Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:16:01 -0700 (PDT) From: T. Chase McPhee Subject: OLuFsEN & SONs 24 The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, in towns, cities, countries, nor governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then you should not read this story. Additionally, if you are under 18 years of age, in most state and countries, you are not allowed to read this story, by law. Check with your local laws regarding such. % Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection. % OLuFsEN & SONs 24 wriTten by T. Chase McPhee % When Jalan came back from the jon, with Travis in tow, Erik's chair was empty. "Hey dad, look!" the seven year old pointed out, his arm extended and hand showing the way to the pool. "Can I be on your shoulders too?" Out to have some fun too, Jalan had no problem in bending low, putting his head between his son's legs and hoisting him up on his shoulders. Travis sighed a long, "Whoooooooa-dad!" He grabbed onto the closest means to steady himself. "I can't see with your hands over my eyes, son!" "Oops! Sorry dad," he said as Jalan looked up into Travis' eyes. "C'mon dad! We're missing it!" Everything seemed to even out, between Erik, Jalan, Gef, Nick, Patrick, Joaquin and the catering crew, there were plenty of `taxis' available to involved the kids in chicken fights. Joaquin carried a conversation in Spanish, carrying Manuel on his shoulders and even though hardly any of them knew any Spanish words, it seemed actions spoke louder. Even though Patrick held (Joaquin's Patrick), Patrick Karibe on his shoulders, he showed a keen interest in the camaraderie between Joaquin and Manuel, how well they got along, thinking of someday, if their relationship prospers, how great a father Joaquin is going to be. As for Patrick, to distinguish the `Patrick' up on his shoulders from himself, the kids start calling him, first `Patty', then it getting watered down to `Paddy'. Soon it `stuck', the older guys calling him by the same nickname. After the kids tired of the chicken fights, they suddenly seemed famished, crawling up the pool ladder and hightailing it over to the spread of leftovers. To monitor the little gluttons, Nick and Gef volunteered themselves as chaperones. Lazing at poolside, Erik and Jalan shared an oversized beach towel, lying on their stomachs, arms folded in front of them, taking in the view of the remaining guys, Joaquin, `Paddy' and the catering crew carrying on with the chicken fights. They giggled, without words being said, whenever one of the guys with their legs split, complained of their jewels getting squashed! Meanwhile, at the food table, Gef was holding open the buns as Nick removed hot dogs from the grill, placing them in the folds, Gef handing them out among the crowd of preteens. "At least somebody's got some manners!" Nick says of Travis, trading off a hot dog for his place in line, allowing Manuel to get in front of him. The seven year old looks up at Nick and smiles. Drawing from their dad's lesson on people and their differences, Zack says, "Some of us do and some of us don't!" Gef made light of it, mentioning to Nick, "Somebody screwed up!" Nick responded, "Let me make note of it," he scribbled with an imaginary pen on his hand, "to mention it later to your brother!" Poor Erik - he wasn't even there to defend himself! % "Everybody full?" Dario asks as the eating has been reduced to quiet conversation. Hovering about, Ricardo waves a piece of paper around, inquiring, "Who gets the bill?" "Oh no!" "What?" Dario asks his brother. "I forgot my wallet!" In their later teens, Dario's response would have been appropriate, with the means by which their brotherly love went, but he caught himself before mentioning anything about `how' Terron would have to `pay him back', instead opting out for, "No problem. I've got it!" Offering, Jay was turned down as well. Shane insisted on leaving a tip. Leaving Cavatelli's, Dario thought he was in the clear, when Terron says, "When do you want me to pay you back, Dare?" At least it's what Dario interpreted it to be, himself getting suddenly nervous, stuttering as he spoke, "Um... you don't have to like... pay me back, okay Terron?" "Thanks bro!" Terron acknowledged. As the two parties split, Jay commandeering Terron towards his truck, Shane and Dario paired up for the trip `home'. Dario started talking about Jay's ranch. In the opposite direction, Shane regurgitated the lapsed subject, "You were kind of nervous back there, Dario. What gives?" "Nervous? When?" he tried escaping the conversation he had with Terron. "You and Terron. It was like you were....." Shane didn't know Dario too well yet, so refrained from speaking his mind. "What?" Dario replied in a way to provoke. "Forget it. It's not important." With mixed emotions, Dario thought maybe this was a lead-in to a subject which he deemed too private and to some, controversial. "No. Go ahead. What's on your mind?" The reason he was so insistent is perhaps wanting to get a load off his own mind. To force the subject matter he pulled over to the side of the road and cut the ignition. Seeing Dario wasn't letting him out of it, Shane figured this would be the end of a great beginning, but his hand being forced, uttered, "I know this sounds like I'm accusing you of something and it's not how I wanted it to be, but..." then he switched directions, reaffirming, "Dario, I know we haven't known each other for more than a day, but I like you..." and after a cute smile, his eyebrows perking up, "I like you a lot... maybe even... `more than a lot'." And then thinking he was risking it all, his head dropped, not able to face Dario as he sprung the question, "I was just wondering if you and Terron..." and he couldn't bring himself to the point of confessing his question. Lifting Shane's soft, stubbled chin with his big fingers, Dario replies, "Yeah we did." And in a sweet voice says, "I hope you can accept it and forget it happened. It's been a tough thing for me to give up thinking about taking care of Terron after all these years. I'm trying to put a lot behind and move on." Then getting the main focus of their thoughts out of the way, "I hope you don't get all bent out of shape knowing Terron and I made out," he at least put it mildly. Then, with a gentle smile Shane replies, "I'm `not' bent out of shape!" Dario's hand was on his chin, but it fell away when Shane's left hand reached up, placed it on the inside of Dario's collar and pulled on his neck. Leaning in their lips engaged. "Thanks for being understanding." "I admire you." "Oh? How's that go?" Dario sat back in the driver's seat and listened. "Terron has been very fortunate to have a sweet, kind and loving guy to look up to. As I see it, I'm being very lucky in finding a man with so many wonderful superlatives." "Wow! That's deep," Dario says. "Really now?" And with the serious conversation lifting, Shane poses the question, "Maybe you can get a little deeper tonight?" Smiling a toothy grin, Dario asks, in regards to Shane mentioning how much his brother replicates Ricardo, "I tend to think maybe some of Kiernan has rubbed off on his brother?" % As the afternoon wore on, the kids wore out, the adults not too far behind. Although, Joaquin and Paddy seemed to be the only two who still showed enough signs of being upbeat to follow the kids inside, make sure they had changed into some lounging clothes and retired to the front of the Tv. Some of the liveliness didn't peter out, Zack being the host to watching Spiderman, answering any and all questions. Since his dad wasn't there, Travis went about seeking him out. He found him and Erik out by the pool. No sooner had Jalan set him up on his knee had he taken to his head bobbing forwards. "I think I better put this little guy to bed." Cuddling him in his arms brought memories back to Erik. Thinking deeply about the memories he had with his own two boys, he recalls being more close to them than their mother. Letting her rest in peace, instead of putting her down, and there were many reasons for doing so, but Erik dwelled on the happy thoughts he shared with Zack and Jase. As Jalan lay Travis down in one of the guest room beds, Erik looks on, reminiscing, "I remember when the boys were that small." After covering Travis, Jalan walked to the spot where Erik stood and turned around. He gazed to where Erik stared. "They do indeed tend to grow up very fast. You have to capture the moment, for when the moment is gone is it gone forever, but lingers in our hearts and minds." "How true," Erik replied. Jalan looked down between them at the touch of Erik's hand to his. Sensing Jalan getting the message, Erik turns to Jalan, transmits his affection via a deep stare and says, "I'd like to capture this moment and hold it in my heart and mind forever." No words were necessary afterwards, only a show of affection, the two embracing, kissing and then holding each other, with eyes closed, thinking of how good it felt with two warm bods touching and the mental glow surrounding both. % As Dario pulls through the wooden fence of Jay's ranch, lo and behold, Terron comes running over. "Where were you guys? You were right behind us and then you weren't!" And before the matter could be addressed by either, "Jay says we can go on a midnight horse ride!" All excited, Terron didn't give them a choice, grabbing Dario's arm and dragging him over to the barn. "I guess the answer is `yes'?" Shane says to Dario, trotting along. "You don't mind do you?" Unbeknownst to Dario, Shane was loving it. It reminded him of back home in Ireland, his little bro, Kiernan, always wanting him to go with him, accompany him to concerts or with his friends at the pub, or even playing a neighborhood game of rugby, in lieu of their parents, who always seemed to be working to pay the bills and put food on the table. "Yo! Shane?" Dario said, fanning his hand in front of his face. "Oh sorry." It broke his train of thought completely, the thoughts of how good it would be having Kiernan in the states. With their parents deceased and most of their immediate family spread out in different parts of the world, he saw fit to it being a good idea for Kiernan to make the move. And as they mounted their steeds, and rode out, Shane breathed in the fresh country air, reiterating in his mind how good this environment would be for Kiernan! % tHe EnD! Copyright 2009 T. Chase McPhee This story may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author. The more you stretch, the more you can fit in... 'spread' happiness! TCMcP.....