I was sitting at my desk on Friday afternoon when my phone started vibrating.
"What's up, Luke?" I asked, answering my cell phone.
"Cody's getting really wound up. He's on the phone with the DA, and he's stressed out. Can you get home soon?"
"I can try to catch the 4:08 and be home about 4:45, but I need to run now."
"Please."
"Okay. Let me pack up and scoot. I'll call you from the train."
I shut down things quickly, packed my backpack, and headed out. I stuck my head into Lucinda's office to let her know I was heading out. Then I trotted over to the VRE station, catching the train with only a moment to spare.
"So, how bad is it?" I asked once I had Luke on the phone.
"He's seriously bent. I'm afraid he's gonna crack."
"Get him to start working out. Maybe it can help him vent his frustrations. I'll be home in thirty."
"I'll try. Bye!"
Off the train, I hurried to my truck and then queued up to get out of the parking facility. I got home without too much delay and found the house quiet. I decided to play it calm, went into the bedroom, and changed for a workout before heading downstairs.
I found Luke and Cody both into their routine, but it was clear that Cody was more than agitated. He finished his reps and just stared at me.
"I don't know if I can do it," he said.
"Testify? Why not? It's just the facts."
"I don't remember much."
"What do you remember?"
"Eating my breakfast, dad walking into the room, screaming, throwing me around, and a lot of pain!"
"You tell the prosecutor that?"
"Yeah."
"And?"
"That's what they want me to say."
"Like I said, just the facts."
"It's just..."
"You're going to be the one that testifies. You're going to be the one that puts your dad in jail."
"Yeah..."
He just slumped onto the weight bench. I walked over and put my arms around him.
"You love him. You hate him. What he did really fucked with your mind."
"Yeah..."
"You have to decide. Do you let him get away with it? What about your mom? She tried to finish the job while you were in the hospital. If the nurses hadn't stopped her, who knows how bad things would be?"
"I know, but I'm not really a witness in that one, they said. I don't have to get involved."
"There's something else. If you testify, there's no way your folks will ever accept you. You'll never be a family again. Is that it?"
"Yeah," he said so softly that I could barely hear it.
"Again, it's up to you. When we first met, you said you were horrified at the thought of coming out to your folks. You didn't expect much after you did. Do you honestly expect him to change?"
"No. Not really. I'm scared..."
"Except while you're on the stand, Luke and I will be with you."
"Huh?"
"You didn't think we'd let you go through this alone. We're going. We're going to sit on either side of you. We're going to support you. We're going to be with you. We're going to protect you. We got your back, Cody!"
"Damn right!" Luke added.
Cody gave a half-hearted smile before putting his head in his hands.
"I don't deserve you two!"
Luke walked over and knelt in front of him. He took Cody's hands in his and looked him straight in the eyes. "Bullshit! We love you! You fuckin' deserve the best!" With that, Luke leaned forward and gave him a kiss.
"When's the trial?" I asked.
"Five weeks from today."
"So, both of you need to deal with your Friday classes. We can head down after you finish class on Thursday. Luke, ask your folks if they can put up with us for the weekend, and we'll drive back on Saturday or Sunday."
"Sure."
"We need to go suit shopping this weekend."
"Huh?" Cody grunted.
"You need a suit. You have one, Luke?"
"An old one. I think it fits."
"Screw it, two new suits. We'll get them tailored to fit. You two are going to look so fuckin' sharp. When you hit the stand, they'll know you testified. Now, let's get this workout going, guys."
I didn't want Cody to get too emotional, so I walked over and cranked the tunes. I grabbed some weights and started my routine. Both Cody and Luke resumed theirs. About an hour later, we were all a bit worn down.
"Shower time!"
I went into the bathroom, cranked the water up, and stripped down. Cody and Luke joined me a moment later, and we started cleaning off. I took the soap and got a good lather on my washcloth, then started scrubbing Cody's back.
Luke noticed what I was doing and started washing Cody's front. The two of us spent our time lavishing attention on Cody. It was slow, sensual, and calming. Well, it started that way.
Luke bent over and started sucking Cody's hardening cock. I pushed my cock up against Luke's back and started sucking on Cody's nipples.
Cody started moaning as Luke gave him a great blowjob and I worked his body.
"Want to dry off and have fun?" I asked.
"Damn right," Cody said.
We stopped, dried off quickly, and moved to the playroom.
"What's the game plan?" Cody asked.
"You want fucked? You want to fuck? It's all about Cody tonight," I said.
He turned and pulled me into a deep kiss. I grabbed Luke's hand and pulled him towards us.
"Too high," Luke said.
Cody and I bent and started kissing Luke.
I broke the kiss and asked, "Fuck or get fucked?"
"I want you both to fuck me!" Cody said.
"Huh?" Luke grunted.
"No, not that. One at a time!"
I chuckled at that.
Cody got into the sling and put his ankles in the stirrups. Luke got down and started eating out Cody's ass. I got down and sucked on Luke's cock to get it ready for Cody's hole. I got Luke's hard dick coated in a good layer of spit. He stood and slid into Cody balls deep.
"Fuck yeah!" Cody moaned. "Fuck me, baby. Fuck me!"
Cody kept up the urging while Luke fucked him. Finally, Luke pulled out and stepped aside. I slid my hard cock into Cody's hole and started my fuck.
"That's it, Coulter," Cody said. "Fuck me nice and deep!"
Luke and I swapped out five or six times, which kept us from getting too close but had Cody going crazy. With Luke's dick sawing in and out, I stepped closer to him. I let my cock rub along his crack as I tweaked his nips. This brought Luke to the brink, and quickly he was shooting his load into Cody. Luke returned the favor, rubbing and tweaking my tits till I dumped my load in Cody.
-----
Saturday morning, I made a hearty breakfast and told the guys to get to their homework while I did some housework. By lunch time, they had things under control, so I recommended we grab something out and hit the mall to find some suits. We each took a shower, dressed, and headed out.
At the mall, we hit the Tex-Mex place for lunch, then I led us to Macy's to check out suits. I had a specific look in mind, wanting my guys to be as sharp as possible. Luke and Cody weren't so keen on finding a suit, not really getting why I was so adamant about it. Finally, I had an idea of how to change their attitude.
"Luke, you were surprised one morning with how sexy you found me in a suit."
"Yeah, you always look sharp when you wear one. You know those days when you have to go to a customer's place."
"What kind of impression do I make?"
Cody interjected, "Yeah, you look fuckin' sexy in your suit."
"Thanks. When I walk into the customer's office, what do you think how I look says to them?"
They both thought for a moment.
"Put together," Luke said.
"Confident," Cody added.
"That's the idea. I could wear a suit off the rack and look fine. But getting it tailored to fit my body makes it look better. There's an old saying, clothing makes the man, and it's true to an extent. How you feel about yourself and being confident projects outward. How others feel about you, that first impression that someone makes of you - it all comes from how you look and the image you project because you know you look damn good! Later, your inner self keeps them hooked, but the first impression gets you hooked."
"So, you want me to look good," he said and paused.
"Yes."
"So, the courtroom will see me as confident, put together, and..."
"Exactly!"
I pulled out my phone, did a quick image search – menatplay suits – and started showing the guys pics.
"Fuck," Cody said. "Hot guys."
"That's the other thing; a suit can be sexy and really show off your body if it's tailored right."
We left Macy's and walked into Lord and Taylor. The sales lady walked over and asked if she could help.
"For this one," I pointed to Cody. "I'm thinking a blue suit. It's going to be a suit separate as his chest won't match the waist in a standard suit, and that's way too much tailoring. Same thing for this one, except I'm thinking something in a gray or silver."
"Let me show you what we have. What sizes?"
Both Cody and Luke looked baffled.
"Why don't you measure them?"
She went and grabbed a tape measure, figured out their sizes, and agreed that suit separates were the best idea. I was impressed with the salesperson; too often they don't really want to help. She quickly had several jackets and pants for both guys and shooed them into the dressing room.
Cody was the first to come out. The dark, navy-blue suit looked nice; but I wanted him to stand out more.
"What do you think?" I asked.
"It's okay."
"So, try the next one on."
He was heading back when Luke came out. He looked sharp in the silver-grey jacket and pants. The fabric had a slight sheen to it that made the color pop in the light.
"What do you think? I asked.
"It looks good."
I turned to the salesperson. "Blue shirt? White shirt?"
She was off in a flash and came back with a light blue shirt. I helped Luke take the jacket off and had him put the shirt on over his t-shirt. He was just getting the jacket back on after tucking in the shirt when the salesperson handed him a tie.
"Umm..."
"Turn around," I said. I reached over him and got the tie tied for him. I dropped to my knees and got the pants legs tucked so they weren't dragging on the floor. "There you go, very sharp."
Cody walked out and let out a wolf whistle looking at Luke. Luke and I glanced at him, and when he realized what he'd done, he started blushing deeply!
The salesperson looked at me and said, "My son is gay too. This one, your son?"
"They're both my guys, and I'm proud of them. How old's your son?"
"He just turned 17," she explained.
"That one turns 22 soon," I said, pointing to Luke. "He's about to turn 21."
She smiled at me.
I looked at Cody.
"Well?"
"I like this one a lot."
"Yeah, that one looks good on you," Luke agreed. "I like the brighter color."
"Agreed," I said. "White shirt?"
"Definitely," Luke concurred.
The salesperson hurried off and returned with a white shirt and an orange and blue tie. Once Cody was fully decked out, Luke and I both gave him the thumbs up.
"Is your tailor here today?"
"Yes, she is."
"Let's get these two fitted then."
I walked around the store but didn't find anything for myself. I did pick up a couple other dress shirts I thought would look good on the guys. I figured the three of us could share ties as needed.
With the fittings done, we were standing at the register with our salesperson.
"Thanks for all your help," Cody said.
"Yeah, it was really great," Luke added.
She started ringing things up, and I noticed Cody's expression getting more and more concerned. I was happy he didn't say anything. I did pull out a coupon that worked with my store card, so the price dropped 20% at the last moment. That seemed to help his face relax a bit.
As we walked out of the store, I looked at Luke. "Can you come over on Thursday and pick things up?"
"Sure! Thanks for this."
"You'll both need the suit for more than just this; you know, job interviews, events, and such."
"Thanks, Coulter," Cody said quietly.
"You're welcome."
I drove us home. Cody got out of the car, hurried into the house, and disappeared.
"Not again," Luke moaned.
"He was better this time," I said.
Luke gave me a look.
"Ok, I'll go talk to him."
In the house, I walked down the hall and found the door to his room closed. I knocked lightly.
"May I come in?" I said through the door.
"It's your house."
I slipped into the room and closed the door behind me. Cody was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. I walked over, sat down next to him, and put my arm around him. We sat there silently for several minutes.
Finally, Cody spoke. "I'm trying."
"I know. You barely let it show on your face at the store. You didn't say anything."
"I really tried!"
"Look, I'm not expecting you to get over everything immediately. You've dialed it back a lot! By the way, you said something very wrong."
Cody's had a pained look on his face.
"It's not my house; it's our house."
He let out a sob. "Thanks, dude."
I wrapped him in a big hug and let him work through the emotions for a few moments. When I felt he'd settled back down, I let go and looked at him squarely.
"So, clean up a bit and join us in the kitchen."
I walked back to the kitchen and found Luke sitting there, a bit mopey.
"He is trying. We talked."
Luke smiled.
Before I could say anything else, Cody walked into the kitchen with a bit of a smile on his face. "So, what's the game plan for the rest of our day?"
"We can go to a movie; we could hit the town for a while. Hey, what about going back to the go-kart park out in Manassas?"
"Uh..." Cody started.
"A three-race pack is $40, so it's no worse than a movie."
"It'll be fun!" Luke agreed.
I gave Cody a hug and whispered into his ear. "It's fifteen dollars, dude. I'll survive."
We all piled into Luke's car, and he drove us out. I paid for us to be in the next race. It was only twenty minutes, but it was a lot of fun. We were racing with others; in reality, we were racing each other. Cody put on some awesome moves and finished well ahead of Luke; they'd both left me in the dust.
"That was awesome!" Cody roared.
"You've got mad skills!" Luke responded.
The second and third races had all of us in the pack. Fun, but not exactly the wild ride the first race was.
"How about pizza?" Luke asked as we got together after the last race.
"Sure, there's a great place just up the street from here."
We ordered the fried ravioli, mozzarella sticks, a twenty-inch meatatarian pizza, and three cannoli. There wasn't anything left to take home.
As busy as Saturday had been, Sunday was the opposite. Luke and Cody spent some time finishing up their homework while I mowed the lawn.
After lunch, I grabbed my book and a pillow and headed out to the hammock. It wasn't long before the book was laying on my chest, my eyes closed, and I was drifting toward nap time.
"It's time to wake up," Cody said as he nudged me. "Luke and I made dinner."
"That was nice of you!"
"You looked so peaceful. It might not be gourmet, but it is edible."
"Edible is important, but I'm sure it's good."
We walked into the house, and I found they'd made loaded nachos using some leftover steak. It was yummy.
-----
"I figured out what they're doing," Luke said to me on Wednesday when I got home from work. "It's a country song called Fake ID."
I laughed a little. "It makes sense; it's a fun song. Casey will do well, and Cody can provide backup. Plus, they need to perform that one soon, or it won't fit."
"Huh?"
"Cody won't need a fake ID after his birthday."
"Oh."
"They've been hanging out so much," Luke said. His tone made me a bit concerned.
"They have a common bond," I explained. "I expected it to some extent. It's helping Cody heal. I'm sure helping Cody is helping Casey as well."
"It's just..."
"You and Kyle could hang out more. Hell, the four of you could hang together."
"Yeah, but..."
"But it's different. You're good friends with a lot in common."
"And they're like brothers."
"Something Cody's never had, and you have four. Plus, Casey's only now really getting to see his siblings."
"I'm being an ass," Luke said.
"A bit of jealousy."
He hung his head a bit and said, "yeah."
I took him into my arms and kissed him. "You're being human. Truly, though, there is no reason for jealousy. Have you seen the way Casey looks at Kyle?"
"Yeah, something like the way I look at you and Cody!"
"Exactly!"
"You said the four of us could hang together. What about you?"
"I'm glad to hang out with all of you as well. Remember the me time, us time, discussion?"
"Oh, we could have a thing; okay, I get it. With Cody not going to his parents next summer, we will have a lot more us time opportunities."
"In fact, the only time you two will leave is to visit your folks."
"I hadn't thought about that," he admitted.
"They are going to expect you both."
"Yeah, I get that. We'll have to work something out."
"Again, it's fine. Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
"I don't know if I can get more fond of you." He leaned in and gave me a kiss.
"Love you too!"
-----
Monday, my team found out we had to go to Philadelphia for a day-long meeting with a new client. At dinner that night, I let the guys know what was going on.
"So, I get to go to Philly this Friday for an all-day meeting. I'll leave the house at three-thirty to catch the train. I'm supposed to be on the six-ten train back, which arrives downtown around eight. I should be home by nine."
"Damn, that's a long day," Cody said.
"I've never been to Philly," Luke added.
"Neither have I," Cody admitted.
I sat there for a few moments.
"How much homework do you think you'll have this weekend?"
"Nothing more than the usual," Cody said. Luke nodded in agreement.
"So, why don't you two join me in Philly? I'll get us a room, and we can explore it Saturday and early Sunday, then come back Sunday late afternoon. We can really celebrate your turning twenty-one!"
"That sounds cool, but," Cody started.
"Don't go there. I think a weekend away could be fun and good for all of us. We've had a lot going on and need a diversion. Most importantly, it's your birthday! It'll be my present to you."
Cody looked concerned but just nodded his head.
"Your last class is at two?"
"Well, it ends at one-twenty on Friday," Luke explained.
I grabbed my tablet and pulled up Amtrak's site. "Ok, I can get you on the four o'clock Northeast Regional out of Union Station. So, you can take the Mason Shuttle to the METRO, go to Union Station, train to Philly, and I can meet you there. I can even get a student rate for each of you."
After I booked their trips, I went onto the corporate site and changed my return trip to the same train home on Sunday. I also booked a one-bedroom suite at the Marriott Residence Inn in the city center.
"This is gonna be fun!"
Luke looked excited. Cody's look concerned me.
-----
The week at work was fast-paced and full of stress as our team prepared for the meeting. It was nice to come home each night, work out, have dinner, curl up with my guys and watch a bit of television, then snuggle up and sleep.
I let the gang know that karaoke was out, as I needed to pack and get some sleep before leaving for the train.
Thursday night, as I packed, Cody came into the room.
"What's up?" I asked, looking at his sad-puppy expression.
"We need to talk."
"Okay. What's wrong?"
"It's just..." He stopped and looked at me.
"May I try?"
He just nodded.
"You're concerned about how much I'm supporting you. You're not comfortable with me spending so much, giving you money, paying for things."
He started to speak, but I put my hand up.
"Before we go there, let me ask you a few questions."
"Okay," he said very quietly.
"Do you love me?"
"YES!"
"Okay. Second question, do you love Luke?"
"YES!" He looked at me as if I'd lost my mind.
"Luke! Come in here!" I yelled.
Luke came running into the room.
"Something wrong?"
"Not at all," I replied. At this point, both guys were looking at me as if I'd completely lost my mind. "So, I'm not really ready for this, but..." With that, I dropped to one knee in front of them. "I don't have rings to give you, but let me say this: Luke Zeller and Cody Brownly, today I offer you my heart, my soul, my worldly possessions, and most importantly, my love. We can't get married in the traditional sense of the word, but to me, we are intertwined. What is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine."
I stood up and kissed Cody, pulling Luke over until the three of us were doing our three-way kiss.
"Thanks, dude," Luke said, still puzzled.
"Cody is concerned about the money I spend on you."
A look of understanding spread across Luke's face.
"It can be intimidating," Luke admitted.
"Guys, there are two things you need to understand. First, what I just did was tell you how much you mean to me that all that is mine is yours. Second, I don't want to have to wait. I'm forty, I'm established, andI don't want to live like a college student."
-----
Friday morning, I worked to disengage without waking them, went to the bathroom to shower and dress, grabbed my suitcase, and climbed into the cab, which arrived as scheduled. The trip up was filled with half asleep co-workers and lots of yawns.
The customer's team was energetic and knew the business functions they wanted from our software. In several instances, customizations we'd done for other clients could be quickly tweaked to meet their needs. Little of what they wanted required difficult coding.
With the meetings done, I hopped into the cab with the team for the ride back over to 30th Street Station. They headed over to the Acela platform to catch their train while I walked over to where Cody and Luke were to arrive. The train was, happily, on time, and we grabbed a cab to the hotel.
Luke opened the door to our room and let out a yelp. "Holy Fuck! Look at that view."
Our room was on one of the upper floors across the street from City Hall, with a great view of the clock tower.
"You got a suite!" Cody's voice was a bit panicked.
"It's a Residence Inn, and I used points, so I'm paying taxes and nothing else."
That seemed to settle his mind a bit.
"We have more space this way too!" I explained. "Plus, it's your birthday!"
We all took a few minutes to clean up, and then it was time to have dinner and then explore. I had dinner reservations at seven for us at Knock, a gay restaurant and bar. We walked down to Walnut Street, in the heart of the Gayborhood and found the joint. The crowd was a bit on the older side compared to Cody and Luke, which garnered us a lot of looks. It was a warm September evening, so both were wearing jeans and a polo shirt, which showed off their builds.
Our server flirted with them, but I got the impression it was lost on both. We'd just been served our appetizers when the table next to us was seated. It appeared to be two couples, with all the guys maybe ten years older than me.
Our conversation was mostly centered around the sites that we planned to see while we were in town and what we could see that night.
"Visiting," one of the guys at the next table asked.
"Yes," I responded. "Up from the DC suburbs."
"Going out tonight?"
"We're going to walk around the area," I explained. "But we're not planning on hitting any of the bars tonight. Tomorrow night we'll hit a few, I'm sure."
My comment got a few odd looks from the table.
"We do have full days planned." I decided to divert attention. "Reading Terminal Market, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Little Italy."
"Sounds fun. You should try Woody's or ICandy," he said, recommending two of the local bars.
"Thanks for the suggestion."
The conversation was interrupted as our server came and removed the empty appetizer plates and served our entrees. We returned to our conversation and tried to keep our volume down. We'd each ordered something different, and as we often did, we were sharing bites between the three of us. This didn't go unnoticed by our neighbors.
We were debating a dessert when our neighbor spoke up again.
"How long have you two been together?" He asked, looking at Luke and Cody, who happened to be sitting side by side.
Luke looked at him, but before he could say anything, Cody spoke up clearly.
"We're coming up on a year."
"Congratulations to the two of you," another from the table said.
"Three of us," Luke said.
"Three?" the first asked.
"Yes," Cody said firmly.
All four at the table were now looking at me - not Luke, not Cody, but me. The waiter showed up at that moment to hand us the check, and I handed him my credit card.
"Sugar daddy." One of them said with a soft snicker.
"See it how you like," Cody said with a bit of venom. "We're college students, so we don't have a lot yet. Luke graduates in May; I have another year; then, we'll contribute as much as we can."
I signed the receipt.
"Have a nice evening," I said to the table.
The three of us stood and walked out of the restaurant. We were in the Gayborhood, so I felt comfortable giving Cody a huge hug and kiss before we started up the street.
"What's that for?"
"You! It seems like you get it."
"Yeah, it took a bit of time for me to deal with issues, process everything, and get my brain in the right place. Talking with Luke on the train let me cement everything. I get it; you love me, he loves me, and just as importantly, I love you both."
I wrapped one of my arms around Cody and pulled Luke into a group hug. As I held them close, I said, "I love you guys!"
"We love you," they both said into my ears.
We walked around, but with an underage guy in tow, there wasn't much we could do.
Saturday morning, I was the first one up, with Cody awakening a few moments later.
"Happy Birthday," I said quietly.
"Thanks. This is going to change a few things, isn't it?"
"Well, bars, alcohol, yes. Most things, not so much."
"Mmmph... Happy birthday, Cody. Can we go back to sleep?" Luke said in a groggy voice.
"We're gonna convert you to a morning person," Cody teased.
"It is almost seven," I pointed out.
"Okay, okay... I'm awake."
"Workout? Breakfast?" I asked.
"Birthday sex, then more sleep," Luke said.
"I'm down with that," I admitted.
"What does the birthday boy want for his birthday sex?" Luke asked.
"I want to fuck and get fucked."
"Sandwich!" Luke whooped.
Luke repositioned a bit and started on Cody's dick. I, in turn, worked my way to his ass. I spread his cheeks and started getting him prepped.
"Let me move a bit," Cody said.
With that, Cody repositioned himself so he could work on Luke's ass. I wasn't able to see what they were doing as I rimmed out Cody's hole. Periodically, I would hear Cody or Luke let out a little moan or groan. By the time I had a finger on either side of his hole, opening him good, Cody started to pull away.
"Time to fuck!" he announced.
Cody moved into position, and I watched his cock sink into Luke's wet hole. I let him fuck Luke for a bit and then moved in behind him. I put my hand on his back to stop him, and then I slid my cock in.
"Fuck," Cody moaned.
With my dick buried, I took my hand off Cody's back. He started fucking Luke. Each thrust in pulled him nearly off my cock, and each thrust back pushed my cock into him deep.
"Fuck me," Luke ordered.
"I'm working on it!"
Cody had a good fuck motion going and was working hard. After fifteen or twenty minutes, he pushed into Luke deeply and stopped.
"Fuck us," he said.
I drove my cock into Cody and started pounding his ass.
"Holy shit!" Luke exclaimed. "I'm feeling you through him!"
As I worked my cock in and out, I caused Cody to vibrate inside Luke.
"Shit!" Cody yelled.
His ass started clenching at my cock, making me realize he was cumming in Luke. This triggered my cock; I slammed in and unloaded.
It was well after ten when we woke up from our post-sex sleep.
"Workout? Breakfast?" I asked a second time.
"Brunch," Cody replied.
It didn't take long to clean up and get our day started. We took a short walk as I led the guys into Reading Terminal Market.
"Wow!" Cody said as we entered the bustling marketplace.
"So, what's for breakfast?" Luke asked.
"Depends on your mood. There are some restaurants in the place, from delis to diners to corndogs, or we can just go from stall to stall and graze."
"Graze?" Cody asked.
"Yeah, go to one place and get a donut; move to the next and get a strudel; go to a third and get an apple."
"That sounds fun, but I don't want to fill up on the wrong things," Luke explained.
I found a map, and we went through the vendors. We each grabbed a donut at Beilers, then a breakfast pastry at the Flying Monkey. We also grabbed some fresh fruit from a stall to snack on during the day. The day was really starting to warm up as we walked down Market Street to the Liberty Bell.
We spent the day seeing all the top sights. After a light dinner, we got back to the room and changed.
"You still up for going out?" I asked.
"Yeah!" Luke responded. "We have to celebrate his birthday at a gay bar!"
"Let's get cleaned up, changed, and headed out. It doesn't have to be a late night, unless we're having a great time."
Luke headed for the bathroom to start his clean-up.
"I don't know why, but I'm nervous," Cody said.
"What? Why would you be nervous?"
"I've never been to a bar, a gay bar, or anything like that. I mean, I don't think of the club as a bar."
"There is no reason to be nervous. It's not that different from going to karaoke in reality. It's not like you're going there to cruise, hook up, or meet men. You're going there with me and Luke. You can buy alcohol if you like. I would recommend you keep it to a minimum since you're not used to drinking. We can dance if the music is good. If someone starts chatting with you, be pleasant. If someone causes you any problems, say something; you've got two bodyguards."
"Thanks; that helps. What should I wear?"
"On you, just about anything would work. It's supposed to be nice out; you could do a polo shirt paired with jeans. What all did you bring?"
We started going through his stuff, and I helped him lay out an outfit. By that point, Luke was done in the bathroom, and I shooed Cody in.
"What are you wearing?" I asked.
"Jeans, polo shirt, you know the basics."
"That's what I recommended to Cody as well."
"What about you?"
"I brought my black jeans, a black polo, and black boots."
"Fuck, you're going to be turning some heads."
"Don't care about the heads unless they are attached to you or Cody."
"Thanks!"
"You two are going to be very popular."
"Why do you say that?"
"You, studly, wearing the right outfit, you'll attract guys of all ages, I'm sure."
"Ummm..."
"Like I told Cody, you have two bodyguards. We'll protect each other."
"Cool."
I took my turn getting ready, and we headed out.
"I wish I'd thought about all black," Cody said as we walked. "You look hot."
"You're equally as hot," I advised. Cody had on tight, dark-washed jeans and a fitted polo. The shirt fit snuggly across his chest, and his nipples were pointing the way.
"What about me?" Luke said with a bit of a whine in his voice.
"Eh, so so," Cody teased.
I started to laugh. Luke's tan jeans were set off by a royal blue polo that really set off his blue eyes. Luke gave Cody a fake slug.
"Luke, you're hot, hot, hot as usual," I complimented.
We got to the club, and the bouncer checked each ID. "Um, underage," he said to Cody. Cody's Virginia license was still in the under twenty-one pose.
"Check the date," I said.
"Oh, happy birthday!"
"We're out celebrating," Luke added.
"Have fun," he said, allowing us to enter.
"What do you want to drink?" I asked.
"I'd like an ale," Luke replied. "It looks like they have Dogfish Head."
"What to try?" Cody said. His face made me realize he was truly thinking about it.
"Okay, let's talk for a minute. I know you don't drink much. Do you want fruity? Sweet? Tart? Low alcohol? High alcohol?"
"Something I can drink really slowly and try."
"Vodka and cranberry?" Luke suggested.
"Yeah, that'll work."
I went over to the bar and ordered our drinks. While I was standing there, I noticed more than a few guys checking out Cody and Luke. Drinks in hand, I returned to the guys.
"Cheers to the birthday boy," I said.
"Cheers!" Luke said.
"Thanks guys!" Cody replied.
We spent some time crowd-watching, getting through our drinks slowly. As the evening progressed, the dance floor got busy, and the three of us joined the crowd. To be honest, I lost track of time. We didn't get back to the room until after one a.m.
-----
Two days until the trial, Luke and I were starting to wear down. It was a three-seater emotional roller coaster. Unfortunately, it was wilder than my worst fears. He'd be quiet, sullen, and nearly despondent, and then fly off into a rage without any provocation. The only saving piece was that his mood, temper, and flair-ups hadn't focused on Luke or me, yet. They were mostly out-of-control rages at inanimate objects or simply steam-release vents.
I got home from work a bit late on Wednesday night, trying to make sure that my early departure on Thursday and my time off on Friday wouldn't have a negative impact on the project.
I opened the front door and wanted to take a step back from the loud - I mean, deafeningly loud - music. I settled my mind and stepped in. First task: I took off my jacket and hung it in the front closet. Second task: I pulled up the app and turned the music down a few dozen decibels. I walked into the den, put down my bag, and then set off to explore.
I checked the kitchen and bedrooms, and then went downstairs looking for either of them. As I went out the slider into the backyard, I was starting to worry just a bit. When I found no sign of them, I went back inside and upstairs. I looked out front to confirm what I remembered – Luke's car was in the driveway. Maybe they were out for a run.
I grabbed my phone and sent a message to Luke. Seconds later, I heard Luke's phone beep nearby. Now my worry was starting to grow. I sent a text to Cody, and within I seconds heard his phone beep.
"What the fuck?" I said to myself in a voice louder than I meant.
I went back and checked each room in the house. When I got to the basement, I noticed something I missed earlier: the door to the playroom was ajar. I opened the door and paused for a moment, looking at what I'd found.
"Well, this isn't what I expected."
Cody's head whipped around at the sound of my voice. What I'd found was Luke in the sling and Cody fucking the living crap out of him. >From the look on Luke's face, he was really enjoying it.
"How about letting me get a piece of this?" I asked as I started shucking my clothes.
"Sure," Cody said as he started to disengage.
"Not quite what I meant," I said as I pulled my shirt off. My cock started to bulge in my jock as I walked over to the fuck bench. "You can go back and forth."
"WHAT?" Cody nearly screamed.
"You're going to have to take your time opening me up; it's been a long time. Hell, it's been over a decade since I've been fucked, but get to it!"
Cody pulled out of Luke and walked over.
"Dude, you never mentioned getting fucked," Luke said.
"James wouldn't. Rob never seemed interested. Neither of you ever mentioned it. It's been forever, but I did enjoy it like fifteen years ago."
By this point Cody, was behind me, using his fingers and tongue to open me up. I might not be virginal, but it was going to be close. A few moments into this, I heard motion, and soon Luke's cock was in front of me. I opened and started swallowing him to the base.
Cody was being extra careful. Between the spit, his tongue, and his fingers, I was opening slowly. He pulled away for a moment, and I heard footsteps. Moments later, I felt his lubed finger work into my hole.
I put my hands on Luke's ass as he worked his cock in and out of my mouth.
Cody eventually got up to three fingers with a good bit of lube, and I was feeling good. He slipped them out, and I tried to relax figuring he would be pushing his cock into my hole. He took it slowly, and after a few minutes, I had him buried in my ass.
I used my hands to push Luke back for a moment.
"Now that you're in, stir it around a bit to let me get used to it. Then you can fuck my ass like you were fucking Luke!"
Cody took the direction and worked his buried dick around a good pit. Then he pulled back a bit and pushed in. My ass loosened a bit, and I was getting used to the feelings again. I had Luke working his dick in one end while Cody worked his ass in the other.
Cody pulled back and thrust in hard, and I knew we were off to the races. Cody started to really fuck my hole while I sucked on Luke's dick.
"Shit," Luke said as he pulled out of my mouth.
"Problem?" I asked.
"I want to fuck your hole, not cum in your mouth, and I was about to pop!"
Cody was giving my hole a good workout.
"FUCK!" Cody finally yelled as he flooded my hole.
As his cock finished spurting, he collapsed on my back.
"Go lay in the sling," Luke ordered Cody. "I want that ass."
Luke slid the wooden crate over, stepped up, and pushed his cock in.
"This ain't gonna take long," he warned. "But I'm gonna enjoy it!"
With that Luke, started fucking my hole like a man possessed.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Luke said after a few minutes. I felt him spasm in my ass.
Like Cody, Luke collapsed on my back. He lay there for a few minutes. After Luke climbed off me, I stood, showing my hard cock.
"Fuck me!" Luke ordered. He replaced me on the fuck bench.
I rimmed out his hole for a good bit, getting it open and slick.
As I slid in, I knew this wasn't going to be a long fuck, as I was too energized. I started pushing in and then pulling out completely.
"Fuck," Luke said. "Work my hole!"
Cody climbed out of the sling and walked over. His cock was hard again - the joys of being twenty-one. He presented his dick to Luke, who took it to the root.
I kept punch-fucking Luke's ass until I couldn't hold back. "Damn!" I yelled as I flooded his hole.
Cody came around and bumped me out of the way. He pushed back into Luke and returned to fucking him senseless. It didn't take too long until Cody blew his second load into Luke.
After Cody pulled out, I helped Luke off the bench.
"Showers?" I asked.
"Damn right," Luke said.
We went into the shower, and I got the water going as the guys used the facilities. Under the hot spray, Luke got a funny look.
"Why didn't you ever say you got fucked?" He asked as he started scrubbing my back.
"Like I said, it's been... fifteen years. James is 100% bottom, and I think Rob is too. Neither of you ever mentioned it, and I guess I never thought to bring it up."
"You're truly versatile." Cody said, with a bit of disbelief in his tone.
"I've always thought it was a spectrum from 100% top to 100% bottom. I always thought of myself as 75% top and 25% bottom. I do like getting fucked, but I prefer topping."
We turned, and I started scrubbing Cody's back while Luke worked on mine.
"Hmmm... I'll have to think about where I am," Cody said.
"You don't have to label yourself; just say what you're in the mood for!" I laughed.
As we finished cleaning up, I looked at the guys.
"Pizza?"
"Sure!"
I grabbed my phone and got it ordered. We got into our PJs and waited.
-----
Thursday, I took the early train home, getting to the station just after two. I'd driven Luke's car to the station so the guys could get the truck packed for the trip. I was home a few minutes later and found everything ready. We were on the road before two thirty and slid onto I-95 at the Occoquan in moderate but moving traffic.
"Seems like we missed all the traffic," Luke said as we went over the Rappahannock River northwest of Fredericksburg.
"Not all of it," Cody reminded him. "We still have to go around Richmond, through Williamsburg, and down I-64."
"Hopefully, that won't be so bad," I said.
We'd gotten down to Ruther Glen when we started seeing all the traffic fleeing Richmond.
"I have a feeling we're going to sit in traffic on sixty-four," Luke said.
"That is, if we don't get stuck on 295," Cody added.
A short time later, I transitioned from I-95 onto I-295 and we headed east around the northern part of Richmond.
"Well, fate is smiling on us," I said as we got down onto I-64, headed toward the beaches. "It's heavy traffic, but it's moving."
"Call your mom and let her know we'll be in there around seven," I said over my shoulder to Luke.
I kept my eyes on the road, but soon I heard Luke speaking.
"Hey."
"Yeah, we'll be there about seven. Tell mom and dad for me."
"Cool. What's for dinner?"
"Awesome."
"See ya soon, squirt."
"Bye."
"Matthew answer?" I asked.
"Yup."
"What's for dinner?" Cody asked.
"Mom's got a Crock-Pot going with roast beef and all the trimmings."
"Smart lady, something that will hold well," I commented.
We crossed the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge, headed through Chesapeake, and then into Virginia Beach. I parallel-parked the truck in front of the house. We each grabbed our bags, and Luke led us into the house.
"We're home!" Luke called out.
Nate and Sarah appeared around a corner quickly.
"Honey. It's good to have you home," Sarah said as she wrapped her arms around Luke.
"You're looking good," Nate said to Cody.
"Welcome," Sarah said to me.
"It's good of you to host us," I said.
"Dinner's ready," Sarah said. "Put your bags in Luke's room."
Luke grabbed my bag, and he and Cody ran upstairs as I followed Nate and Sarah into the dining space.
"It was nice of you to come down with the boys for the trial," Nate said.
"Luke and I promised Cody we'd sit on either side of him during the trial and be there for him through the entire thing."
We heard the guys coming down the stairs, we nodded at each other, and Sarah changed the subject.
"How's school been?" she asked.
"Not bad," Luke said. "Getting ready for midterms and working on a few projects."
"What about you, Cody?" Nate asked.
"Eh, oh, it's okay. I'll admit I'm not really focused on it. I'm just trying to plow through and not fall too far behind or let my grades drop."
"There'll be time to get caught up," Luke said.
It was the first time Cody'd admitted that the trial was impacting school.
Nate and Sarah got the food on the table, and we all sat down to eat. I wondered where the boys were but decided to keep quiet.
"Where are Matt and Mark?" Luke asked.
"They left not long after you called. They are having dinner with a friend. John's going to pick them up after work, and all three should be home shortly after nine," Sarah explained.
The conversation focused on Luke's schooling with his parents, who being parents, asked lots of questions about classes.
"Have you given more thought to a job after graduation?" Nate asked.
"Yeah, but not a lot. Most places don't want to look at someone eight or nine months before they can start work. And no, I'm not considering coming back here after graduation for a job."
"We figured that out after we finally got the Cody factor out in the open," Sarah said.
"Huh?" Cody grunted. It was clear he wasn't paying much attention, but his name had triggered a response.
"All summer, Mom and Dad kept talking about how I could find a good job around here. You know, so I could be close by. I'm guessing having one son across the country is enough. Once they outed me and our relationship, I guess they understand why I want to stay in the DC area."
"Oh."
"The food is very good," I complimented Sarah.
"It's just Crock-Pot roast."
"Still, it is good."
"Thanks."
After dinner, Luke loaded the dishwasher while the rest of us bussed the table.
"TV?" Nate asked.
"I've got a little homework I should finish up," Cody said, and with that, he went up the stairs.
I would have liked to follow, but instead I gave Luke a look.
"I do too; I'll be back down as soon as I'm done."
"Oh, okay." Sarah's voice had a bit of disappointment in it.
After Luke went upstairs, the three of us sat down in their family room, and Nate turned on the TV.
"Anything you'd like to watch?" Nate asked.
"Not really," I admitted.
"They don't have any homework, do they?" Sarah asked.
"They might, but I'm thinking Cody's just stressed out. Luke will keep him in check. Keep him sane."
"How's he been doing?" Nate asked.
"I remember one afternoon, Cody got `twisted' is the way Luke explained it. The entire situation has left him wound up, a bit warped, and, of course, stressed. We've gotten him to understand that he'll survive financially, that school isn't a problem, and that he can settle into a life. But he gets `twisted' whenever he thinks about putting his dad in jail."
"Understandable," Sarah said quietly, her head nodding a bit. "And he'll never have a family."
"Well, that's one bright spot," I interrupted. "He's got a family."
Both Nate and Sarah looked at me a bit oddly.
"He's got Luke. He's got me. And he got adopted by the son of a friend of mine. Well maybe not adopted, but those two have bonded into brothers. I guess the shared background has cemented their bond."
"Shared background?" Sarah asked.
I went on to explain about Casey and how Justin had adopted him.
"So, Casey is showing Cody how life can go on after being rejected by your parents," I concluded.
"That's marvelous," Nate said.
"It's been a bright spot of late."
"How's Luke been doing?" Sarah asked.
"About what you'd think, stressed, wound up a bit, concerned, frustrated, and more. If Cody's too wound up, Luke gets me to help out."
"That's awfully nice of you," Nate said.
"Well, Justin calls Casey his son. I won't say that about Cody, but I have adopted him as family. Luke too..."
We heard footsteps on the stairs, and a few moments later, Luke appeared.
"Done with homework?" I asked.
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
"How's he doing?" Nate asked.
"He's lying down. I think he's trying to sleep, so tomorrow will get here faster."
The conversation was a bit awkward as we tried to avoid any discussion of the trial. Finally, I started to yawn.
"It's going to be one more high-stress day," I commented. "I think it's time for bed."
"We put a cot in the room," Nate said.
"Thanks!"
"Make one of the boys use it," Sarah said, looking at Luke.
"I plan on it," Luke said smoothly.
When we got into the room, we found Cody face-up staring at the ceiling.
"Ready for bed?" I asked.
"I'll never get to sleep."
I dug into my ditty bag and handed Cody a small package. "Here, try this."
"What is it?"
"ZZZQuil, it should knock you out. It's over the counter, non-addictive."
"Oh, okay."
He opened the blister pack and downed the pill.
Luke climbed into the bed next to Cody, and I pulled the cot up next to the bed.
"Y'all are the best."
"You deserve the best," Luke said.
I was tired and wanted to sleep, but I kept myself awake until I heard Cody's breathing become regular. Knowing he was asleep, I let myself relax and drifted off.
I woke with a start. The room was dark, and looking around, I found a clock that read 3:24. My eyes were adjusted to the dark, and I could see that Luke was the only one in the bed. I waited a few minutes, thinking that Cody might be in the bathroom. When he didn't return, I got up and slipped quietly out of the room.
"How are you doing?" I asked, finding him at the table in the corner of the kitchen.
"I'm a fucking mess. I don't know if I can do this," he said, and starting to sob.
I pulled a chair next to him and wrapped an arm around him.
"You can. You're a strong guy. It's going to be really hard with both your folks sitting there as you tell your side of the story."
He didn't say anything, so I decided to continue.
"We talked about this. He hurt you, but you still love him and want him to accept you. This cuts the chances of this from slim to none."
Before I could continue, more lights turned on, and we both looked over at the doorway.
"Everything okay?" Sarah asked.
Cody nodded.
"Stress over testifying," I explained.
Sarah walked over and got down a bit in front of Cody.
"No parent has the right to do to a child what your father and then your mother did to you. You have the right to be loved, cared for, and safe. You are a good son, a good man, and you deserve better."
"Thanks," Cody said quietly.
"Come here," she said as she straightened up.
Cody stood slowly, and Sarah wrapped her arms tightly around him. The waterworks turned on as Cody let his emotions out. As he settled down, Sarah spoke.
"Now you need to go back to bed and sleep. You've got a big day ahead, and you'll need all your strength."
"Yes ma'am. G'night."
"Night," I echoed.
He and I walked back upstairs. He climbed into the bed and cuddled up with Luke. I sat on the cot, leaned forward, and kissed the back of his neck.
"Sleep tight," I said softly.
I wasn't sure if he really went to sleep or not, but he didn't really move for the next few minutes. I finally drifted off to sleep.
My internal alarm clock woke me at six, but I decided to try to get a little more sleep. It was a bit after seven when something woke me. I rolled over to find Cody and Luke sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Morning."
"Morning," they both responded.
"Ready to get this day over with?"
"Damn right," Cody said.
"I'll grab three mugs of coffee," Luke offered.
"I'll make the beds," I said. "You get your shower."
Cody grabbed his ditty bag while I got the bed and the cot made up. Luke reappeared with three mugs of coffee.
"You sleep well?" he asked.
"For the most part," I replied.
Luke cocked an eyebrow.
"Cody woke up at some point, and I found him in the kitchen around three thirty. Your mom found us a bit before four. She said some great things that I hope will sink in. We got back to bed a bit before four thirty."
"Oh."
Cody came back into the room, and I gestured for Luke to go get his shower. Cody grabbed the suit bag and started getting dressed. I was helping him with his tie when Luke walked in.
"Fuck!"
"What's wrong?" Cody asked.
"Nothing! Well, I... shit, you look like a fuckin' stud, and I want to rip those clothes off and have fun."
I started to chuckle. "See, suits can be sexy."
"Damn right, at least on you two," Luke replied.
I gave Cody a quick kiss and slipped into the bathroom. I took care of things and then took a short shower. I was out and slipping into my suit as Luke put on his tie.
"Guys, do me a favor," I said. "Cody, face me. Luke move over a bit in front of him, but a bit off center. That's it. Fuck, just the look I wanted."
They both smiled big.
I finished getting dressed and the three of us went downstairs.
"Goodness," Sarah said rather loudly as we walked into the kitchen. "The three of you look mighty sharp. What time do you have to be there?"
"We need to get to the DA's office at ten for the pre-trial briefing," I explained.
"Nate and I will be there at one for the trial."
"You don't have to." Cody started.
Sarah put her hand up. "Yes, we do. You are our son-in-law, after all. Well, I need to head out to work. See you all soon." With that, she grabbed her purse and left.
"What do you want to do about breakfast?" I asked.
"There's a Waffle House near the courthouse," Luke said.
"That okay?" I asked Cody.
"Sure."
After a reasonably quick breakfast, we got to the DA's office a bit before ten. We'd been waiting a few minutes in the lobby when a woman walked up. "Cody?" she asked.
Cody stood and replied, "That's me."
"Nice to finally meet you face-to-face. And your friends?"
"This is Luke and Coulter."
"Kimberly Bingham," she said, shaking our hands. "If you'll all follow me." She led us back to a small conference room. "Would anyone like coffee? Water?"
We all shook our heads.
"We just had breakfast," Cody explained.
"I'm glad you made it early," she started. "I do have news. Your father's attorney reached out late yesterday with a plea deal." With that, Cody sat up much straighter and stared. "He'll plead guilty to assault and battery against a family member, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor. In exchange for the other charges being dropped. They are asking for time served and a reduced fine. What we offered back is thirty days minus time served and a twenty-five hundred dollar fine."
"That seems light," Luke said. "Excuse me."
"Well, in Virginia, first-time assault and battery is Class 1, including those against a family member. We were trying for aggravated assault, but even Cody's testimony might not convince the judge."
"What about a hate crime?" Luke asked.
"Under Virginia law, that's not an option. Sexual orientation is not a covered class."
"When do you hear back?" I asked.
"They need to let us know no later than eleven, then we can present it to the judge. If it's after eleven, we'd discuss during the hearing time."
"I'm still really nervous about testifying," Cody admitted.
"Nothing to be nervous about," Kimberly replied. "You walk to the stand, sit, and say the oath; I'll ask you questions, and you answer them, explaining what happened. The defense attorney will ask you questions; you respond, and then it's over."
"That sounds easy, but..."
"Cody, it's not like what you see on television. The defense attorney will ask you questions; he might try to get you to admit things, but I'll be there to protect you from anything inappropriate, and this isn't going to get ugly."
"I think he's more scared of facing his folks," Luke explained.
"Don't look that way," she said. "Look at me, look at your friends, or look at the judge. You'll be fine."
She continued to work to calm Cody and explain the process. It was five minutes of eleven when there was a knock at the door; it opened, and a gentleman stuck his head in.
"Hey, Kim. Jim Finnegan is on line two."
"Be right there," she replied. "That's your dad's defense attorney. This bodes well."
She hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"FUCK!" Cody let out. "I hope he takes the damn deal."
The three of us sat there quietly for about fifteen minutes. Finally, the door opened, and Kim walked in all smiles.
"They accepted the terms of the deal. I'll present it to the judge at eleven thirty. If all goes well, no trial."
Cody started to cry. Luke leaned over and put his arm around him.
"Thanks," I said quietly.
"If you gentlemen will sit here a bit longer, hopefully we can let you go about your day sooner."
She stepped back out, and we were there alone again. Luke continued to help Cody deal with the release of so much stress. It was about eleven forty-five when she returned.
"Done deal," she said, her face set in a broad smile. "Jim and I presented the plea deal to the judge, and he signed it. Your dad will serve twenty-five more days. The judge agreed to do it as eleven two-day stinks on weekends and one three-day stint."
"Will Dad lose his job?" Cody asked quietly.
I was really surprised at his concern.
"Since he pled to the misdemeanor, he shouldn't. I think that was why Finnegan asked for the weekend's so he could keep working."
Cody gave a weak smile at that.
"Do you need us for anything else?" I asked.
"No. Sorry that circumstances made you drive all the way down here."
"Not your fault," I said.
"We're visiting my family while we're here," Luke added.
"Good. Let me escort you out; I can put this free time on my next case."
We gathered up our things, and she led us out of the secured space. As soon as we were out of the building, Luke grabbed his phone.
"Let me text my folks."
He got a message out quickly, and by the time we were in the truck, he'd received responses.
"Cool, they are both staying at work."
"So, what would the two of you like to do? Lunch?"
"Why don't we go back to the house and change?" Luke started. "Then we can grab lunch and walk the beach."
"Sounds good with me," I admitted. "Cody."
He just nodded his head.
We were back at the house quickly, got changed into jeans, t's and light jackets, and headed out. I drove us to the beach.
"Where do we grab lunch?" I asked. "I don't know the area well."
"We're doing seafood tonight," Luke said. "How about going to Pocahontas Pancakes?"
"I'm not sure I want breakfast again."
"It's a diner. You can get sandwiches and stuff."
"Works. Cody?"
"Yeah. Fine."
I found parking, and we grabbed a table. Luke got a big breakfast platter, and I ordered the Greek salad. Cody grumbled that he wasn't hungry but did order a chef's salad.
After we finished eating, we went over and walked the boardwalk for a few blocks before I led us out onto the beach. The weather was nice for early October. We walked quietly for quite a while, and it was good. I would glance at Cody from time to time, and his posture, his face, hell, his whole being seemed to improve as we walked.
"Guys, I want a pic," I said.
I got Cody to stand behind Luke with his arms around him and the Atlantic Ocean behind them. I snapped a couple shots and then showed them.
"Ok, now you two!" Luke said.
This time it was me behind Cody.
"You two," Cody said quietly.
I put my arms around Luke, and Cody snapped some. We'd detangled and were back to walking when we came upon a woman walking in the other direction.
"Excuse me," Cody said to her, halting all our progress. "Would you mind taking a picture for us?"
"Not at all."
I got in the middle, and we put our arms around each other. She snapped a couple.
"Nice to see a dad and his boys on vacation!" she said, handing me back my phone.
"Thank you," I said.
She walked off, and Cody turned to me. "We're going to get that all the time, aren't we?"
"For the most part, yes," I admitted. "When the three of us are together, at least. Does it bother you?"
"Some."
I looked at him as we stood there, the waves and birds the only real noise around.
"But in the end, it doesn't matter what others think. I love you both, and the rest of the world can go fuck itself!"
I smiled. Then I had to chuckle at how he'd phrased it.
We got back to the house late in the afternoon. Luke's brothers were around but seemed to be busy. Luke's dad got home first, and then a short while later, his mom. I gave them each the condensed version of the morning.
"So, in the end," Nate said, "he only gets thirty days for what he did?"
"The DA explained that first offenses are considered misdemeanors. I did some searching on my phone when we got home. It appears a lot of these are spur-of-the moment violent acts where some event triggers them. If you do it once, the penalty is much lighter than for any future times."
"Well, I'm glad it's finally over," Sarah said.
Cody nodded his head in agreement.
"Ready for dinner?" Nate asked. "We have reservations at six thirty, so we should probably get going."
"Boys, we're leaving," Sarah called up the stairs.
"They aren't going?" I asked.
"No. John's got a date; Matthew's going to a friend's; and Mark's going to eat leftovers."
"Do you mind driving?" Nate asked.
"Not at all," I replied.
"Sarah, Luke, and I will take the back seat," Nate offered.
Looking at the three of them standing between Cody and me suppressing a laugh, Luke was the tallest of the three at five-eight. We all climbed into the truck, and they gave me directions to the restaurant.
"What's your favorite class?" Nate asked Cody after we ordered.
Cody was quiet for a moment, then said, "Discrete Events Systems Modeling, I guess."
"That sounds intense," Sarah said.
"I got an A in Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists last spring so this shouldn't be too bad. I hope."
"You two were meant to be together," Nate commented. "Same school, same majors."
"Sorta," Luke interrupted his dad. "Information Systems and Operations Management is in the School of Business. Cody's in the Volgenau School of Engineering."
"Huh?" His dad seemed confused.
"My major is Cyber Security Engineering," Cody explained. "The goal is to develop systems that are cyber-resilient, which includes physical, logical and other approaches."
"So, you'll be an engineer when you graduate?" Sarah asked.
"Technically, yes."
"He has to take way more math and science than me," Luke added.
I knew that Luke's mom was a CPA while his dad worked in contracts for the Navy. While they both used computers in their work, they didn't have a deep understanding of the field.
"What about you, Coulter?" Nate started. "You're in the field."
"My degrees are more old-school and a bit more generalized. I have a computer science degree for a bachelor's. My master's is in information systems. They were just starting to offer the information systems degree when I got my bachelors, and I didn't think much about it. I align with Luke."
The conversation continued as Luke, Cody, and, to a much lesser extent, I tried to explain why Information Systems was in the business school but Cyber Security was in the engineering school.
We went back to the house after dinner, and Cody headed upstairs. I gave Luke a look, and he followed. It was clear Sarah caught my look.
"I thought he'd be better after today," Nate said.
"It's just the start of being able to heal," I said. "No, he didn't put his dad in jail. Unfortunately, they won't reconcile any time soon, if ever. He's been abused, shunned, kicked-out; whatever you want to call it - and he knows he can't really go back. I figure it will be quite a while before the scab forms on the wound. It will take a long time for him to truly heal."
"You have him figured out," Sarah said.
"I lost my family. Yes, in different circumstances. I understand where he is in some ways. He feels completely and utterly alone in some respects."
"But, as you said last night, he has Luke and you."
"And that's what I want to make sure he knows. Luke's here for him. I'm here for him. What you did this morning meant a lot too."
"Huh?" Nate grunted.
Sarah and I explained the four a.m. conversation.
"It's all good to help," I continued. "It'll just take time."
"What time are you three heading out tomorrow?"
"My thoughts were about nine."
"Short visit," Sarah said.
"I know. I'm flexible. They have schoolwork to deal with, though."
We continued our chat until bedtime. Unfortunately, neither Luke nor Cody came back downstairs. When I got upstairs, I was unsurprised to find them both awake.
"What's up?"
"Nothing," Cody said. "Just lying here thinking. Are we heading home tomorrow?"
"I was thinking we head out about nine tomorrow. Thoughts?
"That's fine," Luke agreed.
"Works for me," Cody said.
I stripped down, kissed Cody, then Luke, and climbed into the other bed.
"Night!"
-----
For the drive home and the rest of the weekend, life seemed fine as Cody remained calm. The following week, Cody's mood oscillated between despondent, moody, and irritated. Luke and I walked around on pins and needles.
"Thank God It's Friday," I exclaimed as I walked into the house.
Music was playing rather quietly, so I assumed one or both were studying. I dropped my bag in the office and then went searching. I found Luke in his room on the bed, reading.
"TGIF!" I said from the doorway.
"Meh. More like slam fucked with homework. Hmmm... SFWH..."
"Sorry to hear that. What hit you?"
"An idiot in Advanced Data Mining pissed off the prof. The idiot wouldn't let his idea go. The professor decided to assign us a `little' project for the weekend. We have to design a decision model to set up for our next data mining project by Monday."
"That seems like a lot," I admitted.
"The whole thing wasn't due for two weeks; now we have this part early. He's been a pain all semester, and I hope I never have a class with him again."
"The professor or your classmate?"
"Both!"
"Well, I'm home. I'll start dinner and stay out of your hair. It sounds like you're going to be busy all weekend."
"Well, I didn't have this little project in my plans, so add that to a normal load of homework, and I'll be glad if I have five free minutes between now and Monday."
I walked down the hall and found Cody at the desk in his room.
"Happy Friday," I said quietly.
"I guess."
"What's got you going?"
"I'm behind in my classes."
"Understandable. A lot due soon?"
"I have a model due for Systems Modeling on Wednesday. I have a test on Tuesday in Computer Networking. And I have a short paper due for Systems Engineering Principles on Friday!"
"You can do it! It sounds like both of you will be busy this weekend. I'm going to get dinner started. I'll call you when it's ready."
"Okay."
"Not gonna be a party-hardy weekend," I said to myself as I walked into our bedroom.
I changed into workout clothes, then headed into the kitchen. I opened the fridge and stared at the mess. "Time to go shopping," I said out loud to myself. Digging through the containers of leftovers, I found some grilled chicken, ears of corn, and such. A few minutes later, I'd pulled together a salad with the corn off the cob, carrots, peas, and such. I topped it with the chicken that I'd reheated.
"Dinner!" I yelled towards the bedrooms.
A few minutes later, both Luke and Cody appeared.
"Pick your dressing," I said. "And grab a drink if you want anything other than water."
As we got seated, Luke asked, "How was work?"
"Fine. We finished a sprint, and it will get loaded into production this weekend. Nothing particularly special in the release, mostly bug fixes, minor enhancements, and a few security tweaks."
"What are you doing this weekend?" Cody asked.
"I've got a wild and crazy weekend lined up," I started. That got odd looks from both guys. "Laundry, cleaning, yard work - you know all the fun things!"
"Sorry that we're no fun," Cody grumbled.
"You're plenty of fun for me! You're also two guys trying to finish college, and that can mean a lot of homework. It doesn't have to be play-and-party all the time to keep me happy. I'm more than content with snuggling and cuddling."
Cody gave me a bit of a smile.
After dinner, I shooed them back to studying while I cleaned up. I debated a workout or watching television, but chose a more relaxing option: a hot bath and a good book. After a nice long soak, I climbed into bed and continued to read. A bit before ten, Cody came in and began his prep for bedtime. I slipped out of bed and went to find Luke.
"Staying up late?"
"In your terms, yeah. I'll probably stop around midnight. I won't be functional after that."
"Understood, make sure you cuddle up when you get to bed."
I leaned over and gave him a kiss.
"Will do."
I found Cody in bed when I returned.
"Love you," I said, and then I kissed him. "Inside or outside?"
"Outside tonight," he replied.
I rolled onto my side, facing away from him, and he snuggled in close, wrapping his arms around me.
-----
"Going to karaoke on Thursday?" Luke asked.
"Unless you have other plans," I replied. He gave me an odd look. "What?"
"Why would? I mean, what would? Huh?"
"Luke, I go to karaoke to be social with friends. I go because I enjoy the opportunity to sing. However, if you or Cody said you wanted to do something different, I'd be up for it. I don't have to go every single week to be happy."
"Oh. Sorry, I wasn't meaning it in a bad way. Just making sure you planned to go."
"Fair, and yes, I do plan to go unless something pops up within our family. Do you plan on joining me?"
"That's why I was asking. I want to make sure I clear the decks of homework so I can go."
"Wonderful. I guess Kyle and Casey are joining us this week."
"Oh?"
"I think Cody and Casey are working on a duet," I explained.
"They are getting real close," Luke said.
"Not unexpected." He gave me an odd look. "Casey is helping Cody heal. The shared experience gives them a bond. In some ways, it may be better therapy than anything else. Casey succeeded, thrived, blossomed - whatever you want to call it - by forming a new family around him. Cody can learn by example."
Luke nodded his head.
"Are you okay," I asked.
Again, he nodded his head.
"Talk to him," I urged.
"Huh?"
"You took the brunt of things with Cody after the attack. I went to work, and you stayed with him. You haven't talked to him about it since, have you?"
His eyes dropped a bit, and he shook his head.
"Give him the opportunity to talk. He's already handling it better."
"You two talk about it?"
"Probably every other day. We talk about his counseling sessions, about stuff at the student support and advocacy center."
Luke's head popped up, and he stared at me.
"We talk about you," I continued.
"What?"
"He realizes what he did, how it hurt you, and how you're skittish about the topic. At the same time, I know he wants to talk. He doesn't want to rant; he wants someone to confide in."
"Confide in?"
"You're his partner, his spouse, and his lover; he wants to be comfortable talking with you about problems. He understands he needs to have a better approach, but we need to be understanding of what happened to him."
"I get it. I'll talk to him."
I gave Luke a big hug and a smile.
-----
Thursday night, I got to the restaurant a bit ahead of Luke and Cody.
I said to the host, "Table for three, please."
He smiled at me. "Are the others here?"
"They should be here in under five minutes."
He looked down at the stand and said, "This way to your table."
I took my seat, and he handed me a menu. He placed the other two at the empty seats.
"May I ask a question?" he said quietly.
"You may always ask. I may also refuse to answer."
"Last time, you mentioned something like we're way beyond dating. I was wondering..."
"They are my partners; we've been together for nearly two years."
"Wow, I did not expect that. Congratulations."
"Thanks."
He turned and left. It was a few minutes later when Luke and Cody walked in. He pointed them to the table. Each of them gave me a kiss before they sat down.
"I feel like I'm being watched," Luke said.
"I think you are. The host made a comment about me not being here for a date last time. I told him we were way beyond dates. This time he asked me what I meant, and I explained we're a triple. He congratulated me, or us."
"Okay."
I looked at Cody and asked, "singing with Casey tonight?"
"Yeah, I'm doing the harmony."
"Sounds great; I'm looking forward to you two singing again."
"What are you doing?" Luke asked.
"Dibs," I replied.
"I don't know that one," Luke replied.
"It's by Kelsea Ballerini. As the name suggests, she's calling dibs. It just happens to be on your lips, your heart, etc."
"Aw, very romantic," Cody replied. "I wonder where our waiter is?"
I looked over at the host stand and noticed several staff standing there. I caught the host's eye and waved. I think he got the point.
"I'm so sorry," the waiter said as he walked up. "I wasn't aware you were my table. What can I get you to drink?"
"No worries," Luke replied. "I'll have a rum and coke."
"Diet Coke for me," I said. "I'm driving."
"Oh, good! Then I'll have a Yuengling," Cody said.
"I'll need to see your IDs."
"Thanks," Cody said. "Makes me feel young!"
I burst into laughter.
"Mind cluing me in?" the waiter asked.
"He turned twenty-one," I paused and counted, "twelve days ago."
The waiter looked at both IDs, laughed with us, and walked off.
After dinner, we walked over to the club and joined the gang at the table. It was an enjoyable evening.
-----
I sat on the train, thinking about the past weekend. Our routine was settling back down, and life had been fairly peaceful.
The train pulled into the station, and I joined the crowd exiting. I followed the crowd into the parking garage, found my truck, and queued up to leave. I swung by the grocery store to pick up a few things and then headed toward the house.
I was sitting at the light when my phone chirped. I thought about checking it, but I figured the light would turn soon. I was right; the light turned green, and I moved forward.
I woke up in a hospital bed. I looked at the windows; it was dark out. I noticed a figure over in a recliner, and from the size, I realized it was Cody. It looked like he was asleep.
My mouth was dry, and I wanted something to drink. I figured out where the call button was and pressed it. A short while later, a nurse walked in.
"Welcome back," she said.
"Thanks. Thirsty."
"Coulter!" Cody exclaimed.
The nurse handed me a small cup of water, which I drank.
I said to Cody, "What?"
"A car ran the red light and slammed into your truck, right into your driver's door."
"Bad?"
Cody started, "Concussion, some swelling, concern about soft..."
"Soft tissue damage in the neck and spinal area. The doctor can go over everything in the morning, but from what they've said, you'll make a full recovery," the nurse explained.
"Good."
"How's your pain level?" she asked.
"Okay."
"Well, get some rest," she said to me. She turned to face Cody. "You go home and sleep."
"I will soon," Cody replied.
The nurse left, and I looked at Cody.
"Luke or I have been here most of the time," he said.
"How long?"
"Two days. They kept you sedated due to the swelling. They were concerned about brain injuries."
"Bad headache," I admitted.
"Your scans are okay. Hold on a minute."
Cody stopped, grabbed his phone, and started typing. I figured he was sending a text.
"Okay, sent. The doctor said he thinks you'll make a full recovery. But you'll need physical therapy."
Cody's phone started beeping. He looked at it.
"Luke will be here soon. Phil and Darryl will come by tomorrow morning."
I looked around the room, found the clock, and saw it was only seven thirty.
"How you?"
"I'm fine." His tone told a different story.
"Truth."
"Tired, stressed, happy, relieved, scared, worried, and more," he admitted.
"Love you."
"We love you, man." He started sobbing.
"Come'ere"
He got my message and moved close. I was tired, but I wasn't in pain, so I put my arms around him and held him till he started calming down.
"Been doing?"
"I haven't missed any classes," he admitted. "Luke ran home to get some stuff. We've been keeping each other positive!"
"COULTER." Luke was clearly excited as he came into my room.
"Home?"
"I was on my way back when Cody sent the text."
"Hug?"
Luke came over and gave me a hug and a kiss.
"How you?"
"Now? I'm really good. An hour ago, I was a mess!" He explained.
The guys sat and talked with me for a good bit. A nurse came in and told them to go home as visiting hours were over.
"Those boys of yours are something else," the nurse said. "Single dad?"
"Umph..." was what I got out.
"You've done a great job with them. They love you dearly!"
I just gave a huge grin. It was easier than trying to explain the truth.
-----
"The nurse kicked Luke and Cody out a little after visiting hours ended last night. I told them they couldn't come back until after their classes ended, or I'd be upset. If I hadn't, they'd both probably be here now."
"Look at it from their perspective; they're scared," Phil said.
"I know, I could tell."
"Be easy on them; they are trying to be good partners."
"You're always the good counselor."
"The three of us talked a lot," Phil explained. "By the way, you need to update your springing power of attorney."
"I didn't think about that when I updated my will. I haven't told them about the will yet."
"That's not good. Communication is key. What's the doctor said?"
"That I'm damn lucky that I was in a taller and larger vehicle. Her little car mostly went under me, and my injuries are from the seat belt and slamming into the door. There is no sign of a significant brain injury, thanks to my hard head. The biggest issue is the soft tissue damage – like whiplash, but side to side. I guess she wasn't quite as lucky."
"She was speeding, on the phone, and ran a red light from what the officers said," Darryl explained. "She's damn lucky to be alive."
"I'm guessing you'll have lots of PT," Phil said.
"Sounds like it."
"When do you get released?"
"I'm hoping later today. If not, tomorrow, I would think. I'm sore; there are things that are not happy, but the brain is only as bad as it was before this happened; otherwise, I should be able to walk out. Slowly."
"Good."
-----
"Luke's grabbing food and will be up in a minute," Cody said. "I wasn't hungry."
"Been eating a lot of hospital food?" I asked.
"Some, but not a lot," he admitted.
"Back to home cooking soon."
"Hey, what's your middle name?" Cody asked. "The name plate on the door says C C Bochanan.
"Coulter," I replied.
"Huh?"
"Coulter is my middle name. It was my mother's mother's maiden name. My first name is Calum, but I never went by it. Dad always called me Coulter, and it stuck."
"C-A-L-L-U-M?"
"Only one L, which is the more traditional Scottish spelling," I explained.
"Where did Calum come from?"
"It was my great-grandfather's name on my dad's side."
"Calum Coulter Bochanan, cool."
"What's your middle name?"
"Dawson," he replied.
"Cody Dawson Brownly, very nice. Do you know Luke's middle name?"
"He's Luke Aiden Zeller. I teased him, he's laz-y."
"That brought a bit of laughter.
"What did I miss?" Luke asked as he walked in.
"We've been talking about middle names," I explained.
"Oh."
"I told him about lazy," Cody said with a snicker.
"Well, if I married you two, I could go as Lazy-B2 for my rap name!" That brought more laughter. "So, what is your middle name?"
"Coulter," I responded.
"No, your middle name," Luke said.
"Coulter is my middle name. My full name is Calum Coulter Bochanan."
"I like the name Calum," Cody said.
"I hear Calum, and it takes me a while to respond," I admitted.
"Don't like it?" Luke asked.
"I'm just not used to responding to it. As I told Cody, my dad called me Coulter from the start. I never had a problem with anyone trying to use Calum for very long, so I just got used to it. What's for dinner?"
"Sandwich, I scarfed it down pretty quickly," Luke explained.
"Oh."
"Can we take you home?" Cody asked.
"Supposedly tomorrow," I said.
"The doctor seemed really happy with my progress."
"Good!"
-----
Darryl showed up about eleven the next morning.
"The guys asked me to get you since they both had class."
"They knew I would spank them if they missed class."
"Not going there. Anyway. Are you released?"
"Yup, but I guess someone has to wheel me out."
"Yup, they don't want you falling and hurting yourself after so much bedrest."
I got up, climbed into the wheelchair, and then Darryl set my small bag on my lap. He started wheeling me out of the room.
I saw the nurse who had provided most of my care during the day and said, "Thanks for everything."
"You're welcome," he said. "Those guys of yours are something else."
"Yes, they are," I admitted.
The nurse ended up pushing me out of the building while Darryl ran and got his car. I slipped into the passenger seat for the ride home.
Darryl carried my bag into the house while I simply walked in and headed for the den. I sat down feeling okay, but a little on the weak or tired side – I couldn't decide which.
"You need anything?" Darryl asked.
"No. Thanks for being such a great friend."
"I can stick around if you like."
"Up to you. I don't know what's available for lunch."
"The guys said they did some grocery shopping to stock up."
"Oh, shit. I forgot there were groceries in the truck."
"The stuff that didn't melt or spoil, the guys got when they got your bag and things from the lot where it was towed. Like Phil told you, they are really doing all the right things."
"Yup. Very proud of my guys!"
"Well, I'm going to take off and get back to work." Darryl gave me a kiss on the top of my head.
"Thanks again."
I wasn't hungry, so I just stretched out on the couch and watched a movie. I was a little after two when I heard the front door open and close.
"In the den," I called out.
Hurried footsteps sounded before they arrived. I stood, then hugged and kissed first Luke and then Cody.
"How are you feeling?" Luke asked.
"Pretty darn good. Darryl got me home before eleven thirty, and I sat and watched a movie for a while. I made myself a sandwich. Mostly, I just relaxed and enjoyed being home.
"Do you want to take a nap?" Cody asked.
"Nope, I'm good."
"Sit and rest?" Luke asked.
"Sit and cuddle, maybe. But I'm not tired at the moment."
"Need food or drink?" Cody asked.
"How about you two relaxing with me in the den? I'm fine. I'm going to have physical therapy for some aches and pains, but I'll be one hundred percent real soon."
"But..." Luke started.
"How much homework do you two have built up?"
"None," Cody said a bit defensively.
"Good, then sit with me."
They sat one on each side, and I put my arms behind their necks.
"Love you both," I said.
"Love you," they both echoed.
We sat like this for a while, chatting about nothing much and sharing time together. I hoped it would keep the guys from becoming worry-worts. Yes, I was sore. Yes, I had headaches. No, I wasn't in bad shape.
-----
"When do you go back to work?" Cody asked. "I mean into the office."
"It's been nine days since the accident. My PT is going well. I should be able to go back any day now, but Lucinda told me to stay home until next Monday to make sure everything is right. In the meantime, we can start shopping for a new vehicle."
"Thought about what you want?"
"It's not what I want. It's what we want."
"But."
"Don't go there," I warned. "We're a family, and the family will make a decision."
"Uh, okay. Do you know how much the family can spend?"
"Well, my truck was worth maybe fifteen thousand tops. Her insurance will cover that, plus all my hospitalization, lost wages, and, of course, pain and suffering. I'm not going to use much sick leave, so I have it for something else, so the insurance money will cover that. I'm guessing they'll cover..." I paused and thought. "Maybe they'll cover thirty. The rest will be financed."
Luke walked in at as I was saying this.
"What are you going to buy?" Luke asked.
"I figured we could talk through some options," I replied.
That got me an odd look.
"I'd always wanted a truck. I guess it was partly from growing up in farm country. James was dead set against it, so I ended up with a little econobox that I hated. After we ended, I got my big truck, and I was happy. It was used when I bought it since I wanted a stick shift, but it was in phenomenal condition. I don't need it anymore, but I do like having something to haul around stuff for the yard and such. Plus, I do like driving a stick, but they don't make many trucks with manual transmissions."
"Car? SUV?" he asked.
"Smaller truck, maybe a Jeep, I don't know. What do you like?"
"Not my decision," he said.
"Like what I said to Cody; this is a family decision. Our family is buying a new vehicle, and both of you have some input."
"Dude."
"Don't even go there."
"When you say Jeep, what were you thinking?" Cody asked.
"One of the Wranglers would be nice. I would want to test drive it."
"They are fun to ride in," Luke said. "One of my classmates had an old Wrangler, and we'd go around town in it. He had a beach permit, so he could drive it on the sand at times. Lots of fun with the top off."
I shifted, grabbed my tablet, pulled up the Jeep site, and started looking.
"They still make manual transmissions," I said. "It does look nice. Let's put that on the list to check out further. What colors do you like?"
We continued to talk about colors, features, and trim levels for a while.
"How are you feeling?" Luke asked.
"The headaches aren't as bad or as frequent. My therapist thinks that once the issues in my neck and back are resolved, they will disappear. It is amazing to me how parts of the body are so interconnected. Jack up your neck, and your head isn't happy. That makes sense. But she said that the issues with my leg and hip are impacting my spine, which is impacting my neck."
"The head bone's connected to the neck bone," Luke started.
"Darn right."
"What are they doing to help?"
"Massage, manipulation, stretching, exercises," I explained.
"I'd massage you, but I'm afraid I'd hurt you more," he said.
"I think for now, I'll be happy with cuddling!"
"That I'm good at."
-----
"We need to find a time to go test drive," I said.
"Huh?" Luke grunted.
"We're buying a new vehicle. We're going for a test drive."
"Dude, we get that you want us involved. But it's your money," he said.
I said, "Okay", then turned and walked out of the room. I passed Cody in the hallway and said, "I'm going for a walk."
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah," I lied.
I left the house and started walking up the street. I hadn't gotten to the top of the street before the should haves and the should I's started. Should I be in this relationship? Should I be trying so hard? And every variation of it. As I do from time to time, I should all over myself.
I walked out of the community and started walking the Braddock Road trail. I finally wore myself out and turned around.
I found Cody standing at the entrance to the community.
"Where have you been?" he asked.
"Walking."
"Luke went in the other direction, looking for you. I'd walked a bit and realized we could just miss you, so I came back here and waited. You've been gone for over an hour. What's wrong?"
"I love you," I said.
He nodded and started to respond. I held up my hand.
"I love you. I love Luke. Sometimes, I have doubts if this relationship will work."
"What did we do?"
"You didn't, this time."
"What did Luke do? Is this about the test drive and him saying it's your money?"
"Yes," I admitted.
"I read him the riot act," Cody explained. "He feels like shit."
"I don't," I started. This time, Cody held up his hand.
"You are trying so hard to make us equals. You are trying so hard to make this thing work. You put so much energy into our relationship. We do love you, but we don't put as much energy or effort into things. That's going to change."
"Thanks, but..." I started, and again, Cody's hand went up again.
"There are no buts in this Coulter. You twist yourself into knots to make us equals, and we must do better."
We stood there waiting for Luke to return, talking quietly for about ten minutes.
"Dude," he said as he ran up to me. "I am so fucking sorry! I do love you."
I could tell he'd been crying.
"I love you too. You hurt me when you said it's my money."
"I know," he admitted.
"Let's head back to the house," Cody said.
As we walked back towards the house, Luke explained, "I got my ass chewed out. I learned my lesson, but be patient with me. I might screw up a little before I get it right."
We got back to the house and started putting dinner together.
"So, test drive?" Cody asked.
"Yeah," I agreed.
"I have been thinking about it," he explained. "I really like the Wrangler. I looked at its competitors and didn't find anything comparable. I keep comparing it more to a truck. The big thing is that you can't put as much in the back, and it's carpeted."
"If we get a Wrangler, you can put a floor liner in the back," Luke explained. "If it's not big enough for all you want to carry, what about a trailer?"
"What's that thing you need?" Cody asked.
"Towing hitch," I said. "And if the vehicle we like doesn't have one, you can have an aftermarket hitch put on."
"Did you like any of the trucks?" Luke asked.
"The Chevy Colorado is nice. I guess I'm stuck on a stick for no logical reason," I explained.
"It's a preference, and it's valid," Cody said.
"Why don't we test drive the Colorado, the Wrangler, and anything else and see what we like," Luke said.
After dinner, I was still in a bit of a funk. I changed into my lounge pants and a tee, as it was a bit on the cool side, and headed to the den. Moments later, I was in the middle of a snuggle sandwich. I needed the care and the comfort. It really helped me pick up my mood as we watched television. Nothing more was said about the incident, and I was able to get my mind to settle.
-----
"What time is your physical therapy?" Cody asked.
"Same as always seven. Then I drive over to the train station and head for work."
"How is it going?"
I took a sip of my coffee.
"From what she says, it's really good. I mean, there wasn't any structural damage, so we're mostly trying to relieve any soreness, stiffness, or pain. I don't have pain. I'm not really sore in many spots. Mostly, I find I get a bit stiff."
"I like it when you're stiff," he said, raising his mug to his lips, his eyes so expressive.
"You and Luke cause that stiffness."
"The place I'm still getting stiff is my neck, and it throws me."
"Why's that?"
"It's usually in the morning. She keeps saying that motion is lotion. I get it; being active all day loosens up the muscles and relieves stiffness, but..."
"Could it be the pillows?"
"Huh?" I grunted.
"They seem flat. Do you need new pillows?"
"I never thought of that. I'd like to look at them, but I don't want to wake Luke.
"We can do it tonight."
"I should get ready and go," I explained.
With that, I got up and went to the bathroom. I did my morning prep, got dressed for PT, and grabbed my outfit for work. I drove over to the office and got signed in. Amanda called me back a few minutes later.
We went through my therapy session with her, and things seemed to work out.
"Could the stiffness be coming from my pillows?"
"Side, back, or stomach sleeper," she asked.
"Side."
"Does your pillow keep your neck aligned with your spine?"
"That's a good question. It's pretty old."
"They say you should replace them every couple years. I don't know that you must do that. But depending on the pillow type, you want to clean them at least once a year."
"Mine are feather," I said.
"It could be time to clean or replace. If they aren't keeping your neck aligned, I'd suggest replacing it."
"Thanks!"
Once I got to work, I started researching and discovered a few things I could try.
At dinner that night, I looked at Cody and said, "You were right about the pillows. They are too flat and old. Time for new pillows."
"Woo hoo!" Luke said.
I gave him a bit of a look. "Why didn't you say something?"
"Look, I don't want to be in the doghouse about things again. I'm working on it. I can't fix everything right away!"
"You're right. I thought about washing and fluffing them. But they're old, like six or seven years. Time to replace them."
"So, what kind of pillow do you want?" Cody asked.
"I want feather for me. What about you two?"
"I've gotten used to the feather pillows," Luke admitted.
"Me too. I grew up on foam, but I like how you can shape it. They just need to be..." Cody said.
"Fluffier? Firmer?" I asked.
"Taller to support my neck and not go flat as quickly," Cody replied.
"Research after dinner," I said.
They both nodded.
In the end, we settled on a chambered, down pillow that had a feather center for support. They quickly solved my neck problems.
-----
"Why didn't we buy the Jeep while we were there?" Luke asked.
"I want them to squirm a bit and offer a bit better price," I explained. "Yes, it's mostly insurance money, but I don't want to pay the full price. It's only the middle of the month, so they have time to think about it. As the month ends, they need to hit their sales numbers and will be willing to deal."
"I've never been part of a negotiation like this," Luke said.
"When I bought that econobox, James helped me. I should say that James took over the process, chose the car, chose the payment plan, negotiated the deal, etc. I did learn from watching him negotiate the deal. Since I'm not in a rush this time, I will try to save a bit of money. I'm not much for haggling in general; it's the old how much I value my time argument. I think time is better suited to cuddling than haggling."
Copyright 2023 BndgDawg (BndgDawg@gmail.com). Do not reproduce or distribute this story without the author's permission.
This is Chapter Eleven of the third story I have written. I look forward to positive comments, constructive criticisms and otherwise pleasantly worded feedback. Flames and attacks will be ignored and addresses blocked. (BndgDawg@gmail.com).
My other stories on this site are Double Trails (Beginnings/Rural - December 8, 2016) and Homeless (High School - July 30, 2017).