course, the two of us were, also. After reaching the front porch, I extracted the key from my pocket, unlocked the door and turned off the alarm. As we stepped inside the boys scattered to their rooms, peeling off their clothes as they did.
"Find a movie to watch tonight and we'll be back out in a few minutes," I called out to the retreating figures. "Pops and I need to talk about tomorrow for a little bit." A few of the boys waved noncommittally over their shoulders as they disappeared through the doors to their rooms to deposit their clothes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say they're happy to be home and comfortable again?"
"Gee, what was your first clue? The way they left us in the dust or their bare butts as they zoomed into their rooms?"
"Both, actually. Shall we join the crowd?"
"When in Rome," Tom answered with a chuckle.
After closing the bedroom door, we started to undress, and I said, "I do need to talk to you, but not about tomorrow."
"I figured that out, babe, since I know we're planning on going to the Museum of Science and Industry. This have anything to do with your chat with T.J. this morning."
"It has everything to do with it," I replied as I draped my clothes over the chair in the corner. I sat at the end of the bed, crossed my legs and added, "Have a seat, big guy."
After joining me on the bed, he asked, "Okay, what's up?"
"T.J. told me during our lunch that Logan, Mike and Andy all know we love boys."
"Oh, fuck. How'd that happen?" Tom moaned in defeat. I relayed to Tom what T.J. had told me earlier in the day and watched as Tom's expression changed with each new twist of the tale. "Holy hell. Those nosy little rugrats. So, what do we do now?"
"I can't think of a thing besides have a serious discussion with them when we get back home tomorrow night. You got a better idea?"
"Unfortunately, no," was the answer I expected and the answer I received.
"Obviously all four will receive punishment when we talk tomorrow, but I'm thinking of making T.J.'s a bit shorter than the others since he came forward and let me know what happened. I'm also thinking of making Andy's longer due to his actions. Does that sound reasonable to you?"
"Yeah, I got no problem with it. Andy should never have threatened T.J. like that, not even as a joke."
"Okay, I just want to make sure we're on the same page. Shall we go join the movie in progress?"
"Might as well. Wanna fix some popcorn?"
"Sounds good, but we'll have to make more than we normally do."
"Yeah, don't remind me. Nine kids on the trip, what were you thinking?" Tom asked while shaking his head.
"I was thinking I wanted to be the cool dad," I laughed as we scooted off the bed.
"And how'd that work out for ya'?" he asked as he opened the bedroom door and turned towards the kitchen.
"So far, so good," I chuckled. "Only one minor hiccup to this point." I noticed as we crossed the living room to get the popcorn started that tonight's flick was Mission: Impossible II, a logical choice after last night's show. As soon as the boys heard the whir of the hot air popper, though, they paused the movie and joined us in the kitchen. While the younger lads pulled bowls from the cabinet, the older ones got busy fixing drinks for everyone. After two runs with the popper, we finally had enough for everyone and we adjourned to the living room to continue the show. Once everyone had settled in, Eric restarted the movie and we were soon engrossed in the action on the screen.
About three-fourths of the way through the show, Tom's phone vibrated in his hand. After looking at the caller ID, he whispered to me, "It's a 312 area code. This might be Angela. I'll go the bedroom." He left me with the boys to take the call and after he closed the bedroom door, I tried to return to the movie, but my heart just wasn't up for paying attention to it.
"This is Tom," I answered after closing the door.
"Tom, this is Angela. Thanks for giving me your number."
"No problem. I trust security made sure you got home okay."
"Yeah, they were great. One of their guys actually drove me home to Hoffman Estates when he got off work."
"I'm glad to hear it. How's Harry doing?"
"That's why I'm calling. I wanted to let you guys know he's hangin' in. It was close call, though. He had to have emergency surgery to fix a torn blood vessel that was leaking inside his skull and putting pressure on his brain. Fortunately, it was a small leak and once they got that fixed, they drained the excess blood to relieve the pressure. He also has a small fracture in the back of his skull, but that should heal on its own in time. The doctor said if Harry had gotten to the hospital fifteen or twenty minutes later than he did, he'd have died. Luckily, he's in the ICU now, in an induced coma, so they can keep a watch on him to make sure there aren't any other problems."
"Oh, geez, I'm sorry to hear all that. Is he going to be okay?"
"The doctors think so. They won't know for sure until they wake him up in a couple of days and they can actually talk to him. They say they'll know more then."
"How's Maureen handling it?" I asked with serious concern.
"She's pretty freaked out. She can't get over how Harry almost died and that his dad did it to him. Hell, he could still die," Angela whimpered.
"Has she decided what she's going to do about Hank?"
"She told me when she called just a few minutes ago she was gonna have him charged with assault and abuse and dump his sorry ass. This ain't the first time ole Hank's gone too far, and she's got medical records for both her and Harry to back her up. She hopes he goes straight to hell for beatin' the two of `em the way he has."
"Well, I'm happy to hear that, at least. Look, Angela, I know you don't really know who we are, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd keep us updated on Harry's progress. Since it's kinda our boys' fault this happened, we feel responsible."
"I can do that, Tom. And don't you go blamin' yourselves for any of this shit. This was all Hank's doin'. Somethin' like this was gonna happen someday, it just a question of when. Maybe if Maureen had called the cops before, it wouldn't have happened today. I really want to thank you and Max for steppin' in and helpin' today. It means a lot to me and though she don't know it yet, it means a lot to Harry's mom, too."
"Well, if we can do anything, anything at all, you just let us know what they need."
"I think the only thing his mom is really worried about right now, besides Harry, of course, is the hospital bill. I don't think they had any kind of insurance. And even if they did, I don't know if they'd pay anything since it's all Hank's fault, anyway."
"Tell me what hospital he's in and his last name, and we'll make sure it's taken care of."
"You can't do that," Angela protested.
"We can, and we will," Tom answered in a tone that would brook no more argument on the subject. Angela finally relented and gave Tom the hospital's and Harry's last name. "Thank you, Angela. You can tell Maureen that all she has to worry about now is Harry."
"I'll do that in the morning. Thanks again for all your help today. You didn't have to get involved, but I'm glad you did."
"You're welcome. We hope Harry's gonna be okay and we'll be thinking about all of you. Don't forget to call with updates, any time, day or night."
"I will, Tom. Bye."
I disconnected the call and hung my head in despair over our part in this nightmare. True, Hank was gonna blow at some time and do somethin' really stupid, but I just felt like we'd lit the fuse today. I finally decided to rejoin the rest of the family to watch the end of the movie, but I had to hit the john before I did.
Tom finally came back five minutes before the movie ended and he looked rather solemn and dejected. When he sat next to me, I gave him a questioning look and he mouthed, `when the movie's over'.
When the end credits started to roll, Alex ejected the disc, put it back in its case and turned everything off. That done, the boys turned as one as Joey anxiously asked, "Was that call about Harry? How is he?""
"At this moment, he's alive and in the ICU."
"I don't like the sound of that," Josh muttered.
"It could be better, but it could also be much, much worse," Tom intoned. He went on to explain everything Angela had told him. When he finally wound down, he turned to me and added, "I hope you don't mind, but I just spent a good chunk of your money. I told Angela that we'd take care of the hospital bill and she said she'd pass that on to Maureen."
"Good idea, hon. I'm glad you thought of it. Besides, it's your money, too, remember?"
"Yeah, but I still thought you'd should know."
"Can we go see Harry before we go home tomorrow," Brent asked.
"Unfortunately, no," Tom answered. "When someone's in the ICU, only family members are allowed in to visit and for very limited times. Since we don't qualify as family, we'd never get in."
"Well, that just sucks," Joey said flatly.
"No argument from me on that buddy," I replied.
With our conversation about Harry completed, we started the boys running through the shower to get ready for bed. Tomorrow was going to be another long day and I was hoping they'd actually be able to get some sleep tonight. I doubted it would happen after today's excitement, but I was hopeful. After everyone had gotten the day's stink washed off, they climbed in their beds and curled up for a good night's sleep. As we made our rounds to share hugs, kisses, goodnights and love yous, we received many tired thank yous for today. After watching the eight younger lads all fall asleep almost immediately, we retreated to the living room to watch a little TV before turning in.
We were somewhat surprised to find the living room devoid of life since we expected Eric to still be awake. While I sat on the couch and tried finding something to watch for a bit, Tom toured the condo in search of the missing young man. He found him in the last place he looked, our bedroom. The youth was stretched on the bed and gently stroking his stiff member.
With a light rap on the door, Tom got his attention and said, "Uh, Eric, sorry to interrupt, but we're gonna watch TV and chill out for a little bit. You're welcome to join us, or you can stay in here, either way."
"Oh, okay," Eric answered with no embarrassment at having been caught red-handed. "I wouldn't mind joining you guys. Is it okay if I sit on the couch with you?"
"Sure, that's fine," Tom replied. He waited at the door for Eric to crawl off the bed and join him. The proud young teen boldly walked across the bedroom and when he reached Tom, the big guy laid a hand on his shoulder as they continued their short trek to join me on the couch. As the two came around the end of the couch, it was impossible to miss the stiff five inches of teen meat swaying with each step they took. "Eric was, uh, amusing himself."
"No, I wasn't," Eric retorted, "I was jerkin' off." Tom and I both snorted at his boldness and lack of shame.
Both joined me on the couch with Eric opting to sit between the two of us. As we settled in a little deeper to watch the boob tube, Tom and I each wrapped an arm around Eric's shoulders so we could be in contact with each other. Eric, bold lad he is, promptly laid a hand on the top of our thighs and began to slowly slide his hands from knee to hip. To describe the feelings he generated in us as electric would be a massive understatement. As we rearranged ourselves a bit to get more comfortable, our own hardening cocks were released from between our legs and Eric wasted no time in wrapping an eager hand around each of them.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Eric?" Tom asked through his moans of pleasure at being handled by the young man.
"You bet. I been thinkin' about you two all day, and how hot and sexy you are. And I can feel your love for me, just like I do with Dad and Josh."
"Um, I think we should probably move into the bedroom, though, don't you?" I muttered quietly.
"Why? You got somethin' against havin' some fun right here on the couch?"
"But what if one of the others comes out their rooms?" I protested weakly.
"Eh, fuck `em. They can either go back to bed or join us."
Unable to argue Eric's logic at the moment, especially considering the magic and delicate hand wrapped around my prong, I reached over and grasped his hardness while Tom turned his head and began passionately kissing the boy. I watched intently as the two swapped spit and allowed their tongues to invade each other's mouth. Unable to rein in my desires any longer, I gently removed Eric's hand from my leaking cock, slid off the couch and knelt in front of the young man. Placing my hands on his thighs, I leaned in and began to suckle on the tip of his boyhood, lapping up the ooze of pre-cum that was about to run down his stiff shaft. Having dreamt about this moment for years, though never really understanding where those dreams came from, I slowly lowered my head to engulf the turgid member before me until my nose was being tickled by the thin sprouting of pubic hair at the base of the glorious member. Eric further intensified the action by lifting his sweet ass off the couch and fairly shoving his cock as deep into my mouth as possible.
As I continued to impale my face on the sweet teen cock jutting from the boy's groin, I heard Eric whisper, "C'mon, Tom, I want to suck your cock again." Tom didn't hesitate as he rearranged himself so he was kneeling next to Eric, placing his hardon at the perfect level for Eric to swallow. As Eric slipped his mouth around the glans and swirled his tongue around the mushroom, Tom inhaled so deeply I thought he was going to suck all the air out of the room. I allowed Eric's cock to slip from my mouth and moved further down to envelop his delicate sack in my mouth. The lad tensed severely as my oral ministrations to his skin-swaddled nuggets continued.
Having slipped down a bit to better service Tom and his balls, Eric's ass had slid off the edge of the couch just enough to allow me to access his tight hole. I slipped a finger in my mouth to wet it with my saliva, then probed the area until I found my target. I slowly pressed my finger home until it was buried in the tight confines of the young man's willing ass. Eric began to gyrate his hips in a smooth rhythm, allowing my finger to smoothly slip in and out of him. After a few minutes of fucking the lad with my finger, I decided it was time to further expand his tight sphincter and inserted a second one. I could hear Eric moan with lust as I penetrated him deeply and those moans must have transferred through his mouth and into Tom as he also groaned loudly with desire.
I continued my anal manipulations, never allowing the boys sack to leave mouth, when I added a third digit to the assault. By now, Eric was bucking his hips wildly, desperate for release. He finally allowed Tom's hardness to escape his mouth and uttered, "Oh, fuck! I want your cock in my ass, Tom."
"I don't think so, Eric," Tom protested. "I don't want to hurt you."
"C'mon, man. Max has three fingers in there right now. You can't be that much bigger." Again, unable to argue with the lustful teen's logic, Tom sat back down on the couch and stretched out just enough to allow the young man to sit on his staff. As Eric moved to take his position, I slipped my fingers from his hole and allowed his sack to leave my mouth. The lad crouched over Tom's crotch and began to slowly lower his body over the stiff and pulsing piece of meat located there. When his anus made contact with Tom's mushroom head, Eric paused briefly, breathing deeply and steeling himself for the impending impalement.
Having reached the point of not being able to wait to be filled up any longer, Eric continued to lower his body onto Tom's leaking and well-lubed prong, and I watched intently as his ass opened up and allowed the head to slip inside him. A sharp intake of air and the wince on his face let me know he was in pain, but Eric didn't retreat, he just held his position as he gave his hole time to relax. When Eric began to lower himself even further, he did so slowly and calmly. He didn't stop until the beautiful globes of his ass were resting comfortably on Tom's gut. He paused again to relax a bit more and become more comfortable with the large member filling him.
"Oh, shit, I thought I was ready for that. Guess I was wrong."
"We can stop any time you want, buddy," Tom offered, though I knew it would kill him to stop now.
"Not on your life, big dog!" Eric hissed through his tightly clenched teeth. "I got you right where I want you and I ain't lettin' you get away until I fuck your brains out." As Tom waited patiently for Eric to be ready to continue, the young man looked up at me and said, "You're looking awfully lonely and sad there, Max. Why don't you come join the action?"
"I think you have more than enough to deal with at the moment, young man," I replied.
"Look, my ass is full and I want my mouth to be filled up, too. Now get your skinny butt over and let me suck you." Not one to pass up a blowjob, I moved closer until Eric grabbed my dick and directed it straight into his mouth. As he began to nurse on my cock, he also started moving his ass up and down on the cock that was buried in his tight ass. He moaned with delight at the dual penetrations, and those vibrations were transferred directly to my cock, causing tingles of electric shocks to course throughout my body. Since his hands were now free, Eric slid one in to caress my balls and allowed the other to continue between my legs until he found my tightly puckered hole.
It didn't bother me a bit as he slipped the first finger deep inside me as I was desperate for him to do so, despite his not wetting it first. As he continued to fondle my sack and ride Tom's cock, he added a second finger to his invasion of my ass and I practically wilted with lust when he bumped my prostate. He settled into a smooth rhythm as he fucked my willing ass with his fingers, stroking my tender prostate gland as he did. I could feel the pre-cum flowing freely from my dick into his mouth, but that didn't seem to faze Eric at all. If anything, it seemed to increase the intensity of his actions. All too soon, I could feel the impending signs of my orgasm beginning to build. I continued to fuck Eric's face wantonly while he fucked my ass with his fingers. I looked over Eric's bobbing head and could see Tom was also rapidly approaching the point of no return.
"Eric, look out, I'm about to ...," was all I was able to get out before exploding in his mouth. I watched as he swallowed each shot and I could feel my hole clamp tightly around his fingers with every one. Swallowing my load must have pushed the young man right off the cliff as his own cock soon released its own eruption between us, coating his taut torso with his offering. I looked over Eric's head one more time to see Tom's eyes roll back in his head as he lifted his ass off the couch to bury himself as deeply as possible into Eric's ass. As I stood in awe of the sight before me, I witnessed his sack pull up with each ejection of spunk as he flooded Eric's ass with semen.
As the two cooled down, I leaned in and passionately kissed Eric. As he slipped his tongue into my mouth, I was able to taste myself again. To avoid leaving a trail of semen from here to our bedroom, I knelt in front of Eric again and began to lick the emission from his body. I began at his neck and moved down his beautiful body until I reached his wilted member, which was still oozing his life essence. Not wanting to waste a drop of his precious nectar, I took his soft cock into my mouth and proceeded to give it an intense tongue bath. As I nursed at the altar of boyhood, I could feel his response as his dick quickly returned to full-mast. My ministrations were interrupted as Tom's softening member finally retreated from Eric's ass with a light pop, causing all of us to giggle uncontrollably.
"Look, I don't about you two, but I could sure use another shower," I offered quietly.
"I don't think I can move, Max," Eric muttered with resignation.
"Me, either," Tom added wistfully.
"Well, you sure as hell can't stay out here all night," I retorted.
"Why not?" Eric asked. "I'm pretty comfy right here," he added with a chuckle as he wiggled his sweet body on top of Tom.
"God, you're incorrigible," I commented.
"Gee, thanks, Max. I'll take that as a compliment." Tom and I both laughed at the young man's cheekiness.
"C'mon, you two," I said as I held out my hands to help them up. "We need to get some sleep."
After peeling Eric's body away from Tom's and getting the lad back on his feet, we pooled our resources and strength to lift a weakened Tom from the couch. I aimed them both towards our bedroom and stayed behind them all the way past the threshold. We climbed in the shower together and cleaned each other much as we'd done last night. When I again used the shower head on the hose to help clean out Eric's ass, he giggled with wild abandon. By the time I'd put it back in its holder on the wall, Eric had regained his composure and when he turned around to face me, I could see he'd also regained his erection.
"I'm gonna have to tell dad to get one of those things. It feels good, especially when it hits that one special spot."
"Oh, no you don't, young man," Tom protested. "I don't want to hear him bitch about his water bill from all those extra-long showers you'd end up takin'," he added with a chuckle. Eric and I joined in his mirth.
"Don't worry about it Tom. He'd probably end up takin' longer showers then either Josh or me, once he finds out how good it feels," Eric cracked.
We stepped out of the shower, dried off and climbed into bed. Despite still having a stiff cock, Eric was sound asleep less than a minute after his head hit the pillow. Before Tom and I curled up on either side of the young man, we both leaned in and gave him a kiss on his forehead before leaning closer and sharing a loving kiss between ourselves. Finally laying our heads on our own pillows, we extended an arm under the snoring young man and held him tightly between us as we also held onto each other. Since we hadn't pulled the cover up due to being a bit overheated from our sexual exertions and shower, the last thing I remember seeing before sleep finally took me was my right hand gently wrapped around Eric's hard pecker and Tom's left hand was tenderly cupping the young man's smooth sack.